Sanjay Virmani Named Special Agent in Charge of the Counterterrorism Division at the Washington Field Office Director Christopher Wray has named Sanjay Virmani as the special agent in charge of the Counterterrorism Division of the Washington Field Office. He most recently served as deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Mr. Virmani joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Office where he worked cyber and counterterrorism matters. In 2007, he was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Counterterrorism Division. In 2010, he was selected as the supervisory special agent to lead the San Francisco Field Offices Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Oakland Resident Agency. In that role, he led a squad of agents, analysts, and task force officers working on international terrorism investigations. In 2013, Mr. Virmani was selected to serve as Director of the INTERPOL Digital Crime Center at the INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation in Singapore. In this role, he led the directorate in providing operational support to INTERPOL's 190 member countries to address cybercrime threats. In 2016, Mr. Virmani returned to FBI Headquarters as a unit chief of the Cyberterrorism unit, which was focused on identifying, obtaining intelligence on, and disrupting cyberterrorists and their networks globally. In 2018, he was promoted to assistant section chief of the Counterterrorism Divisions Internet Operations Section, where he worked to foster partnerships within the U.S. intelligence community and with international partners. In 2018, he also returned to the San Francisco Field Office as the supervisory special agent of the Private Sector Engagement squad, then was promoted to assistant special agent in charge over the Cyber Branch. In 2021, Mr. Virmani returned to the Counterterrorism Division as section chief of the Strategic Partner Engagement Section, where he oversaw the FBIs liaison efforts with the law enforcement community, U.S. interagency, and private sector partners on counterterrorism-related matters. In 2022, he served as the acting special agent in charge of the Tampa Field Office. In 2022, he was also promoted to deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Division. He earned a bachelors in industrial engineering from California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo and received a masters in business administration from the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. China's State Council mulls measures to advance rural revitalization Xinhua) 08:03, January 23, 2024 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council on Monday held an executive meeting to mull measures to advance rural revitalization on all fronts. The meeting, chaired by Premier Li Qiang, also reviewed and adopted a guideline for promoting the high-quality development of the instant delivery industry, and made arrangements for facilitating new industrialization with artificial intelligence. It was briefed on the operation of the capital market as well as considerations for related work, and discussed a draft law on atomic energy and a draft revision of the law on anti-money laundering. The meeting stressed the importance of prioritizing the development of agriculture and rural areas, accelerating the development of modern agriculture, consolidating the foundations of food security, and promoting relatively fast income growth of farmers in multiple ways. Nurturing and attracting talent to take part in rural revitalization is necessary, as is accelerating the green development pattern transformation, according to the meeting. It underscored the importance of providing further encouragement and strengthening guidance for the instant delivery industry, and the importance of improving its business environment to boost its development. Instant delivery companies should be urged to maintain the bottom line of food and delivery safety, protect the rights and interests of workers, and lower costs for compliant enterprise operations, the meeting said. It called for efforts to pursue the deep integration of artificial intelligence and manufacturing, with a focus on smart manufacturing, as well as efforts to make key industries smarter and develop smart products. It stressed the need to improve the capital market's fundamental system further, paying more attention to maintaining a dynamic balance between investment and financing, enhancing the quality and investment value of listed companies, increasing flows of medium and long-term funds into the market, and strengthening the market's inherent stability. The meeting pledged to boost capital market regulation and take stronger, more effective measures to stabilize the market and improve market confidence. Efforts will be made to enhance the innovation and coordination of policy tools, consolidate and strengthen the trend of economic recovery, and promote the stable and healthy development of the capital market, the meeting said. It also decided to submit a draft atomic energy law and a draft revision of the money laundering law to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for review. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Police vehicles and orange cones lined West Acres Road in Joliet Tuesday morning, blocking access to two homes that were the site of one of the worst crime scenes suburban police say theyve ever seen. Romeo Nance, the 23-year-old man wanted in the fatal shootings of eight people in the Joliet area, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday night after being pursued by U.S. marshals in Texas. As of Tuesday, morning, only one of the victims, Toyosi Bakare, a 28-year-old man originally from Nigeria, had been identified by officials. In Joliet, residents of the typically quiet and safe neighborhood where the victims had been found said theyd been gripped with fear before the suspect died. Carpenter Ruben Dunaven shoveled snow Tuesday morning in his driveway. He hadnt heard about the shooting until a friend texted him Monday night that the area near his house was closed off. Its surprising, Dunaven said. This is supposed to be the nicer part of Joliet, The search for Nance ended after the Medina County sheriffs office in Texas said they received a call that he was heading into the county Monday night. Police said Nance died at about 8:30 p.m. after shooting himself with a handgun following a confrontation with law enforcement at a gas station in Natalia, a town about 30 miles southwest of San Antonio. The Medina County sheriffs office declined to comment on the case, saying the Texas Department of Public Safety is handling the investigation. Its unclear why Nance headed for Texas. Deputies from the Will County sheriffs office found five people dead in one home and two in another home in the 2200 block of West Acres Road on Monday, Joliet police said in a statement. The victims appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, police said. Ive been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Joliet police Chief Williams Evans said at a news conference Monday night, before Nance was found. The homes front yards were surrounded with caution tape that flapped gently as rain drizzled down Tuesday morning. Nataly Contreras, 13, said her family scrambled to lock all the doors at their home on Madison Street, which is adjacent to the crime scene. Its just crazy that it happened so close to us, said her brother, 19-year-old Gustavo Contreras. Another resident on Taylor Street said she found out about the shooting when she heard police sirens blaring. It was so scary. When they caught the guy, I was so relieved, said the resident, who didnt give her name. I could finally let my dog out in our yard. Dan Jungles, deputy chief with the Will County sheriffs office, said they discovered the seven victims while investigating another shooting that took place Sunday at the Pheasant Run Apartments in unincorporated Joliet Township. The victim who was identified, Bakare, was found by police with blood coming out of his head, Jungles said Monday night. He was transferred to Ascension St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet where he later died. A news conference is scheduled at the Joliet City Hall at 2 p.m. Monday night, police said they did not know of a motive for the killings. Authorities said Nance knew the victims. No age range of the victims was released. In January 2023, prosecutors charged Nance with aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and reckless discharge of a firearm, according to Will County court records. Nance has three other open cases in Will County, charging him with criminal damage to government property, obstruction of a peace officer and battery. Nance was also cited for traffic violations in Will County 10 times between late 2019 and early 2023, court records show. In January 2023, Nance was charged with unlawful discharge of a weapon after a road rage incident in which he shot a woman multiple times in Joliet. He was released from jail pending trial. This story is developing. Check back for updates. This is a joint project between Nexstar Media Group and Syracuse University. CONCORD, N.H. (NEXSTAR) The fight for victory between Nikki Haley and Donald Trump in the New Hampshire primary is upon us. All eyes are on the former president and former governor. Polling in the past week has fluctuated between a single or double-digit point difference between the Republican candidates. Some Republicans, however, like Joseph Lyman, do not believe that Haley will emerge victorious. I dont think Nikki, I dont think this is her moment. It would be interesting if it were more of a competition, Lyman said. Republicans have made it clear that their main goal in 2024 is to get President Joe Biden out of office. However, supporters of Donald Trump, like New Hampshire resident Sara Mack, believe that he is the only candidate capable of doing this. Former President Trump repaired this country in 2016 to 2020, and as soon as he left, Im afraid Joe Biden and his cohorts just have completely turned our country upside down, Mack commented. At an endorsement event of former President Donald Trump, Republican New York House Representative Elise Stefanik sent a message to potential supporters of Nikki Haley. She betrayed not only Donald Trump, she betrayed the American people. And we need to secure our elections, Stefanik said. So, President Trump has delivered results. He is our strongest candidate to defeat Joe Biden. And we know that across America, and were going to get it done. Going into the primary election Tuesday, Haley is relying on her efforts this past week of engaging with New Hampshire voters to secure a win but only time will tell if her endeavors are successful in the Granite State. Blythe Reis is a senior at Syracuse University studying Broadcast Journalism and Political Science and has reported for WAER. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Thibodaux's King Cake Festival is drawing near, and here's what you need to know. After the Bayou King Cake Festival flooded downtown Thibodaux with more than 3,000 people last year, the shoulder-to-shoulder venue will be a little different this year, founder Deanna Lafont said. The festival will span five streets and run from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 27, starting just after the Children's Parade. There will be many new features, such as a petting zoo, food trucks, children's stage, a small boat parade that the Thibodaux Krewes' royalty will arrive on, and the New Orleans Pelican's King Cake Baby Mascot will be attending. The Children's Parade that precedes it also will have a different route, starting on West Fourth Street and circling the block around West Third Street and traveling up and down Maronge and St. Louis streets. "It's just a bigger, better-executed festival all around," Lafont said. Here are some scenes from the inaugural Bayou King Cake Festival, held Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in Thibodaux. There will be three entrances to avoid long lines at the gate, and those who pre-purchase their admission can pick up their bracelets early at the following locations: Lafourche Parish School Board Central Office, 805 E. Seventh St., Thibodaux. Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Office, 4484 La 1, Raceland. Galliano Elementary,148 West 158th St., Galliano. Admission is $15 at the gate but can be preordered for $10 here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-bayou-king-cake-festival-and-krewe-of-king-cake-childrens-parade-tickets-686311053837?aff=oddtdtcreator. Admission gets attendees an arm band. On the band is five tickets, each redeemable for one tasting of king cake. Additional tastings are $1 a piece. Along with the tickets comes a doubloon that attendees use to vote for their favorite king cake by giving it to one of the 50 teams serving up the Mardi Gras treat. Feb 4, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Pelicans mascot for Mardi Gras the King Cake Baby walks in the Krewe of Pelicans parade at halftime of a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports La 1 will be closed from 5 a.m. until 6 p.m. for the festival, and a shuttle will ferry attendees to and from the Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., roughly every 20 minutes. More: FEMA announces overhaul of disaster aid, streamlines and expands relief programs More: Cut Off woman receives home donated by Bayou Community Foundation built by Amish volunteers King cake vendors will be on LA 1. The music stage will be on Green Street,. and the street also will have a kids' corner with games for children. The kids' stage will be on St. Louis Street. It will have performances by local organizations geared toward children. Here are some scenes from the inaugural the Bayou King Cake Festival, held Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, in downtown Thibodaux. Maronge Street will have food trucks and vendors for those hankering for more than just king cake, and drink stands will be on West Second Street. These changes were made in response to the unexpected turnout last year, when the festival was flooded with more then 3,000 people turning up and swarming downtown Thibodaux. The massive turnout raised about $50,000 for the nonprofit Lafourche Education Foundation, which hosted the festival. The money is used for the many grants the nonprofit has for teachers. Grants can be applied for here: https://www.lafourcheeducation.com/grants. This article originally appeared on The Courier: Bayou King Cake Festival unveils changes for downtown Thibodaux event BBC Radio 4s comedy panel show The News Quiz is completely biased against Conservatives, a government minister has claimed. Huw Merriman, the Rail Minister, said Fridays edition of the show was a diatribe against the Tories. The show featured jokes about the governments Rwanda Bill, Rishi Sunaks leadership and Lee Andersons intellectual prowess. Mr Merriman made his comments in an interview with Kay Burley on Sky News. He follows Lucy Frazer, the Culture Secretary, who on Monday accused BBC News of bias over a report in which a journalist speculated that an explosion at a hospital in Gaza City was caused by an Israeli air strike. Asked if that was bias or simply a mistake, Ms Frazer said: Impartiality is about perception. I was listening to The News Quiz on Radio 4 at 6.30 on Friday. I was driving from my constituency office to home. For 10 minutes, all I heard it wasnt satirical, it was just a diatribe against Conservatives, not the government. And I did listen to that and think, For goodness sake, where is the balance in that? Despite the fact Ive always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biased, he said. I love it when politicians get lampooned but there wasnt anything in it, in that particular regard, that struck me as amusing. When Burley pointed out that the show was satirical, Mr Merriman replied: It didnt strike me as being particularly satirical. Listen to the first 10 minutes I challenge any of your viewers. It was totally biased. The News Quiz with Andy Zaltzman (R) as the host seen here with occasional guest Angela Barnes has been accused of being biased against the Conservatives - BBC/Joel Anderson The show is presented by Andy Zaltzman and Fridays panellists were Lucy Porter, Robin Morgan, Tadiwa Mahlunge and Ayesha Hazarika. Lee Anderson, who quit last week as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, was the target of several jokes, including: GB News pays Lee Anderson 100,000 a year for high-level political analysis that is like asking Harold Shipman to give you advice on social care. One panellist said they felt sorry for the Prime Minister: Hes in a bad spot because they picked him and they put him in, Oh, hes brown, no-one can think hes racist, we can get in all our racist policies. But now its an election year and he has to win over Tory voters and no-ones going to think hes racist so he cant win these elections. So what he actually needs is a Minister for Racism. Ironically, Lee Anderson would have been perfect. The show was broadcast from Swansea and one of the topics for discussion was the expected loss of 3,000 jobs if Tata Steel closes its blast furnaces in Port Talbot. Morgan, a Welsh stand-up comedian, said: Its infuriating because this is the kind of stuff that could have been worked on as opposed to an anti-woke agenda or stopping the boats and all these kinds of things. Its going to decimate the community and its desperately sad. Defenders of The News Quiz pointed out that it is normal for political satire to make jokes about the government of the day. Jacqui Smith, the former Labour minister, wrote to Merriman on social media: Please be assured that the News Quiz absolutely monstered me when I was in government. Ayesha Hazarika, the Times Radio presenter and ex-Labour adviser, said: Im rather proud to have been part of what was a bloody brilliant episode of @TheNewsQuiz which had the CHEEK to make fun of the ruling party. Can you imagine that?! Time to ban all comedy which isnt nice about the government of 13 years. Pressed by Kay Burley on whether or not he thought BBC News was biased, Mr Merriman offered an example. When I worked at the Department of Work and Pensions and I was working on Universal Credit there was an individual there who would report on it, Neil Buchanan, who I always felt gave one side of the story and not the other side, which was the governments side so that would be my working example, he said. Mr Merriman appeared to be confusing Michael Buchanan, the BBCs social affairs correspondent, with Neil Buchanan, presenter of ITV childrens show Art Attack. Is the #BBC biased? Govt minister @HuwMerriman says it is We ask for some examples#KayBurley PO pic.twitter.com/4ETcYgYnxB Kay Burley (@KayBurley) January 23, 2024 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. NEW BEDFORD Local artisans from the fishing community display their nautical designs out front while Carlos Chamorro works out back to help his customers build the brand designs that will set them apart. It was a friend who is a fisherman who helped Ocean Drive Screenprinting co-owners Chamorro and Laurie Botelho find their new home at 113 MacArthur Drive. Chamorro said the move four months ago has proven to be the right location for the expansion of their screen-printing business. They started the business working out of a warehouse, and most recently the Kilburn Mill. Carlos Chamorro, co-owner, checks the custom embroidery orders being prepared for individuals and businesses through the country at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. Chamorro and Botelho have been in the screen-printing business together for about 10 years. Botelho also owns Lat41 Outfitters downtown and prior to that, The Landing. The inspiration behind the shop Chamorro said Botelho had the innovative idea of offering fishermen the opportunity to have their logos printed on the scallop bags they use for the harvesting of scallops to mark where their product comes from, and the business took off from there. After having issues with other screen printers, including problems getting their product on time and trying to change colors, they decided to invest in themselves. Gil Botelho dries the screen printed scallop bags he is making at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. We started printing on scallop bags and then we started printing our own T-shirts and it seems like people liked it and they started asking us if we would print their designs, he said. They had started with one small machine, a Cricut machine, and from there moved on to a four-head manual press and then a six-head manual press and kept adding new equipment, including embroidery machines. Ultimately, they learned that the work done by the screen printer is more long-lasting. Carlos Chamorro, co-owner, hangs one of the recently custom printed shirts at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. Based on the response they received and the number of requests to print other peoples designs, they took the business in a new direction, Chamorro said. We help other people create their brands, too, he said. They come in with an idea, and we take that idea all the way to the finish line. Carlos Chamorro, co-owner, rotates the screen printing machine at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. They do all kinds of custom work, screen-printing everything from hoodies to souvenirs, and print their own T-shirt designs under the brands Scallop Life and Nauti Seas. He said it takes about two weeks to complete one order. Their ties to the fishing community Chamorro said they are very close to the local fishermen and enjoy seeing the nautical-themed creations they bring into the shop to be sold on commission. Fishermen who collect driftwood from the beach and create different designs, another who made bookends using a piston from a boat and a lamp using a turbo from a tour boat, and another who collects scallop shells and varnishes are among the artisans who contribute to the shop. A lamp made using a used fishing boat engine turbo is one of the many interesting items for sale at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. There are also a variety of photographs, homemade mermaid cards, stained glass and other representations of life out on the water. Chamorro said it's a difficult time for fishermen with regulations that are affecting their livelihoods, and they are happy to help showcase their work. Building relationships with customers They have started reaching out to different trades and expanding to different industries, but their core customers come from the fishing community. Chamorro said they make the process simple for their customers by charging one price rather than charging piecemeal for the set-up, the design and the screens. Carlos Chamorro, owner, prepares an embroidery project he is working on at the recently opened Ocean Drive Screenprinting on MacArthur Drive in New Bedford. Were trying to build a relationship rather than just getting one order, he said. For us, that is more important. Ocean Drive Screenprinting accepts orders online also sells its products at the New Bedford Ship Supply Company and stores in Gloucester and Maine. Ocean Drive Screenprinting can be reached by calling 508-642-9211. Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at kgallerani@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today. This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Ocean Drive Screenprinting helps customers build their brands Siarhiej Dubaviec, a Belarusian writer and journalist living in exile, has been declared suspected of "discrediting the state," "inciting social enmity," and "genocide denial," by the Belarusian regime, among a range of other charges, Radio Svaboda reported on Jan. 23. Alexander Lukashenko's regime regularly targets those who have voiced opposition his rule or openly hold pro-democracy views and continues to crack down on those with links to the mass protests that followed the Belarusian presidential election in 2020. Dubaviec has published ten books and now writes a regular column for a Radio Svaboda, the Belarusian language service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. In the 1990s, Dubaviec was the editor-in-chief of Nasha Niva, the most significant independent Belarusian newspaper in Belarus. In his column, Dubaviec explains the answers to questions submitted by readers relating to Belarusian current affairs. The authorities said that the charges relate to "public statements published in the author's blog." Read also: Rock band famous for 2020 protest anthem detained in Belarus Among the charges, Dubaviec has been declared suspected of having denied "the fact of genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War and the post-war period" and having committed "deliberate actions in the rehabilitation of Nazism." He has also been charged with participating in an extremist group, "namely a formation whose activities are aimed at rehabilitating Nazism." Dubaviec rejected the accusations. "All my reasoning in the public space is strictly subordinated to objective facts, the Constitution of Belarus and the code of journalists of Radio Svaboda," he said. Two Svaboda journalists are currently considered political prisoners in Belarus, namely Andrey Kuznechyk and Ihar Losik. Read also: Belarus Weekly: Finland establishes relations with Belarusian opposition; Minsk to nationalize McDonalds Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A 35-year-old Trevose man has been charged in a 2023 hit-and-run accident that killed 14-year-old boy following a six-month police investigation. Bensalem police allege that James Shulski, of Lower Southampton, was driving a Honda Accord west on Street Road just before the Route 1 overpass around 10:15 p.m. when he swerved out of the left travel lane to avoid two teens in the lane. The Accord narrowly missed one 14-year-old boy, but it struck Harlem Dennis who dove toward the center lane as the vehicle approached them, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Another car then also struck Harlem as he was lying in the road. The boy with Harlem was not injured police said. The force of the impact left Harlem's shoes, socks and other personal items strewn throughout the center lane, the affidavit said. Both cars initially stopped, but after two minutes Shulski allegedly got back into his car and drove away before police arrived. He was last seen driving down Street Road toward the Lower Southampton area. Bensalem police have arrested the driver of this Honda Accord which was involved in a fatal July 6, 2023 accident on Street Road. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner determined Harlem died of blunt trauma to the head and chest. The boy and his mother were long-term residents of the nearby Red Roof Inn motel, police said. Investigators found surveillance video showing a gray Honda Accord traveling westbound on Street Road just prior to the crash. The vehicle was then tracked backward using surveillance cameras. A license plate reader captured the Accord's registration number before the crash, police said. A week after the accident, Bensalem police went to the home where the Accord was registered they found it parked outside with damage consistent with striking a pedestrian, police said. Police spoke to the vehicle owner, Shulski's father, who told them that his son, James, who also lived at the home, most likely had the vehicle the night of the accident, the affidavit said. Police attempted to speak with Shulski, but he refused to answer questions. Authorities obtained a search warrant and seized the Accord and obtained a search warrant for Shulski's cellphone records, which placed his phone near the accident scene around the time of the incident, police said. DNA recovered from the vehicle steering wheel matched a sample from Shulski taken in January. On Tuesday, Shulski was arraigned on a felony charge of accidents involving death or personal injury and duty to give information and render aid, which is a summary. He is free after posting 10% of $100,000 bail. Have you seen this red pickup truck? Have you seen this F350 pickup with NJ plates? Bensalem police are looking for it More on DUI arrest of Bensalem cop High-ranking Bensalem police officer faces DUI charges This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bensalem police make arrest in fatal 2023 hit and run case After starting my college education at a prestigious private university and discovering that my intended major did not really match my passions, losing scholarships in my field meant I needed to transfer to a state university that I had not considered as a high school senior. A semester there exploring majors and meeting with professors in the classes that interested me the most led me both to a field of study I didnt know existed, and the NMSU University Honors Program. Both of these discoveries transformed my life and launched me onto a life path that I have treasured ever since. In the years to follow, it has been my privilege to study and work at half a dozen colleges and universities across the country including big name research universities and a top 20 national liberal arts college. Now, as I meet with our top New Mexico high school seniors on their college exploration tours, the lessons from all these experiences are brought into focus as I offer encouragement for these students to make more of their education than they imagined possible by starting higher education in their own backyard at their state university. Phame Camarena, the dean of the Honors College. September 10, 2020. (NMSU photo by Josh Bachman) If NMSU is your local state university, it is easy to misperceive just how exceptional the university really is or how many new opportunities await you right here. Regardless, landing at a school where you fit, feel valued and can stand out is much more important than the one line on your resume listing where you went to college. Fit matters more than prestige, but be assured that NMSU does have national recognition and a strong reputation for exceptional undergraduate education. Which is what makes Honors education within our state university so special. We can offer every opportunity available at a private elite school, but here you can afford to take advantage of those opportunities. So yes, I will encourage you to do research with a professor, to become a campus leader, to engage with the professional organizations in your field, and to be actively involved in the life of the university and community, all while building a resume of experience that will help you achieve well beyond graduation. In the end, what you do wherever you go matters more than where you go. NMSU Insights logo. For our top students, we hope that some of that doing includes experiences away from campus in an internship across the country, a domestic exchange program at a partner university in another state, or a study abroad program in another country. Every academic program at NMSU supports these kinds of activities knowing that they build confidence and intercultural competence, while preparing our students to achieve in whatever field they choose. For local students eager to spread your wings, remember that NMSU is more than a vibrant campus in Las Cruces; we are also a home-base for your global explorations. Consistent with our Land Grant mission, I love that most of our NMSU Honors students describe their professional goals and life values in terms of doing something more with their lives. Giving back to the communities that nurtured them or working to solve the problems of our world is so much more motivating than simply earning a degree, to get a job, to make more money. These aspirations also inspire all of us in Honors to do what we can to elevate these students success knowing that when we transform our students lives for good, they are better prepared to change the world for good. Which brings me back to the overall lesson that I hope all of our graduating seniors are taking to heart this season of college choice. Our states tuition investment makes college more affordable if you could not imagine going to college otherwise. And for our top academic high school performers weighing scholarship offers from schools across the region and country, it provides you with some extra incentive to make one of New Mexicos exceptional universities your first-choice school. So before you make plans to launch off to an out of state dream school, please take an extra look to see if you can imagine your college experience in-state differently: being bold with your education, seeking high impact learning experiences in and out of the classroom, traveling the country and world as part of your training, and aiming even higher with your aspirations, knowing that you are the best of New Mexico and you have the ability to make an even better New Mexico for the generation to follow. Best wishes on your college selection I am here to both challenge and support you! Phame Camarena is the dean of the Conroy Honors College at New Mexico State University. He can be reached at phame@nmsu.edu. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Reflections for our top 2024 high school graduates As it does occasionally, especially on significant days, the Biden administration released a slate of measures its taking to protect abortion rights on Monday, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. These initiatives, naturally, are often limited: sending letters to hospitals in ban states to remind them of their responsibilities, urging agencies to take various actions. This list is similar, but one point in particular caught my eye. The White House, in materials shared with TPM, announced that it would be launching a comprehensive plan to educate patients about their rights under the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA). EMTALA requires that hospitals receiving certain federal funds give patients stabilizing treatment amid medical emergencies. The White House plan will include informing patients about how to make a complaint if their rights under the statute are violated. In Texas and Idaho, the administration is currently battling with Republican officials who contend that abortions cannot be part of that stabilizing treatment under their anti-abortion regimes. The Administration has long taken the position that the required emergency care can, in some circumstances, include abortion care, the White House fact sheet reads. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is defending that interpretation of the law before the Supreme Court, which is expected to rule by June. The administration (predictably) lost this argument at the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, where the panel ruled that EMTALAs silence on abortion its silent on virtually all specifics of this stabilizing care meant that abortions cannot be mandated under it, even when abortions are the necessary stabilizing care the law requires. Despite the pretzelesque reasoning here, the Supreme Court has given cause for worry, taking up Idaho Republicans request to hear the case, leapfrogging the 9th Circuit, which was scheduled to hear arguments, and letting Idaho reimpose its abortion ban in all cases in the meantime. In keeping with its post-Dobbs priorities, the administration is trying to shore up abortion protections in the narrow space where federal law still dictates and in emergency cases. Right now, that means wringing every drop of protective juice out of EMTALA while it still can. The Best Of TPM Today NEW from Hunter Walker and Luppe B. Luppen: The Inside Story Of Barack Obamas 2024 Campaign Calculations SCOTUS Allows Feds To Remove Wire Along Border, Deferring Showdown With Texas Yesterdays Most Read Story Supreme Court Poised To Shift Executive Branch Power To Itself Kate Riga What We Are Reading Even after Planned Parenthood stopped performing abortions, Texas is still trying to shut it down Texas Tribune Ousted Florida Republican chair cleared of rape allegation, but police seek video voyeurism charge AP The Republicans Actually Want a Border Crisis Dan Pfeiffer WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The Biden administration began its nationwide push in support of reproductive rights Monday on what would have been the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Democrats see this as a winning issue as Republicans campaign to outlaw abortion nationwide. The government should not be telling her what to do with her body!, said Vice President Kamala Harris during the kickoff of her Fight for Reproductive Freedoms tour. Stop playing politics with a womans life and freedom. Let doctors do their job, said President Joe Biden ahead of a meeting with his Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access. The nations top two Democrats blame the current GOP frontrunner, former President Donald Trump, for the end of Roe, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that provided women with the constitutional right to an abortion. He handpicked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe, Harris said. This is in fact a healthcare crisis. Republicans also see reproductive rights as a winning issue for them in this years presidential election. Every unborn child has a value that is too profound and precious to ignore, House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-La.), said during the annual March for Life in D.C. Friday. Johnson and other members of Congress, including U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, (R-N.J), joined thousands of anti-abortion advocates to celebrate the end of Roe. Lives are being saved!, Smith told the crowd. Yeah, well have a setback here and there. Every human rights struggle does. But we are undeterred! President Biden and Vice President Harris, along with their spouses, will advocate for reproductive rights Tuesday during a campaign rally in Virginia. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Two years ago, Mohamed Worku allegedly walked into a bank, handed over a note Give me the money Please Thank You and walked out with cash. He was arrested and charged. On Friday, a federal jury acquitted him of bank robbery, apparently agreeing with his defense that, whatever he did, it wasnt threatening enough to meet the legal standard for bank robbery. And on Monday, according to federal authorities, Worku allegedly walked into a bank, handed over a note Please Give me the money Ill pay it back soon. And again he walked out with cash. It was just three days after his release from custody, and Worku was once again arrested and charged. The first case dates to December 2021, when Worku was arrested for allegedly robbing a Fifth Third Bank in Little Village. A bank employee identified him as the man who came in with the polite demand letter, then left with nearly $600. Police found him a few blocks away and took him into custody; the note asking for money was among his belongings, according to the criminal complaint. Worku went to trial this month on a charge of bank robbery, which required prosecutors to show he took the money by intimidation. His defense argued that, yes, Worku had committed a crime, but he didnt make threats or do anything by force, so his actions didnt meet the standard for the bank robbery charge, said attorney Mary Judge, who represented him in last weeks trial. In other words, they told jurors, prosecutors couldnt prove he actually intimidated anyone: There were no implicit or explicit threats of any kind, Judge said. Worku was acquitted and released from custody Friday, records show. Then on Monday afternoon, Worku allegedly went into a Citibank in Lincoln Park and passed an employee a note: Please Give me the money, Ill pay it back soon, Bankers Gife (sic) to me in advance. The employee gave him more than $2,000 from the teller drawer, according to a criminal complaint made public Tuesday. Worku was soon arrested about half a mile away, according to the complaint. In his pockets were green gloves, a blue surgical mask, and a green hat, all matching the bankers description of the robbers clothes, according to the complaint, and he had more than $1,800 on him as well as federal custody paperwork with his name on it. The employee also identified him as the person who robbed the bank, the complaint states. Worku now faces two new counts: bank robbery, the same as his last charge, as well as bank theft, for which prosecutors arent required to prove he intimidated anyone. Judge, who does not represent Worku in the new case, said she believes prosecutors made a more appropriate charging decision this time because of last weeks verdict. Thank you to the jurors in our case for reaching the right conclusion, she said. Because of their not-guilty verdict, I believe the government is now charging both bank robbery and bank theft in a case where there is not evidence of force or threat of force, as it should be done. mcrepeau@chicagotribune.com Tribunes Jason Meisner contributed. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris rallied voters in Virginia during their first joint campaign appearance on Tuesday, seeking to emphasize the stakes for reproductive rights in the 2024 election. The Supreme Court did what it had never done before, Biden said at the Manassas rally, which came one day after what would have been the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, which had established a constitutional right to abortion. They ripped away a fundamental constitutional right that was in place for nearly 50 years. Let there be no mistake: The person most responsible for taking away this freedom in America is Donald Trump, Biden added. But as Biden sought to reinforce his administrations biggest selling point against the Republican front-runner, its biggest weakness with young voters was on full display in the crowd, as protesters who oppose his support for Israel in its war against Hamas repeatedly interrupted the president. The interruptions began as Biden was delivering his first line. A male protester unfurled a Palestinian flag and shouted, Genocide Joe how many Palestinian children have to die? The president paused his speech and looked toward the man. A second and third protester followed shortly after, prompting chants from the crowd of Four more years! After a fourth protester, Biden broke from his prepared remarks to say, They care deeply. And at protester five Biden acknowledged, This is going to go on for a while. All told, the president was interrupted about a dozen times. Eventually, the crowd urged Biden to keep speaking, and the president ignored further outbursts from the crowd. The hectic rally and Bidens seemingly futile attempts to keep the crowd focused on reproductive rights represent a new normal for the president, who has repeatedly been interrupted by protesters criticizing his administrations stance on Israel and his refusal to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. He was also interrupted by protesters while delivering a speech on democracy near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, and while speaking at a church in Charleston, South Carolina, earlier this month. Hes often appeared conciliatory toward those protesters. I understand the passion and Ive been quietly working been quietly working with the Israeli government to reduce significantly get out of Gaza, Biden said as the protesters were led out of his South Carolina remarks. But still, the protests provide a window into Bidens potential problems among young voters, Arab Americans and the most progressive flank of the Democratic Party. At the rally, Harris also delivered a stark warning on abortion access in the wake of the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a "Reproductive Freedom Campaign Rally" at George Mason University on January 23, 2024, in Manassas, Virginia. - Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images We all know 19 months ago, the highest court in our land the court of Thurgood (Marshall) and RBG took a constitutional right from the people of America, from the women of America, and in the 19 months since, in states across our nation, extremists have proposed and passed laws that criminalize doctors and punish women, laws that make no exception even for rape and incest, she said. The vice president blasted Trump for his role in gutting abortion rights, warning even more restrictive measures would follow if Republicans have their way. Across our nation, women are suffering and let us be very clear about who was responsible: Former President Trump hand picked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe, she said. He intended for them to take your freedoms, he is the architect of this health care crisis, and he is not done and the extremists are not done, she said. Looking forward, Harris pledged the Biden administrations support for safeguarding abortion access. We have a president who has a vision for our future, a future where reproductive freedom is protected for every woman, every person in America, she said. And we have a president who has and this is so critically important the compassion, as well as the determination and skill, to make our vision for our country and our future real. The Biden campaign is banking on abortion rights being one of the pivotal issues driving voters out against the GOP nominee in November. Nearly two-thirds of Americans polled after the 2022 decision that overturned Roe said they disagreed with the decision, according to a CNN Poll conducted by SSRS in the decisions aftermath. Bidens campaign has also been homing in on recent comments made by Trump taking credit for the decision that overturned Roe. The former president faces a crucial night Tuesday in New Hampshire in his two-person race against Nikki Haley for the Republican nomination. Harris, the administrations point person on abortion rights, kicked off a reproductive freedoms tour this week with a Monday stop in Wisconsin. She is expected to travel across the country to hold a number of events bringing together thousands of people, her office previously said. The campaign began hitting the airwaves in battleground states this week with ads featuring emotional testimony from a Texas woman who had to travel out of state to seek an abortion because of a state law banning abortions after six weeks of pregnancy. Donald Trump is the reason that more than 1 in 3 American women of reproductive age dont have the freedom to make their own health care decisions. Now, he and MAGA Republicans are running to go even further if they retake the White House, said Julie Chavez Rodriguez, the Biden campaign manager. In 2024, a vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris is a vote to restore Roe, and a vote for Donald Trump is a vote to ban abortion across the country. CNNs MJ Lee, Arlette Saenz and Nikki Carvajal contributed to this report. This story and headline have been updated with additional reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Joe Biden speaks during an event on the campus of George Mason University in Manassas, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, to campaign for abortion rights, a top issue for Democrats in the upcoming presidential election. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) MANASSAS, Va. (AP) President Joe Biden on Tuesday condemned abortion bans that have increasingly endangered the health of pregnant women, forcing them to grow sicker before they can receive medical care, and he laid the blame on Donald Trump, his likely Republican challenger in this year's election. He's betting we won't hold him responsible, Biden said to a crowd of hundreds of cheering supporters. He's betting you're going to stop caring. But guess what? he added. I'm betting he's wrong. I'm betting you won't forget." The rally with Vice President Kamala Harris came on the same day as the Republican primary in New Hampshire, where Trump tightened his grip on his party's presidential nomination. Biden won the largely symbolic Democratic primary via a write-in campaign after he refused to appear on the ballot. The Virginia rally demonstrated how Democrats hope to harness enduring anger over abortion restrictions to blunt his comeback bid. Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court less than two years ago in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, a decision enabled by three conservative justices appointed by Trump. The person most responsible for taking away this freedom in America is Donald Trump," Biden said. The speech was Biden's bluntest yet on abortion and the status of reproductive health, but it was disrupted several times by protests over Israel's war in Gaza. One person shouted shame on you! This is going to go on for a while; they got this planned, the Democratic president said as the protestors were escorted out one by one. Biden and Harris were joined by their spouses, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff, at Tuesday's rally. Its the first time the four of them have appeared together since the campaign began, a reflection of the importance that Democrats are putting on abortion this year. Jill Biden told a story about a friend who became pregnant in high school, years before Roe v. Wade. The friend, she said, needed to get a psychiatric evaluation to be declared mentally unfit before she could get the abortion. Secrecy, shame, silence, danger, even death. That's what defined that time for so many women," she said. And because of Dobbs thats where were finding ourselves back again, refighting the battles we had fought." Emhoff told the crowd that the fight for abortion rights needed men as well. Reproductive freedom is not a womans issue, Emhoff said. Its an everyones issue. The four of them spoke in front of a blue banner that spanned the width of the stage and said Restore Roe in bold letters. The crowd hummed with energy, chanting four more years and booing Trump's name, a glimpse of the enthusiasm that has been largely missing from Biden's low-key events since announcing his reelection campaign last April. Biden was introduced by Amanda Zurawski, a Texas woman whose water broke only halfway through her pregnancy. Because Roe v. Wade had just been overturned, she was unable to get an abortion until she went into septic shock. What I went through was nothing short of barbaric. And it didnt need to happen," said Zurawski, who has also testified before Congress and sued Texas along with several other women. "But it did, because of Donald Trump. Democrats view Virginia as a success story in their fight for abortion rights since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. In last years legislative elections, the party maintained control of the Senate and won a majority in the House. It was a defeat for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who had proposed new limits on abortion and had been considered a potential presidential candidate. The voice of the people has been heard and it will be heard, said Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president. She also targeted Trump in her speech, describing him as the architect of this health care crisis caused by abortion restrictions around the country. Harris was in Wisconsin on Monday to mark the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the first stop in a nationwide series of events focused on abortion. In America, freedom is not to be given. It is not to be bestowed. It is ours by right, she said. And that includes the freedom to make decisions about ones own body not the government telling you what to do. While Harris and Democrats have embraced abortion as a campaign issue, many Republicans are shying away or calling for a truce, fearful of sparking more backlash from voters. Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, recently made a plea to find consensus on the divisive issue. As much as Im pro-life, I dont judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I dont want them to judge me for being pro-life, she said during a primary debate in November. Trump has taken credit for helping to overturn Roe v. Wade, but he has balked at laws like Floridas ban on abortions after six weeks, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dropped out of the Republican nomination race over the weekend. You have to win elections, Trump said during a recent Fox News town hall. Abortion is also the focus of Biden's new television advertisement featuring Dr. Austin Dennard, an OB-GYN in Texas who had to leave her state to get an abortion when she learned that her baby had a fatal condition called anencephaly. In Texas, you are forced to carry that pregnancy, and that is because of Donald Trump overturning Roe v. Wade, Dennard said. Although Democrats want to restore the federal rights that were established in Roe v. Wade, there's no chance of that with the current makeup of the Supreme Court and Republican control of the House. The White House is pushing against the limits of its ability to ensure access to abortion. On Monday, it announced the creation of a team dedicated to helping hospitals comply with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, which requires hospitals receiving federal money to provide life-saving treatment when a patient is at risk of dying. The Department of Health and Human Services said it would improve training at hospitals concerning the law and publish new information on how to lodge a complaint against a hospital. Some advocacy groups have said complaints should be enforced more aggressively. Last week, The Associated Press reported that federal officials did not find any violation of the law when an Oklahoma hospital instructed a 26-year-old woman to wait in a parking lot until her condition worsened to qualify for an abortion of her nonviable pregnancy. ___ Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz contributed to this report. Three years since President Biden took office, the world is more perilous, menacing and unsettled. After the supposedly tumultuous years of the Trump White House, Joe Biden was heralded to represent calm, stability, and order on the international stage. Cheering European elites welcomed him with open arms, regarding him as one of their own, a champion of globalist ideals and the power of international organizations such as the United Nations. Biden, they believed, would usher in a new era of international cooperation and stability, with the grown-ups ostensibly back in charge. The reality today is of course dramatically different. The shambolic and poorly planned US withdrawal from Afghanistan was a catastrophe, with the murderous Taliban now back in power, armed with vast amounts of abandoned American military equipment, reducing Afghan women to the status of slaves, and gutting the country of any semblance of freedom. In Europe, the Biden administration did nothing to deter Vladimir Putins monstrous Russian invasion of Ukraine, and still has no long-term strategy for standing up to the Russian bear. Moscow has been emboldened during the course of the Biden presidency, and defence ministers in Europe are now openly discussing the prospect of a Russian attack on NATO territory in the next few years, a scenario that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. In Asia, Chinas Communist rulers have become more aggressive and assertive since the start of 2021, especially in relation to Taiwan. In President Trump the Chinese Communist Party saw a formidable and unpredictable adversary. In President Biden they see a weak-kneed, increasingly frail and eminently predictable commander in chief who at times seems to be barely coherent and hardly in charge of Americas foreign and national security policy. In the Middle East, the overall outlook for the United States is just as bad, if not worse. Joe Bidens exceedingly naive Iran strategy of passive containment and Barack Obama-style constructive engagement is failing badly. The despotic regime in Tehran, the worlds biggest state sponsor of terror, is far stronger today than it was when Donald Trump left office. Enriched by tens of billions of dollars in unfrozen funds released by the Biden administration and a failure to enforce and strengthen US and international sanctions, the Iranian dictatorship is enjoying a period of unchecked aggression in the Middle East, with little in the way of serious consequences for its malevolent actions. The widespread attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants against international shipping in the Red Sea poses a huge challenge for the Biden administration, who were agonizingly slow to move in response. In an act of sheer folly, the Biden State Department removed the designation of the Houthis as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group in 2021, only to reverse the decision last week under intense political pressure in Washington. Limited US-led airstrikes with the UK in support against the Houthis have so far failed to deter the Yemen-based rebels, who are actively armed, funded and directed by Tehran. As is always the case with the Biden White House, it has taken months to make decisions and act decisively with any degree of strength against aggressors, and there is zero appetite to confront in any way the real source of the problem: Iran. Despite Irans deep-seated support for the Houthis, Hamas, Hezbollah, and an array of smaller proxy terrorist groups, the Biden team has demonstrated an appalling lack of willingness and determination to stand up to Tehran. Since October 7, 2023, when Hamas massacred over 1,200 Israelis, there have been 140 attacks on American forces by Iranian-backed terrorists in Iraq and Syria alone, with an extremely limited military response by the United States. Irans proxies increasingly act with impunity, encouraged in the belief that the Biden administration does not want a direct confrontation with their masters in Tehran. The Biden presidency remains wedded to the ludicrous idea of reviving the dead-in-the-water Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA, or Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) negotiated by the Obama administration without the support and consent of the US Senate. President Trump was right to abandon the deal back in May 2018 based on the entirely accurate assessment that it would not ultimately halt Iran from becoming a nuclear power. It is no coincidence that Iran has greatly accelerated its nuclear programme since Biden took office, when he abandoned Trumps highly effective maximum pressure campaign against Tehran for a doomed policy of conciliation and engagement. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors are now warning that Iran has enough enriched uranium for several nuclear warheads. The stakes in the Middle East right now are incredibly high. Genocidal Iran, which threatens to wipe Israel off the map, is perilously close to becoming a nuclear weapons power, the Houthis continue to threaten Western shipping in the critically important shipping lanes of the Red Sea, and Tehrans proxies are directly attacking US forces in the region. But in the Biden White House, there is no leadership from a president who has spoken just once to the prime minister of Americas closest friend and ally in the region, Israel, in the last four weeks. In stark contrast, the Trump administration had an extremely close partnership with the Israelis, and also greatly strengthened ties with key Gulf allies through the historic Abraham Accords signed between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in 2020. The clueless Biden presidency is adrift on the world stage, without a strategy, dismissive of key partners including Israel, and fixated on policies of appeasement that delight Americas enemies. Bidens Middle East policy is an unbridled disaster, with Iran on a glide path to becoming the North Korea of the region, threatening not only Americas closest partners in its immediate vicinity, but also Europe and much of the world too. Joe Bidens grim legacy is a weaker and more isolated US superpower, operating in an increasingly dangerous world where Americas enemies are swiftly gaining ground and confidence. Nile Gardiner is the Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC 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 absence of the Biden-Harris ticket is a result of a standoff between the DNC and New Hampshire officials after the party moved to designate South Carolina as the first primary state. As New Hampshire residents prepare to vote in Tuesdays primary election, some may wonder why President Joe Bidens name will not be on the ballot. The absence of the Biden-Harris ticket is a result of a standoff between the Democratic National Committee and New Hampshire officials after the national party moved to designate South Carolina as the first primary state for the Democratic presidential contest. New Hampshire previously held the first-in-the-nation primary for over a century, even solidifying its status in state law in 1975. So when national Democrats decided to change the first primary state as recommended by Biden, New Hampshire officials scoffed at the decision and bucked Democratic Party leadership by deciding not to change its state law that mandates the first-in-the-nation status. The choice to name South Carolina as the new first primary state for the 2024 Democratic presidential calendar results from Biden wanting to center Black voters in the Palmetto State who were consequential to his 2020 primary victory. Four years ago, after performing poorly in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire and Nevada primaries, Biden saw an unlikely comeback when he overwhelmingly won in South Carolina, largely due to the states large Black voting population and a critical endorsement of longtime Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C. That win caused several moderate Democrats to drop out of the race and endorse Biden ahead of Super Tuesday. By the time the primary got to South Carolina 99% of Black folks had no say whatsoever, in terms of determining the most powerful person on the face of the planet, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison said in a previous interview with theGrio about the presidential primary calendar before 2024. President Joe Biden (left) shakes hands with Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Black voters now have a seat at the table, said Harrison, who credited the historic moment to Bidens visionary leadership. The state where 40% of enslaved people came through the Port of Charleston, the state where 90% of African Americans in this country can find one ancestor from South Carolina, that state will be the very first state to determine the most powerful person on the face of this planet, he continued. Thats a big deal for the African-American community, and Im so proud to be the chair to get that ushered in. Clyburn, now a close Biden confidant after his game-changing endorsement of Biden in 2020, said South Carolinas position as the first primary state means that the Democratic Party has recognized that this country is changing. Its important to him to demonstrate to the African-American voters in South Carolina that he respects them as part of this party, Clyburn said of Biden. He told theGrio, Their influence should be applied early in the process and not wait for momentum to build somewhere else and put them out of reach. The South Carolina Democratic primary will be held on Feb. 3. In the meantime, all eyes will be on the results in New Hampshire, where, despite no official delegates being awarded in the Democratic contest, New Hampshire residents will cast their ballots without Bidens name as a result of the first-primary fallout. Instead, voters can vote among 21 registered candidates in New Hampshire, including Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and author and spiritual guru Marianne Williamson, both Democratic presidential candidates, or write in an alternative candidate. Campaign signs in Loudon, New Hampshire, ask voters to write in President Joe Biden on the states primary ballot. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Democrats are hoping a grassroots campaign to get Democratic voters to write in Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be enough to ensure he has a clear victory as the incumbent president despite not registering to be on the ballot. Theres also an activist-led campaign pushing New Hampshire voters to write in ceasefire as a message to the president and their opposition to the Biden administrations stance in the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East. Party leaders have been intentionally quiet about the primary conundrum. But inner Democratic circles admit that Phillips or Williamson besting the president in New Hampshire albeit in name only would not be good optics, particularly since the president continues to struggle in national polls and in a hypothetical matchup against his likely Republican opponent, former President Donald Trump. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., traveled to New Hampshire to campaign for the Biden write-in effort, urging Democratic voters to show their support. Its a hard thing to win in a write-in campaign, Khanna said, according to NPR. The national progressive leader praised Bidens record in office, saying, This presidents economic visions are connecting. This president is inspiring the nation. A Democratic source told ABC, Given the difficulty and mechanics of a write-in, if he gets over 65 (%), thats a resounding victory. However, the source added, And if he falls below 50, then I think hes in Lyndon Johnson territory, and its a problem. 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He is based in Washington, D.C. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Biden isnt on the New Hampshire ballot after prioritizing Black voters appeared first on TheGrio. By Steve Holland MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden won an unusual Democratic write-in vote in New Hampshire's primary election on Tuesday, an important display of political strength, despite his name not being on the ballot. Edison Research projected Biden the winner over two Democrats whose names were actually on the ballot - U.S. Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota and self-help author Marianne Williamson. The victory for the incumbent president was the end product of a fervent write-in campaign orchestrated by New Hampshire Democrats, who were troubled by the national party's decision to send the state's first-in-the-nation primary election to more diverse South Carolina. "I want to thank all those who wrote my name in this evening in New Hampshire. It was a historic demonstration of commitment to our democratic process," Biden said in a statement. At a watch party by organizers of the write-in campaign, some in the audience booed when the speakers noted that New Hampshire's proud tradition of vetting Democratic candidates had been ended by the Democratic National Committee. But the crowd cheered when it appeared Biden was going to do well. Matt Wilhelm, a Democratic state representative, said the write-in campaign was "certainly unconventional," but effective. "Together we sent a clear message that we are going to fight for our democracy, we are going to fight for our fundamental freedoms and we are going to fight to re-elect Joe Biden in November," he said. Biden had about 68% of the vote with 40% of the write-in counted, while Phillips had about 20%. The 55-year Democrat had said in the days leading up to Election Day that he would continue his campaign. He has argued that Biden is weak and unelectable and vulnerable to defeat by the likely Republican nominee, Donald Trump. At the Phillips watch party in Manchester, Phillips extended his congratulations to Biden but said he won "by no means in a way that a strong incumbent president should." He also congratulated Trump for winning the Republican vote. A statement from the Biden campaign made no mention of the write-in but looked ahead to the general election battle. "While we work toward November 2024, one thing is increasingly clear today: Donald Trump is headed straight into a general election matchup where hell face the only person to have ever beaten him at the ballot box: Joe Biden," the statement said. Biden had supported the move by national Democrats to move their first primary election to South Carolina. Whether his victory will be seen as sufficiently strong will likely be debated by his rivals. A CNN/University of New Hampshire poll released on Sunday showed Biden drawing 63% of the primary vote in that state, with Phillips at 10%. Democratic supporters had sought to temper expectations. They pointed to the 39% support that Senator Lisa Murkowski won during a write-in election in 2010 as a sign of what Biden might achieve. With Trump's nomination seemingly imminent, Biden's campaign announced two of the president's top advisers, Mike Donilon and Jen OMalley Dillon, will leave the White House for his reelection campaign next month. The move followed criticism from some Democrats that his campaign needed a jolt. (Reporting by Steve Holland; Editing by Daniel Wallis and Howard Goller) US President Joe Biden has had a phone conversation with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Source: European Pravda, citing the White House Details: During the conversation, Sunak and Biden explicitly reaffirmed their support for Ukraine, which is defending itself against ongoing Russian aggression. Additionally, the leaders discussed the attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on commercial and military vessels passing through the Red Sea. The conversation also touched on the importance of increasing humanitarian aid and protecting the civilian population in Gaza, as well as the release of hostages held by Hamas. Background: On 20 January, Rishi Sunak and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone conversation to discuss further assistance to Ukraine. During Rishi Sunak's visit to Kyiv on 12 January, a bilateral security agreement was signed between the UK and Ukraine, which will be in effect until Ukraine joins NATO. This is the first bilateral agreement to implement the commitments agreed upon during the NATO Summit in Vilnius between Ukraine, G7 members and associated states. Additionally, Sunak announced a substantial military aid package for Ukraine amounting to 2.5 billion. He also disclosed that London would allocate 200 million to produce drones for Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! MANASSAS, Virginia President Joe Bidens big rally Tuesday marking the anniversary of Roe v. Wade was thrown off track as protesters scattered throughout the crowd repeatedly interrupted his speech in protest of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war. Biden laid out the stakes of the 2024 race, forcefully leaning into the administrations push to protect reproductive freedom as the general election is quickly coming into focus. He shared the stage with Vice President Kamala Harris with RESTORE ROE displayed behind them in bold, white letters and laid out the case that former President Donald Trump Trump was responsible for restricting critical health care access for women. He told the crowd that Trump expects the nation wont hold him responsible for his role in overturning Roe v. Wade. But guess what? Biden said. Im betting hes wrong. Im betting you wont forget. But as the president attempted to speak about the Republican Partys plan to further restrict abortion access, he was interrupted every few minutes by protesters chanting genocide Joe and ceasefire now or no vote. The crowd of Biden supporters tried drowning them out with chants of four more years. The president was interrupted at least 14 times as advance staffers and law enforcement officers scrambled around the auditorium to usher the protesters out. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, seated in the front row, was seen energetically trying to clap and shout over the disruptions, but the presidents message was lost. Tuesdays protest speaks to the discontent in a faction of the Democratic Party over the presidents Israel policy. For months, progressives have tried to force a reckoning with Biden over the war as more than 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza amid Israels response to Hamas horrific Oct. 7 attack. Biden has increasingly had to confront public opposition to his handling of the conflict. Earlier this month, protesters interrupted a speech at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. They feel deeply, Biden said on Tuesday. This is going to go on for a while. Theyve got this planned. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a man with a significant amount of pressure on his shoulders. The 3 1/2-month-long war against Hamas in Gaza has long since turned into an albatross around his neck, one that has caused his approval ratings to drop precipitously and created adversity wherever he looks. The way the Israeli military has chosen to prosecute the military campaign against Hamas is by far the biggest source of angst for the international community. The Gaza Strip, a coastal territory the United Nations predicted would be unlivable years before the Israel-Hamas war erupted, is now essentially a wasteland. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed, tens of thousands have been wounded and entire cities, such as Gaza City, the territorys largest metropolitan area, have been leveled. More than 85% of Palestinians in Gaza are internally displaced, and acute food insecurity is the norm. All of this is causing anger not only in the Arab world but also in the so-called Global South; South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for genocide. President Joe Biden is also facing pushback from his fellow Democrats who believe the White House isnt being as forceful with Netanyahu as it should be. Netanyahu is also the target of intense anger inside Israel itself. Leading the charge are the families of the hostages who remain in Hamas custody. More than 130 of them, civilians and soldiers alike, are in Gaza today, some of them parked in Hamas extensive tunnel network. This makes it immensely difficult for the Israeli military to mount successful rescue operations to date, only one hostage has been rescued. The families in Israel are concerned that the longer the war drags on, the more likely their loved ones will die. Its not an unreasonable fear some have reportedly been killed in Israeli airstrikes, while three more were accidentally killed by Israeli troops. Fair or not, many in Israel believe Netanyahu isnt doing all he can to free the remaining hostages. Others suspect the hostages are a second-tier priority for his government, below winning the war. The fissures within Netanyahus coalition government are more obvious as well. After Hamas Oct. 7 attacks, Netanyahu reached out to his political rivals, including former generals Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, to join his war cabinet. The decision was packaged as a way to bring the nation together during one of its darkest moments. For Netanyahu, it was also a clever way to distribute some of the blame if Israels war strategy in Gaza proved to be unworkable. Yet there isnt much unity in the unity cabinet anymore. Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, is increasingly vocal about his opposition to Netanyahus current strategy in Gaza and said in a television interview that claims of clear, rapid progress were utter lies. Those who talk about an absolute defeat and lack of will and ability do not tell the truth, Eisenkot said. He even suggested the Israelis should choose new leaders. We need to go to the polls and have an election in the next few months, in order to renew the trust as currently there is no trust. The message isnt subtle: Your current leadership is deceiving you about how the war is going. Netanyahus political allies have largely chosen to ignore Eisenkots public comments. But the former general isnt wrong to state that Israels war strategy is causing more trouble than its worth. While thousands of Hamas militants have been killed over the last three and a half months the U.S. estimates that 20% to 30% of the groups membership has been taken off the battlefield Hamas has a deep bench, is well ensconced in the Palestinian social fabric and remains as committed to defending its turf as it was on the first day of the war. Outside of Saleh Arouri, the Hamas deputy political chief who was assassinated in Lebanon, Hamas top military leadership in Gaza Yehya Sinwar being the most infamous is still alive and kicking. There are even reports that Hamas officials have reemerged in Gaza City, weeks after the Israeli military claimed operational control over the area. All of this has less to do with Netanyahu, per se, and more to do with the objectives the prime minister embraced early on. Those objectives include freeing every hostage Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7 and destroying Hamas as an organization. Two fairly straightforward goals, and justifiable ones at that. The problem is that however justifiable those goals are, they are inherently contradictory to one another. Annihilating Hamas as a military and governing force in Gaza would jeopardize the lives of the hostages; the terrorist group wouldnt have any reason to keep them alive if they themselves were at risk of death. Freeing the hostages, in turn, would require Israeli concessions to Hamas, which would undermine Israels goal of killing the group entirely. After all, the only reason Israel was able to get more than 100 hostages back to their families in late November was because it was willing to sign on to a short-term truce and release 240 Palestinian prisoners in return. Without those sweeteners, the hostages would still be in Gaza, wondering every day whether they will live or die. As if this wasnt enough, Netanyahu is also a prisoner of his own extreme right-wing coalition, which tends to equate all Palestinians with Hamas, is opposed to any concessions whatsoever and would prefer to solve the Gaza problem with even greater military force and mass expulsions. Netanyahu didnt start this war Hamas did. But the prime minister is discovering how difficult it is to end it. Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. President Biden will meet with health care providers Tuesday for a discussion on abortion rights after the end of Roe v. Wade while in Virginia for a reelection campaign rally. Biden will be joined by Vice President Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff after the rally for a private discussion with providers, which will also include leaders from reproductive rights groups, according to the reelection campaign. Biden will also meet privately with Amanda Zurawski, who was one of five women who sued Texas last year for denying them an abortion while facing pregnancy complications. When she was told her baby would not survive but had a heartbeat, doctors told her they couldnt provide care. When she went septic, the hospital agreed that she was ill enough to induce labor and she delivered her child, who passed away. At the rally, the Bidens, Harris, and Emhoff will deliver remarks about the stakes of the 2024 election on reproductive freedom to an audience of leaders and members of the reproductive rights groups, members of Congress, and grassroots supporters, the campaign announced. The rally and discussion will take place in Northern Virginia to highlight that in 2023, Democrats retained the Senate, flipped the state House to blue and rejected Gov. Glenn Youngkins (R) effort to put in place restrictions to abortion access. Biden won Virginia in 2020, beating then-President Trump. At the rally, Biden will discuss the impact the Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade had on women in states with abortion restrictions or bans. The president gave remarks Monday also highlighting the cruel reality the end of Roe created for women in the U.S. Harris at the rally will discuss so-called MAGA Republicans attacks on reproductive freedoms. She gave remarks Monday trying Trump directly to the end of Roe v. Wade in Wisconsin, a key battleground state in 2024. Bidens reelection campaign released an ad Monday featuring Dr. Austin Dennard, an OB-GYN in Texas and mother of three who couldnt receive an abortion in Texas. Dennard, who narrated the ad, placed the blame for her situation squarely on Trump. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. When New Hampshire Democrats head to the polls on Tuesday, President Joe Biden's name won't be listed on their ballots. That's the biggest indication of how little the primary, technically, will matter to the Democrats' nominating process. Instead, a highly unusual competition is playing out in the state where Democrats either hope to show up for Biden via a write-in campaign, back one of his two long shot challengers or show that he was wrong to spurn the small Northeastern state that has gone first on the calendar for decades. The conflict -- and, to some, confusion -- began when the Democratic National Committee shook up its 2024 presidential nominating calendar, selecting South Carolina as the first-in-the-nation primary, a move backed by Biden but contrary to state law, which New Hampshire officials, led by Republicans, declined to change. This rendered Tuesday's contest non-compliant with the national party's rules and led the DNC to call the primary "meaningless." Biden declined to put his name on the ballot and no delegates to earn the Democratic nomination, which are usually won based on voters' preferences in each primary or caucus, will be awarded based on Tuesday's results. Delegates aside, Biden's performance on Tuesday is nonetheless seen by some Democrats as influential in showing that he is a popular competitor in a state that's historically swung between both parties, said Gates MacPherson, a former political strategist with ties to New Hampshire. "It will set a tone for the rest of the cycle," MacPherson told ABC News. "It's really, really important that President Biden can show support and momentum in a state like New Hampshire." Biden's challengers in the primary, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and author Marianne Williamson, have poured significant resources into campaigning and blasted Biden for not doing the same. Biden's allies, meanwhile, have rallied around a rare push to see him succeed despite not being an official candidate -- via write-in. MORE: Haley goes head-to-head with Trump in New Hampshire. Some experts say it won't help. PHOTO: Campaign signs during a Write-In Joe Biden campaign 'Get Out The Vote' event in Dover, N.H., on Jan. 21, 2024. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images) What is 'write in Biden'? A passionate grassroots group of Democrats who say they are wholly unaffiliated from the official reelection campaign, aptly called "write in Biden," are encouraging voters to pen the president's name on Tuesday's ballot, hoping to deliver the incumbent a win despite the beaurucratic sparring between the local and national party. These efforts first began in October and amassed more than 1,000 volunteers within seven days of launching. The write-in group is aiming to send volunteers to every polling place come Tuesday, prioritizing the sites with the highest population densities as part of a push to educate voters on how to still pick Biden. Jim Demers, one of the lead organizers, said this weekend at a get-out-the-vote event that the efforts have "continued morphing every single week" and that the group had achieved its budget goals. New Hampshire's swingy voter history also ups the ante. Hillary Clinton eked out a squeaker victory in the 2016 presidential race, besting Donald Trump by less than 1 point. Biden widened that margin in 2020, yet still only won by single digits. Tuesday's results will be especially important for what it says about the state's independent (or "undeclared") voters, who outnumber registered Republicans or Democrats and who are allowed to also cast ballots in the primary. "If President Biden comes out on Tuesday and wins, that's a huge accomplishment for the campaign and a really good sign for what's to come," said MacPherson, the strategist. MORE: Biden campaign dismisses 3rd-party and No Labels threat in 2024: Voters won't be 'fooled' Terie Norelli, another organizer for the write-in campaign, said that their efforts were meant to depict as much -- that a strong showing from Biden on Tuesday could prove he is in a good position in the battleground state, despite his primary rivals and despite his poor or mediocre polling. "President Biden's name will not be on the ballot, but we do know what is on the ballot. We know that democracy is on the ballot on Tuesday and in November. ... And this is clearly too critical an election to sit on the sidelines," Norelli said at a gathering of write-in Biden supporters on Saturday in Portsmouth. Write-in ballots are qualified based on the voter's intent rather than pure accuracy, according to Secretary of State David Scanlan. Potential variations such as Biden, J. Biden, Joseph Biden and POTUS would all be classified as a vote for Biden because the voter's intention would be to nominate him. Votes for "cease-fire" -- as urged by a smaller grassroots movement pushing Democrats to pencil that in to protest the White House's position on the Israel-Hamas war -- will be counted and reported in their own category, officials said. The secretary of state's office had previously said "cease-fire" votes would be counted among the broader "scatter" votes. PHOTO: Boston Mayor Michelle Wu joins supporters demonstrating at a Joe Biden Write-In Rally in Manchester, N.H., on Jan. 20, 2024. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images) Write-in campaign draws Biden surrogates but not Biden Although the Biden campaign is not officially affiliated with the write-in efforts, several prominent Democratic mayors and congressmen have traveled to New Hampshire on the president's behalf. And big-name surrogates for Biden such as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker virtually joined press conferences mobilizing voters. Others including New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hasson and Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey have joined the effort on the ground in its final weeks, illustrating the fact that, although the results may not matter in terms of the delegates who select the nominee, Biden's performance matters to Democrats. Those who are quasi-stumping for the president have set murky expectations, repeating that Biden must win while emphasizing the challenges of a write-in campaign. "A win is a win, it means getting the most votes," California Rep. Ro Khanna said on Saturday at another write-in event, in Portsmouth. He avoided setting any numerical benchmark for Tuesday. Phillips, for his part, said this week that getting a vote share "somewhere in the 20s would be pretty awesome." The congressman, a former member of Democratic leadership in the House, has not yet gained much traction in polling tracked by 538. He has indicated he wants to show Biden is a weak candidate to run against Trump and force him from the race -- a possibility dismissed by Biden allies. Williamson, for her part, has defended New Hampshire's role in the primary, saying, "You don't protect democracy by suppressing democracy." She told ABC News' Jonathan Karl last year that "I don't see myself as running against Joe Biden. I see this campaign as challenging a system." One Democratic veteran of numerous New Hampshire primaries, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly about the state of the race, calculated what could be a potential outcome for party results based on historical results. The bar for Democratic incumbent success in New Hampshire is then-President Bill Clinton in 1996, who won the primary with 84%. The last candidate to win a write-in campaign in New Hampshire was President Lyndon B. Johnson, who got 48% and defeated Eugene McCarthy in 1968's Democratic primary -- but, as Phillips has noted, ultimately dropped out of the Democratic race just weeks later. "Given the difficulty and mechanics of a write-in, if he gets over 65[%], that's a resounding victory to me," the Democratic source said of Biden. "And if he falls below 50, then I think he's in Lyndon Johnson territory, and it's a problem." More recent (if inexact) precedent for a successful write-in campaign is in 2010's senate race in Alaska, when Lisa Murkowski won out after she lost her Republican primary to tea party candidate Joe Miller. Murkowski received just shy of 40% of the vote after an active campaign. However, she was also facing two other prominent candidates. Biden has done the opposite, remaining fervently out of New Hampshire so far this cycle, in deferrence to the national party's position on the calendar. "It's a hard thing to do in a write-in campaign. It's not easy. There are a lot of ways to be disqualified, so what I would say doing well is to win -- and in a state that you haven't campaigned in, in a state where you're not on the ballot," Khanna said this weekend. Khanna struck a delicate tone, speaking in a room full of state residents, about the president's reasoning for elevating South Carolina instead, which many locals consider an insult to their cherished -- if sometimes controversial -- position at the front of the line. The state, as some other Democrats will note, is not demographically representative of the country and has a relatively poor track record of predicting the president. "The president's motives of wanting to elevate the voices of Black and brown communities was correct," Khanna told reporters. "But it has to be done also with recognizing that history and tradition of New Hampshire so that no one's delegates get disqualified, and I think that we will work towards that outcome." But Biden's challengers aren't buying it. "If he wrote you off, why would you write him in?" Phillips asked at an event in Nashua on Saturday. "Seems like the president is taking the Granite State for granted." PHOTO: Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips speaks to supporters during a campaign rally on Jan. 20, 2024 in Nashua, N.H. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) What New Hampshire voters are saying Almost a dozen New Hampshire Democrats or undeclared voters expressed disappointment to ABC News about both the DNC stripping its contest of delegates and the Biden campaign for not choosing to participate in the primary. Marie Mulroy of Manchester, an undeclared voter, said she voted for Biden in the last two presidential elections but plans to vote for Nikki Haley in the Republican primary come Tuesday, scoffing when asked about the write-in effort for the president. "I find that it's very disrespectful to our state," Mulroy said last week at Maryann's Diner in Derry. "Not only does he write it in, it's going to hold up the election because they have to hire people to hand count them, so it really is disrespectful." Scanlan, the secretary of state, has said he's not concerned with the write-in effort holding up results and that the state has a process in place. "I respect Biden, but he said he didn't want to be here. He shouldn't be here," Mulroy added. "I think he would do better not being on the ballot at all. I think I would have more respect for him if he wasn't," she said. Gayle Taylor of Concord, also undeclared, said she plans to write-in Biden but is disappointed that she won't see his name. "There's a lot of blame going around. Did Joe Biden direct the DNC to do this? Did the DNC do it on their own? And then that letter saying that our votes would essentially be wasteful, that really hurt," she told ABC News at a write-in Biden event in Concord. "That was not a good thing for the Democrats," Taylor said, "but I think we're getting beyond it, trying to figure out the right thing to do. Really, it's not about that. It's about making sure we elect the right president." Biden's not on the ballot in New Hampshire's primary, but Dems still want him to win. Here's how. originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Donald Trump apparently thinks a disparaging nickname is key to his political success because he seems to work hard at coming up with one for any rival he considers a threat. Ted Cruz was Lyin Ted. Ron DeSantis was Ron DeSanctimonious. Marco Rubio was Little Marco. Joe Biden first was Sleepy Joe Biden and now is Crooked Joe Biden. Crooked Hillary Clinton, redux. And Nikki Haley is Birdbrain. The political media largely treats Trumps schoolyard taunts as a quasi-entertaining sideshow. At the risk of spoiling the fun, we think of it as beneath the office he seeks really, beneath any sort of acceptable adult behavior in a public setting. Weve refrained to date from weighing in on this buffoonery because there are other bigger issues to address when it comes to Trump, whom we long have unconsidered unfit for presidential office for much bigger reasons than his trashing of rivals. We draw the line, though, at birdbrain. Thats what Trump calls the only GOP presidential candidate still in the race and the last hope for giving Republicans who arent down with the Trump circus a standard-bearer they can feel good about supporting. This is a woman who served ably as governor of South Carolina and then navigated the Trump-induced chaos as well as anyone else could have as his United Nations ambassador. But, even aside from her credentials, anyone who sees her on a debate stage can tell that shes anything but a birdbrain. Nikki Haley is a highly intelligent, accomplished woman. Shes in the ring now with a bully and is taking him on directly. My style is different than Trumps, she said recently in New Hampshire. No vendettas, no trauma, no vengeance. Its about results. The irony of Trumps idiotic nickname for Haley, of course, is that he has refused to debate her. What kind of person labels his political foe a birdbrain but wont say that to her face on a debate stage? Or, for that matter, demonstrate his supreme intelligence to voters in the presence of his supposed intellectual inferior? A bully one who takes his fellow Americans for fools. Speaking of the results Haley references, Republicans (as she points out) have lost virtually every election since the American people showed Trump the door in 2020. They lost in 2022, to the surprise of pundits who told us the incumbent presidents party always gets thumped in the midterms. They lost virtually every special election thats been held since then. One of the keys to those repeated defeats is suburban women whove been thoroughly turned off, both by the Supreme Courts overturning of Roe vs. Wade, which Trump boasts that hes responsible for, and by the bluster and anti-intellectualism that characterize MAGA politics. Taunting Haley, the only woman running for president in this cycle, surely is an affront to many of those voters as well. For those old enough to remember, it hearkens to All in the Family, the classic show created by the recently deceased Norman Lear, in which the bigoted, bullying man of the house, Archie Bunker, habitually referred to his wife, Edith, as dingbat. Trump as Archie Bunker? Kind of seems that way, doesnt it? Haleys the last opponent standing, topping a throng of male candidates whove fallen by the wayside and dutifully kissed the Donalds ring on their way out. Shes gotten her one-on-one match. As unlikely as the political news corps makes it out to be, its our hope that GOP voters opt to give the Trump Show the unceremonious ending it deserves. Haley is an intelligent and, yes, tough candidate who firmly backs conservative principles but understands, too, that our polity needs a civility reset. In other words, shes anything but a birdbrain. We could think of a few choice nicknames for Trump. But that would be playing his toxic game. Join the discussion on Twitter @chitribopinions and on Facebook. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com. Shiny, silver human-shaped robots the size of lightweight boxers are getting ready to start shuffling their way through BMWs US factory floors. The carmaker recently reached a commercial agreement with the robotics startup Figure to bring its eponymously named general purpose" humanoid robot to BMWs manufacturing facilities, starting with its Spartanburg, South Carolina location. The agreement puts BMW in a race with Tesla and other automakers whove embraced a vision of humanoid robots in an effort to further automate their already tech-filled facilities. Its clear the robots are coming, but nobody really seems to know exactly what to do with them just yet. How does the robot work? The Figure robot is a 56, 130-pound bipedal hunk of metal capable of lifting around 45 pounds and walking up to 2.7 miles per hour. Figure, which aspires to make "the worlds first commercially viable general purpose humanoid robot" says its Figure 01 model can operate for around five hours before needing to recharge. Though its unclear exactly how the robot will work in an automobile factory setting, Figure believes its device generally will enable the automation of difficult, unsafe, or tedious tasks. As to what the humanoid robots will be doing at the factory exactly, Figure spokesperson told PopSci that tasks have yet to be announced publicly. A BMW spokesperson said that the automakers are "investigating concepts." https://youtu.be/-4erYt2t7Bs?si=AASse6aunHoXBuWj The agreement between BMW and Figure features multiple phases. At first, the companies will look to identify initial use cases for the robots. Once those are established, the robots will make their debut at BMWs Spartanburg, South Carolina manufacturing facility. A BMW spokesperson from the companys South Carolina facility told PopSci it's investigating ways to use the humanoid robot in the facility and said it could prove useful in situations where two hands are needed to grip certain objects. The BMW spokesperson did not provide more specific use cases and said there isnt currently a timetable for when the robot could arrive on site. BMW is always exploring the latest technology to make our processes more efficient. Companies that invest in innovation such as this are more sustainable, become more productive, and have a competitive advantage, the spokesperson told PopSci. We need the right tools for the future, and this is just one tool in our toolbox that can be used. A spokesperson for Figure, meanwhile, told PopSci their goal is to have robots perform in the BMW manufacturing facility sometime in 2024. Robots in car factories arent anything new , but up until now theyve mostly resembled single-purposed machines only capable of performing specific preset tasks. Robotics manufacturers like Figure believe their new Humanoid robots, made in the image of humans, could act as a type of generalist able to walk a factory floor and perform various tasks. The inclusion of hands, for example, could help the Figure bot open doors and use tools. Arms and legs, meanwhile, could help the robot climb up stairs, traverse terrain, and lift heavy boxes. [ Related: Hyundais robot-heavy EV factory in Singapore is fully operational ] "Single-purpose robotics have saturated the commercial market for decades, but the potential of general purpose robotics is completely untapped, Figure Founder and CEO Brett Adcock said in a statement. Figure's robots will enable companies to increase productivity, reduce costs, and create a safer and more consistent environment. Figure 01 brings together the dexterity of the human form and cutting edge AI to go beyond single-function robots and lend support across manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and retail, Figure notes on its website. Figure vaguely says its using AI to build intelligent embodied agents capable of interacting with real world environments in unique and unstructured real world scenarios. Recently the company released this video claiming to show the Figure robot using AI to learn how to make a cup of Keurig coffee after ingesting 10 hours of footage. https://youtu.be/Q5MKo7Idsok?si=Z4BIuULetO8_TkN3 Carmakers are racing to bring humanoid robots to factory floors BMWs new agreement with Figure comes around three years after Tesla announced its own plans to introduce artificial intelligence-enabled humanoid robots to its factory floors. At the time, Teslas robot was actually a dancing man wearing tight spandex . Since then Tesla has shown several prototypes of its Optimus robot which features a similar body design to the Figure model. The latest iteration of Optimus can reportedly squat and fondle eggs , but it's still unclear exactly how that will translate to building cars. Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously told investors Optimus importance would become apparent in several years and even suggested the staggering machine could one day be worth more than Teslas automobiles. Tesla did not immediately respond to PopScis request for comment. Regardless of whether or not Musks predictions come true, other larger scale industrialists are taking note. In 2021, automating giant Hyundai completed an estimated $1.1 billion acquisition of Boston Dynamics, which is best known for creating odd videos of hulking humanoid robots performing backflips and various forms of calisthenics . Outside of the auto industry, Amazon recently revealed it was testing a bi-pedal humanoid robot from a firm called Digit which it said could one day work alongside employees in warehouses. So, why all the interest in robots now? Recent reporting from The Wall Street Journal suggests automakers like BMW see expanded automation through robotics as a way to offset rising labor costs and cut product prices. US autoworkers part of the United Auto Workers Union recently agreed to a new contract with Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors that includes a 25% wage increase over the course of four years . Other automakers like Toyota and Hyundai responded with their own wage increases. Humanoid robots, while costly to produce and untested in terms of reliability, could prove theoretically attractive investments for carmakers looking to offset rising laborif they learn to outperform trained humans at making cars. Still, the sci-fi promise of a relentless, hyper efficient, never-sleeping robot workforce, for the time being at least, remains mostly speculative. Even Figures robot will reportedly have to walk itself to a charging station every few hours for a brief break. SYRACUSE, Utah (ABC4) A bomb threat led to the evacuation of a residential treatment center for troubled teenagers Monday in northern Utah, authorities say. Syracuse police said a bomb threat was reported at Elevations Residential Treatment Center, located along 2700 South in Syracuse, a city roughly 30 miles north of Salt Lake City. In a statement, Elevations said it received the threat at around 1:30 p.m. and immediately contacted law enforcement and evacuated its four buildings of students and staff. Utah troubled teen center sued by former patient for alleged abuse, neglect Police issued a shelter-in-place order for neighbors in the area, and authorities blocked off a section of 2700 South as K-9 units and a bomb squad investigated. A large police presence is seen outside Elevations RTC in Syracuse, Utah, on Jan. 22, 2024. No bombs or devices were found in the building following an in-depth investigation, police said. Roughly two hours after the bomb threat was made, students and staff returned to the facility, traffic diversions were cleared, and the shelter-in-place order was lifted. According to police, this was an isolated incident, and had no connections to a shooting Saturday where a boy was injured. In a statement, Elevations RTC executive director Jennifer Wilde said staff at the facility are deeply concerned and appalled by the threat, which she noted came roughly a week after a teenager filed a lawsuit against the treatment center. We want to assure all families and the public that our students are safe, Wilde said. We have implemented stringent safety measures and evacuation protocols, which have proven effective in ensuring the secure departure of all from the premises during these threats. She added that Elevations is working closely with law enforcement to ensure that the responsible individuals will be held accountable. Wilde asked anyone with information on the threat to call police. Last week, an 18-year-old former student at Elevations filed a lawsuit against the treatment center, alleging neglect and abuse. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A former Karns City school volunteer accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl appeared before a judge for the first time on Tuesday. >> Butler County man accused of sexually assaulting 15-year-old girl Only Channel 11 was there as Brayden Edwards, 22, appeared in court. Edwards bond ended up being reduced to $75,000. Butler County District Attorney Rich Goldinger said that in exchange for waiving the preliminary hearing which allowed the victim to not have to testify, the bond was reduced, but they put additional bond conditions that were not in place before. Goldinger said if Edwards bails out, hes under pre-trial supervision. He will be on house arrest with electronic monitoring and is not allowed to contact the victim. The safety of our students is a top priority. We are cooperating fully with the investigation and will continue to work to ensure our schools are a safe environment for all students, Karns City superintendent Eric Ritzert said. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Pittsburgh school, business closings and delays Multiple departments respond to three-alarm house fire in Bethel Park Man in critical condition after being attacked, hit with metal in Butler County; suspect in custody VIDEO: He didnt even slow down: Beltzhoover neighbors watch car barrel through 2 poles, house DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Members of the Operation Lone Star Task Force West and Texas Tactical Border Force block migrants from illegally entering Texas in May near El Paso on the Rio Grande River. File Photo by Mark Otte/UPI Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported Tuesday that a Mexican woman died after falling from a barrier along the border near Clint, Texas in November. A Border Patrol agent saw the woman atop the barrier nearly 7 miles southwest of the Ysleta Port of Entry on Nov. 18. Two other women were seen north of the barrier exiting a drainage canal. The agent requested emergency medical services after he saw the three women fall from the barrier. The El Paso, Texas Fire Department arrived and took two of the women to hospitals for treatment. The third -- identified later as a Mexican citizen -- had suffered "significant head injuries and was unresponsive with no pulse." A medical examiner declared her dead, but the Nov. 20 autopsy details from El Paso County's medical examiner were still pending Tuesday. Special agents in the Customs and Border Protection's Office of Professional Responsibility interviewed the two survivors, who said their group guide had warned them the Border Patrol was approaching. The border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico, is separated by the Rio Grande River and a chain link fence on the U.S. side as seen from the Paso Del Norte bridge in 2019. File Photo by Natalie Krebs/UPI "The women stated panic ensued, which caused one woman to attempt to climb back down the barrier with the other two women below her. The women were tied together about one foot apart as they climbed the barrier. When one woman panicked, all three of them fell from the barrier," CBP said in a statement. Tuesday's report comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott feuds with the federal government over migration at the border. The U.S. Supreme Court sided Monday with the Biden administration, allowing the removal of razor wire erected by Abbot along the border to prevent migrants from entering the state. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) For many, their car is considered their second home a very personal space where they even eat at times. This is why having your car broken into is considered a significant invasion of privacy and personal property. Some Borderland residents are currently experiencing this frustration, with burglars attempting to break into cars. They were all going to different houses, spreading out and picking a car to break into, said one resident, who wanted to remain anonymous. After trying various cars, the thieves found several unlocked vehicles, stealing hundreds of dollars worth of valuables from one, the concerned resident said. Karen Reilly, a Northeast El Paso resident, woke up to find her trunk open and discovered her daughters cheerleading backpack, holding approximately $750 in valuables, was stolen. In the future, she said: We are locking our cars every night, leaving our porch lights on, and investing in ring cameras. Surveillance cameras are increasingly popular nowadays. Dan Trujillo, a spokesman for the Las Cruces Police Department, said there has been about a 4% increase in auto burglaries from 2022 to 2023. The main culprits are often young teens, he said. Experts like Trujillo recommend simple protocols to avoid such incidents, including keeping valuables inside the house, installing video surveillance, and always locking your car. Car burglaries are considered opportunity crimes, where burglars seek easy access through lowered windows and unlocked doors, Trujillo said. Most importantly, if you see any suspicious activity report it to local authorities immediately. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain plans to announce new sanctions in the coming days targeting Houthi financing of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday. U.S. and British forces carried out a fresh round of strikes on Monday in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group. "We're going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthi's financial resources, where they are used to fund these attacks," Sunak told parliament. "We are working closely with the United States on this and plan to announce new sanctions measures in the coming days." Sunak also said British Foreign Secretary David Cameron would visit the Middle East this week. (Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar, Writing by Kylie MacLellan, editing by William James) The RAF has been using its base in Cyprus to prepare for the air strikes on Yemen - AFP/Leah Jones On January 11, Britain said it had launched limited joint air strikes with the United States in a warning to Yemens Houthis who have been attacking commercial ships passing through the Red Sea. Two weeks and several Houthi missiles later, and Britains Typhoons are back in the skies above Yemen in another attempt to stop the Iran-backed militia. The first attacks appear to have done little more than encourage the Houthis, and analysts now warn that the UK and its allies are being drawn into a protracted battle. Experts refer to a resilient enemy that has used the new front as a sugar hit of legitimacy to improve its image in the wider Middle East as a defiant force against imperialism and defender of the Palestinian cause. Observers do believe that the Houthis military assets have been weakened by recent air strikes, but they also maintain that the Iran-backed militia remains capable and determined to retaliate, and could become a stronger presence in the Middle East. Houthis are a well-established fighting force A major challenge in combating the Houthi offensive with precision strikes is the insurgent groups ability, honed through years of facing a powerful Saudi-led coalition during the recent civil war, to effectively conceal its military arsenal. Like Hamas, who are also backed by Iran, they have been accused of hiding their weapons and headquarters deep in civilian areas. Unlike Hamas they have a well-established fighting force that includes helicopters and long-range missiles. Although hugely outgunned in their war with the Saudis, the Houthis succeeded in preserving a range of weapons including ballistic and cruise missiles and drones, says Jennifer Parker, adjunct fellow in naval studies at the University of New South Wales in Canberra. Their response to the latest strikes also remains unpredictable. The group has a history of deploying indiscriminate mines into the Red Sea, and of firing ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. However, they may not have predicted a dramatic escalation, adds Ms Parker. The crisis was playing out across the Middle East, with Iran using proxies to retaliate against US forces, including an attack over the weekend on a US base in Iraq. So far, Tehran was also refraining from direct assaults, she said. The US-led coalition was showing its own measure of restraint against an armed group that has carried out more than 30 attacks on international shipping since mid-November. There are no good options... When you have US and UK ships, and merchant ships and seafarers from across the globe being attacked by missiles, how do you justify not attempting to take out those missile systems and radars, said Ms Parker. The consequences of not responding and what that sends as a message to other terrorist organisations, but also other state actors that are trying to interfere with freedom of navigation I think it would be dramatic. The Houthis say they have been targeting ships linked to Israel and the West in retaliation for Israeli military assaults on the Gaza Strip following the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. Experts caution that coalition air strikes will not only fail to deter Houthis, but will play into their hands domestically and across the region, where they are gaining popularity for making a stand for the Palestinians and joining the Iran-backed Axis of Resistance against Israel. The Houthis arent going to stop what they are doing because of strikes by the US and the UK, said Sarah Phillips, professor of Global Conflict and Development at The University of Sydney. I think the calculation was hit them and they will be deterred but that reflects a very simplistic, almost non-existent understanding of who the Houthis are and where they come from, she added. There is not much that is going to knock any wind out of the Houthis sails. Other than a 180 degree turn in how the US and the UK are framing their support or are supporting Israel and its war on Gaza. Instead, what we are seeing is essentially a sugar hit of legitimacy for the Houthis, added Prof Phillips. Britain and the US have been bullish that the latest strikes can make a difference in degrading the Houthis ability to launch more attacks, but have declined to offer specifics. The lack of available battle damage assessments made it difficult to independently determine the impact of the air strikes on Houthi military assets, Ms Parker, said. But an apparent slowing of Red Sea attacks since the operation began could indicate either [the Houthis] strategy is playing the long game or their capability is starting to be degraded, she added. The only way to tell will take time and will look at how many more strikes occur from the Houthis, how accurate those strikes are and their frequency. 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. Rishi Sunak urged the Houthis to stop their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea - UK PARLIAMENT British and American aid workers have been ordered by the Houthis to prepare to leave Yemen within 30 days. The order came after US and British warplanes struck eight targets connected to the Iran-backed group in Yemen, including an underground storage site and locations linked to the militias missile and air surveillance capabilities. On Tuesday, the UN received a letter from Houthi leaders ordering US and British aid workers to leave Yemen within 30 days. The letter, seen by Sky News said: The ministry would like to emphasise the necessity of informing all officials and workers who hold American and British citizenship of their preparation to leave the country within a maximum period of 30 days from the date of this determination so they will be ready to leave immediately upon the expiration of the period referred to, and the ministry will be sure to inform you via a ministerial letter 24 hours before departure. It further instructed humanitarian organisations not to recruit any employees with dual nationalities from those countries mentioned above during this period. Britain will not hesitate to launch further strikes against Houthi rebels if the Iran-backed group continues to attack shipping in the Red Sea, Rishi Sunak has said. The Prime Minister issued the warning after US and British warplanes struck eight targets connected to the Iran-backed group in Yemen, including an underground storage site and locations linked to the militias missile and air surveillance capabilities. The strikes, which were conducted by the US and UK, were also backed by the governments of Albania, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Guinea-Bissau, Hungary, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Korea, and Romania. We are not seeking a confrontation, Mr Sunak said in Parliament on Tuesday. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks. But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defence. We cannot stand by and allow these attacks to go unchallenged. Inaction is also a choice. I believe it is the wrong one. The latest US-UK strikes against the Houthis were a show of force to demonstrate that we back our words and our warnings with action, said Lord Cameron, the foreign secretary. He added the strikes were meant to send the clearest possible message to the Houthis that their attacks on Red Sea shipping are illegal and unacceptable. Since the UK and US began targeting the Houthis, the group has launched more than a dozen attacks, Lord Cameron said - YAHYA ARHAB Since the US and Britain first targeted the Houthis on Jan 11, the rebel group has launched more than a dozen attacks on shipping in the Red Sea, Lord Cameron said. We will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks, he added. US fighter jets from the carrier USS Eisenhower were involved in the night raid, while Britain sent four Royal Air Force Typhoons and a pair of Voyager tankers, according to the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The British Typhoons used precision-guided Paveway IV bombs to strike several targets at two military sites near the Sanaa airfield. These locations were being used to enable the continued intolerable attacks against international shipping in the Red Sea, the MoD said, adding that a very rigorous analysis was applied in planning the strikes to minimise any risk of civilian casualties. A US-owned ship came under attack from a bomb-carrying drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels last week - Indian Navy The Prime Minister told MPs on Tuesday that the Governments initial evidence was that all intended targets were destroyed. Footage released by the MoD showed the Typhoons taking off from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at the start of the bombing mission. Britain and the US have consistently warned the Houthis to stop attacking civilian vessels in the Red Sea. The Houthis, however, have not halted their operations, launching more than 30 missile and drone attacks on international and commercial vessels since mid-November and vowing to take revenge against every aggression by the US and UK. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a top Houthi leader, said on Tuesday: We say to the Americans and the British Trust well that every operation and every aggression against our country will not be without a response, and expect a response every minute, if not every second, then every minute it must. The Houthis say their attacks are in solidarity with Hamas, another Iranian-backed Islamist group that has been locked in a brutal war with Israel since October. A Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 prepared for take off to carry out air strikes against Houthi military targets in Yemen - Ministry of Defence Vice-Adml Brad Cooper, head of the US Navys 5th Fleet, told the Associated Press that Iran was very directly involved in the ship attacks carried out by the Houthis. While Iran is not conducting the individual attacks, experts believe that the Houthis are acting with the assistance of Iranian intelligence. Iran and Israel have long been engaged in a shadow war, with Iran offering training, weapons and financial support to various groups in the region that share the similar aim of challenging Israel. In December, the US launched an international coalition to patrol the Red Sea, in addition to the military strikes against the Houthis. Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, said Tuesdays joint statement from the US, UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. Let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the worlds most critical waterways in the face of continued threats. The Pentagon said on Tuesday night that it had destroyed 25 missile launch strikes as well as 20 missiles so far in Yemen. 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 ordinance that would all but ban natural gas in new Chicago buildings has gained the key support of Mayor Brandon Johnson, who is hoping the proposed overhaul on emissions standards will deliver his next progressive victory. Aldermen who support the legislation touted it at a Tuesday City Hall news conference as an essential way to fight climate change. At a dueling appearance this week, opponents delivered their own arguments against the measure, saying it will make power less reliable and more costly. The mayor will introduce the plan to the City Council Wednesday, Angela Tovar, Johnsons commissioner of the newly reopened Department of Environment, joined those backing the plan and praised it as a reasonable first step to bring down energy costs, reduce toxic emissions and fight climate change. It is our responsibility to implement policy initiatives that enable a just transition to a clean energy future, Tovar said. Too many Chicagoans are having trouble paying their gas bills, and too many families are exposed to chemicals that cause cancer and asthma when burning gas in their kitchens, the mayor added in a statement earlier Tuesday morning. That is why we are taking the first step toward making how we heat our homes more affordable, and making indoor air safer for every Chicagoan. Johnson endorsing the legislation was not a surprise given his previous supportive statements about environmental justice and green energy. But it does set him up for a bigger showdown with the gas lobby and construction industry, which are already campaigning hard against his Bring Chicago Home referendum drive to raise taxes on high-end real estate sales. That referendum is set for the March primary ballot and would create a fund for homelessness services if approved by voters. If passed, the gas stove ban could be one of Johnsons first progressive legislative victories in the new year after he passed a bundle of labor-backed initiatives last fall: placing Bring Chicago Home before voters, eliminating the tipped subminimum wage and requiring more paid time off. His predecessor, Lori Lightfoot, also publicly backed transitioning to electric stoves and heating for new buildings as recently as last year, though her legislation never materialized amid a tough reelection fight. Johnsons ordinance prohibits the combustion of any substance that emits 25 kilograms or more of carbon dioxide per million British thermal units of energy, the same standard New York City set in a law enacted in 2021. Some buildings and equipment would not have to meet the new emissions standard, including hospitals, research laboratories, emergency backup power generators and commercial cooking equipment. Tovar joined several aldermen, dozens of environmental advocacy groups and several business leaders in supporting the legislation. But as the proposal moves through the City Council, it will face resistance from an opposed coalition led by Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th. Angela Tovar, shown speaking at Little Village Lawndale High School on Nov. 18, 2023, is commissioner of the newly reopened Chicago Department of Environment. Powerhouse unions involved in gas and construction work, including the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, Gas Workers Union 18007 and Laborers International Union of North America, are fighting the ordinance alongside groups like the Building Industry Association of Greater Chicago and the Southland Black Chamber of Commerce & Industry. At the dueling news conference Monday, Villegas called for a resolution to further examine the proposed ordinance as he and other critics alleged it would raise energy prices and harm reliability. He cited power outages during an early January winter storm, when over 150,000 ComEd customers lost electricity across northern Illinois. Now is the worst possible time to hastily slam through an ordinance without examining its true cost, infrastructure requirements and, most importantly, hearing from residents, he said. The ordinance would push Chicagoans to be more reliant on an electric grid that relies on natural gas and coal to produce much of its power, said Paul Colgan, a political strategist for the coalition opposing the measure. It might also leave buildings without the infrastructure to handle promising energy alternatives in development, like hydrogen power, he added. Tovar argued the proposed ordinance doesnt block future, more sustainable power technology, but instead only sets emissions requirements. We want to leave the door open and we want to continue to pilot new technologies, she said. While the ordinances supporters argued it will cut costs and lower emissions, they also said they believe those benefits will only grow over time as more clean energy technology and infrastructure is developed. The proposal so far has 15 co-sponsors, said Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, Johnsons handpicked chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. Provided the legislations introduction goes well, hearings and briefings will be scheduled. The ordinance will be voted on by the zoning and environment committees before eventually facing a full City Council vote, Hadden said. Hadden described the ordinance as another step in the citys gradual, but much needed response to climate change. Were doing just the first baby steps, making sure that we can have a cleaner, more affordable and healthier future, she said. But as Hadden called the effective ban incremental, other advocates suggested it is unpreventable. As the window to reach climate goals closes, its only a question of when the change will occur, said Cheryl Johnson, executive director of People for Community Recovery, an environmental justice advocacy group. Its inevitable. Its going to happen, yall, she said. Were going to have to change. jsheridan@chicagotribune.com The village of Gordes in Provence, where second home owners could soon enjoy extended stays - GENE KREBS/E+ The number of Britons house-hunting in France has surged six-fold since a law granting second home owners from the UK an automatic right to remain in the country for six months was passed. The law, passed in December as an amendment to an immigration bill, has not yet been enacted and faces a final, crucial hurdle when it is vetted by the countrys Constitutional Council on Thursday. However, data from the UK-based international property portal Kyero showed that in the three weeks after the Dec 21 passing of the bill, there was a 582 per cent increase in Britons enquiring about French properties on the site. Louise Dell, the portals co-founder, said: Significant pent-up demand has developed in the international market amongst British buyers whilst people have been awaiting news of potential changes to residency rules, and it seems that the floodgates are now opening. The highest number of enquiries was for the Alpes-Maritimes area in southeastern France, accounting for 24 per cent of searches, followed by Charente and Haute-Vienne. Property in Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera could become even more attractive if the law clears its final hurdle - ISTOCKPHOTO With Spain also pushing for similar changes, we anticipate that 2024 could be a significant year for international property transactions, said Ms Dell. Joanna Leggett, of Leggett Immobilier, said organic traffic on their portal was up 44 per cent in the past month with enquiries from new British clients up 16 per cent. Natalie Leggett, a sales support director, added: A lot of clients who had just been looking and enquiring but not doing anything else have now been activated. She said she had also seen a bigger uptake in viewings. Another thing we have noticed is that vendors, who were going to sell and go back because of this 90-day rule, are now not selling, said Joanna Leggett. Thousands of Britons had been campaigning for the amendment of existing regulations that restrict them to 90 days in the Schengen area, including France, in every 180-day period. Brittany is a popular area for British househunters seeking a second home - MAREMAGNUM/CORBIS DOCUMENTARY RF Many argued the post-Brexit system was unfair because French citizens were allowed to stay in the UK for up to six months without a visa, whether they owned a property or not. The only way second home owners can currently use their French property for more than 90 days is to apply for a long-stay visa, a lengthy, complicated and expensive process that has to be undertaken anew each year. The Constitutional Council, which is expected to make its decision on Thursday afternoon, could either rubber-stamp the bill including the amendment without question, declare it contrary to the Constitution, or declare certain articles unconstitutional. 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. SEABROOK The fate of The Brook casino's proposed 223-unit housing complex off Route 107 may lie in the hands of the states relatively new Housing Appeals Board. Enacted in July 2020 through RSA 679, the Housing Appeals Board is a three-member panel appointed by the states Supreme Court that hears appeals of decisions made by municipal boards, committees, and commissions on land use issues related to housing. RMH NH, LLC, a company linked to The Brook operator Eureka Casinos, wants to construct a housing complex on the site of the former greyhound racing track. The Brook has filed an appeal to the Housing Appeals Board in the aftermath of Seabrook's Zoning Board rejecting variances for the proposed development. Although appealing local board decisions to the Superior Court is still an option, with a flat fee of $250 and strict timeframes for application, hearings and decision-making, the Housing Appeals Board can be a less expensive and more time-efficient option than getting tied up in court. 'We're still in shock': How a Newmarket family won big at The Brook Casino in Seabrook What led to The Brooks appeal to state board Nevada-based RMH NH, a company linked to The Brook operator Eureka Casinos, first presented its housing development proposal to the Seabrook Zoning Board in 2022. At the time, The Brook CEO Andre Carrier sought multiple variances to build 334 housing units on 75 acres on the southwest corner of Brook Casino, off Route 107. One of its major local hurdles is the land in question spans two town zones: the rural zone (Zone 1), and the industrial zone (Zone 3), neither of which permits multi-unit housing complexes. There are also town building height and wetlands issues that required variances. The Zoning Board first denied variances in 2022, after which Carrier appealed the case to the new Housing Appeals Board, according to Seabrook ZBA Chairman Jeffrey Brown. But the case was put on hold, Brown said, while Carrier reworked his proposal. Eureka Casino Resort Chief Operating Officer Andre Carrier has filed an appeal with the NH Housing Appeals Board for a project to construct a 223-unit housing complex off Route 107. In September 2023, Carrier offered the ZBA a new smaller 223-unit proposal, however, it required similar variances. The new proposal consisted of 34 two-bedroom, freestanding duplexes, 119 units in a four-story building (43 one-bedroom and 76 two-bedroom apartments), and 81 senior housing units in a multi-story building for those aged 55 years or older. The complex was not affordable or section 8 housing," Carrier said, but did include 20 units designated as workforce housing, though the remaining units were to rent at market rate. At that time, the ZBA again denied the required variances needed. This month, according to Housing Appeals Boards Clerk Elizabeth Menard, the Housing Appeals Board granted Carriers motion to lift the stay of appeal on Jan. 12. That motion also required the town to file its certified record of pertinent ZBA proceedings with the Housing Appeals Board within 30 days of the date of the order. Menard wrote the board will likely schedule a prehearing conference and hearing on the merits of appeal shortly after receiving the towns record and answer filings. Public notice of hearing dates for the case will be posted on www.hab.nh.gov, the Housing Appeal Boards website, she stated. Brown believes hearings will be similar to those before the Superior Court, with both sides presenting their cases before the Housing Appeals Board, which will render a decision. Brown said that decisions of the board are still up to further appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. More: NextEra seeks NRC approval to change Seabrook nuclear plant's emergency plans What is the Housing Appeals Board? Established on July 1, 2020, according to statute, the three-member board of the Housing Appeals Board is appointed by the state Supreme Court, and must consist of those learned and experienced in questions of land use law, or housing development. Included among the three must be one state-licensed attorney and either a professional engineer or land surveyor. The three board members are full-time and salaried and serve for five years, according to state statute. Members may not take part in other employment or duties that may conflict with their roles on the Housing Appeals Board. According to the statute, the Housing Appeals Board has the authority to hear and affirm, reverse, or modify, in whole or in part, appeals of final decisions, made by local boards, committees, or commissions on issues regarding housing developments. Although commercial developments are not within the boards purview, it can hear appeals related to mixed-use complexes or those including both housing and commercial uses. The board hears cases primarily filed by applicants rejected by local entities like boards such as zoning, planning, historic or conservation, etc. But it can also accept those filed by non-applicants such as abutters by granting intervenor status if legal standing can be demonstrated. The timing requirement within the statute is one reason why appealing before the Housing Appeals Board may be more expedient than filing with the Superior Court. For example, an applicant must file an appeal with the board within 30 days of the final decision of a municipal board, notifying the local entity within the same time frame. The municipal board has 30 days from notice to submit certified records of the related proceedings. The Housing Appeals Board must hold a hearing within 90 days of receipt of the notice of appeal, and the board must decide on the appeal within 60 days of conducting the hearing. Hampton development 2024: Casino makeover, downtown apartments, senior housing and more Filing an appeal with the Housing Appeals Board negates the party from filing an appeal in the Superior Court unless the board determines it does not have jurisdiction on the topic. Decisions by the board are subject to appeal to the New Hampshire Supreme Court. According to Menard, after its creation on July 1, 2020, the board formed and began accepting appeals in January 2021. Since then, according to Menard, 98 appeals have been filed as of Jan. 22, 2024. Only 12 decisions have been appealed to the Supreme Court, at this time, according to Menard. Menard said the board does not publish the number of times it reverses the decision of local agencies. However, according to an April 2022 article in the Concord Monitor, as of that time, the Housing Appeals Board had vacated or remanded back to local boards, about three decisions for every one that it upholds. Virtually all of its cases involve proposals that had been rejected. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: The Brooks casino-backed housing in Seabrook appealed to NH board NEW YORK The elderly couple stabbed to death in their Brooklyn home had been trying to get mental health help for their son now charged with their murders, neighbors told the New York Daily News on Monday. Meyer Sperber, 48, has been charged with murder and weapon possession in the Saturday double killing on a typically quiet Borough Park block, police said Sunday. A neighbor who is a close friend of the family described the suspects escalating illness leading up to the slayings of the well-liked victims. Meyer Sperbers mother planned on looking after him over the weekend. The family wanted to call the ambulance, but the mother said she could handle it for the weekend, and after the weekend they would make an appointment with the psychiatrist, said the family friend, who declined to give his name. Then what happened happened. On Saturday, cops responded to a 5:20 p.m. 911 call for an assault at the familys apartment on 45th St. near 12th Ave. When officers got there, Hatzolah medics were in the process of rushing Jacob Sperber and his wife, Rachel Sperber, both 75, to nearby Maimonides Medical Center with numerous stab wounds. They could not be saved. Their son barricaded himself in the apartment for more than an hour before surrendering, police said. Meyer went through a few big crises in his life, the family friend said. He fell into depression. He was institutionalized for months, maybe two or three times. Then he came out. He was on medication and was seeing psychiatrists. When the meds didnt work, from time to time they used to take him into the hospital. Shocked neighbors mourning the victims, who they say have seven other children, described their block as quiet and crime-free. I pray with him every day of the week and on Shabbat, Yitzchok Shlomo Drezdner said of Jacob Sperber. I knew him very well for the last 12 years. He was a special, kind person, Drezdner added. I was yesterday by the funeral, they mentioned that years ago someone came from Israel with an illness that was contagious and no one wanted to take him in. Jacob and his wife took him in. In the middle of the night he was throwing up blood, and Mrs. Sperber was cleaning up the blood herself. Mrs Sperber was talking taking care of a blind woman, walking with her, he added. They were very, very fine, respected people. Jacob Sperbers parents met at Auschwitz and were Holocaust survivors, said neighbor Rabbi Pinchus Citron. Sperbers mother died when he was 9, leaving him with a soft spot for teens who had difficulties. There were a lot of struggling teens through the years that came into the shul. He always used to visit and talk with them for hours and hours. He would advise them on the challenges they went through, said Citron. Every morning his wife used to send 10 to 15 sandwiches. They would look like they came from a restaurant. They would give them to kids he was mentoring. If somebody needed a room to sleep, he had a room in the basement dedicated for guests, he added. He took in guests even for long periods of time. There were people who came from Israel 15, 20 years ago, they needed treatment from a hospital and he served them like he was their nurse, him and his wife both. The couples generosity extended to their own son after he divorced, said neighbors. Part of his goodness was that he took his son into his house, this was part of the plan from heaven, Drezdner said of the slain dad. The whole block, the whole neighborhood is shaken up. Friends and neighbors said Meyer Sperber had recently lost his job, exacerbating his mental health issues. Meyer was a divorced person, had seven kids. Life was too hard for him. He lived with his father for the last few years, said a friend of the suspect who declined to give his name. He came to shul every weekend. I saw him, I knew him. He was a disturbed person. He had a lot of life issues. They were special people, neighbor Schmiel Weiss said of the Sperbers. Its unfortunate that this is how their life had to end. But we dont know Gods plans. I feel like this is a real real big tragedy. This never happens here, said a 17-year-old neighbor, who wished to remain anonymous. I was shocked. We are all in big shock. It wasnt clear what sparked the bloodshed. Police said the suspect has no prior arrests. Meyer Sperber was awaiting arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court Monday. President Joe Biden arrives at the White House on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, after returning from Rehoboth Beach, Del. | Andrew Harnik, Associated Press Less than 48 hours before polls were set to open for Tuesdays New Hampshire primary, reports began surfacing about robocalls made in the voice of President Joe Biden, encouraging residents of the state to skip voting in the nations first presidential primary of the 2024 election season. Turns out, however, that the fake message was generated by an artificial intelligence tool and the New Hampshire attorney general has launched an investigation into the source of the calls. While its unclear how many of the deepfake calls were made, The Associated Press reviewed a recording of the call and reported it uses a generated voice similar to Bidens and employs his often-used phrase, What a bunch of malarkey. It then tells the listener to save your vote for the November election. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again, the voice mimicking Biden says. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday. Related On Monday, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella announced his office had received complaints about the calls and that members of his election law unit were investigating the matter. Biden does not appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot, and he has not campaigned in the state, but some Democratic groups have advocated for him as a write-in candidate. Formellas office directed recipients of the calls to disregard the content and clarified that the source of the call, which appeared to have come from Kathy Sullivan, a former state Democratic Party chair who helps run Granite for America, a super PAC supporting the Biden write-in campaign, had been spoofed. These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire presidential primary election and to suppress New Hampshire voters, Formellas office said in a Monday press release. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. Voting in the New Hampshire presidential primary election does not preclude a voter from additionally voting in the November general election. Sullivan said she alerted law enforcement and filed a complaint with the attorney general after multiple voters in the state reported receiving the call Sunday night, per AP. This call links back to my personal cellphone number without my permission, Sullivan said in a statement. It is outright election interference, and clearly an attempt to harass me and other New Hampshire voters who are planning to write in Joe Biden on Tuesday. Generative AI deepfakes already have appeared in campaign ads in the 2024 election and, according to The Associated Press, the technology has been misused to spread misinformation in multiple elections across the globe over the past year, from Slovakia to Indonesia and Taiwan. We have been concerned that generative AI would be weaponized in the upcoming election and we are seeing what is surely a sign of things to come, said Hany Farid, an expert in digital forensics at the University of California, Berkeley, who reviewed the call recording and confirmed to AP it is a relatively low-quality AI fake. Earlier this month, OpenAI, the company behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT and artificial intelligence-driven text-to-image generator DALL-E, announced plans to help prevent its products among the most popular and widely used AI tools in the world from being leveraged in disinformation campaigns. Protecting the integrity of elections requires collaboration from every corner of the democratic process, and we want to make sure our technology is not used in a way that could undermine this process, OpenAI wrote in a blog post. But OpenAI is only one of dozens of emerging innovation companies that have built or are building AI-driven tools that have made the creation of false images, video and/or audio accessible to anyone with a computer, tablet or smartphone. And thats a point Darrell West, senior fellow for the Brookings Institutions Center for Technology Innovation, made in his TechTank podcast last November. Through prompts and templates, basically anybody can generate fake videos, fake press releases, fake news stories or other types of false narratives, West said. I am predicting a tsunami of disinformation in the 2024 campaigns through fake videos and audio tapes. In a Brookings report published last May, West noted that an expected tight race in the 2024 U.S. presidential election exposes opportunities for disinformation campaigns to be waged on the small group of swing voters who are likely to decide the contest. Generative AI can develop messages aimed at those upset with immigration, the economy, abortion policy, critical race theory, transgender issues or the Ukraine war, West wrote. It can also create messages that take advantage of social and political discontent, and use AI as a major engagement and persuasion tool. This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post with more information as it becomes available. OGDEN, Utah (ABC4) Crews battled a building fire Monday evening in Ogden, prompting road closures in the area. UDOT posted on Twitter/X that a fire was affecting the roadway near the intersection of Wall Avenue and North Street. The area has since reopened to traffic. Bomb threat leads to evacuation of troubled teen treatment center Images from UDOT cameras showed flames at what appeared to be a storage facility. Crews have since knocked them down. ABC4 reached out to the Ogden Fire Department for more information, but the station has yet to hear back. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. The move follows the posthumous quashing of convictions by a racist and corrupt British Transport Police detective - RADHARC IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK British Transport Police is to launch a bursary for British African law students after admitting systemic racism in the force was behind a major miscarriage of justice. Chief Constable Lucy DOrsi said the force cannot undo the past but we can learn from it as she pledged to combat racism including Afriphobia, defined as prejudice against Africans and people of African descent. However, the decision prompted backlash from back-to-basics campaigners, who criticised the force for uncritically adopting contested language and divisive political ideology. The move follows the posthumous quashing of the convictions of two men who were framed by a racist and corrupt British Transport Police (BTP) detective. Saliah Mehmet and Basil Peterkin, who died in 2021 and 1991 respectively, are the 10th and 11th people to have convictions relating to the BTP officer Det Sgt Derek Ridgewell quashed, who died in prison in 1982. Ridgewell, who also framed the Oval Four and Stockwell Six, was jailed for seven years in 1980 for stealing mail bags worth 364,000 from the Bricklayers Arms goods depot in Southwark, south London. This was the offence for which Ridgewell framed Mehmet and Peterkin. Ms DOrsi said the trauma caused by Ridgewell was inexcusable and happened during times when systemic racism played a role in the culture of the force, as it did across many parts of society. Sombre point of reflection This is an important and sombre point of reflection in our history. BTP is committed to combating racism, which includes Afriphobia, which led to these historic cases that targeted African youths and destroyed lives, she said. Since I last commented on this we have agreed to fund a bursary for a British African youth to study law. The bursary will be funded by the Proceeds of Crime Act, and aims to ensure that British African communities are better represented within the UK judicial system, which will benefit us all. My colleagues and I are profoundly sorry to all those affected by Det Sgt Ridgewells atrocious actions and the trauma that victims and their families suffered as a result. I would like to reiterate my sincere apology for the trauma caused to the British African community by a corrupt BTP officer, whose misuse of his powers caused harm not only to the innocent young people criminalised, but also to their families and community. Former police officer Rory Geoghegan, who used to be a Nuo 10 policy adviser on crime and founder of the Public Safety Foundation, criticised the idea of a bursary exclusively for British Africans, saying it was concerning that the force should believe the answer to past discrimination is more discrimination today. He deemed use of the term Afriphobia, which has a very limited use in the UK, as another sign of policing uncritically adopting contested language and ideology. If police chiefs are to retain the confidence of the majority of British people, they must wake up to the divisive political activism and ideology that some of them appear captured by, he added. Speaking outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, the families of Mehmet and Peterkin lamented the time taken to obtain justice and demanded a new law enshrining the need to review all cases of a police officer who is imprisoned. Regu Saliah, the eldest son of Mehmet, said: He lived as a victim of Det Sgt Ridgewell, the corrupt and racist police officer, for over 43 years. What he was put through those years left a traumatic legacy that stayed with him his whole life, unfortunately. 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 Sacramento County District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday the creation of a dedicated unit focused on prosecuting thieves repeatedly stealing high-value items in organized retail theft crime rings. District Attorney Thien Ho said one deputy district attorney and an investigator will collaborate with law enforcement to prosecute retail theft affecting big and small businesses alike. The team already operating for about two months has submitted 35 cases, Ho said at a news conference while flanked by capital region authorities, as well as trade groups representing businesses. Retailers and law enforcement have repeatedly raised concerns about so-called smash-and-grab robberies, which are caught on video and often garnering millions of views on social media. The repeated outcry from businesses and residents has led the Legislature to introduce several bills that aim to stem retail theft as well as the creation of a special select committee in the Assembly focusing on finding solutions. When you see how theft is fueling our fentanyl crisis and our unhoused crisis, we need to talk about retail theft, Ho said outside the south Sacramento Walmart on Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard. Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho addresses the media gathered during a press conference announcing a new retail theft unit Tuesday at Walmart in south Sacramento. Deputy District Attorney Adrienne McMillan and an D.A.s Office investigator will engage in vertical prosecution during which the Hos office will work with law enforcement from the incidents beginning to identify a suspect and then file a case. Ho said the cases become complex, requiring further investigation, because a criminal turns around and attempts to resell an item. The purpose of having (vertical prosecution) ... is being able to see the trends that are coming in, the same type of people coming in, McMillan said. The Board of State and Community Corrections awarded the District Attorneys Office just over $2 million grant to fund the unit through 2027. McMillans caseload has a narrow focus she will not be focusing on crimes filed under Proposition 47. The ballot referendum, approved by voters in 2014, changed some nonviolent property crimes costing less than $950 theft as misdemeanors and drew heaping scrutiny from law enforcement as too lenient. The provisions in Californias penal code most applicable to prosecuting crimes under the District Attorneys newest unit is Section 490.4. It revolves around addressing organized retail theft, which involves multiple people acting in concert to steal, McMillan said. Prosecutors filed six cases under 490.4 in 2021 and 20 cases in 2022, according to the District Attorneys Office application for the BSCC grant. McMillan added cases could also be filed under grand theft and conspiracy statutes. It will just be a learning process, McMillan said. Sacramento County Deputy District Attorney Adrianne McMillan, prosecutor in the new retail theft unit, discusses the focus of the new unit on Monday at Walmart in south Sacramento. The Public Policy Institute of California said shoplifting rates across the state were lower in 2022, the latest year figures were available, than in 2019 as more people shopped at stores before the pandemic. The commercial burglary rate and robbery rate, however, rose 13% in 2022 compared to 2019, PPIC said. Attendees said incidents at big-box retailers make headlines but theft at small establishments are ignored. Event speakers included Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester, an official from the California Retailers Association and California Highway Patrol Valley Division Chief Mike Dust. Bobbie Singh-Allen, Elk Groves mayor and the president of the American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association, said merchandise costing thousands of dollars is stolen from stores and violence keeps escalating. They came to this great state of California for a chance at the American Dream, Singh-Allen said of her members who are convenience store and gas station owners. But that American Dream is becoming a nightmare. CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN (KFOR/Storyful) The Colombian Navy intercepted a nearly 50-foot-long semi-submersible vessel in the Pacific Ocean, bound for Central America, with three crew members and nearly 1,750 pounds of cocaine onboard. Video at the top of this story shows investigators confiscating and testing the cocaine, disguised in multiple packages. Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills found in NE Oklahoma City traffic stop According to a press release from the Colombian Navy, the cocaine from the January 21 seizure was valued at 27 million dollars. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. CHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A 20-year-old man wanted out of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, has been found and arrested, according to the Chester County Sheriffs Office. Deputies say they helped the United States Marshals Service arrest Deshaun Maurice Guinyard on Monday, January 22. Meat will be donated. Sharpshooters to begin killing deer in Tega Cay Guinyard was found hiding in the attic of a home in the Edgemoor area, officials say. He is charged with the following: Armed Robbery Possession of a weapon during a violent crime Criminal Conspiracy According to authorities, Guinyard is being held at the Chester County Sheriffs Office Detention Center awaiting extradition to Orangeburg County. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. The Oak Lawn Village Board approved two ordinances Tuesday to increase the towns borrowing limit by $30 million as the cost for long planned water system upgrades continue to increase. In 2013, the village agreed on several measures to improve Oak Lawns Regional Water System. Due to the rising costs of this upgrade, the board voted in 2021 to increase its borrowing authority from $240 million to $297 million. The boards action Tuesday increases the maximum amount of IEPA Series Bonds to $327 million to meet costs of the improvements to the existing regional system, according to the ordinance. The upgrades include updating a decades old water system that is susceptible to main breaks, doubling the systems capacity to 110 million gallons per day and reducing the energy used to transfer water by 15%, according to Oak Lawn officials. The upgrades originally cost $171 million. But in the decade since this project was first planned, the price tag has increased significantly, pushing the board to allocate more borrowing. Oak Lawn buys Lake Michigan water from Chicago and in turn, sells it to Chicago Ridge, Country Club Hills, Matteson, Mokena, New Lenox, Oak Forest, Olympia Fields, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Hills, Palos Park and Tinley Park. The vote Tuesday morning took place without debate or deliberation as all six trustees quickly voted in favor of increasing the borrowing limit. The board also agreed to a temprorary construction and permanent easement agreement with the Orland Elementary District 135 Board for a water transmission line. Trustee Alex Olejniczak explained the water system upgrades remain vitally important, referencing almost two dozen water main breaks caused by the old infrastructure and the recent freezing temperatures. There are over 20 (main breaks) so far in the village, he said. Talking with our Public Works Director Bill Meyer, this morning he said were at the point now where were keeping our head above water literally.' Village Manager Thomas Phelan also announced Oak Lawn has been told its bond rating has risen from neutral to positive by agencies such as Standard & Poors. In recent years, in large part because of the towns pension fund, the borrowing rating has dipped below neutral, he said. Will it result in significant savings on borrowings? Well, we probably arent going to see that, said Phelan whose full time job is in wealth management. But it is a good thing moving forward and something I think we all should be proud of. hsanders@chicagotribune.com The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has endorsed the Presidents decree to appoint Ivan Fedorov, the mayor of Melitopol, as the head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast State Administration in its meeting on 23 January. Source: Taras Melnychuk, representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Ukrainian Parliament, on Telegram Quote: "Personnel block. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has appointed Ivan Fedorov as the head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast State Administration. Yurii Malashko has been succeeded in [this position]." Background: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree appointing Yurii Malashko as the head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast State Administration in February 2023. Prior to that, Malashko was the acting head of the Anti-Terrorist Centre of the Security Service of Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! This is a developing story. Check back to sanluisobispo.com for updates. To get breaking news alerts, click here Eight people were arrested Tuesday after allegedly trying to break into Cal Polys Recreation Center during a protest in support of Palestine. Cal Poly spokesman Matt Lazier said a group of about 30 to 40 protesters gathered Tuesday outside a career fair being held in the Rec Center. The university had been notified about the pro-Palestine protest in advance, he said. A smaller group of the protesters became violent and tried repeatedly to use barricades to smash through the doors of the Rec Center and gain entrance to the fair inside, Lazier told The Tribune. A video provided to The Tribune captured the clash between law enforcement and protesters. In the video, several protesters carrying large wooden signs shaped like riot shields can be seen tugging on metal barricades placed in front of the entrance to the campus building as a pair of officers hold the other ends of the barriers. At one point more officers run up to the group, and a shout of get on the ground can be heard. An officer then appears to throw one of the protesters to the ground, tackling the person and hitting them several times. That protester was later identified to The Tribune by his roommate as Ollie Lamkin. The scene then escalates with more people running into the frame amid yelling and shoving between the officers and protesters. During the fray, another protester is tackled to the ground. In a news release Tuesday evening, the San Luis Obispo Police Department said one of its officers was forced to protect himself when a protester attempted to take one of his weapons. The officer responded with a hand strike to retain his weapon, the department said. SLOPD said the incident will be reviewed to determine if the actions taken adhered to the departments policy. Lazier said officers with the Cal Poly Police Department were on hand to provide safety and security at the career fair, as the event was not open to the general public. The San Luis Obispo Police Department was also called in to help after the group of protesters started to get violent, he added. Lazier said Cal Poly police warned the protesters several times that they would be arrested if they continued to try to force their way into the event. Law enforcement officers arrested a total of eight people, he said, adding it was unclear how many of the people who were arrested or protesting were Cal Poly students. Later, he said the university had been informed three of those arrested were Cal Poly students and five were not. Some officers and people who were arrested indicated they had suffered minor injuries, Lazier said, but none required medical attention. Lazier said that there didnt appear to be any significant damage to the Rec Center building. A still from a video showing the moment protesters and law enforcement clashed in front of the Cal Poly Rec Center on Jan. 23, 2024. A small group of people involved in a pro-Palestine protest allegedly attempted to breaking into the building where a winter career fair was being hosted. Police officers use of force on protester disgusting, roommate says According to the San Luis Obispo County Jail front desk, Lamkin was arrested on suspicion of charges of misdemeanor resisting a peace officer, misdemeanor removing a weapon that is not a firearm from a peace officer, misdemeanor inciting a riot and felony resisting a peace officer with threats or violence. The jail employee told The Tribune the felony charge may change. Lamkins bail was set at $50,000. Claudia Munoz, Lamkins roommate, told The Tribune she was shocked at the officers treatment of Lamkin shown in the video. Lamkin and Munoz are both in their third year at Cal Poly. Munoz was not present at the protest, she said, but was outside the jail trying to help Lamkin on Tuesday afternoon. I just started bawling, Munoz said as she recalled see the video of Lamkins arrest for the first time. You see someone you love being treated so inhumanely. Its disgusting. Munoz said she never thought something like this would happen to a friend and thinks its important for people to see the force police used against Lamkin. Im just worried that the police or the sheriff might try to make it so that no one really knows what happened (to Lamkin), she said. Obviously, they cant now because we have videos. She felt it was unnecessary for the university to call in more police, Munoz added. I understand where they dont want violence coming into play, but having so many police officers I feel like just becomes more like a herd mentality, Munoz said. I think theyre more likely to do something the more there are. According to the jail booking log, protesters Daron Birkholz, Alejandro Buparo, Raleigh Daniel Delk, Sarah Heath, Marcus Hicks and Timothy Jouet, were all arrested on suspicion of charges of felony resisting an executive officer and misdemeanor inciting a riot. Bail was set at $50,000 for Delk and Heath, according to the jail front desk employee, but bail was unknown for the four other protesters as of Tuesday night. Another protester, Janine Santos, was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor battery of a peace officer, according to the jail booking log. Santos was released Tuesday on a $5,000 bail, according to the jail front desk employee. Meanwhile Bassem Wehhab, who attended the protest but is not a Cal Poly student, described his experience in an emailed statement to The Tribune. Wehhab said he was peacefully handing out fliers and talking to students and locals about the genocide in Gaza when at some point the protest escalated. Wehhab said he thought police were looking for a spark. He called the video of Lamkins arrest absolutely horrific and said the officers who responded with force at the protest should be fired. He added he felt the incident was reflective of the great evil within the Cal Poly administration and the measures theyre willing to take to protect their murderous and corrupt interests in the military industrial complex. A still from a video showing the moment protesters and law enforcement clashed in front of the Cal Poly Rec Center on Jan. 23, 2024. A small group of people involved in a pro-Palestine protest allegedly attempted to breaking into the building where a winter career fair was being hosted. Cal Poly president says university wont tolerate violence, disruption In a statement, Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong said the university would not tolerate violence or disruption on campus. We are a public campus, and we support the rights of all campus community members and visitors to speak their minds but we will not tolerate violence, disruption, trespassing or other criminal activity, Armstrong said the statement. Individuals who wish to engage in the free and peaceful exchange of ideas are always welcome on our campus. Those who would use force and coercion are not. According to Lazier, Cal Poly does not infringe on the rights of community members and visitors to properly exercise their First Amendment rights. The university supports community members rights to have their say in a public area, in a way that allows for the expression of opinions without infringing on the rights of others, he said. There are many areas of campus that are open to the public and appropriate for public speaking, protests and other forms of free speech University Union Plaza, Dexter Lawn, external areas of campus buildings, as examples. The arrests came a day after a group of pro-Palestine protesters interrupted a town hall meeting in Arroyo Grande attended by U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal. Within 24 hours of walking off the job, faculty across the California State University system have canceled their weeklong, systemwide strike after reaching a late-night deal with university administrators. The California Faculty Association announced its new tentative agreement late Monday night, triumphantly pointing to the power of strikes and solidarity as the reason behind the swift deal. The unions nearly 30,000 workers will return to work Tuesday instead of continuing their planned weeklong walkout. The collective action of so many lecturers, professors, counselors, librarians, and coaches over these last eight months forced CSU management to take our demands seriously, said CFA President Charles Toombs in a statement late Monday evening. This tentative agreement makes major gains for all faculty at the CSU. CSU Chancellor Mildred Garcia also praised the agreement. I am extremely pleased and deeply appreciative that we have reached common ground with CFA that will end the strike immediately, Garcia said in a statement. The agreement enables the CSU to fairly compensate its valued, world-class faculty while protecting the university systems long-term financial sustainability. Trevor White, left, a professor in the math department at Sacramento State, joins a weeklong faculty strike at the university on Monday. The deal includes a 5% salary boost for all faculty retroactive to July 1 of last year. All faculty will earn a 5% salary increase this summer on July 1, although that raise is contingent upon the CSU not losing money due to cuts in the California budget. The tentative agreement will also, on July 1 of this year, raise the pay floor by $3,000 and $6,000 for faculty in the two lowest-paid tiers of the salary range. Although faculty were previously adamant about receiving 12% raises, they settled for smaller raises in exchange for other commitments from CSU. Those include raising the parental leave allowance from six to 10 weeks, guaranteeing union representation for faculty when interacting with campus police, improving access to lactation spaces and gender-inclusive restrooms and providing support for lecturer engagement in service work. Finally, the deal would extend the existing contract for one year to the end of June 2025. On Monday, roughly 75 people walked the picket line outside Sacramento State, flanking the campus J Street entrance. The banners welcoming students back from break were covered with union-made signs that read, Classes dont start without us! and On strike! California Faculty Association. The CFA, which represents 29,000 members, and university negotiators have spent nearly nine months haggling over salaries and other provisions as part of contract negotiation re-opener. Those non-salary demands include increased parental leave, greater access to gender-inclusive restrooms in campus buildings and more staff mental health counselors to help students. After the two sides hit an impasse in August, they engaged in mediation sessions with a third-party negotiator and then submitted to fact-finding with a neutral panelist. Talks broke down two weeks ago when the CSU left the bargaining table after, as the university puts it, CFA indicated no willingness to depart from its ask for a 12% raise, according to a Jan. 11 letter from Joseph Jelincic, the systems vice chancellor of collective bargaining. CSU officials then imposed parts of its last, best and final offer on the faculty unions, including a 5% salary increase, higher pay differentials for department chairs and a provision that allows for an increase in parking fees (up to $2 per month). Members will have the opportunity to ratify the contract in the coming weeks, according to the CFA website. The strike came as a new semester began at CSU campuses for many of the systems 450,000 students amid a wave of union momentum in higher education created by the 2022 monthlong strike at the University of California system. Teaching assistants and graduate student workers disrupted classes across UC campuses as the fall semester concluded. The CSU has advised students to look for messages from their instructors about updated class schedules. Social sciences librarian Melissa Cardenas-Dow joins a weeklong Sacramento State faculty strike at the university on Monday. Librarian Melissa Cardenas-Dow said a salary boost would help her pay off the more than $300,000 in student loan debt that she owes for her two masters degrees one in library and information science, the other in assistive technology studies. Before joining Sacramento State in 2017, Cardenas-Dow worked as a temporary librarian at numerous schools in Southern California. Although she received tenure last year, she empathizes with lecturers and non-tenured faculty who piece together a living by teaching at multiple institutions. I know what thats like, Cardenas-Dow said. And we do have a term for that type of lifestyle: Youre a freeway flyer, because you travel just to put together an income. Cardenas-Dow came out to the one-day December strike, but she said this weeks action were different. Were showing that this is about Sac State, she said. Last time, it was about the system. This time, its about Sac State. Given its mission to provide resources and programs for older adults, creating a collection drive for a regional organization that focuses on older residents was a natural fit for the customer services department at the Oak Lawn Public Library. Pathlights is one of our wonderful community partners that helps so much in this effort, said Meghan Moran, assistant department head of customer services. They are a powerful resource in the community for older adults and those who care for them. They were looking for donations for clients returning home after a hospital or rehabilitation stay, and we wanted to help. With that in mind, library staff invited Oak Lawn churches and organizations to join the drive, and Pilgrim Faith United Church of Christ and Calvary Church both answered the call. Each location has a donation bin where items are being collected, Moran said. Pilgrim Faith has a special connection to Pathlights, the Rev. Daniel Sather shared, because one of its longtime members, the late Donald Chapman, was instrumental in starting Pathlights. In addition to supporting his legacy, Pilgrim Faith United Church of Christ has a commitment to community. Thus far, the church has collected about 25 items, he said, adding that a final push will be made in the remaining weeks of the drive. The church has always considered its ministry as meeting the needs of the community, Sather explained. The community of Oak Lawn has a sizable population of older residents, and Pathlights is a service that has been used and continues to be a dependable agency that is there for our seniors, and that is important to Pilgrim Faith UCC. He added that many church members have gotten help from Pathlights over the years. The Rev. Daniel Stidham, of Calvary Church, said hearing about Pathlights during an October Lunch and Learn event with the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce, as well as knowing some senior members have received rent assistance, led to a desire to help the organization. It raises the collaboration that should be connected on a deeper level as we are in the care of people. Thats our corner of service. When the library was involved as well, it was a no brainer. The Oak Lawn Public Library is accepting donations to be delivered to older residents returning from stints in the hospital or rehab until Feb. 29. Donation bins can be found at the library, 9427 Raymond Ave.; Calvary Church, 10056 Central Ave.; or Pilgrim Faith United Church of Christ, 9411 S 51st Ave. Stidham pointed out that Pathlights isnt a public organization that receives tax money but does have public responsibility and they kind of take ownership of this area in care for seniors. It has a really interesting bridge between connecting public and private institutions that can forget the marginalized our seasoned saints as it were and the caregivers and the people who are grieving as theyre hurting, he added. As pastor, its an effort of our love for Jesus spreading. My hope is this container (for donations) is a head start to a greater awareness and collaboration in the future. The collection drive, which began Dec. 1 and will continue through Feb. 29, focuses on items for Pathlights Homecoming Care Kit Program. Anyone can bring donations to the library, 9427 Raymond Ave.; Calvary, 10056 Central Ave.; or Pilgrim Faith, 9411 S 51st Ave. Thus far, its going well. We have been humbled and overwhelmed at the generosity of the community for the drive. So far, we have received over 1,400 individual items that will be packaged into the care baskets, Moran shared. Our initial goal was to create at least 40 care baskets. We believe we will certainly exceed that based on the donations we have received so far. At the end of the drive, library staff will package the care baskets and deliver them to Pathlights. The care packages will be given to clients of the nonprofit organization who are returning home after being discharged from a hospital or skilled nursing facility, explained Alison Parker, resource development manager for Pathlights. When Pathlights comes to their house when they are returning home, wed bring them one of these kits as a welcome home gesture something to make them feel good as theyre returning home. The collection drive directly helps support the organizations purpose. Our mission is essentially to help older adults remain in their homes, Parker said. By providing items like this, were able to help them be more happy and more successful in living at home and staying involved in the community. Parker said the organization averages about 35 new clients each month in the program, so people and organizations are asked to supply about 40 kits to allow for a full month using their donations. The kits should cost about $15 to allow for consistency among clients. We created the list of general items, and the idea with these kits is really that theyre less about what you desperately need as opposed to a feel good, a make you feel warm and cozy kind of a thing, she explained. One of the things were not asking for is incontinence supplies. I didnt want to put that on the list necessarily because everyone is different sizes. These are items that are meant to welcome someone home. Suggested items include hand cream, lip balm, $5 Walgreen or CVS gift cards, adult coloring books, colored pencils, activity books such as word search or sudoku, stamps, note cards and envelopes, fidget toys, socks, blankets and stress balls, according to a flyer the library created. Having the items packaged in a bag instead of a basket makes storage easier. It depends on what the organization doing the fundraiser or drive wants to do, she said. Parker is excited by the response to the care kits. Its actually a program we recently launched, so Ive had a couple other organizations donate care kits at this point. They are our third partner to be doing this with, she said, adding that Horton Insurance in Orland Park was the first to provide kits. It was something I came up with. I was looking for more ways to have potential partners get involved, she explained. People are always looking for ways to help and things to do and not always able to do a financial donation, so this was a good way for different community groups or businesses to do a team-building activity with their team, things like that. I thought weve got all those folks with needs. We could figure something else out as a way to help, so working with our program director, we decided to develop this program, she added. Pathlights also has a note card program that essentially is notes of encouragement and things like that, that get delivered through our home-delivered meals program, she said. Weve had different community groups as a service project write note cards. If anyone wants to be involved in either program, we would welcome their interest, she added. Contact Parker via email at aparker@pathlights.org or call 708-361-0219. Parker couldnt be happier about the collection drive and what it represents. Seniors in general are a very important part of a healthy, active and vibrant community, so the more we can support them, the better all of us in the community are, she said. I think its amazing when people can pull together to support one another. Melinda Moore is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown. County officials are discussing options for the 40-year-old Eldersburg branch of the Carroll County Public Library system and will commission a feasibility study to determine if it should be renovated or rebuilt entirely. Of the seven branch libraries, the Eldersburg branch, at 6400 W. Hemlock Drive, is the countys busiest. We have the most foot traffic, we have the most circulation out of that branch, the most programs and attendance; it is far and away our busiest branch, Andrea Berstler, executive director of the Carroll County Public Library, told the Board of Carroll County Commissioners at their meeting on Thursday. It has been for a while. In fiscal 2023, 681,261 books or other items were borrowed from the Eldersburg Branch, an average of just over 56,771 per month, Picker said. The library held 833 programs last year, with attendance totaling 31,314. The library system has been awarded a $35,000 grant from the Maryland State Library Agency to fund the study and HBM Architects of Cleveland, Ohio, will conduct it by June 30. The feasibility study will look at what would it cost to renovate the building, to build new on the same site, or to build new on another location. The Eldersburg Library is now 40 years old, Bob Kuntz, director of Carroll County Public Library Operations said during a meeting with county commissioners on Thursday. It was originally built as a multi-purpose building. So it had the state police and the sheriffs office in the back, and then it also had the health department. Over the years, those departments have moved out, and weve taken those spaces over. The Eldersburg branch became a full-service library on Aug. 14, 1983, at first sharing space with the Carroll County Health Department and the Maryland State Police. In 1998, the library expanded into the vacated health department space. The branch was renovated in 2004 and in 2010, including adding a drive-up service window. In 2015, the sheriffs office moved out and the library took over all available space in the building, for a total square footage of 23,882. The configuration of the building, however, is not conducive to that of a public library, Kuntz said. Those spaces are really not set up for the way we work, Kuntz said. Weve adapted them to make it work, but theres a lot of wasted space. HBM Architects will conduct focus groups with library staff, area residents and community and business leaders and ask the general public for input. They will basically do a diagram of what are the major services that the public wants or the community wants, and come up with what the appropriate square footage should be, Kuntz said. If the cost of the study goes over $35,000, then the library will cover any balance with operating funds, Lisa Picker, director of communications with Carroll County Public Library said Monday. The number of casualties from Russias massive missile attack on Kyiv has increased to 22, the heady of the citys military administration, Serhiy Popko, said on Telegram on Jan. 23. "As of 11:30 a.m., 22 people were injured in the missile strike in Kyiv, of which 13 were hospitalized," Popko said. Read also: Rocket debris hits high-rise apartment, kindergarten as Russia attacks Kyiv early on Jan. 23 morning One woman has been confirmed dead, he said. The city mayor, Vitali Klitschko, said three children were among the injured. Eight people were hospitalized, the mayor said. A 13-year-old boy and six adult victims were given medical assistance on the spot. One woman was successfully resuscitated and is in serious condition in the intensive care unit. Read also: Russian attacks Kramatorsk with ballistic missile "Currently, nine people have been injured in the Solomianskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts of the capital as a result of the morning enemy attack," he said on Telegram. In the Sviatoshynskyi district, a non-residential building was set on fire, with emergency services actively responding to the scene. One house was also reportedly damaged, and numerous cars set ablaze. An air raid alert was announced throughout Ukraine on the morning of Jan. 23. Explosions were heard in several oblasts, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. 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 LAS VEGAS (KLAS) According to court documents filed on Monday, the Clark County School District has agreed to hand over records from Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jaras social media accounts. The agreement comes following a post on the social media site X from an account that belonged to Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara that said, What leadership? Corruption and bought by crooked JV and his mistress [Neisess]? The JV mentioned is thought to be in reference to Clark County Education Association Executive Director John Vellardita, and the Neisess in reference to President Marie Neisess. The post came after several Nevada lawmakers had called for Jara to be fired during a tense negotiation over teachers contracts. The account was deactivated sometime after the post was published. At the time, Neisess took issue with the post, saying she was owed an apology. I feel like Superintendent Jara needs to apologize not only to me but really to all students because he is not setting a good example. We teach anti-bullying to our students, but yet thats exactly what he did this morning, Neisess said. The school districts deadline to deliver the records is set for Feb. 5. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WBTW) Coastal Carolina University leaders on Tuesday asked state House budget writers to give them millions more than what Gov. Henry McMaster is recommending to help keep tuition affordable. In his 2024-25 executive budget, McMaster suggested $1.18 million to CCU for tuition mitigation. But Alan West, the schools vice president of finance, asked a House Ways and Means Committee to include $4.7 million for tuition relief in the budget to be voted on later this year. The ask comes on the heels of another historic enrollment cycle at CCU, which welcomed 2,275 freshmen in the fall 2023 semester the third straight year its broken its own record. CCUs in-state tuition is 5.1% below South Carolinas average, according to data presented by the school on Tuesday. In November, CCU said it would start offering free tuition to qualifying students through its Coastal Commitment program. That initiative guarantees admission and free tuition to South Carolina students who graduate in the top 10% of their high school class and whose families have an annual income of less than $80,000. President Michael Benson also hopes lawmakers can fast-track a series of approvals needed to transfer land to CCU from the Coastal Education Foundation to accommodate its planned $53 million Conway Medical Center College of Health and Human Performance. Before we can even begin talking about a building, we have to come up here six different times to get the land transferred to the university, Benson said. We can do this, and were pleading with you to help us because if we cannot occupy this building until December 2028, the space is going to be far outstripped by the need and demand. * * * Adam Benson joined the News13 digital team in January 2024. He is a veteran South Carolina reporter with previous stops at the Greenwood Index-Journal, Post & Courier and The Sun News in Myrtle Beach. Adam is a Boston native and University of Utah graduate. Follow Adam on X, formerly Twitter, at @AdamNewshound12. See more of his work here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW. President Biden was met with people protesting the war in Gaza at a rally promoting abortion access, with chants from the crowd interrupting his speech nearly a dozen times. When his speech started, he was immediately heckled by a protester carrying a Palestinian flag and shouting, How many kids have been killed? Within seconds, the protester was drowned out by chants of four more years from the crowd, which lasted for about a minute. Once the dueling chants stopped, another protester shouted out, Israel kills two mothers every hour, and chants of, We love Joe! began. Within minutes, more protesters yelled out phrases like, Genocide Joe has got to go, and, Stop funding genocide, which were met again with chants of, Four more years! They feel deeply, Biden said, before starting back into his speech. Were going to have this go on for a while, he said after a third interruption. We got a couple more. The protesters were escorted out of the campaign event, which took place in Manassas, Va. The presidents speech to highlight his focus on reproductive rights and rebuke former President Trump, his likely GOP opponent in the 2024 presidential election, was interrupted about 10 times overall. Im sorry its taking so long, Biden said after hearing from a fourth protester. Lets go, Joe started again quickly after the shouting. In response to another protester yelling, Biden said, This is going to go out for a while, theyve got this planned. As he was talking about Trumps hand in the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, a sixth protester was audibly shouting. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans, including the woman hollering, he said, calling her out. The crowd was quick to start, Lets go, Joe, chants whenever a protester would yell, and Biden would pause his speech for a few seconds. Please dont jump, Biden said later to someone yelling in the crowd about the war in the Middle East. About 15 minutes into the speech, the crowd yelled for several seconds in what appeared to be an effort to drown out protesters. Overall, Bidens speech was about 20 minutes long with the interruptions. Biden was met with protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza in South Carolina earlier this month. He has encountered protests during nearly every trip he has made since the war in the Middle East over his pro-Israel stance in its response to Hamass Oct. 7 terrorist attacks that killed more than 1,000 Israelis. The president has faced increasing pressure from the left to call for a cease-fire in Gaza and has rebuffed those calls, arguing it would allow Hamas to regroup and only help them. The Biden administration has increasingly encouraged Israel to target its approach in Gaza against Hamas and minimize the impacts of its operation on civilians. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. CEDAR GROVE He's 18 feet tall, has a safety cone nose, a trash can hat, his name is Mr. Frosty and he hopes to raise money for Children's Wisconsin as he melts away. After last week's snow, Jon Voskuil, of Cedar Grove, first created a small snowman with his children. A neighbor quipped that he should build a bigger snowman. Voskuil took the neighbor's suggestion to heart. He teamed up with Nate Altheimer, Michael Voskuil, Trevor Peterson and Matt Posthuma to create the towering snowman on his front yard at 1111 S. Second St. in Cedar Grove last week. "We are complete amateurs, and we just decided to build a big snowman," Altheimer said. Nate Altheimer, of Belgium, Wis., left, Jon Voskuil, middle, and Michael Voskuil, right, stand in front of their 18-foot-tall Mr. Frosty, Monday, January 22, 2024, in Cedar Grove, Wis., The builders, working with Childrens Wisconsin, hope to raise charitable funds for the organization. Adell bar: This nearly 150-year-old Adell bar has Schlitz beer collectibles, toy cars and more A snowman that tall requires some serious attention to detail. Altheimer, of Belgium, brought in a lift from his construction business to put the head onto the lower two giant snowballs. "We mixed snow, we sprayed, there is a lot that was involved. It's rock solid," Altheimer said. Voskuil said there is rebar inside Mr. Frosty to help keep him stable. He added the Village of Cedar Grove provided the safety cone nose for the project. Children of the builders of a 18-foot-tall snowman pose around the creation in the front yard of Jon Voskuil, Monday, January 22, 2024, in Cedar Grove, Wis. The builders, working with Childrens Wisconsin, hope to raise charitable funds for the organization. Someone suggested to the team that a pool of some kind should be started to see how long Mr. Frosty lasts. Then, helping Children's Wisconsin came to mind as snowmen are so connected with children. Sheboygan history: Sheboygan Falls at one time had a movie and vaudeville house. Today, the site is a parking lot. Mr. Frosty's team decided to contact Children's Wisconsin to use Mr. Frosty's eventual demise to help raise funds for the non-profit organization. After donating $10 to Children's, donors are asked to guess the date when Mr. Frosty melts away into a memory. Children's has created a special webpage for the project at https://support.childrenswi.org/event/the-melting-snowman-for-childrens-wisconsin/e556140. Children march round the 18-foot-tall snowman, Monday, January 22, 2024, that Jon Voskuil and several of his friends created in his front yard over the weekend in Cedar Grove, Wis. Local businesses joined in the fun as Jolly Good Soda, A3 Builders and Voskuil Electric along with Oostburg State Bank are donating funds to be used as prizes for the top three guesses. First prize will be $2,000, second prize will be $1,000 and third prize will be $500. To put in your donation and guess, go to https://support.childrenswi.org/event/the-melting-snowman-for-childrens-wisconsin/e556140. Gary C. Klein can be reached at 920-453-5149 or gklein@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @leicaman99. This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Giant snowman in Sheboygan County raises funds for Children's Wisconsin The prototype for the British Armys next main battle tank, the Challenger 3 , has been revealed. Following its completion in the factory in Telford, England, the new tank is scheduled to begin trials soon, ahead of planned service entry in 2027. While the United Kingdom currently plans to convert a relatively small number of Challenger 2s just 148, including eight prototypes into the new version, the situation could have been very different. Before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine there was speculation that the British Army may lose its tanks altogether. The first photos of the initial Challenger 3 prototype were released yesterday by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL), a joint venture between the Germany's Rheinmetall and Britian's BAE Systems. The photos were first made public at the IQPC International Armored Vehicles conference in London. A head-on view of the first Challenger 3 prototype. Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) The Challenger 3 program will deliver the best tank in NATO and deliver a network-enabled, digital main battle tank, providing the soldier with a step-changing capability, said Rory Breen, strategy and future business director at RBSL, Breaking Defense reported . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJLAXrrDUec As expected, the Challenger 3 is dominated by its new turret armed with Rheinmetalls 120mm L55A1 smoothbore cannon. This replaces the L30A1 rifled gun, of the same caliber, found in the current Challenger 2. This new weapon ensures a greater muzzle velocity the projectile leaving the barrel faster and providing an improved degree of penetration and, in some cases, range. Most of the details of the Challenger 3 had been revealed earlier in the program, with the best online reference to these features having been provided back in 2021 by tank specialist Jon Hawkes, in the following thread: The gun fires single-piece ammunition, rather than the two-piece rounds that are used in the Challenger 2. A wide range of NATO-standard smoothbore ammunition is therefore available, including the DM63 and DM73 , Rheinmetalls armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds. These types of ammunition feature a long dart penetrator, which uses kinetic energy to penetrate enemy armor. Potentially, the Challenger 3 could also fire the U.S.-made M829A4 round, another APFSDS type, but one that features depleted uranium (DU) penetrator, denser than many penetrators made of more conventional metals, for improved armor-piercing performance. Currently, the British Army uses a DU round in the Challenger 2, the L27A1 CHARM 3. A video offering a general overview of how APFSDS tank ammunition works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coWJDfcdR60 While NATO-standard ammunition will bring logistics and cost advantages, the space requirements of the single-piece ammunition mean that the total number of rounds carried is 31, compared to 49 in the Challenger 2. The ammunition is stored in an isolated bustle compartment, at the rear of the turret, to improve survivability if the tank takes a hit. The Challenger 3 is provided with an optical/targeting package thats the same as the one found in the British Armys Ajax tracked infantry fighting vehicles. This comprises the Thales Orion and Day/Night Gunner And Panoramic Sight ( DNGS T3 ). Once again, this should bring logistics and cost benefits. These sensors are part of an open-architecture concept, or what the manufacturer describes as a digitized turret, meaning the hardware and software will be able to easily accommodate new systems far faster and more economically than in the past. To enhance its level of protection, the Challenger 3 has received a new modular armor (nMA). Using a modular system means that specific parts of the armor can be quickly removed and replaced. It also means the United Kingdom doesnt need to buy full sets of armor for all 148 Challenger 3s, instead equipping individual tanks with nMA as and when required. The nMA package includes applique armor for the sides of the hull and the belly. The British Army has tested some advanced armor and camouflage solutions on this heavily modified Challenger 2, known as Megatron. Crown Copyright There is also provision for an active protection system (APS), of the kind that is becoming an increasingly important feature of modern tanks, in particular to better defend against anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades. It could also potentially be used in the future to counter lower-end drones. Like the nMA package, the APS wont be fitted to all Challenger 3s at all times, but will be installed when needed. The United Kingdom has selected the Israeli-made Trophy APS for the Challenger 3, a system that employs a radar to detect incoming projectiles before firing intercepting projectiles at them; you can read more about the system here . Trophy has also seen plenty of recent use in the Israeli war in Gaza . The prototype Challenger 3, in its current configuration, is not fitted with Trophy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmvx430HJlo While firepower and protection are the main focuses of the Challenger 3 program, it also addresses mobility, thanks to the Heavy Armor Automotive Improvement Project (HAAIP). This includes retrofitting an improved engine (although with no increase in power output), a new suspension, a hydraulic track tensioner, an electric cold start system, and an improved cooling system. The tank shown in the photos at the IQPC conference is the first of eight planned prototypes. These are expected to undergo 18 months of trials, both in the United Kingdom and in Germany, ahead of a systems qualification review in 2025. The Challenger 3s wont be new-builds, rather, they will upgraded from the existing Challenger 2s. This older variant of the Challenger design entered British Army service in 1994 and has since been involved in combat operations in the former Yugoslavia and Iraq, without loss to enemy action, according to the British Army. A British Army Challenger 2, attached to the 1st Royal Regiment of Fusiliers battlegroup, in action at Camp Coyote, Kuwait, in 2003. Crown Copyright RBSLs Rory Breen explained how that work was done, in the creation of the first prototype Challenger 3: What we do for a prototype is take a bare chassis and trade about 50 percent of the LRUs [Line Replaceable Units] and everything else, except the turret ring, is brand new, Breaking Defense reported. Presumably, a similar approach will be taken for the production vehicles, too, although Breen said that its technically possible for RBSL to build new Challenger 3s if required. The Challenger 3 is planned to achieve initial operating capability in 2027. British Army For the British Army, the U.K. governments roughly $1 billion investment in the Challenger 3 program ensures the future of its tank force until at least 2040, when the Challenger 3 is expected to be phased out. In the meantime, however, the current Challenger 2 fleet has faced questions about its relevance, especially after the transfer of 14 of these tanks to Ukraine last year, which you can read more about here . In February 2023, reports emerged that the removal of 14 Challenger 2s from the British inventory of 227 reduced the fleet of operational vehicles by 25-30 percent. However, part of the shortfall was apparently due to some Challengers 2 already being taken from operational units for remanufacturing as Challenger 3s. There have been other concerns over the serviceability and operational readiness of the Challenger 2 fleet, as well. Its against this backdrop that the British Army is working toward introducing not only the Challenger 3, but also wide-ranging structural changes , based around a lethal, agile, and lean force of around 72,500 personnel by 2025, down from 76,000 in 2021, and which will primarily be organized around deployable Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). As we have explored in the past, these BCTs will operate a range of new fighting vehicles and aircraft, with the Challenger 3s being supported by Ajax infantry fighting vehicles, Boxer wheeled armored personnel carriers, and AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, among others. Ajax (left) and Boxer side by side during a demonstration of British Army capabilities on the training area at Bovington Camp, England. Crown Copyright The British Army is eager to receive its Challenger 3s, which it describes as the digitized backbone that will connect it to other combat vehicles within the BCT, improving the ability to share data with different platforms in real time. However, despite the British Armys pivot back toward main battle tanks and the renewed emphasis on armored warfare more generally, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine there remain some questions about the mobility of the Challenger 3, especially given its additional weight without a corresponding increase in power. Even before the Challenger 3 program, the Challenger 2 had issues regarding excessive weight . The Challenger 2 weighs 82.7 tons with add-on armor modules, compared to 73.6 tons for the U.S. Armys M1A2 SEPv3. A U.S. Army M1A2 SEPv3. U.S. Army Designing the optimum tank is always a matter of balancing different requirements for firepower, protection, and mobility. While the Challenger 3 may not necessarily excel in the last of these, its firepower and protection attributes look impressive. The Challenger 3 should have certain advantages when it comes to future upgrades, however, thanks to its open-architecture concept. The tank has the potential to be upgraded with additional or improved features, including responding to new threats on the battlefield. Such changes would require more expenditure, though, and this at a time when the U.K. government is investing heavily in airpower and future classes of warships , not to mention revamping its enormously costly submarine-based nuclear deterrent . In the end, the biggest hurdle ahead may be ensuring that the British Army can get the most out of what will be a fairly small fleet of Challenger 3s. This will be felt especially keenly once a portion of the tanks move to Germany, where they will be based in a return to Cold War-era posture. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that predictions of the demise of the MBT were premature, to say the least. At the same time, its also shown how vulnerable even more modern tanks can be against a wide range of threats, from advanced precision-guided munitions to low-cost first-person-view (FPV) drones. A video showing the first evidence of a Ukrainian Challenger 2 destroyed in the conflict: With the security environment not only in Europe but also further afield changing rapidly, it remains to be seen exactly how the British Army will use its bespoke force of Challenger 3 main battle tanks once they enter service. Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com In 2022, nearly 16,000 asylum seekers were granted the right to work by the Home Office to plug shortages - DAN KITWOOD/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE Asylum seekers including Channel migrants should be allowed to work in any job six months after reaching the UK, the Governments official migration advisers have said. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is expected to recommend the move as part of an overhaul of the rules on migrant workers access to shortage occupations such as care, construction and agriculture. Asylum seekers are currently only entitled to work if they have been waiting more than a year for their asylum claim to be processed. They are also only allowed to work in designated shortage occupations on a wage set at 80 per cent of the going rate. The Telegraph revealed at the weekend that in 2022, nearly 16,000 asylum seekers were granted the right to work by the Home Office to plug shortages in sectors such as care, health, construction and other trades, according to official data released under Freedom of Information laws. It prompted calls from senior Tory former ministers and MPs for the practice to be scrapped because of their concerns that it could act as a pull factor to encourage more migrants to come illegally to the UK. The longer migrants are denied the right to work, the less likely they are to join the labour market if their asylum claim is granted - DAN KITWOOD/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE But Professor Brian Bell, chair of the MAC, said the committee believed that the rules should be relaxed to enable asylum seekers to work in a wider range of jobs at an earlier stage. A shorter period of restriction on the right to work would be beneficial., he said. Six months is often suggested and would be a reasonable period. Because we grant a substantial majority of asylum claims, these individuals will end up remaining in the UK and so earlier access to the labour market will ensure their skills are kept up to date and helps with integration. The MAC has been commissioned by James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, to develop an alternative mechanism to replace the shortage occupation list (SOL), which the Government has pledged to abolish. Professor Bell said this could provide an opportunity to widen the range of jobs that asylum seekers should be able to take up. When the SOL is abolished (in the forthcoming Immigration Rules changes) there will have to be some rules about asylum seekers, he said. A change from one year to six months would open up the chance to work to a much bigger pool of asylum seekers - GARETH FULLER/PA At the moment only jobs on the SOL can be filled. This has never made sense to us why should someone be able to work in social care but not teach at a university? The MAC has cited research showing that the longer migrants were denied the right to work, the less likely they were to join the labour market if their asylum application was granted. It also found no evidence to support the claims that it was a pull factor. Britain has a more restrictive approach than other countries with Germany allowing asylum seekers to work after three months, Belgium four months, the US six months and France and Spain six to nine months. A change to six months would open up the chance to work to a much bigger pool of asylum seekers. The number of asylum seekers waiting more than six months for a decision rose to 124,000 in 2023, up from 26,000 in 2019, double the number of those waiting more than a year. Any expansion of the scheme, however, is likely to be resisted. Nigel Farage, the former UKIP leader, said: Once the traffickers can advertise jobs and free board, even more will want to come. Rwanda is completely irrelevant in comparison to this. 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 city council member in the Chicago suburb of Naperville proposed that local families who want to volunteer to house migrants should put their names on a sign-up sheet. I think we live in a compassionate community, Naperville Council member Josh McBroom said at a city council meeting on 16 January, before recommending that his staff create a sign-up sheet for individuals that would be willing to house migrant families. We hear from people that we should do more, Mr McBroom said. We do have a very affluent community, a lot of big homes. Although the city council member said that he doesnt support using taxpayer money to fund migrant aid, he sought volunteers to house migrants. If there are people who can do that, God bless them, he said. The Naperville City Council spokesperson Linda LaCloche told The Independent that staff were asked to prepare a future agenda item so Council may consider whether to create a sign-up opportunity for residents to volunteer to host migrants. But the date of when that initiative will be discussed has not yet been determined. Chicago and its surrounding suburbs have been under strain due to the influx of asylum seekers, who have been bused from Texas to Chicago. Data shows that Texas governor Greg Abbott has sent over 600 buses and more than 30,000 migrants to the Chicago area since August 2022. At the end of last year, the city of Chicago implemented new rules around where buses could drop off new arrivals and what times they could do so. To circumvent these restrictions, bus companies began dropping off migrants at Metra train stations in the Chicago suburbs. Six buses transporting asylum seekers have stopped at Napervilles Metra station since 21 December through last week, a Naperville spokesperson told the Chicago Tribune. At the Naperville city council meeting, Mr McBroom said that there is increasing pressure for suburbs to do our part. He added, Im hearing stories about little kids at train stations without coats on. The Chicago cold only makes matters even worse for asylum seekers. Last week, due to the extreme cold temperatures, Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson announced that he was pushing back the 60-day limit to evict migrants from shelters until 1 February. This is the second time the mayor has extended the deadline; he previously moved the deadline to 22 January. To be clear, were not evicting new arrivals out into the cold, Mr Johnson explained, according to WTTW. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) called on Texas officials to ignore the recent Supreme Court ruling declaring the federal government could remove razor wire on the U.S.-Mexico border. They have a duty under the Constitution and every other norm of leadership of any sovereign state, to protect your citizens, period, full stop. There is no exception to that, Roy told Fox News Digital on Tuesday. And if the Supreme Court wants to ignore that truth, which a slim majority did, Texas still had the duty, Texas leaders still have the duty, to defend their people. The 5-4 Supreme Court decision Monday allows the federal government to remove razor wire on the border wall placed by Texas law enforcement. The government argued the wire illegally prevented them from managing the border. The conflict escalated earlier this month when the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety erected fences and razor wire in Eagle Pass, Texas, a popular spot for migrants to cross into the United States. Texas law enforcement prevents U.S. Border Patrol from accessing the area, which Border Patrol said prevented them from saving the life of a mother and two children who drowned in the Rio Grande. Roy called the opinion from the court unconscionable, and called for the state to ignore it in a post online. The Texas lawmaker has called on other members of the Congressional delegation to oppose funding to the Department of Homeland Security or any other entity facilitating this brazen violation of the security & welfare of Texans. Its like, if someones breaking into your house, and the court says Oh, sorry. You cant defend yourself. What do you tell the court? Roy said. You tell the court to go to hell, you defend yourself and then figure it out later. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Two firefighters had to be rescued after they fell through the first floor of a burning house in Evanston on Jan. 22, authorities said. Firefighters responding to the 1100 block of Florence Avenue in the north suburb on a report of a house fire shortly before 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22 reached the scene within minutes, encountering billowing black smoke and heavy fire conditions at the rear of the structure, the Evanston Fire Department said in a news release. Two firefighters were rescued from a burning house in the 1100 block of Florence Avenue in Evanston Monday morning after they fell through a floor. They received minor injuries and a pet died in the blaze, which gutted the house. No other injuries were reported. Due to the heavy fire load, the fire quickly advanced to additional floors, requiring four fire lines and the assistance of seven fire departments to manage the advancing fire conditions, the release said. Exposure lines limited the fire spread to an adjacent structure while crews contained fire within the original building. Two occupants in the building safely evacuated with one cat and a dog before the arrival of fire crews but due to the rapid fire spread, one cat could not be evacuated and perished in the fire, said fire officials. The news release also said extensive structural damage led to a partial collapse of the first floor, trapping two firefighters with one sending out a mayday. One of the firefighters was a veteran captain and the other was a female firefighter with a few years on the department, said Evanston Fire Department Operations Chief William Muno. They were both successfully removed, Muno said. Both sustained minor injuries and were transported to hospital where they are still being evaluated and treated for their injuries. He said the cause of the second alarm fire is under investigation and at least 50 firefighters from various communities responded. An hour after the fire was extinguished firefighters were still on scene searching for hotspots in the structure, said Muno. It took around 10 to 15 minutes to get it under control but there were still hotspots they couldnt reach because the floor has been compromised and burned through, he said. It became very unsafe so we brought everybody out so we could knock the fire down successfully from the outside and then they could reenter and finish up the job. Extensive smoke and fire damage resulted in the displacement of all residents within the two story house. Brian L. Cox is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press, NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Country music artist and Murfreesboro native Chris Young was arrested at a Nashville bar Monday evening after he allegedly assaulted a Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) agent. According to court documents, Young, 38, was at a bar on Demonbreun Street around 8:30 p.m. when TABC agents walked in to complete a compliance check. Young reportedly held his ID over his head and an TABC agent checked it with the agencys ID app. The agent gave Young back his ID and returned to the other agents to continue checking the staffs ABC license cards. Young began questioning the agents, who reportedly answered his questions, and then started video recording them, according to an affidavit. The agents left that bar and walked down Demonbreun to another one to serve more compliance checks. Woman rescued after crashing into culvert in Antioch Once TABC agents checked that staffs cards, they began to walk toward the door when Young put his hands out to stop me from leaving the bar and struck me on the shoulder, according to the TABC agent. Chris Young (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) The agent pushed Young to create distance and then bar customers got between the agent and Young and began yelling and screaming, according to an affidavit. Another agent tried to talk to Young, who reportedly began walking backward and not complying with the agents orders. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com According to arrest documents, two agents had to physically detain Young and placed him in handcuffs. As agents tried to leave the bar with Young, multiple people who were with Young reportedly started following them and making the incident hostile. Agents noted Youngs eyes were bloodshot and watery and he had slurred speech. Young was booked into the Metro jail and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and assault of an officer. He was released early Tuesday morning. News 2 has reached out to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Youngs publicist for comment. The TABC said it has no comment. Youngs publicist has yet to respond. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. The US Central Intelligence Agency has released a new Russian-language video in which it tries to convince Russian intelligence officers to defect to the United States and work as double agents. Source: European Pravda with reference to the CIA on Twitter (X) Details: A video by US intelligence officers posted on social media tries to appeal to patriotic Russians who work in the intelligence community and may feel betrayed by the corruption in the elite and poorly supplied Russian Armed Forces. The fictional protagonist of the video is a 35-year-old man, an employee of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), who considers himself a patriot who loves Russia and once served as a paratrooper. "Do I have the courage to stand up to this betrayal?" he asks, before saying that the real enemy is inside Russia in the form of the corrupt leadership and the elite. "The top leadership has sold the country for palaces and yachts, while our soldiers chew rotten potatoes and shoot with prehistoric weapons. Our people are forced to pay bribes just to find a job," the man said. The "Russian intelligence officer" says his patriotism pushed him to act and cooperate with the CIA, and the final shot of the video shows him contacting the CIA by mobile phone. "Those around you may not want to hear the truth. But we do. You are not powerless," the recruitment video says. CIA Director William Burns said in July that some Russians' discontent with the war in Ukraine was creating a rare opportunity for spy recruitment and that the CIA was not going to miss it. The CIA launched a campaign to persuade those dissatisfied with the war in Ukraine and the lives of Russian citizens to share classified information. Support UP or become our patron! Victorville's Green Tree Extension project was named the 2023 B.E.S.T. Transportation Project of the Year. City Engineer Fredy Bonilla presented the award to Mayor Liz Becerra and members of the City Council at the council meeting on Jan. 16. Pictured left to right are Council Members Blanca Gomez and Leslie Irving, Engineering Team Members Sarah Mayne and Harry Mayo, City Engineer Fredy Bonilla, Mayor Liz Becerra, Council Member Debra Jones, and Mayor Pro Tem Bob Harriman. City of Victorville officials announced that its Green Tree Extension project was named the 2023 Building Excellence Shaping Tomorrow Award project of the Year. The American Public Works Association of Southern California honored the city for its Green Tree Extension project, which was completed in May 2023. The new east/west corridor in the Victor Valley was selected as the top project among submissions from across Southern California, city officials stated. The B.E.S.T. Award was announced to Victorville City leaders at an awards ceremony in December and presented to the council on Jan. 16. Construction of the Green Tree Extension extended Green Tree Boulevard 1.5 miles from Hesperia Road to Ridgecrest/Yates Road. The nearly $47 million project connected Victorville and Apple Valley and now provides much-needed travel alternatives to Bear Valley Road and Highway 18 City of Victorville officials announced that its Green Tree Extension project was named the 2023 Building Excellence Shaping Tomorrow Award project of the Year. The Green Tree Extension was first envisioned in the 1970s. The project was added to the Victorville General Plan in 1988 and became a viable project in 2007. A main component of the project is the 600-foot-long bridge that travels over the BNSF railroad making it the longest bridge in Victorville. The intersection of Green Tree Boulevard and Hesperia Road was also widened, a new traffic signal was installed, and new turn lanes were added. A new traffic signal was also installed on the east side of the extension where Green Tree Boulevard connects to Ridgecrest Road. Ridgecrest Road was widened to four lanes. Bike lanes were added throughout the length of the project creating a larger bike lane loop nearly seven miles long connecting the Mojave Riverwalk to Hesperia Road and Seventh Street. The American Public Works Association is a professional association of public works agencies, private companies, and individuals dedicated to promoting professional excellence and public awareness. The B.E.S.T. Award recognizes the outstanding individuals, groups, and projects representing the best in public works for the year. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: City of Victorville receives B.E.S.T. Award for Green Tree Extension Civil service bosses have listed a change of government as one of their top wishes for this year, sparking accusations of anti-Tory bias in Whitehall. Senior managers were asked what they were most looking forward to in 2024 when they gathered at a conference in Westminster last week. The Telegraph has been told a word cloud was produced and the most popular responses were change of government and general election. Members of the Senior Civil Service the highest ranking officials tasked with advising ministers on policy met near Parliament on Thursday. A Tory source said: This incident shows that concerns about Civil Service neutrality are not the result of a fevered imagination or partisan paranoia. After the departure of Sue Gray to Keir Starmers office, it raises huge questions once again about the impartiality of our most senior civil servants. The Government and the public need confidence that the Civil Service is providing unbiased advice not batting for the Labour Party. Underperforming civil servants The revelations came as John Glen, the Cabinet Office minister, unveiled plans to strengthen the Civil Services impartiality rules amid concerns over activism. During a speech to the Institute for Government (IfG) he proposed a clampdown on staff networks which are used to promote equality and diversity schemes. He also told the think tanks annual conference he wants to make it easier to sack underperforming civil servants but better reward those who excel. Mr Glen said that Whitehall should better reflect practice in the private sector by more swiftly moving on those mandarins who fail to do their jobs. In some cases, consistently underperforming staff can languish in roles or move between departments without properly addressing the reasons for poor performance, he said. In the worst cases, managers can too often feel unable to remove consistently poor performers. This is a problem that needs a solution. He said that he aims to usher in a smaller, more skilled Civil Service that is better rewarded. Have higher pay where its linked to performance management improvement but theres a corollary of that around saying some people need to be let go more swiftly, he added. The Cabinet Office minister expressed concern that civil servants are spending a disproportionate amount of time on equality and diversity schemes. He pledged new impartiality guidance, adding: We must make sure our civil servants can express themselves and maintain the trust and confidence of the public. Mr Glen also insisted that efforts to clamp down on working from home and get officials back to the office are not an attack on the service. His remarks came after the IfGs annual Civil Service health check warned bad relations between ministers and officials are hampering the Government. In its yearly Whitehall Monitor report it highlighted high profile Tory attacks on woke initiatives, saying these had contributed to plummeting staff morale. But the IfG said some mandarins had also thrown the services impartiality into question with their clearly inappropriate resistance to the Rwanda scheme. 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. CLYATON, Mo. The Clayton School District announced Monday that the potential purchase of the Caleres property has come to an end. The $20.9 million purchase agreement was brought to the public less than a month ago, with plans to turn the building into an Empowerment Campus Project. Last week, the school district held a public forum about the plan. Around 300 people were in attendance, many criticizing the district for their lack of transparency surrounding the deal and how it would impact taxes. The Doobie Brothers are coming to St. Louis and weve got tickets! According to a letter from the Clayton School District Board of Education, it has been 15 years since the last facility master plan. A facility plan remains one of their highest priorities, and they ensured the finalized plan will meet students needs for the next 1015 years. Our guiding principle is always prioritizing what we believe is best for current and future students, the letter said. Caleres has been a wonderful neighbor to the School District of Clayton for many years, and we especially appreciate their support throughout this process. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. DURHAM The closing of the University of New Hampshire's Museum of Art is being felt well beyond the institution. The museum was shuttered during the latest UNH budget cuts that mandated a $14 million reduction for the 2024 fiscal year. The university cites multiple financial strains in explaining the cuts, including reduced enrollment, which to date has translated into 75 jobs eliminated, consolidation of some offices and a loss of programs and activities. The museum is just one of the casualties. Closed for scheduled upgrades during the determination period, it simply won't reopen. The Museum of Art in the Bratton Recital Hall in the Paul Creative Arts building at the University of New Hampshire has closed, as seen Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Loss of Museum of Art felt beyond UNH campus "This leaves a giant empty hole for the community. If there is no museum of fine art, it devalues all the arts they're all part and complementary to one another," said alumna Lennie Mullaney, of Portsmouth, who graduated with an MFA from UNH in 2012. "Losing this flagship museum says something about what we value as human beings. I'm devastated that it's closing." As a student, the museum offered Mullaney numerous resources, and her senior exhibit led to her first professional show after school. As a professional artist Mullaney continued to attend exhibits and gallery talks given by students and visiting artists. "I'm extremely dismayed that such a valuable resource for all of New Hampshire is being shuttered," Mullaney said. "The arts contribute so much to our culture and economy in New Hampshire." Portsmouth museum closes, too: Museum of New Art shuts down due to "weakening revenue" 'Awfully difficult process' led to UNH museum closure The Museum of Art in the Bratton Recital Hall in the Paul Creative Arts building at the University of New Hampshire is empty Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 after its closure. The task of trimming 3.6% (a permanent cut of approx. $1.5 million) off the UNH College of Liberal Arts' budget fell to Dean Michele Dillon Ph.D. Her department oversees the core academics of the social sciences. Her department lost 12 staff, in addition to the museum. The decisions were difficult ones, Dillon said. "It was an awfully difficult process, very challenging," Dillon said. "As dean, I was very supportive of the museum, so it was very tough and agonizing for me." "But again I had to read my budget numbers." she said, "I made the difficult choice to prioritize my academic programs ... over the museum. This is not a reflection on the museum. It's the prioritizing we all had to do over the last few months." The college will continue to exhibit works in other spaces on campus, use the collection to enhance teaching, continue inviting outside artists for talks, develop collaborations with outside organizations to further opportunity, and support art-related, regional excursions, she said. There are no plans to sell any of the collection's work and its care and protection will continue. Furthermore, there are no plans to repurpose the space, Dillon said. The museum enriched the broader community, both at and beyond the university, said Christopher Gowell, a 1970s UNH alumna, today owner and Executive Director of Sanctuary Arts, Eliot, Maine. She, too, continued to use museum resources after leaving the university. "It brought in esoteric artists, some which larger museums didn't exhibit," Gowell said. "It had scheduled talks related to shows, and ... other really worthwhile talks." The Museum of Art in the Bratton Recital Hall in the Paul Creative Arts building at the University of New Hampshire has closed. It offered students important study opportunities, training for those interested in museum curation, and the important final year exhibits. Her own senior show proved an important step in her development as an artist, she said. "It was a way for students to consolidate their work." It was equally important to non-art students, "who also need to be exposed to art, even if they're not taking art classes," Gowell added. "You could just wander into the museum and educate yourselves. Everyone needs art in their lives. ... This is a great loss." Dillon hopes to make plans for art-related use of the space, after the dust settles on these latest changes. There could be continued talks, chamber music events, even exhibits. It is unlikely the university will reopen the museum in the future, Dillion said. If other means of support were found, it is possible it could be reinstated, she added. "To reopen at a future date, it would likely need to be restructured and funded by donors/external grants on a scale that would make it largely if not wholly self-sustaining," Dillon said. "But ... that would probably take a while." This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: University of New Hampshire Museum of Art closes Closure of the 145-bed Brandel Manor will eliminate 30% of the nursing home beds in Turlock, which threatens to create a dire shortage of those services in southern Stanislaus County. Last week, Brandels owner announced to residents, families and employees that the nursing home and Cypress Assisted Living on North Olive Avenue will close due to issues of financial viability and workforce challenges. The owner, Covenant Living Communities of Illinois, said patients have started to move from the facilities. As of Friday, 93 patients remained at Brandel Manor and the 49-bed Cypress had 16 residents, Covenant said. Six patients from Brandel and six from Cypress have been relocated. Others are concerned because they have no idea where theyll end up. I dont know if I can be moved to another place in Turlock, said Glenda Takhar, a long-term resident at Brandel. There is only so many beds available. I am very concerned. I dont think its right the way they have done this. Takhar, 70, who broke her hip and suffered nerve damage from surgery, said she doesnt have family in Turlock for support other than her Christian family. Operations will continue until all residents have relocated In anticipation of the closure, Brandel and Cypress stopped accepting referrals. It will take longer than the 60-day notice period to vacate the nursing home and Cypress because of patients rights to choose another facility or place to live. Covenant Living has provided all residents and their families and representatives with a thorough listing of skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities in the area, which they can use to select from when deciding about where to relocate, Covenant Living said. Ultimately it is their choice. We are providing assistance in helping to make those moves, the organization said. The actual closure date is unknown and operations will continue until all the residents have relocated, Covenant Living said. The California Department of Public Health will monitor the nursing home closure and transfer of medically frail patients, a process that has proven difficult in other places. The closure process typically includes social workers to assist every patient and family in choosing a new facility. Brandel Manor and Cypress were formerly owned by Emanuel Medical Center, which was sold to Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corp. in 2014. The sale of Emanuel began a dismantling of a small, faith-based health system that long provided health services in southern Stanislaus County. A sister facility, Swedish Covenant Hospital of Chicago, was sold a few years ago and now Brandel is being shuttered. A related nonprofit, Covenant Living Communities, which owns 19 upscale retirement centers in 10 states, has operated Brandel in the 10 years since the sale of Emanuel. The Covenant Living center of Turlock, Brandel and Cypress are across North Olive Avenue from Emanuel. The closure of Brandel does not affect CovenantCare Home Health and Hospice. Emanuel CEO talks impact, efforts Hospitals regularly transfer patients to nursing homes for the appropriate level of care or rehabilitative care following surgery or a medical crisis. Murali Naidu, chief executive officer of Emanuel Medical Center, released a statement recognizing the closure of Brandel Manor will have an impact on health services. The pending closure is a significant loss to the community, Naidu said. We are working proactively and collaboratively with Brandel and the other area skilled nursing providers to minimize the impact of this closure. Unfortunately the loss of 145 skilled nursing beds in the community will likely result in increased lengths of stay for patients who need further care but not at the acute level. Naidu said these types of closures are a ripple effect of pressure on the overall healthcare system, caused by increased financial and regulatory burdens. Together, we will continue to do everything in our power to minimize disruptions and identify alternative placement options, he said. For 10 years, the purchase agreement for acquiring Emanuel obligated Tenet Healthcare to contribute $600,000 annually to expand senior health services in the Turlock area, including facility and service improvements at Brandel Manor and Cypress. The state attorney general added that condition as part of a required state review of the private-sector acquisition of the nonprofit hospital. Annual donations from Tenet came to an end Covenant Living said last week the end of the 10-year agreement, providing $6 million in contributions from Tenet, was not a factor in the decision to close Brandel. Covenant said the contributions initially were given to Covenant Living for programs and projects at the retirement complex in Turlock and Brandel, Cypress, CovenantCare at Home and the hospice service. In later years, the contributions funded grants for senior service agencies in the area, Covenant said. Jeff Lewis, chief executive officer of Legacy Health Endowment, said he didnt know how much nursing home capacity exists in Turlock for absorbing patients from Brandel. Legacy, which was created from the net proceeds of the sale of Emanuel, says its mission is to improve the health and healthcare of residents within the hospitals historic service area in Stanislaus and northern Merced County. Anytime I think of Brandel Manor, its a best-in-class nursing home, Lewis said. I blame the state of California for not reimbursing nursing homes enough for the services they provide. Until the state and federal government recognize the value of these facilities, you will see more of this happen. Rachel Young, a former nursing director at Brandel Manor whos critical of the closure decision, estimated that around 20 patients at Brandel can be moved to other nursing home beds in Turlock. The rest are faced with finding a bed at facilities in Modesto, San Joaquin County or outside the region. Nursing home patients have rights and dont have to accept a transfer outside the region or outside the state, Young said. In Turlock, other skilled nursing centers include the 144-bed Turlock Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 99-bed Main West Postacute Care, 31-bed Bel-Air Lodge Convalescent Hospital, 33-bed North Starr Postacute Care and 50-bed Covenant Living. C.J. Singh, admissions coordinator for Main West Postacute Care, formerly Elness Convalesent, said Monday it accepted two patients moving from Brandel one in Turlock and the other at its Ceres facility. We are working with Brandel to see what we have open, Singh said. I am not sure what we have in Turlock. There are only four skilled nursing facilities and we own two of those. I dont have a whole lot. Young noted that other nursing homes may not accept patient transfers to their long-term beds. Facilities tend to reserve long-term beds for their own patients who are not ready to go home after rehab care, she said. Nursing homes receive lower Medi-Cal payments for patients in long-term care but more substantial payments from Medicare or health insurance for patients needing rehab treatment. Young said other nursing homes may react to Brandels closure by designating more rehabilitative care beds for hospital transfers, leaving fewer beds for patients needing long-term care. Why not seek buyer for the facilities? Critics of the decision to close Brandel said it could be sold or leased to another nursing home operator. In the nursing home industry, existing buildings are sought-after because of the prohibitive costs of constructing new facilities under current regulations. Covenant Living said the decision to close Brandel was based on a thorough analysis and evaluation of options. Given the aging physical plant and significant capital improvements needed, operating costs and workforce challenges, closure was the most viable option, Covenant said. The owner said Brandel has dedicated employees who have committed to staying on and caring for patients as long as they are needed. Covenant said some family members have chosen to have their loved ones move closer to them, with one resident being transferred to Southern California and another to Texas. As the first residents were transferred, employees chose the opportunity to celebrate their relationships and create a walk of honor by flanking the sides of the hallway to wave goodbye. Covenant said it hasnt determined what will happen to the Brandel and Cypress facilities. Corey Egel, spokesman for the California Association of Health Facilities, said by email that many nursing homes across the state are facing financial and workforce challenges. The nursing home industry in California lost 17,000 employees, or 12% of its workforce, during the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic and is still 3,000 employees below the level of early 2020, Egel said. Above: FOX 5 speaks with an insurance expert on flood coverage and how homeowners should seek help for any damage from Mondays storm. SAN DIEGO A man and his dog were rescued from a ship off the coast of San Diego during the storm Monday, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. The rescue was just one of many throughout San Diego County on Monday. Several road and school closures are still in place in some areas as cleanup from the storm continues into Tuesday. The Coast Guard responded to calls for help from a 30-foot sailing vessel near the Zuniga Jetty in San Diego on Monday during the heavy rain and severe weather. The 48-year-old mariner and his dog were aboard the ship when the weather began to turn. The Coast Guard said he reached out for help as he had no means of propulsion, a critically low cell phone battery and no onboard radio. The Coast Guard evacuated the man and his dog and brought them to safety at Shelter Island. Aftermath of the storm: What roads, schools remain closed due to flood damage This rescue was just one of many throughout San Diego County on Monday. Several roads and schools remain closed Tuesday in the aftermath of the storm. Lifeguards performed at least 24 rescues Monday, pulling people from stalled vehicles and from the swollen San Diego and Tijuana rivers. Hundreds of people were rescued from flooded homes in Southcrest, some were even seen on their roofs waiting to be rescued. Southcrest water rescues (Photo: OnScene.TV) Southcrest water rescues (Photo: OnScene.TV) Southcrest water rescues (Photo: OnScene.TV) Southcrest water damage (KSWB) Damage in Southcrest following massive flooding. (KSWB/FOX 5) Watch as first responders describe a rescue in Mission Valley where a woman in her vehicle nearly got swept into an overflowed river while she was trying to cross the road. Dozens of cars were flooded in several feet of water in Rolando. Rescuers in the South Bay were busy Monday saving animals from the flooding and moving horses to dry ground away from the pooled water and sewage from the overflowed Tijuana River. Winter storm dumped record rain on San Diego County: Heres how much The National Weather Service is calling Mondays rain event the 4th wettest day on record for the City San Diego. Turn around, dont drown. It only takes six inches of fast moving water to knock an adult off their feet, and just 12 inches of fast moving water can move a car. San Diego County is advising people to stay out of flood waters as they may be contaminated, and could contain debris as well as dangerous wildlife like snakes and insects. Newsom proclaims State of Emergency in San Diego County The City of San Diego and Coronado have both issued a State of Emergency following the storm. On Tuesday, Governor Newsom also proclaimed a State of Emergency due to the historic rainfall, widespread flooding, mudslides, debris flows and other impacts from the winter storm. For a full list of road and school closures, follow FOX 5s live storm coverage here. Do not drive around road closure signs or barricades. Never drive on flooded streets. Here are some tips to stay prepared in a storm. To report flooding in your area, call the Citys emergency dispatch center at 619-527-7500. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego. Donald Trump took the road less traveled on Monday, opting to use sounds and shapes rather than words to explain what he had in mind for Americas military. During a campaign stop in Laconia, New Hampshirethe last rally before the states Republican primaryTrump announced that under his leadership, the country would copy and paste Israels Iron Dome defense system over our own national borders. That idea, by the way, has previously earned him ridicule even by the likes of Fox News. I will build an Iron Dome over our country, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield made in the USA, Trump said. We do it for other countries. We help other countries, we build, we dont do it for ourselves. But then, things got weird as Trump tried once again to assert his extremely stable genius status. These are not muscle guys here, theyre muscle guys up here, right, Trump said, gesturing to his arms and then his head. And they calmly walk to us, and ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. Theyve only got 17 seconds to figure this whole thing out. Boom. OK. Missile launch. Woosh. Boom, he added. The former president provides an elaborate description of missile defense technology: Ding ding ding ding boom whoosh boom pic.twitter.com/PgWRVJh8xI Acyn (@Acyn) January 23, 2024 The stunning performance comes after the 77-year-old bragged that he aced a cognitive test that required him to correctly identify a giraffe, tiger, and whale. According to Trump, that means his mind is stronger now than it was 25 years ago. In reality, that test is meant to measure dementia or cognitive decline, and it has never included the combination of animals Trump keeps mentioning. Trumps cognitive decline has been in question recently after the GOP front-runner was spotted with mysterious red sores on his hands. Trump has also been making increasingly nonsense remarks during his campaign tangentslast week, the former president said he would stop banks from debanking Americansand confusing major players in American politics. During another campaign speech, Trump switched up former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and his only rival in the GOP race, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, several times, blaming Haley for the events of January 6 while claiming she turned down extra security. (The House committee assigned to probe the attack found no evidence to support Trumps claim, which he has previously leveled at Pelosi.) Dont be surprised if you have someone that is 80 in office, their mental stability is going to continue to decline. Thats just human nature, Haley said Sunday on Face the Nation. I dont know if he was confused, I dont know what happened, but its enough to send us a warning sign. People who sleep in shelters or transitional housing are considered homeless, along with individuals who sleep outside. Each year Lake County and others across the country take a census of the homeless. In 2024, organizers are not sure what the impact of the influx of migrants in the county will have on the homeless census. Brenda OConnell, Lake Countys community development administrator, is in the process of preparing for the annual Point-in-Time Count and seeking volunteers to assist locating homeless individuals. Having people from the community to help is very important to get an accurate count of people who sleep outside, she said. Volunteers who come back each year will be able to check on people, and guide them to find a safe place to sleep. OConnell is looking for volunteers to work in teams between 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 and 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 1 throughout of Lake County to help count those sleeping outside, as part of a federal requirement for governmental units receiving aid to combat homelessness. A year ago, OConnell said the county identified 30 people sleeping outside, out of a total of 467 homeless individuals. In 2022, there were 15 found outdoors out of 431 when those in shelters or transitional housing, like Waukegan Townships Staben House, were added to the mix. Eric Foote, the president of the Lake County Coalition for the Homeless, said taking the census is important to learn potential ways to reduce, or even eliminate, homelessness and help them find a stable situation. We want to know the scope of the issue, Foote said. We want see everyone have safe housing. With the arrival of migrants crossing the United States Southern Border and being bused from Texas to the Chicago area, including Lake County, OConnell and others said their potential impact on the count is unknown. Anyone who is staying in a shelter or transitional housing will be counted, she said. Those sleeping outside will be counted, We will be monitoring the places where people tend to sleep outside in Lake County. Foote, who is also the director of finance and operations at PADS Lake County homeless shelter, said there have been some new arrivals to the county using PADS as a place to sleep. Maria Elena Jonas, the executive director of Waukegan based HACES (Hispanic American Community Education & Services), said the increase of migrants is likely to add to the homeless population. As it is, we have too many homeless, and the migrants only increase the number of homeless until they can find jobs, she said. My worry is there is going to be a long waiting list and we need to do something. Dulce Ortiz, the executive director of Mano a Mano Family Resource Center and a Waukegan Township trustee, said when migrants arrive at Mano a Mano in need of housing, they are told to go to a shelter in Chicago or to a local respite like PADS. Ortiz said she has noticed an increase in new arrivals seeking shelter since the end of November. Most of the time, migrants find shelter in private homes. There can be as many as eight families living in a single dwelling. Among the places OConnell said she contacts to get a sense of the current state of homelessness are the school districts. Schools have a different way of counting homeless families for the aid they receive. People living in a home that is not their own are considered homeless. Nick Alatzakis, the Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 communications director, said in a text staff members told him there has been an increase in migrant families receiving assistance, but they do not keep records of the new arrivals status. When volunteers fan out through the county on Jan. 31, OConnell said they will be going to places homeless individuals often sleep, from Barrington to Zion, and from Highland Park to Antioch and Fox Lake. Once they get a count of the people sleeping outdoors or in a public building frequently open through the night, they learn how many individuals were at shelters or transitional homes to make their final count. If they find someone sleeping outside, they will offer to help them to find places to take care of their basic needs OConnell said. Theyll encourage them to go to a shelter. The nose of the 747 Pan Am airliner crashed into a field near Lockerbie - ROY LETKEY/AFP Colin Firth is to take on the role of a father who campaigned for justice for his Lockerbie victim daughter in an upcoming series about the terrorist atrocity. The Oscar-winning actor will portray Dr Jim Swire, a retired GP whose daughter Flora was among the 270 people killed when Pan Am flight 103 was blown out of the skies above Scotland 35 years ago. The English doctor, now 88, is depicted in the Sky series as a man who risks everything in memory of his daughter and the unflinching pursuit of truth and justice. Along with his wife Jane, Dr Swire has spearheaded a call for a full inquiry into Lockerbie. He told the BBC in Dec 2022 that he wanted a UN court set up, and he has long called for the evidence against the only man convicted of the attack to be reassessed. Flora, a medical student, died on Dec 21, 1988, the eve of her 24th birthday, when the plane from Heathrow to New York, where she was travelling to spend Christmas with her doctor boyfriend, exploded above the Dumfriesshire town of Lockerbie. The Sky and Peacock show starring 63-year-old Firth is based on the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search For Justice by Dr Swire and Peter Biddulph. Dr Jim Swire outside the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood after the release of a documentary that claimed Iran was behind the Lockerbie bombing - STUART NICOL FOR THE TELEGRAPH Lockerbie, a five-part series, will explore Dr Swires fight for action and how he became a spokesman for the victims families through the UK Families Flight 103 group. Scottish playwright David Harrower, known for the play Blackbird, is the lead writer and Otto Bathurst, who won a Bafta for BBC period crime drama Peaky Blinders, is lead director. The BBC and Netflix announced in July that they had commissioned World Productions to make a six-part drama about the Lockerbie bombing. Jonathan Lee, a novelist and screenwriter who wrote High Dive, is lead writer and Michael Keillor, who worked on Line Of Duty, Roadkill and Chimerica, will direct. Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a former Libyan intelligence officer, was found guilty of 270 counts of murder by a panel of three Scottish judges, sitting at a special court in the Hague, in 2001 and was imprisoned in Scotland. Colin Firth, who won an Oscar for The Kings Speech, will play Jim Swire - DAVE J HOGAN/GETTY IMAGES EUROPE He was controversially granted compassionate release in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. He returned to Libya where he died in 2012. His family, and some relatives of the bombing victims, believe he suffered a miscarriage of justice, but appeals against his conviction have been rejected. Libyan Abu Agila Masud is alleged to have helped make the bomb. He is to go on trial in the US in May 2025 facing three charges, which he denies. 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 entire print run of a newspaper circulated in Ouray, Colorado (above) were stolen by a man upset with the reporting of a sexual assault case (AP/Nathan Bilow) A small town Colorado newspaper has hit back at a man who stole all print copies of an edition which featured a story about the alleged rape of a teenage girl, accusing him of harbouring a grudge against the publication. Last week, the Ouray County Plaindealer reported that an unnamed teenage girl was assaulted multiple times during a late-night party at the home of the citys police chief, alleging that the chiefs stepson and two other people were involved. The 17-year-old reported that she screamed and fought back against her attackers, but Ouray County Police chief Jeff Wood remained asleep upstairs. On the day the story hit newsstands, all of the print copies disappeared across the county. Local business owner Paul Choate, 41, later admitted to having taken the newspapers. The Plaindealer has not disclosed Mr Choates relationship to the sexual assault case, but now says it is pursuing charges against him. In a statement released on Monday, the newspaper said: We understand the person who took the newspapers was upset about the story on the sexual assault that allegedly happened at the Ouray police chiefs house. We want to explain a few things to you, in light of Paul Choates recent statements, and to correct some misinformation that is circulating. We want to be transparent with you about how and why we reported this story, even if you disagree with our decision to do so. According to the Plaindealer, Mr Choate said his actions were motivated by a want to protect the victim in the case and to illustrate that victims statements shouldnt be publicised without their permission. The outlet claimed that it had spoken to Mr Choate and that their conversations with him didnt reflect this mission. Mr Choate had criticised other stories written about local issues, occasionally becoming angry, it added. Simply put, Paul Choate had a grudge against the Plaindealer before we wrote this story. And when we spoke with him about the newspaper theft, he alternated between saying he was sorry and lashing out against us for doing our jobs, the statement read. An empty newspaper rack for the Ouray County Plaindealer is show on Thursday (AP) It continued: We considered not reporting his name, for fear of further harm to those involved in the case. But Paul Choate removed that option when he called the largest TV station in Colorado and confessed, and a journalist at that outlet announced he had contacted them and they would report the name after he was cited. Paul Choates decision to steal the newspapers created a situation where he has caused more harm. According to the Plaindealer, as a result of Mr Choates actions, the story made nationwide headlines instead of merely reaching the roughly 5,000 people who live in the county. If Paul Choate had seemed truly apologetic, we would have not pursued charges. The fact remains he tried to prevent others from reading a story about a serious crime reported in Ouray County. It backfired, and now that story has spread much farther than it would have, had he not tried to suppress the publics right to know and the freedom of the press. In the statement, the Plaindealer added that it had reported the story because its important for the community to understand the severity of the allegations of this crime and that it was a matter of public interest. While we scramble to put out the next edition of @ocplaindealer, here's some more information about last week's newspaper thefts, transparency about how and why we reported on the sex assault and some facts to clear up misinformation: https://t.co/tIXdEZUDBg Mike Wiggins (@mikewiggins76) January 23, 2024 Others in the community need to be aware of this crime being reported, and of the details. Those people we need to inform include other potential future victims of sexual assault, the statement read. The city of Ouray offered the following comment to The Independent: Due to the police chiefs residence being involved in this reported incident, the City has been monitoring the developing case since it was first reported in May of 2023. The investigating agency is the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Ouray Police Department has not been involved in the investigation and limited information has been released by CBI. The City will continue to monitor the released information and provide the support necessary as this case moves through the justice system. Currently, no personnel investigations are being conducted in the Ouray Police Department regarding this case. The Plaindealer reported that the teens case was referred to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation by the Ouray County Sheriffs Office. A Colorado pastor who convinced his followers to buy millions of dollars worth of a cryptocurrency called INDXcoin allegedly stole $1.3 million of the proceeds, which he spent on a Range Rover, lavish vacations, luxury goods and a home remodel that he claims was ordained by God. The Colorado Securities Division filed civil fraud charges last week against Eli Regalado and his wife, Kaitlyn, accusing them of selling the illiquid and practically worthless coin to members of the Christian community, leaving them out of millions of dollars. Regulators accuse the two of creating, marketing and selling INDXcoin through the Kingdom Wealth Exchange (KWE), an online exchange they also created and operated. From June 2022 through April 2023, INDXcoinc raised nearly $3.2 million from more than 300 investors. In a video update addressing the charges, Regalado confirmed the two had indeed walked off with more than a million dollars. Out of the $1.3 [million], half a million dollars went to the IRS, and a few hundred thousand dollars went to a home remodel the Lord told us to do, he said. Numerous comments below the video praise Regalados judgment and reaffirm their faith in Gods plan for the eventual success of the coin. Stay in the boat, trust in the Lord, and STOP looking at the storm, reads one comment. Another reads, I will ask the Lord to show you His Glory in the Index Coin project Eli. Keep us posted! Love to your wife as well. Eli and Kaitlyn Regalado both claim to be ordained by Destiny Churches & Ministries International, which promoted INDXcoin as the best crypto currency opportunity ever to its own Facebook followers in 2022. Eli Regalado told followers of his online church that God instructed him directly that investors would become wealthy if they bought INDXcoin, according to a complaint filed by the Colorado Attorney Generals Office. The complaint alleges that the Regalados also told investors a percentage of their funds would go to causes that helped widows and orphans, when in reality, the payments were primarily to the Regalados. The couple had no prior experience in cryptocurrency but entered the space anyway, they say, at the direction of God. A third-party audit referenced by the Securities Commission reportedly found INDXcoins code unsafe, unsecure and riddled with serious technical problems. He took us into this cryptocurrency, Regalado said in the video last week. I said, Lord ... what do you want me to do? And the Lord said, I want you to build this the way that it should be done. He continued, The Lord said, Give them a 10x [return]. And Im, like, well, wheres this liquidity going to come from? And the Lord says, Trust me. The couple faces a preliminary hearing in Colorado District Court on Jan. 29. Related... Columbia University has banned the alleged perpetrators of a chemical attack that took place during a pro-Palestinian rally on Friday from the universitys campus. In an email to students and staff, interim University Provost Dennis Mitchell wrote that since the incident, in which protesters reported being sprayed with a foul-smelling substance that required students to seek medical treatment, Columbia has been working with the New York City Police Department in investigating what appear to have been serious crimes, possibly hate crimes. The University received additional information Sunday night. As a result, the alleged perpetrators identified to the University were immediately banned from campus while the law enforcement investigation proceeds, Mitchell wrote. The University did not clarify whether those banned were students, or how many individuals were involved. According to the Columbia Spectator, which first reported on the incident last week, 18 students present at the rally described being engulfed by a foul smell during the protest; 10 students reported experiencing physical symptoms such as headaches, nausea, and burning eyes; and several reported damage to their property. According to groups involved in the protest, at least 8 students sought treatment for their symptoms at a hospital. Three students who spoke to the Spectator claimed to have identified the stink bomb as skunk, a substance used by the Israeli military that has been described as smelling of raw sewage or decomposition. Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine, and the Columbia Chapter of Jewish Voices for Peace, two groups involved in the demonstration, released a joint statement on Instagram following the incident. The groups claimed that the perpetrators of the disruption were two former Israeli military soldiers. The identity of the individuals involved has not been confirmed by law enforcement, but according to the Spectator students present at the event reported seeing two individuals who were acting unusual and attempting to disguise their identities by wearing keffiyehs and sunglasses. They were referring to students as Jew killers and terrorists, one student said. Late last year, Columbia University banned Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace in the aftermath of the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. The decision led to mass walkouts by students and faculty who opposed the conflation of advocacy for Palestinian human and political rights with support for Hamas. Fridays protest was, according to the university, an unsanctioned gathering and threatened interim sanctions by the Provost up to and including suspension for the rest of the semester. Dalia Darazim, a Palestinian student at the university, wrote in an op-ed for the Spectator on Monday that Columbia has created a Palestinian exception to its culture of being a well-known protest school. While being in this supposed safe haven of progressivism at Columbia, I have felt more targeted, unprotected, and completely disregarded over the past three months than I have ever felt growing up as a Palestinian Muslim in the rural South for the last 18 years, Darazim wrote. Despite this disillusionment, however, I have received a once-in-a-lifetime education in the past few months at Columbia. Not from professors or peers who deeply lack moral courage, but from my fellow Palestinians at Columbia, she added. They have shown me that while Columbia is not our ally in this pursuit of liberation, its students united against apartheid are. Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace wrote in a subsequent statement that they hope news of the attack means the administration will take meaningful, serious steps towards accountability. This hateful assault came after months of Columbia viciously targeting and repressing Palestinian student advocacy, contributing to a hostile environment that dangerously emboldens violent attacks like these, they wrote. The administration must repair the damage it has done. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Marizah Thomas, 19, hugs her family on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, after a Franklin County Common Pleas Court jury acquitted Thomas of aggravated murder and murder for fatally shooting 17-year-old Jayce O'Neal in July 2021. Thomas had argued she shot O'Neal in self-defense after a brief fight between the two outside Thomas' home. A Franklin County Common Pleas Court jury has acquitted a teenage girl of murder in the 2021 shooting death of another teenage girl after a fight, the latest instance in the county of a defendant asserting they acted in self-defense and winning. Marizah Thomas, now 19, admitted while testifying last week during her trial that when she was 16 years old, she fatally shot 17-year-old Jayce O'Neal in the neck and leg after they fought July 12, 2021, outside Thomas' home on Columbus' Far West Side. O'Neal, who had a running dispute with Thomas after her boyfriend left her for Thomas, had come to Thomas' home and initiated the confrontation, according to trial testimony and statements. A neighbor witness had testified there was a brief fight that included hair pulling outside between the two teenage girls that had ended before Thomas went inside her home, came out with a gun and shot O'Neal. The jury deliberated for more than seven hours across Monday and Tuesday before returning its verdict finding Thomas not guilty of aggravated murder or murder. The jury found Thomas guilty of tampering with evidence, the sentencing for which will be handled in juvenile court. Sam Shamansky, one of Thomas' defense attorneys, had argued that Thomas had no duty to retreat under Ohio's "stand your ground" law. "I believe as (The Dispatch) has correctly reported on in the past, the state of the law regarding self-defense, coupled with stand your ground and no duty to retreat places an enormous burden on the government (prosecutors) and they were mercifully unable to meet it in this case," Shamansky told The Dispatch after the verdict. Marizah Thomas, 19, stands Tuesday. Jan. 23, 2024, in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, where a jury found her not guilty of aggravated murder and murder for fatally shooting 17-year-old Jayce O'Neal on July 12, 2021, after the two teens briefly fought outside of Thomas' home. Thomas testified on the stand during her trial that she acted in self-defense. The jury found her guilty of tampering with evidence, the sentence for which will be handled in county juvenile court. Thomas alleged that O'Neal threatened her multiple times before the day of the shooting. Shamansky told The Dispatch that ONeal was the aggressor, but this was a senseless and tragic loss of life. We emphasized in closing that there was no question that this aggressor had been stalking (Thomas) for a month, had threatened to kill her, came armed with a butcher knife, wouldnt take no for an answer and continued to fight her way toward our clients front door, Shamansky said. Franklin County prosecuting attorneys emphasized during the trial that "the fight was over" when Thomas went and retrieved a gun and then shot O'Neal. Defendants are asserting they killed in self-defense much more often in Franklin County than before state laws changed in recent years, including a law making Ohio a "stand your ground" state, according to county prosecutors and police. Even under the previous law, Thomas would have had no duty to retreat since she was at her home, according to Shamansky. Marizah Thomas,19 closes her eyes Jan. 17, 2024, as she sits with her defense team and listens to opening arguments in her trial on murder charges in on Jan. 17 in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. Last year in Franklin County, a Dispatch analysis found 14 defendants, representing nearly half of all 32 murder trial defendants in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, argued they killed to protect themselves or another. More than half the time in trials where the defendant asserted self-defense last year, the defendant won acquittal, The Dispatch found. It's a trend that area attorneys and legal experts predict will persist in Ohio courts. Jurors on Thomas' case declined to speak with The Dispatch about their decision. Franklin County First Assistant Prosecutor Janet Grubb also declined to comment to The Dispatch on the verdict. David Zeyen, deputy chief counsel in the criminal division of the prosecutor's office, previously told The Dispatch that the law changes are impeding convictions when self-defense is claimed. Thomas' tampering with evidence charge will be sent back to Franklin County Juvenile Court, where she was first charged, for sentencing, Shamansky said. He said he believes Thomas deserves probation, noting she has already spent months in jail for this case, followed by more than a year on house arrest. jlaird@dispatch.com @LairdWrites This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jury finds Columbus teen not guilty of murder in self-defense case GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) Comedian Nate Bargatze is coming to Grand Rapids after all. The popular comedian has announced that he has extended his Be The Funny tour, including a stop at Van Andel Arena. Bargatze will bring his unique, Southern charm to Grand Rapids on June 14. Bargatze has been considered a rising star in the comedy world, breaking through as part of Netflixs The Standups in 2017. His 2021 special The Greatest Average American was nominated for a Grammy for Best Comedy Album. His latest one-hour special, Nate Bargatze: Hello World, set a 28-day record as the Amazons most-streamed original comedy special. Bargatze has also made several appearances on late-night shows, including appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Conan. He hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live last fall. Sign up for the News 8 daily newsletter The Tennessee native also hosts a podcast called Nateland that releases episodes each Wednesday on YouTube and other podcast platforms. The comedian had stopped in Michigan earlier on his tour, performing two shows at the Kalamazoo State Theatre last April. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Friday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov traveled to New York for a meeting of the UN Security Council on Jan. 22, where he repeated false claims about Ukraine and said that peace proposals backed by Ukraine and its Western allies were not possible. Ukraine's peace formula includes the restoration of the country's territorial integrity, a complete withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, and holding those responsible for war crimes accountable. The 10-point peace plan has received broad support among Ukraine's Western allies. Lavrov said that Russia is always ready to negotiate peace, but he emphasized that Ukraine's peace formula or other proposals suggested by the West would not be a possible starting point for talks. Few believe that Russia is truly interested in good-faith peace negotiations, having consistently violated previous agreements signed with Ukraine. Lavrov instead repeated false claims about Ukraine and said that the war was only continuing because the West is forcing Ukrainians to keep fighting. Robert Wood, the U.S.'s deputy ambassador to the UN, said that Lavrov's comments were "just blatant disinformation." Wood emphasized that Russia started the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on its own accord, adding that it is Russian President Vladimir Putin's single-minded pursuit of the obliteration of Ukraine and subjugation of its people that is prolonging it. Chinas UN Ambassador Zhang Jun also spoke, urging Russia and Ukraine to begin negotiations and stressing that we must spare no effort to stem the spillover of the (Ukraine) crisis at a time when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict drags on, and some hotspot issues are at the risk of flaring up. Zhang said that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, but then went on to criticize Ukraine's bid to join NATO, cautioning that it worsen Ukraine's security concerns. Ukraine's allies have urged China to use its influence with Russia to help end the war. China was invited to the fourth round of talks on Ukraine's peace formula in Davos earlier in January, which representatives from eighty countries joined. China was not one of them. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. DIGHTON The Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School District is on a quest to deal with the overcrowding and infrastructural issues that continue to plague Dighton Elementary School (DES). Last December, the district, along with 18 other school districts, were accepted by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) to begin a long process that could, ideally, get the state to pay for half or even more than half of the total cost to replace the 70-year old building. While this is just the exploratory phase, we are very excited about the prospect of this multi-year process, and look forward to engaging with the town of Dighton as we move forward, said Bill Runey, superintendent for D-R Regional School District, in a December 2023 press release. The parking lot in front of DES gets full quickly, and presents a problem for many parents when dropping off or picking up kids. Photo taken May 23, 2023 Runey has experience with this process. Prior to him becoming superintendent for D-R, he was the former principal for Attleboro High School. He went through the MSBA process successfully to get a new high school building for Attleboro partially funded. Preparations to enter eligibility phase with MSBA Currently, D-R is preparing to enter an eligibility period with MSBA, which will determine if any funding will be provided. During this eligibility period, which will start on May 1 and run for 270 days into early 2025, the school district administration, in coordination with the School Committee, must complete several steps. The first step is to form a School Building Committee, comprised of 10-15 people, that will include staff from the school administration, elected and appointed officials representing the town of Dighton, and community experts with knowledge and experience in engineering and construction. New information will be submitted during the eligibility period. One is an educational profile questionnaire, referred to as an Ed Plan. Runey referred to the Ed Plan as the current state of the union where it sums up where DES is structurally, mechanically, and programmatically and these are the educational deficiencies the staff and students are facing. The undersized cafeteria for DES is a major constraint. It is capable of only handling one grade at a time resulting in 5 seatings with the first lunch starting at 10:30am and the last lunch at 1:30pm. Photo taken May 23, 2023. Other information to be submitted will include all maintenance and repair practices utilized for DES and projected enrollment class sizes for the next 5-10 years. Currently, enrollment at DES is 483 students for the 2023-2024 academic year, with numbers projected to reach 550 in next 10 years, said Runey. Support needed from town meeting The final step and the most challenging is official support from the town of Dighton that it will commit to its portion of funding the school, if the MSBA approves the project. This will have to be done through a vote taking place at an official town meeting. We would have to have a town meeting authorization by the end of the 270-day eligibility, said Dighton Town Administrator Michael Mullen. January 26, 2025 is the end of the eligibility period. Runey explained this requirement from MSBA represents a commitment to the end goal. Through the process, the MSBA will be able to take the pulse of the town, said Mullen. Town must fund a feasibility study Before any building takes place, a feasibility study is required to happen. The eventual town meeting vote of support will also include a vote to fund a feasibility study. Through a project manager and architectural firm, this study will offer specifications on spatial and educational programming needs, early design concepts of the proposed school building, cost estimates, and possible locations in town for this new building. The feasibility study will also produce estimates based on the evaluation of whether or not the old building can handle more retrofits (e.g. new electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems, etc.), what upgrades and additions would have to happen, and costs. The cost for this feasibility study will be roughly $2 million dollars upfront, though 50% of that will be reimbursed by MSBA. It will be the School Building Committee that will review the feasibility study and make the final determination on what is the right course of action, whether a new building or sticking with the old building, based on long and short-term costs. THE LOVE OF BOOKS: What Dighton's new library director thinks about library culture wars Must convince residents of the need for a new school Runey and other stakeholders are planning for a significant PR campaign, including informational meetings, guided tours of the DES building, and a website, during the eligibility period to provide the facts and help get residents on board for a new DES building. Runey described the PR work for getting the new Attleboro High School building approved as a traveling road show, trying to convince people that paying around 50% of the cost of this expensive building now is better than waiting for everything to fall apart and the town being on the hook for 100% of the cost years down the line. Dighton-Rehoboth Superintendent of Schools William Runey Jr. Runey said if the district doesnt go past the eligibility period, they wont be able to reapply for MSBA funding for another 5 years, according to policy guidelines. As far as we are concerned, it is the job of the School Committee and Superintendent to sell this project to the community, said Peter Caron, current chairman of the Dighton Board of Selectmen. Caron added that board members dont share a definitive yes or no regarding whether they want a new building. If the vote passes, then it is the selectmens job to find a way to pay for it. From left to right: Dighton Selectman Peter Caron; Town Administrator Michael Mullen; Dighton-Rehoboth School Superintendent William Runey; and Dighton-Rehoboth School Committee member Christopher Andrade. Photo taken January 11, 2024 at Dighton Elementary School. Timeline for the plan, if approved Runey said this is a multi-step and multi-year process with the MSBA. Assuming all positive votes and no delays, he said the best case scenario for reaching the completion and ribbon cutting for a new Dighton Elementary School is 5-6 years from now, 2029-2030. 'No idea is ridiculous': What's Dighton doing to make new library accessible to all? Overcrowding and decades of wear and tear Built in 1953, the Dighton Elementary School building is undersized and woefully deficient, officials say. Spaces for classes, offices, teachers, and storage are constantly annexed, reconfigured, and/or repurposed, based on the level of urgency. The cafeteria theater stage at Dighton Elementary School was converted into a teacher's lounge and storage space. Photo taken May 23, 2023 Much of the internal systems and structures, like electrical wiring, plumbing, interior doors and exterior walls, are original to the building. Necessary upgrades have happened. The building's roof was replaced in 2016. Other upgrades include replacing all exterior windows in 2018, as well as installing a new boiler and some HVAC distribution, also in 2018. Some new additions to the main building of the elementary school came in 1999 in the form of a wing for Pre-K and kindergarten, a library, and a wing with a gymnasium, music room and additional PE spaces. But those newer spaces are still undersized. In 2018, to combat DESs overcrowding issues, the town approved $1.1 million for the purchase of six modular trailer units. The units, each representing a classroom, were attached to each other to create one whole academic facility. The modular facility, composed of 6 classroom units, was built in 2018 and is located in the back of the main building. Photo taken May 23, 2023. These units were originally proposed as a temporary solution due to the desperation of the situation. Currently, that whole modular space has been gradually sinking on one side. The daily weight of occupancy over the last few years has resulted in a slant. This is due to half of it resting on asphalt, while the other side sits on soil. Which Dighton workers made the most: Here are the top 10 highest earners of 2022 Belt-tightening for current expenses Officials are aware of the uphill battle that lies ahead, convincing enough of the town to vote to spend more money it doesnt have. It will take a lot of work convincing the older population to spend and raise taxes for this, said Caron, who added that paying the towns portion for a new school building, regardless of how much MSBA will cover, will most likely require a debt exclusion. Dighton is currently on the hook for paying off its portion for the cost of the new $305 million Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical High School building, about $24.73 million over 30 years, Mullen told the Gazette last June. As with other communities in the B-P district, the town of Dighton is looking at all options on how to absorb that funding, Mullen said recently. Dightons incoming town administrator Michael P. Mullen Jr. said he has a passion for public service. Currently, FY24 costs of $254,000 for B-P are being absorbed into the towns operational budget. FY25 will increase to around $300,000, said Mullen, though no decision has been made on how to handle that amount. A decision on future payments needs to be reached eventually as, according to Mullen, the annual debt service obligation from Dighton will reach $650,000 by FY26, and will continue to increase each year from then on, with a projection of $900,000 by FY30. In addition, the town is also paying $149,000 a year for Bristol County Agricultural High Schools renovations. No one wants a repeat of history Caron and other officials cant help but remember the overwhelming majority vote in Dighton for a new B-P building was against the proposal, when the multi-community referendum vote happened in March 2022. It didnt pass here in Dighton, which concerns me for this [DES], said Caron, who remembers the protesting from opposition and the aggressive mailers sent to residents. Protesters of BP Proposal Outside Dighton Elementary School on March 5, 2022 Christopher Andrade, vice chair for the Dighton-Rehoboth Regional School Committee, and Dighton resident, said much of the towns opposition to the new B-P building had to do with foresight regarding its own schools. Everyone knew the elementary school was at capacity and the end of its life. What do we do when we have to pay for Dighton schools? That was the concern and why people voted no. Andrade adds that the right information needs to reach the most people in town when promoting the DES building proposal. We dont want more modulars. Thats not solving the problem. Eventually, parts of the school will start failing, and we will have problems staying accredited. This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Town starting MSBA process for new Dighton elementary school Experts expound China contributions to global human rights governance Xinhua) 08:13, January 23, 2024 Children make paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Yuping Dong Autonomous County of Tongren City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Hu Panxue/Xinhua) To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, Chinese expert said. GENEVA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China has made positive contributions to global human rights governance in the past five years after its last Universal Periodic Review (UPR), experts from the China Society for Human Rights Studies told Xinhua here on Monday. China's human rights record will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council's UPR Working Group for the fourth time on Tuesday. China is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its session from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. The first, second and third UPR reviews of China took place in February 2009, October 2013 and November 2018 respectively. Herdsmen dance at a service station in Emin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lei) Zheng Liang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Jinan University, told Xinhua that in the past five years, China's modernization drive has not only promoted the development of China's human rights protection but also made significant contributions to the world's human rights cause in terms of concept promotion and in-depth practice. China itself is committed to promoting human rights through development, putting the people first and advancing a path of human rights development suited to its national conditions, and meanwhile it provides support and assistance to developing countries and regions in infrastructure, education, health and agriculture, according to Zheng. Chang Jian, director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights at Nankai University, said that since the last review, China's ranking in the United Nations Human Development Index has continued to rise, demonstrating the advantages of China's modernization and human rights development paths. Pasang Butri's daughter Tsering Butri (1st L) prepares chema box for her family members at home in Xigaze, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua) He said that the goal of China's modernization process is also the ultimate pursuit of the development of China's human rights cause. Mao Junxiang, executive director of the Human Rights Center of Central South University, said that while countries have different opinions on how to promote the human rights cause, no one should force other countries to follow a certain human rights model. To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, he said, adding that this will further need to respect different civilizations' understanding of the connotation of human rights and avoid imposing one's own human rights values and models onto others. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) One day, during a debate on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives approximately five years ago, U.S. Rep Brad Schneider, D-Highland Park, found a spot to sit near U.S. Rep John Lewis, D-Ga. I just want to breathe the same air as you, Schneider said. From the time Schneider was first elected to Congress in 2012 until Lewis death in 2020, Lewis became a colleague, then a mentor and eventually a friend to Schneider as they served together on the House Committee on Ways and Means. U.S. Rep. Jan. Schakowsky, D-Evanston, gazes at a statute of former Speaker Sam Rayburn, D-Texas, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. Original Credit: News-Sun When the last office Lewis occupied became available in January of 2021, Schneider selected it as his own. He said he does not intend to move again as long as he remains in Congress. He was a hero of the Civil Rights Movement, who worked with Dr. (Martin Luther) King and he became a friend, Schneider said. He was the conscience of the Congress. He was respected by everyone. The offices of Schneider and the other members of Congress who represent parts of Lake County U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky, D-Evanston, U.S. Rep Bill Foster, D-Naperville, and U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Chicago in Washington are cloaked in history. Schneiders first office in 2013 was once occupied by former President John F. Kennedy, when Kennedy was a congressman from Massachusetts. Schakowsky sits where two former speakers of the house once sat. While Fosters office was once occupied by a sitting senator Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va. and John McHugh, the secretary of the Army for President Barack Obama, Foster said the most significant thing to him is that it was his parents meeting place. Quigley is only the second person to occupy his office in the Rayburn House Office Building. It was the home of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure from the time the building opened in 1965 until 2016, when a House pioneer had it before he did. Office selection is done by seniority. Schakowsky said it took her 24 years since she was first elected in 1998 to get an office on the fifth floor of the Rayburn building with a view of the Capitol dome. Its a luxurious view of the Capitol, she said. Its so nice after all these years to be able to look out and see that. I look out and realize Im looking at the Capitol of the United States. Making his first office choice in January of 2013, Schneider was among the last to pick as a freshman member. People began selecting his initial office suite in the Cannon House Office Building over a century ago, in 1909. In January, 1947, a freshman Congressman from Massachusetts 11th District selected Suite 325 U.S. Rep. John F. Kennedy, D-Mass. Schneider has had two other offices since, but he was fond of his time there. A picture of Kennedy hangs in his current office. He was a hero to my generation, Schneider said. As the 69th of 72 members of Congress to occupy his first office, Schneider said he was not aware of them all. He recently learned one was U.S. Rep. Thomas DAlesandro Jr., D-Md., who also had it for two years as a freshman from 1939 to 1940. DAlesandro was father or former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. A pair of former speakers once occupied Schakowskys first office as freshmen. One she described as discredited former Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Yorkville and the other with great reverence former Speaker Sam Rayburn, D-Tex. He was Mr. Democrat, she said of the most tenured speaker in history, who held the gavel three separate times. He was a very young man then. He was there when the (office) building opened. He got a lot of legislation passed. He knew how to make deals. The parents of U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, left, talk to former U.S. Sen. Paul Douglas, D-Chicago, at the U.S. Capitol not long after they met in the 1950s. Original Credit: News-Sun Foster said his current office was occupied at one time by Rep. Marcy Kapter, D-Ohio, who is the longest-serving woman in House of Representatives history, and former Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn. He worked closely with both of them, but the most significant thing to him was family history. In the 1950s, his father George William Foster was working as an attorney for a committee, and his mother Jeanette Foster had a job in the office of former Sen. Paul Douglas, D-Chicago. His father once took some documents to Douglas office. Then his trips became more frequent. He kept finding reasons to go to Sen. Douglas office so he could flirt, Rep. Foster said. Just the second person to occupy his office in the Rayburn Building since it was converted to members quarters from a committee meeting room, Quigley has the opportunity to make his own history there. He moved into the suite last year. The only other occupant of Quigleys current office was Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif. She was a pioneer as the first Latina to serve as a chair of a House Appropriations Subcommittee, the first woman to chair the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the first woman to chair the California Congressional Delegation. Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza, left, will face former prosecutor Jeremy Sylestine in the March 5 Democratic primary. Editors note: This story has been updated with a new statement from Daniel Betts, the Republican candidate for Travis County district attorney, about his stance on the Democratic primary race for district attorney. At the center of the Democratic primary race for Travis County district attorney is a disagreement over what public safety looks like and what role the countys top prosecutor should play in shaping it. Jeremy Sylestine, who is seeking to unseat Jose Garza, ended his 15-year tenure in the prosecutors office early in Garzas term. Now a defense attorney, he argues that Garza has remade the office of the district attorney at the expense of public safety. The race is perhaps the most closely watched of those that will appear on the March 5 primary ballot. Garza, who was elected in 2020 on the heels of a national movement for racial justice and police accountability, campaigned on having never prosecuted a criminal defendant. Garza worked as a public defender on the Texas-Mexico border and helmed the labor rights organization Workers Defense Group. In 2020, he told the American-Statesman that a long history of career prosecutors inhabiting the office of the district attorney has led to gross disparities in the criminal justice system. Travis County voters seemed to agree with him: Garza won in a landslide during the primary runoff, ousting one-term incumbent Margaret Moore. In his time at the district attorney's office, Sylestine prosecuted child abuse and domestic violence cases before moving into the major crimes division. He has argued that the position needs someone with experience inside the system and that the office has suffered without someone like him at the top. Sylestines promise to voters is that he will maintain progressive policies while practicing common sense prosecution principles. You don't have to tear the system down to make it work, Sylestine said. Jeremy Sylestine promised voters he will maintain progressive policies while practicing common sense prosecution principles. In a heavily blue county, the winner of the Democratic primary will almost certainly win the general election. The lone Republican candidate for district attorney, Daniel Betts, said that "for Austin's sake" he hopes Sylestine will be the Democratic nominee. He said he is encouraging other Republicans to cross party lines in the primary to vote for Sylestine. Sylestine faces an uphill battle to persuade voters to oust Garza and his thus far popular approach to criminal justice. The future of the progressive prosecutor The March primary will measure how voters feel about Garzas first term, almost four years out from the racial justice protests that ushered him in. Elections in which a candidate is seeking reelection are generally a referendum on the incumbent, said David Butts, an Austin political consultant who is advising the Sylestine campaign. Nationally, an overwhelming majority of progressive prosecutors have won their reelection races, said Rebecca Goldstein, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law. It is likely that fewer voters will participate in this years Democratic primary than in 2020, said Joshua Blank, the research director of the Texas Politics Project. In 2020, turnout in the Democratic primary was notably high about 226,000 people voted. This year, without a competitive Democratic primary for president, there will probably be less participation in local races. How that will translate into the political makeup of the primary electorate is still unclear. Will voters respond to 'soft on crime' rhetoric? Much of Sylestines campaign has focused on public safety, which he argues that Garza has neglected in pursuit of overly ambitious policy goals. Sylestine entered the race shortly before the filing deadline in December, which he attributed to a late momentum of people asking if he would run. He said his candidacy represented a rebuke particularly of Garzas policies on violent crime from within the Democratic Party. The call is coming from within the house, Sylestine said. But Garza said that his office takes very seriously the responsibility of holding people accountable for violent acts. In his view, preserving public safety entails not just punishing people for committing crimes, but also going farther to address the root causes of crime in our community. Protesters display signs at Austin police headquarters during a Black Lives Matter rally in Austin on June 4, 2020. Garza touted office initiatives such as the Travis County Transformation Project, a collaboration with law enforcement to address juvenile violence, and his efforts to address gun violence. In an interview with the Statesman, Garza was insistent that progressive values further our public safety. Sylestines concerns about crime policy might not translate well to Democratic primary voters. Public safety has become a very partisan issue in Travis County, said Jim Wick, an Austin-based political consultant and pollster. Democratic voters, he said, tend to want reform, oversight and accountability when it comes to the justice system. Attitudes about public safety are also shaped by how safe voters think Austin and Travis County are, and Wick said that tends to fall along party lines, too. Sylestine has drawn attention to how people who are accused of violent crimes are released from jail. This has been a subject of considerable attention from vocal critics of Garza, particularly conservatives and representatives from law enforcement unions. Sylestine claimed that when Garza came into office he instituted a policy that presumes people should be eligible for the least restrictive bond which Sylestine said creates dangerous situations. Garza disputed the claim that the office has a bond policy and said that the practice is for prosecutors to review bonds based on community safety. Moreover, bail is initially set by a municipal judge during a process called magistration, typically outside the presence of prosecutors or defense attorneys. The judge makes the decision using the arrest affidavit and documents prepared by the countys pretrial services division, including a public safety report. A prosecutor is not likely to see the case until a week or two after magistration, according to Garza. Has pursuit of accountability led to a strained relationship with Austin Police Department? During his 2020 campaign, Garza promised to hold police accountable and seek indictments for officers who abuse their position. The endeavor has faced considerable challenges and drawn criticism from law enforcement representatives. In total, Travis County grand juries indicted 21 officers for aggravated assault for the use of beanbag rounds during the May 2020 racial justice protests. Late last year, the district attorneys office dismissed 17 of those cases. Garza, along with Mayor Kirk Watson, asked the Department of Justice to review the Austin Police Departments conduct during the protests. During Garzas tenure, the district attorneys office also prosecuted Austin police officer Christopher Taylor, who fatally shot Michael Ramos in April 2020. The trial, which began in October 2023, ended in a hung jury. Taylor will probably be retried in September. In an interview with the Statesman, Sylestine walked a fine line between pursuing police accountability and what he called Garzas agenda of going after police officers. Sylestine said that prosecutors and police officers should have a symbiotic relationship, though Garzas approach has made it dysfunctional. Garza disagreed with this characterization. We work every day with law enforcement to make our community more safe, he said. Garza pledged to continue holding officers accountable for excessive use of force because its against the law, he said. Moreover, he argued, it helps inspire confidence in the fairness of the justice system. Kathy Mitchell, an adviser at the social justice organization Equity Action, said that the group would once again support Garza's campaign. She felt that Garza had done his best to hold police accountable given that cases against police officers are "incredibly tough" because both law enforcement unions and police departments rally around defendants. In an interview with the Statesman, Garza was confident that voters will respond to the same promises of reform and accountability. He said he "has no doubt" that the same communities that elected him would return to the voting booth and ensure that our criminal justice system lives up to their aspirations. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Democratic candidates for district attorney at odds on handling crime The Shevchenkivskyi District Court of Kyiv has ruled to extend the arrest of Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky until March 2, with bail set at UAH 2.65 billion ($71 million), Ukrinform news agency reported on Jan. 22. The prosecution had requested bail of UAH 2.7 billion. During the hearing, Kolomoisky stated that his chronic heart condition has worsened, adding that he needed further medical examination. Read also: Court keeps Kolomoisky in custody, lowers bail amount On Sept. 2, 2023, the same court remanded Kolomoisky into custody for 60 days in Dnipro. On the same day, Ukraines SBU security service, in collaboration with the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Prosecutor Generals Office, formally charged Kolomoisky with money laundering of criminally obtained assets. From 2013 to 2020, Kolomoisky allegedly laundered over half a billion hryvnias by transferring funds abroad, utilizing the financial infrastructure of banks under his control, the SBU said. Read also: Privatbank fends off appeal by Kolomoisky-linked group to retain control over Dnipros premier mall The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAP) on Sept. 7 informed Kolomoisky and five others of suspicion in embezzling over UAH 9.2 billion from PrivatBank ($247 million). The SBU states that during that period the scheme enabled him to amass a total of UAH 5.8 billion, equivalent to over $700 million. 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 Kyiv's Pechersk district court has extended the pre-trial detention of Metropolitan Pavlo until Mar. 23, the Hromadske news outlet reported on Jan. 23, citing Mykyta Chekman, lawyer for the former abbot of the Pechersk Lavra. The court had previously ordered Pavlo to appear in court, not to leave his place of residence, wear an electronic bracelet, and refrain from communicating with witnesses and victims. He was, however, allowed to see a doctor. Read also: Moscows top priest in Ukraine suffers heart attack, lawyer says Ukraines SBU security service notified Pavlo, Metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP), on April 1 that he was suspected of incitement to religious hatred and justification and denial of Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. His house was searched. On the same day, he was fitted with an electronic bracelet at Kyivs Shevchenkivskyi District Court after being put under round-the-clock house arrest. Metropolitan Pavlo called the case "political and claimed that he was medically unfit to wear an electronic bracelet. Read also: Moscow church Metropolitan Pavlo appears in court after 4-month break, but hearing postponed again He was charged after the UOC-MP failed to vacate the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, despite the termination of its lease agreement on March 29. On July 13, the SBU informed Pavel of new charges based on an interview during which, according to the investigation, he denied the existence of Ukraine as a sovereign state and falsely called Russia's war against Ukraine a "civil conflict." The court changed his detention to arrest on July 14. On Aug. 7, he was released on bail of more than $900,000 (UAH 33.3 million), which was said to have been raised by "parishioners." On Aug. 13, the court extended the period of bail. Metropolitan Pavlo repeatedly failed to attend court hearings. On Aug. 14, his lawyer reported his hospitalization at a Kyiv medical facility with an acute myocardial infarction. 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 Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky will remain in custody until March 2 with a bail set at Hr 2.65 billion ($71 million), Suspilne reported on Jan. 22, citing the Shevchenkivskyi district courts decision. Kolomoisky was charged with fraud and laundering over Hr 500 million ($13.3 million) between 2013 and 2020, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on Sept. 2, 2023. A few days later, the oligarch and five other associates were accused of embezzling Hr 9.2 billion ($246 million) from PrivatBank, Ukraine's largest bank formerly owned by Kolomoisky. Under separate charges, Kolomoisky is also suspected of creating a criminal group with PrivatBank's employees and illegally acquiring Hr 5.8 billion ($155 million) between 2013 and 2014. During the hearing on Jan. 22, Kolomoisky said that he needed a medical examination as his health conditions got worse. His lawyers insisted on allowing Kolomoisky to move from custody to house arrest in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The court refused to release the oligarch on bail, extending his detention as the pre-trial investigation continues. Kolomoisky controlled Ukrtatnafta, Ukraine's largest refining company, until it was seized by the government in November 2022 as a "critical national resource" during martial law. The company reportedly refused to pay Hr 3.2 billion ($85.5 million) in taxes in 2022. Kolomoisky also co-owned PrivatBank, nationalized in 2016, leaving a $5.5 billion hole in its balance sheet due to its fraudulent activities. He faces various lawsuits and charges in the U.K., U.S., Israel, and Ukraine. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A federal appeals court on Tuesday rejected Donald Trumps request that it reconsider his appeal against a gag order imposed against him in the criminal case over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, the latest defeat for the former president in his attempt to remove the restrictions. The decision by the US court of appeals to deny Trump an en banc rehearing where the full bench of judges consider the matter paves the way for him to lodge a final appeal with the US supreme court. For months, Trump has been attempting to free himself from a limited protective order entered by the US district judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the criminal case in Washington, which has prevented him from making inflammatory statements that could intimidate trial witnesses or poison the jury pool. The gag order came after special counsel prosecutors complained that Trumps brazen public statements attacking them, court staff and potential trial witnesses could chill witness testimony and impede the fair administration of justice. The filing from prosecutors drew attention to Trumps rally speeches and posts on his Truth Social platform. In one post, Trump attacked his vice-president, Mike Pence, wildly claiming he had made up stories about me and had gone over to the dark side by talking to prosecutors. Trump has also attacked Gen Mark Milley, the former chair of the joint chiefs of staff and another likely trial witness, after his testimony was cited in the indictment. Trump suggested that Milley had committed treason and mused that people who committed treason have historically been executed. Chutkan agreed with prosecutors and issued an order preventing Trump from assailing prosecutors, court staff and trial witnesses. She allowed Trump only to have free rein to attack the Biden administration and the US justice department, and to allege the case was politically motivated. Trump appealed but had his challenge largely rejected by a three-judge panel at the DC circuit, which upheld the restrictions with the caveat that Trump would also be free to assail the special counsel Jack Smith and people involved in post-2020 election matters as long as he did not target their trial testimony. The panel rejected Trumps position that there could only be a gag order after a statement by him had chilled a witness to be misguided, not least because the point of the gag order was to ensure no such harm would occur in the first place. Mr Trump is a former president and current candidate for the presidency, the appeals court wrote in a 68-page opinion. But Mr Trump is also an indicted criminal defendant, and he must stand trial in a courtroom under the same procedures that govern all other criminal defendants. The defeat led Trump to seek a rehearing from the same three-judge panel of Patricia Millett, Cornelia Pillard and Brad Garcia all Democratic nominees to the bench as well as from the full court. On Tuesday, Trump had both of the rehearing requests turned down in single-page orders. The chilly reception that Trump has received from the DC circuit over his gag order appeals has been unsurprising. Protective orders are standard in criminal cases, and federal appeals courts are generally loath to interfere with the wide discretion enjoyed by trial judges. The History Center of Lake Forest-Lake Bluff is set to produce a digital collection on the history of Blacks in Lake Forest following the acquisition of grant funding from the National Archives and the Mellon Foundation. Last month, the History Center announced it would receive almost $106,000 in grants over the next two years as it plans to produce, Deeply Rooted and Rising High: African American Experiences in Lake Forest. The digital projects goal is a presentation on the Black population in Lake Forest that goes back to 1860, according to History Center Executive Director Carol Summerfield. She described the initiative as a prototype that will allow the History Center to explore questions about the overall experience for the Black population in Lake Forest, and throughout the North Shore. There are interesting crossroads within the historical narrative that are worth exploring, and some of which we do not have informed information on to make a statement, Summerfield said in an interview. The goal of a collection like this is to expand that, and to allow others to bring materials in to help us answer some of these questions. Laurie Stein, the History Centers deputy director and head of curation, provided some additional details regarding the projects goal in a statement. Our initial model is planned around three core topic areas: building community, building opportunity, and building neighborhoods, she wrote. These categories provide collection opportunities for materials that illuminate experiences in education, jobs, training, housing, religious institutions, networking organizations, and social clubs and activities. Were particularly focused on the materials that illustrate the Lake Forests Black communitys development of self-governed institutions and organizations, social events, and informal community building activities, and connections with the educational institutions surrounding them, Stein added. Our goal is to make this a living collection, adding materials on an ongoing basis. Summerfield said Lake Forests Black population has always been small on a percentage basis, yet noted Black residents owned one of the citys first hotels. She said while the white population grew after World War II, the Black population remained flat. There were 245 Black residents in Lake Forest in the latest posting on the United States Census Bureau website in an overall population of nearly 20,000. Summerfield said that would be examined in the collection, as well as Black student enrollment at Lake Forest College, which she said has grown over the years. Summerfields co-leader on the project will be Courtney Joseph, a Lake Forest College assistant professor in the African American Studies Department. Others members of the team include Lake Forest College students and faculty, Loyola University Public History students and community advisers among Lake Forests Black residents. Summerfield said the first step in the process will be a meeting with all the core members of the team within two weeks, and they will put a timeline together on steps to create the program with the goal of having an initial digital collection available in two years. We recognize the value of these stories, and how unique they are, she said. The idea that we can make this more broadly available to the public is amazing, and it is a huge opportunity. The History Center was one of two Illinois organizations receiving the National Archives funding. Part of I-70 shut down in Washington County because of a crash involving a semi. Washington County 911 confirmed to Channel 11 that a semi and SUV crashed on westbound I-70 around 8:50 a.m. South Strabane Township Department of Fire & Emergency Management Chief Jordan Cramer said first responders found an SUV crashed into the back of a semi, with the driver entrapped. There were also two children in the rear passenger seats. Cramer said it took more than 20 minutes to free the trapped driver. The driver was flown to Allegheny General Hospital, while the children were taken by ambulance to Childrens Hospital. An alert on the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation 511 map stated westbound I-70 was closed between Exit 25 (PA 519 Eighty Four/Glyde) and Exit 21 (I-79 South - Morgantown). The lanes were closed for a little over an hour while crews worked to remove This developing story will be updated as Channel 11 learns more. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Pittsburgh school, business closings and delays Multiple departments respond to three-alarm house fire in Bethel Park Man in critical condition after being attacked, hit with metal in Butler County; suspect in custody VIDEO: He didnt even slow down: Beltzhoover neighbors watch car barrel through 2 poles, house DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Donald Trump didnt shy away from several Qanon chants that erupted throughout the last leg of his New Hampshire campaign on Monday. During a quiet moment of the rally, attendees engaged in a bit of call-and-response with the GOP front-runner, shouting things at Trump for his reactions. Where we go one, we go all, erupted the crowd in a QAnon chant thats frequently abbreviated to WWG1WGA in online messaging boards like 4chan, where the cult began. Trump then smiled and nodded, scanning his audience. Free the January 6-ers, shouted one of the attendees. We will, Trump responded, pointing back at her. In the three years since Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol Building in an attempt to thwart Congresss certification of Joe Bidens presidential win, the Justice Department has convicted hundreds of the rioters, including former police officers, active duty U.S. Marines, and many members of far-right extremist groups. QAnon supporters comprise a good chunk of those convictions, with the self-proclaimed QAnon Shaman, Jacob Chansley, emerging as one of the central figures of the revolt. Supporter: Where we go one, we go all Trump: *smiles and nods* Supporter: Free the J6rs Trump: We will pic.twitter.com/6e3OusAcFn Acyn (@Acyn) January 23, 2024 Trump has held messiah-like status within QAnons conspiratorial circle for years thanks to their principal belief that, despite being named and photographed as an associate of sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and despite being found liable by a jury for sexually abusing Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll, Trump will rid the world of Satan-worshipping pedophiles who run the government and media. And Trump has readily welcomed the cockeyed adoration. In 2020, Trump offered the movement plausible deniability at an executive levelclaiming that while he didnt know much about QAnon, he couldnt disprove its theories. Just two years later, Trump was regularly circulating bits of the conspiracy on TruthSocial, reposting images of himself wearing Q pins subtitled with the cults messaging, A Storm is Coming, referring to Trumps final victory when QAnon supporters expect him to mass-execute his opponents. A burglary crew accused of several burglaries across multiple states was arrested in Cobb County. Cobb County police said they were called to reports of a burglary on Riverview Drive. According to officials, a tip helped officers learn about a burglary crew operating in Cobb County. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The suspects are wanted in Virginia and Indiana for several burglaries that had over $500,000 in losses, police said. Authorities believed the suspects were at hotels along Franklin Gateway. Officers later found and detained the suspects at Hampton Inn. Cobb County police reportedly found nearly $30,000 and various gift cards. TRENDING STORIES: The suspects are also tied to a Duluth burglary that had suffered a $70,000 loss, according to police. Officials said the suspects are behind bars at the Cobb County Jail. Their ages and identities were not released. Cobb County police have not said how many suspects are in the crew. Channel 2 Action News has requested the incident reports and body camera footage. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Editors Note: The following arrest and incident reports were supplied by the Abilene Police Department. All information below comes from reports made by responding officers, and all suspects are considered not guilty unless determined otherwise in a court of law. Incidents 1500 block of Bridge Avenue Criminal Trespass Habitation/Super Fund Site A victim reported her ex-boyfriend entered her home without permission. 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information Police responded to a call of a possible forgery at a local bank. 1100 block Hickory Street Theft of Property A victim reported his law mower was stolen from his backyard. 3100 block of Grape Street Theft of Property A victim reported an unknown suspect stole his roller compactor from his empty lot. 800 block of S Clack Street Theft of Motor Vehicle A south Abilene business is reporting a vehicle was stolen from their business. 1200 block of Park Avenue Burglary of Building A victim reported more than $1,000 worth of times were stolen from her storage facility. 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Theft of Property An xbox was reported stolen from south Abilene. 2300 block of Savannah Oaks Bend Theft of Firearm A handgun was reported stolen from a vehicle in south Abilene. 2400 block of N Willis Street Assault 4300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Theft of Property 5300 block of Buffalo Gap Road Criminal Trespass A suspect was arrested for criminal trespass in south Abilene. 1000 block of Santos Street Theft of Property A bicycle worth $60 was reported stolen. 100 block of E Overland Trail Theft of Service Six suspects failed to pay for food at a north Abilene restaurant. 3100 block of Bickley Street Burglary of Habitation Police responded to a burglary of habitation in south Abilene. 1700 block of S 3rd Street Assault Family Violence A suspect assaulted his girlfriend. 8100 block of Saddle Creek Road Theft of Firearm Police responded to a vehicle burglary, where a firearm, wallet, cash, and more was reported stolen. Arrests John Townes Fraudulent Use/Possession of Identifying Information, Forgery-Financial Cameron Conger Criminal Trespass Kyle Marden Criminal Trespass Savannah Losano Theft of Property Danielle Jennings Warrant Jarred Lynch Assault Family Violence For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A new location to receive mental health care in West Michigan is getting closer to completion. The Behavioral Health Crisis Center project is a partnership between Network180 and Trinity Health Grand Rapids. Crews are busy putting the finishing touches on the new $4 million project. The 9,000 square foot facility will have 16 to 18 beds with additional outpatient services. Inside the new Behavioral Health Crisis Center that is under construction at Trinity Health Grand Rapids. (Jan. 22, 2024) A Behavioral Health Crisis Center is under construction at Trinity Health Grand Rapids. (Jan. 22, 2024) A Behavioral Health Crisis Center is under construction at Trinity Health Grand Rapids. (Jan. 22, 2024) Inside the new Behavioral Health Crisis Center that is under construction at Trinity Health Grand Rapids. (Jan. 22, 2024) The center is being built on the first floor of the 260 Jefferson Building at the Trinity Health Grand Rapids campus, according to Beverly Ryskamp the Chief Operating Officer of Network180. Its a model thats sort of in between a traditional outpatient experience and full inpatient care. Weve traditionally had access to both of those models but in this model, we want to give people intensive treatment as rapidly as possible, Ryskamp said. Now that people are much more comfortable talking about mental health, which is wonderful that people are recognizing need, were also seeing difficulty getting into care. The new model is possible because of state legislation signed in 2021 allowing these centers to be created. Other states have implemented models like this but this is really Michigans first foray into this type of model and there are approximately nine sites that are under development right now as sort of the first cohort in Michigan, Ryskamp said. It is adding capacity to our community and we will have a full range of professionals onsite. Psychiatry will be 24-7. Some of it will be telehealth some of it will be in person, well have social workers here, case managers here, well have peer support specialists. Carrie Mull, the administrative director for behavioral health at Trinity Health Grand Rapids, said the center will help patients more easily be matched with the care they need. This is going to be a medical center and a therapeutic place combined and that is not easy to pull off, Mull said. No matter your insurance and no matter what you have going on, if you have a psychiatric crisis of some sort or a psychiatric issue come here and we will figure it out. The center is expected to open in late spring or early summer. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. JAXPORT CEO Eric Green said an additional cruise line is planning to come to Jacksonville. Green said during Mondays JAXPORT board meeting that the company is seeking board approval to operate from the JAXPORT terminal. The company wanted to bring the agreement to Mondays board meeting, but the documents are not ready yet. Green asked Board Chair Daniel Bean if a special board meeting could be held before the regularly scheduled board meeting in late February. Bean said a special meeting will be held in the next week or two to discuss the agreement. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] JAXPORT said it could not say what cruise line company is interested in coming to town, but Action News Jax checked Norwegian Cruise Lines website and it says it will be Coming Soon to Jacksonville. Currently, the Carnival Elation is the only cruise ship that operates out of JAXPORT. It sails to the Bahamas on four-, five-, and six-day cruises. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. An amended bill that would give financial oversight of Lake Countys tourism bureau to the county council only if the countys innkeeper tax is increased passed the Indiana Senate Tuesday on second reading. State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, who authored the bill with Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell, introduced the amendment that would trigger automatic oversight of the bureaus budget if the council were to raise the innkeepers tax. Dernulc and Niemeyer are both former Lake County council members. Senate Bill 37 as originally written would have made oversight of the tourism bureau budget effective July 1. The countys 5% innkeepers tax has not been raised since 1990, according to records from the Indiana Department of Revenue. Lake County collected approximately $775,381 in innkeepers tax in 2023. Last year the legislature enacted a law that enables the potential development of a convention center in Lake County. Under the legislation, the Lake County Council has the ability to raise the state innkeepers tax by as much as an additional 5% without having to go before the state legislature for approval. The Lake County Commissioners will be responsible for selecting the entity or entities that partner to build and operate a convention center. The center will be overseen by a six-member board and commissioners will have three appointments. The legislation tasks the Regional Development Authority with financial oversight of the revenues collected for the center and requires it to update its prior study that looked at potential locations. Although Hammonds Oxbow Landing was identified as the top-ranked location in the study, the Hard Rock Casino had not yet been built and the former Majestic Star Casino location is no longer available. Andy Qunell, president of the SSCVA board of directors, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the change to the legislation. Council President Christine Cid, D-East Chicago, said she supports council oversight of the tourism bureaus budget. The county council enacts the innkeepers tax and there should be oversight of those taxpayer dollars by the elected body that represents the people in Lake County. The added oversight helps ensure that the entitys spending is in compliance with current legislation. She was disappointed by the changes to the proposed legislation. I do not support the amendment, Cid said. Councilman Randy Niemeyer, R-Cedar Lake, said legislation is a process of negotiation and compromised and he cant be upset with legislators for considering multiple points of view. The innkeepers tax is just a portion of a much larger $5 million budget and Niemeyer said he has questioned the lack of oversight as it now stands. He said the innkeepers tax is the only tax of which he is aware that does not have oversight at some point by some elected body. He would have like the council to obtain oversight of the bureaus budget. Its disappointing, but I understand, Niemeyer said. Councilman Ted Bilski, D-Hobart, who has said he would not support raising the innkeepers tax without oversight of the bodys that will spend it, said it sounds like the bill falls really short of where it needs to be. And Im not convinced theres even a need for a convention center, Bilski said, adding that at this point in time hes leaning against supporting any new tax. cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is seeking the communitys help in finding a Blue Hyundai Tuscon involved in a shooting that happened on Saturday. At about 1:22 p.m., the victim was shot in the 3400 block of 14th St., SE. After the shooting, the suspect fled the scene in a car described as a blue Hyundai Tuscon with a D.C. tag of JB9372. The victim sought treatment at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. Unspeakable violence: Mother of killed volunteer in DC speaks about her grief The suspected vehicle can be seen in the surveillance photo below: (Metropolitan Police Department) Anyone with information is asked to call MPD at (202) 727-9099 or text the department tip line at 50411. A reward of up to $10,000 is offered to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Israelis mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Major Ilay Levy who was killed when two buildings collapsed after Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. There were 21 soldiers killed in the incident, according to Israeli media. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa The Israeli army said that 21 soldiers have been killed in the central Gaza Strip, marking the deadliest single incident for the troops in the war against Hamas militants which began on October 7. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari, speaking after a news blackout was lifted on Tuesday morning, said the soldiers were killed on Monday afternoon when two nearby buildings exploded and collapsed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that it had been "one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of war," his office said. "I mourn the loss of our heroic fallen soldiers." The war continues in their name and for the lives of all Israelis, Netanyahu said. "We will not stop fighting until complete victory." Army spokesman Hagari said most of the soldiers were in or near the houses. They had mined the two buildings in order to blow them up. The explosions were probably a result of the mines. The cause of the detonation is being investigated, Hagari added. Palestinians had fired a rocket at a tank being used by the soldiers around the same time as the buildings collapsed on Monday afternoon, adding to the confusion over what occurred. Those killed were army reservists, Hagari said. Rescue teams had recovered the victims, he added. Hagari said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have informed the families of all those affected. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called it an "unbearably difficult morning" and described the fallen soldiers as heroes. "The intense battles are taking place in an extremely challenging space, and we are strengthening the soldiers of the IDF and the security forces who are working with endless determination to realize the goals of the fighting," Herzog wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The Israeli army said meanwhile it was intensifying its campaign in Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza where Israeli officials believe Hamas' military leaders have their stronghold. The IDF said that troops have "carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis and deepened the operation in the area." The IDF said "dozens of terrorists" have been killed in the past 24 hours in Khan Younis and that "ground troops engaged in close-quarters combat" with militants. Israel believes militants are keeping Israeli hostages who were taken during the Hamas attacks on October 7 in the extensive underground network, too. Israeli military operations have been steadily ramping up in Khan Younis, with IDF ground troops engaged in hand-to-hand fighting amid frequent airstrikes from above. According to military figures, 220 soldiers have been killed since the start of the Israeli ground offensive in the Gaza Strip at the end of October. More than 1,200 others have been injured. The war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history, carried out by militants from the Palestinian group Hamas and allied extremists on October 7. About 1,200 people were killed in the attack on southern Israel, including hundreds of soldiers. Since the start of the hostilities, 556 servicemen and women have been killed. The Palestinian death toll from the war between Israel and Hamas tops 25,000, with a further 63,000 people injured, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. These figures cannot be independently verified at present. Because of the many victims and the great suffering of the civilian population, the actions of the Israeli army have been widely criticized internationally. In Israel, pressure on the government continues to increase. Thousands of people are repeatedly demonstrating to get the hostages back from the Gaza Strip. According to Israeli government information, terrorists are still holding 132 people there whom they kidnapped on October 7. Israel assumes that 27 of them are no longer alive. Israelis mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Major Ilay Levy who was killed when two buildings collapsed after Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. There were 21 soldiers killed in the incident, according to Israeli media. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Israelis mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Major Ilay Levy who was killed when two buildings collapsed after Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. There were 21 soldiers killed in the incident, according to Israeli media. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa A bill requiring mailed-in ballots to be in the hands of election officials before the polls close on Election Day in order to be counted was put on hold Monday by the Utah Legislatures House Government Operations Committee. Utah law currently says mail-in ballots are valid as long as theyre clearly postmarked before Election Day and show up before noon on the day of the official canvass of the vote that usually comes two weeks later. The sponsor of the bill, HB214, Rep. Norm Thurston, R-Provo, said that makes Utah an outlier. He called for a move from a complicated and difficult to explain system to one that shifts the responsibility to voters for making sure their vote gets in on time. Thurston told the committee his bill would give Utahns more confidence in elections. I believe that we do have a lot of questions out there about the integrity of our elections. Not that I think that they are problematic, but I think there is a perception that they are problematic. Theres a lot of people that think theres a possibility of fraud, he said. Related But for more than hour committee members heard largely critical testimony about the change, including its impact on rural as well as disabled Utahns who count on being able to mail in their ballots the Monday before an election. Utahns all across the state see this as a proposal to disenfranchise voters, especially from rural communities, said TJ Ellerbeck, executive director of the nonprofit Rural Utah Project involved in civic engagement and a member of a coalition of like-minded organizations. Ellerbeck said more than 4,000 Utahns have signed a coalition petition urging lawmakers not to make any election changes, with one Moab woman concerned the bill would make voters responsible for something over which they have no control, when mail arrives. Everette Bacon, president of the National Federation of the Blind Utah, said people with disabilities love mail-in voting because it can be difficult to get to a polling location and find out about assistance. Bacon said he fears people with disabilities wont be aware of a change from a set deadline for mailing in ballots, since Thurstons bill does not include funding to promote the new responsibility for voters. Only one of Utahs 29 county clerks backed the bill, Utah County Clerk Aaron Davidson. The mail-in balloting, it actually should have been drop box return balloting to try to encourage the voter to use the drop box rather than the mail-in balloting process, Davidson said, citing chain of custody issues with ballots that arrive in the mail. Utah County has already decided not to pay for some $110,000 in return postage for primary and general election ballots, he said, money that could be spent on more drop boxes. Its not necessarily trying to disenfranchise voters, but its making them know thats an option and if they want that option, they have to pay for it, Davidson said of the bill. And theyve got to comply with the rules and mail it in a lot earlier. Utah Eagle Forums Whit Cook said the change would help keep elections simple and sweet. Cook said if Utahns take our voting system seriously, our process seriously, then perhaps ... they should take that extra effort to make sure that they post it on time. Related Several opponents of the bill pointed to Utahs vote-by-mail elections as a model for the nation. Efforts to return to in-person only voting have failed to advance in previous sessions of the Utah Legislature We shouldnt take Utah backwards. We are a national leader and our voter participation is growing, ACLU of Utah campaign director Billy Palmer said. Utahns love and trust vote by mail. Before the committee voted to hold the bill rather than send it to the full House, it was amended to change the effective day from May 1 to Jan. 1, 2025, so the election already underway would not be affected. Rep. Cory Maloy, R-Lehi, initially proposed sending the bill back to the House Rules Committee because weve heard there are some grave concerns that are seen as really shaking things up for some Utahns. Thurston, however, moved that his bill instead be held by the committee so members could incorporate ways to make by-mail voting easier for rural Utahns as well as those with disabilities. This could be the bill to do that. We could work on this all together, the bills sponsor said, along with state and local election officials to come up with a package that we can then move forward. ***Related video above: Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter stepped in to help 19 stray dogs from Kentucky find new homes in 2021.*** CLEVELAND (WJW) Pet owners in Ohio are running out of time to get their furry friend a 2024 dog license. The Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter is reminding Ohioans that the deadline to buy a dog license is Jan. 31. Fees double starting Feb. 1. Labrador Retriever Dog Smiles on Bench Outdoors According to the Ohio Revised Code, all dogs three months and older must have an up-to-date license. Owners in violation face penalty fees. In Cuyahoga County, a one-year tags are $20, three-year tags are $60 and lifetime tags are $200. County residents can buy them at local Discount Drug Mart or Pet Supply Plus locations, the county animal shelter or online. See it: Prehistoric dicvoery in Lorain County The Summit County fiscal office also sent out a reminder, saying residents can find locations to purchase a dog license here. Tag prices could vary by county. Lost dogs wearing a license have a better chance of being reunited with their owners, the Cuyahoga County Animal Shelter said in a media release. I-Team: New details on Top Thrill Dragster lawsuit The shelter also said licensed dogs can stay at shelters longer than unlicensed strays. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. MANCHESTER, N.H. - Democratic presidential challenger Dean Phillips lost New Hampshire's primary election on Tuesday to President Joe Biden, who wasn't on the ballot but was a write-in choice for his supporters. The Minnesota congressman had sought a strong finish to further make his case that Biden is too weak to defeat Trump again and force a reckoning for Democrats who've been backing the president. But Biden's support in New Hampshire on Tuesday was strong enough to overcome the challenge of not being listed on the ballot, with most voters writing him in. As votes were counted and broadcast onto television screens at Phillips' election-night party, a sparse crowd of his family members and supporters waited, nearly outnumbered at times by members of the press. The Associated Press called the race for Biden just after 8 p.m. Eastern time. Before results came in, Phillips said he hoped to win more than 20% support in New Hampshire's primary, a performance he believed could be a springboard for his long-shot campaign. As of 11:15 p.m. Eastern time with most votes counted, Phillips had won about 20% of the vote. "We've been at this for 10 weeks, my friends," Phillips told supporters at his election party. "We just earned 20% tonight and no one knew who we were." Phillips' campaign had once set a target of winning 42% of the primary vote the same total that former Minnesota U.S. Sen. Eugene McCarthy earned when he challenged President Lyndon B. Johnson in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary half a century ago. John Libby, a 67-year-old Phillips supporter from Hooksett, said Tuesday night he thinks Biden isn't a "viable candidate" with many polls showing him trailing former President Donald Trump in a head-to-head matchup. But Libby said he thought Biden needed to perform under 60% for challengers such as Phillips to have a strong case. Biden was poised to win more than that as of 11:15 p.m. Eastern time. Ever the optimist, Phillips deemed his performance Tuesday a victory and said the show must go on. "You ready to keep this baby going?" he said to cheers. The next Democratic presidential primary elections are in South Carolina, where Biden has a strong base of support, and then Michigan. Phillips and his campaign staff have said he will spend some time in South Carolina before its Feb. 3 primary but will focus most his efforts on Michigan, which votes Feb. 27. Performing poorly in those states could make it difficult for Phillips to raise the money needed to continue. He told the Star Tribune that "no question, I will have to raise money to keep going." "That, to me, is probably the only thing that will prevent me from continuing," Phillips said. With Biden not on the ballot, New Hampshire might have been Phillips' best chance to upend the national election narrative. Phillips, author Marianne Williamson and more than a dozen other lesser-known candidates were on the state's Democratic primary ballot. Biden chose not to appear on New Hampshire's ballot because the state defied the Democratic National Committee by holding its primary election before South Carolina's. The DNC reshuffled its order of state presidential primaries this year, placing South Carolina ahead of the historically first New Hampshire. The winner of New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary gained only momentum because the DNC deemed the contest unsanctioned and declared it wouldn't award any delegates. Raymond Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, said the strange circumstances of Tuesday's election made it unlike any in recent history. "We have nothing to compare it to," Buckley said. New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan predicted late last week that more people would turn out for the state's Republican primary. He estimated voter turnout of 322,000 for the Republican contest and 88,000 for the Democratic primary. The last time a Democratic president sought re-election in New Hampshire Barack Obama in 2012 about 62,000 voters cast ballots in the Democratic primary. Four years ago, about 300,000 people voted in the open Democratic primary. At a polling place in Manchester early Tuesday, 37-year-old Erin Martin proudly cast a write-in vote for Biden, whom she praised as a strong leader who's made good progress. A mother of two girls, Martin said she's worried about the prospect of a second Trump presidency and feels safer with Biden in the White House. "I feel terrified ... that as a country we'll lose our democracy, that women's rights will be completely taken away, that my daughters, it will trickle down to them eventually," Martin said. "It almost kind of chokes me up to think about it." Phillips and his supporters briefly stood outside the Manchester polling location, thanking voters for participating in Tuesday's election regardless of who they supported. Not everyone was receptive. When Phillips asked an elderly woman if he could say hello, she snapped back: "You may not. Biden all the way!" Janet Poisson, on the other hand, was happy to support Phillips. The 48-year-old from Manchester said she thinks Americans "definitely need a change." "Having another option to vote Democrat is wonderful, and our current president isn't even on our ballot," Poisson said, expressing frustration about Biden's absence from the primary. In Derry, a town about 15 miles southeast of Manchester, 36-year-old Jon Turcotte posed for a picture with Phillips after voting for him. He said he likes that Phillips has the guts to speak up to the DNC. "I like his policies," Turcotte said. "Based on the things he's been saying, he seems like a good candidate. I don't know how good his chances are." Waving their candidates' signs outside the Derry polling place, some Biden and Trump supporters told Phillips they respected him after he came over to shake hands and give high-fives. But some voters, such as Bill and Janice Burke, said they didn't know enough about Phillips and that his campaign started too late. They wrote in Biden's name Tuesday, saying they think the president is best positioned to beat Trump. "I don't think Dean has enough steam," Bill Burke said. Staff writer Josie Albertson-Grove contributed to this report. Washington lawmakers are considering a proposal to prohibit law enforcement officers from using hog-tying methods to restrain individuals. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, along with 10 other Democratic Senators and was heard in the Senate Law and Justice Committee on Monday. SB 6009 would prohibit law enforcement officers from hog-tying individuals, and the bill would clarify that hog-tying constitutes the use of excessive force. Distrust in our system impacts everyones safety and thats the bottom line, Trudeau said during the public hearing for the bill. And as a body, weve agreed that the law enforcement profession, like any others including ours, must secure public trust and ensure accountability if were going to move forward together. Which is why weve made policy decisions to discontinue practices and tactics that dehumanize and create unnecessary risks of harm and/or death to the people they serve. Trudeau added that while the bill is simple, it has great meaning for the people in her community. Several testified in support of the legislation, including the sister of Manuel Ellis, who was hog-tied face-down by Tacoma police officers before he died in police custody. Monet Carter-Mixon said the use of hog-tying has not only affected her and her family, but also others in their communities. She noted that the practice of hog-tying was first used on animals to prepare them for branding or slaughtering. Its inhumane for animals, so it should be inhumane to humans as well, she said. Carter-Mixon noted that the term hog-tie was used in Ellis police report after officers had used it on him, but that the trial judge refused to enter the term into official court record because he found the term too dehumanizing. She also noted that the city of Los Angeles banned the practice in 1997. This isnt something new, this isnt something that the state should be behind on this should be immediately put into practice because its going to save lives, Carter-Mixon said. Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards also testified in favor of the legislation Monday. But not all who testified were in favor of the legislation. James McMahan, policy director for the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, testified against the proposal. McMahan said the organization does not celebrate the use of hog-ties nor do they like the name of the restraint itself. We must acknowledge, however, that a restrained person can still present a danger to themselves and to others, including our officers, McMahan said. We do ask that the Legislature not prohibit the tools and tactics necessary to prevent a person from being a harm to our officers or themselves. We want to do this in the safest, most effective and most humane way possible. McMahan also noted that law enforcement agencies have new equipment that is just as effective and more humane than hog-tying, but the equipment is expensive. It also requires three officers to use the equipment. McMahan said the bill leaves open the possibility that this restraint method could be prohibited as well. All told, 265 people signed in to support the bill, while 19 people signed in opposed to the legislation. Since 1995, the Department of Justice has advised against using maximally prone restraint techniques such as hog-tying, warning that individuals can die from the position. The technique is already prohibited in Tacoma and Puyallup. The proposal is scheduled to be considered in executive session on Thursday in the Senate Law and Justice Committee. A companion bill in the House is sponsored by Democratic Rep. Sharlett Mena, also from Tacoma, and co-sponsored by 31 House Democrats. That bill has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing. The Supreme Court announced on Monday that it will hear a case deciding whether Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma death-row inmate, can receive a new trial. Glossip, who was convicted of the 1997 murder of his boss, Barry Van Treese, has long maintained his innocenceand narrowly avoided execution multiple times. The Supreme Court has rarely heard appeals from death-row inmates in recent years. But Glossip's case has been mired in an unusual level of controversy. Notably, no one claims that Glossip murdered Van Treese. The murder was instead committed by Justin Sneed, the 19-year-old maintenance man of the hotel where Glossip served as manager. However, Sneed testified that Glossip had actually planned the crime after reaching a deal with prosecutors that would allow Sneed to avoid the death penalty himself. Glossip's conviction almost immediately fell under suspicion. He received a retrial in 2004 but was again convicted and sentenced to death. Over the years, Glossip has remained on death row in Oklahoma and narrowly avoided execution nine separate times. In 2021, a bipartisan group of legislators ordered an independent investigation into Glossip's case. The resulting report cast serious doubt over the veracity of Glossip's conviction. The report found that the state had deliberately destroyed evidence before Glossip's trial and that police had "[elicited] Sneed to mention Glossip's name" during his interrogation. The report even went so far as to find "additional evidence, never presented to the jury or to any court, that would likely have led to a different outcome in the case," according to the outside investigators. Following the release of a second investigation last year, Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond announced that he was requesting that Glossip's conviction again be overturned and a new trial granted. "After thorough and serious deliberation, I have concluded that I cannot stand behind the murder conviction and death sentence of Richard Glossip," said Drummond in a statement last April. "Considering everything I know about this case, I do not believe that justice is served by executing a man based on the testimony of a compromised witness." But an appeals court refused to order Glossip a new trial just three weeks later. Soon after, a parole board denied Glossip clemencydespite Drummond himself testifying in favor of Glossipand attempted to go forward with Glossip's execution. The Supreme Court stepped in last May to halt Glossip's execution. Now, the Court has agreed to hear a case that could determine whether Glossip receives a new trial. In recent years, the Court's conservative majority has been hesitant to hear cases from death-row inmates. The particularly glaring issues with Glossip's cases likely motivated the unusual step. "We have a situation here where the attorney general of the state, the highest law enforcement officer in the state, has said that Richard Glossip did not receive a fair trial," Don Knight, Glossip's attorney, told CNN's Jake Tapper on Monday. "And that should be something that we think the Supreme Court should take very seriously." The post This Death Row Inmate Says He's Innocent. The Supreme Court Has Agreed To Hear His Case. appeared first on Reason.com. Death threats were allegedly sent to the Embassy of Hungary in Ukraine targeting Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, in connection with his upcoming visit to Uzhhorod. Source: European Pravda, citing Index. The publication, citing its own sources, reports that the letter was sent to the email of the Embassy of Hungary in Ukraine and was written in the Ukrainian language. The author of the note expresses that Ukrainians harbour hatred towards the Hungarian government for allegedly working to ensure that Ukraine "loses in the war". The note states that an "explosive reception" awaits Szijjarto on 29 January and advises preparations for a funeral. The message concludes with, "God forgives, but Ukrainians do not". Hungary's State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tamas Menczer stated on his Facebook account that the threat "does not deter Peter Szijjarto from representing Hungary's interests". Quote: "The Polish Prime Minister attacks Hungary's position, which advocates for peace, with unacceptable statements, while the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peter Szijjarto, receives death threats. Anyone who thinks that the minister of foreign affairs of Hungary will be frightened does not know Peter Szijjarto," Menczer wrote. Background: The meeting of the ministries of foreign affairs of Ukraine and Hungary is scheduled for 29 January in Uzhhorod and aims to prepare for the meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Before this, Zelenskyy and Orban briefly crossed paths in Argentina during a visit to the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected president. Orban then mentioned that he had accepted Zelensky's invitation to discuss bilateral issues but with the condition that the foreign ministers would prepare the meeting. Support UP or become our patron! Rescue workers search for survivors in the debris after a landslide hit Zhenxiong County, in Zhaotong BEIJING (Reuters) - The death toll from a landslide in China's Yunnan province rose to 25 late on Tuesday as rescue workers battled freezing temperatures and snow to locate dozens of missing people. Rescuers worked through the night sifting deep mounds of earth at the site of the landslide in Zhenxiong County, state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday. One rescuer said large machines cannot be used due to the unstable soil, according to a report from local media outlet The Cover, owned by the Sichuan Daily Newspaper Press Group. "If the excavation is unloaded below, the top may continue to collapse. It is difficult to carry out large-scale mechanical operations, and it is very difficult to rescue on site," the worker was quoted as saying in the report. After the landslide hit on Monday, at least 47 people from 18 households were reported missing, CCTV said, adding that 25 of those people were now confirmed dead. Another 19 were still missing and three other people had been accounted for by the rescue team. Another two people were hospitalized for head and body injuries, the national health commission said. The landslide hit two villages in the southwestern city of Zhaotong at about 5:51 a.m. (2151 GMT), covering houses in brown mountain soil at the foot of a hill, CCTV reported. "The mountain just collapsed, dozens were buried," a man surnamed Gu, who witnessed the landslide, told the state-owned TV station for the neighbouring province of Guizhou. Gu said four of his relatives were buried under the rubble. "They were all sleeping in their homes," he said. More than 500 people were evacuated from their homes, CCTV said. Officials told a press conference on Tuesday the landslide was triggered at a steep cliff area at the top of a mountain slope. (Reporting by Bernard Orr and Shanghai and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Shri Navaratnam, William Maclean) Pakistani children dance at a Chinese Lunar New Year gala in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Jan. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) As the mercury falls to single digits in Pakistan's federal capital, Islamabad, making the weather chilly and foggy on Sunday, a hotel hall decorated with traditional Chinese red lanterns was a source of warmth and coziness for people gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. Buzzing with slogans of "Long Live Pakistan-China Friendship," the hall was filled with people from both Pakistan and China, including teachers, students, and volunteers. During the event, a dazzling array of performances, including traditional dances, sitcoms, and Kung Fu, by Pakistani and Chinese children, filled the hearts of the audience with joy, peace, and harmony. The gala was kicked off by a classical dance, "Flying Swallow," performed by Chinese girl Liu Huijun. "The flying swallows symbolize the return of spring to the earth. I hope to bring New Year blessings to Pakistani friends through this dance," she said. Donning a glittery golden gown, Sidra Sajjad, an 8-year-old student and dance performer, was all smiles when she was inquired about her dress and performance during the event. "Today I am wearing my best golden gown to perform a song that highlights the strong and sweet friendship between Pakistan and China ... My Chinese friends have also performed, and the traditional dresses they were wearing truly enticed me," Sajjad told Xinhua. Sobia Adnan, director of Islamabad China-Pakistan Youth One Heart Step and Cure Home (ICOSH), a China-funded orphanage in Islamabad, where the majority of Pakistani children who joined the gala came from, said that the Chinese New Year celebrations light up the faces of orphans as they are relishing moments of joy and happiness together with their Chinese friends. "Both cultures of Pakistan and China are humane and beautiful ... The gala can prove that we are the one and forever friends. We are thankful to the Chinese people for being a ray of hope for these underprivileged children in Pakistan," she said. Shifa Butt, who instructs Pakistani children to perform a dance called "Mother," said that the gratitude expressed by this dance is similar to the Chinese filial piety culture and that both countries' cultures promote positive values. The dance performed by Pakistani children also moved a Chinese boy, Ma Yusheng, who performed a so-called "Kemusan" dance, the latest internet hit in China, translated as "Subject Three" dance, pushing the gala to a new high. "I have been rehearsing hard for several days, just hoping to bring you joy today, and my performance is not bad!" he said. Speaking to Xinhua on the occasion, Asma Munir Salman, a school leader of Great Maple School, Rawalpindi, said that attending such cultural events has always been exciting and exhilarating. "Both countries' children used music and art to demonstrate the concepts of cultural mutual learning, peace and inclusiveness, which set a good example for the world today ... We are very happy to be here at this event and we all know that culture, music, and arts have no boundaries and borders," she said. In her school, Salman said many Pakistani students are learning Chinese language, culture and Chinese martial arts, adding that the way children are accepting each other's cultures is heartening as it fosters global understanding and promotes peaceful relations among nations. Talking to Xinhua, Ma Bin, president of the China-Pak Educational Cultural Institute (CPECI), who organized the event, said the purpose of the party is to let children from both countries share the joy and peace of the Chinese New Year. "Chinese cultural thought has always advocated cultural equality and inclusiveness. We hope that children from both countries can appreciate each other's culture through mutual exchanges and artistic performances," he said. Allies will provide Ukraine this year with more weapons needed to effectively strike Russian targets both on the front line and in the rear as well as to destroy Russia's logistics hubs, Ukraine's Defense Ministry officials said following the 18th Ramstein summit on Jan. 23. At the meeting, commitments were made to supply Ukraine with additional long-range striking capabilities, among other things, according to the ministry's press release. Ukraine's military has been using the U.S.-provided ATACMS and Storm Shadow missiles delivered by the U.K. to strike Russian military sites and equipment deep behind the front lines. The Ramstein-format online summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) took place amid increasing uncertainty surrounding the future of Western support for Ukraine as over $100 billion in U.S. and EU military and financial aid remain stalled by domestic political turmoil. The UDCG comprises over 50 countries, including all 31 NATO members, and has been meeting regularly since April 2022 to coordinate military aid for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. According to Ukrainian Defense Ministry officials, the Jan. 23 summit showed that the "strong support" from Kyiv's allies would continue. Partners discussed strengthening Ukraine's capabilities within the aviation, air defense, artillery, and maritime security coalitions, said Hennadii Kovalenko, the head of the Defense Ministry's Department of International Defense Cooperation. Within the aviation coalition, the allies discussed sending additional helicopters to Ukraine, according to Kovalenko. Read also: Opinion: What happens if the West abandons Ukraine? Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov briefed the Ramstein summit participants on the country's defense priorities and goals for 2024, saying that for a breakthrough on the front line, Ukraine needs "innovation and significant technological progress." Defense technologies will be the key point on the ministry's agenda for this year, he added. According to Umerov, Russia has used six times more artillery shells than Ukraine, "sacrificed an average of 400 soldiers in exchange for one square kilometer of land," exceeded Ukraine's capabilities in producing first-person view (FPV) drones, but despite all this, "has not come close to its strategic goals." "It can hardly be considered an achievement that the huge military industry of Russia, the whole army of the aggressor, spent a whole year to capture the ruins of two cities Bakhmut and Marinka," Umerov told partners. While delivering opening remarks at the Ramstein summit, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that his country "remains determined to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom," urging allies to provide Kyiv with ground-based air-defense systems and interceptors. The previous Ramstein summit was held virtually in late November. The U.S. has since made no progress on resolving the ongoing dispute within the legislative branch about approving further aid for Ukraine. "Our support for Ukraine's struggle against tyranny makes all of our countries more secure. If we lose our nerve, if we flinch, if we fail to deter other would-be aggressors, we will only invite even more bloodshed and chaos," said Austin. "So a sovereign and secure Ukraine is critical to global security. And we must not waver in our support for Ukraine." He also said that Washington didn't see any credible evidence of the misuse or illicit diversion of U.S.-supplied equipment in Ukraine. "What we do see is Ukraine using the capabilities that we've provided to defend itself against Russian aggression." Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A group of Democratic governors on Tuesday called on congressional leaders and President Biden to reach a deal on a legislative package that would provide desperately needed funds to address the migrant surge at the border. The letter, led by New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D), urged Washington leaders to put aside political considerations to move swiftly to reach a deal on comprehensive border security legislation. While political motivations continue to delay the negotiations, our economy, states and localities are bearing the brunt of the shortcomings of the existing immigration system, read the letter, addressed to Biden, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.). The governors expressed support for Bidens initial supplemental funding request, which included $4.4 billion for a robust, federal migration strategy, with $1.4 billion in aid to states and municipalities. Those funds would provide support to federal agencies for additional personnel to increase border security, add staff to accelerate processing times and eligibility determinations, and increase removal proceedings for those ineligible to stay in the United States, the governors wrote in the letter. We believe the Presidents supplemental request provides a minimum level of funding and actions that will allow the United States to begin transformational reforms to its immigration system and uphold the principles of democracy that America was built upon, they wrote. The letter was signed by Hochul, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. The Democratic governors called for swift action when Congress returns. Therefore, as you return to Washington to resume work on critical federal funding measures, we strongly urge Congress and the Administration to quickly negotiate an agreement on a border security legislative package that includes federal coordination and decompression at the southern and northern borders; federal funding for both border and interior states and cities receiving new arrivals; and a serious commitment to modernizing our immigration system in the United States, the letter read. The surge of migration at the southern border has been a political issue for Democrats as well as a policy one as migration increased, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has led the effort to send migrants by bus to cities without warning their local leaders. The situation can lead to chaos as cities struggle to find last-minute shelter and resources for migrants who arrive. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. More than a dozen Democratic lawmakers urged congressional leadership to halt the potential reinstatement of the China Initiative, a controversial Trump-era program that once led to accusations of racial profiling toward Asian scientists in the U.S. In a letter first shared with NBC News on Monday, the group of legislators called on House and Senate leadership to remove language written by GOP lawmakers related to a key House spending bill that demanded the program be reactivated. The China Initiative, established to thwart China from stealing scientific and technological secrets, expired in 2022 following major concerns from the academic community over discrimination and targeting of scientists of Asian descent. The Democratic lawmakers took issue with language used in explanatory materials to the bill, H.R. 5893. The materials, which accompany the legislation and further explain its rationale, called the previous decision to end the initiative deeply irresponsible. Republican lawmakers on the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee behind the materials also called on the National Security Division of the Justice Department to re-establish an office with a similar mission. In another section of the materials, the lawmakers described the end of the program as unwise. This decision is an example of weakness from a Justice Department more concerned with being politically correct than protecting Americans, and stands in stark contrast to the actions of other Federal agencies that have taken steps in recognition of the extraordinary long term threat China poses to the United States, the explanatory materials read. A budget is a representation of our priorities and values, read the letter, spearheaded by Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif., and Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii. It would be both a misallocation of resources and a backsliding for civil rights to restart the China Initiative. And Meng warned that a restart of the China Initiative could put a target on the backs of Asian Americans. The China Initiative came at the expense of innocent Asian Americans, by questioning their loyalty and reinforcing negative and harmful stereotypes, she said in a news release. We cannot return to this. The group of lawmakers wrote in Mondays letter that they object to the China Initiatives characterization in the explanatory materials, calling on language around restarting the program to be stricken. They argued that the program led to serious consequences for the Asian American community and little transparency from the DOJ. This prosecutorial initiative was a blunt instrument wielded against anyone who had some nexus to China, the letter read. An unacceptably high number of the aforementioned cases ended in dropped charges, dismissals, and acquittals because prosecutors could not prove allegations. Several Asian American academics and scientists have been falsely accused of spying under the Trump-era initiative. One such scientist, hydrologist Sherry Chen, was awarded more than $1.5 million in damages for her wrongful prosecution and termination from her job at the National Weather Service after she was arrested in 2014. Another scientist, MIT professor Gang Chen, had his charges dismissed in January 2022, but has since stepped away from any federally funded research due to anxieties of being racially profiled. Many others have reported similar fears. More than 50% of scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. now feel considerable fear and/or anxiety that they are under government surveillance, according to 2021 research by the nonprofit Committee of 100. In a 2022 speech at George Mason University, Matthew Olsen, head of the National Security Division at the DOJ, spoke about the end of the China Initiative, addressing previous concerns around discrimination, racial profiling and its impact on the research community. While I remain focused on the evolving, significant threat that the government of China poses, I have concluded that this initiative is not the right approach, he said. For more from NBC Asian America, sign up for our weekly newsletter. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A group of congressional Democrats is urging colleagues to stop the reinstatement of the China Initiative, a program under former President Trump that some argued racially profiled Asian scientists and academics in the U.S. The program, which was designed to stop China from stealing scientific and technological secrets, lapsed in 2022. The Trump-era China Initiative undermined our nations scientific innovation and global partnerships while perpetuating the forever foreigner stereotype and ruining the careers and lives of the innocent scholars targeted for investigations solely because of their Chinese ancestry, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said in a statement. In a letter first shared with NBC News Monday, legislators including Chu pointed to language in the House spending bill that calls for the China Initiative to be reestablished. In addition to Chu, Democrats Rep. Grace Meng (N.Y.) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) are leading the call that it would be a backsliding for civil rights to restart the program. In the more than three years that this program existed, federal prosecutors charged dozens of individuals with various types of fraud and conspiracy, acting as an agent of a foreign government, unlawful export, money laundering, and other charges, the lawmakers said in the letter. Chinese American and Chinese researchers and scholars who have made valuable contributions to science, technology, and academia in this country for decades reported that they felt targeted by a racial profiling campaign and fearful of conducting research, the lawmakers added. The letter came after Republican lawmakers on the Appropriations Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee issued explanatory materials for H.R. 5893 that said ending the program was irresponsible and unwise. This decision is an example of weakness from a Justice Department more concerned with being politically correct than protecting Americans, and stands in stark contrast to the actions of other Federal agencies that have taken steps in recognition of the extraordinary long term threat China poses to the United States, the explanatory materials said, according to the letter. The materials then called on the Department of Justices National Security Division to reestablish an office focused on countering Chinese espionage and influence against American businesses, research institutions and academia. Meng, first vice chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, said the program allowed the Department of Justice to direct animosity, suspicion and bigotry toward Asian American researchers and scholars. This was not only an attack on academic freedom; it was yet another expression of anti-Asian sentiment and scapegoating in the United States, Meng said. The China Initiative came at the expense of innocent Asian Americans, by questioning their loyalty and reinforcing negative and harmful stereotypes. We must not put targets on the backs of Asian American citizens and those who are lawfully working here. We cannot return to this. NBC News reports that under the initiative, multiple Asian American academics and scientists were falsely accused of espionage. In 2021, the nonprofit Committee of 100 reported that more than 50 percent of scientists of Chinese descent in the U.S. feel considerable fear and/or anxiety that they are under government surveillance. In the letter, Democrats said they recognize the utmost importance of national security and the threats to it, but added that a budget is a representation of our priorities and values. While it is crucial that we protect our national security and intellectual property, codified discrimination is not the answer, said Hirono, executive board member of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus. At a time when anti-Asian hate and violence is still rampant across the country, we must do everything we can to prevent programs like this founded in racism and xenophobia from happening again. Meng, Chu and Hirono were joined by a dozen other congressional leaders, including Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (Ga.), in calling for the provision to be removed from the bill. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) A 29-year-old man was taken to the hospital after he was stabbed by another man in Holland Township, deputies say. The stabbing happened just before 2 a.m. on Lane Avenue near E 16th Street in Holland Township, according to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. Arriving deputies found a 29-year-old Zeeland Township man with stab wounds that were not life-threatening. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated. A 41-year-old Holland Township man was identified as the suspect. Deputies say he was known to the victim but did not name him. This embedded content is not available in your region. The sheriffs office says there is no threat to the community. Deputies are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to contact Ottawa County Central Dispatch at 1.800.249.0911 or Silent Observer at 1.877.88.SILENT (745368). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. This file photo taken on June 9, 2010 shows French theater director Patrick Sommier receiving Beijing Great Wall Friendship Award from Beijing municipal government. (Xinhua) French theater director Patrick Sommier has been devoted to passing on the true meaning of Chinese operas which, according to him, are the assembly of all art forms, to the French public. On the occasion of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France in 2004, Sommier was invited to collaborate on a joint project with the Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts (BVCOA) to perform Beijing Opera in France. Sommier told Xinhua that when he arrived in China, like many others in Europe, he listed "plenty of cliches about Chinese opera: magnificent costumes, multicolored make-up, extraordinary acrobatic movements..." Unexpectedly, the beauty of Beijing Opera "quickly" captured his heart, he said. Recalling his collaboration with the BVCOA, for the first time, Sommier was impressed by the vigor of the actor hidden behind the make-up and costumes, and the characters of incredible strength from the Chinese classics that evoked thoughts of the Greek tragedy genre. He was also touched by the Chinese professors who passed their know-how to their students by acting together with them, which is different from how the French did in the theater world, he added. "In China, opera is an art requiring lifelong devotion and actors are the embodiment of the opera." Since then, Sommier started delving into various performance forms and advocated introducing traditional Chinese operas to French audiences. Following Sommier's suggestion, the BVCOA in 2005 staged innovative performances whose first half featured professors and students collaborating on stage without make-up or costumes, while the second half showcased students performing classics like "Farewell My Concubine" in a traditional manner. The performances drew a total of over 22,000 spectators, and over 7,000 French students participated in the workshops on Chinese opera make-up and body gestures. Expressing his hope that the audience truly understands the beauty of Beijing Opera instead of just watching it with a "tourist gaze" focusing on the exoticism of the art, Sommier said: "Theater is not a product to consume, but a real cultural meeting and an approach towards what we do not know. Apart from pleasures, it should intrigue people to make a bit of effort to understand unfamiliar things." In 2010, Sommier extended his cooperation with the BVCOA and brought the newly created version of the Chinese classic "Water Margin" to the stage. Over the years, Sommier has continued to discover and promote different Chinese operas. In the southeastern Chinese city of Quanzhou in Fujian Province, he was fascinated by Liyuan Opera, which he said was "the best ever seen" by him. In 2014, on the occasion of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties, he brought Liyuan Opera to Paris and many other European cities on tour. Last year, Sommier published his book "Ximi," which means "Theater Enthusiast" in English, dedicating a significant portion of it to recounting his experiences with Chinese operas. Noting that "theater constitutes another step" toward the Chinese culture and "the image of China is underrepresented in the world," he said, "The differences between Chinese operas and French theater enrich the public's view and thus enrich the image of a country." The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France, and also the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism. Numerous bilateral cultural events, including theater shows, are scheduled for the two peoples. Having served as a cultural courier between the two countries for two decades, Sommier hopes that the French and Chinese will mutually impress each other with high-quality shows. This file photo taken on Jan. 25, 2010 shows French theater director Patrick Sommier posing for photos with members of Beijing Vocational College of Opera and Arts (BVCOA) in front of the MC93 theater in Bobigny, France. (Xinhua) CRANSTON The Rhode Island State Police are investigating after a deputy sheriff was shot Monday morning, apparently when another deputy sheriff's gun accidentally discharged. The deputy sheriff was taken by ambulance to Rhode Island Hospital with injuries that are not considered life-threatening, Rhode Island Sheriff David M. DeCesare said in a news release. The incident happened at about 8:30 a.m. in the sally-port area of the Adult Correctional Institution's intake services facility, DeCesare said. The incident happened in the sally-port area of the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. The two deputy sheriffs are members of the Sheriff Departments Inmate Control and Custody Transportation Unit, which is responsible for the transportation of ACI detainees to and from Rhode Island courts. No ACI detainees or ACI employees were involved or in the area when the incident happened, DeCesare said. "An initial review of the incident appears that the firearm discharge was accidental. However, the incident is being investigated by the Rhode Island State Police Detective Bureau and the investigation is on-going at this time," DeCesare said. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI deputy sheriff shot by another deputy, apparently by accident at ACI The Des Moines City Council has sped up the process to hold a special election to fill now-Mayor Connie Boesen's vacant at-large seat after multiple council members said they heard "overwhelming" support from the public. But the decision has left some community members skeptical of the condensed timeline. The City Council on Monday voted to direct the city to request a special election from the Polk County Auditor's office. The approval means the council won't take a vote on whether to hold a special election at its Feb. 5 meeting. Monday's agenda included an item to discuss options for filling the seat, which included the possibility of a special election or the council appointing someone. The unanimous decision came after six people spoke in support of the special election at the meeting. Other community members also reached out to council members with similar sentiments, according to Boesen and council member Joe Gatto. "I know we got multiple emails and things. I'm happy to call for a special election and support a special election; I'd actually do it before the next council meeting," said Gatto before he made a motion to have the city contact the county auditor's office. "I don't think we need to have any other discussions about it." More: What Mayor-elect Connie Boesen plans to do in her first 100 days as Des Moines' mayor During public comment, resident John Noble called it "devastating" that the public even had to ask the council for permission to elect its representatives. Unlike the ward seats, the at-large position represents the entire city and any Des Moines resident can run for election. The term for this seat expires in January 2026. "There are major, major issues in this city that the city has chosen not to address time and time again ...," Noble said. "It should go without saying that we should call a special election on this issue so that we can get back to the work of actually helping the people who are suffering in this city because of cold and because of this council's inaction." Resident and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement member Tom Rendon said, "To support a special election means that you support democracy. And that says to me that this would be a central value of yours as people who are going to be making this decision." Mayor Connie Boesen speaks after being sworn in at city council meeting, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. According to city attorney Jeff Lester, the county auditor will have to call for an election at "the earliest practicable date" and not less than 32 days after the council calls for one. The date is up to the auditor, he said. "There's no reason to drag this thing on another two more weeks. We can call for the election now," Gatto said. "If we have an overwhelming support," Boesen added. "I'm overwhelmingly supportive," responded council member Chris Coleman, before seconding Gatto's motion. More: Des Moines swears in first woman mayor: 'Everything can be possible' But council member Josh Mandelbaum, as well as some audience members at the meeting, questioned why the timeline was shortened and expressed concern over the transparency of the process. Mandelbaum told colleagues he had concerns that by the council voting to notify the county auditor imminently, the election could be held as soon as March 5. But calling for the special election at the Feb. 5 meeting would give the public extra notice, even if it's just a week's worth, he said. "I think a special election is the appropriate way to address this and I'm supportive of a special election," he later told the Des Moines Register. "I think it's important to make sure that the process is transparent and that the public knows what we're doing and has sufficient time to react. And I hope that window is sufficient for the public moving forward." During discussion, Gatto said he believes people would have been aware of Boesen's vacant seat as early as Nov. 7 when she was elected mayor. "So I would think that anyone who wanted to run ... is ready to go as we call for a special election," he said. "I think this council needs a seventh person sitting there, so that when we have things that we need six votes, that we have that option. And the sooner, the better," Gatto said. Coleman added that he thought it was wise for the council to vote for the special election Monday so that the council wouldn't be accused of "gamesmanship" over candidate selection. A member of the audience laughed and yelled, "You're doing gamesmanship." During the public comment period after the vote, community member Adam Callanan said the way the item originally was on the agenda allowed for public notice before the election was officially approved and declared. Instead, he said, the council seemed to come prepared with a different action already in mind, which he called "conspicuous." "What it feels like to the public ... it seems like people have been in contact with the city about running and those people have been prepared for tonight. And now people who don't have a connection to the city government are just finding out tonight and won't be prepared for the election," Callanan said. Boesen told the Register there was nothing "pre-planned" about the vote, adding that the council was transparent through the process. She reiterated that community members "overwhelmingly" supported a special election, although some reached out calling for an appointment due to the high cost of an election. "But this is a democratic process. I believe for a two-year position this needs to be an election," she said. She added the city has no control over the date of the election, saying it's in the hands of the county auditor. "Yeah, it's a short timeframe, but we need somebody in the seat ... and quite honestly, people have been talking since I got elected in November they might run," Boesen said. Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at vbarreda@dmreg.com. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Des Moines votes to hold special election to fill vacant at-large seat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) warned Tuesday that he saw a lack of enthusiasm among GOP voters in the Iowa caucuses last week, and that declining appeal among moderates is a huge warning sign for the Republican Partys 2024 hopes. The governor dropped out of the GOP presidential race Sunday after a lackluster performance in the caucuses, finishing a distant second to former President Trump. When I have people come up to me who voted for Reagan in 76 and have been conservative their whole life say that they dont want to vote for Trump again, thats a problem, DeSantis said in a BlazeTV interview Tuesday, his first since leaving the race. Turnout in the Iowa caucuses was much lower than in 2016, with just 110,000 caucusgoers participating compared with 187,000 eight years ago. Weather was partially to blame, with record-low temperatures discouraging participation, but DeSantis saw a bigger problem. I think theres an enthusiasm problem overall, and then I also just think there are some voters that have checked out at this point that you got to find a way to get them back, he continued. The governor blamed the media, claiming that major outlets made Trumps victory look inevitable, and that the notion hurt his campaign. We started noticing this in the fall, where voters who had caucused in 2016, previous caucusgoers, when they were being polled, they said theyre definitely not caucusing, DeSantis said. [The voters] did not want to see Trump nominated again, but they had basically been told that it was inevitable, that it was over. DeSantis endorsed Trump after dropping out, despite campaigning against him for months. He predicted that the number of voters who have checked out would grow over time, as Trump wins primary states. Those are the voters you need to be competitive, he said. The governor made similar comments just before ending his campaign in an interview published Monday. He blamed the media for making Trumps support appear stronger than it is, depressing turnout for other candidates. I mean, I think that the reality is, [Trump] is a guy that has not been willing to debate. Hes not been willing to answer questions from voters. Hes basically run a basement campaign, he said. And so far, hes gotten away with it because I think he hasnt been, been hit by the media for it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Aside from a handful of running jokes involving pudding and boot lifts, the most durable legacy of the Ron DeSantis presidential campaign, which ended on Sunday, will be its relentless demonization of queer and trans people. DeSantis and his staff made scapegoating LGBTQ peopleportrayed as threats to children and to the nation itselfa dominant message in a race there was little doubt the Florida governor would lose. This assault on LGBTQ peoples rights and safety will outlast his relatively brief and failed run for the White House. We should now expect DeSantis to return to demonizing queer and trans people in his state. His acceptance of threats and intimidation will live on in our national politics, as well. From his go-to nonsensical debate talking points about children being transed to videos promoting DeSantis as an anti-drag crusader with fascist imagery, the DeSantis campaign turned to anti-trans politics so predictably that it seemed calculated. Political writers told us that it didnt work, that he was being too online, too steeped in convoluted anti-woke signaling, too awkward and insincere even to be capable of communicating something he meant. It was tempting to believe, I guess, that no one would throw their weight so fully behind such legally shabby legislation as bans on drag performance, or on teaching queer books, or discussing slavery in the classroomnot unless it was part of some other plan. At times in this campaign, the reality that DeSantis wasnt just running to the right of Trump on culture war issues but had already governed from there somehow eluded political commentators. DeSantis pushed his states health regulators to halt access to gender-affirming care, attempted to ban state colleges and universities from discussing social issues as very broadly and vaguely defined, and threatened venues that hosted drag eventswhile accusing those who opposed him of spreading a fake narrative. In a similar vein, the DeSantis campaign has deliberately tried to mislead people on this score by distancing itself from its messengers, even as it shared its message: A deceptive and homophobic Pride video from June 2023 was produced by a campaign aide but was misrepresented as the work of some outside fan. It cut between out-of-context Trump sound bites meant to portray him as gay-friendly and hypermasculine moments in film and television. As MSNBCs Zeeshan Aleem observed, the video doesnt demand a return to traditional gender roles, rather it celebrates a kind of eliminationist rhetoric: that the response to the existence of queer and trans people is intimidation and violence. It also should be understood alongside another video the campaign released shortly afterward, which it also misrepresented as an outside effort but which was in fact created by a DeSantis speechwriter. After celebrating DeSantis again for his raft of anti-LGBTQ legislation and his offensive against drag performers, the video featured a DeSantis-as-savior image framed by the black sun symbol as appropriated by Nazis and neo-Nazis. (The DeSantis campaign later fired the speechwriter.) Both videos celebrated the sitting governor for his successful campaign of intimidation and exclusion in his home state. At the time, The New York Times said that DeSantis was seeking attention with the Pride video, calling it the type of movedevised to provoke a reactionthat Mr. Trump often deployed from his Twitter account. What kind of reaction, precisely? DeSantis defended the video as identifying Donald Trump as really being a pioneer in injecting gender ideology into the mainstream. This accusation is not meant to be truthful. DeSantis is associating his enemy with gender ideology, that is, something to be opposed. This is an attack on Trumps masculinity, and an assertion of DeSantiss ownan expression of the ideology of male supremacism, one that Trump indeed shares. DeSantis isnt looking for an outraged reaction, even if he knows hell get one; hes trying to identify Trump with the out-group. DeSantiss consistent proximity to fascist imagery was a bit like his so-called culture war campaigning: Political commentators often mistakenly portrayed it as a distraction or a ploy, when in truth, its the whole show. The macho posturing, the embrace of intimidation: Its not just a vibe for the sake of a video. All that was and remains as central to DeSantiss patriarchal, male-supremacist ideology as his signature policy agenda, in which the dignity and freedom of people unlike him will be challenged by men like him, using threats and force. The country as a whole may have been spared that kind of power, but Florida is for now stuck with him. And nationally too, there may be no coming back from what his campaign has normalized. Eighty-eight percent of Republican voters now say they want a candidate who would ban surgeries that change a childs gender, according to a January CBS News/YouGov poll. Trump, of course, picked up on this months ago, proclaiming at a rally in a June 2023, I talk about transgender, everyone goes crazy. Who would have thought? Five years ago, you didnt know what the hell it was. There is some polling data to suggest that, as a country, people have been adopting more regressive views on sex and gender since 2017. In order for the party to have a future after Trump, they needed to have a candidate, wrote Evan Urquhart at Assigned Media, performing a postmortem on the DeSantis campaigns political strategy. In order for them to have a candidate, their candidate needed to have an issue. In order to have an issue, they needed to sell a moral panic. Now the candidates balloon has burst, but the panic rages on. DeSantis was rejected by voters, maybe, for running predominantly on that panic. But he stoked the panic all the same. His campaign is over. The threat DeSantis poses to queer and trans people is not. A day after Ron DeSantis exhausted his bid for the White House and endorsed Donald Trump for the presidency, the Florida governor nixed a Republican effort to line Trumps legal fund from within his state. On Monday evening, DeSantis shared a link to a Politico article titled, Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trumps legal bills, referring to a bill introduced by state Senator Ileana Garcia, who proposed that Florida taxpayers should foot $5 million in legal aid to the former president. But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen, DeSantis posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. Garcias proposal garnered initial support within the state, getting an endorsement from Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. The Florida Freedom Fighters Fund bill argued that Trump qualified for legal aid from a designated state fund, because he is a presidential candidate and Florida resident subject to political discrimination. That coffer comes from fees paid by candidates running for political office within the state but would be replenished by voluntary donations made by residents when renewing their drivers licenses, according to Florida Politics. Having a Floridian in the White House is good for our state, Garcia said in a statement issued on Monday, referring to the former president who was born and raised among New York Citys social elite. And anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation. But that support quickly died down after DeSantis came out in opposition to the bill, with Garcia almost immediately rescinding the proposal and backtracking in incredible fashion by claiming online that Trump actually didnt need the financial help anymore. This bill was filed on January 5th amidst a crowded primary, including two Florida residents. My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates, and while (Patronis) brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign through the primary, one frontrunner now remains, and he can handle himself. I will be withdrawing the bill, Garcia said, reposting DeSantiss comments. Trump is currently facing 91 charges across four criminal cases and potentially steep civil penalties for the continuous defamation of Elle columnist E. Jean Carroll and for the Trump Organizations bank fraud in New York, which may result in a fine as high as $370 million. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suggested that he would not support legislation in his state that would make taxpayers pay for former President Donald Trumps legal bills. Politico published a social media post that said, Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trumps legal bills, to which DeSantis responded, But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen... But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen https://t.co/kkc2yyqVK0 Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 23, 2024 The report noted the measure that some Florida Republicans are backing would give as much as $5 million to Trump and that the legislation had received an endorsement from the states chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis. The bill would have been named Grants for Victims of Political Discrimination, with the aim to create a fund that would provide financial aid to Florida residents that are making a White House presidential run that face legal, partisan, political attacks by the Department of Justice or state attorneys, Patronis said, according to Newsweek. Along with DeSantis, state Sen. Ileana Garcia, who also endorsed Trumps bid for the 2024 presidential election, responded to the X post, saying she would withdraw the bill. The bill was filed on January 5th amidst a crowded primary, including two Florida residents, Garcia stated in reference to both DeSantis and Trump. My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates, and while (Florida Chief Financial Officer) @JimmyPatronis brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign through the primary, one frontrunner now remains and he can handle himself, Garcia continued. I will be withdrawing the bill. This bill was filed on January 5th amidst a crowded primary, including two Florida residents. My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates, and while @JimmyPatronis brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign https://t.co/wieqYQ8Woq Ileana Garcia (@IleanaGarciaUSA) January 23, 2024 The Hill reported that DeSantiss threat to veto the legislation comes as Trump currently faces 91 criminal charges, including one federal case related to his retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Related Did DeSantis pull his endorsement of Trump? Despite the response to the Politico report, DeSantiss endorsement of Trump for the 2024 election remains intact. Its clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance, DeSantis said in his announcement of suspending his campaign on Sunday. He has my endorsement because we cant go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, or repackage formed of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents. Garcia, who also expressed her decision to withdraw the bill, has continued to express her support of Trumps presidential bid. In an X post, Garcia is photographed beside Trump, with the caption saying, Bring it on! When Li Guanlin's mother saw that the Beijing Golden Sail Junior Orchestra was recruiting four years ago, she signed her son up. For Guanlin, who has been learning the violin since he was 6, and who practices for at least two hours a day after school, playing the violin with other children of a similar age was a fresh experience. "I can still remember the first time I went to rehearsals. I was nervous and the piece the teacher told us to play was difficult," the now 12-year-old recalls. "I was concentrating fully and listened carefully to the way the others played, hoping I wouldn't make a mistake. The rehearsal was challenging but we ended up playing beyond our expectations. I had never felt so happy before, much happier than playing by myself." Guanlin set himself the goal of becoming the orchestra's first violin, a goal he achieved six months after joining. One recent Saturday morning, he took part in a three-hour rehearsal in preparation for a concert that will take place at Beijing's Forbidden City Concert Hall on Jan 30 to celebrate the Beijing Golden Sail Junior Orchestra's 10th anniversary. The concert will include performances of Chinese and Western music, including the fourth movement of the Yellow River Piano Concerto by Xian Xinghai, Symphony No 9 in E Minor, Op 95 by Antonin Dvorak also known as From the New World- and The Barber Of Seville: Overture by Gioachino Rossini. According to Hu Yang, the founding member and head of the Beijing Golden Sail Junior Orchestra, all 145 current members will perform alongside 60 other musicians trained by the orchestra. "The pieces we have chosen to play are ones we normally perform on tour. We also chose some very popular pieces to appeal to the audience, and especially to children who are learning to play instruments," says Hu. The 37-year-old Beijing native learned to play cello as a child and joined the Beijing Golden Sail Symphony Orchestra the mother orchestra of the Beijing Golden Sail Junior Orchestra when he was a student at Beijing 101 Middle School. Formed by Beijing 101 Middle School students in 1988, the Beijing Golden Sail Symphony Orchestra, which is an amateur music group, was one of the first student orchestras in China, and has since achieved fame at home and abroad. "There are many good reasons for children to play instruments, including increasing memory, improving coordination and self-expression. However, most of the time, Chinese children practice alone. Because of my experience playing in a student orchestra, I know how happy and helpful it is for children to join a student orchestra," Hu says. "The food we eat every day gives us the nutrients we need and although it cannot be touched, smelled or seen, music nourishes our souls." Based on his experience at the Beijing Golden Sail Symphony Orchestra, Hu decided to found a youth orchestra in 2013 to appeal to musicians of an average age of 11. Besides the training they get through rehearsals, members of the orchestra have opportunities to perform onstage, both in China and abroad. In 2015, Hu took the orchestra to Germany, Austria and Switzerland on cultural exchanges and to perform. Two years later, it played at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Pavilion at Expo Astana 2017. It performed at the Sydney Opera House in 2018, and in the following year, it performed during the 2019 China-Finland Youth Symphony Event, which took place in Turku. In July last year, the orchestra performed in Vienna as part of the 2023 Chinese Youth Symphony Concert. "These young people may have traveled around the world but when they perform as musicians, they get a sense of achievement they would not get if they were just traveling as tourists," says Hu. "They are proud of themselves." He recalls vividly that during a trip to Germany in 2015, the orchestra not only performed at concert halls, but also in places like old peoples' homes. When they played Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525 at one, its elderly residents applauded warmly and one elderly man told them that he had been a musician, and that he had been deeply touched by their performance. "He told us that they reminded him of his childhood, when he'd also played Mozart's Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525," Hu says. "It was really a touching moment seeing how people, despite age and cultural differences, could connect through music." Zhang Yunqi has been playing cello with the Beijing Golden Sail Junior Orchestra for about four years. Intrigued by the sound of the cello after attending a concert with her mother, the 11-year-old says that she plans to become a professional cellist. "I have many friends here who are also learning to play instruments. We have a lot in common, and it's never boring practicing together," says Yunqi, who is a big fan of cellist Yo-Yo Ma. "My parents are very supportive of my idea to pursue a professional musical career, and I am working very hard toward that. Being a part of the orchestra allows me to enjoy music and get closer to my goal." The orchestra's conductor Chen Shu says, "Not all the members of the orchestra are going to become full-time musicians, though some of them have been admitted to music schools. But the experience of playing in an orchestra, and the passion for music, will stay with them for the rest of their lives." The 40-year-old also trained as a member of the Beijing Golden Sail Symphony Orchestra when he was a student at Beijing 101 Middle School. After pursuing further studies in Austria, he returned to China and has been a violinist with the China NCPA Orchestra the resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts since 2010. "Though it's enjoyable, an orchestra is also a high-pressure environment, because you're required to play to a high standard. You also need to overcome difficulties like stage fright, and be self-disciplined," says Chen. "When I first rehearsed with the children, I was surprised by their ability and commitment. They work together toward a shared goal." A plan spearheaded by some Florida Republicans to use taxpayer funds to assist former President Donald Trump in covering fees tied to his numerous legal woes was ditched after Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would veto the proposal, per Politico. The bill was filed earlier this month by Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Fla., for this year's legislative session, and could allow Florida to give Trump up to $5 million as he navigates four criminal indictments at the federal and state level as well as a second defamation trial with writer E. Jean Carroll. Politico reported that the proposed legislation, which would give money to presidential candidates who were Florida residents, had already received backing from Florida's Republican chief financial officer and a member of DeSantis's Cabinet, Jimmy Patronis. Its in Floridas best interest to make sure their champion for the President is allowed a fair shot at the White House without being taken down by some fake witch hunt, Patronis said Monday, per The Washington Post. Patronis also alleged that having taxpayers pay for Trump's legal bills was a financially sound move. If we can help and support a Florida candidate for the White House, thats just good from a dollars and cents perspective, he said, according to Politico. From all the decisions the federal government makes with regard to military installations, to roads, to disaster aid its in Floridas best interest to make sure their champion for the President is allowed a fair shot at the White House without being taken down by some fake witch-hunt. Moreover, if Governor DeSantis makes another run at it, he has said that he too could face the same legal headwinds that President Trump is facing. Garcia on Monday said in a release disseminated by Patronis' office that were in the midst of an historic moment where were watching an election thats trying to be stolen by left wing prosecutors, the Biden Administration and even Blue States. Theyre not trying to win at the ballot box; theyre trying to keep President Trump off the ballot by weaponizing the courts. Having a Floridian in the White House is good for our state and anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation. But by Monday night, Garcia stated that she would withdraw the bill after DeSantis, who on Sunday announced the suspension of his 2024 presidential campaign, took to X/Twitter to express his opposition. Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trumps legal bills, the governor wrote. But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen." This bill was filed on January 5th amidst a crowded primary, including two Florida residents, Garcia tweeted in response to the governor. My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates, and while @JimmyPatronis brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign through the primary, one frontrunner now remains, and he can handle himself. I will be withdrawing the bill. Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, in a statement forwarded by her office, told Politico, President Trump has the means to cover his legal expenses; however, many people do not, which is Senator Garcias concern." You should reach out to Senator Garcia about her bill," Passidomo added. "She does a great job. It is not helpful or necessary for me to weigh in on every bill. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. As Politico noted, despite DeSantis' rejection, the future of the bill remained decidedly murky "There was no House companion to the bill, and it was not something that Republican legislative leaders have been promoting during the start of this years session." Democrats sharply condemned the bill, blasting it as "a disgrace." What this shows you is who the Florida GOP is loyal to because its certainly not the people of Florida, wrote Nikki Fried, Chair of the Florida Democratic Party, in a text to Politico. Senator Garcias victim-card bill is a disgrace and should inflame any Floridian who cares about where their tax dollars are going. In response to DeSantis's public disapproval of the legislation, Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Fla., tweeted Absolutely not." Republican Rep. George Santos of New York leaves the U.S. Capitol after being expelled from the House of Representatives after a bipartisan vote on Dec. 1. File Photo by Julia Nikhinson/UPI Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Rep. George Santos says he wants more time to negotiate a plea deal with federal prosecutors. During a status conference on Tuesday, Santos asked U.S. Eastern District of New York Judge Joanna Seybert for more time to work out a plea deal while facing 23 felony charges. The charges against Santos include two counts of wire fraud, two counts of making false statements to the Federal Election Commission, two counts of falsifying records submitted to the FEC, two counts of identity theft, and one count of access-device fraud, according to the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. Seybert said she is aware that Santos and federal prosecutors are negotiating a potential plea deal and might resolve the matter out of court. Santos was joined by two new attorneys. Robert Fantone Jr. and Andrew Mancilla joined the legal team led by Joseph Murray, local news reported. Santos took office in January 2023 representing New York's 3rd Congressional District after winning election as a Republican during the 2022 mid-term election. Santos served less than a year before being expelled from office amid allegations of campaign finance fraud and other alleged offenses that resulted in the 23 charges he now faces. Santos is scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 9 and is scheduled for a court appearance on Aug. 13 for a status update. The House of Representatives twice tried and failed to expel Santos amid allegations that he falsified his history after federal prosecutors initially charged him with 13 felonies and again after 10 new charges were filed against him. A third attempt to expel Santos succeeded on Dec. 1 by a vote of 311-114. Santos' former treasurer Nancy Marks pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, while former Santos fundraiser Sam Miele pleaded guilty to charges of identify theft and wire fraud after he allegedly impersonated an aide for former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. MOORESVILLE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A group of residents from Mooresvilles Bridgeport neighborhood are taking on their homeowners association after their board sent violation letters to only a select number of residents with violations. According to Bridgeports Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions signed in 1989, perimeter fences must be at least 50% open when viewed from a perpendicular sight line. Neighbors say at least 15 fences in the neighborhood violate this rule, but only three recently received letters of violation. Those violation letters threaten to fine residents $50 per day until the fence becomes compliant. It also says the HOA may choose to have the violation corrected, in which case the homeowner would be billed for any services required. Michelle Barker was one of the three homeowners who received violation letters. Im not understanding why we need to spend so much on lawyer fees to fight something that is already clearly inconsistent in the neighborhood, she said. Chris Kramer is another neighbor who received a violation letter. He told Queen City News he just purchased his home in October, and the privacy fence was one of the features that drew him to the new home. [The home] was advertised with it. Its in all our purchase agreements that the house comes with a privacy fence. So technically, theyre trying to take away something that we legally purchased, said Kramer. To be going this far with something that trivial is disheartening. Greg Smith resigned as HOA president this past summer due to frustration with the way the fencing violations were being handled. [The board says], Were only doing the most currently constructed fences. Well, you cant enforce a rule thats in your bylaws; you cant do it selectively. Its illegal in most states, but its definitely illegal in North Carolina, he said. My goal is to make the board realize, if youre going to go this route and target privacy fences, you need to go after everybody. You just cant go after a select few. An attorney for Bridgeports HOA told Queen City News he is looking into the issues. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Will the GOP primary race be over tonight, or can Nikki Haley pull an upset? Mike Warren will be at Haley HQ as the results roll in, and he will join host Declan Garvey and panelists Steve Hayes, Chris Stirewalt and David Drucker to discuss whats next for the candidate. Andrew Egger will review his coverage of a Biden/Harris campaign event, and John will check in from South Carolina on Haleys ground campaign there. Mary Trimble will join to break down (and give us a break from campaign coverage) her reporting from Tuesdays Morning Dispatch item about Ecuador. Grab a drink (or a few), get your questions ready, and join us at 8 p.m. ET on YouTube for this weeks Dispatch Live. Dispatch Live recordings are made available as a members-only podcast on select platforms. If you cant make it for the live broadcast, see below for information on how to access the podcast. Q&A: We want to hear from you during the show. To ask questions of our panelists and interact with other members you can use the YouTube Live chat feature or simply comment on this post during the broadcast. A Google account is required to use the YouTube Live chat. Heres how to create one with your normal email: Create a Google Account. We hope youll join us! When: Tuesday, January 23, 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Where: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESZoXsU5z8I Note: If clicking the link does not work try copying and pasting it directly into your browser. Add event to calendar Apple | Google | Office 365 | Outlook | Outlook.com | Yahoo If you cant make it, dont worry: We will post the recording on the site Wednesday, available to members only. Dispatch Live is a weekly virtual gathering for members featuring Dispatch writers, editors, and special guests. Attendees can ask questions of our panelists and interact with other members via the chat feature. Or you can just sit back with your beverage of choice and watch the proceedings. While you can see the panelists, they cant see you. Dispatch Live recordings will also be available as a members-only podcast on select platforms. We heard from many of you requesting audio recordings of Dispatch Live and were glad to provide this feature to members. See below for information on how to access the podcast. How to subscribe to Dispatch Live: To easily follow The Dispatch Live on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or Overcast please follow these instructions: Visit the show website and click the badge that says Listen & Subscribe Select your preferred listening platform from the available options You will then be asked to add or follow the podcast to your feed via an RSS Feed URL. Once added, the Dispatch Live podcast will be available in your feed like any other podcast To manually add this podcast to your preferred feed you can use this RSS Feed URL: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/DISPME9120713977 Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Maintenance worker Mark Detgen of the National Park Service at the Lincoln Home National Historic site clears a path in the ice in front of the Lincoln home Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Slippery road conditions and inclement weather were still playing havoc with school and some businesses in the Springfield area Tuesday. For a second straight day, Springfield Public Schools and the Ball-Chatham schools went to e-learning. Ball-Chatham announced its athletic and extracurricular events would go on Tuesday. Other school districts implementing e-learning Tuesday included Taylorville, Mt. Olive, Mt. Pulaski, Greenview and Pawnee. More: SJ-R's Leisa Richardson named executive editor of two South Carolina newspapers Sangamon County roads were "open and passable" with some stretches that crews were still treating, said county engineer Brian Davis, reached Tuesday morning. Crews spreading salt were back on the roads by 4:30 a.m. Tuesday, Davis said. Sangamon County lifted its Level 1 winter weather emergency, which cautions motorists about hazardous roadways, late Tuesday morning. It was enacted Monday afternoon, and it applies only to county highways. A District 186 Facebook post cited black ice on roads, sidewalks, and parking lots for the e-learning decision. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students and staff is our utmost priority," a news release read. Untreated roads and other surfaces remain slick throughout Springfield and central Illinois from the between a tenth and a quarter inch of ice that fell Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Lincoln. The high temperature in the area Tuesday afternoon was expected to be near 40 degrees, according to the NWS. That was "encouraging" to Davis and crews treating the county highway system, the main rural routes that connect communities. "We are seeing the effects of the salt and obviously the temperatures are helping quite a bit, too," Davis added. "We had them in really good shape before we pulled off the roads (at 5:30 p.m. Monday)." School District 186 headquarters on Fiat Drive in Springfield. The Illinois Department of Transportation cautioned that while temperatures will warm above freezing Tuesday, some surfaces remain slippery. The warmer air flowing over the frozen ground could cause periods of dense fog, particularly Tuesday night, with some stretches of visibility below a quarter of a mile. NWS hydrologist Darrin Hansing said the Springfield area could also see some patchy fog during the day Tuesday. With the rain contributing to the snow melt, Hansing said he's also expecting to see elevation in local creeks and streams, but "nothing rising to the concern of flooding." On the Illinois River around Beardstown and Havana, there are forecasts of flooding later in the week, he added. Chances of rain are in the area forecast through Thursday with high temperatures each day near the mid-40s. Lincoln Land Community College's locations and Routt Catholic High School in Jacksonville delayed opening. Rochester, Williamsville-Sherman, Jacksonville, New Berlin, North Mac, Lincoln, Jacksonville, and PORTA public schools closed Tuesday. Among private schools, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School, Springfield Catholic grade schools and Lutheran High School in Springfield, Calvary Academy, Camp Calvary, and Calvary Day Care also were closed. At Springfield Clinic, bariatrics at the main campus remained telehealth only Tuesday. The 900 building pharmacy was closed and the radiation oncology at the HSHS Pavilion and Koke Mill location delayed opening. Meanwhile, city of Springfield offices were open normal hours Tuesday. A City Water, Light & Power budget scheduled for the city council chambers at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday was still on. Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Road conditions still playing havoc in Springfield The Shanghai Joint Publishing Company has launched the latest addition to the "Panda Talk Series". Penned by Professor Sun Yixue from Tongji University, the book, titled The International Communication of Chinese Culture and Telling China's Story, constitutes a comprehensive exploration of the evolving global communication of Chinese culture amidst unprecedented global changes. Comprising four chapters, the publication delves into topics, including the international communication of Chinese culture, the construction of international Chinese education disciplines, and the cultivation of cross-cultural understanding among international students. Professor Sun's work offers innovative insights and practical recommendations, aiming to enrich the abilities of international communication of Chinese culture. This Panda Talk Series, edited by Professor Sun and jointly launched by the research team of The International School of Tongji University and the Shanghai Joint Publishing Company, serves as a cultural communication platform that leverages the academic excellence of Tongji University. The series seeks to pioneer new paradigms for international students to comprehend China's national conditions and Chinese culture. Additionally, it aims to enhance the international communication capabilities of both Chinese and foreign students. Through multimedia platforms, the series is also poised to disseminate its findings and achievements. Dixville Notch, a tiny town of six registered voters, unanimously chose former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley as the states primary process began at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday. The tally was six votes for Haley. The community has just four registered Republicans and two independents and has long garnered nationwide fame for voting first in the states primary process. Tom Tillotson, the towns moderator, said Dixville Notch gets its 15 minutes of fame every four years. An accordionist played the national anthem shortly before voting began. How we vote really doesnt matter in the scheme of things, Tillotson, who has served as town moderator since 1976, told Politico. The one message that we try to get out every cycle is that we have 100% [voter turnout] and wish that everybody else would do the same. Two other towns that usually voted at midnight, Millsfield and Harts Location, opted to hold their votes in the daytime this year. The Dixville ballot box is displayed in front of voting booths in the Tillotson House during preparations for midnight voting on Jan. 22, 2024 in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. Dixville Notch is the only community in New Hampshire to vote at midnight on Tuesday during the 2024 Primary Election. The Dixville ballot box is displayed in front of voting booths in the Tillotson House during preparations for midnight voting on Jan. 22, 2024 in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. Dixville Notch is the only community in New Hampshire to vote at midnight on Tuesday during the 2024 Primary Election. Moments from now - 6 voters in Dixville Notch, NH will cast their ballot. Results will be posted on a small board in the middle of the room. Way more media here than any voter / worker - media outlets from the UK, Japan, and Indonesia - among those here to witness this event pic.twitter.com/rugxYg0wFa Mark Meredith (@markpmeredith) January 23, 2024 The voting process in Dixville Notch usually lasts just a few minutes, but is covered by dozens of media outlets looking to portend who will come out on top during the primary. This year, Haley is hoping to leverage her position as the last serious challenger to former President Donald Trump, urging voters to avoid the chaos another Trump term would bring. America does not do coronations, Haley said during a campaign event on Monday. Lets show all of the media class and the political class that weve got a different plan in mind, and lets show the country what we can do. Trump retains a strong lead over Haley in polling averages, even after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race. He and many other Republicans have quickly lined up behind the former president. Related... The owner of a Madison Township dog rescue, where 92 dogs were seized from appalling conditions and dozens more were found dead, has accepted guilt in the mistreatment of her animals, court records show. Ronda Murphy, 60, pleaded guilty on Monday in Butler County Common Pleas Court to eight felony counts and four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to companion animals. As part of her plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the remaining 11 animal cruelty charges against her. The question now is whether Murphy will spend any of her sentence behind bars. She faces a maximum of a year in prison for each of the felonies and 90 days in jail for each misdemeanor charge. Joseph Auciello Jr., Murphys attorney, declined to comment on the case until after sentencing. Murphy owned and operated the Helping Hands for Furry Paws dog rescue from her property on Eck Road, just down the street from her home on Mosiman Road. Nana, a mix-breed female, was taken in at the Animal Friends Humane Society in Hamilton after being rescued July 27 along with dozens of dogs from the Madison Township home of Ronda Murphy. When deputy dog wardens searched her properties on July 27, they found adult dogs and nursing puppies living in their feces without food or water and, in some cases, with poor ventilation, according to police and court documents. Authorities also found dog remains scattered throughout the two properties, including in refrigerators and freezers, some of which were not working. In total, deputies uncovered roughly 30 dead dogs, though they could only recover the remains of 18 because some had decomposed to the point that their bodies were liquefied. 'A rubber stamp': Little to no oversight exists for Ohio animal rescues Butler County Sheriffs Office records show that deputies responded to Murphys two properties at least 36 times from February 2020 to July 2023 to check on the animals welfare and respond to complaints about the conditions there. Officials also received reports over the last three years that Murphy was housing dozens of dogs in deplorable conditions, lying to authorities and keeping animal remains in freezers. However, it took an early morning surprise visit for deputies to find enough evidence of animal cruelty to obtain a search warrant and file charges. Under state law, animal cruelty encompasses torture, needless killing, causing serious physical harm, or deprivation of adequate food, water and shelter, negligently or otherwise. Murphy is expected to appear in court on March 4 for sentencing before Judge Noah E. Powers II. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ronda Murphy case: Dog rescue owner faces prison for animal cruelty The Mississippi Sounds treasured dolphins need to be protected from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prolonged and repeated openings of the Bonnet Carre Spillway, a coalition of Coast governments and groups say in a second lawsuit filed Monday against the agency. The Bonnet Carre Spillway is killing our dolphins and other marine life, Mississippi Sound Coalition manager Gerald Blessey said Monday morning in Gulfport during a news conference announcing the lawsuit. . . . We must protect our dolphins. This is our home. In the federal lawsuit, Mississippi Sound Coalition members accuse the Army Corps of Engineers of violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act when it opened the spillway for a record 123 days in 2019 without seeking a permit federal law requires before a dolphin population is disturbed or harmed. The National Marine Fisheries Service oversees the extensive permitting process, but the lawsuit says the Army Corps did not seek a permit. The Corps opened the Bonnet Carre to prevent flooding in and around New Orleans. The Mississippi River flowed through Lake Pontchartrain and eventually into the Mississippi Sound, where it created a fisheries disaster by reducing salinity and polluting the environment. Great white shark spotted of MS coast: Rare great white shark spotted off the coast of Mississippi The Bonnet Carre Spillway, a flood control structure in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. The massive volumes of polluted fresh water diverted through the Bonnet Carre Spillway and into the Mississippi Sound caused direct and indirect mortality of resident bottlenose dolphins, the lawsuit says. Many of the dolphins that did survive developed extremely painful and debilitating skin lesions. The number of dolphins in the Mississippi Sound was estimated at 1,265 in 2018. In 2019, 166 dolphins washed up on Mississippi shores, either dead or unable to return to the water, the lawsuit says. It was the highest number ever recorded, the lawsuit says, with the second-highest number recorded in 2011, when 147 dolphins were stranded during another flood year with high levels of river water pouring through the spillway. At the news conference, Moby Solangi of the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies in Gulfport, said 153 dolphins died on Mississippi shores in 2019, compared to 91 during the 2010 BP oil spill. Additionally, 50% of stranded dolphins in Mississippi exhibited painful lesions caused by extended freshwater exposure, the lawsuit says. Lesions were observed in only 10% of stranded Alabama dolphins and 7% of Florida dolphins. Dolphins are integral to the Coasts economy, ecology and culture, the lawsuit says. The parties who filed the lawsuit, including the cities of Biloxi, DIberville and Pass Christian, Harrison County, the Mississippi Hotel and Lodging Association and Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United Inc., want a federal judge to declare the Corps failure to seek a permit for taking dolphins unlawful or unreasonably delayed when the Bonnet Carre was opened. Dead dolphins with freshwater lesions on them are being found in high numbers on Mississippi's coast. The lawsuit also asks that the judge order the Corps to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act by applying for a permit to take dolphins before opening the spillway, require the Corps to avoid harming or killing the Sounds dolphin population during future spillway openings, and award attorneys fees and court costs to the Coast group. The Corps retains discretion to control the volume of discharges through the Bonnet Carre Spillway in a reasonable manner, the lawsuit says. Further, the Mississippi groups maintain, the Corps could reduce its use of the spillway through long-term planning and construction. The Corps has not yet had time to respond to the lawsuit. A previous lawsuit filed by Mississippi Sound Coalition members accused the Army Corps of violating federal law by opening the spillway more frequently in recent years without considering the consequences to marine life or seeking less harmful alternatives to alleviate river flooding. In that case, U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. ruled the Corps must follow federal law by consulting the National Marine Fisheries Service before opening the Bonnet Carre again. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: MS lawsuit accuses Army Corps of killing dolphins for flood control Known as one of the most intelligent creatures in the ocean and the planet bottlenose dolphins have long built a reputation as an icon of the seas. Whether showing off their strength by jumping into the air or showing off their personalities by helping stranded swimmers, it seems dolphins can do no wrong until now. In a study published in the journal PLOS One on Jan. 10 , researchers question dolphins cuddly demeanor after a series of documented attacks on baby manatees in the Caribbean. Dolphins, a social species, are known to interact with other ocean animals, the researchers said, but interactions between dolphins, part of the cetacean family, and manatees, part of the sirenian family, have rarely been documented. But the researchers argue confrontations between the two species have been going on for decades and its a one-sided fight. Beating up baby manatees Off the shore of Belize and the surrounding islands, baby Antillean manatees, a smaller cousin of the iconic Florida mammal, started appearing separated from their mothers, the study said. The babies came close to the shore and had scrape marks on their bodies. The first baby was found in 1999 by a marine mammal researcher when they spotted a group of dolphins surrounding a manatee calf. For 15 minutes, the dolphins exhibited a variety of social and affiliative behaviors directed at the manatee calf including rubbing and supportive behaviors, with the dolphins appearing to push the manatee calf to the surface, the researchers said. Later that same day, about 3 miles east from where the first calf was spotted, a single dolphin was seen swimming with a baby manatee until they both moved into deeper water. The baby manatee was alone. The behavior wasnt observed again until 2015 when a Belizean resident saw a manatee calf swimming with a dolphin near a boat dock by Belize City, the study said. The dolphin was observed investigating the calf with its rostrum, the front of its head, the study said. Large splashes and vigorous subsurface movements suggest the dolphin was also harassing the calf. Once on the lookout, sightings of these confrontations increased. In 2018, a group of dolphins approached a mother and calf and tried to separate the two, the researchers said, swimming in between them and lifting the calf in the water. Antillean manatees, or Caribbean manatees, are a smaller subspecies of the West Indian, or Florida, manatees, pictured above as a mother and calf pair. Several minutes later, a single dolphin was observed displaying aggression and attacking the calf, ramming the calf out of the water into the mangroves and repeatedly biting it, the researchers said. Cases of dolphin aggression towards manatees, particularly calves, were documented several more times until July 2020. From 2010 to 2020, 13 orphaned manatee babies were found with tooth rake marks on their bodies, suggesting dolphins played a part in their separations from their mothers. Why does the behavior seem so out of character from the stories of Flipper and Winter weve come to know and love? Acting like jerks With enough evidence to suggest a larger behavioral trend between dolphins and Antillean manatees in the region, the researchers are struggling to identify the dolphins motivation. Dolphins do not eat manatees and why they act this way with another species is unclear, Eric Angel Ramos, the lead author and scientist at the International Foundation for Nature and Sustainability, told Live Science. Its likely that they are quite curious when they encounter manatees, and because dolphins are often aggressive with each other, they display this behavior to other species like manatees. That is one explanation, but not the only possibility. Around the world we see bottlenose dolphins literally acting like jerks and being violent with other species, senior author Jeremy Kiszka, a biological science professor at Florida International University, told Live Science. Im confident in saying that, yeah, I think they want to inflict death. The dolphins might also see the manatees as competitors for food, space or resources, Kiszka told the outlet, as climate change and human activities cause their habitats to overlap. Since the interactions were documented over many years, it may be happening more than scientists ever knew, which is concerning for the health of the Antillean manatee population in the Caribbean. The manatees, a subspecies of the well-known West Indian manatee, can be found anywhere from southeastern Texas to northeastern Brazil, and are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources Red List. Any additional source of mortality is something we should be concerned about, Kiszka told Live Science. 109 sea turtles found paralyzed on Outer Banks beach in NC. Only 36 survived the day Baseball legend gives thumbs up to Maryland baby penguin with his name. See chick Bobcat still at large after attack sends 66-year-old to hospital, AZ officials say Deep-sea creature with 5 elongated arms is a beautiful new species. See it In the Trump era, Republicans have developed a dark but effective strategy to deflect from his staggering criminality. They appear willing to lodge any complaint or investigation, without an underlying good faith basis in law or fact, against any Democrat to create false equivalencies for Trumps many felony charges. The noise from their constant false allegations produces the desired effect of minimizing Trumps crimes in the court of public opinion, leading exhausted voters to tune out and lump together all politicians facing legal charges. And because of the mainstream medias performative neutrality, as the Guardians Margaret Sullivan put it, the GOPs obvious political stunts garner excessive coverage. It is all meant to equalize coverage of Trumps traitorous conduct, which has no equal. The new motion to dismiss and disqualify Georgias Fulton County Prosecutor Fani Willis from the states 2020 election interference case is just more of the same noise from the right. The allegations against Willis Earlier this month, one of Trumps co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case, former director of Election Day operations Michael Roman, filed a 127-page motion to dismiss the indictment and disqualify Willis and her entire team from the case based on allegations that Willis had an improper, clandestine personal relationship with Nathan Wade, a private lawyer whom Willis retained to work on the election interference case. The motion alleges that Willis personally profited from Wades contract, under which Wade was paid $653,881 over several years, because Wade paid, or helped to pay, or shared the cost, for romantic trips he took with Willis. Roman alleges that Willis and Wade have traveled personally together to such places as Napa Valley, California, Florida and the Caribbean Wade has also purchased hotel rooms for personal trips with funds from the same account used to receive payments under his contract with Willis. These facts, Roman claims, show that Willis and Wade profited significantly from Trumps prosecution at the expense of the taxpayers. The motion to disqualify is 127 pages of amped-up language amounting to nothing Wades personal use of funds from the same account used to receive payments under his contract, cited in the motion, just means he deposited his pay into his personal bank account, then spent his own money, like everyone. Same account contract is only used here to sound suspicious. Also, if it isnt obvious, government prosecutors and their outside counsel are always paid with taxpayer funds, so Willis and Wade profiting at taxpayer expense just means they got paid for their work. They can spend their income on vacations, lavish or otherwise; they can spend it on Skittles and kittens if they want. Mainstream medias heavy coverage of Republicans attempt to disqualify Willis will likely crescendo in a big, fat so what? A romantic affair isnt a nefarious conflict of interest, nor is traveling together, nor is getting paid. Its another attempt to distract the public from damning recorded evidence of a defeated Trump on the phone pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to find 11,780 non-existent votes, a clear election felony. Indictment-adjacent, it gives Fox News a plausible substitution to avoid discussing the damning fusillade of evidence against Trump. Specific disqualifying allegations On Monday, Romans attorney successfully petitioned a Georgia court to unseal Wades ongoing divorce proceedings, looking for embarrassing and salacious but legally irrelevant flair. Roman has alleged, without evidence, that Fani Willis could have handled the Trump case within her office, but chose instead to hire her boyfriend as a private special prosecutor in order to benefit financially from his fees. Roman offers no analysis of staffing levels, caseload or professional expertise at the Fulton County prosecutors office to support his claim that outside counsel was unnecessary to prosecute one of the most consequential cases in U.S. history. And he offers only bootstrap arguments that the Willis-Wade personal relationship created a conflict of interest. The gravamen of the disqualification attempt is that Willis hired Wade because they were involved romantically, and she wanted to benefit financially from his hourly compensation, which Roman claims is excessive. But according to a newly released book from veteran award-winning investigative journalists Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman, Find Me the Votes, Willis tried to hire two other outside attorneys before she offered the work to Wade. Willis first approached Roy Barnes, a former Georgia governor, to serve as senior counsel in the Trump prosecution, but Barnes declined, According to CBS News, Gabe Banks, a former federal prosecutor, was next, and also turned down Willis offer. Both men are reported to have been concerned about Trump supporters threats to their personal and family safety, with Barnes asking, Hypothetically speaking, do you want a bodyguard following you around for the rest of your life?" The fact that Willis only hired Wade after two other private attorneys turned her down wholly defeats Romans claim that she hired Wade in order to benefit financially from his contract. Regarding Wades hourly fee, Willis ultimately retained two additional outside attorneys to work on the election interference case. She paid all three outside attorneys the same hourly rate, but the motion to disqualify targets only Wade, and targets only his hourly rate. Wade is black; the other two outside attorneys are white. A trumped-up claim that Wade was hired without county authority Roman has moved for an order disqualifying Willis, her office, and (Wade) from further prosecuting the instant matter on the grounds that (they) have been engaged in an improper, clandestine personal relationship during the pendency of this case Roman argues that under Georgia law, Willis was required but failed to obtain Fulton Countys approval prior to appointing Mr. Wade as special prosecutor to work on the case, which means the indictments he assisted in securing suffer from a structural and irreparable defect and must be dismissed. Romans motion concedes that Georgia law authorizes a district attorney to retain additional prosecutors who are compensated from county funds, but claims the indictment must be dismissed because Willis did not have specific authority from Fulton County to contract with Wade. Roman also concedes that the Fulton County prosecutors office had access to surplus funding to clear a COVID-era backlog and to hire additional counsel, but alleges that the use of that money in the election case was somehow illicit. Covid backlog, according to Romans argument, would not include Trumps felony prosecution, even though Trumps election interference in Georgia took place in Nov. 2020 and continued through 2021, during the heart of COVID. The extent to which Willis consulted with county officials prior to retaining Wade, and her offices staffing protocols, if relevant at all, will be addressed when she files her response to the motion on February 2. But where is the conflict of interest? The motion devotes pages to Willis alleged attempt to defraud the public by personally benefiting from an undisclosed conflict of interest without identifying exactly where Willis conflict of interest lies. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course. Whitworth v. State, cited in the motion to disqualify, dealt with bribery, and a Georgia statute that prohibits state employees from receiving anything of value to which they are not entitled in return for procuring a specific outcome. The appellant in Whitworth tried but failed to show that the prosecutor who secured his conviction had a personal interest or stake in his conviction due to a pre-existing employment conflict, which is neither alleged nor relevant to Wade. Roman does not claim, because he cannot, that Wade and Willis were not entitled to their income, nor that getting paid for their work influenced any kind of outcome in the Trump election interference case. Despite all the real estate Roman devotes in his brief to a presumed conflict of interest, he doesnt identify any personal stake in his indictment. Wanting to succeed on a case, like expecting to get paid, does not rise to an unethical personal interest in a defendants conviction, or attorneys would be acting unethically every time they care about the outcome of a case or submit an invoice for their work. Roman relies on Georgia Rules of Professional Conducts instruction that, [a] lawyer shall not represent or continue to represent a client if there is a significant risk that the lawyer's own interests will materially and adversely affect the representation of the client. But neither Willis nor Wade had or have their own interests which conflict with their clients interest. The client here is Fulton County; the countys interest is in securing a just conviction if that is where the facts and law lead. There is no conflict where attorneys and their client want the same outcome. Having an affair and taking romantic trips together is not the same as when a judge, or a Supreme Court justice, receives millions of dollars in gifts from a litigant appearing before the court, then rules in favor of the gifting party in hidden quid pro quo. There is no allegation here that anyone accepted a bribe, or that either Willis or Wade are pursuing Trumps conviction for financially illicit purposes, unless the desire to get paid for their work is somehow illicit. Both Willis and Wade want to secure a conviction; there is no allegation that they received gifts to influence how they go about getting one. Roman asserts, not incorrectly, that Wade has an incentive to continue working on Trumps prosecution because thats his source of income. But that is no different from any attorney who represents clients because they get paid (unless their client is Donald Trump, known to stiff his attorneys.) A financial incentive to prosecute Trump in this context sounds sinister, but it means nothing other than the expectation of receiving pay for work performed. The glaring double standard A jury in New York recently found Donald Trump liable for sexual assault, which has the same legal meaning as rape, yet Republicans still consider him qualified to serve as President of the United States. Under MAGA ethos, a man can rape a woman, and brag about grabbing female genitalia without permission, and still occupy the highest office in the nation, but a woman in a consensual affair with outside counsel is disqualified from service as a county prosecutor. Got it. The British Museum has urged detectorists not to go magnet fishing to retrieve treasure after a Viking sword was damaged while being dredged from a river. A record number of finds, from Iron Age coin hoards to Tudor rosary beads, are being unearthed in the UK, according to the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) run by the British Museum. But experts are determined to persuade those seeking treasure to stop using the increasingly popular technique of fishing for artefacts in waterways using powerful magnets. They say the risks of the method include blowing up unexploded ordnance, and damaging artefacts. The warning from the PAS comes after a Viking sword was damaged while being pulled out of the River Wallers Haven in Suffolk. The remains of the hilt fell off and were lost in the river. Risks include explosives and drowning The scheme experts wrote: Fishing for metal objects with powerful magnets in lakes and waterways has become increasingly popular. However, there are many risks involved, including finding unexploded ordnance and possibly drowning. There is also the risk of damage to the object and its archaeological context, particularly at sites of ritual deposition. The PAS advises against this activity, which is banned by the Canal and River Trust on its waterways. The method also erases important archaeological context which offers clues as to the meaning of objects, and what they were used for. In 2022, a record haul of archaeological finds were made in the UK, with detectorists largely responsible for the 53,490 discoveries. Among the finds were an Iron Age hoard of coins in a flint container, and an eerie rosary bead carved in bone during the Tudor period, when the position of Catholics in Britain was precarious. Thanks for detectorists One side of the delicately carved object, found on the banks of the Thames near the City of London, shows the face of a young woman, but the other depicts a skull, reminding the owner of their mortality. Mark Jones, the interim director of the British Museum, said: The information about finds is being recorded by the PAS to advance knowledge of past peoples, where and how they lived. As such, it reflects every part of human history, from the Palaeolithic to more modern times, across the whole of England and Wales. Most of the finds recorded have been found by members of the metal-detecting community and I wanted to especially thank them for recording these items with the PAS. 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. Donald Trump raised eyebrows when he challenged his Republican presidential primary rival, Nikki Haley, to a mental aptitude test. Haley has upped her attacks on Trump in recent weeks and on Saturday suggested the former president is not as sharp as he used to be when he appeared to mix her up with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during a campaign speech. Asked by Fox News Martha MacCallum about Haleys assessment, Trump argued he was a lot sharper than his former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The four-times-indicted Trump then suggested, I would do this. I would sit down right now and take an aptitude test, and it would be my result against her result, and shes not gonna win, not gonna even come close to winning. Trump: I think Im a lot sharper than Haley. I'd take an aptitude test and it would be my result against her result. When I heard the word cognitive, you know, Ive taken two of them now. One with Doc Ronny who is now a fantastic, you know, White House doctor. pic.twitter.com/BiYeL0bqOz Acyn (@Acyn) January 22, 2024 In fact, when I heard the word cognitive, you know, Ive taken two of them now, Trump continued. I took one with Doc Ronnie, whos now a fantastic, you know, White House doctor and a fantastic congressman from Texas. Admiral. The White House doctor. Jackson. Ronny Jackson. And hes now a great congressman from Texas. I took one then, and I took one recently. I think the result was announced and it was, I aced it twice. I aced it. Trump added, But I would say that, you know, Ive actually called for a cognitive test for anybody running for president because I actually think thats a good idea. Itd be nice to have an intelligent person be president. Haley herself has called for presidential candidates over the age of 75 to pass cognitive tests. Trumps comment predictably went viral on X, formerly Twitter: At the end... someone on Team Trump needs to tell him that cognitive tests don't measure intelligence. https://t.co/YY6aAJC0OQ LA () (@LA_SassyPants) January 22, 2024 Bragging about two cognitive tests isn't the own he thinks it is, pfft https://t.co/ltDSFh5rpV Cre8ve (@Cre8ve2) January 22, 2024 Republicans are challenging each other to dementia tests. That's where they are in case you were wondering. https://t.co/zlcFSnsF73 Mueller, She Wrote (@MuellerSheWrote) January 22, 2024 Nikki Haley sucks, but she should absolutely agree to any public head-to-head testing Trump challenges her to, up to and including powerlifting total. https://t.co/9yxOhTojvK Two Thousand Tommy Four (@zucko) January 22, 2024 He seems to think taking a cognitive test is an achievement of some sort. robert jon anderson (@R_JonAnderson) January 22, 2024 He can ID a whale but not Nikki Haley or Nancy Pelosipic.twitter.com/PJ9aQh6s8f NeuroPsychoPhD (@SethN12) January 20, 2024 If you still consider the Republican party 'serious', allow me to present you with... https://t.co/3O2t3WUpIu publican f*ckery detected (@adelpreore) January 22, 2024 My not knowing Ronny Johnson has been out of the White House and in Congress for three years now has people asking questions already answered by my "passed all my cognitive tests" T-shirt https://t.co/WCc64TmhQU zpaks for colds (@WilliamEltonMD) January 22, 2024 Nikki should do this, set a time and place and dare Trump to show up. All systems go, 100% campaign commitment to this challenge and nothing else. Not joking. https://t.co/07XXbSGYu9 Centrist Madness (@CentristMadness) January 22, 2024 Nikki Haley should challenge him to take a test together and on live TV. Make him put his money where his mouth is . Bluedog (@HereLiesBlueDog) January 22, 2024 Related... WASHINGTON A federal appeals court on Tuesday refused Donald Trumps request for a do-over on a gag order imposed on the 2024 Republican frontrunner in his federal election interference case. The court's refusal came as voters hit the polls in New Hampshire's first in the nation primary, where Trump was heavily favored to win. The case is one of two where the former president has been ordered not to criticize government lawyers or court staff, and both decisions were upheld on appeal. Tuesday's decision represents another loss as Trump tries to litigate the ground rules for how the federal election interference trial, scheduled to begin March 4, will be conducted. He is charged with trying to overturn President Joe Biden's 2020 election victory. More: Donald Trump loses challenge to gag order and fines in New York civil fraud case Going after judges and potential witnesses on social media After he was indicted in August, Trump posted social media attacks on potential witnesses in the case, Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith and the presiding judge. In response, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered participants in the case not to make public statements that target each other, court personnel or any reasonably foreseeable witness. Former president Donald J. Trump speaks at a campaign rally at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH, on Saturday, January 20, 2024. Related: Trump election fraud judge gives Fani Willis two weeks to respond to allegations of affair Trump appealed and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the bulk of the order. Everyone involved in the case was prohibited from commenting publicly on the special counsel, court staff or their relatives with the intent to interfere, according to Judge Patricia Millett's opinion, writing for a three-judge panel. Trump asked for the full circuit of as many as a dozen judges to rehear the case, but the court refused. The judges rejecting his request were Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan and Judges Karen Henderson, Millett, Cornelia Pillard, Robert Wilkins, Gregory Katsas, Neomi Rao, Justin Walker, Michelle Childs, Florence Pan and Bradley Garcia. Katsas, Rao and Walker were appointed by Trump. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty in four pending criminal cases, has criticized government lawyers for what he calls political persecution. Maneuvers in the court cases come as he remains the leading Republican candidate to become the party's nominee for a return to the White House. Related: Judge overseeing Trump's D.C. case becomes the latest target of high-profile 'swatting' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Appeals court rejects Donald Trump request to reconsider gag order Follow USA TODAY's live coverage of the New Hampshire primary. WASHINGTON Former President Donald Trump will look to flex his dominance over the Republican Party and clear his path to the GOP nomination as he faces off against Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday. Haley, former ambassador to the United Nations, is in desperate need of a New Hampshire win in what could be the last chance to try to wrestle the nomination away from Trump. With the Republican field now whittled down to just two major contenders, Haley has finally gotten the head-to-head matchup with Trump she long wanted. But it might be too late to claw back in a primary race that Trump has controlled from the beginning. A win for Trump in New Hampshire could effectively end Haley's bid. As Granite State voters head to the polls, here are five things to watch during Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. More: Live updates from crucial New Hampshire primary: Tiny town votes for Nikki Haley Will Trump lock up the race? Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump pumps his fist as he walks off the stage after a campaign rally at the Rochester Opera House on January 21, 2024 in Rochester, New Hampshire. With a win Tuesday in New Hampshire, Trump can deliver an early knockout punch in the Republican presidential primary, perhaps forcing Haley out of the race while securing a virtually insurmountable hold on the nomination weeks before Super Tuesday. New Hampshire, with its large population of independents and college-educated voters, was supposed to be an uphill race for Trump compared to Iowa, which he won by a commanding 30 percentage points. Combined with its long history of bucking Iowa, New Hampshire was widely seen as the one state that could pump the brakes on Trump's ramp toward the GOP nomination. Instead, despite his many legal troubles, Trump heads into New Hampshire primary night with clear momentum, expanding his lead over Haley, 57%-38%, in a Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe daily tracking poll, and 50%-39% in a poll from CNN and the University of New Hampshire. More: Blowout? 4 new polls give Trump huge leads in New Hampshire: Live updates In recent days, Trump secured endorsements from former Republican candidates Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dropped out of the primary on Sunday. A victory for Trump in New Hampshire even if it's closer than the polls project would further solidify more top Republicans around the former president and make his nomination appear a foregone conclusion. Nikki Haley can't finish second. She needs a win. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at a rally at Exeter High School in Exeter, N.H. on Jan 21, 2024, during preparations for the New Hampshire presidential primary A strong second-place finish won't do it for Haley. She needs a win in New Hampshire to remain a viable alterative to Trump, whose candidacy only strengthens as the primary map expands to more states. The path for Haley has always hinged on New Hampshire, where she figured to benefit from the state's strong number of independent voters turned off by Trump. She could then carry momentum from a win in New Hampshire into her home state of South Carolina, which holds its Republican primary Feb. 24. But she has a big problem. Haley, despite being a popular twice-elected governor governor in South Carolina, is now getting trounced by Trump in the South Carolina primary, according to polls. And two top South Carolina Republicans, Scott and Gov. Henry McMaster, have both endorsed her rival. More: How Nikki Haley could win the New Hampshire primary despite Trump's lead If she does not win New Hampshire, Trump who has dominated national polls for months will be in cruise control heading into Nevada and South Carolina before voting expands to states like Michigan and Missouri. Days later, a whopping 16 states vote on Super Tuesday, March 5. At that point, it's likely all aboard the Trump train. Will college-educated voters, independents fall in line with Trump? Corn Pop, a Trump supporter from Maine, poses for a photo while he waits outside in the cold for former president Donald J. Trump to speak at a campaign rally at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH, on Saturday, January 20, 2024. Trump has always been most popular among white working-class voters who lack college degrees, historically drawing resistance from college-educated voters both independents and even some Republicans. But in his victory in Iowa, Trump improved his support among college-educated Republicans from his 2016 run in a sign that he's unifying Republicans of all stripes behind his candidacy. While Trump's worst-performing Iowa counties were in urban areas with college campuses, he won 37% of Iowa's college-educated voters, according to exit polls, tops among Republican candidates. Trump finished third with this demographic in Iowa during his 2016 run. In New Hampshire, about one-third of registered voters have college degrees a higher share than Iowa and one of the dynamics that's made it an appealing state for Haley. But college-educated Republicans are proving more receptive to Trump than some initially predicted. Political observers have speculated Trump's multiple criminal indictments have rallied Republicans who might have otherwise been skeptical of a second Trump presidency around the former president. In the Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll, 50% of college graduates said they back Trump, compared to 45% for Haley. If that pattern holds true on Tuesday, then Trump is likely to win New Hampshire comfortably. Republican turnout Attendees hope to catch t-shirts thrown into the audience before Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at a rally at Exeter High School in Exeter, N.H. on Jan 21, 2024, during preparations for the New Hampshire presidential primary. Last week's Republican Iowa Caucus had dismal turnout, with about 108,000 Republican voters showing up, far short of the 187,000 people who voted in the 2016 Republican caucus. The low turnout was widely considered to be the result of Iowas extreme cold and snow. But lagging turnout in New Hampshire could raise questions about Republican enthusiasm heading into the rest of the primary and general election. New Hampshire Republicans are projecting a record turnout, which would quiet the enthusiasm questions for the time being. More: Will bad weather keep New Hampshire voters home on Tuesday? Don't count on it New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, a Republican who oversees elections in the state, predicted Friday that 322,000 people could vote in the GOP primary. Thats roughly 53% of the total number of registered Republicans and voters who havent declared a preference for either party. The previous record was set by Democrats in 2020, when about 297,000 votes were cast in the contested Democratic primary. Before that, it was Republicans who held the record. In 2016, the first time Trump was a candidate for president, a record of more than 287,000 people or 44% of eligible voters registered as Republican or undeclared voted in the GOP primary. Biden skipped New Hampshire, but can he win anyway? President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting of his Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access to mark the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in Washington, DC, on January 22, 2024. While all the attention is on the Republicans, New Hampshire is also holding its Democratic primary even though President Joe Biden won't be on the ballot and no delegates are up for grabs. The Biden campaign has ignored the Granite State amid the state's yearlong dispute with the Democratic National Committee, which adopted a new calendar to have South Carolina kick off primary voting instead of New Hampshire. Nevertheless, a group of New Hampshire Democrats have mounted a Biden write-in campaign that looks to save the president from a potentially embarrassing loss. A grassroots group called Granite State Write-In has informally organized over 1,200 volunteers to vote for the president and convince their friends, family and acquaintances to do the same. A Super PAC called Granite for America has also rallied Democrats to support the Biden write-in campaign. More: Joe Biden supporters push write-in campaign in New Hampshire: What to know Biden's longshot Democratic challengers, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. and author Marianne Williamson, have ran their entire campaigns from New Hampshire in hopes of claiming a victory against the incumbent president, even if it's the result of a calendar dustup. Polling shows Biden is overwhelmingly supported by New Hampshire Democrats. A recent USA TODAY/Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll found 64% of likely Democratic primary voters back Biden, compared to 6% who said they supported Phillips and 2% who supported Williamson. But winning a write-in campaign is always tricky, and organizers of the Biden write-in effort are setting low expectations. Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly known as Twitter, @joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will Donald Trump lock it up? 5 things to watch in NH primary Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied to a letter from representatives of Kenyan students and alumni at Beijing Jiaotong University, encouraging them to continue contributing to the friendship between China and Kenya and between China and Africa. In his reply on Jan. 17, Xi noted that China and Kenya enjoy a time-honored friendship. The Belt and Road Initiative has turned the ideals of development and revitalization of China and Kenya into reality, and closely linked the well-being of the two peoples. The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway is a flagship project and a successful example of China-Kenya Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said. "I am glad to see that you have bonded with China through this road to happiness. You have witnessed and benefited from the China-Kenya and China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and you have helped build and spread the friendly cooperation between China and Kenya and between China and Africa," Xi said. Looking ahead, the magnificent picture of the Belt and Road Initiative and the grand blueprint of the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership need more promising young people to realize, Xi stressed. "It is hoped that you can learn professional knowledge well, continue the traditional friendship, devote yourself to bilateral cooperation, tell well stories of China-Africa friendship, and make greater contributions to the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future," Xi said. Recently, representatives of Kenyan students and alumni at Beijing Jiaotong University wrote a letter to Xi, expressing their great pleasure in coming to China to learn railway operation and management knowledge. They also expressed their hope to serve as a bridge of friendship between Kenya and China and contribute to enhancing friendship and cooperation between the two countries and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Two New York mega-donors have sued No Labels for an alleged bait and switch maneuver, accusing the third-party organization of accumulating donations for bipartisan governing initiatives that are now instead funding a unity ticket for a 2024 presidential run. The plaintiffs, cousins Douglas and Jonathan Durst, filed a lawsuit in the New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday, alleging that No Labels has lost its way, abandoned its original mission, and fundamentally betrayed its donors trust in the process. Douglas and Jonathan Durst, chairman and president of the Durst Organization, respectively, seek reimbursements and damages after both men donated $145,000 to the organization. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs said that No Labels was touted as a third bloc for promoting bipartisan governing but that it is now pursuing a divisive course. At its inception, No Labels touted itself as not a third party, but rather a third bloc, that would promote bi-partisan compromise to achieve consensus, the lawsuit said. Today, it has become the opposite: a partisan political organization planning to run a third-party Presidential candidate, thereby skewing the electoral landscape in one partys favor, and pursuing a divisive course that is the antithesis of its original mission to bridge the political divide. The lawsuit is another complaint that has been escalating as the nonprofit group seeks ballot access in all 50 states. Dan Webb, an attorney volunteering for No Labels and co-executive chairman at Winston & Strawn, dismissed the lawsuit, calling it meritless. This is a frivolous lawsuit and has no merit whatsoever. Were very disappointed to learn that former supporters of No Labels, Douglas and Jody Durst are mischaracterizing our mission and our work, Webb said in a statement to The Hill. In the lawsuit, donors slammed the current organizations initiative, saying they wouldve never donated if they had any knowledge about the current groups course of action. Had No Labels ever given any indication that it might pursue such a gambit, the Dursts never would have funded the organization. That is because, in a Presidential election, anyone who votes for a third-party candidate votes on neither side, the lawsuit said. Webb dismissed the claims, saying that the groups mission has not changed, calling the ballot access initiative a natural extension to give voice to the U.S. commonsense majority and that the Dursts donations were utilized according to their wishes. This is nothing more than an organized distraction, Webb said. Douglass last contribution was six years ago, and Jodys last contribution was over three years ago. These contributions were spent on priorities that the Dursts had no complaints about at the time. No Labels fundamental mission has never changed. Our current ballot access effort is a natural extension of our mission to give a voice to Americas commonsense majority and it enjoys overwhelming support from the majority of the country. No Labels has indicated for months that is planning to unveil a third-party ticket during the 2024 presidential cycle, consisting of two moderate candidates. It would be propelled if former President Trump and President Biden were the nominees in the parties, something that is currently likely to happen. The group has floated various candidates to be a part of their ticket. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who announced he will not run for reelection in the upper chamber, has been considered, along with former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), who stepped down as the groups co-chair in January. Democrats have criticized No Labelss effort, arguing the groups push would take away votes from Biden in his reelection effort against Trump, the likely GOP nominee current Republican front-runner. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Two prominent No Labels donors are suing the centrist political group for pulling a bait and switch by preparing to back a possible third-party presidential bid in 2024, after soliciting donations to support bipartisan activism. No Labels has lost its way, abandoned its original mission, and fundamentally betrayed its donors trust in the process, the plaintiffs, Douglas and Jonathan Durst, allege in the lawsuit, filed with the New York State Supreme Court Tuesday. The Durst cousins, part of a powerful New York real estate family, are suing No Labels for the $145,000 that members of the Durst family have donated to the organization since 2016, accusing No Labels of a breach of contract and unjust enrichment, according to the lawsuit. Dan Webb, an attorney with No Labels, slammed the lawsuit as "frivolous," and without merit, suggesting in a statement that the Dursts' complaint was part of a conspiracy by "partisan operatives," to "subvert No Labels ballot access work." "Douglass last contribution was six years ago, and Jodys last contribution was over three years ago. These contributions were spent on priorities that the Dursts had no complaints about at the time. No Labels fundamental mission has never changed," Webb said in the statement. Douglas Durst is a member of one of the citys most prominent real estate families, and is the third generation to lead its eponymous development firm. The Dursts have occupied a prime perch in New Yorks dynastic real estate world for more than a century, while drawing intrigue outside development circles as well. Robert Durst, Douglas older brother, was sentenced to life in prison in 2021 after he was convicted of murdering his friend two decades prior. He was also indicted for murder in the death of his first wife, Kathie Durst, but died in 2022 before facing charges. His connection to the murders was examined in the 2015 HBO miniseries, The Jinx. Douglas Durst is not known to back down from fights going up against powerful adversaries during his some five decades in the industry, including a yearslong feud with former Mayor Bill de Blasio that was punctuated by fights over a real estate project in Queens and a contract to run citywide ferry service. Despite this promise to work within the two-party system to effect change, No Labels pulled a bait and switch, launching its Insurance Policy 2024 initiative last year, preparing for the possibility of nominating a third-party Presidential candidate, the lawsuit says. Had No Labels ever given any indication that it might pursue such a gambit, the Dursts never would have funded the organization. That is because, in a Presidential election, anyone who votes for a third-party candidate votes on neither side. The Dursts began donating to No Labels when the organization was highlighting its efforts to pursue "bipartisan policy solutions through Congressional action," Randy Mastro, the lawyer representing the Dursts in the case, said in the complaint. But since then, "No Labels has shifted seismically from its original mission, and its donors, like the Dursts, who believed in the mission and financially supported it, should not have to stand idly by while their dollars are used to threaten democracy," the lawsuit says. No Labels has for months signaled that it would present a third-party ticket in the 2024 presidential contest if it seemed clear that President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump would be the nominees for their respective parties. Several prominent centrist politicians have been floated as possible No Labels candidates, including the groups former co-chair, former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and the Senate's stalwart centrist Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia. No Labels has talked previously about how a unity ticket could serve as an insurance policy if the election appears headed for a Biden-Trump rematch. But some Democrats fear that such a ticket would take votes away from Biden and jeopardize his chance of getting reelected. A third ticket option is a clear break from No Labels prior goal of uniting the two parties in Congress to pursue common sense solutionsinstead, it incites division amongst Americans, the lawsuit says. Janaki Chadha contributed to this report. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley shakes hands with a patron during a campaign stop at a restaurant on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Concord, N.H. At left is New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. | Charles Krupa, Associated Press Last summer, when former President Donald Trump first appeared to be the formidable, yet vulnerable, favorite for the GOP nomination, Sen. Mitt Romney sent out a plea to his fellow Republicans. Any GOP donor with any influence, he wrote in The Wall Street Journal, needed to get candidates they support to agree to withdraw if and when their paths to the nomination are effectively closed. The field would have to narrow to two Trump and one challenger by March, Romney predicted. Romney got his wish, but one question remains: is it too late? The answer to that question will become clearer after Tuesday night, when New Hampshire voters decide between Trump and Nikki Haley. New Hampshire is only the second primary of the 2024 cycle, following the Iowa caucuses, where around 110,000 votes were cast last Monday. Over 300,000 Republicans are expected to vote in New Hampshire on Tuesday. But barring a big upset, where independents and moderate Republicans turn out en masse and push Haley to victory or show shes competitive, New Hampshire could be the beginning of the end of the primary season after only a fraction of Americans have had a chance to make their voices heard. Its the reality of the 2024 Republican primary, where Trump has maintained a hold on the Republican Party. Despite facing 91 criminal charges and splitting time between court appearances and campaign rallies, Trumps lead has only widened since summer, as his opponents have slowly tapered off. Early on, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis looked to be his most formidable challenger. But internal campaign tensions and an inability to articulate why he, and not Trump, should be the next GOP standard-bearer doomed DeSantis campaign. (DeSantis dropped out on Sunday.) Other candidates Tim Scott, Mike Pence, Chris Christie boasted a wealth of political experience but never broke out. Vivek Ramaswamy, running as the young, fresh face of Trumps policy vision, couldnt peel away enough Trump loyalists. That leaves Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador under Trump. She first saw a jolt after war broke out in the Middle East, giving her a chance to showcase her foreign policy bona fides. In the subsequent months, she won over big-money donors and landed a key endorsement from New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. In Iowa, she finished in third place, a disappointing finish considering her time spent campaigning there. But all along, it was clear New Hampshire would be the best test of her staying power. New Hampshire Republicans are, in the aggregate, more moderate and less religious than the average Iowa voter, two factors that could play to Haleys benefit. Unaffiliated voters are allowed to participate in the states primary, opening a window for Trump-averse independents to turn out in favor of Haley. And with Biden declaring no contest in the Democratic primary, theres a chance that Democratic voters if they met the deadline to switch party affiliations could boost Haley, too. Matt Rourke, Associated Press All the while, Haleys biggest hurdle is Trumps popularity. Rumors of her as a potential pick to be Trumps vice president continue, though Haley insists she is not interested. It would be an uncomfortable fit: Haley has slowly become more vocal in critiquing the former presidents age, mental acuity and record, and Trump has taken to critiquing Haley incessantly in recent days. Those in Trumps inner circle brush off the chatter, too. If Haley is the VP pick, ex-Trump adviser Steve Bannon told The Free Press, itll destroy Trumps second term. Trump isnt much more generous in his assessment. With DeSantis out, Haley has become Trumps chief target. Hes devoted time in speeches and in attack ads warning voters about Haley claiming she will raise taxes, remove Social Security and open borders. Hes confused Haley for ex-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, complaining about Haleys alleged role in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Haley, who has maintained a careful posture toward Trump throughout the primary, has finally begun to push back. Instead of simply saying Trump causes chaos, as she does in every stump speech, she started addressing each of Trumps claims about her during campaign rallies last week. Everything he has said has been a lie, Haley told voters in Nashua on Saturday. And if youve got to lie to win, you dont deserve to win. Related New Hampshire voters seem to be appreciative of her newfound aggressiveness toward Trump. Michael Morrissey, an attendee at her Nashua event, said he supported Christie before he dropped out. I just want anyone to beat Trump, Morrissey said. Im not crazy about all of (Haleys) policies, honestly. But, you know, its just gonna be a disaster if Trump wins. Susan Horwin, another Nashua attendee, agreed. I dont want Trump, she said. I like her energy. I like her youth. I think shes got the experience that we need. The Haley crowds have only grown as the primary approaches. On Sunday, when Haley made an appearance with Judge Judy, the campaign pegged the attendance at over 1,000, packing into a high school auditorium in Exeter. On Monday, during an event at a Salem hotel, the campaign set up an overflow room to accommodate crowds. Campaigning by Haleys side is Sununu, the popular Republican governor, begging his state to turn out for Haley on Tuesday. Now were just a stones throw away from doing what nobody thought was possible, and thats delivering Donald Trump a loss in the first primary of the country, Sununu told the Salem crowd Monday, to cheers. But Trump boasts a strong following in New Hampshire, alongside a growing roster of prominent Republican endorsers nationally. In the last two weeks, hes picked up endorsements from onetime Senate critics (Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio) and former opponents (DeSantis, Scott, Doug Burgum) alike. Whether Haley can turn out enough voters who dont like Trump enough to counter Trumps strong existing base in the Granite State will decide who wins Tuesday. And whether Haley can pull off the victory may also decide whether Trump is the eventual Republican nominee. I voted for Trump, and I feel like his policies were right, said Dennis Coffey, an attendee at Haleys town hall in Rochester on Wednesday. But he just goes off the rails. With Trump, I think he would do a great job, Coffey continued. I dont want the drama. TEL AVIV Israeli forces said Monday they were deepening their ground offensive "to the west" of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, and Palestinian health officials said the forces had stormed a hospital and engaged in heavy fighting near another. Dozens of people were killed and injured, and thousands were forced to flee, as Israeli forces maneuvered through western Khan Younis before they allegedly stormed Al-Khair hospital, west of the city, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said in statements Monday. The Palestine Red Crescent Society also warned Monday on X of an "extremely dangerous" situation around al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, where, it said, ambulance teams were struggling to reach patients because of the "continuous bombardment." Al-Qudra said earlier in the day that at least 50 people had been killed and more than 100 had been injured in the area of Khan Younis. Dr. Nahud Abu Taima, the director of surgery at al-Nasser, a major hospital in Khan Younis, provided NBC News with the same death toll. Abu Taima said there was an acute shortage of supplies to treat the injured and warned the hospital could become "a repeat of the scenario that occurred in hospitals in the northern and central Gaza Strip." NBC News was not able to independently verify the number of casualties or the exact situation on the ground. A Palestinian woman cries as she sits next to her wounded girl at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. (Mohammed Dahman / AP) Reports of violence around hospitals in southern Gaza sparked alarm among human rights and health officials. "We are deeply concerned by reports of continuous fighting in the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital, and todays raid at Al-Kheir Hospital in Gaza are deeply worrisome," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on X. "This must end," he said. At a briefing Monday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Israel has a right to defend itself, but he said he expected its forces to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients, as well, as much as possible." In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said it was deepening its ground maneuver to the west of Khan Younis and reiterated allegations that Hamas embeds itself in the civilian population and sites such as hospitals and schools. The IDF did not respond to questions about whether forces were operating at or around Al-Khair or al-Amal hospitals. Palestinian families flee Khan Younis on the coastal road amid the ongoing Israeli bombardment on Jan. 22, 2024. (Mohammed Talatene / Mohammed Talatene) A U.S. doctor in Gaza as part of a mission to provide medical care to civilians said it was a horrible day as he described a mass exodus of people fleeing south from Khan Younis and Al-Mawasi, which is southwest of Khan Younis. Reuters reported that troops had advanced into Al-Mawasi district, near the Mediterranean coast, "for the first time." Al-Mawasi has been considered a humanitarian zone where civilians can seek relative safety. The IDF did not respond to specific questions about whether its forces were operating in Al-Mawasi but said, "Al-Mawasi is considered a safer zone. Roads are crowded with families leaving by all means, said Dr. Zaher Sahloul, the president of MedGlobal, an organization that provides medical help during humanitarian crises. He said that most medical staff members and patients had fled al-Nasser hospital and that patients who had been rushed into the facility with fresh injuries had no staff to treat them. In video captured by NBC News crew on the ground, families could be seen fleeing Khan Younis farther south toward Rafah in search of relative safety as clouds of dark smoke billowed into the sky. Many carried what few possessions they managed to flee with, while others cradled babies in their arms. Theyre destroying us, Ayad Abed said as she was pushed down the road in a wheelchair with a baby bundled in her arms. Clouds of smoke during the Israeli bombardment of Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Jan. 22, 2024. (AFP - Getty Images) The infant, she said, was her grandchild. They killed my daughter-in-law, she said, referring to the babys mom. Abed said that her family lived in Khan Younis near al-Nasser hospital and that they were forced to flee after bombs dropped all night. ... It didnt stop even one minute. Outside her home, she said, there were bodies everywhere in the street. Tens of bodies in the street. Now, she and her family just hope to make it to Rafah. Back home, she said, theres nothing left for us now. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Eaton County Office of the Sheriff has released the name of the man shot and killed by a deputy almost two weeks ago in Roxland Township. Garrett Freeman, 33, of Roxand Township is the mans name. An obituary on the Burkhead-Green-Kilgo Funeral Home website, based in Charlotte, said his memorial service was held Monday. The investigation into the shooting is being handled by the Michigan State Police. Details scarce in Eaton County deputy shooting On January 11, Charlotte Police were searching for a man they identified as armed and dangerous. At about 1 p.m., Eaton County Sheriffs Office deputies encountered the man in Roxand Township. Eaton County has said the man, described as a white male, produced a firearm and the officer-involved shooting occurred. Police response to an officer-involved shooting in Eaton Co. (COURTESY PHOTO: David L. Winkelstern) The man was transported to Sparrow where he was declared dead. The Eaton County Sheriffs Department, Chief Deputy Elbert Sidel tells 6 News there are two reasons the agency had not released more information. First, elected Sheriff Tom Reich is out of the office. The second reason is law enforcement wanted to provide the family of the man killed time to have a funeral. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. Germany's economy minister came out with some of his strongest comments to date about the rising popularity of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), saying the party is "poison for Germany" that would destroy the country's economy. "If you take these crazy fascist plans that they have announced seriously - that is deporting all people who are not German according to their definition - then you can count the number of restaurants, tradespeople and haulage companies that this means. Then the location is dead," he told Welt TV in an interview on Tuesday. Habeck, who is a member of the Green Party and is also vice chancellor, made his comments following the revelation of a meeting of right-wing extremists in Potsdam outside Berlin on November 25. The investigative media outlet Correctiv reported that plans were discussed there about how a large number of people of foreign origin could be kicked out of Germany - even by force and including German citizens. Following the revelation, hundreds of thousands of people across Germany took to the streets in protest. The meeting was attended by several AfD politicians as well as individual members of the mainstream conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and the ultraconservative WerteUnion. Habeck admitted that his coalition government was partly responsible for the rise of the AfD. Two recent nationwide polls of German voters both showed the AfD remains in second place, although the party's support slipped slightly from the previous week. A weekly opinion poll, conducted for the tabloid newspaper Bild by the INSA opinion research group and released on Tuesday, showed support for the AfD dropping from a previous high last week of 23% to 21.5%. A separate poll for broadcaster RTL/ntv conducted by forsa showed the AfD down by two percentage points to 20%, although that poll also showed the AfD remaining in second place. Despite the slight downward drop, the AfD has been on a clear upward trend in polls since mid-2022. In earlier comments Habeck took a swipe at AfD co-chair Alice Weidel without directly naming her. Weidel said in a recent interview with the Financial Times that the AfD would support a referendum to quit the European Union - a so-called "Dexit" - if the party fails to force drastic reforms to the EU. Weidel told the newspaper that the United Kingdom's exit from the EU following the 2016 Brexit vote should be a model for Germany. Habeck on Tuesday said that politics could not be much "more stupid" than saying that Germany should leave the EU and the European single market. Both new opinion polls released on Tuesday showed the conservative opposition CDU/CSU bloc remained the strongest party, at 30.5% in the Bild poll and at 31% in the RTL/ntv poll. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) also continued to slide in the polls, down to just 13.5% in the Bild poll and 14% in the RTL/ntv poll. The Greens were backed by 12.5%-14%. The liberal Free Democrats (FDP) remained at 5% in the Bild poll, the threshold to receive seats in Germany's parliament, while the RTL/ntv poll showed them just below the threshold at 4%. The far-left Die Linke's slide continued in the Bild poll, down another percentage point to just 3%. The RTL/ntv poll showed Die Linke (The Left) at 4%. Voters preferring various other parties increased sharply, from 8% to 11.5%, which may be due to growing support for the newly launched populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), which was not listed separately in the poll results. The Bild survey polled a sample of 2,000 German voters between Friday and Monday. Forsa surveyed around 2,500 people over a slightly longer period of time. Both polls have a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. From the The Morning Dispatch on The Dispatch Happy Tuesday! The Entertainer is back! To all the Billy Joel fans out there Keeping the Faith, the Piano Man announced the upcoming release of his first pop single in The Longest Time almost 17 yearstitled, Turn the Lights Back On. The song will be available in Italian Restaurants everywhere on February 1. Quick Hits: Todays Top Stories The U.S. and Britain launched another round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday, the eighth such campaign in two weeks, in response to the Iranian-backed terrorist groups continued attacks against international ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis now more than thirty attacks on international and commercial vessels since mid-November constitute an international challenge, the U.S. and U.K. said in a joint statement released on Monday. Recognizing the broad consensus of the international community, we again acted as part of a coalition of like-minded countries committed to upholding the rules-based order, protecting freedom of navigation and international commerce, and holding the Houthis accountable for their illegal and unjustifiable attacks on mariners and commercial shipping. The eight targets included an underground storage site as well as weapons and surveillance capabilities, the Pentagon reported. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced this morning that a total of 24 of its soldiers were killed in Gaza on Monday, marking the single deadliest day for Israeli troops since the ground operation began in October and bringing the IDFs total death toll to more than 200. Israeli officials reported that 21 reservists were killed in a high-casualty incident in central Gaza yesterday afternoon, when Hamas fighters fired rocket-propelled grenades at an Israeli tank and two nearby buildings collapsed following a large explosion. In addition, three officers were killed as Israeli forces advanced into Khan Younisa city in the southern half of the enclave and the site of intensifying urban battles. In a 5-4 decision on Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Biden administrations request to vacate an injunction in the ongoing fight over Texas use of razor wire fencing at the southern border, allowing federal agents to remove the barriers. The state of Texas sued the federal government last October after border patrol agents attempted to remove some of the fencing, arguing the Department of Homeland Security was interfering with the states ability to enforce its own borders. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elana Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in the majority ruling, vacating a previous injunction set by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina endorsed former President Donald Trump in the Republican presidential race on Monday, just one day before the New Hampshire primary election. I dont see eye to eye perfectly with any candidate. And until now Ive stayed out of it, Mace said in a statement yesterday. But the time has come to unite behind our nominee. Trump endorsed Maces primary challenger in 2022, calling the congresswoman an absolutely terrible candidate after her calls for accountability following January 6. Nikki Haley, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina governor, campaigned for Mace in 2022 and helped defeat her Trump-backed challenger. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good, a Virginia Republican who was backing Gov. Ron DeSantis, also formally endorsed Trump on Sunday. Ecuador Erupts Police keep watch over arrested men who attempted to take over a hospital in Guayas, Ecuador, on January 21, 2024. (Photo by STRINGER / AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images) On January 9, a live news broadcast from the port city of Guayaquil, Ecuador, was suddenly interrupted when more than a dozen masked men stormed the TV studio, brandishing guns and explosives. The attackers swung their weapons wildly as they made presenters and crew lie on the floor. Reporter Jose Luis Calderon pleaded with the attackers as the cameras continued to roll, beaming the frightening scene across thousands of television screens in the South American country. Authorities ultimately arrested the 13 men, set to be charged with terrorism. Last week, though, the prosecutor investigating the attack was shot and killed in Guayaquil. Everything has collapsed, Alina Manrique, the stations head of news, said afterwards. All I know is that its time to leave this country and go very far away. The shocking incident is just one episode in the recent escalation of violence in Ecuador. Once a tourist-friendly pocket of peace in the worlds deadliest region, the country has slowly devolved into one of the most dangerous places in South America. The deteriorating security situation has prompted the promise of a harsh crackdown from newly elected President Daniel Noboa, who declared war on the drug cartels that exercise enormous control over the countrys prison system and battle each other for access to drug trafficking routes. Noboas planbacked by the U.S.is dramatic, but analysts and observers have warned it may not be enough to ensure peace in the long term. The last several weeks of turmoil are a departure from Ecuadors one-time status as an oasis in a violent region. In 2018, the countrys murder rate was six per 100,000 people, just a tick higher than the U.S. rate of five per 100,000 that same year. That relatively low rate made it an anomaly in the region: Ecuadors northern neighbor, Colombia, saw a yearly rate of 26 murders per 100,000 in 2018, and in Brazil there were about 28 murders per 100,000 that year. Ecuador has steadily become more dangerous over the last six years, with the homicide rate more than doubling by 2021 and hitting 40 per 100,000 in 2023. The deteriorating security situation has largely been driven by the expansion of organized drug crime in the country. Ecuadors neighbors, Peru and Colombia, are major cocaine producers, and drug trafficking has become big business in Ecuador as successive governments have struggled to contain powerful drug gangsincluding Los Lobos and Los Choneros, the latter of which is said to have links to Mexicos Sinaloa cartel. What we have seen is a combination of ineffective long-term policies to address corruption, a prison system that has been run by criminal gangs, inequality in access to education and employment, [and] drug abuse, said Tamara Taraciuk Broner, who focuses on Latin America as the director of the rule of law program at the Inter-American Dialogue think tank. So this is a context that gradually allowed for more organized crime to be present in the country. Ecuador has long been a U.S. ally in the region, but in 2009, leftist President Rafael Correa closed a U.S. airbase in the coastal town of Manta, where U.S. forces had been coordinating significant counter-narcotics operations. Even though Ecuador didnt experience a dramatic rise in violence immediately after [Correa] closed that base, Ecuadors waters almost immediately became a hotbed of maritime drug trafficking because there was no longer anybody patrolling the space, Ryan Berg, director of the Americas program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told TMD. As violence has increased, so has emigration. In 2022, Ecuadorians were the second-largest nationality crossing the Darien Gapa treacherous stretch of jungle along the border between Colombia and Panama that serves as an unavoidable barrier to migration to the southern U.S. border. While U.S. encounters with Ecuadorian migrants have increased inconsistently over the past six yearsballooning one year only to collapse the nexttheres been an upward trend since 2018. There were more than 115,000 encounters with Ecuadorian migrants at the southern border in 2023, compared to fewer than 2,000 in 2018. The last several months of the year were particularly turbulent. In early August, Fernando Villavicencio, an anti-corruption presidential candidate, was assassinated at a campaign stop in the countrys capital of Quito, prompting the U.S. to send an FBI team to aid with the investigationa fairly common practice among allies. Authorities arrested six men involved in organized crime and suspected of orchestrating the hitall of whom were killed in prison in October. They cant even get to trial with the men that they suspect because theyre killed in prison, Berg said. So clearly, theres a criminal conspiracy there to cover up the evidence, and so [] theres no way you can have an impact on levels of impunity and crime while still having that level of corruption. Noboathe youngest president in Ecuadors history and the son of a banana barontook office in November promising to get a handle on the security situation during a truncated term that will conclude next year. He pitched building two new maximum-security prisons in an effort to break the cartels control over the nations penal system, as well as raising taxes to support increased security across the country. In the background of Noboas plans, Attorney General Diana Salazar launched an operation shes called Metastasis to try to root out corruption that she says goes all the way to the top of the countrys most important ministries. In December, the investigation resulted in more than 70 raids and dozens of arrests. She predicted a violent backlash from the gangs, and she was right. For the last two weeks, Ecuador has been locked in a violent and dramatic doom spiral, which kicked off in earnest when drug kingpin Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, also known as Fito, escaped from prison on January 7. Fitowho had been serving a 34-year sentence for drug trafficking and murder, among other chargesabsconded on the same day he was scheduled to be transferred to a different maximum-security prison, suggesting he may have been tipped off by a prison or government official. Fitos disappearance started a chain reaction in the countrys detention centers, with riots breaking out across six prisons as members of the gangs operating within the prison walls took nearly 200 guards and other employees hostage, potentially in retaliation for the plans to transfer the kingpins to tighter-security detention centers. The next dayJanuary 9another drug lord escaped from another prison as violence escalated. In addition to attacking the news station, a group of presumed gang members stormed a university in Guayaquil and seized hospitals, while reports of explosions and kidnappings emerged around the country. In response to the chaos, Noboa declared a 60-day state of emergency, instituting a national curfew and sending the military onto the streets and into detention centers. The time is over when drug-trafficking convicts, hit men, and organized crime dictate to the government what to do, he said. He deployed more than 22,000 military personnel across the country as part of the order. Noboas predecessor, Guillermo Lasso, frequently declared states of emergency to combat local outbursts of violencewith varying results. There was a crisis in Guayaquil and they would declare a state of emergency locally and clamp down. All of a sudden there was violence in Esmeraldas, a different coastal provincestate of emergency, theyd clamp down, Berg told TMD. And it felt like a whack-a-mole strategy without any long-term focus on securing the entire countrys territory. But Noboa went a step further: He declared war on the countrys organized drug trade. The president said Ecuador was in a state of internal armed conflict with 22 criminal gangs he designated as terrorist organizations, ordering the military to neutralize the groups in a crackdown that has so far freed the hostages taken in the countrys prisons since early January and regained control over the detention centers. Over the weekend, authorities arrested almost 70 gang members responsible for storming a hospital earlier this month. Both Fito and Fabricio Colon Pico, the leader of Los Lobos, are still on the loose, however, and the gangs have vowed to wage war in return. Noboa, a center-right leader educated in the U.S., has received bipartisan support from American officials. A State Department spokesman last week promised continued cooperation with Ecuador, including visits from top diplomats and the commander of U.S. Southern Command, Laura Richardson. A bipartisan group of senators expressed their solidarity with Ecuador, saying the U.S. stands unequivocally with our ally Ecuador in efforts to ensure perpetrators are held accountable. The U.S. and Ecuador also negotiated a $200 million security assistance package late last year. The young president is serving out the end of Lassos term, the result of a legitimate, if bizarre, constitutional move that allowed Lasso to dissolve the government to avoid impeachment for allegations of embezzlement. With another election rapidly approaching, Noboa may be motivated to continue his crackdown not only out of a sense of public duty but also by electoral aspirations. The analysts TMD spoke with agreed that a tough-on-crime strategy thats successful in the short term will help his reelection chances in 2025, even if it doesnt solve the underlying problems with corruption and impunity that have allowed the gangs to gain control. He has the responsibility to restore some order so Ecuadorians can resume their lives, Taraciuk Broner told TMD. But its a perverse incentive, because its an incentive to adopt short-term strategies. Berg also highlighted the need for a more permanent solution. Long term, they have to do much more than just put the army in the streets, Berg said. Thats the short-term solution, to try to make the streets feel safer. But the long term [fix] isnt just having a permanent state of exceptionwhich is no longer a state of exception; its a state of normality. Worth Your Time Writing for the Atlantic, Yair Rosenberg analyzes the allegations of genocide against Israelparticularly claims that out-of-context statements made by Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signal intent to eliminate Palestinians. On October 10, as the charred remains of murdered Israelis were still being identified in their homes, Gallant spoke to a group of soldiers who had repelled the Hamas assault, Rosenberg wrote. Gaza will not return to what it was before. There will be no Hamas. We will eliminate it all. This isnt a matter of interpretation or translation. Gallants vow to eliminate it all was directed explicitly at Hamas, not Gaza. One doesnt even need to speak Hebrew, as I do, to confirm this: The word Hamas is clearly audible in the video. Yet multiple media outlets, the South African legal team at the International Court of Justice, and Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan have widely cited and circulated this incorrect quoteand other poor translationsas fact. These omissions and misinterpretations are not merely cosmetic: They misled readers, judges, and politicians, Rosenberg continued. The good news is that they can be avoided in the future by making sure to check translations at their source; pressing writers to link to primary sources when possible; and placing scriptural citations from any faith into their proper theological and historical context. Certainly, no outlet or activist should be cavalierly accusing people or countries of committing genocide based on thirdhand mistranslations or truncated quotations. Presented Without Comment Mediaite: Trump Says Hed Win a Mental Aptitude Test Against Nikki Haley Well, I think Im a lot sharper than her. I would do this. I would sit down right now and take an aptitude test and it would be my result against her result and shes not gonna win. Shes not [going to] even come close to winning. Also Presented Without Comment NBC News: Fake Joe Biden Robocall Tells New Hampshire Democrats Not to Vote on Tuesday Toeing the Company Line Its Tuesday, which means Dispatch Live returns tonight at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT! A bigger than usual teamincluding those on-the-ground in the Granite Statewill break down all aspects of tonights New Hampshire primary as the results come in. And as always, theyll take plenty of viewer questions! Keep an eye out for an email later today with information on how to tune in. In the newsletters: Kevin reflected on () on just how insane the conversation about presidential immunity from criminal acts is getting, the Dispatch Politics crew looked at Nikki Haleys final pitch to New Hampshire and reported from the annual March for Life in D.C., and Nick bid farewell () to Gov. Ron DeSantis as only he can. On the podcasts: Sarah and David brave the tundras to record the latest Advisory Opinions from Vanderbilt Universitys campus, where they discuss left-leaning bias in pro-bono cases before diving into the details of Fulton County DA Fani Willis possibly salacious hires. On the site today: Dani Pletka argues that its time to defund the United Nations, Chris Stirewalt pregames New Hampshire, and Emma Rogers explains South Africas allegations against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Let Us Know Does reading about the growing violence in Ecuador affect how you think the U.S. should approach the migrant crisis along its own southern border? Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. CHOWAN COUNTY, N.C. (WAVY) Jordan Isaiah Thomas, 29, was charged with murder Monday, days after a womans body was found in the trunk of his car, the Chowan County Sheriffs Office said. Previous Coverage: Death investigation leads to murder charge in Chowan County On Wednesday, Jan. 17, a tow truck company was called to remove a car from the parking lot of a business located at 6055 U.S. Highway 264 East in Washington, N.C. The vehicle was towed to a local facility where an employee of the towing business discovered the body in the trunk. Investigators say Thomas left his car in the parking lot and stole a truck from the same lot. Thomas was arrested at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital after the stolen truck was located there. He was initially charged with concealing the death of a person and larceny of a motor vehicle. Several agencies are working in conjunction on the case because there is more than one crime scene. It is believed that the victim was murdered at a different location, according to the Chowan County Sheriffs Department. Officials say evidence was found at a home in Edenton where Thomas had been living. At this time, officials are still unsure if the murder happened there or at another location. They are also unclear how the victim was murdered. Investigators believe Thomas and the victim knew one another. The victim is believed to be 19-year-old Elizabeth City State University student Amarriah Smith. The medical examiners office will confirm the victims identity and determine the cause of death. Amarriahs mother shared several photos with WAVY. Amarriah Smith (Photo provided by family) Amarriah Smith (Photo provided by family) Amarriah Smith (Photo provided by family) Amarriah Smith (Photo provided by family) Amarriah Smith (Photo provided by family) ECSU posted about Smiths passing, on social media, with her picture and information about an on-campus vigil to be held Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. at the Great Hall. Hello Vikings, We are truly saddened by the passing of Amarriah Smith. We are going to gather tomorrow, Tuesday January, 23, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. in the Great Hall to celebrate her life. As our Viking community navigates this tragic loss, we are here to support you through your grief. There are trained staff and community resources available to offer help. Student Counseling Services (GRIFFIN HALL Suite 500) To set up an appointment with Counseling Services, call 252-335-3275 or stop by Griffin Hall Suite 500. If you need to speak with someone. Thomas was denied bond when he stood before a magistrate. He is currently being held at the Chowan Detention Center. This investigation remains ongoing. Keep checking WAVY.com for the latest developments. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Floridians want to trust their local police departments, and they deserve that. In many Florida cities, that trust is bolstered by citizens oversight boards that review police shootings, evaluate residents complaints against individual officers and advise police departments. So why do some legislators want to strip these boards of any ability to investigate and advise police departments on complaints often serious complaints about officers conduct? Thats a good question, and one their constituents should be asking. Because from what were seeing, it seems more about protecting bad officers and, we suspect, kowtowing to police unions by stripping away transparency. Meanwhile, lawmakers are singing another chorus of a constant refrain, by trampling local officials ability to meet the needs they see firsthand. A few justifications surfaced at Fridays meeting of the House Local Administration, Federal Affairs and Special Districts Subcommittee, where HB 601 made its second stop. But they ring hollow. Commentary: Lawmakers threaten environmental oversight and citizens rights The basics of oversight These boards have no power to discipline officers and must comply with the Florida Police Officers Bill of Rights, which spells out officers claims to due process and safeguards against self-incrimination. Yet they make a difference, for the better. Many residents will take complaints to a board of fellow citizens that theyd be afraid to address to the police department. Oversight boards can also look at trends and make policy suggestions to bridge gaps between police agencies, the LGBTQ community and other groups that have often felt marginalized. Thats why we suggested last week that Orlandos Citizens Police Review Board would be a good choice to monitor the citys recent ordinance that would prohibit disorderly conduct on public sidewalks. EDITORIAL: Orlando should monitor how its new disorderly conduct ordinance is used St. Petersburg was the first city to set up a citizens oversight board in 1991. Orlando and Fort Lauderdale followed closely, in 1992 and 1993 respectively. Currently, 20 cities have police review boards, including Kissimmee and Ocoee. Ignoring benefits The bills sponsor, Jacksonville Republican Wyman Duggan, said he was concerned about creating uniform standards for police. He also claimed that he wasnt really gutting the ability of oversight boards to serve the public, saying they could still examine trends and gauge community law enforcement needs. Lisa Henning of the Florida State Fraternal Order of Police was even more candid about wanting oversight boards to be neutered. Youre reinvestigating an officer thats already been investigated and cleared and now youre pulling them back before a group of people who have no expertise in the job, she told committee members. Both ignored the reality that most law enforcement officers have plenty of protection already and that citizens oversight boards often clear officers of wrongdoing. Citizens, however, can often feel defenseless. Theyve heard too many stories about complaints dropping into oblivion or drawing retaliation, and fear is often amplified in marginalized communities. Burbeth Foster, senior counsel of Community Justice Partners, said investigations of individual claims of misconduct lead to far more significant insight into bigger problems. Agencies also benefit from improved relationships with the communities they serve. But the most important thing she had to say was this: By removing bad apples who taint the reputation of their departments, these boards also help good officers by having their backs when complaints against them are unfounded and by giving them more credibility in the communities they want to serve and protect. Thats backed up by a study released last year by the Leroy Collins Institute, finding that communities with oversight boards see less disparity in arrests of marginalized populations, fewer clashes between police and the public and safer communities because people are more willing to trust the police. Im going to dump her: Kissimmee police officers resigned while facing firing for excessive force Citizens are far less likely to come forward when their complaints are cloaked in secrecy, investigated by the departments who have incentives to protect their own or relegated to far-distant offices at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement or state Attorney Generals office. This oversight has been particularly helpful in Floridas largest cities, most of which have review boards. But this is an option that should remain available to any local government that has seen flare-ups in tension between the police and the public. Its understandable that many representatives struggled with this bill, including Rep. Mike Gottlieb, D-Davie, who acknowledged a difficulty in recruiting law enforcement officers. He suggested a good compromise: A bill that would set standards and training requirements for police oversight boards, but preserve their ability to conduct individual reviews. As this legislation moves forward, lawmakers should consider that as an option. Because this is about more than backing the blue. Its about cutting off the ability of city officials to see a rift between their own police departments and the residents of their cities and address growing tensions before anger, distrust and fear erupt into real violence. Nobody wants that. Or at least, nobody should want that. The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Editor-in-Chief Julie Anderson and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Contact us at insight@orlandosentinel.com EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) El Paso Electric will be hosting a groundbreaking ceremony of the expansion of its voluntary Texas Community Solar Program on Tuesday, Jan. 23 by constructing a 10 megawatt solar facility in San Elizario, Texas. The groundbreaking ceremony will be at 2 p.m. located on 1201 Herring Rd., San Elizario, TX, 79849. The utility says the expansion will allow an additional 5,000 customers to subscribe to solar energy. The expanded program will also provide a 10 percent discount to approximately 250 income-qualified Texas residential customers, along with a reduced monthly capacity charge for all subscribers. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2024, according to the utility. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) With the mission of fostering a greater understanding of the role of the FBI in the community through frank discussion and education, the FBI El Paso Field Office is now accepting applications for the upcoming Spring 2024 FBI El Paso Citizens Academy. The Citizens Academy is an engaging six-week course designed to educate business, religious, civic, and community leaders about the FBI. Throughout the courses, FBI El Paso subject matter experts will share experiences regarding some of the fantastic programs they support and learn about FBI history and some of the fascinating cases worked by our field office. The classes will be followed by a Range Day Graduation, where students participate in hands-on activities, shooting competitions, lunch, and a graduation ceremony. The 2024 FBI El Paso Citizens Academy class is tentatively scheduled for every Thursday, March 21 through April 25, 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the FBIs offices, 660 S. Mesa Hills, El Paso, TX 79912. Graduation Day is scheduled at the FBI Range for Friday, April 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Heres how it will work: 1. If you are interested in attending the Citizens Academy or know someone who would like to attend, email them here to let them know and you will receive an application for the program. 2. The application must be returned by Friday, February 9, 12 noon, via email. Nominations will then be reviewed, vetted, and approved. Approved participants will be notified via email a month or so in advance. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. When it comes to Donald Trumps legal travails, there are two general schools of thought among Democrats. In one, a jurys finding that Trump is liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carrolland his pending trials for many alleged crimeslargely confirms what voters have already concluded about him, rendering these things far less important to voters than more pressing kitchen table issues. In the other school of thought, Trumps legal difficulties are producing reams of new information about his specific guilt on multiple fronts. In this theory, Democrats should draw voters attention to that new info because in some sense, it does tell us something freshly compelling about just how debased Trumps character and penchant for serial criminality truly are. In recent days, New York GOP Representative Elise Stefanik has offered a bizarre defense of Trump that lends support to that latter school of thought. Her efforts show that the precise nature of all this new information about Trump is making it much harder for Republicans to defend him, a dynamic that will surely get worse. Stefaniks display came amid questioning from an NBC News reporter about a jurys conclusion that Carroll proved that Trump did sexually abuse her in a department store dressing room nearly 30 years ago. The whole exchange is worth watching: Reporter: Do believe E. Jean Carroll? Stefanik : No of course not Reporter: A jury found that Trump sexually abused her Stefanik: The media is so biased Reporter: Its not the media, its a jury that found he abused E. Jean Carroll pic.twitter.com/QYm3wQzjRf Acyn (@Acyn) January 20, 2024 At first Stefanik falls back on the stale MAGA talking point that the focus on Trumps sexual assault is a media witch hunt. But when reporter Vaughn Hillyard points out that a jury reached this conclusion, Stefanik was at first nonplussed, then got angry, and then repeated those talking points with a vehemence bordering on derangement. Notably, the Trump campaign barred that reporter from a subsequent campaign event. That plus Trumps recent unhinged barrage of attacks on Carroll suggest hes deeply worried about this storys political impact. Stefaniks response got more unhinged on Monday, when Trumps appearance in a courtroom on the Carroll matter was postponed. That delayed Trumps plans to attend the trial (apparently to show his base hes fighting the witch-hunters, which does play to Trumps advantage in GOP primaries), and Stefanik immediately raged that blatant election interference was at work. In reality, the trial was delayed because both a juror and even Trumps own lawyer Alina Habba reported feeling ill. The ham-handedness of Stefaniks effort to discern a nefarious conspiracy behind the delay shows its getting harder to defend Trump as his legal challenges enter advanced phases. Meanwhile, CNNs Manu Raju asked numerous Republican lawmakers if they will support Trump if he is convicted of a crime. While some MAGA stalwarts said they would, otherssuch as Senator John Cornyn and Representative Dusty Johnsonpulled a homina homina homina and dodged. Whats changed now is that Trumps legal challenges are unfolding in courtroomsin public-facing venuesbefore juries of the ex-presidents peers. Its becoming impossible to fabricate conspiracy theories around the ordinary Americans whose judgment Trump faces, and the gravity of the proceedings is suddenly getting a lot more real. All this suggests Democrats should actively draw attention to Trumps legal travails. True, in 2016, voters were aware of Trumps boast on video about committing sexual assault, and some argue that Hillary Clintons campaign showed the limits of campaigning against his debauched personal qualities and ethics. But with Trump now being prosecuted for numerous crimes, both the details of these charges and the role of ordinary Americans in serving up grand jury indictments constitute new fact sets of a much more serious nature. These involves concrete, vividly detailed efforts to seize power illegally and steal national security secrets, as well as a jurys conclusion that Trump committed sexual assault, which is more compelling than his bragging ever was. We have a lot of new information to share with voters, Democratic strategist Simon Rosenberg told me. Its important that we update their understanding of who he is. Hes a far more degraded candidate than he was in 2020. The struggle of Stefanik and other Republicans to address Trumps legal problems illustrates another rationale for Democrats pressing the issue: It could put GOP downballot candidates on defense too. Democrats would benefit from having Republicans on record in regards to Trumps deep ethical and legal troubles, said one senior Democratic strategist involved in congressional races. Confirming the point, when Stefanik recently described the people who attacked the Capitol as hostages, vulnerable House Republicans rapidly distanced themselves from the remark. Even Republican Senator John Thune admits hes worried about Trumps appeal in the middle of the electorate, pointedly noting that this could hurt Republicans downballot. A Washington Post poll finds that large majorities of independents view the prosecutions of Trump as legitimate under the law. And as Ron Brownstein details, a fair amount of data shows that a small but nontrivial swath of educated, moderate Republican voters remain concerned about Trumps assaults on democracy and alleged crimes. So Thunes fear seems reasonable. As Democrats debate how they should handle all this, the 2020 election may offer clues. In some ways, Covid-19 froze the political debate on Trumps handling of the pandemic, sidelining his countless other degradations. But Kate Bedingfield, a chief strategist on President Bidens 2020 campaign, points out that on Covid, Democrats successfully tied Trumps deranged personal displaysthe denialism, the unconcern about blue state cases, the talk of bleach injectionto his disastrous Covid-related policy failures. Democrats could attempt something similar by tying Trumps sexual assault to his boasting about appointing the Supreme Court justices who helped overturn abortion rights. He has no respect for womens bodies, Bedingfield told me. The way hes treating E. Jean Carroll is yet another reminder of how little he thinks of a womans right to make her own decisionsof a womans autonomy and freedom. As Stefanik revealed, Democrats have much to gain from forcing Republicans to defend Trumps capacity for debasement and criminality. Democrats shouldnt assume voters are fully aware of just how deep that capacity runs. In this regard, it appears, theres always more to learn. ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) An Elizabeth City man has been sentenced to 20 years on Monday for his role in trafficking drugs that resulted in an overdose death. According to officials, 39-year-old Tyrese Stokley was sentenced to 240 months in prison for distributing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine which resulted in an overdose death in February of 2020. Fentanyl overdoses are ravaging our communities and driving down American life expectancy. Drug dealers lacing fentanyl into their products should take note. The party is over, we are coming for you, said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. The defendants actions, which directly resulted in the tragic overdose death, show a blatant disregard for human life. Individuals should be on notice that we will stop at nothing to bring those responsible for perpetuating this overdose crisis to justice. The Currituck Sheriffs Office began investigating the overdose death of a young woman on March 1, 2020, which was found to be caused by fentanyl. The investigation eventually found that Stokely was the man responsible for distributing the fentanyl that caused the womans death on Feb. 29. Court documents revealed that Stokely was responsible for distributing 59.99 grams of cocaine, .2 grams of fentanyl and 45.3 grams of heroin through controlled purchases conducted by several police departments. According to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a potentially lethal dose. Keep up to date with the latest news on WAVY.com. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Elk Grove city officials expects to finalize its plans this week to relocate a 67-unit permanent supportive housing project, the Oak Rose apartments, which has been the subject of two lawsuits and some public outcry. Elk Grove Mayor Bobbi Singh-Allen told The Sacramento Bee that the city is close to finalizing its agreement with project developer Oak Rose Apt LP. An item regarding Oak Rose is on Wednesdays City Council agenda. We are expecting to finalize (the agreement) this week, Singh-Allen said. If we dont have it finalized it will continue to the following meeting to give time to finalize everything. The final agreement needs to be presented to council for approval. The agreement will outline everything. Last week, the city announced a tentative agreement to move forward with the project at a different site, instead of the initially planned location on Elk Grove Boulevard and Kent Street on the eastern edge of the Old Town District. The location of the new site hasnt been publicly disclosed. Singh-Allen first announced the relocation earlier this month on Facebook, writing: This is a positive and encouraging development. I am pleased with the constructive discussions with the applicant which includes relocation of the project. We are still working through the final details for a formal settlement. The project, which would be the citys first permanent housing project for low-income families transitioning from homelessness, had previously been met with lawsuits and irate residents. Elk Grove was twice sued for the Oak Rose Apartment debacle. The first suit came from project developer Oak Rose Apt LP, challenging the councils decision to reject the proposed development in July 2022. The other suit was brought forth by California Attorney General Rob Bonta in May, alleging that Elk Grove broke state housing law in denying the project last year and repeatedly defied Senate Bill 35, a law that compels cities to expedite affordable housing projects. Residents have been vocal at council meetings about their opinions of the location of the site, as they were fearful of what they viewed as a possible future conflict for their neighborhood. We understand theres a homeless crisis all around California, but why drop this smack-dab in the middle of the community? Brigit Naranjo said before a Sept. 27 meeting. Were willing to fight. Just keep fighting for us. Keep fighting for your constituents. Dont be bullied by the state. This is an item we want you to fight. Singh-Allen confirmed with The Bee there will be an update this week. The next City Council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday. If the agreement is not finalized Wednesday, councilmembers are expected to move the discussion to their next scheduled meeting Feb. 7. Elk Grove City Council meetings are open to the public and can be livestreamed from the citys website at elkgrovecity.org/councilmeeting. China's top political advisor meets with leader of Lao Front for National Construction Xinhua) 08:20, January 23, 2024 Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), met with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), on Monday in Beijing. Wang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Laos comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. He said the CPPCC National Committee is willing to work with the LFNC Central Committee to implement the important consensus reached by top leaders of the two parties and countries, build a good mechanism and platform for cooperation, and inject more positive energy into the steady and long-term development of a China-Laos community with a shared future. Sinlavong, who is also a politburo member of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP), said that Laos has always adhered firmly to the one-China principle and attached great importance to the construction of a Laos-China community with a shared future. He said Laos is willing to strengthen exchanges and experience-sharing with the CPPCC National Committee to build up popular support between the two countries and make new contributions to the development of bilateral relations. After the meeting, Wang and Sinlavong jointly attended the signing ceremony for a cooperation agreement between the CPPCC National Committee and the LFNC Central Committee. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), meets with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 22, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) He tried to ride a discrimination, anti-Blackness wave that he thought would resonate in America, says Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones. After Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the end of his 2024 presidential campaign on Sunday, Black Floridians are slamming the states chief executive, who they say built his White House run on punching down Black and other marginalized communities across the state through policy and legislation. Governor DeSantis used his climb to his presidential campaign on the backs of Blacks, on the backs of the LGBTQ community, on the backs of immigrants, said Shevrin Jones, a Florida state senator representing the Broward and Miami-Dade areas. He tried to ride a discrimination, anti-Blackness wave that he thought would resonate in America. Theres no vindication for us as a people just because hes not running for president anymore, Jones told theGrio. While hes still in office, hes still a danger, not just to Black people, but hes a danger to democracy. Since entering the governors office in 2019, DeSantis has prioritized how race and Black history are taught in Florida public schools. In 2022, he signed into law the Stop WOKE Act, which restricts critical race theory, a catchall phrase for Republicans to describe how race is discussed in classrooms. DeSantis targeted the graduate school-level curriculum and vowed to ban it from schools (despite not being taught in them) because it teaches children to hate this country and hate each other. Sen. Shevrin Jones speaks during a voting rights rally on the steps of the Historic Capitol, Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat / USA TODAY NETWORK) Most recently, DeSantis barred the states 28 public colleges from using state and federal funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, activities, and policies. His administration also previously banned an advanced placement African-American history course for high school students and sanctioned a new curriculum teaching middle school students that enslaved Black people benefited from slavery because they developed needed skills. We knew what he was doing in Florida by creating the cultural wars that would not translate across the rest of this nation. The rest of this nation is not Florida, said Jasmine Burney-Clark, founder of Equal Ground, a civic engagement organization based in Orlando. But, sadly, Black folks are going to now have to suffer and live with the decisions that he made through policy agendas that will impact us for generations, not just an election. Senator Jones said he worries that DeSantis, backed by a Republican supermajority in the state legislature, will continue a policy crusade designed to divide Florida on race, LGBTQ rights, and immigration. That could change, he said, if each leader in each chamber realized that we do not have to take orders from someone who nearly tried to be a dictator passing policies and laws that totally infringed on the rights of human beings. Following DeSantis now-failed presidential campaign, Burney-Clark said she believes theres an opportunity to reverse some of the damage he caused if Republican lawmakers previously beholden to him decide to shift the narrative by working on policies that are meaningful. This governor no longer holds power over them in the ways that they perceived he would, had he become president of the United States, she argued. I dont know what he gains from continuing to be an authoritarian leader in this state by pushing that agenda. DeSantis could also become a surrogate for former President Donald Trump, the leading candidate in the Republican presidential primary. The Florida governor immediately endorsed his former opponent over the other remaining candidate, former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley. Senator Jones said it was interesting that DeSantis, who previously slammed Trump for not being loyal to anyone who hasnt kissed the ring, has now endorsed the former president. Now DeSantis has kissed the ring again, he said. Jones, who is also a member of the Biden-Harris campaigns national advisory board, said Trump is a threat to democracy and the country and that even Republicans know it. Were talking about a man who tried to steal an election, he said. The Biden-Harris administration has many accomplishments under its belt, particularly as it relates to improving the economic conditions for Black Americans, Jones argued. U.S. President Joe Biden applauds as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks, announcing the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention on Sept. 22, 2023. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images) When it comes to African-Americans, were seeing the highest when it comes to Black businesses. Were seeing record numbers of individuals who are now able to get insulin, he said. Even in spite of the ruling from the Supreme Court when it comes to forgiving student loans, the president found and continues to find a way to bring economic relief to peoples pockets. However, winning the Biden-Harris ticket in Florida remains an uphill battle. Though former President Barack Obama won the state in the 2008 and 2012 elections, Burney-Clark noted that the states campaign infrastructure with a more diverse electorate has been obliterated and disinvested. We got really close, however, under Andrew Gillum, she said, referring to the former Tallahassee mayor and Democratic nominee who lost a close gubernatorial race against DeSantis in 2018. There were some remnants of that coalition still in place, but without serious and maintained infrastructure year-round in the state of Florida, we are going to see, I think, that type of victory this year, said Burney-Clark, who noted that DeSantis massively expanded his winning margins in his 2022 reelection race. Florida could be on a path to redemption by utilizing the Biden-Harris campaign to get clear about what the issues are, get clear about the messaging, and use other sorts of benchmarks to determine what success could look like for future races, she said. Despite winning against Gillum in 2018, DeSantis was able to expand his margin of victory in 2022 to more than 1.5 million votes, which suggests a difficult path for President Biden and other Democrats on the ballot in Florida this November. Weve got to measure our work and our victory differently this year to determine if youre on the right path to helping Florida win some races that include more progressive leaders in this state, said Burney-Clark. 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He is based in Washington, D.C. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post DeSantis still seen as danger to Black people and democracy after ending 2024 campaign appeared first on TheGrio. Departing Los Angeles Unified school board member Jackie Goldberg leaves big shoes to fill in District 5 a C-shaped expanse that includes Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, Koreatown, South L.A. and the southeast cities of Huntington Park, Maywood and South Gate. Many of these communities were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to suffer from learning loss, chronic absenteeism and other problems. They need a champion who is prepared to advocate and deliver for them from day one. Read more: L.A. Times electoral endorsements for 2024 March primary Fortunately, there's an experienced, thoughtful and fair-minded candidate to succeed Goldberg and provide the representation these often-neglected communities deserve. Fidencio Gallardo, the mayor of the City of Bell, was a classroom teacher and administrator for nearly three decades until he began working as a deputy for Goldberg in 2019. Of the four candidates running, Gallardo articulates the clearest vision for improving student achievement and well-being in the wake of the pandemic. And his breadth of experience puts him the best position to actually get things done. Read more: Endorsement: The Times' recommendation for Adam Schiff's replacement in the U.S. House Gallardo said he plans to prioritize student literacy and achievement, which along with attendance, has suffered tremendously since the pandemic. He would continue the important work of greening school campuses that are asphalt-laden hot spots and detrimental to childrens health and learning. His most recent teaching experience as an 11th-grade English Language Arts instructor at South Gate High School gives him insight into the best ways that the school board can allocate resources to help students struggling with reading. The L.A. Unified board seems to be moving past the years of ideologically driven conflict between pro-charter-school advocates and the powerful United Teachers Los Angeles union. The current board has given Supt. Alberto Carvalho more leeway than many of his predecessors to carry out district policies, which is an improvement over its heavy-handedness in the past. But the board still needs members with the courage to hold the superintendent accountable and force changes to policies if they aren't delivering for students and their families. Read more: Endorsement: The Times' recommendation for U.S. Senate Gallardo is appropriately critical of some decisions by district leaders in recent years. That includes Carvalhos move to replace the successful Primary Promise program that helps elementary school students struggling with reading and math with a new program that includes middle school students, and the boards 2021 decision to remove school police from campuses without a clear plan to keep students safe. Gallardo said he will push for more unarmed school safety officers so that every campus has someone consistently responsible for keeping students safe, and for giving individual schools greater discretion over what type of safety personnel are on their campuses. Its middle-ground positions like these, that seem reasonable but are at odds with UTLA, that could be a good indication of what to expect from Gallardo on the board. He also wants to see more educational support for kids during their critical middle school years, including more one-on-one instruction. Its a priority thats informed by his experience as a high school English teacher who encountered many students without the reading skills to handle classics such as "To Kill a Mockingbird." Read more: Endorsement: The Times' recommendation on Measure HLA There are three other candidates in the race: retired administrator Victorio Gutierrez; special education teacher Karla Griego, who has the endorsement of UTLA; and Graciela Ortiz, an LAUSD administrator and member of the Huntington Park City Council who has the backing of charter school advocates and Service Employees International Union, Local 99, which represents classified school staff. None of them offer the same mix of skills, experience and independence as Gallardo. Though he did not win the backing of charter school advocates or the two most powerful unions, Gallardo has deep community ties and a long list of prominent supporters, including Goldberg. It's an indication that voters can expect him to work for policies that best serve students rather than those that only benefit labor or charter school interests and that makes him the best candidate in this race. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Dallas-Fort Worth residents looking to escape the recent chilly temperatures can visit any of these sunny locations which are just one flight away from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The DFW Airport has more than 73 million visitors per year and offers 193 domestic and 67 international flight destinations. Here are ten locations that are just one flight away for Metroplex travelers. Prices could change based on the airline selected, the date tickets are booked or the time you fly among other factors. More trending stories: Arctic blast turns historic Texas town into a winter wonderland. Think Texas has had enough Arctic blasts? Wait for the wrath of polar vortex. 4 Texas cities to watch spectacular total solar eclipse in April. Hotels along a beach in Cancun, Mexico. 10. Cancun, Mexico A popular vacation destination with a plethora of resorts for travelers to stay at, miles of beaches to explore and nightlife to explore. Flights from American Airlines at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport begin at $221 for basic economy and $261 for the main cabin. The flight is approximately three hours from Dallas-Fort Worth to Cancun International Airport. Bluffton, South Carolina, resident Cheryl Longshore took this photo while vacationing in Montego Bay, Jamaica. 9. Montego Bay, Jamaica Montego Bay is the second largest city in Jamaica and one of its most popular draws for tourists. travelers can snorkel in crystal clear water, laze on some of the worlds most beautiful beaches and check out local vendors at markets. Flights from DFW to Sangster International Airport will take anywhere from three-and-a-half to four hours. Ticket prices start at $843 for basic economy on American Airlines. Lanterns line an alley in the Japanese Village in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. 8. Los Angeles Looking to stay in the country? Los Angeles could be a perfect travel choice. Multiple historic landmarks to see such as the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Hollywood Sign, beaches to explore and world-famous museums to visit. Ticket prices start at $232 from Spirit Airlines and the trip will take approximately three-and-a-half hours to get to Los Angeles International Airport. Couples row around the lake in Madrids Parque del Buen Retiro where Spanish nobles once staged mock naval battles. (Patricia Harris/TNS) 7. Madrid For travelers looking to get further away, Madrid is an option. The capital of Spain is known for its vibrant nightlife, delicious cuisine and rich artistic culture. This flight will be one of the longest on the list clocking in at nine hours to Spain and 11-12 hours on the return trip home from MadridBarajas Airport. Also, its the more expensive flight on the list with tickets starting at $1,716 on British Airways. The Tokyo Tower in Tokyo, Japan. 6. Tokyo Tokyo is a popular tourist destination for fans of world-class cuisine, video game historians and art lovers. The 13-hour fight from DFW to Narita International Airport makes it the longest on the list, but not the most expensive with a price tag that begins at $1697 on American Airlines. A view of the Krakatau volcano, the centerpiece water attraction at Universal Orlandos Volcano Bay, during a media preview, Wednesday, May 24, 2017, in Orlando, Fla. Volcano Bay is Universal Orlandos newest park and opens to the public on Thursday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS) 5. Orlando, Florida A perfect destination for fans of amusement parks with two of the United States most popular in Disney World and Universal Orlando. Ticket prices start at $165 on Frontier Airlines from DFW to Orlando International Airport, making this the cheapest flight on the list. Its also one of the fastest flights on the list taking a little under three hours to get to Orlando. View of Las Vegas ringing in 2014 from Delano Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino (PRNewsFoto/LV Convention & Visitors Auth...) 4. Las Vegas The strip in Las Vegas encompasses many of the U.S.s most famous hotels and casinos including the Venetian, the Egyptian Luxor, and Paris Las Vegas. Fans of music can also check out which artists are hosting residencies in Las Vegas. Flights to Harry Reid International Airport last about three hours and prices start at $188 on Frontier Airlines. Veteran surfers crowd the waves at Windansea Beach off San Diegos Pacific coastline. 3. San Diego San Diego is home to the San Diego Zoo which is one of the most popular zoos in the United States. San Diego also has beaches popular for surfing and is known for its excellent weather. The flight will take approximately three hours with the cheapest tickets beginning at $232 dollars on Frontier Airline traveling to San Diego International Airport. Georgia State Capitol Building in Atlanta. 2. Atlanta A great vacation spot for lovers of history with sights relevant to Martin Luther King Jr., the Civil War and other civil rights icons and notable figures. Flights will take under three hours to get to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and tickets start as low as $259 on Frontier Airlines. Kahului beach 1. Kahului, Hawaii The Kanaha Beach Park is great for lounging or surfing and there are wildlife preserves for those who like to observe nature. Ticket prices begin at $741 on American Airlines. The flight is a little over eight hours to Kahului and a little under seven hours on the trip home from Kahului Airport. A view of the Lufthansa logo is seen on a plane in Frankfurt. Boris Roessler/dpa EU anti-trust regulators have blocked for now Lufthansa's planned minority stake in the Italian airline ITA Airways after a preliminary investigation showed the deal could reduce competition on some routes, the European Commission said on Tuesday. The commission said there is only limited competition from other airlines on non-stop routes to and from some Central European destinations. It noted that on some of these routes, Lufthansa and ITA would be in direct competition with each other with non-stop flights. There is only limited competition from other airlines - primarily from low-cost airlines such as Ryanair. However, these would often fly from more remote airports. The EU Commission now has to issue a decision on the procedure by June 6, it said. Lufthansa said on Tuesday that it is still committed to acquiring a stake in ITA and assumes that the transaction will be approved. Lufthansa says ITA Airways is to become "a complementary and important part of the Lufthansa Group." Lufthansa, which says it has the highest sales in Europe, already operates several hubs with the four airlines that currently comprise its network: Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss and Brussels Airlines. Lufthansa also said that it was convinced that a stake in ITA would have overall positive effects on competition in Italy and Europe. ITA was formed in 2020 after a restructuring of the failed Italian flag carrier Alitalia, which the government in Rome took over in March of the same year when various takeover bids failed. After months of negotiations, Lufthansa agreed with the Italian state last May to take over a minority stake of 41%. In return, ITA is to receive 325 million ($352 million) in equity from Lufthansa. According to the agreement, Lufthansa can also acquire a further 49% of ITA shares from 2025 under certain conditions and the remaining 10% at a later date. Since its announcement, the deal between Lufthansa and the Italian state has been subject to regulatory reviews at the national and European level. Lufthansa said recently it had already made concessions to EU regulators and that it was was in close dialogue with all parties involved. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already put pressure on the EU to quickly agree to the deal. Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has criticized the lengthy review, decrying "the fact that we are losing more time." EU competition authorities have started an in-depth investigation into the consequences of the tie-up under competition law. "The Commission now has 90 working days, until 6 June 2024, to take a decision. The opening of an in-depth investigation does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation," the EU Commission said in statement. ITA - or Italia Trasporto Aereo - took over flight operations of its insolvent predecessor Alitalia in October 2021, but is not its legal successor. But ITA has secured take-off and landing rights as well as the Alitalia brand. The legendary name could well be reactivated again under the new corporate umbrella. Former U.S. President Donald Trumps boastful claim that he could end Russias war on Ukraine within 24 hours were dismissed by Josep Borrell, the EUs High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, reported Barrons, referencing the AP. Dismissing the notion of a quick and easy solution, Borrell said, "We haven't been able to come up with a magical formula to resolve the problem in 24 hours, but I gather that President (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy has invited President Trump to go to Kyiv and find a solution quickly." Highlighting the strong desire for peace among Ukrainians, Borrell said, "The people who want peace most of all, who want war to end most of all, are of course the Ukrainians, and I'm sure they'd be delighted if President Trump could give them the magical formula to end the war in 24 hours." Read also: 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 EU leaders are ready to take a tough stance against Hungary if Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to block a 50 billion aid package for Ukraine at their summit on 1 February. Source: Bloomberg with reference to its sources, as reported by European Pravda Details: Bloomberg noted that on Monday, Hungary opposed an EU proposal to create a new fund to provide a more reliable way to deliver critical military aid to Ukraine. The proposal came after Orban vetoed a four-year financial package for Ukraine in mid-December. Bloombergs sources stated that EU member states are ready to approve the aid package for Ukraine at the summit in Brussels on 1 February, regardless of whether Hungary supports it. If Orban continues to block the support package, the remaining 26 EU countries will decide to approve it, and preparations for such a scenario are already in full swing. A possible fallback is for the rest of the EU to provide money to Ukraine outside the EU budget process. The sources stressed that if Orban decides to go this route, the EU could launch the next stage of punitive measures against Hungary, which could lead to the deprivation of its voting rights as a member state. At the same time, Bloomberg noted that such a scenario could lead to a wider confrontation, as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has previously declared that he will defend Hungary against steps aimed at depriving it of its voting rights in the EU. Following a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a video message posted on Facebook that his country does not support a revision of the current funding mechanism known as the European Peace Facility, under which member states are compensated for weapons they send to Ukraine. Szijjarto said that the issue of funding would be discussed during his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, on 29 January. Budapest will consider lifting the blockade if Ukraine provides "guarantees" that Hungarian companies will not be added to the list of sponsors of international war. Hungary has previously stated that it could lift its veto on the aid package, provided that the funding is reviewed annually. And, according to media reports, the European Commission is ready to accept some of Budapest's demands. Support UP or become our patron! As so often in the past, British and American forces are back in action together, this time against the Houthis, who are trying to cut off shipping in the Red Sea. Anglo-American strikes from sea and air are backed by our traditional allies Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with support from Bahrain. But the only European Union member state to participate in Operation Prosperity Guardian is The Netherlands. From Brussels, Berlin, Paris, Rome and Madrid there is nothing but sullen indifference. Even the Germans, initially on side, seem to have fallen silent. Yet it is the EU that has most to gain from keeping open one of the worlds most important trade arteries. Already the costly re-routing of shipping in response to Houthi drone, missile and seaborne attacks is driving up consumer prices across Europe. The threat posed by the Houthis is obvious even in Brussels, but once again the EU is its own worst enemy. The Eurocrats combine antipathy towards Anglo-American sea power with timidity towards the Arab world. Instead of joining the US-led naval task force, France, Germany and Italy have decided to organise their own mission under the EU flag. But this operation, code-named ASPIDES, has yet to be agreed on, let alone dispatched. While EU politicians and bureaucrats agonise, the Royal Navy and the RAF are actively helping the US to degrade Houthi missile batteries supplied by Iran. As we have seen before in the Middle East, timing is everything. We must act quickly to interdict the Houthi threat before it can escalate. But there is no chance of the European operation getting underway speedily. Even if the EU mission ever actually leaves harbour, there are grave doubts about what its rules of engagement would permit it to do. No wonder the Dutch, who share our proud naval traditions, preferred to join Operation Prosperity Guardian. The truth is that the EU has never succeeded in creating a military force of any size or within a reasonable time frame. As an institution, it is painfully slow to react to global threats. Europes grandest panjandrum, President Emmanuel Macron, notoriously dismissed Nato as brain dead. Yet the Atlantic alliance has stood the test of time, while the much-touted European Army has remained no more than a Napoleonic fantasy. Ukraine and Israel have just reminded us of the brutal realities of war. Last Monday alone 24 Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza, while in two years Ukraine has suffered an estimated 300,000 casualties, according to Nato. Such sacrifices require courage and patriotism. Does anyone believe that Europeans are ready to die for the sake of the EU? There is a lesson here for Europeans that they will almost certainly have to learn the hard way yet again. Three times in the last 110 years, the United States has intervened to save mainland Europe from tyranny: twice in world wars and again in the Cold War. Now our Continent again faces lethal threats, which have exposed the woeful lack of military preparedness of Natos European pillar. A second Trump presidency would put the alliance itself in peril especially if a more isolationist administration had its suspicions confirmed by EU inaction. Hence the present naval action in the Red Sea has acquired an additional significance as a test of European resolve. It is not too late for the French, Italians and Germans to rethink their stance and join the Dutch in lending their naval assets several of which are already in the region to Operation Prosperity Guardian. In their pursuit of a totalitarian Islamist dictatorship in Yemen, the Houthis have outdone even the Taliban, trampling over human rights and even reimposing slavery. Up to half a million people have died so far in the civil war that this murderous brood has unleashed in one of the poorest countries on earth. From the EU perspective, the fact that the Houthis represent a peculiarly vile form of Islamofascism ought to help the bureaucrats in Brussels to overcome their distaste for cooperating with post-Brexit Britain. Yet the far-Left Irish MEPs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly are not alone in defending the Houthis and denouncing the Anglo-American operation. As long as too many politicians in the EU care more about posturing than about preserving freedom, the task of policing the high seas will remain predominantly a matter for the English-speaking peoples. 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. European Union leaders are prepared to take harsh measures against Hungary if Prime Minister Viktor Orban continues to block a $54.3 billion aid package for Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on 22 Jan. EU member states are ready to approve the aid package for Ukraine at the Brussels summit on Feb. 1, regardless of Hungary's support. Read also: European Parliamentarian invokes Article 7 of EU Treaty in bid to suspend Hungarys voting rights A potential alternative involves bypassing Orban's blockade of the aid package, with the rest of the EU member states directing funds to Ukraine outside the EU budgetary process. The proposal would involve providing national guarantees to attract funding in the market if Hungary continues to block a joint decision. This could lead to an escalation, including the launch of a new stage of punitive measures against Budapest by the EU, which could result in Hungary losing its voting rights. However, this scenario could also lead to a broader conflict, as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico last week warned other leaders that he would protect Hungary from any potential steps aimed at depriving Orban's government of its rights in the bloc. Read also: European Parliament opens vote of no confidence over unfreezing Hungary funds Hungary opposed a proposal to create a new fund to provide a more reliable way of sending critically important military aid to Ukraine on Jan. 22. That same day, after a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto stated that his country does not support the reform of the current funding mechanism, known as the European Peace Facility. Szijjarto also added that this issue will be discussed during his meeting with Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on Jan. 29. Budapest will consider lifting the blockade if Ukraine provides guarantees that Hungarian companies will not be added to the list of sponsors of the international war. Approval of providing Ukraine with $54.3 billion is far off, but bilateral assistance is possible, Hungary stated on Jan. 18. At the EU summit in December, Orban blocked the adoption of an EU budgetary decision, which included a medium-term aid program for Ukraine. Ukraine would receive $54.3 billion in aid from the European Union despite Hungary's resistance, stated German Foreign Ministry at the end of December. The EU is preparing an alternative plan to provide Ukraine with 20 billion ($21.74 billion) in financial support, bypassing Orban's veto, the Financial Times reported. The proposed mechanism could be used if Orban's veto is not overcome at the planned summit on Feb. 1. 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 (Bloomberg) -- The European Union is progressing with plans to apply a windfall tax to the profits generated by frozen Russian central bank assets, while opting not to seize the immobilized money outright. Most Read from Bloomberg EU foreign ministers gave their political blessing to the windfall tax on Monday and it will be discussed by the blocs ambassadors later this week, according to people familiar with the plans. Ukraines allies broadly agree that Russia needs to pay for the damage its war has caused. The EU, Group of Seven nations and Australia have frozen about 260 billion ($283 billion) in Russian central bank assets in the form of securities and cash, with more than two thirds of that immobilized in the EU. The majority of the EU-based assets are held by the clearing house Euroclear, where they earned about 3 billion last year. The EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told reporters on Monday that progress was made on the windfall tax during a meeting of the blocs foreign ministers, and that discussions will continue. I am convinced that we can move forward with this file, Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, told Bloomberg TV in an interview. A group of countries including Germany have made clear they are against seizing the Russian assets outright due to legal concerns, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. Asked to clarify the German position, a foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday that the priority of the government in Berlin is to ensure legal certainty so that the stability of financial markets is guaranteed. Speaking later in Berlin, Finance Minister Christian Lindner said that while the motive behind exploiting the assets in some way corresponds to a sense of justice, its also important to respect the rules-based international order, international law and financial stability. Every step in this direction, especially as far as central bank assets are concerned, must be examined very carefully in terms of the law and its consequences, Lindner said at a business forum. Its not about weakening us and the rules-based international order, the aim is to support Ukraine and weaken Putin. Belgiums Van Peteghem sees the option of seizing assets in a critical light as well. I am a little bit more reluctant, because I think we need a global level playing field and we also need to be sure that is legally sound and it cannot impact the financial stability of systemic institutions such as Euroclear, he said. The EUs foreign affairs service proposed a multi-step process last year that would initially identify the relevant assets and set out actions that the central securities depositories holding those funds would need to take before next steps are put forward. Read More: Russian Anti-War Candidate Gathers Signatures to Challenge Putin Those steps would outline how a windfall tax is applied to the profits generated by the frozen assets and the proceeds transferred to the EUs budget to use for Ukraine. Expenses and national taxes would be deducted before the proceeds are transferred, Bloomberg previously reported. The US has recently signaled that it could be open to seizing the assets outright. But even the lesser step of taxing profits has progressed slowly in the EU as several member states and the European Central Bank are worried about the potential impact the move could have on the euros stability. Separately, the debate over aid for Ukraine has hit a critical juncture, with questions arising over the war-torn countrys immediate needs. About $100 billion in aid remains stalled by political processes in Washington and Brussels. --With assistance from Lyubov Pronina, Maria Tadeo, Jorge Valero, Kamil Kowalcze and John Follain. (Updates with German comment starting in seventh paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A decision on the fate of frozen Russian assets will be made before the next meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, said in Brussels at a press conference, news agency Interfax-Ukraine reported on Jan. 23. The next meeting is scheduled for March 18, according to the EU Council's work plan. Read also: Ukraine may finance budget deficit with proceeds from frozen Russian assets "As far as the Russian assets are concerned, I think we can say that we have a political agreement to finalize the work based on the proposals that were presented in December," the diplomat said. I am almost sure that it will be finalized soon. The discussion will continue at the ambassadorial level, but I see that there will be agreements. I will work to ensure that this decision is made before the next EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Read also: Zelenskyy calls for transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine Borrell is also confident that agreements will be reached on 5 billion euros ($5.4 billion) for a special Ukrainian military support fund. "I hope that we will reach an agreement on an additional 5 billion euros for the European Peace Fund so that we can create a Ukrainian aid fund," said Borrell. We have presented the relevant proposals to clarify to member states how the European Peace Facility will work in this new moment. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated in mid-December 2023 that plans were taking shape to divert Russia's frozen foreign holdings, amounting to roughly $300 billion, to 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 An undated handout photo shows a weapon technicians preparing a Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4. Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have conducted precision strike operations against Houthi military targets in response to further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. As1 Leah Jones/Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright via PA Media/dpa EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis has said that attacks by Houthi rebels on container ships in the Red Sea are not yet affecting the price of energy or goods in Europe. But transport costs are rising, Dombrovskis said on Tuesday after an informal meeting of EU trade ministers in Brussels. The reason is that shipping companies are diverting their ships to Africa's Cape of Good Hope, a longer journey. The Red Sea route is the shortest between Asia and Europe. Traffic in the Red Sea recently fell by 22% within a month and is likely to continue to decline. "The broader economic impact, the impact on consumer prices and the EU economy in general will depend greatly on the duration of this crisis," Dombrovskis explained. It was now important to discuss measures to protect merchant shipping in the Red Sea, the EU trade commissioner added. Following an EU agreement in principle, a military operation to secure commercial shipping in the Red Sea is to begin next month and help end attacks on ships by the militant Islamist Houthis from Yemen. The Houthi rebels have been shelling ships in a bid to force an end to Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, which followed the unprecedented massacre by the Islamist Hamas on Israel on October 7. The EU operation will be independent of the ongoing operation launched by the United States and the United Kingdom, backed by a few other countries, to attack Houthi bases lobbing missiles at merchant ships. An undated handout photo shows a Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 taking off. Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have conducted precision strike operations against Houthi military targets in response to further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. As1 Jake Green Raf/Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright via PA Media/dpa The EU has noted progress in the execution of the plan to implement tax on the income from frozen Russian assets. Source: Bloomberg with reference to sources Quote: "The European Union is progressing with plans to apply a windfall tax to the profits generated by frozen Russian central bank assets, while opting not to seize the immobilised money outright." Details: Sources of the agency report that recently Foreign Affairs Ministers of the EU countries expressed political support of the idea to implement such taxation. It is expected that this issue will be discussed by the EU ambassadors later this week. Reportedly, a group of countries, mainly Germany, have made it clear that they are against seizing the Russian assets. It was stated that the process of coordination of taxation was advancing slowly, since several EU member states and the European Central Bank were concerned about how this decision may potentially affect the stability of the euro. Earlier, Josep Borrell, the head of EU diplomacy, stated that there was an agreement in the EU to advance to the final stage of work on the opportunity to use the income from frozen Russian assets in favour of Ukraine. "We have a political agreement to finish working on the basis of the proposition made in December with a focus on the income from frozen assets," Borrell said after the EU Council on the Foreign Affairs Ministers level. Borrell added that at the moment the conversation is about the possibility of using the tax on the income from the assets, not the frozen assets themselves. Background: In December the European Commission proposed to use the tax on the income from frozen Russian assets in favour of Ukraine. According to the media, over 200 billion of blocked Russian assets are in the EU, a big part of it being stored in Belgium in the Euroclear international depository. In October 2023 the Belgian authorities announced that it would create a 1,7 billion fund for Ukraine through taxation of the income from the Russian assets. In March 2022 the EU decided to freeze Russian assets in the EU countries. Support UP or become our patron! FILE - An ITA Airways passenger jet approaches to land at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, on July 1, 2022. The European Commission on Tuesday announced an in-depth investigation of Lufthansas planned takeover of the Italian airline, ITA Airways, citing competitive concerns. Lufthansa last year signed a deal for a 41-percent minority share in the long-struggling ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File) MILAN (AP) The European Commission on Tuesday announced an in-depth investigation of German airline Lufthansas planned takeover of Italian carrier ITA Airways, citing competitive concerns. Lufthansa signed a deal last year for a 41% minority share in the long-struggling ITA Airways, formerly Alitalia. The deal calls for a 325-million-euro ($354 million) investment by Lufthansa, and another 250 million euros ($272 million) from the Italian Finance Ministry. Lufthansa would have the option of buying the remaining shares at a later date. The European Commission cited concerns about reduced competition on short-haul flights between Italy and Central Europe and long-haul routes between Italy and the United States, Canada, Japan and India. ITA Airways and Lufthansa compete on the Central European flights, where low-cost players generally serve secondary airports. On the longer-haul routes, ITA is competing against Lufthansa and its partners Air Canada and United. The commission also said the deal could strengthen ITAs dominant position at Milans Linate airport. The commission said that it would make a decision by June 6. The commission has the power to set conditions for the deal. It said that Lufthansas response to preliminary concerns was insufficient. Airline analyst Gregory Alegi said that the commissions concerns were a paradox, since 20 years ago it had taken the position that the European Union market wasnt big enough for the many flagship carriers that existed at the time. Now you start working about not enough competition?" said Alegi, a LUISS University professor, calling the flip in approach an indictment of this high-level attempt to shape markets by regulation. ITA was formed in October 2021 on the ashes of Alitalia, which had gone through a series of bankruptcies, government bailouts and failed partnerships as subsequent governments tried to prevent its demise. At the time, the commission insisted on a new name to mark a break with the 74-year-old carriers past. The commissions patience has been tested with Alitalias several bailouts, and ITA airways came about, because a previous government would not let it collapse, so there had to be a total break, Alegi said. Spanish Economy Minister Nadia Calvino rings a bell during the economic and financial affairs council. Alexandros Michailidis/EU Council/dpa In the past year, the European Investment Bank Group (EIB) invested more money in climate and environmental projects than ever before, EIB President Nadia Calvino said on Tuesday in Brussels. In 2023, a total of 49 billion flowed into projects that take action on climate change and environmental sustainability. In the previous year it was 38 billion. "With 349 billion of green investment mobilized since 2021, the EIB Group is on track to achieve the goal of 1 trillion of green financing supported by the end of the decade," the EIB group said in a statement. Based in Luxembourg, the EIB is the bank of the European Union and claims to be the largest multilateral financing institution in the world. Most recently, it has been particularly involved as a donor for climate action and also for supporting Ukraine. The bank set up a fund in 2023 for the country under attack by Russia, in addition to aid of almost 2 billion since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. In total, the EIB Group signed new financing of almost 88 billion in 2023. In addition to climate projects, there was also financing to promote infrastructure and health. More than 21 billion was invested in energy security to reduce Europe's dependence on fossil energy and advance the green transition. The dreams of Ethel I. Baker Elementary School fourth-grade students ranged in depth and complexity when shared aloud during a Thursday morning discussion: One boy sought to end world violence, while another simply wished his mother could get more work. In a neighboring fifth-grade class, a slide projected emojis depicting different emotions, and children discussed what activities wasted their time in a roundtable conversation. Each morning activity practiced just as classes began was the first step in a three-tiered program by the Sacramento County Office of Education to integrate professional mental health services onto school campuses. Students mental health dramatically receded during the COVID-19 pandemic, and county education officials said they hope this program increases access to mental health services and breaks its stigma. The first step is every class having discussions akin to Ethel I. Baker Elementary Schools fourth- and fifth-grade students. The second step targets specific students mental health needs, and the third allows children ultimately to visit clinicians. There are 50 mental health professionals placed at more than 33 schools so far, according to the county education office, which hosted a news conference last week about its program. Ethel I. Baker Elementary fourth grade teacher Souchoy Saechou talks to his students at the start of class as part of the schools integrated Center of Wellness program on Thursday. The program is designed to help the mental health of students and their families by using a different approach to discipline and teaching. Its not just that a clinician is in a school, Ethel I. Baker Elementary School Principal Nate McGill said. Its a part of the programming, the fabric, the culture. A team including McGill, assistant principal Cristina Kosakowski, a social worker and mental health and wellness clinician Elizabeth Kirby will determine what a student needs if mental health struggles arise. Teachers can flag a students problems and the team will determine what services are needed, McGill said. Anybody that is referred to us, theyre probably already on our radar, he added. So, we try to have a good sense of it. The goal is to also catch childrens mental health needs early, so the issue doesnt worsen, said David Gordon, superintendent for the county Office of Education. Theres a cultural shift around the topic of mental health services, McGill said. In the four years since the programs implementation, hes seen students now ask to speak with a clinician because theyve seen friends seek out services, he said. Latrenna Conner kisses her daughter Laanadi Gillett, a student at Ethel I. Baker Elementary School on Thursday. Conner said shes seen benefits from the schools integrated Center of Wellness program. The program is designed to help the mental health of students and their family by using a different approach to discipline and teaching. Many students tendencies to break rules may stem from unprocessed trauma. The elementary school has moved away from swiftly suspending a child and instead tried other methods to teach the pupil of consequences, McGill said. Parents at first didnt understand why a student was not being suspended, said Kosakowski, the assistant principal. It took time to explain how theres other ways to ensure students learn from their harmful actions but dont miss out on school time. We dont even say discipline, McGill added. Thats not a word we use. Money from the state Department of Health Care Services, the county Office of Education and school districts pays for the Centers of Wellness and clinicians, said Christopher Williams, the county executive director of School-Based Mental Health and Wellness. An equity index decided which schools would get clinicians in the early stages. Campuses were ranked based on attendance behaviors, suspensions and the percentage of students that qualify for free and reduced lunches, Williams said. The goal is to place clinicians across every campus under the county Office of Education, amounting to 300, he added. When do individual errors add up to something more? When do mistakes become a clear pattern of institutional bias? These are questions the BBC must answer when it comes to its reporting of Israels conflict with the terrorist group Hamas. They are questions that are occupying the Government too, with both Rishi Sunak and Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer commenting on BBC bias this week. We all know mistakes happen, particularly in large institutions. But when they keep happening, they reveal something more. They tell us that the BBC is being undermined in its duty to impartiality by institutional bias, anti-Israel sentiment and, in some cases, racism against Jews. Since the pogrom in Israel on October 7, the Jewish community has been shocked by the number of times the BBC has made reporting errors and breached its obligations to impartiality when it comes to Israel. So is the BBC just unlucky that this keeps happening? The answer is no. The sheer volume of these incidents instead tells us something highly significant about institutional bias at the corporation and its managements failure to get to grips with it. If you are in any doubt that there is a problem, here are 10 examples of BBC bias and breaches of impartiality since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October. Each is serious in its own right. Collectively, they form an undeniable and frankly scandalous charge sheet. October 7: The BBC refuses to describe the massacre of children, the rape and sexual mutilation of women, the mass murder of young people at the Nova music festival, and the taking of hostages, including babies and Holocaust survivors, as a terrorist attack. This is despite this language being used on multiple previous occasions in BBC reporting of terrorist attacks not related to Israel. October 17: A BBC News reporter blames Israel for a rocket attack on a hospital in Gaza before any evidence emerges to prove this was the case. It is quickly established that the rocket was fired by terrorists from within Gaza. October 30: The BBCs reporting of a mob attack on Jews in Dagestan describes the incident as simply anti-Israel. The fact that the mob had chanted We are here for the Jews We came to kill them with knives and shoot at them did not appear to qualify as a clear enough statement of racist intent to be reported as such. October: The BBCs diplomatic correspondent, Caroline Hawley, uses social media to repost messages and photographs from Gaza without context or any apparent attempt at basic journalistic verification. Her online feed barely mentions the October 7 massacres or the plight of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. October: The BBCs Arabic Service fails to maintain standards of impartiality in its reporting of the Israel-Hamas war. Among those failing to meet these standards is BBC reporter Rami Ruhayem who blames Western media for being complicit in Israels attack. October: Presenters working for the BBC Asian Network use social media to accuse Israel of genocide, ethnic cleansing and war crimes. To make matters worse, senior BBC managers are warned about these posts but they remain online until being highlighted by this newspaper. Why the posts were not removed earlier is a question that has not been answered. November 14: A BBC executive responsible for the flagship documentary strand Storyville lends warm public support to a Palestinian film-maker after he makes an anti-Israel speech that includes genocidal statements. The BBCs kneejerk response is to defend its reputation and excuse its executives behaviour. One Jewish employee of the BBC has since commented: Working at the BBC at the moment is soul-destroying. It is a very hostile and difficult environment. November 15: A BBC newsreader twice claims that Israeli forces were targeting medical teams and Arab speakers at Gazas largest hospital. This was a gross distortion of the facts, apparently based on the BBCs misinterpretation of a Reuters report. December 24: The BBC reports unverified claims by Hamas that the Israeli army was carrying out summary executions of Palestinians in Gaza. The report is aired six times on BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service before being pulled. It takes over two weeks for the BBC to acknowledge that what it had reported was not true. January 13: The BBCs highest-paid presenter, Gary Lineker, having shared material on social media that accuses Israel of genocide, reposts a call for the racist boycotting of Israel. It clearly breaches the BBCs social-media guidelines, but BBC leaders claim Linekers latest output was a mistake. In all honesty, can the BBCs senior management look at a list this long, with this many egregious issues and not admit they face a serious problem? Far harder but absolutely necessary is for the BBC to confront the institutional bias and anti-Semitism that has become evident in the corporation and take meaningful steps to address it. It is a mission it cannot afford to fail. Danny Cohen was the Director of BBC Television 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. (Bloomberg) -- A senior Conservative member of Parliament publicly called for Rishi Sunak to quit, in the latest sign of the prime ministers failure to pacify rebellions in the ruling party ahead of a UK vote this year. Most Read from Bloomberg Simon Clarke, who was a Cabinet minister during Liz Trusss brief premiership and served as chief secretary to the Treasury when Sunak was chancellor, said in a newspaper commentary that the premier is leading the Tories to impending catastrophe in an election where we will be massacred. Rishi Sunak has sadly gone from asset to anchor, Clarke wrote in his Daily Telegraph column published late Tuesday. We can change leader, and give our party and country a fighting chance. The intervention comes just days after Sunak successfully pushed his signature anti-migration legislation through the House of Commons, despite 11 No votes from Tory rebels including Clarke, who argued the bill didnt go far enough. That result indicated Sunaks opponents dont have the numbers to oust Sunak, and the immediate reaction to Clarkes op-ed bolstered that view. Former Home Secretary Priti Patel on X described it as a facile and divisive self-indulgence that would only help the poll-leading opposition Labour Party. Former Brexit Secretary David Davis called Clarkes article silly. Speaking on the governments broadcast round on Wednesday, minister Kevin Hollinrake said Clarkes is not the overwhelming view of our party. Still, there are reasons for Sunaks team to worry. Clarkes is just the latest broadside against the prime minister carried by the Telegraph, whose readers are considered to be representative of grassroots Tories. The newspaper last week ran a YouGov poll funded by a group called the Conservative Britain Alliance on its front page showing the Tories headed for electoral oblivion. The survey and its implications were presented in the paper by David Frost, who was the UKs Brexit negotiator under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In the never-ending theater of Tory faction-fighting, Frost is allied with the group that blames people like Sunak for ousting Johnson in 2022. Antipathy toward Sunak on the right of the Conservative Party was laid bare during the Commons votes on his plan deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Two deputy party chairman quit over the legislation, arguing it was too weak to deliver on Sunaks promise to stop what the government calls illegal migration. The question is what happens next, because while the votes showed the rebels are willing to make politics uncomfortable for Sunak, it also laid bare the wider partys unwillingness to do anything that would trigger another leadership change before Britons go to the polls. There are two key thresholds that the rebels would have to meet to oust Sunak. The first is mustering letters of no confidence from 15% of Conservative MPs, meaning more than 50 Tories. If a vote was triggered, it would take a majority of the party to end Sunaks premiership. Predicting who will send letters is difficult, given they are private and the threshold can be met suddenly. But the challenge facing the rebels is exacerbated by the fact they do not agree themselves on who should take Sunaks place. The squabble over the Rwanda bill was also a proxy for a future leadership battle that most expect to happen after the election, which polls show the Tories are likely to lose. There are a slew of Tory MPs seen to have leadership ambitions including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who was fired by Sunak last year, and her immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who quit. Even Truss, despite being ousted in record time by her own MPs, has chosen not to go quietly. Against that backdrop, few expect Clarkes to be the pivotal move. When Sunak took office in October 2023, he urged Tory MPs to get behind the incoming prime minister, saying on X that he has my support. Its far from clear he can persuade Conservative MPs to get behind his U-turn. What appears certain is that his intervention will give Sunaks political opponents an easy line of attack. Labour leader Keir Starmer has the first opportunity at Prime Ministers Questions on Wednesday. --With assistance from Alex Wickham and Kitty Donaldson. (Updates with reaction from fifth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Israel has proposed that Hamas senior leaders could leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire agreement, two officials familiar with the ongoing international discussions told CNN. The extraordinary proposal, which has not been previously reported, comes as Israel has struggled to achieve its stated goal of completely destroying Hamas. Despite its nearly four-month war in Gaza, Israel has failed to capture or kill any of Hamass most senior leaders in Gaza and left around 70% of Hamas fighting force intact, according to Israels own estimates. Though it would give safe passage out of Gaza for top Hamas leaders who orchestrated the October 7 attack, draining Gaza of its leaders could weaken Hamas grip on the war-torn area while also allowing Israel to continue tracking down high-value targets abroad. Senior Hamas officials are known to live in Doha, Qatar, and the Lebanese capital Beirut, among other places outside the Palestinian territories. An Israeli airstrike earlier this month killed a top Hamas commander in Beirut. Israels suggestion that Hamas leaders could leave Gaza, though unlikely to be accepted by Hamas, has been discussed as part of broader ceasefire negotiations at least twice in recent weeks once last month in Warsaw by Israels intelligence chief, Mossad Director David Barnea, and then again this month in Doha with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to one official familiar with the discussions. It also comes amid a flurry of diplomatic activity to try to achieve an extended break in the fighting and free hostages believed to still be alive in Gaza. The White Houses top official for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, is traveling to Egypt and Qatar this week for further talks. American and international officials familiar with the negotiations have said that Israel and Hamas recent engagement in talks is encouraging but that a deal doesnt appear imminent. Pressure on Netanyahu Pressure is building on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver some kind of resolution. The complete victory over Hamas that he has called for is a long way off, by his own admission. Meanwhile, anger among Israelis has grown over the inability of the government to bring home the more than 100 hostages being held in Gaza. Israel is not achieving their military objectives, says Aaron David Miller, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. That, combined with the enormous pressure on Netanyahu and his government to bring hostages home, Miller said, has created a situation where Israel would be willing to propose having Hamas leaders leave Gaza. An Israeli tank along a fence on January 19, 2024, as damaged buildings are seen in the Gaza strip amid continuing battles between Israel and Hamas. - Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images I think theyre simply bumping up against against reality, said Miller. And hostage families are beginning to exert tremendous influence. In addition, international sentiment toward Israel has soured over its continued bombardment of Gaza, which has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. For the past two months, the Biden administration has been openly calling on Israel to transition to a lower-intensity phase of the conflict, which US officials argue has started happening, though intense operations continue in southern Gaza. Proposal would never work The proposal for Hamas leaders to leave Gaza was raised in Warsaw in December by Barnea, Israels top intelligence official when he met with US CIA Director Bill Burns and Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, who has acted as an intermediary with Hamas. The official familiar with the discussions in the meetings said it was then brought up again when Blinken was in the Qatari capital earlier this month. Mossad Director David Barnea - Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP/Getty Images/File In that meeting Blinken was told by al Thani that the Israeli idea would never work, the official said. In part because of distrust by Hamas that Israel would in fact end its operations against Hamas in Gaza even after its leadership left. A second official, from the Middle East, was told about Israels proposal by the US. The US State Department, CIA and the Israeli Prime Ministers Office all declined to comment. While its unclear whether in private discussions Israel has named which Hamas leaders they would hope to leave Gaza, there is no bigger target than Yahya Sinwar, Hamas top official in Gaza. Sinwar is a dead man walking, Netanyahu and others have said. Sinwar spent two decades in Israeli prisons and is originally from Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where the bulk of Israels operations in Gaza are currently focused. Israeli and US officials have said they believe Sinwar could be hiding out in the vast, deep network of tunnels under the city, Gazas second biggest. His closest confidantes and aides are Mohammed Deif, the leader of Hamas armed wing, along with Deifs deputy Marwan Issa. Sinwars brother Mohammed is also a senior Hamas commander. None are believed to have been found or killed by Israel. Top Hamas official Yahya Sinwar - Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images/FILE Last month Israel dropped leaflets on Gaza offering rewards of hundreds of thousands of dollars for information on the Hamas leaders, including a $400,000 reward for information on Sinwar. The goal is bringing down Hamas as the ruler in the Gaza Strip, said Ofer Shelah, a senior researcher at Israels Institute for National Security Studies. There is no difference if [Sinwar] dies, or if he leaves, Shelah said. If he dies, then somebody could take over much in the same way. If we bring all the hostages back and Sinwar leaves, definitely that would make most people in Israel feel that weve won the war. American officials believe it is highly unlikely Sinwar and those around him would agree to leave Gaza, preferring instead to die fighting their sworn enemy. Israel vows to hunt Hamas globally Israel has made no secret of its intention to continue hunting Hamas leaders long after the war is over. Netanyahu said in November he had instructed the Mossad to act against the heads of Hamas wherever they are. Ronen Bar, the director of Israels domestic security agency Shin Bet, has vowed to eliminate Hamas around the world, even if it takes years. Everywhere: in Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Qatar, everywhere, Bar said in a recording aired in early December by Israels public broadcaster, Kan. Sinwar could perhaps be convinced to leave, Miller argued, if Israel were to agree to an asymmetrical trade of many times more Palestinian prisoners held by Israel than Israeli hostages. I think he would only consider it in the event the Israelis also agreed to free all of the Palestinian prisoners, Miller said. Whatever the Israelis agree to, Sinwar must know that theyre going to try to kill him, he added. Weeks, months years. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Flash The U.S.-British coalition struck Houthi camps in Yemen's capital and other provinces at midnight, the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported Tuesday. The strikes targeted the al-Hafa camp in eastern Sanaa and the al-Daylami air base in the north. They also hit sites in Rada, a city in the central province of al-Bayda, and Maqbanah area in the southwestern province of Taiz, the TV said without giving details. Residents said the explosions were powerful and their sounds could be heard across the city. Meanwhile, U.S. media reported that the United States and Britain carried out strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen late Monday, the eighth round of attacks on the rebels' camps in just over 10 days. The strikes came hours after the Houthis said they launched a missile attack at a U.S. military ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday and claimed a direct hit. The U.S. side did not comment on the alleged attack. The U.S.-Britain maritime coalition in the Red Sea has carried out several airstrikes on Houthi camps in various northern provinces of Yemen. The coalition said these actions are aimed at preventing the Houthi group from launching missile and drone attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea shipping lane. The Houthi group vowed to continue targeting ships linked to Israel in the Red Sea until Israel ends its war and blockade on Gaza, a Palestinian territory. Last week, the United States re-designated the Houthi group as a global terrorist organization and said the move would not affect food and medicine supplies to northern Yemen. FILE PHOTO: Turkish President Erdogan and Swedish Prime Minister Kristersson shake hands next to NATO Secretary-General Stoltenberg prior to their meeting, in Vilnius By Huseyin Hayatsever and Jonathan Spicer ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey's parliament backed Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing a last major hurdle toward enlarging the Western bloc after 20 months of delays that frustrated some of Ankara's allies and extracted some concessions. In May 2022, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan raised objections to requests by Sweden and Finland to join the military alliance. The Nordic states made the bids after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Turkey ratified Finland's bid in April 2023 but, along with NATO member Hungary, has kept Sweden waiting. Hungary has made no specific demands of Stockholm, but Turkey demanded Sweden take more steps to crack down on what Ankara sees as terrorists in its jurisdiction. Here is a guide to what Stockholm, Helsinki, Washington and other NATO countries have done to address Ankara's concerns, marking what political analysts say are geopolitical victories for Erdogan even though ties with the West have been strained. WHAT CONCESSIONS HAVE SWEDEN AND FINLAND MADE? At a NATO meeting in Madrid in 2022, Turkey secured an agreement with Sweden and Finland in which they would lift arms embargoes and take measures against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), and the separate so-called Gulen movement that Ankara holds responsible for a 2016 coup attempt. The same year, Stockholm reversed a ban on exporting military equipment to Turkey, without revealing details of companies or products. In June last year, it introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes being a member of a terrorist organisation illegal, saying that it had upheld its part of the deal. Later in 2023, a top Swedish court blocked the extradition of two Turks that Ankara says are Gulenists, and an appeals court upheld the conviction of a man for attempting to finance the PKK, which is also deemed a terrorist group by the European Union and United States. Separately, in response to criticism in Turkey and other majority Muslim countries, Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said Sweden was examining whether it could change the law to stop people burning the Muslim holy book, the Koran, in public. Finland, for its part, agreed in 2022 to consider granting arms export permits to Turkey on a case-by-case basis. After nearly a wait of nearly a year, Ankara said Helsinki had won its blessing. WHAT HAVE OTHER NATO MEMBERS DONE? When Erdogan signalled at a NATO conference in July last year that Sweden would eventually get the green light, NATO member Canada agreed to re-open talks with Turkey on lifting export controls on drone parts, including optical equipment. The Netherlands lifted restrictions on arms deliveries to Turkey. Also last July, following a meeting between Turkish and Swedish leaders, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced the alliance would establish a special coordinator for counter-terrorism. In October, he appointed Assistant Secretary-General Thomas Goffus to the post. SWEDEN'S GO-AHEAD FOR U.S. F-16 FIGHTERS? Hanging over discussions has been the question of Washington's endorsement of Ankara's request to purchase $20 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets and 79 modernisation kits. A day after Erdogan last July gave the go ahead for Sweden to join NATO, the White House said it would move ahead with the transfer of the F-16s to Turkey in consultation with Congress. While Erdogan sent Sweden's NATO bid to Turkey's parliament for consideration last October, he openly linked the F-16s with its ultimate ratification. Ankara made the F-16 purchase request in 2021 but has faced objections in the U.S. Congress over its delaying of NATO enlargement and its human rights record. Ankara has since floated a potential purchase of Eurofighter jets instead. WHAT IS THE CURRENT STATE OF SWEDEN'S BID? Erdogan is expected to sign parliament's decision into law, probably within days. After that, Turkey would deliver the final document - the instrument of ratification - to Washington under NATO rules. Though Turkey was seen as the main hurdle, Hungary has also not ratified Sweden's bid. Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday he had invited Sweden's prime minister to visit and negotiate his country's membership. Hungary pledged not to be the last to ratify the bid, but its parliament is in recess until around mid-February. (Editing by Timothy Heritage) In Vladivostok, there was a fire at two electrical substations Explosions and fires have been reported simultaneously at the Novozhilov and Tykhaya Bay substations in the major Russian Pacific port city of Vladivostok, the Russian telegram channel ASTRA wrote on Jan. 23. More than 250 houses in Tykhaya Bay are without power, according to local media reports. Read also: Russians install S-300 air defense systems around St. Petersburg video The Far Eastern Distribution Network Company said that two transformers at the Borisenko districts Zamiska substation were out of service at around 7:00 pm local time (11:00 a.m. EET). A fire was detected in a closed switchgear, although the transformers did not catch fire. This report follows another recent incident at an oil terminal in Ust-Luga near St. Petersburg, where precision strikes by Ukrainian drones ignited a huge blaze that continued to rage into the morning of Jan. 21, forcing Russian authorities to evacuate personnel from the terminal of Novatek, Russia's largest independent natural gas producer. Knowledgeable sources told NV that the attack on the terminal was a special operation carried out by Ukraines SBU security service. This facility, in particular, processes fuel for the Russian military. Read also: Ukrainian drones target Russias Moscow, Leningrad, and Belgorod Oblasts in overnight operation The same source said that the Ust-Luga Oil terminal is an important facility for the Russians and damage to the terminal will cause not only economic damage to the aggressor, depriving the Kremlin of the opportunity to earn money to wage war in Ukraine, but will also significantly complicate Russian military logistics. Ukrainian drones targeted an oil depot in Russias Leningrad Oblast in a special operation by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Defense Ministry (HUR) on the night of Jan. 18. 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 general view of a sign reading "Exxon Mobil Geometric Drilling Luenne 1". US Oil giant Exxon Mobil has filed a complaint in a Texas court seeking to prevent climate activist investors' proposal from going to a vote at its annual investor meeting in May. Friso Gentsch/dpa Oil giant Exxon Mobil has filed a complaint in a Texas court seeking to prevent climate activist investors' proposal from going to a vote at its annual investor meeting in May. This marks the first time a major US oil company has gone to court to block environmental activist investors' motions. The complaint was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas against Massachusetts-based investment firm Arjuna Capital and Follow This, an Amsterdam-based activist investor group. The investors have been urging Exxon to step up the pace of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Exxon says the US and Dutch investors are driven by an "extreme agenda." According to a CNBC report, in an emailed statement, Exxon Mobil said, "the breakdown of the shareholder proposal process, one that allows proponents to advance their agendas through a flood of proposals, does not serve the interests of investors." The company added: "We are simply asking the court to apply the SEC's proxy rules as written to stop this abuse and eliminate the significant resources required to address them." In its filing, Exxon Mobil said that it requires relief from the court by March 19, because it must file its proxy statement by April 11. The Houston-based firm is scheduled to hold its annual shareholder meeting on May 29. "With this remarkable step, Exxon Mobil clearly wants to prevent shareholders using their rights," Follow This' Mark van Baal said in a statement. "Apparently, the board fears shareholders will vote in favour of emissions reductions targets." Flash People leave their home after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday. Israeli tanks surrounded the city's Al-Amal Hospital, imposing a siege, while troops stormed another one, the Al-Khair Hospital, arresting medical staff. In a statement, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) expressed deep concern over the safety of its teams "trapped inside" the Al-Amal Hospital. The PRCS also reported an unspecified number of casualties among displaced people due to Israeli bombings at shelter centers. At least 50 Palestinians were killed, and 100 others injured in the strikes on Khan Younis over the past day, the Gaza-based Health Ministry Spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Al Jazeera TV news. Many others are feared to be trapped under the rubble, unable to be reached by rescue teams. At least 25,295 Palestinians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, have been killed by the Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza-based Health Ministry updated Monday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that it launched "a combined attack" of four brigades on western Khan Younis, adding that the forces were closing in on the city's refugee camp. "The divisional attack will continue for several more days," IDF said, adding it "will include raids and other military operations to dismantle the military infrastructure of Hamas in the region." At nightfall, the army announced in a statement that three officers from the Paratroopers Brigade were killed, including a deputy battalion commander, a company commander, and a platoon commander. According to official Israeli figures, a total of 198 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the country waged a war against Hamas, following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed and more than 200 were taken as hostages to Gaza. In Jerusalem, dozens of supporters and relatives of hostages barged into a meeting at the Israeli parliament, demanding more action to free captives from Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that Israel has been discussing a new ceasefire deal with Qatari mediators. The proposal includes the release of civilian hostages in exchange for "a significant" period of ceasefire and the release of additional Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, reported Kan, citing Israeli officials. Hamas, which demands an end to the Gaza conflict in exchange for the release of more Israeli hostages, has yet to respond to the proposal. An unknown number of New Hampshire voters received a phone call on Jan. 21, 2024, from what sounded like President Joe Biden. A recording contains Bidens voice urging voters inclined to support Biden and the Democratic Party not to participate in New Hampshires Jan. 23 GOP primary election. Republicans have been trying to push nonpartisan and Democratic voters to participate in their primary. What a bunch of malarkey. We know the value of voting Democratic when our votes count. Its important that you save your vote for the November election. Well need your help in electing Democrats up and down the ticket. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday. If you would like to be removed from future calls, please press two now. The call falsely implies that a registered Democrat could vote in the Republican primary and that a voter who votes in the primary would be ineligible to vote in the general election in November. The state does allow unregistered voters to participate in either the Republican or Democratic primary. The call, two days before the primary, appears to have been an artificial intelligence deepfake. It also appears to have been an attempt to discourage voting. Biden is not on the ballot because of a dispute between the Democratic National Committee and New Hampshire Democrats about New Hampshires position in the primary schedule, but there is a write-in campaign for Biden. Robocalls in elections are nothing new and not illegal; many are simply efforts to get out the vote. But they have also been used in voter suppression campaigns. Compounding this problem in this case is what I believe to be the application of AI to clone Bidens voice. In a media ecosystem full of noise, scrambled signals such as deepfake robocalls make it virtually impossible to tell facts from fakes. Recently, a number of companies have popped up online offering impersonation as a service. For users like you and me, its as easy as selecting a politician, celebrity or executive like Joe Biden, Donald Trump or Elon Musk from a menu and typing a script of what you want them to appear to say, and the website creates the deepfake automatically. Though the audio and video output is usually choppy and stilted, when the audio is delivered via a robocall its very believable. You could easily think you are hearing a recording of Joe Biden, but really its machine-made misinformation. Context is key Im a media and disinformation scholar. In 2019, information scientist Brit Paris and I studied how generative adversarial networks what most people today think of as AI would transform the ways institutions assess evidence and make decisions when judging realistic-looking audio and video manipulation. What we found was that no single piece of media is reliable on its face; rather, context matters for making an interpretation. When it comes to AI-enhanced disinformation, the believability of deepfakes hinges on where you see or hear it or who shares it. Without a valid and confirmed source vouching for it as a fact, a deepfake might be interesting or funny but will never pass muster in a courtroom. However, deepfakes can still be damaging when used in efforts to suppress the vote or shape public opinion on divisive issues. AI-enhanced disinformation campaigns are difficult to counter because unmasking the source requires tracking the trail of metadata, which is the data about a piece of media. How this is done varies, depending on the method of distribution: robocalls, social media, email, text message or websites. Right now, research on audio and video manipulation is more difficult because many big tech companies have shut down access to their application programming interfaces, which make it possible for researchers to collect data about social media, and the companies have laid off their trust and safety teams. Timely, accurate, local knowledge In many ways, AI-enhanced disinformation such as the New Hampshire robocall poses the same problems as every other form of disinformation. People who use AI to disrupt elections are likely to do what they can to hide their tracks, which is why its necessary for the public to remain skeptical about claims that do not come from verified sources, such as local TV news or social media accounts of reputable news organizations. Its also important for the public to understand what new audio and visual manipulation technology is capable of. Now that the technology has become widely available, and with a pivotal election year ahead, the fake Biden robocall is only the latest of what is likely to be a series of AI-enhanced disinformation campaigns. I believe society needs to learn to venerate what I call TALK: timely, accurate, local knowledge. I believe that its important to design social media systems that value timely, accurate, local knowledge over disruption and divisiveness. Its also important to make it more difficult for disinformers to profit from undermining democracy. For example, the malicious use of technology to suppress voter turnout should be vigorously investigated by federal and state law enforcement authorities. While deepfakes may catch people by surprise, they should not catch us off guard, no matter how slow the truth is compared with the speed of disinformation. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Joan Donovan, Boston University. Read more: Joan Donovan is on the board of Free Press and the founder of the Critical Internet Studies Institute. Voters line up to cast their ballots in the New Hampshire primary election in Londonderry (Reuters) - A fake robocall urging Democrats not to vote in New Hampshire's presidential primary on Tuesday is unlikely to affect the results, the secretary of state said as voters cast ballots in the northern New England state. "I don't think it's going to impact the vote in New Hampshire, because the voters are pretty savvy about what's going on," New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said in an interview with MSNBC. Scanlan also said he expected a healthy turnout on the Republican side and that the results will come in quickly. The New Hampshire attorney general is investigating fake robocalls on Sunday that simulated President Joe Biden's voice and encouraged voters not to cast ballots in the presidential primary on Tuesday. Authorities are investigating how many people received the message and who was behind it, Michael Garrity, a spokesman for the state's attorney general, said in an email. About two dozen people complained over the past day about receiving the call, he said. The message falsely indicated it was from the treasurer of a political committee that has supported efforts to write in Biden as a candidate in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, the attorney general said. Biden is not on the ballot in the New Hampshire primary, having supported an effort by national Democrats to move their first primary election to the more diverse state of South Carolina. But his supporters can write his name on the ballot. It was one of two AI-generated audio clips to hit Democratic politics over the weekend. Manhattan Democratic leader Keith Wright denounced a fake audio clip circulated that sounded like his voice criticizing a state Democratic lawmaker, Inez Dickens. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Steve Holland; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) An investigation has been launched after prospective voters in New Hampshire received an allegedly spoofed message from Joe Biden encouraging them not to vote in the state primary. The New Hampshire Attorney Generals office said it had received complaints regarding the fake message, which appears to be artificially generated. In the message, which was obtained by NBC, a voice that sounds like the president tells the listener Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday referring to the New Hampshire primary. Its important that you save your vote for the November election, the message says. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. The AGs office said the messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications, a statement from the department read. Voters in New Hampshire received a phone message from the president which appeared to be AI-generated (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The message appears to have been spoofed to falsely show that it had been sent by the treasurer of a political committee that has been supporting the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary write-in efforts for President Biden. The messages content directed recipients who wished to be removed from a calling list to call the number belonging to this person. The statement continued: These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. The office added that an investigation by its Election Law Unit is ongoing. The message concludes with a phone number belonging to Kathy Sullivan, a former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair, according to NBC. Reports of the spoofed messages come ahead of the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday (Getty Images) Ms Sullivan told the outlet that while it was not clear who was behind the robocall, Its obviously somebody who wants to hurt Joe Biden. I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible because this is an attack on democracy, she said. Im not going to let it go. I want to know whos paying for it? Who knew about it? Who benefits? Ms Sullivan said she also plans to engage federal law enforcement. Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez told NBC "the campaign is actively discussing additional actions to take immediately." The incident comes amid concerns over the effects of AI on election security ahead of the general election in November. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, AI poses a major and immediate threat to election offices and election system vendors. It excels at imitating authoritative sources, making it easier to deceive specific individuals or the general public by impersonating election officials or forging official election documents, an article on the centres website states. The family of Shakeira Rucker has turned their grief into strength for the community by starting a foundation aimed at providing a safe haven for domestic violence victims. The sisters of Shakeira Rucker have started For My Sister in honor of their late sister. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS We couldnt save our sister, but were hoping we can save somebody, said Dedra Rucker, Sister of Shakeira Rucker. The mother of four was brutally murdered in November 2023. Her body was found in an Apopka storage unit and her estranged Husband Cory Hill was accused of the murder and charged with her death. Read: Central Florida warms up, could hit record temps by end of week Rucker said the foundation will educate and advocate for domestic violence policies in Central Florida. Its a foundation in the hopes to help those that are suffering with domestic violence silently, sometimes people stay in that relationship because of financial reasons because of housing. With the foundation, were hoping to seek housing and financial resources and things to help those that may be going through that, said Rucker. Read: One federal proposal would create a new school choice tax credit Ruckers sister, Leonia Thornton, said the foundation will raise awareness to dismantle the silence surrounding domestic violence. She told Eyewitness News the organization will become the beacon of hope and resilience through support, services advocacy, and community initiatives. The foundation For My Sister will hold its first roundtable talk on February 1st at 1:30 pm in partnership at the Apopka VFW. Read: AAA: Florida falls below $3 mark for a gallon of gas Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Alyssa Farah Griffin, a co-host of ABCs The View, offered a stark warning for New Hampshire primary voters Tuesday, arguing a victory for former President Trump would be bad for America. Speaking on The View, Farah Griffin a former White House strategic communications director for the Trump administration called on Granite State voters to get out and vote for former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley to prevent a Trump win in Tuesdays primary. You guys know, I dont agree with [Haley] on everything, but I think shes immensely qualified, I dont think shes a threat to democracy and I think she could turn the page on the most unqualified former president in history, Farah Griffin said. But I want to be honest with viewers: People need to turn out today, because the polls do have [Haley] down, she continued. They have her down in a big way, she needs to really come within single digits, under 10 points behind Trump to even have a fighting chance onto her home state of South Carolina because if this is wrapped up tomorrow, this is bad for America. Farah Griffin warned a victory for Trump in the Tuesday primary would hand the former president the biggest megaphone to spout lies, hate and bigotry over the next year as the GOP front-runner. New Hampshire kicked off its primary Tuesday, with polls expected to close by 8 p.m. EST. Haley trailed Trump by 13.9 points before the Granite State primary, according to a polling index from The Hill and Decision Desk HQ. Haleys campaign reiterated in a memo Tuesday that it intends to push forward, arguing the campaign has not even begun, in other states, including Haleys home state of South Carolina, where she previously served as governor. Trump won by nearly 30 points in last weeks Iowa caucuses, while Haley came in a distant third. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FARMINGTON, Utah (ABC4) A federal grand jury charged a Farmington man Monday in the case of a violent attempted carjacking in Salt Lake City earlier this month, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office. On Jan. 3, Kay Elder, 36, allegedly approached a 57-year-old victim parked at a Home Depot located at 328 West 2100 South in Salt Lake City. Officials said Elder opened the drivers side door and began yelling at the victim to get out of the car and hand over the keys. The victim reportedly exited the car and Elder attempted to strike and kick the victim but missed. Elder allegedly then grabbed the victim and threw him into a tree. Officials said the victim fell to the ground and remained there while Elder got into the victims car and tried to drive away. According to the release, the victim still had the car key FOB, and Elder was unable to drive away. New details released on woman killed, left by Millcreek dumpster Witnesses reportedly saw what happened and called police. Officers arrived at the scene and found Elder running from the car into oncoming traffic. Police attempted to stop Elder, but he continued to run from officers, reportedly ignoring multiple commands to stop. Elder allegedly then grabbed a metal sign from a nearby gas station and threw it at the officers chasing him. The officers then tased Elder and took him into custody, officials said. Elder is charged with attempted carjacking. He made his first court appearance on the indictment on Jan. 22 at the Orrin G. Hatch U.S. District Courthouse in Salt Lake City. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Jasmin, left, and Natasha Kuczynska, who were found dead alongside their father - EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE A father found dead at his family home alongside his two daughters and sister-in-law had told police an hour earlier that he feared for his mental state. Bartlomiej Kuczynski, a 45-year-old Polish engineer, phoned 999 at 6am on Jan 19 in a state of confusion and asking for help, the police watchdog disclosed on Tuesday. But Norfolk Constabulary simply told him to take medical advice. An hour later, officers found his body and those of his daughters, Jasmin, 12, and Natasha, nine, and their aunt Kanticha Sukpengpanao, 36, inside their house in Costessey near Norwich. Post-mortem examinations found Mr Kuczynski died of a single stab wound to the neck while Ms Sukpengpanao died from multiple stab wounds to the neck. Further examinations on the two girls will be carried out on Wednesday. Detectives have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident. Bartlomiej Kuczynski with his two daughters - EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE The Norfolk force now faces questions from the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) over whether anything could have been done to avert the tragedy. It is the second referral the force has made over the case to the watchdog. It has emerged that officers were called to the family home last month after Mr Kuczynski went missing. They reportedly searched woodland near his semi-detached house before eventually finding him on the Queens Hill estate nearby. It is understood he was taken to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for an assessment, but he left the site in Colney unescorted before it was carried out. Aunt was nice and caring Naty Wathanakul, a close friend of Ms Sukpengpanao, said the aunt had been staying at the familys home on a visit from Thailand. She told The Mirror: She was very nice and caring to all friends of her, a really big supportive person, she helped everyone. We have been shocked and depressed since we knew about her death. The IOPC said it has launched an investigation to establish the full extent of the contact the Norfolk force had with the family prior to their violent deaths. Charmaine Arbouin, the watchdogs regional director, said: Norfolk Constabulary established that the man had made a 999 call to the force shortly before 6am on Jan 19. A forensic investigator outside the police tent set up at the home in Costessey where the bodies were found - JOE GIDDENS/PA During that call, the man expressed concerns for his own mental state, saying he was confused. He was advised to seek medical advice and police did not attend. At around 7am the force received a call from a dog walker concerned for the welfare of those within the home. Officers attended shortly after and, tragically, found the man, a woman and two children dead. Following a mandatory referral from the force we have decided to investigate and will be examining if the forces handling of the contact they had with the man was appropriate and in line with force policy, training and procedures. We will be making contact with the families of the deceased to explain our role. Police chief asks for deeper review Our sympathies are with the families and friends of the deceased and all those affected by this incident. Giles Orpen-Smellie, Norfolks Police and Crime Commissioner vowed to robustly hold Paul Sanford, the chief constable, to account for the actions of his officers and staff. I am clear that the residents of Norfolk must be able to depend on the effective working of the 999 system, he said. Mr Sanford has asked His Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services to conduct a deeper review into his force. 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. TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) Disaster recovery is a long and difficult process, but new help is on the way for storm victims. For the first time in years, the federal government is cutting red tape to help storm victims recover faster. FEMA says its going to make a big difference. These are the most significant changes to the program in decades. For storm victims, the changes cant come fast enough. After 8 On Your Side report, family gets 50 times the amount of Hurricane Ian roof damage settlement offer Flooding from Hurricane Ian destroyed Patricia Bells home. She says thats when her nightmare began. She had to get help from insurance and FEMA. The process is confusing, frustrating and slow. It has been a fight the entire way, said Bell. For the first time in 20 years, FEMA is making big changes to its individual assistance program. The agency says the goal is to reach more people, and get them help faster. After a hurricane, we often hear how insurance doesnt cover the true cost to rebuild. Currently, if you get $42,500 from you insurer, you get nothing from FEMA. But the new rules change that. If you had more than $42,000 worth of damage, and insurance doesnt cover it all, FEMA will now help you make up the difference. Florida lawmaker promises new bill would drop insurance rates like a rock Before, if you wanted FEMA to help you recover personal property losses, you had to apply for an SBA loan. Now, that confusing requirement is gone. We really appreciate the fact that FEMA has gone out there and done this, said Kevin Guthrie, the director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Guthrie says FEMA is on the right track. Hes pushing for one more big change. Wed love to see some movement made there so that we could get people into housing faster, including some permanent construction, he said. Mark Friedlander from the Insurance Information Institute has a warning for Florida homeowners. Its not insurance, he said. The average payout from a FEMA emergency grant is less than 10K per family, so dont count on getting the max amount if you are eligible and apply for a FEMA grant. The max you can ever get from FEMA is about $42,500. Industry experts say the changes, while positive, are not a replacement for insurance For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Female MPs at Westminster could be targeted with deepfake pornography, the elections watchdog head has said - Scott E Barbour/The Image Bank RF Female MPs could be targeted by deepfake pornography, the elections chief has suggested. John Pullinger, the chairman of the Electoral Commission, warned that a rise in misinformation generated by artificial intelligence (AI) could block out the real campaign in the run-up to the election. Mr Pullinger said that he was concerned by the rise in deepfake porn which inevitably is going to be much more targeted towards female candidates. He told the Financial Times that elected politicians in the Northern Ireland Assembly had been the targets of deepfake images which had been seen by their children. He added that such examples of fake pornographic imagery was at the extreme end of a level of nastiness that should not be tolerated. John Pullinger, chairman of the Electoral Commission, said deepfake porn will be "much more targeted towards female candidates - Geoff Pugh In 2022, Police in Northern Ireland investigated an online video that purported to show Diane Forsyth, a DUP assembly member, acting in sex scenes. It was then sent to newspapers in a bid to undermine her election campaign. Mr Pullinger also said the watchdog had conducted recent post-election research which exposed worrying levels of other forms of abuse, intimidation and threats to candidates, which could see fewer willing candidates for political office. Last month, Michelle Donelan, the Technology Secretary, said the Government was taking the issue of AI-generated misinformation very seriously and that robust mechanisms would be in place to tackle it ahead of the election. She added that the Government was working with social media companies on tools to combat the content. Michelle Donelan, the Technology Secretary, said robust mechanisms would be in place to tackle AI-generated misinformation at the forthcoming election - DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images Mr Pullinger also warned that young people were being put off voting by the bad behaviour of MPs and the lack of understanding about the political system. He expressed concern at the growing number of young voters asking whats the point? in casting a vote. He also warned that the requirement of photo ID to vote in this years general election proved a greater barrier to some groups of voters than others, including disabled people and unemployed voters. Appearing to question the very very tight rules first brought in by Rishi Sunak for last years local elections in England, Mr Pullinger said that the Conservatives had opened themselves up to accusations of gerrymandering. Although he admitted it was too late to make changes for this years election, Mr Pullinger told the Financial Times that if a consequence of making elections more secure in the UK was to disenfranchise certain people then we should do better. 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. Although the Field Museum was the first institution to respond to the new law, theyve been among the slowest to enact NAGPRA over the last three decades.(photo/Canva Pro) As new federal law requirements went live last week, museums and institutions holding Native American human remains and artifacts across the country scrambled to understand and implement new changes. Native advocates say it's just the beginning. On Jan. 9, three days before the new federal regulations went into effect, Chicagos Field Museum covered several display cases containing cultural items from Native communities throughout the United States. Pending consultation with the represented communities, we have covered all cases that we believe contain cultural items that could be subject to these regulations, the museum wrote in a statement. The Field Museum does not have any Native American human remains on display. The move was to preempt the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation overhaul that went into effect Friday, Jan. 12. The new rule, nearly three years in the making, is aimed at expediting a process that Congress intended to finish three decades ago: the total return of all Native human remains and their cultural objects held by museums and institutions across the country. Passed by Congress in 1990, NAGPRA is a human rights law that legally compels museums and federal institutions that possess Native American human remains and associated funerary objects to catalog and return those ancestors and belongings within five years to their present-day tribal nations. Since 1995, museums have reported a collection of more than 208,000 human remains. But in the past 33 years, not even half have been returned. Today, institutions still hold roughly 96,000 human remains, according to the governments database. Key changes to the law include: shifting the onus of initiating consultation from tribal nations to museums and institutions; requiring deference to the Indigenous knowledge of lineal descendants and tribes; eliminating the term culturally unidentifiable thats kept ancestors and their belongings in museums possession for decades; and setting the clock for five years for museums and federal agencies to re-inventory their collections and consult with tribes for return. Additionally, the new law will require museums and federal agencies to require free, prior, and informed consent before any exhibition of, access to, or research on human remains or cultural items. That part of the law change borrows language established in the early 2000s, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a non-binding human-rights standard. Its freaking huge, said Shannon OLoughlin (Choctaw Nation), chief executive for the Association on American Indian Affairs, of the new language. It's reminding institutions that they have new obligations with stricter requirements. So even though the Act has always held that institutions don't own these items, they can't just act however they want with our ancestors and items. This is the first time for this strong language. But OLoughlin and others still feel the Field Museum is missing the mark when it comes to engaging tribal communities and understanding the heart of NAGPRA. Although the Field Museum was the first institution to respond to the new law, theyve been among the slowest to enact NAGPRA over the last three decades. Currently, the museum holds the third largest collection of Native ancestors in the country, with close to 1,300 ancestors and 964 of their burial objects, according to figures it previously reported to the National Park Service. If they really were wanting to get the word out that this is an important requirement that we all must follow, thats a different way of saying it than the way they have in their press statement, OLoughlin said. It's not a statement of protection of tribal rights. It's not put forward as a positive thing for tribes, but as this abstract, nonsensical thing. Former Field Museum employee Debra Yepa-Pappan (Jemez Pueblo), who left her position after six years in June 2023, told Native News Online that it's disappointing that it took a change in law to compel the museum to do whats right. She remembered past instances of Indigenous visitors notifying museum staff that there were sacred items on display, such as a ceremonial mask in the Northwest Coast Hall, that were inappropriate for public viewing. It had to take a change in the law for [the Field Museum] to act on covering cases, Yepa-Pappan said. What that shows me is that there isn't confidence or acknowledgement that tribal knowledge is important and valid. I think there needs to be more understanding institutionally about why this is important to Native nations. Sunshine Bear (Winnebago Tribe), the repatriation officer for the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska and a member of the repatriation task force for the Field Museum, said that shes hopeful the changes to NAGPRA fill in the cracks tribal nations were falling through, such as the removal of the term culturally unidentifiable in the new law. The majority of human remains in institutions today have been deemed culturally unidentifiable by the institutions that hold them, an unintended loophole in the law that has allowed museums decision-making authority to determine kinship and cultural affiliation, and thereforein many casesreject tribal evidence of oral history, geographic affiliation to the area where remains were unearthed, and other traditional knowledge. I'm hoping that [these changes] open some doors, Bear told Native News Online. This is a step forward, but its not solving everything. Theres definitely much more work to be done to ensure NAGPRA is working for tribes. Other institutions, such as the Illinois State Museum, are using the new regulations as a reset to make sure that tribal consultation is at the forefront of their work. We have been working to remove all [associated funerary objects] and human remains off display, that was done before I got here, said Heather Miller (Wyandotte Nation), the museums director of tribal relations. Miller was hired in 2022 to build relationships with dozens of tribal nations the museum is undertaking consultation with in an effort to clear its collection of nearly 6,000 human remains and more than 30,000 burial objects, according to the federal database. I feel confident that the [items] we have on display are okay. However, I think that these new regs are asking us to take a step back and say: we as a museum see this as okay, but have our tribal partners deemed this as okay? Thats the next step. On Jan. 20, The Cleveland Museum of Art followed the Field Museums example and installed opaque covers on three display cases containing Native American artifacts while it initiated tribal consultation. Other museums, such as the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, got ahead of the NAGPRA update when it made policy changes in October that removed a lot of potentially sensitive items from exhibit. Melanie OBrien, who administers the National NAGPRA Program on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior, told Native News Online that her office has received a lot of questions on what museums need to do to comply with the new duty of care requirement. In response, her office created a Duty of Care FAQ to guide museums in questions ranging from what is a duty of care to explaining why consent is important and necessary. OBrien specifically pointed to the question: Does our museum need to remove all human remains and potential cultural items from (the) exhibit? The answer, according to the FAQ, depends on a museums record of consultation and the type of item on exhibit. If, through consultation, an Indian Tribe agreed to putting an object in an exhibit, no action is required, the sheet says. If, during past consultation, an Indian Tribe requested that the museum remove certain objects from the exhibit, but the museum refused to do so, the museum should remove or cover the objects as soon as possible. If the museum has human remains or cultural items in an exhibit but has never consulted on the human remains, objects, or general content of the exhibit, the museum should prioritize removal or covering of any human remains and funerary objects in particular. The museum should also initiate consultation on the human remains and funerary objects as quickly as possible to determine the preferred treatment of consulting parties. About the Author: "Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Indian health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the lead reporter on stories related to Indian boarding schools and repatriation. Her bylines have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze is based in New York." Contact: jkunze@indiancountrymedia.com Flash High-level representatives and heads of the United Nations attend the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] The Third South Summit ended on Monday in the Ugandan capital Kampala with participating leaders calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the protection of civilians. The two-day summit, which brought together leaders of the Group of 77 members and China, urged the United Nations Security Council to undertake efforts to implement its resolutions to end the Israel-Palestine conflict without delay. The South Summit is the supreme decision-making body of the Group of 77 comprising 134 members. High-level representatives of nearly 100 countries and heads of United Nations agencies attended the meeting. "We also reiterate our demand for the immediate and full lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, which constitutes massive collective punishment," the leaders said in an outcome document of the meeting. They called for the complete dismantlement and immediate cessation of all illegal Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The leaders said that Israel is in violation of the UN Charter and international law for its strikes on Syrian civil infrastructure, including civil airports, which threaten the livelihood of civilians, hinder UN humanitarian operations, and jeopardize the safety of civil aviation. They further stated that Israel should end its violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air, land and sea, which threaten its security and economic development. "We also call on Israel to refrain from using white phosphorus against Lebanon in contravention of international humanitarian law," the document said. The leaders also emphasized that Israel should withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni speaks at the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] The summit was held under the theme "Leaving No One Behind." Uganda took over the chairmanship of the summit from Cuba. This was the first time that the South Summit was held in Africa. The previous two summits were held in Havana, Cuba, in 2000, and in Doha, Qatar, in 2005, respectively. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said during the country's chairmanship, it would reach out to countries facing tensions or conflicts with a view to reaching a win-win solution. He added that the country would also focus on promoting trade among member countries. Kyle Chayka's Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture is engaging, refined, and well-composed. My only objections pertain to its startlingly flimsy thesis, its parodically bleak tone, and nearly every argument it makes. Chayka's theory is that, on an internet now dominated by algorithmic recommendations, culture has become insipid, generic, and "marked by a pervasive sense of sameness." He outlines this thesis with the style and erudition you would expect from a staff writer for The New Yorker (which he is). His extended lament is peppered with witty insights, leavened with arresting similes, and garnished with learned citations to such works as Jun'ichiro Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows and Marcel Proust's In Search of Lost Time. He is not always wrong. Who among us has never caught himself puzzling over how to phrase or time social media posts, deploying superstitious tricksbobbing and weaving like one of B.F. Skinner's pigeonsin an effort to spur engagement? Which of us has never felt a little guilty about too doggedly chasing likes and clicks? Chayka urges us to spot and resist these bad habits. He wisely recommends owning physical copies of one's favorite films, books, or records rather than relying on streamers or the cloud. He is not alone in suspecting that a certain monotonya cultural indistinguishability, decade upon decadeset in around the turn of the millennium. That said, it's a leap to assert that mere algorithmic sorting, as opposed to some deeper ideological malaise or spiritual funk, could be to blame for such an epochal shift. There this book's problems begin. Chayka habitually overstates his case. ("Filterworld" can be "feudal," "dictatorial," "fascistic"."The bombardment of recommendations can induce a kind of hypnosis that makes listening to, watching, or buying a product all but inevitable.""The algorithm always wins" [emphasis Chayka's].) His grievances tend to be farcically trivial. ("Sure, the shows are enjoyableso enjoyable that I can't stop watching them. But I can't name many Netflix-produced shows that have stuck with me.") His moaning and groaning tell us more about him and his etiolated constitution than about the state of technology and culture. ("Filterworld and its slick sameness can produce a breathtaking, near-debilitating sense of anxiety.""In Filterworld, making art without the goal of it being consumed is almost unimaginable.""The endless array of options presented by algorithmic feeds often instills a sense of meaningless.") Life's purpose, Filterworld suggests, is to find and like just the right mix of novels, shows, songs, and paintings. Your unique artistic judgment is the uttermost reflection of your true and authentic self. Everyone must aspire to have seen the band play before they were cool. Chayka takes it for granted that you're afraid of becoming "too concerned with popular taste"of inadvertently "insulating yourself from having a more inspiring, personal encounter with culture." He thinks it's a disaster if the consumption of art is made too easy and too pleasing, and he thinks algorithmic recommendations have transformed us from vivid individuals "exercis[ing] our distinctly cultivated tastes" into "hapless victim[s]" being "fed culture like foie-gras ducks." Chayka has a lot to say about "buried assumptions," "bias," "inherent privilege," and the will of "dominant groups," which is curious, since his book is a manifesto of blind cultural imperialism. We must all view and appreciate art that's "confrontational," "alienating," "mind altering," and "boundary-breaking." We must tirelessly "interrogate" our "preferences." We must eschew the "convenience" of "unbounded feeds" and embrace "the deep, responsible curation of a library or museum." And we should gather in bohemian cliques, where "there's the friend who always knows the right wine to bring to dinner, the friend tuned in to the most relevant fashion brands, or the friend who recommends television shows worth watching." Apparently, algorithmic tyranny must give way to hipster hegemony. Even by the standards of the twitchy, self-abasing hipster classthe only people whose thoughts and desires he reliably channels when he says "we" or "our"Chayka is a champion faultfinder. He is upset when taste is shaped from the top down, and he is upset when it emerges from the bottom up. He objects when artists cater to the stuffy norms of aesthetic gatekeepers, and he objects when they conform to the base whims of algorithmic rankings. He gripes about how algorithms promote conformity, and he gripes about how they surface extremes. He deplores both the demise of a shared "monoculture" and the rise of a new "cultural homogeneity." Stripped of its impressive compositional finish, Filterworld is an ordinary screed against capitalism, consumerism, and (above all) mass culture. This book is Super Size Me for intellectuals. It's No Logo for millennials. It's a "Kill Your Television" bumper sticker but with nods to Polish sociologists, Korean poets, and Indian literary theorists for clout. In 1990, David Foster Wallace noted The New York Times's "bitter critical derision for TV," its "weary contempt for television as a creative product and cultural force," its stream of articles "about how TV's become this despicable instrument of cultural decay." All Chayka has done is update the bete noire. In his rush to indict formulaic culture, he has composed a formulaic polemic. At his worst, Chayka sounds like ChatGPT's take on a brunch conversation in Berkeley. He could star in a Portlandia sketch: "I was used to performing a specific set of clicks to access the music I likein this instance, a 1961 jazz album by Yusef Lateef called Eastern Sounds." (Credit where it's due: I pulled this album up on YouTube, and it's awesome. Thanks for the recommendation, Kyle.) The whole schtick is awfully silly, given that so much of the book involves Chayka enjoying the bounties of free trade, free markets, and Western pop culture. He travels to Lisbon, Portugal; Seville, Spain; Paris; Reykjavik, Iceland; and Tokyoand cavils at the insufficient distinctness of his experiences. He criticizes Airbnb for "creat[ing] the expectation" of "immediate, frictionless movement." He trashes Game of Thrones' ending without pausing to consider why prestige television exists in the first place or why he has the time to watch it. He rifles through songs on Spotify, grumbling all the while that the abundance of options "discourages" him from sitting with an album long enough to appreciate it. (The platform can generate sudden success for an obscure track by an obscure bandbut the lucky song, Chayka protests, might not "represent" what the group "was trying to achieve creatively.") If algorithmic recommendations really "flatten" culture, this book isn't about to make the case. Chayka makes lazy, sweeping claims about algorithms and addiction, algorithms and polarization, algorithms and filter bubbles. He proceeds by anecdote: A teen's suicide proves that algorithms harm children; the author's happy childhood memories show the value of slow internet speeds. Chayka muses and meanders. He weaves just-so stories, jamming disparate facts into clever, pretty narratives. Through it all, vanishingly little evidence is set forth. For any attentive reader, the question "compared to what?" arises constantly. Are we taking in more art? Is resonant creativity, as judged by any given person, more readily available? Are more artists able to do fulfilling work and make a decent living? And what's the proper yardstick? A dazzling tomorrow? (If so, the book's wailing about the best-thing-yet present looks all the more overblown.) The early days of the internet? (Chayka leans in this direction, apparently out of pure nostalgia.) The era of a few radio stations, three television networks, and one local newspaper? (Didn't scolds once pour as much bile on channel surfing as they now dump on the infinite scroll?) Chayka may resent cold capitalist logic, but his book could have used some cost-benefit analysis. "I'd argue that today's audience is the most sophisticated that's ever existed," the novelist Chuck Palahniuk once wrote. "We've been exposed to more stories and more forms of storytelling than any people in history." Amen. If we're to live on vibes alone, as Chayka does, let me propose that his book's best and most valuable statements are its sporadic qualifications. "Algorithmic feeds" can "help people find each other and build communities." Social media enables "niche content production""creators have a much easier time reaching audiences." Today "we have more cultural options available to us than ever," and, what's more, "they are accessible on demand." Filterworld does not deliver on its premise. They should have called it Brooklynworld. But it's an elegant and diverting read. By the end, I hardly cared that Chayka's view of everything worth debating is upside down. I was almost grateful, in fact, that he lets us come along as he grapples with the horrifying prospect of being like other people. The post Filterworld Is a Confused Critique of Algorithms appeared first on Reason.com. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The Wichita Fire Department responded to a vacant garage fire in south Wichita Monday evening. According to Wichita Fire Department Battalion Chief Chad Winton, the call was received at about 5:30 p.m. in the 1800 block of S. Laura St. This embedded content is not available in your region. Crews found a boarded-up 1 1/2-story garage on fire. Winton said no one was inside at the time of the fire. Fire destroys former church in Barber County Was able to get in and do a quick search, make sure it was vacant, said Winton. It went out relatively quick. We had three lines in place, one on the first floor, one on the second floor, went out probably within 20, 30 minutes. The cause of the fire has not been released at this time. No injuries were reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. BARBER COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) A fire destroyed the former Isabel Methodist Church early Saturday in Barber County. Fire crews got the call around 1 a.m. They raced to the 300 block of N. Burr but could not save the 107-year-old building. Crystal Cummins is a firefighter with the Isabel Volunteer Fire Department. She is also the city clerk. For this fire, we had three trucks from the Isabel Department, several trucks from Barber County Station 1, and one truck from the Sawyer Fire Department, she said. Without the mutual aid from our neighboring departments, we might have lost other structures in the area. They were instrumental in helping keep this fire under control. Fire destroys the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Fire destroys the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Fire destroys the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Fire destroys the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) A fire crew from Barber County responds to the fire at the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Fire crews respond to the fire at the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Cummins said the town is grieving the loss of a piece of its history. We are all heartbroken over the loss of this building, she said. But we are so relieved that no one was injured. Gary Balding was one of the people who arrived as the fire was still burning early Saturday. He shared his video with KSN News. Sad to see, he said in the video. The old Isabel Methodist Church going up. Its gone. The church stopped being a church more than 20 years ago when the Methodist Council sold off more than a dozen Kansas churches. Many of the churches were sold for salvage. I bought her so she wouldnt be salvaged, Julie Rohlman said of the Isabel church. A fire destroyed the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) A fire destroyed the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) A fire destroyed the former Isabel Methodist Church, on Jan. 20, 2024. (Photo Courtesy Crystal Cummins, City of Isabel) Rohlmans grandmother in Isabel convinced the family that the church would be a great place to live. Rohlman, who lives in California, needed a part-time home in Isabel, so she bought the church. She was a productive church up until a month before I bought her, Rohlman said. Almost everything inside the church had been sold by that point, even the church bell, which went to a Wichita church. But the Isabel church still had its 22 stained-glass windows and a few of the original pews. This embedded content is not available in your region. Rohlman did not convert the church into a traditional home. She said the church already had roll-down wooden doors inside, similar to garage doors, and side doors that would accordion out for classrooms. All of that craftsmanship was over 100 years old, she said. She normally left the interior wide open, but she would use the sliding doors when she needed to divide the church space into rooms. Rohlman said she is still in shock about the fire, and she appreciates everyone who tried to save the building. Privileged to have had her not a lot of opportunities you get to live in such a unique place, she said. She was a beautiful old building. It was amazing to be a part of her. Rohlman said no one was living in the building at the time of the fire. She plans to come back to Kansas to check the damage. Her family history is in the town, and her mother still lives there. Oh my God!: Video captures firetruck sliding down icy Missouri street Julie Rohlman has taken very good care of the church over the last 20 years, Cummins said. She worked hard to preserve the building and its original stained-glass windows. Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal plan to go to Isabel on Tuesday. They will be looking for what caused the fire. The City of Isabel would like to thank everyone that helped us contain the fire last night at the old Methodist Church. Unfortunately by the time we received the call the structure was fully engulfed and was beyond saving. While we are heartbroken over the loss of this beautiful old building we are so very thankful that no one was injured, it could have been so much worse. Firefighters worked in single digit temperatures to insure neighboring houses/residents were safe. We would like to thank all the firefighters and first responders that showed up in one way or another. Sawyer Fire Department, Barber County Fire Department, Barber County Dispatch, Isabel Fire Department, Southern Pioneer, neighbors and I believe Pratt County Sheriffs Officers were even in the area at one point. Im sure I have missed someone, but you are truly appreciated. City of Isabel For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. An Ohio firefighter was injured while battling a fire Monday night. The fire happened around 7:50 p.m. in the North Linden neighborhood in Columbus, according to our news partners at WBNS in Columbus. >> We mourn the loss of a remarkable leader; Former Springfield Police chief dies The fire was spreading to a second home and a firefighter went to the roof of that home to help cut a hole to help with ventilation. While on the roof, they slipped and fell two stories to the ground, a battalion chief told WBNS. The firefighter was taken to a Columbus hospital. Their condition was described as stable. No other injuries were reported. BRISTOL, Va. (WJHL) Bristol, Virginia and Tennessee firefighters responded to a fire at an old school building on Tuesday morning. According to Bristol, Virginia Fire Chief Mike Armstrong, crews responded to a large structure fire at an old school building on Oak Street just before 6 a.m. Church Hill home a total loss after fire WJHL Photo WJHL Photo WJHL Photo Courtesy of Fire Chief Mike Armstrong WJHL Photo WJHL Photo Upon arrival, crews confirmed the multi-story building was fully involved and a second building at the location was also on fire, Armstrong said. Officials told News Channel 11 that no injuries were reported. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Two children were injured following a firey car accident on I-55 Tuesday morning, according to Memphis Police. Around 5 a.m., officers say they responded to a single-vehicle crash at I-55 going Northbound near Holmes Road. Amazon semi-trailer ransacked outside Memphis distribution center MPD says the vehicle flipped over and then caught fire. Two children were taken to Le Bonheur Childrens Hospital in non-critical condition. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. This is a joint project between Nexstar Media Group and Syracuse University. EXETER, N.H. (NEXSTAR) With all eyes on New Hampshire today, some voters made it known why they are choosing one candidate over another. People are making their way to the polls to decide between former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Some voters, like Alfred Slanetz, are expressing why they are choosing Haley instead of Trump. Oh, I think shes an amazing leader. After seeing her why would anybody ever want to vote for anybody else? Shes the future, Slanetz said. Haley has been resonating with some New Hampshire residents since she could potentially be the first female President of the United States. Some, like 10-year-old Hannah Kesselring, are even too young to vote themselves. Shes such an inspiration because I think theres only been Democrat girls running for President, Kesselring explained. So having a Republican President, a Republican girl running for President, is like an inspiration because, like, we line up on so many things. Hannahs mom Kim is taking inspiration from her daughter. Hannahs now in the fifth grade and were looking at somebody thats a woman president running, thats running for president. Thats pretty cool. Thats really cool that she can look up to that, Kesselring said. Nikki Haley didnt just receive support from potential voters at an event on Sunday in Exeter, but also from a very special guest. Everyones favorite TV Judge, Judge Judy, endorsed Nikki Haley, calling her, poised, graceful, knowledgeable, centered, and intelligent. These words meant a lot to New Hampshire residents like Tiffany James. Its great to see women supporting each other, and two powerful women at that, James commented. So, I think that Judge Judy has a powerful voice that resonates and that will help get people to the polls for Haley. Blythe Reis is a senior at Syracuse University studying Broadcast Journalism and Political Science and has reported for WAER. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. Gov. Stitt, elected in 2018, has attempted to upend a landmark SCOTUS decision, insisting that Oklahomas jurisdictions have been fractured by tribal power. (Photo/Canva Pro) The Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes, or ITC, has issued a retort to Governor Kevin Stitts One Oklahoma Taskforce, a 13-member panel meant to construct a report around the landmark McGirt decisions supposed negative effects. The McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision in 2020 affirmed that tribal reservations in the state and thus, tribal jurisdictions remained intact. Gov. Stitt, elected in 2018, has attempted to upend the decision in the time since, insisting that Oklahomas jurisdictions have been fractured by tribal power. Stitts latest attempt to neuter the McGirt decision was through Executive Order 2023-32, establishing the aforementioned task force. Through this task force, Stitt said, the state hopes to offer clarity to Oklahomans and tribal citizens alike by composing a report on legislative and regulatory recommendations, uniform cross-deputization and jail agreements, and any other recommendations relevant to the speedy resolution of the broken system created by the McGirt decision, per an announcement on the state government website. On Jan. 9, the ITC released a public letter asserting that the governors executive order was not in the public interest. After reviewing the language of the Executive Order and structure of the proposed task force, we conclude that it is designed to divide rather than unify and to make political points rather than seek genuine solutions, the ITC letter reads. This task force cannot adequately serve the public good unless these flaws are corrected. The ITC consists of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee (Creek,) and Seminole Nations, whose reservations occupy much of the eastern portion of Oklahoma where McGirt is concerned. Rather than fracture jurisdiction and cause chaos as Stitts announcement attests, the ITC writes, McGirt restored existing jurisdictional boundaries and provided tribes with more control over their own sovereignty. The letter calls Stitts subsequent attempts to defray or evade the McGirt decision a waste of time of energy in a bid to delay compliance with the law. Instead of the taskforce, the letter calls on Stitts office to spend time on practical solutions for working with each of Oklahomas 38 federally recognized tribes. These tribes are open to collaboration, the ITC writes, but not on grounds that could undermine their sovereignty or wellbeing. When we have a willing partner at the State of Oklahoma, we are fully prepared to move forward. We are eager to work with our friends and neighbors to improve coordination in public safety efforts, the letter reads. What we cannot do is participate in an effort that spreads falsehoods about the law, attempts to minimize tribal voices, and engages in political attacks instead of constructive government-to-government dialogue. The letter is the latest salvo exchanged in Stitts contentious relationship with Oklahoma tribes. Throughout his time as governor, Stitt has battled tribes over regalia, gaming compacts, hunting and fishing compacts, tobacco compacts, and McGirt, often to the point of butting heads with a legislature controlled by his own party, per prior Native News Online reporting. About the Author: "Chesley Oxendine (Lumbee-Cheraw) is an Oklahoma-based reporter for Native News Online and its sister publication, Tribal Business News. His journalism has been featured in the Fort Gibson Times, Muskogee Phoenix, Native Oklahoma Magazine, and elsewhere. \r " Contact: ChezOxendine@idonthaveit.com Flash flooding has sparked an emergency declaration in San Diego after four inches of rain fell in six hours on Monday. San Diego mayor Todd Gloria declared a state of emergency after homes were inundated and cars were overturned as torrential rain swept through southern California over a roughly six-hour period on Monday. Flood waters swept away vehicles and caused cars to pile on top of each other, while several feet of water inundated the Mountain View, Shelltown and Southcrest neighbourhoods, as well as multiple highways. Meanwhile, three inches of rain fell in National City, while San Diego International Airport was hit with two inches of rain the fifth-highest single-day total for any time of year since the National Weather Service began tracking rainfall totals in 1850, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The San Diego Fire Department performed over 20 emergency rescue operations along the San Diego and Tijuana rivers, with at least eight migrants rescued after they were endangered by the floodwaters of the Tijuana River Valley on the US side, authorities said. Hundreds of residents in Southcrest also had to be rescued by firefighters as standing water quickly surrounded their apartment complex, according to authorities. No injuries were reported. A car sits along a flooded road during the rainstorm in San Diego (AP) Mayor Gloria said a high school in San Diego was being used as a temporary shelter after about 100 homes were in some way affected by the flooding. Sean Mahoney, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Southern California Region, added that the shelter would be able to house 375 people, providing hot meals and mental health support. A woman walks by cars damaged by floods during a rainstorm in San Diego on Monday (AP) Two homeless centres have also been relocated. Further up north, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management issued an evacuation warning near Topanga Canyon effective through Tuesday morning due to possible mud or debris flow. Mayor Gloria has urged residents to stay off the roads amid the severe weather, which has also caused schools in La Mesa and Spring Valley to close. I strongly urge residents to please avoid any flooded areas and any unnecessary travel, he said in a statement. A woman removes debris from floods on Monday (AP) Mayor Gloria added that while flooding was predicted, the short amount of time that the rain fell in was a surprise. This weather event was predicted, in terms of rain, but the amount of rain in the short amount of time was a bit of a surprise to, I think, everybody, he said at a news conference on Tuesday. Residents were also left in shock by the damage caused to the city in such a short space of time. Eddie Ochoa told the Associated Press he and his sister went out for breakfast on Monday morning and returned to find their entire block was flooded and his sisters parked car had been washed away. All that happened within an hour, Mr Ochoa said. He added that they later found his sisters car about three miles down the street. Its never been that bad, ever. Its crazy, he said. Snowfall is also expected across large parts of California on Tuesday. An avalanche warning is in place for the backcountry in the mountains around the Lake Tahoe area, with more than a foot of snow expected in the region, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee. Mondays storm came after an Arctic blast hit much of the US last week, bringing snow, flooding and freezing rain. Cars swept down swamped roads as flooding wreaks havoc across San Diego (Accuweather) Dozens of people are believed to have died from hyperthermia or road deaths caused by the treacherous conditions. At a news conference, Mayor Gloria said he had just returned from a conference of US mayors in Washington, where attendees agreed that extreme weather, fueled by the climate crisis, was the new normal. It doesnt matter what mayor from what part of the country, what you see is people having experiences exactly like this one, he said. Were used to snow, but not this much snow, or, were used to rain but not this much rain. These unusual weather patterns that are really beyond peoples typical experience... its exactly what all of us are describing and why so many of us are so active on the issue of climate change. Additional reporting by the Associated Press Flash People leave their home after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] The Arab League (AL) on Monday urged the United States to stop supporting the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and to adopt a stance coherent with international humanitarian law. It urged the United States to adopt a stance that leads to a full and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and to pressure Israel to stop its aggression and siege on the strip, read the resolution passed at the bloc's emergency meeting on Palestine held Monday at its headquarters in Cairo. The AL also warned against what it called "Israeli plans" to push the nearly 2 million internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza towards the border with Egypt. The pan-Arab body demanded the swift implementation of Security Council Resolution 2720 adopted in December 2023 and urgent steps to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in a safe and unobstructed way. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive in Gaza to retaliate against a surprise attack by Hamas, the ruler of the enclave, on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies. So far, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 25,295, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Monday. An effort to prevent the removal of Confederate Monuments advanced in the Florida Senate on Monday as cities like Jacksonville continue to fight over the statues. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< CBS reported that the Republican-controlled Government Oversight and Accountability Committee voted 4-2 along party lines to support SB 1122, which would prevent local governments from removing, relocating or destroying monuments. This is not a Confederate bill. Its an American history bill, Sen. Jonathan Martin, who filed the bill, said. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Martin argues that monuments and memorials are necessary to teach people who dont have time or money to take history in college. Sen. Tracie Davis, however, feels differently. She said she voted against the bill because statues honoring the Confederacy arent about the Civil War but about hate during Reconstruction and to degrade Black people. This is a thinly veiled, targeted attack against my city and my constituents, especially people who look like me, said Davis, who represents Jacksonville. Read: After removal of Springfield Confederate monument, Monuments and Memorials Protection Act filed Action News Jax told you in December when Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan ordered the removal of the Women of the Southland monument that has sat in Springfield Park since 2015. Denise Scott of Jacksonville told the committee that Confederate monuments misrepresent history and are a painful reminder of a racist past for many. However, bill-supporter David McCallister of Hillsborough County and the Guardians of American History said the measure is about ending the erasure of history. Who speaks for the dead? The memorials are the silent speakers, McCallister said. Read: Final Confederate monument in Jacksonville comes down in Springfield Park The bill would give the governor the power to suspend or remove local officials who violate prohibitions on moving or destroying monuments. In addition, people who approve the removal or destruction of monuments could face paying restoration costs, and the state would have the power to withhold arts, culture and historic preservation funding. CBS reported that Martin filed a bill last legislative session that would give people to file lawsuits if they felt they had lost history or felt they couldnt teach about the past due to monument removal, but it didnt pass. Read: Newly obtained memo raises question: Did Jacksonville mayor overstep in removing monument? This years bill would be retroactive to Oct 1, 2020, and specifically mentions the protection of military personnel in any armed conflict since settlers from other countries came to what is known as the United States. The retroactive date was chosen for when a Christopher Columbus statue was removed from the St. Petersburg Pier District. CBS said that a House version of the bill (HB 395) would require a bronze sculpture of former Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith to be displayed in Lake County or anywhere else in the state if a suitable location hasnt been found for it by July 1, 2025. The Senate version doesnt include that requirement. The House bill hasnt been heard in committees. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Flash China welcomes the positive progress on the restoration of relations between Iran and Pakistan, and supports the two sides in continuing to enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation through friendly consultation, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. In response to a related query, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily news briefing that China is willing to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Iran and Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development. Iran and Pakistan have mutually agreed that the ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by Jan. 26. The decision was made following a telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of both countries. Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis proposed the creation of a "Florida Freedom Fighters Fund," in which $5 million of taxpayer dollars could be granted to former President Donald Trump, who is facing 91 criminal counts in four federal and state cases. Gov. Ron DeSantis has hopped on the Trump train, but he indicated Monday he was not on board with a bill proposing Florida taxpayers pony up $5 million to help pay former president Donald Trump's legal fees. Then, within just over 90 minutes Monday night, bill sponsor Sen. Ileana Garcia announced she would be withdrawing the bill. News reports circulated Monday about the proposal, dubbed "Grants for Victims of Political Discrimination" by Garcia, a Miami Republican who had previously launched Latinas for Trump. One of the publications, Politico, posted on X, formerly Twitter, about how some Republicans were supportive of the bill. Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, listens to debate on a bill on the Senate floor Thursday, March 10, 2022. "But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen," DeSantis tweeted in response. Garcia soon followed with her tweet dropping the bill, which didn't name Trump, but used qualifiers that only applied to him. Florida state Sen. Ileana Garcia poses with leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during the Florida Freedom Summit in November 2023. Garcia proposed, then withdrew, a bill that would make $5 million in state funds available for Trump's legal defense. "My concern was the political weaponization against conservative candidates," Garcia wrote, "and while (Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis) brought me this bill at a time when all candidates were committing to campaign through the primary, one frontrunner now remains, and he can handle himself." Trump spending millions on legal fees Trump, who lost to President Joe Biden by 74 electoral votes in 2020, has been spending tens of millions of dollars on legal fees in four criminal cases. Trump has been indicted on 91 felony counts including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government for his insistence that the 2020 election was stolen with no evidence to prove such a claim. The former president is also facing a racketeering case in Georgia related to his urging of state officials that they help him "find" the votes to overturn Biden's victory there. Trump faces 40 federal counts alleging he retained classified documents after his presidency had ended, then obstructed investigators in their attempts to recover the documents. And in New York, he faces other charges of falsifying business records related to hush payments made to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels. Patronis: Prosecution of former president 'outrageous' Watching the criminal cases develop, Patronis had pitched the idea of Florida helping Trump last November. He followed up with a news release Monday making the case for a Florida Freedom Fighters Fund. He attempted to make a case that the prosecutions of Trump is a Democratic plot. Former President Donald Trump and Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis pose in a photo Patronis tweeted Monday, when he announced a bill that would make $5 million of Florida taxpayers' funds available for Trump's legal defense. "The Left is really good at weaponizing the courts, and because President Biden is so unpopular, theyre not just trying to beat Trump at the ballot box, theyre trying to throw him behind bars, which is outrageous," Patronis said in a news release. "We need this Freedom Fighters Fund because as the Free State of Florida, were facing an onslaught of attacks from the federal government against the Sunshine State." Patronis said helping get a Floridian into the White House is "just good from a dollars and cents perspective," considering federal funding that could be reaped in return. He said the creation of such a "Freedom Fund," might benefit DeSantis, too, in a hypothetical 2028 run. "Moreover, if Governor DeSantis makes another run at it, he has said that he too could face the same legal headwinds that President Trump is facing," Patronis said. In the same release, Garcia said "left wing prosecutors" are trying to steal the election. Patronis said the legislation would have used $5 million from the state's public campaign financing program, then "backfill" it with "voluntary donations via driver's license registrations." Florida Democrats reacted to the bill's proposal by calling it a "disgrace" and a "victim-card bill" that "should inflame" residents who care about where their tax dollars are being spent. Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried wrote on X: "Back at home people cant afford their property insurance, kids will go hungry over the summer, teacher pay is 48th in the nation, yet this is how the Republicans want to spend YOUR money." What does this say about DeSantis relationship with Trump? DeSantis' extraordinary tweet has some wondering if the detente between Trump and DeSantis might not last long. After the veto threat, some political commentators wondered where this aggressive DeSantis was during his campaign against Trump. Alyssa Farah Griffin, a former Trump aide who has turned against the ex-president, said on X: "This is arguably the boldest position against Trump that DeSantis has taken and of course its now that hes out of the race." Trump, who has said has said nice things about DeSantis since he dropped out of the presidential race on Sunday, has not commented on the legal fees flap. David Jackson of USA TODAY contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: DeSantis' veto threat spells end to bill funding Trump's legal bills LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A former teacher at Bryant High School has pleaded guilty to having sex with a student. The US Attorneys office said 33-year-old Heather Hare pleaded guilty on Monday to transporting a minor across state lines in order to have sex. Bryant teacher arrested for sexual misconduct with student Investigators said that Hare taught family consumer science classes at Bryant High School and she met the minor victim on the first day of his senior year. Hare began one-on-one counseling sessions with the victim, eventually giving him her phone number and talking with him through social media. According to prosecutors, Hare eventually told the victim that she had a dream of them having sex and gave him her home address in Conway. Prosecutors stated that Hare and the victim had sex approximately 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school year. Former Bryant High School teacher arrested 2nd time for sexual misconduct with student Between April 22 and 24 in 2022, Hare was a sponsor and chaperone for a field trip to Washington D.C. that the victim had attended among three other students. Federal prosecutors said Hare and the victim had sex during the trip, which she later pleaded guilty to. US Attorney Jonathan Ross spoke on the guilty verdict, saying that Hare abused her position to coerce the victim into having sex. This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to entice and lure this minor into engaging in unlawful sexual activity, Ross said. Our office will continue to seek significant penalties against any educational professional who sexually abuse their students. Federal grand jury indicts former Bryant teacher in sexual assault case Federal prosecutors said Hare will be sentenced at a later date but noted that the charge has a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison. As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dropped a charge of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The founder of a now-defunct metro Grand Rapids financial services firm on Tuesday pleaded to charges alleging he embezzled from his clients and used the cash to pay of gambling debts. Jaime Westenbarger pleaded guilty to several counts including using a computer to commit a crime, conducting a criminal enterprise and embezzlement. He was charged in October 2022, accused of stealing $260,000 from clients of his firm, Forest Hills Financial in Ada, in the spring of 2018 a husband and wife gave him two checks of $100,000 each and a client with dementia gave him another $60,000. AG: Forest Hills Financial founder stole $260,000, gambled in 3 states Documents filed with the court at the time said Westenbarger was supposed to invest the money, but alleged he instead used it to pay off credit cards, gamble at various casinos in Michigan, Las Vegas and New Orleans, as well as buy items for himself and his girlfriend, and that he sent some of the money to his then-girlfriend though a money transfer app. Westenbarger was fired by the brokerage firm through which he was registered. He gave up his brokers license to settle with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. After Target 8 started investigating Westenbarger in 2019, he said he took loans from clients but didnt steal from them. Rule-breaking broker fired, selling other services Its not some massive coverup, he told Target 8 in the fall of 2019. Nothing major. Theres not millions of dollars missing, or anything like that. It doesnt involve any misappropriations. He had no documents to support that claim. He told Target 8 he had meant to use the client loans to invest in real estate, but his wife died by suicide a month later, and he ended up using the funds to cover expenses. Westenbarger later moved to Tennessee, where he declared bankruptcy in June 2021, reporting debts of $1.86 million. Some claims in his bankruptcy filing were later disputed by the U.S. bankruptcy trustee. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. A former U.S. Army soldier, Edward Richmond Jr., was arrested Monday in Baton Rouge, La., on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his alleged participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Richmond, 40, was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday on felony charges of civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. He was also charged with several misdemeanor offenses. Richmonds Louisiana-based attorney, John McLindon, told NBC News on Monday that his client will plead not guilty to the charges and that he expects the government to seek pretrial detention at Tuesdays hearing. The Justice Department (DOJ) claims Richmond was seen on body-camera footage and CCTV footage striking law enforcement officers multiple times in the Lower West Terrace Tunnel of the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The DOJ described the area as the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement officers on Jan. 6, 2021. According to court documents, Richmond traveled to Washington with approximately nine people for the Jan. 6, 2021, rallies. That day, he wore a black helmet, goggles, shoulder pads, a Louisiana State Flag patch and an orange radio, according to court documents. In 2004, an Army court-martial panel convicted Richmond of voluntary manslaughter for killing a handcuffed Iraqi civilian near Taal Al Jai, according to The Associated Press. Richmond was sentenced to three years in prison and received a dishonorable discharge from the Army. More than 1,265 people have been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, including more than 440 people with felony charges of assaulting or impeding law enforcement, the DOJ said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BUFFALO, WV (WVNS) A former West Virginia Official pleaded guilty to making a false statement regarding COVID-19 testing invoices. 49-year-old Timothy Priddy, of Buffalo, West Virginia, admitted to lying to federal investigators about COVID-19 testing invoice verifications when he was a West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (WVDHHR) official. McDowell County woman shot and killed by son According to court documents, Priddy was the WVDHHRs Center for Threat Preparedness Director when he was interviewed by federal agents on August 2, 2022. He was also a former Deputy Director, whose job in that position included things such as verifying and reviewing the accuracy of invoices that were sent to the WVDHHR by vendors who supplied COVID-19 testing and mitigation services before verifying the invoices for payments. Priddy was asked by federal agents about invoices that were sent in by a specific vendor who billed the State of West Virginia for tens of millions of dollars for COVID-19 testing and other related services. After completely failing to verify invoices seeking tens of millions of public dollars, Mr. Priddy significantly affected an important investigation into that spending with his false statement. Will Thompson | United States Attorney Furthermore, Priddy revealed that he knew that the vendor was being investigated by federal agents for suspected fraudulent billing, and that information related to the invoices and following payment was relative to the investigation. One set of invoices that were of interest to the federal investigation were connected to a COVID-19 testing program for K-12 students, faculty, and staff who were coming back to school after winter break. Mercer County couple found guilty of Witness Tampering conspiracy Priddy confirmed that the K-12 testing invoices were correct without further investigating their accuracy. He then incorrectly told federal agents that he certified the relevant invoices once two people who worked with the K-12 testing program confirmed them. Priddy further revealed that he knew it was a false statement. No matter your job or status in the community, it is a federal crime to lie to the FBI. Priddy lied to the FBI during a critical moment in the investigation. This conviction should serve as a reminder that those who lie to federal agents will face serious criminal consequences for their actions. Mike Shanahan | Acting Special Agent in Charge Priddys sentencing is scheduled for May 9, 2024, and he faces up to five years in prison, three years of probation, and a $250,000 fine. Former Courtesy Patrol Officer pleads guilty to bankruptcy fraud The announcement was made by United States Attorney Will Thompson, who praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), West Virginia Legislatures Commission on Special Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work on the investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. A department in the University of Texas at Austins McCombs School of Business has been renamed in honor of a Fort Worth couple who made a $25 million donation. The newly named Rozanne and Billy Rosenthal Department of Management will be able to dramatically increase its efforts around research, teaching, students, faculty members and academic innovation because of the gift from the two alumni, Rozanne Rosenthal, B.S. 74, and Billy Rosenthal, BBA 72, UT Austin officials said in a news release. This is the first academic department in the business school to be named as the result of a donation. The renaming was marked with a celebration on Jan. 16. The Rosenthal family founded Standard Meat Company in Fort Worth. In 1935, Ben H. Rosenthal, a Russian Jewish immigrant, started the business when he rented a meat locker, bought some beef in the nearby Stockyards, processed it, and sold it from door to door to local clubs and hotels, the release said. Standard Meat Company is in its fourth generation of family ownership. Today's top stories: Navy SEAL who died on mission had North Texas ties Doctors, nurses stayed calm for 'Herculean task' treating explosion patients Too many Fort Worth ISD students miss too much school Get free alerts when news breaks. Billy Rosenthal told UT officials that he remembers his grandfather giving away money even when the companys finances were tight and his fathers pride in giving to people and causes he supported. Rozanne Rosenthal said, I was also taught that giving was just something you did naturally and that it felt good to give of yourself. Her familys long history of volunteerism led her to found and lead the Fort Worth affiliate of Susan G. Komen to honor her best friend and UT roommate, Joan Katz, a four-time breast cancer survivor. This gift is a powerful example of what can happen when the values and sense of purpose of a family align with the mission of a department, said Caroline Bartel, chair of the Rosenthal Department of Management, in the release. At the heart of what we do as a department is in the human part of business enterprise how people motivate, influence and lead others, and how they make decisions and work together to strengthen the vitality and success of their companies. The Rosenthals gift will greatly amplify our ability to make such a difference. A wildlife park fed up with its infamous swearing parrots is transferring them to a bigger flock in the hope of curbing their habit but it comes with a risk. The decision was taken by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park as three more birds learned to swear in addition to the five African greys that were moved to the venue in 2020. But the park has now decided to introduce the bawdy parrots to a bigger group of more than 100 birds and already has a disclaimer for the visitors that says: We cannot be responsible for what you hear! Chief executive Steve Nichols told BBC they will move all eight prolific swearing parrots with the rest of the birds to "dilute" their habit. He, however, acknowledged the risk of the other birds picking up this unusual vocabulary. He admitted: We could end up with 100 swearing parrots on our hands. Only time will tell. But believes that ultimately their habit of lobbing obscenities would be reduced if not totally eradicated. Parrots are flock creatures. They need to be with other parrots. The bigger the flock, the happier they are. Even though they swear, the welfare of the birds has to come first, Mr Nichols told the broadcaster. People think parrots are loud birds but they talk quite quietly. Im hoping, above the general noise of the flock, the swearing will be drowned out, he said. The original five parrots were named Billy, Tyson, Eric, Jade and Elsie. The birds spent three months in isolation before they were put up on display for visitors and ended up becoming the parks star attraction, he said. A cheeky Instagram post by the park on Monday said: I swear I just heard you say something. Monday what Monday weve been having a ball causing havoc again. The three other birds that picked up the bad habit are Eric, Captain, and Sheila. The disclaimer that was put up after the first five swearing parrots arrived, tells visitors how the African greys had their own repertoire of Blue Language. It said that within a short time, their enclosure sounded like an old mens working club as the parrots let out foul language followed by a laugh while in customary quarantine. Mr Nichols said their antics entertained visitors even in times "when the world seems very serious. "You never tire of being told to eff off by a parrot. You cant help but laugh. Of course, visitors stand around the enclosure swearing, trying to get the parrots to copy them, he said. Having spent 35 years with parrots, Mr Nichols said the eight would not completely give up on their language as "once its in their vocabulary, its usually there for good". But he now things that the birds would learn to "imitate other sounds as well" like the other 30 birds there who imitate the sound of reversing lorry. "We have about 30 birds who make the beeping sound that a reversing lorry makes. Hopefully, the rest will pick up on that and there will be less swearing, he said. The parks National Parrot Sanctuary houses one-third of the UKs birds and is more to home to more than 1,000 relocated parrots and parakeets from more than 100 species. CAMP HILL, Pa. (WHTM) Four people have been charged in a national human trafficking investigation involving stolen personal records. The Camp Hill Police Department says the Felony Lane Gang comes from the southern United States and breaks into vehicles to steal bank documents and drivers licenses. The group then goes into high drug areas such as Kensington in Philadelphia and recruits individuals to withdraw money using the stolen documents in exchange for drugs. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Severe Weather Alerts The group is accused of stealing anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 a day for multiple weeks using stolen documents. Four arrests were made in connection to an April 6 incident at the MidPenn Bank in Camp Hill. Raynard Spence of Hallandale Beach, Florida is facing charges in Cumberland County including involuntary servitude, trafficking in individuals, and conspiracy. He has been held in the Cumberland County Prison since June 30, 2023, on $1 million bail. Changes made to Pennsylvanias dog law Ronisha Gamble, also of Hallandale Beach, is facing multiple conspiracy charges and is free after posting $49,000 bail in November 2023. She is facing a formal arraignment on February 26. Kevin Miller, who police say is incarcerated in Georgia, and Devon Stuart, who is incarcerated in Tennessee, are both facing charges including trafficking in individuals, kidnap to facilitate a felony, and conspiracy. Powerball ticket worth $150,000 sold in Pennsylvania Miller and Stuart will be extradited to Pennsylvania to face those charges. Camp Hill Police says the ongoing investigation involves the FBI, New York State Police, the U.S. Marshals, and local police in Tennessee, Illinois, and Florida. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. CHANDLER, Ariz. (WCIA) Class of 2025 four-star guard Jeremiah Fears is committing to Illinois, the Joliet-native announced on social media Monday. From Arizona Compass Prep in Chandler, Fears chose the Illini over offers from Kansas, Michigan, Ole Miss, and more. The six-foot-three combo guard returns to the Land of Lincoln, having attended Joliet West before moving out to Arizona. According to 247Sports, Fears comes in as the 31st-best player in the country in the Class of 2025. Rivals ranks him at No. 27, and ESPN has named him a five-star and No. 16 in the country. Fears becomes the first player in the Illinis Class of 2025. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. It was gratifying to learn that Annalisa Perea, the new president of the Fresno City Council, has interest in making the citys budget process more public this year. Specifically, she wants to revamp how the City Council considers Mayor Jerry Dyers nearly $2 billion proposed budget when hearings start in late spring. The councils budget subcommittee three members who hammer out final terms of the spending plan has operated in secret meetings in recent years. A local news website, Fresnoland, reported last year about the sessions, and that led to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union and First Amendment Coalition. Their contention is that the city is violating the Brown Act, the state measure that requires the publics business to be done in public, with a few exceptions. Deciding how to spend taxpayer money is not among them. Only in Fresno Bee columnist Marek Warszawski outlined how the budget process worked last year: Dyer presented his proposed budget in May. In June the council held two weeks of hearings that were open to residents who wanted to comment on the spending plan. Council members then proposed revisions through budget motions. Opinion Last year, the seven-member council put forth 120 motions, of which 75 (with a price tag of nearly $30 million) wound up being either entirely or partially funded by the citys $1.87 billion fiscal year 2024 budget, Warszawski reported. Negotiations on the budget motions then took place between Dyers team and the council subcommittee, without the public able to see what was happening. A lot of sausage was being made in the back room, Dyer told reporters during a June press conference. That quote hearkens to a bygone era in politics where the leadership would gather in smoke-filled rooms and come up with a final budget or policy whatever was at issue. But in 2024, back-room dealing must have no place in Fresnos city government. For one thing, the city is a outlier. Of Californias 10 largest cities, only Fresno has a budget finalizing process that is out of public view. Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, Long Beach, Oakland, Anaheim, Bakersfield all of them keep budget meetings open to the public. No budget subcommittee? Perea told Bee staff writer Melissa Montalvo that she may not form a budget subcommittee this year. She will seek advice from City Attorney Andrew Janz about how to use subcommittees and will outline her program next month. If Perea through her position makes budgeting more public especially in its final steps that will be a distinction worth noting. It will go along with her being the councils first openly gay member. Closed-door dealings contradict the openness and transparency Fresnos elected leaders say they want to practice. If anything, the city should do its utmost to involve residents in budgeting. It is taxpayer money, after all. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Fresno assemblymember Jim Patterson is one of the co-authors of a new bill targeting retail theft, officials announced on Monday. Assemblyman Jim Patterson is among a bipartisan group of co-authors of new legislation aiming at Proposition 47. According to officials, AB 1772 seeks to require anyone convicted of petty theft or shoplifting to be punished by imprisonment in county jail if the person has two or more prior convictions for theft-related offenses. Phony propositions that promised safety actually increased lawlessness. Thats Proposition 47, Patterson said during a news conference on Monday afternoon in Sacramento. Im so tired of this Legislature deciding that the fate of repeat criminals is more important than the fate of repeat victims. If AB 1772 clears the state legislature, officials say it would then be up to the voters of California to give it final approval at the ballot box. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. True trophy brown trout are exceedingly rare, some would say that they are as non-existent as unicorns but occasionally, a trophy trout is landed on the west side of the Sierra Nevada. Byron Stickler of Fresno, a dedicated trophy brown hunter, was rewarded for his hours of perseverance during cold days in the Sierras with a 33-inch, 18-pound, 5-ounce brown trout at Shaver Lake on Sunday, Jan. 14. Stickler took a quick photo of his catch before releasing the fish back into the waters. Brown trout are native to Europe, parts of North Africa, and Western Asia. They were first imported to the U.S. from Germany in 1893 and so they are commonly referred to as German Browns. California has a number of locations known for brown trout, and Shasta, Twin Lakes, Hat Creek, Crowley Lake, Hell Hole, Lake Almanor, and Baum Lake are considered the top locations for browns. Since originally being stocked in California waters, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been very selective in continuing to plant the species due to their aggressive nature and non-native status. Recently, triploid brown trout have been released in locations such as Shaver Lake in the central Sierras, and these fish are just now showing up on stringers. Sticklers catch (from its size) was not one of the trout planted within the past several years, and it most likely survived upriver during the draining of Shaver Lake several years ago or migrated downstream from Huntington. Byron had asked me to go fishing with him a few weeks earlier, and he ended up going to Shaver since Huntington was snowed in, fishing guide Roger George said. He worked very hard for this, and he did everything right when releasing the trophy. Stickler and his wife, Kim, have released other fish over 10 pounds, but this one was close to the lake record. Tim Young of the Shaver Lake Trophy Trout Project has been targeting brown trout on the west side of the Sierras for decades. It appears to Byron and I that Shaver is making a comeback for trophy browns, Young said. Several people have called me about the lake record, and I remember a 20-pound plus landed in the 80s by Terry Beam. Young said he landed a 35-inch, 18.75-pound brown at Shaver Lake on Jan. 11 in the 1980s while Sticklers fish was caught on Jan. 14. My brother kept excellent records of every trip, and we found some similarities as to when the big browns have been caught. Fortunately, nearly all these trophies are released as the goal is to fool these challenging fish before letting them live to grow even larger, Young said. Both Shaver and Huntington are prime waters for a rebound of trophy browns with abundant kokanee populations and frequent plantings of catchable rainbows. A healthy kokanee population is a key to trophy spotted bass lakes such as Bullards Bar, Pardee, and Shasta, and it seems the same conditions exist at Shaver and Huntington. Every once in a while, a large brown trout is landed unexpectedly, but the reality is, true trophy browns take days and days of trolling solo, keeping exact records, and remaining optimistic even though success comes only through hard work. Dave Hurley is a longtime educator, fishing writer and member of the California Outdoors Hall of Fame. A Fresno woman who was driving drunk on a suspended license when she crashed into and killed a 59-year-old dump truck driver was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison. Jeffrey Nazaroff of Kerman, a beloved family man and longtime truck driver, was about 1,000 feet away from parking his dump truck at the company yard when Zdeineb Juarez Calderon, 24, ran a stop sign at the intersection of South Brawley and West Church avenues. Calderons Jeep Wrangler smashed into Nazaroffs truck sending it careening into the front yard of a nearby home and colliding into a tree. Nazaroff, who was at the end of his work day, died at the scene. Calderon was charged with several felonies and a misdemeanor, including gross vehicular manslaughter, having a blood alcohol level or more than .08% and driving on a suspended or revoked license. She pleaded no contest to those charges. In a letter read by her public defender Alena Chaps, Calderon said she feels tremendous guilt and shame for what she has done. She realizes that drinking alcohol has ruined her life and cost another person his. She vows to be sober so that she can be a better mother for her son. I am trying to make a new path for myself so that I dont become a statistic, she wrote in her letter. My deepest condolences to the family. I just pray Jeffs family and your honor have mercy. Several members of Nazaroffs family spoke about the type of man he was: loving, honorable and fun-loving. His wife, Janice, said he would joke about how long they have been married, telling people its been 33 years of a life sentence. She said laughter was part of the glue that kept their marriage strong, even during times of tragedy. The couple, who have three sons, lost their youngest son in car crash 16 years ago. And I thought that was the worst thing we could have gone through, she said. But we worked through that tragic loss. He (Jeff) was my rock. Prosecutor Christopher Moss urged the judge to give Calderon the maximum of 10 years. Moss said the defendant should have realized seven weeks prior to the fatal crash that she needed to stop drinking and driving. She was involved in a DUI collision on Freeway 99 on Feb. 16, 2022, where her blood alcohol level was nearly four times the legal limit of 0.08%. She should have made an adjustment in her life then, Moss said. But instead of making a positive decision she doubled down and continued to drink and drive while impaired. And that resulted in the death of Mr. Nazaroff. Cullers said Calderon had an opportunity to change her life after her 2022 crash and she missed it. Your life could have gone one of two ways, the judge said. If you had made a different choice we would not be here. Still unresolved is a civil lawsuit filed by the Nazaroff family against Calderon and her former employer Foster Poultry Farms. The company is being sued for negligence and wrongful death. The lawsuit alleges Calderon, who was an employee of the poultry processing plant, was sent home the day of the fatal crash because she was drunk on the job. She got into her car and drove off the property, crashing a short time later. ST. LOUIS Frontier Airlines is launching new nonstop flights from St. Louis to Phoenix later this year. The new service from St. Louis Lambert International Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport begins April 10. It will run four times a week, with fares starting at $59. The airline announced several new nonstop flight routes on Tuesday, offering some one-way fares as low as $19. Missouri Senate leader removes several state senators from committees This is a massive expansion of our operation from coast to coast and internationally as part of our focus on growing in underserved and overpriced routes, said Josh Flyr, vice president, network and operations design, Frontier Airlines. More destinations and greater frequency means a larger number of consumers will soon be able to enjoy Frontiers convenient, affordable Low Fares Done Right. Anyone who joins Frontiers Discount Den program can score some flights as low as $19 prior to Jan. 25. For more information on the program or to track Frontiers flights from St. Louis, click here. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. Big Boom Private space company Sierra Space has blown up its first full-scale inflatable space habitat, dubbed the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) and it was all part of the plan. The balloon-like contraption, which measured just over 20 feet tall, held a third of the volume of the International Space Station once fully inflated. During a recent test, engineers at the Colorado-based company kept pumping it with air, reaching a whopping 77 psi well above NASA's recommended level of 60.8 psi before it exploded in spectacular fashion. A video of the test shows the habitat quite literally bursting at its seams in a fraction of a second, successfully concluding the company's "first stress test of a full-size, inflatable space station structure." "We are driving the reinvention of the space station that will shape a new era of humanitys exploration and discovery in Low Earth Orbit and beyond," said Sierra CEO Tom Vice in a statement. Pop Art There are potential benefits to inflatable habitats over their hard-shell equivalents. Sierra's LIFE habitat can fit inside a 16.4-foot rocket fairing, but once in orbit, can expand to the size of a three-story apartment building, according to the company. Sierra claims just three launches could result in the construction of a habitat that has more volume than the entire ISS. And the LIFE habitat is just the beginning. The company is already working on even bigger habitats that could be inflated to surpass the volume of the ISS in just a single launch. "The successful full-scale burst test is an undeniable leap toward a new reality of how humans live and operate in space," said Rob Reed, VP at Sierra's tech partner ILC Dover, in the statement, "and we are proud to celebrate this milestone as we work to expand humanitys capabilities in Low Earth Orbit." More on Sierra Space: Space Startup Blows Up Another Giant Inflatable Space Station Module Update: The Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council on Wednesday canceled its Jan. 24 meeting. The EFSEC meeting has been reset for Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 3 p.m. Click here for a link on the agenda to listen to the meeting. -------------------------------------------- The future of the southern skyline of the Tri-Cities could be decided Wednesday, Jan. 24, at a virtual meeting of the Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council. The meeting agenda calls for the council to provide direction to staff on a recommendation to be made to Gov. Jay Inslee on the Horse Heaven wind farm project. On Friday, 10 Washington state legislators sent a letter to council officials asking them to make final decision-making documents available to the public and to allow public comment on them before the council takes final action. The top signatures on the letter were by Tri-Cities Republicans Sen. Matt Boehnke, Rep. Stephanie Barnard and Rep. April Connors. Other legislators represent the 9th, 14th, 15th and 16th legislative districts. Once Inslee receives the councils recommendation he will have 60 days to approve the application with changes recommended by EFSEC, to reject it or to send the application back to the council for more work, according to EFSEC. The Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center is proposed to cover 112 square miles stretching from south of Finley to south of Kennewick to south of Benton City, although the developed area of the project would cover only about 10 square miles. Turbines at the Nine Canyon Wind Farm near Lower Blair Road south of Kennewick spin. A larger wind farm is proposed to be added along the Horse Heaven Hills. Scout Clean Energy is proposing up to 244 wind turbines that would be 500 feet tall or an alternate plan with fewer, but taller turbines. Then there would be 150 turbines with blades extending about 670 feet high, which is taller than the Seattle Space Needle. Along with the nearby and smaller Nine Canyon wind farm, just over 100,000 residents of Benton County would live within six miles of a turbine, according to Tri-Cities CARES, a group opposing the wind farm as too close to the Tri-Cities. Thats five times more than the estimated 20,000 who live within six miles of a wind farm across the rest of Washington state, according to the group. However, project has the support of unions whose members would construct the project. Union officials have obtained a pledge that the contractor for the project would hire from Eastern and Central Washington unions, with an estimated 1,000 workers employed over the years of construction work. The project also would provide tax revenue to Benton County. The council has made no indication that it will recommend the project not be built. But at its December meeting it looked at different possible restrictions on the project, including to protect tribal cultural resources and the ferruginous hawks, an endangered species in Washington state with nests in the Horse Heaven Hills. One option would eliminate half of the proposed turbines, including many of those most visible from the Tri-Cities. Three other options would require more limited changes to the Scout Clean Energy proposal for a project that would include wind, solar and battery storage. A Washington state council is considering recommending that wind turbines shown by red dots not be allowed in the Horse Heaven Clean Energy Center. They are rated as having the highest negative impacts. The council also asked staff in December to provide it more information by its January meeting about aerial firefighting needs and restrictions on firefighting airplanes and helicopters near turbines by its next meeting. Before Linda Lehmans term as mayor expired at the end of 2023, she wrote in an op-ed published in the Tri-City Herald that said turbines on the ridgeline of the Horse Heaven Hills would threaten the safety of residents in Benton City, Kiona and Badger Canyon. Boehnke and Barnard are sponsoring legislation in the Washington state House and Senate that would require applications for wind farms to demonstrate approval from fire officials of the location and height of turbines. We need government policies that consider the danger the siting of these utility-scale wind turbines poses when wildfires sweep through and destroy lives, homes, and property. Amending these procedures increases safety for the public in those areas that need and deserve adequate protection, Boehnke said. The EFSEC meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. Information on watching the meeting is posted on the agenda at bit.ly/EFSECJan24meeting. Audio also is expected to be broadcast on tvw.org. The House Ethics Committee investigating Rep. Matt Gaetz has reached out to Joel Greenberg, a one-time close friend of Gaetz who was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges, sources told ABC News. The probe, which was reopened last summer, continues to ramp up, as the committee in recent weeks has contacted multiple new witnesses as part of its ongoing investigation into the Florida congressman, sources said. Among the witnesses contacted is the woman who allegedly had sex with the congressman as a minor, sources familiar with the committee's work told ABC News. That development was first reported by CNN. MORE: DOJ won't charge Matt Gaetz in sex-trafficking probe as lawyer for minor calls investigation 'difficult experience' Sources told ABC News that in recent days, in addition to focusing on possible lobbying violations by Gaetz, the Ethics Committee has reached out to witnesses who were questioned as part of the Justice Department's sex trafficking investigation into the Florida congressman. The House probe into Gaetz's conduct was reopened last July after the Ethics Committee initially deferred its investigation at the request of the Justice Department, which conducted its own years-long probe that concluded without charging Gaetz in 2023. Responding to the new developments, Gaetz told ABC News in a statement, "It's great to see the Ethics Committee has interests beyond trading stocks. They seem to be quite the unusual whales." Members of the Ethics Committee declined to comment to ABC News regarding the probe. PHOTO: Rep. Matt Gaetz greets supporters at the New Hampshire campaign headquarters of former President Donald Trump in Manchester, NH, Jan. 21, 2024. (Faith Ninivaggi/Reuters) Greenberg, a former Florida tax collector who sources say agreed to cooperate in the DOJ's probe into Gaetz, was sentenced in December 2022 after pleading guilty to crimes ranging from wire fraud to sex trafficking a minor. Greenberg reached a deal with investigators in May 2021 in which he pleaded guilty to multiple federal crimes, including sex trafficking of a minor and introducing her to other "adult men" who also had sex with her when she was underage. He also agreed to provide "substantial assistance" to prosecutors as part of their ongoing investigation into Gaetz and others, according to sources familiar with the arrangement. ABC News previously reported that as part of his cooperation, Greenberg had provided investigators with years of Venmo and Cash App transactions and thousands of photos and videos, as well as access to personal social media accounts. Fritz Scheller, an attorney for Greenberg, told ABC News that he would not "confirm or deny" being in contact with the House Ethics Committee regarding their reopened probe . Gaetz, when the probe was reopened in July, blasted the Ethic Committee for "trying to weaponize their process." "I was cleared by the Department of Justice and the FBI, who looked into my life for years," Gaetz said at the time. "Now, I believe that the House Ethics Committee is trying to weaponize their process against me because every once in a while up here I'm a rabble-rouser and I don't go along to get along. And right now, I'm forcing this body to have deal with our debt and our spending." MORE: Matt Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg gets 11 years as probe into congressman stalls, sources say "I think all the days in Congress, there are probably in the seven years I've been in Congress, there have only been tens of days when I haven't been under one form of ethics investigation or another," Gaetz said. "I've never been found to have violated any ethical laws. I won't be found to have violated them in this matter either." The news comes weeks after Rep. George Santos was voted out of Congress following the release of a scathing report by the Ethics Committee that alleged the New York congressman used the prestige of political office to defraud victims of tens of thousands of dollars. Since the Santos probe concluded, the Ethics Committee has refocused its efforts toward Gaetz, sources said, with the committee expecting to schedule more interviews and receive documents related to the probe in the coming weeks. Gaetz has denied all wrongdoing. The Justice Department, following a yearslong sex-trafficking probe into the Florida congressman, informed Gaetz last February that it would not bring charges against him. House investigators probing Rep. Matt Gaetz contact ex-associate Joel Greenberg: Sources originally appeared on abcnews.go.com DES MOINES, Iowa On a bitterly cold weekend shortly before the Iowa caucuses, nearly 100 young conservatives packed a downtown hotel to profess their love for the Republican Party. But many of them werent sure the party loved them back. The fourth annual Run GenZ conference was an opportunity for aspiring conservative elected officials to learn how to kickstart their careers in politics. In between sessions on personal narrative building and womens leadership, they noshed on a taco lunch in the hotel lobby and discussed a common belief that the Republican Party needs better youth representation but isnt doing enough to get it. It was a fraught topic, particularly at the conference. Just weeks earlier, every Run GenZ member on the Republican National Committees Youth Advisory Council an initiative started last year to ameliorate concerns about youth engagement resigned from the council, including Run GenZs founder and president, 26-year-old former Iowa state Rep. Joe Mitchell. In their letter of resignation, the leaders lambasted the RNCs attempt to reach young voters as a fundraising ploy with no actual vision. It really was a do-nothing committee, said Missouri state Rep. Mazzie Boyd, 25, a Run GenZ Rising Star, the groups moniker for a current or former elected official who serves as a mentor for their coalition. I resigned from the RNC Youth Advisory Council due to the lack of innovation to actually get young voters, she later explained. The RNC was only having members of the council pose for pictures, which does nothing for that goal. The drama with the committee highlights a major problem facing the GOP, and one that hung over the conference in Iowa: Republicans are struggling to attract younger voters. Recently, headline after headline has focused on President Joe Bidens problems with young voters as young progressives have grown increasingly critical of his handling of the Israel-Hamas war and his advanced age. But the left still has a big advantage over the GOP among this cohort. Eligible Gen Z voters have historically backed Democrats by large margins. And while a Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics youth poll from December found that people ages 18-29 expressed less excitement to vote in 2024 than at that point in the 2020 cycle, the biggest drop-off in enthusiasm came from young Republican and independent voters, forcing young elected officials and right-leaning youth groups to pick up their older counterparts' slack. According to young Republicans at the conference in Iowa, the problem isnt the partys message, but its delivery. Just like party leaders, this cohort prioritizes the economy, national security, the border and tax cuts. They love former President Donald Trump. But they are frustrated with what they view as a partywide inability to experiment with new techniques for outreach. Engaging young people is an issue the GOP cant ignore, they say but many of them feel thats exactly what its doing. Im not sure if its a lack of trying, or just methodology, said 30-year-old former Clermont City Councilman Ebo Entsuah, whos running for Florida state Senate this cycle. He pointed to the partys hesitation to use modern methods of reaching young voters, while Democrats continue to capitalize on platforms like TikTok. The left do[es] a really good job of using all of the mediums at their disposal, Entsuah said. (The Democratic Partys TikTok account has 497,000 followers; the Republican Party doesnt have an account. Republican candidates for president have railed against the app for its owners ties to Beijing.) I think the Democratic Party is doing a very good job at allowing young students to have a voice, said Ty Sweeney, a 20-year-old from Salem, Indiana, who is planning his second school board run this year. When you look at two parties, and one says, We want to accept you, we want to listen to what your concerns are. And the other one says, Sit down, youre too young, youre not ready. Youre going to be more receptive to the other. Sweeney looked around at the group of 20-somethings that filled the lobby of the Embassy Suites. We are simply stuck in our ways as the Grand Old Party. Its literally in our name, he said. Not that we shouldnt look to older people with guidance, but were allowing them to dictate our futures. Despite generational trends in party affiliation, there are conservative voices and organizations that have clout with young Americans. But some young Republicans argue that the partys national committee isnt collaborating with them effectively. Groups like Turning Point USA are doing an effective job at reaching young voters. The Republican Party itself seems to be focused on traditional advertising, traditional messaging to older voters, said Charles Kolean, chief strategist for R.E.D. PAC, a conservative group that promotes property rights and has worked with local candidates in states such as Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Since 2012, the popular conservative student group Turning Point has ruffled feathers on both the left and the right with its antagonistic social media strategy and controversial leaders who have repeatedly advocated for change at the RNC. At a 2022 Turning Point conference, for example, a majority of attendees backed RNC Chair Ronna McDaniels top opponent,who spoke at the conference, in a straw poll. McDaniel won a fourth term as chair, despite the hairy election. But Turning Points past opposition to her reign has, in part, complicated any ability for the two groups to work together, with representatives of both sides publicly criticizing one another. Boyd, the Missouri state representative who left the RNCs youth advisory council in December, has advocated for the RNC to team up with Turning Point which had a table at the Iowa conference as well as other groups and outlets that hold sway over young conservatives, like Young Americans for Liberty and The Daily Wire. The RNC can only do so much, she says. You kind of have to utilize the people that everyone wants to talk about. But the RNC isnt showing signs of taking advice from Boyd and the other Run GenZers who quit the youth advisory council. Current members of the council have said those who resigned didnt show up for meetings, and in a letter to RNC members obtained by POLITICO Magazine, the council co-chairs and members wrote that the handful of members who left werent significantly contributing to our efforts. In response, Mitchell admitted to missing a youth advisory council Zoom call, but added that the council wasnt going out of their way to ask the experienced members of the committee, like myself or the other representatives, on ideas, and they were solely focused on, Here, share the RNC's content. That was the only plan they had. According to the initiatives current co-chair, C.J. Pearson, the groups efforts are going incredibly well. He said the council has invited content creators and social media influencers to GOP debates (like the one at the University of Alabama in December), giving current students an opportunity to interact face-to-face with presidential candidates, and has worked on messaging strategies for the presidential nominees, as well as a comprehensive guide that teaches the candidates how to leverage social media effectively. Adding to those efforts, RNC Chair McDaniel hosted a discussion with young voters in Iowa the weekend before the caucuses. And on Monday, she hosted another young voters roundtable in Manchester, New Hampshire. Some groups that claim to turn out young voters have failed cycle after cycle. Thats why the RNC has stepped up and created the Youth Advisory Council to fine-tune effective youth get-out-the-vote and messaging strategies to grow our Party, RNC Spokesperson Keith Schipper said. Last month, Schipper specifically called out Turning Point by name, using the same phrase to say theyve failed to turn out young voters cycle after cycle. Indeed, previous reporting by POLITICO Magazine suggested that some of Turning Points much-touted grassroots army involved people who say theyve never actually worked with the organization at all . If the RNC was actually concerned about winning, they wouldnt attack conservative organizations busy in the field doing hard work of engaging young people, said Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet. They would look to partner with us. Whether its outside organizations or infrastructure to blame, the conference-goers I spoke to in Iowa hadnt felt the effects of the Republican Partys efforts. They ignore and they dont utilize social media in any kind of a way to make any legitimate connections with young people, said Nolan Jackett, a 20-year-old electrician from Wisconsin who has run for school board twice. Young people are not going to go to the party and to events or politicians. They have to go to young people, and they are absolutely failing at doing that by sitting there on their hands doing nothing. But despite their misgivings about the partys outreach efforts, young conservatives at the conference did heap praise on one of the candidates then running for president (other than Trump, who got his fair share of adulation) for connecting with young conservatives: Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy came up over and over again as an example of a politician who knows how to speak to Gen Z. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign after his distant fourth-place finish in Iowa this month, but he left his mark on young Republicans. While theres not yet a consensus on who young Republicans backed in the caucus the National Election Pools Entrance Poll showed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (who suspended his campaign on Sunday) leading among young voters, while AP Vote Castshowed Trump ahead with this demographic early estimates show Ramaswamy performed better with young caucusgoers than he did with their older counterparts. Part of his appeal was his embrace of Gen Z conservatives favorite mode (digital) and trademark style (meme-ified) of communication. Hes the only candidate thats on TikTok, where the youth is, when all the other candidates say, Lets ban this, Sweeney said before his departure from the field. Theyre banning the very thing that is giving kids across the country a voice. Ramaswamys success isnt so much about what he says as how and where he says it. With free drinks and a frat-bro vibe, Ramaswamy capitalized on Gen Zs cultural zeitgeist. He even teamed up with influencers like Jake Paul to tout his Trumpian, anti-establishment ethos, which resonates with members of a generation that doesnt trust the countrys traditional political institutions. Indeed, the young politicos at Run GenZs conference who have or want to run for office were skeptical of Republican party infrastructure. That screw-the-establishment posture was cultivated by Trump, who still sits atop a throne in the hearts and minds of many young conservatives, most of whom have never known and cannot imagine politics without him. That overwhelming influence has afforded him some slack among Gen Z, and while theyd prefer to see him up his social media game (court-mandated gag orders notwithstanding), they nonetheless have grown to crave his shameless, humoristic style. So much so that, even though Trump isnt TikToking, hes inspired an entire ecosystem of conservative meme-makers to do his digital dirty work for him. Trump uses meme culture in a way that no other politician does, said Jackett, the only young Republican at the conference I saw sporting a MAGA hat. Even Trump skeptics cant resist his gravitational pull entirely. North Dakota state Rep. Claire Cory, 25, is wary of the former presidents notorious reputation. Hes controversial. The mean tweets and stuff like that, she said. But hes still the man who piqued her interest in politics, and if hes on the ballot against Biden in November, she said, he can count on her vote. [Trump] was different. It was exciting, she said. He had a momentum about him that was attractive. He had the MAGA movement, he had huge rallies, everything like that. And thats kind of where I was like, I want to be a Republican. On the second day of Run GenZs conference in Des Moines (which just so happened to be the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol), Trump made a surprise visit to the group of nearly 100 young leaders. The room went crazy when [Trump] came in, Mitchell said. No other candidate would have that reaction from this room. (In comparison, Haley, the only Trump challenger who spoke at the conference, got a polite round of applause.) If the Republican Party is leaving young conservatives feeling sidelined, the twice-impeached, four-times-indicted former president is firing them up. Mitchell said Trumps cultural appeal is almost as high as it was before the 2016 election, which many Gen Zers were not eligible to vote in. His indictments have propelled him in pop culture to be spoken about on The Breakfast Club, and the Nelk Boys and Joe Rogans podcast, Mitchell explained, referencing YouTubers and podcasters who hold major influence with millions of young Americans. He is the most famous man on the planet. Still, these Gen Z Republicans love of Trump wont be enough to shore up the partys future with young conservatives let alone young moderates and independents on its own. Run Gen Zs goal isnt to turn out voters in the presidential election, but to draw young people into the political process. Running for local office, helping shape a conservative policy agenda, supporting down-ballot candidates all of that is bigger than one person. In 2024, Trump is the Republican Party. But whether he wins or loses, reclaims his place behind the Resolute Desk or ends up behind bars, there will come a day when Trump exits the political arena. And when that happens, itll be this generation more than any other that inherits the fate of the party he leaves behind. The future of the party will be up to these young Republicans at the conference in Iowa and it doesnt bode well that, beyond Trump, they feel overlooked by the GOP. That future could look bleak for Republicans if they fail to reach Gen Z and millennial voters, a combined cohort that will account for a majority of potential voters by 2028, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution. Entsuah, the former city councilman running for the Florida state Senate was blunt about the potential consequences of alienating the youth voting bloc: Its simple: the House, the Senate, the presidency, he said. If it continues on this trajectory and that generation gap is continually growing then the party is going to be outnumbered, and there will be many more losses to come. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has clarified that Russia launched 44 missiles at Ukraine on the morning of 23 January, and Ukrainian air defence shot down 22 of them. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Quote: "During the day, the enemy launched a combined missile attack on Ukraine, using cruise, ballistic, air-launched and anti-aircraft missiles. According to the updated information, a total of 44 enemy missiles were detected: 4 S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft missiles, 15 Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 cruise missiles, 8 Kh-22 missiles, 12 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 5 Kh-59/KhX-31 air-launched missiles." Details: As a result of combat operations, Ukraines air defence assets and personnel were destroyed: 15 Kh-101/Kh-555/Kh-55 cruise missiles, 5 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 2 Kh-59 missiles. Background: On the night of 22-23 January, Russia launched a combined missile attack on Ukraine. In the morning, the Air Force reported that Ukrainian air defence had destroyed 21 Russian missiles out of 41 launched. Support UP or become our patron! The Russian Armed Forces launched 41 missiles against Ukraine overnight on Jan. 23, of which 21 were shot down by Ukraine's air defense, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported. Russia reportedly attacked Ukrainian cities using cruise, ballistic, aerial, and anti-aircraft-guided missiles. At least five people were killed, and over 50 were injured in strikes on the Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, according to officials. Ukrainian Armed Forces reportedly shot down all 15 Kh-101/555/55 Russian cruise missiles, five ballistic Iskander missiles, and one aerial guided missile, Kh-59. Moscow's troops launched four S-300/400 missiles from Belgorod Oblast against Kharkiv Oblast, the General Staff said. Some 12 Iskander-M ballistic missiles were also launched from the Belgorod and Voronezh oblasts. Strategic Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers reportedly fired 15 Kh-101/555/55 cruise missiles and eight Kh-22 missiles. Finally, the Ukrainian military recorded two Kh-59 guided aerial missiles launched from two Su-34 aircraft. Read also: UPDATED: Russia launches mass missile strikes at Kyiv, Kharkiv, elsewhere Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. FILE - The Georgia House of Representatives begins the legislative session as the new Georgia House Speaker, Jon Burns, speaks at the Georgia State capitol on Jan. 9, 2023, in Atlanta. Republicans in the Georgia House of Representatives have advanced a bill that would activate a new commission to discipline and remove state prosecutors. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File) ATLANTA Republicans in the Georgia House of Representatives on Monday advanced a bill that would revive a new state commission to discipline and remove state prosecutors. Some Georgia Republicans want the new commission to discipline Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for winning indictments of former President Donald Trump and 18 others. Though Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed legislation last year creating the new commission, it was unable to begin operating after the state Supreme Court in November refused to approve rules governing its conduct. Justices said they had grave doubts about their ability to regulate the duties of district attorneys beyond the practice of law. Because lawmakers hadnt expressly ordered justices to act, they were refusing to rule one way or the other, they said. A bill in the state House of Representatives removes the requirement that the state Supreme Court approve the rules. It also raises the standard for overturning a decision by the commission. A House committee passed it on Monday over the objections of Democrats. It now goes to the full House for a vote. This is just making the commission workable, state Rep. Joseph Gullett, a Republican from Dallas, told members of a House judiciary committee. More: Unemployment claims in Georgia declined last week Committee member Shea Roberts, an Atlanta Democrat, said removing the state Supreme Court's oversight took away any sense that the bill was nonpartisan. It's purely partisan now, she said. Democrats on the committee proposed an amendment giving their party the power to appoint some of the commission members, but it was rejected. The legislation Kemp signed gave Republicans control over all eight appointments to the commission. Georgias law creating the Prosecuting Attorneys Qualifications Commission is one of multiple attempts nationwide by Republicans to control prosecutors they dont like. Republicans have inveighed against progressive prosecutors after some have brought fewer drug possession cases and sought shorter prison sentences, arguing Democrats are coddling criminals. In Georgia, four district attorneys are suing to overturn the commission, arguing that it unconstitutionally infringes on their power. Gullett defended the commission. At the end of the day, there are Republican DAs out there who haven't done the right thing sometimes and there's some Democrat DAs who haven't done the right thing sometimes, he said. Also on Monday, Georgia Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal announced that he wanted to create a special Senate committee to investigate Willis, separate from the commission. Dolezal said in a statement that a thorough and impartial examination would ensure transparency, accountability and the preservation of the integrity of our justice system. A spokesperson for Willis, Jeff DiSantis, had no comment. Dolezals proposed resolution suggests that legal or budgetary changes could follow any inquiry. The resolution would have to win approval in the Republican-majority state Senate before any panel could be appointed. This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Georgia lawmakers advance bill to revive disciplinary commission for state prosecutors A Georgia mayor has been arrested in connection to a theft investigation. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On October 20, Wilcox County Sheriff Steve Mauldin and District Attorney Brad Rigby asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to look into the theft allegations. Officials said Mayor Brandon Holt, 34, had misappropriated the city of Pineview funds. On Jan.16, authorities arrested and charged Holt with 75 counts of theft by taking. He was booked into the Wilcox County Jail but has since been released on bond. TRENDING STORIES: In October, Holt was shot in a drive-by weeks after he gave a speech about gun violence. Channel 2s Tom Jones traveled to Pineview to speak to Holt about the incident. Holt told Channel 2 Action News that it was OK because he still had his life. At that moment I really thought my life was gone, Holt said, pointing to the left side of his stomach. I got hit right here. The shooting happened on Aug.11 on Lafayette Parkway in Lagrange. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The theft investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office at 478-987-4545. Tipsters can remain anonymous by calling 1-800-597-8477, online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. IN OTHER NEWS: Germany's Justice Minister Marco Buschmann speaks at the Faculty of Law at the University of Warsaw. Anne-Beatrice Clasmann/dpa German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann was in Poland on Tuesday as the first member of the German government to visit the new Polish government, which took office in December and is facing opposition from members of the party it ousted from office. Buschmann was welcomed in the capital Warsaw by his Polish counterpart Adam Bodnar. "The entire German government finds it very impressive how committed and determined Poland is to return to the centre of Europe," Buschmann said. He agreed with Bodnar to "resume close cooperation" between the two countries and spoke about their shared responsibility for Ukraine. Poland finds itself in a tough situation. Its new centre-left government is led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former EU leader. But its president, Andrzej Duda, comes from the ranks of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party of the former government and is seen as trying to block Tusk's reforms. Bodnar, in an interview with Germany's Zeit Online news site this week, said that the Polish Constitutional Court was being "used to push through certain political goals." "I hope we'll be able to change that one day, but we're not there yet," Bodnar said. Tusk's government replaces eight years of PiS rule which often tried to stir up anti-German and anti-European Union sentiment. Germany's Justice Minister Marco Buschmann speaks at the Faculty of Law at the University of Warsaw. Anne-Beatrice Clasmann/dpa German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann was in Poland on Tuesday as the first member of the German government to visit the new Polish government, which took office in December and is facing opposition from members of the party it ousted from office. Buschmann was welcomed in the capital Warsaw by his Polish counterpart Adam Bodnar. "The entire German government finds it very impressive how committed and determined Poland is to return to the centre of Europe," Buschmann said. He agreed with Bodnar to "resume close cooperation" between the two countries and spoke about their shared responsibility for Ukraine. Poland finds itself in a tough situation. Its new centre-left government is led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former EU leader. But its president, Andrzej Duda, comes from the ranks of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party of the former government and is seen as trying to block Tusk's reforms. Bodnar, in an interview with Germany's Zeit Online news site this week, said that the Polish Constitutional Court was being "used to push through certain political goals." "I hope we'll be able to change that one day, but we're not there yet," Bodnar said. Tusk's government replaces eight years of PiS rule which often tried to stir up anti-German and anti-European Union sentiment. Bodnar has arguably the most difficult job in the centre-left government. The 47-year-old constitutional lawyer, who was Poland's commissioner for human rights until 2021, is tasked with reversing the controversial judicial reform introduced by the outgoing PiS government. Poland has been at loggerheads with the EU over this reform for years. Bodnar has announced that the nomination of judges should once again be decoupled from politics. The National Council of the Judiciary is the body that nominates judges for vacant positions. In 2018, the PiS government introduced a reform under which 15 of the 25 members of the council were appointed by parliament. Previously judges had determined the majority of members. As a result, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) warned that there were considerable doubts about the independence of this body. According to the reform presented by Bodnar, the judges alone will once again decide on the composition of the council. But a corresponding law must first pass both chambers of parliament and then be signed by Duda, who could torpedo the project. "I don't want to comment on Polish domestic politics," Buschmann said when asked by journalists about the power struggle. The new government had made "a lot of very courageous decisions, with the absolute conviction of strengthening the rule of law," he said. A German electrical manufacturing company has chosen Iredell County for its U.S. expansion and promises to create nearly 200 jobs in the Charlotte region. DEHN Inc. will invest more than $38.6 million and create 195 jobs from 2025 to 2029 in Iredell County, the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee said Tuesday during its regular meeting. The family-owned German electrical engineering company specializes in manufacturing surge and lightning protection systems as well as safety equipment. The state committee approved $1.2 million in tax incentives for DEHN Inc. over 12 years for its project in Mooresville, just north of Charlotte, according to a news release from Gov. Roy Coopers office. DEHN Inc. is a U.S. and Caribbean subsidiary for DEHN SE, based in Neumarkt, Germany. DEHNs U.S. headquarters in Mooresville will include a production facility, research and development divisions, and training center. DEHN will manufacture and offer market-specific parts at its new U.S. location. The average annual salary will be $66,120, which is higher than Iredell Countys average wage of $63,674. The company didnt say where in Mooresville its considering building its 200,000-square-foot plant. DEHN is considering several sites in town, Jenn Bosser, president and CEO of the Iredell County Economic Development Corp., told The Charlotte Observer. DEHN plans to lease and immediately occupy a 30,000-square-foot space as the company starts on the 70,000-square-foot first phase construction of a permanent building, Bosser said. Full build-out to 200,000 square feet is anticipated by December 2030. The company also hasnt announced the location of the 30,000-square-foot space where it hopes to temporarily open. DEHN also will receive $900,000 in tax incentives each from the town of Mooresville and Iredell County. DEHNs site search started with 400 U.S. locations and was narrowed down to three. Along with Mooresville, also considered were Columbia, S.C., and Auburn, Alabama. Factors DEHN considered included labor, workforce quality, quality of life, cost of living, infrastructure and international travel accessibility, committee officials said. There are some 200 German-owned firms operating in the Charlotte region. The 114-year-old company has about 2,400 workers worldwide. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Vo Van Thuong, President of Vietnam, meet for talks at the Presidential Palace. German President Steinmeier and his wife are visiting Vietnam and Thailand during a four-day trip to Southeast Asia. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa German and Vietnamese government officials signed an agreement on Tuesday for closer cooperation on placing skilled Vietnamese workers in jobs in Germany. The agreement would clear bureaucratic hurdles and ensure "that the people who come to Germany are treated fairly," German Labour Minister Hubertus Heil said in Hanoi on Tuesday. "I believe this is the beginning of a really fruitful cooperation," said Heil, who is accompanying German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on his state visit to Vietnam. Steinmeier arrived in Hanoi in the morning, accompanied by his wife Elke Budenbender. A German business delegation also came with him to South-East Asia. The delegation will also visit Thailand later this week. Heil pointed out that many people with Vietnamese roots are already working in Germany "and we could do with more of them." "We in Germany have a great need for skilled workers. And we are pleased that Vietnam is willing to cooperate with Germany in this way," said Steinmeier after talks with Vietnam's President Vo Van Thuong. Steinmeier also made clear that Germany is interested in a deeper trade relationship with Vietnam. Annual bilateral trade between the two counrties totals 18 billion ($20 billion). Germany is Vietnam's most important trading partner in Europe and a leading investor in the country. Thuong asked Steinmeier for German support in approving an investment protection agreement between Vietnam and the European Union, including ratifying the deal in the German parliament. Earlier on Tuesday, Steinmeier visited the Goethe Institute German cultural centre in Hanoi to find out more about German language training for young Vietnamese who have already completed specialist training and plan to immigrate to Germany. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) and Vo Van Thuong, President of Vietnam, speak at a press conference after their meeting at the presidential palace. President Steinmeier and his wife visit Vietnam and Thailand on a four-day trip to Southeast Asia. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R) is greeted with military honors by Vo Van Thuong, President of Vietnam, at the Presidential Palace. German President Steinmeier and his wife visit Vietnam and Thailand during a four-day trip to Southeast Asia. Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) meets with President of the European People's Party Manfred Weber at the Mariinskyi Palace. -/Ukraine Presidency/dpa Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leader of the European People's Party (EPP), Manfred Weber, called on Tuesday for the release of 50 billion ($54 billion) in EU funds, saying the money is vital for Ukraine. Zelensky, at a meeting with the conservative German politician, said his country is counting on the release of the multi-year financial aid at a special meeting of the European Council on February 1. Zelensky thanked Weber and the European partners for the support they have provided, in particular for air defence systems. Weber said the European Union must deliver the funds. "There is no option of failure next week," said the chairman of the Christian Democrat group in the European Parliament. "This is money well spent by European taxpayers to stabilize Ukraine." He said he wanted to use his trip to assure Ukraine of the full support of the EPP. A Deutsche Bahn ICE train with an abandoned driver's seat at Hanover main station. The German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) has called for another strike at Deutsche Bahn lasting several days. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa German national railway Deutsche Bahn and millions of passengers across the country are bracing for the start of a six-day strike by the train drivers' union GDL. The strike is scheduled to begin in the early hours of Wednesday morning and is expected to cause massive disruptions to train service throughout the country. Deutsche Bahn on Tuesday began publishing very limited emergency timetables of trains that will still run despite the strike by the GDL trade union. The strike on passenger rail is expected to last until Monday. In freight service, the strike will begin hours earlier on Tuesday evening. During previous strikes, about 80% of all long-distance trains were cancelled. Deutsche Bahn is also expecting considerable cancellations and delay in regional train service over the next few days, although the extent of these will vary from region to region. Deutsche Bahn-operated urban commuter rail lines, branded as "S-Bahn" in Germany, will also be affected by the strike. The work stoppage also affects regional trains, though the rail operator said some areas may be more affected than others. Deutsche Bahn and the GDL trade union have been locked in bitter collective bargaining talks for months, with the union demanding that the railway cut standard working hours in addition to offering raises. The strike is the fourth by the union in recent months, but is expected to be the longest by far. On Tuesday morning, Deutsche Bahn once again called on the union to return to the negotiating table. "Now is the time to come together, to negotiate, to find compromises," said a spokeswoman in Berlin. "We are ready to come together for negotiations and talks at any time and in any place." German businesses and heavy industry also warned that they would face major disruptions as a result of the strike, including Germany's much-vaunted automotive industry, which relies on extensive logistics support to move parts. The German Chemical Industry Association and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) both told dpa that companies in those sectors are bracing for the strike. A scratched Deutsche Bahn DB logo is stuck up at Hanover Central Station. The German Train Drivers' Union (GDL) has called for another strike at Deutsche Bahn lasting several days. Julian Stratenschulte/dpa China to continue playing positive role in improving relations between Iran, Pakistan: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 08:23, January 23, 2024 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to continue to play a positive and constructive role in improving the relations between Iran and Pakistan based on the needs of the two countries, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday. In response to a query regarding China's mediation between Iran and Pakistan, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily news briefing that China maintains close communication with Iran and Pakistan. Iran and Pakistan are friendly neighbors and both are good friends of China, Wang said. "China is committed to upholding regional and international peace and stability and supports Iran and Pakistan in continuing to bridge differences through dialogue and consultation," said the spokesperson. "We would like to continue to play a positive and constructive role in improving the relations between Iran and Pakistan based on the needs of the two countries," he added. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Cem Oezdemir (L), German Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Robert Habeck, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, walk side by side before the start of the memorial service to mark the act of mourning for former President of the German Bundestag Wolfgang Schaeuble in Berlin Cathedral. Sebastian Gollnow/dpa German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck said that democratic parties need to show the ability to solve problems and pragmatically compromise in order to blunt the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). "As a democratic majority, we must prove that we are capable of solving problems with a free, open democracy," Habeck said on Tuesday at an event hosted by financial newspaper Handelsblatt. Habeck, a Green, also took a swipe at AfD co-chair Alice Weidel without directly naming her. Weidel said in a recent interview with the Financial Times that the AfD would support a referendum to quit the European Union - a so-called "Dexit" - if the party fails to force drastic reforms to the EU. Weidel told the newspaper that the United Kingdom's exit from the EU following the 2016 Brexit vote should be a model for Germany. Habeck on Tuesday said that politics could not be much "more stupid" than saying that Germany should leave the EU and the European single market. A top federal Department of Education official visited GateWay Community College on Monday with an eye toward workforce development and college affordability. Undersecretary James Kvaal toured the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation and Center for Health Careers Education at the central Phoenix campus, applauding the schools work in providing degrees for high-demand careers like nursing and entrepreneurship. GateWay is one of 10 schools in the Maricopa County Community College District one of the largest community college systems in the country. Founded in 1968 as the states first technical college, GateWay now serves a slightly older population than other colleges in the Maricopa Community College System and around half of full-time students are Pell Grant recipients. GateWay Community College nuclear medicine faculty member Julie Bolin (right) gives a tour to school president Amy Diaz (from left), Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal and student Zach Edwards in Phoenix on Jan. 22, 2024. Kvaal noted Maricopa County Community Colleges reputation in Washington as an innovative force in higher education. He shared the Biden Administrations desire for more Americans to pursue higher education, which comes through many other avenues outside of four-year bachelor's degrees, he said. Community colleges are a priority for the Biden administration because they help students who might lack other opportunities, quickly get out in the workforce and start contributing, Kvaal said. The goal of the programs is to appropriately set students up for jobs where they can quickly make a salary to support their families, said GateWay President Amy Diaz. They're getting jobs right away, Diaz said. If they want to be working, they can be working. Kvaal highlighted the schools economic impact across the county. Since the entrepreneurial center was founded in 2013, it has assisted around 80 startups in the Phoenix area and created more than 800 jobs. James Kvaal, undersecretary of Education, answers questions after a tour of GateWay Community College in Phoenix on Jan. 22, 2024. The undersecretary also observed classes and met with students in the schools healthcare programs including medical radiography, nursing and ultrasound programs. Through the schools healthcare programs, some nurses can further their careers through programs as short as one semester. The school offers a variety of nursing degrees and will soon unveil a bachelor of science in nursing degree this fall with the hopes of addressing the shortage of nurses across Arizona. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be 195,400 openings for registered nurses in the state from 2021 until 2031. As the cost of higher education continues to rise nationwide, affordability is top of mind for community colleges. Legislators have proposed bills that would expand Pell Grants for short-term programs, targetting specific workforce needs something community colleges are skilled in, Kvaal said. They also are often very connected to local industries, local employers and produce graduates who are capable of doing the jobs that are in need and support the local economy. Helen Rummel covers higher education for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@azcentral.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @helenrummel. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Biden administration education official visits GateWay Community College It is hoped Benito will thrive in his new surroundings in Puebla - Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez A lonely giraffe living in harsh conditions in northern Mexico is heading to a safari park to find warmth and maybe a mate, after a campaign by animal rights activists. The male giraffe, named Benito, began the roughly 1,200-mile journey on Sunday from Ciudad Juarez near the Mexican-US border to Africam Safari in the central state of Puebla. According to the zoo management, it will live with other giraffes in conditions more similar to its natural habitat. Were going to incorporate Benito in a very big herd, very heterogeneous, where there are adults and youngsters, said Africam Safari director Frank Camacho. Its important that Benito be in favorable conditions, in an enclosure where [it] can be with a controlled temperature, with all the food [it] needs, he added. The road trip, in a special trailer accompanied by a team of experts, was expected to take about 50 hours in total. The animals head sticks up through the top of the big wooden and metal box, but a frame allows a tarp to cover over Benito and insulate it from the cold, wind and rain as well as from noise and the sight of landscape speeding by. Veterinarians would monitor Benito during the trek, said Mr Camacho. Residents gathered to say goodbye late Sunday in Ciudad Juarez as a crane lifted the container holding the giraffe onto the truck in preparation for the journey. We love you, Benito, some of them shouted. The move follows a campaign by conservationists who criticised the unsuitable living conditions in Ciudad Juarez, where the giraffe was at the mercy of extreme temperatures. In mid-January, a judge ordered that Benito be sent to Puebla. Todays a very happy day for us, said Maria Ruiz Varela, a member of the Lets Save Benito campaign. Its the culmination of almost nine months of hard work, trying to make the citizens aware, and asking the government to listen to our pleas, to let Benito go to a sanctuary, to a better place where he could have a good quality of life, she added. Benito is to be well looked after during his trip to Africam Safari in the central state of Puebla - Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez Vets are keeping a close eye on Benito on the 1,200-mile journey - Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez The campaign won the backing of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), a US-based animal rights group, which urged its supporters to speak out for a lonely giraffe in Mexico. It said that Benito had been living alone in a trash-strewn enclosure lacking grass, shade, and appropriate shelter in a region that experiences extreme weather conditions. 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. Two mobile home parks outside Globe's city limits will be connected to the municipal water system due to concerns over PFAS water contamination. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality detected some chemicals in private wells that supply residents in HAV Properties and August Hills. A partnership between the agency and the city will help connect those residents to the city supply, which is PFAS-free, said Globe City Manager Paul Jepson. PFAS, short for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemicals of increasing concern worldwide. Industries have manufactured and used PFAS chemicals in a wide variety of products for decades, and traces of them can now be found globally in water and soil. Many of them don't break down easily and are difficult to get rid of, they've been dubbed "forever chemicals." Scientific evidence shows that long-term exposure to some of these chemicals can cause severe health issues that include cancer, developmental effects and reproductive disorders. Exposure to PFAS through drinking water is a main concern, but currently, there are no rules enforcing limits on public water systems. A water storage tank on the outskirts of Sierra Vista in southern Arizona. Water tests in February 2023 showed levels of PFAS above the proposed EPA limit in distribution systems that serve about 450 residents. Tests revealed levels below the limit in May. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed limits for six kinds of PFAS in drinking water in March 2023. When approved, it would become the first regulatory standard for the chemicals. Some agencies and public water systems are working proactively to monitor and treat contaminated water ahead of the ruling. In Globe, ADEQ will oversee the project to design and build two more connections to the city system, Jepson said. The project will be funded from $5 million of state money that Gov. Katie Hobbs earmarked last year to identify, contain and treat PFAS in the state's water sources. The city of Globe remains dedicated to providing a safe and adequate water supply to both city and nearby county residents and will continue to take the lead in water safety in partnership with ADEQ, Jepson added. 'Forever chemicals'? Here's what to know about the substances and why regulating them is complicated PFAS contamination in at least 70 water systems Since 2023, the EPA has required water systems serving more than 3,300 people to screen for 29 different kinds of PFAS. Once the proposed rule is approved, it will also require them to notify water customers of the results and treat and reduce the levels of PFAS if they exceed the EPA limits. EPA is expected to finalize the rule in 2024. Systems serving fewer than 3,300 people 90% of all water systems in Arizona are not covered by EPA's monitoring rule. ADEQ wanted to ensure that the half-million people served by those systems are aware of the safety and quality of their water. So, the agency began a statewide screening effort last year to sample over 1,200 water systems. The effort is 90% complete. At least 82 water systems tested by ADEQ between 2018 and 2023 had a well with PFAS levels above the proposed EPA limit, public data analyzed by The Republic showed. Results of the tests are available online on the agency's PFAS interactive map. Those systems would need to mitigate PFAS contamination once the rule is in effect. That could mean installing treatment plants, shutting or relocating wells, finding new water sources, or blending affected wells with other water sources to lower the level of contaminants. ADEQ received $42 million from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for testing, treatment and infrastructure improvements, and PFAS education. The agency will "identify and prioritize small water systems and disadvantaged communities with higher PFAS levels and the greatest need for assistance to provide them with technical and financial support," said communications director Caroline Oppleman. The agency has directed outreach on PFAS testing and mitigation to water providers and operators who will be subject to EPAs rule. On Feb. 1, ADEQ will host an Arizona PFAS Forum for water system owners and operators, in collaboration with the Arizona Water Association's Water Treatment Committee. PFAS monitoring: Arizona prepares to test hundreds of drinking water systems for toxic 'forever chemicals' Globe shuts one well, continues monitoring The wells on HAV Properties/Palmer's MHP and August Hills were tested on April 2023 for PFAS by ADEQ. Two PFAS chemicals were above the EPA's proposed limits. HAV Properties' water had 4.42 parts per trillion of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, or PFOS. August Hills' water had 2.6 ppt of PFOS and 5.28 ppt of perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. Both chemicals have a proposed limit of 4 ppt. The ideal, health-based level is zero, according to the EPA. Being exposed to these chemicals, even for a short period of time, can have adverse health effects, mounting scientific evidence suggests. ADEQ began coordinating with the city and the two mobile home parks' public water systems in November 2023. A month later, the Globe City Council approved a plan to connect the mobile home parks to the municipal water system. "If I had to do this on my own I couldn't afford it, so it's such a wonderful thing to be able to receive help," said August Hills owner John Halliday. He acquired the property about two years ago and while working on improvements received notice about the PFAS results. Until last year, he hadn't heard about PFAS chemicals or the proposed EPA ruling, he said. "I just know that there are some things that might be in the water that I want to keep from my tenants," he added. He said the help from ADEQ and Globe was "a blessing for everybody on the (mobile home) park." Water systems monitor for nearly 100 chronic contaminants, and PFAS chemicals are the latest addition. Allan Palmer, owner of the HAV Properties mobile home park, said he posts all the water testing results on the bulletin board in the common laundry room. He recalls doing the same with PFAS test results. He said he suspects that the use of fire retardant by Forest Service crews on nearby hills could be connected with the PFAS presence in well water. Contaminated water: As feds ready rules on 'forever chemicals,' Arizona's water monitoring fund is going broke Globe has been conducting PFAS testing on its own, as part of EPA's mandatory fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, for systems serving more than 3,300 people. The city tested for PFAS in July and December 2023, Jepson said. One well, which was not in service at the time, had some PFAS levels above the limits advised by the EPA. Jepsen said the council decided to maintain that well offline indefinitely to protect water quality and consumer health. Wells from the Pinto Valley Mine and one well owned by Freeport McMoran, tested by ADEQ, also had PFAS levels above the EPA proposed limit. 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: Globe to receive state support to deal with PFAS water contamination Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco in 2021. The fishing industry and the federal government is sparring over regulations. (David Paul Morris / Bloomberg via Getty Images) The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in a case about fishing boats, and it could spell the end of government as we know it. I hope it does. The legal questions may not be all that fascinating. What is fascinating, however, is how the legal issues help explain why our government and our politics are so dysfunctional. Read more: Opinion: How far are the Supreme Court justices willing to go to remake constitutional law? First, the facts of the case: In 2020, the National Marine Fisheries Service issued a new requirement to prevent overfishing. Federal inspectors would be placed on commercial fishing boats to ensure that no one exceeded their quotas. Fair enough. But the government said that the companies would have to pay for the monitors, to the tune of $700 per day. Loper Bright Enterprises, a New Jersey commercial fishing company, sued, arguing that Congress never intended any such thing when it wrote the relevant law some 44 years ago. The question before the Supreme Court, posed in Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimondo and a companion case, Relentless vs. Department of Commerce , is whether regulatory agencies can make up rules Congress may never have intended. Under a doctrine called Chevron deference, the answer since 1984 has been yes if the agencys interpretation is reasonable. Read more: Opinion: This Supreme Court case from California could ease housing shortages everywhere If you want to score all of this as a right versus left thing, your scorecard is going to get messy. Thats because conservative justices, including the late Antonin Scalia, once championed Chevron deference. Now, liberals lead the fight in favor of giving the executive branch leeway, warning that overturning Chevron could lead to judicial activism. Agencies know things that courts do not, Justice Elena Kagan said during oral arguments, and thats the basis of Chevron. Chevron is a "doctrine of humility, she added. The Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank, calls the effort to overturn Chevron a judicial power grab . I think there are good arguments on both sides. Obviously, courts should defer in some circumstances to experts at, say, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or the Food and Drug Administration, particularly on highly technical areas outside the expertise of judges. Read more: Opinion: In California, homelessness isn't a crime. Is the Supreme Court about to change that? On the other hand, there are times when regulators might exceed their authority under the law or Constitution, and judges have every right and obligation to step in. I suspect that if Donald Trump becomes president and fills regulatory agencies with MAGA zealots, many liberals worrying about a judicial power grab will be begging the courts to intervene. And bear in mind, in 2005, the court, with a majority opinion by Justice Clarence Thomas, ruled in National Cable & Telecommunications Assn. vs. Brand X Internet Services that not only should courts defer to the experts, but every new administration also gets a free hand at changing what passes for expert opinion every four or eight years. In other words, all of the talk of following the science sounds great until new political appointees get to decide what the science says. This gets to the part that I find fascinating. The question of whether the judicial or the executive branches should be the final word on regulatory policies misses the elephant in the room: Congress should be the first word. If Congress wants to pass a law requiring fishermen to pay for monitors on fishing boats it can. Likewise, it can pass laws to forgive student debt, legalize marijuana, clarify free-speech issues for social media, provide amnesty for illegal immigrants, build a border wall, and a thousand other things. But it doesnt. Instead, Congress does one of three things: 1) Nothing at all 2) Write deliberately vague legislation punting hard decisions to Cabinet secretaries and administrators or 3) Lobby the executive branch to do things Congress is too cowardly to do itself. Some of those things take the form of unconstitutional executive orders. In short, the real problem is that the courts and the executive branch are stuck crafting public policy because Congress has sidelined itself. Its difficult to exaggerate how much this has distorted our politics. Congress is the most democratic branch of government, which is why the founders invested it with the most power. Its where political disagreements are supposed to be hammered out. But by absolving itself of that responsibility, weve turned presidential elections into de facto parliamentary elections in which one party gets to make law through regulatory fiat. This in turn has invited courts to overstep their traditional role because legislative vagueness has become a central feature, not a failing, of lawmaking. The Supreme Court probably cant make Congress do its job, but until Congress takes itself seriously, courts and bureaucrats will continue to get stuck with problems that arent their job to fix. @JonahDispatch If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. WASHINGTON Senate negotiations to impose tougher immigration and asylum laws have moved to a new phase as the group is now working with key senators to finalize the funding provisions in the deal, three sources familiar with the talks said. The immigration group is working with the Senate Appropriations Committee on how to craft the funding language to match the policy changes the negotiators have largely agreed to. There are varying levels of optimism among senators and aides that the development could mean the group has locked in an agreement. But shifting the conversation to appropriators demonstrates that negotiators have made progress toward an agreement on border provisions. Were at the point of drafting and finalizing text. We dont have an enormous amount of work left to do, Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, the chief Democratic negotiator, said Monday afternoon. He added that its possible the Senate would start voting on the bill this week. You cant just change policy," Murphy said. "Youve also got to fund the policy. A source familiar with negotiations said the major policy sticking points are largely resolved, but another source noted that nothing is agreed to until the full package is finalized. The lead negotiators Murphy and Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, I-Ariz., and James Lankford, R-Okla. met virtually Monday morning before the Senate returned to Washington, a source said. It will be, by far, the most conservative border security bill in four decades, Lankford told NBC News. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who chairs the Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration, said he doesn't expect the emerging deal to go through committee, which would have slowed the process. It goes directly to the floor, he said, adding that he expects senators will have "a day or two" to read it over and that the Senate can pass it in a week once an agreement is finalized. Durbin said it's "a good sign" that appropriators are reviewing the emerging pact, though he said he also still needs to see the details. "I want to see the policy," he said. The immigration provisions, demanded by Republicans, are poised to be attached to a national security supplemental bill that includes new U.S. aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The package, which is expected to exceed $100 billion, will be separate from a broader government funding bill, which is being crafted on a separate track, ahead of new shutdown deadlines in early March. The appropriators have a significant role in finalizing the immigration deal, because the policy changes under discussion will need to be adequately funded to be implemented properly. A source said the process of crafting funding bills can be complicated and require further finessing of policy details, particularly on thorny issues like curtailing the president's power to use "parole" to admit asylum-seekers. "We've come a very long way since talks began two months ago," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Monday. "All of us on the Democratic side are serious about getting something done." "We remain hopeful, but it's certainly not a done deal yet," he said. "There are a handful of issues that have not yet been agreed to." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Monday the group was working to "finalize the most substantial border security policy in 30 years," adding: "This agreement would come not a moment too soon. As the Senate left Thursday, Lankford said the release of text this week was his target and sounded confident that negotiators would resolve the parties' differences over parole, which had dragged out talks. He declined to reveal details but cautioned members against criticizing the deal before it is done. Wait till you see the bill, he said. People want to be able to see it. They have fair criticism. Theyre getting all these rumors and things that are false. They just want to see the text." President Joe Biden, who would need to sign any deal into law, expressed willingness Friday to agree to significant policy changes at the border. I think next week were going to be able to work out something, at least in the Senate, and Im hopeful its going to be a bipartisan package the Senate is going to pass, God willing," he said. Im ready to solve the problem. I really am. Massive changes, and I mean it sincerely. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Jimmie Walker, Bern Nadette Stanis and Ralph Carter, who played the siblings on Good Times, were one big happy family again at a recent award show. All three actors posed for photos together on the purple carpet of the 2024 Urban One Honors: Best In Black. The award show included a celebration for the iconic television show celebrating a 50-year milestone this year. Walker, Stanis and Carter portrayed the children of James (John Amos) and Florida (Esther Rolle) Evans. Atlanta Black Star shared a video of the trio on the carpet. Walker, who played the role of the eldest sibling, James Jr., or J.J., was all smiles, much like his joyful character. He wore a classic double-breasted, powder blue suit with a white button-up, a black tie and matching shoes. Stanis, who portrayed the Evans clans only girl and middle child, Thelma, donned an elegant knee-length black dress with sheer arms, ankle-strapped heels and silver accessories. Carter, also known as Michael, was the beloved baby of the siblings and whiz kid. His red suit, matching hat and intricate wood-bead accessories stood out on the purple carpet. Good Times premiered on CBS on Feb. 8, 1974. The series was created by Mike Evans and Eric Monte and developed by Norman Lear. The sitcom was a spin-off from Rolles character from the CBS comedy series, Maude. Set in the housing projects of Chicago, the Evans family depicted a realistic story of a Black family fighting to survive in the 70s. Ralph Carter is 54 today! #HappyBirthday aka Michael Evans! Thank you for all the #GoodTimes pic.twitter.com/Y2XEIqIBgc TV One (@tvonetv) May 30, 2015 The series became important to Black pop culture due to its representation and multifaceted characters. Walkers famous catchphrase, Dyn-o-mite, became a staple in 70s lingo, artwork and even slogans. While a hit with fans, the actor told People that Lear hated the term. He spoke with the outlet after the producer died in late 2023. He hated it from day one. And we always had a discrepancy on that. To me, it didnt make a difference because it was going to get a laugh and thats all that counted to me, Walker said. Staniss character was pivotal for women in the era, as she was the first African-American teenage girl on an American TV sitcom, according to Atlanta Black Star. Her character, Thelma, was as bright as she was beautiful. In an interview with getTV, Stanis explained that Rolle was responsible for Thelma not being the standard teenage girl on television. She claimed she told Rolle she was bored with Thelmas minimal lines, resulting in the Spelman graduate advocating for her. My son J.J .has a lot to say. My son Michael has a lot to say. I want my daughter to have a voice as well, Rolle said at a table reading. Carters character, Michael, was known as the militant youngster who spewed rhetoric from the Black Power Movement. His pro-Blackness made him a favorite of the outspoken activists of the 70s. However, as the show continued, the producers became hesitant about Michaels provocative thoughts. Karen Burroughs Hannsberry, film/television critic, explained to getTV that the characters progressive thoughts were purposely hushed. When youre having militant thoughts come out of an 8-year-old, thats funny. Thats cute. But when that person is 15, and old enough to put some action behind the militancy, its not so funny, she said. Good Times ran for six seasons, ending on Jan. 30, 1980. TV One is among several networks that air the sitcom in syndication. Urban One Honors will air on Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. EST on TV One and Cleo TV. Police officers performing a welfare check last weekat the home of married Google software engineers found a man spattered with blood near the brutally beaten body of his wife, authorities said. Liren Chen, 27, has been charged with the murder of his 27-year-old wife, the Santa Clara District Attorneys Office said in a statement. Authorities did not identify the victim, but public records and her employer have confirmed that she is Xuanyi Yu. Xuanyi Yu appears in an undated photo on her LinkedIn profile. Xuanyi Yu appears in an undated photo on her LinkedIn profile. When officers arrived at the couples home at around 11 a.m. on Jan. 16, a friend told authorities Chen was refusing to answer his phone or his door, but he could see him motionless on his knees with his hands in the air and staring blankly. Officers said they found Yus body on the bedroom floor directly behind where Chen was standing when they arrested him. She had suffered severe blunt force injuries to her head, authorities said. Chens right hand was extremely swollen and purple, the district attorneys office said. He had blood on his clothing, legs, arms, and hands and scratches on his arm, and was hospitalized after his arrest. The couple purchased their Santa Clara house for just over $2 million in April 2023, according to property records. Both had worked for several years as software engineers at Google, according to their LinkedIn profiles, with Chen joining in 2020 and Yu a year later. Both Chen and Yu attended Tsinghua University in Beijing and received their masters degrees in computer science from the University of California before joining Google, according to their LinkedIn profiles. We are shocked and deeply saddened by what has happened to Xuanyi, Google spokesperson Bailey Tomson said in a statement shared with HuffPost. Our thoughts are with her family at this time, and we are working to provide support to them and to co-workers who are processing this tragic news. Court records do not specify whether Chen has retained an attorney yet to represent him. Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen encouraged people who are being abused by their partners to contact police, noting the rise in domestic violence 911 calls. You are not alone. We can help. Domestic violence deaths have been falling in our county, Rosen said, but that does not measure the depth and destructiveness of the violence. Chens arraignment, which was postponed because he was hospitalized, is currently scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Related... A software engineer at Google has skewered the company's efforts to pivot to AI, calling out the tech giant's executives out as being "profoundly boring and glassy-eyed." In a widely circulating LinkedIn post, Massachusetts-based engineer Diane Theriault didn't hold back. "Right now, all of these boring, glassy-eyed leaders are trying to point in a vague direction (AI) while at the same time killing their golden goose," she wrote. Theriault was responding to the latest round of layoffs, which affected hundreds of employees in the company's ad sales team. "Given that they have no real vision of their own, they really need their subordinates to come up with cool stuff for them," she added. And more layoffs are reportedly on the way. Last week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai told Google employees in an internal memo obtained by The Verge to expect more cuts. "We have ambitious goals and will be investing in our big priorities this year," he wrote. "The reality is that to create the capacity for this investment, we have to make tough choices." Pichai claimed the latest firings were about "removing layers to simplify execution and drive velocity in some areas." Just today, the company's "moonshot" division X was hit with layoffs continuing the company's ongoing efforts to scale back its headcount. At the same time, Google has gotten caught in the AI hype wave, digging deep in its pockets for a $2 billion investment in OpenAI competitor Anthropic. In December, The Information reported that Google was looking to reassign or let go of sales workers whose jobs were automated by the company's new AI tools a notable change, considering Google's advertising business has long been its "golden goose," as Theriault put it, making up a huge chunk of the company's revenue. But the continuous layoffs that have hit the tech giant are taking their toll. Employees are dispirited and unmotivated. Theriault accused leaders of "randomly firing people, torching institutional knowledge, and blowing up perfectly functional teams." As a result, there's a "pervasive sense of nihilism that has taken hold." "The buildings are half empty at 4:30 [pm]," Theriault wrote. "I know a lot of people, myself included, who used to happily do extra work evenings and weekends to get the demo done or just out of boredom. That's gone." Theriault isn't the only employee to call out executives at the company. In November, former Googler Ian "Hixie" Hickinson called out Pichai for displaying a "lack of visionary leadership." The numbers back up this broken morale among employees. In a company-wide, internal survey called Googlegeist earlier this year, as reviewed by Business Insider, only 45 percent of respondents thought the company had a clear vision. Current and former employees told BI at the time that 2023 had shaken the company to its core. One employee summed up the year inside Google in "one word: grim." Meanwhile, the company made a big show out of the launch of its latest large language model, dubbed Gemini, the "biggest upgrade yet" to its chatbot called Bard. But despite flashy headlines claiming it had just "beat" OpenAI's GPT-4, the cracks started to show almost immediately. At the time, the company was called out for faking the demonstration reminiscent of the time its Bard chatbot was caught spewing misinformation during its first unveiling in February. Was the company tripping over its own feet? In late 2022, around the beginning of the emerging ChatGPT craze, Pichai reportedly issued a "code red" over its competitors like OpenAI pulling far ahead in the AI race, which could help explain the company's doubling down in the following year. Ironically, generative AI is wreaking havoc with Google's core search product, filling results with SEO filler and scams. Are rolling layoffs and a pivot to AI a sign of things still to come? Given Theriault's comments, Google's actions have left a mark and only time will tell if its substantial investments in AI will pay off. "Google really was a magical place, not very long ago," Theriault wrote. "And for some reason, executives are cashing out their human capital at the very moment it seems to me like they really need it." More on Google: AI Garbage Is Destroying Google Results With todays release of Chrome M121, Google announced it will introduce new generative AI features that will make the browser easier to use. The new additions will include a tab organizer, a writing assistant that helps draft text and the option to customize the artwork and themes throughout the browser. The Experimental AI toggle must be flipped on in the Settings page found in the three-dot dropdown menu to enable these new features. The Tab Organizer will do pretty much what it says: The built-in AI will automatically suggest ways to classify any open tabs in your Chrome windows and suggest the option to create groups. This might be helpful if you have a lot of recurring tabs open. When you click Organize Similar Tabs, the AI will aggregate open pages together based on topics. For example, tabs related to shopping might all cluster together and the AI could suggest a name like Ski-trip shopping gear. Chrome's new text assist too might also have some practical applications. It will launch as an experimental tool that will help users draft text including Google reviews or social media posts. To enable this when it launches, you need to select "Help me write" to let the tool finish your sentences or suggest options for continuing the text. Chrome gen AI text assist tool (Google) Customization is not new to most Google tools like Mail or Docs and now on Chrome web browsers, you can personalize the browser's visuals something the company considers an extension of the AI wallpapers it built out for Pixel phones recently. To do so, you need to select the Customize Chrome button on the side panel and instruct the AI to generate a theme for you. You can search for a description, such as small beach town or Blade Runner vibes, and preview the AI-generated theme options before selection. Introducing these new tools will naturally rival Microsoft's AI-infused Bing engine, which introduced AI-powered tab grouping and a text composition helper back in September. Chrome, however, still dominates the US browser market share by a wide margin, which Bing is usually lumped into the "others" category, well below competitors like Firefox and Opera. GennaSue Longshore of Victorville celebrated her 80th birthday by getting her first tattoo. The design she chose was a purple butterfly. GennaSue Longshore celebrated her 80th birthday by getting her first tattoo at a shop in Victorville It was now or never, said Longshore, a native of Tennessee, and longtime resident of the High Desert. I had always wanted one, and I couldnt think of a reason not to. Body art practitioner Mike DeMasi of Art Junkies Tattoo Studio in Victorville had the honor of creating a purple butterfly on Longshores right arm, just below the wrist. Longshore admitted that the tattoo procedure stung her a little, but overall she was surprised and thought, Gee, this is no problem at all. GennaSue Longshore of Victorville celebrated her 80th birthday by getting her first tattoo. The design she chose from Art Junkies Tattoo Studio was a purple butterfly. Longshore, who lives in Victorville, told the Daily Press she chose the winged insect design because, from a child, shes always loved butterflies and would chase them as a little girl. GennaSues youngest granddaughter, Naomi, and daughter-in-law, Renee Longshore, of Apple Valley, accompanied her to the tattoo parlor a few days after her birthday. DeMasis daughter was one of Naomis best friends in elementary school, according to her parents, Paul and Renee Longshore. A lover of butterflies GennaSues family said shes talked about getting a tattoo for years, only making her dream come true as she turned 80. Getting a butterfly tattoo is something she has talked about my entire life, said Gennas youngest daughter, Audrey Longshore of Hesperia. She grew up in a time when it wasnt as accepted as it is today and so it took her a long time to go through with it. GennaSues oldest daughter, Virginia Jones of Spring Valley Lake, shared that her mom has wanted a butterfly tattoo forever and the two were supposed to get matching ones after her father, David, died. Naomi Longshore and her grandmother, GennaSue Longshore, of Victorville. GennaSue celebrated her 80th birthday by getting her first tattoo. The design she chose from Art Junkies Tattoo Studio was a purple butterfly. Im happy she finally got what she wanted, Jones said. GennaSue said she wanted a butterfly tattoo over a year ago. Then she kept asking, Renee Longshore said. For me, it wasnt a matter of if but when. I wanted to respect the decision she made. Hardcore grandma After DeMasi completed the tattoo, granddaughter Naomi thought her grandmother was hardcore. Paul Longshore said his desire to live an adventurous lifestyle came from his mother. I am glad that even at age 80, she still has the itch for new things in life, he said. When asked if her recent tattoo was her last GennaSue laughed and said, Maybe more butterflies. Different colors. Body art practitioner Mike DeMasi of Art Junkies Tattoo Studio and GennaSue Longshore of Victorville, who celebrated her 80th birthday by getting her first tattoo. Older people and tattoos In a Womans World interview, Laura Martinez, co-owner of Fleur Noire Tattoo Parlour in Brooklyn, New York, stated that for older people wanting to get a tattoo, age doesnt matter. It is more about knowing yourself enough to make sure this is something you are ready for, she said. It is going to be on your skin forever, so you need to be attached to the design enough and proud to have your skin be permanently ornamented. An article about seniors getting tattoos, shared by Brookdale Senior Living, said people need to understand that older skin is functionally different from skin at age 20. As skin matures, its surface layer, the dermis, begins to thin. Moreover, aging skin is slower to heal, the article stated. These two factors, lessened elasticity and slower healing, can potentially complicate the tattooing process. Childhood photos of GennaSue Longshore, 80, of Victorville. The Mayo Clinic advises anyone wanting to get a tattoo to think carefully about the decision. Don't allow yourself to be pressured and don't get a tattoo if you're under the influence of alcohol or drugs. People should understand the risks of getting a tattoo, which include allergic reactions, skin infections, bloodborne diseases, or complications, the clinic said. Tattoo seekers should also use certified and reputable body art practitioners. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Grandma GennaSue gets tattoo for 80th birthday in Victorville In a cemetery in central China, a grave robber started to dig. The thief tunneled into an ancient tomb, stole some artifacts and vanished. The robbery, however, was only partially successful. When archaeologists excavated the looted tomb, they realized the robber had left some rare treasures behind. The Taosi Relic Site and Cemetery is a massive ancient cemetery in Shanxi Province that may have as many as 10,000 tombs, according to a 2018 news release from China Archaeology Network. Excavations of the cemetery have been ongoing for years, but archaeologists have only explored a fraction of the site. During these excavations, archaeologists uncovered a 2,400-year-old tomb that had been looted by a grave robber, according to a Jan. 21 news release from CCTV News via the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Archaeology Network. The robber had entered the tomb in 2016 through a hole in one corner, the institute said. The thief stole artifacts from this corner but left most of the grave undisturbed. Some of the chimes found at the 2,400-year-old tomb. Archaeologists unearthed a large number of high-quality artifacts from the 2,400-year-old tomb. They found a set of 16 chimes engraved with sayings, weapons and jade artifacts. A photo shows some of the ancient musical instruments found in the tomb. A close-up of a chime found at the 2,400-year-old tomb. The tomb also contained a bronze drum base, archaeologists said. The base has a hollow shape where a drum would be inserted. Measuring about 33 inches across, the newly found base is among the largest of these types of artifacts ever found in China. Based on the artifacts found in the 2,400-year-old tomb, archaeologists believe the tomb belongs to a high-ranking aristocrat with significant power. Another artifact found at the 2,400-year-old tomb. Officials recovered some bronze artifacts stolen from the Taosi Cemetery in 2022, the institute said. Taosi Relic Site and Cemetery is in Shanxi Province and about 250 miles southwest of Beijing. Google Translate and Baidu Translate were used to translate the news release from CCTV News via the Institute of Archaeology at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the China Archaeology Network. Inscribed blade hid under grave for almost 1,900 years until now. What does it say? 9,500-year-old chewing gum reveals ancient humans suffered from notable diseases Ancient wall that once defended bustling city discovered in China, photos show Orlando Sonza launches his campaign for U.S. House of Representatives at the Golden Lamb Inn in Lebanon. The Republican congressional hopeful challenging incumbent Democrat Rep. Greg Landsman to represent part of Greater Cincinnati lives a few miles outside the district he's running to represent. "When we win this race, of course, my family and I will move within the district lines," Republican candidate Orlando Sonza said in a text message to The Enquirer. Sonza, 32, lives in Springfield Township, based on his voter registration and address listed with the Hamilton County Board of Elections. That's in the 8th Congressional District represented by fellow Republican Rep. Warren Davidson. Sonza is running in the 1st Congressional District, which covers all of Cincinnati and the eastern part of Hamilton County as well as Warren County to the north. His address is within 3 miles of the district's border with the 8th Congressional District. The 8th Congressional District covers the suburbs to the west of Cincinnati, plus Butler County and several other western Ohio counties. Ohio's 1st Congressional District U.S. representatives aren't required to live in the districts they represent, although they traditionally do. All of Ohio's 15 representatives are registered to vote in their districts, based on a check of records by The Enquirer. When called and asked about his residence, Sonza responded via text slamming his opponent, Landsman "who just falls in line with Joe Biden's failed agenda." Sonza said he's "been committed to providing leadership before any congressional lines were drawn." He said via text he made his announcement before the congressional lines were finalized. Sonza announced his campaign in July 2023 before it was known what the boundaries of the district would be. The Ohio Supreme Court in 2022 had declared the congressional lines drawn by the Ohio General Assembly unconstitutional. About two months after Sonza launched his campaign, opponents to the congressional maps dropped a legal challenge to the state's congressional maps and the Supreme Court dismissed the case, leaving the current boundaries intact. Sonza's residency is a problem as well as the fact he grew up in New Jersey, Landsman said in a text message to The Enquirer. He then called Sonza an extremist for his opposition to the abortion rights amendment passed by voters in November and support in August 2023 that would have made it harder to amend the Ohio Constitution. "I do agree it's a problem for him, mostly because no one knows him except for the extreme positions he has taken," said Landsman, 47, a Democrat from Cincinnati's Mount Washington neighborhood, Landsman is in his first term as a U.S. representative after he unseated longtime Republican Rep. Steve Chabot in 2022. Biden won the district by about 9 percentage points in 2020 over Donald Trump. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where does Republican congressional candidate Orlando Sonza live? The remains of the last known victim of the Green River Killer have been identified as a teenage girl from Washington state but officials say there are other unsolved cases that may be connected to the infamous murderer. Law enforcement identified the remains as 16-year-old Tammie Liles of Everett, Washington, the King County Sheriffs Office (KCSO) announced on Monday. Liles had previously been identified as a victim of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, by matching her dental records to remains discovered near Tigard, Oregon, in 1988. Ridgway later led authorities to the second set of Liles remains in southern King County in 2003. However, the partial remains found at that time were labeled Bones 20, due to an inability to confirm identity. Investigators took a DNA sample from that second set of remains and uploaded it to a national law enforcement database to search for matches at the time, but none were found. The remains of the last known victim of the Green River Killer have been identified as Tammie Liles (King County Sheriffs Office) In 2022, the Sheriffs Office contracted with Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company that specializes in forensic DNA work. Othram built a DNA profile for the unknown victim and the companys in-house forensic genetic genealogy team tentatively identified her as Liles. Investigators then got a DNA sample from her mother and confirmed the match. There are no other unidentified remains believed to be connected to Ridgway, according to the sheriffs office. However, while all the remains in the medical examiners office have been identified, there are still more unsolved cases, Dave Reichert with the King County Sheriffs Office told KIRO-TV. Ridgway said that he killed 65 to 70 young women and little girls and so far hes plead guilty to 49 and weve closed 51 cases, Mr Reichert pointed out. So as I said there are other unsolved cases out there that may or may not be connected to Ridgway but there are parents still out there looking for answers about the death and murder of their daughter. Gary Ridgway was sentenced in 2003 and is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary (Getty Images) Ridgeway was long a suspect in the Green River killings so called because the first victims were found in the waterway, which runs through suburbs south of Seattle. Detectives were unable to prove his role until 2001, when advances in DNA technology allowed them to link a saliva sample they had obtained from him in 1987 to semen found on several victims. On Monday, King County sheriffs spokesperson Eric White told The Seattle Times that they felt a sense of relief that theyve been able to give closure to the killers victims. Its an immense feeling of satisfaction that in this case, that started in the early 80s, we are able to identify all of Gary Ridgways victims, Mr White said.. All 49 of them. The identification of Liles comes about a month after another of Ridgways victims was identified. Lori Anne Razpotnik was just 15 years old when she ran away from her family home in Lewis County in 1982. Her family never saw her again. Three years later on 30 December 1985, a car was found abandoned on Mountain View Drive in Auburn. When investigators got a closer look, they found human remains inside. Green River Killer victim identified in 2023 as Lori Anne Razpotnik 38 years after body found dumped in Alabama (King County Sheriffs Office) The Green River Task Force at the time searched the nearby area after the discovery and found a second set of human remains. For almost 40 years, the two sets of remains would be known only as Bones 16 and Bones 17. Detectives were eventually able to track down Razpotniks mother, who provided a saliva sample which the University of North Texas experts then used to identify the victim. Before Razpotnik, Wendy Stephens was the last Green River killer victim identified in 2020. Her body was found in 1984 in a swamp near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Ridgway, thought to be one of the most prolific serial killers in the United States, has pleaded guilty to 49 slayings, including Liles. He is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. Wind turbines spin in the distance off of Van Geisen Road in Fairgrove on Thursday, November 16, 2023. Michigan's 100% clean energy goal faces a potentially imperiling challenge from a petition that would repeal a new law giving state regulators the authority to decide where to locate large wind and solar projects. An initiative petition from a group called Citizens for Local Choice would undo a part of the new law preempting local policies that are more stringent than the state's zoning requirements for constructing clean energy and storage facilities. Last week, Citizens for Local Choice cleared a key hurdle when the state's elections panel approved a summary of its petition as well as the form for collecting voters' signatures. In the final weeks of the 2023 legislative session, Democratic lawmakers approved wide-ranging legislation outlining clean energy goals. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the package last November, creating new clean and renewable energy generation requirements, an office designed to assist workers with the transition to the clean energy economy and perhaps most contentiously the authority for state regulators to override local authorities that deny applications to construct clean energy facilities such as solar farms and wind turbines. Lenawee County Commissioner Kevon Martis, part of Citizens for Local Choice's leadership, said the group isn't anti-clean energy, but echoed concerns previously voiced by Republican lawmakers about stripping away local control over siting decisions for wind and solar projects. Lenawee County Commissioner Kevon Martis, R-Riga Twp. Local governments can maintain a level of control in the zoning process if they first pass a so-called "compatible renewable energy ordinance" consistent with state zoning requirements. Martis described the new law as only giving local governments a say if they agree to host a facility in the first place. Those who support giving the Michigan Public Service Commission a state body made up of the governor's appointees the authority to approve certificates to construct solar farms and wind turbines, say it will spur the creation of renewable energy facilities needed to achieve Michigans new clean energy goals. Michigans new energy laws set a 2040 goal for achieving 100% clean energy generation, with 60% of that energy required to be from renewable energy sources like wind and solar by 2035. State Rep. Abraham Aiyash, D-Hamtramck, who introduced the wind and solar siting bill targeted for repeal by Citizens for Local Choice, said removing his law would derail the state's new clean energy plan. "There's no conceivable way to reach our clean energy goals without a streamlined process for wind and solar projects," he said, accusing some opponents of deceiving Michigan residents by claiming his bill would allow the state to forcibly seize private property. "In fact, our legislation outlines very clearly that eminent domain will never be used," Aiyash said. Solar and wind projects only happen if landowners voluntarily lease or sell their property, he added. Michigan State Representative Abraham Aiyash, speaks at the pregame rededication ceremony hosted by Friends of Historic Hamtramck Stadium at the Hamtramck Stadium in Hamtramck on June 20, 2022. A coalition of advanced clean energy business groups has also come out in opposition to the Citizens for Local Choice initiative petition along with the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, an environmental advocacy group that created the ballot committee Our Land Our Rights to oppose the effort. Proponents of Michigan Democrats' clean energy plan see it as a national model now under threat. "Michigan is leading the nation with its 100% clean electricity standard and this ballot measure takes the state backwards," said Nick Dodge, communications director for the league. What happens next? Initiative petitions also known as voter-initiated legislation that collect enough voter signatures first go to the state Legislature for consideration. Lawmakers can give their approval and circumvent the governor's veto. Or they can reject it and propose an alternative measure, putting both proposals to a statewide vote at the next general election. If state lawmakers take no action, the initiative petition goes straight to the ballot. It is unlikely the Democratically-controlled Legislature would repeal a piece of the clean energy package it just passed. If organizers behind the Citizens for Local Choice initiative petition want a spot on the Nov. 5 ballot, they must collect and file with the Secretary of State's Office at least 356,958 valid voter signatures by May 29. The tight timeline to gather enough valid signatures is a concern, Martis said. Unless lawmakers or voters approve the Citizens for Local Choice petition initiative, the solar and wind siting legislation will take effect Nov. 29, 2024. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on X, previously called Twitter, @clarajanehen. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@freepress.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) @arpanlobo. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Democrats' clean energy law faces petition challenge LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A group working to enshrine the Freedom of Information Act into the Arkansas Constitution filed suit against Attorney General Tim Griffin on Tuesday. The Arkansas Citizens for Transparency group claims the AG is acting in an unconstitutional manner and outside the scope of his duties. The claim comes after the groups ballot proposal submissions to Griffins office were rejected. Coalition wants to make Freedom of Information Act part of Arkansas Constitution Citizens for Transparency was formed in September 2023 after a special session in the state legislature was called by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to place restrictions on the states Freedom of Information Act. That acts original intent is to allow government transparency by permitting access to public records and government meetings. The proposed restrictions met with resistance from both sides of the aisle, and ultimately a watered-down version was passed by the legislature. Citizens for Transparency intends to make the FOIA part of the Arkansas Constitution in its pre-special session form. Report: AG Tim Griffin rejects language for ballot proposals seeking to modify Arkansas FOIA law Griffin has rejected the groups ballot proposal based on its language. In his opinion, he cited a disconnect between the ballots title and key terms that were not defined. At the time of the rejection, Citizens for Transparency head and Little Rock attorney David Couch said Griffin was trying to fit his preferences instead of the way the people wanted it. Couch was the lead attorney in filing the Tuesday suit. Read the suit filed Tuesday The suit reflects this position, stating that Griffin rejected the groups submission because he does not like the provisions of the amendments. Since the proposed ballot title and language were not misleading, the attorney general should approve it, the suit states. They are asking the court to enter a mandatory injunction, requiring Griffin to either certify the ballot titles or submit a more suitable ballot title within three days. Group submits government transparency ballot draft proposal to Arkansas attorney general for review Griffin said he was prepared for the Supreme Court review. I am confident in our review and analysis of ballot submissions and look forward to the Arkansas Supreme Courts review in this case, Griffin said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Forgoing needed oral health care due to cost can have major consequences. The Oklahoma Legislature can make a real difference this year and ensure that dental insurance provides real access to dental care. Access to dental care is critical to not just oral health, but also to overall physical, academic and economic health. Unfortunately, problems with dental insurance create real barriers between patients and their care. A 2021 study found that nearly half of insured Americans skip dental visits or procedures due to cost. Specifically, the study found that for consumers with insurance, their main challenge with their plans was that not enough services or procedures are covered. Oklahoma dentists regularly hear from frustrated patients who cant afford the care they need, despite having dental insurance. More: Oklahoma dentist: We need greater focus on health equity for Native people Meanwhile, Kaiser Family Foundation found that Oklahoma ranks 47th among states for the percentage of adults who visited a dentist or dental clinic in 2022. As with all health care, forgoing needed oral health care due to cost can have major consequences. Untreated minor problems can quickly lead to severe pain, tooth loss and gum disease, which is linked to diabetes, heart disease, strokes, kidney disease, Alzheimers disease, poor pregnancy outcomes and even mental illness. Poor oral health also hinders childrens academic success and adults ability to work. Establishing a Medical Loss Ratio, or MLR, for dental insurance can help. MLR laws require that insurers spend most of the money collected in premiums on patient care, rather than overhead costs such as marketing, CEO pay and administration. MLR is a commonsense policy that has been in effect for medical insurance companies for more than a decade. Currently, Oklahoma dental insurers are not held to the same standards but momentum is building to correct this in Oklahoma. Last year, a bill to establish MLR for dental insurance in Oklahoma passed unanimously out of the Oklahoma House of Representatives before stalling in the Senate Insurance Committee. The time is right for Oklahomas Legislature to finish the job by passing MLR legislation this year. Unfortunately, we know that Oklahoma dental insurance companies will continue to fight against MLR laws because the status quo has been very profitable for them. They will claim that establishing an MLR will increase costs and drive insurers out of the state. Keeping insurance premiums affordable is important. However, most Americans receive their dental insurance through their employers. Focusing only on premium rates means the insurers only compete on low costs to employers, while patients suffer without access. How do we know insurance company warnings are overblown? For one thing, medical insurers made the same claims prior to the implementation of MLR in 2011. Yet, 13 years later, the uninsured rate in the United States is at a historic low, and health insurance companies continue to post profits in every state. We also know that many dental insurers are already meeting the 85% MLR we recommend in Oklahoma. Clearly, it is possible to operate within this standard. However, some insurers spend as little as 11% of premiums on actual dental care. Setting an MLR standard is meant to prevent this kind of gross mismanagement of premium dollars. The Oklahoma Legislature can make a real difference this year by advancing and passing an MLR standard that ensures that dental insurance provides real access to dental care. They should do so as soon as possible. Paul S. Wood Paul S. Wood is president of the Oklahoma Dental Association. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Dental insurance could be more responsive to patients' dental care needs Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haleys campaign is urging supporters in a new memo to take a deep breath amid New Hampshires first-in-the-nation primary, assuring we arent going anywhere as Haley goes head-to-head with former President Trump in the Granite State. The political class and the media want to give Donald Trump a coronation. They say the race is over, Haleys campaign manager, Betsy Ankney, wrote in the memo. She noted Trumps win in last weeks Iowa caucuses, where Haley came in a distant third place but highlighted that only 110,000 Iowans had weighed in on the contest. That isnt how this works, Ankney said. And while members of Congress, the press, and many of the weak-kneed fellas who ran for president are giving up and giving in we arent going anywhere. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who came in second place in Iowa, dropped out of the presidential race over the weekend and threw his backing behind Trump. Now, the field has winnowed to a one-on-one between Haley and the former president, raising questions about whether her campaign has enough momentum to stay competitive as the 2024 cycle heats up. But the Haley campaigns memo pushed back against perceptions that New Hampshire where unaffiliated voters can take part in Tuesdays party primaries is the best its going to get for her. Ankney projected optimism toward the late February primary in South Carolina, Haleys home state, and onto Super Tuesday in March, arguing theres significant fertile ground for the former South Carolina governor in several open or semi-open primaries taking place that day. Until then, everyone should take a deep breath. The campaign has not even begun in any of these states yet. No ads have been aired and candidates arent hustling on the ground. A month in politics is a lifetime, the memo reads. The memo closed with a see yall in South Carolina sign-off, suggesting Haley has no plans to exit the race before the Palmetto States primary. Haley has been gaining on Trump in New Hampshire polling, and numbers show her faring well among independents and Republicans weary of the former president. Shes been hammering her electability argument, pointing to results that show her doing better against President Biden, the likely Democratic nominee, than her Republican competitors. But Trump is still leading by double digits in The Hill-Decision Desk HQ polling averages as of Tuesday, as voters in the Granite State head to the primaries. The New York Times first reported on the memo. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. In her final rally before the New Hampshire primary, Nikki Haley was interrupted by a young man standing in the back of the room who asked her if she would marry him. Are you going to vote for me? Haley responded. No, he told her. Im going to vote for Trump. Its a fleeting anecdote, but the exchange amounted to an unavoidable reminder of the long odds the former South Carolina governor is facing in Tuesdays first-in-the-nation primary that could effectively crown Donald Trump as the 2024 Republican nominee. At her final event in Salem, New Hampshire, Haley framed the GOP primary between herself and Trump as one about generational change and greater electability against President Joe Biden in November. Were tired of losing. Were tired of losing. We lost in 18 and 20. We were going to get that big red wave in 22. Hey Donald Trump, where the F is the red wave? asked Gov. Chris Sununu, Haleys most high-profile backer in the state. Left unmentioned was the bulk of polling showing Haley staring down a double-digit defeat in the New Hampshire primary. Mondays Suffolk University tracking poll placed Haleys deficit at 19 points, a margin that if realized would apply pressure on her to reassess the viability of continuing her campaign through South Carolina, set more than four weeks away. Some Haley supporters in Salem acknowledged that their chosen candidate has a difficult path forward. Dennis Kavanagh, 74, of Nashua, said that he hoped Haley could still make it happen, pointing to the large number of independent voters in New Hampshire. But he also noted that Trump has so much support in New Hampshire. Its a tough fight. READ MORE: SC Senator Tim Scott endorses Donald Trump ahead of New Hampshire GOP primary If Haley cant clinch the nomination, Kavanagh said that he would bite the bullet and vote for Trump. President Joe Biden, he said, simply wasnt mentally competent enough to serve in the White House. You vote for the lesser of two evils, said Kavanagh, who noted that he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020. Youre voting for a senile old man who doesnt know where he is or youre voting for a loose cannon whos a little scary. So I would go for the loose cannon. Others, however, said they simply wont vote for the former president. Michelle Lisowski, 59, of Windham, said former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was her first choice for the GOP nomination. But after he dropped out of the race, she turned to Haley, who shes hopeful will pull off a surprise upset. Im going to vote for her because I dont want Trump to win, Lisowski, an independent, said. If hes the nominee, I wont vote for him. Ill vote Democrat. Hes a lowlife, she added. I cant understand what people see in him. Given the upper-income centrist tilt of New Hampshire which allows nonpartisans to participate Haleys campaign invested the bulk of their resources here. RELATED CONTENT: Primary Pivot seeks undeclared voters for Nikki Haley in NH Though Haley has benefited from nearly double the advertising support of Trump, that television messaging hasnt lifted her polling numbers over the last month. While shes shown strength among undeclared voters, several surveys have demonstrated the former presidents robust lead among registered Republicans. Suffolk found Trump capturing more than 60% of GOPers. Reluctant Trump voters seem to be breaking for him, which is why youve seen his numbers tick up a bit in the public tracking polls, said Matt Mowers, a former GOP congressional candidate in the state. Andrew Demers, a conservative activist in the state who is no fan of Trump, said Haleys lack of authenticity hurt her ability to convert hardcore Republican voters. Is China a great friend, or an enemy of America? Should we defund the UN or should we not pull money from them? Haley said that she would mandate that social media outlets verify people by name, then during the next debate, she denied saying that. Do we need federal laws about gender surgery for minors, or should families decide? The list of her flip-flops goes on and on. Voters here can sense when someone has no authentic convictions, Demers said. No candidate from either party has ever won the New Hampshire primary without carrying a majority of their partys registered voters. In the waning days of the New Hampshire campaign, Haleys team has attempted to manage expectations about her finish here, hoping she can pull within single digits of Trump, powered by an influx of unaffiliated voters. Haley went on Fox News on Monday in an attempt to quash a burgeoning narrative about the end of her candidacy before New Hampshire votes, Im not going to pull out because someone wants to be coronated, she said in an interview. But some of her supporters are crossing their fingers that a better than expected finish can jostle the narrative even if its still a loss. Whats a surprise? Five points. Six points. Seven points?, asked Jim Rubens, a Haley supporter and member of the Grafton County GOP executive committee. Do us a favor, wait until the vote comes in. Youll know at 7:30, 8 p.m. Max Greenwood reported from Salem, N.H. She has to come within single digits: Haley allies curb New Hampshire expectations (Bloomberg) -- New Hampshires primary Tuesday is the stage for a crucial showdown between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley the last major challenger standing between the former president and the GOP nomination. Most Read from Bloomberg The Republican field has winnowed after Trumps commanding victory in Iowa last week, leaving the frontrunner eager for another blowout win to all but wrap up the nomination and allow him to turn his attention to President Joe Biden. Haley has built up New Hampshire to be a make-or-break moment for her campaign. Shes betting on the states more moderate electorate and independents who can cast ballots in the primary to help her pull off an upset. Its her best shot to damage Trump as restless donors demand a result that proves she can take on the Republican standard-bearer. On the Democratic side, Minnesota Representative Dean Phillips is hoping voters punish Biden, who will only appear as a write-in candidate, for skipping New Hampshires primary. An unexpectedly strong showing from Phillips threatens to embarrass Biden and fuel more questions about his reelection bid. Heres what to watch: Will This Be Haleys Big Moment? New Hampshire presents a key opportunity for Haley, who trails Trump there by a smaller margin than in other states. Her campaign has targeted independent voters, who outnumber both Democrats and Republicans. Under state rules, these voters can pick either Democratic or Republican ballots in a presidential primary. In addition, Democrats could have switched their affiliation by last fall to get the ability to cast votes in the Republican primary. Haleys fate largely rests on the turnout of undeclared voters and former Democrats. A loss or a poor showing could lead to donors dropping their support and the party coalescing around the former president. 2024 Elections: 12 Global Races to Watch for Economic, Market Issues Will Voters Turn Out in New Hampshire? Republicans are expecting voter turnout to hit record levels, a contrast to last week's Iowa caucuses, which saw the lowest turnout in more than a decade. The current Republican primary record of about 288,000 votes was set in 2016 for Trumps first White House bid. If we see absolute raw voting vote totals that are similar to what we saw in 2016, thats a good sign for Trump, said Greg Moore, a senior adviser for Americans for Prosperity Action, a super political action committee supporting Haley, in an interview with Bloomberg News in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Sunday. If we see numbers that are substantially higher, I think that definitely benefits Haley. Read comprehensive coverage here: Election 2024 Phillips v. Biden Phillips presidential bid comes at a particularly fraught moment in the Granite State. South Carolina, which gave Biden a key victory in 2020, became the first Democratic primary state after the party changed its rules taking away that designation from New Hampshire. But since New Hampshire has a state law mandating that it hold the first primary, the election will go on as before. Biden declined to appear on the ballot, but Phillips is on it. Democratic officials have organized a write-in campaign to demonstrate support for the president. An embarrassing showing could deepen concerns about Bidens reelection chances in a race where polls show voters unenthusiastic about a November contest between him and Trump. Population Shifts Shake Up Swing States for Trump, Biden Campaigns First Results All six voters in the tiny community of Dixville Notch cast their paper ballots for Haley. They voted just after midnight, a tradition that dates to 1960. Elsewhere in the state, start times vary, from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. While many will close at 7 p.m., some polling places will stay open as late as 8 p.m., and the race will be called after that. Thats a contrast to the Iowa caucuses, where Trump was declared the winner 30 minutes into voting and in some precincts, before Iowans even had the chance to cast their ballots. Whats Next? South Carolina Republicans will make their picks on Feb. 24, and Trump leads Haley there by about 30 percentage points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of polls. Losing the Palmetto State, where Haley was born and where she served as governor, would deal a devastating blow to her campaign. A decisive win for Trump in New Hampshire would give him even more momentum for South Carolina and boost expectations of a November rematch with Biden. --With assistance from Gregory Korte and David S Joachim. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley sought to distinguish those rallying around former President Trump on Tuesday, arguing it is not the Republican Party, but rather the political elite who support the former president. I think its not the party uniting around President Trump, its the political elite that are uniting around President Trump, Haley told reporters in Hampton, N.H. And the political elite has never been with me my entire career because Ive always fought the political elite. Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, pointed to her calls for requiring politicians to take mental competency tests and requiring term limits, as well as her tendency to call out wasteful spending on both sides of the aisle. I spite the political class. Donald Trump has the political class surrounding him, Haley said. Thats not what Americans want. The political class has gotten us in this mess, we need a normal, real person to get us out of this mess. The Granite State kicked off its first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday, in which Haley seeks to beat the odds as Trumps main challenger in the GOP primary. Her campaign team has signaled it plans to continue toward South Carolina the former governors home state even if she lands a second-place finish in New Hampshire. Haley trails Trump by 13.9 points before the Granite State primary, according to a polling index by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ. Speaking with reporters Monday, Haley dismissed calls for her to drop out of the race and argued those appeals came from the political elite and the media. The pro-Haley PAC Stand For America (SFA) released a memo Monday underscoring the argument that the news media and political class are underestimating the last real GOP opponent to Trump. This race is FAR from over, but you wouldnt know that if you turned the channel to Fox News or CNN. Despite a constant drumbeat of proclaiming their so-called hate of Donald Trump, the media cannot get enough of him, the memo read. Between the wall-to-wall coverage of everything he does and their overzealousness to call the 2024 race for the GOP over after the Iowa Caucus despite Trumps mediocre night (by an incumbents standards) amid low turnout for Iowans, its clear Washington and New York has a vested interest in wanting to crown Trump the GOPs candidate, the memo continued. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley deflected the notion that the viability of her campaigns success hinges on New Hampshire on Monday, calling out the political class for crowning former President Trump as the GOP nominee and saying, This is not a coronation. This is an election. During an interview with NewsNations Leland Vittert in New Hampshire, the former United Nations ambassador said its never been fair to say that her campaigns success is riding on the Granite States first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday. She pointed to her steady climb in Iowa in the polls ahead of last weeks caucuses; she finished third in the Hawkeye State, just behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who dropped out Sunday. Its never been fair, Haley said Monday. You know, I said I needed to be strong in Iowa. We started at 2 percent. We ended at 20. I need to be stronger in New Hampshire; I think well do that tomorrow. And then I need to be stronger than that in South Carolina. Trump had a dominant showing in Iowa, winning by more than 30 points and creating momentum that could be bolstered Tuesday with the news of DeSantis dropping out and endorsing the former president. On Monday, Haley cautioned that Trump won only 1.5 percent of the vote in Iowa, a state of more than 3 million people, and that the victory does not represent the broader voting electorate. The one thing we have to remember is Donald Trump only won with one-and-a-half percent of the vote in Iowa; 56,000 people voted for him out of the state of 3 million, Haley said. Thats not representative of the country. And youve got the political class saying, Oh, its him. Its got to be him. No, this is not a coronation. This is an election. The former South Carolina governor said her campaign is focused on doing well one state at a time and gave a reminder that her home state, where she hopes to have a strong performance, is coming up soon on the GOP electoral schedule. And you go state-by-state; youre trying to get representation of real normal people, Haley said. And thats what were focused on. Were going to take it one step at a time. And then were headed to my sweet state of South Carolina. Haley, like Trump, is looking to build on her own momentum and pull an upset in the Tuesday primary. Now, locked into a one-on-one match-up with Trump, she is trailing him by 13.8 percent in the latest The Hill/Decision Desk HQ aggregate of polls. Her campaign has also benefited from DeSantiss exit, raising more than $500,000 in less than 24 hours and is already looking to make a statement in her home state, even with a second-place finish in New Hampshire. The campaign announced a $4 million South Carolina ad buy, which will kick off a day after the Granite State primary and cover all seven Palmetto State markets. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former President Trump and fellow Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley will go head-to-head in New Hampshires first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday, facing off as the last two top White House contenders in the GOP race. Trump easily won Iowas caucuses last week, and some observers say another Trump victory in the Granite State could all but secure him the Republican nomination. But Haley has boasted more competitive polling in New Hampshire, where unaffiliated voters can cast their ballots in the primary, and she stands out as the leading Trump alternative after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis exited the race over the weekend. Here are five things to watch in New Hampshire: Can Haley beat Trump? Haley came in at a disappointing third place in last weeks Iowa caucuses, which kicked off the partys presidential nominating cycle. Although she clocked in just a few points behind DeSantis, Trump led both by double digits. Observers have long expected Haley to fare better in the Granite State than in Iowa, where DeSantis had invested heavily. And shes been courting independent voters, who can participate in the primary under New Hampshires system, as well as Republicans who have soured on the former president, in the hopes of capitalizing on Trumps weak spots in the state. But strategists are split on whether Haley has a real chance to take the win from Trump on Tuesday. The latest polling averages from The Hill/Decision Desk HQ put Trump up nearly 12 points over Haley in New Hampshire, roughly 48 percent to 36 percent. DeSantis, who endorsed Trump when he dropped out of the race, is polling at 6 percent and his exit is predicted to favor the former president. Voter enthusiasm and turnout could tip the balance Tuesday, and a Haley win would pump up her campaigns momentum while raising red flags for the former president. On the flip side, a Trump victory in New Hampshire after his big win in Iowa would likely add to the perception of many in the party that Trump has a lock on the nomination. How close is the GOP finish? After Trump won by nearly 30 points in Iowa, one big question for Tuesday is how close the finish is between the former president and Haley in New Hampshire. Both candidates are gunning for the win, but Trump is likely aiming to triumph by a big enough margin that he can declare victory and say this is effectively over, said New Hampshire based Republican strategist Jim Merrill. For Haley, I dont think she needs to win outright here, but shes got to be close. Its got to be competitive, so she can look at the results in New Hampshire and say, This is, in fact, a two-person race, Merrill said. Strategists are split on what exactly a strong Haley finish would look like, and whether a close second place could keep her afloat alongside the former president as the race revs up toward Super Tuesday in March. If she were within single digits, it would look like a big, positive surprise, said Dante Scala, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire. Polls in the Granite State close at 8 p.m. Tuesday. Scala contends that if at 8:01, the cable networks go on and say, New Hampshire is too close to call, it could give Haley an electric shock of a moment to capture national attention and prove shes at Trumps heels. Where do DeSantis supporters turn? This month has seen the exits of four high-profile Republican contenders just before and after results from the Iowa caucuses rolled in. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) surprised some by dropping out before Iowans voted, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his bid after coming in fourth in the Hawkeye State. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) also dropped out this month after struggling to build momentum, and DeSantis ended his campaign just days before the Granite State weighed in. One of the things Nikki Haley needed to have happen for a surprise victory [in New Hampshire] is for Vivek [Ramaswamy] and Ron DeSantis to stay in the race, said Granite State-based Republican strategist Mike Dennehy. She needed that Republican vote to be as splintered as much as it could possibly be, and then for her to pick up the heavy majority of independent voters, Dennehy added. Haley is forecast to see a New Hampshire boost from Christies exit. At the same time, DeSantis threw his backing behind the former president, and his supporters are largely expected to default to Trump. That could bump up Trumps margins in the state and spell trouble for Haley moving forward in states like South Carolina, where DeSantis had been polling more strongly than in New Hampshire. How close is the margin in the Dem primary? Biden will be absent from New Hampshires Democratic ballot after tension between state and national Democrats over the partys presidential nominating lineup. New Hampshire is bucking the Democratic National Committees (DNC) efforts to push a new calendar that would have booted the state out of its first-in-the-nation primary slot and state Democrats will hold their contest the same day as the Republican primary. But Biden was obligated to comply with the DNCs rules and decided not to file to be on the New Hampshire Democrats ballot. The DNC has also said the primary will have no bearing on delegates for the partys national convention this summer. At the same time, Bidens supporters in New Hampshire have launched a write-in campaign as fellow Democratic candidates Marianne Williamson and Rep. Dean Phillips (Minn.) vie for the state. Scala, the professor, said he doesnt think it matters what share of the votes Williamson and Phillips each snag, but Biden needs to win by a big enough margin to show theres nothing to see here, in terms of Democratic-base discontent. Itll likely be important for the incumbents write-in effort to score a percentage in the Democratic race thats higher than the percentage Trump wins in the Republican primary, Scala said. If Trumps figure is bigger, I think that would be an interesting benchmark that Im sure the former president would make a great deal of noise about, he said. What does Haley do after Tuesday if she doesnt win? With Trump and Haley now in a two-person standoff, the stakes are high for Haley in New Hampshire and beyond. The former U.N. ambassador is projecting confidence and batting back Trumps attacks heading into Tuesdays race, arguing the former president is terrified of our momentum. Haleys been leaning heavily into an electability argument, pointing to polls that show her faring better than her Republican competitors in hypothetical match-ups about President Biden but its unclear how motivating that message will be for voters at this point. After the Granite State votes, attention turns to her home state of South Carolina. Republicans in the Palmetto State, of which Haley was formerly governor, vote roughly a month after New Hampshire, in the first-in-the-South primary on Feb. 24. Along with Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina is among the early states that political observers say could decide the 2024 GOP nominee. If Haley doesnt win in the Granite State, shed likely face questions about whether to continue her bid and an uphill battle to prove shes a viable contender for the party nod. To lose Iowa and then to lose New Hampshire does not give the candidate the momentum they need to continue on, Dennehy said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. An elderly woman was among those injured in Kharkiv after the Russian missile barrage - Vyacheslav Madiyevskyy/REUTERS At least eight people were confirmed killed and 70 more injured by a long-range Russian barrage across Ukraine, authorities said. Among those wounded was an elderly woman who was left viciously bloodied in Kharkiv. The pensioner was filmed with her face almost covered in dried and congealed blood as she was taken for treatment by the Red Cross. Images later showed the woman, whose identity is not known, heavily bandaged in an ambulance. Half of the missiles fired at Ukraine on Tuesday evaded air defences as Kyiv struggled to cope with the threat posed by ballistic missiles. Rescue workers clear debris after a missile attack in Kharkiv - SERGEY BOBOK/AFP/Getty Images Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkivs governor, said five of the dead and 51 wounded were in the eastern city, where 30 residential buildings had been damaged in the strikes. Rescue workers sifted through the rubble for survivors, Ihor Terekhov, the citys mayor, said. In Kyiv, high-velocity projectiles slammed into apartment blocks and non-residential buildings, as the Ukrainian capital was awoken by the sound of air raid sirens. Ukraines air force said air defence shot down 21 of the 41 Russian missiles, which were also aimed at Pavlohrad, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Twenty of the missiles were downed in the skies over Kyiv, the capitals military administration said. Officials said 22 people, including three children, had been wounded across at least three districts of the city. Bomb squad members load a part of a missile on a truck after a Russian missile attack in Kyiv - Oleksandr Klymenko/REUTERS Some of the damage occurred next to the United Nations office, resident coordinator Denise Brown said. Russia has escalated its long-range barrages on cities and civilian infrastructure since late last year. Its forces have taken to using more ballistic missiles, which can travel at speeds of more than 2,000mph, to evade Ukraines Soviet and Western air-defence systems. Moscow has been accused of using ballistic missiles acquired from North Korea to carry out a number of these attacks. Twenty of the missiles were downed in the skies over Kyiv - Viacheslav Ratynskyi/REUTERS Ukrainian forces have had success in taking down ballistic missiles with the US-supplied Patriot and the Franco-Italian Sampt/T systems, analysts said. But given the countrys limited supply of the systems and their associated missiles, Russia has been able to attack areas less densely protected by the shield they provide. Rescue workers sifted through the rubble for survivors in Kharkiv - Yevhen Titov/Anadolu/Getty Interception rates vary dramatically based on the munitions the Russians use, Jimmy Rushton, an independent analyst in Kyiv, said. Ballistics are extremely difficult to intercept and Ukraine only has a few systems Patriot, Samp/T that can intercept them, and they can only be employed in a limited number of locations. If the Russians fire them at areas that arent defended by one of these scare systems they cant do much to stop them. Five of the 12 Iskander-M ballistic missiles fired by Russian forces on Tuesday were downed by Ukrainian air defences, according to the countrys air force. Ukraine has had relative success in intercepting slower cruise missiles and drones, and is capable of protecting areas like Kyiv, which are covered by Western systems. My condolences to all relatives and friends, Volodymyr Zelensky said. Our heroic rescuers, those who are always the first to arrive at the places of enemy shelling, despite all the difficulties, continue their very important work to save people. 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. Hamas killed 21 Israeli soldiers with a single RPG shot on Monday, an IDF spokesperson said. The shot likely set off explosives the IDF soldiers had laid, the official said, causing a bigger blast. That caused two buildings to collapse on about two dozen soldiers, he said. Hamas inflicted a huge loss on Israel on Monday, killing 21 soldiers with a single rocket-propelled grenade, according to an Israeli official. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces, made the statement in a televised address shared by i24News on Tuesday. He said Hamas militants launched an RPG at a tank at about 4 p.m. local time Monday in central Gaza, close to the border community of Kissufim. That likely set off a large explosion of the IDF's own munitions, collapsing two buildings onto the roughly two-dozen soldiers who died, per a translation provided by The Times of Israel. Hagari said that the IDF laid explosives in the buildings, intending to withdraw to a safe distance before detonating them. But the RPG attack hit first. "The buildings collapsed due to this explosion, while most of the forces were inside and near them," he added, per the newspaper. An IDF spokesperson confirmed that narrative to Business Insider. In a separate video shared on the IDF's Telegram channel, Hagari said a research-and-rescue unit later scrambled to the scene and recovered the soldiers' bodies. As well as those 21 deaths, three further IDF soldiers were killed Monday, Israel said. Those 24 deaths would constitute the single biggest Israeli death toll in a single day of the current conflict, according to Reuters . Around 550 IDF soldiers have died since Hamas' terror attacks on Israel on October 7, per the IDF website. Hagari has since been publishing the names of the dead soldiers after notifying their families. In a post on X on Tuesday, Isaac Herzog, Israel's president, said it had been an "unbearably difficult morning," per a translation provided by The Times of Israel. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the IDF experienced "one of the most difficult days" since the start of the three-month siege of Gaza, per Reuters . "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory," he added. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war as of Sunday, the Associated Press reported , citing the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Read the original article on Business Insider This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. It took her almost a year for Nikki Haley to land her ultimate goal: a one-on-one race against Donald Trump. But now that she's reached that position, outlasting a long list of men vying for the same spot, it might not be as enviable as she once considered it. And it might last about as long as the shrinking piles of graying snow beside the winding and treacherous roads New Hampshire voters will take to the ballot boxes on Tuesday. Haley, who served as Trumps rep to the United Nations before beginning her effort to claim the top job herself, has shown a mix of flinty pluck and feisty resolve during the last week. Her disappointing third-place finish in Iowa was a wake-up call about just how tricky it is to outmaneuver Trumps outsized ego and all that it represents inside a Republican Party unable to shake its orbital pull. Ratcheting up her rhetoric since decamping from Iowawhere she won just one of the states 99 counties and by a 1-vote margin to bootHaley has tried to convince her fellow Republicans its not too late to derail the seemingly anointed return of Trump. Through a gritted grin, Haley has made perhaps the most credible case against Trump since the spring of 2016, when Ted Cruzs last-ditch effort proved too tardy to matter. America doesnt do coronations, she said Monday in the Lakes Region town of Franklin, N.H. We believe in choices. We believe in democracy, and we believe in freedom. I have said I love the live-free-or-die state, but you know what? I want to make it a live-free-or-die country. Now, with just Haley standing in the way of Trump claiming the GOP nomination for a third time, the moment she sought has arrived. But a path to a win is hard to find. The final Boston Globe/ Suffolk University/ NBC10 tracking poll showed Haley a full 19 points behind Trump, who enjoyed 57% support. As shes outlasted contender after contener not named Trump, few of their supporters have shifted to her. Some slowly found their natural home back in Trumps shadow. Despite the belief that a unified Republican Party could deny Trump the nomination if only the field would narrowI am among those guilty on this front, to be fairthe notion of a coalescing around a Trump alternative never materialized. The phantom idea of an anti-Trump lost credibility as most of those vying for the title made clear their priority was maintaining their future in GOP politics, ensuring they would spend months treating Trump with kid gloves. To her credit, Haley (belatedly) decided to take her chances. The result has been a week of critiques that came across as a deluge without sufficient space to sink in. A final pair of debates set for New Hampshire were scrapped as Haley refused to participate in any more sessions unless Trump bothered to show up. (Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who ended his furtive effort on Sunday and backed Trump, was not worth Haleys time, apparently.) Haley is a political fighter, for sure, and she made the case that her strongest basket of support could come from New Hampshire voters who arent particularly hardened as partisans. The biggest political party in the state are those voters who dont identify as Republicans or Democrats; they can decide on Primary Day if they want to take a D or an R ballot at their local fire hall, library, church, or school. In 2016, the last time Republicans had an open contest for the nomination, a full 42% of participants were so-called unaffiliated voters. Trump carried them at the same level as he carried self-identified Republicans, at 36%, on his march to victory. Haley this time is trying to persuade these voters not to repeat that mistake. The Post/ Monmouth poll finds a majority of likely Republican voters say Trump did something wrong or illegal on Jan. 6, 2021. Among the 53% of voters who share that view, a striking 91% are with Haley. Among the unaffiliated voters, Haley enjoys a 10-point advantage over Trump, 48%-38%. While that delta is impressive, its worth recalling that Sen. John McCain leaned on his appeal with the same bloc in 2000 to best party favorite, George W. Bush, thanks to a 42-point advantage among the indies. The political mythologies in New Hampshire are as fanciful as they are sacrosanct, especially the Legend of McCain; that doesnt mean theyre easy to replicate. (And, its worth emphasizing: Bush still won the nomination.) In the modern era, no Republican has nicked back-to-back wins in Iowa and New Hampshire. Granite Staters are reluctantif not hostileto ratifying the results coming out of Iowa. The unofficial mantra among the political class follows that Iowa picks corn while New Hampshire picks Presidents. Its clever, but its also not entirely wrong. New Hampshire voters demand the personal touch, and seldom reach back to insincere interlopers. Key word: seldom. (Democrats, sour on the very white populace in New Hampshire, decided to launch their nominating contest in South Carolina on Feb. 3. Biden isnt even on the New Hampshire Democratic ballot, the winner of which will gain no delegates.) Unaffiliated strategists have watched Haley do the work in a way that impressed them. In fact, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who mulled a 2024 White House run of his own before deciding to retire from politics at the end of this term rather than fight for a party that his family helped define for five decades, threw his lot in with Haley. But the fact remains that she is still running in a state in the throes of a Trump fever. The final Washington Post/ Monmouth poll found a plurality of likely Republican primary voters51%think Biden is an illegitimate President who is in the White House because of voter fraud. Its tough to win as a reasonable conservative when the bulk are anything but. So its against that backdrop that Haley is hustling. She seems to have found the right timing for a late rise, gotten lucky with the demise of her competitors, and finally shed the last of her fright over the Trump retribution. She may have a good Tuesday night at her campaign headquarters in Concord. But defining good is going to be a difficult sparing of spin. Her allies are advertising that we are already plotting our course to South Carolina and beyond, according to a pre-Primary Day memo from her super PAC helpers. At least for the moment, Haley and her allies are casting the race as one going until at least Feb. 24, when Haleys home state of South Carolina weighs in. Perhaps. But these campaigns arent free. Her deep-pocketed super PAC pals are working to raise more money as a protest against Trumps return to power. But ultimately the candidate herself needs to be able to show she can deliver voters. Its as trite as it is true: campaigns dont run out of steam, but they do run out of donors who are willing to keep writing checks. The brutal trifecta of South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Gov. Henry McMaster, and Rep. Nancy Mace all lining up with Trump left plenty of Palmetto State insiders piqued by the perceived lack of loyaltyand reminded them that Trump is still an unmatched bully. There will be a good number of bank transfers on the donors screens as the polls close on Tuesday. Hitting the confirm button will hinge on how those donors are conditioned to see Haleys numbers, and whether there is a reasonable belief that Haley is getting close to her goals, or if Trump is simply too big of a force to bump off course. Now that its a one-on-one race for the nomination, the verdict will be apparent, and quickly. For Haley, who has been pining for this exact head-to-head with her former boss, theres nowhere to hide if this goes sideways. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com. Polls show many Americans are dreading a potential rematch between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in Novemberand Tuesday's New Hampshire primary might offer the briefest glimpse of an alternate reality where that outcome isn't a near inevitability. Yep, it might get a little weird. The results in New Hampshire are unlikely to change the trajectory of the overall race, but for one night both Trump and Biden could be on the defensive. On the Republican side, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is polling close enough to Trump that an upset is within the realm of possibility, thanks to the state's unusual primary rules (more on that in a bit). Meanwhile, Biden isn't even on the ballot in New Hampshire's Democratic primary, which creates a possible opening for Rep. Dean Phillips' (DMinn.) and author Marianne Williamson's long-shot campaigns to score a win against the incumbent. Biden's supporters will have to write in the incumbent's name, but first they'll have to scroll through over a dozen other names (thanks to the state's famously democratic ballot qualification rules). Whether Biden wins or loses won't actually matter, though: New Hampshire's primary doesn't determine any delegates for the Democratic convention this year. That's a punishment handed down by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) after New Hampshire defied the DNC's plan to have South Carolina and Nevada vote first in this cycle. Bidenwho finished a distant fifth in New Hampshire four years ago before using South Carolina as a springboard to win the nominationproposed moving those other states ahead of New Hampshire and subsequently refused to participate in the primary when the state refused to give up its historical spot as the first to vote. One has to wonder if he'd have casually ignored the contest even if he was facing a serious challenger. The Republican race is more competitive, even if only barely. With Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis exiting the contest on Sunday, New Hampshire is a two-horse race between Trump and Haley. That makes New Hampshire the first test of the theory that Trump's hold on the party could be broken by a one-on-one contest. Working in Haley's favor is the fact that New Hampshire allows independent voters to choose to cast a ballot in either major-party primaryand roughly 40 percent of voters in New Hampshire are registered as independents. Since the Democratic race is uncompetitive, Haley is banking on grabbing a large share of the independent vote (including many would-be Democratic voters who might relish the chance to deal a blow to Trump). For Haley, this might be pretty close to a must-win situation. If she cannot win in New Hampshire (or in her home state of South Carolina, which votes on February 24), she will be hard-pressed to find any spot on the map where she could top Trump. For that matter, even if she does win on Tuesday, she faces an uphill battle to so-called "Super Tuesday" (March 5) and beyond. Adding to the potential weirdness in New Hampshire: A robocall that was reportedly received by some voters on Monday urging them not to participate in the election at all. "Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications," the New Hampshire Attorney General's office said in a statement. Next time, maybe the scammers will have the guts to urge voters to back Vermin Supremethe perennial presidential protest candidate whose name does appear on the Democratic ballot in New Hampshire this year. Barring a debilitating health or legal setback for the two frontrunners, a Trump vs. Biden rematch appears to be a near-certainty. If this primary season is going to deliver a shocking twist, however, we'll likely see it begin taking shape in tonight's results. The post New Hampshire Might Be the Only Competitive Primary in 2024 appeared first on Reason.com. (Bloomberg) -- US Representative Dean Phillips set low expectations for his long-shot campaign to upset President Joe Biden for the Democratic partys nomination in New Hampshire, saying anything less than 80% by the incumbent president who is running as a write-in should serve as a warning sign for Democrats. Most Read from Bloomberg An incumbent president who is known to every single voter in this state should receive 80% if hes strong. I dont think he will be, Phillips said at a Bloomberg News roundtable in Manchester, New Hampshire on Monday. Phillips, in his third term as a congressman from Minnesota, has defied his partys establishment with an insurgent campaign against the Democratic standard-bearer. Even a surprise upset victory against Biden in New Hampshire would be only symbolic. Biden is not campaigning in the state and isnt appearing on the ballot, although he will be a write-in candidate. Under rules that Biden pushed through the Democratic party last year, South Carolinas Feb. 3 primary is the first contest that can award delegates to the party convention. Despite that, Biden leads polls in New Hampshire as a write-in with 62.7% in the RealClearPolitics average, with Phillips trailing at 10.7%. The Biden campaign declined to discuss its expectations in New Hampshire, citing the Democratic rules prohibiting candidates from campaigning there at risk of losing delegates. President Bill Clinton received 84% in New Hampshire in his bid for a second nomination in 1996, and Barack Obama got 81% in 2012. But Lyndon Johnson got only 48% in New Hampshire in 1968 and decided not to run again, while Jimmy Carter got 47% and lost reelection. But Jim Messina, who was campaign manager for Obamas 2012 reelection campaign, said that prediction game is unfair, comparing Biden to incumbent presidents whose name appeared on the ballot. Messina noted that there are few examples in history of write-in candidates winning in state-wide races. Most recently, Senator Lisa Murkowski waged a successful write-in campaign to keep her Alaska seat in 2010 after she lost the Republican primary to a more conservative candidate. She won 39% of the vote in a three-way race and was reelected. But unlike Biden, Murkowski waged a hard-fought campaign that included education on how to write in a candidate and even how to spell her name. Joe Biden and his campaign arent even participating in an effort to write his name in for this one, Messina said. The simple fact is that Joe Biden is going to be the partys nominee. Representative Ann Kuster, a New Hampshire Democrat who is leading an independent effort to get voters to write in Bidens name on Tuesday, called the Phillips campaign ill advised and not well-timed. I think its unimpressive in terms of the campaign that he put together, she said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. Phillips said he will campaign in South Carolina regardless of Tuesdays result and would drop out only if the data showed there was no path to victory. I have every intention to support the Democratic nominee, period, he said. But he also wouldnt completely rule out a third-party run if he thought it was the only way to stop former President Donald Trump from returning to the White House. --With assistance from Joe Mathieu, Kailey Leinz and Jordan Fabian. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. By Rich McKay and Julia Harte (Reuters) - San Diego, renowned for its mild, sunny weather, was mopping up on Tuesday after the heaviest rainfall ever recorded in the city in the month of January, a deluge that washed away parked cars, flooded homes and closed a stretch of highway. Rain pounded San Diego at half an inch (1.3 cm) per hour on Monday as firefighters and lifeguards worked to rescue dozens of people from flash floods in a city often touted as having the most pleasant weather in the United States. Daniel Campos, the supervisor of Spill the Beans Coffee and Bagels in San Diego, said on Tuesday that the sky "just dumped rain" starting at midday on Monday, flooding the parking lot and forcing the shop to close early. "Water was bubbling up from manhole covers; it was crazy," he said. In a city where it is common to see Frisbees tossed for fun, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department posted a video on the X social media platform of a rescue team captain hurling a disc on a rope to a man clinging to a raft in a powerful current. The man was saved by the "solid throw of the save-a-life disc," the post said. "Nice work gentlemen!" Terrified homeowners waded through waist-deep water to escape their homes in some parts of San Diego, California's second-largest city by population, according to Fox Weather. The channel posted a video taken by resident Hugo Pacheco of himself and a woman struggling to reach higher ground. "The house I've lived in all my life just flooded," Pacheco said. "Scariest moment of my life." One elementary school reported that 3 inches (7.6 cm) of floodwater had accumulated in its classrooms. San Diego's mayor declared a state of emergency around 5 p.m. PST on Monday, urging residents to stay home and never travel on flooded roads. The storm drew moisture from the Pacific Ocean and dumped 2.73 inches (6.93 cm) of rain at San Diego's airport, cutting off traffic to the facility, before heading to Northern California, said David Roth, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland. Roth said the rainfall, which produced the city's fourth wettest day on record - not far behind the all-time record of 3.34 inches (8.48 cm) in 1854 - was "very unique." "They should be getting some rain this time of year, but not like this," he said. Daily rainfall during the city's wet season from December through March averages just .03 inch (.08 cm), and average annual rainfall is about 10 inches (25.4 cm), according to Roth. San Diego residents can start drying out on Tuesday, as no more rain is in sight, he said. (Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Julia Harte in New York; Editing by Frank McGurty and Jonathan Oatis) MONDAY 1/22/2024 9:26 p.m. (SECURITY-WIDEFIELD, Colo.) The 12-year-old who was missing from Security-Widefield has been found, according to EPSO. MONDAY 1/22/2024 6:15 p.m. The El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPSO) is asking the community for help locating a 12-year-old girl who walked away from home in the Security-Widefield area. EPSO said 12-year-old Enfity walked away from her home in the 7900 block of Woody Creek Drive, north of Mesa Ridge Parkway. She was last seen around 3:45 Monday afternoon, Jan. 22. Enfity is described as Hispanic, 5 tall, weighs 80 pounds with blonde hair and brown eyes. EPSO said she is possibly wearing a hoodie. EPSO said Enfity needs medication and is considered high risk. If you see her, or have any information on her whereabouts, you are asked to contact (719) 390-5555. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) Hernando County detectives asked for the communitys help in solving a 1972 cold case murder. In a Monday release, the Hernando County Sheriffs Office said they were looking for answers in the deaths of Peggy Joyce Shelton of Kentucky. Sheltons body was found in the area of High Corner Road and Cortez Boulevard in Brooksville on July 19, 1972. Deputies said the womans body was found wrapped in a Pineapple Damask bedspread. Photo provided by Hernando County Sheriffs Office Sheltons identity or origins were unknown for decades until Detective George Loydgren learned of a possible name after getting a tip from Othram Labs on Aug. 11, 2022. A month later, Othram Labs sent a kinship report that positively identified Shelton as the victim. The case is still unsolved, so detectives asked that anyone with information call Detective George Loydgren at 352-754-6830 or Hernando County Crime Stoppers at 1-866-990-TIPS (8477). For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA. Hundreds of people have lost their lives due to historic flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and hundreds of thousands more have been displaced and find themselves in desperate need of aid. Whats happening? The Congo River Basin is experiencing its worst flooding in over 60 years, reported Reuters, with floodwaters reaching 20 feet above sea level. In the capital city of Kinshasa, with a population of over 17 million (according to World Population Review), several densely populated neighborhoods have flooded. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), besides hundreds of thousands being without homes due to the floodwaters, millions more are affected, according to Voice of America. OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke said, Villages, schools, and health facilities have been flooded, and many water points and sanitation facilities are no longer functional. Many of the villages affected can only be reached by boat or canoe, making the necessary aid incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to deliver, reported Voice of America. Ferry Mowa, a hydrology specialist at the DRC riverways authority, warned in December that the flooding could be catastrophic. Mowa told Reuters at the time, It is imperative that people who live around the river move. Unfortunately, few had that option. Why the flooding in the Congo River Basin is concerning The flooding and the devastation its caused are concerning on multiple levels. According to OCHA (reported by Voice of America), the flooding was caused by above-average rainfall in central and eastern Africa over the last half of 2023. That follows the global trend of the average rainfall worldwide steadily increasing since the beginning of the 20th century. Some, including climate activist Ketsia Passou, believe the flooding is a result of the warming of the planet. Im not surprised to see that the water level is increasing to this extent, Passou told Reuters. What surprises me the most is the silence of the authorities in helping these families who are suffering the effects of climate change. On top of that, the DRC lacks the urban planning and infrastructure to handle such an event. The flooding has also made the issue of plastic pollution in the area impossible to ignore. Residents trying to escape in boats find themselves paddling through thousands of floating plastic bottles, sometimes so thick that you cant even see the murky floodwaters beneath them. Whats being done about the flooding? Raphael Tshimanga Muamba, the director of a Congo Basin research center, has called for a fund to help adapt to the changing planet and manage natural disasters in the future, Reuters reported. But as for the immediate help residents of the area need, it appears that the U.N. and the World Health Organization (WHO) are handling most of the relief efforts. The U.N. has allocated $3.6 million towards those efforts. Plans are being developed to get food and healthcare to those affected by the flooding. Laerke, the OCHA spokesman, has also appealed to the international community to help with additional funds. Join our free newsletter for cool news and cool tips that make it easy to help yourself while helping the planet. A former prison in Dutchess County. A psychiatric center in Queens. A pair of SUNY campuses on Long Island. Thwarted by state lawmakers last year in her quest to speed housing growth with local mandates, Gov. Kathy Hochul has cast about for state-owned properties where homes could be built as a new tactic to boost the supply and combat New York's chief affordability problem. 390 apartments under construction at 2 Clinton Park in New Rochelle. Thursday, February 16, 2023. In speeches this month, Hochul said her administration had identified spots that could yield as many as 15,000 housing units, a small share of what she said the state needs over the next decade to meet demand and tame soaring rents and house prices. She's backing it with state funds: In her budget last week, she proposed spending up to $250 million each of the next two years for the "redevelopment of underutilized sites." Those funds would be issued as grants and loans to buy the properties and for all aspects of the planning and construction. But details about where those 15,000 homes would be built are scarce. Hochul mentioned, in general terms, former prisons and "transit adjacent" sites as possibilities in her budget. But when asked by the USA Today Network for a list of targeted properties and its housing goals for each site, her office declined. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul presents her 2025 executive state budget in the Red Room at the state Capitol Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink) Still, a smattering of locations her administration is considering have trickled out in several ways. Hochul announced two initial target sites for housing last year. She mentioned another in her budget presentation this month. And buried in one of her budget bills were three other spots she wants hawk to developers. A spokesman for the governor said she'll gradually reveal which properties are being considered for housing as the state solicits bids for them from developers over the coming months. Here's what we know about locations targeted for new housing in New York. Fishkill prison: from cellblocks to housing tract? One of the first housing prospects announced by Hochul last July was a triangle of land next to Interstate 84 in the Dutchess County town of Fishkill. Stretched across its 80 acres are 34 empty buildings that used to form a maximum-security prison: Downstate Correctional Facility, closed since March 2022. The state solicited bids for the shuttered prison from developers and led a delegation of prospective buyers on a site tour two weeks later. Hochul's office told the USA Today Network that it closed the bidding on Sept. 27, but refused to say how many offers were made or how much housing the bidders proposed. Downstate Correctional Facility on April 6, 2022. The property is zoned for single-family homes on one-acre lots, limiting development to no more than 80 houses under those zoning rules, Fishkill Supervisor Ozzy Albra said. He said he was told two or three bids had been made but had heard nothing about the proposals. In theory, a zoning change or variance could enable many more homes to be built there. But Albra ticked off his concerns about allowing a large housing project, including limited water and sewer service and the potential need to build more schools. Plus, there is currently no firefighting service for that area, he noted. Downstate Correctional Facility was one of a dozen closed prisons across New York that a state commission studied for redevelopment prospects in a 2022 report. They are among 20 the state has closed as the inmate population has plunged in the last two decades. Three Long Island sites: SUNY campuses, state land One of Hochul's budget bills revealed three prospective housing sites on Long Island. Two are at state colleges. Hochul wants to allow SUNY trustees to lease for development 8.7 acres of unused land on the Farmingdale campus and 10 acres at the Stony Brook campus. 2024 plans: NYS Budget: Hochul proposes $2.4B for asylum seeker housing, services in $233B budget plan The third Long Island site is state-owned land next to a Long Island Rail Road station in the town of Babylon. The location beside the Pinelawn station is ideal for the sort of commuter enclave Hochul started promoting with her initial housing push last year. Big plans in New York City The Hochul administration revealed plans last month to welcome more than 2,800 homes to a 58-acre section of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center campus in Queens much to the chagrin of its neighbors, as the The City news site reported. That project alone makes up nearly one fifth of the 15,000 homes being sought on state properties. First attempt: How Kathy Hochul plans to speed home building in NY and the resistance she'll face In addition, the city solicited bids last year from developers for at least three prospective housing sites in Manhattan: a vacant, state-owned parcel next to the Javits Convention Center; and two former prisons, Bayview Correctional Facility and Lincoln Correctional Facility. (Plans for Lincoln are likely on hold because it's currently being used to house asylum seekers.) How else does Hochul want to expand housing? Last year, Hochul laid out bold plans to spur construction of 800,000 homes over 10 years, twice the pace of the previous decade. They included mandating housing growth rates for every municipality in New York and requiring zoning for dense housing near commuter train stations outside New York City. Those plans fizzled after suburbs rebelled against the mandates and state lawmakers tried to replace them with grant incentives for municipalities. This year, Hochul outlined a revised vision that included the use of state properties and a requirement that municipalities meet growth targets to qualify for certain state grants. She also revived elements of last year's plan pertaining strictly to New York City, such as the replacement of an expired tax program meant to foster new affordable housing. 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 housing hopes rests on building on state land. Where? What we know HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) Holland Hospital has announced its next CEO and president. Patti VanDort will take on the role of CEO, the hospital announced Tuesday. She has been serving as president since April 2022. Before that, she was the senior vice president of hospital operations. VanDorts career has spanned over 37 years, according to Holland Hospital. Holland Hospital CEO to retire after 22 years The role of president will go to Mark Pawlak, most recently the hospitals executive vice president. Pawlak joined Holland Hospital in 1998. Patti VanDort. (Courtesy Holland Hospital) Mark Pawlak. (Courtesy Holland Hospital) I am honored to steer the organization through this new era while ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality and compassionate care to our patients, VanDort said in a Tuesday release. Together with our exceptional team of skilled providers and dedicated staff, both Mark and I look forward to continuing to grow and advance our efforts to improve the health of the communities we serve. Last month, Holland Hospital announced that Dale Sowders, its CEO and former president, would retire at the end of January. VanDort and Pawlak will begin their new roles Monday. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Los Angeles police are searching for three home-invasion robbers who injured a resident and ransacked a Larchmont neighborhood home Monday night. The incident was reported around 9 p.m. in the 4800 block of Beverly Boulevard. A female victim reported someone knocked at the door and then pried it open as she was watching, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Lopez said. After gaining entry, the three male suspects demanded property and ransacked the home, Lopez said. The suspects then fled the scene in a dark-colored 4-door SUV. The victim was injured at some point during the robbery and taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition. It was unclear what type of injury she sustained. Police are investigating the incident and working to determine exactly what was taken from the home. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. For Virginia resident Jonathan Lockwood, the easiest way to get solar power for his home, despite a restrictive homeowners association (HOA), was to install Timberline solar shingles from GAF Energy, Energy News Network reports. A popular Reddit post about the incident noted that a Virginia law called the Property Owners Association Act protects homeowners right to install solar panels. The law is meant to forbid any requirements that will make a home solar system significantly more expensive or less efficient. However, the Property Owners Association Act includes a glaring exception: an HOA can restrict solar panel use if the recorded declaration for the association establishes such a prohibition. Lockwood and his remodeling companys account executive, Jim Hester, opted to avoid a legal battle with the HOA. Hester told Energy News Network, The HOAs can be brutal in Reston. If you put in the wrong color mailbox, they practically want to put you in jail. Thats why Lockwood and Hester chose the Timberline Solar Energy Shingle roof system, Energy News Network says. It blends in with a traditional asphalt shingle roof, with dark, layered panels that follow the slope of the structure instead of sticking up on a raised rack. According to Lockwood, It doesnt look like a contraption from a Mars colony, unlike the bulkier, traditional solar panels. Despite the systems stealth appearance, it produces 3.86 kilowatts, Energy News Network reports. Thats enough to cut the homes monthly energy bill in half, from around $150 to $74. The efficient, attractive system has been compared to Teslas solar shingles. GAF Energys vice president of product, Rey Holmes, is a former employee of Tesla and SolarCity, the company that originally developed Teslas system. Holmes told Energy News Network that Teslas solar shingles took a specially trained team two weeks to install. By contrast, Timberline solar shingles are easy to install in a single day, which makes it possible to roll them out on a wider scale. It has taken roof-integrated solar 12 to 13 years to eliminate those bottlenecks because, up until now, it has always been solar companies trying to make roofing, Holmes said. Here, its a roofing company making solar. Commenters on Reddit were skeptical about Timberline but enthusiastic about Lockwoods success in getting around his HOA. As one user said, HOAs are a crime. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet. Homeschooling is surging, as parents want more agency over their child's education. An estimated 4.7 percent of kids are now homeschooled, up from 2.8 percent in 2019, the most recent year reported by federal data. But with public school enrollment down by nearly 1.3 million students compared to pre-pandemic levels, some are taking notice and calling for more oversight. The Washington Post editorial board recently made that case, arguing, "It's not the average home-schooler policymakers should be worried aboutit's the child who is left far, far behind." In their view, "where there's no oversight, there's no guarantee that children will learn skills considered foundational in public education and essential to adult life." While more level-headed than many attacks on homeschoolers (Harvard Law School professor Elizabeth Bartholet's call for a presumptive ban comes to mind), the editorial misses the mark. Homeschool regulations vary across states, ranging from mandating subjects such as math and reading to demonstrating academic achievement on annual tests. New York has some of the most stringent laws, requiring parents to file quarterly reports, maintain hourly attendance logs, and submit annual instructional plans to their local school district, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association. Michigan, which has few regulatory hurdles for homeschoolers, is in the national spotlight as an example of homeschooling supposedly run amok. Critics point to the bone-chilling case of Roman Lopez, an 11-year-old boy who was locked in closets, beaten with extension cords, and eventually poisoned with table salts. They claim his father and stepmother, Jordan and Lindsay Piperwho each pleaded no contest to second-degree murder for Roman's deathtook advantage of lax homeschooling laws to hide their abuse from authorities. Likewise, the cases of Jerry and Tamal Flore and Tammy and Joel Brown have Michigan policy makers calling for more oversight. The two couples allegedly adopted dozens of children in a moneymaking scheme that involved "prolonged, routine and systemic mental and physical abuse," said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. According to her, homeschooling gave the Flore family cover to hide the abuse. "There has to be some sort of monitoring so that those children also benefit from those protections," she says. In response to the charges, state Rep. Matt Koleszar (DPlymouth) pleaded for action: "Michigan is one of only 11 states that doesn't count or register homeschooled children, and abusive parents are taking advantage of that to avoid being found out. It's time to support all Michigan students and change that. Michigan cannot allow this loophole to continue." These stories are horrifying, and registration requirements might seem like a reasonable step to protect kids from abuse. But it's unlikely any amount of regulations would have prevented these tragedies. In fact, they'd likely cause hardships for the vast majority of homeschool families who do right by their kids. For starters, the Pipers were reported to child protective services (CPS) by Lindsay's sister, Chanel Campbell, who suspected abuse in 2016. Despite multiple inquiries by Campbell, there were no records of CPS investigations into the matter, according to The Washington Post. For their part, the Flore and Brown families adopted or fostered nearly 30 children dating back to 2007, a highly regulated process that's overseen by the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS). In a bizarre twist, one of the defendants (Joel Brown) actually worked for MDHHS and allegedly used his expertise as a child advocate to hide the couples' actions. As it turns out, these stories aren't about homeschooling at all; the only common thread is incompetent government. All three families were already on the authorities' radar, and for years MDHHS couldn't detect an alleged child abuser within its own cubicles. In fact, The Washington Post's Peter Jamison admits, "The few studies conducted in recent years have not shown that home-schooled children are at significantly greater risk of mistreatment than those who attend public, private or charter schools." In other words, there's no evidence that homeschool abuse is even a problem to begin with. While homeschool regulations might not protect kids from abuse, they do increase administrative burdens, infringe on curricular choices, and subject families to harassment by government officials. In a particularly egregious case, a public school in New York reported a grandmother to CPS after she was a day late with the mandated paperwork. It's easy to see why many homeschool families are skeptical of any government oversight, even if it's just notification requirements. Instead of worrying about homeschoolers, policy makers should figure out why millions of students are leaving public schools in the first place. The post Homeschooling Parents Are No Threat to Their Kids appeared first on Reason.com. FILE PHOTO: Honduras former President Juan Orlando Hernandez is being transported to the U.S., in Tegucigalpa By Luc Cohen NEW YORK (Reuters) -A U.S. judge on Tuesday appointed a new lawyer to represent Juan Orlando Hernandez and delayed his drug trafficking trial a week after the former Honduran president claimed the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration sent a rabbi to "infiltrate" his defense team. Jorge Bar-Levy, a Florida resident who told Reuters he was ordained as a rabbi in 2019, said he helped Hernandez find a New York lawyer and get kosher meals in jail. But Hernandez says Bar-Levy was actually "enlisted" by the DEA, citing a public statement by Bar-Levy. "That is not a fair trial, judge," Hernandez said in a Jan. 18 court hearing. U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel on Tuesday appointed Renato Stabile as an additional lawyer to try the case alongside Raymond Colon, who has been Hernandez's main defense lawyer since his April 2022 extradition but has since said he is in poor health. Castel also pushed back the trial's start date to Feb. 12 in part due to Stabile's appointment. That came after the judge questioned Colon and Hernandez for an hour outside public earshot during a hearing in federal court in Manhattan. Hernandez, 55, was a key ally to the United States on immigration and anti-narcotics operations while leading Honduras from 2014-2022. But the Justice Department said he abused his power and ran the Central American country as a "narco-state" and took millions of dollars in bribes from cartels. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty. LAWYER COMPARES CASE TO 'NOVELA' At last Thursday's hearing, Colon said Bar-Levy met with Hernandez's family and reported information back to the DEA. Colon said he had also met Bar-Levy "many, many times." He compared the sequence of events to a melodramatic Latin American soap opera. "This turned into basically, as we say in Spanish, a novela," he said at the hearing. Castel ordered prosecutors to confer with the DEA. In a Jan. 19 letter, prosecutors acknowledged that Bar-Levy met with Hernandez's family and shared information with the DEA in 2020. But they said the DEA had no contact with Bar-Levy since then and called the claim the government directed him to infiltrate Hernandez's defense team "unfounded and incorrect." They said they shared documents pertaining to Bar-Levy with the defense in August 2022. PRESIDENT'S BROTHER CONVICTED Bar-Levy also acknowledged meeting with Hernandez's relatives in early 2020 and sharing information with the DEA. But he said he told Colon about those contacts in 2022, and disputed the claim that the DEA directed him to infiltrate Hernandez's defense. Bar-Levy told Reuters his initial meeting with Hernandez's relatives was shortly after the former president's brother Tony Hernandez was convicted on U.S. drug trafficking charges. He said the family thought he could help with legal troubles. Bar-Levy said he had alerted the DEA of the meeting so the U.S. government would not perceive him as a "collaborator" of a foreign government, but had not had contact with the agency since 2020. Bar-Levy said Hernandez asked him for help after he was arrested in Honduras in 2022. Bar-Levy said he referred the case to Colon, and later helped Hernandez get kosher meals in jail, but otherwise had no role in the defense. (Reporting by Luc Cohen in New York; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Stephen Coates and Leslie Adler) Trump attorney Alina Habba has faced her fair share of reprimand from the federal judge overseeing the former president's second defamation trial from writer E. Jean Carroll, earning 14 scoldings from the judge in just one day of court last week after making simple mistakes during the proceedings. But U.S. District Court Judge Lewis Kaplan has actually exercised restraint in his admonishment of Habba, a former federal judge told Business Insider. "I think Kaplan is being really measured under the circumstances in his reactions to both Trump and Habba," said John Jones, who served as a U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for more than 20 years. Kaplan "was really careful about not overreacting, and I don't think he overreacted to Habba either," Jones continued. "I think he's trying to send her signals, which is what a good judge does, about how to try her case and what to do, and she's just blowing past those signals." Jones added that Habba's behavior in the courtroom is playing to Trump's goal of making the proceedings chaotic. "It's an unprofessional and bad look," Jones told the outlet. "But I think Habba doesn't care about any of that. What she cares about is making Trump happy." That tactic, however, is likely to backfire, Jones argued, saying that Habba is "playing with fire" by prioritizing pleasing her client over respecting the judge. "The inescapable conclusion the jury members get is that she's run afoul the judge and that she's doing something wrong," Jones told Business Insider, adding that Habba not only lacks "a strategy and a clear defense, rather than to just be disruptive in court, but she's got an impossible situation with her client. So I mean, this is a horror show from a defensive standpoint." Sometimes stable housing is all it takes to save a family. Tom dearly loves his three daughters, all under the age of 8. Like many Mississippians, he works paycheck to paycheck to provide for his family. Last fall, his truck broke down and he couldnt get to his job as a maintenance technician. His paychecks stopped, and he fell behind on paying utilities. He and his family were about to be evicted. And if the family lost their house their children might have to go to foster care. However, thanks to a game-changing move by the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority VIII, families in South Mississippi, like Toms, may soon receive help. Paige McCormick At a recent press conference in Biloxi with Youth Villages, Hope Rising and the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it is awarding more than $375,000 to fund Family Unification Program vouchers for the region. This is a huge step for the state of Mississippis battle against homelessness. The vouchers are for: Families for whom the lack of adequate housing is a primary factor in removing children from the parents. Youth aged 18-24 who have exited foster care and are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The funding for these vouchers could not have come at a better time. In 2022, data showed that 165 children just in South Mississippis 14 counties (Covington, Forrest, George, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Jones, Lamar, Marion, Pearl River, Perry Stone, Wayne) were removed from their families, with the only reason being inadequate housing. Research shows that removing children from their homes causes trauma. It could take years and numerous mental health visits to overcome that impactful moment. There are reasons for removal, such as parental neglect, abuse and drug use. But for those families whose only issue is inadequate housing, the trauma suffered by the children isnt worth the emotional cost. There also is a monetary cost for Mississippi. It is estimated that when one child is separated from their family and placed in the foster care system, it costs Mississippi $40,000 annually. Mississippi has more than 3,800 children in its foster care system today. Do the math, and you can see the cost is astronomical. The funding from HUD for South Mississippi will provide 52 housing vouchers for children and families. That adds up to a little more than $2 million in savings for the state annually. More important than money, the vouchers help families not only find a house but also stay together. Then, Youth Villages can help the family with other challenges like a childs emotional or behavioral issues through our intensive in-home programs. Another group benefiting from housing vouchers are individuals who turn 18 in foster care and age out on their own. Our LifeSet program bridges the gap from foster care to adulthood, providing life skills and resources for those aged 18-24. One resource LifeSet provides is help in securing housing through Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) vouchers in the Tupelo and McComb areas. Through Tennessee Valley Regional Housing Authority, Tina was an FYI voucher recipient in Tupelo in early 2022. Tina lived in a group home most of her life and left after she turned 18. She also was pregnant and needed a lot of support. She received an FYI voucher, and we used our LifeSet program to teach her how to find housing and maintain the home during her pregnancy. The stories are real, and the impact these vouchers will make for families and youth in South Mississippi and across the state are real. This is a huge initiative, and Youth Villages is excited to join in this work. This is just the start. Our hope alongside Hope Rising and MDCPS is to expand initiatives and get more housing authorities on board to keep families together and be a force for them to live successfully. In doing so, we build communities for a stronger, better Mississippi. Paige McCormick is assistant director for Youth Villages Mississippi. She has been a champion for the nonprofits battle against homelessness in the state. Youth Villages is a national leader in childrens mental, emotional and behavioral health. The organization has more than 100 locations in 26 states and D.C., including 11 locations across Mississippi. For more information, go to youthvillages.org. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Housing vouchers keep MS families together The State Department this week relisted Yemens Houthi rebels as a global terrorist group after a wave of attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, including one earlier this month that saw an unmanned boat packed with explosives detonated 50 miles into heavily trafficked shipping lanes. Houthi fighters have regularly targeted merchant ships throughout the Middle East, but their use of an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, is part of a growing trend that threatens military and civilian vessels around the globe. Houthi fighters march during a rally of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against the U.S. strikes on Yemen outside Sanaa on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. We need to rapidly accelerate the deployment of new technologies that can thwart these kinds of attacks, to protect both our servicemembers operating in the region and the infrastructure of our global economy. Problems for US, Europe, China Make no mistake: This is a huge problem both for the U.S. and Europe and for China. We have already seen the cost of shipping from Asia to Northern Europe increase by 173%, and over 50% on routes from Asia to the U.S. Roughly 30% of all the worlds container shipping goes through the Red Sea. Rerouting those shipments adds up to two weeks to delivery times. Carriers have already diverted $200 billion in trade away from routes through the Red Sea. Fortunately, there were no casualties and no ships were damaged in last weeks attack. Nevertheless, U.S. military officials spearheading a joint security initiative in the region have rightly raised concerns about the development. The wave of missile attacks in recent weeks suggests this will not be an isolated incident. Both nation-states and global terrorist groups have combined the asymmetric warfare techniques employed by groups like al-Qaida in the USS Cole bombing in the early 2000s with emerging, autonomous technologies to create serious headaches for naval leaders and commercial sailors using contested waters. Besides the recent explosion in the Red Sea, Houthi rebels a few years ago used a USV to attack a Saudi frigate killing two sailors and last year, Ukrainian forces used sea drones to attack ships in Crimean and Russian ports. If heavily guarded Russian ports prove vulnerable to sea drone attacks and a Houthi USV can travel undetected for 50 miles in one of the most surveilled bodies of water in the world, U.S. naval leaders are correct to be concerned about the threats these autonomous maritime weapons pose to the countrys fleet. Thankfully, however, there are emerging technologies that can help protect Washingtons valuable maritime assets both in port and at sea. Just as terrorist groups are employing new autonomous technologies, maritime forces around the globe must use them to better monitor, detect and mitigate these types of threats. In recent years we have seen huge advances in the abilities of unmanned, autonomous systems to support a wide array of missions and capabilities from security and perimeter defense at ports to monitoring and detection that provide real-time data processing and transmission capabilities critical to actionable intelligence. More perspective: Hamas still holds my American son hostage in Gaza. Every day has been a living nightmare. This is why the US Navy must embrace emerging technologies By combining these technologies with more traditional naval capabilities, we not only improve the Navys ability to protect its valuable assets but also allow it to be a better global partner and keep commercial and allied vessels safe when traversing contested waters. Luckily, we are already seeing this start to play out with the Navys Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which the U.S. and an undisclosed number of other nations are using drones and artificial intelligence capabilities to ramp up patrols in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Another promising sign is the Navys announcement this week of the new Task Force 59.1, focusing on the deployment of unmanned systems teamed with manned operators to bolster maritime security across the Middle East region. Operation Prosperity Guardian and Task Force 59.1 are great steps toward fully using the capabilities of these technologies. We must accelerate this effort and implement it on a global scale to tackle a variety of security issues, including countering Chinese aggression in the South China Sea and tackling the issue of illegal fishing in ocean waters. The use of autonomous surface vehicles and advanced buoy systems when linked with data from undersea, air and ground systems can give naval commanders a panoptic view of an operational area and allows them to identify any anomalies or threats quickly and effectively. This is not some far-off dream, but actual technology built primarily in the United States that can be deployed right away to keep the maritime interests safe. As the recent Houthi attacks clearly indicate, our nations enemies are evolving and adapting to emerging technologies, and it is imperative that we do the same. Joe Digger DiGuardo, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, is the senior director of government strategy at Ocean Power Technologies, based in Monroe Township, New Jersey. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Houthi rebel attacks: US must adopt new technology to stop attacks (Bloomberg) -- A US-based human-rights watchdog has cast doubt over Senegalese authorities pledge to hold free and fair elections next month amid a crackdown on dissent and the targeting of opposition leader Ousmane Sonkos supporters. Most Read from Bloomberg Hundreds of opposition figures, journalists and civil society members have been arrested across the country since 2021, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Monday, citing opposition parties and civil society groups. President Macky Salls promise to hold free and fair elections is at odds with the reality that the authorities have been filling prisons for the last three years with hundreds of political opponents, Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at HRW, said. The spate of arrests began in 2021 after concerns grew that Sall might run for a third term and Sonkos detention on accusations of rape led to violent protests, HRW said. It estimates that since March 2021 at least 37 people have been killed during violent clashes for which it said theres been no accountability. Abdou Karim Fofana, a government spokesman, refuted the reports claims saying Senegalese democracy is a reality contrary to what the HRW tries to make people believe. The report fails to address the oppositions role in the protests, he said in a text message in response to questions. There are no political prisoners, Fofana said. People have been arrested for calling for insurrection and investigations into the protests are ongoing, he said. Sonko, seen as the main challenger to Salls chosen successor Prime Minister Amadou Ba, was acquitted on the rape charges last year, but found guilty of engaging in misconduct with a youth. In July, he was accused of fomenting an insurrection because of the protests and is currently in prison awaiting trial. Last week, the Constitutional Council disqualified the firebrand politician from the presidential race citing the Supreme Courts decision earlier this month to uphold his six-month suspended prison sentence for accusing Tourism Minister Mame Mbaye Niang of embezzlement. His supporters believe authorities have targeted Sonko to prevent him from contesting the elections. The 49-year-old former tax inspector has said the charges are politically motivated. The government has denied the claim and prohibited public gatherings for security reasons. Sall has ruled out running for a third term. Sonkos exclusion from the vote may incite further popular unrest in a country that data from the International Monetary Fund shows is poised to be one of the worlds fastest-growing economies this year as it readies to become an oil and gas producer. Sonko previously said he is backing Bassirou Faye, the secretary general of his now-dissolved Pastef party, who was retained on the list of final candidates that can run for office next month. Faye, who was arrested in April, is also in prison and faces several criminal charges including one connected to a message criticizing magistrates posted on his Facebook page. (Updates with the death toll from clashes in paragraph four. An earlier version removed reference to the number of dead in paragraph seven.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. A letter written in Ukrainian was allegedly sent to the e-mail address of the Hungarian Embassy in Ukraine threatening Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto with death on the eve of his upcoming visit to Uzhhorod, Hungarian news outlet Index reported on Jan. 23. Read also: Preparations underway for Uzhgorod meeting between Yermak, Kuleba, and Szijjarto "Hungarians, we hate your government, which continues to do everything possible to make us lose the war," said the letter. Do you think that your minister will be able to just come here after the attacks on Ukraine? The Hungarian Foreign Ministry has responded to the letter. According to Tamas Menczer, the Hungarian State Secretary, the threat "will not deter Peter Szijjarto from representing Hungary's interests." "Those who think that the Hungarian foreign minister is scared do not know Peter Szijjarto," the Hungarian Foreign Ministry spokesperson wrote. Read also: Kyiv presents Budapest with plan to stop Hungarian minority dispute blocking Ukraine's EU bid Those who believe that we will be broken by threats and pressure have no idea about Hungarians, they do not know us. We still want an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, peace talks, and peace! There is no solution on the battlefield, only dead people. Peace requires a ceasefire and negotiations. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and the head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak will reportedly meet with Szijjarto in the Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod on Jan. 29. The talks will continue the recent political contacts between the two countries. Key topics of discussion will be the organization of a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to promote decisions important to Ukraine in the European Union and the development of bilateral relations, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said. Zelenskyy said on Dec. 19 that he had never spoken to Orban about a ceasefire or negotiations with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Orban said on Dec. 21 that he had received an invitation from the Ukrainian president and accepted it. 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 Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, speaks to media ahead of an EU Summit. Orban said he has sent a letter inviting his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to discuss Sweden's NATO membership bid. -/EU COUNCIL/dpa Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he has sent a letter inviting his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, to discuss Sweden's NATO membership bid. "Today I sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson for a visit to Hungary to negotiate on Swedens NATO accession," Orban wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Hungary and Turkey are the only members of the 31-nation alliance that have yet to approve Sweden's request to join. Orban's message came on the same day that the Turkish parliament is scheduled to vote on Sweden's accession. In Hungary's parliament, the vote is now only a formality as the relevant committees have already gave the green light. But the final vote has been repeatedly postponed at Orban's instigation, out of anger at criticism from Stockholm about the state of the rule of law in Hungary. Orban has said that Hungary and Turkey are not working together to stall Sweden's application, but that each government had its own concerns. FILE - Hungary's Prime Minister Victor Orban briefs the media in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 10, 2020. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's accession into the NATO military alliance, Orban wrote Tuesday Jan. 23, 2023, in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File) BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's accession into the NATO military alliance, Orban wrote Tuesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The invitation comes as Hungary and Turkey remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Sweden's bid to join the alliance. Admission into NATO requires unanimity among all member countries, but more than a year of delays in Budapest and Ankara have frustrated other allies who want to expand the alliance amid Russia's war in Ukraine. Orban, a right-wing populist who has been lukewarm in his support for neighboring Ukraine and maintained a friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has long promised that Hungary would not be the last NATO member to ratify Sweden's bid. Last month, the Turkish parliaments foreign affairs committee approved Sweden's accession protocol, moving the Nordic country one step closer to joining the alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted his opposition to Sweden's membership last year in response to efforts by Stockholm to tackle supporters of Kurdish militants and other groups in Sweden that Ankara views as security threats. Erdogan has also openly linked Swedens NATO membership to Ankaras efforts to purchase U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, and has called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey. While Orban says his government supports Sweden's admission into the alliance, he claims that lawmakers from his governing Fidesz party remain unconvinced because of what he called blatant lies by Swedish politicians about the condition of Hungarys democracy. Neither Orban nor his senior officials have indicated what kind of redress they require from Stockholm to allay their reservations over Sweden joining the military alliance. In his letter to Kristersson, Orban wrote that a more intensive political dialogue" could contribute to reinforcing the mutual trust between Sweden and Hungary, and invited his counterpart in Stockholm to exchange views on future cooperation in the field of security and defence as allies and partners." Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom declined to say Tuesday whether Kristersson would accept Orban's invitation. We must first think through what the letter signals, Billstrom said. What we hope is, of course, that Hungary will ratify the membership as soon as possible. Sweden and Finland abandoned their decades-long neutrality and sought membership in NATO amid heightened security concerns following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland became NATOs 31st member last year after Hungary and Turkey were the last two countries to ratify its bid. Unless an emergency session of Hungary's parliament is called to debate the matter, its next scheduled assembly is expected on Feb. 26. ___ Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark, contributed to this report. BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Tuesday he had invited his Swedish counterpart to visit and negotiate his country joining the NATO military alliance, a process that Hungary and Turkey have delayed. Asked about the invitation, a spokesperson for Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a text to Reuters that Stockholm had not yet decided how to respond. "Today I sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson @SwedishPM for a visit to Hungary to negotiate on Swedens NATO accession," Orban said on the X social media platform. No specific date was proposed for the visit. The aim of the visit would be "to build trust", Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told reporters on Tuesday. "Political and security cooperation needs unconditional trust," he added. Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022 in a historic shift in its security policy prompted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February that year. But Turkey and Hungary both raised objections, holding up a process that requires unanimity among NATO's member countries. Finland finally joined last year but Ankara pressed Stockholm to toughen its stance on members of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) based in Sweden, which the United States and the European Union as well as Turkey deem a terrorist group. Turkey's parliament was set to approve Sweden's NATO application later on Tuesday and President Tayyip Erdogan was expected to sign it into law in the coming days. That would leave Hungary as the last country to ratify Swedish membership, a position that Orban's government has said it wants to avoid. British foreign minister Lord David Cameron, in a post on X, said he had discussed with Orban on Tuesday "the importance of Sweden's swift accession to NATO, making Allies safer, NATO stronger and the Euro-Atlantic area more secure". Hungary and Turkey both maintain better relations with Russia than other members of the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization. (Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Anita Komuves in Budapest, Simon Johnson in Stockholm, writing by Jason Hovet, Editing by Alex Richardson and Gareth Jones) A man wanted in connection with the 1991 killing of his wife was extradited earlier this month from Costa Rica, putting an end to his more than three decades on the run, officials said in a news conference Monday. Jose Lazaro Cruz was arrested in Costa Rica in 2022 and brought back to Fairfax County, Virginia, earlier this month to face trial in the 32-year-old murder case, police said. It is unclear if Lazaro Cruz has an attorney. CNN reached out to the Commonwealth Attorney for Fairfax County and the Fairfax County Public Defender Office for information about his legal representation. On April 30, 1991, Fairfax County police officers responded to a call of a stabbing and found Ana Jurado, 24, dead in the street from trauma to her upper body, according to Eli Cory, Fairfax Countys deputy chief of investigation. Lazaro Cruz was Jurados then-estranged husband and was identified as the alleged killer by police, but he fled, according to Cory. First, Lazaro Cruz tried going to Canada but was refused entry due to using falsified documentation, Cory said, adding border agents said they noticed what appeared to be a fresh cut on his hand at the time. After being unable to get into Canada, Lazaro Cruz evaded authorities by traveling to Houston, Texas, and is believed to have used a smuggler to get out of the country, eventually going to El Salvador, according to Cory. Cory said at the time, El Salvador did not have any mechanisms or policies in place to extradite him to the United States. The country eventually amended its constitution in 2000, allowing for the extradition of Salvadoran nationals. Jurado was the mother of three young children. Her 3-year-old and 7-month-old daughters lived with her in the US and her 4-year-old son lived in El Salvador at the time of her death. While official charges are still being sorted, Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said this case is not a traditional cold case because Lazaro Cruz was identified right away, he was just on the lam. On July 29, 2022, Lazaro Cruz was arrested while trying to enter Costa Rica, according to Cory. Lazaro Cruz remarried and had several children since the 1991 killing and definitely started a whole new life in El Salvador, according to Cory. He is currently in the Fairfax County Correctional Center awaiting trial. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An Illinois-based tech company's CEO lost his life in a freak accident while celebrating the firm's anniversary, according to CBS affiliate WBBM-TV. Sanjay Shah, CEO of Vistex, passed away due to injuries sustained in an accident during the silver jubilee celebrations of the firm at Ramoji Film City in India, the Times of India said. The president of the company, Raju Datla, was also seriously injured, police told the publication. Vistex had arranged for its employees to stay at Ramoji Film City and organized a two-day celebration for its 25th anniversary. According to a company representative who spoke to The Times of India, the event where Shah and Raju were lowered from a cage onto the stage was a planned stunt to start the festivities. A video posted by the New York Post showed that during celebrations on Thursday evening, Shah and his colleague Datla entered an iron cage that was intended to be lowered from an undisclosed height. Video showed one of the chains breaking, causing both individuals to fall with one of the men landing head-first on the ground. The incident remains under investigation, police said Monday. Sanjay Shah, founder and CEO of Vistex, Inc., plunged to his death during a grand on-stage entrance at a company party. "Suddenly, one of the two wires attached to the cage snapped. Both plunged more than 15 feet and landed on the concrete dais," police told the Times of India. "This caused multiple injuries." Medics rushed them to a hospital before the pair were moved to a corporate hospital, where they were in critical condition. Shah injured his leg and hand, while Datla suffered a severe head injury, CBS reported. Shah died at the hospital, and Datla was listed in critical condition on Monday, CBS reported. What is Vistex? Vistex is an Illinois-based revenue-management company with clients including GM, Barilla, Bayer, and Coca-Cola. The company's website positions the firm as "a trusted partner" for businesses looking to optimize their revenue streams. More about Shah and Datla Shah created the Vistex Foundation and Institute for Executive Learning and Research at Lehigh University. He also established the Vistex Foundation, providing grants to non-profits for health, education, and basic needs programming. In addition, Shah opened Vistex Hospital in Bihar, India, providing primary and secondary health services to marginalized communities. According to the company's website, Datla has been a part of Vistex since 2000 and has significantly contributed to developing and broadening the firm's Solution Delivery capabilities. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Vistex CEO falls to death at the suburban-Chicago firm's anniversary Staffing agencies a fast-growing industry that employs nearly a million Illinoisans are not exempt from the states antitrust law, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled late last week. The decision comes 3 years after Attorney General Kwame Raoul sued a trio of staffing agencies, alleging they used their mutual client to coordinate no-poach agreements, which created a secondary agreement to pay temp staffers less than the market rate. In a unanimous 20-page opinion published Friday, the justices quoted a 1979 U.S. Supreme Court opinion that said some agreements are so plainly anticompetitive that they are conclusively presumed illegal without further examination under the rule of reason generally applied in (antitrust law) cases. And the case before the Illinois Supreme Court, the justices said, was no different. The alleged agreement falls squarely within the realm of conduct so clearly anticompetitive that it violates antitrust laws without further examination under the rule of reason, Justice P. Scott Neville wrote for his colleagues. The three companies at issue Elite Staffing Inc., based in Chicago, Midway Staffing Inc. and Metro Staffing Inc., both headquartered in Chicago suburbs all had contracted with a construction company also located in the suburbs. Elgin-based Colony Display LLC designs and builds display models and custom furniture for commercial properties like motels, grocery stores and restaurants. While the company operates in seven states, Colony manufactures, assembles and houses most of its furniture in three Illinois facilities. The vast majority of Colonys workforce is temporary. According to court records, at any given time the company employs approximately 75 to 100 full-time employees, compared with between 200 to 1,000 temporary workers, the original complaint alleged. The staffing agencies contracts with Colony gave the company sole discretion over hiring, firing and assigning workers. And, the lawsuit alleged, the staffing agencies began to take advantage of that setup as early as 2018, communicating with each other via Colony. For example, many Midway employees wanted to switch to Elite because they were not happy working for Midway; they cited pay issues and a lack of communication and support from their employer, according to court records. In response, Midway Staffing allegedly asked Colony for assistance in squashing the transfer of employees, resulting in Colony informing Elite Staffing that hiring other agencies employees was bad practice and wasnt allowed. Elite Staffing then produced its own policy to Colony, which the company then forwarded on to Midway Staffing, thus enforcing the no-poaching policy, according to Raouls office. In a settlement reached just before oral arguments on the related cases in November, Colony agreed to pay out $1.2 million to compensate the temporary workers impacted by the no-poach agreements. But the staffing agencies went ahead with their appeal to the court, claiming their business models exclude them from the states Antitrust Act, basing their legal arguments on a 1980s update to a key definition in the law. The law prohibits restraint of trade that decreases competition between persons engaged in commerce and trade, and then further defines commerce and trade as all economic activity involving or relating to any commodity or service. The staffing agencies point to that 1980s-era update that defines service as anything that isnt a commodity. The definition also stipulates that service doesnt include labor which is performed by natural persons as employees of others. While the justices acknowledged the language of the law was ambiguous, Neville wrote that they must look back in history to determine the purpose of the exclusion for services. The court looked back at 1960s-era commentary from the Chicago Bar Associations Committee on Antitrust Law, which had a hand in drafting the Illinois Antitrust Act, as well as an article by one of the laws big proponents, Northwestern University law professor and leading antitrust expert James Rahl. Combing through the historical record, Neville wrote, the justices found the exemption was written solely for the benefit of labor unions. Like the bar committee, Rahl emphasizes the need to exempt legitimate union activity from the reach of the Illinois Antitrust Act and the correlative exemption for agreements between employers in the course of negotiations with unions, Neville wrote. No source concerning the purpose of antitrust laws suggests that the legislature meant to leave competing employers free to collude with each other to reduce the wages they pay to their employees or to collude to prevent workers from switching to better jobs. In a statement Friday, Raoul praised the justices decision. The Illinois Supreme Court has confirmed that Illinois Antitrust Act prohibits agreements among employers to restrict worker mobility and fix wages, Raoul said. I am pleased with this important result. My office will continue to enforce Illinois statutes to protect the rights of workers to seek better employment opportunities, wages and benefits, which allow them to support themselves and their families. A view of the sky with one dotted blue circle toward the top center and a dotted red art to the middle left. An intergalactic ring-shaped superstructure of galaxies and galaxy clusters so large it defies explanation has been discovered. This is a structure that lives so deep in the universe that we see it as it was some 9.2 billion years ago. The huge superstructure, nicknamed the "Big Ring," spans 1.3 billion light-years in diameter and has a circumference of about 4 billion light-years. It is also close to another immense superstructure, the " Giant Arc in the Sky ," which is actually even larger with a diameter of 3.3 billion light-years. The Giant Arc sits at a similar distance to us in the constellation of Bootes, the Herdsman. Alas, these superstructures are far too faint to be seen with a backyard telescope. In fact, both superstructures were discovered in observations performed by the 2.5-meter telescope of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey at Apache Point in New Mexico, U.S. by Alexia Lopez. Interestingly, Lopez, a Ph.D. student at the University of Central Lancashire in the U.K., spotted the galaxies in these superstructures not because they are bright, but rather because they absorb some of the light emanating from more distant quasars . Quasars are the extremely luminous interiors of active galaxies; they're powered by supermassive black holes. "Identifying two extraordinary ultra-large structures in such close configuration raises the possibility that together they form an even more extraordinary cosmological system," said Lopez in a statement . Related: Galaxy shapes can help identify wrinkles in space caused by the Big Bang The Big Ring isn't actually even a ring it's coiled sort of like a slinky. Plus, we see it edge-on. Still, the problem with the Big Ring and the Giant Arc (and other similar superstructures, for that matter) is they defy cosmological theory. According to theory, all structures in the universe can be traced back to what's known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation the so-called "fireball of the Big Bang " that scientists observe filling the universe . During the first 300,000 years of cosmic history, the universe was a sea of dense plasma that is, atomic nuclei and free electrons. Waves crashed through this plasma, with matter bunching up at the peaks and becoming more sparse in the troughs. Scientists call these waves baryonic acoustic oscillations, or BAOs. However, after those 300,000 years, the temperature of the universe cooled sufficiently to allow atomic nuclei to soak up most of the electrons and form complete atoms. You might say that the cosmic plasma ocean "dried up"; cosmologists call it the "epoch of recombination." Without the electrons that constantly scattered photons, light was able to pass unhindered through the universe for the first time. This is what we detect as the CMB. The CMB is mottled with subtle temperature variations that correspond to regions of greater and lesser density. This is the imprint of the final acoustic waves that rippled through the plasma before the epoch of recombination. The peaks of the waves mark what we describe today as the "cosmic web of matter," and it was at these peaks where galaxies, and galaxy clusters, began to form. A graph with black dots strewn all over. "One possibility is that the Big Ring could be related to baryonic acoustic oscillations," says Lopez. "[These] arise from oscillations in the early universe and today should appear, statistically at least, as spherical shells in the arrangement of galaxies. However, detailed analysis of the Big Ring revealed it is not really compatible with the BAO explanation: the Big Ring is too large and is not spherical." Cosmological theory suggests that the largest structures in the form of chains of galaxies and galaxy clusters that BAOs could form should be, at most, 1.2 billion light-years in length. Yet, the circumference of the Big Ring and the length of the Giant Arc dwarf this constraint. To put into context how immense these superstructures are, the Giant Arc is one-fifteenth the radius of the whole, visible universe. There are other huge superstructures in the universe too, such as the Sloan Great Wall, which is 1.37 billion light-years across and about a billion light years away from us. The South Pole Wall of galaxies is a more recently discovered structure; it's 1.4 billion light-years in length. Then there is the ClowesCampusana LQG (co-discoverer Roger Clowes is also Lopezs PhD advisor), which is a huge group of quasars spread across two billion light-years. We see these ancient quasars as they were some 9.5 billion years ago. The Laniakea Supercluster, of which the Milky Way is a part, is tiny by comparison at just 520 million light-years across. There are also hints of even larger structures; the "dark flow" represents the apparent motion of many galaxies in the visible universe. This motion seems to flow in a preferred direction, as though something over the cosmic horizon were pulling the galaxies one way. However, the strength of evidence for the dark flow is controversial, with some astronomers disputing its existence in general. Nonetheless, these superstructures are so large that not only is it difficult to understand how they formed, but it's also hard to decode how they break the Cosmological Principle, a central tenet of the Standard Model of Cosmology. This principle states that, on large scales, the distribution of matter in the universe should be even and that no region should look substantially different from any other region. But clearly, the superstructures, and particularly the Big Ring and the Giant Arc, hugely stand out. "Neither of these two ultra-large structures is easy to explain in our current understanding of the universe," said Lopez. "And their ultra-large sizes, distinctive shapes and cosmological proximity must surely be telling us something important but what exactly?" Related Stories: Life might have been possible just seconds after the Big Bang Bubble of galaxies spanning 1 billion light-years could be a fossil of the Big Bang Mysterious radio source in heart of ancient star cluster might be a rare black hole One possibility is that the structures are hinting at exotic forms of currently known physics, or perhaps even new physics. For example the Nobel Laureate Sir Roger Penrose , who is a professor emeritus at the University of Oxford, has suggested a model called Conformal Cyclic Cosmology to describe a cyclical universe. Per this model, evidence for gravitational waves from previous eons of the universe could manifest as giant ring-shaped structures in the CMB. Penrose's model has not proven popular among cosmologists, but could the Big Ring and Giant Arc give it a worthy shot? Another possibility is that the superstructures are evidence for cosmic strings , which are hypothetical one-dimensional defects in spacetime believed to have formed during the Big Bang. Cosmic strings could potentially stretch across billions of light-years, yet be narrower than the width of a proton. It has been suggested that if cosmic strings exist, they could affect the clustering of matter. "The Big Ring and the Giant Arc, both individually and together, gives us a big cosmological mystery as we work to understand the universe and its development," concluded Lopez. Lopez presented the findings at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society . [Source] India's stock market capitalization has surpassed Hong Kong's for the first time, making the South Asian nation the fourth-largest equity market globally. Indias growth: As of Mondays close, India's stock market capitalization reached $4.33 trillion compared to Hong Kong's $4.29 trillion, reported Bloomberg. The surge in Indian equities is attributed to a growing retail investor base, strong corporate earnings and the country positioning itself as an alternative to China. India's stability, consumption-driven economy and demographic advantages make it an attractive investment destination. Chinas challenges: China, facing challenges like anti-COVID-19 measures, regulatory crackdowns, a property-sector crisis and geopolitical tensions, has seen a historic slump in its stock market. Foreign investors are reportedly redirecting funds from China to India, with global pension and sovereign wealth managers favoring the South Asian nation. Significant decline: Chinese and Hong Kong equities have been experiencing significant decline, with their total market value dropping by over $6 trillion since 2021 peaks. Hong Kong has lost its status as a top venue for initial public offerings due to a lack of new listings. Trending on NextShark: Model of Ukrainian descent becomes Miss Japan 2024, sparking debate The best long-term investment: Although UBS Group AG anticipates a turnaround in 2024, momentum currently favors India as over $21 billion in foreign funds flowed into Indian shares in 2023, contributing to the countrys eighth consecutive year of gains for the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex Index. According to Goldman Sachs strategists, there is a clear consensus that India is the best long-term investment opportunity. Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A suspect wanted for homicide in Indiana was arrested on Friday after a traffic stop, according to the Lebanon Police Department. The investigation began Friday, Jan. 19 after Lebanon police received information from officers with the Fort Wayne Police Department about a homicide suspect who may have been in the area. Police searching for suspect vehicle after semi driver killed in East Nashville During the investigation, officers were able to locate the suspects vehicle traveling on Leeville Pike. According to Lebanon police, officers performed a high-risk traffic stop on Martha Leeville Road off Highway 109. The vehicle reportedly stopped, and one of the individuals inside was confirmed to a suspect wanted for homicide in Indiana, authorities said. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime news from Middle Tennessee After the arrest, detectives executed a search warrant at a residence related to the case to recover additional evidence. Additional details about the case were not immediately released. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. A non-residential building in Kyivs Pecherskyi district was targeted during Russias massive missile attack early in the morning on Jan. 23, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported. Emergency services are heading to the scene, he said. One person was injured, a house was damaged, and parked cars caught fire in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district in the Russian attack. Read also: Rocket debris hits high-rise apartment, kindergarten as Russia attacks Kyiv early on Jan. 23 morning There were several calls to emergency services in Kyivs Solomyanskyi district, Klychko added. Air raid alerts blared out across various Ukrainian oblasts in response to the potential use of cruise missile launches from Tu-95MS aircraft on Jan. 23. Explosions could be heard in a number of oblasts, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. At least five people have died and at least 40 were injured in the attack, reported Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko. Read also: 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 The Russian missile strike on Kyiv on the morning of Jan. 23 left 22 people injured and caused damage to 28 sites, Ukraine's Interior Ministry reported at 5:45 p.m. local time as rescue operations ended. Russia launched a series of missile strikes on the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, and Sumy oblasts in the early morning, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 70 others. According to the Interior Ministry, four of those injured in Kyiv were children, and 12 injured people were hospitalized. In total, 55 people were evacuated and rescued from the affected buildings. Psychologists working for the emergency services provided help to around 80 people. One woman was thought to have died but was resuscitated and is being treated in an intensive care unit, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said earlier in the day. The emergency services received 176 reports of explosions and fires in Solomianskyi, Pecherskyi, and Sviatoshynskyi districts, the Interior Ministry said. Almost 200 emergency service workers and 40 pieces of equipment were deployed to 20 locations. Residential buildings, a medical facility, educational institutions, and cars were damaged. According to Klitschko, an unexploded missile warhead was found in an apartment in Sviatoshynskyi district. The residents of the apartment building were evacuated. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Oleksandr Novikov, former head of Ukraines National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP), on public officials asset declarations, corruption around military recruitment, and international sponsors of the war in Ukraine. NV Radio interviewed Novikov on Jan. 15. NV: Your four-year term of office as the NACP head expires on Jan. 15. Does that make you sad? Novikov: Im proud of the result that the NACP team managed to achieve in these four years. Im sure this is a team that is able, together with other anti-corruption bodies and honest authorities, to make Ukraine an honest country, free of corruption. Thats why Im proud, not sad. NV: For a while, the asset declaration register has been closed due to the war. How do you think it affected the work of Ukraines anti-corruption system in general? Read also: Ukrainian MPs and their asset declarations NV analysis Novikov: A total of 90% of Ukrainian citizens, or even 100%, are NACP allies in overcoming any corruption practices, and 100% of journalists are also allies. Obviously, the lack of a public declaration register doesnt let us work together with you as much as possible to detect any cases of bribery, any cases of corruption, and most importantly to make it impossible to make use of any ill-gotten wealth. The declaration register exposes ones wealth to citizens, which means there is no point in abusing your official position. Of course, the lack of public declarations has greatly reduced our ability to detect illicit assets. NV: Now that the register is open, can you give us a few examples of declarations that surprised you, inviting a deeper scrutiny of how some officials might have accrued their wealth? Novikov: I cannot name specific declarations. We, as a state authority, can only talk about the results of inspections. As of today, several dozens of full declaration audits have been initiated based on NACPs work. The agency may announce the conclusions on Feb. 10. What did this system show? It showed that, unfortunately, in the previous period (and in this period, Im sure, the results will be the same) NACP identified cases of illegal enrichment or unsubstantiated assets in more than 1,000 declarations out of 800,000. Unsubstantiated assets are defined as wealth not backed by legal income, up to UAH 8 million ($210,944), while illegal enrichment of more than UAH 8 million is a crime. Together with our colleagues from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office (SAPO), we collect up to UAH 8 million through the court, and if its over UAH 8 million, [we collect] together with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), or other law enforcement agencies, along with confiscation of property and criminal prosecution. NV: How does this scrutiny work? Is it done by an algorithm of some sort, or do people have sift through huge swaths of data? Novikov: The NACP team did something incredible during the [first] year of the war. If NACP had access to only 39% of the data specified in the declaration and other registers before the war, today the agency is the declarant itself, because we give these data to the declarant to fill out the declarations, have access from 79% to 82% data. This allows, firstly, to automatically check up to 30% of declarations and issue certificates of financial integrity to officials. We did this before the new year and issued 156,000 such certificates. Read also: How can Ukrainians appeal for mobilization exemptions on health grounds In fact, what we saw during the checks is that over 90% of officials (and thats why our state is so stable) are honest and work in the public interest. All others who didnt specify the relevant information in the declaration or who specified more property than earned income [could justify], are graded by the system according to a certain list of risks. We start checking such officials from the first suspicious declaration. In one example, a person declared UAH 200 million ($5.2 million) in cash, while he and his wife earned UAH 6 million ($161,087) during their lifetime. Obviously, this suggests illegal enrichment. NV: Please clarify about 156,000 certificates, do they refer to potentially dishonest officials? Read also: MP Boykos family owns $2 million apartment in downtown Moscow Novikov: These 156,000 certificates (were issued) before the new year, and now its 178,000. On the contrary, its about honest officials. By the way, you can go right now to the declaration register and take a look. Its indicated opposite their names that the declaration has passed an automated check, and you can see a green check mark. I want to explain why we do this. In fact, the ultimate goal of anti-corruption bodies is to build a culture of integrity. Its precisely not to divert resources to investigating honest people that we have created an automated verification procedure. And they are the majority in Ukraine. NV: The system determined that 178,000 are honest officials, out of over 800,000 declarants. Thats a rather modest number. Novikov: So far, not all 800,000 declarations have been submitted for the previous year, but only about 600,000. We hope this figure will reach over 200,000. That is, 30% will receive such certificates. Read also: Political scientist explains why the Ukrainian conscription system failed And the discrepancies are not always explained by some corruption offences. In 99% of cases, this is not related to corruption. Those declarations that show large amounts of cash fail to pass an automated check as we have to ask the declarant where this large amount of cash comes from. Declarations with accounts opened abroad also fail to pass the check. Currently, many women with children who work for the state have submitted declarations while living abroad. Whoever has property abroad, we have to check the circumstances of acquiring such property. And many similar cases. Id like to add the fact that some officials passed an automated check, received a certificate of financial integrity, doesnt mean that NACP cannot check these declarations. If you, Dmytro, or your fellow journalists or citizens suddenly see that the declaration has indeed passed an automated check, but the person drives a car that is not in the declaration, or uses the house, let us know and well run a full audit on them. NV: And what to do when a person tells you and me on camera that they rents a house for UAH 100 ($2,63) a month? Novikov: Good question. NACP knows how to respond to such cases. I would like to remind you that two weeks ago, the chairman of the Supreme Court was found guilty of receiving a gift in the form of renting a house at an undervalued price, based on the protocol I drafted. He paid UAH 1,000 ($26,37) in annual rent for an apartment in downtown Kyiv. Clearly, that is not a legitimate market rate. And the court recovered from him compensation for this illegal gift worth UAH 1 million ($26,368). NV: Is it still widespread to try and hide some of your assets by transferring them to relatives, friends, bodyguards, and so on? Novikov: Such schemes are very active. I would say theyre not only used by politicians, but also by law enforcement officers. There are already several court decisions on the recovery of such assets from officials, in particular from judges. In total, we handed over 31 materials to SAPO for the confiscation of such property registered to other persons. Read also: Ukrainian scheme to evade conscription uncovered by State Bureau of Investigations One of the materials even concerns an employee of the Office of the Prosecutor Generals internal security unit. Unfortunately, our colleagues from SAPO refused to file a lawsuit in that case. He registered an apartment in his 89-year-old grandfathers name. Today, I once again signed an appeal to the SAPO head. I hope hell file a lawsuit on this fact. Because a person who monitors the integrity of prosecutors cannot own property registered to other persons without appropriate legal income. NV: Is it possible to somehow interfere with the automated inspection system? Novikov: Before being appointed as the NACP head, I had worked in the prosecutors office for 16 years and eight years in the Office of the Prosecutor General. Interference with the external independent testing system, which enables students to enroll in universities for free, was one of the big cases where I led the investigation. With this experience, I came to NACP and thats why weve built a system that provides logging of any operations in the risk analysis system. Therefore, Im sure that malicious tampering is impossible. If someone tries to interfere, it will be recorded. Russia attacks us every day, every week, trying to get access to our data. Therefore, NACPs cyber security system is top-notch. NV: What can you say about corruption risks in the work of military recruitment centers and military medical commissions? Novikov: We found there are anomalies in the recruitment centers in Poltava and Kyiv oblasts, which indicate the existence of corruption schemes in some medical commissions. Because these are obvious anomalies that arent related to diseases, etc. We provided the government, the Defense Ministry, and the Health Ministry with specific recommendations on how to make [corruption] in the military medical commissions impossible. Read also: Ukraines security service dismantles scheme aiding draft dodgers to flee to Transnistria These recommendations included clearly defined the lists of diseases that dont guarantee an exemption from military service, a unified approach to appointing military medical commission members, deadlines for making final conclusions, and unified payment procedures for military and civilian doctors involved. To date, those have not been implemented yet. We hope the government, the Defense Ministry and the Health Ministry will soon resolve this issue. We wont have such situations as with Mr. [former Odesa military commissar Yevhen] Borysov, employees of the Lviv or Dnipropetrovsk military medical commissions or recruitment centers, when they clearly benefited from corruption schemes, as evidenced by the detected cases of their illegal enrichment. NV: Do you think these recommendations can be included in the mobilization bill? Novikov: Unfortunately, the government had failed to send us the mobilization bill [for feedback], which led to the parliamentary Committee on Anti-Corruption Policy directly noting the presence of corruption risks in it. If such a bill is submitted (and the law provides for it, the government simply violated the procedure by not sending us this bill), I hope all these recommendations will be included in the bill, following NACPs advice. Otherwise, well get even more corruption. The tougher the punishment, the tougher the work of recruitment centers and military medical commissions, the bribery there will be. These corruption risks can be managed only by building systems where all decision-making criteria are properly defined, where recruitment centers employees receive a decent salary. Im sure that more than 90% of them are honest. NV: NACP launched a list of international sponsors of war. How did it work? Novikov: Six large transnational corporations have already left Russia thanks to this mechanism. And this is the only tool of geopolitical influence on transnational corporations on the part of Ukraine. This is a long-range economic weapon, a reputational one, which reduces Russias financial capabilities, as well as a technological weapon because Western business is about new technologies. Read also: Ukraine declares Xiaomi Corporation international sponsor of war Those were three Greek logistics companies, the largest global paper producer Mondi, the largest Indian diamond producer, the Irish Peninsula Petroleum. But these are the only ones that have exited the Russian market after we put them on the list. There are dozens more companiesand I cannot name themwhich have left Russia out of fear of being included in this list. They are large transnational corporations, operating in every country around the world. Just last week, one of the Chinese companies requested a meeting with NACP to provide us with documents confirming withdrawal from Russia. 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 Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A City of Portland-owned forklift, an excavator and a bulldozer were damaged in an act of arson earlier this month at the site of a future temporary shelter site for the homeless, authorities announced Monday. Portland police said Portland Fire & Rescue firefighters were called to the scene on North Portland Road just before 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 7 for a report of a fire at a city-owned property in the St. Johns neighborhood. Mayor Ted Wheelers office confirmed to KOIN 6 News the property is the future site for a temporary homeless shelter, which was announced in October 2023. Last known Green River Killer remains IDd nearly 40 years later Investigators say the arson, which was first reported by The Oregonian/OregonLive on Sunday, caused tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage to the equipment. This event has not impacted the development of the property for a Temporary Alternative Shelter Site, a spokesperson told KOIN 6 News in an email. The Mayors team has continued holding neighborhood meetings and moving the process forward. Photos of the damage and a surveillance camera still of at least one suspect were released by authorities. Portland police say city-owned construction equipment was damaged in an arson in North Portland on Jan. 7, 2024. (Credit: Portland Police Bureau) Portland police say city-owned construction equipment was damaged in an arson in North Portland on Jan. 7, 2024. (Credit: Portland Police Bureau) Investigators released this surveillance image shot of a potential suspect in the arson at a city-owned property in St. Johns on Jan. 7, 2024 (Credit: PPB) Investigators released this surveillance image shot of a potential suspect in the arson at a city-owned property in St. Johns on Jan. 7, 2024 (Credit: PPB) Anyone with any information about the fire investigation is asked to reach out to Portland police and PF&Rs Fire Investigation Unit. The investigation is ongoing. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Welcome to Investigative Stories from Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent's newsletter that walks you through the most prominent investigations of the past week. If you are fond of in-depth journalism that exposes war crimes, corruption, and abuse of power across state organizations in Ukraine and beyond, subscribe to our investigative newsletter. If you enjoy this newsletter, consider joining our membership or supporting us with a one-time donation. Start supporting independent journalism today. Kyiv Independents exclusive ______________________________________________ Apparent Russian disinformation group posing as ex-president Poroshenko Prankers allegedly aligned with the Russian state stole the identity of Ukraines former President Petro Poroshenko to target the countrys International Legion soldiers in a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Kyiv Independent uncovered in its recent investigation. Those impersonating Poroshenko lured foreign fighters into a conversation by making them believe that Zelenskys predecessor and political rival was building a personal security battalion and wanted to hire them as officers. The pranksters soon shifted the conversation to try to make soldiers give away Ukraine's armys front-line weaknesses and insult Zelensky personally. Read also: Suicide missions, abuse, physical threats: International Legion fighters speak out against leaderships misconduct The email address used to communicate with the fighters had already popped up in another disinformation attack, which was allegedly orchestrated by provocateurs Vladimir Kuznetsov and Alexey Stolyarov, known as Vovan and Lexus. The two have made a career of tricking famous people into making damaging statements on phone and video calls, which they record and release to the public. Though they deny allegations of links to the Russian government, Vovan and Lexus receive substantial media support from the Kremlin, such as airtime on state TV. In a series of Zoom calls with foreign fighters that took place in early January, the pranksters used old doctored footage of Poroshenko from 2022, Kyiv Independent found. During the call, the host posing as Poroshenko called Zelensky a dictator and encouraged the foreign fighters to make incendiary statements against the president, according to the recording of the call. Read also: Investigation: International Legion soldiers allege light weapons misappropriation, abuse by commanders This attack highlights a disinformation threat in Russias war against Ukraine, as well as potential operational security vulnerabilities among foreign fighters. Three legionnaires the Kyiv Independent spoke to admitted that morale issues and low pay in some units have made the International Legion more susceptible to such attacks. Read the full story here. Crackdown on press freedom ______________________________________________ Increasing attacks on journalists signal a weakening state of freedom of speech in Ukraine Investigative journalists in Ukraine came under two attacks in just the past week. Both violated privacy and aimed at discrediting media workers who routinely watchdog officials and expose corruption and abuse of power. In one case, on Jan. 14, strangers paid a visit to the home of a prominent journalist, Yurii Nikolov, best known for flagging corruption in Ukraines public procurement in the defense sector. Aggressively banging on the journalists door, the visitors demanded Nikolov to open, shouting insults like traitor, Kremlins bitch and draft dodger. Upon leaving, the attackers left stickers with insults on the journalists door. Footage from the scene immediately appeared on the anonymous Telegram channel Kartochnyy Ofis, allegedly linked to the Presidential Office, according to the journalist. On Jan. 16, two days after the incident at the doorstep of Nikolovs apartment, another attack on a Ukrainian media outlet took place. A little-known website posing as a news site released a video featuring a few staff members of Bihus.Info, a prominent investigative media outlet, apparently using drugs at a company party in a hotel near Kyiv. The video featured recordings of the staffers phone calls. Bihus.Info later said that hidden cameras had likely been installed in every hotel room they used, as well as in the hotels sauna that the team rented out. Unknown men rented out the rooms for the nights before and after the teams party, according to the hotel. Bihus.Info also said that judging from the released recordings, their phones had been tapped for months. Both incidents evoked public outcry and are generally perceived as an attempt at a crackdown on the media to discredit investigative journalists. Law enforcement started investigations into both incidents. Read also: Recent campaigns against journalists raise concerns about press freedom in Ukraine On Jan. 19, the National Police said it opened criminal proceedings into obstructing journalist work over the threatening visit to Nikolovs home, the penalty for which ranges from a fine to four years in prison. Two days later, the Kyiv City Prosecutors Office said it identified the individuals who threatened Nikolov, without naming them, and searched their homes. No one has officially been named a suspect in this case yet. As for the surveillance of the team members of Bihus.Info, both the National Police and State Security Service (SBU) opened criminal proceedings into the matter. The SBU investigates the alleged illegal use of surveillance while police probe interference in the private life of journalists. On Jan. 18, President Volodymyr Zelensky called pressure on journalists unacceptable. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Flu season sees spike in drug production 08:44, January 23, 2024 By Liu Zhihua ( China Daily Employees work at a drug production line in Yantai, Shandong Province, on Jan 9. XU SUHUI/XINHUA The surge in demand for respiratory disease medications in China has prompted significant output increases among major drugmakers, and industry experts foresee an increasing need for such remedies in the coming days. However, there is no danger of drug shortages nationwide, thanks to the country's pharmaceutical production capability and unlikelihood of panic buying among consumers, they said. Since the start of the winter, China has seen a rise in acute infectious respiratory diseases, with the prevalence of multiple pathogens amid the ebbs and flows of infection spikes. While influenza cases are currently at high levels, Liu Tonghua, former deputy president of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, said that it is possible that people will see repeated infections of one or multiple pathogens simultaneously. "Winter and spring are usually peak seasons for respiratory diseases, and the natural immunity of recovered people can only work against the pathogens they overcome for limited durations. They may also contract illnesses from different pathogen variants," Liu said. "In addition, people's ability to fight off infectious respiratory diseases may decline following repeated infections." Lei Zhenglong, chief of the epidemic control and prevention division of the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said at a recent news conference that COVID-19 infections in China might rebound to a certain degree around the time of the Spring Festival holiday, due to a flurry of travel and large family gatherings. According to online healthcare platform JD Health, sales of flu medication surged 340 percent and 13 percent, respectively, in the first 12 days of January compared with numbers for the same periods in November and December. The first week of the year also saw sales of cold drugs, analgesic medicines and cough suppressants all surge by double-digit percentages from the last week of 2023, according to 111, Inc a digital healthcare platform. China National Pharmaceutical Group Corp, or Sinopharm, told China Daily that it has been proactively adjusting production plans and supply measures, including storing sufficient quantities of raw materials for traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) in advance. Sinopharm's flagship respiratory disease products include Chinese patented drugs such as Jizhi Syrup and Sinusitis Oral Liquid, which are produced by its subsidiary Taiji Group. The company said its production lines for two key products have been running 24/7 to ensure daily output of Jizhi Syrup of 6,500 boxes and 1,000 boxes of Sinusitis Oral Liquid. Meanwhile, relying on its national pharmaceutical distribution networks, Sinopharm has also ramped up efforts to accelerate the pace of drug distribution and enhance storage management to avoid shortages. Since December, it has delivered more than 323,300 boxes of Jizhi Syrup and more than 44,200 boxes of Sinusitis Oral Liquid nationwide to places including Beijing, Shanghai, and Jiangsu and Guangdong provinces. Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche maker of innovative influenza drug Xofluza said it has mobilized overseas supply chain resources to ensure stable quantities of the product in China, following a recent demand surge from both hospitals and pharmacies. The company is also expanding the drug's entry into more Chinese hospitals, while cooperating with online healthcare platforms like JD Health, to facilitate drug accessibility for the general public. Currently, the drug is available in more than 1,600 hospitals across China. Sichuan Good Doctor Panxi Pharmaceutical Co Ltd also said its output of Kanggan Granule, a signature TCM cold treatment, increased roughly 37 percent year-on-year in the past three months, to around 2.04 million packs a day. Wen Jianguo, factory head of the company, said: "We see many large trucks waiting in line to load products every day at our warehouse. We have established special working groups on raw material procurement, logistical support and services supply, and organized workers into three shifts per day to produce drugs day and night to meet market demand at the fastest pace possible." In addition, the company anticipates its daily production capacity will expand more than fivefold, as its smart factory will start operations soon. The latter is being built with an investment of 637 million yuan ($88.52 million) and covers an area of around 115,333 square meters, Wen said. Experts said that enterprises can increase production and enhance distribution very quickly due to China's pharmaceutical industrial and supply chains' breadth and agility, and there is little chance for drug shortages. "The production of relevant drugs has increased quickly with supply of raw materials being stable, and people are not likely to hoard drugs out of panic this time," said Zhou Mi, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. "In addition, medical resources from other parts of the country will arrive very quickly if there are shortages of some drugs in some regions, making widespread shortages of pharmaceuticals unlikely," Zhou added. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Zhao Leji met with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), on Tuesday in Beijing. Zhao, who is also Chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that China views and develops its relations with Laos from a strategic perspective, and is ready to work with Laos to build a high-quality, high-level and high-standard China-Laos Community with a Shared Future for the new era based on the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the CPC and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the two countries. Zhao said the NPC of China is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the Lao National Assembly and LFNC, exchange experience in governance, promote democracy and the rule of law in their respective countries, promote practical cooperation between the two countries, and help build a China-Laos community with a shared future. Sinlavong, who is also a politburo member of the LPRP Central Committee, said Laos firmly adheres to the one-China principle and is willing to work with China to push for the continuous development of Laos-China relations. Sinlavong said the LFNC is willing to contribute to promoting the mutually beneficial cooperation and enhancing the friendship between the two peoples. Zhao Leji, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, meets with Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune, president of the Central Committee of the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) Hamas has reportedly rejected an Israeli proposal for a two-month ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages held by the terror group. A senior unnamed Egyptian official told the Associated Press that Israel had proposed the pause in fighting to allow for the more than 130 captives to be freed, in return for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Top Hamas leaders in Gaza would also be allowed to relocate to other countries under the plan, according to the official. But Hamas rejected the proposal, insisting that no more hostages will be released until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws its forces from Gaza entirely, the official said. Neither Israel nor Hamas have publicly commented on the ongoing negotiations. Egypt and Qatar - which have brokered past deals between Israel and Hamas - were developing a multistage proposal to try to bridge the gaps, the official said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said there will not be a full Palestinian state or a surrender in exchange for hostages, putting his administration at odds with the path US President Joe Biden has put forward. 04:08 PM GMT Today's blog is now closed Thats all from us today. We will be back tomorrow with the latest from the crisis in the Middle East. Here is a round-up of the days most significant news: Rishi Sunak has said that the British government is not seeking confrontation with the Houthis but will continue to respond until the Red Sea attacks cease, as he addressed parliament following a second round of US-UK strikes in Yemen. The Prime Minister did not rule out a sustained military campaign in Yemen but said that the decision had not been made. Hamas is reported to have rejected an Israeli proposal for a two-month ceasefire that would see them release all of the hostages and allow their senior leaders to relocate abroad. A senior Egyptian official told AP that Hamas insisted it will not release any more hostages until Israel has withdrawn from Gaza. Qatar has said that both sides are sending replies and to be wary of news reports. Palestinian health officials said that Israeli tanks were directly firing at Nasser Hospital, the largest remaining functional hospital in Gaza as the Israeli military announced that it had encircled Khan Younis. Footage showed persistent gunfire hitting the top of the building. Yesterday it was reported that as Israel pushed deeper into Khan Younis it stormed one hospital and placed another under siege. Israelis mourned the loss of 21 soldiers who were killed in a Palestinian attack that caused two buildings to collapse, which marked the IDFs biggest single loss since the war began. At least 190 Palestinians were killed in the same 24 hour period. Hezbollah fired a barrage of drones and missiles at Israels Meron airbase for the second time this month, causing what the Israeli army described as slight damage to the sensitive air traffic control base. Hezbollah claims that Meron is the only centre for surveillance and air control in northern Israel. The IDF said the incident is under further investigation. New Zealand announced that it is sending a six-member team to join an international maritime security coalition in the Red Sea. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the countrys defence personnel will contribute to protecting ships in the Middle East from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere. 04:07 PM GMT Britain will continue to strike Houthis if provoked, Sunak says The UK is not seeking a confrontation in Yemen but will continue to strike against the Houthis if attacks on global shipping continue, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said. Addressing parliament on the second round of American-British airstrikes against Houthi targets overnight, Mr Sunak said: We are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks. But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defence, he added. We cannot stand by and allow these attacks to go unchallenged. Inaction is also a choice. I believe it is the wrong one. The Prime Minister said that there was evidence that the first round of strikes was effective in degrading Houthi capabilities and that there is initial evidence of the second round hitting its intended targets. The continued Houthi attacks that have followed near-daily US attacks against them have stoked fears of the US and UK ending up in an open-ended conflict with the Houthis. Challenged on how this will end, Mr Sunak said that the UK has not made a decision to enter into a sustained military response but strikes taken in self-defence will continue alongside diplomatic efforts to stop the attacks. 03:29 PM GMT In negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Qatar is receiving 'constant replies' Qatar said it is engaged in serious discussions with Israel and Hamas and is receiving constant replies from both sides, but added that statements made by Israeli officials leads to a harder mediation process, Majed Al-Ansari, the foreign ministry spokesperson, said in a press conference today. Obviously when one side says they dont accept the two state-solution and that they wont stop this war... obviously it leads to a harder mediation process, Al-Ansari said. Our negotiators are working around the clock to exchange these ideas, a lot of these media reports are either missing elements or completely false, he said as rumours swelled of Israel offering a two-month ceasefire deal that was rejected by Hamas. 03:18 PM GMT From safe zone to safe zone: further displacement for Palestinians Internally displaced Palestinians move along the coastal road after the Israeli army demanded residents of Khan Yunis camp to leave and go to Rafah camp near the Egyptian border, southern Gaza Strip, 23 January 2024 03:09 PM GMT Risk of 'pockets of famine' in Gaza remains says WFP The World Food Programme said today that very little food aid had made it beyond southern Gaza since the start of the conflict with Israel, and pockets of the Palestinian enclave remained at risk of famine. Its difficult to get into the places where we need to get to in Gaza, especially in northern Gaza, WFP spokesperson Abeer Etefa told Reuters. I think the risk of having pockets of famine in Gaza is very much still there. Northern Gaza was cut off altogether from external aid for weeks earlier in the conflict, while some aid entered the south from Egypt. Etefa said there was a systematic limitation on getting into the north of Gaza, not just for the WFP. This is why were seeing people becoming more desperate and being impatient to wait for food distributions - because its very sporadic, she said. They dont get it frequently, and they have no trust or confidence that these convoys will come again. A U.N.-backed body said last month that Gazas entire population was facing crisis levels of hunger, with the risk of famine increasing every day. 02:43 PM GMT Six Palestinians killed in UN shelter in Khan Younis yesterday At least six displaced Palestinians were killed in a UN-run shelter in Khan Younis as Israel strengthened its advance on Gazas second city yesterday. According to the head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, many others were injured when one of the organisations largest shelters was hit yesterday. Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues, he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 02:31 PM GMT Pictured: Israelis mourn soldiers lost yesterday in IDF's biggest single loss of war Israelis mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Major Ilay Levy who was killed when two buildings collapsed after Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. There were 21 soldiers killed in the incident, according to Israeli media. - Ilia Yefimovich / Avalon Israelis mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Major Ilay Levy who was killed when two buildings collapsed after Palestinians fired anti-tank missiles at the troops. There were 21 soldiers killed in the incident, according to Israeli media - Ilia Yefimovich / Avalon Israeli troops carry the coffin of fellow soldier Ilay Levy during his funeral at the military cemetery in Tel Aviv, on January 23, 2024, after he was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. - OREN ZIV/AFP via Getty Images Fellow soldiers mourn during the funeral of Israeli soldier Ilay Levy at the military cemetery in Tel Aviv, on January 23, 2024, after he was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. - Oren ZIV / AFP 02:11 PM GMT Israeli tanks firing at Nasser hospital in Gaza, Palestinian health ministry says The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Tuesday the Israeli army fired directly at a hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis, where civilians are caught amid heavy fighting. Israeli tanks are firing heavily on the upper floors of the specialised surgery building and the emergency building of Nasser hospital, dozens expected wounded, a ministry statement said. The White House last night called on Israel to protect innocent civilians as Palestinian officials said that the Israeli military had stormed one hospital in Gaza and placed another under siege. Nasser hospital was the only major hospital still accessible in Khan Younis and is the largest hospital still functioning in Gaza. Videos shared overnight as the IDF completed its encirclement of Khan Younis showed chaos and bloodshed in the overwhelmed hospital. 01:41 PM GMT Hezbollah caused 'slight damage' to Israel's Meron airbase, IDF says We reported earlier that Hezbollah announced that it attacked Israels Meron airbase for the second time this month. According to The Times of Israel, the IDF has now admitted that slight damage was caused to the sensitive air traffic control base. Hezbollah claims that Meron is the only centre for surveillance and air control in northern Israel. The IDF said the incident is under further investigation. 01:35 PM GMT Strikes against the Houthis a 'success' says Shapps I want to thank all members of the Armed Forces involved in last nights operations against Houthi targets. Their dedication, professionalism and skill made the operation a success, degrading the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of pic.twitter.com/5213mEnCXw Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 23, 2024 01:17 PM GMT 'Why are we so sure Houthis will get the message?': Sunak challenged over Houthi strategy As Rishi Sunak addresses parliament on the overnight strikes on Yemen, he has been challenged with the one question that most Yemen analysts have asked over the past two weeks: Why are we so sure Houthis will get the message? Stephen Flynn, the Westminster leader of the SNP, said that the constant bombardment that the Saudi-led coalition put the Houthis under as they tried to oust them over much of the past decade did not defeat the group or its ability to launch attacks. To do nothing would also be a choice, Mr Sunak said in response. I believe it would be the wrong choice. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak addresses parliament on the second round of American-British airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen. 01:09 PM GMT PM address parliament on Yemen strikes The American-British strikes carried out against Houthi targets overnight are just one part of a wider response Rishi Sunak has said, addressing parliament on the strikes. The Prime Minister said that the government is working to increase diplomatic engagement in the region, is working to interrupt the supply of arms, and to cutting off Houthi finances. Anyone who glorifies the Houthi attacks will be met with a zero tolerance response, he said, claiming that they are glorifying terrorism. New sanctions will soon hit the Houthis, he said. Were going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthis financial resources, where they are used to fund these attacks, Sunak told parliament. We are working closely with the United States on this and plan to announce new sanctions measures in the coming days. 12:26 PM GMT Qatar warns of 'big danger' after latest Houthi strikes Qatar has warned of big danger in the Middle East after a second round of joint American-British airstrikes hit Houthi targets in Yemen overnight. Mediation efforts on ending the war in the Gaza Strip are ongoing, Qatars foreign ministry spokesman added in a press briefing. 12:03 PM GMT Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza evacuates Gaza Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza, who has become among the most prominent of those documenting life in Gaza during the war, has today become the latest to evacuate Gaza. In an Instagram post to his 18 million followers he apologised for making the decision to leave. I had to evacuate for a lot of reasons you all know some of it but not all of it. Thank you all... Pray for Gaza, he captioned the video. Hopefully, soon, Ill be able to come back and help to build Gaza again, he said as his friends helped him to take his press-marked flak jacket off. Israel has banned the entry of foreign journalists into Gaza, besides during embeds with their forces, leaving the weight of documenting the destruction of Gaza to Palestinian journalists. 11:42 AM GMT Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances unable to reach the wounded in Khan Younis Urgent : Continued gunfire from the Israeli drones targets anyone moving around Al-Amal Hospital. PRCS ambulances are unable to reach the injured in Khan Younis governorate.#NotATarget #Gaza #IHL PRCS (@PalestineRCS) January 23, 2024 11:21 AM GMT In a Gaza hospital, another child born an orphan The baby of Hanadi Abu Amsha, who died as a result of Israeli attacks, is being treated after it was taken by caesarean section and brought to the newborn intensive care unit in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital of Deir al-Balah, Gaza on January 22, 2024. The baby, whose family was not heard from, is orphaned due to Israeli attacks. - Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images 11:18 AM GMT Britain 'backs warnings with action,' says Lord Cameron Lord Cameron has said the UKs part in new allied strikes against Houthi targets was designed to send the clearest possible message to the Iran-backed rebels that we back our words and our warnings with action. Since we last took action 10 days ago, there have been over 12 attacks on shipping by the Houthis in the Red Sea, the Foreign Secretary said on Tuesday. These attacks are illegal, they are unacceptable. What we have done again is send the clearest possible message that we will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks while sending the clearest possible message that we back our words and our warnings with action. His remarks came after the Houthis vowed to take revenge for a second round of US and UK air strikes on targets inside Yemen, warning every aggression will be met with a response. It marked the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory attacks on the rebel groups missile-launching capabilities after weeks of attacks on vessels in the Red Sea region. 11:14 AM GMT Hezbollah says it has again hit Israel's Meron airbase In a statement Hezbollah has said that it this morning targeted Israels Meron airbase in response to the recent assassinations in Lebanon and Syria and the repeated attacks on civilians and homes in Lebanon. The group said that it used a large number of suitable missiles and achieved direct hits. It is the second time this month that Hezbollah has hit the Meron airbase. The previous attack was in response to Israels assassination of senior Hamas leader Saleh al Arouri in Beirut. Hezbollah claims that Meron is the only centre for surveillance and air control in northern Israel. The IDF has not immediately commented. 10:32 AM GMT Fly Baghdad sanctioned by US over links to Iran's military wing The US last night sanctioned Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO, alleging assistance to Irans military wing and its proxy forces across the Middle East. Fly Baghdad denied the US allegations and said it would take legal action to demand compensation for losses resulting from the sanctions as it is clear that the decision was based on misleading and false information and cannot stand before the law. Iran has long been suspected of using aerial transport to move weapons, particularly into Syria, where they are then transported by pro-Iran militias to Hezbollah in Lebanon and other proxy forces. In the new sanctions, the Treasury Department said Fly Baghdad and CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani have provided assistance to Irans military wing and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. 10:15 AM GMT Pictured: British-American operations against the Houthis RAF Armourers (Weapon Technicians) prepare a Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4. Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have conducted precision strike operations against Houthi military targets in response to further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. - Leah Jones/MoD This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft preparing to launch from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during flight operations in the Red Sea, Jan. 22, 2024 - Kaitlin Watt/U.S. Navy via AP 09:57 AM GMT Gaza death toll continues to grow The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said today that at least 25,490 people have been killed in the Palestinian territory since the war began on October 7. The latest toll included 195 fatalities in the past 24 hours, a ministry statement said, while at least 63,354 people had been wounded in total. 09:40 AM GMT More than 4,500 Israeli soldiers being treated in Israel MoD rehabilitation centre More than 4,500 Israeli soldiers and members of security forces are currently being treated at the defence ministrys rehabilitation centre, Limor Luria, head of the rehabilitation department at the MoD told the Israeli Knesset. According to Luria around 60 more people, mostly male reserve soldiers under 30, are being added to that number every day. Currently 4,544 soldiers, reservists and security force members are being treated. Since October 7, twice as many patients entered the defence ministrys rehabilitation wing than in the entire of 2022, Luria told the Israeli Knesset, according to a readout of the presentation in Israeli media. 09:24 AM GMT 'We will not stop fighting until absolute victory,' Netanyahu vows after IDF's biggest single loss Israel will not stop fighting until absolute victory, embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this morning, following the loss of 21 one soldiers in the IDFs deadliest incident in Gaza since the ground invasion began. The IDF has launched an investigation into the disaster. We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors, he said in a statement. In the name of our heroes, for our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory. 09:17 AM GMT Israeli military encircles Khan Younis, leaves devastation in its wake The Israeli military overnight said it completed its encirclement of Khan Younis, where residents said that the attacks from air, land and sea were the most intense since the war began. The besieging of Khan Younis has now left most of Gazas 2.3 million residents penned into Rafah, near the Egyptian border, and Deir al Balah in the central part of Gaza. Palestinian officials yesterday said that as Israel advanced into the west of Khan Younis, they stormed one hospital and put another under siege, cutting off the wounded from medical care. Israeli troops advanced for the first time into the al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean Coast, west of Khan Younis. Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra said that they were arresting medical staff. Around 13,000 people are estimated to be sheltering in Al Amal hospital, which according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society was yesterday surrounded, with ambulances stopped from providing support in the area. At Nasser Hospital, the only major hospital still accessible in Khan Younis and the largest still functioning in Gaza, video showed the trauma ward overwhelmed with wounded being treated on a floor splashed with blood. The IDF says that Khan Younis is a major Hamas stronghold. Yesterdays ground operations were reported to have killed at least 45 Palestinians, including women and children. 98 . , 7 , >> pic.twitter.com/6zak4sCu5D (@idfonline) January 23, 2024 08:54 AM GMT Pictured: British-American operations against the Houthis This image provided by the U.S. Navy shows an aircraft launching from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) during flight operations in the Red Sea, Jan. 22, 2024 - Kaitlin Watt/U.S. Navy via AP Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 takes off. Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft have conducted precision strike operations against Houthi military targets in response to further attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. - Jake Green/MoD 08:47 AM GMT Second round of British-American attacks on Houthis targeted underground storage sites Government minister Huw Merriman has said that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will give an update to Parliament on Tuesday following the latest round of air strikes on Houthi targets. He also said it was his understanding that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle had been alerted beforehand, despite briefings to the contrary. Mr Merriman said he did not know how many Houthi sites had been targeted by British forces during the second set of air strikes. He added: I do know that they were targeted on underground storage sites to try and take out that capability, and it was successful. 08:42 AM GMT Latest strikes against Houthis spanned five governorates: Houthi spokesperson Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea has said that there were 18 British-American air strikes against the militant group last night. He detailed them as: 12 strikes on Amanat Al-Asimah and Sanaa governorate Three strikes on Hodeidah governorate Two strikes on Taizz governorate One strike on Al Bayda governorate These attacks will not go unanswered and unpunished, his statement read. Sarea did not make any reference to casualties from the strikes. 08:29 AM GMT New Zealand to deploy to the Red Sea New Zealand announced today that it is sending a six-member team to join an international maritime security coalition in the Red Sea. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the countrys defence personnel will contribute to protecting ships in the Middle East from operational headquarters in the region and elsewhere. Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilizing, Luxon said in a written statement Tuesday. The deployment is mandated to conclude no later than July 31. 08:18 AM GMT 24 Israeli soldiers killed, 190 Palestinians, in deadliest incident for IDF The Israeli military has said that it lost 24 soldiers in Gaza on Monday, marking its highest casualty toll in a single incident since the start of its ground invasion into Gaza. Of the 24 soldiers killed, 21 reservists were killed when when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up, according to Israeli military spokeperson Daniel Hagari. We worked to find the victims until the last hours, Hagari said in a televised statement, pointing to the difficulty of extracting bodies buried under the rubble that Gazans know only too well. According to the latest UN update, between the afternoons of 21 and 22 January, the Gazan ministry of health reported 190 Palestinians killed and another 340 injured. The latest updates are believed to be underestimates with hospitals overwhelmed, whole stretches of the territory closed off, and an ongoing communications blackout. 08:09 AM GMT Houthis vow revenge after new US and UK air strikes on Yemen The Houthis have vowed to take revenge for a second round of US and UK air strikes on the Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, warning every aggression will be met with a response. The US and British militaries bombed multiple targets in eight locations linked to the group on Monday night. It marked the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on the Houthis missile-launching capabilities after weeks of attacks by the Yemeni rebels on vessels in the Red Sea region. Mohammed Ali-al Houthi, head of Yemens Houthi supreme revolutionary committee, warned that every aggression against our country will not be without a response. Expect a response every minute, if not every second, then every minute it must, he said. To expect that there is a response coming and that it will inevitably be a loss and calamity for you. According to US Central Command, missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, radars and deeply buried weapons storage facilities were among the targets hit by the US-led strikes. A joint US-UK operation carried out earlier this month saw RAF Typhoon jets combine with the US Navy and Air Force to bomb 70 sites used by the Iran-backed group to launch missile and drone attacks. 07:59 AM GMT Pictured: A protester holds up her hands painted with 'time is running out' in Hebrew during a protest calling for an hostages deal A protester holds up her hands painted with red message in Hebrew 'Time is running out' during a protest calling for an hostages deal near the Israeli Prime Minster's residence - Amir Levy/Getty Images Europe 07:55 AM GMT Britain 'backs words and warnings with action,' says Cameron Lord Cameron has said the UK joining allied strikes against Houthi targets was designed to send the clearest possible message to the rebels that we back our words and our warnings with action. The Foreign Secretary told broadcasters: Since we last took action 10 days ago, there have been over 12 attacks on shipping by the Houthis in the Red Sea. These attacks are illegal, they are unacceptable. What we have done again is send the clearest possible message that we will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks while sending the clearest possible message that we back our words and our warnings with action. 07:43 AM GMT Government does not rule out further air strikes A Tory minister has said the latest air strikes in the Red Sea will not just be a one-off if the Houthis continue their campaign of harassment against cargo ships in the region. Asked on Sky News if he could rule out the UK joining in with further military action against the rebel militant group in Yemen, Huw Merriman said: Of course not. We will always back up our words with action. But this action again demonstrates that this would not just be a one-off if the Houthis continue. That would be the wrong thing to do. For us to take action and then the Houthis respond, and then we do nothing, would send out the completely wrong signal. So, this demonstrates that we will be tough and we will take all measures required against the Houthis to protect international shipping and protect the lives of those who operate those ships. Mr Merriman added: We will deliver whatever it takes to the Houthis to ensure that they desist, so we hope the message is now clear, this being a second time. 07:40 AM GMT Israel proposes two-month pause in fighting in exchange for all Hamas hostages Israel has proposed a two-month pause in fighting in Gaza in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages held in the territory, US media has reported. Officials have offered the deal to Hamas through mediators in Qatar and Egypt, the political website Axios reported, citing top Israeli officials. It would not include any agreement to end the war. More than 130 hostages are thought to still be held by the militant group and its affiliates, although several dozen are thought to have died since they were seized in the terror attack on Oct 7. Read more here 07:38 AM GMT Labour 'not briefed on fresh strikes on Houthis' Karin Smyth, a shadow health minister, has confirmed the Labour Party had not been briefed ahead of fresh allied strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Speaking to GB News, Ms Smyth said: We dont know why the Government havent spoken to us on the usual terms. We would expect them to do that. We would certainly expect a statement by the Prime Minister today in Parliament, so we will await developments on that. 07:37 AM GMT Cameron: campaign to degrade Houthi capability will continue Lord Cameron said action to degrade Houthi military capabilities in Yemen would continue after the United States and Britain carried out another round of strikes on Monday. What weve done again is send the clearest possible message that we will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks, the Foreign Secretary told broadcasters. He added that the Houthis actions are unacceptable. 07:30 AM GMT Good Morning Good morning and welcome to todays liveblog. We will be guiding you through all the latest updates. 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. Israel said 21 soldiers were killed near the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Monday in the deadliest single loss for the military since the war started in early October. The Israeli military said fighters with the Palestinian militant group Hamas fired an RPG missile at Israeli soldiers at around 4 p.m. local time Monday, while they were working to remove infrastructure that posed a threat to the security of Israeli communities. There was an explosion which resulted in the collapse of 2 two-story structures while many troops were either inside or nearby, the Israeli military wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. Following the explosion, commanders operating in the field, along with rescue teams that arrived at the scene, have been executing a very complex operation to evacuate the casualties and locate the injured. Israel said additional explosions following the RPG blast were likely caused by explosive devices that had been set up in the area by Israeli soldiers. Hamas said in statements on pro-Iranian Telegram channels that its fighters had engaged with Israeli soldiers in the southern Gaza strip near Khan Younis and also shared Israels official account of the attack. The attack underscores that despite heavy Israeli military pressure across Gaza for more than 100 days, Hamas remains intact and able to fight back. While Mondays death toll is the largest in one single incident, Israel has lost 188 soldiers since the ground operation in Gaza began in late October, according to a Jan. 14 update. Another 425 soldiers are currently hospitalized, with 41 in severe condition. This war has a very painful and heavy price, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said Tuesday. The devoted reservists who rallied to the flag sacrificed everything for the security of Israel so that we all can live here securely. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the region since the war began, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, though it claims most of the dead are women and children. Israel has scaled back operations in northern Gaza but is now focusing on securing the southern coastal strip and the city of Khan Younis as forces seek the complete military defeat of Hamas and to rescue the some 130 hostages remaining in the territory. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Scoop Israels military is considering building a one- to two-kilometer demilitarized zone, or no mans land, on the Palestinian side of the Gaza Strips border with the Jewish state to prevent a repeat of the militant group Hamas October 7 attack on the country. This security zone, people briefed by the Israel Defense Forces told Semafor, could be mined and include sentry towers along Gazas northern and eastern borders with Israel. Some inside the IDF describe a kill zone, with anyone approaching the fence from inside Gaza without authorization being at risk of being shot. If we want to prevent this [October 7] happening in the future, what we need is a barrier sort of a no mans land a zone in which no one can enter from their side, Yaakov Amidror, a former national security advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, told Semafor. I think this is the way that we should keep everyone out of reach from the fence. Israel is currently entering the fourth month of its war in Gaza. And the Biden administration is pressing Netanyahus government to begin winding down its military operations and begin thinking about the status of the Gaza Strip after the fighting, including both who runs the Palestinian territory and who will secure it. U.S. and Israeli officials say its still relatively early in these discussions. But people who have discussed the border issue with the IDF and Israels other security services in recent weeks say theres near-uniform agreement that the Gaza border will need to be dramatically more secure than before October 7. And this includes a security zone on the Palestinian side. The Israelis are not giving up an inch [of territory] from their perspective, said Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a Washington DC think tank that promotes Israels security, who recently discussed the demilitarized zone issue with IDF officials. So that means that anything that is done, in addition to what existed before, will be at the cost of territory on the other side. Jays view Israeli leaders are pursuing their war against Hamas, not only as a campaign to eliminate the Palestinian organizations military leadership and infrastructure, but as an operation critical to reestablishing their countrys territorial integrity. Any weakening of Israels borders, they believe, is an existential threat to the countrys long-term stability and vitality. But plans to construct a demilitarized zone inside Gaza could place Israel into conflict with the Biden administration and Palestinians who see a different post-war structure. Netanyahus government has been forced to evacuate large populations from the villages and kibbutzim in southern Israel attacked by Hamas on October 7. Israel has also relocated citizens from Israels northern border with Lebanon in the face of continued attacks by the Iranian-backed militia, Hezbollah, and reprisals by the IDF. Current and former Israeli officials told Semafor that the conceived security zone inside Gaza will allow southern Israel to be repopulated without any reduction in the Jewish states liveable lands. IDF officials have also told interlocutors that their countrys relationship with Gaza is set to dramatically change after the war. Pre-October 7, Israel supplied electricity and food to the Gaza Strip, and allowed Palestinians from the territory to enter Israel for work. Going ahead, Israel is planning to treat Gaza solely as a security issue and hand over humanitarian and economic matters to the international community and Arab governments. The Israelis are saying: Were going to make this buffer zone, and then were going to cut contact, said Schanzer, FDDs senior vice president for research. No more coal or gas. No more providing of electricity or any of that kind of stuff. The idea is that all of this gets transferred over elsewhere. The View From Washington U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has pressed Prime Minister Netanyahu in recent weeks to prepare to allow the Palestinian Authority, which administers much of the West Bank, to resume a leadership role in the Gaza Strip. He also has stressed that Israel must relinquish control of the territory and allow for its repopulation by Palestinian. And hes called for the resumption of negotiations to establish an independent Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, something Netanyahu said last week that he opposes. [Israel] must be a partner of the Palestinian leaders who are willing to lead their people and live side by side in peace, Blinken said earlier this month in Tel Aviv. President Biden also said that he believed the pathway for two states is still possible even with Netanyahu in power. Obviously were talking to them actively about post-conflict Gaza, and what governance there needs to look like and the importance of an independent Palestinian state for long term security, not just for the Palestinian people, but for the Israeli people as well, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Notable Israels Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said earlier this month that his country wouldnt maintain a civilian presence inside the Gaza Strip after the war but maintained the right to operate militarily there. A woman holds a toddler as Palestinian families flee the city of Khan Yunis on the coastal road leading to Rafah amid the ongoing Israeli bombardment. Mohammed Talatene/dpa The Israeli army said on Tuesday it was intensifying its campaign in Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza where Israeli officials believe Hamas' military leaders have their stronghold. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that troops have "carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis and deepened the operation in the area." The IDF said "dozens of terrorists" have been killed in the past 24 hours in Khan Younis and that "ground troops engaged in close-quarters combat" with militants. Israel believes senior Hamas officials are hiding in tunnels in Khan Younis and that militants are keeping Israeli hostages in the extensive underground network, too. The army announced an expansion of its offensive in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. In December the IDF said that its troops had begun to encircle Khan Younis. Israeli military operations have been steadily ramping up in the city, with IDF ground troops engaged in hand-to-hand fighting amid frequent airstrikes from above. Shai Lavi is an Israeli immigrant and the founder/chef of The Third Space in Atlanta. His culinary concept offers diners a place to nourish their soul through food and community. Lavi wanted to re-create the family dining experience from his home in Israel that never felt lonely or solitary and ate farm-to-table ingredients. Strangers sit at a long table and talk to each other, and there are no set menus or limited portions. Lavi hosts advocacy events almost every week and offers assistance and counseling to culinary industry professionals through various organizations including Care.org, The Giving Kitchen and The Cooks Collective. In this edition of Voices In Food, Lavi shares how, since the war in Israel began, he has been focusing his efforts in bringing comfort through food to those affected physically and emotionally, including himself. When my wife and I moved from Israel to the United States, we felt very disconnected. To understand the dining scene and meet new people in the industry, I ate at the hottest and best restaurants in Atlanta, but always felt that there was a missed connection to the food that I was eating. It lacked a personal touch that I was used to. I realized that most restaurants were run like mini corporations where cooks only cared about keeping up with the flow of the kitchen to churn out dishes and often had no clue of where their products were coming from. Butchers had never raised an animal and didnt have deep compassion for the life they were serving. Chefs who had never stepped on a farm lacked intention when it came to food waste. We spoke a common language but didnt share the same passion as cooks. At first, I did not feel like coming into work and lost hope. I was angry and sad. But then I found healing by connecting with people over food.Shai Lavi The definition of community I grew up with did not exist here as much. Back home in Or Yehuda, Israel, I had a relationship with my butcher since childhood. I stood in line at 4 a.m. to get the first stock of fish. My mother had a list of micro sources and she would have me drive for two hours to go pick up eggs in exchange for sweaters she knit. My father and I would nourish the lambs on the farm that we consumed at feasts. And its not just me, everyone in Israel understands and lives this way, to various degrees. When I left, I realized how much I missed it. So I created a culinary business structure based on the philosophy of home and comfort. My wife Karen and I formed a relationship with Atlanta Harvest and together we grew our own crops, raised our cattle and created the daily menu only an hour before dinner service based on what we had freshly available. We didnt want to be driven by revenue, but rather by needing to create a safe space for people to eat and connect among themselves and to food as it is supposed to be. Its not an easy task to go old school. Today, you can get everything through a purveyor. But I felt that my pursuing these ways will inspire other individuals to do the same. And it will become an ongoing relationship of codependency and transparency within all aspects of the food cycle. This way of dining is also a way for me to extend my family and give back to my community. I enjoy having people around us as it lifts my heart and mood. Having a true friend means the world to me! I come from a culture of giving and hospitality, not a me first attitude. While growing up, my parents always insisted that we look towards others to see what we can do to help them. We were encouraged to become a part of the solution instead of creating negative situations. Thats what I continue to do here in Atlanta. At my kitchen, everyone is welcome with open arms any time of the day. On weekends, I open all night long for restaurant workers to come eat a nourishing meal at whatever price they can afford to pay. If someone needs work, food or counseling, I am available 24/7. I want to surround myself with a circle of individuals who create a positive space, not as a religious preaching, but as a way for everyone to succeed, love and respect. When I feel someone is off, I invite them to have coffee and a conversation. Whether they need structure or financial, emotional or career assistance, I try to help. Sometimes even talking or a hug goes a long way. We go through a lot in the culinary world and it is important to have a support system, for someone to have your back. A few months ago, founder Laurie Watkins, four chefs and I hosted the first fundraiser for The Cooks Collective at The Third Space to help provide mental support in the culinary world. Chances are, if you call the counseling hotline, you will be connected to me as an adviser for support. It is the acts of giving and creating those spaces of safety and security that kept me going. The busier I am, the more it helps me endure.Shai Lavi Ironically, I myself need the same counseling as much as the people I speak to. I am still heartbroken by the outbreak of war in Israel. Many of my good friends were murdered but people I know denied that it even happened. I have attended several virtual funerals and have watched gruesome videos of my friends under attack. Malicious folks did things to my car. Guests canceled reservations. Individuals called me names and assaulted me for my voice and for being me an Israeli Jewish American. I was already hurting, but now people who have never been in that part of the world had a lot to say about me and my birthplace. It was scary, but we are tough people, we can handle it. I try not to dwell on that and I wont tolerate any sort of violence. At first, I did not feel like coming into work and lost hope. I was angry and sad. But then I found healing by connecting with people over food. Calls with chefs, conversations over dinners, collaborative pop-ups, and my restaurant concept that encourages meeting people has kept me sane. I started looking into opportunities to continue my life on the same path without losing my mind. It is the acts of giving and creating those spaces of safety and security that kept me going. The busier I am, the more it helps me endure. Cooking for the Sharaka nonprofit delegation dinner hosted by the Consulate General of Israel in Atlanta and hearing voices of reason from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Morocco and Bahrain gave me much needed hope. One of the incredible stories I heard was of a Muslim blogger who talked about how he lived guided by hate for Israeli people, but he started questioning what he knew and researching more. He eventually even learned Hebrew, and came to know and respect Jewish religion, while practicing his own. These are tough conversations but we need to have them to pursue peace from all sides. I am also involved with an initiative by the Israeli-American Council that is hosting 13 families who are here on a physical and mental break from the war in Israel. We are providing food baskets from the farm, space to work or volunteer to release tension, and just being a good friend to people we dont know. Food is a common vessel that connects us all. By honoring cuisines, we have important conversations, friendships evolve and partnerships form. Cooking for others helps me pour out my emotions. I speak better through my platters. I dont consider building a community as a product, but a consequence of my work. It allows me to reach for more help while uplifting others and seeing them transform. My father is Libyan, my mother is Turkish, I am Israeli but whats the difference? People are all the same. I believe that we all can do so much better and evolve as humans. We should take the time to learn about each others beliefs and cultures, and bring each other up. We need to love and care, not judge or hate. The horrors need to stop. Lets spread more kindness and appreciation for one another. And what better way to do that than through food? Related... Israels Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Monday presented his idea for the creation of an internationally financed and owned artificial island three miles off the coast of Gaza that in his view would promote deep positive changes in the Gaza Strip and a better future in the Middle East during a meeting in Brussels. The video, titled The Gaza Artificial Island Initiative, which was presented to the European Unions first Foreign Affairs Council meeting of the year, says that the current state of affairs isnt satisfactory to either Israel or the Palestinians. The Irish Times explains Katz floated the artificial island idea again back in 2017, with an unnamed official present in Mondays meeting telling the news outlet they found his presentation very bizarre. Construction of an artificial island with a port and civilian infrastructure installations off the coast of Gaza will provide the Palestinians a humanitarian, economic and transportation gateway to the world, without endangering Israels security, the narrator of the video states. According to Katzs vision, Israel would control security around the island and inspect the port, while an international policing force would maintain public order on the island itself. But it was unclear if the proposal involved the relocation of Palestinians to the new island. Josep Borrell, the EUs high representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, told reporters Katz showed two videos during their meeting, both of which had little or nothing to do with the issue we were discussing, according to a translation of his remarks. The second video involved the creation of a railway line linking the Middle East to India. While Borrell said he found both videos very interesting, he added: I believe that the minister could have made better use of his time to worry about the security of his country and the high number of deaths in Gaza, according to translation of his remarks. There appears to be growing concern internationally about the dire conditions in Gaza as the civilian death toll nears 25,500, according to local officials, and how Israel envisions the future for Gaza and Palestinians once the fighting ends. Israels Intelligence Ministry last year drafted a concept paper that would involve the transfer of all Palestinians in Gaza to Egypts Sinai peninsula, according to The Associated Press. The Palestinian Authority denounced the Israeli proposal. We are against transfer to any place, in any form, and we consider it a red line that we will not allow to be crossed, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesperson for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said in late October. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly thrown cold water on the idea of a two-state solution, which the U.S., one of Israels biggest backers amid the war, has been pushing for. My insistence is what has prevented over the years the establishment of a Palestinian state that would have constituted an existential danger to Israel, Netanyahu saidSunday. As long as I am prime minister, I will continue to strongly insist on this. Riyad al-Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister who held separate talks with the EU Foreign Affairs Council, said he expected the EU to condemn Netanyahus words. I expect from you to start contemplating sanctions against Netanyahu and others who are really destroying the chances for a two-state solution and for peace in the Middle East, al-Maliki said. Borrell noted the Israeli governments position on the issue, but said he was unsure about what other options they were considering, while he said it was the blocs moral obligation to try to advance the two-state solution. Which are the other solution they have in mind? he asked. To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill [all] of them? Related... A rising trend in measles cases in Europe is expected to continue if people do not vaccinate their children against the disease, WHO experts say. Monika Skolimowska/dpa The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a fresh warning over measles after a 30-fold rise in cases across Europe. Experts from the organisation said Europe is seeing an alarming rise in the spread of the disease, which has accelerated in recent months. Despite vaccinations being seen as one of humanity's greatest achievements in efforts to save lives, measles cases continue to surge as health officials across Europe struggle to convince anti-vaccine parents to get their children immunized. More than 30,000 cases were reported by 40 of the regions 53 member states between January and October last year, compared with 941 cases in the whole of 2022 a more than 30-fold rise. Two in five cases were in children aged one to four, while one in five were among people aged 20 and over. The rising trend is expected to continue if people do not vaccinate their children against the disease, WHO said. Measles is extremely contagious and in some cases can have severe long-term effects. The illness is characterized by flu-like symptoms and a rash that spreads to most of the body. It can be fatal in severe cases, and is especially dangerous for babies and toddlers. It is spread by coughing, sneezing, close personal contact or direct contact with infected nose or throat secretions. The most vulnerable include unvaccinated young children and pregnant women, according to the WHO. Measles, which can lead to lifelong disability and death, can affect the lungs and brain and cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. "We have seen in the region not only a 30-fold increase in measles cases, but also nearly 21,000 hospitalisations and five measles-related deaths (reported in two countries)," Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said. Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread," Kluge said. WHO said that sliding vaccination rates were to blame, but more people were now travelling abroad after Covid-19, increasing the risk of cross-border disease transmission and spread within communities. Despite vaccinations being seen as one of humanity's greatest achievements in efforts to save lives, measles cases continue to surge as health officials across Europe struggle to convince anti-vax parents to get their children immunized. Tom Weller/dpa Experts from the Institute for the Study of War have analysed the misleading statements made by Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, during the UN Security Council session on 22 January. Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Details: US analysts say that Russia is continuing to leverage its position in the United Nations Security Council to advance several long-standing Russian information operations. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at the convened UN Security Council session on 22 January, accusing the West of a lack of negotiations and asserting that Russia has always been "ready for negotiations." However, Lavrov specified that Russia is only interested in negotiations that would remove the current Ukrainian government from power, confirming that Russia still officially seeks a change of regime in Ukraine. At the same time, Lavrov continued to deny the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine, falsely asserting that the Ukrainian people are not interested in a war against Russia and that the West is pushing Ukraine to prolong this war. Lavrov also counselled that the West should understand that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's Peace Formula is a "path to nowhere," claiming that the "sooner [the West] realises this, the better it will be for both Ukraine and the West." Furthermore, Lavrov stated that "if Ukraine stops fighting, hundreds of thousands" of Ukrainian lives will be saved. Experts point out that Lavrov has made similar statements before, suggesting that the Kremlin believes Russia can occupy more territories as long as the war continues, and such a progression of the conflict would increasingly weaken Ukraine's negotiating position. Lavrov denied Russia's responsibility for a potential future attack on NATO, ignoring recent official statements from the Kremlin that have raised such concerns. The Kremlin's spokesperson falsely claimed in the report that the West is pushing the idea that Russia will attack the Baltic states, Poland, and Finland in the future to "extort money" from Western states for assistance to Ukraine. However, Kremlin officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, are continuing to consistently employ threatening rhetoric towards NATO member countries. Individuals associated with the Kremlin seem to be attempting to sow instability and create a narrative for potential future aggressive actions by Russia against NATO member countries and other post-Soviet states. Lavrov also accused Ukrainian forces of striking the territories occupied by Russia, which the Kremlin has used to support its justification for the annexation of Ukrainian territory. The review notes that Lavrov recently claimed that Ukrainian forces are using weapons provided by the West to target civilian facilities, including during strikes on occupied Donetsk on 21 January. Russian sources, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, made similar statements on 21 January. The New York Times reported on 21 January that it could not independently confirm who was behind the strike on Donetsk, and the press service of the Ukrainian Tavriia Group of Forces stated on 21 January that they were not responsible for these strikes. It is noted that Lavrov also attempted to downplay various war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russian occupying forces and the occupation administration in Ukraine, claiming that Ukrainians and Russians "live in peace and harmony" in the occupied Crimea and other territories occupied by Russia. He also stated that "Russians and Ukrainians will live exactly like brothers and good neighbours" after Russia achieves its goals in the war in Ukraine which, according to the ISW, are equivalent to the complete capitulation of Ukraine and the West. ISW regularly documents how Russian forces and occupation administrations are conducting large-scale and targeted campaigns of ethnic cleansing, forcibly and illegally deporting Ukrainians, including children, to Russia, and systematically working to destroy the Ukrainian language, culture, history and ethnic identity in the territories occupied by Russian forces. Quote from the ISW: "Russias request for the 22 January UNSC meeting to discuss arms supplies to Ukraine and Lavrovs use of this meeting to promote various Kremlin information operations is likely an attempt to legitimise these Kremlin narratives, promote them on a global stage, and convince Ukraines international partners to stop sending weapons to Ukraine." To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways for 22 January: Russia continues to weaponise its position on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to propagate several long-standing Russian information operations. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Kyiv on 22 January and announced a new Polish defence package for Ukraine. Footage purportedly showing an altercation between a Russian soldier and Chechen "Akhmat-Vostok" forces in occupied Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, reignited criticism of Chechen forces for their lack of contributions to Russian military operations in Ukraine. Russian officials and information space actors are attempting to further rhetorically justify Russias invasion of Ukraine by misrepresenting a decree that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed on 22 January concerning discrimination against ethnic Ukrainians in Russia. Zelenskyys decree does not establish any territorial demands upon Russia, as select Russian ultranationalists falsely claimed. Russian forces made confirmed advances south of Avdiivka and west of Donetsk City amid continued positional engagements along the entire frontline. Kyrgyzstan issued a statement against Russias continued practice of targeting naturalised migrants as part of ongoing crypto-mobilization efforts. Russian federal subjects continue to establish ties with areas of occupied Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) - Italy will use its presidency of the Group of Seven major democracies to challenge growing perceptions that Russia is winning in Ukraine and that the West is tiring of the war, a source familiar with Italy's G7 plans said. Italy will chair the G7, which also groups the United States, Japan, Germany, Britain, France and Canada, throughout 2024 and will host a summit in June. Laying out Italy's priorities for the first time, the source said core issues on the leaders' agenda would include conflict in the Middle East, food security, climate change, development in Africa, engagement with China and Artificial Intelligence. As in the last two G7 presidencies, the war in Ukraine will also be a major consideration, said the source, who was not authorised to go on the record talking about Italy's plans. The West's once-staunch wartime support for Kyiv has appeared to waver in recent months amid political wrangling in Washington and Brussels that has held up the delivery of badly needed arms and funding. However, the source said G7 leaders were determined to show they remained fully committed to Kyiv and could not risk showing signs of weakness two years after Russia invaded its neighbour. "We must change the narrative on Ukraine," the source said, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin had lost significant financial, military and diplomatic clout since the invasion. Italy is planning to stage 20 ministerial meetings during its G7 presidency, kicking off with a three-day gathering from March 13-15 on industry, technology and digitalisation, which will put a spotlight on the fast-paced AI revolution. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has already said that the dangers posed by AI will be a key issue for Italy's G7 presidency and she will dedicate one session to the subject at the June 13-15 summit in Puglia, the source said. Italy wants to focus on the impact of AI on jobs and inequality, while also laying down "ethical guardrails" for the development of the technology. Rome will also propose creating a steering committee to ensure greater G7 coordination on AI. The source said G7 leaders were "pretty much on the same page" over AI, adding that there was broad consensus on most of the major issues facing the wealthy-nation club, including on how to deal with China. There was a determination on all sides to avoid tensions with Beijing, the source said, adding: "Nobody wants to impede or put obstacles towards Chinese growth." There was also agreement, the source said, on the need to develop economies in Africa and try to stem illegal immigration - a domestic priority for Meloni, who is struggling to honour an 2022 election pledge to stem migrant flows. (Reporting by Angelo Amante and Crispian Balmer; Editing by Nick Macfie) (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday said it had reached a tentative settlement to resolve probes by U.S. states into whether it misled consumers about the safety of its talc products, which thousands of lawsuits claim can cause cancer. The deal includes 42 states and Washington, D.C. The company tentatively agreed to pay about $700 million to settle the states' claims, according to the Wall Street Journal. Consistent with the plan we outlined last year, the company continues to pursue several paths to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc litigation," Erik Haas, J&J's worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement. The settlement does not extend to private plaintiffs' cases against the company, some of which are expected to go to trial later this year. J&J has maintained that its now-discontinued talc products are safe and do not cause cancer. It previously set aside $400 million to resolve state claims. The company, which reported fourth-quarter results on Tuesday, still faces more than 50,000 lawsuits over talc, most by women with ovarian cancer. A minority of the cases involve people with mesothelioma, a type of cancer linked to asbestos. It recently settled some of the mesothelioma cases for an undisclosed amount but has maintained that its talc did not contain asbestos. The company has twice tried to resolve the cases by placing its talc liabilities into bankruptcy, but both attempts were rebuffed by courts. In the latest failed bankruptcy attempt, the company had proposed to pay $8.9 billion to talc claimants. J&J said last year that it was planning a third bankruptcy filing. The settlement with the states could make that easier, as some states had previously argued that they, unlike private plaintiffs, can continue pursuing claims while a bankruptcy is pending. Courts have not resolved that issue. Trials in the talc cases have had a mixed record, with major plaintiff wins including a $2.1 billion judgment in 2020 awarded to 22 women with ovarian cancer. A New Jersey appeals court in October threw out a $223.8 million verdict against the company, finding the testimony of the plaintiffs' expert witnesses unsound. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in favor of cornstarch-based products, citing an increase in lawsuits and "misinformation" about the talc product's safety. (Reporting By Jonathan Stempel and Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill Berkrot) LONDON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah could be out of action for around a month with a muscle injury, his agent Ramy Abbas Issa has warned. The 31-year-old will return to Liverpool on Wednesday from Cote d'Ivoire after suffering the injury in Egypt's draw with Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations. He watched Egypt's 2-2 draw with Cape Verde on Monday night, which assured them a place in the last-16 of the tournament. Initial hopes were that after treatment in England, he could return if Egypt reached the semifinals. However, that return looks unlikely after Abbas Issa posted on social media that "Mohamed's injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not two games," adding that Salah's best chance of a recovery was to undergo "intensive treatment" with Liverpool. The Premier League leaders confirmed "Mohamed Salah will return to the AXA Training Center on Wednesday to begin an intensive rehabilitation program with Liverpool's medical team on the muscle injury he sustained with Egypt last week." "The injury, which is worse than first feared, forced the forward from the field in the first half of the Africa Cup of Nations fixture with Ghana and an agreement has been reached with the Egyptian FA for Salah to undergo treatment in Liverpool." "Salah will immediately begin work with the club's medical staff upon his return to Merseyside with a view to being back in action as soon as possible for club and country," informs the Liverpool website. If Salah is out for four weeks, that would see him miss key matches such as Liverpool's league game at home to Chelsea on Jan. 31 and a visit to play Arsenal four days later. The striker has been vital to Liverpool's current campaign, scoring 14 goals and giving eight assists in the Premier League. Jack in the Box went through 60 different versions of its new burger before landing on the final recipe Jack in the Box's new Smashed Jack burger sold out in two weeks and is currently impossible to find. It took two years to develop the burger, which features a -pound smashed-style beef patty. Chief marketing officer Ryan Ostrom told BI he tried up to 60 different versions of the burger. It's been eight years since Jack in the Box released a new burger, and the Smashed Jack is already making a huge splash . The burger sold out earlier in January, with Jack in the Box selling 70,000 in a single day. The chain expected the initial soft launch to last six weeks while its team prepared for the official rollout in February, but they ran out of supplies to make the burger in just two weeks. It's currently almost impossible to find a Smashed Jack. "No marketing, no advertising," Ryan Ostrom, Jack in the Box's chief marketing officer, told reporters during a media event at the chain's headquarters in San Diego last week. "We just put it on the menus, and we couldn't keep it in stock. We couldn't keep it on the shelves." It's been a big moment for the chain and its team, which spent two years trying to create Jack in the Box's biggest burger yet. "We're perfectionists," Ostrom said. "I think there was a year straight of trying different patties, different blends of meat, different types of ways we're going to cook it, how long we're gonna cook it." Jack in the Box's Smashed Jack, the first new burger launch in eight years, sold out in two weeks. Anneta Konstantinide/Business Insider Ostrom told BI that he and the chain's kitchen team went through 60 burgers before landing on the final Smashed Jack. And that was on top of trying all the other new menu items being tested and developed, including the chain's upcoming chicken wings and dozens of different shakes and drinks. "That's the fun part about this job. The downside is we all have to go to the gym like nine times a week," Ostrom said with a laugh. "I'm there every morning it's not working." But all those taste tests paid off for the $8 Smashed Jack, which features a -pound smashed-style beef patty, cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and the new "Boss" sauce, all stuffed between a brioche bun. Ostrom also said there's no "shrinkflation" with the Smashed Jack, noting that the patty is the "biggest" on the chain's menu. The $8 Smashed Jack features a -pound smashed-style beef patty, plus cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and the new "Boss" sauce. Nancy Luna/Business Insider When everyone is going small with their burgers, he added, "We go opposite." "Put this next to a McDonald's burger," he said. Ostrom said the Smashed Jack is just one example of how Jack in the Box is always trying new things to stay culturally relevant in a very competitive fast-food market. "We're like Pepsi and Coke, we don't like each other, we're all going for your stomachs," he said. "We're the underdogs. We're the edgy younger brother." "This is a fun brand. I've never had fun like this on a job," he added. "We're really trying to push the envelope." Read the original article on Business Insider WAYNE TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WCMH) A Pike County man currently incarcerated in the Fayette County Jail is being charged for an alleged physical altercation with a sheriffs deputy. Jimmy L. Mills, 39, is facing charges of felonious assault on a law enforcement officer and aggravated robbery for an incident that occurred on U.S. 35 West in Wayne Township. Pastor, two sons killed in Orient house fire The Fayette County Sheriffs Office said it responded to a report of an officer in distress at 5:17 a.m. on Jan. 23. When Fayette County deputies arrived at the scene, they found that Mills and a Pike County deputy had been involved in a physical altercation with one another. An investigation into the incident found that while being transported, Mills removed a portion of the transfer cage. He then attempted to break out of the van before using the metal partition to assault the deputy when they stopped the vehicle. The deputy reported that Mills tried to take his firearm from its holster before running away. Mills was later taken into custody. Whetstone High School locks down after staff report student with knife Mills is currently incarcerated in the Fayette County Jail facing the previously mentioned felony charges, as well as charges from the Pike County Sheriffs Office. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Old Harbour High School, known as the School of Twins, only requires parents to cover the cost of one childs tuition if they have twins or two children in a triplet set. A Jamaican school with 30 sets of twins and one set of triplets has made it easier for parents to ensure their children receive the proper education. According to the Associates Times, Old Harbour High School, known as the School of Twins, only requires parents to cover the cost of one childs tuition if they have twins or two children in a triplet set. Let us say, for example, school fees, we ask them just to pay for one of them, said Principal Linton Weir. Examination fee, we try to meet them, and they pay for one. Old Harbour High School of Jamaica has 30 sets of twins and one set of triplets. (Photo Credit: Adobe Stock Image) The unique situation at Old Harbour came into the limelight after Weir shared he had never experienced such a situation in his 28 years of administration. Weir said the school had altered policies to account for having 30 sets of twins. Recommended Stories News Plagiarism probe finds some problems with former Harvard president Claudine Gays work Associated Press Old Harbour High School Jamaica Featured Jamaican school with 30 sets of twins offers two-for-one tuition bills TheGrio Staff Politics 70 organizations, NAACP included, ask Bidens Education Dept. to retool student debt plan to help people of color TheGrio Staff HBCU Atlantas Spelman College just got the largest-ever single donation to an HBCU Associated Press Florida race teachings Featured Florida education dept. says college DEI initiatives will no longer be funded by state, federal dollars TheGrio Staff News Baltimore school district investigating after recording purportedly disparaging Black people surfaces TheGrio Staff Featured Is it time poor school districts sued to get the money they deserve? Natasha S. Alford Featured Young Black men are defying stereotypes and stepping up to become teachers Natasha S. Alford The principal also discussed the difficulties instructors encounter in identifying the look-alikes. For example, he said, a teacher recently became confused when she realized she had a twin in her class, but the other boy had shown up while his twin was going somewhere else, so it took her some time to figure out which twin it was. Normally, you would find one challenge and one who is very academically good, noted Weir, the Associates Times reported. But that set, it was both of them. But we served them and we had to have a serious partnership with the parents to the point where the parents had to come in on a weekly basis to sit in the classroom with those boys. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Jamaican school with 30 sets of twins offers two-for-one tuition bills appeared first on TheGrio. NEW ORLEANS When astronomer Jackie Faherty peered into space using information from the James Webb Space Telescope, there was something she couldn't take her eyes off of. Brown dwarf W1935, a world larger than Jupiter drifting alone in open space about 47 light-years from Earth, was letting off a methane signature unlike anything ever seen before. Brown dwarfs are some of the most unusual and mysterious objects in space. They form like stars but don't grow massive enough to generate their own energy via nuclear fusion in their cores. For this reason, experts sometimes call them "failed stars." Brown dwarf W1935 may have aurora at its poles created by a volcanic moon that's orbiting the failed star. NASA, ESA, CSA, and L. Hustak (STScI) The astronomers expected to see methane gas in the atmospheres of the brown dwarfs they were studying, but they didn't expect that any of the objects would actually emit methane. The methane emission in the data "was like a pebble in a shoe. I couldn't get rid of it. I could only focus on this one feature," Faherty, who works at the American Museum of Natural History , said in a presentation at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Methane emissions were discovered in the atmosphere of a brown dwarf. NASA, ESA, CSA, and L. Hustak (STScI) It's the first time such a methane fingerprint has appeared on a brown dwarf, Faherty said. "For your typical brown dwarf just traversing the galaxy in solitude, your brown dwarf is very mysterious. It does not want to give away any of its secrets," said Austin Rothermich, a graduate student at the City University of New York, who presented other research on brown dwarfs at the conference. But that methane hint may have given away one of this brown dwarf's biggest secrets: a volcanically active moon in its orbit. Jupiter and Saturn offer clues Aurora on Jupiter's north pole. NASA, ESA, and J. Nichols (University of Leicester) It turns out methane emissions, similar to those observed on W1935, are also found on Jupiter and Saturn . On those two planets, the methane emissions are linked to aurora the dancing lights that appear when charged particles from the sun interact with the planets' magnetic fields and atmospheres. On Earth, the aurora is also called the northern lights. Faherty and her team concluded that this unusual brown dwarf likely hosts aurora, too. Northern lights, also called aurora borealis, dance in the sky over Tromso, Norway. NTB/Rune Stoltz Bertinussen/Reuters But the mystery didn't end there. Typically, to produce an aurora you need a nearby star. But there is no nearby star to W1935. So what was supplying the high-energy particles to power its aurora? An animation of the solar wind shows particles streaming from the sun towards Earth. NASA Faherty and her team suspected a different kind of companion could be at work: an active moon. Both Jupiter and Saturn have active moons that regularly eject material into space. Jupiter's moon Io erupts lava material into space while Saturn's Enceladus ejects geysers. Both types of material contribute to the two planets' auroras, and that's what could be happening with W1935, too. "That does not mean that we're declaring that we have found an active moon, but it's one of the explanations," Faherty said. Other possible solutions the team is exploring include free-floating matter in space, called interstellar plasma . Whatever the reason may be, it takes very sensitive tools to detect brown dwarfs in the first place. So arriving at these conclusions would not have been possible without Webb, Faherty said. "I don't think I emphasized this enough, these are so stinking faint. So faint. JWST was an absolute requirement to measure this," Faherty said. Read the original article on Business Insider TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan and the United States said on Tuesday they would continue to work with each other in maintaining the sanctions against Russia and supporting Ukraine in line with an agreement the Group of Seven industrialised nations reached last year. During an hour-long meeting with visiting U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, Japan's Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs Masato Kanda, said the two sides also exchanged candid views on the global economy among other issues. The G7, comprising Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and the European Union, had pledged in May to restrict exports to Russia that could fund its war effort in Ukraine. Japan was the group's chair in 2023. Western countries, led by the United States, have sent billions of dollars in weapons and economic support to Ukraine since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. (Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto; editing by Miral Fahmy) The man who with Nicola Sturgeon set the parameters for Scotlands often much tougher Covid restrictions has been unrepentant about destroying important WhatsApp messages during the pandemic. Professor Jason Leitch, the national clinical director, insisted he had only been following orders from the SNP government and not the guidelines that had been laid down by Westminster to get answers to the way the crisis was handled by all UK administrations. Labour are now demanding his resignation over this defiance. Prof Leitch has admitted advising current First Minister Humza Yousaf about the circumstances of whether and when he had to wear a face mask. That too has been added to Labours list of Leitchs perfidy. Whether its a resigning matter or not, it is certainly a definite signal that nobody not even the health minister, as Mr Yousaf was at the time understood Scotlands byzantine rules for fighting the pandemic. It was strange watching the learned professor and former dentist giving evidence to the Covid Inquiry in Edinburgh on Tuesday. Having shared top billing with Nicola Sturgeon in the daily televised press conferences throughout the emergency, he is now being asked to explain his behaviour at the so-called Zooms of doom. Prof Leitch leaves the Covid Inquiry in Edinburgh - Jane Barlow/PA It had already been reported that the last thing he did before retiring for the night during the pandemic was to delete all WhatsApp messages. And he believed he had the perfect right to do so because all he was doing was deleting what he called chat discussions with colleagues that then led to decisions being taken on important issues. In any case he added that he was only being flippant in describing how and when he censored his messages. But the bigger issue here is surely that it was not for the participants, whether ministers, advisers or civil servants, to decide what was chat and therefore unimportant. Their job was to preserve all information that might be of assistance to the current inquiry. That inquiry, after no doubt weeks and months of taking evidence, will decide what was chat and what was not. Is Prof Leitch now claiming he was being flippant about his deletions meant to be some sort of excuse or explanation for his actions? Or is it merely another example of the arrogance that has become the hallmark of this SNP administration?; in other words there may well be hard and fast rules about the retention of all such documents, laid down by the UK Government and with the force of law to back them up, but they dont apply in Edinburgh. Aided and abetted by civil service That appears to be the message because after 16 years of SNP government and aided and abetted by a compliant civil service, Scottish ministers and officials write their own set of rules. And these, according to Prof Leitch in a remarkable passage of arms, stated that not all WhatsApp messages needed to be saved. He stated that the rules he abided by, laid down not by Westminster but by St Andrews House, the HQ of the Scottish Government, said that only documents outlining final decisions had to be retained; the messages that passed between ministers and advisers, that may well have led to those decisions, could be deleted. As they were, with a vengeance. And just in case the delete button was not being pressed often enough, there was a senior civil servant in place to tell his colleagues and bosses what should be scrubbed. Get rid of the chat was the message. The judge conducting this inquiry, Baroness Hallett, was obviously bemused by the professors supreme confidence that in deleting all this chat he was well within his rights. And when she asked him if he had sought advice from elsewhere, presumably Westminster and Whitehall, he replied that he had at all times been following government guidance: Scottish Government guidance. I cannot imagine she enjoyed that answer. The learned lady is getting a potted history lesson in devolved government. She might get a few more shocks before she is through. 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. Jefferson County on high alert in search for two escaped inmates JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ark. The Jefferson County Sheriffs Office said its all hands on deck after they discovered two men escaped from their detention center Monday morning. Officials said the pair were discovered missing at approximately 10:30 a.m. Monday from the W.C. Dub Brassel Detention Center. Authorities said the two men may have escaped within the past 48 hours. Inmates accused of murder, burglary escape Jefferson Co. jail Deputies said 23-year-old Jatonia Bryant, who was being held on probable cause for capital murder, is described as standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing approximately 145 pounds. Image of Jatonia Bryant provided by the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office JCSO officials said 22-year-old Noah Roush, who was being held on suspicion of residential burglary and theft of property and was a suspect in a homicide is described as standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing approximately 180 pounds with a scar on the right side of his head. Image of Noah Roush provided by the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office JCSO Operations Commander Major John Bean said people should be on alert. Our jailers went in to do a head count in an area to where the escapes were and discovered they were missing and at this point were unable to disclose as far as exactly how it happened but that we are actively looking, Bean said. Bean noted that multiple agencies are working to find the pair Were unable to say exactly how long they have been gone, but at this point, we believe its been up to 48 hours, he said. They are local young men so they have friends and contacts and so forth and possible family members that we can check into. Former Bryant High School teacher pleads guilty to having sex with student For some who live in the county, they said they are concerned about the escapees. Its devastating to know two people are out here roaming, Keshonda Hall said. Another woman said she was shocked to learn about the escapees, I was surprised to see that, and Jatonia Bryant I used to work at the school where he went, the woman said. Hall said she has questions she wants answered. How did it happen? she asked. They were able to leave, able to escape. Bean said they are looking into their detention center but right now theyre focused on finding the escapees. In our detention facilities when something like this happens, we look at what could have been done better, what can we do to prevent it from happening again, he said. Bean said everyone should be aware the men are dangerous and to call the police if they see them. As a single mother at home with the children, I got to keep safe because you never know what could happen, Hall said. Im going to lock my doors and make sure my kids are safe and Im going to be looking for them now. JCSO officials said the department is working with Pine Bluff Police Department Vice and Narcotics unit, the Arkansas State Police and the Arkansas Department of Corrections to find the men. Man arrested, accused of shooting teen at Pine Bluff park Investigators asked that anyone with information about Roush or Bryant, or anyone who helped them in the escape, should contact the JCSO at 870-541-5351 or the Metropolitan Emergency Communication Association at 870-541-5300. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Epstein flew to Columbus International Airport (CMH) dozens of times in the early '90s. Good morning, I'm Betsy Kim, health and environment reporter for The Enquirer. Jeffrey Epstein is dead, but many questions about how he got away with his sex crimes remain unanswered. This is why I turned my attention to flight logs released during Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwells trial in December 2021. Handwritten by Epsteins pilot, the logs show when and where his private jet flew between 1995 and 2006. I hoped that analyzing the flight logs would lead to some clarity about the role that Epsteins most prominent client, Columbus-based billionaire Les Wexner, played in his life. Wexners estate in New Albany, a wealthy Columbus suburb, emerges as the site of at least one of Epsteins alleged assaults and the elite social gatherings that helped solidify Epsteins seat in the upper echelons of society. How many times did Epstein fly to Ohio? When did he fly here most often? And who would he bring to his meetings with Wexner? Click or tap here to see what I found. What else you need to know Tuesday, Jan. 23 Weather: High of 41. Cloudy; rain freezing on some surfaces in the morning, then a little rain in the afternoon. Cincinnati Southern Railway Board taps UBS to manage $1.6 billion railroad fund. 'Harambe' documentary with 'rare' footage now available to stream at home. Summerfair reveals 2024 location following Coney Island closure. Which players will take part in 2024 Reds Caravan? Here's the schedule. New here? Subscribe to the Daily Briefing today Today's Top Stories Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan observes a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams, Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022, at the Paycor Stadium practice fields in Cincinnati. Tennessee Titans hire Bengals' OC Brian Callahan for head coaching job This combination of pictures shows then-President Donald Trump, left, and Joe Biden during the final presidential debate at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, on Oct. 22, 2020. (Brendan Smialowski and Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images/TNS) Presidential race 2024: Who's still in the running? When is Ohio's primary election? Beverly Kinney was a long-time teacher at Princeton City Schools and patron of the arts. She was killed Jan. 11 after being struck by the driver of a Cincinnati Metro bus while in a crosswalk on the border of Hyde Park and Evanston. She was 87. Beloved ex-teacher, killed by Metro bus, wanted to 'make the world a better place' Carl Godfrey, 21, pleaded not guilty to multiple counts including murder and felonious assault Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court before Judge Jody Luebbers. Trial begins for man prosecutors say hired 14-year-old boy for 2 killings Purcell Marian Cavaliers gather around head coach Jamar Mosley during a time out during the high school girls basketball game between the Cooper Jaguars and Purcell Marian Cavaliers on Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, at Randall K. Cooper High School in Union, Ky. Purcell Marian won 56-51. Purcell Marian stays No. 1 in the state. See who else is ranked in AP basketball polls This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What Jeffrey Epstein's Ohio flight logs reveal and more | Daily Briefing BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has replied to a letter from representatives of Kenyan students and alumni at Beijing Jiaotong University, encouraging them to continue contributing to the friendship between China and Kenya and between China and Africa. In his reply on Jan. 17, Xi noted that China and Kenya enjoy a time-honored friendship. The Belt and Road Initiative has turned the ideals of development and revitalization of China and Kenya into reality, and closely linked the well-being of the two peoples. The Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway is a flagship project and a successful example of China-Kenya Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said. "I am glad to see that you have bonded with China through this road to happiness. You have witnessed and benefited from the China-Kenya and China-Africa friendship and cooperation, and you have helped build and spread the friendly cooperation between China and Kenya and between China and Africa," Xi said. Looking ahead, the magnificent picture of the Belt and Road Initiative and the grand blueprint of the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership need more promising young people to realize, Xi stressed. "It is hoped that you can learn professional knowledge well, continue the traditional friendship, devote yourself to bilateral cooperation, tell well stories of China-Africa friendship, and make greater contributions to the building of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future," Xi said. Recently, representatives of Kenyan students and alumni at Beijing Jiaotong University wrote a letter to Xi, expressing their great pleasure in coming to China to learn railway operation and management knowledge. They also expressed their hope to serve as a bridge of friendship between Kenya and China and contribute to enhancing friendship and cooperation between the two countries and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Jeffrey Epstein flew in and out of Ohio hundreds of times in the 1990s and early 2000s, a time period in which he was accused of trafficking and sexually assaulting young girls and including the years he was closest with billionaire retail magnate Les Wexner. His private jet flew in and out of what is now called John Glenn Columbus International Airport at least 267 times 132 times in and 135 times out between 1991 and 2005, according to flight logs from a federal lawsuit against his convicted accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, shared by McClatchy. The Enquirer reviewed the logs after a different federal court released the so-called Epstein list. Being named on that list, or on the flight logs, does not mean a person has been charged with any crime. It only constitutes a possible or alleged association with Epstein or Maxwell as a witness, victim, plaintiff, or as a business or social contact. The records offer a closer look into how closely Epstein and his trafficking empire were connected to Ohio, and the personal relationship he had with Wexner, the founder of the retail conglomerate that includes Victorias Secret and Bath and Body Works. Epstein flew to and from Columbus frequently Epsteins jet flew into Columbus frequently in the early 1990s, the time period that aligns with when Wexner gave him power of attorney over his finances in 1991, and Epsteins 1992 appointment as a trustee for the Wexner Foundation. After peaking in 1992, the flights declined until 1994, the year he bought land on Wexners estate in New Albany. The number of flights fell again in the years just before he sold that land back to the Wexners for $0 in 2007. Epstein's flights to Columbus peaked in 1992 While the pilot sometimes flew with no passengers to pick up Epstein or an associate, the financier was on the majority of the flights into Columbus. His best-known associates sometimes accompanied him. Maxwell, for example, was by Epstein side on 30% of the flights he took to Columbus. Other times, the flight logs listed unnamed females as passengers. 1 FEMALE was listed as a passenger on a Nov. 22, 1992, flight also carrying Epstein and Maxwell. On July 30, 1994, Epstein brought 2 FEMALES with him. Epstein flew to Columbus International Airport (CMH) dozens of times in the early nineties. A Florida state court convicted Epstein of soliciting minors for prostitution in 2008. While Epstein was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019, he was found dead in his jail cell before a trial could occur. Epsteins jet flew to Wexner family functions L Brands founder Les Wexner is seen touring the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio in 2014. Wexner, who had his own plane, appeared only once on a flight log in 1993 with wife Abigail. But other entries show the jet flying for events related to the Wexner family. An entry in September 1991 said that Epsteins jet relocated for a matter involving Wexners yacht. A few months later, the plane relocated to the Columbus airport for Christmas. In 1996, Epstein flew to Columbus for Wexners 59th birthday with former Ohio Senator John Glenn, one of many powerful politicians who crossed paths with Epstein, and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, one of Epsteins lawyers. Visual artist Maria Farmer alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein earlier that year and held against her will by Wexners security on the New Albany land. No charges were ever brought in the matter. In 2001, the jet flew to Columbus to attend the funeral of Wexners mother, Bella Wexner. Epstein had replaced Bella Wexner as a trustee on the board of the Wexner Foundation, according to a Vanity Fair article from 2003. Wexner has denied any knowledge of Epsteins sex trafficking, but Virginia Giuffre said she had sex with Wexner multiple times, according to a deposition unsealed this month as part of her federal case against Maxwell. More: Latest Jeffrey Epstein documents contain more mentions of Ohio billionaire Les Wexner Epstein flew to the same cities where he was accused of assaulting girls Epstein flew all over the country from Columbus, but his most common destination was Teterboro, New Jersey, an airport known as a hub for the private planes of the wealthy that sits just west of New York City. The jet flew 54 times to Teterboro Airport, mostly in the early 1990s. That airport, where authorities arrested Epstein on charges of sex trafficking in 2019, is 15 miles west of the luxurious property Wexner owned that he regularly stayed at on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, according to the Wall Street Journal. Epsteins second most common destination was Palm Beach, Florida, where he had a waterfront estate and regularly recruited and sexually assaulted young girls, according to prosecutors. Other top destinations included Cleveland, Chicago and Santa Fe, New Mexico. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Jeffrey Epsteins jet took hundreds of trips through Columbus, Ohio Theresa May wearing a continuous glucose monitoring patch on her upper arm to help with her diabetes - LEON NEAL/GETTY IMAGES Theresa May has revealed Jelly Babies were her go-to option to help manage diabetes while working in Number 10. The former prime minister, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2013, said she often consumed the sweet to raise sugar levels while in Downing Street. Type 1 diabetes means the body produces too little of the hormone insulin, which controls blood glucose. Mrs May received a surprise diagnosis in her 50s and said she learned to manage her blood sugar levels through daily insulin injections, exercise and careful food intake. But when the former prime ministers blood sugar dropped while in office, Jelly Babies were her go-to, she said. The 67-year-old told BBC Radio 4: Ive had one or two moments where in meetings I had to turn around to somebody from the private office and say, Go get me the Jelly Babies. Because thats my go-to for when I feel my blood sugar is going low. Mrs May, who was in Downing Street from 2016 to 2019, said the adrenaline of Prime Ministers Questions would make her blood-sugar levels spike, which she had to manage with insulin. Theresa May, who was in Downing Street from 2016 to 2019, spoke to Radio 4 about her Type 1 diabetes - Twitter/BBC Radio 4 She said: When I first became prime minister, I discovered that when I did Prime Ministers Questions, my blood sugar went up, and that was the adrenaline and so forth. And so I had to actually learn to think very carefully and to counteract that with my insulin. Mrs May insisted the condition shouldnt be debilitating and pointed out you can be prime minister. She also cited Victoria Atkins, the Health Secretary, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child and holds public office. Mrs May also lauded new artificial pancreas technology, which means thousands will be able to manage their condition more effectively on the NHS. It uses a glucose sensor under the skin to automatically calculate how much insulin should be delivered via a pump. Chaired parliamentary inquiry Mrs May has chaired a parliamentary inquiry into the consequences of having both Type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder. Type 1 disordered eating (T1DE), an individual restricting the amount of insulin they take, to control their weight, can lead to unstable blood sugar levels, malnutrition and heightened risk of depression and anxiety. The condition, also known as diabulimia, could affect up to 40 per cent of females and 15 per cent of males with Type 1 diabetes, according to research. Mrs May told BBC News: When I first heard about it... the idea that a young woman could actively not take her insulin because of concern about body image because it can lead to putting on weight I was horrified by that. But you can understand why young people might get into that position. 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. Over 100,000 new registrants have sought same-day registration in North Carolina during each of the last two presidential general elections, so slight adjustments in the closely divided state could make a difference in this Novembers elections for president, governor and other statewide positions. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A federal judge has blocked, for now, a new law recently approved by North Carolina lawmakers that tightens a rule on when a ballot cast by someone who is simultaneously registering to vote is removed from election counts. The preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder tells elections workers they cant nullify ballots by screening citizens who register and immediately vote during a 17-day period before a primary or general election through an altered method unless applicant protections are created. Over 100,000 new registrants have sought same-day registration in North Carolina during each of the last two presidential general elections, so slight adjustments in the closely divided state could make a difference in this Novembers elections for president, governor and other statewide positions. Early in-person voting and thus same-day registration for the March 5 primaries begins Feb. 15. Judge blocks tighter rule on same-day registration in North Carolina elections (Adobe Stock Images) The new law is contained within broader voting administration legislation enacted by the Republican-controlled General Assembly in the fall over Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers veto. It would, in part, remove a registrants ballot from the count after one mailed notice to the persons address by election officials is returned as undeliverable, instead of two under the previous law. The new provision has been challenged in at least three lawsuits. Schroeders 94-page ruling Sunday involved two of the lawsuits filed in October, one by the state and national Democratic parties and the other by national and local voter advocacy groups and a voter. Schroeder, who was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush, wrote that the one-mailer procedure doesnt provide due-process protections for voters to learn that their registrations were rejected and to appeal the decision to officials so the ballots could still count. The plaintiffs said the new procedure would increase the risk that U.S. Postal Service mishaps and paperwork errors would lead to more registration denials. Schroeders order cited evidence from a plaintiff called Voto Latino about election worker errors leading to verification cards being returned as undeliverable in 2022. The plaintiffs have demonstrated a likelihood that the provision giving people only one chance to verify by mail will impose a substantial burden on same-day registrants who cast a ballot, Schroeder said. They will face a non-trivial risk of being erroneously disenfranchised by failing address verification due to governmental error, rather than factors related to their eligibility to vote, without any notice and opportunity to be heard, the judges ruling said. Schroeder, whose ruling can be appealed, said his injunction would remain in force until due process concerns are addressed. Two GOP state House leaders, Speaker Tim Moore and elections committee chair Rep. Grey Mills, said Monday in a news release that Schroeders order requires relatively minor changes and that they were working with the State Board of Elections to ensure that the entire bill is in effect before the primary and general elections this year. 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Payne, first Black female White House reporters, honored with eponymous lectern TheGrio Staff Featured Judge blocks tighter rule on same-day registration in North Carolina elections Associated Press News Plagiarism probe finds some problems with former Harvard president Claudine Gays work Associated Press News Judge orders the unsealing of divorce case of Trump special prosecutor in Georgia accused of affair Associated Press Elections DeSantis still seen as danger to Black people and democracy after ending 2024 campaign Gerren Keith Gaynor Representatives of some of the plaintiffs praised the ruling as a major victory and will continue working to ensure that the (mail provision) does not wrongfully disenfranchise eligible North Carolinians in 2024, attorney Aria Branch said in a news release. Lawyers for the state board and GOP legislative leaders defending the new verification rule in court have said reducing the number of mailers to confirm the applicants mailing address attempts to address a problem with same-day registration. The previous law could lead to situations where the second verification mailer is returned as undeliverable after vote totals are finalized, meaning the ineligible registrants ballot is still counted. State lawyers also said a ruling in a previous lawsuit discourages efforts by local election boards to challenge such votes before the final count. Schroeder acknowledged there are legitimate interests in using address verification to promote preserving the integrity of the election process and instilling voter confidence. But he wrote the plaintiffs have shown the states precise interests asserted in this case likely do not outweigh the substantial burden on the rights of same-day registrants who cast a ballot. For the November 2020 election, for example, about 2,150 new same-day registration applicants in North Carolina failed the address verification. But Schroeder said the state board and Republican legislators have presented no evidence that address verification has ever filtered out a single ineligible same-day registrant. Schroeder refused to issue preliminary injunctions sought by the Democratic National Committee, state Democratic Party and others on other provisions related to same-day registration. The new law contains other provisions that also remain in effect, including increasing access by partisan poll observers at voting sites and requiring mail-in absentee ballots be returned by election night in order to count. The state Republican Party and Republican National Committee also joined the lawsuit as defendants. Never miss a beat: Get our daily stories straight to your inbox with theGrios newsletter. The post Judge blocks tighter rule on same-day registration in North Carolina elections appeared first on TheGrio. The governor of Kaduna state, Nigeria met with church leaders after the pace of terrorist killings since September increased in a Christian area, including 25 people slain in the first two weeks of January, sources said. James Bitrus, Christian leader of the Dnata Chiefdom in predominantly Christian Kagarko County in southern Kaduna state, said Muslim terrorists killed more than 100 Christians in the area over the past four months. In fact, these attacks became worse from the month of September to this January, Bitrus told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Since November, many of our people have been forced to flee our communities; farmers are not able to go to their farms. This is aside from about 100 more Christians who have been killed in the past four months. More than 100 Christians were also kidnapped as terrorists killed 25 Christians in the first part of January, he said. These figures do not include those kidnapped in the past year, said Bitrus, whose Dnata Chiefdom has headquarters in Gujeni town. Bitrus spoke with Christian Daily International-Morning Star News after he and other Christian leaders met with Kaduna Gov. Uba Sani and the heads of security agencies on Tuesday (Jan. 16) in response to the outcry against terrorism in the state. Sani, who took office in May, told the leaders that the purpose of the meeting was to brainstorm how to curtail recent attacks in the areas of Kauru, Kajuru, Birnin Gwari, Igabi, Chikun, Kachia, Kagarko and Kaduna-Abuja Road. He acknowledged that some parts of the state have become enclaves for terrorist activities. The recent occurrences on that axis clearly indicate the re-opening of a front on that route, and this points us strongly to the need for renewed focus and coordination, he said, according to a copy of remarks obtained by Christian Daily International-Morning Star News. Bandits and terrorists have exploited gaps, particularly around Maganda, Kuyello and other villages surrounding Buruku, Udawa, Damba, Kuriga, Polewire and other flash points, to carry out ambushes on citizens as well as security forces attempting to respond to distress calls. Chikun, Giwa and Igabi also have become areas of concern, he said. The Kauru general area has equally witnessed a resurgence of deadly attacks and kidnappings in recent weeks around Dokan Karji stretching into Kajuru, and also Kachia from the Bishini general area, Sani said. Bitrus told Christian Daily International-Morning Star News that there is an urgent need for the Nigerian government to check terrorist activities in the area. Six Christians were kidnapped at Maraban Idda area on Saturday, 13 January, and up to this very moment those kidnapped are in captivity, he said. Many Christians in the Gida Biyu village area were also kidnapped, he said. Day and night, Christians are being attacked and villages raided by these terrorists, Bitrus said. And we have complained to the government and security agencies about our plight, but nothing has been done. Islamic terrorists have established enclaves in the Kajuru forests, among other sites, he said. Security agencies know this, but nothing has been done to curtail these terrorists activities against our communities, Bitrus said. We are calling on the Kaduna state and Nigerian governments to collaborate with each other towards saving us from the threat of extinction from terrorist attacks. We plead that a military base should be established in our area so that these terrorist attacks can be curtailed. More kidnappings of Christians took place in Nigeria, with 3,300, than any other country, and it remained the deadliest place to follow Christ, with 4,118 people killed for their faith from Oct. 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2023, according to Open Doors 2024 World Watch List (WWL) report. Nigeria was also the third highest country in number of attacks on churches and other Christian buildings such as hospitals, schools, and cemeteries, with 750, according to the report. In the 2024 WWL of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria was ranked No. 6, as it was in the previous year. Numbering in the millions across Nigeria and the Sahel, predominantly Muslim Fulani comprise hundreds of clans of many different lineages who do not hold extremist views, but some Fulani do adhere to radical Islamist ideology, the United Kingdoms All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom or Belief (APPG) noted in a 2020 report. They adopt a comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP [Islamic State West Africa Province] and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity, the APPG report states. Christian leaders in Nigeria have said they believe herdsmen attacks on Christian communities in Nigerias Middle Belt are inspired by their desire to forcefully take over Christians lands and impose Islam as desertification has made it difficult for them to sustain their herds. A Lake Norman man charged in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., will have to wait a little longer to face a judge and enter a plea for the crimes the FBI says he committed. In an exclusive interview Friday, Lee Stutts, 46, of Terrell, told The Charlotte Observer he would plead not guilty at his preliminary hearing that was supposed to be held Tuesday in U.S. Court in Washington, D.C. Stutts appearance was instead rescheduled for Jan. 29, when he is expected to appear before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan via teleconference, court records showed. His appearance is now listed in court records as an arraignment and status conference. A defendant typically enters a plea during an arraignment, and a judge sets a bond. Stutts didnt immediately respond to a phone message from the Observer on Tuesday. What is Lee Stutts charged with? Stutts is accused of pushing and shoving officers with his hands, a barricade, a battering ram and a bike rack as he helped lead the Capitol breach on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Stutts has been free since the FBI arrested him in November on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, both felonies. Stutts told the Observer last week that he thought antifa would be at the Capitol, but he instead encountered walls of law enforcement officers with shields and batons. I wore a helmet and had my fists, Stutts said. I roughhoused a little bit, but I didnt punch them, none of that, he said, referring to the assaults against law enforcement officers defending the Capitol. I went up there to support our country and to whup somebodys ass from antifa, he said. We have to protect the people. By antifa, Stutts was referring to the far-left, anti-facist activists whom Donald Trump blamed for the protests against racial injustice across America in 2020. On Jan. 6, 2021, after a speech by Trump, several thousand people ascended on the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. There, a crowd broke through police barricades, breached the building and attempted to stop the joint session of Congress where electoral votes were being counted in the 2020 presidential election. Four people died that day. Another, a police officer, died the following day. A woman was shot and killed by a police officer as she tried to climb through a broken window in the Capitols Speakers Lobby. Two men died of natural causes, and a woman died of an accidental amphetamine overdose. Brian Sicknick, a Capitol Police officer assaulted at the scene, died a day later from a stroke. RICHMOND, Ind. A Wayne County judge has found a Richmond woman guilty of murder in the stabbing death of a woman she reportedly viewed as a romantic rival. Kristy Sue Sewell, 45, was accused of killing 28-year-old Kirsten Holland in the defendant's South Fifth Street home on June 28, 2019. Court documents referred to Holland as a "girlfriend" of Sewell's husband, and the mother of his child. Shortly before the homicide, Sewell and her husband had picked up Holland at a substance abuse treatment facility in Winchester and returned with her to their Richmond home. Wayne Superior Court 2 Judge Gregory Horn in September conducted a two-day bench trial in the case. In December, he issued an order finding Sewell guilty of the murder charge. The Richmond Police Department and Coroner Ron Stevens investigated a killing in the 1500 block of South Fifth Street on June 28, 2019. In his order, the judge rejected claims offered by Sewell and her lawyer, Andrew Maternowski, that she had acted in self-defense. The judge said Sewell's claim that Holland had lunged at her with a knife wasn't supported by evidence in the case. He noted Holland had been stabbed 14 times with wounds in her face, chest and back with a dagger that was left protruding from the victim's back, and a deer knife. More: Judge rules Richmond woman mentally competent to stand trial on murder charge The judge called Holland the target of a "vicious and highly personal attack, indicative of the anger, rage and jealousy that this court finds." He wrote that Sewell's claim of disarming a knife-wielding Holland would have required "almost superhero-like reflexes." The defendant was left with only "a tiny cut on her pinky finger," he noted. He noted Sewell had given inconsistent accounts of the homicide, at times maintaining she had inflicted only two or three wounds, and also had previously stabbed her husband. The judge was scheduled to sentence Sewell last week but the hearing was postponed. In Indiana, the standard penalty for a murder conviction is a 55-year prison term. Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Judge finds Richmond woman guilty of murder in knife attack A judge has allowed a Texas Senate candidate backed by state GOP leaders to keep campaigning amid questions about his eligibility. But she has also declined to dismiss the case, letting it move forward ahead of the March primary. The mixed news arrived Monday for Brent Hagenbuch, one of four Republican candidates competing to replace retiring Sen. Drew Springer, R-Muenster. Hagenbuch, who has the support of Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, has been battling allegations for weeks that he did not meet the residency requirement when he filed for the office. The latest ruling from Judge Lee Gabriel came in a lawsuit that one Hagenbuch opponent, Carrie de Moor, has filed in Denton County district court. With the litigation dragging on and the primary closing in, de Moors lawyers had sought a long-shot remedy from the judge: a temporary injunction to prevent him from campaigning. The court told the parties Monday that Gabriel would deny that motion for a temporary injunction. But at the same time, she would deny Hagenbuchs motion to dismiss the case under Texas anti-SLAPP lawsuit. Hagenbuchs campaign celebrated the ruling, saying the candidate won another round against opponents who thought they could win this election at the courthouse. Another Hagenbuch rival, Jace Yarbrough, unsuccessfully sought to get a state appeals court to intervene earlier this month. But de Moors campaign emphasized that Gabriel allowed the case to proceed, clearing the way for depositions, subpoenas and a trial. We need Mr. Hagenbuch to come in and raise his right hand and put this to bed, a de Moor lawyer, Mike Alfred, told The Texas Tribune on Tuesday. He who has nothing to hide hides nothing, so why wont he come forward, under oath, and answer questions? Under the Texas Constitution, candidates like Hagenbuch have to reside in the district they are running to represent for at least a year before the November election. When Hagenbuch filed for Senate District 30 in November, he listed his residence as an office building inside the district, though his opponents countered he had long been living in a home in a neighboring district. Hagenbuch later claimed in court that he had been indefinitely subleasing a corporate apartment inside the office building, which houses his transportation company, for $1 a quarter. For Hagenbuchs opponents, it was always an uphill battle to get him removed from the ballot, especially so close to the primary. Saturday was the deadline for counties to mail out military and overseas ballots. Hagenbuch is expected to fight efforts to proceed to a trial, making it unlikely it would happen before the March 5 primary. If he becomes the GOP nominee and there is a final judgment that he is ineligible after a trial and any appeals he could lose his place on the ballot and a GOP executive committee, likely precinct chairs in the district, would elect a replacement candidate. The last of four men ensnared in an infamous anti-terror sting operation will be released from prison after a US judge ruled that his crimes had been entirely manufactured by the FBI. James Cromitie, 58, was jailed in 2010 for conspiring to bomb a New York City synagogue and attack a military airbase at the instigation of a government informant. Critics said the FBI's conduct amounted to entrapment, championing the so-called "Newburgh Four" as symbols of authoritarian overreach in the wake of 9/11. Now the judge who originally put Cromitie behind bars has ordered that he be released after serving 15 years of his 25-year sentence while excoriating the government's conduct. "Nothing about the crimes of conviction was of defendants' own making," wrote US District Judge Colleen McMahon in a fiery opinion on Friday. "The FBI invented the conspiracy; identified the targets; manufactured the ordnance; federalised what would otherwise have been a state crime by driving three of the four men into Connecticut... and picked the day for the 'mission'." She described the FBI's informant, Shahed Hussain, as "most unsavoury" and "a villain", arguing that "the real lead conspirator was the United States". Cromitie's co-defendants Laguerre Payen, David Williams, and Onta Williams were all released last July for the same reasons. However, none of their convictions will be overturned. The supposed terror plot began in 2008 at a mosque in Newburgh, New York, where Cromitie and the others all Black Muslims were recruited by Mr Hussain. The four men, Judge McMahon wrote, were "impoverished small time grifters" with no history of terrorism and a constant need for cash, which Mr Hussain offered them in spades. Mr Hussain would later flee the country after his limousine rental business, which had repeatedly failed inspections, was implicated in a crash that killed 20 people. According to Judge McMahon, Mr Hussain roped the men into an elaborate plot that involved blowing up a synagogue and a Jewish community centre, as well as firing (fake) anti-air missiles at US military planes. The latter component, she said, had been devised by the government solely to ensure that the four men would receive a statutory minimum sentence of 25 years. "As heinous as was Cromitie's agreement to participate in what the FBI and Hussain had cooked up and make no mistake, it was heinous he was sentenced for participating in a fictitious plot to do things that he could never have dreamed up on his own, and that were never going to happen," Judge McMahon wrote, noting Cromitie's "well-documented buffoonery and ineptitude". While condemning Cromitie's "vile antisemitic language" during the original plot, she said that he had been mirroring language used by Mr Hussain himself and that vile words did not justify 25 years in prison. Jurors are split on whether a San Luis Obispo woman murdered a Templeton man when she sold him the fentanyl that later killed him in an overdose, they told the judge in a Monday court hearing. So the judge sent them back to continue their deliberations. In her testimony Wednesday, Brandi Turner, 50, admitted she sold fentanyl to 31-year-old Quinn Hall on Oct. 26, 2022. Halls body was discovered the following day by a San Luis Obispo County Animal Services employee behind the old Animal Services building on Kansas Avenue. She is charged with murder, selling fentanyl, possession of fentanyl for sales and possession of methamphetamine. Jurors said in a brief court hearing Monday they had decided unanimous verdicts on the three drug charges, but could not agree on whether Turners actions rose to the crime of murder. San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Barry LaBarbera told jurors that it is too early to declare a mistrial and told them to resume deliberations. He encouraged the jurors to keep an open mind as they digest all the information from the two-week trial and thanked them for their service. For the murder charge, the questions jurors must answer are whether that sale caused Halls death and what Turners mindset was going into it. LaBarbera told jurors they could also consider whether Turner is guilty of involuntary manslaughter, but only if they found her not guilty of murder. The jury began deliberations Friday around 2 p.m. In 1996, a jury recommended 11-1 that Kenneth Smith be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for his role in a murder-for-hire plot. The judge overruled the jury and imposed a death sentence, a practice that is no longer legal. Now, nearly three decades later, the state of Alabama plans to use Smith as a test subject for a new execution method: death by inhaling nitrogen gas. The states decision to execute Smith by nitrogen hypoxia on Thursday forcing him to breathe only nitrogen through a mask while depriving him of oxygen comes after a failed attempt to kill him by lethal injection in November 2022. Although Alabama is one of three states that has authorized executions using nitrogen gas, no state or the federal government has actually carried out such an execution. Alabama switched its planned killing method in Smiths case after he fought in court to block the state from attempting to kill him again through lethal injection. In addition to Smith, Alabama has failed to kill two other people it tried to execute with lethal injection in recent years. In a fourth lethal injection execution, the killing took more than three hours. Even in lethal injection executions with no observable problems, autopsies of the deceased show signs of pulmonary edema, a condition where the lungs fill with fluid and create the painful sensation of suffocating or drowning. Despite the clear problems with lethal injection executions, there is no evidence that executions using nitrogen would be any more humane. A botched nitrogen execution could lead to a slow, painful death by asphyxiation or even leave the individual alive but in a persistent vegetative state, according to medical experts. Alabamas plan to supply nitrogen through a mask worn by Smith also poses a risk to others in the execution chamber, including Smiths spiritual adviser, Rev. Jeff Hood. This is the most inept, unqualified, unprofessional execution squad in the country. And they think theyre going to be the ones to do this nitrogen hypoxia without a hitch? Hood said in an interview. Kenny is facing a torture of uncertainty throughout all of this. I think it is as cruel and unusual as any punishment in human history. Smith, who along with his lawyers did not respond to a request for comment, previously told NPR that he is terrified by the prospect of being killed with nitrogen gas. Ive been doing time for 35 years now, and Ive tried to place myself in my brothers shoes when theyre around the corner and going through this. But nothing prepares you for it, Smith said. The anxiety and stuff starts building up before you ever get your date. And now that youre approaching that time, the anxiety starts to build. And, yeah, there is a mental trauma there that I never realized until I went through that. Kenneth Smith, who survived a botched lethal injection in 2022, is scheduled to become the first person executed by nitrogen gas. Kenneth Smith, who survived a botched lethal injection in 2022, is scheduled to become the first person executed by nitrogen gas. Had Smiths trial taken place today, he would not have received a death sentence. In 2017, Alabama became the last state to ban judges from overriding jury recommendations to impose death sentences. However, like many criminal justice reforms, the change was not applied retroactively and Smith remained on death row. Alabama authorized nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution in 2018, amid a shortage of lethal injection drugs and a lawsuit by people on death row challenging the constitutionality of the states lethal injection procedure. Weeks before Gov. Kay Ivey (R) signed the legislation allowing nitrogen gas executions, the state unsuccessfully attempted to execute a terminally ill man named Doyle Lee Hamm, whose veins had deteriorated from drug use and treatment for cancer and hepatitis C. Executioners punctured him at least 11 times in his legs, ankles and groin, only stopping when the death warrant was close to expiring. Hamm experienced extensive bruising, a large amount of blood loss near his groin, and later reported blood in his urine. The state agreed not to try to execute him again and he died in 2021. But Alabama continued botching lethal injection executions. In July 2022, the state took more than three hours to kill Joe Nathan James Jr., making it the longest lethal injection execution in the U.S. Although Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner John Hamm said nothing out of the ordinary had occurred, the autopsy suggested otherwise. Failed attempts to insert IV catheters left puncture wounds and bruising on James hands, wrists and arms, in addition to unexplained incisions. The autopsy indicated that the people responsible for inserting the IV were unqualified for the task in the most dramatic way, Joel Zivot, an associate professor of anesthesiology who advocates against using tools of medicine for the death penalty, told The Atlantic. (The American Medical Association states in its code of medical ethics that as members of a profession dedicated to preserving life, physicians must not participate in executions.) Two months later, Alabama unsuccessfully tried to execute Alan Eugene Miller. Again, execution officials failed to set IV lines after repeatedly puncturing him with needles for approximately 90 minutes. By the end of the night, Miller was suspended vertically from a cross-shaped table, hands and one foot bleeding in an execution chamber and the state of Alabama apparently realizing it wouldnt be able to kill him within the time it had, journalist Elizabeth Bruenig, who observed Millers execution, wrote in the Atlantic. Smith was aware of these botched executions as his first execution date approached. There was no indication that Alabamas prison system had paused to investigate its failures in the cases of Hamm, James and Miller before leading Smith into the execution chamber on Nov. 17, 2022. There, he lay strapped to the gurney, unable to move for nearly four hours. Unbeknownst to him, a federal appellate court had stayed his execution. Rather than release him from the gurney, prison officials left him there until the Supreme Court vacated the stay. Once Smiths appeals were exhausted, the jabbing began. First, execution officials tried to set two IV lines, sliding a needle in and out of his arms and hands, ignoring him as he said they were penetrating his muscles and causing him severe pain, his lawyers wrote in a complaint filed in federal court in November. When that failed, the IV team tilted the gurney backward until Smith was in a reverse crucifixion position with his head below his feet, the complaint stated. A member of the IV team made five or six jabs with a clear syringe in his collarbone area before inserting a large-gauge needle into his collarbone and jabbing him several more times. It was so painful that Smith constricted against the gurney restraints, injuring his shoulder. He struggled to breathe. They were just sticking me over and over, going in the same hole like a freaking sewing machine, Smith told NPR. I was absolutely alone in a room full of people, and not one of them tried to help me at all and I was crying out for help. When the execution team finally called off the killing shortly before midnight, Smith was unable to stand, walk or dress himself without assistance, the complaint said. He still experiences severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, including nightmares, hypervigilance, hyperarousal and dissociation. Smith and Miller are the only two people alive who have survived an execution procedure in the country. They were just sticking me over and over, going in the same hole like a freaking sewing machine.Kenneth Smith Ahead of his first execution date, Smith sued the Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner, alleging that the states lethal injection protocol violated Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court has previously held that prisoners challenging the legality of an execution method must identify an alternative method that is feasible, readily implemented and reduces the risk of severe pain. Smith identified nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative method but the corrections department repeatedly took the position that it was not an available alternative. Then, on the eve of being required to disclose information regarding its failed attempt to execute Mr. Smith by lethal injection, [Alabama Department of Corrections] suddenly changed course, now claiming it is prepared to carry out executions using nitrogen hypoxia, Smiths lawyers wrote in the complaint filed last November. The corrections department filed its nitrogen hypoxia protocol last August as part of a motion to dismiss Smiths previous lawsuit. The protocol was so heavily redacted it was impossible to determine with specificity how the lethal gas process will proceed, Robert Dunham, the director of the Death Penalty Policy Project, wrote at the time. When Smith proposed nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative to lethal injection, his lawyers wrote, he did not agree to be executed without knowing the protocol, much less by ADOC using a heavily redacted protocol that he had never seen and that was hastily introduced as a means to moot Mr. Smiths pending litigation about ADOCs previous failed attempt to execute him by lethal injection and forestall discovery into it. Based on the readable text of the nitrogen hypoxia protocol, Smith is at risk of experiencing an excruciating death or of surviving but suffering other medical issues, his lawyers said. The use of a one-size-fits-all mask to deliver the nitrogen risks having an inadequate seal. If oxygen leaks into the mask, Smith could experience a prolonged, painful death, or even experience a stroke or a persistent vegetative state, the lawyers wrote. The protocol does not specify the purity of the nitrogen or how it will be stored to prevent contamination, Smiths lawyers noted. Airgas, a major gas distributor for Alabama, has previously stated it would not supply the state with gas to use in executions, echoing moves by drug manufacturers who refused to provide drugs for lethal injection executions. Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. allowed Alabama to move forward with executing Smith with nitrogen, ruling that Smith had not sufficiently proven the process was likely to cause a prolonged, painful death. Huffaker said in his ruling that Smith has been given an unredacted copy of the states nitrogen execution protocol. Smith is appealing the ruling. Huffakers ruling has created a situation in which the standards for euthanizing animals are more restrictive than the standards for killing healthy humans. The American Veterinary Medical Association said in its 2020 euthanasia guidelines that although nitrogen exposure may be an acceptable way to kill chickens, turkeys or pigs under certain conditions, it should not be used to kill other mammals. Rats who were exposed to high nitrogen gas levels showed signs of panic and distress before dying, the AVMA said. Hood, Smiths spiritual adviser, plans to be in the execution chamber with Smith to deliver his last rites. He was required to sign a waiver acknowledging the risk that he could inadvertently be exposed to the odorless, tasteless nitrogen gas. Hood, who has witnessed several lethal injection executions as a spiritual adviser to people on death row, said it is important to him that the people he works with are not alone in their final moments. I want my guys to always know that what is happening to them is evil. Its not right. The city of Long Beach, California, settled a lawsuit and is reportedly set to pay a prostate cancer patient hundreds of thousands after he alleged police officers struck him in the groin a day after he had surgery. As a lawsuit filed last year explained, resident Johnny Jackson was returning home from a run to Staples, where he printed a copy of his doctors note for his job, when local officers confronted him, the Sacramento Bee reported. The incident happened in September 2022. The Long Beach cops were in an unmarked vehicle and parked behind Jackson in his driveway after pulling him over because of his expired registration, according to the outlet. The city of Long Beach settled a lawsuit with a man who alleged Long Beach police officers kneed him a day after he had surgery. (Body camera footage obtained by Atlanta Black Star) Body camera video shows the moment the officers instructed Jackson to get out of his vehicle and put his hand on his head. The medical paperwork placed on top of the car began to flutter away when he started to comply with their orders. This is actually my paperwork for my surgery yesterday. I had surgery yesterday, be careful, Jackson said while officers tried to restrain him. Just let me move my paperwork. I just had surgery. Youre doing a lot of talking and not a lot of listening. Stop, one officer said. Put your hands behind your back. If you resist, you will get hurt. If you hurt me, I will sue you, he responded. Dont threaten me. Two officers are seen standing on each side of him, holding his arms. The third officer directs him to walk in his direction. Dont force me. I just had surgery, Jackson said while one of the officers yelled at him to walk. The officers immediately started to put Jacksons hands behind his back, handcuffed him, and escorted him to their patrol vehicle. He repeatedly mentioned that he had cancer. What is your issue? one of the officers asked. Why can you not listen to anything were saying? Why do you think youre running the show here? Why did we have to get to this point? The officer then asked Jackson why he continued driving until reaching his driveway, when noticing police trying to pull him over. My car had December tags on them. Its June. Thats why I pulled in the driveway, sir, Jackson said. Why are you forcing us to use force on you? the officer asked. Jackson explained to the officer that he felt that one of his colleagues unnecessarily threatened and was aggressive toward him even after he told them about the procedure. I want you to know youre lucky you didnt get Tased, I want you to know youre lucky you didnt get pepper sprayed or thrown to the ground, the officer said. Think about that next time. The filing claims that during the arrest, Jackson was kneedin his groin several times and suffered complications after the incident, including blood in his urine and bruises due to the handcuffs, per the Sacramento Bee. The city council greenlit the $300,000 payout last week, on Jan. 16. The settlement is not an admission of liability, and the City Attorneys Office believes that the settlement amount is reasonable and fair to both Mr. Jackson and the City, Deputy City Attorney Howard Russell told the outlet. I Just Had Surgery: Long Beach to Pay Prostate Cancer Patient $300K After Cops Allegedly Kneed Him In the Groin During Traffic Stop A Palestinian child walks past factories destroyed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip in Deir al Balah on Jan. 13, 2024. (Adel Hana / Associated Press) The war in Gaza is maiming minds as well as bodies. A burgeoning mental health crisis in the tiny coastal enclave is vastly overshadowed by the scale of death and destruction caused by more than three months of Israeli bombardment. But many experts believe psychological damage may prove one of the wars most lasting legacies. More than 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials. Most of the population of 2.3 million is displaced, the United Nations says. More than half of all Gazas structures schools, homes, universities are damaged or in ruins, according to satellite imagery. Palestinians flee Khan Yunis during an Israeli ground and air offensive on the Gaza Strip on Jan. 22. (Bashar Taleb / Associated Press) However, the full weight of long-term trauma, especially among the very young, will probably not be clear until after the fighting stops, say those at the center of Gazas decades-long struggle to build a system of mental health care. The psychological wounds will remain for a very long time after this catastrophe, said Dr. Samah Jabr, the head of mental health services at the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Ramallah, the West Banks administrative capital. And they will carry down through generations. There are so many children in Gaza whose entire families have been killed that hospitals classify them with the abbreviation WCNSF for wounded child, no surviving family. Read more: Palestinians rebuild in West Bank's Jenin only to watch Israel destroy it again and again Those around 10-year-old Dareen Anas Al Baya, hospitalized in Deir al Balah in central Gaza, encourage her to use colored pencils to express her feelings even when she does not feel able to speak to anyone. I draw every day, said the girl, whose father and mother were killed in a bombing that left her with serious leg injuries but alive, together with one of her brothers. Dozens of other members of the girls immediate and extended family who were sheltering in the house together were also killed. One of her uncles survived and was being treated in Turkey, medical staff said. I hope that maybe he can bring us to him, Dareen said tentatively. Even among children left physically unscathed in a war that has killed an estimated 12,000 of them and injured more than twice as many, the psychological effects are omnipresent, say those working on the ground. In every tent we inspect, we find children who compulsively suck their fingers, wet their beds, suffer from speech difficulties, lose their appetite, have nightmares, cannot sleep, said Dr. Arafat Abu Mashayikh, head of the mental health department at Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al Balah. Palestinians assess the damage caused by an Israeli attack on Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Jan. 17. (Fatima Shbair / Associated Press) Adolescents are another vulnerable group, with the current war one of several that young people in Gaza have already lived through coming at a time when they are developing convictions and social identity. Because of this experience, their view of the world and themselves will be distorted, said Jabr, the Palestinian mental health services director, who is also a clinical psychologist. Adults too are suffering. Before the war, Gaza had a single in-patient psychiatric hospital, and it had only 40 beds. Bombardment knocked the facility out of commission early in the conflict, Jabr said, leaving families to care for relatives with severe mental health issues even as they move frantically from one locale to another trying to find safety. Out of the six community mental health centers across Gaza that had distributed psychiatric medications, five were forced to close their doors within the wars first weeks, health officials said. And telemedicine counseling appointments, a lifeline for those living in remote areas, quickly fell casualty to frequent communications blackouts. Palestinians wounded during Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip are brought to the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis on Jan. 22, 2024. (Mohammed Dahman / Associated Press) Before the war, years of efforts by mental health professionals and community outreach workers in the Palestinian territories had started to strip away some of the societal stigma associated with mental illness. Traditionally, even conditions like anxiety and depression left sufferers and those closest to them feeling isolated and ashamed, doctors said. War has been a leveler in terms of attitudes about mental health, some practitioners said, because virtually everyone is finding it difficult to cope with their circumstances and there is more acceptance of mental struggles. Read more: News Analysis: What happens after the Israel-Hamas war ends? Two-state solution faces strong head winds Still many people, especially parents, feel the need to hide their distress as best they can. A widowed mother of seven named Hanan, displaced and living in a tent in central Gaza, said she was terrified by the bombing but resolved not to let her children see that. I always acted as if I wasnt scared even if I screamed, I pretended I was laughing, said Hanan, 48. After the family took shelter in a school, she sought to calm her daughters with made-up promises from a security official that they would be safe there. They soon had to flee again. Sometimes, Hanan said, the pressure was too much to bear, and she would feign the need to visit her camps squalid toilets just to have a few moments away. I want to run just leave the tent and run away, she said. I pretend I want to go to the bathroom, so as to walk outside at night. Displaced Palestinians congregate at the makeshift camp in Muwasi in the southern Gaza Strip. (Hatem Ali / Associated Press) Living in constant fear poses its own dangers, health experts said, because it is common for decision-making ability to be impaired by extreme stress. In Gaza, getting through a single day requires ingenuity and planning finding shelter, obtaining food, searching for clean water. In a war zone, ability to survive can be greatly impacted by the state of ones mental health, said Dr. Steve Sugden, a U.S. Army reserve colonel and psychiatrist who is an associate professor at the University of Utah. For individuals in this state of mind, decisions are more reactionary, responding immediately to events as opposed to thinking things through. Read more: Inside the Israeli lab 'reassembling and reconnecting' the mangled bodies of the dead In Gaza, the number of people able to provide care and comfort to those in mental distress is diminishing because they too are traumatized. Against the backdrop of a general collapse of the medical system, such a loss can escape notice, but it increasingly is being felt as the war drags on. Many in Gaza have been trained to provide psychological first aid nurses, general practitioners, teachers, said Jabr. But now, really no one is left untouched by loss of loved ones, homes or property, so that helping capacity is being diminished. For many in Gaza, stoicism is the only way to get through, health professionals say. People might carry guilt for a lifetime after having to give a loved one up for dead under the rubble but in the moment, it can feel that there is nothing to say. Palestinians who fled Khan Yunis arrive in Rafah in southern Gaza on Jan. 22, 2024. (Fatima Shbair / Associated Press) From Ramallah, Jabr maintains contact with colleagues in the mental health field as best she can. Sometimes she can offer a snippet of practical advice, but there is one scenario she finds particularly difficult to cope with. Thats when someone who I know has lost so much their child has been killed, their home is destroyed insists on asking me how I am doing, how I am holding up, she said. Thats whats most unbearable. The Times' special correspondent in Gaza cannot be named for security reasons. King, a staff writer, contributed to this report from Jerusalem. 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. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gestures as she speaks outside the South Carolina State House in Columbia, South Carolina, U.S., January 15, 2024 (REUTERS) Is Kamala Harris a liability or Joe Bidens secret weapon? It depends who you talk to but the sentiments in Bidenworld trend toward the latter. Its unclear, then, what the campaigns latest moves mean. Recent polling shows that support for Mr Biden is slipping among Black voters in key swing states. Clearly, if Ms Harris is needed anywhere, its there: Her popularity among Black voters especially Black women voters is well-known. Yet she has instead been deployed repeatedly in recent weeks to South Carolina, a state that will have absolutely zero impact on the November election. Ms Harris took two separate trips there this month alone, for a total of eight since she became vice president in January 2021. When The Independent accompanied the vice president on one of those excursions a visit to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to speak to a Black womens group on the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol the room where she spoke was packed to the rafters. More than 1,200 members were there to hear her. Before she even entered the room, they gave her a standing ovation. After taking the stage, Ms Harris launched into what has become a standard version of her stump speech, which began with her crediting her audience for Mr Bidens 2020 election victory. It is because of you that Joe Biden is President of the United States and I am the first Black woman to be Vice President of the United States. And so Im here of course to say thank you for your work and your leadership and your vision for what is possible for our nation, she said. On a broad-brush level, she was correct to thank the audience of South Carolinians. It was their votes during their states 2020 primary that launched Mr Biden on a path to the Democratic nomination that year after he was soundly beaten in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary contests. And it was that result, in part, which led the Democratic National Committee to make the Palmetto States contest the first official primary on the Democratic calendar this year, though the stated reason was because of the states more diverse electorate. But despite the presence of other candidates in the field this year, Mr Biden is running as an incumbent, making the primary process a formality. And South Carolinas electoral votes havent gone to a Democrat since Jimmy Carter knocked off Gerald Ford in the 1976 general election. So why isnt Ms Harris putting the same effort into states that she and Mr Biden have a real chance of winning in November? The Independent spoke to people close to Ms Harris and Mr Biden about this issue, and received mixed feedback. One such person said the vice presidents repeated sojourns to South Carolina were in part an effort to keep her in front of friendly audiences and away from controversy, citing her penchant for awkward statements when confronted on contentious issues. Other allies of the administration say Ms Harris is being used in the right way, because she knows how to speak to key constituencies who will need to be kept in the presidents camp if he is to win a second term. Nevada Representative Steven Horsford, the current chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, told The Independent that he wants to see her spend more time in his state because she is comfortable speaking with people from all walks of life, particularly those in the service industry. When youre meeting with the culinary workers, shes relatable. She understands where people are, she knows their story, when shes talking to the culinary workers. Shes talking about her own experience, being raised by an immigrant mother and the values that that instilled in her and what she and the President are fighting for every day, he said. Nikema Williams, a second-term House member from Georgia, said Ms Harris recent travel to her Atlanta-area district has sent an important message about the administrations commitment to democracy. My constituents are Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss who are continuing to be harassed by Republicans, she said. She met with election workers and poll workers to talk about what the White House is doing to work with Congress to try and get legislation passed to secure voting rights across this country. But Ms Williams added that the administration and campaign need to continue to paint a contrast between them and a potential second Trump term for Black voters. The Biden-Harris administration has the best transformational opportunities for Americans, period, especially Black Americans. And so we have to continue to tell our story and talk about what weve been able to do over the past three years and under the Biden-Harris administration, she said. South Carolina Representative James Clyburn, the man whose pre-Super Tuesday endorsement propelled Mr Biden to victory in his states 2020 primary, wasnt concerned that Ms Harriss time in his state could be better spent in swing states. Mr Clyburn told The Independent last week that he expects the vice president to broaden her travel plans in the coming weeks and months. He added that he believes she will be a real asset to her campaign. Not everyone agrees. In their book The Truce, authors Hunter Walker and Luppe Luppen write that former Harris staffers have expressed a dim view of the vice presidents capabilities, citing dysfunction on her aborted 2020 primary campaign and in her Senate office. One ex-Harris aide from her Senate days was blunt in their assessment: This person should not be president of the United States. Another aide told the authors that Ms Harris has failed to advance a theory of why she should be on the ticket beyond her racial and ethnic background. And a White House staffer who worked for the vice president added that the atmosphere in Ms Harriss office was reminiscent of Game of Thrones. Even when Mr Biden first selected her as his running-mate, Ms Harris was a controversial choice. She slammed the soon-to-be-president over his record on bussing on the debate stage, in terms that were considered particularly harsh. Mr Biden selected her reportedly over the objections of top aides and his wife, Jill Biden. Since taking office, Ms Harris poll numbers have consistently been lower than Mr Bidens, which themselves have been alarmingly low for a while. The presidents approval rating started dropping in the wake of the August 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan and never fully recovered. But despite feverish speculation in right-wing media circles over Ms Harris future, there is no chance that Mr Biden or his brain trust are even considering replacing the ex-California attorney general turned Golden State senator as the 46th presidents number-two. Maxwell Frost, the young Florida representative who became the youngest ever House member when he was elected in 2022, told The Independent that Ms Harris value is in how she speaks to key constituencies about important subjects, citing her success on a tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities last year. I think shes doing a good job and I think well see her amping it up more [this year], he said. He added that Ms Harris has the ability to have her message resonate with younger voters, and in particular Black voters who may not be excited about voting for the 81-year-old Mr Biden in November. A lot of folks actually look up to her, he said. A court in China sentenced a prominent Protestant pastor to 14 years in prison. The pastors wife and four church members have also been sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to 10 years. They were all found guilty of purportedly using superstition to undermine the law. The Ganjingzi District Peoples Court in the city of Dalian sentenced Pastor Kan Xiaoyong, who's in his 60s, to 14 years in prison, Radio Free Asia reported, adding that his wife, Wang Fengying, received a four-year sentence and the four church members Chu Xinyu, Zhao Qianjiao, Zhang Songai and Liang Dongzhi received prison terms ranging from three to 10 years. Initial expectations for Kans sentence exceeded 20 years, RFA said. However, following strong resistance from his lawyers, authorities reduced his sentence. Similarly, Wangs anticipated sentence was between 15- to 18-years but was ultimately set at four years. Despite these reductions, a source emphasized that none of the accused are guilty. Kan and Wang moved to Dalian from Wuhan in 2018 and established the Home Discipleship Network, an online preaching platform. Their arrest by Dalian police, along with the four other church members, occurred in October 2021. The source was quoted as saying that Kans significant online following and the unofficial status of his church posed a threat to the Chinese Communist Party, leading to the crackdown. Both Kan and Wang said Dalian police tortured them during their interrogations. This allegation was presented in court and not refuted by authorities. Xu Yonghai, an elder of a Beijing house church, commented on the increasing fragmentation of Protestant churches in China due to government pressure. Bitter Winter, a magazine covering religious liberty and human rights in China, reported that these heavy sentences are part of a broader effort by President Xi Jinpings government to compel all Protestant churches to join the state-controlled Three-Self Church. The charges against Kan and his co-defendants included illegal business practices and the use of xie jiao to undermine law implementation, the magazine said. Xie jiao, translated as heterodox teaching, is a term often used by Chinese authorities to label groups they consider cults. However, Kans organization, a typical Protestant house church, does not fit this profile. Kan, originally from Wuhan, was a successful businessman and hails from a family with connections to the CCP. He and his wife, a former schoolteacher and ballet dancer, shifted to full-time ministry in 2018. Their ministry gained national recognition within the house church circuit. The couples 2021 arrest was followed by several days of alleged torture, with evidence presented at trial but dismissed by the judge. The defense team plans to appeal the severe verdict. Open Doors, an organization that tracks global Christian persecution, provides context to the broader situation in China. The CCP aims to align churches with its ideology, often targeting unregistered house churches. New regulations and digital surveillance have intensified the crackdown on Christian activities. The most severe persecution occurs in regions where Buddhism or Islam are dominant, with converts to Christianity facing significant threats. However, the pressure is spreading across China, with digital persecution increasingly impacting Christians, especially those in house churches. Originally published by The Christian Post Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach doesnt think former President Donald Trump should be removed from the 2024 ballot in Colorado and Maine for a simple reason he doesnt believe Trump engaged in an insurrection. The Republican state attorney general last week urged the U.S. Supreme Court to strictly interpret the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, a post-Civil War addition that bars anyone who previously swore to support the constitution and then engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the country from again holding office. The Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, in which hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the building and temporarily disrupted the certification of President Joe Bidens election, was not comparable to the Civil War and therefore not an insurrection or rebellion against the U.S. Constitution, Kobach argues in a section of his brief entitled Trump did not engage in an insurrection or rebellion. While the occurrences on January 6th were certainly not our Countrys finest, there is no colorable basis to conclude that they are, in any way or form, an internal uprising akin to the war that transpired from 1861 to 1865, Kobach wrote in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court submitted last week. Kobachs brief comes amid a slew of legal filings with the court more than 47 ahead of the Feb. 8 oral arguments in Trump v. Anderson, when the Supreme Court will consider whether the Colorado Supreme Court erred when it ruled that Trump ineligible to appear on the states ballot because he participated in an insurrection. The case is politically explosive, with the potential to dramatically reshape the 2024 presidential election. It is also the Supreme Courts most direct involvement in a presidential race since the 2000 Bush v. Gore decision, which effectively handed the presidency to President George W. Bush. Many of the briefs represent Republicans racing to defend Trump, similar to the wave of amicus briefs from conservative elected officials that asked the Supreme Court to delay the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Kobach wrote one brief and signed on to a second, led by Indiana and West Virginia. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, who faces a tough primary election, also signed onto a brief, and Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who is running for governor, led a brief signed by several Republican secretaries of state. Every member of Congress from Kansas and Missouri, with the exception of Rep. Jake LaTurner, a Kansas Republican, signed on to a brief led by Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas and former Supreme Court Clerk. Even the Kansas Republican Party filed a brief. In addition to it being something that I think would sort of naturally draw interest from political actors, I think a lot of the filings are ways of people essentially sort of demonstrating their offerings of tribute to Trump so that they prove that they are in his good graces, said Ian Bassin, the executive director of Protect Democracy, a non-profit focused on countering authoritarianism in the U.S. Because they need that for their future careers. The pro-Trump briefs largely rehash similar arguments. They say the section of the 14th Amendment that would bar someone from serving in office for engaging in an insurrection and rebellion is not self-enforcing, meaning that it requires action from Congress to bar the person from serving. They also argue the insurrection clause doesnt apply to Trump. In his brief, Ashcroft asks the court not to allow state secretaries of state to determine whether a candidate has engaged in an insurrection, saying the determination goes beyond the standard qualifications they evaluate like age, residency or citizenship. Referencing the Maine Secretary of States decision to remove Trump from the ballot, Ashcroft argues that secretaries of state arent equipped to make those decisions, and says it would heighten partisan politics and would end up with anti-democratic results. Allowing elected Secretaries of State to make time-sensitive and unreviewable decisions about ballot qualification will lead to partisan abuse, Ashcrofts brief says. Tit-for-tat disqualification decisions, if abused by partisan actors, sets a dangerous precedent for a deeply-divided Nation. In the amicus brief from more than 177 Republican lawmakers, Cruz also argues that the Colorado Supreme Courts definition of insurrection would open up a tit-for-tat response, in which he brings up protests after the 2020 murder of George Floyd that sometimes turned violent and demonstrations outside of the confirmation hearings of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018. Cruz also argues that the amendments language doesnt apply to Trump because it does not specifically indicate the offices of president or vice president. When the Fourteenth Amendment was enacted, the only former President who had joined the confederacy, John Tyler, was dead, Cruzs brief says. The framers of the Fourteenth Amendment had little reason to worry about a former President being elected, so they did not include it in Section 3. There are more amicus briefs in support of Trump than of the Colorado Supreme Court amid a larger reticence from Democrats to support the case, which some of Trumps defenders like Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican have pointed out. Bassins group filed an amicus brief in the case with the Brennan Center for Justice and Campaign Legal Center, but it was in support of neither party and instead focused on preserving a court ruling that state courts should ultimately decide state law. But Bassin has been reading and writing about the case and worries that legal experts are dancing around the issue because theyre fearful of what it would mean if the Supreme Court removed Trump from the ballot. He has argued that if the Supreme Court upholds Colorados decision, it would be vindicating the constitutions system of checks and balances on the government. I think a lot of very smart legal thinkers are extremely afraid of what would happen if the court simply applied the law as written, and therefore they are twisting their legal analysis to suggest interpretations of the law that dont make any sense when you read it, Bassin said. Out of fear. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A Kansas City charter school canceled classes Tuesday due to a social media threat, school leaders confirmed. Early Tuesday morning, leaders at KIPP Kansas City learned of the threat to KIPP Legacy High School. The school is located near E. Truman Road and Winchester Avenue in east Kansas City. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android In a statement, school officials said they launched an investigation and contacted Kansas City police, who confirmed they are also investigating. KIPP leaders did not disclose the nature of the social media threat. The charter school said it decided to cancel class out of an abundance of caution. However, KIPP plans to resume classes again on Wednesday with additional security measures. School leaders did not share any details on what extra security steps it will take. Attorney: 5th person at Kansas City home where 3 friends found dead According to its website, KIPP Kansas City is part of a national network of free, open-enrollment, college-preparatory charter schools. It also has an elementary and middle school located at 18th Street and Prospect Avenue. KCPD said the KC Regional Fusion Center has also been notified and will continue to monitor for any additional threats that would cause significant damage to life and property. A KCPD spokesperson said working with the Fusion Center isnt new. The organization is often utilized in an instance where theres a threat to a large number of people, property or something like a specific group. They are not used specifically for school threats. FOX4 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox According to its website, the Kansas City Regional Fusion Center brings local, state and federal law enforcement officials together with public and private organizations to detect, deter and respond to terrorist threats in the Kansas City community. The Fusion Centers Interagency Analysis Center collects information from various sources. This data is evaluated and analyzed in an effort to identify potential trends or patterns of terrorist or criminal operations within the region. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. A Kansas City police officer and a motorist were injured Monday afternoon in a crash that occurred during a response to an emergency. The crash happened around 3:20 p.m. at Linwood Boulevard and Indiana Avenue, near Kansas Citys Central High School. It involved a marked police vehicle and a Chevrolet sedan, police said in a written statement Monday evening. Police said the officer was responding to an emergency medical call with lights and sirens on at the time of the crash. The officer was headed southbound on Indiana when the sedan entered the intersection from Linwood and struck the marked vehicle, according to police. Police described the injuries suffered by the officer and other driver as minor. The crash remained under investigation by Kansas City police Monday evening. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Adam Tebben died over the weekend doing what he loved. He was working as a travel nurse on a flight in Oklahoma to save patients. We want to provide that support to patients at their worst and make a difference in their lives, Bethany Diercks said. Diercks worked with Tebben and explained that he was doing what he loved when his Air Evac lifeteam flight went down in Oklahoma outside the town of Hyro Saturday night. Authorities identify man killed in crash near Garden Plain He was willing to put others first in any circumstance, said Diercks. Because he cares. He put his heart and soul into it. Unfortunately, he passed away doing what he loved. His goal was always to be a flight nurse. Tebben, who was a travel nurse from Wichita on assignment in Oklahoma, is remembered by many in the profession who say he can not be replaced. He gave his life caring for other people, said friend Briauna Barkdoll. So he was selfless and dedicated. Barkdoll says she also works on a different air medical team saving lives. The accident that took the life of her friend gives her pause. And he actually helped me get onto my flight job here, said Barkdoll. Barkdoll says she will not hesitate to keep doing her job because its what Adam preached every day in his life. Definitely puts things more into perspective on how actually dangerous the job is, said Barkdoll. But hes always been extremely dedicated to his job. Hes always been the type of person that would advocate for his patients and other nurses. And he was always somebody you could count on regardless. It was always more than just a job to him. While the NTSB investigates what went wrong on the flight this past weekend, others say what Adam lived for every day is what they will carry with them to remember him. Woman saved from house fire in Sedan, 9 animals killed He really made it so work was fun. And we just had a good time. He liked to razz, and we always had a good shift when Adam was on, said friend Michelle Lehman. And he will definitely be missed. He made a good impression. Always willing to help. And just jumped up and always was there. He had our back. Diercks says Tebbens legacy continues. She says he was a member of the Kansas Board of Nursing. Hes an advocate statewide, if not further, explained Diercks. A celebration of life service for Adam Tebben is pending. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case about a Lewis County jail inmate who died in the care of jail staff, meaning the case will proceed after a federal appeals court suggested county officials were indifferent to the mans life. At the center of the federal lawsuit was Christopher Helphenstine, a pretrial detainee at the Lewis County Detention Center who died of acute withdrawal symptoms after five days in the jails care. Helphenstines wife filed a lawsuit in September 2018, accusing 13 defendants including a contracted doctor and jail employees of reckless indifference to human life and negligence. Lewis County was included as a defendant. The case has been pending since then. The countys former elected jailer, Jeff Lykins, was listed as a defendant, as well as deputy jailers Anthony Ruark, Andy Lucas, Ben Carver, Amanda McGinnis, Mark Riley, Melinda Monroe, Jeffrey Throughman, Johnny Bivens, John Byard, Sandra Bloomfield and Dr. Tommy von Luhrte. On Monday the countrys highest court denied a request from the attorneys representing jail staff and the county, who had asked the Supreme Court to hear the case and rule they arent liable to face trial over the victims death. The Supreme Court agreed with the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the lower court which ruled that the jail employees, the doctor and the county acted with indifference to human life. The Supreme Courts decision remands the case back to a lower trial court, where a trial could take place. Jeff Mando, an attorney for a majority of the jail staff defendants, said he was truly disappointed in the Supreme Court ruling. There is a clear circuit split across the country on what the standard is on deciding inmate medical claims and local jailers face these issues everyday, Mando said. I felt we made a compelling case for Supreme Court to provide clarity and establish what the appropriate standard would be for deciding those claims. Mando said the jail where the incident happened has since closed because it wasnt fiscally reasonable for the county. Ruling: Victim quickly showed withdrawal signs Helphenstine was arrested on April 14, 2017, and charged with drug offenses. He was taken to the Lewis County Detention Center where he quickly showed signs of serious withdrawal. He vomited on the floor and was moved to a detox cell after he told Riley, a deputy, he was dope sick. Riley said he asked if Helphenstine wanted to go to a doctor or hospital, but he denied treatment, according to the appeals court ruling. The jail had a contractual agreement with von Luhrte, who was obligated to visit the jail once a week, according to appeal courts opinion. But von Luhrte wouldnt visit unless the jail reported any inmates were sick. When Helphenstine began feeling poorly on Sunday, the staff knew he would not receive care for at least two days, when the doctor was scheduled to return for his weekly visit. Over the course of days, Helphenstines condition worsened. He continued to vomit, soil himself, refused to eat or drink, and remained mostly immobile in the isolation cell. Several deputies listed in the suit all checked on Helphenstine over the course of those several days and saw he was not able to hold up his head at times, and needed help drinking. McGinnis, another deputy, wrote a non-emergency but urgent medical request stating Helphenstine was in withdrawal, and sent a fax to von Luhrtes office, even though she knew the office was closed, according to court documents. The doctor didnt see the fax until later the next morning and testified in court that he told the jail Helphenstine needed to go to the hospital, according to court documents. There was no record of that call to the jail, court documents state. Helphenstine was prescribed Zofran and Reglan by von Luhtre, who alleged he continued to tell the jail Helphenstine needed to go to the hospital. But Lykins, the jailer, denied speaking with the doctor, and there is no record of the call taking place, court records say. Court documents say von Luhtre never visited the jail to treat Helphenstine or other inmates who were listed as needing medical attention that week. Deputies continued to monitor Helphenstine through the window of his cell. Around 3:30 a.m. on April 19, 2017, Ruark looked through the window and noticed something was wrong. Helphenstine did not respond to deputies, and was cold, blue and unresponsive. He died en route to the hospital that day. Federal court: Jail lacked training, protocols The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals determined there was sufficient evidence that a jury could determine if a number of guards acted with deliberate indifference to Helphenstines serious medical condition, and that the jailer acted at least recklessly. Evidence suggested Dr. von Luhrte could have acted with deliberate indifference. The court of appeals suggested Lewis County failed to adequately train and supervise its jailers regarding medical emergencies, which amounted to deliberate indifference. The inadequacy of the training and supervision at the jail demonstrates that it results from the Countys deliberate indifference to the rights of its inmates because the possible unconstitutional consequences are patently obvious, the opinion read. This is particularly palpable when viewing Lewis Countys woeful training policy against the backdrop of Dr. von Luhrtes performance and the Countys lack of supervision. The opinion noted Deputy McGinnis also consciously treated Helphenstines medical needs differently because he was an inmate. She told the courts, if it were her family member demonstrating similar conditions of Helphenstine, she would have taken them to a hospital. Judge Richard Griffin of the Sixth Circuit told defense attorneys during oral arguments: Come on, he was in bad shape all along, wasnt he? He received no medical care at all. I mean, just reading the record its obvious hes got a serious medical condition. And he receives no medical care or treatment, or very little. And, um, I mean, I think its an egregious case. Helphenstines attorney, James Thomerson, said inmates are treated differently, but even more so when drug offenses are involved. They seem to get less sympathy, as if they are blaming them for being there, Thomerson said. Judges from the court of appeals wrote that they find a systemic issue in the lack of regard for inmates and jails not following their own protocol and state regulations. The opinion also noted a lack of training for local deputies for how to treat inmates experiencing withdrawal. Several defendants testified they had never had more than CPR and first aid training. The court suggested the inadequacy of the training and supervision at the jail showed the countys deliberate indifference to the rights inmates because the possible unconstitutional consequences which were patently obvious. This is particularly palpable when viewing Lewis Countys woeful training policy against the backdrop of Dr. von Luhrtes performance and the countys lack of supervision, the opinion reads. Von Luhrte was hired by the county provide medical care to inmates, but only visited the jail once a week. This policy alone violated Kentuckys administrative regulations, which requires a jail conduct at least two sick calls a week, according to the opinion, which cited state statutes. The county also has a policy requiring the elected jailer to publish a quarterly report on the jails medical services, which was not done, the appeals courts opinion stated. Lykins had never actually seen Dr. von Luhrte visit the jail, and explicitly testified that the county did not supervise Dr. von Luhrtes performance in anyway, the opinion reads. Thomerson said this case is an example of jails failure to provide medical care for people whose lives are entirely dependent on and in the hands of government actors. Whether its a parent in a nursing home, a child in school, a baby in a daycare, or a family member who unfortunately is incarcerated, there is a social contract that requires all of those in charge to do all they can to protect and care for the person that is 100% under their care and control. The death of Chris Helphenstine, a husband and father, was a tragic result of the failure of that social contract, he said in an emailed statement to the Herald-Leader. Thomerson said the lack of training and care doesnt just affect Lewis County, but the state and country as the opioid epidemic continues to devastate local areas. KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) A Kentwood company has received a $2 million grant as it looks to expand. On Tuesday, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a request from Fifth Wheel Freight for a $2 million Michigan Business Development Program grant. The third-party logistics and transportation company is working on potential plans for a new West Michigan headquarters location, along with multiple satellite offices throughout the country. It is looking at Indianapolis, South Bend, Dayton, Columbus, Atlanta, Charlotte and metro Detroit for the satellite offices. The project would create up to 352 new full-time jobs, according to a Michigan Economic Development Corporation memo, but the headquarters could eventually have more than 1,000 employees. The Kentwood-based company currently employs 157 people full-time. The project will bring a capital investment of at least $1.5 million and up to $50 million in Michigan, the MEDC memo says. Fifth Wheel Freight has not yet found a location for the project. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. One of the key players in Wichita Falls' efforts to keep an adequate water supply is leaving the city for another job. Daniel Nix, the city's public utility operations manager, has been named Executive Director of the Texas Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA). Nix will start his new job Feb. 19. Daniel Nix, utilities operations manager, samples water in July 2016 from the Cypress Water Treatment plant's direct potable reuse system. Nix was the winner that year of the American Public Works Association Charles Walter Nichols Award for Environmental Excellence for his work on the direct potable reuse system. Nix and Public Works DIrector Russell Schreiber shepherded the city through the historic drought of 2010-2015 when reservoirs dropped below 20 percent of capacity. Nix helped engineer a direct potable reuse solution during the height of the drought and later, an indirect reuse system that delivers treated wastewater back to Lake Arrowhead. The city's efforts with Nix and Schreiber at the helm won national attention and acclaim. He has worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the AWWA on several potable reuse initiatives. At the state government level, he was instrumental in working with the 87th Texas Legislature in passing legislation directing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to develop regulatory guidance on implementing direct potable reuse for water utilities and engineering firms. He has worked for the city since 1986, first as a utilities technician and then worked his way up to lead a department consisting of 162 employees. Nix has received several awards for his efforts. Im excited about the opportunity to add value to the entire water industry through these Texas Sections initiatives, Nix said in a press release from AWWA. He will succeed Mike Howe, who is retiring after 27 years as the executive leader of the Texas section. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Key figure in WF water efforts will leave city for a new job One of the oldest kidnapping cases that the F.B.I. has worked in Afghanistan has finally come to a close, The New York Times reports. After 15 years, the remains of Cydney Mizell, an aid worker who was abducted while teaching English in 2008, were discovered and returned to her family, according to a statement from the F.B.I. on Saturday. In 2021, the U.S. government made a renewed push to find Mizells remains, and posted a reward for any information, which led to the recovery of bone fragments. Mizells entire skeletal remains were recovered and her ashes along with her journals were returned in April 2023 to her sister, Jan Mizell. Without the agents, we would still be in some big black hole of nothingness, Mizell said. Read it at New York Times Read more at The Daily Beast. Roger Forster, a prominent figure in the United Kingdom Evangelical community and founder of the Ichthus Christian Fellowship neo-charismatic network, died peacefully at the age of 90 this week. Forster, who was in ministry for almost 70 years, died Wednesday in his home, Ichthus Christian Fellowship announced. Remembered as someone in a league of his own, Forster leaves a lasting legacy in the realms of evangelism, theology and pastoral mentorship. "We celebrate his incredible and inspirational life of service to our Lord Jesus, as an evangelist, theologian, pastor, mentor and most importantly, devoted disciple of Jesus," the announcement reads. "We also deeply feel his loss, and mourn with his wife Faith, his children and grandchildren. He was a father in the faith to thousands of people in the UK and all over the world, and he ran the race right until the end." Worship leader Graham Kendrick and Ichthus Team Ministry Leader Henry George recalled in an obituary published by Premier Christian News that Forster preached the Gospel with a clarity, fluency and passion that was like "apologetics on steroids." Roger felt injustice keenly, and it seemed to me that the theological issues he debated most fiercely (though respectfully in the Oxbridge debating tradition), were those he perceived could do most damage to people and rob God," they wrote. "Intellectually, he was in a league of his own, but he was an approachable, patient, gracious teacher. It is impossible to measure the influence Roger Forster had on my life and that of my family but I was not unusual, countless others would say the same. Born into a world far removed from the digital age, Forsters early life was marked by a profound spiritual awakening. He embraced Christianity as a student at the University of Cambridge, where he studied math and theology. His time in the Royal Air Force further shaped his character, preparing him for a life dedicated to evangelism. In 1974, alongside his wife, Faith, Forster founded Ichthus. Starting with a modest group of 14 in their home, their vision was clear: to cultivate disciples of Christ, echoing the fervor of the early Christian church. His preaching, imbued with Relational Arminianism, attracted a diverse congregation. The fellowship, initially a small house church, expanded into a vibrant community with multiple congregations across London. Forsters leadership was not just about expanding numbers; it was about deepening faith. He established a leadership training program in the 1980s, which has since nurtured hundreds for ministry, including George. His influence reached far beyond the U.K., touching lives in Lebanon, Nepal, India, Myanmar and more. Forsters commitment to evangelism was evident in his involvement with the March for Jesus movement. This global phenomenon, which he helped birth alongside Pioneer and Youth with a Mission, reflected his belief in active, public expressions of faith. His approach to theology was not just intellectual but deeply practical, focusing on issues of injustice and the real-world impact of religious beliefs. In October 2021, Forster and his wife handed over the leadership of Ichthus to a team of seven led by George. This transition marked a new chapter for Ichthus, which continued to embrace Forsters vision of a church deeply engaged with the world. The movements outreach efforts include Church on the Streets, toddler groups and refugee outreach. Forsters death coincides with the 50th Jubilee year of Ichthus. The ministry has yet to announce the time or location of a tribute service. Originally published by The Christian Post SEOUL, South Korea Is Kim Jong Un about to take North Korea to war? For decades, the reclusive state has said its goal is to peacefully reunify with its fellow countrymen in South Korea. Now Kim has formally cast that goal aside, framing his neighbors as the enemy while intensifying his nuclear threats and tests and raising alarm about whether, with the world focused on wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, he may be poised to start yet another conflict. While threats and angry rhetoric are nothing new from North Korea, which was led by Kims grandfather and father before him, two renowned American analysts say Kims latest moves go beyond the typical bluster and suggest he could be preparing for an attack on South Korea, a U.S. treaty ally. We believe that, like his grandfather in 1950, Kim Jong Un has made a strategic decision to go to war, former State Department official Robert L. Carlin and nuclear scientist Siegfried Hecker wrote this month in a widely talked-about essay on the U.S.-based website 38 North. That analysis and Kim's continued actions have set off an intense debate about just how worried the world should be. A grievous failure of imagination In a historic step, Kim said last week that communist North Korea would no longer pursue reconciliation with the democratic South and that the Norths constitution would be changed to remove the idea of shared statehood between the two countries, which have remained technically at war since the Korean War ended in an armistice in 1953. Speaking at a Jan. 15 meeting of his rubber-stamp parliament, Kim said that South Korea was the Norths principal enemy and that while nuclear-armed North Korea does not want war, we have no intention of avoiding it. He also said he would abolish all government agencies responsible for promoting cooperation and reunification with the South and demolish the Reunification Arch built outside Pyongyang in 2001 to symbolize the goal of a unified Korean Peninsula. The situation on the Korean Peninsula has been escalating since the start of the year. State media on Jan. 1 reported Kims vow to annihilate South Korea if provoked. Days later, North Korea fired artillery shells near the disputed sea boundary off South Koreas western coast, leading the South to hold its own live-fire drills. Last week, North Korea said it had flight-tested a solid-fuel intermediate-range missile tipped with a hypersonic warhead, in its first ballistic test of the year. It also conducted another test of its nuclear-capable underwater attack drones, in protest against joint military drills by the U.S., South Korea and Japan. Such tests are a violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions. Tensions had already ratcheted up throughout 2023, when North Korea launched its first spy satellite and its first solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile. In response to the Nov. 21 spy satellite launch, South Korea suspended part of a 2018 military accord aimed at easing tensions between the two countries, resuming aerial surveillance near the border. North Korea then suspended the agreement altogether, restoring border guard posts and other military measures. north korea satellite launch (KCNA via KNS/AFP - Getty Images) North Korea has also maintained close ties with China and strengthened its relationship with Russia, where Kim had a summit with President Vladimir Putin last year in his first foreign trip since before the Covid-19 pandemic. Last week, during a visit to Moscow by North Koreas foreign minister, Russia said that North Korea was a very important partner and that the two countries were developing relations in all areas, including sensitive ones. The U.S. and its allies have accused North Korea of supplying Russia with missiles and artillery for its war in Ukraine, which both countries deny. Carlin and Hecker argue that North Korea gave up on diplomacy with the U.S. in 2019, when Kim and then-President Donald Trump held a failed summit in Vietnam. Since then, talks on North Koreas nuclear and missile programs have stalled and North Korea has carried out a record series of weapons tests, developing more advanced, harder-to-detect missiles that may be able to reach the U.S. territory of Guam, as well as South Korea and Japan, both of which host thousands of American troops. Washington says it is willing to negotiate with North Korea anywhere, at any time and without preconditions. But it also warns that any North Korean attack on the U.S. or its allies would be met with an overwhelming response and spell the end of Kims regime. Assuming that threat will stop Kim from acting, Carlin and Hecker say, is a fundamental misreading of Kims view of history and a grievous failure of imagination that could lead to disaster. Obstacles to war North Korea experts generally agree that the situation on the Korean Peninsula is increasingly dangerous and that Pyongyang has changed its approach in recent years, leaning more on support from China and Russia as they challenge the U.S. on the world stage. Kim Putin Meeting Russia (Vladimir Smirnov / AP file) There is a greater willingness to come into confrontation with South Korea because there is a feeling it is protected, said Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies and the director of the program on U.S.-Korea policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. At the same time, South Koreas conservative president, Yoon Suk Yeol, who was elected in 2022, has taken a harder line on North Korea than his predecessor. The two leaders are shutting down dialogue and more ready to show their military might, said Yang Moo-jin, the president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. But most experts disagree with Carlin and Hecker that North Korea is on the verge of launching a war, saying its provocations are still mostly aimed at getting other countries to negotiate and that Kim may be timing them to coincide with this years U.S. and South Korean elections. They say Kim may also be trying to shore up his regime in the face of instability at home, where the economy is struggling and there are reports of starvation as he spends freely on weapons programs. Kim will continue to throw word-bombs to sustain a high level of tension, said former South Korean Defense Minister Shin Beom-chul. But I believe Kim Jong Un cannot put his words into action, because his leadership will be critically hurt once he launches a serious military provocation and be quelled by the South Korea-U.S. alliance. North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile on October 4, which flew over Japan, Seoul and Tokyo said, a significant escalation as Pyongyang ramps up its record-breaking weapons-testing blitz. (Anthony Wallace / AFP via Getty Images file) There is always the risk of inadvertent conflict or a more limited attack, experts say, pointing to episodes such as the North Korean shelling this month. Things can quickly get out of control, said Lami Kim, a professor at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu. Shellings or small-scale provocations can be very dangerous. But when it comes to premeditated war, a number of factors stand in North Koreas way. Its conventional weapons are no match for South Koreas, and the North lacks the food and oil reserves it would need to wage such a conflict. Most important, North Korea lacks support from China and Russia, who prefer to maintain the status quo, Yang said. The U.S. should take advantage of Chinas influence over North Korea, he said, because the U.S.-South Korea extended deterrence alone cannot control and stop North Koreas aggressions. In South Korea, Kims rhetoric has not impressed people such as Margie Kim, who said it would be suicidal for him to attack the South. Kim Jong Un cannot be serious with his bluffing about going to war against South Korea, said Kim, a resident of Seoul. I heard it over and over, and so I cannot take his threats seriously. Stella Kim reported from Seoul and Mithil Aggarwal from Hong Kong. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com From the Boiling Frogs on The Dispatch As we stare into the abyss in New Hampshire, let me share a thesis that was proposed to me by our editor. Nikki Haley is the strongest challenger Donald Trump has faced since 2016. It feels wrong. I think it is wrong. But superficially, its hard to argue with. Haley is the only Republican since Trump was elected president to give him a competitive state primary. (I use the term competitive loosely in light of the final polling in the Granite State.) She was the one candidate beside Trump himself to increase her share of the vote meaningfully as this years campaign wore on. In the end, she outlasted Mike Pence, Tim Scott, and the great post-Trump hope, Ron DeSantis. In the process, she increased her stature marginally, something no other Trump rival managed to do. Its inconceivable that Haley will ever lead the Republican Partygiven the civic ruin to which its comebut shes better known nationally today than shes ever been and has earned a bit of respect outside MAGA circles for briefly making the GOP race interesting-ish. Could anyone have done better, realistically? The Ron DeSantis of anti-anti-Trumpers dreams might have. He would have been charismatic (or at least not conspicuously uncharismatic) on the trail, would have displayed alpha-male bravado in arguing the case against Trumps fitness for office unapologetically, and would have run a top-flight political operation with the executive deftness about which hes forever boasting as governor. He would have taken a different strategic approach to the primary too, tacking toward the center initially to consolidate anti-Trump conservatives before wooing pro-Trump populists instead of vice versa. Imaginary Ron DeSantis would have given Old Man Trump a run for his money! But in fairness to the real Ron DeSantis, hes probably still the consensus choice of Republican voters to be the partys nominee if Trump leaves the race tomorrow. He remains popular within the GOP and is certainly better positioned on policy to unite populists and conservatives than the old-school Reaganite Haley is. For all of his mistakes, the governors message of Trump but not mentally defective was a likely winner with this rotten electorate, if only the mentally defective genuine article hadnt been on the ballot. So, no, Haley wasnt Trumps strongest challenger. She performed well but owes her last-candidate-standing status mainly to good fortune. Because Trump was obsessed with tearing down DeSantis, the true threat to his coronation, Haley managed to escape his criticism until late in the campaign. And because DeSantis chose to chase rainbows among the immovable MAGA base instead of pitching himself toward traditional conservatives, Haley was left with Trump-skeptical Republicans largely to herself. Her secret sauce in New Hampshire isnt even Republicans, in fact, but independents: She leads Trump in polling among that group but gets crushed among voters from her own party. In Iowa, where she finished third, the final poll before the caucus found that 49 percent of Trumps voters were extremely enthusiastic about their candidate while 23 percent of DeSantis voters were. For Haley, that share was only 9 percent. None of this screams strength. There is no meaningful Nikki Haley constituency inside the Republican Party, only a robust anti-Trump constituency that settled on her as the vessel for their contempt. Someone would have ended up getting 35 percent or so against the frontrunner in New Hampshire, I suspect. With skill and luck, she turned out to be someone. But could any other Republican plausibly have done better than she did? Having Nikki Haley as the final obstacle to an unthinkable post-January-6 presidential nomination for Trump is poetic, even if she isnt the strongest candidate hes faced. Its poetic because shes the last promising young Republican leader of the pre-Trump era who hasnt yet been embarrassed in a primary by the leader of the party or completely coopted by Trumpism. Or both. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are long gone, casualties of Trumpmania in 2016. DeSantis cut his teeth on Tea Party conservatism before slyly pivoting to MAGA populism and got obliterated this cycle anyway. Tim Scott, another pol once cracked up to be an important figure in the GOPs future, was so irrelevant during his own brief run for president this year that Trump didnt bother attacking him. Scott spent the past weekend lamely ducking questions from reporters about the frontrunners blatantly racial needling of Haley in the home stretch of the New Hampshire vote. All four men have endorsed Trump in the past two weeks. Other young Republicans who once showed leadership potential have become enthusiastic drones of the MAGA Borg. Elise Stefanik came to Congress as a moderate Republican keen to recruit other young women to run for office and now spouts endless inanities in Trumps defense to protect her chances of becoming his running mate. J.D. Vance spent 2016 as a Trump critic, grew increasingly fascist-curious as populism spread through his party, and was last seen campaigning for Trump in a red MAGA hat. The future of conservatism, at least as it exists within the Republican Party, is gone. Liz Cheney was purged, Mitt Romney is retiring, Mitch McConnell is a thousand years old and doubtless will soon retire. Young leaders of the Tea Party era, from Scott Walker to Bobby Jindal to the explicitly anti-Trump Paul Ryan, are out of politics. Theres nothing left. Except Haley. For a few more hours, anyway. She got herself elected governor of a conservative Southern state before she turned 40 despite being a nonwhite woman. She jabbed at Trump in her rebuttal to Barack Obamas State of the Union address in 2016 on behalf of her party, then rallied behind Rubio before the South Carolina primary in hopes of blocking Trumps path to the nomination. When she became his ambassador to the United Nations, she sounded more like Ronald Reagan than like her boss when addressing that body. Despite the total lack of any constituency for grown-up talk about federal spending, she insisted on leveling with voters about the need for entitlement reform in this years campaign. And shes been stalwart in calling for more U.S. aid to Ukraine, true to her instinct for using American power to weaken the worlds worst regimes. Shes the candidate of the future, according to the Republican past: Upbeat, forward-looking, inclusive, brimming with shining city on the hill yadda yadda. But shes a very weird match for a party thats grown nostalgic, revanchist, tribalist, and pessimistic. Nikki Haley is the last Reagan conservative, or at least the last Reagan conservative who matters. Its fitting that she should be the last electoral victim of a politician who ended Reagan conservatism as the rights dominant ideology and replaced it with this: Supporter: Where we go one, we go all Trump: *smiles and nods* Supporter: Free the J6rs Trump: We will pic.twitter.com/6e3OusAcFn Acyn (@Acyn) January 23, 2024 I invite rank-and-file Reaganites to treat tonights results from New Hampshire as an opportunity to reckon squarely with what remains for them in this party now that Haley, and everyone like her, have been squashed and expelled from the new GOP establishment. I know what some of you are thinking as you read that. What about Brian Kemp? Kemp 2024 is an intriguing what-if, in hindsight. While Glenn Youngkin is the Southern governor who got most of the hype as a potential late entrant as DeSantis faltered, the thought of Youngkin prying away populist voters from Trump is ridiculous. He has none of the one of us authenticity that grassroots Republicans crave in a culture-war champion. His politics might properly be envisioned as Mitt Romney wearing a Donald Trump mask. A country-clubber doing a half-hearted MAGA impression was never going to beat the MAGA-in-chief. Kemp is more interesting because he has beaten Donald Trumpsort ofin a primary once before. Hes also authentically Southern and conservative in a way that the red-vested private-equity wizard Youngkin is not. You can imagine Kemp as a presidential candidate pursuing the strategy that DeSantis eschewed, aiming to lock up Trump-skeptical conservative Republicans first and then reaching out to soft Trump supporters who are willing to listen to alternatives. Its conceivable that he would have outperformed DeSantis and Haley. But its also worth remembering that, as skillful as the governor of Georgia was in repelling a Trump-backed primary challenge, he took care not to criticize Trump himself during that campaign. If youre of the belief that DeSantis and Haley failed in part because they were too timid in speaking up about Trumps unfitness, theres no reason based on prior practice to think Kemp would have been more aggressive. And if you admire the political acumen Kemp evinced in devising a way to not just defeat but embarrass Trumps candidate in the 2022 Georgia gubernatorial primary, you should consider what it means that he looked at running for president this cycle and declined. If Brian Kemp had seen a path to victory in a national primary, one assumes he would have taken it. The fact that he didnt bother to try speaks volumes. Diehard partisan conservatives who cant bear to shed their Republican affiliation despite the repulsive spectacle of a third Trump nomination are free to hang on for four more years and cling to the dream of Kemp 2028. (Hopefully well still have a country in 2028. Right, Ron?) But I fear youre setting yourself up for a reprise of the 2024 primary, possibly with Trump running again and possibly not. If you havent digested yet that the voters of this party crave entertaining demagogues, not accomplished executives, as leaders, I dont know what more itll take to convince you. At this point I wouldnt feel confident that Kemp could beat, say, Matt Gaetz in a one-on-one national Republican primary, especially with Trumpworld in Gaetzs corner. Theres no place left in the GOP for Nikki Haley and people who think like her. If the result in New Hampshire accomplishes nothing else, it should at least make that clear. To ask if Haley or DeSantis or Kemp or anyone else would have been the strongest challenger to Trump is to miss the point of this years primary, I think. If he were going to be defeated by anyone, the political groundwork to demystify him needed to be laid long ago. And it needed to be laid in concert by Republicans, not by scattered voices like Cheney or Romney. Jonathan Chait identifies the grand error that made a third nomination possible. It wasnt DeSantis choosing to target Trump base voters instead of wooing disaffected conservatives. It was the party writ large allowing Republican voters to believe that the 2020 election really had been rigged. Once Trumps conservative enemies allowed him to wash the loser stink off himself with nonsense about a stolen victory, he was free to run as a de facto presidential incumbent. And incumbents never lose. The outbreak of conscientiousness that swept through the Republican Party after January 6, 2021 gave way like a fever. One week after the insurrection, Axios reported that Republicans were divided whether to do it with one quick kill via impeachment, or let him slowly fade away. The framing of the question answered itself: Why take on the risk of fighting Trump and alienating his supporters when he would simply go away on his own? The party [ended up] divided over Trumps election lies and coup attempt, but the divide had an asymmetric quality. One faction was obsessed with litigating its beliefs and repeating them endlessly, while the opposing faction only wanted the issue to go away. The outcome of this one-sided argument was inevitable. The percentage of Republicans who believed Trump has steadily risen. Im skeptical that an old-guard establishmentarian like Haley who appeals mainly to independents could have beaten Trump in a primary even if Republican voters had come to their senses about 2020. But could the more populist-friendly DeSantis or Kemp have leveraged doubts among the base about Trumps electability into a victory? Id like to go back in time and rerun that race and find out. On the other hand, Im also skeptical that theres any critical mass of influential Republicans that could have won a messaging war with Trump among the grassroots right about whether the 2020 election had been rigged or not. Weve discussed the dynamics of the right-wing ecosystem many times in this newsletter. The cardinal rule, in media and in electoral politics, is to do everything possible to shield your audience from truths that you know will upset them. Twenty-five years ago, before the internet and competitive primaries, prominent Republicans had more leeway to tell it like it is; they were the only game in town. But in an America of grassroots-funded primary challenges and infinite digital bespoke realities, theres always some lean and hungry populist opportunist eager to cater to the prejudices of an audience that doesnt want to hear what it doesnt want to hear. And so the incentive, at every level, is toward propaganda. As a colleague said to me recently, its tantamount to drug-dealing. If youre in the business of dealing copium to Trump addicts and a crisis of conscience leads you to stop dealing, cutting off their supply wont force your customers to get clean. All itll do is force them to find another dealer, and there are lots of dealers. So why not keep dealing and keep their business? All of this explains why its become a rite of passage in the Trump era for losing conservative candidates to presage their exit from the presidential race by grumbling about right-wing medias fealty to the frontrunner. Ron DeSantis did it two weeks ago and Nikki Haley did it this morning, warning the hosts of Fox & Friends that I dont care how much yall want to coronate Donald Trump. If the two had taken Chaits advice by joining with other Republican politicians in late 2020 to speak with one voiceloudly and oftenthat Trump had lost the election, they know what would have happened. They would have been demagogued to oblivion as uniparty stooges by Trump and his many drug dealers in right-wing media, and not just the fringy ones. They, not he, would have seen their presidential chances suffer in 2024 from their decision to tell the truth. Go figure that their antagonism toward those dealers tends to flare whenever theyre forced to face the zonked-out voters of the Republican base. But all of this is just another roundabout way of saying that there arent enough conscientious people left in this party to make it worth saving, no? The reason Republican leaders like DeSantis and Haley and Mitch McConnell werent more outspoken about Trump having lost the 2020 election is because they couldnt imagine that the voters of their party would triple down on nominating him in 2024. After a coup attempt and an insurrection, surely the grassroots right would find someone else to rally around in the next presidential election. There was no need to rub salt in their wounds by crowing that Trump lost to Biden fairly. He was finished politically regardless. To believe that he wasnt, one would need to believe that GOP voters and the media that serves them are deplorable, to borrow a term. Irony of ironies, then, it turns out that prominent Republicans who are forever being accused of despising their own constituents actually overestimated the native decency of those constituents in choosing not to move more forcefully against Trump. In a few hours, well find out from New Hampshire just how badly they overestimated it. Let those of us who werent so naive draw the appropriate lesson from the results about whether we would do right by our country to continue partnering with such people. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. Semafor Signals Insights from Americas Quarterly, El Pais, and the Economist The News Latin America is a major producer and now consumer of cocaine, accounting for almost a quarter of global demand, the United Nations estimates. The increased consumption is shifting how the regions leaders are tackling narcotics-related crime. While some, like President Nayib Bukele in El Salvador, have continued to fight the war on drugs, other leftist leaders across Latin America appear to be quietly changing their tack through less punitive measures. SIGNALS Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories. LatAm leaders are quiet quitting the war on drugs Sources: Americas Quarterly, Semafor, El Pais Leaders who see the war on drugs as futile but are unwilling to risk pariah status by forswearing it entirely, appear to be quietly, sometimes subtly backing off, wrote Brian Winter, the editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly. In Mexico which saw another record-breaking year of murders President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has adopted a hugs not bullets policy that has inadvertently led to more violence and increasingly militarized law enforcement. He has also cast blame on the U.S. for the fentanyl crisis, despite evidence pointing to the contrary. Colombias leftist leader Gustavo Petro, meanwhile, has called the war on drugs a failure and has pushed other Latin American countries to approach drug use as a public health problem. And in Brazil, some officials have reportedly avoided interfering in the dynamic between the two main drug gangs. The rise in political assassinations in countries like Mexico means officials are partly more averse to directly confronting drug cartels. And Mexico and Colombias experiences have shown that governments that try to solve the drug crisis with violent crackdowns are akin to surgeons with machetes, a Latin America expert wrote in El Pais. America is losing allies in its drug fight with the rise of leftist leaders Source: The Economist Colombia is the worlds largest producer of cocaine, but the leftist government led by President Gustavo Petro has taken a softer approach to drug policy, including decriminalizing cocaine for personal use and suggesting fully legalizing it. Even a small experiment in decriminalizing cocaine production in Colombia would have huge implications, The Economists Americas editor Emma Hogan wrote in 2022, noting that neighboring North America is still the worlds largest consumer of drugs. A former U.S. official said that Mexico has made it challenging for American drug enforcement agents to operate there, while Brazil is not particularly on board. Losing its most important Latin American allies in the war on drugs has significantly weakened the U.S. decades-long prohibition model, one expert told the Economist. Women are increasingly involved in drug cartels and organized crime Source: NBC News There is a rise of women in the most violent and dangerous structures of organized crime across Latin America, NBC News reported, citing data showing an increase in women charged for their involvement in drug cartels and organized crime. Sometimes, criminal organizations offer some women the opportunity to develop a leadership scheme, an academic told NBC News. And since prejudice and machismo make them invisible in some way they can advance in those activities without being seen. Womens roles often involve low-level activities, but some have risen to be the bosses or narcas of operations. Something that surprises me a lot is the amazement of people who cannot believe that women know how to organize logistics, how to launder money, even how to execute violent operations, a journalist who reports on security issues said. The Los Angeles Unified School District will pay another $3.55 million to two additional victims of former teacher and convicted pedophile Mark Berndt, a firm representing the victims said Tuesday. The two unidentified victims agreed to settlements of $1.85 million and $1.7 million in cases against the LAUSD in connection with Berndts abuse. This settlement represents one more chapter in a horrendous scandal. Ten years after the largest sexual abuse settlement against a public school district, it is a continuing reminder of the damage that results when school officials choose to ignore red flags and complaints by students and parents of a serial sexual predator, attorney Morgan Stewart said. Berndt, who taught at Miramonte Elementary School, pleaded no contest to 23 charges of lewd conduct upon a child and was sentenced to 25 years in prison back in 2013. Ex-Miramonte Teacher Accused of Lewd Acts Pleads No Contest He was arrested in January 2012 after submitting objectionable photos to a drugstore for development. An employee notified authorities that the images showed children blindfolded, some with tape over their mouths. An investigation later found that, as part of a tasting game, Berndt had given his students cookies laced with bodily fluids, authorities said. The lawsuits alleged that LAUSD officials ignored multiple complaints regarding Berndts sexual misconduct with children dating back to the early 1980s. Toddler found alone on boat in Marina del Rey; mother arrested The district agreed to pay a record $140 million to 81 victims in 2014, the firm representing the victims stated. LAUSD also paid about $30 million in claims to the families of 65 Miramonte students. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. Lima, the dynamic capital of Peru, celebrated its 489th anniversary last week. This year's festivities were noteworthy for the significant participation of evangelical churches in the celebrations, as the city was brimming with music, culture, and tradition. The Municipality of Lima prepared a program for the entire family, which included concerts, artistic presentations, and fireworks. Evangelical churches played a central role in the celebration with the Federation of Evangelical Christian Churches of Peru organizing a Thanksgiving Ceremony to honor the anniversary of the city. According to the event's organizers, "This ceremony was an opportunity to give thanks to God for the blessings received and to contemplate the role of faith in the city's life." The mayor of Lima, Rafael Lopez Aliaga, attended the event and thanked evangelicals for their prayers for his work. "The participation of the evangelical churches emphasizes the significance of faith in the life of the city and offers a vision of how faith and tradition can join together to celebrate history and culture," said Lopez Aliaga. Pastor Reynaldo Aragon, who hosted the event, expressed his gratitude to the mayor for attending and urged those present to pray for the thousands of families living in each of the districts in Lima, which has a total of 46 districts and 12 million inhabitants. Lima's anniversary celebrations this year highlighted the city's diversity and cultural richness. The festivities were an unforgettable event, featuring a mix of music, culture, tradition, and faith. The Municipal Folkloric Ballet Program took center stage in the cultural variety with a presentation full of color and tradition. Before taking its present name, Lima was known by the Spanish colonists as the "City of the Kings". The name Lima was linked to the Rimac River, a Quechua word meaning "the talking river." Over time, Limaq became Lima. The Historic Center of the city is home to the Government Palace, the Cathedral, and the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima. Religion and administrative management have a particular connection in this area. A member of the Georgia House of Representatives filed legislation to ban the use of artificial intelligence programs when making insurance, health coverage, or public assistance award decisions. Specifically, Rep. Mandisha Thomas bill would ban the use of AI when deciding if a treatment can be used or making a coverage determination for insurance. Thomas proposal, House Bill 887, said any decisions regarding coverage determination resulting from use of an AI will also have to be fully reviewed by a person at an insurance with the authority to override the automated decision. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: As written, HB 887 would require that the Georgia Composite Medical Board adopts new rules to regulate use of AI for coverage determinations, as well as potential punishments and discipline for doctors who do not comply with the restrictions on AI. According to the proposal, any decision-making process concerning the award, denial, reduction or termination of any public assistance which resulted from the use or application of any artificial intelligence or automated decision tools will have to be reviewed by an actual person afterward, who can override the automatic decision. If passed, it would not be the only medical field-related legislation regulating AIs use for coverage determinations. In 2023, Georgia lawmakers passed HB 203, which restricts the use of AI when making decisions for optometric care and coverage determinations. The law requires that prescribers do not rely solely on the assessments of AI when treating eye conditions and performing assessments. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is facing a lawsuit after a conservation group said it neglected to make a decision on federal protections for a salamander on the brink of extinction in North Carolina. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, the Service was petitioned in June 2022 to give endangered species protections to the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander. The protection, if granted, would be warranted under the Endangered Species Act. As the Endangered Species Act turns 50, those who first enforced it reflect on its mixed legacy Following the petition filing, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was required to issue an initial decision on the petition within 90 days. The service still has not issued the finding 19 months later, the center said. These salamanders have survived in this gorge for 12 million years, but without federal protection they could blink out of existence in our lifetime, said Will Harlan, a senior scientist at the Center. To keep holding on, they urgently need the Fish and Wildlife Service to act. Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander (Photo by Todd Pierson) This green-splotched salamander species has survived for the past 12 million years, the center said in a press release. Now, the species lives only within a 14-mile-long gorge in North Carolinas Blue Ridge Mountains, about 18 miles south of Asheville. 2,000 endangered snails released in North Carolina pond after 20 years of captivity The southern Appalachia region is a global biodiversity hotspot for salamanders, with more salamander species than anywhere else in the world. Of all the species of salamander, 60% are currently threatened with extinction. Scientists estimate there are only a few hundred of the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander left, and populations have declined steeply in the last 20 years, the center added. Existential threats to these salamanders have included habitat loss, human exploitation and climate change. Because of these challenges to their survival, the nonprofit NatureServe has classified the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander as critically imperiled. See below the full litigation notice filed by the Center for Biological Diversity. 2 SE salamanders_notice of intent 1-16-2023_cc finalDownload CBS 17 has contacted the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding the Centers intent to sue. A spokesperson responded, saying the Service cannot offer a comment at this time. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com. One civilian was killed and several injured after Russia targeted Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with a missile strike early on Jan. 23, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhiy Lysak reported on Telegram. Initially, Lysak wrote about two fatalities, but later clarified that one of the men was alive and receiving medical assistance. Lysak did not provide further details of the attack. Read also: Russian attacks Kramatorsk with ballistic missile An air raid alert was announced throughout Ukraine in the morning of Jan. 23 due to the threat of cruise missile launches from Russian Tu-95MS aircraft. Russia launched another massive missile attack on Ukraine on the morning of Jan. 23. Explosions were also reported in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. At least five people were killed and at least 40 injured in the attack as of 8:45 a.m., reported Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko. Read also: 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 [Source] Leonardo DiCaprio recently revealed he brought Martin Scorsese into the world of Studio Ghibli. How it happened: DiCaprio, 49 and Scorsese, 81, recently sat down for a virtual interview with Letterboxd to discuss films that influenced the projects they had done together. When asked which films he had introduced to Scorsese, DiCaprio cited two of what many consider as Hayao Miyazaki's best works for Studio Ghibli. I was asked what films I introduced to you, but considering youve seen every film ever made up until 1980, its pretty hard to say, DiCaprio told Scorsese at the beginning of the interview, which was posted on Jan. 15. Other than maybe Spirited Away Miyazakis films and maybe Princess Mononoke. The renowned director recalled DiCaprio introducing at least one of those movies. It was Spirited Away you told me to watch, Scorsese said. Trending on NextShark: Model of Ukrainian descent becomes Miss Japan 2024, sparking debate Getting inspired: DiCaprio and Scorsese have worked on six movies together, with "Killers of the Flower Moon" being the latest. Other films that inspired their collaborative history include Stanley Kubricks Barry Lyndon (1975) for Gangs of New York (2002); Howard Hawks His Girl Friday (1940) for The Aviator (2004); Andrzej Wajdas Ashes and Diamonds (1958) for The Departed" (2006); Otto Premingers Laura (1944), Jacques Tourniers Out of the Past (1947) and Edward Dmytryks Crossfire (1947) for Shutter Island (2010); and Howard Hawks 1932 version of Scarface for The Wolf of Wall Street (2013). William Wylers The Heiress (1949) and George Stevens A Place in the Sun (1951), which both stars Montgomery Clift, inspired Killers of the Flower Moon. The crime drama hit U.S. theaters last October and is currently certified fresh at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Trending on NextShark: Watch: Daniel Dae Kim reads thirst tweets after 'Avatar' trailer appearance How DiCaprio got into anime: Princess Mononoke is reportedly one of DiCaprios top films of all time. The actor was first introduced to anime after watching Katsuhiro Otomo's adaptation of Akira in the 1980s and has since been an anime fan. DiCaprio once proclaimed his love for anime while updating fans about the status of his Hollywood remake of Akira and Ninja Scroll in 2008. He told MTV at the time, I'm a big fan of Japanese anime... I know there's a lot of loyal fans out there of the project and die-hard fans, so we're going to try to do the best job we possibly can and we're not going to make the movie until the script is in the right shape. Ghibli award season: Studio Ghiblis latest feature film, The Boy and the Heron, recently won a Golden Globes award for best animated feature, the first for Studio Ghibli, Miyazaki and U.S. distributor GKIDS. The movie also became the fourth highest-grossing anime movie in the U.S. and was recently nominated for best animated film at the BAFTAs and best animated feature at the Oscars. Trending on NextShark: Watch: Stadium full of Singaporean fans sing with Coldplay after piano fail Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! To the editor: Having been a regular reader of the Los Angeles Times since the 1960s, I have nothing but empathy for owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong as he tirelessly does what seems ever more impossible continuing to publish first-rate daily print editions while remaining solvent. ("L.A. Times to lay off at least 115 people in the newsroom," Jan. 23) The Times' financial challenges stem from an ominous trend: An increasingly large percentage of Americans have come to prefer ultra-biased, sensationalist media outlets to impartial, informative newspapers like The Times. Who can deny that the downward spiral of print journalism parallels and even accelerates the disheartening erosion of our nation's venerable democratic norms and traditions? Myself, I stubbornly harbor hopes for our democracy's viability. Hence I pledge to maintain my print subscription for as long as The Times continues to bless engaged, intelligent readers with such a journalistic treasure. Gary Dolgin, Santa Monica .. To the editor: It is time for our government to act and save the news industry, much like Australia has attempted to do with the enactment of its News Media Bargaining Code, or in Canada with the Online News Act. Another possibility is to fund the news industry as a public trust. The internet has proven to be an untrustworthy source of information, but it has been effective at de-funding legitimate news sources to societys peril. Michael N. Antonoplis, Sherman Oaks .. To the editor: I would gladly pay up to $5 more per month for The Times if it would help bring back laid-off journalists. I realize that print journalism is in a very bad financial situation these days. I wonder, though, where all the other news sources will get their information when they manage to kill off all the newspapers in America. As the Washington Post says, "Democracy dies in darkness." That is what those who want to change our nation for the worse are hoping for. Judy Reinsma, Santa Clarita .. To the editor: As a loyal Times print edition subscriber for more than 40 years, I am greatly pained to see what appears to be another institution in a death spiral induced by the Internet. Like Dr. Soon-Shiong, I strongly believe that professional journalism and a free press are vital to maintaining democracy in this country. Like him, in my small way, I have put my money where my mouth is in support of that belief by continuing to subscribe even as rates have steadily risen, and even as the number of pages has shrunk. Most of my friends have dropped their print subscriptions, but I soldier on in the belief that I can still make a difference by supporting The Times financially. If print journalism disappears, all we will be left with is online clickbait masquerading as news. And, deprived of real journalism from print media to feed on, even what passes for "news" on the internet will dry up. This all makes me so sad. Jon Rowe, Costa Mesa This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. To the editor: Paul Thornton's piece wondering why those who made the bittersweet decision to uproot express anger toward California seems hypocritical. The Times has devoted a lot of space to the subject and often profiles anti-vaccine, conspiracy-theory zealots who left, and then devotes much of its letters section to bashing them. Most of us who left did so after years of deferring vacations and car purchases, and trimming household budgets. We watched the state push costly progressive policies on climate change, homelessness and other programs, but with no clear measures of success. And, those who oppose raising taxes on ourselves to fund this utopia are called everything from NIMBYs to racists. I have read The Times for decades, looking forward to in-depth state, national and global news. Now, with the current mix of columnists who seem to be constantly attacking me and those who do not agree with them, I read the thinning paper to justify why I left my beloved home state. Tom Garnett, Scotts Hill, N.C. .. To the editor: Thank you for addressing the odd situation of people trash-talking California on their way to greener pastures. It's unfortunate that our state has become too costly or congested for many hoping to build or continue the California lifestyle. But why trash it on the way out? It's cognitive dissonance. Flipping the conversation to reasons you don't like the state rather than the realities of what you will miss (and that's a long list) helps ease the pain of moving. It's like the boyfriend who gets dumped and says, "I didn't like her anyway." What amuses me are the comments I hear from friends who have moved when they discover, for example, that the costs of trash pickup and other services are not bundled with their utilities bills. Some are surprised by their volunteer fire departments, limited access to healthcare and extreme humidity. My favorite is, "Can you believe it rains here in summer?" I listen and feel thankful for how lucky I am to be able to live and flourish in a truly wonderful state. Pamela Higgins, Northridge .. To the editor: I think the "weird California ways" residents of other states would prefer to avoid center on homeless encampments, bullet train fantasies, crumbling roads despite generally temperate weather, high gas prices, high income taxes and high electricity prices, just to name a few. Gerry Swider, Sherman Oaks .. To the editor: Not only does Thornton decide what letters to print, but he also gets to add his own liberal, detached-from-reality views. Why wouldn't people who are leaving California because of taxes, crime and homelessness criticize their former state? If anything, it logically follows that those departing would be critical of California. Samuel Chaidez, Mission Hills This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. James Reyes, a longtime jail warden and head of public safety for Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, is running for Miami-Dade County sheriff as a Democrat. Reyes, 46, filed for the partisan race on Monday, according to the county Elections Department website. The filing came 10 weeks after Levine Cava promoted him from director of the Corrections Department to a deputy position that also oversees police and fire rescue. Levine Cava recruited Reyes to run Miami-Dade Corrections in late 2022 from the Broward Sheriffs Office, where he also supervised the countys jail system. I am humbled to serve the community that gave me, a kid who fled the dangers of communism, a true shot at the American Dream, Reyes, who was born in Cuba and attended high school in Hialeah, said in a press release announcing his run. Miami-Dades jail system will remain under the authority of the mayor next January, when an independent Miami-Dade sheriff is slated to take office for the first time since the 1960s under a state constitutional amendment approved in 2018. Florida law requires Miami-Dade to turn over the countys existing police department to the sheriff. James Reyes is a Democratic candidate for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024. Reyes has mostly worked in the detention side of law enforcement since starting his career with Broward in 2000, according to a resume on file with Miami-Dade. For the three years before joining Miami-Dade, Reyes was director of administration, overseeing budget and finance for the Broward Sheriffs Office. In running for sheriff as Levine Cavas senior face of law enforcement as chief of public safety, Reyes also shares the Democratic mayors political affiliation. He hired Levine Cavas campaign director, Christian Ulvert, and Ulverts Edge Communications to run his campaign. It was a similar arrangement to the one used by Freddy Ramirez, who previously served as police director and public safety chief under Levine Cava and who also tapped Ulvert to handle his campaign as a Democratic candidate for sheriff. That effort ended in July when Ramirez attempted suicide after a confrontation with police at a Tampa convention. When Ramirez joined the race on May 1, there were two other candidates running. When he formally withdrew Sept. 29, there were 10 others. With Reyes joining the field, there are now 16 candidates for sheriff ahead of the June filing deadline. Steadman Stahl, president of the Police Benevolent Association, Miami-Dades police union, said he expects as many as 20 candidates to run for a position county voters abolished in the 1960s after corruption scandals. Its easier to run when youre not running against an incumbent, Stahl said. This is your chance to get in. Its a GOP-heavy field, with 12 Republican candidates. Candidates will compete in their partys primary in August, then the winners will face off in November. READ MORE: In a traumatic evening, historic race for Miami-Dade sheriff gets thrown into turmoil Heres a list of who is running for sheriff besides Reyes, including biographical information compiled from public records and candidate statements: READ MORE: In a traumatic evening, historic race for Miami-Dade sheriff gets thrown into turmoil Ignacio Alvarez, Republican Ignacio Alvarez is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. Once a major in charge of MDPDs Special Victims Bureau, Alvarez retired from the agency in 2017 after 25 years. He currently works as a lawyer at the Algo firm in Coral Gables, which he founded. Jose Aragu, Republican Jose Aragu is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. Aragu is a major with MDPD, assigned to the Midwest District, according to a campaign biography. He joined the agency in 2006 after a little more than a year with the West Miami Police Department. John Barrow, Democrat John Barrow is a Democratic candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. Currently a major and the head of MDPDs Personnel Management Bureau, Barrow has been with the agency for 17 years. He was a teacher before starting his law enforcement career. Jaspen Bishop, Republican Jaspen Bishop is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. Bishop is an office with the Miami-Dade County Police Department, and joined the agency in 2019. Rosanna Rosie Cordero-Stutz, Republican Cordero-Stutz has been an MDPD employee for 27 years, rising to the rank of assistant director for support services. Thats the division that oversees records, personnel and communications. A campaign press release said Ramirez appointed Cordero-Stutz to oversee an MDPD transition team for the conversion to a Sheriffs Office in early 2025. Ruamen de la Rua, Republican Ruamen de la Rua is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. De la Rua worked for the Miami Police Department (MPD) in the 1980s before moving to the Ocala area. There he worked for the Marion County Sheriffs Office for 26 years, retiring as a district commander. Hes now back at MPD, having rejoined the department in 2013. Alexander Fornet, Republican Alexander Fornet is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. The owner of a Credit Doctor credit-repair business in Doral, Fornet worked for MDPD for a few months in 2008, according to agency records. Fornet said the quick exit was a result of an injury during training, followed by multiple years of volunteering as a county reserve officer. Susan Khoury, Democrat Susan Khoury is a Democratic candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. A candidate for Miami-Dade commission last year, Khoury helped advocate for the revival of the countys police-review board in 2020. She worked as an agent in federal inspector general offices in the 1990s and early 2000s. Mario Knapp, Republican Mario Knapp is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. A retired MDPD major, Knapp worked for the Special Patrol Bureau, overseeing the bomb squad, canine unit, marine patrol and other units. He worked at MDPD for 27 years, between 1994 and 2021. Orlando Lopez, Republican Orlando Lopez is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. The first LGBTQ liaison for MDPD, Lopez works for the agencys transit squad, which provides law enforcement presence on Metrorail and Metromover. Lopez, a sergeant, joined the department in 2005. Hes also a member of Miami-Dades LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board. Rickey Mitchell, Democrat Rickey Mitchell is a Democratic candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. The second candidate to join the race, Mitchell retired as an MDPD lieutenant in 2006. He worked for MDPD for 25 years after working in the training division and for Community Oriented Policing Section. Rolando Riera Jr., Republican Rolando Riera Jr. es candidato republicano a jefe de policia electo del Condado Miami-Dade en 2024. An MDPD officer since 2004, Riera is a sergeant assigned to the Miami Lakes district. The municipality contracts with Miami-Dade to provide police services. John Rivera, Republican John Rivera, shown here addressing the Miami-Dade County Commission in 2013, is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024. Retired from the MDPD, Rivera is best known as a long-serving union president. He led the PBA from 1993 until losing the 2017 election to Stahl. He worked at MDPD, both as an investigator and in his union post, for 43 years, joining the force in 1975. Ernesto Rodriguez, Republican Ernesto Rodriguez is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. Rodriguez is a lieutenant with the countys Agricultural and Environmental Crimes unit. He joined MDPD in 1987, and two sons followed him into the county police force, too. Joe Sanchez, Republican Joe Sanchez is a Republican candidate for Miami-Dade County sheriff in 2024. A city of Miami commissioner between 1998 and 2009, Sanchez was working as a trooper and a uniformed public information officer for the Florida Highway Patrol when he filed for the Republican primary for sheriff on Jan. 8, 2024. He said he is taking a leave of absence from the post to run for sheriff. At 6 a.m. on Oct. 3, two clergymen staying at parish premises on Russias western edge awoke to find military figures armed with machine guns raiding the site, seizing electronic devices, documents and computer hard drives. The Rev. Viktor Pivovarov, 86-year-old leader of the Holy Intercession and Tikhon Church in Slavyansk-on-Kuban, had criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine as satanic. His assistant, the Rev. Hieromonk Iona Sigida, was accused of writing an anti-war article opposing the ideology of conflict. They take me abruptly inside, throw me to the ground, trip me up, face down on the floor, Sigida told media outlet Novaya Gazeta. They burst into the temple with machine guns, in camouflage, in SOBR balaclavas, straight with machine guns, like military men. They twist me on the floor. And [one of them] puts his knee on my back and presses me, so that I suffocate. The Russian security forces interrogated Sigida and beat his body and face, breaking his arms by twisting them behind his back, he told Novaya Gazeta. They tried to shave his beard off but stopped when the priest, who has a spinal disorder, began convulsing. He said that after taking him to the police station, officers forced 18-year-old witnesses to state that he had resisted by rushing and grabbing officers. Sigida then spent two days in jail on false accusations of disobeying a police officer, and authorities opened a case against his father for discrediting the army, he told Novaya Gazeta. Archbishop Pivovarov, who had been fined earlier in the year for discrediting Russias armed forces, escaped beating during the raid, but the security operatives stripped off his clothes and threatened him, he told Forum 18. It was the latest confrontation between authorities and Pivovarov, archbishop of the Slavic and South Russias Orthodox Church (RosOC), which is not subordinate to the Russian Orthodox Church. On Feb. 19, Pivovarov had spoken against the invasion of Ukraine during a sermon. Suddenly a woman whom no one had seen before stood up during the service and shouted, You will be in big trouble and left. Slavic City Court on March 24 imposed a fine of 40,000 Rubles (450USD) on him for discrediting the Russian armed forces. He pleaded guilty. I told the investigators, the policemen and the court: If foreign tanks are there under our windows, it means we are at war with an enemy, an interventionist, the archbishop told Novaya Gazeta-Europe. But if our tanks are in a neighboring country, and our soldiers are savagely torturing the people, waging an invasive war, then they are damned. Such a war is cursed by both God and man. Our war is a great evil. Authorities are investigating the archbishop for alleged, repeated discreditation of the Russian Armed Forces (Criminal Code Article 280.3, Part 1), according to Forum 18. Conviction would result in a five-year jail term or a fine equivalent to a years average pension in Russia. Forum 18 reported that the Federal Investigative Committee and Krasnodar Region branches of the Interior Ministry and Federal Security Service refused to respond its questions about the investigation. The archbishop told Novaya Gazeta-Europe that he expected imprisonment or death at the hands of Russian authorities. I am waiting to be either killed or imprisoned, Pivovarov said. Then the world will know and will wonder: Who was he? Did he know in advance what was going to happen and the mysteries of existence? Where were we looking? And then there will certainly be a coup in Russia and uprisings. The Ukrainian conflict also has put pressure on Christians in occupied parts of Ukraine where Russian armed forces have arrested three priests, with prison authorities refusing to confirm their location, Forum 18 reported. The Rev. Bohdan Heleta and the Rev. Ivan Levytsky, both Greek Catholic priests from Berdiansk, along with Ukrainian Orthodox priest Kostiantyn Maksimov of Tokmak, could be dead or alive. Prison authorities in Donetsk and Crimea will not confirm if they are incarcerated in Russian-controlled prisons, according to Forum 18. Russian authorities arrested Heleta and Levytsky at the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in November 2022. Separately, occupation forces seized Maksimov as he tried to get into Crimea in May. The U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concern about Maksimovs situation in a Report on the Human Rights Situation in Ukraine, 1 February-1 July 2023. In occupied territory, OHCHR documented that Russian armed forces disappeared two clergymen belonging to the UOC [Ukrainian Orthodox Church], the report states. They detained one victim, a pro-Ukrainian priest, from August 2022 to May 2023 in three different facilities in Kherson region. In one of them, he was tortured and ill-treated. Russian armed forces detained Maksimov when he attempted to cross the administrative boundary line in Crimea in May, according to the U.N. report. As of 31 July 2023, his fate and whereabouts remained unknown despite multiple requests from his relatives to the occupying authorities and official institutions of the Russian Federation, raising serious concerns with respect to enforced disappearance, the report states. In occupied Donetsk, Russian officials sent two Orthodox Church of Ukraine priests to a deportation center in Rostov-on-Don, Russia following their arrest for missionary activities in September. Both priests, the Rev. Khristofor Khrimli and the Rev. Andri Chui, refused to comply with orders to accept Russian citizenship in order to return to Donetsk. A court fined them. Both priests prefer to live in Donetsk and refused deportation via Latvia, Forum 18 reported, citing bailiff Aleksandr Nikolenko. If they took Russian citizenship, they could return to Donetsk, but they cant do so as citizens of another state, Nikolenko told Forum 18. The suffering of priests in the conflict zone is part of a wider persecution of Christians and people of other faiths. In July, the U.N. Security Council recorded more than 116 religious sites damaged in Ukraine. Religious sites should be places of worship, not places of war, Nihal Saad, director of the U.N. Alliance of Civilization, reportedly told the U.N. Security Council in July. Christian Vision, a Belarusian Christian Ecumenical Group and other parties publishes an ongoing updated list of persecuted believers in the war zone. (Bloomberg) -- Lithuanias top security body signaled it would purchase German-made Leopard 2 battle tanks as the Baltic nation moves to establish an army division by 2030 aimed at deterring Russian aggression. Most Read from Bloomberg The State Defense Council, which includes the president, the prime minister and other ministers, instructed the Defense Ministry to begin talks with German producers about the pending tank purchase. The council didnt provide further details about the size of any order. The most effective tank platform that meets the full range of criteria set by Lithuania is the German Leopard 2 tank, Kestutis Budrys, the security adviser to President Gitanas Nauseda, told reporters in Vilnius Tuesday. The council also agreed to raise the number of conscripts by 2,000 in the nation of 2.8 million, up from 3,800, for nine months of service, moving Lithuania closer to universal conscription. An existing tank-procurement agreement sealed by the German government with defense manufacturers last year includes the option to purchase as many as 105 additional Leopard tanks in a deal worth as much as 2.9 billion. Among European allies, the Czech Republic has voiced interest in joining a Leopard 2-A8 procurement. --With assistance from Michael Nienaber. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. Former President Donald Trump defeated former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire Republican primary, winning over crucial Granite State voters. The New Hampshire primary has long wielded the power to make or break presidential candidates. On Tuesday, all eyes were on the GOP race as Haley tried to build momentum against Trump with a coalition that included moderate and independent voters. On the Democratic side, President Joe Biden also beat his challengers via a write-in campaign, defeating Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and author Marianne Williamson. Catch up with the USA TODAY Network's live coverage, with our reporters answering your questions and bringing you insights from New Hampshire's voters and leaders. Find results here. A double-digit defeat in New Hampshire for Haley Donald Trump's margin of victory over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley stood at 11.3 percentage points early Wednesday with more than 90% of the votes counted in the New Hampshire Republican primary. The former president had 163,700 votes in the Granite State, to Haley's 129,646. Trump had secured 11 New Hampshire delegates, while Haley garnered eight delegates. With the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary complete, Trump has 31 delegates and Haley has 16. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who suspended his hard-luck campaign on Jan. 21, has nine while Vivek Ramaswamy, who dropped out on Jan. 15 after a fourth-place finish in Iowa, has three, according to the Associated Press. The GOP nominating contest now moves to Haley's home state of South Carolina on Feb. 24. The former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is the last major challenger to Trump's steamroller campaign. Dan Morrison When is the next Republican primary? Now that Donald Trump and Joe Biden have clinched victory in the New Hampshire primary, when is the next GOP race? Nevada and the Virgin Islands hold their caucuses on Feb. 8, and South Carolina holds its Republican primary on Feb. 24. Anna Kaufman, Marina Pitofsky The results of the first-in-the-nation midnight vote for the New Hampshire primary elections are revealed in the living room of the Tillotson House at the Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch on Jan. 23, 2024. Joe Biden's campaign after New Hampshire primary: Trump has all but locked up the GOP nomination' Despite Nikki Haley vowing to press on Tuesday night, Joe Biden's reelection campaign said Donald Trumps double-digit victory in New Hampshire makes his Republican nomination a virtual certainty as they looked ahead to an election rematch against Trump. Tonights results confirm Donald Trump has all but locked up the GOP nomination, and the election denying, anti-freedom MAGA movement has completed its takeover of the Republican Party, Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. Biden has seemingly been running against Trump for months, but the statement Tuesday went the farthest in disregarding his Republican opponents. While we work toward November 2024, Rodriguez said, "one thing is increasingly clear today: Donald Trump is headed straight into a general election matchup where hell face the only person to have ever beaten him at the ballot box: Joe Biden. Joey Garrison Donald Trump to Tim Scott: You must hate Nikki Haley As part of his all-out attack on Nikki Haley, Donald Trump used her fellow South Carolinian, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., during his angry victory speech Tuesday night. You must really hate her, the former president told Scott, noting Haley, the former South Carolina governor, appointed Scott to the U.S. Senate. Scott in recent weeks endorsed Trump for the presidency. Scott replied: "I just love you." David Jackson Mitch McConnell holds off on endorsing Donald Trump Before Donald Trump's win in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., dodged confirming whether he will endorse the former president in the 2024 race for the White House. McConnell told reporters earlier in the day that the New Hampshire primary results are of "great interest," but "Ive stayed essentially out of it." The Kentucky Republican vowed that he would let reporters know if he changes his mind. Marina Pitofsky How did Joe Biden win a write-in campaign if he skipped New Hampshires primary? Joe Biden declined to appear on the New Hampshire ballot because of a dispute with the state over the date of its contest. Democrats in the national party ordered New Hampshire, which is required by state law to hold the first-in-the-nation primary, to move its contest. At the presidents urging, the Democratic National Committee gave South Carolina a state with a more diverse population the honor of going first in this years presidential selection process. But a volunteer coalition, called Granite State Write-In, spent about $70,000 on stickers, signs and two staff members. A super PAC spent another $1.4 million on mailers targeting likely Democratic voters and digital and newspaper ads. Organizers had a clear goal: Deliver Biden a win in the New Hampshire primary even though his name wasn't on the ballot. Karissa Waddick, Francesca Chambers Donald Trump's supporters celebrate his New Hampshire win After Donald Trump placed first in New Hampshire, a crowd of his supporters at his watch party in Nashua broke out into cheered. Among the crowd was Rusat Ramgopal, 23, who called the former presidents victory historic. I think it's just further evidence that he will be the Republican nominee, said Ramgopal, a former Republican nominee for New York City Council. Gary Mulkigiam, 32, said he thinks Trump's victory signals a unified front for the Republican Party. He won in Iowa. He won New Hampshire. DeSantis dropped out, like everybody else, pretty much - Vivek (Ramaswamy) dropped out, and now put their support to Trump. So its like a unified front now, said Mulkigiam, an Exeter resident who works in sales. Sudiksha Kochi Donald Trump claims victory, calls Nikki Haley an 'imposter' In remarks to supporters, Donald Trump declared victory and blamed non-Republican independent voters for holding down his margin against Nikki Haley in New Hampshire. This is a fantastic state, Trump said at a victory party in Nashua, New Hampshire, before denouncing Haley, calling her an "imposter" and claiming she had a "very bad night." She didnt win. She lost, Trump said, reassuring his supporters that we had one hell of a night tonight. Trump expressed confidence in the Republican-only Nevada caucuses on Feb. 8 and South Carolina primary a few weeks later: Just a little note to Nikki, Trump said. Shes not going to win. In a statement, Haley's team said of Trump: "If Trump is in such good shape, why is he so angry?" David Jackson Nikki Haley looks to South Carolina primary Following her loss in the New Hampshire primary, Nikki Haley quickly turned her focus to her home state of South Carolina. The Palmetto State will hold its pivotal primary next month. As a crowd of supporters in Concord, New Hampshire, chanted "Nikki! Nikki! Nikki" the former South Carolina governor said "this race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go." "And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina," Haley said, later adding "When we get to South Carolina, Donald Trump's going to have a harder time falsely attacking me." Marina Pitofsky Donald Trump immediately knocks Nikki Haley As Nikki Haley spoke to supporters about moving on following her loss in New Hampshire, Donald Trump used his Truth Social account to criticize his newly invigorated rival. Haley said she had to WIN in New Hampshire. SHE DIDNT!!! he said in one of several posts. Trump also claimed he would defeat her again in upcoming contests in Nevada and South Carolina. Trump in an interview with Fox News Digital also called on Haley to drop out of the 2024 race, saying "If she doesnt drop out, we have to waste money instead of spending it on Biden, which is our focus." The former South Carolina governor during her speech on Tuesday night called on the nation to move on from the former president as Trump seeks another term in the White House. David Jackson Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley speaks at her New Hampshire presidential primary watch party at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Haley was unable to secure enough votes to take the stateOs delegates from former President Donald J. Trump. Nikki Haley vows to stay in, says race is 'far from over' Nikki Haley on Tuesday night told her supporters that she's "a fighter," even after her loss to Donald Trump in the New Hampshire primary. Haley told her supporters during remarks in Concord that "New Hampshire is first in the nation... it is not last in the nation.... this race is far from over." After the Granite State's primary, Haley will likely set her sights on courting potential supporters her home state of South Carolina. The Republican Palmetto State primary is set for Feb. 24. Marina Pitofsky, Francesca Chambers Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik congratulates Donald Trump early Some Republicans couldn't wait to congratulate Donald Trump on Tuesday, including Rep. Elise Stefanik,one of his potential vice presidential picks. In a statement emailed a half-hour before the final polls closed, Stefanik saluted Trump for "making history as the first GOP challenger candidate to win both Iowa and New Hampshire." Similar tributes poured in after news outlets called the race shortly after 8 p.m. Eastern time. David Jackson Donald Trump wins the New Hampshire primary Donald Trump has won the New Hampshire primary, stopping Nikki Haleys push to defeat him in the Granite State. The moment comes after he clinched a quick, sweeping victory over his rivals in Iowa last week. While he isnt officially the 2024 Republican nominee yet, it sets him far ahead of his fellow GOP candidates as he seeks another term in the White House. Marina Pitofsky Biden wins New Hampshire primary with write-in campaign Joe Biden won the New Hampshire Democratic primary on Tuesday with an unprecedented write-in campaign led by party leaders in the state. Bidens victory comes despite the president not appearing on the ballot because of a dispute between national Democrats and the state over the date of the primary. New Hampshire Democratic leaders waged an unprecedented grassroots write-in campaign to prevent the president from suffering an embarrassing defeat in the first-in-the-nation primary state and it seems to have paid off. The president defeated major challengers including Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and spiritual leader Marianne Williamson. Karissa Waddick More: Why President Joe Biden is a write-in candidate on the 2024 New Hampshire primary ballot New Hampshire fourth graders design beloved 'I voted' stickers New Hampshire voters scored the latest political swag after they cast their ballot: "an I VOTED" stickers designed by the state's fourth graders. Over 1,000 students from across the state submitted to be one of the 2024 stickers the three winners included a hand-drawn design of the Granite State's cultural icon, the Old Man of the Mountain, against the American flag, a child-like drawing of a man-shaped like New Hampshire, and a moose admiring the autumn leaves with Mt. Washington in the background. With an expected high voter turnout, more than 322,000 voters could be sporting stickers. Terry Moseley Donald Trump watch party: Former president's supporters wait for results At Donald Trumps election night watch party in Nashua, New Hampshire, Dylan Quattrucci, 26, told USA TODAY he expects the former president to place first in New Hampshire. I think we're gonna see tonight, President Trump win by double digits, said Quattruci, a resident of Concord, New Hampshire, who recently graduated law school. And hopefully that gets Nikki Haley out of the race. So we can all focus Republican funds behind the guy who can help us save our country. But Steven Steiner, 63, said he suspects New Hampshire's famously skeptical undeclared voters - many of whom are supporting Haley - could tip the primary. Thats a question mark. We'll find out, said Steiner, a realtor in Conway, New Hampshire. Sudiksha Kochi Supporters watch as New Hampshire presidential primary votes are counted, during Republican presidential candidate Nikki HaleyOs watch party at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Marjorie Taylor Greene issues warning to Nikki Haley: After tonight, the primary will be over Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., criticized Nikki Haley before polls closed in New Hampshire, targeting Haley's record as governor in South Carolina and accusing her of being for foreign wars. President Trump is not a new candidate. He was our president for four years. He has a record we can trust, Greene said in a video shared on X, formerly Twitter. The Georgia lawmaker added that If Nikki Haley decides to drag this out to South Carolina, her political career will be over too.. at least whats left of it. Haley is seeking to build momentum Tuesday heading into the primary in her home state next month. But its not clear New Hampshire Republicans will clear the way, with Trump holding a significant lead in polls in recent days. Marina Pitofsky Supporters watch as New Hampshire presidential primary votes are counted, during Republican presidential candidate Nikki HaleyOs watch party at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Polls close in New Hampshire Most Granite State polls closed at 7 p.m. Eastern time, and polls are set to close statewide at 8 p.m. Eastern. The coming hours will be tense as Granite State voters make their voices heard. Nikki Haley is trying to defeat Donald Trump or come close enough to alter the sticky narrative that the former president is the runaway frontrunner. While Joe Biden isnt technically on the ballot due to a battle between the Democratic National Committee and New Hampshire officials, Democratic organizers are still hoping to deliver a victory for the president seeking a second term in office. Marina Pitofsky and Karissa Waddick Trump and NH Republican Gov. Chris Sununu go at it on social media Trump began primary day not by attacking Haley but by attacking her most prominent New Hampshire supporter, Gov. Chris Sununu, a fellow Republican. Sununu responded by questioning Trump's age and mental capacity. Trump started it with a Truth Social post that hit Fox News as well as Sununu: "Why does Fox keep putting New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu on??? Every time I mention his name at a Rally, they BOOO like crazy ... To have this loser on so much is really bad TV." Over on X (formerly Twitter), Sununu responded: "I suppose its tough keeping up with the conversation given your advanced age. Maybe try subtitles next time. Thanks for watching." To be continued. David Jackson Young voters ho-hum about old candidates Many youngsters in New Hampshire were voting in their first primary, but when they looked at some of their top options, none excited them. Sure, the 52-year-old Haley brought a breath of fresh air, but polls indicate she's at best a longshot for the Republican nomination. The leading candidates in both parties, Biden and Trump, are 81 and 77, respectively, likely older than many of the new voters' grandparents. "Both of them are too old," said Jacob Baldy, 24. Winning the youth vote figures to be crucial in the general election, and if it's a Biden-Trump rematch, that may not come down to who's more appealing but rather less objectionable. Camden MacLean, 19, went to a Trump rally and was disheartened to notice the former president was more focused on attacking his enemies than explaining his policies. "People are less concerned with finding solutions and more concerned with 'my way or the highway, my agenda or nothing else,'" MacLean said, referring both candidates. Biden focuses on abortion rights supporters, union members As Trump and Haley fight it out in the New Hampshire primary, Biden and the Democrats are counter-programming with events aimed at key constituencies: Abortion rights supporters and union members. On Tuesday, Biden who's not on the ballot in New Hampshire joined Vice President Kamala Harris and other officials addressing a Virginia audience of "reproductive rights groups, members of Congress, and grassroots supporters," his campaign said. However, the gathering did not go smoothly. Biden was interrupted about a dozen times by pro-Palestinian hecklers protesting his support of Israel's war in Gaza. On Wednesday, as political professionals assess the New Hampshire results, Biden will address members of the United Auto Workers at its national Community Action Program conference in Washington, D.C. Biden is seeking the UAW's endorsement. David Jackson Trump's defamation against writer moved to Thursday One way or another, Trump will not give his day-after assessment of the New Hampshire primary from a courthouse in New York City. The judge in writer E. Jean Carroll's defamation suit against Trump postponed proceedings scheduled for Wednesday, after the trial was delayed Monday when a juror took in sick. The Carroll-Trump trial will now resume Thursday, and Trump is expected to testify. David Jackson A push to protest war in Gaza with cease-fire vote University of New Hampshire student Alexis Eaton said she had planned to vote for Democratic candidate Marianne Williamson in Tuesday's primary but changed her mind after learning about a movement to write in "cease-fire" instead. I think its going to send a message, Eaton, 21, said before entering her polling place in the town of Durham, intent on following the recommendation of peace activists encouraging New Hampshire voters to press Biden for an immediate halt to Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Tyler OConnell, who graduated from UNH in May, said the conflict is an important issue, but she was planning to write in Biden's name. Theres a lot of unrest around Palestine and Israel and there have been so many calls for cease-fire that it seems like its gone unheard, said OConnell, 23. I know for me personally thats also something that Ive been thinking about, but I think overall Biden is still the right person for the job. Margie Cullen When is the next presidential election? Everything to know about Election Day 2024. Poll workers ready to hand-count Biden write-in votes A team of 16 people will be hand-counting New Hampshire primary ballots after the polls close at Little Harbour School in Portsmouth, said Brian Wazlaw, moderator of one of the city's voting districts.The roster of poll workers was finalized far in advance as the movement to write-in Bidens name on the Democratic presidential primary ballot gained traction.Portsmouth resident Julie Robb still supports Biden even though he declined to file for the New Hampshire primary or visit the state ahead of the vote after pushing for South Carolina to be moved to the top spot in the Democrats' primary schedule. Robb clutched a handmade pencil decoration outside the school reading, Democracy is the Point!Were exercising our voice. (Its) just because of political strategies, she said in reference to Biden not appearing on the primary ballot in New Hampshire. But we still have a voice. We have a vote. We three are being proactive in supporting Biden. '' Ian Lenahan Portsmouth resident Julie Robb supports the Joe Biden write-in campaign outside the New Hampshire primary polls at Little Harbour School in Portsmouth Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Trump's VP pick could become next news for GOP Trump has won just 20 of the 1,215 delegates needed to claim the Republican nomination, yet the primary process could quickly become a forum for politicians eyeing the vice president spot on a Trump ticket. The betting sites are already watching the scramble. Oddschecker lists the top five candidates as South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson and Haley. Trump, Biden supporters getting along in Salem Gary Karibian, 44, and Bobby Sharon, 59, stood outside a polling place in Salem, braving the cold together. They have their differences: Karibian is holding a Biden sign while Sharon, a Trump supporter, is waving a sign that reads Make America Great Again. But that doesnt mean they dont chat every once in a while. Were all Americans, said Karibian, a federal government employee based in Salem. We might have different views on things but its nice to see ... we can all get along. Were all Americans. Were all trying to do whats best for the country. Sharon, a retired business owner, said while he and Karibian discussed their political differences, theyve been discovering areas where they agree. I love people, Sharon said. Sudiksha Kochi New Hampshire residents like Gary Karibian, right, and Bobby Sharon, bottom left, show they can coexist despite their political differences. Trump expects Haley to drop out. Haley: This isn't a coronation. Trump said at a rally Monday that he expected Haley to drop out of the race Tuesday. Haley doesn't want to hear it. I dont care how much you all want to coronate Donald Trump," Haley said Tuesday on Fox and Friends. "At the end of the day, thats not what Americans want. Americans want a choice. Haley says 70% of Americans don't want a Trump-Biden rematch and both are saddled with high disapproval ratings. Next up on the primary list is South Carolina, her home state, and she says she is already buying campaign ads. Her recurring theme: This has always been a marathon. Its never been a sprint. At a polling station stop in Londonderry, Trump greeted cheering supporters, predicted victory and professed a lack of concern about Haley's campaign future. "I don't care if she stays in," Trump told reporters during the stop. "Let her do whatever she wants. It doesn't matter." Supporters watch as New Hampshire presidential primary votes are counted, during Republican presidential candidate Nikki HaleyOs watch party at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Voter in Atkinson says Trump is 'the only guy who can do the job' Voters gathered inside the Atkinson Community Center as early as 7 a.m. in Atkinson, about 25 miles southeast of Manchester. Joel Winslow, 54, said he voted for Trump because hes the only guy who can do the job. Everybody else has been in government for so long, the same stuff keeps happening and happening, said Winslow, an electrician. Winslow said he admires the former president because he hasnt been in government forever and serves the people. With all the punches he gets thrown, with all the cases that get thrown into court, the guy just keeps coming back, Winslow said. And a guy with his stature and his money, why would he want to put himself through that? So I really think hes for the people. Dean Olsen, 62, also voted for Trump because of his border, economic and other policies. Olsen said the cost of groceries and gas have risen sharply under the Biden administration and the impacts have been significant on his family. Sudiksha Kochi Haley takes shot at Trump's age (he's 77, she's 52) Haley, 52, attacked Trumps age while visiting the polls in Hampton with Gov. Chris Sununu on Tuesday. She said Trump is mentally fit, but she said voters need to ask whether they want two 80-year-olds in Trump and Biden on the ticket in November. Trump is 77. When youve got a country in disarray and a world on fire the way we do, Haley said, you need someone at the top of their game that can put in eight years and get things back on track. It's the latest in a series of shots Haley has taken at Trump's age. At a rally last week Trump repeatedly appeared to confuse Haley with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, drawing a warning to voters from Haley that Trump's "mental stability" would continue to decline. Max Sullivan On Politics A primer on primaries and caucuses The 2024 election season kicked off with a frost-bitten start as Iowa Republicans headed to their caucus in freezing weather. Trump cruised to a notably early and wide victory, while Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis narrowly edged out Haley for second place. Now DeSantis is gone and the focus is on New Hampshire, which conducts a primary. But what makes a caucus different from a primary? And how does a primary end up ultimately factoring into the general election? USA TODAY is answering all your questions about how the country votes and why it matters. All you need to know is here. Anna Kaufman DeSantis says Florida taxpayers won't pay Trump legal bills The detente between Trump and DeSantis, who dropped out of the race Sunday and endorsed Trump, might not last very long. DeSantis has threatened to veto any effort by Florida lawmakers to have the state bankroll Trump's legal bills. On the social media site X (formerly Twitter), DeSantis re-posted a Politico story headlined "Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trump's legal bills." DeSantis commented: "But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen"Trump, who has said nice things about DeSantis since he dropped out of the presidential race, has not commented on the potential flap. David Jackson Dixville Notch is all about Nikki Haley The polls say Haley is a long shot, but she got off to a flying start when the six registered voters of Dixville Notch cast their ballots for her. The resort town with the tiny population historically makes a big splash by opening its polls at midnight, the first place in the nation to vote, count and announce its results in presidential primaries. As usual, the handful of voters were greeted by an overwhelming number of reporters from around the world. Les Otten, owner of the Balsams Resort that served as the polling location, was excited to cast his ballot. Its what ought to happen in every community in the United States, where there is 100% participation, everybody votes," Otten said. "None of the six of us can complain about the outcome of the election, because weve participated. Haley was appreciative, posting on social media "A great start to a great day in New Hampshire. Thank you Dixville Notch!" Which Republicans are still running for president? Ryan Binkley, Nikki Haley and Donald Trump After entrepreneur Ramaswamy, DeSantis and a bevy of other GOP nomination hopefuls dropped out of the Republican primary, three candidates were left Tuesday. Trump, Haley and the much lesser known businessman and pastor Ryan Binkley are still in the running. Looking for more information? You can catch up with the USA TODAY Network's voter guides for everything you need to know about the Republican, Democratic and third-party candidates. Marina Pitofsky Can Nikki Haley win New Hampshire? The odds arent in her favor. Trump led Haley 55% to 36% in a Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC-10 tracking poll conducted in the state Jan. 18-19. And DeSantis exit from the 2024 primary may bolster Trumps lead. Nearly 60% of the Florida governors likely voters said Trump was their second choice in the poll. Haleys campaign, however, is hoping that DeSantis exit will give her a boost with undecided anti-Trump voters in the final hours before New Hampshire's primary. Karissa Waddick When do polls close in New Hampshire? Polling times vary by town and city in New Hampshire. Most are open from 7 or 8 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m., but some, like Hebron, dont open until as late as 11 a.m. If you're a New Hampshire resident, you can check your polling place to find out the exact time your location opens and closes. Margie Cullen DeSantis' withdrawal reshapes New Hampshire's GOP race New Hampshire's Republican primary shifted this week when DeSantis dropped out of the GOP race after his loss in the Iowa Caucuses. The Florida governor immediately endorsed Trump, but some of Haley's supporters in New Hampshire have argued that won't matter in the Granite State. The former South Carolina governor has long sought to build a broad coalition, sometimes fueled by moderate, anti-Trump Republicans. The question remains: Will those voters propel Haley to her first 2024 win, or will Trump quickly claim victory in New Hampshire? Karissa Waddick, Marina Pitofsky This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Hampshire primary replay: Trump wins; Haley isn't quitting LATEST NEW HAMPSHIRE PRIMARY RESULTS HERE Granite Staters flocked to the polls Tuesday to cast their votes in the pivotal 2024 first-in-the-nation primary, which pitted former President Donald Trump against former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Trump defeated Haley in the Republican primary, according to the Associated Press. Biden emerged as the winner in the Democratic primary. Hayley vowed not to drop out of the race for president after falling to Trump. The former president clinched his second straight victory in his quest for the 2024 GOP nomination after knocking out most of the field with a commanding win in Iowa. His GOP rival Nikki Haley, meanwhile, came up short in her effort to capitalize on her strength with independent and anti-Trump voters eager for a fresh voice to lead the party. Biden prevailed even though he wasnt on the ballot. His supporters mounted a write-in campaign on his behalf to avoid a loss, even though the contest awards no delegates because it violates the national party rules he pushed for. The New Hampshire primary officially became a one-on-one race on Sunday when Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 race for president and endorsed Trump. The small town of Dixville Notch in northern New Hampshire cast the first ballots of the primary at midnight -- a tradition that dates back to 1960. Most polling areas in New Hampshire opened as early as 6 a.m. and some remained open as late as 8 p.m. Follow along with live updates below: Jan. 23, 2024, 10 p.m.: If voters were looking for a magnanimous victory speech from Trump, they didnt get it Tuesday night. You cant let people get away with (expletive), Trump railed as he criticized Haley for failing to exit the race after he won New Hampshires GOP primary. From the stage, former candidate and now-Trump backer Vivek Ramaswamy declared the race over. But if Trump is looking to pivot to the general election, he didnt do so Tuesday. Instead, he repeated lies about the 2020 election and slammed those who voted for Haley, saying they only did so cause they want me to look as bad as possible. Jan. 23, 2024, 9:30 p.m.: Trump is lacing into Haley as he celebrates his win in the New Hampshire primary. Unlike his election night speech in Iowa, where he called for unity, Trump is making clear his fury that Haley is not dropping out after finishing second. This is not your typical victory speech, but lets not have someone take a victory when she had a very bad night, Trump said, complaining that Haley came in third in Iowa and shes still hanging around. I dont get too angry. I get even, he told a crowd of supporters packed into a steamy hotel ballroom. Jan. 23, 2024, 9 p.m.: Haley didnt win New Hampshire, but she says her 2024 campaign is full steam ahead regardless. Appearing at her election night party Tuesday, Haley thanked New Hampshire for the love, the kindness, the support and a great night. Haley congratulated Trump on his victory, saying, He earned that, and I want to acknowledge that. But Haley said that the GOP race is far from over. She vowed to take her scrappy campaign onward to her home state of South Carolina, which holds its GOP primary next month. Haley also took a swipe at Trump for appearing to confuse her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that his avowed confidence that he would score higher than her on a competency test should mean that he should have no problem standing on a debate stage with me. Jan. 23, 2024, 8:30 p.m.: Haley has finished second in New Hampshire to Trump, a setback in her effort to reset the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor, who invested significant time and financial resources in the state, ramped up her criticism of Trump after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race and she became the sole GOP alternative to him. But the appeal ultimately failed to resonate with enough voters, and shes in a weakened position heading into a primary in her home state. Jan. 23, 2024, 8 p.m.: Donald Trump won New Hampshires first-in-the-nation Republican primary on Tuesday, while President Joe Biden was hoping to avoid embarrassment by prevailing in a Democratic primary where he isnt even on the ballot. The former president clinched his second straight victory in his quest for the 2024 GOP nomination after knocking out the rest of the field with a commanding win in Iowa. GOP rival Nikki Haley, meanwhile, came up short in her effort to capitalize on her strength with independent and anti-Trump voters eager for a fresh voice to lead the party. On the Democratic side, Biden supporters have mounted a write-in campaign on his behalf to avoid a loss, even though the contest awards no delegates because it violates the national party rules he pushed for. Jan. 23, 2024, 7:30 p.m.: Donald Trump is holding an eight percent lead over Nikki Haley as early GOP primary results filter in from New Hampshire. In the Democratic primary, the majority of votes were being tallied as unprocessed write-ins. Ultimately, those votes will presumably be credited to President Biden, whose name didnt appear on the ballot. Jan. 23, 2024, 7 p.m.: Most polling locations in New Hampshire are now closed for the evening. Some spots will remain open to voters until 8 p.m. Results in the GOP primary election battle between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are expected to roll in. Click here to find the latest results. Jan. 23, 2024, 6:15 p.m.: At least 10 communities in the Granite State have requested more ballots as Donald Trump and Nikki Haley face off in Tuesdays GOP primary. The New Hampshires Secretary of States Office confirmed that Hanover, Hopkinton, Holderness, Amherst, Brentwood, Concord, Hollis, Newmarket, Windham, and Manchester have asked for additional ballots. A spokesperson for the Secretary of States Office said voter turnout looks strong! Jan. 23, 2024, 5:15 p.m.: About 4 in 10 Republican voters identify immigration as the most important issue facing the U.S. By contrast, 3 in 10 Republican voters say the economy is their priority, according to AP VoteCast. About 7 in 10 say immigrants do more to hurt the country than help it. And 8 in 10 favor building a wall along the southern border. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. New Hampshire has a bigger percentage of unaffiliated voters than Iowa. Jan. 23, 2024, 2:57 p.m.: Dean Phillips shakes hands at voting site Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips was spotted earlier in the day shaking the hands of poll workers and voters at a school gymnasium in Derry. The Minnesota congressman entered the race in October in an event outside New Hampshires statehouse, saying, It is time for the torch to be passed to a new generation of American leaders. Phillips is highly unlikely to wrest the Democratic presidential nomination away from Biden, even if the president suffers an embarrassing loss Tuesday in a state where hes not even on the ballot. Still, his run offers a symbolic challenge to national Democrats trying to project the idea that there is no reason to doubt the presidents electability. Jan. 23, 2024, 2 p.m.: Democratic voter says hes absolutely excited to support Biden Democrat Durwood Sargent, 79, cast a write-in vote for Biden on Tuesday and said hed be excited to support him in the general election. He said he wasnt offended that the president kept his name off the ballot to comply with the Democratic National Committees new primary calendar that bumped New Hampshire from its first-in-the-nation spot. Its not a big deal. Theyve made a big deal out of it. The presidents got a country to run, he said. Sargent said hes absolutely excited to support Biden if hes the nominee in November. Hes done tremendous stuff for this country, he said. In particular, hes the first president to stand with striking workers. Jan. 23, 2024, 1:50 p.m.: Former president Donald Trump met with supporters in New Hampshire outside a polling place in Londonderry. Trump spoke with reporters about a wildcard aspect to the New Hampshire primaries, which allows unenrolled registered voters to cast ballots in either the Republican or Democratic primaries. You have people who could vote that arent Republicans, said Trump. Whats that all about? I mean, nobody ever saw anything like that. But I love this state. Weve done well here before. Jan. 23, 2024, 10 a.m.: Haley says her sweep of tiny Dixville Notch is a good start that gives her campaign momentum heading into the day. Right now well take whatever we can take, Haley told reporters while visiting a polling place in Hampton on Tuesday morning. She said she was grateful for the six registered voters in the resort town who turned out to vote for her. Haley also vowed to continue with her campaign even if she doesnt have a good night in New Hampshires first-in-the-nation primary. Were going to South Carolina. We have put in the ad buy. We are there. This has always been a marathon. Its never been a sprint. We wanted to be strong in Iowa. We wanted to be stronger than that in New Hampshire. Were going to be even stronger than that in South Carolina, she said. Jan. 23, 2024, 7 a.m.: Polls have opened in New Hampshire, some voters waited in line beginning at 5 a.m. to cast their ballots. Its 5:59 am. These voters are ready to cast their ballots in the #NHPrimary pic.twitter.com/dzSTxnZGjB Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) January 23, 2024 Jan. 23, 2024, 6 a.m.: Polls are beginning to open across much of New Hampshire as the states famously independent-minded electorate makes its pick for the 2024 presidential nominees. In the first results released early Tuesday, all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight. The Democratic side is different, though. The Democratic National Committee revamped the voting calendar to put South Carolina first, but New Hampshire Democrats defied the new order and opted to hold their primary Tuesday, as well. Bidens name isnt on the ballot as a result, but his allies are mounting a write-in campaign for him. Jan. 23, 2024, 5 a.m.: The six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch in New Hampshire all cast their ballots for Nikki Haley at midnight. 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 Voters check in to cast ballots in the New Hampshire presidential primary at a polling site in Derry, N.H., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman) Donald Trump has won the New Hampshire Republican primary, while President Joe Biden prevailed on the Democratic side as a write-in candidate. Trumps sole GOP opponent, Nikki Haley, says the race is far from over. What to know Trump wins GOP primary as rematch with Biden appears likely Biden wins Democratic primary through a write-in effort Trump rides to victory on the strength of support from the GOP base, AP VoteCast shows Whos running for president? Here are the major 2024 candidates Record-setting turnout for New Hampshire's GOP primary WASHINGTON More people cast votes in Tuesdays New Hampshire GOP primary than in any previous presidential primary for either party in the state's history. As of the latest vote tally on Wednesday afternoon, nearly 318,000 New Hampshire Republicans and independents cast votes in the first-in-the-nation primary. That exceeded the previous record set in the 2020 Democratic primary, when more than 298,000 Democrats and independents decided a contest between U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of neighboring Vermont, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and a crowded field. The AP estimates the total turnout in this years Republican primary will be approximately 330,000. The 2016 primaries, the last time neither party had an incumbent president running for reelection, had the highest combined turnout in the states history, with about 539,000 Granite Staters heading to the polls. Tuesdays primary currently ranks fourth in combined turnout. Trump holds the distinction of receiving the most votes ever in a New Hampshire presidential primary, with about 173,000 votes as of Wednesday morning. Sanders held the previous record with about 152,000 votes received in 2016. Delegate tracker after New Hampshire WASHINGTON With more than 95% of the expected vote reported, theres a single delegate left to be allocated in the New Hampshire Republican primary. But no matter where that spare ends up as the final ballots are counted, Trump is far ahead in the overall delegate count through the first two contests. New Hampshire assigns its Republican delegates proportionally among candidates who win at least 10% of the vote statewide. Trump, who placed first, and Haley, who placed second, will split the states 22 delegates, as no other candidate hit 10%. Trump will receive 12 delegates, more than half of the state's total. Haley has locked down nine delegates, but shes on the cusp of receiving 10. If Haley does end up with 10 delegates, thats the end of the count for New Hampshire. If she doesnt reach 10, however, then were left with one extra delegate. According to RNC rules in New Hampshire, that extra delegate goes to the person who won the most votes: Trump. In Iowa, Trump won 20 delegates to Haleys eight. Haley donors satisfied that GOP race is a two-person contest Haley donors sounded an upbeat note a day after her second-place finish in New Hampshire, satisfied that the race had become a two-person contest. A fundraiser planned for next week in New York, with hosts including 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romneys top fundraiser Spencer Zwick, was expected to go forward, with plans for more events in February. She mentioned two months in her speech last night, and the campaign has a game plan to bring this through to Super Tuesday, said campaign donor and fundraiser Ozzie Palomo, referring to the March 5 slate of contests. My thought is, Lets focus on the task at hand in the next state, which is South Carolina. Shes made the decision to bring this fight down there, and my sense is that she sees a path to be competitive," Palomo. added. Haley super PAC sees a path to the nomination COLUMBIA, S.C. During a call with reporters on Wednesday, Mark Harris, chief strategist for the super PAC supporting Haley, said that the candidate has a path to the GOP nomination, regardless of Trumps two wins in the earliest votes. Pointing toward Haleys native South Carolina, Harris said the first-in-the-South state is where the battleground is going to be, noting that the open primary means that any Democrats who opt not to participate in their partys Feb. 3 primary can choose to support Haley in the Feb. 24 vote. In terms of the vote in South Carolina, where Trump boasts many endorsements among elected leaders, Harris said he was more focused on the voters. It will not be politicians. It wont be party insiders, Harris said. It wont be campaign officials. It will be voters. Voters get to make this decision. Thats the beauty of American democracy. RFK Jr.s campaign says it has the signatures to qualify for the New Hampshire general election ballot CONCORD, N.H. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s campaign says it has gathered enough signatures from registered voters in New Hampshire to qualify for the state's ballot in the general election. The independent candidate already has qualified for the ballot in another state, Utah. Some have questioned whether he or another independent or third-party candidate could play spoiler in a close presidential race this fall. But the candidate, who is known for his environmental conservation work and anti-vaccine empire, has a long road ahead. Each state sets its own requirements to qualify for the ballot, and the process can be costly for candidates not backed by the major parties. What are the Republican candidates doing Wednesday? WASHINGTON Haley is set to campaign in her home state of South Carolina on Wednesday and address the U.S. Virgin Islands by Zoom as the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination moves beyond the first two voting states. Trump flew back to Florida on Tuesday night after a strong performance in New Hampshire. It was his third straight New Hampshire primary victory, tying a record previously held by Richard Nixon, who won the event in 1960, 1968 and 1972. Trump is the first presidential candidate to win three consecutive New Hampshire primaries. The next primary is scheduled for Feb. 3 in South Carolina on the Democratic side. The stakes could not be higher, Biden says WASHINGTON President Joe Biden says New Hampshire's primary results make it clear that he will face off against his 2020 rival, former President Donald Trump, in 2024. In a statement, Biden thanked those who wrote in his name for the Democratic primary and appealed to independent and Republican voters who reject Trump to support his campaign. My message to the country is the stakes could not be higher," Biden said. "Our Democracy. Our personal freedoms from the right to choose to the right to vote. Our economy which has seen the strongest recovery in the world since COVID. All are at stake. Trump says Haley voters wanted him to look as bad as possible NASHUA, N.H. If voters were looking for a magnanimous victory speech from Trump, they didnt get it Tuesday night. You cant let people get away with (expletive)," Trump railed as he criticized Haley for failing to exit the race after he won New Hampshire's GOP primary. From the stage, former candidate and now-Trump backer Vivek Ramaswamy declared the race over. But if Trump is looking to pivot to the general election, he didnt do so Tuesday. Instead, he repeated lies about the 2020 election and slammed those who voted for Haley, saying they only did so 'cause they want me to look as bad as possible. Trump says Haley had a very bad night NASHUA, N.H. Trump is lacing into Haley as he celebrates his win in the New Hampshire primary. Unlike his election night speech in Iowa, where he called for unity, Trump is making clear his fury that Haley is not dropping out after finishing second. This is not your typical victory speech, but lets not have someone take a victory when she had a very bad night, Trump said, complaining that Haley came in third in Iowa and shes still hanging around. I dont get too angry. I get even, he told a crowd of supporters packed into a steamy hotel ballroom. Haley pledges to take her scrappy campaign onward to South Carolina CONCORD, N.H. Haley didnt win New Hampshire, but she says her 2024 campaign is full steam ahead regardless. Appearing at her election night party Tuesday, Haley thanked New Hampshire for the love, the kindness, the support and a great night. Haley congratulated Trump on his victory, saying, He earned that, and I want to acknowledge that. But Haley said that the GOP race is far from over. She vowed to take her scrappy campaign onward to her home state of South Carolina, which holds its GOP primary next month. Haley also took a swipe at Trump for appearing to confuse her with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, saying that his avowed confidence that he would score higher than her on a competency test should mean that he should have no problem standing on a debate stage with me. How Haley fell short WASHINGTON Haley drew her support from groups that were distinct minorities in the GOP electorate, according to AP VoteCast. She beat Trump among primary participants who were not formally affiliated with any party. About half of her supporters were college graduates and about half identified as moderates. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. New Hampshire's Republican voters expect Trump to be the GOP nominee WASHINGTON About 8 in 10 GOP primary participants said they expect Trump will win the presidential nomination, according to AP VoteCast. Only about 2 in 10 say Haley will secure it. More than half of Haleys own supporters think Trump will be victorious in the nominating contest. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. How Trump won in New Hampshire WASHINGTON AP VoteCast showed Trump won big in small towns and rural communities, where about two-thirds of primary participants said they live. Most GOP voters in the state lack a college degree and about two-thirds of them voted for Trump. The former president won about 7 in 10 Republican voters who identified as conservatives and those who were registered Republicans. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Why the AP called New Hampshires Democratic primary for Biden WASHINGTON The Associated Press declared Biden the winner of New Hampshire's Democratic primary based on an analysis of initial vote returns where write-in votes have been tabulated by candidate. The early returns confirm the findings of APs VoteCast survey of likely Democratic primary voters, which found an overwhelming majority of write-in voters supporting the incumbent president. Together, they show that Biden has an insurmountable lead over the rest of the Democratic field. Biden decided not to put his name on the New Hampshire ballot, since the states primary violates Democratic Party rules. It was Bidens idea to bump the state from its prized first-in-the-nation primary calendar slot in favor of South Carolina, which resuscitated his struggling campaign in 2020. Instead, his supporters are backing him as a write-in candidate. The VoteCast survey asked likely voters if they would support U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, author Marianne Williamson or someone else. Of those who said they support someone else, nearly all indicated they would write in Biden. As of 8:09 p.m., Phillips and Williamson were at 21% and 5% of the tabulated vote, respectively, and APs analysis shows that there are no scenarios for either to end up the winner. Haley finishes as runner-up to Trump in New Hampshire WASHINGTON Haley has finished second in New Hampshire to Trump, a setback in her effort to reset the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor, who invested significant time and financial resources in the state, ramped up her criticism of Trump after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race and she became the sole GOP alternative to him. But the appeal ultimately failed to resonate with enough voters, and shes in a weakened position heading into a primary in her home state. Biden wins New Hampshire Democratic primary as a write-in candidate WASHINGTON Biden won New Hampshires largely symbolic Democratic primary, prevailing in an unusual write-in effort after he refused to campaign or appear on the ballot in the state. Biden easily bested two longshot challengers, Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips and self-help author Marianne Williamson, who were on the ballot along with a host of little-known names. His victory in a race he was not formally contesting essentially cements Bidens grasp on the Democratic nomination for a second term. Why the AP called New Hampshire's Republican primary for Trump WASHINGTON The Associated Press declared Trump the winner based on an analysis of initial vote returns as well as the results of AP VoteCast, a survey of Republican primary voters. Both indicated Trump was running ahead of Haley by an insurmountable margin. Initial results from more than 25 townships showed Trump leading by a comfortable margin as of 8 p.m. This includes results from Manchester and Concord, two of the states three most-populous cities. Early returns were also reported from more rural areas in the northern and eastern parts of the state. All confirmed the findings of APs survey. The only areas in which Haley was leading Trump in early returns were in the states most Democratic-leaning cities and towns, such as Concord, Keene and Portsmouth. VoteCast showed Trump leading Haley by a substantial margin across all regions of the state. It also showed Haley supported by a majority of unaffiliated voters choosing to cast their ballot in the Republican primary. That wasnt enough to make up for Trumps nearly 50-point lead among registered Republicans. New Hampshire allows voters not affiliated with a political party to participate in either partys primary. Voters registered with a party may only vote in their own partys primary. New Hampshires 22 delegates will be allocated proportionally among candidates who receive at least 10% of the vote statewide. Trump wins New Hampshire's Republican primary WASHINGTON Trump has won New Hampshires GOP primary, delivering a setback to rival Haley, who is running out of time to establish herself as a viable alternative to him. It was his second straight victory in his quest for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He won Iowas leadoff caucuses by 30 percentage points. Biden allies, meanwhile, are hoping their write-in campaign on the Democratic side is successful. Polls closed statewide at 8 p.m. Also at Trumps victory party? George Santos NASHUA, N.H. Among those attending Trumps election night party at the Nashua Sheraton: former New York congressman George Santos. I am a Trump supporter. Theres, like, a lot of surprise to see me here. Youre going to see me at a lot more of these, Santos told The Associated Press. Asked if he was planning to have any formal role as a surrogate, he said he wasnt. Im just having fun! Earlier in the day, Santos appeared for a brief hearing in federal court on Long Island ahead of his criminal fraud trial, which is slated for later this year. He said he doesnt plan to vote in next months special election to fill his now vacant seat in Congress. Polls are beginning to close in New Hampshire Polls are beginning to close in New Hampshires first-in-the-nation primaries. Polls in most of the state closed at 7 p.m. ET and some close at 7:30 p.m. The last polls in the state close at 8 p.m. And in tiny Dixville Notch, which has only a handful of residents, polls opened at midnight and closed a few minutes later after all voters cast a ballot. Two White House aides are moving over to Biden's reelection campaign WASHINGTON Biden is dispatching two of his senior-most White House advisers to his reelection campaign in Delaware as his focus shifts to the general election in November. The new roles for deputy chief of staff Jen O'Malley Dillon and senior adviser Mike Donilon had been expected, and campaign aides insisted it was not a sign of a broader shakeup. The campaign said Donilon would focus on advertising and strategy, while OMalley Dillon would work on organizing and the electoral mechanics. Trump's lawyer and his co-defendant are among the guests at his election night party NASHUA, N.H. Trump's legal, political and personal worlds are colliding at Trump's election night party. His son Eric Trump, daughter-in-law Lara Trump, lawyer Alina Habba and valet Walt Nauta were among the figures from Trumps orbit wandering around the Nashua hotel hours before Trump was set to take the stage. Habba has been representing Trump in several of the legal cases he faces, including his civil fraud trial in New York and civil sex abuse and defamation trial. Nauta was Trumps valet at the White House before joining him as a personal aide at Mar-a-Lago. He was charged along with Trump in a federal case over the mishandling of classified documents. Nauta has pleaded not guilty to charges that he helped the former president hide classified documents from federal authorities. He has remained by Trumps side as he campaigns and attends court hearings for his various legal cases. Trump is responsible for taking away freedom, Biden tells abortion rights supporters MANASSAS, Va. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are looking toward a general election matchup against Trump as they rally for abortion rights in Virginia. Hes betting we wont hold him responsible, Biden said to a crowd of hundreds of cheering supporters, referring to Trump's Supreme Court nominees who paved the way for overturning Roe v. Wade. Hes betting youre going to stop caring. But guess what? he added. Im betting hes wrong. Im betting you wont forget. The rally came the same day that New Hampshire voters were heading to the polls for the first-in-the-nation primary. In a reflection of the importance that Democrats are putting on abortion this year, Biden and Harris were joined by their spouses the first time the four of them have appeared together since the 2024 campaign began. The person most responsible for taking away this freedom in America is Donald Trump, he said. Biden gets mixed reviews on top issues from New Hampshire Democrats WASHINGTON More than 8 in 10 approve of his economic leadership, according to AP VoteCast. And around 8 in 10 approve of how hes handling the student debt issue. About 6 in 10 approve of his approach to immigration. When it comes to the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians, however, only about half approve. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. About half of New Hampshire Republicans have concerns that Trump is too extreme WASHINGTON About half of GOP voters are very or somewhat concerned that Trump is too extreme to win the general election, according to AP VoteCast. Only about one-third say the same about Haley. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. More New Hampshire Republicans see immigration as the country's top issue over the economy WASHINGTON About 4 in 10 Republican voters identify immigration as the most important issue facing the U.S. By contrast, 3 in 10 Republican voters say the economy is their priority, according to AP VoteCast. About 7 in 10 say immigrants do more to hurt the country than help it. And 8 in 10 favor building a wall along the southern border. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. New Hampshires unaffiliated voters make for a different electorate than Iowas caucuses WASHINGTON The participation of undeclared voters in New Hampshire means that the candidates are facing a different electorate than they did in Iowa last week. More than 4 in 10 GOP primary voters are not affiliated with a party, compared with about 2 in 10 in the Democratic primary, according to AP VoteCast. AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,890 New Hampshire voters who were taking part in the Republican primary and 873 Democratic primary voters. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Dean Phillips shakes hands at voting site DERRY, N.H. Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips was spotted earlier in the day shaking the hands of poll workers and voters at a school gymnasium in Derry. The Minnesota congressman entered the race in October in an event outside New Hampshires statehouse, saying, It is time for the torch to be passed to a new generation of American leaders. Phillips is highly unlikely to wrest the Democratic presidential nomination away from Biden, even if the president suffers an embarrassing loss Tuesday in a state where he's not even on the ballot. Still, his run offers a symbolic challenge to national Democrats trying to project the idea that there is no reason to doubt the presidents electability. Self-help author Marianne Williamson is also seeking the Democratic nomination. Trump forecasts a big loss for Haley in New Hampshire LONDONDERRY, N.H. Trump is predicting that Haley will likely have a big loss in New Hampshire. Speaking at a polling site Tuesday afternoon, Trump insisted Haley wasn't a threat to his campaign and said she is free to continue challenging him for the GOP nomination. I dont care if she stays in. Let her do whatever she wants," he said. "It doesnt matter. He said he wouldnt comment on whether hed spoken to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and whether he would consider him as his running mate. I just cant comment on that," he said. Democratic voter says he's absolutely excited to support Biden BOW, N.H. Democrat Durwood Sargent, 79, cast a write-in vote for Biden on Tuesday and said he'd be excited to support him in the general election. He said he wasnt offended that the president kept his name off the ballot to comply with the Democratic National Committees new primary calendar that bumped New Hampshire from its first-in-the-nation spot. Its not a big deal. Theyve made a big deal out of it. The presidents got a country to run, he said. Sargent said hes absolutely excited to support Biden if hes the nominee in November. Hes done tremendous stuff for this country, he said. In particular, hes the first president to stand with striking workers. Voter says Haley is much closer to the middle than others BOW, N.H. Linda Kelly, 46, an independent voter and stay-at-home mom, said she voted for Haley. Im not far left or far right. Shes a little bit to the right, but much closer to the middle than any of the other choices, she said outside a community center. Kelly sighed heavily when asked who she would support if the general election is a rematch between Trump and Biden. I dont like either of the choices. I probably would lean to Trump just because the economy was better (when he was in office), she said. No major voting issues so far, New Hampshire election office says CONCORD, N.H. Voting across the state was going smoothly with steady turnout into the early afternoon, according to Secretary of State spokesperson Anna Sventek. Assistant Attorney General Brendan ODonnell, head of the departments Election Law Unit, agreed, saying it was a great morning with no major issues. ODonnell said his office was dealing with typical complaints from some voters who were affiliated with one party and wanted to vote in the other partys primary. Such complaints come in every year, he said. Registered Democrats or Republicans who wanted to switch their party affiliation for this election would have had to do so by a deadline in October. There were also some isolated issues with accessible voting machines and electioneering in polling locations that were being resolved, he said. New Hampshire weather a vast improvement over Iowa's CONCORD, N.H. The weather for New Hampshire's primary has been much kinder to voters than the record-setting cold last week for Iowa's caucuses. Temperatures in New Hampshire on Tuesday started out in the low 20s and reached 30s by early afternoon, much warmer than the last few days when temperatures struggled to get out of the teens. Some light snow was possible Tuesday night, around the time that polls close. Iowa's Jan. 15 vote was the lowest-turnout caucuses in a quarter-century. The high temperature in the capital city, Des Moines, that day was 1 degree Fahrenheit, with the temperature falling to minus-17 by sundown. Haley vows to stay in the race even if Trump wins New Hampshire HAMPTON, N.H. Haley is vowing to stay in the race even if Trump wins New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation GOP primary. The former U.N. ambassador has focused considerable resources in New Hampshire, hoping to capitalize on the states independent streak as she looks for an upset or at least a tight loss that could dent Trumps continued domination of Republican politics. Im running against Donald Trump, and Im not going to talk about an obituary, Haley told reporters at a polling site in Hampton. Regardless of how New Hampshire goes, she says, she plans to be in the race for South Carolinas Feb. 24 primary. This has always been a marathon. Its never been a sprint, she said. Republican hopes Trump chooses better White House advisers next time HAMPTON, N.H. Pat Sheridan, a Republican from Hampton, said he voted for Trump because he did a really good job the first time. We need a businessman, not bureaucrats, said Sheridan, a 63-year-old engineer. He said the most important issue to him was the economy. "Everythings just really bad right now, he said. If Trump returns to the White House, Sheridan hopes he will be more careful about choosing his Cabinet members and should bring in better advisers. I think he listened to a lot of people he shouldnt have listened to, he said. 81-year-old voter says 81-year-old Biden is too old HAMPTON, N.H. Independent voter Betsey Davis, an 81-year-old who described herself as ancient, said she voted for Dean Phillips in the Democratic primary. Davis, who supports abortion rights and the freedom to be, said she would vote for Biden if he faces Trump again in the general election, but shes not excited about it. I think hes too old," she said, noting that they were the same age. He may be a nice man, but nice doesnt really count in politics. Asked what Biden would need to do to earn her enthusiastic vote in November, she said, Id like him to be stronger, much stronger. Id like him to be able to get both parties together. Independent voter supports Haley, thinks Biden is too old HAMPTON, N.H. Laurie Dufour was surprised to see Haley, her favored candidate, show up at her polling place on Tuesday morning. Dufour, 66, said she is an independent who tends to vote for Democrats but likes Haley. I did not want Trump, and she just sounded very knowledgeable, she said. However, she noted that she supports abortion rights and almost didn't vote for her because of that. Dufour said she would vote for Biden in a heartbeat over Trump in a general election but wishes he would consider stepping down. Mostly, I just think hes too old. Its sad when I watch him, I could cry. Its like watching your grandfather, you know?" Dufour said. I think its time for him to let go. Haley says Dixville Notch sweep gives her momentum HAMPTON, N.H. Haley says her sweep of tiny Dixville Notch is a good start that gives her campaign momentum heading into the day. Right now we'll take whatever we can take, Haley told reporters while visiting a polling place in Hampton on Tuesday morning. She said she was grateful for the six registered voters in the resort town who turned out to vote for her. Haley also vowed to continue with her campaign even if she doesn't have a good night in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. Were going to South Carolina. We have put in the ad buy. We are there. This has always been a marathon. Its never been a sprint. We wanted to be strong in Iowa. We wanted to be stronger than that in New Hampshire. Were going to be even stronger than that in South Carolina, she said. Polls are opening in the first-in-the-nation primary state CONCORD, N.H. Polls are beginning to open across much of New Hampshire as the state's famously independent-minded electorate makes its pick for the 2024 presidential nominees. In the first results released early Tuesday, all six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch cast their ballots for Haley over Trump. The resort town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight. The Democratic side is different, though. The Democratic National Committee revamped the voting calendar to put South Carolina first, but New Hampshire Democrats defied the new order and opted to hold their primary Tuesday, as well. Biden's name isn't on the ballot as a result, but his allies are mounting a write-in campaign for him. Breaking 187-Year Silence: Reverend Mr. Gregory Lambert to Become First Black Priest Ordained in Iowa Since 1837 Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates and Deacon Greg Lambert, right, at his transitional deaconate ordination. NEWS PROVIDED BY Catholic Notebook Jan. 23, 2024 DUBUQUE, Iowa, Jan. 23, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- In a historic moment for the Catholic community, Catholic Notebook proudly announces the groundbreaking ordination of Reverend Mr. Gregory Lambert. On May 25th, 2024, Reverend Mr. Lambert will be the first-ever black American priest ordained in the state. The ordination is at the Cathedral of St. Raphael in Dubuque, Iowa, at 10 am. A Journey of Faith and Dedication Originally hailing from Florida, Reverend Mr. Lambert's journey to this historic occasion is extraordinary. His connection with Iowa began through a family member's relocation, and after taking a year off from theological studies, Reverend Mr. Lambert decided to make Iowa his permanent home. His love for the area, its churches, culture, and people blossomed during biannual visits over five years. Switching dioceses was challenging. Reverend Mr. Lambert faced skepticism and roadblocks, echoing the struggles of historical figures like Ven. Augustus Tolton and Fr. Norman Dukette. Despite these hurdles, he embraced the Archdiocese of Dubuque, leaving an indelible mark on communities like Peosta, Farley, Bankston, Epworth, Placid, and beyond. Transforming Challenges into Opportunities Reverend Mr. Lambert's journey wasn't without its share of challenges, especially considering the disparities and discrimination often faced by individuals aspiring to serve in the Church. In a climate where indifference and disregard sometimes prevail, Reverend Mr. Lambert chose faith and reason, becoming a beacon of hope and inspiration for young black men and aspiring individuals, demonstrating the possibilities that unfold when surrendering to the will of God. His decision to engage in ministry and studies while leaving matters beyond his control to God was a powerful witness to those facing similar challenges. In a church where racial disparities often persist, Reverend Mr. Lambert's dedication to his calling speaks volumes, illustrating that faith, resilience, and a commitment to justice can overcome even the most entrenched obstacles. A Relatable and Humble Servant of God What sets Reverend Mr. Lambert apart is his relatable, holistic, and down-to-earth approach to life. His holistic understanding of what it means to be Catholic, giving attention to the core five aspects of a person: physical, spiritual, mental, creative, and social, has uniquely framed his ministry and approach to his preparation for the priesthood. In Reverend Mr. Lambert, we find a humble, imperfect, and relatable man of God. Quickly admitting his imperfections, he approaches life with a people-centered perspective, leaning on his chosen family as a backbone through difficult times. His commitment to leading a balanced life spiritually, mentally, and physically sets an inspiring example for individuals navigating challenges. Reverend Mr. Lambert's humility and acknowledgment of his imperfections resonate with a broader audience, breaking down barriers and making his journey relatable to people from all walks of life. Join Us in Celebration Catholic Notebook invites you to join in the celebration of this historic event. Reverend Mr. Gregory Lambert's ordination is not just a milestone for the Church but a testament to the power of faith, resilience, and joy in overcoming challenges. For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact media@catholicnotebook.org About Catholic Notebook Catholic Notebook is committed to empowering individuals on their spiritual journey by fostering self-awareness, embracing a holistic approach to life, and providing practical guidance rooted in the principles of Catholicism, all achieved through promoting self-awareness, embracing holistic living, and practically integrating our Catholic faith. For more information, visit catholicnotebook.org SOURCE Catholic Notebook CONTACT: Dr. Giovanni Demezier, Director of Operations, 563-921-8100, media@catholicnotebook.org Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. A little more than two months after one of the regions largest architecture firms announced a rebrand and expanded services, it has now revealed it also will soon have a new home. Executives for Orlando-based architecture and design studio Schenkel Shultz confirmed to Orlando Business Journal the companys plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to Winter Park. The firm will occupy the entire 12,000-square-foot building at 834 N. Orange Ave. in Winter Park, meaning it will leave its current location in downtown Orlando at 200 E. Robinson St. WATCH: U.S. military base struck by rogue wave Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A lottery player from Maryland had won a few dollars on scratch-off tickets in the past but nothing like this, he told officials. He just won a $100,000 jackpot, the Maryland Lottery announced Jan. 22. The Caroline County man said all his winnings will go toward his kids. I have a daughter in college and another one on her heels, he told lottery officials. The lucky winner paid $30 for the $100,000 Ca$h scratch-off ticket at a liquor store in Denton. He doesnt play often, just when the mood strikes him every once in a while, he told lottery officials. Its a joy doing it, he said. His brother had won big a few years ago, he told lottery officials, and now it was his turn. The liquor store where he bought the ticket will receive a $1,000 bonus. After the liquor store sold the winning ticket, 57 top prizes were left in the $100,000 Ca$h game, which debuted in September. Denton is on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, about 70 miles southeast of Baltimore. Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website. Dad wins lottery after store clerk helps pick ticket but son says hes full of it Huge lottery win gets attention at supermarket. Everybody in the store looked at me Stunned dad just kept staring at his NC lottery ticket. It was a $1 million blessing Mega Millions player wins big but falls just short of $236 million jackpot in New Jersey Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) signed a bill Monday approving new Congressional maps that will create a second majority-Black district. The Louisiana state legislature approved the updated Congressional maps last week which will redraw the Sixth Congressional District to be states second majority-Black district. The district is currently represented by Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.). The states 2nd Congressional District remained the other majority-Black district. Today, we began the process of necessary structural change to our election system, allowing for a cleaner and simpler final ballot, and we took the pen out of the hand of a non-elected judge and placed it in the hands of the people, Landry said on X, formerly Twitter, in his post announcing the signed bill. He also signed bills relating to the primary system in the state as well as allocating funds to certain state agencies on Monday. The battle in Lousiana over the congressional districts have been ongoing for more than a year. Former Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) vetoed a set of maps passed by the state legislature in 2022, arguing that the proposed maps were in violation of the Voting Rights Act because there was only one majority-Black district. The veto was overridden by the state legislature that year. A federal judge later ordered the legislature to create a second majority-Black district, but the Supreme Court paused the ruling and allowed the map to be used in the 2022 midterms, where Graves won his fifth term in office. After the Supreme Court invalidated Alabamas congressional maps last year, the case was taken up by a federal appeals court that ruled that the legislature needed to add a second majority-Black district by mid-January. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. MANCHESTER, N.H. New Hampshire political insiders are lowering their expectations for turnout in todays primary, even as the secretary of state predicts record numbers. New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan, whose responsibilities include promoting the first-in-the-nation primary, predicted that 322,000 Republican votes would be cast, topping turnout in the 2020 Democratic primary and the 2016 Republican primary. However, given a smaller field than those of 2020 and 2016, strategists are giving more pessimistic turnout assessments. On the one side, everybody knows Donald Trump. Hes a known quantity. Hes going to bring his people out, but there were supporters of Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, etc., who were kind of really geared up to vote for their candidate, New Hampshire GOP Chair Chris Ager told the radio station New Hampshire Today on Tuesday. I know some of them said, My candidate is not here. I just really dont care enough between Nikki Haley and Donald Trump to go vote. So that could reduce some of the expected turnout if those folks stay home, he added. Ager said he believed 300,000 Republican voters could end up turning out Tuesday, but he added that he expected a higher turnout in his hometown of Amherst within the first hour of voting at 6 a.m. In an interview with MSNBC on Tuesday, Scanlan acknowledged that the narrowed field would impact turnout on the Republican side. We have had some candidates on the Republican side drop out of the race. And that has narrowed the field quite a bit, Scanlan told the network. That certainly will impact the turnout. Im just not quite sure how yet. I still expect a healthy turnout on the Republican side. Data experts are also predicting lower turnout. Scott Tranter, director of data science at Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ), said Republican turnout is projected to be reasonably low. DDHQ estimates that 210k-260k people will vote in the GOP primary, lower than the 2016 GOP primary number of 284k, Tranter told The Hill. Iowas recent low turnout, attributed partly to severe weather and partly to perceptions of Trump as the inevitable nominee, may be a precursor for an even lower number tonight. At the same time, Tranter said the lack of competition to President Biden in the Democratic primary could lead more voters to take part on the GOP side. The lack of a competitive Democratic primary could draw more unaffiliated voters, who might constitute over 40 percent of GOP primary voters, [to] boost GOP primary turnout, he said. On the Democratic side, the situation is uncertain, and DDHQ estimates that 80k-140k people will vote in the Democratic primary. Supporters of candidates who have dropped out argue that Trumps presence in the race as a former president has made it tough on his competition. On the Republican side, we have a semi-incumbent candidate and a core of base loyalty that comes with it, making it hard for other candidates to break through, said Kate Day, a DeSantis supporter and former chair of Cheshire County, N.H., Republicans. It was a disservice to voters for two of the top contenders [to] refuse to participate in our traditional NH debate. New Hampshire House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R), who also endorsed DeSantis, said the Trump-Haley rivalry could generate some turnout. But then how many are out there disgusted by both choices pretty much just different puppets on the same strings? Osborne told The Hill. Will they be motivated to show up and cast a ballot for an alternative or just stay home? I for one will proudly fill my bubble for Ron DeSantis. Lower voter turnout would make sense given the lower energy surrounding the primary this cycle. Fewer candidates has meant fewer campaign trail stops and less hustle and bustle. Downtown Manchester, typically a circus of media and political tourists during primary week, has felt dull. Fergus Cullen, the former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party, blames the 2024 field. People arent excited about any of the candidates, including Trump and [President Biden], he told The Hill. Neil Levesque, executive director at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College, attributed the lackluster primary season to Trumps big lead in the polls: We have a person running who is for all purposes [an] incumbent. That lack of energy is the talk of the New Hampshire political world. The lobby of the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester is usually a crowded whos who on the eve of the primary. But on Monday night, the lobby had just a handful of reporters and operatives. Theres been no energy, remarked James Pindell, a Boston Globe reporter who is covering his seventh New Hampshire primary. Theres less of a circus in general. [Typically,] its a crazy week, and its not a crazy week at all. The lower number of campaign events has meant that journalists have been condensed to small diners, cafes and school auditoriums. A waitress at Mary Anns Diner in Amherst complained loudly that the flood of journalists covering Nikki Haleys diner stop were blocking tables and hurting her tips. Some of Haleys events are even limiting the number of credentialed press. Cullen summed up the primarys overall feeling: Less media coverage, no debates, less excitement, less engagement, and I expect lower participation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The nations top education leader toured the site of the Parkland mass shooting Monday, praising the communitys effort to make schools safer while blasting the complacency he sees elsewhere. U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said it shouldnt take more tragedies like the one at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High, which left 17 people dead, for schools, government officials and communities nationwide to demand action. What does it take for us to move if children dying is not enough? Cardona said Monday in a news conference at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott in Coral Springs. Im tired of the rhetoric. Im tired of thoughts and prayers. Do something. He said the bipartisan Safer Communities Act, the first major federal gun safety bill passed in nearly 30 years, has provided $2 billion to help reduce gun violence, but we need to do more. Cardona toured the building Monday morning with another top Biden official: Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. They were joined by Broward school district officials, family members of victims and U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Stoneman Douglas alumnus who has organized two previous tours that included mostly fellow members of Congress. During an afternoon roundtable discussion, some of those directly impacted by the Parkland tragedy, as well as mental health and public safety officials, described the trauma the tragedy caused and the failures both before and after the shooting happened. People need to realize were all vulnerable. And the reason the needle doesnt move enough is because people havent accepted that, said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, who chaired a state commission that investigated the Parkland tragedy. He said people convince themselves a tragedy will happen somewhere else and they may not like the solutions being offered. What I say to that its not what you like, its not what you want. Its what can you live with? Gualtieri said. I dont know about you, but I cant live with dead kids. So people need to get over it. Tom Hoyer, whose son, Luke, died at Stoneman Douglas, said another failure was the lack of communications between different agencies that dealt with the killer, a former Stoneman Douglas student who was still enrolled in the district. Hoyer said the student had more 40 interactions with law enforcement, more than 60 disciplinary infractions with the school district and numerous interactions with a mental health agency. All those organizations individually were concerned, but they never connected the dots, Hoyer said. The district mental health resources were also inadequate after the tragedy happened, said Stacey Lippel, a Stoneman Douglas language arts teacher who was injured during the shooting. She said the therapists were not trained to deal with trauma. They were not equipped to handle the severity of the trauma, and so instead you felt neglected. The impact was huge, Lippel said. Many of us were left on their own. We were left to find our own therapists that were trauma trained, and that was after trying many, and feeling overwhelmed. District mental health services have greatly improved in recent years, Lippel said. Many teachers at Stoneman Douglas have expressed a new frustration: the frequent tours of the vacant building where the shooting happened. The building has been vacant for six years. For most of that time, the State Attorneys Office maintained it as a crime scene for the trials of killer Nikolas Cruz, who was sentenced to life in prison, and former school resource officer Scot Peterson, who was acquitted of child neglect, culpable negligence and perjury charges. The school district received full control of the building last July and later announced plans to demolish it in June. In the last five months, the building has been toured on different occasions by members of Congress, legislators, law enforcement officials and school district leaders from around the country. Superintendent Peter Licata had previously said thorough a spokesman that tours in October and November would be the last. The tours came at the request of some family members of victims who argued that decision makers will be more likely to take action if they can see the building, which still has broken glass, blood stains and other grim reminders of the massacre. The visits have usually happened on days when the school is closed. Monday was a day off for students, but not teachers. Related Articles I realize that these visits are extremely intrusive, especially during work hours and please know that I have shared this concern multiple times, Stoneman Douglas Principal Michelle Kefford wrote to school staff in an email Thursday. I have been assured that Mondays visit will be the final visit permitted by the district. Licata did not provide that assurance after Mondays event, saying he couldnt predict the future. The district is still getting more requests for tours, including from some former students who survived the tragedy and argue a final visit might help in their healing. Licata, who started as superintendent in July, suggested he is open to the former students requests. We do need to have some closure for those students, Licata said. I first said this was one visit and were done, and I was pretty sturdy about that. But then I thought, is this a decision I think Im going to be regretting. I do not regret the additional visits, because I think theyve all been productive. But Licata added, Ive already made it very clear. Its coming down in June. Traffic safety issues in Bibb County will get a fresh look from someone familiar with its roads. Weston Stroud started work Jan. 3 as the countys first transportation safety manager, a newly created position that stems from the Vision Zero Action Plan Macon-Bibb County commissioners adopted in late 2020. Vision Zero is a Swedish-born strategy to eliminate traffic-related injuries and deaths, a goal Macon aims to achieve by 2040. Stroud is no stranger to Bibb County. The 28-year-old is the son of Georgia Supreme Court Judge Verda Colvin and a 2013 graduate of Mount de Sales Academy. Stroud attended Syracuse University and State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry earned a degree in urban planning, environmental design and policy and landscape architecture. He interned with the Macon-Bibb County Planning & Zoning department as a senior and wrote his thesis on long-range transportation plans and community outreach. He returned to Macon after graduation and worked as a transit planner for the Macon Transit Authority for three years. Most recently, Stroud worked for Piedmont Construction Group as the assistant project manager for the countys new amphitheater. The whole idea of engaging the public and taking public concerns and turning those into (the) implementation projects is just something that Ive always liked, which is why I was even approached by Piedmont, Stroud said. I wanted to come back and give back and do something that was beneficial for the community and to and to work on a larger scale. Working with the county allows me to have the hands-on, facilitation portion of the things I care about. Weston Stroud, Macons new traffic safety manager Strouds position is part of the countys engineering office. Duties of the job include analyzing crash data, establishing goals, developing engineering solutions to make dangerous areas safer, advocating for the county on state and federal policies, negotiating contracts and more to help the county reach its goal of zero traffic related injuries and fatalities by 2040, according to the countys job description. One of Strouds main roles will be to facilitate communication between the countys engineering and public works departments. Having that person who is the liaison dedicated to that interagency communication I think is going to be the biggest thing that we can look at going forward, Stroud said. One of the first priorities for Stroud will be to review pedestrian fatality hot spots identified last year in a report the county hired Peachtree Recovery Services Inc. to create. The company analyzed four years worth of crash data and determined five areas where safety improvements are needed most. Little, if anything, has been done to make those areas safer since the companys report was provided to the pedestrian safety review board in June. Thats a lot of the problem is that, you know, well get so far along with an idea but then, when new people come in, they have their own idea and they try to reprioritize, Stroud said, adding that re-visiting the companys report would be among the first tasks on the job. Stroud plans to work in a boots-on-the-ground style and says he will use actual data from the people in the community to make decisions such as where a mid-block crosswalk should be installed. I live off of Pio Nono (Avenue), one of the worst streets when it comes to pedestrian fatalities, so I really live the experience, Stroud said. Its one of those things that Im passionate about making it better, not only for the community, for myself in general. The high number of pedestrian deaths prompted the county to establish the Macon-Bibb County Pedestrian Safety Review Board in 2015. The board is tasked by county ordinance to review pedestrian deaths, determine causes and make recommendations for how to make those areas safer. The board meets monthly and plans safety campaigns but does not review deaths. Most deaths of people on foot in Bibb County occur on state roads like Gray Highway and Pio Nono Avenue, thoroughfares over which the county has no direct control. Safety improvements to those roads requires cooperation with the Georgia Department of Transportation and state or federal funding. Stroud said thats something he has had to do in every job he has worked. Its one of those things that its about not having a tumultuous relationship, Stroud said of the countys relationship with GDOT. For some people, its a job and Macon isnt their community and so the same level of attention that we have, as Maconites, may not be held at the state level. And thats why its important to have a level of communication and transparency, and to and to constantly have that communication with them. A Bibb County sheriff deputys car with blue lights activated near a pedestrian crosswalk on Jeffersonville Road in Macon. Attending pre-development meetings for GDOT projects in Bibb County will be important, Stroud said, because thats where its really impactful on at least discussing it and looking at those options and being able to have some type of report or understanding as to why or how we can look at it in the future. The new county job wont be the first time Stroud has been in the limelight. In 2020, Stroud ran unsuccessfully for the district 2 seat on the Macon-Bibb County Board of Commissioners. He said transportation and public safety were key elements of his campaign. Stroud lost the election to former Macon-Bibb County firefighter Paul Bronson. In 2021, Stroud made the Macon Magazines 5 under 40 list, in part for the impact he helped make in Greenwood Bottom, a once-bustling neighborhood off Broadway that was a Black economic hub for decades before racial integration. As a high school student at the downtown Catholic school, Stroud said he regularly walked around after class dismissed each day. He became enamored with the neighborhood and dedicated to celebrating its rich history. Years later, while working for the Macon Transit Authority, Stroud was awarded thousands of dollars in grants to help breathe life back into Greenwood Bottom via food truck events and a new mural. Working with community members to improve the area was something that is something that is important to me because I want to see Macon do better, Stroud said. It starts with the effort, you know, from the people, from the ground up. Contact Civic Journalism Fellow Laura Corley at 478-301-5777 or email Corley_le@mercer.edu. MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) A man was sentenced to life in prison for his involvement in a website dedicated to advertising and distributing media of child sexual abuse, according to the Department of Justice. On January 22, 2024, 58-year-old William Michael Spearman of Madison was sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise in June. Morgan County inmate dies at hospital after experiencing medical emergency In November 2022, a search in Madison led to the arrest of a Spearman and connected him to a child pornography and trafficking website, according to an FBI agents affidavit filed in federal court in Alabama. Upon his arrest, agents say Spearman admitted he had been active on the website since 2018, shared child pornography on the site, and took steps to manage the site, according to court records. There was also child pornography on devices in his home, according to the affidavit. Court records show that he was the lead administrator of a website that distributed pictures and videos of children being sexually abused, The website included sections devoted to different subjects, like infants and toddlers, children being tortured and how to avoid detection by law enforcement. As admin of this site, Spearman had staff members, whom he directed on how to run and promote the site and keep records of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), court records indicate. Six other defendants have also been convicted and sentenced for their involvement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WDHN) On Monday, Main Street Enterprise honored the volunteers who contributed over 3,000 service hours to the downtown district in 2023. The ceremony, organized by the Organization Committee Project, recognized those who were essential in supporting the local community. As Main Street Enterprise continues to flourish in our efforts to revitalize downtown Enterprise, it is vital to recognize the many volunteers who make it possible to accomplish our goals. Main Street Enterprise Board Chair Shelia Harris told the crowd including volunteers, Enterprise City Council members, Mayor William E. Cooper and other city leaders. Its important to acknowledge all our volunteers, no matter the task, for assisting with events, fundraisers, and more. The following awards were presented: Organization Award: Shana Demby Design Award: Jennie Chancey Economic Vitality Award: Shelia Harris Promotion Award: Kayla Tice Young Main Street Award: Rachel Lesh Impact Award: Jane Wardrobe Leadership Award: Adam McCollister Chairmans Award for Exceptional Service: Katie Sawyer Each winner was presented with an award featuring the Main Street Enterprise logo symbol, custom-made by Isom Laser & Lens. You all are the heart of our community, Mayor William E. Cooper told the volunteers, who gather at Enterprise First Methodist Church. You all are the ones who run and own the businesses along Main Street. You are the ones organizing and executing events downtown. You are making a difference in our community. You are what makes Enterprise, Enterprise. Shana Demby, Vice President of Main Street Enterprise, agreed. The award ceremony is important because it celebrates the selflessness of individuals and the impact those individuals can have on the community, says Cooper. The organization committee chose to pursue this event to show gratitude, honor those who volunteer, and inspire others to do the same for our community. It is also important to understand the award ceremony acknowledges our volunteers who play a crucial role in supporting our community. The Main Street Alabama Awards of Excellence were on display during the ceremony. Main Street Enterprise was awarded Excellence in Volunteer Development, Excellence in Marketing and Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation at the annual ceremony in August. Main Street Enterprise was also recognized for hitting the $3 million milestone for investment into the district since the Main Street Enterprise program began at the end of 2019. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. MOUNT CARMEL, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) One man is in custody after he allegedly shot a man and his dog with an AR15-style BB gun. Police say on January 12 around 2:07 p.m., officers were dispatched to a home on South Chestnut Street for a male shot by a BB gun. According to police, 21-year-old Gary Bakley shot the victims dog after the dog jumped over the fence and when the owner confronted Bakley about it, he shot him with an AR15-style BB gun. PA man charged with carrying table while riding bicycle The criminal complaint states an individual told Bakley to protect him from the victims dog which is why he shot it when it jumped the fence. When the owner confronted Bakley he wanted to scare the victim so Bakley shot him with the BB gun, officers said. Officials have charged Bakley with aggravated assault, possessing instruments of crime, and tampering with evidence. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) Police arrested a man for a 1991 murder in Falls Church as he was trying to leave the country and enter Costa Rica on Jan. 18. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) said that officers found 24-year-old Ana Jurado stabbed and killed on Cofer Road in West Falls Church on April 30, 1991. Investigators determined that her estranged husband, 24-year-old Jose Lazaro Cruz, was the perpetrator. Detectives got a warrant on May 10, 1991, but Lazaro Cruz fled to El Salvador and was not arrested. Israeli man sentenced for human smuggling, money laundering in Virginia, Maryland FCPD said that detectives traveled to El Salvador in 1999 to try to find Lazaro Cruz. During this trip, they [detectives] gathered crucial information regarding Lazaro Cruzs whereabouts and their meticulous efforts continued to lay the foundation for a thorough investigation, FCPD said in a news release. The Department of Justice told detectives in 2022 that Costa Rican officials had detained Lazaro Cruz while he was trying to enter the country from Nicaragua. On Jan. 18, around a year and a half after he was first apprehended, police said that he was surrendered to U.S. Marshals Service custody and extradited to the U.S. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) The Prince William County Police Department said that on Jan. 22, it was notified that the suspect wanted in connection to the murders of three men, and the injury of a fourth man was taken into custody in El Salvador. The man was identified as 28-year-old Donald Antonio Barahona Quinonez. He was taken into custody in El Salvador by the Special Forces of the National Civil Police. Prince William County police is working with federal partners and authorities in El Salvador to secure Barahona Quinonezs extradition back to the United States. Man shot, has life-threatening injuries in Prince William County Barahona Quinonez is being charged with 3 counts of murder, 1 count of aggravated malicious wounding, 4 counts of use of a firearm in commission of a felony, and 4 counts of shooting into an occupied dwelling. On May 26, 2023, officers responded to a residence located in the 14700 block of Birchdale Ave. in Woodbridge to investigate a shooting. Police said a group of individuals were inside the home when one of the occupants started shooting and hit four people. When officers arrived at the scene, they found four people who had been shot. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) A man has been charged for the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Ladonte Ostrander in Wichita earlier this month. According to court documents, 37-year-old Yancy Hermosillo has been charged with one count of murder in the second degree; unintentional but reckless. Hermosillo is being held on a $1 million bond. He is scheduled to be back in court on Feb. 5. Authorities identify man killed in crash near Garden Plain According to the Wichita Police Department, they received a call at 5:12 a.m. on Jan. 16 for check shots in the 1000 block of S. Market. Upon arrival, officers searched the area but found nothing. Ten minutes later, at 5:22 a.m., the WPD said they received another call for something unknown in the 900 block of S. Market St. Upon arrival, officers found a man, now identified as Ostrander, with a gunshot wound to his lower extremities. He was taken in critical condition to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead 21 minutes later at 6 a.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. A violent dispute between a mother and son turned fatal when the womans 68-year-old boyfriend grabbed a knife and came to her defense, according to investigators in the Florida Panhandle. It happened Friday, Jan. 19, at a home near Pensacola, and concluded with the son dead, and the woman and her boyfriend suffering stab wounds, the Escambia County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. Upon arrival, deputies discovered that a 71-year-old female and her 38-year-old son were involved in an altercation, at which time her son took possession of a knife and began cutting himself, the sheriffs office said. The woman tried to stop him and was injured in the scuffle. Her ... boyfriend was present and tried to help, at which point her son turned his aggression on him, while still in possession of the knife. The boyfriend then stabbed him. The son died of his wound at the scene, officials said. His mother suffered a stab wound to her arm. Details of her boyfriends injuries were not released. Identities of the victims have not been released. Deputies are investigating the incident and at this time it appears to be an act of self defense, officials said. No charges have been filed. 11-year-old girl presses box cutter to boys neck and whispers threat, Florida cops say Rush-hour crash reveals 10-year-old driving on Florida interstate, cops say Man with 3 DUI convictions seen driving pickup on railroad tracks, Florida cops say Mario Wilson A man sentenced to life in prison for killing a woman and child could get a new trial. Mario Rodriques Wilson was sent to prison nearly three years ago for the deaths of 3-year-old Liam Murray and 22-year-old Miranda Woods. He was also convicted for paralyzing a third person with shots he fired on Oct. 27, 2016. A recent decision by the North Carolina Court of Appeals does not say Wilson is innocent, but it does say the court erred in the way it handled an objection related to jury selection. Miranda Woods Violent morning Police were called to a home on Whisnant Street in Shelby shortly before 7:30 a.m. Three 911 calls came in regarding a shooting that morning. In one, a woman could be heard screaming, begging for someone to help her baby. When officers arrived, they found Murray in the living room, dead from gunshot wounds to the head. Woods was found in the hallway, killed by a shot to the face. Jerroid Shippy was on the floor of the living room suffering multiple gunshot wounds that left him paralyzed. In an initial sweep of the home, officers pointed out a 9mm weapon on the living room floor and areas where shell casings littered the home, according to bodycam footage shown at trial. Wilson was later charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. He was found guilty by a jury in 2020. Wilson, now 34, is being held at Tabor Correctional Institution in Tabor City. Liam Murray Points of appeal In the appeal, the defendant said the court erred by denying a motion to dismiss the case, and that it didnt follow proper procedure following an objection during jury selection. The first argument said after evidence was presented, there wasnt enough to convict, and the case should be dismissed. That appeal was denied. A second argument said the court didnt use proper procedure when the defense objected to the state excusing potential jurors who were Black females. The state said it made peremptory challenge for two potential jurors because they knew relatives connected to the case, while the defense said others were not passed on who also knew people related to the case. While the judge listened to both the prosecution and defense on the reasoning they used to pick jurors, there should have been whats called a Batson hearing to determine the validity of the matter before making a ruling. According to the recent Court of Appeals decision: In the event that the trial court conducts an adequate Batson hearing and determines no purposeful discrimination occurred, defendants conviction will remain undisturbed as no error will have occurred at trial. However, in the event the trial court rules in defendants favor on his Batson challenge, defendant shall receive a new trial. This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: Man convicted of killing two in Shelby could get a new trial 3rd South Summit calls for ending Israel-Palestine conflict Xinhua) 08:44, January 23, 2024 High-level representatives and heads of the United Nations attend the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 21, 2024. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) KAMPALA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Third South Summit ended on Monday in the Ugandan capital Kampala with participating leaders calling for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the protection of civilians. The two-day summit, which brought together leaders of the Group of 77 members and China, urged the United Nations Security Council to undertake efforts to implement its resolutions to end the Israel-Palestine conflict without delay. The South Summit is the supreme decision-making body of the Group of 77 comprising 134 members. High-level representatives of nearly 100 countries and heads of United Nations agencies attended the meeting. "We also reiterate our demand for the immediate and full lifting of the Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip, which constitutes massive collective punishment," the leaders said in an outcome document of the meeting. They called for the complete dismantlement and immediate cessation of all illegal Israeli settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem and the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. The leaders said that Israel is in violation of the UN Charter and international law for its strikes on Syrian civil infrastructure, including civil airports, which threaten the livelihood of civilians, hinder UN humanitarian operations, and jeopardize the safety of civil aviation. They further stated that Israel should end its violations of Lebanese sovereignty by air, land and sea, which threaten its security and economic development. "We also call on Israel to refrain from using white phosphorus against Lebanon in contravention of international humanitarian law," the document said. The leaders also emphasized that Israel should withdraw from all occupied Lebanese territories in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution. The summit was held under the theme "Leaving No One Behind." Uganda took over the chairmanship of the summit from Cuba. This was the first time that the South Summit was held in Africa. The previous two summits were held in Havana, Cuba, in 2000, and in Doha, Qatar, in 2005, respectively. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said during the country's chairmanship, it would reach out to countries facing tensions or conflicts with a view to reaching a win-win solution. He added that the country would also focus on promoting trade among member countries. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni speaks at the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda, on Jan. 21, 2024. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) A 73-year-old Lakeville man accused of driving drunk in a crash that killed one person and injured several others was arraigned in Wareham District Court on Monday. David DeLorenzo pleaded not guilty to one count of motor vehicle homicide, one count of operating under the influence of liquor, one count of operating under the influence of liquor causing serious bodily injury, one count of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, one count of speeding, and one count of a marked lanes violation. Lakeville police were called to Main Street in the area of Elliot Farm for a report of a crash around 5:30 p.m. on Friday Arriving officers discovered four vehicles had been involved in the crash including a Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Camry, Audi S4, and Chevrolet Silverado. A passenger in the Camry, Richard Reed, 75, of Lakeville, was declared dead at the scene. The Camrys driver was taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries as was the driver of the Audi. DeLorenzo, who police say was driving the Santa Fe, was hospitalized and charged after being released. He was ordered held on $1,000 bail by Judge Edward Sharkansky and to wear a GPS monitoring bracelet, abide by a curfew, remain alcohol-free with testing three times per day, and not drive during the pendency of the case. An investigation into the crash remains ongoing. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Texas man is suing after he said he was wrongfully arrested and assaulted in jail due to the use of artificial intelligence. When the 61-year-old man went to a DMV to renew his license in Gonzales, Texas, he didnt realize he would be leaving in handcuffs. His arrest was in connection to an armed robbery one that occurred when he was on the other side of the country. The robbery On Jan. 22, 2022, a Sunglass Hut in Houston was robbed by two armed men. The men stole thousands of dollars from the store, according to a lawsuit. During the robbery, the men ordered two employees into a back room and told them to stay there so they could get away, court records say. As police were investigating, they got a call from a loss prevention employee with EssilorLuxottica, which is Sunglass Huts parent company. The employee told police they could stop their investigation because he found their guy, the lawsuit said. The employee said he worked with Macys loss prevention using artificial intelligence and facial recognition software to identify the suspect as the 61-year-old man, the lawsuit said. McClatchy News reached out to EssilorLuxottica and Macys for comment but did not immediately hear back. EssilorLuxottica and Macys took a video from the robbery and used it to determine the man was one of the robbers, and police put out a warrant for his arrest, court records said. However, the man had an alibi at the time of the robbery. He was 2,000 miles away in California, according to his lawyer. Still, he was arrested with no idea what was going on. All he knew was he was being transported to the Harris County Jail because of a felony arrest warrant, court documents said. He never left jail At his arraignment, the man learned he was being charged with robbery. Once he learned the date of the incident, his lawyer and the prosecutor were able to confirm his alibi, the lawsuit said. The judge then agreed to dismiss the charges against him. However, just hours before he was released from jail, the man says he was brutally assaulted, according to the lawsuit. He was followed into the bathroom by three violent criminals. He was beaten, forced on the ground, and brutally gang raped. After this violent attack, one of the criminals held a shank against his neck and told him that if he reported the rape to anyone, he would be murdered, the lawsuit said. After the attack, the man crawled into his bunk, faced the wall and prayed he wouldnt be attacked again, the lawsuit said. (He) was released a few hours later, but in some ways, he never left jail. His time in jail will stay with him forever. Not an hour goes by without (him) reliving the brutal attack and rape, the lawsuit said. The man was left with permanent injuries from the assault, according to court documents. Facial recognition Facial recognition is an artificial intelligence technology that analyzes human faces and creates a biometric template, according to the lawsuit. Sunglass Hut collects customers biometric identifiers and biometric information with face scanning technology at many of its locations, the court documents said. EssilorLuxottica not only profits from its facial-recognition software, but it uses facial-recognition software to identify people who allegedly steal from the Sunglass Hut, the lawsuit said. The court documents say the technology being used is not accurate in most cases and is what led to the wrongful arrest of the man. So, when EssilorLuxottica and Macys compared unclear security footage to (the mans) mugshots from the 1980s, these companies knew that there was an error rate of almost 90%. Yet these companies told (Houston Police) with absolute certainty that they identified the person who robbed the Sunglass Hut, the lawsuit said. The man is seeking $10 million in damages from a jury trial. Predators are using AI to sexually exploit children, FBI says. Heres what we know Ambitious plan to regulate AI is unveiled by Biden. But what do experts think? Young workers have FOBO fear of becoming obsolete, data shows. Whats causing it? Emergency crews working a scene Monday, Jan. 22, 2023, at a reported house explosion near Hillham, which is about a 10-minute drive southwest of French Lick. A preliminary investigation found that propane gas was a likely source of the devastating explosion that killed a man and leveled a home Monday evening in Dubois County, Indiana. The blast, which occurred at about 6:10 p.m. EST near the town of Hillham, could be heard and felt for miles in every direction and left a large debris field and smoldering rubble in its wake. The Dubois County Coroner's Office had not publicly identified the deceased victim as of Tuesday afternoon. Mike Beam, a spokesman for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, told the Courier & Press the man appeared to have occupied the home where the explosion occurred. "That person has been removed," Beam said. "The county coroner will be doing an autopsy to confirm the identity." The Dubois County Sherriff's Office had previously considered the deceased man to be missing. The scene of the deadly explosion is located about 6 miles southwest of French Lick and about 7 miles north of the Patoka Lake Reservoir, a popular recreational area, in the 2200 block of North Hillham Road. The Indiana State Police released photographs Monday night showing fire crews working against a backdrop of orange-yellow flames and smoke that had enveloped the area surrounding the blasted-out home. "Lost River Township Fire advised some houses half a mile away were damaged, and the explosion could be heard 10 miles away," ISP Jasper stated in a Facebook post. Commenters on social media reported hearing the blast even outside the 10-mile radius specified by the ISP, as far north as Bedford and as far south as the town of English in Crawford County. The Indiana State Fire Marshal and the state Department of Homeland Security are leading the subsequent investigation in collaboration with local agencies and an insurance company. Beam stressed that while any findings were as of yet preliminary, gas stored in a propane tank buried underneath the Hillham home appeared to have ignited and caused the explosion. "This particular tank only supported this residence, so it's not connected to other houses in the area," Beam said. Investigators will comb through the debris field searching for evidence that could point to a possible ignition source, according to Beam. "That might be examining the tank, lines into the residence, lines to appliances," he said. "They also would examine the soil to see if there had been leaking occurring. They look at burn patterns and the debris and how that's spread out. That all can give indications of what took place, because their goal is to find the cause and the origin." Southern Indiana is no stranger to deadly house explosions, which investigators have often traced to buildups of natural gas or heating gasses, such as propane. However, some incidents have never been fully explained. In 2022, a leaking gas pipe inside a Weinbach Avenue home in Evansville contributed to a massive detonation that killed two and damaged dozens of surrounding homes. In Jeffersonville, just north of Louisville, Kentucky, natural gas ignited in 2019 after a woman flipped a light switch, triggering a devastating explosion that killed her husband and injured two others. Two people were killed and three others were injured after an Evansville home exploded in 2017. The damage inflicted by the blast was so extensive that investigators could not determine what may have caused it. The three surviving victims filed an unsuccessful lawsuit against CenterPoint Energy alleging natural gas was to blame. On Halloween night in 1963, a propane explosion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum in Indianapolis killed 74 people and injured nearly 400 during a "Holiday on Ice" skating performance. An electric popcorn machine ignited propane gas that had leaked from a rusty tank. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Dubois County man missing after house explodes south of French Lick ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) The Alexandria Police Department said that at about 11:20 p.m. on Monday, it responded to the 5000 block of Seminary Road for the report of an assault. When police arrived at the scene, they found a man who had been shot with a BB gun by someone he knew. 2 teen boys arrested for stealing a car using BB gun The man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police identified the suspect as 25-year-old Marcos Santos, Jr. Santos, Jr. was arrested and charged with malicious wounding. He is being held without bond. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC. AIKEN COUNTY, S.C. (WJBF) Thomas Michael Airington, the man who got into a shootout with police on Georgia Ave. in North Augusta back in December 2021, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Airington was set to stand trial this week, but instead pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted murder, three counts of hit and run, one count of failure to stop for a blue light, and one count of possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Honorable Judge Walton McLeod sentenced Airington to 25 years in a South Carolina state correctional facility. He must serve at least 85% of that sentence in prison. After his term is served, he will then be remanded to federal custody, where he still needs to stand trial for federal charges for violation of his supervised release from federal drug trafficking charges On Dec. 9, 2021, North Augusta Public Safety responded to an officer-involved shooting on Georgia Ave. The call was originally for suspicious activity but quickly devolved into a shootout between Airington and police, during which he fired 49 shots. During the shootout, North Augusta Public Safety Officer Lt. Aaron Fittery was shot in the leg. A good Samaritan helped him escape the scene and get him to a local hospital, where he recovered from his injuries. Lt. Aaron Fittery WJBF NewsChannel 6 is TRACKING CRIME where you live. Click here. The incident started before the shootout, however. At around 4:34 p.m. that day, NADPS received a call about a possible burglary in progress. The caller described a black Dodge Ram pick-up truck and a silver Pontiac in a backyard and that masked men were loading items from a residence into a vehicle. A NADPS officer encountered a black Dodge Ram pick-up near the area and pulled the truck over. The Dodge Ram was being driven by Airington. During the traffic stop, according to an NADPS incident report, Airington was observed trying to reach his hands back into the truck after being told to place his hand out of the drivers side window. The responding officer stepped backward several feet and Airington sped away from the scene at a high rate of speed and onto Georgia Ave., where the shootout began. Airington was initially charged with one count of attempted murder by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which took over investigation, but charged continued to rack up as the investigation continued. Additionally, Airing had previous outstanding warrants in connection to jumping bail on four charges that included narcotic possession, drug trafficking, weapons possession during a violent crime, and possession of a stolen weapon. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJBF. Two men were arrested after a woman waved down a cop at a gas station and told him shed been beaten, New Mexico officials said. On Jan. 19, a woman waved down a Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office patrol car at a Shell Gas Station in Sandia Park, according to the criminal complaint. She told the officer her boyfriend, who police identified as Dereck Padilla, and his cousin Adrian Obledo, had punched her, police said. She said Padilla then choked her and threw her in the bed of the Ford pickup truck, police said. When the officer later spoke to Padilla, who was intoxicated, he initially claimed he didnt know the woman and that she was just a hitchhiker before later admitting she was his girlfriend, police said. Police said his cousin Obledo smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes. The woman told the officer the three had been drinking outside the pickup truck on a mountain range near the gas station. But at some point, Padilla started punching her in the face and head before throwing her down the hillside and choking her, she told investigators. Officers said Obledo also punched her and helped Padilla strangle her, officers said. She lost consciousness and was thrown into the back of the truck. Thats when the woman started throwing items at other cars in an attempt to get their attention, police said. Eventually she was able to flag down the officer at the gas station. The officer saw bruises to the womans neck, around her eye and to her shins but she denied medical attention, police said. Both men were arrested and charged with kidnapping and battery, police said. Sandia Park is about 20 miles northeast of Albuquerque. If you are experiencing domestic violence and need someone to talk to, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. Strangled woman found dead in flaming metal drum, Nevada cops say. Husband arrested Man lured his girlfriend to park, robbed her and left her to die on trail, WA cops say Woman texts her ex happy birthday then tries to kill him, Virginia attorney says The search is on for a driver who struck and killed a man in a wheelchair, North Carolina police said. A 55-year-old man was found dead by first responders on the West Wendover Avenue overpass overlooking Interstate 40 in Greensboro on Jan. 21, according to a Greensboro Police Department news release. The driver who hit the man at about 8:44 p.m. was not at the scene, police said. The man was later identified as Steven Bradley Loflin, WGHP reported. Loflin was riding a motorized wheelchair on the sidewalk along the road when he and the chair fell onto the overpass street, authorities said. Then a passing car struck the man, which killed him, police said. The driver left the scene in a hit-and-run, according to the department. The suspect was possibly driving a black sedan or crossover vehicle, police said. The Greensboro Police Department did not immediately return McClatchy News request for comment. The fatal crash caused police to shut down the westbound lanes of the avenue and funnel traffic onto I-40 instead, the department said. The crash is under investigation. 13-year-old sleds into the road and is struck by SUV, cops say. He dies 10 days later 41-year-old left to die by three hit-and-run drivers, family says. They just left 12-year-old dies after shes struck by car while running from crash, Illinois cops say A senior manager sued the Financial Conduct Authority for not letting her work from home full-time. The UK regulator said her requests may have a "detrimental impact on performance." A judge ruled in favor of the FCA and agreed that remote work poses certain limitations. A senior manager at the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK had her requests to work from home full-time denied by a judge because of the "weaknesses" remote work poses. Elizabeth Wilson, a senior manager at the FCA earning a salary of 140,000 ($178,000) a year, sued the regulator after it rejected her request to work remotely full-time. However, Judge Robert Richter ruled against her in a judgment made in December that was published on January 18. His decision comes as other major companies roll back on remote work policies and enforce return-to-office mandates. The judge stated in the court ruling: "It is the experience of many who work using technology that it is not well suited to the fast paced interplay of exchanges which occur in, for example, planning meetings or training events when rapid discussion can occur on topics. "Similarly there is, as has been identified, a limitation to the ability to observe and respond to non-verbal communication which may arise outside of the context of formal events but which nonetheless forms an important part of working with other individuals," he added. Wilson's request was submitted in December 2022 after pandemic restrictions eased and the FCA asked staff to come back to the office 40% of the time, while continuing to work remotely 60% of the time. Wilson's line manager agreed that she had "performed very well" when she was working from home in a decision letter sent in March 2023, but ultimately wrote that it "could have a detrimental impact on performance or quality of output" specifically because she would be unable to attend meetings and train new team members in person. "I believe this would have a negative impact on the department," the letter said. According to the ruling, Wilson directly manages four employees and has indirect responsibilities for another 10. But Wilson said during the tribunal that working from an office wasn't better than working remotely and that the disadvantages mentioned were "not real." She said the FCA had excellent technology and she couldn't recall a single management meeting that did not have the option to attend virtually. She also pointed out that there was a lack of physical meeting space in the office. The judge agreed with the FCA about the "weaknesses with remote working," and ruled that it was within its rights to deny her request. Major UK banks are cracking down on remote work including Citigroup which requires hybrid workers to be in the office three days a week at least, and is monitoring office attendance data. PWC and Lloyds are also asking workers to come back to the office. The FCA declined to comment. Read the original article on Business Insider A man suspected of killing eight people, most of whom were his relatives, in Chicago-area shootings died after turning a gun on himself following a confrontation with federal law enforcement, police say. Romeo Nance, 23, was found Monday by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas more than 1,000 miles from where seven victims were found shot to death Sunday in two homes in the south Chicago suburb of Joliet, according to the Joliet Police Department. Authorities believe Nance is also linked to a Sunday shooting in Will County, Illinois, that left a 28-year-old dead, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said Monday. Nance shot himself with a handgun after being confronted by officials, police said. Investigators have yet to determine Nances motive, but Nance was related to if not all, a vast majority of the people found dead in the homes, Evans said during a Tuesday news conference. The victims have not been publicly identified. They range in age from 14 to 47 years old, Evans said. In one residence, authorities found the bodies of two girls, aged 14 and 16, two women, aged 20 and 38, and a 38-year-old man, according to Evans. In the other residence, a 47-year-old woman and a 35-year-old man were found dead. Police gather near the scene where eight people were found dead in Joliet, Illinois. - WLS At a separate scene in Will County, deputies found a person with blood coming out of his head, and upon deputys arrival, they located a gunshot wound, Will County Sheriffs Office Deputy Chief of Operations Dan Jungles said. Jungles said the eighth victim, 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare, was taken to a hospital and died of his injuries. Bakare was from Nigeria and had been living in Will County, which includes Joliet, for three years, Jungles said. It is believed that the weapon used in this incident was a 9-millimeter handgun, Jungles said in Tuesdays news conference. He added robbery was not a motive as money was found in the area near where Bakare was located. Nances car a red Toyota Camry was seen at the scene and the sheriffs department began to surveil Nances last-known address, hoping to find the vehicle, Jungles said. After no sign of Nance or his car, deputies knocked on the door of a home, but received no response, Jungle said at a news conference. When they received no response, they knew the house across the street was related to the individuals that resided at that house and they walked over there, Jungle said. At the second home, deputies saw blood on the door and entered to find two dead victims, he said. Five more victims were found in the first home, though it is unclear how long they had been dead, he said. Ive been a policeman 29 years. This is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Evans said at the news conference. Nance is also believed to be connected to another shooting on Sunday, according to authorities. CNNs Elizabeth Wolfe contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com An NYPD sergeant pleaded not guilty Tuesday in court to a manslaughter charges for causing the August death of a Bronx suspect on a scooter by tossing a cooler at him, causing him to crash. Sgt. Erik Duran, 36, entered the plea during his arraignment in Supreme Court in the Bronx. The plea also covered criminally negligent homicide and assault charges which he is also facing for the death of Eric Duprey, 30, on Aug. 23 in Kingsbridge Heights. Duprey, a deliveryman with three young children, was attempting to flee a drug arrest when he crashed. In an effort to stop Mr. Duprey, the defendant grabbed a heavy cooler that was almost filled with drinks and ice. So heavy that he needed two hands to lift the cooler and stepped towards Mr. Duprey and threw the cooler forcefully at his head, said Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Gashi said in court. Duran knew or should have known that (throwing) the cooler at Mr. Duprey would either harm him or distract him and ultimately cause a collision, Gashi added. (Duran) was aware of these risks and disregarded them in an act that best shows supreme recklessness and at worst an intentional act of violence. Andrew Quinn, Durans lawyer, countered his client is being over-charged. Duran, a 13-year veteran of the NYPD, acted to protect children playing soccer nearby and used the cooler because Duprey was about to crash into two cops as he fled, Quinn said. Eric Duprey is dead because of Eric Dupreys actions, Quinn said in court noting Duprey was a foot away when the sergeant used the cooler. Sgt. Duran was on the street arresting drug dealers. Eric Duprey is, unequivocally without question a drug dealer. He drove at about 40 mph on a motorcycle on the sidewalk, basically placing lives of everybody on that street (in danger). The prosecution is being handled by lawyers with the Office of Special Investigation under state Attorney General Letitia James. The agency is empowered to investigate deaths in law enforcement custody. According to the Attorney Generals description of the events, members of a police narcotics team were conducting a buy-and-bust operation at Aqueduct Ave. between W. 190th St. and 192nd St. about 5 p.m. on Aug. 23. The officers encountered Duprey and tried to arrest him, the account said. He fled on the motorized scooter toward 190th St. Duran allegedly grabbed a cooler off a nearby table and threw it at Duprey hitting him in the head. Duprey lost control of the scooter, sideswiped a tree and was thrown from the scooter, the account said. He struck his head on the curb and landed under a parked vehicle. He died at the scene. The city Medical Examiner ruled Duprey died of blunt trauma and classified the case as a homicide. Duran was suspended by the NYPD almost immediately and both Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban criticized his use of the cooler. After his not guilty plea, Judge George Villegas set Durans bail at $150,000. The sergeant, who remains on suspension, faces up to 25 years in prison. He is due back in court on April 18. Villegas said he did not believe Duran would flee but set the bail because of the seriousness of the charges. More than 100 NYPD officers packed the courtroom in support of Duran. Many of them sighed heavily when Villegas set bail. Eric Dupreys wife Orlyanis Velez along with family and friends also witnessed the arraignment, along with members of the Black Lives Matter Greater New York chapter were also present. Prior to the hearing, there was some tension between the groups. One member of Dupreys supporters hissed Goons! at the officers in the hallway outside the courtroom. Medical facilities in Khan Younis in southern Gaza have been battered amid an Israeli assault in the area Monday, Palestinian health officials said, as the number of people killed in Israels siege on Gaza continues to rise. Dozens of people have been killed and wounded in the latest offensive in western Khan Younis, according to the Hamas-controlled health ministry in Gaza. Medical facilities including the Nasser Medical Complex, Al Amal Hospital and the Palestine Red Crescent Society headquarters are located in the area. The situation here is completely catastrophic. We didnt sleep last night. The hospital is entirely besieged, Ahmad Al Moghrabi, a doctor at the Nasser Medical Complex said in a video shared to his Instagram page Monday. There is no way for us to escape the hospital and no way for evacuation. The troops are all around, and the only roads for evacuation are filled with dead bodies, he said. The Nasser Medical Complex is receiving more serious injuries than it can accommodate, the health ministry said, adding that intensive care units are at capacity. Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) staff at the Nasser hospital said there is a sense of panic among staff, patients and displaced people sheltering inside the building, as they could feel the ground shaking during the strikes, MSF said on social media. The hospital wards are full and exit routes are blocked, preventing the evacuation of medical staff and patients from the hospital, MSF added. Health officials also said that Israeli forces Monday stormed the Al Khair Hospital, west of Khan Younis, and detained a number of its medical staff, amid an ongoing siege of the area. The Israeli military said it was targeting Hamas outposts, infrastructure, and command and control centers in Khan Younis and the action demanded precise operations due to the densely populated civilian areas. The military operation, which was launched on Sunday, is being led by Israels 98th Paratroopers Division and is expected to last for several days, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said, without providing further details on the timeline. Dismantling Hamas military framework in western Khan Younis is the heart of the logic behind the operation, the statement added. The IDF said it had seen militants at sensitive sites such as hospitals and shelters in the tightly packed civilian areas. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said its headquarters and the Al-Amal Hospital, located in the same neighborhood, are under siege by Israeli forces, and soldiers are targeting anyone who tries to move in the area. A field ambulance point has been established outside the Al-Amal neighborhood, where the medical facilities are located, to ensure a continuity of operations. But the organization said the situation remains extremely dangerous and around 80 percent of the entrances and exits to Al-Amal are obstructed. Ambulance teams are facing significant difficulties in reaching the wounded and injured due to the continuous bombardment in the governorate. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said he is deeply concerned by reports of the fighting, warning that that violence near Al-Amal hospital and the raid on Al-Khair not only put patients and people seeking safety within these facilities at risk, but they also prevent newly injured people outside the hospitals from being reached and receiving care. Israels siege in Gaza has devastated swathes of the territory, diminished food, fuel and water supplies, and crushed the enclaves medical system. Over 1.9 million Palestinians have been forcibly displaced, many multiple times, according to the UNs agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). There are 16 out of 36 hospitals partially functioning across the strip, including nine in southern Gaza and seven in the north, the UNs humanitarian affairs office reported on Sunday. In southern Gaza, three hospitals Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah, and Nasser and Gaza European hospitals in Khan Younis are at risk of closure due to the issuance of evacuation orders in adjacent areas and the ongoing conduct of hostilities nearby, OCHA said. The Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza has been functioning to a limited degree since mid-January, added OCHA. The Health Ministry said Monday that the number of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since October 7 rose to 25,295, with at least 63,000 injuries recorded. At least 190 people were killed and 340 injured in the last 24 hours, the Ministry statement said. CNN cannot independently verify casualty figures in Gaza due to limited access to the area. Hamass militant wing, the Al Qassam Brigades, said in a statement Monday that they were fighting in the western Khan Younis area, killing a number of Israeli soldiers with anti-personnel missiles. Ahmed Naseem, a resident of Al-Amal neighborhood in Khan Younis, told CNN Monday that intense shelling of the area started in the early hours of Monday. There was heavy shelling in the area since the early hours of Monday. I could feel it intensely from the building I live in, Nassem said. We dont even dare open the windows to see where these attacks are happening, he said. He said that he is terrified of filming the scenes taking place nearby because he fears he will be shot at, if a drone catches him in the act. We cant even go to the rooftop because we cannot determine if drones will fire at us, he said. A few days ago water tanks were damaged, after drones fired right at them. My cousin, who was filling water at the time of the strike, was close to getting hit, but survived, he added. This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Mitchell McCluskey, Niamh Kennedy and Kareem Khadder contributed reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com OSHKOSH Two circuit court commissioners are facing off against a former Winnebago County Circuit Court judge in the race for Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch 1 judge. One-time Winnebago County judge LaKeisha Haase and commissioners Eric Heywood and Michael D. Rust are vying for the seat in the spring election after incumbent Teresa Basiliere opted not to seek reelection. Appointed to the court in 2020 by Gov. Tony Evers, Haase lost her reelection bid for Branch 4 two years ago before failing to unseat Branch 2 incumbent Scott Woldt in a very contentious 2023 race. In 2021, Woldt received a rare suspension without pay for seven days from the Wisconsin Supreme Court because of misconduct the court deemed to be serious and to have a significant detrimental impact on the publics view of the judiciary. Haase, Heywood and Rust, who are all seeking a six-year term on the bench, will first face a primary election Feb. 20. The top two finishers from that primary will then go forward to the April 2 general election. All three candidates will have a chance to field questions from the community when the League of Women Voters of Winnebago County hosts the first of three primary election forums at Oshkosh City Hall Jan. 31. Ahead of those forums, the Oshkosh Northwestern asked the candidates to a series of questions explaining why theyre running for office, what makes them the best candidate and how they intend to address their residents issues. Here are their responses, which were edited for length. Election preview: 5 candidates vie for 3 Oshkosh Common Council seats. Here's a full look at the spring election. LaKeisha Haase LaKeisha Haase Age: 44 City of residence: Oshkosh Occupation: Litigation attorney with Renning, Lewis & Lacy, S.C. Highest education level: Juris Doctor, Marquette University Law School Relevant experience: Winnebago County Circuit Court judge, Branch IV; trial attorney with the Wisconsin State Public Defenders Office; litigation attorney in both the federal and circuit; judicial assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch IV; court assistant in Winnebago County Circuit Court Branch I; volunteer attorney for Winnebago Free Legal Assistance Clinic; Drug and Alcohol Treatment Court professional; presiding judge for state high school mock trial competitions Campaign website or Facebook page: www.JudgeHaase.com; www.Facebook.com/HaaseforJudge Eric Heywood Eric Heywood Age: 37 City of residence: Neenah Occupation: Judicial Court Commissioner Highest education level: Juris Doctor, University of Wisconsin Law School Relevant experience: 13 years as a prosecutor, public defender and judicial court commissioner. Developed diversion programs, treatment courts and mental health law resources. Campaign website or Facebook page: www.facebook.com/heywoodforjudge; www.heywoodforjudge.com Michael D. Rust Michael D. Rust Age: 45 City of residence: Oshkosh Occupation: Circuit Court commissioner Highest education level: Juris Doctorate, Marquette University Law School Relevant experience: CEO of Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center from 2013 to 2022; Circuit Court commissioner for Winnebago County Circuit Courts from 2022 to current. Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rust4judge Why are you running for office? Haase: I have a passion for justice, a commitment to upholding the rule of law, and a desire to contribute to the legal system's fairness and effectiveness. Heywood: I dedicated my career to public service and want to make a bigger impact in our community. I grew up here and am raising my daughters here with my wife. I want to keep Winnebago County a safe and stable place to raise a family. Rust: My legal career has been focused on helping people resolve conflicts. I spent more than a decade as a professional neutral, including nine-and-a-half years as CEO of the Winnebago Conflict Resolution Center and Fond du Lac Conflict Resolution Center. I then transitioned into my role as Circuit Court commissioner. Why are you the best candidate in this race? Haase: I am the only candidate with experience as a circuit court judge. My experience on the bench and expansive legal career, coupled with my commitment of service to our community is why I am the best candidate. Preparedness, integrity, and commitment to the rule of law are my guiding principles. Heywood: I am the only candidate with extensive courtroom experience in prosecution, defense and judicial roles. This broad background allows me to see cases from multiple perspectives and make fair decisions. I am committed to knowing and following the law, and treating people with dignity and respect from the bench. Rust: Neutrality is an essential quality for judges. I received the 2022 Lifetime Legal Innovation Award by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Innovation within the legal system is essential in providing effective justice to the public in the most efficient and at the least cost to the taxpayers. ThedaCare modernization: How ThedaCares $100M Neenah hospital modernization will impact the entire northeast Wisconsin region What are residents telling you are the most important issues and how would you work to address them? Haase: Protection of the community. Fairness, honesty, transparency, and upholding the Constitution is how I preside over every case that comes before me. I am mindful of the balance between protecting the community, the character and rehabilitative needs of the defendant, and the gravity of the offense. I am a proponent of diversion programs, alternatives to incarceration for non-violent offenders, and addressing the underlying causes that lead to non-violent offenses, all in an effort to reduce recidivism. Violent offenses demand that I give even greater consideration to incarceration in an effort to properly and adequately protect the community. Heywood: Residents shared their concerns about drug addiction, mental health and housing access. The growing issues of drug addiction, fentanyl and mental health are taking more lives in our community. As court commissioner, I work with sobriety monitoring programs, treatment courts and connections to public and private services. I partnered with the Conflict Resolution Center to increase opportunities for mediation between landlords and tenants in eviction cases. As a judge, I would continue to use tools and resources to address these safety and stability issues in our community. Rust: Neutrality, ethics and mental health. The importance of the neutrality of the judiciary is essential to the functioning of the American system. My professional ethics will continue to be a driving force in how I run my courtroom, but also handle matters outside of the courthouse. Finally, we have a mental health crisis in our community. My undergraduate degrees are in neuroscience and psychology from Carthage College in Kenosha (with minors in biology and entrepreneurial studies). I have spoken with many public safety and mental health professionals in our community who are concerned about the lack of appropriate treatment. Have a story tip or public interest concern? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winnebago County judge candidates share views in primary election Dogs are mans best friend. One dog is a familys best friend. Meet your neighbor Bryan Beller, owner of Black Willow Food Truck in Mansfield. Thats named after my dog, a black lab named Willow, Beller said. She's a full-blooded English Lab. Shes our loyal farm dog. Willow is the best dog weve ever had. She was a throwaway rescue. Willow is more than just their dogs name. We name everything off of my dog. Weve named our farm after her; we named our business after her, he said. The Beller family loves their dog Willow so much they named their food truck business after her. Willow is seen here with Lucy, a daughter of Bryan and Jessica Beller. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Willow Farms in Bellville delivered pork products to high-end clients in Cincinnati. Cincinnati is the pork capitol. Its known for its pork, Beller said. One Sunday, (Gov. Mike) DeWine got on the TV and shut it all down. By summer, Ive got a freezer full of pork, all these hogs out here. Before starting his food truck business, Beller had worked in restaurants. I used to cook under a chef for about 16 years," he said. "It just seemed like the obvious thing to do was to open a food truck and start going from wholesale to retail. Now that the family has operated its food truck since the fall of 2020, theyve honed their niche product. Nobodys doing pork birria tacos. Birria is a cooking style; it takes 48 hours to cook, Beller said. Traditional birria in Mexico involves boiling an entire goat, head included. Beller doesnt go that route. He uses pork shoulders. It was easy for me to do pork because thats what I raised, he added. The Black Willow Food Truck in Mansfield is truly a family affair. Bryan and Jessica Beller's 11 children often help with its operation. A self-sufficient, independent family Bryan Beller and his wife, Jessica Beller, have been married for 28 years and have 11 children. We fostered 15 children. We had eight biological (children) and we adopted three. We had a lot of kids that aged out that we didnt adopt, but they still consider us their family, Bryan Beller said. The family tries to be self-sufficient while maintaining their independence. He says they homeschool, homestead and farm and utilize renewable sources of energy. Im probably about 85% self-sustained on our farm, Bryan Beller said. I have solar. Weve heated with wood for almost 20 years. Weve always been independent-minded people. We try to instill that into our children. The Beller family started the Black Willow Food Truck in 2020. It's specialty is pork birria tacos. As their food truck business began, the Bellers looked for new ways to engage their kids. We work with them. They wanted to be a part of it and we wanted them to be a part of it. What better way to teach your children than just go do it with them? Bryan Beller said. Readers can suggest future "Meet Your Neighbor" profiles to correspondent Joe Di Lullo at muckrack.com/dilulloj or jp.dilullo0926@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Mansfield-area OH profile: Bryan Beller and Black Willow Food Truck YORK, Maine Emily Daugherty sat on the rocks at the beach by the Stage Neck Inn on Friday, Jan. 19, and noticed a few people in the distance who were removing their warm winter clothes and wading into the icy waters of the Atlantic. Daughtery of Massachusetts said she had been sitting on the beach at York Harbor, relaxing and enjoying the calm surf lapping the shore, because she had felt called to the site that morning. When she saw those fellow beachgoers making their way into the water, she figured out why. For Daugherty, dipping into the ocean on a cold, gray January afternoon in Maine was not anywhere on her bucket list. But in a nod to spontaneity, and in the spirit of stretching herself in new directions, thats exactly what she did. Amy Hopkins, founder of Saltwater Mountain Company, leads a group of dippers into the frigid water at York Harbor Beach on Jan. 19, 2024. The dippers claim that the practice boosts their mental and physical health. Wearing thin snow pants and nothing above her waist but neoprene gloves and a bikini top, she marched into the ocean. When she got in up to her waist, she lowered herself up to her neck. Its not that bad! she called out. Daugherty remained that way for a moment, rose, and seemed in no rush as she made her way back to dry land. Its no harder to get into than it is in the summer, she said. I have an adrenaline rush ... Im in a great mood right now. At that moment, Daugherty joined the ranks of Amy Hopkins, the owner of Saltwater Mountain Company, and her merry band of ocean dippers who wander into waters on mornings and afternoons all year long, regardless of the temperature or season. Amy Hopkins, of Saltwater Mountain Company, embraces dippers Tricia Monaghan and Amy Clark after they took the plunge into the ocean on Jan. 19, 2024. The company aims to empower women, support mental health, and build community one step, one breath, and one dip at a time, according to its website. Towards this goal, Hopkins, a registered nurse, organizes routine dips at York Harbor and other locations, as well. She holds retreats too. Rollover Cafe: New owners take over popular Wells Beach spot. Here's what's planned What is the inspiration behind the frigid dips? Hopkins found inspiration to start up her company and pursue her mission during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, Hopkins, a self-described empathetic extrovert, faced the triple hardships of losing both her parents and her business and dealing with the social-distancing isolation of the global health crisis. On New Years Day in 2021, Hopkins decided she needed to try something to shake up her life and get it back on track. She and a friend went to the local beach, where she proceeded to wade into the waves and experience the icy rush of a swim in winter. I needed to beat the feelings I was having to get above them, Hopkins said. When she emerged, she felt reborn, she said. The intensity of the cold was the only thing that matched the intensity of my grief, she said. It took me to a deep presence that I could only feel at that moment. It was quick, loud and fun, and the next day I wanted to do it again. Literally, it cleared the slate of my life. She still had to continue grieving the loss of her mother and father and the pandemic, unfortunately, was not going anywhere anytime soon. But her mindset had changed favorably enough to keep her moving forward with a bit more wind at her back than before. It increases your mood immediately, Hopkins said. And a nice thing about it is it lingers. Youre not going to crash. Amy Hopkins, founder of Saltwater Mountain Company in York, shares how cold-water dipping helped her cope with loss and inspired her to lead dipping retreats for others. And, of course, the answer to keep moving forward was to keep dipping under. Hopkins started returning to the ocean, submerging herself as the elements would allow, and experiencing exhilaration each time. In time, she formed her company and started bringing others into the water with her. Anyone can join her, she said, and anyone can approach the water according to their needs, comforts and limits. Sunrise is her favorite time to dip, Hopkins said. Although, all times have their beauty, she added. One of my most beautiful dips was an October sunrise, Hopkins said. There was foliage colorful leaves on the beach. The sunrise was fiery. I had never seen it like that. It was stunning. One time, Hopkins and her husband took a dip in the ocean when it was 1 degree outside. But there was no wind, she added. It was one of the most memorable, mindful, meditative experiences of my life. Min Sushi and Ramen Bowl opens in York: Chens 'excited to be part of the community' Group's mantra is to 'dip down to rise up' Late in the afternoon on Friday, Jan. 19, Hopkins gathered with about a dozen dippers in the 28-degree chill at York Harbor. At the moment, the group was dressed in winter garb, comfortable in coats, hats, and mittens. That would change in a moment. Always breathe, Hopkins told the group. Have a buddy. Amy Hopkins, founder of Saltwater Mountain Company, leads a group of dippers into the frigid water at York Harbor Beach on Jan. 19, 2024. The dippers claim that the practice boosts their mental and physical health. She offered a couple more healthy dipping pointers before asking the 11 women and two men, Should we do it? Mere minutes later, Hopkins had her answer. She and the others were in the water, some up to their waists and others up to their necks, and all of them with their hands held high and dry. They stayed submerged for a few minutes, chatting and laughing and doing what most people only do on sweltering days in the summertime. Myra Solomon of York was one of the first to step back onto the beach. As she toweled herself dry and pulled those warm winter clothes back on, she called the dip her third both exhilarating and invigorating. I guess theres some science to this dipping, she said. Im trying to find my way to that. Solomon was talking about the physical healing and emotional benefits the very kind Hopkins experienced on that first day in 2021. Dippers Tricia Monaghan of Eliot, left, and Amy Clark of York use hot water from a jug to help restore warmth to their hands after being in the Atlantic Ocean at York Harbor on Jan. 19, 2024. Monaghan says she had 157 dips last year. Its a reset each time, Hopkins said. Thats why its so addicting. Solomons teeth chattered the first time she dipped. She said she decided to take the plunge and keep taking the plunge because she sees value in the experience. Its freezing, but theres something to facing your fears and doing something that does not feel natural like going into the ocean in January in Maine, she said. For Hopkins, a birthing nurse, leading people into the ocean for therapeutic, rejuvenating dips seems like the next evolutionary step in my career. Hopkins said immersing herself in the ocean under a variety of circumstances has helped her adapt to situations back on land. Youre practicing to do hard things out there, she said, gesturing away from the water and toward the dry world where we all move about our days. Thats the best thing Ive learned from this. I notice my reactions are different in my life. Hopkins said her mission is to get people into the cold water, not for my agenda, but for theirs. Everybody has their own reason for seeking such an experience, for birthing the next phase in their lives. Dip down to rise up, Hopkins said. Thats the mantra Ive come up with. More: York launches community center study to 'meet the needs of the people' This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York ME woman finds healing in weekly dips into the freezing Atlantic MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis City Council is expected to decide Tuesday whether police chief C.J. Davis gets to keep her job when they vote on her reappointment by Mayor Paul Young. Two weeks ago, some council members questioned Davis leadership when 7 out of 13 council members voted for a negative recommendation, and six councilmembers voted for a favorable recommendation. Council woman Jerri Green says a change in leadership might be needed, while the Memphis NAACP says Chief Davis deserves more time. C.J. Davis reappointment fails in Memphis City Council committee vote Weve been in the national spotlight for horrendous things like the case of Tyre Nichols, facing a DOJ investigation, multiple lawsuits that are in the billions of dollars, Green said. Were seeing police officers being decertified. There are reports of recruitments taking place in Puerto Rico and spending $50,000 on that and getting nobody to come back. But the Memphis NAACP, which is supporting Davis, says many of the citys problems pre-date her arrival. Once we (NAACP) voted, we decided Chief Davis was the right person for this position to help with the crime issues here in Memphis and we all know Memphis had a lot of issues, major problems going on with the police department before Chief Davis got here, said Vickie Terry, executive director. The police beating of Tyre Nichols happened while Davis was police chief. But Terry says Davis has provided leadership. Should City Council vote to reappoint Police Chief C.J. Davis?https://t.co/kyi0tVm90S WREG News Channel 3 (@3onyourside) January 22, 2024 Lets go back to Tyre Nichols, if Chief Davis had not acted as swiftly as she did with the firing of those officers, think about those officers who could still be on administrative leave or still on the payroll if it had not been for her, Terry said. So, we just wanted to make sure that we gave her a chance and we want the community to give her a chance. But now some community activists and elected leaders appear divided. It just doesnt seem like in good faith after knocking on all of those doors and hearing people say we want a change, we can continue with what weve seen, Green said. WREG reached out to several council members on Monday, but many didnt respond to our emails and phone calls. Monday, members of the Memphis Police Association a union representing police officers met with Mayor Paul Young at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. The MPA coordinated this meeting as a forum for their members to be heard by and to hear from Mayor Young, a City Hall spokesperson said. The meeting went well and he greatly appreciated the depth and candor of the dialogue; he looks forward to this being the beginning of regular and ongoing communication with the officers who serve in our MPD. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis will serve in an interim role going forward, following a vote to table her confirmation by the Memphis City Council Tuesday afternoon. Memphis Mayor Paul Young suggested to the council during committee that Davis serve in an interim role to see what impact she can have on crime, police policy and community engagement before bringing another vote to the floor. Davis was scheduled to have her confirmation vote take place in the full council meeting Tuesday, but Young told reporters after the vote was tabled that the idea was a last-minute decision. "[The decision was made] 15 minutes ago," Young said. "Obviously, in politics, you count the votes and it could be seven-six either way. I think that it's important for us, rather than giving a vote, to get to work. I hear the council loud and clear. I hear the community loud and clear. I believe in Chief Davis. She's going to be the chief moving forward until we come back and otherwise is proven." Mayor Paul Young and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis speak with each other after speaking to city council during the city council meeting after Young asked the council to table indefinitely the reappointment of Davis at city hall on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. There was no timeline for when Davis' position would be put to a confirmation vote, but Young said it would be determined by the city council. Success, Young said, would look like people feeling more comfortable with the level of crime than they are currently. "I think you'll see activities around reduction of crime, how we're engaging public safety players over and beyond law enforcement, because I believe that this community all knows that if we're truly going to get public safety in this community, it's not going to be just because of law enforcement," he said. "It's going to be because of the other components that engage our young people and engage people and reduce poverty. We want to make sure that we are doing that. I think it's one of those things that, when you see, you're gonna feel it. That we're heading in the right direction. We want to see the tenor change in this community, and we're going to get to work in doing so." When Davis walked into the Memphis City Council chambers after the committee vote to table her confirmation, she was swarmed by supporters, many appearing to be part of the Memphis branch of Delta Sigma Theta, the sorority that Davis is part of. After minutes of congestion, and a number of gavels from Council Chariman JB Smiley Jr, the scrum cleared up and Smiley spoke to those gathered in chambers. "One thing I will recognize before anybody is when my lens is jaded," Smiley said. "I will be direct with everybody in this room, on this council. I believe that my lens was jaded because of the way this body was treated by the previous administration, but no fault to Mayor Young and not necessarily the fault of Chief C.J. Davis." Smiley, who voted against Davis' confirmation in a committee vote Jan. 9, went on to say that Davis working as interim chief could be a way to move Memphis in the right direction. Demonstrators in support of and opposition to the reappointment of Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis sit in the city council chambers prior to the city council meeting at city hall on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. "What people care about is are we saving lives? Are we moving Memphis in the right direction?" he said. "I think Mayor Young understands that. Mayor Young understands that this is not a dictatorship. It's a partnership... We have to find a way to move forward." After the council meeting moved on from Davis' confirmation, and into the rest of its agenda, Young and Davis took questions from reporters across the hall. In that press conference, Davis said she did not feel additional pressure moving into an interim role. "The reason I say that is because I always operate on the accelerated," she said. "I do things two ways: fast and faster. I believe in that, and I don't want to unnecessarily wait for results. And we have been able to see results in the communication that I'm having with our officers and our command staff, say, 'You're doing great work. Let's keep our foot on the accelerator so that we can show this community that Memphis can be better and that we can get to a place where our citizens feel safe in their homes, they feel safe commuting, they feel safe in retail establishments as well.'" Mayor Paul Young and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. speak with the media after Young asked the city council to table indefinitely the reappointment of Davis at city hall on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Davis later added that she believed the department and the city are already moving in the right direction with crime, citing drops across all of MPD's precincts. "I would love to be able to share some of those stories about how all nine of our precincts right now are seeing reductions in crime because of the work that my men and women, and our commanders, are doing in the community," Davis said. "The community needs to know that because we're part of the community. Our community members are part of the work that we do, and I want them to know how hard our officers are working too." Young said there will be no search for another police chief while Davis is operating in her interim role, saying, "She is our chief, it's just the interim title." Young did not say whether the U.S. Department of Justice's pattern or practice investigation was part of the reason for shifting Davis' title to an interim role, but said the city is working with the DOJ as they continue the investigation. Davis said the department has been in "constant communication" with the DOJ, and that they are "conforming to what the DOJ is guiding us to do" as it pertains to policies and training. Davis and Young did not specify which policies those were, but the two said there were "numerous" examples and Young said that they will be made public "in time." Davis' confirmation hearing in a committee meeting on Jan. 9 was rocky, with multiple councilmembers questioning her record on fighting crime, enforcing reforms the council passed and her ability to lead the department. Days before leaving office, former Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland sent a letter to the Memphis City Council saying his administration did not enforce the ordinances passed in the wake of Tyre Nichols' death after he was beaten by officers with MPD. After taking office, Memphis Mayor Paul Young said he would be enforcing those ordinances. Those ordinances included requirements to make a public-facing traffic stop dashboard, prohibiting traffic stops for minor offenses that are often categorized as pretextual stops and prohibiting police in unmarked vehicles from pulling over motorists. Davis also pushed back on councilmembers asking why the ordinances were not enforced, saying that she was enforcing them as internal department policies. The Commercial Appeal has asked for copies of those policy changes, which do not appear to be in the online version of MPD's policy handbook, through a public records request. That request has not been fulfilled as of Tuesday. Local news: MLGW boil water alert lifted for all water customers In that committee vote, which was nonbinding, seven councilmembers voted to give a negative recommendation for Davis' reappointment as police chief. Six voted for a favorable recommendation. Those who voted against a favorable recommendation in that Jan. 9 committee meeting were councilmembers JB Smiley Jr., J. Ford Canale, Jana Swearengen-Washington, Chase Carlisle, Jerri Green, Philip Spinosa and Jeff Warren. Voting for a favorable recommendation were councilwomen Pearl Eva Walker, Rhonda Logan, Edmund Ford Sr, Yolanda Cooper-Sutton, Michalyn Easter-Thomas and Janika White. Protestors chant as Mayor Paul Young, with Police Chief Cerelyn C.J. Davis beside him, speaks to the city council after asking them to table indefinitely the reappointment of Davis at city hall on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Ahead of the committee vote, a large contingent of MPD brass gathered in apparent support of Davis. Some Memphians carried signs that expressed support for Davis, and the Memphis branch of the NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights group, issued a press release supporting her. Prior to the vote Tuesday, Davis appeared to have additional support from community members, including State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, and from the Memphis branch of the sorority both Akbari and Davis are part of Delta Sigma Theta. A small Facebook group also was started calling for Davis' reappointment. Activists that gathered Jan. 9 generally opposed Davis' reappointment, pointing to the lack of enforcement of the reform ordinances. Most activists who spoke said they had witnessed unmarked police cars conducting traffic stops and heard about pretextual traffic stops still happening. Smiley also pointed to a pretextual traffic stop that resulted in a man being arrested and taken to 201 Poplar. That man was Nichols' brother, and his parents said the arrest stemmed from a California warrant that had been handled in 2016. Nichols' brother was pulled over, Smiley said, "simply because his tags were in the wrong place," and happened days before the anniversary of Nichols' beating. The charges against Nichols' brother were ultimately dropped. This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis will serve as interim chief Attorneys for Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said prosecutors actively distorted evidence when searching the senators residence in connection to bribery allegations against him. The New Jersey senators attorneys asked a Manhattan federal judge to toss out much of the evidence in a bribery case against him and claimed that it was illegally obtained, according to court documents reported by multiple outlets. The New York Times reported that the attorneys said the evidence was part of exploratory rummaging, noting that prosecutors actively distorted the evidence. The lawyers also claimed that search warrants to seize Menendezs personal belongings were riddled with material misrepresentations and omissions, according to The Associated Press (AP). Agents broke down doors (even, in some cases, where the doors were unlocked) and tore apart closets, wardrobes, dressers and other storage locations in the home, flipped over documents and rifled through file folders, the lawyers wrote, according to the AP. The FBI seized all manner of things, including the cash and gold bars that the government has made the centerpiece of its case. During the search of his home, prosecutors said FBI agents discovered $100,000 in gold bars and $480,000 in hidden cash, including most of it hidden in clothing and closets. Menendez was indicted on bribery charges last fall that alleged he and his wife accepted more than $600,000 in bribes from a group of New Jersey businessmen on behalf of interests in Egypt. A superseding indictment in October later accused him of acting as a foreign agent of Egypt between June 2018 and June 2022. He was also hit with a second superseding indictment earlier this month that accused him of accepting gifts for aiding a foreign government. The Associated Press contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. [Source] A group of Democratic lawmakers are vehemently opposing House Republicans' push to reinstate a controversial Trump-era program accused of sparking racial profiling and discrimination against Asian Americans. About the controversial program: The China Initiative, launched in 2018 to purportedly counter Chinese espionage, was discontinued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2022. According to the dissenting lawmakers, the program is incompatible with civil rights values, noting that it resulted in unjust accusations against Asian American academics and scientists. GOP's resurrection attempt: Republican lawmakers on the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies signaled their intent to reinstate the program in their explanatory materials for H.R. 5893, criticizing the program's termination as "irresponsible" and "unwise." They condemned the DOJ for being "politically correct" and urged the National Security Division to reinstate an office countering Chinese espionage and influence. Challenging GOP's rationale: On Jan. 22, the Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Grace Meng (D, NY-6), Rep. Judy Chu (D, CA-27) and Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI), expressed their concerns in a letter to congressional leaders. They challenged the GOP's characterization of the China Initiative's termination as "irresponsible" and argued that the initiative was a flawed prosecutorial tool. The Democrats emphasized that the program led to dropped charges, dismissals and acquittals due to a lack of evidence. Trending on NextShark: Model of Ukrainian descent becomes Miss Japan 2024, sparking debate The programs human toll: The letter highlights cases such as hydrologist Sherry Chen and MIT professor Gang Chen, who were both falsely accused under the initiative. The lawmakers proposed a focus on the DOJ's new "Strategy for Countering Nation-State Threats" and urged the removal of language related to the China Initiative from the final text of the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the FY24 CJS Appropriations Bill. Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! ST. LOUIS The American Association of Orthodontists is concerned about the social media trend of mewing. The practice involves specific tongue placement to reshape the jawline to improve facial aesthetics. The therapy is unregulated and lacks scientific evidence. Orthodontists say it poses risks including dental issues (like loosening teeth, misaligned bites, and tooth wear), and speech impediments, which might need complex treatment to resolve. Myron Guymon, DDS, MS, and AAO President, states that while proper tongue posture is important for oral health and development, mewing oversimplifies the complexities of facial structure. The AAO warns of the potential risks that outweigh any unproven benefits. Hostage situation at downtown Drury Hotel It is named after John Mew, a non-traditional orthodontist. He advocates for orthotropics, a method focusing on facial growth and jaw structure, challenging conventional orthodontic beliefs. The New York Times reports that Mew attributes crooked teeth to lifestyle and environmental changes since the 18th century, believing in the natural development of jaws without braces. His unorthodox methods and beliefs have led to controversy and dismissal from mainstream orthodontics, yet he has gained a faithful following online. Despite skepticism and lack of scientific validation, Mew and his son Mike continue to promote and practice orthotropics. Despite its popularity on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, professionals in oral and maxillofacial surgery express caution. They emphasize that Mews methods, lacking robust scientific backing, should not replace established treatments like orthognathic surgery. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. This combination of photos provided by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan in October 2023, shows David Macey, left, and Luis Guerra. Federal prosecutors are expanding their investigation into a bribery scheme involving two former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration supervisors, turning their attention to the two Miami defense attorneys, Macey and Guerra, suspected of profiting from repeated leaks of confidential DEA information. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan filed court papers Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, accusing the lawyers of bankrolling the scheme and asking a judge to allow prosecutors to review nearly 1,000 emails, text messages and recordings of protected phone calls between the attorneys and Manny Recio, a former DEA agent who later worked for the attorneys as a private investigator. (U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan via AP) MIAMI (AP) Federal prosecutors are expanding their investigation into a bribery scheme involving two former U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration supervisors, turning their attention to two Miami defense attorneys suspected of profiting from repeated leaks of confidential DEA information. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan filed court papers Monday accusing the lawyers of bankrolling the scheme and asking a judge to allow prosecutors to review nearly 1,000 emails, text messages and recordings of protected phone calls between the attorneys and Manny Recio, a former DEA agent who later worked for the attorneys as a private investigator. Attorneys' communications with their clients and members of their investigative team are confidential and typically off limits from law enforcement, unless they are being used to carry out criminal activity. But federal prosecutors took the unusual step this week of asking a judge to invoke the crime fraud exception" to this privilege, calling the communications between Recio and attorneys David Macey and Luis Guerra integral to the bribery scheme." The motion marked an about-face for prosecutors, who for years went out of their way to avoid naming the lawyers as unindicted co-conspirators and beneficiaries of the conspiracy. Neither Macey nor Guerra has been charged, but prosecutors referred to them as crooked attorneys who paid handsomely for DEA secrets during a two-week trial that ended in November with a jury finding Recio and former DEA agent John Costanzo Jr. guilty of bribery and honest-services wire fraud. We're here scheming about how we're going to make money, money, money, Guerra said in one intercepted conversation with Costanzo. Macey and Guerra have not responded to repeated requests for comment. Both attorneys are longstanding members of what is known in Miami as the white powder bar, a fiercely competitive circle of high-priced defense attorneys who scramble to sign up kingpin clients, negotiate surrender deals and convert them into government cooperators. In such a lucrative field, advance notice of an indictment or ongoing investigations can be the key to successfully recruiting a new client. But paying public officials for inside information is illegal. Prosecutors said in the trial that after Recio retired he repeatedly asked Costanzo to run names in a confidential DEA database that tracks federal investigations of interest to his new employers. The two also discussed the timing of the arrest of the top drug trafficker in the Dominican Republic and the the exact date in 2019 when the grand jury was to indict businessman Alex Saab, a top criminal target in Venezuela and suspected bag man for the countrys president, Nicolas Maduro. Throughout the bribery scheme, Costanzo repeatedly leaked information to Recio to benefit him and the attorneys he worked with, prosecutors wrote in a 28-page memo that quotes from wiretapped communications between Recio and Costanzo presented during trial. Costanzo was leaking information so that Macey and Guerra could bring in more clients, and part of the scheme required Recio to convey the inside information to Macey and Guerra. In exchange, the attorneys lavished the two veteran lawmen with nearly $100,000 in cash and gifts, federal prosecutors said. Bribes included a $50,000 down payment for Costanzo to purchase a Miami-area townhouse that was wired via middlemen including Costanzo's father, himself a retired and decorated DEA agent who prosecutors said lied to the FBI. Its about greed and corruption, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Deininger said in her closing argument at trial. What they were doing was wrong and they knew it. Macey last appeared in federal court in December for the sentencing of a client who pleaded guilty to distributing more than $16 million worth of adulterated prescription drugs. Guerra appears to have rebranded his practice to focus on personal injury cases, saying in a social media post, "With Guerra, it rains money!" ___ Mustian reported from New York. A blood-soaked bra recovered from trash bins along with zip ties, gloves and a razor also splattered with a blood-like substance were presented in court as evidence that prosecutors say links Michelle Troconis to the alleged murder of Jennifer Dulos. Ms Troconis, 49, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. Shes accused of helping her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos cover up the 2019 killing of Dulos, his estranged wife, whose body has never been found. The grim evidence was the focus of the trial on Tuesday, which is on its eighth day in Stamford, Connecticut. State Police Sgt. Kevin Duggan testified that the items were pulled from trash bins in Hartford where, according to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Ms Troconis sitting in a black Ford Raptor truck with Dulos as he tossed the bags just hours after Jennifer vanished. Michelle Troconis listens to testimony at her trial where she is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution (Hearst Connecticut Media) Other items that were stained with a blood-like substance included a womans Vineyard Vines shirt, a large white towel, two sets of gloves and at least two ponchos. According to Ms Troconis arrest warrant, DNA from both Dulos and Jennifer was found on items in the trash and Ms Troconis DNA was found on some of the trash bags. That evidence is expected to come later in the trial. The surveillance videos were recorded the evening Jennifer disappeared but not discovered for six days. They were filmed in a city about 75 miles from her home in New Canaan, Connecticut, where prosecutors allege she was killed in May 2019 after dropping their five children off at school. The video footage also showed Dulos placing what police say resembled a vehicle cargo mat near a building and dropping an envelope down a sewer drain on Albany Avenue. Prosecutors on Monday showed jurors what they said were altered license plates found in an envelope in the sewer drain. A blood-soaked bra recovered from a trash bin in Hartford (Law&Crime) One trash bag ontained several zip ties, a womans shirt, two plastic ponchos also with blood-like stains (Law&Crime) Video footage also showed Dulos placing what police say were altered license plates in a sewer drain (Law & Crime) Ms Troconis, who is not seen handling the trash in any of the videos, has pleaded not guilty and denied any involvement. During cross-examination on Tuesday, defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn suggested that just as law enforcement was not able to determine that a blood-soaked bra was inside the black plastic bag Dulos disposed of until it was brought to a lab and cut open, his client wouldnt have been able to see what was inside. You couldnt see through that, Mr Schoenhorn asked Sgt Duggan, who agreed. Jennifer Dulos, 50, was declared legally dead in October. She was a member of a wealthy New York family whose father, the late Hilliard Farber, founded his own brokerage firm. She also was a niece by marriage to fashion designer Liz Claiborne. Jennifer Dulos was declared legally dead in October Fotis Dulos, a luxury home builder originally from Greece, died by suicide in January 2020 after being charged with his wifes murder. At the time of her disappearance, the pair were going through a contentious divorce and child custody proceedings. Jennifer Dulos had moved out of the family home in Farmington, Connecticut, and Fotis Dulos was living there with Ms Troconis and her daughter. Ms Troconis trial is expected to last until March. Attorneys for Michigan school shooter Ethan Crumbley appealed his prison sentence life without parole on Monday night, one day before his mothers own trial is set to begin. Court records show that the appeal was made on 22 January on behalf of the Oxford School shooter, who was 15 years old when he killed four classmates and injured seven others on 30 November 2021. At the age of 17, he pleaded guilty to the 24 crimes, including first-degree murder, he was charged with committing. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in December 2023. His parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, were also charged. They have each pleaded not guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Theyve been accused of making a gun accessible at home and ignoring their sons troubled mental health. The parents are being tried separately; Jennifer Crumbleys trial is set to begin on 23 January and James Crumbleys trial is set to begin on 5 March. Ethan Crumbleys lawyers also said in the filing, obtained by the Detroit Free Press, that they advised their client to invoke his right to remain silent if hes called to testify in either of his parents trials, acknowledging that his name appeared on the witness list of at least one of his parents cases. The parents trials are historic; they are the first parents in America to be charged for their alleged role in a mass school shooting. If convicted, they could each face up to 15 years in prison. Last month at his sentencing hearing, Ethan Crumbley said, We are all here because of me today ... because of what I chose to do. ... My parents did not know what I planned to do, they are not at fault. Days before the mass shooting, James Crumbley bought his son a gun, which Ethan described on Instagram as his new beauty. Just days later, a teacher noticed the 15-year-old searching for ammunition, prompting school administrators to contact his parents. Instead of responding to the school, his mother allegedly texted her son: Lol. Im not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught. On the day of the tragedy, prosecutors said, a teacher found a drawing on Ethan Crumbleys desk depicting a school massacre, featuring a semiautomatic handgun pointing at the words the thoughts wont stop help me. After noticing the violent illustration, school staff met with the high school sophomore and his parents met with school staff on that same day. Although the school staff urged Ethan Crumbley to seek psychiatric help that day and to leave school early, his parents rejected the idea and the school didnt press any harder. Jennifer Crumbley, whose son carried out the worst school shooting in Michigans history, is set to go on trial Tuesday, in a rare case that seeks to hold the parents responsible for their alleged role leading up to the 2021 incident. James and Jennifer Crumbley face charges of involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors accuse them of making a gun accessible to their son, Ethan Crumbley, and of ignoring his alleged mental health issues. The shooter, who was 15 at the time, killed four students and injured seven others at Oxford High School in a suburb of Detroit on Nov. 30, 2021. He received multiple life sentences without parole in December, after pleading guilty to all charges. The Crumbleys are the first parents to be charged in a mass school shooting in the United States, The Associated Press reported. The mother of a 6-year-old who shot and wounded his teacher last year was also recently sentenced to two years in prison for child neglect, per the AP. Prosecutors claim the Crumbley parents ignored their sons warning signs; defense attorneys say the shooting was not foreseeable and that the parents should not be held accountable. Four days before the tragic event, James Crumbley bought his son a gun, and his mother took him to a shooting range to practice posting a cheerful message about the outing on Instagram. Prosecutors also point to some alleged missed warning signs. A day before the shooting, the school told Jennifer Crumbley that her son was looking at ammunition on his phone. Just hours before the shooting, the parents were called to the school after their son had drawn violent images with the message, The thoughts wont stop. Help me. The parents were reportedly told to enroll their son in counseling, but they declined to take their son home from school that day. They reportedly left after 30 minutes. At his sentencing in December, Ethan Crumbley took full responsibility and expressed remorse for his actions. He called himself a really bad person and said he could not help himself. He also defended his parents accused role leading up to the shooting. They did not know, and I did not tell them what I planned to do, so they are not at fault, he said at the time, according to the AP. More than 200 people appeared for jury selection at the Oakland County court Tuesday, as the trial for Jennifer Crumbley was set to begin. The parents were charged soon after the shooting and have been held in jail for more than two years, unable to make bail. James Crumbleys trial will be held in March. The Associated Press contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2022, photo, Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, appear in court in Rochester Hills, Mich. The mother of the Michigan school shooter is headed to trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. Prosecutors are trying to pin criminal responsibility on Ethan Crumbley's parents in the deaths of four students at Oxford High School in 2021. Jennifer and James Crumbley are not accused of knowing their son planned to kill fellow students. But prosecutors say they were grossly negligent by making a gun accessible to Ethan Crumbley and ignoring his mental health needs. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya, file) PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) The mother of a teenager who committed a mass school shooting in Michigan is headed to trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in an unusual effort to pin criminal responsibility on his parents for the deaths of four students. Jennifer and James Crumbley are not accused of knowing their son planned to kill fellow students at Oxford High School in 2021. But prosecutors said they made a gun accessible to Ethan Crumbley, ignored his mental health needs and declined to take him home when confronted with his violent drawings at school on the day of the attack. Involuntary manslaughter has been well-defined for ages, and its elements are definite and plain: gross negligence causing death, assistant prosecutor Joseph Shada said in a court filing. Jury selection moved slowly Tuesday in the trial of 45-year-old Jennifer Crumbley. Hundreds of people were summoned to the court in Oakland County, 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Detroit an enormous pool to account for people who might be excused because of their feelings about guns and the highly publicized tragedy, among other factors. The question is whether you can be fair and impartial, Judge Cheryl Matthews told the first group of 50. James Crumbley, 47, will face a separate trial in March. In December, Ethan was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to murder, terrorism and other crimes. It's a notable case: The Crumbleys are the first parents to be charged in a mass U.S. school shooting. The mother of a 6-year-old Virginia boy who wounded his teacher with a gun was recently sentenced to two years in prison for child neglect. I think prosecutors are feeling pressure when these weapon-related offenses occur, said Eve Brensike Primus, who teaches criminal procedure at the University of Michigan Law School. People are outraged, and they're looking for someone to take responsibility for it. There's no dispute that James Crumbley bought a gun with Ethan at his side four days before the shooting the teen called it, my new beauty. Jennifer Crumbley took him to a shooting range and described the outing on Instagram as a mom and son day. A day before the shooting, the school informed Jennifer Crumbley that Ethan, who was 15, was looking at ammunition on his phone. I'm not mad, she texted him. You have to learn not to get caught. Defense attorneys insist the murders were not foreseeable by the parents. They liken the charges to trying to put a square peg into a round hole. After every school shooting, the media and those affected are quick to point to so-called red flags that were missed by those in the shooters life, Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said in an unsuccessful effort to get the Michigan Supreme Court to dismiss the charges. But the truth of the matter is one cannot predict the unimaginable. At his sentencing, Ethan, now 17, told a judge that he was a really bad person who could not stop himself. They did not know and I did not tell them what I planned to do, so they are not at fault, he said of his parents. A few hours before the shooting, the Crumbleys were summoned to Oxford High School. Ethan had drawn violent images on a math assignment with the message: The thoughts wont stop. Help me. The parents were told to get him into counseling, but they declined to remove him from school and left campus after less than 30 minutes, according to investigators. Ethan had brought a gun from home that day, Nov. 30, 2021, though no one checked his backpack. The shooter surrendered to police after killing four students and wounding seven more people. The parents were charged a few days later, but they weren't easy to find. Police said they were hiding in a building in Detroit. The Crumbleys have been in jail for more than two years awaiting trial, unable to afford a $500,000 bond. Involuntary manslaughter in Michigan carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. ___ Follow Ed White at https://twitter.com/edwritez How well can ordinary citizens exercise a political function traditionally assigned to elected legislators? Michigan is finding out. The state has assigned the job of drawing election districts to a group of citizens with no special qualifications. Selecting government officials by lot is a procedure first employed in Athens 2,500 years ago. This experiment has produced dramatic results as well as a court challenge. The Michigan experiment marks a departure from how redistricting has usually been done. Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census Bureau determines how many members of the House of Representatives are allocated to each state, the states redraw the geographical districts from which members of the House, as well as members of the state legislature, are elected. Historically, state legislatures have been responsible for making these maps. But throughout U.S. history, the redistricting process has been marred by partisan gerrymandering drawing election districts to favor the political party that controls the state legislature. Gerrymandering has often been challenged in court as a violation of the Constitutions equal protection clause and on other grounds. But in 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court held that federal courts may not hear claims of partisan gerrymandering because they represent a political question that is unsuited for resolution by the courts. The high court held that such issues should instead be resolved by the legislative and executive branches of government. Eight states have withdrawn the authority to draw election districts from legislatures and assigned it to independent commissions. The procedures for selecting the members of these commissions vary, but in most states they are chosen by state legislators or judges. Michigans Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, created by a 2018 ballot initiative, is unique. As a professor who teaches constitutional law and, occasionally, ancient Athenian law, I am fascinated by the fact that Michigans seemingly novel experiment in governance is based on a process that is thousands of years old. Selection by lot Unlike any other state, Michigan selected its 13 commission members almost entirely by lot from among those who applied for the position. All Michigan registered voters who met the eligibility criteria, which excluded holders of political office and lobbyists, were eligible to apply. From 9,367 applicants, the Michigan secretary of state randomly selected 200 semifinalists. The process resulted in 60 Democrats, 60 Republicans and 80 independents. Following the procedure established by the ballot initiative, the four leaders of the Michigan Legislature then eliminated 20 of those semifinalists. In August 2020, the secretary of state randomly selected the 13 commissioners from the remaining pool of 180 candidates four Democrats, four Republicans and five independents, as required. In a process completed in December 2021, the commission made up of citizens with no special qualifications for the office created election districts that were used to elect officials to the Michigan Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2022 election cycle. Random selection in ancient Athens In ancient Athens, most government officials were selected at random from among citizens eligible to fill the positions. Philipp Foltz With the exception of trial juries, the random selection of citizens to fill government office is almost unheard of. But it was not always that way. Random selection was a prominent feature of the ancient Athenian democracy. In the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., most important government offices were filled by lottery. The Athenians considered this selection of officials a hallmark of democracy. These included the 500 members of the Council. This body proposed legislation for the agenda of the Assembly, composed of all free male adult citizens who chose to attend and the centerpiece of Athenian direct democracy. It also handled diplomatic relations between Athens and other states and appointed the members of administrative bodies. Those selected by lot also included the nine chief officials of the city-state, the archons, who had executive and judicial responsibilities. About 1,100 officials were selected annually by lot from a citizen population of about 25,000. The Athenian historian Xenophon tells us that the philosopher Socrates, who was sentenced to death by an Athenian jury for his unorthodox views, thought that the Athenians were foolish to entrust the selection of the bulk of government officials to chance: Nobody would select a pilot or builder or flautist by lot, Socrates observed, so why trust to chance the selection of government officials who, if unsuited to their responsibilities, could harm the community? The Athenians agreed with Socrates to an extent. In Athens, an additional 100 or so officials were elected by the Assembly, not selected by lot. They included the 10 generals responsible for commanding the army and navy. The Athenians thought the generals role was too important, and too dependent on skills possessed by few citizens, to allow the choice to be made randomly. How did Michigans redistricting commission do? Like piloting a ship or commanding an army, districting is a complex task. The 2018 amendment to the Michigan Constitution that established the commission says that the districts must be drawn in compliance with federal law. That includes a requirement that voting districts have roughly the same populations. It also requires that the districts reflect the states diverse population and communities of interest and not provide a disproportionate advantage to any political party. Dividing the map to meet all of these criteria is not within the capabilities of a group of randomly selected citizens. Recognizing this, the 2018 amendment authorizes the commission to hire independent, nonpartisan subject-matter experts and legal counsel to assist them. The experts that the commission hired guided its members closely throughout the redistricting process. The outcome of the 2022 elections supports a conclusion that the commission achieved the goals that motivated its creation. A 2018 report by the nonpartisan Citizens Research Council of Michigan found that the states election districts were highly-gerrymandered, with current district maps drawn so that Republicans are ensured disproportionate majorities on both the state and federal levels. In 2019 a federal court held that Michigans gerrymandering violated the U.S. Constitution. That opinion was later vacated, or canceled, for jurisdictional reasons. This gerrymandering was reflected in election results. In recent elections preceding the 2022 redistricting, Democratic candidates for the Michigan House of Representatives received a majority of the votes cast, yet a majority of the candidates elected were Republican. But in the 2022 elections, the first held using the redistricting commissions maps, Democratic candidates for both the Michigan Senate and House won a majority of the votes and were awarded a majority of the seats: 20-18 in the Senate and 56-54 in the House. Democrats control both houses of the state Legislature for the first time since 1984. Legal challenge to redistricting commissions maps While the redistricting commission can claim success in eliminating the states partisan gerrymandering, in December 2023 a federal district court held that the procedure the commission followed in drawing some of the election districts violated the U.S. Constitution. The court said that the commission violated the equal protection clause when it drew boundaries for seven state House and six state Senate districts in metro Detroit in such a way that the voting power of Black voters was diluted. The commission filed an appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court, but the court denied the commissions request for a stay of the lower courts order. The commission is now working to redraw the districts, and the lower court has ordered it to have a draft of the state House districts ready for public comment by Feb. 2. Time is now of the essence, since under state law the candidate filing deadline is April 23. Portions of this article originally appeared in an article published on Sept. 30, 2020. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: John Rothchild, Wayne State University. Read more: John Rothchild does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Among men with abnormal sperm concentrations, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas stutzeri appeared to be more common, while Pseudomonas putida was less common, the investigators said. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News Microbiomes: You've probably heard of these communities of largely helpful bacteria that colonize the gut or the skin. But a man's semen has a microbiome of its own, and new research suggests it could play a role in fertility. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles examined the microbiomes and sperm health of 73 adult men. Some had been having issues with fertility while others had no fertility issues and had already become fathers. The study turned up one species of bacterium living within semen, Lactobacillus iner, that could play a role in fertility. As the researchers explained, this bacterium produces L-lactic acid, which in turn can trigger inflammation within semen and potentially impair the movement of sperm. They noted that prior research has already implicated Lactobacillus iner in fertility issues among women, because it's also found within the vaginal microbiome. Three microbes in the Pseudomonas class of bacteria were also found in semen and might play a role in sperm concentrations. Among men with abnormal sperm concentrations, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas stutzeri appeared to be more common, while Pseudomonas putida was less common, the investigators said. The impact of bacteria on fertility, even when those bacteria are closely related, appears to differ widely between species, said the team led by Dr. Vadim Osadchiy. "There is much more to explore regarding the microbiome and its connection to male infertility," said Osadchiy, a resident in the department of urology at UCLA. "However, these findings provide valuable insights that can lead us in the right direction for a deeper understanding of this correlation," he added in a university news release. "Our research aligns with evidence from smaller studies and will pave the way for future, more comprehensive investigations to unravel the complex relationship between the semen microbiome and fertility." The study was recently published in Scientific Reports. More information Find out more about male fertility at the Mayo Clinic. Copyright 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved. The Minnesota Legislature will enjoy a $7.7 billion surplus when it convenes Jan. 31. Minnesota had a massive year of voter-access legislation, and the DFL-led chambers just got confirmation that they are one of few states that stepped up in 2023 to make sweeping changes for voters. A report released from the left-leaning non-profit Institute for Responsive Government gave Minnesota an A plus for changes to state's voter access in 2023. Grading was determined by legislature performance in the past two years in regard to election reform, the consequences of changes, and whether or not the state met expectations to better election practices. The two other states with an A plus grade were Michigan and New Mexico. Here's how Minnesota out-ranked out other states. More: All the election legislation that passed this year in Minnesota & what it means for 2024 Accessible registration and voting resources The report credited Minnesota's lack of automatic voter registration as a setback for the state's access to voting, however, Minnesota did establish a new responsibility for counties and the secretary of state to update voter registration in various settings. Some other changes include: Expansion of pre-registration to 16- and 17-year-olds Established a permanent absentee voter list Polling places are now required to have alternative language materials in the top three most spoken languages: Hmong, Spanish and Somali Allowed absence from work to vote during the 46-day absentee voter period prior to each election More: Early voting begins: Primary voting starts today, here's what to know Expanding voting rights The Restore the Vote act re-enfranchised an estimated 55,000 Minnesotans who were completing felony sentences outside of incarceration. The law was passed with the help of the Restore the Vote Coalition, a group of over 70 organizations that pushed for the expansion of rights. The law is facing challenges and will be heard by the Minnesota Supreme Court in April. More: Minnesota Supreme Court to decide fate of felon voting rights law Investment and protections State government finance bill H1830 established the Voting Operations, Technology, and Election Resource (VOTER) Account. The account included an appropriation of $1.25 million each year to be allocated at the county, city and town-level. Funding can go towards election staff pay and polling equipment purchases, both software and hardware. Additionally, another $500,000 was allocated to Secretary of State Steve Simon to direct funds for polling location improvements. Criminal and civil penalties were also established for voter interference and or intimidation. In response to the report, Secretary of State Steve Simon released a statement. "Our team is dedicated to ensuring that every eligible voter in Minnesota can access the ballot which includes those in the office working on election administration, security, policy, and outreach," he said. "Im proud that their work, and the work of our local partners, has been recognized. Sam Woodward is the Minnesota elections reporting fellow for USA Today. You can reach her at swoodward@gannett.com or on X @woodyreports This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Minnesota graded A plus for voter access changes in 2023 session (Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Tuesday insisted life in the Ukrainian capital was "absolutely normal" and there was no war, a day before his first meeting with the Ukrainian prime minister and just hours after Russian missiles fell on Kyiv. Fico, who took power in October and reversed course on Slovakia's foreign policy to halt military support for Ukraine, was speaking at a news briefing in eastern Slovakia. He is due to meet his Ukrainian counterpart, Denys Shmyhal, on Wednesday in the western Ukrainian city of Uzhhorod. A reporter asked Fico if it would be appropriate for him to travel to Kyiv to better grasp Ukraine's war with Russia, which is approaching its second year following an invasion by Moscow. "There is a conflict that is localised," Fico said. He asked: "You seriously think there is war in Kyiv? You are joking, please, I hope you are not being serious. Go there and you will find out there is normal life in the city, absolutely normal life." He added it was more practical to meet in Uzhhorod, which he said the Ukrainian side picked after Fico first wanted to meet on the two countries' shared border. Fico has made statements in the past showing a pro-Russian stance. Many other foreign leaders have travelled to Kyiv - by train due to the dangers posed by air raids - to show support for Ukraine. Since the start of the war, 967 air alerts have sounded in Kyiv, lasting a total of 1,133 hours. City transport is halted during such alerts and passengers asked to take cover. The metro and other underground areas operate as bomb shelters. The din of air raids and alerts pierced the morning calm in Kyiv on Tuesday, and officials said 20 people, including a 13-year-old boy, were wounded. At least six people were killed in strikes on other cities. While Fico has ended military aid to Ukraine, he has allowed supplies from the country's arms and ammunitions makers to continue. He has said military aid was prolonging the war and compromises were needed for peace - despite Ukrainian and western arguments that Ukraine would fall without western military support. Fico has said Ukraine could get EU funding and conditionally endorsed Ukraine's bid for EU membership, but has vowed to block its bid to join the NATO alliance. (Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague, additional reporting by Jason Hovet in Prague and Pavel Plityuk in Kyiv; Editing by Bernadette Baum) EYEWITNESS NEWS (WBRE/WYOU) Police are seeking the publics help in locating a missing man. According to The Village of Goshen Police Department in Orange County, New York, officers are looking for 86-year-old Donald Mirro. How can I watch the Chiefs vs. Ravens NFL game? Mirro is 57 in height and weighs around 165 pounds. He has white hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black jacket, a blue shirt, a navy blue hat with the letter H on it, blue jeans, and black sneakers. Police say Mirro was last seen on Tuesday, January 23 at 9:30 a.m. driving a white 2011 Avalon with a NY license plate number DSZ-6750, near North Baltimore Avenue in Mt. Holly Springs, Cumberland County. According to law enforcement, Mirro may be at special risk of harm or injury or may be confused. Anyone with information on Mirro is asked to call 911 immediately. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. The Scoop A group of House Democrats wrote to President Biden Tuesday criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus public remarks rejecting the creation of a Palestinian state and calling on the Biden administration to lay out a strategy for a two-state solution. A two-state solution, the lawmakers wrote, is the only viable path for a sustainable peace between the Israeli and Palestinian people. The letter was led by Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill. and Jim Himes, D-Conn. and signed by more than three dozen other House Democrats (including most Democratic members of the House Intelligence Committee). It was shared with Semafor before its release. We are deeply concerned by Prime Minister Netanyahus public rejection of a two-state solution on January 18, and respectfully request that your Administration outline a strategy to marshal international and ultimately, Israeli and Palestinian support to successfully implement a two-state solution, the lawmakers wrote. Know More The letter is the latest evidence of Democratic angst over Netanyahus public rejection of an independent Palestinian state after the fighting in Gaza ends, comments that are at odds with official U.S. policy. It comes amid related tensions between Democrats and the Israeli government over Netanyahus far-right coalition partners, who have gone even further and talked about permanently displacing Palestinians from Gaza and even resettling Israelis in the territory. Despite Netanyahus remarks, Biden said Friday that he still believed a two-state solution was possible with Netanyahu in power following a call with the prime minister. Hes optimistic that we can get there, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters Monday. Obviously, any two-state solution is going to require some compromises. He said that there could be many different interpretations of what a two-state solution looks like. In their letter, the Democratic lawmakers acknowledged that a resolution would need to come after Hamas releases dozens of hostages it is holding and the perpetrators of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel are held accountable. The lawmakers asked the White House for an update on U.S. diplomatic, economic, and security measures involved in your Administrations strategy to address these significant barriers. Notable Israel is starting to gradually scale back the offensive in Gaza but Israeli officials say the gains made against Hamas are threatened by the lack of a plan for a post-war Gaza, the Washington Post reported. The U.S. is pushing a peace proposal that would establish a path for an independent Palestinian state in exchange for Saudi Arabia normalizing relations with Israel, the Wall Street Journal reported. The path forward for the U.S. Congress to approve more Israel aid grew more complicated with Netanyahus remarks and the prospect of a border security agreement not succeeding. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Were coming off of an active weekend weather-wise, and as we move through this week, we have more active weather coming our way. The best chance of wet weather Monday will be in southern Utah with a chance of scattered rain showers around St. George. Northern Utah will check in with mostly dry conditions, but we cant rule out a slight chance for a few isolated showers. If we do see wet weather up north, it will mainly favor the high country. Cox among governors urging Biden to reverse electric vehicle mandate Outside of any wet weather, Monday will bring partly to mostly cloudy skies across the state with daytime highs that run about 5-10 degrees above average for most. Across the state, well mainly see a mix of 30s and 40s with some in southernmost Utah reaching the low and mid 50s. Along the Wasatch Front, well see mid to upper 40s while the Wasatch Back will mainly see mid to upper 30s. As we move into Tuesday, there will be a better chance of wet weather across the state, but moisture will continue to favor southern Utah. In northern Utah, showers will be isolated and will continue to mainly be valley rain and mountain snow given our above average temperatures. Through Tuesday, we could see an inch or two in our northern mountains, while some southern mountains will be able to pick up a few inches with maybe over half a foot in isolated areas like Brian Head. Our weather will briefly calm going into Wednesday as well be in-between storm systems. By Thursday, a storm dropping in from the northwest will likely bring northern Utah its best chance of moisture this week as wet weather could also make it down to southern Utah. Given a slight drop in temperatures, snow levels will likely drop, so instead of seeing exclusively valley rain and mountain snow, some valleys in northern Utah may see a changeover to snow, especially if the moisture holds on long enough. During this week, temperatures look to stay fairly consistent with highs that will range in mid 40s along the Wasatch Front with more-so low to mid 40s by the end of the week. Down in St. George, daytime highs will range in 50s through the week. Overnight lows also wont see too many changes over the next few days but will run a bit colder by the end of the week after Thursdays storm moves through. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Police photos of Ethan Crumbley and his parents Jennifer and James taken after the shootings in 2021 - Orlando County Sheriff's Office/via Reuters The mother of a teenage gunman in a school shooting went on trial for involuntary manslaughter in a first-of-its-kind case on Tuesday. Jennifer Crumbley and her husband, James, are accused of giving their son Ethan a semi-automatic handgun and ignoring warnings about his mental health days before he went on a deadly rampage three years ago. Ethan Crumbley, then 15, murdered four students and injured seven others when he opened fire at Oxford High School on Nov 30 2021 in Detroit, Michigan. He was sentenced to life in prison in December 2023, aged 17, after pleading guilty to murder, terrorism and other crimes. Prosecutors claimed his parents had failed to secure the gun he used to carry out the attack and declined to take him home when confronted with his violent drawings at school on the day of the shooting spree. The landmark case marks the first time prosecutors have tried to hold parents criminally liable for an intentional mass shooting by their child. Jennifer and James Crumbley were charged after being found in Detroit - Paul Sancya/AP Mrs Crumbley has pleaded not guilty, as has her husband, who faces the same charges and will go on trial in March 2024. The couple have been in jail for more than two years awaiting trial, unable to afford a $500,000 (394,850) bond each. Their lawyers have argued they had no indication that their son was capable of such violence and the charges equate to trying to put a square peg into a round hole. Mr Crumbley, 47, bought his son the semi-automatic handgun four days before the shooting, which Ethan referred to as my new beauty. State law prohibits those under 18 years of age from buying or possessing firearms except in limited circumstances such as hunting with a licence and a supervising adult. After Mr Crumbley bought the firearm, his wife, 45, took their son to a local shooting range. She described the outing on Instagram as a mom and son day. The day before his attack, the school told Mrs Crumbley her son had been looking at ammunition on his phone. LOL Im not mad at you, she texted him. You have to learn not to get caught. Ethan's teacher contacted his parents when they found these drawings on his desk hours before the shooting The following day, Mr and Mrs Crumbley were summoned to the school after their son had drawn violent images on a maths assignment with the message: The thoughts wont stop. Help me. The parents were told to get him counselling but they declined to remove him from school and left after less than 30 minutes, according to investigators. Using the weapon, Ethan then carried out the worst school shooting in Michigan history. His parents were charged a few days later after they were found hiding in a building in Detroit. This tragedy could have been prevented if the shooters parents hadnt played a central role in acquiring the gun for the shooter, or if his parents had taken basic steps to securely store the gun, said Nick Suplina, senior vice-president of law and policy at the anti-gun violence non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety. They should be held accountable. Involuntary manslaughter carries a maximum jail term of 15 years in Michigan. James and Jennifer Crumbley have been in custody for two years as they could not afford to pay a bond After every school shooting, the media and those affected are quick to point to so-called red flags that were missed by those in the shooters life, defence lawyers Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said previously in an unsuccessful effort to get the Michigan Supreme Court to dismiss the charges. But the truth of the matter is one cannot predict the unimaginable. Also on Tuesday an armed and dangerous suspect being sought over eight murders in Illinois died after shooting himself following a confrontation with US marshals in Texas. Romeo Nance, 23, was tracked down near Natalia, outside San Antonio, after a manhunt that began on Sunday hundreds of miles away. He had been named as a suspect in seven fatal shootings in two homes in Joliet, about 35 miles south-west of Chicago. Police believe he was also responsible for another murder before fleeing the area. A motive for the killings had not yet been established. 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. JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the shooting deaths of eight people in Joliet after the suspected gunman was found dead by apparent suicide in Texas on Monday night. "We can't get inside his head. We just don't have any clue as to why he did what he did," Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said Tuesday afternoon of the suspected shooter, 23-year-old Romeo Nance. Evans said investigators believe the shooting spree began at two homes across the street from each other in the 2200 block of West Acres Road on Sunday, although the seven people who were killed there were not found until Monday morning. "This incident has had a tremendous impact on the city of Joliet," said Evans. "It's had a tremendous impact on my agency, both mentally and physically." Relationships of the seven dead Five people two girls, ages 14 and 16; two women, Alexandria Nance, 20, and Christine Esters, 38; and a 31-year-old man, Joshua Nance were found dead in one house at 2212 W. Acres Rd., and two people a 35-year-old man, William Esters II; and a 47-year-old woman, Tameka Nance were found dead in the other at 2225 W. Acres Rd., according to Evans and the Will County Coroner's office. Tameka Nance was Romeo Nance's mother, Christine Esters was his aunt, and William Esters was his uncle. He also fatally shot a brother, Joshua Nance, and three sisters, Alexandria Nance and a 16-year-old and 14-year-old whose names were not released. Neighbors said Romeo Nance lived at 2212 W. Acres Rd. "We may never know the truth" Evans said Nance was related to most, if not all, of the people in the two homes, although their exact relationships with one another and Nance are not yet clear. "We're still sorting through that," Evans said. Investigators believe after the shootings on West Acres Road, Nance then shot a 42-year-old man in the leg Sunday afternoon in the 200 block of Davis Street in Joliet. That man was the only victim to survive the shooting spree. "It was nine gunshots," said neighbor Curtis Ellis. "That's a whole clip that he was trying to load in this guy - and lucky that he just didn't hit a vital organ." Around 4:15 p.m. Sunday, surveillance video shows a red Toyota Camry associated with Nance passing by a man taking out his groceries. The driver of the Camry says something to the man taking out the groceries - and then drives to the end of the block before making a U-turn, stopping, and firing nine times. About 10 minutes later, investigators believe Nance shot and killed 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare at the Pheasant Run Apartments complex in unincorporated Joliet Township on Sunday afternoon. Bakare, who was originally from Nigeria and lived in the U.S. for about three years, was found bleeding on the ground from a gunshot wound. He was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Detectives had learned that Bakare had left his home to buy cigarettes at a local gas station when he was shot. While Will County Sheriff's detectives were investigating Bakare's shooting death, they began a search for the red Toyota Camry Nance was believed to be driving. When their search came up empty, authorities set up surveillance at Nance's last known address on the 2200 block of West Acres Road. Monday morning, deputies walked to the home where the Toyota's registered owner lived on West Acres Road, and when they got no answer, they went to a house across the street where a relative of the car's owner lived. Deputies found blood at that home and then went into both houses, where they found a total of seven people dead. Evans said investigators have not yet found a link between the victims on West Acres Road and the other two shootings, nor have they found a motive for any of the slayings. "In many cases like this, we may never know the truth or the motives behind these senseless killings," said Will County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Dan Jungles. Jungles said it's apparent that robbery was not a motive in Bakare's death, noting money was found in the area near his body. Investigators determined Bakare had left his home to buy cigarettes at a local gas station at the time he was killed. Suspect tried to throw investigators off his trail While investigating the murders on Monday, investigators learned Nance likely was on his way to Texas. Investigators believe at some point while he was in Texas, he pulled into a shopping mall parking lot, where he stole the license plates from another car and put them on the Toyota in an attempt to throw investigators off his trail. Working with federal authorities and other law enforcement officials in Texas, a helicopter was able to locate Nance's car on Interstate 35. The local sheriff's office was notified as Nance crossed from Bexar County into Medina County in Texas. He later pulled into a Chubby's Travel Center and Valero gas station in Natalia, Texas, where he fled from his vehicle as law enforcement officials arrived on the scene. U.S. Marshals followed Nance as he ran from the car and rounded the corner of the gas station. Officers and federal agents chased Nance, who later shot and killed himself. "Basically cornered," said Medina County, Texas Sheriff Randy Brown, "and at some point in there, he took his own life." "Mr. Nance's reign of terror on our communities in Will County is now over," Jungles added. "With so much sadness that surrounds these incidents, it is time for our communities to come together and heal." Evans said Nance has an extensive criminal record. Nance's prior arrest records indicated that he was arrested for aggravated discharge of a weapon involving a woman. Court records show Nance was out on bond in connection with that 2023 shooting case and was still awaiting trial. When asked if Joliet Police had ever been called to the homes on West Acres Road for domestic-related calls, Evans would not say. He would only say that Nance had a long criminal background and was known to police. Meanwhile, Evans said during the investigation into the Acres Road murders, they were also looking for a 3-year-old who was unaccounted for but who was later found with family in a nearby community. Police did not say how the toddler was connected to these crimes. President Biden's statement on shooting On Wednesday, President Joe Biden released a statement about the crime saying that he and Jill are praying for the family of the eight victims and the community impacted by the shootings. "Federal law enforcement agencies assisted local law enforcement with the investigation. This tragedy underscores why I am doing everything in my power to keep guns off our streets and out of the hands of those who seek to harm themselves or others," Biden said. "It's why my administration is strengthening the gun background check system and cracking down on gun trafficking through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. It's why I've taken dozens of executive actions to strengthen gun safety and end the gun violence epidemic. And it's why I continue to call on Congress to pass universal background checks and a national red flag law, in addition to other commonsense gun safety measures. It is within our power to stop the epidemic of gun violence tearing our communities apart. Congress must act now." Charles Osgood, longtime host of "Sunday Morning," dies at 91 Breaking down the New Hampshire primary results Trump will win New Hampshire primary, CBS News projects As Russias full-scale war approaches its third year and looks ready to drag on for several more, one topic is dominating the discussion in Ukraine: mobilization. From regional capitals and small villages to the front lines of the east, from the media, the workplace, and the family, Ukraines acute need to mobilize hundreds of thousands more men to stay in the fight against Russia is felt everywhere. With it comes one of the most difficult internal challenges that Ukraine faces in this war: balancing the need to defend the countrys independence from an existential threat with the painful reality of having to take hundreds of thousands of civilians taxpayers, fathers, brothers, husbands, and sons off to war. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pictured during a press conference on the results of 2023 on Dec. 19, 2023, in Kyiv. (Kaniuka Ruslan / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) Although Ukraine has been conducting rolling mobilization since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, the topic soared to the top of the domestic agenda on Dec. 19, when President Volodymyr Zelensky announced at a press conference that the military had requested the mobilization of an additional 450,000-500,000 conscripts. The president understands perfectly well that if he doesn't give the green light to mobilization, soon there will be nobody to fight with, military political analyst and co-founder of the Information Resistance project Oleksandr Kovalenko told the Kyiv Independent. A week later, a new draft law on mobilization was submitted by Ukraines Cabinet of Ministers to the Verkhovna Rada, the countrys parliament. Inside the 72-page document were measures seeking not only to expand the groups of Ukrainian men eligible for the draft, but also to increase the consequences for avoiding it. Once the draft law was made public, debate on its points quickly erupted both in parliament and in society at large, with the Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi holding a special press conference on Dec. 26 to clarify aspects of the document. Despite intense frequent meetings between parliamentary committees and representatives of the military and Defense Ministry, the draft law was sent back to the government for revision on Jan. 11, with lawmakers and experts raising concerns about risks of human rights violations and corruption within the provisions of the document. Unavoidable need In a nondescript yard outside an unfinished building on the outskirts of Dnipro, a dozen people in civilian winter clothes patrol the area with automatic weapons. In groups of six, they practice basic assault exercises, clearing the building with rocks instead of grenades. At this stage in the war, the growing gap between the military and civilians is often talked about, but some units are still trying actively to change that. The group, split evenly between men and women, is taking part in a civilian preparation course organized by the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, designed to teach civilians basic skills in weapons handling, squad-level drills, and tactical medicine. Leading through their paces is a tall, straight-talking combat medic with the callsign Vakula, who declined to give his name as he still has relatives in his occupied home town of Donetsk. Civilians undergo a training course in military readiness run by the Ukrainian Volunteer Army in Dnipro on Nov 21, 2023. (Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent) The courses are not held primarily as a recruiting tool, Vakula said, and so far only one person has chosen to join the units ranks after participating. In people's eyes, even on these courses, I often see some kind of apathy, he said. At first everyone wanted to fight and there weren't enough weapons, but now it's clear that initial fire is gone; if it was still there, the situation on the battlefield would be easier for everyone. By now, both Russia and Ukraine are fighting with armies dominated by mobilized soldiers; the scale of one of the most brutal state-against-state wars since World War II demands it. Much less territory changed hands in 2023 compared to 2022, but at the same time, the intensity of the fighting has only steadily increased, as the two sides commit more and more resources to a struggle that is of existential importance both for Vladimir Putins imperial vision as it is for Ukraine as a nation. In this context, Ukraines need to mobilize hundreds of thousands more soldiers over 2024 is objectively clear, as reflected in the 450,000-500,000 number initially voiced by Zelensky. Newly mobilized soldiers are required both to refill the ranks of units that have suffered casualties in the intense fighting, and to create fresh reserves which can be used either for future offensives or to rotate units that have been exhausted after long stints on the front line. With no current expiry date on the military contracts of mobilized Ukrainians, calls for soldiers eventual demobilization have also become louder recently. The initial draft law presented by the Cabinet of Ministers called for contracts to be set at 36 months, while alternative proposals from opposition parties set the number as low as 18 months. In any case, demobilized soldiers themselves will have to be replaced with more conscripts, Zaluzhnyi noted at his press conference in December. Of course I would want for the people going into the military, especially those already serving, to understand exactly how long they will have to fight for, Zaluzhnyi said. We (the General Staff) agreed on the figure of 36 months with the Defense Ministry, hoping for two things: that there wont be an intensification on the front line, and, most importantly, that there will be somebody to replace these people with. POKROVSK, UKRAINE - JANUARY 8: A Ukrainian serviceman walks along the platform of the train station, in Pokrovsk, Ukraine on Jan. 8, 2024. The villages surrounding the city of Kramatorsk, especially near the area of Bakhmut, are in constant threat of incoming Russian air strikes. (Ignacio Marin/Anadolu via Getty Images) For soldiers like Vakula, who is nearing two years of service, the mobilization debate sharply reflects how differently soldiers and civilians carry the burden of the war. People need to be reminded that the war isn't over yet, he said. We are tired of the war just like them, but while their tired selves can come home to a warm bed, our tired selves will get an order to reload the mortar, fire off a few more rounds and return to our freezing dugout. Read also: Its their turn now: Ukrainians call on government to demobilize exhausted soldiers fighting for nearly two years Tricky compromise The tone for Ukraines difficult mobilization debate was first set at Zelenskys press conference, before the draft law was introduced. "This is a serious number. I said I need more arguments to support this direction," the president said, when first revealing the militarys alleged target of 450,000-500,000. I also want to defend civilians for one second, he later added. When we are talking about mobilization, it takes six civilians paying taxes to provide for one fighter. Later, in an interview with Channel 4 published on Jan. 20, Zelensky once again argued that the 500,000 figure would be too much. These comments established the ground rules for the passing of new mobilization legislation: this was to be a compromise between the military with their clear need for laws to help them expand the mobilization process, and the civilian leadership looking to protect the interests of civilians from outwardly draconian or unconstitutional measures. This draft law needs to take shape through tight cooperation between the country's military and political leadership, said Kovalenko. This is a very difficult discussion because often politicians don't understand military matters and vice versa. Rustem Umerov stands in the Ukrainian parliament during voting on his nomination as the Ukrainian defense minister in Kyiv on Sept. 6, 2023. (Photo by Andrii Nesterenko/AFP via Getty Images) Reaching consensus was made even more difficult due to the fact that within the parliament, further disagreements arose between different political parties, each looking to present themselves as pushing a version of the law more likely to please future voters. By Jan. 9, when negotiations in the committees were still ongoing, five separate versions of the draft law had been put forward by different groups of lawmakers. To imagine the Verkhovna Rada without political games is difficult, said Roman Lozynskyi, a lawmaker from the Justice (Spravedlyvist) parliamentary group, who served in the Armed Forces for a year at the onset of the full-scale war, to the Kyiv Independent. Even though the country has been in a full-scale war for almost two years, politicians are, according to the laws of nature, still thinking about their future, their rating, and so on, he said. This affects the making of unpopular decisions, nobody wants to take responsibility for that. The initial draft law contained several key measures to standardize and widen the scope for mobilization, most of which were quickly contested in the parliamentary committees. These included the lowering of the draft age from 27 to 25 with basic military service compulsory between 18-25, the removal of exemption for men in the least severe disability group, the involvement of local government in the conscription process, and the addition of draft dodgers to the debtors register. ZAPORIZHZHIA, UKRAINE - JULY 12: Military instructor checks the military equipment on a boy during lecture for civilians on July 12, 2023 in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine. Military training instructor of non-governmental organization "Plast" together with soldiers of Armed Forces of Ukraine conducted personal combat equipment and weapons lecture for civilians. (Elena Tita/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images) Concerns were raised in both the committees and by Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets that some of the measures enclosed not only risked facilitating corruption, but violated the countrys constitution. According to lawmaker Anastasiia Radina, who heads the parliaments Anti-Corruption Committee, parts of the draft law which created particular risk for corrupt activities included the involvement of local government in mobilization activities, as well as the section concerning the debtors register. The head of the enlistment office should not be able to enter someone into the register the day after not showing up (after all, that could have a good reason), while not noticing someone else for months, Radina wrote on Facebook. Another contentious element of the document was the introduction of electronic summons notices, making use of Ukraines world-leading electronic government services infrastructure. Although some of the alternative draft laws proposed to do away with the cause on electronic summonses, parliament quietly passed a separate law to create a unified electronic database for draft-eligible men. I think that all these technical questions in the draft law can be sorted out with a compromise, said Lozynskyi. Was the draft law in good shape to be accepted in the first reading? No. There weren't enough closed, non-politicized discussions around it. There wasn't enough input from different bodies, including the military. Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support Us Fear of the streets While its the battlefield units that need the new recruits and the parliamentarians that must agree on the laws of mobilization, the task of physically conscripting civilians falls to the most-maligned state institutions in Ukraine: local enlistment offices. These facilities, which fall under the purview of the Armed Forces, itself under the authority of the Defense Ministry, were inundated with young Ukrainians eager to fight in the first days of the full-scale invasion. Those days are long gone. The job of taking civilians to war is unenviable on its own, but their public image across the country is made worse by a reputation for corruption and methods that are often brash, and sometimes even violent. In August 2023, Zelensky personally dismissed all of the regional enlistment office heads, a response to the nations contempt for the institution after many cases of abuse and corruption, including that of the Odesa regional head, who had bought property worth millions of dollars in Spain during the war. On the ground, the move seemed to do little to change the culture or practices of the enlistment officers. In scenes reminiscent of the forced mobilization of young men by Russian proxy forces in the occupied territories, videos regularly emerge on social media of Ukrainian men being packed into minibuses by armed, uniformed enlistment officers. Many men eligible for the draft subscribe to local Telegram channels that warn residents of where summons notices are being handed out. According to one local enlistment officer in the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv, over 21,000 locals were subscribed to such a channel in the city as of July 2023, roughly equivalent to the number of those who had dodged the draft. I don't go out onto the street at all, said Mykhailo, a 31-year-old resident of the western Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi, whose first name has been changed to protect his identity. For Mykhailo, an IT specialist who says he regularly donates to the Armed Forces through trusted fundraisers, the choice to remain at home is driven by a surreal double motivation, to avoid not only being drafted on the street, but also the moral guilt of enjoying oneself outside as a military-aged male. I remember someone saying that if you don't join the army, have some respect, don't go hanging out at cafes, restaurants and ski resorts, and so on, he said. I understand how it limits me, but if I were to walk around the city, the kind of things that the recruiting officers are doing could happen to me too. Among others, Chernivtsi Oblast has been notorious for scandals involving the alleged misconduct of enlistment officers. On Jan. 19, local media reported the alleged kidnapping of two musicians from Kyiv by recruiters in Chernivtsi, who claimed they were severely beaten and forced to undertake a military medical. From the perspective of ordinary people, it is scary; when you have these assaults of shopping centers and so on, sometimes in masks why are they hiding their faces? said Mykhailo. It just looks like pure kidnapping of people to be honest. Ukrainian cadets attend a ceremony for taking the military oath at The National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, in Kyiv, on Sept. 8, 2023. (Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) On top of the physical manhandling often involved, the military medicals conducted at the offices have also gained a poor reputation for neglect and corruption. Mykhailo, who often suffers from chronic pain after a spinal injury, worries that he could be forced into a military role that not only makes no use of his IT skills, but could be completely unsuitable given his conditions. Maybe I would be ready to go to the medical commission if I could be sure that they would take my physical conditions into account, he said, and not just say 'You're fine' and put me on, for example, a machine gun, because that would be certain death. Although the work of the enlistment centers has significant bearing on societys attitudes to mobilization as a whole, changing this was not a prominent element of the initial draft law. Of course, these scandals with the enlistment centers and officers don't help, said Kovalenko. In a country fighting a full-scale war, the recruiters' legal powers to do their job should be expanded significantly, but there should also be clear boundaries set, and this isn't being done, which makes everything worse. For many Ukrainian men, even beyond all the issues with the enlistment process, other reasons make the basic prospect of going to war a distressing one. In Mykhailos case, this is the imminent birth of his first child. I understand that the war will be long, he said. If they take me to the military now for some unknown, indefinite period of time... I don't want my daughter to look at me like some kind of unknown uncle. There are many, many people who have the same concerns. Read also: From the heroic to the mundane: 12 hours of positional war near Bakhmut No other option As of late January 2024, the expected new version of the draft law has yet to be presented; Defense Ministry representatives have said that it will likely arrive in the first week of February. There is a lot of work being done now; the Defense Ministry in particular is making a colossal effort to make the next draft law as strong as possible, said Lozynskyi; lots of MPs and experts from outside politics are part of this effort as well. We don't have months or years to discuss this, our enemy continues to attack and we must take steps to ensure the rotation of the people who have been defending the country for two years already. Swedish-made Archer Howitzer operated by Ukrainian members of the 45th Artillery Brigade fires toward Russian positions, in the Donetsk region, on January 20, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images) With battlefield prospects darkening and internal politics returning with a vengeance, the way Ukraine grapples with the challenge of mobilization looks to serve as a litmus test for the countrys ability to handle the enduring pressure of the war as a whole. It's not a conflict of interests, it's a conflict of worldviews, said Kovalenko. The military understands very well what war is and how it could end for the country, while many civilians have gotten used to this new ordinary life, and they don't want to face the reality that everyone needs to be ready to fight. UItimately, so long as Russia continues to attack and Ukraine continues to resist, the reality that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilian men must enter the ranks of the military is unavoidable. A lot of people don't quite understand the need for mobilization, maybe they think that the war is far away and they (the military) can manage fine, Kovalenko added; they don't think about what could happen to the country if they don't manage. Note from the author: Hi, this is Francis Farrell, cheers for reading this article, it was not an easy one to write; being involved in the war and supporting your country to the best of your abilities is one thing, but having the threat of being killed in trench warfare hanging over you personally is another entirely. However difficult the topic, we won't shy away from it. Please consider supporting our reporting. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. BOSTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) The Michigan PFAS Action Response Team will host a public meeting Tuesday to answer questions and talk about the PFAS contamination at the former Lowell City Landfill. Elevated levels of two forms of PFAS were reported in the groundwater last month at the site, which is approximately 0.75 miles south of the Grand River. The property along Ware Road was used as a landfill from 1958 through 1983 but was shut down due to improper management and maintenance practices. The City of Lowell has been conducting environmental testing on the site since 2019. According to MPART, samples collected in July showed levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid at 18 parts per trillion. The safety standard for groundwater is 16 ppt. Levels of perfluorooctanoic acid were found at 26 ppt, well above the state safety standard of 8 ppt. Because of the test results, the city has agreed to expand its testing radius to include nearby private wells, specifically near Deerhaven Park Drive and Valley Vista Drive. Long-lasting PFAS chemical compounds have made headlines for years in West Michigan as more contamination sites are found, and scientists learn more about the health impacts of the chemical compounds. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a large group of compounds first developed in the 1940s and incorporated into all sorts of products for waterproofing and heat resistance. Decades later, research showed that PFAS compounds take a long time to break down organically and can build up in the human body, causing serious health problems including cancer. Tuesdays meeting is set to start at 6 p.m. at Lowell City Hall. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. California Air National Guard MQ-9 Reaper drones were prepared to sink a rocket booster with Hellfire missiles after a test in December, but it slipped beneath the waves on its own. Air National Guard MQ-9 Reaper drones were armed and ready, if they had been required, to sink a rocket booster off the coast of California as part of a missile defense test last month . The Reapers were ostensibly on station to help ensure the booster, which was from a Ground-Based Interceptor , slipped beneath the waves and did not become a hazard to maritime traffic. The two California Air National Guard MQ-9 Reapers that supported the Missile Defense Agency's test in December 2023. Air National Guard The California Air National Guard's 163rd Attack Wing has confirmed its unusual participation in the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Flight Test Ground-based Midcourse Defense 12 (FTG-12) test on December 11, 2023, to The War Zone. FTG-12 saw an improved version of the Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California successfully take-down an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) target equipped with countermeasures. You can read more about FTG-12 and its core objectives here . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxRDK2SYSlg Two MQ-9s were present to observe the rocket boosters reentry into the working area and watched it land in the water and quickly sink thereafter. Both aircraft were positioned in opposite sectors to ensure adequate viewpoints from all angles and were able to capture the entire flight path and landing spot of the rocket booster," Maj. Shanna Ream, one of the drone pilots who took part in the mission, told The War Zone. "The requirement from MDA was to observe the sinking of the booster and, if it did not, to use weapons to ensure that it sunk." A graphic showing the core components of a GBI, including the first stage rocket booster, which falls away after launch. The upper stages then carry the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) to a designated point outside of the Earth's atmosphere where it is released. The EKV then maneuvers itself to intercept the target missile, destroying it by physically smashing into it at high speed. MDA capture The California Air National Guard has released pictures showing laser-guided AGM-114R Hellfire missiles being loaded onto one of the 163rd's MQ-9s at March Air Reserve Base in California prior to the drones launching in support of FTG-12. March, where the 163rd is based, is situated some 195 miles southeast of Vandenberg. Where exactly the booster came down in the Pacific is unknown. Members of the 163rd Attack Wing load AGM-114R Hellfire missiles onto an MQ-9 as part of the mission to support MDA's FTG-12 test. Air National Guard Air National Guard Air National Guard In the end, "our aircraft did not need to fire any weapons to ensure the rocket booster sunk. It was not necessary because the rocket booster was assessed by MDA and observing MQ-9s to have sunk on its own," Maj. Ream added. "The aircraft utilized multi-spectral targeting systems and synthetic aperture radar to provide accurate assessments of the booster's position and disposal." The standard sensor fit on MQ-9s includes a Raytheon MTS-B sensor turret and a General Atomics Lynx radar. The MTS-B turret has a mix of electro-optical and infrared cameras, as well as a laser target designator that also has laser rangefinder and laser spot marker functionality. Lynx is a multi-mode radar with synthetic aperture imaging, ground moving target indicator, and maritime search capabilities. All of these capabilities would have come in useful for tracking GBI booster after its launch from Vandenberg and following its subsequent impact in the Pacific off the California. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QugrRRxirC0 High-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images stitched together of a location on land (at left) and an inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) image of two ships (at right), both captured with the Lynx radar. General Atomics "This was the first-ever mission opportunity for the MQ-9 community working with MDA on a rocket booster disposal," according to Maj. Ream. That armed Reapers were deployed in this role at all is interesting. Back in 2018, there was a report that the U.S. Air Force had helped sink a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster after it ended up in the Atlantic Ocean following a launch from what is now Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. At the time, The War Zone highlighted how the booster could present a hazard to maritime traffic and that sinking it could have provide a valuable over-water live-fire training mission for one or more Air Force units. SpaceX later denied any Air Force involvement in the incident and said the booster broke up and sunk before it could be towed back to shore. A subsequent unconfirmed report said that, while the Air Force had been considered for the job, SpaceX had ultimately hired a private contractor to intentionally blow up the booster at sea. Still, The War Zone's previous point stands and 163rd's actual support for MDA's FTG-12 test last month can only have provided at least some useful experience in tracking targets at sea and being prepared to engage them. Back in 2015, the Air Force demonstrated the ability of an MQ-9 to destroy a boat at sea with a Hellfire for the first time. More recently, the U.S. military been exploring expanding the use of MQ-9s in maritime roles , including in support of anti-submarine operations . This is part of broader explorations of how non-stealthy Reapers might be able to contribute in future high-end conflicts , with a particular eye toward a potential large scale fight in the Pacific against China. A contractor-operated MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a maritime operations optimized variant of the MQ-9 Reaper, flies over the U.S. Navy's Independence class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS Coronado during an exercise in 2021. USN Depending on exactly where the GBI booster came down, the 163rd's support to FTG-12 could have also helped with ensuring that malign foreign actors, like the Chinese or Russian governments, couldn't recover it or that there is nothing useful to glean if they did. As noted, the California Air National Guard's Reapers "provide[d] accurate assessments of the booster's position and disposal," even though they didn't fire any Hellfire missiles at it in the end. GBI is the interceptor component of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system , the U.S. military's highest-end missile defense system. Information about GMD would be of great interest to America's strategic competitors and other adversaries. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see whether or not being on call to blow up rocket boosters or other materiel at sea after missile tests becomes a routine tasking for Air Force Reapers. Contact the author: joe@thedrive.com A Gulfport woman accused of killing her son and stuffing his body in a wooden box first served time for a Florida homicide in the 1990s. Jerri Lynn Isreal, 66, is currently jailed in Harrison County on a first-degree murder charge in the death of her son, John Allen Gaither, 42. Since the arrest, the Sun Herald reviewed court records and other filings to get a detailed history of Isreals run-ins with law enforcement over the years. The search outlines the criminal history of Isreal after police found a big box containing Gaithers remains at Isreals home on 16th Avenue near 22nd Street. The discovery of Gaithers body came in the aftermath of her reporting that Gaither was missing, authorities said. Isreal filed the missing person report after pressure from Gaithers father and another family member to do so, an official involved in the investigation said. Gaithers last known sighting was on Dec. 10, and his mother reported him missing on Dec. 22. During the investigation that followed, Gulfport police said Israel made several conflicting statements about her missing son, and that ultimately resulted in police obtaining a warrant to search her home in the 2200 block of 16th Avenue in Gulfport. According to Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer, Gaithers body was covered in clothes and other trash in a large box against a wall in a bedroom at the home. It was concealed by a large piece of some type of wood sheet, possibly plywood, in such a way that the wood looked like the actual wall in the room. Gaithers body, Switzer said, appeared to have trauma to the head, and autopsy completed late Monday showed in died of a single gunshot wound. Search warrant Gulfport police learned during the missing person investigation that Isreal had spent time in a Florida prison for murder and decided to get a search warrant for her home on 16th Avenue near 22nd Street. After the body was discovered, Switzer said the woman said she wanted to grab her medicine before she accompanied Gulfport police to the station for questioning. Instead of grabbing her medicine to leave, Switzer said, Isreal ingested a bunch of pills and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. She is now being held in Harrison County on a first-degree murder charge, and the investigation is continuing. In addition to the mother and son living at the home, Isreal had an older boyfriend who had been staying there but wasnt around at the time of the search. A records check shows Isreal had various run-ins with law enforcement for decades. Multiple names She was known for using various names over the years and usually sought out men with money that she could purportedly live off of and steal from, relatives told authorities. She had lived in different parts of Florida, Maryland and South Carolina over the years before making her home in Gulfport. She spent most of her time in Florida in different cities, such as West Palm Beach, Union, Silver Springs, and Langley Park, though she also spent time in parts of North Carolina at times. Israel started getting in and out of trouble, mostly during her time in Florida, where she spent time in and out of jail or prison for drug possession and drug trafficking. But in July 1993, Isreal, who then went by the name of Jerri Lynn Gaither, became the suspect in the shooting death of a woman Isreal reportedly bought the prescription painkiller, Percodan, from. Isreal shot and killed her alleged dealer, Christina P. Racey, 44, of Boca Raton, Florida, in July 1993, the records show. Isreal first tried to blame a then-boyfriend for the killing, but he was later cleared of any wrongdoing. According to the records check, Isreal shot and killed Racey over her jacking up the prices to buy the prescription pills. Murder arrest After the killing, Isreal drove around for days with the womans body in the trunk of her car before dumping the body in Indian River County, Florida, according to a report in the Sun Sentinel. After her arrest for first-degree murder in Raceys death, a Florida judge granted Isreal a $100,000 bond, but she jumped bail after her release. The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Isreal on June 5, 1995, after stopping a leased car she was driving for having a phony plastic tag. A few months later, Isreal went before a judge in Palm Beach County, Florida, where she pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of second-degree murder in the killing. A judge sentenced her to serve 17 years for Raceys murder. A judge in Palm Beach County, Florida, sentenced Isreal, then known as Gaither, in 1995 to serve 17 years in prison for a reduced charge of second-degree murder in Raceys killing. Since then, Isreal, who used various other names over the years, ended up in Mississippi, and her son, Gaither, had started living with her. Those who lived near the family said Isreal seemed nice but said she and her son mostly kept to themselves and were usually spotted doing things in the yard. An older man has also been living at the home with Isreal in Gulfport, though his identity is not yet known. Meanwhile, the homicide investigation is continuing, with other arrests possible. 66-year-old woman charged with murder after police find body in box at Gulfport home The state of Mississippi argues that a man on death row is out of legal remedies, but his attorneys say there is so much that hasn't been explored in his case. Willie Jerome Manning was convicted of capital murder in 1994 for the deaths of Mississippi State University students Tiffany Miller and Jon Steckler. He was sentenced to death and has been on death row for the past 30 years. The attorney general's office asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to set an execution date for Manning, despite knowledge of the pending court petition and testimony that could potentially be discredited. Attorney General Lynn Fitch said in court documents the alleged new evidence questioning the witness testimony was introduced 10 years ago, so is not new. Mississippi State Attorney General Lynn Fitch "Mannings barred and meritless petition is merely an attempt to create an impediment to setting his execution date," the attorney general's office wrote. The Office of Capital Post-Conviction Counsel said setting a date for Manning's execution is not appropriate at this time. "As a whole, the States position on this issue is like arguing that once the earth has been declared flat, Manning is precluded from ever proving that the earth is round because there were some critics of the flat earth theory at the time of trial," Manning's attorney said. Manning maintains that he did not commit the murders, but testimony given at trial pointed to his guilt. One witness said Manning told him he killed the students and an expert witness may have testified with information that has been proven questionable. According to court documents, one of the state's witnesses, Earl Jordan, said in a 2013 affidavit that he was pressured into saying Manning told Jordan that Manning murdered the students. Jordan told then-investigators with the Public Defenders Office David Voisin and Sheila O'Flaherty that he never heard Manning confess to the slayings. In addition, new evidence from firearms expert William Tobin questions the accuracy of forensic science in firearms examinations. "Ultimately, in light of the newly discovered evidence including recanted, unreliable testimony; no physical evidence tying Manning to the crime; and all that has been discovered about the field of firearms/toolmark evidence Mannings conviction is indefensible. It is so indefensible, in fact, that even the best of the States response still ejects poorly calibrated contentions," Manning's attorney Krissy Nobile wrote in her reply to the state's response regarding Manning's petition. The Mississippi Supreme Court will decide at a later date whether to grant Manning's request for oral arguments. It is also considering whether to allow further investigation into Robert Simon Jr., also convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in a separate case. Simon's attorneys are challenging his mental capacity and ability to understand what it means to be executed. Fitch is seeking execution dates for both men. Do you have a story to share? Contact Lici Beveridge at lbeveridge@gannett.com. Follow her on X @licibev or Facebook at facebook.com/licibeveridge. This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Death row seeks oral arguments in Mississippi Supreme Court From attacks by rebels in the Red Sea to raids in northern Israel and the Oct. 7, 2023, assault by Hamas, Western analysts have pointed a finger of blame toward Iran. Regardless of how involved Tehran is directly in the planning and carrying out of such incidents, the accusations get at a broader truth: In Middle Eastern geopolitics, Irans strategy of aligning with violent nonstate actors notably Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen influences the regional balance of power. As experts in Irans relationship with its network of proxies, we understand that Irans connection with each group is distinct yet interlinked, revealing Tehrans regional objectives. From southern Lebanon to Gaza to Yemen, these alliances shape the political landscape and highlight the nature of influence and control in proxy warfare. It serves as a counterweight to Irans relatively limited conventional military capabilities, forming a key part of its foreign policy. Irans Axis of Resistance Managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Irans paramilitary security service that answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, these regional groups form what Tehran has labeled the Axis of Resistance. The relationship between the groups and Tehran is designed to serve as a balance against both U.S. influence in the region and that of Washingtons regional allies, including Israel and Saudi Arabia. But to characterize the Axis of Resistance as straight proxies is slightly off. Rather, Irans approach spanning Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen and the Palestinian territories is to extend its influence through strategic partnerships. While based on shared objectives and ideologies, these alliances allow varying degrees of autonomy. Iran provides resources and coordination, but each group maintains its own agenda and local support base, functioning more as partners than proxies. And the relationship between Iran and each member of this Axis of Resistance is unique. Hezbollah: Irans pivotal partner Established in the early 1980s, Hezbollah a Shiite militant organization emerged with direct assistance from Irans Revolutionary Guard, primarily as a response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Aiming to establish an Iranian-influenced base on Israels border, Tehran provided training, financial support and weaponry, bolstering Hezbollahs growth and capabilities. This collaboration has led to Hezbollah developing a sophisticated arsenal, including advanced drone technology, chemical weapons and expanded rocket capabilities. As a result of its involvement in the Syrian civil war and ongoing hostilities with Israel, Hezbollah has professionalized its military. By deploying troops to support the Syrian government in line with Irans support for the regime, Hezbollah has transitioned from guerrilla tactics to more conventional warfare. Additionally, its ongoing conflict with Israel has sharpened its military strategy and capabilities. This helped elevate Hezbollah to a notable political and military role within Lebanons government, which has frequently aligned with Irans geopolitical interests. This evolution has also enabled Hezbollah to become a mentor and supporter for other Iran-backed groups. Hezbollah has imparted its expertise in drone operations to organizations such as Fatemiyoun in Afghanistan, Iraqs Kataib Hezbollah and Houthi fighters. The relationship between Tehran and Hezbollah has deepened over the years, evolving from mere assistance to a robust strategic alliance. The entities share goals, strategies and materials. The close relationship between Hezbollahs Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and Irans Khamenei further cements this alliance. Despite Irans considerable influence, particularly in regional conflicts, Hezbollah retains autonomy in domestic Lebanese politics and its social services. This Hezbollah-Iran alliance is arguably more significant than Irans relationship with other proxies and is instrumental in Tehrans regional strategy. It not only extends Irans influence in the Middle East but also serves as a counterbalance to its adversaries, notably Israel and Saudi Arabia. Hamas: United against Israel Emerging in the first intifada, or Palestinian uprising, of 1987, Hamas forged ties with Iran in the early 1990s. Despite the ideological differences Hamas is predominantly Sunni Islamist, while Iran is a hard-line Shiite regime they found common ground in their opposition to Israel and a shared vision for Palestinian liberation. Irans backing of Hamas includes financial aid, military training and, crucially, the supply of rocket technology. This funding has escalated Hamas operational capabilities, enabling the development of a more sophisticated and far-reaching rocket arsenal. Irans support has shifted the balance in Hamas conflict with Israel, demonstrating Irans influential role in regional power dynamics. The alignment between Iran and Hamas, however, has fluctuated. In 2012, differences over the Syrian civil war introduced a rift in their relationship. Hamas tacit support for Sunni rebels in Syria was at odds with Irans allegiance to the Assad regime, leading to a temporary withdrawal of Iranian support. However, this strain was not permanent. In subsequent years, the Iran-Hamas relationship was realigned and reinforced, evidenced by Irans resumption of substantial military aid. The sophisticated planning and execution of the Oct. 7 attack showed how Hamas has been able to improve its military capacity with a helping hand from Iran. Nonetheless, the group maintains a degree of political and strategic independence, primarily focusing on Palestinian interests. This dynamic reflects Irans broader regional strategy: to empower allied groups in extending its reach, while granting them autonomy to pursue specific agendas. Houthis: Strategic ally against Saudi Arabia Emerging in the 1990s in Yemen as a Zaidi Shia Islamist group, the Houthi movement initially focused on religious and cultural revivalism before progressively becoming engaged in Yemens political and military arenas. A Houthi supporter in Sanaa, Yemen. Mohammed Hamoud/Anadolu via Getty Images Fueled by grievances against the central government and foreign interference in Yemen, the group shifted to an armed rebellion. This evolution was marked by growing confrontations with the Yemeni government and involvement in a wider regional conflict against a coalition led by Irans regional rival, Saudi Arabia. This set the stage for their alliance with Tehran. The Houthis alignment with Iran was spurred by shared religious beliefs as well as opposition to both Saudi Arabia and the U.S. The collaboration with Iran gained momentum following the Houthis capture of Yemens capital Sanaa in 2014 a move that is believed to have triggered an escalation in Iranian support. Support from Tehran came in the shape of sophisticated weaponry, military training and financial aid, and it has substantially enhanced the Houthis missile and drone capabilities. The Houthis have utilized this growing capability to challenge Saudi Arabia and, more recently, Israel Empowered by Iranian support, the Houthis have expanded their operations to include assaults on U.S. and other international vessels in the Red Sea. Despite the depth of Iranian support, the Houthis retain a level of autonomy, specifically in local Yemeni politics. While Irans influence is notable, it does not translate into outright control. Instead, the Houthis are positioned more as strategic allies within Irans regional agenda rather than mere proxies. Irans expanding influence Irans proxy network, which extends to groups in Iraq, Syria and beyond, is a key part of Tehrans strategy to expand its influence and confront that of Washington and its allies. These partnerships, though seldom involving absolute control, also demonstrate Irans adeptness in navigating geopolitical landscapes. The Axis of Resistance allows Iran to adapt its strategy to shifting regional dynamics. For example, positioning Hamas under the Revolutionary Guards guidance fits a strategy to confront Israel as regional dynamics shift toward normalization between Israel and Arab states. Such partnerships also pose a challenge to Irans adversaries. Deterring these proxy groups requires navigating a complex web of relationships, interests and ongoing conflicts. And this complexity, coupled with Irans pivotal role, has reshaped the Middle Easts geopolitical landscape, signaling a period of heightened tensions with broad international implications. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Sara Harmouch, American University and Nakissa Jahanbani, United States Military Academy West Point. Read more: The views, conclusions, and recommendations in this article are the authors own and do not reflect those of the Department of Defense or the U.S. government. Sara Harmouch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A natural gas leak prompted the evacuation of several homes in Longview, Washington on Monday. However, the leak has since been controlled and the residents were allowed to return to their homes, according to Cowlitz County Fire officials. Firefighters initially responded to a gas leak reported near the 200 block of Inglewood Dr. shortly after 10 a.m. Monday. After the area was isolated and evacuated by the Cowlitz 2 Fire and Rescue crew, crews from Cascade Natural Gas responded to the scene, eventually securing the underground gas line, officials said. Storm-damaged PPS schools may be closed until mid-February The leak was originally reported by an excavator operator who called 911. The operator mistakenly caused the leak by puncturing a gas line, recognized the smell and immediately alerted authorities, officials said. The area has now been deemed safe, the residents returned and no one was injured. Fire officials warn anyone digging to call 811 first in case there are utilities underground and to call 911 if the scent of gas is detected. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. It's finally open. After months of anticipation, NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission has achieved a significant milestone by successfully accessing the treasure trove of asteroid material that the probe collected during its billion-mile journey. On January 10, a group of NASA technicians finally removed two stubborn fasteners that had locked away the precious cargo, allowing scientists unprecedented access to the asteroid material, according to a NASA statement . The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made history in September 2023 when it became the first U.S. mission to return an asteroid sample to Earth. The sample was stored securely within a return capsule, tantalizingly close but out of reach due to two stuck fasteners that the team's limited number of approved tools were unable to pry open. Related: NASA's 1st asteroid sample is rich in carbon and water, OSIRIS-REx team finds While 70.3 grams (2.48 ounces) of material had already been accessed from the outside of the sampler head , known as the Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM), the bulk of the asteroid sample material remained trapped within the capsule. According to NASA's statement, the bulk of the asteroid material is now accessible after two of the 35 fasteners on TAGSAM that could not be removed using the existing tools approved for use inside the OSIRIS-REx sample container were finally freed. a person in a clean suit and gloves reaches into a glass box to use an L-shaped tool on a round, silver cannister With the fasteners finally removed, the astromaterials curation team at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will proceed with disassembling the TAGSAM head to access the remaining asteroid material. This material includes dust and rocks of up to about 0.4 inches (one cm) in size. The final mass of the sample will be determined in the coming weeks. NASA plans to release a catalog of all the Bennu samples later this year, which will enable scientists and institutions worldwide to submit requests for research or display, opening up new avenues of scientific exploration. Related Stories: Dramatic sampling shows asteroid Bennu is nothing like scientists expected Seeing NASA's OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample up close at the Smithsonian was surreal OSIRIS-APEX prepares for 1st close solar encounter on way to asteroid Apophis Asteroid Bennu, believed to be a primitive space rock dating back to the early days of our solar system, has the potential to provide invaluable insights into the formation and evolution of celestial bodies. Studying samples collected from its surface could unlock essential clues about our cosmic neighborhood, furthering our understanding of the universe's mysteries. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft that collected the samples, meanwhile, has changed names and missions. Now called OSIRIS-APEX , the probe is on a five-year journey to study the asteroid Apophis named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos as it approaches our planet. A low-flying jet is expected to be seen and heard over the central San Joaquin Valley in California on Tuesday. The DC-8 headed out from NASAs Armstrong Flight Research Center for a days worth of flight as part of an air-quality field study. According to NASA, the aircraft was to be in the Valley mid-morning through early afternoon. While the jet is flying at altitudes safe to the public, wildlife and infrastructure, it will still be loud, especially to those with sensitivities. The aircraft was still in Southern California, near Lancaster, as of 11 a.m., according to NASAs real-time flight tracking. Air Force combat exercises Beginning Wednesday, the Air Forces Air Combat Command will have training exercises running in various locations across the western United States, including Fresno. The 144th Fighter Wing based in Fresno is not participating directly in the training. We are expecting military aircraft to take off and land at the Fresno Yosemite International Airport, but the 144th Fighter Wing does not have a direct role in this exercise, Capt. Jason Sanchez said. The 144th Fighter Wing will continue routine operations while the exercise is occurring. During the exercises, residents can expect an increase in Air Force personnel and military takeoffs and landings. In a statement, the Air Combat Command headquarters said residents may also hear loud attack warning tones (similar to a tornado warning) and simulated battle noises. The bi-annual exercises are expected to last 10 days. An illustration depicts NASA's IXPE satellite pointed at a nebula in space with three identical X-ray optics imagers at top, sensors at bottom and solar arrays. Collaborating with the Italian Space Agency, the NASA team launched it into orbit 372 miles above the Earth in 2021. Illustration courtesy of NASA Jan. 23 (UPI) -- The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer team at NASA has been awarded a prestigious prize in the field of high-energy astronomy. Along with their teams, retired NASA astrophysicist Martin Weisskopf and Italian Space Agency principal investigator Paolo Soffitta were awarded the 2024 Bruno Rossi Prize by the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society for IXPE's development. Collaborating with the Italian Space Agency, the NASA team launched the telescope into orbit 372 miles above the Earth in December 2021. It gave scientists a better look at quasars, pulsars and black holes, among other study targets in space, in the hope of learning more about how the universe works. "IXPE is a realization of decades of work and belief in the importance of X-ray polarization measurements for X-ray astronomy," Weisskopf, who served as IXPE's principal investigator before he retired in 2022, said in a statement released by NASA. Weisskopf previously had received in 2004 the Rossi Prize -- annually awarded for recent and significant contributions to high-energy astrophysics -- for his work to develop and fly NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, which continues to study high-energy X-ray phenomena across the cosmos. An illustration depicts NASA's IXPE satellite (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer in space with three identical X-ray optics imagers at top, sensors at bottom and solar arrays. Illustration courtesy of NASA "IXPE is the demonstration of how an idea pursued for more than 30 years has been transformed into a successful mission, thanks to the collaboration between the United States and Italy," said Soffitta from Italy's space agency. In May next year, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft to capture minuscule dust particles streaming into our solar system from interstellar space, in hopes of studying the very building blocks of our cosmic backyard. The primary goal of the mission, called the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe ( IMAP ), is to study the huge, sun-created bubble known as the heliosphere that surrounds our solar system. The heliosphere shields Earth and other planets from cosmic radiation entering our solar system from the outside. IMAP will carry 10 science instruments for in situ and remote observations. One of them, the large, drum-shaped Interstellar Dust Experiment (IDEX), is designed to capture and analyze tiny dust particles from outer space that penetrate through the heliosphere and into our solar system . "They're little packets of information from long ago and far, far away," Scott Tucker, the project manager for IDEX at University of Colorado, Boulder, said in a statement . Related: NASA's IMAP probe will study the solar system's protective bubble Scientists once regarded these dust particles as annoying interrupters of measurements of accurate distances to the stars . But they're now seen to harbor valuable information about the formation of galaxies, molecular clouds and planets. These cosmic flecks form in stars and are blasted into space via explosive stellar deaths known as supernovae . They ferry valuable information about the formation processes of their stars, and also about other processes they become part of as they travel through the space between stars. So, despite their altered morphologies as they zip through deep space, "they're still the closest material we have for understanding the original building blocks of the solar system," according to Mihaly Horanyi, who is the IDEX principal investigator and a professor at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at UC Boulder. Capturing these particles is not easy, as they span a few millionths of an inch and travel at about 100,000 mph (160,000 kph). "We've got to take both really fast and large particles and smaller and slower particles and measure them with the same instrument," said Tucker. RELATED STORIES: Interstellar space: What is it and where does it begin? Fresh interstellar dust discovered in the snows of Antarctica NASA's Stardust mission brings cosmic dust to Earth (photos) Once the IMAP probe reaches its destination Lagrange Point 1 , about 1 million miles (1.6 million kilometers) from Earth IDEX will open its 20-inch-wide (51 centimeters) aperture to capture dust zipping by, "a bit like a humpback whale scooping up krill," reads a statement by UC Boulder, where IDEX was built. When these particles smash into IDEX, they'll vaporize into "a cloud of ions" that the instrument will analyze, shedding light on their chemical makeup. Since these dust grains are so sparsely distributed in our solar system, scientists say the IMAP probe may collect only a few hundred of them across its two-year operational lifetime. Last week, the science instrument, including a plaque engraved with the names of at least 87 team members, was loaded onto a delivery truck for its destination at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, where it will be installed on board the IMAP spacecraft. The mission is currently scheduled for launch between April and May next year. A NATO flag flies at the NATO Foreign Ministers' Meeting. NATO has announced contracts worth more than a billion euros with companies in Germany and France to supply 155-millimetre artillery ammunition. Daniel Naupold/dpa NATO has announced contracts worth more than a billion euros with companies in Germany and France to supply 155-millimetre artillery ammunition. The first orders will be delivered "within 24 to 36 months," said the director of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), Stacy Cummings, in a press conference at the military alliance's headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday. According to NATO sources, the contracts worth 1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) should enable the purchase of more than 220,000 shells. The 155-millimetre shells can be used in Caesar and Panzerhaubitze 2000 weapon systems, both of which are being used in Ukraine against invading Russian forces. The companies that have been awarded the contracts are reportedly the French company Nexter Munitions (KNDS) and the German company Junghans Microtec. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of increasing ammunition production. "With the consumption of ammunition we see in Ukraine, and the needs we see to continue to provide support to Ukraine, we need to ramp up production. And that's exactly what NATO allies are doing," he said. Stoltenberg said the NSPA had already concluded production agreements for $10 billion dollars since the alliance agreed on an action plan to boost arms production back in July. Most recently, the NSPA announced a contract for the purchase of up to 1,000 Patriot anti-aircraft missiles at the beginning of January. It was valued at $5.5 billion. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned Tuesday that the war in Ukraine has turned into a battle of ammunition, again calling on Western allies to provide additional military aid for the country as it fights Russia. The war in Ukraine has become a battle of ammunition, he told reporters. We cannot allow President [Vladimir] Putin to win in Ukraine. That would be a tragedy for the Ukrainians and dangerous for all of us. NATO announced an ammunition deal with Ukraine on Tuesday, pledging to purchase 220,000 155 mm artillery shells for the country, worth about $1.2 billion. This is important to defend our own territory, to build up our own stocks, but also to continue to support Ukraine, Stoltenberg said. The nearly two-year war has drained Ukrainian ammunition reserves, with the country relying on Western allies for military supplies as a stalemate settles in on the front line. Congress is also at a standstill over whether to send additional aid to Ukraine, as some Republicans push for cutting off support entirely, citing budgetary concerns. The Biden administration and Senate leaders have jockeyed for weeks with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over border security funding, which the Speaker said is a prerequisite for Ukraine aid. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week that he expects the upper chamber to vote on a border and foreign aid package, including Ukraine funding, by the end of this week. Ukraines European allies have made dire pleas to the U.S. to continue support for the country, signaling that by cutting it off the U.S. could risk losing European assistance in a potential conflict with China over Taiwan. The reality is the U.S. also needs a wake-up call, British lawmaker Alicia Kearns said last week. If Taiwan is invaded, the U.S. will need to lead on it alongside Japan, Korea and Australia, and we in Europe will have to lead on Ukraine, and well have to turn around and say to the U.S., we cannot give you what you want in support for Taiwan. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. BRUSSELS (Reuters) -NATO signed a 1.1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) contract for hundreds of thousands of 155mm artillery rounds on Tuesday, some of which will be supplied to Ukraine after Kyiv complained of ammunition shortages. "The war in Ukraine has become a battle of ammunition," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters after a signing ceremony at the Western military alliance's headquarters in Brussels. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said last week a shortage of ammunition, which he described as "shell hunger", was a big problem for Kyiv's troops nearly two years after Russia's full-scale invasion. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) struck the deal on behalf of several allies who will either pass on the shells to Ukraine or use them to stock up their own depleted inventories. A NATO official identified the buyers as Belgium, Lithuania and Spain, which pooled together to benefit from the lower prices ensured by buying in bulk. The contract is likely to yield about 220,000 rounds of artillery ammunition, with the first deliveries expected at the end of 2025, the official told Reuters. The shells will be supplied by French arms maker Nexter and Germany's Junghans, according to an industry source. Since NATO began a programme to address shortfalls in allies' military stocks last July, the NSPA has agreed deals worth some $10 billion (9.19 billion euros), Stoltenberg said. This included artillery and tank shells, and Patriot air defence missiles. At a meeting in February, NATO defence ministers are set to discuss other ways to step up industrial production which the NATO chief described as absolutely necessary to enable continued Western support for Kyiv. ($1 = 0.9185 euros) (Reporting by Sabine Siebold and Benoit Van Overstraeten; Editing by Alex Richardson and Timothy Heritage) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and the alliance's procurement chief, Stacy Cummings, concluded on Jan. 23 contracts for the purchase of around 220,000 155 mm artillery shells worth around $1.2 billion. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency concluded the deal on behalf of allies who will either pass shells to Ukraine or use them to refill their own arsenals. These munitions play a crucial in the Russia-Ukraine war, prompting Kyiv's allies to ramp up its 155 mm shells stocks. "This demonstrates that NATO's tried and tested structures for joint procurement are delivering," Stoltenberg said. "Russia's war in Ukraine has become a battle for ammunition, so Allies must refill their own stocks, as we continue to support Ukraine." According to Reuters, the buyers include Belgium, Lithuania, and Spain, and the first deliveries are expected at the end of 2025. According to NATO's statement, the alliance's procurement agency concluded contracts for around $10 billion worth of ammunition since the signing of NATO's Defense Production Action Plan in July 2023. Kyiv has repeatedly appealed to its allies to increase supplies of artillery ammunition. To bolster Ukraine's capabilities, France spearheads the "artillery coalition," one of many allied initiatives aimed at supporting the Ukrainian military. Speaking to the artillery coalition meeting virtually last week, Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said that Russia outnumbers Kyiv's troops in daily artillery attacks, sometimes firing five to 10 times more shells. The EU also pledged to supply Ukraine with 1 billion shells and missiles by early spring, but officials warned that this plan may miss its deadline. The assistance from another major donor of 155 mm rounds, the U.S., remains stalled by domestic political infighting. Read also: Umerov postpones trip to France, attends artillery coalition event virtually Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Rescuers work the scene of a building damaged by a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv, Ukraine, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrii Marienko) BRUSSELS (AP) NATO signed on Tuesday a $1.2-billion contract to make tens of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish the dwindling stocks of its member countries as they supply ammunition to Ukraine to help it defeat Russia's invasion. The contract will allow for the purchase of 220,000 rounds of 155-millimeter ammunition, the most widely sought after artillery shell, according to NATOs support and procurement agency. It will allow allies to backfill their arsenals and to provide Ukraine with more ammunition. This is important to defend our own territory, to build up our own stocks, but also to continue to support Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. We cannot allow President (Vladimir) Putin to win in Ukraine," he added. "That would be a tragedy for the Ukrainians and dangerous for all of us. Ukraine was firing around 4,000 to 7,000 artillery shells each day last summer, while Russia was launching more than 20,000 shells daily in its neighbors territory, according to European Union estimates. Russias arms industry far outweighs Ukraines and Kyiv needs help to match Moscows firepower. But the shells will not arrive quickly delivery on orders takes anywhere from 24 to 36 months, the NATO agency said. The European Union plans to produce 1 million artillery rounds for Ukraine have fallen short, with only about a third of the target met. Senior EU officials have said that they now expect the European defense industry to be producing around one million shells annually by the end of this year. ___ Find more of APs coverage of Russia and Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine The White House believes that combat action in Ukraine in the next few months will be critical for its defence, and Congress must therefore make a decision on support for Ukraine swiftly. Source: John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, cited by Ukrinform Quote: "The next few months will be critical for Ukraine." Details: Kirby noted that the Russians continue to attack Ukraine with drones and missiles, so the Ukrainian command is now having to make tough decisions about which weapons and ammunition to use in circumstances where their supplies are dwindling. Meanwhile, Russia continues to receive aid from Iran and North Korea, including ballistic missiles. In addition, the Russians have begun to produce their own drones and other weapon systems. In this context Kirby noted that the US administration is focused on Ukraines victory. He recalled that US President Joe Biden has clearly stated that Ukraine must become a flourishing and sovereign country with its borders and sovereignty restored. Quote: "And we want to be able to continue to supply Ukraine with the support it needs to achieve those results." Background: In a meeting with US Congressional leaders and the chairs of relevant committees on Wednesday, President Biden called for the prompt unblocking of funding for further assistance to Ukraine. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said he expected the Senate to consider a bipartisan deal on Ukraine and border security funding next week. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed McConnell's confidence in reaching a deal. The bill envisages over US$60 billion in support for Ukraine, US$14 billion for Israel, and the same amount for measures to counter illegal migration on the USs southern border. The White House has previously stated that it has no more money for further military support for Ukraine until it is approved by the US Congress. Key aides to US President Joe Biden warned Congress during a closed-door meeting that Ukraine would face considerable challenges at the front if no additional military aid is approved. Support UP or become our patron! PROVO, Utah (ABC4) Nicholas Rossi, the man who stands accused of rape in 2008, refused to appear in a Utah court for a hearing on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Rossi, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, was scheduled to appear before Judge Derek Pullan in Fourth District Court at 1 p.m. Rossis hearing was the first on the docket, however, when his name was called, Pullan was told he was still on his way down. Ill wait, replied Pullan. West Valley amphitheatre undergoes name change after 20 years of USANA A few moments later, the judge was told that Rossi had declined today. When asked to repeat what was said, the judge was simply told Rossi refused. Is he ill today? asked Pullan. That I do not know, your honor, replied someone off camera, presumably Rossis defense. If he is ill today, then I expect him before me Feb. 6 at one oclock, said Pullan. If he is not ill, he has no reasonable excuse. I will authorize reasonable force to compel his attendance at this initial appearance on that date. Attorneys claim Menzies incompetent for execution, court documents say Rossi currently faces charges in Utah for two sexual assault allegations one in Utah County and another in Salt Lake County. He has so far continued to insist that he is Arthur Knight, an alias that he took on after allegedly faking his death and fleeing the country to Scotland. After a long court battle, Rossi was extradited from Scotland to the United States to face criminal charges not only in Utah but in several other states as well. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Professor Devi Sridhar told the Covid Inquiry she had offered to be Nicola Sturgeon's personal trainer - UNPIXS Nicola Sturgeon is facing a fresh secrecy row after it emerged that she used a private email account to conduct government business during the pandemic. Messages disclosed on Tuesday at the Covid Inquiry between Ms Sturgeon and Professor Devi Sridhar, an academic who became one of her favourite advisers, show that the politician invited her to email her on an SNP-run account. Ms Sturgeons spokesman denied in 2019 that she used a personal email, which at the time would have been under ultimate control of her husband Peter Murrell, then SNP chief executive, for government work. However, she told Prof Sridhar in June 2020 dont worry about protocol before giving her an SNP address, alongside a government one. She said Prof Sridhar could reach her privately on the SNP account or officially at the Scottish Government one, adding either way fine by me. The difference between a SNP email and a government-run account is significant as political parties are not subject to Freedom of Information requests, meaning a private account could potentially be used to dodge scrutiny. Ms Sturgeon is already under intense pressure after it emerged that she wiped all her WhatsApp messages, meaning they could not all be provided to the UK Covid Inquiry. Nicola Sturgeon - Russell Cheyne/AFP via Getty Images She deleted exchanges despite being subject to requests and legal orders telling her to retain relevant information. Asked whether private SNP emails had been provided by Ms Sturgeon to the inquiry or had also been deleted, her spokesman declined to clarify. This is another astonishing revelation about Nicola Sturgeons shameful attempts to evade scrutiny, Craig Hoy, the Scottish Tory chairman, said. On top of deleting all of her WhatsApp messages, Ms Sturgeon, then first minister, was content to carry out sensitive government business via her personal party email in spite of the reservations of her adviser. This matters because she knew fine well that personal email exchanges cant be obtained through Freedom of Information requests. He added: It was calculated, secretive and unacceptable from a politician whose reputation is now shot to pieces. What was Nicola Sturgeon trying to hide? Messages between Ms Sturgeon and Prof Sridhar - UNPIXS Reports emerged in 2019 that Ms Sturgeon was using a SNP email to conduct government business, provoking comparisons with Hillary Clintons controversial use of a private account and server while US secretary of state. At the time Ms Sturgeon denied using a private email, direct Twitter messaging or WhatsApp to conduct government business, a claim undermined by recent revelations. Prof Sridhar provided multiple Twitter direct messages with Ms Sturgeon to the Covid Inquiry in which the pair discussed the handling of the pandemic. The pair became close during the crisis, with Prof Sridhar even offering to become Ms Sturgeons personal fitness trainer. The Florida-born University of Edinburgh academic made a series of interventions in which she backed Ms Sturgeons handling of the pandemic while attacking the UK Government. She supported the SNP governments push for an elimination strategy during 2020, while Westminster was keen to reopen society as much as possible. In a message in May 2020, Ms Sturgeon told Prof Sridhar that the media can twist words, sometimes deliberately after the academic complained she was frustrated with some news stories. Ms Sturgeon told Prof Sridhar she had a big influence on my thinking in the same message. Discussing her offer to help Ms Sturgeon exercise, Prof Sridhar, who was learning to become a personal trainer, said she had suggested that the first ninister become her first client. She added: It was a joke, nothings come of it, I havent had any sessions with her in the park or anything like that. 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. ROCK HILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A robbery suspect fired shots at officers during a late-night pursuit on a highway near Rock Hill, police said on Tuesday. Officers responded to calls regarding the incident around 1:15 a.m. at a Circle K on Cherry Road. An initial investigation stated that a robbery suspect fled the scene in an SUV driven by an accomplice. Officers located the SUV and attempted to conduct a traffic stop but the vehicle refused to stop leading to a pursuit. During the pursuit, multiple shots were fired at law enforcement by the passenger, officers said. Spike strips took out the vehicle and the passenger attempted to flee on foot before they were tracked down with the assistance of a K9 unit, according to the police report. Both men were ultimately arrested. The passenger, 36-year-old Virginia resident Ron Wilson, faces multiple charges and more charges are expected including attempted murder, law enforcement officials said. Charlotte resident Andrew Johnson, 23, was the driver and faces multiple charges including accessory charges. The York County Sheriffs Office, Chester County Sheriffs Office, and South Carolina Highway Patrol were among the departments involved in the incident. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event at the Artisan Hotel in Salem, New Hampshire - Bloomberg Follow the latest updates from the New Hampshire in our live blog As New Hampshire heads to the polls to vote for its preferred Republican presidential candidate, all eyes are on Nikki Haley. After the surprise withdrawal of Ron DeSantis on Sunday, the former South Carolina governor is now all that stands between Donald Trump and the GOP nomination. In fiercely independent New Hampshire, where undeclared voters are also permitted to vote in the Republican primary, Ms Haleys campaign has become a rallying point for the so-called Never Trumpers who will stop at nothing to stop the former presidents re-election. It is possible that she will win in New Hampshire a relatively liberal state where many voters are attracted to her orthodox Republican message. If that happens, her campaign will continue in earnest and she could pick up support in some of the more challenging battlegrounds that are yet to come. But if she loses, Ms Haley has a difficult choice to make. Does she stay in the contest, out of commitment to her cause? Or does she withdraw, sparing herself the embarrassment of losing her home state on Feb 24 and increasing her chances of winning the nomination in a second presidential run in four years time? The answer will depend on the result. Nikki Haley greets voters at a campaign event at the Backyard Brewery in Manchester, New Hampshire - AFP Ms Haleys campaign has already built a powerful narrative that she is the only alternative to Mr Trump, and is heavily betting on a strong performance in New Hampshire ahead of other open primary states on Super Tuesday, March 5. Its a two-horse race, she has become fond of telling supporters, as she ramps up attacks on Mr Trump more than at any other point during the campaign. This week, after he confused her and Nancy Pelosi in a campaign speech, she compared his mental fortitude to that of Joe Biden. Like Mr DeSantis in Iowa last week, Ms Haley has allowed herself to be framed as a possible winner, with a handful of close polls reinforcing the claim that the state could swing in her favour. The high expectations mean that anything short of a close result in New Hampshire will be considered a major loss, and will likely force her to withdraw. Mr DeSantis came second in Iowa, but the 30-point gap between his vote share and Mr Trumps sunk his campaign. To lose but continue, Ms Haley must be able to credibly claim she is on an upward trajectory, with an increased vote share since Iowa. That should not be difficult, since she received just 19 per cent of the vote in the Hawkeye State and is polling at around 36 per cent in New Hampshire. The more challenging task is to perform well enough that voters in future states are convinced she still has a chance of winning the nomination, now that Mr DeSantis has left the contest and presumably transferred much of his support to Mr Trump. That will require her to come within 10 points of the former president, suggesting either that some of Mr Trumps famously committed supporters have abandoned him, or that DeSantis supporters have joined her after their candidate pulled out. Without a buoyant second-place result, her campaign will continue to flounder as Super Tuesday approaches, and her eventual loss will be more humiliating than if she withdraws soon. Just two votes in, the Republican primary has already become make or break. By Wednesday morning, it could all be over. 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. Follow USA TODAY's live coverage of the New Hampshire primary. EXETER, N.H. New Hampshire's long-celebrated, first-in-the-nation primary could have the last word on the 2024 Republican nomination battle. As voters prepare to trudge to polling places through snow-covered New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump is poised for what could be a decisive win over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Despite mounting criminal charges and fierce opposition from old-guard Republicans, Trump has built a formidable lead in a Granite State race that has boiled down to a one-on-one contest with the former United Nations ambassador. Since his win last week in the Iowa caucuses, Trump has made it clear that he believes a "big resounding" win in New Hampshire should force opponents to concede the entire GOP race. And Trump isn't alone. In the past eight days, three ex-challengers - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy - have fallen in line to endorse Trump. Donald Trump in New Hampshire on Saturday "They're all coming with us," Trump told supporters Sunday night at the historic opera house in Rochester, N.H. Haley: 'We don't do coronations' Despite polls showing Haley trailing Trump, she has still vowed to challenge the Republican frontrunner in New Hampshire. However, a bad Haley loss would increase the pressure her to join DeSantis and withdraw from the 2024 race for the White House, handing the nomination to the former president. In a Monday appearance on Fox News, Haley said "I know the political class wants to say that this race is over," but voters may have different ideas. "We don't do coronations,' Haley said. "A democracy is about giving people options. We're in this. Were going to keep on going." Haley is aiming to build momentum for the Feb. 24 primary in her home state of South Carolina - if she can last that long. Trump is pulling a little more than 54% of the New Hampshire vote, according to an average of recent polls compiled by Real Clear Politics. Haley is averaging just under 37% in those surveys, placing the former president firmly ahead of the former South Carolina governor in Tuesday's pivotal primary. Winnowing the field This year's New Hampshire primary may be remembered as the final chapter for Trump's 2024 GOP challengers, after approximately a dozen Republican rivals dropped out in recent months. DeSantis accommodated the frontrunner just on Sunday, abruptly announcing by video that he was exiting the race and endorsing Trump. The real estate mogul, who lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, admittedly announced his latest bid unusually early, in November of 2022. After Trump's announcement, a series of Republicans filed to challenge him, including Haley, DeSantis, Scott, Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. But over the past several months, political observers have watched as Trump's challengers have dropped out one by one, either because of low poll numbers, failure to qualify for Republican debates or poor performances in Iowa. Now it's a head-to-head faceoff: Just Trump and Haley in New Hampshire. Trump's trials cast a shadow in New Hampshire Trump is on the verge of winning the crucial primary despite the fact he was indicted four times last year and faces a cluster of criminal trials and civil lawsuits in 2024. That means Trump could be fighting accusations of trying to steal an election as he seeks another term in office. Trials scheduled in Washington and Georgia involve Trump's efforts to overturn Biden's victory in 2020 ahead of the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. The former president's legal hurdles have also provided an uncommon campaign venue for Trump: A courtroom in New York City, at a defamation trial brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who has accused Trump of sexual assault. The judge in the Carroll case postponed the proceedings Monday because of an ill juror, but the Carroll trial will resume Wednesday, just hours after polls close in the Granite State. Low key in New Hampshire Despite Trump's unprecedented criminal charges, 2024 has marked a more subdued New Hampshire primary, given the dearth of candidates. Two debates set for earlier this month were canceled, and Trump wasn't going to participate anyway as he has skipped all of the GOP primary faceoffs. Another factor that sets this year apart: The Democratic incumbent president won't even appear on the ballot. The Democratic Party tried to push New Hampshire later on the primary the schedule and make South Carolina the nation's first contest, switching up the traditional schedule for voters. As New Hampshire officials and national Democratic leaders clashed, Biden didn't even register for the primary. Instead, his supporters are conducting a write-in effort on his behalf against little-known challengers Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn. and author Marianne Williamson. As New Hampshire prepares to vote, the nation will watch whether Trump and Biden will simply sail to victory or whether their opponents force an upset. A historic primary Though 2024 marks a strange year for the Granite State, New Hampshire, which began its "first primary" tradition as far back as 1920, has already provided its share of political history. In 1952, it vaulted World War II General Dwight Eisenhower toward the Republican nomination and the White House. In the tumultuous year of 1968, a little known senator from Minnesota named Eugene McCarthy campaigned against the Vietnam War and pulled 42% of the New Hampshire vote against incumbent President Lyndon Johnson. McCarthy's showing helped persuade Johnson to abandon his reelection bid. Future President Bill Clinton survived the New Hampshire primary in 1992, finishing a decent second to Massachusetts Sen. Paul Tsongas despite attacks over his personal life his efforts to avoid Vietnam. And eight years ago, one Donald J. Trump - who had lost the Iowa caucuses to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz - won New Hampshire easily and was on his way to the presidency. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will NH voters hand the GOP nomination to Donald Trump or Nikki Haley? MANCHESTER, N.H. Hoping to pull off a major upset in New Hampshire, Nikki Haley has spent the last week of her campaign fending off an onslaught of attacks from former President Donald Trump claiming that the former tea party governor isnt really a Republican. At Granite State rallies, Trump has repeatedly claimed that Haley would be weak on immigration policy, called her a globalist fool, suggested shes like a Democrat, described her supporters as pro-Biden and said a vote for Haley is a vote for Joe Biden. Hes suggested that Haley is seeking to have Democrats vote on her behalf Tuesday, though only registered Republicans and undeclared voters can cast ballots in New Hampshire's GOP primary. Trumps attacks have been bolstered by a wave of television advertising painting Haley as weak on immigration and opposed to his agenda, while his allies have slammed the former South Carolina governor (and Trumps hand-picked ambassador to the United Nations), too. Responding to an NBC News question Friday, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said that when it came to standing up for election integrity, Nikki Haley was disloyal to President Trump. Attacking your opponent as a Republican in Name Only or RINO has been standard fare in GOP politics for more than a decade now, though the tactic was supercharged by Trump. For Haley, she is faced with the task of overcoming the attacks while running in a party in which conservative bona fides are not just determined by ones record but, for many GOP voters, also defined by the former president and the loyalty tests he and his allies put forth. Complicating the problem further for Haley, who was elected governor as a tea party-aligned Republican in 2010, is that a big chunk of her support base is made up of the GOPs more moderate and anti-Trump voting bloc a group in which many members see her as a kindred spirit or a throwback to a pre-MAGA Republican. But Haley has pushed back. In response to an NBC News question at a campaign event in Amherst on Friday, she asked anyone claiming that shes not conservative to name one thing that I wasnt conservative on, citing voter ID efforts, right-wing immigration laws and pension reform she championed as governor. Not one person can tell you how I wasnt conservative, she said, adding, Show me where Im moderate because Im not. The difference is who is deciding whos conservative and whos moderate. Is it because of what I say? Haley added. Is it how I talk? Haley and her allies have highlighted her conservative credentials prominently in an advertising blitz. In a recent post on X, the site formerly known as Twitter, she promoted one of those ads. Im a Tea Party governor, she wrote. I passed one of the toughest immigration bills in the country. I defended life. I passed voter ID & cut taxes. At the UN, I was tougher on China & Russia than Trump ever was. Ill put my conservative record up against anyone. And as shes taken a harder line with Trump, she has punched back at his own conservative credibility. I passed voter ID before he even knew what a Republican was, she said Sunday. Many of the anti-Haley attacks have been framed around polling that shows just who she is appealing to in the race. An NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll of Iowa just prior to the GOP caucuses found that almost half of Haleys supporters 43% said they would vote for President Joe Biden over Trump this fall. In New Hampshire, surveys keep showing Haley losing to Trump by roughly 40 points with registered Republicans but winning by about 10 to 20 points with the sizable number of undeclared voters in the state. Whats more, a number of voters at Haley events said they do see her as more of a moderate than a hard-line conservative. John Scanlon, a Manchester voter who backed Trump in 2016 and 2020, said after a Haley event in Nashua that I would say shes probably more of a moderate candidate. Its a funny distinction that people make, he added. Because the issues are far, far more complex than moderate and conservative. You have to separate economic trends and national security. Though I would say shes more moderate, more of a conciliator in a bipartisan way. Others, meanwhile, couldnt see themselves casting a ballot for Trump should he face off with Biden this fall a potentially serious liability for Trump in a general election contest but further fodder to condemn Haley with amid a primary. Donna Dostie, a Haley supporter from Hooksett, said she would write in the former U.N. ambassador this fall should she not make it through the primary. She said she backed Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020. I think shes going to put us on the right track, she said. We need to get out of the chaos and a lot of what Trump has brought to our country Trump makes me nervous. He really does. I think hes a dangerous man. Trumps supporters who spoke for this article didnt worry too much whether Haley fit more neatly in as a moderate or conservative. They just didnt think that her candidacy mattered particularly much as Trump leads her by double-digits here and across the country. Maria Martins, a Trump supporter from Manchester, described Haley as a total nonentity. Shes a nonentity, not the person Nikki Haley, but her policies and what she supports are not the things that people in New Hampshire, the Live Free or Die State do. Absolutely not. Haleys campaign has taken particular issue with the idea that the agenda shes advocating is insufficiently conservative. And allies, including New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, have taken a recent swath of Trump endorsements by sitting senators as a sign that he, and not Haley, is the establishment candidate in the race. Olivia Perez-Cubas, a Haley spokesperson, said: Nikki has always been a tough, anti-establishment conservative. As governor, she signed pro-life legislation, cracked down on illegal immigration, and took on both parties over spending and transparency issues, Perez-Cubas said. As ambassador, she was tough on our enemies and always supported our allies. Thats the Nikki you see running for president. Former New Hampshire state Rep. Kim Rice, a Haley supporter, said the wave of Trump attacks was merely a sign that she is a threat to his candidacy. She is definitely a conservative, Rice said. She was a tea party governor. These people are killing me with their shes a Democrat. I think its desperation. South Carolina state Rep. Chris Wooten, a fellow Haley supporter, said that her more moderate support base isnt a sign that shes compromised on her ideals. Nikki was literally the outsider before it was cool, he said. Yes, she appeals to the moderate voters because people are tired of the same ole same ole with Trump. And for the record, Wooten added. All of the hard-right conservatives that are mad about the same corrupt politicians staying in office are wanting Trump? I just think its a weird narrative. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley speaks during a campaign event Sunday in Exeter, N.H. Photo by Amanda Sabga/UPI Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Presidential hopeful Nikki Haley scored an early victory in the New Hampshire Republican primary by collecting all six votes in the small town of Dixville Notch during the state's traditional midnight ballot on Tuesday. "A great start to a great day in New Hampshire," Haley said in a post to the platform X. "Thank you Dixville Notch!" The rural township in the north-central region of the state voted unanimously in a sweep for Haley just days after the Republican field narrowed to a two-person race with former President Donald Trump after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis bowed out Sunday. The handful of voters included four registered Republicans and two registered independents, who took only 10 minutes to cast their ballots. Dixville Notch has held the late-night presidential primary since 1960, though its early results are not always seen as a reliable indicator of who will win the state-wide primary. Four years ago, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg won the vote in Dixville Notch after receiving three write-in votes compared to one vote each for then-South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, a Democrat, and Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent. John Kasich, the former governor of Ohio, won the race with three votes in 2016, edging out Trump with two votes. Alabama was set to carry out the first-ever execution by nitrogen hypoxia on death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith on Thursday. The planned execution raises heated questions about the ethics of using the untried method to execute Smith, who has been through one previous execution attempt. If the execution is carried out, nitrogen hypoxia would be the first new method of execution since 1982, when the lethal injection was introduced. What is nitrogen hypoxia? Nitrogen hypoxia is a form of execution in which an inmate is deprived of oxygen until they breath only nitrogen, causing asphyxiation. Nitrogen, a colorless, odorless gas, makes up about 80% of the air we breathe. It isn't deadly until it is separated from oxygen. "What is known is that nitrogen gas, under certain circumstances, can cause death," said Joel Zivot, an associate professor in anesthesiology at Emory University's School of Medicine. "But the terms of how it's going to exactly work is still unclear." Alabama plans to use nitrogen hypoxia, an untried execution method, to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith on Thursday. More: 'Model inmate': Missouri corrections officers seek death penalty reprieve for Brian Dorsey What are the ethical questions surrounding nitrogen hypoxia? Former Alabama State Sen. Tripp Pittman, who introduced the bill to allow the use of nitrogen hypoxia in 2018, called it a "more humane method" of execution, a characterization that Zivot challenged. Even if it does work, Zivot said, Smith could suffer an intensely painful death. "This will not be a death that will be discreet," he said. "It may be prolonged. I think that there will be a good chance there will be some suffering." The nitrogen gas could induce a seizure in Smith, Zivot said. If the gas is administered through a mask, it could induce Smith to vomit, causing him to choke to death, he added. If a mask is not secured well, Zivot said, the gas could leak out, posing a danger to the execution team in the room with Smith. Zivot said the Rev. Jeff Hood, Smith's spiritual adviser, was even asked to sign a waiver before entering the execution room. "It would be akin to having a firing squad and having all the witnesses lined up next to the person you're going to shoot," Zivot said. Zivot submitted a complaint about the use of nitrogen hypoxia to the United Nations Human Rights Council. "The law requires that this execution not be cruel," Zivot said. "From what has been described to me, what I know about nitrogen gas and how it may work, this to me feels well within the definition of cruelty." In response, a group of U.N. experts issued a news release in early January echoing his alarm. We are concerned that nitrogen hypoxia would result in a painful and humiliating death, the four special rapporteurs wrote. More: Alabama nitrogen gas execution is 'inhuman' and 'alarming,' UN experts say How did Smith's previous execution attempt fail? Thursday's planned execution comes more than a year after an attempt to execute Smith by lethal injection in November 2022 failed when executioners couldn't find one of Smith's veins. Smith was strapped to a gurney for hours after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals stayed his execution, only for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule it could proceed. Once it did, the execution team poked Smith with needles for hours without being able to access a vein. It marked the second failed execution in the state in two months after an execution team also failed to find a vein to lethally inject death row inmate Alan Eugene Miller the same month. The same problems plagued the execution of Joe Nathan James Jr., who finally died by execution in July 2022 after the team searched for a vein for three hours. The failed executions prompted Gov. Kay Ivey to suspend all capital punishment pending a "top-to-bottom review" of the state's execution system. The state resumed capital punishment in July 2023 with the execution of James Barber by lethal injection. Who is Kenneth Eugene Smith? Kenneth Eugene Smith was convicted in the 1988 murder of 45-year-old Elizabeth Sennett and sentenced to death in 1996. Although the jury voted 11-1 to sentence Smith to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a trial judge overruled the jury's recommendation and sentenced him to death, according to court documents. Sennett's husband, the Rev. Charles Sennett, who was deeply in debt, paid Smith and 42-year-old John Forrest Parker $1,000 each in a scheme to collect insurance on his wife's death. Smith and Parker stabbed Sennett eight times in the chest and once on each side of her neck, according to court documents. A week later, Charles Sennett died by suicide after learning he was suspected in the murder. Parker was also convicted and sentenced to death in the killing. He was executed by lethal injection in 2010. What are the legal challenges to the execution? Smith filed two separate legal challenges to prevent the execution from moving forward on Thursday. One case filed with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals argues that Alabama's plan to execute Smith could subject him to a painful or prolonged death. Smith's attorney, Robert Grass, told the court in arguments Friday that the state's use of "untested methods" to execute Smith could cause him extreme suffering or even leave him alive, but in a vegetative state. This is the first time this will ever be attempted," Grass said. "There is no data on exactly whats going to happen and how this will go forward." In his response, Alabama Solicitor General Edmund LaCour argued that Smith would lose consciousness quickly and feel no pain during the execution, calling nitrogen hypoxia "the most painless and humane method of execution known to man." The Alabama Supreme Court earlier this month rejected a second appeal filed by Smith that argued a second execution attempt after the failed attempt by lethal injection would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. Smith's lawyers filed a request with the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution until it can take up the case. Contributing: The Associated Press Cybele Mayes-Osterman is a breaking news reporter for USA Today. Reach her on email at cmayesosterman@usatoday.com. Follow her on X @CybeleMO. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is nitrogen hypoxia? Execution method stirs ethical controversy. A vegan animal sanctuary in New Jersey will be the new home for three bulls, rescued from the home of a now-convicted animal abuser. The bulls - named Artie, Steve and Robert by their rescuers - moved today to Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve in Montague Township, Sussex County, New Jersey, John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island told News 12 Long Island. The bulls were found with no food or water. "We stop at nothing to ensure the animals have everything they need to thrive once they arrive at Tamerlaine, which will now be their forever home," the sanctuary's website says. Attempts to reach the sanctuary today were unsuccessful. The male cows had been found at the home of Carlos Lauro, 76, of Long Island along with about 100 other animals, including 10 piglets, a dozen waterfowl, and dozens of sick and injured chickens, sheep, goats, and a rabbit, according to Lauro pleaded guilty to fatally shooting a German Shepherd with a rifle and was sentenced to one year in jail and a 20-year ban on owning or possessing animals, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney. While at the home to respond to the shooting death, the other animals were discovered. This kind of cruelty will not be tolerated by my office, nor the people of Suffolk County, and the swift sentence of one year in jail demonstrates that. Let this serve as a warning to anyone seeking to injure animals," Tierney said. "The public can save twice as many animals annually simply by going vegan," said Di Leonardo, whose Humane Long Island rescued the animals for placement. Among the missions of Tamerlaine, the vegan sanctuary where the male cows have been moved, are caring for abused and neglected "farmed" animals and educating the public about animal protection and environmental ethics. Founded in 2013, it's run by Gabrielle Stubbert and Peter Nussbaum. "We knew that if we could share their stories of courage and survival against all odds, we could create life-saving change for farmed animals everywhere," its website says. More: In mere seconds, an NJ home went from livable to a flooded mess. A boat rescued the family Three bulls, discovered in "deplorable" conditions in New York are being moved today to a sanctuary in New Jersey. What animal abuse happened? A paralyzed 1-year-old German Shepherd was taken to a Westbury, New York, veterinary hospital on Jan. 10 with a gunshot wound to his head. It prompted an investigation. The dog, Blitzkrieg, had allegedly been found shot, laying in a pen on Lauros property next to a dead goat. Detectives learned that about one month earlier, Lauro had shot and killed another German Shepherd, a 6-month-old puppy, according to the Suffolk County DA's office. At Lauros home, Suffolk County detectives found five surviving Belgian Malinois/Dutch Shepherd mix dogs, a Border Collie, two German Shepherds, and other animals including "multiple other deceased farm animals, including a baby goat and pig," the DA's office reported. Lauro was arrested Jan. 11, and one week later he pleaded guilty. Sanctuaries interested in adopting the animals are asked to contact John@humanelongisland.org. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Tamerlaine vegan animal sanctuary takes in 3 neglected Long Island bulls FILE PHOTO: People take part in the celebrations for the National Liberation Day in Pyongyang SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea has demolished a major monument in its capital that symbolized the goal of reconciliation with South Korea on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un, who last week called South Korea a "primary foe" and said unification was no longer possible. Satellite imagery of Pyongyang on Tuesday showed that the monument, an arch symbolizing hopes for Korean reunification which was completed after a landmark inter-Korea summit in 2000, was no longer there, according to a report by NK News, an online outlet that monitors North Korea. Reuters could not independently confirm that the monument, known informally as the Arch of Reunification, had been demolished. Kim called the monument an "eyesore" in a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly on Jan. 15, where he ordered that the constitution be amended to say the South was a "primary foe and invariable principal enemy," official media said. Tensions have spiked on the Korean peninsula following intensifying military manoeuvres by the South Korean and U.S. militaries in response to weapons testing by the North, which said it was readying for a "nuclear war" with its enemies. The arch, formally known as the Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification, stood 30 meters tall and was symbolic of the three charters, which were self-reliance, peace and national cooperation, according to South Korean government records. Asked if North Korea appeared to be changing its posture on conflict with the South, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday, "We're watching this very, very closely." He added: "I would just tell you that we remain confident that the defensive posture that we're maintaining on the peninsula is appropriate to the risk." South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office in 2022, has taken a hard line against the North, calling for immediate and tough responses to North Korea's military actions that have raised tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea has vowed to "wipe out" South Korea if attacked by the South and U.S. forces. Late last year, the North declared as no longer valid a key agreement signed with the South in 2018 aimed at de-escalating military tensions. Following Kim's speech last week, the North's assembly abolished key government agencies that have been instrumental to decades of exchanges with Seoul. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Mark Porter and Leslie Adler) At least 50 Palestinians killed by Israeli bombings on Khan Younis: medical sources Xinhua) 08:47, January 23, 2024 People leave their home after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) GAZA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 Palestinians have been killed and dozens of others wounded by Israeli bombings on shelter centers of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical sources said on Monday. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a press statement that it had received "reports of deaths and injuries among the displaced as a result of the occupation's bombings of shelter centers." "Israeli tanks approached Al-Amal Hospital, and we completely lost contact with our crews in Khan Younis as a result of the ground incursion," it added. The organization said that ambulances were unable to reach the injured in Khan Younis, because of Israeli forces' siege of its ambulance center and "targeting anyone who tries to move around." In addition, the Hamas-run government media office in Gaza said in a press statement that Israel had targeted five shelter centers in the city of Khan Younis. The statement noted that "the Israeli army targeted the displacement centers with direct bombardments, Quadcopter aircraft, drone aircraft, and artillery, which led to dozens of deaths and wounded." Ashraf Al-Qedra, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, said in a press statement that "the Israeli occupation is committing horrific crimes west of Khan Younis." He added that "dozens of deaths and wounded are still in the targeted places and roads," and the Israeli forces prevented ambulances from transferring the wounded people and retrieving the bodies of the victims in the west of Khan Younis. People leave their home after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) People leave their home after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Workmen continue their clear up as a number of trees in Northern Ireland made famous by the TV series Game Of Thrones have been damaged and felled by Storm Isha. Work is being carried out to clear up at the Dark Hedges site in Co Antrim. Liam Mcburney/PA Wire/dpa A major Northern Ireland tourist attraction and one of the most memorable backdrops from the cult series "Game of Thrones" has been damaged in a storm, with three trees from the Dark Hedges road falling over in severe winds. The three beech trees, among those lining a road made famous by a short sequence in the TV series, were knocked over during Storm Isha, which battered parts of Ireland and the UK over the weekend, Mervyn Storey from the Dark Hedges Preservation Trust organisation said. "This is another blow to the Dark Hedges," Storey told the Belfast Telegraph newspaper, as the remains of three lost trees were being cleared from the area. Conservationists have been warning for months that the Dark Hedges trees were endangered. In November, six beech trees were felled for safety reasons, while branches were trimmed from other trees. The road has been closed to cars for some time now due to the numbers of visitors causing traffic jams while taking selfies. Late in 2023, Storey warned that a long-term plan and donations were needed to preserve the dozens of trees which intertwine to form a somewhat sinister tunnel over the road in county Antrim. The condition of the trees has been steadily deteriorating due to storms and age. Northern Ireland's foresty, hilly and castle-studded landscape formed the backdrop of dozens of iconic shots in "Game of Thrones", among them the castle used for Winterfell and the quarry used to create the towering, icy Wall. For a country of fewer than 2 million people, Northern Ireland has a relatively dense number of famous tourist attractions, such as the Titanic museum in Belfast, the Bushmills whiskey distillery and the iconic columns of basalt at the Giant's Causeway. A small spacecraft hovers just above the surface of the moon, with the blackness of space in the background. Japan's first successful moon lander may still have some life left in it. The pioneering spacecraft, called SLIM ("Smart Lander for Investigating Moon"), touched down on the lunar surface on Friday (Jan. 19), making Japan the fifth nation to join the moon-landing club. But SLIM didn't get up and running as planned. Its solar panels failed to generate electricity on the surface of the moon, leaving the lander's future in serious doubt, officials with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced shortly after the historic landing. That was pretty much all we knew about SLIM's status until early Monday morning (Jan. 21), when JAXA gave us another update. And the news was relatively encouraging: The lander has not been declared dead, and its handlers are working toward a possible recovery. Related: Missions to the moon: Past, present and future When SLIM's battery power dipped to 12% capacity on the lunar surface, the lander powered down intentionally "to avoid being unable to restart for a recovery operation due to over-discharge," team members explained early Monday via the mission's account on X. "According to the telemetry data, SLIM's solar cells are facing west. So if sunlight begins to shine on the lunar surface from the west, there is a possibility of generating power, and we are preparing for recovery. #SLIM can operate with power only from the solar cells," the team said in a separate X post on Monday. SLIM successfully beamed home technical data and imagery collected during Friday's descent and landing, the team added in another Monday X post. We should learn much more at the end of the week, when SLIM's handlers plan to offer another status update and provide an overview of the data analyses that have been performed to date, team members said. "Although the attitude after landing did not go as planned, we are glad we could achieve so much and are happy to have landed successfully. We're also excited to analyse the data," the SLIM team said in yet another Monday-morning X post. Related Stories: Japan's SLIM moon lander completes 1st critical phase in Earth orbit Private Japanese moon lander crashed after being confused by a crater The moon: Everything you need to know about Earth's companion SLIM is a demonstrator tasked primarily with proving out the technology required for super-precise lunar landings, which explains its "Moon Sniper" nickname. The probe aimed to land within 330 feet (100 meters) of a designated spot on the rim of the moon's Shioli Crater. The probe launched in September 2023 along with an X-ray space telescope called XRISM, which deployed into low Earth orbit and recently beamed home its first test images. SLIM reached lunar orbit on Christmas Day and made its historic landing on Friday. JAXA has not yet announced whether the probe hit its landing target; presumably, we'll hear more about that in the coming update. SLIM also carried two mini-rovers, called LEV-1 ("Lunar Excursion Vehicle" 1) and LEV-2. Both of these little robots deployed as planned, and LEV-1 was known to be operating on the lunar surface, JAXA officials said on Friday shortly after the landing. The other four nations that have soft-landed a spacecraft on the moon are the Soviet Union and the United States, both of which first did so during the Cold War space race; China, which first hit the gray dirt in 2013; and India, which joined the club in August 2023 with its Chandrayaan-3 mission. Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman is getting back into the swing of things at the Capitol five weeks after undergoing a preventative double-mastectomy in December. Coleman spoke with the Herald-Leader about her recent health challenges including how she balanced the stress of her diagnosis with a demanding reelection campaign and the outpouring of support from women across Kentucky during an interview in her Frankfort office Tuesday morning. It was kind of shocking to me, to know that this many women have gone through this, the 41-year-old Coleman said. Just the ones that Ive heard from; imagine how many are really out there. But also it it made me feel better, because they reassured me, which was really nice, and I personally think thats what they wanted to do. And I appreciate that, and Ill never forget it. Coleman went for her first mammogram in September, and the results indicated she needed further testing. With a mother, aunt and cousin who have all had breast cancer, Coleman knew she was at high-risk for the disease and had an inclination this could become serious. Sign up for our Bluegrass Politics Newsletter A must-read newsletter for political junkies across the Bluegrass State with reporting and analysis from the Lexington Herald-Leader. Never miss a story! Sign up for our Bluegrass Politics newsletter to connect with our reporting team and get behind-the-scenes insights, plus previews of the biggest stories. Additional screenings showed that Coleman had four lesions that her medical team said would need to be biopsied. Rather than risk subjecting herself to multiple surgeries, Coleman opted for a double-mastectomy as soon as possible. In my mind, Im like, I have a 3-year-old. Im not gambling with this. Im not taking my chances. I dont have the time to do that every couple of months, and I dont want to. Coleman and Gov. Andy Beshear won reelection over Republican challengers in November and were sworn in for their second term on Dec. 12. That day marked the first time in Kentucky history that a woman took the oath of office as lieutenant governor for a second time. The next Monday, Coleman had her surgery. None of the four lesions were cancerous, but the spot that most concerned doctors came back as benign, but with the potential to become malignant. Regardless of what the pathology said, it made me feel better to do this, she said. But knowing that was just like, an exhale. Like, I feel like I beat the clock, and I feel like I made the right decision. Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman speaks during an interview about her recent health challenges during in her office at the Capitol in Frankfort, Ky, Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Coleman attended her first official event post-surgery on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and is finally feeling like herself again. She hopes to continue advocating for womens health and the need for preventative care. Its amazing what one checkup or one appointment can do for you, Coleman said. And so every chance I get to sound that alarm, Im going to. The Herald-Leader will have more from this one-on-one interview with Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman on kentucky.com Wednesday morning. John Bonafede at the opening night party of Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present at MoMA - Will Ragozzino/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images A nude artist who performed in a Marina Abramovic exhibition is suing New Yorks Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) for allegedly failing to stop visitors from groping him. John Bonafede claimed he was hired by the museum for the 2010 exhibition Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present, for which his job was to stand naked while facing an unclothed woman who stood 18 inches away. The pair were told to stare forward for 75 minutes at a time, with attendees urged to squeeze between them while moving between galleries. In a lawsuit filed in New York State court on Monday, Mr Bonafede alleged that while undertaking the role he was assaulted seven times by older men in an eerily similar way. He claimed each man turned sideways to face him, before dropping their hand to fondle and/or grope his genitals. They would then linger for a moment before moving through into the next gallery room. Mr Bonafede has claimed the museum did not put any verbal or written warnings in places to tell attendees not to touch the nude artists. Museum officials knew the groping was a pervasive problem, according to the lawsuit, and failed to take reasonable corrective action. The show required a naked male and female artist to stand 18 inches away from each other, with attendees urged to squeeze between them while moving between galleries - David Parry/Royal Academy of Arts Mr Bonafede, who is seeking unspecified damages and a jury trial, said he did not report the first assault because organisers had pushed a tough it out culture, the lawsuit alleged. Another performer was fired for failing to remain completely still and Mr Bonafede initially kept quiet as he feared he would lose his job, according to the court filing. Mr Bonafede alleged he alerted museum security for the six following instances of unwanted touching and the alleged assaulters were removed from the exhibition. According to the lawsuit, one of the perpetrators was a MoMA corporate member who had his membership revoked. Years of emotional distress But Mr Bonafede claimed he was never given the identity of his harassers so he could pursue further action. Mr Bonafede said he has endured years of emotional distress which have impacted his mental health, body image, and career. The lawsuit was filed under the New York Adult Survivors Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations on old sexual assault cases. While the window to bring new allegations expired in November, Mr Bonafede received an extension, according to the lawsuit. The New York Times reported on male and female artists being groped while performing nude at the exhibition at the time. It quoted one performer, a dancer called Will Rawls, who said an elderly man rubbed his ribs and then touched his backside. As he was passing me he looked me in the eyes and said You feel good, man, he said. Mr Rawls reportedly alerted a security guard and the man was escorted out and his 30-year museum membership was revoked. The museum said at the time that there had only been a few irregular incidents and stressed that it had prepared its security staff thoroughly to deal with having nude staff in the gallery. Working with Marina Abramovic for the big Museum of Modern Art retrospective in 2010 definitely inspired me in some ways, Mr Bonafede said in a 2015 interview. Mostly about how to handle public nudity in my performance, personal space violations and group negotiations for fair treatment for performance artists from institutions. The Telegraph has approached MoMA for comment. A similar piece of nude performance art went on display at the Royal Academy London in 2023 as part of Ms Abramovics exhibition Imponderabilia. Visitors had to squeeze between two nude models to enter the exhibition, although there was a separate entrance for those who were uncomfortable doing so. The piece was first staged in 1977 by Ms Abramovic and her then partner, Ulay, who stood naked together in the doorway at a gallery in Bologna as visitors passed between them. 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 (KXAN) Texas is consistently one of the fastest-growing states in the country. Population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau in December show the state was home to more than 30.5 million people as of July 2023. As the population grows, so too does the number of registered voters. According to the Texas Secretary of State, almost 17.9 million Texans are registered to vote as of January 2024. Were keeping track of voter registration statistics across the state. Follow along with our interactive charts and maps below. How has voter registration changed over time? Since 2000, Texas population has increased by 45.6%, from around 21 million to around 30.5 million. During that same time frame, the number of registered voters has increased from 11.4 million to almost 17.9 million an increase of 56.8%. Where has voter registration changed the most? Just over the past four years, the state has added 1,783,547 people to the voter rolls, an 11% increase. The change has not been uniform across Texas. While 184 counties have seen an increase in the number of registered voters since January 2000, 70 counties have seen a decrease. The most drastic increases have primarily occurred in suburban counties, with Kaufman County leading the way. The county, just southeast of Dallas, has seen a 33% increase in the number of registered voters. Kaufman is also the fastest-growing county in the state, based on 2022 population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. On the other hand, rural McMullen County, south of San Antonio, has lost 11.75% of its registered voters over the past four years, more than any other county. Use our interactive map below to see voter registration changes in your county: Harris County, home to Houston, added more voters than any other county an increase of more than 230,000 over the past four years. Collin, Tarrant, Bexar and Denton counties each added more than 100,000 people to their voter rolls. Wichita County, home to Wichita Falls, had the largest decrease in the number of registered voters, losing 3,502 voters since January 2000. Jefferson and Willacy counties each lost more than 1,000 voters. Which counties have the most registered voters? Unsurprisingly, the most populous county in the state also has the most registered voters. Harris County has more than 2.6 million registered voters as of January 2024. Dallas, Tarrant and Bexar counties have more than 1 million registered voters each. How many people are registered to vote in Central Texas? In the 15 counties that make up the KXAN viewing area, more than 209,000 people registered to vote between January 2020 and January 2024, a 13.8% increase. Of those, 74,411 were in Williamson County, while just under 74,000 were in Travis County. More than 32,000 newly registered voters live in Hays County. Bastrop and Burnet counties each added more than 5,000 new voters to their rolls. Hays County had the largest percentage increase in voter registration, up 23% compared to January 2020. Blanco, Williamson and Bastrop counties each saw increases of more than 20%, while the number of registered voters increased by more than 10% in Burnet, Llano, Lampasas, Milam and Lee counties. Just two local counties saw increases of less than 7%. Caldwell County increased its number of registered voters by 2.7%, while San Saba County increased by 2.2% over the past four years. How could voter registration changes impact election results? Texas, while still a red state, has shifted notably to the left in recent cycles. Donald Trump won the state by more than 800,000 votes in 2016, a margin of 9%. That margin dropped to just over 630,000 in 2020, or 5.6%. Similarly, Gov. Greg Abbott won the 2018 election with a margin of more than 1.1 million, or 13.3%. That dropped to less than 900,000 in 2022, or 10.9%. It should be noted that turnout is typically much higher in presidential elections. So what impact is population change having? Weve divided the state into five political regions: Major Metros (Bexar, Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Travis counties) Smaller Cities (places like Amarillo, Corpus Christi, Lubbock and Tyler) Suburban Counties (such as Collin, Denton, Fort Bend, Hays and Williamson counties) Border Region (including Brownsville, El Paso and Laredo) Rural Counties The major metros region has the most registered voters, with more than 7.4 million as of January 2024. Rural counties account for about half of that number, and suburban counties are poised to overtake rural counties as the second-largest group, thanks to recent population growth. Heres how each of those regions voted in the past several election cycles. Population growth has contributed to significantly higher vote totals. In 2016, just under 9 million votes were cast statewide in the presidential election. That figure ballooned to more than 11.3 million in 2022. Suburban counties in particular are leading the charge. In the 2020 election, Texans as a whole cast 26% more ballots than in 2016. In suburban counties specifically, that figure was 37%. The same trend is seen when comparing the 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial elections. Turnout was actually higher in 2018, by about 240,000 votes, or 2.9% statewide. But suburban counties cast 5.5% more ballots in 2022 than in 2018, contradicting that statewide trend. There are also interesting changes in the margins of victory within our county categories. Generally speaking, large cities are getting bluer while rural Texas gets redder. Rural counties netted Trump about 982,000 votes in 2016, but more than 1.1 million in 2020. For Democrats, the margin in the major metros increased from about 560,000 in 2016 to 925,000 in 2020. Really driving the tightening statewide margin though is significant change in the suburban counties category. Those 11 counties gave Trump a margin of almost 360,000 in 2016, but that dropped to about 260,000 four years later. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. City Council members and criminal justice advocates staged an at times raucous rally directly in front of Mayor Adams office Tuesday to rail against his veto of the How Many Stops Act, a bill that would place new transparency requirements on NYPD officers. Adams, a retired NYPD captain, vetoed the bill last week because he says itd bury cops in paperwork and distract them from actual police work. But Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, who led Tuesdays rally in the City Hall Rotunda, has vowed that her Democratic super-majority will override the mayors veto and enact the measure despite his opposition. New Yorkers need and deserve transparency, said the speaker, who was joined by roughly a dozen of her Council colleagues, clergy members, activists and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who introduced the bill. We understand that transparency and accountability are pivotal to establishing the trust that is necessary to making our communities safer. At the same time as the rally played out in the rotunda, the mayor was holding a press briefing in the Blue Room across the hall. The legislation would require that cops log basic information, such as estimated age, race and gender, into a department database about every civilian they interact with as part of encounters that are investigative in nature. Thats an expansion of current NYPD rules, which only require officers to document information about so-called Level 3 stops, where theres a reasonable suspicion of a crime in progress. During the rotunda rally, the speaker said beefing up reporting protocols to also cover Level 1 and Level 2 encounters the first of which doesnt require a suspicion of a crime is needed at a time that the NYPDs federal monitor reports that one out of four stops of civilians conducted by the departments new plainclothes units are unconstitutional. To boot, 97% of New Yorkers stopped by the units are Black and Latino, the speaker noted. We stand united in support of this important reform and against the mayors veto, and we look forward to overriding it together, the speaker said. As cheering could at times be heard from the rally, Adams reiterated in his briefing he believes requiring reporting on Level 1 stops would place a colossal bureaucratic burden on NYPD officers. He also claimed some Council members who voted for the How Many Stops Act have told him privately they deep inside dont like the legislation. When I speak with City Council members, if they were able to vote with their conscience, they would not be supporting this bill, Adams said. I know they are pro-law enforcement. After the briefing, Adams spokesman Charles Lutvak declined to identify the members referenced by the mayor. You can ask them, Lutvak said. The How Many Stops Act passed in December with support from 35 Council members one above the 34 threshold required to pull off a veto override. As a result, the mayor needs to convince at least two members to flip their votes to stave off an override. An override vote is expected to take place by early March. The Council is expected to at the same time vote to override Adams veto of a separate bill thatd ban solitary confinement in city jails a measure that passed with support from 39 members. Amid that dynamic, the mayor and his team are trying publicly and privately to coax members into abandoning support of both bills. Earlier this week, the administration invited all Council members to join NYPD officers for a ride-along this Saturday, an effort the mayors team says will show them the real-life detrimental consequences of the How Many Stops Act. The mayor said Council Public Safety Committee Chairman Yusef Salaam, who has already committed to help override his veto, and Bronx Councilman Kevin Riley are so far signed up for this weekends ride-along. According to the mayor, the most concerning element of the How Many Stops Act is the proposal to require that all Level 1 stops be documented. While Level 2 stops require cops to have some founded suspicion of criminal activity afoot, Adams said Level 1 stops comprise innocuous interactions like asking someone if they are experiencing a medical emergency or if theyve seen a lost dog in the neighborhood. You take that out, I will sign that any day, and I will stand up and say good job City Council, Adams said of Level 1 stops. The mayor and NYPD leaders have said a single Level 1 stop could take minutes to report, distracting officers from time on patrol. How Many Stops supporters have disputed that argument, saying Level 1 reporting should take seconds and can be done via a cellphone app. Williams, the public advocate, said in the rotunda that excluding Level 1 interactions would also defeat the purpose of the bill. Beyond finding that many stops are unconstitutional, the NYPDs federal monitor recently reported that officers have mislabeled some stops in order to avoid reporting them, and Williams said requiring disclosures across the board is thereby warranted. Shawn Williams, the father of Antonio Williams, who was fatally shoot by NYPD officers in 2019 during a Level 1 stop, attended the rotunda rally and said he sees the mayors veto of the How Many Stops Act as a betrayal of his campaign promise to support criminal justice reform. I urge the City Council to not fall prey to the mayors lies, stand with our families and pass this bill, said Williams. Override this shameful veto. NEW YORK Dozens of City Council members and advocates called on Mayor Eric Adams Monday to halt shelter stay limits for migrant families, with Speaker Adrienne Adams slamming the policy as counterproductive and cruel. The negative effects will ripple throughout our communities and schools, she said at a rally outside a Midtown church. At least 4,800 families have received eviction notices so far. The 60-day notices started going out late last year, with the first families getting the boot on Jan. 9. As the policy gains momentum, around 100 families are expected to be required to leave their shelters every day. Venezuela asylum seeker Reina Alvarez and her four children, including three-year-old son Mathias, recently had to move from Queens to Manhattan under the policy. My experience of the shelters is changing one day after the next, and its putting our childrens education in jeopardy, she said in Spanish. All we want is a better life. Mayor Adams has maintained that the policy is necessary move to free up space in the citys strained shelter system and encourage migrants to move out on their own. But the policy has received intense backlash. Mondays rally was just the latest in a string of calls for the mayor to reverse it; the policy is currently under investigation by City Comptroller Brad Lander. Council Member Diana Ayala had strong words for the policy: Our mayor is a slumlord, she said. Advocates and elected officials have raised concerns from the moment the first notices went out about families well-being, education and ability to build a new life in New York as theyre subjected to frequent moves. Single adults are also subject to a similar policy limiting their stays to 30 days in a shelter. When their stays are up, they must reapply for shelter at an East Village site where, for weeks, lines have stretched around the block as migrants wait as long as a week to get a new bed. This action actively hurts people, uprooting youth and families with children, forcing them to navigate an unnecessarily burdensome and bureaucratic process to receive a new shelter placement, Speaker Adams said at the rally. Alvarez, 36, a single mother, arrived in New York five months ago. Her kids are scattered across three schools, and its a full- time job just taking care of them and navigating the citys complicated bureaucracy as she gathers her paperwork for asylum and work permits. It bothers me and stresses me out that I have to worry that every 60 days I have to change to another shelter, which means that I have to change my childrens school, which affects them drastically, she said. Mayor Adams has repeatedly said the influx of thousands of migrants from the southern border is the worst crisis the city is currently facing and recently credited a much rosier budget prediction in part on cost savings from the shelter limits. During a previous budget announcement in November also when the first family shelter stay notices started going out Adams announced that he wanted to slash migrant spending by 20%. Citing the migrant crisis, the mayor announced a requirement for every city agency to cut budgets by 5%, on top of other cuts. Its cruel and inhumane to remove children out of schools that are providing them with the basic services and with the community that they need, now more than ever, Ayala said. Ayala acknowledged a new policy from Adams administration that gives pregnant migrants in their third trimester and women with newborn babies a break from shelter evictions until their babies are six months old, as first reported by The City. But thats not enough, Ayala said. Moving from shelter to shelter in a still-unfamiliar city with children with young children and all their belongings in tow is an enormous burden for these families, she said. What is the goal here other than to break down the moral character of these folks? she asked. _____ NEW YORK New York City school kids who misbehave will face tangible consequences, as part of a series of changes education officials are making in response to growing tensions in classrooms over the conflict between Israel and Hamas. In a major speech teased for months at district town halls and education councils, Chancellor David Banks is planning to announce Monday his administration will retrain all principals on how to apply the discipline code, and strike a balance with chances for students to learn from their mistakes. These trainings are important because Ive heard that some of our school principals feel disempowered from taking meaningful disciplinary action against egregious student behavior, Banks was expected to say at department headquarters, even in clear-cut, common sense cases. From my years as a school safety agent, a teacher, a principal, and perhaps most importantly, a father of four, I know that it is possible and critical to find a balance when it comes to discipline, to provide both restorative conversations and tangible consequences, he said. We cannot have schools where students feel like they can do whatever they want, without accountability for their actions. The chancellors remarks to a group of mostly parents and advocates were responding to heightened concerns as the war in Gaza and the Oct. 7 terror attacks in Israel have sent shockwaves through some local school communities. While those concerns have touched neighborhoods across NYC, the Department of Education restricted media access to Banks remarks. The Daily News, along with at least two other media outlets, was barred from attending the event and could not direct questions about retraining principals to the chancellor. A spokesperson for the public schools, citing limited space and a priority for stakeholders, would not explain how it decided which members of the local education press corps were permitted in person. The speech follows a series of events at NYC public schools. This month at P.S. 261 in Boerum Hill, a social media post of a Middle Eastern map used in an Arab art class that omitted Israel, labeling the region Palestine, sparked outrage online 12 years after it was introduced to the classroom. In prepared comments, Banks called a protest at Hillcrest High School in Jamaica targeting a Jewish teacher, who attended a pro-Israel rally just days after Hamas terrorist attacks, deeply concerning. It was not immediately clear what the updated trainings would entail. But the emphasis on consequences marked a clear departure from the more progressive approach of chancellors under former mayor Bill de Blasio, who pushed schools to reduce punitive and exclusionary school discipline policies in favor of dialogue, self-reflection and lessons in impulse-control. The overhauled trainings will start in the coming weeks, the chancellor said. Later this spring, all middle and high school principals will participate in workshops on navigating difficult conversations, and take those lessons back to train their entire staff. Education officials are also working with the teachers and principals unions to add specific antisemitism, Islamophobia, and nondiscrimination law components to their diversity trainings and materials. While we can and should expose students to a variety of viewpoints, we must leave our personal viewpoints at home, Banks said. Our job is to educate, not indoctrinate. Parents, too, will be invited to a series of anti-discrimination workshops starting next month. Alongside the various trainings, the school system has expanded instructional materials on antisemitism and Islamophobia for students. We need to point students to reliable and objective sources about the current crisis, Banks prepared to say, so they develop an informed, nuanced understanding that goes beyond inflammatory rhetoric. We cannot leave it to social media to educate our children. Banks announced he has fast-tracked investigations into allegations of antisemitism and Islamophobia, while meeting with several Jewish and Muslim nonprofits, and convening an interfaith advisory council, as reported by The News last month. The group is still in formation but will be chaired by Reverend Jacques DeGraff, a minister in Banks neighborhood of Harlem who alongside the chancellor helped found the all-boys schools network Eagle Academy. DeGraff, a Fox News contributor, made national headlines in 2021 for likening an ablaze Christmas tree outside the conservative broadcasters offices to Pearl Harbor. _____ A New York Police Department (NYPD) sergeant who threw a cooler at a man fleeing on a motorcycle, causing a violent crash and the mans death, has been indicted by the New York Attorney General. Erik Duran threw a plastic picnic cooler from close range at Eric Duprey, 30, a delivery driver, in August. Duprey was pronounced dead within minutes of the cooler smashing into his head, The Associated Press reported. Today, were announcing the indictment of NYPD Sergeant Erik Duran on charges of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Assault in the First and Second Degrees, and Criminally Negligent Homicide in the death of Eric Duprey, Attorney General Letitia James said in a post online. The indictment alleges that on August 23, 2023, in the Bronx, Sgt. Duran forcefully threw a cooler at Eric Duprey as he was driving a motorized scooter, causing Mr. Dupreys death, Jamess post said. My prayers are with Eric Dupreys family. The NYPD confirmed that the sergeant, Duran, 37, was arrested Tuesday morning and charged within the confines of the 44th Precinct. Duran pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in the Bronx and made bail, which was set at $150,000. Dozens of police officers came to support his court appearance, the AP reported. Duran was suspended without pay hours after the incident. The AP reviewed surveillance video that showed Duprey driving the motorcycle toward a group of people on the sidewalk, including Duran, who was not in uniform. The video showed Duran picking up the cooler and throwing it, striking Dupreys head. The video shows Duprey losing control of the motorcycle and being thrown off it toward a tree. The vehicle veered into the street and hit a metal barricade, the newswire reported last year. Police said he was fleeing on a friends motorcycle after he was caught selling drugs to an undercover police officer. Duran was on the sidewalk as part of the Bronx Narcotics Units operation. Sergeant Duran made a split-second decision to prevent serious injury or death to those citizens and officers, his attorney John DAlessandro said after the arraignment. This indictment sends a clear message to society and every law enforcement office in this state: In todays New York, the streets belong to the criminals. Duran joined the Bronx Narcotics Unit in September 2022 and has been recognized for his excellent police work. His disciplinary record includes a complaint for abusing his authority during a stop, the citys Civilian Complaint Review Board found, according to the AP. His next court date is scheduled for April 18. The Associated Press contributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The NYPD sergeant who tossed a cooler that led to the death of a Bronx man is slated to appear in court Tuesday morning on an indictment brought by state Attorney General Letitia James office, according to sources familiar with the case. Sgt. Erik Duran is expected to appear in Bronx Supreme Court to face unspecified charges in connection with the death of Eric Duprey, who was hit with the cooler Aug. 23 in Kingsbridge Heights as he tried to flee a drug bust on a motor scooter. The impact of the cooler knocked Duprey off the scooter and he slammed his head into the ground. The city medical examiners office said Duprey died from blunt-force trauma and ruled his death a homicide. We are encouraged by the fact that the first step has been taken toward holding this officer accountable for the senseless and unnecessary death of Eric Duprey, said Jonathan Roberts, a lawyer representing Dupreys family. Neither Durans lawyer Andrew Quinn nor James office responded to requests for comment on Monday. The NYPD suspended Duran right after the incident took place, with Police Commissioner Edward Caban and Mayor Adams criticizing Durans actions. Our tactics, as the commissioner stated, we dont throw coolers at fleeing suspects, Adams said Sept. 6. The attorney general has the case now. My heart goes out to the family. Its a terrible incident that took place. The Sergeants Benevolent Association has steadfastly defended Duran and decried James demonization and criminalization of the 13-year veteran sergeant. But the union has avoided criticizing Caban and Adams for their statements. SBA President Vincent Vallelong maintained Duran made a split-second decision based solely on his concern for the safety of others. Dupreys family met with James office in early September. Her office is empowered by an executive order to investigate deaths in police custody and brings charges when the evidence merits it. It disgusts me to see SBA chief propagandist Vincent Vallelong, who is so quick to lie to come to the defense of an officer, said Hawk Newsome of the New York chapter of Black Lives Matter. He called Letitia James an overzealous prosecutor. Meanwhile, the day this happened, the sergeant was suspended. Both the mayor and the police commissioner condemned the cooler killers actions. Records show Duran has been the subject of six civilian complaints. Just one was substantiated for an improper stop resulting in him receiving a warning. He has also been named in at least two prior lawsuits. In 2020, a Bronx woman named Cristina Bertoncelli sued the city, alleging cops including Duran unlawfully handcuffed her in her home, court records show. She claimed Duran made her vomit by forcing her to drink a container of water after she fainted. The city denied her allegations, and that case is pending. In 2019, Maurice Solomon sued Duran and other cops alleging they illegally stopped him while he was standing in front of his Bronx building and threw him to the ground, court records show. Solomon was acquitted of charges of resisting arrest and obstructing the police at trial, the records show. That lawsuit settled in 2020 for $20,000. As The News reported Sept. 2, elements of the case mirror the indictment two decades ago of former Officer Craig Yokemick who threw a radio at 36-year-old Kenneth Banks in Harlem in 1998. The device was flung with such force that it knocked Banks off his bicycle at E. 125th St. and Madison Ave. and fractured his skull, leading to his death 12 days later. A grand jury in Manhattan declined to indict the cop and the city settled a lawsuit brought by the family for $1.6 million. A federal grand jury indicted Yokemick in 2003 for violating Banks civil rights and he pleaded guilty in 2004. He was released from a 35-month prison sentence in 2008. Russia used more North Korean missiles to attack Ukraine in the past few days, and U.S. officials believe they are "proving as accurate as Russia's home-built" weapons, the New York Times reported in its Jan. 23 morning briefing. Moscow and Pyongyang have significantly increased their military ties since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, North Korea is now Russia's largest arms supplier. Russia has sought military assistance from countries such as North Korea as it struggles to keep up with the level of production of its weapons and munitions needed to continue attacking Ukraine. "Though many of the North Korean artillery rounds are proving to be duds," having been manufactured decades ago, "they're giving the Russians something to fire while Ukraine's military rations its own dwindling supply of munitions," the New York Times said. The effectiveness of North Korean missiles is worrying Western officials, however, as research suggests they have been designed quite recently and are proving to be relatively accurate, the newspaper said. As reported both by Kyiv and Washington, Russia also used North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine for the first time in strikes against Kharkiv on Jan. 2. "So far, fewer than 50 appear to have been transferred to Russia, but there could be far more to come," the New York Times said. South Korean officials and analysts are concerned that Ukraine is becoming a testing ground for North Korean missiles, allowing Pyongyang to "see how its new missile arsenal, designed for a conflict with South Korea and the U.S., fares against Western-designed air defenses." South Korea warned on Jan. 11 that its northern neighbor may also sell Russia new types of tactical guided missiles as the two countries strengthen their military cooperation. North Korea's state news agency, KCNA, reported on Jan. 21 that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is planning to visit North Korea in the near future. Read also: 2 years into full-scale war, Ukraine under pressure to draft hundreds of thousands of new soldiers Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The congregation and clergy of the Holy Dormition parish in Oleksandrivka, Odesa Oblast, has decided to break ties with the Russian Orthodox Church and transfer under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The transition was announced by the Odesa eparchy of the OCU on Jan. 23. Read also: Ukrainians nationwide will mark the Day of Defenders with one minute of silence at 9:00 a.m. on Oct. 1 The decision was made by the religious community along with their priest, Mykhailo Kharabara. "Bishop Afanasiy has issued the appropriate decrees and also approved the new statute of the [Oleksandrivka] religious community," the statement said. Read also: Archimandrite Hovorun discusses ways Orthodox churches might hold Russian Patriarch Kirill to account According to the OpenDataBot platform, there are still 415 churches in Odesa Oblast affiliated with the ROC. Since the beginning of the war, only one church in the region had joined the OCU. Since November 2022, Ukraines SBU security service has been conducting inspections in monasteries, churches, and premises of the ROC all over Ukraine. During the counterintelligence activities, a large amount of pro-Russian literature was found, as well as Russians with suspicious documents. Read also: Raids of Moscow Patriarchate churches may be discriminatory UN On Jan. 19, 2023, the Cabinet submitted to the Parliament a bill to ban the activities of Russian-controlled religious organizations. Since late 2022, several Ukrainian oblasts voted to ban ROC activity at the regional level. 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 Rescuers found the body of an eight-year-old girl killed in Russias morning missile strike against Kharkiv, bringing the death toll in the city to eight, Serhii Bolvinov, the head of the investigative department of the regional police, reported on Jan. 23. The girl was likely the daughter of a woman previously found dead under the rubble of an apartment building damaged in the attack, according to Bolvinov. Russian forces launched 12 missiles of the types S-300, Kh-32, and Iskander against Ukraines northeastern city of Kharkiv early on Jan. 23, Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported. The attacks targeted civilian infrastructure and residential buildings, said Syniehubov. As of 7 p.m. local time, 60 people, including six children, are known to have been injured in the strike, according to the State Emergency Service. At around the same time, Bolvinov said that 57 people were wounded. The number of casualties is not final since search and rescue operations in Kharkiv are still ongoing. Russia's morning attack on Kharkiv left 11,000 people and companies without electricity, most of whom have regained access to power supply as of around 7 p.m., Syniehubov said on Telegram. Except for Kharkiv, Russia targeted Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Sumy oblasts in the morning of Jan. 23, killing one more person and wounding at least 26, according to regional authorities. Read also: UPDATED: Russia launches mass missile strikes at Kyiv, Kharkiv, other cities Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. As campaign season continues, politicians are turning up the volume on campaign rhetoric. To cut through the noise, were launching Campaign Context, a weekly series providing clarity on the messages youre hearing from candidates on the campaign trail. Were digging past the politics and into the facts to provide you with the transparent, spin-free information you need to make informed decisions this election season. (KXAN) Thousands of voters are casting ballots in Granite State today as part of the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is hoping to beat the odds and the polls and pull off an upset victory over former President Donald Trump. In the Republican primary, 22 delegates are up for grabs tonight. On the Democratic side, incumbent frontrunner President Joe Biden wont appear on the ballot, but supporters are planning a write-in campaign instead. No delegates will be awarded based on tonights results due to sanctions imposed by the Democratic National Committee. DELEGATE TRACKER: Results of the 2024 Republican and Democratic primaries Either way, how indicative are the New Hampshire results when it comes to determining the eventual party nominees? For Republicans, the answer is very indicative, at least over the last few election cycles. Since 2004, every Republican to win New Hampshire has gone on to win the Republican nomination, including John McCain, Mitt Romney and Donald Trumps initial campaigns, as well as Trump and George W. Bushs reelection campaigns. Democratic results in New Hampshire are less representative when it comes to picking the eventual nominee. Primary winners Al Gore and John Kerry did go on to be the Democratic nominees in 2000 and 2004, but the states winner didnt line up with the nominee in 2008, 2016 or 2020. New Hampshirites voted for Bernie Sanders, from neighboring Vermont, in both of the two most recent presidential primary campaigns, in which Hillary Clinton and Biden went on to become the party nominees. RELATED: How important is an Iowa Caucus win to the presidential race? This year, more attention is focused on the Republican race, as incumbent Biden remains the clear favorite to win the Democratic nomination again. Despite Trumps lead in the polls, Haley is hoping for a close race to gain momentum ahead of the South Carolina primary in her home state on Feb. 24. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Watch a previous report on the Jan. 6 attack in the video player above. WASHINGTON D.C. (WCMH) A Muskingum County pastor has been found guilty of charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the certification of Joe Biden as President. William Dunfee, 58, of Frazeysburg, was found guilty Monday of two felony charges of obstruction of an official proceeding and abetting and civil disorder and a misdemeanor charge of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds. He was arrested in October 2022. Trans Ohio House candidate facing disqualification now cleared to run The U.S. Attorneys Office, District of Columbus, said Dunfee is the founder and pastor of the New Beginnings Ministry Warsaw in Warsaw, Ohio. On Dec. 27, 2020, Dunfee posted a video on the churchs Facebook page. According to the attorneys office, Dunfee is quoted as saying, The Government, the tyrants, the socialists, the Marxists, the progressives, the RINOs, they fear you. And they should. Our problem is we havent given them reason to fear us. He is quoted later, saying, As I said earlier in another previous sermon is this, they used to tell us, you know what, you settle your differences at the ballot. How did that work out for us? Its not over. He added, January 4th through 6th Are you ready? AEP lays off over 250 workers. Heres how many in Ohio were affected After entering the Capitol grounds, Dunfee used a bullhorn to rile up the crowd, saying, This election has been stolen right out from underneath of our noses and it is time for the American people to rise up. Rise up. Rise up. Today is the day in which it is that these elected officials realize that we are no longer playing games. That we are not sheeple that are just going to be corralled according to their whims and their wills. Dunfee twice pushed a metal barricade against U.S. Capitol Police officers, the attorneys office said. While others breached the Capitol building, Dunfee stayed outside but still in the area, telling people leaving the building, Mission accomplished. Dunfee is a member of the Salt and Light Brigade, a pro-Christian movement that vows to defend the Judeo-Christian worldview and take the fight to the enemy. 614 Restaurant Week returns: See where to find specials The Salt and Light Brigade is part of Pass the Salt Ministries, an Ohio-based charity that has offered armed tactical training to members. Dunfee is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24. Since January 2021, 1,265 people have been charged in the Jan. 6 insurrection, with more than 440 of those being charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Ohio Republican Senate hopeful Bernie Moreno, who is endorsed by former President Trump, equated his rival, state Sen. Matt Dolan (R), to prominent Trump critic and former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney (R) during a debate Monday night. In an hourlong showing hosted by Clevelands Fox 8, candidates clashed over government funding, bombing Mexican cartels, and Ukraine, trading political blows as they battle to become their party nominee in March and take on three-term incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) come November. Brown and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) hold two of the most vulnerable seats in the Senate, according to Cook Political Reports 2024 Senate Race Ratings. Both are targeted by Republicans who are looking to flip the upper chamber; the GOPs path became easier when Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced his retirement from the Senate at the conclusion of this term, leaving the seat to likely flip red in 2024. During a portion of the debate focused on Jan. 6, 2021, moderators Joe Toohey of Fox 8 and Colleen Marshall of NBC 4 accused Moreno and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R) of flip-flopping on their rhetoric regarding the Capitol riot. In the immediate aftermath of the insurrection, both candidates condemned the destruction and violence that played out. Recently, both have called some of the people charged in the act political prisoners. Dolan went after Moreno over his recent Jan. 6 rhetoric, while doubling down that it was a bad day. We just heard an absolute political phony answer, Dolan said. Hes trying to reinvent himself. Jan. 6 was a bad day, and I said it then. Moreno, a former car dealer who has raked in heavyweight endorsements ranging from Trump, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Club for Growth, an influential deep-pocketed anti-tax group, went after Dolan, calling him Liz Cheney and accused him of peddling liberal talking points. I mean, if you want Liz Cheney to represent your United States senator from Ohio, heres your choice, because thats where his position comes from, Moreno said. The reality is, Matt, its sad to see you repeating left-wing, liberal talking points. Dolan, who was aggressive all night, continued his digs at Moreno, referencing lawsuits that the car dealership tycoon dealt with in Ohio and Massachusets. And Bernie, wed learned this week, I dont know if we can trust you, Dolan said. Your employees trusted you to follow a court order and do not destroy documents that help them in their case against you. But what did you do? You shredded those documents, because it helped Bernie Moreno, not the employees. This is a matter of trust. Ukraine funding was another segment where candidates separated. Moreno said the U.S. should stop funding Ukraine, while LaRose vowed to not allow for another penny to go to Ukraine until the U.S. southern border is secured. Dolan warned that if the U.S. does not give ammunition, weaponry and aid to Ukraine, Ohio boys and girls will be fighting Russia and Poland, Western Europe or the Baltics. While each of the contenders hinted at being in favor of restrictions when it comes to abortion, none of them gave a direct answer if they would stand behind a federal abortion ban. On the topic of immigration, LaRose reiterated his stance to kill the cartels, a slogan that was shared in recent ads supporting his campaign. These cartels are killing over 200 Americans a day with the fentanyl that theyre bringing into this country, LaRose said. We know that this comes from China mixed together in Mexico. We must define these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations and use the full force of the U.S. military and the U.S. federal government to kill them so that they cant kill our fellow Americans. Moreno slammed LaRoses answer as neocon rhetoric, pledging he would push for the U.S. to work with Mexico. Were going to work with Mexico to make certain that they understand its in their best interest to have us help them wipe out the drug cartels, Moreno said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The State of Oklahoma and its communities are mourning the sudden loss of trailblazing lawyer and Oklahoma County Chief Public Defender, Robert A. Ravitz. Robert Bob A. Ravitz was a 1976 graduate of the Oklahoma City University School of Law, and served as Public Defender in Oklahoma County since 1987. Ravitz was also an adjunct professor at Oklahoma City University School of Law, teaching in the areas of trial practice, capital litigation, and criminal procedure. His legacy extends well beyond the classroom, as many who knew Mr. Ravitz shared memories, words of encouragement, and inspiring messages about his impact: Im deeply saddened to learn Bob Ravitz, the longtime chief public defender of Oklahoma County, has passed away. He was a fighter for each client, a fierce advocate for responsible criminal justice reform, and a true Oklahoman. Bobs family and friends are in my prayers, Gov. Kevin Stitt Bob was a wonderful man, a brilliant mind and tenacious advocate. He dedicated his life to serving others and fighting for equitable justice. Aside from being a legal giant, he was a kind and gracious man. Prayers are with his family, his co-workers (former and present) and everyone that had the pleasure of knowing Bob Ravitz. He will be greatly missed. Michelle Green, Attorney Mr. Ravitz gave me my first job out of law school. And in the eighteen years that Ive been practicing law, Ive yet to come across a more conscientious, ethical and as zealous of an advocate for his clients as Bob Ravitz was. When I worked for Mr. Ravitz, he had an open door policy. It didnt matter that he had been there 25 years as the head public defender, and you were in your first week as a lawyer. He would invite you in and he would help you with whatever you need[ed] help with both in court and outside of court. Mr. Ravitz served as a father figure for a lot of young lawyers. He was a mentor and he did everything he could to ensure that we all became as good lawyers as we could be. Ed Blau, Attorney For him to be able to weather the political storm he had to weather for 45 yearsFor someone to be able to maintain that status that he had, the reputation that he had and to do it with the pride that he had, it speaks volumes at what kind of man he really is. He was so well-respected in and such an incredible human being. Hes going to be sorely missed. Scott Adams He was just relentless in his fight to protect his clients rights what what you saw is what you got and he was unapologetic about it. His legacy is very simple. But just to do the right thing and to fight for the causes that you believe in. Billy Bock Oklahoma finalizes tobacco, motor vehicle compacts with two tribes The following is a list of Ravitzs accomplishments on the Oklahoma County Public Defender website: Awards & Recognition: In 1996, Mr. Ravitz was the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association recipient of the Clarence Darrow Award as Oklahomas outstanding criminal defense lawyer. Ravitz successfully argued Cooper v. Oklahoma before the United States Supreme Court, where the Court unanimously concluded the Oklahoma standard for determining competency to stand trial was unconstitutional. Ravitz also received the Angie Debo Civil Liberties Award for significant contributions to civil liberties in 1985. In 2001, he was the recipient of the Oklahoma Bar Association, Association of Black Lawyers Diversity Award and the 2006 Oklahoma County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Barry Albert Award. In 2008, he was a recipient of the Journal Record Leadership in Law Award and in 2010 he received the Oklahoma City University Law School Distinguished Alumni Award. Ravitz was recently presented with the Opio Toure Champion of Justice Award by the Oklahoma City Association of Black Lawyers. Memberships & Service: Mr. Ravitz was a former member of the Oklahoma Sentencing Commission and Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs and currently sits on the Uniform Jury Instruction Committee. Mr. Ravitz previously served as president of the OCU Law Alumni Association, the Metro Alliance for Safer Cities, and the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He was a Barrister of the American Inn of Court XIII from 1990 to 1993 and is currently a Master in the William J. Holloway Inn of Court. Ravitz served on the Board of Oklahoma Lawyers for Children, the Oklahoma County Drug Court, Community Sentencing and Court Services Boards. He has previously served on the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Board of Juvenile Affairs, Legal Aid of Western Oklahoma, the Oklahoma County Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Public Speaking: Mr. Ravitz lectured at numerous state and national seminars including those put on by the Oklahoma Bar Association, the National Judicial Conference, the Oklahoma Judicial Conference, the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, the Virginia Coalition Against the Death Penalty, and the Oklahoma and Tulsa County Bar Associations. He has lectured at 4 Absolute Criminal Litigators Conferences in Las Vegas. Bob is survived by his wife, Diane, and two daughters. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. A lawsuit filed Monday in Jefferson County claims a local gun store overlooked red flags when selling an AR-15-style rifle that was eventually used to kill five in the April mass shooting at Old National Bank. The circuit court lawsuit is filed on behalf of six plaintiffs against Louisville gun shop River City Firearms. The plaintiffs are: Julie Andersen, Jimmy Evans, Dana Mitchell and Stephanie "Dallas" Schwartz, who were all injured in the attack but survived; and the families of James Tutt and Joshua Barrick, who were killed. Derrick Meyers founded River City Firearms at 2915 Preston Highway in October 2015, per its articles of incorporation with the Secretary of State. The Courier Journal contacted River City Firearms regarding the lawsuit filing, but did not immediately receive a response. Louisville attorney Tad Thomas of Thomas Law Offices, along with Antonio Romanucci of Romanucci & Blandin in Chicago and Alla Lefkowitz of the national group Everytown Law, represent the plaintiffs, who are seeking compensatory and punitive damages. Romanucci & Blandin currently represent victims of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting, where 19 fourth-grade students were killed, along with three adults, in May 2022. The firm has won successful verdicts in cases brought by the families of George Floyd and Tyre Nichols, who were killed by police. Everytown Law is a group of national litigators focused on holding gun manufacturers and sellers accountable through the court system. Lefkowitz is Everytown's senior director of litigation. Workers replace glass on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, damaged by Monday's mass shooting, which killed five people and injured nine, including two Louisville Metro Police officers in downtown Louisville, Ky. Lawsuits against the gun industry are affected by a federal law. In 2005, President George W. Bush signed the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, giving the gun industry immunity if their gun is used in a crime. (Kentucky had a similar law enacted in 1988. The state gun immunity law was deemed unconstitutional in 1991, but the federal law takes precedent.) There are exceptions to the 2005 law, though, including negligence on the part of a seller, which is what the suit is alleging. The Courier Journal reported in November about the lawyers' intentions to file suit against Radical Firearms, the Texas-based gun manufacturer, and Thomas said that is still possible, but for now, River City Firearms is the focus. "A lot of (this complaint) is based upon the information we received from the Louisville Metro Police file, and what was missing from the file was any investigation into the manufacturer," Thomas said. "It's not necessarily a shift, but we want to make sure that we file strong cases, and the case against the River City is very strong. "So that was the first one to be filed, but it may not be the last one." This is not the first time a lawsuit has been brought against a gun seller, although "they are not very common," Lefkowitz told The Courier Journal. Karen Tutt speaks about her late husband, Jim Tutt, who was killed in the April 2023 Old National Bank mass shooting in Louisville. Jan. 22, 2024 The Courier Journal spoke with plaintiff Karen Tutt, whose husband Jim was running low on fuel the morning of April 10, but decided not to stop for gas. "I wish he had," Karen Tutt said. Instead, Jim was in the bank conference room during a monthly sales meeting and was shot and killed. Karen Tutt said for the last six months she's been in a fog, but she hopes the lawsuit brings accountability. "I feel like I have to honor Jim," she said. "There has to be a purpose in the pain." Suspicious behavior, lack of firearms knowledge According to the LMPD report, River City Firearms sold an AR-15-style rifle on April 4, 2023, to Connor Sturgeon, 25, an Old National Bank employee, who pulled the rifle from a gym bag on April 10 and opened fire on fellow employees during a monthly sales meeting at Old National Bank's downtown office. (The bank has since relocated its office.) The complaint alleges "red flags were present in spades" when River City Firearms sold the AR-15 to Sturgeon, citing his suspicious behavior and lack of basic firearms knowledge. Sturgeon told the clerk he wanted a firearm because a friend's home had recently been burglarized, per his own notes that were included in LMPD's November report "indicating that he wanted to buy an AR-15 for home defense, a use for which an AR-15 is particularly poorly suited for a novice shooter," the complaint states. River City Firearms on Preston Highway in Louisville, Ky. The complaint also mentions a witness who was inside River City Firearms during Sturgeon's purchase and who said he "demonstrated a complete lack of knowledge or experience with firearms and that he spoke in an unusually quiet tone and appeared embarrassed upon making eye contact with others, lowering his head and averting his gaze." Sturgeon's interactions at River City Firearms left "such an impression" on the woman that after his 20 minutes at the store, she considered calling police. "Louisville is a big, small town," Thomas said. "The woman who was at the gun shop was familiar with some of the people that worked at Old National Bank, so that is how the name got over to us. "We interviewed her, and frankly, it was shocking that someone who doesn't sell firearms for a living would be able to recognize immediately that someone like Connor didn't need to be purchasing a firearm like this." When news of the shooting broke, according to the complaint, the woman turned to her husband and said, "I bet it's that kid from the store." Extra magazines, red-dot sight and vertical grip The complaint also alleges that while River City failed to stop the transaction, it also used it to "embolden the novice shooter and made him more deadly" by selling three additional 30-round magazines, a red-dot sight to increase accuracy and a vertical grip that allows greater control of the weapon. "Despite Sturgeon's complete lack of experience, 23 seconds was enough time for him to shoot and kill five people," the complaint states. During his assault on the bank meeting, LMPD found, Sturgeon fired 25-30 rounds into the conference room. Jayne Hines placed a cross and a note outside of the Old National Bank on April 11, a day after a mass shooting that left six dead, including the shooter, and another 8 injured. The additional magazine allowed Sturgeon to quickly reload before opening fire on law enforcement, which hit Officer Nickolas Wilt in the head and Officer Cory Galloway in the chest as they entered the bank. "If River City had not sold Sturgeon this extra large-capacity magazine, (he) would not have been able to continue firing," the lawsuit alleges. "People who are engaged in selling firearms need to be on notice that these kind of actions have very, very real, devastating consequences," Lefkowitz said. Dallas Schwartz speaks about her experience during the April 2023 Old National Bank mass shooting in downtown Louisville. Jan. 22, 2024 Plaintiff Dallas Schwartz is still dealing with trauma and stress from the bullet that hit her leg and left her in rehabilitation for nearly a month. "I dont want anyone to ever have to deal with what Ive dealt with or anybody that has had to deal with that day ... not just that day but any mass shooting," Schwartz said. "If there could be any type of change, even if its small..." "Theres people not here anymore that cant fight that fight. I feel like I need to do that for them." ATF's Top 100 list The ATF or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms which oversees federally licensed firearms dealers, like River City Firearms provides resources on how to identify and prevent dangerous firearms sales. It says gun sellers should ask about the intended use of the firearm, and it reminds them that they have "the right and the obligation to decline a sale if something doesn't feel right," according to the complaint. "I genuinely believe that most people who are in the business of selling firearms are absolutely horrified at something like this happening and do not want this to happen," Lefkowitz said. "They don't want this on their conscience, so to the extent that our complaint can help them look at something and say, 'Look, we need to be taking a look at how we train our associates, what red flags that we look for' that's really important because I don't think anyone wants to be involved in a situation like this." River City Firearms was identified by Louisville's ATF field office as a Top 100 Trace Dealer, according to a 2017 inspection released to The Brady under an open records request. The Brady is a national non-profit focused on gun violence that posts its collected information online. A Top 100 Trace Dealer is a ranking used by the ATF in relation to the number of firearms used in crimes traced back to the licensee. That 2017 inspection also found River City Firearms had nine separate violations, including failure to obtain accurate transaction forms and failing to comply with reporting requirements. The violations resulted in a warning letter from the ATF, the least severe form of the ATF's administrative remedies. The most severe form is a license revocation. "This was an entirely preventable disaster," said Thomas, the local attorney for the plaintiffs. "They want accountability for their families and the victims, for the city of Louisville. "Everybody in Louisville had a connection to these murders. I think it's important that the city see that there is accountability and hopefully people take note and maybe something is prevented in the future." Stephanie Kuzydym is an enterprise and investigative sports reporter, with a focus on the health and safety of athletes. She can be reached at skuzydym@courier-journal.com. Follow her for updates at @stephkuzy. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Louisville's Old National Bank shooting survivors sue gun seller A police officer stands next to men briefly detained to frisk them for drugs and weapons during the "Costa Rica Segura Plus" operation, in San Jose A police officer stands next to men briefly detained to frisk them for drugs and weapons during the "Costa Rica Segura Plus" operation, in San Jose By Alvaro Murillo and Isabel Woodford SAN JOSE/MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Long a byword for laidback environmental tourism, Costa Rica is now wrestling with a surge in violence so striking that its government is borrowing a page from nearby El Salvador, which took draconian steps to tackle its own crime problems. In an effort to cut a homicide rate that has soared 40% in the last year alone, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves has introduced tough new legislation to combat crime, dubbing El Salvador a "reference" point. "Chaves is planning a crackdown... He's a security hardliner pushing for a course correction," said Chris Dalby, director of the World of Crime think tank. "'Mano dura' (firm hand) talk plays well." Chaves' ideas include increasing jail sentences for minors to the adult maximum of 50 years, allowing extraditions, and extending use of preventive detention, making it easier to hold suspects with limited evidence. "Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures," Chaves said as he presented his National Security Plan in November. Costa Rica is one of a growing number of Latin American countries seeking to tackle the expansion of drug cartel activity by emulating Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's sweeping crackdown. Bukele's suspension of constitutional rights, which among other things allows police to indefinitely detain suspected gang members without the right to a lawyer, has elicited strong condemnation by human rights campaigners. But it has had a significant impact on crime and is domestically popular, putting Bukele on the verge of a historic re-election next month. And it has become a beacon for regional politicians battling gangs, from Chile to Ecuador. While Chaves insists he doesn't want to become exactly like Bukele, his plan is still a radical shift for Costa Rica, which has traditionally taken a gentler approach to crime prevention. Many in the opposition-controlled Congress publicly still cleave to that approach, but even there, whispers of support for tougher policies are growing, fueled by fears for the country's $2 billion tourism sector. "(Bukele's) work dismantling organized crime has been excellent and worth analyzing to replicate in Costa Rica," David Segura, a lawmaker in the opposition conservative New Republic party said in a recent social media post. Costa Rica saw its murder rate jump to 17.2 per 100,000 people in 2023 from 11.7 in 2018. By contrast in El Salvador, the rate plunged to 2.4 after being the highest in the world less than a decade earlier. Bukele was voted Costa Ricans' favorite political leader in an October survey by research firm Indice. Meanwhile, Chaves' own poll ratings have plummeted nearly 30 percentage points since his election in May 2022. CHANGING WINDS Analysts say Costa Rica's spike in homicides has been driven by gang warfare among cocaine traffickers. Gang recruitment was helped by growing social discontent and unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Political friction with neighboring Nicaragua and Honduras has also hindered regional security cooperation, which analysts say has fed a sharp drop in cocaine seizures in Costa Rica. Costa Rica's traditionally light-touch handling of suspects - who are often simply given precautions in lieu of arrest - has also fueled the problem, according to Jorge Torres, Chaves' security chief. "How can a strong 17-year-old boy who killed a citizen with an AK-47 be treated like an 8-year-old boy who stole some candy?," Chaves said in October, arguing criminal groups recruit minors precisely because they often get off scot-free. For now, Chaves' "mano dura" bill is stuck in Congress, with opposition critics calling it anti-Costa Rican and authoritarian. "We live in a democracy. We're not El Salvador or any of those countries that violate individual rights," said Gloria Navas, a New Republic lawmaker who heads the congressional committee on Security and Drug Trafficking. Chaves needs the backing of at least 29 of 57 lawmakers for most of the proposals, and his party currently has only nine seats. But he has been able to previously pass legislation with support from other conservative factions. Chaves' other challenge is that Costa Rica is less used to pursuing narcos than its neighbors, having abolished its army over 70 years ago to prioritize progressive welfare policies. Proponents of the welfare-first approach say historically that helped to shield Costa Rica from violence long prevalent in much of Central America, and that more welfare spending could do so again. Laura Chinchilla, president from 2010 to 2014, said she had successfully curbed violence by preventing the poor from falling into crime. "I don't think we have to resort to the militarized models of other countries," she told Reuters. "If we've done it (the peaceful way) for a lifetime, we should be able to do it now." Others in Congress think Chaves' plan doesn't go far enough. Opposition conservative lawmaker Lesley Bojorges recently backed the idea of harsh El Salvador-style prisons, while judicial chief Randall Zuniga has expounded the merits of more detentions. Sergio Araya, a political scientist at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a conservative think tank, said such tougher approaches were on track to become more popular with Costa Ricans weary of crime in the coming months and years. "There's likely to be growing support for ideas in the so-called 'Bukele model,'" he said. (Reporting by Alvaro Murillo in San Jose and Isabel Woodford in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Plumb, Dave Graham and Rosalba O'Brien) A uranium mine in Arizona located just 7 miles south of the Grand Canyon national park has begun operations, one of the first in the US to open in eight years. The opening of the Pinyon Plain mine comes as the US seeks to boost domestic production of the mineral needed for nuclear energy and accelerate divesting from fossil fuels. Related: In the Grand Canyon, uranium mining threatens a tribe's survival But the mine has faced decades of fierce opposition from the Havasupai Tribe, who fear that its operations could contaminate its sole source of drinking water and damage important cultural sites. Its a very, very sad situation its upsetting a lot of tribes in this region, said Carletta Tilousi, a former Havasupai council member who has been leading the tribes opposition to uranium mining in the south-west. But I think we all knew this was eventually going to happen. The Pinyon Plain mine lies within the new Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni national monument that Joe Biden designated last year, and is owned and operated by Energy Fuels Inc. Uranium mining in the region had ceased for years, amid a federal ban on new mining claims around the Grand Canyon. Permitted mines unaffected by the ban sat dormant due to low uranium prices. But an agreement at Cop28 to triple nuclear energy production as a means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has boosted demand. Energy Fuels Inc began operations at the Pinyon Plain mine in December and has also begun ramping up production at its Pandora and La Sal mines in Utah, near Moab. The company cited rising uranium prices in a statement about its activities, as well as increased buying interest from US nuclear utilities, US and global government policies supporting nuclear energy to address global climate change, and the need to reduce US reliance on Russian and Russian-controlled uranium and nuclear fuel among their reasons to ramp-up production. The US still buys uranium from Russia, despite sanctions imposed after Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but lawmakers have been seeking to divest from the country. Pinyon Plain is expected to be open for 28 months and produce 1.57m lbs of uranium. Energy Fuels insists that its operations will not affect aquifers in the region, and points out that state regulators have determined that the mine will not impact local water supplies. The Arizona department of environmental quality (ADEQ) in 2022 issued an aquifer protection permit to the company, after it showed it was using the latest systems to prevent discharge from filtering into groundwater reserves. There is no science to support the contention that groundwater is at risk, Curtis Moore, a spokesperson with Energy Fuel, told the Guardian. Prior to issuing the permit, ADEQ professionals spent more than one thousand hours conducting a comprehensive review of this extensive technical record before determining that adverse impacts to groundwater were extremely unlikely, a spokesperson for the agency said. The agency reviewed environmental studies, permits, engineering and hydrological reports over 30 years information from the US Geological Survey, to conclude that the rock layers between the mine and the Redwall-Muav aquifer that the Havasupai Tribe relies on are highly impermeable. For the Havasupai Nation, such reassurances are not enough, said Tilousi. In the four corners region of the south-west, the uranium mining in the 20th century littered the Navajo Nation with abandoned mines and tainted aquifers, leaving a generation of Dine workers and their families with lung cancer and other respiratory illness. The Havasupai and other Indigenous communities are weary, she said. Were not willing to risk the livelihood of my community of 767 tribal members for the sake of one mining company, she said. One mishap or misestimation could risk permanently contaminating the sole water source for the tribe, she argued, in a drought-stricken region where water supplies are already limited. The tribe, as well as local environmental groups, argue that theres been no extensive study of how groundwater in the region moves and that a plan to undertake long-term study of water impacts first proposed by the Obama administration had stalled. Were not willing to risk the livelihood of my community of 767 tribal members for the sake of one mining company Carletta Tilousi And, they say, past incidents at the site are cause for concern. In 2016, mine-shaft drilling by Energy Fuel pierced shallow aquifers, causing a surge of contaminated water. In 2017, when the facilitys evaporation pond approached capacity, miners spayed contaminated water into the nearby Kaibab national forest. We encountered shallow, isolated aquifers when we drove the shaft, but this was planned and anticipated by us and the regulators, Moore said, disputing that the 2016 incident was an issue. In 2017, he said the company swiftly responded and adapted systems to prevent such an occurrence in the future. The mine also abuts two of the tribes most sacred sites Wiii Gdwiisa and Mat Taav Tiivjunmdva. The tribes creation stories centre on those sites, but fall outside their trust land borders, after they were evicted from the Grand Canyon National Park in 1919. Bidens national monument declaration last year prevented new mining claims within the borders of Baaj Nwaavjo Itah Kukveni, but due to the stipulations of an 1872 mining law, mines under development prior to the federal governments projections were exempted from the ban. The Gold Rush-era law, which still governs mining operations, allowed miners to seize public lands without regard for whether the sites had been home to Indigenous people and environmental groups are continuing to push for its reform. There are so many reasons why this mine doesnt belong where it is, said Amber Reimondo, the energy director with the Grand Canyon Trust, an environmental group focused on protecting the region. And the fact that it is allowed to operate is a stark example of the weaknesses in our regulatory system. Across the south-west, local communities and tribes have been pushing back against uranium mining proposals, including in Utah, where the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe is concerned about air pollution from a nearby Energy Fuels mill facility. Similar tensions have arisen around lithium mining in the west, as a need for the metal in clean energy components grows. In the rush to move away from fossil fuels, we are neglecting communities and recreating cycles of harm, Reimondo said. In order to have a truly just clean energy future, we have to actually work with Indigenous communities. What was once a crowded, 14-candidate GOP field is now a two-person race. Also in the news: Joint strikes by the U.S. and United Kingdom targeted eight sites in Yemen associated with Iran-backed Houthi militants. The 2024 Oscar nominations will be announced this morning. I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Here's how to score a free slice for National Pie Day. Here is the news to know Tuesday. Nikki Haley's supporters brace for nail-biter against Donald Trump New Hampshire's long-celebrated, first-in-the-nation primary could have the last word on the 2024 Republican nomination battle. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is betting everything on winning, or at least coming in a close second, against former President Donald Trump. Despite mounting criminal charges and fierce opposition from old-guard Republicans, Trump has built a formidable lead in a race that has boiled down to a one-on-one contest. The odds aren't in Haley's favor. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis exit may bolster Trumps lead. Nearly 60% of the Florida governors likely voters said Trump was their second choice in the poll. Since his win last week in the Iowa caucuses, Trump has made it clear that he believes a "big resounding" win in New Hampshire should force opponents to concede the entire GOP race. Another factor that sets this year apart: President Joe Biden won't even appear on the ballot. The Democratic Party tried to push New Hampshire later on the primary schedule and make South Carolina the nation's first contest, switching up the traditional schedule for voters. Related: Voters got a call from Joe Biden telling them to skip the New Hampshire primary. It was fake. Republican presidential candidate, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, greets people during an event at T-BONES on January 22, 2024 in Concord, New Hampshire. US, Britain launch second major attack on Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen The United States and Great Britain launched joint attacks on Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, the latest in a series of strikes intended to limit the militants' ability to attack international shipping lanes in the Red Sea. It is the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on the rebels missile launching capabilities. The U.S.-led attacks have degraded the Houthis' ability to target shipping lanes, an official said. The Houthis have launched more than 30 attacks on international shipping since November and have continued to do so since Jan. 11. The attacks, they maintain, are in response to Israels invasion of Gaza. Read more 21 Israeli soldiers were killed in the deadliest single-day attack on the IDF. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Biden boosts abortion, contraception access on Roe v. Wade anniversary President Joe Biden is taking steps to expand access to abortion medication and contraception, the latest moves by his administration to counter a wave of state abortion bans while he makes reproductive rights a centerpiece of his reelection bid. The new actions include expanding coverage for no-cost contraception and rolling out a plan to educate patients about the administration's position that they are entitled to care for pregnancy-related emergences including abortion care in some cases. The steps coincide with the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that provided a constitutional right to an abortion for five decades. Read more The co-author of 14-week abortion ban bill in Wisconsin defended leaving out exceptions for rape or incest. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 7, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Big Bend, Wisconsin. Supreme Court says feds can remove razor wire barriers in Texas The Supreme Court allowed the Biden administration to remove razor wire barriers that Texas erected along a 29-mile stretch of the Rio Grande meant to block migrants at the southwest border. The 5-4 ruling gives the federal government the upper hand in its broader fight with Texas over the situation at the border an issue Biden's Republican challengers have been hammering on the campaign trail. The Justice Department told the Supreme Court this month that additional barriers the state erected effectively prevented the Border Patrol from determining if a migrant in that area needs emergency aid. Read more Keep scrolling Who we think will get Oscar nominations this year The field for the 96th Academy Awards will be unveiled Tuesday morning and we'll see if Christopher Nolan's atomic bomb biopic "Oppenheimer" keeps steamrolling or if multiple nominations will go to Greta Gerwig's pop-culture confection, "Barbie." And don't forget about the fantastical dark comedy "Poor Things" or Martin Scorsese's Western crime epic "Killers of the Flower Moon," both of which could score a number of nods. The biggest question: Will the projected nominees get their spot, or will Academy voters choose chaos? Photo of the day: 'Euphoria' reunion at Schiaparelli's haute couture show "Euphoria" stars Zendaya and Hunter Schafer had a mini reunion at Schiaparelli's spring/summer 2024 show to kick off Paris Haute Couture Week. The stars sat front row next to Jennifer Lopez and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Check out more photos from the show. Zendaya, from left, Hunter Schafer, Jennifer Lopez and Da'Vine Joy Randolph attend Schiaparelli's Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2024 collection presented in Paris, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this subscribe to USA TODAY here. Associated Press contributed reporting. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Hampshire, Israel-Hamas war, abortion, migrant, Oscars 2024: Daily Briefing The Osceola County Sheriffs Office is asking for help finding a man wanted for his role in a deadly shooting in the parking lot of a local nightclub. WATCH CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS In the early-morning hours of November 14, Osceola County deputies responded to reports of a shooting at 3262 Oxford Drive in Kissimmee. Deputies arrived to find the victim, later identified as Joshua Daniel Mitchell, in a parking lot with a single gunshot wound. READ: Sheriff: 2 arrested after deadly shooting in Osceola County Mitchell was taken to a local hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries. According to an incident report from the sheriffs office, investigators interviewed a witness who had spent the evening with Mitchell all the way up until the shooting occurred. The witness told deputies they were hanging out in the parking lot of LUNGO Lounge with two men later identified as 31-year-old Christopher Garrett and 28-year-old Joshua Franceschi when Mitchell was shot. According to the report, the entire sequence of events leading up to the shooting was captured on high-quality surveillance video from a neighboring business that also had audio available. Investigators say the video shows everything happening as the witness described, with Mitchell seemingly having a number of friendly interactions with Garrett and Franceschi outside the club. According to the report, Garrett can be seen and heard attempting to sell a gun just after 3:30 a.m. Just after 4 a.m., the video shows the three men standing in the parking lot together when Garrett moves to a position of advantage around Mitchell as Franceschi strikes him. READ: Woman dies in deputy-involved shooting after lunging at deputy with knife, officials say According to the report, immediately after Franceschis assault on Mitchell, Garrett can be seen raising his arms and firing the shot that ultimately killed him. The report says Garrett and Franceschi are then seen getting into a gray SUV and fleeing the scene towards Vineland Road. Mitchell can be seen running back to his truck before collapsing in the parking lot. Deputies secured a warrant charging Garrett with premeditated murder and discharging a firearm in public. Garrett was arrested on that warrant in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 26 and extradited to Osceola County on Friday. Christopher Garrett, 31, arrested in Columbus, Ohio on Dec. 26 on an Osceola County warrant charging him with premediated murder and discharging a firearm in public for the Nov. 14 shooting death of Joshua Mitchell on Oxford Drive in Kissimmee. Deputies say theyve also obtained a warrant charging Franceschi with premeditated murder and battery, but theyre still trying to find him. The Osceola County Sheriffs Office is asking the public for help finding Franceschi. READ: Polk County home evacuated after large sinkhole opens in front yard Anyone with information about his location is asked to contact the sheriffs office immediately by calling (407) 348-2222, or through Crimeline at 1-800-423-8477. Crimeline callers are able to remain anonymous and could become eligible for a reward if the information they provide leads directly to an arrest. The Osceola County Sheriff's Office Violent Crimes Unit has obtained an arrest warrant for Joshua Franceschi, 28, charging him with premediated murder and battery. Anyone with information about where to find him is asked to contact the Osceola County Sheriff's Office immediately at (407) 348-2222. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Cars are burning in Kyiv after the strike of the Russian Federation One person was injured, one house damaged, and numerous cars set on fire in Kyivs Sviatoshynskyi district as a result of Russias morning missile attack, the capitals city administration on Telegram on Jan. 23. There were also reports of fires in several apartments of a residential building in the Solomianskyi district according to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Read also: Rocket debris hits high-rise apartment, kindergarten as Russia attacks Kyiv early on Jan. 23 morning Another, non-residential, building was also hit in the capitals Pechersk district. Emergency services are on the scene in several districts across Kyiv. At least one person was killed, with injuries and damage to infrastructure reported in several parts of Kyiv as a result of the attack, according to a Telegram post by Internal Affairs Minister Ihor Klymenko. An air raid alert was announced throughout Ukraine in the morning of Jan. 23. Explosions were heard in several oblasts, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Dnipro. Of the 41 missiles fired into Ukraine, 21 were shot down, according to Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Read also: 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 Anti-Semitism has been on the rise in the UK since the Oct 7 Hams attack on Israel - Lobro78/iStockphoto An online slang bible has been accused of using a grossly offensive definition of anti-Semitism, claiming that it does not apply to all Jews. Urban Dictionary is a crowdsourced English-language online dictionary founded in 1999 that allows users to look up slang and non-slang terms. It is billed as a people-powered slang dictionary because it is user-led and content is uploaded by people without moderation. However, the British Friends of Israel, an organisation set up following the Oct 7 Hamas attack to campaign against anti-Semitism in the UK, has accused the platform of allowing definitions on its website that contravene its User Conduct code, by allowing activity that violates others rights. In a letter sent to Urban Dictionary on Monday and seen by The Telegraph, the campaign group warns that it has allowed grossly antisemitic and offensive material to be published regarding two definitions. It added that after its warning if the online site does not investigate and remove the material that it will then be considered the publisher of this material. Totally inaccurate The first definition published by Urban Dictionary is that of antisemitism. It says: One of the myths regarding antisemitism that has been perpetrated on the world is that only jews are semites. This is totally inaccurate. If one looks into the history of the word semite, it has to do with a language group and no more. [...] Christianity is a jewish sect. Islam is a judaeo-christian religious doctrine and is a continuity and complement of the legacy of semitic monotheism but Zionist propaganda portrays islam as the enemy of judaeo-christianity. It continues: We are in the 21st century of secular values; the colossal zionist propaganda distorts religion with ethnicity, to hide the colonial anachronism. In response, the letter states: This is a deliberate mis-representation of the history of the use of the term antisemite, adding that the reference to the colossal zionist propaganda [sic] reveals his intent is to falsify history to erase the identity of the Jewish people. These comments are, frankly, lies intended to erase the identity and the joint identity of the Jewish people. They are thus a calumny on all Jews. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism states that it is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities. Stepping over corpses The second definition that the British Friends of Israel criticised is that of Israeling. Urban Dictionary defines this as a sickly exaggerated desire to have something that belongs to someone else, and that you are ready to steal it by stepping over corpses. The campaign group said that this definition denies the Jewish people their right to self-determination by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavour and that it uses images associated with classic antisemitism including alluding to Jews as greedy and willing to steal from others to characterise Israel and Israelis. Laura Dodsworth, a photographer and author, and the director of British Friends of Israel, said: The Urban Dictionary is a light-hearted website, but nevertheless, it must be very depressing for Jews to read these unpleasant and dangerous tropes being repeated, especially to what is likely to be a younger and sometimes impressionable audience. The definition of anti-Semitism has a pseudo-academic quality that might mislead people. Our letter debunks its falsehoods. Decent people dont want to see racism and lies perpetuated against a religious minority, she said, adding: The Urban Dictionary is responsible for publishing historically inaccurate lies which are intended by the contributor(s) to erase the identity of the Jewish people and reinforce conspiracy theories. The definition of Israeling is a racist demonisation of Jews. According to the Community Security Trust (CST), a charity which monitors anti-Semitic incidents in the UK, in the 68 days between the Oct 7 Hamas attack and Dec 13 it recorded at least 2,093 anti-Semitic incidents across the UK. Three people were attacked in Leicester Square, London, for being Jewish in the early hours of Sunday morning after they were overheard speaking Hebrew. The three victims, all in their 20s, were enjoying a night out when they were attacked by a group of men. A 28-year-old woman, Tehilla, told The Telegraph she was physically attacked and called the Metropolitan Police 10 times afraid she was going to die but that police did not attend. Urban Dictionary was contacted for comment. 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. FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) Over 10 drivers have been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) over the weekend, the Fresno Police Department announced on Monday. Officers say they arrested 16 drivers on suspicion of DUI during a DUI enforcement operation on Saturday. According to police, drivers who get charged with a first-time DUI face an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties, as well as a suspended license. The Fresno Police Department states they will be holding another DUI enforcement operation on Jan. 27 and a series of DUI enforcement patrols and checkpoints throughout the year to keep Fresno roadways safe. Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to YourCentralValley.com. HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A man who police say had an active bench warrant was arrested in September and is facing several charges, including a little-known violation of the Pennsylvania vehicle code. Pennsylvania state troopers from the Shickshinny barracks say on September 4, 2023, just after midnight, they observed a man riding a bicycle on West End Road in Hanover Township traveling east in the westbound traffic lane. Troopers say the man did not have any lighting equipment on the bike and was carrying a small folding table when they stopped him. More Weird News Stories Police say a records check revealed that the man, 51-year-old David Thomas Totten of Wilkes-Barre, had an active bench warrant for failure to appear in court. Totten was arrested and searched. Troopers say the search revealed a cigarette pack hiding suspected methamphetamine and a syringe. Totten was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia for the alleged items in the cigarette pack. He is also facing charges of operating a bicycle against the flow of traffic and failing to have proper lights and reflectors for the time of day. The final charge in the court documents is for carrying a package on a bicycle. The charge is described as operating a bicycle while holding a package, bundle, or article without a hand on the handlebars. The lesser-known law is highlighted in the Pennsylvania vehicle code in chapter 35, subchapter A, section 3506. It states: 3506. Articles carried by operator. No person operating a pedal cycle shall carry any package, bundle, or article which prevents the driver from keeping at least one hand upon the handlebars. Other little-known laws include the prohibition of an audible siren while riding a bicycle (section 3507 paragraph (b)), riding a bike without a permanent seat (section 3504 paragraph (a)), and transporting more people on a bike than for which the bike was designed (Section 3504, paragraph (b)). For a full list of pedalcycle laws, visit Pennsylvanias legislative website. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PAhomepage.com. At Mass on Sunday, Jan. 13, the new senior associate pastor at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa, Father John Pilcher, stepped to the lectern to greet his new parishioners. He began with a joke about his dad the K-State fan, who had a lot to say when Pilcher was at one point sent to minister to the lost souls of Lawrence. Then, ka-pow: Also, by way of introduction, I want to be totally transparent. If you Google my name, you will find that back in 2021, when I was pastor at Mater Dei in Topeka, an allegation was brought up against me. Then Pilcher talked about how, after he got the all-clear, I was able to engage in a sabbatical program in Rome that included a two-week trip to Egypt. Mamma mia, right? I get that he was nervous, mostly looking down and occasionally rocking from side to side as he read his statement. But if only his Italian educational opportunity had included a course in how to talk to humans. I have been hearing from parents of kids in that parish and its school ever since. Because though the DA in Topeka declined to file charges and the church-appointed review board did not substantiate the sex abuse claim against Pilcher, either, could they really trust him with their children? How come nobody asked them? Was there no parish without a school and a bunch of families where he could have been sent? To say that Im upset is an understatement, one mom told me. This just doesnt feel right, said another. Then, this past Sunday, Archbishop Joseph Naumann visited the parish to, as he said at Mass, address some of the confusion and turmoil over the recent appointment of Father John Pilcher. During his homily, he spent a lot of time extolling Pilchers past success in raising money and getting buildings built. And neither did this endorsement gladden the hearts of many in the pews. If the recordings I was sent of Naumanns after-Mass meetings with parishioners are any indication, he wound up making things considerably worse, for one thing by rolling his eyes repeatedly in response to worried questions from parents. He did it dozens of times! a parishioner who was there told me. At one point, I heard a man on an audio recording of one of the meetings ask Naumann to please stop disrespecting him by doing that: I just asked myself, are my children safer today than they were two weeks ago when this decision was made? And I have to trust my judgment and say no. And so again, I mean why are you looking at me like that? Im starting to get frustrated. Youre rolling your eyes! People were also crying, crying out and begging the archbishop not to divide or even destroy their wonderful, vibrant parish by, as they see it, putting their children at risk. They also told him he didnt seem to care what they thought. He said he did care, but also had to stand up for truth, the rights of accused priests and the idea that were all innocent until proven guilty. Archbishop Joseph Naumann ended up making things worse in meetings after Mass on Sunday. A Hail Mary for the father? Noooo! A friend of the archbishop tearfully commended him for being the rare prelate who would actually show up to hear their concerns. But when she suggested that they then end the meeting with a Hail Mary for father, the crowd absolutely lost it. Noooo! they shouted, adding that not all of their questions had been answered and that they still did not feel heard. Thats how heated it was, someone who was there told me. Normally, this was a crowd that would have been all for that suggestion of a Hail Mary, for any reason or none. Afterward, this person said, parents stood around outside discussing where they should send their kids to school instead. But in case they did decide to stay and fight, no one wanted to be quoted by name for fear of having their kids put out in the snow in retaliation, like that boy whose mom disagreed with the pastor at St. John LaLande Catholic School in Blue Springs was last year. Neither the archdiocese nor Pilcher nor the pastor, Father Mike Koller, responded to my messages, though really, what could they say that I hadnt heard already? And what now? A bunch of people have signed a petition on Change.org calling for Pilchers immediate resignation, and thats not going to happen. Whats most amazing to me is that more than 20 years after the 2002 clerical sex scandals I covered and as a Catholic suffered through, we have leaders who are sure they get it and yet clearly still do not. The way that Pilcher described the allegations against him at the meetings, which I wont repeat here, absolutely outed his accuser, not by name but with highly specific identifying information, and that in itself is shameful. But without doing that, heres the allegation: A sixth-grader said a decade later that his teacher had sent him over to church to talk to Pilcher after he admitted being unconvinced by Pilchers lesson about the immorality of homosexuality. Thats where the now 23-year-old says he was victimized. Naumann said no teacher would have done that, that the church would have been locked, and that no adult would ever, under current protocols, be alone with a child. Parents I spoke to were skeptical. After many failures, no more blind trust in church Could Pilcher have been wrongly accused? Of course. The late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin was, which we know because his accuser recanted. And if thats the case here, thats truly terrible. But since, as one parishioner told Naumann, the threshold for filing charges, especially years later, is so high, the fact that no charges were filed doesnt relieve parents of all worry, either. Some people, priests or not, are wrongly accused, while others wrongly go free. And to ask parents to just blithely trust the church to have gotten it right this time, when our shepherds have so often failed us before, is neither rational nor humane. Here I go, quoting a Sister of Mercy twice in two days, but when I interviewed Sister Jeanne Christensen a few years ago, she told me that as peace and justice director for the Kansas City-St. Joseph diocese under Bishop Raymond Boland, she spent four years as the victims advocate for those abused by clergy, and out of all those we met, only one was not credible; he wanted money. I know a couple of predator priests, unfortunately, and also have friends in collars Id trust with my life, and even with my children. But the days of blindly trusting the church to know the difference are over, and thank God for that. Archbishop Naumann should have found another spot for Pilcher; even if he is innocent, why subject him to this? Now, because Naumann has made clear that he wont reconsider, all that those parents at Holy Trinity who are worried but decide to stay can really do is look forward to wishing the archbishop a happy 75th birthday in June, when he will be required to submit his resignation, and Pope Francis may very well accept it. PAROWAN, Utah (ABC4) Authorities in southern Utah are now investigating a 62-year-old womans death last month as a possible murder. An affidavit for a search warrant filed in 5th District Court earlier this month says doctors determined Robin Whittle, of Parowan, suffered multiple skull fractures that could not have been caused by an accident or fall. She was found unresponsive, lying on her bed on Dec. 30. Parowan woman found unresponsive, pronounced dead Whittles husband reported finding her bleeding from the mouth and nose, the affidavit states. The woman was still breathing that morning and rushed to Cedar City Hospital. A medical helicopter later flew her to Dixie Regional Hospital in St. George, where she died. The womans husband allegedly told police that he and his wife were up late on Dec. 29, working on talks they planned to give in church that coming Sunday. He slept on the couch and awoke to find his wife bleeding on the bed, the affidavit states. In the warrant, Parowan police sought to search Whittles home, located on West Old Highway 91, for any item/weapon which maybe have been used to inflict the skull fractures on the victim. The search warrant also sought financial records, personal writing and any items which may indicate a motive to commit the crime of aggravated murder, the affidavit states. Chief Addison Adams with Parowan police told ABC4 that he couldnt comment on any details in the investigation, as autopsy results are still pending. According to an online obituary, Whittle was a teacher, who spent nearly three decades working with hundreds of young children in California and Utah. Most recently, she was a first-grade teacher at Iron Springs Elementary in Cedar City. She truly had a teachers heart selfless, loving, and kind, the obituary states. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. A beloved and well-known parrot at the National Aviary died unexpectedly over the weekend from an aneurysm. Benito, the male Hyacinth Macaw, arrived at the Aviary in the 1990s. He was once featured on an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, The Aviary said he was not showing any symptoms, which they said is common with an aneurysm. In a Facebook post, the Aviary said that it will now continue to monitor Benitos mate, Sapphira, and adjust her care based on her needs if necessary. They described Sapphira as a very confident and gregarious bird. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: Pittsburgh school, business closings and delays Multiple departments respond to three-alarm house fire in Bethel Park Man in critical condition after being attacked, hit with metal in Butler County; suspect in custody VIDEO: He didnt even slow down: Beltzhoover neighbors watch car barrel through 2 poles, house DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Two stalwarts of Passaic County over the past 20 years are expected soon to join the county's improvement authority. This week, county commissioners are due to appoint former County Administrator Anthony DeNova and current Wanaque Police Chief Keith Spillane to the authority's board of commissioners effective March 1. DeNova retired from his post in December 2022 after nearly two decades of managing the county's day-to-day operations. That same month, Spillane was named acting chief of the Wanaque Police Department, which he first joined in 2002. The 21-year-old Passaic County Improvement Authority helps finance and plan public improvement projects, such as the construction of new housing developments or artificial turf fields. Its five-member commission makes key decisions on when to leverage the county's credit rating to procure loans for partner projects. Passaic wants to replace basketball courts, playground with splash park and pirate ships The authority can issue tax-exempt bonds to not-for-profit organizations within Passaic County, help developers finance state tax credits and municipal tax abatements, and provide municipalities and school boards with credit support, repayment schedules and down payment relief. Keith Spillane, pictured in 2015 prior to being named Wanaque's police chief in 2022. DeNova and Spillane will replace longtime members Wayne Alston and Michael Bradley. Alston, the board's longest-serving member, is a former Passaic councilman and contractor who in 1993 was convicted of taking bribes from city landlords. Bradley is a former Bergen County director of safety and security who in 2017 was arrested on a drunken driving charge. Both were reappointed in 2019 to terms that run through February, county records show. Passaic County Sheriff's Office plans to lay off 29 correctional officers The board's other three members are former West Milford Councilman Michael Ramaglia, former County Counsel Michael Glovin and lobbyist Dennis Marco. A Paterson native appointed to the board in 2007, Marco is a former special assistant to U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley, a former deputy commissioner of the state Department of Commerce and Economic Development and a former vice president of external affairs and corporate communications at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey. DeNova's proposed term on the authority would expire Feb. 1, 2029. Spillane's would expire one year earlier, in February 2028, records show. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Passaic County Improvement Authority gaining two new members A passenger says a Canadian airline's pilot told him he was a 'dangerous threat' because he couldn't disconnect his wheelchair's batteries A Porter Airlines captain denied a passenger boarding over his wheelchair's batteries, per CBC. But Ken Harrower's power chair uses a gel battery that IATA says is nondangerous. Porter said the captain made a mistake, and it booked Harrower on a flight the next day. An airline captain mistakenly stopped a passenger from boarding because of his wheelchair's batteries, CBC News first reported. Ken Harrower was supposed to fly with Porter Airlines a small Canadian airline operating in the US and Canada from Calgary, Alberta, to Toronto on Sunday before the airline's staff booked him on another flight the following day. In a statement shared with Business Inisder, Porter said: "Unfortunately, this situation was a case of human error." It added that the captain wrongly believed the power chair's batteries needed to be removed under Transport Canada regulations. Harrower told CBC the pilot asked him whether the batteries could be disconnected. "I told him no. And then he said I am a dangerous threat. Then he walked away and left us high and dry," he added. "I felt I was being discriminated against because I'm in a chair," he added. "My power chair is my legs. It's how I get around. I cannot stand. I cannot walk, so I have to have [it]." Harrower had flown with Porter two weeks earlier as he visited Banff, Alberta, to finish writing a play and had no issues with his wheelchair on that flight, per CBC. His cowriter, Erin Brandenburg, told the outlet they'd been assured the power chair was fine to bring on a plane because it used a gel battery. The International Air Transport Association says that wheelchairs powered by gel batteries are "considered to be non-dangerous." It adds that only older "wet cell" batteries require disconnection, while lithium batteries also have additional requirements depending on the manufacturer. In the statement, Porter said Harrower's battery didn't need to be fully removed but did need to be disconnected, which was managed by its ground handlers for his original flight from Toronto. "Porter offers our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and personal impact this has caused Ken," it added. "Our president and CEO has been in contact personally to offer a refund for the flight, cover any expenses incurred from the delay, and provide an additional flight credit." Read the original article on Business Insider Dad's Place, a church located at 216 S. Main St. in Bryan, Ohio, is suing the city of Bryan and city officials. Dad's Place, the church in Bryan, Ohio, under fire for offering shelter to unhoused people, has filed a lawsuit against the city and multiple officials. First Liberty Institute, a nonprofit law firm that defends religious freedom, and law firms Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP and Spengler Nathanson PLL filed a federal lawsuit and motion for a temporary restraining order on behalf of Dad's Place on Monday. The complaint was filed in the United States District Court Northern District of Ohio. The church is suing the city of Bryan, Mayor Carrie Schlade, police Capt. Jamie Mendez, planning and zoning administrator Andrew Waterston and Fire Chief Douglas Pool. Bryan is located within Williams County, about 53 miles southwest of Toledo. Chris Avell, the church's pastor, is facing 18 criminal charges for letting people temporarily shelter at the church, violating city zoning codes. Dad's Place is located within the city's C-3 central business zoning district, which means people cannot eat, wash clothes or sleep at the property. 'The ministry of the church is not confined to Sunday morning' The lawsuit claims that by criminally charging Avell, the city is violating the church's rights guaranteed by the First and 14th amendments, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Ohio Constitution. Churches throughout history have been a shelter for anyone seeking a place of safety, and Dads Place is no exception, Philip Williamson of Taft Stettinius & Hollister said in a press release. Ohio and federal law alike protect vital ministries like Dads Place, and we look forward to defending those rights. The city of Bryan criminally charged Pastor Chris Avell (right) with violating multiple zoning codes Dec. 8. Avell opened up his church, Dad's Place, as a temporary shelter, defying city zoning rules. The ministry of the church is not confined to Sunday morning at 11 a.m.," Avell added. "We welcome anyone to experience the love and truth of Jesus, regardless of the time of day. Dad's Place, which opened at 216 S. Main St. in 2018, began operating 24 hours a day in March 2023. Avell made the decision to offer temporary shelter, in part, due to housing shortage issues in Bryan, the suit claims. According to the complaint, an average of eight people stay at the church each night 12 if there is as an emergency, such as severe weather. Many of the people who take shelter suffer from addiction, physical and mental disabilities and have been turned away from nearby shelters due to overcrowding, or were referred to Dad's Place by the Bryan Police Department, the suit reads. Planning and zoning administrator Waterston sent Avell a cease-and-desist order Nov. 3 to stop housing people at the church. Waterston said Avell could seek a zoning variance or conditional use permit, but that the city would deny these requests, the suit claims. During a Nov. 21 inspection, Fire Chief Pool found multiple violations of the Ohio Fire Code at the church. In a press release, First Liberty Institute argued that Avell was not given enough time to rectify these violations and that the laws were being used "as a means to harass the church." "It is my duty to protect the lives of occupants of the building from fire and life safety hazards," Fire Chief Pool wrote in an email to The Enquirer. The Enquirer reached out to Waterston, Mendez and Schlade's office for comment, but has not heard back. What's next? Dad's Place is seeking a jury trial and asked the court to grant nominal, actual and punitive damages, as well as payment for attorney's fees. Chris Freund, director of media relations at First Liberty Institute, said both parties agreed to maintain the status quo, which means the church will be able to stay open for those who seek religious services until at least March 4. Avell pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges Jan. 11. He is due back in Bryan Municipal Court for a pre-trial hearing Jan. 30. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: After Ohio pastor charged for offering shelter, church sues the city PATERSON The church at the corner of Auburn and Governor streets where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. made one of his last public appearances before his assassination has fallen on hard times. Attendance at Sunday services ranges from 10 to 25 people, the cracked stained-glass windows are covered in cellophane to keep out the cold, and the congregation is late making a $200,000 mortgage payment that was due in December. Church members are praying for a godsend, looking ahead with hope and faith that an April fundraising event will help save their spiritual outpost in a crime-ridden 4th Ward neighborhood. What is the church's history? Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church was known as the Community Baptist Church of Love when King went there in March 1968. City officials have applied to have the building added to New Jerseys Register of Historic Places, which might help the church get grant funding. But there is no guarantee, said Gianfranco Archimede, Paterson's historic preservation director. Were still scoping out if we meet the criteria, Archimede said. King, as a historical figure, is clearly relevant to the state and national scene. Paterson history: MLKs speech in Paterson was one of his last. Hear from those who witnessed it Archimede said the one thing working in the churchs favor is that there has been a surge of interest within the preservation movement to save Black history sites. The Rev. Sidney Williams has been volunteering as interim pastor at Bethel AME. He said the pandemic caused a major reduction in attendance and revenue. As a result, church leaders can no longer afford a full-time pastor, let alone the many deferred repairs and a $200,000 balloon mortgage payment that is almost due. The church already had problems with leaky roofs and insulation issues during the last pastors tenure, Williams said. The building deteriorated more rapidly during the pandemic just because people werent there to take care of it. A neighborhood 'beacon' In the meantime, the church is just holding on. If you tear this church down, theyre just going to put a building here, said Marie Ligon, a longtime member of the congregation. And what is that going to do for the community? The church considers itself a beacon in a tough neighborhood, conducting food and clothing drives, said 70-year-old congregant Ronald Joseph Jr. In the basement, Javonna Dingle runs a day care center in which she takes the children on field trips to show them the world outside the citys 4th Ward. More: Dexter Scott King, son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., dies of prostate cancer at age 62 For the devotees of Kings teachings, the church is also a pilgrimage site. Its walls are lined with black-and-white photographs of milestones in Kings life. Jerome Lindsey, a Camden resident, organized a trip with friends to visit the church on the weekend of Martin Luther King Day and hear a sermon about the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner delivered by the Rev. Glen King. We need history, Lindsey said. We need to know whats happened in the past so we can get to where were going. The Rev. Sidney Williams During the service, Ligon pointed out the wooden chair on the altar where King sat during his visit. When Paterson Press asked the 71-year-old parishioner if there were other stories passed down about Kings visit in 1968, she opened the door to the church's residence for its pastors, where framed newspaper articles hang on the walls. Andrew John McCrae, 74, who was counting the tithes, paused his work to tell a story about how he met King in South Carolina as a young paperboy. Ligon retrieved a stack of letters of support some written by Paterson residents, such as former city Councilwoman Vera Ames-Garnes, who witnessed the event that were used to designate the church as a local landmark in 2010. These letters may come in handy once again in the quest to get the church listed on the state historic register. The building, originally built by Dutch immigrants in 1887, became a Baptist church in 1957, led by the Rev. Floville LeGarde. Its a very important site, and they want to make sure this endures for their children and grandchildren, Archimede said. The day Martin Luther King Jr. came to Paterson, the police had to set up barricades to hold back the crowd of 2,000 admirers, all hoping to hear the civil rights leaders five-minute speech at the Community Baptist Church of Love on Auburn Street. King told a reporter for The Record that the purpose of the visit on March 27, 1968, was to rally support for his upcoming Poor Peoples March in the nations capital. But it was not to be. Eight days later, King was assassinated in Memphis. Darren Tobia is a contributing writer for Paterson Press. This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ church that hosted Martin Luther King Jr. is struggling The Defense Department updated a decade-old directive on AI to include stricter review policies. The update was partially to assure people that DoD wasn't "building killer robots in the basement," a senior official said. The US and some of its adversaries are making rapid progress on AI weapons, with lots of controversy in the mix. With lingering fear and confusion surrounding the future of artificial intelligence in weapons, the Pentagon recently updated a decade-old policy to assure people it isn't "building killer robots in the basement," according to a senior official. The relatively new Department of Defense directive adds a stricter review process for developing and approving most autonomous weapons, a "good governance" move, the official said recently. But with AI booming in the military space, in not just the US but also in China and elsewhere, international pressure to check the technology's use and capabilities is growing. Last year, DoD updated its directive on autonomy in weapons systems, which was originally published back in 2012. That change was attributed to "the dramatic advances in technology happening all around us," Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. Kathleen Kicks said, reflecting vast and rapid developments in AI in the last decade. Perhaps the biggest change in the DoD directive on AI was the inclusion of a senior review policy, which requires that "autonomous weapon systems, including weapon systems with both autonomous and semi-autonomous modes of operation" be approved by a host of senior defense officials before development starts and once again before any technology is fielded. Air Force Master Sgt. Dominic Garcia observes Atom the robot dog as teammates operate it via remote control training at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Nov. 6, 2023. Air Force Senior Airman William Pugh The revision of the directive adds stricter rules in line with some of DoD's more cautious language on developing AI in weapons systems. It also, according to Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Force Development and Emerging Capabilities Dr. Michael C. Horowitz, helps clarify some confusions surrounding the Pentagon's intentions with AI and military applications. At the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Wadhwani Center for AI and Advanced Technologies panel on The State of DoD AI and Autonomy Policy earlier this month, Horowitz said the goal of revising the directive was "frankly mostly a good governance move." "We had ended up in a situation where outside the department, the community of interest thought that DoD was maybe building killer robots in the basement," Horowitz explained. "And inside the department," he continued, "there was a lot of confusion about what the directive actually said, with some actually thinking the directive prohibited the development of autonomous weapons with maybe particular characteristics or even in general." So the new directive makes clear "what is and isn't allowed" regarding DoD's policy on AI weapon development. There may not be killer robots in the basement, but there is a place for AI that the military is actively pursuing. An unmanned aerial vehicle delivers a payload to the ballistic missile submarine USS Henry M. Jackson around the Hawaiian Islands, Oct. 19, 2020, during an event designed to test and evaluate the tactics, techniques and procedures of U.S. Strategic Command's expeditionary logistics and enhance the readiness of strategic forces. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Devin M. Langer The directive is now clear that any autonomous weapons system that doesn't fit in a specific, exempted category such as, as Horowitz said, a technology that's "protecting a US base from lots of simultaneous missile strikes" has to go through a senior review process on top of all other testing and evaluation requirements. According to the policy, the process includes multiple under secretaries of defense, as well as the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It's a huge bureaucratic lift," Horowitz said. The move reflects the US' growing interest and progress in developing AI weapons systems. Much has been learned from the ongoing war in Ukraine, where drones have become the dominant factor on the battlefield and autonomy is key pursuit. Stories of first-person view drones chasing soldiers down or dropping payloads inside unsuspecting tanks have highlighted the growing importance of skilled drone operators. These stories have often been coupled with concerns over electronic warfare, capabilities which can easily disrupt or jam drones. These cases have raised questions on the role of autonomy in drones, especially when the connection between an operator and their drone can be cut so easily. There are also concerns about how involved a human operator needs to be in the process. And this discussion has extended far beyond drones, especially when the militaries like the US and others are already thinking bigger, about things like unmanned fighter jets, warships, and more. Airmen watch a test of an unmanned ground vehicle at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 10, 2020. Air Force Airman 1 st Class Tiffany Price As the US and other major powers lead the way on artificial intelligence, they are also helping to potentially usher in a new era of warfare, one that's prompted hosts of worries from other nations, especially given some concerns on "killer robots" and incidents like one a few years ago when a drone went rogue and went after a human target without instruction. More recently, there were reports of Israel using AI to find Hamas targets, raising a number of questions. Last fall, debates arose in the United Nations over imposing restrictions on how and when AI can make decisions on the battlefield. Many officials expressed concern over whether AI would be able to decide to kill a human target without human authorization. The US, Russia, Australia, and Israel all argued there was no need for new international regulations at the time, The New York Times reported. Other nations, however, had hoped to use the UN as a platform to propose restrictions and limit how autonomous weapons operate. "Complacency does not seem to be an option anymore," Ambassador Khalil Hashmi of Pakistan said during a meeting at UN headquarters, according to The Times. "The window of opportunity to act is rapidly diminishing as we prepare for a technological breakout." Pentagon restrictions aside, the military is pursuing autonomy and artificial intelligence. In August, for instance, Hicks said the department wants "to field attritable autonomous systems at scale of multiple thousands, in multiple domains, within the next 18-to-24 months," a staggering push to complete with China, which wants AI weapons and systems as well. Read the original article on Business Insider WORCESTER The city Human Rights Commission wants the city manager to establish a volunteer program for the public and the homeless, with the goal of a broader public understanding of the underlying causes of homelessness and addiction. We need to remind the community that these are people, said Health and Human Services Commissioner Dr. Matilde Castiel, who met with the commission. The commission voted unanimously to request City Manager Eric D. Batista create the program. Activists and homeless people argue with police and shelter management outside Worcester's new emergency winter shelter earlier this month. Following the demonstration at the Main Street shelter earlier this month, which led to three arrests and the clearing of an encampment, commissioners took the opportunity to discuss with Castiel topics including supportive housing units, health care and police treatment of those who live in encampments. The discussion repeatedly circled back to the public's perception of those suffering from homelessness and addiction. 'We need the community onboard' Castiel said that public backlash from residents against shelters or resource centers in their neighborhoods often hinders progress or can stop a project altogether. We need the community onboard, she said. The proposed program would connect residents to these volunteer opportunities to humanize these issues, said commission member Guillermo Creamer Jr., who initially made the request. A program coordinator position was also requested, potentially part time and funded by the city. RMV protest The confrontation between officers of the Police Department and demonstrators at the shelter at the former Registry of Motor Vehicles headquarters was a major topic in relation to police conduct. Chairperson Ellen Shemitz said there were continuing reports of the city forcibly clearing homeless encampments without proper notice. These removals can lead not only to loss of community but of the few possessions the unhoused have, she said and asked about the possibility of a system for reuniting people with their property. Castiel responded that her department's policy is to avoid evicting homeless from camps unless they are located on private or state property, and even then trying to give as many warnings as possible. She said that she doesnt know of any forcible removals outside of those two categories, and while some incidents may have occurred, it is not standard procedure. I dont think anyone wants to remove an encampment, she said. Sometimes things are out of our control. Events such as the RMV protest can distort perception of what happens and how often, she commented, giving the false impression that such removals happen with greater frequency. The encampment in that case had been located in the old registry parking lot, which was private property owned by the Southern Massachusetts Opportunity Council. Responding to allegations that a transgender woman had been turned away from the shelter during that same incident, Castiel said she personally had never heard of transgender individuals being barred but could not speak to the specific incident. When I worked at the shelter during COVID, there was never an issue with trans individuals, she said. All shelters are supposed to have a nondiscrimination policy. Weve all run across some staff who have said something inappropriate that they shouldnt have said and we need to know about that. We just dont know the circumstances. Overcoming community resistance While housing is key to social determinants of health, opening the door to health care treatment, employment and others, the type of shelter and housing needs to be considered, said Castiel. She asserted that congregant shelters need to be phased out, as they could come with major health risks as proven during COVID, in favor of more personal-style supportive housing. Commissioner for Health and Human Services Dr. Mattie Castiel speaks during the Annual International Overdose Awareness Day Vigil & Walk Aug. 31, 2023, in Worcester. The issue is the logistics. You cannot just buy a building and use it as an apartment there are lots of code issues that have to be met, said Castiel. Community backlash also plays a large role. I dont believe there is one person in the city who doesnt believe housing is the answer, she said, but the issue is the stigma associated with homelessness, addiction and mental health. One of the hardest things for me is the whole idea of people not wanting (homeless people) in their backyard and thats what makes everything we do incredibly difficult, whether thats putting up a shelter or housing, she said. And so the stigma continues and the stigma rises. The suggested volunteer program could go a long way toward countering that, she said she believes. It can help to understand whats happening with people, whether theyre suffering from substance abuse, whether its mental health issues, whether its because theyre out of luck," said Castiel. "They have stories to tell you and we shouldn't shun them away. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Human Rights Commission seeks creation of volunteer homeless program [In the player above, see the 10 most dangerous highways in Ohio.] CHESTER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) A Chester Township fire truck heading to the scene of an accident caused by icy roadways also spun out, a fire official said. The truck slipped sideways Tuesday morning over the slick pavement on Caves Road, north of Mulberry Road, according to Fire Chief William Shaw. Updates: Icy roads delay some trash pick-up This embedded content is not available in your region. Much of Northeast Ohio was under a Winter Weather Advisory until noon on Tuesday. The National Weather Service predicted one tenth of an inch of ice buildup in some areas. Of course, the truck having a thousand gallons of water on it that makes it difficult to drive in these conditions, Shaw said. They were pretty much idle, but then the forces of nature took over. Weather advisory still in effect: How long it will last Firefighters walked the rest of the way to the scene of the accident, about a half-mile, where the car had gone off the roadway, Shaw said. No one was injured in either accident, he said. The townships road department spread salt in the area and firefighters were able to drive the truck away, Shaw said. It was not damaged. The icy roads also bested a township snowplow and a police cruiser, township Police Chief Craig Young told FOX 8 News. Police on Tuesday morning responded to nine disabled vehicles and 11 crashes, five of which caused injury, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (KLAS) The widow of a Las Vegas-area pastor has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the woman charged with his murder, which was prompted by complaints to their homeowners association, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators reviewed. Joe Junio, 36, faces charges of open murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, two charges of child abuse involving a deadly weapon, and discharging of a firearm where a person might be endangered for the Dec. 29, 2023, killing of 46-year-old Nick Davi. A still image from the shooting of Nick Davis as provided in court documents. (KLAS) In addition to Junio, the lawsuit lists the person who owned the firearm used to shoot the couple as a party, though the exact owner of the weapon was unknown at the time of the lawsuits filing. Davi was a pastor at Grace Point Church in North Las Vegas. He moved to North Las Vegas in 2005 after leaving the South after Hurricane Katrina, the lawsuit said. Sarah Davi, his wife, was wounded in the shooting, the lawsuit said. Nick Davi and Sarah Davis 15-year-old and 12-year-old children were also at the scene and recorded the shooting on their phones, according to police. A still image of that video was included in the wrongful death lawsuit. Junio and the Davi family were neighbors and in the weeks before the shooting, Junio exhibited escalating threatening behavior after the family reported her to the HOA for violations related to chickens and dogs, a police report said. In response, Junio started harassing and threatening the family, resulting in them calling the police on her twice in the month before the shooting, according to the report. On the day of the shooting, the family was getting into their car to leave for the evening when they saw Junio drive past and look at them. Junio then parked next to them and rolled down her window. At that point, one of the victims children started recording on her phone, the report said. A booking photo of Joe Junio. (NLVPD/KLAS) One of the victims asked Junio, Why dont you leave us alone? Weve had enough. Junio continued to stare at the family and the victim then asked Whats your problem with us? and took a couple of steps toward the car. Junio then got out of the car and started to shoot toward the family, hitting Nick Davi and Sarah Davi, police said. One of the victims fought over the gun with Junio before she ran away to her apartment. The lawsuit does not name the homeowners association, but alleges the community provided information to [the] defendant regarding complaints deceased made about [the] defendant. The lawsuit lists wrong death, among other causes of action, and asks a jury to award damages above $15,000, which is the standard minimum in Nevada civil lawsuits. Junio remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Tuesday on $300,000 bail. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. HORSESHOE BAY, Texas (KXAN) Hail hammered Horseshoe Bay as a Severe Thunderstorm moved across the area early Tuesday morning. Horseshoe Bay Assistant Police Chief Jason Graham said a lot of the hail was over an inch in diameter, and there was a lot of damage to roofs, vehicles and some skylights. Most damage was through the center of town, according to Graham. Hail in Horseshoe Bay. Jan. 23. (Credit: Jesse Randle) Hail in Horseshoe Bay. Jan. 23. (Credit: Jesse Randle) Hail in Horseshoe Bay. Jan. 23. (Viewer-submitted photo) Hail in Horseshoe Bay. Jan. 23. (Viewer-submitted photo) Hail in Horseshoe Bay. Jan. 23. (Viewer-submitted photo) Quarter-sized hail in Horseshoe Bay around 5 a.m. Jan. 23. (Credit: Kay Young) Quarter-sized hail in Horseshoe Bay around 5 a.m. Jan. 23. (Credit: Kay Young) Quarter-sized hail in Horseshoe Bay around 5 a.m. Jan. 23. (Credit: Kay Young) Graham said it was the worst hail storm since around 2010, but the hail was smaller in size. The department got many calls about the storm, and officers were patrolling for damage mid-morning, Graham said. Graham also said some tree limbs broke and were on the streets, but crews cleared them. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. A view of the Lufthansa logo is seen on a plane in Frankfurt. Boris Roessler/dpa Pilots at Lufthansa subsidiary Discover Airlines have overwhelmingly voted to authorize a strike, the pilots' trade union Vereinigung Cockpit (VC) announced on Tuesday. A strike date has not yet been set, and the trade union has instead demanded that the airline return to the bargaining table with a new offer. According to the union, nearly 96% of pilots voted to authorize a strike. The Lufthansa-owned holiday airline, which focuses on destinations popular with German holidaymakers, was initially launched in the summer of 2021 under the name Eurowings Discover. The airline operates a fleet of 24 aircraft from Frankfurt and Munich on long- and medium-haul routes. The trade union VC has declared collective bargaining negotiations for the pilots with Discover Airlines to have failed and accused the company of stalling. Pilots staged a brief five-hour strike on December 23 but limited the impact on Discover passengers by allowing the airline to reschedule flights around the action. Discover Airlines has also failed so far to reach a collective agreement with cabin crews. Ash Street in downtown Plainview is pictured Tuesday. This block slated for improvements in phase two of the city's downtown streetscape project. PLAINVIEW Downtown revitalization is set to continue in the heart of Hale County as Plainview officials on Tuesday announced a major grant-funded project to improve several blocks surrounding the county courthouse. In a news conference at City Hall, Texas State Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, announced a $500,000 award for the City of Plainview from the Texas Department of Agriculture's Community Development Block Grant program. The half-million dollars will be used to fund the second phase of the city's downtown streetscape project, the first of which wrapped up in in 2022. More: Plainview celebrates completion of downtown streetscape project This second phase will bring landscaping, lighting, sidewalk and pedestrian-access improvements to the blocks of Sixth and Ash streets that face the Hale County Courthouse. The Broadway Street portion of the square was improved during phase one, which stretched down Broadway from Fifth Street to Eighth Street. "If you watch a Lifetime or Hallmark movie at Christmas, almost every one of them is centered around the town square. If you think about it, when they kiss at the end of the movie and you know it's coming it's always around the square of a rural community of some sort," Perry said. "So it's critical that that square has a heartbeat." State Sen. Charles Perry, right, presents a $500,000 grant to Plainview Mayor Charles Starnes Tuesday at City Hall. Related: Hale County farmers open all-local grocer in downtown Plainview Representatives from the South Plains Association of Govenments, which helped the City of Plainview secure the grant, presented a certificate representing the grant award to Mayor Charles Starnes. Other representatives from local, state and federal governments were also present at the news conference Tuesday morning. Starnes said he hopes the second phase of the project, just like the first before it, will incentivize economic investment into Plainview's downtown, especially around the historic square. "Optimism is alive and well in downtown Plainview. It's evidenced by the more than 30 property and business owners who have opened new businesses, purchased and renovated vacant buildings, all in quest of their dream of business success," Starnes said. "Phase two will give a new boost to the businesses surrounding the courthouse. "Fueled by the dedication of volunteers and businesses within the community, downtown Plainview continues to experience strong growth, demonstrating the resilience, community spirit and optimism of those who first explored the opportunities that Plainview has," Starnes added. "This project represents another 'opportunity to reality' for Plainview, and we're going to make the best of it." City officials expect construction to commence before the end of the year. This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Plainview receives $500,000 grant for downtown revitalization, improvements Resident attend a May 2023 public hearing hosted by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on a wastewater permit application that could potentially send up to 1 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into Helotes Creek. Kin Man Hui/Staff photographer A developers plan to discharge up to 1 million gallons of treated wastewater per day into Helotes Creek is a step closer to winning final approval from state regulators. Developer Lennar Homes plans to build nearly 3,000 homes at its Guajolote Ranch development northwest Bexar County, between San Antonio and Boerne off the Scenic Loop-Boerne Stage Corridor. Residents and environmental advocates have opposed the developments plan to have treated wastewater flow into Helotes Creek, then to Culebra Creek, then Lower Leon Creek. The property is over the Edwards Aquifer Contributing Zone, where water flows toward the underground limestone cavern system that provides water for more than 2 million people. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the discharge point is about 7 miles upstream from the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, where water flows directly into the aquifer. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But in a letter issued this month, TCEQ officials say the application from Municipal Operations LLC, the company hired by Lennar to operate the proposed wastewater plant, meets the requirements of applicable law. That clears the way for the decision to be considered by TCEQ commissioners and opens a one-month window for opponents to request a contested case hearing or ask for reconsideration of the decision. Those requests must be submitted by Feb. 12. Contested hearings can only be requested by people determined to be an affected person, who can describe how and why they would be adversely affected by the proposed facility in a manner not common to the general public. READ MORE: Opponents challenge wastewater plans for Hays County concert venue No grounds to block permit TCEQs decision comes after the agency previously said there appeared to be no grounds to block the wastewater permit. At a contentious public meeting in May, TCEQ staffers said Lennar Homes and Municipal Operations' plans followed state regulations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a preliminary decision letter issued last March, and again in a 78-page document responding to comments this month, the agency said existing water uses, including aquatic life, primary contact recreation and public water supply, will not be impaired by this permit action. The permit application calls for increasing the amount of wastewater discharged in phases, with limits increasing from 200,000 gallons per day to 400,000, then ultimately to 1 million gallons per day. Some residents and activists have questioned the impact on the Edwards Aquifer and on San Antonios drinking water supply, as more than half of the San Antonio Water Systems water supply comes from the aquifer. A study completed in 2020 by the Southwest Research Institute and funded by the city of San Antonios Edwards Aquifer Protection Plan examined the impact of potential wastewater discharge in the Helotes Creek Watershed. The studys findings included that additional wastewater systems in the region, regardless of type, would significantly degrade the watershed and the quality of water recharging the Edwards Aquifer. In reply to a question about that, the TCEQ said it determined that if a permit is protective of surface water quality, groundwater quality in the vicinity will not be impacted by the discharge. The agency said it doesnt have the authority to mandate a different discharge location if the location and route comply with state law. It said that while Texas does prohibit the discharge of treated domestic wastewater in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone, it is allowed in the Contributing Zone. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Advocacy groups oppose plan The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for protecting the aquifer, said it will seek standing to contest the case, as will several neighbors and the city of Grey Forest, which has about 500 residents in the area near the proposed development. Alliance Executive Director Annalisa Peace said both wastewater and stormwater, or runoff, from the development could pose threats to water quality in the aquifer, because theyll enter Helotes Creek, which is a major recharge feature of the aquifer with no filtration. Given the concerns about the impact to the Edwards Aquifer water supply, Peace said, shed like to see SAWS or the city request a hearing, too. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SAWS' trustees previously approved providing water service to Guajolote Ranch, but not wastewater service. During that process, SAWS negotiated with Lennar, ultimately requiring the developer to reduce the size from about 6,000 homes to about 2,900, to set aside 50% of the property as open space and to hire a wastewater operator with a masters degree and four years of experience. SAWS has not submitted comments to TCEQ on the case previously. Michael Schick, who owns property bordering the Guajolote Ranch site and opposes the wastewater treatment plant, said of TCEQs decision: While it shouldnt surprise us, it did disturb us. Schick said he particularly worries about emerging contaminants, whose effects arent known, entering the water system. Several opponents, including aquifer alliance, raised similar concerns, citing pharmaceuticals and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or forever chemicals they say could degrade the water quality in Helotes Creek. HILL COUNTRY HEADLINES: Top stories from the booming region Advertisement Article continues below this ad In its response to comments, TCEQ wrote that it has not investigated the potential effects of emerging contaminants, and said neither TCEQ nor the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has created rules or criteria on those contaminants. There is currently no clear regulatory regime available to address PFAS in domestic wastewater, the agency said. In my mind, its foolish, dangerous and irresponsible, Schick said. If further study shows there are health impacts from those contaminants in wastewater, it will be too late to make any changes, he said, accusing the regulators and developer of playing Russian roulette with our health. Randy Neumann, who lives in the area and opposes the project, said the application hasnt been approached in a scientific way, and said more local officials in the San Antonio area should be concerned about consequences of treated wastewater entering the drinking water supply. NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) Niagara Falls police are investigating after a tour bus was intentionally set on fire early Tuesday morning. Police and the Niagara Falls Fire Department responded to the scene of a vehicle fire at 2:50 a.m. on the 400 block of 2nd Street. Upon arrival, police said a tour bus with a Massachusetts registration was found engulfed in flames. Fire personnel extinguished the fire and it was determined the fire was caused intentionally, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call the Niagara Falls Police Department at 716-286-4711. Latest Posts 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. Poland has scrambled its aircraft amid a large-scale Russian missile attack on Ukraine on the morning of 23 January. Source: European Pravda with reference to the Polish Armed Forces Operational Command Details: European Pravda reported that the Poles have activated "all necessary procedures to ensure the safety of the Polish airspace", constantly monitoring the situation. The command also warned about the activation of Polish aircraft and allied aircraft, which could lead to increased noise levels, especially in the county's southeastern region. Background: On the morning of 23 January, Ukraines Air Force reported the launch of cruise missiles from Russian bombers. Kyiv, Kharkiv, Pavlohrad, Shostka and other Ukrainian towns and cities have been under attack. Explosions rang out in Kyiv during an air raid and the authorities reported that air defence was responding to the attack. Support UP or become our patron! Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski does not believe that Russia will have enough resources to launch military aggression against NATO countries, but the bloc should still prepare, he said in an interview with Radio Liberty on Jan. 23. Commenting on warnings from top European officials that a full-scale war against Ukraine unleashed by Russia could go beyond its borders, Sikorski said that NATO is "the strongest alliance on earth" and is launching the largest exercise since the Cold War with 90,000 troops. "So Russia better not try, because they will lose," the minister replied. And thanks to the bravery of Ukrainian soldiers, Russia has already lost about half of its tanks and a lot of other military equipment. So, no. Read also: War between NATO & Russia is imminent, according to secret German Armed Forces document Bild Ukraine needs to be helped to de-occupy all the territories and find a way "to do it in time because time is of the essence," he said. Sikorski did not want to speculate, but noted that, when dictator Vladimir Putin threatens other countries the way he threatened Ukraine prior to the invasion, "he should be believed." "And that's why we need to get ready," stated the Polish official. Leaders of several European countries suggested earlier that Russia could attack NATO in the future. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius believes that this could happen in five to eight years. According to Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, a military threat could emerge in three to five years. Read also: Will a war between Russia and NATO start in February? Here's how it could happen 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 Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, speaks at the "Ukrainian Breakfast 2024" event during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos. Hannes P Albert/dpa Polish President Andrzej Duda has pardoned for a second time two imprisoned former members of the ousted nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party government convicted of abuse of office. Former interior minister Mariusz Kaminski and his former state secretary Maciej Wasik are to be released from prison with immediate effect, Duda said in Warsaw on Tuesday. Duda had already announced almost a fortnight ago that he had applied to Justice Minister Adam Bodnar to initiate a pardon procedure. Bodnar responded to this request on Tuesday with a negative statement, which was however not binding for the president. In recent weeks, the dispute over the fate of Kaminski and Wasik has become a central point of contention between the centre-left government of Donald Tusk and the PiS with its ally Duda. The two politicians were arrested on January 9 and taken to prison after initially seeking protection in the presidential palace. The PiS describes the two as "political prisoners." Kaminski and Wasik were sentenced to two years in prison for abuse of office by a Warsaw district court in December. Duda had pardoned the two after an initial trial in 2015. However, the Supreme Court had declared this pardon to be unlawful, as the appeal proceedings were still ongoing at the time. On Tuesday, Duda stressed once again that he believes the pardon from 2015 is still valid. Kaminski has been on hunger strike since the beginning of his detention. According to Duda, the state of health is poor. EU members are considering an embargo on Russian aluminum as part of the 13th package of sanctions, Politico reported on Jan. 23, citing unnamed EU diplomats. Reports emerged last week that the European bloc is reading yet another sanctions package against Russia, imposed in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian aluminum products are among the goods in focus for the EUs next sanction package on Russia, Politico said, citing the diplomats. Previous packages left around 85% of Russian exports of the metal to the EU untouched, according to the trade organization European Aluminium. A full ban on Russian aluminum will be discussed, according to an unnamed diplomat. Another diplomatic source said that the EU countries are hoping to agree on the package before the two-year anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24. Sanctioning aluminum will be "yet another way of sanctioning Russian energy" as energy prices constitute up to 40% of the costs of aluminum smelting, said another diplomat. The metal embargo is being discussed since "all of the big items are already sanctioned" or not available, like nuclear or LNG, said a senior EU diplomat. Some Eastern EU countries, including Hungary, have opposed sanctions on the Russian nuclear sector. Russias Rosatom has been building two new reactors for Hungary. Many EU countries have opposed Russian liquified natural gas sanctions. However, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania urge an import ban on LNG and aluminum, as well as more sanctions in the aviation sector, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported. Read also: Finland plans to ban Russian LNG from 2025 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Staff at Six Flags Fiesta Texas searched a swamp for Matthew McConaughey's phone after it flew out of his pocket, and now the park has a warning for other roller coaster riders. "If Matthew McConaughey can't keep his phone in his pocket on our loops, remember that you won't be able to either," the San Antonio amusement park posted Jan. 12. The actor and Texas native was spotted with family members at Six Flags just after the new year, but McConaughey revealed a week later that the trip had its ups and downs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad McConaughey appeared on the "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," where he told the late-night host that his kids saw his phone fly out of his pocket on the last ride of their outing. Park employees promised to search the swamp below after closing time, and McConaughey said his phone was mailed back by the next evening. "Props to Six Flags," Fallon said. The park re-posted the video clip to its social media and reminded attendees to keep their valuables safe. "Store those loose articles," it said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Delegates walk up in front of the party logo at the AfD federal party conference at the Magdeburg Exhibition Center. A nationwide poll of German voters showed the far-right Alternative in Germany (AfD) remains in second place, although the party's support slipped slightly from the previous week. Carsten Koall/dpa Two recent nationwide polls of German voters both showed the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) remains in second place, although the party's support slipped slightly from the previous week. A weekly opinion poll, conducted for the tabloid newspaper Bild by the INSA opinion research group and released on Tuesday, showed support for the AfD dropping from a previous high last week of 23% to 21.5%. A separate poll for broadcaster RTL/ntv conducted by forsa showed the AfD down by two percentage points to 20%, although that poll also showed the AfD remaining in second place. Despite the slight downward drop, the AfD has been on a clear upward trend in polls since mid-2022. The party has recently been the target of mass anti-far right protests that attracted nearly a million demonstrators at the weekend in cities across Germany. The protests follow revelations that some AfD politicians met secretly with far-right extremists in Potsdam in November to discuss plans to push immigrants out of the country, including some with German citizenship. On Tuesday, German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck said that democratic parties need to show the ability to solve problems and pragmatically compromise in order to blunt the rise of the AfD. "As a democratic majority, we must prove that we are capable of solving problems with a free, open democracy," Habeck said at an event hosted by financial newspaper Handelsblatt. Habeck, a Green, also took a swipe at AfD co-chair Alice Weidel without directly naming her. Weidel said in a recent interview with the Financial Times that the AfD would support a referendum to quit the European Union - a so-called "Dexit" - if the party fails to force drastic reforms to the EU. Weidel told the newspaper that the United Kingdom's exit from the EU following the 2016 Brexit vote should be a model for Germany. Habeck on Tuesday said that politics could not be much "more stupid" than saying that Germany should leave the EU and the European single market. Both new opinion polls released on Tuesday showed the conservative opposition CDU/CSU bloc remained the strongest party, at 30.5% in the Bild poll and at 31% in the RTL/ntv poll. Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) also continued to slide in the polls, down to just 13.5% in the Bild poll and 14% in the RTL/ntv poll. The Greens were backed by 12.5% or 14%, respectively. The liberal Free Democrats (FDP) remained at 5% in the Bild poll, the threshold to receive seats in Germany's parliament, while the RTL/ntv poll showed them just below the threshold at 4%. The far-left Die Linke's slide continued in the Bild poll, down another percentage point to just 3%. The RTL/ntv poll showed Die Linke at 4%. Voters preferring various other parties increased sharply, from 8% to 11.5%, which may be due to growing support for the newly launched populist Alliance Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW), which was not listed separately in the poll results. The Bild survey polled a sample of 2,000 German voters between Friday and Monday. Forsa surveyed around 2,500 people over a slightly longer period of time. Both polls have a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points. Election polls are generally always fraught with uncertainty. Among other things, declining party loyalty and increasingly short-term election decisions make it difficult for opinion research institutes to weight the data collected. In principle, polls only reflect the opinion at the time of the survey and are not a forecast of the election outcome. Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD parliamentary group, gives a press statement at the start of her party's parliamentary group meeting. The AfD's Weidel told the Financial Times newspaper that she would be in favour of a referendum on Germany's EU membership if the far-right party can't force through major changes to EU rules. Kay Nietfeld/dpa The Scoop Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will answer questions from U.S. lawmakers at an upcoming congressional hearing focused on Chinas support for U.S. adversaries, according to details shared with Semafor. The hearing before the House select committee on China will take place next Tuesday, Jan. 30. Pompeo, who served under former President Donald Trump, and Panetta, who served in multiple Democratic administrations, will be among the most high-profile witnesses the committee has heard from to date. Pompeo was at one point considering a GOP presidential run this cycle, but ultimately passed on it. Know More Pompeo is an established China hawk who was behind some of the Trump administrations more aggressive policies toward Beijing. He criticized past U.S. engagement with China and declared Chinas repression of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region to be genocide, a designation the Biden administration has kept in place. The House select committee, led by Chairman Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. and ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., heard from one of Pompeos top advisers at the State Department last year. Panetta, who served as CIA director and defense secretary under the Obama administration, has advocated for more engagement with China to avoid conflict while urging the U.S. to step up tech advancements to compete with Beijing. Both men met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their time in office. The hearing next Tuesday is headlined Authoritarian Alignment: The CCPs Support for Americas Adversaries, meaning it will focus on Beijings relations with countries like Russia and Iran. Those relationships have taken on greater importance given Russias war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East. The committee has held hearings focused on topics such as human rights, propaganda, and the business climate for foreign firms in China, while also investigating popular fast-fashion brands and investment firms. A report issued by the committee last year called for a reset in the U.S.-China trade relationship as well as greater limits on U.S. investments in China and a ban or forced sale of the popular video platform TikTok in the U.S. Notable The House panel has also asked executives at semiconductor firms Intel, Nvidia, and Micron to testify, the Financial Times reported. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A Portland man has been sentenced to federal prison for selling drugs to high schoolers. Jonathan Ash Clark, 43, was sentenced Monday to two years in federal prison with six months of supervised release, the Department of Justice said. Portland Police Bureau arrested Clark on Sept. 28, 2022, after he was located with a group of students, the release said. Court documents show that Clark had been seen with a student from Portlands Cleveland High School, with officials from the school asking PPB for help when the student went missing. Deschutes County crash victim found frozen to the ground in 2-degree weather dies PPBs search of Clark and his belongings brought small quantities of cocaine and MDMA and a digital scale, the release said. In an interview with police, Clark later said he knowingly sold drugs to high school students. A federal grand jury in Portland indicted Clark with a slew of drug trafficking-related charges back in the fall of 2022 following a criminal complaint of similar charges. Last year, Clark pleaded guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance to a person under 21. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Opinion editor's note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom. Police deal with the messiness of humanity, sometimes in its most extreme manifestations, so it's no surprise that public impressions of the profession are complicated. An appreciation of nuance is necessary for those who wish to focus on law enforcement's mistakes and abuses perceived or actual, direct or insidious. It's critical as well for those who realistically view police work as always needed, sometimes heroic and often thankless, and who begin to feel that scrutiny of those efforts has been at times excessive and denigrating. We on the Star Tribune Editorial Board have found ourselves in both frames of mind. Today, we want to highlight a few recent examples of police involvement that ended with the best possible outcomes while remaining mindful of another that didn't. In Minneapolis earlier this month, police arrested a man after forcing their way into an apartment where the suspect was holding a grandmother and child at gunpoint. According to subsequent charges, the suspect had shot in the direction of five officers as they went up a staircase in tactical formation. The officers did not return fire. In a news conference following the incident, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara thanked officers for their bravery and "extreme restraint." He expressed gratitude "that this situation did not turn out much more dangerous and even deadly than it was." Also earlier this month, the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office and other agencies arrested a suspect at his home in Watson, in southwestern Minnesota, after a six-hour standoff. The man, a former mayor of that town, had made social media posts threatening to kill students at the University of Minnesota, in addition to members of the sheriff's office and judges, according to charges. The threats triggered safety alerts at the university, where the spring semester had not yet begun, and lockdowns at other schools and colleges. These are things that made news. They don't include the myriad crises police help to resolve every day without the loss of life. The work doesn't slow. Nor does it always end well. Overlapping the time frames of these events was an incident in East Grand Forks, Minn., where an undercover officer shot and killed a man who had been sought by members of a multi-county drug task force, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The officer did not have a body-worn camera, and footage of the shooting was not captured. The BCA is reviewing other footage. Family members have called for accountability. Accountability in this case is complicated by the undercover nature of the incident. But it is improving in a broad sense. The general use of body cameras is one example. Others involve administration and tactics. In Minneapolis, which became a national focus of police conduct following the murder of George Floyd, a consent decree settlement has been reached with both the Minnesota Department of Human Rights and another is pending with the federal Department of Justice. Soon the city will approve hiring an independent team of evaluators to monitor the progress under both agreements oversight that will continue for years. It's important to remember, too, that police themselves look for ways to mitigate the risks their work poses to others. The Pioneer Press recently reported, as the Star Tribune has previously, on technology that allows officers to apprehend fleeing drivers without a high-speed chase. Instead they use a laser-assisted launcher powered by compressed air to attach a GPS tracker to the vehicle. Ramsey County and municipalities including Maplewood and Woodbury have invested in the system, called StarChase. The American Civil Liberties Union has reviewed and supports the use of the technology, the paper noted. "High-speed pursuits are probably one of the most dangerous things that police officers engage in," the paper quoted Sgt. Chris Donahoe of the Woodbury Police Department as saying. "Any technology that can allow us to still be effective, but do it in a safer manner, we're in favor of." Leer en espanol As families across Arizona struggle to afford childcare for their young children, Pima County is in its third year helping fund preschool for children from low-income households. Elenna Romero, 25, is a single mother of two. She's able to go to college while working and raising her children because of the Pima Early Education Program scholarships. When Romero had her first child in high school, finding a way to afford childcare and go to school was stressful. She would drop off her child at daycare before going to school, pick him up after school, and leave him with her father before working nights to pay for childcare. It was pretty expensive and time-consuming, she said. It was exhausting. Now with her second child in preschool, Romero is working to accomplish her dreams by studying business at Pima Community College thanks to funding from the county to help her pay for childcare. Romero is just one of the many parents who have benefitted from Pima Early Education Program Scholarships. In 2023, the program paid for 1,356 children from low-income households to attend preschool. The county also collaborated with school districts to open 17 additional preschool classes funded by Pima Countys scholarships. Scholarships are given directly to the providers, and available for families with 3- or 4-year-old children, and 5-year-olds not in kindergarten. Families are eligible if their incomes are up to 300% of the federal poverty level. Elenna Romero, 25, and her youngest son Noah, 3, at Reid Park in Tucson on Jan. 22, 2024. This means a family of four that makes under $90,000, or a family of two that makes under $59,160, may qualify for the program. Pima County is just one of several local governments around the state that have worked to increase access to preschool. Cities like Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Mesa have also funded initiatives to make preschool accessible to low-income families. The Pima County Board of Supervisors allocated $30 million from the Federal American Rescue Plan Act to pay for three years of the program. At the beginning of the programs fourth year, funding will come from a secondary property tax that funds the Library District. School districts and other local governments have also allocated funding for the program including Tucson, Marana, and Oro Valley. How did the program start? The idea for the program started in 2015 when a group of citizens concerned about the lack and affordability of childcare in Tucson came together to run an initiative called Strong Start Tucson, or Proposition 204. The ballot measure was defeated at the polls in 2017. Critics were unhappy the proposed funding would only cover children in Tucson, and that its source of funding was a sales tax. After the defeat, a group of voters formed a coalition and approached the county Board of Supervisors with a proposal to help fund early education programs. Penelope Jacks is one of the members who helped lead the effort, and the former chair of Strong Start Tucson. It was very frustrating right at the beginning, Jacks said about support from the board. But then the personnel at the county changed on the county board of supervisors, and they became much more progressive. Elenna Romero, 25, at Reid Park in Tucson on Jan. 22, 2024. A single mother of two sons, Romero was able to go to school and save money to buy her house while working and taking care of her children thanks to funding from Pima Early Education Program scholarships. In 2020, former educator Rex Scott was elected to the board along with Supervisors Adelita Grijalva and Matt Heinz, who supported the proposal. I think its the most important expenditure in our budget, Scott said. He reiterated the necessity of preschool attendance. Preschool is not a luxury. Its not a frill. Its a necessity, Scott said. We dont want low-income families in Pima County to have any lesser access to preschool than families that can afford to pay that cost. Why is preschool important? Supporters of the program tout the array of research showing how preschool can contribute to reducing poverty. Studies have shown children attending high-quality early education programs and childcare are more likely to graduate from high school, attend college, and have higher incomes. Those children are also less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. According to a 2017 report on the effects of pre-kindergarten, studies often find disadvantaged children and dual language learners benefit the most from pre-kindergarten. However, all students benefit from preschool. Convincing evidence shows that children attending a diverse array of state and school district pre-k programs are more ready for school at the end of their pre-k year than children who do not attend pre-k, the report stated. Research also points to the economic impact of the lack of affordable preschool. According to a 2023 report by the nonprofit ReadyNation, the lack of accessible childcare has resulted in an annual economic cost of $4.7 billion in lost earnings, productivity and revenue in Arizona. The report also found infant care in a center in Arizona averages $14,040 per year, more than one year of in-state public college tuition. Scott said supporting early education also has an economic development benefit. While the Arizona Department of Economic Security offers childcare subsidies, it only serves 30% of eligible children, according to the ReadyNation report. Pima County's program is helping fill that gap, allowing parents like Romero to improve their career prospects. Once the childcare started, I was able to attend more at work and be promoted at work, able to save money to buy a house Its allowed me to go to school and further my career, Romero said. Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com. The Republics coverage of southern Arizona is funded, in part, with a grant from Report for America. Support Arizona news coverage with a tax-deductible donation at supportjournalism.azcentral.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Pima County program decreases barriers to preschool access Ihor Zhovkva, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, revealed important details of the visit of Poland's new Prime Minister Donald Tusk to Ukraine, particularly pertaining to Polands security guarantees for Ukraine during an appearance on national TV on Jan. 22 The relationship between Ukraine and Poland has been normal throughout the period of open Russian aggression, though there were certain issues with the previous Polish government, said Zhovkva. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky had a qualitatively new conversation with Tusk on Jan. 22. This was Tusk's first visit outside the EU since taking office. Under discussion was a very strange situation regarding Polands security guarantees for Ukraine. Read also: Poland will soon join G7 security commitments to Ukraine Poland did not join the declaration for more than half a year, Zhovkva noted. Being a neighbor, a strategic partner of Ukraine, and a country that helped during these days of open Russian aggression against Ukraine, Poland showed no desire to become a guarantor of Ukraine's security. Today, this incomprehensible situation has been resolved. Zelenskyy proposed to immediately start negotiations on a bilateral document with security guarantees. Poland can very quickly adopt the document, according to Zhovkva. Donald Tusk arrived on Jan. 22 in Kyiv on a visit for the first time since his appointment. Tusk met with Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Zelenskyy announced a new Polish defense package and noted very productive negotiations with Tuskfollowing the negotiations. Tusk's office reported that Poland joined the G7 declaration on security guarantees for Ukraine. Read also: Polish PM Donald Tusk travels to Kyiv for meeting with Zelenskyy 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 COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) Thyroid issues may be difficult to diagnose without diagnostic testing but they are treatable and common. WRBL sat down with Piedmont endocrinology specialist Dr. Adam Dennis, who sees thyroid patients on a regular basis to discuss Thyroid Disease. Annually, January is observed as Thyroid Disease Awareness month and, according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) about 20 million people in the U.S. have a form of Thyroid Disease. Its pretty common it affects people of all ages, all sexes, all groups of people, Dr. Adam Dennis, who regularly works with thyroid patients at with Piedmont Endocrinology in Columbus. Despite this, thyroid disease is five- to eight times more likely to happen in women than men, according to statistics from the ATA. The data also states one in every eight women will have a thyroid disorder over the course of her life. VEGANUARY: Plant-focused diets can help prevent cancer and other health conditions There are also other risk factors for thyroid disease. A family history can increase the risk, Dennis said, although he noted it is not a direct correlation. This is to say, while Dennis can say those with a family history of thyroid disease are more likely to have those issues themselves, he cant put an exact number of the likelihood of developing a thyroid condition. People with certain conditions like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and Type 1 diabetes, amongst other diagnoses may also be more likely to develop a thyroid disease. This is also true of people who have had a past thyroid condition, are older than 60 and/or have had thyroid cancer. According to Dennis, symptoms of thyroid disease can sometimes be difficult to discern from other conditions. The symptoms can be pretty wide-ranging, he said, highlighting the necessity of seeking help from a medical professional in these cases. Fortunately, we do have testing that can kind of narrow down whether its thyroid or whether we need to look somewhere else. Common thyroid disease varies depending on the condition, whether it be hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism or something else. The Cleveland Clinic lists symptoms for hyper- and hypothyroidism on its website. Community-led city improvement group to hold open meeting next week In most cases, Dennis suggests patients go to their primary care provider before seeking out a specialist. Although the benefit to seeing a specialist like Dennis first means patients can speak to a thyroid expert, it also puts them back at square one if they dont have a thyroid condition. Im not really equipped to give them alternatives, Dennis explained. So, I think its always best to start with your main doctor because they can usually rule in or rule out most thyroid conditions. The good news, Dennis said, is that thyroid treatments are usually highly effective and can sometimes be as simple as a single procedure. For over- or underactive thyroid issues, medicines, surgeries or hormone treatments are usually effective and straightforward, according to the thyroid expert. Dennis offered words of encouragement for anyone seeking medical help for thyroid issues. He said, Know that if you have a thyroid condition, in most cases, we can answer the question. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRBL. More legal action filed against a local school custodian accused of sexually assaulting a student could be dismissed soon. >> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Case dismissed for elementary school custodian accused of sexually assaulting student The family involved in a federal civil case against Jerry North has asked the United States District Court of the Southern District of Ohios Western Division to dismiss their case against North without prejudice, according to court records filed Tuesday. At this time, a ruling hasnt been made on that request. This came a day after News Center 7 reported that Miami County Prosecutors dismissed the case against Jerry North after the juvenile victim admitted to, in large part, fabricating the allegations against North. In a statement to News Center 7, Norths attorney said, From the beginning, these allegations were based on complete lies. Professionals should not be so easily fooled by baseless fabrications like those made in this case. Real peoples lives can be ruined. (Thats) pretty terrible to have to go through something like that, Erin Brady told News Center 7s Mike Campbell about the case on Tuesday. Seems like he might have to move somewhere else and hopefully it wouldnt follow him. >> Tanker cars carrying ethanol derail in Darke County Gary Wallace said he doesnt know how you fix that. As we showed you on News Center 7 at 5:00, the entire episode shocked West Milton residents but the dismissal of charges had a lot of people wondering about the whole ordeal. No innocent person should have to go through that, Stephen Qualls said. The federal case against North could be dismissed as soon as tomorrow. News Center 7 has also reached out to the Miami County Prosecutor to learn if any legal trouble could be directed toward the student who made the false claims. By the time Cecil Williams turned 14, he was already photographing the civil rights movement in South Carolina. As a teenager in the 1950s he followed and documented Briggs v. Elliott, the South Carolina case that challenged segregation in public education. Briggs was eventually appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court where it became one of five cases consolidated into what is now known as Brown v. Board of Education. Williams, now 86, still reflects on the injustices he witnessed in South Carolina in the wake of the case: most petitioners lost their jobs and some were driven out of town. The consequences have reverberated for generations. Get stories like these delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter They were ostracized in their own community, he told The 74. Since the 1960s, Williams has asserted that the 20 parents of Briggs v. Elliott faced a second injustice: They were forgotten. Despite being the first of the five cases to make it to the Supreme Court, Briggs was not chosen as the lead case and was therefore relegated to the position of et al. in the seminal Brown v. Boards name. This naming meant that despite the families sacrifices, their stories were removed from the foreground, according to Williams. For decades, he has been advocating for a correction, asking over 100 attorneys to take on a case that would challenge the ordering and the naming of Brown. In some ways, Williams is a hidden figure among hidden figures, who took up the cause of renaming Brown even before Nathaniel Briggs, the 76-year-old son of the lead plaintiff in Briggs v. Elliott, Harry Briggs, came on board and before South Carolina attorney and civil rights organizer Tom Mullikin agreed to argue it pro bono. Mullikin would spend years interviewing the families from the original Briggs case before filing his brief before the U.S. Supreme Court in November 2023. Earlier this month, the justices denied the petition without comment. Civil rights activist and former South Carolina legislator Jim Felder, Clemson Universitys Dr. Roy Jones, photographer Cecil Williams, attorney Tom Mullikin, plaintiff family member Nathaniel Briggs and state Rep. Terry Alexander on the day Mullikin filed his Supreme Court petition. (Mullikin Law Firm) I would do it again, Mullikin told The 74. I would spend another four years doing it. And Ill spend the rest of my life talking about it because its an injustice. Sometimes, theres a price to being first. And in this case, theres no denying that people lost their lives, their economic fortunes, and their livelihoods because of their courage and stepping out. While on its face a legal battle, the quest to rename the landmark Brown case lays bare how steep that price was and how lasting its painful legacy. For Nathaniel Briggs, it was the dissolution of his family. His father was fired from his job as a gas station attendant; his mother from hers as a motel maid. His father began working at a family members farm but when he took his cotton to market, Briggs said, people refused to buy it because of the association with his last name. In 1957, out of options, his father moved to Miami. At the time, Briggs was 9 years old. He was devastated when his father was forced to leave the family behind. Once a month he would call. Id hear my dads voice for a couple of minutes Id put those coins in the old, black dial-up telephone thing, and Id hear my dads voice. South Carolina and the stories of the Briggses and the other families in Clarendon County have remained largely invisible, despite the notoriety of the titular Brown case, according to Nathaniel Briggs. The original signees of this petition, the seniors, theyre all dead, he said. So Im saying, who can speak for dry bones? Me. Ill speak for those dry bones that cannot speak for themselves Dont let this nation, a historian, or a writer write you out of the picture. A clerical error or a strategic move? The Supreme Court brief that Mullikin filed on behalf of Nathaniel Briggs, as well as Beatrice Brown Rivers and Ethel Brown Marshall, two of the signatories of the original South Carolina petition, asserted that Brown had been incorrectly named due to a clerical error. Thurgood Marshall, the civil rights attorney and first Black Supreme Court justice, filed Briggs v. Elliott in the fall of 1950. Initially, Black parents in Clarendon County were just requesting school buses for their children. But by the time the case was ultimately filed against R.W. Elliott, the school board president, the parents were challenging segregation in its entirety. Eventually, Briggs was appealed through the court system and was the first of the five consolidated cases to reach the Supreme Court. It was returned back to the lower district court in 1952. According to Mullikins brief, when the case again made its way to the Supreme Court for the second time the Clerk inadvertently docketed the Briggs case after Brown instead of placing it back as the first case filed. This inadvertent clerical misstep deprived the petitioners their rightful place in history in spite of the great physical, emotional, and financial risks taken by each petitioner. The petitioners request that their place in history be restored by the simple act of reordering the petitioners to the just and accurate place. Mullikin noted that there may be people who view this case as an attempt to pit the involved families against each other, but that to his knowledge theres none of that happening. This is in no way to marginalize what [the Brown family] went through or the importance of their case. Its simply a matter of factual accounting of which case is first. In no way was our collective efforts meant to marginalize or minimize the sacrifice that those families made. Were not in any conflict with what the Brown case stands for, but we are in conflict with the naming of it, Williams, the civil rights photographer, said. Cheryl Brown Henderson, the daughter of the lead plaintiff in the Brown lawsuit, declined to comment on the record. In an interview with Education Week she said that while she did not oppose the South Carolina effort, she had expressed her misgivings to the South Carolina descendants. She told the outlet that the Brown Foundation for Educational Equity, Excellence and Research had worked to promote the history and legacies of all five cases that made up the Brown and Bolling decisions. Read more here BROWN V. BOARD: The Untold Stories Some historians believe that Brown was given preference for strategic reasons: that the lead case would have an easier path coming out of a border state like Kansas vs. a Deep South state like South Carolina and in Brown, the court potentially saw a chance to push the school segregation issue out of the Jim Crow South and onto a national platform. Going home to Clarendon County After the original court filing, the Briggs family splintered; with Nathaniel, his mother, sister and brother attempting to reunite with his father in Florida, leaving their grandmother behind, and other brothers moving north to New York City. A year later, the Florida family members returned to South Carolina. Briggs enrolled in Scotts Branch High School, the subject of Briggs v. Elliot and which remained segregated despite the high courts ruling almost a decade before. Even at the all-Black high school, Briggs said he faced discrimination because of his last name. Not all of the teachers liked the Briggs children because youre upsetting a system, he said. Those hardships prompted another move by the rest of the family to New York City in the early 1960s. Today, Briggs lives in New Jersey but has returned to South Carolina every year for the past six decades. I love my community, he said. In 2014, almost 100% of the schools in Clarendon County were de facto segregated. Most of the white students attend private schools while black students attend public schools, which are still notoriously underfunded, Mullikin wrote in his brief. Scotts Branch Middle/High School has a 95.7% minority enrollment and 100% of the students are economically disadvantaged, according to the brief, despite the county of 31,000 being almost evenly split demographically. In some ways, these numbers are unsurprising since school segregation is still a core feature of American public education, said Ansley Erickson, associate professor of history and education policy and co-director of the Center on History and Education at Columbia Universitys Teachers College. In 2021, approximately 60% of Black and Hispanic public school students attended schools where 75% or more of students were students of color. Related 70 Years After Brown vs. Board of Education, Public Schools Still Segregated It is important to recognize the burden desegregation efforts put on Black families, she added. The key thing that [the Briggs] case can bring to our attention is how much work desegregation required of Black students and families, she said. The Supreme Court decision in Brown was not self-executing, meaning that it didnt automatically tell districts what to do. It established the legal standard, and then made it possible for districts to be sued by local families and attorneys. And that means that it shifted the labor onto families like the Briggses, families like the Browns, families like hundreds that we could name if we look at every local school district that was segregated, and where someone brought the case to court. And that labor is tremendous. Every one of these local districts should recognize the people who did this labor on behalf of justice. 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolts Xinjiang, injured three so far Global Times) 08:52, January 23, 2024 A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi county in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at around 2 am Tuesday, causing injury of three people so far. The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The main quake was followed by a succession of aftershocks as strong as 5.3 in magnitude, according to the CENC. In the past five years, there have been a total of 166 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3 or above within a 200-kilometer radius of the epicenter. The latest earthquake is the largest earthquake so far. The earthquake has caused injuries to three people. Average altitude within a 5-kilometer radius of the epicenter is approximately 3,048 meters, and the population within a 20-kilometer radius of the epicenter is extremely sparse. The earthquake caused strong tremors in the surrounding areas. Aksu, Kashi, Korla, Karamay, and other places experienced strong tremors. There have been reports of tremors in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang. People in several residential areas in the county said their building swayed for about one minute and they quickly evacuated the building. Some residents reported that even the chandeliers in their living rooms fell down. A resident surnamed Liu from Keping county in Aksu Prefecture, said that after the earthquake, many people in the county ran downstairs to take shelter. Some people have even driven their cars to open areas to avoid aftershocks. After the earthquake, the railway department in Xinjiang immediately activated the emergency plan, blocking the affected sections of the railway line, urgently stopping passenger trains running in that section, and organizing personnel to conduct a comprehensive inspection of railway lines, bridges, signal equipment, station buildings, and other facilities. As of around 4 am, a total of 27 trains were affected by the earthquake. Ministry of Emergency Management, along with other government bodies, urgently allocated 1,000 cotton tents, 5,000 winter clothing, 5,000 cotton quilts, 5,000 folding beds, and 1,000 heaters and other objects to Wushi county, to ensure the safety and resettlement of affected people. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) The Texas Medical Board yanked Silvas license in March 2022, saying in a written statement at the time that he poses a continuing threat to public welfare. (Photo by Tom Kelley/Getty Images) Tom Kelley/Getty Images A San Antonio doctor who admitted illegally dispensing tens of thousands of painkillers that authorities believe contributed to the areas opioid epidemic has been sentenced to 30 months in prison. Paul M. Silva, 46 who previously ran Libertad Internal Medical Group on Thousand Oaks Drive on the North Side wasnt allowed to write prescriptions after his practice shut down and he failed to renew his medical license in 2021. But that didnt stop him, federal authorities say, from issuing hundreds of prescriptions to himself, family members (some of them dead) and fake patients for oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol and other powerful drugs between Aug. 31, 2021, and March 27, 2022. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Texas Medical Board yanked Silvas license in March 2022, saying in a written statement at the time that he poses a continuing threat to public welfare. Silva, who pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to unlawfully dispense a controlled substance, and to having a gun while committing a drug offense, had been dealing with personal issues that eventually resulted in him hitting rock bottom, his lawyer has said. Id like to apologize and accept responsibility for my actions, Silva told U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez on Tuesday. I also want to apologize to my family, and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. Rodriguez said he never truly understood what happened with Silva, who was described in at least one letter to the judge, from a former patient, as a caring doctor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was a tragic fall, Rodriguez said, giving him 30 months for each charge, to serve concurrently. It was the low end of a recommended sentencing range of 30 to 37 months. The judge also ordered him to serve three years of federal supervision after his release. Rodriguez gave Silva credit for time served, since his arrest in April 2022. Silva will likely be out in the latter part of this year. Silvas prescription scheme yielded 40,000 doses of the highly addictive drugs, federal prosecutors said in plea deals with Silvas two accomplices, Denton Thomas and Nicholas Klumpp. The pair served as couriers for Silva, picking up prescriptions he sent to area pharmacies, court records show. Thomas, who was caught early in the investigation with a gun, crystal methamphetamine and other drugs, pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of a firearm and conspiracy to unlawfully dispense a controlled substance. Paul M. Silva, 46, seen in an undated photo from a court document, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for writing hundreds of prescriptions to himself, family members (some of them dead) and fake patients for oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol and other powerful drugs after he let his medical license lapse. Courtesy/Federal Court Document He told investigators he picked up prescriptions for Klumpp and Silva. Klumpp worked for Silva at the Thousand Oaks office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Klumpp pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully dispense a controlled substance. Silvas lawyer, Daniel McCarthy, said in a previous court hearing that Silva was a medic in the Armys 101st Airborne Division from 1993 to 1995, then went on to obtain a bachelor of science and masters degrees in the Massachusetts area. Texas Medical Board records show Silva graduated in 2006 from Ross University School of Medicine in Barbados, and got his Texas medical license in 2009. His LinkedIn account said he worked as a contract medical director for Alamo Hospice from June 2014 to October 2019, as a full-time medical director at WellMed Medical Management from December 2011 to November 2018 and as a contract physician at Sound Physicians from December 2015 to October 2018. His account says he ran Libertad Internal Medicine Group beginning in October 2018. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That business was shuttered in March of 2021, suddenly and without notice to the patients, without notice to the employees, then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman said last April. (She is now the first assistant U.S. attorney in the Western District of Texas.) The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration went after Silva after his medical license lapsed and as his life spiraled out of control, according to testimony. MORE COVERAGE: San Antonio doctor who prosecutors say fueled the local opioid epidemic to plead guilty According to testimony from a prior court hearing, Silva got hooked on the stimulant Ritalin and was accused of using heavier drugs. His marriage and finances were in shambles, and he went heavily into debt. Silva allegedly started using his patients personal information to write some of the hundreds of prescriptions for painkillers and other controlled medications that he and his accomplices distributed underground. He had been hiding from police and his family, who pleaded with him to get help, prosecutors said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Finally, when the DEA tracked him down in April 2022 at a downtown San Antonio hotel, he was on his way to score methamphetamine and was armed with a gun. Before his arrest, some neighbors had complained to San Antonio police and, later, the DEA, that they saw increased traffic at Silvas home in the Lorrence Creek subdivision off Heimer Road. And he apparently hid in his house from process servers, the medical board, police checking on his welfare and others for at least a month in early 2022, Leachman said. Leachman said Silva also changed SIM cards on his phone and eventually began staying in hotels so he couldnt be tracked down. Investigators alleged he tried taking out a $100,000 loan in the name of his mother, though Silvas lawyer claims she had consented. At a detention hearing in April 2022, Silvas lawyer told a judge that Silva had a drug problem and had hit rock bottom. In September, Klumpp was sentenced to 27 months in prison, with credit for time served. Prison records show he is in the Federal Detention Center in Houston and is scheduled for release this March. The New Hampshire GOP primary is offering a narrow runway for former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley as she looks to defy the odds and beat former President Trump in the Granite State on Tuesday. Trump won last weeks Iowa caucuses by a resounding 30-point margin against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, with Haley finishing in third. After DeSantis announced Sunday he would suspend his campaign and endorse Trump, all eyes are turning to Haley as she faces an uphill climb to topple the president in New Hampshire. An average of New Hampshire polls compiled by Decision Desk HQ and The Hill showed Trump at 48 percent and Haley at 36 percent in the state. But even if Haley performs well in New Hampshire, her path heading into South Carolina and beyond only looks more precarious. Heres what these GOP pundits are predicting in the New Hampshire GOP primary: Double-digit win for Trump Name: Dave Carney, New Hampshire-based GOP strategist whos worked on presidential campaigns for former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga), former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, the late Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kansas) By what margin? Double digits Analysis: He has a message that resonates with right-of-center voters. Its the economy and people and the border. And, you think back, are we better off today than we were three years ago? And the answers no no one made a case for why they would be better. It was really a lack of messaging. Haley wants to appeal to independents. Perfectly good idea. Wants to not offend Trump voters. Perfectly good idea, but its a difficult message. Independents will lean toward Haley Name: Sarah Chamberlain, president and CEO of Republican Main Street Partnership Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? At least 5 percent Analysis: Because of the independents get to vote, where a lot of states they dont get to. So I think the [independents] will lead towards her. But the Trump base will carry them through. Hes got a very strong base. Trump will be pushing 60 percent Name: Mike Dennehy, New Hampshire-based GOP strategist who worked on the late Sen. John McCains presidential bids Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? I think it will probably be 20 points, and Trump will be pushing 60 percent. Analysis: Donald Trump pretty much all year long for the last six months has been beating all Republicans heavily among Republican voters. Hes been beating all the candidates heavily among Republican voters. Really, the race for the Republican voters has been over for a while. It just became a question of driving independent voters out, and how much of a percentage the alternative candidate could get. And what I think Nikki Haley has never embraced [is] the mantle of insurgent candidate, and thats where I think she has failed. It seems almost impossible now Name: Dave Wilson, South Carolina-based GOP strategist and former president of the Palmetto Family Council Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? If voters vote in a true two-person race, and some folks are gonna will waste a vote, perhaps, but if you do it as a head-to-head between Trump and Haley, its a two-to-one split Trump. Analysis: Hes gaining momentum and showing significant strength in this race, and it begs the question whether or not the groundwork that Nikki Haley has done is gonna be enough to get anywhere close to a less than 10-point spread, and it seems almost impossible now with DeSantis out of the race. Trump is the nominee, that is clear now Name: David Woodard, emeritus professor of political science at Clemson University and Republican political consultant Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? N/A Analysis: Frankly, I think the DeSantis withdrawal has made the Trump nomination inevitable, and that Nikki Haley will flounder in New Hampshire and even lose in South Carolina. Trump is the nominee, that is clear now, and any continued contest is pointless. Haley is tailor-made for New Hampshire Name: Alice Stewart, Republican strategist who worked on presidential campaigns for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) and former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) Who do you think will win? Trump, but Haley has a chance By what margin? My guess, if I was a betting person, I would say something along the lines of Trump, 51, Haley, 45. Analysis: I think Nikki Haley is tailor-made for New Hampshire in terms of her you know, certainly more moderate views, her position: reducing federal involvement, her position on the life issue and guns, and the fact that youve had Gov. [Chris] Sununu out here really campaigning hard for her has been a tremendous help. Its smart for her to continue to point out that in the head-to-head general election matchups, she fares better than Trump against Joe Biden and you know, look, thats ultimately what the party should be looking at, is who is the best general election candidate. Unfortunately, theyre looking at the sugar high they get from Donald Trump. Trump pushes 60 percent, primary effectively concluded Name: Scott Jennings, Republican strategist who worked on presidential campaigns for former President George W. Bush and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? N/A Analysis: I anticipate Trump winning and pushing into the mid-50s and perhaps close to 60% tomorrow. At that point, the primary will be effectively concluded. This is the most fertile ground Haley will have on the map, and to lose substantially here would be tough to recover. The bottom line is that Trump is popular among Republican voters. And it will be Republican voters not independents who decide the GOP primary. You never know in New Hampshire Name: Matthew Bartlett, New Hampshire-based GOP strategist who worked on former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsmans presidential bid Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? I think its 15 [points] and Ill actually take the over. Analysis: Its a weird mix of his strength as the former president, as an incumbent, combined with what is now a one-on-one. The GOP establishment used to always say if we can narrow this race down to a one-on-one, Trump loses after only winning, you know, well under 50 percent. I think it was 30 something percent in 2016. Well, we now have a dynamic where Nikki Haley probably needed both Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy to stay in this race to draw some votes away from him and to change the narrative. You now just have what looks to be coalescing around Donald Trump in the hours before the New Hampshire primary. It is starting to look more like a general election matchup rather than a true primary contest. And the only thing I will say is, but you never know in New Hampshire. DeSantis voters will break evenly between Trump, Haley Name: Gregg Keller, Missouri-based GOP strategist whos worked on presidential campaigns for Bush, McCain and Romney Who do you think will win? Trump By what margin? 15-16 points Analysis: I think if you look at the polling right now, I think its pointing towards a Trump win by between 18 and 20 points. I think its probably going to tighten a little bit. Obviously, DeSantis is out of the race. You know, a lot of times people make the mistake of thinking, Oh, well, DeSantis was a Trump alternative candidate, therefore when he gets out all that support is gonna flow to the other Trump alternative candidate, that being in this instance Nikki Haley. You know, weve already seen actually, thats a misnomer generally people have about polling. Those DeSantis voters who are fleeing his candidacy will more or less break evenly between Trump and Haley, and weve seen that already. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The fascist ideologue of the "Russian world," Alexander Dugin, escalated his attacks on free expression by demanding a ban on comedians As the Kremlin ramps up repression of dissent in Russia in the name of "traditional values," the fascist ideologue of the "Russian world" and bereaved parent Alexander Dugin demanded a ban on comedians in a bizarre Telegram post on Jan. 22. "This is nonsense," Dugin wrote. We are being entertained by pathologically stupid people who are completely devoid of a sense of humor. It's like an ongoing 'dinner with an idiot' It's embarrassing and disgusting to watch and listen to. Read also: SBU refuses to comment on Dugina assassination report Humor, therefore, "must be stopped. Dugin decided to substantiate his position by pointing to the fact that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was once a comedian. Moreover, according to Dugin, comedians are essentially agents of the "Devil" himself, whom he described as the patron saint of jesters and the head of the humorists' guild.. Read also: Dugina car bombing part of SBUs shadow war against Russia, Washington Post reports "In the Middle Ages, actors were considered 'servants of the devil'," Dugin asserted. Apparently, there was some reason for this. Moreover, medieval thespians unlike the noble ancient Greeks who valued the high spirit of myth and tragedy in the theater usually resorted to lowly genres. They would make a face, laugh at the noble class, throw a tirade on stage, make obscene gestures, and the commoners would laugh. They were opening a crack into hell. By vilifying comedy and comedians in such a bizarre way, Dugin may have been identifying new targets for escalating crackdowns against segments of Russian society deemed insufficiently loyal to the authoritarian state. 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 The King meeting schoolchildren during his visit to Flitcham Church of England Primary Academy in Norfolk where he opened its new library - Mrs S Wood/DNEAT/PA The King has no intention of slowing down and is keen to get back to his usual pace of work following a minor operation, despite the Queens attempts to convince him otherwise. The King will be back up and running after a procedure to correct an enlarged prostate, palace sources said, saying a period of enforced rest is only a temporary measure. Despite the Queen regularly urging him to slow down, he will be raring to go once hes had a short period of recuperation, The Telegraph understands. Buckingham Palace has cancelled the Kings engagements this week after he was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate a week ago. The Sun reported the Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit - something she has been urging him to do regularly over at least a decade. Last year, he undertook 516 engagements, as well as state visits to France, Germany and Kenya. A palace source said he will take a couple of weeks off public duties following his operation and is expected to continue to work on his red boxes and correspondence as usual. This sort of procedure is a temporary thing, and then he will be back up and running and very keen to pick up his usual pace, one said. His work ethic is well known. Hes going to be raring to go once hes had a short period of recuperation. King and Queen sit in an electric rickshaw on their way to Fort Jesus in Mombasa Old Town during their state visit to Kenya in Nov 2023 - LUIS TATO/AFP King Charles meets President Emmanuel Macron on a three-day state visit to Paris last September - LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP The King and Queen attend a ceremonial welcome at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on his first state visit in March 2023 - RONNY HARTMANN/AFP The Queen was asked about her husbands well-being as she carried out engagements in Swindon on Monday, insisting he was fine and thanking those who asked. The King flew back from Scotland with the Queen on Friday and headed to his Sandringham estate where he spent the weekend. He shared his diagnosis with the public to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get checked themselves. Last week, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: In common with thousands of men each year, the King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. His Majestys condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The Kings public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation. The Princess of Wales remains in hospital at The London Clinic following abdominal surgery. She is not expected to return to public engagements before Easter, spending up to two weeks in hospital before returning home to her three children to recover. Her husband has also cancelled his engagements in the immediate future. On Sunday, Sarah, Duchess of York was confirmed to have been diagnosed with skin cancer. He never, ever stops working The Queen has been attempting to convince her husband to slow down for more than a decade. On his 65th birthday in 2013, she said: He is not one for chilling. He never, ever stops working, she said. Hes exhausting. No matter what the day, he is always working. I am hopping up and down and saying, Darling do you think we could have a bit of, you know, peace and quiet, enjoy ourselves together. But he always has to finish something. On his 70th birthday, in an interview with The Telegraph, the Queen was asked whether he would be persuaded to slow down at the landmark birthday. You must be joking! she replied. Theres no way that he will slow down. 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. PATERSON As he considers running for Congress against 27-year incumbent Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., Mayor Andre Sayegh has made numerous campaign contributions to political figures in other towns in North Jersey. From July 28 through Nov. 3, Sayegh made 11 donations to local political groups that are outside Paterson but within the boundaries of the 9th Congressional District, currently represented by Pascrell, campaign finance reports show. Where did Sayegh make donations? Paterson Mayor, Andre Sayegh (right), meets New York Giants quarterback, Tommy DeVito (left) and agent, Sean Stellato,Tuesday, January 2, 2024. Those contributions ranged from $60 to the Move Secaucus Forward group to $5,000 to the Bergen County Democratic Committee and included donations to candidates in: Oakland Wayne Ridgefield Hawthorne Little Ferry Elmwood Park Before 2023, Sayegh hardly ever made contributions to political figures in Bergen County, where more than two-thirds of the 9th Congressional District towns are. Will Sayegh challenge Pascrell? Dec. 13, 2023; Washington, D.C., USA - Congressman Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) speaks as Larry Doby, a pioneering force for Black baseball players and a native of Paterson, N.J. is honored with the Congressional Gold Medal during a ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Mandatory Credit: Jack Gruber-USA TODAY For months, Sayegh has danced around questions about whether he plans to run against Pascrell, neither confirming nor discounting his candidacy. His supporters this month began polling to assess his chances. Candidates running in the June congressional primaries must file nominating petitions by March 25. Theres no evidence that Sayegh has set up a campaign fund to run for Congress. But political insiders noted that there are other ways to bankroll a bid for Congress, such as through a federal super PAC that could delay revealing its fundraising activities. Sayegh did not respond when asked about his latest donations to 9th District political figures. Instead, his city chief of staff, Habib Kader, sent a statement. As mayor of one of New Jersey's largest cities, Andre Sayegh regularly engages with many individuals seeking his support, Kader said. As he has done in the past, Mayor Sayegh will support quality candidates who are running to represent the best interests of the people. Some of those who received contributions from Sayegh said they plan to back Pascrell. They said Sayegh had not spoken to them about a possible congressional run. I consider Andre a friend, said Little Ferry Mayor Mauro Raguseo. Hes smart and has a bright future. But Raguseo said Pascrell has helped Little Ferry get funding to hire police officers and for flood mitigation. Bill Pascrell has been there for us, so were going to be there for him, the mayor said. Ridgefield Democratic Party Chair Catherine Suarez expressed similar sentiments about the incumbent. Bill Pascrell has been good to Ridgefield, she said. Thats all we need to know. More from Paterson Press: Will Andre Sayegh challenge Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. for Congress in 2024's NJ primary? What did Pascrell say? Paterson Press asked the Pascrell camp about a possible Sayegh challenge. "With American democracy on the ballot in a few months, Congressman Pascrell is running 120% and will eagerly stack his record against anyone else who decides to run," said Pascrell campaign spokesman Mark Greenbaum. Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Andre Sayegh political donations may mean challenge to Bill Pascrell A man accused of killing eight people in the Chicago suburbs died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while being pursued by police Monday night, authorities said. Ken branca A man accused of killing eight people in the Chicago suburbs died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while being pursued by police Monday night, authorities said. Ken branca Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP A police officer works a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP Police continue to work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP A Joliet police officer survey a crime scene Tuesday. A man suspected of shooting and killing eight people in suburban Chicago fatally shot himself after a confrontation with law enforcement officials at a gas station in Texas, where he had no known ties, authorities said. Antonio Perez/AP Joliet police officers Tuesday work at the scene where multiple people were shot to death. A man suspected of shooting and killing eight people in suburban Chicago fatally shot himself after a confrontation with law enforcement officials at a gas station in Texas, where he had no known ties, authorities said. Antonio Perez/AP Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP In this frame grab from video provided by WLS-TV ABC 7 Chicago, authorities work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after discovering multiple people shot and killed at three locations since Sunday in the Chicago suburbs. AP Police work at the scene of a shooting in Tinley Park on Sunday. Authorities have identified a woman and her three adult daughters who were found slain inside their suburban Chicago home in what police are calling a domestic-related shooting. Eileen T. Meslar/AP Police work a scene Monday in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/AP A man accused of killing eight people in the Chicago area before taking his own life in Medina County evaded authorities using Texas license plates, according to authorities. Police in Joliet, Ill., said 23-year-old Romeo Nance killed eight people Sunday at three different locations in the Chicago suburbs. He then fled to Texas in his red Toyota Camry, a description of which was shared with the public by police. Joliet police said Nance stopped at a mall in Texas and switched to Texas plates to continue to evade authorities. They dont believe he knew anyone in Texas. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We do think he stopped at a mall someplace in Texas and was able to steal some Texas license plates to throw off law enforcement, Joliet Chief of Police Bill Evans said. This undated photo released by the Joliet (Ill.) Police Department shows Romeo Nance. Police said Monday that Nance, suspected of shooting and killing multiple people in suburban Chicago, is believed to have fatally shot himself after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials. HODELETE60/TNS Medina County Sheriff Randy Brown said he was informed about a pursuit coming out of Bexar County around 8:30 p.m. Monday involving Nance. U.S. marshals in a helicopter located Nances vehicle driving down Interstate 35, nearly 1,200 miles away from where the shootings occurred. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The pursuit ended Monday night in the parking lot of Chubbys Travel Center in Natalia, southwest of San Antonio, when Nance died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after he abandoned his car and ran from police, Brown said. Brown did not say whether Nance exchanged gunfire with authorities during the pursuit. Police were still working to process the scene. Multiple agencies responded to the call, including the Department of Public Safety and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. Seven people were found dead Sunday with gunshot wounds in two homes in Illinois. Police said they also connected Nance to another fatal shooting. The victims ages ranged from 17 to 47 years. Evans said they believe Nance knew the eight victims, but police have yet to determine a motive for the killings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Investigators with the Will County Sheriffs Office used surveillance footage to connect the red Toyota Camry to Nance. The department then began to surveil Nances last known address, hoping to find him. However, they soon realized he had fled the area. Nathaniel Soto is comforted by brother Jordan Corona as he lays his head on the casket of sister Savanah Soto. Jessica Phelps Savanah Soto and her unborn baby son, Fabian, were buried Monday at Wild Flower Cemetery in San Antonio. A funeral Mass was held earlier in the day at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. The 18-year-old pregnant Soto was found shot to death along with her boyfriend, Matthew Guerra, 22, in his car at a Northwest Side apartment complex on Dec. 26. Police believe they had been killed days earlier. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gloria Cordova helps carry the casket of daughter Savanah Soto. Jessica Phelps The family of Savanah Soto and her unborn child gather at Wild Flower Cemetery for the burial service. Jessica Phelps Rachel Soto, Savanah Sotos grandmother, attends the funeral Mass on Monday morning at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church. Jessica Phelps Pallbearers carry the casket of Savanah Soto and her unborn son, Fabian, into St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church before the funeral Mass on Monday morning. Jessica Phelps Soto never showed up for a Dec. 23 appointment at Stone Oak Methodist Hospital so doctors could induce labor. The bodies of Soto and Guerra were found the day after Christmas. Josh Delgado helps guide his mom, Gloria Cordova, away from the hearse carrying her daughter and his sister, Savanah Soto, and her unborn child, Fabian. Jessica Phelps Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Antonio police have made three arrests in connection with the killings. Christopher Preciado has been charged with capital murder-multiple persons, abuse of a corpse, and altering, destroying or concealing a human corpse in the execution-style killings. The family of Savanah Soto and her unborn child gather at Wild Flower Cemetery for the burial service. His father, Ramon Preciado, 53, has been charged with abuse of a corpse and altering, destroying or concealing a human corpse. Christoper Preciados stepmother, Myrta Romanos, has been charged with abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and altering, destroying and concealing human remains. Italy will use its presidency of the Group of Seven (G7) this year to challenge the increasingly popular narrative that Russia is winning in Ukraine and that the West is tiring of the war, Reuters reported on Jan. 23, citing an unnamed source familiar with Italy's plans. Worries about the future of Western support for Ukraine have been growing in recent months as more than $100 billion in U.S. and EU military and financial aid remain stalled by domestic political turmoil. Italy will chair the G7, a group of major democracies that also includes Germany, the U.S., Japan, the U.K., France, and Canada, throughout 2024 and will host a G7 summit in June. The Reuters source said that the main issues on the leaders' agenda would include conflict in the Middle East, food security, climate change, development in Africa, interaction with China, and Artificial Intelligence. Russia's war against Ukraine would also be an important point on the agenda as in the last two G7 presidencies, according to the source. G7 leaders reportedly aim to demonstrate they remain fully committed to Kyiv and can not risk showing signs of weakness almost two years after Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. "We must change the narrative on Ukraine," the source told Reuters. Italy plans to hold 20 ministerial meetings during its G7 presidency, starting with a three-day gathering on industry, technology, and digitalization on March 13-15, according to the media outlet. Bloomberg reported on Jan. 10, citing people familiar with the discussions, that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was urging her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban to unblock 50 billion euros ($55 billion) in EU aid to Ukraine in back-channel talks. Orban alone opposed the EU's funding package in December, delaying crucial support for Ukraine. The EU will revisit the four-year funding agreement at an emergency summit on Feb. 1. Read also: Can Ukraines economy survive without foreign aid? Experts arent sure Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso Downtown Management District and Sunset Tattoo Co., a well-established tattoo studio, will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony for the relocated studio in Downtown El Paso on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at the new location of the studio, 208 E. San Antonio Avenue in Downtown El Paso. The Downtown Management District says Raphael Jesus Jauregui, a seasoned tattoo artist with thirteen years of experience, founded Sunset Tattoo Co. in May 2018. After five years in Downtown El Paso, the studio has now relocated to a new location while continuing to contribute to the areas vibrant arts and culture scene, the Downtown Management District said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. COLUMBUS State Rep. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) introduced legislation that will expunge certain non-violent crimes for victims of human trafficking. Victims of human trafficking can have their records expunged for convicted crimes of soliciting, loitering and prostitution. Richardsons legislation, the Expanding Human Trafficking Justice Act, would expand eligible offenses for expungement to include misdemeanors and fifth- and fourth-degree felonies. Victims of human trafficking are counting on the legislature, said Richardson. I believe in the promise of new life and new beginnings for those trapped in the despair of trafficking. This legislation brings hope. An individual must prove with clear and convincing evidence that their participation in the offense was a result of having been a victim of human trafficking. State Rep. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) has introduced legislation that would expunge certain non-violent crimes for victims of human trafficking in an effort to help reintroduce them back into society. Being a victim shouldnt come with lifelong consequences, said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost in support of the measure. We need to remove the obstacles that restrict survivors ability to get a job and secure housing so they can create the fresh start they deserve. State Rep. Josh Williams (R-Sylvania) is sponsoring the legislation with Richardson. The legislation has not yet been assigned to a House committee. This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Rep. Tracy Richardson co-sponsoring human trafficking legislation FILE - Protesters attempt to block a street during a demonstration to demand the release of the hostages taken by Hamas militants into the Gaza Strip during the Oct. 7th attack, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday Jan. 20, 2024. After the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, Israelis put aside their differences and rallied behind the war effort in Gaza. But as the war grinds on, the mood of the Israeli public is shifting and old divisions are reemerging. The catalyst is a rift over the polarizing leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a growing frustration with his management of the war. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File) TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Ever since Israel was attacked on Oct. 7, a main Israeli highway has been flanked by billboards preaching national unity and a ubiquitous wartime slogan: Together we will win. But lately those billboards have been replaced with a starkly different message: a call for immediate elections. The mood of the Israeli public is shifting after more than 100 days of war in Gaza and the catalyst is a rift over the polarizing leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israelis stunned by the brutal Hamas attack initially put aside their differences and rallied behind the war effort. Now old divisions that could alter the course of the war are reemerging. As the death toll among Israeli soldiers keeps rising, and with dozens of hostages still in Gaza and Hamas still standing, more Israelis are vocally pushing back against Netanyahu and his government. The public is also increasingly divided over whether the military can simultaneously achieve Netanyahus stated goals of destroying Hamas and freeing all the hostages. The Israeli public is rediscovering its political tribalism, said Nadav Eyal, a commentator for the Yediot Ahronot newspaper. It inherently limits the decision-making process when you dont enjoy the publics trust. Netanyahu, the countrys longest-serving leader, still heads a coalition that is clinging to power despite the criticism. But opponents say he lacks a clear vision for how to get Israel out of Gaza. They believe political and personal motivations are clouding his decision-making. The prime minister's opponents say he is beholden to ultranationalist supporters in Parliament, many of whom have called for the expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza or for Israel to resettle the area. And they point to corruption charges hanging over him as evidence that it is in his self-interest to drag out the war. Netanyahu says he has the country's best interests in mind and that he will answer tough questions about Oct. 7 when more than 1,200 were killed and some 250 were taken hostage after the war ends. The blistering war has already killed more than 25,000 people in Gaza, most of them women and children, and it has sparked a humanitarian catastrophe because of widespread destruction and displacement, and limited supplies of food, water and medicines. International criticism has prompted a trial at the U.N. world court over claims that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a charge it vehemently denies. Netanyahu, who has so far sidestepped accountability for Israel's military and intelligence failures on Oct. 7, vowed once again on Tuesday to continue fighting until absolute victory, even after 24 soldiers were killed the previous day, the deadliest since the war began. He says fierce military pressure is what led to the first hostage release deal in late November and is key to bringing about another. However, several hostages have died or been killed in captivity, including three mistakenly shot by Israeli troops. The families of hostages in Gaza say time is running out and that another cease-fire deal is needed urgently. When the prime minister says absolute victory, war until 2025, he knows that if thats the case the hostages will die and return in coffins, said Eyal Ben Reuven, a reserve Israeli general. A long war in enemy territory is not a good thing. While military experts say Israel has made gains in Gaza, these can be harder to grasp for a public still reeling from Hamas attack. What the public sees most clearly are mounting soldier casualties, rockets being launched into Israel although fewer than at the start of the war and dozens of hostages still held in Gaza. The internal criticism gained a prominent voice last week. Gadi Eisenkot, a member of the influential War Cabinet and a former military chief whose son and nephew were killed in the war, told the prominent Israeli news show Uvda that only a negotiated deal could free the remaining hostages. That was a direct challenge to Netanyahu's claim that sustained military force is the best way. Eisenkot also called for elections to be held soon to restore the public's trust. Before the war, Netanyahu presided over a period of political turmoil that included five elections in less than four years. Each one was a referendum on Netanyahus fitness to serve while on trial for corruption. The nation became even more fractured last year when Netanyahu and his religious-nationalist government launched a judicial overhaul plan that sparked unprecedented protests. Opponents said the plan, if enacted, would be a fatal blow to the countrys democratic fundamentals; scores of military reservists vowed not to serve, leading top defense officials to warn that Israels security was at risk. Netanyahu's critics say Hamas attack and Israels failure to foresee or promptly contain it was a direct result of the divisions sowed by Netanyahu and his government. Polls show his coalition would not be reelected if elections were held today. For the growing chorus of voices who oppose the government, patience is wearing thin. A protest calling for elections last week drew thousands in Tel Aviv, the biggest anti-government rally since the war began. A group of 170 former commanders and other senior defense officials signed a letter earlier this month calling for elections now. Some of the same commanders were outspoken opponents of Netanyahus overhaul, an indication of how the divisions over the war have in many ways settled along the same fault lines as the disagreements over the legal changes. A recent poll of Jewish voters by the Israel Democracy Institute found that just 10% of respondents from Israel's left wing believe Israel has had large success toward toppling Hamas. The number among the pro-Netanyahu right wing was 35%. The poll interviewed 756 people and had a margin of error of 3.6 percentage points. Those who oppose elections say they would tear open the old divisions. The very discussion of elections will stop the military momentum, present every strategic decision as a political ploy and put the legitimacy of the fighting in question, Eithan Orkibi, a professor at Ariel University in the occupied West Bank, wrote in the conservative newspaper Israel Hayom. But public anger, often embodied by the families of those killed or abducted on Oct. 7, is growing. At a recent protest outside the Knesset, or parliament, one man who said his brother was killed in the Hamas attack was caught on video being dragged away by police as he yelled: I wont despair until this whole government gets the hell out of here. He wore a black T-shirt bearing the word Elections! in yellow. The mother of a soldier who was taken hostage and then died in unclear circumstances while in captivity has waged a public battle against the government. She inscribed on his tombstone that her son was kidnapped, abandoned and sacrificed in Gaza by the government of failure. The families of hostages have also stepped up their campaigns to free their loved ones. They have held protests outside Netanyahus private residence, barged in on a parliamentary committee session and blocked a highway in recent days. Right now, the most urgent thing and there is nothing more urgent is to return the hostages alive, said Gil Dickmann, whose cousin is being held in Gaza. Yaacov Godo blames the government and Netanyahu for the death of his son, Tom, who was killed in his home in front of his family during Hamas' attack. He has camped outside of the Knesset since early November in protest. Itll take time, but I believe the day is not far off where we will topple the government," said Godo. University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men, an all-boys charter school in Rochester, is abandoning its plan to move to a property on East Ridge Road in Irondequoit and instead is focusing on a former charter school building on the city's west side. School CEO Walter Larkin Jr. informed the board of trustees of the decision in December, according to recently published meeting minutes. It puts an end to a contentious and drawn-out battle between the school and Irondequoit residents who opposed its relocation there. U Prep is located in a 39,000 square foot space on Lake Road. The East Ridge Road site is a 65,000 square foot commercial property that is mostly vacant. The school settled on that site for a potential move and expansion after searching fruitlessly within city limits, Larkin said. University Preparatory Charter School for Young Men on Lake Avenue in Rochester. 'We're taken aback': Response to thinly veiled racist accusations Residents in Irondequoit immediately raised objections. Some were based on traffic flow and other logistical concerns; others were thinly veiled racist accusations about "vastly increased crime" that would follow the school, whose student body is almost entirely Black and brown. "Saying its going to cause property values to go down, theres going to be safety (issues), theres going to be gun violence. We're taken aback," Larkin said in July 2023. The move became entangled in a procedural web in the town of Irondequoit. School leaders appeared repeatedly before both the planning and zoning boards; they also required sign-off from State University of New York Charter Schools Institute. In the meantime, another possibility arose. Urban Choice Charter School lost its state charter and was forced to vacate its building at 1020 Maple St., south of Jay Street. That building has been home to a number of charter schools over the last 15 years. Another choice for U Prep school site Larkin and U Prep board chairman Ed Yansen did not respond to requests for comment about the change of plans, but the meeting minutes show they have turned their attention to the Maple Street building. That building is owned by a holding company affiliated with National Heritage Academies, a for-profit charter school organization in Michigan that tried unsuccessfully to open a school in Rochester in 2016. William Farrell, president of the homeowner's association for the housing development across the street from the East Ridge Road site, said he was relieved to hear the proposal was off the table. He insisted again that his group's opposition was based on practical considerations, not any characteristics of the school itself. "Our group, the people in our group we were always about the noise and the traffic and all that stuff," he said. "We felt the town, right from the very beginning, had made mistakes. ... We're hoping the next buyer is some commercial entity." Justin Murphy is a veteran reporter at the Democrat and Chronicle and author of "Your Children Are Very Greatly in Danger: School Segregation in Rochester, New York." Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/CitizenMurphy or contact him at jmurphy7@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: U Prep gives up on move to Irondequoit NY after resident pushback When the result is millions of dollars, better late than never works for Hudson Valley law enforcement agencies. After four years of bureaucratic delays, police agencies are getting more than $10 million in reimbursement for costs of their investigative work with federal agencies taking down a drug company, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said Tuesday in a news release. Reimbursement: Schumer, cops demand share of $16M from DOJ for drug prosecution For the Rockland Sheriff's Office, that means $1.8 million. Orangetown police will get $1.6 million, while Westchester County will get $1.5 million and Yonkers police $1.37 million. The Putnam County Sheriff's Office gets $1.3 million, while two Orange County police departments New Windsor and Woodbury are receiving $1.5 million and $1.3 million, respectively. Senator Charles E. Schumer, center, speaks at the Rockland Co. Sheriff's office in New City. Wednesday, July 5, 2023.Surrounded by local law enforcement from across the Hudson Valley, Senator Charles E. Schumer reveals how years of bureaucratic delays have put millions in critical funding they are owed from the Federal Government for work officers did as a part of Westchester's DEA task force. During a news conference in Rockland in July, officials said departments were owed the money from the federal government's takedown of a criminal pharmaceutical company. The Rochester Drug Cooperative illegally trafficked in opioids like oxycodone and fentanyl from 2012 to 2019, when executives were indicted. U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors got $16.16 million in penalties from the company. Those payments covered costs accrued by the federal government and the police agencies. Schumer pressed for the money, writing U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland urging him to fast-track the payments to cover expenditures at the local level. Schumer's Office said the senator also spoke with the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration to cut through red tape. "I promised them I would not stop fighting until they got the millions they were owed, and today a promise made is a promise kept, Schumer said in a news release. Schumer, the Senate majority leader, said the reimbursements will help ease financial strains on the departments. After years of delays, police departments across the Hudson Valley are now finally getting paid the $10-plus million they have rightfully deserved for helping the feds keep our communities safe from drug trafficking," Schumer said. Rockland Sheriff Louis Falco praised Schumer. Falco had been frustrated by the lack of federal payments and the burden placed on his budget. I extend my gratitude to Sen. Schumer for his instrumental role in securing the funding for our law enforcement efforts in the joint DEA task force," Falco said. Rockland Co. Sheriff Louis Falco speaks at the Rockland Co. Sheriff's office in New City. Wednesday, July 5, 2023.Surrounded by local law enforcement from across the Hudson Valley, Senator Charles E. Schumer reveals how years of bureaucratic delays have put millions in critical funding they are owed from the Federal Government for work officers did as a part of Westchester's DEA task force. "His commitment to ensuring the safety of our community is commendable, and this support will significantly enhance our ability to continue to combat drug-related crimes and hold offenders responsible, Falco added. Together, we stand united in our mission to create a more secure environment for our community and our country. The federal government also owes the Clarkstown Police Department several million dollars from a fraud investigation involving cryptocurrency. U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., holds a news conference in July 2023 at the Rockland Sheriff's Office in New City with Rockland Sheriff Louis Falco, left, and other officials to demand the federal government pay the agencies for their work investigating a drug company. (Credit: John Meore/Rockland Journal News/lohud) Officials credited the departments for playing a pivotal role with the DEA Westchester Tactical Diversion Squad Task Force in bringing down the Rochester Drug Cooperative. Company executives were indicted under the Controlled Substances Act for their involvement in the illegal sale of opioids and their failure to report suspicious orders. Prosecutors said the company acted at the direction of its senior management, including Laurence F. Doud III, the companys former chief executive officer, and William Pietruszewski, the companys former chief compliance officer. The Rochester Drug Cooperative knowingly and intentionally violated federal narcotics laws by distributing dangerous, highly addictive opioids to pharmacy customers that it knew were being sold and used illicitly, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District in Manhattan said in a 2019 statement. As a result of the company's nefarious scheme, RDCs sales of oxycodone tablets grew from $4.7 million to $42.2 million an increase of approximately 800 percent. During the same period of 2012 to 2016, RDCs fentanyl sales grew from approximately 63,000 dosages in 2012 to over 1.3 million in 2016 an increase of approximately 2,000 percent. The original forfeiture penalty stood at $20 million, but the company went bankrupt after paying $16.1 million. Steve Lieberman covers government, breaking news, courts, police, and investigations. Reach him at slieberm@lohud.com Twitter: @lohudlegal Read more articles and bio. Our local coverage is only possible with support from our readers. This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Rockland, other Hudson Valley police get $10M in funds from drug case Fifty-one years ago this week, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protected a persons right to choose to have an abortion. This happened after a woman under the pseudonym "Jane Roe, who was later revealed to be Norma McCorvey, got pregnant with her third child in 1969. At the time, abortion was illegal in her home state of Texas, aside from the life of mother exception. At 21, she had a physically abusive husband. After dropping out of high school, she bounced around from unstable service jobs. Since she couldnt get an abortion, she sought out the help of an adoption lawyer. This led her to being approached by other lawyers who were specifically looking to find a case that would challenge widespread abortions bans in the United States. They eventually filed a lawsuit in Texas which made its way to SCOTUS. A few years later, on January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Roes favor. The ruling stated that the Constitution does support the right to choose to have an abortion until a fetus becomes viable, a right that was based on a right to privacy contained in the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. As a consequence, abortion bans were ruled unconstitutional. McCorvey never got her abortion and gave her child up for adoption. But ultimately, McCorveys lawsuit paved the way for women in the future to have a legal right to abortion care as it challenged the constitutionality of the laws that criminalized it. In another world, the country could have been celebrating this landmark ruling this week. But history had other plans. On June 24, 2022, the SCOTUS ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization a case that challenged a Mississippi ban on abortion at 15 weeks of pregnancy overturned Roe v. Wade, which effectively ended the federal constitutional right to choose to have an abortion in the United States. But nothing lasts forever and laws are always evolving in the courts of the United States. Could the landmark ruling be reinstated in the future? Technically, yes but the path to such a future in which Roe v. Wade's right to abortion in part of our reality again would be long. David S. Cohen, a professor of law at Drexel Kline's School of Law, told Salon, the U.S. Supreme Court can say whatever it wants. If it really wanted to, it could say it was wrong in overturning Roe v. Wade. They could do that, absolutely, but it would obviously require new justices on the Court, he said. Or a completely, unlikely, change of mind by justices currently on the Court. A more realistic pathway to reinstating Roe v. Wade, or bringing another case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court that could set another pro-abortion precedent with widespread protections, starts with electing a president who will appoint justices that will get the U.S. to such a place. Alternatively, a president who will elect Congress members who will pass a law that preempts state laws. Those are really the only two viable options, Cohen said. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes. You either have a Congress passing a law that says there's a national right to abortion, he said. Or there are openings on the Supreme Court, caused by retirement or another reason for leaving the bench for conservative justices, filled by justices who are more liberal and feel that there's a right to abortion. There will be no shortage of opportunities for the Supreme Court to rule in favor of overturning Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization or not. For example, this year it will have to consider whether or not the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) takes precedence in hospitals or if state laws do. In this case, Cohen said, the Supreme Court could say this is proof that Dobbs didn't work, because we've got these problems caused by the conflict between federal law and state law. Now, obviously, it's not going to happen with this case because the Supreme Court hasn't changed, he said. But it is an example of how overturning Dobbs can be a part of a wide variety of cases. Seema Mohapatra, a law professor at the SMU Dedman School of Law, told Salon that there are other ways that the outcome of Roe v. Wade can be reached. For example, there are theories that abortion rights can be found through equal protection. So not allowing the right to an abortion is disadvantageous to one group over the other, she said. If the composition of the Supreme Court changed, it could consider similar facts to Roe and find a right that is not based on what Roe was based on. In an ideal world, this could lead to even stronger protections. While Roe v. Wade was a start, many believed it was flawed. Particularly because the ruling provided people with the right to choose an abortion and didn't include the right to access it. Thissignificantly impacted people at or below the poverty line because Medicaids coverage for abortion care is very limited. Mohapatra said unfortunately, she predicts very egregious cases will have to reach the Supreme Court to understand the nuance of Dobbs. For example, she noted that Dobbs didn't say there has to be a health exception for an abortion. But a horrible case, where women are dying, could possibly clarify that. I find it very unlikely that in the next couple of generations that we're going to have a case come up and have the Supreme Court find that there is an abortion right embedded in the Constitution, she said. Even if they find it from another theory that wasn't considered in Roe. Mohapatra emphasized that people have to think long term for this, and that progress might not happen in the next 10 to 15 years but it could happen in another 50. We're getting to another election, and unfortunately, people don't realize how important they are in terms of how the courts are not just the Supreme Court, but how the federal courts are composed, she said. And how much whos president can make a difference. ROGER MILLS, Okla. (KFOR) The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety says a Strong City man is in critical condition after the bulldozer he was operating rolled off a hill and pinned his legs. According to the incident report, 59-year-old Jeffery N. Hensley was backing up the 2013 John Deere D850 bulldozer near E 963 Rd/OK-47 just before 11:30 a.m. Monday when he backed off a hill. Oklahomas icy roads cause trouble for drivers Hensley was partially ejected as the bulldozer rolled two times and landed on its driver side, pinning Hensleys legs. He was transported to Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City before being transferred to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City with head and leg injuries. The cause of the incident is under investigation. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Rosie Castro speaks to the media after City Council votes to appoint her as the interim District 7 councilperson to replace Ana Sandoval on Wednesday, March 1. Kin Man Hui, San Antonio Express-News / Staff photographer For more than six months, local civil rights activist Rosie Castro has been trying to warn her loved ones about scammers impersonating her on Facebook. Castro is mother to twin brothers Julian Castro, a former San Antonio mayor, and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. She served as an interim City Council member for about four months last year. Castro said she made multiple posts warning people of the scam and has taken all the safety precautions recommended by Facebook. She stopped posting for a while in hopes that going silent would stop the problem. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But she said that when one false account is taken down, new ones crop up in their place with her profile photo and name, though often misspelled. Whoever is behind the fake accounts reaches out to her friends asking for money or, recently, their email addresses. Sometimes, the requests draw on issues that Castro has mentioned on her real Facebook account. Castro recently posted about her missing cat, Mushroom, and the next thing she knew, people were reaching out to her, saying someone was asking them for money to help find the kitty. Thankfully, Mushroom returned Saturday, hungry after a week away from home. However, the problem of imposters on Facebook persists. Castro said several people alerted her to the issue and reported the false accounts. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Castro said she doesn't think that Meta, Facebook's parent company, is doing enough about the problem, which she knows others also face. She hopes new technologies like artificial intelligence can help address the problem in the near future. "I'm a small fish in this, but if you look at all the scams that are around, I hope that AI will be able to do something about making life better for people on social media and for detecting scammers in other kinds of scams," Castro said. Imposter accounts are one of the most common scams that Facebook warns about. Facebook said people should be wary of anyone, individuals or organizations, requesting money or creating a sense of urgency and insisting that someone download files or follow a link. Messages with poor spelling and grammar errors or from profiles that have no friends or recent activity could be a scam, the Facebook Help Center warns. People should report accounts asking for personal information like passwords, Social Security numbers or credit card information. Former President Donald Trump points to members of the audience during a campaign event in Rochester, N.H., on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. | Charles Krupa, Associated Press A version of this article was first published in the On the Trail 2024 newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox on Tuesday and Friday mornings here. To submit a question to next weeks Friday Mailbag, email onthetrail@deseretnews.com. Good morning and welcome to On the Trail 2024, the Deseret News campaign newsletter. Im Samuel Benson, Deserets national political correspondent. 3 things to know this week The Big Idea Why Romneys wish may have backfired The writing on the wall was there for months. The DeSantis campaign was losing steam. Tim Scott and Mike Pence never caught on. Vivek Ramaswamy appeared more cartoonish than competitive. And all the while, Trump inched higher. Utah Sen. Mitt Romney got his wish: a lone Republican challenger to Trump, ahead of his declared deadline of February 26. The strategy was simple: to prevent the same demise as 2016, when Trumps overconfident challengers self-cannibalized while Trump waltzed, mostly untouched, to the partys nomination, Republicans should learn their lesson and coalesce early. Find one candidate to take on Trump, Romney reasoned, and throw all the anti-Trump votes and cash behind him or her. At present, the battle for the Republican nomination is a two-person race. Trump is still around, strong as ever. Nikki Haley has stuck it out, too, hoping for a small miracle tonight in New Hampshire. So, yes, Romney got his wish. But does it make any difference? It appears it would take a monumental act say, Trump being convicted and public opinion swinging against him to keep him from winning the GOP nomination. Polls are uncertain about Haleys chances tonight in New Hampshire (some show her down by two percentage points; others, by 20). But even if Haley wins in New Hampshire, the path forward doesnt get easier. Trump will run unopposed in the Nevada caucus. After that, its back to Haleys home state, South Carolina, where most major sitting officeholders including Gov. Henry McMaster, Haleys former number-two, and Sen. Tim Scott, an ex-Haley appointee have endorsed Trump. For Haley, South Carolina is a massive wood chipper of multiple proportions, one observer told The Messenger. Yes, the field is smaller. But in some ways, Haley is no better off now than she was a week ago, before DeSantis and Ramaswamy bowed out of the race. Chris Christie was the last never-Trump candidate in Haleys lane the last one whose exit would realistically free up significant votes and donors to Haley. The others? Vast majorities of DeSantis and Ramaswamy voters like Trump as their second option, not Haley. By leaving the race, DeSantis and Ramaswamy only strengthen Trumps base. What went wrong? Political observers will spend months detailing what could have been rehashing strategy and refining their opinions. The easiest answer is that the Republican base is still a largely pro-Trump base, and the 91 criminal charges he faces only solidified that support. By becoming both a flag-bearer and a martyr, Trumps popularity only grew. See this graph, where Trumps lead against DeSantis first widened in March 2023, when Trump was indicted over falsifying business records. His lead only grows from there, ticking higher with each subsequent indictment. The entire premise of the question is flawed. The moment that Trump was indicted the race was permanently altered. https://t.co/9kXeajDcZM pic.twitter.com/QlphYldfvm Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 21, 2024 No amount of strategizing or coalescing addresses the root cause: Trumps base still wants Trump, and that base is the largest unified front within the Republican Party. Could Haley have benefitted by stronger support earlier more endorsements, more donors, more momentum? Maybe. But wed be better suited to spend the next several months attempting to understand why Republicans want Trump, not why Haley or Pence or Scott or any number of the one-time hopes of a post-Trump GOP never took hold. All this could change tonight in New Hampshire, if independents and never-Trumpers band together and offer a surprising victory. But maybe that just delays the inevitable. And the inevitable, it now seems, is Trump. What Im reading What makes a Trump supporter? Perhaps its a question best asked to Trump voters directly, without belittling or demonizing. This article is an interesting peek into the worldview held by one Trump supporter, who once backed Burgum and Haley. Our System Needs to Be Broken, and He Is the Man to Do It (Michael Kruse, Politico) Nevada will host the first-in-the-west caucus next month. But Haley wont be participating, and Trump just scooped up an endorsement from the states Republican governor. More on the snoozefest that is the Nevada caucuses: Lombardo to caucus for Trump, vote none of the above in state-run primary (Tabitha Mueller, The Nevada Independent) Is the primary over? Turnout is down. Viewership is down. Even interest at ground-zero in New Hampshires usually-bustling metro centers is lacking. Is it time to accept the inevitable? Inside the collapsing U.S. political-media-industrial-complex (Max Tani, Semafor) One last thing a reminder to follow our new On the Trail 2024 Instagram account! Have a question for the next Friday mailbag? Drop me a line at onthetrail@deseretnews.com. See you on the trail. Editors Note: The Deseret News is committed to covering issues of substance in the 2024 presidential race from its unique perspective and editorial values. Our team of political reporters will bring you in-depth coverage of the most relevant news and information to help you make an informed decision. Find our complete coverage of the election here. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida finally pulled the plug on his mortally wounded bid to be the Republican nominee for president. In a typical fashion for the man who drew speculation about what fingers he uses to eat pudding, DeSantis went out trying to act tough but only ended up highlighting his servility to bigger bullies. He described himself as "leading with conviction, championing an agenda marked by bold colors." In reality, however, DeSantis bent the knee to Donald Trump, a man who routinely called him names like "Meatball Ron" and "DeSanctimonious." No one will be sad to see DeSantis go. But in clomping back to Florida in his (alleged) heel lifts, DeSantis leaves one major question unanswered: Why so mad, Ron? On paper, DeSantis has everything a man should hope for: power, money, status and, yes, even love. His seems like a charmed life. He has degrees from Yale and Harvard, and a distinguished legal and military career. He's been a congressman and the governor of a massive state. He married a beautiful, fashionable woman and they have three lovely children. He's a millionaire. Even going back to his Little League career, DeSantis was a success. He should be glowing with gratitude for the unbelievable number of blessings in his life. And yet, every day on the DeSantis campaign trail started from the wrong side of the bed. No matter the subject, DeSantis sounded perpetually aggrieved. Sometimes he was snappish, and sometimes just whiny, but always bristling. Even when he was trying to sound upbeat, the river of resentment would burble up in his mannerisms and his peevish voice. Reporters got used to the way he seemed to always have sand in his underwear, but stepping back, it's just plain weird that DeSantis was so irritable all the time. Want more Amanda Marcotte on politics? Subscribe to her newsletter Standing Room Only. Now that the Grinch Who Stole Disney (or wanted to, anyway) has dropped out, his anger issues may not seem relevant any longer. But DeSantis still matters because he represents a type that's increasingly prevalent in our political landscape: The petulant MAGA nerd. Trump himself is barely literate, and his rise accelerated the exodus of college-educated voters from the GOP. Subsequently, most coverage of MAGA has focused on supporters not known for remembering what they scored on the SATs: Fox News-addled Boomers eating bacon in a rural diner. Proud Boys with more "drunk and disorderly" arrests than diplomas. Christian fundamentalists who believe Jesus rode a dinosaur. Bug-eyed conspiracy theorists raving about QAnon. What they share is whiteness and a distaste for reading anything longer than a bad meme. But there is one strain of MAGA loyalist that rejects the identity of the proud ignoramus, instead imagining himself a man of letters. Indeed, such types don't just think they're smart, they fancy themselves towering giants of intellect. But they also believe they are belittled by a small-minded "establishment" of academics, creatives and professionals who are too allegedly addled by liberal pretensions to recognize the brilliance of their right-wing betters. This type has always been with us. Ask anyone who shared a high school debate team with a kid who wore pocket squares in his ill-fitting suit jacket. They're the dudes who actually read Ayn Rand and William Buckley. What they share is whiteness and a baseless belief they are smarter than everyone else but they reserve special disdain for the cognitive capacities of women and people of color. Despite Trump's struggles with basic literacy, his rise has somehow caused a proliferation of smarmy pseudo-intellectuals like DeSantis on the national radar. In Silicon Valley, you have the Elon Musk and Peter Thiel breed, who have made billions of dollars yet spend most of their time pouting because middle-class journalists on Twitter think they're dumb. Then there's Christopher Rufo and his army of white men on a mission of vengeance against universities like Harvard and New College for the alleged sin of gifting "their" degrees to minorities and women instead. There are also religious ones, like Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society or Sohrab Ahmari of Compact Magazine, who hope five-dollar words and thick eyeglasses will decimate the snake-handling image of fundamentalism. MAGA nerds, as a whole, are a small fraction of the movement they just have an outsized presence. That's because they're heavily overrepresented online and in the media, which is true of college-educated people generally. DeSantis initially looked like a contender against Trump because he had the backing of the corduroy jacket conservatives at places like the National Review and the Wall Street Journal. It wasn't just that DeSantis was "Trump without the baggage," either. In him, they saw one of their own. DeSantis often speaks in incomprehensible acronyms like "ESG" or "DEI," revealing that he was so immersed in the world of elite right-wing discourse that he lost the ability to speak plain English. Or witness the contemptuous way he dismissed criticism from actual historians when he passed a law forcing public schools to scrub lessons about the full extent of racism in America's past. "These are the most robust standards in African-American history probably anywhere in the country," he groused. It's all there: The insistence he knows more than the experts, and the bitterness towards those who disagree. He often subjects medical experts to the same treatment, sneeringly dismissing the science behind COVID-19 prevention, as if decades of research on the biology of immunity has no more validity than a Tarot card reading. Of course, like DeSantis himself, the faux-intellectuals of the far-right will line up behind Trump, just like they did in past elections. As erudite as they imagine themselves to be, they share important qualities with the diner-dwellers DeSantis could barely pretend to like. Whiteness, of course. But also an ever-present fury at the so-called "liberal elite" for looking down their noses at them. It's always wild hearing MAGA millionaires and billionaires curse the "elite," a group that is mostly composed of people who make a lot less money than they do: adjunct college professors, freelance writers, creative professionals and progressive activists. But it makes more sense when viewed in light of the intellectual insecurities of people like DeSantis. "Liberal elite" is just a gussied-up way of complaining about being rejected by the Cool Kids. It's channeling rage at people who think you can't be that smart if you got beat by a guy who keeps forgetting Barack Obama is not the president. "Biden knows where he is, what decade he's in, and he sure as hell knows who he's running against. There's really no comparison here [Trump] can't even remember that Obama hasn't been President in eight years." @JoeNBC highlights the contrast between Biden and Trump pic.twitter.com/DwpwvVA1OY Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) January 22, 2024 That's the great irony: DeSantis and his ilk imagine they are fierce warriors sticking it to a "liberal elite" who shunned them. In reality, they are just submitting to Trump, an imbecilic bully who responds to self-important book-readers by shoving their heads in toilets. Petty authoritarians like DeSantis and Musk set out to show those liberals who's boss, by running for president or buying Twitter. All too often, however, their efforts end in even more pointing and laughing from the same people who already make them feel inadequate. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is putting the blame for his failed White House campaign on checked-out voters, and not on his own many missteps. In his first interview since dropping out of the presidential race, DeSantis told Blaze TVs Steve Deace that the blame is on Iowa caucusgoers who rallied behind front-runner Donald Trump even though many didnt like him. They did not want to see Trump nominated again, but they had basically been told that it was inevitable, that it was over, DeSantis told Deace on Tuesday. DeSantis, who lost to Trump in the Iowa caucuses earlier this month, added that those voters were checked out and had just totally dropped out of the process. Despite his attacks on Trump, including admitting that the former president lies about elections, DeSantis announced the end of his campaign on Sunday and endorsed Trump. He has my endorsement because we cant go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that [former South Carolina Gov.] Nikki Haley represents, DeSantis said in a video announcement. President Joe Biden, center, talks with people affected by Hurricane Ian on Oct. 5, 2022, in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) walks by at right. President Joe Biden, center, talks with people affected by Hurricane Ian on Oct. 5, 2022, in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) walks by at right. Unmentioned in DeSantis campaign postmortem were some of the other reasons he lost, including his obsessive attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, libraries, abortion rights and Disney that may have turned off voters. His campaign spent hundreds of millions of dollars only to see little change in his poll numbers, pouring $53 million into Iowa alone and just winning 21% of the final vote in the state caucuses. Perhaps most damning for DeSantis campaign was his own apparent lack of enthusiasm and personality. DeSantis was routinely lambasted for his robotic affect around constituents, often grimacing instead of smiling in photos and videos, his arms hanging limply at his sides. To me he never looked very happy, one Iowa political operative told HuffPost in December. DeSantis was also routinely mocked including by Trump himself over his awkward behavior, including his choice of footwear and a rumored habit of eating pudding cups with three fingers instead of a spoon. The Florida governor told Deace hed consider running again if we have a country left in 2028. Related... Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Monday indicated he would veto a bill that would give up to $5 million in taxpayer money to Donald Trump to help pay his extensive legal fees. DeSantis, who ended a bitter campaign against Trump for the Republican presidential nomination on Sunday, shared a story about the bill on X, along with his veto comments: But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen https://t.co/kkc2yyqVK0 Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 23, 2024 The Florida Freedom Fighters Fund bill, introduced earlier this month by State Sen. Ileana Garcia (R), would offer cash to Florida residents running for president who are charged with crimes and are victims of political discrimination. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis a Republican rationalized it by saying in a statement that Trump is a Florida Man and supporting him is just good from a dollars and cents perspective. Garcia initially said in a statement that anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation. She withdrew the bill on Monday after DeSantis veto threat. [H]e can handle himself, she wrote on X. Democrats pushed back. What this shows you is who the Florida GOP is loyal to, because its certainly not the people of Florida, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Nikki Fried told the Miami Herald. Theyre quick and ready to dole out up to $5 million dollars for Trump, but have yet to put forward a solution to our property insurance and housing crisis, the 4,000-teacher shortage, or the crippling costs of healthcare because the legislature simply refuses to expand Medicaid. LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The long-awaited opening of the new Rouses supermarket in Lafayette will finally happen this week. Rouses Markets will unveil its newest Lafayette store with a grand opening at 8 a.m. Thursday. Located at 1810 Camellia Boulevard, the 55,000-square-foot supermarket will serve as an anchor for a 15-acre retail center adjacent to the Village of River Ranch. Grub Burger abruptly closes, supposedly over the weekend The Camellia Boulevard location represents the companys fourth store in Lafayette Parish. It joins the East Milton Avenue store in Youngsville, Rouses Markets initial venture into the parish, which opened in early 2009, and the Bertrand Drive and Johnston Street stores in Lafayette, both opened in the in the 2010s. This also marks the companys 65th store overall. Rouses CEO Donny Rouse, a University of Louisiana-Lafayette alumnus, said in a news release he wants to bring the Rouses Markets experience to every corner of Acadiana. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest To celebrate the grand opening, Rouses Markets will be presenting checks to several local charities immediately following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m. Being consistently voted the best grocery store across the Gulf Coast is a reflection not only of our stores but also of our unwavering commitment to community, Rouse said. Latest stories For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. District Attorney Joe Gonzales and Sheriff Javier Salazar hold a news conference on a double fatal shooting at 6403 Port Royal on Wednesday. Dec. 6. Ronald Cortes/Contributor No official charges have been filed in Bexar County against Shane James Jr., the man accused of killing six people in a shooting rampage extending to Austin in December. He is being held at the Travis County Jail, where hes been charged with four counts of capital murder, two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant for allegedly shooting two police officers and one count of aggravated assault mass shooting. But James, 34, has not been charged in the shootings of his parents, Phyllis James, 55, and Shane James Sr., 56, at their home in the 6400 block of Port Royal in northeastern Bexar County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Police believe James killed his parents either Dec. 6, the day of the rampage, or the night before. They both died from gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiners Office. Heres why James hasnt been charged in the deaths of his parents: Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales said it might be a while before the county gets its turn at James. After James arrest, the Travis County Attorney Generals office said he would remain in custody pending trial. Theyre going to have to conclude their prosecution before we get cracking, Gonzales said. That may take a year, or it may take more than a year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Once Travis County finishes prosecuting James, he will be extradited to Bexar County, where he will be charged in the deaths of his parents. While theyll have to play the waiting game, the DA said the county has every intention to pursue capital murder charges against James. Most jurisdictions do not have a statute of limitations for serious crimes like murder. Its a bench-warming process, Gonzales said. In a news conference last month, the DA said a judge granted a motion to remand James without bond for three misdemeanor charges he was wanted on relating to family violence in 2022. When he comes to Bexar County, hes not stepping foot outside the jail door, Gonzales said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After shooting his parents, police said James drove to Austin, where he was accused of shooting and wounding an Austin ISD officer outside Northeast Early College High School shortly before 11 a.m. An hour later, police said James fatally shot Emmanuel Pop Ba, 33, and Sabrina Rahman, 25, in the 7300 block of Shadywood Drive in Southwest Austin. Around 5 p.m., James shot and wounded a cyclist in South Austin, police said. The final two killings took place at a house in the 5000 block of Austral Loop in Austin. Katherine Short, 56, and her daughter, Lauren Short, 30, were found dead inside their home. James was confronted by an Austin police detective outside the home and is accused of shooting at the officer multiple times. Police said he stole a blue 2015 Acura from the garage and left. James was later arrested after he lost control of the car and struck another vehicle. After being booked into the Travis County Correctional Complex on Dec. 6, James tried to escape and had to be forcibly subdued by corrections officers, authorities said. A spokesperson for Travis County said there was no danger James would have gotten free. SAISD Superintendent Jaime Aquino thanked parents in the district for their understanding and support after last weeks heating system failures. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News The San Antonio Independent School District had nearly all of its 98 schools reopened Monday, with two closed for storm-related power outages, as experts continued assessing the causes of last weeks heating failures. The district will keep 1,100 portable climate-control units where needed at its campuses through March and, with more freezing weather likely in February, will have to decide if some schools will need to make up the instructional time lost last week. After widespread complaints about inadequate heat Jan. 16 led to a chaotic cascade of closures at 31 schools the next day during temperatures in the 20s, the district kept all students at home Thursday and Friday to review its campus systems. Besides attributing the failures to aging equipment, officials said boilers at about 10 schools had not been manually reprogrammed to run overnight. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the long term, upgrades may be needed on some of the five different types of heating hardware used throughout the district, some of whose schools are more than 100 years old. The district has increased its maintenance and operations budget in recent years to deal with the hodgepodge of systems while struggling to also raise teacher pay amid a shortage of state funding, Superintendent Jaime Aquino told reporters Monday. We have five different control systems, which is really inefficient. A lot of districts in the surrounding area only have one system, Aquino said. Educational leaders across the country find themselves in challenging situations. Superintendents shouldnt have to choose between appropriately compensating staff and focusing on building maintenance, he said. I hope this situation serves as a wake-up call to our state, local and national leaders to recognize and help us act upon a universal lack of funding for education. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Every school reopened except for De Zavala Elementary and Estrada Achievement Center, which had been cleared to reopen but lost power early Monday after a lightning strike during heavy rains knocked out a transformer on the West Side. Brackenridge High School was one of dozens of SAISD schools that had problems with heating during last weeks freeze. Bob Owen/San Antonio Express-News Toni Thompson, the districts chief of staff, said heating systems at 10% of the districts schools were up and running; half were in stages of readiness with portable units in place where needed; and 27% still had issues with boiler systems needing work. On Monday morning, five schools had rooms that were too warm and three had rooms that were too cold, outside the districts winter indoor temperature standard of 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The district had 85% attendance Monday, compared with 54% Jan. 16. We know that parents and students were anxious to come back to school today, Thompson said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Aquino thanked the Alamo Heights, Lackland, North East and Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISDs for dispatching HVAC technicians to help the district assess the problems. The superintendent also thanked businesses and district employees for working through the crisis, and he acknowledged parents for the grace that they have extended us during these challenging times. Your understanding and support have been crucial, and we truly appreciated it, Aquino said. Two high-ranking SAISD executives resigned immediately after the heating fiasco, which has been a setback in a district with 45,000 students and that plans to close 15 schools starting this fall under a rightsizing plan aimed at adjusting to decades of declining enrollment. Thompson said it may be a few weeks before the district will have an after-action report with a detailed breakdown of the causes of the heating failures at each school, as well as an estimate of repair costs to date. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The district also is working with a consultant to develop a facility conditions assessment that will examine all aspects of maintenance for each building, including structural, plumbing, electrical and temperature-control systems. The school board also has formed a special committee to study the issue. The district will ask the state for a waiver for the time lost because of school closures early last week, but might make up the closures Thursday and Friday with dedicated inclement weather days built into its academic calendar, or by adding five or 10 minutes a day for campuses that would run short of the states minimum required 75,600 operational minutes, Thompson said. Bexar County will spend $820,700 to provide more parking for county employees. The county will lease the former CPS Energy headquarters garage at 146 Navarro for up to four years, and will shuttle employees from the garage to the Courthouse Complex. Jessica Phelps Bexar County will spend $820,700 to provide more parking for county employees. The county will lease the former CPS Energy headquarters garage at 146 Navarro for up to four years, and will shuttle employees from the garage to the Courthouse Complex. Jessica Phelps Bexar County will spend $820,700 to provide more parking for county employees. The county will lease the former CPS Energy headquarters garage at 146 Navarro for up to four years, and will shuttle employees from the garage to the Courthouse Complex. Jessica Phelps County employees are feeling the strain of limited parking around the Bexar County Courthouse, so much so that some have to walk more than a mile from a parking spot to their office. That was unacceptable to County Judge Peter Sakai. Starting in February, 350 employees will be able to park in the former CPS Energy headquarters garage on Navarro Street and ride a shuttle to and from the courthouse complex during the morning and afternoon all free of charge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I think this is a great situation for our employees, Sakai said Tuesday. He spearheaded the effort which will cost the county $820,700 a year and which received unanimous support from the four commissioners. Its putting money back in their pockets without having taxes, Social Security and insurance take things out, Sakai said. So I hope our employees are very appreciative of what this Commissioners Court is doing for them in recognizing them and respecting them for their hard work. The county will also waive the monthly fee up to $60 that it charges the 867 employees who park in its three garages on Nueva, Comal and South Flores streets. Precinct 4 County Commissioner Tommy Calvert called the move long overdue. This matters financially to a lot of people, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Antonio development firm Gray Street Partners owns the former CPS Energy garage at 146 Navarro St. The county will pay nearly $710,000 under a lease agreement for employees to park there and use the shuttle service. Waiving monthly parking fees for employees who park in the county garages will cost the county an additional $565,000 a year in forgone revenue. To recoup some of that money, the county will raise fees for public parking at the South Flores and Comal garages back to their pre-pandemic hourly rates, said Dan Curry, the countys facilities management director. Members of the public currently pay a flat $5 fee to park in the garages. The new daily rates should be in effect by the end of the month, Curry said. They range from $3 for 30 minutes to $12 for three hours or more. The four-year lease agreement with Gray Street is a short-term fix to the parking headache facing downtown workers and visitors, Sakai said. For instance, the South Flores garage fills up well before 9 a.m. most days, leaving jurors and courthouse visitors to park on privately-owned surface lots nearby, which can cost up to $20. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 2022 opening of the federal courthouse a few blocks southwest of the county complex, paired with the growth of the University of Texas at San Antonios downtown campus, has added to the demand for spaces. Parking is going to be a continued problem, Sakai told the commissioners, urging them to think about a long-term solution. Venezuelan immigrant Louis Sanchez asks Texas National Guard troops to let his family pass through razor wire after they crossed the Rio Grande from Mexico in September 2023 in Eagle Pass. The Supreme Court has struck down a lower court ruling that barred federal agents from removing Texas' razor wire at the border. John Moore/Getty Images WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday sided with the Biden administration in its ongoing dispute with Texas over razor wire the state has strung along the Rio Grande, clearing the way for Border Patrol to begin cutting through spools of wire the administration says endangers migrants. In a 5-4 ruling, the court struck down a lower court ruling that had barred Border Patrol from cutting or moving state-owned razor wire except to reach migrants in need of emergency medical assistance. Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts, both conservatives, joined the courts three liberal members in the decision. The ruling is a blow to Gov. Greg Abbotts border security crackdown, which has pushed the bounds of immigration enforcement and drawn multiple lawsuits that could test how far states are permitted to go in securing the international boundary. The full razor wire case is still pending before a district court judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The high courts decision comes as Texas soldiers have been blocking Border Patrol from a 2.5-mile stretch near Eagle Pass in an unprecedented state takeover that escalated the dispute. It was not immediately clear if the state would allow Border Patrol back into the stretch, which includes a public park, in light of the ruling. The Texas Military Department overseeing the takeover did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Neither did the Department of Homeland Security, which includes Border Patrol. Abbott, who is directing the border crackdown, was in India for a weeklong economic tour. A spokesman for the governor said Abbott will continue fighting to defend Texas' property and its constitutional authority to secure the border. The Department of Justice has argued the takeover is putting migrant lives at risk, pointing to the drownings of a woman and two children in the Rio Grande after the state began blocking Border Patrol from accessing the park. Abbott says the state has been forced to step in, accusing President Joe Biden of refusing to secure the border. The court did not explain the ruling, issuing just one paragraph vacating the lower court ruling. Justices Clarence Thomas, Sameul Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh all conservative members dissented. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Attorney General Ken Paxton in October sued to stop Border Patrol agents from tampering with the wire, arguing they have no authority to damage or seize state property that is not on federal land and their actions are thwarting state border operations. The conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Texas and blocked Border Patrol from messing with the wire. But the state takeover and migrant drownings escalated the dispute earlier this month, with the DOJ urging the Supreme Court to step in and force the state to allow Border Patrol back into the park. According to filings in the case, soldiers were preventing Border Patrol from reaching a key staging area under an international bridge and blocking them from using a boat ramp in the public park the only one for miles along the Rio Grande. The National Guard told Border Patrol it would not allow federal agents to apprehend migrants in the area or permit state troopers to turn migrants over to federal agents for processing, according to the filing. The park was the center of Abbotts migrant crackdown last summer, when the state strung miles of razor wire, lined the Rio Grande with shipping containers and state troopers arrested thousands of migrants on trespassing charges. The DOJ argued that the takeover prevented Border Patrol from monitoring a critical stretch of the border and kept agents from responding quickly to emergencies, including those the lower court ruling specifically allowed for agents to respond to. A top Border Patrol official said in a sworn statement before the court that while the migrants already had drowned when agents received a distress call from Mexico, Texas soldiers blocked federal agents from getting to two others who were struggling in the river that night. Those migrants were rescued by a Mexican airboat and were suffering from hypothermia. It is impossible to say what might have happened if Border Patrol had had its former access to the area including through its surveillance trucks that assisted in monitoring the area, the filing said. At the very least, however, Border Patrol would have had the opportunity to take any available steps to fulfill its responsibilities and assist its counterparts in the Mexican government with undertaking the rescue mission. Texas made that impossible. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The state argued in response that the takeover was irrelevant to the razor wire dispute before the court. It argued the wire is meant to serve as a deterrent to keep migrants from trying to cross into Texas, and that Bidens border policies were encouraging them to do so. The loss of any human life in the Rio Grande is tragic and preventable, Paxton wrote in a filing last week. That is one reason Governor Abbott ordered the installation of the concertina wire at issue in this case. Texas Department of Public Safety officers guard an entrance to Shelby Park on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, in Eagle Pass, Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott signed an emergency declaration allowing state troopers to take over the park, located on the banks of the Rio Grande, without permission from the city of Eagle Pass, according to its Mayor Rolando Salinas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News After the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for federal agents to remove Texas-owned razor wire along the Rio Grande, some conservative lawmakers and commentators suggested a drastic response from the state: defy the courts ruling. The 5-4 decision allows Border Patrol to cut or move the miles of razor wire deployed under Gov. Greg Abbotts border crackdown. In doing so, the high court temporarily settled the states dispute with the Biden administration, which says the barriers endanger migrants and impede federal immigration enforcement. READ MORE: Border Patrol official says migrants drowned before agents were blocked by Texas guardsmen Advertisement Article continues below this ad Several prominent Republicans quickly responded by publicly advising Abbott to ignore the ruling altogether. This opinion is unconscionable and Texas should ignore it on behalf of the (Border Patrol) agents who will be put in a worse position by the opinion and the Biden administrations policies, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, posted on X. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana offered similar advice: My thoughts are that the feds are staging a civil war, and Texas should stand their ground. And Jeremy Carl, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, a right-wing think tank, said that if Abbott wants to have a future on a national ticket he will defy this lawless Supreme Court and protect the Texas border from invasion. Its unclear how the Biden administration would respond if state officials ignored the order. Abbott, who is in India for a weeklong economic tour, has not outlined the states next steps, though he wrote on social media that he would continue to fight in court. The full razor wire case remains before a district judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Tuesday, Texas authorities were still restricting Border Patrols access to key a 2.5-mile stretch near Eagle Pass, part of an unprecedented state border takeover that became central to arguments before the Supreme Court as it was considering the razor wire case. Federal officials say it is a critical stretch of the border, where agents often need to respond quickly to emergencies, but Texas soldiers have stopped federal agents from patrolling the stretch and apprehending migrants there, instead having state troopers arrest migrants for trespassing. Three migrants, a mother and two children, drowned near the stretch earlier this month, and the Biden administration pointed to the drownings as it urged the Supreme Court to force Texas to let Border Patrol back in. The five-justice majority did not explain their decision and did not weigh in on the takeover. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez said the high courts ruling applies only to the razor wire issue. State police are still restricting federal access to Shelby Park, he said Tuesday, though they are now allowing Border Patrol to use the parks boat ramp the only one for miles along the Rio Grande, Biden administration officials noted in court filings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texas testing the limits The extraordinary standoff is only the latest example of how Abbott and the GOP-controlled Legislature have pushed the limits of state immigration enforcement throughout much of President Joe Bidens first term. Under the third-term governors wide-ranging border crackdown known as Operation Lone Star, the state also has arrested migrants on state trespass charges and put floating barriers in the Rio Grande, measures that Abbott says are needed to counter the record levels of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Earlier this month, the Biden administration sued to block a new Texas law, Senate Bill 4, that empowers state officials to essentially deport people who are suspected of crossing the border illegally. But Abbott also has resisted some of the most drastic calls for action. More than a year before he signed SB 4 into law, the governor faced pressure from the right to declare that Texas was under invasion and start unilaterally enforcing federal immigration laws. Some conservative officials and activists contended it would be permitted under states constitutional right to protect themselves from imminent danger or invasion. Legal experts said the border invasion strategy likely would run afoul of U.S. asylum laws, along with legal precedent that gives the federal government broad discretion in setting and enforcing immigration policy. And Abbott said he would first want Congress to change federal laws to ensure state authorities were shielded from criminal prosecution. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In the razor wire case, Abbott has appeared more focused on the ongoing court battle, rather than challenging the will of the Supreme Court. He noted on social media that the high court had issued a temporary ruling that applies only while the case makes its way through the courts. The appeals court had sided with Texas in its own temporary order, the one dissolved by the high court on Monday. But pressure from the partys right flank to defy the ruling was growing. A few GOP state lawmakers implicitly called for Texas to ignore it on Monday. Sometimes disobedience is the best way to show leadership, tweeted state Rep. Tom Oliversion, R-Houston, which drew agreement from state Rep. Steve Toth, R-Conroe. Republican state Rep. Briscoe Cain of Deer Park was more explicit, writing, As President Jackson famously said: the Supreme Court has made their decision, now lets see them enforce it. The Texas Republican Party posted a fundraising appeal accompanied by a graphic depicting a segment of razor wire above the states Come and take it mantra, in which take was crossed out and replaced with cut. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Texans for Strong Borders, a group that pushes for hard-line immigration policies, said Abbott should continue to place barriers and block the Biden administration from removing them, adding that Texans do not wish to see our country overrun with millions of illegal aliens. (The group is linked to Defend Texas Liberty, the group bankrolled by right-wing oilmen Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. Both groups have been the subject of reporting by the Texas Tribune highlighting their ties to white supremacists.) The Department for Homeland Security, which includes Border Patrol, praised the Supreme Court order for affirming that (e)nforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility. Rather than helping to reduce irregular migration, the state of Texas has only made it harder for front-line personnel to do their jobs and to apply consequences under the law, a DHS spokesperson said. We can enforce our laws and administer them safely, humanely, and in an orderly way. Tensions between federal officials and Texas are rising as the influx of migrants continues to overwhelm authorities at the border between the United States and Mexico. Criminal Trespass Arrest After seizing control of the region at the US-Mexico border last week, Texas officials detained migrants in Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas, late Wednesday evening, January 17, and charged them with criminal trespassing. This is the first arrest of migrants in this situation, according to an official. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez used social media to announce the arrests, as reported by CNN. He also shared videos on X (formerly Twitter) showing how the authorities handcuff and remove the migrants from the scene. "The State of #Texas will maintain a proactive posture in curbing illegal border crossings between the ports of entry," he said on X. According to Olivarez, the US Border Patrol was entrusted with the care of migrant families and children, while others, including adults, were brought into state custody. After being detained for illegal trespassing, migrants are charged by the state and then turned over to US Border Patrol agents, said Olivarez. The state was given authorization to conduct arrests by the proprietor at Shelby Park and private areas, according to him. Under the authority of Gov. @GregAbbott_TXs Border Disaster Declaration, @TxDPS Troopers are arresting illegal immigrants for criminal trespass at #ShelbyPark in Eagle Pass. Troopers are enforcing criminal trespass on single adult men & women. The State of #Texas will maintain a pic.twitter.com/EuRhYDNYLH Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) January 18, 2024 Also Read: DHS Warns Texas of Potential Legal Action Amid Blocking of Access to Border Area Ongoing Migrant Crisis Tensions are rising between federal authorities and Texas officials due to the continuing influx of migrants at the US-Mexico border, which has led to the arrests. In a letter acquired exclusively by CNN over the weekend from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Biden administration notified state authorities that they had until Wednesday at the latest to cease obstructing the entrance of the US Border Patrol to a 2.5-mile section of the US-Mexico border. Among the areas that have been blocked off is the spot where last week a mother and her two young children died in the Rio Grande at Shelby Park. The fatalities have deepened the gap between federal and Texas authorities over the migrant issues and the allocation of jurisdiction in the Rio Grande region. State measures have hampered operations and are unlawful, according to DHS's letter to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas. Near the park where state officials have constructed fences to keep away federal agents, the letter also mentioned the deaths, which are among the latest in the ongoing migrant crisis. In the letter, the DHS states that unless Texas confirms that it will "cease and desist" its efforts from trying to obstruct Border Patrol's access in and around the Shelby Park area and remove all obstacles to access to the US-Mexico border, it will refer the matter to the Justice Department for appropriate action. Also Read: Biden Administration Demands Access to Border After 3 Migrants Reportedly Drown in Rio Grande River Travel blogger showcases beauty of SW China's Guizhou through short videos People's Daily Online) 09:33, January 23, 2024 Photo shows the scenery of Huanggang village, Shuangjiang township, Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Guizhou Province. (People's Daily Online/Luo Jinglai) After resigning from his job in a first-tier city, travel blogger Le Tian decided to return to his hometown in southwest China's Guizhou Province. Over the course of more than three years, he visited 88 counties in Guizhou, creating exquisite videos with detailed explanations of his travels. His work gave many internet users the chance to learn about Guizhou and inspired them to visit the province. In March 2023, Le and his team came to Huanggang village, Liping county, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou, to film the intangible cultural heritage of the Dong ethnic group. They discovered that this undeveloped village not only boasted stunning natural landscapes, but also showcased the authentic local culture. The Dong village, located in Huanggang village, is a 3A-level scenic spot. However, it faced challenges such as a lack of tourists and an underdeveloped tourism industry. The local cultural and tourism department noticed Le's videos and hoped to leverage his platform to boost tourism. They even invited him to become the honorary chief of the Dong village. Le's objective was to showcase the exquisite charm of this secluded village through videos and live broadcasts. He curated a video compilation titled "My Days as Village Chief in the Dong Village" on his social media platform, doing an effective job of showcasing the various tourist attractions and agricultural products that the village has to offer. The biggest challenge Le faced during the filming of the video series was the language barrier. "The local residents belong to the Dong ethnic group, and I couldn't understand their language. I had to asked members of the villagers' committee to accompany me and help with communication," Le explained. He said that his fulfilment would come from his contribution to the growth of the village's tourism industry and the improvement of the villagers' incomes through his efforts. These days, the village is seeing an increasing influx of visitors. During holidays, a steady stream of tour buses arrives, with many transporting children who come to attend study camps, as well as foreign tourists. Over time, Le's interest in intangible cultural heritage and the stories of inheritors grew as he met them during his journeys. In a video series showcasing 100 Chinese intangible cultural heritage items, Le has captured remarkable moments that highlight the essence of these cultural treasures, including the delicate art of embroidering on leaves, the mesmerizing spectacle of splashing molten iron to create fireworks, and the captivating performances of Anshun Opera, often referred to as a "living fossil" of Han culture. Le has chosen Zhang Guodan as the central figure of his video series, which focuses on the grand songs of the Dong ethnic group. Zhang, a young woman born in the 1990s, carries on her father's dedication to documenting these songs. Armed with a DV camera, Zhang's father began a journey to different Dong villages, documenting over 1,000 songs. After her father passed away, Zhang embraced the world of filmmaking and continued his legacy. She traveled to various villages, using her equipment to expand the recorded repertoire to an impressive collection of over 3,500 songs. Through Zhang's remarkable journey, Le aims to showcase the captivating allure and enduring legacy of Dong ethnic culture. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) The U.S. Navy's top Middle East commander revealed to the Associated Press on Monday that Iran is "very directly involved" in ship attacks that Yemen's Houthi rebels have carried out during Israel's war against Gaza. Brad Cooper, the head of the Navy's 5th Fleet, stopped short of saying Tehran directed individual attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. But Cooper did acknowledge that the attacks associated with Iran have expanded from previously threatening just the Persian Gulf and its Strait of Hormuz into waters across the wider Middle East. "Clearly, the Houthi actions, probably in terms of their attacks on merchant shipping, are the most significant that we've seen in two generations," he told the AP in a telephone interview. "The facts simply are that they're attacking the international community; thus, the international response I think you've seen." Since November, the Iranian-backed Houthis have allegedly launched at least 34 attacks on shipping through the waterways leading up to Egypt's Suez Canal. The canal serves as a vital route for energy and cargo coming from Asia and the Middle East onward to Europe. The rebels, who have been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's exiled government since 2015, link their attacks to the Israel-Hamas war. However, most of the ships they've targeted have very little ties to Israel or none at all. The AP went on to report that in recent days, the U.S. has launched seven rounds of airstrikes on Houthi military sites, targeting air bases under the rebels' control and suspected missile launch sites. The tempo of Houthi attacks on shipping appears to have slowed for the time being as the U.S. and its allies have increased their naval patrols in the region. Nonetheless, risks for the global economy remain as many ships continue to bypass the route for a longer trip around Africa's southern tip. As Cooper took command of the 5th Fleet in 2021, the threat to shipping focused primarily around the Persian Gulf and its narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. A series of attacks blamed on Iran and ship seizures by Tehran followed the collapse of Iran's nuclear deal with world powers. What Does The Naval Commander Think? In his interview with the AP, the Navy commander acknowledged the threat from Iran's proxies and that its distribution of weapons extended from the Red Sea out to the far reaches of the Indian Ocean. The U.S. has blamed Iran for recent drone attacks on shipping, and a U.S.-owned cargo vessel came under attack from the Houthis in the Gulf of Aden last week. So far, Iran has not directly gotten involved in fighting either Israel or the U.S. since the war in Gaza began on Oct. 7. However, Cooper maintained Iran had been directly fueling the Houthi attacks on shipping. "What I'll say is Iran is clearly funding, they're resourcing, they are supplying and they're providing training," Cooper said. "They're obviously very directly involved. There's no secret there." U.S. forces this month seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry from a ship bound for the Houthis in a raid that saw two Navy SEALs go missing. The U.S. military's Central Command said Sunday it now believes the SEALs are dead. While not directly saying his fleet's drones played a part in the seizure, Cooper hinted at it. "They are specifically designed to conduct interdiction operations," he said. He added: "There's no squeaking anything by it." Cooper closed by commenting that, "What we need is a Houthi decision to stop attacking international merchant ships. Period,". Iran's mission to the United Nations has not commented on Cooper's remarks. On Monday several foreign ministers of the European Union argued for the creation of a Palestinian state, stating that it is the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East. They also expressed concern over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's steadfast rejection of the idea of a Palestinian state at Israel's southern border. "The declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu are worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all," French Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne told reporters in Brussels, where ministers met to discuss the war in Gaza. Deep Divisions on Diplomacy with Israel The European Union is the top provider of aid to the Palestinians but they hold no sway over Israel, despite being its biggest trade partner. The 27-member EU is deeply divided about their approach to diplomacy with Israel, but they have increasingly been in unison over calls for a ceasefire. "Gaza is in a situation of extreme urgency. There is a risk of famine. There is a risk of epidemics. The violence must stop," said Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. "We demand an immediate cease-fire, the release of the hostages, the respect of international law (and) a return to the peace process, which must lead to the creation of two states living in peace side by side," Lahbib said, describing a two-state solution as "the only way to establish peace in a durable way in the region." Israel is at least months, if not years, away from achieving its goal of crushing Hamas and freeing the remaining hostages. However, Netanyahu's only solution post-combat is for an open-ended military occupation of Gaza. The European Union invited foreign ministers from Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Palestinians, and a representative of the Arab League to take part in the discussions, which took place Monday. However, representatives for Israel and the Palestinians were unable to meet one another, according to the Associated Press. "Which are the other solutions they have in mind?," asked EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the meeting. "To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill off them?" "We have to call collectively for a cease-fire. We cannot accept anything less," Palestinian foreign minister Riad Malki said. He also called on the EU "to start contemplating sanctions against Netanyahu and others who are really destroying the chances for a two-state solution and for peace in the Middle East." It was reported Monday by the Associated Press that Poland's new minister Donald Tusk recently visited Ukraine as a show of support for the territory in its ongoing conflict with its neighbor Russia. Tusk had announced a new military aid package that includes a loan that would allow Ukraine to purchase larger weapons alongside a plan that would allow the two territories to develop these new weapons together. Tusk went on record to say that his meeting with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was productive stating that the two had come to "an understanding". In addition, other allied countries have also re-emphasized their support as there have been concerns that support from the West could be at stake. However, both British Minister Rishi Sunak and France's new Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne visited Ukraine earlier this year. Tusk's visit follows a recent report from Ukraine officials stating that a recent shelling killed 27 individuals in the currently Russian-occupied Donetsk. Tusk's Warning Tusk has described the Russian-Ukraine conflict as a greater conflict rather than an isolated one describing it as Europe against Russia. "Today Ukraine is shouldering the security matters of the entire European continent, today Ukraine is paying the huge price of blood for the values that are fundamental to the free world. Poland's security is also at stake in this struggle". Tusk isn't the only individual who's warned that this conflict could escalate. Last week NATO's senior military official warned that allied countries should be prepared for anything as the conflict continues. In addition, Russian President, Vladimir Putin had an ominous warning that Ukraine's statehood could be at risk. It remains unclear what it would take for the two territories to come to a mutual agreement however it seems that support from other territories will continue and Ukraine appears confident in its ability to be victorious as some towns have already started rebuilding their towns. In a recent development reported by The Hill, the Supreme Court issued a decisive 5-4 ruling on Monday, granting the federal government the authority to dismantle razor wire installations along the U.S.-Mexico border, which had been set up by Texas law enforcement. The government contended that the razor wire unlawfully impeded their ability to manage border affairs. Chief Justice John Roberts, along with Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Amy Coney Barrett, and Ketanji Brown Jackson, formed the majority in this decision, as revealed by The Hill, overturning a previous Appeals Court ruling that had allowed the wire to remain amid an ongoing legal dispute over border jurisdiction. The border tensions intensified earlier in the month when the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety installed fences and razor wire in an Eagle Pass, Texas riverside park-a notable migrant crossing area. The Hill further disclosed that this state action obstructed U.S. Border Patrol officers from accessing the park, including the crucial boat ramp in the region. The Tragic Drownings The situation took a graver turn after three migrants, a woman and two children, drowned in the Rio Grande just outside the park. Border Patrol officials asserted that members of the Texas National Guard hindered their attempts to access the river and rescue the victims, a claim denied by Texas officials. It was at that time that HNGN reported that several days prior to the tragic drownings, state officials had obstructed U.S. Border Patrol access to a significant stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border near Eagle Pass. This city had been a focal point of the migrant crisis, but the ongoing dispute questions whether the restricted access played a role in the fatalities. According to Mexico's National Institute of Migration, the victims were identified on Monday as 33-year-old Victerma de la Sancha Cerros, 10-year-old Yorlei Rubi, and eight-year-old Jonathan Agustin Briones de la Sancha, reported by CNN. The sequence of events unfolded when Border Patrol received information around 9:00 p.m. CT on Friday that six migrants were in distress in the Rio Grande. Democratic U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), revealed that officials reached out to the Texas Military Department, the Texas National Guard, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. However, communication hurdles led Border Patrol agents to be unsuccessful in conveying the urgent details by phone. Consequently, they proceeded to the gated Shelby Park, situated on the Rio Grande, an area barricaded by state authorities with fencing, gates, and razor wire, to provide an explanation of the incident. A recent survey says a majority of experts from the United States and Taiwan believe that China does not have the necessary capabilities to successfully launch an amphibious invasion of Taiwan. However, they do acknowledge that China is in a favorable position to carry out a blockade. A survey was conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) China Power Project and Taiwan's Institute for National Defense and Security Research. It involved polling 52 experts from the United States and 35 experts from Taiwan. China's Approach to Taiwan Only a minority of experts in the United States and Taiwan believe that China possesses the necessary military capability to successfully carry out an amphibious invasion of Taiwan in the next five years. According to a report from CSIS, it is argued that conducting an amphibious invasion would necessitate a greater deployment of military forces compared to a quarantine or blockade. Additionally, the operations involved would be considerably more intricate. The escalating tensions between China and Taiwan have raised concerns about the potential for a military conflict between the United States and China, making the region a volatile and precarious situation. Experts from both countries generally concur that China possesses the capability to implement a quarantine or blockade within the next five years, as per Axios. A majority of experts in the United States and Taiwan have expressed the belief that China can implement a quarantine. This quarantine would be focused on commercial activities rather than military operations, and would be carried out by China's coast guard or other law enforcement vessels. A majority of experts in the United States and Taiwan have expressed concerns about the possibility of China implementing a blockade. This blockade would encompass both commercial and military activities, with direct involvement from China's military. Taiwanese experts generally held a less concerning view of China compared to US experts, consistently rating China as having lesser capabilities than the US respondents. According to a majority of experts, there is growing concern about a potential crisis in the Taiwan Strait in 2024. The experts believe that a Chinese blockade or "quarantine" of the island is the most likely scenario. The survey highlights the difference between a "quarantine" and a "blockade." Based on the report, implementing a quarantine on Taiwan, which involves restricting commercial routes by nonmilitary actors from China, would indicate a strategy to pressure the Taiwanese government rather than overthrow it. It is speculated that a military blockade by the PLA could indicate a strong desire for immediate unification within the next five years. Experts claim that a crisis can be described as a situation where there is a notable escalation in cross-strait tensions, often accompanied by large-scale military exercises by the PLA with the intention of pressuring Taiwan, along with renewed Chinese threats of using force against the island. Kristen Gunness, a senior policy researcher at the RAND corporation and a speaker on a CSIS panel Monday morning, discussed the appeal of a quarantine/blockade approach as a potentially more cost-effective and less risky method of exerting pressure on Taiwan. Gunness highlighted that this approach places the burden of escalation on the United States, Taiwan, and our allies, forcing them to devise appropriate responses. Gunness emphasized the importance of US decisionmakers carefully considering their response to potential situations in the Indo-Pacific region, even if they do not involve a full-scale invasion. According to a majority of experts from the United States and Taiwan, a potential measure to address Beijing's attempt to punish or coerce Taiwan would be a quarantine of the outlying Taiwanese islands. Experts are predicting a potential escalation in 2024 due to a combination of factors. Taiwan once again defied China's desires by electing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) presidential candidate Lai Ching-te, who holds reservations about China's intentions towards the island. Many analysts anticipated that Beijing would alter its strategy in response to the election. China has labeled Lai as "dangerously separatist" and portrayed the election he won as a decision between peace and war. Since his election, there has been a complete lack of communication between Lai and officials in Beijing. Read Also: Multiple Chinese Spy Balloons Spotted Over Taiwan Airspace-Allegedly Part of Harassment Campaign US Intervention in China-Taiwan Blockade Chen Ming-Chi, CEO at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research said, China may feel inclined to test Lai due to his lack of military expertise. The speaker highlighted how statements about Taiwanese statehood from Lai's party challenge Beijing's commitment to "inevitable reunification." According to the majority of experts surveyed, the likelihood of US intervention decreases as the severity of Chinese action lessens. Gunness suggested that Beijing might see a quarantine as a chance for the U.S. to ease tensions or for Taiwan to surrender without the need for military action from either side. As per the report, experts expressed less confidence in the possibility of US intervention in the event of a quarantine, particularly Taiwanese experts. There was a growing belief that the United States might take military action if China were to invade Taiwan. According to Lee Hsi-min, a former admiral in the Republic of China armed forces and senior fellow at the 2049 Project, China sees quarantine as a means to restrict Taiwan from taking actions that China deems unacceptable. He added that Taiwan cannot be compelled to do things it wants through quarantine measures. Hsi-min suggested that a blockade is a more probable course of action instead of a quarantine. He also mentioned that China is open to employing "extensive bombardment" as a means to exert pressure. Moreover, Ivan Kanapathy, the Freeman Chair in China Studies at CSIS, suggests that the ongoing conflicts between Israel and Hamas, as well as Russia and Ukraine, may have an impact on how the United States approaches Taiwan. These conflicts could potentially discourage further conflict. Kanapathy expressed surprise at experts' anticipation of an impending crisis, noting the cautious approach of Washington and Beijing in avoiding actions that could escalate tensions on the global stage. According to the CSIS report, Taiwan's capacity to withstand a quarantine or blockade is estimated to be between one and three months, even without significant intervention from the US. Per The Hill, US lawmakers are expressing concerns about the expenses associated with America's assistance to Ukraine and Israel. President Biden's request for additional foreign spending is facing obstacles as Republicans push for a focus on immigration along the country's southern border. Related Article: Major Chinese Military Activity Following Election Surfaces in Taiwan's Reports The US has rejected a claim made by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Monday that they had hit the US military cargo ship Ocean Jazz in the Gulf of Aden. In November, the Houthi rebels started attacking ships in the Red Sea, claiming they were targeting Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza. US Denies Houthi's Claim of Attack on US Ship The US Naval Forces Central Command declared in a statement on Monday that the "report of an alleged successful attack on M/V Ocean Jazz, backed by Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists, is patently false." They added that the NAVCENT kept close contact with the M/V Ocean Jazz throughout its safe transit. The Iran-aligned armed group that controls a large portion of Yemen did not specify the exact location of the attack or if any damage was caused. The Houthis said earlier in a statement that the Yemeni Armed Forces affirm that retaliation against American and British attacks is inevitable, and any new aggression will not go unpunished. On Monday, the British maritime security firm Ambrey said that the US military had contracted the vessel named by the Houthis. The rebels reiterated on Monday that they will respond to any attack on Yemen. They intend to prevent Israeli ships from entering the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden until the end of the conflict in the Palestinian territory. Read Also: Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson Diagnosed With Skin Cancer Months After Breast Cancer Treatment UK, US Launches Fresh Attacks Against Houthis in Yemen Two defense officials claimed on Monday that the US and UK have carried out more strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen. The most recent round of attacks by the US military on the rebel's infrastructure is the eighth in just over ten days. The US and UK have targeted less than ten sites. On January 11, the operation targeted approximately 30 Houthi targets. Fighter planes from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier were used in the strikes. On Monday, the US named the ongoing operation in Yemen "Operation Poseidon Archer." This name choice suggests a more extended and strategic approach to the operations in Yemen, which aims to prevent the Houthi group from attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. The US and the UK have launched attacks across Yemen against Houthi forces in recent weeks in response to months of Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping, which the Iran-backed fighters claim is a response to Israel's war on Gaza. International maritime trade has been disrupted by the Houthis' attacks on dozens of commercial vessels operating in the Red Sea since November. The group initially said it was targeting Israeli-linked ships but has expanded its targets to include warships linked to the US and the UK. Related Article: US, UK Militaries Launch New Strikes Against Houthi Targets in Yemen On Monday afternoon, the Joliet Police Department reported that an investigation and manhunt are underway after seven people were found dead in two homes in Illinois. The police confirmed during a press conference on Monday evening that the seven people were shot to death. Manhunt Underway After 7 People Dead in Joliet Shooting Joliet Police Detectives are currently searching for Romeo Nance, the suspected gunman, who is believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry with the license plate number Q730412. The police believed that Nance was acquainted with the victims and that they were relatives. "In my 29 years on the force, this is the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with," police told local reporters during the press conference. According to detectives, there is an ongoing investigation, and Nance should be considered armed and dangerous. The identities of those victims were still not released. Nance is also wanted in connection to multiple other shootings. The officials stated shortly before 4:30 pm on Sunday that when they arrived at the apartment building, they discovered a man bleeding from the head from an apparent gunshot wound. The officials told WGN 9 that the victim later passed away. The victim was later identified as Toyosi Bakare, 28, from Nigeria, residing in the US for almost three years. According to the officials, a 42-year-old man was shot in the leg and had non-life-threatening injuries about ten minutes before the fatal shooting. The officials claimed that the plate numbers on the vehicle that authorities believe Nance is driving match the vehicle spotted near both shooting scenes on Sunday. According to the Patch and court records, Nance was charged about a year ago after he made several attempts to shoot a woman. Police found him close to his home and arrested him after their brief argument. Furthermore, the court records claimed that Nance was charged as part of Operation New Year's Resolution and was released after posting $1,000 of a $100,000 bond. Read Also: Israel Agrees To Transfer Frozen Palestinian Funds for Gaza to Norway Deadly Willowbrook Shooting in Illinois The authorities reported that at least one person was killed and 22 others were injured by gunfire in a peaceful Juneteenth celebration that turned tragic overnight in Illinois. The celebration started at around 6 pm on Saturday, and the police were at the site to monitor the event. The police were dispatched in response to a 911 call saying a fight nearby around 12:25 am. "As deputies responded, they heard gunshots and immediately returned to the scene of the gathering," the sheriff's office said. The shooting happened around 12:30 am in a Willowbrook parking lot about 21 miles west of Chicago. According to the DuPage County Sheriff's Office, an unidentified number of suspects fired multiple rounds from various weapons into the large crowd celebrating Juneteenth. The chaos caused several more injuries as people tried to escape the scene. The sheriff's office said that the victims received medical attention at nearby hospitals. Related Article: Illinois Shooting: Police Arrest Suspect Who Killed Wife, 3 Daughters in Tinley Park Top religious leaders in Haiti are demanding government action after gangs in the country have kidnapped several nuns amid rising violence. The Archdiocese of the nation's capital pleaded for the release of six nuns who were taken captive last week. He also called on the national government to take action to rein in gang violence. Kidnappings in Port-au-Prince In a strongly worded letter released on Monday, the Archdiocese along with the Haitian Conference of the Religious said that the people of the country are tired of the "reign of terror" that has been imposed by armed groups. It also argued that government officials should protect the people and their property. The letter added that on many occasions, the Church had denounced the government's silence, which is similar to an attitude of contempt for people's suffering. Religious leaders have voiced their distress over witnessing that there has been no serious response to what they called a scourge of kidnappings in the past two years, as per the Independent. They also argued that the ongoing violence in the region has plunged the country into an increasingly confusing and chaotic situation. In the letter, they called for the safe release of the kidnapped nuns without conditions. The victims who were taken captive as well as two other individuals were traveling aboard a bus in the nation's capital when they were kidnapped last Friday. No group has publicly claimed responsibility for the abduction of the religious members. Pope Francis on Sunday pleaded for the release of the nuns as he spoke from a window of the Apostolic Palace to the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. He learned of the development and said that it filled him with sorrow. Gang members are reportedly asking for $3 million in exchange for the release of the nuns who were kidnapped. The development comes as it is common for gangs in Haiti to initially demand an exorbitant amount of money before entering negotiations to release victims taken into their custody, according to the Miami Herald. Read Also: US Rejects Yemen's Houthis Claim of Attack on American Ship Ocean Jazz in Gulf of Aden Lack of Security However, if the ransom demand is paid, there is no guarantee that the gang will free the people who have been abducted. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise nearly three years ago, gang kidnappings and violence have been on the rise at an alarming rate in Haiti. The nuns who were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince were members of the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Anne. The congregation itself has had a presence for the last eight decades and the nuns provide services in the fields of religious instruction and education, among other areas. Armed gangs have stepped up their murderous activities since last Sunday as demonstrations against the lack of security have been raging across Haiti. In the Solino district in the south of the nation's capital on Thursday, violent exchanges of gunfire took place between rival gangs, including an armed group from the neighboring Bel-Air district. Other districts of Port-au-Prince, Carrefour Pean, and Delmas 24, have also been targeted by gang attacks. In the streets of the capital, residents set up barricades in order to protect themselves from the violent groups, said the Vatican News. Related Article: Russia's Foreign Minister Rules Out Any Peace Plan Backed by Ukraine, US as China Warns Further Global Chaos Australian authorities sanctioned a Russian man over the 2022 cyber-attack on Medibank, the first time that the nation has used its new cyber sanctions powers. The sanctions were handed out over the suspect's alleged connection with the private data breach of Medibank. In late 2021, Magnitsky-style sanctions laws were introduced in Australia and included a world-leading measure to allow the imposition of Australian travel bans and asset freezes. Medibank Hack This would affect individuals and entities that are allegedly involved in "significant" cyber-attacks in the region. Australia, similar to other nations, has adopted sanctions laws named after the late corruption whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky. The new measures generally target individuals who are believed to be connected to serious corruption or violations of human rights. However, Australia's laws also allow sanctions to punish allegedly malicious cyber activity. On Tuesday. , the nation's local government announced that it was imposing sanctions under the new law on 33-year-old Russian citizen Aleksandr Gennadievich Ermakov. Officials released a statement saying that police and intelligence agencies worked with international partners to link the suspect to the compromise of the Medibank Private network, as per The Guardian. Authorities argued that the decision makes the act a "criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and heavy fines, to provide assets to Aleksandr Ermakov, or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments." There were roughly 9.7 million customer records that were taken in the Medibank Private data breach, which includes dates of birth as well as Medicare numbers. The records also included sensitive medical information, such as procedures claimed by policyholders related to the termination of pregnancy and miscarriages. In a previous statement, Australian federal police commissioner Reece Kershaw said that he was in possession of intelligence that hackers in Russia were allegedly responsible for the massive hack. The latest development follows an investigation by the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said that the sanctions against Ermakov will include a travel ban and "targeted financial sanctions," according to 9News. Read Also: China Lacks Capabilities To Launch 'Ambitious' Taiwan Invasion, New Survey Finds Russian Citizen Sanctioned Wong said that the Medibank hack was an egregious violation that impacted some of the most vulnerable members of the Australian community. She argued that the use of the new powers sends a clear message, which is that such crimes have consequences when they target Australia and its people. Speaking alongside Wong were Defense Minister Richard Marles and Home Affairs Minister Claire O'Neal. Marles said that Australian officials worked alongside partners in the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, which includes the United States, New Zealand, Canada, and the United Kingdom to link the Russian citizen to the data breach. While there have been scant details released related to Ermakov and his background, Australian intelligence authorities believe that he is a member of the infamous Russian cyber-crime gang REvil. The group has been linked to several attacks across a variety of regions, including Europe, the U.S., and the UK. During the announcement of the charges against the Russian citizen, O'Neil described the Medibank hack as the "single most devastating cyber-attack we have experienced as a nation," said BBC. Related Article: Russia's Foreign Minister Rules Out Any Peace Plan Backed by Ukraine, US as China Warns Further Global Chaos Kentucky Republicans have expressed support for a bill that critics argued legalizes the use of deadly force on homeless trespassers in certain scenarios. The bill, which is known as the "Safer Kentucky Act," was introduced in the Kentucky legislature last week by Republican state representative Jared Bauman. Since being introduced, the proposed bill has already garnered 52 co-sponsors, and a vote is set to take place next week. Force Against Homeless People The bill includes a sweeping number of provisions but those who oppose it have put a particular spotlight on its anti-homeless measures. The bill, also known as HB5, includes provisions that deem the use of force "justifiable" against homeless people who are camping on private property. This would be the case if the property owners believe that the homeless people have committed criminal trespass, robbery, or "unlawful camping." Going further, the Republican-led bill also deems "deadly physical force" justifiable" if a defendant believes that a homeless individual is attempting to "dispossess" or rob them of their property or committing arson, as per Newsweek. While Bauman was introducing the bill, he defended its provisions and insisted that HB5 was designed to focus on "accountability for serious criminal behavior." However, critics have warned that it would result in unnecessary violence and death. Louisville Councilwoman Shameka Parrish-Wright spoke at the same gathering where Bauman defended his new bill. She warned that the Safer Kentucky Act could essentially criminalize poverty. Parrish-Wright's state is the most violent city in Kentucky having a rate of 6.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents based on a May 2023 report. While Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg stressed that a solution is needed to address the issue, he also cast doubt on whether or not HB5 is the right way. The CEO of the Louisville Urban League, Lyndon Pryor, said that the bill could get people killed. He added that it was decided that some people are not worthy of human respect and dignity and are allowed to be treated in completely inhumane ways, according to Vice. Read Also: Eric Adams Face Criticism After Vetoing City Council's 'How Many Stops Act' Justifying the Use of Deadly Force The senior policy director at the non-profit National Homelessness Law Center, Eric Tars, said that the situation is slowly becoming vigilantism against people who are experiencing homelessness. He added that it was growing to a scale that has never been seen before. Tars noted that it remains unclear how much influence the Cicero Institute, a libertarian think tank, had on the use of force provision in the new bill. Under the provisions of the Safer Kentucky Act, people who are convicted of three violent felonies will be sentenced to mandatory life without probation or parole. Bauman's legislation grants cities the authority to designate specific areas for unhoused individuals. If homeless people are found outside of the designated area, residing in a tent, hut, temporary shelter, or vehicle with the intention to sleep, they could face misdemeanor charges. These charges could lead to a fine of $5,000 and a potential imprisonment of up to 90 days. The director of communications for Coalition for the Homeless, Catherine McGeeny, said that telling people they cannot sleep in their car or in an encampment does not end homelessness, said TruthOut. Related Article: Maine Democrats, Advocates for Increased Abortion Rights, Seek to Embed the Access in the State Constitution High-quality Belt and Road cooperation: The platform for action 09:42, January 23, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily China and its partners have taken steady steps to jointly pursue high-quality cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) since the start of 2024. As long whistles echoed through the air, China-Europe freight trains left stations of cities across China, including Xi'an, Hefei, Lianyungang, and Chifeng, embarking on their first trips of the year. A Lancang-Mekong Express freight train running on the China-Laos Railway entered China from the Mohan railway port in southwest China's Yunnan province, bringing a new shipment of Thai durians to the Chinese market. China and the Maldives signed cooperation documents, agreeing to focus on pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in the efforts to better synergize their development strategies. The Phoenix Park Industrial Estate, a flagship project of China-Trinidad and Tobago cooperation under the BRI, was officially inaugurated, marking the leap-frog cooperation between the two countries from trade and infrastructure construction to industrial docking and upgrading. In the autumn of 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping, with profound insights into historical development and a deep understanding of the trend of the times, put forward the BRI. The major initiative is a creative development that takes on and carries forward the spirit of the ancient silk routes two of the great achievements in human history and civilization. It enriches the ancient spirit with the zeitgeist and culture of the new era. By proposing the BRI, Xi expressed the hope to put into practice the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, providing a practical platform and blazing a trail for creating an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. Turning the BRI into a road of peace, prosperity, openness, green development and innovation and a road that brings together different civilizations is highly consistent with the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Over the past decade or so, China and its partners have carried out high-quality cooperation under the BRI, which has become the world's most broad-based and largest platform for international cooperation. Adhering to the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, upholding the concepts of open, green, and clean cooperation, and following a high-standard, people-centered, and sustainable approach, the BRI stages a symphony played by all partners, which features the "hard connectivity" in infrastructure, "soft connectivity" in rules and standards, and "heart connectivity" with the people of the partner countries. The BRI transcends differences between civilizations, cultures, social systems, and stages of development. It has opened up a new path for exchanges among countries, and established a new framework for international cooperation. The initiative represents humanity's joint pursuit of development for all. Practices have fully proven that the BRI, with its ultimate goal to build a community with a shared future for mankind, has proposed a range of regional and bilateral initiatives on building communities of shared future in relevant fields, effectively contributing to world peace, security, and common development. Belt and Road cooperation is based on the belief that flame runs high when everyone adds wood to the fire and that mutual support can get people far. Such cooperation seeks to deliver a good life not only to people of just one country, but to people in other countries as well. It promotes connectivity, mutual benefit, common development, cooperation and win-win outcomes. The BRI has created more than 3,000 cooperative projects, galvanized nearly $1 trillion of investment, and helped lift about 40 million people out of poverty, facilitating the delivery of an array of national landmarks, livelihood projects, and milestones of cooperation. It has profoundly demonstrated to all parties that humankind is a community with a shared future. Signature projects of the BRI, including the China-Laos Railway, Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, and Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, have effectively promoted connectivity for relevant countries and regions. The establishment of Luban workshops, programs for the introduction of Juncao technology and hybrid rice technology, as well as other "small yet smart" people-centered programs launched under the BRI, have continuously benefited people of relevant countries. These vivid stories about how Belt and Road cooperation has turned deep chasm into thoroughfare, land-locked countries into land-linked countries, and places of underdevelopment into lands of prosperity have demonstrated that win-win cooperation is the sure way to success in launching major initiatives that benefit all. Facts have shown that the BRI has broadened the consensus on building a community with a shared future for mankind and accumulated valuable experience for its realization. As the world faces severe challenges including insufficient development momentum and a widening development gap, it is more imperative than ever before that the international community pools consensus and strength for openness and cooperation so as to advance universally beneficial and inclusive development through joint efforts. In his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) held in October 2023, Xi announced eight major steps China would take to support the joint pursuit of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, setting a new direction, opening new vistas, and generating new momentum into international cooperation under the BRI. By joining hands with various parties to comprehensively implement the outcomes of the third BRF, improve the quality of cooperation and explore more areas of cooperation for high-quality development of the BRI, China will inject new impetus into the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. Building a community with a shared future for mankind is a beautiful goal, that requires generations of efforts to achieve, and demands concerted efforts, confidence, determination, breadth of vision, openness of mind, action, and a sense of responsibility from all countries. As China advances national rejuvenation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization, it will align its own development with that of the world, and align its peoples interests with those of all peoples, while working together with various parties to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, thus jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) A Georgia judge ordered on Monday the unsealing of the divorce case that involves a special prosecutor involved in the election interference case of former United States President Donald Trump. The latest issue revolves around Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis who is accused of having an improper relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. However, the newly unsealed court records did not include any references to the affair allegations against Willis. Fani Willis Affair Case The judge handling the case ordered the unsealing of the divorce case after a request was brought by a defense attorney. The latter alleged an inappropriate relationship between the district attorney and the special prosecutor. Furthermore, the judge also put off a final decision on whether or not Willis will be required to sit for questioning in the divorce case. However, he delayed the Fulton County district attorney's deposition that was initially scheduled for Tuesday. Since the allegations, Willis has defended her decision to hire Wade to be one of the special prosecutors in Trump's election interference case. The district attorney has accused the special prosecutor's ex-wife of trying to obstruct her case against the former president by seeking to question her in the couple's divorce proceedings, as per the Associated Press. The affair allegations against Willis threaten to taint the prosecution with the Republican primary front-runner and others who are seizing on the claims to attack the case and question Wade's qualifications as a prosecutor. The Republican businessman has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing in the election interference case. A judge served Willis a subpoena to sit for a deposition in the divorce case on the same day that Trump's defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant filed a motion alleging the affair. Court documents showed that Wade bought plane tickets in Willis' name and his ex-wife's lawyer argued that there was no reasonable explanation for their travels apart from a romantic relationship. Read Also: LA Innocence Project Takes Up Scott Peterson's Murder Case After Defendant's Claim of Innocence Unsealing of Divorce Case Andrea Dyer Hastings, the lawyer of Wade's ex-wife, Joycelyn Wade, told a judge that Willis was trying to hide under the shield of her position. A lawyer for the district attorney, Cinque Axam, argued that the issue before the court is how to divide the marital assets and noted that the determination of how that should be done has nothing to do with Willis. During a hearing on Monday, Judge Henry Thompson said that Wade seems to be the first and best source of information on his income and how he spends his money. He also stated that the special prosecutor would have firsthand knowledge of whether or not he is engaged in an extramarital affair, according to CNN. The Georgia election interference case is one of four that the former president is facing as he tries to win the Republican primary. In the case, prosecutors are using a statute that is typically associated with mobsters to accuse Trump, lawyers, and other aides of a "criminal enterprise" to keep him in power. So far, four people have already pleaded guilty in the case after reaching deals with prosecutors. The remaining 15, including the former president and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, have maintained their innocence, said ABC News. Related Article: Washington State Lawmaker Urges Ban on Hog-Tying in Use-of-Force Policies After Manuel Ellis' Death New USPS Priority Mail stamps feature the iconic space images captured by NASA's JWST (James Webb Space Telescope). This was confirmed by the international space union on Monday, Jan. 22. In September 2022, the U.S. Postal Service and NASA also collaborated to issue a stamp to celebrate its advanced space telescope. This stamp featured an illustration of the JWST, which was created by a digital artist against a background of stars and some planets. Now, this stamp will be joined by two new Priority Mail stamps. New USPS Priority Mail Stamps Features NASA James Webb's Iconic Space Image Via its official blog post, NASA said that the U.S. Postal Service issued two new Priority Mail stamps; the first one features the popular Cosmic Cliffs and the second one shows the Pillars of Creation. "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the perfect intersection of science, engineering, and art as it reveals the greatest secrets of our cosmos through the beautiful images it captures," said NASA's Science Mission Directorate Associate Administration Nicola Fox. She added that the two new USPS Priority Mail stamps will allow people across the United States to have their own snapshot of the captivating space images captured by NASA's JWST. "With these stamps, people across the country can have their own snapshot of Webb's captivating images - and the incredible science they represent - at their fingertips, and know that they, too, are part of this ground-breaking new era in astronomy," she explained. Read Also: NASA's James Webb Captures Heart of Milky Way, Provides Stunning Visuals of Mysterious Region USPS Stamps: Cosmic Cliffs and Pillars of Creation The new USPS Priority Mail stamp Cosmic Cliffs features the version captured by the James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). It shows emerging stellar nurseries, as well as individual stars, that were hidden from sight before NASA launched its JWST. The Cosmic Cliffs is considered one of the first full-color images captured by JWST in July 2022. It is a big deal for NASA since it demonstrated the efficiency of James Webb when it comes to peering through cosmic dust and shedding new light on how stars actually form. The second USPS Priority stamp, the Pillars of Creation, features the space image captured by JWST's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument). The Pillars of Creation was first taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. But, JWST's version shows more details, such as the gas, dust, enshrouding stars, etc. If you're interested in purchasing one or both of the new USPS Priority Mail stamps, here are their prices: USPS Priority Mail Stamp Cosmic Cliffs: $121.80 (a sheet of 4) USPS Priority Mail Stamp Pillars of Creation: $39.40 (a sheet of 4) You can check the sections of these new stamps by visiting the official U.S. Postal Service website. After that, click the Buy Stamps option and select the Stamps button. Once you are on the next page, just scroll down to see the new stamps, which include the Pillars of Creation and the Cosmic Cliffs. Related Article: USPS Quietly Releases New Change Address Policy-Here's Why Some Americans Can't Receive Package A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocked China early Tuesday, injuring several people and destroying dozens of homes near the border with Kyrgyzstan. The tremor centered around a mountainous and remote part of the Asian nation's far-western Xinjiang region. State media reported multiple injuries as heavy quakes were felt even in Central Asian nations that were located hundreds of miles away. Powerful Earthquake Rocks China The earthquake struck Wushi County, which is also known as Uqturpan County, located in Aksu prefecture near the Kyrgyzstan border. Residents in the area reportedly felt the shaking shortly after 2:00 a.m. local time. Powerful tremors destroyed two houses and also downed two major power lines near the epicenter but fortunately, electricity was quickly restored to affected households. The Xinjiang Railway authority quickly sealed off routes in areas that were impacted by the quake and suspended 27 trains' operations. There were three people who were reported to have been hospitalized in a township found 26 kilometers away from the epicenter of the earthquake. Authorities were also able to rescue a child from the rubble of a home in that particular township, as per CNN. Roughly 200 rescue workers have already been dispatched to the quake zone and hundreds more are now being assembled. Over 50 aftershocks above magnitude 3 were reported as of 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday following the initial quake. The epicenter of the tremor was a sparsely populated area at an altitude above 3,000 meters. There were five villages located within a radius of 20 kilometers from the center of the quake, which was roughly 50 kilometers from Wushi County's main urban area. The region has a population of roughly 205,000 and the heavy tremors were felt in cities that were located hundreds of miles away. These include the Silk Road oasis of Kashgar and Hotan found in southern Xinjiang. Read Also: China Landslide in Yunnan Province Buries 47 Villagers Destroying Dozens of Homes Officials also reported six people getting injured, two of which had serious injuries and four had minor injuries. On top of the destroyed houses, 78 others were damaged while some agricultural structures collapsed, according to the Associated Press. After conducting safety checks that there were no problems on the train lines, Urumqi Railroad Bureau resumed services after 7:00 a.m. The United States Geological Survey said that the earthquake measured magnitude 7.0 and occurred in the Tian Shan mountain range. The agency noted that it the largest recorded earthquake in the past century was 7.1 and happened in 1978 roughly 200 kilometers to the north of where the epicenter of the Tuesday tremor was. In a video uploaded on social media, household appliances could be seen crashing to the floor as wild shaking rocked the building. Additional footage showed firemen entering a damaged building with cracked walls and law enforcement personnel helping an injured local. A resident from Aksu said that people in the area rushed outside for safety amid the powerful earthquake despite the frigid early morning temperatures that hovered around -10 degrees Celsius, said Channel News Asia. Related Article: China Lacks Capabilities To Launch 'Ambitious' Taiwan Invasion, New Survey Finds A Stanley tumbler thief was arrested in California after she was found stealing stainless steel drinking cups worth almost $2,500. The Roseville Police Department announced this incident on Sunday, Jan. 21. Law enforcement authorities said that they received a call on Wednesday, Jan. 17, regarding a store theft on Stanford Ranch Road in the city of Roseville. One of the store's employees told the responders that a woman stole Stanley water bottles without paying for them. Here are other details shared by the police. Stanley Tumbler Thief Arrested After Stealing $2500 in Drinking Cups! According to NBC News' latest report, the suspect stole 65 Stanley stainless steel drinking bottles. The staff who witnessed the incident stated that the woman refused to stop. After that, the thief stuffed the stolen merchandise into her car and went off. "The suspect refused to stop for staff and stuffed her car with the stolen merchandise. An officer spotted the suspect vehicle as it entered Highway 65 from Galleria Blvd and initiated a traffic stop," said the Roseville Police Department via its official Facebook post. The 23-year-old woman, who wasn't named, was arrested. She is accused of grand theft; a specific intent crime. What the woman stole were no ordinary tumblers. Based on the statement and images provided by the Roseville Police Department, the thief acquired the popular Stanley Quencher, which costs $45 each. This stainless steel tumbler has become a fashionable item because of social media influencers making trending content about the drinking cup. Related Article: American Airlines Flight Attendant Charged for Allegedly Recording Young Girls in Aircraft Restroom More free marketing for Stanley? In 2023, the American drinking cup manufacturer went viral after a woman posted about her experience with a Stanley stainless steel tumbler. She said that her car was badly burned and all the things inside were clearly destroyed. Despite her vehicle turning into charred remains, her Stanley drinking cup was unharmed. Her video quickly went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms. Because of this, her experience became a free marketing for Stanley. In return, the American tumbler manufacturer decided to give her a new car. What happened in Roseville, California could also become another free marketing for Stanley. In fact, the Roseville Police Department even provided a great tagline at the end of its announcement. "We strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfill your hydration habits," said the Californian law enforcement department. As of writing, Stanley hasn't made any comments regarding the theft. But, you might hear something from the tumbler manufacturer soon. Related Article: Stanley Cup Trophy Damaged! Watch How Avalanche Player Slipped on Ice and Dented Beautiful Award TikTok, the popular video-sharing platform, has recently laid off approximately 60 employees in a bid to streamline operations and cut costs. primarily from its sales and advertising division. This move aligns TikTok with a broader trend in the technology sector, where several major companies, including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft, have initiated staff reductions in recent months, as per NPR. TikTok Layoffs Spark 'Layoff Vlogs' Trend in Job Stories According to a spokesperson from TikTok, the layoffs are part of a routine reorganization, impacting employees in various locations, including Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and international offices. While the company claims the move is a strategic realignment, insiders suggest that the layoffs are part of a restructuring effort within TikTok's sales-focused division. One consequence of this workforce reduction has been the emergence of a unique trend on TikTok - the "layoff vlog." Individuals who have recently lost their jobs, particularly in the tech sector, are turning to the platform to share their experiences and insights. This microgenre serves as a source of validation, community, and even a self-esteem boost for those navigating unemployment. The layoff vlogs showcase a diverse range of content. Some creators use the platform to vent about their former employers or highlight perceived wrongdoings, while others aim to leverage TikTok as a networking tool for securing their next job opportunity. This shift in behavior reflects the evolving landscape of professional communication, where social media platforms like TikTok offer unparalleled viral potential compared to more traditional avenues such as Facebook or LinkedIn. TikTok's appeal for job seekers stems from its capacity to streamline networking and job searching. Target, Chipotle, and Sweetgreen have all taken advantage of the platform for recruitment purposes. Tech recruiters indicate the import of maintaining a positive demeanor in these videos, advising job seekers to concentrate on the proactive steps they have taken to secure new employment, according to The New York Times. Read Also: Christmas in January: Philippines Celebrates Child Jesus Fiesta Legal Risks in TikTok Layoff Disclosures Despite the potential benefits, some individuals sharing details about their layoffs on TikTok may face legal repercussions, especially if they disclose sensitive information covered by severance agreements. Nevertheless, many are undeterred, viewing the platform as a powerful tool for drawing attention to important workplace issues. Simultaneously, TikTok's recent layoffs in North America, particularly in functions like brand strategy and ad operations, have raised eyebrows within the industry. The move seems surprising, given TikTok's reported robust ad revenue in the previous year. The company asserts that these layoffs are part of a broader initiative to optimize its organizational structure and align its business operations more efficiently. TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, has also experienced layoffs, signaling a broader trend within the Chinese tech sector. Other major players, such as Meta Platforms (Facebook and Instagram) and Snap Inc. (Snapchat), have implemented hiring freezes and issued profit warnings, reflecting challenges in the broader advertising and social media landscape. In the ever-changing tech industry, TikTok's recent workforce reduction is just another example of companies adjusting to the changes in the market. The future implications for employees directly affected and the wider implications for the technology sector are yet to be determined as the industry adapts to this period of change, Business Insider reported. Related Article: Multiple Chinese Spy Balloons Spotted Over Taiwan Airspace-Allegedly Part of Harassment Campaign Pro-Palestinian protesters in Melbourne, one of Australia's major cities, blocked the Victorian International Container Terminal (VICT) and the Port of Melbourne on Monday (Jan. 22), targeting the Israeli-owned shipping company ZIM, which has been trying to unload cargo. Local media cited a shipping insider claiming that businesses within the port have incurred losses in the multiple millions of dollars after protesters successfully prevented a ZIM ship from unloading and forced it to anchor offshore. According to Victoria Police, protesters' activities "escalated in recent days," prompting them to make a proportionate response, such as increasing their presence and using pepper spray toward aggressive protesters. Free Palestine Melbourne, the group organizing the protests, said in its statement that its aim was to "[block] worker shifts from entering the terminal and stranding four ships with 30,000 containers." Mohammed Helmy, one of the group's leaders, also told the Middle East Eye that the protest and blockade was a message to the state government of Victoria that the people of Melbourne were "not happy with ZIM ships being loaded from the Melbourne port." Read Also: Pro-Palestine Protesters Demonstrate In Front of ABC's HQ in Sydney Shipping Insider Admits Protests Sting Businesses Police told News Corp that they have arrested 10 people on trespass and criminal damage charges after the VICT requested their assistance in keeping protesters out of the premises. "I work in the freight industry and we currently have one effective port in Melbourne now that VICT has been blocked by protest," the insider wrote as part of messages shared by local radio station 3AW. "All of these issues combined stretching into next week will have (a) very debilitating impact." The insider added that there should be rules that protesters should not shut down major infrastructure as the current protests have already cost businesses millions of dollars. Police said that they offered to assist workers at the VICT and the Port of Melbourne to enter the terminals "to and from work via alternate routes," which the workers initially declined until Sunday afternoon (Jan. 21). According to The Age, VICT CEO Bruno Porchietto also supported police intervention as the demonstration prevented at least six vessels from different countries from operating out of the port. The industry insider also pointed out that the pro-Palestine protest was just the latest setback for Australia's shipping ports after the Maritime Union of Australia conducted a strike against port operator DP World last year. Related Article: Australia: Foreign Minister Penny Wong Allocates $21.5 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Aid for Gaza's Humanitarian Needs Last year the International Criminal Court rejected an appeal by the Philippine government and continued brutal anti-drug tactics that resulted in the deaths of thousands, which first began under President Rodrigo Duerte. Recently, the government, led by Ferdinand Marcos Jr, stated, as reported by Reuters, that they would not cooperate with the ICC investigation into these tactics that are excused by the government as being part of an ongoing drug war. "I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty. Therefore, the Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts," Marcos told reporters, reiterating his earlier position. Philippines Rejects ICC Probe Marcos further stated that he invited ICC investigators to come visit but that they would need to do so without the cooperation of the Philippine government. Vice President Sara Buterte echoed the position, which was also held by her father, the former president. "Allowing the ICC to conduct its probe in our country, in brazen violation of the constitution, is an absolute surrender of our birthright as a sovereign nation," Salvador Panelo, Duterte's former presidential spokesperson, told Reuters. The Phillippines withdrew from the International Tribunal four years ago, after then President Duterte questioned the authority of an international body to investigate their war on drugs. According to police, 6,200 "dealers" were killed after resisting arrest. Thousands more low-level dealers were gunned down, but authorities say these were vigilante killings. Rights groups and some victims accuse the police of systematic cover-ups and executions, which they deny. In November, Marcos said he was studying the Philippines' return to the ICC's fold, months after saying he would cut off contact with the tribunal. Marcos said questions over jurisdiction and sovereignty were of great concern for the Philippines. "Now if we can solve these problems, then that would be something else, but those questions are fundamental," Marcos said. When Sweden initially first made its bid to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Turkey put off the vote and asked for additional "security concessions" from Sweden before it voted. Turkey had objected to the inclusion of Sweden and Finland, each of which applied for NATO inclusion following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Hungary was another country that pushed against the Nordic states joining the military alliance-though Finland would eventually be voted in. However, according to Reuters, Turkey is slated to approve Sweden's membership after delays lasting nearly two years. As soon as Turkey's general assembly votes in favor of the move, President Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign it into law within days. This will leave Hungary the only dissenting vote to Sweden's inclusion. Hungary, whose parliament is in recess until February, had pledged to not be the lone holdout. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has stated that an invitation was sent to his Swedish counterpart to negotiate other measures that could help the country join the military bloc. "I don't see any reason to negotiate in the current situation, though ... we can have a dialogue and continue to discuss questions," Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told Swedish news agency TT. Turkey, which had criticized sanctions imposed on Moscow due to the war in Ukraine, while also opposing the war, cautioned that the inclusion of Sweden and Finland had the potential to antagonize Russia. When Sweden and Finland asked to join NATO in 2022, Turkey unexpectedly objected over what it said was the two countries' protection of groups that Ankara deems terrorists. Finally, Turkey endorsed membership for Finland last year but kept Sweden waiting. Ankara urged Stockholm to crack down on local members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, which both the European Union and the United States characterize as terrorists. Sweden, Finland, Canada, and the Netherlands also took steps to relax Turkey's arms-export policies. Merrie Monzingo, left, danced with United employee Peaches Sullivan as she gets ready to check in at the C Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 in Houston. Record holiday travel in 2023 helped push Houston Airports to an all-time passenger volume record over the course of the year. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Passenger drop off their baggage in the C Terminal at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 in Houston. United expects more than 50,000 passengers, operating more than 400 flights a day through Houston, during the holiday season, a United spokesperson said. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Vehicles make their way into the airport at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 in Houston. United expects more than 50,000 passengers, operating more than 400 flights a day through Houston, during the holiday season, a United spokesperson said. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Houston Airports set a record for number of passengers in 2023, the system announced Monday, describing the news as a sign that George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports have officially recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. About 60.1 million people traveled through IAH and Hobby last year, Houston Airports said. That's an increase of more than 10% compared with 2022 passenger volumes, and it beats the previous annual passenger record of 59.7 million who traveled through Houston Airports in 2019. "We are thrilled to celebrate the record-setting passenger total at Houston Airports in 2023 and we thank each and every passenger for choosing our airports as part of their flight plans, Mario Diaz, director of aviation for Houston Airports, said in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More than three-quarters of the 2023 passengers, 46.1 million, traveled through IAH, with 14 million moving through Hobby. About 12.5 million passengers were bound for destinations abroad, Houston Airports said. Mexico stood out as the biggest international market for growth, with 2.5 million passengers connecting from Houston to Mexico, an increase of 27% compared with 2019. Travel to Australia and New Zealand has surged 24% since 2019, with 74,483 passengers connecting to those countries this year. United Airlines launched its nonstop Houston-to-Sydney service in 2018. Airports around the world also are fully or nearly recovered from the pandemic. In November, passenger volumes reached 99% of levels in November 2019, according to data released this month by the International Air Transport Association. Houston Airports is planning for continued growth this year and beyond. The $1.4 billion IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program, which began in 2019 and led to some episodes of exasperating congestion as passenger travel began to rebound, is still scheduled for completion this year. And in November, United broke ground on a proposed $2.6 billion expansion of IAH's Terminal B, although the city has yet to certify its share of funding for the project. The Houston Ship Channel is home to hundreds of petrochemical facilities that had been overseen by an anti-terrorism program at the Department of Homeland Security until last summer. Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle WASHINGTON Hundreds of petrochemical facilities operate along the Houston Ship Channel, holding a smorgasbord of toxic chemicals such as chlorine and hydrogen cyanide that if released in significant quantities could cause death in a matter of minutes. For almost two decades, a little known program at the Department of Homeland Security set security standards and assisted plant managers in securing their facilities against terrorists gaining access to those chemicals. That was until last July, when Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., held up the reauthorization of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program, forcing the Biden administration to disband it. As a result, chemical plants along the Ship Channel and across the country are having to do without the DHS guidance and oversight, losing access to critical tools that, among other things, help them protect their systems against cyber attack and allow them to check would-be contractors and employees against classified databases maintained by federal law enforcement agencies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The threat and risk is constantly changing and you cant expect critical infrastructure to go it alone, said Kelly Murray, associate director of chemical security at Homeland Security. We all acknowledge the threat and risk is real and the consequences are real. An attack on one of these facilities could have devastating effects. Chemical plants with large quantities of toxic and explosive substances on site make an alluring target for terrorists, either those seeking to turn the plant itself into a dirty bomb that could contaminate homes and businesses for miles or to steal chemicals in order to build an explosive device like the one used in the 2017 suicide bombing at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. Before it was shuttered, the program over the past eight years had vetted close to half a million people seeking to gain access to U.S. chemical plants, blocking 10 known or suspected terrorists during that time, according to Homeland Security. Without DHS assistance and guidance, the Houston Ship Channel and other petrochemical complexes are simply not as safe, chemical companies say. We're worried now this has gone on so long, said Scott Jensen, a spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, a trade group. We have a pretty good working relationship with DHS on security matters and their site inspectors have become experts and weve come to value that expertise. The holdup in Congress shows little sign of abating. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As ranking member on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Paul, a libertarian, has so far managed to unilaterally hold up reauthorization despite objection from almost every member of his own party. The House voted in July to reauthorize the chemical program almost unanimously, with one dissenting vote from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. Reauthorizing the CFATS program to ensure secure handling of hazardous materials should be a no-brainer, Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. Failure to do so has left 3,200 chemical facilities and each of their communities across the U.S. vulnerable to terrorists attacks. Pauls office did not respond to an email for comment. Last year he told Bloomberg News nobody will notice when the program ends. People have had 20 years to harden their facilities, he said. You think theyre going to run out and tear down their fence with the razor wire on the top? Nothings going to change. For those living around the ship channel, the chemical facilities serve as an important but potentially dangerous source of jobs and revenue for their communities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Morgans Point Mayor Michael Bechtel said while he wasnt aware of the programs lapse it was something, we probably ought to know. You can look at the track record for the last 75, hundred years youve had minimal bad experiences, he said. Anything can happen at any time, but you have the best people in the world taking care of business every day. For now, the Homeland Security inspectors and other staff that used to keep an eye on chemical plants' security are being reassigned. If and when Congress reauthorizes the program, teams will have to be rebuilt and standards updated to account for the advances in terrorism since they shut down last summer, Murray, of Homeland Security, said. Weve been saying were six months behind, but I suspect its more like a year backlog, she said. " Weve missed over 900 inspections, and we know its going to take an industry awhile to get up to speed. David J. Scott Named Special Agent in Charge of Criminal/Cyber Division at the Washington Field Office Director Christopher Wray has named David J. Scott as the special agent in charge of the Criminal/Cyber Division of the Washington Field Office. He most recently served as deputy assistant director for the Cyber Division. Mr. Scott entered on duty as a special agent with the FBI in 2003 and was assigned to the Louisville Field Office, where he worked on a variety of criminal matters and served as a member of the SWAT team. In 2006, Mr. Scott transferred to the Washington Field Office and investigated numerous violations, including organized crime, counterterrorism, public corruption, and white-collar crime. In 2012, he was promoted to supervisory special agent within the International Terrorism Operations Section. In 2014, he was promoted to unit chief, where he provided program management for all international terrorism investigations in the Northeastern United States. In 2016, Mr. Scott was promoted to supervisory special agent in the Washington Field Office overseeing the Joint Terrorism Task Force. In 2018, Mr. Scott was selected as assistant special agent in charge for the Washington Field Office Counterterrorism Division, where he was responsible for overseeing all international terrorism threats to the National Capital Region. In March 2020, he was promoted to the Senior Executive Service as the section chief for the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, where he oversaw the Public Corruption, International Corruption, Civil Rights, and International Human Rights programs. In 2021, he was named deputy assistant director of the Cyber Division at FBI Headquarters. In this latest role, he was responsible for the divisions operational branch and served as the director of the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force. Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Scott was an Infantry Officer in the United States Army. He earned a bachelors in business administration from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a masters in administration of justice from the University of Louisville. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Int'l society unswervingly adheres to one-China principle Xinhua) 09:42, January 23, 2024 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Governments, political parties and international organizations around the world have recently issued statements and communiques, expressing their firm adherence to the one-China principle. As its consistent position, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) respects and supports the one-China principle, said ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, noting that the above position has been expressed by ASEAN many times before. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia noted that "Malaysia has always, and will continue, to adhere to the 'one-China Policy' that has been the basis of this strong and mutually-beneficial partnership." The Arab Parliament reiterated its position on supporting the one-China principle, and its opposition to the so-called "Taiwan independence" and interference in the internal affairs of China. Stressing that the one-China principle is well-established in the foreign policy of the Arab side, the parliament said it has always firmly adhered to this position. Backing China's legitimate rights to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, the parliament noted that the recent elections that took place in the Taiwan region will not affect the Arab side's adherence to the one-China principle. Beninese Foreign Minister Shegun Adjadi Bakari said that the Beninese government always adheres to the one-China principle, supports the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and firmly supports China's efforts to safeguard regional peace and stability. Malawian Foreign Minister Nancy Tembo said that the Malawian government reiterates its adherence to the one-China principle and opposes interference in China's internal affairs. Cote d'Ivoire's position on the Taiwan question is clear and definite: there is only one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China, said President of Cote d'Ivoire Alassane Ouattara, noting that Cote d'Ivoire would continue to abide by the one-China principle. Fernando Miguel, director of the Office of the Ministry of External Relations of Angola, said that the one-China principle is the cornerstone of China-Angola relations. Angola firmly upholds the one-China principle, opposes all "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, opposes external interference in China's internal affairs, and supports the just cause of the Chinese people for national reunification, he said. Stressing that the Taiwan regional election outside the framework of "one country, two systems" is not in the interests of all Chinese people, and that the Democratic Progressive Party is a separatist party endangering global stability and the future of Taiwan, Eswatini's largest opposition party, the People's United Democratic Movement, condemned the Eswatini government for maintaining so-called "diplomatic relations" with a Chinese province, and appreciates the right choice of the Nauru government to "sever diplomatic relations" with the Taiwan authorities. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said that the Irish government has always adhered to the one-China principle and hoped that China could realize peaceful reunification at an early date. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Barbados Kerrie Symmonds said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, the Barbados side has always adhered to the one-China principle universally recognized by the international community, which means there is only one China in the world. Barbados only recognizes and maintains diplomatic relations with the government of the People's Republic of China, and Taiwan is part of China, Symmonds said. The Barbados government firmly adheres to the one-China principle and believes that China will eventually be reunified, Symmonds stressed. Yeidckol Polevnsky, president of the Mexico-China Friendship Group of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies, member of the Chamber of Deputies, and former general secretary of the ruling National Regeneration Movement party of Mexico, said that there is only one China in the world, and the one-China principle has been confirmed by the United Nations and supported by the overwhelming majority of countries. Taiwan is not a country, and it is an integral part of China's territory, Polevnsky said. Cyprus, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada and other countries, as well as the Bolivia-China Friendship Association, have also expressed their continued adherence to the one-China principle by various means. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Balcara at Meridiana, a single-family rental community, recently opened in Rosharon south of Houston. Balcara Group Rental homes range in size from 1,700 to 1,770 square feet within Balcara at Meridiana. Balcara Group An amenity center within the Balcara at Meridiana community. Balcara Group Balcara at Meridiana, a single-family rental community, recently opened in Rosharon south of Houston. Balcara Group A 114-unit build-to-rent community is opening south of Houston, adding to the growing trend of single-family rental projects across the region. Residents recently began moving into Balcara at Meridiana, a single-family rental community built by Balcara Group about 25 miles south of Houston, near Highway 288 and County Road 56 in Rosharon. Balcaras strategy has always been to locate within superb master plans and provide a complimentary, no-maintenance lifestyle choice to residents in a great, family-oriented environment. The growth and future of the area is confirmed by the recent opening of Manvel Town Center anchored by a large H-E-B, said Paul Davey, CEO of Balcara Group, in an email. Manvel Town Center is about 5 miles away. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After launching leasing in November, Balcara at Meridiana is 15% leased, Davey said. Rents start at $2,450 after various specials the landlord is offering; without discounts, rents will range $2,795 to $2,995. The average lease price for a single-family home in Houston was $2,207 in December, according to Houston Association of Realtors. Balcara Group is seeking to target so-called renters by choice, who want to rent rather than buy a home but still want to experience the single-family home lifestyle. The community includes three- and four-bedroom houses of 1,700 square feet to 1,770 square feet. Every home has a fenced backyard and two-car garage. Residents also will have access to an amenity center featuring a fitness center, billiard room, childrens playroom, pool, playground and dog park. Real estate firm Greystar will manage the community. The project is Balcara Groups latest single-family rental project in the Houston area. In 2021, Balcara Group sold a 163-home project in Humble, called Balcara at Balmoral, to Fundrise, an online real estate investment platform. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Once Balcara at Meridiana is leased up, Balcara Group will evaluate whether to refinance the community or sell it, Davey said. The developer is continuing to look for additional development sites for new single-family rental communities. Several build-to-rent communities have popped up across Houston in recent years, such as Wingspan in Bridgeland in Cypress, Willow at Marvida in Cypress and Willow at Sierra Vista in Rosharon. Mark S. Wicks, the owner of the Hot Bagel Shop, died at the age of 62. Courtesy of Sarah Wicks Mark Stephen Wicks, owner of the Hot Bagel Shop, died unexpectedly Jan. 13 at the age of 62. The Wicks family shared the news with the public in a Facebook post on Monday. The exact cause of death is still unknown, his daughter Sarah Wicks told the Houston Chronicle. She said her father went to a doctor about four days before he died because he felt ill and was having trouble breathing. Tests ran didn't reveal any particular illness and he was sent home with antibiotics. He had been feeling sick since around Thanksgiving, but it didn't progress until the week he died, she said. Up until that doctor's visit, he had been working in the popular River Oaks-area bagel shop; it was his life's work. He had just been thinking about retirement days before he died because he had been feeling unwell, Sarah said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mark Wicks moved to Houston from New Jersey around 1980 with his brother, Donald Wicks. Having worked in bagel shops in the East Coast, their mother gave them the idea to open up their own place when they moved. In 1984, they opened the Hot Bagel Shop. Mark Wicks, Virginia Wicks and Donnie Wicks show off bagels in their family owned Hot Bagel Shop on July 18, 2000. Betty Tichich/Houston Chronicle In the early days, customers would see Mark working the front counter and making the bagels. Although he was an introvert, people got to know him over his 40 years of running the business. Sarah called their customers family. The bagel shop has since moved locations and his daughters, Sarah and Laura, have been working in the family business. They will be given Mark's share of the company, co-owning with their uncle. A memorial table has been set up at the shop, 2015 S. Shepherd, to remember Mark. The Wicks want to make sure his memory stays alive with the business he loved. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mark Wicks, standing on the top of his truck, puts up a sign using a stencil kit outside his "Hot Bagel Shop" on South Shepherd in Houston. The kit only had one 'H' and one 'O.' Therefore, he improvised with an 'N' and a 'C.' Ben DeSoto/Houston Chronicle "I don't ever want his memory to disappear from here," Sarah said. "This was his life, I want it to be respected in that way. He was a very hard-working man." The Macys building at the Memorial City Mall, on Friday, June 30, 2023 in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A 61-year-old Texas man filed a lawsuit against retailer Macys and the parent company of Sunglass Hut after claiming a case of misidentification led to him being sexually assaulted while falsely imprisoned in Houston for a robbery he didnt commit. Harvey Eugene Murphy Jr. claims he was wrongly arrested and jailed after the companies used facial recognition software to identify him as a suspect in a January 2022 armed robbery of a Sunglass Hut in Houston, according to a news release from Rusty Hardin & Associates. Hes seeking $10 million. A Macys spokesperson said the retailer has no comment on pending litigation. The Chronicle also reached out to Sunglass Hut parent company EssilorLuxottica but did not receive a response. Advertisement Article continues below this ad BACKLOG OF SEXUAL ASSAULT CASES: Delays, backlogs in Harris County sexual assault investigations uncovered in new report Murphy claims he couldnt have robbed the Sunglass Hut because he was living in California at the time, the law firms release said. The robbery involved two men who pointed a gun at a store manager and ran off with thousands of dollars in cash and sunglasses. During the Houston police investigation, EssilorLuxotticas head of loss prevention said the company worked alongside its partner, Macys, to positively identify Murphy as the robber by using facial recognition software, according to the release. When Murphy returned to Texas and renewed his drivers license, he was subsequently arrested and taken to Harris County Jail. The Harris County District Attorneys Office determined on Nov. 3 that Murphy was not involved in the robbery, but before his release, Murphy claims he was sexually assaulted in the jail, leaving him with lifelong injuries. Attorney Daniel Dutko of Rusty Hardin & Associates said he did not report the assault out of fear of retaliation. Mr. Murphys story is troubling for every citizen in this country, Dutko said in the release. Any person could be improperly charged with a crime based on error-prone facial recognition software just as he was. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Murphys attorneys said issues in the investigation included using error-prone facial recognition software and low-quality cameras, which led to an increased possibility of error. His attorneys also said that EssilorLuxotticas loss prevention team may have tainted the investigation by talking to a Sunglass Hut employee before she identified Murphy in a police photo lineup. Bob Casey United States Court House is photographed on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Former Arcola police officer Hector Aaron Ruiz, 24, faces two charges of sexual assault and official oppression arising from traffic stops last year. Prosecutors allege that Ruiz sexually assaulted one female motorist after a traffic stop, and sexually assaulted another woman after giving her a ride home when her husband was arrested for drunken driving. Courtesy Photo A former Arcola police officer pleaded guilty Friday to kidnapping a 26-year-old Pasadena woman he pulled over in 2019 and allegedly sexually assaulted. Hector Aaron Ruiz admitted to stopping the woman around 2 a.m. Nov. 16 and making her follow him in her vehicle to a subdivision in Fort Bend County, according to court documents. In court, the woman testified to feeling helpless as Ruiz then entered the passenger side of her vehicle, laid his gun holster belt in between them, and unzipped his pants before allegedly assaulting her. Ruiz pleaded guilty to willfully depriving the victim of her constitutional rights. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Defense attorney Nicole DeBorde said Ruiz pleaded guilty to Count One of the indictment deprivation of rights under color of law. Court records show the guilty plea to the kidnapping charge does include admission of sexually assaulting the woman through kidnapping. Ruiz is still facing sexual assault charges in Fort Bend County in the previous case. LAPORTE POLICE CHIEF DIED: La Porte Police Chief Doug Ditrich died in tree-cutting accident in Sabine County The guilty plea comes eight months after a separate trial in which a jury found Ruiz guilty of obstructing, destroying and altering records during a separate traffic stop the same year. In that case, a Fort Bend woman alleged that the patrolman raped her in her home an accusation that Ruiz was found not guilty of by a jury. In the latest case, the woman testified that Ruizs actions resulted in her being diagnosed with anxiety, acute PTSD and insomnia. During the crime, the woman said she was in panic survival mode. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I dont like getting in a car or going nowhere, the woman told the jury. Ruizs defense attorneys, DeBorde and Javier Martinez, tried to discredit the women during the trial. The attorneys also called character and expert witnesses in Ruizs defense. Houston police respond to a scene. Staff file photo A disproportionate number of Black residents were seriously injured by use of force, Houston Police Department numbers show. Claire Hao / Contributor The fact that nearly a quarter of Houston residents who are Black made up 61% of those seriously injured by police in 2023 is not a shocking statistic to local activists, nor does it make Houston unique among major cities when it comes to use of force. The increase in harmful interactions between communities of color and law enforcement is both alarming and concerning, but not surprising, said RoShawn Evans, the organizing director of Houston-based Pure Justice, a nonprofit organization aimed at reforming institutions that perpetuate injustices. MORE ON ISSUE: HPDs use of force incidents that cause major injuries disproportionately affect Black residents Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Black Houstonians are over-represented in statistics found on the Houston Police Departments transparency hub, the numbers plummeted from around 80% to 61% after an internal audit of the numbers in response to a Chronicle inquiry. Melissa Cummins, deputy director of the office of planning and data governance for the Houston Police Department, said Friday the department released revised numbers after reviewing the data on the hub and realizing some incidents had been recorded multiple times. After the review, the hub showed around 4,555 reported uses of force against people in 2023. Of those, around 55% were committed against Black residents, with 39 incidents, or 61%, involving serious bodily injury, records show. Even with the correction, those violent encounters with police were up 27% from the year before. Cummins said the instant reporting of the data on the live tracker means it's published before its thoroughly vetted. The quicker you publish data, the more risk there is inherent in publishing it. The less time there is to review the numbers, she said. Police department administrators must balance transparency and a desire to show the public the most up-to-date information with ensuring the accuracy of the data, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Of the 4,555 use of force incidents in 2023, around 30% were to Hispanic residents, around 12% were white and around 1% were Asian, records show. Data previously showed around 72% of those who suffered serious bodily injury in 2022 and 63% of those who died since 2020 were Black, according to the hub. Officers who reported incidents of use of force were 37% white, 37% Hispanic and 16.88% Black. Evans said hes heard from Houstonians that theyve seen instances of overpolicing and abuses of power in recent months. We believe community safety includes being safe from excessive force used by law enforcement, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Keith Taylor, an adjunct assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said it was good the Houston Police Department keeps statistics on use of force, but that law enforcement agencies nationwide have struggled to improve their relationships with minority communities in recent years, despite efforts to change rules and regulations. Black residents made up around 50% of those seriously injured by police in New York City, according to the citys dashboard. Black residents make up around 23% of the citys population, the latest census data show. The Chicago Police Department dashboard did not appear to break up serious injuries, but showed around 72% of use of force incidents was against Black residents, who make up around 29% of the citys population. I think, unfortunately, efforts made in the past sometimes have had a limited impact in addressing police culture, Taylor said. You can have laws and regulations on the books that officers are supposed to follow. But if that isnt reflected in the culture, leadership and lack of accountability for their actions, then youre not going to see an improvement. The professor pointed to positive efforts the city of Houston has made in recent years to introduce policies suggested by a campaign called 8 Cant Wait. Since 2020, the Houston Police Department has introduced policies requiring deescalation training, banning chokeholds and requiring officers to exhaust all other options before using firearms, according to the campaigns website. The department already had existing policies on use of force training, a duty to intervene and comprehensive reporting requirements. These are all measures that are associated with a reduction in police misconduct, he said. But they dont always directly correlate to a decline in use of force and other issues, Taylor explained, citing similar rises in New York City. Breaking news Houston Chronicle A 17-year-old on Sunday was charged with murder over the death of a gas station employee who was shot while chasing after a pair suspected of shoplifting in Humble last week. Mario Young, 17, of Humble, was charged with murder and was being held at the Harris County Jail on Monday afternoon. Young is one of the people Humble police said was involved in the Jan. 19 death of Asif Maknojia, 42, a worker at the Sunoco gas station in U.S. 59 in Humble. Advertisement Article continues below this ad MORE ON HOUSTONCHRONICLE.COM: La Porte Police Chief Doug Ditrich killed in Sabine County accident Maknojia was shot after he chased after two people suspected of shoplifting a bag of chips from the store, according to Houston TV station ABC 13. Maknojia got into his car and followed the two men, who were on foot, according to police A witness told police he saw Maknojia pull up alongside the two men as they waited to cross the street, and then heard gunshots and saw the men running from the car, according to court records. Maknojia suffered a gunshot to his right side and died in his car, police said After the shooting, police released security camera images of the two suspects, asking for help identifying and locating the men. After the images were released, police received a tip identifying one of the men, who the tipster said wasn't the shooter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two people on Sunday night turned themselves in to police at the Houston Police Department related to the the shooting. The Humble police department on Sunday said two people were in custody related to Maknojia's death, but as of Monday only Young had been charged. The annual rankings from Children At Risk , an education nonprofit, are typically released a few months after the Texas Education Agencys A-F Accountability ratings. However, this year the states ratings are postponed due to a lawsuit over a new formula to calculate district grades, meaning the nonprofits 2023 rankings provide a first glimpse into school performance in the 2022-23 school year. More than 80% of Houston-area high schools performed worse in the 2022-23 school year than in 2021-22, according to new Children At Risks rankings released Monday. Top Houston high schools The Texas nonprofit assigns rankings using four metrics for high schools. The first three are based on STAAR scores raw student achievement, achievement relative to poverty levels and year-over-year student growth. The fourth metric is college readiness, which evaluates how well schools are preparing their students for college. Schools are given both a numeric rank and a letter grade from the nonprofit as a part of the yearly rankings. Letter grades and ranks are both assigned based on the schools average scores across the metrics. Grades are based on a scale from A+ to F, and ranks based on how a campus score compares to other elementary, middle and high schools in the state. Angela Hernandez, 17, left, and Naylie Leal, 17, both seniors, prepare for a project in their AP Macroeconomics class at Young Women's College Prep, 1906 Cleburne St., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Jesus Guardado speaks during a Model UN exercise during John Sigren's social studies class at HISD's Sharpstown International School on Wednesday, May 9, 2018, in Houston. HISDs Sharpstown International School is the No. 8 ranked high school in the region in the report card, and the only school in the top 10 with more than 1,000 students. Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle James Hopson, left, and Andre Shackelford teach in their respective classrooms at North Houston Early College High School Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 in Houston. Schools across Houston and the country struggled to adjust to changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Children at Risks ratings show some campuses were better situated to handle the disruption than others. Children at Risk's annual rankings labeled North Houston Early College High School as "pandemic" proof for earning A and B accountability ratings for three years in a row while also serving high rates of economically disadvantaged students. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer DeBakey seniors Zain Kundi, left, and Sebastian Foster stand outside their high school on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023 in Houston. The two are enrolled in AP Physics class that does not have an instructor, leaving the students to teach themselves the college-level material. Elizabeth Conley/Staff Photographer Tabitha Davis, principal, right, listens as Naylie Leal, 17, senior, left, talks at Young Women's College Prep, 1906 Cleburne St., Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Students of Carnegie Vanguard High School graduate on Tuesday, May 30, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer MAIN TAKEAWAYS: Houston schools see widespread performance drops in new rankings Advertisement Article continues below this ad Unlike TEA ratings, Children At Risk does not include military or career readiness in its high school scoring metrics. Bob Sanborn, Children At Risks president and CEO, said that the nonprofit is focused on breaking the cycle of poverty for Texas children and that the data supports college-attendance as a critical component in meeting that goal. Of the 199 high schools ranked by Children At Risk this year, 157 of the schools scores dropped compared to 2022. Only 35 area high schools improved compared to the year before. The remaining seven schools did not have data available from last year for comparison. Houston ISD high schools accounted for eight of the areas best-performing schools, with several of the campuses ranking in the top 20 in the state. Of the Houston ISD high schools that received A grades from Children At Risk this year, none were comprehensive campuses. Each high-performing campus is part of HISD's school choice portfolio. Significant score drops were expected this year as STAAR performance returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Texas Education Agency delayed releasing its 2023 accountability ratings this year due to the unexpectedly high number of schools that would have seen their accountability grades decline with the changes, largely due to drops in the academic growth category. Students work on their laptops as they attend virtual Houston Community College classes in the NHECHS Cafe at North Houston Early College High School Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021 in Houston. Schools across Houston and the country struggled to adjust to changes forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, but Children at Risks ratings show some campuses were better situated to handle the disruption than others. Children at Risk's annual rankings labeled North Houston Early College High School as "pandemic" proof for earning A and B accountability ratings for three years in a row while also serving high rates of economically disadvantaged students. Brett Coomer/Staff photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad After declines in the early pandemic, many campuses experienced large upticks in their academic growth scores in 2022 after students returned to classrooms and performed better on the STAAR. A large number of campus and district scores were expected to drop this year as the scores stabilized. Many schools experienced drops in campus performance, Children At Risks metric that gauges how well a school is doing relative to its poverty level. According to Sanborn, while low-income students had been showing steady improvements over time, this was the first year scores either plateaued or declined. The annual rankings from Children At Risk , an education nonprofit, are typically released a few months after the Texas Education Agencys A-F Accountability ratings. However, this year the states ratings are postponed due to a lawsuit over a new formula to calculate district grades, meaning the nonprofits 2023 rankings provide a first glimpse into school performance in the 2022-23 school year. Half of Houston-area elementary schools performed worse in the 2022-23 school year than in 2021-22, according to new Children At Risks rankings released Monday. Top elementary schools Fort Bend ISD's Commonwealth Elementary School was ranked No. 1 among the nearly 4,000 elementary schools scored statewide by Children At Risk. The school was ranked No. 2 last year behind only Jesus A. Kawas Elementary School in Laredo ISD, which dropped all the way to No. 24 this year. Nearly 75% of Commonwealth Elementary's students are Asian and just 11% are considered low-income, giving the Sugar Land campus an unusual demographic profile for the Houston area. For elementary and middle schools, the Texas nonprofit assigns rankings using three metrics from each schools STAAR scores: raw student achievement, achievement relative to poverty levels and year-over-year student growth. Schools are given both a numeric rank and a letter grade from the nonprofit as a part of the yearly rankings. Letter grades and ranks are both assigned based on the schools average scores across the metrics. Grades are based on a scale from A+ to F, and ranks based on how a campus score compares to other elementary, middle and high schools in the state. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Of the 788 Houston-area elementary schools ranked by Children At Risk this year, 398 performed worse than last year, and 367 performed better. The remaining 23 schools did not have data available from last year for comparison. One notable improvement in rankings this year was at Bess Campbell Elementary in Lamar CISD. The elementary school jumped from No. 97 in the state in 2022 all the way to No. 3 in 2023. Several Houston-area elementary schools showed steep declines in their Children At Risk performances this year. Anderson Elementary in Spring ISDs total score dropped 32 points from 68.5 in 2022 to 36.3 in 2023. Meanwhile, Houston ISDs Osborne and Blackshear elementary schools had the second and third largest drops among Houston-area elementary schools, with each campus scores dropping just over 31 points this year. Significant score drops were expected this year as STAAR performance returned to pre-pandemic levels. The Texas Education Agency delayed releasing its 2023 accountability ratings this year due to the unexpectedly high number of schools that would have seen their accountability grades decline with the changes, largely due to drops in the academic growth category. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After declines in the early pandemic, many campuses experienced large upticks in their academic growth scores in 2022 after students returned to classrooms and performed better on the STAAR. A large number of campus and district scores were expected to drop this year as the scores stabilized. CHILDREN AT RISK RANKING: Houstons best and worst high schools in 2023 Many schools experienced drops in campus performance, Children At Risks metric that gauges how well a school is doing relative to its poverty level. According to Sanborn, while low-income students had been showing steady improvements over time, this was the first year scores either plateaued or declined. TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) announced on Monday the amendment of 34 ministerial ordinances under its jurisdiction, aiming to revise regulations that specify the use of floppy disks as a storage medium. One individual commented saying, "It's about time, though there is a sense of nostalgia. Government offices were probably the last ones using them." Another added, "Using floppy disks now seems anachronistic." Digital Minister Taro Kono remarked, "There are instances where floppy disks are still required for submitting documents to the administration. People wonder where they can even buy floppy disks nowadays. Such requirements need to be reviewed promptly." Two years ago, the Digital Agency requested various ministries to revise regulations mandating applications and other procedures via floppy disks. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has stated, "By June of this year, we aim to eliminate all such analog regulations." Source: ANN TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Japan's high-speed Shinkansen network continues to face service suspensions due to overhead line troubles, with restoration efforts aimed at resuming services by the first train Wednesday morning. According to JR East, at around 10 AM on Tuesday morning, a power outage occurred between Ueno Station in Tokyo and Oyama Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen, and between Ueno and Kumagaya stations on the Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines. As a result, 283 Shinkansen trains in Tohoku, Joetsu, and Hokuriku regions were suspended, affecting more than 120,000 people. The outage caused a Shinkansen to stop between Ueno and Omiya stations, approximately two kilometers from Omiya Station. Passengers were quickly evacuated from the train onto the tracks below the elevated line. The interior of the halted Shinkansen bore a dramatic scene spider-web cracked windows. One passenger, who was traveling from Kanazawa to Tokyo, couldn't believe how suddenly the train stopped: "It was so quick, it took me by surprise." A passenger who disembarked described the experience: "The train halted suddenly just before 10 AM, followed by a power outage announcement. The carriage became hot." JR East has not confirmed a timeline for full restoration but is working towards resuming operations with the first train tomorrow. As repair work continued throughout the afternoon, two male workers, who were engaged in restoration work near the halted Shinkansen train, were electrocuted and subsequently hospitalized. A loud explosion and smoke were observed near the site where the Shinkansen was stopped. A man in his fifties sustained serious injuries, while another in his forties suffered minor injuries. Both individuals were transported to a hospital in Saitama City, where they are currently receiving medical treatment. Source: ANN Ishikawa, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Noto Airport in Wajima City, Ishikawa Prefecture, which had suffered damage such as cracks in the runway due to the effects of the Noto Peninsula earthquake, has completed emergency restoration work, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The airport will allow the landing and takeoff of civilian aircraft starting from January 25th. All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced the resumption of flights between Haneda Airport and Noto Airport starting from January 27th. The company has stated that until the end of next month, there will be one round trip each on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Decisions regarding the schedule from March onwards will be made based on the progress of recovery in the disaster-affected areas. The restoration of Noto Airport is a significant step towards recovery for the region, which relies on air transportation for both passenger travel and the movement of goods. The resumption of flights by ANA is expected to facilitate not only local residents' needs but also support tourism and business activities that have been hindered since the earthquake. The limited flight schedule reflects the ongoing process of rebuilding, but it also marks a hopeful moment for the community as it works towards normalcy. The airline will continue to monitor the situation and adjust operations as necessary to support the area's recovery efforts. Source: NHK TOKYO, Jan 24 (News On Japan) - The Emperor and Empress of Japan recently visited an exhibition featuring replicas of the treasures from the Shosoin Repository. Their Majesties arrived at the Meiji Jingu Museum in Shibuya, Tokyo, around 4:30 PM on the 23rd, where they were warmly received by the officials present. During their visit, the Emperor and Empress admired replicas of the Shosoin treasures, including a biwa (a traditional Japanese lute) intricately recreated with mother-of-pearl inlay, a project that took eight years to complete. The Emperor expressed his admiration for the beautifully adorned biwa, saying, "This is incredible." The biwa strings were made from silk threads obtained from 'Goyosan,' a sericulture process conducted at the Imperial Palace. The Empress remarked, "It's gratifying to see them being used in such a manner." Their Majesties spent over two hours at the exhibition, engaging in discussions with the attendees. As they prepared to leave, the Emperor shared his profound impression of the exhibit, commenting, "I am deeply moved by this wonderful display." This exhibition not only showcases Japans rich cultural history but also highlights the dedication to preserving and celebrating the nation's artistic heritage. The visit of the Emperor and Empress underscores the significance of these cultural treasures and the ongoing efforts to keep Japans historical legacy alive. The Shoso-in () is the treasure house of Todai-ji Temple in Nara. It currently safeguards approximately 9,000 artifacts, excluding yet-to-be-classified items. Initially established through donations from Empress Komyo, the repository's Northern section, known as the Hoku So, has been under the strict custodianship of the imperial family since its inception. Access to this segment of the Shosoin has historically been restricted, with entry granted only under the explicit permission of the imperial household. A remarkable 95% of the Shosoin's collection, encompassing a wide array of fine arts and crafts, originates from Japan's 8th century. Source: ANN KYIV, Ukraine (AP) First responders who arrived at the scene of a Russian missile attack on homes in the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa on Friday were themselves struck by a second missile, officials said. A paramedic and an emergency service worker were among the 14 people killed. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Grace Tran, left, talks with Sharon Rob, counselor, as she and other fifth graders participate in the Lunch Bunch, a counseling group, at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Third grader Ian Zheng, 9, works on a project in an English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Third graders Jackie Lee, left, and Madeline Lee, both 8-years-old, work on a project in their English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Third grader Amos You, 8, works on a project in his English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Fifth graders Camille Berghoefer, left, and Ava Grace Johnston, with Sharon Rob, counselor, right, participate in the Lunch Bunch, a counseling group, at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer A shelf of books is shown in an English Language Arts classroom at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Third grader Elora Hao, 8, works on a project in her English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer A third grader works on a computer project in an English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Backpacks are shown at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Books are shown at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., is shown Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Seven girls of different backgrounds crowded around a small table with their lunches in counselor Sharon Probas office at Commonwealth Elementary School on a recent Thursday, part of a monthly empowerment group to help students gain confidence and self esteem. The discussion topic happened to be how Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Marc Smith can succeed in his new position, which he was recently hired for weeks after the sudden departure of the district's former leader. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One prompt asked What makes someone a good leader, to which a student responded that she thinks its how you pick yourself up on a bad day. Another student was asked how Smith can make friends in this position. She answered that he can be kind to his colleagues, prompting Proba to praise her use of the word colleague. This social-and-emotional learning component is one reason Commonwealth emerged as the top elementary school in the state, according to recently released Children at Risk rankings. Teachers also have time built into the days to work with small groups of students, and administrators are laser-focused on results. While the affluent Sugar Land school has ranked highly the last 10 years, 2023 is the first year it topped the list that the nonprofit compiles to help the community understand how schools perform and where they can improve. Rankings are assigned to elementary schools using three metrics from each campus' STAAR scores: raw student achievement, achievement relative to poverty levels, and year-over-year student growth. Commonwealth's upward trajectory was unusual, as the region saw its score drop to a 46 in 2023, from 49 in 2022. And while Commonwealth received a grade of A+ from the nonprofit for its 2022-2023 performance, its district, Fort Bend ISD, received a C. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Third grader Amos Yu, 8, with teacher Alexandrea Collie works on a project in English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Down the hall from Thursdays lunch bunch, third-grade teacher Alexandrea Collie chatted with a couple students she pulled aside to provide extra support in writing structure, during a school-wide daily "enrichment hour." The rest of her gifted-and-talented English Language Arts class worked on their innovation projects, which the students are responsible for pitching, planning and presenting, to the tune of ambient music. In Collies view, this daily enrichment has been a big part of the campus recent growth. Its something I haven't seen at other schools, she said. On these days I can catch up with those students who need that additional support on certain skills STAAR is something coming up, so we just want to familiarize them with some of the questions, and I've pulled strategy groups during this time to review some of those concepts. I feel like that just really helps to meet them where they're at. Other teachers plan silent reading time or small group work for the majority of the class while they pull a few aside for supplemental learning during that enrichment hour. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The program, which began just before the pandemic, has worked well for the staff and students, Assistant Principal Cindy Snyder said. Snyder also said she credits the schools growth in part with community involvement, a luxury that many public school campuses across Houston do not have to the same degree. Parents and community members of Commonwealth students participate in hands-on science experiments weekly, they help facilitate a multicultural fair every fall and the Parent Teacher Association is a champion of the campus, Snyder said. In most ways, Commonwealth Elementary does not face the same barriers that Houstons urban campuses do. Less than 12% of students at the "A" rated school are considered economically disadvantaged, a group that trends toward less parental involvement and lower scores. About 70% of students are Asian, one of the highest populations in the region. It's growth that challenges Fort Bend ISD the most. But a recent rezoning effort has drastically reduced Commonwealths enrollment in the 2023-2024 school year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The elementary campus was used to having around 1,000 students, said principal Latecha Bogle, known as Dr. B to students. For the first time this year, its been cut to around 600. In some ways, that has aided the campus with ongoing staffing shortages, and to the delight of parents, no classes take place in the 12 portables outside the building. Its also made certain processes more efficient than planned. Latecha Bogle, principal, is shown at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Dismissal now only takes 15 minutes, Bogle said with a chuckle. Parents who were used to sitting in their car for a long time sometimes arrive late to pick up their children, anticipating a lengthy line, only to find that dismissal has ended. But having a smaller number of students could lead to other challenges, such as a skew in statistical outcomes. Bogle is biding her time to see how the data will look next year. Commonwealth's principal spends a lot of her time anticipating outcomes, perhaps another reason why the school has remained consistent in its high performance during Bogle's nine years at the helm. With Artificial Intelligence, for example, Bogle said she has to rethink how teachers grade work to ensure students are learning the skills they need and not relying on outside technologies. Now, educators have to ensure students show their work step-by-step, even when writing, so if a teacher sees a different end product than the steps to complete it, an alarm bell might go off signaling potential use of AI. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bogle has also worked with teachers on reading data and ensuring that it's never used for blame. It's about being vulnerable enough to have conversations with your administrators, or your academic specialists over data, Bogle said. Once you start looking, internally, you start peeling back the layers. Maybe it was the incorporation of this concept now being displayed in a digital format versus paper, pencil. Maybe that could explain the decline in score. We're not going to use it as an excuse, because guess what? If that was the reason, this is what we'll do to remedy, because the next time were expected to see an improvement. Third graders Rafael Quiroja, 9, left, Langdon Chiu, 8, Teddy Berghoefer, 9, and Elsa Shan, 9, right, work on a project in their English Language Arts class at Commonwealth Elementary School, 4909 Commonwealth Blvd., Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Sugar Land. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Back in Collies class, Liam Wong, 9, was working on a maze video game, inspired by his favorite Roblox game. It was harder than he initially imagined. Liam was grappling with how many levels hed be able to create and complete. Its an open-ended question, but with the enrichment/innovation hour coming to a close, it was one hed have to revisit the following day. Nearby, Theodore Teddy Berghoefer, also 9, was working on a math game. Teddy was excited to hear that his school had placed well in the Children at Risk rankings, and offered his two cents about what made the school special. The US top diplomats tour of four African countries began on Monday (22 January) with a visit to Cape Verde, as the Biden administration seeks to prove the United States is a key partner on a continent where China and Russia have sought to expand their influence. In Cape Verde, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with the island nations Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva, with the two leaders welcoming the shared values between both countries in promoting democracy, good governance, and human rights. According to the US State Department, during his Africa tour, Blinken was expected to emphasize US infrastructure investment in the continent as a way to boost two-way trade, create jobs at home and on the continent, and help Africa compete in the global marketplace. After Cape Verde, Blinken is also slated to visit Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola in a bid to show that Africa remains a priority for Washington amid a slew of global crises. This is his third international trip of the year amid Israels bloody offensive in Gaza, continuing attacks by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, and as Russias war on Ukraine heads into its third year. Blinkens tour of Africa also comes against the backdrop of mounting efforts by Russia and China, the US two major geopolitical rivals, to exert power in the continent. Describing the African nations as incredibly important countries that require US engagement, State Department spokesperson, Matt Miller, has stressed that we have challenges on the continent of Africa, but we also have a lot of opportunities that the president has made a priority, and the secretary has made a priority. Blinken is expected to discuss economic issues, as well as security, including the terrorist threat in the Sahel, including the military coup in Niger. Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have emerged as the top investment destinations in Africa for funding in 2023, as the quartet of markets collectively accounted for a dominant 68% share of the continents total investment influx last year, according to a new report. The report entitled The Africa Investment Report 2023 provides a compelling narrative of growth and expansion that Africas investment landscape is now going through. According to the report, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa have continued to solidify their positions as the Big Four destinations for funding in Africa. Kenya received the highest $806 million, followed by Egypt with $675 million, Nigeria with $575 million, and South Africa closely behind with $565 million. According to the report, these countries have continued to solidify their positions as the Big Four destinations for funding in Africa. This concentrated growth reflects these nations attractiveness for investors and their increasing role as regional hubs for international companies looking to expand across Africa. The report also highlights the vigor of emerging markets, with countries like Tunisia, Rwanda, and Ghana quickly becoming hotspots for funding, with reflects a diversifying landscape that is attracting investors to new geographies and opportunities. Another interesting insight from the report revealed that Fintech remains the biggest sector, reeling in substantial investments and accounting for 23% of total deals in 2023. The report also spotlighted other burgeoning sectors such as health, education, and agriculture, each with at least a 10% slice of the investment pie. King Mohammed VI was represented at the official inauguration ceremony of president-elect of Liberia, Joseph Boakai, by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rachid Talbi El Alami. The official investiture ceremony that took place at the Capitol Building (Parliament) was attended by several heads of state and foreign delegations, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Liberia, and several other personalities. King Mohammed VI had sent a message of congratulations to Boakai on his election as president of the Republic of Liberia. In this message, the Sovereign expressed to Boakai his warm congratulations and his sincere wishes of success in his presidential duties to serve the brotherly Liberian people and to achieve their aspirations for further progress and prosperity. The King seized this opportunity to praise the privileged bilateral relations, based on friendship and mutual esteem, and reiterated his firm determination to work together with the Liberian president-elect to strengthen and promote bilateral cooperation to serve the aspirations of the two brotherly peoples and to consolidate the unity, stability and prosperity of the African continent. Mauritania has a central role to play in Moroccos Atlantic initiative aiming to offer access to the ocean to landlocked Sahel countries and promote regional economic integration and shared development. Moroccos foreign minister Nasser Bourita made the remarks at a joint press conference in Rabat with his guest Mauritanias foreign minister Salem Ould Merzoug. King Mohammed VI had called, in a speech in November, for an international initiative to ease Sahel countries access to the Atlantic and global trade. Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Chad subscribed to the initiative at the highest level in view of its potential in unlocking the economies of the region. Bourita said Morocco backs Mauritania as a bacon of stability in the region and that the Kingdom looks forward to stronger ties. Bourita also expressed satisfaction with the partnership with Mauritania and recalled that the Kingdom is the largest African trading partner of Nouakchott. For his part, Ould Merzoug said his visit is part of the momentum expressed by the two heads of state for stronger ties. Mauritania lauds Moroccos wisdom as well as its development, he said, urging further cooperation between the two countries. He mentioned a convergence of views with Morocco on a range of regional and bilateral issues, including trade flows through trucks. There was a sharp increase in Moroccan trucks exporting fresh produce to the Mauritanian and West African market. But a recent custom duty hike led to disruption of truck traffic in the Moroccan-Mauritanian border crossing of Guerguarat. The issue of increased duties levied on some imported Moroccan agricultural products will be resolved through dialogue and consultation between the two countries, said Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug. The Mauritanian top diplomat made the remarks during his talks held Monday in Rabat with Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. Salem Ould Merzoug is visiting Morocco, carrying a verbal message from President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani to King Mohammed VI. By raising tariffs, Mauritania affected not only Moroccan exporters and transporters but also Mauritanian consumers who felt the heat with a spike in prices of Moroccan fruits and vegetables in local market. Noukchott says the new tariffs rates were decided to encourage local agricultural production. We need to find a solution through consultation, said Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug, stressing that all issues can be resolved through dialogue and consultation. I conveyed to Mr. Nasser Bourita a verbal message from Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani to King Mohammed VI, said the Mauritanian envoy, explaining that the message is part of consultations between the two countries and the two leaders. Talks with Bourita focused on latest developments on the Arab, African, Islamic, and international scene, he said, noting that relations between the two countries are based on solid foundations and shared history and are set for a promising future. For his part, Nasser Bourita hailed the excellent ties existing between the two countries, saying that King Mohammed VI has always granted great importance to strengthening cooperation with Mauritania as the North African Kingdom is Mauritanias leading commercial and economic partner. Bourita said he discussed with his Mauritanian peer the 1st ministerial meeting held by four Sahel countries (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger) in Morocco to discuss access to the Atlantic Ocean, a project that will transform the economies of these countries and the entire region. Egypt and Italy have inked an agreement for the international transport of goods by towed land vehicles, trailers, and semi-trailers, using roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) line, Arab Finance reports citing the Egyptian government. Under the deal, initialed by Minister of Transport Kamel Al-Wazir and Ambassador of Italy to Cairo Michele Quaroni, RoRo is scheduled to start during the first half (H1) of 2024. In a separate agreement, the two countries pledged to enable easy transport of goods and reduce the cost of transport and travel time between both sides. Prior to the two deal, al-Wazir announced that a logistics zone will be established behind Damietta Port, as part of implementing a comprehensive plan to make Egypt a center for global carpentry and logistics. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the German Investment Corporation (DEG), and Proparco pledged to finance the construction of the terminal. The investors vowed respectively $125 million, $120 million, $100 million, $60 million, and $50 million. Damietta Alliance Container Terminals, a special purpose vehicle (SPV), has been established by Eurogate, Contship Italia, Hapag Lloyd, MELC Group, and Ship & C.R.E.W to design, develop, operate, and maintain the terminal under a 30-year concession. The board overseeing Lincoln Countys unfolding rail park near Hershey moved Monday to start obtaining inland port authority state funds amid warnings lawmakers might tilt the playing field Omahas way. Members of the Nebraska International Port of the Plains authority board voted 8-0 to apply for an initial $5 million in funds for building more rail-park track, a locomotive to move railcars and aid with other infrastructure. The money would come from the Nebraska Department of Economic Developments Site and Building Development Fund subaccount, set up by a 2021 law allowing for up to five inland port authorities in Nebraska. State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha won passage of that law the same year lawmakers approved LB 40, which set up a different fund offering matching state funds for rail-park projects. A story in Saturdays Telegraph incorrectly linked the LB 40 fund under which $30 million toward the Hershey park has been secured with the application agreed to Monday. The North Platte Area Chamber & Development Corp. is applying its LB 40 award to other rail-park aspects. County Commissioner Chris Bruns, the County Boards liaison to the port authority board it created in 2022, told Port of the Plains members that DED leaders strongly urged them to apply to its inland port fund as soon as possible. About $10 million to $15 million in that fund hasnt been spoken for, Bruns said. Leaders of Nebraskas other approved inland port near Fremont have sought a couple of hundred thousand for a water line but no more thus far. DED leaders are concerned the (port authority aid) money will have to be turned back to the Nebraska Legislature if they cant start it flowing soon, he said. Under its revised rules, Bruns added, DED would allow Port of the Plains to apply for up to another $5 million from its port authority subaccount once an initial $5 million award is spent. Bruns outlined five priority needs for the application agreed upon by local rail-park project leaders. They start with a locomotive or railcar mover and construction of additional track within the 300-acre rail-park site so Port of the Plains can start moving and storing cars. He said the port authority would need about $7.5 million to move dirt and lay track to connect to the currently closed Union Pacific rail spur that ran to the former Greenbrier Rail Services plant. A locomotive or railcar mover could cost $600,000 to $1.2 million, he said. Other needs the Site and Building Development Fund could help pay for include freight cranes, loading and unloading equipment; a wastewater lagoon to tie into Hersheys existing sewer lagoon; and an electrical substation and power lines. Port of the Plains Chairman Vince Dugan said its time for the six-month-old board to press ahead. There are others in the state that will be competing against us aggressively, he said. Chamber President and CEO Gary Person emphasized that likelihood as he briefed the board on a surprise Unicameral proposal aimed at letting Omaha develop its own inland port. The Legislatures Urban Affairs Committee voted 6-1 Wednesday to gut and rewrite LB 164, a stalled bill currently dealing with building and energy codes, and make the measure a committee priority bill. Senators would have to approve the move. The rewritten bill would increase the maximum number of inland port authorities from five to seven, one of which would be in Omaha. The states largest city was excluded from Waynes original 2021 port authority law. A revised LB 164 would direct interest from state funds reserved for three major purposes federal COVID-19 aid, the Perkins County Canal revival and construction of a new state prison to itself be set aside for Omahas planned inland port. The State Treasurers Office also would have to redirect $119.6 million set aside in 2022 for economic projects in north and south Omaha for use in developing the inland port. The Legislatures Unicameral Update news service said McKinney, who represents north Omaha along with Wayne, told the Urban Affairs Committee that rewriting his bill would align with an Omaha City Council move to establish an inland port in his area. McKinney succeeded Wayne as the committees chairman last year. No one testified against the gut-and-replace amendment, Unicameral Update reported. But Person told the Port of the Plains board Monday that the North Platte chamber didnt learn about either the amendment or last weeks hearing until after it had taken place. Even if we had been aware of that hearing, I dont think we would have made much of a difference at the hearing, Person said. Im extremely disappointed theres potentially legislation thats going to hurt our ability to be successful, Dugan said. Person added that he doesnt think Gov. Jim Pillen will support rewriting LB 164. But he urged board members to call North Platte Sen. Mike Jacobson and other lawmakers to express their concerns that the Omaha port authority plan could shrink available state funds to build out the Hershey rail park. I told (Sen.) Jacobson its our preference that this bill not ever be adopted, he said. Enabling two more inland ports is absolutely a no-go. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips was carrying a box of coffee through the streets of Manchester, New Hampshire, on Saturday, when he briefly stopped to heckle the supporters of President Joe Biden. I know youre not going to vote for me, he said to a small crowd standing in the dirty snow. But at least Im going to be on the ballot. One politician lightly taunting anothers supporters is an unusual thing to do, but the old rules have largely been set aside in New Hampshire this year as the state party revolts against the will of the Democratic National Committee. After 50 years of the Granite State voting first, the DNC gave that perk in 2024 to South Carolina, whose large Black population better reflects the partys diverse base. (It also insulates Biden from an insurgent campaign.) But rather than move their vote to February 6, New Hampshire Democrats decided to hold their early primary anyway, escalating their tiff with the DNC, who then stripped the delegates from the primary. Without delegates, Bidens campaign stated it was obligated to comply and bailed on the whole thing. So voters showing up on Tuesday will not see his name on the ballot. The choices are Phillips and Marianne Williamson candidates hoping to capitalize on the absence of a president who is, right now, not very popular. Williamson is a self-help author who made waves in the 2020 primary with her holistic diagnosis of a country mired by the sickness of big industry. She has returned to New Hampshire with that message updated for 2024: a focus on a ceasefire in Gaza and a message that Biden is a weak candidate who is selfish to be running for reelection at 81. If Williamson, 71, has occasionally called out the president for being too old, then 55-year-old Phillips has made his whole campaign out of the issue, hoping to capitalize on the widely held concern. Hes so focused on Bidens age that he is even willing to mix metaphors talking about the weakness of the Biden campaign on Fox News. Here I am, a member of Congress, I see this train wreck occurring and someones got to say the quiet part out loud, he told Brian Kilmeade on Monday. The same thing everybody in Washington talks about quietly, behind closed doors, you get in front of TV cameras and its a totally different ballgame. Phillips has also found a few allies in Silicon Valley. His PAC has reportedly received hundreds of thousands in donations from OpenAI founder Sam Altman and others in the artificial-intelligence world. Billionaire hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman has also donated $1 million to Phillipss PAC in the hopes he could unseat Biden. This may have resulted in some changes to Phillipss policy ideas: After gaining Ackmans support, he changed the language on DEI initiatives on his campaign-policy website. And after meeting Altman last year, he started talking about AI in public a whole lot more. In New Hampshire last week, he even said he would be the first-ever AI president. Despite these donations, he is still polling behind Biden by 30 to 60 points. (Phillips, who made a killing in the gelato business before Congress, has also spent $5 million of his own money.) The Biden campaign is steadfastly refusing to comment on either campaign, probably in hopes of not elevating the presidents opponents. Adding to the unusual nature of this non-primary, there are two off-menu choices. Some progressive voters are urging Democrats to write in ceasefire as a pressure campaign for the Biden administration to pressure Israel to stop its war in Gaza. And Biden surrogates like Representative Ro Khanna and Boston mayor Michelle Wu have been visiting the state as part of a write-in campaign on behalf of the president. In an appearance in Concord on Sunday, Khanna who has not been afraid to criticize Biden in the past whipped up support for an incumbent with an approval rating below 40 percent. People will recognize the stakes and get out there, Khanna said. Theres interference out there, too. On Monday, the New Hampshire attorney generals office announced it would investigate a robocall, stating that an artificially generated voice mimicking Biden urged Democrats to stay home in an unlawful attempt to suppress the vote. As if the process for New Hampshire Democrats wasnt confusing enough. Sign Up for the Intelligencer Newsletter Daily news about the politics, business, and technology shaping our world. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. Photo: Shawn Inglima for NY Daily News via Getty Images Several participants in a pro-Palestinian rally on Columbia Universitys campus Friday alleged they were doused with a foul-smelling chemical, an act that the schools provost said is now being investigated as a possible hate crime. After the Department of Public Safety received an initial complaint late Friday night, the University immediately initiated steps to investigate the incident, and has since been actively working with local and federal authorities, Dennis A. Mitchell, Columbias interim provost, said in an email sent to Columbia and Barnard College students Monday. The New York City Police Department is taking the lead role in investigating what appear to have been serious crimes, possibly hate crimes. The incident took place during a divestment now rally on the steps of the Low Library Friday afternoon organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of pro-Palestinian student groups that reemerged after the university suspended its chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. Maia, a Columbia student, told the Columbia Spectator, that she saw two people, one in an orange jacket, coming up behind rally attendees and spraying them with something. Once they were closest to me, behind someone that was near me, I heard a little spraying sound, she said, adding it soon started smelling really bad. According to the Spectator, the universitys student newspaper, at least ten students reported physical symptoms like nausea and burning eyes. Three people said they sought medical attention. Social-media reports from the incident allege that the chemical used was Skunk, a chemical spray utilized by the Israeli Defense Forces for crowd control. Though its nonlethal, a BBC News article described the smell of Skunk in vivid terms: an overpowering mix of rotting meat, old socks that havent been washed for weeks topped off with the pungent waft of an open sewer. Members of the schools SJP chapter also claim the perpetrators were themselves former IDF soldiers who disguised themselves among the crowd by wearing keffiyehs, a scarf that has become a symbol of the Palestinian movement. As of yet, there is no evidence to back up those claims. Columbias provost said that the alleged perpetrators identified to the school have been permanently banned from the campus as the NYPD continues its investigation. Tensions have been high on Columbias campus since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war last October with pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups holding dueling protests, an Israeli student being assaulted outside a library and signatories of an open letter criticizing Israel being doxxed by a truck billboard. Actors perform during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Children dressed as Lord Ram and his three brothers and wife parade during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Attendees cheer as they parade with flags to the beat of drums during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Beyond India, the Ramayan forms an essential part of the historical and cultural narrative in various ancient Asian societies. The GSH event was attended by representatives from Philippines, China, Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as Canada and the UAE, which have a substantial Indian diaspora. Arun Mundra Children play outside of the GSH event center during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Children dressed as Lord Ram and his family smile on stage during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Mahendra Kumar lifts three-year-old Angad during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor An image of the temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Flags wave in the wind outside of the GSH Event Center during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A young girl dances on stage during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A young girl stands on a red box as she reads her writing during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Girish Naik, director of Hindus of Greater Houston, cheers during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A young boy named Cherish is dressed as Hanuman during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Shanaya Baheti, center, smiles on stage during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Girish Naik, director of Hindus of Greater Houston, speaks to the crowd during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Taral Patel reads a proclamation during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Children dressed as Lord Ram and his family smile on stage during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A young girl chants Jai Shri Ram! during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor A woman in the audience cheers and prays during a celebration of the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya at the GSH Event Center on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024, in Houston. Annie Mulligan/Contributor Indrani Parthasarathy, director of Katy-based Abhinaya School of Performing Arts, with students Manasi, Lakshmi, Ilina, Veda and Sreevaishnavi. The girls performed a traditional dance in honor of Lord Rama. Juhi Varma There are more than 40 Hindu temples in the Houston area, and on Sunday, all of them were adorned with flags and lights reminiscent of Diwali, as they collectively celebrated the "homecoming" of Lord Rama. On Jan. 21 a date selected by astrologers Hindus in the United States rejoiced in the consecration of the Ram Mandir, a splendid sandstone temple dedicated to the warrior king Rama in the Indian city of Ayodhya. The celebration takes place Jan. 22 outside the U.S. The worship of Rama, embraced by millions of Hindus worldwide, has reverberated throughout its diaspora, with the Ayodhya ceremony being broadcast at public venues around the world, including Times Square in New York. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Houstons Hindu American community celebrated the days leading up to the opening with car rallies and temple gatherings. On Sunday, the GSH Event Center in Houston welcomed almost 1,000 attendees, including numerous elected officials and dignitaries from Houston, to a vibrant event held in honor of the temple. These included traditional dance performances, plays and a childrens essay competition. Jan. 22 will be the real homecoming of (Lord) Ram after almost 500 years, read 13-year-old Aadit Mantri, a student at Garcia Middle School. This is the true victory of truth over falsehood, a tribute to all the devotees who sacrificed their lives while fighting to preserve our cultural heritage. The history and construction narrative of the Ram Temple have been marked by controversies and obstacles. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The site held Babri Masjid, a mosque built in 1527. Many Hindus have argued that Mughal ruler Babur ordered the ancient Hindu temple be torn down and the mosque be built in its place. During the Mughal era in India, acts of iconoclasm were not uncommon, as certain rulers saw it as a conquest ritual to dismantle ancient temples and replace them with mosques. Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 by a Hindu mob, and riots in the aftermath led to thousands of deaths. In 2019, the Supreme Court of India upheld that the contested land was indeed the birthplace of Rama according to the faith and scriptures of Hindus. The court further recognized that the Babri mosque was erected after the demolition of a Hindu temple and that its construction did not conform to the tenets of Islam. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Supreme Court allocated 5 acres in Ayodhya for the building of a new mosque, situated approximately 15 miles from the temple site. For Hindus, the Ram Mandir represents the end of a 500-year struggle and is viewed as a reconstruction of a torn-down ancient temple instead of the construction of a new temple. The dedication of the new temple is seen by Hindus as the beginning of a new era, another Ram Rajya meaning rule of Lord Rama." A total of 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current (past 30-day) e-cigarette use in 2022, according to study the FDA and CDC released in October 2022. The Chambers County School District will help bring attention to the vaping crisis with a series of presentations that will kick off next week in Chambers County on Monday and run through Friday at schools across Lee County. Timothy Shoemaker, a national speaker from New Jersey, will share his informational presentation on the risks of vaping with middle school and high school students at both Chambers County and nearby Lee County schools. This is not only a problem for students in Chambers County Schools, but an even greater problem nationally, said David Owen, CCSDs assistant superintendent of education. We are so appreciative to Dr. Bobby Woodard and Mr. Scott Richardson for coordinating this community presentation Among youth who currently used e-cigarettes, more than one in four (27.6%) used them daily and more than four in 10 (42.3%) used them on 20 or more of the past 30 days, according to the CDC. Shoemaker will present to students from Valley High School and W.F. Burns on Monday. Separate presentations are planned for Langdale Auditorium to accommodate both schools student bodies. Following his presentation in Valley, Shoemaker will travel to LaFayette High School and J.P. Powell. Both programs will be at the LaFayette High School Auditorium. Shoemaker will also offer a community presentation at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn Universitys Student Activities Center. Everyone has been invited. Parking will be in the Beard Eaves Coliseum parking lot Our goal is to reach as many people as possible to bring awareness to this critical issue we are facing with our youth, Owen said. The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University will highlight acclaimed artists and scholars as a part of a new initiative, the museum announced on Friday. The Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture, a half-day symposium, will feature acclaimed artists and scholars. It will take place the museum on South College Street at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3. The Jule Collins Smith Museum is uniquely positioned to create a space for dialogue and scholarship about the art and history of the American South, said Cindi Malinick, the museums executive director. The forum aims to establish the museum as a key academic partner in the study of Southern art and culture, connected to museum exhibitions on view in 2024. Its in line with Auburn Universitys core mission of research, outreach and instruction. Our location in Auburn, situated at the crossroads in a region rich with arts in all formsvisual art, music, food, literature, and fashionoffers an invaluable resource for insight into the regions complex cultural narratives, said Malinick. Inviting these guests to campus enriches student experiences, builds upon Auburns impressive scholarship, and expands the possibilities. The afternoon program will feature one-on-one conversations between pairs, delving into themes of memory, place and agency explored in current exhibitions at the museum. Established in honor of the museums 20th birthday in 2023, The Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture aspires to become an annual tradition, attracting leading scholars, artists and the public to engage in critical dialogues about the Souths rich and multifaceted artistic landscape through museum exhibitions. The Jule is a place where innovative scholarship centered on visual arts can be experienced in a museum setting. The Forum will contribute to vital conversations already happening across campus and throughout the region in a unique way, said Malinick. Special guests include MacArthur Fellow Walter Hood, Lonnie Holley, Joe Minter, Bethany Collins and Elizabeth M. Webb. Hood will debut 10 new oil paintings and a site-specific sculpture in Ark of Life/Ark of Bones. He is a creative director and founder of Hood Design Studio in Oakland, Calif., and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Collins is a native of Montgomery, and she will exhibit her Old Ship series in Accord. The pieces are cast from handmade paper mixed with granite from a destroyed monument, which will be a part of her first sculptural project to be presented by LAXART and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles in 2025. Webb is an artist and filmmaker and will confront the legacy of John James Audubon, examining her relationship with former plantation land near the museum in a bearing tree is a witness; an oak is an echo. Dial, Holley, Lockett, and Minter will have their work featured in a group exhibition, Black Codes: Art and Post-Civil Rights Alabama. The exhibition challenges long-held assumptions about what constitutes a cultural or artistic capital in the United States. Registration for the Forum is now open. Admission is free for Auburn University students, faculty, and staff, and $25 for the general public. To register and learn more, please visit jcsm.auburn.edu/. Close "The Southern Review, 1985 (T.S. Eliot)," 2014-2015 is created by artist Bethany Collins. The art is charcoal on found paper in 64 parts. "The Lee County Stereo Views (Index 1)," 2022, is created by artist Elizabeth M. Webb. The art piece is 36 x 36 inches and is a red clay soil print on Coventry Rag. This 2023 Hot Lanta artwork was created by artist Walter Hood. Its an oil on canvas. The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University announced the launch of a new initiative: The Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture. See artwork of the Jule Collins Smith Museum's "Forum for Southern Art and Culture" participants "The Southern Review, 1985 (T.S. Eliot)," 2014-2015 is created by artist Bethany Collins. The art is charcoal on found paper in 64 parts. "The Lee County Stereo Views (Index 1)," 2022, is created by artist Elizabeth M. Webb. The art piece is 36 x 36 inches and is a red clay soil print on Coventry Rag. This 2023 Hot Lanta artwork was created by artist Walter Hood. Its an oil on canvas. The Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at Auburn University announced the launch of a new initiative: The Auburn Forum for Southern Art and Culture. After boosting oil production to above 500,000 barrels per day in five years, the worlds newest crude oil exporter, Guyana, looks to develop its significant natural gas resources, too. ExxonMobil, whose consortium currently pumps all of Guyanas crude oil, is positioning itself to explore and understand the natural gas reserves in the country this year. Guyanas government and the U.S. supermajor are looking to nail down a timeline to develop some of the gas resources in the eastern part of the Exxon-operated Stabroek Block. The eastern part of the block is thought to have more gas content than the western part, where Exxons operating oil projects are located. Guyana wants to advance its gas exploration and production industry sooner rather than later, considering the net-zero drive worldwide and the calls for moving away from fossil fuels. Alongside oil producing projects, natural gas exploration and development is a key priority for both ExxonMobil and the government of Guyana, top company executives and government officials told Energy Intelligence in interviews last week. Between the exploration and appraisal activity, and then the concept work were doing, well have a better feel for the timeline to develop the gas around the end of this year, ExxonMobil Guyana president Alistair Routledge told Energy Intelligence. Guyanas Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said, The first priority now is to have that discussion with Exxon on the development, volumes, and timeline of gas supply. Due to the urgency of getting the natural gas to markets while gas demand is still growing, We need them to share our view that these resources must be developed, and developed urgently, because of this timeline, Jadgeo told Energy Intelligence, referring to Exxon. Guyana has become a hotspot for oil exploration and development in recent years after Exxon found more than 11 billion barrels of oil equivalent offshore the South American country. Exxon, leading a consortium with U.S. Hess Corporation, is currently producing all the crude oil in Guyanathe worlds newest oil-producing nation. Total oil production from the first three Stabroek block projects is currently more than 550,000 barrels per day (bpd) and is expected to reach more than 600,000 bpd later this year, Exxon says. The latest Exxon project, Payara, as well as the Liza Phase 1 and Liza Phase 2 projects, are designed to eliminate routine flaring by using produced gas to power the floating, production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) vessel, and reinjecting the rest of the gas into the reservoir to improve oil recovery, the supermajor notes. Exxon continues to find more oil on Stabroek and develops new projects, but its now also looking at the gassier part of the block to develop plans for natural gas production. The company and the government of Guyana are already working on a Gas to Energy Project, whose start-up is expected by the end of 2024 and has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of electricity in Guyana, Exxon says. Guyanas government has drafted a so-called Guyana Gas Monetization Strategy and invited earlier this month private companies to submit proposals on the design, construction, and operation of offshore gas gathering systems. To timely monetize and maximize the value of all of Guyanas O&G resources, new gas monetization options and solutions need to be developed, including the participation of additional players in the O&G value chain besides the upstream project developers, Guyana said in the draft gas plan. ADVERTISEMENT There are many benefits associated with natural gas and derived products, but time is of the essence due to market forces and uncertainties associated with the pace of the energy transition and ensuring that new O&G producers have a fair and just opportunity to develop their natural resources, according to the governments natural gas strategy. There is an immediate window of opportunity to monetize natural gas resources if Guyana seeks to monetize and maximize the value of its O&G resources, says the government, which like Exxon is focusing this year not only on boosting oil production but also on advancing exploration and development plans for natural gas reserves. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Earlier today, we lamented the latest implosion in Chinese markets, which we discussed in "China Stocks Crash Through 'Snowball Derivatives' Trigger Levels Overnight", in which we pointed out the unprecedented failure of the centrally-planned market to halt its collapse be it through short selling bans, or even the latest impotent intervention by the "National Team", China's Plunge Protection Team, which today failed to spark even a modest rebound in the relentless selling which had triggered key liquidation levels. We then summarized just how badly Beijing had boxed itself, noting that "after short selling ban did nothing, China PPT stepped in... and couldn't do jack. Beijing trapped." We concluded that "either they watch liquidation cascade as snowball derivatives are knocked in sparking rout and leading to social unrest, or they stop talking and finally do something." Well, just a few hours later we were proven correct again, because shortly after China reopened on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that according to "people familiar with the matter, asking not to be identified" - i.e., government sources eager to do a market test, China is considering a package of measures to stabilize the plummeting stock market, after earlier attempts to restore investor confidence fell short and prompted Premier Li Qiang to call for forceful steps. Specifically, Beijing is reportedly seeking to "mobilize" about 2 trillion yuan ($278 billion), mainly from the offshore accounts of Chinese state-owned enterprises, as part of a stabilization fund to buy shares onshore through the Hong Kong exchange link; it has also earmarked at least 300 billion yuan of local funds to invest in onshore shares through China Securities Finance Corp. or Central Huijin Investment Ltd. In other words, what was already a nationalized stock market is about to get even more nationalized, and instead of ad hoc interventions by the Plunge Protection Team, such market purchases by official state authorities will now become institutionalized. Or maybe not: after all, China isn't actually doing anythjing. Yes, it is mulling stuff, just like it has been mulling a 1 trillion yuan fiscal stimulus and a 1 trillion yuan "special "bond stimulus. but nothing has actually happened yet, because Beijing is absolutely terrified of the market reaction if and when the country with the 300% debt/GDP stats layering on more trillions in debt. Alas, at this point that's just a matter of time, because either Beijing keeps mulling stuff and does nothing as it watches it cities burn amid the recent surge in strikes and protests... ... or it goes back to what it has been doing for the past 25 years, and floods the economy with new debt to boost contain the property crash, stabilize the economy and normalize the soaring youth unemployment. And since it really has no choice, it will be the latter... the only question is how much pain will Beijing suffer first before it capitulates. Anyway, going back to the official Bloomberg report, it notes that "officials are also weighing other options and may announce some of them as soon as this week if approved by the top leadership", but again, "the plans are still subject to change." And they will, because either stocks soar and don't drop, thereby obviating the need for an actual rescue package, or they resume their plunge and China will be forced to do even more when it actually does something in the very near future. In any case, the report of panicked deliberations underscores that just as we predicted earlier today, there is an "elevated level sense of urgency" among Chinese authorities to stem a selloff that sent the benchmark CSI 300 Index to a five-year low this week. Calming the nations retail investors - many of whom have also been bruised by the protracted property downturn - is also seen as key to maintaining social stability. And if there is anything Beijing fears more than anything in this world, it is 1 billion angry lower and middle-class Chinese heading toward Beijing, armed with torches and pitchforks. Which brings us to the next question: as even Bloomberg admits, it is unclear is these measure will be enough to end the rout is far from certain. We can help Bloomberg: it won't be anywhere near enough, and indeed, after a modest bounce in the Shanghai Composite which pushed it in the red on the Bloomberg report, the index has once again slumped in the red, just as we said it would. We weren't the only ones to unleash a gusher of cynicism in response to the news: others agreed as well that this is a disaster.. Daisy Li, fund manager at EFG Asset Management HK. The biggest question I have is how the SOEs will come up with 2 trillion yuan from their offshore accounts and why they will choose to invest onshore through the Hong Kong exchange link. We are in need of a white knight to boost some confidence, given how bad things have been." Aninda Mitra, a macro and investment strategist at BNY Mellon The stock market package is a welcome measure, and shows some responsiveness from the authorities. But at under 2% of its GDP, we fear this is still inadequate. This amount falls short of even the reduction in the market cap, from early December to now, of Chinese enterprises listed in the Hong Kong stock exchange. These measures also need to be twinned with longer-term reforms to boost confidence in broader corporate sector. Michelle Lam, economist at SocGens HK Branch. "Larger stimulus aimed at turning around the economy is needed for a sustained rally. What I think is critical for us to see a turnaround in market confidence is a step-up in PBoCs PSL to support project completion and urban village redevelopment and a decisive increase in fiscal deficit which partly support household income." Rajeev De Mello, macro portfolio manager at GAMA "The boost to Chinas markets from any rescue package will only lead to a short-term rebound as more fundamental changes are needed. Frequently, packages which target the stock market do have an effect but it can be very short-lived if not accompanied by more fundamental changes.Without more forceful economic and regulatory policy actions, it will not lead to the beginning of a bull market in China. ADVERTISEMENT Alvin Tan, head of Asia FX strategy at RBC in Singapore I am doubtful that the rebound in Chinese equities on the back of this rescue package news is sustainable so long as the fundamental growth trajectory doesnt change" And now that the market has called Beijing's bluff in less than an hour, the panic will be truly palpable and instead of just focusing on the market, China will now be bombarded on all sides by a relentless collapse: the property crisis, depressed consumer sentiment, tumbling foreign investment and diminished confidence among local businesses after years of volatile policymaking are exerting strong downward pressure on both the economy and financial markets. Which means China now has two options: pretend that the failed policies it has been doing (or pretending to do) so far has been successful, which it likely will until there is just too much blood on the streets, or it will finally capitulate and unleash the biggest fiscal stimulus ever seen in China: we are talking multiple trillions here, and in dollars not yuan, consequences be damned, because we are nearing the point of peak panic where Beijing will do anything at all to buy social order and stability for just a few more months. And once all those tens of trillions in Chinese deposits start fleeing, that's when the real meltup in non-fiat assets - read gold, silver, crypto, fine art, wines, etc - will truly start. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The topic of China's ownership of US farmlands is starting to boil over. Six months after we reported that a "Bipartisan Bill Aims To Block Chinese Purchase Of US Farmland", more are starting to pay attention yet as even Bloomberg notes that America "is seeing more and more of its most fertile land snapped up by China and other foreign buyers" the big problem remains: its difficult to know just how much farmland China has bought due to problem with how the US tracks such data. Here's what we do know: according to Department of Agriculture data foreign ownership and investment in US farmland, pastures and forests jumped to about 40 million acres in 2021, up 40% from 2016; but an analysis conducted by the US Government Accountability Office a non-partisan watchdog that reports to Congress found mistakes in the data, including the largest land holding linked with China being counted twice. Other challenges include the USDAs reliance on foreigners self-reporting their activity. As a result, foreign ownership of US cropland is drawing attention from Washington as concern rises about possible threats to food supply chains and other national security risks. And, as we reported last summer, lawmakers have called for a crackdown on sales of farmland to China and other nations. Foreign investors own 37.6 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, which is 2.9% of all privately held agricultural land and 1.7% of all U.S. land. (Source: USDA) Without improving its internal processes, USDA cannot report reliable information to Congress or the public about where and how much US agricultural land is held by foreign persons, the report said. The GAO made six recommendations, including that the USDA share more timely and complete data with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, an interagency panel led by the Treasury Department that reviews foreign business deals. And yet, with typical bureaucratic "speed", it is certain that none of these will be implemented for years, in the meantime allowing Chinese state and private oligarchs to keep snapping up fertile US farmland. By Zerohedge.com ADVERTISEMENT More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices struggled for direction and fell early on Tuesday, reversing Mondays gains, as concerns about oversupply overshadowed the escalation of tensions in the Middle East. As of 13:12 p.m. ET on Tuesday, the U.S. benchmark, WTI Crude, was trading slightly lower, by 0.63% at $74.29. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, was down by 0.76% at $79.45. Oil prices continue to struggle for direction despite the escalation of tensions in the Red Sea and the wider Middle Eastern region, as supply remains ample. U.S. and UK forces carried out a new round of attacks on targets in Yemen last night, taking out storage sites used by the Houthis, drones, and missile launchers. The U.S. Central Command said eight strikes in total had been conducted around midnight on Monday. The report noted that in addition to the U.S. and the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands also took part in the operation, contributing to activities such as surveillance and intelligence. Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats, the six countries said in a joint statement. The flare-up in the Middle East, however, has failed to move oil prices much higher, due to market and traders expectations of sufficient oil supply this quarter. In addition, Libyas largest oil field is about to restart after a three-week outage, the countrys National Oil Corporation said earlier this week. Protesters shut down the 300,000-barrels-per-day oilfield in early January and said they would not let the NOC reopen it until their demands were met. Said demands focused on job creation for local communities and more infrastructure investment in the region. ADVERTISEMENT By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Brazils state oil major Petrobras is this year set to go on a shopping spree in wind and solar, its chief executive told Reuters this week. The company aims to build a portfolio of stakes in wind and solar projects to the tune of 2 GW, Jean Paul Prates told the news outlet in an interview. "The market will see that the transition will be carried out in a firm and responsible way and will recognize this," Prates said, noting that the acquisitions should boost Petrobrass share prices. The Brazilian state companys management also has solid ambitions in offshore wind, the report suggested, citing Petrobrass chief executive as saying the company was looking forward to the finalization of a regulatory framework for that segment of the alternative energy industry. "We will practically reign alone in this market," Prates said. "This is our big bet," Prates told Reuters. Petrobras plans to invest $3.7 billion in the decarbonization of its operations by 2027. It also plans to spend some $5.2 billion on expanding into wind and solar. Some observers, however, are worried that the decision is politically rather than economically motivated and this would backfire. "My fear is that Petrobras will return to investing based on the political rate of return and not the economic rate of return," Adriano Peres, director at consultancy CBIE, told Reuters, referencing previous acquisition decisions by the company that had been motivated by political reasons rather than economic ones and had ended badly for Petrobras. ADVERTISEMENT Yet the amount of investment allocated for wind and solar pales in comparison with what Petrobras wants to spend on its core business. In November last year, the company announced it had budgeted $102 billion for the five years to 2028, of which 72% would go into oil and gas exploration and production. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias Ust-Luga port on the Baltic Sea continues to ship crude and fuels for exports, although Novateks fuel export terminal remains shut after reportedly being hit by a drone attack this weekend. The terminal operated by Novatek remains shut, but the other terminals, including one for crude oil exports and two other fuel export terminals, were operational as of Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing industry sources and LSEG data. This weekend, Russias Novatek said it had suspended operations at a Baltic Sea fuel export terminal following a reported drone attack by Ukrainian forces. The reported attack caused a fire at the Ust-Luga terminal, according to a report by Reuters. Ust-Luga is one of the key export hubs for Russian crude oil and fuels. Russias Vedomosti daily cited an official from the regional authorities as saying there had been two explosions at the site of the export terminal that had caused a fire at one fuel storage tank. TASS cited Novatek as confirming that the fire was the result of external actions. The technological process at Novatek-Ust-Luga has been stopped, and an operational headquarters has been established to eliminate the consequences. Damage assessment will be carried out later, Novatek said, as quoted by Reuters. Reuters also cited Ukrainian new agency Interfax-Ukraine as confirming a Ukrainian attack, with unnamed sources telling the outlet that the Ust-Luga terminal was key for the supply of Russian troops with fuel. As of Tuesday, two tankers the Adebomi and the Bay Global are being loaded with crude oil and the crude export terminal at Ust-Luga, per LSEG tanker-tracking data quoted by Reuters. Other tankers are being loaded with gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), naphtha, and fuel oil at other terminals at Ust-Luga, while the tanker Minerva Julie, which had to load fuel at the Novatek terminal over the weekend, is currently idle offshore, according to LSEG data. ADVERTISEMENT By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russias fossil fuel export revenues continued to fall in December from November, as income from oil and gas exports has been dropping since September, a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) showed on Tuesday. Fossil fuel revenues for Russia dropped by 8% last month from November, for a decline of $63 million (58 million euros) per day, according to CREAs estimates. The attacks in the Red Sea by the Iran-backed Houthis did not impede Russian oil tankers or trade last month. In December, the number of Russian tankers crossing the Suez Canal rose by 3% month-on-month, per CREAs analysis. Last month, 64% of Russian crude oil was shipped by shadow tankers, while tankers owned or insured in countries which implement the price cap policy transported 35% of Russias crude in December. A few days ago, CREA said in a separate analysis that in the 12 months since the G7 oil price cap came into effect on December 5, 2022, as much as $50.3 billion (46.4 billion euros) worth of Russian oil has been transported on tankers using UK protection and indemnity (P&I) insurance. 33% of all Russian oil by volume was transported on tankers insured in the UK since the sanctions were implemented until early November 2023, CREA noted. Widening discounts for Russian grades and lower international benchmark prices dragged Russias oil export revenues down to a six-month low in December, despite higher export volumes, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said last week. All Russian oil exports, including crude and fuels, jumped by 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 7.8 million bpd in the last month of 2023, compared to November, the IEA said in its Oil Market Report for January. ADVERTISEMENT Despite the highest export volumes in nine months, Russias estimated export revenues plunged to their lowest level in six months, to $14.4 billion, the IEA said. The decline was the result of increased discounts of Russian oil prices compared to benchmarks and the overall decline in international benchmark prices. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. and UK forces carried out a new round of attacks on targets in Yemen last night, taking out storage sites used by the Houthis, drones, and missile launchers, the AP reported. The U.S. Central Command said eight strikes in total had been conducted around midnight on Monday. The report noted that in addition to the U.S. and the UK, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands also took part in the operation, contributing to activities such as surveillance and intelligence. "Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats," the six countries said in a joint statement. UKs Defence Minister Grant Schapps confirmed the attacks and said that their aim was to degrade the military capabilities of the Houthis and "deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade." Separately, the Bahrain-based U.S. Central Command said on X that These strikes from this multilateral coalition targeted areas in Houthi-controlled Yemen used to attack international merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region. The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply buried weapons storage facilities. The Central Command added that These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on U.S. and U.K. ships as well as international commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. These strikes are separate and distinct from the multinational freedom of navigation actions performed under Operation Prosperity Guardian. Operation Prosperity Guardian aimed at securing ships sailing through the Red Sea against the Houthi attacks. ADVERTISEMENT By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: WEF chair expresses confidence in Chinese economy People's Daily Online) 10:18, January 23, 2024 World Economic Forum (WEF) Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab expressed confidence in the future of the Chinese economy during an interview with CGTN at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, receives interview with CGTN. (Photo/CGTN) Schwab said he visited China in 1979 and was impressed by its economic development journey since then. At that time, China's GDP was more than 100 times lower than it is now, and its trade volume showed an even larger difference. Schwab observed that China has transformed from an underdeveloped country to a leader in many technologies. Despite some opinions suggesting that China's economic development has reached its peak, Schwab believes China will effectively respond to challenges such as an aging society, debt, and the real estate market. He is confident that China will discover new patterns of economic growth. While China's GDP has grown to represent 20 percent of the global GDP, its per capita GDP remains lower than that of most developed nations, indicating potential for further development, economic growth and dynamism, according to Schwab. "All countries at the moment go through difficult economic times for different reasons, but I feel China will have the wisdom to address the particular challenges, which are facing the Chinese economy," said Schwab. The WEF Annual Meeting was held from Jan. 15 to 19, 2024. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Felix, from left, and Kimberly Mata-Rubio, parents of Robb Elementary shooting victim Alexandria "Lexi" Rubio, and Veronica and Jerry Mata, parents of victim Tess Mata, listen to questions from reporters during a press conference at Herby Ham Activity Center on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Uvalde, Texas, following the release of the U.S. Department of Justice report on the shooting. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, center, delivers remarks about the Department of Justices report on the Robb Elementary shooting alongside Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, left, and COPS Director Col. Hugh T. Clements Jr. during a press conference at Herby Ham Activity Center on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Uvalde, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Help! Help! I dont want to die. Advertisement Article continues below this ad My teacher is dead. One of my teachers is still alive but shot. Officer! Officer! Are they (officer) still in the building? There is a lot of dead bodies. The words of 9- and 10-year-old children during a 911 cell-phone call lasting nearly 29 minutes. From the introduction to Critical Incident Review: Shooter at Robb Elementary School, prepared by the U.S. Department of Justice. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The release of a 575-page review of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde prompts the following thoughts: If we as a nation have resolved that the Second Amendment to the Constitution is sacrosanct in regard to ownership, transport and legal use of firearms If we have decided that multiple deaths, grievous injuries and lifelong trauma are essentially collateral damage in our blanket allegiance to its absolutist interpretation REMEMBERING THE VICTIMS: 1 year after the tragedy in Uvalde, the memory of the 21 victims lives on Then surely we owe the victims, their families and the community of Uvalde the time it takes to read the Justice Departments effort to reconstruct what happened on May 24, 2022, as well as what happened in the immediate aftermath of a mass shooting that took the lives of 19 youngsters and two of their teachers. (The report, in both English and Spanish, is available at COPS.usdoj.gov/uvalde.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Those parents standing outside the school on a fine spring day, parents waiting in agony indescribable to find out whether their child would be carried out on a stretcher beneath a head-to-toe covering, deserve our respectful attention. Those two teachers dying on the hard floor of their classrooms, their pooling blood mingling with the blood of youngsters they adored, deserve our attention. Those kids, those 19 beautiful, bright-eyed little boys and girls, deserve our attention. Be prepared. The comprehensive report is harrowing, heartbreaking, infuriating. Based on 14,000 pieces of evidence and more than 260 interviews, it documents unimaginable failure on the part of almost everyone involved. Local law enforcement in particular failed, but so did the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, Gov. Greg Abbott and those responsible for keeping families and the general public informed during a crisis. Medical professionals and volunteer counselors and therapists who arrived from around the country were among the few who performed admirably. The victims and survivors of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School deserved better, said Attorney General Merrick Garland in an introductory section of the report. As a consequence of failed leadership, training, and policies, 33 students and three of their teachers many of whom had been shot were trapped in a room with an active shooter for over an hour as law enforcement officials remained outside. We hope to honor the victims and survivors by working together to try to prevent anything like this from happening again, here or anywhere. In other words, if this is the gun-riddled, gun-obsessed world we have chosen to live in bloodier in this way than any other democratic nation in the world then perhaps we can learn something about how to respond to the next Uvalde, knowing that there will be a next Uvalde. The report includes detailed recommendations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On that morning in May 2022, 380 law-enforcement personnel made their way to the school, some racing in from more than an hour away. They represented 24 agencies across local, county, state and federal jurisdictions, including the Border Patrol, the U.S. Marshals Service, game wardens and two junior-college law enforcement instructors. Leaving their vehicles in the middle of streets that ambulances would later have to negotiate, they mostly milled around outside or crowded the hallway leading to the two classrooms where the 18-year-old shooter, a former Robb Elementary student, was slaughtering children and their teachers. For 77 minutes, they waited. Waited for a plan. Waited for a leader. There was no leader. Although the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District police chief, Pete Arredondo, tried to claim afterward that he was not in charge, his law-enforcement peers arriving at the school considered him the de facto on-scene commander. After all, he was giving commands. They listened to him instruct them not to attempt to enter classrooms 111-112, where the shooter was holed up, until master keys could be located. (The doors turned out to be unlocked.) They listened when he told them to wait until an adjacent classroom had been evacuated and then to wait until rifle-rated shields could be located. As police officers arrived off and on during the fateful 77 minutes, many who werent in the thick of things assumed the threat had been eliminated. Some were under the impression that Arredondo was in the classroom negotiating with a barricaded suspect. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Uvalde DOJ report findings make me sick Obviously, the police officers were scared and with good reason. They knew that the suspects AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle, a mass murderers best friend, is a weapon of war designed not only to kill but to shatter, maim and devastate. Were they really afraid of the kid? No. They were afraid of his weapon, Connecticut attorney Josh Koskoff said during a press conference last week. (Koskoff, whos working with Uvalde families, won a $73 million judgment against a gun manufacturer on behalf of Sandy Hook victims.) Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fearful or not, the law enforcement delay violated the most basic tactical approach, in place since the mass shooting at Columbine (Colo.) High School in 1999. Called rapid emergency deployment, it means that law enforcement goes straight for the shooter immediately, regardless of their numbers, regardless of their equipment, regardless of the danger. Unfortunately, in this gun-obsessed society, thats what is required of officers who protect and serve. Failure at Robb Elementary, whether due to confusion, lack of training or cowardice, leads to one excruciating conclusion: children and perhaps teachers are dead because of it. How many is hard to say. The report revealed a lesser-known aspect of the Robb Elementary tragedy: chaos and cascading failures of leadership continued, even after officers pushed into the classroom, shot the shooter to death and began rescuing survivors. The DPS regional director for South Texas and other officers stride past officers bringing out injured and deceased victims and enter classrooms 111 and 112 for no identifiable purpose or action, therefore compromising the crime scene. One of the teachers who was killed was placed outside a door, her body left unattended while law enforcement gathered only steps away. Emergency medical services personnel had to force their way into the school to do vital checks on the remaining victims. At a press conference, the governor and DPS head Col. Steve McCraw communicate false information. Gov. Greg Abbott talks of heroism that never occurred. Families cant get information about where their children have been taken, whether theyre alive. Officials keep changing their story. Missteps continue for days. Arredondo, who bore the brunt of devastating criticism, was fired three months after the massacre. The Uvalde police chief was out of town on the day of the shooting; Lt. Mariano Pargas was acting chief. Theoretically, he could have taken charge, but the report found he lacked the requisite training to manage the incident. He has since resigned. The report also found that Uvalde County Sheriff Ruben Nolasco had no active shooter training, minimal leadership/supervision training and did not try to coordinate with Pargas, even when the two were near each other. The sheriff is up for re-election this spring. All three men are sure to figure prominently in a special grand jury investigation that finally convened last week. Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell, who has been criticized for the long delay, will present her case and decide, based on grand jury recommendations, whether to pursue criminal charges against some of the officers. The Justice Department report will buttress any case against officers. It also lays the groundwork for attorneys representing families seeking remediation in civil courts. The Justice Department report unearthed few revelations in the heavily reported tragedy, but we welcome its recommendations, particularly in light of the fact that Uvalde may be typical of most small-town, small-city police departments, even in a state with more mass-shooting incidents than almost any other. We urge the grand jury to steel itself from outside noise and any community pressures and do its job to determine whether crimes were committed in the failing of 21 victims. At the same time, solutions to our national gun madness lay far beyond a small Texas town. Garland put it this way: Our children deserve better than to grow up in a country where an 18-year-old has easy access to a weapon that belongs on the battlefield, not in a classroom. And communities across the country, and the law enforcement officers who protect them, deserve better than to be forced to respond to one horrific mass shooting after another. But that is the terrible reality that we face. Iran is very directly involved in attacks on ships in the Red Sea staged by Yemens Houthis, the head of the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet told the AP. Clearly, the Houthi actions, probably in terms of their attacks on merchant shipping, are the most significant that weve seen in two generations, Vice Admiral Brad Cooper said. The facts simply are that theyre attacking the international community; thus, the international response I think youve seen. The Houthis began attacking Israel-bound and Israel-linked ships in the Red Sea in November as a form of protest against Israels bombing of Gaza. With time, the attacks extended to vessels with no Israel affiliation. In the meantime, the U.S. and UK sent more ships to the Red Sea and started shooting down Houthi drones and missiles. This unsurprisingly led to attacks on those ships, which in turn prompted retaliation by the U.S. and the UK. After that retaliation, the Houthis declared that any U.S. ship in the Red Sea was now a legitimate target. The quickly escalating situation has caused a large-scale rerouting of vessels around Africa, causing delays in the delivery of various goods, components, and raw materials. The supply situation is particularly troublesome in Europe, which is where goods passing the Red Sea normally end up. The Financial Times reported earlier this week that the Houthi attacks and the resulting cargo rerouting had added some two weeks on average to the usual journey from Asia to Europe, causing chaos and much higher prices. The great Red Sea rerouting has also involved oil and LNG tankers, sparking concern that the conflict in the Middle East will finally affect international oil prices, which had remained surprisingly resilient for months. ADVERTISEMENT By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Elise Schaecher didn't begin collecting vintage furniture because she saw a business opportunity. Schaecher and her husband, Jeff Schaecher, just wanted their new house to feel a little more like home. They wanted to find sturdy, childproof furniture that fit well with the architecture of their 1958 house. Three years later, the Schaechers have made their house a home and in the process found a shared passion for finding, restoring and now selling vintage furniture. After opening an online store in 2021, they opened a brick-and-mortar store at 38th and Dodge Streets in September. We found out we were more compatible than we expected, I guess, because we both really have the interest in it, and we enjoy the research and seeing the pieces go on their journey of restoration, Elise Schaecher said. The store's name, A Little More Like Home, reflects the original intention of their journey. The Schaechers specifically sell mid-century modern furniture from the 1960s and 1970s. Elise Schaecher said furniture from that era has clean lines and lacks the fuss of other design styles. More traditional things will have more frills and embellishments, but mid-century modern was like just focusing on the form and the function," Schaecher said. "Geometric shapes. Just like bright colors." Inside the store last week, Schaecher had vintage lamps, artwork, desks, couches, dressers, dishes and coffee tables for sale. One lamp was bright yellow. Another lamp hung from a chain attached to the ceiling and looked like a fluffy snowball. Theyre just really well-made pieces," Schaecher said. "Theres dovetailing in the drawers and solid-wood components so theyre just made to last. And they look nice too, so its like a win-win. Photos of the entire inventory can be found on alittlemorelikehome.shop. The website is also where Schaecher shares what she calls "furniture history deep dives" on furniture makers. She spends time researching the items they sell and shares the information she finds with customers in blog posts. Since opening the online store in May 2021, the Schaechers have had 675 orders. They have shipped furniture and decor to Arizona, New Jersey, New York, Michigan, California, Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and Tennessee. Schaecher often finds the furniture at estate sales or online, but sometimes people reach out to her as they clean out loved ones' homes. The amount of restoration required varies by item and is done either by Jeff Schaecher or by a professional refinisher. Its a lot of restoration so the things that lasted a lifetime can last another, Elise Schaecher said. Schaecher said she "almost always" finds mementos from the previous owners of the furniture tucked away in dresser drawers or desks. It might be photos, foreign currency or receipts from the original purchase of the furniture. "I think people just stash things in their drawers over time," Schaecher said. There were love letters in a drawer that chronicled the relationship between two people starting when they were teenagers in the 1960s. They eventually got married. "The husband must have just kept the letters throughout his life," Schaecher said. Schaecher hopes to return the letters to the family. In the store's bathroom, Schaecher hung photos she's found inside furniture. A woman in red pajamas looks at the dog on her lap in one photo. In a black-and-white photo, a man holds a child on his lap, their faces partially in shadow. Hanging next to the photos is the "Recipe for Living" handwritten on an index card. It includes, "1 cup of good thoughts," "1 cup of elbow grease," "2 cups of good logic" and several more ingredients. Many of Schaecher's customers find her store because they're in a stage of transition and trying to find their own recipe for living. "They might be moving or have recently moved, expecting a child, new relationships, downsizing, updating their furniture now that their kids are older," Schaecher said. "Home is a source of comfort during times of change, and I feel privileged to help make their spaces feel the 'a little more like home' that they are seeking." Photos: Omaha furniture store focuses on restored vintage pieces An Omaha teen and his father appeared in court Tuesday in connection with the citys first known homicide of 2024. Delvin Amaya, a 16-year-old Westside High School student, is accused of shooting multiple times into an occupied car outside Caseys Gas Station near 72nd and Grover Streets on Saturday afternoon. Kriss Flores, 30, was shot multiple times and died at the hospital. Angel Moran, 23, and Samantha Fox, 20, sustained non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Amaya is charged as an adult and faces one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree assault and three counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony. Prosecutors said he was identified as the suspect through witness statements and surveillance footage. On Tuesday, he was ordered to be held at the Douglas County Youth Center without bail. Amayas father, 46-year-old Mario Amaya-Castillo, appeared in a separate courtroom Tuesday morning. He faces one count of accessory to first-degree murder and is accused of hiding the gun that Amaya used in the shooting. That gun was later recovered by police, according to testimony from prosecutors. Amaya-Castillo was ordered to be held on 10% of $200,000 bail, meaning he would have to pay $20,000 to be released from custody. Amaya was on juvenile probation at the time of the shooting for a 2023 misdemeanor assault conviction. In 2020 and 2021, Amaya was also charged in juvenile court with possessing an unregistered firearm and attempted robbery. Amaya and Amaya-Castillo will both appear in court for preliminary hearings in March. Nebraskas largest school district weighed in on a long list of legislation on Monday, but one bill drew concerns from students and board members alike. The Omaha Public Schools board issued its stances on roughly 90 bills. It initially planned to oppose Legislative Bill 1071 by State Sen. George Dungan of Lincoln, which would protect free-speech rights of student journalists and student media advisers. But after lengthy discussion on Monday, the school board switched to a position of monitor with research. Versions of LB 1071 have been introduced in past legislative sessions but never made it across the finish line. Several OPS students spoke in support of the bill, urging the school board to do the same. Valur Jaksha, senior class president at Central High School, said the bill would keep schools accountable and is essential for student journalists. The only reason our school board would have to oppose this bill would be fear, Jaksha said. Charlie Yale, a Central senior and co-editor of its paper, The Central Register, said the lack of free speech protection has damaged student newspapers in other districts. Grand Islands Northwest Public Schools eliminated its high school journalism program in June 2023 following the publication of an edition on LGBTQ topics. As a queer teen in Nebraska, its important to me that Im able report on issues that are affecting me and my community, Yale said. The school boards legislative committee analyzes proposed bills each year and chooses to support, oppose or monitor them based their potential impact on OPS. Jane Erdenberger, chairwoman of the committee, said the main reason OPS has opposed bills like LB 1071 in the past is because it deems student media as a public forum. She said this would allow any member of the public to submit their own content for publication. There would be no way for student journalists or media advisers to prohibit speech from random members of the public, Erdenberger said. Board member Bri Full said she hopes the school board can change its stance from monitor with research to support for this legislative session. Full mentioned the Northwest districts decision last year and said its despicable to give school staff the ability to censor student media. That is morally wrong, Full said. We should be doing everything in our power to protect student rights. There are so many reasons why legislation like this is essential for our state. Erdenberger said the board will continue to discuss LB 1071, but might return to the same decision to oppose the bill. Below are a few other OPS school board positions on bills approved Monday night. Roughly half of the bills are still being monitored, with no decided stance. For example, OPS hasnt announced a stance on the controversial Legislative Bill 1339 by State Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, which would allow district to create policies allowing some school employees to carry a firearm on school grounds. Bills OPS is supporting LB 845 by Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha would prohibit landlords from evicting children or school staff during the school year. LB 855 by Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln would prohibit school districts from taking certain actions relating to outstanding debts on a school lunch or breakfast account. LB 952 by Sen. Jen Day would require the Department of Health and Human Services to implement the federal Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program. Gov. Jim Pillen rejected the program in December, saying it was unnecessary welfare and students can use Nebraskas existing program. The bill would also declare an emergency, so it would immediately become law if passed. Bills OPS is opposing LB 899 by Sen. Jana Hughes of Seward would exempt school districts with lower student enrollment from the prohibition on suspending a student in pre-kindergarten through second grade. This is a law that was passed in 2023 and it applies to all school districts. But OPS is supporting a proposed bill from Sen. Dave Murman from Glenvil, LB 1146, would allow districts to suspend such a student if they physically harm a school employee or another student. LB 841 by Sen. Terrell McKinney of Omaha would require private and public school administrators to spend 15% of their time in school engagement activities. They would also be required to submit a letter to the Legislatures Education Committee and State Board of Education detailing their work, what challenges and successes they experienced, proposed policy changes and more. LB 1193 by Conrad would provide a process for a parent to request that their child repeat a grade in kindergarten through fourth grade due to academic needs, illness or excessive absenteeism. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 Andy Brewer spotted the plastic tub by the bay doors of Fire Station 77 as his rig backed in after an 11 p.m. call. Sunday was Elizabeth Ramseys last night before starting her retirement, and people had been stopping in all evening to celebrate. Brewer figured she must have left a box outside by mistake. I went out to check, and it was a tub that said lab puppies, he said. Taped shut with a few air holes and some blankets, it was full to the brim with six squirming lab puppies that are about 3 weeks old. Ramsey had heard nothing in the 20 or so minutes the rig was gone from 202nd and F Streets on a nonemergency call. He was freaking out, she said of Brewer. He was banging on my door. You have to come out. You wont believe it. After bringing the puppies inside to get warm, the firefighters called the Nebraska Humane Society. The six on duty at the firehouse all agreed that it was a good thing that co-worker Ray Honaker had called in sick or the puppies would have joined the brood of rescues already under his care. Although there was some cleanup involved, the puppies, which weighed about 10 pounds each, were hard to resist during the half-hour wait. Everybody was cuddling them and falling in love with them, Ramsey said. Brewer said the puppies, five girls and one boy, appeared healthy. There are no surveillance cameras at the fire station, so they have no clues as to the identity of the owner. While hes glad the puppies were left somewhere they would be found, he said taking them to the Humane Society would have been a better idea. I hope those dogs get some great homes, he said. Pam Wiese, interim CEO for NHS, said the puppies are healthy, although slightly skinny. They will go through spay-neuter surgery in the next couple of days and be available for adoption, she said. Ramsey, 45, said playing with the puppies was the cherry on top of an already wonderful day celebrating her 25 years with the Fire Department. The only downside was her husband, Brandon, wanted her to bring one home, even though they already have five pets. Five is enough, she said. Both Brewer and Ramsey said nothing like this had ever happened before in their long careers, although Ramsey said she had resuscitated a dog after a fire a year ago. She will definitely be able to remember her retirement day now, Brewer said. Photos: Take a look at the six puppies left at an Omaha fire station BRASILIA, Brazil In recent weeks, lawmakers in the United States and the United Kingdom sent letters to the Securities and Exchange Commission cautioning against the listing of JBS, the world's largest meatpacking company, on the New York Stock Exchange. Trading on the world's largest exchange would give JBS access to more capital and enhance its credibility. But the lawmakers, along with environmental groups, argue that expanded capital would allow the company, responsible for much of the deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, to do even more harm. The dispute surrounding JBS' bid highlights the connection between finance and various drivers of climate change, including deforestation. It also raises questions about gauging claims that a company is committed to improving its environmental record. Many companies listed on the New York and other stock exchanges have had, or still have, questionable environmental records. But often they have been listed for decades, having gone public when there was much less scrutiny of ecological impacts from business operations. "Dozens of journalistic and NGO reports have shown that JBS is linked to more destruction of forests and other ecosystems than any other company in Brazil," said the letter from 15 U.S. senators. "The company has made repeated claims that it will eliminate deforestation but has not taken meaningful steps to do so." The letter, signed by Democrats and Republicans, comes days after a similar one from 11 British lawmakers that said letting JBS raise capital from shareholders "contradicts global efforts of governments and businesses to take action to mitigate climate change" and to "preserve essential natural habitats." A spokesperson for the SEC, which has regulatory oversight of the NYSE, said it doesn't comment on individual filings. JBS, which applied in July, and the NYSE didn't respond to questions. The SEC has broad authority in regulating capital markets, from approving or denying company applications to get on an exchange, requiring disclosures and fining companies if they break financial laws. Two-thirds of Amazon deforestation results from conversion to pasture for livestock, according to the Brazilian government. JBS, with the largest slaughter capacity in the region, buys thousands of cows raised illegally annually, according to audits by federal prosecutors. In December, The Associated Press and Brazil's Agencia Publica revealed that Rondonia state is suing JBS for purchasing cattle raised illegally in a protected area damaged to the point of near total destruction. According to court papers, the company accepted documents that showed cattle going straight to the slaughterhouse from legally protected land. JBS declined to comment. JBS pledged to make all cattle purchases traceable by 2025 and to reach net zero, or equalize all carbon emissions, by 2040. In 2020, it created the JBS Fund For the Amazon. The goal is to finance "innovative, long-term initiatives that build on JBS S.A.'s legacy of conservation and sustainable development in the Amazon Biome," according to an SEC filing. Since then, the fund has provided $15 million to 20 projects, according to its website. The company pledged to commit a total of $51 million to the fund through next year. The initiatives include cocoa farming integrated with trees; managed fishing of pirarucu, a giant freshwater fish; and support for the Forest Peoples Connection, which has been installing Starlink internet units donated by Elon Musk's SpaceX in remote areas, including Indigenous communities. It also granted money to two U.S.-based nonprofits: Forest Trends, which supports handicrafts and Brazil nut production in Indigenous territories, and the Good Food Institute, which works to research local products from Amazon fungi to tucuma, a local palm tree. The contributions are tiny for the company. From 2021 through the last quarter of 2023, JBS net sales approached $209 billion, according to a company statement. That means the amount disbursed for environmental projects so far represents 0.007% of net sales for the period. The U.S. is JBS' largest market, with 51% of sales, followed by 27% in Brazil, where it employs about 270,000 people. A previous JBS attempt to join the exchange was thwarted amid a corruption scandal in 2017 when the company admitted the bribery of hundreds of Brazilian politicians. In 2020, JBS paid the SEC $26.8 million for accounting irregularities at U.S. subsidiary Pilgrim's Pride, one of the country's largest poultry producers. Glenn Hurowitz, CEO of Mighty Earth, one of the groups pushing for the SEC to deny the application, said it's too big of a risk. "If JBS gains access to billions of dollars to expand its industrial meat operations, it would bring more deforestation, more market manipulation, more human rights abuses and more outsized climate pollution," he said. "The SEC should not allow this IPO to proceed." A 41-year-old man and his daughter died in one-vehicle crash Monday on U.S. Highway 71 near Carroll, Iowa. The crash occurred about 8 a.m. just south of 150th Street north of Carroll, according to the Iowa State Patrol. Joshua Shelton and his daughter, Aubrey, 14, who were both using seat belts, died from their injuries. Investigators determined that Joshua Shelton was southbound in a 2005 Ford F-150 pickup truck when he passed another southbound vehicle. The pickup lost control as it returned to the southbound lane, entered the west ditch and struck a utility pole. Carroll Community School District Superintendent Casey Berlau sent a letter to families Monday announcing that a ninth grade student at Carroll High School and her father died in a crash, according to the Carroll Times-Herald. During this challenging time, our hearts go out to the affected families, friends and our entire school community, Berlau wrote in the letter. We are in the process of informing students of this tragedy. He said grief counselors would be available at the school. A fundraising campaign has been started to assist the Shelton family. LINCOLN Nebraskans who undergo a colonoscopy shouldnt have to worry that their insurance wont cover removal of potentially cancerous tissue during the process, a state lawmaker says. The Nebraska Legislatures Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee held a public hearing Monday on Legislative Bill 829, which would prevent patients from having to pay extra for services associated with colorectal cancer screenings, such as the removal of polyps clumps of cells that line the colon and rectum that could develop into cancer. State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue introduced and prioritized the bill for this session. She got the idea after she received a colonoscopy last spring, and was asked if she would like physicians to remove polyps that they find, even if her insurance may not cover it. Blood argued Monday that it is unfair to put patients in that scenario when they may not be able to afford it, even though it could mean the difference between life and death. Colorectal cancer rates are currently rising across the U.S., particularly in patients younger than 50, and Blood said the disease is estimated to cause roughly 53,000 deaths this year. This is an urgent, yet misunderstood issue that has been overlooked, Blood said. Colorectal cancer is a particularly prevalent issue for Nebraska, according to several physicians who testified in support of LB 829. John Trapp, president of the Nebraska Medical Association, said Nebraska has a higher rate of colorectal cancer compared to the rest of the U.S., and Ali Khan, dean of the College of Public Health at University of Nebraska Medical Center, said rates are most common in rural parts of the state. Blood said the problem stems from how a colonoscopy is defined by insurers. A colonoscopy is considered a screening, Blood said, until it involves other services like removing tissue. At that point, its treated as a diagnostic and isnt covered by some insurance plans. However, she said removing polyps and other tissue is a fairly common practice with colonoscopies. Khan noted that the definition loophole has already been closed for patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid through federal law. Now, he said, the same corrections need to happen in individual states. Colorectal cancer is perfect for screening, Khan said, because it is slow-growing. However, Trapp said the potential for extra costs serves as a deterrent for some patients who may not be able to afford those services if they arent covered by insurance. Trapp estimated that polyp removal can cost hundreds of dollars. He said LB 829 would remove that additional cost for insured Nebraskans and prevent extra procedures in the future by taking care of any concerns in the initial colonoscopy. Blood said this would benefit both patients and insurers. Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Ali Khan's name. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN Nearly five years after Nebraska put a troubled Kansas-based nonprofit in charge of child welfare in the Omaha area, state lawmakers have begun changing a process that led to that failed contract and others. State senators on Monday voted 45-0 to give the first of three rounds of approval to Legislative Bill 461, sponsored by Speaker of the Legislature John Arch of La Vista. He introduced the bill last year but the session ended before it could be considered. Arch said the measure provides a much-needed, long-overdue update to state procurement laws, most of which were written in the 1940s. Most importantly, he said, it eliminates language in current law requiring the state to award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. Under LB 461, state officials could reject bids if the price offered was not reasonable or not realistic and they could only give contracts to responsible bidders. A reasonable price would not exceed the market rates. A realistic price would be sufficient to get the job done properly. Such language could have prevented the Department of Health and Human Services from awarding a contract to St. Francis Ministries in 2019, Arch said. The nonprofit offered to manage the care of abused and neglected children in the Omaha area for 40% less than the Omaha-based agency that had been doing the job. No state official publicly questioned the bid, which was the lowest offered, despite concerns raised by outside child welfare advocates. HHS signed a five-year, $197 million contract with St. Francis in July 2019 but was later forced to sign a new, emergency contract when financial shortfalls nearly forced the nonprofits Omaha operations to shut down. The new 25-month, $147.3 million contract erased the original 40% cost difference. Meanwhile, St. Francis never met contract terms or complied with state laws limiting caseload sizes. The contract has since been terminated. The legislative investigation that followed uncovered a history of problems with the states procurement process. Along with the St. Francis contract, other notable procurement failures include the states 2007 contract to develop a major Medicaid claims processing and information system and a 2014 contract for a new Medicaid eligibility and enrollment system. In the first case, state officials signed a $45 million contract with FourThought Group, based in Arizona. HHS officials terminated the contract in July 2009, after only 15 months, saying the company did not have the capacity to deliver the system they proposed. The state paid the company more than $11 million. In the second case, state officials signed an $80 million contract with Wipro, based in India. Four years later, HHS officials ordered a review of the project, which concluded there was no evidence Wipro had completed any part of the project. HHS terminated the contract in December 2018, after having paid Wipro $58.6 million. The state agreed to pay another $5.5 million last year as part of a settlement with Wipro. A bill passed in 2022 required the state to evaluate the state procurement process. Ikaso Consulting, which did the evaluation, made 33 recommendations to improve the states contracting process and practices. LB 461 would implement several of the recommendations, while the Department of Administrative Services is working on the rest. Along with changing language about low bids, the bill would require state agencies to prove that a contract was needed before signing a contract, rather than after. It also would remove bidding preferences given to Nebraska vendors. Such preferences make it harder for Nebraska vendors to get contracts with other states. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 LINCOLN Nebraskas Department of Health and Human Services will move forward with controversial proposed regulations to govern access to gender-affirming care for the states transgender youths, marking a blow to advocates who had sought changes to the regulations they say create a burden on trans youths and their families. The State Board of Health on Monday voted unanimously to approve a certificate of review for the regulations, paving the way for HHS to send the restrictions on to the Attorney Generals Office for review. The 11-0 vote came amid a sparsely attended Board of Health meeting Monday, during which one board member questioned aloud what the board was voting on before casting a yes vote. An HHS spokesman confirmed later Monday that Nebraskas chief medical officer opted not to make substantial changes to the regulations he drafted in October, which faced backlash at a 12-hour public hearing in November. Crafted by Dr. Timothy Tesmer, the restrictions require that patients under 19 undergo at least 40 hours of therapy and wait another seven days after having their prescription approved before receiving any puberty-blocking or hormone medication. The regulations also mandate a seven-day waiting period between the approval of a prescription and when it can be distributed to a patient. The proposed permanent regulations faced broad opposition at Novembers public hearing, where more than 60 people lined up largely to criticize the regulations, casting them as overly burdensome on trans youths and their families, arbitrary, counter to best practice and potentially dangerous for children in dire need of gender-affirming care. Many of those who spoke including counselors and gender-affirming care providers implored Tesmer to reconsider the requirement that trans youths undergo 40 hours of therapy, which could delay treatment by 10 months or more and cost upward of $6,000. Tesmer, who did not attend Novembers public hearing, ultimately opted not to substantially revise the regulations. That decision was met with further backlash Monday from one state lawmaker, who again criticized Tesmer for not attending Novembers hearing and who suggested his proposed regulations are outright discriminatory. I cant imagine having sat and listened to what was shared at that hearing and not make changes, Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh of Omaha said. And maybe thats part of the problem that Dr. Tesmer wasnt there in person. But there are some very serious flaws with the regulations that have been put forward. They are discriminatory and reckless and, in some instances, impossible for individuals to get the care that they need that is legal for them to have, but through these regulations, impossible to access, she added. Under the proposed permanent regulations, patients also must have lived six consecutive months as their preferred gender before being eligible for a prescription and, if the medication comes through an injection, the proposed regulations call for it to be administered by a credentialed professional in the prescribed practitioners office or by the patients primary care provider. The regulations also require prescriptions for hormones or puberty blockers to identify the drugs being prescribed are for the treatment of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria, among other rules laid out in Tesmers six-page proposal. Tesmer drafted the regulations in October after the Legislature voted 33-15 to pass LB 574 in May, further restricting access to abortion in the state, banning gender-affirming surgeries for minors and turning the power to regulate the use of puberty blockers and hormone therapy in youth patients over to Tesmer. An HHS spokesman in an email said Tesmer, who did not comment on the regulations at Mondays meeting, reviewed every single comment offered on the regulations. The spokesman said Tesmer developed fair and reasonable regulations that put the long-term well-being of children first and foremost and determined no changes were required after reviewing comments offered at Novembers hearing. Before the permanent regulations can take effect, Attorney General Mike Hilgers office must approve them before sending them on to Gov. Jim Pillens office for final approval. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 Icicles are shown dripping from a road sign along SH 249 Hwy. near FM 1960 Rd. Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer Clueless Regarding Houston ISD Superintendent Mike Miles calls closing schools Tuesday due to freeze a mistake, (Jan. 17): We Houstonians must be mindful that Houston Independent School District Superintendent Mike Miles grew up in and, after a career in the Army, returned to Colorado, where a freeze of the sort we recently experienced is just everyday weather. He doesnt understand how completely clueless Houston drivers are about driving over icy overpasses. Miles, think about training your bus drivers on icy-road driving and avoiding cars that will inevitably slide into a bus full of elementary students. Also budget for the lawsuits that will be filed by parents whose children were hurt in those sliding car and bus accidents. Wouldnt you rather have those funds in the budget to pay teachers? Sally Lehr, Houston Advertisement Article continues below this ad HISDs state-appointed superintendents comment regretting closing schools reminds me of Gen. George Patton during World War II. Patton was nicknamed Old Blood and Guts because he relentlessly pushed his troops in severe situations. It was a gutsy move for Mike Miles to say he wished schools remained open during the freeze with icy road conditions. Fortunately surrounding school districts listened to sound advice and announced to close, taking measures to safeguard students and staff at their campuses. Bill Pond, Humble Basic income Regarding Basic income and other examples of Harris Countys mission creep (Opinion), (Jan. 21): Bravo, Charles Blain! Your opinion in Sundays Chronicle aptly expresses my consternation with the Hidalgo-Ellis Act of 2024. There are no lack of issues with this handout, from the ZIP code lottery, to the redundancy with federal aid programs, to the impossible assurance that the funds are not spent on illegal or criminal activity, to support terrorism, or to harm the safety or security of others. I can also think of many other uses for $20.5 million. For example, new courts to address the unprecedented backlog of criminal cases over the last few years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mr. Blain hit on a key issue, which is Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioner Rodney Ellis selling point to taxpayers: Its not Harris County money, its federal money from the American Rescue Plan Act. Really? And that makes it OK? Like that piece of federal legislation wasnt funded by our tax dollars, too? Even more important is what happens when those funds are depleted. Then Harris County taxpayers get to fund the program directly and in its entirety, because the history of welfare has proven that once a welfare program is initiated, it is almost never reversed or terminated without another program to replace it. At that time, if the topic even becomes publicly discussed (or buried on page 6), we will hear how We cant just abandon the recipients. Thomas Sowell, one of the most brilliant minds of our time, has spoken often regarding welfare. One of my favorites is, Mystical references to 'society' and its programs to 'help' may warm the hearts of the gullible but what it really means is putting more power in the hands of bureaucrats. Hayden Black, Spring It has been said, Give a man a fish and he will eat for one day, but teach a man to fish and he will eat for his entire life. Pretty sage stuff, if you ask me. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After a recipient gets their first $500 and they buy the 70-inch flat screen TV they have coveted, what next? What is wrong with the way the G.I. Bill worked? You gave a few years' service to your country and as long as you succeeded in school, you would have your tuition paid for. Wow! An education and no student debt. How much better does that get? OK, I get it. Some will need food, some may need child care, and some may need transportation. On a need-based criteria they will receive it as long as they perform at school and until they land their first job. And I mean not just a university but an accredited trade school also. I graduated from high school and got accepted to Texas A&M, for which my parents paid. I truly wasnt ready and ended up in a community college, which I paid for because my parents refused, then another until I woke up and joined the Air Force. Four years and Vietnam later, with a new wife, I went back to school on the G.I. Bill. I retook most all the classes I had previously failed miserably and graduated with an associates degree with a 4.0 average. Then I went to a four-year college. And, if you do well enough, the government will actually pay you to tutor others on the G.I. Bill. How did that happen? Motivation: I found it! And you can also. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thailands King Maha Vajiralongkorn has married his long-time bodyguard in a surprise move just days before his coronation. The Royal Gazette published an announcement saying Gen. Suthida Vajiralongkorn, a former flight attendant, had legally married the king in accordance with royal traditions. Thailand has a new queen just in time for the coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn in elaborate Buddhist and Brahmin ceremonies on Saturday in Bangkok. King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his consort, Gen. Suthida Vajiralongkorn named Queen Suthida, attend their wedding ceremony in Bangkok. Therefore, he bestows (the title) on General Suthida Vajiralongkorn na Ayudhya from Queen Consort to Queen Suthida as of now, the announcement said. The ceremony was overseen by Vajiralongkorn wearing a white uniform in Bangkoks Dusit Palace Wednesday, according to a broadcast of the announcement, which showed Queen Suthida in a traditional Thai silk dress. The unpredictable king is due to be crowned the 10th monarch of the Chakri dynasty in an elaborate three-day ceremony starting Saturday. Long seen trailing the king in public events as part of his personal security retinue, Suthida, a former Thai Airways flight attendant, was given the rank of general in 2016 King Vajiralongkorn, who has been married three times, is frequently abroad in Germany. Harsh lese-majeste laws have shielded public scrutiny of his colourful private life, and all media in Thailand must self-censor. This weekends coronation will be the first since King Vajiralongkorns late fathers nearly 70 years ago. It was not immediately clear what role Queen Suthida will play in the ceremony. President Bola Tinubu has directed the management of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to expand its focus area by extending interest-free loans to Nigerian students interested in skill-development programmes. The President issued this directive at the State House on Monday after a briefing from Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, Executive Secretary of NELFUND, on the build-up to the launch of the programme later in the month. The President said it is important for the scheme to accommodate those who may not want to pursue university education, noting that skill acquisition is as important as obtaining undergraduate and graduate academic qualifications. This is not an exclusive programme. It is catering to all of our young people. Young Nigerians are gifted in different areas. This is not only for those who want to be doctors, lawyers, and accountants. It is also for those who aspire to use their skilled and trained hands to build our nation. In accordance with this, I have instructed NELFUND to explore all opportunities to inculcate skill-development programmes because not everybody wants to go through a full university education, he said. President Tinubu emphasized the need for equity and inclusivity in the management of the programme, stating: No matter how economically challenged you are, accredited and qualified students will and must have access to this loan to advance their education in higher institutions. There is no compromise in our commitment to the disadvantaged citizens of this nation. READ ALSO: Tinubu urged to probe ex-Army Chiefs death in air crash during Buhari govt In his presentation to the President, Executive Secretary of the Fund, Mr. Akintunde Sawyerr, said the loan application process will be technology-driven, limiting human interface and eliminating any possibility of maladministration in the programme. By design, this is a perpetual programme and will not terminate. The funds, earmarked for bona-fide Nigerian students, will be disbursed directly to the institutions in the initial phase through electronic transfer. Our students will be catered to in a way that bypasses human interference through the full utilization of available technological platforms, in adherence to Your Excellencys stated objectives, he said. He also said NELFUND has developed a robust risk-mitigation mechanism to address potential risks that may arise from the programme. Speaking on the funding mechanism of the programme, Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said funding sources have been made available to ensure the smooth take-off and sustenance of the programme. Mr. President is permanently solving the problem of funding for education in Nigeria. By the directive of the President, the Education Tax Fund is being reviewed to additionally cater to the needs of our university students across all local government areas in the country as they seek to access vocational and traditional university education. Funding for the programme will be adequately covered, he said. No less than 10 shops and a residential building were consumed in a fire incident near the Afor Nkpor Market, along Oraukwu Crescent/Nkpor Old Road, within the Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The inferno occurred late on Sunday night and was caused by a power surge from one of the shops in the market On Monday afternoon, victims and some shop owners were observed inspecting the damage, while others rummaged through the rubble to salvage any valuables An eyewitness near the scene, who simply identified himself as Bassey, said, The fire started from one of the shops on Sunday night. We were in a nearby drinking joint when suddenly we heard a loud noise that sounded like a thunder and before we knew it, the entire place was engulfed by a thick smoke. We then rushed out and used sand and whatever that was within reach to try to quench the fire but to no avail as it continued to extend to other shops. We continued in our effort but the fire resisted our efforts. For about 30 minutes, we were fighting the inferno but it worsened and by then half of the shops and residential building had been razed completely As we continued the fight, personnel of the state fire service stormed the place and in anger, angry youths stoned them and they ran away with their truck. The firemen were pursued and their vehicle damaged in the process but they managed and escaped with it. Also reacting, a resident of the area who pleaded anonymity, said, God saved the fire service men because the angry youths wanted to lynch them for coming late to the scene of the incident. However, the entire shops and a residential building were destroyed beyond recognition as the fire resisted efforts to quench it, it resulted in stampede as it occurred in most of the shops within the premises touched by the inferno. Goods worth millions of naira, that were mostly provisions in about 10 shops, POS services, and salons, among others, were damaged beyond recognition by the ravaging inferno No life was lost but scores sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of the stampede. Gas cylinders stored in some of the shops were said to have escalated the inferno. At the time of this report, victims were observed counting their losses and appealing to the state government for assistance. Efforts to obtain a response from the state fire chief, Martin Agbili, proved unsuccessful as calls and messages to his telephone line received no response as of the time of filing this report. Kanyi Daily recalls that an early morning fire ravaged sections of a popular shopping mall in Gwarinpa, FCT Abuja, leading to the destruction of goods valued at millions. At least three people have reportedly lost their lives in a renewed cult-related clash in Benin City, Edo State The individuals were allegedly killed in a clash between the Black Axe and the Eiye group, the incident was said to have happened on Sunday night. Denco and Ariba, identified as two of the recent victims, were allegedly killed at a drinking spot located at Igun junction between Igbesanmwan and Oza Street, off Sokponba Road in Benin It was learned that Denco was approached by assailants at the drinking joint, while Ariba was killed in his room shortly after leaving the joint. It was gathered that Ariba, who was intoxicated, left the door of his room open while sleeping The third victim was reported to have been killed in the 2nd East Circular area on the same day. This unfolding situation has sparked fear among the residents of Benin. Recall that, in Benin, over 30 individuals, including a journalist from a private broadcast station and vigilante leaders, lost their lives in a clash between members of the Black Axe and their rivals, the Supreme Eiye Confraternities When contacted, SP Chidi Nwanbuzor, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, said that he is yet to be briefed on the incidents. He started Not until we receive our report from the scene of the crime, I wont be able to make a statement on something Im not informed about Whatever I would say will be from the report that is coming from that place, he said. Kanyi Daily recalls that Mrs. Esther Amali, a retired nurse, and her housemaid, Mercy Mwuese, were stabbed to death by a young man who invaded their residence near the Federal Low Cost in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has issued orders for the appointment of Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) to lead the Intelligence Department of the Force at both Zonal and State Commands Nationwide. This move is part of the IGPs commitment to enhance the intelligence capabilities of the Police Force, aimed at addressing the countrys crime rate. The decision to post ACPs to these crucial positions reflects the IGPs vision to strengthen the Intelligence Department at all levels of the Force. Upon assuming office, the IGP reactivated the Presidential approval to elevate the Force Intelligence Bureau to the status of a Department, appointing DIG Habu Sanni to oversee this new Department of Force Intelligence. In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Tuesday, it was mentioned that the newly appointed Senior Officers are tasked with deploying intelligence-based assets to combat crimes in their respective areas of responsibility. The IGP emphasized the importance of professionalism and leveraging their experience to fortify the existing intelligence architecture of the Force. The posting is effective immediately. Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi The Tinubu-led Federal government has reiterated to the international community that it would not accept same-sex marriage. The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Lateef Fagbemi, made the position of the government known while speaking at the 45th Universal Periodic Review in Geneva. He explained that same-sex marriage is inconsistent with the countrys domestic laws, adding that Nigerian laws are a reflection of the sentiment of the Nigerian people. The declaration is in tangent with a bill prohibiting same-sex marriage in Nigeria, which was signed into law during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. The law provides up to fourteen years imprisonment as well as fines for persons who may be found guilty of its provisions. Details Later According to the statement, the all-male suspects were nabbed in two locations during an intelligence-driven sting operation at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela area, both in Uyo Twenty-four persons who were allegedly trained for cyber crimes in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. In a statement released by EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, it was revealed that the suspects were arrested based on intelligence received regarding a storey building suspected to be a hideout for training internet fraudsters, located at Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela areas. According to the statement, the all-male suspects were nabbed in two locations during an intelligence-driven sting operation at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela area, both in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The statement reads in parts, The all- male suspects were arrested in two locations in an intelligence-driven sting operation at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela area, both in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Items recovered from the premises and the suspects include: five exotic cars; 18 laptops; 17 mobile phones and one internet router. On November 28, 2019, the EFCC arrested 23 trainers and trainees at a Yahoo Academy at Essien Essien Street, Ikot Ibiok village in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie has announced the establishment of his own ministry, expressing his readiness to respond to Gods call. Taking to his Twitter page on Tuesday, Yul Edochie officially introduced his ministry, named True Salvation Ministry (TSM). In his announcement, he conveyed his commitment to answering Gods call and dedicating himself to spreading the genuine message of salvation. The actor encouraged people to tune in to his ministry on Yuledochietv on YouTube every Sunday from 5 pm to 6 pm to engage with the word of God. He wrote: Its time to answer the call of God Almighty. Its time to do His work fully. To spread the true message of God. Tune in, and be transformed.. Its time to answer the call of God Almighty. Its time to do His work fully. To spread the true message of God. Tune in, and be transformed. pic.twitter.com/Eig4GcG7Xn Yul Edochie (@YulEdochie) January 23, 2024 KanyiDaily recalls that last year, Yul Edochie revealed that he had been called to serve God and be his minister. The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday said it had recovered hospital equipment meant for constituency project on the premises of Mma Obot Foundation, allegedly belonging to Senator Godswill Akpabio. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Rasheedat Okoduwa, the commission said it also recovered six tractors from a farm belonging to Senator Isa Misau, who represented Bauchi Central Senatorial District. The anti-graft agency said it recovered the items during its ongoing tracking of constituency projects around the country. It said the six tractors recovered from Misau were meant to be used by farmers in the six council areas of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District. The ICPC said, The CPTG assessment and review of constituency projects across Nigeria by the commission and its partners Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Bureau of Public Procurement, Budget Office of the Federation, Premium Times, BudgIT and Udeme.ng is aimed at ensuring satisfactory execution of all constituency projects across the country. It has so far led to multiple recoveries of items, hospital equipment, vehicles and funds. It has also forced many contractors, who hitherto had abandoned projects, to return to site to complete them. Among the recoveries so far made by the CPTG team are dialysis machine, ECG monitor, oxygen regulator, anaesthetic machines, generators and other hospital equipment meant for a cottage hospital in Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, from the premises of Mma Obot Foundation, alleged to belong to Senator Godswill Akpabio. The ICPC said the tractors recovered from Misau were part of items meant to be bought from the sum of N430m to help farmers in his senatorial district. It added, The tractors formed part of the N430m contract for the supply of pumping machines and other agricultural machinery to farmers in the senatorial district, which was awarded in 2015 by the Federal Government as part of the senators constituency projects across the nation. The CPTG team for Bauchi discovered that N76.6m was paid for the tractors in December 2015 and supplied in March 2016. They were supposed to have been distributed for the use of farmers in each of the six local government areas in the senatorial district that included Misau, Dambam, Ningi, Warji, Darazo and Ganjuwa. It was found out that the tractors had obviously not been distributed as required in the terms of the contract. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have come under fresh pressures to rekindle searchlight on the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Right Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, over allegations of impropriety in managing the funds of the Lagos State legislature said to be petitioned to the commission by some stakeholders in Lagos State. A source from the commission, who sought anonymity, alleged that petitions have purportedly been transmitted to the Commission by some stakeholders in Lagos State, demanding investigation of the Speaker over alleged misappropriation of the House funds in over the past four years into the current tenure. The commission was said to be looking into the complaints before necessary actions could be taken. Details of the petitions or demands for investigation of the Speaker were not disclosed; the source, however, said that preliminary inquiries may soon commence to confirm the profile of the petitioners and the issues raised; thereafter, the details may be revealed when proper investigations commence. He explained that it is based on the findings from the preliminary inquiries that the commission would ascertain whether there are facts therein, before proceeding with proper investigations. According to him, only at this stage would the details be revealed. Effort to reach the EFCC spokesperson at the time of this report to confirm the petitions was not successful. We will sustain this effort to get his response in our subsequent report. PV: 0 Texas Department of Public Safety personnel watch as a large group of migrants cross the Rio Grande into the U.S. at Eagle Pass, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. A surge of migrants started early in the week and continued through Thursday. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News Texas National Guard reinforce concertina wire in Eagle Pass, Texas, Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023. A surges in migrant crossings started early in the week and continued through Thursday. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News Migrants look for a way through the concertina wire on the banks of the Rio Grande south of Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News A migrant asks for help as a group of them try to get through the concertina wire on the banks of Rio Grande south of Eagle Pass, Texas, Tuesday, July 11, 2023. Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Monday sided with the Biden administration in its ongoing dispute with Texas over razor wire the state has strung along the Rio Grande, clearing the way for the Border Patrol to begin cutting through spools of wire the administration says endangers migrants. In a 5-4 ruling, the court struck down a lower court decision that had barred the Border Patrol from cutting or moving state-owned razor wire except to reach migrants in need of emergency medical assistance. Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts, both conservatives, joined the courts three liberal members in the decision. The ruling is a blow to Gov. Greg Abbotts border security crackdown, which has pushed the bounds of immigration enforcement and drawn multiple lawsuits that could test how far states are permitted to go in securing the international boundary. The full razor wire case is still pending before a district court judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The high courts decision comes as Texas soldiers have been blocking the Border Patrol from a 2-mile stretch near Eagle Pass in an unprecedented state takeover that escalated the dispute. It was not immediately clear if the state would allow the Border Patrol back into the stretch, which includes a public park, in light of the ruling. The Texas Military Department overseeing the takeover did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Abbott, who is directing the border crackdown, was in India for a weeklong economic tour. A spokesman for the governor said Abbott will continue fighting to defend Texas property and its constitutional authority to secure the border. The Department for Homeland Security, which includes Border Patrol, cheeredthe Supreme Court order. "Enforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility," a DHS spokesperson said. "Rather than helping to reduce irregular migration, the State of Texas has only made it harder for frontline personnel to do their jobs and to apply consequences under the law. We can enforce our laws and administer them safely, humanely, and in an orderly way." Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Justice Department has argued that the takeover is putting migrant lives at risk, pointing to the drownings of a woman and two children in the Rio Grande after the state began blocking the Border Patrol from accessing the park. Abbott says the state has been forced to step in, accusing President Joe Biden of refusing to secure the border. The court did not explain the ruling, issuing just one paragraph vacating the lower court ruling. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh all conservative members dissented. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called the ruling "extremely disappointing and frustrating" and said Roberts "lets us down again in a critical 5-4 decision as he sides with the liberals on the Court on this important border issue." Attorney General Ken Paxton in October sued to stop Border Patrol agents from tampering with the wire, arguing that they have no authority to damage or seize state property that is not on federal land and that their actions are thwarting state border operations. The conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Texas and blocked the Border Patrol from messing with the wire. But the state takeover and migrant drownings escalated the dispute this month, with the Justice Department urging the Supreme Court to step in and force the state to allow the Border Patrol back into the park. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to filings in the case, soldiers were preventing the Border Patrol from reaching a key staging area under an international bridge and blocking them from using a boat ramp in the park the only one for miles along the Rio Grande. The National Guard told the Border Patrol that it would not allow federal agents to apprehend migrants in the area or permit state troopers to turn migrants over to federal agents for processing, according to the filing. The park was the center of Abbotts migrant crackdown last summer, when the state strung miles of razor wire and lined the Rio Grande with shipping containers. Also, state troopers arrested thousands of migrants on trespassing charges. The Justice Department argued that the takeover prevented the Border Patrol from monitoring a critical stretch of the border and kept agents from responding quickly to emergencies, including those the lower court ruling specifically allowed for agents to respond to. A top Border Patrol official said in a sworn statement before the court that while the recent drownings of the woman and two children already had occurred when agents received a distress call from Mexico, Texas soldiers blocked federal agents from getting to two others who were struggling in the river that night. Those migrants were rescued by a Mexican airboat and were suffering from hypothermia. It is impossible to say what might have happened if Border Patrol had had its former access to the area including through its surveillance trucks that assisted in monitoring the area, the filing said. At the very least, however, Border Patrol would have had the opportunity to take any available steps to fulfill its responsibilities and assist its counterparts in the Mexican government with undertaking the rescue mission. Texas made that impossible. The state argued in response that the takeover was irrelevant to the razor wire dispute before the court. It argued that the wire is meant to serve as a deterrent to keep migrants from trying to cross into Texas and that Bidens border policies were encouraging them to do so. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The loss of any human life in the Rio Grande is tragic and preventable, Paxton wrote in a filing last week. That is one reason Governor Abbott ordered the installation of the concertina wire at issue in this case. Illinois State University has delayed its start time to noon Tuesday because of expected icy conditions. The campus closed early at noon on Monday after hours of freezing rain led to slick roadways and public safety advisories. Officials initially said the university would reopen at 7 a.m. Tuesday, but later pushed back the time to noon. "This continued closure will provide extended time for crews to safely clear roads and campus grounds," the university said. All classes (in-person, hybrid, and online) that begin before noon are canceled and will not be delivered remotely. All assignments and exams in these classes should be rescheduled for a future date. The ISU Laboratory Schools will be closed all day with no after-school events taking place. Residence halls and the ISU Police Department will remain open, and residential dining centers will remain open Monday as planned and reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday. All other campus buildings will open at noon Tuesday. MORE CLOSURES AND WEATHER COVERAGE HERE: 'Treacherous' ice taking tolls on Central Illinois commuters "If you dont have to be out, dont be out," said a meteorologist with the National Weather Service at Lincoln. The following is a list of weather-related closures in Central Illinois for Tuesday, Jan. 23. Have one to add? Tell us at blmnews@pantagraph.com. BLOOM COMMUNITY SCHOOL Bloom Community School in Normal will be closed on Tuesday. BLOOMINGTON DISTRICT 87 District 87 will use a remote learning day on Tuesday. CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Classes and after-school activities are canceled for Tuesday. This is a weather-related closure and not an e-learning day. HEARTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE All Heartland Community College locations will have a delayed start of 10 a.m. Tuesday. HEYWORTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS Heyworth School District students will be learning remotely on Tuesday. The district also had remote learning on Monday. ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY ISU closed at noon Monday because of weather conditions. The university said Monday night that it would reopen at noon Tuesday rather than 7 a.m. as previously indicated. All classes (in-person, hybrid, and online) that begin before noon are canceled and will not be delivered remotely; all assignments and exams in these classes should be rescheduled for a future date. Residence halls and the ISU Police Department will remain open, and residential dining centers will remain open today as planned and reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday. All other campus buildings will open at noon Tuesday. ISU LABORATORY SCHOOLS The Laboratory Schools will be closed all day Tuesday, with no after-school events taking place. The schools were also closed Monday. ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY Illinois Wesleyan University closed at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22 and will reopen at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23. All classes and activities are canceled and offices are closed during this time. MCLEAN COUNTY UNIT 5 SCHOOLS McLean County Unit 5 schools will have a remote learning day on Tuesday. All morning practices and activities are canceled. All after-school practices, activities and games scheduled for Tuesday evening are canceled. MOUNT PULASKI PUBLIC SCHOOLS Mount Pulaski schools will have a remote learning day on Tuesday. YWCA MCLEAN COUNTY YWCA McLean County closed at 2 p.m. Monday. The organization will open at 9 a.m. and will not have before-school care Tuesday. Twin Cities School of Dance TCSD will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Dance classes will resume on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 24 unless otherwise notified. MORE WEATHER COVERAGE: Brrr! All-time snowfall records Records from the Lincoln Climate February 23, 1914 Big snow, big news January 13, 1927 December 25, 1909 November 17, 1926 March 16, 1960 April 4, 1920 October 23, 1929 A rare second photograph Traces of snow in May Looking for more? Chris Talgos defense of the January 6 riots failed as an attempt to explain away Trumps actions that day. The then-president inspired the riot by claiming the 2020 election had been stolen which was bad enough. But if you should require more, you need only decide whether Trump had inside knowledge that no coup was being attempted, which Talgo seems to believe, or he didnt. If he didnt, then he was clearly in dereliction of his duties when he refused to deploy the forces at his disposal to protect Congress. The prudent thing to do was to prepare for the worst, not exactly unfamiliar territory in Washington where defense contractors live by that principle. If Trump did have inside knowledge, then he was doubly complicit in the damage done and the casualties sustained, in my opinion, and the 14th Amendment should remove him from the ballot before he can do more. Talgo argues a grand scheme is required for a coup, and claims the mob didnt have the wherewithal to overthrow the government, but, as we all recall, the storming of the Bastille had no grand scheme behind it either, and yet the French government eventually fell. The main objective of the whole fiasco was to disrupt the electoral college tally. Why would that be of any importance? To quote Tom Stoppard, Its not the voting thats democracy; its the counting. And the MAGA crowd tried to prove vote tampering numerous times, but despite a clear willingness to falsify evidence, they never succeeded in convincing anyone of any impropriety. The attempt to deny the electoral colleges result is damning because it was meant to prevent one of governments most fundamental duties, the peaceful transfer of power. And thats as existential an assault on our system as any coup attempt. Tony Somera, Champaign The United States and the Government of Ghana launched a joint $25 million partnership to improve health services in Ghana earlier today. United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Ghana Mission Director Kimberly Rosen joined the Director General of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, to formally launch the five-year agreement at a ceremony at the GHS headquarters in Accra. Investments in health pay back dividends for generations. The partnership we announced today will help provide quality services to all Ghanaians, no matter where they live or how much they can afford to pay, stated USAID/Ghana Mission Director Kimberly Rosen during the agreement launch ceremony. The government-to-government (G2G) agreement will support the Ghana Health Service to improve the quality of primary health care delivery at community health facilities (CHPS) and health centers. USAID will provide $18.8 million in funding, while the GHS is expected to contribute $6.2 million over five years. This is USAID/Ghanas largest G2G agreement in the health sector to date. "We believe that this support is going to help us to continue to provide quality care and also enhance our patient experience through the network of practice as we march towards achieving universal health coverage," noted Director General of Ghana Health Service, Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye. The United States Government is Ghanas largest bilateral partner, with over $150 million in support in the last year for health, economic growth, agriculture, education, governance, security, and more. This five-year agreement aligns with the Government of Ghana's health objectives, including the Universal Health Coverage Roadmap (20202030). USAID and the GHS will support 60 Networks of Practice (NoP) in the five regions of the north and in the Western Region with essential equipment, training of health staff, and on-the-job supportive supervision to strengthen their skills. The Network of Practice (NoP) model links community health facilities to district health centers for improved healthcare delivery. The agreement will also support the GHS to operationalize their Planning and Budgeting Management Information System and the Ministry of Finance for its Integrated Financial Management Information System, among others. During the launch ceremony, the USAID/Ghana Mission Director also handed over three Yamaha motorcycles to the GHS to support community health officers in accessing hard-to-reach areas. Over the past year, USAID has donated more than 300 motorcycles, 20 vehicles, and 3,000 electronic tablets to the GHS to facilitate health service delivery. About USAID USAID is the lead U.S. government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential. USAID's activities and strategic partnerships support Ghana's ability to advance an integrated approach to development. It promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] 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 News reaching Despite Media has it that, at least six people are reported dead in a fresh attack in Bawku just this afternoon, 22nd January 2024. This incident happened after some gunmen opened fire on a bus en route to a market in Binduri, a suburb in the Upper East Region. This comes after 48 hours of a relatively calmer environment in the town. The victims of the shooting incident comprised two males and four females. According to reports gathered by Peacefmonline.com, the incident happened when a bus transporting passengers to a market center in the nearby Binduri District was ambushed by gunmen who opened fire on the vehicle. The Municipal Chief Executive for Bawku Hon. Hamza Amadu, has verified the disturbing incident to the media. Mr Amadu, in expressing his sentiment, acknowledged that the current count of casualties might increase, suggesting the potential for more victims to be recorded. The Security agencies are expected to begin investigations to ascertain the motives behind the attack the sudden attacks. On Friday, January 19, news gathered by peacefmonline.com revealed a similar incident occurred when a bus transporting about 45 students from the Presbyterian Nurses Training College, Bawku, was targeted in an attack by two gunmen riding on a motorbike near Binduri in the Upper East region. The assault resulted in multiple injuries among the students, who were transported to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital for medical attention. On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, unidentified gunmen attacked and killed two persons in the Upper East Regional town, of Bawku. The shooting occurred around noon when unknown gunmen opened fire at tricycle operators near the Bawku Community Centre. Six people were shot in this incident; one died on the spot, and the other died this morning while receiving treatment. As of January 18, three more people were killed, bringing the death toll to 5 within 48 hours. They were shot by some soldiers who claimed they found firearms on them. The Ghana Armed Forces defended its move insisting that directly engaging the military is a development that could result in fatal consequences; as troops will spare no opportunity to defend themselves as well as protect. Source: Kobina Darlington/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A circuit court in Accra has remanded two men into police custody for allegedly robbing an amount of two hundred thousand cedis (Ghc 200,000.00) from a Chinese national. The two accused persons, 31-year-old Richard Kwame Tuffour and 34-year-old Emmanuel Dabankah, have both been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and robbery. They have both pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to the facts of the case as narrated by DSP Emmanuel Nyamekye in the court presided over by His Honour Oheneba Kuffour, the first accused, Richard Kwame Tuffour, is a driver, and the second accused, Emmanuel Dabankah, is a welder. They are both employees of a Chinese quarry company known as Haoxin Quarry Limited, located at Gomoa Kweikrom near Postin. According to the prosecution, on January 8, 2024, at 9 a.m., the first accused (Richard Kwame Tuffour) drove his manager, Quan Xin Jie and Fan Fian Quiang both Chinese nationals, to Winneba to pay the electricity bill of the quarry company. However, the manager was unable to pay the bill because it was a public holiday. The facts said the first accused, Richard Kwame Tuffour who realised his manager's intention to return to Winneba to do the payment the following day, conceived the idea to rob the company of the money meant for the electricity bill. Richard Kwame Tuffour called the second accused, Emmanuel Dabankah, and discussed his robbery plans with him. Emmanuel agreed with Richard to carry out the plan on January 9, 2024. The prosecution said Richard intended to use his part of the money to establish his own welding shop after a successful operation. Both accused persons contacted one Bright Osei to help execute their plan. Bright Osei, a labourer at Las Vegas Real Estate at Kasoa Buduburam, who is the first prosecution witness in this case, relayed the information for the arrest of the accused persons. The prosecution said on January 9, 2024, at about 8:00 a.m., the first accused and his boss left the quarry site for Winneba to pay the bill. On their way, the second accused, Emmanuel Dabankah, intercepted them on a section of the road by pelting a stone at the vehicle and causing damage to the windshield. Richard then drove into a ditch, stopped, and opened the trunk of the vehicle. The second accused gained access to the car, took the money, and bolted into the bush. Bright Osei, who had liaised with the police to lay an ambush, raised alarm, and subsequently the first accused (Richard Kwame Tuffour) was arrested. Police retrieved an amount of One Hundred and Forty Thousand cedis (Ghc 140,000.00) from Emmanuel Dabankah (second accused) at Akoti Junction upon his arrest but the Chinese indicated that the amount was Two Hundred Thousand cedis (Ghc 200.000). The case has been adjourned to February 7, 2024. Source: Philipa Atanga/Court Reporter/Despite Media 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 In the latest of initiatives designed to create training, employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for Ghanaian youth, women and the vulnerable, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has launched a multimillion cedi project designed to empower hundreds of thousands and provide skills to thousands more. The Ghs660 million GEA/Mastercard Foundation Business in A Box (Bizbox) Project aims to empower 250,000 individuals and support 125,000 with start-up kits, as well as provide market access support to 50,000 businesses and regulatory support to 40,000 businesses. This is the largest ever funding for such an initiative and comes less than a month after Government, through the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) provided an additional Ghs31 million to 3000 youth-led startups and Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. In all, Government provided Ghs 100 million to such enterprises in 2023. Speaking at the launch of the National Kick-off and Sensitization of the BizBox project in Accra on Monday, January 22, 2024 Vice President Bawumia expressed delight at the ongoing measures to empower the youth and create decent jobs. This is an unprecedented initiative that we believe will create and sustain decent jobs for the Ghanaian youth, leaving no one behind. The Bizbox is more than just a project; it symbolizes hope and opportunity. It encompasses the tools, knowledge, and support necessary to initiate, develop, own, and grow successful businesses. Drawing on the lessons from the previous Young Africa Works Project, Bizbox will focus on expanding business formalization, product certification, and provide access to start-up kits, particularly in the Agricultural and Agri-adjacent sectors. BizBox Project Officials of the GEA, led by Kosi Yankey-Ayeh say the primary focus groups of this latest intervention are the youth (aged 15 to 35), Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), vulnerable females, majority women-owned businesses, and female youth-led businesses, with a specific emphasis on placing the heart, mind, and voice of entrepreneurs, women, youth, and PWDs at the center Governments entrepreneurship programmes. Spanning all 16 regions and 261 districts in Ghana, the BizBox Project is expected to benefit 250,000 participants, with the aim that 50% of these beneficiaries will create employment for at least one additional young person. The Project will be implemented under Five Pillars: Youth Skills Development, Access to Market, Access to Startup Kits, Youth Social Networks, and Institutional Strengthening, Policy, and Regulatory Support. Focusing on 50% agriculture and agri-business, 30% tourism and creative industry, 10% building and construction and 10% others, which includes hairdressing, wood and joinery, electronics, electrical and so on whilst prioritizing the "last mile" of value chains. By focusing on the enhancement of skills within the agricultural sector, the Project recognizes the pivotal role agriculture plays in the Ghanaian economy by, empowering individuals with the knowledge and expertise needed to excel in agribusiness. Through specialized training, farmers and aspiring entrepreneurs will be equipped with the skills necessary to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in the dynamic agricultural landscape. By facilitating access to both local and international markets, the Project creates avenues for farmers and agri-businesses, enhancing visibility of Ghanaian agricultural products, stimulating economic growth, and fostering trade relationships and partnerships. The BizBox Project is also making provision for start-up kits tailored to the specific needs of agri-businesses. From essential tools and equipment to seeds and fertilizers, these kits will serve as a launch pad for entrepreneurs to kick-start their agricultural enterprises, ensuring sustainability and productivity from the outset. Working together Thanking the Mastercard Foundation for its continued support to Ghana, Dr Bawumia challenged Ghanaian youth, women and Persons With Disabilities to take advantage of the opportunities to learn, create and manage successful businesses. As today marks a new chapter in our nation's journey towards prosperity and opportunity for all, it is a testament to our belief that "It is Possible" to create a better future for our youth, women, and Persons with Disabilities. Therefore, as we embark on this transformative journey to victory in creating 250,000 dignified and fulfilling jobs, I invite each one of you to play an active role in shaping the success of the BizBox Project. Let us unite in our commitment to nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders. And I believe together, we can turn the aspirations of our teeming youth into achievements, realities, and sustainable ventures, ensuring that the BizBox Project becomes a catalyst for positive change in their lives and the prosperity of our nation. I know for a fact that, with dedication, collaboration, and a shared vision, I am very confident that we can achieve our goals and build a brighter future for Ghana because It is Possible. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has condemned an attack on a truck carrying traders from Bawku to Binduri that resulted in the killing of about seven people and the injury of others. Unknown gunmen ambushed and opened fire on the truck on the outskirts of Binduri. The truck was on its way to the Atuba market on Monday, January 22, when the incident occurred. In a statement, Mahama Ayariga condemned the attack and called on the Ghana Police Service to commence investigations to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. I once again appeal to all sides in the Bawku conflict to lay down their arms and let us end this senseless violence, Mahama further called for calm in his statement. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of the Trade Unions Congress (TUC-GH), has associated itself with the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG) in the issues culminating in the current nationwide strike action. The union, in a release signed by its General Secretary, Mark Dankyira Korankye, indicated that the demands for Tier-2 pension payment and the restoration of payments of stopped agreed allowances were among the myriad of issues listed on the petitions to the National Labour Commission (NLC) in October, 2023 which almost led to another joint non-teaching staff unions strike in the public universities. It is obvious that the patience of the universities workers has waned and the continued lethargy of government agencies in addressing labour issues will no more be entertained, the statement said. TEWU of TUC (GH) is by this statement calling on its members in the Public Universities to join the on-going strike in solidarity and especially on the non-payment of Tier-2 pension contributions by government that is outstanding for nine months, it added. TEWU thus called on the government to immediately pay the nine months Tier 2 pension contributions arrears of workers of the Public Universities to ensure dignified retirement. We wish to serve notice, and is hereby served that the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) of TUC (GH) has joined the strike declared by the Senior Staff Association of Universities of Ghana (SSA-UoG). It is hoped that the smooth running of Ghanas Public Universities will be revered in a swift response of the government agencies to forestall disruptions in the academic calendar, Dankyira Korankye said. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Hilla Limann, 64, who was ousted as president of Ghana in a 1981 coup after a brief rule also tried to reclaim the post in elections 11 years later, died on Jan. 23 at the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana. He died as a result of a heart ailment complications He was elected president in September 1979 and held that office through 1981, when he was toppled by a young Air Force fighter pilot, Lt. Jerry Rawlings, currently president of the West African nation. Rawlings first came to power by ousting the military government of Gen. Frederick Akuffo in 1979. Akuffo and two other former military rulers were executed, but elections went ahead as scheduled, and Rawlings handed over power to the winner, Dr. Limann. Dr. Limann, who studied at the London School of Economics, ran for office as a candidate of the center-left People's National Party. The 1979 constitution was modeled on those of Western democracies. It provided for the separation of powers between an elected president and a unicameral Parliament, an independent judiciary headed by a Supreme Court, which protected individual rights, and other autonomous institutions, such as the Electoral Commissioner and the Ombudsman. The new President, Dr. Hilla Limann, was a career diplomat from the northern part of Ghana and the candidate of the Peoples National Party (PNP), the political heir of Nkrumahs CPP. Of the 140 members of Parliament, 71 were PNP. The PNP government established constitutional institutions and generally respected democracy and individual human rights. Despite its best efforts, the PNP was plagued with internal party squabbles and haunted by rumors of coup attempts. Nevertheless, to halt the continuing decline in the economy and to bridge the gap between rich and poor, Limann and his government put together economic measures and built firm policies to pull the country out of the economic mess it found itself in. On December 31, 1981, Flight Lt. Rawlings and a small group of enlisted and former soldiers launched a coup that succeeded against little opposition in toppling President Limann After the ban on political parties was lifted in 1992, Dr. Limann formed the People's National Convention Party. He ran for president that year, finishing a distant third in elections won by Rawlings. Dr. Limann got only 6.7 percent of the vote, compared with 58.3 percent by Rawlings. A few months before the 1996 presidential elections, Dr. Limann decided not to run. That election was also won by Rawlings. Dr. Limann remained chairman of the People's National Convention Party, which obtained three percent of the vote. The late President Limann was survived by a wife and 7 children Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A National Guardsman walks inside an area fenced off with razor wire near a former staging area for migrants in Eagle Pass on Tuesday January 23. Jessica Phelps Razor wire backs all the way to the street between two bridges near a former staging area for migrants in Eagle Pass on Tuesday January 23. Jessica Phelps Razor wire is seen near the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass. Jessica Phelps Razor wire is set up along a fence that runs along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass. Jessica Phelps Razor wire backs all the way to the street between two bridges near a former staging area for migrants in Eagle Pass on Tuesday January 23. Jessica Phelps Razor wire is set up along a fence that runs along the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass. Jessica Phelps After the Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for federal agents to remove Texas-owned razor wire along the Rio Grande, some conservative lawmakers and commentators suggested a drastic response from the state: defy the courts ruling. The 5-4 decision allows Border Patrol to cut or move the miles of razor wire deployed under Gov. Greg Abbotts border crackdown. In doing so, the high court temporarily settled the states dispute with the Biden administration, which says the barriers endanger migrants and impede federal immigration enforcement. READ MORE: Border Patrol official says migrants drowned before agents were blocked by Texas guardsmen Advertisement Article continues below this ad Several prominent Republicans quickly responded by publicly advising Abbott to ignore the ruling altogether. This opinion is unconscionable and Texas should ignore it on behalf of the (Border Patrol) agents who will be put in a worse position by the opinion and the Biden administrations policies, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, posted on X. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana offered similar advice: My thoughts are that the feds are staging a civil war, and Texas should stand their ground. And Jeremy Carl, a senior fellow at the Claremont Institute, a right-wing think tank, said that if Abbott wants to have a future on a national ticket he will defy this lawless Supreme Court and protect the Texas border from invasion. Its unclear how the Biden administration would respond if state officials ignored the order. Abbott, who is in India for a weeklong economic tour, has not outlined the states next steps, though he wrote on social media that he would continue to fight in court. The full razor wire case remains before a district judge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On Tuesday, Texas authorities were still restricting Border Patrols access to key a 2.5-mile stretch near Eagle Pass, part of an unprecedented state border takeover that became central to arguments before the Supreme Court as it was considering the razor wire case. Federal officials say it is a critical stretch of the border, where agents often need to respond quickly to emergencies, but Texas soldiers have stopped federal agents from patrolling the stretch and apprehending migrants there, instead having state troopers arrest migrants for trespassing. Three migrants, a mother and two children, drowned near the stretch earlier this month, and the Biden administration pointed to the drownings as it urged the Supreme Court to force Texas to let Border Patrol back in. The five-justice majority did not explain their decision and did not weigh in on the takeover. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Chris Olivarez said the high courts ruling applies only to the razor wire issue. State police are still restricting federal access to Shelby Park, he said Tuesday, though they are now allowing Border Patrol to use the parks boat ramp the only one for miles along the Rio Grande, Biden administration officials noted in court filings. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Department of Homeland Security officials took another crack at gaining access to the park on Tuesday, demanding in a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton that state officials remove any and all obstructions on federally-owned land around the park, including at several park entrances. Texas testing the limits The extraordinary standoff is only the latest example of how Abbott and the GOP-controlled Legislature have pushed the limits of state immigration enforcement throughout much of President Joe Bidens first term. Under the third-term governors wide-ranging border crackdown known as Operation Lone Star, the state also has arrested migrants on state trespass charges and put floating barriers in the Rio Grande, measures that Abbott says are needed to counter the record levels of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. Earlier this month, the Biden administration sued to block a new Texas law, Senate Bill 4, that empowers state officials to essentially deport people who are suspected of crossing the border illegally. But Abbott also has resisted some of the most drastic calls for action. More than a year before he signed SB 4 into law, the governor faced pressure from the right to declare that Texas was under invasion and start unilaterally enforcing federal immigration laws. Some conservative officials and activists contended it would be permitted under states constitutional right to protect themselves from imminent danger or invasion. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Legal experts said the border invasion strategy likely would run afoul of U.S. asylum laws, along with legal precedent that gives the federal government broad discretion in setting and enforcing immigration policy. And Abbott said he would first want Congress to change federal laws to ensure state authorities were shielded from criminal prosecution. In the razor wire case, Abbott has appeared more focused on the ongoing court battle, rather than challenging the will of the Supreme Court. He noted on social media that the high court had issued a temporary ruling that applies only while the case makes its way through the courts. The appeals court had sided with Texas in its own temporary order, the one dissolved by the high court on Monday. But pressure from the partys right flank to defy the ruling was growing. A few GOP state lawmakers implicitly called for Texas to ignore it on Monday. Sometimes disobedience is the best way to show leadership, tweeted state Rep. Tom Oliversion, R-Houston, which drew agreement from state Rep. Steve Toth, R-Conroe. Republican state Rep. Briscoe Cain of Deer Park was more explicit, writing, As President Jackson famously said: the Supreme Court has made their decision, now lets see them enforce it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Texas Republican Party posted a fundraising appeal accompanied by a graphic depicting a segment of razor wire above the states Come and take it mantra, in which take was crossed out and replaced with cut. Texans for Strong Borders, a group that pushes for hard-line immigration policies, said Abbott should continue to place barriers and block the Biden administration from removing them, adding that Texans do not wish to see our country overrun with millions of illegal aliens. (The group is linked to Defend Texas Liberty, the group bankrolled by right-wing oilmen Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks. Both groups have been the subject of reporting by the Texas Tribune highlighting their ties to white supremacists.) DHS, which includes Border Patrol, praised the Supreme Court order for affirming that (e)nforcement of immigration law is a federal responsibility. Rather than helping to reduce irregular migration, the state of Texas has only made it harder for front-line personnel to do their jobs and to apply consequences under the law, a DHS spokesperson said. We can enforce our laws and administer them safely, humanely, and in an orderly way. The media has been urged to shy away from framing every societal issue along partisan lines. According to speakers at the launch of Zed Multimedia in Accra, the dominance of partisan politics in shaping public narratives often leads to a polarized and less constructive discourse. They emphasized the need for media houses to rise above political affiliations and focus on providing balanced, informed, and unbiased information to the public. The speakers highlighted what they referred to as the poverty of knowledge in the public sphere, despite the multitude of voices and information sources available. They expressed concerns about the quality of public discussions and urged media houses to play a more significant role in elevating the level of discourse by providing well-researched and insightful content. Former Rector of GIMPA and educationist, Professor Stephen Adei, challenged the management of Zed Multimedia to be a voice of integrity in the media landscape. Professor Adei emphasized the importance of guarding against misinformation and falsehood across all media platforms. Anyone who deliberately misinforms on Zed Multimedia must be fired because what goes out does not change. You cannot change false information, he stated emphatically. Dean of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) Law School, Professor Ernest Kofi Abotsi, expressed concerns about the prevailing dominance of politics over the state. He highlighted the challenges of recognizing that the country is composed of both the state and political entities, emphasizing the need for a shift in focus to address critical national issues. Prof. Abotsi urged the media house to navigate a path less taken, steering clear of the overtly political approach adopted by many and adopt time-tested values emphasizing the importance of showing leadership in public broadcasting. Economist, Kwame Pianim, emphasized professionalism, balance, and dynamism, while maintaining that, the media, the fourth estate of the realm, is critical for checks and balances and in any democracy, the absence of a vibrant dynamic media, committed to truth and integrity spells trouble. Founder and General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC), Dr. Pastor Mensah Otabil, challenged Zed Multimedia to dare to be different in a heavily stereotyped media environment, if it wants to succeed. He said the new media organization would have to be extremely innovative and excellent to thrive in a media market that has already been defined, to become a media house of choice. You cannot rest one moment because the forces that drive your market are going to try to drive you to follow the general trend that everybody is manifesting, he stated. It is possible in an environment where everybody is going one way and for you to go the opposite way and still thrive, he emphasized. Communications Officer at the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Cynthia Prah, emphasized the crucial role of reliability in the countrys media industry. She urged the management to stand tall with unwavering dedication to providing trustworthy and accurate information. In an era where information is paramount, Madam Prah emphasized the need for media platforms to be reliable sources for those seeking timely and accurate information. She encouraged Zed Multimedia to disseminate credible information by double-checking and triple-checking facts, which would help combat the spread of misinformation and disinformation. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The government is implementing measures aimed at providing an enabling environment for accelerated private sector growth, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta has said. Mr Ofori-Atta said there was a need to deliberately make the country more accommodative for private investors to attract more foreign investment that would help expand the economy and create jobs and prosperity. Mr Ofori-Atta was speaking to a gathering of the Chinese business community in Ghana as part of the Ghana Mutual Prosperity Partnership Dialogues in Accra on Monday [January 22, 2024]. Present at the meeting was the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond, Ambassador of China in Ghana, Lu Kun, former Ghana Ambasador to China, Edward Boateng, and Board Chairman of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Tony Oteng-Gyasi. Also present were the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre and Chairman of the China Enterprises Chamber of Commerce in Ghana, Yang Qun. Chinese businesses Mr Ofori-Atta explained that, the event was part of the governments efforts at engaging with businesses that will be at the forefront of championing Ghanas economic recovery. He said with bilateral trade volume between Ghana and China reaching an unprecedented high of $10.2 billion, and Ghana's exports to China surging by 60 per cent, the government wants Chinese businesses to operate in a more conducive environment. To ensure that, he said the discussions, part of which would be held behind closed doors, would help both sides to understand each other and enable the government to address the concerns of Chinese led businesses and investments in the country. I want Ghana and Chinese companies to be working together to advance our mutual interests. Because that is the true sign of a successful partnership. Our pragmatic cooperation must be at the centre of our collective advancement, he said. The Finance Minister expressed the governments appreciation to the Chinese government for the role it played in getting Ghanas IMF programme approved by the board of the Fund. However, Mr Ofori-Atta called on the business community to heed to their tax obligations to ensure mutual prosperity between the two countries. Support Mr Lu Kun said Ghana was a piece of land that is attractive to Chinese entrepreneurs and investors. He said China would support the government to build a strong regulatory framework that would be beneficial for both businesses and the government. He called on the the government to protect Chinese legitimate businesses and investments in the country to help attract more. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Dan Botwe, has stressed the need to link global thinking with local actions in order to extend the benefits of development to every household and community. Highlighting the significance of the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SoCo) projects at the Upper West Regional Development Forum in Wa last Thursday, Mr Botwe said the projects embraced key tenets of local governance and decentralisation. Those, he said, comprised fiscal decentralisation, popular participation, decentralised planning and local economic development, stressing that they were inter-connected strategies meant not to only champion development, but also to gain trust among communities to reduce their exposure to conflict and violence. The development forum was organised by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralisation. The first edition was held in Tamale on August 15 last year to discuss issues pertaining to the development of the northern part of Ghana. Mr Botwe said it was a user forum on the knowledge management platform which had been developed to catalogue investments that would be mapped spatially and to host research and relevant knowledge materials for the use of various categories of stakeholders. He said the initiatives were significant steps towards a more coordinated, participatory and well-informed approach to development, and that it was expected to also culminate in efficient tracking of interventions in the northern part of Ghana. Mr Botwe said it was also to ascertain the impact those interventions was making on the lives of citizens. The minister said the northern part of Ghana had received significant development interventions, especially through the activities of various non-governmental organisations, in the areas of health, education, infrastructure and local economic growth. Mr Botwe said even though those interventions were targeted to address specific developmental challenges, the overall impact could have been more than what existed currently. He acknowledged that the major challenge had been that the interventions were mostly fragmented and uncoordinated, and urged all to work hard to fully achieve the developmental vision for northern Ghana. Scoping report Mr Botwe explained that the scoping report, which was presented at the forum to shed light on the distinctive challenges and opportunities that the people in the northern part of Ghana faced, was to illustrate how targeted, informed and collaborative development efforts had been over the years. He said the report also explored opportunities that could lead to substantial improvements in the lives of citizens. He said it advocated a united, community-based approach that would make the SoCo project and many others become a catalyst for change and ensure that development efforts were not only top-down but also rooted in the people's daily needs and aspirations. The study, Mr Botwe said, was expected to be instrumental in finding the challenges and to unlock potential areas for scaling up the SoCo project, as well as areas of collaboration, especially among development partners. The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, observed that the SoCo Project had become a game-changer in the development agenda of the region. He said districts and community capacity-building teams had been trained to assist in the implementation of the project and urged the people to support its successful implementation. In spite of the above interventions, Dr Bin Salih said, there were still challenges that affected performance at the district assembly level such as reporting timelines, data gathering and storage. He, therefore, urged the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies to accept and operationalise the Digital Management Platform. He said his office would continue to monitor assemblies in the implementation of programmes and projects and hold them responsible when they failed to live up to expectation. Climate change A Vice-Chairman of the NDPC, David Quaye Annang, who chaired the forum, said the SoCo projects were expected to address challenges imposed by spillovers from potential conflicts and extremism from the Sahel region. He said it was to reduce vulnerability due to exposure to the impact of climate change, strengthen local institutions, improve economic opportunities, as well as build public trust. Mr Annang said the natural environment in the Guinea-Savannah posed harsh climatic conditions in the form of the single rainy season and prolonged dry spell, which led to severe drought. These notwithstanding, he said, efforts had been made in the past by governments, development partners and NGOs, but the impact of these interventions had been hindered by a lack of coordination and a fragmented approach towards the implementation of programmes. He said the overall goal of the forum was to promote evidence-based decision-making for integrated and inclusive development of northern Ghana. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Chairman of the Church of Pentecost (CoP), Apostle Eric Nyamekye, says it is time to develop a national moral vision to serve as a platform for national development. A nation with conflicting values cannot meet its intended development aspirations. It is a fact that everything rises and falls on the leader, but it is also true that the character of the people a leader supervises will determine the leaders success or otherwise, Apostle Nyamekye said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday. When the people a leader presides over do not uphold values, achieving success as a leader would be difficult to attain. Why didnt Moses, Israels greatest leader, enter the promised land? The character of the people. Why did the whole high priest, Aaron, make for Israel a golden calf to worship? The pressure from the people. Why was he prevented from entering the promised land? The people, he said. Speaking on a wide range of issues of national importance, including how the country could negotiate the current economic situation, Apostle Nyamekye said no leader would enter his envisioned promised land if the people were unwilling to go there. So, for us to really see development as we desire, we need to pay attention to the kind of people we want to become in future, he said. When asked about the release of the second tranche of the support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said it is a positive development and bodes well for the countrys efforts at economic development. Democracy Apostle Nyamekye explained that democracy must centre around the citizens in a manner that the countrys developmental goals and political manifestos met the needs of the people. He stressed the need to incorporate good moral principles into the concept of national development to produce citizens of good character to help drive development. We are not by this saying that infrastructure development, technological advancement and others are not important. No! We think that the key to a nations development lies in the character of its people, and that a nation does not rise in development above the character of its citizens, he said. He added that the most important factor in the development of a nation was the nature of its citizens, in the shape of their character, values, competence and commitment to the course of the nation. To establish strong institutions and structures, the Chairman of the CoP said the countrys citizens must abide by principles such as working with dignity, patriotism, respect for all, contentment, integrity, kindness, love, among others. Moral principles are fixed. They do not change with every new event or situation. Moral principle is a compass forever fixed and forever true; and that is important in business as it is in the classroom, he added. Apostle Nyamekye said the discipline of living by these values must be intentional in order to result in behavioural change. That, he said, would create an environment that would be hostile to corruption such as bribery, over-invoicing and under-invoicing, pollution of water bodies and air, deforestation, immorality, deviant sexual behaviour, false judgments, among others. Legislators keep enacting laws, and that is good. But laws in themselves do not solve a nations problems, but laws are interpreted by human beings and, therefore, the character, the values, the competence and commitment of the judge to the course of the nation is as important as the law before them, he said. Religion The Chairman said religion provided the opportunity for deep spirituality and morality, stressing that these were essential for national development and salvation. He added that as a highly religious country, it was important to make an intentional effort to translate the religiosity in terms of practices of the external customs, rituals and traditions of a religion into morality. Referencing the Biblical text in Proverbs 14:34, which states that: Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people, he said righteousness in the passage did not necessarily refer to an individuals right standing with God, but rather adhering to God's moral standards as found in His Word, evidenced in the values, principles and lifestyle of the Kingdom of God. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched a project to empower 250,000 young people to access dignified and fulfilling jobs over the next four years. With an investment of some GH660 million, about $55 million, the Business in a Box (BizBox) project is expected to provide young entrepreneurs with essential tools, knowledge and support to start and expand their own businesses. The project, which is being implemented by the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and Mastercard Foundation, is scheduled to run till April 2027. It would offer training in life skills, technical expertise, entrepreneurship and business development to promote growth and scalability. Others are mentorship, access to markets, regulatory support, appropriate start-up kits and support across various sectors, including agriculture, agri-adjacent industries, tourism, the creative industry, building and construction, among other sectors. In attendance were the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah; the Board Chairman of GEA, Selvester Tetteh; the Chief of Defence Staff, Ghana Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Seth Amoama; the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Elizabeth Naa Tawiah Sackey; the CEO, Private Enterprise Federation (PEF), Nana Osei Bonsu, and a Mastercard Representative, Gottfred Odamtten-Sowah, and other dignitaries. Collaboration Launching the project after a campaign in Accra yesterday, Dr Bawumia said that the project was a collaborative effort between the two implementing partners built on the success of a Young Africa Works initiative. He said the Young Africa Works that was implemented between 2020 and 2022, made a substantial impact by opening doors and employment opportunities for approximately 94,000 young people in the country. Dr Bawumia, therefore, said that the BizBox was to scale up and empower 250,000 individuals. He said the project would support 125,000 youth with start-up kits, provide market access to 50,000 businesses and offer regulatory support to 40,000 businesses. The BizBox is more than a project, it symbolises hope and opportunities which encompass tools, knowledge and support to develop and grow successful businesses, the Vice-President added. He said the project would target the youth between 15 and 35 years, persons with disability (PWDs), vulnerable females, women business owners and female youth-led businesses. Entrepreneurship The Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, also said that the project would address some of the soft barriers that confronted women, the youth and PWDs from venturing into high growth-oriented business activities. It would also tackle mindset change, provide essential start-up tools and kits for sustainable business development and support start-ups to expand and build resilience. We also hope that in the course of the project a strong entrepreneurial culture will be imbued in the beneficiaries to aspire to higher heights, he said. For her part, the CEO of GEA, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, said the initiative marked a significant milestone in the commitment of the two partners to empower the youth and foster entrepreneurship in the country. The heart of the BizBox project lies in its commitment to foster an entrepreneurial mindset shift that will enable our youth to succeed in a variety of settings. We recognise that this shift is not merely about starting businesses, but about cultivating a mindset that sees challenges as opportunities, failure as a stepping stone to success, and innovation as the driving force behind progress, she added. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In a heartrending moment, Second Lady Samira Bawumia was seen shedding tears during the final prayers (Adua) held for her late bodyguard, Fuseini Mumuni. Tragically, Mumuni lost his life a few days ago in an accident on the Accra-Kumasi Highway. On Sunday, an Islamic funeral was conducted in honour of the late Fuseni Mumuni, who had faithfully served as a security protocol officer of the Second Lady Hajia Samira Bawumia. The funeral, held at the Kanda National Mosque, was attended by esteemed individuals, including the second couple and prominent government officials such as the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei Opare. The ceremony was filled with deep sorrow as family, friends, and colleagues came together to bid their final farewell. Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, said it was a chance for friends, family, and colleagues to pay their respects and offer condolences. During the ceremony, Second Lady Bawumia, with the assistance of Chief of Staff Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, made an emotional announcement. She pledged to take care of the education expenses of Mumunis children until they complete their tertiary education. This gesture of support touched the hearts of all those in attendance and was a highlight of the funeral. Among the dignitaries present were former Chairman of the NPP, Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, CEO of the National Petroleum Authority, Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, Chairman of the Ghana Hajj Board, Alhaji Ben Abdallah Banda, and Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, among others. Amidst the somber atmosphere, the Second Lady could not contain her grief, as tears flowed down her cheeks freely during the emotional prayers. The loss of Mumuni, a devoted and diligent protector, has left a profound impact on those who knew and worked with him. Mumunis untimely demise in the tragic accident on the Accra-Kumasi Highway has sent shockwaves through the community. He was not only a dedicated bodyguard but also a trusted and valued member of the Second Ladys team. The late Fuseni Mumunis commitment to his duty, professionalism, and unwavering loyalty were acknowledged and commended by all who were acquainted with him. His passing has created a void that will not easily be filled. As prayers were offered for the peaceful repose of his departed soul, sorrow and condolences enveloped the gathering. The Second Lady, known for her compassionate nature, drew the sympathy of many as she mourned the loss of a close companion. The tragic incident serves as a reminder of the risks and sacrifices that those in the line of duty face each day. The entire nation will stand in solidarity with Second Lady Samira Bawumia and her family during this difficult time, offering support and prayers for solace and strength. The late Fuseini Mumuni will be remembered as a dedicated bodyguard who gave his life in service to his duty. His memory will live on in the hearts of those he protected and cherished, forever leaving an indelible mark on their lives. Source: Daily Guide 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 Government has rolled out yet another entrepreneurship programme to empower the youth. It follows the successful launch of a $55 million Business in a Box (BizBox) Project to equip Ghanaian youth with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship for sustainable economic growth. The initiative is a partnership between the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) and the Mastercard Foundation, with the aim of empowering more than 250,000 youth with start-up kits and financial resources to create jobs. The project is being implemented for the next four years, starting this year, to provide start-up kits to 125,000 individuals, market access to 50,000 micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMSEs) and regulatory support to 40,000 businesses across the 16 regions of Ghana. It is targeting young men and women between the ages of 15 and 35 years, especially young women entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities (PWDs) and vulnerable groups in the 261 metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs). The project would focus mainly on agricultural and agribusinesses, tourism and creative arts, youth social networking and building and construction sectors of the economy. At the launch in Accra yesterday, Vice President Dr. Bawumia said the initiative would rekindle the entrepreneurship spirit of the Ghanaian youth and create a substantial number of jobs across the country. The project, he said, was in tandem with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) governments vision of creating additional 1 million jobs, aside the 2.1 million jobs already created over the past seven years. The BizBox Project, according to him, will add to the existing Young Africa Works Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment programme (YEEP), which was executed between 2020 and 2022 that empowered approximately 94,000 youth across the country. Now, armed with a budget of USD55 million, the new BizBox Project sets an ambitious goal to empower 250,000 individuals, support 125,000 with start-up kits, provide market access support to 50,000 businesses, and regulatory support to 40,000 businesses, he emphasised. Underlining the significance of the initiative, the Vice President said it symbolised hope and opportunity for the Ghanaian youth, encompassing the provision of tools, knowledge, and support necessary to initiate, develop, own, and grow successful businesses in Ghana. The project would be implemented by the Ghana Enterprises Agency under five pillars namely; Youth Skills Development, Access to Market, Access to Startup Kits, Youth Social Networks, and Institutional Strengthening, Policy, and Regulatory Support. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GEA, Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, expressed the Agencys commitment towards the successful implementation of the BizBox Project. She noted that the initiative was in alignment with the existing government programmes and policies to create jobs for the teeming youth. We recognise the importance of collaboration and partnership, to this end, BizBox will leverage partnerships with private sector BDS providers, industry associations, and various stakeholders to ensure the success and sustainability of this programme. We stand committed to supporting the dreams and aspirations of the youth, nurturing a generation of innovative and successful entrepreneurs who will contribute to the growth and prosperity of our nation, she said. Trade and Industry Minister, Kobina Tahir Hammond, lauded the Mastercard Foundation for providing budgetary support for the project and expressed confidence that it would serve as a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship, promoting economic growth and productivity. By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent 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 Eighty-one military personnel have completed a 13-week Basic Military Police and Drill and Duties Courses at the Ghana Air Force Recruits Training School, Takoradi. The maiden courses at the recruits' school ended on a colourful note. Thirty-eight personnel did the Military police course and they comprised 13 females and 25 males, drawn from the various Bases of the Ghana Air Force. The remaining 43 personnel drawn from the Ghana Air Force and Army, 41 males and two females completed the Drill and Duties Course. Air Commodore Frank Kobla Kudoh, Deputy Staff Officer, Administration, Ghana Air Force Headquarters who was the reviewing officer at the graduating parade congratulated the personnel for their exceptional commitment throughout the training. He mentioned that the courses aligned with the Chief of the Air Staffs vision of having a smart Air Force Drill Instructors that would train and instill leadership skills in personnel to perform their respective tasks. One unique feature of this graduation ceremony is the fact that it presents two sides of the same coin. The Drill and Duties course equips you and makes you custodians of discipline in our noble institution whilst the Basic Military Police course equips you with skills to operate as law enforcement officers, he told the graduates. He continued Without a doubt, these are the two essential ingredients needed to keep a smart Air Force as envisioned by the Chief of the Air Staff. Air Commodore Kudoh, therefore, urged the graduates to see their roles as complementing each other and work in unison to achieve the needed synergy in bringing the vision to fruition. He pointed out that as pioneers of the courses, their leadership would shape the future of the programmes. So embrace the responsibility that comes with being the first and let your actions speak to the dedication and excellence that defines the Air Force Drill and Duties, and the Basic Military Police Courses. Sergeant (SGT) Obeng Afua Sandra Konadu, from the Air Force Base, Accra, emerged the Overall Best Student of the Drill and Duties Course while Sgt Antwi Bismark and Sgt Osafo Yaw Samuel, also from the Air Force Base, Accra, were second and third best students, respectively. Lance Corporal Baah-Aba Yornam Matilda, Air Force Base, Tamale, won the Chief of Air Staffs Award for emerging the Overall Best student of the Basic Military Police Course. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The CEO of the National Lottery Authority, Mr. Sammi Awuku has revealed that the New Patriotic Party came to inherit a heavy debt left by the NDC-led government. Speaking on Peace FM's Kokrokoo morning show, the NLA boss revealed when the NPP-led government assumed office, much of the revenues that were accrued were used to service the debt and its related interest left behind by the NDC. Mr. Awukus's response to the former President Mr. John Mahama came to light when the former President expressed his opinion of the fact that Ghana is broke. The aspiring Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says Ghana is broke and must be saved by the NDC-led government. The former President made this revelation while delivering a public lecture on the financing of political campaigns in Ghana. According to the former president, the International Credit ratings agencies have placed Ghana in the ''junk'' status and this ''shameful tag'' could only be taken away by the NDC when elected into office. However, Mr. Sammi Awuku argued that, if the former president claims Ghana is broke, then he should ask the genesis of the brokenness. The NLA boss noted categorically that every country is in debt but the question is, where did the debt start from and what can be done to service the debt? He further added that, despite the herculean debt, the Nana Addo-Bawumia-led government has brought some transformative interventions. One of the biggest interventions in the history of Ghana is the introduction of the Free SHS which has impacted so many lives and livelihoods. Mr. Awuku said, ''Apart from the Free SHS educational intervention, the NPP government also invested in the healthcare sector by building hospitals in one hundred and eleven locations across the country''. ''In addition to the hospitals, the government also dispatched three hundred ambulances in a single day across the country'', he added. Source: Kobina Darlington/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Council of Zongo Chiefs has urged NPP Flagbearer, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to select Energy Minister and MP for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his Running Mate. At a Special Quran Recitation & Prayers to Allah for the New Patriotic Partys victory in the 2024 general elections on Friday, 19th January, 2024 at Kantudu behind the Kumasi Central Mosque held after Magrib prayers, the Zongo Chiefs prayed for Dr. Bawumia to select Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh and according to the chiefs, the Minister is the best partner for Dr. Bawumia to take Ghana to the next level. Speaking on behalf of the prayer congregation after the Quran recitation, Chief of Frafra and President of Council of Zongo Chiefs, Alhaji Musah said; It is our wish that Dr. Bawumia will be sworn in as President come 7th January, 2025 with Dr. NAPO as his Vice President. I know that our toil tonight in this recitation will not be in vain. He continued; Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is our brother and we ask Dr. Bawumia who himself is a Zongo boy to select him for them to take Ghana forward. This endorsement and prayer by the Council of Zongo Chiefs, according to political pundits, is a testament of the national appeal for the Energy Minister who, according to history, was named after an Asante Islamic Cleric called Nana Poku, hence the name "NAPO". Dr. Prempeh is also on record to have been preaching the need for people to be voted for based on competence, a recipe for national cohesion and unity devoid of unnecessary religious sentiments. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The US Federal Aviation Agency is calling for a "visual inspection" on another Boeing 737 model amid increasing concern on the aircraft's flight worthiness. The aviation agency recommended inspections on door plugs installed on Boeing 737-900ER planes, a much more older model than the 737 Max 9 that was involved in an airway incident earlier this month. FAA Cites Safety Protocol for 737-900ER Inspection According to the FAA, the 737-900ER has a similar door plug design as the 737 Max 9. The agency, however, assured that the door plugs in the 737-900 has not yet faced similar issues. The FAA reasoned the inspections as "an added layer of safety." Several airlines have since conducted additional inspections on their planes. Boeing has expressed support to the FAA's statements. The Boeing 737-900ER is among the list of most used Boeing aircrafts with a total 11 million operation hours and nearly four million flight cycles across all airlines, according to the FAA. Also Read: Boeing 737 MAX 9 Aircraft Temporarily Suspended Worldwide by FAA Boeing 737 Models Face Scrutiny Over January Flight Incident The Boeing 737 aircraft has been under a lot of scrutiny over the past month as the aircraft's flight worthiness is put into question. It can be remembered that a similar model used by the Alaska Airlines suddenly have its cabin panel blow out midflight on Jan. 5, forcing the aircraft to make an emergency landing. Although no one was seriously hurt by the incident, several passengers have already filed a lawsuit against Alaska Airlines and Boeing for negligence over safeness of their aircrafts. It is worth to note that the 737 Max 9 model was first released in 2012, still far from its out-of-commission date at least 30 years after manufactured. Some of the 737 Max 9 models are still suspended as the FAA continue its inspections. The FAA said the initial batch of 40 aircraft has already passed inspections. Related Article: Boeing 737 MAX Incident Contributes to Biggest Flight Disruption in 6 Months Henry Kokofu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), has sent a strong message to the opposition National Democratic Congress and their leader, John Dramani Mahama, ahead of the December 7 general elections. The EPA boss, speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, took account of some comments by the former President, John Mahama, particularly regarding teachers in the country. It could be recalled that Mr. Mahama criticized the performance of the students who wrote last year's WASSCE, crediting their exceptional passes to undue help from their teachers. The former president accused the teachers of aiding the students to cheat in the exam hall, hence contributing to their amazing results. Mr. Mahama is quoted as saying, "in many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places, and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later." Mr. Henry Kokofu rebuked the NDC flagbearer for trying to take the shine off the students' performances. Teachers will do everything to ensure their students pass, and you come and discredit all their efforts. What he (Mahama) said is an affront to the teachers and parents who toil so hard to see the students excel," he slammed Mahama while defending the teachers over their patience and hard work in ensuring their students come out with flying colors. Mr. Kokofu pledged that the ruling New Patriotic Party will not allow the NDC or any person to deceive Ghanaians again. "As we have entered the election year, we won't allow any person to throw dust into the eyes of anyone," replied Mahama. Watch video below Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video In an effort to maintain decorum and resolve ongoing issues with Manhyia Palace, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a directive to all party members, urging them to refrain from making any comments regarding the matter. The call came following increasing radio banter in the Ashanti Region, which escalated after Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, was alleged to have made derogatory comments about Manhyia Palace. NPP General Secretary, Justin Kodua Frimpong, addressed the issue during a press conference held in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region. It could be recalled that Chairman Wontumi made headlines weeks ago after he reportedly declared that he had formed his own kingdom, making him a more powerful establishment than the Asante monarch. The report also said he [Wontumi] could speak his mind to the King when he disagreed with him on issues. I have built my own kingdom; I have my own police and military; and I will speak my mind to Otumfuo if I disagree on an issue with him, he said, according to the report. But Chairman Wontumi has denied the allegations in an audio in circulation. During the press conference, General Secretary Kodua Frimpong emphasized the partys commitment to resolving the issues while maintaining harmony and respect. He stated that the NPPs decision to impose a ban on party members comments aims to prevent further escalation of tensions and promote peaceful dialogue. Kodua further emphasized the importance of maintaining a good relationship with Manhyia Palace, highlighting the need for dialogue and understanding to address any concerns or misunderstandings. The NPP General Secretary assured the public that the party will handle the matter internally and work towards finding an amicable resolution. He urged party supporters and the public to exercise restraint and avoid participating in actions that could exacerbate the situation. Kodua indicated confidence in the partys ability to address the issues with Manhyia Palace in a respectful and mutually beneficial manner, while also affirming the NPPs commitment to serving the people of Ghana and working towards national development. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Dramani Mahama has called on the people of Bawku to actively contribute to the promotion of peace for the positive development of the area. He said this in a Facebook post while commenting on the alleged killing of three men by soldiers in the ongoing conflict in Bawku in the Upper East Region. GAF The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in a statement signed by the Director General of Public Affairs of GAF, Brigadier General Eric Aggrey Quarshie has denied its involvement in the recent deaths of three individuals in Sabongari, Bawku. Condolence Mr Mahama, who is also the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), extended condolences to the families of the victims and called upon the people of Bawku to actively contribute to the promotion of peace for the positive development of the municipality. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this difficult time, even as I call upon the people of Bawku to endeavour to promote and consolidate peace to enable the positive development of the municipality of Bawku. Let us all work together to ensure justice is served and peace is restored in Bawku, he added. Mr Mahama stressed the importance of collaboration between the military and the police to maintain peace in Bawku in the Upper East Region. While I recognise that our security services face the difficult task of securing peace in the Bawku area, the military must work hand in hand with the police to provide safety and security in the Bawku Municipality and across the nation, he said. "As a former Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I urge the military personnel to remember their duty to protect the people and uphold the peace," he stated. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video An Executive Director of FIDA-Ghana, Susan Aryeetey, has said society must intentionally put women in the front row of the countrys governance system in order to reap the needed benefits. The benefits, she said, would not be limited to economical, social and political advantages, but would also ensure gender parity in Parliament. Citing a report by the think tank Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG) in May 2021, she said only 10 per cent of committee chairpersons in that year were women, while a mere 6.6 per cent were vice-chairpersons. She, therefore, said the current status of women's leadership in Parliament excluded women from effective participation in decision-making in the legislature, and that it did not put the country on a sound footing to propel development. Her call comes in the wake of the poor performance of women in the just-ended District Level Elections (DLEs) in the country in December last year. Data from the Electoral Commission (EC) on the latest DLEs showed a continuous low representation of women in local governance in the country. The DLEs revealed that 95.9 per cent of the 6,243 persons elected as assembly members were males, with only 259 being women, constituting 4.1 per cent. The percentage of elected women assembly members is an increase of 0.3 per cent compared to the 3.8 per cent in the 2019 elections. The 259 women who won the elections formed 25 per cent of the total female applicants for the elections which stood at 1,049. The data also showed that 73 persons with disability (PWDs), comprised of 55 males and 18 females, won the elections. In terms of the unit committee elections, a total of 3,335 out of the 5,666 female applicants won, representing 12.8 per cent of the total elected members. For PWDs in the unit committee elections, 67 candidates, made up of 38 males and 29 females, were elected as members. Pass AA Bill Speaking to the Daily Graphic in an interview, Mrs Aryeetey said, the Affirmative Action (AA) Bill which was yet to be passed into law by Parliament was one of the most compelling legislation to promote womens participation in politics and public life. She said with the absence of the bill, political parties, especially the two front runners, could still elect women as their running mates to ensure a gender diverse leadership and make history. Mrs Aryeetey said although Ghana was a signatory to a number of international conventions, including the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol or the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, only marginal gains had been made in the promotion of women in political and public life. She said it was a shame that after 66 years of independence, Ghana has had no woman vice-president, saying as a beacon of democracy on the African Continent and the country as a whole, Ghana must do better. Women in Parliament Soon, the country will be going to the polls for the presidential and parliamentary elections and according to the acting Executive Director of FIDA, if concrete steps were not taken to put more women upfront, history would continue to repeat itself with the low representation of women. Presently, there are 235 men and 40 women, making only 14.5 per cent; the 2024 elections must change the current narrative. Additionally, she said, Ghanas ranking of 145th in terms of womens representation in Parliament by the Interparliamentary Union was abysmal, considering the work that womens rights activists have done for over two decades. Available statistics shows that in 1996, out of the 200 seats in Parliament only 18 were women. In 2000, with the same number of seats, it increased to 19 women. In 2004, the parliamentary seats were increased to 230 and only 25 women won seats. With the same number of seats in 2008, the number of women decreased to 20. In 2012, the number of seats in Parliament was increased to 275 and 30 women went to Parliament. In 2016, of the 275 seats, 36 women won parliamentary seats and the number increased to 40 seats in the 2020 elections. According to Mrs Aryeetey, without deliberate measures put in place, especially by political parties and also through public sensitisation of voters, the number of women in Parliament will not see any meaningful increase. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Communications Director for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah the National Democratic Congress quest for power is not because they have the people of Ghana at heart. He says they are fighting to come back to power just because they have stayed in opposition for so long. Mr Ahiagbah says the largest opposition political party hasnt proven enough to show that they are ready to lead the country. He indicates that it will be imperative that the NPP be maintained because the economy is bouncing back, indicating that we will attain and exceed the pre-COVID-19 growth rate of 7%, again. Read His Statement Below H.E Mahama and the NDC feel they are tired of opposition so, they want power to honeymoon at our expense. They have proposed zero solutions. Check their speeches.no policy proposals, no compelling arguments to explain the need for change. Their message is designed to do one thing, weaponize the economic impact of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine War. Lets not fall for their pious pretenses. Bawumia and NPP have the answers The economy is bouncing back, and the government will do everything to sustain the momentum. We will attain and exceed the pre-Covid-19 growth rate of 7%, again. Bet on Dr. Bawumia and the NPP to deliver the dream. It is possible together H.E Mahama and the NDC feel they are tired of opposition so, they want power to honeymoon at our expense. They have proposed zero solutions. Check their speeches....no policy proposals, no compelling arguments to explain the need for change. Their message is designed to do one pic.twitter.com/fIHS9arqql Richard Ahiagbah (@RAahiagbah) January 20, 2024 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 Dr. Amoako Baah, a Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has expressed grave worry about the behaviour of some leaders in the ruling NPPP describing them as "Rascals''. He accused the NPP Council of Elders of failing to call some party activists to order when they violate the party's constitution, thereby creating a certain negative image for the party in the eyes of the public. Dr. Amoako Baah who was speaking on TV3's "Big Issues", lamented that control over party affairs has been handed over to some young men who may not mean any wrong but due to inexperience, makes avoidable mistakes. "The leadership of the NPP should have called Wontumi to order and i will put the blame on them because they are not doing their job. i have said it several times, that the party is in the hands of rascals and that is one of them you are looking at right now," he fumed. His concerns comes in the wake of the recent alleged derogatory statement by the Ashanti regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Antwi Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi. It is alleged that Mr Wontumi passed some disparaging statements against the Asantehene and the Ashanti kingdom at large. As a result, the Asanteman council summoned Chairman Wontumi and some other persons, but he (Wontumi) reportedly failed to turn up for the meeting at Manhyia Palace due to ill health as indicated by the NPP General Secretary, Lawyer Justin Koduah. The expalnation was rejected by the Asanteman Council who demanded Wontumi's presence within a week. To Dr. Amoako Baah, "in settling matters of this nature, it is prudent for a much older person to go before the Asanteman Council and not Lawyer Justin Koduah who is relatively younger," and therefore implored the "intervention of the NPP's Council of Elders to plead on behalf of the Regional Chairman." Source: Kobina Darlington/Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A concerned citizen by the name of Samuel Bempong has petitioned the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) through his lawyers against the use of a minor and a social media influencer in advertising Bel Ice, an alcoholic drink produced by BLOW-CHEM Ghana Limited (Belbeverages Gh Ltd.). In the petition, the complainant said he saw the advertisement on social media. The complainant alleged, among others, that he chanced on the advertisement, which has been widely circulated by Bel Beverages and their agents on Instagram and TikTok. The complainant went further to state that a popular social media influencer known as Yeboah Danita Akosua Adomaah popularly known as (@Afronitaa on Instagram'), was seen in the advertisement promoting and marketing Bel Ice, an alcoholic product, together with the minor. According to the complainant in a letter dated January 19, 2024, written on his behalf by lawyer Nana Kofi Bekoe from Dzaisu, Eshun & Partners Legal Consult, he is motivated to report the matter to the FDA due to the fact that it is unconscionable and repugnant for children to be dragged into the arena of alcoholic advertising. "Our client chanced on the advert which has been widely circulated by Bel Beverages and their agents on Instagram and TikTok and in the video, a popular social media influencer known as Yeboah Danita Akosua Adomaah (@Afronitaa on Instagram) is' seen promoting and marketing Bel Ice, an alcoholic product produced by BLOW-CHEM Ghana Limited. "In the same video, a minor can be seen together with the said influencer actively being used to market the said alcoholic product, "We are aware that your office issued a directive on 1st February, 2016 and has subsequently issued several communiques and news alerts banning celebrities and other popular figures in society from being used by brands to market alcoholic beverages. "It therefore flies in the face of your directive that a brand would not only flout that directive by using a popular figure, but also use a minor to do the very act you have prohibited them from doing." "On behalf of our client, we are bringing this video to your attention, so your office conducts its investigation and apply the necessary sanctions, if any, to deter other companies who may be tempted to do same due to perceived inaction on your part," the petition added. Judgement On Celebrity Alcoholic Advertisement Ban The Supreme Court will on April 10, 2024 deliver judgement on the ban on celebrities from Alcoholic advertisement by the Food Drugs Authority (FDA). The decision comes after lawyers of the Food And Drugs Authority (FDA), the plaintiff and the Attorney General's office told the court that they relied entirely on their respective statement of cases and processes filed. The FDA in 2015 banned celebrities from advertising alcoholic beverages. The directive received criticism from a section of the creative industry including the Plaintiff Mark Darlington Osae. They argue that, the directive is in contravention of Article 17 (1) and 17 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which mandates equality before the law and prohibits discrimination against persons on grounds of status, occupation, religion among others. However the FDA said the directive is to protect minors from alcoholic influences. Following the directive Mark Darlington Osae filled a suit in 2022 to challenge the decision. The case has been adjourned to April 10, 2024 by the Court which was presided over by Chief Justice Gertrude Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo for a determination on the matter. Read the full petition attached Your browser does not support iframes. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Nigerian actor, Kunle Remi, exchanged vows with his wife, Boluwatiwi, in a captivating traditional ceremony held in Lagos on Friday. The celebration continued on Saturday as the couple walked down the aisle for their white wedding, radiating elegance and joy. Before the traditional wedding, the actor took to Instagram to announce their union with a pre-wedding photo, showcasing him kneeling before Boluwatiwi with a goat around his neck with the caption, he caption, Tiwi, I come to you humbly as a G.O.A.T with a goat. Are you ready to dance, Ayamii? On the day of their white wedding, Remi, the dashing groom, donned a purple blazer and black bow tie, complementing a crisp white shirt. The bride, adorned in a silky off-shoulder dress, glowed with anticipation. The ceremony witnessed moments of commitment during the court papers signing and vow exchange, officiated by the priest. After sealing their union, the newlyweds embraced the festivities of the day, concluding with dance moves that echoed joy and celebration. Friends, family, and well-wishers joined in the revelry, marking the beginning of a beautiful journey for Kunle Remi and Boluwatiwi. The enchanting wedding affair showcased not only the couples love but also the unity and jubilation shared by all in attendance, making it a memorable occasion for everyone involved. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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: Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) in the Drake's Passage. Credit: 3HEADEDDOG/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA The wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) is the world's largest flying bird, with a wingspan reaching an incredible 3.5 meters. These birds are oceanic nomads: they spend most of their 60 years of life at sea and only come to land to breed approximately every two years once they have reached sexual maturity. Their playground is the vast Southern Oceanthe region between the latitude of 60 degrees south and the continent of Antarcticaand the scattered islands within this ocean where they make their nests. Marion Island and Prince Edward Island, about 2,300km south of South Africa, are some of the only land masses for thousands of kilometers in the Southern Ocean. Together, these two islands support about half of the entire world's wandering albatross breeding population, estimated at around 20,000 mature individuals. Every year scientists from South African universities survey Marion Island to locate and record each wandering albatross nest. The species, listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, faces huge risks while in the open ocean, in particular due to bycatch from longline fishing trawlers. This makes it important to understand their breeding ecology to ensure that the population remains stable. I was part of a study during 2021 to investigate which environmental variables affect the birds' choice of nest site on Marion Island. The birds make their nestsa mound of soil and vegetationon the ground. We looked at wind characteristics, vegetation and geological characteristics at nest locations from three breeding seasons. Elevation turned out to be the most important variablethe albatrosses preferred a low (warmer) site and coastal vegetation. But these preferences also point to dangers for the birds from climate change. The greatest risk to the availability of nesting sites will be a much smaller suitable nesting range in future than at present. This could be devastating to the population. Variables influencing nest site selection Marion Island is of volcanic origin and has a rough terrain. Some areas are covered in sharp rock and others are boggy, with very wet vegetation. There is rain and strong wind on most days. Conducting research here requires walking long distances in all weathersbut the island is ideal for studying climate change, because the Southern Ocean is experiencing some of the largest global changes in climate and it is relatively undisturbed by humans. Using GPS coordinate nest data from the entire breeding population on Marion Island, we aimed to determine which factors affected where the birds breed. With more than 1,900 nests, and 10,000 randomly generated points where nests are not present, we extracted: elevation (which on this island is also a proxy for temperature) terrain ruggedness slope distance to the coast vegetation type wind speed wind turbulence underlying geology. The variables were ranked according to their influence on the statistical model predicting the likelihood of a nest being present under the conditions found at a certain point. The most important variable was elevation. The majority of the nests were found close to the coast, where the elevation is lower. These areas are warmer, which means that the chicks would be less exposed to very cold temperatures on their open nests. The probability of nests being present also declined with distance from the coast, probably because there are more suitable habitats closer to the coast. Vegetation type was strongly determined by elevation and distance from the coast. This was an important factor, as the birds use vegetation to build their nests. In addition, dead vegetation contributes to the soil formation on the island, which is also used in nest construction. The probability of encountering nests is lower as the terrain ruggedness increases since these birds need a runway of flat space to use for take-off and landing. During incubation, the adults take turns to remain on the nest. Later they will leave the chick on its own for up to 10 days at a time. They continue to feed the chick for up to 300 days. Areas with intermediate wind speeds were those most likely to have a nest. At least some wind is needed for flight, but too much wind may cause chicks to blow off the nests or become too cold. Delicate balance Changing climates may upset this delicate balance. Human-driven changes will have impacts on temperature, rainfall and wind speeds, which in turn affect vegetation and other species distribution patterns. By 2003, Marion Island's temperature had increased by 1.2C compared to 50 years before. Precipitation had decreased by 25% and cloud cover also decreased, leading to an increase in sunshine hours. The permanent snowline which was present in the 1950s no longer exists. These changes have continued in the 20 years since their initial documentation, and are likely to continue. Strong vegetation shifts were already documented in the sub-Antarctic years ago. Over 40 years, many species have shifted their ranges to higher elevations where the temperatures remain cooler. Wind speeds have also already increased in the Southern Ocean and are predicted to continue doing so, which may have effects on the size of areas suitable for nesting. If nesting sites move to higher elevations on Marion Island as temperatures warm, and some areas become unsuitable due to changes in vegetation or wind speeds, it is likely that the suitable nesting area on the island will shrink considerably. Our study adds to what is known about the elements affecting nest-site selection in birds. Notably, we add knowledge of wind, an underexplored element, influencing nest-site selection in a large oceanic bird. The results could also provide insights that apply to other surface-nesting seabirds. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Despite being a renewable energy source, the use of biofuel is controversial, as growing few, highly productive crops for fuel can lead to biodiversity loss in the cropping systems where biomass is produced. A cropping system refers to the crops, their sequence, and the management practices on a given field. Now, researchers in the US have compared ant communities in different types of bioenergy cropping systems to better understand how these systems shape biotic communities and their functions. The results are published in Frontiers in Conservation Science. "We found different ant communities when we compared annual crops, perennial systems, and diverse perennial polycultures with many plant species," said first author Dr. Nathan Haan, who collected data for this study at Michigan State University's Kellogg Biological Station and currently researches the ecology of insects as an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky. "Perennial bioenergy cropping systems, particularly those that incorporate more plant diversity, give rise to a different and more diverse ant community than simpler systems." Ants and crops Ants are abundant and influential players in grasslands and agroecosystems. They can be important predators, seed dispersers, and soil engineers. "If large parts of our landscapes become dedicated to growing crops for fuel, ants are a top candidate to investigate how insect communities could differ from crop to crop," Haan explained. The researchers examined 10 bioenergy cropping systems in an experimental array in Michigan. The systems included annual crops (corn and two types of broomcorn), simple perennial (multi-year) systems (two switchgrasses, miscanthus, and a native grass mix), and diverse perennial systems (reconstructed prairie, successional volunteer vegetation, and a short-rotation coppicing system with poplar trees). The researchers captured almost 10,000 individual ants belonging to 22 species. In complex ecosystems, ants carried out more functional rolesfor example, predator or seed disperserthan in simple systems. Species richness was highest in diverse and lowest in simple systems. Community composition also differed: Some common ant species were found in all cropping systems; rarer species, however, only showed up in plant-diverse perennial systems. Optimizing crops for fuel The tested crops have different pros and cons for biofuel production, the researchers pointed out. Some of them are more productive, but have little conservation value; others, while less productive, have conservation benefits. For example, perennials can help store carbon belowground in their roots. Mixed-species prairies can also be very productive and are much more biodiverse, however, there are more unknowns about how to use their biomass to generate end products. "It's a matter of understanding trade-offs and figuring out how to optimize them," Haan pointed out. Currently, 40% of the corn produced in the US is used to make ethanol, which is often used as fuel. Growing this much corn in monocultures, however, is an inherently unsustainable solution to fuel the future. "There are a range of other cropping systems that could be adopted and become mainstays. We need to understand which of these are biodiversity-friendly and which are not," Haan said. Biofuel production groundwork The researchers hope their study will inform decisions about which crops can be used for sustainable biofuel production, where those crops are grown, and how they are managed. "Bioenergy seems to go in and out of fashion in the news and public discourse, but projections are that we will need to deploy bioenergy crops at large scales in coming decades in order to successfully combat climate change," Haan said. Although the present research was carried out in a single experimental array, the general patterns are expected to be similar in other places, Haan said. It is, however, necessary to gather more specific information in other contexts. More information: Bioenergy cropping systems shape ant community composition and functional roles, Frontiers in Conservation Science (2024). DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2023.1283225 Provided by Frontiers Google Photos is now rolling out the Photo Stacks feature for Android phones after its initial release to iOS in November last year. Stacks will automatically group similar photos together for a more organized gallery. Read Also: Google DeepMind Scientists Plan to Redirect Focus on Developing AI Model Google Photos Launched Photo Stacks Google Photos is utilizing AI to group similar photos using the Photo Stacks feature. Aside from grouping photos, it can also organize screenshots or photos of documents to file into easy-to-find albums. "To help make your gallery tidier, Google Photos will automatically identify and group similar photos that were taken close together into Photo Stacks and select the top pick that best captures that moment," Google Photos product manager, Guillermo Krovblit said. On the other hand, Google reminded that while Photo Stacks help organize your gallery view, it does not change your available storage since the photos are still there but only represented as one photo. How Google Photos Stacks Work The feature can be enabled and disabled through the Google Photos settings. Once done, the system will automatically stack similarly-looking photos that were taken together. Users can simply edit each stack by reviewing the photos inside the collection. They can also have a top pick which will be the photo that will represent the stack in the Photos view. Moreover, there is also an option to remove or add photos to the existing stack. If users find it difficult to trace the photos, they can unstack the entire photo stack and view the photos individually. The Photo Stacks was initially made available to iOS upon its introduction. As of writing Android phones are gradually getting the feature as well, but still not widely available yet. Related Article: Google Eliminates Cloud Switching Fees Amid Antitrust Probe 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: Image of SN 2020nlb in its environment. Credit: arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2401.08759 Using various ground-based telescopes, astronomers have performed photometric and spectroscopic observations of a nearby Type Ia supernova known as SN 2020nlb. Results of the observations campaign, presented January 16 on the pre-print server arXiv, deliver important insights regarding the evolution of this stellar explosion. Type Ia supernovae (SN Ia) are found in binary systems in which one of the stars is a white dwarf. Stellar explosions of this type are important for the scientific community, as they offer essential clues into the evolution of stars and galaxies. SN 2020nlb was detected on June 25, 2020 with the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), shortly after its explosion in the lenticular galaxy Messier 85 (or M85 for short), located some 60 million light years away. Spectroscopic observations of SN 2020nlb, commenced shortly after its detection, confirmed that it is a Type Ia supernova. A team of astronomers led by Steven Williams of the University of Turku, Finland, began to monitor SN 2020nlb 16 hours after it was discovered. The observations, using mainly the Liverpool Telescope (LT) and Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT), provided a wealth of data about the properties of this supernova. "Here we present observations that include one of the earliest high-quality spectra and some of the earliest multi-color photometry of an SN Ia to date," the researchers wrote. The photometric and spectroscopic observations conducted by Williams' team lasted until almost 600 days after the explosion of SN 2020nlb. It was estimated that the supernova was discovered just two days after its first light. The observations found that SN 2020nlb faded 1.28 mag in the B band during the first 15 days after maximum brightness. Therefore, it was declining faster than an average normal Type Ia supernova, which suggests that it has a lower luminosity than the typical SNe of this class. The spectrum of SN 2020nlb taken nearly three days after the first light shows strong features from singly ionized metals. Moreover, a nebular spectrum taken 594 days after the maximum light shows that the strong iron emission line had disappeared, with the ionization balance of the ejecta falling. The earliest spectra of SN 2020nlb resembled the maximum-light spectra of SN 1991bg, and similar supernovae. Afterward, the spectra of SN 2020nlb evolved to become hotter and more similar to SN 2011fe as it brightened towards peak. According to the authors of the paper, the nebular spectra of SN 2020nlb, when compared to other SNe Ia nebular spectra point to a possible trend where SNe that were more luminous at peak tend to have higher ionization in the nebular phase. This may indicate that there is something fundamentally different about SN 2020nlb and similar SNe than the bulk of the normal SN Ia population. More information: S. C. Williams et al, Observations of type Ia supernova SN 2020nlb up to 600 days after explosion, and the distance to M85, arXiv (2024). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2401.08759 Journal information: arXiv 2024 Science X Network 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: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Hillsides splashed with purple heather are a symbol of Scotland and its natural beauty. But these picturesque moorlands are actually maintained by peoplea practice that is coming under intense scrutiny as the climate crisis escalates. Scotland's moorlands are deliberately burned from October to mid-April in a practice known as "muirburn", which encourages new grass and heather that feeds grouse and livestock. This arrangement suits landowners who shoot these game birds and farmers who graze sheep, but it poses a problem when it happens on peatland. A healthy peatland is a soggy and spongy terrain made up of partially decomposed plant matter known as peat. Peat soils lock away vast amounts of carbon. In fact, peatlands globally store twice as much carbon as the world's forests. Peat soils damaged by fire release this carbon, warming the climate. Fire damage can also mean the peat retains less water, and so rain washes more quickly into rivers which increases flooding downstream. Scotland contains 7% of Europe's peatlands and their sustainable management is of global importance. In order to address climate change in Scotland, we need to know how much muirburn is happening, and how much of it is happening on peatland, We made the first assessment of burning on Scottish moorlands over the past 38 years using images from Nasa's Landsat satellites. These satellites have been snapping pictures of our entire planet every few days since the 1980s. Fires leave behind a burn scar that is visible in these images. Through careful analysis, we can map the areas burned and track changes in burning over time. We found that the area of moorland being burned increased between 1985 and 2022but not by much. Our analysis suggests that there is about as much burning happening now as there was nearly four decades ago. Up in smoke We used a dataset that maps out peatlands with the deepest peat soilsat least 50cm deep. These are the peatlands that store the greatest amount of carbon. We overlaid this peatland map on our new muirburn map. We discovered that the burning of Scottish peatlands is widespread. Almost one-third of all moorland burning in Scotland occurs on peatlands. On average, 1,900 hectares of peatland are burned each year. Scottish peatlands store a gigantic 1.7 billion metric tons of carbon, equivalent to 140 years of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions. Protecting this carbon store is criticalits widespread and intentional burning is alarming. Moorland burning in Scotland is subject to a set of rules known as the Muirburn Code, which offers guidance and sets out the relevant statutory restrictions. In 2017, this code was revised to suggest burning on peatlands should be avoided. The amount of burning that has happened on peatlands hasn't changed since then. Many landowners and land managers continue to burn in defiance of these voluntary guidelines. The case for new laws In November 2023, the Scottish parliament agreed to the general principles of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) bill, which would require licenses for people to burn moorland and restrict burning on peatland. MSPs are proposing amendments to the bill which could strengthen or weaken its ability to regulate future burning, so this is a crucial stage of the process. One argument often made in favor of muirburn on peatland is that burning vegetation in a controlled manner reduces the risk of wildfires. But a major reason that peatlands are susceptible to wildfire in the first place is that they have been drained and in some cases overgrazed by livestock, creating dry and flammable peat. An alternative way to reduce the risk of wildfires is to restore peatlands by blocking ditches and rewetting the peat. Wet peat is less likely to burn and heather does not grow well on it, so there is less fuel. The Scottish government's climate change plan aims to restore at least 250,000 hectares of degraded peatland by 2030. This would make sound financial sense. It has been estimated that restoring one-fifth of Scotland's peatlands would aid carbon storage, water quality and wildlife habitat to the tune of 80 to 288 million. Satellite images have shown that landowners continue to burn Scottish peatlands even as the climate consequences become ever more stark. In the future, satellites will monitor whether any restrictions imposed by the new bill have been successful. For now, our evidence should inform the debate on peatland burning within the Scottish parliament. It highlights the scale of the issue and demonstrates that voluntary guidelines to control burning are not working. We urge Scottish lawmakers to develop robust legislation to prevent further damage. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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: Ninia guytudori. Credit: Alejandro Arteaga Researchers of Khamai Foundation and Liberty University have discovered a new species of coffee snake endemic to the cloud forests of northwestern Ecuador. Biologist Alejandro Arteaga first found the snake in Ecuador's Pichincha province, while looking for animals to include in a book on the Reptiles of Ecuador. "This is species number 30 that I have discovered, out of a target of 100," he says. Like other coffee snakes, Tudors's Coffee-Snake often inhabits coffee plantations, especially in areas where its cloud forest habitat has been destroyed. It is endemic to the Pacific slopes of the Andes in northwestern Ecuador, where it lives at elevations of between 1,000 and 1,500 m above sea level. Ninia guytudori from Santa Lucia Cloud Forest Reserve, Pichincha province. Credit: Jose Vieira Photographs of some specimens of Ninia guytudori: top, from Santa Lucia Cloud Forest Reserve, Pichincha province. Bottom, from Rio Manduriacu Reserve, Imbabura province. Credit: Jose Vieira. While it faces no major immediate extinction threats, some of its populations are likely to be declining due to deforestation by logging and large-scale mining. The researchers hope that its discovery will highlight the importance of preserving the cloud forest ecosystem, and focus research attention on human-modified habitats that surround it such as coffee plantations and pastures. When threatened, individuals of the Tudors's Coffee-Snake (Ninia guytudori) flatten the body and tail. Credit: Jose Vieira The name of the new snake species honors Guy Tudor, "an all-around naturalist and scientific illustrator with a deep fondness for birds and all animals, in recognition of the impact he has had on the conservation of South America's birds through his artistry," the researchers write in their paper, which was recently published in Evolutionary Systematics. "We are trying to raise funds for conservation through the naming of new species. This one helped us protect Buenaventura Reserve," the researchers note. More information: Alejandro Arteaga et al, A new species of Ninia (Serpentes, Colubridae) from western Ecuador and revalidation of N. schmidti, Evolutionary Systematics (2023). DOI: 10.3897/evolsyst.7.112476 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: Analog depiction of typical airshed. Credit: Sustainable Horizons (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.horiz.2024.100090 Delhi needs the help of its rural neighbors to finally beat its killer smog problem, concludes a review carried out by the University of Surrey and regional government officials in Delhi, India. The work is published in the journal Sustainable Horizons. Professor Prashant Kumar, founding director of Global Center for Clean Air Research (GCARE) at the University of Surrey, said, "Air pollution doesn't respect city boundariesand so it must be tackled at regional level. If cities like Delhi want to avoid the lethal smog seen in recent years, they'll need neighboring rural areas to help them. "We know this approach workswe've seen success in places like Mexico City and Los Angeles. By working together, we can tackle air pollution." In most Indian cities (60%), the air is more than seven times more polluted than it should be. This has huge health implications. Some of this pollution comes from neighboring rural areasfrom crop burning, wood stoves, or power plants. Yet measures to tackle urban smog usually ignore rural sources. Instead, they focus only on measures within the city limitslike boosting public transport or controlling pollution from industry and building sites. The GCARE review recommends tackling air pollution at a regional level instead. This means identifying the wider area where a city's pollution is producedits so-called "airshed." GCARE makes several recommendations: Regional air quality plans should be drawn upwhich has worked well in places like Mexico City and Los Angeles. "Smog forecasts" could be produced with better monitoring. Satellites could spot bonfires and other sources of pollution. Scientists could then predict how it would interact with weather conditions. "Airshed Councils" could help local, regional and federal agencies coordinate their efforts. Dr. Anwar Ali Khan, senior environmental engineer on the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, said, "Delhi's neighboring States have an important role to play in helping save lives in our cityand in their areas too. We need an action plan with a sound scientific basis, and we need better monitoring. This requires cities, governments and others to work together. A joined-up approach is the only way to defeat this deadly health hazard." Dr. Mukesh Khare, professor emeritus of civil engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, said, "A significant portion of air pollution stems from sources outside city limits, which requires a shift from city-specific to region-specific emission reduction targets. The establishment of an airshed will be a critical tool for effective air quality management and planning." More information: Anwar Ali Khan et al, A critical review of managing air pollution through airshed approach, Sustainable Horizons (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.horiz.2024.100090 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: CC0 Public Domain Tipping elements of the Earth system should be considered global commons, researchers argue in a new paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Global commons cannotas they currently doonly include the parts of the planet outside of national borders, like the high seas or Antarctica. They must also include all the environmental systems that regulate the functioning and state of the planet, namely all systems on Earth we all depend on, irrespective of where in the world we live. This calls for a new level of transnational cooperation, leading experts in legal, social and Earth system sciences say. To limit risks for human societies and secure critical Earth system functions they propose a new framework of planetary commons to guide governance of the planet. "Stability and wealth of nations and our civilization depends on the stability of critical Earth system functions that operate beyond national borders. At the same time, human activities push harder and harder on the planetary boundaries of these pivotal systems. From the Amazon rainforest to the Greenland ice masses, there are rising risks of triggering irreversible and unmanageable shifts in Earth system functioning," explains Johan Rockstrom, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and Professor of Earth System Science at University of Potsdam. "As these shifts affect people across the globe, we argue that tipping elements should be considered as planetary commons the world is entrusted with, and consequently in need of collective governance." The publication is the result of an almost two-year-long research process involving 22 leading international researchers. Legal, political and Earth system scientists make their case by building on the well-known idea of the global commons, but significantly expanding it to design more effective legal responses to better govern biophysical systems that regulate planetary resilience beyond and across national boundaries, such as natural carbon sinks and the major forest systems. "We believe the planetary commons have the potential to articulate and create effective stewardship obligations for nation states worldwide through Earth system governance aimed at restoring and strengthening planetary resilience and promoting justice. However, since these commons are often located within sovereign territories, such stewardship obligations must also meet some clear justice criteria," social scientist and author Joyeeta Gupta says. A planetary shift towards collective global scale solutions transcending national boundaries Global commons or global public goods like the high seas and deep seabed, outer space, Antarctica and the atmosphere are shared by all states. They lie outside of jurisdictional boundaries and thus sovereign entitlements. All states and people have a collective interest, especially when it comes to resource extraction, that they be protected and governed effectively for the collective good. The planetary commons expands the idea of the global commons by adding not only globally shared geographic regions to the global commons framework, but also critical biophysical systems that regulate the resilience and state, and therefore livability, on Earth. The consequences of such a "planetary shift" in global commons governance are potentially profound, the authors argue. Safeguarding these critical Earth system regulatory functions is a challenge at a unique planetary scale of governance, characterized by the need for collective global scale solutions that transcend national boundaries. "Earth's critical regulatory systems are now being put under pressure by human activities at unprecedented levels," says author of the paper Louis Kotze, Professor of Law at North-West University in South Africa and the University of Lincoln, UK; and researcher at the Research Institute for Sustainability Helmholtz Centre Potsdam. "Our existing global environmental law and governance framework is unable to address the planetary crisis and keep us from crossing planetary boundaries. This is why we urgently need planetary commons as a new law and governance approach that can safeguard critical Earth system regulating functions more effectively." More information: Johan Rockstrom et al, The planetary commons: A new paradigm for safeguarding Earth-regulating systems in the Anthropocene, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2024). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301531121 Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 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: A new study led by UConn researchers gives hope that some populations of Darwin's finches may be better armed to survive a devastating invasive parasite. Credit: Sarah A. Knutie et al Scientists are working hard to thwart a blood-sucking fly that is decimating populations of the charismatic finches that helped Charles Darwin formulate the theory of evolution. In a promising new study led by UConn researchers, they find that populations of finches living in urban environments are somehow more likely to survive the detrimental impacts of the invasive parasite, giving hope for conservation efforts. The findings are published in Global Change Biology. The avian vampire fly, Philornis downsi, a native to mainland South America, was first found in the Galapagos in the 1950s and recognized as a significant problem in 1997, says co-first author of the study and UConn Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Associate Professor Sarah Knutie. Although the adult flies feed on decaying organic matter and are non-parasitic, they lay their eggs in the nests of birds where, once hatched, the larvae feed on the blood of nestling birds, often with devastating consequences. The fly is now on almost all islands in the archipelago, and scientists have been working to learn what the long-term effects will be on native bird populations. "Almost every single study has found a significant effect of the fly on nestling survival and this fly can kill up to 100% of nestling Darwin's finches in a given year," Knutie says. "These nestlings are essentially dying through exsanguination, which means that the larvae are sucking all of the blood, hence the name, avian vampire fly." With such high mortality rates, the survival of Darwin's finches is in question, and figuring out how to deal with the fly is a top conservation concern for not only the researchers who work with the birds, but the Galapagos National Park, as well. "The fly doesn't affect all bird species in the Galapagos equally," says Knutie. "Some bird species like the Galapagos mockingbirds are better defended against the flies than Darwin's finches and we think this is because the mockingbirds are compensating for energy loss to the parasite through the parents feeding the nestlings more when they're parasitized, compared to when they're not parasitized." Knutie began thinking about potential variations in how the flies affect the populations of Darwin's finches and she also noted that previous studies focused on finches living in natural, non-urban settings, which does not give the full picture across all finch populations. "We know there's different food availability for animals in urban areas, so I started to wonder whether urban finches were differentially affected or maybe better defended against the flies because they had access to different food," she says. "These urban areas are different in so many ways, not just the food availability, but that is where I started because I knew the mockingbirds are better defended because they're able to feed their nestlings more." The study took place on San Cristobal Island, which is home to one major city, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, with a population of about 8,000 people. The researchers experimentally manipulated the parasite in nests in urban and nonurban areas where they removed the parasites from some nests. Then they tracked the health and survival of the finches and collected a blood sample to track blood loss and to study gene expression and immune responses. "We found that when nests were not parasitized, the survival of the nestling birds didn't differ between the urban and nonurban areas so, urbanization itself did not affect the survival. When the nests were parasitized, the survival was over six times greater in urban nestlings compared to nonurban nestlings, whose survival was nearly zero," says Knutie. To get to the root of the differences in survival between settings, the researchers took a transcriptomic approach. Results of optimized hot-spot analysis (conducted in ArcGIS 10.8) for urban nests of finches in San Cristobal based only on the spatial patterns of the nest locations. Yellow dots represent nest locations (n = 37) and red grid cells represent >90% confidence of the cell being a hotspot for nest locations, which are situated toward the southwest part of the city near the airport. Credit: Global Change Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17145 Cynthia Webster, co-first author and second-year Ph.D. student in collaborator and Associate Professor Jill Wegrzyn's lab, was tasked with understanding the molecular mechanisms behind how parasitism and urbanization influence the outcomes for the finches, including the differential expression of immune genes. "This transcriptomic approach provides a more holistic view of our system," says Webster. "It's valuable to understand the molecular mechanisms behind what we see and that's where this omics-based analysis adds an extra level to our study." Webster conducted a gene expression analysis looking at RNA sequence data to see what was actively expressed at the time when samples were taken, specifically comparing urban and nonurban sites, parasitized and non-parasitized individuals, and whether the bird died or survived. "Based on immune pathways alone, we see that a lot of the differences between parasitized urban and parasitized non-urban fiches lie within resistance and tolerance mechanisms. We zoomed in on the parasitized urban nestlings, where we noticed differentially expressed genes were falling within pathways associated more with tolerance and innate immune resistance. Meanwhile, the nonurban nestlings were showing more adaptive immune resistance," says Webster. They found that generally, fledging success in urban birds was associated with a pro-inflammatory response, which they think could help prevent the parasites from feeding. The non-urban birds did express immune pathways, but they think it might have been a last-ditch effort to try to defend themselves against the fly, but it was ineffective because most of the birds still died. They also found that urban birds likely consumed more protein, confirming dietary differences between urban and non-urban populations. The results are encouraging, but Knutie wants to be clear they are not suggesting that the Galapagos Islands should be urbanized; however, the findings lend some hope that there is something about the urban finch population that is improving their outcomes. "If we can figure out whether it's the evolution of defenses, or if there is an environmental factor that's helping them out, this can help inform conservation or management strategies for other populations, so the bird populations don't decline or go extinct," Knutie says. "This gives us hope that larger populations of Darwin's finches that are affected by the fly are not entirely doomed. We're still worried about smaller populations dealing with the fly, but maybe information from our study can help them. Knutie says the next step is to figure out whether urban finches have evolved defenses, or if there's an environmental factor, such as food availability, that is helping the finches survive the flies. "We also would love to expand the study across the islands, because there are four islands in the archipelago with permanent human resident populations and each island has a different size human population. As you can imagine, as the size of the city grows, the infrastructure to support humans grows as well. We hope to test whether the effects of urbanization on this bird/ parasite interaction varies across these islands, based on kind of the degree of urbanization, to see if it's consistent," says Knutie. Knutie hopes they can elucidate the key mechanisms to help inform future conservation efforts and help with current efforts. In the native range, the fly's populations are likely kept in check by natural predators like parasitoid wasps or ants, says Knutie. However, those natural control mechanisms are not present on the Galapagos. Some work is underway to study and explore the potential introduction of natural controls, but those measures can be expensive and time-consuming. However, some Darwin's finch populations may not have much time left. "For instance, the mangrove finch has less than 100 individuals left in the entire species, making it one of the most critically endangered species of bird in the world," says Knutie. "They don't have time to evolve natural defenses, so scientists and the park have been trying to figure out how to manage this fly for these populations that just don't have time. For larger populations, we have a bit more time to figure out why they're not doing so well against the fly, and maybe help them better defend themselves. If it is evolution that's acting on the urban finches, then perhaps that gives us hope that there is a chance for other populations to evolve defenses against the fly." More information: Sarah A. Knutie et al, Urban living can rescue Darwin's finches from the lethal effects of invasive vampire flies, Global Change Biology (2024). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17145 Journal information: Global Change Biology 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: Predicted RIO for Short-billed Gulls based on a machine learning ensemble. The training data are plotted on top (pink dots = presence; green dots = absence). Credit: Ecological Informatics (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102364 A recent study published in Ecological Informatics by a team of University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers has used artificial intelligence to further illuminate a habitat swap among short-billed gulls. Typically gulls live along coastlines and near water sources such as rivers. They feed on bugs and other small mammals, fish or birds. The team found that from May to August, short-billed gulls occupied areas that have typically been the haunts of scavenging ravens. Those include supermarket and fast-food restaurant parking lots and other human-made structures, such as industrial gravel pads and garbage dumpsters. The study is the first of its kind to compile a three-year dataset using a citizen science-based, opportunistic research method to include a large sample of gulls and other sub-Arctic birds in urban Alaska. The study provides a current snapshot of the habitat shift to an urban landscape. UAF professor Falk Huettmann, first author on the paper, and his team used artificial intelligence modeling that was given predictorsenvironmental variables for specific locationsto extrapolate information about the gull occurrences. A similar, earlier study analyzed the distribution of the great gray owl. In this study, researchers used U.S. census data as well as urban municipality data, such as distances to roads, restaurants, waterways and waste transfer stations. "Using socioeconomic datasets like the U.S. census is a real game-changer," said Moriz Steiner, a graduate student in Huettmann's lab. "It allows us to mirror the real-world environment and simulate a situation as true to nature as possible by including them as variables in the models." The findings indicate that the gulls' transition from natural habitats to a more urban landscape is spurred by the availability of human food, as well as industrial changes. "They are exploiting the waste opportunity left behind by humans," said Huettmann, who is associated with UAF's Institute of Arctic Biology. Short-billed gulls, known as mew gulls until 2021, are omnivorous and highly adaptable. While gulls can find more food in garbage dumps and gravel pits, the food is often bad for longevity and can even cause death. Easily available food from avian "dumpster diving," especially at fast-food restaurants, can prove lethal to the birds due to high quantities of salt, fat, sugar, grease and contaminants. Gulls are also good indicators of disease in an ecosystem. The team found an increase of disease hosts where the gulls congregate, sometimes up to 200 birds at each locale, in summer. Gulls spread infectious diseases such as avian influenza and salmonella, which can be transferred to humans. According to an unrelated study, the first recorded outbreak of gull-linked salmonella occurred in 1959 and was recorded in North America in Ketchikan. "Gulls are known as the leading vectors of diseases. They suffer overwhelmingly from bird influenza. What we demonstrate in the maps are essentially disease reservoirs which happen to coincide with human development," said Huettmann, who also has an appointment in the UAF College of Natural Science and Mathematics. For Huettmann, these studies are just further indication that what is referred to as "wildlife" is changing. "This kind of information is providing a more holistic picture of how man-made influence on the environment is changing what we otherwise know as natural. Using machine learning will help us, hopefully, to advocate for improved wildlife conservation," Huettmann said. More information: Falk Huettmann et al, Model-based prediction of a vacant summer niche in a subarctic urbanscape: A multi-year open access data analysis of a 'niche swap' by short-billed Gulls, Ecological Informatics (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102364 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: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain Amid a complex web of disability civil rights legislation in Canada and the United States, one could easily be lulled into thinking that the work is done. Some of this legislation is now several decades old; more recent additions include accessible design standards and guidelines and barrier-free elements of building codes. But if only this were true. Watching Toronto and other cities in North America work on accessibility feels a bit like watching a snail moving through molasses: the best route is unclear, progress is slow and they often become stuck. Paratransit Access to safe and reliable public transit is one such problem. For example, many of the issues plaguing paratransit (ideally on-demand, door-to-door service for disabled persons) todayunacceptably long wait times, having to plan and schedule days in advance, service costs, convoluted trip regulations, failing to pick people upare often as old as the services themselves. It's perhaps hard to imagine, but it could get worse. Data from the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability indicate that nearly 18 percent of housebound disabled persons report the absence of transport service as the causethey have somewhere to go, but no way to get there. New York City, Toronto and Montreal have underground public transit. These systems share a checkered past where disability is concerned. Time and time again, each system has been the site of disability activism, litigation, accessibility retrofit, cycles of investment progress and delay, and what I call last-millimeter problems. In New York City, it took multiple class-action lawsuits filed by disabled persons to get the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to launch a multi-decade accessibility plan. This included a promise to stop renovating stations in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and New York City Human Rights Law. Seven years on, an August 2017 article in the New York Times reported on the MTA's stalled progress and justifiable skepticism on the part of disabled passengers. The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is in the midst of a promising multi-year Accessible Transit Services Plan. The plan includes accessibility retrofit of many stations built before the 2005 Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) became law. These are massive infrastructure projects with hefty price tags. Symptomatic of a much broader failure across the province to meet AODA's 2025 deadline, implementation of the TTC's accessibility plan is behind schedule. In the most recent AODA progress review, Rich Donovan, CEO of The Return on Disability Group, declared a state of crisis following "17 years of missed opportunities," "minimal change in accessibility" and reports of terrible accessibility experiences across the province. Looking back reveals a deep history of transit criticism and activism in Montreal. In 1988, members of the American Disabled for Accessible Public Transit (ADAPT) protested poor transit accessibility during the American Public Transit Association (APTA) meetings held in Montreal. This occurred two years before the iconic "Capitol Crawl" in Washington, D.C. where, tired of congressional inertia, disabled protesters climbed the steps of the Capitol to push for the immediate passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Montreal's Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) now has a long-range accessibility plan with an aspirational end date of 2038. The Canadian Urban Transit Association) recently announced STM as the winner of an equity, diversity and inclusion award, noting it has "taken significant steps in enhancing customer accessibility since 2023." The last millimeter problem Beyond a now seemingly normalized requirement for disabled persons to hold transit authorities to account, much of the progress underground has focused on elevators. A 2009 documentary about disabled persons experiences with Montreal transit. What I find astounding is the "last millimeter problem"a wide gap or vertical misalignment between platforms and transit vehicles making it impossible or hazardous for some disabled persons, like my daughter, to get on or off the system. The problem seems to occur most often when newly acquired trains meet up with old stations. In New York City, a vertical misalignment of up to six inches was reported in at least one MTA station. Gaps across the system have led to more class-action litigation. As of 2019, the TTC has a subway platform gap retrofit program. Consultation with its Accessibility Advisory Committee produced tolerances of 89 mm or less and 38 mm or less respectively for horizontal and vertical misalignments. Misalignment problems have also been reported across multiple Montreal Metro stations. Disability as an afterthought makes platform and vehicle retrofit an inconvenient, costly necessity. The technical part of this problem can likely be solved with existing technology, like platform gap fillers and bridge plates. Waiting around for disabled passengers to engage in class-action litigation is not an effective strategy. Cycling infrastructure The voices of disabled persons have been relegated to the edges of the conversation about active transportation (cycling, walking) and healthy, climate-resilient urban futures. Disabled persons ride bikes on and off-road. The literature on cycling and disability focuses on planning for the inclusion of disabled cyclists. Due consideration should also be given to interactions between disabled pedestrians and transport infrastructure in general, including bike lanes. Recently, a bike lane in Toronto was built level to an adjacent sidewalk, without sufficient aids to alert blind pedestrians. Design solutions existthe Canadian National Institute for the Blind's Clearing Our Path suggests various types and applications of tactile walking surface indicators. Curbside bike lanes can produce other problems for disabled pedestrians. For example, parking spaces adjacent to bike lanes with a step up to the sidewalk can force wheelchair users into the path of bicycles or vehicles. Cycling infrastructure needs to be inclusive and safe infrastructure. Consulting the community Research, policy, legislation, design and technologies exist to improve urban accessibility. Despite real progress on both the legislative and infrastructure fronts, the lived experiences of disabled persons continue to highlight serious incongruity between legislation, policies and outcomes. Accessibility advisory committees are often a requirement of provincial legislation, and enacted at the provincial or municipal levels of government. Transit agencies often have separate committees comprised of community volunteers and agency staffthe TTC, New York MTA and Montreal STM all have committees. Committee membership criteria should ensure adequate representation from within and across disability communities. Disabled community members should be compensated for sharing their specialized knowledge. Real accountability, rather than performative empty consultation, should be the order of the day. Accessible cities can only happen when governments and their various agencies deeply listen to and act upon what disabled citizens have to say. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. 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: The interview room at the rape reception at the Oslo Emergency Medical Service and information brochure. Credit: NTB Why do so many people choose not to report rape? Research shows that the trauma of talking about the abuse as well as owning one's own narrative of what happened can be crucial. There is currently a strong expectation in Norway that people should report cases of rape. This is according to Professor May-Len Skilbrei at the Department of Criminology and Sociology of Law (UiO) in a new podcast episode at "Universitetsplassen." She is accompanied by postdoctoral fellow Anette Bringedal Houge from the Institute of Health and Society at UiO. Juridification is a term for a development where more and more areas become governed by legal rules. Juridification describes the increasing influence of law in social life and politics, where more and more aspects of life are encountered, understood, and resolved as legal matters. This is also the case when it comes to assaults such as rape. This expansion of the law also leads to a broadening of lawyers' understanding of reality and phenomena. "This influences the way we as a society understand rape and sexual offenses, perpetrators, causes and consequences far beyond the cases that actually go to trial," says Houge. According to the researcher, juridification creates a hierarchy of rapes, where those that are provable in court weigh heaviest in society. "The dominance of criminal law comes at a cost to those who are not believed by the legal system." It costs to tell When a raped woman decides to report the assault to the police, she leaves it to experts to determine whether what she has experienced qualifies as rape in a courtroom. The experience of violence she felt has become a legal question for others to assess and consider. In her article "The problem of juridification: arguments for a different conversation about rape" pulblished in Tidsskrift for kjnnsforskning, Anette Bringedal Houge writes about what juridification does to narratives about and experiences of rape. In specific rape cases, the victim's experience is reviewed, retold, divided and turned into objects through blood, semen, discharge, saliva and urine that are tested for DNA and drugs. These parts are distributed across a multitude of actors who carry out various tasks in the investigation, from investigators to case officers, forensic geneticists and toxicologists, nurses and doctors in sexual assault reception centers, GPs and witnesses. All of these pieces are then put back together, on a timeline, and considered as evidence. They are used to say something about the credibility of the victim and the accused. "An often intimate and painful story about something that has happened in a complex situation, involving subsequent contemplation over one's own responsibility, must be 'sent out into the world' through the narrative and understood by people who do not know the victim. It can be perceived as an additional burden for rape victims to experience that they lose control of their own narrative when it has to be repeated in different legal contexts." Narratives are simplified and retold In the event of a police report, the focus will largely be on those aspects of the experience that can support the legal definition of rape. In such a process, the narrative of a perceived offense can be simplified quite a lot. "Narratives of abuse told to those closest to you can have a richness and a focus on context that perhaps narratives in other contexts cannot have, because one must simplify things. With regards to the police and the legal system, the goal will be to present things as clearly as possible. As a result, the narrative might lose the complexity that could be important to the victim, the very thing that makes the victim feel ownership of their narrative," says Skilbrei. This is how the experience of telling someone you have been abused and the purpose of the narrative varies depending on who you talk to. Skilbrei emphasizes that telling a friend is something very different from telling the police. Over the past ten years, developments in how criminal law deals with rape have been characterized by a broadening of what constitutes rape and sexual offenses, at the same time as the penalties are becoming harsher. "Today, people who say they have been victims of rape are urged to go to the police. Reporting has become part of the standard procedure. It is expected that rapes are reported. Implicit in the expectation is the attitude that it is in society's interest that rapes are prosecuted," says Skilbrei. Reporting has become a standard procedure Through increased juridification, society hopes to prevent new rapes and to create safety and security in society. This is based on an optimisma legal optimism about what the law as an institution can achieve. "Turning to the law and reporting is presented as a solution to a negative and offensive experience, and is often presented as something that is in the victim's own interest as well as society's." What do you think about the norm of reporting as "standard procedure?" "I think that a rape can be experienced and dealt with in many different ways. However, it may seem unfair to victims that making a report increases their burden by having to take responsibility for society's ability to prevent future rapes." According to Skilbrei, many victims experience individual, cultural and structural barriers when reporting rape to the police. Currently, there are still only a small number of victims in Norway who report that they have been raped. According to a survey conducted by the Norwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (2023), 22% of the women they surveyed, and 3% of men, answered that they had experienced rape either through force and coercion or while they were asleep. More than 80% of these, combined with those who stated that they had experienced online sexual offenses, stated that the police were not made aware of the incident. Based on police report statistics, the National Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS) has reported that around 1,500 rapes involving victims over the age of 14 were reported in 2019, and the sexual assault reception centers received a total of just over two thousand inquiries during the same year. Houge has reviewed police reports regarding all the rape cases brought to trial in 2019. In collaboration with NCIS, she has identified less than 200 rape cases that received Norwegian court rulings in 2019. In addition, she has reviewed all sleep-rape convictions at the court of appeal level for 2019 and 2020 together with Lecturer Solveig Laugerud. Victims make active choices Together with Maria Hansen and Kari Stefansen, Skilbrei wrote an article "Non-reporting of sexual violence as action: acts, selves, futures in the making." The article, published in Nordic Journal of Criminology, is based on qualitative interviews with 15 women who have experienced rape. They write about how women who refrain from reporting rape give meaning to the choices they make. "In the aftermath of rape, victims often need to balance their own needs and expectations with those of society. When the women talk about the rape and how they then manoeuver to reconcile conflicting norms and needs, they quite often justify their choices in other ways than what society might expect." The research showed that actions that can be interpreted as passivesuch as not reporting a rapecan rather be seen as an active choice that stems from cultural frameworks other than those that place the responsibility on the victim to prevent risk to others. The women interviewed were rape victims, but they were not willing to take on the role of victim in a discourse where being a 'rape victim' is seen as an identity with consequences for how others see them and how they must act. "We were actively looking for women who had experienced rape, and who defined it themselves as rape, but who had not reported it. The purpose was to shed light on the processes behind this choice, precisely at a time when there is such a strong focus on reporting being the morally and personally correct thing to do. One of the things we found was that when a victim's narrative of rape is told by other actors, she loses control of it." Wanting to stay in control An important reason for not reporting a rape was not wanting to lose control of one's own narrative, or to reclaim the narrative of who one was when the assault occurred and who one is afterwards, so that the woman herself can control how things proceed. "Even though these were women who considered themselves victims of rape, it was still important for them to frame it in a way that made it possible for them not to let it affect their everyday lives too much. Not letting it become an identity that characterizes how they see themselves or are seen by others." Skilbrei says that being the victim of rape is something that can easily become very dominant if others see you as "the raped woman." Seeing as rape often occurs in contexts involving several people you know, committed by people in the same social network, it can have a major impact on a person's everyday life. More information: Anette Bringedal Houge, Rettsliggjringens problem: argumenter for en annen samtale om voldtekt, Tidsskrift for kjnnsforskning (2023). DOI: 10.18261/tfk.47.2.3 Maria Hansen et al, Non-reporting of sexual violence as action: acts, selves, futures in the making, Nordic Journal of Criminology (2020). DOI: 10.1080/2578983X.2020.1867401 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: For nearly a decade, FIU sociolinguist Phillip Carter has researched Miami Englisha variety of English with subtle structural influence from Spanish, mostly spoken by second-, third- or fourth-generation native English speakers. Credit: Florida International University Spanish is often framed as both essential and deeply rooted in Miami, a necessity to "get by" living in the 305. In certain ways, it is. In other ways it is not, says FIU sociolinguist Phillip Carter. While both Spanish and English are spoken in South Florida, according to his latest study, English is still viewed as "more important." Following on the heels of his Miami English dialect research that went viral and garnered widespread national attention last year, Carter's latest research continues to look at how language is used in the 305. Alongside Salvatore Callesano, assistant professor of linguistics at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Carter examined the nonconscious biases people harbor with regard to hearing English and Spanish. Not exactly an easy task. As Carter points out, biases can be so ingrained in us, we're not even aware of them. Biases with regard to language, for example, might influence what we think about other people: their level of education, employment, values and more. In this Q&A, Carter breaks down the study's findings published in The International Journal of Bilingualism, as well as what surprised him most and what he hopes Miamians take away from it. You've spent over a decade studying language in Miami, and now you're very well known around the world for your work on Miami English. But as a sociolinguist, you're documenting how and why people use language. How does this study fit into that? I see the story of language in Miami as being like a 10,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. You can create a section of puzzle that stands alone. For example, you can start putting certain pieces together: the Cuban Revolution, that leads to Spanish-English contact and then the Miami English dialect. Sure, that looks like a story onto itself or a standalone puzzle. It is in a way. But it's also not disconnected from other things happening with language, identity, politics, ethnicity and so forth in South Florida. So, when you have Spanish and English in contact it's not only producing linguistic effects that yield Spanglish or Miami English, but also major sociological questions, like: How do people judge one another for the way they speak? Spanish and English are not set up here as "coequal." People absorb the message: Yes, there are two languages spoken here, but they matter in different ways: One language takes you this way, the other takes you that way. One may even be more important than the other. And what does that tell us? Almost immediately after coming to Miami what struck me was discrepancies in how one language is used over another in different spaces. I was interested in thinking about how the narrative of Spanish being essential in Miami is both true and not true at the same time. The goal was to find a way to study how people mentally represent those narratives and their sociological reality. For example, maybe someone says, "I want to pass Spanish down to my kid." But the data shows that doesn't always happen. Instead, kids tend to choose English and not Spanish when they have a choice to speak either language. Sometimes this is a subtle preference for English and a subtle rejection of Spanish, and sometimes this is a very active preference for English and active rejection of Spanish. In either case, this means there are things in society working against that parent's wish to pass down Spanish. It's not that people don't try to implement it. It's more like they are trying to swim upstream. Why does that happen? That's what we wanted to study and understand. Measuring preference seems tricky. Because people are so complex. How did you scratch beneath the surface? Yes, that's true. You can ask people, "What do you think about Spanish and English in Miami?" And we have done precisely that in another study. What they might say is not alwaysor does not alwaysgovern how they behave. That's because we have two systems in our cognition: implicit and explicit. Most habitual behavior has some explicit and implicit elements, but we know implicit elements can be distinctive. Let me give you an example. Say you get on public transportation. There's a person with an open seat next to them. And then another empty seat somewhere else. Say you choose the seat that's not next to the person. That choice could be determined because you have an explicit belief for some reason about the person, tied to a negative stereotypeand you're consciously aware of it and very deliberately make the decision to avoid them. On the other hand, maybe you have an implicit association at the level of non-conscious awareness, so even without know you're doing it, your implicit psychology kind of makes the decision for you. The same thing can happen with language. When I started reading the social psychology literature, I came across Implicit Association Test (IAT)made popular in the mainstream mediaI knew it could be a tool to let us get at implicit bias, and better see what people were thinking in those snap judgment moments that happen at the level of a millisecond. We can absorb or attach negative associations to one language or another. Say, our parent punishes us in that language. Or someone habitually corrects how we say speak in that language. Those things can change our perception of that language. So, how did the experiments work? First, we used written words in Spanish and English. We saw how quickly people could match positive attributes with those words. What you get is a score that tells you how fast and accurately people can make a compatible pairing. In other words, is it easier or harder for folks to match positive attributes with words in English or words in Spanish? In the second experiment, we wondered what would happen if they listened to words, since so much of language in Miami is about what people hear, not what they read. My colleague had the brilliant idea to use U.S. cities that can be pronounced in Spanish and English like Los Angeles, Tucson, and San Antonio. And in the third, we used "nonce" words in both languages. That's a made-up word that doesn't exist but looks like it belongs in the language. For example, in English that could be: splinted, snickly, throcket, skalled. Or in Spanish: frila, prenta, prespa, culfa. And what did you find? In all three experiments, we found that basically no one had an automatic preference for Spanish. Maybe three or four people out of the more than 80 participants had an automatic preference for Spanish. But the overwhelming majority of folks had a nonconscious bias or automatic preference for English. I want to emphasize we had statistically significant difference in our study groupin terms of where people were born, how long they'd been in the U.S., and so forth. But it all came down to the degree or strength to which they preferred English, not whether they had biases toward Spanish or English. For example, about 40% of study participants had a "strong preference" for English at the nonconscious level. If we look at moderate preferences, we found only 14% of participants to have "slight" or "moderate" automatic preferences for Spanish, but 65% demonstrated a "slight" or "moderate" preference for English. We found that country of birth was a predictor of bias (being born in the U.S. vs. Latin America.) Being born in the U.S. meant people had a stronger preference for English. However, being born in Latin America did not predict a preference for Spanishjust a less strong preference for English than being born in the U.S. What was most interesting to you as a social scientist? I think the thing that stood out to us was that for the immigrant folksthe people who moved here from Latin Americawe found that the longer they live in Miami, the stronger their automatic preference became for English. Again, that suggests people have internalized a view in which English is dominant and essential and that gets stronger the longer you're here. That's so interesting to us because it calls into question so many of the narratives we hear about language and immigration. I hope the results from this study invite us to add some complexity to the way we think of language and the place we live. We often talk about Spanish and English in Miami in very black and white terms, but in reality, there's so much complexity to our linguistic situation that it's rarely either/or and almost always both/and. Yes, Spanish is everywhere. It's very much around us. And at the same time, so is English, and English predominates in our local institutions. And those narratives about English and value of English get internalized. And that's precisely what the study shows. Maybe someone sees this study and says, "Yes, this isn't surprising. Sure, maybe I have a preference" What do you hope is a takeaway for them? Well, I'm thinking about two groups of people. People who are born here, who receive inherited messages from society, politics, families, and schools. And often don't question those narratives until much later. We saw this with the Miami English story. People say "Oh! That is why we say it this way" or "You're telling me this is a dialect that's systematic and rule- governed and not 'bad English?'" And they come to question things but only when they're given the occasion to see it through a different lens. And then people who come here from elsewhere as children or adults with ideas about what it means to be in the U.S., who also receive inherited messages about language and place, what it means to be in Miami and to use language here. For both groups, those received or inherited messages may not be accurate to what's going on in our sociological environment. Our inheritance is not always in our best interest. So for all of us, I think of the study as kind of like walking into a room where the light is on a dimmerand then the light gets turned up completely. Let's talk about it in the light of day, with the realities we know from both research and people's experiences and not continue passing down narratives that may be hurtful to us and our children. Because when you start to have conversations with people, you can see how much other folks are wrangling with these issues anyway. We just don't have a wider dialogue about them in Miami, and I think that we should. (Photo : Unsplash/Acton Crawford) Biden's impending independent contractor rule, set to go into effect on March 11, has ignited a heated debate well before its official implementation. The rule, designed to address the misclassification of employees and protect the rights of gig workers, is drawing criticism from various quarters. The House Committee on Small Business expressed reservations about the Department of Labor's (DOL) final rule. The measure effectively reverses a Trump-era classification policy for independent contractors, reverting to the Obama-era ruling that outlines a comprehensive six-pronged approach to identify gig workers. Chair of the House Small Business Committee, Representative Roger Williams (R-TX), asserted that the new rule could jeopardize the status of over 22 million independent contractors. In a letter to Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, Williams argued that the rule introduces a complex analysis that may deter small businesses from hiring gig workers, fearing an increase in misclassification lawsuits. Six Factors for Classification Consideration The independent contractor rule reinstates the long-standing multifactor analysis employed by courts, ensuring a comprehensive examination of relevant factors in determining a worker's classification as an employee or an independent contractor. The rule specifically focuses on six key factors that shape the analysis of a worker's relationship with their employer, encompassing: 1) Any opportunity for profit or loss a worker might have. 2) The financial stake and nature of any resources a worker has invested in the work. 3) The degree of permanence of the work relationship. 4) The degree of control an employer has over the person's work. 5) Whether the work the person does is essential to the employer's business. 6) A factor regarding the worker's skill and initiative. "[T]his rule threatens the livelihood of many small-business owners by reimplementing a confusing multifactor analysis to determine whether a worker is an [independent contractor] or an employee," Williams wrote in the letter. The regulation independently repeals the 2021 Independent Contractor Rule, as the department contends that it deviates from established legal principles and longstanding judicial precedent. READ ALSO: Gig Economy: How Technology Is Helping Giggers Build Companies DOL Aims to Combat Misclassification and Exploitation Said rule was published in early January with the primary goal of combatting the misclassification of employees and the exploitation of gig workers. Gig workers often face lower pay, reduced or no benefits, and limited job security compared to their full-time counterparts within the same companies. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su emphasized the importance of the rule, stating, "Misclassifying employees as independent contractors is a serious issue that deprives workers of basic rights and protections." Backlash and Legal Challenges The rule is facing resistance from various business groups, including the Coalition for Workforce Innovation and Associated Builders and Contractors, both of whom have filed lawsuits to block its implementation. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is also exploring legal action against the rule. The ongoing debate over the classification of gig workers is not new. Companies like Uber and Lyft have previously faced lawsuits over the classification of their drivers as independent contractors rather than full-time employees. With the March 11 implementation date approaching, questions remain about the rule's overall impact. While some companies, like DoorDash, express confidence in their current classification practices, the long-term effects are uncertain. RELATED ARTICLE: The Future of Workforce: 2023 Remote Work Trends 2017 Jobs & Hire All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. 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: The moment of separation between Superheavy and Starship. Credit: SpaceX SpaceX is often in the headlines; unfortunately, it is not always good news. On 18 November we saw the second of the Starship and SuperHeavy booster get off the launchpad successfully; it failed before reaching orbit. In a recent event, Elon Musk explained how a fuel venting near the end of the burn was responsible but entirely avoidable next time. The Starship and SuperHeavy booster are an impressive combination. Standing at over 120 meters tall together, they are one of the most powerful and versatile rocket systems ever built. The system can produce 16,700,000 pound force of thrust, making it twice as powerful as Saturn V, which took the Apollo astronauts to the moon. The first launch attempt failed when the rocket spun out of control, exploding about four minutes from liftoff. Following the disaster, the team identified that the flight termination systemwhich was designed to destroy the vehicle if it went out of controlfailed to do its job. Musk reported on the second launch test from an event at Boca Chica in Texas where he explained that the lack of a payload meant that it needed to vent some of the liquid oxygen propellant. The booster almost made it to orbit and would have succeeded if it had had a payload. The liquid oxygen would have been consumed by the Raptor engines instead of being vented, which was as per design. Musk, however, did not elaborate on how this all led to a fire. The third test flight is slated for February and Musk is confident it will reach orbit this time. On the assumption of a successful launch, SpaceX plans to test the de-orbit process, the payload door operations and transferring propellant from header tank to main tank. This latter test is part of the NASA Tipping Point program to test fuel transfer from one vehicle to another. Whether it's the third or even the fourth test launch that brings success for SpaceX, their long-term goals remain unchanged. They still hope to be able to carry up to 100 people on interplanetary missions and become a pivotal part of the return to the moon. 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: All-tackle record (ATR) counts for species currently listed as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), or Vulnerable (VU) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Credit: Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (2023). DOI: 10.1002/aqc.4051 New research mapping long-term international trends in trophy fishing has found declines in records for threatened species, adding to a growing body of evidence that these types of fish and sharks are becoming increasingly scarce. Species on this list include reef giants like Goliath grouper and humphead Maori wrasse, along with ocean wanderers such as great hammerhead and oceanic whitetip sharks. Angling change The study, "Shifts in the size and distribution of marine trophy fishing world records" published in the journal Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, tracked global trends in trophy fishing over the past 80 years, with some of the planet's most threatened species showing notable decreases in new records. Trophy anglers around the world were also found to be moving away from targeting only a select few large-bodied fish species to instead now looking to land a wider range of smaller-bodied species. New records were for increasingly smaller max-sized species of fish, with the average-sized record shifting from 167.7kg in the 1950s to 8.1kg in the 2010s. The research was the brainchild of Dr. Bryce Stewart, an international expert in marine ecology and fisheries biology at the University of York. He explains that trophy fishing has become popular around the world due to improvements in angling technology, and growing disposable income and global travel. Conservation concerns While trophy fishing records can provide valuable insights, the research highlights the environmental impact of the sport, as specifically targeting the largest fish removes the most important breeders from the ocean. The declining nature of some fish populations appeared to be reflected by recent declines in records for those species considered threatened by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Dr. Stewart explained, "The sizable nature of recreational angling makes it difficult to explore trends in global catches. However, trophy fishing world records provide unique insights into recreational fishing pressure on the largest species and size-classes. I'm very proud of this new research because it offers a deep analysis of temporal trends into the number and size of record-setting fish, and how record catches have changed across the globe over an 80 year period. "These findings shed new light on the global health of many fish species and can potentially help ensure they have a more sustainable future." Data-led approach Trophy fishing is promoted and recorded by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), which manages an 80-year long database on the largest individuals of a species caught. This record logs all-tackle records (ATRs), with information on the size and location of each record catch. The new research has discovered that the number of all tackle records, and the number of species awarded an all tackle record, have increased significantly over the past 80 years. Global shifts Lead author of the study, James Boon from the University of Nottingham, who did much of the work while at the University of York, added, "There has been a global shift in trophy fishing, the study evidencing a move away from where it began in Florida to new areas such as across Asia and Australasia. "Records were unevenly distributed around the world but have spread globally over time. Historically, all tackle records were concentrated around the coastline of the U.S. but in recent decades more were reported in countries such as Japan and New Zealand." New focus Specifically, between the years of 1941 and 1989, records were concentrated in North America and particularly Southern Florida. Since the 1990s the all time records have more often been broken in Mexico, Japan and New Zealand. All time records were first reported in New Zealand in the 1960's and increased notably in the 2010's. The new research found a shift away from simply targeting the largest fish in the sea, to a broader approach from fishermen to focus on many smaller species of fish. This was in line with the IGFA registering more species for records over time. But the data can be interpreted in different ways. Scarcity concerns James Boon explained, "Numerous other studies have demonstrated overfishing of many fish species across the world's oceans. This trend, along with the fact that trophy anglers have now explored much of the globe, is likely making it increasingly difficult for anglers to set new records." "The spread of all time records also suggests a growing pressure on the largest size-classes in regions with previously little trophy fishing pressure. We encourage greater use of catch-and-release initiatives and mandatory data collection for all near records to better quantify trophy fishing pressure and ensure sustainable practices." Sustainability goals On the catch-and-release front there is some good news. In 2011 the IGFA introduced a length based alternative category for trophy fishermen. Without the need to weigh fish, this makes it possible for record sized fish to be released alive, as long as they are carefully handled. In the U.K., things have been taken a step further. Following discussions with Shark Hub members from University of York and the Angling Trust, The British Record Fish Committee recently agreed that from now on, only length based records will be allowed for large shark species, with measurements having to be undertaken while the fish are still in the water. Likewise, the Committee will soon introduce length based records for all of the sea species on their main list. Research is being conducted into pioneering new digital measurement technology to assist with this process. Dr. Stewart, commented, "Catch and release is a much more sustainable way to do trophy fishing, it is obviously better for individual fish but can also have measurable positive outcomes on the wider ecosystems in seas too. I am hopeful that other countries popular with the trophy fishing community will look at the approach being taken in the U.K." Nature connection Recreational fishing is today primarily undertaken for leisure, as opposed to income or subsistence. Conservative estimates suggest that marine recreational anglers extract around 900,000 metric tons of fish per year, which accounts for less than 1% of total marine catch. The marine angling industry creates an estimated annual global revenue of more than $40 billion and employs an estimated 1 million people. Anglers themselves also benefit from a strong connection with nature and/or their cultural heritage, as well as a sense of enjoyment and relaxation and positive benefits for physical and mental health. Mandatory recording Dr. Stewart cautions that trophy fishing does not tell the full story of fish stocks in our seas. He said, "Of course, one obvious issue with using records to infer angler behavior is that it does not track all fishing effort, only effort that resulted in a fish found to be large enough to qualify for a record. And trophy anglers that catch large fish which are still smaller than the current record, often called 'near misses,' will not be recorded. For this reason we recommend mandatory recording of all near records to better trophy fishing and ensure more sustainable practices." Future recovery Recent years have seen a remarkable recovery of bluefin tuna in British waters, with the U.K. government recently approving a recreational catch and release fishery from 2024. These top predators of the ocean are spectacular and enormous fish, with the current all tackle record standing at an incredible 678 kg (1,496 pounds). With continued careful management, these fish should provide new angling opportunities and socio-economic benefits to the coastal communities where they occur. More information: James S. Boon et al, Shifts in the size and distribution of marine trophy fishing world records, Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (2023). DOI: 10.1002/aqc.4051 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: Camera trap image of Kordofan giraffe in Benoue National Park, Cameroon. Credit: Bristol Zoological Society Crucial new data about the numbers of Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffe living within Cameroon's Benoue National Park has been released, supporting conservation efforts to save the subspecies from extinction. Researchers from the University of Bristol and Bristol Zoological Society have carried out a three-year study using imagery of giraffe from a variety of sources, including camera traps, to establish how many of the highly threatened mammals remain within the park. Their findings, which have been published in the African Journal of Ecology, present the first reliable estimate of giraffe population size for the region and will help conservationists monitor the threats they are facing. The paper concluded that as few as 27 individuals remain within the park, highlighting the vital importance of ongoing efforts by Bristol Zoological Society and others to minimize threats from poaching and mounting human pressures. Giraffe in the park are a target for illegal hunting, which poses a serious threat to the population. An alarming recent study, also led by Bristol Zoological Society and University of Bristol, found that without intervention, poaching of just two Kordofan giraffe per year could result in extinction of the population in just 15 years. The Society has been working to conserve giraffe in Cameroon since 2017. It is thought there are fewer than 2,000 Kordofan giraffe remaining in the wilda decline of 85% since the 1980s. The paper's lead author, Connor Parks, undertook the study as part of his Master's degree in Global Wildlife Health and Conservation at Bristol Vet School, in conjunction with teaching partner Bristol Zoological Society. Connor is among more than 400 students who annually undertake one of the six degrees the Society offers, in partnership with UWE, the University of Bristol and SGS College. Parks explained, "Our study has shown a significant population of Kordofan giraffe still occur within the park, with many more living in the surrounding landscape. It also emphasizes that continued conservation efforts are vital if we are to further support the subspecies in Cameroon. This should include strengthening existing anti-poaching regulations and protecting wildlife movement corridors." Dr. Caspian Johnson, a conservation scientist and lecturer at Bristol Zoological Society said, "Habitat degradation and illegal hunting has already seen the loss of cheetah, black rhino, and all resident elephants from Benoue National Park. It is paramount we do not lose another precious species from this area. "These studies provide us with the crucial baseline data needed to determine how giraffe population size and structure may change in the future. This will help us inform the conservation action and management practices needed to protect giraffe in Benoue National Park." More information: Connor Parks et al, Preliminary population estimate of Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum) in two areas of the Benoue complex, Cameroon, African Journal of Ecology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/aje.13249 By Abdulai Fasineh Dumbuya Nekotech Centre of Excellence Readiness College in collaboration with the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security have discussed procedures for the non-collateral loan of $100 million for post-graduate applicants intending to study/work in the United States of America and Canada. The essence of the meeting was to fully understand the Transfer2Transform programme and encourage postgraduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Masters in Business Administration (MBA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) programmes for a five year period. The programme is tailored for citizens who are between the ages of 21 and 40 years , with a minimum Grade Point Average GPA of 3.0 and better. Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Director of Nekotech, a privately -owned Ghana based college, Rev Dr Asie Kabuki Ocansey, said that their role is to help put together the documentation processes of all candidates across West Africa through a weekly web study online programme where experts teach the candidates with the critical and requisite knowledge in the areas such as writing covering letters, Curriculum Vitae CV and Statement Of Purpose SOP. She explained that their primary goal is to accelerate the application of candidates so that they cannot stay longer in putting their papers together, noting that candidates can apply to their website: www.nekotechcenter.com. She stated that the candidates will attend four days virtual weekly classes from 5pm-7pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays which started July 31st 2023 and ends November 2024. She encouraged Sierra Leonean first degree holders to apply to Nekotech website and get knowledge on the loan documentations so that their application processes can be smoothly done. She disclosed that in order for candidates to join the NekoTeck class they needed to pay $236,000 or its equivalent in local currency payable online or ECO Bank, as well as revealing that they are working with fifteen USA universities who are participating at 100% Prep school Scholarships upon certification at the Nekoteck. She said the loan is a two year programme of $50,000 for each year, adding that the other three years is the Optional Practical Training (OPT) which makes it to five years. She emphasized that candidates for the masters degree programme should be somebody with a calibrated mindset of purpose, commitment and readiness to pursue a five-year course, noting that if a candidate maintains a good GPA it is highly likely that the person will continue to have loans and that is why they need strong and committed candidates. She noted that for candidates to be given the loan, even after going through the application processes, the individual have to bring a guarantor whose bank statement ranges from four thousand to seven thousand US dollar, saying that the bank statement is for the loan application and the US visa respectively. The reason why we are asking for the bank statement is because if somebody discontinues with the programme, we are going to have somebody responsible to refund the loan and that person has to be the guarantor. This loan is to be refunded within ten years period, she emphasized. Asked whether there is any means to bring the loan scheme to African universities in order to upgrade the tertiary education on the continent, she said the programme is to Transfer2Transform youths in Africa by moving out of the continent to USA or Canada to get masters degree and come back to their countries to transform them. She went on to note that the pioneers goal is to unlock the heavy chains of illiteracy that still continues to affect the growth of the continent. She added that the loan scheme might be converted to African universities in the future. She therefore noted that inasmuch as their training is borne out of the teaching with expertise in web study programme, they are ready to welcome all qualified youths in Sierra Leone to apply, noting that there is no exact quota for any country. Once they meet the criteria, they can apply as many as possible, she said. The programme started five years ago in Ghana and it is now being rolled out to all English-speaking African countries. The Nekotech College of Readiness is concerned about the chronic African unemployment youth and therefore finding ways to accelerate the development of Africa. Copyright 2023 (09/10/23) By Yi Whan-woo The amount of land owned by Chinese nationals in Korea has more than tripled in number since 2016 the latest in a series of statistics on Chinese nationals' buying spree of property and growing concerns over housing price hikes. Citing data obtained from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Tuesday, Rep. Hong Suk-joon of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) said a total of 181,391 lots of land nationwide were owned by foreign nationals as of last June. A lot is a unit of land that is available for building a house or other forms of residence, with varying size depending on regions, population density and other real estate-related conditions. Some 72,180 of the 181,391 properties belonged to Chinese nationals, up from 24,035 in 2016. The total combined size of the real estate increased to 20.81 million square meters from 16.09 million square meters over the cited period. The value of the properties also increased to 3.69 trillion won ($2.77 billion) from 2.84 trillion won. The data adds to concerns over a housing crisis as it shows Chinese nationals can increasingly go on a property shopping spree while many Koreans are struggling to buy a home, the lawmaker said. He said Korea does not restrict Chinese nationals from owning land or housing here, while regulations restrain Korean citizens from doing so in China in the name of preventing speculative investments. The lawmaker pointed out that by not allowing Korean nationals to own land there, China goes against the principle of reciprocity in international relations. I am afraid that a Chinese buying spree can put upward pressure on housing prices, and that Koreans living in our own land may end up as tenants of housing owned by Chinese nationals, Rep. Hong said. Separate data from the land ministry showed that Chinese nationals possessed more than half of all housing held by foreign nationals as of June 2023. Foreign nationals owned a combined 87,223 homes, accounting for 0.46 percent of all housing in the country. Of the 87,223 homes, Chinese nationals owned 47,327, or 54.3 percent, while Americans owned 20,469, or 23.5 percent, Canadians 5,959, or 6.8 percent and Taiwanese 3,286, or 3.8 percent. Data from the Financial Supervisory Service (FSS) showed the outstanding balance of housing mortgage loans for foreigners offered by the four major commercial banks KB Kookmin, Shinhan, Hana and Woori amounted to 2.3 trillion won in the first half of 2023. The amount was up 3.3 percent from a year earlier amid a steady increase in foreign nationals total housing loan balance. It was 2.05 trillion won at the end of 2019 but rose to 2.23 trillion won at the end of 2020, and then to 2.29 trillion won at the end of 2021. The outstanding balance for Chinese nationals in the January-June period of 2023 accounted for 1.33 trillion won, or 57.9 percent of the total. The 1.33 trillion won represented a 24.4 percent increase from 1.07 trillion won at the end of 2019. By Mabinty M. Kamara The main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) has condemned the decision by the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) to register and verify citizens for the purpose of the voter list. In a press conference held on Thursday, the party described the move as illegal as its within the mandate of the Authority. National Secretary General of APC, Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh, said they had already written a letter to President Julius Maada Bio clearly stating their position on the issue. A copy of the letter was presented to the media. Your Excellency will agree with us that as of this moment, you are the only person with the sole mandate to declare for the registration of new voters or verification of new voters. Similarly sir, you cannot just make a declaration orally. But it has to be done through statuary instruments that first need to be laid in parliament procedurally and with specific legal time frames within which such declaration can mature and become functional, a portion of the letter reads. In the letter, Mr Yansaneh accused the Director General of NCRA of usurping functions of the National Electoral Commission (NEC). APCs condemnation of the NCRA follows a public statement issued by the authority last week, calling on Sierra Leoneans to verify information provided to the authority during the voter registration process in 2017. The statement said that only those whose details were in the Permanent Civil Register would be eligible to obtain Biometric National Identification Cards and to vote in all public elections beginning with the 2022 Local Council Elections. It is a badly plotted political maneuver by the SLPP Government to rig the 2023 elections, Yansaneh said, warning that they could call on their members to boycott any process by the NCRA if it didnt follow due process. The NCRA has however vowed to proceed with the verification. Responding to the APCs position, when contacted by Politicom, Thomas B. Sowa, Director of Information and Communication, insisted that its within their mandate according to Section 25 of the NCRA Act. He said the confirmation of personal data will end on the 31st March. He added that in consultation with other relevant stakeholders, they decided to do it by regions based on considerations for logistics, human resource and other factors which could not allow them to be across the country at the same time. Copyright 2020 Politico Online From a press release: SUNY Adirondack is proud to honor the late Bruno LaVerdiere, a longtime adjunct professor who died in 2022, with an exhibition of his works, Rites of Passage: Bruno LaVerdiere, which runs Feb. 1 to April 18 in the colleges Visual Arts Gallery. Brunos cool teaching style and approachability made him popular among students throughout his more than 30-year tenure, said Rebecca Pelchar, director of SUNY Adirondacks Visual Arts Gallery and assistant professor of Art History. We are fortunate to have several of Brunos artworks in the collection to enhance the campus for our students and community. Rites of Passage chronicles LaVerdieres career, beginning with his time as an artist-monk in the 1950s and 60s, following his career to artist-bohemian, artist-archaeologian and, finally, artist-mystic. Featuring dozens of works of art, the exhibition highlights sculpture, drawing and print. LaVerdiere started his artistic career at St. Martins Abbey in Olympia, Washington, where he practiced liturgical arts as a Benedictine monk for 14 years. There, he apprenticed with Henry Takemoto, who introduced him to the American Studio Craft movement. LaVerdiere later studied at the Art Students League in New York from 1965-67, after which he began teaching as Brother Bruno at Greenwich House Pottery in New York and Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. He left the monastic order in 1969 to establish a reclusive sculpture studio in the Adirondack Mountains, where he lived and worked the rest of his life. LaVerdiere taught at Rochester Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania State University, the University of Georgia in Cortona, Italy, and the NYU Steinhardt studio program. He held a 31-year adjunct professorship at SUNY Adirondack. His artwork has been exhibited with Franklin Parrasch and John Elder galleries in New York, and is included in the collections of American Craft Museum, Columbus Museum of Art, Everson Museum of Art, The Hyde Collection and J. Patrick Lannan Foundation, among others. LaVerdiere received artists fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and New York Foundation for the Arts. He traveled through England, Scotland and Wales to study stone circles, dolmens and ancient churches. He was awarded a residency grant from La Napoule Art Foundation in southern France. LaVerdiere is recognized for his megalithic ceramic sculptures, stoneware horns, graven Images and commemorative valentines. Rites of Passages runs through April 22 in the Visual Arts Gallery, which is in Dearlove Hall. An opening reception with a special presentation by Julian LaVerdiere, the artists son, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 1. The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. SOUTH GLENS FALLS A months-long back and forth between village officials and Jersen Construction Group, LLC, has finally come to a close with a settlement being reached for a $30,000 credit and replacement electrical panel. The dispute began over the summer when the board couldnt agree on how to handle a dented electrical box panel and dimpled siding, which was dropped while being installed at the villages new GAC filtration building. While some board members felt the damage was merely superficial, others wanted the damaged material replaced. Were being asked to pay for an undamaged panel, and we should get an undamaged panel, Trustee Harry Gutheil said during a discussion at the boards June 21, 2023 meeting. Its new. Why should we have to have something that doesnt look new, Trustee Joe Orlow agreed at the time. It was decided to pursue Jersen to replace the panel and the siding, even if doing so required legal action. That decision was briefly overturned when a resident questioned the boards choice at a following meeting. I think that we dont have a leg to stand on and were going be paying a lawyer an hourly rate to sue a contractor, whos probably going win, said resident Dennis Davall during the public comment session of the boards Aug. 2, 2023 meeting. I think we should leave it alone and move forward. I dont want to see my tax money wasted like that. The board then agreed to look at accepting a credit option, which Jersen had proposed. That decision was stymied yet again; however, when the board couldnt agree on an amount to accept in credit. I would suggest that we put (out) an extreme high number and see where they come in at, Trustee Tony Girard said during the boards Sept. 8, 2023 meeting. Once again Gutheil admonished anything short of demanding the material be replaced as, a disgrace. With no consensus of the board, the matter was tabled until the Jan. 17 meeting, in which the settlement was presented and finally agreed upon by all but Gutheil. Im voting no because I didnt support the settlement agreement, Gutheil said. Its on the record that we had defective materials and it was admitted they were defective and I wasnt willing to accept it. Absegami club Interacts with Stockton: Sixteen members of Absegami High Schools Interact Club joined hundreds of other community members for Stockton Universitys 20th annual MLK Day of Service last week. In collaboration with the universitys Los Latinos Unidos club, volunteers filled approximately 50 pencil cases with school supplies and positive messages for Atlantic City elementary school students. Working with the Circle K organization, members hand-stitched teddy bears for patients in childrens hospitals and cancer centers. Interactors also made cat toys for animal shelters and cards for senior citizens with the Stockton Honors Program. I love attending MLK Day at Stockton University, said Absegami Interactor Shyna Kataria. MLK Day allows me to actively help the community, network with various service organizations and create fun, valuable memories. Shore Employee of the Month: Christopher Maffei, of Upper Township, has been named Shore Medical Centers January Employee of the Month. Maffei is a Cerner Team program analyst in the IT department at Shore, where he works with the Cerner electronic health record system writing reports, managing the provider portal and patient portal access. He has been with Shore since graduating from Rowan University three years ago. Jeremy Albergo, Cerner Team manager, said Maffeis programming ability as it relates to report writing has proven to be a tremendous asset. Chris is talented in creating reports for leadership, both clinical and nonclinical. He has shown to be a quick learner, and people have recognized how easy he is to work with in the development of custom reports, Albergo said. Chris has gone above and beyond in support of providers accessing the provider portal as well as supporting patient experience, and patients accessing the patient portal. He provides excellent service to achieve patient and user satisfaction. Chris has grown professionally in his three years at Shore, and Im very excited to see him continue to grow and develop into a leader. In his spare time, Maffei enjoys metalworking, craft beer and going to music festivals. Jingle Bell Rock: Masterpiece Advertising last month held its Jingle Bell Rock 10th Anniversary Holiday Benefit for the HOPE Foundation at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic Citys Daer Nightclub. The event brought together movers and shakers from South Jersey and the greater Philadelphia area to benefit the HOPE Foundation (Helping Other People Every Day), which was founded 10 years ago to support people in the community battling serious and terminal illnesses. Town to address Rotary: The Rotary Club of Ocean City-Upper Townships next in-person dinner meeting will include a program by Ronnie Town, external affairs manager for Atlantic City Electric. The dinner will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Somers Point Diner, 8 MacArthur Blvd. Town will give the club an overview of Atlantic City Electric and provide details on its Smart Energy Network and energy efficiency programs. Town graduated from the University of Delaware in 1983 with a bachelors degree in psychology and sociology and completed Leadership New Jersey, where she worked with approximately 60 leaders addressing statewide public policy issues. Her responsibilities include handling county, municipal and customer issues such as having streetlights repaired, meters installed and emergency response. She also is responsible for communicating to government leaders during storms. Coffee with Cops: The Ocean City Police Department will hold a Coffee with Cops event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the atrium outside the Ocean City Free Public Library, 1735 Simpson Ave. The public is invited to share thoughts or ask questions about local policing and other topics with the departments Community Policing Unit. The program is intended to help officers and community members connect in an informal setting. The library will provide free coffee and food. For more information, contact Patrolman John Davis at 609-525-9142 or jdavisiv@ocnj.us. Cast Your Ballot reception: Vineland Historical and Antiquarian Society members are invited to a special members-only reception at 4 p.m. Jan. 31. Members will get a first look at the exhibit Cast Your Ballot, which focuses on politics, the voting process and Vinelands role in womens right to vote. Refreshments will be served. Members will also receive their copy of the Vineland Historical Magazine. The museum is located at 108 S. Seventh St. Non-members can join by visiting discovervinelandhistory.org or calling 856-691-1111. Book discussion: The Sustainable Book Group for Ocean City and Upper Township will discuss Fire Weather by John Vaillant at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 via Zoom. Register at tinyurl.com/SBG20FebZoom to receive the Zoom link for the meeting. Reviews and other information about the book and its author can be found at uppertwpgreenteam.wordpress.com/Sustainable-Book-Group-OCUT. Future reads by the Sustainable Book Group include: March: On Fire by Naomi Klein April: The Three Ages of Water by Peter Gleick The Ocean City Free Public Library and the Upper Cape Branch of the Cape May County Library will provide extra copies of the selected books each month. Participants in the book group can check with their library for book availability and reserving holds. Copies of monthly book selections also can be purchased at Sun Rose Words & Music, 756 Asbury Ave., Ocean City. For more information about the Sustainable Book Group, or to recommend a book, contact Ralph Cooper at uppercapesustainability@gmail.com or 609-464-0920. PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, is asking Gov. Phil Murphy to stop his continuing efforts to develop offshore wind farms off New Jersey's coast until he can show it will not damage tourism, fishing and the marine ecosystem. "As you are undoubtedly aware, substantial opposition to these destructive initiatives, including protests, public forums, local hearings, and lawsuits from the citizens of New Jersey played a crucial role in rsteds decision to cancel two planned OSW projects last fall," Van Drew said in a letter to Murphy on Monday. Yet the New Jersey Public Board of Utilities is holding a special meeting to potentially approve at least one new project, Van Drew said, calling it unrealistic. "Until a comprehensive analysis demonstrates that OSW projects can be implemented without causing permanent damage to our coastal ecosystems, without increasing energy costs, and without negatively impacting existing industries such as fishing and tourism, I demand NJBPU to suspend any and all OSW meetings or project approvals," Van Drew wrote. NJ Democratic Committee reelects leaders: The New Jersey Democratic State Committee reelected its leaders to new one-year terms Saturday. Chairman LeRoy J. Jones Jr., Vice Chair Peg Schaffer, Secretary Claribel Clary Azcona-Barber and Treasurer Shante Palmer were unanimously reelected, according to a Monday news release from the group. Their new term runs until June 2025. Building on the tremendous success we had last year picking up multiple legislative seats, we will continue to partner with our elected Democratic leaders, our candidates up and down the ballot, local and county party organizations and grassroots advocates to organize voters and effectively communicate our message," Jones said. Rally to end casino smoking targets Polistina office Saying he still supports their efforts to end indoor smoking in Atlantic City casinos, state Sen. Vince Polistina invited activists to rally inside his office instead of outside in frigid temperatures Wednesday. Testa questions Murphy's choice of debt to retire: State Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, on Monday criticized the Murphy administration's recent retiring of $500 million in state debt, saying the state could have saved more money by choosing to pay down more expensive debt. "The Murphy administrations use of $500 million for debt defeasance might have benefits, but its frustrating that the debt being retired is less expensive debt than what could have been retired with far larger savings for taxpayers," Testa and Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, said Monday in a statement. "The governors announcement is a wasted opportunity to avoid new taxes and new debt when reauthorizing the transportation trust fund and is, frankly, poor stewardship of taxpayer dollars," the statement said. Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy and state Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio said the Department of the Treasury had recently saved taxpayers about $160 million and reduced the states total debt by almost $500 million. By deploying almost $500 million to retire outstanding debt, we are continuing our pledge to lessen the burden on New Jersey taxpayers and create a more affordable state," Murphy said then in a news release. Over the past three budget cycles, the Murphy administration has allocated more than $9.25 billion toward the Debt Defeasance and Prevention Fund to improve the states long-term fiscal health and substantially reduce outstanding debt, the administration said. Since the inception of the fund, the state has defeased a total of $3.686 billion in bond principal, saving state taxpayers $1.358 billion in interest expense. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Obituaries Newsletter Sign up to get the most recent local obituaries delivered to your inbox. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy The National Weather Service says January is typically the month with the largest swing in temperatures. That'll come true in New Jersey this month. Between last Saturday and this Friday, temperatures will make a dramatic swing upward. It'll take New Jersey from the depths of winter to April-like warmth. At Atlantic City International Airport, temperatures will go from 24 degrees Saturday to a forecasted 64 degrees Friday. To put it another way, the average high goes from Minneapolis to Tallahassee, Florida, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Trenton-Mercer Airport, in Mercer County, will go from 23 degrees to a forecasted 58 degrees Friday. Newark will make a 31-degree jump in the same time frame. The reason has to do with pressure systems and wind direction. On Saturday, an arctic high-pressure system moved into New Jersey. The snow-covered landscape already kept the ground cold and allowed bitter Canadian air to move in frictionless. Since Atlantic City International Airport experienced more snow than farther north, high temperatures were actually colder here than Trenton or Newark, helping to make the temperature swing a bit more dramatic. Snow Recap: Rare NORLUN trough brought a 'South Jersey Special' Friday A day's worth of accumulating snow Friday felt rare enough after last year's record snowless winter. Even more rare was the way in which it happened. By Monday, the high-pressure system was over North Carolina. That meant a west-southwest, clockwise-spinning system. Temperatures rose into the upper 30s. Winds will be from the southerly direction all week long. That will raise the thermometer. Come Thursday and Friday, high pressure will be over Bermuda. During the summer, Bermuda high-pressure systems bring hazy, hot and humid weather. It pulls in balmy, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico. Later this week, that Bermuda high will also pull in air from the Gulf of Mexico. Since it's January, though, the air is more mild than hot. The amount of moisture is lower, too. Still, it's enough to put Friday's temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above average for this time of year. WILDWOOD A fire Monday morning damaged a two-story apartment building in the 300 block of East Juniper Avenue. One occupant suffered burns and smoke inhalation and was transported by Wildwood Crest EMS to the Cape May County National Guard Armory, where the patient was then airlifted to Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, the Wildwood Fire Department said in a news release. A Wildwood police officer was treated at the scene for minor injuries sustained during a fall on ice. Wildwood and North Wildwood firefighters were dispatched to Juniper and Ocean avenues for a report of smoke coming from a building at 5:49 a.m. During the two-alarm fire, the roof of the building collapsed, causing firefighters to use two aerial ladders to fight the heavy fire in the cockloft and roof areas. Firefighters then reentered the building and finished extinguishing the blaze. Wildwood Crest, Rio Grande, Stone Harbor, Villas and Erma firefighters also responded. Fire units were on the scene for about four hours. The area surrounding Juniper Avenue was closed to traffic for three hours. Wildwood police, public works, water utility and Wildwood Crest EMS also assisted. The building contained six apartments with 20 total occupants. The American Red Cross responded to assist the displaced occupants. Damage is estimated at $475,000. The fire is under investigation by the Cape May County Fire Marshals Office. An employee of Santuccis Original Square Pizza Wildwood lost everything in the fire, according to a post on the pizzeria's Facebook page. "This morning one of our employees apartment caught on fire. Angel and his 8 month pregnant wife Brianna were able to escape with the help of the Wildwood Fire Department," according to the post. "They lost everything in the fire including yesterdays baby shower gifts and diapers. If anyone would like to donate, we are accepting gift cards, diapers, baby clothing, and cash donations. You can stop by and leave any donations at Santuccis in Wildwood at 402 e. 26th ave." Korean asset manager gains ground in India By Lee Yeon-woo Global X, a subsidiary of Mirae Asset Global Investments, which manages exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the U.S., recently decided to delist most of its Chinese ETFs to "ensure its product lineup meets the evolving needs of its clients." According to Global X, Tuesday, 19 ETFs will be liquidated on Feb. 23. Out of these, 11 are tied to investments in Chinese corporations. The decision entails liquidating all but one of the 12 China-related ETFs issued by Global X. Global X stated that liquidating the funds is in the "best interests" of the ETFs and their shareholders. The 19 funds targeted for liquidation account for less than 1 percent of Global X ETFs' total assets. Asset management firms often reshuffle their products in response to customer interest and market trends. Accordingly, the recent reorganization at Global X suggests a declining demand for products related to the Chinese market. Amid uncertainties about China's economic recovery, both the mainland and Hong Kong stock markets have shown consistent downward trends this year, resulting in a notable exodus of investors from China. However, Mirae Asset Global Investments clarified that the removal of China-related ETFs from its current lineup does not rule out the possibility of developing new China ETFs in the future. "The liquidation of small-scale funds by Global X includes 11 China-focused sector ETFs," a Mirae Asset Global Investments official said. "We are exploring the introduction of new ETFs focused on Asian markets, China included." Meanwhile, market observers suggest that Mirae Asset Global Investments is well-positioned to establish a strong presence in the Indian market, which is emerging as a new focal point in the developing world's investment landscape. Hanwha Investment & Securities analyst Kim So-yeon noted, "If the focus was on the Chinese stock market in the 2000s, now it's time to buy India." For years, the asset manager has been actively pursuing expansion in India. It marked its entry into the country in 2018, becoming the first Korean securities firm to do so, and has recently solidified its presence by acquiring Sharekhan, a local Indian brokerage. Notably, its Indian subsidiary is the sole independent foreign investment firm operating in India. "India currently accounts for less than 5 percent of the global gross domestic product (GDP). However, with its strong consumer market and benefits from economic globalization and bloc formation, it is expected to emerge as one of the Big 3 nations in the global economy, following the U.S. and China," said Kim Nam-ki, executive director of Mirae Asset Global Investments' ETF management business unit. Valentine's Day is around the corner, and as tempting as it may be, spending your V-Day at Culver's is probably off the table. You want to impress your date with a fancy dinner spot? Make the drive to LeClaire. That's what I did last week, dropping in for dinner at La Ragazza, the brand-new Italian spot with Tuscan cuisine, to celebrate with my girlfriend on our third anniversary. We were impressed enough with the experience that we might just do it again when Cupid loads up his arrow in February. In years past, my girlfriend and I have gone somewhere more low key for our anniversary night. But at La Ragazza, we decided to go all out for anniversary number three. Appetizers, cocktails, the whole nine yards. Because of how new the place is, I'm excited to report back with our best finds. The dish: Tuscan Chicken Pasta La Ragazza opened at the end of last year, so I haven't had the time to field advice on the most necessary entrees. Instead, I followed my hungry gut, which led me to the Tuscan Chicken Pasta. The La Ragazza menu calls the dish's white wine sauce "delectable," and that's pretty close to the truth. The creamy sauce covered an array of bowtie pasta noodles, cherry tomatoes, basil, red onions and garlic. On top, a slab of chicken served as the pasta's protein. Perhaps the best part of the dish was the tomatoes, which consistently added a punch of flavor that paired well with the subtle white sauce. The chicken was certainly short of mouth-watering but still added some savory padding to the dish. The Tuscan Chicken Pasta was so filling that I left with a boxed meal for the next day. That may be because, before our main courses, my date and I shared the three-cheese dip, an appetizer that was probably the highlight of the meal. Served hot, with an array of naan chips and pita slices for dipping, the cheese dip was so delicious that I could've skipped pasta altogether if I were brave enough. Not to mention, La Ragazza also offers a first serving of warm, sliced bread, with parmesan and oil ready at the table when you arrive. (So yes, I had a combination of grains and cheese for all three courses.) For any non-meat eaters, my girlfriend had great things to say about the Spinach Asparagus Pesto, which comes greener than envy, with penne noodles and thinly chopped asparagus. The price: $22 This is certainly on the higher end of prices you'll see me rave about in this column. But also, it's about as expected for an upscale Italian joint. If you're planning a trip to La Ragazza, I recommend saving up for a special occasion and fully leaning into it. The three-cheese dip is $16, and cocktails are reasonably priced in the low teens. If you're able to get two meals out of the Tuscan Chicken Pasta, as I did, it's definitely not a bad investment. The location: Downtown LeClaire La Ragazza is located at 117 N. Cody Road in LeClaire. It opened in 2023, right across the street from Cody Road Coffee and near the many LeClaire antique shops and thrift stores. When the weather warms up, it's worth spending a whole afternoon there and capping it off with some pasta. With the restaurant's relatively small dining area, I'd recommend making a reservation to be safe. That's what we did and got in right away. They're open from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The ambience: Business casual date night La Ragazza has the interior decor of a date night scene from your favorite romantic comedy. White tablecloth, white walls, a subtle candle on every table, lots of tables for two. It's got two dining rooms, bottlenecked by a hallway between them, where you can see the kitchen staff whipping up appetizers at breakneck pace. At each table, you'll find a booklet of wine and cocktail selections (I'd recommend ordering the Lorenzo) and a beautiful wide-window view of the Mississippi if you're lucky enough to be in the back. There's also a real swing at time travel at this Italian spot. On my visit, Sinatra and Anka's biggest hits shuffled quietly through the speakers, and wide-brimmed-hat-laden women beamed colorfully from the wall art. I couldn't quite tell if this slice of Midwestern Tuscany is fancy or simply evokes the illusion of fancy. But either way, I felt underdressed on my night out. It's certainly a step higher than an Italian chain but maybe a step below snobby metropolitan luxury. Last week, the Board of Directors of Central Bancshares Inc., CBI Bank & Trust and F&M Bank's parent company, announced it has hired Dwayne Sieck as President of CBI Bank & Trust. Sieck succeeds Greg Kistler, current president and CEO of Central Bancshares and CEO of CBI Bank & Trust. He is retiring on Dec. 31, 2024. Dwayne is uniquely qualified to succeed Greg, who has been our CEO since 2010. The opportunity for them to work together over the coming year will ensure a smooth transition for the leadership of our company, Dan Stein, chairman of the board of Central Bancshares, said in a public statement. Kistler, who has been associated with CBI Bank & Trust for over 27 years, spoke about his upcoming retirement. We didnt know how long it would take to identify my successor, and we were very fortunate to find Dwayne Sieck early in the process," he said. Kistler said he was glad to have more than enough time to help his successor work through this upcoming transition. Dwayne brings many positives to our organization, starting with the extensive background he has in banking and financial services, Kistler said. Just as importantly, he will bring the focus on our customers and the communities we operate in that we have always valued. Before joining CBI Bank & Trust, Sieck served in the financial services industry for the past 26 years, focusing mainly on banking, investments and commercial real estate. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Finance with minors in economics and business communications with an emphasis in real estate from the University of Northern Iowa before graduating from the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking program at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Sieck previously served as president and chief operating officer of Mutual of Omaha Bank, a position he held for 12 years. During that time it grew from $600 million in assets to nearly $9 billion in assets. He has also held positions with Principal Financial Group in Des Moines, Key Bank in Kansas City and CIT Bank, and has served nine years on The University of Northern Iowas Real Estate Advisory Council, including three years as its chair. In 2021, Sieck founded Farnam Street Real Estate Capital, a real estate investment firm based in Omaha, Nebraska. He has also served on the faculty at the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking over the past two academic years. Siecks most recent achievement was the completion of his second three-year term on the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank Board as a bank director for the Omaha branch. It is an honor to serve the communities that CBI has been serving for generations, Sieck said in a public statement following the announcement. I am looking forward to working with such a talented and experienced team at CBI, who put our clients first. The team clearly understands and knows that community banking, when done well, acts as the lifeblood that preserves and strengthens the health of businesses and families in our communities. The number of people killed on Montanas roads in 2023 dropped slightly compared to years prior, according to a preliminary count from Montana Highway Patrol, but the number of deadly wrecks increased. Coinciding with the uptick in fatal collisions was a larger number of them occurring in urban areas, particularly in and around Billings. December was the deadliest month in the Magic City six people died in two separate crashes. Speed was suspected to be a factor in both wrecks, which remain under investigation by the Billings Police Department. Speed. Speed. Speed, said MHP Sgt. Jay Nelson when reflecting on the contributing factors to fatal crashes in Montana last year. Statewide numbers Although MHP is still finalizing its reports on deadly wrecks last year, initial data provided by the agency showed 195 people killed in 183 crashes. That number showed a trend downward in fatalities since 2021. While the number of deaths declined by about 2% during those three years, Nelson said, fatal crashes increased by roughly 8%. The discrepancy can be explained by an upturn in single-vehicle wrecks in the state, he said. From 2021 through 2023, Nelson said, incidents of fatal crashes in which speeding was a factor jumped nearly 27%. Intoxication in general has consistently been a leading factor in fatal crashes nationwide, and Montana is no different with driving high or drunk consistently contributing to at least half of deadly wrecks in the state. Suspected drug use in particular in fatal Montana crashes increased during that three-year period by around 19%. Drunk driving likewise increased as a factor by about 6.5%. The difficult part (with intoxication) as a factor is that not only in fatal crashes but other incidents that MHP deals with, we see they are poly-drug use incidents, Nelson said. Incidents in which not wearing a seat belt contributed to fatalities decreased overall from 2021 to 2023, dropping by 3.75%. Conversely, there was about a 14% increase in deaths in which travelers were wearing seatbelts. The caveat to this statistic, Nelson said, is the spike in fatalities related to speeding. Its a proven fact that seat belts reduce the chances of dying in crash, he said, stating that he's able to count on one hand the number of fatalities in which victims were buckled that hes investigated after more than two decades with MHP. But past a certain speed, those odds of survival drop. As far as pinpointing the states most dangerous roads, Nelson said its difficult for MHP to zero in on specific stretches of highways. He did say that most of Montanas fatalities occur on Interstate 90, which runs the length of the state. The Billings District of MHP, which encompasses Yellowstone, Big Horn, Carbon, Stillwater and Sweet Grass counties, led the state last year in fatalities. Thats not surprising, Nelson said, considering the Billings District has the highest population, but fatal wrecks in general have trended upward in Montanas urban areas inside and out of that district. Urban fatalities have increased by around 22% from 2021 through 2023. And thats not just in the Billings District, Nelson said. Missoula follows (in fatalities) at a close second. Billings fatalities In Billings, BPDs Crash Investigation Team responded to 15 crashes which resulted in fatalities or serious injuries in 2023, per an initial count provided by the department. BPD is also in the process of compiling definite fatality figures for 2023. Last year saw a marked decrease in fatal and serious crashes investigated by BPD, down from 27 such crashes in 2022. However, 15 people were killed in Billings last year in 11 crashes. Two of those victims were pedestrians, one struck by a train and another hit by vehicle. About a third of fatal crashes in the city involved motorcycles. The deadliest crashes of the year occurred last month. Two men died in a head-on crash in the Heights when one of the drivers was apparently speeding in the wrong lane. Less than two weeks later, four teens were killed in a rollover crash near downtown Billings. Then, just a few days into 2024, another Billings teen, a 15-year-old boy, died when the car in which he was traveling hit a concrete median along the 3100 block of King Avenue West. The crash put three other teenagers into the hospital. Ten people have been killed on Montanas roads so far this year, according to data from MHP. We never want to see an increase in crashes or fatalities, Nelson said. When its your family member, friend or coworker involved, we truly understand that one fatal is too many. The number of personal records exposed in a data breach involving organ transplant patients has grown to 1.5 million. The United Network for Organ Transplantation, a Richmond nonprofit that oversees organ transplants throughout the country, announced in December that 1.2 million records had been exposed. Sometime after that announcement, UNOS updated the number of breached records on its website but did not issue a new announcement. As UNOS learned more about this software configuration error, we updated the number of potential patient records that authorized system users may have had access to in our testing environment, said Anne Paschke, a spokesperson for UNOS. UNOS has come under scrutiny in recent years for a number of issues, including its information technology. The federal government said it will split up the federal contract to manage organ transplantation, ending the monopoly UNOS has held since 1986. The affected data includes Social Security numbers, dates of birth and medical procedure information. It did not include identifiers such as names and addresses. UNOS said it does not believe patient data was misused, and the data was not compromised by a cyber attack. It did not affect the matching or allocation of organs to patients. UNOS has not said how many people could have obtained the records. The records were not available to the public as a whole only other members of the transplant community. In 2021, the White Houses United States Digital Services issued a report criticizing UNOS technological capabilities, calling them out of date. Too much information must be entered by hand, the report stated. It also claimed UNOS data was stored on servers on the premises, not in cloud computing, making it more vulnerable to lapses. Today in sports history: Jan. 22 1960: Paul Pender beats Sugar Ray Robinson to capture world middleweight boxing title 1962: Jackie Robinson becomes first Black player to be elected in Baseball Hall of Fame 1973: George Foreman knocks out Joe Frazier to win world heavyweight title 1988: Mike Tyson knocks out Larry Holmes to retain his world heavyweight title 2006: Kobe Bryant scores 81 points, the second-highest total in NBA history 2006: Pittsburgh Steelers win third playoff road game to reach Super Bowl 2012: Patriots beat stunned Ravens in AFC championship after Billy Cundiff misses 32-yard field goal 2012: Lawrence Tynes kicks winning field goal in sudden-death OT to send Giants to Super Bowl 2017: Matt Ryan leads Falcons to Super Bowl with rout of Packers 2017: Tom Brady leads Patriots to Super Bowl with win over Steelers 2017: Nathan Chen, 17, becomes youngest mens U.S. figure skating champion in 5 decades The Richmond School Board on Monday night rejected a motion to hire a senior officer focused on school safety. The board then voted down a second motion to have a School Board committee discuss the proposal at its February meeting and further define the role. The votes came days after a Richmond judge forced the release of the Richmond Public Schools external report on the fatal June 6 shooting outside the Altria Theater after the Huguenot High School graduation ceremony. Shawn Jackson, 18, and his stepfather, Renzo Smith, 36, were killed. The fact that this happened remains unfathomable to me, said School Board member Kenya Gibson, who proposed the motions. My hope today is that there is a shared belief in the value of oversight ... because again, there were such a range of issues, said Gibson, who represents the 3rd District. To me, thinking about solutions, thinking about how we move forward, I think what we can offer the district is oversight and the need for accountability. Gibson proposed that RPS immediately hire a full-time senior auditor focused on school safety protocols who would report to the director of auditing. The newly released report shows Jackson participated in the ceremony without the school principals authorization and without consideration of safety concerns that were known by several school staff members. Five people were wounded in the shooting. School Board member Mariah White, who represents the 2nd District, voted against the motion and said the district already has similar positions. The district employs Director of Safety John Beazley, who started the job June 7, the day after the fatal shooting. RPS also employs an internal auditor, LaTonya Holloway, and Director of Internal Audit Doug Graeff, who started his position in late 2023. Both auditor positions cover multiple areas. We just hired an auditor who hasnt audited anything yet, White said. School Board member Jonathan Young, who represents the 4th District, voted in favor of the proposal and said the fatal shooting in no way constituted ... an anomaly for RPS. Young in November introduced the proposal to release the report, and only Gibson supported the motion. The School Board in August authorized a third-party investigation, and the school district commissioned law firm Sands Anderson to conduct the report. During a closed session of a November meeting, School Board members were allowed to read copies of the outside report and ask questions of Sands Anderson lawyers, but they were not allowed to retain copies and pore over the document at length. The School Board released the report Wednesday on the order of a Richmond Circuit Court judge. The Richmond Times-Dispatch, WTVR-TV and transparency activist Joshua Stanfield sued the School Board to force it to release the results of the outside investigation. 5 hidden gem restaurants in Richmond The City of Richmond is set to invest an additional $350,000 into its Health Equity Fund, which aims to ensure all Richmonders have adequate access to health care regardless of race or social standing. The funds will go directly toward helping those living with substance abuse disorders, those incarcerated while pregnant, mothers who do not have adequate access to child-related care and those who do not have the means to go to the doctor because of financial concerns, a lack of insurance or because of their citizenship status. Mayor Levar Stoney and Councilmember Ann-Frances Lambert met with community members Monday afternoon at Gilpin Courts historic Greater Mt. Moriah Baptist Church to discuss the new investments and their impact. The event, which boasted a couple of dozen attendees from across the Richmond metro region, highlighted the four organizations slated to receive the funds. They include: the Gateway Foundation , a drug and alcohol rehab treatment provider; which provides perinatal programs for pregnant incarcerated people; , which provides accessible health services to anyone regardless of their housing, citizenship or insurance status; and , which aims to provide prenatal, postpartum and early childhood care for those in need. According to Stoney, these regional organizations focus heavily on ensuring equitable health care to those most vulnerable in the region. Essentially, for those most underserved, including those living on or below the poverty line, as well as, non-white, it can be difficult to find the same level of care. With the help of government funding and partnerships with health organizations, the city aims to close that gap. Here in the city of Richmond, we are throwing the entire kitchen sink at this issue to bridge the gaps in health care and also to ensure all Richmonders no matter their zip code, their financial status, no matter the color of their skin they have access to quality health care within our city limits, Stoney said. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stoney said the gap was felt even harder and was made more evident as statistics reflected higher mortality rates in Black and brown communities and with those living in poverty. Because of this, the city created the Health Equity Fund with the allocation of $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in 2021 to begin supporting community-led health care programs in the region. For Lambert, who represents the 3rd District, which includes Gilpin Court, one of Richmonds poorest communities, the additional $350,000 will have lasting impacts on communities. Additionally, the city anticipates another $300,000 in continued funding in the months and years to come. Were investing in the long haul. Were investing in community organizations and Im proud to say we are investing in health equity, Lambert said. From the Archives: Old Richmond buildings A Midlothian man has been arrested and charged with multiple crimes in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol in Washington, according to court records. On Friday, John Michael Livingston, 51, of Midlothian, was arrested in Richmond by the FBI on charges of obstructing an official proceeding, entering or remaining in a restricted building, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a capitol building. Officials say Livingston participated in efforts to disrupt a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election. Livingston will be tried in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. If convicted, he could face decades in prison as well as substantial fines. Officials say they have charged almost 1,300 individuals in nearly all 50 states in connection to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the day that a large group of then-President Donald Trumps supporters breached the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election. Five people died and dozens were injured as a result of the riots, which caused significant damage to the interior of the building and forced the evacuation of Congress as the legislators were certifying the election results. The state governments of both Colorado and Maine have sought to disqualify Trump from 2024 presidential ballots for his role in the attacks. Neither Livingston nor his attorney responded to requests for comment. States where the most Jan. 6 rioters were arrested States where the most Jan. 6 rioters were arrested #49. Mississippi #48. Nebraska #47. Hawaii #46. Rhode Island #45. Vermont #44. New Mexico #43. South Dakota #42. Alaska #41. Louisiana #40. Nevada #39. New Hampshire #38. Connecticut #37. Arkansas #36. Maine #35. Montana #34. Delaware #33. Oregon #32. Idaho #30. Iowa #29. Kansas #28. West Virginia #27. Wisconsin #26. Minnesota #25. Utah #23. Massachusetts #22. Maryland #21. South Carolina #20. Alabama #19. Indiana #18. Colorado #17. Kentucky #16. North Carolina #15. Georgia #14. Michigan #13. Washington #12. Missouri #11. New Jersey #10. Tennessee #9. Washington, D.C. #8. Illinois #7. Virginia #6. Ohio #5. California #4. New York #3. Pennsylvania #1. Florida A Richmond father and son on Monday pleaded guilty to felony charges in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, officials said. Farhad Azari, 63, and his son, Farbod Azari, 32, both of Richmond, each pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and one count of civil disorder, according to court records. In a statement, officials with the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia gave a detailed account of the pairs actions, which they said included assaulting police officers, breaching the Capitol building and photographing documents from then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosis office. Officials said Farhad and Farbod drove from Richmond to Washington to join supporters of then-President Donald Trump in protesting Congress certification of the 2020 presidential election results. At around 1:13 p.m. on Jan. 6, 2021, the father and son arrived at the West Front and West Plaza of the Capitol grounds, where they moved to the front of a group of rioters. Farhad and Farbod each threw a water bottle at police officers who were attempting to restrain the crowd, officials said. Farhad then helped a group of rioters pick up a bike rack and use it to push against the officers in a clear attempt to break ... a (police) line. A short while later, Farhad threw a flag pole and an air horn at the line of officers, officials said. At around 1:18 p.m., Farbod joined rioters who were dismantling fencing at the base of the Capitol steps. Farbod kick(ed) and pull(ed) at the fencing, officials said, before stomping on a gate until it was flat on the ground. Farbod then was at the front of the group of rioters who broke through a police barricade established at the base of the Northwest stairs of the Capitol. As the rioters surged up the steps, Farbod chased retreating officers up the stairs, officials said. At the top of the steps, Farbod clashed with officers manning another police barrier, pushing an officer before brandishing and throwing a flag pole at the line. Farhad, meanwhile, at around 2:14 p.m. gained access to the Capitol through a broken window and encouraged other rioters to enter and attack the police line inside the building, the complaint says. The Azaris on Thursday were arrested by FBI agents in Virginia. They are scheduled for sentencing on May 21. The pair face substantial fines and up to 20 years in prison. Neither Farhad nor Farbod could immediately be reached for comment. In a criminal complaint filed on Jan. 13, prosecutors said a witness first contacted the FBI on Jan. 14, 2021, to report the Azaris participation in the attacks. The witness, who is not identified in court documents, told the FBI that they were with a close family member of the Azaris on Jan. 6, 2021. The witness and the family member were watching the riots unfold on television, and the family member recognized one of the first people to breach the barrier near the Capitol building as Farbod, the witness reported. The family member then showed the witness photos and videos the Azaris sent the family member, prompting the witness to contact law enforcement, court documents reveal. In one video, obtained by the FBI, Farbod can be heard screaming that it was 1776 and we are going to break through, the complaint says. In another, a voice believed to be Farbods can be heard saying (expletive) commies ... We own them! Lets take our (expletive) country back! In addition, the Azaris took and texted images of documents inside several government offices, including Pelosis, the complaint says. A second tip came in on Jan. 16, 2021, when an anonymous individual reported that one of the Azaris was bragging about being part of the Capitol insurrection, according to the complaint. During an April 2021 interview with FBI investigators, the Azaris denied being present during the riots, the complaint says. Farhad stated that he disapproved of the violence that had occurred, and Farbod reportedly told investigators that any person they believed to be him could be any brown man. Officials have charged almost 1,300 individuals in connection to the riots, which led to five deaths and dozens of injuries and forced the evacuation of Congress as the legislators attempted to certify Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 presidential election. On Friday, a Midlothian man was charged with obstructing an official proceeding, entering or remaining in a restricted building, and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a capitol building in relation to the attack. Jan. 6, 2021: Scenes of violence at U.S. Capitol shock world Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok on Tuesday called for the National Assembly to pass a revised bill giving an additional two-year grace period for small businesses. The remark came as the Serious Accidents Punishment Act enacted in 2022, which centers on punishing employers accused of failing to fulfill their duties to prevent fatal accidents at the workplace, will be applied to all businesses starting later this week unless the revised bill is approved. "There is no doubt that the safety of workers comes as the top priority," Choi said ahead of the Cabinet meeting. "But we cannot ignore the fact that small and medium-sized firms lack preparations due to their limited conditions," he added. Under the law, owners or CEOs of companies with 50 or more employees are subject to at least one year in prison or up to 1 billion won ($747,775) in fines in the event of fatal on-duty disasters caused by lax workplace safety measures. Its application on businesses with less than 50 employees is set to begin Saturday, with a bill delaying the implementation for two years currently pending at the parliament. "We ask the National Assembly to acknowledge the challenging situations of the country's small and medium-sized firms, and promptly pass the revision," he added. (Yonhap) Several Democratic bills aimed at gun safety including proposals to ban future sales of assault-style firearms have advanced out of committee or been referred to finance committees in the House of Delegates and state Senate. With Democrats controlling both chambers, the bills appear likely to clear the House and Senate and make their way to Gov. Glenn Youngkins desk for his consideration. A proposed assault weapon ban, Senate Bill 2, by Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, cleared the Senate Courts of Justice Committee on Monday on a party-line vote of 9-6 and was sent to the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee. A House counterpart, House Bill 2 from Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, cleared the House Public Safety Committee on Friday on an 11-9 vote and was referred to the Appropriations Committee. Lawmakers often refer bills that might have a fiscal impact to the money committees for their consideration. A proposed assault weapon ban cleared the Senate last year with bipartisan support before it was voted down in the then-GOP-controlled House. A number of other Democratic gun bills are also advancing through the General Assembly this session. Senate Bill 273 from Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Loudoun, would require a five-day waiting period to purchase a gun. It also cleared the Senate Courts panel on Monday on a 9-6 vote and was referred to the Finance and Appropriations panel. When presenting his bill, the senator said background checks can sometimes take that long and that his bill would ensure that process is completed. Its almost like a cooling-off period, he said, referring to people who might seek to get a gun to end their lives and might change their minds during the waiting period. During public comment, Charlottesville-area resident Melissa Palombi called in to share how her husband was able to buy a gun and kill himself. He was my world. He had a wonderful sense of humor, she said. Her voice cracked as she described laughter filling their home. She also said he battled with depression and that a brain injury hampered his impulse control. A waiting period could make it harder for someone like my husband to act from an acute lack of impulse control, Palombi said. Theres not a day that goes by I do not wonder if a waiting period could have given my husband a chance to live. But Philip Van Cleave, president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, said a waiting period would affect people trying to purchase guns at gun shows who may have to drive across the state to get the gun from the dealer. Other opponents worried that the waiting period could affect victims of domestic violence who might wish to purchase a firearm to protect themselves from abusers. Members of Van Cleaves organization and the National Rifle Association spoke in opposition to the Democratic-led bills. Though many of the Democratic-sponsored bills could fare well within the legislature, the governor will have the final say. Spokesperson Christian Martinez said Youngkin would review any legislation that comes to his desk. But as he reiterated during his State of the Commonwealth address, Virginias gun laws are already among the toughest in the nation, Martinez added. The governor is asking the General Assembly members to hold accountable those criminals that commit crimes with guns by lengthening and making more severe the penalties in order to keep criminals off the streets. House Bill 553 from Del. Chris Obenshain, R-Montgomery, would do just that. It has yet to be reviewed in committee. While both parties agree they want to reduce instances of gun violence, they often diverge on best methods. Democrats tend to take a preventative route through restrictions while Republicans take a prosecutorial route with increased sentencing. Other ideas Democratic measures working their way through the legislature include proposed punishments for leaving handguns visible in unattended vehicles, tampering with serial numbers on firearms and purchasing untraceable parts online to manufacture a gun at home. Other bills propose prohibitions on devices that can make semi-automatic firearms fire like automatic ones and would require locking devices with new gun purchases, for safer storage. A measure from Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, proposes that people should first obtain a permit before buying a gun. Van Cleave plans to lobby against the measure, which has not yet been referred to a committee. Some Republicans have sought to undo or adjust existing law. The Senate courts committee voted 9-6 on Monday to reject Senate Bill 82, sponsored by Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, a proposal to include weapons other than firearms as eligible concealed carry items. The panel also voted 9-6 along party lines to reject Senate Bill 639 from Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, an attempt to repeal Virginias red flag law. In Virginia, firearms can be temporarily seized if someone is subject to a temporary risk order meaning a magistrate has deemed them at risk of harming themselves or others. With several states having enacted such measures, they are colloquially referred to as red flag laws. Deeds questioned why Sturtevant was seeking to undo Virginias law despite having supported such a measure in 2019 that did not pass. Sturtevant said it was an earlier draft of the bill which had been adjusted by the time it passed in 2020 though he had not done a line by line review of the two versions. In seeking to change the red flag law, he said he thinks its important to take a look at this from a Fourth Amendment perspective. The Fourth Amendment in the U.S. Constitution protects people from having items seized unless there is probable cause associated with warrants. We should be affording these individuals due process before the seizure is made, said Sen. Richard Stuart, R-King George. You bring them in for a hearing before you take things that belong to them. Supporters of the law argued that temporarily taking the firearms from someone who has already been legally deemed at risk was the point of the measure. On Friday, the House Public Safety Committee voted 12-9 to defeat House Bill 16 by Del. Tom Garrett, R-Buckingham, a bid to lift a prohibition against carrying a concealed weapon on Capitol Square. Each chamber has until Feb. 13 to pass or defeat bills before surviving measures cross over into the other chamber for consideration. The session is scheduled to end on March 9. 7 bills to watch in the upcoming Virginia legislative session Raising minimum wage Mental health support Attempts to reverse Clean Car Act Gun laws Rights restoration Reproductive rights Nobody had seen anything quite like it: a line of 20 people from some of the states most rural, most urban, least and most wealthy communities lining up to tell the Senate Finance Committee theyd like the option to vote on raising local taxes to fund school construction. Even our page came up to me afterwards to say it was a good bill, said the bills sponsor, Sen. Jeremy McPike, D-Prince William, after a committee approved the measure. Thats never happened to me before. McPikes Senate Bill 14 would let localities use a one percentage point surcharge on sales taxes to fund school construction projects, if residents approve the idea in a local referendum. There is an over $25 billion backlog, McPike told fellow committee members. This would provide dedicated funding. The committee advanced the McPike bill to the full Senate with a vote of 10-4. One Republican, state Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, joined nine Democrats in favor of the bill; the committees four other Republicans voted against it. For Keith Perrigan, superintendent of the Washington County schools, who traveled from the far western end of the state to speak for the bill, the committee action marked a major milestone. He cited a years-long effort to find a way for members of his Coalition of Small and Rural Schools of Virginia to find the money to pay for what can easily be a $100 million-plus cost of a new school. This gives localities a way to decide for themselves how to do this, he said. But speakers for the bill also included the city of Falls Church, a small Northern Virginia locality where the combination of a fast-growing population and fast-rising construction costs are a major challenge, said council member David Snyder. Its a growth issue, said James S. Turpin, lobbyist for the Virginia Coalition of High Growth Communities. Officials from Stafford County, the city of Alexandria, local government associations, teachers and school board associations and the League of Women Voters joined in support. It could make such a big difference for schools, said Patrick Finneran, director of corporate and government relations for Newport News Public Schools. So far, the General Assembly has approved sales tax surcharges for only a handful of places, treating each request as a special case. The Finance Committee did so shortly before approving McPikes bill, with a request from Prince Edward County. The committee decided against simply merging that bill into McPikes, so there would be a kind of backup insurance to address the countys urgent need for school repairs, if the House of Delegates balks at McPikes statewide approach, said committee chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth. The idea of a school construction sales tax surcharge first arose in 2019. Then-Del. James Edmunds, R-Halifax, pushed through a skeptical General Assembly a bill giving the people of his home county the power to impose an extra tax on themselves to fix or replace an aging high school that had cracks in the walls and a host of other problems. Edmunds had originally tried to give all localities that option, but pushback from anti-tax fellow Republicans led him to scale back his idea. Its absolutely been a success, said Scott Simpson, county administrator in Halifax, where a new high school is under construction and set to open in the fall of 2025. We couldnt have done it otherwise, he said. The county is using what started in fiscal year 2021 as a 10-month collection of $3.2 million, that by last year rose to $3.7 million, as the cash flow to pay for a $105 million bond, to build the school. Covering the annual payments on that debt, amounting to $5.9 million, would have required a 10-cent jump in the countys 50 cents per $100 of assessed value on real estate, Simpson has said. In the current two-year state budget, the legislature has appropriated $1.25 billion to help with this statewide problem. Since Edmunds bill became law, the General Assembly granted permission authorizing Charlotte, Gloucester, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick and Pittsylvania counties and the city of Danville to hold referendums on sales tax surcharges. Luno Malaysia has teased the arrival of a new, highly requested feature on its platform, namely staking for Ethereum (ETH staking). In a post on its Facebook community page, Luno shared a short video that said Lunos Malaysian investors will soon be able to earn Ethereum rewards over time while helping to secure the network. However, no specific dates have been shared as of yet. To explain, crypto staking is the process of pledging your cryptocurrency asset to help validate transactions on blockchains and projects that use the proof-of-stake consensus protocol. In return, youll be rewarded with extra crypto on your holdings so think of it somewhat like putting your ETH assets into a fixed deposit to earn profit! Meanwhile, Luno as a global crypto platform exchange had actually just rolled out its staking feature in June last year; at present, the service is made available only to customers in South Africa. It allows them to create a staking wallet and earn up to 4% annually on their ETH tokens. When the feature is eventually launched in Malaysia, it is likely that the local market will be Lunos second market to receive the ETH staking service. (Source: Luno Malaysia Official Community Facebook) 0 0 votes Article Rating SHARE Group extorting 20,000 a week from Cancun taxi drivers captured Cancun, Q.R. A group of five extorting at least 100 Cancun cab drivers have been captured and jailed. Israel N, Elvis Armando N, Ethel Alejandra N, Antonio N and Denis N have been identified as the group demanding extortion payments from at least 100 city cab drivers. Local authorities reported on the detainment of the four men and one woman team who they say demanded 200 pesos per week from each of at least 100 city taxi drivers. According to the first acts of investigation, the alleged extortionists demanded the amount of 200 pesos weekly from each taxi driver out of a total of 100 providers of this service, the FGE said. Investigative Police arrested five people allegedly related the crime of extortion to the detriment of the Andres Quintana Roo Taxi Drivers Union of Cancun, they said. The group of five were finally captured thanks to intelligence work and anonymous complaints to the Special Prosecutors Office in Combating Kidnapping and Extortion Crimes. The five subjects were captured when they were aboard two taxis and at the time of a routine inspection, various doses marijuana and crystal meth were seized as well as two vehicles with license plates from the state of Quintana Roo in addition to cash in Mexican pesos and USD. The alleged extortioners demanded the amount of 200 pesos weekly from each taxi driver out of a total of 100 providers of this service, for which they received 20,000 pesos each week, the FGE detailed. The alleged extortionists were placed at the disposal of a judge who imposed the justified precautionary measure of preventive detention. Mexico and the U. S. continue migration talks Mexico City, Mexico Mexico and the U.S. have resumed talks that began in December at the National Palace. Talks were resumed regarding greater collaboration to confront migratory flows in the region, jointly addressing the root causes, promoting development and opening greater avenues of mobility. The Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Barcena Ibarra, led a delegation of high-level Mexican officials who met with their counterparts in the city of Washington D.C. with the aim of continuing talks with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. At the beginning of the meeting, Foreign Minister Barcena extended a fraternal greeting from President Lopez Obrador. She reaffirmed Mexicos commitment to addressing the root causes of migration and promoting regular migratory flows. She thanked the joint work with the United States to address the issue for the benefit of Mexico and highlighted the importance of joining other countries in the region to transform the migration phenomenon into one that is safe, regular, orderly and, above all, humane. Regarding collaboration with the rest of the hemisphere, the Mexican delegation highlighted the great effort initiated to address the root causes of migration. In particular, the development program in which $180 million dollars will be invested to support Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Cuba and Haiti. Mexico and the United States agreed to carry out a joint visit to Darien, together with Panama, to understand how the migration phenomenon from that region is occurring. Additionally, they will seek to meet with the Government of Guatemala to explore the best ways to strengthen cooperation. Likewise, the Mexican delegation emphasized the importance of cooperating to combat illegal trafficking of weapons and people. Both sides have agreed to meet again in February. Photo: SRE January 2024. Mexico also presented the great work in favor of Mexican communities in the United States, and the reinforcement of our solid consular network in that country. He reiterated his firm rejection of the measures that the governor of Texas is implementing at the border, with fatal effects on migrants. The collaboration agreed to modernize the Otay II border crossing was also highlighted, as well as the need to continue working on it for its prompt entry into operation. In order to continue this high-level dialogue, both delegations agreed to hold a new meeting in February. Repeated acts of terror and violence have been perpetrated against Christian, Jewish, and Muslim Canadians and their houses of worship over the past few years. People who take their faith seriously are denounced as haters, while the hate aimed at them is excused as understandable protest. A secular state is quickly becoming an intolerant one. Synagogues and Jewish schools targeted by firebombings and shootings. Muslims attacked outside their mosque. Dozens of churches burned to the ground. Headlines like these over the past few months bear witness to a troubling rise in violence perpetrated against religious communities in Canada. I say troubling but not, perhaps, surprising. Today the minority of Canadians regularly active in organized religion (any religion) are just thata minority. As of 2019, less than a quarter (23%) of Canadians attend religious services on even a monthly basis, according to Statistics Canada. A 2022 Angus Reid poll puts the number even lower, at just 15%. As the number of actively religious people in Canada shrinks, there is a corresponding rise in people holding mostly negative views of religion and faith communities in Canada. The same Angus Reid poll mentioned above reports that nearly a quarter of Canadians (22%) consider the contributions of religious communities more bad than good or very bada number that has risen 5% in just four years. And of course, even among those with positive views of religion generally, there are some specific religions they distrust; Canadians are more likely to believe, for example, that Roman Catholicism, evangelical Christianity, and Islam are on the whole damaging to Canadian society. The rising distrust and growing intolerance of religious groups in Canada have become manifest in a number of ways, with government policy and laws increasingly driving religious people out of the public arena. Like too many other minority groups throughout history, religious Canadians are slowly becoming personae non gratae in wider society. Consider the Quebec teacher removed from the classroom for wearing a hijab. Consider also the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada permitting provincial law societies to ban graduates of an evangelical university from practicing law. Then theres the decision of an Ontario court that physicians of faith (and no faith) must be forced to participate in procedures they disagree with for moral reasons (like abortion and physician assisted suicide) by providing an effective referral. The implications of such actions and many others are clear: religious people are no longer welcome in Canada. Such beliefs are simply un-Canadian. The slow erosion of religious freedom in Canada has been mirrored by the demonization of religious Canadians as intolerant and hatefula problem to be shut up or shut out. And now we are seeing the effects of that dehumanization, as religious groups increasingly become the victims of violence and hate crimes. CBCs recent report on a multiyear spate of arson attacks on Christian churches in Canada throws the subject into stark relief. At least 33 Canadian churches have burned to the ground since May 2021, explains a CBC News headline. Only 2 were accidents. Many of these crimes took place in reaction to the 2021 announcement of the potential discovery of unmarked graves at former residential schoolsinstitutions sponsored by the government and operated by Roman Catholic, Anglican, United, and Presbyterian churches. The appalling injustices committed against First Nations people in Canada during the residential school era are well-documented and cannot be excused. But neither should the burning of Christian places of worship. And yet downplaying such crimes has become common. Burning churches may be wrong but it is understandable, or so we were initially told by the prime minister and one of his former political advisers. Several years on, the same sentiment remains: CBCs most recent story includes comment from a professor who, while acknowledging that arson isnt justified, nevertheless goes on to minimize the violence by saying it has given people a voice. This normalization of violent crime against religious people has dire consequences for society. In this model, protest becomes conflated with justifiable violenceand indiscriminate violence at that. Churches from Christian traditions with no connection to the residential schools have been attacked. And First Nation Christians are likewise victimized as churches on reserves are destroyed. Of course, not all the attacks mentioned in CBCs report are likely to have been in response to residential schools. Most of the fires remain unsolved, the story reads. And even in those where charges have been laid, the report continues, police say no clear motive has been established. Motives might differ but the effect is the same: the destruction of Christian places of worship and the intimidation of believers, and a lethargic official response. CBCs report is focused primarily on churches that have been destroyed in the past few years, but there have been plenty of other churches targeted by arsonists but not successfully burned to the ground. This past June, for example, a Lutheran church in Edmonton was broken into and a cross was removed from the narthex wall. That cross and a religious text were then placed on the floor and set on fire. The fire eventually died out but not before causing significant smoke damage to the building. Its not a story that garnered secular media attention. And there are countless other smaller acts of anti-religious violence that likewise go unreported day after day. About 10 years ago, I recall arriving slightly late to church in Winnipeg on a Sunday morning. I was shocked to find the exterior walls adorned with graffiti invoking Satan and praising the Islamic State (who were then in the news for the mass extermination of Christians and other minorities in the Middle East). Slipping into the pew, I tried to focus on the servicethe liturgy and hymns, the scripture readings, and the sermonbut a sense of unease remained. Might not someone with such a strong anti-Christian animus return to do violence in person? Its not mere anxiety either. Weve seen plenty of murderous attacks on places of worship in other parts of the world. In January 2017, Canada experienced it as well. Muslims at a mosque in Quebec City had finished evening prayer when a gunman entered and killed six people and seriously injured another five. A number of others present suffered minor injuriesto say nothing of the trauma they experienced. The perpetrators crimes were truly motivated by race, the judge later declared, and a visceral hatred toward Muslim immigrants. We have seen too much hate in recent years in Canada, and much of it directed toward people of faith simply because of their faith. Our society increasingly bends away from tolerance toward polarization. We dehumanize those who believe and think differently than we do, castigating them as evil and deserving of censure or worse. And then we justify ourselves by characterizing our hate as protest. Hate led too many people in Canada to celebrate publicly the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli civilians on October 7. Hate motivates continued acts of antisemitism across the country. Hate has led to violent attacks on Muslims in the wake of war between Israel and Palestine. Its the same hate that declares todays Christians deserving of having their churches burned to the ground en masse. If we do not find a way to rein in that hateto learn anew what it means to tolerate those who believe and think differently than we do, and to do so with respectthen Im very much afraid well see the horrors of the Quebec City attack repeated in churches and synagogues and mosques and other places of worship across our country. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21) A judge has dismissed two lawsuits, filed by opponents of a proposed wind farm in Botetourt County, that threatened to further delay the already long-delayed project. Circuit Judge Edward Stein ruled Thursday that the opponents lacked proper standing to challenge the countys approval of a temporary concrete plant planned by developers that would supply the foundations for 13 giant turbines on top of North Mountain. A second lawsuit, which took issue with an extension granted to Rocky Forge Wind during the COVID-19 pandemic, was dismissed by Stein in late December, according to court records. The legal action was one of many complications for Apex Clean Energy, a Charlottesville-based company that plans to produce electricity from the wind that will power a row of 643-foot tall turbines arranged along the ridgetop. Although postponed for nearly a decade, Rocky Forge remains on track to become Virginias first onshore wind farm. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer, even as developers of the renewable energy project are still looking for a buyer of the 75 megawatts of electricity enough to power about 21,000 homes to be generated when the wind farm is at full capacity. We are in active discussions with multiple potential power purchasers, Apex spokesman Brian OShea wrote in an email earlier this month. The company hopes to announce a deal with a utility or other customer this spring or summer, he said. Plans now call for the wind farm to be in operation by late 2025. Since it was first announced in 2015, the project has been slowed by permitting delays, legal action from opponents, design changes, the pandemic, and a lengthy search for a buyer that had to be restarted after an earlier deal fell through. Opponents say the turbines about twice the height of the Wells Fargo tower in downtown Roanoke will mar the scenic landscape of northern Botetourt County, kill birds and bats that fly into their spinning blades, cause environmental damage, and produce low-frequency noise and shadow flicker. The most recently decided lawsuit was over a decision by the countys Board of Zoning Appeals to allow a concrete-making plant near the construction site, which is in a remote spot northeast of Eagle Rock. The plant would be temporary, existing only long enough to produce concrete needed for the bases of the turbines. But about a dozen residents of Botetourt and Rockbridge counites, members of a group called Virginians for Responsible Energy, argued that it would pollute a nearby creek and cause other damage to the surrounding forestland. After hearing several hours of testimony last week, Stein ruled the residents lacked standing to bring the lawsuit, according to Botetourt County Attorney Mike Lockaby. Required to show standing in Virginia are: Close proximity of a plaintiff to the alleged harm, and particularized damages that are greater than what a member of the general public would experience. In a second lawsuit filed in Botetourt County Circuit Court, opponents contended that the Board of Zoning Appeals incorrectly found that Apex was entitled to an extension of a deadline to file a site plan. A law passed by the General Assembly in 2021 gave more time for projects slowed by the pandemic. Stein affirmed the boards decision in a Dec. 27 order. Yet a third legal obstacle remains. Opponents are appealing a decision by Botetourt County Circuit Judge Joel Branscom, who upheld an approval of the wind farm by the states Department of Environmental Quality. That case is pending before the Virginia Court of Appeals. The wind farm is supported by the Sierra Clubs Roanoke Group, the Roanoke Valley Cool Cities Coalition, the Virginia Conservation Legacy Fund and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, among other organizations. Lawyers for Rocky Forge wrote in court papers that the project will provide safe and clean electricity for thousands of Virginians, along with a substantial investment in rural Virginia. This past Friday, 27 Roanoke citizens braved the cold and showed up at 317 Kimball Ave. N.E., where they proudly cast ballots in Virginias presidential primaries. Roanoke County accepted 23 early votes, collected either at the Roanoke County Registrars office, 900 Chestnut St. in Vinton, or at a satellite voting office at the Brambleton Center, 3738 Brambleton Ave., in southwest Roanoke County. The Salem Registrars office, at 19 E. Clay St., took in eight early ballots. Registrar Dana Oliver said six were accepted for the Republican primary and two were for the Democratic contest. Four years ago, in 2020, none of this occurred. That year, there was no GOP presidential primary Virginia Republicans nominated Trump, an incumbent, via convention. And although there was a Democratic primary in March 2020, early voting wasnt legal in Virginia until later that year, on July 1. This explains why Virginians are now voting for president presidential primary candidates in January. And its already caused confusion among some Roanokers whove received primary mail-in ballots through the U.S. Postal Service. Deirdre Martin, who works for the Roanoke registrar, said shes fielded at least four questions from voters. The typical query is, Why are you sending me another ballot? I already voted, in November, Martin told me. This year, both Democrats and Republicans are holding presidential primaries. And because voters in Virginia dont register by political party, any registered voter can vote in either. But they can pick only one. Voters have to tell us which one theyre going to vote in, said Roanoke Registrar Andrew Cochran. In all, there are three Democrats and six Republicans, spread over two ballots. On the Democratic ballots are President Joe Biden, who in 2020 knocked off then-President Donald Trump by 7 million votes; Dean Phillips, a Democratic congressman from Minnesota; and Marianne Williamson, an author, public speaker and former minister. Trump is on the Virginia GOP primary ballot, which also lists Chris Christie, former New Jersey governor; Nikki Haley, former South Carolina governor; Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, political novice and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy; and Ryan Binkley, a businessman and minister from Texas. Christie, Ramaswamy and DeSantis have publicly halted their campaigns and withdrawn from the running. But their names will remain on the primary ballot, Cochran told me. Thats because the ballots final version was approved before Christmas, and the three politicians dropped out of the race more recently. Moreover, the presidential primaries arent the only primaries this year. There will be more in June for local and congressional elections. Those will feature 45 days of early voting, too. As will Novembers general election. That means collectively, Virginia voters will get 135 days of early voting in 2024. Well be voting for almost 40% of the year, said Anna Cloeter, Roanoke County registrar. (The percentage tops 40% if you dont count holidays.) As with every election, there are some important dates and deadlines for those presidential primaries. Lets consider those: Jan. 19 was the first day of early voting, at local registrars offices. Typically that is offered Monday through Friday during the offices normal hours. Early Saturday voting is Feb. 24 and March 2, at your localitys voter registrar. The latter is also the last day early votes will be accepted for presidential primaries. Feb. 12 is the deadline to register to vote in the presidential primaries. (Registration is unnecessary for voters whove already registered.) Would-be voters can register online through 11:59 p.m. that day at the Virginia Department of Elections website, or by completing a form at their local registrars office by that date. Feb. 23 is the last day for registered voters to apply for a mail-in ballot. March 5 is the primary date, when voters can vote in person at their regular precinct. Its also the deadline for mail-in ballots to be received by registrars offices. Votes that come in after 7 p.m. that day wont be counted. Although voting by mail is mostly reliable, Cochran told me his office is still receiving an occasional ballot or two from 2023 elections. In December, we got a primary ballot from last June, Cochran said. More recently his office received a ballot from the November general election. Once the dust settles from the presidential primary, Virginia registrars will begin gearing up for the June primaries. Oh goody! Early voting for congressional and local primaries will begin May 3, Cochran said. Federal prosecutors in Western Virginia collected $20.7 million in legal penalties during the 2023 fiscal year. About $13 million of that sum came from fines against defendants in criminal cases; the rest was levied in civil cases. Another $40 million was generated by cases in which the U.S. Attorneys Office for Western Virginia worked with other districts and offices of the U.S. Department of Justice. The office also initiated forfeiture actions to seize about $19 million in cash and property used in crimes. My office is committed to pursuing justice, both criminally and civilly, in order to protect the interests of the United States in every city, town, and county in the Western District of Virginia, U.S Attorney Chris Kavanaugh said in an announcement Tuesday. As federal prosecutors, we have numerous tools we use to ensure that defendants are deprived of the ill-gotten financial gains of their criminal activity, Kavanaugh said. Some of the districts largest collections were in cases of health care fraud. They include $4.6 million paid by Health Connect America for fraudulent billing to Medicaid and a $3 million fine to 1st Adult N Pediatric Healthcare Service, which prosecutors accused of making false claims to the government insurance program for its home care services. Also, in July, the founder of a now-defunct company that operated five pain clinics in Western Virginia agreed to pay $3.8 million in restitution to Medicare and Medicaid. John Gregory Barnes also faces criminal charges in a conspiracy in which drugs were prescribed for no legitimate medical reason. The $20.7 million collected in the 2023 fiscal year compares to $16.6 million in the previous year. Uzbekistan-China relations experiencing "best period in history": Uzbek president Xinhua) 10:34, January 23, 2024 BEIJING, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan-China relations are experiencing a historic high, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has said in an article ahead of his state visit to China, scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday. "Every time I visit China, I sincerely admire the scale of the reforms taking place here, the accomplishments, creative strength, diligence, and talent of the Chinese people, who are confidently pursuing the path of modernization to realize their centuries-old dream," Mirziyoyev wrote in the article published in the People's Daily on Monday. He is impressed by China's role on the global stage. "Today, China holds leading positions in world politics and governance as a responsible participant in key international processes," he said in the article. "President Xi Jinping's global initiatives in development, security, and inter-civilizational dialogue are significantly contributing to addressing common global challenges and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future," he said. China "takes a big part to support the economic growth of developing countries by expanding trade and investment cooperation, as well as implementing infrastructure connectivity projects," read the article. The Uzbek president said that "Uzbekistan, as a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner of China, is sincerely pleased with the successes," adding that "the development of multifaceted relations with China has been, and remains one of the main priorities of Uzbekistan's foreign policy." "Over the past three decades, thanks to the trustful dialogue at the top-level, and regular summits of the heads of state, the interaction between our two countries has been expanding even more, reaching new historical heights," Mirziyoyev said. In the article, he made a five-point proposal to "develop a new long-term agenda and forward-looking programs for the implementation of the key tasks of multidimensional cooperation for decades to come." Calling for strengthening global inter-civilizational dialogue, Mirziyoyev said "nothing should prevent its development, the creation of the necessary conditions for strengthening peace and stability and seeking mutually acceptable compromises on the most pressing issues." Meanwhile, he expressed interest in taking bilateral relations to "a qualitatively new and higher level." "It is vital to maintain and build a dynamic pace of all-round trade and economic development, given the increasing range of new challenges to sustainable development such as the worsening energy, food, and environmental crises," said the president. Mirziyoyev also called for "joint work to ensure the development of transport and logistics infrastructure" as part of the Belt and Road Initiative. "The importance of the role of people-to-people diplomacy in strengthening Uzbek-Chinese friendship is now becoming more evident," he said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) County celebrates designation of 800-year-old bronze bell as its first national treasure By Park Han-sol BUAN, North Jeolla Province Centuries-old Buddhist culture meets picturesque nature in Buan, North Jeolla Province. Our trip to the county, situated about 200 kilometers southwest of Seoul with a population of 50,000, begins at Naeso Temple one of the oldest surviving Buddhist monasteries in Korea. It is at this historic site, built in 633 during the late Baekje era (18 BCE660 CE), that hundreds gathered on Jan. 9 to celebrate the new designation of the temple's 800-year-old bronze bell as a national treasure. Produced in 1222, the relic is the largest among the surviving bronze bells from the late Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), standing at a height of 103 centimeters and weighing approximately 420 kilograms. Originally enshrined at the now-gone Cheongnim Temple in South Chungcheong Province, it was moved to its current location in 1850. The elevation of its cultural heritage status to a national treasure comes six decades after it was initially designated as a treasure in 1963. The bell is considered a prime masterpiece of its kind for displaying the intricacy of Goryeo-era craftsmanship while inheriting the technical and aesthetic traditions of the Unified Silla Kingdom (668-935), according to Choi Eung-chon, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), who is also a bronze bell specialist. "In addition to its aesthetic qualities, the relic's exceptional academic value lies in that it is engraved with clear information on the production period, the location of its enshrinement, as well as the name of its master craftsman Han Jung-seo," he said during the ceremony. At its top, a dynamically carved yongnyu (a loop used to hang the bell) takes the shape of a dragon about to soar through the air. Its shoulder and dangjwa (the bells striking point) are adorned with blooming lotus patterns. Another striking feature includes bands of vines encircling the bells crown and sound bow. The temple noted that the bell was struck as recently as the late 1980s before it was set aside for preservation. Just a half-hour ride away from Naeso Temple, nestled in the verdant valleys, is another monastery: Gaeam Temple. This temple was established in 634, just a year after its neighbor, before it was razed and rebuilt in 1636 following the 1592-98 Japanese invasions of Korea. Similar to Naeso Temple, Gaeam houses several state-designated treasures, including the Daeungjeon (Main Buddha Hall) and the 18th-century Yeongsanhoe Buddhist hanging scroll painting along with its original drawing. In addition to the centuries-old Buddhist architecture, there are plenty of showstoppers scattered across Buan for nature lovers. Among them, perhaps the best-known is the Jikso Waterfall, with its roar echoing through the mountains and volcanic rock formations in Byeonsanbando National Park. Standing at a height of 30 meters, the fall earns its name, Jikso, due to a distinctive feature its water cascading directly into a round basin below without getting caught on any rocks. This aquatic spectacle has been the subject of a number of literary works and paintings during the 1392-1910 Joseon era, including the 18th-century literati painter Kang Se-hwangs Scenes in Buan Prefecture. Theres also a mythical touch to this natural wonder; local legend has it that a dragon is coiled up in the pool beneath the waterfall. In the past, in times of drought, magistrates would convene at this site to perform rain rituals. In the surrounding area, visitors can marvel at the columnar jointing of volcanic rocks a geological phenomenon where rapidly cooled lava has shaped an array of rocks resembling polygonal pillars. After leaving the mountainous Byeonsanbando National Park, one can encounter Gomso Salt Field, one of the few natural salt production sites left in the country. During Joseon, salt farming in the region relied on the jayeom method, which involved boiling ocean water in kilns. However, in the later days of the Japanese colonial rule (1910-45), this traditional practice gave way to the current cheonilyeom method, also known as solar sea salt. The mineral-rich seawater in the area lends a flavorful and mildly sweet taste to the salt that is harvested between March and October. Naturally, the county is renowned for its diverse array of jeotgal (salted seafood) dishes and even unique specialties like steamed buns seasoned with local salt. After savoring the scenery, why not venture to the westernmost tip of Buan, which stretches into the West Sea? For over a millennium, the Jungmakdong Archaeological Site had been a strategic location for maritime exchanges in East Asia, linking the southwestern coast of Korea with Japan and China. Perched on a coastal cliff, this place was a frequent gathering spot for traveling fishermen and merchants who held rituals to pray for safe voyages and bountiful catches, notably from the Three Kingdoms era (57 BCE668 CE) through the Joseon period. Excavations conducted in 1992 revealed a trove of ancient artifacts used in these rites, ranging from Chinese porcelain and metalware to Japanese vessels. Even today, local people involved in the fishing industry continue to perform annual rituals for Grandmother Gaeyang, the guardian deity of the seas, at the Suseongdang shrine on site. For those familiar with The Tale of Shim Cheong, it may be surprising to learn of the areas possible connection to the classic Korean folk story. The waters off the Jungmakdong Archaeological Site could be where the filial daughter Shim sacrificed herself to the sea god to help her blind father regain his sight. At least thats what some historians at Yonsei University suggest. COLUMBIA Gov. Henry McMaster was joined by Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers and Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Director Duane Parrish in appointing three South Carolina Chef Ambassadors for 2024. This is the 10th year of the program, which was created in 2014 to highlight South Carolina as a destination for great food. Chef ambassadors represent the state through food festivals and other promotional opportunities, sharing South Carolinas culinary traditions, agricultural heritage and undiscovered places with the world. The Chef Ambassador program celebrates two important sectors of our booming economy agribusiness and tourism," McMaster said. Our states outstanding culinary talent contributes to the rich cultural heritage and quality of life that makes South Carolina unique and attractive to all. Our newest class of chef ambassadors represent our mountains, Midlands and coast, adding to the top-tier talent that this program has spotlighted over the past 10 years. South Carolina chef ambassadors support the states farmers by using Certified South Carolina produce, meats, dairy, seafood and other farm-fresh foods in their own ways. South Carolinas food culture is second to none and farmers make it all possible, Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said. Im impressed by how each and every chef ambassador over the past 10 years has supported local food and forged relationships with farmers, and I look forward to working with this talented new class. From a tourism perspective, one of the most beneficial aspects of this program is that its allowed us to showcase the diversity of South Carolinas flavors and destinations through the authentic, first-person perspective of our chefs, said Duane Parrish, director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. From their signature dishes to the cities and towns they passionately represent, over the past decade, our chef ambassadors have helped enhance and amplify our culinary reputation with audiences around the world. I know our 2024 class will continue that tradition. The 2024 South Carolina Chef Ambassadors are: Chef Leslie Rohland The Cottage Cafe Bakery & Tea Room/Bluffton As founder, owner and head chef/baker at The Cottage Cafe, Bakery & Tea Room, Chef Leslie serves up innovative cuisine and Southern hospitality in Old Town Bluffton. After the success of The Cottage, she opened May River Coffee Roasters, The Juice Hive, SideCar Catering, and The Bluffton Pasta Shoppe, all committed to offering fresh, local cuisine. Chef Michael Sibert Anonymous Burgers/Greer A Greenwood native and alumnus of Cornell University and the Culinary Institute of the Carolinas, Chef Michael trained in New Orleans before moving to Greer, where he has headed up high-end establishments for more than a decade. Chef Michael opened Anonymous Burgers in Cartwright Food Hall in 2023. Chef Javier Uriarte Ratio/Elgin Chef Javier gained his culinary experience in DC-area restaurant kitchens before moving to Columbia in 2013. He is chef and owner of Ratio in the Kershaw County/Northeast Columbia region, a tapas-style restaurant influenced by Chef Javiers Peruvian background and Southern comfort food. EXETER, New Hampshire -- Former TV star Judge Judy Sheindlin made a splash in stepping out with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and Republican presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley Sunday night at Exeter High School. The celebrity started her show in 1996 and is known for being a to-the-point, no-nonsense family court judge. In 2020, the judge endorsed a presidential candidate for the first time: the former mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg. What I admire most is that shes always sought consensus not with watered-down compromise, but with common sense solutions, said Sheindlin in her statement about Haley. Trump was elected President with zero political experience. As for Joe Biden, Ive never seen greatness or anything close to it in his 53-year political career. Now, with the Haley endorsement, Sheindlin is cementing herself as someone investing in politics and presidential candidates. Sheindlin submitted her endorsement to the Daily Mail at the start of Haleys trip in the Granite State. In her letter, Sheindlin also called out the advanced age of members of the U.S. government, something Haley has talked about much on the campaign trail. With President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump either in the 80s or reaching it, Haley, who just turned 52, has run on a platform of introducing a new generational conservative into the presidency. I, like many of you, wonder about the future of America, said Sheindlin during her speech at the rally Sunday night. I feel that it is not in as good of a place as it was when I was growing up, and for that, I am sad. For me, finding the person that we can be proud of, not only domestically but on the national stage in 2024, is probably the most important decision that all of us are going to have to make in our current history. Sheindlin ignored other candidates for the most part during the rally but at one point used the fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me, proverb, seemingly in reference to Trump possibly being re-elected as president. Its time for Nikki Haley, this is her moment, she is a star, Sheindlin said. This woman is the real deal. Please, New Hampshire, use your brains and your heart. Bring her home on Tuesday. Haley shared her thoughts on endorsements, especially the idea that she is upset about members of South Carolinas government not supporting her campaign. I have heard the fellas sit there and say, Oh but she doesnt have the state legislatures endorsements from South Carolina, said Haley at the rally on Sunday. I dont want the political elite, that is not what Im looking for. Its your endorsement I want at the end of the day. Its the American people. The TV judge is the most recent of many high-profile endorsements Haley has received this campaigning period, including Asa Hutchinson, the former governor of Arkansas and ex-GOP presidential candidate. Recently, the New York Times reported that Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn, donated $250,000 to a Haley super PAC. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon has also recently urged voters to vote for Haley over Trump. Some voters at the rally didnt seem to care about celebrity endorsements or donations, like Judge Judys, when it came to who they are going to vote for in Tuesdays primary. I dont worry about Judge Judy that much, Ill be honest with you, said Linda, a 53-year-old who didnt want to share her last name for privacy concerns. I want to hear the issues and see what Nikki Haley has to say and Ill make my decisions first hand. Other voters were drawn to the event, and Haley, because of Judge Judy and other endorsements. I would not be here if they did not headline Judge Judy, said Emma Kaply, a 25-year-old from Maine who is registered as an independent in New Hampshire. I kept getting the texts, but what caught my eye was that Judge Judy was going to be here. Regardless of what she said, its just a strong empowerment kind of thing. Shes a legend, an idol. [After this event], Im going to vote. The best fashion classics you can get from Net-A-Porter this 2024. (PHOTO: Yahoo Life Singapore) From white tees to jeans, blazers and slimming pants, shop fashion classics that won't go out of style. The start of the new year is the perfect excuse to rummage through your wardrobe and make a checklist of looks that can last trend after trend. When you start creating a capsule wardrobe, you can easily rotate between a few looks to wear throughout the month, especially when you're working in the office. The basic rule is to invest in these few items: basic T-shirt, smart casual pants, jeans, outerwear, your favourite sneakers, button-up shirts, and accessories. With just these items, you can easily mix and match your looks. READ: Winter-proof your wardrobe without looking frumpy for your vacays in Japan, Finland or Austria Marimekko's top woman execs tell us why they are expanding in Asia, and placing value on its timelessness Pullman Singapore Hill Street review: The hotel provides exceptional guest experience with a modern touch Smart classics Mix a modern blazer, cardigan or a lady jacket with anything! You could even be bold and pair an oversized blazer over a pair of jeans or smart pants. For the top, you can wear a basic T-shirt or striped tee. 1. The Frankie Shop Bea crepe blazer S$463 at Net-A-Porter The Frankie Shop Bea crepe blazer. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) You'll be pleased to know that The Frankie Shop's 'Bea' blazer has a soft, unstructured design with dropped, padding-free shoulders that enhance the boxy silhouette. Tailored from crepe, it's lined in smooth satin for easy layering and has slim notched lapels. Wear yours with the matching pants and underpin it with a bralette or turtleneck sweater. 2. Rohe Brushed-knit cardigan S$605 at Net-A-Porter Rohe Brushed-knit cardigan. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) If you're wondering why you should invest in an expensive cardigan, be sure to know that most cardis in the market are made from acrylic and polyester, which isn't sustainable in the long run. Rohe's cardigan has been knitted in Italy with touches of alpaca and merino wool thats brushed to give it a super soft handle. It has a relaxed fit and comes in a pretty sky-blue tone. 3. Ninety Percent + Net Sustain Drew organic cotton-jersey T-shirt S$39 at Net-A-Porter Ninety Percent + Net Sustain Drew organic cotton-jersey T-shirt. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) For those who have invested care for the environment, you may want to check out Ninety Percent. Ninety Percent's collections are always as mindful as they are stylish. This 'Drew' T-shirt is made from organic cotton-jersey that's naturally stretchy and has a soft drape. You'll get so much wear out of it. 4. Ganni Cropped recycled floral-jacquard blazer S$216 at Net-A-Porter Ganni Cropped recycled floral-jacquard blazer. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Ganni's blazer is the epitome of Scandi cool. It's made from sky-blue floral-jacquard using 55% recycled fibre and cut in an ultra-cropped shape. Wear yours buttoned up with low-rise jeans and strappy sandals. 5. Anderson's Croc-effect leather belt S$149 at Net-A-Porter Anderson's Croc-effect leather belt. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Anderson's is known for producing high-quality leather goods. A classic addition to your everyday wardrobe, this black croc-effect belt has been expertly made at a workshop in Italy where the artisans use a 100-step process. It fastens with a gleaming gold buckle. 6. Spanx The Perfect stretch-ponte flared pants S$216 at Net-A-Porter Spanx The Perfect stretch-ponte flared pants. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Spanx's 'The Perfect' pants are a versatile base for a variety of outfits - try them with a sleek bodysuit, adding a blazer if heading into the office or with a tucked-in tee when brunch is on the menu. They're made from stretch-ponte with hidden core-shaping technology and have a comfortable elasticated waistband. The flared legs are emphasized by splits along the cuffs. 7. Tod's Textured-leather shoulder bag S$3,369 at Net-A-Porter Tod's Textured-leather shoulder bag. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Tod's bag has been crafted from textured-leather by Italian artisans, so you know it's going to last. It's decorated with the house's 'T' hardware - a tell-tale sign it belongs to the 'Timeless' family - and has a buckled shoulder strap you can adjust or detach. There are three compartments inside to easily organize your phone, wallet, keys, compact and water bottle. 8. Christian Louboutin 'CL Moc' loafers S$1,576 at Net-A-Porter Christian Louboutin 'CL Moc' loafers. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Christian Louboutin 'CL Moc' loafers are traced with elegant topstitching reminiscent of traditional styles. They've been made in Italy from glossed leather with silver-tone logo hardware and stand on signature red soles. SG Telegram banner. Relaxed vibe The idea is to pair different layers together to keep your look relaxed but put-together. This could be considered your off-duty look, not necessarily worn to the office but at your neighourhood cafe to catch up on calls and Powerpoint presentations. 9. Coperni Appliqued modal-jersey tank S$150 at Net-A-Porter Coperni Appliqued modal-jersey tank. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) If you like to keep things simple with elevated basics, Coperni's tank will make a great addition to your capsule wardrobe. Made from lightweight modal-jersey that's slightly sheer, it's cut for a close fit and has a dainty 'C' logo. Style it tucked into a slip skirt or worn over the waistband of loose pants. 10. Frame Le High 'N' Tight high-rise straight-leg jeans S$179 at Net-A-Porter Frame Le High 'N' Tight high-rise straight-leg jeans. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Frame's 'Le High 'N' Tight' jeans are designed with straight legs and a high-rise waist. They're cut from blue denim that's been washed for an authentic vintage look and have slightly cropped hems. Style yours with a crisp white shirt. 11. Self-Portrait Cropped embellished boucle-knit cardigan S$613 at Net-A-Porter Self-Portrait Cropped embellished boucle-knit cardigan. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Self-Portrait is all about feminine finishing touches. Brushed for the softest handle, this boucle-knit cardigan is embellished with faux pearls, beads and crystals that form a sweet bow at the neckline. Slip yours on over one of the brand's mini dresses. 12. Reebok + Maison Margiela Project 0 shell, suede and leather sneakers S$311 at Net-A-Porter Reebok + Maison Margiela Project 0 shell, suede and leather sneakers. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Reebok joins forces with Maison Margiela to re-imagine its classic styles through the Parisian label's innovative eye. Designed with signature split toes, these 'Project 0' sneakers are made from white shell trimmed with leather and suede and rest upon gripped, rubber soles. Both brands' logos are featured on the tongue. 13. The Row EW Jasper leather tote S$4,802 at Net-A-Porter The Row EW Jasper leather tote. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) A love letter to the woman who does it all, The Row's 'EW Jasper' tote is designed to carry everything from files and an iPad to a cosmetics bag and a pair of flat sandals. It's crafted from leather that's beautifully smooth to the touch yet hardwearing enough to accompany you on years of adventures. Adjust the long side straps to create a boxier shape. 14. Jacquemus Le Petit Panier Soli leather-trimmed raffia tote S$493 at Net-A-Porter Jacquemus Le Petit Panier Soli leather-trimmed raffia tote. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) Jacquemus revisits its distinctive 'Le Panier Soli' tote in an impossibly sweet 'Petit' size. Hand-woven from raffia and trimmed with light-brown leather, it has space inside your wallet, sunglasses and hand lotion. Carry it by the top handles or shoulder straps. 15. DeMellier + Net Sustain New York midi textured-leather tote S$646 at Net-A-Porter DeMellier + Net Sustain New York midi textured-leather tote. (PHOTO: Net-A-Porter) DeMellier's tote draws its inspiration from the architecture and energy of New York City. Crafted from textured-leather, it's threaded with a slender leather strap and detailed with a gold-tone buckle. The interior is lined in black cotton and sized to hold an iPad or small laptop, plus your wallet and phone. SIOUX CITY -- Sioux City police are searching for a suspect who robbed a downtown bank Tuesday morning. Police were dispatched to a report of a bank robbery at 9:53 a.m. at Great Southern Bank, 329 Pierce St. Community Policing Sgt. Tom Gill said police are not yet releasing a description of the suspect. He did not say if a weapon was involved or how much cash the suspect may have left with. The suspect was last seen on foot. Gill said it's not believed neighboring businesses are in danger. At the scene, Sioux City Police vehicles were parked on the streets adjacent to the bank, and investigators could be seen inside speaking with bank workers. Numerous police vehicles were seen driving on neighboring streets, and officers were walking on nearby streets, stopping to check inside a couple roll-off trash containers at a construction site across the street from the bank. SANBORN, Iowa A Sanborn man is in custody after his arrest on suspicion of robbing a Sanborn bank Monday. Del Martinnez Evans Jr., 40, was booked into the O'Brien County Jail on charges of second-degree robbery and second-degree theft. His bond was set at $15,000. Police were notified at 1:02 p.m. of a robbery at Sanborn Savings Bank. Bank officials reported a man walked into the bank at 219 Main St. and handed a teller a note saying this was a robbery and demanding cash. No weapons were displayed or referenced, according to a Sanford Police Department news release. The suspect left the bank on foot with an undetermined amount of cash between $1,500 and $10,000, according to court documents. Using bank workers' descriptions of the man, police developed a suspect and went to 201 W. Fifth St., where an Iowa State Patrol hostage negotiator announced law enforcement presence to the people inside. Evans was taken into custody without incident at 2:10 p.m. As a precaution, schools, banks, day cares and other Sanborn businesses were advised to go into lockdown while authorities searched for the suspect. The robbery remains under investigation. SIOUX CITY A former nurse at MercyOne Siouxland Medical Center in Sioux City has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for trying to illegally obtain fentanyl and other drugs and also for possession of child pornography. Douglas Kelley, 67, of Sioux City, had pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to possession of child pornography and conspiracy to acquire controlled substances by fraud. He was sentenced Thursday to 126 months in prison. He also was fined $1,200 and must serve five years on supervised release after his release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Kelley conspired with two other men to use his position as a nurse at the hospital to obtain fentanyl and other controlled substances for personal use and to sell to others. During the investigation, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Kelley's phone and found six videos and 20 images of child pornography. He was previously convicted of child porn-related offenses in 1993 in Buena Vista County, Iowa. Kenneth Hurd, 32, of Harrisburg, South Dakota, was sentenced Jan. 3 to two years' probation for conspiracy to acquire controlled substances by fraud. Brian Raff, 44, of Orchard, Nebraska, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and awaits sentencing. SIOUX CITY A little more than a year ago, Sioux City police were summoned to a Nebraska Street home for what turned out to be a homicide resulting in a murder investigation. Little did they know that Jan. 14 call would be repeated several times in 2023, a year in which Sioux City saw one of the highest numbers of homicides in its history. The city had seven homicides, just short of a high of eight in 2020, according to FBI statistics, after having three in 2021 and one in 2022. The spike is concerning because most of them involved guns, but Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller said it's hard to say what caused the increase because homicides are often spur-of-the-moment incidents. None of the city's homicides in the past year were linked to one another. "The overwhelming majority of homicides involve people who know each other," Mueller said. "A lot of these are just evolved in an instant because of a disturbance." Add in an eighth incident in which Sioux City police determined a fatal shooting was self-defense, plus two fatal shootings outside the city in rural Woodbury County and another fatal stabbing across the South Dakota border in Dakota Dunes, and area law enforcement agencies responded to an unusually high number of deadly crimes in 2023. "We'll never be able to truly put a statistic as to why the numbers are higher," Mueller said. Homicides, like other violent crimes, ebb and flow, the chief said, and preliminary 2023 Sioux City Police Department crime statistics back that up. According to city and FBI crime stats, Sioux City saw three homicides in 2019, eight in 2020, three in 2021 and one in 2022 before the jump this past year. Numbers for other violent crimes such as rape, robbery, aggravated assault and kidnapping also bounced up and down from 2019-23. This past year saw an increase in robberies and aggravated assaults, but rape and kidnapping decreased. "What I see when I look at those numbers is a relatively steady crime rate," Mueller said. "We do look at these numbers and talk about what we can do differently." Mueller said police can speculate about violent crime causes such as unmet mental health needs, drug and alcohol use or economic conditions. "There are a lot of factors that impact crime," Mueller said. "We do see a fair amount of firearms. Officers will tell you they are seeing and locating more firearms." That increase in firearms has been noticed by prosecutors as well. Woodbury County Attorney James Loomis said he, too, can't explain the 2023 spike in homicides, but he's noticed more cases crossing his desk that involve guns. "You keep having the gun violence and you're bound to have homicides, and that's what we've seen," Loomis said. Loomis said his office works with police to identify individuals with histories of violent, gun-related crimes such as willful injury, attempted murder and intimidation with a dangerous weapon, and aggressively prosecute them, aiming for longer prison sentences that will keep dangerous people off the street. Mueller said police identify people with violent criminal histories and share their information with all officers. If any of those individuals are arrested, police may through deeper investigation charge them with more serious crimes. If firearms are involved, it can also enhance charges, leading to longer prison sentences if convicted. It's a proactive, rather than reactive, strategy, he said, that hopefully puts people prone to violence in custody before they can harm, or kill, someone. "We'll never know how many homicides we prevent," Mueller said. But because of the random nature of the homicides, it's hard to predict who may be more likely to commit a fatal act and, ultimately, prevent them. Not all of the suspects charged in the 2023 homicides had violent criminal backgrounds. Despite the jump in homicides, Mueller said he believes Sioux City is a safe community, as indicated by community surveys in which a majority of respondents say they feel safe here. In the meantime, Mueller said, his department will continue to do what it can to make sure last year's homicide spike was a one-year event and not the beginning of a trend. "We are constantly looking at training and technology that will help us better do our jobs," he said. "We're always going to work for more positive numbers." SIOUX CITY -- A Sioux City man previously charged with 15 counts related to the possession of child pornography has pleaded not guilty to 15 more. Stanley Hill, 82, entered his written plea Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court to 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Hill was first arrested in September and subsequently pleaded not guilty to 15 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor after police found more than 100 photos containing images of naked male and female children under age 18 in his possession. According to court documents, while Hill was jailed after his arrest, he called another person from the jail and asked that person to clean out his office at home. The person cleaned the office and removed a few items at Hill's request and gathered a thumb drive. The person opened the drive and found photos of male and female children in various stages of nudity. The person turned the drive over to Sioux City police detectives, who received a search warrant to open the drive and discovered 238 photos, all of which were interwoven with adult pornography. Ukraine becoming testing ground for North Korean missiles: analyst By Jung Min-ho South Korea and more than 40 other nations jointly condemned Pyongyang and Moscow for their arms transfers on Monday as concerns are rising that Ukraine could be used as a testing ground for North Korean missiles. At a press conference held before a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting at its headquarters in New York, diplomats from 46 countries and the European Union called on North Korea and Russia to abide by the Security Council resolutions. They expressed concern that Russia's use of North Korea's ballistic missiles for its war effort in Ukraine could provide the regime with valuable data regarding their real-world performance. South Korean Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook called the arms transfers between the two countries a direct, unprecedented violation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions with the involvement of a permanent member of the council. Russias use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine also has significant implications on global nuclear nonproliferation as well as on the Korean Peninsula Since it is unprecedented that UNSC resolutions were violated so flagrantly and seriously by a permanent member of the security council since the sanction regime was established against the DPRK (North Korea) in 2006, it is difficult to fathom the repercussions, Hwang said at the meeting. Hwang said that sales of the weapons would allow the sanctions-hit regime to collect more hard currency, which it needs for the development of its nuclear and missile programs. It could open the door for more arms sales to other states and non-state actors, he added. Tactical ballistic missiles, which are believed to be able to carry a nuclear payload and strike anywhere in South Korea, are among the suspected North Korean weapons being supplied to Russian troops on the battlefield in Ukraine. Pyongyangs military support, proven with satellite photos of its cargo shipments to Russia among many other ways, has played an increasingly crucial role in sustaining Russian aggression in Ukraine recently as its own production capacity struggles to keep up, experts say. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of State confirmed that some North Korean ballistic missiles were used for Russian attacks on Ukrainians on Dec. 30, 2023, and Jan. 2 and 6 this year. Little is known about what North Korea has received in return. At the very minimum, it was given a chance to test its weapons in real-world combat situations, said Cho Han-bum, a senior analyst at the Korea Institute of National Unification, a think tank. Objective information on the performance of weapons in actual combat is critical for any country. Data from its weapons used in Ukraine would help the regime refine future designs and military strategies, Cho told The Korea Times. In addition, North Korea may be able to receive technical support, food or energy from Russia, who can provide them all of those. Restricted by heavy sanctions for decades, North Korea would appreciate any support for its military, he said. It doesnt have to be advanced technology. Currently, North Korea is said to have operated only 10 of the MiG-29 fighter jets it has due to a lack of components. Russia could provide help or simply offer dozens of the MiG-29 series aircraft it no longer uses. Such a possibility poses a significant threat to South Korea, he said. According to a Guardian report, British defense intelligence secured satellite imagery, taken between September and December 2023, of three Russian ships loading containers at North Koreas revived Najin port before transiting to Russian ports in the Far East. SIOUX CITY The Sioux City Council voted unanimously Monday to accept a group's proposal to purchase land on Highway 75 for the development of a multi-phase waterpark. Siouxland Splash, 3820 Highway 75, is slated to be open for business by the summer of 2025 and is under design by a team of waterpark consultants. Sioux City currently has several public pools and splash pads, but no waterparks. Joe Zehring, partner and co-owner of Frontline Development, LLC, said the park will have a lazy river, wave pool and one of the biggest kids zones in the Midwest. "We're going to have a huge slide tower with actually a really iconic slide. It's going to be the first one in the United States," Zehring said. "We're going to really try and make a big impact for Sioux City here. We want to make this a really fun staple in the community." Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr, who worked closely with the group on the project, told Zehring that she appreciates their investment in Siouxland. "Sioux City specifically has wanted a waterpark for a long time. I really appreciate you wanting to satisfy that need and investing these kind of monies to our community," she said. "We're going to do our best of help you make it a success. I think everyone, all the citizens, will get over there and support it once we get it built." The council's approval of the resolution to accept the sale directs City Manager Bob Padmore to negotiate a development and minimum assessment agreement with the park's investors. "It's a complex agreement. We're very close to being done with it," said Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty. He said the agreement will likely be back before the council in two weeks. Under the terms of the agreement as currently proposed, Siouxland Splash LLC would purchase roughly 10 acres at the site at a cost of $22,946 per acre. The group of investors would make a payment of $100,000 at closing and the balance would be paid over 10 years for a total of $229,460. Siouxland Splash LLC would commit to paying up to $250,000 toward a proportional share of the street improvements and regional storm water pond to serve the site. The group would also enter into a minimum assessment agreement of $7 million beginning Jan. 1, 2026, which would continue for 10 years. In addition to selling Siouxland Splash LLC the 10 acres, the city, in turn, would provide partial 75% property tax rebates of the new incremental taxes created by the value added to the property. Tax rebate assistance is estimated at $1.7 million over 10 years. Siouxland Splash 1 A rendering of Siouxland Splash, a waterpark proposed on Highway 75 N, is shown. The city would construct street improvements for an entrance to the site, as required by the Iowa DOT, which has jurisdiction over Highway 75 N. Road improvements are estimated at $1 million. The city intends to apply for Iowa DOT RISE grant funding for the improvements, according to the documents. The city would also construct a regional storm water pond to serve the site at an estimated cost of $367,000, complete the construction of the sanitary sewer line project, and give Siouxland Splash LLC the option to purchase the remainder of the 42-acre site to accommodate future phases of the waterpark or related development. SIOUX CITY The City Council voted Monday to add four firefighter positions in effort to help Sioux City Fire Rescue fully staff ambulances. The city has seen more firefighter candidates than EMT and paramedic candidates. Fire Chief Tom Everett told the council before the vote that there were no paramedic candidates on the most recent list. Of the five EMT candidates, he said four were hired and one declined the position. The EMS division currently has four slots open. He there are about 10 firefighter candidates available to fill positions, but no firefighter positions open. Sioux City Fire Rescue started the new EMS division on Jan. 1, 2018 to fill the void left by Siouxland Paramedics, the nonprofit agency that stopped providing emergency services due to financial difficulties. "We've been six years with this EMS division. After that first year, we've kind of had openings that we were always chasing," Everett said. "Basically, since that time, we ramped up recruiting. We came to you and got pay raises. We came to you and got schedule changes. We've done mileage enhancements for residency, several other things that just haven't allowed us to catch up with that staffing with the turnover." Firefighters are required to have an Iowa EMT certification before being hired and they currently perform EMT and paramedic duties, including being first responders on emergency medical services calls. The move to hire firefighters to fill current vacant EMT and paramedic positions will increase the amount of time Medic 5 in Morningside is staffed and decrease overall overtime. The vote was 4 to 0. Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore left the meeting early, so he did not vote on the matter. The council, however, deferred a vote on a resolution that would authorize Everett to fill vacant EMT, paramedic and lead paramedic positions with firefighter positions through attrition or retirements. Mayor Bob Scott said he used the ambulance service at least three times in the last four or five years and didn't have any issues with the care he received. "I can tell you that I couldn't tell the difference if it was a paramedic or a fireman. The care was excellent," he said. "I don't understand why it's all or none. There are people who do not want to be firefighters who are very capable of taking care of my family when the need arises." The additional costs of firefighters are, or are nearly offset by savings realized from testing, hiring, training, uniform and PPE, on-call personnel, and overtime currently being spent. The immediate impact is estimated at $36,000. Scott said he is opposed to going to a firefighter-based EMS model, because some people are "excellent paramedics" who may not be able to test to be firefighters. "I think you should retain some of these positions as EMTs and paramedics," he said. Councilman Matthew O'Kane said he is not against having more well-trained firefighters, but he took issue with the fact that individuals on the "rescue side" were surprised to see such a resolution come before the council. "I can only imagine what some of these people in EMT are thinking, like how many more years until I just don't have a job. I think that's a lot of stress to put on someone," he said. "I'm just concerned that now we've got some people in a panic and feel like they've had their positions targeted." Everett clarified that no current Sioux City Fire Rescue employees' jobs are in jeopardy and noted that there are great employees on both sides. He said the proposal creates staffing flexibility, since firefighters can work on an ambulance or a fire truck throughout the city. "When we have an extra firefighter that day and maybe an opening on an ambulance, we can shift that firefighter over to the ambulance. So it's not a given that there's automatically going to be firefighters on ambulances right out of the gate. It's going to depend on staffing shortages," he said. Councilwoman Julie Schoenherr asked if the EMT and paramedic career paths were being taken out of Sioux City and what individuals interested in pursuing those positions locally would do. "We're losing some people to other services and that includes the hospitals that would hire EMTs or paramedics, a transfer service that might hire EMTs, or whatever," Everett said. "There's other opportunities, but it certainly does lessen that opportunity in Sioux City." Liz Ford, a paramedic with Sioux City Fire Rescue who serves as vice president of Local 2796, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees representing Sioux City Professional, Administrative, Technical and Supervisory employees, said she is aware of five individuals who want to apply as EMTs and become paramedics. "We had six on the last list. I get it, it's not 500 people. But we are gaining," she said. "Those people want to do those jobs just as they want to be firefighters. Classes have people in them and these people want that as their profession." Ford told the council that each division is a "specialized craft." "It is our expertise, dedication and leadership that focuses and guides new EMTs and medics for the future to take care of us all," she said. "Just looking at the experience is amazing, since the group that transitioned in 2018 has well over 200 years of experience. I would hate to see that go away for any reason." NEW YORK Charles Osgood, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchored CBS Sunday Morning for more than two decades, hosted the long-running radio program The Osgood File and was referred to as CBS News poet-in-residence, has died. He was 91. CBS reported that Osgood died Tuesday at his home in Saddle River, New Jersey, and that the cause was dementia, according to his family. Osgood was an erudite, warm broadcaster with a flair for music who could write essays and light verse as well as report hard news. He worked radio and television with equal facility, and signed off by telling listeners: Ill see you on the radio. To say theres no one like Charles Osgood is an understatement, Rand Morrison, executive producer of Sunday Morning, said in a statement. He embodied the heart and soul of Sunday Morning.' ... At the piano, Charlie put our lives to music. Truly, he was one of a kind in every sense. CBS News Sunday Morning will honor Osgood with a special broadcast Sunday. Osgood took over Sunday Morning after the beloved Charles Kuralt retired in 1994. Osgood seemingly had an impossible act to follow, but with his folksy erudition and his slightly bookish, bow-tied style, he immediately clicked with viewers who continued to embrace the program as an unhurried TV magazine. Osgood, who graduated from Fordham University in 1954, started as a classic music DJ in Washington, D.C., served in the Army and returned to help start WHCT in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1963, he got an on-air position at ABC Radio in New York. In 1967, he took a job as reporter on the CBS-owned New York news radio station NewsRadio 88. Then, one fateful weekend, he was summoned to fill in at the anchor desk for the TV networks Saturday newscast. In 1971, he joined the CBS network and launched what would be known as The Osgood File. In 1990, he was inducted into the radio division of the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In 2008, he was awarded the National Association of Broadcasters Distinguished Service Award. He won four Emmy Awards, and earned a fifth lifetime achievement honor in 2017. Jane Pauley succeeded Osgood as host of Sunday Morning, becoming only the third host of the program. When he retired in 2016 after 45 years of journalism, Osgood did so in a very Osgood fashion. For years now, people even friends and family have been asking me why I continue doing this, considering my age, the then-83-year-old Osgood said in brief concluding remarks. Its just that its been such a joy doing it! Its been a great run, but after nearly 50 years at CBS the time has come. And then he sang a few wistful bars from a favorite folk song: So long, its been good to know you. Ive got to be driftin along. WASHINGTON New Speaker Mike Johnson finds himself leading House Republicans with a majority in name only. Unable to unite his unruly right flank and commanding one of the slimmest House majorities in history, Johnson is being forced to rely on Democrats for the basics of governing, including the latest bill to prevent a federal shutdown. Approaching his first 100 days on the job, Johnson faces daunting choices ahead. He can try to corral conservatives, who are pushing rightward in endless hours of closed-door meetings, to work together as a team. Or he can keep reaching out to Democrats for a bipartisan coalition to pass compromise legislation. So far, rather than the speaker of a dysfunctional GOP majority, Johnson, R-La., has shown he is willing to compile a rare, large supermajority of Democrats and Republicans to get things done with Democratic President Joe Biden. That supermajority is exactly what some in Congress want, but others fear is coming. "Everyone understands the reality of where we are," Johnson said at a recent weekly news conference. "The House Republicans have the second-smallest majority in history," he said. "We're not going to get everything that we want but we're going to stick to our core conservative principles." Johnson is about as conservative as they come in Washington. He's a "movement" conservative steeped in Christian beliefs who made his way from Louisiana working in the trenches of hard-right social policy, particularly against abortion, gay rights and other issues. Elected in 2016, Johnson aligned with Donald Trump who won the White House that year, and Johnson led a key legal challenge for Trump in 2020 trying to overturn Biden's election. For now, the far-right forces that ousted Johnson's predecessor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, from the speaker's office, are allowing a grace period. They are frustrated by Johnson's reluctance to take dramatic action such as a government shutdown to win their priorities. But they are heartened that at least Johnson is forthcoming with them. But the hard-line Republicans are watching and waiting any single lawmaker can file a motion for a vote to oust the speaker especially as Johnson confronts the challenges ahead on government spending, U.S. border security and wars in Ukraine and Gaza. "It's a loss for the American people to join hands with Democrats to form a governing coalition," said Virginia Rep. Bob Good, the newly elected chairman of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, after last week's vote to keep government running. Good complained that passage of the short-term spending bill, which Biden signed into law before the Friday midnight deadline, was "a failure." Johnson will confront another shutdown threat March 1, when some of the temporary funding again runs out. More immediately, he and House Republicans are warily watching Senate negotiations over an immigration and border security package designed to reduce the record flow of migrants and expedite the deportations of some of those who already entered the United States illegally. Biden is considering the emerging border deal as part of his broader $110 billion national security package, which has grown urgent as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's forces need to replenish weaponry in their fight against Russia's invasion. Such a deal could be politically devastating for Johnson, whose Trump-aligned Republicans want an even harder line against the migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border and a more isolationist approach to U.S. foreign policy that rejects Ukraine aid. Biden hosted congressional leaders at the White House last week, surrounding the new speaker with prominent and influential voices, including the chairmen of the national security committees, to impress on Johnson the weight of the challenges ahead. It put the speaker in a central seat of U.S. power. Hovering over Johnson's speakership is Trump, the former president who elevated McCarthy to the speakership but then did not save him from removal. Trump is now the party's front-runner for the presidential nomination in 2024 to challenge Biden for the White House. Johnson and Trump talk often, but some of Trump's strongest allies in the House are those conservatives pushing the speaker rightward and denying him a governing majority. Trump signaled his skepticism of the emerging border deal but also his trust, for now, in the speaker's ability to drive the hardest bargain possible for Republicans. In many ways, Johnson finds himself living day to day, much the way McCarthy was, trying to hold on to his job and keep Congress functioning. "Speaker Johnson is in a 24-hour survival mode," said Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, a key Democratic negotiator on the border package. He needs to say whatever he needs to say in order to survive Wednesday to Thursday, and Thursday to Friday. COLUMBUS, Ohio A Christian church in Ohio filed a federal lawsuit this week after its pastor was charged with violating city ordinances when he opened up the sanctuary around the clock for homeless people and others to find shelter. Police this month filed 18 criminal charges against Dad's Place church Pastor Chris Avell over allegations the rented church building located next to a separate homeless shelter along Main Street in Bryan, a city of about 8,600 in northwestern Ohio was violating the zoning ordinance, lacked proper kitchen and laundry facilities, and had unsafe exits and inadequate ventilation. An attorney for Avell and the church, Jeremy Dys, said he thinks city leaders don't want the ministry in the middle of town, describing it as a not in my backyard issue and accusing officials of inventing problems. Nothing satisfies the city, Dys said Monday, hours after the lawsuit was filed. And worse they go on a smear campaign of innuendo and half-truths. During an initial meeting with the federal judge and lawyers for Bryan on Tuesday morning, both sides agreed to maintain the status quo, Dys said. As a result, he said, the church will remain open to those who seek its religious services until at least March 4, when the judge will consider its request for an injunction against the city. Avell, who pleaded not guilty in municipal court Jan. 11, said his church wants to welcome anyone, regardless of the time of day. I truly believe that everyone who walks through the door of Dad's Place walks out a better citizen, Avell said in an interview Tuesday, adding that closing down the around-the-clock ministry would lose what is actually a beacon of light downtown. The defendants are the city, Bryan Mayor Carrie Schlade and other Bryan officials. We absolutely deny any allegation that the city has treated any religious institution inappropriately, said Bryan city attorney Marc Fishel, noting that Schlade supported the church opening in the building four years ago. The city has been and continues to be interested in any business, any church, any entity complying with local and state law. The church's lawsuit said its leaders decided in March to remain open at all hours as a temporary, emergency shelter for people to go who have nowhere else to go and no one to care for them." Eight people stay there on a typical night, they say, and a few more when weather is bad. It was city police officers who would bring people by, Avell said. The local hospital would call and bring people by. Other homeless shelters would call and bring people by. The church's policy has been to let anyone stay overnight and doesn't ask them to leave unless there is a biblically valid reason for doing so or if someone at the property poses a danger to himself or others," according to the complaint. Held from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m., the church's Rest and Refresh in the Lord" ministry includes Johnny Cash's reading of the Bible piped in under dim lights, and anyone is allowed to come or go. Two volunteers stay there and keep an eye on things, Avell said: One is kind of a peacemaker and one is kind of a security guard. The city said in a news release that police calls to investigate inappropriate activity at the church began to increase in May, giving as examples criminal mischief, trespassing, theft and disturbing the peace. Bryan's planning and zoning administrator gave the church 10 days to stop housing people, saying it was in a zone that does not permit residential use on the first floor. After an inspection about two weeks later, charges against Avell for code violations were sought by the local police in early December. Since then, the lawsuit claims, the city has repeatedly attempted to harass and intimidate the church, while the church has tried to address the city's complaints by making changes that include installation of a new stove hood and a decision to shut down laundry facilities. The charges were unexpected, Avell said. It was humiliating. I didnt anticipate it in any way, he said. Dys said that the church is not permitting criminal activity to take place and that the police calls there have been made to sound more serious than they actually were, or to seem related to church activity when they were not. The city is creating problems in order to gin up opposition to this church existing in the town square, Dys said. The church wants a federal judge to protect what it says are violations of constitutional rights to free exercise of religion and protections against government hostility to religion. No history or tradition justifies the city's intrusion into the church's inner sanctum to dictate which rooms may be used for religious purposes, how the church may go about accomplishing its religious mission, or at what hours of the day religious activities are permitted, the lawsuit said. The church wants a federal judge to issue a restraining order or an injunction to keep the city and top officials from enforcing or applying the city's ordinances to burden the plaintiff's religious exercise. It also seeks damages and attorneys' fees. Today in history: Jan. 23 1932: Franklin D. Roosevelt 1962: Jackie Robinson 1962: Tony Bennett 1968: USS Pueblo 1973: Richard Nixon 1977: "Roots" 2002: John Walker Lindh 2018: LeBron James 2020: Coronavirus 2021: Hal Holbrook 2021: Larry King A search warrant revealed Davenport firefighters found a gruesome scene after responding to last week's report of a fire inside the home at 5210 N. Division St. A man and woman later identified as Brian L. Goodwin and Amy M. Smith were dead in a bedroom where it is believed the fire started. The man had been bound and had trauma to his face and head. Both appeared to have been shot. On the entry stairs leading up from the bedroom, firefighters found a bloody lighter and a hatchet. The bottom step was "soaked in blood." Goodwin and Smith were found after a neighbor reported a fire in the home at 3:57 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16. What firefighters and Davenport police investigators found was detailed in a search warrant issued after the arrest of Adriana Prieto on Thursday, Jan. 18. Who is Adriana Prieto? The 26-year-old Prieto was arrested just before midnight Thursday, Jan. 18, at the Kwik Star gas station on West 65th Street in Davenport. According to the arrest report, she was in the passenger seat of a white 2015 Ford Explorer and was riding with two other men. Prieto and one of the men were taken into custody. The Explorer's driver, who said he was simply driving Prieto and the man to another vehicle, had picked up Prieto and the man from a home in the 1000 block of College Avenue. Prieto listed her address as 5210 N. Division St. The search warrant said she lived at the address for "several months." A friend of Goodwin's said Prieto was evicted from her apartment in the fall of 2023, and Goodwin took her in. "Brian (Goodwin) was a really nice guy and wanted to help her out," the friend said. According to Prieto's arrest affidavit, she "did knowingly possess a loaded firearm while seated in the passenger compartment of a 2015 Ford Explorer." Prieto has a felony conviction for second-degree theft in Scott County and has multiple felony convictions in Iowa and Illinois. She is being held on a total of $2.02 million bond which includes a $1 million bond for the possession of a firearm charge and another $1 million bond for a probation violation. She also is wanted in Rock Island County for driving on a suspended license and operating an uninsured vehicle. A second person arrested Devon Braet, 34, was arrested at the same time as Prieto and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Like Prieto, his bond is set at $1 million. Braet's U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons identification card was found inside the house at 5210 N. Division St. The search warrant described Braet as being "in a romantic relationship with Adriana Prieto aka 'Audi'." After Prieto and Braet were arrested, police seized a number of items from the 2015 Ford Explorer, including: Amy Smith's purse with contents and identification .22 Ruger mini rifle .38 Special revolver heroin, methamphetamine a journal with "sticky notes of stolen items" digital camera Neither Prieto or Braet have been charged in the homicides as of Tuesday afternoon. Video surveillance Prieto and Braet were seen on security footage from the Casey's across from the home where Goodwin lived. According to the search warrant, Prieto and Braet can be seen "coming and going" from 5210 N. Division St. and the Casey's throughout the day on Monday, Jan. 15, and throughout the early morning hours of Tuesday, Jan. 16, before the report of the fire. There were at least seven surveillance cameras mounted to the exterior of the home at 5210 N. Division St. Detectives knew from a previous search warrant executed on the home that Goodwin had a DVR recording attached to the surveillance system. According to the search warrant for the Explorer, the DVR for the surveillance system "was not present at the residence, and appeared to have been removed prior to the structure fire." A 'suspicious party' call A member of Goodwin's family called the Davenport police at 11:46 p.m. Monday, Jan. 15, to report an incident outside the Casey's General Store at 1691 W. 53rd St., which is the corner across from Goodwin's home on North Division Street. This call for service was originally characterized in a police report as a response to a possible domestic disturbance, and the search warrant clarifies that the 11:46 p.m. call on Jan. 15 originated from a member of Goodwin's family who had not heard from him. Friends of Goodwin made it clear that by late in the evening of Monday, Jan. 15, there were concerns because "no one had heard from Brian (Goodwin)." The family member told police that since she was unable to contact Goodwin, she went to his home and then found his white Dodge Nitro parked at the Casey's across the street. She told police she saw the "driver was a male wearing a black ski mask and a black stocking cap with a Pittsburgh Steelers logo" and said the passenger was a man she knew. The family member said she tried to block the Nitro in the parking lot, but the men fled in the Nitro and traveled south on North Division Street. On Tuesday, Jan. 16, Davenport police detectives found Goodwin's Dodge Nitro parked near Arlington Avenue and Kirkwood Boulevard. The detectives set up surveillance on the Nitro and followed a man who drove it at 10 a.m. The vehicle was stopped and the man was taken into custody, the search warrant said, but there is no record of his arrest. Earlier warrants and allegations Goodwin was the focus of two search warrants in the months before his death. In September of 2023, police sought a search warrant for Goodwin and the Division Street address, according to court records. Authorities allege officers recovered 58.4 grams of suspected crystal methamphetamine, 2 grams of suspected heroin and two digital scales. The warrant stated the utilities for the apartment were in Goodwins name. The September 2023 warrant may have been in response to a Crime Stoppers tip to the Davenport police that a man named "Brian Williams" received "11 pounds of methamphetamine" from California. The warrant from the Prieto arrest indicated "Brian Williams" was Goodwin. That tipster said meth was "hidden around the house and outside." The police sought an earlier search warrant in August of 2023, using it to search a room at Bettendorfs Isle Casino Hotel, court records state. Authorities alleged the room was registered to Goodwin and officers recovered raw marijuana with a total package weight of more than 46 grams. Police also found cocaine with just under a gram of total package weight, a metal container with methamphetamine residue inside and a glass bowl also containing meth residue, according to court records. At the time of the search, there was no one in the room. Victims remembered At one time, Goodwin was an employee of Scott County and friends said he was married and raised three sons. They described him as kind and generous. The friends did not want to be identified for fear of retribution. "He did have addiction issues, but he always got help and always tried to do the right thing for his family and friends," said a friend who knew Goodwin for three decades. "He was doing OK and then he just disappeared. It seemed like his life just went out of control." Friends said that news of the search warrant, and that Goodwin had not been arrested after the searches, spread fear through those who knew him. "Those search warrants will lead some people to make assumptions about Brian (Goodwin) and that will put people in danger," one of Goodwin's friends said. "I think it is irresponsible that those search warrants were included in a story about his death. "He wasn't arrested for anything. You're basically smearing a guy. Brian (Goodwin) was a really good person. He doesn't deserve any of this." Smith was never named in either of the search warrants. Goodwin's friends who spoke with The Quad-City Times said they did not know her. "I have no idea who she is or what her relationship with Brian (Goodwin) was," one of Goodwin's friends said. Smith did have a criminal record. In 2018 she received a suspended sentence in Clinton County District Court for forgery and possession of a firearm by a felon. She was arrested in 2021 and charged with first-degree theft after found being in possession of a stolen truck and camper. She pleaded guilty to a pair of first-degree theft charges. Danielle Andersen is Smith's sister. She declined to offer much detail about Smith's life, but did issue a statement Friday, Jan. 19. "Our family is devastated by this tragedy, and we are grappling with the deep loss of a cherished family member," Andersen said. She went on to say Smith "was a loving daughter, sister, mom and friend whose vibrant spirit touched the lives of all who knew her. Her kindness, free spirit and defiant nature will be deeply missed. We are grateful for the outpouring of support from friends and the community during this incredibly difficult time." Andersen and other members of Smith's family requested privacy as they mourn her and process the circumstances of her death. "We trust that the authorities are diligently working to bring those responsible to justice," the statement said. A former state corrections officer has been awarded jobless benefits after being arrested for an alleged drunken incident involving his 6-week-old child and a firearm. According to Iowa Workforce Development records, Caleb Carl, 31, of Burlington worked for the Eighth Judicial District Department of Corrections as a residential corrections officer for less than a year, helping incarcerated offenders transition into the community, before he was fired in late October. Police records show that in the early morning hours of Oct. 8, 2023, when Carl was at home and off duty, his wife called the Burlington police and reported that Carl had been drinking and was not acting normally. The police arrived and, according to their reports, Carl was in an upstairs bedroom, holding his 6-week old son in his arms while reclining on the bed and showing signs of intoxication. He asked officers to remove his wife from the residence and after they refused, Carl allegedly became agitated and demanded the officers leave. The officers complied but were sent back to the home within minutes to assist with an escalating situation. The officers spoke with Carl again but left after he again demanded that they leave, according to the police reports. Within minutes, officers were dispatched a third time to the residence and were advised that Carl had a firearm and was making suicidal statements and holding the gun to his chest while in possession of the child. According to the police reports, officers stood outside the building and asked Carl to come downstairs, to which he allegedly replied, I have a gun. Carl eventually came to the stairway without a gun and was detained by officers through an involuntary hold due to mental illness. The officers reported they found a gun just inside the doorway of the bedroom. According to IWD records, the Department of Corrections placed Carl on leave two days after the incident, and Burlington police criminally charged Carl with child endangerment. He has pleaded not guilty and a trial is scheduled for March 6. On Oct. 30, the Department of Corrections fired Carl for allegedly failing to conduct himself in a professional manner that maintained respect for the department, for actions that may adversely affect the public confidence in the states criminal justice system, and for failing to obey all laws and departmental policies. After the department appealed the states decision to award Carl unemployment benefits, a hearing was held and Administrative Law Judge Carly Smith ruled Carl was fired for reasons that do not disqualify him from benefits noting that disqualifying misconduct consists of substantial and willful wrongdoing or repeated carelessness or negligence. Smith found that Carl had a a serious mental impairment and lacked the mental capacity to deliberately disregard the employers interests. She also found that the Department of Corrections failed to prove intentional wrongdoing or show any connection between Carls conduct and his employment. She noted that while Carl admitted he was intoxicated, he was at home and off duty on the night in question. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. When it came to this years Oscar nominations, which were announced live on Tuesday morning, there were all the usual snubs that ignited X/Twitter, as well as a few unforeseen curveballs. But theres one nomination that caused a bit more surprise than usual: America Ferreras Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role as Gloria, a mother in existential crisis, in the blockbuster film of the year, Barbie. It wasnt just my work Slack or my movie-themed group chats that expressed faint shock at the decisioneven the awards-odds tracker Gold Derby slotted in Ferrera as the ninth choice for a category of five nominees. Indeed, if precursory nominations along the awards circuit are any indication of Oscars chances, Ferrera only had one: a Critics Choice nomination. But now, here we are, living in a world where America Ferrera is, in theory, one step closer to winning an Academy Award. Why is it that few in the industry expected Ferrera to walk away with a nomination for her large part in the biggest movie of 2023? Well, for one, because the academy isnt usually known to recognize comedic actors. Ferrera, while having worked in Hollywood for decades at this point, is best known for her starring roles in the beloved sitcoms Ugly Betty and Superstore. She shines in the campy, popular types of farce that often go overlooked by the various awards bodies, though she did win an Emmy in 2007 for her work in Ugly Betty. She has plenty of other credits to her nameincluding lead roles in Real Women Have Curves, Gotta Kick It Up, and Sisterhood of the Traveling Pantsbut her history as not just a capable comedic performer, but as a key figure in Hollywoods scant representation of nonwhite, nonthin bodies on screen has unfortunately led to her being typecast, something that she only started breaking out of in more recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferrera was good in Barbie, but many onlookers might agree that she wasnt quite Oscars good. The shining performances in the film belong to Ryan Gosling, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, and Margot Robbie, who was, shockingly, not among the Best Actress nominees. However, Ferrera did the best with what she was givenand what she was given was the exact kind of material that the academy eats up every year. Im talking about her now-famous two-minute monologue about how it is literally impossible to be a woman. Even if you havent seen Barbie, you have probably heard the audio clip circulating on TikTok, or seen the lines quoted in countless Instagram captions, or maybe even witnessed someone reciting the monologue in person. The speech, about the double standards of living as a woman in todays patriarchal society, is supposed to be the watershed moment of Greta Gerwigs Barbie, a fusion of popular IP and pink-hued feminism to appeal to a mass audience. But by now, after Barbie-mania has died down, more and more viewers have pointed to how the monologue isnt particularly well written or insightful. It isnt even the best Gerwig monologue about the double standards of living as a woman in a patriarchal society. (Justice for Little Women!) Advertisement Related From Slate The Oscar Nominations Made It Pretty Clear Whats Going to Win Best Picture Read More But Glorias monologueand, by extension, Ferreras standout moment in Barbieis just empowering and Feminism 101 enough, even if lacking in sharper rhetoric and political coherence, to appeal to the fellow actors who wouldve decided on the nominations. Its silly, but we already know that the academy is often swayed by the films that grapple with the hot-button topics of our time, only in the least offensive ways. This is how movies like Green Book win Best Picture, leaving viewers at home scratching their heads. Advertisement Not for nothing, though, Ferrera tried to make it momentous. And even if it didnt completely work, Im absolutely delighted for her. Sure, it would have been nice to see any of the better (in my opinion) 2023 performances, like Julianne Moore in May December, nab a nomination.* But this celebration of a middling performance is actually one of the most refreshing choices the academy has made in a while. I consider it more of a career award, one Ferrera certainly deserves. No matter your feelings about Ferreraand, I guess, no matter your feelings about the lackluster character of Gloria in BarbieFerrera deserves recognition for her 20-plus years of portraying strong, nuanced, funny female characters from big screen to small. America, I salute you! You have six hours to prevent a civil war. With that ominous prompt, Jesse Moss and Tony Gerbers documentary War Game gets underway. The movie, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on Monday, shadows a training exercise in which veterans of the armed forces, intelligence services, and state and federal government play out the possibility of an organized attempt to disrupt the certification of the 2024 presidential election. Conducted on the second anniversary of the Jan. 6 riots, in a mock-up of the White House situation room, the simulation confronts the sobering possibility that even after that object lesson in the fragile nature of our democracy, the nation may not be fully prepared for what comes next. As Alexander Vindman, the former National Security Council official and Trump whistleblower, who helped design the exercise, explains, the defenders of democracy have learned the lessons of 2021but so have the democracy offenders, the people hellbent on overturning the lawful government of the U.S. The 2025 insurrection is instigated by a paramilitary group called the Order of Columbus, a loose amalgamation of the Oath Keepers and QAnon. Its led by a fictional war hero based on Michael Flynn and conceived by Kristofer Goldsmith, an Iraq war veteran who now runs a nonprofit that keeps tabs on the extreme right. He shakes his head as he describes how many people still underestimate the imminent danger of American fascisma movement that he could, under different circumstances, see himself joiningand he adopts a similar tone during the simulation as he moves his pieces around the board. The main new element in this hypothetical is that the Order of Columbus has factions within the U.S. military itself that are activated as it becomes clear that the incumbent president, played by former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, will be certified the victor over his right-wing opponent. Members of the D.C. National Guard turn their weapons on their comrades, and other members of the military follow suit across the states, leaving in question what exactly the commander in chief is in command of. The president and his allies are particularly slow to reckon with the infinite megaphone of social media, which the insurgents use as a means to rally their troops until, more than halfway through, someone in the situation room thinks to place a call to Mark Zuckerberg. (When the Transition Integrity Project, in summer 2020, gamed out possible disruptions to that years upcoming election, the establishment made a similar error, and corrected for it in later rounds.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats most fascinating in War Game is the ongoing tension between the interventionist forces urging the president to take swift and decisive action and those counseling him to act more delicately, weakening the threat without risking an overt show of force that could add more fuel to the fire. The Order of Columbus isnt trying just to overturn the election, but to create martyrs for the cause, proof that the incumbent is the tyrant it claims. Goldsmith points out that while the Jan. 6 attacks didnt succeed in ousting Biden, they did achieve the critical goal of undermining faith in the electoral process, with a majority of Republicans either believing or suspecting that the election was illegitimate. Advertisement Related From Slate A24s Latest Horror Sensation Is a Treasure Trove for Buffy Fans Read More As the presidents senior adviser, former North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp pushes the idea that the greatest danger is for the government to underreact to the threat: This is, after all, how military coups are made. In the control room, you can see Janessa Goldbeck, whose nonpartisan organization Vet Voice is responsible for staging the simulation, almost fighting the urge to egg Heitkamp on as the casualties mount, because she knows just how bad both this fictional situation and its real-world equivalent can get. Advertisement Bullock, however, remains a figure of almost Sorkinesque stoicism. (There are shots that suggest he could have been Martin Sheens stand-in on The West Wing.) The crisis spreads to the states, and as official communications become confused, its difficult to tell whether statehouses have already fallen to the insurgency. The simulations six-hour time frame, further compressed by Moss and Gerber into a 94-minute movie, underlines the terrifying sense of just how quickly the contagion can spread, and from how many directions at once. Its like a tower defense game with the worlds highest stakes, trying to calculate not just where the threat is but where it will grow and at what speed. As the situation worsens, Bullock is urged to invoke the Insurrection Act, which allows the president to nationalize state forces and override the prohibition against using the military to enforce the law. (The act has certainly been invoked for less, including by George H.W. Bush during the Rodney King riots.) But he hesitates over the ramifications for both the short and long term. What better way to prove himself the despot the Order of Columbus calls him than by turning the countrys military against its own citizens? And in the event that his opponent, or someone like him, becomes president, whats to stop them from citing Bullocks example to invoke the Insurrection Act for their own fascistic purposes? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks before Sundance, Moss and Gerber hosted a screening of War Game in New York, followed by a discussion with several of its participants: Bullock, Heitkamp, and retired Gens. Wesley Clark and Linda Singh, who play the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the chief of the National Guard Bureau, respectively. (The Sundance screening was accompanied by a virtually identical panel.) Clark forcefully pushed back against the idea that members of the U.S. military could be involved in any attempt to disrupt the lawful workings of government, citing the camaraderie his disparate unit showed under fire in Vietnam. But there is ample evidence of extremist elements in the military, which, Heitkamp pointed out, does not even screen recruits social media profiles for their political views. I think the biggest threat is denial, she said. We have a problem that were not acknowledging. Advertisement At times, War Game, which went into Sundance without theatrical distribution, feels like watching a slightly less absurdist version of Dr. Strangelove. The ending might be a tad happier, but the danger feels much more present. The alarms are flashing red, Goldbeck warns in the film. Although the simulation is rigorously realistic, its still hard even for some of the participants to act as if a full-blown civil war is within the realm of the possible, the way that cars drive straight into a jackknifed semi because the drivers brains reject the evidence of their own eyeswhat theyre seeing couldnt have happened, and so their minds decide it didnt, right until they plow into the wreck. For all the threats we face, Gerber said at the screening, the real enemy is a failure of imagination. War Game forces us to imagine what we wish was impossible, so that we can keep it that way. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's recent hostile rhetoric toward Seoul will not affect South Korea's decadeslong blueprint for unification, an official said Tuesday. Kim has been lambasting South Korea with sharp-worded rhetoric, defining inter-Korean relations as "two states hostile to each other" and calling for codifying the commitment to "completely occupying" the South Korean territory in the event of war. The barrage of hostile remarks led to South Korean media reports that the government is considering removing concepts like "Korean Commonwealth" from the decadeslong blueprint that has served as a basis for South Korea's unification policy over the past 30 years. The unification plan laid out in 1994 "is something that cannot be modified solely by the government's decision," the official of the unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said. Still, the official said the government is considering various ways to improve the blueprint amid changes in inter-Korean relations, adding details have yet to be confirmed. In January last year, the ministry said it plans to update the government plan on unification and also draw up a new mid-and long-term blueprint on inter-Korean unification, tentatively named the "New Future Initiative on Unification." The vision is aimed at paving the groundwork for a peaceful unification based on freedom and the democratic values espoused by the administration of Yoon Suk Yeol. South and North Korea remain technically at war as the 1950-53 Korean War ended with a truce, not a peace treaty. (Yonhap) This piece was originally published on Just Security, an online forum for analysis of U.S. national security law and policy. No one is praising Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis apparent romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, an attorney in private practice who she brought on board as a special prosecutor in the criminal investigation and now prosecution of Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants. We have not yet heard that much of Willis side of the story. However, based on what is known so far, it represents poor judgmentespecially in a case of this magnitude, even if a prosecutors private life is generally none of the publics business. Willis has already said publicly that she is flawed and imperfect in her public remarks at Big Bethel AME Church following the allegations. But whether there were personal failings is not the operative legal test for whether Willis or Wade should be disqualified from the case, and accordingly that question is not the focus of this essay. Prosecutors are human, and they can and do make mistakes. The question here is whether Willis and Wades apparent mistakes have any bearing on the election conspiracy prosecution in a way in which the law would require their removal from the case. The motion filed by defendant Michael Roman seeks primarily to do just thatto disqualify Willis and Wade from further participation in this case. Under Georgia law, however, even if all the factual allegations regarding Willis and Wade were true, there would be no basis for disqualifying them from prosecuting Roman or any of the other defendants in the election conspiracy case. The key point is that regardless of whether the factual circumstances involving Willis and Wade give rise to separate ethical concerns with respect to his hiring, such questions do not affect the propriety of the prosecution against Roman and his co-defendants. Questions about gifts and related matters go to Willis and Wades obligations to the Fulton County District Attorneys Office, and have no connection to assuring the defendants a fair trial. These allegations are as irrelevant to the trial as allegations in other situations that prosecutors took office supplies for personal use, drove county vehicles for personal errands, or plagiarized portions of their student law review notes. All of those are legitimate issuesfor prosecutors offices and those with oversight responsibilities to addressbut such allegations do not bring criminal prosecutions to a stop or require that cases be transferred to a different office. Defense attorneys cannot use allegations of prosecutorial ethics violations, real or imaginary, that have nothing to do with a trial to delay or force prosecutors off of a case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a matter of both common sense and Georgia law, a prosecutor is disqualified from a case due to a conflict of interest only when the prosecutors conflicting loyalties could prejudice the defendant leading, for example, to an improper conviction. None of the factual allegations made in the Roman motion have a basis in law for the idea that such prejudice could exist hereas it might where a law enforcement agent is involved with a witness, or a defense lawyer with a judge. We might question Willis judgment in hiring Wade and the pairs other alleged conduct, but under Georgia law that relationship and their alleged behavior do not impact her or his ability to continue on the case. Advertisement Related From Slate Judge Aileen Cannon Is Quietly Sabotaging the Trump Classified Documents Case Read More Although the Georgia law on disqualifying a prosecutor would permit Wade to remain on the case as well, in our view he should voluntarily step down. His continued presence will create a distraction, and his departure, in addition to an on-the-record hearing in court, is the best path to dispense with any lingering concerns. Doing so will avoid any debate about even an appearance of impropriety going forward. Willis is an elected official and has an ongoing obligation to serve her constituents. Stepping down is the honorable thing for Wade to do and at the same time respect the interests of the electorate. Advertisement In this essay we provide a detailed analysis of the relevant legal questions. First, we review the law of prosecutorial disqualification in Georgia. Second, we explain why the Roman motions factual allegations, even if true, do not give rise to a conflict of interest that warrants disqualification of the prosecutors in Romans case. Advertisement Georgia law recognizes prosecutorial disqualification in exceptionally narrow circumstances, ones that are not alleged by the Roman motion. The Roman motion argues that three primary alleged factual circumstances amount to a conflict of interest warranting disqualification and, even more extremely, dismissal of the indictment against him: The alleged romantic relationship between Willis and Wade; The financial compensation Wade received as a special prosecutor; and Advertisement The alleged personal travel Willis and Wade took together, allegedly paid for by Wade. As explained below, these circumstances neither individually nor collectively give rise to a conflict of interest in a prosecution. Under Georgia law, there are two generally recognized grounds for disqualification of a prosecuting attorney. The first such ground is based on a conflict of interest, and the second ground has been described as forensic misconduct. There is no allegation of forensic misconduct in this prosecution. A conflict of interest may arise when the prosecutor has acquired a personal interest or stake in the defendants conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia appellate courts have recognized several discrete categories of conflicts of interest for the purposes of prosecutorial disqualification. First and most commonly, a conflict of interest has been held to arise where the prosecutor previously has represented the defendant with respect to the offense charged. Second, a prosecutor may be disqualified if he is a fact witness in the case against the defendant. Third, a conflict of interest may arise due to the prosecutors relationship with a victim. Fourth, a conflict of interest leading to disqualification exists when a special prosecutor is compensated by a contingency fee that is paid only if a conviction is secured, because that fee arrangement creates at least the appearance of a conflict of interest between his public duty to seek justice and his private right to obtain compensation for his services. Advertisement The issue of disqualification arose in an earlier phase of the Georgia election conspiracy case. Applying these legal principles from the existing case law, the court swiftly denied motions to disqualify Willis filed by numerous defendants. In the only order granting such a motion, Judge Robert C. I. McBurney held that Willis was disqualified from the prosecution of Lt. Gov. Burt Jones due to narrow circumstances involving the political relationship between Willis and Jones. At the time of his motion, Jones was the target of a special-purpose grand jury investigation into the facts of this case. Jones, then a state senator, was also the Republican nominee in the 2022 general election for lieutenant governor. Willis had publicly endorsed and held a high-profile fundraiser for Jones opponent in the election, Democratic candidate Charlie Bailey. Judge McBurney determined that Willis support for Bailey gave rise to a conflict of interest warranting disqualification because, as he explained, any effort to treat [Jones] differently [from other subjects of the investigation]even if justifiedwill prompt entirely reasonable concerns of politically motivated prosecution: is Senator Jones being singled out because of a desire to further assist the Bailey campaign? Judge McBurney elaborated that a criminal prosecution cannot be burdened by legitimate doubts about the District Attorneys motives. Accordingly, because any public criminal investigation into Senator Jones plainly benefits candidate Baileys campaign, of which the District Attorney is an open, avid, and official supporter, Judge McBurney held that Willis suffered from a conflict of interest that warranted disqualification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unifying principle in the Georgia disqualification cases, including in Judge McBurneys prior opinion in this case, is that a conflict of interest warranting prosecutorial disqualification is present when, and only when, the factual circumstances indicate the prosecutor may seek a conviction or otherwise treat a defendant through improper means or with an improper purpose. The Supreme Court has explained that the responsibility of a public prosecutor differs from that of the usual advocate; his duty is to seek justice, not merely to convict. As the American Bar Association elaborates, a prosecutor has the responsibility of a minister of justice and not simply that of an advocate. This responsibility carries with it specific obligations to see that the defendant is accorded procedural justice, that guilt is decided upon the basis of sufficient evidence, and that special precautions are taken to prevent and to rectify the conviction of innocent persons. Advertisement The first two categories of Georgia cases recognize the risk of an unfair advantage for the prosecution in seeking a conviction. A prosecutor who formerly represented the defendant for the offense charged may leverage his knowledge of privileged and confidential information about the defendant that he learned through his prior representation. A prosecutor who is a fact witness in the case may color his testimony to favor the prosecution. The second two categories of Georgia cases recognize the risk that the prosecutor may seek conviction even when doing so is not in the public interest. A prosecutor who has a prior personal relationship with the victim may seek vengeance rather than justice. And a prosecutor who receives a fee only upon conviction may seek personal profit rather than the public good. In all cases, the central issue is whether the alleged conflict compromises the prosecutors efforts to seek a fair and just prosecution and conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia courts have resoundingly rejected romantic relationships between attorneys as a basis for prosecutorial disqualification. The Georgia Supreme Court has explained that even married attorneys on opposing sides of litigation do not suffer from a conflict of interest. Georgia courts have explained that while we cannot disagree with the proposition that the marital relationship may be the most intimate relationship of a persons life, it does not follow that professional people allow this intimacy to interfere with professional obligations. The opportunity for conflict and potential impropriety between spouses on opposing sides of litigation are greater than those on the same side of a case, working toward the same outcome. Accordingly, there is no plausible argument that nonmarried attorneys in a romantic relationship who serve together as prosecutors in a case create a conflict of interest for the defendant. Advertisement Wades hourly compensation as a special prosecutor does not give rise to a conflict of interest because that fee arrangement does not create a financial incentive for Wade to seek conviction rather than justice. Georgia law expressly contemplates that district attorneys may appoint lawyers in private practice as special prosecutors who may be compensated for their work. Special prosecutors may be paid according to whatever private arrangements regarding compensation are mutually agreeable to the district attorney and the appointee. The prevailing practice in Georgia is for special prosecutors to be compensated at an hourly rate. All three special prosecutors in Romans prosecution were paid by the hour, and it appears undisputed that at least one of the other two was paid the same $250 rate as Wade. Compensating special prosecutors by the hour is not limited to the Fulton County District Attorneys Office. For example, the Office of the Attorney General of Georgia engaged hundreds of special assistant attorneys general in fiscal year 2023. Those records reflect that in 2022, 18 special assistant AGs were paid precisely the same $250 an hour as Wade, and some special assistant AGs made well more than $1,000 an hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The financial compensation paid to Wade is consistent with well-established practice in Georgia and does not give rise to a conflict of interest warranting prosecutorial disqualification. Neither Wade nor the hundreds of other special prosecutors in Georgia who are paid by the hour have an improper financial incentive to seek a conviction to the disadvantage of a defendant. Publicly available documents indicate that Wades compensation was not contingent on the outcome of the prosecution against Roman or anyone else. By contrast, the only two cases in Georgia that found that a special prosecutors financial compensation created a conflict of interest involved contingency fees which were expressly tied to the outcome of the case. In both Amusement Sales, Inc. v. State and Greater Georgia Amusements, LLC v. State, the district attorney appointed several special assistant district attorneys to prosecute actions seeking in rem forfeiture of assets that were used or intended for use in the course of, derived from, or realized through the foregoing pattern of racketeering activity. In contrast to Wades compensation, the SADAs were in private practice and entered into a contingency fee arrangement with the State to prosecute and recover a percentage of any forfeited proceeds. The Georgia Court of Appeals rejected that financial arrangement, explaining that disqualification was warranted in light of the SADAs having a personal financial stake in the outcome. That contrasts sharply with an hourly fee like Wades, which does not depend on the outcome of the prosecution. Accordingly, because Wades hourly compensation does not create an improper motive to seek conviction, it does not give rise to a conflict of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nor is there a plausible argument for disqualification based on Wades purported financial incentive to initially bring or continue the prosecution of Roman and his co-defendants regardless of its ultimate outcome. Every special prosecutor paid by the hour would have a similar financial incentive, and as noted above, both Georgia case law and well-established practice approve of such appointments and financial arrangements. Moreover, the factual record refutes the suggestion that the prosecution is financially motivated. Independent analyses released prior to the issuance of the indictment determined that the charges that Willis ultimately brought were well founded in law and fact. The evidence against Roman in particular appears more than sufficient to justify prosecution. Moreover, the prosecutions legal and factual merits have been supported by the multiple defendants who have pleaded guilty to felonies. Advertisement Advertisement In a related point, Romans motion to disqualify also complains that Wade has never tried a felony RICO case. That argument ignores the fact that Willis has separately retained as special counsel one of Georgias and indeed the nations preeminent experts on RICO, John Floyd. He brings the requisite experience to the team, as does the district attorney herself. An effective team leader need not have experience in all dimensions of the case. Indeed, this case is so unusual that no one lawyer has all of the requisite experience required and assembling a team is necessary. Willis has said she brought in Wade, who is by all accounts a well-respected lawyer, to manage the team as someone who would be strong in the face of criticisms and who could wipe off their wounds and we can get back to work. Finally, Wades effectiveness has been amply shown by the successes the team has secured under his leadership over the pendency of the investigation and prosecution. Whatever one may think of the other arguments made by Roman, this one need not detain us long. Advertisement Advertisement The allegations regarding personal travel together that Wade allegedly paid for also do not give rise to a conflict of interest warranting disqualification. Although no case in Georgia addresses allegations of a similar factual circumstance, the principles that the Georgia courts have adopted strongly indicate the absence of a conflict of interest warranting disqualification in the prosecution of Roman and his co-defendants. As explained above, Wades hourly compensation as a special prosecutor does not give rise to a conflict of interest that warrants disqualification because it does not create a financial incentive to seek a conviction rather than prosecute the case fairly. The Roman motion alleges that Wade paid for personal travel for Willis and himself, possibly using funds that he derived from his hourly compensation as a special prosecutor. Even if that allegation is trueand even if the sole source of Wades funds was his hourly compensation as a special prosecutorthat financial arrangement between Willis and Wade similarly does not create a financial incentive for Willis to seek a conviction rather to prosecute the case fairly. In particular, Wade will be compensated the exact same amount of money over the course of the prosecution regardless of whether any defendant is convicted or not. As a result, Wade will have the exact same amount of money as a result of his service as a special prosecutor to pay for personal travel with Willis regardless of whether any defendant is convicted or not. Accordingly, even if Wade pays for personal travel with Willis, she has not acquired a personal interest or stake in the defendants conviction and therefore disqualification is not warranted. If it were otherwise, Georgia law would look into the expenses of marital couples who work together on prosecutorial teams, but as discussed above that is a nonstarter when it comes to a legal basis for claiming a true conflict of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the reasons above, a conflict of interest requiring disqualification from the cases does not exist as to either Willis or Wade under Georgia law. We expect Judge Scott McAfee will deny the Roman motion in its entirety after the evidentiary hearing. As a practical matter, Wades voluntary resignation would help resolve the controversy, enabling the Fulton County District Attorneys Office to continue to serve the people of Fulton County in a manner that comports with the public interest. Conversely, an unfounded disqualification of Willis would unjustifiably threaten to delay the case unnecessarily. That is because when the district attorney herself is disqualified, the matter is transferred to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of the State of Georgia for reassignment. That was what happened with the disqualification in July 2022 with respect to Burt Jones. Today, 18 months later, we have yet to see a prosecutor assigned to the Jones case, much less a decision on whether to indict Jones. Whereas if Willis were otherwise sanctioned by ethics or county government authorities as a result of any separate inquiries (e.g., into her hiring decision involving Wade), it would not have this effect. The case would remain in the Fulton County District Attorneys Office. A likely delay in the prosecution of Trump and his co-conspirators occasioned by moving the case is inconsistent with the public interest. There is a paramount need to resolve the question as soon as possible of whether Trump previously criminally abused the office he is seeking to recover. Accordingly, the stakes could not be higher for accurately applying the law of disqualification. More From Just Security: Signals of Support for Gender Justice in the Draft Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity The Democratic Price of Countering Authoritarianism Something stinks in the Supreme Courtand its not just because the pair of cases its considering are ostensibly about fish! Its more that the court has once again cooked up a fake case that would allow it to tear down major precedent. This time, it would deliver Republican megadonors and activists a giant gift by hobbling federal agencies that interpret and enforce the law. Dahlia Lithwick and Mark Joseph Stern break down what exactly is going on here, and why its so fishy (even if it isnt really about fish). Plus, in case you missed it last month: Lithwick and Stern discussed the courts propensity for hearing cases built on shameless lies. And theres finally an ethics inquiry into Clarence Thomas. Dennis Aftergut and Austin Sarat consider whether it will actually go anywhere. Whiffing it Abortion is the most important issue for Democrats in the 2024 electionso why isnt Biden campaigning harder on it? Jill Filipovic argues that the president needs to be putting more of a point on how abortion rights are inextricably tied to the threat Trump poses to democracy. A plan to end the war The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have come up with a real plan for ending the war in Gazaand it could actually work, if Israel and Hamas agree to it. Fred Kaplan examines why Netanyahu is resistant, and the role Biden might still be able to play in getting him to accept the proposal. Why, Fani, why? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutor in Trumps Georgia conspiracy trial, Fani Willis, has been hit with allegations that she hired her romantic partner as one of her prosecutorsand those allegations will have their day in court, at a hearing scheduled for next month. Shirin Ali breaks down what we know about the whole thing so far, and catches us up on all the other latest news in Trumps numerous trials. Plus: Norman L. Eisen, Richard W. Painter, and Joyce White Vance argue that this shouldnt disqualify Willis from prosecuting Trump. The Michigan GOP is getting real weird Theres a factional war going on with Michigans state Republican partybetween two separate groups of conspiracy theorists. Ben Mathis-Lilley breaks down all the ins and outs of the conflict, including a fistfight (or maybe more like a face-smooshing fight?), a surreal dispute with a bank, and cameos from Jim Caviezel and an internet personality named Mr. Sausage? Its a wild ride, folks. On second thought Advertisement Advertisement Welcome to Advice Week! Were going back in time and revisiting questions from the archives and digging into how much has changed since Slate began giving advice in 1997and how much hasnt. Slates advice editor, Paola de Varona, kicks things off with an essay looking back on the history of advice columns at Slate. The dilemmas in todays time capsule include: Help! My Partners Politics Are Reprehensible. Ive Noticed a Very Strange Change in Young People Nowadays Advertisement Help! I Figured Out a Workaround for the Housing Crisis. My Boomer In-Laws Do Not Approve. You can read all the stories here. Why is it so hard to buy a home? Like so many Americans, Joel Anderson is caught between renting in a city he loves or buying a home somewhere much different. He takes a close look at the factors that make that choice so difficult. The many contradictions of Paul Giamatti Paul Giamatti is a Yale man and an Everyman, a star for playing schlubs and the best actor whos never been nominated for Best Actor. Dan Kois takes a thoughtful look at the career of the widely belovedand widely misunderstoodactor. Today, Slate is A QUINTESSENTIALLY AMERICAN VESSEL much like those Stanley cups everyone is obsessed with. Meg Duff considers whether you actually need one. Thanks so much for reading! Well see you back here tomorrow. Tim Scott, a contender to be Donald Trumps running mate, had a big weekend. On Friday, the South Carolina senator, who ended his own presidential campaign in November, endorsed Trump. He appeared with Trump onstage in New Hampshire, in a clear blow to Nikki Haley, who appointed Scott to his Senate seat in 2012. But the biggest news (one hopes) for the senator came from a chilly visit to the beach the next evening. The 58-year-old Scott, perpetual bachelor and former proud adult virgin, is now engaged. According to the Washington Post, which first reported the news Sunday night, Scott proposed to Mindy Noce, an interior designer he met at church and had been dating for about a year, on the beach in Kiawah Island in South Carolina. He had chosen a conventional setting after first contemplating popping the question after a game of pickleball. But he wasnt done being romantic. On Sunday Night in America, the Fox News program hosted by Trey Gowdy, a former South Carolina congressman, Scott made about as big a romantic gesture as you can on a Fox News showby announcing that he had said no to an invitation from Donald Trump to make the ask. Related From Slate Why Tim Scott Made His Virginity Key to His Political Persona Read More The segment began with a discussion of how great Trump is, but then Gowdy wrapped up Scotts appearance with the announcement that the world most eligible bachelor is no longer a bachelor, and hearts [are] breaking all over the world. Advertisement Scott responded with a chuckle. As a matter of fact, when the former president called and said, I really want you to endorse me, and Id love for you to be somewhere on Saturday, I said, Off the tableIve got something more important to do on Saturday, he said. Its the second most important decision youll make in a lifetime. Making Jesus Christ the Lord of my life was No. 1. And the woman Im going to marry, No. 2. And so, going to the beach and getting on my knee and asking Mindy to marry me was so much more important than anything else, and I wanted to make sure that that sacred day would not be disturbed by anything political. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even assuming hes telling the truth about spurning Trump, this news may still be good for Scotts political prospects. Voters can be uncharitable toward bachelor candidates when it comes to major, national-level contests. Faithful evangelicals, the demographic Scott aims to represent, claim to want family-values candidates. (Trumps popularity with them, of course, undermines that claim. The former president is twice divorced, has admitted to adultery, has been found liable for sexual assault and lying about it, and has been accused of sexual abuse by more than two dozen women.) If Scott is a potential VP pick, the timing of his engagement could be more politically meaningful than a campaign trail appearance. But lets not be cynical here. Scott has, for a while now, made it clear that he is eager to find a good Christian wife. (In his announcement on social media, Scott cited Proverbs: He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord.) In 2018 he told Politico, In the right time, I will meet Mrs. Right, and shell want to have a couple kids, or she aint Mrs. Right. He brought Noce onto the stage after the Miami presidential primary debate in November, months after telling the Post that he would not bring his girlfriend on the campaign trail without the intention of marrying her. He said, at the time, I hope that happens, to be honest with you. In his interview with the Post on Sunday, the senator acknowledged that hed been very patient and prayerful and described himself as really excited and somewhat nervous. The two plan on marrying this year, the Post reported. In the shorter term, though, Scott made up for his Saturday absence on the campaign trail by attending Trumps rally in New Hampshire Monday night and will campaign with him throughout the primary election day on Tuesday. For the couples sake, lets hope Scott schedules his next romantic milestone on a less politically significant week. On Monday, the Supreme Court affirmed the federal governments supremacy over the states, a principle established explicitly in the Constitution, enshrined by centuries of precedent, and etched into history by the Civil War. The vote was 54. Four dissenting justices would have allowed the state of Texas to nullify laws enacted by Congress, pursuant to its express constitutional authority over immigration, that direct federal law enforcement to intercept migrants crossing the border. These justices would have allowed Texas to edge ever closer to a violent clash between state and federal forces, deploying armed guardsmen and razor wire to block the president from faithfully executing the law. It was no surprise that three of these dissentersJustices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Neil Gorsuchsided with Texas, given their overt hostility to the Biden administrations immigration policies, which verges on rejecting the presidents legitimate right to govern. It was, however, deeply alarming to see who joined them: Brett Kavanaugh, the justice who expends tremendous energy assuring the nation that he is reasonable, moderate, and inclined toward compromise. Kavanaughs vote on Monday was none of those things; it was, rather, an endorsement of a states rebellion against federal supremacy. Really, though, should we be shocked that Kavanaugh sided with the Texas rebels over the U.S. president? Maybe not. After spending his first few years on the bench role-playing as a sometimes-centrist, Kavanaugh appears to be veering to the right: His votes over the past several months have been increasingly aligned with Alito and Thomas rather than his previous ally, Chief Justice John Roberts. This shift is still nascent, but it grows more visible with each passing month. And it bodes poorly for the country as we careen toward an election that Donald Trump openly seems to hope the Supreme Court may rig for him. Advertisement Start with that jaw-dropping vote on Monday. Its difficult to overstate how dire the situation had become in Eagle Pass, Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott mounted his insurgency against the federal government. Migrants frequently cross over at Eagle Pass, so Border Patrol has a major presence in the area. Federal law grants border agents the right to access all land within 25 miles of the border and requires these agents to inspect and detain unauthorized migrants. Yet Abbott defied these statutes: He ordered the Texas National Guard to erect razor wire at the border, a barrier that ensnared migrants (to the point of near death) and excluded Border Patrol. Federal law enforcement was thus physically unable to perform the duties assigned to it by Congress, or to rescue migrants drowning in the Rio Grande. In response, border agents began cutting through the wire, prompting Texas to sue. The far-right U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit dutifully issued an injunction prohibiting any federal destruction of the wire fencing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 5th Circuits injunction effectively allowed Texas to nullify federal law, in direct contradiction of the Constitutions supremacy clause. Some of the oldest, most entrenched Supreme Court precedents forbid states from interfering with the lawful exercise of federal authority. It should have been easy for SCOTUS to grant the Biden administrations emergency request by shooting down the 5th Circuit. Instead, the justices spent a baffling 20 days mulling the caseand, presumably, debating it behind the scenes. In the end, all the court could muster was a 54 order halting the 5th Circuits injunction, with Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the liberals. There were zero written opinions. The dissenters, including Kavanaugh, felt no obligation to explain their votes. Advertisement In a sense, Kavanaughs silence makes his vote even worse: Having lodged a protest against the single most important principle governing the relationship between the federal government and the states, the justice kept mum, forcing us to guess why he voted in support of nullification. Kavanaugh evidently felt that he owed us no explanation, no reasoning behind his desire to subvert executive authority in favor of a Confederate-flavored conception of state supremacy. His extremism was therefore compounded by an arrogant refusal to justify power with reason, an attitude fit more for a king than a judge. Advertisement And not for the first time: Just last month, Kavanaugh cast another silent, startling vote that aligned him with Alito and Thomas. On Dec. 11, the court refused to take up a challenge to Washington states ban on LGBTQ+ conversion therapy for minors, dodging a case that imperiled similar bans in nearly half the states. Even Gorsuch, Barrett, and Roberts wouldnt take the baitperhaps because the case was entirely bogus, cooked up by anti-LGBTQ+ activists despite the absence of a live controversy. But there was Kavanaugh, dissenting from the courts rejection of the case, telegraphing his hunger to shoot down conversion therapy bans without even the fig leaf of a genuine dispute. Thomas and Alito each wrote angry dissents arguing that the court shouldve taken the case, while Kavanaugh stood alone in his reticence to explain himself. It seems the justice wants to establish a constitutional right to convert LGBTQ+ kids, an act that can amount to torture, but lacks the courage to even describe why. Advertisement Advertisement Kavanaughs hard-right turn arguably began earlier, in an Aug. 8 order that flew under the radar. It emerged out of a conflict between the Biden administration and gun advocates over a new federal rule that restricts the sale of ghost guns. A ghost gun comes in a kit thats almost fully assembled, and a buyer can easily finish putting it together with the help of a YouTube tutorial. Once completed, the gun fires like a semi-automatic firearm. To buy a regular handgun, you have to prove your identity, undergo a background check, and satisfy other federal requirements. To buy a ghost gun, you need only place an anonymous order online. These guns lack a serial numberwhich are mandatory for regular gunsrendering them untraceable by law enforcement. For this reason, ghost guns are overwhelmingly favored by criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate The Supreme Court Is Now Complicit in Texas Armed Standoff With the Feds Read More Federal law regulates the sale of firearms, the definition of which includes any weapon that may readily be converted to shoot a bullet. In 2022 the Biden administration issued a regulation clarifying that ghost guns fit this definition and may therefore be sold only by licensed dealers. This limitation neatly fit the federal statute, which, after all, encompassed partially assembled firearms. Yet, a federal judge halted the rule nationwide, and the 5th Circuit backed him up. The Biden administration sought relief at the Supreme Court, which granted itby a 5-to-4 vote: Roberts and Barrett joined the liberals, while Kavanaugh joined Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch in dissent. Once again, Kavanaugh gave no explanation for his vote. Had he prevailed, the justice would have freed criminals to anonymously purchase untraceable, almost-finished guns online and use them to maim and kill Americans without consequence. Doesnt such a radical outcome cry out for an explanation? Apparently not to Kavanaugh, who likes to depict himself as a commonsense conciliator on firearms, except when it actually counts. Advertisement Advertisement Whats going on here? One possibility is that Kavanaugh moderated himself during his early years on the bench in the hopes of salvaging his public image after furiously assailing Democrats during his confirmation hearing. After latching himself to the chief justice for half a decade, Kavanaugh may now be showing his true colors, breaking away from the chiefs tactical restraint to chart his own rightward course. Or maybe the justice is being pushed toward the MAGA fringe by contempt for Biden, whose policies he has routinely struck down. Kavanaugh was, after all, a Republican political operative in his past life; it has always been doubtful that he truly slipped his partisan moorings when donning the robe. (Trumps lawyers put this less subtly, saying that Kavanaugh will soon step up for the man who appointed him.) Advertisement If partisan discontentment is driving Kavanaughs growing alliance with the hard-right bloc, the development has ominous implications for the 2024 election. Already, one major Trump case has hit the court, forcing the justices to decide whether the candidates incitement of an insurrection disqualifies him from running for president. Another one is hurtling toward the court, asking whether the Constitution somehow grants Trump absolute immunity from prosecution for his involvement in that insurrection. More election cases will arise as the election draws nearer (presuming Trump is the nominee), many involving access to the ballot. And during the 2020 election, at Trumps behest, Kavanaugh cast several dubious votes attempting to void valid mail ballots in swing states. It is encouraging that Barrett has stepped up as an unexpected voice of reason when Kavanaugh defects to the MAGA wing of the court. But Barrett herself is also very conservative, and certainly not a reliable vote for democracy. If a principle as fundamental as federal supremacy can only squeak by on a 54 vote, no law is settled and everything is up for grabs. And that, of course, is exactly how Trump wants it. Slovak universities in global university rankings. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Occasionally, Slovak universities appear among the top 1000 in world rankings but they have never reached the first 500. It is difficult for smaller universities, like the ones in Slovakia, to fulfil the criteria needed to reach the leading spots. However, the truth is also that some universities of similar size in neighbouring countries manage to place higher than Slovak ones. Out of Slovakias universities, Comenius University has tended to achieve the best positions in world rankings. American and British There are many university rankings in the world. Among the most renowned, the Education Ministry lists the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU or Shanghai Ranking), the Times Higher Education (Times) World University Rankings, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings and the SCImago Institution Ranking. First places in these rankings are typically filled by American and British universities, like Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University, and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The Education Policy Institute evaluates an average position for the best Slovak university in the ARWU, OS and Times rankings on a yearly basis. It placed 784th in 2022. In 2015 and 2021 it ranked between the 651st and 835th spots. The position in the rankings reflects quality defined by the specific ranking. It is always important to look at the methodology, so we know the given rating measures. For example, QS and Times put an emphasis on the schools reputation, or how well known it is, Renata Hall, an expert on university education, told the Sme daily. Specific criteria Some would argue that not much has changed in doctors' offices. The Bojnice Hospital found equipment and furnishings in storage dating back to the 1960s. (Source: Pexels) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Prievidza Hospital located in Bojnice, western Slovakia, has undergone several changes in recent months. It now has a new emergency department, and the main entrance to the hospital has been reconstructed. Following that, the facility focused on the entrance to the main building, returning to the original intention of connecting the hospital with art. This led to the creation of an exhibition space and a retro doctor's office. As director Peter Glatz recalled, the facility was established in 1961, and artistic works have been an integral part of the hospital from the beginning. Visual smog removed Over time, the vestibule of the main building accumulated a lot of visual pollution. The hospital has been gradually getting rid of it in recent times. "We restored the original appearance to the entrance vestibule as it was designed. We allowed the light to shine through the stained glass windows. We revealed the original, clean, marble walls," described Glatz. The hospital went on to create an exhibition space in the vestibule, and currently, an exhibition of works by students from Bojnice primary art school can be seen. The room at the entrance, where the information desk was originally located was cleaned up, and a retro doctor's office was established there. In the hospital's storage, employees found a lot of old furniture and items writing desk, typewriter, lamps, bed, stethoscope, spirometre, blood pressure monitor, and glass syringes. "We wanted to show people entering the hospital what healthcare and equipment looked like when the hospital first opened," explained the director. What has changed? Many people, upon seeing the office, would say that not much has changed in hospitals and doctors' offices since the sixties. "Of course, today, you can find this furniture not only in ours but also in several other healthcare facilities. But I assume it's just furniture. And in that furniture, there are different medications and modern medical devices," concluded Glatz. MY Horna Nitra PM Robert Fico will meet with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal on Wednesday morning near the Slovak-Ukrainian border. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Prime Minister Robert Fico knows exactly what he will tell his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal during their Wednesday meeting in western Ukraine, which the Slovak premier has dubbed important for him. Ill say what I told the Americans and the Ukrainians when I met them, Fico said in an interview with the public broadcaster RTVS last Saturday. The leaders will meet in Uzhhorod, a town whose airport lies just 90 metres from the Slovak border. Its a rather unusual place for the meeting. President Zuzana Caputova, a supporter of Ukraine, has paid a visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv twice since Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. But the presidents and Ficos positions on the war in Ukraine couldnt be more distant, in fact. According to Fico, it makes no difference whether he meets Shmyhal in Uzhhorod or Kyiv. It is practical, the PM said on Tuesday, adding that there is no war in Kyiv. Do you really think there is a war in Kyiv? Dont be ridiculous. Theres an absolutely normal life. One person died in Kyiv following a Russian strike on January 23. Last weekend, Fico revealed what he will tell Shmyhal. I know what Im going there with. Humanitarian aid, and Ill confirm that Ukraine will receive no weapons from the Slovak army. Ill tell him that there are things that we absolutely disagree on. As for Ukraines EU membership, the country must meet the conditions. Ill tell him that Im against Ukraine becoming a NATO member, and Ill veto it because its the foundation for a third world war, the Slovak PM told RTVS. He added that he doesnt expect to hear any solution to the end of the war from the Ukrainian delegation other than the one that would involve 200,000 more dead people. Fico doesnt believe in a military solution to this conflict. There must be a compromise, which will be very painful for both parties, he said, adding that its unrealistic for the Russians to withdraw from the Crimea, Donbas and Luhansk regions. Everyone knows it. More than 170,000 people have signed a petition that demands Minister Simkovicovas removal. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova has scrapped a ban on communication and cooperation with Russia and Belarus. The ban was introduced on March 2, 2022, just a few days after Russia invaded Ukraine. Then culture minister, Natalia Milanova (OLaNO), signed the decision. It concerned the public institutions falling under the ministry. However, for a week, the ban has been lifted, according to the Pravda daily. There are dozens of military conflicts in the world, and in our opinion, artists and culture should not pay the price for them, Simkovicovas spokesperson Pavol Corba told Pravda. Simkovicova is one of the two notorious faces of TV Slovan (now called Martina a Peter on Facebook) which spreads pro-Russian and disinformation narratives. The other person is anti-vaxxer and MP Peter Kotlar, appointed last week as the commissioner for investigating the management of the coronavirus pandemic. Roman Michelko, a chair of the culture and media parliamentary committee, thinks that culture should not be censored. The innocent are being punished and that is sick. Ideology should not interfere with culture. Russian artists should not be discriminated against or ostracised because of the regime in power, the chair said, noting that he would see a problem in cooperating with artists who are obvious Russian propagandists. Like himself, Kotlar and Simkovicova are affiliated with the Slovak National Party. Its chair, Andrej Danko, holds pro-Russian views and is frequently described as a Putin admirer. According to writer Michal Hvorecky, the startitup website writes, the ministers decision means approving and supporting Russias genocidal war against Ukraine, which is also a brutal war against culture. Read also: Read also: Culture minister outraged by a painting depicting queer love Read more Ministry questions petition, cancels Facebook page In the meantime, the minister has received backlash in the form of a petition signed by more than 170,000 people in several days. Simkovicova is criticised for her non-transparent decisions and constant attacks on the LGBT+ community. Instead of necessary reforms, you create manipulative and empty culture wars, mainly by inciting homophobia, transphobia and the stigmatisation of LGBT+ people and initiatives, the petition reads. For example, the minister asked on Facebook last week whether the ministry should support LGBT+ projects or heritage sites. Criticism soon appeared under the published poll. A day later, the petition was launched. In response to criticism, the Culture Ministry removed all the posts that appeared on the ministrys Facebook page since Simkovicova's appointment. The minister wrote on Telegram that the Facebook page has reportedly been under cyber threats since November 2023. But the ministry also questioned the petition and decided to file a criminal complaint. It suspects that the online petition has been manipulated. Fico stands up for minister PM Robert Fico (Smer) stood up for Simkovicova on Tuesday, explaining that she fulfils the government programme. I dont see any reason for the government to take a step against the minister, he said. The culture minister seems to be unbothered by the petition. On her Facebook page, she shared a screenshot from the petition that shows a person signed as Pamela Anderson under the petition. Pamela Anderson, why did you do this to me? We were friends, Simkovicova joked, and added a few photos with Anderson. Why Slovak universities aren't the best and an unusual doctor's office opens in Bojnice hospital. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Share Good evening. Here is the Tuesday, January 23 edition of Today in Slovakia - the main news of the day in less than five minutes. Culture minister's faux pas Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova in Trencin in December 2023. (Source: TASR) Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova (SNS nom.) visited the Austrian town of Bad Ischl last weekend. It was named the 2024 European Capital of Culture. The ministry shared a post about the visit on Facebook. In it, the ministry wrote that the Slovak minister, who lives in Austria, had met with her Austrian colleague Werner Kogler. The ministry used "she" when mentioning Kogler in the post although the politician is a man. Mocked by people, the ministry later edited the post and restricted the comments section. The next day, all the posts shared by the ministry following Simkovicova's appointment last October disappeared from Facebook (the Austrian politician was not the only reason). Moreover, the Dennik N daily writes, the Slovak minister didn't meet with Kogler last weekend. Simkovicova initially accepted the invitation. Then, she cancelled it. It's not clear why. One of the Slovak tabloids, Plus 1 Den, slammed the minister for her cheap outfit at a meeting with Austrian Archduke Markus Emanuel Salvator of Austria. More stories from The Slovak Spectator website Ukraine: PM Robert Fico says that there is no war in Kyiv. Still, he will travel to western Ukraine tomorrow, not to Kyiv, to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal. PM Robert Fico says that there is no war in Kyiv. Still, he will travel to western Ukraine tomorrow, not to Kyiv, to meet his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal. Culture: Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova has officially lifted a ban on communication and cooperation with Russia and Belarus. However, it is a petition against her serving as minister that everyone is talking about. Culture Minister Martina Simkovicova has officially lifted a ban on communication and cooperation with Russia and Belarus. However, it is a petition against her serving as minister that everyone is talking about. Museum: A local hospital in Bojnice has opened a very unusual doctor's office for visitors. If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription with no ads and a print copy of The Slovak Spectator sent to your home in Slovakia. Thank you. FEATURE STORY FOR TUESDAY Why don't Slovak universities rank among the best? The University of Economics in Bratislava. (Source: SME - Jozef Jakubco) It is difficult for smaller universities, like the ones in Slovakia, to fulfil the criteria needed to reach the leading spots. However, the truth is also that some universities of similar size in neighbouring countries manage to place higher than Slovak ones. Why? SLOVAK FESTIVAL OFF TO UKRAINE Pohoda loves Ukraine! The popular Slovak summer festival Pohoda will organise a one-day music event at the Atlas club in Kyiv, Ukraine, on January 27. The line-up includes Slovak and Ukrainian artists: Berlin Manson, Michael Kocab + Karpatske chrbaty, FVLCRVM, FARA, VBPS, Hyphen Dash, Lucas Bird, and Stantsiya Myr band. Explore the artists by listening to their music on streaming services! In other news Fourteen people want to run for president, writes the Sme daily. For now, Speaker Peter Pellegrini and ex-foreign minister Jan Kubis and Ivan Korcok are confirmed as the candidates who have met the necessary requirements. The World Economic Forum cites a deepfake audio clip released before the 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections as an example of how AI may influence any election. It adds that the elections will be held in more than 45 countries over the next year. The government has allocated 2 million for humanitarian aid and projects in Humenne and Vranov nad Toplou districts. A strong quake hit the area last year. A person affected by the quake can obtain up to 800. Charged Smer MP Tibor Gaspar (ex-police chief) has said that he hasn't been offered the job of the Slovak Information Service chief. PM Robert Fico sees Gaspar as one of the top candidates for the post. Almost 64,000 people were living on material need benefits at the end of 2023. With other family members taken into account, the number is higher (136,000). Most of these people live in Revuca, Rimavska Sobota and Kezmarok districts. A woman tries to walk on an icy pavement near an apartment building in Bratislava on January 23, 2024. (Source: TASR) WEATHER FOR WEDNESDAY: Wednesday will be cloudy. Snowfall is expected in most places in the morning and throughout the day. In southwestern Slovakia, it will rain. Later, it will rain in most regions. The daytime temperature will range from -1C to 12C. (SHMU) JANUARY 24 NAME DAY IN SLOVAKIA: Timotej. Thank you for subscribing and reading. It means a lot to us. P.S. If you have suggestions on how our news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. Follow The Slovak Spectator on Facebook and Instagram (@slovakspectator). https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/1116334660.html EU to Launch a New Military Operation in the Red Sea: Why? EU to Launch a New Military Operation in the Red Sea: Why? Sputnik International The EU has approved a new mission proposed by Italy, France and Germany to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Yemen's Houthis. What do we know so far and... 23.01.2024, Sputnik International 2024-01-23T18:59+0000 2024-01-23T18:59+0000 2024-01-23T18:59+0000 europe european union (eu) houthis red sea european external action service (eeas) antonio tajani france italy red sea crisis military https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/0d/1116146283_0:0:3000:1688_1920x0_80_0_0_38aa9ac3fbb249a294f4c224502d12fd.jpg Who's In?After some initial hesitance and amidst a backdrop of recent US-UK strikes against Yemen, which saw mixed international reactions, the European Union members have finally "agreed in principle" to establish maritime security operations in the Red Sea, foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced on Monday, after France, Germany and Italy have called on fellow member states to contribute to the plan.Later in the day, Portugal has confirmed its participation in the EU mission according to a statement by Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho.Then, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar announced that Bratislava will back the EU mission in the Red Sea, despite the fact that landlocked Slovakia lacks a navy.The EU strongly criticized the Yemen's Ansar Allah-led National Salvation Gopvernment, dubbed the Houthis in the west, for targeting commercial ships heading to and from Israel. Approximately 40 percent of EU trade with Asian and Middle Eastern countries passes through Red Sea waters, leaving ships having to reroute all the way around Africa.What is Known About the Op?Several Western media sources have reported that the European External Action Service is considering the deployment of at least three ships for a new mission. The EU plans to establish this mission by February 19, aiming for it to become fully operational shortly after. This new operation, dubbed ASPIDES, is intended to work alongside the French-led AGENOR mission, which focuses on ensuring safe maritime navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as outlined on the AGENOR website. However, Dr. Marco Carnelos, a former Italian diplomat with extensive experience in the Middle East and CEO of MC Geopolicy consulting, has expressed scepticism about the feasibility of combining or re-purposing these two operations, stressing the challenge of coordinating their activities due to the geographic isolation of the forces.What Are the Risks?Western media reports suggest that the upcoming EU mission will operate independently of the US's Operation Prosperity Guardian strikes on Yemen. Several EU countries including Spain, France and Italy distanced themselves from the US operation after the Pentagon claimed they were on board earlier this month. Europe is keen on avoiding any actions that could lead to a risky escalation in the region. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani emphasized on Monday that the new European military mission in the Red Sea includes the use of military force, but only for defensive purposes, and will not strike Yemeni territory.But still, the risks for the EU member-states Naval forces would be high, Carnelos argued. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/eu-top-diplomats-agree-in-principle-on-red-sea-maritime-security-operations---borrell-1116319771.html red sea france italy Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Christina Malyk https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/08/1113208579_137:0:1097:960_100x100_80_0_0_39342d3133a15b1549ec31c158221a34.jpg Christina Malyk https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/08/1113208579_137:0:1097:960_100x100_80_0_0_39342d3133a15b1549ec31c158221a34.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Christina Malyk https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/09/08/1113208579_137:0:1097:960_100x100_80_0_0_39342d3133a15b1549ec31c158221a34.jpg europe, european union (eu), houthis, red sea, european external action service (eeas), antonio tajani, france, italy, red sea crisis South Korea's top envoy to the U.N. renewed Seoul's criticism of arms transactions between North Korea and Russia during a U.N. Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Monday, as Russia's top diplomat shifted the blame to the West for the prolonging of the war in Ukraine. South Korean Ambassador Hwang Joon-kook called the weapons transfers between Pyongyang and Moscow "direct" violations of UNSC resolutions during the meeting on the war in Ukraine, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the West's weapons support to Ukraine. Before the meeting, diplomats from dozens of countries jointly lambasted what they termed the "hypocrisy" of Russia and defended the West's arms transfers to Ukraine as having proceeded in a "lawful" manner in support of Ukraine's "inherent right of self defense." "Russia's use of North Korean missiles in Ukraine also has significant implications on global nuclear non-proliferation as well as on the Korean Peninsula," Hwang said. DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "Since it is unprecedented that UNSC resolutions were violated so flagrantly and seriously by a permanent member of the Security Council since the sanction regime was established against the DPRK in 2006, it is difficult to fathom the repercussions," he added. The White House has revealed that the North has supplied Russia with several dozen ballistic missiles in addition to its earlier provision of more than 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions. Hwang pointed out that revenue from the North's arms supplies would help enhance its weapons programs. "It generates revenue for the DPRK, which is likely to be used to further the development of its illegal nuclear and missile programs. It could open the door for more arms sales to other states and non-state actors," he said. Defending Russia's "special military operation" against Ukraine, Lavrov rejected the argument that Russia is prolonging the war as it has allegedly sought weapons from North Korea, Iran and elsewhere. "Today, the absolute majority of unbiased experts see very clearly that the key factor which impedes ways towards a peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis is the continued support on the part of the West to the regime in Kyiv," he said in a statement interpreted in English. Lavrov also claimed that the "Western patrons" have been pushing Ukraine to continue with a "senseless military confrontation." "This is done under the guise of false words, saying that the crash of the Zelenskyy regime would be an existential to the Ukrainians," he said. "Those who looked deeply into the genesis of the Ukrainian crisis can see very clearly that such statements contain not an iota of truth." Robert Wood, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N., accused Russia of using the council meeting as a "stage for its blatant disinformation." "It is cynicism of the highest order to claim that legitimate and lawful support for Ukraine's self-defense is prolonging Russia's war of aggression," he said. "There are hundreds of thousands of Russian troops in Ukraine's internationally recognized territory. There is not a single Ukrainian soldier on Russian soil." Wood went on to say that the Russian representative's accusations would sound more credible if "his government respected international law, the U.N. Charter and Security Council resolutions." "No amount of conspiracy theories and baseless accusations erase the fact that Russia's violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity started the war," he said. Shortly before the UNSC meeting, representatives from 46 countries and the European Union held a press conference, contending that Russia called for the meeting to "distract" from its war in Ukraine. "We underscore the hypocrisy of the Russia Federation, calling yet another UNSC meeting to criticize lawful arms transfers to Ukraine that are done in support of Ukraine's inherent right of self defense as reflected in Article 51 of the U.N. Charter," they said. They also condemned continued military support for Russia's war in Ukraine from North Korea, Iran and Belarus. "We urge the DPRK and Russia to abide by the Security Council resolutions, and remain concerned that the Russian Federation's use of ballistic missiles from the DPRK provides the DPRK with valuable insights into the technical capabilities of its weapons," they said. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/biden-sunak-hold-call-on-red-sea-attacks-gaza-aid-support-for-ukraine-1116322570.html Biden, Sunak Hold Call on Red Sea Attacks, Gaza Aid, Support for Ukraine Biden, Sunak Hold Call on Red Sea Attacks, Gaza Aid, Support for Ukraine Sputnik International US President Joe Biden held a phone call with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, to discuss the ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, humanitarian aid for Gaza and support for Ukraine, stated White House. 2024-01-23T00:54+0000 2024-01-23T00:54+0000 2024-01-23T00:54+0000 world us united kingdom (uk) joe biden rishi sunak houthi red sea crisis ukraine crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/06/09/1111023011_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7fc178d87154f2d0cc32229e9e874d25.jpg "Biden, Jr. spoke this afternoon with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom. The President and Prime Minister discussed ongoing Iranian-backed Houthi attacks against merchant and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea," the statement said on Monday.According to the statement, Biden and Sunak expressed their dedication to freedom of navigation, international commerce and safeguarding mariners from "illegal and unjustifiable attacks." The statement added that the Biden and also reiterated their support for Ukraine. The Houthis vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until the country halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in response announced the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240120/thousands-rally-across-israel-to-demand-deal-on-hostage-release-with-hamas-1116290512.html united kingdom (uk) Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International biden sunak talks, uk prime minister rishi sunak, us president joe biden, us uk attack houthis https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/china-has-no-iintention-of-participating-in-space-race-imagined-by-us-1116332247.html China Has No Intention of Participating in 'Space Race' Imagined by US China Has No Intention of Participating in 'Space Race' Imagined by US Sputnik International At a hearing held in the US Congress on Wednesday local time, American space experts, government officials, and members of Congress reached or reinforced a unified understanding: "For the US and its partners not to be on the moon when others are on the moon, is unacceptable." 2024-01-23T12:14+0000 2024-01-23T12:14+0000 2024-01-23T14:21+0000 world china nasa international space station (iss) us congress earth congress https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/0b/17/1090947941_0:80:1500:924_1920x0_80_0_0_70cd04ec4c1dc3cfc51b8d79700ab5b8.jpg The US and its allies should win the 21st century "space race" and lead a "rules-based international order" there before China creates its own "undesirable norms."In plain language, this statement suggests that after the US, along with its allied nations, has used the banner of the so-called "rule-based international order" to engage in geopolitical efforts to contain China on Earth, they now want to apply the same tactics in outer space. They view the moon as the first "arena" for competition among nations beyond Earth. From this perspective, the true purpose of the US "return to the moon" plan is far from pure. It goes against the universal human desire to explore and utilize outer space for peaceful purposes. The extension of US geopolitical strategies from "land" to "space" is not just a significant escalation in competition but, in a sense, a step backward.The US' "return to the moon" plan has just experienced two setbacks. First, the Peregrine lunar lander failed to soft land on the moon due to a reported propulsion system problem. On the same day, the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced a one-year delay for the planned manned lunar orbit mission Artemis II and the planned manned moon landing Artemis III respectively, citing safety concerns with the existing spacecraft.Certainly, no one should underestimate US aerospace capabilities due to these setbacks. Aerospace technology represents the culmination of some of the most advanced human achievements, and crewed spaceflight is among the most challenging aspects of aerospace technology. Experiencing setbacks or even failures is inevitable. However, the current anxiety and sense of urgency displayed by the US due to these setbacks are abnormal and unhealthy.It is not driven by technological thinking and logic, but rather geopolitical thinking and logic, particularly that of a "new cold war." According to this line of thinking, outer space, including the moon, has become a strategic target for competition between the US and China. Should the US fall behind, China would seize the opportunity and emerge victorious in this "important space race." Consequently, space exploration, an area that greatly needs international cooperation, has unfortunately transformed into a zero-sum game.The thinking of geopolitical competition with China deeply influences Washington politicians. Bill Nelson, administrator of NASA, warned moon's south pole may become "another South China Sea" in August of last year. As early as 2011, the US Congress passed the Wolf Amendment, which prohibits NASA from cooperating with Chinese government agencies without explicit authorization from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Congress. In contrast, China has never had any document, regulation, or provision restricting cooperation with the US. In October last year, China even announced that lunar samples brought to Earth by China's Chang'e 5 mission would be open for inter-national applications. The facts clearly show who stands on the side of openness in space exploration and who stands on the side of closure.The US possesses the world's most advanced aerospace technology and has achieved great accomplishments in space exploration. People around the world, including the Chinese, are happy to see representatives of humanity delve deeper into outer space, whether they are Americans or people from other countries. However, the US has become so narrow-minded that it not only undermines confidence in its ability to achieve greater success in space exploration but also raises concerns that it may hinder the progress of other aspiring space explorers. NASA employees are scientists and belong to the top scientific community. They are a group who are supposed to look up at the starry sky. If even they become infected with Washington's pathological and vulgar atmosphere, it would be extremely disappointing.China has no intention of participating in the "space race" imagined by the Americans. China's development of aerospace technology emphasizes three aspects: peaceful utilization, equal mutual benefit, and inclusive development. It has always led by example in promoting international space communication and cooperation. However, the US has been excluding and guarding against China in various aspects, from satellite navigation to the International Space Station. China's aerospace industry can only rely on independent innovation. China's "lunar exploration" and "lunar landing" projects are based on years of independent innovation and accumulated technological foundation, and will not be swayed by the attitudes and positions of the US and the West. In comparison, the US' renewed steps toward the moon seem to be increasingly mixed with interests and a mentality of competition. If the US has impure intentions in landing on the moon, it would be a form of pollution to the moon.This article originally appeared on the Global Times website. https://sputnikglobe.com/20230516/china-could-beat-us-to-moons-south-pole---nasa-head-1110405407.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/china-successfully-launches-tianzhou-7-cargo-spacecraft-into-orbit---reports-1116235654.html china earth Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us congress, american space experts, space race https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/dc-think-tank-house-could-kill-ukraine-aid-bill-1116334491.html DC Think Tank: House Could Kill Ukraine Aid Bill DC Think Tank: House Could Kill Ukraine Aid Bill Sputnik International House Republicans could block a hefty Ukraine aid package even if a bipartisan border security and immigration deal is passed, suggests the latest report by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. 2024-01-23T15:40+0000 2024-01-23T15:40+0000 2024-01-23T15:40+0000 us mike johnson ukraine world joe biden ukrainian counteroffensive attempt ukrainian crisis israel-gaza conflict gaza strip palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/17/1115166339_0:111:3072:1839_1920x0_80_0_0_afaf9748b76c276f5e4acc5c9e4ebf9f.jpg Republican and Democratic senators have engaged in a series of negotiations regarding President Joe Biden's proposed $100 billion package for Ukraine. Senate leaders, Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), have expressed optimism about the bipartisan Ukraine aid-border security agreement's prospects.Last year, the multi-billion package for Ukraine, as well as aid for Israel and the island of Taiwan, became stuck in the US Congress after the GOP deemed the border security issue to be an absolute priority.According to Blaise Malley, a reporter for Responsible Statecraft and a former associate editor at The National Interest, it is uncertain whether the House of Representatives would align with the upper chamber's position, despite the bipartisan agreement on border issues being on the horizon.Malley referred to House Speaker Mike Johnson's firm stance with regard to the implementation of sweeping migration reforms and his concerns about Ukraine aid oversight and Kiev's strategy."We need the questions answered about the strategy, about the endgame and about the accountability for the precious treasure of the American people," Johnson told journalists after a January 17 meeting with President Biden and other congressional leaders at the White House. The House speaker also stressed that the border issue should still come first. Rep. Johnson has a record of consistently voting against Ukraine aid in the past.A GOP conference on Ukraine aid is due to be held on January 24 following the request by a group of Senate Republicans, led by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Malley noted, adding that support for further bankrolling Ukraine is beginning to steadily wither among House Republicans.What's more, some GOP lawmakers even threatened to introduce a "motion to vacate" against the incumbent House speaker, if he allows another package of Ukraine aid to pass."Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene tells me 'I would introduce the motion to vacate myself' if Speaker Johnson passes funding to Ukraine," Axios congressional reporter Andrew Solender tweeted on January 17.Last October, the so-called Freedom Caucus forced then-Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy to step down after Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida forced the vote on the "motion to vacate."According to Malley, Speaker Johnson is unlikely to go against the Freedom Caucus for many reasons, one of which is that it may upend his relations with leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.The RS reporter pointed out that 18 Senators on January 19 announced their support for an amendment to the national security supplemental that would require "that the weapons received by any country under this bill are used in accordance with US law, international humanitarian law and the law of armed conflict." https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/ukraine-issue-pretty-much-sidelined-in-us---ex-assistant-treasury-secretary-1116323735.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240115/death-of-us-journo-lira-means-biden-jeopardizes-american-lives-from-ukraine-to-mideast-1116171260.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240118/biden-warns-congress-lack-of-ukraine-aid-could-lead-to-us-troops-on-ground-1116255970.html ukraine gaza strip Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova house of representatives, ukraine aid, ukraine military aid, house speaker mike johnson, joe biden, senate bipartisan bill on border and immigration https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/desantis-bows-out-presidential-race-narrows-to-two-contenders-1116320794.html DeSantis Bows Out: Presidential Race Narrows to Two Contenders DeSantis Bows Out: Presidential Race Narrows to Two Contenders Sputnik International On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Melik Abdul delved into various domestic and international subjects. The discussion included the withdrawal of Governor DeSantis from the GOP presidential nomination race. 2024-01-23T04:17+0000 2024-01-23T04:17+0000 2024-01-23T08:38+0000 fault lines us radio ron desantis donald trump donetsk ukraine fani willis georgia https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/16/1116320637_0:0:1920:1080_1920x0_80_0_0_81dee62abcba423492ce46b8a2741878.png DeSantis Bows Out: Presidential Race Narrows to Two Contenders Sputnik International On this episode of Fault Lines, hosts Jamarl Thomas and Melik Abdul delved into various domestic and international subjects. The discussion included the withdrawal of Governor DeSantis from the GOP presidential nomination race. Fault Lines began the show with international relations and security analyst Mark Sleboda, who discussed a significant attack on the Donetsk region. Ukrainian forces had shelled the Russian city in eastern Ukraine, resulting in the tragic death of more than 20 civilians.In the second hour, political analyst Tom Norton joined Fault Lines to address the Former President Trump Georgia election interference case. This discussion unfolded against the backdrop of the ongoing GOP primaries. Norton explored the reasons behind a judge scheduling a hearing to examine evidence related to accusations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had an improper relationship with her lead prosecutor.Moving into the third hour, Fault Lines welcomed Armen Kurdian, Retired Navy Captain, Former City Council Candidate and a GOP strategist, to shed light on the GOP nomination primaries. This segment focused on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's announcement of his withdrawal from the 2024 US presidential race. DeSantis not only stepped back but also endorsed Republican frontrunner Donald Trump in his pursuit of reelection. donetsk ukraine georgia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Jamarl Thomas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114086_0:0:373:374_100x100_80_0_0_c7506df4524fd8cdd4e40ad19918cd78.png Jamarl Thomas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114086_0:0:373:374_100x100_80_0_0_c7506df4524fd8cdd4e40ad19918cd78.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Jamarl Thomas https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114086_0:0:373:374_100x100_80_0_0_c7506df4524fd8cdd4e40ad19918cd78.png fault lines, desantis quits race, gop candidates, ukraine strikes in donetsk, fani willis hearing https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/desantis-was-a-good-candidate-with-a-bad-campaign-1116323002.html DeSantis Was a Good Candidate With a Bad Campaign DeSantis Was a Good Candidate With a Bad Campaign Sputnik International Retired US Navy Captain Armen Kurdian explained to Sputnik's Fault Lines what went wrong in the once promising Ron DeSantis campaign for President. 2024-01-23T01:50+0000 2024-01-23T01:50+0000 2024-01-23T03:51+0000 analysis nikki haley donald trump ron desantis new hampshire south carolina republican gop ukraine 2024 us presidential election https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/0f/1083389623_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_1e8e82f19a072b5eeb4761bc012a6034.jpg As the election calendar moves onto the second state to allocate their delegates, many are asking what caused the DeSantis campaign, which was long presumed to be Trumps greatest threat in the primary, to drop out after only one state picked their nominee.Armen Kurdian, a retired US Navy captain and entrepreneur, spoke with Sputniks Fault Lines to explain what he thinks went wrong with the governors campaign. [DeSantis] was quite capable of being a very good candidate, Kurdian explained. You could be a great person, you can have great ideas, you can have all the positive characteristics of an individual. If your campaign isn't properly organized, or your campaign makes a lot of mistakes, you know, campaigns win elections more often than candidates win elections. A good candidate can drive a good campaign, but a bad campaign can't really drive a good candidate.DeSantis campaign got off to a rocky start when he made his announcement during an audio-only X (formerly Twitter) Spaces chat with X CEO Elon Musk. Fault Lines Co-host Melik Abdul asked if that decision was a mistake, noting the bevy of technical issues that occurred during the event.This should have been a two-person race between Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis and he had the chance to gain a tremendous amount of momentum going forward, Kurdian said. As for Trumps remaining opponent, Kurdian does not think Haley has much of a chance of snatching the nomination. I like Nikki Haley, but I don't really see a path for her if you have to spend that much money in order to come in second place. Those donors are going to want to keep the rest of their powder dry for November.Later, Kurdian noted that a recent poll showed that most of Haleys supporters are anti-Trumpers, adding that it will be interesting to see if she encourages them to get behind Trump in the general election. [The Republicans] cant rest on their laurels because Democrats are very good at getting the vote out.But it is that reliance on the anti-Trumpers that is likely to doom Haleys campaign, David Pyne, an active GOP member and campaigner told Sputnik in an email. Describing Haley as representative of the Neo-Conservative faction of the Republican party and Trump as the embodiment of the American First branch, Pyne explained that Haley is representing a rapidly shrinking portion of the electorate.Pyne noted that there was a stark difference in the foreign policies of Trump and Haley and that Trumps is more in line with the majority of the Republican party.Pyne noted that only 3.5% of attendees at the conservative America Fest 2023 Convention said in a straw poll that they support giving humanitarian aid to Ukraine let alone military assistance.The New Hampshire primary will be held on Tuesday, January 23. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240121/desantis-drops-out-of-2024-presidential-race-endorses-trump-1116304865.html new hampshire south carolina ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino ron desantis drops out, why did ron desantis fail, what will desantis do next, does nikki haley stand a chance https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/from-line-charges-to-mine-clearing-robots-what-tools-do-russian-sappers-have-at-their-disposal-1116335954.html From Line Charges to Mine-Clearing Robots: What Tools Do Russian Sappers Have at Their Disposal? From Line Charges to Mine-Clearing Robots: What Tools Do Russian Sappers Have at Their Disposal? Sputnik International The Ukrainian crisis has demonstrated the importance of new technologies like drones and electronic warfare in the modern battlespace, but has also shown that much older equipment, including mines, hasnt lost its significance. What tools do Russian sappers have at their disposal to defuse this deadly threat? Sputnik explores. 2024-01-23T16:46+0000 2024-01-23T16:46+0000 2024-01-25T10:32+0000 military military & intelligence russia ukraine donbass russian defense ministry nato ur-83p tnt uran-6 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/106093/37/1060933785_0:63:1200:738_1920x0_80_0_0_48ad40525e2c7e90665110b7145939f4.jpg Russian sappers from the Western Group of Forces successfully breached Ukrainian minefields in several areas in the Kupyansk area in Kharkov region, the Russian Defense Ministry indicated Tuesday.Engineering units from the 6th Combined Arms Army of the Western Group of Forces cleared passages in mine-explosive barriers in the Kupyansk area in the special operation zone, the MoD said in a press statement.Sappers are continuing operations to clear the area of Ukrainian-laid mines sourced from old Soviet stocks, plus explosive objects which cannot be safely removed, according to the military.The MoD specified that in addition to minefields and mines left in trenches and dugouts by withdrawing Ukrainian troops, Russian forces have been forced to deal with an array of deadly surprises, such as booby-trapped radio equipment, small arms ammo magazines, and various personal belongings.Tools in Russian Sappers ToolboxDalny specified two pieces of equipment used by Russian sappers for remote demining operations the UR-83P and UR-77 Meteorit mine-clearing vehicles.UR-83PThe UR-83P is a truck-portable, ground-launched, rocket-projected line-charge-based landmine clearing system, with its 22 plastic explosive-filled aluminized sectional line charges able to clear a path up to 115 meters long and 6 meters wide at a time.The 2.5 ton demining system, dubbed the Zmei Gorynich (literally Snake Gorynych the three-headed fire-spewing dragon of Russian fairytale lore), was first introduced with the Soviet military in 1983. The UR-83Ps operating principle is simple, with the systems rocket propelling a long, snake-like line-charge packing up to 1,500 kg of TNT forward and exploding it, triggering all pressure-activated enemy mines and any other explosive devices nearby.The system is among the most potent mine-clearing devices in the Russian military, but cannot operate independently, since it does not guarantee the destruction of mines fitted with magnetic, double-tap, infrared and other non-contact-based sensors. Additional work by sappers is required to detect and defuse these mines.The UR-83P has a two-man crew.UR-77 MeteoritThe UR-77 Meteorite is another Soviet-designed mine-clearing device which the Russian military has made extensive use of in the special military operation zone. Fitted aboard a 2S1 Gvozdika tracked chassis, the system operates according to a principle similar to the UR-83P, with a rocket launcher projecting two mine-clearing line charges packed with TNT 83-93 meters forward, with explosive charges weighing between 665 and 725 kilograms (TNT or plastic explosives) detonating mines along a strip of land between six and 14 meters wide.The vehicle has a crew of two, and features a welded armored hull that enables operations close to the front, and protection against small arms fire and shell splinters.Does NATO Have an Equivalent?NATOs equivalent to the UR-77 and the UR-83P is the US M58 Mine Clearing Line Charge (MICLIC), a canister-based, trailer-mounted system which appeared in the late 1980s and features a 794 kg C4 explosive charge placed in a flexible, 106 meter long hose and fired using a solid-propellant rocket, clearing a mined strip of land up to 100 meters long and 8 meters wide. The US delivered an undisclosed number of M58s to Ukraine in October 2022.Earlier this month, Russian media posted footage of an M58 being completely ripped apart after a small copter drone dropped a small bomb on its C4-carrying trailer.With line-based mine-clearing systems featuring no secondary armament of its own and carrying a powerful TNT or plastic explosive-based punch, keeping the equipment safe from drones and other projectiles in frontline areas is absolutely vital.IMR-3M Armored Obstacle Clearing VehicleIn situations where the wholesale destruction of a wide swath of land is not feasible or desired, but heavy demining operations are nevertheless necessary, Russian sappers turn to the IMR-3M (Russian acronym which stands for Engineering Vehicle Obstacle-clearing 3 Modernized). As the name suggests, this is a heavy engineering vehicle with mine-clearance capabilities.The 50 ton, two-man crewed vehicle rides on an armored T-90 tank chassis, and is based on a uniquely Soviet (and consequently Russian) tradition of tank-derived frontline specialized support vehicles which goes back to the late 1960s.First adopted into service with the Russian military in the late 1990s and receiving an upgrade to the 3M standard variant in the mid-2010s, the IMR-3M comes equipped with a universal grapple bucket for bulldozing, track-laying and grader work, and a universal mount for optional excavator bucket, grabber or ripper attachments. Key for sapper operations is an attachable mine trawl equipped with electromagnetic sensors for use against anti-track and anti-bottom mines equipped with both contact and non-contact magnetic fuses.The system can be fitted with a remote-controlled 12.7 mm machine gun installation for protection against ground and aerial targets, and a smoke screen-spewing exhaust system. The crewed capsule comes with radiation defense, with the onboard life support system enabling the crew to operate the vehicle for 72 hours at a time if necessary including a water boiler and waste collection system.Sapper BotsWhen an even more surgical approach is required, such as in urban and heavily-populated areas, Russian sappers can depend on sapper robots, including both makeshift on-the-fly designs created by servicemen themselves and serial production models created specially for the needs of the Ukrainian battlefield.Last August, Russian engineers showed off the Pitbull and Partisan remote-controlled sapper bots. The former features an innovative triangular 12-wheel design for operations in rough terrain, an extendable robot claw arm and winch, while the latter is a more traditional multipurpose armored tracked combat platform. Along with sapper duties, both robots can be armed with an array of offensive capabilities, from machineguns to anti-tank missiles. These systems appear to be in the trials phase, and the timeline for their possible introduction in the special military operation zone remains unclear.The Uran-6 mine-clearing robot is another story, with the remote-controlled 6-ton heavy tracked drone tankette already successfully deployed on the battlefield for anti-personnel landmine, anti-tank mine and IED trawling use. Featuring between 4-5 onboard cameras, the Uran-6s modular armored hull design features protection against blast fragments, and can be fitted with rotary tiller, rotating grabber arm, bulldozer blade or plough attachment.Rosoboronexport says the Uran-6 has a mine defusing effectiveness rate of up to 98 percent, with the system able survive blasts of 60+ kg of TNT point blank. The system can also clear debris and barbed wire obstacles and fill up trenches, create mounds and tow both civilian and heavy armored vehicles short distances. The remote control has a control and video transmission range from 300-800 meters.Uran-6 robots began to be deployed in the special operation zone in 2022, helping to demine the Donetsk Peoples Republic city of Mariupol, and have reportedly undergone significant modernization based on their experience on the front lines, reportedly gaining enhanced armor protection and and an improved communication system.Russian sappers drone-based demining capabilities arent limited to ground equipment. Last October, developers announced the rollout of a new sapper drone called the Strekoza (lit. Dragonfly). The 12 kg system is designed to detect mines equipped with radioelectronic fuses at distances up to 30 meters away, and has a range up to 20 km and an endurance time up to 50 minutes.Once it picks up an enemy mine, the Strekoza can drop a TNT brick on the target to neutralize the threat. The system is equipped with a non-linear radio locator, camera, GPS module and data transmission channel.Smaller, off-the-shelf drones have been deployed for similar purposes, with the Russian military releasing footage earlier this week showing sappers appearing to use a customized quadcopter fitted with a brick of TNT to destroy a Ukrainian ammunition and explosives cache.Training and ExperienceNo amount of equipment or technological know-how can make up for the training and professionalism of human operators. The expertise of Russias Engineering Troops proved invaluable over the course of last years Ukrainian summer counteroffensive, not only in digging up and defusing enemy mines, but laying some 7,000 km-worth of landmines of their own, which, combined with air and artillery superiority, played a key role in blunting the advance.Sappers face an extremely difficult job in Ukraine, disarming everything from tiny, toy-like Lepestok (lit. Petal) antipersonnel mines dropped indiscriminately on Donbass settlements, to heavy converted thermobaric grenade-based mines that can vaporize everything living across a wide radius if not detected and disarmed in time.Last year, sappers taking part in the special military operation in the Donbass shared their experiences with Sputnik, saying their main encounters have included Soviet-vintage PMN-2 and TM-62 cylindrical anti-personnel and anti-tank pressure-, vibration- and magnet-triggered mines, OZM-72 canister-shaped fragmentation barrage mines, US-made M-86 anti-personnel trip line-triggered mines, and ML-7 and ML-8 series booby trap explosives.Ukrainian sappers are also known for their deceptive tactics, the serviceman recalled, saying that on one occasion while demining a TM-62 anti-tank mine, he found four booby-trap mines hidden underneath. I was lucky I looked closely and noticed this. Its a miracle that no one was hurt and the sappers cleared everything, he said.Along with mines, it falls to Russias sapper units to perform controlled explosions of unexploded enemy shells hundreds of thousands of which have been buried deep into the ground in and around populated settlements, farmlands and forests in the Donbass over the past decade.Sappers Importance Confirmed by Ukrainian CommandIn his now infamous op-ed for British business media last November in which he admitted that there would be no deep and beautiful breakthrough in Ukraines stalemated counteroffensive, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander in Chief Valery Zaluzhny pointed to sapper equipment specifically as a key reason for the counteroffensives failure.We need radar-like sensors that use invisible pulses of light to detect mines in the ground and smoke-projection systems to conceal the activities of our de-mining units. We can use jet engines from decommissioned aircraft, water cannons or cluster munitions to breach mine barriers without digging into the ground. New types of tunnel excavators, such as a robot which uses plasma torches to bore tunnels, can also help, Zaluzhny wrote at the time.As Ukrainian forces dig in and Russian troops make slow, careful probing advances across parts of the 1,000 km long frontline, Russias sappers wont be able to rely on fantastical sci-fi-style 'plasma boring machines' to do their work. Instead, the Engineering Troops will stick to powerful line charge landmine clearance systems, armored obstacle-clearing vehicles, an array of sapper robots, and perhaps most importantly, quick-witted troops with the mental and physical fortitude to carry out a highly dangerous but crucial job. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231116/watch-russian-sappers-clear-obstacles-using-imr-3m-in-special-op-zone-1114998631.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20230404/cool-head--nerves-of-steel-how-donbass-sappers-clear-deadly-mines-laid-by-ukraine-1109111714.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240121/ukraine-mirrors-russias-surovikin-defense-line-in-tactical-backtrack---report-1116302732.html russia ukraine donbass Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov what tools do russian sappers have, what kinds of anti-mine equipment does russia have https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/germany-deserves-to-have-dexit-option---afd-lawmakers--1116324887.html Germany Deserves to Have 'Dexit Option' - AfD Lawmakers Germany Deserves to Have 'Dexit Option' - AfD Lawmakers Sputnik International If shortcomings of the EU cannot be remedied, then a sovereign state such as Germany should have the option of leaving the EU, Dr. Dirk Spaniel, a member of Bundestag from the Alternative for Germany party, told Sputnik. 2024-01-23T09:14+0000 2024-01-23T09:14+0000 2024-01-23T09:33+0000 analysis germany european union (eu) alternative for germany (afd) brexit alternative fuer deutschland (afd) alice weidel immigration euro https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116325693_0:383:2281:1666_1920x0_80_0_0_818d10b1cb4c6afa12771f0822e0c3bd.jpg If the numerous shortcomings of the European Union cannot be remedied, then a sovereign state such as Germany should have the option of leaving the EU, Dr. Dirk Spaniel, a member of Bundestag from the Alternative for Germany party, told Sputnik.First of all, the sheer existence of our party is about breaking political taboos. And the taboo of not leaving the European Union forever is indeed a taboo inside European and inside German politics, he stated. The German politician pointed to the numerous failings of the European bloc not only in terms of construction, but also in terms of policy practice, noting:Britain was "right" when it opted to leave the European Union as part of "Brexit," Alternative for Germany leader Alice Weidel said in an article published in US media on Monday. Weidel pointed out that if her party's success in elections were to allow it to form a government, it would seek to reform the EU and remove its democratic deficit, including by curbing the powers of the European Commission, an unelected executive.If reform isnt possible, if we fail to rebuild sovereignty of the EU member states, we should let the people decide, just as Britain did, she said, adding that we could have a referendum on Dexit - a German exit from the EU.As for the kind of reform that AfDs Alice Weidel was referring to, Dirk Spaniel first of all singled out the need to tackle shortcomings linked with the depressive proportionality in the elections in the European Parliament. According to the existing setup, the quota is around 15 to 20 So that means 20 times the weight of the vote. It's incompatible with the democratic principle of quality of vote, the noted politician, deploring the fact that a German voter carries much less weight than, for example, a voter of a small state, let's say Malta.At the same time, Germany is the loan leader with around 17 billion euro in contributions to the European Union, Dr.Spaniel said.There are also some shortcomings linked to the appointment of the president of the European Commission and the three bodies - the European Council, European Commission and the European Parliament, the lawmaker added, saying:Indeed, Germany is by far the EU's largest net contributor without receiving any appropriate compensation in return. At the same time, the corrupt EU elites are trying to gradually destroy the national independence of the member states, another AfD lawmaker, Dr. Christian Blex of the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, told Sputnik.Furthermore, as the EU Council consists of members who are also members of national executive bodies, this "represents a violation of a fundamental principle of every democracy, namely the separation of powers," according to the lawmaker.Besides the aforementioned problems of the EU's construction, Christian Blex named the euro, which has failed as a single currency for countries with completely different economic developments and structures, and the overwhelming surge in illegal immigration.Hardships caused by the EU are simply ignored in the German mainstream press and among the other parties, Blex underscored. As for how receptive ordinary Germans are to the idea of possibly leaving the EU, the AfD lawmaker said that currently there is no discussion about the EU in the German public, adding that any criticism of this is immediately placed in the right-wing extremist corner by the mainstream media and the other parties.Ahead of crucial elections in three eastern states of Brandenburg, Saxony and Thuringia in September, Weidels party is currently experiencing a surge of support. While AfD is expected to win in these three states, overall it has been polling ahead of every other party in Germany except the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), including Chancellor Olaf Scholzs three coalition parties: the Social Democrats, Greens and liberals.Meanwhile, the approval rating of the governing coalition has sunk to record lows amid the budget crisis, costs of living crisis, and migration woes.Indeed, a majority of Germans are likely to reject an exit from the European Union at this point in time, Dr. Dirk Spaniel said, adding that this is probably due to the fact that most citizens are not sufficiently aware of the actual costs and the far reaching and often nontransparent political decisions from Brussels.Agreeing with Christian Blex on the vital need to tackle the outstanding migrant issue, Dirk Spaniel told Sputnik this might sway voters on the issue of continuing EU membership.The surge of illegal mass immigration is largely due to the European policy of open borders and unequal social systems And we must save our social system from migrants flocking to our country just to benefit from German taxpayers' money. One of the right measures to do so is by permanently controlling our borders and only letting immigrate highly qualified foreigners who are absolutely willing to integrate, work, pay taxes, speak German and adhere to German values, and who will not take advantage of our social system. This is not possible inside the actual European Union system. This is one thing, which probably would convince German voters, if they would be aware of this, said Dr.Spaniel.Germany's 'Dysfunctional System'Both lawmakers assessed the AfDs "very good" prospects in the upcoming September elections against the backdrop of the current "dysfunctional" government.After the elections, he believed that the AfD would end up as the biggest party in the Eastern German elections.The current government has destroyed our country's industrial base in unprecedented ways, agreed Dr. Christian Blex.While government parties are "getting catastrophic results," Alternative for Germany, according to the politician, is the only party that stands up for the interests of the German worker and the German normal families. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/afd-leader-calls-for-german-dexit-vote-to-break-from-eu-1116321159.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231115/migrant-woes-prompt-germany--italy-to-mull-deal-to-tackle-crisis-1114973928.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231009/regional-election-results-suggest-afd-has-become-major-political-force-in-germany-1114049361.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240118/how-us-coerces-france--germany-to-fund-zelenskys-failing-conflict-1116238433.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240113/germanys-scholz-speaks-in-favor-of-compromise-between-protesting-farmers-govt-1116147938.html germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko dexit, brexit, germany leaving the eu, is the eu falling apart, who wants to leave the eu, should germany stay in the eu https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/iraqi-militia-coalition-targets-israeli-port-us-troops-at-syrian-gas-field-1116329554.html Iraqi Militia Coalition Targets Israeli Port, US Troops at Syrian Gas Field Iraqi Militia Coalition Targets Israeli Port, US Troops at Syrian Gas Field Sputnik International An Iraqi militia coalition headed by the Shia militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah ramped up attacks on US bases across Iraq and Syria in October and has attempted to target Israel, in solidarity with Palestinian militias' operations against Israeli troops in Gaza. US forces in the region have been targeted over 130 times since October 17. 2024-01-23T11:55+0000 2024-01-23T11:55+0000 2024-01-23T12:44+0000 iraq ashdod israel middle east military us us military base us military bases syria https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116330212_0:104:948:637_1920x0_80_0_0_16ec591768e0d7ef51c7d827ea55dc25.png A Shia militia-led alliance known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced Tuesday that it had attacked the port in the Israeli city of Ashdod, located on the Mediterranean coast. "In continuation of our approach to resisting the occupation and supporting our people in Gaza...our fighters of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq attacked on Tuesday the port of Ashdod in the occupied territories using drones," the militia coalition said in a statement.The militia group accompanied its statement with a video showing drones taking off on route to their targets.Separately, on Monday night, the militia coalition reported targeting a US base at Conoco - Syria's largest natural gas fields, using missiles."As part of resisting the US occupation in Iraq and the region and in response to the Zionist entity's massacres in Gaza, our fighters targeted US forces positioned at Conoco Base in Syria for the third time today," the militia said in a statement Tuesday.Monday's Conoco strikes came after reports that Al-Omar - Syria's largest oil field, had also come under militia attack using drones.This week's strikes bring the total number of militia attacks against US bases in Iraq and Syria to more than 140. At least one US contractor has been killed to date, with over 80 servicemen facing injuries of varying severity.Iraqi militants led by Shia militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah (not to be confused with Lebanon's Hezbollah political and militia movement) ramped up attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria in mid-October, vowing to expel American forces from both countries.The militants reportedly scored a major victory last week, with regional media reporting that US forces at Hemo, 4 km west of Qamishli Airport in northeastern Syria, were forced to evacuate the base after repeated militia attacks. The US military has not commented on the withdrawal, but independent media appears to have corroborated it.The Pentagon has about a dozen-and-a-half major military bases in Iraq and Syria, with the latter concentrated in the energy and food-rich areas of the country's northeast and tasked with starving the country and preventing its reconstruction in the aftermath of a CIA-sponsored dirty war. Syrian authorities have repeatedly slammed the US for its illegal occupation, pointing out that American forces were never invited into the country by the internationally recognized government in Damascus. In neighboring Iraq, the government recently called on US forces to vacate the country and to end its estimated 2,500 troops' "train, advise and assist" mission in the country. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240120/us-airbase-in-western-iraq-hit-by-missile-attack---reports-1116289386.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/scores-of-american-military-bases-in-iraq--syria-explicitly-serving-us-agenda--1116200064.html iraq ashdod israel syria Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov why are iraqi militias targeting israel, why are militias targeting us troops in syria and iraq https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/israel-proposes-hamas-senior-leaders-to-leave-gaza-strip-as-part-of-ceasefire-agreement---report-1116324700.html Israel Proposes Hamas Senior Leaders to Leave Gaza Strip as Part of Ceasefire Agreement - Report Israel Proposes Hamas Senior Leaders to Leave Gaza Strip as Part of Ceasefire Agreement - Report Sputnik International Israel has proposed that Hamas senior leaders leave the Gaza Strip as part of a broader ceasefire agreement, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing two officials familiar with the discussions. 2024-01-23T05:11+0000 2024-01-23T05:11+0000 2024-01-23T07:23+0000 world palestine-israel conflict gaza strip israel hamas middle east https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0c/1c/1115844913_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_2b75c36e25804b0ab9caf8eecd0c17cf.jpg Israeli authorities understand that this proposal is unlikely to be accepted by Hamas, the report said. However, it was discussed at least twice over the past 30 days - last month in Warsaw by the head of the Israeli Secret Intelligence Service (Mossad), David Barnea, and in January, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Doha, the broadcaster reported. On Monday, the Axios news portal reported, citing two Israeli officials, that Israel proposed a two-month pause in fighting in the Gaza Strip to Hamas in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages. The deal would involve releasing all remaining hostages who are alive and returning the bodies of the dead in several phases. The first phase would include releasing women, men over 60 and hostages who are in critical medical condition, the officials said. The next phases would include releasing female soldiers, men under 60 who are not soldiers, male Israeli soldiers and the bodies of hostages.According to officials, Israel approved ten days ago the parameters of a new proposal for a hostage deal that differs from previous aspects of deals rejected by Hamas and is more forward-looking than previous Israeli proposals.On October 7, 2023, 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 25,000 people have been killed so far in the Gaza Strip 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/20240122/lebanon-fm-says-fighting-on-border-will-stop-if-agreement-on-gaza-reached-1116320941.html gaza strip israel Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza strip, hamas senior leaders, ceasefire agreement https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/japanese-business-delegation-visiting-china-for-1st-time-in-4-years---reports-1116328359.html Japanese Business Delegation Visiting China for 1st Time in 4 Years - Reports Japanese Business Delegation Visiting China for 1st Time in 4 Years - Reports Sputnik International A Japanese business delegation on Tuesday started its first visit to China in four years with plans to hold economic talks with the neighboring country's senior officials, the NHK newspaper reported on Tuesday. 2024-01-23T09:55+0000 2024-01-23T09:55+0000 2024-01-23T09:55+0000 asia japan china beijing yoshimasa hayashi economy https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/09/1d/1101355703_1:0:1779:1000_1920x0_80_0_0_d048ab32f2ae265f6668bb8f4453a868.png The Japanese delegation is led by Kosei Shindo, the chief of the Japan-China Economic Association, and also includes Japan Business Federation Chairman Masakazu Tokura and Japan Commerce and Industry Chamber Chairman Ken Kobayashi, NHK reported, adding that the visit would last for four days. The delegation is expected to exchange views on a number of economic and trade issues with high-ranking Chinese officials and business representatives, the report said. The Japan-China Economic Association used to send delegations to Beijing almost annually since 1975, but the practice was suspended in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current resumption of trips is taking place after China suspended imports of Japanese fishery products in October 2023 due to Tokyo's decision to release treated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the ocean. https://sputnikglobe.com/20231017/china-warns-japan-against-passage-of-ships-close-to-disputed-islets-1114258960.html japan china beijing Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International japanese business delegation, economic talks, visiting china Korea's industry ministry said Tuesday it has launched the first round of talks with Britain to discuss ways to improve their bilateral free trade agreement (FTA). The meeting, which will run through Thursday in Seoul, will focus on updating the latest global trade norms in areas, including the digital industry and supply chains, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Korea and Britain implemented the FTA in January 2021 following London's departure from the European Union. The two countries will also share opinions on establishing "future-oriented" and "strategic" trade relationships encompassing sectors that include clean energy, it added. "The global trading norms are changing more rapidly than ever amid the spread of protectionism and the restructuring of international supply chains," Trade Minister Cheong In-kyo said in his opening remarks. "(The two countries) should address such internal and external uncertainties together," he added, highlighting the importance of establishing a business-friendly environment. The second round of negotiations will be held in London in March, according to the ministry. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/justifying-nato-spending-germany-prepares-for-war-with-russia-again---1116326616.html Justifying NATO Spending? Germany Prepares for War With Russia Again Justifying NATO Spending? Germany Prepares for War With Russia Again Sputnik International Statements by European defense minister about a potential war with Russia have raised concerns over escalating military rhetoric, say Russian diplomats. 2024-01-23T10:46+0000 2024-01-23T10:46+0000 2024-01-23T17:30+0000 world europe boris pistorius vladimir putin germany bundeswehr bild nato russia berlin https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/04/13/1109673104_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_5eee2a84b3243ce14fe23bebddebf8ab.jpg German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has reiterated claims that Russia could attack NATO countries within a few years."It's less about concretely preparing for an attack," Pistorius told ZDF TV, but added that "you don't know if and when it will occur, then that means you have to arm yourself and that's what we're currently doing together with the allies in NATO." Pistorius appears to be setting up the pretext of an external threat simply as an argument for a bigger budget for his ministry, which is currently below the NATO benchmark of two percent of annual gross domestic product (GDP).Aside from arming Ukraine for its proxy conflict with Russia, the US-dominated alliance has upped the ante with establishment of the Lithuanian Brigade rapid-response unit along with increased military spending on arms and munitions in the face of a speculative "Russian offensive". Pistorius argued that those preparations were essential despite the tenuous justification of the threat.Pistorius' comments echoed a report in German daily newspaper Bild. Quoting a "confidential Bundeswehr document", it claimed that a conflict between NATO and Russia could erupt as soon as the summer of 2025. The Kremlin has dismissed the report as "fake news," with spokesman Dmitry Peskov doubting Bild's credibility.The speculation came as NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for a significant boost in defense spending by member states. That push comes as the German economy faces challenges, recording the lowest growth rate among euro area economies since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the German Council of Economic Experts. Soaring energy prices in 2022 thanks to Western sanctions on Russia have hit energy-intensive German industries hard.But contradicting Pistorius, the NATO chief said on Thuesday that the alliance currently sees no "direct or imminent threat" to any of its members.Earlier in the day, NATO member states agreed a new package for large-scale investment contracts worth $1.2 billion for the production of artillery shells.NATO has been strengthening its eastern flank along the borders with Russia and Belarus since late 2021 by dispatching additional troops. In response to the launch Moscow's military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, NATO has sent more ships, planes and ground troops to the region and put them on high alert.Now NATO is holding the Steadfast Defender exercises, the biggest since the Cold War. Russia says those drills raise the risk of unintended military confrontation and undermines security in Europe."These exercises are another element of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against Russia. The exercises of such scale 90,000 servicepeople with the participation of 31 countries - mark the final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War support schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are being prepared for confrontation with Russia," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told Sputnik.He also noted that the preparation for the exercises "takes place in an artificially heated atmosphere of military psychosis."Addressing the motives behind of the "irresponsible statements about a possible war with Russia" Grushko said it is clear that "by demonizing Russia, intimidating the average person, to justify the unbridled increase in military spending and the completely failed policy of supporting the Kiev regime with the aim of inflicting a strategic defeat on Russia." https://sputnikglobe.com/20240115/fact-check-is-russia-really-getting-ready-to-invade-nato-1116182337.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231210/majority-of-germans-disapprove-of-scholzs-performance-amid-worsening-economic-struggles---poll-1115504029.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/natos-steadfast-defender-exercises-threaten-europes-security-1116319041.html germany russia berlin sweden Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International german defense minister, boris pistorius, nato members, german brigade in the baltics, german newspaper bild, swedish civil defense, minister carl-oskar bohlin, kremlin spokesman, dmitry peskov, bundeswehr, ukrainian conflict, russian mobilization. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/kremlin-zelensky-in-difficult-situation-no-one-giving-him-money--1116337950.html Kremlin: Zelensky in Difficult Situation, No One Giving Him Money Kremlin: Zelensky in Difficult Situation, No One Giving Him Money Sputnik International Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently in a difficult situation as no one is giving him money and there is a crisis in Ukraine at the moment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday 2024-01-23T16:42+0000 2024-01-23T16:42+0000 2024-01-23T17:11+0000 world dmitry peskov vladimir putin volodymyr zelensky ukraine russia kremlin nato https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116337595_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_d229a27917c141b53b39c4d49d7e2c90.jpg "Zelensky is in a very difficult position. He stopped receiving money, there are not enough shells for him abroad, he has restless situation inside the country, there are many dissatisfied people. He needs to camouflage his positions with something. And that is why he disguises it with such absurd decrees. It is unlikely that this can help the Kiev regime in any way, the difficulties will only increase. This is despite the fact that for sure there are still more or less bright minds who understand what needs to be done to get out of this situation," Peskov said, commenting on Zelensky's decree "On the territories of the Russian Federation historically inhabited by Ukrainians."Peskov added that Zelensky's territorial claims to Russia are an attempt to hide problems that the Kiev regime is currently facing.More and more Ukrainians are having doubts about Kievs decision to continue bloodshed, the spokesman said.Earlier this week, Zelenskyy named a number of Russian regions, including Belgorod and Kursk, as territories historically inhabited by Ukrainians and instructed the government to draw a plan on how to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians who live in this area.The Kremlin spokesman further noted that Russia values the fact that there are some voices in Europe that talk about the need to hold a dialogue to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. The spokesperson touched upon Vladimir Putin's meetings with other foreign leaders. He confirmed that the Russian president will hold a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko later this week."It will be soon, it will be before the end of this week," Peskov added.The spokesperson also commented on the president's state visits. He announced that Putin has no plans to visit North Korea before the end of March, 2024."No, there are no plans for that," Peskov noted.European Countries Often Make Statements About Danger From RussiaPeskov weighted in on the sentiment of the "Russian threat", shared among some EU countries, commenting on German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius' recent statement about a possible military conflict with Moscow.Earlier in January, Pistorius said that Russia could attack a NATO country "one day."The spokesman also said that the Europeans have spent "a lot of money" on Ukraine but now they see that their investment "failed."The economic situation in Europe is "getting difficult," Peskov added. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/ukraine-transforming-into-authoritarian-and-totalitarian-state-under-zelensky--1116317062.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/justifying-nato-spending-germany-prepares-for-war-with-russia-again---1116326616.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International the russian threat, will russia attack europe, will russia attack nato, will russia attack eu, nato vs russia, who is stronger nato or russia, anti-russian sentiments in europe, whats russias next move after ukraine, ukraines defeat, when will ukraine loose, what happens to ukraine after russia wins, what happens to ukraine after it loses, will europe help ukraine, will us help ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/lithuania-poland-planning-to-conduct-exercises-in-suwalki-gap-in-april-1116324053.html Lithuania, Poland Planning to Conduct Exercises in Suwalki Gap in April Lithuania, Poland Planning to Conduct Exercises in Suwalki Gap in April Sputnik International Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda said on Monday that Lithuania and Poland plan to hold military drills in the Suwalki Gap in April. 2024-01-23T04:23+0000 2024-01-23T04:23+0000 2024-01-23T04:23+0000 world lithuania poland alexander lukashenko suwalki nato military drills https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/101880/33/1018803384_0:297:3891:2486_1920x0_80_0_0_5f9d875d8c60c92047bcd4b70dbd152a.jpg "I am very glad that the President of Poland quickly responded to the desire to conduct general exercises on this piece of land called the Suwalki Gap. We are already discussing a specific date, perhaps it will be April. But lets not forget that the Suwalki Gap is also an integral part of NATOs strategic plans, and it is certainly not the case that we are the only ones here talking about the Suwalki Gap and its protection," Nauseda was quoted as saying by the Delfi news agency. The 100-kilometer (62-mile) long Suwalki Gap is a narrow stretch of Polish and Lithuanian territory that separates Belarus from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.Lithuania and other Western countries regularly speak of some kind of threat in connection with the Suwalki Gap, noting that in the event of its hypothetical closure, the Baltic republic would find itself completely isolated from its NATO partners. Both Russia and Belarus have said they have no plans for these territories. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the republic "has not needed this corridor for a thousand years." The governor of the Kaliningrad region, Anton Alikhanov, noted that the Suwalki Gap is of no interest to anyone and is logistically inconvenient. He also called statements about the threat to the corridor "official NATO mythology," which the United States is interested in dispersing for the sake of placing its bases in Poland and Lithuania. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/natos-steadfast-defender-exercises-threaten-europes-security-1116319041.html lithuania poland suwalki Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International lithuania, poland, military drills, suwalki gap https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/one-dies-2-injured-after-car-rams-farmers-barricades-in-france-1116333284.html One Dies, 2 Injured After Car Rams Farmers' Barricades in France One Dies, 2 Injured After Car Rams Farmers' Barricades in France Sputnik International One person died and two others were injured after a car collided with farmers' barricades blocking highways in France's south during a protest against government agricultural policies, the president of the National Federation of Agricultural holders' Unions (FNSEA) said on Tuesday. 2024-01-23T13:02+0000 2024-01-23T13:02+0000 2024-01-23T13:02+0000 world europe france farmers car accident https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105630/70/1056307040_0:255:4896:3009_1920x0_80_0_0_1bca7dcabb923dd15364970e1c513297.jpg "There was a traffic accident in Ariege [city of Occitanie region]. Three of our activists were injured. A woman died, her husband and daughter are in shock," Arnaud Rousseau said on RMC radio station. The doctors said both injured activists are in critical condition. The three people who were in the car that rammed the barricades were detained. A report indicating that the daughter, aged 14, had also died, has been refuted by the public prosecutor of the city of Foix in a statement to the media. Since Thursday, farmers in the Occitania region have been blocking highways with tractors, haystacks and piles of manure. On Monday, farmers' unions said they intend to continue the protests throughout the week, and for as long as necessary. The farmers are demanding recognition of the importance of their profession and denouncing the government's agricultural policies, which they believe make them uncompetitive. In particular, they oppose the importation of agricultural products, restrictions on the use of water for irrigation, the rising cost of diesel fuel, as well as restrictive environmental protection measures and the increasing financial burden on production. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240115/german-farmers-converge-on-berlins-brandenburg-gate-in-final-bid-to-fight-subsidy-cuts-1116168369.html france Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International farmers' barricades, car collided, national federation of agricultural holders https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/portugal-to-take-part-in-eu-mission-in-red-sea-1116323233.html Portugal to Take Part in EU Mission in Red Sea Portugal to Take Part in EU Mission in Red Sea Sputnik International Portugal will take part in the European Union mission to establish maritime security in the Red Sea, Foreign Minister Joao Gomes Cravinho said on Monday. 2024-01-23T03:47+0000 2024-01-23T03:47+0000 2024-01-23T03:47+0000 world european union (eu) portugal houthis red sea crisis https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107511/92/1075119279_0:115:2201:1353_1920x0_80_0_0_c0eb38e42a0e5c9883e0d665ed3da5fe.jpg On Monday, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that EU foreign ministers "agreed in principle" to establish maritime security operations in the Red Sea. On the same day, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said that Slovakia will also support the EU security mission in the Red Sea. He noted, however, that Bratislava does not have a fleet, but is interested in ensuring that international rights are not violated.The Houthis vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. This led US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to announce the creation of a multinational operation to secure navigation in the Red Sea. US and UK forces launched later major strikes against Houthi positions in a bid to degrade the rebels' ability to target commercial vessels. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240120/how-could-red-sea-standoff-affect-oil-supplies--1116285141.html portugal Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International eu mission in red sea, will portugal join eu in red sea, foreign minister joao gomes cravinho https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/robocall-prompts-investigation-into-voter-suppression-in-new-hampshire---justice-dept-1116322716.html Robocall Prompts Investigation into Voter Suppression in New Hampshire - Justice Dept. Robocall Prompts Investigation into Voter Suppression in New Hampshire - Justice Dept. Sputnik International The New Hampshire AG's Office is looking into complaints about a recorded robocall message that mimics President Biden's voice, urging voters to skip local elections, stated New Hampshire Justice Department. 2024-01-23T03:42+0000 2024-01-23T03:42+0000 2024-01-23T03:42+0000 americas us new hampshire presidential primary 2024 us presidential election https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/0e/1110354139_0:160:3072:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_243d52b691a3e4dc96abe3bd1ab7b8e0.jpg "The Attorney Generals Office has received complaints regarding a recorded message encouraging voters not to vote in the January 23, 2024, New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election. The message, which was sent on January 21, 2024, stated 'your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.' Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications," the statement on Monday. According to the statement, the message was manipulated to falsely claim it was the treasurer of a political committee supporting the New Hampshire Democratic presidential primary write-in efforts for President Biden. A spokesperson for New Hampshire General Attorney's Office told Sputnik in a statement that the scope of individuals who received these messages remains unclear. The state of New Hampshire will hold the first primary vote in the nation on Tuesday. The last polls are set to close at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (1:00 GMT on Wednesday). americas new hampshire Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International new hampshire, biden phoned new hampshire, new hampshire primary, new hampshire ag, us presidential elections https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/russia-completes-tests-of-new-anti-drone-missiles---source--1116325074.html Russia Completes Tests of New Anti-Drone Missiles - Source Russia Completes Tests of New Anti-Drone Missiles - Source Sputnik International Russia is finalizing tests of anti-drone mini-missiles that will soon be put into service with anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) in the special operation zone in Ukraine, an informed source told Sputnik. 2024-01-23T06:59+0000 2024-01-23T06:59+0000 2024-01-23T06:59+0000 military pantsir-sm russia ukraine surface-to-air missile (sam) uav https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107712/93/1077129349_0:56:3148:1827_1920x0_80_0_0_b747910dda052b4d7fefb40e3e976bdb.jpg Russia is finalizing tests of anti-drone mini-missiles that will soon be put into service with anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) in the special operation zone in Ukraine, an informed source told Sputnik."Enterprises of the defense industrial complex in cooperation with the military are completing tests of anti-drone mini-missiles. It is expected that in the near future they will be put into service with anti-aircraft missile systems, carrying out combat duty in the zone of the special military operation," the source said.The new missiles, the source noted, have a standard layout for the Pantsir complex - upper stage plus trailing stage, but with significantly reduced dimensions both in terms of diameter and length. As a result, a Pantsir-SM combat vehicle can be equipped with 48 anti-drone missiles instead of 12 standard missiles.The new missiles are significantly cheaper than standard missiles, which will increase the economic efficiency of the Pantsir-SM, "since it will not be necessary to hit drones with ammunition that costs at least ten times more than the target itself," the source added.In August last year, the High-Precision Complexes holding, whose enterprises are building the mini-missiles, told Sputnik that after the tests are completed, the Defense Ministry will determine the conditions and volumes of missile deliveries to the troops. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240119/we-can-do-nothing-drone-production-executive-slams-ukrainian-mismanagement-1116263160.html russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International anti-drone mini-missiles, anti-aircraft missile systems, special operation zone in ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/senate-committee-spars-over-bill-to-transfer-russian-assets-to-ukraine--reports-1116334108.html Senate Committee Spars Over Bill to Transfer Russian Assets to Ukraine Reports Senate Committee Spars Over Bill to Transfer Russian Assets to Ukraine Reports Sputnik International The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is caught up in infighting over a new bill to transfer Russian assets to Ukraine, Politico reported, citing two unnamed sources. 2024-01-23T13:49+0000 2024-01-23T13:49+0000 2024-01-23T13:49+0000 world ukraine russia assets us https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/0c/17/1105741459_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_6972b4fec55579f702a16b8f0e4c3103.jpg The committee has scheduled a mark-up session for Wednesday. Chairman Ben Cardin reportedly plans to suggest an amendment that could water down the bill, which was proposed by the top Republican Senator Jim Risch to transfer seized funds from Russias Central Bank and other institutions to Ukraine for reconstruction needs. Cardins amendment seeks to permit asset transfer only upon the agreement of all G7 member nations, the report said on Monday. That would add extra complexity to an already dicey legal and logistical issue, the report said, citing two people familiar with the closed-door discussion. Moscow has maintained that any attempt to confiscate its frozen assets would violate international law. The Russian Foreign Ministry has dismissed the freezing of Russian assets as theft. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240112/biden-backing-bill-to-seize-russian-assets-bound-to-deepen-dedollarization-1116126197.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International transfer russian assets, russian assets to ukraine https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/trumps-talk-of-us-iron-dome-designed-to-psychologically-sooth-americans-1116339427.html Trumps Talk of US Iron Dome Designed to Psychologically Sooth Americans Trumps Talk of US Iron Dome Designed to Psychologically Sooth Americans Sputnik International The GOP frontrunner vowed to create a state of the art Iron Dome-style missile defense shield at a rally in New Hampshire on Monday, harking back to Ronald Reagans Star Wars Strategic Defense Initiative program. Sputnik asked former DoD analyst Karen Kwiatkowski what the candidates calls for a new Iron Dome will mean in practice if realized. 2024-01-23T18:20+0000 2024-01-23T18:20+0000 2024-01-23T18:20+0000 analysis donald trump ronald reagan karen kwiatkowski us israel new hampshire russia gop us department of defense (dod) https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107573/11/1075731148_0:0:2704:1521_1920x0_80_0_0_7a05f6c7f7427feedddbbd1bdc371057.jpg Donald Trump has taken flak from legacy media for his description of a Greatest Iron Dome concept, with outlets excoriating him for the simplified language he used to explain how the idea works.I will build an Iron Dome over our country, a state-of the-art missile defense shield made in the USA, Trump said in a speech to supporters in Laconia, New Hampshire on Monday, on the eve of Tuesdays first in the nation Republican primary.These are not muscle guys here, Trump said, gesturing to his bicep, theyre muscle guys up here, he added, pointing to his temple. And they calmly walk to us, and ding, ding, ding, ding, dingTheyve only got 17 seconds to figure this whole thing out. Boom. Okay. Missile launch. Woosh. Boom! Its the most unbelievable [thing] and we dont have it here, but we help other countries in have it.Israeli Air Defense System Built Using US FundsDeveloped by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the Iron Dome is a short-range all-weather Israeli air defense system designed to destroy rockets and artillery shells at distances between 4-70 km away. Funded to the tune of at least $2.6 billion worth of US taxpayer money, the Iron Dome is one of several in Israels dense air and missile defense network, which also includes the longer range Arrow and Davids Sling series systems.Instead, Kwiatkowski suggested, the former presidents remarks should be taken to imply total advance protection from missile attacks from our stated enemies, with the assumption that these enemies would want to fire their missiles at American territory.Kwiatkowski pointed out that while Trump may sincerely believe that an Iron Dome-style missile defense system will be seen as a purely defensive system, the reality is that the concept may serve to fuel a global arms race, rather than resolve tensions through negotiations, trade, communication and peace with neighbors and the rest of the world.Indeed, Moscow has expressed concerns about the concept of US missile defense going back to Reagans original Star Wars program in the 1980s, with the concept, together with the US withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2022, serving as one of the impetuses for the USSR and later Russia to develop and field hypersonic weapons.President Putin unveiled half-a-dozen new Russian strategic weapons systems in 2018 including the Avangard hypersonic glider, the Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed torpedo, the Kinzhal hypersonic air-launched missile system, the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the Peresvet laser and the Burevestnik nuclear-powered torpedo. These systems, designed specifically to overpower all existing and prospective enemy air and missile defense systems, are designed to give Russia peace of mind in the knowledge that no adversary would be foolish or shortsighted enough to try to attack Russia without expecting guaranteed retaliation.The Reagan and Bush administrations spent as much as $30 billion on the original Star Wars concept before the program was finally scrapped in 1993, with out of control defense spending in the 1980s helping to balloon the US national debt from about $995 billion in 1981 to over $4 trillion in 1992. That debt has now ballooned to over $34 trillion, or over 123 percent of US GDP, making Trumps vision of the Greatest Iron Dome potentially difficult to realize. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/haley-continues-to-trail-trump-by-wide-margin-ahead-of-new-hampshire-primary---poll-1116318235.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20210515/iranian-media-reveals-how-some-hamas-rockets-have-been-defeating-israels-iron-dome-1082902998.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240102/us-national-debt-rises-above-34-trillion-in-historic-first-ever-1115953867.html israel new hampshire russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov why is trump talking about an iron dome for america, what does trump mean by iron dome https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/turkish-parliament-ratifies-protocol-on-swedens-nato-membership---broadcast-1116342273.html Turkish Parliament Ratifies Protocol on Swedens NATO Membership - Broadcast Turkish Parliament Ratifies Protocol on Swedens NATO Membership - Broadcast Sputnik International Turkiyes Grand National Assembly ratified the protocol on Swedens accession to North Atlantic Treaty Organization on Tuesday, Turkish TRT Habers broadcast showed. 2024-01-23T20:29+0000 2024-01-23T20:29+0000 2024-01-23T20:29+0000 world turkiye sweden recep tayyip erdogan nato nato expansion nato enlargement https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/105089/90/1050899014_0:188:2200:1426_1920x0_80_0_0_43a7361ad0f959a968680dd5f872ce69.jpg The parliament's decision will come into force after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signs a corresponding decree, which will be published in the government's official journal. Should President Erdogan sign the decree, Hungary remains the only North Atlantic Alliance country that has not ratified Sweden's application to join.Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia had no problems with Finland and Sweden and that their accession to NATO did not pose an immediate threat. But the expansion of military infrastructure in these territories "will cause a response," the president said. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240121/natos-steadfast-defender-drills-raise-risks-of-inadvertent-escalation---moscow-1116301842.html turkiye sweden Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International turkish parliament, sweden nato membership, sweden nato bid, will sweden join nato, will turkey approve sweden nato bid The foreign ministry said Tuesday it provided swift consular service to a Korean who was robbed in Italy earlier this month. In early January, four Koreans traveling in Milan, including the man in his 20s, were targeted with racial slurs and physically attacked by a group of muggers, a Korean broadcaster reported Monday. The man claimed the Korean consulate general in Milan said it could only provide directions to the emergency room and the police when he called for help, without offering interpretation or other services, according to the report. The ministry told reporters it provided swift consular assistance immediately after the incident was filed early in the morning on Jan. 4, saying the consulate general talked to one of the victims to ask about their injuries and damage, gave directions to the hospital and filed a report to the local police. The consulate general also called the victim later that day and on Jan. 12 to confirm the victim's safety, it said. (Yonhap) https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/ukraine-receives-almost-35bln-in-military-aid-from-poland-since-february-2022-1116324175.html Ukraine Receives Almost $3.5Bln in Military Aid From Poland Since February 2022 Ukraine Receives Almost $3.5Bln in Military Aid From Poland Since February 2022 Sputnik International Ukraine has received almost $3.5 billion in military aid from Poland since February 2022, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Monday. 2024-01-23T04:28+0000 2024-01-23T04:28+0000 2024-01-23T04:45+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine kiev poland sergey lavrov european union (eu) aid https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/1a/1108803626_5:0:1308:733_1920x0_80_0_0_14c3de6d52999ff357ec24e7dd5e47aa.jpg "Poland provided Ukraine with weapons and equipment worth almost $3.5 billion," Shmygal said during a meeting with his Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, in Kiev, as quoted by the RBC-Ukraine news agency. Shmyhal noted that Warsaw sent to Kiev hundreds of tanks, aircraft, helicopters, air defense systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers, anti-tank weapons and ammunition. Western countries, including member states of the European Union, have been providing military and financial 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/20240122/eu-mulls-21-billion-military-aid-to-ukraine-bypassing-hungarys-veto--report---1116306920.html ukraine kiev poland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International military aid, military aid from poland, ukrainian prime minister denys shmyhal https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/un-agency-for-palestine-refugees-says-570000-people-in-gaza-strip-face-dire-hunger-1116327573.html UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Says 570,000 People in Gaza Strip Face Dire Hunger UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Says 570,000 People in Gaza Strip Face Dire Hunger Sputnik International UN Agency for Palestine Refugees Says 570,000 People in Gaza Strip Face Dire Hunger 2024-01-23T08:57+0000 2024-01-23T08:57+0000 2024-01-23T08:57+0000 world palestine-israel conflict israel gaza strip palestine united nations relief and works agency for palestine refugees in the near east (unrwa) hamas middle east https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0b/19/1115198896_0:122:2340:1438_1920x0_80_0_0_7c1df7b1c09fe959ff1d5ac2565b2dab.jpg "570,000 people in Gaza face catastrophic hunger. Intense fighting, access denials & restrictions + communications blackouts are hampering UNRWA's ability to safely & effectively deliver aid. As risk of famine grows, UN calls for a critical increase in humanitarian access," the UNRWA said on X .On October 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border and opened fire on the military and civilians. As a result, more than 1,200 people were killed in Israel and some 240 others were kidnapped. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered a complete blockade of Gaza, and launched a ground invasion of the Palestinian enclave with the stated goal of eliminating Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. More than 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza so far as a result of the Israeli attacks, according to local officials. On November 24, Qatar brokered an agreement between Israel and Hamas for a temporary ceasefire and the exchange of some prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The truce was extended several times and expired on December 1. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240121/death-toll-from-israeli-strikes-on-gaza-strip-tops-25000-1116296115.html israel gaza strip palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International un agency for palestine refugees, people in gaza, face dire hunger https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/un-security-council-meeting-on-middle-east-1116331724.html UN Security Council Meeting on Middle East UN Security Council Meeting on Middle East Sputnik International Sputnik goes live as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convenes in New York City for the quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the situation in Gaza. 2024-01-23T19:00+0000 2024-01-23T19:00+0000 2024-01-23T19:00+0000 world un security council (unsc) united nations security council new york russia east sergey lavrov https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116340605_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_7c6e9d3c45e2e2b454f308a12eadb9bb.jpg Sputnik goes live as the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convenes in New York City for the quarterly open debate on the situation in the Middle East, including the situation in Gaza.The focus of the discussions will be on solutions to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which is now in its fourth month. The participants are also expected to discuss the situation in the Middle East in a whole and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, among other issues.Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is expected to attend in person.Follow Sputnik's live feed to find out more! new york russia east Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 UN Security Council Meeting on Middle East Sputnik International UN Security Council Meeting on Middle East 2024-01-23T19:00+0000 true PT1S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International middle east, new york city, united nations security council https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/us-manipulating-politics-in-taiwan-to-face-restraints-counteracts---expert-1116332628.html US' Manipulating Politics in Taiwan to Face Restraints, Counteracts - Expert US' Manipulating Politics in Taiwan to Face Restraints, Counteracts - Expert Sputnik International The US' thinly-veiled policy of playing the so-called Taiwan card to support its geopolitical strategy of containing China is continuing after the regional... 23.01.2024, Sputnik International 2024-01-23T12:36+0000 2024-01-23T12:36+0000 2024-01-23T12:36+0000 asia taiwan china democratic progressive party (dpp) communist party of china (cpc) us-china relations https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/05/13/1110454708_0:156:3000:1844_1920x0_80_0_0_87eb30c616f89d202b9076f49dbda9b7.jpg Analysts said that there is nothing new about the US politicians' trip to the island, but it's still a provocative move against the one-China principle, and the Chinese mainland will take actions to respond based on the level of provocation made by the US and the Taiwan authorities.Chinese experts said that the US will keep manipulating Taiwan politics but Washington is also being restrained as being overly provocative might cause the situation losing control, especially when the US is busy to deal with the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at the same time in the year of US presidential election.The Chinese mainland will try to safeguard the peace across the Taiwan Straits, and be well prepared to respond to all kinds of provocations, and to push forward the reunification process step by step in its own way, experts noted.Continue manipulationAccording to Japan's Nikkei on Sunday, a US bipartisan congressional delegation will go to the island of Taiwan to "strengthen relationships with opposition party leaders," as well as the new regional leader-elect Lai, also the head of secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).Representative Ami Bera, top Democrat in the House subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific, will join a group of lawmakers on a trip to Taipei soon. It is expected to be the first US congressional delegation to the island after the January 13 regional election. Bera said in an interview on Friday that the US congress members are going to send a message of "welcome" and "congratulation" to Lai, stressing the visit will demonstrate "US support for island's democracy."However, many Taiwan residents reached by the Global Times said the election this time has failed to reflect the public opinion on the island because DPP's Lai got elected with merely 40 percent of the votes, and the reason why he got elected is that the opposition parties' candidates failed to unite, causing a division among the remaining 60 percent of the voters who wanted to end the DPP's ruling.Chang Li-chi, from Taiwan island and currently a postdoctoral researcher at Huaqiao University in Xiamen, told the Global Times that "the real public opinion in the island is to oppose the DPP's policy that has been causing tensions with the mainland in recent years, and also oppose the incompetence and corruption of the DPP authorities that has caused economic depression in the island."Since the island's problematic election system is under the manipulation and control of foreign interference forces and some local interest groups with pro-secessionist and anti-reunification stance, people in Taiwan are unable to effectively decide their own future, and they are very easy to be divided into different groups, so they are unable to make meaningful change to correct the wrong path of the DPP secessionists, Chang noted.Some Taiwan residents who asked for anonymity due to the concern of political persecution by the DPP told the Global Times that the DPP being elected is not reflecting democracy at all, because the secessionist party has been pushing the "Green Terror" (green is the color of the DPP) in the island for a very long time, and this situation will only get worse in the coming years due to Lai being elected.No one in the island is able to challenge the "Green Terror," said Taiwan analysts.The US politicians and White House's so-called congratulations to Lai are nothing about democracy, but about manipulating the island to contain China, or in other words, to play "the Taiwan card against China," experts said.The US politicians from both Democrats and Republicans agree that they need to make the best use of "the Taiwan card" when competing with China as they have realized that there is very little time left for them to use this card against China, Lu Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.According to Nikkei, Bera declined to give specific details about the trip, but the US politician noted the delegation plans to also meet with senior members of the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP).Although the DPP won the regional election, the opposition parties have got more seats in the legislative authority, and analysts said this situation will restrict Lai's secessionist policy to some extent, and this is also the reason why the US wants to strengthen engagement with the opposition parties to keep its manipulation over the politics of the island.On one hand, the US doesn't want the DPP to be too provocative against the mainland, as this might force the mainland to take decisive action to solve the Taiwan question once and for all; on the other hand, the US also wants to divide the opposition parties and to make sure there is no political force able to effectively promote reunification progress with the mainland, experts said.Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday that "the US actions and remarks from US officials on the Taiwan regional election so far have not surpassed what it has done in the past, but China will respond based on the extent of provocations [if the US side acts recklessly]."Integrated developmentThe regional election result caused pessimistic atmosphere among the people from Taiwan who support the cross-Straits peace and cooperation, as the Taiwan compatriots reached by Global Times reporters in Xiamen, a hub for cross-Straits exchanges, said the future of Taiwan's economy and security are all in serious troubles.But there is also good news for people of Taiwan who start up or get employed in the mainland, as well as Taiwan companies and individuals who have plans to seek opportunities from the mainland's market. Chinese mainland authorities have released sweeping guidelines to support East China's Fujian Province in exploring new paths for cross-Straits integrated development, outlining a flurry of specific measures to boost economic and trade cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan region in a wide range of areas from services trade and small businesses to high-tech industrial clusters.Li said this is a creative approach to bypass the obstacles set by DPP authorities and to build connection with Taiwan's individuals. When Taiwan's economy is very likely to face more troubles due to the cross-Straits tensions caused by secessionist DPP, more and more Taiwan people will decide to leave the island and the mainland would be a popular choice for them. This is also very important for the mainland to be prepared for post-reunification governance of the island.Taiwan residents reached by the Global Times in Xiamen said that culture, local language and living environment in Fujian are actually very similar to those of Taiwan, and in cities like Xiamen, it's even more developed than many cities in Taiwan, adding that due to the huge market and advanced infrastructure in the mainland, as well as the mainland's rising soft power among the youth in Taiwan, they believe that more and more Taiwan youths will break the ideological bias and come to the mainland to see by their own eyes in the coming years.This article originally appeared on the Global Times website. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240117/china-to-oppose-taiwans-independence-promote-peaceful-reunification-1116222142.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20240114/taiwans-newly-elected-head-of-administration-says-intends-to-jointly-promote-democracy-with-us-1116164807.html taiwan china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International taiwan, china, democratic progressive party (dpp), communist party of china (cpc), us-china relations https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/us-migration-crisis-amlo-takes-a-page-from-putin-1116341957.html US Migration Crisis: AMLO Takes a Page From Putin US Migration Crisis: AMLO Takes a Page From Putin Sputnik International Illegal immigration in the US will be one of the major issues of the 2024 Presidential election, if the election is actually held. 2024-01-23T20:05+0000 2024-01-23T20:05+0000 2024-01-23T20:10+0000 americas us mexico joe biden andres manuel lopez obrador texas us-mexico border migration https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/08/1116063583_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_de8c8ad77eb658c3e4a6b89091747a2c.jpg As with pretty much everything else, the actions of the Biden regime have brought the situation to a crisis, both domestically and internationally. As usual... But Biden himself is not to blame, he does not make decisions on any issue. This simulacrum of a man can't even decide when it's time to change his own diapers. But those behind the scenes, who do call the shots, (Biden = Obama's 3rd term) have an infallible expertise in taking any situation and making it worse. MUCH worse. Can anybody really be that stupid? Maybe they're doing it on purpose? As, as with international diplomacy, as with Ukraine, Palestine, and the Red Sea, and as with the economy the immigration crisis.In Texas, in the town of Eagle Pass, there was literally an armed confrontation between the Biden regime and the government of the state of Texas. Texas Governor Greg Abbott took action to seal the border after the Feds allowed tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants to enter Texas from Mexico in recent weeks. Texas already has the second highest population of illegal immigrants in the US, with at least 1.7 million, out of a total Texas population of 31 million.The Biden regime has now given an ultimatum to Texas state military forces to allow federal agents access to border areas currently being guarded by Texas police and National Guard, by Wednesday night. The Feds have a legal case before the Supreme Court, and have also threatened to resort to "other means" if their mandate is not obeyed. This can easily lead to the biggest domestic armed conflict since the Battle of Blair Mountain in 1921, which itself was the biggest armed uprising in the US since the Civil War. Stay tuned to this story, because I have no doubt that Texas will call Biden's bluff, and if they do, much of the rest of the US will applaud the action. Many competent people have been predicting a second civil war in the US, and this confrontation could be the spark that sets it off.But Biden's criminal incompetence also extends across the border into Mexico. The US Border Patrol is functionally incapable of handling the massive influx of immigrants, so in December, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Anthony Blinken went to Mexico to beg Mexican President Andres Obrador (known as "AMLO") to basically solve the crisis for them, by securing the border on the Mexican side. A difficult, dangerous, expensive and politically sensitive issue as much in Mexico as it is in the US. Obrador is a Left-leaning progressive who has been the least corrupt, most independent, and therefore, most popular Mexican President in modern history. And he's no fan of Biden, the US or its foreign policy. That already sounds a lot like a certain Russian President, doesn't it?Obrador has not forgotten the long history of imperialist exploitation and corruption that the US has imposed on his country, and also understands what an imperative issue the immigrant crisis is for Biden specifically, and the US in general. Obrador has agreed to help, but not for free. He has some ambitious and far-reaching demands of his own, and if these demands are not met, Biden et al can go ahead and try to do what they have already proven incapable of. If they are met, they will not just benefit Mexico, they will benefit not only Latin America and the Caribbean, but also millions of Latinos currently living in the US.This is a brilliant and very powerful move by AMLO. He's got the Biden regime by the short hairs, and knows that if the border crisis is not solved, it will not only jeopardize the election, but the federal relationship with Texas, which is the second largest US state in terms of geography (268,000 square miles) population (30 million) and economy ($2+ Trillion).The four specific demands from Obrador are as follows:And here's where AMLO took a page from Putin's playbook - AMLO's demands not only help Mexico and strengthen ties between Mexico and all the countries his demands will help, if they are met, it will change the entire power dynamics of Central America and the Caribbean regions, he will have made history, calling Leviathan to heel and breaking the unjust, illegal, and unilateral sanctions against Venezuela (more than 20 year) and Cuba (more than 60 years). Even if the imbeciles in Washington fail to meet these demands, everybody in the Central American region, and especially in Mexico, will remember AMLO's Robin Hood stance and defiance of the Hegemon. His courageous, patriotic and highly principled reply to the US request will be respected and appreciated not only in the region, but around the world, and can only further enhance his stellar popularity in Mexico, where his approval rating has never dipped below 60% since he got elected in 2018, and currently stands at 70%, Not far below Putin and India's PM Modi's approval rates of above 75%, among the highest approval ratings of any democratic leaders in the world. Meanwhile, according to a survey by the US-based political tracking firm, Morning Consult, US President Joe Biden has a 37% approval rating, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has 31%, UK PM Rishi Sunak ratings stands at 25%, and French President Emmanuel Macron stands at just 24%.Putin has set an example as a strong leader, defending his country both economically and militarily, improving the lives of most of his citizens, making diplomatic ties with countries around the world, cancelling billions of debt and providing billions more in free food to the neediest nations on Earth, and generally being a global Robin Hood himself. His example is inspiring others around the world to do the same.Meanwhile, the examples of of the Western regimes and their collaborators and flunkies are laid bare for the world to see - war crimes, disdain for international law and world (and their own citizens') opinion, failing economies, declining standards of living and even basic human rights for the common people, no plans to improve any of it, and only the ability to make things worse.So, ask yourself, which side of morality and history do you want to be on? The truth becomes more obvious and inescapable every day,the lines between Good and Evil are more clearly drawn, and we are all on one side or the other. Make your choice, and make your move. Indecision and inaction are truly shameful, and the road to perdition. Do not wait until it's too late. The life and country you save may be your own. Davai! https://sputnikglobe.com/20240103/us-house-speaker-border-situation-part-of-unmitigated-disaster-created-by-biden-1115966587.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20231230/bidens-border-dilemma-mexico-throws-lifeline-to-us-immigration-strategy-1115897226.html americas mexico texas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Russell Bentley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/1d/1094281697_332:0:1182:850_100x100_80_0_0_f4d7604e530b3861449b2db55c72f353.jpg Russell Bentley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/1d/1094281697_332:0:1182:850_100x100_80_0_0_f4d7604e530b3861449b2db55c72f353.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Russell Bentley https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e6/03/1d/1094281697_332:0:1182:850_100x100_80_0_0_f4d7604e530b3861449b2db55c72f353.jpg us migration crisis, mexico us migration, amlo migration, us 2024 presidential election migration topics, biden = obama, us migration policy https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/watch-russian-tanks-smash-ukrainian-fortifications-and-shelters-1116325311.html Watch Russian Tanks Smash Ukrainian Fortifications and Shelters Watch Russian Tanks Smash Ukrainian Fortifications and Shelters Sputnik International The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of a T-80BV tank crew of Battlegroup Zapad destroying Ukrainian fortifications and shelters in the Kupyansk area. 2024-01-23T10:04+0000 2024-01-23T10:04+0000 2024-01-23T10:04+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine video russia ukraine russian defense ministry t-80 https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/01/17/1116328980_89:0:1337:702_1920x0_80_0_0_cb387db7d3f9a50499758ec4c33d8dde.jpg The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of a T-80BV tank crew of Battlegroup Zapad destroying Ukrainian fortifications and shelters in the Kupyansk area.Battlegroup Zapad tank crews are constantly working on the front line, supporting Russian motorized units and delivering powerful strikes against the enemy, the Russian Defense Ministry said. russia ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Russian T-80BV tank crews wipe out Ukrainian strongholds and dugouts in Kupyansk suburbs Sputnik International Russian T-80BV tank crews wipe out Ukrainian strongholds and dugouts in Kupyansk suburbs 2024-01-23T10:04+0000 true PT0M53S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russian tanks, russian defense ministry, ukrainian fortifications https://sputnikglobe.com/20240123/yemen-could-become-algeria-for-the-us-1116324291.html Yemen Could Become Algeria For the US Yemen Could Become Algeria For the US Sputnik International Lebanon-based Journalist Laith Marouf told Radio Sputnik that Yemen may become America's Algeria, but that US will continue its allegiance to Israel because for Western elites, Zionism is their "religion." 2024-01-23T05:14+0000 2024-01-23T05:14+0000 2024-01-30T10:28+0000 analysis joe biden donald trump israel algeria yemen zionism houthi middle east the critical hour https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/0a/13/1114328422_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_5e20a8f4305645adbb2822194d8eacd2.jpg The campaign, which still has not been authorized by Congress, was instigated by the Biden administration in response to Houthi forces attacking shipping vessels they claim are connected to Israel. After the initial US airstrikes on Yemen, Houthi forces announced that it would respond in kind.Houthis are demanding that Israel halt its military campaign in Gaza. Award-winning broadcaster and Lebanon-based journalist Laith Marouf told Sputniks Critical Hour that the conflict could end up worse than Vietnam and may more closely resemble Algeria.It [would] be stupid to think that the United States will let go of its imperialist era for a cheaper price than 6 million people.Marouf notes that it would have been much less costly for the West just to allow the Houthis to target Israeli ships, noting that ships from other countries are adding No Israel/US connection to their tags.This loyalty to Israel, Marouf claims, comes from the Western elites religious Zionism.I think this is the United States doing that, and they will sacrifice American soldiers for this pledge of allegiance, Marouf warned.Marouf was then asked about a recent report that Israeli military officials ordered troops to shoot Israeli captives on October 7, as part of an implementation of the Hannibal directive, though the name of the directive was never said by officials. Marouf noted that Hamas could not have known about the musical festival, which took place near the border and an Israeli military base, because it was extended for a day during the event. They didnt even know the rave was happening, Marouf explained. Israeli helicopters came in and carpet bombed their own rave revelers that went and were trying to escape with their own cars. So we have these tens of cars, if not hundreds of cars, that are piled up on the side of Gaza from that rave that were burnt to a crisp with these missiles. The Israeli military killed the rave-goers by themselves.The humanitarian conditions in Gaza, including a lack of food, water and medicine and the spreading of disease, will lead to even more deaths while forcing the axis of resistance to speed up their engagement, Marouf said, referring to the countries and forces in the Middle East that have opposed Israels campaign in Gaza. https://sputnikglobe.com/20240122/us-military-calls-off-search-for-navy-seals-lost-during-seizure-of-ship-in-red-sea-1116306161.html israel algeria yemen red sea palestine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2024 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino zionism in the united states, yemen situation, airstrikes in yemen, us war in yemen, red sea shipping lanes The track was fast for the Monday afternoon (Jan. 22) card at Batavia Downs, and so was the pace at which money flowed through the windows from all outlets as the track handled $509,180, setting a new all-time one-day betting record on live racing at the track and marking the first time ever that the Downs handled in excess of one-half million dollars while under the ownership of Western Regional Off Track Betting. This is the third time this meet that has only raced four days so far that the track has set a new standard for handle. The high water mark on Monday came in the fifth race where $69,298 was bet on that single event. Don Hoover, Director of Live Racing at Batavia Downs, said, This is definitely historic for the track, something that has never been done before. And it speaks volumes for the competitive racing our horses and their connections put on the track every race day. Our customers recognize that and want to bet on it and we are grateful to be in this situation. Its a total team effort to make these races a success and everyone associated with the track shares in this achievement. Monday also marked the beginning of the Western New York Trackmaster Series for pacers, an event that was responsible for setting betting marks during the 2023 winter meet. These races were once again very exciting on Monday but had two drivers win nine of the 15 carded events. Jim Morrill Jr. won five races during the afternoon, four of which were from his regular connections, trainer Sam Smith and owner Mike Torcello. Morrill scored with Road Map (1:57, $2.50), Mister J R (1:57.3, $2.60), Stonebridge Hypnos (1:59, $2.40) and Authentic Hanover (1:59.1, $9). His fifth win was behind Mississippi Rabbit (1:58, $3.20), who is owned by William MacMillan and trained by Joe Skowyra. Brett Beckwith was right behind Morrill in the win column as he registered a grand slam. He won with Surfers Paradise (1:58.2, $8.60), Weekend Atnannies (1:58.1, $3.90) and Thatmomentinlife (1:57.3, $7.80), who were all trained by Mark McDonough, and also with Long Train Runnin (1:57, $2.70), who was trained by Jim Clouser Jr. When live harness racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 3 p.m., there will be a $532 carryover in the Jackpot Super Hi-5 in the 15th race. Batavia will also host the first round of the Western New York Trackmaster Series for trotters on Thursday. (Batavia Downs; Photo of Stonebridge Hypnos and Morrill Jr. winning on Jan. 22) Pembrook Legacy N made every pole a winning one en route to victory in the $11,000 Preferred Pace on Monday, Jan. 22 at The Raceway at the Western Fair District. Lorne House and his student cleared the lead from the rail and kept going through panels in :28.4, 1:00 and 1:28.3. Ideal Perception (Anthony Haughan) popped the pocket and gave chase down the lane, but Pembrook Legacy N continued on to win by a half length in 1:58. Heza Handy Man (Michael Horner) completed the top three. Samuel Taylor owns Pembrook Legacy N (Bettors Delight-Pembrook Milly Mae), who recorded his first win of 2024 and 23rd career win from 84 starts. The 11-year-old New Zealand gelding now has $169,188 banked. As the 4-1 third choice, he returned $10.10 to win. To view Monday's harness racing results, click the following link: Monday Results - The Raceway at the Western Fair District. (Standardbred Canada) Longtime horseman and farrier Gordon Harvey Kerr of Goderich, Ont. passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at Alexandra Marine & General Hospital, in his 84th year after a recent finding of cancer. Gord is survived by his children Brian Kerr (Sheila), Brenda German (Corrie) and Kevin Kerr (Allison), and his grandchildren Matthew, Lauren, Meagan, Brandan, Wyatt and Alyssa. Gord was a devoted Standardbred horseman, accomplished in his career as a well respected farrier far and wide including at both Western Fair Raceway and Clinton Raceway. Gord was known to pull up a trunk in the barn to talk about his passion for horses. You could count on him for giving sound horse advice, recalling the specifics of a race, laughing at a good joke or indulging his sweet tooth. At Gords request, there will be no service. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Ontario Standardbred Adoption Society. Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Gord Kerr. Korea on Tuesday expressed hope for a resolution over a Japanese local government's decision to remove the memorial stone for Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor from a public park. Japanese media reported earlier this week that the authorities of Gunma Prefecture plan to remove the memorial stone from a public park in the city of Takasaki. The memorial stone was erected in 2024 by a civic group in Japan to promote the public's understanding of the shared past history from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula and the friendship between the two neighbors. In 2014, Gunma Prefecture refused to extend the state approval for the establishment of the stone, claiming a civic activist made inappropriate remarks about the forced labor victims during a 2012 memorial event. Japan's top court ruled in favor of the Gunma authorities in 2022, but the civic group has filed for separate suits seeking to block the removal. "We hope that this issue will be resolved in a way that will not undermine the friendly relations between the two countries," a foreign ministry official said. A diplomatic source said Seoul is communicating with Tokyo about the matter, although it is difficult for Korea to raise the issue at the government level, given that it is an ongoing dispute between a local government in Japan and a Japanese civic group. On the front wall of the stone, the phrase, "Remembrance, Reflection and Friendship," is engraved in Korean, Japanese and English. The forced labor issue has been a major thorn in bilateral relations. Many Koreans were forced to work in Japanese factories under harsh conditions during the colonial years. The Seoul-Tokyo ties improved dramatically after President Yoon Suk Yeol announced a plan in March to compensate the Korean forced labor victims without asking for contributions from liable Japanese companies. But some victims and their bereaved family members oppose Yoon's decision. (Yonhap) This is the final column of a three-part series on early libraries in the United States. Here is where the title of oldest public library in the U.S. starts getting into semantics: One library claims the title of oldest building, and another claims oldest building constructed to be a library, and so on. Some libraries started out as subscription libraries while others were open to the public from the beginning. Another distinction was whether books could be removed from the library or only used within the building. Following are some short descriptions of some old libraries in the U.S. The Sturgis library claims the title of oldest building being used for a library in the U.S. Located in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the building was constructed in 1644 originally to serve as a home. This library building appears to have been added on to a number of times. The library itself was established in 1863. Also vying for the title of oldest library in the U.S. is the Redwood Library in Newport, Rhode Island. It occupies the oldest building constructed to be a library. The Redwood started out as a subscription library and dates back to 1747. The Darby Free Library in Darby, Connecticut (established in 1743) calls itself the nations oldest public library in continuous service. Scofield Library in Salisbury, Connecticut claims a first, as well. According to its website, it started out in 1771 as a subscription library. The original benefactor was a loyalist so he left for England when the Revolutionary War broke out. Citizens continued to purchase books for the library until 1810, when the city voted to purchase books for the library. In this way, Scofield became the first publicly funded library. To honor its namesake, the town of Franklin, Massachusetts asked Benjamin Franklin to donate a bell. He decided to donate sense instead of sound and in 1790 he donated 116 books to Franklin. City leaders voted to allow the public to access the books, so they claim to be the oldest public library in the U.S. The Library Company of Burlington, New Jersey still operates under a business charter signed by King George II in 1757. Several members of this subscription library worked with Benjamin Franklin when he started the Philadelphia Library Company. Boston Public Library (BPL) was established in 1848 and considers itself the first free municipal library. City leaders were reluctant to commit to a public library. However, when John J. Astor died, he left money for New York City to establish a library. The long-standing cultural competition between the two cities came to a head, and Boston opened its library two years before New York. Boston Public Library opened the first branch library in the U.S. in 1870 and now supports 26 branches throughout Boston. In 1638, John Harvard donated a portion of his estate as well as 400 books to a college in Boston called New College, which was later renamed after Harvard. As the school grew, different library buildings were used. In 1912, the grieving mother of a Harvard graduate who had perished on the Titanic endowed Widener Library with the instruction that the exterior was not to be altered. As Harvard outgrew this building, the library moved underground, and now boasts two floors above ground and five underground levels. Harvard University Library is not open to the public. To sum up the oldest library debate: New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and several Massachusetts libraries each claim to be the oldest library in the United States. They all have their own reasoning, but regardless of who can claim the record, libraries have been an important part of American communities for a long time. Gov. Jim Pillen announced a plan during his annual State of the State address on Thursday, Jan. 18, to streamline the states public higher education system. The One Nebraska initiative, as Pillen referred to it during his 40-minute speech before the Legislature, will eliminate needless duplication and inefficient competition between state-supported schools. At a press conference immediately after his speech, Pillen said the plan, which includes the University of Nebraska, the Nebraska State College System and the states six community colleges, would eliminate silos along the way. But the governor and former member of the NU Board of Regents did not get into specifics about how the One Nebraska initiative would be implemented. I dont care if its K-12 or higher education, we have to be focused on the kids and the right fit for kids, he said. Its absurd that we have state-funded higher education competing against one another. We want to work together and focus on the best outcome, Pillen added. Now in his second year as governor, Pillen said he wanted the states postsecondary institutions to focus less on growing enrollment and more on improving graduation rates. Thats what workforce development is, he said. Businesses in Nebraska dont care about what the heck their enrollment is, they care about graduates. They care about skillset development so they can grow businesses and grow the economy. Pillen said he planned to speak more to higher education leaders to ensure they werent duplicating efforts, and to tear down silos. Im going to work my tail off to influence so we utilize our resources in the most efficient and effective way, he said. Higher education leaders said they have had initial conversations about One Nebraska a term Pillen referred to often during his campaign for governor but have not been provided with a plan for how it will be carried out. We dont have a lot of details on the One Nebraska effort yet, but obviously we welcome the conversation with the governor and state colleges and other higher education partners, said NU Interim President Chris Kabourek. The outline of the plan aligns with much of what NU is already doing, Kabourek added, as it seeks to reshape itself for the future and compete for the best and brightest students in the state. Kabourek also said he believes NU will continue to be a place that helps meet the states workforce needs as well as a university system that allows students to learn, grow and discover their passions. I dont think this has to be a zero-sum game, he said. I think we can do both. Chancellor Paul Turman of the state college system said the campuses in Peru, Wayne and Chadron were already focused on increasing the degree completion rate to 70% statewide. Degree completion has risen at the state colleges 2.7% over the last four years, Turman said. I appreciate that Gov. Pillen recognizes the vital role the state colleges, community colleges, and university play in continuing to move Nebraska forward, and we look forward to collaborating with him and our higher-education counterparts to address the workforce needs of Nebraska, he said. Photos and video: Gov. Jim Pillen's State of the State A German company is poised to bring 195 jobs and invest nearly $39 million in a project that will bring the firms U.S. headquarters to Mooresville. DEHN, an international electrical engineering and manufacturing company, is expected to bring production, research, and training capabilities to the headquarters site. Gov. Roy Cooper made the announcement on Tuesday. The company has not yet finalized its decision concerning a location for the final build, but it will be in Mooresville. Plans are to lease a property for immediate occupancy while the permanent building is constructed. The company anticipates the first phase of construction to be completed in December 2026 and expanding by December 2030. Were excited to welcome this international company and these new jobs to our region, N.C. Sen. Vickie Sawyer of Mooresville said. DEHNs decision to locate operations in Iredell County shows people around the world that were the perfect location for tomorrows leading industries. Many people in our area have worked behind the scenes to bring DEHN to our area, N.C. Rep. Grey Mills of Mooresville said. Our community welcomes this global company to Mooresville and Iredell County. All of us will continue to help DEHN, Inc. and its employees connect to the community and find success in North Carolina. DEHN, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of DEHN SE, a family-owned electrical engineering company based in Neumarkt, Germany. The company offers solutions and services for lightning, surge protection, and safety equipment as part of its portfolio. The company holds more than 1,100 patents. North Carolinas global reputation as the best state for business continues to attract exceptional international companies like DEHN to places like Iredell County, Cooper said. The industries of the future know they will find talented workers and the worker training and support systems necessary for success when they select North Carolina as their next business location. According to the governors news release, the companys project in Mooresville will establish a U.S. headquarters and production facility to manufacture components for a wide range of products. In addition, the research and development unit will develop new products for the U.S. market and collaborate with universities in the United States. DEHNs project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the states Economic Investment Committee earlier this week. Over the course of the 12-year term of the grant, the project is estimated to grow the states economy by $523 million. The JDIG agreement authorizes the potential reimbursement to the company of up to $1,170,000, spread over 12 years depending on whether the company has met its incremental job creation and investment targets. We are very proud to take this strategically important step for our company, Philipp Dehn, CEO of the DEHN group, said. Being 114 years in business, we now start to leverage our full potential on the U.S. market. I want to thank all representatives of North Carolina Department of Commerce for the always trustworthy and highly professional cooperation since the start of this special project. We are extremely excited regarding the further development of DEHN Inc. within the United States, bringing our outstanding knowledge and experience regarding lightning and surge protection to our customers. The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the states support for the company during its site evaluation and decision-making process. Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average salary for the new positions will be $66,120, which is higher than the current average wage in Iredell County of $63,674. Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the North Carolina Community College System, N.C. Commerces Division of Workforce Solutions, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Mitchell Community College, the Centralina Workforce Development Board, South Iredell Community Development Corporation, Iredell County, the town of Mooresville, the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, and the Iredell County Economic Development Corporation. The film "Amerikatsi" by director Michael Gurjian and producer Arman Nshanyan did not make it to the top five of the Oscar's "Best international feature film" category, but made a history in the Armenian film industry becoming the first film from Armenia featured in the Oscar's shorlist. "When I read the script for the first time, I immediately agreed to work on this film. It did not appear in the finals, but I think it went a long and important way and I felt that it will have such a great destiny. In general, you can do anything in Armenia, you don't need to connect all your dreams only with the outside world, and this historical event is the proof of my words", says Arman Nshanyan, the producer of the film, in a conversation with NEWS.am STYLE. The final 5 films that will compete in the category are: "The Teachers Lounge, Germany, Io Capitano, Italy, Perfect Days, Japan, Society of the Snow, Spain and The Zone of Interest, United Kingdom. The movie "Amerikatsi" tells the story of Charlie, an Armenian man, who miraculously survived the Genocide and immigrated to the United States, but his family, unfortunately, were killed in that crime. The story begins in 1947, when Charlie returns to Armenia and faces the harsh reality called Soviet Communism. Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram When Portland offered up a new package of tax breaks for businesses in and around downtown last summer, Portland Soda Works CEO Dan McLaughlin thought he saw an opportunity. His small bottling plant in inner Southeast Portland produces syrups for making cocktails and mocktails, the kind of artisan craftsmanship that defined the city during its Portlandia days a decade ago. His company sells them under the Portland Syrups brand and operates a shop adjacent to its bottling facility. But McLaughlin said doing business here has become harder and harder as Portland has coped with a deteriorating public image and small firms like his have coped with a city government that he says throws up barriers to expansion and seems indifferent to the challenges of doing business in the city. So he was eager to see if Portland would cut him a break with its new incentives. What he found was discouraging, McLaughlin said, with a program of property tax incentives that felt targeted to large firms. Just filling out the paperwork looked daunting, and application help from his accountant threatened to cost more than the money he would save. Portland began offering new tax incentives last summer to encourage employers to retain their presence downtown and in close-in neighborhoods, or to move in from elsewhere. The city hoped to stem the exodus that accompanied the pandemic and overcome the blighted feel caused by rising crime, homelessness and public drug use. Businesses initial reactions have been mixed. While they welcome the citys outreach, they say the tax incentives dont address their core concerns about downtowns deteriorating image or dont offer clear benefits. Its good intentions, but its so much bureaucratic work that nobody really knows, McLaughlin lamented. Most likely Ill end up not doing the thing Im supposed to do because I dont know what Im supposed to do. Portlands economy is booming in many ways, with unemployment at a historic low and wages rising. But downtown and close-in neighborhoods that thrived before the pandemic are stagnating. Hybrid and remote work has emptied out office towers and left parts of the central city feeling abandoned, exacerbating its other woes. The issues exasperate many of the remaining businesses. Some, like Hoffman Construction, are leaving for the suburbs. To hold on to those that remain, and attract replacements, Portland began offering incentives last year to reduce their tax bill. One new program offers a credit of up to $250,000 on Portlands business license tax for employers that sign a new lease downtown or in other close-in neighborhoods. And last summer, the City Council designated all of downtown and other close-in areas as enterprise zones, allowing certain businesses to a state program for property tax breaks on capital investment. The city wants to reduce downtowns reliance on office workers and attract more types of businesses, according to Shea Flaherty Betin, economic development director for Prosper Portland, the citys economic development agency. We have to have a better mix of uses in the downtown core, he said. Oregon created the enterprise zone program in the 1980s to attract industry into struggling communities. The program is now dominated by data centers owned by companies like Google, Meta and Amazon, which capitalized on the fact that Oregon puts no limit on the size of the giveaways and are saving hundreds of millions of dollars on their property tax bills. That includes taxes on expensive equipment, such as factory machinery or racks of high-powered computers. No one is talking about putting big data centers downtown, but Flaherty Betin said Portland hopes the enterprise zone designation could work on a smaller scale for small manufacturers, technology businesses and white-collar firms making capital improvements. Even certain office renovations could qualify. Were welcoming any investment of folks that are interested, he said. Portlands business lobby has complained bitterly about various taxes voters approved over the past few years. The citys incentives could take some of the sting out of those tax bills but individual businesses also say they would like to see fewer bureaucratic obstacles to operating or expanding. Animation studio ShadowMachine is talking with the city about incentives as it prepares to expand in the wake of last years Oscar win for its Portland-made reimagining of Pinocchio. The studio has several projects underway and many more in the pipeline, potentially employing several hundred in Portland. The studio is spread out across three buildings in Northwest Portland and would like to bring everyone together in a single campus, according to Rosemary Colliver, ShadowMachines head of business and legal affairs. But she said the environment around its current sites is unappealing, and City Hall doesnt seem to hear those concerns. It just gets so frustrating that we have our employees trip on 6-inch potholes walking between our buildings, and theres human feces and theres homeless camps all around us, Colliver said. Nailing down permits for new production space is slow and unpredictable, she said. While Prosper Portland has gone above and beyond in offering assistance, Colliver said the studio needs to move quickly when it launches a new project and complained that working with the city remains cumbersome. More front-end assistance would go a longer way than the tax benefits that do help us at the end of the day, Colliver said. Other businesses may have a more upbeat view of the citys efforts. Software maker Panic negotiated an enterprise zone agreement to help finance its move to new downtown offices, and eyeglass lens manufacturer Revant Optics has a similar deal to help offset the cost of a $541,000 move to new, larger quarters in Northwest Portland. Neither company responded to requests for comment on their deals. Their spending on new facilities and equipment will determine the amount they save through the enterprise zone program. Its an important tool we havent had downtown, said Pam Neal, business advancement manager for Prosper Portland. She said companies can qualify for the exemptions in a variety of ways and that Portland wants to give organizations every reason to continue operating in the central city. Right now, its really important for us to retain our businesses, Neal said. Accretech, a Japanese company that makes components for manufacturing tools, is negotiating an enterprise zone agreement, too, to grow its factory in Northwest Portland. The company wants to boost its output and add to the 40 employees who work there and thinks the enterprise zone deal will help make that possible. Thats going to mesh well with our goals in expanding a little bit more, said Owen Farley, an Accretech quality assurance specialist. The companys tools are used across industries in any metal manufacturing that needs precise results, according to Farley. He said its products detect imbalances in grinding tools and automatically adjusts to compensate. Its capital-intensive work, and so Farley said Accretech welcomed Portlands offer to save on the property taxes associated with its manufacturing equipment to promote the expansion. He said the company wasnt planning to leave but the incentives make it easier to grow. It certainly seems appealing from our standpoint, Farley said. Our business is fairly rooted in Portland. 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: A man walks past a Medibank branch in Sydney on Oct. 26, 2022. A Russian national has been sanctioned on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, by the Australian government for his role in a cyber attack which compromised the personal details of more than 10 million Australians. Credit: AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File A Russian national has been sanctioned by the Australian government for his role in a cyber attack that compromised the personal information of more than 10 million Australians. In October 2022, client data from Medibank, Australia's largest health insurer, was released by an extortionist, including details of HIV diagnoses and drug abuse treatments, after the company refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of current and former customers. On Tuesday, the Australian government imposed its cyber sanction powers for the first time against Aleksandr Ermakov after Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies, with support from undisclosed 'global partners' made the link between the Russian citizen and the cyber attack. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the sanctions imposed are part of Australia's efforts to expose cyber criminals and debilitate groups engaging in cyber attacks. "In our current strategic circumstances we continue to see governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and households in Australia targeted by malicious cyber actors," Marles said in a statement on Tuesday. "We continue to work with our friends and partners around the world to ensure cyber criminals are held to account for their actions and we will relentlessly pursue activities which disrupt their capability to target Australians in the cyber space." This sanction makes it a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment, to provide assets to Ermakov, or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the sanction sends a clear message to cyber criminals. "There are costs and consequences for targeting Australia and targeting Australians," she said in a statement. 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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: W. Notman & Son, Womens Ward, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, 1894. II-105911.0, McCord Stewart Museum) By revamping a forgotten heat recovery technique used in the design of Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital, McGill University researchers say modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed. As the COVID-19 pandemic raises questions about efficient ventilation and the climate crisis threatens to exacerbate extreme temperatures, efficient building design is front of mind for today's architects. But what can we learn from architectural techniques that were developed more than 100 years ago? A group of researchers at McGill University's Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture set out to answer this question by examining the original ventilation system in Montreal's Royal Victoria Hospital. In findings outlined in an article in iScience, the researchers say that, by revamping the lost technique, modern temperature control and ventilation design could be transformed. "These historical insights could help us to design less equipment-heavy solutions today with a new approach to energy-sufficient architecture and healthy indoor environments," said co-author Professor Salmaan Craig. In the schematics for the Royal Victoria Hospital, first built in 1893, the team found an early precedent for ventilation heat recovery, an efficiency measure that recuperates heat from the exhaust air so that stale, indoor air can be constantly replenished with fresh, outdoor air without needing much extra energy to heat up this incoming flow. "Ventilation heat recovery is vital for healthy, energy-efficient buildings but needs miles of ductwork. The supporting infrastructure causes substantial emissions during manufacture, maintenance, and disposal," said Anna Halepaska, Ph.D. candidate and the study's first author. Through archival research and lab experiments, the researchers verified the ventilation rate and amount of heat recovery. They found that by revamping the 19th century technique by eliminating ductwork and fans, it was possible to recover heat through partition walls and floors while maintaining a steady ventilation flow. Shedding new light on 19th-century environmental motivations By following a historic paper trail of correspondence between clients, consultants, architects and engineers the McGill team found out how and why the system was designed in such a way originally. Many scholars assume that heat recovery is a 20th century invention, but the study shows that engineers experimented with it in the 19th century, before electrification and the widespread use of mechanical fans. "Fuel economy and clean indoor air were real concerns in the 19th century, especially in hospitals. However, this early heat recovery innovation responded to the harsh Canadian winter on very pragmatic terms. It provided a means to preheat outdoor air, which stopped the pipework in the air heating system from freezing in cold snaps," said Craig. By re-reading archival documents, the researchers were also able to clarify the role of British hospital specialist Henry Saxon Snell, who mysteriously backed away from the project after developing its original designs. The board of governors pushed Snell to step down after local consultants argued his ventilation scheme wasn't fit for the cold winter. The researchers proved the governors right, finding precisely why Snell's scheme was unfit while revealing the innovative, heat-recuperating method that replaced it. "It's also surprising that much of the ventilation design was inspired by a completely different building type namely the Canadian Parliament building. Architectural historians sometimes think of hospitals as unique, but this work shows those crucial connections," said Professor Annmarie Adams, co-author and architectural historian. Uncovering this early history of heat recovery sheds new light on the environmental ideas motivating 19th-century engineers and architects in Canada and abroad. More information: Anna Halepaska et al, 19th-century thermosiphon ventilation and its potential for heat recovery in buildings today, iScience (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108765 Journal information: iScience A Bryan man was arrested Sunday night after allegedly stabbing a convenience store worker, according to the Bryan Police Department. Jonathan Tanner Doyel, 28, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to Brazos County Jail records. At around 7:35 p.m. Sunday, police said officers responded to a 911 report of a stabbing in the 4000 block of Old College Road. Upon arrival, police said they found two men fighting, with one male having a severe stab wound. Officers said a bloody 5-inch kitchen knife was on the ground near the men. The Bryan Fire Department arrived on scene to treat the victim and police took the other man, identified as Doyel, into custody. Police said they interviewed the victim at the hospital after he was treated for a collapsed lung due to the stab wound. According to police, the victim said Doyel had been to the convenience store earlier in the day and had refused to pay for alcoholic beverages. The victim told police that Doyel returned later but was refused service. In retaliation, Doyel allegedly slashed a tire on the victims car and fled the scene, according to the victims testimony. The victim went outside and began trying to fix the flat tire when he said he felt a sharp pain in his back and turned around to find Doyel. Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a first-degree felony when serious bodily injury is caused and is punishable by up to 99 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Doyel is being held under a $100,000 bond, according to jail records. A College Station man was sentenced to nine years in prison earlier this month for drug possession after repeated theft offenses, according to the Brazos County District Attorneys Office. Jackie Joe Robinson, 31, was sentenced Jan. 12 for the possession of a controlled substance penalty group 1, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. According to the DAs office, Robinson was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over by police on April 4, 2021. Robinson was arrested on warrants and police found 3.5 grams of methamphetamine pills in the vehicle. Robinson had previously been convicted of eight counts of theft, two counts of evading arrest and one count of assault family violence, according to the DAs office. Two Korean diplomatic missions came under criticism Tuesday after they posted wrong images of the national flag and traditional clothing on their social networking services. Earlier in the day, Seo Kyoung-duk, a Sungshin Women's University professor well known for his efforts to promote Korean interests abroad, took issue with a Facebook post by the Korean Embassy in the Czech Republic that depicted a graphic image of a woman dressed in what appears to be Chinese traditional attire. Seo noted that the Korean consulate general in Milan also posted on its Facebook page an image of the Korean national flag with a red circle in the middle akin to the symbol on the Japanese flag. The consulate general has deleted the post, a foreign ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity. "We will inform all diplomatic missions to pay special attention to anything that can cause even the slightest misunderstanding," he said. (Yonhap) The once brightly colored office on the third floor of the Students Services Building on Texas A&M Universitys campus has been stripped of any and all reference to its former role as the LGBTQ+ Pride Center. When Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 17 last June 17, Texas A&M and all other state universities began work immediately to cease all diversity, equity and inclusion programs; including those designed or implemented in reference to race, color, ethnicity, gender identity, or sexual orientation, according to the law. As of Jan. 1, the space once occupied by the pride center has changed to the Student Life Center, and LGBTQ+ student organizations are left to pick up the pieces as they try to maintain the services and events once operated by the center. Alex Gonce, a computer engineering senior and Draggieland showrunner for the Texas A&M Queer Empowerment Council (TAMU QEC), said they first heard the pride center might close shortly after SB 17 was passed. At first it was denial, No, they cant be getting the pride center. Its open to everyone, nothing about it is limiting, anyone can participate, Gonce said Monday. I know it has been a safe space for me and a bunch of my friends and a bunch of [organization] members. I know its like their place on campus. So, not having that, as like a designated space, just feels like a loss. Events once hosted by the pride center such as Lavender Graduation a graduation ceremony dedicated to LGBTQ+ students and The Coming Out Monologues where students shared their personal stories with an audience meant a lot to students who often faced prejudice at the historically conservative university, Gonce said. A lot of our transgender members in the community, they cant always go to graduation and have their chosen names spoken and they may get misgendered, Gonce said. So, Lavender Graduation was a space where they could be accepted, their real names could be read. There was that found family there, your friends were there supporting you and proud of all the work you had done. In a statement to The Eagle, Chuck Glenewinkel, the director of Student Affairs Division of Marketing & Communications, said the department will continue to provide services for all students while maintaining compliance with SB 17. The space will continue to be a welcoming environment for all Aggies, Glenewinkels statement said. Events and programs like Late Night and Craft & Cram will be transitioned to the new Student Life Center this semester. Student Affairs and [the] Student Life Center will continue to explore avenues to provide needed services and resources for all Aggies. Glenewinkel also confirmed that events such as The Coming Out Monologues, Lavender Graduation and other LGBTQ+-oriented events will no longer be offered by the new Student Life Office. Some student organizations have expressed an interest in administering these programs moving forward, he said in the statement. The Division of Student Affairs offers support for all student organizations. Student Affairs has staff available to provide guidance when requested. TAMU QEC has begun taking reservations for the Coming Out Monologues at Rudder Theatre and has started talking with the Aggie Mentorship Network to make sure the organization can keep other programs running, Gonce said. As for events such as Draggieland, a yearly drag show put on by TAMU QEC, Gonce said organization leaders do not think SB 17 will interfere with events hosted by recognized student organizations. Were been researching this since the bill passed, Gonce said. We are 99% sure, if not 100% sure, that the bill should not affect us. [Draggieland] is our own program, we dont get anything from the school. If anything, were paying the school to host it because we pay Rudder Theatre. According to SB 17, the requirements for closing the pride center do not apply to registered student organizations or academic course instruction by faculty. The closure of the pride center has added to an already unfavorable reputation of Texas A&M within the queer community, Gonce said. Well, it definitely doesnt help that view people have of A&M, Gonce said. I know when I came here, I reluctantly chose A&M. One of the big things is, as much as student groups can do a lot of work, the pride center just [had] that department-level overview and outreach. It will definitely affect peoples view of A&M and their first resources when they come here. The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) on Tuesday opened an institute specialized in developing military quantum computing and sensing technology, the state-run procurement agency said. The institute located in Daejeon, 164 kilometers south of Seoul, plans to develop quantum computing and sensing technologies for military applications and foster professionals in partnership with local universities over the next five years. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the institute was established to develop its own quantum computing technology for the military's secure communications, which is banned from exports in the United States. (Yonhap) By Kim Se-jeong Police in South Gyeongsang Province arrested a man on Monday on suspicion of stealing 390 kilograms of strawberries from fruit farms in the city of Gimhae. The suspect, who lives in the same neighborhood as the farms, is alleged to have stolen the strawberries to help pay his debts last month and early this month, making approximately 7.8 million won ($5,846) through their sales, according to the police. He is currently in police custody. Strawberries, seasonal to winter, are a high-priced fruit in Korea and their resale value is thought to be a possible motivation for the crime. The suspect, not a farmer himself, confessed to sneaking into greenhouses at night, taking packaged strawberries and selling them the next day to bars and stores in Gimhae and Miryang for 50,000 won ($37.40) per box. The man, who has prior convictions, had been living in the village for years and knew that the locks on the strawberry greenhouses didn't work properly, the police quoted the suspect as saying. Police said that as they had initially suspected that the crime had been committed by professional thieves, the progress of the investigation was slower than expected. In earlier news reports, victims claimed the stolen strawberries amounted to 2 tons, but the claim was later corrected to 390 kilograms. The three initiatives China put forward have resonated warmly with the world 10:54, January 23, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily Currently, the global economic recovery remains fragile and weak, and various security challenges keep emerging. Misunderstandings, estrangement and conflicts among civilizations still exist, and the deficits in peace, development, security and governance are growing. Eying on promoting human progress, Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) in recent years. These initiatives have contributed Chinese wisdom and solutions to improving global governance, embracing changes in the world, and addressing challenges facing humanity, providing strategic guidance for building a community with a shared future for mankind. It is widely recognized that peace and stability, material sufficiency, and cultural-ethical enrichment represent the basic goals of human society. Development serves as the material foundation for security and civilization, security acts as the fundamental prerequisite for development and civilization, and civilization provides the cultural-ethical support for development and security. The GDI, GSI, and GCI proposed by Xi guide the advance of human society across these three dimensions. Resonating and complementing each other, they have built broad consensus and strong momentum in the international community to strengthen cooperation, jointly meet challenges, and create a shared future. The GDI is committed to promoting global development and foster a development paradigm featuring benefits for all, balance, coordination, inclusiveness, win-win cooperation and common prosperity, with an aim to foster a global community of development with a shared future. So far, over 100 countries and international organizations have voiced support for the GDI, and more than 70 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. China has also signed cooperation memorandums of understanding with nearly 30 countries and international organizations. This has enhanced the synergy between the GDI and major national and regional development plans. The GDI stays committed to development as its first priority, to a people-centered approach, to inclusiveness and benefits for all, to innovation-driven development, to harmony between humanity and nature and to results-oriented actions. The initiative is fully aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It addresses the most pressing livelihood needs of developing countries, building cooperation platforms and partnerships in key areas such as poverty reduction, food security, industrialization and digital connectivity. It deepens pragmatic cooperation, strengthens knowledge sharing in development, and benefits developing countries extensively. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed believes that strengthening cooperation within the framework of the GDI is key to achieving the common objectives for people and the planet. Through the GSI, China calls for adapting to the profound changes in the international landscape through solidarity, addressing traditional and non-traditional security risks and challenges with a win-win mindset, and creating a new path to security that features dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win results over zero-sum game. The initiative aims at building a security community. China released the Global Security Initiative Concept Paper, which expounds the core ideas and principles of the GSI, and identifies the priorities, platforms and mechanisms of cooperation. Through the mediation of China, Saudi Arabia and Iran achieved historic reconciliation, setting a fine example for countries in the region to resolve disputes and differences and achieve good neighborly relations through dialogue and consultation. On hotspot issues like the Ukraine crisis and the Palestine-Israel conflict, China has always promoted peace talks and negotiation, and championed political settlement of crises. China also worked to enhance global climate governance and released the Global AI Governance Initiative, making its contributions to coping with various non-traditional security threats. China's actions to implement the GSI have been firm and resolute, which continuously enhances the initiative's appeal and influence. So far, over 100 countries and international organizations have voiced support for the GSI. The GCI advocates the respect for the diversity of civilizations, the common values of humanity, the importance of continuity and evolution of civilizations, and closer international people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. It promotes tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. China not only presented the GCI, but also carried out the initiative with concrete actions. At the Communist Party of China in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, leaders of over 500 political parties and organizations from more than 150 countries exchanged experiences in modernization and built stronger confidence and consensus in cooperation and building a better future. China has hosted diverse civil diplomacy, city diplomacy, and public diplomacy activities, promoting mutual understanding and friendship among peoples of different countries. Cultural and tourism exchanges under the Belt and Road Initiative have been vibrant, and a series of relevant institutions have been set up, such as the Silk Road International League of Theaters, International Alliance of Museums of the Silk Road, Network of Silk Road Arts Festivals, Silk Road International Library Alliance, and Silk Road International Alliance of Art Museums and Galleries. China works with all sides to implement the GCI, let cultural exchanges transcend estrangement, mutual learning transcend conflict, and inclusiveness transcend supremacy, injecting strong positive energy into building a community with a shared future for mankind. The implementation of the GDI, GSI and GCI is steering the human society toward the direction of common development, long-term stability and mutual learning among civilizations. In the future, China will keep working with relevant parties to further implement the three initiatives, and raise high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as a guiding light leading the advance of the times. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) Actor Yoo Ah-in has developed a dependency on sleeping anesthetics, such as propofol, due to depression, but such medication was prescribed as part of medical procedures, his lawyer said during a court hearing Tuesday. Yoo, whose legal name is Uhm Hong-sik, has been on trial on charges of getting injections of propofol and other medical drugs on 181 occasions at clinics across Seoul between 2020 and 2022 under the pretext of having cosmetic procedures. He was also charged with smoking marijuana. "Yoo had long suffered from depression, panic disorder and sleep disorder while leading a life as a celebrity getting much public attention," his lawyer said during the second hearing held at the Seoul Central District Court. The 37-year-old actor developed a dependency on sleeping anesthetics while undergoing various medical procedures, and he acknowledges and is remorseful for taking the drugs under such circumstances, the lawyer said. The lawyer claimed, however, that in no case were the anesthetics prescribed alone without medical procedures and denied the charges against him of instigating a YouTuber to use drugs in order to make him an accomplice. "(Yoo) is very apologetic to the fans who have been supportive, and he is reflective of his wrongdoing," the lawyer said. "But there are many charges against him that were exaggerated or simply not true." Yoo was present during the trial Tuesday, but he remained silent for the most part, except to say he is on the same page as his lawyer. (Yonhap) Jung District halts initiative due to lack of applicants, while Ulju County boosts support amid steady demand By Jung Da-hyun Less than a year after its launch, a small wedding project in Jung District of the southeastern port city of Ulsan has been unexpectedly suspended due to a lack of interest. This contrasts with Ulju County, also in Ulsan, which intends to continue the program by offering increased subsidies this year. The initiative sought to alleviate the financial burden of young couples' wedding expenses by offering free access to public institutions and parks. Additionally, subsidies were provided for wedding hall decorations, robes, hair and makeup, capped at 4 million won ($2,990) per couple. Jung District initiated the support program in July of the preceding year, but failed to attract a single application from couples interested in participating in the small wedding program. Consequently, the district office opted not to allocate a budget for the project this year, leading to the suspension of the initiative. The district attributes the failure of the program to a mismatch between the demands of young prospective couples and the inherent restrictions of the program. The small wedding program has a limit of no more than 100 guests on each side. Furthermore, no separate meals are provided to the guests because the program has a limited budget. Another factor contributing to the program's failure, as observed by officials at Jung District Office, is the disparity between the typical marriage preparation period of six months to a year and the time limit of six months required by the district office. According to Statistics Korea, the number of newlywed couples in Ulsan decreased by 2,700 from 2021 to 22,614 as of 2022. This is attributed to a decrease in the population of young people in the port city who left in search of work at bigger commercial centers. Jung District faced the most challenging conditions for the project, experiencing the largest decline in newlyweds among the 17 districts and counties in Ulsan, according to the district office. In contrast, Ulju County has witnessed continued demand for the small wedding program. Since 2020, the program has seen a steady number of applications. Six couples applied successively from 2020 to 2023, and seven couples did so on 2021. The county office has already received inquiries about applications for March this year. Interestingly, although the county's support initiative was not specifically designed for international marriages, it has attracted more couples from such backgrounds than anticipated. Officials at Ulju County Office attribute the sustained demand to a significant influx of foreign workers into the region. Given that the county encompasses urban, rural, and industrial areas, it is home to not only foreign women who have relocated due to marriage but also a significant number of workers from abroad who have secured employment in farms and industrial complexes within the region. The program has also become popular among couples seeking remarriage, especially in rural areas. In rural areas, individuals who marry again later in life encounter challenges when it comes to hosting elaborate wedding celebrations due to financial burdens. The small wedding program have proven to be a practical solution for such couples seeking to hold a meaningful ceremony without having to spend a small fortune. The county sees a positive impact on a more diverse array of couples than it originally anticipated. Recognizing the steady demand for the program, the county has increased its support funding amount from 3 million won to 5 million won this year, aiming to continue the program and provide more assistance. In rural areas, population stands out as one of the paramount concerns, and marriage serves as the linchpin for initiating family structures and fostering population growth through childbirth and rearing, said an official at the county office. Meanwhile, experts believe that the shortage of applicants for the small weddings is attributed to a lack of interest among young people. That is a type of wedding that young people do not prefer these days, said Seol Dong-hoon, a professor at the Department of Sociology at Jeonbuk National University, and current president of the Korean Sociological Association. He emphasized the need to systematize approaches to enhance the effectiveness of local population policies. "Approaches that consider the availability of quality employment opportunities in the region, alongside factors such as housing conditions, cultural spaces, education, and healthcare services are crucial," he said. Grand Island police have arrested two suspects after three men robbed a home on Groff Street Sunday night. Arrested were Imer Yair Cabrera and Carlos Bejarano-Rodriguez, both 19. The victim, a 21-year-old man, told police that his home was entered by three males wearing black hoodies, one of whom wore a black bandana. The victim said the man with the bandana pointed a small silver handgun at him and threatened him. He said the men then forcefully took a speaker, silver chains and clothes. The victim identified one of the men as Imer Yair Cabrera and another one of the men simply as Carlos. The crime took place shortly after 9 p.m. Police officers traveled to Cabreras last known address, where they spoke to a man wearing a black sweatshirt. He verbally identified himself as Carlos Bejarano-Rodriguez, which was confirmed through his Nebraska identification card. Police say he brought Cabrera to the door. The two men denied ever leaving their home and would not provide officers with any other information. The victim had told police that Cabrera had neck and hand tattoos. Officers observed hand and neck tattoos on him. Cabrera was arrested for robbery and use of a firearm to commit a felony. Bejarano-Rodriguez was arrested for robbery. The dispute appeared to stem from a disturbance between family members who attend middle school, said Grand Island Police Capt. Dean Elliott. The third suspect has not yet been arrested. Were going to hopefully get that person identified sooner (rather) than later, Elliott said. The number of labor union members in Korea and the unionization rate, or the percentage of workers represented by a union, have both taken a downward turn, the labor ministry said Tuesday. According to the ministry's latest data, the number of organized workers shrank by 210,000 to 2.72 million in 2022, marking the first year-on-year decline in 12 years. The number of organized workers had steadily increased for 11 years since 2010, when there were 1.64 million members, reaching close to three million, or 2.93 million, in 2021. The unionization rate also fell 1.1 percentage points to 13.1 percent in 2022, decreasing for the first time in seven years, the data showed. The rate had risen from 10.3 percent in 2016 to 14.2 percent in 2021. The ministry said 431 new unions were established and 72,000 union members were added in 2022 but the total number of organized workers and the unionization rate decreased due to membership reductions in the construction sector and the correction of statistical errors. By umbrella group, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) had 1.12 million and 1.1 million members, respectively, with 483,000 members unaffiliated, the ministry noted. The FKTU thus maintained its status as the nation's largest umbrella labor group for the third consecutive year. By corporate size, the unionization rate stood 36.9 percent at workplaces with more than 300 employees, 5.7 percent at workplaces with 100 to 299 employees and 1.3 percent at workplaces with 30 to 99 employees. (Yonhap) YORK The widow suing Omaha YouTuber Andrew Flair for her husbands death at Flairs nuclear silo in York has amended her lawsuit. The amended lawsuit filed in Douglas County by lawyers for Mary Arkfeld widow of Joseph Arkfeld, 66, a retired electrician who was crushed to death by the entry door to the silo includes new allegations regarding Flairs acquisition and ownership of the decommissioned Atlas-F missile silo. Flairs channel, which focuses on fishing, survival, and his properties, has 2.7 million subscribers. After buying the missile silo in September 2022 for $550,000, Flair began renovating it and made a video series on YouTube about the renovation. The silo videos have about 6.75 million views in total, according to Arkfelds lawyers, while all of his videos in total have about 750,000,000 views. Flair contracted Joseph Arkfeld of Valley to work as an electrician at the silo, according to Flairs lawyers. While leaving the silo on Dec. 20, 2022, after a day of renovations, Joseph Arkfeld was crushed to death by the steel entry door to the silo, according to a Dec. 20, 2022, report from the York County Sheriffs Department. Arkfelds son-in-law found his body at the silo after Arkfeld did not respond to messages from his family. The sheriffs report said that an electric winch was used to close the silos steel entry door with steel braided cable. The winch was powered by a deep cycle battery located on the exterior of the silo, according to the report. Once Mr. Arkfeld activated the winch, he appears to have returned to the opening and became trapped in the entrance. The door cause[d] traumatic injuries to his upper thoracic cavity, resulting in his death, the report said. Arkfelds lawyers claim Arkfeld had been told to lock the entry door but had not been instructed about how to use the doors locking mechanism, which they say was defective and resembled a reckless Rube Goldberg machine. The winch used to close the door, they say, had excess cable that would cause it to suddenly stop and start while closing. In the lawsuit, Arkfelds lawyers accuse Flair of negligence, writing that he failed to replace the entry doors closing system and placed everyone using the locking system in danger. The locking system had been installed by the silos previous owners, according to Arkfelds lawyers. In addition to Andrew Flair, the lawsuit also names Flairs outdoors company Andrew Flair Outdoors LLC, his construction company Beefcake Construction LLC, and his company Hooya Enterprises LLC as respondents, claiming that they were involved with the silos acquisition and renovation. Flairs lawyers have denied that there was anything wrong with the doors locking mechanism or that Arkfeld was directed to lock the door upon leaving. Court records in a separate case related to a burglary at the silo a few months after Arkfelds death show that Flair subsequently changed the doors locking mechanism. One of Flairs lawyers, Ryan Kunhart, declined to offer additional comment on the case, instead pointing to a comment he had provided to the News-Times in November: Andrew and his family were saddened by the tragic passing of Mr. Arkfeld last December. Due to the ongoing legal proceedings, he is not able to comment further at this time. Arkfelds lawyers also declined to comment, saying that they would let the lawsuit speak for itself. Hooya bought the silo? As they did in response to the initial lawsuit, Flairs lawyers have responded to the amended lawsuit by filing a motion to dismiss on behalf of three out of the four defendants, claiming that neither Andrew Flair, Andrew Flair Outdoors LLC, nor his construction company Beefcake Construction LLC should be parties to the case. Rather, Flairs lawyers claim, the only party that can be sued for negligence for Arkfelds death is Hooya Enterprises, a Nebraska limited liability company that was formed for the sole purpose of acquisition and ownership of the silo. Hooya, and not Andrew Flair, is the current owner of the silo, according to property tax documents. Citing Nebraska case law, Flairs lawyers say that only the owner of the silo may be held liable for Arkfelds accidental death. Arkfelds lawyers, meanwhile, claim that they have enough evidence to pierce the corporate veil between Hooya and Flair and hold Flair personally responsible for the death at the silo. The newly alleged facts in the amended lawsuit relate to the purchase of the silo and, Flairs lawyers argue, support their claim that this corporate veil can be pierced. Both Flair and Arkfelds lawyers were previously in agreement that a warranty deed dated from Aug. 9, 2022, showed that Hooya Enterprises was listed on the deed as the buyer of the silo. However, Arkfelds lawyers now claim in their amended lawsuit that Andrew Flair was actually the name initially listed as the grantee or buyer on the warranty deed. A copy of the warranty deed, available on Nebraska Deeds Online, shows that Andrew Flairs name on the Aug. 9, 2022 warranty deed appears to have been xd out and replaced with Hooya Enterprises, LLC, a Nebraska limited liability company. This has to have occurred sometime before Sept. 16, 2022 when Hooya Enterprises officially purchased the property from the previous owners, according to the Nebraska Assessors site. Meanwhile, Flairs lawyers deny that Flair was the initial buyer and affirmatively stat[e] that Hooya is the Grantee listed on the Aug. 9, 2022 Warranty Deed. Hooya Enterprises did not exist as a limited liability company in the state of Nebraska until Aug. 18, 2022, according to its certificate of organization filed with Nebraskas secretary of state, which shows that Hooyas office address is the same as the address of Dvorak Law Group, Kunharts law firm. It is not clear what is legally implied by Arkfelds allegation that Flair, and not Hooya, originally acquired the silo. Both Flair and Arkfeld are in agreement that Hooya is the current owner. Arkfelds lawyers also point to other possible evidence which they think suggests Flair and his companies ongoing involvement with the silo is enough to pierce the corporate veil. Arkfelds lawyers claim that Beefcake Construction, Andrew Flair Outdoors, which were the general contractors for the silos renovation, as well as Hooya, the silos owner, are each undercapitalized and mere facades for the personal dealings of Flair. The mailing address listed for Hooya on the missile silos page on Nebraska Taxes Online is an address in Iowa, registered to Andrew Flair Outdoors, an Iowa LLC. Flairs lawyers also cite Flairs personal confession to ownership of the silo on his YouTube videos, one of which is entitled I Bought an Abandoned NUCLEAR Missile Bunker. That video, Arkfelds lawyers noted, was not titled Hooya Enterprises, LLC Bought an Abandoned NUCLEAR Missile Bunker!!! (Purchased to Flip). After highlighting a few instances of confession to ownership, Arkfelds lawyers said that listing every confession of ownership would require a novella. In response, Flairs lawyers argue that even though Flair has made claims to ownership of the silo on YouTube, he has done so as a member of Hooya and not in a personal capacity. While Flair, Beefcake and Flair Outdoors have filed another motion to dismiss, Hooya itself denied some claims made by Arkfelds lawyers and accepted others. In their lawsuit, Arkfelds lawyers did not specify the amount in damages they were seeking from Flair. They previously told the News-Times that they planned to leave the amount to the jury. Moreover, they argue that if Arkfeld were awarded damages by a jury, Hooya would be unable to pay them. Defendant Hooya is controlled exclusively by Flair, and its asset(s) would fail to satisfy any eventual judgment against it, they wrote. As a result, granting Flairs Motion to Dismiss would render Joes widow and heirs not only without their husband and father due to Flairs negligence, but also without any opportunity to recover fair compensation for Joes tragic death. The hearing on Flairs motion to dismiss is scheduled for April 15 in Omaha. For Emergency Escape Only Court documents related to a burglary at Flairs silo in the spring of 2023 suggest that some time after Arkfelds death, Flair changed the main doors locking mechanism. According to a May 2023 York County Sheriffs Department report, York County resident Chad Stuhr allegedly broke into Flairs property in April, 2023, a few months after Arkfelds death. Once at the compound, Stuhr appeared to make himself more or less at home: smoking cigarettes, using a PlayStation that he had brought with him, sleeping and showering in the bunker. Before leaving, Stuhr allegedly stole three military grade Meals Ready-to-Eat, including two beef stew packages and one chicken with rice package. Stuhr also allegedly stole a sign that said, For Emergency Escape Only-releases 4 tons of sand when opened. All that Stuhr needed to enter the silo was the combination for a padlock on the entry door, which he had somehow saved in his phones notes app, according to a June 2023 affidavit from the York County Sheriffs Office. On May 1, officers from the sheriffs department entered the missile silo in response to the alleged burglary and wrote that, The first entrance is the main entrance which is a metal door secured by a combination padlock. A corporal from the sheriffs office said that he had spoken to Flair before entering the property for the investigation. Andrew gave me permission to enter the property to further investigate the alleged crime. Andrew stated no one has permission to be on the property and furnished all padlock combination codes to me so I could access the property. The victim in this case is Andrew Flair, the corporal said in the June affidavit. At no point in its May 2023 report did the sheriffs department mention a winch locking mechanism required to enter the door, as had been mentioned in a sheriffs report from Dec. 20, 2022 the day of Arkfelds death. The last filing for the burglary was June 20, 2023 and York County Attorney Gary Olson said that there were no filings pending. Hooya Enterprises LLC was not mentioned in any of the burglary filings. PHOTOS: Snow, wind as a squall hits York Another Snow There was another snow in York on Thursday, Jan. 18, affecting road conditions and visibility. Jeremy Wesely, a meteorologist at the National Another Snow Though not as cold as the past week, temperatures in York were well below freezing on Thursday. A winter weather advisory was in effect until Another Snow Snow finished up around the early evening on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. How to prevent frostbite I's important to make sure everyone stays warm. Hear from Dr. Anthony Cook about frostbite and how to stay warm. Another Snow The parking lot of Walmart was busy as a ever despite the flurries and the cold weather. Another Snow The National Weather Service issued a snow squall warning on Tuesday. Another Snow Snow hit York, again, on Tuesday. A new addition to the Grand Island Central Catholic school campus is almost complete and theyre officially accepting student applications. After breaking ground in March 2023, Grand Island Central Catholics Elementary School is nearing completion, the district said in a release. Applications, open to students who will be entering grade K-5 next school year, are filling fast. The elementary school already has 120 students enrolled, which is about half of the total available spots. Kindergarten is close to being full. To ensure smaller class sizes, we decided to limit the capacity of each grade, GICC elementary principal Sarah Nordhues stated. Families with more than one student are encouraged to enroll sooner than later so we can accommodate all children at the same school. Grand Island (Central Catholic) is in a unique position right now as a Catholic school in that we don't have an elementary school, but we do have a high school, said Dr. Jordan Engle, GICC middle and high school principal. There used to be two Catholic elementary schools in Grand Island decades ago at Blessed Sacrament and St. Mary's parishes. The decision was made a number of decades ago to close those schools due to financial reasons, and ever since then, Grand Island has been without Catholic elementary. Looking at the scope of what Central Catholic offers to grades sixth through 12, they are proud of the education they offer their students, Engle added. Its such a great school and Grand Island is such a wonderful community. It's just really such a great opportunity for us right now, with the support of our community, to start offering that Catholic elementary education again. The support along the way has been eye opening, he added, both financially, via expressed interest in attendance or via families reaching out with help and insight. It's an exciting time for us to have the school opening, Engle said. Theyre counting down the days until opening in August. This has actually been about a six-year process from when we very first started talking about this until now, Engle noted. October of 2018 is when these conversations started, and we did a feasibility study back then that was just gathering the basic opinion of the community. If we did this, what would you think of it? Feedback showed interest, he added, though based on that previous study they thought they would maybe have a school opening to 100 students. And already, prior to even opening enrollment to the public, we already have 120 students enrolled, which is outstanding And I think that the demand is even higher yet. Opening the application to the public will offer a great opportunity for families that are curious about Catholic education to come in and see what it's all about. According to the press release, while rooted in Catholicism, Grand Island Central Catholics doors are open to students of other faiths and religious backgrounds. We want to stress that our new elementary school is open to students of all faiths, Engle added in the release. Right now our 6th-12th grade student population represents multiple religions. Financial assistance is available for families who will attend GICC, which is funded by tuition, as well as support from the Catholic parishes in Grand Island and the Central Catholic Development Foundation. We want GICC to be an option for all families, Engle noted. In addition to our internal scholarships and tuition assistance program, we have the unique opportunity to help people in ways we never have before with the Nebraska Opportunity Scholarships. Those interested in transferring to GICC would potentially have access to additional assistance and resources. Engle noted that students who look to attend GICC elementary can expect a smaller school feel. I always say that Central Catholic is like a family within Grand Island, and it really is, he said. The family atmosphere of our school is one of the greatest things about what we do here. And I think that having an elementary school to join that will be an opportunity for kids to, one, get a high quality education, and also be part of a family system that it really can't be beat. Another big calling card is that the entire GICC system is housed on one campus, he said. They will house pre-school all the way through 12th grade. When you talk about that family atmosphere and the ability for mentorship and the ability for us to build something where kids feel like they belong for a long period of time the value in that can't be understated, he said. I think about working with the same kid from age five all the way up to age 18 and how well you'll know them after that, and the level of relationship that you get to develop with them As an educator, it's just a really exciting opportunity for us. Structurally, the construction crew recently completed the exterior brick work, HVAC, plumbing and electrical tasks of the building addition. Now the crew is working on finishing the ceilings, cabinetry and flooring of the building addition. Engle noted that the addition will be state of the art and feature a slew of technology and different ways to aid in the education of the students with and without additional needs -- whether academic, social/emotional or physical. Weve cut no corners, Engle concluded. The school was built with all of those things in mind. So I guess I would just encourage people who are interested in knowing more, or potentially enrolling their kids, to absolutely reach out, ask the questions, check out the school. Families interested in learning more or applying to Central Catholic Elementary School can find information at gicc.org/elementary--preschool.html. Teachers interested in applying can find information at gicc.org/job-openings.html. Grand Island Senior High was brimming with excitement Monday as eighth graders from Walnut Middle School took to the halls for an introduction to their future high school and all it has to offer them. Jeff Gilbertson, Senior High executive principal, was on hand to welcome them home, wishing them well during their introduction to their high school experience. One thing I want you to think about, and Im just going to base this on the comments of the counselors that worked with you scheduling your classes for next year, Gilbertson began, they came back and they said, We are in for a treat. The eighth graders this coming in are awesome students. Walnut Middle School eighth graders were engaged in the process of selecting their first round of high school classes, he said. Nothing against previous eighth graders, but usually its a little more passive, he said lightly. And that wasnt the case with you guys. So again, thats a compliment because your journey starts in August when you get here. Students were encouraged to take advantage of the academy model, own their learning process and build strong relationships while active in high school. So think of all those activities that you can get involved in today when you visit our school, Gilbertson concluded. Before students were broken up into small groups alongside their high school ambassadors, Fawn Gernstein, Senior Highs academy principal for the Academy of Freshman Exploration, welcomed the eager eyes in the audience. Were very excited to have each and every one of you here today, she said. I want you to kind of look at (your lanyard), she noted, referencing the yellow lanyard students were gifted upon entering the building. We are the Islanders. We are very proud of what we call The Island. And when you come to ninth grade, youll be divided up into four islands and hopefully youll meet some new people, new faces. Gernstein then challenged students to find eight new opportunities theyd like to take advantage of while on their tour. After letting the soon-to-be-Islanders loose to explore their future high school, Gernstein took a few minutes to reflect on the tradition of the tour-day and what it offers prospective students. This is one of my favorite days of the year, that and our Islander Extravaganza, she said. I think any opportunity that we can take, as the largest Class A high school in the state of Nebraska, to help our eighth graders transition into this building as ninth graders, picture themselves here, pick out some opportunities that they really want to seek out, make some goals even beginning today We can fill that need here at the high school for them. Students were introduced to places such as Senior Highs weight room, theater classes, the brand-new band room, the cafeteria (for ninth- and 10th-grade students), the planetarium and more, Gernstein said. Our band and core choir staff, they work so hard at recruiting from the middle schools to get students to go out right as ninth graders, she said. So to get our eighth graders to get in there and look at the recording studios, if theyre interested in making their own music This crash-course in what their freshman year will look like is just the first step in knowing what is to come, she agreed. After the tour students were welcomed back into the theater, where they posed questions they had thought of throughout the day. Most of those usually include things like Will I get lost? and What if I forget my schedule? Gerstein noted. But educators also get the chance to field questions about potential interests, she added, like clubs and other activities. I feel like with each year we do this, and weve done it for a while, weve really grown our clubs through our academies, she said. So the middle school teams have done such a great job in educating the eighth graders and they really kind of have an idea when they come up here anyway, about what they might pursue what pathway they might select, what pathway they might be interested in. Work is also put in to help GISHs diverse student population feel included and able to participate in something that interests them, she agreed. Nebraskas gambling regulator is defending its purchase of semi-automatic rifles for each of the agencys 10 investigators, saying the weapons would be needed in the event of an active shooting at a racetrack or casino. If we had an active shooter event, we have a duty to intervene and to eliminate that threat, said Steve Eppens, an investigator with the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, in defending the $30,351 purchase. Were in this profession to protect the public. Thats what we do. But the purchase of the fully outfitted, short-barreled rifles for officers whose primary task is enforcing state gambling regulations and laws raised eyebrows among some state lawmakers and some members of the board that oversees the commission. After questions were raised, records show the commission tried to cancel the order two months after placing it. By then, it was too late. The purchase also raises questions about the spending priorities of the agency that in the past two years has been thrust into the role of regulating the states first casinos. The agencys leaders bought the rifles before it had even obtained vehicles for all its investigators. The commission currently only has two cars. Dennis Lee, chairman of the commissions board, said its fair to question the priority of the purchase and whether it should have been brought to the commissions board first. Were the guns needed? Thats a subjective question, Lee said. The optics is probably not the best in terms of how it was handled. But he said he can assure the public that the rifles will not be distributed to the 10 investigators until the board has put protocols, policies and procedures in place for the storage, use and training required for the rifles. The rifle purchase was approved by Tom Sage, the commissions executive director. During a meeting Friday, the commissions board voted to approve Sages plan to retire effective in March. He is currently on medical leave. With the onset of casino gambling in Nebraska in 2022, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission has ramped up its number of staff significantly, including investigators. When it regulated only horse racing, the agency had just one investigator. Now it has 10. The investigators perform such duties as doing background checks on casino and racing employees and investigating incidents within facilities, including violations of rules, customer complaints and crimes. Eppens noted all the officers are certified by the state and considered deputy state sheriffs under state law. They have the authority to make arrests. They are typically armed with handguns and certified in firearms use. Just in the 16 months since Nebraskas first state-licensed casino opened in Lincoln, Eppens said, investigators have encountered numerous crimes, including money laundering, drug dealing and human trafficking. There was a homicide last year at Fonner Park in Grand Island. The reason why we have this (authority) is because of the criminal element that goes along in the gaming industry, Eppens said. But Eppens and Steve Anderson, the director of enforcement at the commission, emphasized the SIG Sauer MPX short-barrel rifles the commission purchased this summer are specifically for a catastrophic event like an active shooter. Its about the safety of both patrons and officers, they said. A shoulder-fired rifle in such a situation is much more accurate than a handgun, reducing the risk that innocent lives would be lost. And if someone would enter a casino armed and intent on a mass shooting, were gonna win the fight, and Im gonna send my guys home every night, Anderson said. As the director, I want my guys to have the tools they need in the field. The weapons would otherwise be locked and secured, Eppens and Anderson said, either in the officers vehicles, in the commissions offices in Lincoln or in satellite offices within casinos. State spending records obtained by The World-Herald show the agency in August purchased 10 MPXs, each outfitted with sound-suppressors, laser sights and other accessories. Law enforcement officers use suppressors on such rifles to avoid hearing damage for officers and to facilitate officer communications. According to emails obtained in a public records request, Eppens on June 13 last year emailed Sage and Anderson with the $30,000 quote he had received for the rifles and accessories. Sage responded they should see if we can push this through somehow, and suggested they work with the agencys finance manager to do it. The guns were purchased from a gun dealer in Henderson, with the accessories bought on June 20 and the rifles on Aug. 1. On Nov. 17, Eppens suddenly emailed the dealer attempting to cancel the order. Eppens and Anderson said in an interview it was because state senators had raised questions with the commission about the purchase. I just received a Directive from my Director that we need to suspend our order of the SIG MPXs effective immediately, he wrote. There has been some political issues that have surfaced regarding purchase of equipment and its deployment. Our hope is we can work through this and revisit the order of these rifles soon as they are a very important piece of equipment for the protection of the public as well as officer safety. He offered to also return all the accessories the agency had already received. I apologize for this suspension/cancellation of our order, but this is how State of Nebraska government works, he wrote. The representative responded that he could not cancel the order. The guns were being custom fitted, and that work had already been completed. Eppens then three days later sent Sage a memo he had written justifying the purchase. Eppens said he thinks the questions related to ignorance of the investigators law enforcement role. Anderson said while some commission members ultimately had questions about the purchase after state senators raised the issue, they agreed with it once it had been fully explained to them. The rifles arrived earlier this month, and at this point are locked in the commission offices in Lincoln. And thats where they will sit, for now. Lee said he has asked the commission staff to prepare protocols and procedures for the weapons. He expects they will be brought to the commission for approval at a future meeting. Drought conditions that persisted for much of the year across the Plains and Midwest, including in Nebraska, failed to hamper the nation's corn crop. Nationwide, 2023's crop turned out to be a big one, as farmers saw a record harvest of 177.3 bushels per acre, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released earlier this month. Total bushels harvested also hit a record high of 15.3 billion, up 12% from 2022. In Nebraska, the USDA estimates the 2023 corn crop at 1.73 billion bushels, up 19% from 2022, but lower than 2021 and nowhere near a record. Nebraska corn farmers' yield of 182 bushels per acre was up 17 bushels from 2022, while the 9.5 million harvested acres was up 8% from the previous year. However, both of those numbers were down from 2021. Drought was largely responsible for a huge plunge in the corn crop in 2022, and while conditions improved over much of Nebraska last year, extreme drought remains in some of the state's eastern counties, including three of its top corn-producing counties: Hamilton, Fillmore and York. Drought receded in the western half of the state, leading to some pretty good yields for corn farmers there, said Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board. In eastern Nebraska, however, "It was a tough year," he said. While irrigated crop acres did OK, dryland corn farmers in eastern Nebraska generally struggled. "We did see a number of producers with crop insurance claims," Brunkhorst said. Overall, though, he called 2023 a "solid year" for corn farmers. Brunkhorst said corn farmers are "eternal optimists" and are hoping for a strong 2024, which could largely depend on whether drought recedes in eastern Nebraska. "Hopefully we'll get the beneficial moisture we need," he said. Thanks to lower commodity prices, farm income is forecast to drop nationally in 2023. USDA's November farm forecast projects total income of $151.1 billion, which would be a 17.4% decline from 2022. Commodity prices were softer in 2023 than those years in and immediately following the pandemic. While corn farmers across the country averaged more than $6 a bushel on corn in 2022, they got less than $5 on average in 2023. Nebraska, on the other hand, is likely to see higher farm income in 2023, although that prediction comes with a caveat. Estimates released last fall by the Center for Agricultural Profitability at the University of Nebraska and the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center at the University of Missouri put 2023 net farm income in the state at $7.8 billion, which would be 18% higher than 2022. That increase was largely driven by higher livestock prices. But while farm income is projected to be higher for the full year, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City recently noted that lower commodity prices, combined with elevated production costs and other factors, "has likely reduced farm income in 2023." A majority of bankers in Kansas and Nebraska noted that farm income had declined in the third quarter compared with a year ago. Most valuable crops grown in Nebraska Most valuable crops grown in Nebraska #9. Oats #8. Sunflower #7. Millet #6. Sorghum #5. Potatoes #4. Wheat #3. Hay & haylage #2. Soybeans #1. Corn Push EU peers to ratify investment protection pact, Vietnamese PM urges Romania By Tri Duc Tue, January 23, 2024 | 4:41 pm GMT+7 Romania has already ratified the Europe-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and should urge other European nations to do so soon, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Monday. Chinh made the request while meeting his Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu in Bucharest. He paid a three-day (January 20-22) visit to Romania ahead of the 75th anniversary of bilateral ties next year (1950-2025). The European Union (EU) and Vietnam signed the Europe-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and EVIPA in June 2019. While the EVFTA entered into force in August 2020, the EVIPA has to be ratified by all EU members. As of October 2023, 16 of 27 EU members had ratified it. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (left) and Prime Minister Ion-Marcel Ciolacu meet in Bucharest, Romania, January 22, 2024. Photo courtesy of the government's news portal. The two PMs agreed to boost trade and investment cooperation and bring it on par with bilateral political partnership. They said businesses would be encouraged to further utilize the EVFTA. PM Chinh said Vietnam was willing to act as a gateway for Romanian goods to enter Vietnam and the ASEAN market. For his part, Ciolacu said more and more Romanian businesses have shown interest in investing in Vietnam as a market with best potential in the Asia-Pacific region. He also called on businesses of both countries to enhance cooperation and make Romania a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enter Europe. Romania is set to join the Schengen zone in March this year. Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien (left, front) and Romanian Minister of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism Stefan-Radu Oprea (right, front) sign a memorandum of understanding in Bucharest, January 22, 2024. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Industry and Trade. During Chinhs visit, ministries and local authorities of both countries signed 19 agreements. Vietnams Ministry of Industry and Trade and Romanias Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Tourism signed an agreement on facilitating business in export-import, food processing, e-commerce and renewable energy sectors. Other agreements included one on cooperation in labor, social welfare and cultural exchanges between Vietnams Ninh Binh province and Romanians Timis province. Top universities and academies of the two nations signed 15 agreements. 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According to the state-run water management company, the delegation consisting of Volodymyr Remeniak, the mayor of Ukraines western city of Horodok in Lviv Oblast, visited the Sihwa Tidal Power Plant in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. The power plant built by K-water in 2011 along Koreas western coast is the largest tidal power installation in the world, supplying electricity to a population of 500,000. Its introduction helped to cut down petroleum imports by 862,000 barrels and the generation of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 315,000 tons per year. The visit preceded the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) scheduled for Wednesday, regarding technical cooperation with K-water for Ukraines post-war urban development and water management in Horodok City and Lviv Oblast. The delegation also visited K-waters environmentally friendly tourism and leisure complex called Songsan Green City and the AI-based smart water treatment plant in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. K-water is the first Korean public institution to have joined the governments reconstruction support projects for Ukraine, dubbed as One Team Korea, last July. Once the war is over, the company will take charge and implement smart city technologies in the Uman area in central Ukraine and restore the damaged Kakhovka Dam along the Dnieper River. The delegations visit and MOU are part of follow-up measures related to President Yoon Suk Yeols visit to the war-torn country on July 15, 2023. At the time, Yoon agreed with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy to provide a comprehensive package of security, humanitarian and reconstruction assistance to Ukraines National Recovery Plan. The reconstruction and recovery of the war-torn country is estimated to cost $411 billion and is expected to take over a decade, according to the latest joint assessment by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations, released last March on the anniversary of the war on Feb. 24, 2023. EXETER, New Hampshire -- Supporters of Nikki Haley Sunday night expressed concern not only for the future of the United States and its allies abroad. Over the course of Haleys campaign across New Hampshire, she has consistently touted her record as former ambassador to the United Nations, citing her experience as confirmation of her ability to lead the nation through turbulent times. I dealt with China every day at the United Nations, Haley said during her Sunday rally. They never saw us as a competitor, they saw us as an enemy. We need to look at them the way they look at us. Haley has spent her time in New Hampshire covering a variety of issues, from veteran homelessness to the national debt. However, voters have latched on to foreign policy concerns in light of the war in Ukraine and Israel, worrying that international conflict could plunge the United States into war if not handled correctly. Joe Cacciatore, 68, attended Haleys rally and said he found foreign policy to be of particular importance in the upcoming election. For him, an imbalance in the world affects every country's prosperity, including the United States'. He called for the political parties to collaborate with one another. We need to keep everything even, and thats not happening right now, Cacciatore said. We cant have parties fighting each other, we need to help each other. Cacciatore said that he doesnt believe Republicans and Democrats will ever be perfect, but believes Haleys foreign policy experience would be able to improve the parties for the better. Sethely Jones and her husband are longtime Republicans, but recently switched their registration to independent due to their dissatisfaction with the current state of the party under Trump. To them, foreign policy is not a separate issue, but a way of seeing the bigger picture. When asked if she would agree with taxpayer dollars supporting munitions development for overseas wars, Jones said she agrees with the policy due to Haleys talk about transparency in government. [Haley] wants transparency around what were sending [Ukraine and Israel], Jones said. Were not sending them cash; she wants us to know what were giving. Now, with the way the world is, [foreign policy] is important, everythings important. Frank Laukien, 63, is a New Hampshire independent who says voters in the Granite State deserve an alternative to President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. He has not been politically active in prior elections, but in 2024, he said it is time to get off the sidelines. Laukien said the United States is indebted to its allies for keeping overseas wars from reaching the nations borders and necessitating U.S troop deployment. I think Ukraine and Israel are defending us, and theyre the tip of the spear, Laukien said. Its in our national interest to defend them, and even a cost-effective way of preventing the spread of war. Laukien said he believes it is the United States responsibility to assist allies overseas in order to ensure wars wont spread into the West. He admires Haleys rejection of isolationist policies. If we leave the influence of Iran, which is destructive, unchecked, then eventually I believe we will have to send U.S troops into combat, Laukien said. Im very pleased with the heroic efforts of our allies in Ukraine and Israel, which threaten the U.S as well. However, some voters disagreed with Haleys policies, specifically in regard to financial and military aid sent to Israel. Kurt Lanem, 56, agreed that the Unites States should provide Ukraine with military aid to push back against Russian influence in Europe, and said foreign policy is on his primary list of concerns for the primary elections. However, he disagrees with the amount of aid being sent to Israel due to its bombing campaigns in Gaza. CONCORD, New Hampshire As former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley announced that her opponent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, had dropped out of the Republican presidential primary race, a crowd of supporters drowned out her speech with an eruption of applause and shouts of excitement. We just heard that Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the race, she said to supporters at Browns Lobster Pound in Seabrook, N.H. What I want to say to Ron is: He ran a great race, hes been a good governor and we wish him well. Having said that, its now one fella and one lady left. The news broke just moments before Haley addressed the crowd on Sunday afternoon as DeSantis posted a video to his X account announcing that he would suspend his campaign, citing the lack of a clear path to victory. In the video, DeSantis said he endorses former President Donald Trump because he does not embody the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents. However, at a rally in Exeter later Sunday evening, Haley continued to feed off her supporters enthusiasm regarding DeSantis exit from the race. Can you hear that sound? she said, walking onto the stage to cheers from the crowd. Thats the sound of a two-person race. Some of her supporters met the news with excitement. David Smith, a 78-year-old voter from Amherst who was at Browns Lobster Pound when he heard the news, expressed excitement about how the landscape of the race has changed. I think it's wonderful, he said. I think it's great news. And just after the way he talked and his campaign and stuff, and I read now that he's going to endorse Trump. It just baffles me how these people can go from one side to the other like that. I'm very happy. I think it makes things a lot more interesting for Haley. Smith added that he thinks Tuesdays primary is going to be a heck of a lot closer than people think before DeSantis dropped out, so the news was welcome as it could boost Haleys momentum. Joanna Pettey, a 62-year-old supporter of Haley, said she had not paid much attention to the race until about a month ago due to her disdain for Trump. FRANKLIN, New Hampshire -- Nikkii Haley supporters gathered in a small, crowded room at the Franklin VFW post on Monday morning in a special event featuring New Hampshire Labor Commissioner Ken Merrifield, who implored voters to participate in the upcoming primary. Seconds count when you're the first-in-the-nation primary, Merrifield said. Although labor issues are a smaller talking point of Haleys campaign, the former governor has said she plans on reintroducing comprehensive trades programs in high schools. Haley has been outspoken in her desire to reformat school education to meet industry demands by investing in trades education in a bid to bring back jobs from overseas markets. Well put vocational classes back into our high schools so that our students start learning to build things again, Haley said during the rally. While states offer vocational trade schools, offering classes at a high school level is often difficult to develop and maintain. Moreover, they are also some of the first classes to be cut during recessions and economically difficult times. Despite vocational trades offering stable and high-paying jobs without the need for a college degree, from the 1990s to the 2010s, fewer students considered and attended vocational programs in favor of attending universities, even though thousands of high-paying trades jobs remain empty. Pete Johnson, 69, is a New Hampshire voter who took trade classes during high school. While he didnt enter the trades industry as an adult, he still uses the mindset and skills he learned while working in other industries. It taught me how to get things done, Johnson said. If [people] learn early how to do those things, whether they choose to go into a white-collar job or the labor market, it gives them a head start in life. In addition to supporting continued vocational education, voters said supporting laborers would assist in rising income inequality and unemployment. Jeanne Auger, 73, first became interested in Haleys campaign after she announced her candidacy due to her dissatisfaction with the other candidates, and was attracted to Haleys more moderate stance on reproductive health care. A Franklin native, she says other residents in the city are out of work and are struggling to find housing. [The White House] needs to start bringing more industry into this country, instead of shipping it off somewhere overseas then bringing it back here, Auger said. Maybe by bringing it back to people who maybe havent considered working in those industries. While American manufacturing has been steadily increasing, since 2000 industries in the automotive, steel and comparative vocational trades have lost over 5 million jobs. While many voters blame China for stealing jobs, Chinese manufacturing has steadily moved to other countries such as Mexico, India and Vietnam diversifying the manufacturing competition with the United States and its workforce. Haley has yet to address how she plans to bring jobs back to the United States from foreign countries. While she has verbalized her opposition to buying oil from countries such as Venezuela and Saudi Arabia, she has not specifically mentioned labor and manufacturing jobs during her time in New Hampshire. Dan Guthier, 60, traveled from Connecticut to see Haley speak in Franklin and said he feels strongly about the need to prioritize vocational education for students in order to increase domestic industry and progress, and to become a competitor on the international stage. (TBTCO) - San luong nha may va doanh so ban le cua Trung Quoc vuot ky vong trong giai oan tu thang 1 en thang 2/2024, anh dau su khoi au vung chac cho nam 2024 va mang lai mot so cuu tro cho cac nha hoach inh chinh sach, ngay ca khi su yeu kem trong linh vuc bat ong san van la luc can oi voi nen kinh te va niem tin. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Complaints arise over difficulty determining benefits of various service By Jung Da-hyun The sheer abundance of new transit card services, set to make their respective debuts this year, are confusing commuters due to difficulty in determining the differences in their coverage areas and benefits they may offer to users. A total of four new transit passes by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Incheon Metropolitan Government, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will be introduced respectively, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on citizens' transportation expenses. However, concerns loom over the challenge of determining the most advantageous transit pass for individuals based on their situations. Confusion also increases because of disparities in coverage among the various passes, as many commuters frequently travel between Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon. The Climate Card, introduced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government starting this Friday, offers access to all bus routes and subway lines in Seoul, including the city's public bike-sharing service, Ttareungyi, for a monthly fee of 65,000 won ($48.63). For those not using the bike-sharing service, the card is available for a monthly fee of 62,000 won. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon also unveiled plans for a special Climate Card for youth, accessible at 58,000 won per month in the first half of this year. However, the card's service area is limited to transportation within the city. In contrast, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's K-pass implements a return system, offering a 20-percent refund on transportation costs, up to 60 trips, for individuals who use public transportation more than 15 times a month. People aged from 19 to 34 can also get a 30 percent refund. It can be used nationwide unlike the Climate Card. The Gyeonggi pass, introduced by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, and Incheon's I-pass also follow a refund method similar to the K-pass, but with differences in refund benefits. These services are exclusively available to residents of Gyeonggi Province or Incheon, respectively. The Gyeonggi Pass removes the 60-trip limit imposed by the K-pass and expands the age range for a 30 percent refund for young people from 19 to 39 years old. I-pass also eliminates the trip limit and increases the refund benefit for seniors aged 65 or older to 30 percent. During a press conference on Monday, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Seoul Mayor, Gyeonggi Province Governor and Incheon Mayor agreed to enhance cooperation to ensure the effectiveness of each policy. However, the public are finding it challenging to differentiate the various transit passes and their respective benefits. It is difficult to determine which pass is more beneficial, and the explanations are complicated, said Choi Ji-won, an office worker who commutes daily from Gyeonggi Province to Seoul. A non-regular commuter surnamed Heo, who is residing in Seoul, raised questions about the extent of coverage for Seoul's unlimited transit pass and found the system confusing. Most of the subway lines 1 to 9 extend to Gyeonggi Province, such as Ilsan, Bucheon, Gwangmyeong, Ansan and Suwon. It is confusing regarding the payment approach concerning the inclusivity of the transit pass, she said. An office worker surnamed Chae, who commutes between Incheon and Seoul, said she hopes for an integrated service rather than separate transportation cost support services, a hope shared by many members of the public. As an Incheon resident, I believe it would be beneficial to incorporate the Incheon area into Seoul's unlimited transit pass, Chae said. As she pays a monthly transportation fee of approximately 80,000 won, she expressed dissatisfaction with the I-pass system, which offers substantial refunds only to people aged over 65. Some remain skeptical about the effectiveness of these transit pass policies. Lowering overall usage fees with the allocated budget instead of implementing these individual policies seems more acceptable, said an office worker surnamed Kim, who is lives and commutes to and from work in Seoul. CHEYENNE A reproductive rights bill was filed by the Wyoming Democratic Caucus on Monday, which also was the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Wyoming Democratic Caucus is made up of the only seven Democrats among the 93 total members in the Legislature. Two are in the Senate, and five are in the House of Representatives. House Bill 76, titled the Reproductive Freedom Act, restricts state interference in a persons right to an abortion until either the pregnancy is viable (when the fetus can survive outside the womb) or when the persons life is in danger. The bill also keeps this right between the pregnant person and their health care provider. Public policy spelled out in the act also protects a person from state discrimination in their choice to carry out a pregnancy and protects the right to take birth control. Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, the bills sponsor, said he and members of his party want to return Wyoming statute back to the viability standard. We have a current abortion ban on the books, which is unconstitutional, Yin told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Monday. Its currently working its way through the courts, but this would make the court case moot. Yin said part of the inspiration for this bill came from a Texas abortion lawsuit. Texas has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, banning an abortion once a heartbeat is detected, with the exception of saving the mothers life. Kate Cox, a Texas woman pregnant with her third child, sued the state in early December when she learned she did not qualify for an abortion, despite the fatal condition of the fetus, which threatens her health and future fertility, according to reporting from The Texas Tribune. Yin wrote in the Democratic Caucus news release that this bill would ensure that the State of Wyoming cannot place the citizens of Wyoming in similar medical jeopardy. Reproductive freedom is currently threatened by an unconstitutional abortion ban that represents vast overreach into the lives and medical decisions of individuals, Yin wrote in the release. The introduction of this Act is a crucial step toward protecting and preserving the reproductive rights of all Wyomingites. Abortion rights in Wyoming Wyoming passed two bills that restricted abortion rights during the 2023 general session: the Life is a Human Right Act, a blanket ban on abortion in the state, and Senate File 109, which bans chemical abortions, including abortion pills. These laws, along with a 2022 trigger bill that went into effect after Roe v. Wade was overturned that year, are being contested in Teton County through a lawsuit against the state. Rep. Jeanette Ward, R-Casper, who co-sponsored both the Life is a Human Right Act and SF 109, said this years HB 76 contradicts these laws and is dead on arrival in the Wyoming House. It is scientific fact that life begins at conception. It is shocking that a party who claims to be so committed to science can imply or claim otherwise, Ward wrote to the WTE in an email. Since human life begins at conception and is a separate human life from his or her mothers, that life is worthy of protection from murder. Rep. Clark Stith, R-Rock Springs, said it is unlikely a non-budget bill would get the required two-thirds introduction vote, since the session that begins Feb. 12 is a budget session. Its difficult to imagine that happening, Stith told the WTE. Yin made little comment on his thoughts of whether the bill would get passed through the Legislature this session, other than it was up to his colleagues. Thats a question for the Republican Caucus. I dont have an answer, Yin said. This is a Republican-majority state. That truly is up to them. Since this year is also an election year, Yin said the next steps for him and the Democratic Party include making sure Wyomingites understand that reproductive health care is an issue decided by their lawmakers. If the people of Wyoming think that its an important issue, thats one they should be taking to the ballot box with them, Yin said. ENERGY Minister Stuart Young has taken umbrage at comments made by Ronald Harford, former chairman of Republic Financial Holdings Ltd, as he boasted about the success of the energy sector. Young said whenever somebody becomes a former, their mouth gets big, as he quoted from an article in Fridays Express report where Harford made critical comments. Over the last few years, Leon Coldero has arguably become just as renowned for his insatiable cuisine as he is as an entertainer. Having spent four decades in entertainment, giving soca parang lovers hits that never get old, opening his restaurant was just a natural progression for Coldero, who used the downtime during the Covid-19 pandemic, to delve full throttle into the restaurant business. A new camera system is being installed along this countrys roadways with the aim of tackling traffic congestion and reducing the countrys crime. This was said yesterday by Minister of Works and Transport Rohan Sinanan, who spoke with the media at the intersection of the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway and Golden Grove Road in Piarco. President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling party chief Han Dong-hoon met Tuesday at the site of a market fire, apparently seeking to repair their relationship after clashing over allegations involving the first lady and party nominations for the upcoming general elections. Yoon and Han of the People Power Party (PPP) traveled separately to the central county of Seocheon to inspect a fisheries market destroyed by a fire the previous night. Their meeting came amid reports of a rift between the two over how to handle allegations that first lady Kim Keon Hee received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022 and Han's public support for a PPP emergency leadership committee member seeking to run for a parliamentary seat in a district in Seoul's Mapo Ward. Han has long been one of Yoon's closest confidants, and the public disagreement threatened to hurt the ruling party with less than three months to go until the April 10 parliamentary elections. (Yonhap) With ten people murdered between Thursday and Saturday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley took to Facebook yesterday to assure citizens that State agencies will not give up the fight to rid our streets and other places of the evil that is now widespread as a gun culture in Trinidad and Tobago. And in a voice note to the media, Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher said, We are determined to dismantle criminal gangs and make a difference in transforming impacted communities. Sitcom writers have a tough assignment: make as many people laugh as humanly possible. Theyre not always allowed to make the funniest, most clever jokes what theyre actually aiming for is a relatively small pool of joke topics and structures that are recognizable to nearly everyone on the planet. Thats why some of the most popular shows purposely appeal to the lowest common denominator. And thats perfectly fine! But its still annoying, and we think its worth cataloging some of the biggest recurring and one-off stinkers from beloved sitcoms. 14 How I Met Your Mother: Wait for It Barney Stinson is a wildly problematic character, so its easy to forget: Hes also very formulaic and boring. One of his big punchlines is throwing the phrase wait for it between syllables which is predictable pause to let the slowest among you catch up not particularly funny. 13 The Simpsons: Mercilessly Roasting Brazil They played up all the most negative and hurtful stereotypes of the country, turning it into a Grand Theft Auto game full of kidnapping, murder and marauding monkeys. 12 The Big Bang Theory: Putting Lipstick on a Pun Again, writing jokes for a sitcom is hard. One way to speed up the process is to take out the writing altogether. This show loves to make ostensibly smart characters deliver one-liners from a childs joke book and call it a punchline, like: A neutron walks into a bar and asks how much for a drink. The bartender replies, For you, no charge! Thats not even a single entendre! 11 The Golden Girls: Accusing Their Housekeeper of Voodoo The girls fire their Black housekeeper, Marguerite, who tells them in frustration that theyve made a big mistake. They then spend the episode blaming their household disrepair and random personal problems on Marguerite putting a curse on them. Its not the first or last time the show would use bigotry as a crutch. Advertisement Advertisement 10 The Honeymooners: Bang, Zoom, to the Moon How long can you delight Americans with a promise of televised domestic violence? At least 39 episodes. 9 The Office: Thats What She Said Yes, Michael Scott is supposed to be a horrible boss and the worlds lamest dude. What started as an illustration of the latter became a bona fide punchline. Michael Scott the man cant help himself when an innuendo presents itself. The writers behind Michael Scott, on the other hand, dont have to tee him up but once they knew it was a guaranteed laugh, they went back to that same well as often as possible. Advertisement Advertisement 8 Brookly Nine-Nine: Title of Your Sex Tape This is another quip that would be a killer inside joke between two buddies, but turns into lazy chuckle bait when sitcom writers keep relentlessly teeing up their characters with sex puns. 7 That 70s Show: I Said Good Day! Kelsos Burn! is a contender for lamest recurring joke, and Reds delightful threats of domestic violence certainly dont hold up. But something about I said good day has always inspired me to change the channel. Its a one-note joke that takes up three lines of dialogue: 1) Fez will grow indignant and begin to leave, saying good day! on his way out; 2) he then has to wait around just long enough for someone to protest, at which point; 3) hell reiterate that hes outta there. Advertisement Advertisement 6 Two and a Half Men: Winning This one-word punchline must be admired for its all-time great syllable-to-laugh ratio. Like jangling keys in front of a baby, the writers knew they could make Real America howl with laughter by having Charlie Sheen spout off his cocky catchphrase. Chuck Lorre even popped on screen, after killing off Sheens character with a falling piano, to deliver the line in a fourth-wall break so smarmy, youll sprain your eyeballs rolling them into the back of your head. 5 South Park: All the Low Hanging Fruit South Park is irreverent, its zeitgeisty, its generally very anti-celebrity. But sometimes when those qualities converge, they spit out a lukewarm take that nobody particularly disagrees with, expressed slightly more cruelly than late-night hosts dare to put it. Britney Spears has an unhealthy relationship with celebrity status; the Jersey Shore crew are a bunch of weirdo gremlins; Paris Hilton likes to party. How brave of you to say so. Advertisement Advertisement 4 S#*! My Dad Says: The Title This show was based on a viral Twitter feed of the same name, which is a horrible idea and deserves to be periodically lampooned until the end of time. Throwing a swear word into the title of your network sitcom and telling audiences and critics to just say the word bleep instead is like a chef serving up some fresh fugu and telling customers to cut around the poison parts. 3 The Big Bang Theory: Smart Jokes Credit where its due: this franchise has made millions of people believe theyre smart for getting jokes that are incredibly obvious, and not particularly clever. After winning at 3D Chess a needlessly complicated game that takes place on different parallel planes one dweeb tells another dweeb, It must be humbling to suck on so many different levels. Advertisement Advertisement 2 Seinfeld: Jerrys Stand-up These bits are incredibly hard to watch, and yet they remained a staple of the show throughout its run. The most logical explanation is that Jerry once displayed a charisma thats been watered-down by his increasingly uninspiring legacy, and two and a half decades of comedian-led sitcoms that have come since. Frankly, they feel A.I.-written. Take this especially egregious riff on car models, for instance: They try and mangle a positive word into a car name The Integra. The Supra. Or the Impreza. Yeah? Well, I hope its not a lemona, or youll be hearing from my lawya. A Tucson doctor has been arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty after investigators say she was performing "unlicensed and illegal surgeries on dogs." Dr. Raquel Marie Mercado-Sepulveda, 42, an obstetrician/gynecologist, was taken into custody Thursday at her office near North Wilmot Road and East Carondelet Drive, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Monday in a news release. She faces felony animal cruelty charges, the release said. The department searched multiple locations on Jan 17 and Jan. 18, as part of an investigation that started from a tip to the Pima County Animal Care Center in late 2022, the release said. The Drug Enforcement Administration also is working on the investigation, the release said. Fourteen dogs and three rabbits were seized at Mercado-Sepulveda's residence along with other evidence in the case, investigators say. In March of 2023, a search warrant was served at the doctor's residence and her medical office. At that time, 36 dogs and two cats were seized, along with other items of evidence. This investigation is ongoing. PHOENIX The national debate over who is a true Republican is playing out in southern Arizona, with a leading social conservative trying to end the bid by a former senator to get his seat back. Merissa Hamilton wants to clear the way for social conservative Justine Wadsack to be the Republican nominee this year. I respectfully ask Vince Leach to rescind his candidacy, she said Sunday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. And she even took a shot at veteran Rep. David Livingston, R-Peoria, for trying to help Leach get the signatures he needs to be on the August primary ballot. We have a one seat majority and you are supporting a primary in a swing district, she told Livingston on Twitter. But Leach told Capitol Media Services he has no intention of dropping out of the race to represent much of northern Pima County and a bit of southern Pinal County. And he contends he actually has a better chance of winning the general election than Wadsack who, in her first year at the Capitol, made a name for herself sponsoring a host of measures pushed by social conservatives. Those ranged from protecting people from losing their jobs because the wont wear a mask to requiring the state Department of Education to maintain a list of books schools cant make available to children, a list that includes any reference to gender fluidity. Thats not to say that Leach hasnt dabbled in social issues, such as a request later dropped for then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich to investigate a mandate by Tucson that city workers had to be vaccinated against COVID. But Leach had been more focused in his time at the Capitol on issues of interest to the business community, like making it more difficult for voters to propose their own laws after the Republican-controlled Legislature refused to act, like a ban on paid circulators and increasing the signature requirement. And Leach is counting on that business backing, saying he should be able to raise more money than Wadsack and keep the LD 17 Senate seat in Republican hands. Wadsack declined to answer questions about the race, saying it is only the media that wants to focus on Republican primary battles. And the first-term senator brushed aside the possibility that her being the partys nominee could open up the district to being represented by a Democrat after this year, a move that could change the balance of power in the Senate where Republicans have just a 16-14 edge. Im focused on serving the people of my district and ensuring the Republican majority gives them a government that works for everyone, regardless of their party, Wadsack said. The intra-party fight is in many ways a microcosm of what is occurring across the state and the country. It mirrors the battle over the future of the GOP, with traditional business Republicans trying to push back a wave of victories by the Trump wing. Hamilton, whose feet are clearly planted in that wing, has her own take. She is an ally of failed gubernatorial hopeful Kari Lake, a critic of pro-tyranny caucus Republicans, and founder and CEO of ezaz.org, which tries to stir up grass-roots opposition to what it considers liberal issues like red light cameras. And Hamilton said she believes nominating Leach could give the seat to Democrats. Even assuming no other changes in the makeup of the Senate, that would create a 15-15 tie and force a bipartisan arrangement, something that happened for two years after the 2000 election. Hes like the Nikki Haley of Arizona legislative candidates, Hamilton said of Leach, a reference to the continuing presence of the former South Carolina governor in the race to become the Republican nominee for president even in the face of overwhelming support so far for Donald Trump. What makes LD 17 particularly interesting is that is was specially carved out by the Independent Redistricting Commission to create a safe district for Republicans versus one that was politically competitive. And there was evidence that Leach was behind some of that effort to ease his reelection campaign. Leach got the district he wanted, removing more moderate Casas Adobes from the district and adding Republican voters elsewhere. But it all backfired when Wadsack, who he claimed at the time may not actually have lived in the district at the time a judge concluded otherwise slid past him in the 2022 GOP primary. Now the question for voters is whether, after electing her to a two-year term, she still is really what they want. Some of that goes to what could be considered her political gestures, like standing up and turning her back on Gov. Katie Hobbs during her 2023 State of the State speech, or posing in front of the Capitol with Rep. Rachel Jones, an LD 17 representative, while each wore high heels and carried semiautomatic rifles. And then there are those social issues that Wadsack championed. The first-term senator pushed through a measure last year designed to force communities to dismantle homeless encampments and, in some circumstances, arrest those who were staying there. We are being infiltrated with tent cities, Wadsack told colleagues. But she denied her measure was punitive, saying it would have provided an opportunity for city officials to figure out what people need whether its dealing with drugs, mental illness or economics and connect them with services. Gov. Katie Hobbs wasnt impressed, vetoing the measure, saying it did not understand there are multiple reasons people become unsheltered and remain that way. This legislation addresses none of those root causes, offers no pathways to assistance, and effectively criminalizes experiencing homelessness, the governor wrote. Leach agreed. I think that we have to take care of the homeless people, he said. I dont think that we consider them and try to pass a bill that (makes them) criminals, Leach continued. That doesnt solve the problem. Anyway, he said, theres simply not enough room in the Pima County jail to house them. Leach also contends that Wadsack, in pushing social issues, is not just out of step with district voters but also undermining what he thinks is their top priority: making Arizona an attractive site for businesses to expand and relocate. That included legislation to restrict adult cabaret performances, a measure widely seen as a bid to regulate drag shows even though it never actually used those words. I dont think the (Republican) party is going there, Leach said of focusing on social issues. I think the party is still a party of business. That, however, remains to be seen. Just this past week Republicans on a Senate panel approved a measure to all but wipe out the Arizona Commerce Authority over the strong objections of the business community. Wadsack voted with the majority. And the issues are deeper. Even Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, has questioned whether the agency should be providing incentives of public dollars to lure companies here. Leach said while the Commerce Authority has issues it got dinged for what Attorney General Kris Mayes said was an illegal use of public funds to entertain corporate bigwigs it serves a valuable purpose in business development. Hamilton has a different take. Vince supports a lot of crony establishment policies, she said. The primary is not until August. But Wadsack already is lashing out at Leach. Feel free to ask my predecessor why he refused to do anything about the border crisis in his eight years of office, she posted online. While youre at it, ask him why he did nothing to secure elections, too. That focuses in on what has been an article of faith among some elements of the Republican Party that the 2020 and 2022 elections were rigged and stolen from GOP candidates. Wadsack said that could have been resolved had Republican lawmakers done something about election laws in 2021 and 2022 when Leach was in office and they had a Republican in the governors office and not Democrat Hobbs who vetoed several such measures. Wadsack said she has a record in her first year of supporting things LD 17 residents want. That includes the one-time rebate of up to $750 for families with children, providing trade school opportunities at community colleges, and precluding the state from taking death benefits that would otherwise go to children in foster care. And Hamilton, for her part, said Leach is mistaken if he thinks he is what LD 17 residents want. I have spent a lot of time talking to voters in her area, she said. They like that Wadsack fights for them and listens to them, Hamilton continued. Thats why the recall effort against her failed. That refers to a bid last year by district resident Rolande Baker to gather 30,981 valid signatures on petitions to trigger a special election. Baker declined to say how many she collected in the four-month window allowed in state law. Nor did she turn in the completed petitions to the Secretary of States Office. Wadsack said at the time the outcome of that drive was no surprise. The voters of LD 17 dont want me recalled, she said. They want me reelected, Wadsack said. And thats why not a single signature was turned in. So far this session Wadsack has not introduced any legislation on the same social issues as last year. But she is proposing to turn school board races into partisan affairs, with candidates running the same as legislators and others complete with party labels and primaries. A similar measure was introduced in 2022 by then-Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita. Im not sure that parents know exactly what these school board members believe, what they think, the Scottsdale Republican said at the time. She said requiring party affiliation would make a difference. Having to identify yourself with your party helps communicate to a potential voter where you stand, she said. That measure died on a 4-4 vote in the Senate Education Committee when then-Sen. Tyler Pace voted with Democrats. He said the idea is based on the faulty assumption that those who are registered Republican, as he is, will all vote the same. Two Native American tribes in Arizona are suing the U.S. government over the construction of a wind-energy transmission line through the San Pedro Valley east of Tucson. The Tohono Oodham Nation and the San Carlos Apache Tribe are calling for construction work to stop on the SunZia Southwest Transmission Project until the Bureau of Land Management completes a legally adequate inventory of historic properties and cultural resources that would be impacted by the project. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Arizona federal court, claims the 550-mile-long powerline project will cause serious, irreversible adverse effects on tribal cultural sites and sacred areas, including areas with human remains. Two Tucson-based conservation groups, Archaeology Southwest and the Center for Biological Diversity, joined in the legal action against the bureau, the Interior Department and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. San Francisco-based Pattern Energy has begun cutting access roads and building pads for towers near the San Pedro River. By 2026, the transmission line is expected to start delivering electricity to Arizona and California from a 3,500-megawatt wind energy project Pattern is also building across three counties in central New Mexico. The companys plans for the Arizona portion of the power line include about 780 towers up to 195 feet tall along a 200-mile corridor stretching from southern Greenlee County to central Pinal County. The route crosses the San Pedro River about 15 miles north of Benson, then runs north through a remote, biologically rich area along the eastern foothills of the Rincon Mountains near Cascabel. The Tohono Oodham and San Carlos Apache tribes have also lodged a complaint over SunZia with the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates utilities in the state. Interior officials declined to discuss the lawsuit. Pattern Energys assistant vice president of environmental and permitting, Natalie McCue, said its too late to change the path of the transmission line now. The time has passed to reconsider the route, which was approved in 2015 after a robust and comprehensive review process, McCue said in a written statement. It is unfortunate and regrettable that after a lengthy consultation process, where certain parties did not participate repeatedly since 2009, this (lawsuit) is the path chosen at this late stage. McCue added that construction in the San Pedro Valley is ongoing and on schedule. The BLM gave final approval for construction of the transmission project across federal land in May, when it signed off on several changes to the SunZia plans first approved by federal regulators 9 years ago. In August, the two tribes filed a formal dispute with the Interior Department, accusing the bureau of failing to comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and ignoring tribal input and consultation requests for more than a decade. A month later, bureau officials granted Pattern limited approval to proceed with construction in areas where the agency determined there were no historic or cultural resources present. That prompted Tohono Oodham Chairman Verlon Jose to send an urgent request to Haaland in late October, calling for an immediate halt to construction activities in the area pending further review. Work in the San Pedro Valley was paused for about a month, but it resumed in late November, after the BLM cleared Pattern to continue its work while the agency considers whether the valley qualifies for federal designation as a so-called traditional cultural property. At the same time, bureau officials declined to reconsider the agencys 2015 decision to grant a right-of-way for the SunZia project through the San Pedro Valley. Opponents of the project argue that the transmission line never should have been routed through such an important and relatively undisturbed stretch of Arizonas last free-flowing river, when an existing utility corridor could have been chosen instead. The Biden administration has touted SunZia as a milestone on the path toward a nationwide clean-energy grid by 2035, and several national environmental groups have come out in favor of the renewable energy the roughly $8 billion project is expected to generate and deliver. Archaeology Southwest president and CEO Stephen Nash said his group was compelled to join the lawsuit because the San Pedro Valley is replete with places that are significant in Oodham, Apache, Hopi and Zuni culture and religion. John Welch, director of the nonprofit groups landscape and site preservation program, said federal regulators prioritized profits over protection by approving the route least costly to the owners and most harmful to the San Pedro Valley, despite years of evidence-based requests to preserve the area. A bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and killed Sunday night on Tucson's east side, police said. Melissa Marie King, 43, died, police said. The Tucson Police Department gave the following account in a news release Monday evening: The collision, with a 2003 Toyota Avalon, occurred shortly after 9 p.m. Jan. 21 at the intersection of South Wilmot Road and East 34th Street. Traffic detectives determined that King was riding her bicycle southbound in the northbound lanes of Wilmot, between the middle and curb lanes. A vehicle traveling northbound in the curb lane saw her ahead and began braking. "The Toyota, which was behind the first vehicle that was braking, also started to brake and maneuvered left into the middle lane to avoid colliding with the vehicle in front of them. As the Toyota moved to the middle lane, Ms. King also moved into the middle lane to avoid being struck by the first vehicle and subsequently collided with the Toyota," the news release said. "Riding against traffic on the right side of the roadway by Ms. King is the major contributing factor," police said. The 31-year-old man driving the Toyota immediately stopped and cooperated, police said. No charges or citations have been issued; the investigation continues. PHOENIX A panel of Arizona lawmakers voted Monday to make it illegal to call anything grown in a laboratory meat or poultry, saying they want to prevent consumer confusion. The 6-3 vote by the House Committee on Land, Agriculture and Rural Affairs came over the objections of Drake Jamali, lobbyist for the Good Food Institute, a nonprofit that says it is focused on making plant-based and cultivated meat delicious, affordable and accessible. He said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration already requires anything produced in a lab to be labeled a cell cultured or cell cultivated product. Thats enough to inform shoppers that what theyre buying never came from a live animal, Jamali said. But Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, said the FDA label is not adequate to inform consumers. His House Bill 2244 would make it illegal to use any term that is the same or deceptively similar to one historically linked to a specific meat or poultry product. Jamali acknowledged the legislation could preclude items from being labeled meat patties or nuggets, even if they included the FDA language about being cell cultured. What Nguyen pushed through the committee on Monday is mild in comparison with a proposal by Rep. David Marshall. The Snowflake Republican wants to bar outright the sale or production of any cell-cultured animal product for human or animal consumption. But Marshall, whose HB 2121 also was set to be debated Monday, said he withdrew the measure from immediate consideration while he works on unspecified amendments. The legislation could be back on the agenda this coming week. Both measures are aimed at the nascent industry growing up around alternatives to raising and slaughtering animals for food. Much already is available for consumers in the form of plant-based burgers, ground meat, nuggets and other similar products, which causes alarm among cattle growers. What they find is these plant-based products, theyre not all what they appear to be, said Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, who is a cattle rancher. He said people need iron they get from a real steak, from a carcass. Cook said the FDA has said those who consume plant-based meats received below the daily requirements for calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B-12. Rep. Michael Carbone, R-Buckeye, was more direct. We want to protect our cattle and our ranches, he said. The lawmakers bigger and growing concern is over what can be produced in a lab. It starts with the question of is it meat? Shane Burgess, the dean of agriculture, life and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona, said different organizations have different standards. For some, he told lawmakers, anything that is the flesh of animals, birds and fish qualifies. That would include lab-grown items since they meet that definition. But he said other groups such as the American Society for Testing and Materials say meat has to come from something living. That leaves the FDA requirement to list such products as cell cultured. Tim Petersen, owner of Arizona Grassraised Beef and a cattle rancher, said thats hardly satisfactory. He said theres still a lot of research being done. I dont think the federal government has really clear parameters on what is lab-based or what is bovine calf serum, Petersen said, referring to one of the products used to promote cell growth. Theres a lot of words and a lot of shucking and jiving that goes on in the meat business, he told lawmakers, which he said leaves lots of room for creative wording. For example, Petersen said, the state Department of Agriculture allows meats to be listed as Arizona grown. And you can literally slaughter cattle in the state and use the Arizona grown logo, he said. But Berry Mendoza, testifying on behalf of Mission Barns, which produces products that contain real meat but without slaughtering an animal, warned lawmakers to be careful about exactly how much information they want to mandate for consumers. Why not, he said, require pieces of meat at grocery stores to be labeled Arizona slaughtered baby calf? he asked. Mendoza said labeling requirements can be used to deter consumers. Cook said that proves his point. When people go to the meat counter, thats what they expect to find in the meat counter is meat from carcasses, he said. I like meat and I am supportive of the industry, said Rep. Mariana Sandoval, D-Goodyear. And we should definitely keep an eye on this technology. But she voted against the measure. I am not convinced that there is any mislabeling happening, Sandoval said. Rep. Lupe Diaz, R-Benson, disagreed, finding the FDA requirements insufficient. He said the term cultivated makes it sound like something that was grown from the earth. Reconciliation unlikely to work in favor of ruling party's vote prospects By Nam Hyun-woo President Yoon Suk Yeol and ruling People Power Party (PPP) interim leader Han Dong-hoon displayed a reconciliatory gesture, addressing their disagreements regarding candidate recommendations and controversies related to first lady Kim Keon Hee, apparently to prevent potential harm to the PPP's campaigns for the April 10 general elections. Yoon and Han met on Tuesday at a traditional market in Seocheon County, South Chungcheong Province, where a fire broke out overnight. The visit was organized spontaneously, with arrangements made only late Tuesday morning. Han arrived at the site of the fire just minutes before Yoon. The two exchanged greetings after being briefed by firefighters. After visiting the site, they took the presidential train together back to Seoul, according to the presidential office. "I have deep respect and trust for President Yoon and that remains unchanged," Han told reporters after arriving at Seoul Station. "The president and I have traveled this journey together with the shared goal of improving the country and the lives of its people...I am committed to giving my best efforts to ensure that the PPP represents the people's choice and contributes to the betterment of the country." The impromptu meeting was seen as a conciliatory gesture aimed at addressing the ongoing feud between Yoon and Han. On Monday, the head of the ruling party revealed that Yoon had requested Han's resignation from the interim leader position through presidential chief of staff Lee Kwan-sup. Despite this, Han asserted that he has no intention of stepping down. Sources said the president expressed concern over Han's public endorsement of Kim Kyung-yul, a member of the PPP's interim leadership committee, for the Mapo B constituency in Seoul. The president's objection stems from the fact that the party's candidate recommendation rule has not been finalized, and Han's public endorsement of a specific individual could be perceived as "bid rigging." While the presidential office attributes Yoon's discontent with Han to his public endorsement, analysts believe that what truly upset the president were Kim's previous remarks regarding allegations involving the first lady receiving a Christian Dior handbag from a Korean American pastor in 2022. Han's stance, considering the handbag controversy as "a matter of public concern," is also seen as a point of contention. As the feud raised questions about the viability of Han's leadership and provided an opening for criticism from the opposition party, the presidential office clarified that Yoon was not requesting Han's resignation. Instead, it was an expression of concern regarding the public endorsement issue. The ruling party also tried to prevent the Yoon-Han feud from becoming an obstacle to the PPPs election campaign. During a radio interview with broadcaster KBS, PPP Rep. Lee Chul-gyu, a Yoon loyalist, said, The misunderstanding is likely to be resolvedquickly. He added, Any conflicts will be reconciled without a doubt. Both the presidential office and the PPP work for the people, not for their individual interests. So everything will be okay, Lee said. I believe the party will do its job, the party leader will do his job, and the government will do its job for the people. Although Yoon and Han displayed a gesture of reconciliation, their fight does not bode well for the PPPs election campaign, pundits said. It seems that Yoon and Han are trying to somehow end their conflict and reconcile, even though it can be superficial, said Park Sang-byeong, a professor at Inha University's Graduate School of Policy Science. Even if their conflict is addressed, there is no gain for both the presidential office and the PPP, because the public's sentiment has already worsened over the first ladys controversies. It seems that Yoon was trying to catch Han off guard before the party begins to recommend candidates, but Han fought back. I believe there are plenty of chances for them to have conflicts during the process of the election campaigns. Several shop owners from the traditional market that experienced the fire expressed their disappointment to Yoon, stating that the president did not meet with the victims of the fire and did not extend words of condolence. Presidential spokesperson Kim Soo-kyung said in a statement, "Over 150 shop owners expressed gratitude to President Yoon and conveyed their concerns." However, some shop owners contended that they had waited throughout the night to see Yoon but were unable to do so. Main opposition Democratic Party of Korea Rep. Kim Han-kyu wrote on Facebook, "I saw video clips featuring shop owners expressing their disappointment, claiming that Yoon only took a photo with Han" and "the two used the disaster site as a backdrop for their reconciliation." The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: In the ever-evolving landscape of social media, TikTok has emerged as a cultural phenomenon, captivating the attention of millions, particularly the younger generation. While the platform has provided an innovative space for creativity and self-expression, concerns are growing about the potential impact of TikTok content on the minds of Americas youth. One cannot deny the incredible influence social media wields over the collective psyche of todays young minds. TikTok, with its short-form videos and addictive algorithm, has become a powerhouse in shaping trends, opinions, and even lifestyles. From dance challenges to lip-syncing performances, TikTok content has an unparalleled ability to go viral, leaving an indelible mark on the minds of its users. Anecdotal evidence from parents, educators, and mental health professionals suggests that TikToks influence on young minds is both profound and, at times, worrisome. Many argue that the platforms emphasis on instant gratification and superficial validation can contribute to a distorted sense of reality and self-worth among its users. Moreover, TikToks algorithm is designed to foster a sense of tunnel vision, where users are exposed to content aligned with their preferences. While this may enhance user engagement, it can also create echo chambers that limit exposure to diverse perspectives and ideas. This narrowing of viewpoints raises concerns about the potential impact on critical thinking skills and the ability to empathize with different experiences. The influence of TikTok extends beyond personal insecurities and may impact societal attitudes. A recent trend on the platform involved spreading misinformation about a sensitive social issue. The speed at which false narratives gained traction showcased the platforms potential to contribute to the dissemination of misleading information, raising questions about the responsibility of content creators and the platform itself. It is crucial to recognize that TikTok is not inherently harmful. Many users find the platform to be a source of joy, creativity, and community. However, the responsibility lies with both content creators and the platform to foster a more mindful and responsible digital environment. Parents and educators play a pivotal role in guiding young minds through the complex terrain of social media. Open and honest conversations about digital literacy, critical thinking, and responsible content consumption are essential. Additionally, platforms like TikTok must prioritize the promotion of positive content, fact-checking mechanisms, and transparent algorithms to mitigate potential harm. While TikTok undoubtedly offers a platform for creative expression and connection, we must remain vigilant and focused on its potential impact on the mental well-being and perspectives of the younger generation. By fostering a culture of responsible content creation and consumption, we can harness the positive aspects of TikTok while mitigating the risks associated with its powerful influence on young minds. Ten years ago today, an Oklahoma County judge threw out a state law barring girls from an over-the-counter emergency contraceptive because it violated the state constitution. The law, contained in House Bill 2226, prevented girls younger than 17 from getting Plan B One-Step commonly called the morning-after pill without a prescription. Women and girls 17 and older can obtain the product without a prescription. The lawsuit was filed in 2013 on behalf of the Oklahoma Coalition for Reproductive Justice and Jo Ann Mangili of Mounds. The latest state laws on abortion follow the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Rowe v. Wade. See photos from the 2019 March for Life in downtown Tulsa below: Anna Codutti Tulsa World Breaking News Editor Follow Anna Codutti 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 Some Hillcrest patients have received notification from the health care systems parent company that their personal information, including Social Security numbers, was hacked in a November cyberattack. Ardent Health Services discovered a ransomware attack Nov. 23 that affected operations at Hillcrest facilities as patient records systems were taken off-line amid containment efforts. The malware attack was reported to law enforcement, said Ardent, which brought in an outside cybersecurity firm for an investigation. The extent to which patient and financial data were compromised could not be confirmed initially, according to Ardent, but a recent report from the forensic investigation indicates that some patient records were hacked. An unauthorized third party extracted copies of documents that include certain personal information, Ardent said in a statement Tuesday. The unauthorized actor may have accessed, viewed, or removed documents with the following types of information: patient contact information (e.g., address, phone number, email address), Social Security numbers, medical treatment information (e.g., providers, dates of service, diagnoses, prescriptions), health insurance and claims information, and Medicaid/Medicare numbers. At this time, Ardent has no indication that this information has been misused. A spokeswoman told the Tulsa World that the data breach did not involve all Hillcrest patients, but those whose information was compromised are receiving letters from Ardent. These individuals will receive a year of free credit monitoring and fraud-prevention services, Ardent said. The data review process is ongoing and will take time to complete, and as Ardent identifies additional impacted individuals, it will mail letters to them in accordance with all applicable laws, the company said in a statement. Those with questions may reach out weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central Time via a toll-free call center: 833-961-7634. Hillcrest is a comprehensive health system with approximately 6,500 employees. Its hospitals and clinics across eastern Oklahoma include Hillcrest Medical Center and Hillcrest Hospital South in Tulsa, the Oklahoma Heart Institute, Bailey Medical Center in Owasso, Hillcrest Hospital Claremore, Hillcrest Hospital Cushing, Hillcrest Hospital Henryetta, Hillcrest Hospital Pryor, Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital and Utica Park Clinic. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Melissa Jacques Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer Follow Melissa Jacques Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday that it will review the case of Richard Glossip to determine whether new evidence and the state of Oklahomas admission of error should save him from death row. Glossip has faced execution nine times after his conviction for the 1997 murder-for-hire of his former boss Barry Van Treese. Justin Sneed, who is serving life in prison, testified that he killed Van Treese after Glossip promised to pay him $10,000 for the murder. According to Glossips attorneys, he was convicted almost entirely on statements made by Justin Sneed that it now clearly appears he wanted to recant. The case that will go before the Supreme Court has the support of Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who has acknowledged the states error in the original case. We are grateful that the Court is providing Richard Glossip the opportunity to argue that Oklahoma should not be permitted to kill him, said John Mills, attorney for Glossip. We are also grateful that the States chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, agrees that Mr. Glossip did not receive a fair trial and his conviction must be reversed. In January 2023, Drummond set in motion a comprehensive review of Glossips conviction and death sentence after another independent investigation requested by state lawmakers. Both reviews found errors in the prosecutions case against Glossip. The reviews reportedly found material misstatements by the prosecutions main witness and multiple instances of error that cast doubt on Mr. Glossips conviction. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in April 2023 denied Drummonds request to vacate Glossips conviction. In a statement Monday, Drummond noted that evidence initially withheld by prosecutors has now revealed that Sneed was allowed to give false testimony that failed to disclose that he had been prescribed lithium for a serious psychiatric condition. Glossips team said they found evidence showing that the trial prosecutor worked behind the scenes with Sneeds attorney during Glossips trial to feed Sneed information before he testified. Public confidence in the death penalty requires the highest standard of reliability, so it is appropriate that the U.S. Supreme Court will review this case, Drummond said in a statement. As Oklahomas chief law officer, I will continue fighting to ensure justice is done in this case and every other. Glossips lawyers argue that his clemency hearing with the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board was unconstitutional, as well. The Oklahoma Constitution requires that five members deliberate clemency; Glossips case had only four, leading to a split vote resulting in clemencys not being recommended. A lawsuit pending in Oklahoma County District Court seeks to have Glossips clemency hearing declared null and void. Richard Glossips innocence case is unlike anything the country has ever seen, said Don Knight, attorney for Richard Glossip. The Oklahoma Attorney Generals concession of error is historically unprecedented, as is the outpouring of support from 62 Oklahoma legislators, including at least 45 death-penalty-supporting Republican lawmakers. One of the lawmakers who has been vocal about the case is Rep. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow. McDugle wrote an opinion piece for The Oklahoman in 2022 in support of Glossip. He said in an interview with the Tulsa Worlds Opinion editor in 2023 that he supports the death penalty, but if they kill Richard Glossip, you will see me running every bit of legislation to kill the death penalty in Oklahoma, because if we cant trust the system, then we have to vacate what were doing. We have to be able to trust the system. The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals in 2022 denied two applications for post-conviction relief without allowing Glossips team to present any new evidence, his attorneys said. The Supreme Court is expected to hear oral arguments in Glossips case later this year. The new Tulsa World app offers personalized features. Download it today. Chinas General Administration of Customs has agreed to promptly complete its documentation to sign a protocol for the import of fisheries, including tropical rock lobsters, and some fruits from Vietnam, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam said on Monday. The Chinese side is considering opening its doors to Vietnamese avocado and passion fruit, the deputy minister underlined. Nams working trip to China from January 14 to 20 was aimed at boosting the two nations cooperation in farm produce import and export activities, he said. The two sides reached a consensus on the reopening of Chinas doors to Vietnams tropical rock lobsters, with some new terms to be added to the protocol on seafood export, Nam stressed. The Chinese customs agency also agreed to open its doors to more of Vietnam's main fruits and vegetables. Also, Nam said that China would consider importing Vietnamese poultry meat. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam. Photo: Chi Tue / Tuoi Tre As part of his trip, Nam and his entourage visited Guangdong Province, located in south China, which is home to numerous wholesale markets and major farm produce centers. The top Vietnamese official, the Chinese provincial leader and the directors of farm produce centers and markets reached a consensus to import Vietnamese agricultural products and form sustainable farm produce logistics chains. The head of a farm produce center in Shenzhen City under the province said that the center would put aside a big booth to display Vietnams One Commune One Product (OCOP) products, according to Nam. The farm produce center in Shenzhen serves 40 million residents in the city and Hong Kong, so its management board aims to ramp up imports of rice, fruits, and OCOP products from Vietnam. After the Lunar New Year holiday, due in February, wraps up, a delegation of the Shenzhen-based farm produce center will pay a visit to Vietnam to cooperate with Vietnamese exporters, he added. After working with several representatives from wholesale markets in Guangdong, the Vietnamese delegation realized that many Vietnamese fruits, mainly durians, are favored by Chinese consumers. However, the Chinese authorities warned that if Vietnamese producers and exporters ignore the quality of goods and designs, their products will lose advantages. China might allow some other countries to ship durians to Vietnams northern neighbor, he said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A pair of Omoda C5 cars, manufactured by Chinese automaker Chery, has been introduced in Hai Phong City, a major port city in northern Vietnam. The press got a glimpse at the Omoda C5 Deluxe and Omoda C5 Luxury at the Doi Rong (Dragon Hill) international tourist site in the city on Saturday and Sunday last week. Though the Chery Omoda C5, a compact crossover SUV, is being shown in Vietnam, when it will go on sale has yet to be announced. In late 2021, the Chinese carmaker announced that it would tap the Vietnamese market, but it has yet to sell any in the Southeast Asian nation. The two versions of the Omoda C5, debuted in Vietnam, were imported from Indonesia. Their prices have not been announced. However, many car experts predict that the price of the Omoda C5 will hover around VND700 million (US$28,340), reported the Vietnam News Agency. The front end of the Omoda C5 consists of a diamond matrix front grille, a two-tier lighting system and an LED strip light. Photo: Tuoi Tre The rear section of an Omoda C5 features a slanted rear roofline and a double-layered spoiler. Photo: Tuoi Tre The 18-inch multi-spoke wheel disc. Photo: Tuoi Tre The LED tail light of the Omoda C5. Photo: Tuoi Tre A closer look at the modern interior of the Omoda C5, with many physical buttons eliminated. Photo: Tuoi Tre The interior of the Omoda C5 is equipped with two integrated 10.25-inch high-definition digital screens. Photo: Tuoi Tre An electronic gearshift, functional keys, and a cooling system are located in the center console. The Omoda C5 enables in-car wireless smartphone charging. Photo: Tuoi Tre The spacious trunk of an Omoda C5. Photo: Tuoi Tre The space in the back seats is not comfortable for passengers who are more than 1.8 meters tall. Photo: Tuoi Tre The Omoda C5 is capable of speeding up from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 9.9 seconds and consumes 7.1 liters of petrol per 100 kilometers. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu set the goals of tightening trade relations and creating optimal conditions for investors from the two countries to do business in each others markets. The top Romanian official made the statement when he and PM Chinh were attending the Vietnam-Romania Business Forum held in the Romanian capital of Bucharest on Monday, at which participants were briefed on the investment potential, opportunities, business climate, economic growth strategies, and policy regimes in the two nations. The two PMs set a goal to double bilateral trade by 2030 by calling on more Vietnamese and Romanian businesses to expand their investment in each others markets. PM Ion-Marcel Ciolacu said that Romania wants to cooperate with Vietnam in industries such as IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and food. He also hoped that more Romanian products of high quality would be offered to the Vietnamese market. He underlined the urgent need to establish collaboration among operators of Vietnamese and Romanian ports, expressing his hope that further trade and investment events would take place in port cities of the two countries. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L, 2nd) shakes hands with his Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu (R, 2nd) at the Vietnam-Romania Business Forum held in Bucharest, Romania, January 22, 2024. Photo: Nhat Bac / Tuoi Tre Addressing the business forum, PM Chinh elaborated on Vietnams three breakthrough strategies in terms of institutions, human resources, and infrastructure, which would pave the way for businesses to cut input costs and enhance their competitiveness to achieve sustainable business growth in Vietnam. PM Chinh also affirmed that Vietnam always strives for the goal of being an independent and self-reliant economy to ensure investor confidence grows further. The Southeast Asian country prioritizes cooperation in the fields of the digital economy, green economy, circular economy, and knowledge-based economy. The solid political foundation between Vietnam and Romania will help facilitate their economic, trade, and investment cooperation ties, PM Chinh said. The Vietnamese government leader suggested that businesses from the two countries make the most of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement to boost their collaboration, particularly in such sectors as mechanical engineering, specialized machinery, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, renewable energy, and automobile manufacturing. The Vietnamese government pledges support for international investors, including the Romanian ones to set up and do business in the long run in Vietnam, PM added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse Elke Budenbender landed in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, commencing a two-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of Vietnamese State President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse. They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Tran Sy Thanh, Vietnamese Ambassador in Germany Vu Quang Minh, and other top Vietnamese officials. The German presidents entourage includes Dorte Dinger, head of the Office of the Federal President, Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany, German Foreign Office Minister of State Tobias Lindner, Michael Kellner, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, and Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary in the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, among other top officials. Steinmeiers Vietnam trip marks the second state visit by a foreign leader to the Southeast Asian nation in January. This also marks President Steinmeier's first state visit to Vietnam since assuming office in 2017. The visit takes place as the two countries are nearing 50 years of diplomatic ties. Vietnam is German President Frank-Walter Steinmeiers first overseas destination in 2024. Photo: Vietnam News Agency He visited the country in March 2008 during his tenure as German Foreign Minister and in October 2016 when he served as Germany's Vice Chancellor and Foreign Minister. Former President of Germany Horst Kohler paid a visit to Vietnam in May 2007. The German president and his spouse are scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony hosted by his Vietnamese counterpart on Tuesday afternoon. The two leaders will hold talks and witness the signing of several cooperation agreements. President Steinmeiers Vietnam trip, accompanied by multiple major German companies, is meant to strengthen the partnership between the two nations in the economic and commercial realms. Steinmeier and his delegation will travel to Ho Chi Minh City and its neighboring localities on Wednesday. He will also visit some projects invested by German firms in the southern metropolis. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Check out the latest news in Vietnam today: Politics -- Romania always considers Vietnam its most important partner in Southeast Asia and wishes to further develop the cooperation with Vietnam in all sectors, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said during a reception in Bucharest on Monday for Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh who paid a state visit to the European country between Saturday last week and Monday this week. -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Romanian counterpart Ion-Marcel Ciolacu on Monday witnessed the signing of 19 cooperation agreements on economy, culture, labor, and education-training between the two countries ministries, agencies and localities. Society -- Frost blanketed Phja Oac Mountain in Cao Bang Province, northern Vietnam as temperatures were under zero degrees Celsius on Monday. -- Four sixth- and seventh-grade school girls drowned while bathing in a lake in Dak Lak Province in Vietnams Central Highlands on Monday, a local official said the same day. -- Police in Quang Tri Province, located in north-central Vietnam said on Monday that they were completing procedures to punish a 43-year-old man who was caught transporting a live tiger measuring 200 kilograms on Friday evening. The man told the police that he was transporting the tiger for VND3 million (US$121.5). -- The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has proposed developing six more parks to increase green space in the city. -- An 18-year-old student in Phu Tho Province in northern Vietnam had his motorbike seized and was fined VND7.5 million ($303.8) for letting go of both hands and using his leg to control the motorbike, the provincial police said on Monday. World News -- A landslide in China's Yunnan province killed eight people on Monday and dozens were missing as rescue operations continued in snowy, freezing temperatures, Reuters reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Frost blanketed several mountains in northern Vietnam as temperatures fell below zero degrees Celsius on Monday and Tuesday. A layer of frost covered Phja Oac Mountain, which is over 1,900 meters above the sea level in Cao Bang Province, on Monday, said Hien, according to an employee of a broadcasting station on the mount. Frost was seen on tree branches and grass on the peak from 3:00 pm on Monday. After 30 minutes, the trees were covered in white coats, Hien added. A frost-covered tree on Phja Oac Mountain. Photo: Ha Cuong / Tuoi Tre At the Mau Son Mountain area in Lang Son Province, frost appeared from 4:50 pm on Monday, news site VnExpress reported. The frost enveloped tree branches from an altitude of about 1,000 meters up to the mountains summit, at 1,520 meters. Yen Tu Mountain in Quang Ninh Province faced the same fate. Frost blanketed Dong Pagoda on the mountain since Tuesday, Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper cited the Management Board of Yen Tu Relics and National Forest as saying the same day. Frost forms on Phja Oac Mountain in Cao Bang Province as the temperature falls to minus two degrees Celsius. Photo: A Hien / Tuoi Tre Although the ways to these mountains were slippery, many curious people tried to reach the peaks to admire the phenomenon, which was caused by a cold spell hitting the northern region. The cold spell will last until Thursday and has resulted in temperatures of 7-10 degrees Celsius in the region and below zero degrees Celsius in high mountain areas, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. The bitterly cold weather may cause an impact on human health, livestock and plants, the center added. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Fu Bao, a giant panda born in Everland and turning four years old this year, will be returned to China in April under an international agreement, the nation's largest amusement park said Tuesday. Announcing the schedule for Fu Bao's return to China through its website, Everland said the female giant panda will be transferred to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province in early April. Everland, located in Yongin, 42 kilometers southeast of Seoul, said it will keep Fu Bao in a separate space at Everland Panda World for a month before her overseas transfer in accordance with international regulations on wild animals. Therefore, Fu Bao will be open to the public only until early March, it added. Fu Bao was born on July 20, 2020, to Ai Bao and Le Bao, the giant pandas sent by Chinese President Xi Jinping in March 2016 as a symbol of Korea-China friendship. Pandas sent by China to overseas countries are returned to China before they turn four in accordance with the endangered species conservation agreement. (Yonhap) The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction has proposed developing six more parks to increase green space in the city. They comprise the 485-hectare Sai Gon Safari Park project in Cu Chi District, a 128-hectare eco-park in Thu Duc City, a 20-hectare park in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Thu Duc City, the 13-hectare Go Cat Park project in Binh Tan District, a 3.8-hectare park in Binh Thanh Districts Ward 12, and the 150-hectare Thanh Xuan Park project in District 12, according to the Department of Constructions report sent to the municipal government. The department added that a hindrance to the citys public park development plan is the shortage of capital. The city expected the area dedicated to parks to increase by 150 hectares (or 0.65 square meters per person) by 2025, and 450 hectares (or one square meter per person) by 2030. It needs to conduct a minimum of 54 projects with an estimated investment of over VND9 trillion (US$364.5 million) to reach the target. However, only eight projects have been put up for seeking approval. The Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Council has green-lit four of them with a combined price tag of VND1.59 trillion ($64.4 million). They include a project to develop infrastructure, a school and a park in the current Binh Hung Hoa Cemetery in Binh Tan District, the Thanh Loc Park project and the Tan Chanh Hiep Park project in District 12, and the Tan Thanh Tay Park project in Cu Chi District. The department reported that its hard to call on private investors to get involved in public park projects as such projects are not eligible for the public-private partnership model. The management and exploitation of public parks, such as vehicle parking services, canteens, and vending machines, shows many shortcomings and bottlenecks. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Many kindergartens and elementary schools in some northern localities, including Hanoi, Lang Son and Bac Giang, allowed students to stay home as temperatures fell below 10 degrees Celsius on Tuesday. Hanoi recorded a temperature of 9.9 degrees Celsius at 6:00 am on Tuesday. As a result, schools informed parents of pre-school and elementary students of the school break. However, schools did not refuse to receive students if their parents still took them to. At Trung Tu and Kim Lien Elementary Schools in Dong Da District and Le Van Tam Elementary School in Hai Ba Trung District, several teachers were still present to receive students. Some schools switched to online classes. Giang Thanh Thuy, principal of Trung Van Elementary School in Nam Tu Lien District, said the school has an online teaching plan if the cold wave persists. The municipal Department of Education and Training had earlier announced that kindergartens and elementary schools would shut if temperatures dipped below 10 degrees Celsius. Students of middle schools would be allowed to stay home if temperatures were under seven degrees Celsius. The department also asked its subordinates in districts and schools to get updates on weather conditions. Schools should not organize outdoor activities and require students to wear uniforms, and should focus on keeping students warm. In Lang Son Province, over 73,000 students of 267 kindergartens, elementary and middle schools were also allowed to stay away from school as temperatures were under six degrees Celsius on Tuesday, a leader of the provincial Department of Education and Training told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Some schools offered online classes, the official noted. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported temperature in Bac Giang Province, also in northern Vietnam, at 8.7 degrees Celsius at 6:00 am on Tuesday. As a result, kindergartens and elementary schools in the province asked their students to stay home. However, some students still came to schools as their parents were busy and could not let their children stay at home. Schools assigned teachers to admit these students. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A sleeper bus with 22 people on board plunged into a gorge while driving on an expressway in central Vietnams Da Nang City early Tuesday morning, leaving three dead and injuring the others. The fatal accident occurred at about 1:30 am on Tuesday when the 40-seat sleeper boarding 19 passengers, along with a driver and his two assistants, drove out of its lane on the La Son - Tuy Loan Expressway in the citys Hoa Vang District, crashed into the guard rail on the opposite lane, and then fell into a stream in a gorge, local traffic police reported. This image shows rescuers carrying out their duties at the scene of the deadly traffic accident in an abyss in central Vietnams Da Nang City on early morning of January 23, 2024. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre At the time of the accident, the bus driver, P.T.T., 36, a resident of the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, was driving the vehicle on the route from Dak Lak to Thua Thien Hue in the central region in a torrential rain. Traffic police officers, rescuers, ambulances and specialized vehicles were deployed to the scene for rescue and salvage operations. The accident killed three people on the spot and injured all the others, leaving three in a serious condition, according to initial reports from local police. The injured victims were brought to the Da Nang General Hospital and the Hoa Vang District Health Center for emergency treatment. Fire trucks are seen deployed on the La Son-Tuy Loan Expressway section in central Vietnams Da Nang City, from which a sleeper car fell into an abyss on early morning of January 23, 2024. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre Traffic police officers conducted an examination of the scene, where the sleeper bus was seriously damaged. The La Son-Tuy Loan freeway, which spans 66 km, connects the La Son intersection in Phu Loc District of Thua Thien Hue Province and the Tuy Loan junction in Hoa Vang District. The expressway, which was opened to traffic in April 2022 at a cost of US$465.3 million, currently has two lanes in its first phase before being expanded into four lanes in its second phase expected to start in June this year. In mid-2023, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper published an article pointing out the risks to traffic safety on the expressway after it was opened to traffic for more than a year. Fire trucks are seen deployed on the La Son-Tuy Loan Expressway section in central Vietnams Da Nang City, from which a sleeper car fell into an abyss on early morning of January 23, 2024. Photo: H.B. / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The ABC Board met yesterday to discuss the legal action brought by Antoinette Lattouf in the Fair Work Commission and a vote of no confidence by MEAA Union members. The Board passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the ABCs Managing Director David Anderson. ABC Chair Ita Buttrose, speaking on behalf of the ABC Board, said: It is abhorrent and incorrect that people would suggest that he has shown a lack of support for independent journalism and journalists. David Anderson has always been strong a supporter of the independence of the ABC and its journalists. He has encouraged them to report without fear or favour and has never weakly surrendered to criticism as some critics have alleged. The ABC regularly receives, and responds to, complaints from individuals or organisations and the assumption that either the Managing Director as Editor-in-Chief or I would be influenced by any sort of lobbying pressure is quite simply wrong. The Board, including the Managing Director, recognise that this is a very difficult environment for our staff with many societal issues that threaten to divide us. We will continue to prioritise actions that support our staff, ensure our journalistic independence, and protect the trust that Australians place in the ABC. ABC has also rejected the claims raised by Ms. Lattouf and lodged its defence. When the name Suranne Jones (Scott & Bailey, Vigil, Doctor Foster, Gentleman Jack) is attached to a project it surely demands attention. Throw in Eve Best (House of the Dragons, Fate: The Winx Saga, The Crown) and Stockard Channing (Grease, Practical Magic) and new BritBox drama Maryland is practically irresistible. The three part series is even co-created by Jones, with plenty of female creatives behind the scenes, including director Susan Tully. Jones and Best play sisters Becca and Rosaline, respectively, who are summoned to the Isle of Man when the boy of their mother washes up on the beach. Problem is, they have no idea what she was doing there, nor the world they will soon discover she had secretly built for herself away from their father, Richard (George Costigan). Had she been living a double life? If so, why and for how long? Complicating matters more is the frosty relationship between the two sisters, who carry a lot of baggage over their upbringing. I dont like picking at scabs, says Rosaline. While Becca (Jones) finds a lack of emotional support from her husband (Jim) Andrew Knott, Rosaline is privately awaiting the results of a possible resurgence of breast cancer. Can they overcome their differences to get to the truth and will their mothers passing bring them closer together? Stockard Channing plays a chilled American-born local Cathy, who knew their mother and has answers to divulge, while Pete (Hugh Quarshie) is protective of the woman he knew. Local cab driver Jacob (Dean Lennox Kelly) also offers a benevolent ear when he isnt asking his passengers to say hello to the fairy bridge -these quirky touches are nice and highlight local ambience versus Londons pace. No wonder mum was visiting The initial premise may not be too disimilar to dramas such as Irelands Smother, but the tone is more gentle, at least when our two leads are not going hammer and tong over deep-seated rivalries. Lets face it, with such skilled performers you do want some acting chops before the credits role and this is surely more thought-provoking than Midsomer Murders or Father Brown. Watching Jones and Best on screen together is wholly satisfying, and there are also some inclusive casting touches for actors living with a disability. Maryland is a smart and emotional drama about sisterhood and forgiveness, which never outstays its welcome. Fingers crossed Suranne Jones creates much more to come Maryland screens Thursday January 25 on BritBox. Shopping channel TVSN will move all its metropolitan and regional free-to-air broadcasts from its existing partners, 10 and WIN, to Seven from July 1st. TVSN will be available on Channel 77 in the capital cities, Channel 67 in regional markets and 7plus nationally. Channel Pty Ltd (TVSN) and the Seven Network Australias most watched TV and digital network have signed a new agreement for the exclusive free-to-air national broadcast of the leading Australian shopping channel TVSN on Seven and 7plus nationally. TVSNs Chief Executive Officer Judy Deuchar said, We are excited about this new media and distribution partnership with Seven. At TVSN, we are leaders in selling through video content, bringing customers the best local and exclusive international brands, much-loved products, and unique celebrity finds. This partnership will deliver an enhanced viewing experience to a wider audience across the vast dynamic network of Sevens metro and regional audiences as well as their growing digital platforms. Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: TVSN is a significant player in the home shopping experience and the broader premium video marketplace, which is a key focus for Seven. We are delighted to welcome the brand to Seven. TVSN will be an attractive addition to the great content of Seven and 7plus, and our strategy to engage and connect with Australians consumers in new ways. The move by TVSN to the screens of Seven also highlights the effectiveness of the Seven West Media assets as the best in market to grow brands, sell product and offer content distribution and amplification. TVSN is Australias leading video e-commerce retailer with a live and on-demand presence through subscription and free-to-air television, e-commerce sites, and mobile applications. Operating 24 hours a day and seven days a week, TVSN entertains, informs and inspires customers with high-quality products presented via leading experts and international celebrities, live demonstrations and customer testimonials. TVSN is part of Direct Group, a leading direct-to-consumer retailer with a portfolio of online, social and catalogue brands that include Innovations, Infashion, Readers Digest, GAIAM, Fox Collection and Entertainment Masters. The new broadcast agreement with Seven will commence on 1 July 2024, and TVSN will transition customers with exciting offers during the changeover. Versie 2.5 van MediaPortal is uitgekomen. Met dit programma kan een Windows-machine als hart van de multimediahardware in de huiskamer worden gebruikt. Zo kan op een eenvoudige manier naar radio en muziek worden geluisterd, en naar video's en dvd's worden gekeken. Ook kunnen tv-programma's worden opgenomen. Door middel van plug-ins en extensies kan de functionaliteit worden uitgebreid en kan de look & feel van het programma worden aangepast. De release notes voor deze uitgave kunnen hieronder worden gevonden. MediaPortal 2.5 is a full-blown media center software that addresses most common user requirements out of the box. Aside from its support for live TV and radio, it offers a complete media server for music, movies, and series. Info is automatically downloaded from various sources to provide posters, fanart, album art, and various additional metadata, such as cast, staff, and more. MediaPortal 2.5 also provides access to online video sources. Integrated news, weather information, and management for your digital images complete this software package. User management for your family let you configure users (e.g. kids) and restrict age dependend content and settings. Many changes have happened in the backend of MediaPortal. The code was ported from NET4.8 to NET6, which provides a performance increase on most systems. However some features are not (yet) compatible with NET6 such as OnlineVideos and TVE3. Accordingly we decided to publish two installer and you need to decide which one covers your needs better. NET6 installer (OV and TVE3 not included) NET4.8 installer Due to heavy development of MediaPortal 2, many new text strings have been added, but have been not localized yet. Everybody can support translating strings in our translation platform transifex. Every help to bring MediaPortal 2 forward is highly appreciated by our small development team. Potential deadlock when disposing GENA event subscription Separate Fullscreen/Windowed toggle from "Always On Top" behavior Update Nuget.config to use https myget source Update build process to use Transifex CLI instead of the now obsolete Transifex client Workflow navigation to child screens does not respect some parent screen properties Centralized MediaLogo and Certification images to Default skin to avoid redundant storage in multiple skins Fix shortcut items not displayed on Weather and News home content Fix Potential Infinite Loop In VirtualizingPanels Extended age certification logos for Australia, Canada, Finland, Italy and Japan Add MediaPortal 2 version infos to settings Play/Pause OSD button restarts playback from beginning if pressed whilst seeking Nfo SeriesFanArtHandler can throw a null reference exception if actors list is null Opening the Diagnostics config page breaks server communication and other weird issues Wrong exception is logged/displayed if there is an issue during startup FanArtService can throw a NullReferenceException on shutdown Update transifex build scripts to support VS 2022 So far radio was part of TV. In MediaPortal 2.5 we have added a dedicated radio tile. In the main menu you have a radio tile with its own home content Radio has its own EPG screens Recordings and schedules are still shared between TV and Radio, but can be distingished by media type The current TV engine (TVE3) for Media Portal 1 and 2 was developed a long time ago, and is not state of the art any more. Accordingly we decided to develop the TVMosaic plugin as an alternative TV provider. The TVMosaic Community Edition is freeware and can be configured by web browser. Because it is not bonded to windows it may run on many platforms. The client plugin can be selected in the installer now. Further improvements and bug fixes such as improved EPG loading time and inproper channel indexes were integrated since the previous version. Check the wiki for further information. The current TV engine (TVE3) for Media Portal 1 and 2 was developed a long time ago and is not state of the art any more. Tauseef Ahmad | Two Circles A class 11 student from India hopes to bring a new level of awareness to the Syrian Civil War with her debut novel, When the Sky Wrote Back. The book has been published by Delhi-based Bluerose Publishers and is 341 pages long. Support TwoCircles The author, Mariyam Imbisat, is a 16-year-old student at Azaan International School in the Indian city of Hyderabad. The teenage writer created the character of Noor Ahmar, a young female journalism student from Egypt who travels to Syria undercover to report for a news organisation. The novel depicts the horrors of war, including bombardment, starvation, and fear, as well as the characters range of emotions. The Syrian Civil War is an ongoing conflict that started in the Middle Eastern state in March 2011. The United Nations Human Rights Office estimated in 2022 that 306,887 civilians 1.5% of the total pre-war population were killed between March 2011 and March 2021 due to the conflict. Since then, the number of dead has just gone up. In addition to the bloodshed, more than half of Syrias pre-war population of 22 million have had to flee their homes. Imbisat says she chose the character of a journalist because she believes in the power of journalism. The journalists have the power to express the voice of voiceless people, especially in times of conflicts, Imbisat told Two Circles. According to Imbisat, the late Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Aklah inspired the choice of a young Muslim woman journalist as the main character. Aklah was slain in 2022, allegedly by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). Imbisat states that through Ahmars journey, she hopes to spread the message of humanity to people all across the world. The novel raises awareness of human rights violations and killings through the characters accounts, as well as advocates for change. The story was made for Syria but it has a lesson for the whole world, she said. Imbisat began writing the novel four years ago, when she was just twelve years old, as a diary in which she documented Ahmars daily life. It was difficult to write about something so sensitive like the Syrian war. I used to spend hours reading about conflicts in the world. I was imagining all the scenes in my head, she added. Imbisat says she had unwavering support from her parents while she was writing the novel and her mother who is a school teacher helped her regularly with the novel and even helped finding a publisher. The book took more than a month to be edited and published. The novel concludes with the killing of the young journalist, as Imbisat writes, the young journalist was silent but was not blind, and all of Ahmars recordings and images were released to the world days after her death. The novel is available online and priced at INR 340. Tauseef Ahmad is an independent reporter based in Kashmir, India. By Gwynne Dyer Taiwans fate is as unknowable as usual, even though we know who the next president is. William Lai, vice president under outgoing President Tsai Ing-Wen, won the election. The two opposition parties failed to agree on a joint candidate and split the slightly-less-anti-China vote between them. Tsai, who is retiring after eight years in the presidency, could still win re-election if she had not reached the two-term limit. Lai is cut from the same cloth: firmly against enforced "unification" with China, and careful always to tend the not-quite-alliances with the United States and Japan that hold Beijing at bay. So no real change on the international front, even though president-for-life Xi Jinping of the Peoples Republic of China continues to insist that he will use force, if necessary, to bring Taiwan back under the rule of the "motherland." Its a bit like Schrodingers cat, really. Maybe the island of Taiwan and its 23 million people are an offshore province of China, separated from the mainland temporarily by the losers in the Chinese Civil War when they retreated there with a million soldiers in 1949. Or maybe its a Pacific island (the original home of the ancestors of all the Pacific islanders) that was conquered and settled by a wave of Chinese immigrants in the 1600s and 1700s, fell into Japans hands in the late 1800s, was ruled from Beijing for four years from 1945 to 1949 and is now independent in all but name. All those things are potentially true, but we will only know which set of facts stays relevant when China conquers Taiwan, or when the current pseudo-Communist regime in Beijing collapses and its successors recognize Taiwans independence, Schrodingers island. Long may that box remain closed. President Xi has raised the volume of the threats and curses that Beijing regularly hurls at Taiwans government, and Chinese military incursions into Taiwans waters and airspace have certainly grown, but there is no sense in either country that war is imminent. Its definitely not a major issue in this election. All three parties acknowledge that China will be able to attempt a sea-and-air invasion of Taiwan within five years, as its military build-up continues. But they also know that such an invasion might fail, and all three parties support expanded military spending in Taiwan to keep that doubt alive in Beijing. If there were a referendum in Taiwan today on declaring independence from China (and Beijing didnt threaten to invade to stop it), a large majority of Taiwanese would vote "yes." But they are also realists and would be quite content to live with the current status quo indefinitely. Frankly, most voters in Taiwan have learned to live with a certain level of uncertainty about the Chinese military threat and dont waste time obsessing about it. The cost of living, housing availability and low wages will decide most votes, because Taiwans economy is suffering a post-pandemic slump not as severe as Chinas, to be sure, but bad. This means that President-elect Lai may have to get his policies past a majority coalition of the opposition parties in the Yuan (parliament). No big deal; this has happened before in Taiwan. In fact, the three major parties are all fairly close together in their economic and social policies, so the deal-making should be quite easy. As a model for what all of China could and one day might be, Taiwan is encouraging. It is one of the most democratic countries in Asia, and also the most tolerant. (It was the first Asian country to legalise gay marriage.) GDP per capita in Taiwan is six times higher than in China, and yet wealth inequality is much less in Taiwan than it is in China. Under the brutal dictatorship of the Kuomintang (Nationalist) Party that fled the mainland and ruled the island for 35 years, the people of Taiwan suffered as much as the mainland Chinese did under Mao Zedongs Communists. If they have managed a non-violent transition to the democratic and prosperous present, why not the mainlanders too? In the meantime, however, this fortunate islands fate is largely out of its own hands. The long-standing U.S. "guarantee" of Taiwans security is deliberately ambiguous: the Americans might or might not actually show up if China invaded. Indeed, if Donald Trump is president by this time next year, he might just sell Taiwan down the river. And then theres the Great Imponderable. Xi Jinping appears to be putting Taiwan into the same role in his "heritage project" that Russian President Vladimir Putin gave to Ukraine. Both men have recently passed 70, and they both seem to think that reuniting the motherland would be a fitting monument to their glory. Gwynne Dyers new book is "The Shortest History of War." SATO Oyj SATO Corporation Press release 23 January 2024 at 11.35 SATO offers a variety of job opportunities in Helsinki and Turku this summer. The call for summer job applications is open from 22 January to 11 February 2024. The employment contracts begin in MayJune and in most cases continue until the end of August. One of Finlands largest rental housing providers, SATO offers a variety of summer job roles to young people interested in the property sector, customer service and sales this summer, too. Research shows that SATO a great place to work: 85% of SATO employees responding to the Great Place to Work survey regard SATO as an excellent place to work. We operate at the forefront of rental housing and encounter our staff members in line with our values: Human to human Be bold, aim high Joy of succeeding together. We are committed to promoting diversity and creating a workplace environment where everyone can feel welcome. ADVERTISEMENT This year, SATO has summer vacancies in roles including House Experts carrying out property maintenance duties, sales negotiators, service specialists, housing services and marketing. Coordinating the SATO call for summer job applications, HR Partner Sarianna Saksa says that all of the summer employees are expected to show qualities such as system dexterity and service-mindedness but also courage and initiative. The roles require knowledge of Finnish and English, with other language skills considered an asset. A category B driving licence is required for some roles. Were looking forward to our summer staff joining us. Were able to provide a summer job experience that is independent but also unique. In our roles, youll gain insights into the interesting world of rental housing and interact with our customers. Many SATO staff members first joined us as a summer employee and then, having completed their studies, have taken on longer-term roles with us, Sarianna points out. We comply with the principles of sustainability in working life and offer meaningful roles where our summer staff members are able to undergo learning and development. The summer employees will receive orientation to their work, information about the sector and the full support of their colleagues at SATO. Each summer employee will be designated their own summer tutor who will support and assist them to ensure their success in their work throughout the summer employment contract period. Story continues We belong to the Oikotie Responsible Workplace community and comply with the Oikotie Principles of Responsible Workplace and Summer Jobs: We respect the candidate. We provide proper orientation to the job. Our supervisors exist for the employees. We provide meaningful work that fosters development. We address unequal treatment right away. We take care of employee wellbeing. We pay a fair salary. The call for summer job applications is open from 22 January to 11 February 2024. The employment contracts begin in MayJune and in most cases continue until the end of August. See here for the SATO summer job vacancies. For more information, please contact: Johanna Koramo, VP, Human Resources, SATO Corporation Sarianna Saksa, HR Partner, SATO Corporation Email address format: firstname.lastname@sato.fi Lesbian couple who want a baby told by GP to sleep with a man A lesbian couple looking to start a family have said they were asked by a GP why they did not find a man to sleep with to get pregnant. Elissa Hillier, 32, and her wife Kaylee, 35, from Manchester, said they were also asked during the shocking consultation whether they knew that to have a baby they needed human sperm. Elissa Hillier and her wife Kayle said they were shocked by the comment (PA) The couple had booked an appointment with a GP at the Orient Road Medical Practice in Salford to discuss their options in February 2023. But they said the GP did not know how to proceed and that his advice left them feeling scared, disappointed and upset. The couple, who then decided to go private, have since found a clinic in Denmark and one in the UK, where they have done three rounds of fertility treatment which failed. The couple have launched a fundraiser to help them start a family (PA) They are currently doing IVF and, having spent in total around 15,000 on treatments, have launched a fundraiser to cover their costs and help them start a family. The pair are also launching a podcast about their fertility journey called NoMoreMen. We went in really excited thinking this was the start of our journey and that we were going to be having a baby, said Elissa who is currently studying English and creative writing at the University of Bolton and works part-time as a careers advisor and in retail. When we left, we just sat in the car in silence and were like Did that actually just happen?' During the consultation, they said the male GP asked: You do know that you need a man to have a baby? The couple were asked You do know that it needs to be human sperm? (PA) They were also asked: You do know that it needs to be human sperm? Then he just stared at us for a bit and was like Why dont you just go out and find a man to sleep with?' added Elissa. The GP offered to put them on a three year waiting list for a fertility appointment with the NHS. He gave no explanation about what that would entail and basically said I dont really know how to help you or why you are here, said Kaylee, a Senior Studio Director for BBC radio operations. All he said was, Im going to put your name on this list and youll get a call. Story continues He wasnt being rude or mean, you could tell that he was genuinely just trying to understand, added Elissa. He did suggest a number of times, why dont you just go find a man? and we kept reiterating that I dont want my wife going off and sleeping with someone else. They thought they were being filmed for a TV prank show (PA) The couple said they could not believe this was really happening and even wondered whether they were being pranked on television. Do straight couples get asked if they know that you need human sperm to have a baby? said Kaylee. They began researching private options online and found three possible procedures, Intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and Reciprocal IVF. With IUI, sperm is injected directly into the womans uterus, whereas in IVF the egg is surgically removed from her ovaries and fertilised in a lab. The experience nearly put the couple off altogether (PA) To find out more, Elissa and Kaylee booked a free consultation with the Care Fertility clinic in Manchester and were invited to attend a fertility webinar. But they said the session focused primarily on IVF and male fertility issues. There was only one slide which said We can help same sex couples and it was a picture of two men, said Elissa. It just really put us off the whole thing, added Kaylee. The GPs advice left them feeling scared, disappointed and upset. (PA) Just when they were about to give up, Elissa spotted a news article about a same sex couple who went to Denmark for their fertility treatment. They contacted Diers Klinik in Aarhus, the countrys second largest city, and were invited to have a one-to-one video chat with a nurse. She explained everything in a very low-key natural way, step-by-step, said Elissa. After our experience, we were almost worried about being a same sex couple on this call, but she didnt even blink. The couple decided they would try IUI as it was about 3,000 cheaper than IVF which costs upwards of 5,000. Danish nurse didnt even blink upon realising they were a same sex couple (PA) She said basically, as soon as you start ovulating, just ring us and well book you into the clinic and do the procedure, said Elissa. From feeling in the dark and on your own, this was the first place we had contacted which made us feel safe and that somebody was actually on our side, added Kaylee. The couple travelled to Denmark in July 2023 to have the IUI procedure and were delighted when 14 days later they had a positive pregnancy test. But a few days later, Elissa got her period and it turned out, she had what is known as a chemical pregnancy, a very early miscarriage. You get that positive test and you think, Weve been blessed, said Kaylee. I was at work and I got the call from Ellie and the floor gets taken away from under you. The couple travelled to Denmark in July 2023 to have the IUI procedure (PA) All that elation that we had just evaporated. The couple did not let this stop them and after getting some financial help from Elissas parents, they went for another round of IUI in August 2023. Unfortunately this time, it simply did not work. Running low on funds and not wanting to go through the stress of travelling to Denmark again, the couple decided to look for a clinic closer to home. Elissa had joined several fertility Facebook groups and was contacted by a woman in Manchester who recommended CREATE Fertility clinic in Wilmslow. It was more expensive than Denmark but we thought that taking away the stress of travelling might be better, said Elissa. We booked a consultation and it was really thorough and we just felt that this was a good experience, it felt safer and they just seemed to be more clued up about lesbian couples. Sadly their third IUI attempt did not work, and so the couple decided to try IVF after being offered a discount by the clinic in November 2023. We cant keep doing it because it costs too much money and the emotional toll is too high, said Kaylee. Im watching my wife put her body through so much, so it got to the point where we thought: Do we just keep doing this or do we try IVF and give ourselves a better chance?' The whole process has cost the couple around 15,000 and they have now launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help start their family. Elissa is currently going through her first cycle and they will find out whether it has been successful in the next few weeks. Were hoping for Kaylee to have a baby after Ive had one, said Elissa. Hopefully sharing our story will help other people figure out what they can do, added Kaylee. Every donation weve had so far, it doesnt matter how much, weve been so humbled. You dont feel like you deserve it and it feels like a privilege that someone would donate to us and help us have a family. To find out more about Kaylee and Elissas experience follow @NoMoreMenPod on Twitter and Instagram. Orient Road Medical Practice in Salford said they could not offer a comment due to patient confidentiality. The Care Fertility clinic has not responded to a request for comment. VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania's Defence Council has decided to initiate negotiations to buy Leopard 2 tanks from Germany, Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas told reporters on Tuesday, as the NATO member seeks to build a tank battalion. The Leopard 2 is made by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, part of German-French technology group KNDS. "Our intention is creating a tank battalion, but much will depend on conditions, such as what price we agree on. So I cant name any details yet," he said. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO has pledged to strengthen its presence on the alliance's eastern border. Lithuania, a neighbour of Russia and Moscow's close ally Belarus, currently does not operate tanks. The new tank unit is scheduled to be combat-ready by 2030. Germany has committed to permanently deploy a combat-ready brigade of about 4,800 soldiers in Lithuania by 2027, which will be the first permanent foreign deployment of German troops since World War Two. It has headed the international NATO force of more than 1,000 troops in the country since 2017. Lithuania recently took final delivery of a 670 million-euro-order ($727.71 million) of 91 German-made Boxer armoured fighting vehicles, which it ordered in 2016. ($1 = 0.9207 euros) (Reporting by Andrius Sytas, editing by Terje Solsvik, Louise Rasmussen and Sharon Singleton) Sofia Vergara just revealed why she and Joe Manganiello really decided to get divorced. Vergara was refreshingly frank about what led to the end of her seven-year marriage while talking to El Pais, a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain, in an interview published last week. She and Manganiello announced their divorce in a joint statement last summer. Opening up about her personal life, the Modern Family star said, Well, Im newly divorced from my second husband, who I was with for 10 years. My marriage broke up because my husband was younger, the 51-year-old actor said of Manganiello, 47. He wanted to have kids and I didnt want to be an old mom. I feel its not fair to the baby, Vergara added. I respect whoever does it, but thats not for me anymore. Vergara, who had her first and only child, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, in 1991, went on. I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and Im ready to be a grandmother, not a mother, she said. Manganiello and Vergara announced their divorce last summer after seven years of marriage. Manganiello and Vergara announced their divorce last summer after seven years of marriage. Vergara then went on to say that if her next romantic partner wants kids, he has to come with [his own] children. Im almost in menopause; its the natural way of things, she said. When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then Ill give it back to him and go on with my life; thats what I have to do. Vergara recently admitted to being pleasantly surprised by the medias response to her and Manganiellos split. I have to say the press was very respectful and very nice, and I thought that they were going to invent more things. You know, how it usually is, she told CBS Sunday Morning. I was surprised that they kind of just said what it was, and that was it. You know, Ive been moving on. Read the full interview for El Pais here. Related... Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Science & Technology Doomsday Day Clock update for 2024 today When and Where to watch Currently set at 90 seconds to midnight since last year, the Doomsday Clock is updated every year. Read More Tuesday January 23, 2024 11:17 AM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies [Representation.] Mumbai: The scientists are set to update today i.e. Tuesday January 23, 2024 the Doomsday Clock for 2024 with experts predicting it may move closer to midnight based on the intensifying geopolitical and environmental challenges. Currently set at 90 seconds to midnight since last year, the Doomsday Clock is updated every year. Since its launch in 1947 by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, the Doomsday Clock has warned humanity how close the world is to catastrophe every year, with the midnight acting as a symbol for the apocalypse. Doomsday Clock update today The Doomsday Clock symbolises the world's proximity to a human-made global catastrophe. The annual update reflects whether the risks of such a catastrophe have increased or decreased. The closer to midnight, the higher the perceived risk of self-destruction. The scientists will set the Doomsday Clock time for 2024 at 10:00 am EST which is 08:30 PM today i.e. Tuesday January 23, 2024. The Doomsday update event will be broadcasted live on "thebulletin.org". The Doomsday Clock update today comes at a time when the world is facing more serious challenges as compared to last year including Israeli war on Palestinians, the ongoing Russia Ukraine war, and with the climate disasters wreaking havoc. About Doomsday Clock The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons in the Manhattan Project. The Doomsday Clock was created two years later. The Doomsday Clock uses the imagery of apocalypse (midnight) and the contemporary idiom of nuclear explosion (countdown to zero) to convey threats to humanity and the planet. The Doomsday Clock is set every year by the Bulletins Science and Security Board in consultation with its Board of Sponsors, which includes 10 Nobel laureates. The Clock has become a universally recognized indicator of the worlds vulnerability to global catastrophe caused by manmade technologies, according to the bulletin. In 2023, the clock was set at 90 seconds , the closest ever, citing unprecedented danger due to the war in Ukraine and nuclear threats. Conversely, in 1991, following the end of the Cold War, the hands were set at 17 minutes to midnight as a result of reduced nuclear threats. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Views & Analysis India, Iran Ties Strengthened Further External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankars two-day visit to Iran, last week, was a crucially timed diplomatic engagement. The visit besides discussing the regional security situation was also aimed at further strengthening the political, economic and cultural aspects of the bilateral relations. Read More Tuesday January 23, 2024 2:03 PM , Asad Mirza External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankars two-day visit to Iran, last week, was a crucially timed diplomatic engagement. The visit besides discussing the regional security situation was also aimed at further strengthening the political, economic and cultural aspects of the bilateral relations. As the crisis in the Red Sea spurred by the Israel-Hamas war escalates, India has begun a diplomatic outreach to crucial regional players to secure the countrys trade and strategic interests. The outreach treads a line of neutrality in the conflict between the Western powers and the Islamic world wherein India has not joined the US-led multinational naval coalition in the Red Sea while it remains critical of the Houthis violence. In this backdrop, Minister of External Affair S Jaishankars recent visit to Tehran was aimed to express Indias concerns on the increasing attacks by the allegedly Iran-backed Houthis in the Red Sea, which he shared with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian. MEA spokesperson said the issue of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the violence and destabilisation there, were among the things that were discussed, as India is deeply concerned about the whole situation. In the last weeks, both the US and the UK have launched air strikes targeting the Houthi positions in Yemen. On its part, India has been closely monitoring the unfolding situation in the Red Sea. The issue also figured in a phone conversation between Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on 11 January. Countries like India are concerned that the conflict may impact most of Asian trade with Europe. This may lead to a supply chain restructuring, with neighbouring countries at higher costs. Iran supposedly has close links with the Houthi militia in Yemen which have launched a series of attacks on shipping vessels plying the Red Sea route since mid-November. A key motivation for Jaishankars visit was the recent attacks on several India-linked shipping vessels. Terming the attacks on ships in the vicinity of India as a matter of grave concern to the international community, S Jaishankar said in Tehran that such threats have a direct bearing on India's energy and economic interest as he underlined that this fraught situation is not to the benefit of any party. "There has also recently been a perceptible increase in threats to the safety of maritime commercial traffic in this important part of the Indian Ocean," he said in a joint press statement after wide-ranging talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian. He stressed that it's important that this issue be speedily addressed, in an apparent reference to the targeting of merchant vessels in the Red Sea - one of the busiest trade routes - by Iranian-backed Yemen's Houthi rebels amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Economic Aspects EAM Jaishankar also met with Irans Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mehrdad Bazrpash and held a detailed and productive discussion on establishing a long-term cooperation framework on the strategically vital Chabahar Port. During the visit, on 15 January, India and Iran signed an agreement on the further development of the Chabahar Port Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar Port is being developed jointly by India and Iran to boost connectivity and trade ties. India has been pushing for the port project to boost regional trade, especially for its connectivity to Afghanistan. Earlier, Jaishankar had projected the Chabahar Port as a key regional transit hub at a connectivity conference in Tashkent in 2021. The port is also seen as a key hub for the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project. The INSTC project is a 7,200-km-long multimode transport project for moving freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe. Cultural Links In a significant move to deepen cultural ties, EAM S Jaishankar announced that the Government of India has decided to include Farsi (Persian) as one of the nine classical languages in India under the New Education Policy. "The government of India has decided to include Farsi as one of the nine classical languages of India in our New Education Policy," said Jaishankar, highlighting the cultural, literary, and linguistic connections between Iran and India. Jaishankar, made the above remarks during a joint press joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, H Amirabdollahian on 15 January. Indian Outreach Indian foreign ministers recent visit to Iran was part of the diplomatic efforts that have been stepped up to secure Indias interests regionally. Though, the Shiite population in India is quite small compared to the Sunni Muslims. Yet, the Indian government has always been able to build and balance its relationship with Iran and Saudi Arabia, both seen as the leaders of the Shia and Sunni communities globally. This diplomatic balancing has always worked to Indias advantage, besides giving it a regional clout At a regional level, India has always accorded a significant priority to its ties with Iran. As the country apart from offering it a gateway to the central Asian republics and also Afghanistan, has also been a reliable oil supplier to India, and that too on a favourable rupee payment basis. Therefore, the issues discussed during the foreign ministers visit also encompassed all aspects of the sustained relationship between India and Iran, as they covered regional security, trade and development and cultural ties. The announcement related to Farsi, was also timed right and was aimed at targeting the Muslim minority in the country. Over the years Indo-Iran ties have moved ahead, in spite of meddling by other countries and the current diplomatic policy led by PM Modi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, in this regard has not only carried on the old relationship, but the manner in which trade, economic and cultural tries between the two countries have progressed, shows their commitment to build a long-lasting relationship. (The writer, Asad Mirza, is a Delhi-based senior political and international affairs commentator.) Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India Maharashtra govt deploys Adityanath's Bulldozer Model in riot hit Mira Road According to Maharashtra Police as many as 15 "illegal" and "encroached" properties in the Muslim dominated areas of Mira Road are being bulldozed. Read More Tuesday January 23, 2024 10:31 PM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies Mumbai: The Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit government in Maharashtra deployed the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath's Bulldozer Model in the riot affected Mira Road area of Mumbai Suburbs in Thane district of the state. According to Maharashtra Police as many as 15 "illegal" and "encroached" properties in the Muslim dominated areas of Mira Road are being bulldozed even as questions are being raised over the authority and legality of such an action. The bulldozer action followed soon after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who belonged to the right-wing Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), while talking to reporters said strict action will be taken against the encroachers and those involved in illegal activities. He also said so far the Police has detained 13 people. "The police have been instructed to take strict action against the accused. So far, 13 accused have been detained and the police is trying to identify the other accused based on the CCTV footage. Anyone trying to disrupt law and order will be dealt with strictly," he told reporters. Hindutva goons attack Muslims and their properties. Muslims retaliate to protect themselves. State Hindutva machinery implicates Muslims and demolishes their properties. Repeat#MiraRoad #MiraRoadriot #MumbaiPolice pic.twitter.com/uDRepwyt71 Faheem (@stoppression) January 23, 2024 "The complete details of the incident in the Naya Nagar area of Mira-Bhyander were taken last night only. I was in constant touch with the Mira-Bhyander Police Commissioner till 3.30 am Monday, he added. Clashes erupted in Mira Road Sunday night when hundreds of Hindus on cars and motorbike holding saffron flags and raising provocative slogans passed through the Muslim dominated Naya Nagar area of the suburban city. Videos and photos shared on social media platforms showed Muslims attacked and ransacked vehicles that were part of the procession taken out a day before Ram temple inauguration in Ayodhya. Also Read Rule of Law does not permit bulldozer justice: Justice Lokur On Monday, Hindus took out a bigger procession and passed through the same area. Some videos shared on social media showed a youth wearing saffron scarf with gun in his one hand and sword in the other. Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayant Bajbale while talking to reporters admitted the clashes broke out Sunday night at around 11:00 pm when some people of the Hindu community were raising slogans in three-four vehicles..." "Shortly after, an argument broke out between the Hindu community and some people belonging to the Muslim community. Seeing the deteriorating situation, the police vehicle immediately reached the spot and took some people into custody," he was quoted by news agency PTI. Bajbale further said additional police force has been deployed in the area. A flag march has also been conducted and the situation in the affected area is currently under control, he said. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home India OIC 'denounces' opening of Ram Temple on Babri Masjid site The OIC statement came a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a controversial ceremony inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya after pran pratishtha or consecration ceremony. Read More Wednesday January 24, 2024 0:19 AM , ummid.com News Network Jeddah: The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed concerns and denounced the opening of Ram temple on the site where Babri Masjid stood before it was demolished on December 06, 1992. The General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed grave worry over the recent construction and inauguration of the "Ram Temple" at the site of the previously demolished Babri Mosque located in the Indian city of Ayodhya, the 57-member representative body of the Muslim countries said in a statement released Tuesday January 23, 2024. In line with the OIC position expressed by the Council of Foreign Ministers in its previous sessions, the General Secretariat denounces these actions aimed at obliterating the Islamic landmarks represented by the Babri Mosque, which has stood tall in the exact location for five centuries, the OIC said. The OIC statement came a day after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a controversial ceremony inaugurated Ram temple in Ayodhya after pran pratishtha or consecration ceremony. Ram Mandir in Ayodhya was built following a Supreme Court order in Nov 2019 pronounced after a long legal battle. Surprisingly, the Supreme Court of India ordered the construction of Ram temple on the land on which Babri Masjid, built in 1528 and standing there till December 1992, despite asserting in its order that there was no evidence to prove the mosque was built after demolishing any temple. Also Read A Vulgar Alliance of State and Religion The Supreme Court in its order also said that the demolition of Babri Masjid on December 06, 1992 was "illegal and violation of the rule of law". "Damage to the mosque in 1934, its desecration in 1949 leading to ouster of the Muslims and its eventual destruction on December 6, 1992, constituted a serious violation of the rule of law", the SC said in its verdict. The inaugural event organisers had sent invitation to top Hindu priests and leaders of the key opposition parties besides others. While top Hindu seers, including 04 Shankar Acharyas, declined the invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony citing violations of Hindu religious principles and guidelines, opposition leaders refused to attend the ceremony terming it a political event organised by the BJP and its ideological mentor RSS. In a veiled reference to the inauguration of Ram Mandir, Abhishek Banerjee, Member of Parliament and National General Secretary, All India Trinamool Congress, wrote on social media X: "My RELIGION has not taught me to accept and embrace a place of worship, whether it be a MANDIR, MASJID, CHURCH or GURUDWARA, which has been built over HATRED, VIOLENCE and the dead bodies of innocents. Period!" The BJP has rejected all these allegations. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home International Silent Strength: Deaf join pro-Palestine March in Australia; Demand ceasefire in Gaza The pro-Palestinian rally in Sydneys Hyde Park was 15th in the city since October 7, 2023 when the Zionist regime in Israel ordered relentless bombing of Gaza. Read More Tuesday January 23, 2024 7:10 PM , ummid.com with inputs from Agencies Sydney/Melbourne: In a heart-touching gesture to express their solidarity with the Palestinians, a large number of people who are deaf Sunday January 21, 2024 joined a mass protest in Australias Sydney demanding immediate ceasefire in Gaza Strip. Being there in your own quiet, but being there at your loudest! Heart-touching scenes showing deaf community taking part in a mass protest in Australia to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Palestine Online wrote on social media platform X in their appreciation. "I've never seen this in my lifetime for a peaceful demonstration. Awesome", Declan Sweeney, an Irish who is a Project Manager (Construction) reacted on the video. "That made me cry. Perhaps that's how I feel even with a voice, still not heard", another social media user commented after watching the viral video. No words can truly capture the power and resilience of those who find strength in their silence and speak volumes through their actions. These heart-touching scenes remind us of the importance of standing up for what we believe in, even when the world seems too loud to hear. #SilentStrength, Crypto Signals which uses X handle @CryptoSignalsU wrote. Watch Video Heart-touching scenes showing deaf community taking part in a mass protest in Australia to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/RyNYnV6YlR Rachael Swindon (@Rachael_Swindon) January 23, 2024 The pro-Palestinian rally in Sydneys Hyde Park was 15th in the city since October 7, 2023 when the Zionist regime in Israel ordered relentless bombing of Gaza and also tightened the blockade of the enclave besieged since 2006. The protesters participated in the anti-Israeli rally Sunday despite scorching heat and when Sydney was sizzling at 34C. If you want the killing to end, demand the killers to stop their bombing, Damian Ridgwell, one of the organisers of the rally said, calling on the Australian government to unconditionally come out and demand Israel cease the killing. It is totally inadequate to make out as if this is a conflict between two equal sides. Stop calling it self-defence, it is a genocide that is happening in Gaza, The Guardian quoted his as saying. Nick Teane, who attended Sundays rally and lives in Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albaneses seat of Grayndler, said if he could say one thing to him it would be: Stand up for your principles. The protesters also asked the Australian government to extend its support to the South Africa case at the International Court of Justice . More than 100 countries have already extended their support for the South African petition which has accused Israel of committing Genocide of Palestinians in Gaza Strip. Port of Melbourne blocked Demanding ceasefire and end of Israeli massacre of Palestinians in Gaza, around 4,000 pro-Palestine protesters in Melbourne Sunday blocked a major freight terminal. The blockade at the Port of Melbourne started on Friday and has prevented an Israeli-owned ship from being unloaded. It resulted in four cargo ships being stranded along with 30,000 containers, according to the Middle East Eye. Mohammed Helmy, one of the protest organisers, told the news portal that the protest and blockade have been effective so far and is intended to pressure the government to take action on the atrocities unfolding in Gaza as a result of Israeli aggression. "The action has completely blocked the port at the moment to send a strong message to the government that Melbournians are not happy with Zim ships being loaded from the Melbourne port," he said. Gaza death toll crosses 25,000 mark Meanwhile, the Israeli Occupation Forces are continuing the massacre of Palestinians and destruction of Khan Younis and other civilian areas in Gaza. The relentless bombardment of the Israeli forces have as on January 23, 2024 killed at least 25,490 Palestinians and have also left over 7,000 others missing who are presumed dead, according to the Health Ministry of Palestine. As per the latest update from Gaza, Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza has been seized by the Israeli Occupation Army. This is in continuation of the Israeli war on hospitals . According to the UN, there were at least 212 Israeli attacks on healthcare facilities and workers in Gaza from October 7 to December 11. Amnesty International meanwhile has written a letter directed to the EUs Josep Borrell and the EU Ministers of Foreign Affairs, urging the body to call for an immediate ceasefire and to apply public pressure on Israel to immediately lift its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip. We are horrified by the magnitude of the man-made human rights and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the letter said. We share the view of 153 states and majority of UN bodies that a ceasefire is the only way to save lives, address the humanitarian crisis and facilitate the return of civilian hostages currently held in the Gaza Strip", the Amnesty said. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Combined efforts needed to cope with growing demand Despite hypermodernization, a large number of Korean households still provide in-family caregiving when especially an older family member is sick or fragile. Alternatively, those with the means may opt to hire a private caregiver. Despite the diminishing influence of traditional family structures and weakened adherence to filial piety, caregiving responsibilities have predominantly remained within the family. However, the demanding nature of caregiving, both financially and emotionally, has led some to vividly describe the experience as "caregiving hell." Sadly, there are instances that reveal an overwhelming sense of despair, often manifested in what can only be described as "caregiver murder." These distressing incidents consistently evoke a collective feeling of helplessness and defeat. Just this month in Daegu, a man in his 50s was found dead outside an apartment after killing his father. He left behind a note pleading for others to search for the body of his father, who suffered from dementia, inside their apartment unit. The prolonged burden of caring for his ailing father drove him to make the extreme choice. Similarly, last October, a father in his 60s took the life of his 30-something son, who had been grappling with a brain injury for most of his life, and attempted unsuccessfully to end his own life. Efforts must be urgently undertaken in Korean society to address this pervasive sense of helplessness. As the 13th largest economy globally, Korea has the capacity to overcome its historical trauma related to poverty and ensure that its citizens live with dignity, irrespective of their circumstances. Moreover, the nation is rapidly approaching a super-aging society, with the proportion of individuals aged 65 and older expected to reach 20 percent of the population by 2025. Responding to this challenge, the Ministry of Health and Welfare revealed plans on Jan. 17 to expand caregiving assistance starting in July. This initiative aligns with the government's December announcement aimed at alleviating the burden of hiring careworkers. The central idea is to reduce caregiving expenses by integrating caregiving services into hospital facilities. This shift implies that instead of families hiring private caregivers in hospitals when a family member is hospitalized, nurses can assume the responsibility of providing caregiving services. In a broader perspective, the government aims to boost the utilization of integrated programs, targeting an increase from the current 2.3 million users to 4 million by 2027. While the expansion of caregiving services within hospital facilities is a positive step for those hospitalized due to immediate ailments, there remains a significant gap in support for individuals requiring long-term care. To date, only 10 geriatric hospitals have been selected to offer such services in a pilot pogram. Their number should increase as more households are opting to make use of geriatric hospitals for ailing old family members. Policymakers should also realize that prolonged periods of caregiving can mentally and physically strain family members, resulting in unfortunate incidents. As a result, policymakers should draft more preemptive programs to detect and assist such families. On a positive note, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) backs a similar support program for caregiving. Expanding support for caregiving-- short and long-term -- will mean bolstering financial assistance, and this helps when the ruling administration an the ruling People Power Party and the DPK stand on the same page. One Seoul National University study estimates the total cos of the country's caregiving services in 2022 at over 10 trillion won ($7.46 billion), a significant increase of 8 trillion won from 2018 and 3.6 trillion won from 2008. As our population ages and the number of single households increases, the cost in the future invariably will go up. Providing quality of life to people through affordable and available caregiving is the responsibility of the government and our society. HA NOI Vietnamese businesses should make greater efforts to tap the potential of seafood exports to Switzerland, a trade official said. Nguyen uc Thuong, Commercial Counsellor at Viet Nam Trade Office in Switzerland, said that as a landlocked country, Switzerland had to import almost all of its seafood. Each year, the Swiss market consumes about 75,000-80,000 tonnes of seafood and Viet Nam is the fourth largest seafood provider for Switzerland, after Norway, France and the Netherlands, Thuong told baochinhphu.vn. He said Switzerland's import demand for seafood products would likely increase by 4.6 per cent this year, with the consumption trend gradually moving towards organic products. Therefore, Vietnamese businesses needed to foster their investments in processing seafood products and exporting organic products to capture this consumption opportunity, and at the same time enhance links with existing partners. According to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, enterprises that intend to promote export to this market need to pay attention to product quality issues as Switzerland requires very high-quality products with a very strict import licensing regime to ensure health, food hygiene and safety standards. All food sold in Switzerland has to comply with European and Swiss food labelling regulations. Consumers in this country are very interested in eco-labels and are willing to pay extra if the product meets health and environmental requirements. Besides, Switzerland attaches great importance to the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) standard and has for many years been the country with the largest consumption of MSC-labelled seafood products in the world. Demand for seafood with MSC certification is increasing. There are many companies trading whitefish, salmon, herring and tuna in Switzerland that have obtained COC (chain of safety certification) and used the MSC label on their seafood products. Over the past nine months of 2023, two-way trade between Viet Nam and Switzerland saw a modest increase of 2 per cent to over US$1.85 billion. Of the total, over $1.42 billion came from Vietnamese exports, down 2 per cent year-on-year. VNS TIEN GIANG The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, the country's largest fruit producer, has 80 dragon fruit growing area codes in an area of more than 6,140 hectares for export to demanding markets such as Japan, the US, South Korea and Australia. They are mainly in Cho Gao, Tan Phuoc, Go Cong Tay, and Go Cong ong districts. Cho Gao District is the largest dragon fruit growing area in Tien Giang Province with 6,870 hectares, of which, 5,640 hectares are being harvested, the annual output is about of 190,000 tonnes per year. Cho Gao dragon fruit has been granted a collective brand name by the National Office of Intellectual Property. It has established co-operatives and co-operative groups to bring farmers together to adopt good agricultural practices (GAP) standards and ensure origin traceability. It has strengthened advocacy activities to advertise the fruit and promote its sales. In Go Cong ong District, Kieng Phuoc Commune normally faces saltwater intrusion in the dry season which affects rice cultivation. Tran Nong was one of the first farmers in the commune to switch from rice to red flesh dragon fruit. He used intensive farming methods and produces off-season fruit to harvest about 25 tonnes and earn VN300-350 million (US$12,800-15,000) a year, many times higher than he did from rice, he said. The price of dragon fruit is high this year and farmers say they are earning high incomes as a result. Red flesh dragon fruit fetches VN30,000-35,000 ($1.3-1.5) a kilogramme, three times the price 12 months ago. Income from dragon fruit is high and second only to durian, the provinces specialty fruit. Nguyen Tan at, deputy chairman of the commune, said that to restructure agriculture to cope with climate change and natural disasters, more than 100ha of farmlands in coastal areas had been turned into red-flesh dragon fruit orchards. The commune planned to increase this to 250ha by 2025, he added. Tien Giang, the countrys largest fruit producer, has identified dragon fruit as one of its specialty fruits for its competitive advantages and high export value. It has taken a number of measures to improve the competitiveness of specialty fruits and ensure they have steady buyers. These measures have helped sustainably develop specialised dragon fruit growing areas, renovate agriculture production and foster rural development. Aiming to produce dragon fruit that meets export standards, Tien Giang province has cultivated over 2,306 hectares of dragon fruit that meet GAP standards, of which, 2,196 hectares are VietGAP certified and 110 hectares are GlobalGAP certified. The province is setting a goal that by 2025, there will be 3,600 hectares of dragon fruit meeting GAP criteria. It has set up co-operatives with linkages for growing and selling dragon fruit and taught farmers advanced growing techniques to improve fruit quality and produce in the off-season to avoid oversupply during the main harvest season. It has boosted the use of GAP standards and exported the fruit through official channels to China and other demanding markets. It has 11 co-operatives that grow and buy dragon fruits and 2,300ha of dragon fruit grown to GAP standards. It has 5,493ha of dragon fruit with production codes for official export to China and 1,271ha with codes for export to Japan, the US, South Korea, and Australia. To get a code, a dragon fruit growing area needs to be at least 10ha and adopt VietGAP or other equivalent standards. VNS HA NOI The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) of Viet Nam and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Tuesday launched the first-ever study on women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Viet Nam. The report, Facilitating Entrepreneurship Growth by Lifting Barriers: A White Book on Women-owned Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Viet Nam, was developed by ADB in partnership with the MPIs Agency for Enterprise Development. The study is an integral part of the Women Accelerating Vibrant Enterprises in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (WAVES) programme, funded by the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi). At an event to launch the report, MPI Deputy Minister Tran Duy ong said: "Women-owned businesses have a crucial role to play in Viet Nams efforts to achieve inclusive and sustainable development. We hope this publication will provide more significant insights into the untapped opportunities and remaining challenges facing women-owned SMEs in Viet Nam and provide a foundation for further research and policy-making initiatives to foster the continued growth and development of the sector." SMEs are the backbone of Viet Nams rapidly growing economy. In 2020, there were more than 500,000 SMEs in the country, representing nearly 98 per cent of all businesses. But women-owned SMEs make up just 20 per cent of the total, a disproportionately small number. The report seeks to tackle this imbalance by providing an evidence-based snapshot of women entrepreneurs in Viet Nam to help shape future SME policy directions. Women-led small and medium-sized businesses can be a key driver of economic growth in Viet Nam as well as across Asia and the Pacific, said ADB Director General of the Southeast Asia Department Winfried Wicklein. For ADB, promoting gender equality and advancing womens economic empowerment is a top priority, so we are very pleased to have developed this study with the Ministry of Planning and Investment on promoting women-led SMEs and entrepreneurship in Viet Nam. The study draws on a large body of knowledge and international best practices to produce a series of measures that can unleash the untapped potential of women-owned SMEs in Viet Nam. These include establishing gender-disaggregated databases; incorporating women-owned SMEs more integrally into legislation like the Law on Gender Equality; exploring gender-specific measures to support implementation of the SME Support Law; and placing greater emphasis on knowledge dissemination and awareness-raising activities that will promote women entrepreneurship and women role models. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members - 49 from the region. VNS BUCHAREST Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest on January 22 as part of his official visit to the European nation. President Iohannis welcomed PM Chinh's visit, considering it a milestone in promoting traditional friendship and cooperation between Romania and Viet Nam. While hailing Viet Nam's role in the Asia-Pacific region, he affirmed that Romania always considers Viet Nam its most important partner in Southeast Asia and wishes to further develop cooperative relations with Viet Nam in all sectors. PM Chinh, for his part, affirmed that in its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of external ties, Viet Nam always attaches importance to and wants to foster its relations with traditional friends in Central and Eastern Europe, with Romania being a priority partner. He conveyed Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's regards and President Vo Van Thuong's invitation to visit Viet Nam to President Iohannis. The two leaders expressed their delight at the positive development of the bilateral relations across various fields. They agreed to continue increasing the exchange of delegations at all levels through the Party, State, Government, National Assembly, and people-to-people diplomacy channels. President Iohannis unveiled his intent to visit Viet Nam in the near future to maintain high-level dialogue between leaders of both countries. Lauding the positive progress in bilateral economic and trade ties despite the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and regional instability, they pledged to continue rolling out existing economic cooperation mechanisms and encourage Romanian enterprises to increase investment in Viet Nam, particularly in areas of Romanias strength such as information technology, oil refining, food processing and renewable energy. The host proposed close coordination to effectively implement the agreements reached during PM Chinh's visit while fully tapping the potential and opportunities to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fields of education-training, labour, culture, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The two leaders agreed to continue supporting each other at multilateral forums and international organisations, and in joint efforts to address global challenges, thus contributing to peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. Discussing current hotspots around the globe, they concurred that all conflicts and disputes should be settled through peaceful means, without using or threatening to use force, and in accordance with international law. On the occasion, PM Chinh thanked Romania for providing support for the Vietnamese community and wished that they would be provided with more favourable conditions to settle down, integrate deeper into the host society and make positive contributions to the socio-economic development of Romania as well as the enduring friendship between the two nations. VNS BUCHAREST Viet Nam and Romania have agreed to promote cooperation between the two legislative bodies and continue to coordinate closely and support each other at inter-parliamentary forums. The agreement was reached during a meeting between Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and President of the Romanian Senate Nicolae Ciuca in Bucharest on January 22 (local time). PM Chinh affirmed his visit is to strongly promote the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, while further tightening the friendship between the two countries people. He stressed the importance of maintaining the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially high level, via Party, State, Government and National Assembly channels to enhance political trust and mutual understanding, as a foundation promote and expand bilateral cooperation in all fields. He conveyed the regards and invitation to visit Viet Nam from National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue to Senate President Nicolae Ciuca. The President of the Romanian Senate spoke highly of the Vietnamese Government leader's visit, saying it is an important milestone in the bilateral relationship in the context that the two sides will celebrate the 75th anniversary of relations in 2025. He appreciated the positive and substantive developments of the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries, especially in politics, economy, education-training, and culture-tourism. PM Chinh highly valued the positive results brought by the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) after more than three years of enforcement, and thanked the Romanian Parliament for being one of the first EU member parliaments ratifying the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). President Nicolae Ciuca affirmed that he always supports strengthening the relationship between Viet Nam and the EU and will prompt the parliaments of the remaining EU member countries to soon ratify this agreement. The two sides agreed to continue promoting trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, improving efficiency in traditional fields such as education-training, agriculture, culture, and labour while expanding ties to potential fields like information technology, innovation, and science-technology. The host affirmed that the Vietnamese community and Vietnamese workers in Romania have made many positive contributions to the countrys socio-economic development. PM Chinh suggested the Romanian Parliament to continue to create favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community to integrate more deeply into the host society and effectively promote their role as a bridge for developing the friendship between the two countries people. VNS BUCHAREST Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had a meeting with Romanian President of the Chamber of Deputies Alfred Simonis on January 22 (local time) as part of his official visit to the European country. Affirming Viet Nam's foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism and diversification of relations, PM Chinh underscored that Viet Nam always values and wants to enhance relations with its traditional partners in the Central and Eastern Europe, with Romania being the one with a top priority. Alfred Simonis, for his part, described the Vietnamese Government leaders visit as an important milestone in the sound traditional friendship and cooperation between the two countries. He spoke highly of the socio-economic achievements that Vietnam has carved out over the past time as well as the countrys increasing role and position in the international arena. He also affirmed that Romania always treasures and hopes to bolster the ties with Viet Nam its traditional friendship partner in the Southeast Asian region. At the event, both sides expressed their delight at the positive development in the bilateral ties across various areas. As the relations hold huge potential for further development, the two leaders agreed to enhance the exchange of delegations at all levels via Party, State and parliament channels so as to promote political trust and reach consensus on measures to strengthen the bilateral ties. The Romanian President of Chamber of Deputies hailed the fruitful inter-parliamentary between the two parliaments with regular exchange of delegations between leaders of parliaments, parliaments committees and friendship parliamentarians. Meanwhile, PM Chinh asserted that Viet Nam wants to cooperate and share experience in the fields of legislation and supreme supervision, while recommending the two parliaments support and promote the implementation of the cooperation deals reached between the two governments, particularly those in economy, trade and investment. The Vietnamese Government leader took the occasion to thank the Romanian parliament for assisting the negotiations and signing of the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and becoming one of the first in the EU adopting the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). He suggested the Romanian Chamber of Deputies continue hastening the parliaments of other EU nations to ratify the EVIPA soon, and back the European Commission to lift the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) "yellow card" on Vietnamese seafood. Alfred Simonis agreed that both sides need to promote the efficiency of the inter-governmental mechanism on economic cooperation, continue rolling out the EVFTA. Highlighting the robust cooperation in education-training, agriculture, culture-tourism, and labour, the two leaders concurred to boost collaboration in those traditional areas and expand to other potential ones such as IT, green finance and innovation so as to branch out the friendship in all fields. This was the last activity of PM Chinh during his working trip to Europe to attend the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF-54) in Davos, Switzerland and official visits to Hungary and Romania. PM Chinh, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation then left Bucharest for Ha Noi. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and the high-ranking delegation of Viet Nam arrived back in Ha Noi on Tuesday, concluding a tour of Europe from January 16 to 23 to attend the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and pay official visits to Hungary and Romania. Engaging in more than 30 activities during his two-day stay in Davos, PM Chinh attended the WEFs Country Strategic Dialogue on Viet Nam and a dialogue on Viet Nam's global vision, while also delivering remarks at other events of the WEF Annual Meeting. The events left strong impression on participants about the countrys outstanding socio-economic achievements, development orientations and strategies, foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, and responsible and effective contributions to regional and global peace and development. On this occasion, he also had over 20 meetings with leaders of countries, international organisations, and major enterprises to further intensify relations with partners in various areas, especially economy, trade, investment, science, technology, digital transformation, green transition, health care, and intellectual property. Meanwhile, during the official visits to Hungary and Romania, PM Chinh took part in over 30 meetings with all high-ranking leaders of the States, Governments, parliaments, and political parties of the two countries. He also delivered policy speeches at universities, took part in business forums, met with the two countries friendship associations with Viet Nam, talked to the Vietnamese communities, and visited some economic and scientific - and technical establishments there. Viet Nam and the two European countries agreed to augment cooperation in all spheres. While the Vietnamese side expressed the readiness to serve as a bridge linking Hungary and Romania with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the latter two said they will also help connect Vietnam with Europe. Viet Nam and the European countries also agreed to fully implement the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and persuade the remainders to ratify the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). A number of cooperation documents in multiple fields were signed during the visits, including nearly 30 on cooperation in education - training between Vietnamese universities and training institutions of the two countries. The Government leader also met with the Vietnamese communities in Hungary and Romania. The official visits marked important milestones in the Viet Nam-Hungary comprehensive partnership and the Viet Nam-Romania traditional and friendly partnership. They consolidated political trust and foster all-round cooperation in a more result-oriented manner for the sake of each countrys prosperity and for regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development. VNS U.S., Britain renew strikes on Houthi targets Xinhua) 11:13, January 23, 2024 WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The coalition forces of the United States and Britain launched new strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday, the U.S. Central Command said. The latest strikes, carried out at about 11:59 p.m. Sanaa time (2059 GMT), were aimed at 8 targets in Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, the command said on X, formerly Twitter, adding that Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands provided support for the strikes. "The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply buried weapons storage facilities," it said. Acting unilaterally or in concert with its allies and partners, the U.S. military has launched eight rounds of strikes against Houthi targets since Jan. 12. These moves were intended to degrade the Houthis' capability to continue their attacks on commercial and naval vessels sailing in the Red Sea, Bab-Al-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden, the command said. The United States has named the strikes "Operation Poseidon Archer," CNN reported earlier, suggesting that they might become "more organized" and last for a longer period of time. Earlier in the day, U.S. President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak discussed Houthi attacks against merchant and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea over the phone, according to a readout of the White House. "They reiterated their commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks," it said. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) By Andrew Hammond The year 2023 was a big 12 months for global politics and the economy. Yet 2024 could be an even more pivotal year, especially for elections with an estimated two billion people across dozens of nations heading to the polls, perhaps more than any other year in modern history. Little wonder that markets are already looking ahead to these potentially game-changing, eye-catching ballots across the world. These elections range from those in established and emerging great powers like the United States and India, to pivotal middle powers like Indonesia, Mexico and Russia that have significant international influence. The most watched ballot, of course, will be the presidential election on Nov. 5 in the approximately 340 million populace of the United States. It looks most likely that incumbent President Joe Biden (81) will stand for a second term, despite his uneven poll numbers. All eyes are on whether Donald Trump (77) becomes the Republican challenger, which would raise the significant, chilling, possibility that the political maverick could become only the second person in U.S. history elected to the White House in non-consecutive terms. The first was Grover Cleveland in the 19th century when he won in 1884 and 1892. While the outcome of the U.S. presidential race is at the time of writing genuinely uncertain, the same cannot be said of the counterpart race in Russia from March 15-17. President Vladimir Putin (71) is seeking a fifth term and is widely expected to emerge triumphant in the more than 140 million population nation. Indeed, such is Putins political longevity, a new term would see him celebrate 25 years in the prime ministership and presidency later this year. Moreover, he is also on track to possibly even surpass Joseph Stalin's long reign as Russian leader by the early 2030s. Yet, while Putin appears to be firmly entrenched in power, he is not politically impregnable right now, as the Wagner mutiny last June showed. While he may well serve years more, there remains a possibility he could be unexpectedly deposed from power. Moreover, his authority may decay significantly if the Ukraine war fails to deliver the victory he promised in February 2022. From a regional standpoint, it is perhaps the Asia Pacific that hosts the most number of pivotal elections. This includes India where polls indicate Prime Minister Narendra Modi (73) is likely to rule the roost again in ballots in April and May in the largest democracy in the world with its more than 1.4 billion population. Beijing has warned Taiwan where Lai Ching-te (64), the ruling Democratic Progressive Partys candidate won the presidency any attempt to push for Taiwans formal independence means conflict. The race to lead Indonesia, the world's fourth-most populous nation with a population of approximately 280 million, is also being widely watched internationally. This is not least as popular incumbent President Joko Widodo (62), known locally as Jokowi, cannot run for a third term due to term limits. Yet, while he is not on the Feb. 14 ballot himself, his political and economic legacy is, including so-called "Jokowinomics" (state-led developmentalism), which has helped bring a new wave of growth. Moreover, his son Gibran Rakabuming Raka (36) is running as a vice-presidential running mate of Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto (72) attracting criticism that Widodo is trying to establish a political dynasty. Yet, it is not just in the Asia-Pacific region where the political action is in 2024. Other standout elections, outside of Russia and the United States, include in Africa where around a third of the continent will head to the polls, including coup-hit Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso. In South Africa, one of the BRICS with an approximately 60 million populace, the election may be the most competitive in the post-apartheid era. To be sure, the long-ruling Africa National Congress (ANC) currently led by Prime Minister Cyril Ramaphosa (71) which first came to power three decades ago under Nelson Mandela, is likely to win the most ballots. However, polls indicate that the ANC vote could fall below 50 percent for the first time since it took power in 1994, raising the possibility of a coalition government. In the Americas meanwhile, the approximately 130 million people of Mexico will likely choose between Claudia Sheinbaum (61), formerly in charge of Mexico City and a member of the ruling Morena party, and Xochitl Galvez (60), a former senator from the main opposition coalition Frente por Mexico, as their next president. The choice between two women for president is a welcome first in the countrys history. It means that come December 2024, Mexico, a nation sometimes known for machismo, will probably be run by a female. The outcome of few of these high-profile ballots, which feature a large number of candidates in their 70s, is not yet 100 percent clear cut. However, what is certain is that they will not just shape domestic politics and international relations, but also the global economic and financial landscape, in the key decade ahead. Andrew Hammond is an Associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. HA NOI German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse arrived in Ha Noi on Tuesday morning, starting their two-day state visit to Viet Nam at the invitation of President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse. They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Ha Noi Peoples Committee Tran Sy Thanh, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vu Quang Minh, among others. This is the first foreign visit of the German President in 2024 and the first high-level delegation exchange between the two countries this year a pivotal year towards the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2025. He is scheduled to meet with Viet Nam's top leaders to discuss measures to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields, and exchange views on international issues of mutual concern. The President also plans to visit several German projects in HCM City and its surrounding areas. VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs attendance in the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos and official visits to Hungary and Romania have reaped success in multiple aspects, said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son. Talking to the media, Son said that with more than 30 activities during two days in Davos, PM Chinhs participation in the WEF Annual Meeting 2024 reached all the set targets at a high level and strongly popularise the image of Viet Nam as a country with a new stature and prestige. Among the significant results, he elaborated, first, international organisations highly valued Viet Nams mindset, vision and solutions shared by PM Chinh about the enhancement of international solidarity, the upholding of multilateralism, the building of strategic trust and the ensuring of the balance of interests, and the promotion of global and all-people approaches. In particular, the Country Strategic Dialogue on Viet Nam, the dialogue on Viet Nams global vision, and other sessions left strong impression on participants about the countrys outstanding socio-economic achievements, development orientations and strategies, foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, and responsible and effective contributions to regional and global peace and development. Second, the PMs speeches sent out clear messages about Viet Nam as a dynamically developing and reforming country and an attractive destination for global enterprises. Representatives of enterprises said they were impressed with Viet Nams strategic development vision, expressed their interest in investment and business opportunities in the country, and pledged to send business delegations to Viet Nam in the time ahead, the Foreign Minister said. Third, via the worlds leading economic forum, Viet Nam grasped new cooperation mindsets and ideas, along with new trends of the global economy, realising that the world is entering a new development stage with growth driven by artificial intelligence and low-carbon technologies. Fourth, the Government leaders participation continued to step up Viet Nams relations with the WEF in an increasingly substantive manner, in such fields as setting up an Industry 4.0 centre in HCM City and helping develop new skills for high-quality human resources to shape an ecosystem for strengthening national competitiveness, Son went on. He added that in Davos, PM Chinh also engaged in more than 20 meetings with leaders of countries, international organisations and major enterprises to further intensify relations with partners in various areas, especially economy, trade, investment, science, technology, digital transformation, green transition, health care and intellectual property. The PMs official visits to Hungary and Romania following his attendance in the WEF Annual Meeting were also highly successful. They marked the first delegation exchange at the PM level with Hungary in seven years and with Romania in five years, ahead of the 75th anniversary of Viet Nams diplomatic ties with the two European countries in 2025. They aimed to continue strongly implementing the foreign policy set at the 13th National Party Congress, which prioritises reinforcing relations with comprehensive and traditional partners, helping deepen political trust and connections with the Central and Eastern European friends in all fields, according to Son. During the visits, he said, PM Chinh held more than 30 meetings with all high-ranking leaders of the states, governments, parliaments and political parties of Hungary and Romania. He also delivered policy speeches at universities, took part in business forums, met with the two countries friendship associations with Viet Nam, talked to the Vietnamese communities and visited some economic, scientific and technical establishments there. Leaders of both Hungary and Romania noted they were strongly impressed with Viet Nams socio-economic development achievements, and also spoke highly of Viet Nams growing stature in the international arena. Affirming that Viet Nam is a partner of leading importance of their countries in the Asia-Pacific, they expressed their hope that bilateral relations will grow in a more substantive and effective manner, and that their countries and Viet Nam will coordinate to deal with international issues and respond to global challenges. PM Chinh and leaders of the two European countries reached consensus on many important measures for lifting Viet Nams traditional friendship with the two to a new development stage, the Foreign Minister continued. In addition, an array of cooperation documents in the fields of security, diplomacy, economy, culture, labour, agriculture, information technology and locality-to-locality ties were signed with Hungary and Romania. A highlight of the trips was the cooperation in education - training with nearly 30 deals inked between Vietnamese universities and training institutions of the two countries. Son noted that the Vietnamese PM and Hungarian and Romanian leaders also touched upon some regional and international issues of shared concern. They agreed on the importance of peacefully resolving disputes on the basis of international law. The Foreign Minister described the official visits as important milestones in the Viet Nam - Hungary comprehensive partnership and the Viet Nam - Romania traditional friendship. They consolidated political trust and foster all-round cooperation in a more result-oriented manner to serve Viet Nams security and development interests and contribute to regional and global peace, stability, cooperation and development. VNS HA NOI President Vo Van Thuong emphasised that, in its foreign policy, Viet Nam consistently values and prioritises the development of relations with Germany, Viet Nam's leading economic partner in Europe. He made this remark while holding talks with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at the Presidential Palace in Ha Noi on Tuesday. The talks took place following a grand welcome ceremony with a cannon salute for President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse, who were on a State visit to Viet Nam from January 23-24 at the invitation of President Thuong. President Vo Van Thuong warmly welcomed the German President, expressing confidence that the visit would provide momentum for the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Germany, for the benefit of the people of both countries, and for peace, cooperation and development in the region and the world. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked President Thuong for the warm reception. He emphasised the enduring and mutually trusting ties between the two countries over the past nearly 50 years, highlighting the desire to enhance cooperation in various fields with Viet Nam, particularly in trade and investment, energy transition, labour and vocational training, development cooperation, as well as close coordination contributing to regional and global peace and cooperation. In an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding, both sides exchanged views on major directions and measures to further deepen the Viet Nam-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as shared concerns about regional and international issues. Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the robust development of Viet Nam-Germany relations over the past five decades. Political trust between the two countries has been increasingly consolidated through exchanges at all levels. For many years, Germany has been Viet Nam's leading economic partner in Europe, and Viet Nam is currently one of Germany's largest trading partners in Southeast Asia. The bilateral trade volume is estimated to reach approximately US$12 billion in 2023, tripling over the past decade. Germany is the fourth-largest investor among EU countries investing in Viet Nam. To leverage the strong foundation of the bilateral relationship and the vast cooperation potential between Viet Nam and Germany, both sides agreed to further enhance political trust through high-level exchanges and effective implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Strategic Dialogue, Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation, Government Consultation on Development Cooperation, Dialogue on State Legal Affairs, and efficient coordination in implementing the Viet Nam-Germany Strategic Action Plan for the 2023-25 period. The two leaders celebrated many positive results achieved in cooperation between the two countries in the field of education and training, especially the Viet Nam - Germany University, a symbolic project of the bilateral relationship, which is operating effectively. President Vo Van Thuong suggested that Germany continue supporting the training of high-quality human resources for Viet Nam and endorsing the expansion and enhanced efficiency of the Viet Nam - Germany University's activities. In the economic sector, both sides agreed to continue fully and effectively implementing the EU-Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), creating favourable conditions for each country's strong products to access each other's markets. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier affirmed that Viet Nam is a reliable economic partner, expressing the desire to strengthen economic cooperation with Viet Nam, especially in terms of investment. For his part, President Thuong urged Germany to promptly complete the ratification procedures for the EU-Viet Nam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and encouraged the European Commission (EC) to soon lift the yellow card on Viet Nam's seafood. He requested Germany to continue providing Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Viet Nam in the areas of energy, environment, and vocational training. President Thuong expressed the hope that Germany would continue to care for and create conditions for the Vietnamese community in Germany to live stably, serving as a bridge and actively contributing to the friendly relations between the two countries. In reply, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier affirmed the successful integration of the 200,000-strong Vietnamese community in Germany, making positive contributions to the local society. Regarding climate change, he affirmed Germany's readiness to support Viet Nam with technology, expertise and finance in implementing the Joint European Transition Partnership (JETP) framework to contribute to achieving Viet Nam's commitment to zero emissions by 2050 as stated at COP26. Both leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in the fields of security and defence, science and technology, law and agriculture. They also pledged to enhance cultural exchange activities to contribute to increased understanding and friendship between the two peoples. On the international stage, the two countries agreed to coordinate and support each other in regional and multilateral forums such as ASEAN-Germany, ASEAN-EU, and the United Nations. Regarding the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, freedom of navigation and overflight, resolving disputes through peaceful means in accordance with international law, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and supporting the substantive and effective negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) between ASEAN and China. Following the talks, President Thuong and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier witnessed the signing ceremony of the Agreement on Labour Migration Cooperation between the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Viet Nam and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of Germany. On the same day, National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue met with President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The German President expressed his delight that in 2023, cooperation between ministries and sectors of the two countries has been actively implemented, particularly in attracting Vietnamese labour to work in Germany. He agreed with the NA Chairman that economic cooperation is the cornerstone of the bilateral relationship with great potential. With the aim of enhancing economic and trade exchanges, the German delegation on this occasion includes representatives from German businesses seeking investment and business opportunities in Viet Nam. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said that removing administrative barriers is crucial for enhancing economic relations between the two countries. Specifically, on the German side, there is an effort to improve and simplify regulations for receiving specialised labour from Viet Nam. NA Chairman Hue affirmed that the Vietnamese National Assembly always listens to opinions and strives to improve the investment and business environment for the business community, including German enterprises. He proposed that the German President continue to support and encourage German businesses to invest in Viet Nam, especially in heavy industry, energy, medical equipment, pharmaceuticals and transportation infrastructure. He highly appreciated the cooperation in high-level exchanges and among specialised committees, friendship parliamentary groups, and consultations at international forums such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP). This cooperation contributes to mutual understanding and sharing of legislative experience, oversight and decision-making on important national issues. He emphasised that the Vietnamese National Assembly is perfecting its legal system and expressed the desire for cooperation and exchange of experience with Germany, a European country with a highly developed legal system. VNS HA NOI Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee and head of its Commission for External Relations Le Hoai Trung led a CPV delegation to Russia for a working trip from January 20-23. The delegation held meetings and working sessions with Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko who is also co-chair of the Vietnam-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technological Cooperation; Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, and leaders of major political parties in Russia. At the events, both sides affirmed the significance of the Vietnam-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership and highlighted the ties between the political parties of Russia and the CPV as a political foundation for the relations between the two countries and their people. They also hailed the developments in bilateral ties in the recent time. The Vietnamese delegation expressed gratitude on behalf of the Vietnamese Party, State, and people for the substantial and effective support extended by the Party, State and people of the Soviet Union, including Russia, during Viet Nam's two wars for national independence, as well as the ongoing assistance provided by Russia. During the visit, Trung and Chairman of the Communist Party of Russian Federation (CPRF) Gennady Zyuganov signed an agreement to expand and deepen the cooperative relationship between the CPV and the CPRF. The Vietnamese official also attended a round-table conference hosted by the United Russia Party, which centred on the role of politically responsible forces of Russia and ASEAN countries in shaping a new and equitable world order. VNS HA NOI More than seven years ago, Nguyen Thi Huyen applied for the energy engineering major at the University of Engineering and Technology, Vietnam National University, Ha Noi, although no one from her family supported her decision. Thanks to her passion for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and a determination to pursue her dream, in 2020, she graduated with the highest scores and received an offer from Viet Nga Sustainable Energy Company to become an assistant to the director. Now, people no longer question her choice. Being the only one among her female university classmates still working at a STEM job, she said: Patience brings about opportunities for us, the women in the STEM career. Huyen is just one among many women in Viet Nam pursuing a STEM dream without much support from others at the beginning. They have broken down stereotypes that exist within families, schools and society to become female STEM leaders. Many surveys in Viet Nam have shown that there is a lack of female participation in STEM. According to the Information Technology Human Resources Market 2020 Report of VietnamWorks InTECH, women accounted for only 11 per cent of people studying information technology in Viet Nam. At the Ha Noi University of Science and Technology, a leading educational institution in STEM, girls make up for only 22 per cent of total students. A common misunderstanding, that STEM is only intended for and suitable for men, still exists in part because of gender stereotypes among families, schools and society, hindering girls from accessing STEM opportunities early. According to the Viet Nam Energy Efficiency Network, Viet Nam does not have many activities to honour and spread the real stories of successful female STEM professionals to inspire other young women. Without strong connections between female students and successful female experts, female students lack personal confidence and motivation to boldly develop their STEM careers. Phuong Hoa, a third-year student at the University of Engineering and Technology, said womens endurance in STEM jobs is not as high as men's. Thats one of the stereotypes that hinder women in the career path. Nguyen Thi Huyen said life challenges sometimes make sensitive female engineers change their mindset in STEM jobs. Thu Phuong, a female engineer of the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology, told Viet Nam News that female scientists must also complete the tasks of being wives and mothers. "They have the burden of giving birth and taking care of family, which sometimes hinders them from further job promotion." The Viet Nam Energy Efficiency Network has recently launched the She4Future project which aims to promote a generation of confident and talented women in STEM in Viet Nam. The programme includes career guidance and training to improve capacity, remove gender stereotypes and affirm womens power in the field. It aims to eliminate gender stereotypes through spreading practical information about the role of STEM women, building a strong inner belief in every individual woman, and inspiring people by sharing the common difficulties of the female STEM community through real stories from successful female professionals. Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, director of Socna Company, one of the successful STEM professionals joining the programme, said female engineers must keep their own passion, confidence, trust and improve their adaptation ability. Previously an engineer and now director of a company which specialises in construction design, Thuy has learned from experience that female engineers need to keep updating their professional knowledge, whether at 40, 60 or 80 years old. Engineers need to compete not only with other people, but also machine and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Associate Professor Nguyen Minh Tan, director of the Institute for Research and Development of Natural Compounds Applications of the Ha Noi University of Sciences and Technology, advised women who love STEM to follow their dreams until the end. Many students at the university have aimed further to specific positions, for example, I will become a lecturer or work at a lab after graduation. But for me I neither thought much about it when I was a student nor had any plan. Others often question whether they can find a job after graduation. Some seek a so-called hot trend major to study. In fact, the major considered a hot trend now could be replaced by AI four to five years later when you graduate. So, my advice is not to follow the hot trend but understand what your passion is, she said. Sharing from the perspective of a STEM business manager, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy said female engineering staff needed proper preferential policies such as maternal leave and training at STEM companies. Tan said female engineers worked with high efficiency. If employers pay attention to them, give them a good environment and encourage them to be confident to express their ideas, they would work extremely carefully and commit to staying with the business for a long time. VNS HCM CITY By 2030, HCM City aims to build a cutting-edge, contemporary, and globally integrated education and training system, becoming a high-quality education and training hub in Viet Nam and in Asia. The municipal People's Committee has approved an education development strategy from now until 2030, with a vision to 2045, aiming to ensure harmony between development and quality of education. In this strategy, the city aims to build a learning-oriented society, encourage and create fair and favourable conditions for all people to have lifelong learning, train human resources to meet the requirements of economic - cultural - social development and international integration. The citys education and training industry is expected to reach the advanced level of the Asian region by 2030 and the world by 2045. By 2030, about 60 per cent of public pre-schools, 80 per cent of public primary schools, 70 per cent of public secondary schools, and 50 per cent of public high schools will fulfil the national standards for infrastructure and classrooms. Each district and Thu uc City will have at least two schools at each educational level to implement the high-quality programme. The city plans to have at least ten high schools, including specialised ones, equipped with modern infrastructure and high-quality teaching facilities that meet the standards for high-quality educational institutions. All schools are committed to adopting the smart school model, and there are initiatives to construct four new high-quality multi-level schools in Thu uc City and Binh Chanh and Cu Chi districts. The city targets 100 per cent of primary schools and 70 per cent of secondary schools to implement two teaching sessions per day, and at least 80 per cent of high schools in each district and Thu uc City to adopt the two-teaching-sessions per day model. About 80 per cent of high school students will communicate fluently in a foreign language, equivalent to level 3 of the foreign language competency framework. All high school graduates are required to obtain basic information technology skills, with 50 per cent of students meeting international standards in computer literacy. Each high school student is expected to be proficient in playing at least one art form or musical instrument and engage in regular practice in at least one sport. The city is set to enact policies to attract skilled professionals and highly competent individuals to join public non-business units. It will establish a professional, clean, dedicated, dynamic, and innovative team of officials and staff who possess a mindset for innovation and a strategic vision. All preschool teachers are required to hold at least a college-level pedagogical degree, with over 85 per cent possessing a bachelor's degree in preschool education. For primary, secondary, and high school teachers, a minimum of a bachelor's degree in education (or equivalent) is mandatory for 100 per cent of educators, and 40 per cent of high school teachers should have a master's degree in their specialised field. The city is committed to providing training and skill enhancement for 100 per cent of management officials, teachers, and staff, covering basic to advanced digital competencies. Around 80 per cent of teachers are expected to meet level 2 standards in digital competency, aligning with the objectives of digital transformation. And 60 per cent of teachers will be adept at communication and have the ability to access learning materials in a foreign language, corresponding to level 3 of the foreign language competency framework. By 2045, about 20 per cent of public pre-schools are expected to ensure conditions for autonomy, and 10 per cent of them will implement the high-quality education programme. Around 80 per cent of public pre-schools are expected to meet national standards. In vocational education, the city aims to meet the demand for a highly skilled workforce by 2045. It targets to become a leading locality in vocational education in the country and the ASEAN region, while keeping pace with the world's advanced standards, possessing outstanding competitive capabilities in training fields and industries. VNS HA NOI Miss Grand International 2021 Nguyen Thuc Thuy Tien presented nearly 500 gifts and scholarships to Cambodians of the Vietnamese origin with difficulties in Phnom Penh and Kandal province in an effort to bring them a warm and happy Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival. The event was organised by Sen Vang Advertising Commercial JSC, the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi minh City, the Khmer-Vietnamese Association in Cambodia, and the Vietnamese Embassy in the country. The beauty said she hopes that the gifts, composing of books, clothing, sweets and essentials, will bring joy to students and disadvantaged families. Miss Ethnic Vietnam 2022 Nong Thuy Hang went to Ha Giang provinces Sao Ha village, where 94 per cent of the population live in poverty. She delivered gifts including cash and essentials for impoverished families there, hoping that they will enjoy a warmer Tet holiday. Engaging in the warm winter in mountainous region and zero VND market programmes in Bac Me district, Hang visited households with difficult circumstances and presented gifts to ethnic boarding schools and Thuong Tan kindergarten in the district. Meanwhile, Miss World Vietnam 2023 Runner-up ao Thi Hien gave lucky money and essentials to hundreds of students and residents with difficulties in Ban Lau and Lung Vai communes, Lao Cai province. She also delivered Tet gifts to local border guard stations. VNS PHU QUOC Phu Quoc has become a newly favoured destination for South Korean tourists. Although the Lunar New Year holiday in South Korea is shorter this year, demand for overseas travel has increased by about 50 per cent. With the introduction of new flight routes by Vietnamese airlines, emerging tourist destinations such as Phu Quoc in Viet Nam and Siem Reap in Cambodia are gaining popularity as a new trend. According to tourism industry data released on January 17, major South Korean travel companies, including Hana Tour, Very Good Travel, and Kyowon Tour Travel Easy, have examined bookings for overseas travel based on departure dates during the coming Lunar New Year holiday. They observed that despite the shorter holiday this year, the demand for overseas travel remains higher compared to the previous Lunar New Year holiday. The number of bookings has increased by approximately 50 per cent compared to the same period last year. With three weeks left until the Lunar New Year -- The Year of the Tiger which begins on February 10 this year -- it is expected that the number of bookings will continue to rise significantly. The volume of overseas travel bookings by Hana Tour during the holiday has increased by 48 per cent compared to the previous year. By region, the highest growth rate is 57 per cent in Southeast Asia, 25 per cent in Japan, 6 per cent in Europe, 6 per cent in the South Pacific, and 5 per cent in China. This suggests that most customers prioritise regions with shorter distances. Demand for travel to Viet Nam and Japan accounts for more than half of the bookings, with 27 per cent to Viet Nam and 25 per cent to Japan. Kyowon Tour Travel Easy analysed data on travel bookings during this year's Lunar New Year holiday and found that Japan has the highest proportion of bookings at 20.8 per cent. This is the first time the booking rate for a country has exceeded 20 per cent since the outbreak of the pandemic. Following Japan, Viet Nam is in second place with 11.7 per cent. A leader of the Travel Easy company stated that travellers still show a preference for Japan during the New Year season, especially with new travel products to Hokkaido accounting for a high proportion of 40 per cent of total bookings in Japan. Very Good Travel also witnessed a 3 per cent increase in total overseas travel bookings during the Lunar New Year holiday, particularly between February 9 and 12. Among all overseas travel bookings, Southeast Asia accounts for the highest percentage at 37.2 per cent, followed by Japan at 29.1 per cent, Europe at 11.2 per cent, the South Pacific at 8.1 per cent, and China at 6.4 per cent. According to the company's data analysis, popular new travel destinations include Siem Reap in Cambodia, Phu Quoc in Viet Nam, Taichung in Chinese Taipei, and Matsuyama in Japan. Direct flights between Siem Reap and Taichung have been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but new travel demand is emerging as travel companies operate charter flights. As demand for Phu Quoc increases, it is also emerging as a new tourist destination, especially since Korean Air recently organised new flight routes. "Phu Quoc is a recent tourist destination promoted by the Viet Nam Tourism Board, and many travellers who previously visited Nha Trang and a Nang are now choosing it as Viet Nams new tourist destination. There are many high-end resorts here, so the demand for family travel is increasing rapidly," an industry official said. VNS With more than 15 years of establishment in Vietnam, and with the goal of revolutionising the Factory Automation Industry, Bosch Rexroth showcased its most innovative solutions in its presentation. Bosch Rexroth's offerings, tailored to enable seamless, efficient, and connected device coordination, are steering Vietnam's industries towards a future of automation, intelligence, and increased productivity. Le Hoang Viet, general director of Bosch Rexroth Vietnam said, "Our solution does not require factories to be 100 per cent renovated and transformed. Instead, we will apply and integrate our innovative solutions smoothly to make machines easier to use and more automated, flexible, and efficient." "With this devotion to adaptability and innovation, Bosch Rexroth is determined to make itself a standard in the automation industry, strengthening our leading position in Factory Automation solutions," Viet added. The highlight of the seminar was the unveiling of ctrlX AUTOMATION, a groundbreaking product that is poised to redefine automation. By simplifying machine operation to the level of a smartphone, this solution promises to slash engineering and spare parts costs by 30-50 per cent. The ctrlX AUTOMATION system is a game-changer for the manufacturing and machine-building sectors, enabling them to harness the Internet of Things and AI technologies and positioning them two steps ahead in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Offering a versatile range of programming languages and supporting multiple connection protocols, it facilitates efficient data exchange and integration across various automation components. Huynh Phong Phu, head of Factory Automation at Bosch Rexroth Vietnam stated, "We firmly believe that the Vietnamese market holds the key to unlocking opportunities for the Smart Factory model in Southeast Asia. As the country's industrial landscape evolves, we are committed to providing maximum support to the local industry with comprehensive solutions and advanced technology." "Our goal is to optimise operations, improve productivity, and stay ahead in the global race to become the most trusted automation partner in Vietnam," Phu continued. With a history spanning over two centuries, Bosch Rexroth stands as a beacon of innovative and sustainable automation solutions. This seminar not only showcased its technological prowess but also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Vietnam's manufacturing sector, supporting manufacturers in their quest for increased productivity, quicker market access, and sustainable growth. Moving upstream for growth In 2023, pharmaceutical manufacturing and trading enterprises encountered many difficulties such as reduced demand, fluctuations in energy and input material prices, competition between businesses in the same industry, and pressure from rising exchange rates. However, within the same context, Imexpharm went upstream and achieved many impressive results. By the end of 2023, the company's total gross revenue had reached VND2.11 trillion ($89 million), and growth had hit 26 per cent compared to the overall market rate of about 8 per cent. Moreover, net revenue reached VND1.99 trillion ($84 million), increasing by 21 per cent over the same period. Tran Thi Dao, general director of Imexpharm (IMP) said, "The Vietnamese pharmaceutical market is one with a stable growth rate. The industry still maintains its momentum, even though some industries have shown signs of slowing down." "IMP's achievements and strong business results are thanks to in-depth investments in product quality and reasonable prices. In particular, the company has promoted its advantages by maintaining a production system that meets international standards, concentrating its resources and systematically investing in factories that meet EU-GMP and other advanced international standards," added Dao. In fact, IMP is still leading in the antibiotic market, and is maintaining its advantages to achieve impressive results. When the EU-GMP IMP4 Factory was put into operation, it achieved a first-year revenue of nearly VND80 billion ($3.4 million). The company had 11 European Product Registration Numbers issued in 2023 for six products, including high-standard offerings such as Ampicillin and Sulbactam. The company is also seeing many positive results from its restructuring strategy and professional management model. This brought IMP some notable awards such as Top 50 best listed companies, Top 50 most effective companies, and Top 5 best workplaces in Vietnam in the pharmaceutical, medical equipment, and healthcare industries. IMP's success shows the transformation of Vietnamese pharmaceutical companies in a market that is considered to have good growth potential in the region. However, at the beginning of 2024, many forecasts show that the pharmaceutical industry in general and IMP in particular are facing many challenges with heavy pressure from slow economic growth and weak consumption. In particular, the over-the-counter medicine channel will face numerous barriers in maintaining growth because the economic recovery is still slow and is unlikely to improve in the short term. In addition, despite the fiscal space for development, obstacles in terms of limited research and development (R&D) capacity and new technology transfer are hindering pharmaceutical enterprises as they look to expand their scale in the domestic market. Moreover, the competition between foreign investors and domestic businesses in the medical and pharmaceutical fields in Vietnam will continue to be fierce as 2024 begins. "In 2024, challenges still lie ahead and require us to continuously innovate and adapt. With the orientation of sustainable development for next year, sales branches need to pay attention to legal compliance issues, strengthening customer capacity appraisals, and not taking risks which could lead to bad debt. At the same time, it is necessary to have strict financial management, especially in the current difficult economic situation," said Dao. The boost for 2024 Pharmaceutical companies like IMP expect the government's strategy (Decision No. 376/QD-TTg) to prioritise development to reach a 75/25 ratio of domestic to imported drugs. With policies of no longer choosing the cheapest drugs, this is a golden opportunity for domestic manufacturers in groups 2 and 3 to offer high-quality products at reasonable prices. The race for EU-GMP standards has been fierce among domestic pharmaceutical companies, especially as Vietnam has become an attractive destination for foreign investors in the pharmaceutical field. Most leading enterprises have foreign strategic shareholders, namely Hau Giang Pharmaceutical (DHG-Taisho), Domesco (DMC-Abbott), Traphaco (TRA-Daewoong), Imexpharm (IMP-SK), and Pymepharco (PME-Stada). Among them, IMP has 11 drug production lines that meet EU-GMP standards, and is among the top 8 per cent of domestic drug manufacturers that meet the bidding standards for groups 1 and 2 in the ETC channel in Vietnam. IMP currently has large fiscal space in terms of both revenue and profit over the 2023-2028 period. In particular, with the participation of its major shareholder SK Investment Vina III Pte., Ltd., IMP will have significant support with modern technology, finance, and R&D. It plans to complete its product lines for infusions, pills, and liquids to meet various treatment needs. In addition, the pharmaceutical company is also promoting its export activities with booths at CPhI in Thailand and Barcelona, and conducting surveys of potential export markets such as Cambodia, and Myanmar. In 2023, the company successfully exported the first batch of goods to Mongolia. In its plan for 2024, IMP's general director said the company would continue to invest and implement initiatives to increase the productivity of existing lines and factories. Furthermore, it is also researching and evaluating the feasibility of some ventures with new sites and production lines to meet the increasing domestic and foreign needs. Expanding production capacity to meet international standards and enhancing the ability to produce new generics that face technical challenges will promote the competitiveness of domestic drugs when compared to imported products of the same type. The company has built a global cooperation development team to exploit foreign markets, and it researches and makes proposals for outsourcing manufacturing for multinational pharmaceutical companies. To strengthen this activity, IMP will expand the market with new therapeutic areas by cooperating with South Korean and other international partners on technology transfer, imports, production, and distribution. Currently, the company is negotiating with some of the world's leading partners and plans to sign an MoU in 2024. According to IMP's leaders, completing the management model, improving the level of professionalism, and optimising operations have helped IMP's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation margin in 2023 to improve from 22 per cent to 23 per cent thanks to strong revenue growth. These trends and actions will continue to be promoted in 2024. From the beginning of the year, IMP has proactively implemented procurement-related initiatives to control its purchasing activities more easily, reduce prices, and cut the number of suppliers. It is expected to control input costs even further from the second quarter, helping it to save 15 per cent or more compared to previous purchase prices. The general assessment shows that pharmaceutical companies like IMP are capable of ensuring a stable and sustainable drug supply with reasonable prices and high quality. They are helping to create a developed pharmaceutical market and strong motivation for businesses as they constantly bring new drugs to the market. Imexpharm raises its status with EU-GMP-standard factories Operating the largest pharmaceutical production lines that meet European standards (EU-GMP) in Vietnam, Imexpharm has great potential to become a leading pharmaceutical enterprise. These advantages are also shown through the company's impressive business results. Imexpharm honoured as top 5 company with best working environment in Vietnam Imexpharm Pharmaceutical JSC has been named in the top 5 companies with the best working environment in Vietnam for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and healthcare companies in the medium-sized enterprise category. Korea's industry ministry said Tuesday it plans to spend 100 billion won ($74.9 million) this year to support local businesses seeking to bring their production back home from overseas. The amount marks a 75 percent rise from the 57 billion won allocated in 2023, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Korea also plans to offer discounts on corporate taxes for 10 years, compared with the previous limit of seven years. For businesses investing in strategic industries, such as semiconductors, displays, batteries and vaccines, Korea will provide a subsidy of 45 percent for investments made outside the greater Seoul area, up from the previous 21 percent. Investments made within the greater Seoul area will receive a 26 percent subsidy, it added. "The returning businesses in the cutting-edge industry play a crucial role in vitalizing the regional economy, including investment and employment, as well as securing export momentum," Park Duk-ryul, the director-general for cross-border investment policy, said. (Yonhap) Tighter limits and stronger admin requirements for banks could be felt through the revised law, Photo: Le Toan The National Assembly (NA) last week ratified the amended Law on Credit Institutions, a comprehensive legal framework encompassing 15 chapters and 210 articles, set to take effect from July. This significant legislative overhaul aims to rectify longstanding gaps in the governance of the banking system, enhancing the safety and efficiency of credit and monetary operations. The amended law marks a decisive step in refining our financial systems governance, ensuring a safer, more transparent, and effective framework, said Dr. Can Van Luc, a member of the National Financial and Monetary Policy Advisory Council. Its a timely response and fills a critical legal gap in managing non-performing loans. The implementation of this law is imperative for ministries and local authorities. The legislation addresses the need to curb manipulative practices and affiliated dealings within the financial sector, focusing on risk control and protecting the interests of various stakeholders. Experts consider the law to be comprehensive, and having a profound impact on financial and monetary policy, economic stability, and the banking systems sustainability. This law is pivotal in aligning our banking practices with international norms and principles of a market-oriented socialist economy, enhancing competitiveness and reinforcing the banking sectors role in the economy, Dr. Luc said. Key aspects of the reform include mitigating cross-ownership issues and preventing undue influence of banks. Vu Hong Thanh, chair of the NA Economic Committee, emphasised the laws focus on transparency. Alongside measures to reduce shareholding ratios and limit credit issuance, the law introduces provisions for public disclosure of information. This move ensures that shareholders owning 1 per cent or more of a credit institutions capital are held to a standard of transparency, he said. Tran Thi Khanh Hien, head of Research at MB Securities added, Central to the reforms are measures addressing cross-ownership and control issues within credit institutions, insurance agency operations, and proactive strategies for managing weaker financial entities and their secured assets. These are expected to be the most influential factors on the operations of Vietnams listed banks. Tran Minh Hai, director of law firm Basico, noted the challenges banks might face due to these new provisions. The revised law introduces more stringent limits and administrative requirements for banks, Hai said. For instance, the restriction on credit provision has been tightened, reducing the loan limit to 10 per cent of a banks own capital per customer, down from the previous 15 per cent, and tightening the group customer loan limit from 25 per cent of own capital to 15 per cent. The real issue in banking violations has not been the ratios but the quality of credit and assets, Hai added, and the increased restrictions could potentially make it more challenging for banks to conduct business in the future. The amendments to the law are part of a broader initiative to enhance governance and operational transparency in banks, aiming to curb the influence of large shareholders and other manipulative practices. The law introduces regulations to reduce the shareholding ratio of institutional shareholders and groups, along with a phased reduction in credit limits. In addition to these restrictions, the law revises the definition of related persons and mandates information disclosure for shareholders owning at least 1 per cent of a credit institutions charter capital. It also updates standards for management and executive roles, emphasising the independence and expertise of board members. Director of law firm ANVI, Truong Thanh Duc, said, The integration of establishment and operation licences with the business registration certificate is in line with government efforts to reduce bureaucratic hurdles, supporting business activities. Furthermore, the law introduces a prohibition on such institutions and their personnel from linking non-mandatory insurance product sales with banking services. This regulation is set to reduce consumer risks and limit unfair practices in the sector, Duc said. Luong Van Hung, National Assembly member Quang Ngai province Aimed at preventing cross-ownership and the potential for manipulation, these revisions reflect the governments efforts to enhance regulatory oversight. However, there is a concern that these stringent limits might inadvertently affect existing and potential strategic investors, particularly those with no intent of exerting undue control. The revised law takes a rigid approach without allowing for exceptions, raising whether a more adaptable framework could be beneficial, such as permitting shareholding adjustments under state regulatory approval. Crucially, the effectiveness of these measures in limiting cross-ownership hinges on the accurate identification of related parties. The amended law implies the need for clearer definitions and increased governance transparency, highlighting the vital role of state regulatory bodies in ensuring compliance and integrity within the sector. La Thanh Tan, National Assembly member Haiphong city Under the current approach, when the State Bank of Vietnam identifies institutions in need of early intervention, it sends directives to address specific issues, aiming for their return to normal operations. This process is not formalised as an official decision for intervention. The new law, however, formalises this process with written decisions marking the beginning and end of interventions. Theres a concern that such formal notices might negatively influence market perceptions and potentially trigger depositor unease, escalating the risk of mass withdrawals. This approach contrasts with international practices, particularly those of the Basel Committee of the Bank for International Settlements. It advocates for early regulatory intervention as a preventative mechanism, focusing on corrective actions to address unsafe banking practices before they escalate. Nguyen Quang Huan, National Assembly member Binh Duong province The amended law, while comprehensive, notably lacks provisions for credit institutions and commercial banks to support startup businesses. This oversight is critical, as startups are akin to the economys newborns, with a vital need for capital similar to an infants need for mothers milk. In developed countries, startups easily access loans, with banks relying on independent consultants to assess project feasibility, using the project itself as collateral. Conversely, in Vietnam, startups must provide collateral beyond the project, typically requiring three to five years of asset accumulation. This delay in financing access is likened to a child waiting five years to breastfeed, potentially stunting growth and contributing to the high percentage of small and micro-businesses that remain underserved. Pham Van Thinh, National Assembly member Bac Giang province The practice of cross-selling life insurance through commercial banks has led to blurred professional lines between banks and insurance companies, increasingly focused on profit maximisation. We should either ban such cross-selling activities or, alternatively, issue a directive for the government to establish clear guidelines for the sale of insurance products by banks. This measure aims to protect consumer rights and ensure transaction transparency in the banking and insurance sectors. Enacting these regulations would bolster the credibility of commercial banks and reinforce the ethical standards required in the life insurance industry, a sector that demands greater moral responsibility. SME credit makes up 26 per cent of VietinBanks credit balance VietinBank is ramping up efforts to support small- and medium-sized enterprises by increasing growing credit available for them. Mission now clear in journey to adapt to GMT rate, illustration photo Last week, in a meeting with a foreign-invested enterprise, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc said that the ministry (MPI) was drafting a decree guiding the implementation of a top-up tax under the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules. This is a new and complex issue, synthesising international experience to develop preferential policies for key foreign investors in Vietnam, Ngoc said. In addition to investment capital and revenue, we will consider such factors as investment in research and development (R&D), and links with more domestic businesses in the supply chain. She said that the scope of the policy was concentrated and targeted, but the scale of criteria was considerable, so the MPI needed to take time to research and develop. Soon, the MPI will organise numerous meetings with large domestic and foreign corporations, and listen to their recommendations, suggestions, and practical experiences in other countries. With this in mind, the MPI has just started to review all the policies and legal provisions related to investment incentives. The first draft of the overall review report on encouraging investment policies has just been released for consultation with ministries, agencies, localities, experts, and businesses across the country. The need to review and revise investment incentive policies has been raised recently due to the global minimum tax (GMT) being applied from 2024 in countries, along with fierce competition to pull in foreign investment worldwide. Developed countries have also issued many preferential policies and subsidies on land, electricity and water, investment, and taxes to bring foreign investment flows back to the country. Every country has their calculations and formulate policies to respond to the GMT, raising a new race for preferential policies after the GMT, the MPI said. Investment incentives through corporate income tax exemptions are powerful weapons for not only Vietnam but many other developing countries to draw in a large amount of foreign direct investment. To entice multinational corporations, in August 2021 the government issued special incentives that, at the maximum level, allowed a foreign-invested project to pay just 5 per cent of corporate income tax for 37 years, while the popular tax rate was 20 per cent. However, the application of GMT has removed all these incentives effects. Vietnam needs to study and provide new investment incentives, such as the United States and South Korea are doing, not only corporate income tax but also other incentives related to investment costs, and even cash support, said Hong Sun, chairman of the Korean Chamber of Business in Vietnam. At the same time, Deloitte Vietnam said that the country should issue incentives and policies based on investment costs to support multinational corporations suffering due to the GMT. Incentives based on corporate income are easy to manage because they will be declared at the end of the year when taxes are calculated, without any arising issues like pre-paid amounts from the state budget. It is also easy to welcome new investors and generate small profits early on, but this includes the risks of price transfer, and sending profits to countries with larger profit-based incentives, said Thomas McClelland, Deloitte Vietnams country tax leader. This is also the concern of Vietnamese policymakers. In the overall review report on encouraging investment policies, the MPI said that current incentives were not diversified, and only based on corporate income, without any cost-based incentives. This is not useful to call for practical and long-term investment. It even could be counterproductive due to the poor management by the taxation authorities. The ministry also pointed out numerous shortcomings, such as not matching advanced policies, and international practices, especially where the GMT has already taken effect. The ministry is worried that the GMT will significantly impact the decision to expand projects, reducing the attraction of Vietnamese destinations to new investors, and even impact suppliers in the supply chains of top manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, and Honda. To overcome these concerns, a new investment incentive is being deemed an essential solution. Various pathways have been outlined by the MPI, including outstanding, targeting, and selective incentives to support strategic investors, and welcoming high-quality projects, especially in high technology and R&D. Vietnam will remain FDI magnet with global minimum tax in place On November 29, the National Assembly of Vietnam approved a resolution on applying additional corporate income tax following the Global Anti-Base Erosion Rules, which is expected to have an impact on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Vietnam. Vietnam primed for GMT adoption With a long-awaited resolution adopted by the legislature, Vietnam now has a legal framework for applying top-up corporate income tax under a new international system. Vietnam races to stay competitive with new GMT The international community is speeding towards the implementation of a global minimum tax, and Vietnam is no exception. With countries around the world revamping their tax systems, Vietnam must also navigate this new landscape in order to stay competitive and draw in new foreign investment. In mid-January, Y Pot Nie, founder of E e Cafe, revealed that his business is in negotiations with Australian partners, and if successful, E e coffee will be available in the land of kangaroos by second half of the month or after the Lunar New Year, alongside other foreign markets such as Germany, Canada, and Singapore. In addition, the founder plans to expand collaboration activities, extending cooperation with fellow farmers to 300-400 hectares. "I want to promote the traditional coffee flavour as well as the coffee appreciation style of the E De people to everyone," Nie said. Y Pot Nie, founder of E e Cafe Born into a family owning 2ha of coffee plantation, the former medical student has had an in-depth connection to coffee trees since childhood. Apart from his regular working hours, Nie spends time learning and practising the customary roasting and grinding techniques of the E De people, the indigenous living in the south of Vietnam. "The roasting process determines the coffee flavour, it must be evenly done, with a flickering flame to preserve the natural aroma of coffee beans. The blending of smoke and coffee aroma creates a distinctive flavour. Depending on taste preferences and age, the product can result in dark brown or black coffee at different temperatures," said Nie. Praised by friends and customers on social media for his own product, this coffee enthusiast decided to establish E e Cafe Limited Company in 2019 and registered the exclusive business trademark "E e Cafe" for the clean agricultural product line. Despite the opposition from family and fellow farmers in Kla market of Dray Sap commune, Krong Ana district, who did not believe in his organic cultivation approach, the 80s-born founder still followed his set path. He spared no effort in promoting his coffee product at various fairs and exhibitions. Additionally, Nie also worked on his English skills to reach international customers and promote coffee products on foreign trading platforms. Thus, E e Cafe's position in the market proved the doubters wrong and became an inspiring example to foster the partnership between many parties in forming an organic coffee processing material area. As a result, Nie successfully partnered with 50 households to expand the material area to over 100ha. For the farmers, thanks to the new cultivation method, coffee productivity has increased to 4 tonnes per hectare. Moreover, by adhering to organic production processes, the quality of coffee beans has been elevated, resulting in a higher buying price than the market estimated at nearly VND10,000 (around 50 cents) per kg from E e Cafe. After collaborating with Nie, a coffee-growing family, can increase their income to over $2,000 per year. Vietnam's coffee chain market erupts in fierce competition A tempest is brewing in Vietnam's burgeoning coffee chain market, where fierce competition is stoking innovation and creating a vibrant cafe culture that's making headlines on social media. Vietnamese coffee documentary aired on Discovery Channel The documentary "The Tao of Coffee," produced by Warner Bros. Discovery, featuring insights about the aspirations and journey of the Vietnamese coffee industry to conquer the world, was first aired on Discovery's channels in Australia and New Zealand on November 24. . , . , . , . . Korea's agricultural ministry said Tuesday it plans to double the size of the country's rice processing industry by 2028 to 17 trillion won ($12.7 billion). Under the goal, the country will also expand exports of related products to $400 million, compared with $182 million tallied in 2022, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The rice processing industry covers various products, including ready-to-eat steamed rice, lunch boxes, noodles as well as spirits. The agriculture ministry said it plans to work with private businesses to develop new products with floury rice, to replace around 10 percent of Korea's demand for flour imports by 2027. In a bid to boost exports, the government aims to nurture 200 exporters that can lead outbound shipments of rice products. The ministry will also seek collaborative events with popular K-pop artists to help their marketing efforts. The government will continue to roll out 1,000-won breakfast projects for college students as well to bolster rice consumption and help maintain healthy eating habits, it added. Sales of ready-to-eat steamed rice products, meanwhile, came to 935.6 billion won in 2022, accounting for 12.5 percent of the country's market for processed rice goods. Their exports came to $75 million, up 31 percent from a year earlier. (Yonhap) McLennan Community College and a government professor who claimed he had been wrongly fired after a Jan. 25, 2022, incident involving campus police have settled a lawsuit for $275,000. Casey Hubble, a tenured government professor who had taught 16 years at MCC, sued the college and MCC President Johnette McKown in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on Oct. 19, 2022, alleging the college had violated the First Amendment and his rights to due process when it revoked his tenure and fired him in July 2022. His suit was dismissed last week, after both sides reached an agreement in December to settle the case for $275,000 with each side paying its own legal fees. The settlement also includes a non-disparagement clause that bars each party from negative statements about the other. Hubbles attorney, Douglas Becker of Austin, acknowledged that Hubble had originally asked for reinstatement to MCC in his suit, but the settlement did not call for that. They didnt want him back and he didnt want to go back, Becker said. Hubble could not be reached for comment, and Becker said he would advise his client not to comment. Hubbles suit stemmed from a Jan. 25, 2022, incident at MCC in which he confronted an MCC police officer over blocking his access to a handicapped parking space while she was ticketing a student for a traffic infraction. That led to a later arrest of Hubble on a misdemeanor charge of interfering with a peace officer, though the McLennan County District Attorneys Office later dropped the charge. In the lawsuit, Hubble claimed his firing and removal of tenure because of the incident with campus police had infringed his First Amendment right to free speech and his 14th Amendment right to due process. His suit alleged the college took its action in part as retaliation for a complaint on excessive faculty workloads he filed with a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation team. The accreditation board cited faculty workloads as one of the reasons it put the college on warning status in June 2022. That warning was lifted in June 2023 and the colleges accreditation was renewed for 10 years. Hubble was the first tenured professor to be fired by the college. Waco attorney Peter Rusek, whose firm represented MCC in the case, said there was no dispute about what happened in the Jan. 25, 2022, incident as multiple cellphone videos and the officers body camera had captured the event. MCC attorneys had filed motions for summary judgment in the case in November, arguing that Hubble and his attorney had not met the burden of proof for the federal case. Rusek said he felt the motions stood a good chance of success, but instead the colleges insurance company had forced the settlement once legal costs reached a certain amount. Both attorneys said the settlement resolves the case and no further legal action is anticipated. I dont think they want any more Casey Hubble. I dont think they want any more me, Becker said. Midway Independent School District trustees will hear a proposal Tuesday to start the process for forming an in-district police department as a way to meet state school security requirements. Superintendent Chris Allen said the proposal would be for a five-person police department that would staff two armed school resource officers at Midway High School and one for each of the districts two middle schools. The districts eight elementary schools would continue to use campus and security specialists, such as armed teachers or other employees under the state Guardian Program, to meet the state requirement to have an armed person on each campus for school security. The district has worked with the Woodway and Hewitt police departments in hiring school resource officers, but both departments have informed the district they will not be able to continue providing those officers for the next school year due to staffing shortages in their departments, Allen said. Many police departments across the state were already understaffed before the implementation of House Bill 3 this year, which requires districts to put an armed person at each campus for security purposes. That only heightened the competition for licensed police officers, which has forced some school districts to spend more for their SROs or resort to other options such as training and arming teachers or other staff members for campus protection. Other local school systems, including Waco, La Vega, Connally and China Spring ISDs, already have their own police departments. Shortly before the law took effect in September, Waco ISD officials said they would have to hire independent contractors to meet the requirement for armed personnel on every campus. Allen said Midway now spends $340,000 for the school resource officers at its secondary campuses and estimated the district could hire its own officers in a district police department for that amount or less. Although the market for certified police officers is a competitive one, a Midway police department would appeal to officers interested in that type of work with non-monetary compensation that city and county police departments cannot offer, Allen said. Midway ISD board President Peter Rusek said trustees have discussed indirectly the creation of a district police department to comply with House Bill 3 requirements. The resolution to create a Midway ISD police department that trustees will consider in Tuesdays meeting signals an intent to look into the subject, needed for subsequent discussions with the Texas Commission for Law Enforcement. The resolution would not bind the board to creating the department at this point, he said. Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the boardroom of the Midway ISD administration building, 13885 Woodway Drive. Woodway City Manager Shawn Oubre said Monday that he will retire at the end of March from the post he has held since 2018. Oubre announced his plans in a letter to the Woodway City Council on Monday, expressing gratitude for the opportunities and experiences he gained. I have learned so much and have had the privilege of working alongside a great team, Oubre wrote. I appreciate all the support and guidance that you and my colleagues have provided me throughout my tenure. Oubre leaves big shoes to fill, for the day to day operations of Woodway, Mayor Amine Qourzal said Monday. Dr. Oubre is one of the finest city managers I have ever met, Qourzal said in a phone interview. He has led the city with excellence and integrity. Im happy for him as he moves into the next chapter of his life. In his more than five years at Woodway, Oubre has led the city of about 9,500 people through the pandemic and the great freeze of February 2021. The city has also built a new $6 million Woodway Family Center and renovated the Carleen Arboretum after a $19 million sewer project required excavation in the arboretum. Oubre, a Port Arthur native, served as city manager of Orange from February 2005 until he took the Woodway job. During his tenure in Orange, the city weathered storms including Hurricane Harvey in 2017, which left parts of town under several feet of water. Oubre previously served as police chief, acting city manager and city manager in Vidor from 2002 to 2005. Before that, he was a police officer in Groves and worked as an investigator for the Provost Umphrey Law Firm, his resume states. He also held an adjunct instructor position at Lamar State College in Orange and is a former adjunct instructor at Lamar University in Beaumont. Oubre holds a doctoral degree in public policy and administration from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota, as well as a master of public administration and a bachelors degree from Lamar University. In his statement, Oubre said he will spend the next years traveling with family and spending time with his grandchildren. When the weather gets cold, many runners prefer to stay inside, but experts say running in the cold actually has some amazing health benefits. WATERLOO A Denver man who was convicted of setting a fire that killed his friend in Waterloo in 2022 said he didnt do it. John Walter Spooner, 61, spoke briefly, addressing the court for the first time on Monday as he was sentenced to prison for first-degree arson. I didnt do it. I never started the fire, Spooner said, mentioning a gas can that was part of the evidence. I never had it when I walked up to the house. I found it there. I did not start the fire, Spooner said minutes after learning Judge David Odekirk had turned down his request for a new trial. Prosecutors said Spooner lit a fire on the porch of Tony Griders East Second Street home in August 2022. Two people inside the house fled, but Grider was trapped in his upstairs bedroom and died in the blaze. Witnesses said they saw Spooner flicking a lighter and muttering something about fire moments before smoke was seen coming from the home. A surveillance video showed a gasoline can being thrown from the porch. Jurors found Spooner guilty of arson during a November 2022 trial. He is also awaiting trial for murder charges in the fire. On Monday, defense attorney Nichole Watt asked the court to impose the lesser of the possible sentences 25 years with a 50% minimum before parole eligibility. We still have hope Mr. Spooner will receive justice through the murder trial. With his age and his record and the facts and circumstances of this case, Im just trying to prevent Mr. Spooner from spending the rest of his life in prison, Watt said. Assistant County Attorney Charity Sullivan requested the maximum 25 years with a 70% minimum and Judge Odekirk agreed, noting the loss of life. Spooner will be eligible for parole after 17 1/2 years. Following the arson verdict, the defense pressed for a new trial, indicating experts disputed the states version of how the fire started. In hearings earlier this month, defense experts opined the fire began inside the house, with an overheated extension cord under a couch. Prosecutors stood by the original investigations findings and argued the defense had an opportunity to have its experts examine the fire scene before the trial. Odekirk denied the defense motion in a opinion issued on Monday before sentencing. PHOTOS: Arson Trial November 2022 111522jr-arson-trial-1 111522jr-arson-trial-3 111522jr-arson-trial-2 111522jr-arson-trial-4 111522jr-arson-trial-5 111422jr-arson-trial-1 111422jr-arson-trial-2 111422jr-arson-trial-3 111422jr-arson-trial-5 111422jr-arson-trial-4 111622jr-arson-trial-4 111622jr-arson-trial-3 111622jr-arson-trial-1 111622jr-arson-trial-2 111722jr-arson-verdict-1 111722jr-arson-verdict-2 111722jr-arson-verdict-3 111722jr-arson-verdict-5 111722jr-arson-verdict-6 111722jr-arson-verdict-7 WATERLOO A Waterloo teen has been sentenced to prison in an October shooting that injured an innocent bystander. Quatez Tyzaye Hill-Watson, 19, pleaded to charges of intimidation with a weapon and reckless use of a firearm causing injury on Monday in Black Hawk County District Court. Under a plea agreement with prosecutors, he was sentenced to up to 10 years in prison. Hill-Watson declined to comment to the court during the sentencing hearing. Authorities said Hill-Watson was wearing a ski mask when he began in an alley behind Falls Avenue around 2 p.m. Oct. 3. One of the bullets a vehicle across the street at the Metro Mart convenience store, and debris from the impact tore into the leg of a teenage girl inside, police said. Bullets also hit a nearby office building, police said. The prison sentence will run concurrent with drug charges in a January 2023 incident where police searched his Vinton Street home and found marijuana and a stolen Glock handgun and a AR-15 pistol with a scratched-off serial number. WATERLOO Henry W. Grouts biography sometimes reads like a movie plot. His legacy is the Grout Museum of History and Science in downtown, although his life story reveals an adventurous past behind his last name on a building. When he died in 1932, Henry Grout was described as heroic and fearless. I thought it sounded like the sort of things that people say when theyre eulogizing someone, said Nicholas Erickson, Grout Museum District registrar. But it wasnt hyperbole. Turns out, he really was those things. He was a railroad worker and a lead miner in Colorado where he was shot at during a miners strike, and he spent a dozen years as a traveling sewing machine salesman in the Dakota Territory, all before he was 30. Grout was one of Waterloos early movers and shakers. Born in 1858 on an East Waterloo Township farm, he became a successful businessman, real estate agent, financier, philanthropist and state legislator. He was an original shareholder in Rath Packing Co., founded by his friend John W. Rath and the Rath family in 1891. Sizable collection Grout also was an avid collector and world traveler who loved sharing his finds with the community. He was particularly interested in prehistoric and Paleoindian artifacts, rocks and minerals, plant and animal fossils, international curios and objects from the American West. He loved Iowa and the history of Black Hawk County. He probably started collecting rocks and fossils on the family farm as a child and his interest grew from there, said Erickson. Grout originally displayed his collection in his Logan Avenue home, then at the Black Hawk County Courthouse. His artifacts number between 2,000 and 4,000 and laid the original foundation for the current museum. At the time of his death, Grout had amassed what was considered the largest individual collection in Iowa. In 1934, trustees relocated the collection to the new YMCA building on Cedar Street. Grout had made a substantial gift toward the cost of the building, and the Henry W. Grout Historical Museum opened on the second floor 90 years ago. A commission ran the museum from 1934 to 1955. The current Grout museum building at 503 South St. was built solely from funds provided by the Henry Grout Foundation. At its dedication on Aug. 30, 1956, one speaker noted that it was the culmination of Grouts dream. The collection is well documented, for the most part, including photographs published in The Courier in the early 1930s, Erickson explained. But its hard to get a fix on the exact number of artifacts. At times, it can be hard to find the edges of the collection. Most artifacts have seldom been on exhibit. Trailing killers One of Grouts greatest adventures was born out of tragedy. His older brother Warren had gone to California in 1878 to make his fortune. Then he bought a cattle ranch near Tombstone in Cochise County, Arizona, in 1881. This was the town where Wyatt Earp, his brothers Virgil and Morgan, and Doc Holliday killed three members of the Clanton-McLaury gang in the legendary Oct.26, 1881, gunfight at the OK Corral. Warren Grout was robbed and shot dead in his cabin by outlaws two years later. His body was found on Sept. 13, 1883. Henry Grout traveled to Tombstone in late September to settle his brothers affairs, sell the ranch and bring his body home. Henry proved his courage by what happened next, Erickson said. When he got to Tombstone, he was determined to track down his brothers killers. No one wanted to help him, so he did it on his own. Grout wrote a firsthand account of his quest for justice. Armed, he rode up into the mountains on horseback on the trail of the killers. He found some trouble along the way, but finally identified his brothers murderers. He couldnt convince Tombstones lawmen to act. There was a lot of upheaval in town with all the outlaws. This was still the Wild West. Grout was forced to exhume his brothers body himself and sent him home on the train in a sealed lead casket. In 1887, Grout received word from an Arizona lawman that one of Warrens killers had been arrested and sent to prison. That document also is part of the museums collection. Warren Grouts saddle is on display, along with Henry Grouts .25 caliber percussion muzzleloader (half-stock Kentucky Rifle) made in Ohio around 1850, in the museums Pioneer Hall. In the collection Another prized artifact is the broadax that belonged to the areas first permanent settlers, George and Mary Hanna, used in 1845 to build their first cabin. It was the first example of European construction in Black Hawk County. The ax head survived two fires before it was given to Grout by Waterloo Courier owner John C. Hartman, who received it in Mary Hannas will at her death in 1912. A Courier article proves it was given to Grout in 1929. A tomahawk is catalogued as recovered in 1900 at the site of the Bad Axe Massacre in Wisconsin. On Aug. 1, 1832, Black Hawk and about 500 of his followers were fired upon while attempting to surrender to a U.S. Army gunboat on the banks of the Mississippi River. Black Hawk was one of few survivors and surrendered in Prairie du Chien on Aug. 27, 1832. Grout collected numerous firearms, such as an 1855 Springfield M1855 pistol-carbine, the U.S. Armys last single-shot muzzle-loading pistol, a flintlock musket, an 1850 shotgun made in Birmingham, England, and a pepperbox pistol. A mid-to-late 19th century bow is possibly Dakota Sioux, as well as a pair of moccasins. A womans buckskin, beaded and fringed dress is documented as dating to 1820 for the Umatilla Nation. Although items are documented, it is unclear how some pieces were acquired and whether they were purchased at trading posts, for example. Some objects, such as an Egyptian statue, circa 1900, were meant for tourist trade, Erickson noted. Carefully stored in acid-free paper are a mammoth tooth and tusk from the Pleistocene Epoch (2.58 million to 11,700 years ago), their sites of origin unknown. Theres also a stone doughnut a Paleoindian (14,000-12,000 years ago) Torus ring made of stone. Although many have been found, modern anthropologist have been unable to determine their use or function. Early documentation for a drum says Utah Indian, with a later doubtful authenticity notation. There is a very faint inscription written in pencil on the side of the drum that I believe reads Cliff dwellers, Manitou, Colo., Sept. 4, 1910. Or maybe 1915. Im not sure, Erickson said. The Manitou Cliff Dwellings is a replica Pueblo village preserve and museum in Colorado opened to the public about 1907. We know his first wife died while they were in Colorado in 1910. So, Im thinking he probably just bought the drum in the gift shop. Grout loved to share his knowledge of history at civic club meetings. In fact, he died June 28, 1932, in the midst of a noon luncheon lecture for the Optimist Club at the Hotel President. His second wife, Agnes, was present. He was 74. Henry Grout was a fearless man. He never started trouble and he never dodged. His honesty was unquestioned, said Dr. Edward Peek, a lifelong friend, in a Courier newspaper article. Other friends described Grout as a man of industry, courage, truth and kindness and a man who had faith in the virtue of hard work. Close Nicholas Erickson, artifacts registrar at Grout Museum District, looks over the telegram sent to Henry Grout informing him his brother, Warren, had been shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. A photo of Henry Grout hangs on the wall at the Grout Museum of History and Science. Various firearms from Henry Grout's collection. Nicholas Erickson, artifacts registrar at Grout Museum District, unwraps a woman's buckskin, dated to 1820 from the Umatilla Nation, part of the museum's Henry Grout collection. A woman's buckskin, dated to 1820 from the Umatilla Nation, part of the museum's Henry Grout collection. Various items in the Henry Grout collection at the Grout Museum of History and Science. The telegram sent to Henry Grout informing him that his brother, Warren, had been shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. Bullets removed from Henry Grout's brother, Warren, when he was shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. Henry Grouts .25-caliber percussion muzzleloader on display in the Grout Museum of History and Science's Pioneer Hall. Warren Grouts saddle on display in the Grout Museum of History and Science's Pioneer Hall. Henry W. Grout's collection at the Grout Museum Photos of the artifacts Henry W. Grout collected during his travels. Nicholas Erickson, artifacts registrar at Grout Museum District, looks over the telegram sent to Henry Grout informing him his brother, Warren, had been shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. A photo of Henry Grout hangs on the wall at the Grout Museum of History and Science. Various firearms from Henry Grout's collection. Nicholas Erickson, artifacts registrar at Grout Museum District, unwraps a woman's buckskin, dated to 1820 from the Umatilla Nation, part of the museum's Henry Grout collection. A woman's buckskin, dated to 1820 from the Umatilla Nation, part of the museum's Henry Grout collection. Various items in the Henry Grout collection at the Grout Museum of History and Science. The telegram sent to Henry Grout informing him that his brother, Warren, had been shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. Bullets removed from Henry Grout's brother, Warren, when he was shot and killed in Tombstone, Ariz., in 1883. Henry Grouts .25-caliber percussion muzzleloader on display in the Grout Museum of History and Science's Pioneer Hall. Warren Grouts saddle on display in the Grout Museum of History and Science's Pioneer Hall. CEDAR FALLS Iowas Boat, RV & Vacation Show returns to the UNI-Dome at the University of Northern Iowa with all things outdoors this weekend. Hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It is the areas largest indoor display of boats, RVs and all-terrain vehicles. In addition, vacation options for outdoor exploration, the latest trends, seminars, industry experts and more will be at the show. On Saturday, the first 50 kids will receive a free fishing pole. Professional angler Ted Takasaki and local fishing expert Steve Miller will host seminars and share tips, tricks, and techniques. Fridays seminars begin at 4 p.m. with Takasaki discussing Lake of the Woods Walleye Tactics and Trolling with Bottom Bouncers. Millers seminars begin at 5 p.m. and include what to look for when water is low and Fishing the Wapsi/Cedar/Shell Rock/Turkey. A kids seminar is planned at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Takasakis seminars are at 11 and 11:30 a.m. and 1, 1:30, 4:30 and 5 p.m. Saturday, with Millers programs at noon and 12:30, 3:30 and 4 p.m. On Sunday, Takasaki will present seminars at 10:30 and 11 a.m., and Millers presentations are at noon and 12:30 p.m. The public can Ask the Pro with Miller and Takasaki at 6:30 p.m. Friday; 1:30, 2 and 5:30 p.m. Saturday; and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Attendees will have a chance to win a Yeti TM door prize. Discounted advanced tickets are available for $7 at www.iowasportshows.com, or at the door for $10. The show is sponsored by Ford Motor Co. Iowa's Boat, RV& Vacation Show 2023 Boat Show 3 Boat Show 6 Boat Show 4 Boat Show 2 Boat Show 10 Boat Show 5 Boat Show 1 Boat Show 9 Boat Show 8 Boat Show 7 Former President Lee Myung-bak on Tuesday expressed hope for young businesspeople in Korea to lead the country's economic advancement with new ideas in the era of cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI). Lee, a former businessman-turned-politician, made the remarks at a breakfast meeting of CEOs from member companies of the Korea International Trade Association held in Seoul. "In the era of AI, our young entrepreneurs will be able to adapt and advance most rapidly," Lee said, while adding, "I hope they will bring forth many ideas to propel the economic leap of Korea." Lee, who served as president from February 2008 to February 2013, praised the perseverance and determinations of Korean companies despite external risks. "I believe that our entrepreneurs will always overcome challenges, crossing hundreds of mountains and thousands of rivers during the process," he said. Lee also stressed the government should robustly support businesses in terms of laws and regulations to ensure companies can generate profits. The former president also recalled how he maintained close ties with his former Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, during his term. "We were able form friendly relations with China through close communication with then President Hu Jintao," Lee said. During retirement, Lee was convicted of bribery and embezzlement, and was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2020. He was given a special pardon last year, which canceled his remaining prison term of roughly 15 years and some 8.2 billion won ($6.1 million) of unpaid fines. (Yonhap) An Iowa State University police officer has been fired after taking part in a high-speed chase that resulted in two collisions. State records indicate McKenna Rich worked for ISU since December 2021, most recently as a full-time police officer. She was fired in November 2023 after a series of incidents. On April 24, 2023, Rich was involved in a vehicle pursuit when, according to ISU, she violated departmental directives and state law by not operating her patrol vehicle with due regard to public safety by driving at high speeds. According to Iowa Workforce Development records, Rich was also the target of a citizen complaint stemming from a search she performed in September 2023. An investigation determined Rich conducted an unconstitutional detention of an individual and that she coerced the person to produce evidence against themselves by threatening an unconstitutional search, state records show. Then, on Oct. 9, 2023, Rich was working when she heard on the police radio there was a vehicle pursuit involving a wrong-way driver on Highway 30. A Story County deputy and the suspect were headed in the direction of Boone when Richs captain instructed all ISU officers to refrain from assisting in the pursuit unless specifically requested, according to state records. Rich was then asked to park at a specific location in case the pursuit led to high-population areas within Ames. On her way to that location, ISU alleges, Rich saw the suspects vehicle with a deputy in pursuit and then heard the deputy ask for assistance in blocking the suspect. Rich turned on her patrol cars emergency lights and joined in the chase, with her vehicle between those of two Story County deputies, state records show. At one point, according to state records, the lead deputy and the suspect stopped at an intersection, forcing Rich to quickly switch lanes and resulting in Richs car colliding with a vehicle that wasnt involved in the chase. The deputy behind Rich then began honking at Rich to get out of his way, but state records indicate Rich interpreted the honking as a signal to continue with her pursuit, which she did without stopping to check on the vehicle shed struck. At one point, ISU alleges, the lead deputy attempted a failed a maneuver to stop the suspects vehicle, and his patrol car left the roadway, putting Rich in the lead position behind the suspect as they headed toward Campus Avenue a 25 mph zone at speeds of up to 55 mph. Rich allegedly followed the suspect through an intersection without stopping and struck another uninvolved vehicle, sending it into a nearby apartment building, according to state records. At that point, Rich ended her participation in the chase. The ISU police department conducted an investigation and, according to IWD records, determined Rich had violated direct orders not to engage in the pursuit, exercised an extreme lack of judgment, and acted recklessly without due regard for public safety. The department also determined Richs body camera did not activate during the chase because she had failed to properly synchronize the camera with her vehicles system. After being fired, Rich began collecting unemployment benefits and ultimately received $2,328 in benefits. Recently, Administrative Law Judge Carly Smith ruled Rich was not entitled to jobless benefits due to workplace misconduct, stating that the former officers behavior in speeding, entering intersections without ensuring all cross-street vehicles were clear of the intersection, and entering an intersection without lights and sirens put the general public in harms way. Smith ruled that Richs decision not to slow down or stop were intentional and deliberate actions and ordered Rich to repay the benefits already collected. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. DES MOINES A progressive journalist has sued the Iowa House Clerk in federal court for denying her credentials to cover the chamber, claiming the denial violates her First Amendment rights. Laura Belin, who publishes and reports for the liberal-leaning Iowa politics website Bleeding Heartland and also reports for KHOI-FM radio in Ames, filed the lawsuit late last week in U.S. District Courts Southern District in Iowa. The suit argues that the House Clerk cannot deny credentials based on political viewpoint or on the type of media for which a journalist reports. The defendant in the lawsuit is Iowa House Clerk Meghan Nelson, whose office sets credentialing policy for reporters to work on press row on the House floor during each session of the Iowa Legislature. The House Clerk is appointed by the chambers majority party, which in this case is Republican. The lawsuit asks the court to provide immediate relief in the form of a temporary restraining order and immediately credential Belin to cover the Iowa House. Nelson did not respond to a request for comment. According to the lawsuit, Belin applied for and was denied credentials to cover the Iowa House from press row in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024. In 2023 and 2024, Nelson informed Belin that her credential request was denied because she did not meet the requirements of the Houses press work space policy, but did not specify why Belin did not meet the requirements, according to the lawsuit. In the Iowa Senate, reporters no longer have access to the press bench on that chambers floor. In 2021, Secretary of the Senate Charlie Smithson, who was appointed by majority-party Republicans, created a policy under which reporters workspace was moved upstairs to the Senate galleries. That policy broke with more than a century of journalists working from press row on the Senate floor. Teacher spending accounts advance Iowa lawmakers advanced, with some caution, a bill to provide teachers with state-funded accounts to purchase classroom supplies, noting it could see changes going forward. The bill, Senate File 2009, would require schools to set aside a portion of their supplemental state aid for individual teacher spending accounts each year. Beginning teachers would receive $500, while other teachers would receive $200. Because the bill includes no new state spending, school districts would need to divert money from other expenses, like teacher salary and professional development. Public education advocates told lawmakers the bill would create more budget headaches for school districts without a separate funding stream. The proposal would cost about $8 million out of the states per-pupil school funding allocation, an Iowa Legislative Services Agency official said. The state spent about $3.7 billion on K-12 schools last year. We appreciate the idea, but like has been stated, theres no new appropriation, Iowa Association of School Boards lobbyist Michelle Johnson said. So this would be taking out of the general fund budget for a school district, which in many cases is already kind of strapped. Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, D-Waukee, did not vote to advance the bill, saying lawmakers should spend new money to create the teacher spending accounts. Sen. Lynn Evans, a Republican from Aurelia, said he was concerned that the bill would remove budget flexibility for school districts. He voted to advance the bill, but said he wanted it to be amended. School fire alarm response plans Iowa lawmakers advanced a bill requiring school districts to include in their emergency response plans a policy that directs students and other school personnel how to respond to a fire alarm activated on school grounds. The bill, Senate File 2017, would allow schools to more easily address active shooter concerns when a fire alarm is triggered at a school, said the bills sponsor Sen. Chris Cournoyer, R-LeClaire. She said it was inspired by the North Scott School District, which has implemented a policy for years that directs students and staff to first identify if there is an immediate threat like the smell of smoke or sight of fire if a fire alarm goes off unexpectedly at school. If there is no immediate threat, staff and students will wait for a confirmation from safety officials before evacuating the building. The plan is in response to concerns that a shooter at a school could pull a fire alarm to draw students out of classrooms in order to more easily target students. North Scott High School Assistant Principal Aaron Schwartz said during a subcommittee meeting on Monday that the bill would make it easier for schools to implement this type of emergency response plan. When the school initially created the plan, Schwartz said, it received pushback from local fire marshals and had to seek state approval. He said the change in law would make districts feel more comfortable making the change. We all grew up in a time, I grew up in a time where you hear a fire alarm, you're supposed to leave the building immediately, Schwartz said. And so theyre looking for that assurance, theyre looking for that green light that what we're doing now is different because it needs to be different. Close Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds hugs her husband First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds at the conclusion of the Condition of the State address, inside the Iowa House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Iowa Senate President Pro Tempore Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, applauds during Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Attendees to Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address applaud during the speech, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber on Jan. 10 at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds is escorted into the Iowa House of Representatives, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, to give the annual Condition of the State address, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Photos: Gov. Kim Reynolds delivers the condition of the state address Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds hugs her husband First Gentleman Kevin Reynolds at the conclusion of the Condition of the State address, inside the Iowa House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Iowa Senate President Pro Tempore Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, applauds during Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Attendees to Gov. Kim Reynolds' Condition of the State address applaud during the speech, inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber on Jan. 10 at the State Capitol in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds gives the Condition of the State address to members of the Iowa Legislature inside the House Chamber, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. Gov. Kim Reynolds is escorted into the Iowa House of Representatives, on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, 2023, to give the annual Condition of the State address, at the Iowa State Capitol, in Des Moines. DES MOINES People who assault police officers, firefighters and other protected professionals would receive heightened sentences under a bill Iowa lawmakers advanced on Monday. The bill, House Study Bill 523, would raise the penalties for assaults on a number of public safety employees and officials to as high as a class C felony if the offender intends to cause serious injury or displays a dangerous weapon. The charge would be a class D felony if the offender causes bodily injury or mental illness. Those charges would be hiked up from Class D felony and aggravated misdemeanor, respectively. The bill would heighten penalties for assaults on the following occupations: Peace officer or civilian employee of a law enforcement agency jailer or correctional staff Member or employee of the board of parole Health care provider Employee of the department of health and human services Employee of the department of revenue National guard member engaged in official duties Civilian employee of a fire department or firefighter The bill was proposed by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird's office. Bird, a former prosecutor and county attorney, said the current penalties for the offenses are far too lenient. "I want to do all we can do to increase respect for law enforcement, you do a tough job. Respect for our first responders and others who do very difficult work and are just trying to help people." The bill makes other assaults, including spitting on a police officer or other official, an aggravated misdemeanor, raising them from a simple misdemeanor. A person found guilty of that crime would be subject to a mandatory minimum of seven days in jail. An inmate who spits on an employee of a correctional facility would be subject to a class D felony. Ray Reynolds, the director of fire and EMS at the Nevada Fire Department, said the bill was necessary. He became emotional recounting responding to an arson fire in 2022. When he and police responded, the perpetrator attempted to strangle the officer and take his gun, Reynolds said, and when Reynolds intervened he was also assaulted. I got bit, I got spit on, and the guy got two simple misdemeanors or a serious misdemeanor, he said. Melissa Speed, a lobbyist for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union, said she wanted to ensure that all employees in correctional facilities are covered under the new penalties. She also said she wants lawmakers to ensure that incarcerated people who assault correctional staff receive a full penalty rather than a light charge. Somebody whos in prison and assaults a correctional officer, that happens on a daily, she said. Are we going to be putting those individuals through the system? Assaults on correctional staff increased between 2020 and 2022, KCCI reported last year. Two inmates at the Anamosa State Penitentiary killed a nurse and correctional officer in 2021 during an attempted escape. A class C felony is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $13,360, while a class D felony is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,245. An aggravated misdemeanor is punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine of up to $8,540. Lawmakers advance bill The bill was approved by two Republicans in a three-person subcommittee on Monday. Democratic Rep. Eleanor Levin of Iowa City asked Bird whether there was evidence the increased penalties would lower incidences of assault. She did not vote to advance the bill, saying it sounds like theres some work to do on the bill. Bird did not point to any data to suggest raising the penalties would lowers offenses, but she said she believed it would deter people from assaulting officers. "Based on my personal experience, I think it would (reduce assaults)," Bird said. "Particularly that seven-day mandatory minimum. Because if someone thinks that they'll just get probation and assault a peace officer, I don' think that's right." Iowa Rep. Jeff Shipley, a Republican from Birmingham, supported the bill and said he would be interested in tracking whether the change leads to fewer offenses. "I would never want to have law enforcement in the situation that we've described," Shipley said. "I think there's an argument you can even make the penalties even more severe, just considering how vile some of these offenses are." One city's surprising tactic to reduce gun violence: Solving more nonfatal shootings One city's surprising tactic to reduce gun violence: Solving more nonfatal shootings Other cities have woken up to Denver's example Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (22 January 2024) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. In Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled three attacks of assault detachments of the AFU 32nd, 60th, 66th, and 81st mechanised and 68th jaeger brigades close to Makeyevka (Lugansk Peoples Republic) and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were up to 180 troops, five tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, and two pickup trucks. Also, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, and one MT-12 anti-tank gun were hit during the counter-battery warfare. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 117th Territorial Defence Brigade near Yampolovka and Grigorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles have been neutralised. In counter-battery warfare, the Russian troops hit one Zuzana-2 self-propelled artillery system made in Slovakia, two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, and one D-20 howitzer. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled six attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 22th Mechanised Brigade near Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). Also, artillery strikes caused fire damage to the manpower and military hardware of the 22nd and 92nd mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Kleshcheyevka and Krasnoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy lost up to 320 troops killed and wounded, ten tanks, including one Leopard 2A5, two infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured fighting vehicles, one Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, and 12 motor vehicles. During the counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two D-30 guns. In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with artillery, inflicted fire damage on manpower of the 31st mechanised, 79th air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 105th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Staromayorskoye, Novomikhailovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses amounted to up to 120 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, and one D-20 howitzer. In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery defeated the clusters of manpower and military hardware of the 117th, 118th mechanised and 128th Mountain Assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Rabotino, Kamenskoye, and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 105 Ukrainian troops, one tank, and three pick-up trucks. During the counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: one French-made Caesar self-propelled artillery system and two howitzers: D-20 and D-30. In Kherson direction, units of the 35th Marine Brigade and the 121st Territorial Defence Brigade were defeated close to Novotyaginka and Zolotaya Balka (Kherson region). The enemy lost up to 100 Ukrainian troops and three motor vehicles. In the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system and one Grad MLRS were destroyed. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised two field ammunition depots of the 23rd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 103 areas during the day. Air defence systems shot down one Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force Ivanovka (Kharkov region). During the day, six Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles were intercepted, as well as five HIMARS MLRS projectiles. In addition, 76 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were neutralised neat Donetsk, Novosyolovka, Vodyanoye, Verkhetoretskoye, Lipovoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Kremennaya, Zolotarevka (Lugansk Peoples Republic), Ocheretovatoye (Zaporozhye region), Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region) and Tokorevka (Kharkov region). In total, 568 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 11,033 unmanned aerial vehicles, 451 air defence missile systems, 14,738 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,205 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,822 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,727 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Tags: WtR In Ukraine they want to ban all transport links with Russia for a period of 50 years The Cabinet of Ministers submitted a proposal for consideration by the National Security and Defense Council, the document will provide for: Prohibition of direct air traffic with Ukraine, as well as the use of Ukrainian airspace by residents of the Russian Federation; Prohibition of entry into Ukraine of vehicles registered in the Russian Federation; Prohibition in all customs regimes of railway traffic for persons associated with the Russian Federation: A ban on navigation in the internal waters of Ukraine and entry into the sea ports of Ukraine of ships flying the flag of the Russian Federation, or whose owner is a resident of the Russian Federation, or ships that entered ports on the uncontrolled territory of Ukraine. A candidate fell just short of the required signatures needed to get on the spring ballot for Sauk County Circuit Court judge after discrepancies were found in some of the signatures. Jesse Leichsenring, an attorney who submitted candidacy for the open Sauk County Circuit Court judge seat during the spring elections, fell three signatures short of the required 200 needed to get on the ballot. This was after the Wisconsin Elections Commission found various issues with the signatures he submitted, which amounted to more than 200. The commission voted unanimously to deny Leichsenrings candidacy after presenting arguments and hearing rebuttal from Leichsenring. Attorneys Blake Duren and Nancy Thome are the two candidates running for the judicial seat. There will not be a primary election with Leichsenring not on the ballot. The general election is on April 2, while primaries are Feb. 20. Adam Kaney, Duren's campaign manager, discovered discrepancies within the signatures Leichsenring submitted, including ones with an unverifiable address and one by a convicted felon. Leichsenring submitted 202 signatures for the Sauk County judge election, five of which were deemed invalid by Kaney and the commission, which filed an official challenge to Leichsenrings nomination on Jan. 5. Two of the signatures were nullified by the commission, which Leichsenring did not object to, as that would have brought his total to the minimum 200 threshold. Three other signatures were challenged by Durens campaign. Its unfortunate that the citizens of Sauk County will not have the opportunity to vet the people who would be best served for the position rather than the ones who are just following a technicality, Leichsenring said in a follow-up interview, adding that he feels he should have contested the WECs rejected signatures. Four of the signatures were from residents who incorrectly wrote their addresses, which Leichsenring clarified in a commission ballot access meeting on Jan. 9. He added that he collected nearly all of the signatures on his own. These people are known to me and are living in Sauk County, Leichsenring said in the meeting, adding that the misprinted street names could be easily corrected and that the signatures could be accepted. One of the contested signatures was in Roxbury, a Dane County municipality, and Leichsenring did not provide rebuttal for that signature being invalidated. The signatures Leichsenring collected were largely from Baraboo residents, with scattered endorsements from other county municipalities. Contested addresses were from the towns and cities of Reedsburg and Baraboo. The proper number of signatures to count should be 201 and, because of that, the nomination should be registered and I should be placed on the primary ballot, Leichsenring said in his argument at the hearing. Leichsenring previously ran for a similar seat in Adams County in 2015 and was a municipal judge in Wisconsin Dells. Kaney said in the hearing Leichsenring had ballot access and residency issues in the Adams County race as well. According to his profile on the Muter Law Office website, Leichsenring has represented men and women in divorce proceedings, custody/placement cases, guardianships and protective services cases. NOTE: This story was updated to correct information regarding one of the parties involved with the WEC hearing for Leichsenring's case. The Madison-based, formerly named Credit Union National Association now called Americas Credit Unions will in March lay off 25 to 30% of its 320 employees, including about 38 in Wisconsin, the organization told the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. The layoffs are the result of a recent merger between the Credit Union National Association and National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions, both entities that advocate for credit unions and help government officials understand their purpose. Both entities are as of this month doing business as Americas Credit Unions, according to a letter sent to the department. The layoffs are also caused by forecasts of business needs going forward, the letter said. The layoffs will also impact staff members in Virginia and Washington, D.C., the letter said. The organization expects the layoffs to begin in March and continue through July, according to the letter, which added that they may affect 25 to 30% of the former Credit Union National Associations total 320 workers. The layoffs may affect all job titles, according to the letter. Americas Credit Unions declined to respond to requests for comment. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form By Baek Byung-yeul Samsung Display is expanding its talent nurturing program, which has been operating with three universities, to include five more universities, in order to extend its leadership in the global display industry, the display maker said Tuesday. The company said it signed an agreement with Yonsei University for what it calls a Display Track talent development program linked to job placement on Monday. The company added it plans to sign agreements with Korea University, Sogang University, Sungkyunkwan University and Hanyang University by Feb. 6 to expand the number of the schools to eight. Samsung Display has been operating this program since 2019 with Seoul National University, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH). The Display Track program operates a display education curriculum at each university, selects outstanding talent, offers scholarships and guarantees employment after graduation. "We plan to select about 70 talented students from a total of eight universities each year and nurture them as display experts," the company said. Samsung Display has been actively securing talent to strengthen future competitiveness and technological leadership in the intensely competitive global display industry. "As the technological competition in the display field becomes increasingly fierce, it is more important than ever for our companies to nurture and secure specialized talents in order to maintain competitiveness," Lee Jong-hyuk, head of large display business unit of Samsung Display, said. "This collaboration with Yonsei University, which has a global quality research system, will be an opportunity to enhance the company's global competitiveness and expand the base of the countrys display industry, he added. Henry Louis Gates Jr. was 9 years old when he started drawing his family tree. It was the day after his paternal grandfather died and his father showed him his grandfathers scrapbooks of old family photographs and obituaries. Gates, 73, has made it his lifes calling to among other things help people gain personal insight by exploring their genealogical past. What was initially African American Lives, a show aiming to fill in the gaps of African American genealogy, transformed into Finding Your Roots to help notable American celebrities explore their ancestry. The mistake I had made was to assume that everybody but Black people knew their family tree, Gates told AARP earlier this year. But nobody knows their family tree. People know their grandparents. But some people dont know that. Finding Your Roots returned in January for its 10th season on PBS. (AARP is a corporate sponsor of this season.) This season features more stars (including Alanis Morissette, LeVar Burton and Tracy Morgan to name a few) and, for the first time in the shows history, three everyday Americans who want to dig deeper into their family ancestry. Tune in every Tuesday at 8 p.m. for the latest episode on your local PBS station. Watch exclusive clips of tonights fourth episode below. Ed ONeill Actor Ed ONeill explores his and his fathers past in this clip from tonights episode. When his grandfather Joseph ONeill died on his ninth birthday in 1955, ONeill was curious to learn more about his own father. The 77-year-old actor of Modern Family and Married With Children fame talks about the insights gained from exploring his dads past and how that informed his own upbringing. ONeill said his fathers family didnt attend his fathers high school graduation, creating a lot of insecurities. When he had the kids, that was it, but you could never fill that hole no matter how much you tried, ONeill said in the clip. Video: Ed O'Neill on "Finding Your Roots" Sammy Hagar Sammy Hagars parents were farmworkers in Salinas, California, where the rocker who rose to fame with the band Montrose and as the lead vocalist for Van Halen, was born. The family moved to a nearby town when he was 2 years old so his father could work at a steel mill and better provide for the family. Hagar, 76, recalls his fathers struggles with alcoholism in the latest episode of Finding Your Roots. He was a violent drunk, Hagar told Gates. It was hard. Some relatives would take us in, and if they didnt wed sleep in the car a lot. See the clip below. Ruling party lawmakers divided over interests of constituencies By Park Jae-hyuk Fierce competition between HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Hanwha Ocean in the naval shipbuilding sector has found its way to the lawmakers of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who have tried to support the shipbuilders, which are located in each of their respective constituencies, according to industry officials, Tuesday. Rep. Lee Che-ik, who represents the constituents of Ulsan, home to HD HHIs shipyard, urged the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Monday, to penalize Hanwha Ocean, if it turns out that its former employees leaked a submarine design to Taiwan several years ago, when the company was known as Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME). The alleged leak of the submarine construction technology is a serious national security problem, he said at a meeting on the maritime defense industry, hosted by HD HHI. If the allegation turns out to be true, Hanwha Ocean should face a significant penalty when it bids for the DAPA projects. Hanwha Ocean, which has a shipyard on Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province, immediately refuted the lawmakers claim, saying that the leaked document was not related to military secrets, as it contained the design of a German submarine that Indonesia imported in the late 1970s, not the design of a DSME submarine. The company also emphasized that it will ask people found to have committed a crime to pay compensation. Rep. Lees criticism of Hanwha Ocean came about nine months after Rep. Seo Il-jun, a PPP lawmaker who represents the constituents of Geoje Island, called for an investigation into how HD HHI was able to win an order in 2020 for a project to build next-generation KDDX-class destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy, even though its employees had stolen data from DSME. At that time, HD HHIs union accused Rep. Seo of abusing his power to urge the Fair Trade Commission to decide on Hanwhas acquisition of DSME as soon as possible. The acquisition was finalized about a month after Rep. Seo asked for the investigation. During a National Assembly audit of DAPA last October, Rep. Lee raised concerns over Hanwha Oceans possible monopoly in the naval shipbuilding market, as HD HHI failed to win orders for the ROK Navys fifth and sixth Ulsan-class Batch III frigates last July. Hanwha Ocean was chosen as the preferred bidder for the project, after HD HHI received demerits concerning its naval shipbuilding construction bids in Korea, due to its employees who were found guilty of stealing data from DSME. Hanwha Oceans monopoly will weaken the overall competitiveness of Koreas naval ship industry, causing a significant loss to our country, said Rep. Lee, who is a member of the National Assemblys National Defense Committee. By Lee Min-hyung Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, will visit Korea on Friday for a meeting with top executives from Samsung and SK, in a move to bolster alliances in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, according to industry officials, Tuesday. The U.S. entrepreneur is believed to be fine-tuning details of the potential meeting with Samsung Electronics Executive Chairman Lee Jae-yong and SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won. OpenAI will discuss the joint development of artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors with the two Korean chipmakers, as part of a strategy to reduce its heavy reliance on Nvidia, the largest AI chip market player in the world. The AI mogul previously visited Korea last June. But this time, he will reportedly stay here for only around six hours and is expected to spend most of his time in closed-door meetings with the heads or other high-profile officials of the Korean chipmakers. Altman delivered his keen interest in deepening ties with local startups and chipmakers so OpenAI can develop large language models (LLM) which power ChatGPT. The company unveiled GPT-4 Turbo, its latest model, at the end of last year, and is on track to further upgrade its services. To ensure a smooth expansion, OpenAI needs to secure more state-of-the-art AI chips. It remains unclear whether Altman and Lee will meet, according to Samsung Electronics. But the head of the AI platform is widely forecast to meet with Kyung Kye-hyun, president of Samsungs chip unit, and a group of other ranking executives in charge of the memory chip and foundry operations. We cannot share specific business schedules of our top management, an official at Samsung Electronics said. A spokesman at SK Group also did not confirm whether Chey and Altman will meet. Nothing specific has been confirmed over our top managements schedule with Altman, an official at SK Group said. Industry officials said the market for HBM comes with massive growth potential amid the rapid rise of AI here and abroad. Demand for HBM chips is on a sharp rise due to their fast data-processing speed, so their usage is becoming more and more diverse, an official at a local chipmaker said. HBM chips are particularly crucial for the operation of AI servers. SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung also displayed confidence in his company's goal of doubling its market capitalization by taking the lead in the HBM chip market. SK hynix will be able to double its market cap to more than 200 trillion won in less than three years, if we launch our products on time, Kwak told reporters during a recent press conference on the sidelines of this years CES tech fair. Authored by Prady, CEO, NP Digital India In the ever-transforming realm of digital presence, search engine optimization (SEO) stands as a pivotal element for businesses aiming to uphold a competitive edge. As we step into the year 2024, the SEO landscape has become more dynamic and challenging than ever before. Adapting strategies to align with the latest trends is imperative for businesses looking to thrive in the digital sphere. Here are the few essential SEO tactics crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the swiftly evolving online landscape of 2024. User Experience Optimization: The optimization of user experience (UX) is now a central concern in SEO, transcending its previous secondary role. In the SEO landscape of 2024, Google's algorithms prioritize websites offering seamless navigation, swift loading times, and mobile responsiveness. The demand for faster and more convenient access to information has elevated the importance of optimizing the UX of websites. Ensuring your site is mobile-friendly, boasts an intuitive interface, and focuses on delivering valuable content to users has become paramount. As users increasingly seek efficient and enjoyable interactions, optimizing UX has become a foundational aspect of maintaining a competitive edge in the digital realm. Quality Content is King: The mantra "content is king" has stood the test of time in the SEO landscape. However, in 2024, the emphasis is not just on producing content but on creating high-quality, relevant, and engaging content. Google's algorithms have become more sophisticated in understanding the context and intent behind user queries. Businesses need to invest in content that addresses user needs, incorporates relevant keywords naturally, and demonstrates expertise in their respective industries. Long-form, comprehensive content tends to perform well, as it often satisfies user intent more effectively. Voice Search Optimization: With the rise of voice-activated devices and virtual assistants, optimizing for voice search has become imperative. People are increasingly using voice commands to perform online searches, and search engines are adapting to this shift in behavior. To stay competitive, businesses need to optimize their content for natural language queries. This includes using conversational language, answering specific questions, and providing concise, informative responses. Structured data markup can also enhance the chances of your content being featured in voice search results. AI and Machine Learning Integration: In 2024, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies is reshaping the SEO landscape. Search engines are using these technologies to better understand user behavior, deliver personalized search results, and identify patterns in content. Businesses should leverage AI tools for keyword research, content optimization, and user behavior analysis. By harnessing the power of AI, SEO strategies can be more data-driven, adaptive, and effective in keeping up with evolving search algorithms. Video Content Optimization: Video content continues to gain prominence in SEO strategies. Search engines recognize the popularity of video and often prioritize video results in search pages. To maintain a competitive edge, businesses should invest in creating high-quality, relevant video content. This includes tutorials, product demonstrations, and other engaging visual content. Optimizing video titles, descriptions, and transcripts with relevant keywords enhances the chances of visibility in search results. Local SEO for Global Reach: While the internet allows businesses to reach a global audience, local SEO remains crucial, especially for brick-and-mortar establishments. Local search engine optimization ensures that businesses appear in local search results when users are looking for products or services in a specific geographic area. This involves optimizing Google My Business profiles, obtaining positive online reviews, and ensuring accurate business information across online directories. As search engines prioritize local relevance, businesses can maintain a competitive edge by focusing on their immediate communities. Security and Website Performance: Website security and performance are increasingly influencing search engine rankings. Search engines favor websites that provide a secure and seamless browsing experience for users. Ensure that your website is protected with HTTPS, implement secure payment gateways, and regularly update security protocols. Additionally, optimize website performance by minimizing loading times, compressing images, and improving server response times. A fast, secure website not only enhances user experience but also positively impacts search engine rankings. In navigating the dynamic SEO landscape of 2024, maintaining a competitive edge demands a holistic and adaptive approach. From prioritizing user experience and crafting high-quality content to embracing voice search optimization, integrating AI, optimizing video content, focusing on local SEO, and ensuring website security and performance these strategies form the foundation for success. By staying attuned to industry shifts and consistently innovating, businesses can not only weather the challenges but also flourish in the ever-evolving digital space. SEO is no longer a fixed practice; it's an ongoing journey that requires perpetual adaptation and creativity to excel in the fiercely competitive online arena. Adgully is all set to hold its premier Marketing event, CMOs Charcha Delhi Chapter 2024, today, January 23, at Radisson Blu Plaza in Mahipalpur, New Delhi, from 11 AM onwards. The event, whose theme is Future roadmap for pursuing growth in new ways, will be a gathering of the most distinguished marketing leaders from across industries. As the marketing landscape undergoes a seismic shift, industry leaders and visionaries are set to converge at the exclusive event, curated to explore the transformative trends and challenges shaping the marketing domain. CMOs Charcha Delhi Chapter 2024 will bring together seasoned professionals, thought leaders, and innovators. Attendees can expect insightful discussions, cutting-edge strategies, and invaluable networking opportunities. CMOs Charcha is a premier platform that brings together top minds in the marketing industry to discuss, dissect, and navigate the ever-changing landscape of marketing. Each edition is crafted to inspire, educate, and empower marketing professionals by delving into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the field. With a focus on embracing change, fostering innovation, and anticipating future trends, CMOs Charcha Delhi Chapter 2024 promises to be a pivotal moment for marketing professionals seeking to stay ahead in the dynamic and ever-evolving industry. At the heart of this esteemed gathering is Adgullys commitment to providing a space where top-tier professionals can come together to not only discuss but also meticulously dissect and navigate the intricate challenges and opportunities that characterise contemporary marketing. Event Details: Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Time: 11:00 am onwards Venue: Radisson Blu Plaza, Mahipalpur, New Delhi Adgully Founder and CEO Bijoya Ghosh said, As we embrace change, foster innovation, and anticipate future trends, CMOs Charcha is poised to be a pivotal moment for marketing professionals seeking to stay ahead in this dynamic and ever-evolving industry. It is more than an event; it is a transformative experience, meticulously crafted to redefine the very fabric of marketing discussions. In the flux of the modern business landscape, CMOs Charcha stands as a testament to Adgullys dedication to delivering an unparalleled and transformative experience. CMOs Charcha Delhi Chapter 2024 is presented by Times Network, and co-powered by Laqshya Media. Partners include ABP News (Gold Partner), VTION (Silver Partner) and Team Pumpkin (Agency Partner). Milton, a pioneer in home essentials, proudly announces its partnership with the renowned Kala Ghoda Art Festival, a celebration of art and culture held annually in Mumbai. This marks the first-ever collaboration between Milton and the prestigious festival, reinforcing brands commitment to sustainability and cultural enrichment. The Kala Ghoda Art Festival, organized by the Kala Ghoda Association, has been a cornerstone of Mumbai's cultural scene since its inception in 1999. The nine-day extravaganza attracts art enthusiasts from across the nation and the globe, showcasing diverse sections such as dance, music, theatre, films, food, literature, heritage, architecture, stand-up comedy, children's activities, and Visual art, making it a truly unique experience. As Associate Sponsors of the event, Milton is proud to play a vital role in supporting and propagating the message of Environmental stewardship throughout the festival. The brand has curated a range of engaging activities aimed at cultivating a sense of environmental responsibility among festival-goers. Key Initiatives by Milton at Kala Ghoda Art Festival: Pledge Gate at Rampart Road: An interactive installation featuring Miltons colored steel bottles, allowing participants to scan a QR code and take a pledge to reduce or reuse single-use plastics. Plastic to Steel Installation at Cross-Maidan: A compelling art installation encouraging attendees to abandon plastic in favor of sustainable steel alternatives. Gaming Engagement Kiosk: A fun-filled kiosk featuring engaging games like ring-throw, aimed at educating and entertaining participants about sustainability. Food Workshops with Milton Procook Cooking Range: Renowned chefs will lead engaging food workshops, shedding light on the significance of utilizing food-grade and sustainable materials in cookware for enhancing the culinary experience and promoting eco-friendly practices. Instagram Booth ProCook Avatar: Created an Instagram booth that captures the essence of culinary expertise. The installation features an Instagram feed post visual of a chef effortlessly tossing veggies in a pan, showcasing culinary skills. It includes a cutout for the face, allowing visitors to stand behind it and click pictures, creating a Pro Cook avatar experience. Festival-goers can immerse themselves in the world of professional cooking, adding a fun and interactive element to the overall experience. In addition there will be "Art Competition for Children" providing a creative platform, with the winning drawing featured on a limited edition Milton bottle. Moreover, Milton will be offering "Limited Edition Kala Ghoda Bottles" exclusively for sale on its website, allowing attendees to take home a piece of the festival while promoting sustainability. Speaking on the collaboration, Manisha Vaghani, Hamilton CSR Head said, As Milton joins hands with the Kala Ghoda Art Festival, we are excited to contribute to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Mumbai and champion the cause of sustainability. These initiatives underscore our dedication to making a positive impact on both cultural experiences and environmental consciousness. Brinda Miller, Chairperson of Kala Ghoda Association added, "We are excited to embrace Milton's steadfast commitment to elevating the festival experience and leading the way in championing sustainability. This strategic partnership introduces a fresh and dynamic perspective to our celebration of art and culture. We are confident that this collaboration will not only enhance the overall attendee experience but also serve as an inspiration for a broader audience to wholeheartedly embrace the essential intersection of art and sustainability." Netflix's film chief, Scott Stuber, is parting ways with the company to launch his own media venture. After five years at the helm, Stuber will step down in March, leaving behind a legacy of award-winning films and ambitious projects. Stuber joined Netflix in 2017 with a mission to elevate the platform's film offerings. He tapped his Hollywood connections to cultivate relationships with A-list talent like Alfonso Cuaron, Spike Lee, Greta Gerwig, Rian Johnson, Jane Campion, and Martin Scorsese. This strategy paid dividends, propelling Netflix to become the most Oscar-nominated studio for three consecutive years (2020-2022) and bagging eight best picture nominations for films like "The Irishman," "Roma," and "The Power of the Dog." Stuber wasn't afraid to take risks, greenlighting big-budget projects like the "Knives Out" sequels (backed by a $450-million-deal) and the Russo Brothers' action-packed "The Gray Man" (reportedly costing $200 million). This bold approach brought both critical acclaim and subscriber growth, solidifying Netflix's position as a major player in the film industry. However, Stuber's departure suggests a desire for artistic independence. His new venture, while reportedly open to collaborating with Netflix on future projects, signifies a pivot towards building his own legacy outside the streaming giant's walls. "I hope to find new ways to continue to work together," said Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, acknowledging the potential for future partnerships. With Stuber leaving, Netflix faces the challenge of replacing a leader who not only boosted its cinematic prestige but also navigated the delicate balance between blockbuster ambitions and critical darling fare. All eyes will be on Netflix's next move as it seeks to build upon Stuber's legacy and shape the future of its film division. Terraform Labs has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, less than 2 years after a collapse of the companys cryptocurrency devastated traders around the world Terraform Labs has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, less than two years after a collapse of the companys cryptocurrency devastated investors around the world . The Singapore crypto firm filed for protection in U.S. bankruptcy court in Delaware on Sunday, according to court documents. Terraform listed both its estimated assets and liabilities in the $100 million to $500 million range. Terraform said that the bankruptcy filing will allow the company to execute on its business plan while navigating ongoing legal proceedings, which includes litigation in Singapore as well as the U.S. Terraform added that it intends to fulfill all financial obligations to employees and vendors during this bankruptcy case, and does not require additional financing. The company also plans to continue the expansion of its Web3 offerings. We have overcome significant challenges before and, against long odds, the ecosystem survived and even grew in new ways post-depeg; we look forward to the successful resolution of the outstanding legal proceedings, Chris Amani, Terraform Labs CEO, said in a prepared statement. Terrform's legal troubles boiled over following the May 2022 implosion of digital currencies TerraUSD and Luna. Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon was arrested in Montenegro last year and sentenced to four months in prison for using forged documents while attempting to fly to Dubai using fake Costa Rican passports. Korea and the United States have requested Kwon's extradition from Montenegro. TerraUSD was designed as a stablecoin, a currency that is pegged to stable assets like the U.S. dollar to prevent drastic fluctuations in prices. However, an estimated $40 billion in market value was erased for the holders of TerraUSD and its floating sister currency, Luna, after it plunged far below its $1 peg. (AP) Tyroo Technologies, a leading ad tech company, and Criteo, the commerce media company, have joined forces in a preferred ad reseller partnership to fuel the growth of Criteo's advertising solutions in India. The unique collaboration in India, effective from January 2024, provides Criteo's commerce media platform offerings to Tyroo, further helping advertisers in the country with Criteos advanced advertising solutions specifically built to enable businesses looking to reach their commerce goals. This partnership allows a broader range of advertisers in India to leverage Tyroo's local market expertise alongside Criteo's renowned AI technology and large-scale commerce data, said Julian Timmerman, Director, Global Services Partnerships, Criteo. As we head into 2024, we look forward to collaborating with Tyroo to further equip advertisers in India with our solutions to reach commerce outcomes they desire. Criteo is the leader in commerce media and shepherds the buying and selling of advertising with the suite of solutions that enables a full-funnel and omnichannel approach. Tyroo will expand and aid the base of brands leveraging Criteo's commerce media platform in India by enhancing the platform experience and client success management. Akshay Mathur, CRO of Tyroo Technologies, stated, "Our partnership with Criteo marks a strategic move to offer our advertisers in India access to their world-class commerce media platform, strengthening our commitment to providing unparalleled commerce offerings in the region. The commerce media opportunity in India is poised to be substantial. This strategic partnership exclusively targets India, solidifying Criteo's presence to a greater extent in this dynamic and rapidly expanding market. It will also further consolidate Tyroo's specialised commerce offerings to its existing and potential network of brands and agencies, providing an improved platform experience and measurable ROI for advertisers in India. Amid the rift with Assam Chief Minister, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that efforts are being made to enslave students of the North East and India, adding, There is no need for any student to be afraid. He also alleged that the Home Minister of the country picked up the phone, called CM Himanta, and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam. We are being stopped everywhere. The Home Minister of the country picked up the phone, called CM Himanta, and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam. Thats not important, whether Rahul Gandhi comes here or not. Whats important is that the students be allowed to listen to whomever they want. But it is not happening in any schools or colleges in Assam. You are being told that you cannot speak your language. You are being told that you cannot have your history, he said. He further said that efforts are being made to enslave the students of the North East and India. Nobody can stop you from thinking about the India that you want. Nobody can stop you from reading or writing in the language you want. Nobody should stop you from believing in any religion you want. You have come here because you are not ready for what the Chief Minister wants you to follow. An attempt is being made to stop the student from thinking. If students are stopped from thinking, then India will be destroyed; India will not survive, Rahul Gandhi added. There is no need for any student to be afraid; you are the future of this country, he asserted. Meanwhile, as the Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed its journey on the 10th day of Tuesday from Assam, heavy security was deployed at Khanapara Area, the entry point of Guwahati for the Yatra. There was barricading and heavy deployment of police officials in the Khanapara Area, where Rahul Gandhis Yatra will reach today. According to Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatras official handle on X, the Congress will hold a press conference later today. After that, the yatra will resume its journey and it will halt at Bishnupur in Assam. Bhupen Kumar Borah, Assam Congress President, said, Rahul jis name is not in any corruption case. Who is Raavan? Today, women in Assam are the most unsafe in the entire country. So wherever Ravana is, women will be unsafe. Rahul Gandhi on Monday, who arrived at the Batadrava Than, the birthplace of revered Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankardeva, in Assam, took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he was denied permission to enter the shrine. We want to visit the temple (Batadrava Than). What crime have I committed that I cannot visit the temple? Rahul Gandhi said. I want to go to the temple; what is wrong with this? Earlier, we were invited but now the administration is saying that we cannot go. Aaj sirf ek vyakti mandir mein ja sakta hain(Perhaps today only one person can go to the temple), the Congress leader said in an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Pran Pratishta ceremony at Ayodhya Ram Temple. Truist plans to close 72 locations in six states, including Alabama, as part of a $750 million cost-cutting plan. Banking Dive is reporting the cuts represent about 3.5% of the banks branch network. The firm is expected to also shutter branches in Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina and West Virginia. The company has not disclosed where the closures will take place. Truist has locations in more than 50 Alabama cities. Following the closures, Truist will operate 1,900 branches and 2,900 ATMs. Truist CEO Bill Rogers announced plans last year to consolidate the banks branch network, as part of a $750 million cost saving initiative over the next 12 to 18 months. The branch network cuts, along with trimming certain business lines, and four division heads will save Truist about $250 million. Mrs. Netta and Charles, an Alabama-based TikTok couple who have gone viral, made a stop at some popular restaurants in the Magic City this week. The couple is best known on social media for Netta cooking Charles various meals and calling for him by saying, Charles, your lunch is ready! Netta and Charles first stopped at Yo Mamas Restaurant for a plate of chicken and waffles. In a video posted to their Instagram, Netta did her usual call-out to Charles and added, Were in Birmingham, Alabama at Yo Mamas Restaurant, and they said they have the best soul food here in Alabama. Then she asked, Charles, taste that chicken to see if it crunch like Mrs. Nettas. Charles nods in agreement that it does. Crystal Peterson, owner of Yo Mamas, said Netta ordered catfish and grits for herself. After leaving Yo Mamas, the couple headed to K&Js Elegant Pastries for their popular milkshakes. Owner and head chef Kristal Bryant is seen in another Instagram video bringing the couple a red velvet cheesecake milkshake and an Oreo cheesecake milkshake. As Bryant delivered their large desserts to the table, Netta said, Oh my God, this is so beautiful! In the background of the video, a song recorded by Netta called Charles, Your Lunch Is Ready is heard playing. Both Bryant and Peterson said they noticed an increase in followers and engagement on their social media pages from the videos that Netta and Charles posted. They also said, the couple really does have fans because everyone wanted to stop to take a picture with them. Netta and Charles live in Sylacauga, but the reason for their visit to Birmingham remains unknown. However, their latest post on Instagram showed them dressed up in formal wear saying they have a surprise coming. Ronnie May remembers the horrific scene on March 18, 1988, when he responded to a call from Charles Sennett, a Church of Christ pastor in Sheffield. Sennett claimed he found his wife, Elizabeth Sennett, dead in their home on Coon Dog Cemetery Road in Colbert County. She had been stabbed, and beaten with a fireplace implement, in what investigators would soon conclude was a murder-for-hire paid for by the pastor and staged to look like a home invasion and burglary. She fought it and she fought hard, said May, who was chief investigator with the Colbert County Sheriffs Office at the time. It was horrific to me. You feel for the victim and what they went through - and the horror she went through in her last minutes, May said. And you feel for the family and the range of emotions, including pain and anger, May said of the Sennetts two sons. You see the horror and disbelief in their faces, said May, who retired in 2015 after 42 years in law enforcement and 16 years as sheriff. The sons plan to attend tonights scheduled execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith, one of the three men convicted in the murder-for-hire scheme their father committed suicide before he could be charged. The execution is set for 6 p.m. at Holman Correctional Facility. Smith ultimately confessed to his role, along with John Forrest Parker and a third man who had arranged it, according to law enforcement and court documents. At his first trial the jury voted to sentence Smith to death. At a second trial the jury voted 11-1 to recommend life without parole but the judge overrode it and sentenced him to death. On Tuesday night the U.S. Supreme Court denied Smiths request to halt the execution. According to court records summarizing the case, Charles Sennett Sr. recruited Billy Gray Williams, who in turn recruited Smith and Parker, to kill his wife. He was to pay them each $1,000 in cash for killing Mrs. Sennett. There was testimony that Charles Sennett was involved in an affair, that he had incurred substantial debts, that he had taken out a large insurance policy on his wife, and that approximately one week after the murder, when the murder investigation started to focus on him as a suspect, Sennett committed suicide, according to court documents. May described the murder scene and investigation in an interview with AL.com on Wednesday. One of the sheriffs secretaries had initially fielded the call from Sennett, who was screaming, and she couldnt understand what he was saying, said May, who then took the phone. After calming him down, he said, Sennett told him he had come home and found his wife dead. All we knew was a pastors wife had been killed in what had been a home invasion, May said. Investigators spent several days at the crime scene and a few things didnt seem right starting with the initial scene, he said. May was one of the first to arrive and he said he couldnt find any evidence of a pulse. But after rescue workers arrived, they announced they did find one heartbeat, May said. He (Charles Sennett Sr.) almost fell when they said that he said. May said he rode to the hospital in the ambulance hoping Mrs. Sennett would say something. But she never did, and doctors declared her dead a short time later. The scene within the home also appeared to be staged to look like a home invasion, May said. And later May said he realized he had actually met Charles Sennett Sr. just weeks before the murder. May said he had been working on another murder case the shooting death of a service station owner near Cherokee - several weeks earlier. Investigators were in the store when he happened to look up and saw a rescue squad member (Sennett) who was following him around, he said. May said he had to ask the man to leave, but he kept coming back inside the store. He said he speculated Sennett was trying to check out what investigators would look at in order to stage a crime scene. The suspects names came up from a call to CrimeStoppers, May said. After that call, investigators got the pastor back in for an interview for the better part of hour and he denied and denied, he said. Finally, Sennett got up to leave the interrogation room but stopped in the doorway when someone in the room wondered out loud whether they thought Sennett knew Kenny Smith, May said. He (Sennett) went beet red, he said. Immediately after that interview Sennett went straight to the home by the church where his sons and their families had gathered, May said. He admitted to them that he had an affair (and) he was responsible for their mothers death, he said. After telling his family, he walked outside to his old pickup truck, got in the front seat, and shot himself, said May, who rode to the hospital in the ambulance in hopes of getting Sennett to talk. He never responded and was declared dead at the hospital, he said. After that, investigators were able to get a search warrant for Smiths home and found a VCR that had come from the Sennetts house, May said. Smith and Parker both provided information about the death of Mrs. Sennett in interviews after Charles Sennett Sr.s death, May said. Parker was convicted and sentenced to death. He was executed in 2010. Williams was convicted and sentenced to life without parole. Related stories: Alabama death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smiths stay of execution request denied by U.S. Supreme Court Alabama man sentenced to death over jurys wish asks U.S. Supreme Court to stay execution Federal judge dismisses lawsuit by Alabama death row inmate Kenneth Eugene Smith Alabama sets execution in murder-for-hire of pastors wife, despite jurys recommendation Judge to hear arguments in case of Alabama death row inmate scheduled to die in November A suspect has been charged in the November shooting death of a man at an east Birmingham motel. Roderick Bell Christian, of Birmingham, is charged with murder in the slaying of 59-year-old Marcus Hill, according to court records made public Tuesday. East Precinct officers were dispatched at 11:51 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, to the Roadway Inn and Suites at 9225 Parkway East. When police arrived, said Sgt. LaQuitta Wade, they found Hill unresponsive on the third-floor balcony. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service pronounced him dead on the scene at 12:12 p.m. Wade at the time said it appeared the victim was involved in a verbal altercation with the suspect before the fatal shots were fired. The suspect left the scene. Christian, 62, was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 12:55 p.m. Monday. He remains held without bond. A Madison man was sentenced Tuesday to life in federal prison for his involvement with a child sexual abuse website. William Michael Spearman, 58, of Madison, pleaded guilty last year to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. He received the maximum sentence under the law. According to court documents, Spearman was the lead administrator of the website, which included sections devoted to the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers, and images and videos depicting children being subjected to pain and torture. The site also gave tips on avoiding detection by law enforcement. Spearman managed a staff, directing them on how to run the site, and recommended other users for promotion. He also kept records of child sexual abuse material advertised and distributed over the site, presided over staff meetings, praised and scolded users, and counseled users and other managers about the functions and expectations of the website, according to prosecutors. An additional six people in Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, Washington and Nevada have either pleaded guilty or been sentenced to prison in connection with the case. An inmate who escaped from an Alabama city jail is back in custody after he was captured hiding in a garbage can in an Atlanta neighborhood. Tyree Chapman, 22, escaped from the Bessemer City Jail about 7 p.m. on Jan. 12. He had been jailed since Dec. 29 on multiple misdemeanor charges. He was taken back into custody Jan. 17 after leading law enforcement officers on a chase in Georgia, Atlanta police announced Monday. Details of Chapmans Alabama escape werent immediately available but police officials said it wasnt a dramatic escape. After he made his getaway, however, he is accused of stealing a vehicle from the parking lot of Planet Fitness in Bessemer. Atlanta police said they were notified at 3:37 p.m. Wednesday that a stolen Infiniti Q50 was in the area of 371 Boulevard N.E. Tyree Chapman, a 22-year-old who escaped from the Bessemer City, was captured while hiding in a garbage can following a police chase in Atlanta.(Atlanta Police Department) Officers requested the assistance of the Aviation Unit (Phoenix 1) and the Georgia State Patrol. Phoenix 1 was able to locate the vehicle in the parking lot of a Chevron and watched as the suspect later identified as Chapman - exit the gas station and then get into the vehicle. Officers tried to stop Chapman, but he did not stop and took off at a high rate of speed. Tyree Chapman, a 22-year-old who escaped from the Bessemer City, was captured while hiding in a garbage can following a police chase in Atlanta.(Atlanta Police Department) Phoenix 1 was able to track the vehicle to a convenience store located at 322 Glenn Street S.W. where Chapman abandoned the stolen vehicle and attempted to elude police officers on foot. Phoenix 1 observed the suspect run through a residential area where he attempted to conceal himself inside a garbage can. That information was relayed to officers on the ground who eventually located the suspect inside of the garbage can and took him into custody. Tracking dogs helped officers recover a handgun that the suspect had tried to hide inside another garbage can, police said. Chapman told police he had escaped from the Bessemer City Jail. He is wanted in Jefferson County on charges including first-degree theft. In Georgia, he is charged with driving while license suspended or revoked, reckless driving. Fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and theft by receiving stolen property. Chapman was booked into the Fulton County Jail awaiting extradition to Bessemer. Some Birmingham City Council members want to explore alternatives to using the Jefferson County Personnel Board for hiring and firing employees, but leaders of the police and firefighter unions strongly objected at Tuesdays council meeting. We have literally no leverage with the Jefferson County Personnel Board if we are dissatisfied with them, said Birmingham City Council President Darrell OQuinn. The city voted Tuesday to adopt its legislative agenda, issues on which it wants to lobby the state legislature. A proposal to support enabling legislation that would allow the City of Birmingham to opt out of the Jefferson County Personnel Board was dropped from the agenda even though OQuinn emphasized that it was simply a means to explore options. It is not pulling out, OQuinn said. It is seeking permission to consider that as an option. Stephen R. Cook, president of the Birmingham Firefighters Association, Local 117, spoke against the effort to stop using the county personnel board and said city employees were taken by surprise by the proposal to seek out alternatives. Cook said that it would make it harder for the city to retain employees if it leaves the county personnel board. City employees looking to jump to a suburban fire department in the county personnel system have hurdles to clear with the board, he said. You have to resign first, Cook said. Without that hurdle, the city risks an exodus of employees, he said. Its an easy route for all employees to leave. Council member Crystal Smitherman thanked Cook for expressing employee concerns. You are the heartbeat of the city and we appreciate that, Smitherman said. Council member Valerie Abbott said she was puzzled why the city would ponder leaving the county personnel board without a backup plan. Setting up a personnel board would be a costly venture and open the city to potential lawsuits, Abbott said. It costs millions, she said. I have heard nothing on our alternatives. Lawrence Billups, vice president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1, said the county personnel board has a history of protecting employees from being fired inappropriately. You have to keep protections, Billups said. Ive seen situations where people have been done wrong. Dexter Cunningham, a retired Birmingham police officer and former FOP president, said the personnel board offers an independent, merit-based hiring system that improved on previous systems that were dependent on political connections. Its not a spoils system, Cunningham said. Its fair and equitable. Birmingham and other police departments in Jefferson County hire from a list provided by the Jefferson County Personnel Board. But that list of available potential officers has been shrinking for years, from more than 1,000 to several hundred. That has caused concern about adequate police staffing and public safety. The citys legislative agenda that did pass included enabling legislation that allows for enhanced fines for littering, dumping, and weed abatement; foreclosure authority on properties that are nuisances; amending the AL Land Bank Act; Class 1 vacant property registration; seek funding for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; enabling legislation to create the Birmingham Housing Trust Fund; and enabling legislation to cap employee liability. See also: Beyond the Violence: Are There Enough Cops on the Street The United States on Monday called for Israel to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as Israeli forces stormed one hospital and put another under siege as they advanced deep into western Khan Younis in Gaza. Residents said the bombardment from air, land and sea was the most intense in southern Gaza since the war began in October 2023. Troops moved for the first time into Al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean coast, west of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza. There, they stormed Al-Khair hospital and arrested medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra told Reuters. There was no word from Israel on the situation at the hospital, and the military spokesperson's office had no comment. The military said later that three Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday in southern Gaza. Qidra said at least 50 people were killed on Sunday night in Khan Younis, while the sieges at medical facilities meant dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Monday said Israel had a right to defend itself but added: "We expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as well, as much as possible." Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals, which Hamas and medical staff deny. Israel launched an offensive last week to capture Khan Younis, which it now says is the principal headquarters of the Hamas militants responsible for the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that rules Gaza and is sworn to Israel's destruction. At least 25,295 Gazans have been killed since Oct. 7, 2023, Gaza health authorities said in an update on Monday. West Bank International concern has mounted over the Palestinian death toll from Israel's assault on the densely populated enclave and a humanitarian crisis afflicting hundreds of thousands of people. The United States has urged Israel to reduce civilian harm in Gaza, called on it to stop violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and has said it still believes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible. In Brussels on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz sidestepped discussion of a two-state solution at a meeting with European Union counterparts, opting to show them aspirational videos of future infrastructure projects. Israel has pushed back against calls for a Palestinian state, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed a hard line, saying any Palestinian state would pose "an existential danger" to Israel. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has circulated a discussion paper with a roadmap to peace that calls for a preparatory peace conference organized by the EU and Arab nations. The U.S. and U.N. were also invited to be conveners. Washington on Monday called for an investigation and accountability "as appropriate" following the West Bank death on Friday of a 17-year-old Palestinian American, who Palestinian health officials say was killed by Israeli security forces. The Israel-occupied West Bank has seen a surge of violence in parallel to the Gaza war that erupted in October 2023. The American-born youth's uncle told Reuters he died during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone throwing by Palestinians. (Reuters) Breeze Airways, a low-cost carrier based in Utah, announced Tuesday it will begin offering flights from the Mobile International Airport to Orlando and Providence, R.I., starting in April. The flights to Orlando will start approximately one month after Houston-based Avelo Airlines will suspend its Orlando-bound flights from the downtown Mobile airport. Avelo, which started the flights from Mobile to Orlando on May 31, will stop with the direct flights to Orlando on March 4. Chris Curry, president with the Mobile Airport Authority, said the experience with Avelo attracted Breeze to Mobile to offer a service to Orlando. The fare for the initial flight departing the Mobile International Airport on Wednesday, April 10, is $39. Departures and returning flights are scheduled twice weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Avelo demonstrated it could be successful with direct service, Curry said during a news conference announcing Breeze Airways entry into Mobile. He said the Mobile Airport Authoritys data showed that 45 percent of passengers who flew to Orlando aboard Avelo were from Mobile County, and another 20 percent were Baldwin County residents. The twice-weekly flights to Orlando will stop for approximately 30 minutes before going to Providence, a brief layover that Breeze Airways refers to as a BreezeThru flight. The initial prices on the Providence flight are a bit more expensive. A one-way flight on April 10 to Providence costs $155, according to the companys website. A return flight to Mobile on Saturday, April 13, is listed at $524. It is the first known time that an airline has offered a connection from Mobile to Providence, the largest city in Rhode Island and its state capital. Providence and Mobile are similar in population size. Bradley Byrne, president & CEO with the Mobile Chamber, said the flights to Providence will put passengers close to Amtrak train stations with close proximities to Boston and New York City. Anytime you add a destination, its a huge benefit, Byrne said. You are opening up the market. We will push this hard. Im sure there are a lot of people in Providence who dont know a lot about Mobile. This is an opportunity for us to sell our city to a part of the world that probably doesnt know much about us. Breeze Airways entry into Mobile also highlights the A220-series of planes that are made at the Airbus USA manufacturing plant near the international airport. The company will fly A220 planes from the Mobile airport that were made at the Mobile-based Airbus plant. The A220 is a 137 seats and has three different classes of configuration, Curry said, referring to Breeze Airways three-tier offerings that include the following: Nice - flights with the lowest fares, and offer passengers one carry-on bag Nicer - flights that offer more legroom, one checked bag and one carry-on. For the initial flight to Providence, the Nicer option costs $80 more. Nicest - flights that offer even more legroom, two checked bags and one carry-on. For the initial flight to Providence, the Nicest option costs $162 more. It also offers priority boarding. Breeze Airways will also be the only commercial carrier offering flights from the Downtown Mobile Airport. The airport, featuring a temporary two-gate terminal, will be replaced in November 2025, by a new $381 million, five-gate commercial terminal that has the potential to expand to 12 gates. The new commercial airport at the Brookley Aeroplex south of downtown Mobile will allow the Mobile Airport Authority to complete a swap of services from Mobile Regional Airport, which is where legacy carriers currently fly out of in west Mobile. Supporters of the project, including the city and the Airport Authority, say they believe the new airport close to downtown will allow for a greater expansion of destinations from Mobile. The craze over coveted Stanley cups turned into alleged theft after a 23-year-old Sacramento woman was accused of swiping 65 Stanley Cups worth $2,500, police said from multiple retailers. Delany Garcia-Lopez pleaded not guilty Friday to felony grand theft and two misdemeanors of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to court records. Her bail was suspended under a provision of the penal code in which the court believed money that could be used to post bail could have been obtained illegally. Roseville police officers were called Wednesday to the 6000 block of Stanford Ranch Road after retail workers saw a woman wheel out a shopping cart filled with Stanley cups without paying for them, police said. Garcia-Lopez was pulled over as she tried to enter Highway 65 from Galleria Boulevard, police said. Officers said they found 65 Stanley-branded insulated tumblers, allegedly taken from multiple businesses. Lt. Chris Ciampa, a spokesman for the Roseville Police Department, said Dicks Sporting Goods was one of the businesses where the thefts allegedly occurred. While Stanley Quenchers are all the rage, we strongly advise against turning to crime to fulfill your hydration habits, the Roseville Police Department said. Garcia-Lopez is due back in court Wednesday. 2024 The Sacramento Bee. Visit sacbee.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A contestant in Alabamas 2023 Miss National Peanut Festival pageant is accused in the murder of a toddler boy. Trinity Poague, 18, is charged with felony murder, aggravated battery, and first-degree cruelty to child, according to a weekend press release issued by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The Georgia teen is the reigning Miss Donalsonville and competed in the Alabama pageant in October 2023, according to the National Peanut Festival website. She did not place in the pageant. According to GBI, the Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department on Jan. 14 asked the GBI to investigate the death of a child. The investigation showed the unresponsive 18-month-old boy was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, Georgia. Hospital personnel performed life saving measures on the child; however, he later died. After multiple interviews and examination of the evidence, GBI agents arrested Poague. Sumter County, Ga. Coroner Mathis Wright told WALB that according to the birth certificate, the childs name was Romeo Angles, but at the hospital, the father gave him the name Jaxton Drew. He said the child died from blunt force trauma injuries. Some media outlets have reported that the toddler was her boyfriends child, but authorities have not confirmed the relationship between Poague and the victim. She is being held without bond. The Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department along with the Americus Police Department assisted in the investigation. A Mountain Brook doctor charged in the traffic crash death of her 10-year-old daughter while allegedly fleeing police has waived her right to a preliminary hearing. Dr. Sarah Kathleen Cumbest Mullican, a 45-year-old anesthesiologist, is charged with reckless manslaughter and felony attempting to elude in the July 22, 2023, death of Annabelle Mullican. Mullican was set to appear in court Wednesday for the hearing, which is when a defendant hears the evidence against him or her and a judge decides if there is enough probable cause to send the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration. Read full coverage of the case here With Mullican waiving the right to that hearing, the case will now be sent to a grand jury. Her bond remains set at $45,000, according to an order issued today by Jefferson County District Judge Katrina Ross. Mullican was initially arrested on the two charges on Sept. 15. According to an affidavit, Mullican did recklessly cause the death of (Annabelle) by operating a motor vehiclein excess of posted speed limits, and/or by attempting to elude a law enforcement officer, and/or while under the influence of controlled substances, thereby causing the death of (Annabelle) who was a passenger in the vehicle. The affidavit does not state what substances police say Mullican was under the influence of at the time. She is represented by attorneys Tommy Spina, Brett Bloomston and Ben Preston. The crash happened about 5:30 p.m. that Saturday on Cherokee Road in Mountain Brook. Annabelle Mullican (Canterbury United Methodist Church) According to a police report, an officer was parked in the driveway of a residence on Old Leeds Road when he saw a white Toyota Highlander coming toward him from Crosshill Road on Old Leeds Road at a high rate of speed. The officer clocked Mullican driving 47 mph in a 30-mph zone. The officer followed the SUV and saw it swerve out of its lane several times, the report states. It then turned left onto Cherokee Road, nearly striking a vehicle that it turned in front of, the report states. The officer then activated his emergency equipment and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The officer saw the driver throw a cup out the window along with another unidentified object in the 3500 block of Cherokee Road, police have said. The vehicle appeared to accelerate after (the officer) turned his lights and siren on, the report states. The SUV then negotiated the curve as the roadway curved to the right. As the roadway curved back to the left, the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway. It then struck several trees and overturned before coming to a stop in the ditch on the right side of the road. The crash was recorded on the officers dash cam. It showed that when the SUV ran off the right side of the road, the passengers side of the vehicle struck a tree. The vehicle began spinning before it struck another tree on the passengers side. The vehicle then spun around and overturned as it struck another tree while sliding further down the ditch, according to the report. The SUV then hit a fourth tree with its front bumper before coming to a stop while it was still overturned. Mullican had several abrasions on her arms and legs. She was treated by Mountain Brook Fire on the scene and released. Callie Mullican, 8, also suffered abrasions on her arms and legs. Police believe she was seated in the passengers side backseat, with her seatbelt locked in place, records state. She was taken to Childrens of Alabama. Annabelle was seated in the drivers side back seat. Her seat belt was not locked in place indicating that she was not wearing her seatbelt, according to the report. Annabelle had a major head injury and was unresponsive at the scene, the officer wrote. She was taken to Childrens of Alabama where she was pronounced dead at 6:20 p.m. The Jefferson County Coroners Office told police Annabelles fatal injuries included a skull fracture. The report says Dr. Mullican was taken by police to Childrens of Alabama. A search warrant for Dr. Mullicans blood and saliva was later carried out at Brookwood Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Mullican was admitted to Brookwood for a psychiatric evaluation and issued a traffic citation by police for reckless driving. Former Judge Judy star Judy Sheindlin stumped for Republican underdog Nikki Haley in New Hampshire on the eve of that states GOP primary. The 81-year-old TV star, who doesnt think frontrunners Joe Biden and Donald Trump should be re-elected as president in November, insists her support for Haley isnt because shes a powerful women. I would support her if she were a frog, Sheindlin told CNNs Dana Bash. Sheindlin supported Michael Bloomberg in the 2020 election, where the former New York City mayor was defeated by Biden in the Democratic primary. The tough-talking Brooklyn native told CNN she was impressed by Haleys performance as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations in 2017 and 2018, but became a supporter after meeting the 52-year-old former governor of South Carolina about a year ago. Shes young, shes vital, shes focused, she has the intellectual capacity, Sheindlin said. Shes measured, she doesnt get ruffled by bullies. Sheindlin insisted shes not a Trump basher, but believes neither he nor Biden commands respect to the same degree as the cognitively stable Haley. I dont think that either of those two men has the intellectual gravitas to govern this great country, she said. The fact that shes a woman, great, but Id vote for her if she were a goat. Haley gladly accepted Sheindlins endorsement at a Monday rally in Exeter, N.H. How cool is to have Judge Judy endorse you? She doesnt mince words. --------- 2024 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. An investigation is underway after a man was seriously injured Tuesday in an accidental Birmingham shooting. Birmingham police and Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service responded at 11:42 a.m. to a report of a shooting in the 3000 block of Five Mile Creek Road. They arrived to find an adult male inside a truck who had been shot in the leg. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said the mans injuries are life-threatening. It wasnt immediately clear, Fitzgerald said, if the injury was self-inflicted. The Lawrence County Sheriffs Office said it has seized 32 dogs that were in poor health, and charges may follow. The incident happened on Friday, when the sheriffs office said its patrol division executed a search warrant, along with animal control, at an abandoned residence on County Road 324. They found the dogs there, along with three dead dogs. The surviving dogs, which are now being held as evidence, were taken to the Lawrence County Animal Shelter to receive medical care from a local veterinarian. It has also come to our attention (from) people are posting on social media that some of the dogs may have been stolen, the sheriffs office announced. We will meet with the district attorney this week to ensure the owners of the dogs are appropriately charged. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is making a campaign stop at the University of Alabama on Wednesday to talk student issues in Tuscaloosa. Kennedy initially ran as a Democrat challenging President Biden in the primary before launching an independent campaign for president in October. He is scheduled to speak Wednesday afternoon at the Bryant Conference Centers Sellers Auditorium, the campaign announced Monday. A scion of the Kennedy political family and the son of ex-Sen. and U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the younger Kennedy will address everything from tackling student loan debt to restoring the American Dream during the campaign stop. He will share how as president he will build a brighter future for young Americans, the campaign said. On the campaign trail, Kennedy has taken swipes at the Democratic and Republican parties, claiming both major parties are rife with corrupt leaders and that he can unite the country. America is more polarized and divided now than at any time in living memory. Both sides seem to agree that the basic problem is the horrible people on the other side. Both sides are wrong. The basic problem is the division itself. A divided public lacks the strength to resist exploitation or to overcome the inertia of the status quo, the Alabama portion of Kennedys website states. The classic American can-do spirit exhausts itself in endless battles. So lets heal the divide. A Quinnipiac University poll released last month showed Kennedy leading both Biden and Trump among independents. Kennedy had support of 36 percent of independents in the survey, followed by Biden at 32 percent and Trump at 26 percent. The poll also showed Kennedy with 22 percent support nationwide in a three-way race with Biden and Trump. Biden had 38 percent and Trump 36 percent. Kennedy gained national acclaim as an environmental lawyer and advocate taking on oil corporations such as ExxonMobil. He later became the face of vaccine skepticism, making the unfounded claim that inoculations are linked to autism. During the pandemic, Kennedy shared similar skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine, causing him to be banned from Instagram for sharing vaccine disinformation. Authorities are trying to identify the suspects in a violent store robbery in Lowndes County The armed holdup happened Saturday, Jan. 13, at the Pilot-Flying J on Tyson Road in Hope Hull. The suspect entered the business, went behind the counter and began stealing merchandise, putting the items into a gray trash can. The suspect, according to Central Alabama Crime Stoppers, was approached by a store employee. At that point, he hit the employee with chrome-colored pistol and forced the employee to the ground. The suspect then fled the business. Investigators say the suspect, identified as a Black male, was seen on video surveillance wearing a black beanie, black hooded sweatshirt, dark-colored pants, and gray in-color shoes. They are actively seeking the identity of the suspect and are asking anyone with information to please come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call Central Alabama Crime Stoppers at 334-215-STOP (7867) or 1-833-AL1-STOP (251-7867). Tips can also be submitted through the agencys P3-tips app. Friends and family are mourning the loss of a 20-year-old Tuscaloosa County man who was fatally shot at a friends birthday party in Tuscaloosa County over the weekend. Cayden Beau Nolen died Saturday morning in a shooting that also injured three other people. Beau was a son, brother, friend, and loved by many that knew his kind and funny personality, a family member wrote in a GoFundMe to help with Nolens burial. Tuscaloosa County sheriffs deputies responded at 3 a.m. Saturday to the 11000 block of Pate Road in the Buhl community on a report of a shooting. Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said four people were wounded by gunfire. Deputies attempted life-saving measures on Nolen but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Two other victims were hospitalized with critical wounds but are currently stable. A fourth victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Kennedy said the investigation shows the gunfire stemmed from an altercation. Dallas Eugene Clark, 22, of Northport, Zachary Tyler Smith, 23, of Buhl, and Jarret Tyler Booth, 21, also of Buhl, are charged with one count of murder and three counts of attempted murder. Kennedy said multiple other charges are pending. Clark, Smith, and Booth were booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail. There was an outpouring of support on social media following Nolens death. If only you knew the lives you touched. If only you knew the impact you were able to create on ones life in such a short period of time is unexplainable, one friend wrote. Your ability to light up a room in an instant was out of this world. You never failed to keep the party going. You always made sure those you cared about were okay before yourself, the friend wrote. You never failed to be there for those you loved and that is beyond beautiful. According to the GoFundMe, Nolens father died unexpectedly in November. He was the financial provider for the family, and his wife Nolens mother is struggling to make ends meet. No words right now will help ease the familys suffering and pain, the GoFundMe reads. Together, maybe we can ease the financial strain on Brooke give Beau a beautiful and proper funeral. Donations can be made here. By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press ROME A Vatican-affiliated Catholic charity made an urgent appeal Tuesday to the U.S. state of Alabama to halt a planned execution this week using nitrogen gas, saying the method is barbarous and uncivilized and would bring indelible shame to the state. The Rome-based SantEgidio Community has lobbied for decades to abolish the death penalty around the world. It has turned its attention to Thursdays scheduled execution of Kenneth Eugene Smith in what would be the first U.S. execution using nitrogen hypoxia. Unless stopped by courts, Smith will be put to death for the 1988 murder-for-hire of a preachers wife. In legal filings, Alabama has said Smith will wear a gas mask and that breathable air will be replaced with nitrogen, depriving him of oxygen needed to stay alive. In many respects, Alabama seems to have the awful ambition of setting a new, downward standard of humanity in the already questionable and barbaric world of capital executions, Mario Marazziti, in charge of SantEgidios death penalty abolition group, told a Rome press conference. We are asking that this execution be stopped, because the world cannot afford to regress to the stage of killing in a more barbaric way, he said in one of several SantEgidio briefings taking place in Europe to draw attention to the case. The Alabama attorney generals office told federal appeals court judges last week that nitrogen hypoxia is the most painless and humane method of execution known to man. But some doctors and critics say the effects and what exactly Smith, 58, will feel are unknown. A petition from SantEgidio urging Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to grant Smith clemency has been signed by 15,000 people, officials told reporters. Marazziti noted that around the world, the trend has been to abolish the death penalty. According to Amnesty International, 112 countries have abolished it altogether, while others have issued a moratorium or dont practice it. For those that still do, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United States had the most reported executions in 2022, Amnesty said. Pope Francis in 2018 declared the death penalty inadmissable in all cases. Alabama attempted to kill Smith by lethal injection in 2022, but the state called off the execution before the lethal drugs were administered because authorities were unable to connect the two required intravenous lines to Smiths veins. Jerri King Gaither. Jerri Lynn King. Jerri Lynn Wynn. Jerri Lynn Isreal. Jerri Lynn Roby. Whatever the name she used, its the same woman -- a woman guilty of a 1993 murder in Florida who is now charged with killing her own son in Gulfport, Miss., and stuffing his body in a box inside a wall of her home. Now going by the name Jerry Lynn Isreal, the 66-year-old was taken into custody Saturday, according to the Gulfport Police Department. Isreals son, 42-year-old John Allen Gaither, shared a Gulfport home with his mother. Police went to the home on Dec. 22 after Gaither was reported as a possible missing person. By Dec. 27, detectives had done several follow-up visits and had noticed discrepancies in statements made by Isreal. She also became increasingly uncooperative, police said. Once detectives learned Isreal had been found guilty of the Florida murder 30 years earlier, they obtained a search warrant for the Gulfport home and found a wooden box located behind a false wall. Inside the box was the body of John Gaither. Isreal was taken into custody and charged with 1st-degree murder. She remained held without bond in the Harrison County (Miss.) Jail as of Monday afternoon. Gaithers body was scheduled for an autopsy Monday. Isreal being held without bond comes as little surprise. Thirty years ago, going by the name Jerri King Gaither, she spent roughly seven months eluding law enforcement, bail bondsmen and a half-dozen bounty hunters after she skipped out on $100,000 bail after she was charged with the murder in Palm Beach County, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel. It wasnt until what ostensibly was a routine traffic stop in June 1995 that a Florida Highway Patrol trooper took Gaither into custody, just three weeks before her bondsmen would have to pay the $100,000 bond they had guaranteed. The trooper stopped her because the leased Ford Escort she was driving had fake plastic license plates. Once she was stopped, Gaither gave the trooper a receipt for a drivers license and a phony birth certificate with one of her many aliases -- Carol Ann Navarro. The trooper also noticed a mail-order catalog for fake identifications inside the vehicle. One of the bondsmen in the Gaither case told the Sun Sentinel Gaither was known to manipulate people, especially men, and engendered loyalty from friends and family. Everybody who she deals with believes in her, the bondsman told the newspaper at the time. Weve talked to maybe 50 people, and, except for an ex-husband in Los Angeles who promised to shoot her on sight, no one will talk to us. Gaither ultimately pleaded guilty to the murder of 44-year-old Christina Racey, who Gaither claimed was her drug dealer. Raceys body was found in the trunk of Gaithers car during a December 1993 standoff with police in Okeechobee County, during which Gaither threatened to kill herself, according to the Sun Sentinel. Gaither was initially charged with 1st-degree murder, but would plead guilty to 2nd-degree murder with a firearm. She was sentenced to 17 years, but was released in August 2003 after only seven and a half years, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. Records also show Gaither spent a year and a half in a Florida prison for drug trafficking. She was released from that prison stint in October 2017. Its unknown when she and her son moved to the Mississippi coast. Eyes across the world are on Alabama as the state prepares to be the first in the world to conduct an execution using nitrogen gas. Kenneth Eugene Smith, 58, is set to die by nitrogen hypoxiaor suffocation on nitrogen gassometime between 12 a.m. on Thursday, January 25, and 6 a.m. on Friday, January 26. The execution will take place at William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, just miles from the Florida border. Its the only prison in Alabama with an execution chamber. The prison sits adjacent to G.K. Fountain Correctional Facility, where prison officials direct media to work on execution nights. Typically, members of the media gather in a building on prison property until the execution proceeds. But last week, the ADOC said in an email, there will be an overflow area set up in a field by the media center in anticipation of nationaland internationalinterest. Only credentialed media members are allowed. Just five journalists - including one from AL.com - are permitted inside to witness the execution. An Amnesty International researcher asked Gov. Kay Ivey to call off the planned execution. While Amnesty International is opposed to the death penalty in all cases, there are specifics about Kenneth Smiths circumstances that make it even more disturbing that Alabama is willing to carry out this execution, said Justin Mazzola. This execution will be carried out by nitrogen gas, a method not previously used, on a man who was subjected to a cruel botched execution attempt just 14 months ago. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights highlighted how this new untested method could be extremely painful, result in a botched execution, and could amount to torture or other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, thereby violating international human rights treaties that the U.S. has ratified. It is high time the death penalty was abolished. The group also highlighted that Smith was sentenced to death under judicial overridea judge sentenced Smith to death over the wishes of a jurya practice now outlawed in Alabama and across the United States. Judicial override was outlawed in the state years ago, but not made retroactive. Its disturbing that the state of Alabama is willing to execute Kenneth Smith under these circumstances. Governor Ivey has an opportunity to use her clemency power to stop this execution, but she shouldnt stop there she should also work with the legislature to pass and enact this years bill, HB 27, to make the ban on judicial override retroactive, thus providing relief to others in Smiths situation, including Rocky Myers. International interest has exploded in the case, with the United Nations express(ing) alarm over the scheduled execution. A panel of UN experts warned that experimental executions will likely violate the UN convention against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, to which the United States is a member. The panel also called on state and federal authorities to halt the execution, pending a review of procedures. It cited the possibility of grave suffering which execution by pure nitrogen inhalation may cause. A leading Catholic charity is also making an appeal to the to halt the execution. The SantEgidio Community called the method is barbarous and said it would bring indelible shame to the state. The group has lobbied for decades to abolish the death penalty. A reporter from the BBC is already reporting from Atmore, days ahead of the set execution. The nitrogen execution is set to be the first of its kind. Many states have approved the method, as Alabama did in 2018, but no state has yet to attempt it. Smiths lawyers have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt the execution, but the high court has yet to rule. There is nothing more final and irreversible than death. Without a stay of his execution, Mr. Smith faces an unconstitutional death that will strip him of his final dignity, wrote his lawyers in their petition. ADOCs recent string of failed execution attemptsincluding the one Mr. Smith already sufferedis the only evidence needed to support this assertion. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office filed a response to the high court, saying nitrogen hypoxia may be the most humane method of execution ever devised. Smith has been on death row more than three decades for participating in the murder-for-hire plot of Elizabeth Dorlene Sennett in her home in Colbert County in 1988. Sennett was a pastors wife who was beaten and stabbed. Smith confessed to his role in the crime after the slaying. A Baldwin County sheriffs deputy has been on unpaid leave for a month after being arrested on a grand theft auto charge in Pensacola, the sheriffs office said Monday. The deputy, who was not named, was off-duty when he was arrested in downtown Pensacola on Dec. 8, said Baldwin County Sheriffs Office Assistant Chief Deputy Tony Nolfe. Nolfe said the agency was told about the incident shortly after the arrest, and the deputy was then placed on paid administrative leave. On Dec. 11, the sheriffs office began an investigation which resulted in the deputy being put on unpaid administrative leave on Dec. 22. The unpaid leave is pending the sheriffs offices investigation as well as the case against the deputy in Florida, said Nolfe. At this time we will release no further information regarding this ongoing personnel/disciplinary matter, the assistant chief deputy said. In 2020 Congress created the Naming Commission, to review Confederate names and iconography on DoD installations. In August and September of 2022 -- right in the midst of congressional reelection season -- the commission issued its final report. In the preface to that report, the commissioners proclaimed what, in their view, it meant to commemorate a person, group or other entity: Commemoration elevates an act, event, or individual by bestowing it with communal esteem and honor The best commemorations highlight individuals, movements and moments that epitomize the highest values of our present and motivate us as we shape our societies of the future Commemoration celebrates, affirms, and extols Commemoration is about who we strive to be. Then, the commissioners unloaded this bombshell: In passing the 2021 William M. Mac Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act, the United States Congress determined that Confederates and the Confederacy no longer warrant commemoration through Department of Defense assets. Presumably then, the Naming Commission -- an agent of Congress -- has determined that any aspect of Confederate service or accomplishments of Confederate soldiers are now unworthy of communal esteem and honor by todays American military. The commissioners didnt come out, place themselves on record and specifically say that Confederates are unworthy of respect. But, the flow of the text and the specific language used in the preface makes their intent -- and presumably that of Congress -- crystal-clear. "Politics makes me sad sometimes." That statement is from Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit. What specifically made Reynolds sad? "[T]he ongoing game of Civilizational Jenga that our ruling class is playing. One by one, theyre withdrawing the supports of civil society, in a process that will inevitably lead to a collapse. Theyre taking what was a very robust society, and consuming all the safety margins, bit by bit." What triggered his sadness? The removal of the Reconciliation Memorial from Arlington National Cemetery. It is, according to Reynolds, a post Civil War memorial marking a return to American unity. As David Strom writes: Speaking practically, history has shown that even though the Southern states rose against the federal government, over the past century, our most patriotic and self-sacrificial defenders of our country have come from citizens of the South. Tearing down the reconciliation monument is spitting in the face of the memory of these citizens ancestors and a rejection of recognizing the complications in Americas history. It is, in other words, both offensive and stupid. I say this as an admirer of Lincolns cause and a strong opponent of the Southern ideology. "[T]he American experience of reconciliation after one of the worlds bloodier and more divisive conflicts," said Reynolds "is one that perhaps ought to get more attention. Instead, it is being erased. Theres little enough of reconciliation in todays politics." And that makes Reynolds sad. It should make all of us sad. And irritated -- at Congress. In the linked Substack article, Reynolds seems to point the finger of blame at the Biden administration ("the Biden Administration is removing the Reconciliation Monument"). But Congress owns the Naming Commission, and everything associated with it. It created the commission and, most importantly, reviewed and approved its recommendations. It is the culprit that caused this latest iteration of civilizational Jenga. During the past year, as the overreach and sweep of the "Naming" Commission's recommendations and judgment came to light, Congress received numerous warnings about the negative side-effects of those recommendations and judgments, the most prominent of those warnings being Jim Webb's WSJ op-ed. Apparently, it ignored all of them. Okay, then -- it now owns this issue. Not the Defense Department. Not the Army. The Congress. On April 12th, 1865, Union general Joshua Chamberlain showed a different attitude toward Confederate soldiers. Chamberlain was no insignificant officer. As commander of the 20th Maine Infantry regiment at Gettysburg, he arguably (along with generals Stephen H. Weed and Strong Vincent, both of whom died in the battle, and General Gouverneur Warren) saved the battle for the Union. The 20th Maine, 83rd Pennsylvania, and 44th New York held Little Round Top, the extreme left of the Union line. If the Confederates took the hill, they might have broken the Union defensive line. Chamberlain's Mainers withstood repeated assaults from Hood's division. With insufficient ammunition to repel another charge, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet attack. It was a classic "spoiling attack." It surprised and scattered the Confederates at the bottom of the hill and saved Little Round Top for the Union. Jeff Daniels played Chamberlain in the Civil War epics Gettysburg and Gods and Generals. On April 12th, 1865, Chamberlain commanded the detachments of the Union Armies of the Potomac and James that accepted the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginias infantry. Here's how Chamberlain described the scene at Appomattox, as the Confederate troops approached the surrender field: At such a time and under such conditions I thought it eminently fitting to show some token of our feeling, and I therefore instructed my subordinate officers to come to the position of 'salute' in the manual of arms as each body of the Confederates passed before us. It was not a 'present arms,' however, not a 'present,' which then as now was the highest possible honor to be paid even to a president. It was the 'carry arms,' as it was then known, with musket held by the right hand and perpendicular to the shoulder. I may best describe it as a marching salute in review. When General Gordon came opposite me I had the bugle blown and the entire line came to 'attention,' preparatory to executing this movement of the manual successively and by regiments as Gordon's columns should pass before our front, each in turn. The General was riding in advance of his troops, his chin drooped to his breast, downhearted and dejected in appearance almost beyond description. At the sound of that machine-like snap of arms, however, General Gordon started, caught in a moment its significance, and instantly assumed the finest attitude of a soldier. He wheeled his horse facing me, touching him gently with the spur, so that the animal slightly reared, and as he wheeled, horse and rider made one motion, the horse's head swung down with a graceful bow, and General Gordon dropped his swordpoint to his toe in salutation. By word of mouth General Gordon sent back orders to the rear that his own troops take the same position of the manual in the march past as did our line. That was done, and a truly imposing sight was the mutual salutation and farewell. I suppose that, if the Naming Commission (or the modern-day U.S. Congress) had been at Appomattox that day, they would have chastised Chamberlain. Appomattox was the site of the beginning of a long national and cultural reconciliation. At Appomattox, the leaders on both sides, Lee and Grant, took actions that helped end the war peacefully. Lee decided to surrender his army, instead of scattering it into the Southern countryside as guerillas. Grant offered generous surrender terms. Those actions showed a spirit of reconciliation instead of retribution. If our modern-day elected leaders are uninterested in or indifferent to reconciliation, then they have turned their back on the spirit of Appomattox, and the honorable example that Grant, Lee and thousands of decent men set there. That should make all of us sad. And worried. Image: Timothy Evanson Democrat and JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon criticized his own party Wednesday for dismissing the concerns of Trumps far-right MAGA Republican supporters by misunderstanding why those supporters feel as they do. He made his remarks at the annual World Economic Forum gathering of economic and government leaders held in Davos, Switzerland. Dimon said during an interview with CNBC: Trump wasnt wrong about some of these critical issues. I wish the Democrats would think a little more carefully when they talk about MAGA. When people say MAGA, theyre looking at people who voted for Trump and theyre basically scapegoating them, that you are like him. Dimon added that he doesnt think they are voting for Trumps family values. Just take a step back, be honest. He said Trump was kinda right about NATO and immigration. Trump grew the economy quite well, tax reform worked, and he was right about some of China. Dimon failed to mention that under President Trump, there were no wars, a strong military, drill-baby-drill and energy independence, he brought back jobs to America from China, built the first safe modular nuclear reactors, built 450 miles of border wall, and saw the illegal invasion slowed to a trickle. Additionally, he oversaw federal tax reform, near-historic low unemployment across all ethnic groups, economic growth of $6,000 per the average family, prison reform, the Middle East Abraham Peace Accords, COVID vaccines research under Operation Warp Speed, reduced CO2 by 2.9%, withdrew from the Paris climate accords, vetoed giving billions to Iran, and destroyed ISIS. Trumps most important accomplishment: three Supreme Court justices appointed (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett) judges who believe in judicial restraint and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. Donald Trump Vowed to never allow the central bank to convert from hard currency to digital currencies if elected, because such a currency would give our federal government absolute control over your money. Although ardent Democrats find ways to praise Trump, they do not want to acknowledge that the very soul of the Democrat party has been severely wounded. And the Democrat commitment to the rights of man no longer exists. Moderate Democrats are also starting to wake up to the fact that their party has been hijacked by extreme leftists, which is a clear and present existential threat to America. Maybe there is hope that more Democrats will say enough is enough of this weaponized tyranny that is destroying Americas Constitution, civil rights, rule of law, and major cities, which are overrun with open-border illegals. Hopefully they will vote for the right candidate in November, because Republicans alone cannot save our country. We desperately need these moderate Democrats to lock arms with Republicans with clear eyes and unswerving determination to reverse these last four years and save our America by returning to a constitutionally based government of the people, by the people, for the people. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. China the most trustworthy partner 13:28, January 23, 2024 By He Yin ( People's Daily China's economy took center stage at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2024, which was themed "Rebuilding Trust". Participants actively praised the enhanced resilience of China's economy and businesses over the past two years. They acknowledged that China's efforts would create more opportunities for global economic growth and employment. China's pursuit of high-level opening-up was seen as having a positive impact on promoting international economic and trade development. The attendees widely recognized that China's solution was indispensable in addressing the global trust deficit. The China (Hainan) International Winter Trade Fair for Tropical Agricultural Products 2023 kicks off at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Haikou, south China's Hainan province, Dec. 14, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Su Bikun) Currently, the global economic recovery is fragile and sluggish and lacks momentum, and the development gap is widening. The impact of geopolitical conflicts on global development is becoming increasingly evident. More than 2,800 representatives from over 120 countries and regions gathered at the WEF Annual Meeting 2024 in Davos, Switzerland with a common goal of promoting global economic governance and helping the world economy overcome difficulties and sail towards a brighter future. China has always been sharing the same goal with the WEF. Chinese President Xi Jinping's important remarks on promoting economic globalization and upholding true multilateralism, as articulated at WEF platforms, hold profound practical significance in addressing global challenges. While striving for high-quality development of its own economy, China has always been sincerely committed to fostering an open world economy and has made tremendous efforts to improve global economic governance. The facts have proven that China is the most trustworthy partner. China's economy is steadily advancing, providing sustained strong impetus for global economic development. Over the years, China's contribution to world economic growth has stayed at around 30 percent. In 2023, China's economy showed positive overall growth, with a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent in GDP. It has been repeatedly emphasized by international media outlets that China's economic growth rate was among the top in the world's major economies. According to the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report, driven by China's economic recovery, the economic growth in East Asia and the Pacific region is projected to increase from 3.4 percent in 2022 to 5.1 percent in 2023. The Hefei West Railway Station is under construction in Hefei, east China's Anhui province, Dec. 31, 2023. (People's Daily Online/Luo Xianyang) China has established sound and solid fundamentals in terms of the industrial base, production factors and innovation capacity. The conditions supporting high-quality development continue to gather and increase. The overall trend of long-term growth will not change. Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the WEF, noted that China's healthy economic development brings very positive spillover effects to other parts in the world. China remains firmly committed to opening up, and continues to create favorable conditions for the world to share in its opportunities. China is a major trading partner of over 140 countries and regions, with the overall tariff level cut to 7.3 percent, relatively on par with the developed members in the World Trade Organization. Currently, global demand remains insufficient, and the market is the scarcest resource. The Chinese market, with its vast space and growing depth, will play an important role in boosting aggregate global demand. China warmly welcomes foreign companies to continue investing in China and strives to create a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized. China will steadily expand institutional opening up, continue to shorten the negative list for foreign investment, follow through on removing all restrictions on access for foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, and guarantee national treatment for foreign businesses. According to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, the return on FDI in the Chinese mainland had been around 9.1 percent over the past five years, while in Europe and the United States, it was around 3 percent. The facts have already proven and will continue to prove that choosing the Chinese market is not a risk but an opportunity. Photo taken on Jan. 10, 2024 shows a busy scene at a container terminal of the Qingdao port in east China's Shandong province. (People's Daily Online/Han Jiajun) China advocates for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and continues to contribute wisdom to improving global economic governance. Economic globalization is an inherent requirement of developing productive forces, a natural result of scientific and technological advancement, a sure path to human progress and more importantly, an irreversible trend of the times. In order to promote economic globalization for the greater benefit of people around the world, China advocates for a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. A universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization means meeting the common needs of all countries, especially the developing countries, properly addressing the development imbalances between and within countries resulting from the global allocation of resources. It is important for the international community to resolutely oppose the attempt to roll back globalization and abuse the concept of security, oppose all forms of unilateralism and protectionism, firmly promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, overcome the structural problems hindering the healthy development of the world economy, and make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced and beneficial to all. In response to the prominent challenges facing the global economy, China advocates for strengthening coordination of macroeconomic policies, enhancing international division of labor and cooperation, promoting international scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation, fostering collaboration in green development, and strengthening North-South and South-South cooperation. These proposals provide practical and feasible solutions for rebuilding trust in the international community. Only when all sides treat each other with sincerity and work in the same direction can there be a stronger foundation of trust and more fruits of cooperation. While focusing on effectively managing its own affairs, China will uphold solidarity, cooperation, openness, and sharing, and work together with all parties to improve global economic governance, so as to promote the steady and sustainable recovery of the world economy. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) The Biden administration deceives itself and others by proclaiming the possibility of resolving the conflict between Palestinian Jews and Palestinian Arabs on the basis of two states for two peoples. Its proposal, covered in a thick layer of historical dust and a fog of lies, has become the American operational plan for resolving a conflict that has been consistently abandoned by both sides. On Nov. 29, 1947, the UN decided to form a Jewish and Arab ("Palestinian") state. On May 14, 1948, the birthday of the State of Israel, all the then-existing Arab countries and Palestinian Arabs started a war to destroy the newly formed Jewish state in order to create an Arab state on the entire territory of Western Palestine. Israel accepted the UN decision to divide the territory into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Arab countries and the Arab inhabitants of Palestine did not accept this partition because they considered the concept of two states for two peoples historically unjust and wrong: another solution loomed before them - one, Arab state for one, Arab Palestinian people. The Arabs never had a state in Palestine, but did not accept its partition into Arab and Jewish parts, proposed to them by the British Peel Royal Commission in 1937, and later proposed to them by the UN in 1947. For nineteen years (1948-1967), the "Palestinian problem" was not solved by the Egyptians, Jordanians and the Palestinian Arabs themselves as a Palestinian problem, or rather it was not solved at all, for there was no demand for a Palestinian state. The Palestinian problem was born after the crushing victory of the Israelis in the Six-Day War and their seizure of lands that were not part of the territory of the Jewish state according to the UN resolution of Nov. 29, 1947. The Palestinian problem crystallized envy of the victor who had formed a strong, prosperous state and the desire to destroy it, as well as the fantasy of peace in Palestine in the case of two states for two peoples. "Palestinians" have become the "chosen" people, for they intend to replace the state of the chosen Jewish people with their own state. The formal recognition of Israel by the Palestinian Authority is belied by the anti-Israeli education of its children and the monetary encouragement of the murder of Israelis - pay to slay. The fantasy of peace if the two-state solution for two peoples is realized expresses a genuine historical "disproportion." Israel is usually required to respond militarily in proportion to the next Palestinian terrorist aggression against it. But who requires peace fantasists to stop dreaming of the unattainable peace that Israel's concessions in exchange for the realization of the two-state solution would supposedly lead to, and to take a rational, "proportional" view of reality? Peacemaking can be useful when both sides desire peace, but not when one side's goal is aggression and the destruction of another's state. Western peacemakers who propose a two-state solution in Palestine are thinking along the lines of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain's peacemaking fantasy after his talks with Hitler in Munich in 1938. Israel's retreat to the 1967 borders will entail a demand for its retreat to the 1948 borders and the reduction of the territory of the Jewish state at the expense of the growth of the territory of the Palestinian state. A demand to "retreat" to the Mediterranean Sea would then follow... Peace treaties in Munich, Oslo and Washington do not lead to peace, even if a Nobel Peace Prize is awarded for them. Peace between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs is a fantasy of the West, which mistakenly reads from left to right, as is the usual English reading order, while in the Middle East one must read Arabic from right to left to correctly understand what is happening. With the correct reading order, the fantasy of peace reads like the reality of war. The Biden administration is ignoring the historic changes that have occurred on the world political stage since the Islamic Republic of Iran announced its solution to the Palestinian problem -- the destruction of Israel. Iran openly seeks to destroy the Jewish state by every militaristic means available to it. It preaches a one-state solution to this conflict -- without the existence of Israel. But Iran's position is not considered at all by the Biden administration as a serious impediment to the realization of a two-state solution. This administration has abandoned the fight against Iranian state terrorism and excludes its destructive influence on its plan for a two-state solution to this conflict. The U.S. under the Biden administration believes in ghosts, in the possibility of a peaceful solution to the Ayatollah regime, and in a peaceful solution to the conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Palestinian Jews. Biden's attempts to carry out a two-state solution is bad business, unprofitable, unwise and futile. It is a major gamble carried out through petty and pointless anti-historical fiddling. What is going on is a game of beads, but not the sublime story told in the novel The Glass Bead Game by the Nobel Prize-winning Swiss writer Hermann Hesse, but a fictional game that has nothing to do with reality, and most likely there is a throwing of beads, usually made of fake pearls, in front of pigs. This operation is not recommended by Jesus Christ's Sermon on the Mount from the Gospel of Matthew, with which, of course, President Biden is well acquainted: "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Fake pearls will not solve the real problem. The story of meaningless throwing beads in front of pigs is vividly depicted in the novel by American writer Kurt Vonnegut God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine; 1965, who urges his hero, the eccentric millionaire Eliot Rosewater, to stop this senseless and harmful activity. President Biden and his administration have other plans, contrary to the Sermon on the Mount and Kurt Vonnegut's exhortations. The dreams, plans and values of the Israeli side of the conflict contradict the dreams, plans and values of the Arab, Palestinian, Islamic side. The Biden administration has no magic wand to bring the adversaries together and reconcile them on the basis of a Western, humane, democratic worldview at odds with the beliefs of Jihadist supporters. The middle ground between war and peace is war. Reconciliation between Islamic terrorists and Israelis is impossible, since the former are convinced that their program of murder, looting and violence is dictated by the commandments of Allah and that they cannot recognize but only despise Western humanism and peacemaking, which in this situation remain a meaningless, dangerous and harmful fantasy. The idea of two states for two peoples as a solution to the conflict in the Middle East is an illusion, a mirage and self-deception through a liberal democratic concept that is incommensurate and incompatible with the Middle East reality. Image: Pexels / Pexels License There must be some part of me that is incredibly naive, because I didnt have eco-friendly and green ambulances on my bingo cardalthough from what I know about the imbecilic left and their senseless ideas, I really should have seen this coming. Check this out, from an exclusive report out at Daily Mail on Saturday: New green ambulances unusable by paramedics who are too tall or have big feet, NHS trusts reveal after staff voice concerns for drivers safety New eco-friendly ambulances to meet greener NHS targets are being parked up across the country because paramedics are too tall or have feet too big to drive them. Five years ago the Lord Carter Review recommended standardising [sic] ambulance specifications to make them cheaper and more fuel-efficient. Trusts are under pressure from Greener NHS targets to reduce emissions, with ambulances seen as a big polluter. The clown car label seems to fit both figuratively, and literally. (I wonder if the bureaucrat that facilitated the Fiat buy has since left his/her civil servant position and found gainful employment with Fiat? Seems like a legitimate question to ask.) Now, this was the first Id heard about green ambulances, but apparently, this story isnt an anomaly; after a quick internet search I found this report, published just one week ago: London gets Ford all-electric ambulances to go with its Mustang Mach-Es Londons ambulance service already has 42 Ford Mustang Mach-E vehicles in its emergency fleet, but now its adding 12 bright, shiny all-electric ambulances designed by Ford for emissions-free first response and the first full-service electric ambulances in the city. London is pouring some $39 million into greening up its emergency vehicles. And this, from last month: A step toward a more sustainable future: Pueblo AMR adds electric ambulance to fleet American Medical Response Pueblo has added an electric ambulance to its fleet, according to a news release from AMR. The new ambulance, a 2021 Ford Transit equipped with an EV conversion completed by Lightning Motors, will serve interfacility transfers and 911 response, ensuring that residents of Pueblo receive the highest level of care in a timely manner, AMR said in the release. With its cutting-edge electric technology, the ambulance represents a step toward a greener and more sustainable future for emergency medical services, the release said. (Heres a link to battery-powered ambulances in New York City; heres a link to more of the same from Paterson, New Jersey; and here is just one of many European examples.) Now Pueblo refers to Pueblo, Colorado, and although it probably doesnt need to be said (but Ill say it regardless), the Rocky Mountain locale isnt exactly known for the mild weather required for electric vehicles to function properly; Pueblo has recorded temperatures as low as -31 F and as high as 109 F. For a refresh, see a blog I wrote on new data that found E.V.s experience a precipitous decline in function when outside temperatures are below 59 F and above 86 F, which revealed optimal performance occurs in a limited 27-degree rangecall me crazy, but in my humble (albeit anti-woke) opinion, ambulances really should be ready to perform optimally instead of suboptimally. Furthermore, it seems a little silly to manufacture a reality where people in life and death emergency situations are relying on a vehicle that takes as little as 30 minutes to fuel up as long as the charger doesnt break and the grid can handle it and the weather isnt too cold or too warm and nothing explodes. Are the basic life-saving machines in the patient care area of the ambulance running off of this battery too? I mean, they must be! The green agenda is only green because of the money involved, not because its actually pro-environment in any waybut that kind of hypocrisy and subterfuge underpins every policy of the modern left. Image generated by AI. Israel faces a major dilemma as the war progresses now into the fourth month of fighting. As an American Jew, I know that Israel needs to prevail in Gaza. The last war that the U.S. won was WWII, when we crushed our enemies. So, too, Israel needs to crush Hamas into total surrender if the Israelis are ever to see peace again on the Israel-Gaza border. This a war like no other that Israel has engaged. It is fighting an entrenched army of fanatics in nasty urban combat with tunnels. Israel does have some advantages that were lacking in Lebanon and 1967 and in 1973 with Egypt and Jordan. The biggest is absolute control over the borders of Gaza (like the U.S. in Germany and Japan after WWII). It also has some major issues with Hamass irregular warriors. They blend in with the civilian population, in public they wear no uniforms, and they apparently taunt the IDF soldiers on a regular basis. Because of the IDF rules of engagement, they cannot shoot such persons. Hamas warriors can hide in a house, go down into a tunnel, and then pop up to commit mayhem. I see the war bogging down as an apparently reticent and fractured cabinet tries to play nicey-nice with double-dealing Joe Biden, who loathes Netanyahu; placate an increasingly strident group of hostage family members; and rotate reservists in and out of Gaza while trying to keep the Israeli economy alive. I do not profess to be an expert on Israeli affairs. I am just a deeply interested bystander and six-times tourist who has seen pretty much the entirety of Israel, from Metula in the north to Eilat in the South. I have also visited two of the villages on the Gaza border that were savaged on October 7. From my visits, I know that younger native Israelis (sabras) are proud to be Israelis, in a way that very few younger Americans are proud to be Americans. If Israel is truly determined to win (in the tradition of the USA in 1945), it is my feeling that four things need to happen: Take 100% control of the border, including the area adjacent to Egypt. Egypt may complain, but remember that until 2005, Israel did have 100% control of that border. Israel needs to get every Gaza resident photographed and issued a hi-tech ID card that is associated with a piece of facial recognition software. This will allow the IDF to identify the active enemy (no ID card, and you are an automatic suspect). This will also assist Israel in vetting the folks who will be running Gaza in the future. It will also put pressure on Hamas to reveal their members by default. Systematically kick the U.N. out and let Israel or other trusted international partners handle the distribution of emergency food and building supplies. Let Israel or other trusted international partners supervise the educational infrastructure to destroy the culture of hate. If Israel is determined to win, it is my feeling that these four things need to happen. If Israel does not do these four things as high-priority, I fear that it will endure more tragic casualties and be back in Gaza in four or five more years. Image: Israel Defense Forces via Flickr, CC BY-NC 2.0. Few things are more satisfying in the era of President Trump's rising star than to read news like this from National Review: The Democratic Socialists of America are in a financial crisis that will require seven-figure budget cuts and staff layoffs to correct. News of the DSAs financial condition surfaced as the group leads anti-Israel protests nationwide; including a pro-Hamas rally held in New York just one day after Hamass October 7 massacre. The current deficit will force us to make 7-figure budget cuts. This will require us to make painful decisions that will impact all levels of the organization. Given our current financial state, we do not believe we can have a healthy, democratic, and effective organization while spending the amount we currently do on staff, Alex Pellitteri, Kristin Schall, and Laura Wadlin, members of the DSA 2023-2025 National Political Committee, wrote in a proposal published last week. If necessary, we will then explore initiating lay-offs according to the DSA unions contract. Be it revolved: The Personnel Committee will be responsible for determining the quantity and type of positions to be eligible for buy-out or layoff, and they will assist with logistics and a staff transition plan, they continued. The baseline organization of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and some 30 other elected officials is as socialist as such groups get. They have long had ambitions of becoming a political party, but as of now, are a 501(c)4 organization with around 57,000 dues-paying members (at best -- groups like these have been known to exaggerate their numbers). Long the main rival to the Communist Party, USA, they have always played the role of the more democratic player between the two. These days we can now see that by 'democratic,' they probably meant at least the some of the kinds of rigged elections we have been seeing in blue states and now swing states -- which has contributed to their ability to drive the Democrat agenda. Until October 7 they seem to have done that very well. But it hasn't been good for their finances and for that, and in a letter to members published at Socialist Call, they say they are a little puzzled: But how did this decline in revenue, membership, and overall excitement happen in the first place? This should actually be a really favorable time for DSA. Were living in a moment when revived labor struggles and the fight for a free Palestine are galvanizing so many Americans, particularly young people. Bidens disastrous policy of fueling Israels genocide in Gaza has created the kind of space for an independent alternative from the Democratic Party that has not existed since Bernie. The New York Post cites Jewish left-wing activists who pin the plunge in revenues to DSA's position of unreserved support for Hamas, which has driven away many left-wing Jewish members. But they're been pretty pro-Palestine for awhile, so I'm going to disagree, given that the sources cited don't seem to have firsthand knowledge, and although it's possible that DSA's stupid, disgusting stance has given the group's finances a final kick as members drop out, it's far from the whole story of why it's going belly up. Part of its problem is long-term demographic trends: The group insists that it's membership-funded, from member dues, which amount to about $11.95 a month for the ones who pay (about a quarter don't). If they're getting money from some Arab sheik or Vlad Putin or the ChiComs, I haven't heard it. Based on what DSA has said, it's membership dues, some online donations, swag sales, and little else. When DSA's member shot up meteorically in 2016 with the presidential candidacy of DSA member Bernie Sanders, going as high as 94,000 members, much of the new membership was youthful voters, made woke by their university professors and energized by the Bernie campaign. Now that Joe Biden has gotten into power and been a resounding failure on all fronts, particularly the economy, one of the biggest demographic megatrends is young people moving in droves to President Trump, according to several polls. By sheer numbers the woke young people who were readily available for the DSA to draw into their membership are growing smaller and smaller in number. DSA confirms this trend in its own membership numbers: In 2022, the DSA brought in $5,345,779 in income, 14% less ($906,528) than expected. This corresponds to a decrease in approximately 10,000 members during that year. The majority of DSA's income come through member dues. In April 2021, the DSA recorded 94,000 Members, approximately 78,000 of which were Members in Good Standing (MIGS), i.e. members who have paid dues within the last year. As of May 2023, the number of "constitutional" members was reduced to ~78,000 (as cited on the June B&F call), of which ~57,000 were recorded as MIGS. To emphasize, that's close to 25% of DSA's MIGS, a net average loss of over 1,000 MIGS per month. Our constitutional membership had decreased by 16,000 members, or about 17%. The downward trend has been going on for a few years and pre-dates the Hamas atrocities. Seven months ago, in a letter to their membership published in Washington Socialist, a DSA publication, they predicted bankruptcy if they couldn't move their trendline: We don't want to bury the lede we are seriously concerned about the short-term financial health of our organization. We aren't in an emergency now, but under the current fiscal trajectory the DSA faces a very real but still very avoidable risk of insolvency within the next couple of years. The decisions made at the convention, and particularly the decisions made by elected national leaders in the organization, will be critical for pivoting off our path towards illiquidity or retrenchment. Their chart in the newsletter forecast a $1.4 million hole by 2024. Gradually, then suddenly, as Ernest Hemingway apocryphically explained the dynamics of bankruptcy. An additional spray of poison to the membership has been in recent internal organizational battles in recent years with the Political Committee, which calls all the shots as such groups do, demanding more party discipline on members. Knowing a little bit about what her voters want, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has clashed with DSA on its pro-Hamas stance, and DSA's National Political Committee, forgetting the star power of its most famous member, has doubled down on its pro-Hamas stance. A similar clash happened with then-DSA member Rep. Jamal Bowman in 2022, according to the Post and Wikipedia. Young people don't like being ordered around, and as new members, the top-down command structure of all socialist groups had to come as a shock. It's likely membership fell on that one, too, and it's not in the numbers yet. Now, what's the most common reason organizations fall into the hole? Just ask Black Lives Matter -- fiscal mismanagement, sometimes as crude as someone running off with the till. According to DSA's most recent letter to its members, calling for layoffs, they blamed their own leadership for keeping them in the dark: This is not just a natural ebb in the socialist movement or technical issues in our recruitment or fundraising. We have not had strong figures at the top of the organization to lead with a political vision that inspires people to become committed socialists. Working people are inspired to transform the world, but they are doing it elsewhere. We would ideally be scaling up our operations to meet this moment, hiring fellow capable comrades who are excited to be paid to spend every working day thinking about how to get us closer to socialism. But top directors mismanaged our dues by withholding essential information from elected leaders for years and imposed their own political objectives that would keep DSA in the model of a progressive non-profit rather than a mass party that is capable of getting us closer to a rupture with capitalism. As a result, we are now left holding the bag and tasked with cutting expenses just to keep the organization afloat. The top directors almost certainly would be on the National Political Committee which calls the shots, but it's possible it was one of the others, and whether they actually helped themselves to the money or just wasted it is unknown. Their structure is here. There also was this. emphasis mine: When we finally saw the numbers, it was much worse than we anticipated probably too big to fundraise our way out of, and mostly driven by the unstrategic hiring practices over the last few years. This is an example of the dysfunction and distrust created by a lack of transparency between directors and members. So someone mismanaged dues by hiding something, witholding information? It's pretty interesting that they admitted it openly on a public forum. They claimed they were in surplus a couple years ago. One wonders if some of the people at the top helped themselves to the incoming cash, following the Black Lives Matter economic model, or something else happened. Whatever it was, it sounds like something the government regulators who hand out the 501(c)4 designations ought to look into. This phrase in their membership letter tells us they already know that their membership doesn't know much about economics: Before getting into it we want to acknowledge that budgets and numbers can be intimidating and exhausting, but it is incredibly important to understand the shared resources we have available to use. The collective management of financial and capital resources is textbook socialism, and its something delegates and lay-members alike should take seriously as we consider what is possible, or what can be done, by the organization we are all building and operating in pursuit of democratic socialism. All told, the internal conflicts, the ordering around, and open criticism of money mismanagement suggests an organization in very bad shape, and probably heading for a breakup. Back in San Francisco, when some far-left marginal group was breaking up as an organization in the early 1990s following the fall of the Berlin Wall, I recall that a popular button worn around the Mission District by those who had had it with the party's autocratic New York leadership read: "Mass, party, sect, gone." It sounds like DSA is on approximately the same trajectory. Good riddance. Image: Logo, via Wikipedia, // fair use Back in the day, Democrat politicians were not nearly as radical-left as they are now. What happened? For example, John F. Kennedy was an ardent cold warrior. In the campaign of 1960, he accused the Eisenhower administration (including Nixon) of being soft on communism by allowing a missile gap to occur, following onto the Soviet P.R. triumph of Sputnik. In those days, neither Republicans nor Democrats wanted to be labeled as soft on communism. Then came the Bay of Pigs a major demonstration of Kennedys commitment to the Cold War. Not much of consequence resulted, except for the zealots caught in the squeeze and then the Missile Crisis, which caused my algebra teacher to give up on assigning homework, since the world could end at any moment. Ultimately, an American communist, pro-Castro nut-bag murdered President Kennedy. Yeah, revisionist theories abound...but it still somehow happened. Lyndon Johnson assumed the presidency on Kennedys death, with a major stick up his (ahem) yin-yang. He had previously made his political bones by helping FDR capture the support of various socio-ethnic sub-groups. Now he was president, and communism was the common enemy around which to rally the shell-shocked American nation. Then came the Gulf of Tonkin incident, and the word escalation entered the public narrative. Prior to all of this, according to Barbara Tuchman in The March of Folly, the Eisenhower administration was suckered into involvement in Vietnam. How so? Imagine the secretary of state and the director of the CIA being brothers who just happened to be named Dulles, John Foster and Allen. They were both seduced by the French plea that their empire in Indo-China was being threatened by communism, rather than by anti-colonialism. Thus began limited American involvement in Vietnam, in spite of Eisenhowers wise military judgment to the contrary. After Tonkin, America was then at war, and a whole generation of young men was being threatened with involuntary servitude and the possibility of gruesome death. All this without any direct threat to our nations security. Civil unrest? You think? Within this context, I can say that President Kennedys murder is thus far the worst thing that has ever happened to the United States in my lifetime. As a natural consequence, radical leftist organizations began to flourish. Space does not permit a thorough roll call, but suffice it to say that all kinds of Marxist trolls crawled out from under their rocks mostly because of the radicalization caused by the threat of conscription. The turmoil was so intense that Johnson declined running for a second full term, leaving Hubert Humphrey to oppose the resurrected Richard Nixon. Pop historians point to the turning point that occurred when CBSs Walter Cronkite started dumping on Johnson. The 1968 Democrat convention in Chicago was an epic of historic importance. George McGovern, Eugene McCarthy, and Mayor Richard Daley, in one way or another, all managed to stoke a televised riot. Thus was unleashed a swarm of political radicals unknown since the Civil War. They have since found safe havens in academia, government, and the media. In an act of political brilliance, Nixon, to some degree, defused the threat of conscription by instituting the lottery system, so potential draftees then had a clearer idea of what kind of danger they faced individually. Was the Obama presidency the pivotal event that established the durable ultra-left nature of the modern Democrat party? This is a chicken-or-egg type of question. There was already a substantial population of flaming radical leftists integrated into the power structure, and Obama was just the first one to reach the top of the food chain. But his success was not because of his politics. For starters, he was virtually unknown when he first got the nomination. He was a cipher with fairly good stage presence who rose up from community organizer to the U.S. Senate in the blink of an eye. But mostly he was a black person whose ancestors never lived in the South, so his language was much more mainstream. It is often suggested that presidents are the antithesis of their immediate predecessors. Trump following Obama demonstrates this theory. Its hard to imagine both presidents being chosen by the same electorate but they were. And then came Biden. Though both are generationally similar, for his age, Mr. Trump is considerably more vital than Mr. Biden. The media are now pouncing on Trump because he confused Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi, yet they deep-six any reference to Bidens lengthy string of age-related embarrassments. It is perhaps valid to seriously consider the overall aging of the political establishment, but everybody ages differently, and modern science has extended life spans well beyond previous standards which just happens to be a serious problem facing the solvency of Social Security. Also, the Democrats have undergone a serious identity alteration for other reasons from being the party of the little guy to being the benefactor of large corporations. Huh? Really? It all started with the vast expansion of government under Franklin Roosevelts New Deal. Numerous bureaucratic agencies have been lurching into micro-managing all sorts of aspects of commerce and even ordinary private life. In the business world, a mom-and-pop company has to go out and hire attorneys to assist it in dealing with government regulators. Large corporations already have legal departments. In spite of the economies of scale, small businesses can often be more efficient than large juggernauts. Problems with worker efficiency are more easily noticed on a small scale and can be efficiently dealt with. Also, large corporations can have enormous internal bureaucracies that have no other purpose than their own survival. True, some Republicans are still lapdogs of big business as well. But the reality of what might now be called the Trump-DeSantis era is that populism, meaning advocacy for just plain ordinary people, is steering the party away from corporatism. In DeSantiss endorsement of Trump, he refers to Nikki Haley as a corporatist. What is also significant in DeSantiss move is that it represents a closing of ranks among the scattered Republican field, much like the Democrats are typically more likely to do in order to win. A further blow to the influence of the Deep State is looming on the horizon. Relentless v. Dept. of Commerce is one of two cases before the Supreme Court that may well overturn the 1984 Chevron decision. Trumps fortuitous impact on the SCOTUS is particularly important in that, should the plaintiffs prevail, government agencies will likely be stripped of much of their power to act capriciously while co-opting the authority vested by the Constitution in courts and legislatures. There may, however, be a cloud underlying this silver lining. Should the Democrats be seriously weakened, then the Republicans may well become corrupted due to the lack of credible competition. The vitality of a democracy requires persistent political challenge. Governing is so complex as to finding workable solutions for conflicting interests that all of the players need to be compelled to do their homework rather than rely on deceit and demagoguery. Image: zenjazzygeek via Flickr, CC BY 2.0. When the first foldable phones came out, they were gimmicky, fragile, and expensive. Nowadays, well, theyre just expensive. Samsungs Galaxy Z Fold phones still sit just shy of $2,000. However, according to a new report, Samsung may be working on a more affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6. With a few clamshell foldable phones like the Motorola Razr 2023 and the Tecno Phantom V Flip comfortably under the $1,000 mark, the world is waiting for notebook foldable phones to start coming down in price. Phones like the OnePlus Open are rather affordable at $1,699, so theres still a way to go before theyre considered what we call affordable. Advertisement Advertisement Samsung could be working on a more affordable Galaxy Z Fold 6 From the sound of it, it appears that Samsung could launch two versions of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. One could have all the latest and greatest specs, while the other one could have less robust specs. Its possible that it could get a smaller battery, less pixel-dense display, weaker processor, less powerful cameras, and RAM/storage. Thats only speculation, as those are the typical cutbacks you would get in a cheaper phone. As per the report, Samsung could be considering bringing an entry-level Galaxy Z Fold 6. This could possibly be a move to make the device more appealing to the Chinese market. Several Chinese companies such as Oppo and Xiaomi have been able to bring more affordable foldable phones compared to what Samsung is offering. While that is the case, Chinese phones still manage to bring a ton of power and usability. Advertisement The report states that the entry-level Galaxy Z Fold 6 could launch sometime in the second half of the year. This is consistent with the Galaxy foldable launch cycle. Samsung usually launches its second wave of premium devices around August. Last year was an exception, as a company launched its foldable phones in July. The Galaxy Z Fold phones might lose some weight this year The report also states that Samsung could also make the Galaxy Z Fold 6 rather thin compared to the Z Fold 5. This could also be a play to make the phone more appealing to the Chinese market. Many affordable phones in the Chinese market are notably thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold phones. Is Samsung finally waking up? If the source is right, and Samsung is making these changes in order to appeal to the Chinese market, then it could be hinting at something that weve been wanting for a while. Weve been pining for Samsung to be more conscious about competition and more willing to make changes to adjust to the times. Other companies have been leaving Samsung in the dust in terms of exciting features, innovative designs, and pushing foldable technology forward. Samsung has gotten too comfortable being the top foldable maker in the world. This means that, year after year, the company has been able to basically regurgitate the design of its phones without making any changes. Samsungs foldables havent really been exciting for a few years. Well, hopefully, this means that Samsung is willing to make changes and deliver devices that are more competitive. Motorola has announced two new G-series phones in the European market. These include the Moto G04 and Moto G24. The former is an entry-level offering whereas the latter is a mid-range device. The G24 arrives as the successor to the last years G23. The latest smartphones come after the Lenovo-owned brand debuted the G Play (2024) and the G34. Read on to know what the G04 and G24 offer out of the box. The Motorola Moto G04 and G24 share some similarities The newest Moto G04 and G24 look identical with a boxy design and a raised camera module. There is a side-mounted fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. Both phones have a 6.6-inch centre-aligned punch-hole display bearing an HD+ resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. The screen is surrounded by thick bezels and a bottom chin. The new G-series phones have an IP52-rated water-repellent design. Advertisement Advertisement The Moto G04 and G24 come with stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos for an enhanced audio experience. Both devices are backed by a 5,000mAh battery unit with support for 15W fast charging. On the software front, they also ship with Android 14 OS out of the box. Different hardware, cameras, and of course pricing On the optics front, the Moto G04 has a single 16MP rear camera with an LED flash. There is a 5MP selfie snapper. Meanwhile, the Moto G24 features a dual rear camera setup of 50MP and 2MP sensors with LED unit. It also has an 8MP front-facing camera. Under the hood, the Moto G04 is equipped with a Unisoc T606 processor whereas the G24 is powered by a Helio G85 chipset. Both phones pack 4GB RAM along with virtual RAM technology. The G04 has 64GB internal storage while the G24 maxes out at 128GB with both devices supporting storage expansion via a microSD card slot. The Moto G04 comes in Concord Black, Sea Green, Satin Blue, and Sunrise Orange colors. It starts at 119 ($129). Meanwhile, the Moto G24 carries a starting price tag of 129 ($140) and is offered in Matte Charcoal, Ice Green, Blueberry, and Pink Lavender hues. Both phones are available in Europe and are expected to debut in other markets in the near future. For years, weve been able to quickly reply to messages through Google Messages notifications. It eliminates you having to open the app and tap on the text field just to reply to a message. However, a feature is only useful if it works, and it appears that this might not be the case. Some users are reporting that the reply feature is missing from Google Messages notifications. Google Messages is missing the reply function in the notifications This was first reported by a Reddit user who posted a screenshot. We see that, for some reason, the space next to the Mark as read button is empty. Right now, were not quite sure how widespread this issue is. Another user posted the same issue in the help center for Google Messages. So this is not an isolated incident. However, we were not able to replicate the issue here at Android Headlines, and the same goes for the folks at 9To5Google. Advertisement Advertisement According to the reports, both users mentioned using the most up-to-date version of Google Messages, which was updated on January 18th. The second report states that the user is using the most up-to-date version of Android running on their pixel 6a. So it appears that this issue could be a temporary bug that Google just needs to fix up. If more reports of this issue hit the surface, it should hopefully get Googles attention. In other Google Messages news, image captioning is on its way We recently got a leak of a new feature potentially coming to Google Messages. This will eventually allow you to post captions to images that you send to other people. Instead of sending text and images as separate messages, this feature will allow people to send them both in one message. This is one of the many benefits of RCS technology, and its certain to make using the platform much better. At this point, were not sure when Google is going to release this feature. Earlier this month, Samsung launched a new rugged Android tablet, the Galaxy Tab Active 5. The company initially only announced its pricing and availability details for Europe. The Korean firm now appears ready to bring the tablet to other regions, including the US. It has revealed the devices US price and a tentative release date. Samsungs Galaxy Tab Active 5 is headed to the US soon Targeted at field and industrial workers, the Galaxy Tab Active 5 is the newest rugged tablet from Samsung. It is a mid-range product designed to survive and function efficiently in the harshest environments. The device boasts a MIL-STD-810H military standard build and IP68 dust and water resistance. The S Pen, which comes in the box, has an IP68 rating too. Advertisement Advertisement Samsung ships the tablet with a protective case that has a holster to keep the S Pen. In this case, the Galaxy Tab Active 5 is resistant to drops from up to 1.8 meters. Even if you dont use the case, the device is sturdy enough to handle the wear and tear of everyday use. A side-mounted fingerprint scanner, physical navigation buttons, and enhanced touch sensitivity also make it ideal for industrial use. The Korean behemoth plans to sell the rugged tablet in an Enterprise Edition model in the US. Enterprise Edition Galaxy devices come with customized software and tools that help companies configure and manage the machines. The Galaxy Tab Active 5 will be available through the Samsung Business website in March. Prices start at $548.99 for the LTE version. The 5G version will cost more. It is a decent mid-range tablet While ruggedness is the primary selling point of the Galaxy Tab Active 5, the specs on offer are fairly decent too. You get an 8-inch TFT LCD screen with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung has protected the display with a layer of Cornings Gorilla Glass 5. Advertisement The tablet is powered by Samsungs Exynos 1380 processor, the same chipset found inside the Galaxy Tab S9 FE. The company is offering 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, with a microSD card slot for expanding the storage capacity. A 5,050mAh user-removable battery fuels the Galaxy Tab Active 5. It supports charging via a USB Type-C port and Pogo pins. You can also use the tablet without a battery. For imaging, the device has a 13MP rear camera and a 5MP selfie camera. The former supports 4K 30fps video recording while the latter records 1080p videos. Other highlights include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth v5.3, NFC, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Dolby Atmos audio, GPS, a customizable Active Key, Samsung Knox security with Samsung Knox Vault, and face recognition. The device runs Android 14 out of the box. Google this morning posted another teaser for the upcoming Mint color of the Pixel 8 Pro. This time suggesting what the hue or shade of green the color will be. If you missed it initially, at the end of last week Google teased the Pixel 8 Pro would be coming in a new color. The teaser didnt explicitly state that a new color was coming. It did, however, say that fans should expect something Minty Fresh to be revealed on January 25. The hint was accompanied by a picture of a Bay Pixel 8 Pro being spray-painted over with green paint. The color used for the paint seems the most likely to be what you can expect for the shade of this new colorway. But Googles teaser from this morning might suggest something different. Or at the very least where Google might be drawing some inspiration from. Google is also pushing out its reveal for the morning of January 25. It was initially set for midnight on the day. But it now looks like Google is going to set the reveal for 6 a.m. Pacific Standard Time. Advertisement Advertisement Mint Pixel 8 Pro teaser hints at ocean waves inspiring the shade of green While it was assumed at first that the green spray paint might have been the shade of green Google would use, that might not be the case. The companys second teaser shows the outline of the Pixel 8 Pro with a video of ocean waves playing inside of it. Near the beginning, you can see the waves crashing in and just for a brief second you get a glimpse at the waves looking almost light green. Sort of like mint. What might be more important to pay attention to though is the blank area surrounding the Pixel 8 Pro outline. At first glance, it looks almost white. But if you look hard enough you can tell its actually a very light shade of green. This might be the shade of green Google uses for its new color release this week. You can see a similar shade, if not ever so slightly darker, being used on the New Pixel Release landing page. A small banner halfway down the page highlights the mural painting event that takes place in New York City a couple of hours after Googles 6 a.m. reveal. Advertisement As 9To5Google points out, Google technically already has a Green Pixel 8 series phone with the Hazel Pixel 8. But it is a much darker shade of green and is almost gray. This new Mint color looks to be quite a bit lighter. Perhaps almost pastel, not too unlike the Lemongrass Pixel 7. In truth, its still unclear how green the new color will be. But it seems quite likely itll be somewhere around the light shade of green you can see in the image above, and the shade of green seen on the event banner on Googles teaser page for the color reveal. Either way, everyone will find out for sure in just a couple of days. On 21 January, 150 people gathered in central London to commemorate the centenary of Lenins death and to launch In Defence of Lenin, an extensive political biography and defence of the life and work of Lenin, which is available now from Wellred Books. More than this, the event represented the international launch of a year-long #LeninLives campaign to uncover and bring to light the real Lenin, and real Leninism. As well as those attending in-person, the event was streamed online in the spirit of internationalism. Within 24 hours, the live stream of the event has been viewed more than 3,000 times, with over 500 live connections at any one time on Sunday. Many more were watching, however, on the live stream via watch parties in community halls and living rooms around the world. On the live stream, greetings were sent in from the United States, Portugal, Germany, Pakistan, France and Sweden. In Bologna, Italy, a region-wide meeting of nearly 100 comrades was held in honour of Lenins memory, after which comrades followed the live streamed event in London. Over Dublin, meanwhile, comrades crowded around a laptop to watch along. The event began with a speech by Rob Sewell, co-author of In Defence of Lenin / Image: Socialist Appeal The event began with a speech by Rob Sewell, co-author of In Defence of Lenin. Rob explained the colossal importance of studying Lenins ideas, noting that Lenin is more relevant to the world today than ever before. Lenin, Rob explained, didnt see Marxism as a dogma, he saw it as a guide to action. This is a fundamental point that communists today must understand and learn from. Ultimately, Rob explained that the study of Lenins life and ideas is not an academic pursuit, the task facing us it clear: We must build a party, as Lenin did, a Bolshevik Party, on the principles of theory and understanding. We have to have determination. We have to have courage. Next to speak was In Defence of Lenin co-author Alan Woods, who spoke on the significance of Lenin today. Alan explained that the bourgeoisie is anxious to bury Lenin and they have been trying to for a long time, but they have failed. Despite all the lies and slander spread by the ruling class, Lenins revolutionary legacy continues to inspire new generations of communists. Alan discussed the immense theoretical contributions that Lenin made to Marxist theory / Image: Socialist Appeal Alan discussed the immense theoretical contributions that Lenin made to Marxist theory, which still endure today, stating: In the sum total of Marxism, which is a colossal treasure house of ideas, a prominent place is occupied precisely by the enormous contribution made by Lenin. In Lenins Collected Works, Alan emphasised, are ideas that have stood the test of time and are just as necessary to change the world today as they were in October 1917. Finally, Ben Gliniecki national organiser of the British section of the IMT described the political and economic situation facing young people in Britain today, who are increasingly viewing communism as the only solution. In a world of war, poverty and oppression, Ben explained, for young people, there is no reference point anywhere of anybody standing up against the atrocities that have been committed throughout their life. In such a situation, it is imperative to organise this growing layer of communists. Ben made clear that this is the task that the British section of the IMT has set itself with the coming launch of the Revolutionary Communist Party. Explaining that the RCP will be nothing like any party currently existing in Britain, Ben stated: Ben Gliniecki described the political and economic situation facing young people in Britain / Image: Socialist Appeal Our partys aim is the complete liberation of anyone who slaves away to make money for their bosses, at the cost of their health, at the cost of their happiness, at the cost of their being able to live a full life Our aim is not half measures, it is socialist revolution. The event ended with stormy applause and a bold rendition of The Internationale. Comrades left with renewed spirit in their hearts and a profound dedication to building the IMT and fighting for a successful revolution within our lifetimes. 4,000 copies have been dispatched all over the world, and Alan and Rob were forced to stay back late signing dozens of copies to enthusiastic comrades who had picked up their copies at the event. Our homage to Lenin and his work doesnt end here. The whole of 2024 will be, for us in the IMT, the Year of Lenin. The event on 21 January marks merely our opening shot in a 12-month campaign striving to bring the real Lenin and genuine Leninism to light for the new generation. Here at marxist.com, we will be placing a special focus on Lenins theoretical contributions explaining his many writings ranging from questions of war, imperialism, the womens question, the state, philosophy and much else. And we will go on the offensive, not only against the mountain of lies that the bosses hack writers have poured onto his legacy, but against those who falsely and misleadingly lay claim to Lenin, above all of the different Stalinist, so-called Communist parties. To bring all of this material together, as a focal point for the campaign and for any worker or young person seeking out the real Lenin, we are proud to launch a new website, lenin.red. Constantly updated throughout the year, here you will find study aids like reading guides; podcasts; introductions to Lenins ideas; and answers to all the big myths about Lenin. You can even submit your own queries. Check it out! This is just the beginning Across IMT sections and branches, plans are already in place for the campaign. Hundreds of reading circles on the writings of Lenin, as well as Rob Sewell and Alan Woods latest biography, are being planned. More ambitious local, regional, national and international schools are also in the pipeline. Already, comrades in Pakistan have a Lenin Festival planned for 3 February, whilst our Canadian comrades will hold this years Montreal Winter School on 17-18 February under the theme, In Defence of Lenin. As the campaign kicks into gear, we appeal to all members and supporters of the IMT to use the hashtag, #LeninLives to get this campaign out there, to promote our collective activities, however big or small, in order to reach and draw in the widest possible layer of communist youth. The young generation is seeking real Leninism let us step up and help them to find it! As of the weekend just gone, weve already seen great initiatives. Whilst comrades were meeting for the book and campaign launch in London, the IMT were conducting dozens of other #LeninLives commemorative events around the world. Heres a flavour of what comrades have been up to. Building the RKP in Sweden On Saturday, the Swedish section of the IMT held its first ever communist school in Varmland / Image RKP On Saturday, the Swedish section of the IMT held its first ever communist school in Varmland province, with 29 comrades participating, including many high school students and young workers. Comrades from Karlstad, Kristinehamn, Orebro, Stockholm and Gothenburg participated in a lively day of discussion on the ideas of Lenin and Bolshevism. The event on this significant date served as the launch meeting for the newly founded Revolutionary Communist Party (RKP) in Varmland, as the Swedish section of the IMT works towards the founding congress of this new party in April this year. By means of this new party, a young generation of revolutionaries will retie the knot of history, reviving the party of Lenin at a time when his ideas enjoy a relevance without precedent. Meanwhile in the capital Stockholm, comrades ran a walking tour through the city, inspired by Lenins time there. Mexican Marxists rededicate to Lenin Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, comrades in Mexico used this solemn anniversary to refound the organisation. At a meeting titled, 100 years after his death: we return to Lenin!, the comrades of the IMT redounded as the Revolutionary Communist Organisation (RCO), renaming their paper, Revolucion Comunista. Pakistan In Pakistan, a two-hour special podcast episode was released, the first of The Communist Podcast, featuring Adam Pal and Paras Jan discussing Lenins youth, life and ideas. (You can watch that episode here.) Over the weekend, all over Pakistan, comrades of the IMT threw themselves into a programme of educational events and celebrations. In Balochistan, comrades organised a study circle on the work of the great architect and leader of the Bolshevik party, discussing not only his mighty impact on world history, but also his great theoretical contributions at the regional headquarters of the IMT, in Dalbandin City and in Gwadar. A successful meeting was also held in Buner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. In Punjab, there were successful events in Gujranwala, and in Lahore, where comrades organised an open mic event titled, Who was Lenin and why is he relevant today? along with a Communist Bookstall, with students, workers and activists attending. The success of the event will be a launchpad to a Lenin Festival that the IMT will host as part of the Lenin Year in Lahore this coming weekend on 3 February. Meanwhile, in Karachi, over a hundred comrades turned out to a book launch of Alan Woods handbook for building a party on the model of that of Lenin: Bolshevism, the Road to Revolution. The keynote speaker at the event was Yasir Irshad, a leading activist of Lal Salaam (IMT Pakistan) and translator of this important book. At Hyderabad Press Club, another excellent event with dozens of comrades present was hosted to celebrate this new translation. There are just 100 days to go until voters across England and Wales head to the polls on Thursday May 2 to choose new councillors, mayors and police commissioners. It is likely to be the last big electoral test for all the political parties before the general election, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated will be in the second half of the year. There will be at least one poll in every area of the two nations, with some voters getting to cast a ballot in different types of elections. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated the general election will be held in the second half of 2024 (Dan Kitwood/PA) More than 2,500 council seats will be up for grabs in just over 100 local authorities in England, while police and crime commissioners will be elected in all parts of England and Wales except London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. Voters in those three areas will get to choose their next region-wide mayor, as will those living in other large areas of England such as the West Midlands, while there will be contests for a trio of brand new mayoral posts in the East Midlands, the North East and North Yorkshire. No elections are scheduled to take place in Scotland or Northern Ireland. All voters will need to show a form of photographic identification at their polling station in order to cast a ballot, such as a passport, driving licence or blue badge. Anyone without an acceptable form of ID will be able to apply to their local council for a special certificate. Here is a breakdown of the polls happening on May 2 and where they are taking place. Local council elections A total of 107 local authorities in England are holding elections. There will be contests in 31 Metropolitan boroughs, including some of the countrys largest cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, though there are no local elections this year in Birmingham or London. Polls will take place in 18 unitary authorities, ranging from Hartlepool and Warrington in northern England to Dorset and Thurrock in the south. And seats will be up for grabs on 58 district councils, covering a mix of urban and rural areas right across England. (PA Graphics) Local elections typically reflect voters attitudes about neighbourhood concerns, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or access to libraries and hospitals. But they can also be a verdict on the main political parties and their handling of big issues which this year is likely to mean the cost of living, the NHS and the environment. Many of the seats up for grabs were last contested in 2021, a year in which the Conservatives did particularly well in local elections. Of those councils holding polls on May 2, the Tories currently control fewer than Labour, which means there could be only a handful of instances of an authority changing hands. Councils to watch include Adur in West Sussex, Dorset, Gloucester, Redditch in Worcestershire, Rushmoor in Hampshire and Thurrock in Essex all of which will see the Tories defending a small overall majority. Regional and local mayors A record number of regional mayors are up for election this year, including three posts that are being contested for the first time. Some of the most high-profile politicians in the country are seeking another term in office. Running for a third term as mayor are Labours Sadiq Khan in London, Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram in the Liverpool City Region. For the Conservatives, Andy Street is running for a third term as mayor of the West Midlands, as is Ben Houchen for the Tees Valley. Labours Tracy Brabin is running for a second term as mayor in West Yorkshire. Three areas will be choosing a directly-elected mayor for the first time. Voters in Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland will be choosing a new regional mayor for North East England. In Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, voters will elect the first ever East Midlands mayor though the role will cover only these two counties, as the rest of the region, Lincolnshire, Leicester, Northamptonshire and Rutland, has declined to join the new combined authority. Voters in York and North Yorkshire will choose their first directly-elected regional mayor. (PA Graphics) In addition to the nine regional mayoral elections on May 2, a contest will also take place to choose the next directly-elected mayor of Salford. All of these mayoral contests will be held using the first-past-the-post system of elections, where whoever gets the most number of votes is the winner. This is a change from previous mayoral contests, which used the supplementary vote system, where voters ranked two of the candidates in order of preference. Under this system, if no candidate received an absolute majority of first-preference votes, the top two candidates went through to a second round of counting and the other candidates were eliminated. In the next round, the second-preference votes of those who supported the eliminated candidates were redistributed to the top two candidates, until one of them had a majority. The switch in voting systems is due to a change in the law, which was introduced by the Government in 2022. The first-past-the-post system could mean there are close results in some of the mayoral contests, particularly where a large number of candidates are standing and support is split, as it may increase the chances of someone winning the election on a low share of the vote. Police and crime commissioners Voters across most of England, along with the whole of Wales, will be able to elect a new police and crime commissioner (PCC) to oversee their force. The three areas in England where these contests will not take place are London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, where the powers of a commissioner are held by the directly-elected mayor. A total of 39 PCCs will be chosen, 35 in England and four in Wales. Commissioners have the ultimate responsibility for policing in each police area and were first elected in 2012. At the last PCC elections in 2021, the Conservatives won 30 of the 39 areas the partys best ever performance in this set of contests. Labour won eight areas its worst performance since PCCs were introduced while Plaid Cymru won one (Dyfed-Powys). As with the elections for regional mayors, 2024 will be the first time that PCCs are elected using the first-past-the-post system, rather than the supplementary vote. The change in voting systems could deliver some surprise outcomes as well as making some of the results harder to predict, particularly in areas where several parties are standing and there is no clear front-runner, or where there is strong support for independent candidates. The latest round of UK and allied strikes against Houthi targets was designed to send the clearest possible message to the rebels that attacks on cargo ships are unacceptable, the Foreign Secretary said. Britain joined the US in carrying out a fresh set of joint air strikes in Yemen in response to the Houthi rebels targeting international shipping along vital Red Sea and Gulf of Aden trade routes. Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said UK armed forces will continue to degrade the Houthis ability to carry out attacks as long as their completely indiscriminate campaign of harassment in the Middle East continues. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is set to update MPs during an appearance in the Commons on Tuesday. Lord Cameron said the UK had renewed its military action against the Iran-backed Houthis due to attacks on cargo ships continuing. London and Washington targeted rebel sites overnight on January 11-12, with further US attacks in recent days. Despite the Western intervention, ships have continued to be targeted along the major global trade route which provides access to the Suez Canal, a thoroughfare that serves 15% of world shipping. International freight companies have been forced to reroute cargo vessels around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, resulting in longer and more costly journeys. The Foreign Secretary, speaking to broadcasters on Tuesday, said: Since we last took action 10 days ago, there have been over 12 attacks on shipping by the Houthis in the Red Sea. These attacks are illegal, they are unacceptable. What we have done again is send the clearest possible message that we will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks while sending the clearest possible message that we back our words and our warnings with action. The US military confirmed the latest strikes were against eight targets. The Ministry of Defence said four Royal Air Force Typhoons and a pair of Voyager tankers were involved in the latest action. The department said several targets were hit at two military sites near the Sanaa airfield in Yemen. Officials stated that a very rigorous analysis was carried out to avoid civilian casualties. Labour figures said Opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer was not alerted before Mondays allied action, while the PA news agency understands Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was not either, unlike when the UK first carried out joint strikes with the US earlier this month. Shadow health minister Karin Smyth told GB News that the Government havent spoken to us on the usual terms ahead of the assault. Conservative Government minister Huw Merriman disputed that, telling LBC: They (Sir Keir and Sir Lindsay) were both informed, is my understanding. The Prime Minister will be in the House of Commons today, as he was on the previous day following the first round, to account to Parliament. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said it is deeply disappointing that Parliament is being bypassed by the Prime Minister on the Red Sea response. Sir Ed, who stated that his party backs the strikes so long as they remain limited, said: It is absolutely vital that Parliament has an opportunity to have its say, via a debate and a vote. The Prime Minister has so far failed to grant either. It is deeply disappointing that elected representatives are being bypassed on an issue as important as military action. The UK Government has warned that the latest strikes in the Red Sea will not just be a one-off if the Houthis continue to disrupt international shipping. Mr Merriman told Sky News: For us to take action and then the Houthis respond, and then we do nothing, would send out the completely wrong signal. Labour says it was not told about the latest air strikes on Houthi targets ahead of time (Jonathan Brady/PA) So, this demonstrates that we will be tough and we will take all measures required against the Houthis to protect international shipping and protect the lives of those who operate those ships. We will deliver whatever it takes to the Houthis to ensure that they desist, so we hope the message is now clear, this being a second time. Mr Sunak and US President Joe Biden spoke on Monday evening, with a Downing Street readout stating that the two leaders agreed to continue efforts alongside international partners to deter and disrupt attacks by the Houthis. A joint statement issued by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK and the US described the strikes as proportionate and necessary. The statement said the mission targeted a Houthi underground storage site as well as locations linked to the groups missile and air surveillance capabilities. RAF Typhoon aircraft were involved in Mondays air strikes on Houthi targets (Sgt Lee Goddard/MoD/Crown Copyright) While the US, UK and other Western allies have insisted the strikes are not escalatory, it comes as tensions simmer in the Middle East as the Israeli bombardment of Gaza continues. The Houthis, a Shia rebel group that has held Sanaa since 2014 and been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemens exiled government since 2015, have linked their attacks to the Israel-Hamas war. However, the ships they have targeted increasingly have tenuous links to Israel or none at all. Lord Cameron said the West shouldnt accept the Houthi narrative that their actions have been targeting shipping with ties to Tel Aviv. He said: What the Houthis are doing is attacking shipping indiscriminately and effectively trying to close a vital sea lane, whereas we want to keep that sea lane open. The Cabinet minister stressed there is no quarrel with the Yemeni people, pointing to the UK providing the war-torn country with aid, through a sea lane that the Houthis are trying to close, which feeds more than 100,000 people a month. The Aukus security pact involving Australia, the UK and US endangers stability in the Pacific, Chinas ambassador to the UK has warned. The deal involves the development of a new generation of nuclear-powered submarines for Australia in response to Chinas rise as a military and economic force in the region. Ambassador Zheng Zeguang said blocs such as Aukus were not conducive to regional stability. In a speech to the Asia House think tank in London, he said he hoped the UK would work with China to increase mutual trust. Anthony Albanese, Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak attend an Aukus event in San Diego in 2023 (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The UK-China relationship has deteriorated since the golden era when then prime minister David Cameron sought closer economic ties with Beijng. Security concerns, disputes over the treatment of pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong and human rights abuses in China have all contributed to tensions. But Mr Zheng said: China follows a consistent policy towards the UK, continuing to seek a relationship based on mutual respect, non-interference in each others internal affairs and win-win co-operation. We see great potential in our bilateral economic, educational and cultural tourism co-operation. He said the two countries should enhance understanding, avoid, misjudgment and misperception and increase mutual trust through dialogue. But he said China was resolutely opposed to exclusive blocs such as Aukus. Such blocs are not conducive to regional stability, and we only create division and friction. Mr Zheng also said China would do whatever it takes to thwart any attempt for Taiwan independence and any interference from external forces. Earlier this month former prime minister and current Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron congratulated the pro-independence candidate Lai Ching-te on his victory in Taiwans presidential election Mr Lai has vowed to safeguard the islands de-facto independence from Beijing. The UK does not recognise Taiwan as a state, and Lord Cameron said he hoped both sides in the dispute could renew efforts to resolve differences peacefully through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. Indo-Pacific minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan told the Asia House event she hoped that engagement with China would continue to grow through 2024, with open channels to discuss areas of concern. The Covid pandemic taught us that it is prudent to reduce dependencies in our critical supply chains, but we do believe that a positive trade and investment relationship with China is also critically important for both our countries interests, she said. So we must maintain open channels to discuss all areas of our relationship, including where we have concerns. That includes the deterioration of freedoms in Hong Kong and the need to preserve peace in the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait. These are matters of global interest. And so following Taiwans recent elections, I hope that those on both sides of the strait will renew efforts to resolve differences through constructive dialogue. The Irish premier said that South Africas legal case against Israel is valid, but that Ireland will wait until the main case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is filed before taking a decision on any intervention. Leo Varadkar also said he doesnt believe any order from ICJ will bring an end to the conflict in Gaza. Speaking in the Irish parliament, Mr Varadkar said that the government is committing to support any decision of the ICJ on preliminary measures. His comments come as opposition politicians criticised the governments vague position in relation to South Africas legal case. Irish premier Leo Varadkar said Ireland is committed to support any decision made by the ICJ Mr Varadkar said: Im sad to say I dont believe that an order from the ICJ will bring about an end to this conflict. It didnt in Ukraine and it may be four years before the case is finally decided. So this conflict will be brought to an end by diplomacy and by politics and thats why were focusing on diplomacy and politics. He added: Were also committing to support any decision of the ICJ on preliminary measures. These will be final and binding on the parties concerned. Were also committing to consider an intervention in the South Africa versus Israel case at the ICJ. This is done at the point when South Africa would file its main, memorial case. To date, while some countries have indicated that they will intervene, none have yet because that doesnt happen until that point. He added: We do agree that Africas case is valid. He said that the Attorney General will travel to The Hague in February to make a submission in an ongoing case involving Israel and Palestine, which is separate from South Africas case. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the government doesnt want to even contemplate the word genocide when it comes to Israels actions in Gaza. Thats why youre refusing to take a stance now and signal your support for South Africa in the Court of Justice, she added. You want to wait until you have the cover of the preliminary ruling and then youll consider your options. This approach lacks courage. Its at odds with the annihilation that were witnessing and your words of support for Palestinians. While your government is faffing around, other countries are making their intentions clear. Germany has already announced they will intervene in the case on the side of Israel, saying they firmly and explicitly reject the accusation of genocide. The US and the UK have also made their views clear, they rubbish South Africas case as meritless and unjustified. Western countries are lining up to support Israel. There could not be more of a pressing need for countries like Ireland to signal the support for South Africa now and your governments claim it cannot simply isnt credible. Earlier on Tuesday, Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said that Ireland had not yet made a decision and would wait to assess South Africas legal case. The Tanaiste also said that it is not possible to join the case yet as it is only at the preliminary stages. Demonstrators at several pro-Palestine protests in Dublin have called on the government to support South Africas case, and Irish charity Trocaire has urged Ireland to assess itself whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed. It said assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The charity also called on Ireland to publicly support South Africas call for interim measures, such as a humanitarian ceasefire and for aid to be delivered unhindered into the Gaza Strip. Asked about South Africas case at the ICJ on his way into Cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Martin said: Its important to make that point, no-one has joined because no one can right now. That misinformation has gathered that somehow we havent joined. Nobody has joined. The Government will later table a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, ahead of a vote on Wednesday on a parliamentary motion by the Social Democrats calling on Ireland to support South Africas case, opposition parties said they had yet to see the wording. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said that she had sought cross-party support for a separate motion that would call on the government to investigate the possibility of joining the South African case. We believe they could join the case now or indicate a willingness to join it at a much higher level, Ms Bacik said. Were working with government to see a timing for agreeing that cross-party motion, I think there is a certain momentum there, she said, adding that she had been in touch with all three coalition party leaders. But Im really trying to work constructively with government parties and opposition parties to see if we can form a common purpose in support of Gaza. Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said that unity happens when we vote for it in the Dail, it doesnt happen in some behind-the-scenes backroom deals. Im not going to wait for some illusion of unity, Im going to act, thats what people who are contacting my office are asking that we do. He said that as Germany had already signalled it would support Israels case at the court, Ireland should signal its intention to support South Africa. We dont have to wait to look at the legal arguments made by the South African case and the incredible Irish human rights lawyers out there we can also start our own case. The government can actually move to initiate their own findings. We appreciate that thats not going to happen tomorrow, but the process needs to begin. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that the Tanaiste stating that they would consider South Africas case showed that the government is under pressure. He said a protest is being organised outside the Dail at 5.30pm on Wednesday to pile the pressure on the government to support South Africas case at the preliminary stage. Vague references to what they may do in the future or simply rhetorical calls for a ceasefire are not good enough, he said. To be honest, talking about joining the case later, possibly, when theres a genocide happening now, is worse than useless. The whole point of the South African action was to demand provisional measures on to the Genocide Convention to stop the genocide thats happening now. We needed the international community to take measures to stop Israels slaughter before the already horrific situation in Gaza gets even worse. English actor Colin Firth will take on the role of a grieving father in an upcoming series about the Lockerbie bombing. The Oscar winner will portray Dr Jim Swire who has long campaigned for justice for his daughter Flora Swire after she died when the Pan Am flight 103 was blown out of the skies above Scotland 35 years ago. Firth will portray the English doctor as a man who risks everything in memory of his daughter and the unflinching pursuit of truth and justice in the Sky series. The actor, 63, won an Academy Award and Bafta for playing George VI in The Kings Speech in 2010 and is known for Bridget Joness Diary and Love Actually. Dr Jim Swire, the father of Flora Swire who died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 (Danny Lawson/PA) Along with his wife Jane, Dr Swire has spearheaded a call for a full inquiry into Lockerbie. He told the BBC in December 2022 that he wanted a UN court set up, instead of the case being dealt with by the US or Scotland and has long wanted the evidence against the only man convicted of the attack to be reassessed. Flora, a medical student who died on the eve of her 24th birthday, was one of hundreds of people killed when the flight from Heathrow to New Yorks JFK airport exploded above the Dumfriesshire town of Lockerbie. The explosion on December 21 1988 killed all 259 people on the plane, many of whom were Americans heading home for Christmas, as well as 11 people on the ground. The Sky and Peacock show is based on the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search For Justice by Dr Swire and Peter Biddulph. The five-part series Lockerbie will explore Dr Swires fight for action and being nominated as a spokesperson for the victims families through the UK Families Flight 103 group, and look at the disaster and its aftermath. Scottish playwright David Harrower, known for the play Blackbird, is the lead writer and Otto Bathurst, who won a Bafta for BBC period crime drama Peaky Blinders is lead director. It is a co-production between Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios and Sky Studios. The BBC and Netflix announced in July that they had commissioned World Productions to make a six-part drama about the Lockerbie bombing. Wreaths and floral tributes laid during a ceremony to mark the 35th anniversary of the Lockerbie bombing (Jane Barlow/PA) Novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee, who wrote High Dive, is lead writer and Michael Keillor, who worked on Line Of Duty, Roadkill and Chimerica, will direct. Former Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was found guilty of 270 counts of murder by a panel of three Scottish judges, sitting at a special court in the Hague in 2001 and was imprisoned in Scotland. He was controversially granted compassionate release in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Al-Megrahi returned to Libya where he died in 2012. His family, and some relatives of the bombing victims, believe he suffered a miscarriage of justice. Appeals against his conviction have been rejected. Libyan Abu Agila Masud is alleged to have helped make the bomb. He is to go on trial in the US in May 2025 facing three charges which he denies. Production of the Sky series Lockerbie will begin in early 2024. A new deadline for resurrecting a powersharing Executive at Stormont is set to be fixed for February 8. It is understood the Government will introduce a short Bill at Westminster on Wednesday to set the new date after the last one lapsed on January 18. Under legislation governing the formation of a devolved administration in Belfast, the Government assumes a legal duty to call a snap Assembly election once a deadline for forming a ministerial Executive is passed. However, in the face of a series of missed deadlines in the current powersharing impasse, the Government has repeatedly opted to pass fresh legislation to set new deadlines, rather than opting for an election. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted his party has yet to reach an agreement with the Government over post-Brexit trading arrangements (Liam McBurney/PA) Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris is set to do so again on Wednesday, albeit with a relatively short extension this time. The move suggests the Government remains hopeful that a settlement can be reached within the next two weeks to enable powersharing to return to Northern Ireland. The devolved institutions at Stormont have been collapsed for almost two years as a result of a DUP boycott in protest against the post-Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Senior DUP figures held discussions on Friday amid mounting speculation that the unionist party was preparing to make a call on whether or not to accept a Government deal aimed at addressing its concerns. Ultimately no decision was taken at that meeting, with party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson dismissing suggestions that it was a make-or-break encounter. However, party insiders maintain that the moment for the DUP to pass final judgment on the Governments offer is approaching. On Monday, Sir Jeffrey said an agreement with the Government over post-Brexit trading arrangements has still not been reached. Instead, he said he will meet the Government again this week to address remaining concerns over the Windsor Framework that governs the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Lets Talk Loyalisms @mooreholmes24 speaking on Good Morning Ulster making clear that unless the Irish Sea Border has been removed, there is no basis, or mandate, for a return to Stormont. Keep Your Word. pic.twitter.com/4zm1ulsnSD Lets Talk Loyalism (@TalkLoyalism) January 23, 2024 Sir Jeffrey must secure the backing of his party officers, and it is understood several of them believe the Governments offer does not go far enough to warrant the party dropping its blockade on Stormont. A loyalist activist group has launched a campaign calling on unionist politicians to remain out of Stormont until the so-called Irish Sea trade border has been removed. Lets Talk Loyalism has created a letter template for voters to send to unionist elected representatives that to return to Stormont without such a commitment would be a dishonourable act of treachery. A shadow health minister has described the measles outbreak as deeply troubling and called for more powers to be given to health visitors to vaccinate children. Speaking at the Institute for Government Conference in London, Labours Karin Smyth said alarm bells have been sounding since the UK was stripped of its measles-free status in 2019, adding that the Government failed to act. The cost of that failure is the deeply troubling measles outbreak were seeing today, she added. Figures show there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year. The majority (80%) came from Birmingham, with the remainder in Coventry. Most cases were in children under 10. Ms Smyths comments followed the launch of an NHS campaign urging millions of parents to book their children in for missed measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines. On Monday, the Government warned that almost 3.5 million under-16s are at risk of catching the diseases as a result of not being vaccinated. Ms Smyth said red tape that stops health visitors administering jabs has left thousands of children without their MMR vaccination. She added: We would like to have things like health visitors being able to vaccinate children make it much more accessible. Health minister Maria Caulfield said there has been a gradual 10-year decline in population coverage with the MMR, with factors such as disruption during the pandemic blamed and the impact of discredited claims made in 1998 by Andrew Wakefield. Ms Smyth called for better online safety, with restrictions put in place on platforms to stop misinformation being put forward, particularly in areas of public health. The NHS vaccine catch-up scheme will target all parents of children aged six to 11, urging them to make an appointment for any missed MMR jabs. It will also target areas of low uptake, contacting more than one million people aged 11 to 25 in London and the West Midlands. The first dose of the MMR jab is usually offered to babies aged one, with the second dose given at three years and four months. A new deadline for resurrecting a powersharing executive at Stormont has been set for February 8. The Government will introduce a short one-line Bill at Westminster on Wednesday to set the new date after the last one lapsed on January 18. Under legislation governing the formation of a devolved administration in Belfast, the Government assumes a legal duty to call a snap assembly election once a deadline for forming a ministerial executive is passed. However, in the face of a series of missed deadlines in the current powersharing impasse, the Government has repeatedly opted to pass fresh legislation to set new deadlines, rather than opting for an election. People have rightly had enough of the DUPs inaction. They need mature and positive leadership focused on delivering for them. My message to the DUP is to work with us, get round the Executive table and make a difference to peoples lives. Thousands of public sector workers Michelle ONeill (@moneillsf) January 23, 2024 Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will do so again on Wednesday, albeit with a relatively short extension this time. The move suggests the Government remains hopeful that a settlement can be reached within the next two weeks to enable powersharing to return to Northern Ireland. The devolved institutions at Stormont have been collapsed for almost two years as a result of a DUP boycott in protest against the post-Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Senior DUP figures held discussions on Friday amid mounting speculation that the unionist party was preparing to make a call on whether or not to accept a Government deal aimed at addressing its concerns over trade and sovereignty. Ultimately, no decision was taken at that meeting, with party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson dismissing suggestions that it was a make-or-break encounter. However, party insiders maintain that the moment for the DUP to pass final judgment on the Governments offer is approaching. Tomorrow I will be introducing the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill to allow for the reformation of Stormont. The Bill only has a single clause: to extend the period of time Stormont can legitimately come back until the 8th February. (1/2) Chris Heaton-Harris MP (@chhcalling) January 23, 2024 Announcing the fresh deadline, Mr Heaton-Harris said on Tuesday: Tomorrow I will be introducing the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill to allow for the reformation of Stormont. The Bill only has a single clause: to extend the period of time Stormont can legitimately come back until February 8. I am committed to restoring devolution and significant progress has been made towards that objective. I believe that this Bill, with the constrained timescales, will be sufficient. On Monday, Sir Jeffrey said an agreement with the Government over post-Brexit trading arrangements has still not been reached. Instead, he said he will meet the Government again this week to address remaining concerns over the Windsor Framework that governs the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Sir Jeffrey must secure the backing of his party officers, and it is understood several of them believe the Governments offer does not go far enough to warrant the party dropping its blockade on Stormont. "On Friday, Party Officers had a detailed update on contacts and discussions with the Government. We are of the view that given the progress secured, that we will endeavour now to close the remaining gaps between us."@J_Donaldson_MP pic.twitter.com/lWwA9V91kG DUP (@duponline) January 22, 2024 The impasse comes amid a period of significant industrial action by public sector workers angry that a delayed pay award has been awarded amid Stormonts political stand-off. The region last week witnessed the biggest mass strike in a generation as tens of thousands walked out in protest at the ongoing failure to introduce a pay rise. After the new deadline was confirmed, a DUP spokesman made clear a deal to restore Stormont had not yet been secured. The introduction of this Bill by the Secretary of State is recognition that, while significant progress has been made, to date an agreement has not been reached, he said. We will continue to engage with the Government as we seek to successfully finalise all the remaining outstanding issues between us. We are working to that end. The Government knows our view that it is only when we have resolved the remaining outstanding issues that we will be able to bring about the necessary conditions for the return of devolved government. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill said it was decision time for the DUP. People have rightly had enough of the DUPs inaction, she said. They need mature and positive leadership focused on delivering for them. My message to the DUP is to work with us, get round the executive table and make a difference to peoples lives. Thousands of public sector workers educating our children, caring for patients in our hospitals and running our transport services are once again being forced to take industrial action for the pay rises being denied to them. It is time for action. Workers and their families cannot be left in the lurch any longer. The DUP leader should do the right thing and restore the democratic institutions. The SDLP said it would to amend the legislation being tabled by the Government to introduce a reform to powersharing structures that would remove that ability of any party to veto the functioning of the Assembly. The party will propose a further amendment that would place an obligation on the Secretary of State to deliver a stalled pay award for public sector workers in Northern Ireland. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said: People are beyond sick of hearing the same old statements about progress in the exclusive negotiations between the DUP and the British Government with nothing to show for it. The hard reality is that the only thing theyve delivered is worse living standards for people across the north, an unprecedented period of industrial action and the further erosion of public services. Enough is enough. We are prepared to give the space for a deal to be done but people wont be strung along forever. A loyalist activist group has launched a campaign calling on unionist politicians to remain out of Stormont until the so-called Irish Sea trade border has been removed. Lets Talk Loyalism has created a letter template for voters to send to unionist elected representatives that to return to Stormont without such a commitment would be a dishonourable act of treachery. As of the start of January, the first issue of Revolucao is now out! This is the paper of Colectivo Marxista, the International Marxist Tendency (IMT) in Portugal. The paper Revolucao will become an important tool for spreading communist ideas in Portugal. A newspaper in 2024? At a time when most left-wing organisations have abandoned paper publications, we, the communists of the IMT, believe that a physical newspaper is still necessary for the dissemination of our ideas. Social networks and websites are very useful things, and we use them actively, but they cannot replace a newspaper. Firstly, online activity is useful for reaching readers who are already convinced and well informed. It addresses those who are already on the lookout for revolutionary ideas. Meanwhile, a newspaper is a great weapon for intervening more actively, and we will take it to demonstrations, picket lines and working-class neighbourhoods across the country, engaging with a much broader audience than we could otherwise, including many who are far removed from the lefts social networks. By its very nature, a single issue of a newspaper can summarise our point of view in a more synthetic way than a website: it contains our analysis of the situation in Portugal and internationally, comments on the main struggles in the country, and includes theoretical and historical materials that set out our basic ideas. Secondly, social networks are far from free and democratic outlets: they are owned by big capitalists like Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg, who apply censorship (sometimes subtly through algorithms, and other times less subtly) against ideas that threaten their interests. Censorship is not a far-fetched concern: we have been recently subjected to it even in the most advanced capitalist democracies. Our Canadian comrades, for instance, were blocked on Facebook after the federal government passed a law to defend the big media monopolies. We cant depend on Musk or Zuckerberg to spread our ideas. A paper therefore becomes a necessary tool to circumvent attempts to silence us. Thirdly, as Lenin once said, the newspaper is not only a collective agitator, but also a collective organiser, much like the scaffolding of a building under construction. Around the newspaper, the organisation is built, its content is discussed, tasks are distributed, articles are drafted and corrected, and, above all, we are pushed to take to the streets with the paper in hand to present and defend our ideas. It is, in short, a lever for the construction of a Bolshevik organisation. The first Revolucao In its 16 pages, Revolucao is a treasure trove of communist ideas. This first issue tackles a range of issues that we hope will be of great interest to left-wing militants, the youth, and class-conscious workers. On the eve of new elections after the recent fall of the Socialist Party government, the editorial deals with the electoral perspectives. It explains the lefts current difficulties, with the right on the rise in opinion polls. This situation emerges after almost seven years of an informal alliance between the ruling socialists, and the Communist Party and Left Bloc, followed by over a year of socialist majority government. In power, the reformist left dashed the expectations of the working class in the context of a deep capitalist crisis, which has dramatically undercut the basis for reformism. However, a revolutionary campaign by the Communist Party and the Left Bloc, should they take stock of their past mistakes, could transform the situation and halt the growth of the right and extreme right. In the international pages, we denounce Israels genocidal war against the Palestinian people, and explain how the wishful thinking of bourgeois diplomacy for ending settlements, creating two states, the Oslo agreements, UN resolutions, etc. are fantasies that the racist and reactionary Israeli state will never accept. The article calls for an intifada until victory, i.e. a massive uprising of the Palestinians and the other peoples of the region, which would shake the Zionist state and divide Israeli society along class lines. This perspective is no utopia, but part of Palestine's own revolutionary tradition, especially during the First Intifada of 1987-1993, and is further confirmed by the example of the Arab Spring. The main theoretical article is devoted to Lenin on the centenary of his death. This piece uses the biography of this great revolutionary as a window onto his main ideas on the revolutionary party, on imperialism, on Marxist philosophy, on the nature of the Russian Revolution, and his fight against Stalin immediately prior to his death, etc. His life is linked to the very history of the Russian revolutionary movement, which the article delves into. We also have an article devoted to the protests against climate change in Portugal, in which we look at the movements tactics and raise the need for mass struggle, linking the defence of the planet to a programme of social transformation. Another serious problem, to which two articles are devoted, is the housing crisis in Portugal. One analyses the problem from a Marxist perspective and presents our revolutionary solution: the expropriation of the capitalists and the distribution of housing according to social needs and not to profit. The other denounces the threat of evictions at Sirigaita, an important social centre in Lisbon that is in danger of becoming the next victim of the speculators. Finally, we briefly discuss the main news from our organisation, the IMT, summing up our main initiatives in recent months: the Pan-American Marxist school in Mexico and the French-speaking school in Geneva. In short, for just 1, you can get hold of a true arsenal of revolutionary ideas. Contact us to get your copy. Buy, discuss and spread Revolucao, and help build the communist movement in Portugal! The funeral of Ian Bailey, who was the main suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, has taken place in Ireland. In a statement from his next-of-kin issued through Mr Baileys solicitor Frank Buttimer, the private service was confirmed to have taken place in Cork on Tuesday morning. He was cremated following the service. Mr Bailey, 66, died on Sunday. He had a severe heart condition and had been a candidate for surgery. The body of Ms Toscan du Plantier, a 39-year-old French producer, was found badly beaten outside her holiday home in Schull, West Cork, in December 1996. Mr Bailey, with an address at The Prairie in Schull, was convicted of her murder in his absence by a Paris court in May 2019, which imposed a 25-year sentence. He had no legal representation, did not attend the court and described it as a farce at the time. In October 2020, the High Court in Ireland rejected an attempt by French authorities to extradite Mr Bailey for the murder. The court ruled that he would not be surrendered to France after a European Arrest Warrant was issued in 2019. Mr Bailey had always vehemently denied any involvement in Ms Toscan du Plantiers death. Film-maker Gurinder Chadha has revealed she is making a Christmas Carol-style festive film which stars an Indian Tory who hates refugees. The Bend It Like Beckham director discussed the state of the independent movie industry in the UK as part of the first session in the Government inquiry into British film and high-end TV. Appearing in front of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee at Westminster on Tuesday, Chadha said it is still more difficult to get films made with a cast of colour as she feels there is a perception that viewers do not want to see movies that do not culturally reflect them. We are currently hearing from the creator of Bend It Like Beckham and Bride & Prejudice @GurinderC as part of our inquiry into British Film and High-End Television. Find out more about the inquiry here: https://t.co/RwYZUo9UYY https://t.co/rFPMR7xaHe Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsCMS) January 23, 2024 Reflecting on her independent Christmas film, she said: Im making (Charles Dickens) A Christmas Carol, but my Scrooge is an Indian Tory who hates refugees but then we go on that journey with them, and hopefully they have reclamation. She added that she told the Prime Minister about the project and claimed he said: Oh, dont make me look bad. And I said: I dont have to do that for you, Rishi. Chadha said the film is fun, its British, its very close to Dickens original themes given the cost-of-living crisis in Britain. However, she revealed she has struggled to get it off the ground partly due to the lead being Indian. She added: By making it an Indian Scrooge it changes everything in terms of how I get it financed. Suddenly people go Its not commercial, its small, its an Indian film. Chadha rose to prominence after creating Bend It Like Beckham, starring British actress Parminder Nagra who is of Indian Punjabi descent and Keira Knightley as two young girls who desire to be professional footballers, despite their parents wishes. She is also been behind other hit films including Bride And Prejudice and Blinded By The Light. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Hannah McKay/PA) Asked if this pushback against commissioning films with Indian leads is naked racism, she said: I think, yes, its this perception that people wont want to see a film that doesnt culturally reflect them, which is why I always push for it. Im always trying to push what is British culture. Exploring why she feels it is still hard for her to get a film starring an up-and-coming Indian actor greenlit despite her track record, she said: Itll be much easier if you have a white cast than a cast of colour to make films. You can talk to any person of colour film-maker and they will tell you. Asked if this just relates to Indian talent, she clarified that it also happens with black actors. She said: If you have Idris Elba or John Boyega great. But these are people who have worked very hard to get where they are, but if I was to cast a new kid out of film school (from an ethnic minority background) and try to make them the lead, it will be hard. Asked if she feels it would be easier if the young actor was white, she agreed, before adding: Thats been my experience on the film Im making right now. If you are interested you can watch live on https://t.co/HvoZrOoosZ go on the website and choose DCMS meeting https://t.co/l5yqYDsOz6 pic.twitter.com/eLpIroTc7b Gurinder Chadha OBE (@GurinderC) January 23, 2024 Reflecting on the independent film industry in Britain, she admitted: One of the hardest things is just surviving. A lot of colleagues have not survived as independent film-makers. Chadha said the UK industry still needs studio films like blockbuster Wonka starring Timothee Chalamet, but does not want them to stifle the independent talent as she feels they tell the regional stories of the UK. Film is emotional and film touches people and it tells who we are as a nation, she said. So independent film is a very important voice. Its our passport to the rest of the world. When asked how she thinks things can be improved, she promoted the idea of a tiered tax credit system. She explained: I think a tiered tax incentive is great. So if youre an independent film under a certain budget, you get a greater tax credit than perhaps the more studio-backed films I think something that encourages first-time film-makers is very good as well. So producers are incentivised to develop talent. Pact CEO @Pactchief will be giving evidence today at the @CommonsCMS inquiry into British Film and High-End TV. Amongst other things, he'll be discussing our calls for an increase to film tax relief for indie films, to address the market failure the sector is facing. #UKIndies https://t.co/rJ3FJvZbKI Pact (@PactUK) January 23, 2024 Turning to the TV industry, John McVay, chief executive of Pact, the trade body for independent TV and film production companies, praised ITV for creating the drama series Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The four-part series, which depicts the real-life campaign by a subpostmaster and his colleagues to clear their name of fraud, started a national and political dialogue and pushed for those affected to be compensated. McVay told the committee: I have to give plaudits to ITV for making that TV drama series and its shows you the values of public service broadcasting. That would never have been made by Netflix or Apple or Amazon, not their type of thing. It was great ITV made it that they made a story which had such impact. Illegal migration and law enforcement co-operation topped the agenda as Rishi Sunak held talks with his Belgian counterpart. Rishi Sunak welcomed Alexander De Croo to Downing Street on Tuesday morning, with the Belgian Prime Minister praising the two countries as good neighbours. Mr De Croo, who visited Number 10 hours after the UK and US conducted joint strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, referenced the turbulent world of the present day. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, right, with the prime minister of Belgium Alexander De Croo (Hannah McKay/PA) The pair also met with a backdrop of the conflict in Gaza and ongoing war in Ukraine. In a readout of the meeting, a Downing Street spokesman said the two men agreed on the vital importance of ending the cruel and dangerous people-smuggling trade, including in container trucks and small boats. He said Mr Sunak welcomed the groundbreaking new UK-Belgium Law Enforcement Co-operation Agreement, which is expected to be finalised in the coming weeks. The first-of-its-kind agreement will enhance intelligence sharing and surveillance capabilities and will see UK law enforcement officials forward-deployed to Belgium to tackle shared threats, including in counter-people-smuggling operations. The leaders also discussed the value of partnerships with third countries, both to find solutions to illegal migration and to address the poverty and instability that pushes people into the arms of people smugglers. Mr Sunak had earlier praised the very close partnership between the two countries and said the two leaders would discuss efforts to tackle illegal migration. Belgium and the UK have always had a very close partnership and friendship, he said. I know well talk today about our efforts to combat the criminal gangs who are facilitating illegal migration and strengthening our co-operation to break those gangs. He said that the situation in Ukraine, as well as energy security, was also a shared interest. Mr De Croo told Mr Sunak: Were good neighbours, were allies. And I think in a turbulent world more than ever, countries like the UK and Belgium need to align, need to work together. Scotlands national clinical director has denied advising the current First Minister of a work around to mask rules during the pandemic. Professor Jason Leitch appeared before the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Tuesday as it takes evidence in Edinburgh over the Scottish Governments handling of the pandemic. In a shown WhatsApp exchange from November 2021 between Prof Leitch and Humza Yousaf then serving as health secretary at the inquiry, the minister asked about masking rules ahead of an event he was attending. At the time, Covid rules in Scotland meant someone would not have to wear a mask while they were sitting down to eat or drink, but would if they were moving around a bar or restaurant while not drinking. I know sitting at the table I dont need my mask, Mr Yousaf said in the partially redacted message. If Im standing talking to folk need me mask on (sic)? The exchange was made public at the inquiry on Tuesday (UK Covid-19 Inquiry/PA) Responding, the national clinical director said: Officially yes. But literally no one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then youre exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink. Questioning Prof Leitch, the counsel to the inquiry Jamie Dawson KC said he gave Mr Yousaf a work around to enable him to attend the function, not wear a mask and get out of complying with the rules. Responding, the national clinical director said: No, that follows the rules. If he has a drink and its a drinks reception-type environment, then that follows the rules. I gave him advice to show him how to comply. When Mr Dawson pointed to the professor telling Mr Yousaf to have a drink in your hands at ALL times, he replied: Having a drink in your hands means you dont have to wear a mask. He added: The nuance here is somebody approaches you because youre the Cabinet Secretary for Health, or the national clinical director, talks to you at the table and you stand to speak to them. Today, we hear evidence from three witnesses: Prof Jason Leitch CBE, Prof Devi Sridhar and Prof Andrew Morris CBE. Watch live from 10:00 (with a three minute delay) on our YouTube channel https://t.co/n03rrwuLGm pic.twitter.com/gpnhjt7OgQ UK Covid-19 Inquiry (@covidinquiryuk) January 23, 2024 A spokesperson for Mr Yousaf later said: This exchange simply shows the then health secretary seeking specific, up-to-date guidance from a senior adviser to ensure he was complying with the Covid rules, which was perfectly reasonable for him to do. In July of 2021, the then first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced most coronavirus restrictions would be lifted, with masking indoors continuing, including in nightclubs which would be reopening following a period of closure. But after outcry from the hospitality industry, the final guidance was amended, removing the need to wear a mask in clubs and people were allowed to drink in pubs while standing. Prof Leitch went on to say there was nuance in the rules as lockdown was easing during that period, with this being one such situation. Asked, if Mr Yousaf could not understand the rules how was the public supposed to?; the adviser admitted regulations around the specific situation the then health secretary was asking about were tricky during that period. Earlier, Prof Leitch said he regularly deleted messages during the pandemic. The national clinical director went on to claim a message he sent claiming deletion to be a pre-bed ritual was a flippant exaggeration. He said: As youve heard, the record retention policy was that you could use informal messaging systems for Scottish Government business. If you did, you should ensure that any advice or any decisions or anything that should be in the corporate record was then placed in that corporate record by email, briefing, etc, and then you should delete the informal messaging, and thats the guidance I followed. Jamie Dawson KC, lead counsel to the current module of the inquiry, then read out a statement from Mr Leitch in which he said: Except for direct messages from my Twitter account, I have not retained any one-to-one informal communications in relation to the management of the pandemic in Scotland, this is because I followed the policy described in more detail above. Mr Dawson asked: So, you used text messages, WhatsApp messages, is that right? But you did not retain them above and beyond the interpretation of the policy that youve just set out for us? Mr Leitch replied: Correct. He was also asked about a message exchange shown to the inquiry last week in which he appeared to suggest deleting WhatsApp messages was a pre-bed ritual. Mr Leitch said: I didnt daily delete my WhatsApp. My position is as I have just described to you that I tried to do todays work today and if I could assure myself that work had been managed and dealt with, then I would delete the informal messaging that had led to that moment. But this was a flippant exaggeration in an informal messaging group and it wasnt done every day before I went to bed. The comments come amid a growing political storm over the retention of informal messages during the pandemic. The inquiry has heard both former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy, John Swinney, both did not retain messages, while a message from Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith who testified on Monday showed him instructing colleagues to delete at the end of every day. The national clinical director also said he set up a group chat between himself, Sir Gregor and Dr Jim McMenamin who was then the incident director for Covid-19 at Public Health Scotland named star chamber, where he enabled the auto-delete function on WhatsApp. The inquiry continues. Lily Gladstone has said making Oscars history as the first Native American recognised in the best actress category was long overdue but she feels it is just the beginning. The 37-year-old, a native of Montanas Blackfeet reservation, has been nominated for her first Academy Award for her starring role in Killers Of The Flower Moon alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorseses western crime thriller. The film follows the murders of wealthy members of the Osage tribe in mysterious circumstances in the 1920s, with Gladstone playing Osage national Mollie Burkhart, who is married to DiCaprios character Ernest Burkhart. Lily Gladstone (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Its about time, and I know I might be the first for native North America, but (I) certainly wont be the last, she told the PA news agency of her nomination. I know that that reverberation is shared by other indigenous kids, by elders. I think about our elders that grew up in a time watching movies where they didnt see themselves, they grew up watching all of these incredible, iconic actresses in the golden age of cinema (with) no representation for themselves. Im grateful to have this acknowledgement because it really just means that this film had an impact on people, and its a testament to the talent that we hold as indigenous people, the natural proclivity we have as storytellers, as actors, and the universality in that. Gladstone added: It is truly circumstantial that its me, and I know thats just the beginning of a lot to come. The nominations for Actress in a Leading Role go to #Oscars pic.twitter.com/7C9zdqWUi1 The Academy (@TheAcademy) January 23, 2024 The nomination comes after Gladstone became the first indigenous woman to win the best actress award at the Golden Globes, which she dedicated to every little native kid out there who has a dream. She will now go up against Poor Things star Emma Stone in the category, alongside Carey Mulligan for Maestro, Anatomy Of A Falls Sandra Huller and Annette Bening for Nyad. I cant remember another year that had so many incredible groundbreaking films, Gladstone said of the nominations. Its truly an honour just to have a film out this year with the line-up thats included in the Academys. Gladstone said her co-star DiCaprio, who did not receive an Academy Award nomination, was one of the first people to congratulate her. Leonardo DiCaprio was snubbed of an Oscar nod for his role in Killers Of The Flower Moon (Doug Peters/PA) When the news came in, I was FaceTiming with my parents and they immediately said Tell Leo that were super excited, but were also really p***** off (that he was snubbed), she told PA. I wouldnt have been able to do what I did with Mollie if it werent for his Ernest, I was nervous. As an actress that really needs to commit to and tell this complicated, impossible story of love and betrayal he made that possible. He gave me the possibility of doing what I did because of the character he created, and he so deserved to be recognised for it. Gladstone said DiCaprio is so gracious and excited for her and fellow supporting actor nominee Robert De Niro, who played William Hale in the film, as well as the films composer Robbie Robertson who was recognised for best original score. Director Martin Scorsese (Victoria Jones/PA) My knowledge of Martin Scorsese as a filmmaker is because of Robbie Robertson, she told PA. My dad and I used to listen to his album that he had created later in his career, Robbie Robertson And The Red Road Ensemble, and that just became the score of my childhood in a lot of ways. I used to choreograph dances to it, and my dad back then told me that Robbie Robertson, one of his best friends is Martin Scorsese. Im like I dont know who that is dad. Gladstone said her father once predicted that Hollywood director Scorsese would one day create an epic Indian movie. She also said her father used to try to comfort her when she was being bullied for being a little too expressive and performative as a child. He just said, Oh, dont worry honey, theyll change their tune and want to be your friend when you (have) won your Oscar, Gladstone added. Killers Of The Flower Moon is based on David Granns non-fiction book of the same name. A Jamie Oliver online imposter who stabbed his housemate to death after spying on her with hidden surveillance devices has been found guilty of murder. Sheldon Rodrigues, 30, became angry and jealous after 39-year-old Stephanie Hansen turned down his advances and began seeing a married work colleague. He spent 158 hours listening in on her while he was out of the house via a device he had secreted inside a television unit. He also used the name of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver to send an abusive message via Facebook and complained to their employer, the aviation firm Swissport, jurors were told. The situation came to a head when Rodrigues learned cargo agent Ms Hansens boyfriend had visited her while he was at work. Shortly before 6am on December 30 2022, Ms Hansens lover, father-of-three Celso Cabillan, left her house in Hayes, west London. Shift worker Rodrigues had been at work the night before, but was listening in on the couples date with a Micromax phone hidden in the living room, it was claimed. He arrived home at 6.50am and shortly after exploded with rage and brutally attacked Ms Hansen, who was still in her pyjamas in her bedroom. He stabbed her repeatedly in the neck and battered her over the head and face with a hairdryer and large fan with severe force, jurors were told. Ms Hansen was allegedly spied on by the defendant (Metropolitan Police/PA) Prosecutor Gareth Patterson KC said: The evidence of the injuries shows that this was a vicious attack, the knife wounds numbering 20 in total, the blunt impact injuries numbering 39. Rodrigues, of Willenhall Drive, Hayes, denied murder and claimed he set up recording devices for her safety. But jurors heard of a wealth of evidence against him, despite Rodrigues attempts to cast suspicion on the victims boyfriend. On Tuesday, Ms Hansens family wept and hugged each other after a jury at the Old Bailey found Rodrigues guilty of her murder. Judge Judy Khan KC remanded the defendant into custody ahead of his sentencing on March 8. The defendants long-standing obsession was exposed in messages on his phone dating back to 2015. In 2021, he wrote: It hurts to see you every day knowing youll never like me, to which she responded: I do like you but just not enough. He appeared not to accept the rejection, offering to change and have surgery to alter his looks, the court was told. In April 2021, the pair moved into a house in Willenhall Drive to share bills. Messages between them suggested there had been some intimacy, but Ms Hansen said it was a mistake and she only wanted to be friends. By late 2022, Ms Hansen was in a relationship with Mr Cabillan, which angered the defendant, the court was told. Rodrigues, who worked as a cargo agent at another firm near Heathrow, used a phone hidden in a television unit as a listening device. He spent more than 100 hours listening in on Ms Hansen while he was at work or visiting India, where he was born, averaging three hours a day, it was claimed. In November 2022, he emailed Swissport under a fake name to complain that Mr Cabillan was loitering about and trying to have an affair with his partner. He bought a spy camera device designed to make secret recordings inside the house and monitor Ms Hansens new relationship. A spy plug covert listening device was also found on a shelf in the defendants bedroom. On December 8, the defendant allegedly used the name Jamie Oliver to message Ms Hansens boyfriend on Facebook saying his girlfriend and child would be kidnapped. Two days later, he paid a man 100 to drive him around in a car and follow Mr Cabillan, it was alleged. Mr Cabillan realised he was being followed and reported it to police, but the defendant denied it. On December 20, Rodrigues messaged Ms Hansen to say he had been a psycho before searching the internet for how to make a woman fall in love with him, the court was told. Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Mr Cabillan leaving Ms Hansens home early on December 30. The defendant was later to claim Mr Cabillan was the killer and wrote a letter to Swissport saying: He killed my housemate Stephanie Hansen the night he stayed at the house. I found her upon returning home. But Mr Patterson said she was alive and well after Mr Cabillan left, as she sent a string of text messages and used Siri on her phone. She did not leave the house to go to Westfield shopping centre as she had planned, and WhatsApp messages from Mr Cabillan after 7am went unread, jurors were told. After killing Ms Hansen, the defendant left her body in the bedroom and visited Boots to buy bandages for a cut to his hand which he claimed he got from household work. The defendant then set about laying a false defence, sending text messages to Ms Hansens phone asking where she was and pretending she was still at Westfield, it was claimed. Mr Patterson said: Of course, he knew fine well exactly where she was, lying on the floor of her bedroom in that small house in which he remained for around 24 hours. He eventually rang the emergency services and pretended that he had just found the body unexpectedly. Rodrigues went on to lie to an officer at the scene, saying he cut his hand carving a chicken on Christmas Day, although more recent CCTV evidence showed him giving a colleague a high five at work. Jurors were shown a picture of the victims bare legs with drops of the defendants blood on them. The defendants DNA, most likely from semen, was found on her stomach, jurors were told. A man, woman and two young girls who were found dead in a house in Norfolk have been named by police. Norfolk Police said the four people have been provisionally identified as Bartolmiej Kuczynski, 45, Kanticha Sukpengpanao, 36, Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and nine-year-old Natasha Kuczynska. These are subject to formal identification taking place and confirmation at inquest proceedings, the force added. The bodies of the four family members were discovered at an address in Costessey, near Norwich, on Friday morning. Floral tributes left near a house in Costessey (Sam Russell/PA) A man called 999 from the property on Allan Bedford Crescent at around 6am that day, but police were not dispatched there. Officers made the discovery about an hour and 15 minutes later after a member of the public alerted them at around 7am. The force has referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) in relation to the first 999 call and previous contact at the address on December 14 which was in relation to a missing person enquiry. On Monday, Chief Constable Paul Sanford asked His Majestys Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services, which is already carrying out a routine inspection of Norfolk Police, to conduct a deeper review into his force. Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. Four people, including two children, were found dead in the house (Joe Giddens/PA) Post-mortem examinations carried out on Sunday found the man died of a stab wound to the neck, while the woman died of a number of stab wounds to the neck. The bodies of the two girls will be examined on Wednesday. Detectives said the man and two children lived at the address, but the woman was visiting and lived elsewhere. All four were found with injuries. The Government risks repeating the mistakes of the UKs coal industry with steel, ministers have been warned. Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds claimed he was begging the Government not to make an irreversible decision on Waless steel industry as he called for further action to prevent the loss of thousands of jobs in Port Talbot. But Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said the Government had worked to save the maximum number of jobs, after it was faced with the possibility of Tata pulling out of the UK completely, resulting in 17,500 people losing their jobs, possibly even more than that. Last week, Indian conglomerate Tata Steel confirmed plans to close the blast furnaces in the town its biggest UK plant with the loss of up to 2,800 jobs in South Wales. Welsh Secretary David TC Davies speaking during the Conservative Party annual conference (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Welsh Governments economy minister Vaughan Gething warned on Tuesday that the UK Governments 500 million package to help Tata transition to produce more environmentally friendly steel would not be enough to prevent the job losses. In the Commons, Mr Reynolds warned that without a planned transition towards greener steel production, Port Talbot could suffer a similar fate to areas impacted by the closure of coal mines. He said: Levelling up, supposedly the flagship policy from the Government, is surely a recognition that the scars of those years, of the impact of deindustrialisation are still felt in many parts of the UK today. Yet the Government risk making the same mistakes all over again. The Labour frontbencher added: Minister Im asking you, quite honestly I am begging you, consider the arguments, consider what is really value for money, and do not make decisions that are irreversible and prevent a far better outcome in future. Mr Reynolds also said it was profoundly wrong Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had not spoken to Waless First Minister Mark Drakeford following Tatas announcement. Stephen Kinnock, the Labour MP whose Aberavon constituency covers Port Talbot, meanwhile urged Tata to look again at an alternative plan to transition towards greener steel production put forward by trade unions. I urge Tata Steel to take the bridge not the cliff edge, he said, adding: Their deal is a cliff edge that will send our workforce, our proud communities, over that cliff edge. Stephen Kinnocks constituency covers Port Talbot (Victoria Jones/PA) Holly Mumby-Croft, Conservative MP for Scunthorpe, demanded ministers ensure virgin steel production remained at the steelworks in her constituency, telling MPs: If we are going to give British Steel hundreds of millions of pounds of our money, of public money, we need to ensure they retain those blast furnaces until the transition and in short, it must be written into the deal. I do not want to see what is happening in Port Talbot, the sad events in Port Talbot, happening to my people in Scunthorpe. Mr Davies told MPs: It came down to this: the Government had to find the solution that was acceptable to Tata that was going to save the maximum number of jobs. The Government is not paying 500 million to throw 3,000 people out of work, the Government is paying 500 million to save 5,000 jobs because 5,000 jobs will be saved and around 12,500 jobs will be saved in the supply chain. He added: The reality is Tata were telling us that they were looking to pull out completely from the United Kingdom. If 3,000 jobs is devastating, and it certainly is, how much more devastating would 5,000 jobs be and 12,500 jobs in a supply chain. It was a simple choice for the Government, it wasnt a good choice, it was a choice between seeing 3,000 people losing their jobs or see around 17,500 people losing their jobs, possibly even more than that and that is why the Government committed to pay 500 million towards an arc furnace. But let me make one other thing clear: the Government is not going to pay a penny to Tata until that arc furnace is built. Mr Gething had earlier insisted that any further rescue package for Port Talbot would need intervention from Westminster. He told a press conference: Its not a marginal investment of one or two million its hundreds of millions. I think this comes down to whether the UK Government is prepared to contribute to a future of the UK steel sector. Tata said continued blast furnace production in Port Talbot was not feasible or affordable and a deal with the UK Government would help transition to a more sustainable, greener steel production using electric arc furnaces. The UK Government has committed to invest up to 500 million while Tata will spend 750 million. Tata said more than 130 million will be spent on measures including redundancy terms, skills retraining and help with jobseeking. No ScotRail trains will run in Scotland after 7pm as Storm Jocelyn sweeps in bringing more heavy wind and rain to the country. Rush hour services on Wednesday morning have also been cancelled due to expectations of extreme weather over the next 24 hours. The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for wind covering much of the UK, with an amber wind warning covering the west coast of Scotland, parts of the north and north east and Orkney between 6pm on Tuesday until 8am on Wednesday. There are also yellow warnings for rain covering parts of western and southern Scotland and a yellow warning for ice has been issued across northern and eastern parts of Scotland. ScotRail said infrastructure had already been significantly impacted by Storm Isha, which passed only yesterday, and it predicted Storm Jocelyn will create more challenges across the network. It comes after all ScotRail services were suspended at 7pm on Sunday evening due to Storm Isha, with services restarting later on Monday though some routes were still closed at 11am on Tuesday. Heavy winds of up to 80 mph are expected during Storm Jocelyn, prompting fears more trees and other debris could fall onto tracks making it unsafe for trains to complete their journeys. Phil Campbell, ScotRails customer operations director, said: This is the second withdrawal of train services this week, and we know the impact this has on customers, but the safety of staff and passengers will always be our priority. Workers remove a tree that fell on an electricity substation on the Kinnaird estate in Larbert during Storm Isha on Sunday (Andrew Milligan/PA) Our colleagues at Network Rail Scotland will again be working flat out to carry out safety checks, and assess what repairs are required to reopen the railway. However, customers will be unable to travel early on Wednesday morning, as trains will not be able to operate until the infrastructure has been made safe. We will update our website, mobile app, and social media feeds when we have more information, and customers should check for the latest updates before they attempt to travel. Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Willington said Storm Jocelyn has the potential to cause more disruption than Storm Isha did earlier this week. He said: Outbreaks of heavy rain on Tuesday could bring rainfall accumulations of 15 to 20mm quite widely with 40 to 50mm over higher ground in south-west Scotland, the Scottish Highlands and parts of north-west England. Wind gusts are expected to reach 55 to 65mph across north-western Scotland while there is potential for winds to reach 75 to 80mph in a few places, in particular exposed parts of the Western Isles and coastal north-west Scotland early on Wednesday morning. Tens of thousands of homes in the UK suffered power cuts due to Storm Isha, with some homes in the south of Scotland still without power on Tuesday morning. Scottish Power estimated about 450 customers in the Borders; 420 in Dumfries and Galloway; and a further 300 in Ayrshire were still cut off as of about 9.30am. In the Falkirk area hundreds of properties were left without power after a tree fell onto an electricity substation on Sunday evening. A spokesperson for network operator GTC said: The tree came down on a GTC substation in Larbert and the resulting damage led to 368 homes being without electricity. GTC is working hard to restore power to the affected homes. To safely remove the tree and assess the damage to the substation, GTC unfortunately needs to isolate the supply to the local area, impacting 1,868 homes. Isolation of the homes is currently underway. We expect to have the supply restored by 4pm this afternoon (Tuesday). Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution said that as of noon, supplies have been successfully restored to more than 37,000 customers in northern Scotland. Work to reconnect the 370 remaining properties still without power is continuing and they are expected to be reconnected by the end of the day. Storm Isha claimed two lives including that of an 84-year-old man who died after the car in which he was a front-seat passenger crashed into a fallen tree in Grangemouth at about 11.45pm on Sunday, Police Scotland said. A man in his 60s was killed in a crash involving two vans and a fallen tree in Limavady, Co Londonderry, on Sunday night, the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. Martin Thomson, national operations manager for resilience at Transport Scotland, said: Across the wider network, we can expect to see more delays and cancellations with ferries, flights and rail from Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, Avanti West Coast has urged passengers not to travel north of Preston from London after 3.30pm on Tuesday. The last scheduled service from London to Glasgow leaves the capital at 3.30pm calling at Preston at 5.41pm and is expected to be extremely busy, the operator warned. A spokesperson said: The last trains from Glasgow and Edinburgh will leave before 5pm. Our train service to and from Scotland is expected to resume no earlier than 12pm on January 24. Steelworkers from South Wales have urged politicians to stand up and support them after plans to cut thousands of jobs were unveiled. Dozens of workers made the 170-mile-trip from Port Talbot to Westminster on Tuesday, urging the Government to protect the future of the industry. Tata Steel recently announced plans to cut 2,800 jobs from its UK workforce and close both blast furnaces at the towns works. Workers from Tatas Port Talbot steelworks gather at College Green, in Westminster (Lucy North/PA) Electrical engineer Jason Wyatt, 41, said workers were being held in contempt by Tata, and warned that Port Talbot will fall further into destitution should the industry fail. Mr Wyatt who has been working in the industry for 25 years and lives in nearby Neath continued: Our message to politicians is step up, stand up and put your support behind us, behind the steel industry. Steel is critical to the UK first and foremost, but to Port Talbot, it is the biggest employer in the area, and in contributing to the economy its massive in South Wales. Its imperative that we maintain operations on one blast furnace during the transition, at least until the electric arc furnace is brought online. Asked about plans to shut both blast furnaces before the new arc furnace is ready, he said: It would be a massive hit on the job count. The business has said they could ship slab steel in to us, but ultimately, we dont trust what theyre saying. Tata Steel plans to shut both blast furnaces before a new electric arc furnace is ready, which workers say would be a massive hit on the job count (Ben Birchall/PA) The only way to guarantee that we have got some stock is to produce it ourselves. Should the industry fail in Port Talbot, the opportunity for people like me and people from the generations coming behind me to go into the work Im in wont exist in the locality. Port Talbot will fall further and further into destitution. Its terrible what Tata are doing, theyre holding us in contempt. Stephen Surtees, 61, who has been working as a welder at the Port Talbot steel works for nearly 45 years said the industry is a lifeline for the local area. Port Talbot and Wales cant afford to lose an industry like that, Mr Surtees, who lives in nearby Porthcawl said. This is the last bastion of the South Wales industry. If we lose that, the devastation caused will be massive, not just for the local community but for further afield as well. We need to make the industry part-nationalised again, and make sure that we sustain and grow the steel industry. Tata need to look at themselves in the mirror, theyve been a responsible employer for a good few years. Theyre letting down not just the workers of Port Talbot, but the UK in general. Peter Hughes, Unite secretary for Wales said members were angry about decisions being made by Government. He added: It will take three or four years if not five years to build a new electric arc furnace, so we wont be producing steel till 2029 at the earliest, theres a massive gap there. We actually believe its industrial vandalism. For every one person who works there, theres five people in the supply chain. This announcement is not just about 2,500 jobs at Port Talbot, this is a matter that will affect probably 12,000 to 15,000 jobs across the South Wales valleys. The message for Tata is dont make any rash decisions now because Labour have already committed three billion pounds for the green steel industry. A Government spokesperson said: The blast furnaces at Port Talbot were losing Tata over 1 million a day. Continuing to run at this level of loss risked the company pulling out of South Wales altogether and the loss of 8,000 Tata jobs and 12,000 in the wider steel supply chain. The UK Government put in place one of the biggest support packages in history 500 million to secure the future of Welsh steel, a transition to cleaner, greener electric arc furnaces, and ensure over 17,000 jobs were preserved. In addition we have put together 100 million to create a Transition Board to support those who lose their jobs at Port Talbot. Nicola Sturgeon gave a public health expert a private SNP email address during an online conversation around Covid, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry has heard. The former first minister spoke a number of times with Edinburgh University academic Professor Devi Sridhar through the course of the pandemic over direct messages on X, formerly Twitter. In an exchange between the two in June 2020, Prof Sridhar one of the countrys leading experts and most public academics during the pandemic said she had prepared a note for the chief medical officer on key steps to managing the outbreak in Scotland looking forward. She added that she was happy to share a draft but was unaware if that would overstep or break protocol. Prof Devi Sridhar was one of the most public academics during the pandemic (University of Edinburgh/PA) Responding, Ms Sturgeon said: That would be helpful. (Dont worry about protocol tackling the virus more important than that and Ill handle any issues on that front). She went on to tell the academic to send the information to her privately, providing an SNP email address or officially using her Scottish Government email address. Either way fine by me, she added, in the screenshot of the message Prof Sridhar provided to the inquiry. Ms Sturgeon, who went on to provide a mobile number at which she could be reached, continued: Feel free to do so if you think theres anything Im not aware of or not adequately taking account of or just getting wrong. The messages were shown to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry on Tuesday (UK Covid-19 Inquiry/PA) I am extremely anxious about the fragility of the position just now so very grateful for any advice. Asked by counsel to the inquiry, Jamie Dawson KC, which address she used in this instance, Prof Sridhar said she could not recall, adding: My sense was that, anyways, both were being read by everybody. She added she would not have made a distinction between the two addresses. Asked after the hearing about the use of an SNP email for Government business, a spokesperson for the SNP referred back to a statement posted on X by Ms Sturgeon on Saturday, where she said: Throughout the entire process, I acted in line with Scottish Government policy. I did my level best to lead Scotland through the pandemic as safely as possible and shared my thinking with the country on a daily basis. I did not get every decision right far from it but I was motivated only, and at all times, by the determination to keep people as safe as possible. But the PA news agency understands, from a source close to the former first minister, that she forwarded any email from Prof Sridhar to her private SNP account onto the Scottish Government and offered to provide the correspondence to the inquiry if necessary. The inquiry also heard there had been no contact between the two women on WhatsApp, only through direct messages on X, emails, face-to-face meetings and phone calls. The messages between Prof Sridhar and Ms Sturgeon also hit out at media coverage of the academics comments. In one exchange in May 2020, Prof Sridhar said her words had been twisted in recent coverage, adding it was hard with journalists sometimes. Responding, Ms Sturgeon said: Dont worry I fully understand how the media can twist words, sometimes deliberately. I think what you say is very powerful and clear though and has had a big influence on my thinking. Prof Sridhar also lamented the level of abuse her prominence during the pandemic had resulted in, telling the inquiry she had done her tour of duty and would return to a less public-facing role. She told the inquiry she had faced death threats, racism, sexism, homophobia, you name it, xenophobia. And Ive taken it, because I think the bigger idea is that we try to help each other and do good and I stay true to that, she said. Female members of her research team at Edinburgh University, she added, dont want to go near public service or the media, leaving the academic to ask whos going to step up next time? The inquiry, taking place before Baroness Heather Hallett in Edinburgh, continues. A UK minister will warn at the United Nations that the situation in Gaza is worsening daily and suffering there is unacceptable. Middle East minister Lord Ahmad travels to New York on Tuesday to restate the UKs call for an immediate humanitarian pause in the conflict that would lead to a sustainable ceasefire. It comes as global concern continues to grow about the situation in the Middle East. The UK Government on Monday said it would continue with its support for a two-state solution in the Middle East for as long as it takes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would not compromise on Tel Aviv control over Palestinian territories. Israel continues to bombard parts of Gaza (Adel Hana/AP) The peer will deliver the UKs statement on the Middle East peace process at the UN Security Councils open debate, set to be chaired by French foreign minister Stephane Sejourne. Lord Ahmad will say the crisis in Gaza is worsening daily, suffering is unacceptable, and our priority must be to alleviate it, and that an immediate pause is now necessary to get life-saving aid in, and hostages out. The Foreign Office minister will hold diplomatic talks with foreign minister of the Palestinian Authorities, Riyad Malki, as well as the foreign ministers of Algeria, Lebanon and Jordan. He will also speak to the UN permanent representatives of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. Lord Ahmad will say that the conflict must not go on a moment longer than is necessary and that we need to work towards a sustainable ceasefire. He will add: Peace remains the only way to end the tragedy and suffering that has engulfed Israelis and Palestinians once and for all. We must work together to make the vision for peace a living reality. The visit will also see the minister meet the leaders of aid organisations including Unicef and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a fresh warning over measles after an almost 45-fold rise in cases across Europe. Experts from the organisation said Europe is seeing an alarming rise in the spread of the disease, which has accelerated in recent months. Some 42,200 cases were reported by member states in 2023, almost 45 times the 941 cases in 2022. Two in five cases were in children aged one to four, while one in five were among people aged 20 and over. The rising trend is expected to continue if people do not vaccinate their children against the disease, WHO said. It comes after the UK launched its own campaigns to encourage parents to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for their children. Measles can lead to serious complications, lifelong disability and death. It can affect the lungs and brain and cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. (PA Graphics) Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread. It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination. WHO said that sliding vaccination rates were to blame, but more people were now travelling abroad after Covid-19, increasing the risk of cross-border disease transmission and spread within communities. On Friday, the head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned the UK is on a trajectory for everything getting much worse when it comes to measles spreading, Professor Dame Jenny Harries told the PA news agency that concerted action is needed to tackle the virus, as she visited a measles blackspot in the West Midlands. She suggested the majority of people are not against their child receiving the MMR jab, but that they need more information to feel confident about their decision. She added: What we are seeing at the moment with measles is that people have forgotten what a serious illness it is We have had very high vaccination rates, especially for young families, but they are low at the moment. Measles is highly infectious and can be passed on even before a rash appears. Make sure your child is protected from becoming seriously unwell from measles by making sure they are up to date with their MMR vaccinations. Find out more https://t.co/pGbmMXqcSf pic.twitter.com/p87M3cpLX7 NHS (@NHSuk) January 16, 2024 Vaccination rates across the country have been dropping, but there are particular concerns about some regions, including parts of London and the West Midlands. Figures released by the UKHSA on Friday showed there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year. Four-fifths (80%) have been found in Birmingham while 10% were identified in Coventry, with the majority being in children aged under 10. The UKHSA has declared a national incident, which it said is an internal mechanism signalling the growing public health risk and enabling it to focus work in specific areas. Official figures show uptake of the vaccine is at its lowest point in more than a decade. In 2022/23, some 84.5% of youngsters in England had received both doses of the jab by the time they were five years old the lowest level since 2010/11. Some 92.5% had received one dose. The measles virus can cause serious illness and even disability (Cynthia Goldsmith/Centres for Disease Control and Prevention/PA) Mike Tildesley, professor of infectious disease modelling at the University of Warwick and an expert in disease spread and Covid, said the R number for measles the number of people that one infected person will pass the illness on to is much higher than for Covid. This means we need over 90% of the population to be immune or youre going to start seeing cases growing, he said. We have childhood vaccinations for measles which for many years have helped us to get rid of the disease. Unfortunately, if those vaccination levels drop then we will start to see cases going up and thats what we are seeing at the moment. The world must renew its vow for the Holocaust to never happen again after Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Foreign Secretary will say at an event to mark the Nazi genocide. Lord Cameron is due to meet a Holocaust survivor during a Holocaust Memorial Day reception at the Foreign Office on Tuesday. The event is part of Government commemorations to remember the murder of six million Jews in the 1930s and 40s by former German fascist leader Adolf Hitlers Nazi forces. The Foreign Secretary is expected to tell attendees that there needs to be a recommitment to rid the world of the prejudice and hatred that persists today following a flare-up in antisemitism since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. The Conservative Cabinet minister will co-host the event with Tzipi Hotovely, the Israeli ambassador to the UK. Ms Hotovely caused controversy last month when she told Sky News that her country absolutely would not accept a two-state solution with the Palestinians when the war with Hamas ends comments Lord Cameron said were disappointing and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak distanced himself from. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has caused a rift with the West after repeating a similar claim on the weekend. At the Foreign Office reception, Lord Cameron will meet German-born Holocaust survivor Eve Kugler, whose family was torn apart by the events of Kristallnacht when she was only seven years old. Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass, on November 9 1938 saw the Nazis terrorise Jews throughout Germany and Austria. Ms Kuglers parents survived concentration camps and her youngest sister was forced into hiding while the now 93-year-old and her other sister were sent to America and put into foster homes. The family were reunited in 1946 after the Second World War was over. The Foreign Secretary will argue that Hamass assault on October 7 demonstrates the need to renew the commitment for the suffering witnessed during the Holocaust, including the Nazi-run concentration camps, never to be repeated. Holocaust survivor Eve Kugler, pictured with snooker star Ronnie OSullivan, will attend the Foreign Office Holocaust Memorial Day reception (Sam Churchill/PA) The raids by Hamas, which saw fighters break through Israels defences and rampage through several nearby communities, killed some 1,200 people while around 250 people were taken hostage. Israels offensive in response has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory. Lord Cameron is expected to say: Today we honour the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust humanitys darkest hour, and we recommit to rid the world of the prejudice and hatred that persists today. Diplomacy is a profession dedicated to building bridges. Strengthening alliances. Promoting peace and freedom. But as we are invited to reflect today freedom is as fragile as it is precious. After the horrors of October 7, we must renew our vow never again. That is our solemn duty today, tomorrow and always. The former prime minister will be joined by Lord Pickles, the UKs special envoy for post-Holocaust issues, as well as Ms Hotovely. Holocaust Memorial Day is officially marked on January 27 annually and remembers the millions murdered during the Holocaust under the Nazi regime, as well as world events that have followed. Foreign Office buildings will be lit up, along with other Government sites and national landmarks, to mark the date, officials said. The commemoration at the Foreign Office comes ahead of the UK taking up the presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) later this year. PARI DUKOVIC PHOTOGRAPHY "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." After a year of Hollywood strikes and production delays, television is finally back in full swing for 2024. The next few months are sure to be overwhelming for the industry, as networks and streamers rush to release new programming before the Emmys consideration deadline at the end of May. For television lovers like us, though, its the most wonderful time of the year. An emerging trend among the titles curated below is an increasing reliance on existing intellectual property: novels, spin-offs, and adaptations of films or miniseries. Although a number of shows were canceled for strike-related reasons, and some big series have released their final seasons lately (well miss you, The Crown), there is a lot to look forward to. Of note: a second season of the campy, glamorous Ryan Murphy anthology series Feud, the long-awaited live-action adaptation of the beloved Avatar: The Last Airbender, and Natalie Portman making her television debut in a limited series, to name a few things. The nature of our diversified television landscape means this list isnt even exhaustivewho knows when a niche show might stand out from the high-budget crowd, or which foreign-language program could become the next Squid Game? Our only option is to watch and find out. Expats (January 26, Prime Video) Nicole Kidman is back, this time in a long-awaited limited series created by The Farewells Lulu Wang, filmed in Hong Kong at the height of COVID-19 restrictions. The series is based on 2016 novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, following three expats in the city and how their lives (and secrets) all intertwine. Amazon Prime Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (January 31, FX) Ryan Murphys Feud anthology returns for its second season, this time with a dramatized reimagining of the high-society women who were scorned after their friend Truman Capote published scathing stories about their secrets and intimate lives. Based on 2021s nonfiction account Capotes Women, by Laurence Leamer, this will likely be one of the juiciest and most glamorous television releases of the year. The cast might blow your wig off: Tom Hollander as Capote himself, and the titular swans played by Naomi Watts, Chloe Sevigny, Diane Lane, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, and Molly Ringwald. PARI DUKOVIC PHOTOGRAPHY Genius: MLK/X (February 1, National Geographic) The Genius anthology series returns with a season focused on the relationship and parallels between Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) over the course of the civil rights movement. The cast includes Weruche Opia as Coretta Scott King and Jayme Lawson as Betty Shabazz. Hearst Owned Mr. & Mrs. Smith (February 2, Prime Video) Technically, a short-lived 1996 CBS series is the original source material here, but you more likely remember the 2005 spy film starring Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. A reboot has been gestating at Prime Video, and at long last, after some changes (Phoebe Waller-Bridge was originally set to costar), Donald Glover and Maya Erskine will appear as the titular couple, with an impressive supporting cast including Sarah Paulson, Michaela Coel, Parker Posey, and Alexander Skarsgard, in what is sure to be one of the more explosive releases this year. David Lee One Day (February 8, Netflix) If you dont have plans for Valentines Day (or just miss Normal People), consider watching this British limited series based on the popular 2009 novel of the same name. (There was also a film adaptation in 2011.) This love story spans two decades and stars This Is Going to Hurt breakout star Ambika Mod and Leo Woodall (The White Lotus) as star-crossed lovers. Netflix The New Look (February 14, Apple TV+) This English-language biopic follows a few key fashion designers during and after the occupation of France by Nazi Germany, primarily focusing on Coco Chanel (Juliette Binoche) and Christian Dior (Ben Mendelsohn), with guest stars like Glenn Close. The series has already been greenlit for a second season. Roger Do Minh Constellation (February 21, Apple TV+) With Severance, Silo, and For All Mankind, Apple TV+ has cemented itself as a streaming platform committed to high-budget science-fiction storytelling. Constellation continues this trend, with Noomi Rapace at the helm in a psychological thriller about an astronaut who returns to Earth after a disaster in space. The series is directed by Emmy winner Michelle MacLaren (Shining Girls, Breaking Bad, The X-Files). Apple Avatar: The Last Airbender (February 22, Netflix) The highly anticipated live-action adaptation of the Peabody-winning 2005 Nickelodeon animated series is finally upon us. With 2010 film version by M. Night Shyamalan having been widely panned, fans of the original have waited with bated breath to find out if this new adaptationstarring a completely Asian and Indigenous castwill do justice to the source material. Netflix The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (February 25, AMC) Rick Grimes returns. This limited spin-off series continues his and Michonnes story in the greater Walking Dead universe after the events of the original shows ninth season. As theyre two of the most recognizable figures from the entire franchise at the peak of its popularity, the pressure is on to deliver a satisfying continuation of the story. Hearst Owned The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (February 23, Prime Video) Adult animation has been experiencing something of a golden age, lately characterized by last years Blue Eye Samurai and Scavengers Reign. Created by Russian Doll writer Cirocco Dunlap, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy follows alien doctors who specialize in treating rare illnesses. Stephanie Hsu is set to star alongside Maya Rudolph, Natasha Lyonne, Keke Palmer, Kieran Culkin, and Sam Smith. Prime Video already greenlit a second season, so you dont even have to worry about it getting canceled before you have a chance to watch. Hearst Owned Shogun (February 27, FX on Hulu) Based on the 1975 novel by James Clavell and previously adapted into a 1980 Emmy-winning miniseries, this fictional historical drama has been teased as one of the highest-budget releases of the year to come. It chronicles the clash of cultural and political forces in 16th-century Japan. Hearst Owned Elsbeth (February 29, CBS) The Good Wifes extended universe continues to expand with the return of Elsbeth Tascioni, a quirky fan favorite character (and an Emmy-winning performance by Carrie Preston). Finally front and center, Elsbeth moves to New York City and begins solving murders, in what appears to be a more straightforward police procedural than the serialized storytelling we got used to on The Good Fight from showrunning powerhouses Robert and Michelle King. Hearst Owned The Regime (March 3, HBO) Nothing compares to a Kate Winslet HBO series. Following the success of Mare of Easttown, the Academy Award winner returns as the chancellor of a fictional Central European autocracy in this satirical political miniseries. Shes joined by Hugh Grant, Martha Plimpton, and Andrea Riseborough, among others. Hearst Owned Alice & Jack (March 17, PBS) Speaking of Andrea Riseborough, she will also star as Alice in this London-based romantic miniseries, which spans 15 years of a tender relationship with Jack (Domhnall Gleeson). The cast is rounded out by Aisling Bea and Aimee Lou Wood, and the show is written and created by Victor Levin (Mad Men, Mad About You). Hearst Owned Palm Royale (March 20, Apple TV+) Palm Royale follows underdog Maxine Simmons (Kristen Wiig), a woman determined to break into Palm Beach high society in 1969. This period-comedy miniseries was created by Abe Sylvia (Dead to Me), adapting the 2018 novel Mr. & Mrs. American Pie, by Juliet McDaniel. The impressive cast includes Allison Janney, Ricky Martin, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, and Laura Dern. Hearst Owned 3 Body Problem (March 21, Netflix) Like Dune and Foundation, 3 Body Problem is based on a sprawling series of science-fiction novels. Chinese author Liu Cixins story features multiple timelines and alien civilizations. The Netflix adaptation by Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, with Alexander Woo, is highly anticipated by fans of the books and will focus on the future reverberations of actions taken by an astrophysicist in China during the Cultural Revolution of the 1960s and 70s. Hearst Owned Apples Never Fall (March TBA, Peacock) Two decades after appearing on an episode of The Sopranos, Annette Bening is back on television, this time in a starring role alongside Sam Neill. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name and created by Melanie Marnich (The OA, The Affair) Apples Never Fall will follow a picture-perfect American family navigating the secrets that surface in the wake of their matriarchs disappearance. Hearst Owned Fallout (April 12, Prime Video) Video game adaptations can be hit or miss, but Fallout is looking promising. Developed by the creators of Westworld, the postapocalyptic story takes place two centuries after a nuclear war forces humanity to live in bunkers. Lucy (Ella Purnell) decides to leave behind her safe underground life to explore the dangerous wastelands. Hearst Owned Orphan Black: Echoes (TBA, AMC) The highly anticipated follow-up to the original Emmy-winning Orphan Black is set to premiere in early 2024. The revivalwhich is sure to engage in more science-fictional human alteration techniquesstars Krysten Ritter and Keeley Hawes, plus some familiar faces returning from the original series. Hearst Owned Mary & George (TBA, Starz) This British historical drama is the true story of Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham (Julianne Moore), who molded her son George Villiers (Nicholas Galitzine), the 1st Duke of Buckingham, to seduce King James VI of Scotland and I of England (Tony Curran). It sounds very gay and juicy. Hearst Owned The Sympathizer (TBA, HBO) Based on the 2015 Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name by Viet Thanh Nguyen, this upcoming historical black comedy miniseries produced by A24 is set to follow the Captain (Hoa Xuande), a double agent spying on his fellow soldiers in the South Vietnamese army for the Northern Vietnamese. The cast also includes Sandra Oh and Robert Downey Jr., who is set to play multiple roles. Hearst Owned 2024, 1944, and 6666 (TBA, Paramount+) Its been quiet in Taylor Sheridans Yellowstone universe lately, but wont be for much longer. 2024 has been announced as the Matthew McConaugheystarring sequel series to Yellowstone. 1944 will serve as a sequel to 1923. And 6666 will take place on the Texas ranch featured in the fourth season of Yellowstone. Thats not even including Land Man, a stand-alone Sheridan show set to star Billy Bob Thornton this year. Hearst Owned Agatha: Darkhold Diaries (TBA, Disney+) The long-awaited Kathryn Hahnfocused spin-off of WandaVision is finally upon us. Jac Schaeffer returns as showrunner, and the cast includes Aubrey Plaza, Patti LuPone, and Joe Locke. Hearst Owned A Gentleman in Moscow (TBA, Showtime/Paramount+) As the Bolshevik Revolution unfolds, a lucky Russian aristocrat is saved from death and placed under house arrest in this miniseries starring Ewan McGregor (with a large mustache) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The show is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Amor Towles and is directed by Sam Miller (I May Destroy You). Hearst Owned Black Doves (TBA, Netflix) In this upcoming London-based spy thriller created by Joe Barton (Giri/Haji), Helen (Keira Knightley) begins a love affair that threatens her secret identity. Knightley is joined by Sarah Lancashire and Ben Whishaw. Hearst Owned Dark Matter (TBA, Apple TV+) In this science-fiction series based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Blake Crouch (who also writes the show), Joel Edgerton plays Jason Dessen, a physicist who is transported to an alternate version of his life. Jennifer Connellyno stranger to sci-fi after a few seasons on TNTs Snowpiercerplays his wife. Hearst Owned Dune: Prophecy (TBA, Max) Taking place 10,000 years prior to the events of Denis Villeneuves first Dune movie, this prequel series will chronicle the origins of the Bene Gesserit, a sisterhood of women who train to obtain superhuman mental and physical abilities. Emily Watson and Olivia Williams are set to star. Hearst Owned How to Die Alone (TBA, Hulu) Between the next season of The White Lotus and this upcoming comedy produced by the Onyx Collective (UnPrisoned, The Other Black Girl), fans of Insecures Natasha Rothwell have much to look forward to. How to Die Alone follows a neurotic fat black woman who has never been in love, as she deals with the emotional aftermath of a near-death experience. Hearst Owned Lady in the Lake (TBA, Apple TV+) Natalie Portman is set to make her television debut as Maddie Schwartz in this limited series based on the novel by Laura Lippman, about an investigative journalist working on an unsolved murder in the Black community of 1960s Baltimore. Moses Ingram will costar as Cleo Sherwood, a woman who clashes with Maddie during her investigation. Hearst Owned Ripley (TBA, Netflix) In 1960s New York, Tom Ripley (Fleabags Andrew Scott) is hired by a wealthy man to convince his son to return home from Italy, only to uncover murder and deceit. The show is based on Patricia Highsmiths 1955 novel The Talented Mr. Ripley and will also star Dakota Fanning. Hearst Owned The Savant (TBA, Apple TV+) Not to be confused with Servant or Severance, The Savant will star Jessica Chastain as an investigator who scours online hate groups to monitor for threats and stop large-scale attacks. The show is based on Andrea Staleys 2019 Cosmopolitan article, Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens? Hearst Owned Star Wars: The Acolyte (TBA, Disney+) Andor set the bar high for Star Wars, but The Acolyte may reach it. Creator Leslye Headland will bring her Russian Doll experience to this spin-off, which takes place 100 years before 1999s Episode I The Phantom Menace. The impressive cast includes Amandla Stenberg as a padawan, or apprentice Jedi; Squid Games Lee Jung-jae as a Jedi master; and Dafne Keen as a young Jedi. Hearst Owned Three Women (TBA, Starz) Three Women was originally set to air on Showtime, and then moved to Starz, where it awaits a premiere date. Based on the 2019 novel by Lisa Taddeo (who also writes and produces the series), it will star Shailene Woodley, DeWanda Wise, and Betty Gilpin, and examine the sexual and emotional lives of their characters. Hearst Owned The Veil (TBA, FX on Hulu) Industry insiders are saying Elisabeth Moss gives her best performance yet on this FX serieswhich is saying something, considering her resume. The details of this thriller limited series are still mostly under wraps, but it will follow two women traveling across Europe as one tries to expose the others secrets. Hearst Owned Under the Bridge (TBA, Hulu) The dramatization of true crime continues apace in 2024. Under the Bridge is adapted from the nonfiction book of the same name by late Canadian writer Rebecca Godfrey. It investigates the murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk in 1997 on Vancouver Island and the moral panic it caused in Canadian culture. Riley Keough will play Godfrey herself, alongside Archie Panjabi and Lily Gladstone. Hearst Owned You Might Also Like LOS ANGELES Actor Charlie Sheen has been granted sole custody of his 14-year-old twin sons, whom he shares with ex-wife Brooke Mueller, if she fails a drug test, according to a Los Angeles County Superior Court order. The former couple agreed to the conditions out of court in November 2022 and August 2023. On Thursday. Sheen asked the court to rule on an ex parte motion, mentioning in it that he doesnt believe she will oppose the request for temporary emergency orders. Its not clear what prompted the ex parte motion, which was filed and granted Thursday. An ex parte motion is one that can be granted without the response of the other party, in this case Mueller. A representative for Mueller declined to comment on the matter, and a lawyer for Sheen said his client had no comment. For now, the former couple have joint legal custody of their sons, but their primary residence is with Sheen, according to the documents. Mueller will immediately lose custody and visitation if she tests positive for drugs or alcohol. Charlie Sheen and then-wife Brooke Mueller arrive at the Emmy Awards in 2009. (Chris Pizzello / AP file) Documents filed in November 2022 stipulate that Sheen, the "Two and a Half Men" actor, would immediately be granted sole custody of the children, Max and Bob, if Mueller tests positive for drugs or alcohol "or otherwise relapses" until further a court order "or written agreement of the parties." Brooke shall test for drugs and alcohol as often as required by her probation officer, within 24 hours of a written request (email or text) from Charlie or his attorney, and at a minimum of once per week regardless, the 2022 and 2023 documents say. Mueller allegedly relapsed last summer, according to the August document related to the previously-agreed-upon child custody orders. Sheen and Mueller finalized their divorce in 2011. Both actors have struggled with addiction. Sheen has spent time at rehab centers and has a legal history of arrests in domestic violence cases. In 2011, a Los Angeles judge issued an order removing his twins, who were 2 at the time, from his home after Mueller raised allegations of violence. In 2012, Mueller was sentenced to a year of probation after she allegedly roughed up a woman at a nightclub in Aspen, Colorado, and officers reportedly found she had several grams of cocaine. She was able to avoid jail time following an intensive inpatient rehab program, and she pleaded guilty to a drug possession charge in exchange for having the assault charge dropped. Diana Dasrath reported from Los Angeles and Mirna Alsharif from New York City. WASHINGTON A Jan. 6 rioter dubbed "Blue Plaid Sprayer" and identified by online sleuths more than two years ago was arrested in Oregon on Tuesday and charged with assaulting law enforcement officers with chemical spray as they protected the Capitol. Andy Steven Oliva-Lopez, the FBI says, is the man prominently featured in an image snapped by a Getty photographer that has been frequently used in news articles in the three years since the Jan. 6 attack. The image showing a suspect unleashing an orange chemical spray while wearing a blue plaid shirt, a helmet and wearing a gas mask was recently featured in a presentation by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves and was also included in an ad for Joe Biden's 2024 presidential campaign. Online "sedition hunters" identified the man in 2021 and reported his information to the FBI. Until now, his case had been one of hundreds in which a suspect has been identified but not arrested. The statute of limitations expires in less than two years, in early 2026. "We've had, for example, 'Blue Plaid Sprayer,' he's been identified for over, I believe, 700 days," one of the sleuths told NBC News earlier this month, ahead of the third anniversary of the attack. "Hopefully we'll see some movement on him soon." With the help of facial recognition, online sleuths were able to determine that "Blue Plaid Sprayer" attended a pro-Trump "American Lives Matter" rally at the Oregon State Capitol in September 2020. A Twitter account "Primal American" that appeared to be associated with him pushed out several pro-Trump messages. "This will not be over," the account wrote on Nov. 7, 2020, reposting a Trump tweet in which the then-president falsely claimed he "WON THIS ELECTION, BY A LOT!" The account continued boosting Trump's tweets in the lead-up to the Jan. 6 attack. "Cross the rubicon, the legions are right behind you. #CivilWar2," the account posted in December 2020, boosting another Trump tweet. After the attack, on Jan. 7, 2021, the account retweeted a post from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.: "RT if you still have @realDonaldTrumps back!" The account also reposted a Tucker Carlson video promoting "Patriot Purge," a pseudo-documentary about Jan. 6 that was featured on Fox Nation before Carlson and Fox News parted ways last year. The sleuths have kept track of him. Since the Jan. 6 attack, social media posts show that he has worked as a general contractor in the Portland area and regularly posted photos of the bathrooms, decks, driveways and fences he was working on. Photos of his adventures since the Jan. 6 attack including a ski trip to Aspen, Colorado, last year proved particularly irritating to sleuths who thought he should be held accountable for assaulting officers rather than bragging about his vacations on his public Instagram. Oliva-Lopez's arrest comes a day after the FBI arrested a Louisiana man who is now charged with attacking law enforcement at the Capitol's lower west tunnel. More than 1,200 rioters have been arrested since the Capitol attack, and prosecutors have secured about 900 convictions on charges ranging from unlawful picketing to seditious conspiracy. The longest sentence of 22 years in federal prison went to Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the far-right Proud Boys. Chinas stock market had a rough 2023 and the rout has accelerated in the first few weeks of the new year, after Beijing dashed hopes that it might do more to support the struggling economy. Hong Kongs benchmark Hang Seng Index fell 2.3% Monday, closing at its lowest level since October 2022. The index has lost more than 12% so far this month, nearly as much as it lost in all of 2023. Mainland Chinas Shanghai Composite Index tumbled 2.7% in its biggest daily drop since April 2022. The Shenzhen Component Index, a tech-heavy benchmark, had its worst day in nearly two years, plunging 3.5%. The indexes have tanked 4.8% and 7.7% respectively in the first trading days of 2024. Its the worst start to a year for Chinese stocks since 2016, when investors were ditching their holdings following a market crash in 2015. A bubble popped as the economy showed signs of strain and share prices got way ahead of company profits. In recent months, a real estate crisis, the slowest growth (outside the pandemic) in decades, and a crackdown on some businesses have all combined to undermine investor confidence. Ken Cheung, chief Asian foreign exchange strategist for Mizuho Bank, said Monday that foreign investors were continuing to reduce their risk exposure to China and had bearish expectations for business conditions in the country. The Chinese government has not yet introduced effective measures to resolve the property turmoil and drive the economic recovery, he wrote in a note. Investors were left disappointed on Monday after Chinas central bank decided to keep its benchmark lending rate steady. A cut to the rate would lower the cost of borrowing for people and businesses taking out loans or paying down interest, and therefore help stimulate economic activity. The heavy market losses in 2024 come hot on the heels of a bruising run last year, when the CSI 300 index, comprising 300 major stocks listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, fell more than 11%. By contrast, the United States benchmark S&P 500 index climbed 24% in 2023, while Europes grew almost 13%. Japans Nikkei 225 soared 28% last year and is still going strong, notching gains of nearly 10% so far this month. Demographic data released last Wednesday confirming that Chinas population is getting older and smaller hasnt helped quell investors anxieties. They were also perturbed that a speech delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang last week at the World Economic Forum failed to mention any new government stimulus measures to help juice the countrys ailing economy. Brian Martin & Daniel Hynes, analysts at ANZ Research, wrote in a Friday research note that Lis speech had doused expectations of further support measures. (He) trumpeted the nations ability to hit its 5% growth target without flooding the economy with massive stimulus, they wrote. In recent months, Beijing has issued $137 billion worth of government bonds, the bulk of which will fund infrastructure projects, while Chinas sovereign wealth fund has bought shares to support the countrys sagging stock market. Weary investors Lis speech appears to have dealt another blow to investors already wearied by a raft of disappointing economic data coming out of Beijing, including the ongoing crisis in its real-estate sector and a rapidly shrinking population. The countrys economy grew by 5.2% last year. That beat government projections but is still one of Chinas worst economic performances in over three decades. The International Monetary Fund forecasts the countrys economic growth to slow to 4.2% this year. In 2023, investors had eagerly anticipated a rebound in Chinas economy following Beijings decision to scrap its strict zero-Covid policy at the end of the previous year. That robust recovery never came and investors voted with their feet. According to Chinas Commerce Ministry, foreign direct investment into the country fell 8% in 2023 compared with the prior year. Investors have also balked at Beijings sweeping crackdown on private enterprise, which began in late 2020 and has included fining foreign companies and detaining their employees in the name of national security. In his January 16 speech, Li tried to reassure international investors that China presented not a risk but an opportunity and pledged to create a world-class environment for foreign companies to do business in the country. He noted that the number of people classed as middle-income in China is expected to double to 800 million over the next decade. The momentum for consumption is very strong, he said. Investors who willingly take on exposure to the precarious situation in China need to know the risks or may find themselves at the mercy of an unpredictable and authoritarian financial landscape, Stephen Innes, managing partner of SPI Asset Management, wrote in a Friday note. Success is contingent on buying shares that avoid government scrutiny, making the entire investment process more akin to a game of chance than an informed decision-making process. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com H&M has apologized for and removed a school uniform advertisement in Australia after users on social media complained that it sexualized children. We have removed this ad, the Swedish fashion giant told CNN. We are deeply sorry for the offense this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward. The ad, screenshotted by a number of social media users before it was removed, featured two elementary schoolgirls dressed in school uniform, with the slogan Make those heads turn in H&Ms Back to School fashion. It prompted a backlash on social media, where users called it creepy, disturbing, and recalled their own stories about being ogled while still at school. Australian writer Melinda Tankard Reist, who says her work addresses sexualization and the harms of pornography, was among the first on social media to oppose the ad. What is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad? she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. Little schoolgirls generally dont want to turn heads. The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com There are numerous married people's only dating apps in Japan. Among them Kikonsha Club, or the Married Person's Club, is the one with the most users. The total number of members has exceeded 300,000. There is a stereotypical image that dating apps are only for singles. That's why when married people pretend to be single on dating apps they take a lot of heat like criminals. On dating apps married people are treated like scammers. You could say on dating apps married people are the minority. When married people use dating apps they are discriminated against. This is a big problem for our country because our society is supported by cheating. If people stop cheating many people will lose their jobs, especially in luxury hotels. And now more than ever, diversity, such as LGBTQ, is very important. So our Japanese society categorizes people who are cheating as Q, because they ask themselves the question: Who is the one I really love?? So to avoid falling behind Western countries, the Japanese decided to protect cheater's rights. Then, in order to save married people who lost their love, in Japan new dating apps were created. The married people's only dating apps. You could say that they are the cheating apps. Source: Japanese Comedian Meshida Julien Navas, of Paris, France, found a 7.46-carat diamond while visiting the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas earlier this month A French tourist found a 7.46-carat diamond while visiting the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. Julien Navas, of Paris, found the diamond earlier this month on the surface of the park's 37.5-acre search area, according to a news release from Arkansas State Parks. The park had received more than an inch of rain a few days before Navas' visit, according to the news release, which made it a wet and muddy day. After buying his ticket and renting a diamond-hunting kit from the park, Navas got to work. "I got to the park around nine o'clock and started to dig," Navas said in the news release. "That is back-breaking work so by the afternoon I was mainly looking on top of the ground for anything that stood out." After searching for several hours, Navas took his findings to the park's Diamond Discovery Center, where he learned he had discovered a brown diamond. According to Arkansas State Parks, Navas' diamond is rounded like a marble and about the size of a candy gumdrop. More Arkansas news: Pilot dies after small plane crashes at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas Julien Navas, of Paris, France, found a 7.46-carat diamond while visiting the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas earlier this month. "I am so happy! All I can think about is telling my fiancee what I found," Navas said. He decided to name his diamond the Carine Diamond, after his fiancee. Navas said he hopes to have the stone cut into two diamonds, one for his fiancee and one for his daughter. He said he plans to return to the park with his daughter when she is older. Fifth diamond found at park this year The Carine Diamond is the fifth diamond registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2024, according to the news release. It is the largest diamond registered at the park since 2020, Arkansas State Parks said, when Kevin Kinard found the 9.07-carat Kinard Friendship Diamond. It is also the eighth-largest diamond registered since the Crater of Diamonds became a state park in 1972. More than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed at the state park since 1972. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 7.46-carat diamond discovered at Arkansas state park by French tourist MANCHESTER, N.H. Nikki Haley is looking to beat the odds in New Hampshire on Tuesday as she gets the one-on-one contest with former President Trump shes long relished in the Republican presidential primary. The Hills Decision Desk HQ average shows Haley trailing Trump 47.6 percent to 35.9 percent in New Hampshire, underlining the difficult race she faces even with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis now out of the race. But the former ambassadors campaign says it is seeing momentum following DeSantiss Sunday exit, raising more than $500,000 in the 24 hours after he dropped out. Her team is signaling it plans to push forward toward South Carolina even with a second-place finish in New Hampshire, which could set up a battle in the former governors home state. Haleys campaign announced Saturday that it will launch a $4 million ad buy in the Palmetto State a day after the New Hampshire primary. The ad buy will cover all seven of South Carolinas media markets. In a memo released Monday, the pro-Haley PAC SFA Inc. argued that the news media and political class are underestimating the last real GOP opponent to Trump in the race. This race is FAR from over, but you wouldnt know that if you turned the channel to Fox News or CNN. Despite a constant drumbeat of proclaiming their so-called hate of Donald Trump, the media cannot get enough of him, the memo read. Between the wall-to-wall coverage of everything he does and their overzealousness to call the 2024 race for the GOP over after the Iowa Caucus despite Trumps mediocre night (by an incumbents standards) amid low turnout for Iowans, its clear Washington and New York has a vested interest in wanting to crown Trump the GOPs candidate. Haley echoed this sentiment while campaigning throughout the Granite State on the eve of the primary. I have watched the entire political elite, yesterday and today, Ive watched the entire media elite, yesterday and today, say that I should drop out for the good of the country to support Donald Trump, Haley told supporters. Haleys allies have also argued in the day since DeSantis exited the race that many of the Florida governors supporters will gravitate toward her, pointing out that DeSantiss supporters were looking for a Trump alternative and Haley is the only Trump alternative left standing. However, that dynamic has yet to play out in polling. According to a University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll published Sunday, 62 percent of DeSantis supporters said they would support Trump as their second-choice candidate, while only 30 percent of DeSantis supporters said the same about Haley. DeSantis endorsed Trump in the same video in which he ended his campaign and accused Haley of representing the old Republican guard of yesteryear and a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism. Dan Eberhart, a DeSantis donor, called the theory that the governors supporters would gravitate toward Haley a false narrative. Ron DeSantis was running to be a drama-free Trump or a more consistent conservative, Eberhart said. Nikki Haley is more drama-free, but center-right and not MAGA. Thats wishful thinking, he added. At a packed get-out-the-vote rally at the VFW in Franklin, N.H., Haleys supporters expressed optimism one day out from the primary. I think shes going to do well, said Cindy Hess, a New Hampshire Haley supporter. Even if Mr. DeSantis was still in the running, I do believe Nikkis got the momentum going to do a great job tomorrow. Cathy Kubec, a Haley supporter in nearby Sanbornton, N.H., described what she sees a groundswell for Haley in the state. I think its going to be very close, Kubec said. When I talk to people, I think people are so tired of Trump talking at people. Peter Slaton, who decided to support Haley in recent weeks, appeared to temper his expectations when asked if he thinks Haley can win. Theres a chance, he said. I just hope that she does well and if its not successful, that somehow she is able to have the funding and thats what it all comes down to. Still, even Haley allies acknowledge that a win in New Hampshire hardly a sure thing does not guarantee a favorable outcome in South Carolina, where she is well behind Trump in polls. While I wouldnt encourage her to drop out, and would love to see her continue the fight to the convention, its going to be hard to expect to win South Carolina without winning New Hampshire, said Alex Stroman, a South Carolina-based Republican strategist. I think a close second probably opens the lane for her to continue ahead for her donors as a backup in case his legal troubles continue to catch up with him, he continued. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Polls closed at 8 p.m. in New Hampshire. Find results and analysis from the Republican primary here. The original story on New Hampshire's poll closing times is below: Washington New Hampshire voters cast their ballots Tuesday in the first primary election of the 2024 campaign, and Republicans may know the outcome more quickly than Democrats. That's because President Biden won't appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot. Still, his supporters have launched a write-in campaign in support of the likely Democratic presidential nominee. In the Republican primary, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley is seeking to challenge former President Donald Trump's front-runner status in New Hampshire where the electorate is more moderate after he dominated his rivals in the Iowa caucuses. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday and endorsed Trump. New Hampshire primary exit polls for 2024 elections In guidance sent to local elections officials earlier this month, New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan and Attorney General John Formella encouraged officials to release results of their respective polling locations once all ballots had been tallied, but said they could release Republican results earlier if write-in votes on the Democratic side are taking longer to count. "To the extent that counting the write-in votes takes longer than expected, the moderator may release the Republican results earlier than the Democratic results provided the results are complete and the moderator is comfortable that appropriate reconciliation has taken place for that party," the guidance said. When do polls close in the New Hampshire primary election? Most polling sites in New Hampshire closed at 7 p.m. ET, but some are open until 8 p.m. ET. Voters who are in line when polls close can still vote. The tiny community of Dixville Notch, which has just a few residents, is an outlier. Voters there were the first of the primary to cast their ballots, doing so at midnight in a voting tradition that began in 1960. Polls in the town closed just a few minutes after its six voters cast their ballots. Haley won all of Dixville Notch's six votes. When will New Hampshire primary results start coming in? New Hampshire primary results start trickling in once polls have closed. Historically, New Hampshire has counted a substantial portion of votes within a few hours of polls closing. Polling places that close earlier can announce their results once they have them and do not have to wait for other communities to wrap up voting, according to the New Hampshire secretary of state's office. This year, Democratic votes may take longer to report in some townships because Mr. Biden isn't on the ballot and hand-counting write-in votes could slow down the process. But the secretary of state is confident that all results will be in on primary night, his office said. CBS News will not characterize or project the outcome of the race before the last polls close at 8 p.m. ET. Check here for the results. Charles Osgood, longtime host of "Sunday Morning," dies at 91 John Dickerson on Nikki Haley's decision to stay in 2024 race What Nikki Haley's candidacy says about state of women in politics MANCHESTER, N.H. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has called New Hampshire voters presidential wine tasters for their insistence on meeting candidates in person, sometimes repeatedly, before they consider voting for them. On Tuesday, those voters will make their 2024 presidential picks, and what they saw on the trail and how they made their decisions will tell us a lot about American politics for the rest of a big election year. NBC News has spoken to hundreds of New Hampshire voters over seven months to understand how some of the most openly strategic participants in the presidential race are thinking through 2024 right now. Here are six big takeaways about the race. Trump supporters were largely never interested in an alternative Former President Donald Trump has had a consistent lead in New Hampshire. His percentages were largely in the 40s to 50s last year, as when the University of New Hampshire poll clocked him at 47% in July. Most recently, according to a CNN/UNH poll released Sunday, he was at 50%, double digits ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. His base in New Hampshire, like elsewhere, is loyal. Kevin Cole, a machinist, said: Im still leaning towards Trump. I couldnt honestly tell you why, other than his last term was good for my family. We already have experience with Trump and what he can do for the economy. Diana Leblond, 59, of Barnstead, said at a Trump rally last month that she aligns with everything he stands for and was never interested in any other candidate. I just believe in everything that hes for, 100%, she said. I havent swayed from that. Everything he does backs up what he says. The multiple indictments Trump has faced throughout his campaign and the thought of criminal trials on the horizon in 2024 havent changed Leblonds stance. I am not swaying no matter what, she said. It doesnt matter, conviction, no conviction, it doesnt matter. Jaqueline Chaves, who votes in Bedford, also said at a Trump rally in December that Trump is the best candidate to rule this country. I think that the way he thinks, his attitude, hes just powerful, thats it. There is also a level of complacency. Some voters see Trump as the clear front-runner in the polls and therefore are motivated to vote for him. Im not a big fan of Trump, but I think hes better than Biden, Thomas Cuddy said at a winter festival in Rochester. And I dont think DeSantis or Nikkis going make it into the primary. So you go with Trump. Haleys coalition is a mix of superfans and more reluctant anti-Trumpers Haley has enjoyed a remarkable rise on the way to becoming Trumps final significant rival. Her support in New Hampshire varies: She attracts both folks who are seriously excited by her candidacy and those who are just crossing their fingers for a Trump alternative and latching on to the best vehicle they can find. Haleys stump speech has one line in particular that plays to both voters who love Trump but are looking for a new generation of leadership and those who are tired of Trump: The truth is, rightly or wrongly, chaos follows him. Chaos follows him everywhere he goes, she often says around New Hampshire, to chuckles and nods from voters. politics political politician usa american flag patriotic shadow (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Republicans Marlo Devir and Christy Carlson, who both voted for Trump in 2020, highlighted that line as something that resonated with them. I do agree to some extent that it follows [Trump] a little bit, and theres a little bit of she called it chaos, and I dont disagree with that, honestly, Devir said. Carlson said: Its not calling into question the policies and procedures that he was able to put in place. She made it about the chaos, and that was brilliant, because if people out there start thinking about it in that way, it will shift some of the thinking. There are voters who absolutely adore Haley. Carrol Horrocks, whom NBC News spoke to in Bedford in September, is a retired assistant school superintendent. She called Haley courageous and convincing. Shes so fluent in all of the problems that we are experiencing both domestically and internationally, Horrocks said. She has logical ideas on how to solve them. Shes scrappy. Shes got my vote. But others speak more about Trump when it comes to their motivations. Gary Misiaszek, who voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, doesnt plan to support him this time around. If he gets elected for the Republican nomination, I fear that the Democrats are going to win, Misiaszek said this month. The strategy of picking your vote The New Hampshire stereotype is that voters take their responsibility seriously and many, especially those who dont like Trump, really have spent nearly a year weighing how best to strategically use their power. Julia Matte, 21, an undeclared voter, believes it is critical to vote with intention in every election. A vote for a moderate like Nikki Haley in the primary may not mean that is my intended vote in the general election for president, but rather simply a vote for her as the Republican nominee in order to curtail Trumps runaway lead, Matte said. A collection of like-minded voters, voting with intention, supporting a less popular candidate, could very well have the power to shift the course of the rest of the race. Nathan Seal, another undeclared voter, said he plans to vote for Haley on Tuesday because the Democratic Party is not running a worthwhile primary and I believe she has the best shot at beating Trump. Hella Ross was among thousands of voters who changed their Democratic voter registrations to be able to participate in the GOP primary. The whole point was to stop Trump and make sure hes not the nominee, Ross said. Ross and her friend Thalia Floras switched their registrations from Democratic to undeclared and plan to vote for Haley. If you told me a year ago that I would even be considering Nikki Haley, I would tell you you were crazy, Floras said. Besides Trump, Christie may have inspired the most loyalty among his supporters Christie, who dropped out of the race 13 days before the primary, spent most of his time in New Hampshire, never setting foot in Iowa this election cycle. And his committed anti-Trump campaign won him a small but committed following, with at least one voter still planning to back him even though hes out of the race. Gary Goudreau, a loyal Christie supporter, plans to vote for him after he decided he couldnt back Haley. Christie criticized Haley on the trail for saying shed pardon Trump if he was found guilty on some of the charges he faces later this year. I cant vote for Trump or anyone who would support or pardon him, Goudreau said. Some of Christies voters will migrate to Haley, though. The night Christie dropped out, Toni Pappas said she felt confused and sad, saying she had no idea what Im going to do next in terms of which candidate Ill support. She now plans to support Haley, saying she respects Gov. Chris Sununus endorsement. Even when he was doing better, DeSantis never really caught on Some of the earliest warning signs for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who dropped out of the presidential race two days before the New Hampshire primary, came as he tried to break through as a staunch conservative in a moderate state. It was the first state where Haley had caught him in the polls, and his record on abortion and other policy issues in Florida led to questions from voters in a state where the GOP electorate leans more moderate than Iowas. Ultimately, DeSantis campaign moved money and resources into Iowa in search of momentum there. His campaign never aired a TV ad in New Hampshire, according to AdImpact. And the single-digit support he had left in polls when he dropped out illustrated the squeeze he faced: Pro-Trump voters were sticking with the former president, while those looking for a new direction migrated to Haley. Yet a few DeSantis loyalists plan to vote for him even though he suspended his campaign. Before DeSantis dropped out, Kalup Veneman, 45, said DeSantis was his top choice because hes done a lot in Florida, and I think hell get it done for America. Veneman still plans to vote for DeSantis in the primary. Ill vote for President Trump in the general election as long as he doesnt pick Haley for vice president, he said. Biden has a restless base to placate ahead of November On the Democratic side, the big story this primary cycle has been the Democratic National Committees efforts to supplant New Hampshires first-in-the-nation primary with a contest in South Carolina, even though New Hampshire state law requires the state to go first. Because of those efforts, New Hampshire is going forward with an unsanctioned contest and Biden wont be on the ballot. Voters in New Hampshire who wish to vote for him will have to write in his name. Even people who are actively campaigning to write in Biden are unhappy with his and the DNCs decision. Luz Bay, who turned her 60th birthday party this month into a house party for the write-in effort, which the Biden campaign isnt participating in, said: My knee-jerk reaction? Well, screw them. But, she added, were going to do it in New Hampshire, because New Hampshire, we support Biden. And if we cant do it in a regular way, then well do it in a way so that we still get to have him win in New Hampshire. Walter King, 73, is choosing to write in Biden because of his record of accomplishments. However, he said it was extremely disappointing that Biden isnt on the ballot. Its the beginning of a year when Democrats and left-leaning voters across the country will have to decide whether to come home to Biden in the general election despite varying degrees of unhappiness over different policy areas and what he has done in office. And in New Hampshire, the primary is a parochial issue that has been layered on top of that. Many voters from both parties have been disappointed and angry that the states coveted first-primary status has been challenged. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and Marianne Williamson, who are on the ballot challenging Biden, have leaned into criticizing the primary change, including blasting the DNC over a letter in which it called the primary meaningless. Phillips said at a debate with Williamson, I hope it goes in the National Archives on display, because I think its one of the most egregious affronts to democracy Ive ever seen in my entire lifetime as an American. Williamson said there was "candidate suppression going on here." We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we believe in. Pricing and availability are subject to change. Costco knows what it's like to sell something that's in high demand. The brand's infamous $4.99 rotisserie chicken, for example, made headlines several times last year, and yet they still sold more than 137 million rotisserie chickens globally last year. But if you only think of Costco as a destination for bulk laundry soap and new baked goods, then you might be missing out on one of the best perks of having a Costco membership scooping up good deals on surprisingly top-tier beauty products. In fact, there are lots of bestselling beauty products at Costco, which is what we're dubbing items that have 1,000 reviews or more on the brand's site. What we didn't expect was to find so many top-rated brands like SK-II, Perricone and even La Mer (!) stocked on the virtual shelves. In some cases, you can find bulk deals on bestsellers, and in others, you can find exclusive deals that are accessible only to Costco members. Plus, right now Costco has a "Buy More, Save More" event going on through Feb. 4 where you can save on qualifying beauty items, many of which are included below. Save $30 when you buy three items or save $50 when you buy four items or more. Whether you're a longtime Costco shopper or are simply curious about the types of brands you can find at the international retailer, below are 15 best-selling beauty products at Costco that have more than 1,000 reviews. 1. Pura d'or Advanced Therapy Anti-Hair Thinning Shampoo & Conditioner Duo Costco Pura d'or Advanced Therapy Anti-Hair Thinning Shampoo & Conditioner Duo If you've noticed your hair is looking a little lackluster lately, Pura d'or's Advanced Therapy shampoo for thinning hair is a great choice. In fact, we've dubbed the brand's biotin shampoo as our pick for the best all-natural hair thinning shampoo in our guide to the best shampoos for thinning hair. The Advanced Therapy shampoo and conditioner set is designed specifically to reduce hair thinning due to breakage, whether that's because of dry hair, over bleaching, excessive damage and more. The formula is made with a blend of vitamins and botanical extracts including pumpkin seed oil, nettle and black cumin seed oil, all of which are shown to nourish hair follicles and prevent split ends and breakage. $40 at Costco 2. StriVectin Hyaluronic Tripeptide Gel-Cream for Eyes (2 pack) Costco StriVectin Hyaluronic Tripeptide Gel-Cream for Eyes (2-pack) Who doesn't want hydrated, younger-looking eyes? This hyaluronic under-eye cream from powerhouse brand StriVectin is the hero your bathroom cabinet is missing. The swirled gel-like formula intensely hydrates and moisturizes the delicate skin of under eyes, while battling the signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles, crow's feet and puffiness. $40 at Costco 3. La Mer Creme De La Mer Moisturizing Cream Costco La Mer Creme De La Mer Moisturizing Cream (2 oz) Whether you're a devout user of La Mer's Moisturizing Cream or you've been curious what the hype is about, we can't deny we were surprised to see this top-tier, cult-famous, richy-rich face cream at Costco, of all place. La Mer's ultra-rich and hydrating face cream unlocks younger, healthier, more vibrant-looking skin in just a few uses. The brand is famous for its secret formula which they've dubbed the "Miracle Broth" and a main ingredient different from most skin care products out there: algae extract. Please note that this is a member-only product at Costco. $290 at Costco 4. Perricone MD No Makeup Mascara Costco Perricone MD No Makeup Mascara Master the no-makeup makeup look with this barely there mascara. It's both a mascara and a lash treatment and is designed to create the appearance of more lifted longer, thicker lashes while hydrating strands with every swipe. The application comb includes different bristles on each side wide and flexible, fine and firm so you can get exactly the look you want. $22 at Costco 5. EGYPTIAN MAGIC All Purpose Skin Cream Set Costco Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream Set Discover the secret to Cleopatra's skin care secret with this all-in-one skin care set. "Based on the ancient Egyptian formula that Cleopatra used to keep her skin healthy and glowing, Egyptian Magic Skin Cream has become beautys most magical secret," according to the brand. If you're no-fuss about your skin care routine and want one product that can do it all, this might be the product for you. Use it as a moisturizer, lip balm, eye cream, cuticle and hand moisturizer, hair and face mask and even as a make-up primer. Use a swipe on eye elbows, rough enough and dry feet as well. It's an all-in-one product that deserves space in your bathroom cabinet. $33 at Costco 6. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Daily Face and Body Cream (2 pack) Costco Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre Daily Face and Body Cream (2 pack) Made of natural ingredients like shea butter, aloe vera, beeswax and soy proteins, Embryolisse Lait-Creme face and body cream is a great choice for those who are sensitive to ingredients. It's a bit of an all-use product: smooth it all over after a shower, swipe it onto dry skin, use it after shaving, and hydrate your skin after sun exposure. You'll end up with skin that's firm, smooth, soft and supple. $39 at Costco 7. RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum (2 pack) Costco RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum (2 pack) Achieve longer, fuller, healthier-looking lashes with each swipe of this lash-enhancing serum. This serum is made with ingredients like polypeptides, biotin, amino acids and hydrating oils and extracts that, when used daily, will strength each strand against breakage and will lead to more youthful-looking lashes. You can also apply it to brows to encourage thicker, fuller brows. $55 at Costco 8. simplehuman 8 Round LED Sensor Mirror with 5x and 10x Magnification Costco Simplehuman 8 LED Light Sensor Mirror with 5x and 10x Magnification A good lighted makeup mirror is essential in the mornings, especially in the winter when it's dark and dreary outside. This bestseller from Simplehuman has both 5x and 10x magnification, which can be useful for putting in contacts, plucking eyebrows, putting on lipstick and much more. We especially love that it automatically lights up when you approach it, and the light it designed to simulate natural sunlight. It's core-free and rechargeable so you don't have to worry about tripping on an unsightly cord. Choose from silver or rose gold. Please note that this is a member-only product at Costco. $150 at Costco 9. Further Food Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides Powder (unflavored) Costco Further Food Grass-Fed Collagen Peptides Powder (Unflavored) Improve your skin from the inside out with a daily dose of collagen powder. This grass-fed collagen powder delivers 8 grams of high quality collagen per scoop to reduce wrinkles and helps strengthen hair, skin, nails, bones and joints over time. Collagen can also help thicken hair as well as promote firmer, softer skin. While it is unflavored, most reviewers recommend blending it into smoothies, juices or dissolving it into morning coffee with milk or cream. $39 at Costco 10. NuReveal Resurfacing Face Scrub Costco NuReveal Resurfacing Face Scrub Cleanse, exfoliate and hydrate your own skin without having to get a facial thanks to this resurfacing face scrub. Made of exfoliating walnut shell powder, calming chamomile and anti-bacterial willow bark, this unique formula can be used on even the most sensitive skin types. The fine-ground formula is ideal for removing blackheads and deep-cleaning acne-prone skin. It's recommended to use two to three times a week. $25 at Costco 11. Brush On Block SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen (2 pack) Costco Brush On Block SPF 30 Mineral Powder Sunscreen (2 pack) If you frequently forget about sunscreen, reach for this brush-on sunscreen instead. It's innovative powdered sunscreen protects against UVA and UVB damage while remaining waterproof and reef-safe. Wear it alone or with makeup. The small self-dispensing brush is small enough to keep in your purse or makeup bag, so that you can swipe it on at the end of your makeup routine. It's also easy for men and kiddos to use, too. $35 at Costco 12. DS Laboratories Revita Anti-Hair Loss Stimulating Shampoo Costco DS Laboratories Revita Hair Stimulating Shampoo Stop hair loss and protect your strands at the source with this stimulating anti-hair loss shampoo. It's made without ingredients that can damage hair growth like sodium lauryl sulfate, parabens and Phthalates. Instead, it's made with energizing ingredients that have been shown to promote healthier, thicker hair such as copper peptides, biotin and caffeine. It does, however, contain emu oil, so vegetarians and vegans might reach for another shampoo instead. For optimal results, lather and leave it on hair for two minutes before rinsing away the longer the ingredients have time on your strands and scalp, the better. $58 at Costco 13. NASSIFMD Hydro-screen Hydrating Serum Costco NASSIFMD Hydro-screen Hydrating Serum Unlock dewy, hydrated, younger-looking skin with this non-greasy serum that's designed to boost your skin's natural glow. Though technically a serum, it dries to a non-sticky, matte finish that'll leave you feeling supple and hydrated without needing to layer on thick lotions and creams. $65 at Costco 14. StriVectin SD Advanced PLUS Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate (2 pack) Costco StriVectin SD Advanced PLUS Intensive Moisturizing Concentrate (2 pack) Reduce the appearance of stretch marks, retain collage and improve skin's elasticity with this rich and creamy moisturizing concentrate. Use in the morning and evening on the face to treat wrinkles and fine lines, or use on stretch marks twice a day to improve their appearance over time. $75 at Costco 15. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence with Pump Costco SK-II Facial Treatment Essence wih Pump Facial essences are extremely common in Japanese and Korean skin care routines, but are still somewhat unfamiliar to some western shoppers. Essences are used kind of like an extra layer of hydration on the skin, and should be used after cleansing the skin and before putting on serums and moisturizers. And the queen of essences? That would be SK-II's Treatment Essence, which is formulated with the brand's very own special ingredient called "PITERA" which appears to be an organic by-product derived from the sake fermentation process. The essence is designed to be a hero product for your beauty cabinet, taking on the task of hydrating, moisturizing, softening and smoothing texture all in one. Please note that this is a member-only product at Costco. $219 at Costco Related Stories: A man who fled the country after he was charged with the murder of his estranged wife more than 30 years ago is now behind bars in northern Virginia and awaiting trial. Jose Lazaro Cruz, then age 24, was charged with stabbing to death mother-of-three Ana Jurado, 24, in West Falls Church, Virginia, on April 30, 1991. Cruz was identified as the prime suspect, but he traveled to El Salvador before authorities could apprehend him. The Central American country for years did not allow extradition, plus his location was unknown, making it impossible to have him deported. Police said he had remarried and started a new family in El Salvador and was working as a truck driver. However, in July 2022 authorities learned he had tried to enter Costa Rica to visit family but was detained. Fairfax County Police, with the help of U.S. marshals and the Department of Justice, were able to apply for his extradition, which happened last week. Police shared video of Cruz being led from an SUV in handcuffs. Kevin Davis, chief of Fairfax County Police, said at a news conference Monday that this wasn't a traditional cold case, in that police were confident who carried out the crime, but couldn't reach him. He was on the lam, he was on the run, he avoided accountability for something he did nearly 33 years ago. There is a reason in this country why there is no statute of limitations on the ultimate crime of murder and that is reserved for special circumstances such as this one," he said. "Weve never forgotten the family, weve never forgotten the seriousness of this senseless crime and we never stopped," he added. Cruz was found dead near her home. A local resident told NBC News Washington at the time: I heard a scream and I lifted up my head and looked out and I saw two people out on the sidewalk, it looked like they were fighting. Lt. Col. Eli Cory said at the news conference that the suspect had initially tried to enter Canada, but was turned away for having a fraudulent passport. From there, he traveled to Houston and crossed the southern border with the help of a people smuggler. The homicide detective who brought the original charge against Cruz, Fred Pfeiff, has since died. But his son, Aaron Pfeiff, is a second lieutenant with Fairfax County police and was at the news conference Monday. "Bringing closure to the victims families wasnt just a duty for him, it was a commitment," Aaron Pfeiff said. JOLIET, Ill. (CBS) -- Eight people were found shot and killed in three different locations over two days in Joliet, and the suspect in the slayings was also found dead by a suspected suicide 1,200 miles away Monday night, police said. The apparent self-inflicted gunshot death of 23-year-old Romeo Nance in Texas followed a manhunt by multiple law enforcement agencies. At a news conference, Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said his officers were notified by the Will County Sheriff's office at 12:04 p.m. Monday about several people found dead in two separate houses in the 2200 block of West Acres Road near Madison Street. Responding officers found a total of seven people in two houses who had all been shot dead, Evans said. Joliet police said immediately after announcing the Monday shooting deaths that they were looking for Nance. He was believed to have been driving a red Toyota Camry, Nance's last known address had been on the same block of Acres Road, Evans said. Evans said Nance knew the victims found in the two houses, and it was believed they were all related. Will County Sheriff's deputies had discovered the bodies as they investigated an earlier shooting, which had left a man dead in an unincorporated area just outside Joliet proper the day before. The common link was the red Toyota Camry associated with Nance. / Credit: Joliet Police/Will County Sheriff's office/CBS 2 At 4:27 p.m. Sunday, the Will County Sheriff's office was called to the Pheasant Run Apartments, off Pheasant Run Road in unincorporated Joliet Township, where they found a man bleeding on the ground from a gunshot wound. The 28-year-old man, who was originally from Nigeria and had lived in the United States for about three years, was rushed to an area hospital and died. The Will County Coroner's office identified this victim as Toyosi I. Bakare, 28, of Joliet. About 10 minutes earlier, a 42-year-old man had been shot in the leg in the 200 block of Davis Street in Joliet. That victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The Will County Sheriff's office said these earlier incidents appeared random and the two victims were not connected. However, according to the sheriff's office, the same car with the same license plate associated with Nance was spotted at both scenes. Will County Sheriff's Deputy Chief Dan Jungles said detectives were investigating the deadly Sunday shooting a day later and had set up a surveillance area on Acres Road, where the registered owner of the car lived. Deputies walked to a house and knocked on the door, Jungles said. When they received no response, they knew the people who lived in a house across the street were related to those living in the first house, Jungles said. The deputies found blood as they entered the houses to look for injured people. Ultimately, five people were found dead in one house at 2225 W. Acres Rd., and two were found dead in the other at 2212 W. Acres Rd., the sheriff's office said. "I've been a policeman 29 years," Evans said. "This is probably the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with." Joliet police announced a manhunt for Nance was underway Monday evening, and warned that he was armed and dangerous. But another horrible twist in the case came before the night's end. Around 8:30 p.m. Monday, Joliet police learned Nance had been spotted by U.S. Marshals in Natalia, Texas 30 miles southwest of San Antonio. Natalia, Texas, is 1,200 miles from Joliet more than an 18-hour drive. Joliet police said Nance was found in a car at a Valero gas station. It is believed that Nance died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement, according to Joliet police. Nance's prior arrest records indicated that he was previously arrested for aggravated discharge of a weapon involving a woman. Court records show Nance was out on bond in connection with that 2023 shooting case and was still awaiting trial. Speaking before Nance was found dead, several distraught neighbors in Joliet said they were disturbed by the violence and what appeared to be the strange and random nature of the crimes. "It's frightening that this is so close to home. I literally live like probably four houses down, and I have a young daughter, and it's crazy," said Laura Bane. "This is a neighborhood there's a park right down the street. It's crazy that there are young kids they get off the bus right here." "Really angry about it. I'm speechless. I can't even really talk about it," another woman said. "It's shocking to me that this stuff doesn't just happen on TV. It's real." Charles Osgood, longtime host of "Sunday Morning," dies at 91 John Dickerson on Nikki Haley's decision to stay in 2024 race What Nikki Haley's candidacy says about state of women in politics A Colorado-based pastor for an online church accused of pocketing $1.3 million through a cryptocurrency fraud scheme told followers in a video statement that the Lord told him to do it. Eli Regalado and his wife marketed their cryptocurrency, INDXcoin, to Christian communities in Denver, saying God told him people would become wealthy if they invested, the Colorado Division of Securities said in a statement Thursday. INDXcoin raised nearly $3.2 million, the Securities Division said. At least $1.3 million of that went directly to the Regalados or was "used for their own personal benefit," said a complaint filed Tuesday in Denver County District Court. The Regalados could not be reached for comment. In a video statement to his followers last week, Eli Regalado said the charges that they pocketed $1.3 million "are true." Out of the $1.3 [million], half a million dollars went to the IRS, and a few hundred thousand dollars went to a home remodel the Lord told us to do," he said in the video. The couple also allegedly spent their investors funds on a Range Rover, luxury handbags, jewelry, an au pair, boat rentals and snowmobile adventures, according to the complaint. The couple were charged with violating anti-fraud provisions under the Colorado Securities Act. Colorado Securities Commissioner Tung Chan said she filed the civil fraud charges after she was approached by people who invested and lost money through INDXcoin. We allege that Mr. Regalado took advantage of the trust and faith of his own Christian community and that he peddled outlandish promises of wealth to them when he sold them essentially worthless cryptocurrencies, Chan said in a statement. 'Illiquid and practically worthless' Regalado claimed that God told him investors would become wealthy if they put money into INDXcoin, promoting it as a low-risk, high-profit investment pegged to the average value of the top 100 cryptocurrencies, the Securities Division said. In reality, INDXcoin was "illiquid and practically worthless," the Securities Division said in its release. The cryptocurrency was available only in Kingdom Wealth Exchange, which the Regalados shut down. It can no longer be sold anywhere. "We took God at his word and sold a cryptocurrency with no clear exit," Regalado in his video address Friday. "What we're believing for still is that God is going to do a miracle. God is going to work a miracle in the financial sector." In the comments on Regalado's video, dozens of people continue to reassure him that God will "turn the situation around." Faith-based marketing Regalado was 22 and serving a prison sentence for boosting cars when his faith called him to become a pastor 20 years ago, he said in a YouTube live podcast. He began preaching for the online-only Victorious Grace Church, where he and his wife are listed as the only two employees. Regalado, who had no cryptocurrency or exchange background, said divine inspiration called him to launch INDXcoin and Kingdom Wealth Exchange. It was last October [20]21 that the Lord brought this cryptocurrency to me. He said, Take this to my people for a wealth transfer, Regalado said in a video update to INDXcoin followers in August 2022. Regalado advertised INDXcoin through presentations at his church and at others he found through other pastors, according to the legal complaint. From June 2022 to April 2023, the cryptocurrency raised nearly $3.2 million by selling unregistered securities, it said. In videos on INDXcoins YouTube channel, Regalado quotes Bible verses, telling investors to expect a miracle as they wait for Gods plan to unfold. Regalado also told investors they would "tithe" and "sow" in causes helping widows and orphans, but the funds primarily went into their own pockets, according to the complaint. They specifically went out to the Christian community, and theres a lot of references to scripture and faith. He cloaks himself in that to get people to give their money to him, said Chan, the securities commissioner. Thats really heartbreaking for the people who trusted him. Eli Regalado, his wife and his three companies are charged with securities fraud, unlicensed broker-dealer activity, selling unregistered securities and imposition of constructive trust. They are scheduled to appear in Denver District Court next week, according to the court docket. Chan urges others who have invested in INDXCoin to contact the Colorado Division of Securities. BEIJING, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - All Nippon Airways (ANA) has initiated a business alliance with Ctrip, a major Chinese travel agency, aiming to capture more Chinese tourists. ANA and Ctrip Group signed a business cooperation agreement in Beijing on Monday to mark the beginning of this collaboration, with the objective to attract new visitors to Japan. Through this partnership, arrangements for ANA tickets will be facilitated with common online payment methods in China, such as Alipay, and ANA's services will be searchable through Ctrip's widely used app. Both ANA and Ctrip emphasize that the partnership will enhance customer convenience. According to ANA, while the number of international passengers has recovered to about 80% of the pre-COVID levels, flights between Japan and China are still lagging at about 50%. Source: ANN By Valerie Insinna and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing issued a bulletin to its suppliers late last week that laid out practices to ensure bolts are properly torqued after multiple airlines reported loose hardware during inspections of the grounded 737 MAX 9, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The U.S. planemaker said that it is "imperative" that suppliers meet quality requirements, according to a Jan. 17 memo seen by Reuters, issued weeks after an accident when a panel ripped off of a 737 MAX 9 jet while in mid-air. "Ensure that work instructions are mistake-proof and quality is continuously monitored - particularly torquing requirements," it states. The bulletin suggests suppliers document torque requirements on work instructions, require mechanics to record how much torque is applied when fastening components, and ensure tools are properly calibrated to ensure bolts are properly tightened. Boeing declined to comment. The updated guidance follows the Jan. 5 accident when an Alaska Airlines flight had to conduct an emergency landing after the panel, called a door plug, was blown off. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded 171 MAX 9 planes with the door panel configuration. The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet determined whether the four bolts that attach the door plug to the fuselage were ever installed on the Alaska Airlines plane, but it is also too early to say missing or loose bolts were the root cause of the accident, NTSB head Jennifer Homendy told reporters Thursday. Spirit AeroSystems makes and installs the door plug. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in an NBC News interview that aired Tuesday that the airline found some loose bolts on many MAX 9s during inspections. "My demand on Boeing is, what are they going to do to improve their quality programs in house?" Minicucci said. United Airlines, which has also found loose parts on MAX 9s, on Monday reported a wider-than-expected loss in the quarter through March due to the grounding of the MAX 9. Boeing has not changed its 737 supplier master schedule in the wake of the accident, the company said in a separate Jan. 22 email to suppliers seen by Reuters. The schedule, which lays out the expectation for when suppliers should be at a given production rate, calls for a production rate 42 of its 737s per month starting in February 2024. Boeing's actual production rate can differ from the master schedule for various reasons. The company is expected to update investors on its production plans when it reports results on Jan. 31, amid speculation from Wall Street that the need for greater checks would slow down the ramp up. Suppliers should "continue to perform to your established requirements from Boeing," the memo said. Boeing continues to work with the FAA to unground the aircraft and is "taking immediate actions to strengthen quality across the 737 production system." FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Jan. 12 it was "pretty clear" the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 cabin blowout was a manufacturing issue, not a design problem. Whitaker noted MAX 9 issues that the MAX 9 has about 500,000 parts - and it is critical to ensure all bolts are properly tightened. "We're certainly not looking at every part, but so you have to have a quality control system that does that ... and (is) robust enough to see if something is not properly assembled." (Reporting by Valerie Insinna and David ShepardsonEditing by Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker) Sarah Fergusons family have been rallying around the royal as she recovers from the shock at being diagnosed with skin cancer - and the one person likely providing support to the Duchess of York is her ex-husband Prince Andrew. The former royal couple have been divorced for 28 years but still share a lasting bond despite both having endured a series of scandals that would have driven others apart. Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew at their wedding day in 1986 (Getty Images) Fergie has stood by Prince Andrew during the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, providing soothing words to her former lover as he was forced to step back from royal duties in 2019. She described him as a very good and kind man and gushingly described their wedding day on July 23 1986 as extraordinary and an exceptional day. Andrew for his part, rushed to be at Fergies side following her treatment for breast cancer last summer at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire, where they live together. They share two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but suffered a difficult romance that was often stymied by Andrews Royal Navy service that meant he was away for long periods of times. Prior to their courtship, Andrew was considered one of the countrys most eligible bachelors and earned himself the nickname Randy Andy after being linked to a string of women. Prince Andrew, Duke of York (L), Sarah, Duchess of York (2L) Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (2R) and Britain's Princess Beatrice of York (R) arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in eastern England (AFP via Getty Images) He was widely respected for his exploits during the Falklands War as a Sea King helicopter pilot and speculation was often rife as to who he would end up marrying. And it was the bubbly, flame-haired Fergie, the daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson, King Charless polo manager, who stole his heart. The duo had met as children but didnt see each other as adults until 1985 at Royal Ascot, in a meeting reportedly orchestrated by Princess Diana. Less than a year after they met Andrew proposed on 19 February 1986 at Floors Castle in Scotland on his 26th birthday. He gifted Fergie a bespoke ring designed by himself that featured an oval-cut Burmese ruby that reminded him of her hair. At the opulent wedding ceremony they shared a passionate embrace on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of hundreds of thousands of wellwishers and appeared set for a life of royal service. However, despite having two wonderful children, cracks started to appear in the marriage due to Andrews commitment to his naval career leaving out of the country. Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and her sister Jane Luedeckee at All Saints Church, Odiham, Hampshire, England for a Thanksgiving Service (Getty Images) The duchess told US TV host Ernie Manouse in 2010: My deal was that I was marrying my man, who happened to be a prince and a naval officer. But what I got was not the man, I got the palace and didnt get him... and the courtiers told me I had to go to Buckingham Palace and he had to go to sea. For our marriage, I saw him 40 days a year. The royal couple separated in January 1992 and later divorced in 1996. The duchess became embroiled in one of the most notorious royal scandals ever after being pictured having her toes sucked by multimillionaire businessman John Bryan while she sunbathed topless in the south of France. Her tabloid scandals led to a swift banishment from the royal family, but Andrew and the duchess remained close friends. BBC handout file photo showing the Duke of York speaking about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis (Mark Harrison/BBC/PA) Andrews love life however became overshadowed by a string of more serious controversies that would lead to him becoming a figure of worldwide ridicule. After leaving the Royal Navy after 22 years service he became the UKs special representative for international trade and investment, but his 10 years in the role generated a great deal of controversy. He faced questions over his connections to politicians in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Libya and Turkmenistan. And his judgment was further questioned after he held meetings with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafis son Saif, and when he entertained the son-in-law of Tunisias ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at Buckingham Palace. His relations with Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of the then-president of Kazakhstan, were also scrutinised after Mr Kulibayev purchased the dukes Sunninghill Park home for 3 million more than its 12 million asking price in 2007. Simon Wilson Britains deputy head of mission in Bahrain from 2001 to 2005 wrote in the Daily Mail that the duke was more commonly known among the British diplomatic community in the Gulf as HBH: His Buffoon Highness. However it was his relationship with American financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein that shattered his reputation and led to his banishment from front line royal duties [Andrew has always fiercely denied any wrongdoing]. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma (Joe Giddens/PA) Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault lawsuit to a woman he claimed never to have met, Virginia Guiffre. He denied the claims and attempted to clear his name in an infamous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis that heaped further humiliation on the duke. Despite each of their respective controversies and problems, they could each rely on each other, despite splitting up almost three decades ago. As well as continuing to live together at the Royal Lodge, they have also been on holiday numerous times, and met up for a royal engagement in Bahrain in 2019. They also co-owned a Swiss ski chalet that was reportedly sold to a British family for 19million so the duke could cover the legal costs arising from the fallout of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. There were even rumours the two were considering remarrying. In 2013, during a promotional event for her childrens book, Ferguson was asked if she and Andrew would remarry. She said: Hes still my handsome prince, hell always be my handsome prince. Its lovely that we are such a family and the story has a happy ending all the time. A year after a gunman killed seven Chinese migrants who worked and lived at two farms in Half Moon Bay, California, advocates say many of the survivors are still facing uncertainty as their housing vouchers expire. Social workers for the families who survived the massacre at the San Mateo County coastal city told NBC News that they are still confronting trauma, job insecurity and a lack of permanent housing. They hope in 2024, their city, county and state will bring them some final solutions. The conditions at the two farms targeted in the shooting were deplorable, acknowledged California Gov. Gavin Newsom at the time, with pay as low as $9 an hour and workers residing in shipping containers. The tragedy not only left survivors and family members without income, but also displaced them from those residences, leaving dozens to start from scratch. The city and county have long known about the deplorable working and housing conditions of migrant workers, said Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of advocacy group Chinese for Affirmative Action, who has met with survivors. They have a duty and obligation to address these issues and to support the impacted families with their long term healing and recovery. During a remembrance ceremony on Sunday, Half Moon Bays Mayor Joaquin Jimenez updated the community on the steps being taken to support farmworkers in his city. Farmworkers have never been recognized, he said during the vigil. Their safety, their well-being, that includes decent housing. A development with 46 farmworker residences is underway, San Mateo County board supervisor Ray Mueller said at the vigil, and 18 of those units are now available to families. But in the meantime, many survivors feel like theyre in temporary housing limbo, advocates said. Saoleng U, who is managing the cases of six surviving families through the outreach organization Self-Help for the Elderly, said that, while all of them currently stay in temporary subsidized housing, none of them feel quite at home yet. Theyre on high alert, she said, unsure if and when theyll need to move. And as their year-long vouchers near their end, they worry about where theyll end up. The group of families that we take care of, only half are still working in the two farms, she said. The rest are either too elderly or too disabled to work anymore For these survivors, they could come up with a three year subsidy plan, so even if they dont get into an affordable housing project, while theyre waiting they have some security. U said shes also trying to understand how these first 18 units will be prioritized when all their clients are facing great need. How do you pick the lucky 18 when there are 40 families, she said. Were worried that theyll get their hopes high and then after the build this first building and a lot of people cant get in, theyll get totally deflated and disappointed again. Mayor Jimenez did not respond to NBC News request for comment. Gov. Newsom said the state will continue to aid the farmworker community. The two farms are also both facing workplace safety citations from the state. One year since the Half Moon Bay shootings, we solemnly remember the victims and double down on our vision of being a state without prejudice, where every community is safe from the ravages of gun violence, said in a statement to NBC News. California will continue to support our farmworker community. The workers themselves are still working through trauma, said Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self-Help, and the anniversary of the shooting stings for them. They all lived together, they shared everything, she said. When they think of them, they feel so sad. A committee made up of community members is working on a permanent memorial for the victims, NBC Bay Area reported. The group is also in talks about the work environment faced by migrant farmers and how it can be improved. The farmworkers themselves are hesitant to speak on their working conditions in fear of losing their jobs, U said, but more resources need to be added pre-emptively to meet them where they are and reach out to others. The state should be more proactive in making sure the farms where they work have appropriate pay and living conditions, too, she said. A lot of the elected officials acknowledge that they werent even aware that there were Chinese farmworkers that work in Half Moon Bay, she said. They are very isolated We shouldnt wait for another mass shooting to find out how they are managing. By Arafat Barbakh, Emily Rose and Jeff Mason GAZA/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel's worst day of losses in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday, as the White House said its envoy was having active discussions on ensuring the release of hostages and securing a humanitarian pause. In the hours after the death toll from two separate incidents became clear, officials in Israel reiterated that the aims of its war against the Palestinian Hamas movement that runs Gaza were unchanged and that efforts were being made to bring about the release of more than 100 hostages. Acknowledging Monday had been one of the "most difficult days since the war erupted", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory." Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said there would be no ceasefire that left Hamas in power and hostages in Gaza, following the militant group's cross-border rampage on Oct. 7 in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed. Palestinian health officials said at least 195 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours, raising the documented death toll from Israeli air strikes and shelling to 25,490. Thousands more are feared lost in the rubble. The soldiers' deaths came on the day the Israeli military (IDF) launched its biggest operation in a month, to seize remaining parts of Khan Younis, Gaza's main southern city that is sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. "Over the past day, IDF troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis," the military said, adding that they had "eliminated" dozens of militants. U.S. ENVOY IN CAIRO However, giving weight to media reports that a deal could be in the works to pause the fighting at least temporarily and free hostages, Qatar's foreign ministry had said earlier in the day it was engaging in serious discussions with both sides. "We have presented ideas to both sides, we are getting a constant stream of replies from both sides, and that in its own right is a cause for optimism," foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said. White House spokesperson John Kirby later said U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in Cairo for "active" discussions on ensuring the release of hostages and securing a humanitarian pause. "The conversations are very sober and serious about trying to get another hostage deal in place," Kirby told reporters, adding the talks included discussion on how long of a pause in combat would be needed to get the hostages out. Egypt's armed forces said Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki and McGurk discussed the "importance of concerted efforts to calm the situation and preserve the lives of civilians". The families of hostages, who have campaigned since Oct. 7 for the release of their loved ones, have become more vocal in recent days, including a group bursting into a parliamentary committee on Monday, demanding that the lawmakers do more. On Tuesday, former hostage Aviva Siegel, 62, who was taken captive from Kfar Aza kibbutz with her husband who is still held in Gaza, spoke at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in a discussion about sexual abuse during the war. "It's unbelievable that they (hostages) are still there. I can't imagine what they are feeling. I can't live with it. I can't breathe. I can't cope with it. It's too difficult. It's been almost four months and they are still there ... Something has to change. Urgently. Now," she said. She was released during a short truce in late November. TANKS SHUT KHAN YOUNIS ROAD Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said 21 soldiers were killed when two buildings they had mined for demolition exploded after militants fired at a nearby tank. Three soldiers were reported killed in a separate attack. Families and friends mourned them at funerals across Israel, touching coffins draped in the national flag and hugging one another in their grief. Advancing Israeli tanks shut the road out of Khan Younis towards the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday, blocking the escape route for civilians trying to reach Rafah, the last town on Gaza's southern edge bordering Egypt - now crammed with more than half the enclave's 2.3 million people. "I am trying to leave for Rafah but the tanks are now very near to the coast and are firing toward the west," Shaban, 45, an electrical engineer with four children, said by phone. The advancing Israelis have blockaded hospitals, which Palestinian officials say makes it impossible to rescue the dead and wounded. At the European Hospital, reached by Reuters in southern Khan Younis, Ahed Masmah brought in five corpses, piled on a mattress on his donkey cart. "I found them face down in the street," he said. At Khan Younis' main Nasser hospital, the biggest still functioning in the Gaza Strip, bodies were being buried on the grounds because it was unsafe to go out to the cemetery. Footage filmed by Palestinian journalist Hamdan El-Dahdouh showed persistent gunfire hitting the top of the main building. Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals, which hospital staff and Hamas deny. Israel said on Monday it was making efforts to help keeping hospitals running, delivering fuel and medical aid. "Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said in a statement. He said six displaced people had been killed and many injured at one of the biggest U.N.-run shelters in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it was unaware of any strikes in that area at the time in question. With nightfall, an Israeli air strike hit a house in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, killing seven Palestinians, health officials said. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Doha, Bassam Masoud in Gaza, Emily Rose, Ari Rabinovitch, Maayan Lubell and Kate Holton in Jerusalem; Writing by Peter Graff and Alison Williams; Editing by Angus MacSwan, Kevin Liffey and Mark Heinrich) SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea has demolished a major monument in its capital that symbolized the goal of reconciliation with South Korea on the orders of leader Kim Jong Un, who last week called South Korea a "primary foe" and said unification was no longer possible. Satellite imagery of Pyongyang on Tuesday showed that the monument, an arch symbolizing hopes for Korean reunification which was completed after a landmark inter-Korea summit in 2000, was no longer there, according to a report by NK News, an online outlet that monitors North Korea. Reuters could not independently confirm that the monument, known informally as the Arch of Reunification, had been demolished. Kim called the monument an "eyesore" in a speech at the Supreme People's Assembly on Jan. 15, where he ordered that the constitution be amended to say the South was a "primary foe and invariable principal enemy," official media said. Tensions have spiked on the Korean peninsula following intensifying military manoeuvres by the South Korean and U.S. militaries in response to weapons testing by the North, which said it was readying for a "nuclear war" with its enemies. The arch, formally known as the Monument to the Three Charters for National Reunification, stood 30 meters tall and was symbolic of the three charters, which were self-reliance, peace and national cooperation, according to South Korean government records. Asked if North Korea appeared to be changing its posture on conflict with the South, White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday, "We're watching this very, very closely." He added: "I would just tell you that we remain confident that the defensive posture that we're maintaining on the peninsula is appropriate to the risk." South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who took office in 2022, has taken a hard line against the North, calling for immediate and tough responses to North Korea's military actions that have raised tensions on the Korean peninsula. North Korea has vowed to "wipe out" South Korea if attacked by the South and U.S. forces. Late last year, the North declared as no longer valid a key agreement signed with the South in 2018 aimed at de-escalating military tensions. Following Kim's speech last week, the North's assembly abolished key government agencies that have been instrumental to decades of exchanges with Seoul. (Reporting by Jack Kim; Additional reporting by Jeff Mason and Trevor Hunnicutt in Washington; Editing by Bernadette Baum, Mark Porter and Leslie Adler) GOP senators say there is less enthusiasm for former President Trump among Republican-leaning voters compared to 2016, a drop in voter energy that was apparent when only 15 percent of Iowas registered Republicans showed up for Mondays caucuses. Lawmakers acknowledge the weather was a factor behind the low turnout in Iowa but point to other signs of diminished enthusiasm for Trump, something that could hurt down-ballot Republican candidates in swing states. Senate Republicans hope that Trumps problems will be balanced by lower enthusiasm among Democrats for President Biden, though they expect Trump being atop the ticket will drive Democratic voters to the polls in large numbers. Another concern among GOP senators is that Biden will have a big fundraising advantage over Trump, who is pouring his resources into his legal defense in the face of four criminal trials and two civil cases. Republicans are looking ahead to Tuesdays New Hampshire primary to get another look at voter turnout and what it signals for this years general election. I dont think he has the same enthusiasm he did in 2016 but I think he has plenty to become the nominee, said Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who ran for president in 2008 and 2012 and won the GOP nomination in 2012. Romney, a Trump critic, thinks Trump would beat Biden if the election were held today but doesnt know whether hell keep his polling lead as his legal problems play out in court and Democrats build what Republicans expect to be a major fundraising advantage. Theres going to be a lot that happens over the coming year almost a year so Id say its still a toss-up, he said. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said voters are fatigued with Trump but argued theyre also tired of Biden. The turnout models have to be adjusted on both ends of the spectrum because I do think that youve got some of the Im not excited about either option dimension, he said. One Republican senator who requested anonymity to discuss voter enthusiasm for Trump compared to 2016 said: It seems less to me. The lawmaker also expressed concern Trump is burning through a lot of money because of his court battles. Its a distraction financially and of time and mental [energy,] the source said. Questions about voter enthusiasm for Trump were raised anew after the Iowa caucuses, in which just more than 110,000 voters participated representing only 15 percent of the states registered Republicans. By contrast, 187,000 Republican voters showed up at the Iowa caucuses when Trump first ran for president in 2016. In 2012, when Romney was the front-runner, 122,000 voters showed up in Iowa. Other factors could have contributed to the lower turnout. The weather was horrendous, even by Iowa in January standards, with temperatures hovering around zero. Trump was also the runaway favorite in Iowa and won the caucuses handily. That status may have kept some of his supporters home, as they may have felt they werent needed. Still, there are reasons for Republicans to be concerned given a steady stream of signs that many voters are not enthused about a Biden-Trump rematch. A Colby College poll released Friday, for example, showed rural voters, one of Trumps core constituencies, arent that excited about his candidacy. Nearly a third of rural voters said their vote for Trump was really a vote against Biden and just more than half of them said they are very happy with him as the GOP nominee. A Gallup poll conducted from Dec. 1 to Dec. 20 showed Trump and Biden both have low approval ratings. The survey found Trumps approval rating among American adults at 42 percent a few points lower than he had in a Gallup survey a month before the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Biden. Gallup found that Biden is viewed favorably by only 41 percent of U.S. adults. More troubling for Republican lawmakers, a CNN entrance poll for the Iowa GOP caucuses found that 31 percent of participants said Trump would not be fit for the presidency if convicted of a crime. Many of those voters who said Trump would not be fit for office if convicted voted for former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But 10 percent of those who said Trump would not be fit to serve as president if convicted voted for him in Iowa. GOP lawmakers are keeping a close eye on voter turnout numbers in the primary because Trumps 2016 victory was largely credited to his ability to energize the Republican Party base and drive new voters to the polls. Senate GOP leaders have agonized for months or years, even over Trumps lack of appeal with independent and swing voters especially suburban and college-educated women. They view his ability to energize rural voters and non-college-educated voters as key to his success. Jim McLaughlin, Trumps pollster, pushed back on Republicans concerned about voter turnout in the wake of Iowa. He said that subzero temperatures kept Iowa voters at home. The weather was brutal out there. Even dangerous. Thats people werent going out, he said. Minus 30 [degrees] with the wind chill factor? Thats why it was what it was. He pointed out that, unlike a regular primary where voters cast their ballot and leave the polling place, the Iowa caucuses require voters to hang around the caucus site for a few hours to vote. McLaughlin also pointed to a recent Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC 10 poll of New Hampshire voters showing that Trumps base is solidly behind him. The survey of 500 likely Republican voters conducted Wednesday and Thursday found Trump leading Haley 52 percent to 35 percent, and it showed 93 percent of Trump supporters view their ballot more as a vote for Trump than a vote against someone else. I dont know if weve ever seen anyone in my lifetime with a more intense base of support than Donald Trump, he said. Hes not just a leader of the Republican Party, not just a leader of the conservative movement hes the leader of a movement and a lot of his supporters are not even Republicans. This is the guy fighting for the forgotten middle class in a way that nobody else can do. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), a close Biden ally, said political experts will be watching the New Hampshire results closely to see if the depressed turnout in Iowa was an aberration. New Hampshire will give a stronger message to the country about the path forward, he said. The other concern weighing on GOP lawmakers is what they expect will be Bidens huge fundraising advantage over Trump, something that will be made worse by Trump having to pour tens of millions of dollars into his legal defense teams. Trump told supporters in Sioux City, Iowa, in October that he had more than $100 million in legal fees. Reuters estimated in September that Trumps legal fees connected to the four criminal prosecutions he faces could exceed $50 million. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and other Trump allies are hoping he wins New Hampshire by a large margin, which would likely knock Haley out of the race, so Republicans can begin coalescing behind a nominee sooner rather than later. The longer it goes, the less time they have to rally the troops around the nominee and raise money because only God knows how much [Democrats] are going to raise, he said. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who endorsed Trump last month, said Democratic fundraising for the presidential campaign will be immense. And theyll have an enthusiasm because its Donald Trump [as the GOP nominee,] he said. Nevertheless, Cramer said weak voter enthusiasm for Biden will be more decisive. But that enthusiasm wanes as soon as they realize whom theyre supporting, he said, predicting that Biden wont turn out Democrats to the polls. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. MADRID (Reuters) - The deportation of hundreds of Moroccan youths from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in August, 2021 after a mass border crossing was illegal, Spain's Supreme Court ruled on Monday, dealing a blow to the leftist coalition government's immigration policy. The judges dismissed the government's appeal against an earlier ruling by a local court in Ceuta that had ordered Madrid to ensure the youths' return to Spain as it deemed their expulsion unlawful. A spokesperson for the Interior Ministry said it had "maximum respect for judicial decisions" but declined to comment further on the ruling or its practical consequences. The underage and unaccompanied migrants had crossed into the North African enclave alongside some 12,000 people in May 2021, at the peak of a diplomatic row between Madrid and Rabat over Western Sahara. Around 700 of them were sent back to Morocco in mid-August following an agreement between the neighbouring countries. The Supreme Court said the minors' collective expulsion flouted not only domestic immigration laws, but also breached the European Human Rights Convention. Spanish legislation requires an individual administrative procedure for each minor who is deported with information on their specific circumstances, and a proper hearing if they are deemed mature enough. Authorities in Ceuta failed to meet any of these conditions, the Supreme Court ruled, adding that the minors' rights to physical and moral integrity were violated, as they were "put in serious danger of suffering physical or psychological harm". Lawyers for the Spanish government had invoked "exceptional circumstances" due the mass crossings, but the court said the European Convention on Human Rights, of which Spain is a signatory, clearly banned the collective expulsion of foreigners. (Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Ed Osmond) TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - New footage from Tsuyoshi Muro's upcoming movie "Migawari Chuushingura" has been released to celebrate the actor's 48th birthday on January 23. Directed by Hayato Kawai and based on the novel of the same name by Akihiro Dobashi, the film is a period drama based on the "Chushingura" story. Kira Kozukenosuke, the "hated Hatamoto," is slashed by the lord of the Akoh domain, who had been receiving persistent bullying from him, and is left on the brink of death with a wound on his back while running away. If it becomes known that he fled and died, it would be a samurai's shame, so the Kira family's retainers decide to deceive the shogunate by substituting Kozukenosuke's strikingly similar brother, Takaaki, as a body double. Muro plays the roles of the protagonist Takaaki and his brother Kozukenosuke, while Kento Hayashi portrays the Kira family's elder, Saito Miyauchi, who proposes the substitution to Takaaki. The released footage includes a scene where Takaaki, having been driven out of his home and wandering the streets, returns as a fishy monk and reunites with Kozukenosuke. You can see Kozukenosuke expressing his disgust for Takaaki while feeding carp in a pond, saying "That waste of food..." and Takaaki, who bites on the bait and provokes his brother. Muro highlights this scene as memorable, saying, "I enjoyed playing it. It turned out to be more interesting than I thought, so I think it's a scene worth watching." He reflects on his role as Kozukenosuke, "It was difficult to decide how bad he was, and I discussed it with the director." Tsuchihashi, who wrote the original story and screenplay, praised Muro: " Takaaki, who is rebellious, gradually becomes softer and regains his human heart as the movie progresses. The way he expresses this through his actions, lines, and gestures shows that he has done a lot of research and created his role, which I respect. He exceeded the image of the script, and I thought, 'He truly is a national actor.'" "Migawari Chuushingura" will be released nationwide from February 9th. Source: Natalie By John Kruzel (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to temporarily let U.S. Border Patrol agents cut or remove razor-wire fencing that Texas officials placed along part of the Republican-governed state's border with Mexico to deter illegal border crossings. The justices, in a 5-4 decision, granted a request by President Joe Biden's administration to pause a lower court's ruling that temporarily blocked federal agents from disturbing the fencing while litigation over the issue proceeds. Two conservative members of the court - Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett - joined the three liberal justices in the majority, with conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh dissenting. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which issued the disputed interim ruling, is set to hear arguments on Feb. 7 over whether Border Patrol agents violated Texas law by cutting the razor-wire barrier. The fencing at issue in the dispute was installed on private property along the Rio Grande river by the Texas National Guard as part of what was called Operation Lone Star, launched by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott in 2021 to deter illegal border crossings. Texas sued the administration in October 2023 over what it said was an intensified practice by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents of cutting, destroying or otherwise damaging fencing that the state had strategically placed on private land with the permission of landowners. U.S. District Judge Alia Moses, while criticizing the Biden administration for its "utter failure" to prevent unlawful entries into the United States, ruled in November that the legal claims made by Texas could not overcome the federal government's sovereign immunity in the case. Such immunity protects the federal government from civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution. After Texas appealed, the 5th Circuit on Dec. 19 granted the state's request to temporarily block federal agents from "damaging, destroying or otherwise interfering with" the razor-wire fencing while the case played out, except "if necessary to address any medical emergency." The 5th Circuit in its ruling said Moses misinterpreted a law granting the U.S. government immunity from some legal claims by states, and that Texas was likely to prevail in its lawsuit. The Biden administration, in a Jan. 2 court filing, urged the justices to halt the 5th Circuit's ruling, saying there was no indication that the wire had deterred migrants from crossing into the United States. In a subsequent Jan. 12 filing, the administration said Texas had set up new barriers along part of the state's border with Mexico that impeded the ability of Border Patrol agents to monitor and respond to emergencies. On Monday, the White House welcomed the Supreme Court's decision. "Ultimately, we need adequate resources and policy changes to address our broken immigration system.... That is why he (Biden) is working to find a bipartisan agreement with Congress that includes additional resources and meaningful policy reforms," a spokesperson said in a statement. Republicans have sharply criticized Biden's immigration policies and the flow of illegal entries across the U.S. border with Mexico - an issue certain to heat up ahead of the Nov. 5 election in which the Democratic president is seeking another four years in office. (Reporting by John Kruzel in Washington; Additional reporting by Andrew Chung and Costas Pitas; Editing by Will Dunham and Michael Perry) CLEVELAND Three Republicans vying for Ohio's competitive U.S. Senate seat argued at a televised debate here Monday not so much about who is best for the state, but rather who is best for Donald Trump. Businessman Bernie Moreno already has the former presidents endorsement a fact he shoehorned into the first 30 seconds of his response to the first question. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who a month ago predicted Trump would remain neutral, presented himself as an unshakable ally. Then there was Matt Dolan, a state senator who has expressed a desire to move on from Trump and did not jockey for his endorsement but pledged onstage to support him if he is the GOP's presidential nominee. Dolan, who was the nights chief aggressor onstage, also asserted that, given his recent legislative experience, he is the most in sync with Trump while accusing his rivals of phony reverence. The reality is Im the only one in this stage who has enacted Trump policies, Dolan said. These two have spent a great deal of time deleting all their past comments, hateful comments on Trump. And now, because its in their political best interests, theyre saying something completely different. Trump is the front-runner for this year's Republican presidential nomination a status that could be further solidified Tuesday in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary. Monday's debate, hosted by WJW-TV of Cleveland and broadcast live across Ohio on Nexstar-owned stations, was the first of several planned ahead of the March 19 primary. The GOP nominee will go on to face Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in what is expected to be one of the years fiercest and most expensive Senate races. Although Brown and President Joe Biden were criticized several times Monday, the candidates spent much of the time fighting one another even in areas where they mostly agreed. Moreno chastised LaRose for saying in an interview last month that Trump had told him he was unlikely to endorse anyone in the primary. Trump endorsed Moreno the next day. I think its extremely horrific that Frank would have lied and said that President Trump told him something that he obviously did not tell him, Moreno said. After LaRose denied having lied about his conversation with Trump, Moreno shot back: So you just called President Trump a liar. Later in the debate, moderators pressed LaRose and Moreno about their shifts in rhetoric since the riot by Trump supporters at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. At the time, LaRose and Moreno condemned the violence and destruction. Both have since described some of those who have been charged as political prisoners language that echoes Trumps. Dolan slammed Moreno for a response that was sympathetic to alleged rioters. We just heard an absolute political phony answer, Dolan said. Hes trying to reinvent himself. Jan. 6 was a bad day, and I said it then. Jan. 6, was a bad day, and Im saying it now. That comment and others rankled Moreno. If you want Liz Cheney to represent you as the United States senator from Ohio, heres your choice, Moreno said, referring to the former Republican congresswoman from Wyoming who had a leading role in the House Jan. 6 hearings. At another point, after Dolan called attention to lawsuits Moreno faced during his years as a car dealer, Moreno snarked that "that's what third place looks like." There have been no public polls in the primary since Trump's endorsement last month. Moreno and Dolan are both independently wealthy and already have budgeted millions of dollars for TV ads, while LaRose is relying more on an aligned super PAC. The debate moderators also pushed the candidates on abortion rights, which were codified into the Ohio Constitution last year following a ballot initiative that all three candidates opposed. LaRose had been the face of the opposition after having previously championed a separate, failed measure that would have raised the threshold to pass such amendments. Dolan, LaRose and Moreno all avoided direct answers when they were asked whether they supported a federal abortion ban, but each made it clear they were in favor of some federal restrictions. Listen, the states can set their own standards, but there should be a bare minimum that we look at at the federal level, and were not a nation that should allow late-term abortion, LaRose said. Dolan offered a similar thought: I dont want it to be a federal issue. But I dont want late-term abortions to be the norm in the United States of America. He also took a shot at LaRoses involvement in last years abortion fight in the state. Frank went around the state and talked to Republicans who already agreed with him to prepare him for this U.S. Senate race, Dolan said. Frank, you should have been doing what my team was doing going door to door talking to undecided voters to explain to them how outrageous this abortion amendment was. Moreno reminded viewers several times that he has Trump's support and for good measure, his campaign aired two ads right before the debates Cleveland broadcast touting the endorsement. We only save this country when we stop sending career politicians to Washington, D.C., Moreno said in his closing statement. Thats what we saw with President Trump. Through most of 2023, just a handful of states enacted laws to tackle the challenges that artificial intelligence and deepfakes posed to political campaigns. But now that the 2024 election cycle is in full force, state lawmakers across the country have snapped into action to try to deal with the thorny, quickly changing issue. In just the first three weeks of 2024, lawmakers from both major parties have introduced legislation in at least 13 states to combat the kind of mis- and dis-information AI and deepfakes can create in elections. The issue was back in the spotlight Monday after the emergence of a fake robocall featuring a voice impersonating President Joe Biden telling Democratic voters in New Hampshire not to cast their ballots in Tuesday's primary. It remains unclear whether the voice an apparent imitation or digital manipulation of the presidents was created with the use of artificial intelligence, though the New Hampshire attorney generals office, which is investigating, said in a statement that the message appeared to have been artificially generated based on initial indications. The call underscores the type of threat posed by the use of AI and deepfakes heading into the heart of the campaign season. The political deepfake moment is here. Policymakers must rush to put in place protections or were facing electoral chaos. The New Hampshire deepfake is a reminder of the many ways that deepfakes can sow confusion and perpetuate fraud, Robert Weissman, the president of the government watchdog group Public Citizen, which has petitioned the federal government to act more aggressively against deepfakes, said in a statement. The good news is that states are rushing to fill the gap, Weissman added. State bills attempting to tackle the issue tend to fall into two categories: disclosure requirements and bans. Disclosure requirements typically require a disclaimer to be placed on any media created with the use of AI that is being issued to influence an election within a certain time frame. Bans often have nuanced exceptions. For example, a Michigan law enacted last year doesnt enforce a ban if a disclosure has been shared and if the person responsible for the media doesnt know that it falsely represents the people it depicts. Since the beginning of the year, disclosure requirement bills have been introduced by Republican lawmakers in Alaska and Florida. Meanwhile, Democrats in Hawaii, South Dakota, Massachusetts, Oklahoma and Nebraska, as well as Republicans in Indiana and Wyoming, have introduced legislation that would ban media created with help of AI within specific time frames before elections if the media doesnt feature a disclosure. Democrats in Nebraska also introduced a bill that would ban disseminating all deepfakes within 60 days of an election. In Arizona, Republican lawmakers proposed a bill to allow any candidate for public office who will appear on the ballot or any Arizona resident to sue for relief or damages any people who publish a digital impersonation of that person. Idaho Republicans proposed a bill that would ban disseminating synthetic media that doesnt include a disclosure. The bill would also create rules allowing the depicted people to sue the people who published it. A Republican-proposed bill in Kentucky would create definitions for deepfakes and ban disseminating them if the people depicted in them havent consented, while allowing them to sue for relief and damages. And a Democratic-led bill in Virginia would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyone to create any deceptive audio or visual media for the purpose of committing a criminal offense. In the final days of 2023, lawmakers in three other states Ohio, South Carolina and New Hampshire introduced similar bills, none of which have advanced. The bill in New Hampshire, introduced by Democrats, proposed requiring a disclosure of deceptive artificial intelligence usage in political advertising. Introducing such bills doesnt necessarily mean any will become law. Last year, for example, just three states enacted laws related to regulate the use of AI and deepfakes in political campaigns even as the size, scale and potential threats they can pose came into clearer view throughout the year. MANCHESTER, N.H. After breezing through his usual lines about wanting to build a border wall and to drill baby, drill for oil, former President Donald Trump has been adding a new refrain to his speeches a promise to build something like Israels Iron Dome, but better and over the entire U.S. Well build an Iron Dome over our country, a state-of-the-art missile defense shield, and its all made in the USA, Trump said Sunday at a rally in New Hampshire. I think its time that we have one. I will prevent World War III. Weve never been so close. You just have to check out the news. And we will build an Iron Dome over our country a state-of-the-art missile defense shield, he said here Saturday. Its a very big deal for me, he said of the idea last month in Iowa. Were giving billions of dollars to other countries so they can build a dome. But we dont have a dome ourselves. Were going to have the greatest dome ever. The Israeli missile defense system known as Iron Dome has proven its capabilities almost nightly as it knocks down volleys of Hamas rockets during the war with Hamas. The appeal of a similar missile shield for the U.S. is obvious, especially for a presidential candidate with a penchant for massive defensive infrastructure projects, like his signature border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. And it fits with Trumps message that the world is a dangerous place full of dangerous enemies who are trying to harm Americans and that only he is willing to do what it takes to protect them. However, the U.S. military has already poured hundreds of billions of dollars and decades of research into missile defense development with only limited results and certainly nothing approaching the kind of impenetrable giant dome over the entire country that Trump promises. Were seeing a lot of positive news on missile defense. Its doing really good work on protecting civilians in Ukraine and Israel now, said John Erath, a former National Security Council official who is the senior policy director for the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, a nonpartisan nonprofit group. But what is going on there is far different from what is being worked on and planned and may someday come to pass defending the U.S. homeland. Its apples and oranges. Since the 1980s, the U.S. military has experimented with myriad ways to shoot down missiles, from space-based weapons to robot Gatling guns to jumbo jets with laser beam emitters mounted on them. The U.S. has also built enormous radar systems in remote parts of the Arctic to detect and track incoming missiles for possible interception. And some of the worlds most powerful supercomputers and smartest scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been running calculations. After all that, the U.S. and other military powers like Israel have gotten good at shooting down short-range missiles coming from nearby, but they have minimal capacity to stop the kinds of longer-range threats the U.S. faces. Israels Iron Domes is designed to intercept projectiles fired from no more than 43 miles away, according to a 2023 Congressional Research Service report. Each battery is designed to defend a maximum area of about 60 square miles, a little less than the size of Washington, D.C. Thats perfect for Israel, a small country, which is worried about missiles being fired from the nearby Gaza Strip or West Bank. But for the U.S. homeland, Iron Dome would solve a problem America doesnt have, because it isnt generally concerned about Mexico or Canada lobbing missiles at border towns. The U.S. military has its own short-range missile defense systems like Iron Dome, and it has even purchased several Iron Dome batteries to test them, but theyre used for what it calls point defense defending specific locations like overseas U.S. military bases and naval ships. The continental U.S. is 450 times bigger than Israel, and it is threatened by intercontinental ballistic missiles fired from places like Russia or China, not short-range ones from neighbors. Those are a completely different kind of threat that the Iron Dome isnt designed for. Those missiles go over the North Pole and then into space before re-entering the atmosphere on the way to their target, Erath said. While Hamas rockets might be traveling several hundred miles an hour, intercontinental ballistic missiles re-enter from space at thousands of miles an hour. At those speeds and trajectories, reliably hitting them is vastly more challenging. We have invested billions in missile defense systems, and we have certain capabilities against very limited missile threats against the U.S. homeland, Erath said. If there were an accidental launch or a rogue actor got a handle of one or two, yeah, we can protect against that. But if youre talking about a mass attack from a country on the scale of Russia or China, the math just doesnt work out. With current technologies, defenders are at a major disadvantage, Erath said, because reliably hitting an incoming missile generally requires launching at least three interceptors, because each one has a relatively low probability of success. But interceptors cost more than the missiles theyre trying to hit, because they require more advanced guidance systems, and you need more of them. So you need a lot of them, and theyre expensive, and the antidote to that is very simple, which is: You just throw more things at us and overwhelm the defenses, Erath said. Military officials have been transparent about that, especially as the U.S. has been scrambling to send more Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, anti-air batteries to Ukraine, each of which are enormously expensive. Simply put: We cannot defend everything, Army Reserve Lt. Gen. A.C. Roper, the vice commander in charge of U.S. aerospace defense for North American Aerospace Defense Command, told a think tank audience last summer, according to Inside Defense. Placing a Patriot or THAAD battery on every street corner is both infeasible and unaffordable. Former President Trump said he would score higher on a cognitive test than GOP challenger Nikki Haley, who has seized on a series of gaffes by Trump to criticize his age ahead of New Hampshires crucial primary on Tuesday. In an interview with Fox Newss Martha McCallum, Trump claimed he would beat Haley in a cognitive test after being asked about her criticism of his recent verbal miscues. Haley has also repeatedly called for mental competency tests for politicians aged 75 and older in her campaign for the White House. Trump is 77; Haley is 52. Well, I think Im a lot sharper than her. I would do this: I would sit down right now and take an aptitude test and it would be my result against her result, and shes not going to win, not gonna even come close to winning, he said in the interview. Trump went on to repeat his claims that he has aced two cognitive tests, including one during his time in office and another he took more recently. I aced it twice. I aced it. But I would say that, you know, Ive actually called for a cognitive test for anybody running for president because I actually think thats a good idea. Itd be nice to have an intelligent person be president, he said. Trump has bragged about the results of the cognitive test he took in 2018 with former White House physician Ronnie Jackson, who told reporters at the time Trump answered every question correctly on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, which is a test to detect mild cognitive impairment or the onset of Alzheimers disease. In recent days, Haley and President Biden have criticized Trump over his recent gaffes, including when he appeared to confuse Haley with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a campaign event last week. Both Trump and Biden have faced questions over their age and mental fitness as the two of them face a likely rematch of 2020 in Novembers general election. Haley has repeatedly called for a generational change when campaigning against the former president. Lets do a 90-minute debate and let everyone see for themselves, Haleys campaign said in a statement to The Hill when asked about Trumps comments. Updated at 8:23 p.m. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday issued a subpoena that orders President Joe Biden's health secretary to provide records related to the handling of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan sent the subpoena to Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the committee said in a press release. Jordan asked Becerra to provide information about the care and custody of unaccompanied migrant children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border who have suspected gang ties or are sponsored by U.S. residents who have criminal convictions. An HHS spokesperson said the department had been working on the request and that the subpoena was "entirely without basis." "Unfortunately, these actions by the committee fail to solve the important and urgent issue of ensuring a safe and humane immigration system," the spokesperson said. "HHS will continue to operate in good faith." Republicans blame the Biden administration for record numbers of migrants who are caught trying to cross the border illegally. They say the Democratic president should not have reversed restrictive policies of Republican former President Donald Trump. Biden officials counter that migration is a hemispheric challenge and say they have sought to create a more orderly and humane system. Biden is seeking a second term in the Nov. 5 presidential election and Trump is the leading candidate for his party's nomination. Congress remains divided on immigration policy despite an ongoing effort in the Senate to strike a deal that would pair U.S. border security reforms with military aid for Ukraine's war against Russia. The Republican-led Judiciary Committee has highlighted the case of an unaccompanied minor from El Salvador with suspected gang ties who was charged with the 2022 sexual assault and murder of a 20-year-old Maryland woman. Still, there is no evidence of widespread criminality among unaccompanied children. A 2020 study found that immigrants in the country illegally were significantly less likely to commit felony crimes than native-born Americans and legal immigrants. Other studies have reached similar conclusions. In the subpoena to Becerra, Jordan said the committee had requested information related to unaccompanied migrant children since June 2023 but that the response had been "woefully inadequate." The subpoena demands that HHS disclose whether it refers unaccompanied children with suspected gang ties to the U.S. Department of Justice and calls for the department to reveal the number of "serious incident reports" filed at HHS-funded shelters in cases involving sexual assault, violence, drug use or gang activity. The subpoena also requests the number of approved or denied U.S. sponsor applications by people with convictions for child abuse, child pornography, domestic abuse and murder. Of the more than 6 million migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border during Biden's presidency, 7% were of unaccompanied children. (Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Andy Sullivan, Lisa Shumaker and Matthew Lewis) remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - A 34-year-old Filipino man has been arrested on suspicion of disposing of the bodies of a couple found dead under their house in Tokyo, following the arrest of a Filipino woman. The suspect, Bryan Jefferson Dela Cruz, is under investigation for the alleged disposal of the bodies of Norihiro Takahashi, 55, and his wife Kimie, 52, on January 16 in Adachi Ward. Dela Cruz, an acquaintance of Hazel Ann Baguisa Morales, a 30-year-old already in custody related to the case, was apprehended in Ibaraki Prefecture on Monday. Investigators were led to Dela Cruz after surveillance footage showed a man disposing of blood-stained clothing alongside Morales. Dela Cruz has reportedly admitted to the charges. The bodies of couple were found on January 18, wrapped in sheets underneath their home. Investigations have revealed that the bodies were individually wrapped in sheets underneath the first-floor floor storage, and that there were traces of bloodstains wiped in several places inside the house. A subsequent search led to the discovery of a bloodstained knife. Both victims had been stabbed in the chest from the front, and police suspect the knife was used as a murder weapon. According to investigative sources, Morales was previously in a relationship with the Takahashi couple's eldest son, who had previously consulted Tokyo police claiming he had lent "several hundred thousand yen" to Morales but was not repaid. Source: FNN Most read of the week YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenian authorities consider introducing new, NATO-standard uniforms in the military. In comments for Sputnik Armenia, the Ministry of Defense said it has studied uniforms of NATO member countries, including the USA, France, Greece and the Czech Republic for the initiative. In the selection procedure for the new uniforms, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia is guided by studies carried out through the exchange of international experience and in accordance with NATO standards. Samples of the uniforms of NATO member countries, including the US, France, Greece and the Czech Republic have been studied, the Ministry of Defense told Sputnik Armenia in written comments. Furthermore, the Armenian Ministry of Defense also seeks to ban the sale of standard-issue military uniforms. YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia should try to find new allies to address its security issues, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said Tuesday during the press conference, emphasizing that every sane and rational state should always make efforts to find new allies and supporters. "It has become particularly evident and imperative for us after the 2020 war and the subsequent events. We came up against a situation where our allied mechanisms did not meet our expectations," said the FM. "Amid the created the situation it is natural for Armenia to find new allies in the direction of solving its security concerns," Mirzoyan said, denying the information about the signing of documents related to other security systems. In that context, the FM also recalled the deployment of the EU observation mission in Armenia, which has increased the security level at the border, as well as the statements of the partners regarding the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia and the inviolability of the borders. Detailed in a blog post by Julie Sanford, vice president of partner GTM, programs and experiences, the Partner Launch Benefits package focuses on those "who want to kickstart their growth". This includes marketing benefits, Microsoft 365 Business Premium for five seats, US$700 of Azure credits, one subscription of Visual Studio Professional and four seats each for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise and Business Central for an annual fee of US$345. Meanwhile, Partner Success Core Benefits is aimed at partners moving past the initial stages of growth. For US$895, partners also get marketing benefits, 15 seats of Microsoft 365 Business Premium, US$2,400 of Azure credits, eight subscriptions for Visual Studio Professional and 15 seats each for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise and Business Central. Additionally, this tier also gets product support, with five hours of technical consultation services, deducted hours from technical presales and two incidents for signature cloud support. At the highest tier at the Success Expanded Benefits package, which is priced at US$3,995 per year, businesses get a go-to-market toolbox and concierge service in addition to marketing benefits, as well as 35 seats of Microsoft 365 Business Premium, US$4,000 worth of Azure credits, 15 subscriptions for Visual Studio Professional and 35 seats each for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales Enterprise and Business Central. It was estimated that about five lakh devotees would have visited the temple when the doors closed at 7 pm, an official said New Delhi, Ayodhya: A massive crowd that swelled by the hour and became unmanageable in the afternoon thronged the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya when its doors were opened to the public on Tuesday, a day after the consecration ceremony. It was estimated that about five lakh devotees would have visited the temple when the doors closed at 7 pm, an official said. Rampath, the main thoroughfare, was choked as devotees flooded the streets. Waiting in serpentine queues outside the temple were people who had been camping in Ayodhya since before the consecration ceremony, having made long and difficult journeys to reach the temple town. 'Ram dhun' played in the streets as security personnel kept guard and sought to control the crowd even as many chanted Jai Sri Ram and attempted to enter the temple. For a couple hours in the afternoon, the crowd became so huge that the security personnel scrambled to maintain order. The entire section of the Rampath facing the gateway was blocked as many devotees, some of whom landed with suitcases and backpacks, wanted to have a 'darshan'. At the main gateway, the commotion in the crowd led to one devotee fainting. There was a sudden massive rush in the morning and the people were continuously streaming in, seeking to visit the temple and have a darshan of Ram Lalla, an official said. The administration is taking measures to keep the crowd in order, with proper holding (area), queuing and proper barricading, he added. Uttar Pradesh information director Shishir said more than 8,000 policemen are deployed at the temple and everything is under control. Director General, law and order, Prashant Kumar and principal secretary, home, Sanjay Prasad were inside the temple and overseeing the arrangements. Ayodhya police, in a post on X, also refuted rumours that the temple was temporarily closed due to the heavy rush. Suresh Kumar and his friend from Chhattisgarh stood in the milling crowd, eager to have a 'darshan' but had little hope of getting in as they both carried suitcases. We have come from Durg. We took a train to Kanpur and then a bus to Lucknow and another bus to Ayodhya and reached Ayodhya at 10.30 am, he told PTI. The pair said they made a sudden plan to visit Ayodhya. We have come just for the 'darshan'. We will go back today, he said. Security guards later made a semi-circular human fence to manage the crowd as other personnel made announcements on loudspeakers to keep order. A large number of devotees had gathered outside the main gates for hours since late Monday night, waiting to enter the premises. Carrying flags bearing the visages of Lord Ram and chanting Jai Shri Ram, the devotees waited for hours in the biting cold before the doors of the grand temple opened early in the morning. Felt so delighted, my life's aim has been fulfilled. Our ancestors struggled for this and it has been brought to fruition, said Manish Verma, a devotee from Punjab. Nitish Kumar, a resident of Bihar's Madhepura district, cycled more than 600 kilometres to reach Ayodhya. There is a massive rush but I am hopeful I will get a chance to have 'darshan' today. I will start my journey back once my wish is fulfilled. Though I couldn't go to the temple on Monday, what a day it was to be in Ayodhya, he told PTI. Anurag Sharma from Rajasthan's Sikar was seen walking around with a model of the temple on the day of the consecration ceremony. I brought this model with me from my hometown. I arrived on the inaugural flight to Ayodhya and I have been here since then. I will go back only after having a 'darshan' of Ram Lalla, he told PTI. Groups of people could also be seen marching towards the temple, passing through the decked-up Ram Path. Ram Lalla gave us the strength to walk all the way from Chhattisgarh and now He only will get us through this crowd so we can take His blessings, said Sunil Madho, part of an eight-member group that undertook a 'padyatra' to Ayodhya. Maharashtra native Gopal Krishna, who arrived in Ayodhya a few days ago, also jostled in the thick crowd as it moved towards the security check. We came here a few days ago as Lord Ram called us. People were telling us to not travel as police would impose restrictions on travel and rooms would not be available in hotels. We are staying at an ashram and this is the day we waited for, he said. The yatra was stopped from entering the state capital Guwahati on Tuesday, leading to protests by Congress workers Guwahati: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was stopped from entering the state capital Guwahati on Tuesday, leading to protests by Congress workers who broke the barricades and raised slogans, forcing the police to order a lathi-charge in which a few Congress workers, including Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah, were injured. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi told reporters that the yatra was benefitting from what Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is doing. Reiterating that Assam chief minister is the most corrupt CM in the country, he said the yatra has become the main issue in Assam right now. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has directed the state police to file a case against Mr Gandhi for provoking the crowd. These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such Naxalite tactics are completely alien to our culture. I have instructed DGP Assam police to register a case against Rahul Gandhi for provoking the crowd and use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence, the Assam CM said in his social media post. Earlier, over 5,000 Congress workers, along with Mr Rahul Gandhi, trying to enter Guwahati were intercepted after the party restarted its Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam on Tuesday. After this, party workers clashed with the police and broke through police barricades. Policemen resorted to a lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. Addressing supporters from the bus top, Mr Gandhi said that while BJP president J.P. Nadda took the same route, they were not allowed to travel on it. You should not think we are weak. We have broken the barricades, he told his workers and supporters, calling them babbar sher (lion). They have cancelled my programme at the university. My programme was cancelled, but students heard me outside, he said. Congress workers do not fear anyone, he said, adding: We will defeat the BJP in Assam and form a Congress government soon. He also lauded the police for doing their job well. We know that police officers have done a good job and followed orders, with one person coming and lying down before the (yatra) bus. We are not against you. We are against the chief minister, who is the most corrupt. Our fight is with him, said Mr Gandhi. He said that policemen were also clapping at his speech but hastened to add that they should not. We have won as we have broken the barricades, AICC Assam in-charge Jitendra Singh said. Mr Gandhi later proceeded from the designated route on the Ring Road. It is significant that the Assam CM had said the yatra would not be allowed to enter the city in order to avoid traffic jams. The Assam Congress has accused the state government of creating problems over their yatra and lodging police complaints unnecessarily. Mr Gandhi also alleged that his talk at a university was cancelled at the behest of Union home minister Amit Shah and the Assam CM. Mr Gandhi, on Tuesday, participated in a NECC meeting at Queens Hotel, located on the Meghalaya-Assam border. He was also due to meet Guwahati civil society members. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra resumed from the Queens Hotel at around 10 am. This is the tenth day of the yatra, which will culminate in Assams Bishnupur in the state. TOKYO, Jan 23 (News On Japan) - Professional mixed martial artist Mikuru Asakura updated his YouTube channel on the 21st, addressing the criticism aimed at his protege Mizuki. Asakura announced that Mizuki, who had become a topic of conversation, married a 33-year-old non-celebrity and was expecting a child. Due to the significant backlash Mizuki received, Asakura hastily posted a video titled "Regarding Mizuki-chan's Controversy." Asakura, who had discussed the announcement of the marriage and pregnancy with Mizuki about ten times, explained, "I told her that the comments could get pretty harsh, but she still wanted to go through with the marriage with strong determination. So, I decided to respect her choice and support her decision." As Mizuki is contractually obligated to continue appearing in videos, Asakura said, "She wanted to be honest from the start, rather than having viewers notice her pregnancy later on." Mikuru Asakura: Regarding comments suggesting that her contract should be terminated, Asakura responded, "It isn't up to me whether to cancel the contract. I'm leaving it to Mizuki-chan, so if she wants to continue, I'll support her, and if she wants to stop, she's free to do so." However, he agreed with comments saying, "It would be a big problem if it weren't for this agency," and expressed his concerns about Mizuki's partner, saying, "I'm wondering what the other person thinks. They haven't even come to greet me." Asakura continued, admitting he was very worried due to the short period of their relationship, but after hearing Mizuki's story several times, he believes that "she couldn't find anyone better than this person, and that he's a wonderful person." Asakura regards Mizuki as a colleague and a sister-like figure, saying, "As long as she's happy, that's all that matters." He also addressed third-party perspectives, "There are various opinions like irresponsibility, but within our circle, the only thing that matches those comments is what we think about the other person. Getting married and having a baby is a joyous occasion, and I hope everyone can celebrate with us." Furthermore, Asakura clarified on behalf of Mizuki, who appeared on ABEMA's original love reality show "Don't Be Fooled by Flowers and Wolves" (2023), that she didn't have a boyfriend at the time of the show, so there was no overlap. Lastly, Asakura announced, "MAPROMOTIONS, the talent agency I run, is looking to put more effort starting from 2024. We are recruiting women with a strong desire to not marry and to become famous," and called for applicants with the goal of producing major actresses. Born on April 18, 2000, Mizuki's special skill is doodling, and her hobbies include motorcycles and darts. After moving from her hometown in Hyogo Prefecture to Tokyo, she began her modeling career. She caught Asakura's attention with her beauty and style, as well as her dreams, during his YouTube channel's luxury car taxi project. Her Instagram account gained 100,000 followers within five days of its launch, and she became a model and ladies' designer for the apparel brand MATIN AVENIR. In 2023, her appearance on ABEMA's "Don't Be Fooled by Flowers and Wolves" led to a surge in female fans, expanding her range of activities. Source: MDPR China rejects accusations about Hong Kong, Uyghurs, Tibet, and jailed dissidents at a hearing by the Human Rights Council. Each country had only 45 seconds to express its views. Meanwhile, four UN special rapporteurs are calling for Jimmy Lai to be released and charges against him be dropped. Geneva (AsiaNews) The Peoples Republic of China was subjected to the Universal Periodic Review in Geneva today, the regular mechanism used by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) to review a countrys human rights record. Each country that signed up to speak had 45 seconds to express their "recommendations" to the People's Republic of China on how to respect for human rights, just enough time to list issues, ranging from Hong Kong's national security law and the repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang to the forced assimilation of Tibet and the widespread use of the death penalty. The hearing began with the Chinese delegation presenting its case. Led by Ambassador Chen Xu, it argued that the improvement of living conditions coincides with human rights". And, while no one is perfect, "the facts show that China today fulfils the aspirations of its people." As many as 163 countries lined up, many from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, mainly to praise Chinas results in fighting poverty (which does not equate with respect for human rights). This is understandable as Xi Jinping's People's Republic of China has long focused on its image as the champion of the Global South to hide its increasingly harsh repression of all forms of internal dissent. Despite all this, the recommendations made by many delegates highlighted Chinas serious violations of human rights, regularly covered by AsiaNews. The United Kingdom, for example, raised the issue of the Jimmy Lais trial in Hong Kong. From Canada to Greece, from Chile to Australia, several countries want China to be held accountable for the arbitrary detentions of activists, journalists, and lawyers. South Korea expressly raised the issue of the forced repatriation of North Korean exiles. The envoy of the former government of Afghanistan (which still represents the country at the UN) asked China to explain its decision to establish relations with the Taliban. In its response, the Chinese delegation dismissed the criticism as politically motivated "lies. On Hong Kong, Ambassador Chen painted a picture suggesting that, thanks to the national security law and the "changes in the electoral system", the city was able to flourish again after the "unrest and fear" of 2019. As for freedom of expression, China fully respects it, he claimed. It is a pity that even the live streaming of the hearing, on the UNs official website, was blocked in China. With respect to freedom of religion, it is fully guaranteed to "200 million believers" who can count on "330,000 ministers of their religion and 144,000 places of worship, Chinese authorities claim. Such a picture perfectly fits with a concept of human rights devoid of any meaning, which Chow Hang-tung, a Hong Kong lawyer and pro-democracy activist, mentioned a few weeks ago in a letter she got out of the prison where she is being held, which AsiaNews published. It will now be up to the Human Rights Council to draw conclusions from this debate, with a report expected on 9 February. In the meantime, the United Nations touched the issue of human rights in China directly, with a plea to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to drop charges against Jimmy Lai, and release the pro-democracy Catholic businessman and publisher who has been in prison for three years, and is currently standing trial under the national security law. This request is signed jointly by four UN Special Rapporteurs involved in cases like the Jimmy Lais: Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the protection and promotion of freedom of opinion and expression; Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; Alice Jill Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; and Margaret Satterthwaite, Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers. The Special Rapporteurs are part of the so-called Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, a group of independent, fact-finding experts working in the UN system who do not depend on any government or organisation and serve in an individual capacity. We are alarmed by the multiple and serious violations of Jimmy Lais freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and his right to a fair trial, including the denial of access to a lawyer of his own choosing and the handpicking of judges by the authorities, the experts say. We expressed our concerns about the National Security Law before it was enacted and will continue to do so, as we believe it is not in line with international legal obligations, they add. We reiterate that national security legislation with criminal sanctions should never be misused against those exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association and of peaceful assembly, nor to deprive such persons of their personal liberty through arrest and detention. Today's news: In Pakistan, suspected bombing led to the closure of schools and universities in Islamabad; A 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in China. Large-scale attacks by the United States and Britain against the Houthis in Yemen; Relatives of hostages break into parliament in Jerusalem, 21 Israeli soldiers killed in a single day in Gaza. In Russia over 400 attacks on military bases and logistical facilities to sabotage the war in Ukraine. PHILIPPINES The Philippine government will not cooperate in any way with the investigations of the International Criminal Court (ICC) which begins to investigate the "war on drugs", which between 2016 and 2018 led to the arrest of over 121 thousand people and a number of victims uncertain, but above 4 thousand. I consider it a threat to our sovereignty. The Philippine government will not lift a finger to help the investigation, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday. Last July, the ICC rejected an appeal from Manila and allowed the investigation into former President Rodrigo's "campaign" to resume Duterte and other suspected rights violations. PAKISTAN Schools and universities in Islamabad remained closed on January 22. The fear was that a terrorist attack was about to occur, given the wave of internal violence surrounding the February 8 elections. The deputy commissioner Islamabad, however, clarified that the document proclaiming the closure of schools, universities and resorts was not official, nor issued by the authorities. The police actually conducted a search operation in the outskirts of Islamabad, which would have sparked general alert. Chief Inspector Akbar Nasir said that "everything is under control and the alert was not intended to impose any closure, but to keep the focus on public safety high." YEMEN US and British forces have carried out a new series of attacks in Yemen, targeting an underground Iranian missile storage site for the Houthis. Their attacks have disrupted global shipping to and from the Red Sea and heightened international concern that the fallout from the war between Israel and Hamas could destabilize the Middle East. ISRAEL - PALESTINE A group of relatives of Israelis held hostage in Gaza stormed a parliamentary committee session in Jerusalem on Monday, demanding lawmakers do more to try to free their loved ones. The action by around 20 people signaled growing dissent towards Netanyahu's government in the fourth month of the war against Hamas. In Gaza, meanwhile, twenty-one Israeli soldiers were killed during the intense fighting. Army spokesman Daniel Hagari reported it today, marking the highest Israeli death toll in one day since the fighting began in the enclave. RUSSIA The representative of the Russian Interior Ministry Stanislav Kolesnik announced that since the beginning of the "special operation" (as Moscow officially calls the war in Ukraine) there have been 220 attacks against military districts and 184 attempts to sabotage railway lines in throughout Russia, resolved without serious damage in 85% of cases. Among the over two hundred arrested for these actions there are also around sixty minors. CHINA - KYRGYZSTAN A 7.1 magnitude earthquake shook the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in far western China, injuring several people and destroying some homes, Chinese state media reported. There would have been no deaths. The earthquake occurred at 2:09 am local time, about 22 kilometers (14 miles) deep in Wushi County, Aksu Prefecture, in the mountainous border area between China and Kyrgyzstan, the China Earthquake Networks Center said. JAPAN Many bullet train services between Tokyo and stations in central and eastern Japan were suspended today due to a power outage. The line's operator, East Japan Railway Co, says services will not resume soon. The outage, which began around 10 am (local time), affected sections of the Tohoku, Joetsu and Hokuriku shinkansen lines. TAJIKISTAN - QATAR The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rakhmon, met in Doha with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Oli Soni, discussing the need to facilitate the transport of goods between the two countries, and communication infrastructure in general, following up to the collaboration agreements already signed last year, during Bin Hamad's visit to Dusanbe. At a press conference, Archbishop Fisichella explained the meaning and ways of the initiative called by the pontiff in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee. It will not be a series of initiatives, but of an attitude nurtured starting with the disciples' request to Jesus: "Teach us to pray". The pontiff himself will set up a "School of Prayer" to explore its various forms during the year. Vatican City (AsiaNews) At a press conference held today in the Vatican, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-prefect for the Section of New Evangelisation of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, outlined the Year of Prayer Pope Francis announced as preparation for the Jubilee of 2025, which he also mentioned last Sunday. The year will not include any special initiatives, but it will be a privileged time in which to rediscover the value of prayer, the need for daily prayer in the Christian life; a time to discover how to pray, and above all how to educate the people of today in prayer, in this age of digital culture, so that prayer can be effective and fruitful. We cannot deny the fact that our time manifests a profound need for spirituality, Archbishop Fisichella explained. The louder the cry of technology that seems to correspond to all our desires, the deeper we discern the search for a true spirituality that brings each person back to encounter themselves in the truth of their existence and therefore in a coherent relationship with God. This is what underscores the pope's idea of a year that puts prayer back front and centre. There are many people who pray every day; the prelate noted. No statistic can give us a true picture, with figures and percentages, of this very intimate experience of people who know the multi-faceted nature of prayer in a completely personal way. From those who quickly make the sign of the cross, to those who participate in the daily Eucharist, there is such a vast range of ways of praying that no one can fully describe them all. From quick to distracted prayer; from contemplative prayer to prayer filled with tears of pain ... prayer cannot be captured in a pre-established pattern because it is a manifestation of the believer's personal relationship with God himself within that intimate and exclusive relationship that distinguishes our faith. The Year of Prayer is thus meant to be a time to foster a relationship with the Lord, offering moments of genuine spiritual rest. And precisely for this reason, it will focus on the words of the disciples addressed to Jesus: Teach us to pray" (Lk 11:1). This also includes some books and resources that the Dicastery for Evangelisation will provide. The first was published today, part of a series called "Notes on Prayer", published by the Vatican Publishing House (LEV), titled Praying today. A challenge to be overcome, by Card Angelo Comastri, archpriest emeritus of the Vatican Basilica who authored many books on spirituality. Pope Francis will also personally promote a "School of Prayer" during the year, Archbishop Fisichella said. This will take the form of a series of moments of encounter with specific groups of people to pray together and better understand the various forms of prayer: from thanksgiving to intercession; from contemplative prayer to the prayer of consolation; from adoration to supplication Best Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him 2024 Struggling to Pick Out the Perfect V-Day Gift for Him? We've Got You Covered The AskMen editorial team thoroughly researches & reviews the best gear, services and staples for life. AskMen may get paid if you click a link in this article and buy a product or service. Valentines Day is right around the corner, and that means millions of people all over the world will be scrambling to find the perfect gift for their significant other. If you're feeling lazy or uninspired, or if you're only just started dating someone and don't know enough about them yet to pick out a really personal gift, it's of course always acceptable to opt for the standard box of chocolates or bouquet of flowers, but if you're looking to take things up a notch or just want to impress with the gift you give, you need to put some energy into choosing the right present. And if you happen to be shopping for a man, well, that can be downright annoying. Us guys are notorious for being tight-lipped about what we want, which can make it difficult to shop for us. RELATED: Wow Your Lady With One of These Sweet Valentines Day Gifts That's why we scoured the web high and low to bring you the best Valentines Day gifts for him. From budget-friendly buys to investment items, gadgets and gear to clothing and games, its all here; there are even a few kinky surprises thrown in for good measure. Best Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him Vincero Collective Chrono S Watch Sure, he might not need to keep tabs on the time lately, but a watch serves as a timeless accessory and great gift nevertheless. Add on a scratch-resistant sapphire coated face, a luxe Italian leather strap, and Japanese Miyota Citizen Movement, and you cant go wrong. $195 at Amazon.com GrowlerWerks Stainless Steel Growler Give your man an oversized growler to help him keep his favorite beverages at their ideal temperature for longer. This stainless steel growler with double-wall, vacuum-insulated paneling keeps cold drinks cold for longer or hot drinks piping hot for longer, making it the perfect gift option for men who are on the go often. $49.50 at Amazon.com Braun Series 9 PRO+ Electric Shaver Want to give him a shaving experience fit for a king? The Brain Series 9 PRO+ uses five synchronized shaving elements to deliver the smoothest, closest shave you can get in the shortest amount of time. We love the one-touch operation, the made-in-Germany build quality that's evident every time you hold it in your hand, and the inclusion of handy accessories like a travel case and cleaning brush. $429.99 at Braun.com Hawthorne Grooming Instead of trying to determine if he has curly or coily hair, dry or combination skin, regular or excessive sweating patterns sign him up for Hawthorne. After taking Hawthornes quiz, he will receive curated recommendations for body, hair and cologne products available for purchase once or in intervals. Find out more at Hawthorne.co Port Products Beard Oil Mustache, goatee, or full-on beard, facial hair is at its finest when its well-conditioned. This oil's pleasant woodsy scent is just an added bonus. $31 at PortProducts.com Gillette Heated Razor Every guy needs to keep his beard in check, and this tool will help him do just that and more. While the heated sensation of the Gillette razor might take some getting used to, once hes adapted hell wonder what he ever did without this bad boy. $95.30 at Amazon.com Cade Oxidized Sterling Silver Corded Bracelet in Brown Tiger's Eye Made from oxidized sterling silver, the Cade Corded Bracelet comes in a wide variety of styles (and three sizes), but we especially love the Brown Tiger's Eye variant. It's stylish and versatile, made from durable and low-maintenance materials, so it's the perfect jewelry option for men and a great Valentine's Day gift choice. Even better: 20% of the proceeds from sales of Cade bracelets go to support youth causes and charities. $80 at KendraScott.com Nanoleaf Light Panels Kit If you're shopping for a gamer, you can take his battlestation to the next level with the Light Panels Kit from Nanoleaf. These clever RGB-enabled triangles can be installed in a variety of shapes and patterns and synced up to his gaming monitor or Corsair or Razer peripherals, enabling over 16 million color combinations and a much more immersive gaming experience. $209.99 at Nanoleaf.me Getaway Cabin Rental Want to spend some quality time together? Get romantic by offering him a cabin rental via Getaway think of it like Airbnb for the wilderness, with romantic options all over the U.S. offering great vistas and a way for the two of you to get a much-needed break from the day-to-day. Find out more at Getaway.house The Sill Live Plants Valentine with a green thumb? Help his hobby grow with a new plant. From the Island Pine Tree to the Parlor Palm, The Sill has a plant to fit his horticulture skill level and environment. Find out more at TheSill.com RELATED: Cheap Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him Bowflex SelectTech 840 Adjustable Kettlebell Sure, this might not seem like the most romantic gift idea, but giving him something he will put to good use and enjoy is pretty romantic if you ask us. In addition, to having a comfortable grip for the hands, this adjustable kettlebell can go 8 to 40 lbs at the twist of a dial. $123.99 at Walmart.com Minted Map Print Personal without being kitschy, this foil-pressed map will look great in his office or in your home. Options range from cities and states to countries, so you can opt for anything be it his home state, his favorite travel destination, or your current city. Find out more at Minted.com City Sweat Jogger Lululemon If your Valentines Day plans include cuddling up on the couch with a glass of wine in hand and Netflix on deck, help him dress for the occasion with these super-soft joggers from lululemon. With a slim fit and stretchy fabric, these are sure to be an upgrade from his tattered gym sweats. $118 at lululemon.com Theragun Mini Massage Gun Even if youre not a great masseuse you can give him the gift of a massage with this handy gadget. The Thergaun Mini is small but powerful and uses rapid percussion to soothe and release tension in muscles big and small. $199 at Amazon.com Fjallraven Travel Toiletry Bag Even when at home, a quality dopp kit is essential. If he's still opting for a floppy nylon number, or worse, a Ziploc bag, this durable model from Fjallraven will serve as a definite upgrade for grooming storage. $42 at Amazon.com Chuao Chocolatier Mini Chocolate Bars Sweets for your sweet. Chocolatier goes above and beyond the standard drugstore candy options with flavors like baconluxious and potato chip. $29.95 at Amazon.com Merrell Fleece Jogger If hes working from home still, why not give him the gift of comfort? These fleece sweatpants from Merrell are an absolute treat to wear and will make crawling out of bed in the morning that much easier knowing hes going to put on a pair of pants so cozy itll feel like his lower half is still curled up in the sheets. $60 at Merrell.com Rumpl Outdoor Blanket All the cozy qualities of a sleeping bag but in a format thats better for two, the Rumpl will upgrade your camping cuddle experience even in 40F temps. On top of its heat-locking design, this blanket is easily packable, water-resistant, and machine washable. $110 at Rumpl.com RELATED: Last-Minute Valentine's Day Gifts for Him Lelo Hugo Have you been wanting to explore the backdoor a little? Nudge things along with this gem from Lelo, who are one of the best in the business when it comes to bedroom pleasure. Hell love the sensations; youll love having control via remote of said sensations. Everyone wins. $163.30 at Amazon.com San Francisco Salt Co. Black Lava Sea Salt While you might typically be the one on the receiving end of bath salts, now, its his turn. No matter if hes unwinding from a tough weight training session or a day at his desk, he can ease his pain and relax his muscles with this Epsom salt soak. Its 100 percent natural and features a refreshing blend of eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils. $26.99 at Amazon.com Shinola Double-Stitch Belt Were huge fans of Detroit-based brand Shinolas top-quality leather goods and precision-made watches. Case and point, this subtly distressed leather belt with double-stitched edges and brushed silver hardware that shows off Shinolas eye for detail. $145 at Nordstrom.com Whiskey Peaks Grand Canyon Glasses - Set of Two Perfect for the guy who loves a stiff drink, these innovative glasses will add a touch of spice to his nightcap routine. The set includes two hand-blown glasses with topographic impressions of the Grand Canyon. $18 at Huckberry.com Carhartt Knit Beanie Spotted on everyone from Nas to Rihanna, the classic Carhartt has seen a resurgence over the past few years and for good reason. With an eight-gage knit designed for optimal warmth, this beanie is simple, yet functional, and the budget-friendly price doesnt hurt either. $17.99 at Amazon.com Nathan Dash Short Sleeve Shirt 2.0 Comfy, breathable, stretchy and sleek, Nathans Dash T-shirt is a great example of an everyday item thats bringing a lot to the table. His new favorite workout shirt is here. Maybe get him two just so he isnt wearing the same one every single day. $50 at NathanSports.com RELATED: Unique Valentine's Day Gifts W&P Craft Cocktail Syrup Set If your special man loves whipping out his mixology skills at-home, he'll make great use of this gift set. From old fashioned to Moscow mule and spicy margarita, there is a syrup to suit any occasion. $35 at Amazon.com Le Puzz TV Dinner Jigsaw Puzzle Are you a low-key couple who prefer a night in to a night out? Make the most of your together time with one of Le Puzzs awesome jigsaw puzzles. The companys branding is a work of art, and their puzzles are somehow even more impressive, as the pieces feel great in your hand and the custom shapes mean no two are exactly alike, making this a much more enjoyable puzzling experience than youre used to. $53 at LePuzz.com Driftaway Coffee Subscription For a gift that keeps on giving, look to the coffee subscription. Driftaway Coffee has built up a loyal following thanks to its fresh roasts (coffee is shipped within six hours of roasting) and user-friendly process. Find out more at Driftaway.coffee Aerangis Aging Spirits Candle Rare is the guy who doesnt appreciate the smell of a good whiskey. Give him just that with the stunningly scented Aging Spirits candle from Aerangis, which expertly conjures maple and bourbon and a rug by the hearth. Just make sure he doesnt try to drink the thing. From $38 at Aerangis.com Nest Weighted Blanket Sleep quality is one of the biggest factors in how a person feels day to day, and sometimes all it takes to take your sleep up a notch is a weighted blanket. These genius inventions help people relax by mimicking the slight pressure of body contact meaning he can feel cuddled even when youre not there to cuddle him and we think Nests sleek and stylish entry might be the best one of the bunch. $168.30 at NestBedding.com Teku 3.0 Beer Glasses, Set of 4 Born from a collaboration between an Italian brewer and a sensory analysis expert, the German-made Teku glasses from Rastal are for the true beer aficionado. Features include an angular bowl to build aroma, a slightly flared rim to accentuate your beverage as you sip, and a stem to keep your hands from warming the contents. $62.99 at Amazon.com Philips SmartSleep Give him the gift of better sleep for V-Day with this Philips SmartSleep light. Not only does it simulate a sunset to help you fall asleep with ease, but it creates a sunrise in the a.m. to awaken the body naturally in the morning. $108.95 at Amazon.com Goldbelly Food Even if you cant take him out for a special meal, you can still have some deliciousness delivered right to his door. Whether its desserts, pizza, or bagels, Goldbelly makes it easy to enjoy some of your favorite dishes from across the country right at home. Prices vary at Goldbelly.com Top 100 Movies Scratch Poster Home decor and date night activity all in one. This poster features 100 of the best movies of all time, curated from AFI & IMDbs top 100 lists. You two can work your way through the poster and scratch off a square each time youve finished a flick. $24.95 at Amazon.com Bevel Skin Essentials Bundle Give your guy a serious grooming upgrade with Bevels Skin Essentials Bundle. Featuring a face wash, an exfoliating toner and a moisturizing face gel, this set will have him looking and feeling fresh every day. He might not even believe how nice his face feels reward him with kisses. $34.95 at GetBevel.com Fellow Stagg EKG, Electric Pour-Over Kettle If hes been missing his usual cafe visits lately bring the experience and enjoyment of a great brew home with this Fellow Pour-Over Kettle. While the long spout is optimal for preparing pour-over coffee, the heating element and temperature toggle ensure water reaches just the right temp. $165 at Amazon.com BritBox Streaming Shopping for the Anglophile? Look no further. This streaming service will allow him to enjoy all his favorite TV and movie content from across the pond on his regular devices think Apple TV, Fire Stick, Chromecast, etc. From Mr. Bean to The Fall, its got it all. From $9.99 at Britbox.com Intimacy Deck by BestSelf It can be hard to come up with romantic Valentines Day plans when you need to stay home, thats where this card game comes in. Filled with a variety of cards, all geared to spark conversation, this deck will allow you to learn new things about one another and grow even closer. $20.99 at Amazon.com HeadSpace Meditation If hes been trying to get into meditation this year, give him a boost with a membership to HeadSpace. In addition to providing an ample selection of guided meditations, it offers workout routines to follow, as well. From $12.99 at HeadSpace.com You Might Also Dig: New Hampshire midnight voting ignites Trump-Haley showdown Xinhua) 13:52, January 23, 2024 DIXVILLE NOTCH, United States, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The New Hampshire primary of the 2024 U.S. presidential election began at midnight on Tuesday with the first ballots cast in the remote community of Dixville Notch. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who easily won the Iowa Republican caucuses last week, faces the challenge from Nikki Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and onetime South Carolina governor, in the closely-watched New Hampshire showdown. Dixville Notch, located in the northern part of New Hampshire and close to the Canadian border, has only six registered voters, and all of them voted after midnight, continuing a decades-old tradition. Other polls across the Granite State will open hours later in the day and close in the evening. A new Washington Post-Monmouth University poll found that 52 percent of potential primary voters in New Hampshire support Trump, compared with 34 percent for Haley. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is at 8 percent. The survey was completed before DeSantis' announcement of suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump on Sunday. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) Blog Archive: Mar 2024 (90) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (156) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) DPF The performance was more than enough to claim the first spot among America's best-selling nameplates, as the Chevy Silverado (over 543k), Ram trucks (almost 445k), Toyota RAV4 (434k), and Tesla Model Y (386k) followed by a long distance. Naturally, that means there are a lot of F-150, F-250, or F-350 (etc.) trucks out there going about their business.Sometimes, that is a bit too common for some folks who would rather stand out in a crowd even when their vehicle has been the best-selling truck nameplate in America for almost half a century (47 years and counting). No worries, though, as the aftermarket realm is always willing and ready to lend a helping hand. Some even do it for the big heavy-duty rigs, no worries.One such case is Livonia, Michigan-based Roush Performance their 2023 Roush Super Duty builds kicked off at $13,400 when the new model year and the fifth generation entered their modification roster, but now, they're a little more expensive at $16,100 above the original vehicle's purchase price. However, be prepared to return to the original sticker price for the 2024 Roush Super Duty, all backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty, as always.Well, that's interesting, right? Anyway, the overhaul applies to F-250 and F-350 models only, so there are limits to 'roushing' away with the modded 2024 Super Duty . The changes include a dual-tipped performance exhaust, Roush x FOX 2.0 performance suspension, upgraded slotted rotors, and an off-road wheel and tire package. The available trim and powertrain options are the Ford F-250 or F-350 Lariat trims with the 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8, and all feature a choice of ten Roush exterior shades, including the all-new Glacier Grey and Darkened Bronze Metallic colors.There are also wider painted fender flares with integrated accent lighting to get along with the bespoke Roush touches: windshield banner, hood graphics, redesigned front grille badge, USA flag graphic, Jack Roush's signature, or an optional rocker accent graphic package. The tech and off-road goodies, meanwhile, include the 35-inch General Tire Grabber A/TX all-terrain tires, 20-inch satin black Roush wheels, Roush front brake pack, as well as Roush's Dual Tip Performance-back Exhaust System.Inside, the tuner has prepared embroidered Roush headrests and bespoke badges, WeatherTech floor liners, or an optional Premium Leather Package designed to "include a touch of luxury while maintaining and improving OE functionality." It swaps the stock seats to Coffee Brown leather with black suede inserts "featuring a stitched hex pattern." Additional perks range from a locking center console vault to a Roush-branded flashlight or gloves. Pictures are worth a thousand words, but they might still fail to capture the beauty or the unique character of whatever object they're of. This seems to be the case with The Icon, dubbed the flying luxury yacht carmaker BMW unveiled at last year's edition of the Cannes Festival, in a first collaboration with naval tech startup Tyde. kWh Photo: BMW Group Pictures are good, but video is even better Photo: BMW Photo: BMW Photo: BMW Yacht or dinghy? Photo: BMW The Icon is perhaps one of the most startling and instantly recognizable watercraft around because its entire superstructure seems to be made of glazing, for its ability to "fly" over water at high speed, and the unique prism-like design of the superstructure on top of the trimaran-style flat hull. The Icon is also fully electric, drawing power from a 240battery pack made up of six BMW i3 batteries and two electric motors.BMW and Tyde brought The Icon to the 2023 edition of the Cannes Festival , opening its glass doors to welcome journalists and attendees onboard. Prior to that, the carmaker had stated that, though built as a showcase unit, The Icon was a production-ready model that would unsurprisingly push luxury sailing into the new era of sustainability.Anyone who has at least $2.6 million to spare, which is the reported price tag of this craft, can get in touch with Tyde to configure their dream unit. The rest of us are left with pictures and videos of the yacht to try and get a feel of just how awesome it is.A few weeks ago, The Icon was in Dubai, where famous carfluencer Supercar Blondie got to tour it and take it out for a short drive. The video is available at the bottom of the page, and while it's not the only video tour of this unique, revolutionary watercraft, it's perhaps the one that best does it justice in terms of the surprising design and gorgeous aesthetics.The facts about The Icon were made public long before it made its first appearance at Cannes, so there's hardly any need to dwell on them again. We'll just say that the 43-footer (13.15-meter) watercraft is styled like a floating VIP lounge, with expansive glazing on the walls and the ceiling, plush carpeting, chrome furniture, and metal finishes.At speeds of 18 knots (21 mph/33 kph), The Icon deploys the hydrofoils to rise 3 feet (1 meter) above the waterline, which ensures a smoother and more efficient sailing experience. BMW estimates the lack of resistance while sailing on hydrofoils translates into an increase of about 80% in efficiency.Top speed is 30 knots (35 mph/56 kph) with an operating speed of 24 knots (28 mph/44 kph) and a range for the latter of 62 miles (100 km) per charge. That seems very yacht-unworthy, which would make The Icon more of a fancy dayboat, but BMW plans to allow owners to retrofit upgrades, as battery tech evolves.The command station is in the center of the lounge, with a 6k 32-inch touch digital control unit inspired by the BMW iDrive operating system and backup manual controls. The system includes voice control, while the Dolby Atmos sound system will play atmospheric music by none other than Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer, who previously worked with BMW to craft the sound of their luxury EVs.Options also include atmospheric lighting, 360-rotating seats that aim to encourage social interaction and allow guests to take in the spectacular panoramic views, and the promise of exclusive luxury.It's that last item on the list that truly stands out from this video tour.The Icon is really very futuristic and, partly because it's so unlike any other watercraft , incredibly luxurious. The gleaming surfaces, the unique shape with its unexpected sharp angles, and even the color palette of this first model (a deep dark green for the exterior and shades of grays that are meant to create the impression of moving waves) create a premium environment basked in natural light, packed with tech, and inducing of ultimate relaxation.And that was the goal from the start.Solutions developed as part of The Icon project will be used for various vehicles and applications to follow in the wake of The Icon: from advanced private luxury to premium commercial and public mobility," BMW said last year. "The Icon and its successors will inspire zero-emission luxury mobility at sea and open a new segment for sustainable luxury yachts."While there can be no denying the luxury features and the innovations made possible by The Icon, you do have to wonder about its everyday functionality . Even without the anxiety-inducing estimated range, its applicability can't possibly exceed that of a dayboat or tender, at the most.For one, there doesn't seem to be a restroom onboard, and that, you will agree, is perhaps one of the first things you'd expect to find on a yacht. Sure enough, BMW plans to offer several layouts for The Icon, some of which might also include baths. But the showcase unit doesn't.The VIP lounge-style layout, the lack of a restroom, and the limited range have prompted comparisons online with a dinghy with artsy pretensions, but that's probably a bit too mean, especially considering this is a first-of-its-kind watercraft. The Icon is not technically a "yacht," no matter how many times you hear it called that, but it could become one, one day. BMW is preparing to debut its all-electric 2024 i5 Touring M60 xDrive. Before that happens, the German carmaker releases a video teaser that shows the silhouette of the vehicle. kWh WLTP EV The wagon seems to sit on a platform that spins to show us the sideline as well as the rear end of what seems to be the i5 Touring M60 xDrive. This model should mirror the figures of the sedan.The i50 sedan comes with a dual-motor setup and a total system output of 593 horsepower (601 metric horsepower) and 605 pound-feet (820 Newton meters) of torque for a run from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph (510 kilometers).However, it won't be the electric i5 in M guise sitting at the top of the lineup. That position is reserved for the M5 with a hybrid powertrain, which integrates a V8 engine and an electric motor, mounted in the eight-speed automatic transmission. The figures will be identical to those familiar from the XM Red: 738 horsepower (749 metric horsepower) and 738 pound-feet (1,000 Nm of torque).The energy is stored in a lithium-ion battery with a usable capacity of 81.2for a-rated range of 318 miles, while the less generous EPA testing claims it can drive only 256 miles on a single charge. The contradiction vanishes with the wagon, which will not sell in the United States.The wagon will share styling cues with the sedan, so we know what to expect from the front end. There will be, of course, a different sideline, with an elongated roofline and a different rear end. However, the headlights sport the exact same light signature as the sedan.The BMW i5 Touring M60 xDrive will sport typical M Sport styling. It will come with a more aggressive design, which will bring new front and rear bumper, larger wheels, and the M badging.For those who do not want to have the M logo on their car and the oomph that it comes with, but would rather go for an, BMW will also roll out the eDrive 40 variant with a single electric motor, which generates 335 horsepower (340 metric horsepower) and 295 pound-feet (400 Newton meters) of torque. Those are enough for an acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in 5.7 seconds and a top speed of 120 mph (193 kph).BMW has not publicly set the date of the official unveiling, but it is obvious that the countdown has begun. As previously mentioned, the BMW i5 Touring won't make it to the United States in M guise either. BMW announced its availability in 27 other countries in Europe and Asia. China will be getting specially specced versions. EV SUV ICE As the GMC Hummerprepared to battle the Rivian R1T and the mass-market Ford F-150 Lightning, it looked like the full-size EV pickup truck sector would turn into a veritable battlefield with new opponents like the Chevy Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Ram 1500 REV, and Tesla Cybertruck coming from all directions. But today, it feels like they have already abandoned the fight due to slowing demand, major production and reliability issues, and the distinct possibility that Tesla's Cybertruck would conquer all.Thus, it is no surprise that after seeing a Kia pickup truck prototype out in the open sometime late in 2022, there were no more updates on the matter from our spy photographer partners. Instead, Kia is focusing now on regular EVs like the all-new EV9 three-rowthat will feature during Super Bowl's pricey ads after the company paid a fortune for a sixty-second feature. It also wants smaller and more affordable EVs down the line, which is also part of the E-GMP series.How about the EV pickup truck? We don't know if that will even happen due to the deteriorating market conditions and potential fears that Tesla's Cybertruck will conquer the sector much like the Model Y did with the crossover SUV zone. However, that doesn't mean a Kia pickup truck shouldn't come out to the party maybe smaller, nimbler, and-powered?No worries if that may never happen in the real world; the imaginative realm of digital car content creators is always eager to oblige. For example, Dimas Ramadhan, the virtual automotive artist behind the Digimods DESIGN channel on YouTube, has taken up the task of CGI-revealing a Kia truck that could easily battle the N400 Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, Honda Ridgeline, Ford Ranger, or Jeep Gladiator.The best part is that it looks inspired by the Kia Telluride, at least as far as this CGI design project is concerned, and it could feature several powertrains regular gasoline mills, hybrid options, or even a plug-in hybrid setup to perfectly outmatch the 326-hp Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max that's slated to reach nationwide US dealerships sometime this spring. Anyway, do take a look at this unofficial mid-size Kia pickup truck and remember that, at this point, it is entirely wishful thinking, so take these renderings with a healthy dose of salt.If it does come out, would you buy one? Or do you think that Kia has shelved the pickup truck plans after seeing what's going on in the full-size EV field and based on the scary reception for the smaller Hyundai Santa Cruz, which is losing the sales battle almost three-to-one against the Ford Maverick? Photo: Ford Photo: Ford Giving customers the choice Photo: Ford EV Photo: Ford The carmaker tried to defend its decision several times, explaining that Android Automotive is the only way to offer more advanced capabilities in its cars. This doesn't justify the ban on Android Auto and CarPlay, so the consensus was that GM adopted Android Automotive to prepare a subscription-based model.Several carmakers confirmed their commitment to Android Auto and CarPlay, trying to win customers after GM's controversial strategy kicked in with the 2024 Blazer EV Ford was one of them, and this week, it showed GM and the entire world that Android Automotive, CarPlay, and Android Auto can live together under the same roof.It's not the first car manufacturer to provide customers with the choice, but thanks to this strategy, Ford could win the hearts of American buyers who jump ship from General Motors seeking a complete infotainment experience.Announced this week as the "Ford and Lincoln Digital Experience," the transition to Android Automotive doesn't leave Android Auto and CarPlay behind. Android Automotive is the operating system powering the infotainment experience, but drivers can still connect their smartphones to launch Android Auto or CarPlay.Android Automotive lands in Ford's cars with the same feature package, including access to Google Maps and Google Assistant. With Google Maps, drivers get navigation and eco-friendly routes, while Google Assistant offers voice commands to control apps and vehicle functions, including climate controls.However, Ford also offers Alexa integration, so drivers have a secondary digital assistant to search for information, make phone calls, or control connected home devices.Android Automotive also comes with the Google Play Store, as Ford adopted the full suite with GAS (Google Automotive Services) included. Android Automotive is also available without GAS for carmakers planning to offer alternative services, including third-party app stores (BMW is one of the carmakers adopting Android Automotive without GAS).Users can download apps from the Play Store, but the biggest benefit concerns updates. Thanks to AAOS, Ford will continue to deliver updates as it does today, while app updates will ship through the Google Play Store, like on your smartphone.Ford will also offer access to games, with the company promising an exclusive version of Asphalt Nitro 2, though it's unclear what sets it apart from the standard release.Android Automotive will be adapted to each vehicle's specifications, using touch input for interaction. The icing on the cake will be the 48-inch immersive panoramic display that will be available on the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.Leaving aside the new-gen capabilities powered by Android Automotive, Ford's decision to offer multiple infotainment options aligns with a strategy that Polestar's CEO highlighted earlier this month.Thomas Ingenlath explained that letting customers decide what to use behind the wheel is the better approach, as carmakers should try to avoid to " dogmatically educate customers ." Enforcing a single infotainment option is a way to do this, so pairing Android Automotive with CarPlay and Android Auto lets carmakers put customers at the forefront of the infotainment experience.GM's controversial strategy to block CarPlay and Android Auto came into effect with the debut of the 2024 Blazer. The same approach will be used on every EV released by General Motors, and considering the carmaker has a target of moving to zero-emission vehicles by 2035, Android Auto's and CarPlay's days are already numbered. The two systems will remain available in existing models, but future releases will only adopt Android Automotive.Ford hasn't said a single thing about subscriptions, though certain Android Automotive capabilities are tied to services that would require a premium plan. For example, the 5G wireless technology that allows you to stay online while driving is available with a Ford or a Lincoln Premium Connectivity plan.Apple says nearly eight in ten new-car buyers in the United States consider CarPlay a must-have system for a modern vehicle. Approximately 80% of new-car buyers are ready to move to another model or brand if the vehicle they want to order doesn't sport CarPlay support. Ford's strategy of offering more infotainment options under the same roof could be a way to catch the attention of disappointed GM customers, part of the 80% of new-car buyers who see CarPlay mandatory in a 2024 vehicle.Google recently revealed the four big names projected to adopt Android Automotive this year, including Ford, Nissan, Lincoln, and Buick. Now that Ford and Lincoln have already announced their plans, Buick and Nissan are next in the queue. Buick will almost certainly offer Android Automotive exclusively (given GM's strategy), so it'll be interesting to see if Nissan plans to go the Ford way and keep all infotainment options available in its cars despite the big bet on an embedded Android system. Google started the Android 14 rollout last year, and many OEMs have already completed the validation phase, so they're pushing the update to their devices, too. It means more and more Android devices receive the new operating system, with the rollout to be completed in the coming months.Android 14 landing on more devices is good news, considering the long list of new features and improvements it brings. However, it doesn't seem so exciting from an Android Auto perspective.The problems first reported by Pixel owners in October are still around today, with many users struggling to get Android Auto to work after updating their smartphones to Android 14. Some of our readers told me last week that they've tried literally everything to fix Android Auto on their Pixel phones running Android 14, but nothing worked.Android Auto fails to start as if the infotainment system doesn't detect the smartphone. Oddly enough, some users claim the head unit detects the mobile device because the battery starts charging, but the Android Auto experience doesn't load.The attempted workarounds included everything from reinstalling Android Auto to clearing the app cache and the data. Many people claim they've tried other cables that worked correctly to run CarPlay, but Android Auto still refuses to load. Android Auto wireless is also broken after installing Android 14. Users say the infotainment system no longer detects the mobile device, though someone told me they managed to get it up and running after resetting both the smartphone and the media receiver. The secret lies in the profile already created on your devices when you previously paired them to run Android Auto. You must delete all configuration files to start from scratch in the car and on the mobile device.However, it's not a universal fix and might not restore Android Auto in your car.Google has already asked for more information about the bug, telling people to share phone logs, but a fix is yet to be on the radar.Unfortunately, without a workaround and an official fix, users feel lost and confused, especially because everything worked correctly on Android 13. Going back to the previous Android version is possible but too much of a hassle for most users, especially if they didn't create a backup before the update. Android 14 also causes other less critical problems on Android Auto, including a broken Spotify experience. Users say that after installing the new operating system on their devices, Spotify no longer plays sound through the speakers, despite the application showing the typical now playing screen on the infotainment unit. The bug is also under investigation, but Google needs more time to figure out why Android 14 hates Android Auto so much. CarPlay has already become a must-have system for new-car buyers, with Apple claiming that nearly eight in ten customers want the platform or are ready to drop the purchase and look elsewhere. However, the popularity of wireless CarPlay has increased significantly lately, especially because of its convenience. Drivers don't need cables to run CarPlay, so they can keep the iPhone in their pocket or backpack, with the in-car experience automatically loaded when they turn on the engine.Now, Honda has finally received the message and decided to offer a retrofit that enables wireless CarPlay in some older cars.The carmaker has been installing wired CarPlay in its cars for many years, but according to a recent report , it plans to release an update to enable wireless connectivity in the Accord. The first Accord that received CarPlay was launched in 2016, but the report claims only the 2018 to 2022 models will receive the update to enable wireless CarPlay.The juicy details are currently missing, so if you wonder when you can get the update and how much it'll cost, these are questions that Honda will probably answer later this year when the retrofit goes live. Meanwhile, the carmaker says it'll release a website in the coming days to let interested Accord owners book an appointment at a dealership where the update can be installed. The website will likely reveal more details about the update, including its cost.The update can only be installed by a Honda dealership, though it's unclear if it'll also be enabled for other Honda and Acura models.Meanwhile, customers who want wireless CarPlay in their Hondas can turn to third-party adapters that convert the wired connection into a no-cord experience. CarLinkit is the most popular name in the world, though the market already includes several others based on the same approach. Not long ago, AAWireless, the maker of a popular wireless Android Auto adapter, confirmed it's adding CarPlay support out of the box on an upgraded model, with the release to take place later this year.These devices connect to the vehicle via the USB port and to the iPhone using Bluetooth, allowing the infotainment screen and the smartphone to communicate wirelessly. They can remain connected to the car permanently, so when you start the engine, CarPlay launches automatically without user input.I've been using wireless CarPlay for many years already, and I can't imagine going back to wires, as the extra convenience makes running Apple's in-car experience substantially more convenient. However, despite wireless CarPlay helping you ditch cables, you'll need to keep a cord around, as the connection could hamper your phone's battery life. During long trips, you might still want to plug in your phone for an extra charge, using a cable on the dashboard unless your car has wireless charging. Now that Toyota has turned the Crown moniker into a standalone brand that slots above Lexus, some of the earlier models with that name might rise in value. However, an owner didn't want to wait for the market to do its thing and got rid of the magnificent vehicle before it had time to appreciate. But this is no basic Toyota Crown, no. It is, as we like to call it, the "Ghoster" version. It's a hearse that can easily become the last ride ever for kings, queens, samurais, and people like you and me. Here's what you need to know about it. Stop thinking about that Toyota Supra, Mazda MX-5, or Honda Beat. The Crown is where all the swag is at. This one is absolutely dripping! All kidding aside, you will rarely see such an ornate vehicle on US roads. There are Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Cadillac, and even Tesla hearses in many parts of the country. But you will struggle to find a right-hand-drive Toyota that looks like the emperor's own motorized carriage meant to carry out the final transition to the ethereal world.The sedan that served as inspiration for the creation of the Lexus LS lost its second row of seats and the trunk in favor of a mini-temple of sorts. What you're seeing is the "miyagata" decoration style for hearses that should resemble Shinto shrines. These are structures meant to house the deities of the Shinto religion, which has a very large following in Japan. Think of it like Protestantism in the US or Catholicism in Western Europe.The hearse rides on 14-inch wheels, and it's powered by a modest 2.0-liter six-cylinder powerplant that should pump out 107 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque. As expected, it sounds smooth even though it's not very large.Power is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Since this is a true JDM import, the odometer shows kilometers. It has accrued around 61,400 km (38,200 mi). Some time has passed since it was modified, so some rust spots have appeared. The tires are pretty old, too.Besides having that beautiful shrine-like addition that increases the maximum height to roughly 103 inches, the dark blue sedan (it's not black!) with a blue interior also boasts chandeliers and a public address system. Inside, Charon the chauffeur (the ferryman of the dead in Greek mythology) enjoys automatic air conditioning and an AM radio with a cassette player! They also control the car a bit easier thanks to the column-shifted gearbox.The hearse has a US title and recently sold for only $8,111. Admittedly, it's no 1999 Lexus LS400. But the Crown denomination might soon help models like this one get pretty pricey. The buyer might have made the right choice, especially if they own a funeral parlor.Finally, don't worry if you wanted one but didn't have the opportunity to get this particular model. More will surely surface in 2024. Just keep an eye out! Arguably one of America's most important automotive startups, Rivian keeps moving forward with its mission to keep the world adventurous forever. That may or may not include Apple CarPlay for R1-series EV owners, but it does translate into adding more offerings to the company's product portfolio. Here's what you need to know. Photo: Rivian It's hard to judge Rivian for not moving faster with giving customers access to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Software is perceived as a future money-maker for brands that are adopting the zero-emission battery-electric strategy. Just look at how Mercedes-Benz and BMW launched their own digital markets and introduced subscriptions. For a startup, any extra dollar helps. That's especially true for the Irvine-based EV maker because it plans on expanding. The Normal, Illinois factory currently deals with R1S and R1T production. The Stanton Springs North, Georgia factory should be the one that enables the brand to attract customers who want an EV but aren't willing to spend over $80,000 for one. The R2-series should introduce at least two more affordable vehicles. For example, the Photo: RJ Scaringe on Instagram "We are very happy to welcome Jonas to the Rivian team. His product expertise will help us with the launch of new platforms like the R2 and R3, and the continued product improvements of our R1T and R1S. I look forward to working closely together as we tackle this next great wave of product launches." said Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe. Could the R3 platform be about creating a hatchback or a rugged Model Y-like crossover? It remains to be seen. What's certain is that Rivian has a plan for the future, and it won't stop from innovating and making EVs attractive for Americans and Canadians. The R2 and R3 vehicles might also serve Europeans well. Some have imported the R1T and R1S, even though they need a CCS1 to CCS2 adapter to fast charge and have no service centers nearby. Exporting American-made EVs surely is on Rivian's to-do list. Fret not; some of those streaming apps are supposed to come by the end of 2024. Maybe the new roster addition will help speed things up a bit. Reinke also worked for Porsche for nearly three years. He helped the iconic German brand with the digitalization process. So, he must be familiar with speed and quality.It's hard to judge Rivian for not moving faster with giving customers access to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Software is perceived as a future money-maker for brands that are adopting the zero-emission battery-electric strategy. Just look at how Mercedes-Benz and BMW launched their own digital markets and introduced subscriptions.For a startup, any extra dollar helps. That's especially true for the Irvine-basedmaker because it plans on expanding.The Normal, Illinois factory currently deals with R1S and R1T production. The Stanton Springs North, Georgia factory should be the one that enables the brand to attract customers who want an EV but aren't willing to spend over $80,000 for one. The R2-series should introduce at least two more affordable vehicles. For example, the $40,000 to $60,000 R2S should be unveiled sometime this year, but it won't enter production until 2026. That's when the Georgia factory is scheduled for completion.But with the announcement of Jonas Reinke's hiring, Rivian also confirmed that it would go even further with downsizing and cost-cutting: we should soon learn more about the R3 series! The company trademarked the moniker two years ago."We are very happy to welcome Jonas to the Rivian team. His product expertise will help us with the launch of new platforms like the R2 and R3, and the continued product improvements of our R1T and R1S. I look forward to working closely together as we tackle this next great wave of product launches." said Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe.Could the R3 platform be about creating a hatchback or a rugged Model Y-like crossover? It remains to be seen. What's certain is that Rivian has a plan for the future, and it won't stop from innovating and making EVs attractive for Americans and Canadians.The R2 and R3 vehicles might also serve Europeans well. Some have imported the R1T and R1S, even though they need a CCS1 to CCS2 adapter to fast charge and have no service centers nearby. Exporting American-made EVs surely is on Rivian's to-do list. Rivian announced on Monday that Apple's Head of Product, Mobility, and Automotive Services, Jonas Reinke, was joining its executive team as Vice President of Product Management.Reinke spent four years and two months at the world's most valuable company. He worked on products like Apple Pay, Wallet, Music, TV+, Podcasts, Arcade, and probably the most relevant for Rivian of them all, automotive infotainment. The latter is tied to CarPlay 2.0 , the next-gen interface that is supposed to replace your car's instrument cluster, infotainment look, and digital center console controls. Porsche (an Android Automotive customer) and Aston Martin have already confirmed they would adopt it.At first, that may sound like incredible news for R1T and R1S owners who want Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to run on their 15.6-inch infotainment touchscreen. While that would be great to have, it's important to remember that CEO RJ Scaringe explained he wants to keep Rivian as the head chef of the in-car software. It's also why Rivian spent good money to buy Sweden's Iternio, the company that created, developed, and maintained the A Better Route Planner (ABRP) app.As such, Reinke may focus more on helping Rivian launch its own ecosystem of software offerings before striking any deals with potential industry players like Google or Apple. Rivian included a few apps like Spotify, Tidal, TuneIn, and Alexa in its rides. However, there's no support yet for popular platforms like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, or Apple Music. 23 January 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Azerbaijan is set to fulfill its commitment to double gas exports to Europe by 2027, as confirmed by President Ilham Aliyev during the inauguration ceremony of the Bulgaria-Serbia interconnector gas pipeline in Nis, Serbia, on December 10. With a current trajectory, Baku aims to reach 20 billion cubic meters of gas exports annually by 2027, a significant leap from the over 8 billion cubic meters exported in 2021. President Aliyev expressed confidence in achieving this ambitious target, stating that Azerbaijan is already making substantial progress. In 2022, gas exports to Europe are expected to reach about 12 billion cubic meters, accounting for half of Azerbaijan's total gas exports. Achieving this goal involves not only increasing gas production but also enhancing the capacity of the transit pipelines within the Southern Gas Corridor, the vital conduit delivering Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea to European markets. If we look at last year's figures, we can say that Azerbaijan achieved the desired growth in oil and gas production. Data released on December 13, 2023, shows production for January-November reaching 44 billion cubic meters, up 3.5 percent on the same period in 2022, with exports over the same period totaling 22 billion cubic meters, up 9.5 percent. Some projects aimed at further boosting production are underway. As an example bp, which operates Azerbaijan's main Shah Deniz gas field and ACG oil field has begun drilling deep wells into what it hopes are major reserves beneath both existing fields, and Azerbaijan's state oil company SOCAR has hopes of boosting production from its Umid gas field. Azerbaijan also 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. Bulgaria, Greece, Romania and Hungary are already in line While Azerbaijan already supplies gas to Italy, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Hungary, new agreements with Serbia are set to begin in 2024. In 2023, Azerbaijani gas is projected to supply close to 1 billion cubic meters to Bulgaria, contributing significantly to the country's energy needs. It was reported that Azerbaijani gas accounts for 40.3 % of the Bulgaria's monthly consumption, and EWRC evaluated this as a positive factor for achieving favorable prices. The Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector (IGB) has been pivotal in facilitating Azerbaijani gas supplies to Bulgaria, with plans to transport further gas via the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). In Greece, cumulative gas exports from Azerbaijan reached almost 1.8 billion cubic meters in the first 11 months of 2023, providing a boost to the country's energy security. Italy, major importer has recorded a significant increase in natural gas imports from Azerbaijan, reaching 881.2 million cubic meters in October 2023, compared to 800.5 million cubic meters in September, according to Eurostat, the European Union's statistical office. This notable surge represents a month-on-month growth of over 10 percent. Over the first ten months of 2023, Italy's cumulative gas imports from Azerbaijan totaled 7.7 billion cubic meters, equivalent to a value exceeding 4 billion euros. In October alone, the value of these imports amounted to 364.2 million euros, indicating a substantial increase of almost 17.3 percent from the 310.6 million euros recorded in September. Country enjoys large-scale exports thanks to number of closed deals Romania also joined European countries importing Azerbaijani gas. The contract signed between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Romanian Romgaz S.A. on the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Romania from April 1, 2023, to April 1, 2024, entered into force. This agreement on the supply of gas from Azerbaijan to Romania in the amount of up to 1 billion cubic meters during 2023-2024 was signed on February 3 as part of the 9th meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council in Baku. On December 16, 2022, SOCAR signed a spot short-term contract with Romgaz S.A. for the supply of up to 300 million cubic meters of gas from January 1 to April 1, 2023. The daily volume of supplies was up to 4.2 million cubic meters. The contract provided for the transportation of natural gas via the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) gas pipeline from the Komotini exit point in Greece of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), further along, the Romanian part of the BRUA gas pipeline (Bulgaria - Romania - Hungary - Austria). The Hungarian authorities, including Prime Minister Viktor Orban, significantly weighed in on the purchase of gas from Azerbaijan during discussions in Budapest on August 20, 2023. According to Hungarian Foreign and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto, the political agreement addresses the export of one billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas from Azerbaijan to Hungary, which will receive the first batch of commercial supplies containing 100 million cubic meters in the last quarter of 2023. Moreover, the two countries also shook hands on the storage of 50 bcm of Azerbaijani gas in the reservoirs of Hungary. The recent launch of the Serbia-Bulgaria Gas Interconnector further expands Azerbaijan's reach, with Serbia set to receive Caspian gas in early 2024. This development is crucial for Serbia's energy security, diversifying its energy supply and reducing dependence on Russian gas. Serbia is expected to receive the first batch of Caspian gas via Bulgaria in early 2024. The projected capacity of the new pipeline allows supplies of 1.8 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually, providing an additional 80% capacity increase relative to Serbias current annual gas needs which stand at nearly 2.4 billion cubic meters per year. The gas from Azerbaijan will bring cleaner and cheaper energy for the citizens and economy of Serbia. Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret said the commissioning of the gas pipeline represents an important milestone in strengthening Serbias energy security by diversifying the energy supply. According to him, the project will end Serbias dependence on Russian gas. Azerbaijan's gas exports underscore its pivotal role in enhancing Europe's energy security The European Union's active support for the Southern Gas Corridor, including financial backing for projects like the Trans-Adriatic Natural Gas Pipeline, underscores the region's commitment to diversifying its natural gas sources. Azerbaijan's strategic position as the sole Caspian country capable of delivering natural gas to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor positions it as a key player in meeting the EU's increasing natural gas demand. In conclusion, Azerbaijan's gas exports underscore its pivotal role in enhancing Europe's energy security and diversifying its natural gas sources, aligning with the EU's strategic objectives. As Azerbaijan continues to invest in production capacity and transit infrastructure, its significance in the European energy landscape is set to grow, contributing to a more resilient and sustainable energy future. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 21:45 (UTC+04:00) By Abbas Ganbay and Qabil Ashirov The resolution of the French Senate directed towards Azerbaijan speaks not only about the clear intention of Paris to hinder the peace process but also about the weight of gifts by Armenian lobbies given to the Senate to satisfy some of its corrupt members. France, which is experiencing exile from Africa and is experiencing economic, migration, and even cultural and social crises, has taken to supporting separatism. It is no wonder that the "powerhouse" country is going through all sorts of ordeals with a bloody track record of colonising 50 countries around the world. Newly appointed French officials, like the current president, have decided to rectify the crisis situation in the country and have declared their commitment to protect their colonised regions and Armenia itself. Based on "experience", officials in that country are "consolidating" their decision to save the country and Armenia by imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan, thereby depriving their people of stable gas prices and warmth in their homes. "We will steadfastly ensure the protection of our overseas territories and fulfil the obligations that our great nation has. I could mention the Balkans and Armenia, which are at the centre of our attention, strengthening our position and making a historic decision, especially with regard to Armenia, which I just mentioned," French President Emmanuel Macron said in his address to the country's Armed Forces. Questions arise in respect of President Macron's statement: Since when does the French president care about his people? And what kind of "historical decision" regarding Armenia was prepared by France? Will they accept the Armenians who voluntarily left Garabagh in Marseille? According to Oliver Pardo, a former judge and former first adviser to the French Minister of Justice, the resolution, which he considers scandalous, reflects a total ignorance of the situation in Azerbaijan. "Indeed, Armenian propaganda has reached such "heights" in anti-Azerbaijani statements and propaganda of "Greater Armenia" around the world that the masses unconsciously absorb this propaganda as truth. But despite this, there are those among the masses who do not go along with the "authorities". According to the former judge, the Armenian diaspora is a powerful lobby that affects quite a few cities in France, and to those who do not know the laws or do not know the situation sufficiently, the Armenian lobbies present their vision of the situation and influence them. "It is also relevant to those who prefer to remain silent for the sake of their own electoral ambitions. It's a scandal in international law." President Macron's position is getting worse by the day, and his commitment to the ideology of "order out of chaos" is being met with mass protests and a violent response to the protests from those in power. Appointing the French Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, who are "close" acquaintances of each other, the French President bet on the Armenian lobby and their diaspora. Newly appointed ministers followed in the president's footsteps and also enlisted the support of Armenian revanchists. Besides that, Stephane Sejourne, the recently appointed French Foreign Minister, conveyed a message to the diplomatic corps, in which he also noted that "France will provide continuous support to Armenia." "It is necessary to pursue a just and lasting peace based on respect for the law and territorial integrity and to ensure the right of the population to live in dignity, respecting their memory, history, and culture," the French diplomat added. It is enough to recall the more than 5 million mines laid by the French occupation troops on Algerian territory, the more than 1. 5 million Algerians who died during the occupation of Algeria from 1830 to 1962, the French-occupied Djibouti, Chad, and Niger, where the inhabitants were forbidden to receive Islamic education and mosques and madrassas were destroyed, and the 18,000 skulls of soldiers who died in the colonial wars of the 19th century, which were brought to Paris and are kept and exhibited in the Museum of Man. Along with all these injustices, these newly appointed ministers talk about respecting the law and territorial integrity", and accuse Azerbaijan. The Armenian and French authorities are very similar in their actions; both Armenians laid mines in the territory of Azerbaijan's Garabagh previously occupied by them. Turning to the Armenian French propaganda, it is worth mentioning the pro-Armenian newspaper La Figaro, which is only adding fuel to the fire in Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. The pro-Armenian deputy director of the newspaper, Jean Christophe Buisson, is one of the examples of a corrupt yellow press. After his attacks on the appointment of the new French Minister of Culture, Rashida Dati (who in 2016 signed a statement in support of Azerbaijan), his loyalty to Armenians solidified, and he decided to play further by creating lies and accusing Azerbaijan of preparing for a new aggression against Armenia. "Azerbaijani propagandists are having fun at the behest of those in power. Here is the map they have been broadcasting for 3 days now. All of Armenia has been renamed 'Western Azerbaijan' to prepare the country for a new war and justify Aliyev's next military aggression," Buisson wrote in X. As expected, another deception is that there is no organisation called "Public Union of Western Azerbaijan" in Azerbaijan. We also remember Buisson's history with Islamophobic statements, justifying the murder of Algerian student Malik Oussekin by French police in 2023. He deliberately misrepresented information, and on the air of the radio programme "Remaking the World" on the RTL channel, it stated that Malik died because of "insulin problems". His words outraged the public. As a result, he was forced to apologise a day later. "The court has ruled on this matter and I do not intend to challenge it," Buisson wrote According to Buisson, it turned out that the fact that a Muslim man was killed by French police violence was normal. Further to pro-Armenian French politicians' adventures, stories of anti-Azerbaijan propaganda do not get over. Reading the interview of Pierre Ouzoulias, a French communist senator and vice president of the upper house of Parliament, with the local media outlet, some could conclude that either the French diplomats are too ignorant to understand geopolitics or they are trying to fool their audience. A French communist senator babbled on about the adopted resolution against Azerbaijan in the French senate and solemnly noted that they were able (ostensibly) to stop Azerbaijan from "annihilating Armenia". It is worth recalling that Azerbaijan has never had territorial claims against its neighbours. Baku has never had any intention to occupy the territories of another state. The July confrontation in 2020 is the best example of it. As President Ilham Aliyev said several times, at that time, Azerbaijan had chances to enter Armenia, but it did not do it because we did not need any territories. Secondly, as is known, Armenia is a member of the CSTO, and any attack on Armenia is equal to declaring war on six countries, including Russia and Kazakhstan, which have borders with Azerbaijan. In other words, declaring war on Armenia means fighting on three fronts, which no country in the world, not even the USA, can do. Pierre Ouzoulias does not limit himself to the above-mentioned lies. He calls the 44-day war in 2020 and the anti-terror measures conducted by Azerbaijan in 2023 the "invasion of artsakh". Once again, it is worth recalling that there was no country in the world called Artsakh. Even neither France nor Armenia recognised such a country. On the contrary, the whole world, including France and Armenia, recognised Garabagh as part of Azerbaijan. Moreover, the UN adopted 4 resolutions against Armenia on the invasion of Garabagh, and France chaired one of these meetings. Here raises the question: "Whence has arstakh emerged? or do French senators contradict their previous decisions?" The more the French communist senator speaks, the more he disgraces himself by revealing his ignorance. He associates the Garabagh issue with the Ukrainian invasion and claims that "all these autonomous republics that were part of the Soviet Union" cannot be solved with forces. Again, the French senator needs to know that Garabagh has never been an autonomous republic. Secondly, France supports Ukrainian territorial integrity and denounces the Russian invasion of Crimea, where ethnic Russians live. For this purpose, France provides Ukraine with weapons. However, in the Garabagh issue, France is doing the totally opposite. Meaning that Paris supports Armenia, which invaded Azerbaijani territories where ethnic Armenians lived and even provided Armenia with lethal weapons. More importantly, when Armenia invaded Garabagh and expelled over 750,000 Azerbaijani citizens from their hometowns, France turned a blind eye and never tried to impose sanctions on Yerevan. So, given the abovementioned facts, can France prevent Azerbaijan from invading Armenia? It should be emphasised that France is the last country to have any influence on Azerbaijan. France is not strong enough to fight with Azerbaijan. Most importantly, it does not have any military infrastructure in the region to confront Azerbaijan. Besides, except for a dozen French companies in Azerbaijan, France and Azerbaijan do not have much economic cooperation or trade turnover, either. So, here comes a question: "What does Paris aim to do?" ---- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 12:21 (UTC+04:00) Elnur Enveroglu Read more Once again, a bunch of politicians serving their personal goals started to rumble in the hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Looking for various excuses, some political figures tried to aggravate the situation in the South Caucasus by opening the topic of the deliberately protracted peace treaty between Azerbaijan and Armenia. When the issue is thought through on its logical basis, it turns out that Azerbaijan has more value for the European Union. Because this is measured not only by Azerbaijan's role as an energy provider but also by the fact that Azerbaijan is a leading country on the most important international transport route. If we are talking about ensuring peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as security in the region, then Armenia, not Azerbaijan, should be questioned here. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted a decision on the initiative to freeze Azerbaijan's vote. This decision supposedly deprives Azerbaijan of the privilege to express any opinion or objection within the framework of the EU. It should be noted that until today, more precisely, until 2020, Azerbaijan has always heard the words of the Council of Europe, PACE, OSCE, and other European organisations and has repeatedly participated in their "peace-building platform". However, the result is crystal clear and known to everyone... In a nutshell, the inaction of the mentioned institutions created a real basis for the start of the Second Garabagh War in 2020. This means that the cold-blooded approach of the organisations in the European Union to the processes made Armenia even more confident and pushed it to attack in order to usurp the territories of Azerbaijan. This decision has nothing to do with human rights. This is an attempt to take revenge against Azerbaijan, which has restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Because obviously, after the Second Garabagh War, there was a sharp change in the relations of the political circles in the European Union and PACE towards Azerbaijan. From the Western media to political organisations, everyone began to voice prejudice against Azerbaijan. Finally, Armenia's desperate recognition of Azerbaijan's sovereign territories lowered the voice of third parties. For Azerbaijan, not only the freezing of votes in PACE but also this institution itself is of no importance. Because in the last thirty years, the institution's double standards in the region and turning a blind eye to the Armenian occupation have undermined trust in it. Let's remind once again that Azerbaijan once became a member of the Council of Europe due to hopes for a solution to the Garabagh conflict, i.e., the liberation of the occupied territories. But for many years, the institution did not take any measures against the fact of Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan and the occupation of territories and was satisfied with only a few statements without any legal weight. But why did PACE not accuse the occupying Armenia and deprive it of the right to vote when the territories of Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur were under Armenian occupation? History is not far away; if we look only 4 years back, we will see that Azerbaijan managed to solve all these problems with the support of the fraternal Turkiye. At that time, the Council of Europe tried not to show support but to hinder all processes. Today, the Garabagh problem has already been resolved. Currently, Azerbaijan does not need the Council of Europe, which does not have the authority to make fair decisions and solve problems. If PACE accepts this decision, the Azerbaijani delegation should stop its activities in this body. In addition, Azerbaijan may leave the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. Since Azerbaijan became a member of this organisation in 2001, pro-Armenian and Islamophobic forces have constantly used this organisation as a tool against Azerbaijan. We must note with regret that today the Council of Europe is really a camp of Islamophobic and Turkophobic-thinking representatives of various European countries who cannot enter the European Parliament. This can be compared with the political weight of the states represented in European organisations. For example, France, which has lost its global political influence, is already trying to implement its mission through Germany by promoting it. German MP Frank Schwabe's proposal on not confirming the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation in the Council of Europe is a kind of revenge against Azerbaijan by biased and pro-Armenian forces like France. At the same time, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in his recent speech about Azerbaijan and its political will, openly declared his dangerous position against Azerbaijan's sovereignty. It is already clear that the Council of Europe, PACE, and OSCE have always wanted Azerbaijan's lands to remain under Armenian occupation, but the way they are concerned about this means that they have not achieved this and certainly will not be able to achieve it. --- Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews Deputy Editor-in-Chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz A symposium of artists themed "In the Footsteps of Heritage" (Irsin izi il) will take place in Shabran on January 22-27. The event is co-organized by Leyla Khazari Art-Gallery and Shabran Wellbeing Resort to demonstrate Azerbaijan's rich heritage, traditions and examples of ancient arts through the eyes of contemporary artists, Azernews reports. The project aims to embody ancient art forms through new paintings, thus creating a bridge between centuries and uniting the ancient art and modern painting. The wide and green territory of Shabran Wellbeing Resort, unique architecture and interior, location surrounded by rare natural beauty, special attention, support and care for musicians, writers, artists and everyone involved in artistic creativity, makes it an ideal place for the symposium. Leyla Khazari Art-Gallery works on not only individual exhibitions, but also organizes screenings of documentaries about art, master classes and lectures, accepts corporate orders, offers special services related to the design and interior of large companies and private spaces, as well as works of famous artists suitable for interior decoration. The gallery is an initiator of innovation, collaborates with the most famous artists in the country, gives the green light to young artists, and has a large and interesting collection. But all this concerns not only the capital; regional symposiums have already become a very important part of its activities. Information about the symposium organized by Leyla Khazari Art-Gallery in 2022 has not left the pages of local media for a long time. The results of the symposium delighted not only the guests and local residents, but also the artists themselves. Famous Azerbaijani artists created their new art works almost online, right during the symposium. The created atmosphere, the participation of famous guests, famous art masters, and the success of the art pieces inspired the gallery to continue this format and hold this holiday in other charming corners of Azerbaijan. One of the main goals of these symposiums is to increase the tourism potential of the regions. Tourism is not only ancient architectural monuments, but also modern art, national cuisine, live communication, works of high art, new acquaintances, and creative connections. With its next symposium, Leyla Khazari Art-Gallery aims to draw attention to the winter beauty of Shabran, a charming corner of Azerbaijan, located at the foot of the Greater Caucasus Mountains. As the Turkish traveler Evliya Celebi once wrote, Shabran, with which part of the history of the Sassanid and Shirvanshah states is associated, the Silk Road, Pirabadil carpets belonging to the Guba school of carpet weaving, traditional ceramics, metal work, casting, jewelry, production of weapons and glass, silk and wool products, was considered the second most important city after Tabriz. Azerbaijani historian Abbasgulu agha Bakikhanov suggested that the ruins ear Shahnazarli village are the ancient city of Gulustani-Irem. One of the great poets Khagani Shirvani wrote his famous poem Conclusion while imprisoned in this city. The steep peaks of the Caucasus Mountains, covered with snow, as if the contours of trees on the snow-white winter canvas have been created by the hands of a graphic artist, thin paths laid by mountain animals, frozen waterfalls, river beds, silent, sleeping nature. Look at all this beauty, sleeping and yearning through the spring of nature through the eyes of artists, to experience winter, even more than it is, to be fascinated by it - a completely different experience. Who can make you feel this beauty more than an artist?! Shabran will be remembered not only as a place where ancient traditions live, but also as a place where modern art is born, as another meeting place for artists, creative people, and masters of art who will take part in the symposium. Media partners of the event are Azernews.Az, Trend.Az, Day.Az, Milli.Az. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 12:09 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Since the last months of 2023, individual cases of hepatitis A virus infection have been recorded in different districts of Baku, Azernews reports, citing the Health Ministry. The Ministry reported that in January 2024, the Republican Hygiene and Epidemiology Center of the Ministry of Health received information about several cases of infection with the diagnosis of Hepatitis A in Surakhani district of Baku city. "It was determined that the recorded cases of the disease occurred in various high schools and preschool educational institutions in Amirjan and Bulbula settlements of Surakhani region. Considering that the hepatitis A virus has a fecal-oral transmission mechanism and is usually caused by dirty hands, and contaminated water, as well as general hygiene rules, the most effective way to protect against these and other infectious diseases in organized collectives is to follow hygienic rules and anti-epidemic regime. In addition, periodic inspection of water and sewage lines in educational institutions, registration of existing water reservoirs, reserve water tanks, and washing them annually are important measures". The information also stated that due to the observed epidemiological situation, the number of monitoring conducted by the relevant specialists of the Health Ministry to check the microbiological indicators of drinking water in the areas has increased. " As a result of the conducted monitoring, it was determined that the microbiological indicators of the drinking water provided to the population by Azersu OJSC meet the state standards and norms in force in the country. Currently, the epidemiological situation is under control, and a decrease in the number of infection cases is observed. At the same time, water lines and tanks are washed and cleaned. and work is being continued in the direction of neutralization". --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 10:00 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more "During a press conference on 2 January on the conclusions of the Council on Foreign Relations, we strongly reject the unfounded claims against Azerbaijan by the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for International Relations and Security Policy, Vice-President of the EU," these views were included in the statement of Ayhan Hajizadeh, Head of the Press Service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, regarding J.Borrell's claims, Azernews reports. Ayhan Hajizadeh regarding the claims of J.Borrell.Hajizadeh noted that the obvious distortion of facts by the EU high representative is a disregard for the legitimate interests of Azerbaijan, and such threatening rhetoric is a vivid example of double standards, which further aggravate Azerbaijan-EU relations. "In addition to completely distorting the views of the President of Azerbaijan regarding historical facts concerning the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the High Representative provokes militarisation and aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that no efforts have been made by the international community to persuade Armenia to act in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, Azerbaijan has always been committed to negotiations, peace and stability with Armenia. The measures taken by Azerbaijan to stop aggression and separatism lay the foundation for a peace agreement with Armenia. Furthermore, the EU representative's expression of solidarity with France over the expulsion of diplomats from the country is an open interference in the ongoing judicial investigation process and amounts to justification of the illegal actions of French diplomats expelled from Azerbaijan. "Such a biased statement demonstrates how some states, which, in addition to ignoring unjustified measures against Azerbaijani diplomats in France, blatantly ignore all rules and guidelines of diplomatic behaviour and refuse to investigate the case, have a negative impact on this institution," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Aykhan Hajizadeh added that Azerbaijan, in addition to fidelity to its international obligations and international law, will resolutely prevent any claims against its national interests and attempts to legitimise threatening statements. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 10:15 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more First Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department Vedant Patel said during a briefing that the US is interested in holding negotiations on normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azernews reports. "This is something that we will work very hard to get to the finish line in close coordination with Azerbaijan, Armenia and other parties involved in this issue," the deputy said. Responding to a reporter's question about a possible meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington, Patel said that he had no information on the matter. "But we look forward to negotiations about it in more detail in the near future," he added. Previously, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs James O'Brien wrote in his account on social network X that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken hopes to receive the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Washington for peace talks. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 10:55 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has circulated a report on the results of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Uganda, Azernews reports. Azerbaijan was represented at the summit by a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Secretary General of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation Patricia Scotland, as well as other officials, attended and addressed the event as special guests. The event was attended by high-ranking officials from about 120 member or observer states of the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as international organisations. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Secretary General of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation Patricia Scotland, as well as other officials, attended and addressed the event as special guests. The event also featured a speech by a representative of the Youth Organisation of the Non-Aligned Movement, headquartered in Azerbaijan, from Uganda. Then a speech was delivered by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on the results of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Movement. Representatives of the Movement's member states and international organisations, including the President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly and Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation, who participated in the event, expressed their approval of Azerbaijan's successful four-year chairmanship of the Organisation, thanked the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the framework of the event, the outcome document of the 19th NAM Summit was adopted. The document reflects a number of important provisions for Azerbaijan. In particular, in the final document, the Heads of State and Government of the Movement's member countries, expressing solidarity with the rehabilitation, reconstruction and reintegration activities carried out by Azerbaijan in the conflict-affected territories, drew attention to the problem of unexploded ammunition and mines in these territories and called for international assistance. The document noted the convening of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Combating the COVID-19 pandemic, convened at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, and stressed that the promotion of timely and universal access to vaccines has created opportunities for new cooperation within the Movement. The participating countries unanimously welcomed Azerbaijan's election as the organiser of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the Summit Outcome Document, the work done by Azerbaijan during its chairmanship in the field of institutionalisation of the Non-Aligned Movement, in particular, the activities of the Youth Organisation and the Parliamentary Network of the structure, were supported. As a result of relevant actions taken during Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Movement, the only African country that was not a NAM member, South Sudan, joined the Movement during the Summit, and the number of participating states reached 121. Within the framework of the meeting, Azerbaijan handed over the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to Uganda. It was noted that the country will continue its efforts aimed at the development of the movement, and in particular, it will continue to contribute to its activities within the framework of the NAM Chairmanship Troika. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 13:03 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more The Western Azerbaijan Community once again calls on the EU side to refrain from unfair and accusatory rhetoric against Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing the Community. It was reported that the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, continues to make slanderous statements against Azerbaijan. "With these statements, the European Union once again proves that it does not demonstrate a neutral position in the normalisation process in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The fact that the representative of the Union has never mentioned that Armenia has occupied the territory of Azerbaijan". It was noted that in such a situation, the EU mediation mission in the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia has no chance. "The statement of a representative of an international organisation stating in a threatening tone to one of the parties that he wants to contribute to the process as a mediator is incompatible with the essence of the principle of "mediation" and cannot be. The Western Azerbaijan Community once again calls on the EU side to abandon unfair and accusatory rhetoric against Azerbaijan," the Community concluded. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 17:57 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more With his feature films and documentaries, outstanding film director Rasim Ojagov wrote bright pages in the chronicle of Azerbaijani cinematography. A young talent who is seriously involved in photography got the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of the film crew who came to Shaki. The cinema world attracted him so much that the young photographer decided to deeply study and master this art. Despite his parents' disapproval, Rasim Ojagov attended the Film Institute in Moscow. In 19511956, he studied at the Camera Operator Faculty of VGIK. He continued his education at the Azerbaijan Theatrical Institute. Having started his career in 1956 as a director of photography at the AzerbaijanFilm film studio, Rasim Ojagov worked here in various positions. Rasim Ojagov made his debut as a film director with the film "Her great heart". He was considered a professional at describing psychological scenes. This film is about the lives of Sumgayit metallurgists. The mental sufferings of the workers are described in this film. Throughout his life, the outstanding film director produced around 11 multi-reel films, including "Her great heart," "Tahmina," "Why are you silent?" "In one southern city," "The first day of life," "Behind the closed door," "Temple of Air," and other cinematic works. Eighteen years have passed since the death of the People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Rasim Ojagov, and if he had lived, he would have celebrated his 90th birthday. The Ankara National Library has hosted a commemorative event dedicated to the Azerbaijani film director. Organized by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the event featured an exhibition of photographs reflecting the life and work of the film director. Head of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry's Department of Libraries and Publications, Taner Beyoglu, spoke about Rasim Ojagov's multifaceted professional activities. He emphasised that it was a great honour for him to personally meet the film director. Other speakers noted that Rasim Ojagov's films, beloved by millions of viewers, were awarded almost all the awards of the former Soviet Union. He was the only Azerbaijani director to be awarded the USSR State Prize for his film "Interrogation". R. Ojagov also received the State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR for the film "Birthday". Next, a short film about the People's Artist Rasim Ojagov was presented to the audience. People's Artist Fakhraddin Manafov and Turkish actress Meral Konrat, who played the roles of the main characters in the film "Tahmina," shared their memories of the acclaimed film director. In conclusion, the film "Tahmina" was screened as part of the event. "Tahmina" is a 1993 Azerbaijani romantic drama. The screenplay was written by Anar Rzayev based on his novel "The Sixth Floor of a Five-Storey Building" (197478). Directed by Rasim Ojagov, this film depicts the love affair between Zaur, a man from an affluent family, and Tahmina, a divorced woman doing her best to survive in a conservative society. The film is considered to be one of the best Azerbaijani movies produced in the 1990s. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 16:11 (UTC+04:00) Abbas Ganbay Read more Azerbaijan will host an exhibition of space images of territories liberated from occupation, including the city of Shusha, Azernews reports. The event will be held within the framework of the year "Shusha - Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2024" in accordance with the action plan approved by Prime Minister Ali Asadov. The exhibition will also tell about the cultural heritage of Shusha and Islamic countries in general. According to the action plan, the book "Economy of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Countries," a special postage stamp "Shusha - Cultural Capital of the Islamic World 2024," and relevant internet resources will be presented in Azerbaijan in 2023. The Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Shusha State Reserve Department, and the Centre for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication have been identified as the executors of the plan. Shusha, a city of significant cultural and historical importance, was liberated by Azerbaijan in November 2020 after nearly three decades of Armenian occupation. The city's liberation marked a turning point in the Garabagh conflict, a territorial dispute that has been ongoing since 1988. The exhibition aims to highlight the restoration and rebuilding efforts in the liberated territories. Since the end of the conflict, Azerbaijan has embarked on a massive reconstruction campaign, with plans to rebuild the city of Aghdam and establish a "smart village" in the Aghali village of Zangilan. The government has allocated $1.7 billion for the restoration of the liberated lands in 2023. The space images to be displayed at the exhibition will provide a unique perspective on these territories, showcasing the progress made in their restoration and the challenges that remain. The exhibition will also serve as a testament to Azerbaijan's commitment to rebuilding and restoring the liberated territories and its determination to reintegrate these areas into the country's economic, social, and cultural life. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 17:27 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more The National Art Museum has been long recognised as an art space that showcases a diverse range of artworks from various periods and cultures. In its commitment to inclusivity, the museum has embarked on new projects in 2024 that specifically cater to the needs of visually impaired people. The National Art Museum aims to ensure that everyone, regardless of their visual abilities, can fully engage with and appreciate the world of art. In an interview with AZERNEWS, Director of the National Art Museum, Honoured Cultural Worker Shirin Malikova shares the museum's groundbreaking projects and new initiatives. Q: How has the year 2024 started for the Azerbaijan National Art Museum? A: The National Art Museum continues the exhibition "Western Azerbaijani Art in Our Cultural Memory", which opened on December 15, 2023. The project was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of National Leader Heydar Aliyev. The exhibition includes paintings, graphics, works of fine and decorative arts, photographs, historical documents, numismatics, and other exhibits from the collections of the National Art Museum, the National Carpet Museum, the State Art Gallery and Gallery of Solar Carpets. This exhibition will last until the end of February. Some exhibits are being shown for the first time. For this project, we have developed, together with the Azerbaijan State Academy of Arts as well as the Azerbaijan Society of the Visually Impaired, special content for people with vision problems. The project will be presented for the first time in the coming days. These will be reliefs of several works of painting, as well as annotations in Braille. Also, in the coming days, we will share all the details of the most important project for Azerbaijan's modern history, which was carried out by the National Art Museum's Restoration Department - the restoration of Mirza Gadim Iravani's paintings, which once adorned the Sardar Palace in Iravan and are now stored in the Georgian National Museum. Q: National Art Museum actively organises projects for both adults and children. In this connection, it is worth noting the museum's new project, "Art History for Children". What is the main purpose of the project? A: The project "Art History for Children" is designed to introduce children to the history of world and Azerbaijani art through exhibits from the museum's collection. Each month will be dedicated to a particular era, from ancient times to the present day, including Antiquity, Middle Ages, Renaissance, etc. For example, the theme of this January is Ancient Egypt. Each weekend, young guests and their parents are offered a theme from the appropriate era with a corresponding lecture and a thematic excursion. The program will be complemented by a shadow theater performance staged by the museum employees, interesting master classes, quizzes, and quests. The program for each era will have several varieties - for children of different ages. Registration for participation requires pre-registration by calling (012) 492 07 07. Q: National Art Museum is constantly expanding cooperation with other museums. Are there any plans for joint projects with foreign partners in the future? A: Yes, we have already planned a number of similar projects. We hope to begin active international activities in the near future. In particular, several exhibitions are planned for this year, but it is too early to talk about them; relevant negotiations are still underway. Q: What is the National Art Museum currently focusing on? A: Work is being carried out in all directions, starting with re-branding. Projects are being prepared to update exhibitions, create new exhibitions, and launch several educational projects for various audiences. Speaking about the audience, it is worth mentioning separately about the inclusive direction of the museum's activities: a major project on this topic is being prepared, and the museum is now in full swing developing content for the visually impaired and blind people. Another direction of the National Art Museum's work is activity at the intersection of the museum sphere and various types of non-fine art. Of the specific thematic projects planned for the near future, I would like a first name such as "Cinema in the Museum", which starts on February 3. The project will feature film screenings about Azerbaijani artists. I would also like to mention the project "Music in the Museum", which is scheduled for February 21, where we will give spectators the opportunity to listen to classical music in a luxurious museum interior. Each concert will be preceded by a short but interesting excursion corresponding to the era of music included in the program. Future plans in this direction also include theatrical evenings at the museum. Another area of the work, which can be called the basis of all our activities, is the study of the collections stored here. As you know, the National Art Museum has a valuable collection of Azerbaijani art, which requires deep and careful study. No less valuable material awaits us in the collections of Western European and Russian art. There are many unexplored works, so our employees have a long and very interesting journey ahead of them. Foreign experts will also be involved in this research. Relevant negotiations have already started. There will be a lot of work in this direction, it is very exciting, and I am sure that you will be interested in discovering the hidden with us and learning about masterpieces that have been kept in storage for many years. This museum will become a centre of attraction. Moreover, the National Art Museum prepares a strategy for its collections. It concerns the replenishment of them with exhibits ranging from the ancient period to the present day. In short, work is underway to update museum work in all directions. Our main goal is to elevate the National Art Museum to a leading one both in the region and beyond. I see the museum as a platform where all types of art intersect - fortunately, the volume and diversity of our collections, as well as the capabilities of the museum's buildings, completely allow this. ---- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @lmntypewriterrr Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 08:00 (UTC+04:00) Events marking the 2024 Hungarian-Turkish Cultural Year kicked off on Sunday in Istanbul, Turkiye, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency. They were organized under the theme "Century-Long Friendship and Cooperation" in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the friendship treaty signed between Hungary and Turkiye in 1923. "The cultural year will provide us with the opportunity to better understand each other's cultures and strengthen our friendship even more," said Peter Hoppal, undersecretary of the Hungarian Culture and Innovation Ministry, speaking at the opening of a concert by the Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra at the Ataturk Cultural Center. The orchestra was founded in 1811 in the city of Pecs in southern Hungary by Austrian composer Johann Georg Lickl. Hoppal said that on the occasion of the 100th anniversary, Hungary will organize more than 100 events throughout the year in Turkiye, and its cultural heritage will be simultaneously introduced in Hungary. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 22:50 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Hong Kong authorities have warned consumers against eating Swiss Toblerone chocolate due to possible plastic contamination, Azernews reports, citing the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post. The Food Safety Center said that a batch of Toblerone chocolate with honey and almond nougat may contain "extraneous plastic particles" and should not be sold or bought. A representative of the manufacturer in Hong Kong has already notified that the product has been withdrawn from sale voluntarily, the newspaper writes. The importer and distributor also confirmed that a recall had been initiated, and the batch of chocolate had already been taken off the shelves, the newspaper writes. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 22:25 (UTC+04:00) Britain tested the new AJAX combat reconnaissance vehicle (BRM) in Sweden at a temperature of -36 C, Azernews reports, citing the Royal Armored Corps of the British Army. British soldiers from the Royal Armoured Corps of the Army have successfully tested the new AJAX combat reconnaissance vehicle in extremely cold conditions at a training ground in Sweden. It is noted that during the tests, the temperature reached -36 C. Despite the harsh weather, the British military managed to show all the capabilities of the new BRM. The British command positions the AJAX BRM as a tracked armored vehicle with advanced reconnaissance capabilities. The tests in Sweden were aimed at evaluating the characteristics of the machine in extremely cold weather conditions, the article says. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 21:20 (UTC+04:00) Chairman of the Justice Committee of the Riksdag, a member of the ultra-right nationalist party Swedish Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna), Richard Yumshof, proposed banning the symbols of Islam, Azernews reports, citing foreign media outlets. The Sweden Democrats have long and loudly expressed the opinion that Islam poses a threat to Swedish society and the Western world as a whole. In November, the party's leader, Jimmy Okesson, said that mosques where anti-democratic extremism flourishes should be demolished. "Muslim symbols such as the crescent and minarets should be removed from public view," Okesson said. His party colleague Richard Humshof expressed similar thoughts in an interview with the Aftonbladet newspaper. Like Okesson, he draws a parallel between Islam and Islamism. To the question if such a symbol as the crescent can become illegal in the same way as the swastika, Yumshof answers in the affirmative. "Obviously, not least the minarets, the crescent is a symbol that embodies what Islam stands for. For many people, including me, this is something very dangerous, something very bad. Such a restriction is certainly a possible step forward. We need to overcome the stereotype that says that if you criticise religion, you are against religious freedom," says Yumshof in an interview. The head of the Department for the Support of Religious Communities, Isak Raichel, reacted to the restrictions on the use of symbols of Islam. "The crescent is a symbol of Islam. This is not a symbol of political Islamism. It is present in the logo of our department, along with the Star of David, the cross, and the Hindu symbol. Together, they represent a multi-faith Sweden," Reichel said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 20:15 (UTC+04:00) The Michael Carlos Art Museum at the Emory University of America has returned Greece three artifacts that had been acquired illegally, Azernews reports, citing foreign media. According to a statement from the Greek Culture Ministry, artifacts found in Crete, Epirus and Attica were illegally smuggled out of the country and then ended up at the Michael Carlos Art Museum. Among the artifacts are a clay Minoan sarcophagus dating from the XIV century BC, a marble statue of a young woman dating from the II century BC, and a male sculpture from the nave of the tomb of the end of the IV century BC. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 19:15 (UTC+04:00) Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov met Monday in New York for talks, Azernews reports, citing Anadolu Agency. The closed-door discussions between the top diplomats came a day before a UN Security Council meeting which will address the situation in the Middle East, including Gaza. No further information was shared about the meeting. Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that Lavrov and Fidan emphasized the importance of coordinating steps to find mutually acceptable solutions to regional issues, primarily regarding the situation in the Gaza Strip, Syria, the Middle East as a whole, the Black Sea zone, as well as in the Caucasus. The two ministers also discussed the schedule of upcoming bilateral contacts as well as bilateral trade and economic ties, it said. Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on Oct. 7, killing at least 25,295 Palestinians and injuring 63,000. Nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack. The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gazas population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclaves infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 23 January 2024 11:54 (UTC+04:00) Nigar Hasanova Read more Azerbaijan will participate in the international tourism exhibition Fieren Messe 2024 which will be held in Vienna, the capital of Austria, on March 14-17, and Moscow International Travel & Tourism (MITT), which will be held in Moscow, the capital of Russia, on March 19-21, Azernews reports, citing the State Tourism Agency. According to the Agency, visitors to Fueren Messe 2024 will get travel advice and a variety of leisure options, including exclusive vacations and opportunities to plan their next adventure. The event will be held at the Messe Wien exhibition center. The 30th edition of the MITT exhibition is the leading international travel and tourism exhibition in the CIS region. It should be noted that in JanuaryNovember 2023, 1,893,000 tourists from 186 countries traveled to Azerbaijan, 29.8% more than in the same period the previous year, according to the State Statistical Committee. Some 30.5% of tourists came from Russia, 18.1% from Turkiye, 7.9% from Iran, 5.3% from India, 4.9% from Georgia, 4% from Saudi Arabia, 2.8% from Kazakhstan, 2.6% from Pakistan, 1.9% from Uzbekistan, 1.8% from the United Arab Emirates, 1.5% each from Israel and Ukraine, 1.4% from Kuwait, 1.3% from Belarus, 1.2% from each of Turkmenistan and China, 1.1% from Great Britain, and 11% from other countries. 70.1% of them were men, and 29.9% were women. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Boston College will partner with eight area colleges and universities in an educational series for faculty and students that will address issues of civility, respect, free speech, and open dialogue, beginning with a Zoom panel discussion on hate and free speech on January 29. Titled Dialogue & Action, the series will feature conversations among colleagues from BC, Boston University, Brandeis University, Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, Tufts University, University of Massachusetts-Boston, and Wellesley College, with the goal of tackling difficult issues and modeling constructive dialogue. Each school will also offer an opportunity for students in select classes to discuss the topics with a faculty member following the panels. The Dialogue & Action series was conceived at a recent dinner of area college and university presidents hosted by Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun, with the goal of addressing ongoing conflicts and their societal impact, and higher educations role in providing solutions. The opening panel on January 29, Dialogue and Action in an Age of Divides: Hate and Free Speech, will be moderated by Roderick Ireland, Distinguished Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University and retired chief justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. It will feature four panelists, including BC Law Professor and Deans Distinguished Scholar Kent Greenfield, University of Massachusetts-Boston Associate Professor of Philosophy Andrew Leong, and Boston University Clinical Associate Professor of Law Andrew Sellars, who will discuss the significance of free speech and its limitations. The seminar will run from 5-6 p.m. on Zoom. BC Law Clinical Associate Professor Evangeline Sarda will lead the Boston College student discussion with select students from BC Law. The second panel, Coming Together Across Difference: Finding Common Ground Across Identities and Political Divide, will take place at 5 p.m. on February 13, followed by a BC student discussion led by Assistant Professor of Theology Joshua Snyder. Additional Dialogue & Action sessions are scheduled for February 27 and March 25. Charles F. Donovan, S.J., Dean of the Lynch School of Education and Human Development Dean Stanton Wortham and Libby Professor of Law and Theology Cathleen Kaveny said they were honored to lead BCs effort in the Dialogue & Action series at the request of Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley. Boston College is pleased to join with our local peer institutions in this effort to encourage civil dialogue about contentious issues, said Wortham. We look forward to providing students and faculty an opportunity to hear from BC and local experts on approaches to constructive conversation. Added Kaveny, One of the tasks of universities in our age is to facilitate conversation about contentious issues in a way that sheds light rather than heat. Massachusetts is a global center of higher education, and it is exciting to collaborate with faculty from so many distinguished institutions in addressing a key challenge of our times. Register for the first event here. The office of District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, pictured, convicted two San Francisco residents of torturing and killing a San Francisco man with fentanyl. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle 2022 Two San Francisco residents are guilty of first-degree murder for torturing, sodomizing and fatally poisoning a 23-year-old man before zipping him into a suitcase and throwing him into the San Francisco Bay. Gerald Rowe, 52, and Angel Anderson, 41, were convicted of first-degree murder with a special allegation for torture and poisoning on Tuesday, almost four years after they were arrested in connection with the death of George Randall-Saldivar. Rowe was convicted by jury, while Anderson pleaded guilty separately and was convicted. Both will be sentenced on March 18; they face life in prison. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Investigators determined the victims body, which was pulled out of the bay near Pier 39 on Feb. 18, 2019, had been strangled, drugged and stuffed into a suitcase. We feel an overwhelming sense of relief for the victims family who have waited far too long to receive justice in this case, said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in a statement, calling the killers actions heinous. Randall-Saldivar was less than 8 years old when he was found wandering the streets of San Franciscos Chinatown. After a stint in foster care, he was adopted. He had been a client at Larkin Street Youth Services, where he received assistance and housing in one of their buildings in the Tenderloin. According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, Randall-Saldivar who was an acquaintance of the killers visited Rowe and Andersons apartment on the 1200 block of Market Street on Feb. 3, 2019. Once Randall-Saldivar entered the apartment and sat on a chair, the couple tied his hands behind his back, put a noose around his neck and began yanking on it, prosecutors said. The noose was tethered through a pulley device near the ceiling. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Randall-Saldivars hands were bound behind his back with a strap, duct tape and zip ties, and he was tortured for more than four hours in this position as he was hit, punched, screamed at, sodomized and assaulted with pliers. A bag was eventually placed over his head, prosecutors said. Rowe, a San Francisco resident, then left the apartment to acquire fentanyl, and when he returned, the couple injected the victim with a syringe full of fentanyl and a water mixture. Within 90 seconds, Randall-Saldivar began to convulse. While Randall-Saldivar was still alive, the killers folded him into a large suitcase and zipped it up. Court documents showed one of the defendants eating junk food and playing guitar over the suitcase, which was left in the apartment for almost an entire day while Rowe and Anderson went about their daily activities. In the early morning hours of Feb. 5, the killers rolled the suitcase down Market Street and tossed it into the bay near Rincon Park. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under the cover of Covid, and now in the shadow of the infamous Election Irregularities of that fated 2020 presidential election, with current emerging alleged election fraud in Nevada and Pennsylvania inconveniently slipping into the public discourse, there is proved a colluded ongoing Election Interference in the nomination of the Republican candidate, the likes of which has never occurred in our Constitutional Republic's history, albeit, the question remains: Do you support the plain-sight Election Interference of the Democratic Socialist party, employing its minions in their Propagandistic Media, and their Two Tiered Justice System? 98.25% No, I do not support Election Interference; I am a patriot unto our Constitution.1.75% Yes, I do support Election Interference; the alternative, Donald Trump, to this mentally diminished president is far worse.0% "What, me worry" if elections are rigged? On the first anniversary of a mass shooting, ALAS founder Belinda Hernandez-Arriaga speaks during a roundtable discussion titled Remembering and Advocating One Year Later in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle On the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting, survivor Pedro Romero Perez speaks during a roundtable discussion titled Remembering and Advocating One Year Later in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle On the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting, a moment of silence is held during a roundtable discussion titled Remembering and Advocating One Year Later in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle On the one-year anniversary of a mass shooting, a display of flowers, memorializing the victims, adorns a stage at Mac Dutra Plaza in Half Moon Bay on Tuesday. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle HALF MOON BAY One year after a gunman opened fire in Half Moon Bay, killing seven farmworkers, Pedro Romero told an assembly of local and state lawmakers on Tuesday about his brother, who was among the dead, and their shattered family. I came to his country to help my family have a better life, Romero said through a Spanish translator. My father, my brothers, we didnt have anything. They once dreamed of building a house in their native Oaxaca, Romero said. He now lives in housing paid for by the county and local community groups as he faces a future without his brother, who left behind a wife and children in Mexico. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I need your help because now I only think about this tragedy, he said. The assembly, hosted by Ayudando Latinos a Sonar, a local nonprofit known as ALAS, and the Latino Community Foundation, was attended by former Democratic presidential candidate and Obama administration official Julian Castro as well as Rep. Anna Eshoo, who has represented the area for three decades. Representatives from the Biden and Newsom administrations were also present. The anniversary arrived on the same day that suspected gunman Chunli Zhao, 66, appeared in San Mateo County Superior Court. Zhao, who pleaded not guilty to seven counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, could face the death penalty if convicted. Speakers said the shootings galvanized the community to address farmworkers poor living conditions, which they said were well-known locally but rarely acknowledged. Farmworkers have been neglected for too many years, said Victoria Sanchez De Alba, who identified herself as a former farmworker. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The killings, carried out at two mushroom farms, cast light on the low wages and dismal living conditions of farm workers in rural San Mateo County, where the agriculture industry employs more than 5,000 people, many of them immigrants. Subsequent investigations revealed that workers often lived in squalid conditions, sometimes without running water or proper sanitation. Eshoo praised local Chinese and Latino community leaders for taking action from day one. Any other community would have been paralyzed, the congresswoman said. This community understood the shame that was under it and started to get rid of the shame. In the year since the shooting, San Mateo County officials have worked to obtain funding for farmworker housing while providing those displaced with housing and basic needs. Three housing developments in Half Moon Bay are in the planning stages, but officials have said it could take up to four years until they are ready. Farmworker advocates have lamented the slow pace of progress reflecting the difficulty of accessing and assisting long-neglected communities. But on Tuesday, the mood at the assembly was optimistic, with some speakers expressing hope that the anniversary would spur greater investment in farmworker housing and health care. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Castro, now the CEO of the Latino Community Foundation, called for long overdue improvements to farmworkers quality of life. Today is a time to reflect on the tragedy and also to do something to improve the lives of farmworkers, to take people out of the shadows and into the light, Castro said. Many, like ALAS board member Enrique Bazan, expressed hope that the anniversary would bring renewed attention to the ongoing needs of marginalized communities in San Mateo. We cannot forget that we still have work to do, Bazan said. The West Virginia House of Delegates had its second reading for House Bill 4432, a 25-page bill that would allow physician assistants to own their own practices, according to a Jan. 22 report from Metro News. An amendment at the end of the bill would also allow certified registered nurse anesthetists to administer anesthesia in cooperation with a physician, podiatrist or dentist. Currently, CRNAs in the state are only permitted to administer anesthesia under supervision of a physician or dentist. Cooperation is defined as "working together with each contributing an area of expertise in accord with their training levels." The change would allow hospitals to set their own policies. The CRNA amendment was controversial among House representatives and delegates, stirring debate on the House floor. The amendment to expand CRNAs' abilities failed on a vote of 31-65, but the House Bill will undergo its third reading for passage on Jan. 23. A former Mineola, N.Y., physician has been sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for his role in overprescribing opioids that killed five patients, CBS News New York reported Jan. 22. George Blatti, MD, sold nearly 2 million opioid and amphetamine prescriptions for cash, according to the report. He allegedly ignored repeated warnings from pharmacists and payers and prescribed large amounts of opioids and other drugs to his patients. Dr. Blatti is the first physician in the state to be charged with murder in the second degree under the theory of depraved indifference to human life. The charge was later reduced to five counts of manslaughter in 2021. He would sign prescriptions in his car and then sell them out of a makeshift office, according to the report. Patients would line up at his car and get in the passenger seat to purchase the prescriptions. The Citizens' Council for Health Freedom, a nonprofit organization focused on healthcare policy, raised concerns over General Catalyst's recently announced plans to acquire Akron, Ohio-based Summa Health and its intent to convert the health system and insurance plan into a for-profit entity. "Private equity is focused on profits," Twila Brase, RN, co-founder and president of the CCHF, said in a Jan. 22 news release from the organization. "Physicians and hospitals are focused on patients or they should be. The problem for patients today is that the mission of medicine has been taken over by the business of healthcare." The nonprofit said this acquisition and similar private equity acquisitions in healthcare are furthering a "corporate takeover of medicine" and derailing physicians from prioritizing providing quality care, according to the release. In the release, the CCHF urged providers to consider leaving practices managed by private equity firms to better align with patient-focused medicine. Medicine seems to be at a tipping point regarding workforce recruiting, and private equity, disruptors and massive health systems are all competing for physicians. But where do gastroenterologists fit into this dynamic? Here are three notes on how private practice affects gastroenterology: 1. Private equity has increased its role in gastroenterology in recent years. As of October, around 10% of gastroenterology physicians are a part of a private equity-backed platform, according to Healthcare Appraisers' 2023 GI "Industry Outlook" report, published in September. 2. Although the number of physicians of all specialties are less likely to work in private practice now than they were 10 years ago, according to a recently released analysis from the American Medical Association, gastroenterologists have maintained their presence as private practice providers. Data from career site Zippa found that 88% of gastroenterologists work in private practice. 3. Compensation is on the rise for gastroenterologists in all practice settings, increasing by 9% from 2018 to 2023, according to the Healthcare Appraiser report. Private practice gastroenterologists have an edge regarding pay: In the same period, the median compensation for gastroenterologists working at hospital-owned groups or MSOs increased 4%, compared to a 15% increase for those at physician-owned groups. In the last year, the number of healthcare organizations with a minimum wage of $15 or higher has skyrocketed, according to a recent survey from consulting firm SullivanCotter. From 2022 to 2023, the percentage of healthcare providers with an internal minimum wage of more than $15 per hour went from 15.6% to 29.1%. Additionally, 90% of providers have an internal hourly minimum wage higher than the federal, state and local wage. The survey reflects a wider trend. Nearly 10 million workers received a raise after minimum wage increases went into effect Jan. 1 in 22 states. Almost 900,000 unionized U.S. employees secured double-digit pay increases throughout the year, according to data from CNN. A number of health systems have made moves to increase their minimum wage for employees in the last year to ensure retention. Nurses in particular have seen massive wage increases, including a 37% increase to the average base wage at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and an average raise of 40% over four years for employees at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana (Calif.) Medical Center. ASCs often struggle to compete with the deep pockets of hospitals, making labor costs and retention one of the biggest obstacles ASCs faced in 2023. More than 68% of facilities reported having a more difficult time recruiting experienced operating room nurses in the last 12 months, according to a 2023 survey from OR Manager. Additionally, the average percentage of operating revenue ASCs spent on paying employees was 21.3%, according to a report from VMG Health. The same report found that highest spenders paid 29% of their earnings to compensate staff. Some leaders have said these pressures are easing, however. "Although there are signs that the overall labor market nationwide is easing, there are two factors that make it difficult for me to tell for sure," Alfonso del Granado, administrator and CEO of Covenant High Plains Surgery Centers in Texas, told Becker's. "First, healthcare labor has its own challenges that have been worsening over the past decade, and these decouple it somewhat from the general labor market. And second, my experience is very regionalized, as my centers are at a geographic remove from major population centers, which makes it hard to import labor, but also ensures a reasonably steady local supply." Other leaders, including Ira Richterman, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Canton, Ohio-based OrthoUnited Spectrum, have found that ASCs are able to maintain staff at a lower pay rate in return for work-life balance considerations. "Working during the day and no nights, weekends or holidays certainly represents great value," Dr. Richterman told Becker's. "Hospital systems have created an unsustainable pay scale escalation. These overinflated labor costs are having detrimental consequences to their financial survival." In response to a growing pile of questions about compliance with the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, HHS and CMS are deploying new education efforts. The two organizations are partnering with hospitals to "disseminate training materials on providers' obligations under EMTALA," assemble providers to discuss best practices and common issues, and educate patients on their rights, according to a Jan. 22 CMS news release. HHS is also organizing a dedicated team to help hospitals comply with EMTALA. News of the effort follows HHS' decision that OU Health did not violate the federal law after denying an abortion to a woman with a nonviable pregnancy. Nashville, Tenn.-based Ardent Health Services said an unauthorized actor extracted copies of documents containing patient information from its organization and affiliates during a Nov. 23 ransomware attack. According to a Jan. 22 update from Ardent's website, certain individuals' personal information was compromised during the attack and its data review process is "ongoing." Ardent began mailing letters to those affected Jan. 22, but did not disclose how many patients were affected or what kinds of information was compromised. UT Health Tyler, in Texas, was among the affiliates whose patient information was breached as a result of the attack on Ardent, according to news outlet Tyler Morning Telegraph. Ardent says it has no indication that the compromised information has been misused. The health system owns and operates 30 hospitals and more than 200 sites of care. Stafford, Conn.-based Johnson Memorial Hospital, part of Hartford, Conn.-based Trinity Health of New England, is appealing a $394,000 civil penalty from the state Office of Health Strategy for failing to resume labor and delivery services despite state requirements to do so, CT Insider reported Jan. 20. The Office of Health Strategy issued the notice of civil penalty on June 29, 2022. At the time, state officials believed the hospital willfully failed to resume labor and delivery services despite the expiration of a temporary waiver granted pursuant to an executive order signed by the governor, according to the notice, which was shared with Becker's. The executive order, signed in 2020, authorized the Office of Health Strategy to waive certificate-of-need statutory and regulatory requirements for certain transactions. A subsequent executive order extended the authority of the office to continue to waive these requirements through May 29, 2021. Tina Kumar-Hyde, a spokesperson for the Office of Health Strategy, told Becker's that Johnson Memorial has requested a hearing to contest the civil penalty. "OHS' hearing officer is working on the proposed final decision in this matter," she said. "The proposed final decision will recommend that the [OHS] executive director either uphold, mitigate or waive the assessed penalty." Additionally, the hospital sought approval from the state in September 2022 to close its labor and delivery unit. On Jan. 16, Connecticut's Office of Health Strategy recommended that the executive director deny the request, Ms. Kumar-Hyde said. The hospital may, within 21 days, or by Feb. 6, request to file exceptions, a brief, and present oral argument. Ms. Kumar-Hyde said the executive director will then issue a final decision that adopts, modifies or reverses the proposed final decision related to the recommendation. Trinity Health of New England shared the following statement with Becker's: "Our appeal of the civil penalty assessed by the Office of Health Strategy is pending. While it's not clear when OHS will render a decision on the matter, we remain committed to working with state officials to ensure we are able to meet the ever-changing healthcare needs of the greater Stafford community. "We are currently deliberating our next steps regarding the [certificate-of-need application] denial. We are dedicated to continuing to work with state officials to resolve this issue and further our goal of providing safe, high-quality care." The spokesperson did not say whether the birthing unit would reopen. Discussion around artificial intelligence in healthcare has exploded as the technology looks promising in making healthcare more efficient, but is the discourse around the topic causing fatigue? Will Weider, CIO and senior vice president of Wausau, Wis.-based Aspirus Health posted on LinkedIn, "I am suffering from AI discussion fatigue." The CIO stated that excitement surrounding AI has yet to materialize into readily deployable transformative solutions in healthcare. "It seems like my peers and I have not really done much other than stand up AI governance structures for technologies that have yet to materialize," he wrote. "Am I missing the boat? What are the real-world AI wins in healthcare?" But Karandeep Singh, MD, inaugural chief health artificial intelligence officer of UC San Diego Health, told Becker's AI discussion fatigue isn't generally happening in the healthcare space. "AI discussion fatigue in this case isn't coming from healthcare," he said. "It's coming from outside of healthcare as people continue discussing recent advancements in large language models like GPT 3.5, but for people in healthcare, the excitement is there." According to Dr. Singh, healthcare organizations are actively engaging in pilot projects to explore the potential of AI in healthcare. One notable example involves understanding patient safety reports, where large language models assist in identifying contributing factors to safety events more efficiently. Additionally, the shift toward using AI in text analysis for tasks like medication identification signals a promising avenue for healthcare applications, according to Dr. Singh. B.J. Moore, chief information officer of Renton, Wash.-based Providence, commented on Mr. Weider's post to share some of the use cases already in the works at his organization. According to Mr. Moore, Providence has four customized generative AI solutions Grace, Providence Chat, ProvAria and MedPear that are actively "adding tremendous value for our customers, patients and caregivers." Moreover, Mr. Moore said Providence is "finding great value in" Microsoft's M365 co-pilot, and is looking to deploy Oracle and Epic's generative AI capabilities. But when assessing the impact of AI on healthcare transformation, Dr. Singh pointed out that it might be premature to make definitive judgments. "I think it is way too soon to be making that call," he said. "The biggest place that large language models can help is in making sense of clinical text in the electronic health record. That text is unfortunately not easily accessed by AI tools, and there isn't a standardized place to put AI tools like large language models in the health IT environment. I think as these growing pains resolve, we will see more widespread use and impact from these tools." The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club on Sunday rescinded its endorsement of President Joe Biden in the March primary over the presidents handling of the conflict in Gaza. Club officials believe theyre the first Democratic club in the state to withdraw an endorsement. Evan Vucci/Associated Press San Franciscos Harvey Milk LGBTQ Democratic Club voted Sunday to rescind its endorsement of President Joe Biden in the March primary, citing widespread outrage and indignation from its members over the presidents handling of the war in Gaza. The group made clear that its withdrawal of the Biden endorsement only applies to the March primary election, not to the general election in November, when Biden could yet again face off against former President Donald Trump in a repeat of the 2020 race. Focused on the crisis in Gaza, we condemn President Bidens misguided and perilous actions, and inaction, which undermine the long-term interests of both Israelis and Palestinians, the club said in a statement announcing the decision. While our stance doesnt extend to the November 2024 general elections, we aim to send a powerful signal to President Biden and the Democratic establishment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The group said in its statement that it takes issue with Bidens strong support for Israel and a lack of pressure toward getting international aid into Gaza. And members questioned reports that the president has advised Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to practice restraint in Gaza. Jeffrey Kwong, president of the Milk club, said about a hundred members attended the Sunday night virtual meeting to vote. Among the attendees were San Francisco supervisors who passed a resolution earlier this month calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Mayor London Breed last week declined to veto that resolution, though she publicly criticized the vote. The club announced in October that it would endorse Biden in the primary election, but since then there was general growth in dissatisfaction with the president amongst the liberal base, Kwong said in an interview. Yes, this is a precarious time for the United States, Kwong said, referring to the importance of this presidential election. At the same time, this humanitarian crisis has been in our hearts and minds, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Harvey Milk LGBTQ Club was founded in 1976 and carries the name of San Franciscos first openly gay supervisor. The group embraces progressive politics, including but not limited to LGBTQ issues, though Kwong said that human rights topics are always a priority because of the current and historical actions taken against queer communities. Weve always stood up when it comes to human rights issues around the globe, Kwong said. Rescinding its endorsement is unlikely to have any impact on the primary election since the group largely focuses on San Francisco politics, and Biden is running virtually unopposed for the nomination anyway. Jason McDaniel, a political science professor at San Francisco State University, said he thought the vote was due in large part to progressive Democrats wanting to keep Gaza in the public and political spotlight. Its more about keeping this issue alive and trying to keep this as a part of the conversation, McDaniel said. Its not going to affect the nomination. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Still, the decision was met with some pushback. Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, who has been endorsed by the club in his re-election race, said he disagreed with the Biden decision because he thinks this presidential election is too important to tinker with. I understand that people want to see the war end I want to see the war end but I dont think that needs to mean un-endorsing Biden, Wiener said. This is a high-stakes election. And I think its important to make sure that Joe Biden is re-elected. Its essential for our democracy and the world. Kwong acknowledged that the clubs vote likely wont impact Bidens primary results, but he hoped rescinding the nomination would send a strong message to the administration. Were the rank and file, were one of the largest Democratic clubs in the state, and you need to listen, Kwong said. Because we are the ones who will go out and knock on doors, we are the ones who will do phone banks for swing states. Denver Health "is at a critical, critical point," according to its CEO, Donna Lynne, DrPH. The health system is overwhelmed with care costs for uninsured patients, particularly migrants 36,000 of whom have arrived in Denver since December 2022, according to The Denver Post. "Where do you think the migrants are getting care? They are getting care at Denver Health," Dr. Lynne said at a Jan. 9 finance and governance committee meeting. Her remarks were reported by CBS Colorado on Jan. 12. "While I have tremendous compassion for what's going on, it's heartbreaking," Dr. Lynne continued. "It's going to break Denver Health in a way that we didn't even anticipate." Denver Health has treated more than 8,000 migrants who lack legal documentation in the past year, totaling about 20,000 visits, according to Steven Federico, MD, a pediatrician at the health system. The majority of these patients are coming from Venezuela and arrive needing treatment for chronic and communicable diseases after making the difficult journey. Eric Lavonas, MD, an emergency physician at Denver Health, expects the situation to worsen as subzero temperatures sweep across Colorado, exposing unhoused, uninsured populations to frostbite and hypothermia. In 2020, the health system had about $60 million in uncompensated care costs. Last year, costs sprung to $136 million, a quarter of which came from caring for non-Denver residents. Due to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, Denver Health cannot turn patients away from the emergency room and has resorted to other cost-cutting measures. The system closed 15 of its 78 inpatient beds for substance misuse and mental health treatment and did away with planned salary increases. Denver Health lost $35 million in 2022, and 2023 could have been worse had the system not received some outside help, according to the Post. The state, Kaiser Permanente Colorado and private donors infused a collective $20 million into the health system, which ended the year $2 million in the red. It was the first year that Denver Health received some state funding outside of Medicaid. "I suspect that no other hospital in the state of Colorado can say that [they have cared for so many migrants] and there has been no reimbursement for that and quite frankly it is an ongoing conversation with the city, with the state and with the federal government," Dr. Lynne said. Baruch Fertel, MD, vice president of quality and patient safety at NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City, is eager for the new year. He spoke with Becker's about what's ahead for the hospital system this year. Note: This conversation was lightly edited for clarity. Question: What are you most excited for in 2024? Dr. Baruch Fertel: It's a new year, and new resets. It gives you the opportunity to build on what you've accomplished in the year before and have a fresh start. I lead quality and safety for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and the new year is an opportunity for a reset of our annual metrics, and it's refreshing. People like to build. They like to have a fresh start. It is an exciting time when everybody comes in energized and enthused after the holidays and ready to hit the ground running. Q: When you're thinking about last year, what are the biggest highlights of last year and what's a challenge from last year that you're hoping to tackle this year? BF: Last year we spent a lot of focus on aligning our quality structure across the health system. We're a matrixed organization, so we have a model where there is a mix of local ownership with central oversight. So our various campuses own their quality area, own their data, and we work to standardize at the system level. This year we would like to spend more time on proactive quality. We will look for those opportunities to deliver better care to our patients and to make sure that we're achieving the most superior outcomes. Q: What kind of strategies are you thinking of employing and what will they look like? BF: We will use a combination of benchmarked data and our event reporting system to identify those areas where we have opportunity. If we're seeing signals in the data that something's not going in the right direction, how can we intervene sooner? Or if we look at our safety data and we see that we have a couple of near misses in an area that tells us that something may not be right, it allows us to come back and do a deeper dive and see if we have to refine some of our processes and prevent harm. Q: What have been some of the biggest obstacles when it comes to quality and patient safety at NewYork-Presbyterian? BF: Emergency department boarding is an opportunity as well as timely access to care. Those are all areas that our leadership is intensely focused on. We are looking to optimize these processes. Q: What other health care trends have you been following? BF: Employees should connect with the mission, feel valued and do things that are meaningful. Engagement is key because if we have engaged staff that feel connected to the mission, they're going to give it their all. Patients want to receive the amazing patient centered high-quality care we offer. It starts with having staff and a team that really feels engaged, motivated and part of what we're doing and the leadership that models the way. Q: As a healthcare leader, what engages you, what gets you out of bed? BF: The ability to make a difference for patients. We are all patients. Every one of us or our family, at one point in life will be a patient. The work that we do is meaningful. We can improve people's lives. We can help make them better. We can allow them to get to the next occasion that they want to experience, enjoy a few more years and have a better quality of life. We can develop evidenced based pathways that deliver superior outcomes. We can bring our world class care to every patient we touch. That opportunity on a broad scale is priceless. Like what you see? All executives featured in this article will speak at the 14th Annual Meeting in Chicago! Hospital and health system leaders, click here to apply for a complimentary badge. Interested in exhibitor or sponsorship opportunities to connect with 3,000+ hospital and health system leaders? Download the prospectus here. Nurses began a seven-day strike Jan. 21 at Honolulu-based Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, according to a Jan. 22 report from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Seven things to know about the strike and negotiations: 1. The Hawaii Nurses Association, which represents about 600 nurses at Kapiolani, organized the strike, according to the Star-Advertiser. It is slated to last through 6:59 a.m. Jan. 28. 2. Meanwhile, temporary nurses are now working with care teams at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children during the strike, Gidget Ruscetta, BSN, the hospital's COO, said in a statement shared with Becker's. "Our entire medical center is operating as usual from our emergency department to our operating rooms." 3. The strike follows months of negotiations, which began in mid-September, with staffing as a key point of contention. 4. Ms. Ruscetta previously told Becker's that the hospital has proposed staffing guidelines "that allow us to adjust to the needs of our patients. We consistently evaluate how many patients we have and how sick they are. These guidelines give us the flexibility to bring in more nurses, when needed. In addition, our proposal also gives our nurses a more active role in staffing assignments and enforcement." 5. The union, which, according to the Star-Advertiser, wants nurse-patient ratios codified in the contract, contends working conditions are worsening and that short staffing is forcing nurses to care for too many, too sick patients. It also contends nurses are being mandated to work overtime, sometimes clocking 16-hour shifts. 6. "This fight is about being able to take care of patients well, and give them the time and attention they need to heal," the Hawaii Nurses Association wrote on its Facebook page on Jan. 10. "It's about leaving work feeling like you can still go back the next day. It's about dignity, for nurses and patients for our whole community. It's time for a change in our healthcare system." 7. "We value our nurses and all of our care teams," Ms. Ruscetta said. "We hope to reach an agreement." Bargaining sessions are scheduled for Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, according to the Star-Advertiser. An attorney who worked as a vice president and COO of an Illinois hospital pleaded guilty Jan. 22 to a federal fraud charge. Robert Spadoni, 59, the former COO of Rush Oak Park (Ill.) Hospital, defrauded the facility in a scheme in which he obtained more than $620,000 in hospital funds, according to a Jan. 22 Justice Department news release. Mr. Spadoni admitted in his plea agreement that from 2013 to 2021, he approved the hospital's payment of invoices to Medical Education Solutions, a vendor company he established that purportedly provided administrative support and compliance services. However, in actuality, Mr. Spadoni opened a bank account for Medical Education Solutions in a relative's name, and the hospital's payments were put into the account, prosecutors said. All the while, he paid $1,500 monthly to another hospital employee to actually provide the administrative and compliance services. Overall, the fraud resulted in Mr. Spadoni obtaining approximately $622,500 in payments from the hospital, which was used for things like restaurant meals and hotel stays, the plea agreement states, according to the release. Mr. Spadoni also transferred $225,805 into his 401(k) account. When sentenced, Mr. Spadoni will face up to 20 years in prison, according to the Justice Department. Rush Oak Park Hospital is part of Chicago-based Rush, which also comprises Rush University and Rush University Medical Center, Aurora, Ill.-based Rush Copley Medical Center, as well as a provider network and numerous outpatient care facilities. Rush told Becker's it will reserve comment until April, when sentencing is scheduled. Hollywood, Fla.-based Memorial Healthcare System has placed an employee on unpaid administrative leave and launched an internal investigation after learning of allegations against the employee from the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. Former Miami-Dade public school board member Lubby Navarro, who is a registered lobbyist in the Government Affairs Department at Memorial Healthcare System, is accused of using about $100,000 in school funds for personal benefit. The State Attorney's Office filed criminal charges against Ms. Navarro on Jan. 11. The charges, which include fraud and grand theft, stem from her time on the school board in 2022, according to Fox affiliate WSVN. Ms. Navarro is "unequivocally innocent of all charges that have been filed," her attorney has said, while the school board has committed to more oversight, according to the news station. Ms. Navarro's latest employer is Memorial Healthcare System, which includes Memorial Regional Hospital, its flagship facility. Yanet Obarrio-Sanchez, administrative director of corporate communications for the health system, told Becker's that Ms. Navarro was placed on unpaid administrative leave after the health system learned of the allegations brought against her. "As a standard procedure, Memorial immediately began an internal investigation," Ms. Obarrio-Sanchez said. The investigation is into Ms. Navarro's work and transactions. Ms. Obarrio-Sanchez said the health system also removed her access to her company credit card and health system facilities. "Our commitment to maintaining the highest standard of integrity remains unwavering as we determine the facts of the matter," Ms. Obarrio-Sanchez said. "All future actions will be taken in the best interest of the communities we serve. This remains an ongoing investigation." The Florida Senate approved an $800 million legislative package meant to strengthen the state's healthcare workforce and advance access to care. The Live Healthy Act made up of bills SB 7016 and SB 7018 was unanimously approved in a Jan. 18 vote. The legislation package includes millions in tuition assistance for nurses, physicians and other medical professionals. SB 7016 the main bill that earmarks more than $716 million for a broad range of workforce efforts includes a requirement for all hospitals with emergency departments to submit a diversion plan to the state that details how they will support patients in accessing the appropriate care setting when they present to the ED with a non emergency condition or are not connected with a primary care provider. Those plans must include a partnership agreement with at least one local federally qualified health center or other primary care setting, and/or the establishment of a hospital-owned urgent care center adjacent to the hospital ED or an agreement with a nearby urgent care center. The second bill, SB 7018, sets aside $50 million for healthcare innovation efforts. The act now heads to the Florida House of Representatives. When asked whether the governor will support the healthcare package, a spokesperson for Gov. Ron Desantis told the Orlando Sentinel, that Mr. DeSantis "will review the legislation once it's in its final form and delivered to our office." With a recent report showing the nurse vacancy rate remains "critical" at 15.7% nationally, many health leaders are shedding light on the importance of reducing these numbers. "Lack of support, healthy work environment. There's an increase in patient behaviors. That is very challenging for nurses, how to manage the behavioral patient, and it's just been on a high rise. You see it in primary care, you see it in the ED, you see it on the news. There's nurses losing their lives in these situations," Stacy Bentil, DNP, MSN, RN, told Becker's. Dr. Bentil said a nurse's environment is a key factor for why we might be seeing higher turnover rates, and stresses the importance of looking at the "holistic" picture. "You've got to look at it with a different lens, try to reverse it. More well-being, mindfulness and wellness for those nurses. They're running around, 12-hour shifts, one bathroom break, if that, and a 30-minute lunch for 12 to 13 hours. Can we change the lens and maybe institute some type of well-being, wellness activity throughout the day just to kind of keep the momentum going," she said. Along with improvements to work life balance and loan forgiveness programs, Dr. Bentil said nurses deserve to feel heard. "Let them go to conferences and learn more. Let them partner with leadership and not just see leadership at the high level. Where's the front-liners at? Let's see them. Let's hear their voices. It's very important," Dr. Bentil said. To ensure nurses are not overwhelmed in their workplace, Dr. Bentil pointed to health policy to ensure proper staffing levels and workload assessments. "It needs to be looked at on a congressional level because nursing is everywhere. It's international, they're always going to need it, so how do we make it conducive and safe to be able to practice with the ratios that nurses are facing today." To combat existing nurse turnover rates, Dr. Bentil suggested healthcare organizations look to international nursing. "They're very innovative and have different ideas as well. Partner with them. Let's make it global. It's a global profession." Dr. Bentil also highlighted the importance of capturing nursing interest even at a high school level. "Can they shadow in the summertime? A little internship, just to get acclimated to say this is cool, this is something I like, this is something I feel like I'll be passionate about and can provide great care to patients. Something I identify with." Along with looking at nursing through a new lens, Dr. Bentil said it's important for organizations to be at the forefront of engagement. "It is a challenge. We take it day by day, we strategize, if we were in our bedside nurses' shoes, what would we want? Hear the patient's feedback as well. Really try to cater to best practices," she said. North Carolina's state health plan dropped new coverage for weight loss drugs Jan. 1, a decision that is expected to cost the state $54 million in lost drug rebates, WRAL News reported Jan. 12. In October, the board overseeing North Carolina's state health plan instituted a moratorium on coverage of new prescriptions for GLP-1s. The decision does not affect employees taking the drugs for diabetes. North Carolina's treasurer, Dale Folwell, had urged the state board to end coverage for GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Saxenda, citing high costs. The state's health plan provides coverage to more than 740,000 public and state employees, retirees and their dependents. It is currently facing a $4.2 billion funding gap over the next five years. According to Mr. Falwell, weight-loss drugs have a net cost of more than $800 per member per month. The plan spent $52.3 million on Wegovy and Saxenda specifically during the first half of 2022, accounting for 2.6% of Novo Nordisk's entire North American profits on the two products. Spending on the two drugs was projected to exceed $170 million in 2024, and increase to more than $1 billion over the next six years. According to WRAL, GLP-1 prescriptions under the state health plan grew to 25,000 by the end of 2023, leading to spending of about $100 million for the drugs, or 10% of all prescription drug spend. With the state board's decision not to cover new GLP-1 prescriptions, the plan will not qualify for a 40% rebate from the manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, and the plan's PBM, CVS Caremark, causing the price of GLP-1 prescriptions to increase $54 million in 2024. We remain confident in our ability to deliver a solution to the State Health Plan that provides coverage for weight-loss drugs while delivering meaningful discounts, a CVS Caremark spokesperson told WRAL. Orthopedic and arthroscopic soft tissue repair innovator Abanza has added John Rizzo as its executive vice president for U.S. operations. Mr. Rizzo has experience building successful teams and distribution channels for both start-ups and late-stage companies. He previously served as senior vice president of Embody, playing a role in the medical device company's acquisition by Zimmer Biomet, according to a Jan. 22 press release. Before Embody, he led sales at Knee Creations, which was also successfully acquired by Zimmer Biomet. Abanza is preparing for the launch of new products led by its flagship product, the Washercap soft tissue fixation system. Abanza is also looking to expand its U.S. team, bolstering the company's operational capacity. From a new CEO appointment to several biologics partnerships, last year was a big one for medtech company Zimmer Biomet. Here are some of Zimmer Biomet's biggest shake-ups since the start of 2023: 1. Louis Shapiro, former president and CEO of New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery, has joined Zimmer Biomet's board of directors. 2. Zimmer Biomet teamed up with Warsaw, Ind.-based nonprofit OrthoWorx and the Warsaw public school district to prepare high schoolers for careers in the orthopedic manufacturing industry, offering internship opportunities during the school year. 3. Zimmer Biomet posted $1.7 billion in third quarter sales, with quarterly sales growing 5% year over year. 4. HippoFi and Zimmer Biomet partnered to develop and launch a novel synthetic biomaterial for bone growth. HippoFi and its subsidiary PUR Biologics have FDA 510(k) clearance for ActiveOrb technology and a global license from Zimmer Biomet to use in the spine market. 5. Zimmer Biomet promoted orthopedic surgeon and hip and knee reconstruction specialist Nitin Goyal, MD, to its executive leadership team. He serves as the company's chief science, technology and innovation officer. 6. Zimmer Biomet tapped Ivan Tornos, its chief operating officer, as CEO. 7. Zimmer Biomet's Persona IQ smart knee implant earned CMS' new technology add-on payment and will enable an additional payment of about $850 more per knee. 8. Zimmer Biomet acquired Ossis, a medical device company specializing in personalized 3D-printed implants for hip replacements. In 2021, Zimmer partnered with Ossis as the company's Asia Pacific partner for 3D-printed titanium hip joint replacements and other pelvic bone replacement surgery. 9. ZimVie, Zimmer Biomet's spinoff company, partnered with Brainlab to support its spine technologies. 10. Zimmer Biomet signed an agreement to acquire Embody, an orthobiologics company, for $155 million. A security guard stands watch at In-N-Out Burger on Oakport Street in Oakland on Monday. The company announced it will permanently close this store due to ongoing issues with crime. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle A police car drives past an In-N-Out Burger on Oakport Street on Monday. The fast-food chain announced that its last day of business at this location will be March 24. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle Oaklands public image has taken a beating recently, starting earlier this month when social media star and food critic Keith Lee ended his local food tour early because of homelessness, poverty and crime in the city. And this week, Oaklands only In-N-Out Burger announced it was closing because of crime. For decades, Oaklands public struggles have made it a tough place to love and an easy place to hate and criticize, which seems to be happening more often of late. But Oakland shouldnt be defined by its negative press. The city has its flaws, like any other urban area. Instead of getting caught up in fleeting viral dramas, the people of the Bay Area should embrace this opportunity to investigate the deeper problems affecting the city, especially East Oakland. How come criminal activity is so prevalent here? Why does development elude the neighborhood that In-N-Out called home for nearly 20 years? Advertisement Article continues below this ad Remember, In-N-Out isnt some benevolent institution. Its a fast-food chain driven by profit goals. If In-N-Outs primary concern is the well-being of the communities it serves, it wouldnt be leaving. Theres also a strange attachment to In-N-Out in the Bay Area, even though our region is supposedly a lover of mom-and-pop shops, and In-N-Out is a huge chain with overrated burgers and off-putting evangelical tendencies. Theres a good chance many of the critics of Oakland, who are weaponizing the In-N-Out closure to advance some anti-left messaging, see it as a symbol of the idyllic middle-class California lifestyle. But in East Oakland, the idea of a middle-class life is nothing more than a distant dream for many. East Oakland overall has a high concentration of low-income people, especially Black folks. Half of Oaklands Black families in poverty live in East Oakland, and their life expectancy is about 15 years less than that of white residents in the Oakland Hills, according to Rise East, a new community-led initiative that advocates for deep investments in the area. The area being abandoned by In-N-Out definitely needs investment. Less than a decade ago, In-N-Out was located next to a Walmart that for 10 years provided inexpensive food and hundreds of jobs for the community. Walmarts departure, which the company attributed to the store underperforming, didnt bring East Oakland to its knees, but its absence speaks to larger issues that have plagued neighborhoods for years vacant lots, abandoned buildings and a scarcity of businesses, all of which make it difficult for residents to find stable employment or create economic mobility. East Oaklands situation fosters an environment where crime becomes more likely. Not every criminal is a mastermind, so there are plenty of folks, with few legitimate means of making a living in an area lacking investment, who turn to illegal activities as a means of survival. Advertisement Article continues below this ad According to the Chronicle, the In-N-Out has become a hot spot for crime in recent years. Since 2019, police have logged 1,335 incidents in the vicinity of the diner on 8300 Oakport St. more than any other location in Oakland. Instead of fretting over the loss of In-N-Out, lets shed light on the economic disparities, limited resources and lack of opportunities that contribute to crime in East Oakland. And while East Oakland has always been a community that bands together when times get tough, residents shouldnt have to improve their community alone. Rise East has a well-defined 10-year plan to invest at least $100 million into the neighborhood. The investments, among many other things, will help improve peoples access to housing, jobs and other economic opportunities. But Rise East hasnt had the easiest time raising the $50 million it needs to start its work, which is disappointing, considering the amount of tech-related wealth in the region and how In-N-Out and countless other East Oakland outposts of fast-food mega-chains claim to care about charitable giving. East Oakland could also benefit from receiving some favorable attention from Oaklands top brass. The presence of city officials in and around the neighborhood, drawing attention to existing investments and announcing new ones, might have an effect similar to what city leaders say can be accomplished by deploying additional police to a crime-stricken area. These leaders can show that East Oakland matters just as much as downtown Oakland, and the city is willing to do whatever it takes to make it thrive. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When internet star Lee took it upon himself to highlight what he saw as Oaklands problems, his input was flawed, but it had some tough truths. He called on the city to do more. But crime rates, poverty and homelessness are complex issues that cant be easily resolved with quick-fix solutions. Chris Heaton-Harris extended the deadline until February 8 SDLP to submit amendment to try and force pay resolution Nothing has changed, says TUV leader Jim Allister Sinn Fein urge DUP to work with us A new deadline for resurrecting a power-sharing executive at Stormont is recognition that a deal has not been reached between the Government and the DUP, the party have said. Earlier on Tuesday, Chris Heaton-Harris announced the new deadline would be fixed for February 8. It is understood the Government will introduce a short bill at Westminster on Wednesday to set the new date after the last one lapsed on January 18. The DUP said the move was recognition that no deal has yet been reached. "The introduction of this Bill by the Secretary of State is recognition that, whilst significant progress has been made, to date an agreement has not been reached, said a party spokesperson. "We will continue to engage with the Government as we seek to successfully finalise all the remaining outstanding issues between us. "We are working hard to that end. "The Government knows our view that it is only when we have resolved the remaining outstanding issues that we will be able to bring about the necessary conditions for the return of devolved Government. Under legislation governing the formation of a devolved administration in Belfast, the Government assumes a legal duty to call a snap assembly election once a deadline for forming a ministerial executive is passed. However, in the face of a series of missed deadlines in the current power-sharing impasse, the Government has repeatedly opted to pass fresh legislation to set new deadlines, rather than opting for an election. NI Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said the latest intervention should be sufficient to restore devolution. "Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will be introducing the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation) Bill to allow for the reformation of Stormont, he said. "The Bill only has a single clause: to extend the period of time Stormont can legitimately come back until the 8th February. "I am committed to restoring devolution and significant progress has been made towards that objective. I believe that this Bill, with the constrained timescales, will be sufficient. The SDLP however have announced their intention to amend the legislation in an attempt to reform the process for appointing an Assembly Speaker. Leader Colum Eastwood also said the partys MPs Mr Eastwood and Claire Hanna would submit an amendment obligating Chris Heaton-Harris to deliver the public sector pay award in the absence of the Executive. "We will again bring forward a proposal to reform the process of electing a Speaker of the Assembly to remove the one-party veto that has overridden the clear will of a majority of MLAs, said Mr Eastwood. "We will also seek to place a legal obligation on the Secretary of State to deliver the resource for a pay award for public sector workers in line with the commitment made by the Northern Ireland Office and the British Treasury to parties before Christmas. "The people keeping our public services going should not be punished for a failure of political leadership. The SDLP told striking workers last week we would do everything we can to help them - we intend to keep that promise. "The psychodrama of the last few days, and the last few years, has helped no one. It is now time for political leaders to get back to work and for the DUP to make a deal. TUV Leader Jim Allister said the extension amounted to another attempt to bounce Unionists into submission to the pernicious Protocol. "Nothing has changed so it requires and deserves the same response: Protocol or Stormont, not both, he added. Sinn Feins Michelle ONeill - who would hold the position of First Minister should Stormont return said the public had had enough of the DUPs inaction. "They (people) need mature and positive leadership focused on delivering for them, she said. "My message to the DUP is to work with us, get round the Executive table and make a difference to peoples lives. "Thousands of public sector workers educating our children, caring for patients in our hospitals and running our transport services are once again being forced to take industrial action for the pay rises being denied to them. "It is time for action. Workers and their families cannot be left in the lurch any longer. The DUP leader should do the right thing and restore the democratic institutions. The DUP has been blocking devolved government since February 2022 over post-Brexit trade rules for NI. It is facing pressure to say if it will back a deal to end the 23-month impasse at Stormont. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris is set to again bring fresh legislation this week, albeit with a relatively short extension this time. The move suggests the Government remains hopeful a settlement can be reached within the next two weeks to enable power-sharing to return to Northern Ireland. Titanic Quarters future: CEO discusses student village, controversial apartments and the paused attraction plans James Eyre is the first Titanic Quarter Ltd chief executive since 2015. He tells Margaret Canning why hes so passionate about ongoing developments Titanic Quarter's Maritime Festival draws in crowds Margaret Canning Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 09:40 He sums up its work as bringing step changes to Northern Ireland, such as the emergence of a new film and TV industry in the 2000s after Harland & Wolffs old Paint Hall was transformed into Titanic Studios. Broadband provider Fibrus is expected to make around 60 network and construction jobs redundant, as it nears completion of its Northern Ireland rollout. In a statement, the Belfast-based provider said that it had begun a 30-day consultation with staff but did not confirm how many jobs were affected. In 2020, Fibrus won the contract to bring next-generation broadband to rural areas in NI as part of the government-backed Project Stratum. A spokesperson said: Fibrus is close to completing its planned rollout in NI with over 300,000 homes already able to receive a service from the company. In light of the imminent completion of its rollout in NI, the company has begun a consultation with its staff on the roles that will be affected due to this programme being completed. The focus of the company now will be to continue with its aggressive customer acquisition plan, with the company already servicing some 70,000 customers to date, including growth of over 40,000 in the past 12 months. The company plans to continue to grow its customer-facing areas, while the workforce in network, construction and relevant supporting areas is expected to be reduced. A worker who wished to remain anonymous said: The company announced that they would be making around 60 people redundant following a consultation process. They claimed the process was announced on a Teams call without pre-warning to senior management. My colleagues and I are struggling to get clarity on what the process entails, they added. A spokesperson for the Communication Workers Union, which represents a small number of Fibrus employees, said: The company received a large investment from the government when they took on Project Stratum back in 2020 and they recruited quite fiercely at the time, but it seems workers may not have been made aware of how short-lived this role would be for them, as it has definitely taken them by surprise. The broadband provider was tasked with building a network to make fast broadband available to 330,000 homes and businesses, including 84,500 rural premises under the Project Stratum scheme. Aimed at securing network connections for hard-to-reach rural areas, Project Stratum received 150m of funding from the government in 2017. Fibrus network rollout has been financed through a 200m loan facility and over 300m in government funding in total, and in August the company revealed that its network coverage extended to over 300,000 premises. Last year it was announced that the company had been awarded a 108m UK government contract in Cumbria. The contract was the biggest signed by the government under Project Gigabit, a 5bn programme to roll out gigabit-capable connections to hard-to-reach areas. US fintech company DailyPay is creating nearly 300 jobs in Belfast paying 42,500 on average in a 24m investment and its first overseas expansion. The New York-based firm works with companies to give workers access to their earned wages ahead of pay day. Its already hired nearly one third of the workers in customer excellence, product and software engineering it needs here Economic development agency Invest NI said DailyPays commitment to set up here was secured after its US team had sold the benefits of establishing an office in Northern Ireland. The firm set up in Northern Ireland in 2021 and is now based at McAuley House on Castle Street in Belfast. Ed Zaval, chief customer officer at DailyPay, said the culture, education, and people in Northern Ireland were key in its choice of Belfast. He said: DailyPay has built an award-winning, trusted, first-of-its-kind technology platform that is revolutionising the way employees are paid while dynamically changing the way money moves. We are thrilled to be expanding our talented team to augment the US engineering and customer support functions and open up opportunities for expanding our international reach. Northern Ireland offers a highly attractive investment location as it has a well-educated workforce, a cost-competitive business environment, and excellent support from Invest NI. We have already got our Belfast office up and running and recruited 100 staff and intend to have all the jobs in place by mid-2025. He told the Belfast Telegraph that the business offered an attractive package to workers. "We are working to foster a strong and diverse workforce here and ultimately Id like to think people want to work for us because of that. That diverse workforce drives innovation and growth. "Additionally it has an early careers programme that offers year-long placements and graduate opportunities. "So we offer this real world work experience for students and graduates and at the same time its a strong talent pipeline for us. "Weve had success so far in hiring because we are offering a competitive benefits and salary package that is pulling in the top talent we want. And he did not rule out more expansion in future, beyond a workforce of 293. "We intend to keep invest NI team up to date on our growth plans. We have about 17,000 sq ft of space which does comfortably fit the 293 employees. "However, keeping an eye on the future I did have a walk around some additional space, which would be available to us should we want to expand, and it was exciting to see that vacant space and the possibility of us using it in the future. But he said the move into NI did not reflect an immediate desire to expand its client list into the UK and Europe. "We certainly have customers in the US that have employees and offices based throughout the UK and Europe, and even more broadly than that. We didn't do this expansion specifically to open ourselves up for opportunities to market our platform here in the UK. It does afford us that opportunity in the future should we decide to. He said the companys platform had a simple premise and was aimed at people who were paid at one week, two week or monthly intervals. The company and the product was founded on the simple idea that why should workers have to wait two weeks to access wages theyve already earned. "Our on demand pay platform app integrates seamlessly with the employers payroll and workforce management platforms. It gives the users a real-time accumulating balance of available funds throughout the pay period and access to those funds, their earned income, before payday. An employee can use a reloadable debit card to access funds or a next-day automated clearing house transfer, both for no fee. But other services are available for a fee, he said. If they wanted instant transfer to bank account or debit card of their choice, they pay a fee of $3.49 and think of that as like an ATM fee. That is where we monetise the business. And he said it distanced itself from payday loan companies notorious for high rates of interest. Were on a mission to eliminate the predatory lending practices of those pay day loan companies. Company data suggested employees used money transferred through DailyPay for necessities like buying groceries, petrol and getting bills paid on time which Mr Zaval said resulted in their credit scores improving. Invest NI offered the company support for the roles and advisory support on setting up an office in Northern Ireland. Many of the roles are hybrid working, with two-thirds in customer excellence and the remainder in product and engineering roles. Mel Chittock, interim CEO of Invest NI, said: The success of the NI Investment Summit showed that Northern Ireland has a clear ability to deliver a world-class experience for investors. "DailyPay has joined a well-established cluster of software development companies who have come to Northern Ireland because of our talent pool, ease of access to the European market, and business-friendly environment. With an average compensation of 42,500, the new jobs will deliver over 12m to the local economy in additional salaries. "The jobs will enhance the capability of our workforce and, in particular our important financial services sector, by exposing it to new technologies which will contribute to strengthening our economy and deliver the Department for the Economys 10x vision. . Yorkshire Building Society reported that 550,000 members used passbooks between January and September last year (Mike Egerton/PA) More than half a million savers with a major building society used traditional passbooks in branches last year. Despite the rise in apps and new ways to transfer cash, new figures from Yorkshire Building Society indicate that the power of the passbook as a way of managing money remains strong. It reported that 550,000 members used passbooks a physical record of money paid into or taken out of a savings account between January and September last year. The society, which has nearly three million customers, said 550,000 individual members used passbooks at least once between January and September, either updating them with transactions, withdrawing or depositing funds or transferring to another account. The Yorkshire also commissioned Opinium to survey 2,000 UK adults in October 2023 about how they operate their finances. It found that 57% like to operate their finances online and 47% enjoy managing their money using apps. But more than a fifth (22%) said they prefer visiting their local branch to complete their banking, rising to almost a third (31%) of people aged over 55. Over a quarter (27%) of people surveyed said they visit their local branch at least once a month. One in six (16%) people surveyed said they still hold a passbook. When dealing with more complex financial needs, over a quarter (27%) of people said they would prefer to seek information from someone face to face in a branch, although a third (36%) would use websites and 27% would try to find out information via a firms app. When shopping around for a savings provider, over a quarter (26%) of people cited having the ability to visit a local branch as the most important factor. Chris Irwin, director of savings at Yorkshire Building Society, said: Helping people to save and to build up financial resilience is a key part of our purpose at Yorkshire Building Society. As this research shows, offering customers a choice of access is vitally important. Digital adoption has understandably sped up as a quick and easy alternative to face-to-face contact, especially during recent years, but we know a large amount of people still value in-branch banking and physical records. Making savings accessible for our customers in a way that best suits them, be that in one of our branches, online or via our app, supports our aim to continue to provide real help to our customers and members. Yorkshire Building Society has assets of 62.2 billion and Chelsea Building Society and Norwich & Peterborough Building Society are part of Yorkshire Building Society. Samuel Gault who was killed in the 1987 Enniskillen bomb A man whose father was killed in the Enniskillen bomb has said the awarding of around 1.6m in public money to help fund a film on controversial Irish language rappers Kneecap is disgusting. Last week, a biopic directed by Rich Peppiatt, which documents the rise of the west Belfast trio, became the first-ever Irish language film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah. Last year, the band revealed a mural with the slogan England Get Out of Ireland. A hand extends from a partitioned map of Ireland to grip an arm adorned with a Union flag as it places a Northern Ireland-shaped piece of land into place. Both land masses are depicted in the colours of the Irish flag. Their film, entitled Kneecap, stars Michael Fassbender alongside the group and has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, which has acquired all rights to the title for North America, Latin America, eastern Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. The project received 810,000 from the National Lottery via the British Film Institute, as well as 805,000 from Northern Ireland Screen. Stephen Gault, who was standing next to his dad Samuel (49) when he was killed in the Remembrance Day bombing, said the use of public money to fund the film was an insult. Twelve people lost their lives in the 1987 atrocity and over 60 were injured. He said it was disgusting that the National Lottery, who give money to very worthy causes, would give money to a film involving such a group. Samuel Gault who was killed in the 1987 Enniskillen bomb It comes after the band hit out via their X account at a Daily Mail article highlighting the public money spent on the film. They said the best part of the last five days had been P*****g off the Daily Mail. An earlier post sharing the article was accompanied by the caption: We only need to get lucky once. This phrase was used in an IRA statement after the October 1984 Brighton bombing which targeted members of the Conservative Party including then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher during their annual conference at the Grand Hotel. Five people were killed, including Conservative MP and deputy chief whip Sir Anthony Berry. Today we were unlucky, but remember, we have only to be lucky once, you will have to be lucky always, said a statement from the Provos at the time. Kneecap said they couldnt wait for the film to show people a side of Belfast that isnt about guns, bombs and death. To give an insight into the youth culture that has been born out of that madness we all needed a break from it and theres revenge in our laughter, they told Variety. Wherever we go we aim to smash preconceptions about cultural identity, language and highlight the role of the working classes to overthrow oppressive power. The film is earmarked for release in Irish cinemas later in the year. The National Lottery was contacted. NI Screen accepted that the film would not be universally popular in Northern Ireland. "The film Kneecap was never going to be universally celebrated in Northern Ireland, but Northern Ireland Screen must consistently apply its assessment criteria, said a spokesperson. "Against our criteria, Kneecap is performing strongly, already attracting very positive international reviews at its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival. "Northern Ireland Screen is committed to supporting independent film production in Northern Ireland as an integral sector within the screen industry here. "It also has a stated objective to support vibrant and diverse cultural voices that are recognised and celebrated equally at home and abroad. "Our assessment of the project placed considerable weight on the other strong national and international funding attached including an experienced international sales agent (Charades), UK and Ireland distributors Curzon and Wildcard as well as backing from the British Film Institute, Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland, Coimisiun na Mean, TG4 and Great Point Media. The British Film Institute (BFI) said their funding was not an endorsement of the politics depicted in the film or of political statements made by those involved in making the film. "The BFI Filmmaking Fund awards National Lottery funding to support films that champion new talent and unfamiliar stories from a broad range of voices, said a spokesperson. "The film Kneecap speaks to many of the Fund's priorities: it is a rare depiction of the Irish language; it is the narrative feature debut from writer/director Rich Peppiatt therefore supporting the development of emerging talent; and it was filmed in Northern Ireland providing jobs for local crew and production services on the project. "A story of modern Ireland, it brings a fresh perspective to what it means to be young and Irish in contemporary Northern Ireland and how a post-Troubles generation navigates that complexity. "Kneecap is a fictionalised film that draws on the origins and real-life experiences of the successful Northern Ireland rap band. "A UK/Ireland co-production, the film received support from a number UK and Irish public backers alongside the BFI, including Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland, Coimisiun na Mean, TG4 and Northern Ireland Screen, as well as commercial production investment from sales agent Charades, UK and Irish distributors Curzon and Wildcard respectively, and Great Point Media. "The first Irish language film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, it has subsequently been acquired for international release. Annie overcome with emotion after reading of stars visit in Belfast Telegraph Annie Cripps' bucket list wish is to meet Scottish actor Gerard Butler who is currently filming in Belfast An east Belfast grandmother has said she is determined to meet actor Gerard Butler while he is in Northern Ireland as part of her bucket list following a long health battle. Annie Cripps (83) has been a longtime admirer of the Scottish actor ever since watching him in the adaptation of the musical The Phantom of the Opera and Irish romantic drama P.S. I Love You. She said she was overcome with emotion after reading in the Belfast Telegraph that Butler is currently filming the live action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon at Titanic Studios just a few miles from her home. I get the Belfast Telegraph every morning. I opened it the other day and saw a photograph of him that said he was currently in Belfast, I couldnt believe it, said Mrs Cripps, who has suffered various health issues recently, including heart surgery and complications with her diabetes over the past several years. Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler in P.S I Love You Mrs Cripps love for Butler developed after his performance in The Phantom of the Opera, a film adaptation of the West End hit in which the Scotsman plays the title Phantom character. She also has a great love for his turn as a ghostly figure in 2007s Irish romcom P.S. I Love You but her love for Butler doesnt stop at his romcoms or musicals. Mrs Cripps revealed she watches every single one of his performances, although she said shes not a fan of all the fighting in some of his more recent action films. We recently bought her an Alexa, and she uses it to ask questions about Gerard, said Mrs Cripps daughter Rachel, who cares for her. She will phone up to tell me all the things shes asked (Alexa) about Gerard, shes just such a big fan. Actor Gerard Butler Having been in hospital several times over recent years, Mrs Cripps said her desire to meet Butler is on her bucket list, which she wrote after watching the film of the same name starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. I had on it things like visit relatives in Australia, see the Northern Lights, and things that might not be possible, but my number one was always to have dinner with Gerard Butler, and I thought because hes in Belfast, its one of the only things on the list which actually could be possible now. I just know it would make me so happy. The pensioner has even written to Titanic Studios and several Belfast hotels in the hope of making contact with him, to no avail so far. She said: Hes just a marvellous actor, hes so good in all the parts. I know hes not married either. He just falls into all these roles so well. Asked about her current health, Mrs Cripps said she was feeling okay but that she struggles with mobility. She keeps telling me people will think shes off her rocker, but its just something so sweet, said Rachel. Mummy pulled through a couple of years ago when she almost went into a coma, and she loves her films. There was a time there it was looking really bad for her, and her love for Gerard makes her really happy, and were just trying to do something for her so she can tick this off her bucket list. Rachel added: Its more than just his acting that she loves, she got butterflies in her stomach when she knew he would be about Belfast, hes just in all her favourite films. She has only loved one other actor and that was John Wayne. Its unknown how long Butler will remain in Belfast. However the filming for How to Train Your Dragon, which is a live action adaptation of the animated film series in which Butler reprises his role, is set to take place for the rest of the year. Colin Firth is to play a father who lost his daughter in the 1988 Lockerbie attack (Yui Mok/PA) English actor Colin Firth will take on the role of a grieving father in an upcoming series about the Lockerbie bombing. The Oscar winner will portray Dr Jim Swire who has long campaigned for justice for his daughter Flora Swire after she died when the Pan Am flight 103 was blown out of the skies above Scotland 35 years ago. Firth will portray the English doctor as a man who risks everything in memory of his daughter and the unflinching pursuit of truth and justice in the Sky series. The actor, 63, won an Academy Award and Bafta for playing George VI in The Kings Speech in 2010 and is known for Bridget Joness Diary and Love Actually. Dr Jim Swire, the father of Flora Swire who died in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988 (Danny Lawson/PA) Along with his wife Jane, Dr Swire has spearheaded a call for a full inquiry into Lockerbie. He told the BBC in December 2022 that he wanted a UN court set up, instead of the case being dealt with by the US or Scotland and has long wanted the evidence against the only man convicted of the attack to be reassessed. Flora, a medical student who died on the eve of her 24th birthday, was one of hundreds of people killed when the flight from Heathrow to New Yorks JFK airport exploded above the Dumfriesshire town of Lockerbie. The explosion on December 21 1988 killed all 259 people on the plane, many of whom were Americans heading home for Christmas, as well as 11 people on the ground. The Sky and Peacock show is based on the book The Lockerbie Bombing: A Fathers Search For Justice by Dr Swire and Peter Biddulph. The five-part series Lockerbie will explore Dr Swires fight for action and being nominated as a spokesperson for the victims families through the UK Families Flight 103 group, and look at the disaster and its aftermath. Scottish playwright David Harrower, known for the play Blackbird, is the lead writer and Otto Bathurst, who won a Bafta for BBC period crime drama Peaky Blinders is lead director. It is a co-production between Carnival Films, which is part of Universal International Studios and Sky Studios. The BBC and Netflix announced in July that they had commissioned World Productions to make a six-part drama about the Lockerbie bombing. Wreaths and floral tributes laid during a ceremony to mark the 35th anniversary of the Lockerbie bombing (Jane Barlow/PA) Novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Lee, who wrote High Dive, is lead writer and Michael Keillor, who worked on Line Of Duty, Roadkill and Chimerica, will direct. Former Libyan intelligence officer, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was found guilty of 270 counts of murder by a panel of three Scottish judges, sitting at a special court in the Hague in 2001 and was imprisoned in Scotland. He was controversially granted compassionate release in 2009 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Al-Megrahi returned to Libya where he died in 2012. His family, and some relatives of the bombing victims, believe he suffered a miscarriage of justice. Appeals against his conviction have been rejected. Libyan Abu Agila Masud is alleged to have helped make the bomb. He is to go on trial in the US in May 2025 facing three charges which he denies. Production of the Sky series Lockerbie will begin in early 2024. A TikTok trend led to the arrest of a woman in Sacramento who police say stole $2,500 worth of drinking cups. Roseville Police Department The hysteria surrounding Stanley drinking cups has reached a new level. Last week, a 23-year-old woman from Sacramento was apprehended for allegedly pilfering 65 stainless steel tumblers valued at nearly $2,500 from a store in Northern California. According to authorities, the unidentified woman filled a shopping cart with the coveted items at a store on Stanford Ranch Road in Roseville (Placer County), northeast of Sacramento, and hastily made her way to the exit without paying for them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The suspect refused to stop for staff and stuffed her car with the stolen merchandise, the Roseville Police Department wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday. An officer noticed the suspects vehicle merging onto Highway 65 from Galleria Boulevard and initiated a traffic stop. The woman was subsequently arrested on suspicion of grand theft. Images shared in the police post depicted the trunk and passenger seat of the car overflowing with various products from the 111-year-old brand known for its camping gear and outdoor accessories. Stanleys popularity has experienced a surge in recent months, particularly after its 40-ounce drinking tumbler, priced at $40 each, garnered viral attention on TikTok. The trend has escalated to physical altercations in stores as customers vie for the coveted collectible patterns. The Wall Street Journal recently featured a teen from Alabama whose parents spent approximately $3,000 in the past year assisting her in collecting every style and color of Stanley cup available. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Roseville Police Department acknowledged the fervor in its post but emphasized exercising restraint. Engage with Age runs group activities in Belfast for those who may be on their own as well as a telephone befriending service Age Concern's Peter Newman and Engage with Age volunteer Hazel Thompson (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Peter Newman of Age Concern takes the Engage with Age dance class (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) The Engage with Age dance group at Inverary Community Centre (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) A Belfast charity has been hailed for helping pensioners dance their way out of isolation. Engage with Age works with older people who are experiencing loneliness. With many uncertainties recently, from bad weather and storms to widespread strike action, it can increase stress for those living alone. Hazel Thompson (74) volunteers at an Engage with Age dance class at Inverary Community Centre every Friday. Its just great to have a chance to get out of the house and socialise with people, she said. Hazel used to attend the dance class as a hobby, but decided to start volunteering for the charity following the pandemic. She explained: It was very good over Covid because we kept running the classes online. It was great for people to have something to look forward to, especially as there was a time when people werent able to leave their houses. Peter Newman of Age Concern takes the Engage with Age dance class (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) It has proven a big hit with the elderly community. Everyone that comes loves it, she added. There is no talk of religion or politics, so everyone feels welcome when they come into the classes. Its just something social for everyone to look forward to. Its really lovely that we can give these people something to do and a bit of company, and if you look at their wee faces you see how much they enjoy it. Hazel praised Engage with Age for the work it is doing to combat loneliness. Something like this is more important than ever before because there are so many elderly people out there that have nothing to do and maybe nobody to see, she pointed out. Age Concern's Peter Newman and Engage with Age volunteer Hazel Thompson (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Engage with Age relies on volunteers to help run activities such as walking groups, games groups and coffee mornings to help older people get out and about more. It also operates a telephone befriending service. Volunteer telephone befrienders are needed to make weekly calls to cheer up the lives of isolated elderly people who dont have anyone to talk with. Someone who has benefited from the service is Audrey, who is in her 80s. Audrey has been living alone since her husband moved into a nursing home and looks forward to her weekly calls. It was really hard to lose my independence. The calls encourage me and I love to hear from my befriender, I always feel better after the call, she said. Hazel hopes more people can find the time to volunteer for Engage with Age and support its work. She added: I would just say to everyone: give it a go. If you dont like it, that is fine, you dont have to stay at it. But give it a go and see the difference you can make in these peoples lives. For some people these classes are the one thing they look forward to doing in the week thats just such a lovely thing to be a part of. Former loyalist terror chief Johnny Adair allegedly made plans for mass murder in response to the deadly Shankill bombing, the Court of Appeal heard today. Lawyers for the son of a Catholic council worker shot dead following the blast claimed Adair and his paramilitary unit were not kept under proper surveillance. Nine people were killed and dozens more injured when the IRA bombed Frizzells fish shop on the Shankill Road in west Belfast in October 1993. Days later, James Cameron, 54, and his colleague Mark Rodgers, 28, were gunned down by the UFF at their work depot on Kennedy Way in the west of the city in October 1993. Amid suspected security force involvement with the notorious loyalist unit, Colm Cameron has challenged the independence of a PSNI Legacy Investigation Branch probe into his fathers killing. In May last year the High Court found no compelling new evidence of collusion in the double sectarian murder. Mr Cameron is appealing the ruling that a legal test for establishing any failure to properly investigate the shootings was not met. Judges were told the killings were carried out amid heightened tensions over the Shankill bombing. Hugh Southey KC, for Mr Cameron, referred to a book on Adair which contained allegations that the UFF C Company he commanded at the time was involved in the attack on the council workers. There had been a threat of retaliation (for the bombing, the barrister said. One of the specific threats reported (in the book) is that before the killings, Mr Adair is alleged to have told police that he was going to plan mass murder. There was clearly contemporaneous reporting which indicated that police believed Mr Adair was a key figure in the UFF. Mr Southey submitted: That raises a question, why action doesnt appear to have been taken to monitor Mr Adair and C Company. The court heard that the Kennedy Way depot was an obvious potential target because of its Catholic workforce. Issues were raised about why a vehicle checkpoint was stood down an hour before the gunmen arrived without any proper explanation, and the apparent failure to disrupt C Company when retaliation for the Shankill bomb was likely. In 1995 Adair, nicknamed 'Mad Dog', was convicted of directing terrorism and sentenced to 16 years in prison, only to be released early as part of the Good Friday Agreement. An internal power struggle eventually led to him being ousted and expelled from the paramilitary organisation in 2002. Further concerns were raised that the gun used to kill the council workers was part of an arsenal of rifles allegedly smuggled into Northern Ireland from Lebanon by British agent Brian Nelson. In 2012 the now defunct Historical Enquiries Team (HET) carried out a review into the killings, but no report was provided to Mr Camerons family before the investigation branch disbanded. Mr Southey stressed his client believes a specific threat existed against the depot where the attack took place. There may well be an innocent explanation for the withdrawal of the checkpoint, but the point is whether there is sufficient to require that to be investigated, he added. Responding to the challenge, police set out how two people were charged, convicted and jailed in connection to the attack - including a man who admitted both murders and UFF membership. A senior PSNI detective also stated that during the original investigation 60 suspects were interviewed, 16 arrests made and fingerprints checked against 78 people believed to be associated with the UFF. He confirmed a telephone warning which referred to Catholic depots was issued to Belfast City Council on the day before the attack. Subsequent intelligence naming UFF members involved resulted in a series of arrests. Central to the case is an alleged failure to carry out a probe which complied with Article 2 duties which only came into force in October 2000. Under the so-called Brecknell legal test, fresh plausible or credible information about perpetrators was required to establish any retrospective investigative obligations over murders carried out seven years prior to that date. Reserving judgment in the appeal, Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan said: There are obviously matters we need to go away and think about. A 67-year-old originally from Northern Ireland but who emigrated to the USA in the 1980s has appeared before Derry Magistrates Court charged with committing sex abuse offences. The alleged offences were against his niece and took place almost 50 years ago. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in the state of Massachusetts at the end of last month when an extradition warrant, dated June 18, 2021, was served on him. He was flown overnight from the USA to Belfast via Heathrow and was accompanied by officers from the PSNIs International Policing Unit and brought before District Judge Barney McElholm. The defendant is charged with committing 12 indecent assaults on his niece on dates between August 13, 1975 and August 16, 1979. A police officer said he believed he could connect the defendant to the twelve charges. Solicitor Paddy MacDermott said the defendant denied the charges against him. The police have agreed to release him on bail but at the moment he has no bail address available to him in this jurisdiction. He has been in custody in the USA since the end of December, Mr. MacDermott said. The defendant, who spoke only to confirm his identity, age and address, was remanded in custody and will appear in court again for a bail application on January 29. A preliminary date for the case was also fixed for February 13. The portrait attracted significant interest in Northern Ireland where the anniversary of the Protestant monarchs victory over Catholic King James II at the Boyne in 1690 is marked every year by the Orange Order with large parades. The portrait showing William of Orange on horseback during the Battle of the Boyne was sold by Bloomfield Auctions on Tuesday. Following analysis by a specialist in English baroque painting at Tate Britain, the painting which dates from approximately 1693 has been attributed to AngloDutch painter Jan Wyck in collaboration with Dutch portrait painter Constantijn Netscher. Bloomfield Auctions said Tate Britain consulted experts at the RKD, the Dutch art history institute in The Hague, and it is believed the two artists worked together to create the picture Wyck painting the battle and rearing grey horse with Constantijn Netscher doing the head of William III. The painting is described as consistent with a late British baroque style and the setting is the Battle of the Boyne which took place on July 1 1690 between the forces of the deposed James II and William III, the husband of Queen Mary II. Sothebys London also researched the history of the painting and believe it was produced in 1693, three years after the battle and is part of an enthusiastic celebration of the king by his Protestant subjects. It is described as a detailed picture by a highly competent horse painter with the collaboration of a good portrait artist. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening. One person has been taken to hospital following a crash in Co Armagh on Tuesday evening. The incident took place in the Bridge Street area of Portadown close to the towns train station shortly before 5pm. "The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service received a 999 call at 16:49 following reports of a RTC in the Bridge Street area of Portadown, said a NIAS spokesperson. "NIAS despatched an Emergency Crew, an Advanced Paramedic and a HART crew to the incident. "The HEMS team was also tasked to attend by response car. "Following assessment and initial treatment at the scene, one patient was taken to RVH in Belfast. The PSNI put in place a road closure on Northway, close to the incident, to facilitate the attendance of emergency services. Motorists were asked to seek an alternative route. Tributes will be paid at a thanksgiving service on Wednesday for a pioneer of both television news and drama production in Northern Ireland. Cecil Taylor will be remembered by former BBC colleagues for groundbreaking service spanning four decades following his death at his home outside Bangor aged 96. Larne-born Cecil began his journalism career in newspapers and joined the BBC in Belfast as a reporter in 1955 from the Irish Times. His entire career with the BBC was spent in Northern Ireland, becoming news editor and finally as head of programmes. The first local television news was broadcast in 1957 with the man they called Big Cecil not only writing the scripts, but also contributing some of the film. He developed the 10-minute teatime bulletin to the must-watch half-hour programme Scene Around Six, turning presenters like Walter Love and the late Larry McCoubrey and Malcolm Kellard into household names. Today it is called BBC Newsline. His time as news editor encompassed the IRA campaign of the 1950s, the civil rights movement of the late 1960s and the start of the Troubles. He was to live up to his nickname as he vigorously resisted pressure from all sides, not least that exerted constantly by governments at Stormont and Westminster. Cecil left his editorship to become assistant head of programmes with responsibilities that included the oversight of all current affairs programming on both radio and television. Finally, he was to become head of programmes and with it another highlight of a distinguished career. His ambition was to make BBC NI a home of serious television drama by encouraging local writers, directors and actors. He did so in one fell swoop by commissioning the Billy plays: a trilogy about a Belfast family written by Graham Reid and starring a young Kenneth Branagh and the late James Ellis. All three were to express their gratitude to Cecil, as did the late Stewart Parker whose introduction to the airways was via the same route. Cecil retired 40 years ago but has never been forgotten by former colleagues many recruited and nurtured by him who organised a surprise party to celebrate his 90th birthday. Many will join his widow Doreen, his daughter Olwyn, son-in-law Ian and granddaughter Matty at tomorrows service. It will be held at 1pm at Bangors Hamilton Road Presbyterian Church. Robin Walsh, former news editor and controller BBC Northern Ireland Sinn Fein and Social Democrats say they will back two Yes votes in upcoming constitutional referenda (Niall Carson/PA) Sinn Fein and Social Democrats say they will back two Yes votes in the upcoming referenda. Two referenda are to be held on March 8 to amend Irelands Constitution. One will ask whether the definition of family should be based on durable relationships rather than on marriage (Article 41), and another will ask whether a reference to the role and duties of women in the home should be deleted and replaced with a new article on carers (Article 41.2 replaced with 42B). Legislation to approve the referenda was debated in the Dail last week and is continuing to be heard in the Seanad this week. Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin said his party will campaign for two Yes votes in the upcoming referenda (David Young/PA) A number of opposition parties have raised concerns about the proposed wording of the questions, including the meaning of the word durable. Asked whether the party will back Yes votes, Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin said: My understanding is yes. Obviously there are still some issues in terms of legislation, and we are supporting some of the opposition amendments as the legislation passes through the Seanad. But whatever about the final wording, and I know there is some debate about that, ultimately with respect to carers and also the outdated language about women in the home. Theres a job of work to be done to address those historic issues. So as it currently stands, the answer is yes. Social Democrats also confirmed it will campaign for Yes votes ahead of the referendum. Wicklow TD Jennifer Whitmore said: Obviously, there were some concerns in relation to the wording and whether the wording went far enough but I think, overall, it is a positive step and I think it is important to show support for those. We will be supporting both those referendums. However, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said her party will decide its position following meetings of the parliamentary party and the executive party this week. Labour has tabled a number of amendments and also sought clarity from the Minister for Children, Roderic OGorman, about the meaning of the word durable. Asked whether Labour will campaign for a Yes vote, Ms Bacik said: We havent yet come to a decision as a parliamentary party or through the executive party. We have a parliamentary party meeting today and executive board (meeting) tomorrow, and we will wait and see what clarity the government can provide on definitions on durable through the course of debates. I am conscious the Seanad debate had not yet concluded and amendments are still live so we will make the decision this week. She added: I wanted to thank Minister OGorman for clarifying issues that will come up, in particular the definition of a durable relationship and whether a family, based on a durable relationship is confined to a couple, which is what it is in European law. The minister very clearly outlined why the definition in the Constitution that he has proposed, that definition is beyond couples and also applies vertically, in other words between parents and children, by reference to Article 42 of the Constitution. I think as the Bill progresses through the Dail and Seanad I think people will engage more and more. There are just 100 days to go until voters across England and Wales head to the polls on Thursday May 2 to choose new councillors, mayors and police commissioners (Rui Vieira/PA). There are just 100 days to go until voters across England and Wales head to the polls on Thursday May 2 to choose new councillors, mayors and police commissioners. It is likely to be the last big electoral test for all the political parties before the general election, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated will be in the second half of the year. There will be at least one poll in every area of the two nations, with some voters getting to cast a ballot in different types of elections. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has indicated the general election will be held in the second half of 2024 (Dan Kitwood/PA) More than 2,500 council seats will be up for grabs in just over 100 local authorities in England, while police and crime commissioners will be elected in all parts of England and Wales except London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire. Voters in those three areas will get to choose their next region-wide mayor, as will those living in other large areas of England such as the West Midlands, while there will be contests for a trio of brand new mayoral posts in the East Midlands, the North East and North Yorkshire. No elections are scheduled to take place in Scotland or Northern Ireland. All voters will need to show a form of photographic identification at their polling station in order to cast a ballot, such as a passport, driving licence or blue badge. Anyone without an acceptable form of ID will be able to apply to their local council for a special certificate. Here is a breakdown of the polls happening on May 2 and where they are taking place. Local council elections A total of 107 local authorities in England are holding elections. There will be contests in 31 Metropolitan boroughs, including some of the countrys largest cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Newcastle, though there are no local elections this year in Birmingham or London. Polls will take place in 18 unitary authorities, ranging from Hartlepool and Warrington in northern England to Dorset and Thurrock in the south. And seats will be up for grabs on 58 district councils, covering a mix of urban and rural areas right across England. (PA Graphics) Local elections typically reflect voters attitudes about neighbourhood concerns, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or access to libraries and hospitals. But they can also be a verdict on the main political parties and their handling of big issues which this year is likely to mean the cost of living, the NHS and the environment. Many of the seats up for grabs were last contested in 2021, a year in which the Conservatives did particularly well in local elections. Of those councils holding polls on May 2, the Tories currently control fewer than Labour, which means there could be only a handful of instances of an authority changing hands. Councils to watch include Adur in West Sussex, Dorset, Gloucester, Redditch in Worcestershire, Rushmoor in Hampshire and Thurrock in Essex all of which will see the Tories defending a small overall majority. Regional and local mayors A record number of regional mayors are up for election this year, including three posts that are being contested for the first time. Some of the most high-profile politicians in the country are seeking another term in office. Running for a third term as mayor are Labours Sadiq Khan in London, Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester and Steve Rotheram in the Liverpool City Region. For the Conservatives, Andy Street is running for a third term as mayor of the West Midlands, as is Ben Houchen for the Tees Valley. Labours Tracy Brabin is running for a second term as mayor in West Yorkshire. Three areas will be choosing a directly-elected mayor for the first time. Voters in Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, North Tyneside, Northumberland, South Tyneside and Sunderland will be choosing a new regional mayor for North East England. In Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, voters will elect the first ever East Midlands mayor though the role will cover only these two counties, as the rest of the region, Lincolnshire, Leicester, Northamptonshire and Rutland, has declined to join the new combined authority. Voters in York and North Yorkshire will choose their first directly-elected regional mayor. (PA Graphics) In addition to the nine regional mayoral elections on May 2, a contest will also take place to choose the next directly-elected mayor of Salford. All of these mayoral contests will be held using the first-past-the-post system of elections, where whoever gets the most number of votes is the winner. This is a change from previous mayoral contests, which used the supplementary vote system, where voters ranked two of the candidates in order of preference. Under this system, if no candidate received an absolute majority of first-preference votes, the top two candidates went through to a second round of counting and the other candidates were eliminated. In the next round, the second-preference votes of those who supported the eliminated candidates were redistributed to the top two candidates, until one of them had a majority. The switch in voting systems is due to a change in the law, which was introduced by the Government in 2022. The first-past-the-post system could mean there are close results in some of the mayoral contests, particularly where a large number of candidates are standing and support is split, as it may increase the chances of someone winning the election on a low share of the vote. Police and crime commissioners Voters across most of England, along with the whole of Wales, will be able to elect a new police and crime commissioner (PCC) to oversee their force. The three areas in England where these contests will not take place are London, Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire, where the powers of a commissioner are held by the directly-elected mayor. A total of 39 PCCs will be chosen, 35 in England and four in Wales. Commissioners have the ultimate responsibility for policing in each police area and were first elected in 2012. At the last PCC elections in 2021, the Conservatives won 30 of the 39 areas the partys best ever performance in this set of contests. Labour won eight areas its worst performance since PCCs were introduced while Plaid Cymru won one (Dyfed-Powys). As with the elections for regional mayors, 2024 will be the first time that PCCs are elected using the first-past-the-post system, rather than the supplementary vote. The change in voting systems could deliver some surprise outcomes as well as making some of the results harder to predict, particularly in areas where several parties are standing and there is no clear front-runner, or where there is strong support for independent candidates. A customer leaves an In-N-Out Burger on Monday in Oakland. The company has announced that it will permanently close the Oakport Street store. Noah Berger/Special to the Chronicle A customer arrives at In-N-Out Burger on Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Oakland, Calif. The company has announced that it will permanently close the Oakport St. store. Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle The sudden announcement that Oaklands only In-N-Out Burger restaurant would shutter after becoming a hot spot for robberies and burglaries could do lasting reputational damage to a city already struggling to manage rising crime amid public safety concerns. The Southern California-based fast food chain said this weekend that it plans to close its outlet near Oakland International Airport, located near Interstate 880 at 8300 Oakport St., on March 24 because patrons had been victimized by car break-ins, property damage, theft and armed robberies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Despite recent attempts by the city to put more police in the area, the In-N-Out, a frequent stop for travelers headed to and from the airport, has become a major hub for crime. Since 2019, police have recorded a staggering 1,335 incidents in the vicinity of the burger joint, including 1,174 car break-ins more than any other place in the city. Political experts said the closure feeds a narrative that its unsafe to get off a plane in Oakland and stop for a burger or gas a perception city leaders are trying to fight. This has a major impact on the citys reputation across the nation, said Justin Berton, an Oakland-based media strategist and the former communications director for ex-Mayor Libby Schaaf. This particular area needs to be a priority because the stakes are so high around the narrative of Oaklands safety to visitors. Jim Ross, a political consultant based in Oakland, echoed Berton and said In-N-Out is an iconic California brand that visitors may want to visit on their way to or from the airport. He said the crime in that area creates a challenging narrative to overcome. Its a real problem for creating a message that Oakland is serious and getting a grip on crime, which I think it is, Ross said, adding that the citys recent pivot to revive Operation Ceasefire, an anti-violence strategy, is a step in the right direction. In-N-Out is located near Hegenberger Road, a major thoroughfare whose other businesses include Chevron and Shell gas stations, a Wingstop, Subway and Raising Canes Chicken Fingers. Raising Canes shut down its dining room and moved employee parking to a gated lot. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mayor Sheng Thao said in a statement Monday that she has prioritized this critical gateway to Oakland by increasing police presence and adding technology to deter crime. She said her recent efforts have shown progress with a reduction in property crime along the Hegenberger corridor. However more is necessary and I will be working with regional and state leaders to protect this tourist gateway into Oakland, Thao said. Oakland will remain vigilant to ensure this downward trend continues and that more resources are brought to the table. Her office said the Police Department has deployed two foot patrol officers one on the Hegenberger corridor and the other along the 90th Avenue corridor who focus on security in shopping centers and gas stations. In addition to regular patrol and undercover operations, the department has also installed cameras there to monitor activities. Capt. Casey Johnson, who supervises operations throughout East Oakland, told the Chronicle last week that car break-ins and thefts began trending downward in the area over the past three months, although robberies have ticked up, according to police data. Huy Nguyen, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said the department is not adequately staffed to address the crime in the area, particularly given the rise in violent crime and a call volume of about 1.2 million calls for service a year. He said ideally the department would run more operations to address the crime in the area, but such tactics take resources from other priorities, such as violent crimes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its not that we abandon property crime, but we just dont have the resources to address it effectively at this moment, Nguyen said, adding that the city needs to increase police staffing. Berton said the department is under-resourced and the city should work more closely with the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, the California Highway Patrol and federal officers from the airport to ensure public safety. During the holidays, for instance, Oakland airport and the port hired additional security in the area, according to the Police Department. But the contract for extra security ended on Jan. 14. Council Member Treva Reid, who represents the area where In-N-Out is located, said crime there should prompt an all hands on deck response from other agencies and surrounding cities. We have got to meet the magnitude of this crime that is crippling our city with more dedicated resources and a regional strategy, Reid said. The narrative about Oaklands crime has had a long history, Ross said. He recalled rowing in college in the 1980s and said the races at Lake Merritt were always postponed so police could first search the lake for dead bodies. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ross said what the city needs now is for Thao to counter the narrative by highlighting the specific work shes doing to make Oakland safer in hard-hit areas. He also said the city needs to clean its streets. I do believe that when people enter the city or leave the city in these areas where there are burned-out cars and piles and piles of trash, it leads to the impression that Oakland is a lawless place, Ross said. The In-N-Out closure comes as the police force struggles to address violent crimes, which are prioritized ahead of non-violent incidents, such as car break-ins. According to department data, violent crime in the city last year increased 21% over 2022. Vehicle break-ins increased 23% and vehicle theft increased 45%. The Police Department ended last year with 725 officers, a number that has fluctuated slightly in recent years, according to department data. The average graduation rate for the departments police training academies in recent years was 69%, according to the latest available data in a 2022 report. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thaddeus Johnson, a criminal justice professor in Georgia and fellow with the Council on Criminal Justice, a national think tank, said the job is less attractive than before because the public scrutinizes the profession, and other jobs offer comparable salaries with less stress. Johnson, a former Memphis police officer, added that understaffed police departments struggle to address property crimes because they are focused on violent crimes. Its the economics of governance, Johnson said. Theres limited resources and we have to triage these cases. Its really, really unfortunate. He said police departments must consider technology and a beefed-up civilian workforce that can investigate crimes to support officers work. Brian Marvel, president of the Police Officers Research Association of California, said he believes staffing shortages and increases in crime rates are inextricably linked. Across the state, Marvel said, staffing shortages mean officers lack the necessary resources to uphold public safety according to their training. He added that dependence on the California Highway Patrol, which patrols Oakland under an order by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is unacceptable. He said local governments must make staffing and funding for law enforcement agencies a priority so officers can not only respond to but also prevent crime. The Oakland Police Department highlighted the recent drops in car break-ins and thefts Johnson pointed to, adding in a statement that Reid, other area leaders and officers assigned to the area meet quarterly with the business owners to discuss crime trends and patterns and other concerns specifically related to business. Sir Tony Lloyd, 73, died on January 17 only days after announcing that he was suffering from an incurable form of leukaemia (Liam McBurney/PA) Sir Tony Lloyd was hailed as a great man of Manchester by Rishi Sunak as the House of Commons gathered to say goodbye to the Labour MP. The 73-year-olds family watched the tributes in the chamber, with some MPs also seen wiping away tears as they listened. Sir Tony died on January 17 only days after announcing that he was suffering from an incurable form of leukaemia. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle recalled his final phone call with Sir Tony after he left hospital, saying on Tuesday: Tony made it so easy for me and he was that kind of person he put me at ease when it was meant to be the other way around. He made sure it wasnt a difficult conversation. I didnt know that would be the last time wed ever speak but Im so glad we did. Weve not only lost a great colleague and friend, the country has lost one of the nicest, most effective MPs. Prime Minister Mr Sunak said Sir Tony was an enormously decent man who gave his life to public service, adding: In his penultimate contribution in this House, Tony said that change can happen and we must fight for the change we want to see. From the beginning of his career right to the end, Tony Lloyd lived those words. He was a great family man, a great man of Manchester and a great man of the House of Commons. The Prime Minister said Sir Tony was an enormously decent man who gave his life to public service (Liam McBurney/PA) He will be missed but he and the change he fought for and achieved will never be forgotten. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, addressing Sir Tonys family, said: I hope they can take some comfort in the memories and tributes of colleagues today, and I hope they see just how much Tony was loved and respected here in this House and how much he managed to achieve in his decades of public service. Sir Keir added he was able to convey to Manchester United fan Sir Tony the high esteem in which he was held by everyone, adding: I hope it did give him some comfort and support in those final days. Sir Keir said Sir Tony used his final newspaper article to write about his hopes for 2024, which included peace in the Middle East and across the world, action on climate change, support for education and the need to help the NHS. He added: Tony might not be able to lead the fight for that better world he hoped for, but those of us he leaves behind will and we will have him in mind as we continue to fight for the causes he was passionate about, the values he lived and the people he served throughout his entire life. Conservative MP Sir Bill Cash (Stone) said: Its with great sadness that I stand and say goodbye to Tony Lloyd. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Sir Tony as an absolutely lovely man, adding to his family: You should be really proud of him. Labour former minister Dawn Butler was overcome with emotion as she paid tribute to her former colleague. She told the Commons when she was first elected, Sir Tony had advised her not to worry as she was often going to feel lost in Parliament and invited her to ask any silly questions she might have, adding: I have passed that on to new MPs that come in. Greater Manchester Labour MPs gave an idea of Sir Tonys personal interests outside the Commons. Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) spoke of his very good salsa dancing, while Navendu Mishra (Stockport) paid tribute to his fluent Spanish skills. SDLP MP Colum Eastwood (Foyle), meanwhile, said Sir Tony had shown qualities of tolerance and restraint in dealing with Northern Irelands political parties in his time as shadow secretary of state. Sir Tony was first elected to represent Stretford in 1983 and also served as MP for Manchester Central following boundary changes. He would go on to serve in the influential position as chair of the parliamentary Labour Party between 2006 and 2012 before standing down from Parliament to successfully contest the election for police and crime commissioner for Greater Manchester. Sir Tony returned for a second stint in the Commons and represented Rochdale from 2017. Valdo Calocane, 32, admitted the manslaughter of school caretaker Ian Coates and students Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) The killer of university students Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar and school caretaker Ian Coates had previously been detained in hospital four times under mental health laws and was arrested in September 2021 for assaulting a police officer. Nottingham Crown Court was told Valdo Calocane, who has admitted three counts of manslaughter and three of attempted murder, has no previous convictions or cautions despite being involved in incidents of criminal damage and trying to force his way into flats. It also emerged that he was involved in an alleged assault on two colleagues while working in a warehouse a month before the uncompromisingly brutal killings. The court was told on Tuesday that Calocane was born in Guinea-Bissau in West Africa, coming to the UK aged 16 with his family in 2007, having lived in Lisbon in Portugal. Although he chose not to take A-levels, he later studied well and became a student at Nottingham University, graduating in June 2022 after completing a degree in mechanical engineering. Barnaby Webber died in the attack (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) A brother of Calocane told investigators that he became aware of his siblings mental health problems during his degree studies with the 32-year-old student believing that he was being spied on by his housemates and by MI6 and that his family was under threat. During his opening of the facts of the three killings, which took place in Nottingham on June 13 last year, prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said: The theme of (Calocane) being prescribed medication but declining to take it is a constantly recurring one. On May 23 2020, Calocane attended hospital believing he was having a heart attack, and was arrested after returning to his flat and causing damage to a door. An assessment under the Mental Health Act 1983 was carried out at a Nottingham custody suite by psychiatric services, who concluded that Calocane was psychotic but that his risk to others was low. He was then referred to a crisis team for review at home and he was released without charge. Mr Khalil said: Upon his return to his apartment, an hour later, however, he knocked down another door to a different apartment in the block. He was arrested for criminal damage, and following a re-assessment was detained under the Mental Health Act and was admitted to in-patient psychiatric services at the Highbury Hospital. Calocane was discharged from Nottinghams Highbury Hospital on June 17 2020 into the care of the Nottingham City Crisis Team. He was advised to take the medication for a minimum of six to nine months, and to seek medical advice if he wished to stop taking it. Grace OMalley-Kumar, also 19, died in the attack (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) The court heard he was the readmitted to hospital for a period during July 2020, after attempting to force his way into a flat, having stopped taking his medication. Anti-psychotic medication was restarted and increased, Mr Khalil said, and in August 2021 Calocane was believed to have actively concealed symptoms of psychosis during a home visit by a mental health worker. He then evaded contact with the community team, and a warrant under the Mental Health Act was secured to gain entry to his property in order that an assessment could be conducted. The warrant was executed on September 3 2021, when Calocane assaulted a police officer. Mr Khalil added: A bag of unused medication dating from February 2021 was discovered in the flat. He was admitted to in-patient services (under the Mental Health Act) and managed between September and October 2021. Thereafter he had limited contact with his community team, appearing confrontational and missing appointments. In mid-January 2022, the defendant was involved in an altercation with a flat-mate and a mental health assessment concluded that he could continue to be treated in the community. At the end of January 2022 Calocane was again admitted as an inpatient under the Mental Health Act, being discharged on February 24. He was then reviewed in March 2022 in an outpatient clinic and in July 2022 claimed, it is believed falsely, that he was not in the country. Mr Justice Turner, hearing the Crowns opening ahead of sentencing, was told Calocane was recorded as not being at home in August 2022 following a visit to his discharge address, with a resident saying no-one of that name lived there. It also emerged at the hearing that in early May 2023 around five weeks before he killed three people Calocane started working in a warehouse in Kegworth, Leicestershire, where he attacked two employees. Following that incident, efforts were made to contact Calocane to tell him that he was not allowed back on the premises, but he did not respond. For approximately six months before the multiple stabbing and van attacks, Calocane was living in a multi-occupancy house in Burford Road, Forest Fields, Nottingham, where a housemate found him to be somewhat distant, never speaking unless spoken to and only then giving short responses. He was also noted to be using the same plate but never cleaned it. Professor Stephen Hawking at the joint press conference on the Doomsday Clock (PA) Scientists are due to announce if the world is any nearer ending when they reveal if the Doomsday Clock has moved closer to midnight. Last year, the clock shifted 10 seconds to 90 seconds away from striking 12 the closest it has ever been. At 3pm on Tuesday, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will announce whether it will remain the same, move forward, or move back. The clock is a symbolic timepiece showing how close the world is to ending, and last year the scientists cited the unprecedented danger posed by the Russia-Ukraine war. The scientists said they were also concerned about Chinas expansion of its nuclear capabilities, as well as North Korea stepping up its intermediate and longer-range missile testing. The countdown was established in 1947 by experts from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists who were working on the Manhattan Project to design and build the first atomic bomb. (PA Graphics) It was created to provide a simple way of demonstrating the danger to the Earth and humanity posed by nuclear war. The clock first started ticking at seven minutes to midnight and has moved forwards and backwards over the years as the threats to the world changed. In 2020, it was set at 100 seconds to midnight, and remained unchanged for the next three years. Although originally intended to warn of the threat of nuclear armageddon, the Doomsday Clock has evolved to take into account the likelihood of other emerging threats such as climate change and advances in biotechnology and artificial intelligence. The Bulletin is an independent non-profit organisation run by some of the worlds most eminent scientists. A Holocaust survivor has warned about the dangers of polarisation in the wake of the Hamas-Israel conflict. Joan Salter, who was just three months old when Belgium was invaded by the Nazis, said terrible things can happen once interfaith relations start breaking down. The 84-year-old said the Hamas attack on October 7 has had a divisive effect on Jewish and Islamic communities Just as the terrorist group intended. Speaking at her home in north London ahead of Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday, she said: I and most of the other Holocaust survivors speak in the hope of changing things to make people understand the dangers of propaganda and where it can lead to. And then came October 7. What is going on there is horrific. Mrs Salter lights a memorial candle at her home (Yui Mok/PA) Instead of people realising what Hamas did, the hatred has turned either against the Jews or theres a lot of Islamophobia, and that polarises our two communities. Its what Hamas intended. Its what they did with the intention of creating this hatred between the Jews and the Muslims. Once the polarisation sets in, thats when terrible things can happen. Im a great believer of interfaith, and so much of it has virtually evaporated within days. Born Fanny Zimetbaum in Brussels in 1940 to Polish Jewish parents, Mrs Salter was three months old when Belgium was invaded by the Nazis. Following the invasion, she escaped to France with her mother and sister before being taken by the Red Cross to the USA in 1943. Mrs Salter remained in foster care in America until being reunited with her parents Jakob and Bronia in 1947 in London, where she has lived since. Speaking about her early life, she said: My parents were Polish Jews who lived in France most of their adult lives. My father thought Belgium would stay neutral, so they moved into Belgium. When the Nazis invaded they started targeting the Polish men. My father was taken but he jumped from the train and managed to escape. Having moved back to Paris, Mrs Salters mother decided to cross the Pyrenees to the safety of Spain. She said: A policeman warned her that we were going to be rounded up. My father escaped over the mountains, into Spain, but we didnt turn up and he thought we had died. Then my mother climbed over the mountains with my sister and myself. It was thought Spain would fall so my mother gave us up to the Red Cross and an American organisation took us across to America. In 1947, having lived with an American foster family, Mrs Salter was reunited with her parents. On Saturday, Mrs Salter and thousands of others will light a candle and put it in their window as a form of collective commemoration. Mrs Salter and Olivia Marks-Woldman, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust (Yui Mok/PA) Chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust Olivia Marks-Woldman said: On the Holocaust Memorial Day itself, were inviting everyone to light a candle and put it in their window so that the light spills out. Holocaust Memorial day is for everybody, regardless of background, age, faith, no faith. We are so inspired when we see people from all backgrounds coming to events. Sadly even in the UK prejudice against Jewish people has rocketed, and anti-Muslim hatred has increased. We all need to be aware of that kind of prejudice and to be able to take responsibility for challenging it. Thats what we ask everyone to do on Holocaust Memorial Day to learn from the Holocaust and genocides and play a part in making a better future. (Yui Mok/PA) On the importance of sharing her story, Mrs Salter added: When were in a room with young people or adults, we can feel the interface between us and know that what were talking about is influencing them and making them understand where prejudice leads, and that is the one reason I speak. Prosecutors in Connecticuts infamous Gone Mom case have presented evidence that they say links defendant Michelle Troconis to the 2019 disappearance of her boyfriends estranged wife Jennifer Dulos. The evidence included a shirt, bra, zip ties, gloves, plastic ponchos and other things with what state police sergeant Kevin Duggan said in evidence is a blood-like substance on them. The items were pulled from Hartford bins where, according to prosecutors, CCTV video shows Troconis sitting in a vehicle with boyfriend Fotis Dulos as he tossed rubbish into the same bins shortly after Jennifer Dulos disappeared. Troconis, 49, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. She is accused of helping Fotis Dulos cover up the killing of his wife, whose body has never been found. Sergeant Michael Beauton shows an allegedly altered license plate from a vehicle previously owned by Fotis Dulos (Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP) Troconis, who is not seen handling the rubbish in any of the videos, has pleaded not guilty and denied any involvement. The case drew widespread attention and became the subject of the made-for-TV film Gone Mom. Jennifer Dulos, 50, was declared legally dead in October. She was a member of a wealthy New York family whose father, the late Hilliard Farber, founded his own brokerage firm. She was also a niece by marriage of fashion designer Liz Claiborne. Fotis Dulos, a luxury home builder originally from Greece, died from suicide in January 2020 after being charged with his wifes murder. Defence lawyer Jon Schoenhorn (Tyler Sizemore/Hearst Connecticut Media via AP) According to Troconiss arrest warrant, DNA from Jennifer Dulos and Fotis Dulos was found on items in the rubbish and Troconiss DNA was found on some of the rubbish bags. That evidence is expected to come later in the trial. The CCTV videos, from a city about 75 miles from Jennifer Duloss New Canaan, Connecticut, home, were recorded the evening she disappeared but not discovered for six days. Video also showed Fotis Dulos placing what police say resembled a vehicle cargo mat near a building and dropping an envelope down a drain. Prosecutors on Monday showed jurors what they said were altered license plates found in an envelope in the drain. At the time she vanished, Jennifer and Fotis Dulos were going through a contentious divorce and child custody proceedings that had limited his time with the children. Jennifer Dulos had moved out of the family home in Farmington, Connecticut, and Fotis Dulos was living there with Troconis and her daughter. Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, speaks on Tuesday at the United Nations headquarters (Peter Afriyie/AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus rejection of a two-state solution will indefinitely prolong a war threatening global peace and emboldening extremists everywhere, the United Nations chief has said. In his toughest language yet on the Israeli-Hamas conflict, secretary-general Antonio Guterres told a ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council that the right of the Palestinian people to build their own fully independent state must be recognised by all, and a refusal to accept the two-state solution by any party must be firmly rejected. The alternative of a one-state solution with such a large number of Palestinians inside without any real sense of freedom, rights and dignity will be inconceivable, he said. Mr Guterres also said the risks of regional escalation of the conflict are now becoming a reality, pointing to Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Pakistan. He urged all parties to step back from the brink and to consider the horrendous costs of a wider war. Israeli soldiers lower the flag-draped casket of reservist Ariel Mordechay Wollfstal during his funeral at a cemetery in the West Bank settlement of Kfar Etzion on Tuesday (Maya Alleruzzo/AP) Mr Netanyahus rejection of a Palestinian state in any post-war scenario opened a wide rift with Israels closest ally, the United States, which says the war must lead to negotiations for a two-state solution where Israel and the Palestinians can live side-by-side in peace. That goal is supported by countries around the world, as ministers and ambassadors reiterated on Tuesday. The UN secretary-general also repeated his longstanding call for a humanitarian ceasefire an appeal supported by almost all nations. But Israels UN ambassador Gilad Erdan again rejected a ceasefire, saying Hamas, which carried out a brutal attack on southern Israel on October 7, is committed to attacking again and destroying Israel, and a halt to fighting would only allow the militants to regroup and rearm. He urged the Security Council to eliminate the root of the conflict, which he said was Iran. Mr Erdan strongly criticised the presence of Irans foreign minister at the council meeting, saying the country provides weapons to Hamas, to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon and Houthi militants in Yemen, and soon these acts will be carried out under a nuclear umbrella. Iran has long denied seeking nuclear weapons and insists its nuclear programme is entirely for peaceful purposes. A Palestinian man mourns over the body of a child killed in the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip (Mohammed Dahman/AP) But the UN nuclear watchdog has said Iran has enough enriched uranium for nuclear bombs if it chose to build them. Riyad al Maliki, the Palestinian foreign minister, said Israel is carrying out the most savage bombing campaign since the Second World War, which is leading to famine and the massive displacement of civilians. This is an assault of atrocities, which has destroyed countless innocent lives, he said. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza says more than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the war, which has caused widespread destruction, displaced an estimated 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people and left a quarter facing starvation. Israel began its military campaign in response to the October 7 attacks in which militants from the enclave killed around 1,200 people in Israel and took about 250 hostages. Mr al Maliki said Israel does not see the Palestinians as a people and a political reality to coexist with, but as a demographic threat to get rid of through death, displacement or subjugation. He said those are the choices Israel has offered Palestinians, calling them tantamount to genocide, ethnic cleansing or apartheid. Mr al Maliki said there are only two future paths; one starts with Palestinian freedom and leads to Middle East peace and security, and the other denies freedom and dooms our region to further bloodshed and endless conflict. Donald Trumps allies are already pressuring former UN ambassador Nikki Haley to leave the race (Matt Rourke/AP) Donald Trump is aiming for a commanding victory in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with US president Joe Biden look more likely than ever. The biggest question is whether Mr Trumps last major rival, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, will be able to eat into his margin or pull off an upset outright. Ms Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate. Nikki Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire (Charles Krupa/AP) In the first results released early on Tuesday, all six registered voters of the tiny resort town of Dixville Notch had cast their ballots for Ms Haley over Mr Trump. The town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight. Mr Trump won New Hampshires Republican primary during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Ms Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the Republican base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the primary. If successful, Mr Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 a clear sign of his continued grip on the partys most loyal voters. (PA Graphics) Mr Trumps allies are already pressuring Ms Haley to leave the race and these calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the Republican primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote. Ms Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshires popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. She insists she is in the race for the long run, telling supporters in Franklin on Monday that America does not do coronations. This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone whos going to take us forward with new solutions, Ms Haley told reporters, also saying that: We can either do the whole thing that weve always done and live in that chaos world that weve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people. This is a two-person race, she added. Mr Trump may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who dropped his White House bid on Sunday (Michael Dwyer/AP) Ms Haley and Mr Trump were both hoping to capitalise on high-profile recent departures from the race. Ms Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Mr Trump but ended his bid shortly before Iowas caucus last week. Meanwhile, Mr Trump may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who dropped his White House bid on Sunday. Mr Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina senator Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the races last Republican candidate. Asked during an interview on Monday with Newsmax about Ms Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he would never call on her to do that but added: Maybe shell be dropping out Tuesday. Naimah Abdul Khalid (middle), the wife of former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin, with her son Muhammad Amir Zainuddin outside the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex, Jan. 23, 2024. A Malaysian court on Tuesday charged the wife of former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin for failing to declare assets including companies, luxury cars and properties as part of an anti-corruption probe into the familys wealth. Naimah Abdul Khalid, 65, pleaded not guilty to ignoring a request to report her assets made by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Nov. 8. Judge Azura Alwi in the Kuala Lumpur Session Court released Naimah on 250,000 ringgit (U.S. $52,800) bail and seized her passport. Outside the courthouse, Naimah claimed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was pursuing old political rivals with trumped up charges and accused him of influencing the courts. I say this to you, Anwar Ibrahim, that power is brief and there is always a reckoning for those who abuse it, she told reporters. Na'imah, whose husband served as finance minister twice between 1984 and 2001, maintained her innocence and said she would fight the charges. The real crime is the wielding of state power for personal ends and not for the benefit of the people, she said. The real crime is targeting your political opponents with concocted charges whilst, to the outrage of an entire country, corruption charges are dropped against political cronies. The next case hearing is scheduled for March 22, where a trial date could be set. If found guilty, she faces up to five years in jail and a 100,000 ringgit ($21,117) fine. Malaysias anti-graft agency is investigating Daim following revelations in the Pandora Papers that linked the family to offshore businesses valued at least $31 million. The tycoon contends the investigation is unlawful and unconstitutional, and has denied any wrongdoing. Earlier this month, Naimah and her two sons were summoned to MACC headquarters in the administrative capital Putrajaya to give statements relating to the case. At the time, Naimah said her husbands business success was being used as an excuse to tarnish his reputation. A file photo of former Finance Minister Daim Zainuddin speaking during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing, Wednesday, July 18, 2018. [AP Photo/Andy Wong] A Jan. 18 report by local news website MalaysiaKini, based on leaked documents, linked Naimah and her sons to an offshore trust account allegedly holding $52.5 million worth of assets as of 2020. She said the assets were derived from legitimate business activities and investments. In late December, MACC seized the familys 60-storey Ilham Tower located in Kuala Lumpur, said to be worth 2.7 billion ringgit ($570 million), as part of its investigation. The alleged non-disclosure of assets related to the latest charge includes ownership in companies Ilham Tower Sdn Bhd and Ilham Baru Sdn Bhd, a Mercedes-Benz EQC400, a Mercedes-Benz SL 500, and various properties in Kuala Lumpur and the northern state of Penang. Daims legal team, led by former Attorney-General Tommy Thomas, last week filed an application to the Kuala Lumpur High Court challenging the legitimacy of MACC's investigation. The revelations in the Pandora Papers investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists have also implicated the son of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, an ally of Daim. The Pandora Papers and the Panama Papers leaked documents revealing the offshore assets of some of the worlds wealthiest people showed businessman Mirzan Mahathir held millions of dollars overseas. On Monday, Mahathir accused Anwar of using the corruption accusations to go after rivals. MACC has given 66-year-old Mirzan a 30-day deadline to provide details of all transactions he has conducted since the age of 20, said Mahathir. They are instructing my son to provide evidence so that I can be charged [as well], the 98-year-old told reporters. Last week, local media quoted Anwar saying the anti-graft watchdog was only carrying out its job to battle corruption without fear or favor. This is a MACC matter. However, I dont want people to think that this [corruption] is a small matter. Whether the cases are old or new, they have to be investigated, he said. Let them criticize. If we were to save this country, we have to clean it up so that no other leaders plunder its wealth. A housing development goes up in downtown Hayward in October. Local governments are under a state mandate to plan for 2.5 million new homes by 2031. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle 2023 California has a lot to accomplish in the next decade. Yet California doesnt have a long-term land-use plan that accounts for and integrates all of these critically important factors. Instead, it has a byzantine, fragmented system of state and local agencies, each of which develops plans optimized for its own priorities regardless of whether they directly conflict with other key objectives. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This inefficient, overly complex system needs to change. A new report published Tuesday by SPUR, and exclusively shared with me by the public policy research group, proposes 11 key reforms with an emphasis on five at the state level that policymakers should seriously consider. In recent years, California has made it increasingly clear to local governments that they need to do their part to address the states housing shortage, with Gov. Gavin Newsoms housing department and Attorney General Rob Bonta cracking down on NIMBY cities. But, as SPUR report author Sarah Karlinsky told me, the state still isnt putting enough emphasis on housing and thats reflected in its bureaucratic structure. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While theres an agency devoted to transportation, for example, the state Department of Housing and Community Development is lumped into a much broader grouping the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency that deals with everything from cannabis to horse racing to alcoholic beverage control. Further complicating matters, theres a dizzying, acronym-rich array of affordable housing financing agencies each with its own set of funding requirements that results in mountains of paperwork, developer headaches and less-than-ideal outcomes. A 2020 state audit, for example, found that Californias lack of a comprehensive statewide affordable housing financing plan led to one of the agencies mismanaging and ultimately losing $2.7 billion in bonds. To streamline and focus the states housing approach, Karlinsky proposes creating a standalone California Housing Agency with a one-stop-shop for affordable housing financing, with one funding application and one committee awarding the money. Defending the states current affordable housing financing setup is impossible. But experts I spoke to were lukewarm on the California Housing Agency proposal. A Newsom administration official noted that Tomiquia Moss, the incoming secretary of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, has a background in affordable housing and will likely make that her top focus. And Sunne Wright McPeak, who from 2003 to 2006 led what was then called the California Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, told me, It doesnt matter what you put on the organizational chart if there isnt a directive as to the outcome with enough political will. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bontas new power to intervene in any lawsuit filed over a potential housing law violation, for example, wont mean much unless he uses it. Still, structure alone can make a big difference. Consider the Governors Office of Planning and Research, which develops long-term land-use plans for the state. The last time one of its plans was formally adopted was in 1978 partly because the office is closely associated with the governor, complicating political negotiations with state lawmakers. Karlinsky proposes moving land-use issues into a new California Planning Agency with a director confirmed by state lawmakers. Kate Gordon, who led the Governors Office of Planning and Research from 2019 to 2021, told me that there is a really big difference between being an office within the governors office and being a standalone agency. While the staff in a governors office tends to turn over with each administration, she said, standalone agencies often have longtime, experienced civil servants and are better positioned to implement and oversee long-term plans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Karlinsky wants to empower the new state planning agency to resolve land-use conflicts, which, as she notes in the report, include tensions between greenhouse gas reductions and affirmatively furthering fair housing, between wildfire risk and housing demand and between water availability and housing demand. This will require better integration of Californias two state-mandated regional housing planning processes, which have different goals, timelines and methodologies. It will also mean more judiciously using state funding to incentivize developments that the statewide long-term land-use plan calls for. But, as McPeak noted, none of these policy changes will translate to tangible results without political buy-in from a broad array of interest groups. This is difficult to imagine in our polarized world, where its getting harder to define, let alone advance, a shared vision of the future. As the uproar over California Forever a proposal by a group of billionaires to develop a new city on Solano County farmland shows, people have very different ideas of what a utopian community looks like. But the antidote implicit in Karlinskys report is bringing people together, not keeping them apart. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte talks with members of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases, at the presidential palace in Manila, May 31, 2021. An International Criminal Court investigation into his predecessors deadly drug war is a threat to the countrys sovereignty and his government will not cooperate with the probe, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday. His administration will not bar ICC investigators from entering the Philippines and doing their jobs in investigating former President Rodrigo Duterte. But government agencies wont be made accessible to them and they will be constantly monitoring, the Philippine leader warned. Let me say this for the 100th time. I do not recognize the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Philippines. I do not. I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty. The Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts, Marcos told reporters. However, as ordinary people, they can come and visit the Philippines but we will not help them. In fact, we are keeping an eye on them, making sure that they do not come into contact with any agency of the government, he said. Should ICC representatives attempt to contact any government officials, Marcos said: Dont answer. Thats our answer. Marcos is under pressure from human rights groups who want his immediate predecessor, Duterte, to be tried for alleged crimes against humanity. An estimated 8,000 suspected drug dealers and users were killed during the war on illegal drugs launched under Dutertes administration (2016-2022). The Philippine president issued the statement after former Sen. Antonio Trillanes, a staunch critic of Duterte, said on Sunday that an ICC team had been in the country last month to gather evidence. The senator had helped relatives of some of the victims killed in the drug war file a lawsuit before the ICC that helped pave the way for investigation into former President Duterte by The Hague-based court. Based on my reliable sources, the ICC team was in the country [in] December and they were able to finish their investigation as far as the primary accused are concerned, Trillanes told BenarNews. The next step is the application for a warrant with the pre-trial chamber, which may take a couple of months before deciding to issue a warrant of arrest. Catholic priest Flaviano Flavie Villanueva arranges flowers and urns during a groundbreaking ceremony for the first memorial to victims of Philippine extrajudicial killings, at the La Loma Cemetery in Caloocan City, Metro Manila, Dec. 11, 2023. [Basilio Sepe/BenarNews] BenarNews reached out to the ICC on Tuesday to confirm Trillanes statement, but officials at the world court declined to comment on his remarks, saying only that the court was pursuing its efforts to deliver justice to victims in the Philippines. While pursuing its investigation, the office will seek to engage and establish a dialogue with all relevant stakeholders, including the Philippine Government and civil society, the ICCs Office of the Prosecutor said in an email. Protecting the confidentiality of our work is crucial, to ensure the safety of all those the office interacts with and to protect the integrity of our operations. Therefore, the Office does not comment on operational matters with respect to ongoing investigations. We are unable to confirm or deny any information contained in your request, it said. In the past, the ICC has said that investigations would continue because the Philippines had failed to convince the body that it had no jurisdiction over the case. Last week, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said that Manila may allow the ICC to investigate if it followed legal procedures. Were not here to stop them because if theyre not doing anything illegal, theres nothing wrong with that, Remulla told Japanese news agency Kyodo. If theyre getting statements, theyre getting evidence. Its okay. But we have to clarify many issues, especially about procedure. Meanwhile, Dutertes daughter, Sara Duterte, who is Marcos vice president, said she was surprised to find out from news reports that witnesses had come forward to testify against her in the ICC. The reports said they had given testimony about alleged death squads that operated in Davao City, when Sara Duterte served as mayor there from 2016 to 2022. Before he became president in 2016, her father also served as mayor of Davao City. On Tuesday, local new outlets quoted her as saying that she did not need a death squad for things she could do on her own. But I will only face any charge against me before a Filipino judge and only before a Filipino court, she said, echoing the line that her father has repeatedly used. I will not be a part of a process that will bring shame to our country and crush the dignity of our judges, courts and the entire justice system of the Philippines, she said. Marcos, who took office in 2022, has been showing a willingness to reverse some of Dutertes policies. He has realigned the Philippines back with the United States, its traditional ally, and has stood up to harassment by China in disputed South China Sea waters. This is a marked contrast to Dutertes anti-West policy, in which he fully embraced China and praised Russia. During his time in power, Duterte openly ridiculed the ICC. In 2019, he withdrew the Philippines from the Rome Statute, an international treaty that led to the establishment of the world court, after the ICC began an inquiry into his drug war. The former president had said that by disengaging from the ICC, he hoped his administrations drug war would no longer be placed under a spotlight. Carlos Conde, the Philippines researcher for New York-based Human Rights Watch, said nations that withdraw from the treaty are not exempt from being investigated. Setting aside the caveat about the legality of an ICC presence, we urge the government to abide by the Rome Statute, which affirms that states who withdrew still have the duty and obligation to cooperate with ICC investigations, Conde told BenarNews. We hope this leads to a more fruitful engagement by the Marcos admin with the ICC. The thousands of victims of the drug war who are still seeking justice and accountability deserve no less, he said. Duterte, 78, is facing two complaints before the ICC. One was filed by a former police officer, a self-styled assassin who accused Duterte of ordering the deaths of opponents and criminals when Duterte served as mayor of Davao City. The second was filed by relatives of people killed during Dutertes anti-drug campaign under his presidency. Marcos succeeded Duterte after winning the May 2022 general election and later promised that no ICC investigator would be allowed into the country. He took Dutertes position that the Philippines has a working justice system and can try its own cases. Mark Navales and Jojo Rinoza in Manila contributed to this report. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. Certain countries must stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces 15:08, January 23, 2024 By Zhong Sheng ( People's Daily Following the elections of China's Taiwan region, over 100 countries and international organizations have reaffirmed their commitment to the one-China principle, their firm support for China's effort to safeguard the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity, their opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence" and their support for China's cause of national reunification. What they have made is the voice of justice and peace. However, the United States and a few other countries sought to use the event to engage in political manipulation and published so-called statements "congratulating" the election victor. Such practices are serious interference of China's internal affairs and violation of China's sovereignty, and go against a universally recognized basic norm in international relations and a prevailing consensus among the international community. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair and elections in the Taiwan region are purely China's internal affairs. Whatever changes take place in Taiwan, the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China will not change. The Cairo Declaration, Potsdam Proclamation and other legally binding international instruments that have established the post-World War II international order all provide the historical and jurisprudential basis for the fact that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. While the two sides across the Taiwan Strait have yet to be reunified, the sovereignty and territory of China have never been severed. The legal status and the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of China's territory have never changed. This represents the true status quo of the Taiwan question. The one-China principle is the political premise on which China establishes and develops diplomatic relations with other countries. China has consistently and firmly opposed any form of official contact between the Taiwan region and countries having diplomatic ties with China, and interfering in Taiwan affairs in any way or under any pretext. A few countries have manipulated narratives to mislead the public, with an aim to cover and gloss over their erroneous practices that interfere in China's internal affairs and violate the basic norm governing international relations. They hyped the so-called "democratic values," trying to support "Taiwan independence" in the name of "democracy." The Taiwan question is not about democracy, but about China's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities, in collusion with external forces, have been foisting a trumped-up narrative of "democracy versus authoritarianism," fanning up the institutional difference between Taiwan and the mainland. Such efforts to pursue "Taiwan independence" in the name of democracy are very dangerous and go against the interests and wellbeing of people in Taiwan. The future of Taiwan lies in China's reunification. The difference in social systems is neither an obstacle to reunification nor a justification for secessionism. A few countries are all talk when it comes to the "peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," while turning a blind eye to the actual threats that jeopardize it. The one-China principle is what underpins peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. "Taiwan independence" is as incompatible with peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait as fire with water. The real threat to cross-Strait peace and stability is the DPP authorities' unwillingness to recognize the 1992 Consensus which embodies the one-China principle, separatist activities to seek "Taiwan independence" and attempts to change the status quo that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to one and the same China. Certain countries have been fudging and hollowing out the one-China principle, and echoing and collaborating with "Taiwan independence" forces in political, military and economic dimensions. They only say they want peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, but ignore the separatist activities to seek "Taiwan independence." This will only embolden the "Taiwan independence" separatist forces to solicit foreign support and cause greater damage to cross-Strait peace and stability. These countries only say they want to solve the Taiwan question peacefully, but never show support for China's peaceful reunification. In essence, they are hindering China's efforts to pursue reunification and separating the two sides across the Taiwan Strait. Certain countries claimed that they are committed to maintaining the peaceful resolution of differences, free from coercion and pressure. In recent years, the DPP authorities have damaged the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations, blatantly obstructed cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, and continuously escalated the tense and volatile situation across the Taiwan Strait. A few countries, in an attempt to mislead the public, disguised the DPP authorities as a "victim" so that the latter could win "compassion" from the international community. They hyped the rhetoric that they are committed to maintaining the peaceful resolution of differences, free from coercion and pressure, just to hinder the Chinese government and people from deterring separatist activities for Taiwan independence. The Chinese government and people are ready to create vast space for peaceful reunification; but they will leave no room for separatist activities in any form. They will work with the greatest sincerity and exert their utmost efforts to achieve peaceful reunification; but they will not renounce the use of force, and they reserve the option of taking all necessary measures. Taiwan has never been a country and will never be one. The recent decision of Nauru to sever "diplomatic relations" with Taiwan and resume diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China once again proved that the one-China principle is where the global opinion trends and where the arc of history bends. China believes that the international community will keep supporting the one-China principle, understand and support the Chinese people's just cause of opposing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, and their striving to achieve national reunification. China urges relevant countries to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiques, stop all forms of official contact with Taiwan, stop sending wrong signals to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces, and sincerely support China's peaceful reunification. (Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People's Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.) (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) The Richmond Ranch property in Santa Clara County includes sprawling foothills, grassy meadows and forested canyons in a prime location where the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountains converge. Courtesy Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation / Conservation Fund A 3,654-acre ranch near San Jose is slated to be converted into a major new nature preserve that will open new footpaths to hikers and serve as a critical link along the enormous Bay Area Ridge Trail. On Monday afternoon, the Conservation Fund, a national environmental nonprofit, closed on a $16 million deal to purchase Richmond Ranch in Santa Clara County from Chinese corporation Z&L Properties, which had bought the site from a generational cattle family in 2016 and left the land largely untouched. Z&L has snapped up real estate around the Bay Area for years but has recently shifted to offloading its various holdings in San Francisco and San Jose. Its purchase of the ranch for $25 million eight years ago came as a disappointment to South Bay conservationists, who had hoped to lock in a deal that would set the area aside and shield it from development in perpetuity. Advertisement Article continues below this ad An attempt by Z&L to sell the ranch to San Jose company Terrascape Ventures recently fell through, according to the Mercury News, opening an opportunity for conservationists to pounce. We were not expecting it to come back on the market, and were very excited the deal came through, said Eric Ross, Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation senior real estate agent. The price were getting is well below its appraised value so when this came up, everyone jumped quickly. The Richmond Ranch property in Santa Clara County is a critical habitat for Tule elk, among other wildlife. Courtesy Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation / Conservation Fund The property will ultimately be transferred to Santa Clara County with the long-term vision of converting it into a nature preserve with hiking trails. It will be jointly managed by the parks department and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency. On Tuesday, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors approved the notice of intent to buy the ranch the first step in the process to formally acquire the property that could take up to a year, Ross said. Opening the area to public access will likely take much longer, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The 100-year-old ranch includes sprawling foothills, grassy meadows and forested canyons in a prime location where the Diablo and Santa Cruz mountains converge an area that happens to lie along the route of the mostly complete 550-mile Bay Area Ridge Trail, which planners are piecing together into a giant thru-hiking path encircling the entire region. The property also borders the newly opened Mayyan Ooyakma Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve and functions as an important habitat for ranging pumas and Tule elk as well as wild boar, badger, gray fox, bobcat and turkey. Securing a wildlife corridor there has been on every conservation groups hit list for a long, long time, said Conservation Fund project manager Dan Medeiros. Views from the Richmond Ranch property in Santa Clara County, which was just purchased by conservationists to create new hiking trails and wildlife habitat. Courtesy Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation / Conservation Fund Its not every day the county gets a bargain like this for public access, he said. From atop the propertys 2,464-foot-high Mount Misery, one can see the skyscrapers of downtown San Jose and the bays watery expanse beyond. Advertisement Article continues below this ad You are the owner of this article. Like most of the structures connected to the citys manufacturing legacy, Building 12 and Building 14, on the GE Power Transformer campus, will be the stuff of memories by the end of this year. West Side residents gathered at The Christian Center on Tuesday night to discuss possibilities for a new parklet and renovation of a stairway on Francis Avenue. Stay up to date on Berkshires news with Berkshires in Brief, our free daily newsletter After storms created an infrastructure crisis in Northern Berkshire County last summer, North Adams Mayor Jennifer Macksey had a direct plea to Gov. Maura Healey Governor, we just need help. It appears Healey and the commonwealth heard her. Ten Berkshire County cities and towns are among those slated to get a chunk of $10 million in disaster relief money, paid for by the supplemental budget signed by Healey in December. We knew the Healey administration would not forget us, Macksey said Monday. Were very excited to receive the funding. Even though its not our full expense, were glad we werent forgotten. This past weekend at a Massachusetts Municipal Association business meeting, Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll announced the relief funds, which includes $2.8 million total for Berkshire communities, with North Adams at $1,225,000, Clarksburg at $575,000, Adams at $525,000 and Becket at $315,000 making up the lions share. Macksey said the total damage caused in North Adams was $3 to $3.2 million, but that she and other municipal leaders didnt expect to receive full relief. Lt. Governor Driscoll and I have spent the past year visiting municipalities that suffered catastrophic damage due to severe weather. We knew they needed more support to rebuild, which is why we worked with the Legislature to secure these disaster relief funds, Healey said in a news release. Were proud to be delivering the first round of these funds to 37 cities and towns to relieve some of the burden theyve been facing. Hinsdale received $45,000, then Dalton, Peru, Sandisfield, Sheffield and Washington each were allocated $20,000. Somewhere between $300,000 to $350,000 of North Adams share will be spent on past expenses that have already gone toward repairs. Well use the remaining balance to focus on our high-impact areas of Brooklyn, Eagle, Fuller, Bryant, and Frederick [streets] tying into Houghton [Street], Macksey said. We need to evaluate those areas as to what a long-term fix is. Right now, weve put Band-Aids on things to survive. We need to prioritize, and complement this funding with grant applications. State Rep. John Barrett III, D-North Adams, who along with state Sen. Paul Mark, D-Becket, state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Hampshire, and state Rep. Natalie Blais, D-Deerfield worked to secure the relief money in the supplemental budget, said it could be the beginning of a permanent disaster relief fund. Its a good chunk of money that certainly will take the sting out of things a bit, Barrett said. With climate change, this is going to be more of a regular occurrence. Mark said that the day Healey came to North Adams July 12 to survey storm damage, both House and Senate members made a pitch to leadership for money to cover whatever the federal government didnt pay out in response to the storm. But, When we found out that the disaster didnt qualify locally for FEMA funds because it happened over so many days, we instead went into the mode of, We have to get these towns as much money as possible. All told, legislators carved out $15 million for disaster relief and $20 million for farm disaster relief. A failure at Adamss wastewater treatment plant during the storms caused partially untreated sewer water to flow into the Hoosic River. On Monday, Town Administrator Jay Green explained that though spending guidelines havent been disclosed yet, the majority of Adams share of the money will likely go toward unfunded expenses at the wastewater treatment plant. We had electronic equipment that was essentially washed out and we also had electrical components, pumps that were submerged, Green said. That money will go toward getting those things built. Both Green and Clarksburg Town Administrator Carl McKinney said they were grateful to the Healey administration for keeping the communities in mind. McKinney mentioned concerns on West Road, as well as with a 300-foot-long culvert on Gleason Street. Its seen better days, and none of them are recent, he said of the culvert. McKinney said the town sustained $1.88 million worth of damage. He said he is very impressed with the interest, and more importantly the listening to the trials and tribulations of small towns in rural parts of the state. There are more rural towns than there are big cities in the commonwealth, but were not a huge voting bloc, so this speaks well to the fairness and evenness that we had been hoping for, McKinney said. This is a good look. GREAT BARRINGTON A lawyer assigned by the towns insurance company is deciding how and whether the town should proceed with an independent investigation of a police search for a book in a middle school classroom last month. The Select Board announced at its meeting on Monday that the Boston-based civil litigation firm Pierce Davis & Perritano was appointed last week for legal advice regarding a probe of the Dec. 8 incident at W.E.B. Du Bois Regional Middle School, and to determine next steps. The firm was assigned by the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association, a nonprofit that provides liability and other insurance for more than 400 cities and towns across the state. Town Manager Mark Pruhenski said at the meeting he had met with the lawyer that morning. The lawyer needs more time to assess the situation, he said. The board pushed its vote on whether to conduct an independent investigation to its next meeting on Feb. 12. This frustrated at least one school parent, who pointed out by the time a decision is made on how to proceed, it will have been two months since the action by police to search a classroom one that was permitted by school officials. Debra Minkoff wondered if there is "some reluctance" by the board to move forward. Board Chair Stephen Bannon said there is no reluctance, and explained that the board can only make decisions in open meeting, and that town staff members with one board member have been advancing plans to possibly hold the investigation. Theyve also had to wait on advice from the lawyers. But the teacher whose classroom was searched, as well as parents, other teachers and the larger community want to get to the bottom of what happened on Dec. 8 and how it was allowed to happen. On Dec. 8, Great Barrington Police received a complaint from someone who said the book, Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe, may have images that are considered pornographic. After receiving permission from Superintendent Peter Dillon, Police Chief Paul Storti sent Officer Joseph OBrien to the school to look for the book and determine whether it was indeed obscene material. OBrien was escorted by Principal Miles Wheat. The book could not be found in the classroom, and six days later Berkshire District Attorney Timothy Shugrue stopped any criminal investigation from moving forward. A firestorm ensued over both the complainant not going through regular school procedure to challenge a book, and because police didnt redirect them back to the school. It is also because Dillon gave Storti the green light something he has repeatedly apologized for. The Berkshire Hills Regional School District has already launched its own independent investigation at the request of the teacher, who asked for both the district and the town to conduct separate independent investigations. The teacher wants to return to school from her leave of absence. But she has safety concerns, and wants first and foremost to know who complained, her lawyer, Howard M. Cooper told The Eagle last week. Only police know the complainant's identity. Coopers firm, Todd & Weld LLP, specializes in employment law. Cooper also is a board member of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Other steps are being taken: Town staff and police are reviewing policies and making draft revisions, Pruhenski said. Storti is conducting a debrief about the entire incident, he said last week. Storti will be present at a future meeting, Pruhenski added in response to a question by Ananda Timpane, executive director of Railroad Street Youth Project. Timpane reminded the board of a letter from the ACLUM and GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) to both Storti and Shugrue that said the search was "unwarranted," and asked them to take corrective action and reassure the public that police have no business meddling in education. When asked by Timpane if this cant be done before an investigation, Pruhenski said that he needs to wait for the attorneys advice. GREAT BARRINGTON The burden to pay a proposed real estate transfer fee will fall on the buyer not the seller if Leigh Davis gets her way. Select Board Vice Chair Davis had previously proposed a 1 percent fee on real estate sales over $1 million that the buyer and seller would split. But after listening to the concerns of her constituents particularly the many who are house rich and cash poor Davis thinks only the buyer should pay. Davis, however, said she is not acting on behalf of the town but rather as an advocate. The problem now is to convince state lawmakers to allow it. Davis is trying. She testified before the Joint Committee on Housing at the Statehouse on Thursday in support of the local option real estate transfer fee which is included in Gov. Maura Healeys $4.21 billion housing bond bill also called The Affordable Homes Act. The provision is tucked into the bill, and would allow cities and towns the option to impose between a 0.5 to 2 percent fee designed to funnel a regular stream of money into municipal coffers for various affordable housing initiatives. Davis, who is also on the Select Boards Housing Committee and works for affordable housing nonprofit Construct Inc., asked lawmakers to approve the provision for the fee, but for it to not be borne entirely by the seller," as the bill's language now states. She said she wants to ease the burden on full-time cash poor residents who depend on the sale of their homes to fund their retirement. Davis also wants the bills language changed so that it isnt just the portion over a million dollars that is taxed. She asked that the total transaction of sales over a million dollars be subject to the fee. Last year, Davis began driving the proposal as the town continues to suffer from a lack of available rentals and the high cost of available housing. Its a place where the median home sale price last year hit $783,000, Davis said, quoting from real estate website Redfin. Data from the Multiple Listing Service prepared by the Berkshire Board of Realtors puts that number at $515,000. Either way, local wages can't keep pace. Its a statewide problem that Healey at the hearing called the "single greatest challenge facing our state," and one that is hamstringing the economy. The bond bill includes a long list of earmarks and initiatives that includes creating more housing. All of it, Healey says, will boost the economy. The commonwealth faces an increasing housing shortage," Healey writes in the introduction to her bill, filed in October. "The demand for both market rate and affordable housing has significantly increased. She said the state has to produce 200,000 homes by 2030 to tackle the existing housing shortage and meet growing demand." 'Drowning' Its the second time Davis has testified in the Legislature in favor of the transfer fee as she and other town officials struggle to solve a housing problem that morphed into a crisis during the pandemic. Great Barrington is in danger of losing its charm and livability, she told lawmakers. Its already lost workers who cant afford to live where they work. At least one large employer Fairview Hospital cant fill five health care positions, she said of what is anecdotal information from hospital officials. We are drowning, Davis added. Using rental and other economic data Davis calculated that it would take an 80-hour work week for a service worker making $17 an hour that's $2 above minimum wage to afford a one-bedroom market-rate apartment. Hardly enough time to kiss your kids and put them to bed, she said at the hearing. Davis told The Eagle that if the bill isnt changed so that only buyers pay, the town will have no choice but to stick to the states language if voters at annual town meeting agree to pass it. Her reasoning for the shift to buyers is that they are likely not to mind paying the extra fee given all the assets of the town and the Berkshires that they are about to enjoy. Its almost like a charitable donation, she said of people who are eager to give money to the community. Now they're donating to the people that run the coffee shop, serve them in the coffee shops and clean their houses, Davis said. Davis wasnt alone in testifying for the transfer fee. Keith Bergman, a municipal adviser and chair of the Concord Municipal Affordable Housing Trust, told lawmakers that the town has has been trying to get approval for the fee since 2019 in a town "where the people who work here cannot afford to live here. Not everyone thinks the fee is a good idea. Jay Ash, the former secretary of the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, who is now president and CEO at Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, a pro-business lobby, told the committee that he hears from developers "an awful lot that they are not going to be building anytime soon here" should a transfer tax and other similar measures be implemented. 2. Idol Worship Is Unacceptable People today can often forget that we worship idols too. They dont look the same as they did in Gideons time. While we dont have golden calves in our yards, we hold wealth, status, time, and many other things as idols. Anything that separates us from God is an idol. Gideon has been living in a family that has turned from their God. They have been worshipping Baal and most likely, so was Gideon. After Gideon has realized that it is the sovereign Lord speaking, he follows the instruction to take down his fathers altar to Baal and the Asherah pole beside it. God still asks that we tear down the idols in our lives. He instructs us to not let anyone or anything come between Him and us. Idols were not acceptable then, and they are not acceptable today. We cannot serve two masters and we cannot carry out the work Christ has for us when we have idols in our lives. 3. We Are All Unfinished Products The beginning of Gideons story paints the picture of a young man who is scared, complacent, and hiding from his enemies. Fear has infiltrated Gideons heart and the hearts of all Israelites. The tribe of Manasseh is weak, and Gideon doesnt seem to have much hope of life getting any better. Some readers might even call Gideon a coward. First, we must consider Gideons age. We dont know the exact number, but we do know he is the youngest son in his family. Most likely, Gideon still has some growing and learning to do. His faith was weak, yet he sought out the Lords guidance. Not once but three times in Gideons story, we read his requests for God to give him a sign. Clearly, Gideon was second-guessing what was happening. He wanted to be sure he was interpreting the instructions correctly. Gideon was still growing in his faith, and God was gracious in answering Gideons request for a sign. What we can take away from this is that, like Gideon, we are an unfinished product. Only with the guidance of God can we grow and strengthen our faith. Photo credit: GettyImages/Jantanee Rungpranomkorn BillOReilly.com is not available in this country. We apologize for any inconvenience. Roland Li covers commercial real estate for the business desk, focusing on the Bay Area office and retail sectors. He was previously a reporter at San Francisco Business Times, where he won one award from the California News Publishers Association and three from the National Association of Real Estate Editors. He is the author of Good Luck Have Fun: The Rise of eSports," a 2016 book on the history of the competitive video game industry. Before moving to the Bay Area in 2015, he studied and worked in New York. He freelanced for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other local publications. His hobbies include swimming and urban photography. He can be reached at roland.li@sfchronicle.com. The startup will be utilising the funds towards technology optimisation, talent acquisition, and growth Bengaluru-based insurance-tech startup Healspan has raised Rs 1.2 crore in a recently-concluded pre-seed funding round led by startup community-builder and accelerator PedalStart. While this marks the first institutional fundraising round for Healspan since its inception in 2022, the startup has, through its strategic fundraising endeavors, raised total funding of Rs 1.7 crore till date. With the aid of its revolutionary claims filing and tracking software, Healspan has already helped 60+ hospitals pan-India in seamlessly managing the documentation, queries, processing, and other key aspects relating to cashless health insurance claims. The company will be utilising the newly acquired pre-seed capital to bolster its technology, talent acquisition, and overall business operations and growth. Furthermore, the funds raised through this round shall play an instrumental role in growing and scaling Healspans clientele, and in boosting their subscriptions and revenue. Owing to the ongoing support of PedalStart, over the last four months, Healspan has increased its revenue by 4x, and has been actively focusing on adding new revenue streams and paid subscribers onto the business. The startup has already established its major presence across multiple metros and tier 1 cities like Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and others; and they are looking to expand to at least more locations across India, while serving at least 1000 hospitals by the end of 2025. The current market size of bacteriophage-based products and therapies in India is insignificant at the moment. Even globally the estimated size is less than $50 million. But, the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and awareness about the benefits of phage therapy is expected to propel market growth. The use in agriculture, veterinary and consumption as phage probiotics will be major growth drivers. Dr Ranga Reddy Burri, President of the Infection Control Academy of India, brings forth, in an interaction with BioSpectrum India, on how our country has to frame effective strategies to propagate the use of bacteriophages. How is research in India contributing to the development of novel bacteriophage-based technologies, such as phage engineering or phage cocktails? Just as in other parts of the world, India has seen a growing interest in the field of bacteriophage-based technologies, especially as we face a critical juncture in our ability to combat infections due to the rising AMR scourge. Numerous research initiatives and institutions within the country are actively contributing to the development of innovative bacteriophage-based technologies, which encompass phage engineering and the creation of phage cocktails. Indian researchers are deeply engaged in exploring the therapeutic potential of bacteriophages for the treatment of bacterial infections. The primary focus of these efforts revolves around isolating and characterising phages that specifically target pathogenic bacteria. Extensive in-vitro and preclinical trials are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of these phages in treating a wide range of infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant strains. Our scientific community is also making commendable progress in the development of phage cocktails and the exploration of bioprospecting, although the regulatory landscape poses challenges when it comes to translating research into tangible products. The genetic modification of bacteriophages to enhance their efficacy as therapeutic agents remains a relatively unexplored avenue. Within our scientific and laboratory settings, the capacity to engineer phages to broaden their host range, enhance their stability, and increase their specificity when targeting bacteria exists. However, realising the full potential of these advancements would require support and incentives from governmental and academic institutions to propel this research forward. We are confident that collaborations with international institutions and experts in phage therapy can facilitate the exchange of knowledge, provide access to essential resources, encourage the adoption of best practices, and help refine our regulatory processes to address existing gaps. Ultimately, such collaborations will expedite the transition from laboratory discoveries to practical applications in healthcare. Bacteriophages have shown significant promise in tackling AMR due to their ability to target and kill specific bacterial strains. Please elaborate on this statement and also share some examples from India-based success stories of AMR tackling phages and also add a note on its effectiveness compared to traditional antibiotics? Bacteriophages, or simply called phages, are viruses that specifically infect and kill bacteria. Their ability to target and destroy specific bacterial strains makes them promising tools in tackling AMR sustainably. Unlike antimicrobials they are more sustainable and safer as phages are devoid of side effects and development of resistance is relatively low. As you rightly pointed out, phages hold significant promise in addressing AMR due to their specificity, adaptability, and potential for personalized treatment. While there are success stories in India like AIIMS-ICMR PhageBank, ongoing research, international academia, industry collaborations, regulatory support, and clinical validation are crucial for realising their full potential as alternatives or complements to traditional antibiotics. What is the regulatory landscape for bacteriophage-based therapies and products in India, and how is it evolving to accommodate this emerging field? Regulatory authorities classify bacteriophages as biological substances. Currently, no established framework explicitly defines the role of bacteriophages in the context of medicinal products for human use in India and globally. Very few countries have clear regulatory pathways. One such example is Georgia, where bacteriophages have been seamlessly integrated into the healthcare system as a standard medical practice, and a range of phage preparations are available over-the-counter, along with a more extensive selection of products supplied directly to medical practitioners. US FDA also approved several phage treatments which are employed in the food industry, largely in the dairy and meat industry, to combat bacterial growth. The regulatory pathway in the US and the EU is currently work-in-progress for human use. To fuel rapid progress toward phage therapeutics, as sustainable antibiotic alternative, regulatory processes must be refined and should be pragmatic to reach a tipping point sooner. What is the level of public awareness and acceptance of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotics in India, and are there any public health campaigns promoting their use? The level of public awareness and acceptance of bacteriophages as an alternative to antibiotics in India is abysmal compared to more established treatments like antibiotics. Even among healthcare professionals, the awareness is low, which is a significant deterrent to mainstreaming this alternative. Organisations like Society for Bacteriophage Research and Therapy, Infection Control Academy of India and others are working towards awareness and providing a platform for researchers, clinicians, and other stakeholders to collaborate. What are the funding and investment trends in the Indian bacteriophage sector, and are there any notable collaborations between academia, industry, and government agencies? The funding into this sector is mostly from grants, philanthropy, altruistic researchers, and Good Samaritans only. Traditional life science and biotech companies have no participation in research or investments in this segment as the perceived demand is low and the risk of return is high. Government, academia and civil society organisations (CSOs) must play larger roles in mainstreaming phage therapy. Big pharma can catalyse by collaborating with academia and startups in this space. Anusha Ashwin Click here to read the next story on bacteriophages by Stephen Bryen Rumors are making the rounds in Kiev that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will fire the head of the Ukrainian armed forces, General Valerii Zaluzhny. Zelensky and Zaluzhny have been at odds for some time. The excuse is likely to be losses in and around Avdeevka, which is a Ukrainian military stronghold, just north of Donetsk. The rumor says that Kyrylo Budanov, head of military intelligence, will replace Zaluzhny. Field reports show that the Russians have advanced in the southern part of the town, knocking out numerous trenches and fortifications, with the Russian operation gaining momentum and strength as new troops are poured into the fight. In this file photo, Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines military intelligence chief, center, attends a commemorative event on the occasion of the Russia Ukraine war one year anniversary in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2023. There is little doubt that Russia will be successful. While the Ukrainian army may be able to delay the Russians, it lacks any ability to stop them cold. If Ukraine tries to bring in extra forces to bolster their chances, they open themselves up to Russian threats elsewhere along the line of contact. Avdeevka, no matter its importance, is just an excuse for Zelensky. He needs loyal people around him as his situation becomes more precarious. His European and American allies, who still say they want to give him what he wants in arms and financial aid, understand that Ukraine cant stand up to Russian military pressure. That is why Europe is now in a panic and Washington is searching for a new policy. Europe believes that if Russia wins in Ukraine, as now seems likely, then Europe is threatened by Russia and Europeans are not prepared. NATOs chiefs, and politicians in Germany, Sweden, Holland,Estonia, Poland and elsewhere are clamoring for strengthening NATOs defenses. The nearly five-month long NATO exercise, starting in late January, is an effort to demonstrate to Russia that NATO will stand and fight. But the exercise may also show the Russians just what they need to do if a conflict does come. NATOs alleged 90,000 soldier exercise has been given the lofty name, Steadfast Defender. It is supposed to reinforce the notion of NATO reliability. The Russians, meanwhile, have cancelled their big military exercise, called Zapad (West), a message understood by Europe. Russia says it must focus on training its new soldiers, sailors and airmen. Europe has little to fall back on, as Europes security is acutely dependent on the United States. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, perhaps well before, the Europeans have focused on social spending and have invested little in defense programs. Worse still, many of them have taken their strategic reserve war material and sent it to Ukraine, leaving them with empty shelves and warehouses. In Germany, which was supposed to rebuild its armed forces under the slogan Zeitenwende (Turning Point), the German government has been raiding the $108 billion dollar fund to give money and arms to Ukraine. While Russia appears to have ordered its defense manufacturing companies to work additional shifts to produce armaments, little has been done in Europe or the United States to really move forward production. Instead there are labor shortages, supply chain issues, and slow procurement orders. Meanwhile the US has unloaded most of its critical war fighting supplies, sent to Ukraine, leaving great uncertainty if America could rescue Europe, even if it wanted to do so. Putting aside the credibility, or lack thereof, of any imminent Russian threat to Europe, the US is changing its policy and is recognizing that it cannot win a conventional war against Russia. (Which also means that it cant win a conventional war against China, maybe not even Iran or the miniscule Houthis.) All of this is clearly visible in Iraq where US bases and installations are regularly bombed by Iranian militias, following orders from Tehran. Their goal is for US troops to leave Iraq and Syria and, accomplishing that, demonstrate that the US is unreliable and unfit to depend upon. The new Ukraine policy has been emerging over recent months. If understood correctly, the policy is designed to deal with the new reality that Ukraine will lose the war, and Ukraines government may need to evacuate Kiev. Putting Budanov in effective control of the new policy, and the relocation of Ukraines capital, probably to Lviv, is the bedrock of the policy. Operationally the policy will be to use special operations, assassinations, bombings and any other means, including blowing up a nuclear reactor, to punish the Russians and keep them off balance. Zelensky is already setting the stage saying Russia will blow up a nuclear reactor. The Russians are no doubt keenly aware that the target will be a reactor in western Russia and it will be Ukrainian saboteurs who undertake the mission. For Washington there are three imperatives. The first is to be able to keep the war going, and to keep demanding money from Congress. This is a hard act because if Ukraine is collapsing it will be hard to get buy-in for a losing proposition. The reality is likely to be that the Biden administration does not expect that Congress will fork over more billions, especially if it is all but certain to go down a rat hole. What they want to do is blame Congress and Republicans for the loss of Ukraine. The second imperative is to keep a pro-western Ukrainian government functioning, even if it has to abandon Kiev. It also means that the current government has to politically survive: if a coup detat happens all bets are off. So Washington needs to prevent a political breakdown. This is a tall order because Ukrainians are understandably unhappy, in fact miserable, as young and old men are forced to fight a losing war, and many of them dont come home. The third imperative is to keep Russia out of Europe, meaning to keep European countries from cutting their own deals with Moscow. As Kiev goes, so goes Europe and NATO. If the Russians are able to put a pro-Russian government in Kiev, the Europeans will need to find a practical solution to living with Moscow. The key actor is Germany and the current German government wont talk to Russia, at least not now. But that may change in the near future. If Ukraine falls, Germany will need to change its policy. The easiest way for its government to change direction is to blame the United States for something, such as the Nord Stream pipelines destruction. That would open the door to a conversation with Putin. Stephen Bryen is a former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense and is a leading expert in security strategy and technology. Bryen writes for Asia Times, American Thinker, Epoch Times, Newsweek, Washington Times, the Jewish Policy Center and others. January 22, 2024: After Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, Ukraines NATO neighbors, especially Poland and the three smaller Baltic States were the first to send weapons and munitions. These nations used lots of imported munitions which could not be exported without permission from the foreign manufacturer. Poland, however, had become a developer and manufacturer of weapons, and so was able to send locally developed Warmate UAV munitions immediately. Poland completed development of Warmate in 2017 and the Polish military ordered a thousand Warmate UAVs at a cost of about $28,000 each. Developed and made in Poland, Warmate is delivered as a system package. Each one consists of ten 4 kg Warmate UAVs together with ground controllers, maintenance, and training material. The first hundred Warmate systems went to Polish Special Forces and the new territorial defense units. The remainder of the Warmate order has now been delivered. Unlike similar small UAVs, Warmate can use an explosive warhead as an expendable cruise missile type weapon. Normally Warmate is used for surveillance and can be reused dozens of times. Warmate is carried and launched, with a pneumatic assist from its box-like storage container. The electric motor gives Warmate a top speed of 150 kilometers an hour/41 meters a second. Endurance is 30-50 minutes and normal altitude is 300-500 meters. Range is line of sight and 10-12 kilometers from the operator. The control and video transfer signal is encrypted and Warmate can operate autonomously along a preprogrammed route using GPS with a backup unjammable INS/Inertial Guidance System to deal with jamming. Warmate can operate in combat mode by adding a 300 gram warhead. There are several types of warhead: fragmentation, with fragments deadly up to 10 meters, armor piercing able to penetrate up to 120mm of armor and thermobaric/fuel air explosive. While useful against armored or unarmored vehicles, Warmate would be most useful against snipers or other targets that are a danger and can quickly move if spotted. The fragmentation warhead could be highly effective because Warmate could be flown through a window cave/bunker entrance and kill everyone in a room. Warmate could also disrupt an ambush. The idea of UAVs used as mini-cruise missiles isnt new. Israel and American troops have been using such loitering munitions for years. Israel has Harpy and the Americans began with Switchblade in 2009. This was a one kilogram expendable/used only once UAV that can be equipped with explosives. The Switchblade is launched from its shipping and storage tube, at which point wings flip out, a battery powered propeller starts spinning and a vidcam begins broadcasting images to the controller. The Switchblade is operated using the same gear the larger two kg Raven UAV employs. A complete Switchblade system containing a missile, container, and controller weighs 5.5 kg. Switchblade was very popular with troops in Afghanistan and with Special Operations Command/ SOCOM in all sorts of places they wont discuss in detail. Switchblade was followed by an improved version as well as a larger second generation LMAMS UAV. After Russia attacked Ukraine in 2022, Poland provided neighbor Ukraine with some Warmate systems for use against Russian forces. Warmate performed quite well against the Russians. Warmate proved very hard to detect and destroy in flight. That was because if used for an attack, shooting down a small target like Warmate, coming in at 41 meters a second, was very difficult. The Russians had effective electronic warfare systems for remotely controlled UAVs but were not able to use them effective against Warmate, even in attack mode. Warmate is cost effective and very cheap to produce, especially in light of the Ukraine experience. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code Barry Keoghan turned heads in a sleeveless turquoise knit as he attended the UK premiere of his new drama series Masters Of The Air. The Irish actor, 31, paired the woollen vest with black trousers and boots as he walked the blue carpet on Monday night in London. Advertisement Keoghan, best known for his roles in psychological thriller Saltburn and Irish black comedy The Banshees Of Inisherin, stars as Lieutenant Curtis Biddick in the new Apple TV+ series which follows the true story of a US bomber group during the war. Callum Turner, Barry Keoghan and Austin Butler attend the UK premiere of Masters of the Air in London (Ian West/PA) He was joined by fellow co-stars Callum Turner and Austin Butler at the event, who play Major John Bucky Egan and Major Gale Buck Cleven respectively. Advertisement Elvis star Butler wore a sleek slate grey suit with a white shirt and black tie for the event, while Fantastic Beasts actor Turner donned an all black suit, shirt and tie combo. Advertisement Rafferty Law, who is the son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, also wore a three-piece black suit and white shirt for the premiere of the series, in which he plays Sergeant Ken Lemmons. Nate Mann, Josiah Cross and Branden Cook also feature in the drama, which is based Donald L Millers book of the same name and has been scripted by John Orloff. Advertisement Raff Law plays Sergeant Ken Lemmons in the Apple TV+ series which follows the true story of a US bomber group during the war (Ian West/PA) The series will follow the lives of the men from the 100th Bomb Group, nicknamed the Bloody Hundredth, as they conduct bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the dire weather conditions, lack of oxygen, and terror of air combat. It will also explore the psychological and emotional price they had to pay during the war including being wounded, captured and killed. Saving Private Ryan director Steven Spielberg, Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman also act as executive producers on the TV series. Advertisement The drama is a sequel to the mini-series Band Of Brothers and The Pacific, which were also produced by Spielberg, Hanks and Goetzman. Comprising nine hour-long episodes, Master Of The Air will debut on Apple TV+ with two episodes on January 26th, followed by a new episode weekly every Friday through to March 15th. A British minister appeared to confuse a BBC journalist with a former presenter of childrens programme Art Attack when asked to provide examples of bias by the publicly owned broadcaster. Conservative rail minister Huw Merriman said there were some areas of news reporting where he felt the BBC could do better on ensuring it remains impartial. Advertisement Asked to provide examples in an interview with Sky News on Tuesday, he singled out a BBC reporter, saying he always felt the journalist gave one side of the story and not the other side when it came to the Tory Governments universal credit reforms, which changed how benefits are administered. The frontbencher named the reporter as Neil Buchanan in what appeared to be a mix-up. Advertisement Michael Buchanan is a BBC social affairs correspondent while Neil Buchanan is a former presenter of the programme Art Attack, fronting the show between 1990 to 2007. Advertisement A BBC source said: Michaels an excellent and impartial journalist who was named RTS (Royal Television Society) specialist journalist of the year last year, not to be confused with the presenter of a childrens art programme from the 1990s. Mr Merriman also suggested he found an episode he listened to on Friday of BBC Radio 4s The News Quiz programme completely biased. Advertisement Labour branded his comments about a satirical programme laughable, while the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said his decision to impugn the work of an individual journalist was shameful. The comments come after Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer, who has said she believes the BBC has been biased on occasion, announced on Monday that media regulator Ofcom could gain enforcement action over BBC News website articles it does not believe meet relevant broadcast standards. Ministers have accused the BBC of lacking impartiality at times. Photo: Lucy North/PA. Advertisement Mr Merriman, describing listening to The News Quiz, said: For 10 minutes all I heard was and it wasnt satirical it was just diatribe against Conservatives, not the government. And I did listen to that and think for goodness sake, where is the balance in that? So yes, Im afraid to say that, despite the fact that Ive always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biased. Advertisement Put to him that The News Quiz is designed to be a comedy programme, Mr Merriman said there wasnt actually anything in it that struck me as being sort of amusing. Advertisement It didnt strike me as being particularly satirical, he added. Labour shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire, responding to Mr Merrimans comments, tweeted: The Government spending another day undermining the BBC, this time for supposed bias in a satirical news quiz, is laughable. Is this the Tories for the next few months? Is this really all they have to offer working people? Scraping the barrel. The Government spending another day undermining the BBC, this time for supposed bias in a satirical news quiz, is laughable. Is this the Tories for the next few months? Is this really all they have to offer working people? Scraping the barrel. We need a General election now! https://t.co/bSbpMepjGL Thangam Debbonaire (@ThangamMP) January 23, 2024 A BBC spokeswoman said: Were confident our audiences know the difference between a longstanding and popular satirical comedy show and our news reporting. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary said: Not content with demonstrating his lack of humour when it comes to topical satire shows, Huw Merriman felt the need to impugn the work of an individual journalist for the apparent crime of not lapping up his words of wisdom when he was batting for universal credit in a past ministerial gig. She said his behaviour was shameful and does nothing to make a positive contribution to currently parlous standards of public discourse something that politicians really need to take more seriously. Insiders at the broadcaster pointed out that The News Quiz is commissioned by Radio 4 as a comedy programme and is not made by BBC News. They highlighted that it shares its 6.30pm slot on Friday nights on the station with other satirical programmes including The Now Show and Dead Ringers. Downing Street could not give any evidence about Mr Buchanan, the BBC journalist Mr Merriman chose to target. The Prime Ministers official spokesman said: I dont have detail about that individual. There have been concerns raised by the public in relation to some aspects of BBC coverage, the mid-term review and Ofcom have found evidence that audiences feel that BBC impartiality is on a downward trajectory. It is for Ofcom to look at individual instances, it is not for me to opine. Louis Theroux has launched the second series of The Louis Theroux Podcast and Irish actor Paul Mescal is his first guest. The interviewer and broadcaster kicked off the new series today with Bafta winner and Academy Award nominee Mescal. Advertisement Mescal is nominated for Best Supporting Actor at this years Baftas for his role in All of Us Strangers, released this week. He stars alongside Andrew Scott in the romantic drama. During their candid conversation, Theroux and Mescal reflect on the Kildare native's career, discussing how quickly he rose to fame with his role in the runaway success Normal People, earning him his Bafta and Emmy recognitions. Mescal touches on his childhood and the impact social media has had on his life and mental health. Mescal talks openly to Theroux about how his life has changed since starring in Normal People. He admits to go from totally anonymous to not anonymous is kind of the biggest jump. You develop your own set of rules but you develop a kind of coping mechanism from that junction and the rest is hopefully gonna stay nice and level. Advertisement Going from totally anonymous, to not so anonymous meant Mescal had to deal with the recurring mistake of people referring to him as British. He goes on to explain how it stirred up a viral conversation on Twitter and how he "had to quote a headline on Twitter to tell people I was Irish, it was apparently the most retweeted tweet on Irish Twitter that year. Advertisement Theroux and Paul delve into Mescals boundaries and the ongoing narratives created about him online. Talking on past experiences, Theroux shares how he resonates with Mescals experience being in the public eye. Mescal describes the experience as your body and mind naturally going to protect itself, but then again the danger I see with other actors is that they over protect themselves, resulting in many actors shutting off from the rest of the world". The pair also dive into the power of social media and how the strain caused Mescal to take a step back from his social channels. Initially, Theroux thought the reason behind Mescal coming off social media was due to trolls and anxiety". However, Mescal says he felt a constant pressure to post trailers and photoshoots, resulting in feeling like a commodity". Of his performance in All of Us Strangers, Theroux remarked that the excellent film should win tonnes of Oscars, to which Mescal replied Im going to quote you on that. The Louis Theroux Podcast is a Spotify podcast, now available everywhere, with new episodes every Tuesday Birdcodes sandos, with boneless breast meat, are built on brioche buns topped with vinegar slaw, pickles and mayonnaise-based comeback sauce. Courtesy of Birdcode BIRDCODE, a Connecticut-based Nashville hot chicken brand, is opening its second location in Darien on Jan. 24. The new restaurant, at 151 Post Road on the Norwalk border, joins its original outpost in West Hartford. Owners Brandi and Phil Killoran, who formerly owned several Connecticut Ben & Jerrys franchises, first opened the West Hartford BIRDCODE location in November 2020 with a menu of chicken sandwiches, tenders and nuggets in five escalating spice levels: starting with the no-heat country level and progressing through mild, medium and hot to the top-level Code Breaker, with an "eat at your own risk" warning. Sides include fries, mac and cheese and slaw. Top-selling items include the "sando," with chicken breast, vinegar slaw, pickles and mayonnaise-based comeback sauce, and the classic sandwich, with just pickles and sauce. A newer sandwich item, the Hot Honey 2.0, adds a touch of sweet to the spicy bird, Killoran said in November. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Birdcodes menu features Nashville hot chicken in five spice levels, with sides like fries, vinegar slaw, and mac and cheese. Courtesy of Birdcode BIRDCODE also sells tenders served with sliced bread, pickles and dipping sauce, and "code bites," their version of chicken nuggets. Bites are served in portions of eight, but they also top a kale salad and the "Naughty Neighbor" loaded fries dish with vinegar slaw, pickles and sauce. Desserts are all made in-house, including banana pudding and chocolate chip cookies both recipes from Brandi Killoran's mother, she said. Killoran said BIRDCODE is now offering more meal options, packaging its sandwiches, tenders and chicken bites with a choice of a side and a drink. West Hartford customers had been asking for this option for a while, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad BIRDCODE also plans future expansion, with new locations planned for Canton, Vernon and New Britain. The Canton store will occupy a space next to the ALDI grocery store at 101 Albany Turnpike, and the New Britain restaurant will be at 488 Hartford Road. The Vernon BIRDCODE will open in the Tri-City Plaza on Talcottville Road as its first location under a franchise agreement, Killoran said in November. Birdcode owners Brandi and Phil Killoran traveled the country for about 18 months, tasting hot chicken and eventually perfecting their own recipes. Courtesy of Birdcode A Dublin hospital board has apologised for the unacceptable failure in care in the reading and reporting on the 2007 cervical smear sample of a woman who was described by her family as a bright shining star. The sincere and unreserved apology from the Beaumont Hospital board was read aloud in the High Court on Tuesday as Oonagh McEvoys brother settled a legal action over alleged misreporting of her smear sample. Advertisement Ms McEvoy, who was a nurse at the Mater hospital, died aged 36 from metastatic cervical cancer in 2011, some four years after receiving a negative smear result from Beaumont Hospitals laboratory. Emmett McEvoys case against the hospital board opened before the High Court last month, when Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds was told he alleged that pre-cancer of the cervix was present at the time of Ms McEvoys 2007 screening and that this could have been solved with a procedure if it was picked up then. Advertisement Jeremy Maher SC, for UK-based Mr McEvoy, said it was his case that the nurse would have gone on to live a normal life. Instead, Ms McEvoys cancer was spotted via a scan and biopsy in 2010. She underwent a hysterectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and brachytherapy but died on April 11th, 2011. Advertisement The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday, when Mr Maher, instructed by Cian OCarroll solicitors, said the parties reached a settlement that involved an apology being read aloud in court to Ms McEvoys mother, Mary McEvoy, and 11 siblings, from Ballinalee, Co Longford. The hospitals interim chief executive, David Sweeney, apologised on behalf of the board and acknowledged that, due to the unacceptable failure in care, further investigations were not performed that would otherwise have diagnosed pre-canerous abnormalities and prevented the development of Ms McEvoys cervical cancer that ultimately caused her death. He offered a heartfelt apology to the late Ms McEvoy for the pain and suffering caused to her and extended condolences to her family. Conor Bourke SC said his client, the hospital board, has withdrawn two pleas of contributory negligence. Advertisement A breach of duty had been earlier admitted regarding the 2007 slide, which was processed by the hospital before the CervicalCheck national screening programme came into being. Advertisement Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds congratulated the parties for resolving the case, which would have been lengthy, costly and very difficult for the family. She extended her sympathy to the McEvoys and struck out the case with consent from both sides. Outside the Four Courts, Mr McEvoy said he and his family took this action to get some small semblance of justice for Ms McEvoy and to ensure accountability. Speaking on behalf of his mother and siblings, who were present, he said they wanted to shine a light on the failures of the Irish health service in the hope they will never, ever be allowed to repeat themselves. Advertisement His sister was a brilliant nurse who cared for each and every one of her patients. It is gut-wrenching and heartbreaking for us to stand here today and know that her colleagues in the Irish health service failed to reciprocate that care, he said. Ms McEvoy, a vibrant and outgoing woman, spent her last six months enduring painful treatments in a desperate attempt to save her life. A bright shining star was taken the day Oonagh passed away... Oonagh was an exceptional person the type of person you are lucky to meet once in your life. We had the absolute privilege as a family of having Oonagh as our sister and our daughter. He thanked all those brave women and their families who have been forced to tread this difficult path ahead of us. The Tanaiste has said it would not make sense to boycott the St Patricks Day trip to Washington over US support for Israel, stating: You have to engage. Tanaiste Micheal Martin also said that Ireland had not yet decided whether to join South Africas legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. Advertisement Mr Martin said that it had not yet assessed South Africas legal case for accusing Israel of genocide over its actions in the Gaza Strip. Useful meeting in Brussels today with Jordanian FM @AymanHsafadi at #FAC. Discussed the dire situation in Gaza, including the urgent need for a humanitarian ceasefire and unimpeded access of aid. pic.twitter.com/LVhBbvCl5M Micheal Martin (@MichealMartinTD) January 22, 2024 Advertisement He said that once the preliminary stages at the ICJ had concluded he hoped South Africa would share the details of their case with other countries so that Ireland can assess whether to join. Advertisement Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has warned previously that Ireland does not intend to join South Africas case, and there is a need to be very careful of accusing a Jewish state of genocide. Advertisement He said: I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless were absolutely convinced that theyre the appropriate ones. Irish charity Trocaire on Tuesday urged Ireland to assess itself whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed in Gaza. It said assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Advertisement The charity also called on Ireland to publicly support South Africas call for interim measures, such as a suspension of Israels military operations in Gaza. Asked about South Africas case at the ICJ, Mr Martin said: Its important to make that point, no-one has joined because no-one can right now. THREAD: Our local partners in Palestine and Israel have a combined 378 years of experience supporting civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel. Follow them for the most up-to-date information, and please share to spread the word. 1/5 pic.twitter.com/T4IoXtE8hR Advertisement Advertisement Trocaire (@trocaire) January 18, 2024 That misinformation has gathered that somehow we havent joined. Nobody has joined. Asked on his way into Cabinet in Dublin on Tuesday, he said that it was not Irelands original position that it would not support the case. Nobody has joined because preliminary recommendations must be made following submission of case by South Africa. We will support the court. I think it makes sense for the court to make its preliminary findings, then South Africa make the substantive case, I presume it will share that with other countries. We will consider that and form a basis for both a decision to join but also if you were to join, what we would the basis be? We take our international responsibilities seriously in respect of legal submissions, weve already made a very substantive legal submission in respect of the occupation of the West Bank these are very serious legal submissions one makes, theyre not done for political reasons, theyre done in the context of the law. People fleeing an air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip (AP) Asked whether Ireland should boycott the traditional trip to the White House for St Patricks Day, Mr Martin said: That doesnt make sense. You have to engage. Advertisement The only way to increase pressure, the only way you can get a resolution on this is to get international pressure that is so overwhelming that there is a stop to the violence. It is clear that the US administration is now seeking to not only get an end to violence, but also to create political track to ensure that there is a Palestinian state, that we get a two-state solution to this. People take this very seriously and people are very worried about what is happening in the Middle East, not least because too many citizens are being killed and too many children are being killed, but also regional escalation is happening. We have the Houthis firing missiles at unarmed merchant ships, disrupting trade and economy. We are worried about what could in Lebanon. This could get much worse and therefore everyone is seized by the gravity what is happening in Palestine. The idea that Ireland would just retreat from any engagement to me doesnt make sense. I dont subscribe to that view. We believe dialogue and engaging with countries. The remains of Ian Bailey (66) who was the chief suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan Du Plantier were cremated at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork today. The funeral service was low key with no notification being placed on Rip.ie. Advertisement It is understood that the ashes of the late British national, who lived in Ireland for over three decades, will be sent to his sister Kay Reynolds in England. Frank Buttimer, Baileys solicitor in a statement said I have been authorised to confirm the remains of Mr Bailey were cremated at a private event which occurred early this morning (Tuesday). The next of kin of Mr Bailey will not be making any further statement. The remains were taken by an undertaker from Bantry General Hospital to the crematorium this morning for the service. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Bailey was a native of Manchester but spent his early years in Stockport where his father, Kenneth, was employed as a craft butcher. When he was nine the family moved to Gloucester where he attended a religious school called The Crypt. Mr Bailey became interested in becoming a journalist after he read All the President's Men, the account of the Watergate affair by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. It kindled a lifelong interest in journalism. He completed a two year journalism course in Wales in 1980. He married a fellow journalist in 1979 but the couple split in 1983. As a freelance journalist he supplied copy to UK publications such as The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Mirror. He first travelled to West Cork in 1986 when he came to write and story and left enchanted by the landscape. He moved to Ireland in the early 1990s after becoming disillusioned with his journalism career in Gloucester and Cheltenham. Advertisement He lived in Cork, Wicklow and Waterford before settling in West Cork where he met his long term partner Jules Thomas. The couple ended their relationship two years ago. His father Kenneth died on Christmas Eve in 2000 whilst his mother Brenda passed away in 2016. Mr Bailey was unable to travel to the UK for her funeral as he was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant. Mr Bailey was on two occasions detained by gardai for questioning in relation to the 1996 murder of 39-year-old Sophie Toscan du Plantier. The French woman was murdered in December 1996. Bailey always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the film producer who had a holiday home in West Cork. Sophie enjoyed spending time in her solitary rural retreat. Mr Bailey was convicted in absentia after a trial in France in 2019. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, officials in France have been unable to extradite the British man to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts. The body of Ms Du Plantier was discovered outside her remote holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork on December 23rd 1996. The Government has been urged by a charity to support South Africas legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Trocaire, an aid agency of the Irish Catholic Church, called on Ireland to fulfil its legal obligation to prevent genocide by urgently assessing the case of Gaza. Advertisement It said that Irelands calls for a ceasefire, though welcome, were no longer enough to prevent further atrocities. Local health authorities reported that 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli operation, launched after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 people hostage on October 7th. Thousands of Palestinians have been injured and the majority of Gazas population have been displaced. Advertisement The Irish Government must assess whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed in Gaza, said Caoimhe de Barra, the chief executive of Trocaire. Advertisement She said that assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. Advertisement The charity also called on Ireland to release a statement supporting South Africas case, specifically the provisional measures requested by South Africa for a suspension of its military operations in Gaza. It also called on Ireland to as soon as possible, join the case as an intervener in support of South Africas case as it did in the Ukraine v Russia case. Accountability and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law are critical if these repeated cycles of indiscriminate violence and wanton destruction is to end, Ms de Barra said. Tanaiste Micheal Martin said at the weekend that Ireland would assess the legal case by South Africa once the preliminary stage had ended. Advertisement The Tanaiste said Ireland will review the case being presented and decide whether to join after that, as had been done in relation to Ukraines case at the ICJ. Gaza is now facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Trocaire, along with the @UN and other international and humanitarian bodies, calls for the following to be implemented immediately. pic.twitter.com/F7kobxgJhC Advertisement Trocaire (@trocaire) October 25, 2023 Advertisement Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said previously the Government does not intend to join South Africas case, and there is a need to be very careful of accusing a Jewish state of genocide. He said: I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless were absolutely convinced that theyre the appropriate ones. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Ms de Barra said: The Irish Government must act urgently as the Israeli military is killing an average of 250 Palestinians per day in Gaza, a higher daily death rate than any other twenty-first-century armed conflict. Israels unrelenting military campaign on the Gaza Strip has resulted in more than 25,000 thousand deaths and the displacement of 1.9 million people. One in four people in Gaza are facing immediate risk of starvation. These acts are war crimes. The desperate situation endured by the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip has led UN experts and Trocaire partners to warn that there is an immediate risk of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Ireland has taken a leadership position in recent months in calling for a ceasefire. However, this is no longer enough. Now is the time for measures to be taken to end the violence and suffering and to prevent further atrocities. Advertisement The events of October 7th, perpetrated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also war crimes and they must be held accountable. As horrific as these attacks were, they cannot be used as justification for the actions of Israel towards the civilians of Gaza. A man who led gardai on a high-speed chase, driving at over three times the speed limit, only got out of his vehicle when officers produced their firearms. Kian Andrews (20) rammed two garda cars before he drove in the direction of Sergeant Daniel Cuffe who had come to the vehicle to get him out of the car. Advertisement The garda cars had corralled Andrews vehicle to prevent him driving further, but he was still refusing to get out. Four officers had surrounded the car before Andrews put the car into gear, revved the engine and drove towards Sgt Cuffe. Andrews, of O'Rourke Park, Sallynoggin, Dublin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to endangerment, dangerous driving and possession of a small amount of drugs that was later found in the vehicle on December 27th, 2022. Advertisement He has 12 previous convictions. Judge Martin Nolan jailed Andrews for three years and disqualified him from driving for three years. Advertisement He said Andrews had driven in a reckless and dangerous manner and the production of the firearms by gardai had the desired effect and allowed them to arrest him. Sgt Cuffe told Edward Doocey BL, prosecuting, that he was on patrol in the Sandyford and Dundrum area of Dublin around 2am on December 27th when he spotted a Toyota Avensis driving at high speed. He noted that the car had been stolen the previous night and followed, later indicating to the driver to stop the vehicle. The driver refused to do so and instead continued to drive at speed in excess of 140km/hr in a 50km zone while travelling on the wrong side of the road. A motorist had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision, Sgt Cuffe told the court. Advertisement Andrews continued to drive in a similar manner, reaching a speed of 160km/hr in a 50km zone and again driving on the wrong side of the road. Sgt Cuffe said Andrews then met a patrol car and performed a handbrake turn, spinning the vehicle 180 degrees in an attempt to evade gardai. He then rammed the unmarked patrol car that Sgt Cuffe was driving, hitting the bumper of the vehicle. Andrews continued to ram the other patrol car before both garda drivers manoeuvred their vehicles to block the Avensis. Officers were approaching the vehicle when Andrews made to drive it at Sgt Cuffe and gardai then produced their weapons. Advertisement Andrews immediately put his hands up and co-operated. He was arrested but made no reply after caution. A small amount of cocaine and a flick knife were found in the car. Sgt Cuffe agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending, that it was pure luck that nobody was injured that night. Mr Bowman told the court what his client did that night was reprehensible but submitted that Andrews has potential and promise. He had begun an apprenticeship as an electrician. Counsel handed in a number of letters on behalf of Andrews from his mother, grandmother and step-father. He had been previously diagnosed as having ADHD and is being medicated for it. He left school early and began taking drugs, Mr Bowman said. A man who attacked his girlfriend when she refused to drive him to pick up drugs has been jailed for three years. Harry Turner (26) also caused trouble for gardai when they arrived at the scene after his mother alerted them to the incident. He lit and threw fireworks at gardai from the house, causing officers to call for assistance. Advertisement Turner, with an address at Grove Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, production of a knife and letting off fireworks on October 10th, 2020. Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, told Judge Martin Nolan that the case needed to be considered under the Domestic Violence Act 2018 as the woman and Turner were in a relationship at the time. The court heard that Turner was living with the woman at the time. She had previously asked him to leave because of his addiction issues, but he was back in her home that night. Advertisement A dispute arose between the couple after they spent the evening drinking together, when the woman decided she wanted to go to bed and Turner said he wanted to get a bag of cocaine. Advertisement He kept pestering the woman for her phone and ultimately used her phone to set up a deal. The woman refused to drive him or provide him with money for the deal and Turner became aggressive. She texted a friend of Turners telling him that she was concerned about his behaviour and the friend said he would contact Turners mother. The woman told Turner that his friend and his mother were on their way and Turner retrieved a knife from the kitchen threatening to butcher his friend. Advertisement He also threatened to smash the womans phone and iPad when she refused to give him the passcode. Turner then locked himself and the woman out of the house and refused to let her back in. She ran off to try and find his mother and friend, but he caught up with her and dragged her back to the house by the hair. She screamed out for help asking for someone to call the gardai. Turner continued to drag the woman bashing her head against the side of her car and then pinning her against it, demanding that she drive him to collect the drugs. Advertisement Advertisement He then opened up the house and dragged her in by the hair where he again pushed her. She tried to run for the front door, but he grabbed her again and threw her against the stairs. Turners mother then arrived at the house. She was banging on the doors and windows, but Turner refused to let the woman out. His mother then called gardai. Gardai arrived at the scene, but Turner caused difficulty and threw the fireworks at him. He ultimately surrendered himself and walked out peacefully. Mr Nolan confirmed that there was no victim impact statement before the court. Advertisement He said Turner was arrested but was considered unfit to be interviewed for six hours because of his level of intoxication. John Moher BL, defending, said his client had difficulties with drink and drugs. He asked the court to accept that the production of the knife was in relation to threatening the friend who was expected to arrive and was not used during the assault. Judge Nolan said Turner wanted drugs and when the woman wouldnt co-operate, he became irate and assaulted her. It was a litany of bad and violent behaviour, the judge said before he accepted that Turner was under the influence of intoxicants and has since indicated his remorse through his plea of guilty. He said it must have been a very frightening situation for the woman before he jailed Turner for three years. This article was amended at 7pm on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 A new deadline for resurrecting a powersharing Executive at Stormont is set to be fixed for February 8th. It is understood the British Government will introduce a short Bill at Westminster on Wednesday to set the new date after the last one lapsed on January 18th. Advertisement Under legislation governing the formation of a devolved administration in Belfast, the Government assumes a legal duty to call a snap Assembly election once a deadline for forming a ministerial Executive is passed. However, in the face of a series of missed deadlines in the current powersharing impasse, the British Government has repeatedly opted to pass fresh legislation to set new deadlines, rather than opting for an election. DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has insisted his party has yet to reach an agreement with the Government over post-Brexit trading arrangements. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. Advertisement Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton Harris is set to do so again on Wednesday, albeit with a relatively short extension this time. Advertisement The move suggests the British government remains hopeful that a settlement can be reached within the next two weeks to enable powersharing to return to Northern Ireland. The devolved institutions at Stormont have been collapsed for almost two years as a result of a DUP boycott in protest against the post-Brexit trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Senior DUP figures held discussions on Friday amid mounting speculation that the unionist party was preparing to make a call on whether or not to accept a Government deal aimed at addressing its concerns. Advertisement Ultimately, no decision was taken at that meeting, with party leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson dismissing suggestions that it was a make-or-break encounter. However, party insiders maintain that the moment for the DUP to pass final judgment on the British governments offer is approaching. On Monday, Sir Jeffrey said an agreement with the British government over post-Brexit trading arrangements has still not been reached. Instead, he said he will meet the British government again this week to address remaining concerns over the Windsor Framework that governs the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Advertisement Lets Talk Loyalisms @mooreholmes24 speaking on Good Morning Ulster making clear that unless the Irish Sea Border has been removed, there is no basis, or mandate, for a return to Stormont. Keep Your Word. pic.twitter.com/4zm1ulsnSD Lets Talk Loyalism (@TalkLoyalism) January 23, 2024 Sir Jeffrey must secure the backing of his party officers, and it is understood several of them believe the British governments offer does not go far enough to warrant the party dropping its blockade on Stormont. A loyalist activist group has launched a campaign calling on unionist politicians to remain out of Stormont until the so-called Irish Sea trade border has been removed. Lets Talk Loyalism has created a template letter for voters to send to unionist elected representatives that to return to Stormont without such a commitment would be a dishonourable act of treachery. How Ian Bailey's death will impact the Garda investigation into Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder, Storm Jocelyn, and a new law that would force supermarkets to accept cash are among Tuesday's front page stories. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to make a final decision on Ian Bailey as a suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, The Irish Times reports. Advertisement Stories on Ian Bailey and Storm Jocelyn make the front page of the Irish Examiner. A new law will force supermarkets and pharmacies to accept cash, the Irish Independent reports. Advertisement The Echo leads with a story on a protest earmarked to accommodate refugees in Cork. The Irish Sun leads with a plea from the son of Sophie Toscan du Plantier for her murder case to be keep alive following the death of suspect Ian Bailey. Advertisement Advertisement Today's front page of The Irish Sun. pic.twitter.com/s2ygLJrN83 The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) January 23, 2024 The Irish Daily Mail leads with a story on a new blood test that could be able to detect the risk of Alzheimer's disease 15 years early. Advertisement It's Good Health Tuesday in the Irish Daily Mail! pic.twitter.com/smTi7jrT2V The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) January 23, 2024 The Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation is the lead story in The Herald and the Irish Daily Star. Advertisement Tuesdays front page pic.twitter.com/D7dWeQug65 Irish Daily Star (@isfearranstar) January 23, 2024 In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with damage to the Dark Hedges in Co Antrim, made famous in HBO series Game of Thrones, following Storm Isha. Medical news, politics and the weather dominate the UK front page stories on Tuesday. Monday nights air strikes against Houthi rebels make several of the early editions, but the lead stories concentrate on matters closer to home. A blood test to detect Alzheimers disease up to 15 years before symptoms show is the focus of several titles, The Daily Telegraph saying the test to detect a protein in the blood could be used to screen all over-50s. Advertisement The front page of Tuesday's Daily Telegraph: 'Alzheimer's blood test revolution for over-50s'#TomorrowsPapersToday Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/AkYyRx9085 The Telegraph (@Telegraph) January 23, 2024 The Times says the test could be used by people of any age while the Daily Express says it could bring us closer to a cure. The Times: Blood test can detect early sign of Alzheimers #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/iKyafTeezC George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Daily Express: BREAKTHROUGH ALZHEIMERS BLOOD TEST WILL BRING CURE CLOSER #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/JbtZYOnBBB George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 The Daily Mail and The Independent concentrate on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, saying he has waded into a culture war after backing groups accused of having woke agendas. Daily Mail: Starmer wades into culture wars on the side of the woke #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yc8wD3i9sZ George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Elections occupy the front of the Financial Times, which hears from the chair of the Electoral Commission John Pullinger that Conservatives have been exposed to claims of bias over a new voter ID scheme which is more of a barrier to some people than others. Advertisement Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Tuesday 23 January https://t.co/7ADKYR3MdL pic.twitter.com/UW4NkOKJgF Financial Times (@FT) January 22, 2024 The Daily Mirror concentrates on the death of Morgan Ribeiro, 20, after weight-loss surgery in Turkey following bullying over her weight. The Metro says a revolutionary swallowable gastric balloon has been used by the NHS to help weight loss for the first time as Morgans family told of her death. Tomorrow's Paper Today FAT-BUSTING BALLOON PILL ON NHS Hope for millions in cost-saving procedure... on day Morgan tragedy revealed#tomorrowspapertoday pic.twitter.com/IwF5shv24U Metro (@MetroUK) January 23, 2024 Medical issues also occupy The Guardian, which says the Royal College of Obstetricans and Gynaecologists have told doctors and healthcare staff not to report suspected illegal abortions to the police. The Guardian: Medics urged not to report illegal abortions to police #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/QNF5suT7SZ George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Storm Isha dominates the front of the i, which says Storm Jocelyn is not far behind and the increase in severe weather will continue over the next decade. Advertisement The Sun turns its attention to royal matters, reporting that the Queen has told the workaholic King to slow down ahead of an operation next week. On tomorrow's front page: Queen Camilla urges workaholic King Charles, 75, to take it easy ahead of prostate op after his 516 jobs last year https://t.co/Pf7eCdcfli pic.twitter.com/WwhI2JPUMf The Sun (@TheSun) January 22, 2024 And the Daily Star concentrates on the arrival of swearing parrots at a wildlife park. Tuesday's front page - 'WHO'S A PRETTY POTTY MOUTHED BOY THEN?'https://t.co/e2Zw2THUSV pic.twitter.com/iA4vadPxTE Daily Star (@dailystar) January 22, 2024 The New York Times leads with a story on the Republican primary in New Hampshire. Just a week after turning 50, Kate Moss has taken centre stage in a set of glamorous new pictures. Its all for Charlotte Tilburys latest release: five new lipsticks and five new shades of lip liner, all inspired by Hollywood architecture. Advertisement (Charlotte Tilbury/PA) Moss, who first met beauty titan Tilbury on a magazine shoot in the Nineties, channels an old Hollywood aesthetic in the photos. In some of the images, Moss wears a pale pink long-sleeve dress with a square neckline, set off with shimmering make-up and pale pink lipstick. Advertisement (Charlotte Tilbury/PA) Her other look is distinctly vampier: she dons a vibrant red minidress with leather gloves, statement silver jewellery and a scarlet lip to match. With the strapless dress, matching gloves and sparkling jewellery, the ensemble appears to be a nod to the pink outfit Marilyn Monroe wore to perform Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend in 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Advertisement Advertisement Moss is joined in the new campaign with some of Tilburys other beauty muses: British model Jourdan Dunn, Pose star Michaela Jae Rodriguez and Charlottes model niece, Bella Tilbury. (Charlotte Tilbury/PA) Theyre all channelling a similar old Hollywood style: with Dunn modelling a bright red lip and surrounded by red feathers, while Rodriguez shows off a matching look of shimmering pink eyes and lips. Advertisement It celebrates Tilburys new Hollywood Beauty Icon Lipsticks, and the pale pink shade is inspired by some of Moss most memorable red carpet appearances. Whether its attending the Met Gala back in 2006 or more recently walking the red carpet at the 2023 Fashion Awards, a peachy nude lip is the supermodels go-to beauty secret. (Ian West/PA) Advertisement I loved the Icon Baby lipstick used on me for the shoot. I do love a nude lip, and this is such a gorgeous nude rose shade and feels luxurious when you apply it, Moss said. So how can you get Moss Nineties-inspired supermodel look? Make-up artist Sofia Tilbury explains how to do it yourself. (Charlotte Tilbury/PA) Kate has the most iconic, heart-shaped lips and is completely obsessed with nude lipsticks, so Icon Baby was her perfect Hollywood Lip Kit. It has a kiss of rosy warmth that flatters every complexion, and the buildable, blendable finish means it stretches on any skin tone Ill be using it on everyone come awards season, she said. Advertisement To create Kates Hollywood lip look, I started by slightly overlining her Cupids bow with Charlottes Lip Cheat in Icon Baby to emphasise the shape and contour her lips. I absolutely love these lip liners they instantly resize the look of your lips and prevent feathering and transfer, so theyre a must-have on the red carpet. Actor Jessica Chastain teased the new lipsticks on the red carpet of the Emmy Awards earlier this month wearing the nude shade inspired by Moss, paired with a neon Gucci gown. It showed how versatile the shade is while Moss gives it an old Hollywood spin in the new campaign, it also matched Chastains Seventies disco look perfectly. In March last year, model Bella Hadid was announced as the latest face to join Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, and revealed her new campaign channelling Nineties supermodel glamour in June 2023. A former Los Angeles-area gang leader jailed in Las Vegas over the 1996 killing of hip-hop music icon Tupac Shakur has hired a private lawyer who pointed to what he expects will be a historic murder trial. Duane Keffe D Davis dismissed court-appointed lawyers and hired veteran criminal defence lawyer Carl Arnold, who said in a statement that his office is honoured by the opportunity to represent Mr Duane Davis in what will be one of the most historic trials of the century. Advertisement We look forward to Mr Davis being found not guilty at the conclusion of his trial, the statement said, adding that Davis anticipates posting bail so he can help prepare his defence. Robert Arroyo, one of Daviss former lawyers from the Clark County special public defenders office, said on Monday that he and co-counsel Charles Cano wish Davis well and referred questions to Mr Arnold. Advertisement Mr Arnold has served during public fatality reviews as representative of relatives of people killed by police. Rapper Tupac Shakur was shot dead (Frank Wiese/AP) Advertisement He has also been sanctioned twice by the Nevada State Bar during 20 years of practice. One, in 2018, was for failing to properly file documents in a defendants appeal to the state Supreme Court. The other, in 2021, was for failing to represent a defendant in Las Vegas Justice Court. Advertisement Each time, Arnold received a written reprimand and was fined 1,500 US dollars. Davis, 60, and originally from Compton, California, is the only person still alive who was in the car from which shots were fired in the September 1996 shooting that killed Shakur and wounded rap mogul Marion Suge Knight. Knight is serving 28 years in a California prison for an unrelated fatal shooting in the Los Angeles area in 2015. Davis has for many years described his role in Shakurs killing, although his defence lawyers have argued his accounts accentuated violence to attract viewers and make money. Advertisement Prosecutors say Davis incriminated himself as shot-caller in Shakurs slaying during accounts to a joint federal and Los Angeles Police Department task force in 2008; to Las Vegas police in 2009; in an interview for a BET documentary in 2017; in his own tell-all book in 2019; and in more recent interviews. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Arnold said his client cannot be convicted solely on the basis of his confession and that prosecutors will have to provide corroborating evidence to prove Daviss guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Davis was indicted by a grand jury in Las Vegas and arrested in September outside his home in suburban Henderson. He has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed on 750,000 dollar (590,087) bail ahead of a February 20 status check in the case. If he posts bail, Davis will be on house arrest with strict electronic monitoring. It was not immediately clear if changing lawyers will delay his current trial date of June 3. Davis maintains he was given immunity from prosecution in 2008 by an FBI and Los Angeles police task force investigating the killings of Shakur in Las Vegas and rival rapper Christopher Wallace, known as The Notorious BIG or Biggie Smalls, six months later in Los Angeles. Mr Arroyo and Mr Cano argued that police and prosecutors could have arrested Davis 15 years ago but did not, that he is in poor health after battling cancer, which is in remission, and that he would not flee to avoid trial. His former lawyers also noted that prosecutors do not have the gun and the car involved in the Shakur shooting, and they downplayed the credibility of former gang members as witnesses against Davis. Lauren Costello, right, shows the fresh baked challah that she bought at the new COBS Bread bakery, at 374 Post Road E., in the Compo Acres Shopping Center, in Westport, Conn., on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media From left; La'Tesia Gardner, Kiera Tejeda, Vice President Karen Frost-Spokes and Parris Patterson gather at the new COBS Bread bakery at 374 Post Road E., in Westport, Conn., on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media Parris Patterson offers customers free samples of the Apricot Delight loaf at the new COBS Bread bakery at 374 Post Road E., in Westport, Conn. on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media Freshly baked bread and pastries are displayed at the new COBS Bread bakery at 374 Post Road E., in Westport, Conn. on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media Freshly baked breads are displayed at the new COBS Bread bakery at 374 Post Road E., in Westport, Conn. on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media The new COBS Bread bakery is located at 374 Post Road E., in the Compo Acres Shopping Center, in Westport, Conn. Brian A. Pounds/Hearst Connecticut Media A view in August 2023 of the future COBS Bread bakery, at center, between Trader Joe's, left, and Pokeworks, right, at 374 Post Road E., in the Compo Acres Shopping Center, in Westport, Conn. The COBS bakery opened in January 2024. File photo WESTPORT Lauren Costello made her first visit to the new bakery in her hometown last week. A day later, the chef and Westport resident was a regular. I bake challah every Friday, and I thought, This week, I wont, Ill try theirs. So I got some challah knots, Costello said during an interview last Friday at the COBS Bread bakery, in the Compo Acres Shopping Center, at 374 Post Road E., in Westport. Her haul did not end with the challah knots. She also bought a cinnamon loaf, which will be great for French toast, and a miniature Hawaiian pizza because, she said with a wry smile, I need a vacation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Costello is one of many satisfied customers who have visited the bakery since its opening on Jan. 6, according to COBS officials. The enthusiastic response bodes well for the long-term goals of COBS whose full name is Canadas Own Bread Store which is making Connecticut a focal point of its U.S. expansion. The approximately 1,500-square-foot bakery stands between a Pokeworks eatery and a Trader Joes grocery store. The company-run establishment complements two other COBS locations a company-owned bakery at 1057 High Road in Stamford and a franchised establishment at 5 Riverside Lane in Greenwich. I think its gone really well. The product quality has been great, and the sales team has been great, Parise Huard, an area manager based in Ontario, Canada, who has been overseeing the opening of the Westport bakery, said during an interview last week. And the feedback were getting is overwhelmingly good. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While COBS customers in Connecticut have many other options for baked goods, including the Westport Trader Joes, COBS officials said their bread and pastries freshness stands out. All COBS products are freshly baked every day, with the bakers in Westport starting their days at 2 a.m., they said. You can smell the freshly baked stuff, and it draws people in, Huard said. Illustrating Huards point, a number of customers made their way into the bakery while she was being interviewed. This bread is going to Niantic! New Haven resident Alida Engel, one of those customers, said proudly, as she held up a loaf of olive bread that she was planning to take that night to a friend in the waterfront village, which is part of East Lyme. COBS was conveniently located for Engel, who stopped by right after a meeting in Norwalk. Advertisement Article continues below this ad COBS officials also said that they are committed to sustainable practices. They said that the Westport bakerys unsold food at the end of each day is donated to several local nonprofits, including Caroline House, Food Rescue US, Nourish Bridgeport and The Color A Positive Thought Organization. The bakery in Westport, which is initially employing about 20 people, is part of COBS plan to open 30 bakeries within the next three years in the northeast U.S. Cheshire, Danbury, Fairfield and Norwalk are among the potential locations that COBS officials are exploring in Connecticut. New York is the other state in which COBS has established a presence. Last month, it opened a bakery in the Long Island community of Merrick. It plans to open bakeries in March and May in two other Long Island locations, Oceanside and Plainview, respectively, as well as one in April in Eastchester, in Westchester County. In Canada, COBS, has approximately 170 locations, supported by offices in Toronto and Vancouver. The business is part of Baker's Delight, an Australian bakery franchise that started in the 1980s as a family business. In addition to the COBS bakeries in the U.S., and Canada, there are approximately 500 Bakers Delight locations in Australia. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The business model is to open corporately, build the mass market and attract passionate entrepreneurs, as they did in Canada, and then build on a franchised model, COBS Vice President Karen Frost-Spokes said in an interview. While COBS is increasing its number of locations, it does not intend to overhaul its business model, which focuses on bread, pastries and a few specialty items such as pizza. It is not trying to compete with fast-casual dining brands such as Panera which is why there are no sandwiches on COBS menu and no seats in its bakeries. And it is not going head-to-head with chains such as Dunkin, which has a store across the road from the Westport bakery, as it does not sell donuts or beverages. A 19-year-old victim of the Nottingham attack has been branded a hero by her brother. Medical student Grace OMalley-Kumar (19) was fatally knifed by Valdo Calocane in June last year, alongside fellow Nottingham University student Barnaby Webber, as they returned from a night out. Advertisement Calocane also stabbed to death school caretaker Ian Coates and on Tuesday, prosecutors accepted his plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to serious mental illness. Advertisement Ms OMalley-Kumars 17-year-old brother, James OMalley-Kumar, told Sky News that he thing he missed the most about his sister is her smile. He said: Knowing that Ill never see that [smile] again is something really hurts me. I have her earring in now, which I always keep in, because again its a part of her, and thats how I try and get as close as I can to her. Advertisement He added: Graces last moments were in pain and thats something that really hurts me to think about and she was a hero, that was her character. Advertisement She tried her best to save her friend. That was how Grace lost her life in the most vulnerable manner. She would never leave a friend, never, and that was very evident from her last moments. She passed fighting. Ms O'Malley-Kumar was the daughter of Irish-born, London-based consultant anaesthetist, Sinead OMalley. The murdered womans grandfather is Prof Kevin OMalley, who is also an anaesthetist as well as a former registrar and chief executive of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). He subsequently moved to the Middle East to help establish the RCSIs college in Bahrain, where he was its founding president and still holds an emeritus position. First blood has been drawn by peers over Rishi Sunaks controversial Rwanda deportation plan. Inflicting a defeat against the UK government, the House of Lords backed by 214 votes to 171, majority 43, an unprecedented move seeking to delay a treaty with the east African nation that paves the way for the divisive asylum scheme. Advertisement The unelected chamber supported a call by the Lords International Agreements Committee (IAC) that Parliament should not ratify the pact until British ministers can show Rwanda is safe. Advertisement The UK government agreed the legally-binding treaty with Kigali in December, saying it addressed concerns raised by the Supreme Court about the possibility of asylum seekers deported to Rwanda then being transferred to a country where they could be at risk. But the cross-party committee said promised safeguards in the agreement are incomplete and must be implemented before it can be endorsed. Advertisement Unlike the Commons which has the power to delay ratification of a treaty, the Lords can only advise. However, ignoring the demand by peers could later be used in a legal challenge against the UK government. Advertisement The treaty underpins the governments Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill which compels judges to regard the country as a secure haven. Advertisement The initial blow delivered by peers, uneasy over the stalled deportation plan to put some asylum seekers on a one-way flight to Africa, signals a rough ride for the legislation, despite the Prime Minister urging the Upper House not to block the will of the people. Labour former attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who chairs the IAC, said: In total our report identifies at least 10 sets of issues where on the basis of the Governments evidence significant additional legal and practical steps are needed in order to implement the protections the treaty is designed to provide. The difficulty is that the Government has already presented a Bill to Parliament asking it to make a judgment that Rwanda is safe now. Lord Goldsmith added: We are not saying the treaty should never be ratified but we are saying that Parliament should have the opportunity to scrutinise the treaty and its implementing measures in full before it makes a judgment about whether Rwanda is safe. Advertisement But Conservative former Cabinet minister Lord Howell of Guildford said: What does safe mean? It is an entirely subjective concept and always will be. Advertisement In our own judicial system, is that safe? I dont know. I am not sure all our postmasters would agree about the safety of our own judicial system. Govt defeated in @UKHouseofLords on Rwanda Bill Treaty. Lords days it should not be approved at this time. But Government is desperate and will push ahead. We should stop them. pic.twitter.com/sLcKaTYsgg Chris Rennard (@LordRennard) January 22, 2024 This was a reference to the hundreds of branch managers in the UK wrongly convicted because of a faulty accounting IT system in one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in British legal history. Referring to comments by Mr Sunak, Labour former shadow attorney general Baroness Chakrabarti said: I would suggest that instead of there being this sort of telepathic connection between any individual leader and the will of the people, in a constitutional democracy it is Parliament that will reflect, to the best of its ability, the will of the people, and certainly represent people in this country, but also champion the rule of law. Liberal Democrat Lord Razzall said: If we go back to the beginning, the whole reason for the proposal to send people to Rwanda was that it was going to be such a hellhole that nobody would want to get on a boat if they thought they were going to go to Rwanda. Advertisement The dilemma the Government now faces is that, because of the Supreme Court, they have to demonstrate what a wonderful, safe place Rwanda is. I wonder whether this might just be a moment for them to reflect on the purpose of their policy. Responding, Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom said: The Rwanda partnership was created to enhance the UKs efforts to tackle illegal migration which is costly to the British taxpayer and imperils the lives of those making highly dangerous journeys. We must sack all current members of the House of Lords. It is beyond parody. Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) January 22, 2024 He faced jeers as he said: This begs the question is Labour using the House of Lords to try to frustrate our plan to stop the boats? Last week the British prime minister urged the opposition in the House of Lords to get on board and do the right thing to stop the boats. You have a choice tonight push this amendment to try to obstruct an effective deterrent or back down and let this treaty pass. The second reading debate on the Rwanda Bill is due to be held in the Lords on January 29th. Russian missiles have hit three Ukrainian cities, including its two biggest, killing at least seven people and destroying apartment buildings. It comes after Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv and its western allies to end the nearly two-year-old war. Advertisement The barrage included more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles, officials reported, in what the United Nations (UN) said appeared to be the heaviest bombardment since early January, when hundreds of Ukrainian civilians were killed. Ukraines air force, whose defences include western-supplied systems, said it intercepted 21 of the missiles. Residential infrastructure was damaged in at least four districts of Kyiv (Kyiv Regional Military Administration via AP) Advertisement The attacks keep Ukrainians on edge while the 930-mile frontline has barely budged. Both sides inability to deliver major gains on the battlefield has pushed the fighting toward trench and artillery warfare. Advertisement Analysts say Russia stockpiled missiles at the end of last year to press a winter campaign of aerial bombardment. The recent Russian bombardment was an alarming reversal of a trend last year which saw a drop in civilian casualties from Kremlin attacks, the UN said. Advertisement More than 10,000 civilians have been killed and nearly 20,000 injured since Russias full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UN said. Recent Russian attacks have tried to find gaps in Ukraines defences (Kyiv Regional Military Administration via AP) Tuesdays onslaught in Kharkiv, in north-eastern Ukraine, killed six people and injured 57, including eight children, the UN said. Advertisement The missiles damaged about 30 residential buildings and shattered hundreds of windows in icy weather, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russia used S-300, Kh-32 and hypersonic Iskander missiles in the attack, he said. A five-storey apartment building appeared to have been directly hit by several missiles at around dawn, the UN Human Rights Mission in Ukraine said. An unknown number of people were trapped in the rubble with the temperature falling to minus 7C, said Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov. Advertisement Kharkiv, about 18 miles from the border, has often felt the brunt of Russias winter campaign of long-range strikes which commonly hit civilian areas. Advertisement Four districts of Kyiv came under an attack that injured at least 20 people, including a 13-year-old boy, according to mayor Vitalii Klitschko. Sappers loaded an unexploded missile warhead onto a truck at the site of one of the Russian attacks in Kyiv (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Officials corrected initial reports that a civilian had been killed in the capital, saying the wounded person was admitted to hospital and on life support. UN staff visited a Kyiv neighbourhood with a damaged residential building, a school, a sports centre and a childrens nursery. A missile also killed a 43-year-old woman and damaged two schools and eight high-rise buildings in Pavlohrad, an industrial city in the eastern Dnipro region, the countrys presidential office said. In Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region, an 88-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman were rescued from the rubble of a house after Russian shelling, it said. In the south, Russia attacked the city of Beryslav with drones, killing a 69-year-old man on a motorcycle. There appears to be scant chance of an end to the war anytime soon. Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov defied the United States and other Ukraine supporters at a UN meeting on Monday, ruling out any peace plan they support. Advertisement Mr Lavrov claimed Ukrainian forces have been a complete failure on the battlefield and are incapable of defeating Russia. A vendor collected goods from her shop damaged by a Russian rocket attack in Kharkiv (Andrii Marienko/AP) On Sunday, Moscow-installed officials in eastern Ukraine claimed shelling by Kyiv killed 27 people on the outskirts of Russian-occupied Donetsk. The Ukrainian military, however, denied it had anything to do with the attack. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesdays attacks should not be seen as Moscows response to the Donetsk strike. He repeated Moscows claim that its forces do not strike civilian areas, although there is substantial evidence to the contrary. Deaths of Ukrainian civilians have stirred international outrage over Russias invasion, and Ukrainian officials have pointed to the attacks in their efforts to secure further military aid from the countrys allies. Ahead of tomorrows global conference on funding for Ukraine, I spoke with Ukrainian Defence Minister @Rustem_Umerov to coordinate the delivery of the UKs record 2.5 billion support package. The UK is committed to galvanising other nations to increase their support so we can Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) January 22, 2024 Nato on Tuesday signed a 1.2-billion-US-dollar (950-million) contract to make tens of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish the dwindling stocks of its member countries. Advertisement The contract will allow allies to backfill their arsenals and provide Ukraine with more ammunition. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday became the latest foreign leader to visit Ukraine and announce a new aid package which includes a loan to buy larger weapons and a commitment to find ways to manufacture them together. Ukraines allies have recently sought to reassure the country that they are committed to its long-term defence amid concerns that western support could be flagging. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Frances new foreign minister also travelled to Kyiv in the new year. But the United States, Ukraines main supplier, is currently unable to send Ukraine any ammunition or weapons. While waiting for Congress to approve more money for Ukraines fight, the US is looking to its allies to bridge the gap. Prosecutors in England have accepted Nottingham triple-killer Valdo Calocanes pleas of not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to serious mental illness, a judge has been told. Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday that the families of university students Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates (65) had been consulted before deciding to accept the pleas entered by Calocane (32). Advertisement Ms OMalley-Kumar is the daughter of Irish-born, London-based consultant anaesthetist, Sinead OMalley. Calocane, who answered to the name Adam Mendes in court, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to the manslaughter of Mr Coates and that of university students Barnaby and Grace. Grace O'Malley-Kumar. Photo: Family handout Advertisement He also admitted attempting to murder three pedestrians who were hit by a van he had stolen from Mr Coates on June 13th last year. Advertisement Calocanes barrister Peter Joyce KC told a previous hearing the defendant does not dispute the physical facts of the prosecutions case but was suffering from extreme mental illness at the time of the incident. Calocane fatally knifed Miss OMalley-Kumar and Mr Webber, who were studying medicine and history at the University of Nottingham respectively, on Ilkeston Road at around 4am on June 13th. Advertisement Mr Coates was then found dead in Magdala Road around an hour later, having also been stabbed repeatedly. Advertisement Police photograph of Valdo Colocane The defendant then used Mr Coates van to drive at three pedestrians, Wayne Birkett, Marcin Gawronski and Sharon Miller, in Milton Street and South Sherwood Street. They all survived the attack. The prosecutions decision to accept the pleas entered by Calocane in November means he will not face trial for murder. Calocane, who appeared in the dock wearing a dark suit and light blue shirt, now faces a sentencing hearing expected to last for around two days. Donald Trump is aiming for a commanding victory in New Hampshire, securing a sweep of the first two Republican primary races that would make a November rematch with US president Joe Biden look more likely than ever. The biggest question is whether Mr Trumps last major rival, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, will be able to eat into his margin or pull off an upset outright. Advertisement Ms Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire, hoping to appeal to its famously independent-minded electorate. Nikki Haley has dedicated significant time and financial resources to New Hampshire (Charles Krupa/AP) In the first results released early on Tuesday, all six registered voters of the tiny resort town of Dixville Notch had cast their ballots for Ms Haley over Mr Trump. The town is the only one in New Hampshire this year that opted to vote at midnight. Advertisement Advertisement Mr Trump won New Hampshires Republican primary during his first run for president in 2016, but some of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. Ms Haley also has to contend with an opponent who has a deep bond with the Republican base and has concentrated on winning the state decisively enough that it would effectively end the competitive phase of the primary. If successful, Mr Trump would be the first Republican presidential candidate to win open races in Iowa and New Hampshire since both states began leading the election calendar in 1976 a clear sign of his continued grip on the partys most loyal voters. Advertisement (PA Graphics) Mr Trumps allies are already pressuring Ms Haley to leave the race and these calls will intensify if he wins New Hampshire easily. Were she to drop out, that would effectively decide the Republican primary on its second stop, well before the vast majority of Republican voters across the country have been able to vote. Ms Haley has been campaigning with New Hampshires popular Republican governor, Chris Sununu, a Trump critic. Advertisement She insists she is in the race for the long run, telling supporters in Franklin on Monday that America does not do coronations. Advertisement This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone whos going to take us forward with new solutions, Ms Haley told reporters, also saying that: We can either do the whole thing that weve always done and live in that chaos world that weve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people. This is a two-person race, she added. Advertisement Mr Trump may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who dropped his White House bid on Sunday (Michael Dwyer/AP) Ms Haley and Mr Trump were both hoping to capitalise on high-profile recent departures from the race. Ms Haley could get a lift from some supporters of former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who campaigned around decrying Mr Trump but ended his bid shortly before Iowas caucus last week. World What's at stake for Trump and Haley in New Hampshi... Read More Meanwhile, Mr Trump may be able to consolidate support from conservative voters who were supporting Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who dropped his White House bid on Sunday. Mr Trump, who appeared at a pre-primary rally in Laconia with one of his former primary rivals, South Carolina senator Tim Scott, was already looking ahead to being the races last Republican candidate. Asked during an interview on Monday with Newsmax about Ms Haley possibly abandoning her campaign after New Hampshire, the former president said he would never call on her to do that but added: Maybe shell be dropping out Tuesday. The chief executive of United Airlines has said he is disappointed in ongoing manufacturing problems at Boeing that have led to the grounding of dozens of his companys jetliners, and that the airline will consider alternatives to buying a future, larger version of the Boeing 737 Max. United Airlines boss Scott Kirby said that Boeing needed real action to restore its previous reputation for quality. Advertisement Mr Kirbys comments came a day after United disclosed that it expected to lose money in the first three months of this year because of the grounding of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. United has 79 of these planes, which federal regulators grounded more than two weeks ago after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the plane. Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are looking into whether bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing or broke off. Mr Kirby said on CNBC that he believed the Max 9s could be cleared to fly again soon, but Im disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing. At times over the past few years, manufacturing flaws have held up deliveries of Max jets and a larger Boeing plane, the 787. Last year, United received 24 fewer Boeing aircraft than it expected. Advertisement United has a standing order for Max 10 jets, a larger version of the Max line. But that model and a smaller one, the Max 7, are years behind schedule for being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The grounding of the Max 9 jets is likely to further complicate Boeings drive to get the new models approved. Advertisement Mr Kirby said the Max 10 was at least five years behind schedule and could be pushed further into the future. I think this is the straw the Max 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camels back for us, he told CNBC. Were going to at least build a plan that doesnt have the Max 10 in it. Mr Kirby wasnt specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there was only one other global manufacturer of such large planes Boeings European rival Airbus. Advertisement Doing without the Max 10 would probably mean United would not grow as fast as it had hoped, Mr Kirby added. The UK and the US have once again carried out joint airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. Officials say the US and UK took out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers, in the second set of co-ordinated strikes against the Iran-backed militants. Advertisement The UK joined the US in carrying out strikes against the group in Yemen earlier this month, but ships have continued to be targeted along the vital Red Sea and Gulf of Aden trade routes. Rishi Sunak and US president Joe Biden spoke on Monday evening, with the two leaders undertaking to continue efforts alongside international partners to deter and disrupt attacks by Houthis. A White House readout of the call said the two leaders reiterated their commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks. Advertisement Advertisement (PA Graphics) In recent days, the US launched seven rounds of airstrikes on Houthi military sites, targeting air bases under the rebels control and suspected missile launch sites. Both the British prime minister and defence secretary Grant Shapps had repeatedly declined to comment on, or rule out, the possibility of further military action if Houthi attacks continued. But Mr Sunak had told MPs last week he was prepared to back our words with actions. Advertisement The UK government has insisted that the strikes would not escalate the already tense situation in the Middle East, stressing the need to protect the vital shipping route. Details were not immediately forthcoming from the Ministry of Defence about the exact nature of the UK role in the fresh operation. But US officials said the two countries used warship and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets. The latest set of strikes could raise questions once again about the need to consult Parliament on military action. Mr Sunak was criticised for authorising the first set of strikes when Parliament was not sitting, with some MPs stressing the need for scrutiny from the Commons. Advertisement Mr Sunak had held a full Cabinet the evening before the strikes earlier this month, with the UK government also briefing Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defence secretary John Healey. Advertisement The Houthis, a Shia rebel group that has held Sanaa since 2014 and been at war with a Saudi-led coalition backing Yemens exiled government since 2015, have linked their attacks to the Israel-Hamas war. However, the ships they have targeted increasingly have tenuous links to Israel or none at all. A woman was killed and her husband and daughter injured in a traffic collision at a barricade at a protest by French farmers against low wages and other grievances, authorities have said. A car ploughed into straw bales that demonstrators had placed across a road, hitting the three people before it came to a stop against a tractors semi-trailer, prosecutor Olivier Mouysset said in a statement. Advertisement The fatal crash in southwest France represented a dramatic turn for the growing protest movement among French farmers for better remuneration and against what they consider to be excessive regulation, mounting costs and other problems. French prime minister Gabriel Attal said the woman killed in the incident was a farmer (Aurelien Morissard/AP) The months of demonstrations have become increasingly vigorous in recent weeks, with traffic barricades, dumps of foul-smelling agricultural waste outside government offices and other protests. Farmers have also been turning road signs upside down to protest against what they argue are nonsensical agricultural policies. Advertisement Advertisement France is one of Europes agricultural powerhouses, with powerful farming lobbies but also deep discontent among farmers who say they struggle to make ends meet despite working long hours to feed the country and boost its exports with their produce. French president Emmanuel Macrons government has been working to assuage farmers concerns before their anger blows up into a wider movement, like the yellow vest protests against economic injustice in 2019 that dented Mr Macrons popularity and saw frequent violence between protesters and riot police. Prime minister Gabriel Attal, newly installed by Mr Macron in a government reshuffle this month, posted on social media on Tuesday that being a farmer means working without respite. Its working for us, for the French. We are and will remain at their side. Farmers blocked a road during a demonstration near Beauvais in northern France on Tuesday (Matthieu Mirville/AP) Advertisement The woman hit and killed by a car in the Ariege region of southwestern France was a farmer, Mr Attal said. All our farmers are in mourning. Our nation is shocked, he added. Mr Macron, in a social media post, described the accident as a tragedy that upsets us all and said he had ordered his government to find concrete solutions to the difficulties farmers were highlighting. Advertisement Advertisement The car was carrying three people when it hit the barricade of straw bales in the Ariege town of Pamiers, the prosecutor said in his statement. The woman killed in the pre-dawn collision was in her 30s, the statement said. Her husband, aged in his 40s, was seriously injured and hospitalised and their 14-year-old daughter was in a worrying condition, requiring her to be helicoptered for hospital treatment, the prosecutor said without giving more details. The statement said the collision did not appear to be intentional. Police detained the three occupants of the car for questioning. First Nations rapper Nooky grew up dreading January 26. So the idea of spending the day at an institution that holds some painful memories for his people may not seem to make sense. But Nooky, aka Corey Webster, a Yuin and Thunghutti man from Nowra, changed his mind last year, when 3000 people turned up to Powerhouse Ultimo to see him and other First Nations artists including ARIA nominee Barkaa perform. Warriors founder Nooky (Corey Webster) at Powerhouse. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone Ive never really had good emotions on that day until last year when we did Blak Powerhouse, the rapper, radio host, and founder of social enterprise We Are Warriors says. lt took away a bit of the pain that day usually carries I was blown away by the amount of support and love and joy that was in the room. Blak Powerhouse returns to Powerhouse Ultimo on January 26 this year, with a music line-up including Maanyung, Mi-kaisha, Rona, Miss Kaninna and Becca Hatch, and guests including ABC News Breakfast host Tony Armstrong and musician Ziggy Ramo. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ambition. Betrayal. Revenge. Anyone who has paid the slightest attention to Australian politics for the past few decades knows that these are the maladies, both compelling and contemptible, infecting many of those who grasp for power and those who gather around them. They are the three words that greet the viewer during the opening moments of a new documentary series about to be screened on ABC TV. The prime ministerships of Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull are examined in Nemesis. Credit: ABC Nemesis, it is called. If you squint, its almost an anagram for enemy, which, of course, defines the relationships of the three central characters in the series. Three prime ministers, all from the same political party. Tony Abbott. Malcolm Turnbull. Scott Morrison. Variously, they loathe each other. Journalist Mark Willacy, winner of multiple Walkley Awards, and a team of the ABCs most experienced documentary producers and camera people have combined to turn the tumultuous period covering those three prime ministerships through the words of the participants themselves into an absorbing three-part series that promises to be as much a feast for political historians as for those who enjoy drama. Apart from the leadership coups, internal wars and three fierce elections, the period included a pandemic which, as the ABC declares, turned Australian politics on its head. Advertisement The ABC is unmatched in this style of revelatory journalism in the aftermath of political turbulence. The Killing Season, a docuseries from 2015 piecing together Labors own period of ambition, betrayal and revenge during the Rudd and Gillard years, remains jaw-dropping viewing. The genre goes back to 1989, when ABC TVs Four Corners interviewed prominent Liberal MPs principally John Moore and Wilson Tuckey boasting and gloating about the plot that toppled John Howard and re-installed Andrew Peacock as leader of the Liberal Party. Scott Morrison during an interview for the ABC documentary series Nemesis. Credit: ABC Australian viewers had never seen such hubris on screen. These years later, Nemesis will prove that surprise or disquiet about politicians openly blabbing about leadership conspiracies is all but extinct. The machinations of the last Liberal period are sliced and diced in gory detail, direct to camera, by those who took part. The level of plotting was quite extraordinary, Willacy says. On display is hurt, triumph, comedy, tragedy and devastation. Advertisement Willacy set about planning for what would become Nemesis in October 2022. Malcolm Turnbull during an interview for the ABC documentary series Nemesis. Credit: ABC The most pressing task was to persuade the former prime ministers, senior members of the parliamentary Liberal Party, backbenchers and key staffers and others to speak about the fraught years. Willacy said he was surprised to find how easy it was to get people on camera. Loading We sent out about 150 letters to backbenchers, frontbenchers, all those we thought were important to the story, he says. The result was 60 candid interviews with those who were in the room at the most high-tension moments over the nine years of the three prime ministerships. Advertisement A lot of them said they felt it was important to explain what had happened, why it had happened and how big decisions were made, Willacy says. Plenty of them also used their moments before the camera to settle political scores and to offer free character assessments about their factional enemies. I got the sense there was a simmering tension still there, says Willacy. The vehemence of some of the responses surprised me these were people who were supposed to be on the same team. Some of them still dont speak to each other. He doesnt give away much of the detail he gleaned. Its not surprising: Nemesis promises to be a rolling series of exclusive insights awaiting the audience, relying for its impact on surprise. One of Willacys devices was to ask each of his interviewees for a one-word assessment of each of the prime ministers. Intriguingly, Willacy hints that the most cutting word is the one used by Turnbull to describe Morrison. He wont say what it is. The most polarising responses, he says, were the various words used by interviewees to describe Turnbull. Advertisement A sampling of the one-word judgments on the first of the three PMs, Abbott, gives a flavour of disparate views. What one word springs to mind when I say the name Tony Abbott? Willacy asked. Indefatigable, said Morrison. Negative, said Turnbull. Current deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley gave two words: team player. Barnaby Joyce offered a typically enigmatic response. Pugilistic and give you a hug, Joyce declared. Most of the interviews, however, delve much deeper. Advertisement FILE - This Thursday, Oct. 17, 2019, file photo shows a house for sale sign in Orange County near Hillsborough, N.C. In Connecticut, Newington was ranked fourth in the country in a Realtor.com ranking of places attractive to first time homebuyers. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File) Gerry Broome / Associated Press Construction photos from March 2023 of Meadow Commons, a mixed use complex being developed on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington. Luther Turmelle/ Hearst Connecticut Media Stew Leonard's on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington is one of the multitude of shopping choices located in the Hartford County community. Newington was selected by the web site Realtor.com as one of the top communities in the country for first-time homebuyers. Luther Turmelle/ Hearst Connecticut Media As home mortgage rates start to decline, Connecticut home sales are likely to increase, and one community in the Hartford area is expected to benefit, especially from those new to the market. The website Realtor.com has identified Newington as one of the 10 best communities in the United States for first-time homebuyers. It's the only community in New England ranked in the Top 10 at No. 4, despite having the highest median list price of any of the communities selected for inclusion. Officials with Realtor.com looked at a variety of factors in compiling the list, which ranked nearly 3,000 cities and towns. Factors used in the ranking included the availability of homes for sale, median home list price from December 2022 through November 2023, the percentage of younger homeowners in the communities, as well as reasonable commute times and low unemployment rates. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Patricia Deperry, a Realtor with the Berlin office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties, said inclusion of Newington on the Realtor.com list hardly comes as a surprise. "It's been a top choice for first-time home buyers for many years," said Deperry, who is the 2024 president-elect of the Greater Hartford Association of Realtors. One of Newington's primary attractions for first-time homebuyers. she said, "is the amount of affordable homes available," compared to other suburbs west of Hartford. The median sale price in Newington between December 2022 and November 2023 was $290,294, according to Realtor.com. Katrina Pratt, a real estate broker with Rocky Hill-based Rainbow Realty, said during the past 180 days, there were 149 single family homes in Newington where buyers closed on the purchase of the property. Another 33 homes in Newington went under contract in that time, Pratt said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "If you compare Newington to West Hartford, the prices in West Hartford are much higher," Deperry said. "Wethersfield is an awesome town, but their prices are higher than Newington, and Berlin doesn't have as many homes for sale as Newington." "If a home is priced right, it's usually gone before 30 days are up," Pratt added. Another attraction that Newington has for first-time homebuyers is location, said Leslie Civitello, executive director of the Newington Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I really think it has to do with our proximity to where jobs area," Civitello said of Newington's popularity among first-time homebuyers. "It also helps that the town has easy access to two of the state's high profile retail corridors: The Berlin Turnpike and New Britain Avenue." Deperry said Newington also benefits from having a well-defined downtown area with lots of shops and a wide variety of restaurants. "It has everything right there," she said. From luminaries to luxury buys, this series spotlights the people and products changing the game Britney Spears was wrong. In her memoir The Woman in Me, Spears described the matching denim ensembles she and ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake wore at the American Music Awards in 2001 as tacky. At the international menswear shows, which finished last week in Paris, designers Dries Van Noten, Pharrell at Louis Vuitton, Kim Jones at Dior and Pierpaolo Piccioli at Valentino fought the tacky tag with intriguing denim suits on the runway. Strapless denim gowns remain a runway rarity, so Spears was only half-wrong, but the denim suit is enjoying a rough and ready resurgence. Why is it called a Canadian Tuxedo? Labor lord mayoral candidate Tracey Price has promised half-price fares on Zone 1 and Zone 2 trips if the party takes control of Brisbane City Council. Loading Price said the policy would save commuters around $1000 a year, and complement the partys promised extension of free late-night bus services. A Labor council would also focus on upgrading suburban intersections and establish a congestion taskforce to find ways to improve the road network. With rising cost of living challenges, residents also want to be able to save money, as well as time, Price said. Public transport in Brisbane needs to be about more than one inner-city project Brisbane Metro. There needs to be more work done, in the suburbs especially. The council election is in March. A flash lightning storm sparked several grass fires and brought down trees when it hit Melbourne early on Wednesday morning. Rain fell and lightning flared in the sky over parts of the city when the storm hit just before 6am, following a hot and humid night in Victoria. Emergency services were called to more than 20 blazes after lightning sparked grass fires, including in Gembrook and Woodstock. A CFA spokesperson said: There have been more than 20 grass and scrub fires which were believed to be caused by lightning. This was due to a band of lightning which came through from the west of the state. All the incidents were small and brought under control quickly. Two men have died after crashing their stolen car into a pole while speeding through Melbournes north on Tuesday morning. Police found a sawn-off shotgun and another firearm in the Hyundai after the crash on Camp Road in Broadmeadows about 5.30am. The car, which was stolen from Moama in southern NSW, was seen travelling at speeds of 180km/h before the crash. Police believe the car was travelling at about 100km/h when it rammed into the pole. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Ayodhya, India: They fanned out across the vast country, knocking on doors for a cause that would redefine India. These foot soldiers and organisers, including a young Narendra Modi, collected millions of dollars to be socked away for a long fight to build a grand Hindu temple in Ayodhya, in northern India. Across 200,000 villages, ceremonies were arranged to bless individual bricks that would be sent to that sacred city, believed by Hindus to be the birthplace of the deity Ram. The bricks, the campaigns leaders declared, would not just be used for the temples construction on land occupied for centuries by a mosque. They would be the foundation for a Hindu rashtra, or Hindu nation, that would correct what right-wing Hindus saw as the injustice of Indias birth as a secular republic. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi carries a sacred item during the opening of the temple. Credit: AP Nearly four decades later, the cornerstone of that sweeping vision has been laid. Modi, now the countrys prime minister, inaugurated the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Monday the crowning achievement of a national movement aimed at establishing Hindu supremacy in India by rallying the countrys Hindu majority across castes and tribes. Today, our Ram has come. After centuries of patience and sacrifice, our Lord Ram has come, Modi said during the ceremony. It is the beginning of a new era. Advertisement The moment is both one of triumph for Hindu nationalists and one of jubilation for many others who care little for politics. Ram has a wide following in India; excitement around the temples consecration had been building for weeks, with saffron-coloured pennants strung across a million streets and markets, and posters of Ram advertising the event everywhere. But for the countrys 200 million Muslims, the Ram temple has reinforced a sense of despair and dislocation. The front gate of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, India, on Monday. The temple inaugurated by Prime Minster Narendra Modi is on the disputed site of a centuries-old mosque destroyed in a Hindu mob attack that set a precedent of impunity against Muslims. Credit: Atul Loke/The New York Times The Babri Mosque, which the Hindu side argued was built after Muslim rulers destroyed an earlier Hindu temple in the spot, was brought down in 1992 by Hindu activists, many describe as a mob, unleashing waves of sectarian violence that left thousands dead. The manner in which the mosque was razed set a precedent of impunity that reverberates today: lynchings of Muslim men accused of slaughtering or transporting cows, beatings of interfaith couples to combat love jihad and in an echo of Ayodhya bulldozer justice in which the homes of Muslims are levelled by officials without due process following religious tensions. Some 2000 people died. The Hindu right wing has ridden the Ram movement to become Indias dominant political force. The opening of the temple, built over a 28-hectares site at a cost of nearly $US250 million ($380 million) marks the unofficial start of Modis campaign for a third term, in an election expected in the spring. The Ram temple under construction in Ayodhya, India, on December 29. Credit: Atul Loke/The New York Times The construction of this temple of Ram Lalla is also a symbol of peace, patience, mutual harmony and coordination of Indian society. We are seeing that this construction is not giving birth to any fire, but to energy, he said. Advertisement That it was Modi who was the star of the inauguration of the temple in Ayodhya which Hindu nationalists have compared to the Vatican and Mecca captures the rights blurring of old lines. Indias founding fathers took great pains to keep the state at arms length from religion, seeing it as crucial to the countrys cohesion after the communal bloodletting wrought by the 1947 partition that cleaved Pakistan from India. But Modi has unabashedly normalised the opposite. Security officers guard the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, closing off the disputed site claimed by Muslims and Hindus in 1990. Credit: AP After completing the consecration rituals alongside priests on Monday, Modi prostrated in front of the Ram idol, carved with a warm smile and lucid eyes in black stone and bedecked in jewels. The prime minister then emerged at the edge of the temple steps in his signature style for big moments: the powerful leader, alone in the frame, striding forward and bowing to the thousands of handpicked guests celebrities, seers and business leaders seated below. Modis public image is simultaneously one of statesman and god-man. His party chief recently described him as the king of gods. Before the inauguration, the town was covered in posters and billboards, of Ram and of Modi. Just as they did in the 1980s, volunteers from right-wing Hindu organisations went door to door across hundreds of thousands of villages in the days before the temples consecration. This time, the effort was a reminder of the immense network Modi has at his disposal, one that the political opposition can come nowhere close to matching. In preparation for his role in Ayodhya, Modi embarked on an 11-day Hindu purification ritual. The prime minister was seen temple-hopping across the country, and when his office put out pictures of him at his residence feeding cows, which are seen as holy by many Hindus, fawning television channels ran them as breaking news. Advertisement In between his expressions of religious devotion, Modi attended to the work of the state, inaugurating huge projects that perpetuate his image as a champion of development. The omnipresent leader, in mixing religion and politics and tapping into the vast resources at his service, has achieved what his predecessors could not: turning a diverse and argumentative Indian society into something resembling a monolith that falls in line behind him. To question him is to question Hindu values. And that is akin to blasphemy. Hindu holy men attend the opening of a temple dedicated to Hinduisms Lord Ram in Ayodhya, India. Credit: AP Manoj Kumar Jha, an opposition MPs said that while Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, might be toppled someday, the transformation of the state and society would take decades, at least, to undo. Winning elections could be arithmetic. But the fight is in the realm of psychology the psychological rupture, the social rupture, Jha said. Just as Muslim Pakistan was founded as a state for one religious group, India is now emulating Pakistan, a little late. The toxic mix of religion and politics is idealised, he added. Nobody is bothered to see what such a toxic mix has done. Devotees celebrate the day before the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, India. Credit: Atul Loke/The New York Times Advertisement Loading In many ways, Indias birth as a secular republic was an idealistic project undertaken by its founding leaders, including Mohandas K. Gandhi and the countrys first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. With Indias diversity in mind, they defined a secular state not as one that keeps out religion, but as one that keeps an equal distance from all religions. Muslims who remained in India after the creation of Pakistan amounted to the worlds third-largest Muslim population. There were also millions of Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists. Hinduism itself contained multitudes, distinguished not just by devotion to 30 million distinct deities, but also by rigid caste hierarchies and regional cultural identities. Members of the Hindu right were appalled that the departure of the British had left Muslims with a nation of their own in Pakistan but had not afforded the same for Hindus in India. It was, to them, just the latest inequity for the religious majority in a country that had endured several bloody Muslim invasions and was ruled for centuries by the Mughal Empire. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, centre, breaks his ritualistic fast after opening the temple dedicated to Hinduisms Lord Ram in Ayodhya, India. Credit: AP Initially, these Hindus struggled to turn the anger over partition into a political movement not just because of the events trauma, but also because of the taint from a grave act of terrorism. In 1948, one of their foot soldiers, Nathuram Godse, assassinated Gandhi, who had amassed a huge following as an icon of non-violence and an advocate of Indias diversity. Gandhis last plea, after receiving three bullets from close range during his morning prayer meeting, was to the same deity that the Hindu right would later rally around at Ayodhya. Advertisement Dental school students to host fundraiser for Gigis Playhouse in Buffalo The event, an Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show, is open to the public and will be held Jan. 27 Our hope is that the sentiment behind promoting inclusivity and facilitating outreach activities and events to people with disabilities will transfer to the dental office." BUFFALO, N.Y. The University at Buffalo student chapter of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) is highlighting the fashion flair and creative talents of individuals of all abilities on Saturday, Jan. 27, during the UB Dental Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show. It will be held 6-10 p.m. at the Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter. All proceeds from the show will go to GiGis Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center of Buffalo. The American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry strives to improve the quality of health care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This fundraiser is one fun way to achieve that, said Ava Walch, a third-year dental student and co-president of the UB chapter of the AADMD. She is organizing the show with Paige Warmuth, co-president who is also a third-year dental student. Walch and Warmuth invited dental school students, faculty and staff members to walk the runway and showcase their personalities, individual styles and unique cultures with different fashion lines and talent acts. We have also invited our friends from GiGis Playhouse and Touching Bases Softball League, with whom we volunteered this past year, to join, Warmuth said. Both of these organizations create opportunities for people with intellectual and development disabilities, and we are excited to have them at our show this year. Fifty-three dental students and two faculty members have signed up so far to walk the runway in clothing that reflects a theme, some of which are divided by students year of study in the dental program. For instance, third-year students are planning to model a Canadian tuxedo line in full denim. Meanwhile second-year students have adopted a party animals theme and first-year students have chosen a decades theme, Warmuth said. Other themes include cultural, sports, under the white coat and Met Gala formal attire lines. Students from the Smile PRIDE Club and the Hispanic Dental Association, along with other UB dental clubs, are expected to hit the runway in some of these fashions. Those individuals participating who have disabilities will pick their favorite fashion line and join the runway, Warmuth said. We will also have talent portions from individuals from GiGis Playhouse, including signing with American Sign Language (ASL). The talents of our own dental students will be featured in singing and instrumental performances, and hopefully, dancing. This marks the second year for UBs AADMD chapter to host the Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show. Last year, more than 250 attendees helped raise almost $3,000 for Miles for Smiles of John R. Oishei Childrens Hospital and Special Smiles of the Western New York Special Olympics. Our hope is that the sentiment behind promoting inclusivity and facilitating outreach activities and events to people with disabilities will transfer to the dental office, Warmuth said. Our goal is to reduce barriers to care that this community faces and create an environment where people with disabilities can receive oral health care in a comfortable way for both the provider and the patient. What: 2024 UB Dental Inclusive Fashion and Talent Show, a fundraiser for Gigis Down Syndrome Achievement Center of Buffalo. When: Saturday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 10 p.m. Where: Buffalo Marriott at LECOM Harborcenter, 95 Main St., Buffalo, 14203. Cost: $25 for UB students and $35 for faculty, staff and members of the community. Everyone must have a ticket to participate, including models, volunteers and audience members. Tickets may be purchased online at the dental schools website. Admission includes the show, appetizers and dessert. A cash bar will be available. Commitment to inclusive oral health care The School of Dental Medicine is committed to providing holistic oral health care to patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities in supportive, caring and respectful environments. The school offers comprehensive outreach programs, including the annual Give Kids A Smile Day and a partnership with Arc GLOW, which provides dental care to patients with disabilities in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties through its S-Miles To Go mobile dental program. The deal is to be done through JSW Ventures Singapore Pte, a newly incorporated entity that is part of the Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group Fair trade regulator CCI on Tuesday said it has granted approval to JSW Group's proposed acquisition of a stake in MG Motor India Pvt Ltd. MG Motor India is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai-headquartered SAIC Motor. The deal is to be done through JSW Ventures Singapore Pte, a newly incorporated entity that is part of the Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Group. The proposed transaction relates to the acquisition of up to approximately 46 per cent of the share capital of the MG Motor India Pvt Ltd along with certain special rights by the JSW Ventures Singapore Pte, as per the notice submitted to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) by the entities. As per an update on CCI's website on Tuesday, the regulator has approved the proposed deal. The Serum Institute of India (SII) is joining a network of vaccine producers in the Global South to support more rapid, agile, and equitable responses to disease outbreaks, said a joint statement on Tuesday. CEPI will invest $30 million to build upon SIIs capabilities to supply affordable investigational vaccines in any epidemic or pandemic. CEPI, short for Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, is a partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil organisations, launched at Davos, Switzerland, in 2017. Its mission is to accelerate the development of vaccines and other biologic countermeasures against epidemic and pandemic threats so they can be accessible to all people in need. SII is the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer and has an overall production capacity of 4 billion doses annually. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel CEPI will use SIIs record in responding to infectious disease outbreaks and expand the companys ability to swiftly supply investigational vaccines. This would then enable CEPI-backed vaccine developers to quickly transfer their technology to SII within days or weeks of an outbreak to begin rapid production and equitable distribution of affordable vaccines to affected populations, said the statement. In the event of a disease outbreak, SII may be called upon to promptly supply investigational vaccines for preclinical and clinical testing as well as large-scale supply. Shortening the time taken to manufacture and validate the first batches of experimental vaccines will be key to respond to an escalating outbreak within just 100 days. "As a leading vaccine manufacturer, we're committed to utilising our well-established manufacturing and rapid response capabilities to strengthen epidemic preparedness and increase access to life-saving vaccines for those who need them most at an affordable price. This collaboration will enable us to respond more rapidly and equitably to public health disease outbreaks, particularly in Global South countries where access to life-saving vaccines can be limited," said Adar Poonawalla, chief executive officer (CEO) of SII. SII is the fourth member of CEPIs global manufacturing network which includes Aspen in South Africa, Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal, and Bio Farma in Indonesia. The addition of SII to the CEPI manufacturing network will be a significant boost to vaccine production efforts in Global South regions and will mean the world is better prepared to achieve the100 Days Mission to develop new vaccines against known or novel infectious diseases within three months of a pandemic threat being recognised, said the statement. The 100 Days Mission concept is a part of CEPIs 2022-26 pandemic plan which aims to have a proposed response to the next Disease X by making safe, effective vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics within 100-days of identification. Several vaccine developers are working to achieve this aim. Moderna partnered with CEPI in 2023 to use the companys mRNA platform to accelerate the development of vaccines against viral disease outbreaks that threaten global health. CEPIs investment will help SII in developing, stocking and licensing new vaccines against the networks priority pathogens. The two sides are studying which CEPI-backed vaccines SII will support. As part of CEPIs global manufacturing network, SIIs world-renowned manufacturing and rapid response capabilities are poised to play a critical role in enabling swift and equitable access to affordable outbreak vaccines for the Global South. Living in an era of heightened epidemic and pandemic risk, evidenced by the increasing prevalence, speed, and spread of outbreaks of infectious disease, we must prepare to confront these threats head-on to avoid another COVID-like catastrophe in the future, said Richard Hatchett, CEO of CEPI. CEPIs manufacturing network focuses on vaccine makers in the Global South and near areas at high risk of disease outbreaks caused by deadly viral threats like Lassa Fever, Nipah, and other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential. SII supplies vaccines to more than 170 countries. In 2022, the company responded swiftly to an outbreak of Sudan ebola virus in Uganda by delivering doses of the investigational ChAdOx1 SUDV vaccine in 80 days. To address housing concerns and target problematic institutions, Canada's Immigration Minister, Marc Miller, has announced a cap on the number of student visas to be issued over the next two years while addressing a press conference in Ottawa on Monday. The cap will be effective for two years, with a reassessment planned for 2025. This news comes weeks after the United Kingdom (UK) more stringent international visa norms for Indian students. Indian students this year would no longer be allowed to bring family members with them, except for postgraduate research courses and courses with government-funded scholarships. The UK home office estimates this will reduce immigration into the country by at 140,000 people, who use student visa as a backdoor route to work in the UK. Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel For 2024, the Canadian federal government aims to approve 360,000 undergraduate study permits, marking a 35 per cent reduction from 2023. This decision will significantly impact Indian students, who represent the largest group of international students in Canada, receiving over 41 per cent of permits in 2022. Additionally, around 300,000 Indian students went to Canada in 2023 alone. Under the new system, provinces and territories will be allocated a portion of the total permits based on population, leading to more significant decreases in regions experiencing unsustainable growth in the international student population. Each region will have the flexibility to decide how permits are distributed across universities and colleges. Private institutes taking advantage of international students Minister Miller expressed concerns about certain private institutions taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking student support, charging high tuition fees, and significantly increasing their intake of international students. In addition to the cap, the federal government will now require international students to provide an attestation letter from a province or territory when applying for a permit. Miller clarified that these measures are not against individual international students but are aimed at ensuring the quality of education for future students arriving in Canada. Changes in work permit after graduation Miller also announced changes to the post-graduation work permit programme. Starting in September, international students in programmes under a curriculum licensing arrangement will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Graduates of master's and other short graduate-level programmes will be able to apply for a three-year work permit. Open work permits will only be available to the spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programmes. These measures follow previous announcements targeting what Miller referred to as "the diploma equivalent of puppy mills." (With agency inputs) Natalie Mullings and Keith Tinker of Tinker Realty & Insurance on Albany Avenue in Hartford said that higher rent and home prices are squeezing the North End community. Liese Klein Developer Randy Salvatore and Hartford Corporation Counsel Howard Rifkin walk across "Parcel B" near Dunkin' Park. Salvatore said he expects to break ground on the first phase of a potential 1,000-apartment development in early 2024. Emily DiSalvo/ Hearst Connecticut Media HARTFORD Using a dining room as a bedroom. Doubling up with two families in one apartment. Hartford residents are using a variety of strategies to keep housed as rents in the city remain near historic levels, said Natalie Mullings, a broker at Tinker Realty & Insurance on Albany Avenue. Its ridiculous, Mullings said. Basic apartments that rented for $800 to $900 a month a few years ago in Hartfords North End now go for nearly double that. Prices are high in the neighborhood compared to what it was, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mullings blames a range of factors, including surging costs for landlords due to higher taxes and insurance costs. She sees that sticker shock up close in her additional duties as an insurance broker. That has been difficult for property owners, Mullings said. Tenants, they understand. In addition to topping national rankings on surges in home prices, the greater Hartford area is also ranking high on some national lists on rent increases. Hartford County saw a 29-percent boost in rent prices from pre-pandemic levels in 2020 to September 2023, according to data from Apartment List. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The surge in rent costs intensified in 2023, with Hartford ranking in the top 10 for rent growth even as 83 of the nation's top 100 largest cities reported slowdowns for the year, according to a December Apartment List report. The continued prevalence of hybrid work arrangements is likely to continue driving interest to smaller and more affordable markets on the peripheries of major job centers, according a statement accompanying the sites data. Another analysis this fall by Apartments.com named Hartford as No. 3 nationwide in multifamily rent growth in the third quarter of 2023, blaming historically low vacancy rates and limited construction. With fewer unit completions slated for this year, 2024 may offer some reprieve for the multifamily market, the site predicted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Although sites like Zillow have found some cooling in price increases and moderating demand for rentals in Hartford, agents like Mullings said renters are feeling stressed. Thats matched by a jump in eviction rates in the city Hartford topped all of the states towns and cities with 2,951 eviction filings in 2023, a rise of 10 percent above pre-pandemic levels. Applicants now have to make nearly $60,000 in order to afford rent in the Hartford area when median household income in the city was tallied at only $41,841 in the 2022 census. Demand high as new apartments debut Hartford rents are going up even as thousands of new apartments hit the market downtown and in the neighborhoods. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Close to 3,300 new apartments have entered the Hartford housing market in the past decade, many in renovated buildings like the Colt Gateway complex south of downtown and in new construction like the Pennant complex across from Dunkin Park. Former Mayor Luke Bronin said at least 5,000 more new apartments are needed in the city to revive neighborhoods and a downtown hammered by the post-pandemic shift to remote work. Adding more apartments means doubling down on market rate complexes in the downtown area but also adding more affordable housing, Bronin said in an interview with NBC Connecticut before leaving office. We need to make sure that if you grow up in Hartford and you do well and you end up working at one of our hospitals or working for the state or for an insurance company, that you can live in your community, Bronin said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Demand remains high for rentals at upscale complexes like the Pennant, said developer Randy Salvatore, whose Stamford-based RMS Companies plans 237 new apartments for the parking lot across Main Street from Dunkin Park in coming months. Thats just the $120 million first phase of a complex that could eventually bring another 1,000 apartments to the market. I think that points to the fact that there needs to be more supply of apartments in Hartford, the fact that the rents have increased like that, Salvatore said. There's a demand there you look around at all the buildings within Hartford, the occupancies are extremely high. After the expected seasonal lull in leasing activity, Salvatore said he expected that the new units planned both for near the ballpark and the former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus at 275 Windsor St. would find an eager clientele. Whatever gets built or converted ends up getting leased very quickly, Salvatore said. So I think that's just evidence that the market is demanding more housing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rentals are a good investment in the Hartford area as urban apartment rentals grow increasingly popular for a growing range of Connecticut residents, said Pat Deperry, president-elect of the Greater Hartford Association of Realtors. Younger workers are relocating to the Hartford area for jobs and choosing to live in livelier urban centers rather than suburban complexes. Middle-age homeowners are renting in between purchases or choosing to downsize. Older clients are choosing luxury apartments over homes in search of lower utility bills and less maintenance. Deperry said shes also seeing more renters who plan only to stick around in an apartment for a relatively short time. Let me pick something that's new and has all the amenities, and let me do what I need to do for the next three years. And then I'll figure out what I'm going to do next, she said, channeling recent rental clients. In general, people are getting more restless, Deperry said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When I started in real estate you were expected to move twice. That was about it. Not anymore, Deperry said. Now, it's like every seven, eight years you've got the urge to move. Rising rents burden communities of color With photos of Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey high on the walls, the staff of Tinker Realty & Insurance is acutely aware of the link between housing and racial justice. Owner Keith Tinker bought his first house for $11,000 in Hartfords North End in 1963, right out of high school and as a recent immigrant from Jamaica. Now that house is worth much more, but he said he sees recent generations being shut out of building wealth through homeownership and squeezed by higher rents. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I don't think that supply-and-demand is the problem, Tinker said. He hopes for additional government efforts like the Federal Housing Administration loans that helped many immigrants like himself move up in the 1960s and 70s. Current programs like the Hartford Housing Development Funds efforts to assist minority home buyers boosted this fall by a $600,000 donation from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving arent much help in the current market, Mullings said. Local would-be homeowners are outbid by cash buyers from New York and investors. The new owners then raise rents or move renters out and fuel rent increases elsewhere. The lasting impact of the pandemic on local companies, renters and home buyers may permanently change Hartfords housing market, Tinker said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad During the conventions, Kharge will preside over meetings of office bearers from the booth to the state level and further "energise our dedicated cadre", Venugopal had said in a post earlier Getting battle-ready for the 2024 general elections, the Congress will from Thursday start holding state-level workers' conventions where party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over meetings of office bearers to energise organisational cadres. The first state-level workers' convention will be held on Thursday in Telangana where the Congress recently formed a government, ousting the K Chadrashekhar Rao government of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. The party will then hold the state-level workers' convention in Uttarakhand on January 28, in Odisha on January 29, in Delhi on February 3, in Kerala on February 4, in Himachal Pradesh on February 10, in Punjab on February 11, in Tamil Nadu on February 13 and in Jharkhand on February 15, according to AICC general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal. During the conventions, Kharge will preside over meetings of office bearers from the booth to the state level and further "energise our dedicated cadre", Venugopal had said in a post earlier. "Right to the booth level, the Congress is all geared up for a blitzkrieg campaign!" he had said. The Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is also ongoing with preparations for the general elections being undertaken simultaneously. At a key party meeting earlier this month, Kharge had said that by working night and day, we will be able to provide an alternative government to the people after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Leave aside differences, do not indulge in nitpicking and do not raise internal issues in the media and work as a team to ensure Congress' victory," he had told the gathering. On January 4, senior Congress leaders from across the country discussed the party's strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and seat sharing with other parties besides preparations for the Bharat Nyay Yatra. Thirty-five year old Arjun Singh decided to head to Thailand last minute when the country announced a waiver on visas for Indians till June 2024. Since it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, Arjun had forgotten to opt for an overseas travel insurance plan. During the trip, Singh had an allergic reaction to lobster and had to be rushed to the hospital and was admitted overnight at the Bangkok Hospital. His wife, however, was not very worried about the huge medical bill because she had a Platinum credit card from American Express, which also covered any emergency medical hospitalisation anywhere in the world. The only condition was that the card company had to be notified at the time of hospital admission, and all the hospital documents had to be emailed to the company within 30 days of hospitalisation. While travelling, theres always the chance of a lot of things going wrong. This is why its always a good idea to purchase travel insurance online beforehand to provide a safety net to fall back on in case of any unforeseen incidents such as theft of luggage, injury caused due to any risky adventure activity, etc. In India, Currently, not all credit cards offer travel insurance. While some do offer basic coverage, their benefits are often limited as compared to traditional travel insurance policies available online.Credit card insurance policies usually tend to cover the expenses of only the cardholder, whereas, travel insurance policies bought online have the option to provide coverage to other co-travellers under the policy. "Complimentary insurance cover for overseas medical emergency hospitalisation is generally offered with premium credit cards and covers any kind of bodily injury or sudden unexpected illness during international travel. This feature can only be availed by primary cardholders and that too only when the flight booking for that trip has been made using the same card. Card providers may also impose other eligibility conditions. For example, the card should have been used at least once in the past 30 days or the medical emergency should fall within 7 days of the international trip," cautioned Rohit Chhibbar, Head of Credit Cards Business, Paisabazaar. In most cases, the cardholder is required to directly contact the partner insurance company to register their insurance claim within the given timeline after the incident. The claim procedure and conditions vary depending upon the credit card provider and the card type you own. Here are some credit cards that do cover medical emergencies too: 1. HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card Annual Fees: Rs. 10,000 (Waived off on annual spend of Rs. 5 lakh) Emergency overseas hospitalisation cover of Rs 50 lakh The card covers any medical expenses because of any Bodily Injury or sudden unexpected sickness only for international travel outside India. Medical expenses incurred due to any pre-existing illness will not be covered. Claim payment to the customer will be made in INR as per applicable exchange rate as on the date of payment to hospital / medical establishment. 2. American Express Platinum Card Joining Fee: Rs. 60,000 Overseas medical insurance of $50,000 for the first 7 days of the trip Puneet Bhatia, Vice President, Acquisition and Product Management, American Express Banking Corp explains the insurance benefits that come with the card: Platinum Charge Air Accident Insurance Cover of 5 Cr. Card Members can use their card with confidence the world over, knowing they have the powerful backing of American Express no matter where they are 24x7. The American Express Platinum Card Membership gives protection to Card Members when they travel and also saves them travel insurance premiums. Under Air Accident Cover, the primary card is insured with the sum of Rs 50,000,000 when the ticket is purchased on their card. Overseas Medical Insurance of $50,000 Medical Insurance: Complimentary* Overseas Medical Insurance for US$ 50,000 for the first seven days of the trip, when travelling abroad with tickets purchased with Platinum Card Cover against inconveniences like Loss or delay of Baggage, Loss of Passport Purchase Protection: Rs 5 Lacs Cover your belongings like Consumer Durables for any loss or damage even in residential premises for the first 90 days Platinum Reserve Air Accident Insurance Cover of 1 Cr Card Members are automatically insured against loss of life in an air accident for up to Rs.1 crore when they purchase their air ticket with Platinum Reserve Credit Card. Standard Chartered Ultimate Credit Card Joining Fee: Rs 5000 Emergency medical expenses coverage of up to $25,000 with a deductible of $100 Marriott Bonvoy HDFC Bank Credit Card Joining Fee: Rs. 3,000 Emergency medical expenses cover of up to $18,750 HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card Joining Fee: Rs. 2,500 (Waived off on annual spend of Rs 4 lakh) Emergency overseas hospitalisation cover of up to Rs. 15 lakh There are various shortcomings when it comes to the sort of coverage offered by credit card travel insurance when compared to traditional travel insurance offered online. Trip cancellation policies offered under credit card insurance are often limited to certain circumstances such as injury or death. Death due to any pre-existing health condition is not covered unlike that offered under a travel insurance plan. "Reimbursement of expenses incurred due to any unforeseen accident too is limited under the terms and conditions. Injuries caused by adventure activities such as kayaking, horse riding, etc are not covered under such plans. Credit card insurance policies usually tend to cover the expenses of only the cardholder, whereas, travel insurance policies bought online have the option to provide coverage to other co-travellers under the policy.The geographical range of protection offered under credit card insurance is often limited when compared to online travel insurance," according to HDFC Ergo. "Generally, high-end credit cards from Axis Bank, Amex, and HDFC come with Travel Insurance inbuilt where they have partnered with the insurers and cover the same benefits. Terms and coverages are generally similar to what is being offered by the normal retail product with benefits such as coverage for trip cancellations, delays, medical expenses, missed connections, and loss of checked-in baggage. However, it is always recommended to travel overseas with appropriate travel insurance that covers you comprehensively," said Manas Kapoor, Business Head - Travel Insurance, Policybazaar. Theft or loss of high-value goods such as jewellery and electronics among other belongings might also not be covered under credit card travel insurance. It is more than likely that ones credit card insurance will only cover the purchases made with the credit card during the period of travel. "If youre specifically looking for health insurance coverage in India, you should consider purchasing a separate health insurance policy. Health insurance policies are designed to cover medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgery, and other related costs. However, relying solely on credit card benefits for medical coverage may not be sufficient. Its advisable to have a dedicated health insurance policy for comprehensive coverage," said Adhil Shetty, CEO, Bankbazaar.com After a scuffle broke out between two communities, heavy security has been deployed in the Mira Road area adjacent to Mumbai. Police have also arrested a person who was seen provoking people in a viral video on social media. #WATCH | Heave security deployed in the Mira Road area adjacent to Mumbai. Local police, Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, RAF (Rapid Action Force), MSF (Maharashtra Security Force) and SRPF have been deployed in the area. pic.twitter.com/CaNkjZ7uIT January 23, 2024 Local police, Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, Rapid Action Force (RAF), Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) and SRPF have been deployed in the area. "Several videos of the clash between two communities in Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai went viral on social media. A video of a person named Abu Shaikh went viral where he was seen provoking people. The person who posted this video has been arrested and Mira Bhayander police have sought two days of custody," Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jayant Bajbale, was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. Mira Road communal clash On Monday, it was reported that a dispute broke out between two communities at Mira Road's Naya Nagar area near Mumbai in Maharashtra. According to police, the incident occurred at 11 pm on Sunday. Videos of the incident went viral on social media platform X. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jayant Bajbale told news agency ANI, "The conflict between the two communities broke out at around 11 pm on Sunday when some people of the Hindu community were raising slogans in 3-4 vehicles in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai." "Shortly after, an argument broke out between the Hindu community and some people belonging to the Muslim community. Seeing the deteriorating situation, the police vehicle immediately reached the spot and took some people into custody," he said. A total of 13 people have been arrested, and other suspects are being identified on the directions of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Fadnavis said that he took detailed information about what had occurred in Naya Nagar in Mira Bhayender. "Police were instructed to take strictest action against the culprits. 13 have been arrested so far, and detailed analysis of CCTV footage is underway to identify and arrest others involved too." "There will be zero tolerance against anyone who tries to take the law into their own hands and attempts to disturb the law & order situation in Maharashtra," Fadnavis said. Shrikant Pathak, DCP Mira Bhayandar, said, "We are investigating the incident. Action will be taken against the accused only...I appeal to everybody to maintain peace...The police have taken timely action..." The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the police to respond to appeals filed by four convicts in the case of murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan challenging their conviction and life sentence. A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain issued notice to the police on the appeals by Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljit Singh Malik and Ajay Kumar. The high court also asked the authorities to file reply to the convicts' interim application seeking suspension of their sentence. It listed the application for hearing on February 12. Soumya was shot dead on September 30, 2008 while she was returning home in her car from office. The police had claimed robbery as the motive behind the killing of Soumya. Indian tea companies have made major inroads in Iraq, cushioning the impact of drop they suffered in some West Asian major markets. Exports to Iraq between January and October 2023 stood at 28.86 million kg (mkg) compared to 12.06 mkg in the same period the previous calendar year, according to data from state-run Tea Board of India. Demand from Russia, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran, which are major importers of Indian tea, has declined. Exports to Russia in January-October 2023 stood at 24.43 mkg compared to 32.83 mkg in the same period in 2022. UAE was at 28.51 mkg, At present, the US and China lead in computing infrastructure required for the development of AI technology (Photo: Freepik) The Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) will seek cabinet approval for the India AI program, which includes the setting up of GPU-based servers in public-private partnership mode with an outlay of over Rs 10,000 crore, Minister of Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Tuesday. Working groups formed by the government on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Friday recommended setting up a three-tier compute infrastructure comprising 24,500 Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). "India AI program is worth over Rs 10,000 crore. It (the proposal) will be taken with cabinet for approval," Chandrasekhar said on the sidelines of the inauguration of a semiconductor-focussed software company Synopsys. The minister said the AI program will be based on public-private partnership under which computer infrastructure capacity will be built both in private data centres as well as in data centres that are run by public firm CDAC. The demand for GPU-based servers has increased as it can process data at higher speed compared to CPU-based servers. At present, the US and China lead in computing infrastructure required for the development of AI technology. According to Top 500 website, top performing supercomputers are located in the US, Europe, Japan, China, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia where purchasing power parity is high. As per the Top 500 list issued in November 2022, China had 162 supercomputers, followed by the US with 127, while India has three. According to industry estimates, NVIDIA dominates the GPU market with about 88 per cent market share and there is a lag of 12-18 months in getting GPUs from the company due to its high demand across the globe. The AI working groups have recommended setting up best-in-class AI compute infrastructure at five locations with 3,000 AI Petaflops computing power, with 15 times more capacity than the highest capacity installed at present. The groups have recommended setting up an Inference Farm (2,500 AI PF) and Edge Compute (500 AI PF) systems. The government has already spent Rs 1,218.14 crore in the last eight years to set up 24 PetaFlops compute capacity under the National Supercomputing Mission. On Friday, the rupee settled at 83.07 against the US dollar (Photo: Pexels) The rupee depreciated 9 paise to 83.16 (provisional) against the US dollar, as elevated crude oil prices and weak domestic equities weighed on investor sentiments. Forex traders said foreign fund outflows also put pressure on the rupee. However, a weak US Dollar overseas cushioned the downside. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the local unit opened at 83.11 and finally settled at 83.16 (provisional) against the dollar, down by 9 paise from its previous close. During the day, it witnessed an intraday high of 83.06 and a low of 83.17 against the American currency. On Friday, the rupee settled at 83.07 against the US dollar. "We expect the rupee to trade with a slight negative bias on weak domestic markets and selling pressure from foreign investors. "Any further increase in crude oil prices may also weigh on the rupee. However, positive global markets and a weak Dollar may support the rupee at lower levels. Traders may remain cautious ahead of Richmond manufacturing index data from the US," said Anuj Choudhary, Research Analyst, Sharekhan by BNP Paribas. Choudhary further noted that USD/INR spot price is likely to trade in a range of Rs 82.80-83.50. Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, fell 0.10 per cent to 103.22. Brent crude futures, the global oil benchmark, were trading lower by 0.60 per cent to USD 79.58 per barrel. On the domestic equity market front, Sensex declined 1,053.10 points, or 1.47 per cent, to settle at 70,370.55 points. The Nifty slipped 333.00 points, or 1.54 per cent, to 21,238.80 points. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets on Saturday as they offloaded shares worth Rs 545.58 crore, according to exchange data. Meanwhile, India's forex reserves jumped USD 1.634 billion to USD 618.937 billion for the week ended January 12, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said on Friday. In the previous reporting week, the overall reserves had declined sharply by USD 5.89 billion to USD 617.3 billion. Congressman and the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan had said conflating faith with politics for electoral gains was to question the very essence of the Constitution and the democracy | Photo: Bloomberg The ruling LDF and opposition UDF in Kerala came under sharp criticism from senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday for their criticism of the State's involvement in the Ayodhya Ram Temple consecration ceremony, as he accused them of hypocrisy. He also asserted "Bharat has changed." Both the CPI-M-led LDF and opposition UDF, headed by the Congress had slammed the saffron party on Monday for allegedly turning the consecration ceremony into a state-sponsored event. Javadekar argued that the ceremony was organised by the trust responsible for building the Shri Ram temple with public donations, rather than being a state-sponsored event. "Bharat has changed. But, You are not. Both LDF and Congress are hypocrites. People will not forgive you but forget you!," Javadekar said in a post on 'X'. Soon after Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the rituals related to the consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya on Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru had often opined that Indian secularism means the separation of religion and state. Congressman and the Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan had said conflating faith with politics for electoral gains was to question the very essence of the Constitution and the democracy. Responding, Javadekar, the BJP's in-charge for Kerala, questioned the sudden focus on Nehruvian secularism and challenged Vijayan and Satheesan to locate the term "secularism" in the Constitution from 1950 to 1975, emphasising on the historical context. The former Union minister said that the term was added in 1975, embodying the principle of 'Sarv Dharma Sambhav,' meaning respect for all religious faiths. "There was picture of Prabhu Shri Ram on the first page of the Constitution. Secularism was not debated in constituent assembly. Secularism word was added in 1975. It means 'Sarv Dharma Sambhav' meaning respect for all religious faiths. Leaders and pontiffs from all religions were present in Ayodhya yesterday," he further said. He added that leaders and pontiffs from various religions were present at the Ayodhya ceremony. Only "pseudo-secularists" were notably absent. "Only pseudo secularist like you were absent. Man with Sita and Ram both in his name and Jairam rejected the invitation," he said in an apparent reference to CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and AICC General Secretary Jairam Ramesh, whose parties had rejected the invitation. People will also reject them, Javadekar added, responding to the charges made by Vijayan and Satheesan. He predicted that such attitudes may not resonate with the changing sentiments of a new Bharat, where people from diverse backgrounds participated in the celebrations, emphasising on unity and shared cultural heritage. Javadekar shared his personal experience witnessing the consecration of the Shri Ram Temple in Wayanad, the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and participating in celebrations with fellow citizens in Kannur. Addressing Vijayan, he said, "Pinarayi, yesterday in Wayanad district and all over Kerala, lakhs of devotees congregated in thousands of temples, to see the consecration of #ShriRam Temple. I witnessed the ceremony in Sri MahaGanpathy Temple, Bathery in Wayanad." Encouraged by the extensive public participation in the ceremony across the state, Javadekar had expressed satisfaction at the significant involvement of major organisations such as SNDP Yogam, representing the numerically strong Ezhava community, and the Nair Service Society (NSS), representing the influential Nair community in the programme. The European Union imposed sanctions on Monday on six companies it said are responsible for trying to undermine stability in conflict-ravaged Sudan, largely targeting firms linked to weapons procurement and manufacturing. Sudan plunged into chaos last April when long-simmering tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary, commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, erupted into street battles in the capital, Khartoum, and other areas including the western Darfur region. The fighting has displaced 7 million people and killed 12,000, according to the United Nations. Local doctors' groups and activists say the true death toll is far higher. Given the gravity of the situation in Sudan, the EU statement said, sanctions were imposed on two companies making weapons and vehicles for Sudan's armed forces, the Zadna International Company for Investment controlled by the armed forces and three companies involved in procuring military equipment for the RSF. Five of the companies are Sudanese. One is registered in the United Arab Emirates. The companies ' assets will be frozen in the EU, and EU citizens are banned from making funds or economic resources available to them. The United States in recent months has imposed sanctions on senior Sudanese military leaders and companies, including former Foreign Minister Ali Karti and a brother of Dagalo. Regional partners have been trying to mediate an end the conflict along with Saudi Arabia and the US, which facilitated unsuccessful, indirect talks between the warring parties as recently as November. Asia Genesis did not respond to a request for comment. A person close to the matter confirmed the decision (Photo: Bloomberg) Singapore-based Asia Genesis Asset Management is liquidating its hedge fund after a "significant and unprecedented drawdown" following missteps in Chinese and Japanese bets. The Asia Genesis Macro Fund lost 18.8% in the first weeks of January, Chief Investment Officer Chua Soon Hock said in a letter to investors seen by Reuters. He said he decided to close the fund to prevent further loss and return money. The fund, which hedge fund veteran Chua launched in 2020, manages about $300 million. Asia Genesis did not respond to a request for comment. A person close to the matter confirmed the decision. The closure comes amid an unprecedented stock rout in China and sustained rally in Japan. "We made big mistakes in the recent sharp Nikkei and Hong Kong moves which went in opposite directions," said Chua in the letter. "I have reached the stage whereby my confidence as a trader is lost." The fund increased long positions in Hong Kong and China and was short in Japan, based on the prediction that China would outperform Japan this year after being sold off for the past three years, whereas Japan would be muted after a 30% rally last year. The fund's predicament was exacerbated by the absence of major economic stimulus in China including interest rate cuts, Chua said. China maintained rates on Monday. Chua said he was disappointed by the "inconsistency of China policy makers not fighting against deflation, leading to continued loss of market confidence and prolonged bear market." The Asia Genesis Macro Fund generated positive returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Asia Genesis' website showed. It gained 6.5% in 2023 up to November, said a person familiar with the performance. Chua previously ran a Japan macro fund which returned 18.7% annually from 2000 through 2009. Many long-term China bulls have been caught off-guard by the prolonged stock market decline. In a Linkedin post in December, Chua said 2024 would be the beginning of a multi-year bull market for Chinese stocks. However, Chinese markets started 2024 badly after a dismal 2023, with the blue-chip CSI 300 Index sinking to near five-year lows while Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index has been bouncing off new lows since 2022. The Hang Seng Index has slumped more than 10% so far this year versus a 9% gain in Japan's Nikkei 225. Patchy economic growth and a renewed slump in home sales have redoubled investor resolve to steer clear of Chinese markets. L.L. Bean's New Haven storefront, shown prior to the opening of the store in the city's Broadway shopping district in Aug. 2018. Hearst Connecticut Media file photo Maine-based outdoor goods retailer L.L. Bean is packing up its gear and leaving its New Haven store next month, according to a company spokesman. The store, which is located at 272 Elm St. in the city's Broadway shopping district, will close the two-story, 9,000-square-foot store on Feb. 11, said Jason Sulham, a company spokesman. The L.L. Bean store, which is part of the collection of retailers known as The Shops at Yale, opened in August 2018. "This decision comes as we evolve the size and concept of our stores to best serve customers going forward," Sulham said, adding that signs notifying New Haven shoppers of the closing will go up soon. "While it is difficult to close a location, we are undertaking the closure with great care for our employees and with the knowledge we can continue to serve Connecticut customers online at llbean.com and at retail stores in Danbury and South Windsor. We value the loyalty our employees and customers especially local students have shown to us in New Haven for the past five years and are grateful to be part of their outdoor adventures." Advertisement Article continues below this ad With the closing of the New Haven store, L.L. devotees will have to travel to either the Danbury Fair mall or The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk in South Windsor for an in-store experience in the state. The retailer has long been known for its online and catalog shopping presence. As recently as the start of 2019, L.L. Bean had a larger Connecticut presence. The chain opened its full-service store at Evergreen Walk in 2007 and opened an outlet store in the Orange Meadow Shopping Center that same year. The Orange store closed at the beginning of 2019. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The closure of the L.L. Bean New Haven store is the latest failed attempt of outdoor clothing retailers to establish a long-term presence in the Elm City. For more than two decades, a Connecticut-based retailer, Trailblazer, had a store in the Broadway shopping district. After that store closed in May 2018, one of the owners of Trailblazer, Chris Howe, opened a Patagonia outdoor clothing location at the corner of Elm and York streets in the city. The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2024 Japan prize at 1PM today, 23 January, 2024. Prof. Sir Brian J. Hoskins (UK) and Prof. John Michael Wallace (USA) are co-winners of the Japan Prize in the fields of Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and Prof. Ronald M. Evans (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. For this years Japan Prize, Prof. Hoskins and Prof. Wallace are being recognized for their distinguished contributions to Establishment of a scientific foundation for understanding and predicting extreme weather events, and Prof. Evans is being recognized for his Discovery of the nuclear hormone receptor family and its application to drug development. For the 2024 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 15,500 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this years fields. We received 130 nominations for the fields of Resources, Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and 198 nominations for the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. This years winners were selected from that total of 328 candidates. About the Japan Prize The establishment of the Japan Prize in 1981 was motivated by the Japanese government's desire to create an internationally recognized award that would contribute to scientific and technological development around the world. With the support of numerous donations, the Japan Prize Foundation received endorsement from the Cabinet Office in 1983. The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and engineers from around the world, who have made creative and dramatic achievements that help progress their fields and contribute significantly to realizing peace and prosperity for all humanity. Researchers in all fields of science and technology are eligible for the award, with two fields selected each year in consideration of current trends in scientific and technological development. In principle, one individual in each field is recognized with the award, and receives a certificate, a medal, and a monetary prize. Each Award Ceremony is attended by the current Emperor and Empress, heads of the three branches of government and other related officials, and representatives from various other elements of society. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240112035071/en/ Not intended for UK-, US- or Canada-based media Abstracts to be presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncologys annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium provide insights into treatment selection and sequencing, as well as quality of life Latest real-world data show median overall survival (OS) from start of first-line chemotherapy of about 30 months for patients treated with the JAVELIN Bladder regimen without progression following chemotherapy Exploratory analyses suggest that in patients who received ADC therapy after the JAVELIN Bladder regimen, median OS from start of first-line chemotherapy reached 40 months in real-world study Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced new real-world data that continue to reinforce the JAVELIN Bladder regimen of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy followed by BAVENCIO (avelumab) maintenance as a standard of care for eligible patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) who do not progress on first-line chemotherapy. Data include real-world studies that confirm median overall survival (OS) of approximately 30 months in patients without progression after first-line chemotherapy. Additional analyses offer insights into treatment sequencing outcomes in the real world, with the first analysis of OS by next-line treatment, including in patients who received an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) such as enfortumab vedotin after the JAVELIN Bladder regimen. These and other analyses will be presented at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncologys annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, January 25-27, in San Francisco. Avelumab in the first-line maintenance setting is a standard of care for patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer, with a well-established efficacy and safety profile and supported by years of real-world experience. These new analyses add to the large body of evidence, showing avelumab maintenance treatment can help extend overall survival while potentially providing a favorable quality of life, said Philippe Barthelemy, Institut de Cancerologie Strasbourg Europe, France. The ongoing exploratory analysis of the real-world AVENANCE study may provide new insights indicating that the initial use of the JAVELIN Bladder regimen, followed by a second-line antibody-drug conjugate treatment like enfortumab vedotin, could greatly enhance overall survival outcomes for patients. These findings underscore the importance of strategic treatment sequencing in optimizing patient outcomes. Real-world insights into treatment sequencing following the JAVELIN Bladder regimen Real-world data and analyses by subsequent treatment from the ongoing, real-world, ambispective (retrospective and prospective) AVENANCE study in France continue to support the use of BAVENCIO first-line maintenance while also demonstrating the impact of subsequent therapies once BAVENCIO treatment is discontinued. With a median follow-up since initiation of BAVENCIO of 26.3 months, median OS from the start of BAVENCIO maintenance was 21.3 months (n=595; 95% CI, 17.6 to 24.6) in patients who did not progress on first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and received BAVENCIO first-line maintenance. In an exploratory analysis, median OS from the start of platinum-based chemotherapy was 26.5 months (95% CI, 23.4 to 30.1). Subgroup analyses evaluated outcomes in the 330 patients who received second-line therapy, with median OS from the start of BAVENCIO maintenance of 31.3 months (95% CI, 29.1 to NE) in the 62 patients who received a second-line ADC (enfortumab vedotin: n=56; sacituzumab govitecan: n=6) and 16.7 months (95% CI, 13.6 to 22.8) in the 81 patients who received second-line platinum-based chemotherapy. Among the patients who received a second-line ADC, median OS measured from the start of chemotherapy was 40.8 months (95% CI, 32.6 to 42.1) in the exploratory analysis. Long-term efficacy with the JAVELIN Bladder regimen in the real world Real-world analyses of BAVENCIO first-line maintenance show median OS from the start of chemotherapy of at least 30 months in this population of patients who do not progress on first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, consistent with previously reported results of a long-term exploratory analysis from JAVELIN Bladder 100. PATRIOT-II U.S. Real-World Study: The observational, retrospective PATRIOT-II study analyzed medical records from 160 U.S. patients, with median follow-up from the start of BAVENCIO maintenance of 16 months (range, 11-21 months). Patients who received BAVENCIO first-line maintenance treatment following chemotherapy achieved a median OS of 30.5 months measured from the start of first-line chemotherapy (95% CI, 23.4 to 37.6). Median OS was 24.4 months measured from the start of maintenance treatment (95% CI, 20.4 to 28.4). The observational, retrospective PATRIOT-II study analyzed medical records from 160 U.S. patients, with median follow-up from the start of BAVENCIO maintenance of 16 months (range, 11-21 months). Patients who received BAVENCIO first-line maintenance treatment following chemotherapy achieved a median OS of 30.5 months measured from the start of first-line chemotherapy (95% CI, 23.4 to 37.6). Median OS was 24.4 months measured from the start of maintenance treatment (95% CI, 20.4 to 28.4). READY CUP Italy Real-World Study: The prospective, noninterventional compassionate use program (CUP) provided Italian patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC early access to BAVENCIO first-line maintenance before reimbursement. With median follow-up of 20.3 months (95% CI, 19.8 to 20.9), median OS measured from start of first-line chemotherapy was 30.9 months (95% CI, 25.7 to NE) in this population without progression after chemotherapy. Median OS from the start of maintenance treatment was 26.2 months (95% CI, 20.0 to NE). Analyses of quality of life and efficacy in JAVELIN Bladder 100 Patient-Reported Outcomes from JAVELIN Bladder 100: This post-hoc analysis assessed long-term patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network/Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Bladder Symptom Index-18 (FBlSI-18) and EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L).An analysis of scores over all cycles prior to end of BAVENCIO treatment PRO patient-reported outcomes scores were BAVENCIO treatment:, with a -2.15 mean change from baseline of -2.15 (95% CI, -3.25 to -1.04) in the FBISI-18 score and -.07 (95% CI, -.09 to -.05) in the EQ-5D-5L index score. In patients with 12 months or more of BAVENCIO treatment, there was a 1.28 mean change from baseline (95% CI, .08 to 2.49) in the FBISI-18 score and a -.02 mean change in the EQ-5D-5L index score further supporting the use of the JAVELIN Bladder regimen in eligible patients with advanced UC until progression or unacceptable toxicity. This post-hoc analysis assessed long-term patient-reported outcomes (PRO) data using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network/Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Bladder Symptom Index-18 (FBlSI-18) and EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L).An analysis of scores over all cycles prior to end of BAVENCIO treatment PRO patient-reported outcomes scores were BAVENCIO treatment:, with a -2.15 mean change from baseline of -2.15 (95% CI, -3.25 to -1.04) in the FBISI-18 score and -.07 (95% CI, -.09 to -.05) in the EQ-5D-5L index score. In patients with 12 months or more of BAVENCIO treatment, there was a 1.28 mean change from baseline (95% CI, .08 to 2.49) in the FBISI-18 score and a -.02 mean change in the EQ-5D-5L index score further supporting the use of the JAVELIN Bladder regimen in eligible patients with advanced UC until progression or unacceptable toxicity. High BMI Subgroup Analysis from JAVELIN Bladder 100: This exploratory subgroup analysis (n=122) showed the efficacy and safety of BAVENCIO maintenance treatment in patients with a high body mass index (BMI; 30 kg/m2)a key patient population given that high BMI is a risk factor for bladder cancer, and 25% of the worlds population is anticipated to have a high BMI by 2035. In patients with high BMI at baseline, median OS for patients receiving BAVENCIO maintenance therapy plus BSC was 20.8 months from the start of maintenance treatment (95% CI, 16.9 to 34.4), compared with 12.7 months (95% CI, 8.1 to 26.6 months) for BSC alone (HR: 0.77; 95% CI, 0.49 to 1.21). Long-term safety for patients with high BMI was consistent with results from the overall population. The JAVELIN Bladder 100 study helped transform the standard of care for patients with advanced bladder cancer, at a time when there had been few advancements in decades. By continuing to share new research on BAVENCIO, including data on health-related quality of life, key patient populations, and treatment sequencing, we can further support clinicians in making informed treatment decisions for each individual patient, said Tamas Suto, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President & Head of Medical Unit Oncology, Merck. All company presentations in urothelial cancer at ASCO GU 2024 are listed below. Title Lead Author, Abstract # and Session Details (all times PT) Real-world treatment patterns (tx) and clinical outcomes in patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) in Germany: Results of a retrospective observational study (CONVINCE) S. Machtens Abstract #551 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Avelumab first-line maintenance (1LM) in patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) in the Czech Republic: Interim real-world results from a national reimbursement registry A Zemankova Abstract #557 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Updated subgroup analyses from READY: REAl-world Data from an Italian compassionate use program (CUP) of avelumab first-line maintenance (1LM) treatment for locallY advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) S Bracarda Abstract #558 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Updated results from AVENANCE: Real-world effectiveness of avelumab first-line maintenance (1LM) in patients (pts) with advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC) and analysis of subsequent treatment P Barthelemy Abstract #561 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Avelumab first-line maintenance (1LM) for advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC): Long-term patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in the phase 3 JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial P Grivas Abstract #581 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Clinical outcomes with split-dose cisplatin-based regimens in patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC): results of a systematic literature review (SLR) and network meta-analysis (NMA) R ODwyer Abstract #589 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Avelumab first-line (1L) maintenance for advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC): long-term outcomes from the JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial in patients (pts) with high body mass index (BMI) J Aragon-Ching Abstract #600 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Real-world (rw) treatment patterns, sequencing, and outcomes in patients (pts) with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC) receiving avelumab first-line maintenance (1LM) in the US HH Moon Abstract #605 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Platinum eligibility (PE) criteria for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC): results of a physician survey in 5 European countries S Gupta Abstract #696 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 Avelumab first-line maintenance therapy for locally advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma: results from the real-world PATRIOT-II study P Grivas Abstract #697 Poster Session B: Urothelial Carcinoma Friday, Jan 26, 2024 11:30-13:00, 17:45-18:45 About JAVELIN Bladder 100 JAVELIN Bladder 100 (NCT02603432) is a Phase III, multicenter, multinational, randomized, open-label, parallel-arm study investigating first-line maintenance treatment with BAVENCIO plus BSC versus BSC alone in patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC. The primary endpoint was OS in the two primary populations of all patients and patients with PD-L1+ tumors defined by the Ventana SP263 assay. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival, anti-tumor activity, safety, pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, predictive biomarkers and patient-reported outcomes in the co-primary populations. All primary and secondary endpoints are measured from the time of randomization. About Urothelial Carcinoma Bladder cancer is the tenth most common cancer worldwide.1 In 2020, there were over half a million new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed, with around 200,000 deaths from the disease globally.1 In the US, an estimated 83,730 cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed in 2021, with around 10,000 locally advanced or metastatic cases presented annually.2 UC, which accounts for about 90% of all bladder cancers,3 becomes harder to treat as it advances, spreading through the layers of the bladder wall.4 Only 25% to 55% of patients receive any second-line therapy after first-line chemotherapy.5 In the US and EU5 markets, approximately 40% to 50% of patients receive an immune checkpoint inhibitor in second-line therapy.2 For patients with advanced UC, the five-year survival rate is 6.4%.2 About BAVENCIO (avelumab) BAVENCIO is a human anti-programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) antibody. BAVENCIO has been shown in preclinical models to engage both the adaptive and innate immune functions. By blocking the interaction of PD-L1 with PD-1 receptors, BAVENCIO has been shown to release the suppression of the T cell-mediated antitumor immune response in preclinical models.6-8 BAVENCIO Approved Indications BAVENCIO (avelumab) is indicated in the US for the maintenance treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC) that has not progressed with first-line platinum-containing chemotherapy. BAVENCIO is also indicated for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC who have disease progression during or following platinum-containing chemotherapy, or have disease progression within 12 months of neoadjuvant or adjuvant treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy. BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib is indicated in the US for the first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In the US, BAVENCIO is indicated for the treatment of adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). BAVENCIO is currently approved for at least one indication for patients in more than 50 countries. BAVENCIO Safety Profile from the EU Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) The special warnings and precautions for use for BAVENCIO monotherapy include infusion-related reactions, as well as immune-related adverse reactions that include pneumonitis and hepatitis (including fatal cases), colitis, pancreatitis (including fatal cases), myocarditis (including fatal cases), endocrinopathies, nephritis and renal dysfunction, and other immune-related adverse reactions. The special warnings and precautions for use for BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib include hepatotoxicity. The SmPC list of the most common adverse reactions with BAVENCIO monotherapy in patients with solid tumors includes fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, decreased appetite, constipation, infusion-related reactions, weight decreased and vomiting. The list of most common adverse reactions with BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib includes diarrhea, hypertension, fatigue, nausea, dysphonia, decreased appetite, hypothyroidism, cough, headache, dyspnea, and arthralgia. All Merck press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the Merck website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada, please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register online, change your selection or discontinue this service. About Merck Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 64,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of peoples lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices the company is everywhere. In 2022, Merck generated sales of 22.2 billion in 66 countries. The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark Merck internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare and EMD Electronics in electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the companys technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. References Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2021;0:141. SEER. Cancer stat facts: bladder cancer. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html. Accessed February 2022. Cancer.net. Bladder cancer: introduction. https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/bladder-cancer/introduction. Accessed February 2022. American Cancer Society. What is bladder cancer? https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/about/what-is-bladder-cancer.html. Accessed February 2022. Cheeseman S, et al. Current treatment and outcomes benchmark for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer from a large UK-based single centre. Front Oncol. 2020;10:167. Boyerinas B, Jochems C, Fantini M, et al. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity of a novel anti-PD-L1 antibody avelumab (MSB0010718C) on human tumor cells. Cancer Immunol Res. 2015;3(10):1148-1157. Dolan DE, Gupta S. PD-1 pathway inhibitors: changing the landscape of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Control. 2014;21(3):231-237. Dahan R, Sega E, Engelhardt J, et al. FcRs modulate the anti-tumor activity of antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Cancer Cell. 2015;28(3):285-295. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122118817/en/ The new solution the PQC Starter Kit - offers a quick and easy way for users to test and measure their post-quantum readiness for protection against quantum computing attacks Crypto agility and preparedness for the post-quantum era are essential to mitigate the risk of data breaches once quantum computing reaches maturity Thales, the leading global technology and security provider, today announced the launch of its PQC Starter Kit in collaboration with Quantinuum (https://www.quantinuum.com). This first-of-its-kind offering helps enterprises prepare for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). The kit provides a trusted environment for businesses to test quantum-hardened PQC-ready encryption keys and understand the implications that quantum computing will have on the security of their infrastructure. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123494135/en/ Thales While 73% of organizations recognize quantum computing poses a threat to traditional cryptography, 61% have yet to define a strategy for a post-quantum world1. Post Quantum Cryptography helps mitigate this threat. As a result, organizations around the world must test their ecosystem applications, data, and devices currently relying upon traditional cryptography to ensure minimal disruption when quantum-safe protocols become mandatory. Todd Moore, Global Head of Data Security Products at Thales commented: Thales is excited to offer a new solution to its customers to help them prepare for the implementation of Post-Quantum Cryptography. We understand the enormous challenges and complexities behind this upcoming disruption in cryptography and want to support customers as they transition to these new algorithms.. For organizations unsure of navigating this transition, we highly recommend testing current applications, data, and devices that use cryptographic protection as soon as possible to ensure a smooth shift to PQC. Although quantum computing may seem like a future-looking risk, with hackers using Harvest Now, Decrypt Later tactics, post-quantum resilience should be on every organizations radar today. "Hardening encryption keys is critical for the post-quantum era, and Quantum Origin is a unique technology that provides verifiable quantum randomness to maximize encryption key strength. The combination of Quantum Origin and the Thales HSM is a strong solution for IT teams to help them with their PQC transition. We look forward to working with Thales to help smooth the shift to PQC, addedDuncan Jones, Head of Cybersecurity at Quantinuum. The PQC Starter Kit will allow organizations to test within a trusted lab environment. Using the current NIST proposed algorithms that are built into the system, customers can test various security use cases including PKI, code-signing, TLS, and IoT, and observe the impact of implementing PQC technology in these simulated test-lab scenarios, all without impacting operational processes in real-world production environments. Organizations will also be able to identify potential weaknesses in their encryption deployment and apply changes to their IT infrastructure to protect themselves. The first available PQC Starter Kit option incorporates Luna HSMs and Quantinuums quantum random number generation (QRNG) technology through which customers can ensure their keys are securely generated and stored while testing the PQC algorithms. The kit offers a choice of Luna HSMs (i.e. appliance or PCIe card) and Quantinuums Quantum Origin - the worlds only source of verified quantum entropy. A PQC Starter Kit for network encryption using Thales High Speed Encryptors (HSE) will be available next. Learn more about the PQC Starter Kit in the customer case study here. About Thales Thales (Euronext Paris: HO) is a global leader in advanced technologies within three domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Digital Identity & Security. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive. The Group invests close to 4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key areas such as quantum technologies, Edge computing, 6G and cybersecurity. Thales has 77,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2022, the Group generated sales of 17.6 billion. PLEASE VISIT Thales Group Cloud Protection & Licensing Solutions | Thales Group Cybersecurity Solutions | Thales Group 1Cybersecurity Weaknesses in Data in Motion - White Paper (thalesgroup.com) View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123494135/en/ Trump's possible reelection stirs concerns 15:14, January 23, 2024 By Li Yang ( China Daily With Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspending his campaign to be the Republican presidential candidate, former US president Donald Trump and the US' former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley are competing for the nomination. DeSantis said: "it's clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance ... He has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents." Once considered Trump's most formidable opponent, DeSantis sought to position himself as an alternative to the former president. But because he was slow to "meaningfully criticize" Trump, he was unable to "peel away" enough of the latter's supporters. On the other hand, his embrace of Trump-style hard-right policies alienated moderate Republicans who chose to look elsewhere in their search for a credible candidate who can "steer the GOP in a different direction" from Trump. No wonder following his second-place finish in Iowa, DeSantis and his team realized they "don't have a clear path to victory". His failure to offer any new thinking means that despite being entangled in endless lawsuits, Trump has taken a concrete step forward to becoming the Republican presidential candidate. Trump is good at attributing the US' domestic woes to his opponents' "failures" and portraying himself as the one true champion of the US people. Thus he has made China a scapegoat for the US' unemployment issues and other economic problems, and held the Democrats accountable for not standing up to it. His victory in the US presidential election in 2016 marked the beginning of an "America-first" approach to complicated international issues, featuring selfishness, unilateralism and protectionism. He left his successor a more divided US society as well as limited space to overhaul his legacy. The ongoing crises in Ukraine and the Middle East provide Trump with golden opportunities again to lash out at the Joe Biden administration's poor crisis management and control, which is sadly true. Trump's claim that he can help broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours once reelected has already grabbed the attention of many neutral voters. Although it is too early to predict the result of the US presidential election, DeSantis' withdrawal on the weekend must have prompted most stakeholders in the world to advance their preparation for the possibility of Trump's reelection. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) Gov. Ned Lamont tours DeFrancesco Farm alongside Katie Dykes, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, in May 2022 in Northford, Conn. Lamont and Dykes have advanced several high-profile environment bills with mixed success. Christine DeRosa / Hearst Connecticut Media When Gov. Ned Lamont took the stage at the annual summit for environmental activists in Hartford Tuesday, he received warm applause as a friend and supporter. Loud cheers? Not so much. The governor's relationship with the climate change community is a bit complex. He had spent much of the previous 24 hours working behind the scenes to push Connecticut toward phasing out sales of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035. With no Republican support for the measure, Lamont is delivering answers to holdouts in his own Democratic Party after an embarrassing balk late last year, when he had to cancel a vote on the day it was scheduled. It's a decent bet that Connecticut will join some 17 other states in the so-called California standards for electric vehicle sales this year. Most likely the legislation would start in a special session next week in a 2-step process that could include a later review by a 14-member bipartisan panel. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That's just one of many environment issues Lamont has worked to advance and it's far from a done deal. Folks at the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters all-day summit, with sessions covering energy policy, sustainable management, food waste, PFAS, offshore wind, emissions standards and other topics, can appreciate having a governor who shares their causes. For example, Lamont is committed to a goal of zero carbon emissions in electric generation by 2040. In 2021, he pushed legislation that would set limits on pollution from cars and trucks. In 2022, he helped design a bill with incentives for electric vehicles, which passed. And last year he pushed for advanced technology to reduce solid waste, with a $5-a-ton surcharge on some loads to pay for it. And yet, despite his back-room efforts and public pronouncements on environmental issues, advocates believe the agenda has fallen short. There is a wide sense that this governor, at the peak of his powers, could do more to bolster measures that have failed in a hesitant General Assembly. You know, more cajoling. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Two big measures I just mentioned, the pollution limits, known as the Transportation and Climate Initiative, and the solid waste surcharge, both died before any votes in the House or Senate. Other environment-related measures Lamont has backed also failed, most famously highway tolls, his out-of-the-gate signature effort in 2019 which of course falls into several categories including smart budgeting. Why the mixed results? Lots of factors explain Lamont's spotty record on environment legislation despite his unwavering support. In the politically divided world of the 2020s, these measures have almost no Republican votes. That gives influence to a smallish number of Democrat holdouts, many of whom notably members of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and lawmakers from eastern Connecticut towns worry that their low-income constituents will see energy costs rise. Environment legislation is tough stuff because at its core, we're asking local taxpayers to help solve a problem that's largely global, with strong industry opposition. There's a reason why former Democratic U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama disappointed environmental activists. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "There has been a concerted effort by the fossil fuels industry to put out huge amounts of propaganada and all kinds of false problems, statements that are happily repeated by the opponents for partisan purposes," said Lori Brown, executive director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters. "For example, 'Gee, theyre going to take your car away.'" Then there's the reality that power only works in a democracy when used sparingly. Lamont, in his second term, has maintained authority with high approval ratings resulting from a strong record in the pandemic and huge budget surpluses; and by musing that he just might seek a third term in 2026 at age 72, he's having so much fun. "When it comes to the bully pulpit, he hasn't done enough," one person familiar with Lamont-era environment legislation said. Some would add the back room, too. Lamont, a telecom entrepreneur from the well-heeled country club culture of Greenwich, doesn't mind a good fight but he's just not given to twisting arms and breaking kneecaps. And his tight spending habits make it harder to buy off hesitant lawmakers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Still, the sense among backers of environment legislation is that Lamont would see better results if he were more willing to haul holdout lawmakers into his office, one at a time, and browbeat, threaten, sweet talk, promise, trade favors and generally do what it takes to get their votes. When I asked Lamont whether he's doing those things in the EV debate, he said, "No, but I certainly listen," and gave details about what he's telling urban lawmakers about charging stations. "Right now this is in the legislators' court," he added. The governor can be very hands-on but he also prefers to leave much of the negotiation to legislative leaders and his lieutenants. His Yale-trained environment commissioner, Katie Dykes, is spot-on in her policies but less than beloved by some lawmakers. Progress on electric vehicles There's a parlor game among some of us state government watchers, known as "What Would Malloy Do?" That's former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, whose legendary willingness to use both the carrot and the stick, in public and in private, still reverberates inside the Capitol walls, sometimes with wincing when the stories are told. Advertisement Article continues below this ad But as one person said, even Malloy had to pick and choose his battles. Lamont, for his part, has put huge effort into state finances, building a centrist coalition with moderate spending hikes and tax reductions against demands for unsustainable spending on the left and unrealistic tax-cutting on the right. That's working and that's his legacy. On the current environment issue, the California electric vehicle standards, Lamont and Dykes met Monday with three leaders of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus, who presented a list of questions. "It is my sense that the governor and his folks actually heard the BPRC," Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, told me after the private New Haven gathering. Winfield, a former head of the caucus, said the main concern is access to charging infrastructure and affordability of electric cars. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Republicans express similar concerns but they frame the California standards as robbing consumers of free choice. That's going to prove to be a false narrative, as the whole auto industry will convert to electric if it can get past some recent bumps in the road. Without GOP votes, Lamont can't lose a large bloc of Democrats. Winfield sounded optimistic. "We're not there yet but we have the ability to be there," he said. The 2-step strategy is to first pass a bill that requires the legislature to confirm the California standards for electric vehicles again in three years, and establishes a "super-commission" to oversee the transition with representatives from all corners including the auto industry. The question would then go back to the regulations review committee, 7-7 Democrats and Republicans, if the two holdout Democratic senators, Sen. Cathy Osten of Sprague and Sen. Joan Hartley of Waterbury, agree to approve the 2035 standards. Or it would go back to a full vote in the legislature a move that could require Lamont to use some leverage. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 2013 The Center was denied accreditation to observe Zimbabwes 2013 elections, which opponents in the MDC party claimed were rigged in favor of Robert Mugabes ruling Zanu-PF party. 2018 The Carter Center deployed an expert mission to observe the 2018 harmonized elections. The Center conducted a pre-election assessment in March 2018 and established a presence in May 2018 to assess the electoral process. The teams work was limited in nature and included an analysis of Zimbabwes legal and electoral framework, election administration, political and electoral environment, campaign period, womens participation, civil society engagement, and electoral dispute resolution. The Center did not conduct comprehensive election day observation. It did issue a statement condemning violence surrounding the election. 2023 Following an invitation from the government of Zimbabwe to observe the August 2023 elections, The Carter Center launched an observation mission in late July with a 10-person core team. Fifteen long-term observers joined them in early August, and in mid-August, 48 additional short-term observers arrived in Zimbabwe. The delegation was led by the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria, Attahiru Muhammadu Jega. For unexplained reasons, Zimbabwean authorities would not approve accreditation for 30 of the Centers short-term observers, even though they had been provided visas and were in the country. On Aug. 22, the Center issued a public statement asking the government of Zimbabwe to approve the accreditations, calling the failure to do so a severe and unwarranted obstruction to the Centers mission that was inconsistent with commonly recognized and respected norms and practices and unprecedented in the Centers 30-plus years of observing elections. Despite this, their accreditation was never approved. The Center found that the 2023 elections took place in a restricted political environment with an unlevel playing field and that the election administration lacked independence and transparency in key areas, undermining the credibility of the process. Overall, the Center concluded that the 2023 electoral process did not adequately respect Zimbabwes regional and international commitments for democratic and inclusive elections, which made it difficult for contestants to compete on an equal basis and prevented the genuine expression of the will of the Zimbabwean people. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DHAKA, BANGLADESH The United States Agency for International Development, The Carter Center, and the Information Commission in Dhaka today announced the launch of a new phase of the USAID-funded Advancing Womens Right of Access to Information in Bangladesh (AWRTI) project. The Carter Center will implement this project in 10 districts through 2028 to unlock the countrys human potential, especially the potential of marginalized women, to fully utilize the Right to Information Act of 2009. USAID has long supported the Carter Centers work. Its partnership with the Centers Rule of Law Program underscores its commitment to improving fundamental freedoms and rights for the most vulnerable, said Hillary Forden, interim director of the Rule of Law Program. The Carter Center is thankful for USAIDs support, and we look forward to continuing this collaborative effort in the years to come. Lack of access to information impedes fundamental aspects of democratic governance. As modern technology grows and evolves, governments must continually adapt how they provide information to the public and make it accessible. "USAID will continue to work with all of our partners to improve transparency and accountability through empowering marginalized women. We also hope this new initiative will motivate citizens to utilize the law and contribute to protecting critical democratic processes, Reed J. Aeschliman, USAIDs mission director, said at todays announcement in Dhaka. The Carter Center takes an evidence-based, results-oriented, sustainable approach to empowering women. The Center and its civil society partners were among the first organizations in Bangladesh to focus on women's right to access information. Since 2016, with USAID support, The Carter Center has led AWRTI efforts in five districts in Bangladesh, implementing programming at national and local levels to increase access to information, address inequalities among Bangladeshi populations, and encourage women to make informed choices and engage in public life more meaningfully. In his speech today, Dr. Abdul Malek, chief information commissioner, said, While strides have been made, many women in Bangladesh still face obstacles in accessing vital information. The advancement of women's rights to access information is not just a women's issue; it's a societal imperative. It's about building a Bangladesh where every woman has the tools to shape her destiny, contribute to her community, and be an equal partner in the progress of our great nation. The Center and its partners will work toward achieving three interconnected objectives: To strengthen the legal and policy environment to enable more sustainable access to information for women. To encourage national and local governments to provide information to women in target districts more effectively and equitably. To equip civil society organizations, information liaisons, and youth in target districts to help women advance their use of the right to access information. With genuine access to information, women can easily take advantage of opportunities and make more effective decisions about land use and ownership, agricultural practices and opportunities, private enterprise, and education. ### Contact: In Atlanta, Amanda Larson, amanda.larson@cartercenter.org In Dhaka, Sumana Sultana Mahmud at sumana.mahmud@cartercenter.org The Carter Center Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope. A not-for-profit, nongovernmental organization, The Carter Center has helped to improve life for people in over 80 countries by resolving conflicts; advancing democracy, human rights, and economic opportunity; preventing diseases; and improving mental health care. The Carter Center was founded in 1982 by former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, in partnership with Emory University, to advance peace and health worldwide. Pakistan's cement exports consistently increase 23 January 2024 Pakistan's cement industry has registered significant growth in US-dollar revenue and volume growth for cement and clinker exports during the first six months of FY23-24 (July-December 2023), due to the continued good exchange rate of the Pakistani rupee against foreign currency and other factors. Pakistan's cement and clinker exports increased by around 58.8 per cent in the 6MFY23-24 to US$135.92m (3.503Mt), compared to US$85.61m (1.71Mt) in the 6MFY22-23, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said. In Pakistani rupee terms, export revenue saw a significant growth of 103.3 per cent to PKR39.07bn (US$139.7m) during this export period, sustained by the local currencys competitive rates against the US dollar. In terms of volumes, exports increased by 104.5 per cent YoY in the same period. The data on exports and imports released by PBS revealed that cement and clinker exports registered a 4.9 per cent MoM advance in terms of value in December 2023 to US$21.92m (572,568t) from US$20.91m (525,281t) in November 2023. Volumes saw a MoM increase of nine per cent. YoY cement export data depicts a healthy picture, increasing by 151.1 per cent in value and 245.4 per cent in volume compared to data from December 2022 (US$8.73m at 165,792t). According to AHL Research, exports showed a considerable growth of over 150 per cent YoY during December 2023 due to a rise in exports, mainly from the south as domestic cement demand was lower and led southern producer to focus on exports. In addition, northern-based exports rose by 40 per cent YoY on the back of rehabilitation activity picking up in Afghanistan. Published under This artwork by Donna Grethen refers to the damage done to Democracy Donna Grethen On a recent Friday, we all had the same idea, get a little work done on our cars before more snows come. Everyone in the waiting room was, from the looks of it, a Boomer or Boomer-adjacent, which meant if I started humming the theme of I Dream of Jeannie, people could join in. For now, though, we waited quietly. I was hoping the newest warning light on my dashboard was nothing more than a silly burp that could be corrected with well, I dont know how to finish that sentence. I stopped working on my own car decades ago when I broke off a final screw while changing the oil on my VW. However, I know enough to pay attention to warning signs. Years ago, annoyed at a small flashing oil can on the dashboard of a long-ago Corona, I covered the light with a piece of electrical tape and didnt give it a second thought until the engine melted. The mechanic had a good laugh at that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It pays to notice signs, especially if signs point to a bad outcome. The Nation magazine reported recently that former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies exit from the GOP presidential roster marks the end of the fight for the soul of the GOP. A few years ago, I would have dismissed that kind of language as so much hyperbole. Now? Im not so sure. His exit certainly leaves a field of candidates shy on common sense. Fox News once filed to get an injunction against then-political commentator Al Franken over the latter part of the title of his 2003 book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look At the Right. Fox was summarily spanked in court (the judge suggested the network learn to take a joke) but you can understand a desire to protect what was then a trademarked slogan, fair and balanced a notion now so far in the networks rearview its barely a memory. Personally, I wish Id snagged the word unprecedented back in 2015 when it started bubbling up in the news. Id be in high cotton by now. So much about these last few years has been unprecedented, and maybe that has made some of us lose our moral maps. Some days, it can feel as if only the horizon is fixed. The 91 criminal charges the former president faces would be discombobulating enough, but every bit as concerning is the giant shoulder shrug the charges evoke among his more devoted followers. Theres the shrug, and then the everyone-is-doing-it arguments, and then a blanket dismissal of the U.S. legal system. The judges are crooked, goes one argument (often made by Defendant Trump). People are out to get Donald Trump, goes another (also often made by Defendant Trump), which flies in the face of the fact that no one is more damaging to Trump than Trump. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I am old enough (see I Dream of Jeannie) to remember when one presidential candidates hopes were dashed when he dared journalists to follow him around, and when they did, the result was a photo of the candidate upon whose lap was sitting a woman-not-his-wife. Irony of ironies, in the photo the candidate was wearing a T-shirt that identified him as a crew member of Monkey Business, the name of a yacht theyd sailed for a quick trip to Bimini. The candidates wife was not onboard, and the curtain crashed down on Gary Harts political career. Things used to work that way. Forgiveness was important, yes, but so was a healthy dose of shame. If people remember Mr. Hart now, its for the hypocrisy. I miss those days, when people remembered what it was like to blush and feel shame. I think that makes me a throwback. In my next gig, Ill be out on the porch throwing rocks at neighborhood kids, but what is this shame-free (for some) world portending? A few years ago, I would get apoplectic when Id read or hear someone talk about the countrys purported slow side into fascism. Great minds have explored just how honest is that assessment and if the jury is still out, the signs are flashing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost - if you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, here speaking in Hartford in November 2022, as U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal listens, is warning state businesses of a possible scam. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Connecticut officials are warning businesses about a scheme, veiled as an urgent government notice, designed to finagle payment for a free state report. Labeling the mailed solicitations for financing statements "an ongoing potential government imposter scam," state officials said a company called CT UCC Statement Service is trying to hook businesses into paying $90 for a copy of a Uniform Commercial Code report. While the mailing is seemingly meant to look like a government notice, the company has no affiliation with the state and such reports are available for free on the Secretary of the State's website, Attorney General William Tong said. This company has zero affiliation with the State of Connecticut and there is no need to pay for their useless services," Tong said. "If you receive this letter, do not respond. If you have paid any money to this business, please file a complaint with my office." Advertisement Article continues below this ad A representative of the company, which lists an address in Manchester on its mailings, did not respond to a request for comment. A UCC financing statement is a form documenting that a creditor, such as a bank, has a lien on a borrowers personal property. The forms are filed with the Secretary of the State and give proof of assets to other creditors. While CT UCC Statement Services notes in small print that they are not affiliated with any state or government agency and that businesses are not required to use their services, such a disclaimer may not be sufficient, state officials said. Branford-based Pat Munger Construction Co. received the solicitation in November, but did not fall for it, company President David DeMaio said Monday. His financial team did its own research, DeMaio said, "and realized it was a scam." Company officials alerted Essex Savings Bank, which was listed on the solicitation under "secured party's name," and the bank in turn alerted the state banking commissioner, DeMaio said. "My team was sharp enough to avoid anything like that," he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CT UCC Statement Service targets businesses that recently obtained a loan or other extension of credit in advance of an annual report filing deadline of March 31, state officials said. Scammers pay attention to when filing deadlines for businesses are looming and then try to take advantage of a stressful and busy time for business owners by asking them to pay for services that are actually free, Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli said. Business owners should never give in to threatening letters, emails, or calls that encourage them to act immediately or face consequences," Cafferelli said. "Those kinds of pressure tactics are almost always the signs of a scam. And if youre unsure, you can do research online, or send an email or make a phone call to the correct agency to verify the notice you received is false before paying any money to a scammer. Government imposter scams can take many forms and can target individuals and businesses alike, officials said. Con artists are careful to design their mailings to resemble official government documents by incorporating elements such as seals, bar codes, and references to statutes and regulations. The mailings may include terms such as IMPORTANT, OPEN IMMEDIATELY, or TIME SENSITIVE to create a false sense of urgency. Businesses that fall prey end up paying significant fees for services they either do not need, or could take care of themselves for much less money. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The state sent out a similar warning last year. The company sending mailings then was called CF Division Services. The Better Business Bureau on its website says consumers allege CF Division Services had solicited businesses with official-looking notices saying they needed to post employment/labor law posters that were in fact free from government agencies. The BBB listed several complaints from business representatives (company names were redacted) who said they sent $105 for the compliance posters and received nothing in return. The Connecticut Business and Industry Association warned of another scam in 2019 in which a bogus form was mailed to businesses from an entity called Workplace Compliance Services claiming to be a 2019 Annual Report Instruction Form. The mailing warned that businesses could be administratively dissolved for failing to comply while offering to help with the filing for a $110 fee. State leaders at the time called the mailings a scam that businesses should ignore. Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Red Bank Cemetery in January 2024 photo by John Shearer Previous Next It sits on a hill overlooking like a watchful nosy neighbor such busy Red Bank businesses as the Food City off Morrison Springs Road. But many Red Bank residents of today might have never seen or been to the historic Red Bank Cemetery. In contrast to another Red Bank area cemetery, the very visible Chattanooga Memorial Park by the duck pond farther south, this one is almost hidden, particularly in the warmer seasons when the leaves block views of it from nearby streets. And you might even have trouble getting to it, even if you are only a few yards away, due to a small and unmarked right of way to it just on the west side of Oakland Terrace near the Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church. And you might even have trouble getting to it, even if you are only a few yards away, due to a small and unmarked right of way to it just on the west side of Oakland Terrace near the Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Also hidden is some detailed history of the cemetery, even in this era where an armchair curiosity seeker can find as much information as a professional historian of old simply with the help of an online newspaper website. With the encouragement of Red Bank city manager Martin Granum and others, an advisory committee of about 10 or 12 under the direction of chairman Sal Arrigo was formed by the city this past spring to help the city better maintain and preserve the cemetery. That is, even though the city of Red Banks maintenance staff has been carefully mowing it and caring for it for years. The volunteer committee has met a few times since last spring and done some cleanup of brush and grave markers with the additional help of students from Red Bank High School. I became involved somewhat indirectly when I interviewed Red Bank Mayor Hollie Berry last year for a profile story. She was aware I had written a small pamphlet of oral histories of Red Bank about 20 years ago, and the next thing I know, I was being asked to be on this new cemetery committee. I agreed, even though I often try to run and hide from volunteer work. Besides helping get the cemetery even more presentable with a long-term goal of getting a nice and more accessible entrance area and fence around it, the committee has also talked of other goals. That might even include a small place with a pavilion or benches or tables a short distance away from the graves for visitors to sit and rest and maybe enjoy a parklike feeling. I with one or two others was also trying to help the group find more history, and I have not been able to find a lot. As a result, I am trying to write this story to hopefully catch the attention of a reader who knows information of some sort. The cemetery has graves dating back to the 1800s and appears to have a lot of people buried there named Hartman and Plumlee. Others include people with such last names as Ford, Early, Martin, Foust, and Folkner, among many others. It also has at least one or two Union Civil War veterans buried there, as well as one or two Confederate Civil War veterans. I am not sure how many cemeteries can say that. It also appears to be about full, although it might have some family plots not fully used. I also spotted the graves of Luther T. Sliger and his wife, Leafa Lea. I remember my father, Dr. Wayne Shearer, who had been a Red Bank optometrist from the 1950s to the 1990s, telling me about Mr. Sliger and his connection to Red Bank United Methodist Church. He used to come into my fathers office early on and talk with him about the church where our family also attended. My father also remembers he had cows on his property, which later became the Sliger Circle community of homes just north of Leawood Road and the former Red Bank Middle School property. He also had some commercial buildings in that area, too. I found a story online that said Mr. Sliger had worked for the main post office from 1916 to 1947 and never missed a single day due to sickness. His extended Sliger family also apparently had a regular reunion in Athens, Tn., about that time. Among other cemetery history, a 1957 Chattanooga News-Free Press article said that cemetery trustees Bill Shauf, Lon B. Jones and James A. Connor were helping take care of the Red Bank Cemetery. It might have also been connected at one point with Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church or a Red Bank community church at that site. If anyone has any information on the cemetery and its history or the people buried there, feel free to email me at the address below. * * * Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp and county leaders will hold a community meeting Tuesday announcing plans for a passive park at McDonald Farm in Sale Creek, sharing successes of the new-era Hamilton County Fair, and discussing the rezoning request for parcels of land on the farm. McDonald Farm is a treasured asset in the north end of the county, where we are preserving hundreds of acres as a community park with assets no other park in the county currently has, said County Mayor Wamp. Our priority is to designate additional acreage as recreational space allowing the public to enjoy the farm for decades to come. In the years ahead, we hope to invest in infrastructure to support further recreational opportunities and potential development. Last week, Governor Lees Administration awarded Hamilton County a $3 million grant from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to be used for essential water infrastructure at McDonald Farm. The county plans to use the grant toward extending the waterline on Coulterville Road and looping it back around to the main waterline on Highway 27, which will provide basic, industrial grade water to the property. This project is expected to be completed over the next 24 months. The meeting will be Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Sale Creek High School, 211 Patterson Road. Those attending include County Mayor Wamp, Todd Leamon, Public Works administrator, Hamilton County; Nathan Janeway, director of Development Services, Hamilton County; Matt Folz, director of Parks & Recreation, Hamilton County; Dan Reuter, director, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Regional Planning Agency; and Geno-O Shipley, Hamilton County Commission, District 1. Recently there have been several articles written by seemingly entitled citizens about closing down the hospital on Moccasin Bend. We have also had many stories that relate our social problems to mental health issues. We need to keep the hospital where it is now located for the follow reasons: 1. From having worked at Moccasin for eight years, I know the calming, beautiful location is important in helping patients with their issues. 2. The location is reasonably accessible and safe. 3. Several years ago I attended a planning session sponsored by the National Park Service where we were told that the Park Service could move forward with the development of the park even if the hospital and the firing range stayed. The Park Service just wanted the community to reach a consensus on what they wanted. The State apparently has decided that the hospital will remain where it is located and has allocated funds for a new building. 4. Chattanooga Chickamauga National Battlefield is divided at its main location by a major highway. Several of its locations are surrounded by different neighborhoods. It seems to do fine. Let's work together helping "the least of these" and actually solve some of our existing problems that are related to mental health. Jim Kimball An Etowah, Tn., man pleaded guilty on Monday to killing his father and was given a life prison sentence. John Scott Ball, 47, pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of his father, John Henry Ball. He was also charged with abuse of a corpse. District Attorney Shari Tayloe said John Scott Ball shot his father, cut up the corpse in Polk County, then attempted to bury his fathers remains in the mountains in Monroe County.A hiker found the remains in the Tellico Plains area in May 2022. DA Tayloe said, "The successful prosecution of this case was due to the multiple law enforcement agencies working together to bring justice to the Ball family. Those agencies were the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, McMinn County Sheriffs Office, Etowah Police Department, Polk County Sheriffs Office, Monroe County Sheriffs Office, Cleveland Police Department, the 10th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the 10th Judicial District Attorneys Office. Securing a life sentence for such a gruesome crime can only happen with the diligence and teamwork of our local law enforcement agencies. I am proud to partner with them." The prosecution was headed by Assistant District Attorneys Aaron Chaplin and Krista Cochran, with Assistant Victim Witness Coordinator Danielle Uselton. District Attorney Shari Tayloe serves the 10th Judicial District, which includes Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk Counties. Blue and White Chai Nite will be celebrated on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 North Terrace Road.This festive celebration of life (Chai) is a cocktail gala celebrated every few years. Highlights of this years Chai Nite include dancing to the Malemen Show Band, photo booth, drinks and a specialty buffet. Tickets are $54 per person. A silent auction is also available.Open to the public, blue and white cocktail attire is encouraged.Proceeds benefit the Jewish Federation. For more information and to register, go to www.jewishchattanooga.com For more information about the Malemen Show Band, visit https://youtu.be/9ndgvE7rOt8. A man who had faced a first-degree murder charge in a case in which another young man had been shot and then had his body burned has been allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge. Kaleb Matthew Cox, who is now 26, received an agreed 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter. He pleaded to Range 3, which means he will have to serve at least 45 percent of the term before he is eligible for parole consideration. The range plea was "outside the range" - adjusted upwards. Range 1 is 30 percent eligibility and Range 2 is 35 percent eligibility. Cox, who now lives in Florida, also pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse and got a concurrent two-year sentence. Handcuffs were placed on him and he was taken into custody after family members of victim Sean Moss, a former Eagle Scout from Franklin, Tn., gave emotional statements. In the incident on Feb. 6, 2020, a burning car was found on a gravel road in a remote section of Prentice Cooper State Park just inside the Hamilton County line. It was later found that a badly burned body was covered in clothes in the back seat of the silver Toyota sedan. Prosecutor Andrew Coyle said phone records were checked and it was learned that Cox was the last person to speak with the victim. Video from Prentice Cooper showed the Toyota being followed by the vehicle owned by Cox's girlfriend, Johnbeth Holland. Ms. Holland is facing charges of accessory after the fact, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. She is due in court on Jan. 31. The prosecutor said it was later found that projectiles were in the chest of the victim. Prosecutor Coyle said Cox first said that Sean Moss had a drug overdose. After the projectiles were found, he changed his story and said they had a dispute over drugs at an apartment in Red Bank. He claimed that Sean Moss pulled a gun on him and he pulled his own gun and fired several times. Cox said he had hidden several items belonging to the victim in nearby woods, including the gun the victim allegedly had. That gun was never located, though specially trained dogs were called in for the search. Some items from the victim were located in the woods. Prosecutor Coyle acknowledged that the Moss family was unhappy with the plea deal. Judge Barry Steelman said it did not appear there was any evidence of pre-meditation that would sustain a first-degree murder conviction. He said under a second-degree murder finding the lower range would be 15 years. He said Cox had no prior criminal record. The victim's mother, Martha Moss, said, "Feb. 6, 2020, changed our lives forever." She said their lives had been in limbo while the case continued for almost four years. She said it was hard to see Cox out on bond and to know he had fathered a son during his freedom. She told Cox, "You have no idea what you have put us through." Ms. Moss said her son loved the outdoors and had been excited that Cox was due to take him sky diving that upcoming Saturday. She said her son was still alive at 12:15 a.m. that morning when there was an Internet photo posted of him with Cox and Ms. Holland. Ms. Moss said she believes that Ms. Holland was an eye witness to the slaying. Ms. Moss said her son was so badly burned that he could not be identified through dental records. She said DNA had to be taken from her to aid in the identification. She said he "was left in ashes." The mother said it was a year before the ashes were turned over and the family could have a funeral. She said he was shot three times. Jordan Wheeler, who said she dated Sean Moss for three years, had Cox turn around and face a large number of Moss family members and supporters. She said, "You're the reason that he's gone." The victim's brother, Chase Moss, told Cox he would never be able to get the images of that night out of his mind and that would be his punishment beyond jail. Cox is represented by attorney Lee Davis. Leeanne Griffin is a senior food reporter for CT Insider, handling coverage of restaurant openings and closings, trends, events and general news about Connecticut food and beverage businesses. She covers statewide food happenings, with a focus on Hartford County, and curates CT Insiders weekly Taste of Connecticut food newsletter. Leeanne joined Hearst Connecticut in 2021, but has been working in Connecticut news since 2006. Before joining Hearst, she was the food and dining reporter for the Hartford Courant for a decade. She has earned several awards over the years from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists and the New England Newspaper & Press Association, including a recent first-place SPJ honor for a story about lobster rolls. She has also served as a past Northeast regional panelist on the James Beard Foundation Restaurant and Chef Awards Committee. Leeanne lives in Hartford County with her husband and their three-pound Holland lop rabbit. A native of Worcester, Massachusetts, she holds a master's degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University, where she first learned about the magic of New Haven apizza. Reach Leeanne at Leeanne.Griffin@hearstmediact.com. Kaitlin Lyle is thrilled to nurture her journalism career as a weeklies reporter with Hearst and looks forward to becoming better acquainted with the communities in her coverage area. While she enjoys the opportunity to cover breaking news, her beat is generally focused on local profiles and school-centered stories. Outside of her reporting work, she is an avid reader, baker and cyclist. Jarrod Wardwell is a local reporter covering Fairfield and Easton for Hearst Connecticut Media Group. He recently graduated with a journalism degree from the George Washington University, where he served as the editor in chief of The GW Hatchet and interned with CNN. Wardwell is originally from Winthrop, Massachusetts and is now based at the Connecticut Post in Bridgeport. Lau Guzman is a bilingual reporter at the Latino Communities Reporting Lab of the Record-Journal. She is also a corps member with Report for America, a national nonprofit that places journalists in local newsrooms to cover underserved communities. Her favorite color is yellow. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Paul Pressler has long been an eminent Texas Republican, having served as a state representative and judge in Houston. He also once served as the first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, but the title doesnt capture his true place in the firmament of the SBC. As one of the architects of the Conservative Resurgence that reshaped the largest US Protestant denomination beginning in the 1970s, he has been hailed for decades as a hero who helped rid SBC churches of a creeping liberalism. But recently, Gene Besen, a lawyer for the SBC, called Pressler, 93, a monster and a dangerous predator who leveraged his power and false piety to sexually abuse young men even as he was building his reputation as a conservative reformer. The mans actions are of the devil, Besen said, clarifying that he spoke in his personal capacity and not as a representative of the denomination. That is clear. What makes Presslers case so enraging to many Southern Baptists, however, is that his abuse has been detailed for years. A lawsuit, filed by a former Pressler assistant named Gareld Duane Rollins Jr. claiming the older man abused him for decades, has been making its way through the courts since 2017. (The suit, which named Pressler, the SBC, and other Baptist entities, was settled in December.) In 2004, the year Pressler was first elected vice president, his home church warned in a letter about his habit of naked hot-tubbing with young men after a college student complained that Pressler had allegedly groped him, according to the Texas Tribune. That same year, Pressler agreed to pay $450,000 to settle Rollins earlier claim that Pressler had assaulted him in a hotel room. When Pressler stopped making the agreed payments, Rollins sued again, this time alleging sexual abuse. Presslers downfall also symbolizes a wider failure to deal with sex abuse in the SBC. In recent years, leaks from the denominations headquarters in Nashville and legal filings have shown leaders stonewalling survivors and attempting to force the denomination to face the scope of abuse happening in member churches. The thousands of local church representatives, known as messengers, who make up the SBCs governing body, meeting once a year at an annual meeting, have voted for measures to identify abusers and keep them from being employed as pastors. They did so after learning the SBCs Executive Committee, which runs the organization day to day, had long acted to shield the SBCand particularly its assetsfrom liability, a strategy that led the leaders and their attorneys to defend things that were indefensible, said Marshall Blalock, a South Carolina pastor and former chair of a task force appointed to address the scandal. The leaders in Nashville have relied in part on the decentralized structure of the SBC, which they have repeatedly claimed makes reforms impossible to implement. The 47,000 churches of the denomination are independent entities held together by a statement of their beliefsthe Baptist Faith and Messageand their contributions to the Cooperative Fund, established in the 1920s. The SBCs more than 13 million members donate nearly $10 billion dollars annually to their churches, nearly half a billion of which goes each year to fund cooperative ministries in the United States and abroad, including six major seminaries and a world missionary force. While the SBC has no top-down authority, its churches and ministries are deeply interwoven, tied together by a network of state conventions, local associations, and weak ties friendships between pastors, leaders, and lay people. Its institutions are overseen by volunteer trustees and a handful of staffers in the national office. The only authority the SBC holds over its constituent churches, according to its leaders, is to kick out those considered no longer in friendly cooperation with its doctrine. As a result, Southern Baptist leaders boast of their power to spread the gospel but take little responsibility when things go wrong. And local congregations have little power to fix things that are broken on a national level. The beauty of SBC is that were local and autonomous, said Adam Wyatt, a Mississippi pastor and member of the SBC Executive Committee, recently. The challenge is, were local and autonomous. The lawsuits against Pressler have provided a window into just how SBC leaders have evaded accountability. In a 2012 email revealed in court documents, an SBC attorney crowed over a 2008 decision not to create a database of abusive pastors that the SBCs annual meeting had asked for. The lack of action on abuse enabled the leadership to avoid being sued after a church hired a music minister who was also a two-time abuser. This defendant was convicted and is serving a 10-year sentence in one case involving a very young girl, the email read. He was the music minister and had molested before, twice. The church knew and hired him anyway. In another email, an SBC vice president complained that the denominations insurance company had made a small payment in another abuse case. Our insurer agreed to pay $5000 of a $67,500 settlement figure, wrote the vice president. Made me mad that ANYTHING was paid on our account, but we are not in control of that decision, the insurance company is, and for them it is not about principle, it is about cutting their expenses. In 2021, delegates to the annual meeting, known as messengers, commissioned an investigationwhich leaders made concerted efforts to derailby the third-party firm Guidepost Solutions. Its 2022 report showed the lengths SBC leaders had gone to mistreat abuse survivors and stonewall any possibility of taking national action to address abuse. In response, the SBC annual meeting called for a series of reforms. Josh Wester, chair of the SBCs abuse reform implementation task force, said that real reform is coming. Work continues on the long-anticipated database of abusers, known as Ministry Check, even though no names have been added to it yet. Wester said the task force is also looking for permanent funding to make the reforms sticksomething that remains uncertain. We are trying to find a system that would work in accordance with Southern Baptist polity, he said. Wester said that he has seen change at the local level and in state conventions but that changing the SBC on a national level remains a difficult task. We are working aggressively on all of the things necessary to help our churches be safer places and to help keep dangerous people away from the vulnerable, he said. But Christa Brown, an abuse survivor and longtime advocate for reform, said that she sees no path to real reform. Brown recently called on members of the SBC task force charged with implementing reforms to resign, saying that while they have good intentions, the institution itself is untrustworthy. I believe theyre simply lending credibility to a process that is wholly polluted, said Brown, author of a forthcoming book titled Baptistland. Brown tracks the problem back to the conservative takeover of the SBC Pressler set in motion, to which all of the current leaders owe their rise. It explains why few have criticized him publicly, she said, even after details of his abuse became known, and why few have empathized with Presslers victims, including Rollins. None of them seem to have an ounce of respect for Duane, who brought truth to the table, she said. Attorney and abuse advocate Rachael Denhollander, an abuse survivor whose testimony helped convict former USA Gymnastics doctor and serial abuser Larry Nasser, said that documents from Presslers trial show that the SBCs lawyers knew all along the abuse allegations were true and that SBC leaders should have known as well. Scripture tells us that when a leader falls, you are to rebuke him in the face of all so that he will become a warning, she said. The principle behind that is, as far as his reach has gone, thats as far as the rebuke goes. If you have helped spread his platform, you have a responsibility to undo what you did. After the Rollins lawsuit was settled in December, Danny Akin, the longtime president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, told RNS, We cant deny the reality of the accusations. Youve got too many people stacked up that were ready to testify. But Akin said he still believes in the ideals of the resurgence. He said that Southern Baptists will need to acknowledge their sins and abuse when teaching about the Conservative Resurgence. Some younger Southern Baptist leaders have also denounced Pressler, including Wyatt, who said Southern Baptists can appreciate the accomplishments of the Conservative Resurgence and still repudiate the wrongdoing of its leaders. Wyatt, who declined to comment on the committees settlement in the Rollins lawsuit, said he has been more concerned about what SBC leaders knew about Presslers past misconduct. How could you know and not say something? he said. He hopes that Southern Baptists will be more concerned about the character of their leaders than they have been in the past. I just hope that weve learned enough to know that we dont need to platform people we dont trust. It seems like a no-brainer to me. One Southern Baptist voice that has been notably silent about Pressler is Albert Mohler, the longtime president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and perhaps the most prominent theologian in SBC circles. A spokesman for Mohler did not respond to requests for comment. Karen Swallow Prior, a professor of English who has taught in evangelical Christian schools for decades, said the SBC cant escape the failings of the Conservative Resurgence. She said she became a Southern Baptist because she believed the resurgence was about the Bible. Now she suspects that it was about power. Its the convenient myth that the SBC has told us for the past several decades, she said. Prior said that those who raised questions about abusive leaders in the SBC were eventually told they were not welcomewhile figures like Paige Patterson and Pressler were allowed to remain. She worries the abuse reforms will fail, and that that failure will break the SBC. My best guess is that this is the hill they will die on. And how long that will take, only God knows. Home News Bethany Christian Services no longer hiring non-Christians, bans political displays Amid media reports of staff disgruntled with a hiring policy change, the international Evangelical foster and immigrant resettlement charity Bethany Christian Services has confirmed that it only hires Christians who align with its core beliefs and doesn't allow them to promote political causes in the workplace. "Bethany Christian Services, like most religious organizations, expects its employees to align with core beliefs that reflect Bethany's foundation of faith and to adhere to certain expectations, including following a viewpoint-neutral policy against workplace activism and advocacy," a statement from Bethany Christian Services shared with The Christian Post reads. "This policy is designed to promote a culture of mutual respect and unity for our diverse staff and clients as we work to serve vulnerable men, women, and children of all backgrounds and beliefs." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The statement comes as Michigan news outlets, like WOOD-TV 8, reported this month that the Grand Rapids-based charity's new CEO, Keith Cureton, who was appointed last June, told staff late last year that the organization will no longer make exceptions to hiring non-Christians. Bethany Christians Services says it employs nearly 2,000 people across 120 locations worldwide, aiding over 80,400 people in 2022. The outlet notes that some staff were disgruntled with the change, with one unidentified employee stating that the policy was enacted swiftly without discussion of how it would be implemented. Under the new executive, there was also reportedly a stricter ban on political workplace displays, such as flags or banners that support the LGBT community or other politically divisive movements such as Black Lives Matter. The policy also includes conservative political displays, such as those promoting the pro-Trump MAGA movement or a "1776 flag," an employee told WOOD-TV. A message reportedly sent to staff on Dec. 5 from a BCS administrator told employees that there have been "numerous instances" of Grand Rapids-based workers not following the new "advocacy vs. activism" policy. "Please ensure that if you have anything that is in violation of this policy at work (i.e., flags, lanyards, buttons, decorations etc.) that you are taking it home with you ASAP. As Bethany employees we are required to adhere to the agency policies regardless if we agree with them, and moving forward failure or refusal to do so will result in disciplinary actions," the notice reportedly stated, according to WOOD-TV. The anonymous employee said that "people are frustrated" by the new policies, adding that they believe the changes stem from when Bethany's refugee branch moved into its main campus in August. "We ran into a culture clash," the anonymous BCS worker was quoted as saying. "The refugee side very much embraces diversity, very much embraces, people come from all walks of life, and there's a widespread passion for LGBTQ+ inclusion. It was kind of right in (the higher-up's) face all of a sudden, and I think a lot of people didn't take very kindly to that." Bethany Christian Services is far from the only Christian organization that requires its staff members to adhere to its core beliefs or principles. Courts have often sided with Christian organizations that have been sued or faced penalties over such policies. In Wyoming, for example, a Christian nonprofit serving as the state's largest homeless shelter secured a favorable settlement with state and federal officials in 2022 after it faced the threat of punishment from government officials for only hiring Christian employees. In October, Muslim and Jewish groups filed a legal brief expressing concern that a Michigan law could force a Christian healthcare provider to hire people who are not Christians. The Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty and the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team of the Religious Freedom Institute contend that an exemption to civil rights law allowing religious nonprofits to hire only adherents to the faith "serves significant constitutional interests by deferring to religious organizations' own determination of which roles and responsibilities are so tied to the group's religious mission that they may be filled only by fellow believers." "Properly applied, the exemption preserves the autonomy of religious groups; recognizes and respects their unique knowledge of and expertise in their religious beliefs, missions, motivations, and practices; preserves the free exercise rights of religious groups; and prevents state entanglement with religious groups and doctrines," read the brief. Although Bethany has a foster care contract with the state, courts have ruled that Christian groups don't need to compromise their hiring rights or stances on hot-button cultural issues to qualify for contracts with the government. A federal judge ruled in October that a Christian academy in Colorado shouldn't be forced to hire non-believers in order to be eligible for a state preschool funding program. In 2021, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that officials in Philadelphia could force a Catholic foster agency to place children with same-sex couples. Steve McFarland of the Christian Legal Society told WOOD-TV that Bethany Christian Services is within its right to require employees be Christian and refrain from displaying political messages. "I don't have a right to be hired by a Muslim Mosque," McFarland told the outlet. "I don't have a right to display a Palestinian flag if I'm an employee of an Orthodox Jewish synagogue." This is not the first time a Bethany Christian Services policy change has drawn headlines. In 2019, the charity announced it would start placing foster and adoptive children in the homes of same-sex couples after being sued for refusing to work with same-sex couples. The change reportedly came after employees threatened to walk out of their jobs if the policy was not amended. Home News Christian baker continues legal fight years after refusing to bake cake for lesbian wedding The yearslong legal battle surrounding a California baker over her religious objection to making a wedding cake that celebrated a same-sex marriage continues as she faces an appeal challenge from state officials. Cathy Miller of Cathy's Creations, a Bakersfield-based bakery that does business as Tastries, has been battling litigation after she refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple in 2017. In a brief filed last week in the case of California Civil Rights Department v. Tastries, Miller asked the Court of Appeal of the State of California, 5th Appellate District, to affirm a lower court decision in her favor. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe According to the brief, Miller's refusal to make the same-sex wedding cake was one of many orders she had refused to fulfill due to moral objections to the message being conveyed. "For example, Miller will not design cakes that celebrate divorce, display violence, glorify drunkenness or drug use, contain explicit sexual content, or present gory, demonic, or satanic images," read the brief, in part. "Miller also will not design cakes that demean any person or group for any reason, or that promote racism, or any other message that conflicts with Christian principles." The brief notes that "Miller believes that marriage is a sacred covenantal union between one man and one woman" and that, after refusing to make the cake, she referred the same-sex couple to another business that was willing to fulfill the order. The backlash to Miller's decision involved many threatening messages sent through social media and over the phone, many of which included threats of sexual violence, as well as other violent acts. "As the prosecution continued, so did the attacks. On the eve of the preliminary injunction hearing, Miller's car, which had a Tastries logo, was broken into and her laptop stolen," claimed the brief. "That night, one of Miller's employees was assaulted behind the bakery by a man who referred to the Department's prosecution during the attack. Although reported to the police, none of these crimes were ever prosecuted. Miller disclosed these incidents to the Department as early as 2018 but at no point has the Department responded to these instances of threatened and actual violence." Miller is represented in part by Becket Law, a legal group specializing in religious freedom cases and has successfully argued litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court. "Targeting a family-run bakery because of the owner's religious beliefs is meanspirited, illegal, and deserves no place in our society," said Adele Keim, senior counsel at Becket, in an emailed statement. "California officials should have never started this campaign against Cathy and her bakery. California should let Cathy bake in peace." The litigation against Miller began in 2017, shortly after she declined to make the gay wedding cake, with state officials arguing that she violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act. The couple filed a complaint with the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing, which attempted to get a restraining order against Miller over her actions. In 2018, California Superior Court Judge David Lampe of Kern County ruled in favor of Miller, rejecting a request for a preliminary injunction against the baker. "The First Amendment ensures that religious organizations and persons are given proper protection as they seek to teach the principles that are so fulfilling and so central to their lives and faiths, and to their own deep aspirations to continue the family structure they have long revered," wrote Lampe. "Furthermore, here the State minimizes the fact that Miller has provided for an alternative means for potential customers to receive the product they desire through the services of another talented baker who does not share Miller's belief." Last October, Lampe issued a ruling in favor of Miller, arguing that the baker's actions did not violate state civil rights law and were protected by the U.S. Constitution. Shortly after the October ruling was released, the state Civil Rights Department filed an appeal, with CRD Acting Director Mary Wheat saying in a statement that "we refuse to stand down and let others roll back the clock on fundamental civil rights protections." "Every couple deserves to celebrate and mark their special occasions without fear of discrimination," stated Wheat. "Refusal to provide equal access to goods and services is against the law. I encourage all Californians who believe their civil rights have been violated to reach out to our office and work with us in fighting for your rights." Home News Christian father loses 5 of his children in South Bend house fire A Christian father from South Bend, Indiana, was left in shock after five of his six children died after a massive blaze erupted at his home on Sunday evening. I went and found him at the hospital, and he was in shock, Elijah Leciano, a neighbor and friend, told CBS Chicago. When I went with him to identify his children, which is hard, prayed over them and just told him, If you need something, call me. A statement from the South Bend Fire Department Monday said they received calls about a residential fire at 222 North LaPorte Ave. in the early evening hours on Sunday. When firefighters got to the home, flames had already engulfed both the first and second floors. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe [Firefighters] successfully managed to suppress a significant portion of the fire on the first floor before moving to the second floor, where multiple victims were reported to be trapped, the statement said. They were able to rescue two individuals but not the five children. In total, six victims were extracted from the fire. Tragically, five of these individuals, all children, would later be pronounced deceased. One survivor was urgently transported to Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to a specialized pediatric burn center in Indianapolis for further treatment, the statement said. Fire Chief Carl Buchanon said at a press conference Monday that Smiths children ranged in age from 17 months to 11 years old. The 11 year old is hospitalized. An adult in the home also reportedly escaped the fire with minor injuries, while a firefighter was treated at a hospital and released after he fell through the second floor, Buchanon said. Though the names of the children have not been released by authorities, Leciano identified the deceased children in a GoFundMe campaign as Daveta, Demetris, Dean Tey, Deangelo, and Faith Smith. Their father is identified as David Smith who Leciano calls my brother in Christ. Hello friends and family, I'm reaching out this afternoon to ask for your support for my brother in Christ, David Smith. He has lost the most valuable thing any of us could. His children due to a tragedy no one would expect, Leciano wrote in the campaign seeking to raise $30,000. The child who is hospitalized was identified as Angel Smith. Our hope is to raise enough money to put his babies to rest in a beautiful place. Also to eliminate any medical bills that will arise out of the treatment Angel Smith will receive and any future surger[ies] she [may] need to aid in her recovery from severe burns, Leciano said. Please find it in your hearts to help, if possible, David needs [c]lothes, shoes, hygienes (sic), a new vehicle because his truck was lost due to the fire as well. He is in need of a huge blessing, be that blessing today and donate. While the cause of the fire is still being investigated Buchanon urged locals in need of a smoke alarm to contact the Red Cross to get the devices for free. As we mourn the lives lost, we also extend our deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy. The South Bend Fire Department is committed to providing support to these families during this difficult time and is working closely with local & State authorities to investigate the cause of the fire, the statement from the South Bend Fire Department said. Fire Chief Buchanon urges the community to join us in honoring the memory of the young lives lost and in recognizing the heroic efforts of our firefighters who, without hesitation, risked everything in their attempt to save South Bend's own. Fire Chief Carl Buchanon would like to remind all residents to test their smoke alarms. The department collaborates closely with the American Red Cross installing free smoke alarms to the residents of South Bend. Home News Franklin Graham dedicates 14 ambulances to Israeli medics killed by Hamas Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham and president of Samaritan's Purse, dedicated 14 new ambulances in Israel during a ceremony honoring the medics who have fallen in the country's ongoing war against Hamas. Hundreds of people gathered Tuesday at the National Library in Jerusalem to witness the dedication ceremony, including Yaakov Blitshtein, the director-general of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion and Magen David Adom Director-General Eli Bin. According to a Tuesday statement provided to The Christian Post, the international Evangelical aid charity Samaritan's Purse provided the ambulances to Magen David Adom, Israel's national ambulance and emergency services agency. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe On Oct. 7, Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, slaughtering at least 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and the terror group seized around 240 individuals as hostages. In response, Israel declared itself in a state of war and launched a counter-attack in Gaza to eradicate the terrorist group that has run Gaza since 2007. According to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, over 25,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began. That figure makes no distinction between combatants and noncombatants and doesn't differentiate between people killed by Israel Defense Forces and those killed by errant rockets fired by Gaza-based terror groups. The 14 ambulances Samaritan's Purse donated to Magen David Adom is the same number of ambulances Hamas terrorists destroyed during the Oct. 7 attack, according to the statement. Since the war between Israel and Hamas began, at least 19 medics in Israel have been killed. Catherine L. Reed, CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom, the marketing arm of Magen David Adom, called the donation "meaningful" given the current state of affairs. Reed stated that many Israeli people and Jews around the world are feeling alone at the moment. "It's a testament to the fact that amid all the protests and the increase in anti-Semitism, the people of Israel and the worldwide Jewish community have friends they can count on," she said. In addition to the 14 ambulances, Samaritan's Purse says it plans to donate seven more armored ambulances to Magen David Adom. "I believe in this organization. You risk your life to save life, and I felt that these ambulances needed to be replaced immediately," Graham said. "We pray that these ambulances will bring comfort to the people of Israel, knowing that someone can respond to any crisis, so we thank God and we thank God for MDA." Ophir Levy is the father of Lior Levy, a 19-year-old medic killed by Hamas. Levy's name is inscribed on the 14 ambulances donated by Samaritan's Purse, along with the names of other medics who have fallen. During the dedication ceremony, the families of the slain medics saw the inscriptions for the first time. "These are not just vehicles, but a symbol of life, courage and hope," Ophir Levy said in a statement. "Every time an ambulance goes on a mission, it will be like Lior and her friends are still helping and saving lives." Graham announced on Tuesday that Samaritan's Purse will continue to help Magen David Adom by providing new ambulance stations in communities that are frequently at risk. "There are no words that can comfort you or express our deep sorrow for the loss," said Eli Bin, who leads Magen David Adom. "At a time when countries and international organizations chose to look away and ignore the horrors experienced by the people of Israel, Samaritan's Purse acted in accordance with the divine and moral commandment and reached out." Samaritan's Purse has conducted relief efforts in Israel since the war broke out. Shortly after Israel declared itself in a state of war, Samaritan's Purse deployed a disaster response team. The organization says it has also provided 18,500 food boxes, nearly 4,000 hot meals and more than 18,000 food vouchers to families. Jazzy Collins has won her first Emmy award for "Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program." Jazzy Collins/Contributed Photo For Quinnipiac University alumna Jazzy Collins, winning an Emmy was "a dream come true." "When I see people winning awards like Oscars, Tonys, Emmys (and) Grammys, it's because they've been in the industry for 20 to 30 to 40-plus years," Collins told Hearst Connecticut Media. "It's truly an honor to win something so big and to hold the honor of being the first Black winner in my category." Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The Traitors," which aired its first season last year, is a reality show hosted by actor Alan Cumming that pits contestants against one another in a murder mystery-style game where not everyone is as loyal as they appear. The second season of the "psychological game show" is currently streaming on Peacock. Collins graduated from Quinnipiac in 2014, where she says her passion for film and TV evolved. "I was the kid that always had a camera in their hands," Collins said. She credits the Quinnipiac Film Society and her advisor Raymond Foery as driving forces for her to be where she is today. Jazzy Collins has won her first Emmy award for "Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program." Jazzy Collins/Contributed Photo Regarding her approach for casting, Collins said that she strives to ensure that the people she is casting are diverse and relatable while learning how to weave their individual stories and narratives into a cohesive plot for the show. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "It was really, really hard to start off...trying to find people that would work for a show that you really don't have anything to go off of," Collins said about casting for the first season of "The Traitors." "I really make sure when I cast a show that I always look to see who we haven't seen on television before." Though she has to sift through many auditions like other casting directors, Collins said that she has had luck recently finding cast members via social media. "Instagram has kind of been my safe haven for finding really great people," Collins said. "You kind of get a glimpse of who people are." Collins is the Chief Executive Officer of Forced Perspective, a Black and woman owned casting organization. Collins has previously cast for shows like "The Bachelor," "Love Island" and "The Circle," and she has been instrumental in raising awareness about diversity in reality television casting. In 2020, Collins penned an open letter to ABC after her time on "The Bachelor" franchise, saying that the show has been "white-washed for decades, inside and out." Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Not only is it important to have a diverse cast reflect what the rest of America looks like, its important for the production and casting teams to be able to share the same experiences as the cast members," Collins said in her letter. "Youre expecting a white team to be able to intimately produce people of color on an emotional level that theyre truly unable to relate to." Home News IHOPKCs executive director blames ministry failures on lack of training International House of Prayer Kansas Citys newly appointed interim executive Kurt Fuller has blamed the embattled 24/7 prayer ministrys leadership failures on a lack of training as an in investigation into alleged misconduct by IHOPKC founder Mike Bickle remains ongoing. I do believe that the purpose of this ministry was and is inspired by God. And that in order to enter into all that He has for us, we've got to evolve, and weve got to be willing to make some changes, Fuller said in an address to the IHOPKC community on Friday night. One of the key opportunities that I've seen here is that this base has a lack of solid leadership training, and really no formal leader development programs. We need to fix this starting now. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Fuller, who began serving as interim executive director of the ministry on Dec. 10, 2023, noted that while IHOPKC leaders will soon hire someone permanently to fill his current role, he hopes to help the ministry in any way he can to address its leadership deficiencies. He highlighted several important values necessary for positive leadership, including loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. He also pointed to the need for leaders to have qualities such as the servant ethos, discipline and humility. Without values and character in leaders, any organization is going to suffer from internal issues that are completely avoidable, he said. Noting that he was speaking about the ministry as a whole and not any particular leader in general, Fuller said he didn't believe that hurtful experiences people have suffered in the ministry were intentional. To thrust anyone into a role like that without proper training and preparation is a recipe for failure. So it's very clear to me from the many examples of hurtful experiences that have been shared with me, they're a direct result of this dynamic, Fuller said. I don't believe that anybody intended to hurt anyone, or intended to wound others. But many staff members were simply not trained in proper leadership principles. Volz recently revealed that though reports of misconduct at IHOPKC have been relatively low, a preliminary review of the ministry's 25-year history shows that at least a few likely "were not handled properly." "That review is far from over but so far, we can say that for an organization this size with 25 years of operating history, over 20,000 staff who've served here, statistically speaking, the number of known incidents is actually quite low. At the same time, we can confidently say that a few of those reported incidents, likely they were not handled properly," Volz said. Last month, Volz announced that IHOPKC permanently parted ways with Bickle as he remains under investigation for "serious allegations including sexual immorality." Bickle confessed to sinful misconduct he committed over 20 years ago after a woman, identified as Jane Doe by The Roys Report, alleged that for approximately three years, from 1996 to 1999, Bickle paid for her apartment, gave her a key to his office and engaged in every sexual act with her except copulation. She said the IHOPKC founder wooed her with Scripture when she was 19, and he was 42, then made her a kept woman for several years as he established his ministry. IHOPKC founding member Dwayne Roberts, former IHOPKC Executive Leadership Team member Brian Kim and former Forerunner Church Pastor Wes Martin revealed in a joint October statement that they were the ones who first confronted IHOPKC leaders about the allegations against Bickle that span "several decades." In his remarks Friday, Fuller said he expects new training for IHOPKC leaders will include updated and more frequent instruction on what constitutes misconduct and how to properly report these incidents. There will also be some base wide and in-depth training on the latest best practices for responding to reports like this. And I'm happy to stay personally engaged in this effort as needed. And that includes volunteering my time to review curriculum, and even teach classes, he explained. Some here may disagree with the feedback that I've provided here and that's OK. I'm telling you what I think. But you should keep in mind that my position here is temporary, and the trustees of our board will soon select a new permanent director, Fuller added, asking the IHOPKC community for patience. Again, adjustments of this nature take time, and I ask you to be patient. We also do want you to understand that we're not blind to the pain that some folks have experienced because of these issues, he said. We've heard the message loud and clear. Home News 'Sleeping giant': Evangelical missionary movement in Latin America continues to grow When Carlos and Ana married, they had a dream: to serve God as missionaries somewhere in the world. Both had grown up in Evangelical churches in Colombia and had felt God's call to share the Gospel with other cultures. However, they didn't know how to make it happen. "We had no resources, no support, no experience," recalls Carlos. "We thought missions were only for foreigners coming to our country." But one day, Carlos and Ana heard about a Latin American mission agency that offered them training, orientation and sending them to different fields. They enrolled in a missionary preparation course, and after a year of study and practice, they were assigned to a project in Central Asia, among a Muslim ethnic group that had never heard the name of Jesus. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe There, along with other Latin American missionaries, they have been serving for more than five years, learning the language, adapting to the culture and sharing the love of Christ with their neighbors. "God has been faithful, and we have seen fruit amid difficulties," says Ana. "We are happy to be part of what God is doing in the nations." The story of Carlos and Ana is just one example of the growing Evangelical missionary movement that has been taking shape in Latin America for several years now. According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity, until recently there were more than 10,000 Latin American Evangelical missionaries serving in more than 100 countries, especially in places where access to the Gospel is not easy, such as the Islamic, Buddhist and Hindu worlds. This figure represents an increase of more than 300% since 2000, and places Latin America as the third region in the world with the most Evangelical missionaries, after North America and Europe. In 2007, a report by Lausanne World Pulse stated that almost 25 years before, Latin America formally joined the world missionary force. It shows how this has been a trend that started earlier and is continuing today. Now, 400 mission agencies are sending out 9,000 Latin Americans. It is estimated that another 3,000 have gone out without a sending structure. The truth is that the Evangelical missionary movement in Latin America has experienced significant growth in recent decades. According to the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism website, "The Latin American church is like the sleeping giant that is awakening to plant gospel-centered churches throughout Latin America, to reach pockets of the unreached within its borders, and to send missionaries to the most difficult places in the world." While Latin American missionaries face both challenges and opportunities, and the U.S. Church continues to play a role in supporting and collaborating with this movement, there are specific factors that explain this very interesting development. A Biblical view of missions One of the factors that has driven the missionary awakening in Latin America is the rediscovery of the biblical vision of missions, which understands that God's purpose is to glorify His name among all nations and that the Church is the instrument He has chosen to fulfill His plan. This vision has been transmitted and reinforced by various events, publications and resources that have emphasized the missionary mandate of Christ and the urgency of reaching unreached peoples. One of these events is the Latin American Congress on Evangelization (CLADE), which has been held every 10 years since 1969 and has brought together thousands of Evangelical leaders from all over the region to reflect on the mission of the Church in the Latin American context. The last CLADE, held in Costa Rica, had as its theme "Integral discipleship in the power of the Spirit: Towards a missionary, prophetic and hopeful Church." It was affirmed that "God's mission is integral and embraces all dimensions of human life and creation," and a call was made to "assume the commitment to be a missionary church, which announces and lives the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, during the challenges and opportunities of our time." Another event that has marked the missionary vision of Latin America is the Ibero-American Missionary Congress (COMIBAM), which began in 1987 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has been considered the first missionary congress organized by and for Latin Americans. The goal of COMIBAM has been to promote cooperation and missionary mobilization among Spanish-and-Portuguese-speaking Evangelical churches, agencies and organizations. The last COMIBAM, held in Bogota, Colombia, had as its theme "The glory of Christ in the nations" and brought together more than 800 participants from 40 countries, who shared their experiences, challenges and strategies for the progress of the kingdom of God in the world. In addition to these events, it is worth mentioning the work of various Latin American missionary agencies and organizations that have emerged in recent decades to facilitate the sending and support of missionaries from the region. Some of these agencies are AMA (Argentine Missionary Agency), AMAL (Latin America Missionary Agency), AME (Evangelical Missions Agency), AMEC (Central American Evangelical Missionary Agency), AMEE (Ecuadorian Evangelical Missionary Association), AMEM (World Evangelization Mission), among others. These agencies offer training, orientation, pastoral care, financial management and support networks to missionaries and sending churches. It is also worth highlighting the contribution of various publications and resources that have helped to spread the missionary vision among Evangelical Christians in Latin America. These include the magazine VAMOS (Lets Go), which since 1984 has published articles, testimonies and news about missions; the book "World Mission," written by missionary and theologian Jonathan Lewis, which offers a biblical, historical and practical introduction to missions; the website Movilicemos.org, which offers free resources for missionary mobilization and education; and the radio program "Ventana al Mundo" (Window to the World), which broadcasts on more than 500 radio stations in 23 countries, informing and motivating listeners about missionary needs and opportunities. A diverse and flexible cultural identity Another factor that has favored the missionary awakening of Latin America is the diverse and flexible cultural identity that characterizes Latin Americans, which allows them to adapt and relate to other cultures more easily and naturally. Latin Americans are the result of a mixture of races, languages, beliefs and traditions, which have shaped a rich and varied culture, which in turn has been influenced by the processes of globalization and migration. This cultural diversity has given Latin Americans a greater sensitivity and openness towards others, as well as a greater capacity for learning and intercultural communication. These qualities are highly valued and leveraged in the mission field, where Latin American missionaries have proven to be effective and creative in the development of their ministry. Some examples of this are the use of music, art and humor as means of evangelism and discipleship; the formation of multicultural and multidisciplinary missionary teams; the integration of the family and the community in missionary service; the attention to the social and humanitarian needs of the people; and putting the Gospel message in the context of the worldviews and values of the host cultures. A testimony of the cultural advantage of Latin American missionaries is provided by the Brazilian pastor and missionary Ronaldo Lidorio, who has served for more than 20 years among the indigenous peoples of Brazil and Africa. He comments that "Latin Americans have a very great facility of adaptation because we are a people of mixed race, who have received influences from many cultures. We have a very good ability to relate to each other because we are a happy, festive people, who like music, dance and sports. We have a very high social sensitivity because we are a people who have suffered a lot, who have gone through many difficulties, and who know what poverty is". The Evangelical missionary movement in Latin America is booming, with a growing number of believers like Carlos and Ana feeling the call to take the Gospel beyond their borders. As this "sleeping giant" continues to awaken, it is poised to bring about an even greater impact on the nations of the world in the years to come. This article was originally published by Christian Daily International. Home News Online pastor, wife allegedly sold $3.2M in worthless cryptocurrency to Christians An online pastor and his wife are facing civil fraud charges in Colorado for selling some $3.2 million in a worthless cryptocurrency they created called INDXcoin to hundreds of Christians while claiming that God said the investment would make them wealthy. Colorado Securities Commissioner Tung Chan filed the charges against Eligio Eli and Kaitlyn Regalado of Denver, INDXcoin, LLC, Kingdom Wealth Exchange LLC and other parties connected to sales of the cryptocurrency for alleged violations of the anti-fraud, licensing and registration provisions of the Colorado Securities Act, the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies said in a release last Thursday. The complaint, filed by the Colorado Attorney Generals Office, said investigators from the Colorado Division of Securities found that from June 2022 to April 2023, INDXcoin raised nearly $3.2 million from more than 300 individuals who were recruited as investors from Christian communities in Denver. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe It was last October that the Lord brought this cryptocurrency to me. He said, Take this to my people for a wealth transfer. It has been confirmed a hundred times since, Regalado reportedly told his followers online on Aug. 22, 2022, according to the lawsuit cited by The Denver Post. It is coming, people, he said. Part of the making way for His people is to really train them up and teach them how finances work in the Kingdom because many of you very soon are going to have more money than youve ever had in your life by participating in this crypto. On Nov. 1, that year, however, INDXcoin and Kingdom Wealth Exchange were shut down. Regalado insisted to investors that God had everything under control. Stay where youre at. Stay in INDXcoins. Stay with where Im telling you to go. Im going to make a way, the Lord said to crypto investors, according to Regalado. Just take that word as gospel truth and execute on that word and do not worry about how the moneys going to happen. I really believe youre going to see a miracle in very short order. Prior to INDXcoins getting shut down, investigators said the coins sold for $1.50 each, payable to Regalados Venmo account or wire transfer to the bank account of his marketing firm Grace Led Marketing, which he ran with his wife. According to the lawsuit, investors were told every INDXcoin was worth at least $10 and there were 30 million of them in circulation. The volume of coins in circulation means that the pastors firm should have had $300 million to back them but investigators found they had only $30,000. According to Chan, Regalado and his wife had no experience in cryptocurrency. Even though a third-party auditors report allegedly described the couples INDXcoin code as unsafe, unsecure, and riddled with serious technical problems they allegedly continued to promote the INDXcoin as a low risk, high profit investment. In reality, however, the INDXcoin was illiquid and practically worthless; investors lost millions; and Defendants dissipated investor funds to support their lavish lifestyle, the release from Chans office said. Citing the pastor and his wifes bank records, Chan alleges they splurged at least $1.3 million on a Range Rover, jewelry, luxury handbags, cosmetic dentistry, boat rentals, snowmobile adventures, home renovations and an au pair. We allege that Mr. Regalado took advantage of the trust and faith of his own Christian community and that he peddled outlandish promises of wealth to them when he sold them essentially worthless cryptocurrencies, Chan stated. New coins and new exchanges are easy to create with open source code. We want to remind consumers to be very skeptical. Home News House Speaker Mike Johnson: Biden's election 'must've been God's will' 'I think we're gonna make a much better choice as a country' in 2024 House Speaker Mike Johnson gave reporters at a GOP media briefing a Bible study of sorts on the topics of Gods sovereignty and his personal view on the 2020 election. The Louisiana Republican was asked by an unidentified member of the media at the weekly press conference for GOP leadership on Jan. 17 whether he thinks President Joe Bidens victory in the bitterly contested and politically heated campaign was, in fact, Gods will. Johnson, a 51-year-old Evangelical who was elected speaker last fall after receiving the backing of former President Donald Trump, told reporters he believes Bidens victory must have been Gods will because of his personal faith in the Scriptures. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Q: "Do you believe that Joe Biden's presidency is God's will?" .@SpeakerJohnson: "Oh, I know where you're going with this...It must have been Gods will then. Thats my belief...I think were going to make a much better choice as a country coming up in this election cycle." pic.twitter.com/kjrJWJHfv4 CSPAN (@cspan) January 17, 2024 I said in my speech before I took the gavel that, look, I'm a Bible-believing Christian, right? A Bible-believing Christian believes what the Bible says, right? Johnson replied. The Bible says that God is the one who raises up people in authority. He explained that not only does he believe God is sovereign, but that Americas Founding Fathers held a similar view. Johnson pointed to the Declaration of Independence, a document he said shows the Founding Fathers acknowledge[d] that our rights don't come from government, they come from God, and we're made in His image. Everybody's made the same, added Johnson. We all are given equal rights and value and that's something that we defend. Based on those beliefs, he said, then you believe that God is the one that allows people to be raised in authority. [Bidens election] must've been God's will then. That's my belief, said Johnson. The House Speaker then pivoted to the upcoming 2024 election and voiced his belief that it will result in regime change for the Biden administration. I think that a nation makes a decision collectively, 'cause we're given free will to do that, and I think we're gonna make a much better choice as a country comin' up in this election cycle, he said. We're very much looking forward to that regime change. In October, Johnson made similar comments following his election as speaker after weeks of internal turmoil, telling lawmakers, I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear: that God is the one who raises up those in authority. "He raised up each of you, all of us," Johnson said to his Republican and Democrat colleagues. "I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time. "This is my belief. I believe that each one of us has a huge responsibility today to use the gifts that God has given us to serve the extraordinary people of this great country and they deserve it." In addition to Trumps support, Johnsons election as House Speaker had the blessing of high-profile Evangelicals, including former Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, and Franklin Graham. Home News Tennessee church packs over 101,000 meals for children in impoverished nations worldwide Volunteers at a Tennessee church recently packed more than 101,000 meals to be delivered to families in need worldwide. ChristWay Church of Ooltewah held the meal-packing event on Saturday, with around 500 volunteers packing a total of 101,088 meals in 468 boxes. Laura Wootan, communications coordinator with ChristWay Church, told The Christian Post that the number of meals will mean that 275 children from impoverished nations will now have enough food to sustain them every day for an entire year. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The driving force behind ChristWays decision to host this impactful event stems from our commitment to love others and ultimately making Christ's presence known globally, said Wootan. Wootan cited the chuch's motto: Love is Why, and Luke 6:20-21, in which Jesus says, Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. While ChristWay has taken part in meal-packing events hosted by Feed My Starving Children in recent years, according to Wootan, Saturdays event held a special significance. It marks the first time in many years that we were able to host our own event, a testament to the financial support received through our gatherings' generous donations, Wootan said. Despite facing challenging weather conditions, our community rallied together, resulting in an incredible turnout that surpassed expectations. The 101,088 meals are expected to be distributed worldwide by FMSC, with boxes going to 40 nations in Africa, 16 in Asia, 14 in the Caribbean, 12 in Europe, 11 in the Middle East, and 18 in the Americas. Beyond the provision of meals, our overarching hope is that the children receiving these nourishing packages will not only have their physical needs met but will also feel the transformative love of Jesus and come to know Him personally, Wootan added. Additionally, we aspire for the families who actively participated in the packing process to experience the profound joy that comes from selflessly serving others. According to its website, ChristWay traces its roots back to 1887 with a congregation known as Central Baptist Church that was based in North Brainerd before moving to Ooltewah in 2001. Home Opinion Blood libels are spreading like an 11th plague Blood Libel is not a familiar term for many of us Christians today since relationships have undergone warmth and cooperation between Christians and Jews, especially in the last two decades. However, the modern versions of blood libels have spread like the eleventh plague globally. The Middle Ages version of blood libel, a fictitious accusation that Jews murdered non-Jews (such as Christian children) to use their blood in religious rituals, has intensified again since October 7, 2023. While the medieval phrase blood libel may not be used explicitly, the terms insidious meaning has lurked for centuries traveling in and out of history, prompting pogroms, mob violence, torture, trials, and the eviction of entire Jewish communities often ordered by governments. The alleged death of Nazism after World War II is undergoing an evil renaissance from the new Nazis within Irans Islamic regime and its proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and parts of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank. Today, lies are exploding in what we call fake news or propaganda. Historys rearview mirror provides an insightful beginning to explore how social media is poisoning millions of minds with unfounded Jewish hatred. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. Mark Twain When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century, it served both good and evil purposes. For Christians and Jews, it was an absolute godsend for printing mass copies of the Old and New Testaments. The printing press enabled news, albeit very slowly, to go global. The invention made the esteemed priest and theologian Martin Luther the worlds first best-selling author. Luther once observed, Printing is the ultimate gift of God and the greatest one. Today, the Bible is still the worlds most popular book. Based on British and Foreign Bible Society research in 2021, Guinness World Records estimates that some 57 billion copies have been printed. Now, we even have Bible apps downloaded by the hundreds of millions! So, what harm could come from Luthers book being printed with Gutenbergs innovative printing press? Blood libels were spread even through this world-changing man, the father of the Christian Protestant Reformation. In 1543, in a change of heart toward the Jews, Luther lashed out in his small booklet, The Jews and Their Lies. He viciously condemned Jews for their refusal to convert to Christianity. He suggested burning their homes and synagogues (a den of devils) and confiscating their prayer books. Adolph Hitler seized on Luthers book and popularized it during the Third Reich. Kurt Hendel, professor emeritus of Reformation History at Chicagos Lutheran School of Theology, observed: They [the Gestapo] very clearly used Luthers writings that had all this anti-Semitism in them to support their cause. Hendel went on to say that Luther was not a Nazi anti-Semite," he was a "religious anti-Semite" because Jews would not convert to Christianity. Either way, Luthers book descended into a disaster at the hands of the demonic Hitler. The printing press was a change agent generating a vast effect on global culture and advancements for both greatness and grief. Its reach informs us today about how AI, computers, the internet, smartphones, and social media are shaping culture more than 500 years later. Global news is instantaneous, artificial intelligence speeds up Bible translations, and platforms proliferate for both the most holy and the most unholy ideas and voices. Worldwide, there are 5.3 billion internet users, with 4.95 billion using social media. Advances in technology have moved us from the information age into the digital, AI, or experience age. Evil occupies platforms that disfigure minds using blood libels that in the modern era are known as propaganda. The fake news circulates the globe with one click, one post, one twisted headline without any factual context. It is imperative that Christians join together in a massive division of information warfare using the weapons of facts and truth to combat the misinformation parroted by mainstream media and its surrogates. Evangelicals use of social media to help oppose slander against Israel is an opportunity of colossal proportions if we choose to take advantage of it. A list of libels that fuel hate speech and violence could fill pages since Jew hatred incidents have increased by 1,180%. Here are a few examples: Israel has been accused of illegal organ harvesting. The latest accusation from Hamas and other questionable news outlets says that Israel returned eighty bodies to Gaza with vital organs removed. Israel is rightly returning Palestinian bodies to Gaza, but the malicious lies about illegal organ harvesting are baseless. These rumors are especially malicious and evil coming from terrorists who refuse to return Israeli bodies for proper burial. The slogan reverberating in mass anti-Israel demonstrations from the river to the sea, Palestine shall be free is a clear call for genocide from most participants. The demonstrators are either dangerously uneducated or downright evil. After receiving hundreds of millions in funding, TikTok has propelled this narrative: Palestinians are oppressed, and Israelis are the oppressors. Blood libel, a propagandistic disease, has bled into American socity. It can be seen in violent attacks on streets across America. Plenty of anti-Semitic professors weigh in with their dangerous lies: A Yale professor called Israel a murderous, genocidal settler state and Palestinians have every right to resist through armed struggle. When a journalist reminded her that she was talking about innocent civilians she replied, Settlers are not civilians. Finally, the South African government is pushing a case against Israel, accusing them of genocide in hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). That court is part of the United Nations. The 1948 Genocide Convention, enacted after the Nazi Holocaust, defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. The judges likely walked in carrying their anti-Israel biases with them. I am curious: Did the judges read the Hamas Charters definition of genocide before taking their seats? The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them. The definition matches. In response, South African Christians are standing in support of Israel. Here is part of their document. This [governments] silence is more conspicuous given the recent hosting of a delegation from Iran and Hamas in South Africa. Such actions could be interpreted as direct support to Hamass tactics, including using civilians as human shields and diverting aid for military purposes and the building of tunnels, rather than humanitarian relief sent to the Palestinian people, which was intercepted by Hamas. At this writing, 20 prominent Christian organizations and churches in South Africa have signed this document. The South African Christians have bravely spoken out against their government, a role model for all of us Christians. In the meantime, I have not read about any country that has taken Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah, or Houthis to the ICJ. Hamas describes the shared ideology in its founding charter: The Day of Judgment will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them. Fortunately, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States rejected South Africas charges. Do Christians need any more proof that blood libels/propaganda have infected our world in an unparalleled way? And will Christians step up and join in with information warfare using facts and truth to combat the lies and misinformation? All of us together can create a groundswell of opposition to poisonous lies and lethal misinformation against our great ally Israel. Home Opinion Revelation 20: Resurrected and ruling with Christ Although now long out of print, The Sunday School Times once published an interesting story about a Christian woman who was talking with a Christian man about their future in Christ. She said to him with excitement, I have taken a single ticket to Glory, and do not intend to come back. Whereupon the Christian man replied: Then, you are going to miss a lot. I have taken a return ticket, for I am not only going to meet Christ in Glory, but I am coming back with him in power and great glory to the earth. One of Americas founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin, was known to have said, God grant that not only the love of liberty but a thorough knowledge of the rights of man may pervade all the nations of the earth, so that a philosopher may set his foot anywhere on its surface and say, This is my country. That day is coming! It will happen when Christ returns to set up His Kingdom for a thousand years. This period is called The Millennium. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe This time will begin after Christ comes again, bringing His Saints with Him from Heaven, the enemies of God are defeated at Armageddon, Satan and the demons who do his bidding are seized and thrown into the abyss, surviving sinners of the Tribulation will be consigned to perdition, the Tribulation saints will go into the Kingdom, and Christ will appoint under him thrones, rulers, leaders who have shown themselves faithful, and the Savior shall splendidly rule over the entire globe. This incredible future era is mentioned in Revelation chapter 20 verses 4 through 6. The Bible says: Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them, the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:4-6). Other stirring passages of Scripture also predict this Golden Age, as some scholars have called it. The book of Daniel foretells: But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever until the Ancient One the Most High came and judged in favor of his holy people. Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be given to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him (Daniel 7:18, 22, 27). The apostle Paul alluded to this same time, saying: Dont you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, cant you decide even these little things among yourselves? Dont you realize that we will judge angels? So, you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life (I Corinthians 6:2-3). Recalling Christs words in his letter to the fourth church of the seven churches of Revelation, Thyatira, the Scriptures say: To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations. They will rule the nations with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots. They will have the same authority I received from my Father, and I will also give them the morning star! (Revelation 2:26-28). A foundational belief of Christianity is that salvation is a gift of grace from God. It is not earned through good deeds (Ephesians 2:8,9). It comes through faith in Christ and His finished work, not our own. And, while it is true that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, the Bible also teaches that genuine faith is accompanied by good deeds or a transformed life (James 2:14-26). Believers are to live according to Gods commands, not so that they might be saved but because they are saved because they love the Savior and are grateful for His mercy. Christ admonished his followers to obey His teachings (John 14:15). Believers are commanded to grow in their relationship with the Lord, deepen their understanding of Gods Word (2 Peter 3:18), and strive to bring every part of their lives into compliance with Gods will (Colossians 3:17). The Bible also emphasizes stewardship in life (I Peter 4:10), where Gods people are seen as stewards of the resources and gifts he gives them the opportunities He gives them to glorify His name and advance His purposes. In Luke chapter 19 and verses 11 through 26, Jesus told a parable commonly known as the Parable of the Talents. In this parable, Jesus said a nobleman gave ten servants talents (a form of currency) and asked them to invest those talents while he was away to become King. Upon his return, he rewarded those who earned more talents, giving them authority over cities. One servant, however, did nothing, and his talents were taken away from him. The point of the parable is that faithful stewardship for the Lord is generously rewarded, while neglect leads to loss not the loss of salvation but the loss of reward. A passage that cross-references what Jesus said about rewards is I Corinthians chapter 3 verses 10 through 15, where the apostle Paul talks about believers works being tested by fire on the Day of Judgment. If a persons works endure, they will receive a reward, but if their works are burned up, they will suffer loss, but still be saved. This passage suggests that while all believers are saved, there can be differences in the rewards they receive based on their earthly actions. Note that during the millennial reign of Christ, John said that he saw thrones, clearly places of rule on the earth assigned by the Lord Jesus. What did the Lord Jesus reference as a reward for the faithful servants in his parable of the talents? Jesus said: The first servant reported, Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount! Well done! the king exclaimed. You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward. The next servant reported, Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount. Well done! the king said. You will be governor over five cities (Luke 19:16-19). The application of this text may be broad, with some appropriate spiritualizing, but there is no reason it shouldnt be interpreted literally, too. The bestowed reward entails the privilege of exercising dominion and governance over cities. While salvation is a central focus of the New Testament, several verses encourage believers to have an eternal perspective. In other words, our actions and choices in the present age have significance in the context of Christs future Kingdom. Those who were faithful with what they were given shall be given more responsibility and reward, while those who were unfaithful will have what was given them taken away. There are gradations of reward, gradations of responsibility, and even different levels of honor and status, for those who are loyal to the Master. It might be said this way: We are to prepare now to prevail later. We are to master the present for Christ so that we may rule the future with Him. Salvation is by grace alone, but rewards and a privileged position in Christs future Kingdom come by works. Some Christians mistakenly think that in the future Kingdom of our Lord everyone will be equal. Every believer will indeed be equally satisfied and equally joyful, but not all will be equal in the recognition of their service. Who specifically makes up the people who sit upon the thrones of Christs Messianic Kingdom? The late evangelist Jack Van Impe, in his book, Revelation Revealed, succinctly answers, saying the ones who rule on the thrones are those who take part in the first resurrection, which includes the Old Testament saints, Church Age saints, and Tribulation saints. Van Impe continues: The resurrection of the Old Testament believers is described in Daniel 12:1 and 2, and the resurrection of the New Testament saints in I Thessalonians 4:16-18 and I Corinthians 15:15-54 ... [T]he resurrection of the martyred Tribulation saints undoubtedly occurs at the glorious appearing of Christ (Titus 2:13) when he returns to earth. Chapter 6 [of Revelation] verses 9 through 11, presented this view. At that point, these martyrs awaited their resurrection but were told to wait yet for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled. Thus, we see that the thrones are occupied by resurrected believers from Adam onward, inclusive of the last Tribulation martyrs. Each has been a participant in the first resurrection. These saints are entitled to sit upon thrones because they are members of a royal priesthood (I Peter 2:9). Christ has made them kings and priests (chapter 5, verse 10). Who can fathom such a day!? There has never been anything in history like it. It will mean the world will be governed by Christ at the head, His lieutenants on thrones subject to his authority, and perfect righteousness and justice shall fill every land. M.R. DeHaan in his commentary on Revelation further explains: While he was here on earth the Lord Jesus taught that all men who die will be raised again at some future time. His words are unmistakably clear: All that are in the graves shall come forth [John 5:28-29] Most Christians have been taught to believe in a general resurrection, a resurrection of all men at the end of the world However, the Bible and the Lord Jesus teach a view entirely different than this. According to Jesus and all New Testament apostles, there will be two distinct resurrections separated by at least a thousand years during which Jesus will reign upon the earth and set up His Millennial Kingdom. The saved of both the Old and New Testament will be raised before this blessed Kingdom Age, whereas the lost of all ages will not be resurrected until after the thousand years are ended. The first resurrection will occur at the coming again of the Lord Jesus Christ when he descends upon the clouds of heaven, and all the saints bodies which have been sleeping in the grave will be raised and joined to their redeemed souls, which have been in the presence of the Lord, conscious and happy awaiting the time of the resurrection of the body This first resurrection at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ before the Tribulation [at the Rapture] is called in a word that blessed hope. Our hope is not the setting up of a kingdom of peace by mans efforts, and our comfort when we bid our loved ones farewell is not that they are now in Heaven while their bodies crumble in the dust. We are not comforted by the fact that our loved ones are absent from the body, and present with the Lord. Our comfort is not this, that while their bodies are decaying in the dust they are disembodied spirits, but this is our blessed hope: Jesus Christ is coming again to raise the bodies of our loved ones and unite them with their redeemed spirits. We shall meet them again, not simply as ghosts and spirits, but as human beings with bodies redeemed and glorified. We will meet never to part again, but to enjoy forever and forever the fellowship of our Lord and the fellowship of those who were so dear to us here belowThis is the hope of all who have a part in the first resurrection This glorious and imminent event will be the greatest reunion the world has ever seen and ever known. Not only will we meet him, the One who died for us, but we will be reunited, never to part again, with our loved ones who have died in the faith. Wow, as one old country preacher said, If that dont light your fire, your woods wet! According to Revelation chapter 20 verse 4, the martyred Tribulation saints are later resurrected at the end of the Tribulation, the Consummation, when Christ returns as a warrior King on that magnificent white horse to put down all opposition to His Lordship. Thus, the apostle Pauls meaning when he says in I Corinthians 15:23 that there is an order to the resurrection of the righteous, every man in his own order. The resurrection of the Tribulation saints completes what is considered the first resurrection the resurrection of the redeemed. Indeed, Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power (v. 6). What wonderous assurance! The martyrs for Christ only die once physically, but are forever literally brought back to life again in the first resurrection. Those who reject Christ as Savior die twice, once at their passing, and after the 1,000 year reign of Christ when they are bodily raised to life again to be judged and thrown into the Lake of Fire, which is the second death (Revelation 20:14). There is an extraordinary story told many years ago by Dr. E.R. Bull, a Methodist missionary, concerning something remarkable found on the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. Dr. Bull said a huge grave was discovered on the island of Amakusa, where a marker stated that the heads of 11,111 Christians were buried. The date of the grave was marked 1637 the year the Japanese government ordered every Christian to be exterminated. Christians were beheaded, and their bodies were buried separately. The purpose behind this bizarre brutality was the missionaries who brought Christianity to Japan had fervently preached the bodily resurrection of those who place their faith in Christ. The preaching of this Gospel so disturbed the Japanese rulers that they supposed that separating the heads of the Christians from their bodies in burial would make it impossible for them to return from the grave. But God has ordained that those who genuinely trust in the Savior for the forgiveness of their sins and the gift of eternal life will most assuredly rise from the grave, having new, whole, immortal, and indestructible bodies to live and reign over the whole world with Christ. Jesus promised in His Sermon on the Mount, God blesses those who are humble,(God blesses those who humble themselves before him), for they will inherit the whole earth (Matthew 5:5). Gods children, those born again by the Spirit, have not just been given a one-way ticket to Glory, but have been given a two-way ticket, and are coming back with Christ in power and great glory to the earth. Home Opinion Secular 'church'? How some atheists are trying to fill the void The United States, traditionally a stronghold of religious belief, has seen a statistically verifiable and significant shift towards secularism over the past few decades. In the summer of 2022, Gallup released the latest version of a regular poll that they conduct on American religious beliefs and behaviors, finding that The vast majority of U.S. adults believe in God, but the 81% who do so is down six percentage points from 2017 and is the lowest in Gallups trend. Between 1944 and 2011, more than 90% of Americans believed in God. Writing for The Conversation, Phil Zuckerman summarized some of the other key findings of the study, noting that among Americans under 30, it [the drop in the belief in God] is down to an unprecedented 68%. Up close, the trend looks even more dramatic. Only about half of Americans believe in God as described in the Bible, while about a quarter believe in a higher power or spiritual force, according to a Pew poll. Just one-third of Generation Z say they believe in God without a doubt. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Parallel to the decline in religious belief is the rise of the nones. As of 2021, about three-in-ten U.S. adults (29%) are religious nones, meaning those who describe themselves as atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular, according to a Pew Research Center poll. The percentage of Americans without religious affiliation is around 20-29%, with people who identify as nothing in particular accounting for the growing majority of this demographic. Another interesting data point, and one that leads us to the topic I want to address here, is that church attendance and membership have also dropped: Congregational membership, too, is at an all-time low. In 2021 Gallup found that, for the first time ever, fewer than half of Americans 47% were members of a church, synagogue or mosque. The data is clear: Fewer and fewer Americans profess to believe in God with each passing year; and when it comes to the younger generations, the lack of faith, and the decline of Christianity, is rising rapidly. But what these numbers wont tell you what they cant tell you is that there has been absolutely no decline at all in the number of worshippers in the United States. Everyone worships something. Everyone believes in some god. Perhaps, then, a better way to explain the data is not that Americans are becoming less religious, but that they are trading in the one true Christian faith for cheap knockoffs. After all, even atheism is a religion. And religion, of all stripes, is an organizing principle. No matter how much the darkened hearts and minds of those who reject God try to fill the void left behind by abandoning true worship, it cant be done. Reaching escape velocity from the gravity of the need for God in a human heart is an impossible task. Augustine explains why in Confessions: Because you have made us for Yourself, O God, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in Thee. Sadly, this doesnt stop people from trying to find paltry substitutes. Yahoo recently published a piece by Jacqui Frost from Purdue University that documents the rise of secular or atheist churches. Frost begins her article with this observation and question: Shared testimonies, collective singing, silent meditation and baptism rituals these are all activities you might find at a Christian church service on a Sunday morning in the United States. But what would it look like if atheists were gathering to do these rituals instead? What would it look like? In short, a hollow humanistic ritual that manages to replicate the form of church with none of the spiritual substance and transcendent meaning. Frost continues by arguing that As a sociologist of religion who has spent the past 10 years studying nonreligious communities, I have found that atheist churches serve many of the same purposes as religious churches. Their growth is evidence that religious decline does not necessarily mean a decline in community, ritual or peoples well-being. Ritual? Sure. Community? Maybe. But well-being? The Bible teaches us that mankind is both body and soul. We dont just need ritual, or community, or routine we need to know and worship God. True, holistic well-being can only be found through the saving power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus rebukes the devil by reminding him: It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. Frost explains that Secular congregations often mimic religious organizations by using the language and structure of a church, such as meeting on Sundays or hearing a members testimony, or by adapting religious language or practices in other ways. What she and these secular congregations fail to realize is that its the Word that gives meaning to the Sunday morning assembly we call church, not the mere fact that people get together and go through a routine. Yet the fact that atheists and secular assemblies borrow so heavily from the Christian tradition in their attempts to reverse engineer what God has already given us in the church shows that the quest for meaning and belonging that can only be found in God is indeed inescapable. David Foster Wallace, the critically acclaimed American writer, eloquently put this instinct into words in a now-famous quote: Heres something else thats weird but true: in the day-to-day trenches of adult life, there is actually no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. The rise of secular churches serves as a poignant reminder that everyone worships. Atheism, at the end of the day, is a myth. As creatures, we were made to know and worship our Creator. Refusing to worship the true God doesnt mean that you dont worship it just means that, ultimately, you worship idols. The prophet Jeremiah condemns this misguided and futile effort to replace God: For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water (Jeremiah 2:13). Secular assemblies are nothing more than broken cisterns, hewn by human hands, that hold no water. These poor people are dying of thirst but digging wells in all the wrong places. Their humanistic gatherings betray their need for living water which can only be found in a Christian church that worships the true Christ, who affirmed and fulfilled the Scriptures, and who was crucified for our sins, raised to life for our justification, and now rules and reigns over all things. Jesus Himself gave us the prescription in John 7:37-38: If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center. Home Opinion With DeSantis out, can a Christian support Donald Trump? With DeSantis out and Trump still in, many are asking, How can you follow Jesus and Donald Trump? Lets be crystal clear here: We are not following a man; we are shaping a movement. A better, biblical question to ask is, What direction is the country heading? Confrontation over character If a leader lacks Christian character but is pointing the nation back to God, is that a bad thing? If they are being a terror to terrorists and making America secure, is that a bad thing? If they are honoring hard work and minimizing free handouts, is that a bad thing? If they are fighting the global agenda to enslave America, is that a bad thing? Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe God doesnt judge a nation based on the character of one man; He judges it based on the spiritual health of her people from corrupt Balaam to ungodly kings in the Old Testament if leaders direct the people back to God it can be a very good thing. A reality check We cant allow personal pain or flawed character to have national consequences. Were not playing games anymore serious things are on the line that have massive consequences for you and your children and grandchildren. We need to wake up. There is no Plan B. Although I really like Ron DeSantis, and Viveks wit and knowledge are impressive, I dont believe that any other candidate can carry Trumps momentum. Bursting at the border Christians love refugees and immigrants and are eager to help with food, lodging, and jobs. But at the national level, the president is to put the safety and provision of the American people first. When an airplane loses cabin pressure, parents put on their oxygen masks first to better assist their child. This isnt selfishness; its wisdom. Opening the borders parallels cabin pressure falling and a limited supply of masks. Our law enforcement officers could not sustain the load, nor could our nations healthcare system. And the truth is that we may have more enemies than friendlies crossing the border. Who is influencing you? The majority of news outlets spin everything (yes, everything) to put Trump in a bad light. Their hatred for him trumps the truth. Their agenda is simple and clear: Remove him from office at any cost! And I hope you realize this: They are really coming after you, me, and our Christian values. The push toward open borders is more about votes than truly helping people; hence the medias silence on this issue. Open borders would be like me telling my kids to leave their windows open in case a stranger needs a warm nights sleep. That would be severe parental neglect because many harmful things could also enter through those open windows. Open borders would parallel that type of irresponsibility. Most critics dont care what the facts are. Their hatred for the former president overshadows their desperate need for humility. Let this sink in: Innocent children will be protected, godly counsel will hopefully surround Trump, terror will be restrained, good judges will be selected, socialism will be resisted, families will be encouraged via prices dropping, prayer will be sought again, and on and on it goes. Its time to embrace facts over feelings and results over emotions. Rough but tough An analogy that I often use will bring this point home: The head of a neighborhood watch program, who took the late-night watches, was occasionally gruff and impulsive, and sometimes his words were crass and offensive, but he watched over the neighborhood diligently each night. Each week he invited church leaders into his home to pray for him and his family and to seek their advice. He often stood against others on the committee who wanted to enact policies harmful to the neighborhood and to the children, such as advocating an open-door policy where residents were required to allow anyone into their homes at all hours of the day for handouts. Is this not the kind of person you would want leading your neighborhood watch? Does his past or his demeanor matter more than the results he is accomplishing? If you are intellectually honest, the answer is not difficult. Blinded by pride We cant have our cake and eat it too there is no middle ground for Christians today. You can choose a president who will seek to destroy America (and in many ways already has), or you can choose to back Trump. Again, there is no Plan B. Im more concerned with our nations national character than I am with the president's personal character. Calls for political action to address staggering increase in porn addiction among young people A Christian charity is calling for urgent political action after new research found large numbers of young people are addicted to pornography. Mental health and addiction clinic, Paracelsus Recovery, has reported a 150 per cent increase in people being treated for porn addiction between 2019 and 2023. The clinic's chief executive, Jan Gerber, told the Mail Online that nearly two thirds of young people are addicted and that "porn addiction is significantly more common than official numbers suggest". "We estimate that one in two males suffer from problematic porn consumption that would meet the diagnostic criteria for addiction, and one in four females. Among under-18s, the levels are higher still, at around 60 per cent," said Gerber. Responding to the comments, Christian policy group CARE said the figures were "shocking" and that tougher regulation of online porn was needed to protect young people. CARE's director of advocacy and policy, Louise Davies, said the development "illustrates the astonishing scope of porn consumption and addiction in society, including among children". "The impact pornography has on children and young people is greatly concerning to parents, child safety campaigners, groups representing women and girls, and many others," she said. She expressed particular concern about links between violent porn and sexual crime, and said that "huge fears" around artificial intelligence "must urgently be considered". "The government has committed to reviewing gaps in the law and this is welcome. We do not have parity in offline and online regulation," she said. "At present, mainstream porn sites can host material that would be illegal in the offline world. There are no rules requiring participants' age and consent to be verified. And there is no mechanism for individuals who have had content shared illegally to get it taken down." She continued, "It has taken years for concerns about internet pornography to gain prominence, and it falls to political leaders to keep up momentum for change. "The pornography industry cannot be allowed to act with impunity anymore. There is a moral obligation for action that leads to vulnerable groups being protected." Polling by Savanta on behalf of CARE has found strong support for age verification on porn websites to protect children, with eight in 10 UK adults wanting this. The same number have said that access to online porn should be restricted to over-18s only. A separate poll for CARE found that six in 10 UK adults fear that porn is inspiring sexual violence against women and girls. Honoree Julie Andrews attends the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute celebrating Julie Andrews at Dolby Theatre on June 09, 2022 in Hollywood, California. Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI Dame Julie Andrews Edwards, yes the Julie Andrews of Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music fame, will be directing a musical at the Legacy Theatre in Branford this summer. With the outpouring of support we have had from the community, fellow artists in the theater world, and the kind recognition we have received from BroadwayWorld and beyond, it is a crowning glory to welcome Dame Julie Andrews Edwards into our theatrical home and bask in the presence of her artistry, skill and her own particular legacy, Keely Baisden Knudsen, the Legacys artistic director and co-founder, said in a statement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Knudsen said Broadway actress Anne Runolfsson who also acts as the development manager at the Legacy is a long-time family friend of Andrews. Knudsen added that she met Andrews when she directed the show at the Goodspeed back in 2012. At that point (2012), Legacy Theatre was merely an idea that co-founder Stephanie Williams and I had! Fast forward to this moment, in which Anne has invited Dame Julie's team of extraordinary creatives to consider the Legacy Theatre for the next phase of their show, and I couldn't be more thrilled or more honored, she said. The Great American Mousical is about an acting troupe of mice who have to deal with their venue being threatened by demolition and a missing star all while ensuring that the show must go on. Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Gattelli will also be part of the Legacys production. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Our audiences have proven that they love great, funny, moving, exciting musicals that are terrific for all generations of their family. This production could not be a better fit for that directive, Knudsen said. It has such extraordinary wit by the great Hunter Bell, lyrics to match from Marcy Zeisler, and a tremendous score from Zina Goldrich. Coupled with Christopher Gattelli's celebrated choreography and Dame Julie Andrews Edwards' directing excellence, this production is such a special milestone moment in Legacy's growing legacy! Prior to directing the premiere of The Great American Mousical in Chester, she directed The Boy Friend at Goodspeed in East Haddam in 2005. It's time to confront porn's harms The government has launched a call for evidence on the impact of pornography, as part of wider review of the porn industry. A public questionnaire, open until 7 March, asks about porn's impact on relationships, sexual behaviours, mental health and attitudes towards women and girls. For campaigners working in this area, it's encouraging to see this. Public awareness of porn's dangers has not always been matched within politics, where momentum for change has been more glacial. It is clear that the impact of pornography in society is greatly concerning to the British public. In our work on this issue over a number of years, we have seen growing concern among adults, particularly with regard to porn's impact on vulnerable groups. This has been matched in expert advocacy by groups representing children and women and girls. A Savanta poll of more than 2,000 UK adults for CARE found that 8 in 10 people think age checks should be introduced to protect children. The same proportion of respondents said that access to pornography should only, ever be for over-18s. A separate poll commissioned by CARE found that a significant 6 in 10 UK adults fear porn is inspiring sexual violence against women and girls. Female respondents were more concerned that porn is motivating sexual violence (7 in 10) than male respondents (5 in 10). However, both sexes strongly agreed on the need for tougher curbs on porn sites (8 in 10 and 7 in 10 respectively). Fears about the links between violent pornography and sexual crime have spiked in recent years in the wake of tragic cases like that of Sarah Everard, whose killer was obsessed with 'rape porn'. A growing body of evidence from front line workers helping victims of sexual crime, educationalists and members of the judiciary also points to a link between consumption of extreme pornography and sexual crime. The public have long been alive to this link especially parents. A 2016 report by the Women and Equalities Committee highlighted concern among experts that porn is motivating sexual violence in schools. The report noted that: "The link between pornography and sexual violence was a consistent theme amongst expert witnesses...significant qualitative evidence suggests that increasing access to pornography and technological advances, including online platforms, can facilitate harassment and violence and thus exacerbate the problem". In the years since, schools' regulator Ofsted has warned that sexual harassment is now "normalised" among young people. Initiatives like 'Everyone's Invited' have provided shocking anecdotal evidence. And organisations such as Fight the New Drug have established an "ever-growing database" of research on the harmful effects of pornography. We have moved far beyond arguing about whether porn is harmful it is. The question is how we address these harms in law, and wider culture. The government has committed to reviewing gaps in the law and it is clear that parity is not being achieved in offline and online regulation. At present, mainstream porn sites can host material that would be illegal in the offline world. There are no rules requiring participants' age and consent to be verified. And there is no mechanism for individuals who have had content shared illegally to get it taken down. Mainstream sites are awash with unlawful and deeply disturbing content. There are also huge fears relating to artificial intelligence, which must urgently be considered. Particularly regarding deepfake pornography and AI-generated child abuse material. Beyond the legislative sphere, there are important questions for education. Whilst positive strides have been made to educate children and young people about porn's impact, boys in particular are more susceptible to the education they are receiving online, on hardcore pornography sites. It has taken years for all of these issues to gain prominence, and it is good to see that they are now at the centre of political discussions at Westminster. It now falls to political leaders to keep up momentum for change. The pornography industry cannot be allowed to act with impunity anymore. It's time to confront the harm porn is doing, and act in defence of the vulnerable. This was first published on the website of CARE and is printed here with permission. UConn Heath in Farmington, Conn., on Tuesday Jan. 28, 2020. Christian Abraham/Hearst Connecticut Media A diagram of a completed DETOUR procedure. Non-reactive stent grafts guide blood through the vein next to the femoral artery, bypassing the blockage in the leg. Endologix LLC (submitted) Maureen Marchetti, 78, poses for a holiday photo. Marchetti will be the first person at UConn Health to undergo a new, minimally-invasive treatment for peripheral artery disease. Submitted (Jim Marchetti) Maureen Marchetti was worried. A year ago the 78 year-old grandmother from Rhode Island noticed her toes change color, first pink, then purple, then black like ash. They were burning and painful, said Marchetti. I went to the hospital to the foot doctor and they determined it was a vascular issue. After a lot of testing and a lot of pain and suffering, the doctors told Marchetti she had to have the toes on her right foot amputated. While she was recovering, her big toe on her left foot started to turn. UConn Health's doctors realized they were in a race against time to save her remaining toes and feet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The doctors said it was going to be very invasive on both legs, said Marchetti of the procedure they initially wanted to use, describing being cut from ankle to groin to bypass the blockages in her leg arteries. I was really fearful of it, but I knew I needed to have it done because I didnt want to lose my other toes. Marchetti needed the surgery, but there was a problem. She would be in the hospital for a while, and at her age, and as a former smoker and cancer survivor, the recovery period would be rough. Marchetti, who stays active with her grandkids and daily life, feared not being able to take stairs or walk very far. Thats when her doctors suggested a new procedure. The minimally-invasive surgery that routes blood around large blockages in the legs had just won approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June of 2023. Shes the perfect candidate, said Dr. Justin DAddario an assistant professor of surgery at UConn Health in Farmington, whose team reached out to the company shepherding the treatment through the FDA trials. They were really receptive and really ecstatic to see our appreciation for the technology. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Marchetti is getting the new procedure done on Thursday. Doctors expect she'll be home by the weekend with a much shorter recovery period. What's bad about PAD The new therapy treats peripheral artery disease, also known as PAD, a circulatory condition caused by blockages in the femoral artery, between the hip and the knee. The disease cuts off blood to the lower extremities. DAddario said that many people dont know they have it until its has progressed in severity. Patients typically feel heaviness, cramping, or pain in the lower leg, feet, and toes. Typically people won't seek help unless they notice poor circulation, extreme pain or weakness, or wounds that won't heal in the lower leg. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Theyll bump themselves and then three months will go by and the wound is still there, DAddario said. Unbeknownst to them, they have either partial or complete blockages in the arteries going to their legs. The disease typically strikes people with diabetes, who are advanced in age and who have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Family history of heart attack and stroke can also contribute to the illness. DAddario said that it's caused by the same process that causes atherosclerosis near the heart. The coronary arteries are kind of small, DAddario said. Blockages in the leg arteries can be much larger, over a foot long, he said, adding: Your body will naturally build up alternative pathways, natural bypasses. But there comes a point where if you continue to progress in the disease your body just cant keep up. The standard treatment for this disease involves grafting a vein from elsewhere in the leg to produce a bypass, which carries a risk of heart attack or stroke. Other treatments expand the arteries from within, typically with a stent, or to try and drill through the blockage and allow the blood to flow. But DAddario said that these other treatments werent as durable as bypasses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad New Treatment The new treatment, called DETOUR created by California-based medical technology company Endologix, is different. Rather than massive surgery that opens up an entire leg, this new procedure routes a stent graft through a small incision and the bloodstream to a space in a vein located near the blocked artery. The vein and artery are stuck together, said Dr. Matt Thompson, CEO of Endologix and a vascular surgeon. The easiest route for the stent graft system is through the vein, it provides you almost a set of railroad tracks where you can feed the stent graft over the entire length of the artery. Using a small needle a surgeon enters the femoral artery from the groin above the blockage with a probe. Another probe enters the vein from below the blockage. The doctor makes a small hole in the artery, connecting it to the vein. A wire from the probe above the blockage is grabbed from below and a series of stents are gently guided downward past the blockage, through the vein, and then back into the artery below the blockage. This technique took about a decade to produce, Thompson said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thompson said that in order for the surgery to be effective, the patient needed to have wide enough veins, otherwise they would risk further complications. He said his company was working very closely with major medical centers to train surgeons in the new procedure. Most companies approach a therapy rollout in a different way to a product rollout, he said, adding that Endologix had to work with receptive hospitals and doctors to train people in the particulars of the procedure. Marchetti says that she is looking forward to a quick recovery and some peace of mind. She plans on taking a trip down to Virginia to see her sister later this year. I have so much hope. I dont have the fear I had before, said Marchetti. Its not like I have rose colored glasses on, I know everything is a risk but I have faith in my team and hope that this will be the answer for me to save the toes on my other foot. Anunt concurs pentru post vacant Institutia Publica Centrul de Consiliere Agricola si Rurala (CCAR) anunta oportunitatea de angajare pentru pozitia de Cercetator stiintific in domeniul agricol, pasionat si dornic sa contribuie la dezvoltarea durabila a se Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas speaks during a news conference at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Two women vote at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media A man turns in his ballot at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas speaks during a news conference at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media A woman receives her ballot as she arrives to vote at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas, right, speaks to a poll worker prior to a news conference at Wilbur Cross School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Tuesdays redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Mayoral candidate John Gomes greets supporters outside Johnson Elementary School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Mayor Joe Ganim speaks with a supporter outside Central High School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Mayoral candidate John Gomes greets supporters outside Central High School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media Ganim and Gomes campaign signs outside Central High School on the day of the redo primary election for Mayor, in Bridgeport, Conn. Jan. 23, 2024. Ned Gerard/Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT The Democratic mayoral primary arrived under the close watch of the state. As voters headed to polling places and cast their votes for Mayor Joe Ganim or challenger John Gomes Tuesday, Connecticut Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas took to Bridgeport to reassure voters of election monitoring measures and encourage heightened vigilance, reminding them "if they see something, to say something." Thomas said a dozen state-recruited volunteers, including attorneys and election experts were on the ground for the primary in Bridgeport, where a pair of election monitors was already stationed to monitor the primary process. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "There are many of us trying to ensure that processes are in place to make sure their votes count and that they are cast free of any interference," she said at a press conference Tuesday morning. "Change may not happen overnight, but we're here with you." Voter fraud allegations have overshadowed the city's election process and gained national attention since September, when the Gomes campaign filed a lawsuit accusing a Ganim supporter of putting multiple absentee ballots in a dropbox outside the downtown government center. A Superior Court judge sided with Gomes and ordered a do-over of the September primary and November election. Ganim won each of those original contests with slim margins, with last-minute absentee ballot counts putting him over the edge. The January primary has raised questions over a potential drop in voter turnout at the polls. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Turnout numbers were not available from the Registrar of Voters as of Tuesday afternoon, but an elections moderator at the Blackham School said turnout seemed "much different" Tuesday than the September primary, which he described as busier than normal. But he said despite a quiet start to the day, the stream of voters started to pick up Tuesday afternoon, increasing from fewer than 10 per hour in the early morning to roughly 25 per hour after 1 p.m., he estimated. Bridgeport residents who came out Tuesday were doing so for their third time, yet despite the repetition, many seemed optimistic in their role to ensure the democratic process remains a fair one. Bishop John Thompson, a pastor at the Calvary Temple Christian Center, said he sees his repeated votes in the mayor's race as necessary to counteract threats to democracy, which he says is on "shaky ground" in Bridgeport and across the country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad He hopes the elected mayor keeps Bridgeport safe, invest in economic upgrades, like a hotel or downtown nightlife, and tighten absentee ballot oversight with an unbiased official who can manage their distribution and return. "It's essential that we participate in the process," Thompson said. "We got to do what we have to do to save our democracy because I think it's under threat. And so in order keep it going we have to come out four times, we'll come out four times. (If) we're going to come out seven times, that's what we got to do." Thomas thanked the city's election workers for volunteering in the fraught election process and applauded the state's election monitors for "solving problems" in tandem with her office and the Bridgeport community. Thomas said she's referred seven complaints to the SEEC in the leadup to the new primary one as recent as Monday. She said they involved how campaign workers circulated absentee ballot applications, candidates breaking the 75-foot rule regulating their distance from a polling location's entrance, individuals picking up other voters' ballots and other "technical" referrals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thomas' SEEC complaint about the absentee ballot applications is separate from Bridgeport's town clerk's request for a judge to sequester the ballots connected to the absentee ballot applications a Gomes campaign worker filed Monday. A judge denied the request to put aside the ballots and for an emergency hearing on it Tuesday. "It's not an easy job to begin with, and to be here today under such intense scrutiny is a testament to their dedication to their work and also to the voters of Bridgeport," Thomas said of Tuesday's election workers. Yet the first hours of voting still came with their share of minor hiccups. Thomas said two ballot tabulators went down at a pair of polling places, which her spokesperson later confirmed as Bassick High School and the Geraldine Johnson School. Thomas said voting was able to continue without interference at those locations, and poll workers deployed backup tabulators "very quickly." Thomas said she also heard one voter withdrew their absentee ballot as of about 10 a.m. an option leading up to that time on Election Day for voters who may be unsure if they should have voted by absentee ballot. She said the singular withdrawal was the only instance she knows of happening Tuesday, but "there could be a couple more out there." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Earlier this month, Thomas had encouraged voters to cast their ballots in person in response to reports that some were afraid of intimidation or coercion. "I did not want to encourage people to put their own safety at risk," Thomas said. "They were concerned about pushing back on someone trying to intimidate them, so it's good for every election. And I would say that's always a good thing if you perhaps did something wrong voting by absentee ballot or if you are in an unsafe position you can always withdraw your absentee by 10 a.m. on Election Day." Thomas touted a series of reforms, including election staff training, ballot dropbox video surveillance, calls checking in with absentee voters, public education videos in English and Spanish, a dozen election day volunteers including attorneys and election experts and education information shared with campaigns so "no one can plead ignorance of the law." "In my office, we'll continue to seek solutions, and I hope you'll all partner with us," Thomas said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rose Maldonado cast her vote in Tuesday's primary with a hope for change in the city where she's lived for most of her adult life, moving to Bridgeport as a 7-year-old from Puerto Rico. Through all the changes she's seen over the decades which she described as less positive recently she said the city deserves more. Maldonado said she wishes for a safer Bridgeport, a more inviting downtown, lower taxes and a response to the city's aged school buildings, and she's willing to come vote a fourth time if that's what it takes. "I think we need a change," she said. "I don't think we could do any worse hopefully, and if we do, the person that gets in, if they don't do their job, they're out in four years." Marlon Cameron's daughter was the inspiration for his third round of voting Tuesday. Standing near the entrance of the polls at the Blackham School, Cameron said he wants her to grow up with a good education and better roads basic qualities of life that he hopes Bridgeport's future administration can provide. "I have a young daughter coming up," Cameron said. "I want to make sure that she's able to have a better future than what I have and not be restricted." Successful litigants holding trial-court judgments have traditionally found themselves positioned similarly to mountaineers atop Mount Everest: After a long, brutal and costly ascent to the summit, they are only halfway home, as their opponents vow to appeal and take their victory away. Legal financiers and other financial professionals have for years offered some peace of mind to such litigants in the form of claim monetizationadvancing a portion of the judgment on a non-recourse basis in exchange for an entitlement from the judgment if and when it is affirmed and ultimately collected. Recently, insurers have offered another financial productJudgment Preservation Insurance, or JPIthat doesnt advance funds against the eventual collection of the judgment but does mitigate the risk of reversal on appeal. Legal financiers can help litigants access the JPI market and enjoy the mitigation of appellate risk that these policies offer by working with them both to fund the purchase of JPI policies and to optimize legal finance products to maximize returns and minimize risks on their insured judgments. In addition to its customary roles of advancing cash to the successful plaintiff pending a final decision and financing legal expenses on appeal, legal finance can enhance the benefit of JPI coverage by tapping legal financiers capital, experience and expertise. What is JPI? Judgment preservation coverage is simple in concept and, ideally, in execution. For a premium, the insurer agrees to assume the risk that a final trial-court judgment does not survive the defendants appeal, agreeing to pay, up to the stated policy limit, the difference between the trial-court award and the amount the plaintiff ultimately recovers post-judgment. Unlike the claim monetization offered by legal financiers who advance funds against judgments on a non-recourse basis, JPI provides only judgment protection, not collection protection. JPI does not guarantee the judgment holder that some or all of the judgment will be recovered in all events. It covers only the legal risk of an adverse judicial outcome, not the risk of being unable to collect following a successful one. Thus, JPI insurers do not cover either the duration risk of the post-judgment proceedings (they do not pay interest on any portion of the trial-court judgment accruing after it is entered) or the credit risk of the defendant (i.e., the risk that the judgment, even if affirmed in whole or in part, cannot be enforced against the defendant). And, of course, JPI does not advance funds to the judgment holder to use pending decision of the appeal; rather, the judgment holder pays the JPI insurer an upfront premium. The underwriting diligence performed by JPI insurers on post-judgment cases mirrors that done by legal financiers, who evaluate claims all along the timeline, with the obvious difference that a post-judgment risk will generally present far fewer variables that a pre-filing or pre-trial one. JPI insurers have the benefit of looking at the risk on a record that has, by definition, been developed to the point where a court has deemed it sufficient to finally adjudicate the claim (whether by trial or on motion), and thus in the context of a judgment that, by definition, reflects at least the trial courts validation of the plaintiffs position. With that record in hand, JPI insurers typically will engage outside counsel with special expertise in the subject matter to opine on the likelihood that the judgment will be upheld on appeal. That opinion, together with the plaintiffs declaration that it has provided all other information the insurer may deem material to the risk, provides the basis for the insurers decision whether, and at what price, to provide coverage. Given their very specific and limited scope, JPI policies are considerably shorter and simpler than most commercial insurance forms. Unlike all-risk property policies, comprehensive general liability policies and other familiar forms of commercial insurance written to cover a broad landscape of unknown future events, JPI forms cover a single, well-defined risk: reduction or reversal of a particular existing judgment. Such policies have no need for the laundry lists of exclusions and conditions addressing a universe of imagined and yet-to-be imagined scenarios. Accordingly, in theory they should present a minimal degree of legal risk themselves. Funding Steep Premiums Thats the good news. The bad news? Primarily, cost. JPI is expensive. Premiums run between 10 and 20 percent of the amount insured, whether that be the whole judgment or just a portion of it. Accordingly, a plaintiff looking to insure $100 million of potential judgment proceeds will need to find a low-eight-figures quantity of cash to put JPI coverage in place. (See, for example, Wall Street Journal, Oct. 17, 2023, The Niche Insurance Policy Behind a Software Companys Big Legal Payout by Kristin Broughton, describing a software company with $2 billion judgment insuring a $500 million portion of the judgment for $57.3 million.) Legal financiers are an attractive source of that cash, as well as of additional financing secured by the judgment. Many plaintiffs, of course, cant or wont pay such a premium out of their own funds. Some are suffering the effects of the wrongful conduct of the defendant that produced the judgment they now hold. Others would rather spend the cash they do have on building their business rather than hedging their bets on their not-quite-final judgment. And many may be loath to borrow from banks or other conventional lenders even if traditional debt is an option for them. Meanwhile, unsurprisingly, JPI insurers have little interest in financing the premiums for their would-be policyholders: Having already taken on the litigation risk of the defendants appeal, they arent disposed to tack on the credit risk of the plaintiff being unable to pay the premium if the judgment is ultimately reversed. How Legal Finance Enhances JPI Legal finance offers a solution by providing an alternative that is not only risk-free but also credit-enhancing. Legal finance applied to the premium for a JPI policylike legal finance applied to the cost of prosecuting the claim to judgment in the first place, or to the monetization of a claim prior to the affirmance and collection of the judgmentis generally non-recourse. The funder recovers its deployment and its profit only from the proceeds of the case (if the judgment is affirmed) or the JPI policy (if it isnt). If the financier recoups its investment and expected profit, its only because the plaintiff has obtained a recovery and will enjoy the balance of the proceeds. Meanwhile, the plaintiffs other assets remain unencumbered. In the JPI environment, moreover, although the legal financing follows the same structure, the economics of financing the further legal proceedings or of monetizing a portion of the hoped-for recovery are generally more plaintiff-friendly given the additional collateral provided by the JPI. The financiers return, normally paid only out of the ultimate proceeds generated by a successful claim, may now come either from the payment of the judgment by the defendant (if the judgment survives and is enforced) or payment under the policy by the insurer (if the judgment is reduced or lost). Outside of the JPI environment, legal finance providers are accustomed to underwriting appellate risk, whether as an element of the overall risk profile of a claim presented to them pre-judgment (or even pre-filing), or as the core legal risk of a case looking for expense funding or monetization after a trial court award. But where an insurer is willing to cover some or all of that risk, the financier is well-positioned to finance the premium for that coverage, as well as potentially to advance a portion of the expected proceeds, and can make its capital available at a lower rate, reflecting the security provided by the JPI (of which it will be a beneficiary alongside the plaintiff holding the judgment). Thus, in theorythat is, assuming the JPI insurers timely payment of the policy proceeds without disputethe financiers legal risk in a JPI-insured transaction should, to the extent of the covered portion of the judgment, be zero. Of course, it continues to bear legal risk on the uninsured portion, as well as the duration risk of the case (how long it takes to resolve all appeals and their sequelae), the collection risk of the defendant (will it pay, and be able to pay, when the day arrives), and the collection risk of the JPI insurer. But the insurance, properly done, should produce a material reduction in the cost of capital it provides compared to capital deployed in the absence of such insurance. Additional Security Through Legal Finance Besides the capital flowing to the plaintiff and its insurer, legal financiers provide an important additional benefit: reduced risk of collecting under the JPI policy. JPI is still a relatively new class of insurance, and new insurance products are notorious for giving rise to payment disputes. An unfamiliar subject matter can put underwriters in a learn-as-you-go posture that leads to misunderstandings about the intended terms or conditions of coverage. When previously untested language proves ambiguous, insurers may resist payment to which the insured believes it is entitled. Consider, for example, potential disputes over what constitutes material information that a policyholder has a duty to disclose during the underwriting process, and whether a failure to disclose constitutes a breach that voids coverage. These novel policies require careful review and sometimes material revision by experienced insurance professionals, including qualified brokers and savvy legal counsel. An eight- or nine-figure insurance policy should not be a placebo or a mere ticket to a fight. Sophisticated legal financiers have the expertise needed to reduce those risks to the minimumand they bring that expertise to bear in both their own and the judgment holders interest. An experienced legal finance provider can work with the insurance broker to review and revise policy language to avoid coverage disputes. Adding Value JPI is a significant new feature of the legal environment, giving litigants the ability to leverage their courtroom successeswhether gained at their own expense or with the aid of third-party capitalto achieve certainty, liquidity and security that can enable their businesses to grow. Legal financiers are uniquely positioned to make those benefits available, affordable and reliable, adding new value to the litigation landscape. This article was originally published on the Burford Capital website in January: Legal Finance & Judgment Preservation Insurance | Burford Quarterly (burfordcapital.com). It is republished here with permission. Progressive Casualty Insurance and North Carolina-based Builders Mutual Insurance Co. have been served with class-action lawsuits over data breaches on their own computer systems in 2022, cyber attacks that may have exposed the personal data of more than 411,000 people. Plaintiffs bring this class action against Builders Mutual for its failure to properly secure and safeguard Plaintiffs and other similarly situated individuals name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and workers compensation information from hackers, reads the amended complaint against Builders Mutual, filed last week in federal court in North Carolina. In federal court in South Carolina, plaintiff Dodie Waden, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina, and others made similar allegations about Progressive, which had learned of a data breach in May 2023. Defendant knew or should have known that due the increasing number of well-publicized data breaches that have occurred in the United States, large data storage such as this require the highest level of protection, which Defendant failed to provide, reads the complaint. While insurers worldwide in recent years have faced insured losses from cyber attacks on their policyholders, as well as some thorny litigation about the extent of coverage, relatively few carriers have seen class actions over reported breaches in their own computers. Marsh & McLennan Companies were famously sued by an employee after a 2021 computer breach reportedly exposed personal information to cyber criminals. That case is still pending, but an appeals court ruling last fall opened the door for more U.S. lawsuits alleging harm from cyber attacks, even when plaintiffs provide no evidence that the data was improperly used. Mapfre USA and its affiliate Commerce Insurance Co. also were hit with class actions last September over a data breach that may have exposed personal information on some 260,000 people. Now, Progressive and Builders Mutual face their own litigation after the 2022 breaches. Builders Mutual, with headquarters in Raleigh and contractor coverage in several Southeastern states, reported the attack to regulators in September 2023, but that was well after after suspicious computer activity was discovered, the plaintiffs said. Builders Mutual waited nine months to notify the public, including Plaintiffs and Class Members, that they were at risk, the lawsuit alleges. The Builders Mutual plaintiffs, which include Matthew Kocher and Mark Rogolino, of Florida, and James Jackson, of Virginia, is asking for millions of dollars in damages. The suit contends that more than 100 other plaintiffs could join the lawsuit. Altogether, personal data on some 64,000 people may have been accessed by criminals in the cyber attack, the suit said. Builders Mutual, which turns 40 this year, provides workers compensation, general liability, builders risk, auto, property and other coverage to commercial clients, including several home builders associations, according to its website. The firm employs some 365 people and had about $384 million in annual revenue, the lawsuit notes. Michael Gerber is president and CEO. The mutual insurer failed to follow Federal Trade Commission and other guidelines on cyber security, including removal of personal data when it is no longer needed, and implementation of protections against unauthorized access, the complaint reads. One plaintiff, Rogolino, has already suffered from identify theft, including fraudulent benefit claims submitted in his name, unauthorized cellphone charges, and thousands of dollars in unauthorized utility charges for services he never received, the suit alleges. Kocher argued that cybercriminals have charged his credit card for movie tickets and for purchases at retail stores. Builders Mutual has yet to file an answer to the complaint or a motion to dismiss the suit. The company could not be reached for comment Sunday. It was not reported if Builders had secured its own cyber insurance ahead of the 2022 attack or if it is self-insured. In the Progressive suit, filed last week, the plaintiffs contend that the insurer learned of the breach in May 2023 but did not notify the 347,000 insureds and other victims until August of that year. The complaint argues that Progressive was unjustly enriched by accepting premiums but failed to use its revenue to secure its data. Progressive has not yet answered the complaint. Cyber attacks and related litigation will likely continue to be a serious threat to insurers bottom lines in the years ahead. A 2022 report from IntSights, a computer security firm, said that the insurance industry is a target for ransomware and other cyber attacks, partly because insurers possess a great deal of personally identifiable information about policyholders. Insured companies also may be targets of hackers due to the perception that those policyholders may be more likely to pay ransoms if they are covered by cyber insurance. The market for cyber insurance took a hit during the pandemic, but made a comeback in 2023, after significant premium increases, according to news reports. CHAGRIN FALLS, Ohio -- During the first meeting of 2024, current Chagrin Falls Board of Education members received new roles and newly elected members were sworn in. On Jan. 10, the school board unanimously elected Lori Bendall as the new board president and Lauren Miller as vice president. Bendall has been on the school board since March 2021, when she filled a vacancy, then was elected to a four-year term that started in January 2022. The new school board presidents daughters attended Chagrin Falls Schools and are currently in college. According to Bendall, her family moved to Chagrin Falls because of the school systems good reputation. Last spring, the school board completed the first phase of an eight-month strategic planning process. As a result, the school board would like to implement the plan in 2024 by allocating and realigning resources to support district staff. Because many board members children attend the various schools in the district, Bendall believes this school board will be visible at numerous events. This will provide other parents in the community with an opportunity to discuss school topics outside of a board meeting, Bendall said. In addition to the swearing-in of Bendall and Miller into their new roles, Laura Hui and Danielle Sabo were sworn in as new school board members. We are delighted to welcome Laura Hui and Dr. Danielle Sabo. Their enthusiasm and fresh perspectives are valuable additions to our already robust team, said Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski. Read more from the Chagrin Solon Sun. New Canaan Police Officer David Rivera appears during a bond hearing in Bridgeport Superior Court, in Bridgeport, Conn. April 29, 2022. Rivera was arrested on Thursday in his hometown of Stratford for illegally possessing explosives and an assault weapon. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A New Canaan cop, accused of possessing a large amount of explosives at his Stratford home, turned down a plea deal Tuesday. David Rivera, who is also facing numerous charges of animal cruelty for allegedly fatally shooting more than a dozen adult dogs and puppies at a training facility he owned in Naugatuck, turned down a deal in which he would get two years to run concurrently with any sentence he receives on the animal cruelty charges pending in Waterbury Superior Court. Through his lawyer, John R. Gulash, Rivera told Judge Tracy Lee Dayton he was rejecting her offer and choosing instead to go to trial. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If thats the risk you want to take, the judge told him. I am going to withdraw the offer. Rivera and Gulash declined comment as they left the Bridgeport Judicial District Courthouse. Rivera, who was suspended from the police department following his arrest, is charged with illegal possession of explosives, illegal storage of explosives, illegal possession of an assault rifle, illegal storage of a firearm and three counts of improper transfer of a firearm. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rivera, who was the New Canaan Police Departments K-9 officer, owned Black Rock Canines of Naugatuck which trained dogs for law enforcement agencies. In the case here, Rivera is accused of illegally storing a large amount of explosives in the garage of his house on Larchmont Circle in Stratford. The arrest warrant affidavit states two employees of the dog training company complained to state police about their concerns of a large amount of explosive material, including TNT, that Rivera was storing at both the training center and a factory building in Naugatuck. The affidavit states that the employees were concerned that Rivera did not have a license to have the explosives and that the explosives were being kept in unsafe containers. The witnesses told police Rivera claimed he was using the explosives to train dogs in detecting them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The witnesses told police that after they confronted Rivera about the explosives, Rivera moved them to his home in Stratford, the affidavit states. Stratford police, members of the state police bomb squad and agents of the FBI and Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms served a search warrant on Riveras home in Stratford. In the garage they found numerous items they determined to be high explosives, plus other items they considered to be low explosives, the affidavit states. The affidavit continues that some of the explosives had begun to degrade and crystallize, indicating they were extremely unstable. Advertisement Article continues below this ad All the explosive material that was found in the garage was found to be unlocked and accessible to anyone who was in the garage, the affidavit states. Aerial imagery from around Norwalk. February 2021 Patrick Sikes/For Hearst Connecticut Media Norwalk passed the citywide zoning rewrite on Dec 13, 2023. Contributed by the City of Norwalk NORWALK With the approval of the first comprehensive update to the city's zoning code in 30 years, Norwalk is now poised for a new era of development. It's an era that is perhaps more thoughtful and sustainable thanks to key changes in the new zoning code; however, an opportunity to grow smartly and softly was stalled after the city scaled back its original proposal to expand the two-family zone boundaries, experts say. If Norwalk is trying to maintain or increase its stock of affordable housing, abandoning plans that would have allowed for a slow increase in density will hamper the citys ability to achieve those goals, said Mary Donegan, a University of Connecticut urban and community studies professor. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Norwalks original proposed map included upzoning portions of single-family neighborhoods within walking distance of an urban core or transit centers to be in a one- or two-family zone. Pictured on the left is Norwalk's original plan for a new zoning map that would have expanded two-family zones. On the right is the map that Norwalk's Planning and Zoning Commission approved in December. City of Norwalk/contributed photo Despite researched-backed arguments from Director of Planning and Zoning Steven Kleppin and Principal Planner Bryan Baker that the zone change would allow for slow growth, residents fiercely opposed the proposal. Even Norwalks Mayor Harry Rilling weighed in, saying he was uncomfortable with recommendations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad After hundreds of Norwalkers, most of them homeowners, protested the upzoning during public hearings in June, the Planning and Zoning Commission ultimately decided to scale back the upzoning almost completely. Norwalk is doing its part to ease the housing crisis, but we havent managed it well and shouldnt be expected to carry the water for neighboring towns who wont step up, said Lisa Brinton, organizer of the Save Norwalk Neighborhoods group during the first public hearing for the zoning rewrite on June 21, 2023. I feel no single-family neighborhood should be up-zoned to two-family or that apartment building heights be increased, Brinton said while addressing the Planning and Zoning Commission. One turns owner-occupied neighborhoods into multi-family rentals, devaluing the middle classs single largest assets: their home. The other takes our picturesque, waterfront, low-rise city and turns it into a concrete jungle." Residents' main concerns were that the zone change would compromise the nature and value of their neighborhood, investors would start to buy and flip homes, and traffic and parking issues would confound. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What we tried to do with the upzoning was try to add some soft density into some of these areas around where there were job centers, where there was already existing infrastructure, all those kinds of things to kind of loosen it up a little bit, make it a little softer, Kleppin added. Expanding the opportunity for homeowners to convert their single-family homes into a two-family home would naturally increase the housing supply over time, Donegan said. What it would do is it would give everyone a sort of freedom of choice of changing their property to support more housing options, Donegan said. After months of revisions, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved the zoning map and code in December. Applications after Feb. 19 will be under the new code. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While an expanded two-family zone is not in the new code, the door is still open for that zone to expand, Kleppin said. I think that will happen over time organically, Kleppin said. Anika Singh Lemar, clinical professor at Yale Law School who teaches a Community and Economic Development clinic, said the conversion of single-family homes into two-family homes or multi-family homes to a single-family home is the natural and historical process of housing that predates zoning laws. In the long-form fabric of our communities, its a natural process by which places evolved and change over time, Singh Lemar said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Zoning codes often restrict this natural process. Loosening the code by allowing two-family homes returns the power of choice back to the homeowners, Singh Lemar said. Youve got to allow places to evolve and grow if you dont want to end up displacing people who currently live there and excluding folks who might want to live there, she said. Norwalk converted from a strictly Euclidean, or use-based, code to a hybrid of form-based and Euclidean code. This shift to a form-based code sets standards for how buildings should look in each zone. In a state like Connecticut where people have these sort of short memories and think of the character of their neighborhood as this mid-20th-century single-family place, easing the zoning restrictions while having a form-based code that keeps a character of that traditional neighborhood in place can be a way of trying to have it both ways, Donegan said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How zoning affects housing affordability All single-family zones in Norwalk are permitted to add an accessory dwelling unit which could expand the housing supply more. Abbreviated as ADUs, accessory dwelling units are located on the same lot as a principal dwelling unit and have their own cooking facilities. I think it helps to let your typical homeowner be able to help provide solutions to that by adding an additional unit on the house, whether thats an ADU or its a second unit in their house, Baker said. A lack of housing supply is a statewide issue, particularly acute in Fairfield County, according to Sen. Chris Murphy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Unfortunately for Norwalk, a lot of that does end up depending on state law and what surrounding communities are doing and they dont have a lot of control over that, Donegan said. Norwalks housing supply has increased over the past 10 years with the addition of large mixed-use developments on Wall Street, in South Norwalk, and by the Merritt 7 train station. Singh Lemar said these new developments are helping meet a much-needed demand for housing that was not met for two generations. Meeting the housing supply demand is a key part of the affordable housing puzzle Norwalk is grappling with. If you didnt build the apartment buildings, the folks with the most money would still find a place to rent somewhere, Singh Lemar said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad They might end up renting a unit that is currently occupied by somebody whos lower income than them, who is then forced to move out to who knows where farther away from their job, farther away from their family, she added. A key change in Norwalks zoning is the elimination of a parking requirement in the most urban zone, CD-4, which is primarily concentrated between Wall Street down to South Norwalks train station and by the Merritt 7 train station. When you eliminate the parking requirements, you open up the door to allow smaller scale developers to come in, who are looking to do maybe four- or five-unit buildings, to come in and build that without having to worry about providing the parking spaces required, Baker said. Zoning at the end of the day is land use policy, and it has direct impacts on the environment and has direct impacts on housing affordability, Baker said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Norwalks Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zone strategy poises the city for a more sustainable future by laying the groundwork for the city to return to a less automobile-dependent model. TOD zone planning combined with the elimination of a parking requirement returns the choice and cost burden of having a car back to the residents, experts say. If you think about how much it costs to either build a new unit or repair or maintain a unit, part of that cost comes with the parking that youre required to provide with it, Donegan said. If you unbundle them, you can provide the housing for less money and give people the option, give people the choice, 'do I want to have a car?,' she added. Its a very sort of very simple market-based approach to trying to provide more affordable housing. The grassroots group Sustainable Streets Norwalk advocated for the elimination of parking requirements at the final public hearings about the zoning code. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If we have less parking, it makes us maybe reconsider taking public transportation or maybe biking and walking and those are better for the planet, Donegan added. Zoning and sustainability Kleppin said another notable and pioneering change to Norwalk zoning code is the expansion of sustainable measures required for urban developments larger than 5,000 square feet. What we tried to do was get those kind of energy efficiency standards into the regulations as much as possible because its hard to strictly regulate that because thats typically in the building code, Kleppin said. That was something that the commission identified as a desire to try to implement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Were really interested to see how it all kind of shakes out, Kleppin added. Zoning is the foundation for development; however, sustainability and affordability goals cannot be achieved by zoning alone, Donegan said. One thing that is central to how we think about cities as urban planners is to think about cities as interacting systems of systems, Donegan said. And we think about cities as these holistic places where its very difficult to separate things like transportation and land use and the economy and housing, theyre all related to one another. Kleppin and Baker emphasized that change does not occur overnight, but now Norwalk has a new road map that aligns with the city goals outlined in the 2019 Plan of Conservation and Development. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Zoning at the end of the day is land use policy, and it has direct impacts on the environment and has direct impacts on housing affordability, Baker said. China calls for resumption of talks over Ukraine crisis Xinhua) 15:34, January 23, 2024 UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Monday called for the early resumption of negotiations over the Ukraine crisis. Peace cannot be achieved by feeding weapons into the battlefield, said Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, adding that prolonged fighting will only result in more civilian casualties. "Diplomatic efforts must not be given up under any circumstances. We call for the prompt launch of direct engagement and the step-by-step resumption of negotiations with a view to forging consensus to end the hostilities," said Zhang. He called on the international community and the United Nations to create enabling conditions to end hostilities, stressing that other relevant parties should refrain from counterproductive action or irresponsible rhetoric. Zhang said that security is indivisible. No country should attempt to secure itself at the expense of another country's security, nor can regional security be guaranteed by muscling up or expanding a military bloc. The envoy said that the consequences of NATO's eastward expansion indicate that seeking absolute security at the expense of other countries' security will only widen the security and trust deficit. It would do nothing to make the world more peaceful and stable, and in this regard, NATO should do well to learn its lesson, he added. Noting that Russia and Ukraine are neighbors who cannot escape each other, Zhang said their respective legitimate security concerns should be taken seriously. The ultimate way out of the crisis lies in an effort on the part of Russia and Ukraine, as well as other parties concerned, to build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture guarded by the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, he said. At a time when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict continues to drag on, and some hot-spot issues are at risk of flaring up, the world cannot afford to see geopolitical clashes further spreading, said Zhang. Countries with significant influence should take a responsible approach and refrain from politicizing, instrumentalizing or weaponizing the world economy. Instead, countries should work together to maintain global food, energy and financial security and the stability of industrial and supply chains, Zhang added. He noted that The Ukraine issue is where it is today due to a tangle of complex factors, which deserve serious reflection, emphasizing that complex problems may defy simple fixes. Confronted with all these challenges, Zhang said the ultimate solution is to work harder to build a community with a shared future for humankind and shape a world with lasting peace and universal security. Zhang said that China would continue to stand on the side of peace, justice and international security. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Liang Jun) CNBC's Jim Cramer on Monday suggested Tesla could lose its spot in the "Magnificent Seven" megacap stocks list. He said he's waiting to see results from the electric vehicle giant's upcoming earnings report, but said Tesla may have hit a "growth pause," compared to its Big Tech peers that are still on the rise. If Tesla falls out of favor, he said he thinks pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is a solid contender to take the company's place. The other members of the Magnificent Seven include Apple , Amazon , Alphabet , Meta , Nvidia and Microsoft . "We're ready no matter what, but to ignore the decline of Tesla or the advance of Eli Lilly is to reject the facts," Cramer said. "There's a real challenge to Tesla's greatness. I don't see that going away anytime soon." Tesla's stock is down nearly 16% so far in 2024, according to FactSet. Cramer said there's been a host of issues plaguing Tesla on Wall Street, including stiff competition from Chinese EV-makers, as well as possible saturation in the U.S. market. And the automotive industry seems to be reducing its focus on EVs. Hertz announced last week it would be selling roughly a third of its EVs, most of which are Teslas. In October, General Motors and Honda Motor scrapped their plans to jointly develop EVs in the face of slower-than-expected demand. At nearly $600 billion, Eli Lilly leads the pharmaceutical industry in terms of market capitalization. Cramer cited investor Ken Langone, who said in December that Lilly is poised to be the first drug maker worth $1 trillion. Lilly is known for its diabetes and weight loss medication, which Cramer said may be the biggest drug in history. "I say let's see what Tesla does. If it falters, we can keep things at a 'Super Six' level until Lilly reports on Feb. 6," he said. "If Tesla can somehow pull a rabbit it of a hat, maybe I'm premature in calling its magnificent demise." In a Monday interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz discussed Microsoft 's high-profile security breach by a Russian intelligence group, saying these adversaries have a determined "low and slow" approach to hacking that's especially tough to beat. Microsoft announced on Friday that the group, known as Nobelium, carried out the attack and was able to access email accounts of some of the company's top executives. Thought to be part of the Russian foreign intelligence service SVR, Nobelium is also known as Midnight Blizzard and Cozy Bear. "This is a very determined adversary, but we've seen Cozy Bear in many different accounts, and the thing that makes them so difficult is they're low and slow, the way they operate," Kurtz said. "If you look at some of the campaigns that have taken place over the years, it's taken place over many years, right, this is how patient they are." Nobelium has tried to breach the systems of U.S. allies as well as the Department of Defense. The group was also responsible for breaching government supplier SolarWinds , one of the biggest cyberattacks in U.S. history. Microsoft's technology was also breached by the group in connection with the SolarWinds attack. Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment Kurtz characterized other foreign adversaries such as hackers from China or even other Russian as "smash and grabs," saying Nobelium's tactics are more drawn-out, patient and difficult to detect. He said CrowdStrike uses its algorithms to string together these "low signals" and identify such adversaries. Kurtz added that CrowdStrike has been able to stop the group in the past, saying that some of Microsoft's customers seek additional support from his company. "We're helping all kinds of customers, and I think what I want to get back to is, security is a hard problem, one company is not going to solve it all," he said. "We're solving a big problem for our customers, and we're helping them protect against these Microsoft-type breaches and vulnerabilities, and obviously that's been a successful formula." Ma ''Pony'' Huateng, chairman and chief executive officer of Tencent Holdings Ltd., speaks during the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Forum in Hong Kong, China, on Tuesday, June 20, 2017. In an unusual move, Ma has chosen to convene a summit of government academics and business chieftains in Hong Kong days before the 20th anniversary of its return to China. Tencent's Riot Games unit said Monday it's eliminating 11% of its workforce, or about 530 jobs, and scaling back on its division that publishes games from small developers. "We're changing some of the bets we've made and shifting how we work across the company to create focus and move us toward a more sustainable future," Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja told employees in a letter published on the company's blog. The downsizing follows job cuts across the media and technology world in recent weeks, and continues a trend from last year, when companies went into belt-tightening mode to meet more challenging economic conditions. Amazon and Google are among tech companies that have confirmed layoffs so far in 2024. Riot, publisher of the League of Legends and Valorant video games, said it will lower headcount for its Legends of Runeterra title released in 2020. "We've been subsidizing the cost of development on LoR through our other games, but at this point, that's just not a viable option," wrote Jadeja, who spent six years as Riot's president before taking over from Nicolo Laurent as CEO in September. Eric Shen will become Legends of Runeterra's executive producer, replacing Dave Guskin, accroding to a blog post from Guskin, who said he'll work on other Riot games. Riot is also pulling back in its Forge division, which publishes games from indie developers. "We're proud of what we've done together to bring these stories to life, but it's time to refocus our efforts on the ambitious projects underway internally at Riot," Jadeja wrote in the letter. Tencent, based in China, invested in Riot Games in 2011 and became its outright owner four years later. Riot is headquartered in Los Angeles. When Microsoft announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard in 2022, the software company said the deal would make it the third-largest gaming company in the world, behind Tencent and Sony . Last year Microsoft cut 10,000 employees as it faced slowing revenue growth. Tencent, which also owns the WeChat app with broad usage in China, has encountered challenges lately. It has seen revenue increase in the single digits or decline for the past seven quarters after a pandemic-era growth spurt. In September, Tencent-backed Epic Games announced it was cutting 16% of its staff. Shares slid 12% in late December after China announced new rules designed to limit excessive gaming. Pony Ma, Tencent's co-founder and CEO, told analysts in November that the company is shifting "away from less scalable activities" and boosting investments in artificial intelligence. WATCH: Tencent loses over $43 billion in market value after China proposes new online gaming rules An RAF FGR4 Typhoon takes off from Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri military airbase in Greek Cypriot to conduct its mission against the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on January 12, 2024. The U.S. and British militaries launched a fresh round of strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday, defense officials said. The attacks, which were carried out by manned aircraft and ships, were the second round of strikes the two militaries have launched against Houthi sites in Yemen. The last round was on Jan. 11. Since then, the U.S. has struck several Houthi targets on its own to prevent the group from attacking ships in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the latest operation, which was supported by Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, struck eight Houthi sites in Yemen "used to attack international merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region." The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply-buried weapons storage facilities, the statement said. An Amazon logistic site in Bretigny-sur-Orge, some 30 km south of Paris, pictured on November 22, 2023. A French regulator announced Tuesday it had fined the manager of Amazon's large warehouses in France 32 million euros ($34.7 million) for excessive monitoring of its employees. The French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) said Amazon France Logistique gave employees scanners in order to record workplace tasks such as removing items from shelves and packing. This data was then used to calculate the "quality, productivity and periods of inactivity of each employee." CNIL ruled it was "illegal to set up a system measuring work interruptions with such accuracy, potentially requiring employees to justify every break or interruption," it said. The system for monitoring employee activity was described as "excessively intrusive," including the company's policy of keeping data and statistical indicators on employees for 31 days, even in light of the "high performance targets" at the business. CNIL said Amazon France Logistique committed several breaches of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), specifically around data minimization and lawful processing. Amazon told CNBC in a statement: "We strongly disagree with the CNIL's conclusions which are factually incorrect and we reserve the right to file an appeal." "Warehouse management systems are industry standard and are necessary for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficiency of operations and to track the storage of inventory and processing of packages on time and in line with customer expectations," the company added. (This is CNBC Pro's live coverage of Tuesday's analyst calls and Wall Street chatter. Please refresh every 20-30 minutes to view the latest posts.) Tuesday's analyst calls include upgrades to two solar names and a downgrade to a key crypto stock. Truist raised its rating on Sunnova and Enphase Energy to buy from hold, noting the stocks should get a boost as the Federal Reserve starts cutting rates. On a more downbeat note, JPMorgan cut Coinbase to underweight from neutral, calling for a steep decline ahead for the stock. Check out the latest calls and chatter below. All times ET. 8:35 a.m.: Wells Fargo downgrades Sirius XM Holdings, says stock can decline nearly 17% The merger between Sirius XM Holdings and Liberty Media "clouds" Sirius XM's valuation, Wells Fargo said. "Our new SIRI ests are below consensus, and we think the valuation may have a boost from non-fundamental LSXM deal mechanics. We believe post-deal fair value is $4.50/sh..so we move our rating to Underweight," analyst Steven Cahall wrote in a Tuesday note. He previously held an equal weight rating on the stock. Cahall's $4.50 price target indicates shares could decline by roughly 17%. Since the merger announcement last year, Cahall said that Sirius XM's valuation and stock price have soared, and that the moves are simply reflecting the merger rather than an improvement in Sirius XM fundamentals. His 2024 and 2025 revenue estimates of $9 billion are below consensus analyst estimates. Sirius XM shed 1.3% in premarket trading Tuesday. The stock is down 0.9% since the start of the year. Pia Singh 8:34 a.m.: Apple joins Bank of America's US 1 list alongside Big Tech peers Bank of America added Apple to its US 1 list, a basket of the bank's best investment ideas from its buy-rated and U.S.-listed stocks. The tech giant replaces Jazz Pharmaceuticals, which BofA still rates as buy. Last week, BofA upgraded Apple to buy from neutral and also increased its price target to $225 per share from $208. Analysts said that generative AI features should lead to a multiyear iPhone upgrade cycle, and added that they're bullish on Apple's upcoming Vision Pro mixed-reality headset. Apple's stock price is up 0.7% so far this year and 1.2% this week, with the BofA upgrade helping the tech company recover from its slide in early January, which were partly driven by Barclaysand Piper Sandler downgrades on valuation worries. Shares ticked 0.4% higher in early morning trading. Pia Singh 8:32 a.m.: Goldman upgrades software name Zuora to buy, sees 30% upside for the stock Goldman Sachs upgraded enterprise software company Zuora to buy from neutral, seeing shares rallying more than 30% in the next 12 months. "We think numbers are de-risked in a stabilizing end market, new product uptake presents upside risk that is not currently modeled, and the improving profitability profile of the company is both sustainable and increasingly a source of valuation support," the Wall Street firm said in a note. The bank raised it price target to $12 from $10. The new forecast represents a near 36% upside for the stock. "We see current levels as a favorable entry point given the likely stabilization in fundamentals and positive risk-reward skew," Goldman said. Shares of Zuora jumped 4% in premarket trading Tuesday. The stock gained almost 48% last year. Yun Li 8:31 a.m.: Evercore upgrades Duke Energy, sees multiple catalysts in 2024 Duke Energy could be more than just a defensive utility stock in 2024, according to Evercore ISI. Analyst Durgesh Chopra upgraded Duke to outperform from in-line, saying in a note to clients that the company's expected capital plan announcement in February should find a balance between reducing the debt load and diluting shareholders. "The capital increase and associated equity raise should strengthen the balance sheet and assuage investor concerns about potential block/large equity issuance and funding risks," the note said. The shape of the balance sheet is a key issue for utility companies, which often carry heavy debt loads and struggle when interest rates rise. Shares of Duke Energy are down about 6% over the past 12 months. Another potential boost for Duke could come on the regulatory front. The state of South Carolina could pass utility friendly legislation this year, the note said. Evercore hiked its price target on Duke Energy to $108 per share from $90. The new target is more than 13% above where the stock closed on Monday. Jesse Pound 7:50 a.m.: Roth MKM stands behind Boston Beer as a top pick Boston Beer has a favorable growth outlook, according to Roth MKM. The investment bank highlighted the brewing company as one of its top pick stocks, reiterating its buy rating on the name and lifting its price target to $422 from $406. Analyst Bill Kirk's updated price forecast implies that shares of Boston Beer could rally 17.7% from here. "Top-Pick Boston Beer has three primary avenues leading to a 4Q beat and 2024 guidance above consensus: 1) volume inflection led by Twisted Tea and portfolio mix; 2) input costs nearing deflation; and 3) production shifts to in house," the analyst wrote. Kirk also believes that consensus expectations for Boston Beer's earnings are too low, especially with the company growing market share and improving its profitability. The analyst also expects transportation costs to decrease, further propelling the company's bottom line higher. The stock is already up 3.8% this year. Lisa Kailai Han 7:40 a.m.: JPMorgan thinks The Cheesecake Factory, Bloomin' Brands are overvalued JPMorgan downgraded several casual dining stocks, saying it expects a "soft landing" for the restaurant sector driven by modest year-over-year employment gains and a 10-year Treasury yield close to the 4% level to support valuations. That said, there are two stocks in the sector that could struggle going forwards: Cheesecake Factory and Bloomin' Brands . Analyst John Ivankoe downgraded the former to underweight and the latter to neutral. The analyst assigned an underweight rating and $33 price target on The Cheesecake Factory, which indicates 3.1% downside, while his $26 target on neutral-rated Bloomin' Brands suggests shares could lose 1.2%. So far this year, The Cheesecake Factory is down 2.7% while Bloomin' Brands has lost 6.5%. Both stocks lost more than 1% in premarket trading Tuesday. "Scale is a common goal in the segment, though this plays out differently among businesses, as CAKEs 16 brands under ownership lack the same "shared service" type scale benefits that are well used by DRI," he said regarding Cheesecake Factory. On Bloomin' Brands, Ivankoe said: "Investors are often hesitant to place multiples on pricing and cost driven margin expansion stories with negative SSS traffic, often fearing that some reversal in the future may require pricing and/or cost investments to spur and improvement in store level execution." Pia Singh 7:26 a.m.: Wells Fargo downgrades Bill.com to equal weight Expense management software company Bill.com has a growing list of "macro and micro uncertainties," according to Wells Fargo. The firm lowered its rating on shares to equal weight from overweight. It also reduced its price target by $5 to $75, which implies shares pulling back 0.2% from Monday's close. Analyst Andrew Bauch cited falling confidence in the company's ability to counteract headwinds to its total payment volume and customer base with take rate expansion. Competitor Intuit is also posing a growing threat with an estimated customer overlap rate of more than 50%, per Bauch. "Despite shares trading well below historical levels, we believe BILL faces a growing list of risks which make it difficult to be overly constructive at this time," Bauch wrote in a Tuesday note. Shares slipped more than 2% in the premarket. Hakyung Kim 7:05 a.m.: Citi increases Meta price target ahead of earnings Meta shares have more runway ahead, according to Citi. Analyst Ronald Josey raised his price target on the buy-rated social media stock ahead of fourth-quarter report due on Feb. 1, which he expects will beat on revenue and profits. Josey's new target of $440 implies 15.2% upside for shares. "With the broader online advertising environment strengthening in 4Q, our Reels tracking suggesting 4Q ad load expanding (albeit at a slower pace), and our view that newer ad products are attracting greater demand, we reiterate our Buy rating," Josey wrote in a Tuesday note. Instagram Reels will likely see incremental growth in the fourth quarter of 2023, driven by more efficient monetization from newer advertising products and advertiser adoption, he said. Meta shares are off to a strong start for 2024, gaining more than 7%. The stock is coming off its best year ever, surging 194% in 2023. META YTD mountain META year to date Pia Singh 6:42 a.m.: TD Cowen upgrades Exxon, downgrades Chevron TD Cowen upgraded Exxon Mobil to outperform from market perform, forecasting higher valuation for shares driven by growing cash flow and a strong asset portfolio. "We see more compelling upside as the stock has declined with an unchanged valuation," analyst Jason Gabelman wrote in a note. "We continue to forecast CFO growth below XOM's guidance, though our forecast has increased through 2023 with incremental company disclosures. XOM's peer-low oil price needed to organically fund the dividend could become a larger investor focus as commodity prices could normalize after a couple very strong years." Gabelman said he expects Exxon's free cash flow to increase from $30 billion between 2024 and 2025, to $36 billion in 2027. Alongside this strong cash flow, Exxon's $28 billion balance sheet capacity should allow the company to spend $20 billion per year in buybacks, he said. The analyst's $115 price target on Exxon suggests 18.8% upside for the stock, which ticked up 0.5% in early morning trading. Exxon shares have struggled this year, losing 3.2%. XOM YTD mountain XOM in 2024 Gabelman also downgraded Chevron to market perform from outperform, setting a $150 price target that implies just above 5% potential upside. Chevron's largest cash flow growth drivers, related to Permian and Tengizchevroil (TCO) production growth, could be weigh on the stock until 2027, he said. Chevron shares are down 4.5% in 2024. Pia Singh 6:05 a.m.: Teva Pharmaceuticals will see margin expansion this year, according to Jefferies Investors have ample opportunity in Teva Pharmaceuticals , Jefferies said on Tuesday. The firm upgraded the pharma stock to buy from hold. It also raised its price target to $14 per share from $10, implying upside of 22%. "We are bullish heading into '24 guide given consensus rev ests [revenue estimates] look conservative despite several tailwinds at play," analyst Glen Santangelo wrote in a note to clients. "Further, consensus adj EBITDA implies modest margin expansion (70bps), which we think is reasonable given higher-margin rev tailwinds buoyed by commentary that gross margin is expected to improve in 2024." Multiple expansion this year will stem from Teva's strong guidance, continued strength in fundamentals, as well as further product approvals and pipeline updates in the second half of this year, Santangelo. Therapies Austedo for involuntary movement, Ajovy for migraines and Uzedy for schizophrenia are among the core revenue growth drivers. The stock is up roughly 10% so far this year, moving higher after the company on Jan. 9 announced a successful completion of participant enrollment in its phase 3 clinical trial of mdc-TJK/Olanzapine for schizophrenia. Teva also received FDA approval on Jan. 17 for its fidaxomicin oral tablets, the first generic version of Merck's Dificid diarrhea treatment. Pia Singh 5:41 a.m.: Cantor Fitzgerald is bullish on semiconductors specifically Nvidia Cantor Fitzgerald initiated coverage of several semiconductor stocks, including Nvidia as one of its best ideas for 2024. The firm thinks Nvidia will outperform earnings expectations and hike up its consensus estimates throughout 2024 and 2025, leading shares to also climb. Cantor's $775 price target indicates 29.9% upside from Monday's close. Analyst C.J. Muse said he sees 14% upside for its semiconductor coverage universe this year. Given that the market is only in the "early stages of cyclical recovery," he anticipates another strong 12 months for semiconductor stocks with investors looking for an exit strategy in late 2024 into early 2025. Overall, Muse is betting that semiconductor revenues will grow 18% during the 2024 calendar year. "At a high level, Semiconductors are under-shipping GDP particularly when excluding both NVDA and Memoryso while the soft- vs. hard-landing debate continues amidst the next move from the Fed being potentially lower, we see the setup for Semiconductor revenues recovering as quite good," Muse wrote in a Monday note, adding that the most "interesting end markets" for the semiconductor industry are AI and memory. Nvidia is coming off a monster year, rallying 238.9% in 2023 to lead all S & P 500 members on the back of enthusiasm around artificial intelligence. NVDA 1Y mountain NVDA in past year Pia Singh 5:34 a.m.: JPMorgan downgrades Coinbase Coinbase shares could be in trouble as the dust settles on the approval of Bitcoin ETFs, according to JPMorgan. Analyst Kenneth Worthington downgraded the crypto exchange to underweight from neutral, reiterating his price target of $80. That forecast implies downside of 37%. "While we continue to see Coinbase as the dominant U.S. exchange in the cryptoecosystem and a leader in cryptocurrency trading and investing globally, we think the catalyst in Bitcoin ETFs that has pushed the ecosystem out of its winter will disappoint market participants," Worthington said. Coinbase is coming off a monster year, rallying 391% as investors awaited the regulatory approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs. In 2024, however, shares have already fallen 26%. COIN YTD mountain COIN in 2024 "We see the potential for 2024 to be a more challenging year for Coinbase stock, despite what we see as continued progress in various meaningful initiatives including its buildout of derivatives," Worthington said. Fred Imbert 5:34 a.m.: Truist upgrades Sunnova and Enphase Energy Truist thinks solar stocks Sunnova and Enphase Energy are due for a bounce as Federal Reserve rate cuts draw closer. Analyst Jordan Levy upgraded Sunnova to buy from hold and raised his price target to $18 from $10. The new forecast implies upside of 72% from Monday's close. He upgraded Enphase Energy to buy from hold, moving his price target to $145 from $85. That target signals a gain of 35%. "It will come as no surprise that 2023/start of 2024 have been challenging for the Sustainability space. Up & to the right growth expectations driven by low rates & a global focus on energy availability have fallen back to earth, taking shares with it," Levy wrote. "While we've surely not seen the end of volatility in the group, we see meaningful upside opportunity moving into the fed rate cut cycle particularly for the resi solar group." Sunnova and Enphase have fallen 31% and 18.9%, respectively, to start 2024. They were both up more than 2% in the premarket Tuesday. Fred Imbert Martin Shkreli, former chief executive officer of Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, exits court in New York, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. A federal appeals court Tuesday upheld a lifetime ban on "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli from working in the pharmaceuticals industry as well as an order to pay up to $64.6 million in disgorged profits for blocking competition to the drug Daraprim after hiking its price by more than $700 per pill. The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came nearly two years after a New York federal district court judge slapped the ban on Shkreli for the monopolistic behavior of his then-drug company in the distribution of Daraprim. The ban was in response to a civil lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission and seven states, among them New York and California. "The district court's injunction was a reasonable measure to protect the public from the risk of recurring anticompetitive conduct in the pharmaceutical industry by Shkreli," the ruling Tuesday said. "Given Shkreli's pattern of past misconduct, the obvious likelihood of its recurrence, and the life-threatening nature of its results, we are persuaded that the district court's determination as to the proper scope of the injunction was well within its discretion." Shkreli first gained widespread notoriety in 2015 when his company raised the price of that life-saving drug by more than 4,000% overnight. He later served a prison term for federal securities fraud and other financial crimes not related to his controversial price hike of Daraprim, which is used to treat toxoplasmosis, a life-threatening parasitic condition found in people with HIV, pregnant women and babies. Henry Liu, director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, in a statement, said, "The Second Circuit's decision is a win for consumers seeking affordable, lifesaving medication and clearly demonstrates that corporate executives will be held personally liable for anticompetitive actions that they help orchestrate." New York Attorney General Letitia James, whose office originated the suit with the FTC, in her own statement on the decision, said, "For years, Martin Shkreli and his company made millions by putting vulnerable people at great risk and denying lifesaving medication. Our latest victory once again holds him accountable." Shkreli's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, told CNBC, "The lifetime ban is too severe." "The courts should encourage real geniuses like Mr. Shkreli to work in the industry especially ... when his conviction for fraud had nothing to do with the pharmaceutical industry," Brafman said. The plaintiffs had sued Shkreli and his companies, Vyera Pharmaceuticals and Phoenixus AG, and his former business partner Kevin Mulleady for violations of antitrust laws in preventing generic drugmakers from getting access to Daraprim that they needed to conduct testing on. The scheme allowed Shkreli and others for more than a year to protect the profits they received from selling Daraprim for $750 per tablet, compared with the $17.50 per tablet it previously sold for. The FTC and the other plaintiffs in January 2020 reached a settlement with Vyera and Mulleady that required the company to pay up to $40 million in disgorged profits, and which banned Mulleady from the pharmaceutical industry for seven years. Shkreli took the case to trial in December 2021, and lost. In its eight-page ruling against him Tuesday, the appeals court noted that Shkreli argued that Manhattan federal court Judge Denise Cote "abused" her discretion in imposing a lifetime ban on him from the drug business. He also argued that the injunction unconstitutionally limited his free speech, and that it violated a federal rule of civil procedure by not being specific enough. The panel said the Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes the FTC to seek injunctive relief such as a ban for violations of that law, and that a judge can impose such a ban. "We conclude that the district court did not abuse its discretion by imposing a lifetime ban from the pharmaceutical industry on Shkreli because an injunction of that scope was within the range of permissible decisions," the ruling said. "The district court found, and Shkreli does not dispute, that Shkreli's illegal scheme was "egregious, deliberate, repetitive, long-running, and ultimately dangerous." The ruling also noted that Shkreli, in challenging the monetary penalty, for the first time in his appeal argued "that district court erred by relying on federal law remedies in imposing joint and several disgorgement on him under New York law." The panel noted that "Shkreli never made this argument" to Cote "and he proffers no reason now for his failure to raise arguments there." At trial, Shkreli relied "exclusively on federal equity jurisprudence" not on any state law in arguing that he should not be ordered to disgorge profits. "Therefore, the circumstances here do not persuade us that we should exercise our discretion to address this new argument on appeal," the panel said in its ruling. "Given his strategic decision in the district court, there is no injustice to Shkreli by us declining to address his new argument." In a footnote, the panel said that even if Shkreli had not effectively waived his argument by not raising it at trial, "it would still fail." Kimo Peluso, the attorney who handled the appeal for Shkreli, said "We maintain that the monetary and injunctive awards imposed on Mr. Shkreli go well beyond established legal limits." Peluso added, "While we do not agree with the panel's decision today, we appreciate the suggestion at oral argument that there may be appropriate applications to the trial court to modify or clarify portions of its sweeping injunction." "We are considering our remaining appellate options," he added. Shkreli has two options for further appeals, both of which are likely long shots. He can ask that his appeal be reheard by the full lineup of judges on the 2nd Circuit court. He also can ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take the case. Hunter Biden insisted on knowing the identities of who was buying his art when he began selling his work, an "unusual" directive that was later retracted, his gallery director told House investigators, according to a transcript of the interview reviewed by NBC News. Hunter Biden was the only artist represented by George Berges to make this demand, Berges testified to the House Oversight and Judiciary committees before the stipulation was rolled back in September 2021 after months of public scrutiny. The gallery director's testimony came as part of House Republicans inquiry into President Joe Biden. Berges said that there was never any conversation with his buyers about political favors from the president or White House. The timeline for the shift raises questions about the Biden White House's statements over ethics safeguards surrounding the sales, which had attracted the attention of art world insiders and good governance experts. It also counters statements by the White House that Hunter Biden does not know the identity of his collectors. According to Berges, he was "surprised" by a report during the summer of 2021 claiming that "White House officials [had] helped craft an agreement" that would create a firewall between Hunter Biden and his buyers, having never spoken to the White House. At the time, Biden's then-press secretary described a "system" that would allow Hunter Biden to sell his work "within reasonable safeguards," telling reporters, "He will not know, we will not know who purchases his art." The press secretary later clarified that it was not the White House itself that helped create the arrangement. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The interview with Berges raises new questions about Hunter Biden's art sales as a potential vehicle for the president's son to pay off debts owed to Kevin Morris, a Hollywood attorney. NBC News reported that Morris began advising Hunter in 2020 before arranging to pay some $2 million in outstanding tax obligations to the IRS on his behalf. Describing the deal with Morris, Berges said Hunter would have had to discuss the terms of the sale with his friend before the deal was made. "I think they had an arrangement he had to have known that he was the buyer because normally the gallery would then write a check for the artist commission but I didn't," Berges told investigators. After the agreement was revised, Berges said there would have been nothing that prevented a buyer from informing Hunter Biden that they had purchased a piece. The gallery director said he no longer represents Hunter but that they remain close and talk several times a week, with Berges at one point describing him as "one of my best friends." Morris, who purchased $875,000 worth of Hunter's art through a business entity in January 2023, paid the gallery director a 40% commission while planning to resolve the balance with Hunter directly, Berges testified. He described Morris as Hunter Biden's largest collector. Berges told Congress that he did not know if the gallery had provided Hunter Biden with the tax documentation to reflect the $525,000 payment from Morris. He also recalled seeing in Morris's home a piece of art that the gallery director had not sold, indicating that Morris had obtained it elsewhere, perhaps from Hunter directly. In a letter to Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, Morris' attorney last week said Morris had not decided how to pay for Hunter Biden's artwork. He is still considering either a direct payment or a write-down of the loans, and that will depend on his tax advisors' advice, according to a copy obtained by NBC News. Hunter Biden last week pleaded not guilty to nine tax-related charges, including three felony counts, related to his business dealings between 2016 and 2020. Berges said another buyer known to Hunter Biden was Elizabeth Hirsh Naftali, a prominent Democratic donor who received a White House appointment last year. She is the great aunt of 4-year-old Abigail Eden, the first American hostage freed by Hamas after Oct. 7 in a prisoner exchange. Though Berges was introduced and began working to sell Hunter's artwork to Hirsh Naftali in 2019, it was not until the weeks after Joe Biden was inaugurated that she made her first purchase in February 2021. In December 2022, Hirsh Naftali purchased a second piece of Hunter Biden's artwork after attending one of his art exhibitions, buying a total of $94,000 worth of his art. In a letter to Congress last year, Hirsh Naftali's attorney said she did "nothing wrong" and that her White House appointment to the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad was not connected to her purchase of the artwork and came at then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recommendation. Berges said that Hunter Biden learned of her identity through press reports. Ryan Nobles contributed to this report. "Oppenheimer," Christopher Nolan's portrait of the father of the atomic bomb, dominated the list of nominees for the 96th Academy Awards announced early Tuesday, picking up 13 nods, including best picture. The nine other films vying for the top prize are Cord Jefferson's "American Fiction," Justine Triet's "Anatomy of a Fall," Greta Gerwig's "Barbie," Alexander Payne's "The Holdovers," Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," Bradley Cooper's "Maestro," Celine Song's "Past Lives," Yorgos Lanthimos' "Poor Things" and Jonathan Glazer's "The Zone of Interest." Triet, Scorsese, Nolan, Lanthimos and Glazer were also recognized in the best director category. "Barbie" turned in a strong showing, securing eight nominations, including nods for supporting actor Ryan Gosling and supporting actress America Ferrera. Surprisingly, though, "Barbie" star Margot Robbie was locked out of the best actress race and Gerwig did not make the cut in the best director category. "Poor Things," a feminist spin on the Frankenstein story, nabbed 11 nominations; "Killers of the Flower Moon," a chronicle of the Osage murders of the 1920s, earned 10. The nominees for best actor are Bradley Cooper ("Maestro"), Colman Domingo ("Rustin"), Paul Giamatti ("The Holdovers"), Cillian Murphy ("Oppenheimer") and Jeffrey Wright ("American Fiction"). In the best actress race, the nominees are Annette Bening ("Nyad"), Lily Gladstone ("Killers of the Flower Moon"), Sandra Huller ("Anatomy of a Fall"), Carey Mulligan ("Maestro") and Emma Stone ("Poor Things"). No performer may be more of a lock for an Oscar than Da'Vine Joy Randolph for her supporting turn in "The Holdovers" as a cafeteria manager mourning the death of her son in Vietnam. Randolph previously triumphed at the Golden Globe Awards and the Critics' Choice Awards. The list of contenders was announced by Zazie Beetz ("Joker") and Jack Quaid ("Oppenheimer"). Jimmy Kimmel is lined up to host the awards show March 10 his fourth time as the emcee. The recognition of box-office champions "Barbie" ($1.4 billion worldwide) and "Oppenheimer" ($952 million worldwide) might help attract viewers to this year's telecast. Last year's ceremony got a bump in the ratings thanks in part to "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Avatar: The Way of Water." Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, during a panel session at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 18, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Executives at some of the world's leading artificial intelligence labs are expecting a form of AI on a par with or even exceeding human intelligence to arrive sometime in the near future. But what it will eventually look like and how it will be applied remain a mystery. Leaders from the likes of OpenAI, Cohere, Google's DeepMind, and major tech companies like Microsoft and Salesforce weighed the risks and opportunities presented by AGI, or artificial general intelligence, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week. AGI refers to a form of AI that can complete a task to the same level as any human or, even beat humans at solving any task, whether it's chess, complex math puzzles, or scientific discoveries. It's often been referred to as the "holy grail" of AI due to how powerful such a conceived intelligent agent would be. AI has become the talk of the business world over the past year or so, thanks in no small part to the success of ChatGPT, OpenAI's popular generative AI chatbot. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are powered large language models, algorithms trained on vast quantities of data. That has stoked concern among governments, corporations and advocacy groups worldwide, owing to an onslaught of risks around the lack of transparency and explainability of AI systems; job losses resulting from increased automation; social manipulation through computer algorithms; surveillance; and data privacy. AGI a 'super vaguely defined term' OpenAI's CEO and co-founder Sam Altman said he believes artificial general intelligence might not be far from becoming a reality and could be developed in the "reasonably close-ish future." However, he noted that fears that it will dramatically reshape and disrupt the world are overblown. "It will change the world much less than we all think and it will change jobs much less than we all think," Altman said at a conversation organized by Bloomberg at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Altman, whose company burst into the mainstream after the public launch of ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, has changed his tune on the subject of AI's dangers since his company was thrown into the regulatory spotlight last year, with governments from the United States, U.K., European Union, and beyond seeking to rein in tech companies over the risks their technologies pose. watch now In a May 2023 interview with ABC News, Altman said he and his company are "scared" of the downsides of a super-intelligent AI. "We've got to be careful here," said Altman told ABC. "I think people should be happy that we are a little bit scared of this." AGI is a super vaguely defined term. If we just term it as 'better than humans at pretty much whatever humans can do,' I agree, it's going to be pretty soon that we can get systems that do that. Aidan Gomez CEO, Cohere Then, Altman said that he's scared about the potential for AI to be used for "large-scale disinformation," adding, "Now that they're getting better at writing computer code, [they] could be used for offensive cyberattacks." Altman was temporarily booted from OpenAI in November in a shock move that laid bare concerns around the governance of the companies behind the most powerful AI systems. In a discussion at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Altman said his ouster was a "microcosm" of the stresses faced by OpenAI and other AI labs internally. "As the world gets closer to AGI, the stakes, the stress, the level of tension. That's all going to go up." Aidan Gomez, the CEO and co-founder of artificial intelligence startup Cohere, echoed Altman's point that AI will likely be a real outcome in the near future. "I think we will have that technology quite soon," Gomez told CNBC's Arjun Kharpal in a fireside chat at the World Economic Forum. But he said a key issue with AGI is that it's still ill-defined as a technology. "First off, AGI is a super vaguely defined term," Cohere's boss added. "If we just term it as 'better than humans at pretty much whatever humans can do,' I agree, it's going to be pretty soon that we can get systems that do that." watch now However, Gomez said that even when AGI does eventually arrive, it would likely take "decades" for companies to truly be integrated into companies. "The question is really about how quickly can we adopt it, how quickly can we put it into production, the scale of these models make adoption difficult," Gomez noted. "And so a focus for us at Cohere has been about compressing that down: making them more adaptable, more efficient." 'The reality is, no one knows' The topic of defining what AGI actually is and what it'll eventually look like is one that's stumped many experts in the AI community. Lila Ibrahim, chief operating officer of Google's AI lab DeepMind, said no one truly knows what type of AI qualifies as having "general intelligence," adding that it's important to develop the technology safely. watch now "The reality is, no one knows" when AGI will arrive, Ibrahim told CNBC's Kharpal. "There's a debate within the AI experts who've been doing this or a long time both within the industry and also within the organization." "We're already seeing areas where AI has the ability to unlock our understanding ... where humans haven't been able to make that type of progress. So it's AI in partnership with the human, or as a tool," Ibrahim said. "So I think that's really a big open question, and I don't know how better to answer other than, how do we actually think about that, rather than how much longer will it be?" Ibrahim added. "How do we think about what it might look like, and how do we ensure we're being responsible stewards of the technology?" Avoiding a 's--- show' Altman wasn't the only top tech executive asked about AI risks at Davos. Marc Benioff, CEO of enterprise software firm Salesforce, said on a panel with Altman that the tech world is taking steps to ensure that the AI race doesn't lead to a "Hiroshima moment." Many industry leaders in technology have warned that AI could lead to an "extinction-level" event where machines become so powerful they get out of control and wipe out humanity. Several leaders in AI and technology, including Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak, and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, have called for a pause to AI advancement, stating that a six-month moratorium would be beneficial in allowing society and regulators to catch up. Geoffrey Hinton, an AI pioneer often called the "godfather of AI," has previously warned that advanced programs "might escape control by writing their own computer code to modify themselves." "One of the ways these systems might escape control is by writing their own computer code to modify themselves. And that's something we need to seriously worry about," said Hinton in an October interview with CBS' "60 Minutes." watch now Hinton left his role as a Google vice president and engineering fellow last year, raising concerns over how AI safety and ethics were being addressed by the company. Benioff said that technology industry leaders and experts will need to ensure that AI averts some of the problems that have beleaguered the web in the past decade or so from the manipulation of beliefs and behaviors through recommendation algorithms during election cycles, to the infringement of privacy. "We really have not quite had this kind of interactivity before" with AI-based tools, Benioff told the Davos crowd last week. "But we don't trust it quite yet. So we have to cross trust." "We have to also turn to those regulators and say, 'Hey, if you look at social media over the last decade, it's been kind of a f---ing s--- show. It's pretty bad. We don't want that in our AI industry. We want to have a good healthy partnership with these moderators, and with these regulators." Limitations of LLMs Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, pushed back on the fervor from some tech executives that AI could be nearing the stage where it gets "general" intelligence, adding that systems still have plenty of teething issues to iron out. He said AI chatbots like ChatGPT have passed the Turing test, a test called the "imitation game," which was developed by British computer scientist Alan Turing to determine whether someone is communicating with a machine and a human. But, he added, one big area where AI is lacking is common sense. watch now U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made his first public appearance, virtually and from home since his secret hospitalization, during a meeting on Ukraine's military needs on Tuesday. Austin, 70, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland on Dec. 22 to treat prostate cancer. He returned to the hospital on Jan. 1 due to complications, including a urinary tract infection. His hospitalization was not revealed until four days later, and the Pentagon did not specify why he was being treated until Jan. 9. Austin's failure to tell President Joe Biden he was hospitalized drew criticism from lawmakers and caught the White House by surprise. Austin appeared on the live stream for a few minutes as he made his opening remarks. Austin was sitting in front of a white wall, with what appeared to be a security system keypad on his left and a Department of Defense seal on the right, with a small U.S. and Ukrainian flag on top of a printer next to it. While there was a slight break in the live stream, Austin did not appear to mention his health, but called for additional air defense systems for Ukraine. He is not expected to take part in a joint press conference with the top U.S. general after the meeting, something that has become routine after such gatherings. The founders of Wise, Skype and Songkick have raised 400 million euros ($436.4 million) for a new fund to back technology startups in Europe. It seeks to compete with established funds like Atomico, Balderton Capital and Creandum with its founder-led focus. Plural Fund II, the firm's second to date, arrives just 18 months after the firm raised its last fund, a 250 million-euro vehicle. Its co-founders include Taavet Hinrikus, co-founder of fintech firm Wise, Ian Hogarth, co-founder of concert discovery service Songkick, Sten Tamkivi, co-founder of communications platform Skype, and Khaled Helioui, former CEO of Bigpoint Games. Hinrikus told CNBC that Plural could serve as a better partner to startups in Europe than most venture capital funds, given that it was started by people with the "scar tissue" of proven entrepreneurs. Only 8% of VCs in Europe are former founders, he says, much lower than the 60% in the United States. "If we look at a lot of VC funds, you have lots of people who have done great work with spreadsheets, not with startup life," Hinrikus told CNBC in an interview. "In our case, it is seen as a core criteria for choosing our partners that they're totally unemployable." "It feels like it's world war three, and we're in the trenches together as one of the founders. So, if we look at the track record, and our ability to get the deals done, I think that all seems to say that this is really missing in Europe," Hinrikus added. Plural raised the funds from a mix of limited partners, including British and American university endowments, U.S. foundations and insurers, strategic family offices in Europe and the United States. The firm said it saw "significant appetite" from LPs limited partners, the institutional backers of venture funds for its new fund and exceeded its own fundraising target, despite being in the "toughest environment" for raising a fund. "The fact that, in a difficult fundraising environment, we've been able to raise a fund of this scale, with a huge amount of appetite from LPs, just shows you that some of the most sophisticated investors in the world are really recognising the opportunity in Europe, and really want to see a fund the shape of Plural," Carina Namih, partner at Plural, told CNBC in an interview. "I think it's a real testament against the sort of macro backdrop that we've raised a fund of this size and scale so quickly," she added. In this article GM Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS. Chevrolet DETROIT General Motors is redesigning its gas-powered Chevrolet Equinox crossover to look more rugged than its predecessors in an attempt to move the vehicle upmarket and attract new buyers. The 2025 Equinox, which GM revealed Tuesday, will feature additional standard safety and convenience features. Brad Franz, director of Chevy car and crossover marketing, said the changes to the Equinox are meant to boost the appeal of the vehicle, which GM introduced about 20 years ago. The compact crossover has grown to be among GM's best-selling vehicles. "It's critically important for us to be introducing this product right now. We feel it's going to be just as important, if not more, than [before]," he said. "We still expect it to be the No. 2 Chevy volume vehicle and, frankly, it plays in the biggest segment in the industry at 22% [market share]. We don't see that declining." Sales of the Equinox have been level the past two years at more than 212,000 units. The sales remain far below pre-Covid pandemic levels of nearly 350,000 units in 2019. The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox RS. Chevrolet The 2025 model will have heated seats and a heated steering wheel standard on all models a first for the Equinox and many mainstream brands. Some automakers have implemented or discussed including such features in monthly or annual subscription fees rather than offering them as standard or optional features. GM said about 90% of owners surveyed wanted the features. Franz declined to disclose pricing for the next-generation Equinox, which is expected to arrive in dealer showrooms midyear in three trims: LT, RS and Activ. He said the company has "no intention of deviating too far from our current pricing." Pricing for the 2024 Equinox ranges between $28,000 and $35,000, including mandatory destination fees. Among the reasons to buy an Equinox, customers most often cite price and value, according to GM. The entry-level LT is expected to account for about 60% of sales, Franz said. "Even though we are intending to push this vehicle upmarket like we have with some of our other executions we've announced, we are still highly focused on value," he said. Design changes The exterior design of the next-generation Equinox is similar to other recently redesigned Chevy vehicles. It features a large hour-glass grille, a more sculpted design and slim front and rear lights. The design is similar but different than an all-electric Equinox that's expected to go on sale this year after being delayed in 2023. On the interior, GM made changes to the compact crossover to make it roomier for the driver and passengers, including moving the gear shifter to the steering wheel column rather than between the passenger and driver or as buttons or knobs on the instrument panel. With the Federal Reserve expected to trim rates three times in 2024, fixed income investors are looking to the municipal bond space as they prepare to eventually reach for yield. The 10-year Treasury yield is trading at about 4.14%, which is higher than where the benchmark yield ended 2023, but still far off from the October highs when it touched 5%. To prepare for a regime of falling yields, investors can snap up municipal bonds and take a step down in credit quality. "We think it makes sense to lock in rates where they are now, which is still historically pretty high, so that you don't have to worry about reinvestment risk," said Jennifer Johnston, director of municipal bond research at Franklin Templeton. "We definitely think it makes sense to go a little lower in credit quality on an overall basis, especially if you compare munis to high grade corporates munis are far less risky," she added. Indeed, investors get paid for taking a small step down in credit quality in the muni bond space. Moving down from a AAA-rated muni to an A-rated issue could generate about 50 basis points of additional yield, according to Lyle Fitterer, senior portfolio manager overseeing Baird's Strategic Municipal Bond Fund (BSNSX). Stepping even lower, to a BBB-rated issue, could generate more than 100 basis points of additional yield compared to what you'd find on a muni bond with a sterling AAA rating, he said. One basis point is equal to one one-hundredth of a percent (0.01%). "In an environment where yields are 2.5%, half of a percent can add a lot of value over time, and that's a simple buy-and-hold strategy when you talk about excess return," he said. What's even sweeter is that municipal bond income is generally exempt from federal income tax. It may also be exempt from state and local taxes if the investor is a resident of the state where it was issued. This also means high income investors would have to scoop up a higher yielding corporate bond to get the same tax-advantaged yield a muni bond would generate. Consider that an investor in the 32% income tax bracket would have to find a taxable corporate bond yielding 4.41% in order to match the 3% yield they would obtain from a tax-free muni, according to New York Life Investments . A measured amount of risk Munis offer lower yields compared to their corporate counterparts, but they also carry significantly less risk. A 2022 analysis from Moody's Investors Service found that AAA-rated munis had a cumulative 10-year default rate of zero, while similarly rated corporates had a default rate of 0.35%. Going down to the A-rated issues, corporates had a 10-year default rate of 1.96%, compared to munis' 0.10%. Lower risk, however, doesn't necessarily mean risk free. For instance, about half of Americans live in states that are pointing to short-term budget gaps, long-term deficits, or both, according to Pew Charitable Trusts , which cited budget analyses states published late last year. A shortfall in income and sales tax revenue could put municipalities under pressure. "States are reporting budget deficits and finding ways to fill them, but I don't think that's a major negative going forward," said Cooper Howard, lead muni bond strategist at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. Finding additional yield In pursuit of higher muni bond yield, charter schools might be an attractive place to go digging, according to Jonathan Mondillo, head of U.S. fixed income at Abrdn. "The issuance is in that cuspy BB-rated category, but it carries a lot of investment-grade characteristics," he said of charter schools. Higher education is another place to go searching for sweetened yield and slightly higher risk, particularly in the event of an economic downturn. "When you see unemployment numbers tick up, you see a reinvestment in education," said Mondillo. "You see people go back to school and try to add to their skillset." The health-care space is an area to watch, as hospitals had been facing pressures from expenses, difficulties finding nurses and the roll-off of pandemic-era aid, said Franklin Templeton's Johnston. "We are carefully watching how hospitals are addressing community needs," she said. "We are spending extra time doing due diligence in that sector." In this photo illustration, a container of Johnson and Johnson baby powder is displayed on April 05, 2023 in San Anselmo, California. Johnson & Johnson has reached a tentative settlement to resolve an investigation by more than 40 states into claims the company misled patients about the safety of its talc baby powder and other talc-based products, the company said in a statement to CNBC on Tuesday. Notably, the settlement does not resolve the tens of thousands of consumer lawsuits, some of which are slated to go to trial this year, alleging that those talc-based products caused cancer. Those cases have for decades caused financial and public relations trouble for J&J, which contends that its talc-based products and now-discontinued talc baby powder are safe for consumers. J&J said in an October securities filing that 42 states and Washington, D.C., had launched a joint investigation into its marketing of talc-based products. The company will pay $700 million to settle the probe, its CFO Joseph Wolk told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday. Last year, J&J only set aside about $400 million to resolve U.S. state consumer protection claims. Newly minted Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone almost quit acting before her star-making turn in "Killers of the Flower Moon". Back in 2020, the current Best Actress favorite was in the process of dusting off her resume and applying for jobs outside the film business before she received a call about Martin Scorsese's epic. "You just wonder if it's going to be sustainable," she told the Hollywood Reporter in May about the place her acting career was at the time. "I had my credit card out, registering for a data analytics course." The 37-year-old, who at that point had already received acclaim for her performance in Kelly Reichardt's "Certain Women", was even considering taking a seasonal job tracking murder hornets for the Department of Agriculture. But her plans changed when she was offered the chance to star in "Killers of the Flower Moon" opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. Gladstone was offered the role of Mollie, an Osage woman whose family was systematically murdered by the family and friends of DiCaprio's Ernest Burkhart in an effort to wrest away her wealth. The role not only revitalized Gladstone's acting career, it also made her the first Native American ever nominated for Best Actress. It's a level of recognition that Gladstone has aspired to even before she made it in Hollywood. "Being known as an actress felt good even when I wasn't working, even before I got my SAG card," Gladstone told the New York Times earlier this month. "When people asked what I did: 'Yeah, I'm working at Staples right now, but I'm an actress.'" Gladstone is next slated to appear alongside Riley Keough in the Hulu true crime drama "Under the Bridge." Want to land your dream job in 2024? Take CNBC's new online course How to Ace Your Job Interview to learn what hiring managers are really looking for, body language techniques, what to say and not to say, and the best way to talk about pay. Get started today and save 50% with discount code EARLYBIRD. An oil tanker on arrival to Al Hudaydah port in the Red Sea on July 17, 2023 in Hudaydah, Yemen. (Photo by Mohammed Hamoud/Getty Images) Energy prices for Europe are expected to increase as more petroleum products and crude tankers are diverting away from the Rea Sea and Suez Canal. Longer trips for the Middle-Eastern barrels that replaced Russian flows to Europe introduce supply issues, and this is leading to a "sea change" in commodity purchases by Europe, and a boost for Atlantic Basin crude suppliers including the U.S. and Brazil. According to global trade intelligence company Kpler, at least six crude tankers are currently taking the much longer route around Africa's Cape of Good Hope rather than the Suez Canal, a diversion caused by the Houthi rebel attacks and which can add up to 45 days to the voyage. Europe is at the center of the diversions because its tanker supplies are at high risk of attack. "The decision for these diversions is by the owners of the oil, which is European," said Viktor Katona, lead crude analyst at Kpler. "European countries are seen as complicit in the Israel-Hamas war. They would rather go around the Cape of Good Hope versus taking a chance through the Red Sea." The resulting delays to the delivery of products which include crude, diesel, and LNG products vary based on the commodity being carried. LNG vessels travel faster than oil tankers because they are lighter and they can sail up to 21 knots versus the 12-13 knots for crude tankers. Before the Red Sea disruptions, a tanker from Jamnagar, India to Rotterdam, Netherlands would have taken 24 days. Sailing through the Cape of Good Hope, the duration of the same voyage has risen to 42 days. From Basrah, Iraq, to Milazzo, Sicily, a voyage that would have taken 17 days will now take 42 days. The longer transits can put a squeeze on the availability of tankers, with their return journey to be loaded up with product longer. "It's not just the arrival that is delayed, the tankers have a longer route home to be filled back up," Katona said. "You are looking at 90 days for one delivery. That is a huge amount of time. The market is underestimating the impact of the transit duration." He said to expect tankers on the spot market see an increase in freight rates, and noted that in the past few days tankers carrying "clean products" such as diesel and gasoline have been going up. Procter & Gamble on Tuesday said sales of its high-end SK-II skin-care brand fell 34% in the greater China region during its latest quarter and it blamed an unlikely culprit. With its high prices and reliance on travel retail, Japan-based SK-II has struggled as China's economic recovery lags. But P&G executives also pointed to another factor that contributed to the brand's cratering sales during the fiscal second quarter: anti-Japanese sentiment. In August, Japan started releasing a huge amount of treated radioactive water from its Fukushima nuclear power plant, which was hit by an earthquake and tsunami more than a decade ago. The wastewater was dumped into the Pacific Ocean, leading to strong backlash from Japan's neighbors including China. While Japan and the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said the move was safe, China retaliated by banning all seafood imported from Japan. Chinese consumers followed with boycotts of Japanese brands, including P&G's SK-II, fearing that their products would be tainted by radiation. P&G was among the companies that issued statements saying its products were safely produced as they tried to assuage consumer fears. While the brand took a hit in the previous quarter, P&G executives said SK-II is already seeing sales turn around. "Our consumer research indicates SK-II brand sentiment is improving, and we expect to see sequential improvement in the back half," CFO Andre Schulten said on the company's earnings conference call. CEO Jon Moeller also reminded investors that previous tensions between Japan and China have hurt SK-II's sales, but the brand always bounced back. P&G's overall beauty business reported flat volume for the quarter. Shares of P&G closed up 4% on Tuesday after the company reported earnings that topped Wall Street's estimates. Its quarterly sales, however, fell short of expectations. Don't miss these stories from CNBC PRO: People sit on the malecon with an image of Fidel Castro as they wait for the arrival of the parade of the 65th anniversary of the arrival of Fidel Castro to the capital as head of the rebel Army in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan. 8, 2024. Ramon Espinosa/Associated Press I was in the third grade at Shepherd Park Elementary School in Washington, D.C., in October of 1962 when the Cuban Missile Crisis happened. I remember it clearly because that month we began practicing duck and cover air raid drills every day. In these drills, we ducked under our wooden desks and were told to stay there until the all-clear alarm had been sounded. For an 8-year-old, I had no idea how close we as a nation were to nuclear destruction. That was more than 60 years ago. For most of that time with a brief period when President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro with the assistance of Pope Francis negotiated a deal to begin to restore full diplomatic relationships with Cuba the United States has imposed a devastating and destructive embargo on the Cuban people. One of the first things former President Donald Trump did was throw a bone to the Cuban exile community in South Florida by reversing the Obama 2014 Executive Order. During the time of the order, Cuban-Americans could remit money to their families in Cuba. Americans could vacation in Cuba. And American investors could begin making investments in the largest Caribbean Island that before the 1959 Cuban Revolution had a per-capita income that was greater than the per-capita income of Ireland or New Zealand. Our Bay of Pigs fiasco, the following embargo, and the missile crisis began a long downward slide in the Cuban economy and Cuban society. This was compounded when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1989 leaving Cuba without its primary lifeline. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Following these events, the weakness of a planned economy became glaringly clear. Production of agricultural products, including sugar, declined. Long lines and inefficiencies were everywhere. Black markets developed to fill the gap but were insufficient to meet the needs of the people. Corruption of government officials and ordinary Cubans was rampant. Cubans got on rickety rafts and attempted to cross the 90-mile journey to U.S. shores. Many Cubans died attempting the dangerous crossing. One of the biggest debates taking place right now regards our immigration policy. I have yet to hear anyone make the connection between the Trump restoration of the embargo, and President Joe Bidens decision not to return to the Obama-era policy and the exponential growth of Cuban migrants at the United States' southern border. According to the Washington Office on Latin America, the number of Cuban nationals encountered at the southern border has increased from 13,410 in 2020 to a staggering 220,908 in 2022. Several factors have led to this increase, but the return of the embargo and resulting economic consequences of these restrictions is one of the primary factors. After Trump reinstated the embargo, 400 offices of Western Union (the leading firm processing remittances from the U.S. to Cuba) shut their doors. Remittances were a major source of foreign exchange for Cubans allowing them to purchase much-needed goods and services in markets where the Cuban peso could not be used. We made our points. Castro was bad. Planned economies do not work. Russian missiles 90 miles from our border will not be allowed. It is time for the Biden Administration and Congress to normalize relations with Cuba, not just for the economic stability and well-being of Cubans in Cuba, but because it is in our national interest as the immigration numbers continue to grow. A quarter of a million Cubans would not be crossing the Mexican border if they had opportunities to work and thrive in their own country. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I understand why Biden has not reinstated the Obama-era Cuban policy on U.S. domestic political grounds. He has extraordinarily little chance of convincing the generation of Cuban-Americans who came here in the 1960s to vote for him. His tacit support for the embargo will not help him with this group of voters. They are dyed in the wool determined to destroy the Cuban people on the island with our assistance. Normalization with Cuba would bring capital to a society that is crumbling into the ocean like the 1956 Chevrolets that serve as taxis on the Malecon. American tourist dollars could help transform this economy to what it once was the jewel of the Caribbean. It is unlikely President Biden would lift the embargo before the election, but if he is reelected and Congress does not want to make the normalization permanent, he should issue his own executive order normalizing relationships with Cuba. The United States consumer and investor can have a bigger impact on internal Cuban politics than our failed 60-year embargo policy has achieved. If we can agree that democracy and human rights are good for Cubans, we should be able to agree it is time to normalize relationships with Cuba. The logo of the CIA is seen during a visit ofUS President Donald Trump the CIA headquarters on January 21, 2017 in Langley, Virginia . The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency has released a slickly produced Russian-language video to try to persuade Russian intelligence employees to switch sides and work as double agents for Washington. CIA Director William Burns said in July that disaffection among some Russians over the war in Ukraine was creating a rare opportunity to recruit spies, and that the CIA was not letting it pass. The video, released on the CIA's official channel on X, tries to appeal to what it suggests are patriotic Russians working in the intelligence community who may feel betrayed by what it called corruption in elite circles and the poor way the Russian armed forces are equipped and supplied. "Those around you may not want to hear the truth. But we do. You are not powerless," says the video, the latest in a series of recruitment videos targeting Russia, before detailing ways to contact the CIA. Accompanied by melancholy classical music, the video's main, fictional character is an unnamed 35-year-old male employee of Russia's military intelligence agency who casts himself as a patriot who loves Russia and once served as a paratrooper. "Do I have enough courage to confront this betrayal?" the video shows him saying, before he says he has realised the real enemy is inside Russia in the form of a corrupt leadership and elite. "The top leadership has sold the country out for palaces and yachts at a time when our soldiers are chewing rotten potatoes and firing from prehistoric weapons. Our people are forced to give bribes to simply find work," the man says as video clips of a bleak Russian winter are spliced with images of high-end official limousines and wealthy Russians giving toasts. The Kremlin says everything is done to ensure the Russian military has the equipment it needs to be successful in what Moscow calls its "special military operation" in Ukraine. It has rejected as false various corruption allegations, and shrugged off the video. "You know, this practice is quite common, intelligence agencies around the world very often use the media and social networks to recruit new employees. And they do it all the time, the CIA does it every year," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday. Peskov suggested the CIA had made a mistake by circulating the video on X, formerly known as Twitter, which is banned in Russia and can be accessed only by using a virtual private network, many of which are also banned. "Somebody needs to tell the CIA that in our country (Russian social network) VKontakte is much more popular than the banned X. And that VKontakte's audience is much larger," Peskov said. Reuters Namibian cheetah, Jwala, has given birth to four cubs at the Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. This comes after Namibian cheetah, Aasha, gave birth to her cubs a few weeks ago. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday shared a new video of the four cubs on social media site X. As frontline wildlife warriors managed to get closer to Jwala, they found she had given birth to four, not three, cubs. This has increased our joy several times over, he tweeted. Wildlife wonders! As frontline wildlife warriors managed to get closer to Jwala, they found she has given birth to four, not three, cubs. This has increased our joy several times over. Congratulations all.We pray the cubs thrive and prosper at their home in India. pic.twitter.com/0zJj8Cxnna Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 24, 2024 On Tuesday, he said that the cheetah had given birth to three cubs. On Tuesday, he said that the cheetah had given birth to three cubs. "Kunos new cubs! A Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs. Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharats wildlife thrive," Yadav tweeted. Kunos new cubs! Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs.Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country.May Bharats wildlife thrive pic.twitter.com/aasusRiXtG Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 23, 2024 Earlier, officials at the Kuno National Park informed on January 3 that Namibian cheetah Aasha had given birth to three cubs. "Purrs in the wild! Thrilled to share that Kuno National Park has welcomed three new members. The cubs have been born to Namibian Cheetah Aasha. This is a roaring success for Project Cheetah, envisioned by PM Shri @narendramodi ji to restore ecological balance. My big congrats to all experts involved in the project, the Kuno wildlife officials, and wildlife enthusiasts across India," Yadav had posted on X alongside a video of the newborn cubs. Purrs in the wild! Thrilled to share that Kuno National Park has welcomed three new members. The cubs have been born to Namibian Cheetah Aasha.This is a roaring success for Project Cheetah, envisioned by PM Shri @narendramodi ji to restore ecological balance.My big congrats pic.twitter.com/c1fXvVJN4C Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 3, 2024 In March last year, a cheetah named Siyaya had given birth to four cubs. However, only one of them survived. In September 2022, the first batch of eight cheetahs arrived in India, while the second batch of 12 cheetahs was flown in from South Africa in February last year. The cheetah was declared extinct in India in 1952. As part of the Cheetah project of the central government, four cheetahs were released into the wild in December last year. However, two of them were later on shifted to bomas (enclosures). News and Info from our Community Partners Information from the News and our advertisers (Want to add your business to this to this feed?) Are you a current print subscriber to Columbia Gorge News? If so, you qualify for free access to all content on columbiagorgenews.com. Simply verify with your subscriber id to receive free access. Your subscriber id may be found on your bill or mailing label. A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Baxter Real Estate Media/Contributed Photo A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Baxter Real Estate Media/Contributed Photo A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Heather Bassett/Contributed Photo A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Heather Bassett/Contributed Photo A former church in eastern Connecticut has been revitalized and turned into a luxury home; hitting the market last month for $1.2 million. The church in Sprague was purchased for $100,000 in 2022 by the real estate team of George and Heather Bassett, who make up Team Bassett Realty LLC, according to town property records. Team Bassett Realty LLC both refurbishes and sells homes. Prior to the Bassetts, the church was purchased in 2001 for $69,900. Built in 1929, the church was originally used by mill workers in the area, according to Heather Bassett. After the mills closed, the mill was sold by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Norwich to a cabinet maker, who was Bassett's brother-in law's uncle. Since then, the church has changed hands twice before coming into the possession of the Bassett's in a state of disrepair. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The church has been retrofitted into a functional house with four bedrooms, two full bathrooms, two half bathrooms and its own floor heating system. The sanctuary in the church has been turned into an open floor plan with a kitchen, dining room and living room. The house also boasts soaring ceilings, a butler's pantry and an on-demand propane generator. "Our commitment to restoration is high, and we tried to stay true to the history and features. Outside, the addition of expansive French doors opens up to an 800-square-foot deck we built, enhancing the connection with the surroundings," Bassett said via email. "Despite adhering to the original architectural floor plan, we meticulously designed the space to optimize both flow and functionality." The outside of the house retains the gothic charm of its former life as a church. Stone, stucco and hardie board siding complete the look of the house presenting as modern yet mysterious. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Baxter Real Estate Media/Contributed Photo A former church has been converted into a house, and has been listed for $1.2 million. Baxter Real Estate Media/Contributed Photo The house sits on a total of 1.03 acres while the house itself is 4,127 square-feet. According to Bassett, the house is a quarter-mile from Hanover Vineyards and 25 minutes from both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Real estate tracking firm Redfin listed median prices for the houses 06330 ZIP code at $265,000 in December. Redfin notes that on average, houses in the area often sell for about one percent above the list price and are off the market in about 42 days, while the hottest houses sell for seven percent above the asking price and are only on the market for about 12 days. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For years, Microsoft has managed to fly under the radar of government agencies looking at potential violations of antitrust laws, even though its the second largest company in the world by market valuation, just behind Apple and ahead of Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is well aware of how his company was laid low by the US Justice Departments prosecution for antitrust violations in the 1990s and has been careful not to run afoul of regulators. That changed last year when Microsoft announced plans to buy video game maker Activision for $68.7 billion. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sued the company to stop the takeover, but Microsoft prevailed and closed the deal last October. Now, though, Microsoft faces several potential antitrust probes around the world that could be far more consequential; regulators want to know more about the companys close relationship with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. If they end up going forward, Microsofts lead in generative AI (genAI) could be in danger, with consequences potentially as severe as those the company faced a quarter century ago. You need a scorecard to keep track of all the genAI probes now under way. Note: at the moment, these are initial queries rather than full-blown investigations. These kinds of things dont always lead to prosecutions, and prosecutions dont always lead to guilty verdicts. So the danger for Microsoft is still more theoretical than real for now. Heres the current state of the various inquiries into whether in genAI Microsoft might be violating antitrust laws and why. The FTC and Microsoft The FTC is still smarting from its failed attempt to block the Activision buy so much so that it has appealed the ruling. Once the feds put a company in its crosshairs, they often keep it there, so its no surprise that the agency is now considering going after Microsoft on its AI ambitions. Bloomberg reports the agency is looking into whether Microsofts $13 billion investment in OpenAI violates antitrust laws. (The large language model behind ChatGPT also powers Microsofts big genAI push, including Copilot.) At this point, Bloomberg says, its not a formal investigation, but instead a preliminary inquiry. Microsoft first began investing in OpenAI in 2019 and poured an additional $10 billion into the company a year ago. So why nearly a year after that big spend did the FTC finally set its sights on the relationship between the two companies? What did it was the bizarre soap opera of OpenAIs board firing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for reasons that remain unclear, and then hiring him back four days later. Microsoft and Altman have always marched in lockstep, and the company wanted him back in power after he was fired. As OpenAIs biggest investor, Microsoft played an almost bullying, behind-the-scenes role in forcing the board to reinstate Altman. According to The New Yorker magazine, Nadella spearheaded a drive by top Microsoft executives to put Altman back in the top spot. A Microsoft executive explained the companys moves this way: From our perspective, things had been working great, and OpenAIs board had done something erratic, so we thought, Lets put some adults in charge and get back to what we had. After Altman was canned, Microsoft hired him to run its AI division, and nearly all of OpenAIs staff said they would quit the company to join him at Microsoft. That sealed the deal: The OpenAI board backed down and rehired him. The board was reconfigured as well, with Microsoft given a seat as a nonvoting member essentially giving Microsoft everything it wanted. To the FTC, that likely signaled that OpenAI is more a part of Microsoft than a truly independent company. The fact that theyre the two most powerful AI companies on the planet naturally raised antitrust concerns. The UK considers an antitrust probe The UKs Competition and Markets Authority has gone public with its potential investigation into Microsofts relationship with OpenAI. Its seeking public feedback on whether the close, multi-faceted relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI amounts to a relevant merger and whether that merger violates antitrust laws. The agency made it clear Microsofts influence in getting Altman rehired and getting a spot on the OpenAI board is what led to the inquiry: There have recently been a number of developments in the governance of OpenAI, some of which involved Microsoft. In light of these developments, the CMA is now issuing an ITC [invitation to comment] to determine whether the Microsoft / OpenAI partnership, including recent developments, has resulted in a relevant merger situation and, if so, the potential impact on competition. The EU piles on The European Union is also looking into whether Microsofts relationship with OpenAI violates antitrust laws. It cites the same reasoning as the UK. The EUs antitrust regulator told Reuters, "While this transaction has not been formally notified, the (European) Commission has been following very closely the situation of control over OpenAI already before the recent events involving its management, including Microsoft's role on the OpenAI board and the investment agreements between Microsoft and OpenAI. The upshot Microsoft and OpenAI joined at the hip? Given that some of the worlds most powerful agencies regulating antitrust issues are looking into Microsofts relationship with OpenAI, the company has much to fear. Are they being fair, though? Is there not just smoke, but also fire? You might argue that AI and genAI in particular is so new, and the market so wide open, that these kinds of investigations are exceedingly preliminary, would only hurt competition, and represent governmental overreach. After all, Google, Facebook, Amazon, and billion-dollar startups are all competing in the same market. That shows theres serious competition. But thats not quite the point. The OpenAI soap opera shows that OpenAI is separate from Microsoft in name only. If Microsoft can use its $13 billion investment to reinstall Altman (and grab a seat on the board), even if its a nonvoting one, it means Microsoft is essentially in charge of the company. Microsoft and OpenAI have a significant lead over all their competitors. If governments wait too long to probe whats going on, that lead could become insurmountable. So, they should at least investigate whether what is in essence a merger between Microsoft and OpenAI violates antitrust laws. After that, let the chips fall where they may. Chief Ray Tatten, Nehantic Nation Tribal Council Chief David Brule and Nehantic Historian Dr. John Pfeiffer sign the Nehantic Constitution at the 2022 annual Nehantic gathering in East Lyme, Connecticut. Nehantic Tribal Council / Contributed Photo Nehantic descendants attend the tribe's annual gathering in East Lyme, Connecticut in 2022. Nehantic Tribal Council / Contributed photo 1/3 of a sign erected at McCook Point Park in Niantic, Connecticut honoring Nehantic Native Americans. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo 1/3 of a sign erected at McCook Point Park in Niantic, Connecticut honoring Nehantic Native Americans. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo The front and back of the marker that the East Lyme Historical Society put at McCook Point Park in 2006. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo The front and back of the marker that the East Lyme Historical Society put at McCook Point Park in 2006. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo Descendants of the Nehantic Nation, a Native American tribe that once resided in present-day East Lyme, Connecticut, are working to re-establish a traditional burial site in the town and bring back the remains of their ancestors. John Pfeiffer, the historian and genealogist for the Nehantic Nation, submitted a proposal to officials of the Town of East Lyme in August asking for their help in repurposing around 1/8 acre of McCook Point Park as the official Nehantic burial site. In the email to then-First Selectman Kevin Seery and the Parks and Recreation Department director Jerry Lokken, Pfeiffer asked that the parcel of land at the parks western edge by Atlantic and Columbus avenues be reserved exclusively for the purpose of burial of remains. The southern boundary would extend from Lucretias Spring towards, but not interfere with the bronze Nehantic monument. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Traditional Nehantic Burial Ground is a sacred place, Pfeiffer, an anthropologist of over 60 years and the former historian of Old Lyme, wrote in the email. Pfeiffer himself is not Nehantic, but he's been researching the Nehantics for 35 years and is an adopted member of the tribe. "Today it is the place of our ancestors, whose lives we respect and honor. It is because of them that we are here today. They are an integral part of who we are. They are our identity. Over the centuries prior to the coming of Europeans, Nehantics joined their ancestors at the crest of the hill overlooking 'Indian Pond,' Wigwam Rock, Crescent Beach and the adjacent waters of Long Island Sound," he wrote. The area outlined in the proposal is a portion of what was once the Nehantic people's sacred burial place, Pfeiffer said in the proposal. The site was the center of a 300-acre reservation created for the Nehantic people in 1672 at Black Point during European colonization, he said, and the last documented burial took place in the 1870s. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The burial site The project is part of a larger effort among the descendents to preserve and revive the legacy of the Nehantics, who were declared extinct by the Connecticut legislature in the 1870s after much of the population migrated to urban centers and died from epidemics brought by the Europeans, David Brule, chief of the Nehantic Tribal Council, said. Since the pair met nearly two decades ago, Pfeiffer has been helping Brule trace descendents using family artifacts and historical records. Brule said 70 descendents have been identified and reside in areas across the midwestern, southern and northeastern United States, and there are likely more. We are not extinct. We have been in existence, just scattered, Brule said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some members of the Nehantic Nation gather at the Thomas Lee House in Niantic in 2017 for a yearly gathering. John Pfeiffer is positioned first on the right. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo In his August proposal, Pfeiffer recommended that the traditional burial ground be a joint venture between the Nehantic Native Nation and multiple agencies and organizations in East Lyme. In August, former First Selectman Kevin Seery told The Day that he supports the project and that it will need to be reviewed by members of the Board of Selectmen and the Parks and Recreation Department. He told the paper that he planned to invite Pfeiffer to the Sept. 20 Board of Selectmen meeting, but Pfeiffer said that was postponed to an unknown date. He said Seery has reaffirmed his support for the project since then. Daniel Cunningham, who took over for Seery as the first selectman in December, told Hearst Connecticut Media that members of the new Board of Selectmen are reviewing the proposal and he intends to discuss it with those members and the Parks and Recreation Department. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We want to be careful. We want to be respectful, and we want to do it the right way, he said. Lokken told Hearst Connecticut Media in a statement that when Pfeiffer submitted the request in August, the Commission expressed general support of the request but took no formal action at the time since the Commission had no information on whether the land could be used for burial of Nehantic remains. As the process moves forward, it is my sense that the Commission would continue to look favorably on the request and do what they can to accommodate the Nehantic Tribe, he added. He also said that the Parks and Recreation Department moved a playful statue of a boy and girl in the area to another location in the park. Town officials agreed to move it in 2021 after meeting with Brule, who told The Day that putting non-native items on top of the grounds was disrespectful to Nehantic ancestors buried there. Brule also consulted the Parks and Recreation Department officials in 2019 about a sign in the park declaring the tribe extinct, he said. The department responded by erecting three signs explaining the history of the Nehantics and their modern-day existence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I did not push for the removal of that stone (declaring us extinct), Brule said. I think that the educational process is to be able to have signage near that stone and say this was quite erroneous. Two sides of a sign erected at McCook Point Park in Niantic, Connecticut honoring Nehantic Native Americans. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photos 1/3 of a sign erected at McCook Point Park in Niantic, Connecticut honoring Nehantic Native Americans. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo Bringing back ancestors While many Nehantic people are still buried at the site, some remains have been discovered, excavated and moved from the grounds to museums and different cemeteries. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "[Back then] there was no administrative way of claiming those remains since the tribal people had been scattered," Brule said. "My own ancestors had, after being born on the reservation, had then had moved off because of the detribalization process and they couldn't make a living on the reservation anyway." Pfeiffer said several remains were removed in the 1880s and buried at Union Cemetery. They plan on having those returned to the traditional burial site, he said. Brule said he also hopes to move the headstones from the other cemeteries to the location of the traditional burial site in East Lyme, if the town approves Pfeiffer's proposal. "It would be hugely symbolic," he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad East Lyme Cemetery Association president Terry Cavanaugh said she was not aware of the request to move the Nehantic remains from Union Cemetery back to their original resting place, but will research the issue. A Nehantic gravestone at Union Cemetery in Niantic, Connecticut. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photo Pfeiffer also believes a few remains are currently stored at the Yale Peabody Museum. One of which was excavated in 1946 by a pair named C. Hubbell and B. Clark at Clark Site in Niantic, according to the National Park Services inventory. According to the inventory, it has two bone arrowheads. Liz Kuchta, the East Lyme historian, recalls the remains of young Nehantic women with two bone arrowheads being discovered in 1946 near Pennsylvania Avenue near Smith Cove, an area across the street from Kuchtas childhood home. Kuchta saw her on display at the Peabody Museum several years later on a school trip. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That's why the remains seemed very important to me that she should come back home, Kuchta said. It's almost like I missed her for some unknown reason. It's like she should be back here. She should be across the street from where I live. To get the remains back from academic institutions, they would have to go through the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a national law passed by Congress that requires museums and universities nationwide to return Native American human remains and burial belongings to the tribes. Since it was passed in 1990, the remains of at least 100,000 Indigenous ancestors have not been returned to tribal nations, a Hearst Connecticut Media investigation found. At least 204 belongings taken from sites across Connecticut have not been returned as of March 2023. The process is a bit different for non-federally recognized tribes like the Nehantics. NAGPRA regulations do not require museums to consult with non-federally recognized Native American tribes, but they can if they wish, according to the National Park Service, which administers NAGPRA. The Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven photographed on February 23, 2023. Arnold Gold, Staff Photographer / Hearst Connecticut Media Pfeiffer said Yale reached out to the Nehantic Nation over the summer to discuss the remains discovered near Smith Cove, and as of now, thats the only official consultation theyve had with the museum. Advertisement Article continues below this ad (The process) in limbo, he told Hearst Connecticut Media in December. The Yale Peabody Museum has consulted with members of the Nehantic Native Nation regarding ancestor remains removed from the area of East Lyme in New London County, Chris Renton, associate director of communications and marketing for the Yale Peabody Museum, said in a statement to Hearst Connecticut Media. That consultation prompted the legally required consultations with local federally recognized tribes regarding the same remains. The details and outcomes of those consultations will remain confidential until a Notice of Inventory Completion is published in the Federal Register. Under the new NAGPRA regulations, which went into effect Jan. 12, institutions don't have the option to transfer unclaimed human remains or cultural items to non-federally recognized Native American tribes. The Department of Interior ruling said they removed the option change partly in response to strong objections from federally recognized tribes. The new guidelines also include a five-year deadline for museums to return their collections to present-day tribal nations and allows any federally recognized tribe to request to receive objects with no cultural affiliation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We hope that this will allow for even more collaboration between federally recognized Indian Tribes and Indian groups without Federal recognition to achieve repose for these human remains and associated funerary objects, the ruling states. To have the items returned, non-federally recognized groups can work with recognized tribes to file a joint claim for disposition or joint request for repatriation, according to the Department of Interior. Brule said in December that the Nehantics havent consulted any federally recognized groups in Connecticut, which are the Golden Hill Paugussett, Mashantucket Pequot, Mohegan, Paucatuck Eastern Pequot and Schaghticoke. He plans to see if any of those groups claim Nehantic remains via NAGPRA first before taking any action. It totally remains to be seen whether one of the federally recognized tribes is going to claim those because they have the right, and we don't have that standing with the government," he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The front and back of the marker that the East Lyme Historical Society put at McCook Point Park in 2006. Liz Kuchta / Contributed Photos 'I want to get the information out there' The Archaeology & Anthropology Collections at Wesleyan University also has non-affiliated remains discovered in Niantic in its inventory. Pfeiffer said he wasnt aware of that item. Steve Scarpa, manager of Media and Public Relations at Wesleyan University, confirmed in a statement that the remains are still at the museum and the institution would be open to consulting with any tribal group that is interested. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wesleyan's position is that these ancestors should be returned to their relatives. Over the past several years, we have invited both federally recognized and non-recognized tribes to consult with us on the process of facilitating the return of ancestors and funerary objects to their descendant communities. Our consultations are confidential and ongoing, he said. Also listed on the National Park Service inventory is the remains of one unidentified individual recovered from the Niantic Shellsheap Site in East Lyme in 1921 by Warren King Moorehead with the help of Robert S. Peabody Institute of Archeology in Massachusetts. It was given to the Mohegan Nation in 2001. Brule doesnt have any knowledge of those remains, but he said that the location and population of Nehantics at times overlaps with other nations in Connecticut. The fluidity of the diaspora and exchange of populations makes it harder for the NAGPRA process, he said. It's a complicated ecology among tribes. So we're trying to be as diplomatic and tread as lightly as possible, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Kuchta hopes this will shed light on this part of Connecticut history. As the former town historian, many people who come to East Lyme dont know who Nehantics are. "[Its about] teaching them about the Nehantic Nation and about the people who were here before. And it's something that, unfortunately, isn't taught in school anymore, she said. "[John] and I want to get the information out there, and we want to contribute to people's understanding of what has happened to Indigenous peoples over the years," Brule said. "There are many of us around, and there are all kinds of communities that people never even suspected." Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that remains discovered at a Niantic site are present at the Archaeology & Anthropology Collections at Wesleyan University. A previous version stated that they were located at a different part of Wesleyan. The Sundance Film Festival is currently underway, the annual event in which Hollywood bigwigs and independent filmmakers endure sub-zero temperatures in order to celebrate cinematic excellence (now with more flatulent, fornicating Sasquatches). This month also marks the 30th anniversary of one of the most important, highly-influential screenings in the history of Sundance, involving a movie that was in no way accepted to screen at Sundance. In 1993, South Park creators, and archenemies of Scientology, Trey Parker and Matt Stone made their first movie, Cannibal! The Musical (originally called Alferd Packer: The Musical). The low-budget Western comedy began as a college film class project, and evolved into a feature-length allegory for Parkers failed relationship with a woman who, not coincidentally, shared the same name as the lead characters horse. Parker submitted Cannibal! The Musical to the 1994 Sundance festival. Not only did it not get in, it didnt even warrant so much as a rejection letter. But as Parker told co-producer Jason McHugh at the time, he had experienced a vision that their film would be part of the fest, so the filmmakers decided to manifest their own Sundance screening. McHugh called up the Yarrow Hotel in Park City, Utah expecting to be laughed at, but instead, he was able to book a conference room and set up five screenings. Next, they hired a projection crew, and papered the town advertising the guerrilla event. If all that wasnt enough, Parker and company cold-called MTV and told them that they should do a story on the MTV generation upstarts who had just crashed Sundance, which they did. Advertisement The hijacking of Sundance led to Parker and Stone making connections that included securing a lawyer and an agent. As McHugh recalled, it paved the way for us to couch surf through Hollywood. It also led to Sundance (and not just a hotel near Sundance) screening the duos first-ever South Park short film The Spirit of Christmas in 1997 and their Mormon-turned-porn star comedy Orgazmo the year after that. Advertisement Advertisement In the years that followed, Parker and Stone still seemed somewhat bitter about the whole experience. As Stone told an interviewer in 2006, When we could have really used Sundance, when we really were independent filmmakers, they rejected our (film) ... and then when they wanted The Spirit of Christmas it was after we were already big hits and we didnt need their help. Then, of course, theres the South Park episode Chefs Chocolate Salty Balls, which was hardly a glowing endorsement of the festival. Amazingly, the influence of the Cannibal! The Musical stunt can still be felt in Park City today, because it directly contributed to the creation of the Slamdance Film Festival in 1995. The founders of the subversive alternative to Sundance had the same lawyer as Parker and Stone, and stories of the pairs rogue counter-programming partly inspired the creation of the new festival. What a shpadoinkle turn of events. You (yes, you) should follow JM on Twitter (if it still exists by the time youre reading this). Being scared of all shapes would be a pretty crippling phobia. Good luck with sidewalks, or buying mid-century modern furniture! But even those of us who are perfectly comfortable with standard geometry have a couple of shapes that inspire fear. Perhaps the most famous of spooky shapes is the mysterious Bermuda Triangle, but given that most of us arent sailing anywhere, much less into parts unknown, its not much of a threat. There are other terrifying shapes, however, were much more likely to come into contact with. Such as 12 Pentagrams Pittigrilli Trading your soul for cool rock and roll vibes. These things are absolute catnip for demons (and goths). Weird that circles are fine, and stars are all over cute spiral notebooks for kids, but put one in the other and it means hell. 11 Orbs/Spheres Rronenow Orbs aren t scary. Oh yeah? You like this? This is cool to you? Now, Im not saying the sight of a fresh boba tea should send you running. When, however, an orb or sphere is hovering? Ominously? Buddy, you got a real problem. Not to mention when theyre showing up in your old family pictures. A cool bowling ball is the only glow-in-the-dark orb Im interested in playing with, not the humming soul of a sick Victorian child. Advertisement 10 Hourglasses Wellcome Images Agh! My potential! A stopwatch and an hourglass are two different ways to measure elapsed time, but weirdly, only one of them makes you immediately consider your mortality. Ive never watched a guy timing the 40-yard dash and been sent into a deep depression. Sand pouring ominously from one chamber to another though? Im calling my parents while I still can. 9 Hourglasses on Spiders Tyler C. Not that anyone needs to get close enough to see the hourglass to know this is probably not great to touch. Advertisement Keeping in mind the hourglass as a symbol of mortality, its actually an insanely sick choice of back piece by Black Widow spiders. Getting bit by a spider sucks already, because A) youre itchy; and B) theres a spider. Upgrade the chomper in question to a Black Widow, though? Youre about to do the most important Google search of your life. 8 That Cube From Hellraiser Formanavt Figure it out, and win a free subscription to Feeld. Advertisement Look, as a lifelong indoor kid and only child, puzzles are my shit. Theres nothing I like more than to while away the hours in a dimly lit room without blinking. Which is why it sucks so much how scary the Hellraiser puzzle is. You just wanted something to do with your hands, and now youre getting dragged by your neck wattle into the Freak Dimension via a hooked chain. Advertisement 7 Swastikas Ajay Tallam/Flickr The animals make it a little more fun. Unless they re all anti-Semitic. Not generally a great thing to see. Yes, I know it used to be a symbol of peace, and Istanbul used to be Constantinople, but sometimes geopolitics change things and we all have to deal with it. 6 Too Many Circles West Midlands Police Let s look at these puppies instead. Trypophobia is a common, somewhat confusing fear of lots of neighboring holes that youd think was discovered by Reddit based on how often its reposted there. Im not posting a picture of it, because its one of those internet things that its fashionable to get unreasonably upset about, like using the word moist. Do you know how many rage-clicks we could get using it as a thumbnail? Dont say we never did nothing for you. Advertisement Advertisement 5 Pyramid Heads Johnson Wen/Flickr We noticed you from across the flesh hospital and liked your vibe. A video game villain that, despite representing trauma most kids would need 10 years and a Wiki article to fully understand, was still highly unsettling. The scariest monster the Pythagorean Theorem has ever applied to. 4 Two Lines on a Pregnancy Test Yipes! Now thats scary! 3 That Optical Illusion of a Spinning Dancer Nobuyuki Kayahara Get her off my screen! Advertisement I know its just a trick of the eye and it cant hurt me, but I despise this fucking thing. It makes me unsettled, and I feel like shes going to be spinning in my bedroom corner, blacker than shadow, while Im trying to sleep. Optical illusions in general should have to be behind some sort of flap, so that I can only look at them when Im ready. 2 When Those Shapes Get Drawn on Winnie the Poohs Butt Walt Disney Co. The Ritual (2017) I still dont know exactly whats going on here, but the first time I saw this as a kid it made me soak my little light-up sneakers with so much piss the LEDs died. A wise dad once told his son, Pot makes you feel fine with being bored. Maybe thats why we sat through so many Tegridy Farms episodes. Anyone who has ever glanced at the novelty bong shelf in a head shop knows that there is a serious intersection of South Park fans and daily pot smokers. From the introduction of Towelie in Season Five to the aforementioned overgrown arc in more recent seasons, marijuana manufacturing and consumption is a constant topic for comedy on the long-running series, and the bright colors, crass humor and abundance of over-the-top musical numbers makes the cartoon an easy sell for the average stoner. Weed-smokers love South Park as much as Trey Parker and Matt Stone love writing about weed, but in 2002, the pair offered a powerful portent to potential potheads that should have put so many thirty-somethings who are currently ripping a Randy Marsh-branded bong on the straight and narrow. The South Park episode My Future Self n Me satirized the efforts of anti-drug organizations like The Partnership for A Drug-Free America and D.A.R.E. to scare kids away from marijuana with hyperbolic claims about the dangers of doobies. In the climatic scene, Randy explains the actual harm pot could do to Stans future in simple terms that still have some fans stressing over their spliffs and in a recent post on the South Park subreddit, one user posted a screenshot of the speech with the title, I didnt want to come to terms with this but Randy is right. This inspired many South Park fans to open up about how abusing weed had a negative effect on their future success, while more still stayed in denial, furiously shooting back, No, youre a towel! Advertisement This hits home, especially after stopping four days ago due to the realization Im spending money to enjoy being bored when instead I could be spending money to enjoy not being bored lol, one user wrote, while another added, I feel seen but not in a positive way. Especially shitty when you no longer smoke but this could apply. However, for as many current and former South Park stoners who admitted that they would have done well to follow Randys advice earlier, even more fans were on the other side of the issue, arguing that marijuana hasnt impeded their ability to grow and develop in fact, its done the opposite. I dont know what yall are talking about. I bleed green, and Im absurdly productive and have lots of exciting things going on. I dont think Im special in this either. I hate this stereotype, one such stoner cut through the fog. Another Redditor suggested an alternative to Randys eventuality, writing, Or you get high and dial in on what you want to do. Advertisement But the few South Park fans who heeded Randys words were in agreement warning kids that pot can sap them of their motivation and impede their personal development is a much more effective method of drug education than the scare tactics that were laughably popular in 2002. Whether or not those who smoke weed every day are willing to admit it, a regular pot habit is more than capable of leading people with potential into creative dead ends. Case in point: Randy Marsh. Everyone remembers Will Smith smacking Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, but twenty bucks says you cant name the hosts of that years ceremony. Thats right, hosts plural Wanda Sykes, Regina Hall and Amy Schumer tag-teamed the MC duties that year with performances overshadowed by The Slap. (The hosts were also criticized for not commenting on the fight during the show.) But if Smith hadnt taken offense to Rocks joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith, it could have been another punchline that made headlines that night. Click right here to get the best of Cracked sent to your inbox. While performing a comedy set at the Mirage in Las Vegas, Schumer revealed that Academy honchos banned pointed jokes that she wanted to tell on Oscar night. In particular, she wanted to take aim, as it were, at Alec Baldwin. I want to preface these Oscar jokes by saying that my lawyer said not to say these," she confided to her Vegas audience. Dont tell anybody and dont get mad at me. The offending joke, not surprisingly, was about Baldwins involvement in a fatal shooting on the set of the independent film Rust. If Schumer had her way, part of her monologue would have included this joke: Dont Look Up is the name of a movie? More like dont look down the barrel of Alec Baldwins shotgun. I wasnt allowed to say any of that, Schumer told the comedy crowd, but you can just come up and (slap) someone. While Schumer wasnt allowed to tell Baldwin jokes at the Oscars, she got plenty of opportunities in her 2023 Netflix special, Emergency Contact. She poked at his von Trapp-amount of children, then devoted an extended bit to the dubious ethnicity of Baldwins wife Hilaria (shes from Boston). My point is that all evidence points to this woman, since she met her husband, has straight-up pretended to be from Spain, Schumer says in her special. And her husband shot someone. Now stay with me! Advertisement While Schumer was eager to joke about the tragedy in Baldwins life, she found the violence that occured during her own Oscar experience more troubling. After the ceremony, The Los Angeles Times reported that she took her trauma to Instagram in an apparently deleted post: Still triggered and traumatized. I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing. So much pain in @willsmith anyway Im still in shock and stunned and sad. Im proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed. Imagine how disturbed she would have been if she accidentally killed someone with a prop gun. Andrew DaRosa is a SPJ award-winning journalist who has worked at Hearst Connecticut Media Group since 2018. He currently works as a Senior Audience Producer and a Trending Reporter for CT Insider and also runs the SEEN section. He can often be found covering Connecticuts expanding music scene, supposedly haunted sites around the state or keeping track of big winners in the Connecticut Lottery. He has been at the forefront of multiple music-related stories around Connecticut, including the Sound On Sound music festival. With a passion for music, over the past decade, Andrew has interviewed members of Judas Priest, Goose, The National, Trey Anatasio Band, The Head and the Heart and Maren Morris. Originally from Massachusetts, Andrew graduated from Fairfield University in 2018 with a degree in digital journalism. Since working for Hearst Connecticut, Andrew has become a four-time winner of Connecticut Society of Professional Journalism awards for his coverage of Connecticut band Goose, hiking the state and his human interest stories. When he isnt writing about Ed and Lorraine Warren or jam bands, Andrew can be found going to concerts with his wife or hanging out with his cat, Spud. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmdarosa The Australian federal government has revealed Russian citizen and cybercriminal Aleksandr Ermakov is linked to the Medibank Private data breach that saw PII and critical medical information of Australian citizens and international students leaked on the dark web. In an Australian first, the government also imposed a targeted financial sanction and a travel ban on Aleksandr Ermakov. This means providing assets to Ermakov or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments, is a criminal offence punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and heavy fines. The announcement sends a clear signal that individuals connected to cybercrimes committed in Australia will be identified and targeted with the hope that it will have some deterrent effect, emeritus professor of criminology at Flinders University Andrew Goldsmith told CSO. Australia confirms REvil is behind the Medibank breach In a press conference, Home Affairs and Cyber Security Minister Clare ONeil confirmed that Ermakov is a member of REvil. In November 2022, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) had revealed that those responsible for the data breach of were in Russia. AFP Commissioner Reece Kershaw said at the time that the AFP believed to know those responsible for the breach. A few months later in an interview for 60 Minutes, Reece said the AFP had shared intelligence with Russian authorities and expected to see a result but were still waiting for any response. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the AFP worked with overseas partners including the FBI, the NSA in America, GCHQ in the UK. The likely results from the sanctions At the time of the Medibank data breach, AFPs Kershaw had said that anyone involved in the attack was a focus of the investigation and that cyber criminals operate like a business with affiliates and associates, who are supporting the business, and that some affiliates are believed to be in other countries. In October, VMware fixed a critical remote code execution vulnerability in its vCenter Server (CVE-2023-34048) and Cloud Foundation enterprise products that are used to manage virtual machines across hybrid clouds. It has now come to light that a Chinese cyberespionage group had been exploiting the vulnerability for 1.5 years before the patch became available. These findings stem from Mandiants continued research of the novel attack paths used by UNC3886, which historically focuses on technologies that are unable to have EDR deployed to them, researchers from security firm Mandiant said in a report late last week. UNC3886 has a track record of utilizing zero-day vulnerabilities to complete their mission without being detected, and this latest example further demonstrates their capabilities. In June 2023, Mandiant documented how the Chinese group it tracks as UNC3886 exploited a zero-day authentication bypass vulnerability in VMware Tools (CVE-2023-20867) to deploy backdoors inside guest VMs from compromised ESXi hosts. That attack flow described by Mandiant started with hackers first gaining access to vCenter servers and then using known techniques to extract cleartext credentials for the vpxuser account for all ESXi hosts attached to the server. This allowed them to access those hosts and exploit CVE-2023-20867 to deploy malware. However, the password for vpxuser an account created on ESXi hosts automatically when associated with a vCenter server is encrypted by default. On a fully patched vCenter system, cracking the passwords requires root access. So, how did attackers gain root access to vCenter servers in the first place? By exploiting the CVE-2023-34048 vulnerability that was later patched in October 2023. Mandiants forensic analysts found a commonality on compromised vCenter systems where the crash logs located in /var/log/vMonCoredumper.log showed the vmdird service crashing minutes prior to attackers deploying their malware. After sharing this observation with VMwares product security team along with memory core dumps of the crashed vmdird process, the conclusion was reached that the crashes are closely aligned with the behavior observed during CVE-2023-34048 exploitation. The CVE-2023-34048 flaw is an out-of-bounds write in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol that leads to a crash and arbitrary code execution. The flaw can be exploited remotely over the network. 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. A rendering of Eleish Van Breems at 177 Main Street in Westport, Conn. Edie Van Breems/Contributed photo Edie Van Breems and Rhonda Eleish, owners of Eleish Van Breems. Rhonda Eleish/Contributed photo A rendering of Eleish Van Breems at 177 Main Street in Westport, Conn. Edie Van Breems/Contributed photo WESTPORT Growing up, Edie Van Breems and Rhonda Eleish often found themselves browsing The Remarkable Book Shop at 177 Main Street. They would peruse the shop for hours, spend their allowances and even visit the store's cat who often sat by the window. The shop closed in the 1990s, and was eventually commercialized. Now, Eleish and Van Breems are taking over the shop they have long adored, turning it into a new location for their furniture business, Eleish Van Breems, while ensuring a nod to the book store's history. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "We look for charming, soulful locations that tell a story," Eleish said. "We have really taken our time to add soul back into a very historically depleted building. We listened to the building, and hopefully, we have honored its wishes." Eleish and Van Breems grew up together in Westport and Fairfield and were often involved in each other's projects. They started their first location in as an antique business in Woodbury in 1997, Eleish said. "We loved working together, and one day, we found an industry that we both loved, and we combined our interests and lifestyles into a home design company with a Scandinavian twist," Eleish said. As antique dealers who specialized in the Gustavian and Rocco periods, they would visit Sweden and Denmark multiple times a year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Naturally, we fell under the thrall of all Scandinavian design," Eleish said. "From mid-century to contemporary makers, and as our interests grew, so did our scope. " In 2015, the business moved to Westport and focused on a range of Scandinavian furnishings, lighting, antiques and accessories, as well as pieces from some American furniture companies. There are currently three Eleish Van Breems Studio locations in Saugatuck and two Eleish Van Breems Home stores in New Preston and Nantucket. They have been looking for another space in Westport for years. This summer, they are opening up a flagship location for Eleish Van Breems Home at 177 Main Street in Westport. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Our flagship location will reflect the beautiful furniture and Scandinavian brands we show in New Preston and Nantucket," Van Breems said. Van Breems said historic renovation has become a passion project for her and Eleish, and the restoration of 177 Main Street is their biggest and most exciting renovation to date. "Having grown up in Westport and Fairfield, Rhonda and I have the fondest memories of what was perhaps the most magical part of our childhoods, the little pink colonial building at the top of Main Street called The Remarkable Bookstore," Van Breems said. She called it "an oasis for arty kids like us," thanks to its former owners Esther and Sidney Kramer and Esta Burroughs. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Van Breems also called it "a funky, intelligent, buzzing gathering place in a time when publishing was still king." The shop was built in 1760 and was originally home to the Ebenezer Coley Store, Van Breems said. This has close family ties to her, as her aunt Julie Nespor Ekholm's father owned it in the 1950s. He started his medical practice there and lived upstairs with his family. "My aunt used to always show me where she and her sister Roberta's old bedroom was when we would visit the bookstore," she said. Van Breems said when the building was sold and commercialized in the 1990s, it upset many older Westport families. But now, they will restore the building to give it a nod to the 18th century aesthetic it was once known for. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This location will be "a surprise for all," Eleish said. Van Breems said she and Eleish love Westport, and as people who grew up there, it has been exciting to see their brand develop into a serious design center over the last few years. "People now travel from all over to experience the wonderful home and design stores we have in Westport," Eleish said. "There really is so much to choose from that it's perfect for both the retail and trade clients." Eleish said there aren't any plans to expand outside of Westport, for now, but they are looking forward to open this location by the end of summer. Crude Oil Prices and Analysis Energy prices had already gained on geopolitics this week Worries about end-demand seem to have put the brakes on US inventory data will grab attention in the coming sessions Recommended by David Cottle Get Your Free Oil Forecast Get My Guide The previous session had seen price rises for both the United States West Texas Intermediate benchmark and international bellwether Brent. A suspected Ukrainian drone attack on a Baltic Sea processing terminal owned by Russian natural gas giant Novatek was behind part of that move. News that US and United Kingdom forces had again launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight added some early support to prices but that has faded as the session has progressed. Away from global conflicts and their immediate effects on production, the market is still worried about a fundamentally oversupplied market meeting economic outlooks uncertain at best. China remains a particular concern given its tepid economic recovery and cratering consumer confidence. Beijing has announced a raft of measures aimed at propping up demand but has so far failed to produce the sort of big bazooka that would overwhelm energy traders doubts. The market will get some inventory snapshots out of the US this week. The American Petroleum Institutes crude oil stock roundup is due after the European markets close on Tuesday Its expected to show a drawdown of three million barrels in the week of January 19 and might support at least US prices if so. The Energy Information Authorities' broader look at petroleum product stockpiles is coming up on Wednesday and will likely attract more market attention. WTI Crude Oil Prices Technical Analysis WTI Daily Chart Compiled Using TradingView The typical lower high/higher low pattern of a pennant formation remains in place on the chart. This should give bulls some pause as, typically a continuation pattern, the pennant ought to suggest a further leg lower once it resolves itself. However, the market has shown little interest in breaking conclusively to the downside over the past three weeks, since its break above the most recent downtrend band. It might perhaps be better to think of current action as a broad range trade between December 26s significant intraday peak of $76.17/barrel and January 3s low of $68.99, with near-term direction likely decided by which of those breaks first. On an upside move bulls will eye resistance at the peaks of late November, in the $77.50 area. December 13s six-month low of $67.73 will beckon as support on a fall below that lower boundary. Sentiment toward US crude at current levels is extremely bullish according to data from IG Group. That finds the market long to the tune of a remarkable 76%. While this looks positive at face value, it also looks more than a little overdone and may mean contrarian short plays offer rewards. Oil - US Crude Mixed Data provided by of clients are net long. of clients are net short. Change in Longs Shorts OI Daily 18% 7% 13% Weekly -7% 66% 13% --By David Cottle for DailyFX MBABANE Pupils who failed Form III in the 32 pilot schools that were offering the four-year programme, are expected to return to Grade 9. In the five-year programme, Grade 9 is similar to Form III. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Education and Training, following a meeting with stakeholders of the programme. The future of the learners was in limbo as some of the schools under the pilot programme were not sure of the way forward, considering that they would not be offering Form III, which has been phased out completely. The stakeholders included the National Curriculum Centre (NCC), the Examinations Council of Eswatini (ECESWA), Eswatini Schools Committee and Parents Association (ESCAPA) and the ministry. This follows that all schools providing the programme have completely phased out Form III. The Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training, Bhekithemba Gama, stated that learners, who had failed Form III under the five-year programme, were doing a similar curriculum that was offered in Grade 9. Compressed Gama said with the four-year programme, they had compressed the Junior Certificate (JC) curriculum into four years. He said the pupils who failed JC will repeat in Grade 9 under the pilot programme. According to the PS, after completing Grade 9, the learners would proceed to Grade 10, which is equivalent to Form IV. Questioned on how the learners who had failed JC would cope under the compressed programme, he said they were actually at an advantage as this would be a revision for them. They will be learning the content for the second time, as they are repeating the curriculum, he said. Gama said no child would be neglected as they had their best interest. NCC Director Musa Hlophe said following a meeting with the head teachers in the affected schools who also suggested that the learners be absorbed under the four-year programme, they also endorsed this move. When asked what would happen to the current Form IIIs doing the five-year programme, the director stated that they were waiting for the first cohort of the pilot cycle to complete in 2025, where they would then compile a comprehensive progress report on challenges and solutions. After compiling the report, Hlophe stated that they would then be able to advise the ministry on the expectations when the programme was finally rolled out. Experiment He said a pilot was an experiment, which they did on the children, which was why they were ensuring that they were protecting their interests at all costs, whether there were challenges or not. Stakeholders in the education sector recently accused government of blundering in prematurely introducing the four-year Eswatini General Certificate of Secondary Education (EGCSE) high school programme. This, they claimed, was because teachers were not trained for the programme, further alleging that there was no proper infrastructure to accommodate the pupils and there were also not enough teachers to run the programme. Court gossip has been part of royal life for centuries but the online trolls who are attacking the Princess of Wales as she recuperates in hospital from major abdominal surgery have taken things to a new level. I wont dignify their bile by repeating it here but suffice to say it is so appallingly offensive it is hard to see how anyone could possibly consider such behaviour in any way acceptable. They have even turned on Sarah Ferguson, albeit not so viciously, following the revelation that she has skin cancer. It beggars belief that these laptop warriors, who are - invariably - cowards who hide behind pseudonyms, are allowed to get away with spewing such hatred. Vile abuse of this sort has got nothing to do with free speech and its perpetrators should be reported, tracked down and dealt with by the law. The Princess of Wales at Sandringham on Christmas Day, the last time she was seen in public In the ever-evolving digital age, the King knows he and the rest of The Firm must embrace social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, which offer them access to millions of followers. They help the royals promote who they are and what they do - particularly when it comes to their charitable work - in an era when its increasingly important for them to justify their existence. But the pace of change in the online world and the interactivity that is part and parcel of it has brought fresh problems. Today the royals employ their own teams of online specialists who must, sadly, spend hours moderating their sites, deleting and cleansing them of expletives and insults. It got so bad recently that glossy magazine Hello! launched a campaign called #hellotokindness to confront the rise in toxic insults aimed at the Royal Family, particularly Kate and Meghan. The hostility even extends to royal correspondents, with many members of the Press being targeted, with some - including myself - even attracting death threats. Twitter, now X - a breeding ground for hostility in so many sectors - has also seen an upsurge in baseless and deranged theories about the royals. Fergie, Duchess of York, faced hatred when she revealed she has skin cancer Trolling royals is, of course, nothing new. As far back as the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth Is love life was the subject of agitated gossip, never more so than following the Countess of Essexs secret marriage to the Earl of Leicester. Better known as Lettice Knollys and Robert Dudley respectively, the latter had long been a favourite of the Queen and she was reported to be furious at her kinswomans betrayal. The late 18th century saw the rise of printed gossip sheets in London, which were widely used by wronged lovers to air their grievances in public. The Duke of Cumberland, Henry Frederick, for example, suffered a very public humiliation for betraying a sex worker called Polly Jones, who subsequently shared her story with the press. Early in her reign Queen Victoria was mocked and called 'Mrs Melbourne' because she was said to be too close to her first prime minister Lord Melbourne, who she affectionately called Lord M. And in 1821, the gossip-mongers had a field day when Caroline, wife of George IV, caused a scene at her husbands coronation, attempting to enter despite being banned. In the modern era, a young Prince Andrew found himself ensnared by former lovers exploiting indiscreet letters. And James Hewitt, known for his affair with Princess Diana, published a tell-all book, gave interviews, and attempted to profit from their relationship. But the advent of the internet took popular scrutiny to a new level and led to the publication of vast amounts of unverified information online as everyone with a smartphone became, de facto, a paparazzo or a citizen journalist, making it tougher to distinguish between reliable sources and fake news. And while mainstream media takes privacy rights very seriously, trolls have no such scruples. Buckingham Palace and the mainstream media have so far largely managed to shield the younger royals, such as the Cambridges children George, Charlotte, and Louis, from intrusive online exposure - although a volley of rude comments generally follows the release of an official photo. Prince William also faced online trolling for taking time out to visit his wife in hospital But through their work, the royals witness the harsh realities of online excess at first hand and William has launched a task force to combat cyberbullying. Indeed, as debates rage over online safety, the royals could be crucial in shaping a better environment for all. Recent legislative changes in the UK have emphasised the need to focus on psychological harm in online communication, as well as content that is simply offensive. Lets hope this approach works and goes some way to quell the absurd hostility we have seen in recent days. Back in 2006, Jack Straw the former Home and Foreign Secretary who was then Labour MP for Blackburn wrote in his local newspaper that he felt uncomfortable talking to women who came to see him at his constituency surgery with a veil covering their faces. He added that he was concerned wearing a full veil made community relations harder. The backlash was instant and ferocious. The Islamic Human Rights Commission judged he was guilty of selective discrimination. Others called his remarks offensive and ill-conceived. I was sitting in the MPs tea room in the Commons on the day the storm broke, and watched as female Labour MPs bore down on Jack as he queued for his tea and crumpets, to berate him for what he had said. Katharine Birbalsingh is being sued by a Muslim pupil for banning prayers in school break times I was confused. In what world would any feminist think it was acceptable that women and girls cover their faces; that they shouldnt be seen so they dont lead men astray and inflame their sexual urges? Jack looked uncomfortable, glanced at his phone and made a hasty exit. As he headed for the door and past the Tory tables, a few of us called out our support. They dont want him upsetting the Labour vote, explained one MP, dunking a Hobnob in his tea. Covering a womans face with a veil is not required by the Koran. To my mind, it is a tradition rooted in misogyny and belongs in the dark ages. It was right for Jack Straw to question the merits of the veil, even though he became a lightning rod for the issue. Not that you will see any MP rush to embrace his cause today. I was reminded of all this last week when we learned Katharine Birbalsingh, head teacher of Michaela Community School the strictest school in the country, with an outstanding Ofsted rating and excellent academic outcomes is being sued by a female pupil for banning ritual prayer during the school day. Around half the schools intake is Muslim and the ban was introduced because group prayers by a number of pupils had led to disorder and the intimidation of children and teachers. After the ban, order was restored. The pupils challenge is being funded by 100,000 of taxpayers money in Legal Aid, and her lawyer a KC no less says the ban has fundamentally changed how she feels as a Muslim in this country. The same pupil, by the way, was reprimanded for intimidating children who didnt fast during Ramadan and suspended last year for reportedly threatening to stab another student. Katharine has previously banned mobile phones in her school (a move applauded by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who has since announced her own plan to ban mobile phones in all schools). Katharine makes it clear her school is non-religious and is sticking to her guns. All pupils are treated equally. Everyone eats vegetarian food to avoid segregation at meal times. Theres no special treatment for anyone. No prayer mats, no chapels. Hijabs are allowed, however, although I think that if the school is truly secular, they shouldnt be. The sad fact is that whenever a school takes a stand against Islamic militancy, it seems to end up having to back down. Barclay Primary School in East London banned political symbols, including the Palestinian flag. But the backlash was so violent, they now have police officers stationed in the school. Another school in East London was forced to drop its ban on primary school children wearing the hijab for the same reason; and we all saw the angry demonstrations outside a school in Birmingham by Muslims who objected in 2019 to the teaching of sex education. The lawyer representing the pupil at Michaela is based at Matrix chambers, one of the most expensive in the country. And the truth is, Katharine could very likely lose. The defence of the girl is that while Catholics can pray to God in their head, privately, Muslims are required to pray ritually on a mat. So the ban is discriminatory. This is the legal pinhead on which Katharine may lose her case and Michaela schools prized non-religious status. Michaela Community School in Brent, north-west London, is known as the strictest in Britain It is time for Education Secretary Keegan to step up and be the new Jack Straw. To support Katharine Birbalsingh and wrap the protective arms of the state around Michaela school. If she can ban mobile phones in schools, she can ban prayer mats, and the wearing of hijabs by primary school children, too. We want more schools to follow Michaelas lead not for it to be forced to become like so many others. Cameron as caretaker? The Plot thickens The Mail on Sunday reports that No 10 was on alert after aides of Kemi Badenoch launched a clumsy and botched failed leadership bid on December 6 last year. This will be no surprise to those who have read my book, The Plot, serialised in this paper and which told of the characters who have been creating chaos at the heart of the Conservatives ever since the time they tried to have Norman Tebbit expelled from the party in 2002. Readers will know that Kemi has been the protegee and ally of one of the main disruptors and central characters in The Plot, a mysterious key adviser at the heart of No 10 and Conservative Central Office called Dougie Smith, who once organised sex parties. With Conservatives still polling only 20 points, it is clear that a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will arrive sooner rather than later if things dont change, and MPs even in safe seats watch helplessly as their large majorities melt away. Neither the people nor the media will accept another leadership election if Rishi is removed. MPs may be persuaded that a smooth transfer of power without an election will be the best option for stability and the continued survival of the party. Thats what happened when Michael Howard stepped in following the defenestration of Iain Duncan Smith in 2003 by the same men who would later remove Boris Johnson. Who would fill the gap if Rishi goes? David Camerons appointment as Foreign Secretary blindsided us all. So dont be surprised if you hear the words: Step forward, Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton. Its almost as though it was all part of a plot. If those who hide in the shadows cant be assured of getting their preferred candidate, Kemi Badenoch, into the job, a caretaker PM while they regroup might suffice. Traitors to peace and quiet Are we all ready for the final of The Traitors (with host Claudia Winkleman)? Wine in the fridge? Snacks at the ready? We will be at my house, with all three daughters round to watch it with me. The trouble is, they all talk so much it will be pause button on and off as I hiss, Ssshhh, Im trying to watch, while they keep a running dialogue going. Would I rather watch it on my own, in peace and quiet? Never. Who would I have to moan at? Nadine will be watching the final Traitors episode, hosted by Claudia Winkleman (pictured) with her three daughters - even though they're likely to talk through the whole show At last, the BBC is to face tougher scrutiny from Ofcom as the media watchdog has its remit extended to deal with perceived bias in the Corporations online content and on its social media channels. What is not clear is when this will come into effect and how the BBC will be held accountable. Ive complained bitterly that the Licence Fee Review, to find new ways to fund the BBC, has been endlessly delayed. An MP has now informed me that it was launched quietly on a busy news day last month. I checked the Government website, and lo and behold, it was. However, the expert panel for the review has yet to be appointed. Prosecutions for non-payment of the licence fee have now reached a desperate 3,500 per month but, sadly, with a General Election only months away, it looks as though the licence is here to stay. You cant move goalposts, Gary MATCH Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker, who has a 1.3 million contract with the BBC, has complained to the Left-leaning Guardian newspaper that the reaction to his tweets has been toxic. Do yourself a favour, Gary. Leave the BBC and move to another broadcaster. Or keep the big salary, stop tweeting and stay with the Beeb. The choice is easy and its yours to make. My late mother-in-law once told me that you will know when youve entered old age because you will start to talk more about your health than you do about your holidays. Having recently spent the night at my best friends house, I realised with horror on the drive home that much of our conversation had focused on the benefits of cholesterol-lowering statins. Its official, old folks. Ive arrived. We all know that Sir Keir likes to virtue signal, but yesterday he outdid himself. The Labour leader was addressing the Civil Society Summit, a gathering of charities and not-for-profit groups. Puffing himself up as the valiant defender of civic bodies, he accused the Government of pursuing a 'culture war' against key institutions in British society. From the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to the National Trust, no organisation is safe from the prying eyes of Conservative ministers determined to hunt down 'wokeness', he claimed. He said the Government is engaged in a 'kind of weird McCarthyism', where it is forever on the lookout for 'woke agendas'. Tories have become 'tangled up in culture wars of their own making', he said. They are 'demonising' great organisations by accusing them of promoting political correctness. They are 'sabotaging civil society to save their own skins', and 'it's desperate, it's divisive, it's damaging'. Puffing himself up as the valiant defender of civic bodies, Sir Keir accused the Government of pursuing a 'culture war' against key institutions in British society Sir Keir said the Government is engaged in a 'kind of weird McCarthyism', where it is forever on the lookout for 'woke agendas' What rhetoric, Sir Keir! Such blather might go down well with the chattering classes in your North London neighbourhood who have long fancied themselves as the last line of defence against the evils of conservatism. But it won't wash with the rest of us, who have watched as some of our once-great organisations have been corrupted by wokeness. The reality is that the Government isn't 'sabotaging' these institutions. Quite the opposite. The charities and other such bodies are sabotaging themselves by sacrificing their once-noble missions at the altar of ideology. To deny this fact is nothing short of insulting but I suppose we shouldn't expect anything less from Sir Keir, who, when once asked if it was transphobic to say that only women have a cervix, said that is 'not right' and who claimed that one in a thousand women in Britain that's 30,000 have a penis. A politician who won't accept the laws of basic biology is unlikely to understand the crisis in civil society. So let us enlighten him, shall we? Sir Keir said the voice of charities had been 'ignored' and he wanted to create a 'Society of Service' The Labour leader attacked Margaret Thatcher's 'no such thing as society' refrain today as he accused ministers of 'sabotaging' charities Let's start with the RNLI, the lifeboat charity which seems now to be as concerned about launching woke crusades against its own 'problematic' staff as it is about saving lost souls at sea. The charity has ordered a 'full-scale cultural review' at Hastings Lifeboat Station in East Sussex after an internal report made allegations of racism and sexism against 'alpha males' at the station. As a result, all lifeboat staff at Hastings were ordered to attend diversity and inclusivity training. Meanwhile, a whistleblower at the RNLI told the Mail that it was putting diversity ahead of seamanship training. Indeed, their website proudly boasts it is a Stonewall Diversity Champion. A whistleblower at the RNLI told the Mail that it was putting diversity ahead of seamanship training (Stock Image) From the Royal National Lifeboat Institution to the National Trust, no organisation is safe from the prying eyes of Conservative ministers determined to hunt down 'wokeness', Sir Keir claimed (Stock Image) Which means it has signed up to the controversial advisory service of the charity Stonewall, designed to embed LGBTQ+ inclusion across institutions. It has urged organisations to make staff bathrooms 'gender-neutral' and to replace the term mother with 'parent who has given birth'. I don't know about you, but if I were ever stuck at sea, I couldn't care less about the views of my rescuers, so long as they could drag me to land. How telling that several experienced lifeboatmen have left the service citing political correctness as the reason. Then there is the RNLI's role in the small boats crisis. Many of the lives it saves off the coast of Kent in particular are illegal migrants crossing from France. This has prompted accusations that it is running a 'taxi service' for migrants. Now, no sensible person would suggest that the RNLI should leave migrants at sea if their boats get into genuine difficulty. The RNLI saves lives without fear or favour. But its moral posturing is nauseating and testament to how politicised it has become. The charity has started proselytising and lecturing us bigoted little people. As The Guardian who else? reported in 2021, the RNLI is 'looking to promote empathy and understanding among the British public with respect to migrants crossing the Channel'. Then there's the National Trust. At its inception in 1895, the Trust vowed to 'promote the permanent preservation, for the benefit of the nation, lands and tenements (including buildings) of beauty or historic interest'. Now its aims seem to be to demonise British history, promote victimhood and ensure that everyone who visits a National Trust property feels miserable and guilty. This shift in direction came in 2020, when the Trust published an audit of 93 of its properties and their links to historic slavery and colonialism. Even Winston Churchill's old home, Chartwell, was included because Churchill once held the post of Secretary of State for the Colonies. Since then, the Trust has been wading in on issues including climate change, gay rights and feminism. Last year, it released a charity calendar that omitted Christian holidays. Diwali was there, and Eid. But poor old Christmas and Easter were nowhere to be seen. Days later, the Trust published a report whining that climate change is 'causing chaos', claiming that extreme weather is the 'biggest threat' to UK heritage. Contrary to what the moralising elite might think, the last thing the general public wants when marvelling at one of Britain's magnificent castles or ancient mansions is a lecture about how evil our country allegedly is. But the RNLI and the National Trust are just two of the many institutions which have been bent to the service of political and moral agendas. Museums and galleries are at it, too. They hide away 'problematic' artefacts and replace them with signs to educate visitors about colonialism and slavery. The RNLI charity has ordered a 'full-scale cultural review' at Hastings Lifeboat Station in East Sussex after an internal report made allegations of racism and sexism against 'alpha males' at the station (Stock Image) It isn't the Tories who are fighting a culture war it's these institutions It isn't the Tories who are fighting a culture war it's these institutions. It is astonishing how charities, galleries and schools constantly foist trans ideology on our kids, demand that we wallow in self-loathing over Britain's 'horrible history', inject us with dread over climate change then accuse us of being culture warriors if we dare to push back. That's the reality of the culture war. Their ceaseless moral hectoring is a war on us, the people. Standing up to them is about stopping the culture war, not fighting one. The Labour leader's intervention in this debate is surely a taste of what Britain might become should he win a General Election. And we should be deeply concerned. Only yesterday, news emerged that more than 300 schools have been told to stop calling pupils 'boys' and 'girls' by Stonewall. Teachers are urged to address them as 'children' or 'young people'. The vast majority of the British people would be appalled by such nonsense. If the Labour leader really thinks that criticising the liberal Left's dogmatic approach to gender is waging a 'divisive' culture war, will any government under him actually stick up for our children? Who will protest against statues with the faintest link to colonialism being torn down and streets being renamed, all in the name of rewriting our history? In Starmer's Britain, anyone who objects will be branded a mad, McCarthyite culture warrior. What a topsy-turvy Orwellian world it will be if he gets into Downing Street. For the many, not the few that's the boast of Keir Starmer and the Labour Party, the socialist slogan that purports to justify their high-tax policies. Well, my ten-year-old son is one of 'the few', set to be cruelly abandoned by Starmer if his party assumes power. For my wife and me, Labour's plans to hike private school fees by 20 per cent could well be the difference between our son continuing in the school he knows and loves or moving to a state school. We are not a wealthy family. I work as an analyst in the NHS and my wife drafts contracts as a lawyer at an IT company. Together, we earn in the lower 100,000s. We knew school fees would be expensive, but adding 20 per cent VAT could be too much for us to manage. For my wife and me, Labour's plans to hike private school fees by 20 per cent could well be the difference between our son continuing in the school he knows and loves or moving to a state school On behalf of my son Norman, I'm fighting back, with a petition on the change.org website urging Sir Keir to think again. And though we're one of 'the few', it appears there's a lot like us with nearly 60,000 people already signed up. Norman doesn't fit the popular image of a private schoolboy. He doesn't come from a wealthy or aristocratic family, he isn't poshly spoken, he doesn't get to live like a celebrity's spoilt child. Far from it. He's one of 'the few' in a different way. Though he is bright, willing, energetic and hard-working, he simply isn't academic. As a toddler, his speech was a couple of years slower than his peers. Reading seemed impossible for him and to watch him try to write was heartbreaking. It looked almost physically painful, and caused him deep frustration. By the time he was six, he had fallen far behind most of his classmates, his confidence shattered. A private ADHD assessment confirmed he had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and it was no surprise to learn later that he was also dyslexic. None of this meant he was unwilling to learn. He's a boy with a lively, inquisitive mind. He just doesn't process information the same way as most children do and his school was not able to provide the patient support he needed. We weren't prepared to watch Norman fall further behind every year, so we found a private school, LVS Ascot, that offered appropriate help. The sacrifices are constant, but nothing is more important than our son's future. We're thankful that his younger sister, who is eight years old, is thriving at her state primary school. The sacrifices are constant, but nothing is more important than our son's future. Pictured, Keir Starmer delivers a speech during the 'Labour and Civil Society Summit' Instead of indulging in class warfare, the party should listen to working families like mine, to understand the real effects their policies will have Norman is thriving too. Now he is reading independently, and using equipment such as dictation software that wasn't available to him at his state school. With fewer than 20 pupils in his class, his teacher has more time for him and he receives specialist education support. For the first time in his life, we have real hope for his future. But Labour threatens to dash all that away. If fees increase 20 per cent overnight, I cannot see a way to keep sending our son to private school. If we have to fall back into the state system, I fear he will be lost one of 'the few' whose lives are deemed surplus to the needs of 'the many'. That will be a terrible betrayal. Many thousands of other families have also had children let down by a state school system that cannot cater for their needs. Now they are going to be punished again, for their ADHD, dyslexia and other learning difficulties. This applies as well to families who send their children to private faith schools and to many Forces families whose children are better off at boarding school, rather than having to begin again every time a parent receives a new posting. But since I set up the petition in October, there's no sign that Labour is listening. Starmer and his Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves have already earmarked the 1.7billion that they hope the tax grab will raise. One scheme is to provide free computers for families who don't have access to online lessons at home. Another plan is to give primary schools cash for 'world-class early language innovation', whatever that means. The maths is all wrong, of course. Just read the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report that Labour bandies about to justify the policy. It notes the steady increase in school fees over several years, which parents have found manageable, but a full 20 per cent rise that Starmer wants to clobber parents with on day one, is not. Nor do the Institute's figures factor in the current cost-of-living squeeze and a crippling hike in mortgage payments. If parents have to withdraw their children, private school revenues will fall, forcing some to close. That will throw a heavy burden on the state schools, swallowing up any extra cash. Research by the Economics With Mr Chips blog, as well as the education and skills think tank EDSK, suggests the Government could end up losing money with this initiative. Even the IFS admits there are so many assumptions that they can't predict the effects of this policy. So how can Labour? Instead of indulging in class warfare, the party should listen to working families like mine, to understand the real effects their policies will have. My son and thousands like him have done nothing wrong. School has been an endless struggle, and private education is the best chance they have. Now Keir Starmer wants to rob them of that chance. Have you always wanted to know the latest It girl-approved brand before anyone else? If you're tired of seeing the same old designers across your Instagram page and want to spice up the contents of your closet, it just might be time to invest in wares from these up-and-coming designers. DailyMail.com has spoken to some of the best celebrity fashion stylists to find out the little-known labels that are set to explode in 2024, whether you're looking for beachy boho prints or jackets that scream quiet luxury. From emerging brands New York City fashion girls love to designers hitting NYFW for the first time, FEMAIL is rounding up some of labels you need to know about before they hit the big time. The New York Stylist Liz Teich (above) wears a Toteme coat with silver boots (left) and a black long-sleeve shirt with the Kobi Halperin pin (right) Anne Hathaway was spotted in New York City in a cozy $1,300 camel cashmere and wool robe coat from Toteme Gigi Hadid stopped by Jean's for cocktails in a cream sweater, a leather maxi skirt and knee-high boots from Toteme Liz Teich, who has amassed more than 420,000 Instagram followers as The New York Stylist, focuses on teaching her clients how to shop smarter and offers a closet refresh program. Breaking down the brands! The buzzy designers to know in 2024 Kobi Halperin - modern and feminine Toteme - quiet luxury KZK Studio - incredible fit AKNVAS - vibrant and unique Cara Cara - breezy and flattering Rhode - strong prints Manuel Tiscareno - intricate Mimi Plange - fashion forward Advertisement She told FEMAIL she thought that Israeli designer Kobi Halperin would be a name to know this year. 'I'm predicting we're going to be seeing more from Kobi Halperin, especially since he made his debut at New York Fashion Week in September with his beautiful spring collection,' Liz announced. 'People are taking note that Danielle Bernstein of WeWoreWhat accompanied him to the CFDA awards and his activism against antisemitism.' Kobi, whose pieces range from $150 for a blouse to $3,495 for a shearling coat, 'has been adorning celebs and activists with his Flowers of Hope pins,' the celebrity stylist, who has dressed Tom Brady and Ashley Graham, explained. According to the designer, each petal on the gold flower 'symbolizes our collective commitment to fostering understanding, tolerance, and standing strong against prejudice.' 'As his collection is sold in most major retailers, and he's dressing celebs for red carpet like Danielle Brooks, I'm predicting we'll be seeing a lot more coming from this brand,' Liz declared, with the designs in Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Another brand to watch that fashion girls already love is Swedish label Toteme, which boasts a whole slew of celebrity fans, including Anne Hathaway, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian and Ariana Grande. 'Their coats have been the ultimate "if you know, you know" quiet luxury status symbol, in a slightly more affordable way than MaxMara,' Liz (above) said about Toteme Liz adores the buzzy Swedish brand Toteme, which boasts a whole slew of celebrity fans, including Selena Gomez, Hailey Bieber, Kourtney Kardashian and Ariana Grande 'Their coats have been the ultimate "if you know, you know" quiet luxury status symbol, in a slightly more affordable way than MaxMara,' Liz said. The fringed jacket, which has already spawned knockoffs, retails for $1,130, while the equally popular shearling jacket costs $3,000. 'Jennifer Lawrence has been seen in their camel coat quite a bit and just about everyone and their mom (including me) can't get enough of their scarf coats and T-lock bags that have been classic closet staples the last few seasons,' Liz said. 'I think with sustainability at the forefront of people's minds, people are investing in their wardrobes more and Toteme has timeless, investment-worthy, and sustainably made pieces. 'I'm predicting their twisted seam gray jeans will be one other brands will no doubt try to knock off and celebrities will be wearing this coming spring.' New York City-based celebrity stylist and author Samantha Brown predicts that modern womenswear brand KZK Studio is on the rise, and wears the brand's blue sweater above 'Their quality is superior and eye for thoughtful design is unparalleled,' Samantha said about KZK Studio, which makes pieces like the black leather jacket and shearling vest above New York City-based celebrity stylist and author Samantha Brown, 37, predicts that modern womenswear brand KZK Studio 'is about to explode' after flying under the radar for years. Samantha said the quiet luxury brand has a fresh approach, offering in-house appointments at their New York City studio as well as traveling across the US to sell their collections. 'Their quality is superior and eye for thoughtful design is unparalleled,' Samantha raved. 'My clients always start with their incredibly fitting pants and add pieces from their collection to build wardrobes.' While the clothes are built to last, they'll set you back a pretty penny. The rich navy reversible shearling vest is $3,250 and a cropped pant to match costs $825. The author of Dressing Up named New York City designed AKNVAS, worn by stars like Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Rita Ora, and Jacob Elordi, as another brand Samantha said Cara Cara's 'easy shapes are perfect for women who prioritize style and want breezy, flattering pieces' Samantha said Cara Cara has been a hit with her clients, who feel sexy and comfortable in the designs, especially because of the mix of fun prints and bold colors Kelly Clarkson rocked a Cara Cara printed maxi dress on her talk show Dynasty star Liz Gillies snapped a selfie in in the Claudine Top and Soho Pant The author of Dressing Up named New York City designed AKNVAS, worn by stars like Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Rita Ora, and Jacob Elordi, as another brand 'that's working with fun, exaggerated silhouettes and bright pops of color that feel vibrant and unique.' Additionally, Samantha thinks the beach-ready brand Cara Cara, with dresses starting around $425, is a feminine, flowy brand that's set to be huge this year. Samantha said the 'easy shapes are perfect for women who prioritize style and want breezy, flattering pieces.' Cara Cara has been a hit with her clients, who feel sexy and comfortable in the designs, especially because of the mix of fun prints and bold colors. Samantha listed Rhode as another brand on the rise, because of the 'strong prints that feel modern and new.' 'Their tailoring is well done, with figure flattering styles and options for coverage - minis to midi length means something for everyone.' New York City celebrity stylist and costume designer Brendan Cannon highlights bridal designer Manuel Tiscareno (above) as one to watch Cannon also named Harlem-based designer Mimi Plange, born in Ghana, as one to keep an eye on - and Michelle Obama and Rihanna are already fans Angela Basset and Serena Williams are both fans of Mimi Plange's vibrant designs Former First Lady Michelle Obama rocked a Mimi Plange custom stitch skirt on The View New York City celebrity stylist and costume designer Brendan Cannon, who has worked with rock stars like Cyndi Lauper, Jimmy Page, Shirley Manson and more, highlights bridal designer Manuel Tiscareno, from Texas, as a rising sartorial star. The second-generation bridal designer just launched ready-to-wear designs and showed at New York Fashion Week. Cannon called the styles 'unique, with such intricate details and fabrics they are true show stoppers.' He thinks the designer, who's now based in New York City, 'will take the fashion scene by storm.' Cannon also named Harlem-based designer Mimi Plange, as a designer who's about to be huge - with Michelle Obama, Serena Williams and Rihanna already fans. Plus, the Ghanaian-American designer has a sneaker collaboration with Nike and LeBron James, making her approved by both all-stars and athletes. Cannon appreciates her 'fashion forward designs' and explained her spectacular pieces were just chosen to be in Angelina Jolie's new super exclusive boutique, Atelier Jolie. Uniqlo's popular 14.90 moon bag sold out seven times in 2023 after becoming a hit on social media - with fans dubbing it 'the Mary Poppins bag' thanks to its spacious interior. And the Japanese company has now reintroduced its bestseller with five new pastel colourways for spring. Originally launched in April 2022, the design comes in a variety of shades and fabrics, including nylon, faux leather and corduroy, measuring 28cm x 17cm. The new hues - off white, pink, lilac, blue and yellow - join the existing lineup of black, natural and olive. The release comes as Uniqlo is suing controversial Chinese fast fashion retailer SHEIN over claims it is selling fake imitations of its shoulder bag. Daisy Olivia, based in Margate, recently purchased Uniqlo's pastel pink bag Uniqlo's famed design has won numerous awards, notably securing the title of The Bag in Lyst's prestigious The Year in Fashion 2023, beating designer brands, such as Bottega Veneta and Alaia. The moon-shaped creation also featured in Google Holiday 100 and was awarded for the gourmet and hit items category of TikTok Trend Awards 2023 in Japan. Despite its compact size, the 14.90 bag has been named 'the Mary Poppins bag' for its ability to hold a surprising number of belongings. Inside, there is a large compartment as well as a small pocket to keep items safe and in order. Crafted from dirt-resistant nylon fabric, the latest version is finished with a water-repellent coating for optimum durability. Additionally, the versatile piece is shaped to fit the body and can be worn over the shoulder or crossbody style, making it suitable for a range of occasions year-round. The bag has exclusively received five-star reviews on the Uniqlo website, with numerous buyers praising its astonishingly roomy interior. 'Light, beautiful and you can put a lot of things in it,' said one customer. The 14.90 nylon bag is now available in off white, pink, lilac, blue and yellow US-based influencer Adrie is pictured carrying her yellow bag around New York Hannah Kidd, from Bath, showcases the brown bag with a crop top and wide leg jeans 'Im really pleased with my new bag. I can carry a surprisingly large amount of things and find them easily within this neat little bag. Ordering and delivery were efficient,' penned another. 'Fantastic bag! Even fits a water bottle in! Love it. Thank you,' wrote a third. The new release comes as Uniqlo is suing controversial Chinese fast fashion retailer SHEIN over claims it is selling fake imitations of its best-selling shoulder bag. Since its unveiling in April 2022, Uniqlo's popular Round Mini Shoulder Bag has been featured in viral social media videos for its surprisingly large capacity. As such it has been compared to the infinitely large magical carpet bag carried by Mary Poppins in the eponymous 1964 film. While the Uniqlo bag is sold for 14.90, very similar-looking bags are listed on SHEIN for 5. Uniqlo's parent Fast Retail said on Tuesday that a petition had been filed in a Tokyo court against SHEIN Japan and two of its subsidiaries on December 28. Uniqlo is suing SHEIN over claims it's selling fake imitations of its bestselling shoulder bag, pictured on shelves Left is the Uniqlo Round Mini Bag, sold online and in stores for 14.90. Right is a similar looking bag listed for sale on SHEIN for 5 Justifying its complaint, Fast Retailing said the 'imitation products sold by SHEIN closely resembles that of its own product'. It also suggested 'the sale of the imitation products by SHEIN significantly undermines the high level of customer confidence in the quality of the Uniqlo brand and its products'. A spokesperson for SHEIN said the company 'respects the intellectual property rights of others and takes all claims of infringement seriously. We are currently investigating this matter'. SHEIN, founded in 2008, has been embroiled in various controversial copyright litigation, including those brought by US brand Chrome Hearts and H&M. It began by selling wedding dresses and only expanded into the US market in 2020 with the boom of online shopping thanks in part to the Covid pandemic. Very little is known about its CEO and founder Xu Yangtian, also known as Sky Xu, even though he is one of the wealthiest people in China, according to the Wall Street Journal. Snack fans in the UK are devastated after discovering that a popular flavour of Walkers, dubbed the 'best bar snack ever,' won't be making a comeback. Despite being scrapped a number of years ago, Smiths Cheese Moments are so missed that Brits have even set up a Facebook group dedicated to getting them back on the shelves. There is also a petition with almost 5,000 signatures, insiting that it's 'time for this king amongst snacks to return'. The beloved crisps came in a similar retro-style packaging to Bacon Fries and Scampi Fries, two other popular choices. Cheese Moments however, have a crispy exterior and a soft cheesy centre - a taste that fans claim was the 'best thing since sliced bread'. Smiths Cheese Moments are so missed that Brits have even set up a Facebook group dedicated to getting them back on the shelves Sadly, the crisp giant have announced that the fan favourite won't be making a return any time soon. They revealed: 'Hi there! Sorry to disappoint you, but we dont make Cheese Moments anymore'. One X (formerly known as Twitter) user wrote: 'Horrified to discover Smiths Cheese Moments have been discontinued! I cant believe it, I am utterly distraught!' Another penned: '@walkers_crisps Are you bringing back Smiths Cheese Moments? Heard a rumour and I've been thinking of these crisps for years'. However, the brand replied: 'No big comeback on the cards I'm afraid, but we're keeping our options open'. Another angry fan chimed in with: '@walkers_crisps are there any plans to bring back Cheese Moments? 'They were literally the best crisps in the Smiths category, as nice as the scampi and bacon ones are, the cheese ones outdone them not just for me but for a lot of people. I don't understand why it was discontined'. Walkers explained: 'Sorry Richie, they just weren't proving to be popular back in the day. No comebacks planned at the moment, but you never know what the future might hold'. Fans of the beloved crisps took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their disappointment at the news they will not be returning Some snack lovers are so distraught that a change.org petition, which has almost 5,000 signatures READ MORE: As Caramac is axed, these are 14 other discontinued treats fans are clamouring to see back on the shelves Advertisement Meanwhile, some snack lovers are so distraught that a change.org petition and multiple Facebook groups have popped up over the years. One Brit who signed the petition wrote: 'The best things since sliced bread. Feel cheated that the other flavours are still going and these beauties aren't. Bring back the cheese moments'. Facebook groups titled: 'Bring back Cheese Moments' and 'Cheese flavoured moments appreciation society' have a combined membership of 3,000 people. The crisps also proved popular among a particular group of snackers - pub goers. Those who missed the cheesy snacks, penned: 'They were the best bar snack ever and you could never eat just one bag at a time' and 'They are my favourite of all bar snacks. 'Been asking for them at every pub I've been in and given blank looks, so sad'. Another quipped: 'For the love of God please bring back Smiths Cheese Moments. I've gone without long enough... those bad boys need to grace our pubs again'. However, it's not the only popular flavour that crisp enthusiasts have been hoping will make a return. It comes after the brand revealed they were ditching their popular beef and onion flavour in November last year. The crisp giant confirmed to a fan that the flavour had been discontinued on X, formerly known as Twitter, much to the dismay of many. Fans have also called for the Worcester Sauce flavour to be reinstated, however, it too will not be returning to supermarket shelves any time soon after it was discontinued. Its last counter-service store, located in London, closed its doors back in 2015 A much-loved high street chain is reportedly making a comeback this year, after closing it's UK stores almost ten years ago. Ice cream retailer Haagen-Dazs has around 850 branches around the world, none of which are in the UK. Although its pre-packaged tubs are available to buy at most major supermarkets, its last counter-service store, which was situated in Leicester Square, shut its doors permanently in 2015. However, that could all be about to change as according to Franchise World, the luxury business will be relaunching its ice cream shops in the UK, with a focus on Greater London to begin with. The company recently made an appearance in the capital to offer treats using a pop up store in John Lewis Oxford Street. A much-loved high street chain is reportedly making a comeback this year, after closing it's UK stores almost ten years ago Following its success, the retailer is ready to expand with multi-unit franchises, with the hopes of reportedly opening at least 25 stores over the next five years. The luxury ice cream brand say they are passionate about three things: 'Continuing to empower its reputation of excellence. 'Providing its customers with the highest quality ice cream in the world. And providing its franchisees with exceptional support and successful opportunities'. Haagen-Dazs have been churning out delicious flavours since 1961, becoming a franchise in 1976. Its founder, Reuben Mattus, had a vision to make the best ice cream in the world using high quality, carefully selected ingredients. Now, there are branches in 40 different countries, which offer a selection of 24 premium flavours of ice cream, as well as sorbet, sundaes, shakes, smoothies, pastries and cakes. Fans were outraged when the UK branches closed, with one X (formerly known as Twitter) user writing: 'How come they all closed? The Leicester Square cafe was always full to bursting!' Ice cream retailer Haagen-Dazs (pictured, some of its products) has around 850 branches around the world, none of which are in the UK Fans were outraged when the UK branches closed, with one X (formerly known as Twitter) user writing: 'How come they all closed? The Leicester Square cafe was always full to bursting!' Another quipped: 'Honestly gutted still, it was my favourite place in London'. In 2019, the ice cream brand responded to pleas with: 'At the moment we don't have any Haagen-Dazs Shop in the UK, sorry! 'We used to have one within Central London few years ago. We will let our team know about your wish to see an Haagen-Dazs Shop back again in London'. However, ice cream lovers continued to demand the return of their favourite stores. One user begged: 'Please, at least one store in the UK? at least one!' Others chimed in with: 'Absolutely scandalous,' 'Its now 2021 and you still don't have a restaurant in the UK!' and 'Please bring it back'. Now, it seems their prayers are being answered as the brand reportedly wants to identify franchise partners who have a 'passion for the Haagen-Dazs brand' as well as the relevant operational, management and real estate experience. They also need to have the 'organisational, operational and financial capability to build and run multiple stores' and 'commitment to developing multiple stores in a defined area'. Until then, fans of the New York brand can get their hands on products in most major supermarkets and convenience stores. MBABANE - The first sitting of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set to investigate operations and alleged corrupt practices in the office of the master of the High Court, will start tomorrow. This was announced by the Secretary of the commission, Siphiwo Nyoni, yesterday. Nyoni also added that members of the public who were eager to come and observe and/or listen to the proceedings were free to do so, as same was open to the public. She announced that the first matter would be heard by the commission at 10am tomorrow. Different Nyoni also highlighted that the commission would soon be issuing a schedule of when it would be visiting the different regions to take submissions. She, however, urged those in the regions who have means to come to Mbabane, where the commission would be currently having its sittings, to do so. The commission will conduct its duties at the Industrial Court of Appeal premises, 4th Floor Intfutfuko Building in Mbabane. Intfutfuko Building is situated at the corner of Gwamile and Dabede Streets in Mbabane, where First Finance Offices are housed. The secretary urged members of the public who wanted to make arrangements for oral or written submissions to contact her at 7606 3592. Calls can be made from 8am-5pm, from Monday to Friday. The commission, which is headed by Supreme Court Judge Majahenkhaba Dlamini, is made up of five judges. Other members of the commission are, High Court Judge Mzwandile Fakudze (Deputy Chairperson) Industrial Court Judge President Sifiso Nsibande. High Court Judge Maxine Langwenya, Industrial Court Judge Lorraine Hlophe and its secretary is Deputy Supreme Court Registrar Nyoni, who is also a lawyer by profession. The commission, as per its terms of reference, is expected to submit its report within 90 days. Necessary The commission may, if necessary, investigate and make findings and recommendations on any other matter regarding the master of the High Court, regardless of when it is alleged to have occurred, on condition that such other investigations, findings and recommendations do not cause any delay in the submission of the report, reads part of the commissions terms of reference. It will have powers to determine its own rules of procedures for the effective fulfillment of its mandate. The terms of reference for the commission provide that any persons who will procure or attempts to give false evidence before the commission shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding E1 000 or in default of payment thereof, imprisonment not exceeding six months. The terms of reference further stipulate that a witness before the commission shall take an oath or make affirmation in the form in use at the magistrates court. The chairperson of the commission will be the one who will administer the oath or accept the affirmation. Uggs are back in a big way, with Gen Z embracing the Australian brand's slippers and even wearing them out and about. However, there's one pair of super tall Ugg boot that's making even more major waves on social media. The Ugg chestnut 'classic ultra ultra' high boots, which are currently on sale for $419.99 (originally $600) on the company's US websites, are now going viral and gaining comparisons to candy corn because of the striped zip-up that goes to the knee. TikTok user Erin, who makes videos as sneakybrownnoser and is based in Chicago, Illinois, asked her 42,000 TikTok followers, 'Do you own this boot, and if so, can you please show me what they look like on a human being?' TikTok user Erin, who makes videos as sneakybrownnoser, asked her 42,000 followers, 'Do you own this boot, and if so, can you please show me what they look like on a human being?' The video quickly received 8.4 million views, as well as plenty of duets where people showed her exactly what the boots looked like on. 'I was served this sponsored ad, probably because they're desperate to sell them, and I cannot wrap my head around this Ugg boot,' Erin announced. 'I couldn't stop looking at how small the bottom of the boot looked... how tall is this boot?' the TikTok content creator continued. Erin then showed the single review left on the Ugg website, which was a person saying they had 'so many questions.' 'If you have $419.99, please, please, buy this boot and report back. I need to know what's going on,' Erin begged her followers. Commenters encouraged her to take one for the team by trying out the boots herself, with one popular comment urging, 'Girl just buy it and return it its not that deep.' 'Someone bring me back when we find the good citizen willing to volunteer,' another commented. 'They normally show the boot on a model on websites. It MUST be worse than we imagine!' an intrigued TikTok user mused. Influencer Madeleine White, who's famous for trying to make items look good, purchased a pair to put on display for her four million followers The model turned TikTok star asked, 'Why are they rainbow?' and captioned the viral video, 'I need a word with ugg corporate asap' 'They normally show the boot on a model on websites. It MUST be worse than we imagine!' an intrigued TikTok user mused 'I worked at Ugg and the modeled these for us in a meeting and I almost burst out laughing,' one helpful comment read. 'I'm convinced these boots are a publicity stunt because I absolutely ran to search for videos,' another person announced. Influencers took her up on the offer, showing off the boots on their own social media feeds. British influencer Madeleine White, 28, who's famous for trying to make items look good, purchased a pair to put on display for her four million followers, asking, 'Why are they rainbow?' and captioning the video, 'I need a word with Ugg corporate asap.' Madeleine said she felt she'd understand the boot better if it was all one color, because then it would just be a 'really warm, really tall boot,' as it's fleece-lined. She then showed that the colors are interchangeable because they zip on and off. The influencer paired the boots with a variety of outfits, including a miniskirt and jeans, sweatpants, and white pants, much to the delight of her followers. A commenter responded, 'I just can't unsee these as candy corn boots lol.' 'When you have work on the site at nine, but a cute coffee date after' another commenter quipped. Some appreciated the fanciful footwear, with one fan asking, 'How did you actually slay this?' Erin then made another TikTok and shared people who showed off the boots, saying they were 'kind of giving coverall' Deal Trap Queen was left extremely confused by the boots, which reached above her knees Erin then made another TikTok and shared people who showed off the boots, saying they were 'kind of giving coverall.' 'The boots only zip around, they actually don't zip up and down to get them off,' Erin continued, wondering if it was a struggle. One of the influencers Erin shared footage from was Deal Trap Queen, who's based in North Carolina, and bought the boots to show her followers. The package was almost as tall as the influencer. 'They are giving me HAZMAT suit,' a commenter replied. 'They are give fishing waders hahah,' a popular comment read. 'Not all heroes wear capes.... they wear the world's most ridiculous Uggs for us,' one person proclaimed. Animal Kingdom in Florida is famed for its popular nature-themed attractions The avid Disney World fan emphasized dodging the heat and trying all the food Bethany Vinton shared what she would avoid doing on visits to Animal Kingdom An avid Disney fan has revealed five things that she would avoid doing at Disney World's Animal Kingdom. Bethany Vinton - who lives in the Pacific Northwest and describes herself as having 'a bit of an obsession with all things Disney' - has become familiar with the ins and outs of the Magic Kingdom's parks through multiple visits over the years. This month, she tackled 'five things' she'd 'NEVER' do when it came to visiting Animal Kingdom in Florida's Disney World. The park is famed for its attractions that draw on films by the studio with natural backdrops - think The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Moana, Avatar, and more. Bethany Vinton - who lives in the Pacific Northwest and describes herself as having 'a bit of an obsession with all things Disney' - has become familiar with the ins and outs of the Magic Kingdom's parks through multiple visits over the years The park is famed for its attractions that draw on films by the studio with natural backdrops - think The Lion King, Finding Nemo, Moana, Avatar, and more This month, Bethany tackled 'five things' she'd 'NEVER' do when it came to visiting Animal Kingdom in Florida 's Disney World including missing the morning or buying Genie+ To begin, Bethany emphasized she would never to 'miss the morning' by getting there first thing, explaining: 'Make a plan to get there at rope drop or a little after.' She dished that the 'two reasons' for this are that, one, the park 'isn't busy' early in the day and visitors can walk on 'almost all the rides' - and, two, Animal Kingdom 'tends to get really hot' later on in the day. 'So if you can get a lot out of the way early in the morning, you're gonna save yourself from that heat,' she said. Second on her list, Bethany said she'd 'never' buy Genie+, a special pass that allows users to get in the faster 'Lighting Lanes' at different attractions. 'It has been ridiculously expensive lately and there [are] just a handful of rides you can use it on. It's not worth it,' she elaborated. Her third word of warning was to advise visitors to 'never ride the safari in the middle of the day.' Disney's Kilimanjaro Safaris ride takes place on an open-air vehicle that travels through a mock animal reserve, with real African animals throughout. Again, the heat is the issue, as 'the animals know it is hot, so they are less active,' explained Bethany. Her third word of warning was to advise visitors to 'never ride the safari in the middle of the day' due to the heat Other issues Bethany discussed were the park's dining experiences as well as Disney World after dark Rather, she endorsed taking a spin on the safari in the rain: 'Yes you will get wet. But the animals tend to be pretty active.' The fourth issue that the content creator tackled was about the dining experience. 'Never underestimate the food and animal kingdom. This is the elite park for food,' she continued. 'There are so many booths and stands throughout all of Animal Kingdom. You have to give them a try.' Last but not least, Bethany declared: 'I would never miss Animal Kingdom at night.' 'Animal Kingdom at night is truly magical,' she concluded. A German woman who now lives America has revealed the five things she would change about her home country. Felicia, who goes by Feli, moved from Munich, Germany, to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2016 and has admitted the experience has definitely 'changed her perspective.' 'I realized things about German culture and the German system that I never really noticed before, and some things about Germany that I used to take for granted I now truly appreciate,' Feli, who regularly shares videos about her life in the US shared to YouTube. As much as Feli appreciates her home country, she said there are 'many things' she likes better about America. In a recent video the German-born woman divulged what she'd change about her home land, after she was asked by a follower. Felicia, who goes by Feli, moved from Munich, Germany, to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2016 and has admitted the experience has 'definitely' changed her perspective on her home country 'I realized things about German culture and the German system that I never really noticed before,' she dished 'Please keep in mind that this is a completely hypothetical scenario,' she added. 'Differences aren't good or bad per se, that's something to keep in mind when watching any of my videos,' Feli added. 'By the way, differences are valid and important and to me, they're super interesting to observe.' Customer service The first thing Feli would change in Germany is the customer service, noting the waiters in the US are a lot more attentive than in her home country. 'In my opinion customer service in Germany isn't nearly as good as customer service in the US,' she shared. The content creator said her opinion is slightly controversial, as a lot of Germans that have visited actually prefer the service in Germany - finding the service in America 'too fake,' particularly in restaurant settings. Although she said she can understand their point, she sometimes feels guilty when dining in Germany. 'I also don't want to feel like I, as the customer, am bothering the waiter or store employee,' she explained. 'I don't want to feel guilty for being here but that's how it often feels to me in Germany.' Feli said she would change the customer service in Germany, noting the waiters in the US are a lot more attentive than Germany German bureaucracy The second thing she'd change is the German bureaucracy. 'This one probably doesn't come as a surprise to many people because our bureaucratic system truly doesn't have a good reputation - even among locals,' she noted. Feli explained that a lot of 'die Behorde,' which is a public office or government agency in Germany, have complicated protocols that can turn simple tasks into a long, drawn out process. 'Files get handed back and forth forever, and every step has to be followed by the book so as a German resident having to wait several weeks or even months to get an appointment for a form you submitted is normal,' she explained. 'Plus the government systems in Germany are pretty behind in terms of digitalization,' she added. Feli further explained that a friend who works for the government had told her they print out all emails and make revisions by hand. 'I wish I was making this up, some of these places also don't accept emails but they do accept faxes,' she quipped. Feli and her American boyfriend Ben (pictured) live in Cincinnati, Ohio She used buying a house in the US in comparison to Germany as an example. 'I was absolutely baffled by how quick and easy it was to buy a house here in the US, compared to the bureaucratic hoops you have to jump through in Germany,' she said. According to Feli, it was only about a month between seeing the house she purchased for the first time to the day she officially owned it. 'There are also tons of positions in the system that are pretty much redundant and barely have any work to do,' Feli added. 'There's actually a whole joke genre about how civil servants in Germany sleep at work or go home at noon every Friday or can't be reached after 2pm. Feli continued saying while some departments are overworked, others are poorly run, complaining that the bureaucratic system costs the German government a lot of money, and also slows down their economy. 'One of the inherent problems here is that most civil servants are "verbeamtet" - so they're tenured and can't be fired,' she said. 'The longer they work in the system the more money they make so they don't really have an incentive to initiate changes that would make the system more efficient.' Negative outlook Another difference between the US and Germany is their general outlook on life - saying Germans can often have a 'negative outlook.' 'It sounds a little harsher than it actually is of course it's not like all people in Germany walk around like "I hate my life, everything sucks,"' she shared. 'I mean some do but I'm talking more about this subtle pessimism that always seemed completely normal to me before I moved to the US,' she shared. According to Feli, she noticed in general, Germans she'd have conversations with have been more pessimistic and cautionary Another difference Feli pointed out was the difference in people's attitudes in America and Germany 'I never saw anything wrong with this before I moved to the US and if you're German I'm sure you don't either, totally understandable, but suddenly in the US when I shared something about myself or shared some good news, people were often even more excited than myself,' she recalled. She continued saying some Germans consider an excited reaction as superficial and fake, however she found it liberating to not feel like everything said immediately being evaluated and met with 'skepticism and critical follow-up questions.' 'Sometimes I wish Germans could just allow themselves and others to be unapologetically happy positive and excited about something and not in a sarcastic way, as we like to do it a lot, but in a genuine way without feeling like you're being judged or acting dumb,' she explained. German school system According to Feli, the German school system is still very similar to what it was like in the 19th century when it was created. 'It's still based on a rather authoritarian and old-fashioned teaching approach so I think it will be about time for a big general reform, but education in German,' she explained. However, Feli explained that education in Germany is a state matter, and all of the 16 states in Germany have their own education system and curriculum. 'Not only are we probably wasting a lot of money by having 16 different school systems rather than one,' she pointed out. Feli explained the difference between the schooling system in Germany and America She said it also makes it very difficult to move schools within Germany, with some schools graduating in 12th grade and others 13th; as well as starting learning second languages in different years and even different subjects. Five things Feli would change about Germany after living in America Customer Service German Bureaucracy Negative Outlook German School System Free Water Advertisement 'The fact that the das Abitur [the German A-levels or final exams] vary so much between states makes it really difficult to compare final grades and GPA,' Feli explained. She said she would also want to get rid of the three-level school system that most German states have. Feli explained that after Elementary School, students get divided into three different school types depending on their academic performance in fourth grade. The first is hauptshule, which ends after ninth grade and student will then choose a higher diplomas or start an apprenticeship. Then there's realschule, which begins after tenth grade and finally gymnasium; which ends after 12th or 13th grade and prepares students for University. 'While it's technically possible to move between these three school levels, it's not very easy in real life,' she shared. 'Partly because of the difference in curriculums and subjects which often means that students that do switch have to repeat a grade to catch up. 'I don't think the system properly caters to the individual strengths and weaknesses of students and it can also really mess with their self-confidence,' she said. Free water Feli's final difference was waiters giving customers table water when they sit in restaurants. 'It might sound kind of trivial but it makes such a big difference,' she said. 'That's not a common thing in Germany,' she continued. 'In fact I don't think I've ever experienced that.' She said instead German restaurants will offer bottled water that you have to pay for when you ask for water at a restaurant. 'They'll usually ask you which size bottle you want and if you want still or sparkling water and it will show up on your bill,' she explained. Princess Aiko of Japan will start work at the Red Cross Society after completing university where she's studying Japanese Language and Literature. Aiko, 22, who is the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito, 63, and Empress Masako, 60, has demonstrated a commitment to charitable pursuits with her latest move. The 22-year-old's contracted role at the Red Cross will not impact her official duties, and she intends to carry both out simultaneously, according to Kyodo News. It is thought that the princess will commute to work at the company's headquarters in Tokyo's Minato Ward, although her exact role hasn't been revealed. 'I am happy to become engaged in works of the Japanese Red Cross Society', Princess Aiko said in a statement released by the agency. She added: 'At the same time, I feel determined.' Princess Aiko of Japan (pictured) is reportedly set to work at Red Cross Society after completing her studies The Japanese imperial family enjoys a longstanding connection with the charity, and Empress Masako is currently an honorary president of the organisation. Aiko said: 'I am happy and humbled to be able to work for the Japanese Red Cross, which I have always been interested in. 'I will continue to learn various things and work hard with the awareness that I am a member of society, so I hope that I can be of some help to people and society, even if it is only in a small way.' The exact nature of the Aiko's role at the Red Cross is unknown. Currently, Aiko is concluding her fourth year at Gakushuin University, where she studies in the Department of Japanese Language and Literature. The princess maintains a private life, and she previously suffered a period of bullying and anxiety during her childhood, which saw her dropping out of school. It comes after Princess Aiko's aunt, Princess Kiko reportedly underwent a medical test to determine the cause of her mystery illness, which were to no avail. The wife of Crown Prince Akishino, 57, had an endoscopy at Tokyo hospital earlier this month, but no abnormalities were discovered. Kiko has been suffering from an unknown illness since last year, according to The Mainichi. The 22-year-old Princess will reportedly commute to the company's headquarters in Tokyo's Minato Ward Princess Aiko is the only child of Japan's Emperor Naruhito (centre), 63, and Empress Masako (left), 60 The royal has experienced painful symptoms related to the gastrointestinal system, which has left her unable to eat normal meals. The mother-of-two has been advised to 'rest and focus on recovering,' according to the Japanese newspaper. While doctors have advised Kiko to rest, they have suggested that she might be dealing with painful symptoms for the next couple on months. It comes after the claim that Crown Princess Kiko of Japan is unable to eat 'normal meals' after contracting a mystery illness. The Imperial Household Agency stated that the royal mother-of-two has been unwell since last year, according to national newspaper The Mainichi. Doctors have ruled out Covid-19 as the cause of Kiko's ill health after the Princess tested negative for the virus and influenza. Given that the cause of Kiko's illness is still unknown, medical professionals are running tests to find a solution. The Princess recently attended New Year's celebrations, and appeared to be in positive spirits as she beamed in family portraits released to mark the New Year. Thousands took to the comments to snark at 'overzealous' security precautions Her recommendations ranged from extra door locks to drawing 'all' the blinds The woman 'urgently' attended to home security when her husband left town A woman has drawn mockery for the zealous 'home security' measures she claims to implement whenever her husband goes out of town. The woman, known only as Victoria, has racked up more than 100,000 followers on TikTok by sharing woman-specific 'security' tips for various settings - from hotel rooms to cruise ships. But earlier this month she was ridiculed for her clip titled 'home security measures when you're home alone.' It began with Victoria kissing her husband goodbye before stating she 'urgently' needed to 'take security measures at home while I'm alone.' Earlier this month, the woman, known only as Victoria, was ridiculed for her clip titled 'home security measures when you're home alone' First and foremost, Victoria demonstrates an array of front-door-focused precautions - including fingerprint and portable locks Next, she installs a 'door-stop alarm' - a wedge-shaped contraption triggered when someone pushes the door toward it She also secured the backyard and garage entrances with more portable door locks First and foremost, Victoria demonstrates an array of front-door-focused precautions. 'Lock the front door,' she continues via text overlay, adding: 'I have a fingerprint lock' - as she shows off how it works, pressing her finger to the outside doorknob. Along with the fingerprint lock, she uses 'a portable door lock,' further mentioning that she 'always' has one with her. The device functions like a back up to the built-in lock mechanism on the inside of the door. Next, she installs a 'door-stop alarm' - a wedge-shaped contraption triggered when someone pushes the door toward it - before securing the backyard and garage entrances with more portable door locks. 'Make sure all the windows are closed,' she offers as she locks the clasp of each sill. Though its daytime, she then demonstrates how she closes 'all the window blinds,' plunging her home into darkness. The content creator is not done there, however, as she suggests installing smart cameras 'in all the main rooms' - from her living room to foyer to bedroom. The cameras from the brand she uses, Wyze, move around to track whatever motion it detects - which has received mixed reviews online. 'Make sure all the windows are closed,' she offers as she locks the clasp of each sill Though its daytime, she then demonstrates how she closes 'all the window blinds' as well as installing smart cameras throughout the house Victoria then, for the second time, recommends drawing every last window shade After setting up the cameras around the house - including in her bedroom - Victoria then, for the second time, recommends drawing every last window shade. 'Ensure that blinds are closed in all rooms to maintain privacy and prevent anyone from seeing inside the house,' she urges. She then demonstrates how to tuck herself into bed ensuring to 'keep personal safety devices like whistles, flashlight, panic buttons or alarm readily accessible.' The camera cuts to her clutching a flashlight in the darkness as she blows on the whistle. The social media star then admits that she sleeps with 'all of this under the pillow.' The video concludes with the sign-off: 'I hope my husband will come back soon, and I can relax a bit.' Just one week after she posted the video, it had racked up nearly 20,000 comments - with nearly all of them roasting Victoria for her over-the-top home security recommendations. She then demonstrates how to tuck herself into bed ensuring to 'keep personal safety devices like whistles, flashlight, panic buttons or alarm readily accessible' Just one week after she posted the video, it had racked up nearly 20,000 comments - with nearly all of them roasting Victoria for her over-the-top home security recommendations 'She got John Wick after her THE WHISTLE,' read one top-voted comment. 'I'm home alone everyone. Here's a video showing you my security measures online for everyone to see,' a second snidely remarked. 'What on earth is that whistle going to do,' a third pondered - with multiple other comments echoing that query. 'My husband is out with the boys so I'll build fort Knox,' sneered another. Still others floated fantastical scenarios that might warrant Victoria going all-out on her home security. 'Is it the Purge season or what????' someone wrote, in reference to the dystopian film franchise. '[She] lives in Gotham City,' joked a second. 'Is the CIA after you?' quipped a third. 'D**n fam You expecting the Babadook, or something?' a fourth speculated, dropping the name of the supernatural horror villain. Still others couldn't help but ponder the dark side of staying under complete lockdown in the slim chance of being targeted in a home invasion Another group more bluntly called out what they saw as 'paranoid' behaviors - serving more to keep a person in a constant, uneasy lockdown state in their own home, all in the name of trying to keep some unseen others locked out. 'I've honestly never come across someone so paranoid and lessening their chances to survive a fire at the same time,' one pointed out. 'You just going to live in darkness and not leave the house until he's home,' a second stated in confusion. 'Like being a prisoner in your own home,' opined a third. Meanwhile, a fourth extended the seeming genuine sentiment: 'I'm sorry that you're so afraid.' Following the frantic backlash, Victoria responded to all the hate in a further video. 'Every day I receive thousands of not very pleasant comments on my videos about safety and women's protection. 'I don't share this with you, but I get really upset that I receive so much hate just for showing how I protect myself and my family in these videos. 'I don't show anything bad in my videos and this negative attention really hurts me. I've been close to quitting several times,' she began. Following the frantic backlash, Victoria responded to all the hate in a further video However, she then shared a screengrab of an email from a woman who claimed that, while living in a 'nice part of town' in Las Vegas, before she thanked Victoria for her tips However, she then shared a screengrab of an email from a woman who claimed that, while living in a 'nice part of town' in Las Vegas, four months ago she had an intruder 'break in at 3am while I was showering.' The email then described that, while the intruder was scared off and the woman was unharmed, she still has 'nightmares almost every night' - and proceeded to thank Victoria for the video. 'Thank you for all the ideas that will help me feel safe and sleep better at night. People don't understand that this is the reality for some women,' the email added. 'After reading it,' Victoria continued, 'I understood that everything I do is definitely not in vain. It's support for women like them... All I want is for women's to be safe and be therefore their loved one. Even if people call me crazy and paranoid, I will keep doing it for you. 'And if you laugh at my videos and hate them, it only means one thing - you're fortunate people who have never faced anything like this in life. 'I wish that no one, regardless of gender, would ever experience such frightening situations.' A lesbian couple eager to have a baby were left dumfounded when a GP asked them why they had not found a man to sleep and whether they knew that 'human sperm' was required to have a baby. Elissa Hillier, 32, and her wife Kaylee, 35, from Manchester, are now fundraising to pay for private fertility treatment after failed attempts in the UK and Denmark. The couple had booked an appointment with a GP at a practice in Salford to discuss their options in February 2023. But they said the GP did not know how to proceed and that his advice left them feeling 'scared, disappointed and upset'. The couple, who then decided to go private, found clinics in Denmark and the UK and embarked upon three rounds of fertility treatment. Sadly, it was to no avail. Manchester-based Elissa Hillier (left) and wife Kaylee are now doing IVF. Elissa is currently going through her first cycle and the couple expect to find out if it's been successful in the next few weeks They are currently doing IVF and, having spent in total around 15,000 on treatments, have now launched a fundraiser to cover their costs and help them start a family. The pair are also launching a podcast about their fertility journey called NoMoreMen. 'We went in really excited thinking this was the start of our journey and that we were going to be having a baby,' said Elissa who is currently studying English and creative writing at the University of Bolton and works part-time as a careers advisor and in retail. 'When we left, we just sat in the car in silence and were like: "Did that actually just happen?".' During the consultation, they said the male GP asked: 'You do know that you need a man to have a baby?' They were also asked: 'You do know that it needs to be human sperm?' 'Then he just stared at us for a bit and was like "Why don't you just go out and find a man to sleep with?",' added Elissa. The GP offered to put them on a 'three year' waiting list for a fertility appointment with the NHS. Elissa, 32, and Kaylee, 35, travelled to a clinic in Denmark for private fertility treatment after they were left 'shocked, disappointed and upset' by a GP who asked why they had not found a man to sleep with After having a video chat with a nurse who was able to explain the process in a clear way, the couple went to Diers Klinik in Aarhus, Denmark's second city, for Intrauterine insemination (IUI) 'He gave no explanation about what that would entail and basically said "I don't really know how to help you or why you are here",' said Kaylee, a Senior Studio Director for BBC radio operations. 'All he said was, "I'm going to put your name on this list and you'll get a call".' 'He wasn't being rude or mean, you could tell that he was genuinely just trying to understand,' added Elissa. 'He did suggest a number of times, "Why don't you just go find a man?" and we kept reiterating that I don't want my wife going off and sleeping with someone else.' The couple said they could not 'believe this was really happening' and even wondered whether they were being pranked on television. 'Do straight couples get asked if they know that you need human sperm to have a baby?' said Kaylee. They began researching private options online and found three possible procedures, Intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and Reciprocal IVF. With IUI, sperm is injected directly into the woman's uterus, whereas in IVF the egg is surgically removed from her ovaries and fertilised in a lab. To find out more, Elissa and Kaylee booked a free consultation with a specialist clinic in Manchester and were invited to attend a fertility webinar. But they said the session focused primarily on IVF and male fertility issues. 'There was only one slide which said 'We can help same sex couples' and it was a picture of two men,' said Elissa. 'It just really put us off the whole thing,' added Kaylee. Just when they were about to give up, Elissa spotted a news article about a same sex couple who went to Denmark for their fertility treatment. They contacted Diers Klinik in Aarhus, the country's second largest city, and were invited to have a one-to-one video chat with a nurse. 'She explained everything in a very low-key natural way, step-by-step,' said Elissa. 'After our experience, we were almost worried about being a same sex couple on this call, but she didn't even blink.' Previously, when they were still exploring their options and attended a fertility webinar with a specialist fertility clinic in Manchester, they were disappointed to find that the session focused primarily on IVF and male fertility issues The couple decided they would try IUI as it was about 3,000 cheaper than IVF which costs upwards of 5,000. 'She said basically, as soon as you start ovulating, just ring us and we'll book you into the clinic and do the procedure,' said Elissa. 'From feeling in the dark and on your own, this was the first place we had contacted which made us feel safe and that somebody was actually on our side,' added Kaylee. The couple travelled to Denmark in July 2023 to have the IUI procedure and were delighted when two weeks later they had a positive pregnancy test. But a few days later, Elissa got her period and it turned out, she had what is known as a 'chemical pregnancy', a very early miscarriage. 'You get that positive test and you think, "We've been blessed",' said Kaylee. 'I was at work and I got the call from Ellie and the floor gets taken away from under you. 'All that elation that we had just evaporated.' Unwilling to keep travelling to Denmark, the couple found another clinic closer to home in Wilmslow where they tried IUI for the third time. Unfortunately, it did not work The couple did not let this stop them and after getting some financial help from Elissa's parents, they went for another round of IUI in August 2023. Unfortunately this time, it simply did not work. Running low on funds and not wanting to go through the stress of travelling to Denmark again, the couple decided to look for a clinic closer to home. Elissa had joined several fertility Facebook groups and was contacted by a woman in Manchester who recommended CREATE Fertility clinic in Wilmslow. 'It was more expensive than Denmark but we thought that taking away the stress of travelling might be better,' said Elissa. 'We booked a consultation and it was really thorough and we just felt that this was a good experience, it felt safer and they just seemed to be more clued up about lesbian couples.' Sadly their third IUI attempt did not work, and so the couple decided to try IVF after being offered a discount by the clinic in November 2023. 'We can't keep doing it because it costs too much money and the emotional toll is too high,' said Kaylee. After their third and final attempt at IUI failed, the Wilmslow clinic offered the couple a discount to have IVF, which they started in November 2023. Their hope is that Elissa will have a baby first and then Kaylee will have one 'I'm watching my wife put her body through so much, so it got to the point where we thought: "Do we just keep doing this or do we try IVF and give ourselves a better chance?"' The whole process has cost the couple around 15,000 and they have now launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help start their family. Elissa is currently going through her first cycle and they will find out whether it has been successful in the next few weeks. 'We're hoping for Kaylee to have a baby after I've had one,' said Elissa. 'Hopefully sharing our story will help other people figure out what they can do,' added Kaylee. 'Every donation we've had so far, it doesn't matter how much, we've been so humbled. 'You don't feel like you deserve it and it feels like a privilege that someone would donate to us and help us have a family.' Gordon Ramsay has been savaged by diners over his Sunday roast, with hungry fans complaining that the portion size is nowhere big enough to satisfy most appetites. The chef shared footage of his roast on X, showing beef wellington, carrots, potatoes, a single Yorkshire pudding and dash of gravy - but many diners were less than impressed. While some admitted it looked delicious, others were up in arms about the portion sizes, with one saying: 'I'd need a kebab after that'. Gordon promoted the roast, available at the Savoy Grill in London, on X, saying: 'Head to @savoygrillgordonramsay for the ultimate Sunday roast with all the trimmings!' The meal, which costs an eye-watering 65 per person, includes a beef wellington with confit Roscoff onion and red wine jus. If diners aren't keen on the roast, they can have 33 sauteed potato gnocchi, 54 Atlantic halibut, 65 Dover sole a la Grenobloise or a whole BBQ lobster thermidor for a startling 90. Desserts start at 16 for sticky toffee pudding with honey ice cream. But some were put out that 'all the trimmings' on the featured roast barely covered the plate. 'Firstly not enough, way too small, I have at least six spuds, five vegetables and more gravy and mine's a lot cheaper,' one commenter fumed. 'However your presentation is way better than mine cos I just like it on and up.' 'That's not a Sunday roast, too clean. It needs to be piled on and swimming in gravy,' another said. One agreed, penning: 'Looks good but nowhere near enough Yorkshire puddings or gravy, fella.' And the presentation also sparked a north south divide, with one X user saying: 'Northern boys love more gravy than that!' 'Looks great, but would I have to sell a kidney to pay for it,' another added. And one scoffed: 'All the trimmings? There's two carrots and a piddly little Yorkshire and nothing else.' Gordon Ramsay's roast incorporates beef wellington, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, a roast pudding and a dash of gravy Gordon promoted the roast, available at the Savoy Grill, on X, saying: 'Head to @savoygrillgordonramsay for the ultimate Sunday roast with all the trimmings!' Many diners were up in arms about the portion sizes, with one saying: 'I'd need a kebab after that' Gordon Ramsay's roast includes just two carrots, along with beef wellington The clip shared on X also showed the preparation of Yorkshire puddings Another chirped in: 'I'd need a kebab after that, far too small of a portion for me.' 'Where's the rest of it, Gordon???,' one would-be diner wrote. 'Toby Carvery let me pile on as much veg as I like fella, so you've got some way to go to be declaring "ultimate",' said someone else. However, Gordon, 57, is clearly doing something right at the Savoy Grill. It has more than 2,400 reviews on Google, with a rating of 4.4 out of 5. A number of celebrities have dinned at the restaurant, including Winston Churchill, James Dean and Marilyn Monroe - not to mention Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The website reads: 'One of the world's most iconic restaurants, the Savoy Grill has undergone a momentous renaissance, bringing you an even more iconic dining destination than ever before. 'With world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay at the helm and an expert kitchen and front-of-house team in the restaurant, the Savoy Grill by Gordon Ramsay offers an iconic British and French-inspired menu alongside an exceptional wine list.' According to a new programme called Around the World in a two ways, overweight Brits travel to Japan, where employers measure workers' waistline to keep their nation trim. Around the World in 80 Weighs follows six people from across Britain who are each living with obesity as they travel across continents to learn about the obesity crisis in different countries. In a debate in GBM this morning, it was asked whether we should do the same to tackle the obesity crisis here? Debating the topic were businessman and winner of The Apprentice Tim Campbell, and radio presenter and broadcaster Danielle Broadbent. Danielle said that employee weigh ins are 'ridiculous', while Tim said he supports them. He said: 'I think employers have a duty of care to their employees to make sure they're as productive as possible. And an element of productivity is about absenteeism.' Broadcaster Danielle Broadbent (pictured, left) and businesss man Tim Campbell (pictured, right) had different opinions on whether employers should measure their employees According to the programme, employers in Japan can measure their employees to check their health Tim continued: 'Measuring around your waist is a key indicator of health challenges or health problems like blood pressure, cholesterol, all the things that we want. 'I want my staff to be as healthy as possible. And that's my job as an employer.' Host Susanna asked Danielle: 'In Japan, they have a record low levels of obesity so they're doing something right aren't they?; Danielle responded that: 'They are doing something right, but I'm a strong believer that if [I don't have the waist size] they want the women to have in Japan, that doesn't mean I'm not productive. 'I'm a top biller in every company I've ever worked in. 'So it's a sense of you know, I think that if you're motivated...and you are happy in your job and productive, it shouldn't matter...what size clothes you wear.' She continued: 'I've got my appraisal on Monday and I've absolutely smashed my targets this year, but I put on half a stone, it's like, oh, well, you know what, we're gonna do that and we're gonna get fired.' Tim replied: 'For me, as an employer, I want to make sure that I'm doing as much as I can to support all of my employees.' The majority of viewers agreed with Danielle that employers should not measure their employees in this poll on X (formerly Twitter) The majority of viewers agreed with Danielle. A quiz posted on X (formerly Twitter) said: 'A TV series gives contestants from the UK a glimpse into Japan's views on weight. 'Companies are legally required to measure their employees waists yearly & some employers assess BMI too, which involves weighing their employees. 'Should employee weigh-ins be compulsory at work?' Just 20.4 per cent of people said yes, while 79.6 per cent said no.' Just three days after ascending the throne, King Frederik of Denmark stunned royal watchers by releasing a new book outlining his vision for the monarchy. The royal, 55, worked with author Jens Andersen - who wrote his 2017 biography - on the 110-page book The King's Word. The book - which is already a bestseller in Denmark - delves into Frederik's childhood and his complicated relationship with his late father Prince Henrik, who passed away in 2018. Looking back on his childhood and adolescence, the father-of-four criticises Prince Henrik for not being a more supportive figure in his life. On top of this, the monarch also gives insight into his marriage to Queen Mary and their 'stable life' together. King Frederik and Queen Mary pictured after Queen Margrethe officially abdicated the throne earlier this month Pictured: King Frederik's new book, which was written by the monarch's former biographer Jens Andersen, has already become a bestseller in Denmark In one excerpt, Frederik reveals that his wife of 20 years calls him out on what he learned from his 'patriarchal' father growing up. In painting the picture of his happy marriage, Frederik glosses over the recent affair rumours that have been swirling after pictures emerged of him enjoying an evening out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casanova on a night out in Madrid. Author Jens Andersen confirmed to local media that he spent 18 months working with King Frederik on the book. The final draft was then sent to publishers on New Year's Eve, which is the day Queen Margrethe announced her plans to abdicate after 52 years. Here FEMAIL delves into the most revelations King Frederik makes in his new book. Complicated relationship with father In the opening chapter of the book, King Frederik discusses his childhood and his relationship with his father. Although the royal says he has no memories of his grandfather King Frederik IX, who died in 1972, he does describe happy memories of nannies who used to take him and his younger brother Prince Joachim on 'many trips to town'. Pictured: Queen Margrethe and her late husband Prince Henrik with their two sons Frederik and Joachim during a trip to Greenland in 1970 Undated photo of Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik of Denmark. The couple married in 1967 Before delving into the subject of his father, who became a controversial figure in Denmark towards the end of his life, Frederik said: 'So much time has passed since his death that today I can better return to the memories.' The King remembers how his father - who grew up in France - loved cheese and felt he had to lie about enjoying Danish offerings. Frederik fondly recalls: 'He pretended they tasted heavenly when he was involved in some export promotion, even though he thought: "God bless you, this has never been further from a cheese!"' Born on June 11, 1934, in southwestern France to parents with the noble titles of count and countess, Henri Marie Jean Andre de Laborde de Monpezat married Denmark's future queen in 1967. Henri became Henrik and converted to Denmark's state Lutheran Church. However, he found it difficult to fit in with Denmark's egalitarian lifestyle. Queen Margrethe of Denmark and her husband Prince Henrik at Marselisborg Palace in Aarhus in 1972 Queen Margrethe and Prince Henrik with their sons Prince Frederik and Prince Joachim on holiday in France in 1984 In his book, Frederik says his father could have been more outwardly supportive in helping prepare him for the role of King one day. He writes: 'In that way, you can say that he supported me in that process, even though he would never in any way admit it or say it directly to me. 'As a father, you shouldn't do that in his eyes.' Without his father's steadfast support, Frederik said that he considered his 18th birthday as the 'end of the world' - as it meant he was the official heir to the throne. Elsewhere in the book, Frederik recalls how his father had a 'very patriarchal' mindset and struggled in the role of Prince Consort. In the mid-1980s, Henrik publicly said he wanted a pay cheque instead of relying on the queen, who gets annual allowances. The law was eventually changed to give him roughly 10 percent of the annual allocation Parliament makes to royals each year. Towards the end of his life, Prince Henrik renounced the title of Prince Consort and spent much of his time living in a chateau in the South of France. Prince Henrik of Denmark pictured in June 2017 - one year before he passed away. The royal always wanted to be known as 'King Consort' Denmark's Prince Henrik and his grandson Prince Christian visit the Copenhagen Zoo in June 2008 In 2017, he said he was unhappy that he was not known as King Consort and wasn't recognised as his wife's equal. In an interview with weekly magazine Se og Hor, he accused the Queen of 'making a fool of me.' The late royal added: 'My wife has decided that she wants to be Queen, and I'm very happy about that. 'But as a human being she needs to know that if a man and wife are married, they are equal.' He says in the video that he loved the Queen, but added: 'My wife does not give me the respect a normal wife must give her spouse.' Reaching a 'stable point' with Queen Mary King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark pictured at Aarhus Cathedral for a solemn service, celebrating the peaceful transition of the throne Elsewhere in the book, King Frederik gives insight into his marriage with Queen Mary. The pair met in the Slip Inn pub in Sydney in 2000 when the royal, then 32, travelled to Australia to support Denmark's sailing team in the Olympics. Speaking with Jens Hendersen, Frederik revealed that his wife - who he describes as a 'woman of the times' - isn't afraid to challenge him. He explained: 'As previously mentioned, my father was very patriarchal, and he tried to pass that pattern on to his two sons. 'Here, however, I have learned a lot from having a wife who, from time to time, reminds me that of course I am not always right, and that my words are not automatically believed, just because I am the man of the house.' Crown Prince Frederik and his then fiance Mary Donaldson seen walking through a park in Australia three months before their wedding in 2004 King Frederik and Queen Mary pictured on their wedding day in Copenhagen in May 2004 - four years after they met Frederik said Mary is his 'partner and wing woman' with whom he has a 'super dynamic'. Appearing to shut down the infidelity rumours, Frederik says him and Mary have reached a 'stable point' in their lives together. He said: 'I love marriage, my wife, our children and the whole happy base that arises for the people who manage to stay together and persevere.' Delving into their roles as King and Queen, Frederik admitted that they 'will approach many things differently' from his mother. He added: 'Mary and I are children of our time.' In November 2023, pictures of Crown Prince Frederick enjoying an evening out with Mexican socialite Genoveva Casnova sent shockwaves through Denmark. The heir to the Danish throne and the reality TV star were seen strolling in a park, going to an art exhibition and having a meal while watching flamenco. Infidelity rumours have been swirling ever since photos of King Frederik and socialite Genoveva Casanova emerged in November. The socialite has denied having any romantic ties with the royal In the photos, first published by Spanish magazine Lecturas last week, the royal and the former daughter-in-law of the billionaire Duchess of Alba are seen spending hours together, walking through the city before heading to her apartment building, changing clothes and heading out again for the evening. The publication of the photos caused shockwaves in Spain and Denmark and led to Genoveva, 47, to issue a statement denying any kind of romantic relationship between herself and the future King. In a legal letter posted on Instagram, she slammed the 'malicious' rumours suggesting the pair were romantically involved. Nightly ritual with children Pictured: King Frederik and Queen Mary with their children Crown Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 13, on the day of their Proclaimation Later in the book, Frederik reveals the nightly routine he had with his four children growing up. King Frederik and Queen Mary share Crown Prince Christian, 18, Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 13. He explains how he and Mary 'always said an evening prayer together with our children'. What's more, the father-of-four reveals that their two youngest children still ask him to say the Lord's Prayer with them before turning off the lights each night. He explained: 'The prayer is a small but living expression of our faith.' Over the past few years, criticism that had been levelled at Frederik questioned his relationship with Christianity, and whether he had strayed from religion. Tense moments with Queen Margrethe Queen Margrethe of Denmark pictured with her son King Frederik at the opening of Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen in October 2022 Leading on from this, King Frederik explained how he felt 'overstimulated' by how regularly he had to go to church growing up. The monarch recalled how he didn't enjoy saying prayers as a teenager. He then playfully criticised his mother insisting that Frederik and Joachim always attend. King Frederick said: 'Taking one's hot-tempered boys to church Sunday after Sunday was perhaps not the very best solution.' A spokeswoman for Saxo told Danish media that 25 copies of the 29 book have sold each minute. Last week, the royal household's official Instagram account announced the release of Frederik's novel. The book is set to become a bestseller with Saxo reporting that 24 copies of the book were sold per minute in Denmark following the news of its release Alongside an image of Kongeord, they wrote: ''United, bound, to the Kingdom of Denmark'. They continued: 'His Majesty the King presented his language of choice - or royal words, as His Majesty likes to call it, on Sunday.' 'Today, the book 'Kongeord' is released, where His Majesty shares his thoughts and considerations about the monarchy, as well as what the King himself puts into the words: Connected, obligated for the Kingdom of Denmark.' The royal house also shared a selection of quotes from the book. One read: 'I am now the person I am. I will also do my best to fulfil that as king of Denmark.' 'The strength of faith does not lie in whether God is mentioned in a royal word, but in the fact that we, as people, feel connected to each other through our Christian faith,' read another. The Today Show suffered an awkward blunder on Monday as it's closed captions said King Charles was set to undergo 'prostitute surgery'. The highly-watched US morning show, which airs on NBC, was reporting on the king's recent surgery for an enlarged prostate. But instead of reporting about the medical procedure, the caption read the king was to have 'prostitute surgery'. The blunder was spotted by Below Deck and the Traitors US star Kate Chastain who uploaded it to Instagram and joked 'I bet AI is in charge of closed captions for the Today Show'. Last week the royal was diagnosed with an enlarged prostate and revealed he will attend hospital this week to be treated. The blunder was spotted by Below Deck and the Traitors US star Kate Chastain who uploaded it to Instagram and joked 'I bet AI is in charge of closed captions for the Today Show'. The blunder was spotted by Below Deck and the Traitors US star Kate Chastain who uploaded it to Instagram and joked 'I bet AI is in charge of closed captions for the Today Show' Aides said the King's condition was benign and he would be having a corrective procedure. His engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation. Queen Camilla has revealed the King is 'fine' as he prepares for the treatment. She has reportedly told 'workaholic' Charles to 'slow down' in the wake of his recent health scare. The Queen, 76, told well-wishers over the weekend that her husband was 'fine' as he awaits an operation for an enlarged prostate. Charles has gained a reputation for being dedicated to his work and packed 2023 full of engagements - with one tally suggesting he undertook 516 over the course of the year including 94 abroad. He had to immediately cancel all public duties on the advice of doctors last week after his symptoms were spotted and he was diagnosed with the benign condition. The Palace said His Majesty would be undertaking 'a short period of recuperation,' which is expected to last around a month. But now, an insider has claimed that the Queen has urged him to take a new approach to his work. The Queen, 76, has told well-wishers that the King, 75, is 'fine' as he awaits an operation after doctors found he has an enlarged prostate King Charles III looked in good health as he is seen driving on public roads in Sandringham, Norfolk, on 22nd January, 2024 Speaking to The Sun, they said: 'The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit.' The King has kept up his workload after he acceded to the throne 16 months ago and had his coronation at Westminster Abbey last May after more than 70 years as heir. Palace aides have worked to ensure that he and Camilla are not overloaded as they adjust to life on the throne. One insider recently suggested that the Queen has struggled with the increased pace of her work. Meanwhile, the transition is said to have left the King feeling 'anxious', according to another source, cited by The Telegraph. Royal biographer Robert Jobson said that the King is 'a grafter' and 'has always had an innate sense of duty and tried his best to justify his good fortune by working tirelessly to improve the lot of others less fortunate than himself'. While Camilla has continued with her back-to-back schedule, the King's public duties are now on hold as he recovers at his Sandringham Estate. His Majesty will be admitted to an unidentified hospital to be treated this week. Queen Camilla leaves after a visit to a women's refuge on January 22, 2024 in Swindon A young girl holds a get well card for King Charles III as she waits to greet Queen Camilla during her visit to Deacon & Son Jewellers in Swindon, western England on January 22, 2024 His Majesty speaks to members of the public ahead of the Sunday church service at St Mary Magdalene Church on January 7 The Royal family was hit by a double health woe with it also being announced that the Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery (Pictured with Charles in 2022) Camilla also said last week that the King was 'fine', adding that he is 'looking forward to getting back to work' despite the shock diagnosis. In the 2018 BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir, Prince William said: 'The man never stops. 'When we were kids there were bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him.' Prince Harry also shared the feeling that their father should 'slow down' a bit. Announcing Charles' diagnosis last week, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said : 'In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. 'His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King's public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.' The King and Queen Camilla were at his Scottish home Birkhall when they received the shock news, just after it was disclosed that the Princess of Wales was in hospital Man Who Carried Out Machete Attack on NYPD Officers in Times Square on NYE 2022 Pleads Guilty to Terrorism Charges Trevor Bickford Traveled to the Times Square New Years Eve Celebration in 2022 for the Purpose of Killing U.S. Officials in the Name of Radical Islamic Jihad and Used a Machete-Style Knife to Attack Three NYPD Officers Working in Coordination with Federal Authorities to Protect the New Years Eve Event Trevor Bickford, 20, of Wells, Maine, today pleaded guilty to multiple counts of attempting to kill officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them based on his jihadist attack using a machete-style knife against three New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers in Times Square on New Years Eve, Dec. 31, 2022. Last New Years Eve, Trevor Bickford attacked courageous NYPD officers protecting those celebrating in Times Square as part of his effort, as he later told law enforcement, to commit jihad in New York City, said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. Todays guilty plea should serve as a warning: terrorists who target and attack law enforcement and endanger the American people will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The defendant in this case, motivated by violent extremist views, traveled to New York City for the sole purpose of committing acts of violence and attacked three police officers causing serious injuries, said FBI Director Christopher Wray. Police officers bravely protect the American people and attacks against them cannot be tolerated. The FBI will work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable all those who engage in acts of terrorism. As he admitted in court today, Trevor Bickford attempted to murder three NYPD officers while they were on duty protecting the thousands of civilians who flocked to Times Square just over a year ago to celebrate the New Year with friends and family, said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. Bickford targeted the iconic yearly celebration to carry out brazen acts of violence and hatred in the name of jihad. Bickford, as with countless others who have carried out acts of terrorism in support of misguided ideologies, is now going to spend lengthy time exactly where he deserves in federal prison. According to court documents, in December 2022, Bickford, a U.S. citizen and resident of Maine, traveled from Maine to New York City to, in his own words, wage jihad and kill as many of his targets as possible. After considering his options, researching his target location, and settling on his plan of attack, he packed a large machete-like blade and went to one of the most densely populated areas in the United States at one of the most densely populated times possible: Times Square on New Years Eve. Bickford then chose to ambush three NYPD officers, declared Allahu Akbar, an Arabic phrase meaning God is great that other radical Islamic extremists have similarly proclaimed while carrying out terrorist attacks, and attacked them with his blade, seriously injuring all three officers. One of the officers managed to shoot Bickford in the shoulder, halting his violent rampage. Bickford later declared that he carried out his attack to wage jihad and admitted that his goal was to kill as many military-aged men who worked for the U.S. government as he could before himself becoming a martyr. The machete-style knife with a blade over a foot long that Bickford used to carry out his jihadist attack is shown below: Bickford spent months consuming materials espousing radical Islamic ideology including materials promoting the Taliban and reflecting the teachings of Sheikh Abu Muhammad Al-Maqdisi, a prominent radical Islamic cleric who was a spiritual mentor of al Qaeda and contemplating ways to wage jihad. As he immersed himself deeper into this propaganda, Bickford devoted himself to violent Islamic extremism and pursuit of the jihad that he would eventually unleash in the heart of New York City. In the months leading up to his attack, Bickford focused on traveling overseas to support the Taliban in Afghanistan or elsewhere. He planned to ally himself with the Taliban to fight against governments that, in his view, oppress Muslims, and to wage jihad against officials of governments that he believes are anti-Muslim, including the U.S. Government. Ultimately, Bickford decided that he would not travel overseas and instead turned his attention to an attack in the United States. After months of radicalization, this decision resulted in Bickford perpetrating his attack in Times Square on New Years Eve just over a year ago. Near the scene of the attack, law enforcement recovered a book from Bickfords backpack with the following passage highlighted: Fight in the Name of Allah and in the Cause of Allah. Fight against those who do not believe in Allah. Wage a holy war. Bickford pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder of officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and three counts of assault of officers and employees of the U.S. government and persons assisting them, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The charges carry an aggregate potential sentence of 120 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBIs New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J.C. Hellman, Sarah L. Kushner, and Kaylan E. Lasky for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorney D. Andrew Sigler of the National Security Divisions Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. PAP soldier in field training exercise China Military Online) 16:05, January 23, 2024 A soldier assigned to the Sanya Detachment under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Hainan Corps looks through a gun sight from behind a tree during a field training exercise on January 9, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Huang Wentao) A soldier assigned to the Sanya Detachment under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Hainan Corps crosses a river on a one-rope bridge during a field training exercise on January 9, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Huang Wentao) Soldiers assigned to the Sanya Detachment under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Hainan Corps patrol in coordination during a field training exercise on January 9, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Huang Wentao) A soldier assigned to the Sanya Detachment under the Chinese People's Armed Police (PAP) Force Hainan Corps stays alert during a field training exercise on January 9, 2024. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Huang Wentao) (Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun) PIGGS PEAK Samukelisiwe Judith Ginindza, 33, appeared in court yesterday, facing three counts of murder after allegedly killing her sons aged three, five and nine. Ginindza was arrested on Friday, following allegations that she fed her children a poisonous substance. The mother of four, who is from Nsingweni, under Chief Maloyi, was in the first count, alleged to have killed Khayalethu Mloto Dlamini on January 16, 2024. Khayalethu was aged nine when he died. In the second count, she was alleged to have on the same date, killed Nkosingiphile Langeni Dlamini, who was aged five at the time of his demise. Charge sheet According to the charge sheet, in the third count, she allegedly killed Temalangeni Dlamini, who was three years of age when she died on the aforementioned date. Ginindza appeared at the Piggs Peak Magistrates Court, where during the court proceedings, was warned of her legal rights and she elected to conduct her own defence. The prosecution sought the court to remand Ginindza in custody until January 31, 2024 and or pending her committal to the High Court for her bail application. It is worth noting that the mother of four was admitted to Dvokolwako Health Centre last Tuesday, after the demise of her three children. Upon her being discharge on Friday, she was arrested by the police. This was a day after the Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM) Office issued a statement saying children were the future of families and the perpetual existence of this nation. The Thuli Dladla-led office expressed sadness at the reports of the killing of three minor children through poisoning by their mother. The DPMs Office stated that families, communities and individuals must implement measures that safeguard children from all acts of violence. It was said that, as a nation, all citizens had a responsibility to raise awareness on the importance of protecting children and that Eswatini was fit for every child. The nation is reminded that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Eswatini and the Childrens Act have the highest regard for children. Their protection and non-violation of their rights; protecting children from violence is not only a basic value but also an obligation clearly set out in these legislative frameworks, reads in part the statement. Commitment The DPMs Office expressed resolute commitment in assisting parents and families in caring for children. Through the statement, it was said the DPMs Office had regional Social Welfare offices, which were available to provide support. Furthermore, the statement stated that the office housed the Gender and Family Issues Department, which was also ready to assist families on various issues. The nation was further encouraged by the DPMs Office to visit nearby Social Welfare offices for engagement on any social issue, so that ideal solutions to challenges at hand may be explored to avoid such incidences. The statement also expressed the condolences and sympathies to the families affected. Are you among the one in two UK women who feel their pain has been dismissed because of your gender? The gender pain bias, which was discussed on Lorraine this morning, showed how many women feel they are treated worse by the health care system because of its innate sexism - with one doctor blaming the medical system as seeing women as 'called dramatic or manic'. Speaking about the issue, host Lorraine said: 'Now, look, we're on a bit of a mission this morning, aren't we? 'It's to get women's health taked a bit more seriously by highlighting what's been called the gender pin gap. 'According to research, half of women feel that their concerns [have been] ignored or dismissed just because they happen to be women when they said they experienced severe pain every day.' Dr Amir and Dr Nisha spoke about the gender pain gap, which sees woman taken less seriously by the medical system Discussing the topic on the show were Dr Amir and Dr Nisha, as well as every day women who themselves had suffered from the gender pain gap. One woman said: 'I notice a difference whether you've got a male doctor or a female doctor. I think [having] a female doctor as a female patient I feel much more comfortable.' Another revealed: 'Usually women have a harder time getting their symptoms listened to and having their symptoms heard.' According to another woman: 'Women know their bodies very intimately. They know their energies very intimately. And so it's really unfortunate that they're not listened to in the same way.' Responding to the women said, Lorraine said: 'Some really intelligent comments there, and it's called this pain gap - and it really is it really is a thing isn't it?' According to Dr Amir: 'It is. What it refers to is this unconscious bias that women [have] painful and medical conditions either discounted, or not taken as seriously as men's, simply because of their gender. 'And that's because women can be dismissed as the fairer sex, or having lower pain thresholds or being called dramatic or manic. 'All of these terms are misogynistic and applied to women, and not to men. And all of that is resulting in women's painful medical conditions either being delayed in their diagnosis, misdiagnosed, or not getting the right treatment so they're suffering for longer.' Lorraine (pictured, left) discussed the issue on this morning's programme with two GPs who spoke about gender pain bias He noted that 'women are actually more at risk of painful medical conditions. as well. This is because, he said, 'not only do they have a more complex pelvic anatomy with ovaries and the uterus and all the conditions that go along with that', but also because 'they carry 2x chromosomes, certain conditions are more common in them and because of oestrogen the way it affects the immune system'. And furthermore, according to Dr Amir: 'It's particularly bad for women from historically marginalised groups of black and brown women because it's deeply rooted, it's historically racist. 'It goes all the way back to slavery where so-called scientists did inhumane experiments on black women and said things like, "well, they have thicker skulls or they have a less sensitive immune system...or they have superhuman strength so they can tolerate surgical procedures without an anaesthesia". 'And lots of people may be watching this going well that was then that doesn't happen now. It does happen now. Women from historically marginalised populations have poor health outcomes when compared to white women and a lot of that is due to colour.' Lorraine pointed out that getting a diagnosis can therefore take a lot longer. According to research, around half of UK women feel that just because of their gender, their pain has been dismissed According to Dr Nisha: 'Right. And it's not just diagnosis, but it's also treatment as well. So one study in the US show that it took 16 minutes longer for a woman to receive painkillers for acute tummy pain than it did compared to a man. 'In another survey, we know that for 47 per cent of women, it took them 11 months to get their diagnosis within that timeframe, but 66 per cent of men got their diagnosis. 'So there's obviously that gender paying gap there. And we think are women feel that the longer diagnosis times is because people aren't listening to them taking their pain into consideration.' Dr Amir pointed out that many conditions that go untreated are unique to women. He explained: 'Women do get periods that is normal, but they shouldn't suffer as a result of it. There are certain pains that women complain about, that they feel they're not taken as seriously as men headaches, back pain, joint pain, gynaecological conditions, you know, painful gynaecological conditions like endometriosis. 'On average, that takes seven and a half years from symptoms to develop to getting a diagnosis, and that's an incredibly painful condition...but painful periods are not normal.' He added: 'So women shouldn't have to suffer and they shouldn't have to fight either. The onus should be on us as health care professionals to listen, understand and include them in everything we talk about. ' The research also found out that many women - one in six - suffer with 'severe' pain every day, so are affected by the bias And Dr Nisha spoke about the importance of raising awareness when it comes to raising awareness, saying 'the narrative needs to change'. 'This has a massive impact on the economy, one in five women aren't working because of pain,' she said. 'They're not sleeping, some of them they can't exercise, they can't go out...We've got to change things.' She added how little the topic is known about, revealing: 'When I spoke to my friends about [talking about this on Lorraine today], they were like "the gender pain what?".' Dr Nisha concluded: 'Until we raise awareness of this, we can't get industries and organisations to sit up and take note... and take people's pain seriously because no one should have to suffer.' Queen Letizia of Spain displayed her style prowess as she visited the exhibition Life in Emergency by artist Juan Zamora, at the Sorigue Foundation in Lleida, Spain, today. The royal, 51, made a welcome entrance in a bright red Carolina Herrera trouser suit, marking her second solo engagement of the year, following a Cancer Research meeting in Madrid last week. Debuted in 2023, Letizia's two-piece combined a tailored single-breasted jacket and straight-leg trousers, highlighting her svelte frame, and was a welcome return to colour after a spate of outfits in muted tones. The monarch seemed to tone down her wardrobe in the wake of bombshell claims by her former brother-in-law that they had an 'affair'. Queen Letizia visited the exhibition Life in Emergency by artist Juan Zamora, at the Sorigue Foundation in Lleida, Spain, today Today, themother-of-two added a sleek blouse and Patrizia Pepe block heels, while her voluminous raven locks fell freely over her shoulders. Later today, she will attend the opening ceremony of The Talent Tour 2024 in Lleida, Spain. Life in Emergency is the Sorigue Foundation's first major solo exhibition of the Madrid artist Juan Zamora, running from 18 February 2023 to 22 March 2024. The exhibition invites visitors to reflect on human interaction with natural ecosystems and the current environmental crisis. Juan Zamora's interest in the study of life cycles in nature and the constant processes of transformation have led him to address existential questions from a biological perspective. Biodiversity in danger of extinction due to anthropogenic activity, environmental pollution, green energies and cooperation between species are some of the issues that the exhibition addresses through media as varied as drawings, installations and video. Queen Letizia was aptly dressed for the innovative experience in a scarlet power suit, which she introduced to her wardrobe last March. The timeless two-piece by Carolina Herrera combines a longline blazer with straight-leg trousers - both created in a vibrant shade of red. The royal completed her look with glamorous make-up, incorporating a smoky eye, bronzed cheekbones and a glossy nude lip. Letizia took her outfit to new heights with a pair of patent block heels by Patrizia Pepe. Letizia wore a bright red Carolina Herrera trouser suit for her second solo engagement of the year The 51-year-old sported a glamorous make-up look, incorporating a smoky eye and glossy nude lip Letizia's two-piece combined a tailored single-breasted jacket and straight-leg trousers, highlighting her svelte frame The Queen was aptly dressed for the innovative experience in a scarlet power suit, which she introduced to her wardrobe last March It comes as Jaime Penafiel, 91, who made a series of bombshell allegations about Queen Letizia in the book 'Letizia & I', has been sacked by the newspaper he worked for after 20 years. At the end of last year, the veteran journalist sent shockwaves through the Spanish Royal Family after he alleged that the Queen had a romantic relationship with her ex-brother-in-law. The book relied heavily on allegations made by Jaime Del Burgo, 53, who sensationally claimed that he was still romantically involved with Letizia after her 2004 wedding to King Felipe. The businessman told the author that he met Letizia before 2000 and their relationship began on a romantic trip to Venice, years before she met King Felipe. Over the weekend, the journalist spoke to Argentinian publication Semana and confirmed that he was no longer employed by El Mundo. During the interview, the journalist denied that the decision to leave El Mundo was made months ago. Initial reports in Spanish media claimed that Jaime Penafiel was let go due to 2024 budget restraints. However, the author claimed that the decision to sack him was made on the day he complained about a 'very offensive' article that had been printed about him. A BBC Lancashire radio host has hit back at a listener who sent a text message to complain about his show. Graham Liver, 47, hosts the station's morning breakfast show every weekday from 6am until 10am. Before 9:30am this morning, the broadcaster read out a text message from an unimpressed listener. The anonymous listener wrote: 'You're getting boring, your producer can't think of anything fresh.' Earlier in the show, the team had been discussing how a Lancashire local will be appearing on the upcoming series of The Apprentice, which the listener also took issue with. They then went on to claim: 'Also, the guy from Chorley isn't the first person from Lancashire to go on The Apprentice. A guy called Adam went on in it in the late 1990s.' The hit BBC series first aired in the UK in 2005 and not the 1990s as the listener claimed. They continued: 'You need to do more research rather than talking about what you've been up to at the weekend or what you're doing in the next few days.' They concluded the message by adding: 'Rant over. Thanks. Stop being so camp.' After he finished reading out the message, Graham paused for a moment before hitting back with: 'Oh, you b****.' In the background, his colleagues can be heard laughing hysterically by the surprise outburst. Before bursting into laughter himself, Graham adds: 'What do you mean?' Afterwards, Graham then shared the audio clip with his 12,000 followers on X. Along with some love heart emojis, he jokingly captioned the clip: 'Good morning.' Pictured: BBC Lancashire radio host Graham Liver. The broadcaster hit back at an unimpressed viewer who labelled his show 'boring' today Afterwards, the BBC Lancashire radio host posted the clip on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption: 'Good morning' The video has amassed over 145,000 views so far - and users quick to praise Graham's 'legendary' response. One replied: 'Bravo Graham!' Another added: 'As a fellow radio presenter, is it now fair game to say the B word now it's been said on the BBC? This made my morning!' What's more, it also caught the eye of TV critic Scott Bryan, who shared the clip with his 115,000 followers and wrote: 'What a way to respond to an angry texter.' Meanwhile, others viewers were furious on Graham's behalf and pointed out how the listener was incorrect with their assertions about The Apprentice. One supporter said: 'Apart from anything else the apprentice wasn't on in the 90s.' The clip also caught the eye of TV critic Scott Bryan, who shared the clip with his 115,000 followers and wrote: 'What a way to respond to an angry texter.' 'And the texter is wrong as The Apprentice certainly wasn't around in the late 90s,' another said. BBC's editorial guidelines reads: 'The use of strong language must be editorially justified, and signposted if appropriate, to ensure it meets audience expectations, wherever it appears. 'Strong language is most likely to cause offence when it is used gratuitously and without editorial purpose, and when it includes.' The broadcaster then goes to define strong language as 'sexual swearwords, terms of racist or ethic abuse, terms of sexual and sexist abuse or abuse referring to sexuality or gender identity, pejorative terms relating to illness or disabilitiesor casual or derogatory use of holy names or religious words and especially in combination with other strong language.' Although 'b****' is considered profanity, it does not appear to be defined as a curse word within these guidelines. Jo Phoenix revealed that she was made to feel like a 'pariah' for her views A professor of criminology, who was compared to a 'racist uncle' by university colleagues over her gender-critical views before winning a harassment case against her employer, has compared the tribunal to her experience of surviving rape. Texas-born Jo Phoenix received an 'onslaught' of death threats after setting up the Gender Critical Research Network (GCRN) while working at the Open University in the UK. The GCRN olds the belief that sex is biological, immutable, and should hold significance over gender identity, but colleagues launched an open letter accusing the society of transphobia and inciting the murder of trans people. Jo asked bosses for help after receiving an 'onslaught' of criticism and death threats, but the Open University (OU) did not help out of fear of repercussions, it was ruled. In conversation with Emma Barnet on BBC Woman's Hour, Jo revealed how her beliefs made her feel like a 'pariah' and how she found the experience at the tribunal in Watford comparable to the impact of being raped when she was 15. Jo Phoenix (pictured) was likened to a 'racist uncle' over her gender-critical views and won a harassment case against former employer the Open University yesterday 'It has been the hardest four to five years of my life, six years, and anyone who has read my witness statement will know I've had quite a background already,' Jo said. 'Since everything started in 2019 it affected my mental health, as I said I've gone to some very dark places,' she continued. 'I grew up in Texas, and when I was a teenager, I was raped,' she said. She fought for justice and navigated the 'whole criminal justice process as a teenager at 15', which 'blew apart' her 'ability to do anything'. 'I was run away having to survive, and I say survive, my early life, and to then be at a point in my later career, where I'm looking at my own employer and saying: "Please believe me that these awful things are happening to me"... it was kind of like insult upon insult upon injury upon deep hurt,' Professor Phoenix said. 'I broke down on the last day I was being cross-examined, and the judge kindly gave me some time to collect myself.' 'As I sat there in the box being cross-examined, in the back of my head I was just going through the tactics that are used in a rape trial and going "tick".' The professor of criminology claimed that the tribunal process bared similarities to a rape trial she experienced at 15 She concluded: 'And the thing I am most proud of was, after all of that, I walked back into that hearing knowing that I was going to get another extreme cross examination, and I was able to sit through three weeks of that.' Jo's views came under fire in 2019 when the OU cancelled a conference hearing from the Centre of Crime and Justice Studies because the director faced accusations of transphobia by several of Jo's colleagues after tweeting 'Happy human female day' on International Women's Day, Jo said. Jo campaigned against the university's decision and communicated her gender-critical stance to colleagues. She signed an open letter in 2019, raising concerns about the introduction of self-identification for trans people who wished to undergo gender reassignment. Her signature on the letter, signed by 53 other academics, caused a 'hostile' response from some colleagues. As a senior professor, she felt she 'had no choice but to take this fight' and said it was her 'duty' because 'many of my younger colleagues' didn't feel in a secure position in their careers to speak out. She told Woman's Hour: 'There are no questions that should be off limits even if those questions are politically unpalatable for some.' Talking on the podcast show, Jo said the past few years have been the hardest of her life and her mental health has been in a very dark place. (The above picture of Jo was taken on the last day of the tribunal) Later, Professor Phoenix was reduced to tears after a colleague castigated her for her views. The tribunal in Watford heard: 'Professor Westmarland said to [Professor Phoenix] that, 'Having you in the department was like having a racist uncle at the Christmas dinner table'. 'Professor Westmarland was effectively telling [her] off for expressing her gender-critical beliefs.' Professor Phoenix also set up a Gender Critical Research Network a group of academics who believe biological sex is real. Colleagues then wrote to the Vice-Chancellor, calling for them to withdraw support for her network. Professor Phoenix was then targeted with tweets and retweets from colleagues describing her as transphobic. The tribunal heard that by June 2021, she was working in a 'hostile environment'. In December 2021, she resigned, claiming she felt like a 'pariah'. The tribunal upheld almost 20 of Professor Phoenix's claims. Jo claimed her mental health and good working relations failed as a result. The experience led Jo to suffer from a 'post-traumatic break'. She wrote a grievance letter to the university to complain of the lack of academic freedom and the 'hostile campaign' she faced. Jo said she is still waiting for a response. The Open University (OU) did not help, out of a fear of repercussions if it was perceived as supporting Professor Phoenix's views, it was ruled The professor described the past six years as the 'hardest' of her life and that the state of her mental health wound up in a 'very dark place'. Employment Judge Jennifer Young said: '[The OU] failed to protect [her] because they did not want to be seen to give any kind of support to academics with gender-critical beliefs.' Despite the tribunal ruling in her favour, Jo compared the experience to the impact of her rape case. Jo, who was raped by two boys, one from her school, at the age of 15 said: 'It blew away my ability to do anything,' she said. She compared the process of asking her employer to believe her statements about the 'awful' treatment she received to surviving rape and the trial that followed. She concluded the interview by stating that she strongly supports people's right to identify as they wish. Her compensation will be decided at a later date. Professor Tim Blackman, Vice-Chancellor of the OU, said: 'We are deeply concerned about the wellbeing of everyone involved in the case and acknowledge the significant impact it has had on the claimant, the witnesses and many other colleagues. Our priority has been to protect freedom of speech while respecting legal rights and protections.' A chef who quit the rat race after a binge-drinking session nearly killed him has revealed how he has set up a new life in Thailand where he looks after stray dogs. Niall Harbison, a recovering alcoholic who's originally from Ireland, lives with around 80 dogs in Koh Samui and feeds about 800 in total a day. He previously worked in Michelin-starred restaurants and for the 'very rich and famous' on private yachts, but now said he needed 'three of four beers to relax'. After a particularly bad binge, where he was admitted to an intensive care unit, he decided to pack up, quit drinking and move abroad. He now spends around 15,000 - 20,000 a month on running a dog sanctuary, and hopes to find more money through donations to help grow it. He earned the money working as a private chef, but said he'll 'blow through it' without donations to sustain him. Niall Harbison, a recovering alcoholic who's originally from Ireland, lives with around 80 dogs in Koh Samui and feeds about 800 in total a day Speaking to Ben Fogle on New Lives in the Wild, which airs on Channel 5 tonight, Niall explained that he wants to rid the world of stray dogs completely and spends 'every spare penny' he has on sterilising dog Speaking to Ben Fogle on New Lives in the Wild, which airs on Channel 5 tonight, Niall explained that he wants to rid the world of stray dogs completely and spends 'every spare penny' he has on sterilising dogs. Niall added that he's now been sober for two and a half years. His sobriety was triggered by 'the mother of all benders,' when, after a break-up, he didn't stop drinking for two months. 'I would wake up at 4 in the morning with the shakes, and drink a bottle of wine, I think I was trying to kill myself,' he told Ben. 'When I was lying in the ICU, I wasn't thinking about being in a mag cover for selling a business, I was thinking about Snoop, my dog, and he's the reason I'm still alive, I had to fight to get through for him. The pair make dog beds from oil drums, a canine splash-pool and learns that Niall experienced a close shave with death, and a visit from his Dad cements that Niall has found his real vocation, with an ambition that knows no bounds. Niall previously told MailOnline that he vowed to change his life after being admitted to intensive care following a drinking binge sparked by depression and anxiety. Among the many dogs he's rescued so far is a puppy called Rodney, who he scooped up after spotting him starving, covered in sores and struggling for breath on the streets. In just two weeks, the puppy has begun to recover thanks to medical treatments including oil baths for his skin, nourishing meals and lots of sleep. Niall previously told MailOnline that he vowed to change his life after being admitted to intensive care following a drinking binge sparked by depression and anxiety Niall is pictured with one of his dogs His Instagram account has gone from just 800 followers when he moved four years ago to 900,000 today - with fans keen to see content on how he's transforming the lives of the dogs he's coming into contact with. He explained how he began rescuing street dogs after he almost lost his life to alcohol abuse. 'I started the mission after ending up in ICU in hospital. I nearly drank myself to death because I suffered from anxiety and depression. I spent three days there and when nearly dying I vowed to change my life and do something meaningful. He said he started looking after one dog, Lucky, but 'the bag of food just got bigger and bigger going to four dogs then eight, and then eventually up to 80 dogs per day.' Amongst the pets he's rescued is King Whacker, who survived a vicious hammer attack and now thrives in Harbison's care The dog is now thriving after being saved...Niall says he feeds around 80 dogs a day, driving around on his scooter with food Little Rodney the puppy was close to death when he was rescued by the sanctuary, and Harbison says his fortunes have been transformed in just two weeks - after he received vital care Niall says he's still battling with his own demons but says he hopes that sharing his story on Instagram will help others in a similar situation On his donorbox page, the dog lover says that the only way to 'stop the suffering' of street dogs is via an effective neutering and spaying programme. Harbison says trying to care for so many rescue dogs isn't always good for his mental health though, and that he's recently suffered burn-out from trying to help and feed so many dogs - with dog food alone costing $30 a day. He said: 'It's just me doing it on my scooter and in a jeep. I team up with other people who help dogs and we all muck in. I have built it out now so as I provide food for 800 dogs on the island and have a lady cooking this for me. I give this to volunteers who distribute it. 'I funded it all myself to start from my savings but people have started helping out with vet bills and chipping in if they see dogs in need that need more expensive care.' Discussing his ongoing battle to stay sober, he said he still has to keep his demons 'at bay', saying: 'Thats not easy and I share that openly. I do that purely to hopefully help somebody somewhere who needs it. 'Ill never stop talking about that because its still got huge stigma attached and seen as a weakness in society.' The little dog was struggling to breathe when he first arrived, and was covered in sores Hello boy! The pet as he looks now; Harbison says Rodney has put on weight and his skin condition has vastly improved Recently, a golden retriever has come into his care, after someone spotted the neglected dog tied up on a short chain. After seeing an image of the distressed female dog, who had been used for breeding 'for years', the animal lover said he couldn't get the photo out of his head, and made the dash to rescue her. A vet confirmed the dog weighed just 12.5kg, half of what she should do. However, with just 24 hours of TLC - including a bath to treat fungal infections, and various treatments at the vet, the dog was eating well and chasing a ball again. New Lives in the Wild, Channel 5, tonight, 8pm She squashed rumours that she was dating Denmark's future King - but Princess Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sicilies proved to be a queen of style this evening. The Italian heiress, 19, commanded attention in an eye-catching scarlet polka dot suit as she stepped out at the Giorgio Armani show during Paris Fashion Week. Her sister Princess Carolina, 20, and their 'momager', Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 52, joined her at the star-studded event - which included guests such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Glenn Close and French actress Juliette Binoche. The heiress' father Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 60, holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies. Chiara was last year linked romantically with 18-year-old Prince Christian of Denmark, the son of King Frederick X and Queen Mary - until the princess denied the engagement rumours and insisted: 'Prince Christian and I share a close friendship.' She squashed rumours that she was dating Denmark's future King - but Princess Chiara of Bourbon-Two Sicilies (pictured right, with her sister and her mother) proved to be a queen of style this evening Looking typically stylish, Chiara turned heads in her statement blazer and matching trousers, teamed with a scarf. She accessorised with a black clutch bag and matching heels. Adding a touch of glitz to her ensemble, she sported dramatic drop earrings and finished off her look with a smattering of glamorous makeup while keeping her hair tied back. Her sister Carolina put on a stylish display in a black dress with dainty straps. She teamed the elegant frock with a shimmering clutch handbag and diamond earrings. Camilla, meanwhile, looked just as fashionable as her daughters in a black dress, which she paired with dazzling drop earrings. Rumours that Chiara and Christian were close began when the two were pictured together at the Monaco grand prix last year. Eventually Chiara took to Instagram and appeared to dismiss the speculation, saying 'while we all enjoy dreaming of fairytales, what truly matters is reality.' Meanwhile, the Danish royal family remained quiet on the speculation. Chiara told Italian paper Corriere: 'We've known each other since we were little, my father Carlo is godfather to his younger sister.' But it was her hint that she 'hopes to meet Queen Margrethe soon' which sent rumours of an engagement into overdrive. The Italian heiress, 19, commanded attention in an eye-catching scarlet polka dot suit as she stepped out at the Giorgio Armani show during Paris Fashion Week Rumours that Princess Maria Chiara di Borbone delle Due Sicilie was dating Prince Christian were sparked after they were photographed standing next to each other at the Monaco Grand Prix in May (pictured) Her sister Princess Carolina, 20, and their 'momager', Princess Camilla, Duchess of Castro, 52, joined her at the star-studded event - which included guests such as Gwyneth Paltrow , Glenn Close and French actress Juliette Binoche The heiress' (pictured left) father Prince Carlo, Duke of Castro, 60, holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies Looking typically stylish, Chiara (pictured left) turned heads in her statement blazer and matching trousers, teamed with a scarf. She accessorised with a black clutch bag and matching heels Her sister Carolina put on a stylish display in a black dress with dainty straps. She teamed the elegant frock with a shimmering clutch handbag and diamond earrings Her father Prince Carlo holds a claim to the now defunct throne of the former House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, a cadet branch of the Spanish royal family. While, her mother, Duchess Camilla, is the daughter of Italian industry Tycoon Camilla Crociani. Chiara and her older sister enjoy a life of luxury, spending their time between Italy, Monaco, Paris and Saint-Tropez, soaking up the sun, sporting designer labels and making the most of their family's wealth. They are also actively involved with charity work and rub shoulders with the most elite socialites of Europe, speaking English, French and Italian fluently. The two princesses regularly share snaps of their glamorous lifestyles on Instagram, posting pictures from destinations around the globe, from Paris to Dubai and New York. Because Chiara is the younger sibling, she will not inherit her father's title and duties, or his claim to Head of the House of Bourbon-Two Sicilies - they will go to older sister Maria Carolina, Duchess of Calabria and of Palermo (or Carolina for short). Chiara and Carolina had a quick outfit change before attending the Haute Couture Spring/ Summer show Carolina stunned in a slinky velvet bandeau dress with leaf embellishments. Meanwhile, Chiara added a touch of extravagance with a sheer bodice dress Their 'momager' Camilla of Bourbon Two Sicilies was also in attendance, and she donned an elegant jumpsuit for the occasion The trio posed for photographs despite their jam-packed schedule for Paris Fashion Week Carolina accessorized her look with a studded clutch bag and an elegant pair of pearl-drop earrings Australian parents are being urged to think twice before posting back-to-school photos of their children online. The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) said mums, dads and relatives should make sure to blur or cover school emblems before sharing anything on social media. Showing identifiable details like what school a child goes to could make them vulnerable to predators or offenders. AFP Commander Helen Schneider said while sharing photos of their kids online is important for many families she urged parents to think about who could access the images and what information they are giving away. 'We have seen instances of otherwise innocent images being used in child exploitation material or offenders using information from photos, such as school uniforms, to identify and groom children,' she explained. Scroll down for video Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation said parents should make sure to blur or cover school emblems before sharing back-to-school photos online (stock image) 'While these incidents are rare, they do happen, which is why we are urging families to be proactive with online safety and keep their information safe as the 2024 school year gets underway.' Commander Schneider urged parents and carers to do a privacy check on their social media accounts before they post. 'Parents can also easily edit the logos of their children's uniforms to conceal where they attend school as an extra precaution,' she added. The AFP shared a handy guide to making sure parents' back-to-school photos are safe to post. Checking privacy settings to make sure social media accounts are secure and visible to friends only. Parents should also check the privacy setting on their device and have a chat to anyone else taking photos of their child about how the photos will be used and shared. AFP Commander Helen Schneider urged parents to think about who could access the images and what information they are giving away (stock image) When posting an image, ensure the background doesn't give away your address or location and don't add a location or 'check in' anywhere. Also be sure to hide any uniform logo and keep their full name and age private. iPhone users can cover school emblems in the photo gallery by selecting 'edit', then 'Mark Up' then 'drawing' over the logo or covering it with an emoji found under the sicker section. On Instagram, users can edit photos in their story in a similar way by drawing over the logo or covering it with a sticker or emoji. 'Prevention is key to minimising inappropriate contact or the sharing of images online,' Commander Schneider said. 'ThinkUKnow.org.au is a great resource to help you develop good online habits that protect your children and deter offenders.' Other workers claimed this is because heavy items are the 'highest stolen' Coles shopper was asked by employee to scan heavy item first at checkout A Coles shopper was left confused when an employee at the self-serve checkout asked her to scan a carton of mineral water before the rest of her shopping. Teya, who runs the maternity store Me Mama I in Victoria, described the encounter as 'really weird' and 'awkward' after heading out for her weekly shop. And when she shared a TikTok video asking for advice, other supermarket workers jumped in to reveal they are told to ask shoppers to scan heavy products first because they are the 'most stolen items'. 'I was using the self-service checkout, the one with the conveyor belt,' Teya said in the video. 'I was going to purchase a carton of mineral water, and the lady that was overseeing the area was very insistent on helping me. Teya, from Victoria, was puzzled when a Coles worker asked her to scan the heavy items first at the self-serve checkout. Supermarket workers then confirmed heavy products need to be scanned first because they tend to be the 'highest stolen items' 'And I was like, "No, it's fine - I'm in the self-checkout. I'll just do it myself." 'She was like, "OK, but can you scan it first?" And I'm like, "OK, that's a bit weird. I don't know why." 'But she was very adamant that I had to scan the carton first. I [didn't] know I had to do that.' Teya then asked for advice as to why groceries need to be scanned in a 'certain order' at the self-serve checkout. The small business owner described the encounter as 'weird' and 'awkward' (stock image) One TikTok user responded in the comments: 'As an ex-Coles service employee, it's because bulk items are their highest stolen item. 'Even at the normal registers they'll ask you if you have any bulk items first. It's hard on workers.' Another person added: 'As a Woolies worker I don't often shop at Coles but to be honest bulk items are monitored due to theft. Not saying that all customers would thieve - but loss of bulk items add up daily. Same as fruit and vegetables.' 'I work at Coles and we carry barcodes for bulk items to ensure we scan them for people in self service,' a third said. A Coles spokesperson told FEMAIL staff members are always eager to help shoppers at the checkout (stock image) A Coles spokesperson told FEMAIL staff members are always eager to help shoppers at the checkout. 'Coles is always always looking for ways to improve how we serve our customers and provide exceptional customer service,' the spokesperson said. 'Our team members are always encouraged to help our customers where possible. Where a customer has certain items, this may include bulky or heavy items, our team will offer to assist them in scanning the items when checking out. 'This is all about providing great service to our customers and helping them get through the checkouts quickly and efficiently.' An Australian travel influencer has revealed the 'ugliest' travel fashion trends she will never fall victim to - and the one popular European city she can't stand. Jacki, who posts under the handle @jetsetting_jacki, regularly makes videos for her 23,000 followers, featuring travel tips for different locations. 'Does anyone else hate backpacker fashion as much as me?' she captioned a recent clip. 'I just can't bring myself to choose comfort over style, but maybe that's just me. And I especially want to look and feel good in a new country.' Jacki revealed that she 'hates' Tevas, travel money belts, backpacks, elephant pants, and hiking boots. The Aussie also 'absolutely hated' Paris - an admission that came as a shock to many around the world. 'I've been to the city three times now and I felt unsafe. It was dirty, the people weren't very nice. I just did not enjoy my time in Paris at all and that is why it is overrated.' What are the ugliest travel accessories? Tevas Jacki claimed Tevas were the 'ugliest shoes she's ever seen'. 'No, you cannot wear them with your nice outfit,' she addressed fellow women. 'You literally just ruined your nice dress by putting on those fugly shoes.' Travel money belt The influencer said that travel money belts make people 'look like dumb tourists' and attract unwanted attention from criminals. 'The belt is showing everyone where all your important things are,' she said. 'You're going to get robbed.' Many Australians have been robbed in Europe - with some losing thousands of dollars. Backpacks 'I hate backpacks and I would not be seen dead looking like a giant hermit crab with a big backpack on my back,' Jacki said. 'Little ones for the day are fine - giant ones are an ick.' She also shared that she 'couldn't stand' anyone else wearing them, either. The influencer said that travel money belts make people 'look like dumb tourists' and attract unwanted attention from criminals An Australian travel influencer has revealed the 'ugliest' travel fashion trends Elephant pants Popular in Southeast Asia, elephant pants are typically made of thin, baggy cotton material and have gaudy prints on them. The item of clothing is commonly seen on Anglo-European backpackers in Asia who are on gap years. Jacki said: 'There are other ways to tell people you've been to Southeast Asia than wearing elephant pants. There are probably a million other pairs of pants that you could wear. Just get an elephant tattoo. Hiking books or shoes The last thing the Aussie took issue with was travellers wearing hiking attire when they're not on a hike. 'If you're going hiking, that's fine. If you're going to the mall or dinner - it's not fine. Just wear converse.' Popular in Southeast Asia, elephant pants are typically made of thin, baggy cotton material and have gaudy prints on them Many disagreed with Jacki's rude opinions. 'The Teva Voya Infinitys are actually really cute!' a woman said. 'This perfectly shows difference between vacationing and backpacking, the backpacks and shoes aren't a fashion accessory - they're functional,' another wrote. 'Some of us have reached the point where we care for comfort and function over aesthetic,' one said. 'My husband has to wear hiking boots everywhere because he broke his foot on our last trip, some people have weaker ankles too!' a woman added. But others agreed with her 'brutal' takes. 'Hate elephant pants with a passion,' a woman wrote. 'I feel like water shoes need a spot on the list,' another said. 'Yes! You couldn't pay me to buy the elephant pants,' one said. '100 per cent agree and as for the backpacks - only sleek aesthetic ones, not hiking ones!' a man wrote. The best hospitals for 2024 in the US have been revealed in a new report. Healthgrades ranked the top 250 best-performing hospitals based on tens of millions of records between 2020 and 2022, which was given exclusively to DailyMail.com. According to the analysis, if all hospitals in the US performed at the same level as the top 250, 178,402 lives could have potentially been saved. Patients that are seen at a hospital in the top 250 list have a 30 percent lower risk of dying, Dr Brad Bowman, chief medical officer and head of data science at Healthgrades, told DailyMail.com. The list shows that just five states make up half of the top 250 hospitals in the country: California has the most with 32 hospitals, Texas has 28, Florida 26, Pennsylvania 22, and Ohio 19. New York has nine of the best 250 hospitals. Thirteen states don't have any hospitals on the list: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wyoming. Just five states make up half of the top 250 hospitals in the country: California has the most with 32 hospitals, Texas has 28, Florida 26, Pennsylvania 22, and Ohio 19 AdventHealth Orlando in Florida (pictured) has been in the top 250 for seven years in a row, and received the most Healthgrades awards in the US for 2024 Healthgrades analyzed more than 4,500 of the 6,000 hospitals nationwide. The company did not give a league table ranking the best hospitals nor a breakdown of the worst hospitals in the country. Medical experts have questioned the reliability of Healthgrades' rankings in the past, criticizing the lack of transparency in their methodology. However, notable hospitals included Lancaster General in Pennsylvania, Mayo Clinic Hospitals and Ascension Alexian Brothers in Illinois. All three have been in the top 250 for more than 20 years. There was also AdventHealth Orlando in Florida, which has been in the top 250 for seven years in a row, and received the most Healthgrades awards in the US for 2024. Tisch Hospital at NYU Health has also been in the top 250 for six consecutive years and is New York's number one ranked hospital for eight key specialties, including cardiac, stomach and intestine care, lung care and stroke care. HCA Healthcare has a total of 54 hospitals across 12 states that rank in America's best - the most of any healthcare network. The most improved hospitals for 2024 were Altru Hospital in North Dakota, HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood in Texas and Texas Health Specialty Hospital. Healthgrades also picked out the top ranked hospitals in 32 states across 18 key specialty areas, including critical care, joint replacement spine surgery. For the specialties, California had the most awards with 90, followed by Texas with 88 and Florida with 86 HCA Houston Healthcare Kingwood embarked on a $30 million expansion in 2021 to upgrade its infrastructure upgrade and aging equipment. This included a $3 million cath lab, which is used to view the arteries and check how well blood is flowing to and from the heart. The hospital also received a $4.2 million hybrid operating room, as well as $1.9 million spent on surgical robots. Altru Hospital also showed improvements in heart care, lung care, and neurosciences. Texas Health Specialty Hospital had strong improvements across stomach and intestine care and critical care, along with improvements in heart attack and heart failure. To identify America's best 250 hospitals, Healthgrades used more than 45 million Medicare medical claims at the hospitals between 2020 and 2022. Hospitals cannot opt-in or out and nor submit their own data. The hospitals were rated across 31 condition and procedure groups. The team focused on two key aspects: how many patients die as a result of their condition or procedure and how many experience additional health issues. They also considered different risk factors that could affect the treatment's success, such as existing health conditions, age, gender, the type of procedure performed, and admission source. A team of data scientists identified which risk factors are most important in predicting patient outcomes. They then created a model which predicts the expected outcome for each hospital based on their patients' conditions and risk factors. They look at each hospitals patients individually, and compare them to the average outcome for each patient based on their existing conditions and reason why they came to the hsopital. This allows them to generate an expected death rate for each hospital and expected complications rate for each hospital. The actual outcomes of the hospitals were compared to the predicted outcomes to see how well they performed. The top 100 hospitals were the ones that had been in the top 250 for at least the past five years. Those that made the top 50 were those that made the top 250 list consecutively for the past seven to eight years. Dr Bowman said that among the top performing hospitals, there tends to be a very strong culture of continually wanting to improve. He told DailyMail.com: 'They tend to all have internal quality teams - people that are always looking at their data and measuring patient outcomes. They have a very good handle on how they're performing.' At the other end of the spectrum, Dr Bowman said the worst performing hospitals tend to have staffing and resource issues. 'They just don't have the money or the financial resources to have a dedicated quality team. 'They may be serving very challenging populations, they may not have enough doctors, they may not have enough nurses, that tends to be something we hear on that end of the spectrum much more about staffing levels. 'We rarely, if ever, hear that about from the top hospitals. The top hospitals tend to have enough staff to take care of their patients. And [the top hospitals have] better facilities, more modern facilities, more facilities.' 'The strong stayed strong this year,' he said. 'No unexpected churn.' Dr Bowman added: 'There's a lot of hospitals in the top 50, who you've probably never heard of, or expect to be in the top 50.' Examples of these include Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Massachusetts, Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Washington and Carle Foundation Hospital in Illinois. 'There's a lot of hospitals that you'd expect to be in the top 50, just because of brand or reputation, that aren't at the top 50.' This is because some of the smaller, lesser-known hospitals may be outperforming the famous sites, he said. 'Obviously there's some great hospitals,' Dr Bowman said. 'But there's also other hospitals, sometimes academic, sometimes just small community hospitals, that are just doing a really good job. Their scores are just a little bit better, or they're just a little bit more consistent, measured objectively.' 'You know the heavy hitters who are always going to be on this list. To me, the more interesting part is the hospital that no one ever expected, that's been doing a great job and has been doing a great job for a long, long time, [and are] unrecognized.' Healthgrades also picked out the top ranked hospitals in 32 states across 18 key specialty areas, including critical care, joint replacement spine surgery. For the specialties, California had the most awards with 90, followed by Texas with 88 and Florida with 86. For prostate surgery, the best hospitals are in California, Florida, New York and Texas. Those same states are also home to the top places for heart surgery, alongside Michigan and Pennsylvania. For neurosciences, including stroke, the best hospitals are in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. MATSAPHA - SwaziPharm Wholesalers is set to destroy expired medical supplies worth E20 million and blames it on what it called criminal negligence on governments side. These developments were revealed by SwaziPharm Wholesalers (Pty) Ltd Director Kareem Ashraf, at the wholesale premises in Matsapha, where he was welcoming officials from the Ministry of Heath, led by the Principal Secretary (PS) Khanya Mabuza. He said he found himself in a difficult position, as while he was to host the officials from the ministry, he was also saddened by the current health situation in the country. Ashraf said almost every day, innocent lives were being lost in hospitals, because of the shortage of medical drugs. Drugs Patients are being turned away from hospitals because there are no drugs, he said. He said in another troubling development, they understood that maternity units in hospitals were grappling with a surge of infant mortality rates, which was something that prompted questions about the adequacy of essential supplies. He noted that the crisis was intensifying concerns among medical professionals and stakeholders, with accusations pointing towards a critical shortage of specialised products crucial for neonatal care. Thereafter, he said for years, SwaziPharm Wholesalers, as an example, had been a key supplier of medical drugs and specialised neonatal products, to both the private and government sectors. Contract He said among others, the company was awarded a substantial contract, Tender No. 2 Intensive Care, worth E80 million, which was intended for maternity and intensive care unit (ICU) use in neonates and infants. Ashraf said, like all suppliers, after getting these tenders, SwaziPharm Wholesalers then met government officials in the relevant portfolios and agreed on how these medical drugs should be supplied. He explained that these discussions and arrangements assisted and enabled them to plan and engage their manufacturers and place orders in anticipation that drugs would be delivered monthly, in order to supply government on time, and meet its monthly demands. However, despite this significant investment and planning, a cloud of uncertainty looms over the effective utilisation of these supplies, the director said, while adding that the medical industry was a delicate, specialised and unique one. In that regard, he said once they made orders and commitments to manufacturers, they then started to produce these drugs and further package them for government, which was different from any other packaging. He said this meant stock that had been ordered to supply government could not be diverted and sold somewhere else. Stock He said every month they received stock from manufacturers, as per the tender and standing arrangements, then wait for orders to supply the specific medical drugs. However, he said the past 12 months had been the most challenging period, as they waited for orders to come, but nothing came, yet stock had been piling up in their warehouse. Today (yesterday), as SwaziPharm Wholesalers, we can confirm that we will destroy medical supplies worth E20 million, because it has been sitting at the warehouse until it expired. We will also spend not less than E3.2 million to burn the drugs, the director said. He said these medical supplies and drugs were the very same drugs that patients were crying for in government hospitals. He said it was painful to watch medical drugs expire, patients dying and newborns losing their lives, because of shortage of stock in hospitals, while as SwaziPharm Wholesalers, they had these medicines in stock and had the tender to supply. To us, it seems the health crisis is self-created and we wonder as to why are emaSwati put at such a risk when medical drugs are stocked at suppliers, the director said. He questioned why government was giving orders to suppliers that did not have stock, at exorbitant costs, and leaving those who had it (stock) at hand and at the agreed upon tender price. He said due to such practice or conduct, as SwaziPharm Wholesalers they were preparing to burn the expired medical supplies. Sufficient He said the tender process which was meant to secure sufficient stock with a suitable shelf life and ensure its availability to government at a moments notice, had allegedly become a precarious dance with expiration dates. He said governments failure to order in a timely manner had resulted in aging stock, which was an incredibly heart-breaking spectacle of wasted life-saving potential. Ashraf explained that in their pursuit of rectifying SwaziPharm Wholesalers as a business, they uncovered tales of backstabbing, accusations of corruption and shocking incompetence within the Ministry of Health. This happened while we diligently held stock for government, valuable medicines languished due to mismanagement and what can only be described as criminal negligence, Ashraf said. He added that SwaziPharm Wholesalers had to endure serious financial burdens, defamation and stock losses, but they persisted, while they were witnessing precious lives being lost due to a broken supply chain. However, the director was quick to highlight that the new government brought hope as its commitment to placing orders and making payments were already starting to show. Destruction Furthermore, he said the destruction of the E20 million drugs symbolised, not just monetary loss, but the tragic expiration of life-saving potential and a sombre reminder of the systemic failures that cost over 2 000 lives of emaSwati. As SwaziPharm Wholesalers, we stand resolute and ready. We offer our expertise, our unwavering commitment and even the sacrifice of freely giving away unsellable stock to support the recovery of our health system, the director said. Moreover, he said SwaziPharm Wholesalers, which was the sole ISO certified wholesaler in the country for the longest time, understood the sensitivity of managing medicines with a limited shelf life. Again, he said in spite of financial challenges and ongoing losses, they extended their hand in partnership, to assist in healing the nation. He said their plea was simple, yet urgent; Do not let this opportunity slip away. Let us work together to ensure that our sacrifices so far and these donations, do not go to waste. Energy drinks are creating a generation of insomniacs with just a few cans a week triggering poorer sleep, research suggests. A study found that those aged 18 to 35 who consumed the drinks every day slept around half an hour less than those drinking them occasionally or not at all. The more a person drank, the fewer hours of shut-eye a night they had leading to daytime tiredness, according to the research. Among men, having two or three drinks a week meant they were 35 per cent more likely to have a bedtime after midnight, 52 per cent more likely to sleep less than six hours, and 60 per cent more likely to wake in the night than those who did not or rarely drank them. For women, they were 20 per cent more likely to have a bedtime after midnight, 58 per cent more likely to sleep less than six hours, and 24 per cent more likely to wake in the night. Energy drinks usually contain high levels of caffeine and sugar (stock image) A study found that those aged 18 to 35 who consumed the drinks every day slept around half an hour less than those drinking them occasionally or not at all (stock image) Several energy drinks which can be bought in UK shops have more than double the caffeine content on an average cup of coffee (80mg) It comes after a study published last week said the sale of all energy drinks to young people and children in the UK should be banned because of links with anxiety, stress and suicidal thoughts. Energy drinks usually contain high levels of caffeine and sugar. The Government has consulted on a proposal to end their sale to under-16s in England. Some larger retailers and supermarkets have voluntarily introduced a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s. The latest study was published in BMJ Open and based on 53,266 Norwegian students. They were asked how often they had energy drinks. They were also questioned about their sleep patterns, such as when they went to bed and got up, how long it took them to fall asleep and if they woke in the night. Insomnia was defined as problems falling and staying asleep and waking early on at least three nights a week, plus daytime tiredness for at least three days a week, for at least three months. The experts came from across Norway, including the universities of Bergen and Oslo. Gavin Partington, of the British Soft Drinks Association, said: 'As the authors themselves acknowledge, this is an observational study that does not prove cause.' Breathing pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day can be as effective as Viagra for treating impotence - with none of the side-effects and potentially longer-lasting results, new research shows. Men who had the treatment had an average 50 per cent improvement in their erectile function. And the effects from one month of treatment lasted up to 18 months in some cases. Erectile dysfunction (ED), an inability to obtain or maintain an erection, is experienced by around half of men aged 40 to 70, according to the British Association of Urological Surgeons. Nine out of ten men with ED have at least one underlying physical cause, such as heart disease, diabetes or taking certain medications, including for high blood pressure and depression (which can cause the blood vessels supplying the penis to narrow, resulting in insufficient blood for an erection). ED is usually treated with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor drugs, including sildenafil (Viagra) and tadalafil (Cialis), which increase blood flow to the penis. ED is usually treated with phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor drugs, including sildenafil (Viagra, pictured) and tadalafil (Cialis), which increase blood flow to the penis They can be highly effective but aren't suitable for all men, including those taking nitrate drugs for angina and those with a serious heart or liver problem. ED medications and nitrates both cause blood vessels to dilate - so combined can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attack or stroke. Potential PDE5 side-effects include indigestion, nasal congestion, backache and muscle pain. Studies show a third of men don't respond to the drugs. The new study, by urologists at Izmir Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital in Turkey, published in the journal International Urology and Nephrology, involved 100 men. One group were treated with oxygen; another group were given tadalafil daily, for a month; and a third group had no treatment. Men in the oxygen group were seated in hyperbaric chambers (similar to those used to treat divers with decompression sickness) and breathed in pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day. (Normal air is 21 per cent oxygen, 78 per cent nitrogen and small amounts of other gases.) The increased pressure in hyperbaric chambers (2.4 times that of atmospheric pressure) helps lungs and tissues absorb more oxygen than normal. The oxygen and the tadalafil group showed the same improvement - around 50 per cent. Oxygen worked regardless of age or how long the men had experienced ED. Effects lasted for an average of two months. This contrasts with drugs such as Viagra, which are used on demand with effects lasting up to four hours (or 36 hours with tadalafil) and have side-effects that last longer. It's not clear how hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps ED. One theory is that extra oxygen encourages new blood vessels to grow, supplying the penis with more blood. Men in the oxygen group were seated in hyperbaric chambers and breathed in pure oxygen for 90 minutes a day. The increased pressure in hyperbaric chambers helps lungs and tissues absorb more oxygen than normal (file image) Another is that it might lead to an increase in nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow into penile tissue. Professor Raj Persad, a consultant urologist at Bristol Urology, described the study as 'a basis for future research'. He said: 'In diabetes and other conditions, blood supply to delicate tissues may be impaired, reducing the oxygen supply. This can temporarily be improved by breathing hyperbaric oxygen.' He warned it is 'not a permanent solution' and that 'too much can lead to oxygen poisoning'. Treating insomnia may lower the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED), according to a study by Macau University of Science and Technology, which found men with insomnia were 3.4 times more likely to have ED. Published in the journal Andrology, it also found that stress increased the risk by around 80 per cent. It is thought insomnia leads to a drop in testosterone, as production peaks during sleep. High levels of stress can also affect sleep. Victim's family cried when verdict was given and warned it gave 'everyone who smokes marijuana in this state a license to kill A California woman who stabbed a man she was dating 100 times and killed him, before turning the knife on herself and her dog, has been handed 100 hours of community service. Bryn Spejcher, 33, was given the astonishingly low sentence following psychiatrists' ruling that the tragedy was '100 percent' caused by cannabis-induced psychosis, which she suffered after taking two hits of the victim's bong. The judge ruled that Spejcher 'experienced a psychotic break from reality' and 'had no control over her actions' when she killed Chad O'Melia, then 26, on Memorial Day weekend 2018. She will spend the 100 hours educating others on marijuana-induced psychosis and two years on probation - but has promised to spend the rest of her life debunking the myth that cannabis is harmless. O'Melia's family cried when the sentence was read out at Ventura Superior Court, with the victim's father warning it gave 'everyone who smokes marijuana in this state a license to kill. Bryn Spejcher, 32, hides her face as she walks into court today where she was given just 100 hours of community service Bryn Spejcher, an audiologist from Chicago, underwent emergency surgery after stabbing herself in the face and neck during a weed-induced coma Campaigners told DailyMail.com that the judge's ruling was 'unforeseen' in cannabis psychosis cases, while Spejcher's attorney Robert Schwartz said the case should act as a warning against the use of 'increasingly potent' marijuana. 'We will see more tragic cases like this as the availability of high-potency marijuana spreads across the country.' Spejcher, an audiologist, who is originally from Chicago but lives in Thousand Oaks, California, was found guilty of manslaughter in December 2023, following a dramatic and heart-wrenching trial. At the time, Spejcher, who is partially deaf, described how she'd taken one puff of a bong but 'did not want to smoke anymore'. She said she felt 'pressured' by O'Melia, who was a regular smoker and who she'd been dating for a month. Outside the Ventura court, Chad O'Melia's brother shed tears for his loved-one Sean O'Melia stormed out of the courtroom in protest on several occasions in reaction to closing statements from Spejcher's attorney Sean O'Melia told the courtroom that Chad's mother had died shortly after his son due to the unbearable pain caused by her grief Within minutes of inhaling the potent cannabis-infused vapor for the second time, Spejcher began 'hearing and seeing things that weren't there', and believing she was dead, and that she had to stab O'Melia in order to bring herself back to life. Some of the country's top forensic psychiatrists concluded that this experience was '100 percent' consistent with previous accounts of cannabis-induced psychosis. 'We know, pretty conclusively, that marijuana can lead to psychiatric illness,' Dr Timothy Fong, faculty leadership of the Cannabis Research Initiative at University of California, Los Angeles and clinical psychiatrist, told DailyMail.com. Sentencing today, Judge Worley said: 'The task [of sentencing] is made all the more difficult by the knowledge that the decision will impact good people.' But he added that he does not believe further incarceration is necessary. The sentencing proceedings featured closing statements from close members of both the Spejcher and O'Melia family. Spejcher's brother, mother, father, grandmother and one of her oldest friends spoke of her 'life spent helping others', referring to her numerous paid and voluntary roles assisting deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 'Helping others was the only career goal she ever had,' said her mother, Laurie Pearce. Meanwhile her father Michael told the court room that his daughter had spent her time on probation volunteering at her local pets store and learning sign language during the evening; 'in the hope that maybe one day she could get back to helping those in the hearing impairment world'. In her closing statement, Spejcher said: I wish I could go back in time and prevent this tragedy from happening. I wish I had known more about the dangers of marijuana. Had I known. I would never have smoked it that night or at all. She promised to dedicate her life to sharing information on marijuana and its harms. Spejcher was said to have cried through the first half of her three hour testimony Caught in the crossfire was Spejcher's adored husky Arya who suffered multiple stab wounds but surived, only to be hit by a car and killed months later Spejcher trained as an audiologist to help hard-of-hearing children like herself; she was born partially deaf On the night in question, the young woman arrived at O'Melia's Thousand Oaks condo at around 10.30pm after he'd invited her over. The pair had met in a local dog park roughly a month before and had been dating for a few weeks, court documents state. An hour and a half into the meet up, the pair went to O'Melia's patio where he prepared and smoked cannabis from a bong - a device which filters the smoke using water, enabling the user to inhale more without coughing. Chad O'Melia, a trainee accountant, was stabbed 108 times. He was said to be a 'regular' weed user Spejcher testified that she asked him for a hit from the bong. He prepared it for her and she inhaled. All she felt, she told the court, was 'burning and coughing'. Some 15 minutes later, when the effects had failed to kick in, O'Melia added more cannabis to the device, generating more smoke, and, according to Spejcher said: 'something like, let's make this more intense for you...or more f**ked up'. In her testimony, Spejcher claimed that she did not want to smoke more but felt pressured. 'He got up from his chair and turned the bong toward my face, rushed it to my face and was pressuring me, "Hurry up, hurry up, youve got to inhale," she said, according to the testimony reported by the Ventura County Star. 'It all happened so fast. I felt like I couldnt say no, and I inhaled out of the bong.' Immediately after the second hit, she began to feel unwell and ran to the bathroom to vomit, before lying on the couch. She then described the onset of a series of disturbing psychiatric symptoms. Spejcher described seeing and hearing 'things that weren't there', 'feeling like I was a dead body' and seeing her corpse 'from up above'. Her hands, which she used to grab the bread knife that penetrated O'Melia's abdomen, she saw as someone else's 'like in a movie'. '...and then it went black'. It was then that she continued to stab O'Melia, followed by her beloved dog Arya, and then herself in the neck. She only stopped when police arrived at the scene and hit her nine times with a baton. During the ferocious attack, Spejcher recalled hearing voices saying things like, 'keep going, dont stop, youre almost there, you can do this.' She claims to not remember anything beyond this point - until she woke up in hospital having undergone surgery to repair catastrophic stab wounds to her face and neck, several hours later. Dr Kris Mohandie, forensic psychiatrist and expert witness, told the jury: '[Spejcher's] behavior is well documented, in my opinion, of psychosis. 'The nature of it, the spontaneous things she was saying...it was consistent with the delusion and the command hallucinations and voices that she claimed she was hearing later on.' He added that her use of cannabis caused 'delusions and hallucinations,' and she'd 'lost touch' with reality. Dr Mohandie warned against widespread legalization of the psychoactive drug. 'It's yet another drug that now people think is safe because it's legal and now more people are trying it [But] it's more potent than it's ever been. And it's problematic,' said Dr Mohandie, who has testified in 80 cases before, including several involving marijuana. Spejcher is said to have only been high a handful of times in her life, and claimed to have felt 'pressured' to take a second hit of the bong on the night of the attack 'So people say, "It's just marijuana," and they try and make it seem like it's insignificant and how could that possibly happen. 'Well, that doesn't really fit with my professional experience. A major review of hospitalizations in Canada in the years since legalization published in October found a 40 percent increase in cannabis-induced psychosis admissions linked to recent 'commercialization' of the drug. The authors warned of the harms of 'rapid expansion' of the cannabis market. Other research has shown that regularly smoking cannabis can increase the risk of developing psychosis five-fold. Studies have long shown that cannabis products featuring high-potency THC - the psychoactive chemical in cannabis that makes you 'high' can cause serious mental health problems, such as psychosis and schizophrenia. Experts believe the substance causes an imbalance in hormones in the brain including feel-good chemical dopamine, triggering mental illness. Although the risks are thought to mostly affect regular users who have been exposed to the drug over many years, doctors are increasingly seeing mental illness in non-regular uses. This is thought to be due to the rising level of THC in marijuana products available to purchase today - which can be up to 10 times the quantity that naturally occurs in the plant. Dr Kris Mohandie, a forensic psychiatrist and expert witness in the Spejcher trial, warned in his testimony that 'people with 'no prior history of violence can consume cannabis, even during one session, and then proceed to commit acts of physical violence to themselves and to others'. Could a neck massage soon be prescribed as a treatment for excruciating headaches and migraines? A recent study in Germany found that people who suffered from tension headaches or migraines also had inflamed, tense muscles in their neck - the suggestion being that it's inflammation here that's driving the head pain. The researchers say this understanding could lead to new drug-free ways to treat the conditions, such as massage or zappers that interfere with nerve signals involved with this inflammation. Many of the millions of Brits who suffer from headache or migraine also report neck discomfort before and during their painful episodes. Previous studies have found links between neck stiffness and head pain, but these have relied on patients' descriptions or assessment by physiotherapists - rather than an objective measure of what's going on within the neck muscles. A recent study in Germany found that people who suffered from tension headaches or migraines also had inflamed, tense muscles in their neck - the suggestion being that it's inflammation here that's driving the head pain (stock image) But now, using a new type of MRI scan called T2 mapping, researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Germany have found people who suffered tension headaches and migraine also had more tension and fluid build-up (a marker of inflammation) in their neck muscles. The study of 50 people - 28 who suffer tension headache or migraine, and 22 who don't - honed in on the trapezius, a diamond-shaped muscle that goes from the nape of the neck down across the shoulders and upper back. Participants kept a headache diary for 30 days before they had the T2 mapping scan. The study showed it took slightly longer for neck muscles to relax in those with headache and migraine, due to higher levels of fluid in those muscles, reported the Journal of Headache and Pain. READ MORE: Thousands of Brits battling migraines set to get new pain-busting pill on NHS Advertisement Results, presented at the recent conference of the Radiological Society of North America, showed that the highest levels of inflammation were recorded in the people who had tension-type headache and migraine - plus, the more fluid and inflammation in the neck muscles, the more frequent the headaches could be, said lead researcher and radiologist Dr Nico Sollmann. While the research is at an early stage, this could provide a new way of measuring whether neck pain is contributing to a person's headaches, and open up new drug-free treatment options, he told Good Health. 'This is the first time we have been able to accurately measure signs of inflammation by MRI in neck muscles of patients with headaches - and record the difference between patients and healthy subjects.' New treatments are much needed to help the ten million people in the UK who suffer from migraine, a throbbing intense head pain often accompanied by nausea, visual disturbance and vomiting. Meanwhile, tension-type headache, described as pain that feels like a band tightened around the head, is experienced by more than 40 per cent of people at some point, according to the British Association for the Study of Headache. The causes of both are complex and not fully understood, which is partly why they can be difficult to treat. But neck pain is a common problem for patients, which is why the German researchers set out to examine the role of the neck muscles. Dr Sollmann says the evidence from his study suggests that stiff neck muscles trigger pain signals that travel to the brain via the nerves in the upper spine, which could lead to headache and migraine. Results showed that the highest levels of inflammation were recorded in the people who had tension-type headache and migraine - plus, the more fluid and inflammation in the neck muscles, the more frequent the headaches could be (stock image) There could also be a communication 'loop' between the nerves in the neck muscles, spinal cord and the brain, with pain messages travelling up and down to drive headache and migraine pain, he says. However, he adds it is too soon to say if it's the headache that's causing the neck pain, or the other way round. Despite this, the muscle tension within the trapezius could be a therapeutic target, he says. READ MORE: Tech neck takes over the world: Survey reveals which nations suffer the most from muscle stiffness caused by looking down at devices Advertisement This large muscle lies just under the skin of the neck and shoulders, so it could offer an easily accessed route for localised treatment rather than medication, to avoid side-effects. For example, massage, physiotherapy and muscle-freezing 'Botox' injections could be explored to see if they reduce head pain, says Dr Sollmann. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) already recommends Botox for migraine sufferers who have failed to achieve relief from at least three preventive treatments. Another option is magnetic stimulation, where a handheld device is placed on the skin, sending pulses of magnetic energy to the neck muscle. A pilot study of 20 people, published in the European Journal of Paediatric Neurology in 2016, suggested this may have a positive impact. It is thought the magnetic pulses reduce muscle tension in the neck. Dr Brendan Davies, a consultant neurologist at University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust, says: 'This is interesting, albeit preliminary, work on trying to understand the mechanisms that underpin why patients with migraine and tension-type headache complain about neck and shoulder ache,' he says. However, he adds, the research so far doesn't make it clear which comes first the inflamed neck muscles or the headache. 'More work is needed to understand the role of any potential inflammation before using it as a target for treatment,' he says. The German researchers are setting up further clinical trials to investigate the role of neck muscles in head pain and how this could be treated. The NHS must allow pharmacies to administer the MMR jab in order to prevent further measles outbreaks, health leaders warn. Chemists say relying largely on GP surgeries to deliver the vaccine is flawed as patients often struggle to secure appointments. They are now calling on the NHS and Department of Health and Social Care to commission them to assist with a national catch-up programme amid a worrying surge in cases. A fall in vaccine uptake means almost 3.5million under 16s are at risk of catching measles, mumps, and rubella, the government has said. Figures show there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year. In England, 89.3 per cent of two-year-olds received their first dose of the MMR vaccine in the year to March 2023 (blue line), up from 89.2 per cent the previous year. Meanwhile, 88.7 per cent of two-year-olds had both doses, down from 89 per cent a year earlier Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. But the UK Health Security Agency has declared a 'national incident' and is urging parents to vaccinate their children amid fear cases could spread to other towns and cities. Some chemists offer private MMR jabs but the NHS does not fund them to provide a service on their behalf. Pharmacy trade bodies say allowing their members to offer the jab to patients for free - with the cost covered by the NHS - would help to reverse the trend in uptake as it will make it easier to access. Dr Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of chief executive of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies, said pharmacies had successfully helped to deliver Covid jabs for the NHS during the pandemic and people appreciated the convenience. Calling for them to be involved once more, she added: 'It's something pharmacies could be commissioned to do because they are already well-trained on vaccination services and are accessible for patients. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: England's measles hotspots REVEALED amid surge in cases blamed on slump in MMR vaccination rates Birmingham , which is currently battling its biggest outbreak since the 1990s, has reported 48 infections, MailOnline's analysis shows Advertisement 'At a time when it is difficult for many patients to book an appointment with the GP surgeries, having such vaccination services commissioned through community pharmacy makes sense and can provide the convenience for many patients. 'We have always said we are willing to help lift pressure elsewhere in the NHS if we are funded appropriately to do so.' Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the Company Chemists' Association, which represent major chains such as Boots and Superdrug, echoed the calls. He said: 'Pharmacy teams have considerable experience and expertise in delivering national vaccination programmes. 'Vaccine uptake is strongly influenced by accessibility. 'Commissioning any NHS vaccine from community pharmacy makes it more convenient and easier for patients to access, increasing uptake and reducing health inequalities.' Health minister Maria Caulfield yesterday told MPs that officials are sending letters to parents of unvaccinated children, GPs are setting up extra clinics and vaccine buses are 'targeting communities with low vaccination rates'. The vaccine catch-up scheme will target all parents of children aged six to 11, urging them to make an appointment for any missed MMR jabs. It will also target areas of low uptake, contacting more than one million people aged 11 to 25 in London and the West Midlands. Responding to an urgent question in the Commons, Ms Caulfield said for the MMR vaccine to protect the country, 95 per cent of people need to receive it. But she warned the MMR 'reach' is currently only 89.3 per cent for the first dose at 2 years old and 84.5 per cent for the second dose at five years. The minister added: 'My message to those mums and dads of children that are not vaccinated at the moment is to come forward.' In a separate written statement to Parliament, Ms Caulfield said analysis showed one infected child in a classroom can infect up to nine other unvaccinated pupils, making it one of the most infectious diseases worldwide and more infectious than Covid. She added: 'One in five children with measles will need to be admitted to a hospital for treatment which could put additional pressure on the NHS.' Latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows there were 1,603 suspected measles cases in England and Wales in 2023. The figure is more than twice as high as the 735 logged in 2022 and an almost five-fold rise compared to the 360 cases reported in 2021 Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles. A few days later, some people develop small white spots on the inside of their cheeks and the back of their lips. The tell-tale measles rash also develops, usually starting on the face and behind the ears, before spreading to the rest of the body Health minister Maria Caulfield today urged mothers and fathers of unvaccinated children to 'come forward'. She said: 'It is not too late, there is no age cap, anyone who has not had their vaccination can come forward' Your browser does not support iframes. Alastair Buxton, director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England, said: 'Community pharmacies are very popular vaccination centres and with the right funding and support they could become the home of a much wider range of NHS vaccinations, including MMR jabs. 'This would be convenient for the public as well as helping to take pressure off busy GP practices.' Conservative MP Steve Brine, who chairs the Commons health and social care committee, said the government must commit to a 'flexible delivery model, including through pharmacy'. He added: 'It is deeply concerning to see warnings about the potential spread of measles against the backdrop of known and falling levels of vaccination.' Steve Russell, NHS director of vaccinations and screening, said the health service 'is acting quickly to tackle the spread of measles'. An NHS England spokesperson said: 'GPs and their teams are doing a good job of safely vaccinating children, and their efforts last winter led to around a 10 per cent increase in number of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations delivered to children compared to the previous year. 'The NHS is contacting millions of parents and carers of children to book their children in for an appointment with a GP for their missed MMR vaccine to tackle the current resurgence of measles, and more widely the NHS continues to explore ways of pharmacies delivering vaccines to children.' It could see memory-robbing condition diagnosed 15 years before symptoms A groundbreaking blood test that can spot the first signs of Alzheimer's a decade before symptoms strike could be available on the NHS within three years. Scientists in Sweden found the test was as accurate as the current gold standard for diagnosing the cruel, memory robbing condition. Experts last night said it would 'revolutionise' diagnosis, making Alzheimer's as easy to test for as high cholesterol. It also opens the door for screening all over-50s once more effective treatments become available. Although not yet offered to patients suspected of having the disease, charities say it could be ready to use widely by 2027. Some neurologists have, however, raised concerns about the prospect of using the test to spot Alzheimer's cases among patients with no symptoms. Many might have markers of the condition in their blood but never suffer cognitive decline, they say. Researchers in Sweden found that the test - made by US firm ALZpath for 150 - accurately detects traces of a protein linked to developing the memory-robbing condition, which can appear 10 to 15 years before forgetfulness kicks in. Pictured: Graphic showing how Alzheimer's blood tests could work From 1906 when clinical psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer first reported a 'severe disease of the cerebral cortex' to uncovering the mechanics of the disease in the 1980s-90s to the recent 'breakthrough' drug lecanemab, scientists have spent over a century trying to grapple with the brutal disease that robs people of their cognition and independence Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, led by Dr Nicholas Ashton, examined 786 people, aged 66 on average. Each had a blood test that checked their levels of p-tau217 a protein that slowly accumulates in the brain and is thought to drive Alzheimer's. These proteins start to build up on the brain ten to 15 years before symptoms start showing. Around a third had signs of memory loss, while the rest did not. As it stands, the only way to check for a build-up of these proteins in the brain is to have a lumbar puncture which collects fluid from the spine or an amyloid PET scan. However, these tests are available in only about one in 20 NHS memory clinics, with patients waiting up to four years for a formal diagnosis. Based on p-tau217 levels in blood tests results, the scientists grouped participants into being very likely or very unlikely to develop the condition. What is Alzheimer's and how is it treated? Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, in which build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die. This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages, and causes the brain to shrink. More than 5 million people suffer from the disease in the US, where it is the 6th leading cause of death, and more than 1 million Britons have it. WHAT HAPPENS? As brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost. That includes memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason. The progress of the disease is slow and gradual. On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some may live for ten to 15 years. EARLY SYMPTOMS: Loss of short-term memory Disorientation Behavioral changes Mood swings Difficulties dealing with money or making a phone call LATER SYMPTOMS: Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places Becoming anxious and frustrated over inability to make sense of the world, leading to aggressive behavior Eventually lose ability to walk May have problems eating The majority will eventually need 24-hour care HOW IT IS TREATED? There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, some treatments are available that help alleviate some of the symptoms. One of these is Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors which helps brain cells communicate to one another. Another is menantine which works by blocking a chemical called glutamate that can build-up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease inhibiting mental function. As the disease progresses Alzheimer's patients can start displaying aggressive behaviour and/or may suffer from depression. Drugs can be provided to help mitigate these symptoms. Other non-pharmaceutical treatments like mental training to improve memory helping combat the one aspect of Alzheimer's disease is also recommended. Source: Alzheimer's Association and the NHS Advertisement Around a fifth of participants were in the middle and would need a lumbar puncture or PET scan to confirm their Alzheimer's status, the researchers said. However, using the blood test in this way could reduce the demand for these follow-up tests by around 80 per cent, the researchers predicted. The findings, published in the journal Jama Neurology, show that the approach was 97 per cent accurate. This makes the test as effective at spotting Alzheimer's as the current gold-standard tests and scans. 'Blood biomarkers are set to revolutionize clinical care by providing objective biomarker-based information,' the team wrote. Dr Andreas Jeromin, chief scientific officer at ALZPath, the firm behind the already commercially-available test, said: 'This diagnostic capability offers increasingly vital aid in medical management and treatment decisions for Alzheimer's, especially as new disease-modifying treatments become more accessible.' While previous blood tests have shown promise, these findings have caused particular excitement given the high accuracy levels, large study size and because the test already exists. With breakthrough treatments such as donanemab and lecanemab on the horizon, which have been shown to clear the brain of the plaques thought to be responsible for dementia, experts say it is vital to have a quick and reliable diagnosis, when drugs could be most effective. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, executive director of research and partnerships at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the findings are 'really encouraging'. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the next step is checking that the results still stand when used in clinics among people with memory problems. The test would then need to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence before the test could be rolled out on the NHS. As a result, Dr Kohlhaas said it will likely be three to five years before the test is available to patients. She said: 'It's probably on the closer end of five years. 'What's really important is that this is really urgent to sort. We can see the time where treatments are just coming round the corner that, for the first time slow progression of diseases like Alzheimer's. 'If people can't get a diagnosis, they won't have access to those treatments.' Dr Kohlhaas added: 'Eventually it would be great to be able to screen people and make sure that they have access to treatments as quickly as possible.' The ALZpath test could form part of NHS trials starting this month, with health chiefs looking to roll out an effective blood tests for Alzheimer's within the next five years. Private healthcare providers may start offering the test sooner based on the findings, allowing people to pay for tests before they become routine, experts suggest. Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'With new treatments finally on the horizon, it's never been more important to transform the way people with potential symptoms of Alzheimer's are diagnosed. 'In the past year, we have seen incredible progress in the development of blood-based Alzheimer's tests. 'And as we see more and more different types of tests becoming available, studies like this are key to understanding which are most accurate.' She noted that the test needs to be subject to further checks and undergo regulatory approval before they can be offered to patients but hopes a blood test for Alzheimer's will be available within five years. But they can also be a sign of dementia the memory-robbing condition plaguing nearly 1million Brits and 7million Americans Changes in humour and swearing more are all signs of Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) a type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language. According to experts bad parking, and dressing scruffy are also signs of the memory-robbing disease. Graphic shows: Six signs of Alzheimer's disease Professor David Curtis, an honorary professor at the UCL Genetics Institute, said the findings could have 'huge implications' for how Alzheimer's is managed. 'Everybody over 50 could be routinely screened every few years, in much the same way as they are now screened for high cholesterol,' he said. 'It is possible that currently available treatments for Alzheimer's disease would work better in those diagnosed early in this way. 'However, I think the real hope is that better treatments can also be developed. 'The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society.' Around 944,000 in the UK are thought to be living with dementia, while the figure is thought to be around 7million in the US. Alzheimer's disease affects around six in 10 people with dementia. It is caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Dementia are expected to sky-rocket in the coming years, making a cheap screening tool vital to get to grips with the challenge. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer. Shadow Health Minister Karin Smyth told Sky News that the findings are 'really good news'. However, she said getting it to patients will be 'the real test'. She said: 'A core part of reforming the health service has to be bringing these drugs quicker and more easily to patients at the frontline. 'Because ultimately, these diseases, as well as being terrible for patients, do cost the system an awful lot of money.' However, she warned that the frontline system under the Tory Government is 'not there in the way that it should be', which could make it difficult to deliver the test. She said Labour 'absolutely want to encourage' these developments. An Italian transgender man, who was far into the process of transitioning from female to male, has been discovered to be five months pregnant. The discovery came after the individual, identified as 'Marco', had undergone a mastectomy to remove his breasts as part of the sex-swap procedure. Having undergone psychological evaluation years ago, Marco was close to completing his transition. He had been assigned a male name by Italian authorities, had grown a beard, and was preparing for an operation to remove his uterus, Italian reports said. However, the pregnancy was discovered by medical workers at a hospital in Rome, forcing him to halt hormone therapy - throwing Marco's transition into question. An Italian trans man who was far into the process of transitioning from female to male has been discovered to be five months pregnant (Pictured: A hospital in Rome, file photo) Giulia Senofonte, a Rome endocrinologist, told La Repubblica - the Italian newspaper that revealed the case, that medics had to stop the patient's hormone therapy. Senofonte told the newspaper that if the interruption of therapy is not immediate, there can be 'consequences especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.' 'If therapy interruption is not immediate there can be consequences, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, which is a delicate time for the development of the infant's organs,' Senofonte said. 'It's difficult to think in the abstract: it all depends on the timing of the suspension and the dosage of testosterone the person is taking.' The doctor explained that high levels of both male and female hormones in the parent's body can present a cardiological risk to the child. She said this is due to potential problems with blood pressure and coagulation. The risks to the child, a boy, 'are due to the combination of high values of both sexual steroids (testosterone and estrogen) with repercussions on general health, for example on the coagulation state, arterial hypertension and so on,' she said. Explaining how it was possible for Marco to fall pregnant, Senofonte said: 'Hormone therapy blocks the menstrual cycle but it is not a contraceptive. 'The person can continue to ovulate and, consequently, runs the risk of pregnancy.' 'People dealing with transition usually recommend contraceptive pills that can be used during hormone therapy,' she told the Italian newspaper. A person falling pregnant while undergoing a gender transition is not unheard of, with a number of such cases reported in the United States. However, such cases are unheard of in Italy, still a staunchly Catholic country. As as result, Marco's case has divided many Italians. 'We are facing a new frontier and it will not be easy to understand it,' Matilde Vigneri, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst and consultant to the Gender Dysphoria clinic at the University of Palermo, told Le Repubblica. 'But transparenting already exists, particularly in the United States, where the children of transgender males are now a fair number,' she added. 'If Marco's pregnancy goes ahead, according to the law Marco will find himself being a biological mother and legal father, mother because he will give birth to a child, father because at the registry office he now has a male identity. 'Yes, it will be a shock, in our country same-parent families still have no rights, let alone a child born in such a special condition. 'However, Marco's situation will force Italy, well beyond the political and legal limits, to deal with this new form of motherhood.' Meanwhile, the case provoked a strong reaction from Toni Brandi, the president of Pro Vita e Famiglia - a conservative Catholic organisation that campaigns for what it sees as traditional family values. He told The Times that he hopes Marco's surprise discovery will result in him having a change of heart over his gender transition. 'The gender fluidity theory, irrespective of biological sex, is total madness. It's against science and against nature,' Brandi told the British publication. 'This case is a challenge for gender theories because it shows a woman is a woman,' he added. 'If perceive myself to be a woman tomorrow, it doesn't make me capable of bearing a child.' According to Fanpage, an Italian online newspaper based in Naples, gender transition in Italy was made legal under a law passed in 1982 - over 40 years ago. Many LGBTQ+ activists now consider this law inadequate, the publication reported. In an opinion piece for Fanpage on Marco's case, Jennifer Guerra wrote: 'The misinformation, alarmism and prurient curiosity that concern him in these hours demonstrate how backward our country is on the rights of transgender people.' She added: 'Trans identity in Italy has [...] been recognised for more than 40 years, yet we are still here discussing its political and moral legitimacy, as if the existence of trans people were something that must be authorised by the people's court.' After decades of painstaking research, scientists backed by billions of pounds are now, undoubtedly, one step closer to thwarting Alzheimer's. Although a cure has so far eluded pharmaceutical firms, game-changing drugs that stop the memory-robbing disease in its tracks have emerged. Yet one problem remains: diagnosing Alzheimer's is incredibly tricky. Currently, patients must undergo a swathe of tests, including scans and a lumbar puncture, with some facing waits of up to four years for their diagnosis. Others die before being told they have the condition. That's why top neurologists are so excited by the latest medical breakthrough a simple blood test that can seemingly spot signs of Alzheimer's in the brain up to 15 years before symptoms strike. What's more, while blood samples in that study were pored over in labs, researchers hope to turn the test into a finger prick binning the years-long agonising waits that some patients are forced to endure. The NHS will launch a series of pilots from January in what charities say will be a major milestone in tackling the disease. Pictured: Graphic showing how Alzheimer's blood tests could work Trials are ongoing into remternetug, also made by Eli Lilly. Full results won't be ready until 2025, however. But early data suggests remternetug given through an injection, not IV drip is set to outperform donanemab. Some 75 per cent of patients on remternetug for six months saw amyloid plaques cleared from their brains, Eli Lilly announced at a medical conference in Sweden in March Your browser does not support iframes. Charities are hopeful the test could be rolled out in the NHS within the next three years. It could see patients access vital treatments much faster, including drugs that ease confusion and forgetfulness and ones that tackle the root cause of the condition. The breakthrough discovery also paves the way for a screening programme, mirroring ones for breast cancer and cholesterol. For example, all over-fifties could be routinely tested for Alzheimer's every few years, suggested Professor David Curtis, an honorary professor at the UCL Genetics Institute. 'The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer's would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society,' he said. What is Alzheimer's and how is it treated? Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, in which build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die. This disrupts the transmitters that carry messages, and causes the brain to shrink. More than 5 million people suffer from the disease in the US, where it is the 6th leading cause of death, and more than 1 million Britons have it. WHAT HAPPENS? As brain cells die, the functions they provide are lost. That includes memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason. The progress of the disease is slow and gradual. On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some may live for ten to 15 years. EARLY SYMPTOMS: Loss of short-term memory Disorientation Behavioral changes Mood swings Difficulties dealing with money or making a phone call LATER SYMPTOMS: Severe memory loss, forgetting close family members, familiar objects or places Becoming anxious and frustrated over inability to make sense of the world, leading to aggressive behavior Eventually lose ability to walk May have problems eating The majority will eventually need 24-hour care HOW IT IS TREATED? There is no known cure for Alzheimer's disease. However, some treatments are available that help alleviate some of the symptoms. One of these is Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors which helps brain cells communicate to one another. Another is menantine which works by blocking a chemical called glutamate that can build-up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's disease inhibiting mental function. As the disease progresses Alzheimer's patients can start displaying aggressive behaviour and/or may suffer from depression. Drugs can be provided to help mitigate these symptoms. Other non-pharmaceutical treatments like mental training to improve memory helping combat the one aspect of Alzheimer's disease is also recommended. Source: Alzheimer's Association and the NHS Advertisement Yet, despite being obviously good news, that concept has attracted criticism. Professor Rob Howard, an expert in old age psychiatry at UCL, told MailOnline that there are dangers around people thinking there is a blood test for Alzheimer's (the most common form of dementia), as many who have the hallmarks of the condition won't develop symptoms. Therefore, rolling out the test en masse would cause unnecessary worry and anxiety among those who will never suffer from memory or thinking problems. Additionally, high cholesterol can be treated through lifestyle changes and medication, which reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes, Professor Howard noted. But there is no treatment for those who have a build-up of tau in their brains without dementia symptoms, he said. Professor Howard said the test is 'great and really important' for dementia patients, as it can speed up their diagnosis, identify what type of dementia is behind their symptoms and see painful lumbar punctures effectively scrapped in dementia care. 'But the test should not be used to try and find new cases of dementia,' he added. Dementia was first described by a German doctor, Alois Alzheimer, in 1906. He reported the case of a patient who suffered profound memory loss and unfounded suspicions about her family. After her death, an autopsy revealed that parts of her brain had shrunk and there were abnormal clumps in and around her nerve cells. One of his colleagues later named the condition after him. But it wasn't until the 80s that researchers labelled the clumps Dr Alzheimer identified as amyloid and tau. If these proteins build up in the brain, they can form plaques and tangles that make it hard for the organ to work properly. This process is now widely understood to be a key cause of Alzheimer's disease. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms such as memory, thinking and reasoning problems develop and worsen over time as nerve cells across the brain become damaged and die. The 90s saw the first Alzheimer's medicines approved. Standard treatment for the condition has remained largely the same since then, with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors used to help the nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other. Meanwhile, memantine works by blocking the effects of glutamate a chemical that damaged nerve cells make, which can further impact the brain. While these drugs can help manage symptoms, Britain has not had a new Alzheimer's drug approved in 20 years. But a new class of medicines has raised the hopes of that the UK will approve next treatments as early as this year. While existing drugs only treat the symptoms of Alzheimer's, immunotherapies work by clearing amyloid from the brain and slow down the progression of the illness. However, despite hundreds being in the pipeline, the development of these drugs has so far proved difficult. Hopes were raised by aducanumab, made by US-based Biogen and Japan-based Eisai, which became the first new Alzheimer's treatment in 20 years when it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2021. However, the EU medicines watchdog then rejected it, concluding that it was not effective at treating Alzheimer's and could cause potentially dangerous swelling and bleeding in the brain. But hopes remain that three others could work. The number of people living with dementia in the UK was estimated to be close to one million in 2021 (944,000). By 2050 this figure is expected to rise to 1.6 million But they can also be a sign of dementia the memory-robbing condition plaguing nearly 1million Brits and 7million Americans Changes in humour and swearing more are all signs of Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) a type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language. According to experts bad parking, and dressing scruffy are also signs of the memory-robbing disease. Graphic shows: Six signs of Alzheimer's disease Lecanemab, which destroys amyloid as it begins to form fibres, is expected to be the first of its kind to be approved in the UK later this year. Clinical trial results showed that the treatment, given once a fortnight, slowed cognitive decline by 27 per cent over 18 months. Donanemab, made by Eli Lilly, is another drug being tested for Alzheimer's. Like lecanemab, it targets amyloid. However, it binds to the protein at a later point, when fibres have already clumped together to become a larger plaque in the brain. Results from trials suggest that it delayed the progression of Alzheimer's by 36 per cent over an 18-month trial. Charities hailed the two drugs as potentially the 'beginning of the end for Alzheimer's disease'. READ MORE: Game-changing blood test that can spot Alzheimer's 15 YEARS before symptoms strike could be rolled out on the NHS in the next three years A new blood test for Alzheimer's is so simple experts say patients could expect results within 'days', rather than the years it currently takes to get a diagnosis (stock image) Advertisement The UK's medicines watchdog is expected to issue a ruling on lecanemab this year, while a decision on donanemab isn't expected until 2025 at the earliest. Remternetug, also made by Eli Lilly, targets the same type of amyloid as donanemab but it is hoped it will be more effective. Unlike lecanemab and donanemab, which are given through drips, it is administered as an injection. Early data shows that three-quarters of recipient had amyloid cleared from their brains after six months of treatment. However, a major stumbling block for these treatments is that studies so far have shown that they work best the earlier they are given to Alzheimer's patients. But a formal Alzheimer's diagnosis a crucial step before being eligible for treatment can take years. And around four in 10 over-65s with dementia have not been diagnosed, according to Alzheimer's Research UK. While some are told that they have the condition in just a few weeks, others face waits of up to four years for a formal diagnosis. In part, this is down to there not being a single test for dementia. Sufferers have to complete mental ability tests and undergo expensive brain scans and lumbar punctures which collects fluid from the spine before being diagnosed. Medics are therefore pinning their hopes on new tests that can diagnose the memory-robbing condition much faster, effectively streamlining the steps to treatment. The NHS this month launched pilots in a bid to identify the best contender. A range of tests for Alzheimer's are currently in the research stages. Pharmaceutical giants Roche and Eli Lilly have joined forces to develop a blood test, while some are already being used in private clinics in Hong Kong and the US. However, UK charities say more work is needed to ensure tests are measuring the right combination of biomarkers. From 1906 when clinical psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer first reported a 'severe disease of the cerebral cortex' to uncovering the mechanics of the disease in the 1980s-90s to the recent 'breakthrough' drug lecanemab, scientists have spent over a century trying to grapple with the brutal disease that robs people of their cognition and independence Around 75 per cent of people have the e2 or e3 of the APO gene, while 20 per cent have one copy of APOE4 - the dementia gene. Between 3 and 5 per cent of people have two copies. The e4 variant is linked to an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's, whereas e3 appears to have no effect and e2 may even offer protection against the disorder. People born with one copy of the e4 variety suffer a doubled risk of developing Alzheimer's between the ages of 65 and 80. Those with two copies have a 10 to 15-fold increased risk of developing the disease after the age of 65, scientists estimate Eventually, it is hoped they could be used as part of a national screening programme to detect dementia early, like mammograms for breast cancer, once proven treatments are available. In the major step forward yesterday, researchers in Sweden revealed they had identified a blood test that can spot a specific type of tau up to 15 years before dementia symptoms develop. They found the test, which is expected to cost 150 and made by US firm ALZPath, was as accurate as the current gold standard lumbar puncture for diagnosing Alzheimer's. It checks for levels of p-tau217 a protein that slowly accumulates in the brain and is thought to drive Alzheimer's. These proteins start to build up on the brain 10 to 15 years before symptoms start showing. The findings, published in the journal Jama Neurology, show that the approach was 97 per cent accurate. This makes the test as effective at spotting Alzheimer's as the current gold-standard tests and scans. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, executive director of research and partnerships at Alzheimer's Research UK, said the findings are 'really encouraging'. She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the next step is checking that the results still stand when used in clinics among people with memory problems. The test would then need to be approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence before the test could be rolled out on the NHS. As a result, Dr Kohlhaas said it will likely be three to five years before the test is available to patients. She said: 'It's probably on the closer end of five years. 'What's really important is that this is really urgent to sort. We can see the time where treatments are just coming round the corner that, for the first time slow progression of diseases like Alzheimer's. 'If people can't get a diagnosis, they won't have access to those treatments.' Dr Kohlhaas added: 'Eventually it would be great to be able to screen people and make sure that they have access to treatments as quickly as possible.' A new blood test that can diagnose Alzheimer's 15 years before the disease appears will be available in the US within days. Patients will be able to order the $500 ALZpath Dx test which works by looking for a danger protein in the blood through their doctor. It is not set to be covered by health insurance because the test has not yet been recommended by an official US health body. But research has shown the mail-in test is just as accurate but much faster than current gold-standard methods which involve lengthy appointments and drawing fluid from inside the spinal cord. Experts have heralded the swab as a gamechanger, saying it will make Alzheimer's as easy to diagnose as 'high cholesterol'. A new blood test for Alzheimer's is so simple experts say patients could expect results within 'days', rather than the years it currently takes to get a diagnosis (stock image) But others have raised concerns about using the test to spot the disease among people with no symptoms, saying many may have markers of the condition but never suffer from cognitive decline. Dr Andreas Jeromin, who is the chief scientific officer behind the test, told DailyMail.com: 'Our goal, and we have reached the first milestone with the launch of ALZpath Dx, is to provide access to a diagnostic tests for Alzheimer's. 'This is really something that patients and physicians need and want, so we really want to make these tools available. 'What physicians really need is a blood-based biomarker which can be easily drawn, potentially at home, and easily run and the results returned to the physician.' Patients will have their blood drawn by physicians, before samples are sent to the NeuroCode lab in Washington state which can run hundreds of tests per day. There are also talks underway to start running the tests at three to four other labs across the Mid-West and on the East coast. Patients can order the tests from anywhere in the US via their doctors. The test developed by California-based ALZpath takes a few hours to complete with results then sent back to a physician. Blood samples can take days to arrive, depending on from where in the US they are sent. The test does not need to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). From 1906 when clinical psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer first reported a 'severe disease of the cerebral cortex' to uncovering the mechanics of the disease in the 1980s-90s to the recent 'breakthrough' drug lecanemab, scientists have spent over a century trying to grapple with the brutal disease that robs people of their cognition and independence About 6.7million Americans have Alzheimer's, although this figure is expected to rise to 13million by 2050 Changes in humour and swearing more are all signs of Alzheimer's and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) a type of dementia that causes problems with behaviour and language. According to experts bad parking, and dressing scruffy are also signs of the memory-robbing disease. Graphic shows: Six signs of Alzheimer's disease Dr Jeromin said they are developing plans to offer the test in hospitals, where it could be completed in as little as 30 minutes, but this would require FDA approval. He said they have now begun working with the FDA to approve this version of the test, but do not expect it to be available until 2025 or 2026. The test is currently meant for older adults who already have symptoms of Alzheimer's or are concerned they may have the condition. Dr Jeromin said they are working on a separate version that would indicate how likely someone is to develop the debilitating disease. Swedish researchers said the test works by analyzing the levels of blood biomarker p-tau217, which corresponds to levels of tau and amyloid in the brain. These proteins start to build up in the brain ten to 15 years before symptoms appear. And they are thought to be behind Alzheimer's disease because they can form clumps in the brain which are believed to disrupt communication between cells. In a study in Sweden on 786 people, they found the test was 97 percent accurate at predicting Alzheimer's disease. That is comparable to the current more expensive tests available including spinal taps, which involve taking fluid from the spine, and brain scans. Experts say the new test is set to 'revolutionize' diagnosis and could have 'hugh implications' for future treatments, speeding up diagnosis and clinical trials. They were about 66 years old on average, the scientists said, and a third had signs of memory loss. Dr Andreas Jeromin said the test would be available in the US within days The scientists then grouped participants into being very likely or very unlikely to develop the condition. Around a fifth of participants were also placed in the middle, and told they would need further tests such as a spinal tap to confirm their Alzheimer's status. The findings, published in the journal JAMA Neurology, show that the approach was 97 percent accurate. Professor David Curtis, an honorary professor at the UCL Genetics Institute in the UK, said the findings could have 'huge implications' for how Alzheimer's is managed. 'Everybody over 50 could be routinely screened every few years, in much the same way as they are now screened for high cholesterol,' he said. 'It is possible that currently available treatments for Alzheimer's disease would work better in those diagnosed early in this way. 'However, I think the real hope is that better treatments can also be developed. 'The combination of a simple screening test with an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease would have a dramatic impact for individuals and for society.' About 6.7million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease, although this is expected to rise to more than 13million by 2050. The condition affects around six in ten people living with dementia. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Measles cases are rising at an 'alarming' rate across Europe, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned. Global health leaders said there has been a 45-fold increase on the continent, with international travel threatening to further the spread. More than 42,000 cases were reported by member states in 2023, compared with 941 cases in the whole of 2022. They said cases had 'accelerated in recent months' and urged parents to make sure children are fully vaccinated before going abroad. It comes after the UK declared a 'national incident', launching its own campaigns to encourage parents to take millions of children for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data shows there were 1,603 suspected measles cases in England and Wales in 2023. The figure is more than twice as high as the 735 logged in 2022 and an almost five-fold rise compared to the 360 cases reported in 2021 Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. READ MORE: Calls for chemists to offer MMR jab on the NHS in bid to thwart measles as pharmacists say parents wanting their kids to get jabbed are struggling to get GP appointments Measles, which mostly produces flu like symptoms and a rash, can cause very serious and even fatal health complications if it spreads to the lungs or the brain. One in five children who catch measles will need to go to hospital, with one in 15 developing serious complications like meningitis or sepsis Advertisement More than 3.4million children under the age of 16 are unprotected and at risk of becoming ill from the disease, according to NHS England. Calling on all countries to ramp up vaccination efforts, experts said the rising trend will continue if more people do not get jabs. Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: 'Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. 'Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread. 'It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination.' The WHO blamed a fall in vaccination rates alongside increased travel abroad following the pandemic, for the spike in cases. Two in five cases were in children aged one to four, while one in five were among people aged 20 and over, it said. Last week, the UK Health Security Agency warned things were on a 'trajectory for everything getting much worse' without concerted action. Professor Dame Jenny Harries said measles is spreading among unvaccinated communities, and urged parents to check whether their children have had both doses of the jab. She said: 'What we are seeing at the moment with measles is that people have forgotten what a serious illness it is... 'We have had very high vaccination rates, especially for young families, but they are low at the moment.' In England, 89.3 per cent of two-year-olds received their first dose of the MMR vaccine in the year to March 2023 (blue line), up from 89.2 per cent the previous year. Meanwhile, 88.7 per cent of two-year-olds had both doses, down from 89 per cent a year earlier Cold-like symptoms, such as a fever, cough and a runny or blocked nose, are usually the first signal of measles. A few days later, some people develop small white spots on the inside of their cheeks and the back of their lips. The tell-tale measles rash also develops, usually starting on the face and behind the ears, before spreading to the rest of the body Vaccination rates across the country have been dropping, but there are particular concerns about some regions, including parts of London and the West Midlands. The most recent figures, released by the UKHSA on Friday, showed there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year. Around eight in ten cases are in Birmingham while one in ten were identified in Coventry, with the majority being in children aged under 10. Official figures show uptake of the vaccine is at its lowest point in more than a decade with just 84.5 per cent having had received both doses of the jab by age five last year and 92.5 per cent at one dose. The highly infectious disease, which typically involves cold-type symptoms and a telltale rash, can lead to severe complications. It spreads far more easily than Covid, with each patient typically passing the viral infection on to 20 others. Mike Tildesley, professor of infectious disease modelling at the University of Warwick, said: 'This means we need over 90 per cent of the population to be immune or you're going to start seeing cases growing.' He added: 'We have childhood vaccinations for measles which for many years have helped us to get rid of the disease. 'Unfortunately, if those vaccination levels drop then we will start to see cases going up and that's what we are seeing at the moment.' Bahrains Labour Fund (Tamkeen) announced the renewal of its ongoing collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), aimed at furthering support for the Cloud Innovation Centre (CIC) at the University of Bahrain and Bahrain Polytechnic. This collaboration, now in its fourth year, is dedicated to bolstering students' digital proficiency, expediting Bahrain's digital transformation, and addressing challenges faced by some organisations within the public sector. As a leading global tech institution, AWS brings invaluable practical expertise, diverse services, and access to cutting-edge technologies, enriching the CIC initiative. Tamkeen's support encompasses the cost of training, including consultancy services focused on cloud innovations and the creation of prototypes. The initiative is designed to equip students with essential digital skills through comprehensive training. Innovative solutions Over the past years, the Cloud Innovation Centres supported over 100 students in their endeavours to develop innovative solutions through intensive practical training with AWS experts. This resulted in 34 prototypes developed as proposals for a number of public sector organisations. The challenges that were addressed include the labour-intensive and time-consuming manual procedures for monitoring and documenting the water temperature in fish farms, which were carried out based on the knowledge and expertise of the employees rather than a scientific base. In addition to developing solutions aimed at farmers to support them with monitoring crops and detecting pests and diseases in real-time, enabling the farmers to make quick and informed decisions. Tamkeen Executive Director of Programmes and Partnership Development, Ali Hasan, said: This initiative aligns with Tamkeen's mission to develop the skills of Bahraini talent, ensuring their readiness for the labour market and bolstering their competitiveness, both locally and internationally, therefore enhancing their position as employees of choice in the labor market. Pivotal role He added: The Cloud Innovation Centres play a pivotal role in cultivating a robust pool of skilled Bahrainis, in addition to serving as advanced platforms focused on tackling challenges encountered by the public sector, educational institutions, and non-profit organisations. By facilitating collaboration among relevant authorities and empowering local talent with cloud computing expertise, these centres help bring about innovative solutions that transform challenges into rewarding job opportunities of high quality and impact." Cloud computing plays a pivotal educational role by providing students invaluable opportunities to refine their skills for future employment. It fosters a collaborative learning environment and a deep understanding of cutting-edge technologies. Recognising cloud computing as a distinct competitive advantage for students in the jobs market is increasingly crucial due to its role in honing adaptability and problem-solving skills, both vital aspects of success in today's tech-driven world. ICT contributions The information and communication technology (ICT) sector made a significant contribution of 6.8% to Bahrains real GDP in 2022, marking a consistent upward trajectory. Notably, there has been a surge in the demand for cloud services in Bahrain, driven by companies migrating their ICT infrastructures to the cloud. This trend presents opportunities for firms to offer cloud storage services, software, and other cloud-based solutions. This initiative is aligned with Tamkeens 2024 strategic priorities, which are focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and the adoption of technology.--TradeArabia News Service The pre-Budget rumour milling has delivered a new plan to solve Britains dysfunctional housing market 1 per cent deposit mortgages. As first-time buyers struggle to clamber onto the bottom rung of the housing ladder, the concept of government-backed mortgages for 99 per cent of a propertys value has been floated. On this episode of Lunch Money, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss the tiny deposit mortgage idea. Is this the answer for prospective homeowners stuck in the rental market? If its such a good idea, why dont banks offer these already? And how can you protect yourself if you buy with a small deposit? In other news, the leading US stock market index, the S&P 500 has shrugged off an early New Year wobble to hit another record high. Richard Hunter, of interactive investor, joins the show to explain why and discuss whether Primark owner AB Foods had a good Christmas. And finally, theres been a little bit of good news for our bills. Analysts have forecast the energy price cap will drop in April. The team look at how much this could save you and how much more expensive they will remain than before the energy crisis. Endeavour said an investigation into its former boss who was sacked due to serious misconduct will be completed as quickly as possible. The gold miners board fired Sebastien de Montessus as chief executive this month amid a probe into a 4.6million irregular payment instruction he issued. Last week the board stripped the French businessman, who had led the company since 2016, of more than 23million in pay and bonuses. The company, which is listed in London and Toronto, yesterday said the investigation is ongoing and will be progressed as quickly as possible. Endeavour the largest gold producer in West Africa said it discovered the irregular payment during a review of its acquisitions and sales of parts of the business. Payment: Endeavour's board fired Sebastien de Montessus (pictured) this month amid a probe into a 4.6m irregular payment instruction he issued It is unclear where the payment was directed and the review is aiming to uncover the details. De Montessus, 49, admitted to making the payment, saying it was for security equipment for employees working in a conflict zone in 2021. The former chief executive, who was the highest paid FTSE 100 boss in 2021, said a lapse in judgement meant he did not inform the board of the payment. He added: The decision has no additional cost to the company and did not benefit me personally in any way. Endeavour also revealed this month that De Montessus has faced separate allegations over his personal conduct with colleagues. The allegations, the content of which was not disclosed, were made in October through a confidential whistleblowing channel. De Montessus said an external investigation by London law firm Linklaters had not upheld those claims. Yesterdays update came as Endeavour revealed it expects significant growth in production in 2024, with output forecast to rise almost a fifth compared to last year. A spokesman for De Montessus declined to comment further yesterday. Heritage: Bourne Leisure runs 37 caravan parks and 14 hotels including Studley Castle in Warwickshire (pictured) The boss of the company behind Haven caravan parks and Warner hotels has said heavy taxes are stifling tourism in the UK. High rates of VAT mean UK businesses cannot grow at the same rate as their European rivals, according to Bourne Leisure boss Paul Flaum. Tourist spots in the UK are trying to offer affordable prices to cash-strapped customers but struggle due to the UKs 20 per cent VAT rate. The Government is effectively handing a competitive advantage to Europe where rates are much lower, such as 10 per cent in Spain, Flaum told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Without such crazy taxation levels, more Britons would holiday at home rather than going abroad which would put our industry into significant growth. This would be a win win as firms could invest more in jobs and communities including the levelling up regions. Flaum whose business consists of 37 caravan holiday parks and 14 hotels including Studley Castle in Warwickshire said 2023 was a fantastic year for Bourne Leisure. Last minute: Evri said households left Christmas shopping late as they waited for discounts Evri celebrated its busiest Christmas yet after delivering more than 150m parcels. The company said households left Christmas shopping late as they waited for last minute discounts because of the continued strain on family finances. Evri, formerly called Hermes, saw a 21 per cent increase in deliveries in the final week before Christmas compared to the same week in 2022. In contrast, it delivered fewer parcels around Black Friday in November because nervous consumers held off on spending. It delivered 154m packages over the nine weeks to December 30. The company faced extra pressure last year when posties went on strike. Shoppers flocked to the High Street because they were worried about late deliveries. But this year, customers rushed to buy with strong demand for goods from Chinese sites Shein and Temu. Treasures from the world's most valuable shipwreck are being displayed in New York 400 years after they sunk to the bottom of the sea off Florida's coast. The anticipated Winter Show in New York City this year offers a rare look into three historical items recovered from the the Nuestra Senora de Atocha shipwreck, including an emerald crucifix, a royal orb and a gold-and-emerald ring. The Nuestra Senora de Atocha and all its New World treasures, owned by Spain's King Philip IV, left Havana in early September 1622, carrying 265 people as well as 40 tons of silver, gold and assorted riches taken from Colombia, Peru, Mexico and Venezuela. But the Spanish galleon and its sister ship Santa Margarita sunk to the bottom of the ocean after a hurricane struck just days after the doomed voyage began, killing hundreds, including wealthy colonizers who brought their personal jewels. The cargo of gold, silver, copper, tobacco, and gem was so vast that it had taken two months to transport it onto the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. The treasures, many taken from Colombia's Muzo mine and worth an estimated $1.1billion today, sunk on the ocean floor from the Marquesas Keys to the Dry Tortugas, between 30 and 70 miles west of Key West. The wreck's most valuable item, the ornate Atocha cross, is the most prized of all artifacts from the shipwreck The Royal Orb was handcrafted by goldsmiths, likely of Colombian origin, and showcases 37 Muzo emeralds intricately set into 22K yellow gold The Atocha Ring features a brilliant green emerald from Colombia's Muzo mine, weighing approximately 2.5 carats Spanish salvagers searched for the sunken treasure for six decades with no luck. It wasn't until 1969, when former chicken farmer Mel Fisher began a relentless search of the area that the valuables started emerging from the bottom of the sea. The search took over a decade, and Fisher's son Dirk and his wife died during the process after a a salvage boat capsized in 1975. Finally, in July 1985, the main treasure pile was discovered in the ship's main hull. The loot included 70 pounds of Colombian emeralds, 180,000 silver coins, 24 tons of Bolivian silver, 125 gold bars and a collection of Venezuelan pearls. Thousands of mysterious gems remained at the bottom of the ocean, and others gems were later made into jewelry in the style of a 17th century Spanish court. However, three spectacular jewelry items were recovered from the ship's haul in near perfect condition - The Atocha Cross, The Royal Orb and The Atocha Ring. The wreck's most valuable item, the ornate Atocha cross, is the most prized of all artifacts from the shipwreck. It features nine vividly green emerald cabochons set into a rich, 22K yellow gold cross pattern. The Nuestra Senora de Atocha and all its New World treasures, owned by Spain 's King Philip IV, left Havana in early September 1622 The treasures, many taken from Colombia's Muzo mine and worth an estimated $400 million, sunk on the ocean floor from the Marquesas Keys to the Dry Tortugas It wasn't until 1969, when former chicken farmer Mel Fisher began a relentless search of the area that the valuables started emerging from the bottom of the sea The Royal Orb, meanwhile, was handcrafted by goldsmiths, likely of Colombian origin, and showcases 37 Muzo emeralds intricately set into 22K yellow gold. The numerous pear shape emeralds are cut in the same fashion as emeralds on Spanish crosses and brooches worn by royal circles in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Atocha Ring, on its part, features a brilliant green emerald from Colombia's Muzo mine, weighing approximately 2.5 carats. It is set in a high karat gold, designated for 17th century royalty. The precious items were bought at auction by the current owners of the Muzo emerald mine in Colombia in 2015, with Fisher's family using Sothebys to sell them after his death in 1998. It's not clear how much the items sold for then, but an emerald ring from the sunken treasure sold in 2022 for over $1million - even though it was originally valued at about $60,000. Moreover, a less elaborate emerald-encrusted crucifix without a chain sold for $119,000 at auction in 2015. The spectacular jewels now survive as Muzo's The Private Collection - the largest, privately owned collection of coveted objects from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. They are seen at New York's Winter Show 2024 Jewelry made with emeralds from the Muzo mine are seen above in New York When asked for the value of these items, Muzo mine said 'they are priceless.' The spectacular jewels now survive as Muzo's The Private Collection - the largest, privately owned collection of coveted objects from the Nuestra Senora de Atocha. They are not on sale, but being displayed to draw a line between the Muzo mine's colonial past and its current approach, which is focused on sustainability and helping the local community, Muzo mine told DailyMail.com. 'We want people to understand the legacy of the mine and the stories behind it,' said Gabbi Harvey, head of business development at Muzo Emerald Colombia. 'The mine's being around for so long and we want to leave the environment as we found it. We take from the land but also give back.' Considered wonders of the New World, Muzo emeralds are prized as one of four mythical gemstones - along with the rubies of Mogok, the sapphires of Kashmir and the diamonds of Golconda. The historical items will be displayed at The Winter Show at the Park Avenue Armory until January 28. Protesters clashed with police in the Italian city of Vicenza on Saturday after a demonstration against the presence of Israeli exhibitors at an international jewellery fair. Police used water cannon against demonstrators who fired smoke bombs and flares after violence erupted after a planned march by hundreds of people, some holding up banners saying 'Free Palestine' and 'Stop Bombing Gaza'. More than 1,300 exhibitors from almost 40 countries were showing at the Vicenzaoro fair, which opened on Friday and closed today. Four police officers were injured in the clashes outside the annual goldsmiths' trade fair. Around 500 people joined in the anti-Israel protest but it turned violent when some participants threw firecrackers at riot police. Demonstrators clash with riot police during a protest against the presence of an Israeli pavillion at Vicenzaoro Police used batons to keep the crowd under control after a wide scale disorder broke out About 500 people participated in the demonstration but some later threw smoke bombs and firecrackers at riot police, who responded with water hoses Police used water cannon on demonstrators who fired smoke bombs as violence erupted after a planned march by hundreds of people, some holding banners saying 'Free Palestine' and 'Stop Bombing Gaza' A spokesperson told AFP the clashes took place several kilometres away and had no impact on the event, while declining to give information on the Israeli presence at the fair. Vicenza mayor Giacomo Possamai said there was 'no justification' for the violence. 'It also hurts the causes that it claims to support -- it is a contradiction in terms to demonstrate for peace and a ceasefire through violence,' he said in a statement posted on social media. Islamist group Hamas launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Militants also seized about 250 hostages, around 132 of whom Israel says remain in Gaza. At least 27 captives are believed to have been killed, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Vowing to destroy Hamas, Israel has been conducting a relentless air and ground offensive in Gaza that has killed at least 24,927 Palestinians, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run territory. Christopher Harrison evaded justice for over 45 years after he bludgeoned his ex-wife to death in her home. In 1978 Dr Page's body was discovered on a blood stained bed. having been struck 30 times with a chisel-like object. Two years before she was killed, the geneticist told her friend and mentor Dr Adrienne Jessop: 'If he kills me he will get away with it because he is so clever.' But how was Christopher Harrisson brought to justice after 45 years - and where his he now? MailOnline take a look into one of Scotland's longest running murder cases. Murderer Harrisson evaded justice for 45 years after brutally murdering his wife, Dr Brenda Page, in 1978 Dr Brenda Page, 32, (pictured) was discovered bludgeoned in her flat in Aberdeen on July 14, 1978 But how was Christopher Harrisson brought to justice after 45 years - and where his he now? How did Christopher Harrison evade justice? Dr Brenda Page, 32, was hit around 30 times on her head, face and body with a blunt chisel-like object and died from blood inhalation at her flat in Aberdeen, on July 14, 1978 She was an esteemed scientist and led the genetics department at the University of Aberdeen. Although, she was among the few women to be in a leading role in the field, she also had a second job as an escort, name Miss Brenda Adams. There were theories that an out-of-control client had murdered her, however these speculations were quickly shot down by police. They believed the blame lay with Harrisson, however they had an insufficient evidence to prosecute. Harrisson was originally brought in for questioning by Grampian Police but he was released without charge. The retired research assistant fled to the Netherlands, to begin a brand new life. Police Scotland eventually secured a conviction against Dr Page's ex-husband after they re-opened the case in 2015, thanks to DNA evidence and new witnesses. Since the beginning of the case, the authorities have spoken with over 4,000 people and gathered at least 3,000 statements - including 500 since the case was reopened. However, it was a tiny flake of paint found on the scientist window, that help solve the four decade old case. Grampian police questioned Harrisson, but was later released without charge. He later fled to begin a new life in the Netherlands (Pictured: At the time of the murder) However thanks to DNA evidence and new witnesses Police Scotland were able to secure a conviction against Harrisson. Amongst the evidence, was a tiny flake of paint found on Dr Page's window (pictured) which helped solve the 45-year-old case that was first opened in 1978 It was believed Harrisson gained entry to Dr Page's home via her window. Paint flakes found in his car matched those found in the geneticist's home Pictured: Christopher Harrisson's car Dr Page also wrote chilling letters to her divorce attorney, Nicol Hose, writing : 'If I do depart this earth rather suddenly... please make sure I get a good post-mortem' It was insinuated that Harrisson had forced his way into the home with a chisel-tipped object via the window and waited for Dr Brenda Page to arrive home in the early hours. Harrisson's colleague and friend, Professor Ian Booth, revealed to police that he had shown the killer how to dismantle a window piece by piece the winter before. The professor said he had shown him how to take the window apart without breaking the glass, because Harrisson alleged he was locked out. The flakes of paint discovered nearby Dr Page's window, matched those later spotted in her ex-husband's mini Metro car. After his arrest in 2020, the retired research assistant maintained he never had intercourse with the scientist in her home. But sperm samples that matched his DNA were discovered on her bedsheets and were 590 million times more likely to have come from Harrisson rather than any other man. Alex Prentice KC, prosecuting, suggested Harrisson was jealous that Dr Page was meeting other men and so killed her. During the trial at Aberdeen High Court he said: 'You had accused her of being a prostitute. You flew into an uncontrollable rage. You brutally murdered her.' These breakthroughs coupled with recorded testimonies of late witnesses, and original statements became compelling circumstantial evidence. In one letter, Dr Page asked her lawyer to ensure she receive a thorough post-mortem should she ever die suddenly. Nicol Hosie, 72, was Dr Page's divorce solicitor during her escape from the abusive marriage to Harrisson. Correspondence between from Dr Page to Ms Hosie detailed her ex-husbands violent temper, death threats and beatings. The scientist had pleaded with Ms Hosie to ensure she had a 'good post-mortem' if she died suddenly. Where is Christopher Harrisson now? Harrisson was arrested for the murder of his ex-wife in 2020, he was later sentenced to a minimum prison sentence of 20 years for her murder in March 2023 It is probable that the ex-research assistant will die before he is eligible for parole Harrisson was arrested in 2020 for the murder of his ex-wife Dr Brenda Page. He denied the murder charge, but was later found guilty by the High Court in Aberdeen in March 2023. He has been sentenced to a minimum of 20-years behind bars before he can apply for parole. It is likely that the killer likely die behind bars. Dr Page's nephew Chris Ling, 59, was in the courtroom everyday for Harrisson's trial. He told the BBC: 'It's such a strange feeling, coming to court, and the guy who is accused of murdering Auntie Brenda is there walking among us. He's just there you know. 'That is a really hard feeling to be honest with you. And nothing prepares you for that moment when you see him. 'He's so different from what I remember him. He looks so old... it makes you think what Brenda would be like now.' When the trial concluded last year, National Procurator Fiscal for Homicide and Major Crime, David Green, said he hoped the sentence brought some degree of comfort to Dr Page's family. Mr Green said: 'The relatives of Dr Brenda Page have waited a very long time for justice and our thoughts are with them as they come to terms with today's outcome. 'Christopher Harrisson took the life of their loved one and subjected them to further torment by maintaining his pretence of innocence for many years. 'Our skilled prosecutors were able to ensure that a jury saw through his callous deception. 'Evidence collected at the time painted a picture of a bullying and manipulative man but it has taken breakthroughs in science and forensics to allow us to prove the case beyond any doubt. Dr Page's nephew Chris Ling (pictured) was present for the entirety of Harrisson's trial, that nothing could have prepared him to see his aunt's killer, describing it as 'a really hard feeling' 'A man once recognised as a skilled scientist himself has been brought to justice through scientific expertise.' David Green, Scotland's public prosecution service murder investigations chief, said: '[We do] not view any unresolved homicide as 'closed' and the public should be assured we will not stop seeking justice, no matter how long ago the offences took place. 'I would urge anyone with any information on unresolved murders to report it to the police, confident that we will treat any report we receive with the utmost gravity. 'Harrisson is an old man now but he is finally facing the consequences of his cruelty and violence.' If Tuesday's New Hampshire Republican primary is do or die for Nikki Haley, then her campaign needs a record turnout to keep her alive. After suffering a blowout loss in Iowa, anything other than a win would allow Donald Trump to maintain momentum on his way to the Republican presidential nomination. There is a mathematical pathway. For Haley to claim victory in New Hampshire she needs the state's 'undeclared' or independent voters to turn out in record-breaking numbers, driving the turnout beyond 900,000 people, according to the Daily Mail's pollster. But that number is three times more than forecasters predict will go to the polls. And it is way, way more than the 287,000 people who took part in the last competitive Republican primary in 2016. Daily Mail pollster J.L. Partners modeled three different scenarios with different proportions of undeclared voters taking part in Tuesday's primary. A low proportion of undeclareds shows Nikki Haley losing heavily to Donald Trump. But if it splits 50:50 Republican to undeclareds then Nikki Haley can get to within four points of the frontrunner Our poll was conducted before Ron DeSantis dropped out on Sunday afternoon. It leaves Nikki Haley and Donald Trump going head to head in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary Even so, Haley campaign groups are mounting a ferocious, last-minute door-knocking effort to persuade their people to get out on Tuesday. They hope good weather and a final hectic day of barnstorming by the campaign will help them. James Johnson, co-founder of J.L. Partners, has spent the past week crunching the numbers for DailyMail.com. Our poll, published on Tuesday morning, shows Trump cruising to victory. He leads Haley by 57 points to 37. But that includes all sorts of assumptions and forecasts about who turns up to vote. 'The key known unknown for this primary is the turnout of undeclared voters those registered without party affiliation,' said Johnson. 'Our polling suggests a mirror image contest, with Trump leading by 38 points among voters registered as Republicans and Haley ahead by 10 points with the undeclared. 'But the turnout of undeclared voters bears a high degree of uncertainty. Our headline figures are based on an estimated split 62 percent Republicans to 38 percent undeclared, itself informed by an initial scoping survey of 600 New Hampshire voters. 'But that proportion of undeclared has been higher and lower in the past, reaching 45% in 2012 but down to 36% in 2016, according to exit polls.' There are reasons why that split could be an underestimate. This time around, unlike 2016, there is not much of a Democratic primary. Nikki Haley 's future in the White House race is hanging by a thread with the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll showing Donald Trump 20 points ahead going into the primary Joe Biden has the race all but sewn up, and anyway because of complicating intra-party maneuvering, his name is not even on the ballot Tuesday. With nothing much to contest in the Democratic primary, more undeclared than usual may opt to take part in the Republican primary. If the proportion shifts to a 50:50 split, then Haley closes the gap to 14 points. 'Nikki Haley is hoping that the combination of an uncompetitive Democratic primary with the divisive character of Donald Trump will produce a surge in undeclared turnout,' said Johnson. 'However, our modelling suggests this surge would truly have to be enormous.' To get the number to a Haley win, the proportion of undeclareds in the mix to surpass 75 percent in a turnout of 975,787. 'The secretary of state suggests that there are only 344,335 people registered as undeclared,' said Johnson. 'There is no path to victory for Nikki Haley.' Haley was making one last barnstorming tour of the state on Monday. She is seen here holding 16-month-old Arthur Cowette during a campaign stop at T-Bones in Concord But that does not mean Haley's backers have given up. Other forcasters have different models and closer polling numbers. Robert Schwarz, of Primary Pivot, which has been working to increase the number of undeclared voters, said he believed the proportion could go above 44 percent. 'Our estimates are that if turnout is above 300,000 then Nikki probably has a chance of getting it to within 10 percent and if it's like, what the secretary of state says 320,000 or above, then it could be a close race,' he said. New Hampshire voters often break late, said Republican strategist Jim Merrill at a Bloomberg roundtable, and Haley was hitting hard with her closing message. 'What I'm seeing as a ward one voter in Manchester, is a campaign that has been hitting persuadable households with mail for months,' he said. 'No other campaign's been doing that, maybe one or two from Ramaswamy, one or two from DeSantis, a few from Trump.' We've all experienced it that awkward moment when two people approach each other in the street and can't seem to find a way past. But it turns out robots have the same problem after these two were spotted in an apparent stand-off in a city centre. The impasse occurred as one delivery 'bot crossed a street in Cambridge and the other seemed to get confused about whether to go right or left to leave room'. The 'stalemate' was spotted by student paramedic James Harman, 20, who said it lasted 'a few minutes'. Hundreds of people commented on it after he posted the photo on Facebook. 'I was initially taking the photo for my parents but then I saw the two like that and found it funny,' he said. The impasse occurred as one delivery 'bot crossed a street in Cambridge and the other seemed to get confused about whether to go right or left to leave room' (pictured) The delivery robots are being used in a trial scheme by owners Starship Technologies in partnership with the Co-op and with permission from Cambridgeshire County Council 'I thought I could post the picture in the 'Odd things spotted in Cambridge' Facebook group, which is where it took off.' Comments from others in the Facebook group included one from Nem Plum, who wrote: 'Are they repeating variations on 'Please, you go first'. 'No, I insist, you were first, go ahead'?' Ali Kittle said: 'Seen situation like this before. It turns into a very balletic dance.' The breakdown in communications happened last Tuesday, January 16. The delivery robots are being used in a trial scheme by owners Starship Technologies in partnership with the Co-op and with permission from Cambridgeshire County Council. The food deliveries were given the go-ahead in 2022, with the first trips taking place in November that year. Most people are charmed by the cute robots, that trundle around on their way to people's homes. But passers-by have reported other glitches, including a queue of seven robots in Cambridge in 2022 when, a cyclist reported, the one at the front 'shuffled about a bit, then stopped'. One of the six-wheeled robots ended up asking a 'surprised' female onlooker to press the button at the pedestrian crossing where the logjam had occurred. Last September, three delivery robots had to be moved across the road by firefighters who were tackling a blaze at a derelict building. A Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said at the time: 'Sorry Co-op, our hoses and fire engines confused your delivery robots.' And a man claimed he was attacked by one of the robots in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, in June last year. Brian Dawson said the metallic menace appeared to have a 'mind of its own' as it rammed his German Shepherd dog, Pippa, before driving into his leg. The food deliveries were given the go-ahead in 2022, with the first trips taking place in November that year (pictured here on a delivery trip in March 2023) The Tesco delivery driver added: 'I thought 'I'm not having that' and admit I gave it a bit of a kicking before taking my dog home, out of harm's way. 'I was furious and went back out to make a note of its serial number or QR code. But it came straight for me again and hit my left leg.' He ended up pushing it onto its side but relented when its alarm went off. After righting the robot, it headed back to base camp at a nearby Co-op branch. Starship Technologies is an Estonian company with headquarters in San Francisco. It launched pilot services in the USA and the UK in 2016, with commercial services beginning the following year. It has since extended into territories around the world. The robots, which have a top speed of 4mph and can carry three bags of shopping, use 12 cameras, ultrasound, radar and GPS to travel along pavements and crossroads. The sensors are linked to AI and machine learning to help them navigate tens of thousands of road crossings every day around the world. The company's website says they are 'incredibly intelligent and are inherently safe'. A spokesman for the firm said: 'When robots encounter each other, observers often think they are being extra polite in a very British way, inviting the other to move first. 'In reality, the procedure on a crossing is for the robot on the island to reverse or move aside to allow the robot crossing to advance. Then, once it is safe to proceed, both robots continue on their journeys. 'Starship robots are also fast learners, using artificial intelligence to safely cross 150,000 roads every day around the world - that's roughly three crossings every second.' The WhatsApp scandal has laid bare once again the shabby and deceitful techniques deployed by the SNP to keep voters in the dark. As the UK Covid Inquiry has established, ministers and their officials embarked on a mass cull of WhatsApp messages as the country grappled with the lightning-fast spread of a new virus. A government that had become addicted to secrecy and cover-up wasnt about to change its modus operandi in the midst of the greatest public health crisis in decades. Now dozens of SNP politicians and civil servants could face police action for the destruction of those text conversations, which would have proved an invaluable treasure trove of evidence about pandemic decision-making. Nicola Sturgeon, who endlessly sermonised from her Podium of Doom on television broadcasts about the importance of hand-washing, and imposed restrictions on all our lives, is among those whose messages were consigned to digital oblivion. Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon views the Covid - 19 track and trace app on a phone at the Scottish Parliament on September 10, 2020 Her former deputy John Swinney, once nicknamed Honest John, and the national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, also erased messages indeed the latter admitted that deletion had become a pre-bed ritual. Previously a dentist, Professor Leitch was a ubiquitous figure in those stressful lockdown years, and will have his chance to elaborate on his nightly practice of wiping out WhatsApp communications when he appears before the inquiry today. The inquiry heard yesterday that Scotlands chief medical officer, Sir Gregor Smith he was knighted in 2022 told colleagues on Whats-App to delete messages at the end of every day, while he erased them on a frequent basis. What is becoming clear is that the SNP has forfeited the right to govern after an abuse of power that even by its own low standards is beyond egregious. It is fond of talking about the social contract that exists between the electorate and government usually in the context of trying to justify the latest tax hike. If such a contract ever existed, surely its rendered null and void by the Whats-App scandal unless in the small print there was some loophole that allowed our political masters to treat us all like fools. In reality, it was torn up many years ago when the SNP instituted its secret state a vast machine of spin-doctors and propagandists funded by the taxpayer with the sole aim of trying to conceal or disguise the extent of its appalling failures. With that mindset firmly embedded in public life, it becomes less surprising that a cavalier attitude was taken to preserving messages that could have helped the inquiry and millions of Scots to understand how Covid was managed or mismanaged. Ms Sturgeon was all too happy to take full advantage of priceless BBC airtime for her near-daily Covid updates, many of them needless and naturally highly politicised. Back on June 30, 2020, Ms Sturgeon insisted at her 12.30pm briefing that were not dealing with politics at the moment anybody trotting out political or constitutional arguments is in the wrong place completely. Yet we now know that at 9.30am on the same day, the Cabinet had agreed that consideration should be given to restarting work on independence, with arguments reflecting experience of the crisis. It was patently obvious at the time that the separatists had seized on it as a way of jump-starting the independence crusade an indication of how corrosive nationalism can warp priorities. In January 2022, Ms Sturgeon said she intended to set out her legislative timetable for a second independence referendum soon, suggesting that work on this (ultimately abortive) plan had been going on for some time. That was only weeks after she had warned of a tsunami of cases of the Omicron variant of coronavirus, necessitating another raft of restrictions which caused havoc for businesses as countless Christmas parties were cancelled. Ultimately the tsunami failed to materialise. Angus Robertson, a close ally of Ms Sturgeon, said a mere six months after the first lockdown, that the deaths of 55,000 predominantly No supporting older voters every year had positive consequences for independence. This crassness did him no harm, and in May 2021 he was appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture flying around the world and banging the drum for tearing Scotland out of the UK. Now were piecing together the evidence, or what survives of it, and the picture that emerges is deeply disturbing, making a mockery of persistent claims that Ms Sturgeons handling of the pandemic was far superior to the UK Governments response. One figure whose name has turned up more than once is Ken Thomson, a mandarin who most of us couldnt pick out of a line-up but who nevertheless wielded great power over the sprawling apparatus of government. Professor Leitchs comment about WhatsApp deletion was in response to a message from Mr Thomson, a former Scottish Government director general for strategy and external affairs, which carries a salary of up to 134,999. Mr Thomsons message read: Just to remind you (seriously), this is discoverable under FoI [Freedom of Information laws]. He counselled: Know where the clear chat button is, later adding: Plausible deniability are my middle names. In 2022, Mr Thomson was accused of boasting that breaking up the UK was his job, which was dismissed by officials at the time as an informal comment but the culture of any large organisation is dictated from the top. Yesterday, Scotlands information commissioner, David Hamilton, said he was concerned by the revelations at the UK Covid Inquiry, saying there may be implications for freedom of information. He said some evidence suggested the principles of freedom of information may have been subverted a serious charge against a government that has trumpeted its commitment to transparency. Back in 2014, Ms Sturgeon pledged her government would be open, listening, accessible and decentralising, which now seems something of a sick joke. There are now Lib Dem demands for her to address MSPs to explain exactly what went on, if she can spare the time away from writing her memoir it remains to be seen whether there will be a chapter on the WhatsApp row. In January 2022, Nationalist MP Stewart McDonald said he was excited to be launching a new counter-disinformation initiative. The (admittedly risible) idea was that the independence movement was dogged by the distortions of its enemies. At the time, Mr McDonalds own senior colleagues were, or had been, engaged in the mass deletion of WhatsApps. There is no way the SNP should be able to continue to govern now that its much-vaunted social contract has been exposed as a sham. The next Holyrood election cannot come quickly enough though sadly it probably wont take place until 2026. Every second the SNP remains in power, more potentially irreparable damage is done to our democracy a shameful legacy that can never be erased. An alleged gunman was 'moving mad' as he identified his enemy 'ops' before opening fire in a crowded nightclub, a court has heard. The man, who cannot be identified, allegedly shot and injured Brandon Malutshi at the Oval Space in Hackney, east London, on the night of August 29, 2022. The shooting was alleged to be amid rivalry between two south London gangs - the '67 gang' from Brixton Hill and the '17 gang' from the Wandsworth Road area, with which the victim was affiliated. Jurors heard the man who allegedly shot at Mr Malutshi was not on trial because he died shortly after the events of the case. On Monday, one of six men accused Mr Malutshi's attempted murder described his behaviour in the moments before clubbers heard a loud 'pop'. The accused, who can't be named, allegedly shot and injured a man in the Oval Space nightclub in Hackney. Pictured: The entrance to the Oval Space nightclub Carl Tagoe, 29, told jurors that the alleged gunman was from his local area, but 'was not directly my friend' and he had never seen the victim Mr Malutshi before. He had gone to Oval Space, which he had never visited before, having moved on from another venue with around 100 other people, the court was told. While at the bar, Tagoe said he spoke to a woman called Shan who asked him to speak to the alleged gunman. She allegedly told him: 'I beg you try and chat to (the alleged shooter) because he's moving mad.' Asked to explain what that meant, Tagoe said: 'I thought maybe he was trying to chat her up - I didn't think it was anything serious.' The defendant said the man was wearing a balaclava over his face and seemed 'irritable'. Tagoe said he went to speak to him, and the man said: 'My ops are over there.' Defence barrister Jane Bickerstaff KC asked what he thought 'ops' meant. Tagoe replied it was slang for an 'enemy', but added: 'I didn't think he did have a plan to do anything.' He said he told the man to calm down and his co-accused, Marcus Pottinger, asked him to take off the balaclava. The court was told that the man responded by turning his back and kissing his teeth. Tagoe said: 'I tried as hard as I could to make him not go over there.' He said he lost sight of the man soon after as the nightclub 'was pitch black'. He said: 'I was trying to identify where (the alleged shooter) had gone. Then we heard a pop. 'When I heard the noise I didn't necessarily link it with him.' Tagoe moved towards the exit but returned after being told it was just a 'balloon', he said. Six people are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of attempted murder over the shooting. Pictured: The Statue of Justice on top of the Old Bailey in London After leaving the club, he hung around outside chatting to women for about 30 minutes before being dropped off in Mitcham, south-west London, he said. Tagoe denied knowing a shooting was about to happen or helping or encouraging the alleged gunman. He said he learned of the shooting the next day after a search on his phone. Jurors were shown a video of Tagoe posing with a cigarette lighter in the shape of a gun, wearing a gold-coloured watch and waving a wad of what appeared to be cash. Asked about the video, he said it was a 'stupid decision' he made four years ago, filmed at his friend's house as a 'joke'. The defendant said a second video of a hand holding what appeared to be a firearm was not him. He told jurors his childhood friends, Pottinger, 31, and Simeon Glasgow, 30, were also at the club. Tagoe denies attempted murder along with Pottinger, Glasgow, Shemiah Bell, 31, Connel Bamgboye, 29, and Hamza Abdi, 24, all from south London. They are also charged with wounding with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. Abdi is accused of assisting an offender by driving a male away from the scene of a shooting. The Old Bailey trial continues. SNP ministers face a 150,000 legal bill for their doomed gender reform battle after deciding not to challenge a demand from the UK Government to pay its court costs. The motion lodged at the Court of Session by the UK Government calling for reimbursement of its legal expenses will not be contested by the Scottish Government. It will now be up to the court to decide how much of the 150,000 costs incurred by the UK Government will need to be paid by the SNP administration. Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack used section 35 powers to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill Humza Yousaf launched a judicial review after Scottish Secretary Alister Jack used section 35 powers in the devolution settlement to block the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, but the court ruled that Mr Jack had acted lawfully in doing so. The Bill would have removed the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria when applying for a gender recognition certificate, and lowered the minimum age for applicants to 16. Following confirmation by the Scottish Government that it would abandon its court challenge, Mr Jack said: The Scottish Government chose to pursue this litigation in spite of the cost to the taxpayer. I am pleased they have taken the sensible decision not to oppose our motion for expenses. That could have further increased the cost to the taxpayer. The Court of Session will rule whether or not expenses are awarded, and there is an established legal process to determine the amount. Mr Jack blocked the gender Bill due to the impact it would have had on UK equality laws, which are reserved to Westminster. Lady Haldane dismissed the Scottish Governments appeal and confirmed that the block on the Bill was lawful, following a case at the Court of Session in September. SNP Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: Devolution is fundamentally flawed if the UK Government is able to override the democratic wishes of the Scottish parliament. Mr Jack previously revealed he warned Mr Yousaf privately when he became First Minister that the UK Government had very strong legal advice on its use of section 35 powers and that it would be a waste of taxpayers money to launch a legal challenge. The Scottish Government has already said it spent 227,866 on the doomed Court of Session case up to November 2023, while Mr Jack has indicated that the UK Governments costs have been around 150,000 to date. In her ruling, Lady Haldane rejected the key Scottish Government argument that the gender Bill does not modify the law as it applies to reserved matters and does not have an adverse effect on the operation of the law. She also dismissed the argument that use of the section 35 powers was down to a policy disagreement, and rejected the claim that Mr Jack had not acted reasonably or rationally. In her ruling, Lady Haldane said the approach taken to the material ingathered is reasonable. She added: I cannot conclude that he [Mr Jack] failed in his duty to take such steps as were reasonable in all the circumstances to acquaint himself with material sufficient to permit him to reach the decision that he did. It is Donald Trump versus Nikki Haley in New Hampshire's Republican primary on Tuesday. But the latest J.L. Partners/DailyMail.com poll shows how voters also see it as a tussle for the kind of Republican Party they want. On one side is the new breed of MAGA agitator: Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Infowars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, and tech billionaire Elon Musk. On the other: Traditional conservatives Sen. Mitt Romney, former congresswoman Liz Cheney, and former president George W. Bush. The results found primary voters almost split down the middle. Some 40 preferred the new breed of rabble rouser, while 37 percent identified with the more traditional names. Republican primary voters are split on which idea of the Republican Party they want, according to an exclusive Daily Mail/JL Partners poll One is a populist, America First version featuring the likes of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, while the other is a more traditional idea featuring former President George W Bush But within that, the numbers tracked voters' preference in the primary, and pollster James Johnson, of J.L. Partners, said it showed how Trump's grip on the party was strengthening. 'This split closely mirrors the headline primary contest, with 70 percent of Haley voters backing Romney, Bush and Cheney and 65 percent of Trump voters going for Carlson, Musk and Jones,' he said. 'Just looking at this finding alone might suggest a party narrowly torn between two radically different paths, with Haley and Trump in a close fight to determine its future. 'The reality is that this is an illusion New Hampshire, and indeed Nikki Haley, is an outlier, a holdout against the steady march of the GOP into the hands of the likes of Tucker, Musk and Jones.' 'Even in the Granite State, it is only the inclusion of undeclared voters that makes it a close fight: Among registered Republicans, Romney, Bush and Cheney trail by 31% to 46%.' Members of the tradition wing have long agitated for a showdown with the incomers brought by Trump, favoring his populist agenda married to an isolationist foreign policy. But all the signs are that their standard bearer, Nikki Haley, who has pushed for smaller government and more aid for Ukraine, is heading to a crushing defeat. When J.L. Partners polled 651 people in New Hampshire after the Iowa caucuses, the results showed Trump leading by 51 to 41 points. Trump and Haley see themselves as part of different parties. Trump voters overwhelming identify with Carlson, Musk and Jones, while Haley voters like Bush, Romney and Cheney The race is a two-way battle between Haley and Trump. And it could all be over by Wednesday When the pollsters added a sample of 200 more people after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out Sunday, it found a huge, late surge to Trump. The final, weighted result showed Trump up by a whopping 20 points. Former New Hampshire Republican chair Jennifer Horn said it was clear that Haley had no path to the nomination in this new party. 'The party has changed,' she told journalists at a Bloomberg roundtable Monday before voting started. 'And a large ... not the entire party, perhaps, but a large part of the party has really changed and they're living in a different headspace than they used to, and she just doesn't connect with that part of the party.' 'Our goal is to be stronger than we were in Iowa and then keep going to my sweet state of South Carolina,' Haley told NBC News Donald Trump and his team pressuring Nikki Haley to drop out for sake of unity The first polls open in New Hampshire at 6 a.m. and all will be closed by 8 p.m. ET With a growing sense of inevitability that Donald Trump is going to be the Republican nominee, the people of New Hampshire head to the polls on Tuesday to cast their ballot in the first-in-nation primary. Trump has been in the lead by double digits and his team has been calling on former Gov. Nikki Haley to drop out for the sake of unity, no matter what the results show after the polls close between 7 and 8 pm ET. 'It should be over tomorrow almost irrespective because, by the way, if she won tomorrow, it should be over because there's no path beyond that,' Donald Trump Jr. told reporters of Haley while he was campaigning for his father on Monday in Hollis, N.H. Haley has vowed to stay in the race even though according to DailyMail.com's exclusive poll she is at 37 percent compared to Trump's 57 percent in the state. 'Our goal is to be stronger than we were in Iowa and then keep going to my sweet state of South Carolina,' she told NBC News. Haley came in third in Iowa. Nikki Haley 's future in the White House race is hanging by a thread with the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll showing Donald Trump 20 points ahead going into the primary All polling places in New Hampshire must be open from at least 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET at a minimum, according to the secretary of state's office. Some polling locations have earlier hours starting at 6 a.m. ET, but the majority of all polls will be closed by 7 p.m. ET with a few more closing at 8 p.m. ET. 'Tomorrow is the day that each and every one of you are going to cast the most important vote of your life,' former President Donald Trump told supporters at his rally in Laconia, N.H., on Monday night. The weather in New Hampshire on Election Day is expected to be nice, cloudy and in the 20s and 30s. It's an improvement off of last week when temperatures in the state plunged into the single digits. On Tuesday, 22 delegates to the Republican National Convention are up for grabs and will be awarded on a proportional basis. It is a small slice of the 1,215 delegates needed to clinch the GOP nomination but a victory in the state would give Trump his second win after he was victorious in Iowa or give Haley a massive boost headed into her home state of South Carolina. There will be 25 Republicans on the New Hampshire ballot, including those who registered before dropping. Ahead of New Hampshire's contest, many GOP presidential contenders bowed out of the race and endorsed Trump: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Vivek Ramaswamy. Haley has announced she will hold a campaign event in Charleston on Wednesday, the day after New Hampshire's primary, ahead of South Carolina's primary. Haley's home state of Charleston holds its nominating contest in a month on February 24th. Trump will head west after the primary to campaign in Nevada. He's also still dealing with the Jean Carroll defamation trial in New York. The Trump Team has pushed a unity message. Don Jr. said there were no hard feelings against DeSantis, who was heavily critical of the former president on the campaign trail. 'It's a primary those things are rough, but I think he was pretty magnanimous,' Don Jr. said of DeSantis' exit from the race. 'I think my father returned that and so as he mentioned in Iowa, it really is about unity.' After he won the Iowa caucuses - by 30 points - former President Trump called on the Republican Party to come together behind his candidacy. No all former presidential contenders fell in line. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson endorsed Haley after he exited the race. Haley also has New Hampshire's Republican Gov. Chris Sununu on her side. But the Granite State prides itself on its independent streak. Nikki Haley is looking for a strong finish in New Hampshire to keep her campaign going Donald Trump and his team are pressuring Nikki Haley to drop out for the sake of unity Unaffiliated voters as they are called those who can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary outnumber voters pledged to one of the main political parties. 'New Hampshire takes very seriously their role. It's sort of a dream from a political scientist perspective, that so many citizens are really engaged or going to town halls when it's freezing and things like that, but they also like to be courted,' UMass Boston Political Science Professor Erin O'Brien told NPR. Trump has been traveling back and forth from his trial in New York to New Hampshire to campaign. Haley is barnstorming the state with meet-the-voter events, including one where DailyMail.com was informed it was banned from covering her campaign events after DailyMail.com published a story Friday morning exclusively reporting that Haley falsely denied cheating on her husband when she was accused of engaging in two extramarital affairs during her 2010 South Carolina gubernatorial campaign. Iowa, the first state, to vote in the Republican contest, holds caucuses. New Hampshire is the first state to hold a primary. It has held the first-in-the-nation primary since 1920 and is known for its high voter turnout - ranking third in the nation for participation. In the 2020 presidential election, 72 percent of eligible voters participated. 'It should be over tomorrow almost irrespective because, by the way, if she won tomorrow, it should be over because there's no path beyond that,' Donald Trump Jr . told reporters of Nikki Haley while he was campaigning for his father on Monday in Hollis, N.H. Senator Tim Scott speaks at Donald Trump's (left) rally in Laconia, as North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum (2nd-R) and Vivek Ramaswamy (R) listen THE INDEPENDENT VOTERS More voters in New Hampshire identify themselves as 'unaffiliated' - or Independent - than they do Republican or Democrat. Those 'unaffiliated' voters can choose which party's primary they want to vote in and Haley has been courting that group hard. A poll from St. Anselm College showed Haley is winning them over. She led Trump among independent voters in the state 52 percent to 37 percent. Voters can also switch their affiliation if they want to change which contest they vote in as long as they did so by the October deadline. Ahead of primary day, about 3,500 Democrats in New Hampshire switched their party registration to unaffiliated, meaning they can vote in the Republican contest should they choose. CONTROVERSIES New Hampshire has had to defend its first-in-the nation primary status, particularly against charges it lacks diversity. The state's population is 93 percent white, according to the 2020 census. It is only 2 percent black, 4 percent Hispanic and 3 percent Asian. But officials in the state argue New Hampshire offers something better: an equal chance for any candidate to make their case. 'From our perspective, this is not about racial diversity. This is about the little guy, the average American citizen that when they were in the fourth grade had the dream to grow up and be president of the United States,' New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan told NPR. 'And New Hampshire is probably the only state left where that could happen. It is very easy to get on the primary election ballot. It's a simple declaration of candidacy and a $1,000 filing fee.' The state is also small, campaigning in its most populous areas is only a few hour drive. Plus it's a relatively cheap state to run a campaign in compared to New York or California. A poster bearing the likeness of President Joe Biden is taped to a mailbox in Manchester Voters promotes the write-in campaign to put President Joe Biden's name on the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot, during a Get Out The Vote (GOTV) event in Concord In fact, New Hampshire law requires its primary to be first. It says: 'The presidential primary election shall be held on the second Tuesday in March or on a Tuesday selected by the secretary of state which is 7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election, whichever is earlier, of each year when a president of the United States is to be elected or the year previous' WHAT ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS Democrats have an issue with the state. In 2024 the Democratic National Committee, which decides the party's primary calendar, has overturned tradition and given the first contest of the year to South Carolina, the state that helped Joe Biden win the presidential nomination in 2020. New Hampshire scheduled its primary first anyway, citing its state law, and, as a result, the DNC declared none of the delegates elected on Tuesday will count. Biden, in solidarity with the party, is skipping the state and not appearing on the ballot. There is a movement among Democrats to write his name in. In the 2020 Democratic primary, Biden placed fifth in New Hampshire with only 8 percent of the vote. Waleed Aly has called out an annoying cafe trend which sees Aussie diners forced to pay a surcharge after ordering via a QR code. Channel Ten's The Project dedicated a segment on Monday night to the 'ridiculous' automatic surcharges Aussies face when dining at a cafe or restaurant. Diners are faced with surcharges ranging anywhere from five to 20 per cent, with the extra fee being charged on weekends, public holidays, peak season and for using Eftpos or QR codes. When a customer uses tap-and-go banks charge a fee that ranges from 1.1% to 2 per cent of the purchase price, whereas for EFTPOS is a maximum fee of .5% is charged. In 2023, the number of restaurants and cafes passing on those extra fees was at 40 per cent - a 15 per cent increase compared to the previous year. Aly said he understood cafes passing on additional costs for Eftpos or dining on the weekend but slammed the notion patrons had to pay extra when using a QR code. Channel Ten's The Project host Waleed Aly called out cafe owners for charging diners a surcharge when ordering via QR codes 'Let's make it clear, paying the Eftpos and the credit surcharge because that's what the charges are, I understand that,' Aly said. 'Extra charges on the weekend because of penalty rates, I understand that. 'QR codes? I'm sorry, I cannot cope with this! I don't understand, because they're providing less service because there's no-one coming out to take your order.' The host added ordering with a QR code is a 'worse service' as a person cannot make changes to their order and that it probably involves data farming. Aly added the surcharge does not make any sense and diners are paying for the 'privilege of a worse experience'. Co-host Sarah Harris agreed with Aly's surcharge gripe adding diners are also being hit with a tipping option when using a QR code to order. 'Is it also a bit rich when businesses ask you for a tip after making you use a QR code. Happy to pay for good service but come on, we're getting hit here too,' Harris said. Aly replied: 'The QR code, literally who am I tipping? We're tipping ourselves.' Aly said a surcharge fee for ordering via a QR code was giving diners the 'privilege' to pay for 'worse service' as there is no interaction with staff and a person cannot make changes to their order (pictured, woman scanning QR code at cafe) Founder of Small Business Women Australia Amanda Rose told the panel consumers and small businesses have been hit with the 'raw deal' when it comes to merchant fees and surcharges. Ms Rose said consumers are forced into using the QR code system and their credit cards for payment which incurs the additional costs. She added small businesses also face extra charges in way of subscriptions in order to use a QR code system. READ MORE: Single photo exposes why many Australians are concerned about a cashless society Advertisement Ms Rose said Aussies should turn their attention to banks and merchants rather than attacking small business owners for charging the additional fees. 'Small businesses are getting hit from every possible angle,' Ms Rose said. 'So we need to be asking the question of why are they getting charged for their diners to be able to use a credit card when there's no other option. 'I would like the focus to go back on the bigger businesses or the banks to say, hang on a minute, what can you do to help small business get through this?' Under Australian consumer law, surcharges must only cover the cost of processing a card payment, while any additional fees must be displayed clearly to the consumer. Ms Rose said some businesses have chosen not to add the surcharge and cover the merchant fee by increasing the cost of their menu items. However, she noted that some businesses are 'taking advantage' of their customers by raising the surcharge fee in a bid to combat rising supply or staff costs. Ms Rose claimed exorbitant surcharges and merchant fees is another reason why 'cash is king' for diners. Founder of Small Business Women Australia Amanda Rose (pictured) told the panel consumers and small businesses are hit with the 'raw deal' when it comes to surcharges, proving that 'cash is king' for cafes and restaurants 'This is why cash is great because if I have great service by someone at a restaurant or cafe I give that individual cash directly,' Ms Rose said. 'Cash is king. Don't be so quick to say technology is wonderful because it isn't necessarily wonderful, especially when it comes to small business, and now even the end user. 'So go back to cash as much as possible and force people to use it or encourage people to use it because we're just too quick to get out that card and tap it.' The average cardholder in Australia pays $140 or more every year in card surcharges. The Reserve Bank of Australia estimated average costs for different payment types including, Eftpos at less than 0.5 per cent, Visa and Mastercard debit between 0.5 and one per cent Visa and Mastercard credit between one and 1.5 per cent. Results are known in just minutes, while polling statewide opens later in the day A group of six voters are preparing to cast their ballot at midnight in the tiny New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch that produces the first results of the first-in-the-nation primary. The only two Republicans on the ballot are former President Donald Trump and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday just two days before the primary. Dixville Notch opens its polls at midnight the morning of Tuesday, January 23 and is historically the first town to cast its ballots and yield results in New Hampshire. There are only six voters that are residents of the town. Hours before other polling places open between 6 and 8 a.m. ET, the results of Dixville Notch are known, and some say it helps predict who will win the state overall. The tiny northern New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch will continue the 64-year-old tradition on the morning of Tuesday, January 23 with opening its polling place at midnight for the first-in-the-nation primary election. Pictured: Poll workers tally votes during the February 11, 2020 primary elections The Balsams ski resort is where voting takes place for the six Disxille Notch voters on Tuesday. The resort is undergoing a $300 million renovation. Pictured: The Hale House at Balsams resort where midnight voting takes place in 2020 In 2020's general election there were five voters, and they all cast their ballot for President Joe Biden over Trump. The six residents of the tiny town in northern New Hampshire historically give the first look into how the 'Live Free or Die' state will veer in the primary. Just 20 miles from the Canadian border, The Balsams ski resort opens its closely-watched polling place at midnight on primary election day to a room full of journalists who document the votes of the town's handful of voters. Results are known minutes later. Hart's Location and Millsfield also historically open voting at midnight on Tuesday and were among the first to declare results of the primary election in New Hampshire. Hart's Location, a small town in the middle of the state with 68 residents, and Millsfield, just 10 miles south of Dixville Notch with 21 registered voters have decided to ditch their midnight voting this year. Hart's Location, which markets itself as the smallest town in New Hampshire, has polls opening at 11 a.m. on January 23. Meanwhile, Millsfield election official Shawn Cote told WMUR of the change in time: 'Our population is getting older in Millsfield, and getting up at midnight to go vote is getting harder and harder for our population. But Dixville Notch will continue the 64-year-old tradition. Dixville Notch only has six voters this year. In 2020, five people voted in the primary and general elections in the town. Prior to the pandemic, the small New Hampshire town had double the residents it has now, with a dozen casting ballots back to 2010 and even more in years prior. A man tallies all five votes in Dixville Notch in 2020's general election for Joe Biden A dozen voters prepare to cast ballots inside polling booths at midnight on November 6, 2012 in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. Since then, the electorate in the New Hampshire town has halved The first ballot of the 2000 New Hampshire primary election was cast in Dixville Notch on February 1, 2000 among the 28 registered voters at the time of that election In the 2020 primary election, three candidates in the town voted for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders and one voted for Pete Buttigieg. Then in the general election, all five candidates voted for President Joe Biden over Trump. 'As Dixville goes, so goes the country,' Dixville Notch voter Les Otten told WMUR or the results that are watched by dozens of camera and immediately reported. 'Even if the spotlight wasn't there, we would be doing the same thing,' he added. 'It's sort of become a tradition where we understand the importance of voting.' The Balsams resort where the Dixville Notch voting takes place is undergoing a $300 million restoration and revitalization project. Otten says the hope is that the voting bloc in the New Hampshire town that produced the first results of the first-in-the-nation primary election will grow. 'Our six will grow to 16 and 26 and 60 and so forth this week as we grow, and it will be more difficult to get everybody in,' he said. 'But the idea will remain the same.' An SAS hero who became a revenge porn victim was 'personally thanked' by Donald Trump for saving lives during a terror siege. Christian Craighead was given a meeting with the former US president at the White House in 2019, just months after leaping into action amid a terror assault on a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The 48-year-old, who served in the military for 28 years, had staged a daring rescue of hostages after coming across the attack while off-duty, as well as killing multiple terrorists. Craighead revealed he met Trump in 2020 on his Instagram account and posted a picture of the two of them together in Washington DC. He said the meeting was unplanned and took place after Trump 'heard... that I was in town' and 'took time to thank me personally for saving American lives'. Christian Craighead met former US president Donald Trump in 2019 months after saving lives in the Nairobi terror siege Craighead leapt into action when terrorists targeted a shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2019. Pictured: The SAS man during the raid Major Jennifer Wilson (pictured) admitted to disclosing private sexual photos and footage of Craighead with the intent to cause distress The files were sent to his girlfriend Tobi-Jayne Cadbury (pictured), who is the great-great-great granddaughter of chocolate baron Richard Pictures of the meeting were taken by the White House official photographer Shealah Craighead who later became his fiancee (pictured) The encounter came shortly after Craighead quit the SAS and amid reports his comrades had 'shunned' him and were 'jealous' at the attention he was getting, when SAS doctrine forces them to fight in the shadows. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE Army dentist who sent revenge porn of an SAS hero to his new girlfriend from the Cadbury chocolate family faces jail after admitting sending indecent images Advertisement Writing on Instagram he said: 'Last year (2019) I had the privilege of meeting with the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. 'I'll leave this with you: The meeting was unplanned, and he had nothing to gain from it. 'When he heard from key figures of the administration that I was in town, he took the time to thank me personally for saving American lives.' Pictures of the meeting were taken by the White House official photographer Shealah Craighead who later became his fiancee but the two have since split up although he has taken her surname as his cover identity. The former SAS man has been in the news over the last year after an Army dentist admitted to sending X-rated photos and videos of him to his girlfriend in a revenge porn case. Major Jennifer Wilson, 42, sent the files to Tobi-Jayne Cadbury, 36, and was accused of stalking his girlfriend - who is the great-great-great granddaughter of chocolate baron Richard - on social media. The Royal Medical Corps dentist admitted sending pictures and footage of Craighead, but denied stalking and perverting the course of justice. Craighead and his ex fiancee have since split up although he has taken her surname as his cover identity Craighead said the president 'took the time to thank me personally for saving American lives' during a meeting at the White House The former charge was ordered to lie on the file and the latter was dismissed after prosecutors offered no evidence. She has since been bailed pending pre-sentencing reports and faces up to two years in prison. Craighead is most well known for his heroic efforts to save hostages during a terror siege in Nairobi in 2019. The soldier was in Kenya helping to train the country's security forces when jihadi militants from the al-Shabaab terror group launched an attack on the DusitD2 hotel complex in the capital Nairobi on January 15. Despite being off-duty and out shopping at the time, Craighead had his gear in his car, fetched it and raced down to the complex to help out. After arriving, he 'organised the entire operation' - according to fellow SAS veteran Chris Ryan - including directing the police and army. Craighead then led a one-man raid on the hotel complex, shooting dead two militants and carrying hostages to safety. Twenty two people were killed in the attack and another 27 injured with British and Americans among the fatalities and casualties. Footage of Craighead's solo mission was seen around the world and earned him the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross (CGC), the UK's second-highest military award. But it also caused friction between Criaghead and the rest of his SAS unit, who are accustomed to operating away from the spotlight, with their heroic deeds going largely unrecognised. Craighead breaching a door of the hotel while wearing a camouflage flak jacket and a balaclava and armed only with an assault rifle Chris Craighead leading terrified guests to safety after storming the hotel building in Kenya In September that year it was revealed that Craighead had quit the unit, walking out of its base in Hereford in 'disgust' at his treatment at the hands of 'jealous' colleagues. READ MORE: Ex SAS soldier who was gagged from releasing book on how he defeated Islamic terrorists during Nairobi hotel siege releases childrens novel instead Advertisement It was then that he launched his Instagram page, posting pictures of his time in the SAS along with images of himself during the raid - including notes on his equipment, his training, and inspirational quotes. The page had caused panic among UK defence officials, who feared having to take legal action against Craighead to keep him from revealing his identity or sensitive information. Under strict rules, Special Forces troops must not discuss their missions in public or seek to 'cash in' on operations. The rules were introduced following the furor over books by ex-troopers Chris Ryan and Andy McNab which dramatically raised the SAS's public profile and led to concerns over Special Forces troops leaking sensitive information which could compromise future operations. Craighead uses Instagram to promote equipment and weapons favoured by SAS troops though it is unclear whether he is paid for the endorsements. Senior officials were said to have wanted to speak to him urgently in case he reveals his identity or any sensitive information about Special Forces operations. Top brass were also alarmed at apparent plans for a book and a film about the Africa mission and the man's friendship with Ryan, who launched a literary and film career after the Bravo Two Zero mission in the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq. The soldier uses the pseudonym Christian Craighead and has been gagged from releasing a book on how he defeated Islamic terrorists in Kenya Craighead had hoped to write a book about his daring exploits in Kenya but the MOD took him to court last year and he was banned from revealing any details. Amazon still has an advert for it and it was provisionally titled:' One Man In: The Explosive Firsthand account of the Lone Special Ops Solider Who Fought off A Major Terrorist Attack in Kenya.' A synopsis reads: 'After an otherwise ordinary morning of training with his firearms, British SAS soldier Chris Craighead was just beginning to relax in his new home in the bustling city of Nairobi. Then the phone rang. 'It was a friend, a former British soldier. In the background, Chris heard gunfire. The friend gave the address of an upscale hotel and office complex in Nairobi's affluent Westgate neighbourhood. He said it was under attack. 'Within minutes, Chris was in his pickup truck with his weapons case in the back seat, dodging vehicles and pedestrians as he raced to the scene. 'He attempted to reach anyone he could within the British and Kenyan governments to figure out what was going on. Nobody answered. He was on his own, and operating without orders. 'For the next twenty-two hours, Chris relied on his nearly three decades of elite military training to win a deadly game of hide-and-seek with a unit of ethnic Somali terrorists who had already detonated one suicide bomb, and were intent on killing as many other people as possible. 'At first on his own, and later as the leader of a small, rag-tag group of soldiers and civilians, Chris moved through the complex where hundreds of innocent hotel staff, guests, and office workers were still trapped. Who Dares Wins legend Craighead (not his real name) earned a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross award after fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, Kenya 'After clearing buildings and shepherding people to safety, he located the terrorists. A battle of guns, grenades, and tactics ensued. Chris and his men made it out. The terrorists did not. 'Told in white-knuckle, minute-by-minute detail, One Man In is an unforgettable story of heroism from a special forces soldier who happened to be in the right place at the right time - and decided to act.' After being defeated in his attempt to write about his heroics he turned to writing a children's book and it was published last November and called The Wrong Wolf. It tells the story about a wolf who becomes a sheepdog and Craighead said on Instagram:' It's not the book you're all waiting for, but nevertheless I'm still extremely proud of it. 'The Wrong Wolf is a metaphoric story about a WOLF who becomes a SHEEPDOG. The book was inspired by episodes in my life and was written by me, from the heart. 'Whilst principally a children's book, it sends a positive message that will resonate with both the young and old.' In 2021 he revealed his identity after it emerged Walter Mitty type impersonators were passing themselves off as him in pubs and bars around the SAS HQ at Hereford. He posted on Instagram: 'I'm doing this earlier than I planned, but the actions of others have forced my hand into prematurely revealing my face. 'This photo and others like it are becoming increasingly available, so I thought I should be the one to share the first with you.' Alongside the picture he wrote: 'Thank you to all those close to me who support, guide, assist, and keep me balanced during this time in my life.' Newcastle-born Craighead was awarded 14 medals during his army career which started in 1992 when he joined up at just 16 and he eventually entered service in the SAS On Tuesday he is due to appear at a firearms convention in Las Vegas called Shotshow 2024. His father didn't get to kiss him goodbye Cause of death was sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS EXCLUSIVE A two-month-old boy who was found unresponsive in a suburban home died as a result of sudden infant death syndrome, and his father didn't get to kiss him goodbye. Chance Ford spent Saturday with his parents, Renee Lockett and Jake Ford, along with his uncles, cousins and siblings at a lake near their home in Ballarat, north-west of Melbourne. The family was celebrating two birthdays, and commemorating the suicide of an uncle 35 years ago. They spent the day laughing together and towing kids along the water on the back of a boat. That evening, Mr Ford dropped his partner and Chance back home, before he left to quickly drop his kids from a previous relationship back to their mother. Mr Ford's plan had been to meet up with extended family again to continue the celebration; however, he returned home at about 9pm to find a tragedy had occurred. His baby boy had stopped breathing and could not be revived. Following a well-publicised police investigation, which involved homicide detectives, post-mortem results released on Monday night revealed the cause of Chance's death was SIDS - when an otherwise healthy infant suddenly dies in their sleep. Now, Chance's uncle Joseph Ford has paid tribute to the little boy and detailed to Daily Mail Australia what is known about how the tragedy unfolded. Renee Lockett and Jake Ford (pictured) lost their two-month-old baby son, Chance Ford, to SIDS on Saturday night Renee Lockett (pictured) panicked and ran off when her son wasn't breathing Mr Ford lashed out at neighbours who described his family as aggressive and uncaring because they screamed and ran once they realised Chance was dead. Neighbours had also claimed Chance was dead on their living room floor, but Mr Ford said that was not the case: Jake and Renee actually ran straight to the neighbour's house, who is also a family member, to get help. 'They ran as quick as they could, scared and feeling helpless,' he said. 'Needing help, needing anyone, while still hoping, begging and praying for the best outcome which was for their baby just to take another breath, hoping to hear him just cry.' Mr Ford said there was no argument, and any yelling after Chance died was Jake crying and screaming to understand what had happened in the short time he was gone. While the neighbour was with the baby, Renee ran away. 'I dont think she could face it and I can only believe she was in complete fear,' Mr Ford said. 'Fear of what she was seeing, fear of my brother's questions about what happened while not knowing the answers, fear of what was happening to her baby in front of her eyes. Police arrived on the scene and began an extensive investigation into the boy's death. It was initially a homicide probe, but the death has now been ruled non-suspicious Chance Ford's cause of death was SIDS, when an infant dies suddenly and unexpectedly in their sleep (scene pictured) 'Maybe she couldn't watch any longer. Maybe everything got too overwhelming and her instincts kicked in to just run, run and run.' When she ran, Jake chased her looking for answers. SIDS - what is it and how can you stop it? SIDS is the name given to the unexpected death of a baby when the cause is unknown. It was previously known as cot death. It is the leading cause of death in children between one month and a year old. The cause is unknown, but there are things parents can do to reduce the risk, including: - Put your baby to sleep on its back. - Keep your babys head and face uncovered. - Keep your babys environment smoke free, before and after birth. - Make sure they have a safe sleeping environment. - Sleep your baby in a cot, in your room. - Breastfeed your baby, if you can. Source: Health Direct Advertisement Mr Ford said his brother didn't react like a reasonable person would because it was not a reasonable situation and, in his pain, he needed his partner to give him answers. 'Nobody can judge or knows how they will react in such an extreme situation unless they have experienced it,' he said. 'He screamed in anguish, he screamed in disbelief, he screamed in extreme pain that buckled his knees and dropped him to the ground without any power in his body to retain the strength to hold himself up.' A neighbour previously told Daily Mail Australia that Renee knocked on his door asking if she could use his phone to call a taxi. He called a taxi for her and she waited inside for about ten minutes, barely saying a word. She had no shoes on, no bag or wallet, and said she had a fight with her boyfriend. Mr Ford said Jake was asked to leave his family home by police, who arrived on the scene shortly after Chance's death. He kept asking what was happening to his son, and whether he was still alive, but no one would tell him. 'At some stage, my brother was even told his baby was breathing again only to keep asking was he still alive,' he said. 'He never got the opportunity to kiss his baby goodbye, was never allowed any time with his child at all.' Mr Ford said the family still don't know exactly what happened within the time it took Jake to drop his other children back home. In the meantime, he asked that his family be given the time to mourn the tragic loss. 'The baby's name was Chance, because everyone needs a chance in life - as announced by my brother the day he was born,' he said. 'We are the family devastated, heart-broken and mourning the loss of our beautiful baby Chance.' High-end restaurant establishment Penelope's will be offering diners an 'Invasion Day' menu featuring a bizarre set of foods including a 'halal snack pack' and fairy bread. The ritzy business located in Sydney's Circular Quay has introduced the new menu ahead of Australia Day on Friday. The restaurant's owner Cuong Nguyen told Daily Mail Australia the decision to serve the food to customers on the national public holiday was made to respect Indigenous people. 'We want to show our support and raise awareness for the Indigenous community, and of course serve up the flavours we have experienced growing up in the diverse and multicultural Sydney,' Mr Nguyen said. 'Invasion Day is part of a national discussion over the 'Australia Day' date. At Penelopes we dont only showcase the flavours of Australia, but also its rich culture and diversity.' High-end restaurant establishment Penelope's (pictured) will be offering diners an 'Invasion Day' menu with a bizarre set of food items Customers will also be offered a Braised Kangaroo Tail and Salsa Vietnamita. For many First Nations people, January 26 is regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning' because it marks the beginning of Australia's colonisation. The restaurant hasn't received comments from diners so far about the menu and the business said it would consider removing the menu if there is a backlash from customers. The Invasion Day menu (pictured) has been put on the restaurant's website and was introduced to recognise the significance of Australia for Indigenous Australians The restaurant's decision comes as several Australian retailers including supermarket giant Woolworths opted not to stock Australia Day merchandise. Aldi also followed suit with its decision to stop selling merchandise on January 26 however Coles said it will be continue to stock themed products for the holiday weekend. Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton urged Aussies to boycott Woolworths following the company's decision to not stock Australia Day items. Mr Dutton told Sydney radio station 2GB earlier this month that the move was outrageous. 'It's up to customers whether they want to go in and buy the product or not... I think people should boycott Woolworths,' he said. The ritzy Circular Quay restaurant will also offer customers fairy bread (pictured) as well as Braised Kangaroo Tail and Salsa Vietnamita on Friday Woolworths confirmed it wouldn't be stocking any Australia Day merchandise with a spokesperson saying demand for the items has declined over recent years as they recognise what the date means to different parts of the community. Several councils across the country have also scrapped citizenship ceremonies with a Vietnam war veteran slamming Sydney's Waverly Council's decision to cancel its Australia Day dawn reflection service. Michael von Berg, a Military Cross recipient who served as a combat soldier in the war, unleashed at the council saying the move is disrespectful to soldiers who fought and died for their country. 'For God's sake. It's a disservice not only to the veteran community but also to First Nations soldiers who fought and died for their country,' he said. Penelope's opened its doors at the Quay Quarter Tower in December last year and offers diners a mix of foods inspired by traditional Vietnamese cuisine as well as other cultural dishes. They say the teen should not have been granted bail A teen who is accused of murdering a young doctor while on bail had allegedly broken into another home armed with a machete mere months before. The 16-year-old, who with another teen allegedly killed Dr Ash Gordon, 33, near his Melbourne home on January 13, allegedly left another man with serious head injuries after robbing his house in October. His alleged previous victims claim that the Victorian government has 'blood on its hands' and that the boy should not have been released on bail. Dr Gordon, 33, was fatally stabbed when he gave chase to two intruders who broke into his Sargent Street home in Doncaster. The teen's alleged previous victims told the Herald Sun that Dr Gordon's death has left them traumatised and struggling to move on from their own encounter. One of the teens accused of murdering Dr Ash Gordon in his home on January 13 had allegedly performed a similar burglary in October 2023 that left a man with serious head injuries The 16-year-old's alleged previous victims said they have been left traumatised and that the boy, who was on bail when he allegedly murdered Dr Gordon, should have been imprisoned In a statement the alleged previous victims pleaded with Victorian premier Jacinta Allan to reconsider the state's planned youth justice reform. EXCLUSIVE READ MORE: Dr Gordon's mysterious girlfriend Advertisement 'We are trying to move on with our lives, however, when a case on (alleged) teen crime is reported, we feel anxious, helpless and frustrated with the broken system,' they told the publication. 'The Allan government and the justice system have blood on their hands, and ultimately should be held accountable.' Under the terms of his bail, the 16-year-old was subject to a nightly curfew but still managed to allegedly break into Dr Gordon's home shortly before 5:30am. Ms Allan has faced increasing calls to dump Victoria's overhaul of the youth justice system which would see the age of criminal responsibility raised. The government has committed to raising the age that a child can be arrested, jailed or charged from 10 to 12 by the end of 2024, and again to 14 by 2027. Some crimes will remain exempt from these changes, including homicides. Dr Gordon, 33, was fatally stabbed when he gave chase to two intruders who allegedly broke into his Sargent Street home at 5:30am on a Saturday Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has been urged by the boy's alleged previous victim to drop the state's youth justice reform that would raise the age of imprisonment for children Ms Allen however has insisted that the reforms are a key priority of her government and that they will help prevent future criminal activity. 'Theres a huge amount of work thats being undertaken by Victoria Police to work with those young people ... [and] that sort of prevention-based activity is the best way to address future youth crime,' she said. 'At the same time, when offences are made, Victoria Police have the tools and resources to deal with those.' The premier also stressed that the state has 'some of the lowest crime rates in the country' and that people 'should be celebrating the fact we live in a community that is safe'. Opposition Leader John Pesutto challenged Ms Allan's last point, claiming that 'the recent spate of aggravated burglaries and other violent crime' suggested otherwise. 'Jacinta Allan needs to scrap Labors plan to raise the age of criminal responsibility and reverse its decision to weaken bail laws,' he said. 'Labor needs to also restore the funding it has slashed in crime prevention and youth justice so we can tackle a 10-year high in youth crime. 'Victorians are looking for the Premier to lead on this critical issue to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect community safety.' Fire burns down 227 stores in S Korea, no casualties reported: Authorities Seoul, Jan 23 (UNI) Fire burned down 227 stores at a marine products market in southwestern South Korea, with no casualties reported, Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday citing the firefighting authorities. The blaze erupted at about 11:08 p.m. local time Monday (1408 GMT) at the traditional marine products market in Seocheon county, some 170 km south of the capital Seoul. It was completely extinguished almost nine hours later as firefighters had difficulty in putting out the blaze amid the strong wind and the packed structure of the market. The New Hampshire attorney general's office is investigating a fraudulent robocall that is mimicking the voice of President Joe Biden and advising supporters to stay home during Tuesday's Granite State primary. NBC first reported the call, which starts out by saying, 'What a bunch of malarkey,' a trademark Biden phrase, and then tells voters 'it's important that you save your vote for the November election.' It continues, 'Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday.' The call contained the phone number for Kathy Sullivan, the former head of the New Hampshire Democratic Party who is now presiding over the super PAC pushing New Hampshire's Democratic voters to write-in Biden's name when they vote in Tuesday's primary. As part of the Biden-backed Democratic National Committee decision to reorder the Democratic primaries, the president's name isn't on the ballot in New Hampshire - as the Democrats decided South Carolina Democrats would vote first. The New Hampshire attorney general's office is investigating a fake robocall that is mimicking the voice of President Joe Biden (pictured) and advising supporters to stay home during Tuesday's Granite State primary New Hampshire Democrats have been receiving a robocall impersonating President Biden, telling recipients not to vote in Tuesday's presidential primary.@aseitzwald reports. pic.twitter.com/pBDU0skQjQ Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) January 22, 2024 Republican leadership in New Hampshire - as well as New Hampshire law - prevented the first-in-the-nation primary's date from being moved. That means only Rep. Dean Phillips and Marianne Williamson will appear on the Granite State primary ballot Tuesday. In an interview with NBC, Sullivan said she wasn't behind the robocall and was perplexed when she started receiving calls Sunday night from individuals who had received it. 'I said, "You got a call from Joe Biden, and he gave you my number?"' Sullivan told the network she responded. It wasn't immediately clear who would be behind the call. 'It's obviously somebody who wants to hurt Joe Biden,' said Sullivan, a lawyer by trade. 'I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible because this is an attack on democracy. I'm not going to let it go. I want to know whos paying for it? Who knew about it? Who benefits?' Biden's campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez told NBC 'the campaign is actively discussing additional actions to take immediately.' The New Hampshire primary is Tuesday but President Joe Biden's name won't appear on the ballot for Democrats due to the Democratic National Committee trying to allow South Carolina Democrats to vote first. A polling station is being set up in Durham, New Hampshire The New Hampshire Attorney General's office announced an investigation Monday in a news release. 'These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters,' it says. 'New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely.' 'Voting in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election does not preclude a voter from additionally voting in the November General Election,' it also advises. The attorney's general office also asked the public to reach out to them if they received the robocall. Megyn Kelly slammed Joy Reid after the MSNBC host criticized the co-founder of Moms for Liberty for advocating banning a book featuring graphic sex from schools. The host of 'The Megyn Kelly Show' - who called Reid an 'idiot' on X following the interview - said 'I don't know what Joy Reid is thinking' and called her criticism of Moms For Liberty Co-Founder Tiffany Justice 'so frustrating.' 'I don't want to know about Joy Reid's weird sexual predilections or what she thinks is okay content for minors, but it's not the same as what I think,' she said. 'And if she wants to expose her kid to that stuff, she can go right ahead and do it on her own time and her own dime.' The commentator also hit back at Reid for asking Justice her 'expertise' in questioning the propriety of the memoir All Boys Aren't Blue, a title that has been banned in 29 districts across the country. 'What's your expertise to make the point that a book about strapon dildos or pedophilia or anal rape by a family member doesn't belong in K-12 libraries and schools?' Kelly asked. Megyn Kelly slammed Joy Reid after the MSNBC host criticized the co-founder of Moms for Liberty for advocating the ban of a book featuring graphic sex from schools MSNBC host Joy Reid (left) and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice (right) clashed over book bans during a Friday interview Reid had questioned Justice: 'What is the expertise that you have and other Moms for Liberty advocates have to decide that a book, an award-winning book... isn't appropriate for students read,' Justice shot back: 'In what context is a strap-on dildo acceptable for public school, I mean that's my question to you.' Reid refused to answer that question, instead claiming Justice was unable to name the author George M. Johnson. Justice did, in fact, know the first name of the author. Kelly noted that studies have been done to show why this material is inappropriate for kids. 'There are tons and tons of academic expert articles and books about the damage done to children by being exposed to content like that too soon,' she said. 'And most good parents are pretty vigilant about making sure our children don't have access to that kind of thing. We put blocks on their phones if they have phonesall the things and the last thing you want to think is when you send them to school, that's when they're most dangerous. That's when they're most exposed to stories about anal rape and strap-on dildos.' Kelly insisted that books like this not be put in schools 'on my taxpayer money when my kid might be sitting right next to her kid reading a nice book about love, about bullies, about history. It's absurd to pretend it's a ban, because you can't get it in your school library!' Johnson's 'memoir-manifesto' includes a chapter which deals with sexual abuse he suffered as a child, including by a member of his own family. It features graphic descriptions of sex including lube, dildos and anal penetration. On 'The Megyn Kelly Show,' the host - who called Reid an 'idiot' on X following the interview - said 'I don't know what Joy Reid is thinking' and called her criticism of Moms For Liberty Co-Founder Tiffany Justice 'so frustrating' Reid grilled Justice on her expertise and parental rights. Justice responded, 'I don't have to be an expert to know that dildos are not appropriate for public school' Reid told Justice during the interview: 'What I am saying to you is you are not an expert in this book.' Justice replied: 'I don't have to be an expert to know that dildos are not appropriate for public school, I mean come on let's get real.' Reid asked why shouldn't a parent whose child might feel seen by this story have the right to let them read it. Justice countered by saying if a child feels seen by this story that means they have been a victim of a predator. Reid then accused her of claiming to be an expert again and asked her for proof that a child had been raped. A central chapter of All Boys Aren't Blue focuses on sexual abuse author Johnson experienced around age 13. In September, Senator John Kennedy read a passage from the memoir during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. He quoted the book verbatim, telling the hearing: 'I'd put some lube on and got him on his knees, and I began to slide into him from behind. I pulled out of him and kissed him while he masturbated. He asked me to turn over while he slipped a condom on himself. 'This was my a** and I was struggling to imagine someone inside me. He got on top and slowly inserted himself into me. It was the worst pain I think I have ever felt in my life. Eventually, I felt a mix of pleasure with the pain.' During the MSNBC interview, the two discussed an 'opt-out form' available in Broward County, Florida that allows parents to say their child cannot check out books from the library without their permission. The book at the center of the debate was All Boys Aren't Blue by George M. Johnson, which has been banned in 29 school districts Moms for Liberty was added to the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of 'hate and anti-government groups' in June. Pictured Tiffany Justice (left) speaking before Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on July 15, 2022 'Maybe we can just put all the books with all the graphic sexual content, the dildos, the raping,' Justice said. Reid said: 'I'm so sorry, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. I have seen tapes of what Moms For Liberty does, and you all go into school board meetings and you read graphic stuff.' Justice said: 'Joy, this is a disingenuous conversation. America used to understand that there's a thing called age-appropriate content.' In June, Moms for Liberty was added to the Southern Poverty Law Center's list of 'hate and anti-government groups' after it gained national media attention for its efforts to fight COVID safety measures in schools, book bans, limit discussion about race and LGBTQ identities and populate local school boards with conservatives. The groups other co-founder Bridget Ziegler has been facing calls to resign from the Sarasota school board after her husband Christian Ziegler was accused of raping woman 'who was part of their menage-a-trois.' America's first openly gay Episcopal bishop has revealed how he came out to his ex-wife and daughters - as well as telling how he received death threats and torment for years after the church openly accepted his sexuality. Rev. Gene Robinson was consecrated as the 9th bishop of New Hampshire in November 2003 - and during the ceremony, he wore a bullet proof vest since he feared for his life, as he was the first gay bishop in the Church. At one point, Robinson was seen as the most dangerous man in the Anglican Church - with hundreds of parishes leaving the church when he was allowed in as a bishop. Now, the twice-divorced bishop happily wears purple nail varnish in front of his congregation and is seen as a bridge between the LGTB community and the Episcopal Church. He has reflected on how 'God called me out of the closet.' Robinson was married to his ex-wife Isabella Martin for 14 years - and the couple have two daughters and granddaughters. They divorced 37 years ago when he came out as gay, and Robinson married Mark Andrew. But they also split in 2014. America's first openly gay Episcopal bishop has revealed how he came out to his ex-wife and daughters - as well as telling how he received death threats and torment for years after the church openly accepted his sexuality Rev. Gene Robinson was consecrated as the 9th bishop of New Hampshire in November 2003 - and during the ceremony, he wore a bullet proof vest since he feared for his life being the first gay bishop in the Church. He is pictured with his ex husband Mark Andrew The bishop met his ex-wife while he was chaplaining in Vermont. She previously told GQ: 'Ten minutes after meeting him, I thought, That's the man I'm going to marry. 'So smart and clear and faithful. He was so articulate and fun, and he just preached from the heart.' Robinson told Isabella early on in their courtship that he had only ever had serious relationships with men, but she said that if he loved her enough it wouldn't matter. They wed a year later. Isabella said, following their divorce in 1986: 'I think that's why there's no bitterness now. What was happening was certainly traumatic, but in the long run it wasn't damaging. 'There was never a feeling of betrayal. If anything, Gene felt betrayed by this thing going on within him that we were both trying to understand.' They had two daughters, Jamee and Ella. Their youngest, Ella, now serves as co-chair of Family Equality Council's 'Outspoken Generation,' a national program empowering young adults with parents who are LGBT. Rev. Robinson, who now works at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, in Washington, D.C, told CBS: 'There have been a lot of us, let's just be clear. I'm just the first openly-gay one.' 'It pleases me to no end. It's fanciful. I love purple. As you see, bishops wear a lot of purple. And I thought, 'You know what? I'm 76 years old. I can get my nails painted.' Robinson was married to his ex-wife Isabella Martin (pictured) for 14 years - and the couple have two daughters and granddaughters Rev. with his youngest daughter, Ella. She now serves as co-chair of Family Equality Council's 'Outspoken Generation,' a national program empowering young adults with parents who are LGBT 'We forget what a big deal it was and how hard it was and how many people were opposed, and the pain it caused a lot of people.' He revealed how he received a postcard calling him a 'fornicating, lecherous pig' on the day he was elected, and the hateful comments and death threats rolled in for years afterwards. A big step was telling his daughters, who were four and eight at the time, that he was gay. He recalled: 'I sat with the eight-year-old. I said, 'You know what a lesbian is, right?' So, the eight-year-old said, 'Oh, oh, oh, yeah,' very casual 'Oh yeah, most men like women. And most women like men. But some men like men. 'And some women like women. 'I've learned that I'm one of those men who like men. And your mom and I have together decided that she deserves a chance to find someone who can love her in that special way. And I deserve the opportunity to find someone to love in my way.' Robinson, who became a symbol for gay rights, married his partner Mark in 2008, but they divorced in 2014. They had a 25-year relationship in total. At one point, Robinson was seen as the most dangerous man in the Anglican Church - with hundreds of parishes leaving the church when he was allowed in as a bishop The Rev. Gene Robinson (center) smiles at the audience during the opening processional of his consecration as Bishop Coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire Now, the twice-divorced bishop happily wears purple nail varnish in front of his congregation and is a bridge between the LGTB community and the Episcopal Church. He has reflected on how 'God called me out of the closet' Gene Robinson speaks before the Episcopal Church's National General Convention in Minneapolis, in 2003 At the time, the bishop said: 'It is at least a small comfort to me, as a gay rights and marriage equality advocate, to know that like any marriage, gay and lesbian couples are subject to the same complications and hardships that afflict marriages between heterosexual couples. 'All of us sincerely intend, when we take our wedding vows, to live up to the ideal of 'til death do us part. 'But not all of us are able to see this through until death indeed parts us.' Speaking about his experience as a whole, Robinson told CBS: 'It's an awful thing to stand in a pulpit and encourage people to live authentic lives when you know you're not being authentic. 'It's why I felt God called me out of the closet. 'I didn't want to be the 'gay bishop,' I wanted to be a good bishop. But I realized I wasn't in control of that. The media was going to make me the gay bishop whether I liked it or not. 'So, what I decided was, if I was gonna be the gay bishop, then I'd be the best damn gay bishop that I could ever be!' Since Robinson's pioneering bravery in the early 2000s, there are now five openly-gay bishops across the country. Mark Andrew, left, and Bishop V. Gene Robinson are shown during their private civil union ceremony performed by Ronna Wise in Concord, N.H., in this Saturday June 7, 2008 He revealed how he received a postcard calling him a 'fornicating, lecherous pig' on the day he was elected, and the hateful comments and death threats rolled in for years afterwards Since Robinson's pioneering bravery in the early 2000s, there are now five openly-gay bishops across the country Gene Robinson reads from the bible at a news conference after the Episcopal Church confirmed him as Bishop of New Hampshire Tuesday, August 5, 2003 in Minneapolis Bishop Glasspool, one of the lesbian bishops in the US, said when asked what people will say of Robinson in 50 years: 'That he was a prophet. That he was courageous. And I think it costs a lot.' Another gay member of the church, Bishop Brown, added: 'I think Bishop Robinson, actually given the history of our church, I think in 50 years there will be a date on our calendar that will have his name to it, which is to say that he will be recorded in the calendar of saints.' Bishop Robinson has helped many in the LGBT community feel welcomed in the church over the last two decades. He added: 'I've been living my whole life with a foot in the church and a foot in the gay community, trying to explain one to the other, trying to get them to come together again.' Robinson, who is now retired, has had a chapel at St. Thomas Episcopal Church named after him. The bishop added: 'I feel like the least saintly person ever. I know I'm not pure as the driven snow. 'But in my life, I'm happy with what I've done with what God has put in front of me.' A tropical low off the Queensland coast is hours away from forming into a cyclone with residents told to prepare for up to a metre of rain and destructive winds. After days of anticipation, an escalating tropical low over the Coral Sea is due to from into Cyclone Kirrily late on Tuesday. Authorities have warned the effects of the wild weather system may be felt as early as the coming 24 hours with residents told to prepare now. The tropical low, named 05U, sat about 850km northeast of Townsville on Tuesday morning and is slowly tracking southwest towards Queensland's coast. The system is expected to intensify into a category one cyclone either this afternoon or this evening before strengthening to a category two or three and making landfall between Cardwell and Airlie Beach either late Thursday or Friday morning. Heavy rain and storms have already wreaked havoc across the north of the country with supply routes cut off in parts of the Northern Territory and supermarket shelves stripped bare over the weekend. Millions of Aussies have been told to brace for impact as Cyclone Kirrilly barrels towards Queensland with up to a metre of rain to be dumped in some areas Cyclone Kirrily is expected to make landfall (track map above) between Cairns and Mackay either late Thursday or Friday morning Queensland Premier Steven Miles urged residents to begin preparations as soon as possible. 'It's incredibly important that individuals and households prepare themselves,' he said at a press conference on Tuesday. 'The Get Ready website is a fantastic resource, that's the best way you can make sure you don't need assistance from our volunteers and SES. 'They will always be there if you need them but making sure you have a radio, batteries, bottled water and canned food and that you secure any loose objects that could become dangerous is the best way you can help our emergency services. 'If there are people near you who are vulnerable and might need assistance, today is the day to reach out to them and offer help.' The cyclone is expected to be followed by a second disaster event of intense flooding - much like the floods that followed Cyclone Jasper in December and claimed seven lives. Mr Miles said residents in north Queensland 'knew what to do' after going through 'disaster after disaster'. 'Were going to need to call upon other states and the Australian government if the worst case scenarios play out here. State disaster coordinator Shane Chelepy said authorities were planning for 'two events'. 'We are planning for the cyclone crossing, but we're also planning for a secondary event which may come from intense rainfall,' he said. '[This] includes flash flooding and riverine flooding right through central and southwest Queensland. 'We have deployed additional resources ... but now is the time Queenslanders can help out our emergency services in preparing for the event. 'If you are on a riverine system or low-lying area that is subject to flooding, now is the time to prepare.' The cyclone is expected to be followed by devastating floods with up to a metre of rain dumped in some areas Tropical Cyclone Kirrily is expected to develop late Tuesday (pictured, forecast for early Thursday) He added it could take days for emergency services to reach people in distress. 'You have 48 hours to 72 hours to prepare for this event,' Mr Chepley said. 'I have been clear that it is, at times, up to 72 hours before emergency services can respond and provide assistance to you after these major events '[That's] until it is safe for us to get out and support you. 'Please take those preparation activities now, ensure you have sufficient supplies - your medications, food, water, communications - available to support you for 72 hours.' A 'severe impact' is likely, with the cyclone previously predicted to intensify to a category three before hitting the Queensland coast. However, Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology told the ABC the system may only reach category two strength. 'Those who are keeping a close eye on that forecast track map will have in noticed it has slowed down very slightly in its development,' the senior meteorologist said. 'We still expect this system to continue intensifying as it approaches the coast, making landfall some time late Thursday going into Friday morning. 'The current forecast track map suggests we may only see a category two cyclone at coastal crossing. 'A severe category three cyclone is still possible for the coastal crossing but it's looking more likely to be category two now. 'Whether it's category two or three, we're still expecting those severe and widespread impact for coastal communities.' Mr Miles warned the cyclone is likely to have a devastating effect on highly-populated areas. 'You can imagine as far north as just south of Cairns, all the way down to the southeast, we expect the cyclone to cross somewhere between Innisfail and Airlie Beach,' he said. 'We have very populated areas there, places like Townsville and McKay.' Emergency services are already prepared to help residents. 'We have pre-positioned emergency services there and we continue to look to the Bureau to guide us on where our emergency services should be,' Mr Miles said. 'They've been stretched. They had a very busy December. We've done our best to give them fatigue leave. Damaged supply routes have caused grocery shortages in Australia's north with Darwin residents frustrated by the lack of meat available at their local Coles (above) 'For Queensland households, to best thing you can to do to make sure you don't put pressure on our volunteers and SES, make sure you're ready.' He added the upcoming cyclone, combined with recent Cyclone Jasper, will cost Queensland billions of dollars in damages. 'We anticipated that the December events will run into multiple billions and we're effectively looking at a repeat of those two events over the weekend,' Mr Miles said. 'It could double the impact of natural disasters but that's not our focus right now. 'Our focus is always on getting Queensland ready, on making sure we protect lives and as much property as possible, but first and foremost, lives.' Damaged supply routes have caused grocery shortages in Australia's north with Darwin residents frustrated by the lack of meat available at their local Coles. 'Roads are flooded and rail line is down which is cue for everyone in Darwin to stock up as if it's the apocalypse,' one local said. A photograph showed supermarkets shelves had been stripped bare as a result. Queenslanders have also been reminded to avoid driving through floodwaters after a 41-year-old Winton man was fined $804 for driving through flood waters in Corfield, north of Longreach, on Sunday. Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino predicts the cyclone will make landfall anywhere between Cairns and St Lawrence, including Mackay and the Whitsunday Islands. 'While the confidence around this system's future track has improved markedly since last week, there is still some uncertainty regarding exactly when and where it will make landfall,' he said. 'At this stage, a coastal crossing is expected to occur somewhere between Innisfail and Airlie Beach.' However, tropical cyclones are notorious for suddenly changing direction. Communities on the east coast of Queensland are advised to stay up to date with forecasts and warnings. Cyclone Kirrily could cause destructive wind gusts reaching 150km/h, heavy rainfall and life-threatening flash flooding. Heavy rain already caused by the tropical low system caused water outages in Port Douglas on Monday (pictured, repair crews) The Bureau warned the damaging winds could see services cut. 'The winds could knock down trees, powerlines, blow roofs off some houses and blow away anything not tied down outside,' it said. 'Power, phones, internet and water might stop working. Roads could be blocked by fallen trees, powerlines or flood water.' It added the system could also cause coastal flooding. 'Coastal residents between Townsville and Mackay are specifically warned of the dangerous storm tide as the cyclone crosses the coast,' the Bureau said. 'The sea is likely to rise steadily up to a level well above the normal tide, with damaging waves and flooding of some low-lying areas close to the shoreline. 'People living in areas likely to be affected by this flooding should take measures to protect their property as much as possible and be prepared to follow instructions regarding evacuation of the area if advised to do so by the authorities.' Mr Domensino explained when Cyclone Kirrily landfall will affect how big the coastal flood is. 'The timing of Kirrily's landfall will be important for the severity of its storm tide,' he said. 'The worst-case storm tide would happen if the tropical cyclone crossed the coast near high astronomical tide. 'Thursday's high tide will occur at around 9am and 9pm AEST in Townsville and 11am and 11pm in Mackay.' Cyclone Kirrily could cause destructive wind gusts reaching 150km/h (pictured, Cyclone Kirrily on Tuesday) Heavy rain in Port Douglas caused by the tropical low on Monday saw several residents in the town, Craiglie and Mowbray lose water services. 'Running water is gradually being restored to Wonga Beach, Rocky Point, Miallo, Bamboo and Whyanbeel residents,' the community's disaster dashboard said on Monday afternoon. 'The amount of treated drinking water is building across the network to allow water availability in the Port Douglas area. 'In the meantime, bottled water and non-potable water continues to be available at the Port Douglas Community Hall until 6pm and at Wonga Beach State School.' Far north Queensland is still recovering from record flooding caused by December's Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which was a category two system when it crossed the coast. The latest cyclone is predicted to make landfall south of Townsville either late Thursday or early Friday but residents from Innisfail to Airlie Beach have been told to brace. 'Keep your car topped up with petrol, make sure you have a power pack for your phone, as when we see events like this that do cross the coast, it's up to 72 hours sometimes before emergency services can get out and assist you,' Mr said. By Friday the system is expected to return to tropical low status, set to trigger heavy inland rainfall that may track toward southeast Queensland on the weekend. 'Even as the rainfall eases we're likely to see widespread flooding impacts following this system moving inland as the tropical low does,' Ms Bradbury said. The cyclone is expected to cause widespread heavy rain and life-threatening flash floods (pictured, forecast for seven-day rainfall total to Sunday) With a public holiday on Friday, Commissioner Chelepy urged anyone with long weekend plans to keep up to date with weather warnings. 'We are aware that a lot of people will be on our roads and through our campgrounds,' he said. 'It is absolutely critical ... if you are between Innisfail right down to the Sunshine Coast and southeast Queensland that you stay connected.' In the days since Roger Rogerson's death the rogue cop has been described as a psychopath, a serial killer with a badge and Australia's most corrupt policeman. Commentators have suggested Rogerson was responsible for a frighteningly large number of Sydney's 1980s criminals being murdered or going permanently missing. All seem to agree Rogerson made hitman Chris Flannery disappear - either ordering his execution or doing the job himself - as if there has been no doubt about his fate for the past 39 years. That has angered Sydney identity Tom Domican, who was charged and cleared of murdering Flannery - nicknamed Mr Rent-a-Kill - having always maintained his innocence. Domican was also convicted of Flannery's attempted murder and served about five-and-a-half years in jail before a successful High Court appeal. In the days since Roger Rogerson's death the rogue cop has been described as a psychopath, a serial killer with a badge and Australia's most corrupt policeman. Among the underworld figures he has been accused of killing is hitman Christopher Dale Flannery The now 80-year-old has watched news reports with growing frustration that he was ever linked to Flannery's death, if the real killer's identity was always so clear. 'I'm watching all the bull***t artists saying, "We knew Roger murdered Flannery",' Domican told Daily Mail Australia. 'They're all saying, 'We knew years and years and years ago". Well, when I got charged with his murder why didn't they come out and say, "Hang on, Roger's f***ing done it"?' Rogerson died in Randwick's Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday after suffering a brain aneurysm on Thursday night at Long Bay jail aged 83. He had been serving life for the 2014 murder of drug dealer Jamie Gao, who was killed in an inept drug rip-off committed by Rogerson with fellow former detective Glen McNamara. In his earlier career as a decorated detective, Rogerson had shot dead drug dealer Warren Lanfranchi in 1981 in what has been described as a cold-blooded killing. He was present when two other crooks were shot dead by police and has been connected to the 1986 murder of Lanfranchi's girlfriend Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, as well as the 1981 disappearance of their friend Lyn Woodward. Claims by commentators they knew Roger Rogerson killed Chris Flannery in 1985 have angered Sydney identity Tom Domican, who was charged and cleared of having murdered Flannery, having always maintained his innocence. Domican is pictured in the 1980s Gangster Neddy Smith was tried and acquitted of Huckstepp's murder, no one has been charged in relation to Woodward's presumed death, and only Domican was ever formally accused of killing Flannery. During their trial for Gao's murder, McNamara claimed Rogerson had confessed to killing Flannery and told him: 'He had to go.' 'I was his only friend,' Rogerson allegedly said. 'It was easy. I met with him and put two in his chest, then we put him on a boat, went out three miles off Sydney Heads.' Domican has long denied ever playing any part in the bloodbath that occurred amid and across Sydney's organised crime networks in the mid-1980s. 'I'm just sick and tired of all the bulls**t,' he previously told Daily Mail Australia. 'It not only hurts me, it hurts my wife and my family.' Domican objects to his brief portrayal in the award-winning television series Blue Murder which dramatised the exploits of figures such as Rogerson, Smith and Flannery. He says he never even met Rogerson until the coronial inquest into Flannery's 1985 disappearance, which ran from October 1993 to June 1997. Chris Flannery was last seen alive on May 9, 1985 after leaving the Connaught apartment building in Sydney's central business district. Roger Rogerson allegedly confessed to killing the hitman because he was out of control but had other motives for wanting him dead State Coroner Greg Glass found the key to solving Flannery's disappearance lay with Rogerson and he had likely been murdered on or about May 9, 1985, the last time he was seen. That day Flannery left the Connaught apartment building in Sydney's central business district and tried to hail a cab after he could not start his Ford LTD. The father-of-two had been in hiding for months when he received a message asking him to meet 'Mercedes', the gambling boss George Freeman. Since relocating from Melbourne, Flannery had been working for Freeman, killing various criminal associates and generally running amok on the streets of Sydney. In 2004, Rogerson told the Sunday program: 'Flannery was a complete pest. The guys up here in Sydney tried to settle him down. They tried to look after him as best they could, but he was, I believe, out of control.' One of Rogerson's apparent motives for killing Flannery was the attempted murder of undercover cop Mick Drury, who in June 1984 was shot twice through the window of his Chatswood kitchen. Rogerson was present when two other crooks were shot dead by police and has been connected to the 1986 murder of Lanfranchi's girlfriend Sallie-Anne Huckstepp (above), as well as the 1981 disappearance of their friend Lyn Woodward 'His legacy is a trail of misery, pain and evil' Murdered sex worker Sallie-Anne Huckstepp's daughter Sascha has responded to Roger Rogerson's death in a scathing social media post. Rogerson shot dead Huckstepp's boyfriend Warren Lanfranchi in 1981, claiming he fired in self-defence. Huckstepp accused Rogerson of killing Lanfranchi in cold blood and her body was found floating in a Centennial Park pond in 1986. 'If only everyone had paid attention and believed her in 1981, her courage and warning is her legacy,' Sascha wrote of her mother on Facebook. 'His legacy is a trail of misery, pain and pure evil,' she said of Rogerson. Advertisement Drury survived and told police he had recently refused a bribe from Rogerson on behalf of Melbourne drug dealer Alan Williams to change his evidence against Williams, who was charged with supplying heroin. Williams claimed he had then colluded with Rogerson and Flannery to have the latter shoot Drury. Rogerson was charged with attempting to bribe and conspiring to murder Drury but was eventually cleared. In January 1985, seven months after Drury's attempted murder, someone fired 30 rounds from an Armalite assault rifle at Flannery while he stood outside his Arncliffe home with his family. Domican's problems with Rogerson started a month later with the detective filing a colourful report about what was allegedly going on in the Sydney underworld, which was about to explode in a spate of killings. Rogerson, who was suspended from duty while the Drury shooting was being investigated, claimed an informant had told him Domican was part of a gang with 'delusions of grandeur'. Domican, drug-dealing publican Barry McCann, karate champ Joe Meissner and 'old hard head' Billy Stevens were supposedly planning to usurp Freeman and Lennie McPherson so they could take over Sydney's crime scene. 'Their idea is to get rid of Flannery, whom they fear and then it will not take much effort to eliminate Freeman and then McPherson,' Rogerson wrote. 'Both McPherson and Freeman are aware of what is being planned for them but are showing no signs of concern.' Rogerson added a personal touch to his assessment of Domican, a former garbage collector who was then best known as a onetime numbers man for the Labor Party's inner-city machine. 'Domican is Irish and quite mad,' he wrote. 'Is super fit and feels no pain. Has openly skited of quietening witnesses.' Domican objects to his portrayal in the 1995 television drama series Blue Murder. Pictured left to right are Gary Sweet playing Chris Flannery, Peter Phelps as Graham 'Abo' Henry, Richard Roxburgh as Rogerson and Tony Martin as Neddy Smith Domican says he had never met Rogerson until the coronial inquest into Flannery's 1985 disappearance, which ran from October 1993 to June 1997. Flannery is pictured with a noose around his neck McPherson and Freeman might not have been concerned about this supposed danger but Domican had now been named as a threat to Flannery's existence. In October 1986, 18 months after Flannery's disappearance, Domican was charged with his attempted murder. He was charged with Flannery's murder in February the next year. The murder charge was dismissed at committal in August 1987 but Domican was found guilty of attempted murder in September 1988 and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The High Court overturned Domican's murder conviction in 1992 by which time Domican had been charged with five conspiracies to murder while he was in custody. He was accused of conspiring to murder drug dealer Mick Sayers in 1983-1985 and prison officer Ron Woodham, who went on to become Corrective Services commissioner, in 1987-1988. Domican said of Rogerson the detective, 'He'd set you up, blow your head off, do whatever', but he had always known where he stood with him. He is pictured outside the Federal Court in 2019 Rogerson died in Randwick's Prince of Wales Hospital on Sunday after suffering a brain aneurysm on Thursday night at Long Bay jail aged 83 He was also charged with having conspired in 1985 to murder Flannery's widow Kath and Bill Vandenberg, the hitman millionaire hotelier Andrew Kalajzich's hired to kill his wife Megan, as well as policeman turned prisoner Max Gudgeon (both 1986). Those prosecutions, which eventually all failed, relied on the word of discredited prison informers and the Independent Commission Against Corruption later issued a scathing report about using such witnesses in criminal proceedings. George Freeman (1990), Lennie McPherson (1996), Neddy Smith (2021), and Joe Meissner (2022) all died of natural causes. Mick Sayers was murdered in 1985, Barry McCann in 1987, and Bill Vandeburg hanged himself in prison the next year. In the 1990s, Rogerson's sometime partner-in crime Smith, who died in Long Bay prison, would be convicted of the 1983 murder of brothel-keeper Harvey Jones. Smith would also be cleared of murdering drug dealers Lewton Shu (1983) Danny Chubb (1984), Barrys McCann and Croft (1987) and Bruce Sandery (1988), all of whom were known to Rogerson. Domican, who has never been charged with a drug offence, still resents Rogerson naming him in his 'three-page script' about the looming 1980s 'gang war'. When the opportunity arose, Domican took the chance to square-up with the retired copper and remind him they had never been on the same side. Rogerson had started a scaffolding business after a stint in prison and when that failed, came seeking help from Domican, who had been involved in the construction industry. 'I'm the only one that refused to help him,' Domican remembered. 'I said, "You wrote that three-page script full of s*** and you made my name prominent in the underworld and I was never a member. Now go get yourself f***ed".' Domican said of Rogerson the detective, 'He'd set you up, blow your head off, do whatever', but he had always known where he stood with the man. 'I never criticise the dead,' Domican said. 'There were worse in the police force than Roger Rogerson. There was a lot worse than him.' Most of Domican's anger was reserved for media figures, former police officers and other 'armchair critics' accusing Rogerson of more crimes now that he's dead. 'Simple question, and I keep repeating it: were you too scared of the man?,' Domican said. 'It seems that way, or else you're all bulls***ting.' As for what happened to Flannery, Domican had no doubt his disappearance was organised by Rogerson and he would one day reveal 'why Chris had to go'. 'I know who did it, exactly what happened, how it happened and why it happened,' he said. 'But I'm not going to say. It's in my book.' EXCLUSIVE A young man fighting for life after a horror car crash had only just been released from hospital after spending weeks in a coma due to another motor vehicle accident which left him blind in one eye. Callum Ticulin, 23, and Hayden Sheldrick, 23, were travelling in a red Ford Falcon along Bardon Road in Logan Central, south of Brisbane, about 11pm on Sunday when they collided head-on with a white Toyota HiAce van. The two men, another 21-year-old man in their car, as well as the 35-year-old female driver of the van and her 63-year-old male passenger all suffered critical injuries. Two people were placed in induced comas at the scene, with all five people rushed to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Daily Mail Australia can reveal Mr Ticulin was in a car accident in late November after his vehicle slammed into the back of a truck, sending its tray smashing through his front windscreen. Callum Ticulin (pictured) is one of five people fighting for life after a horror car crash on Sunday night His friend Hayden Sheldrick (pictured) is also among those critically injured A red Ford Falcon collided with a white Toyota HiAce van travelling in the opposite direction on Bardon Road in Logan Central at about 11pm on Sunday (pictured is the scene) He suffered a shattered skull, broken nose, leg injuries requiring skin grafts, permanent blindness in one eye and spent four weeks in a coma in the intensive care unit. While he was fighting for life, his father also tragically died and he was unable to attend the funeral. After waking from his coma just days before Christmas, Mr Ticulin spent several more weeks in a hospital rehabilitation unit before being released earlier this month. He was also still awaiting further surgeries for his injuries, including a facial reconstruction, for which his mother set up a GoFundMe campaign in November. Just three weeks ago, from his hospital bed, Mr Ticulin issued a warning urging others to take care on roads. 'I'm awake, I'm alive,' he said. 'I'm blind in one eye. I'm slowly getting better. I can't reply to all of your [messages] as there's hundreds . 'But I'll say one thing: don't drink and drive.' Mr Ticulin (pictured) had only just been released from hospital in recent weeks He spent weeks fighting for life with multiple injuries, including a fractured skull and a blood clot which required doctors to remove his left eye His car is pictured during the accident in November It remains unclear who was driving the Ford at the time of the crash, but photos online show Mr Sheldrick is the owner of a red Ford Falcon. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting any wrongdoing on the part of Mr Sheldrick or Mr Ticulin. Mr Ticulin's devastated mother Nicole Tishler said her son was a passenger in the car at the time of the crash. She said her son was in an induced coma and had two full days of surgery ahead of him after suffering many broken bones and gashes requiring 'hundreds' of stitches. 'He is still not recovered from his last accident and was still waiting on surgery for his eye,' she wrote on Facebook. Ms Tishler also said Mr Sheldrick, who is 'like a son' to her, was fighting for life too. 'WTF is going on. My Babie [sic] has been through enough,' she added. 'I just can't believe this.' While police are still working to determine the cause of the crash, initial investigations suggest the Ford was travelling north and the Toyota south when they collided. Anyone with information or vision of the crash, or the moments leading up to it, are urged to contact police. A Russian man has been sanctioned by the government for his role in a data breach which compromised the personal details of more than 10million Australians. Aleksandr Ermakov has been named by the federal government as the person responsible for the massive Medibank hack in October 2022 that affected at least 9.7million customers. Information including names, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers was compromised, some of which was published on the dark web. But a joint operation conducted by the Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Federal Police with other agencies and international partners was able to link Ermakov, a known cybercriminal, for his role in the cyber attack. Aleksandr Ermakov has been named by the federal government as the person responsible for the massive Medibank hack in October 2022 that affected at least 9.7 million customers The Australian government responded on Tuesday, using cyber sanction powers for the first time on Ermakov. This means it will be a criminal offence to provide assets, overhaul, or use or deal with Ermakov's assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments - any breaches will be punishable with up to 10 years in prison. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil called the cybercriminals 'cowards and scumbags who hide behind technology'. 'This is a very important day for cyber security in our country,' she told reporters in Canberra. 'It has helped us understand the enormous cost is a problem ... and showed us something about the calibre of people we are dealing with. Customer information including names, dates of birth, addresses and phone numbers was compromised, some of which was published on the dark web There are a number of Russian cyber gangs at the heart of the threats Australians face, according to the government. The sanctions imposed are part of Australia's efforts to debilitate these organisations. Many of them are dynamic and work in clusters, Australian Cyber Security Head Abigail Bradshaw said, so naming and identifying cybercriminals will hurt their efforts. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the sanctions sent a message. 'There are costs and consequences for targeting Australia and targeting Australians,' she said. 'The sanctions are part of Australia's efforts to ensure that we uphold the international rules-based order. Keir Starmer was accused of 'relentlessly politicising' British life yesterday, as he pledged to defend organisations that go woke. The Labour leader said the Government was engaging in a 'kind of weird McCarthyism' by trying to root out 'woke agendas' at major institutions. Sir Keir claimed it was now Labour that was on the side of groups such as the National Trust, which has been criticised by some Conservatives for re-writing history and playing up links between Sir Winston Churchill's former home and the slave trade. But Tory MPs yesterday said it was Labour that was waging a 'culture war' on British traditions. And hours later, a member of Sir Keir's Shadow Cabinet appeared to underline their warning when she endorsed the teaching of controversial 'white privilege' theories to children. The Labour leader said the Government was engaging in a 'kind of weird McCarthyism' by trying to root out 'woke agendas' at major institutions One government source described Sir Keir's intervention as 'absolutely absurd', adding: 'This is a guy who takes the knee, who can't say what a woman is and whose frontbenchers want to import racial policies like teaching white privilege from the United States.' Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group of Conservative MPs, said Sir Keir was right to identify woke issues as a key political dividing line but said Labour was on the wrong side of it. He added: 'If Keir Starmer wants to fight a culture war, I say bring it on. We are proud of Britain's history we are not embarrassed by Winston Churchill and Nelson. 'On our side we know Britain abolished the slave trade, we know what a woman is and we are not going to give in to demands to teach ludicrous notions of white privilege to children. 'We did not start this war on our history and our values but we are ready to defend those traditional values and the truth actually.' Former Labour MP Simon Danczuk accused Sir Keir of trying to 'normalise the woke agenda'. 'The truth is Keir is Captain Woke, that's the reality of it' he said. 'He takes the knee for Black Lives Matter, he struggles to define a woman, he's usually on the side of the illegal immigrant rather than the British citizen. So he's trying to normalise this whole agenda.' He added: 'Trust me, as night follows day, if we have a Labour government with Keir Starmer in Downing Street, he will be promoting that sort of agenda that is the nature of his politics, which is North London Labour elite. That's a key part of their agenda.' So-called critical race theory teaches that white people enjoy innate advantages in society because of the colour of their skin. Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has said it should not be taught in schools. But Labour's culture spokesman Thangam Debbonaire yesterday said encouraging pupils to be questioning 'is a good idea'. Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has said critical race theory should not be taught in schools But Labour's culture spokesman Thangam Debbonaire yesterday said encouraging pupils to be questioning 'is a good idea' Asked whether Labour supports organisations which encourage children to learn about white privilege, she told BBC Radio Four's World at One show: 'We need education that allows children the opportunity to question, to ask difficult questions sometimes of our nation's history. 'That's a strong country that's able to look at itself and its history and say, 'Are there things we could have done differently? Are there things we regret? Are there even things that we're sorry about? But also are there things we can learn so that we make a stronger, better country for the future?' Ms Debbonaire said 'questioning our symbols' and thinking about what they mean 'doesn't mean that you're undermining them, it means that you're looking at them and thinking how can I appreciate these symbols and what their meaning is?' Sir Keir yesterday promised a 'reset' on relations with the charity sector, and suggested that Labour would not stand in the way of organisations that want to go woke. He claimed the Government had become 'tangled up in culture wars of their own making' during clashes with organisations such as the National Trust and RNLI. He added at the Civil Society Summit in London: 'Instead of working with the National Trust so more people can learn about and celebrate our culture and our history, they've managed to demean their work. 'In its desperation to cling on to power at all costs, the Tory party is undertaking a kind of weird McCarthyism, trying to find woke agendas in the very civic institutions they once regarded with respect... waging a war on the proud spirit of service in this country isn't leadership. It is desperate, it is divisive, it is damaging.' Rishi Sunak said the comments were 'a distraction from the fact that Keir Starmer, who has been Leader of the Opposition for four years, can't actually say what he would do differently to run this country'. Tory MP Bob Seely accused Labour of 'relentlessly politicising a lot of areas of our life'. Mr Seely said Sir Keir's speech 'reminds me [of] that old KGB tactic to accuse your opponents of the thing that you're doing yourselves'. The Google engineer charged with murder last week admitted to beating his wife to death with his fist in their $2million Santa Clara home, court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com reveal. Police noticed that suspect Liren Chens right hand was extremely swollen and purple and that he had blood on his clothing, legs, arms and hands, records reveal. When fire department personnel asked the 27-year-old how he hurt his hand, he replied, I punched my wife, and told them it happened the prior day, records state. A friend of Chen told police hed seen Chen with his wife Xuanyi Yu that prior night, when he joined them for dinner at their house, and that Chen was oddly quiet and staring blankly for much of the evening. The friend told police that he was concerned about this noticeable change in Chens demeanor, the report states. Liren Chen, the Google engineer charged with murder last week admitted to beating his wife to death with his fist in their $2million Santa Clara home, court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com reveal. A friend of Chen told police hed seen Chen with his wife Xuanyi Yu that prior night, when he joined them for dinner at their $2million Santa Clara house (pictured), and that Chen was oddly quiet and staring blankly for much of the evening. The friend returned to the house in Santa Clara the next day, January 16, to check on him. He walked around back and saw Chen through a rear window motionless on his knees with his hands in the air, staring blankly, according to the statement of facts filed by police and obtained by DailyMail.com. Unable to get Chen to respond, the friend called 911. Officers saw Chen through the window with blood on his jacket and socks. He remained unresponsive, prompting them to force their way inside. They took Chen into custody, and found his wife, a fellow Google engineer, lying on the floor in a bedroom directly behind him. According to police, she had severe blunt force injuries to her head. There was also blood spatter on the ground and the back of the door. Besides the extreme bruising and blood on his right hand and body, police noticed that Chens sandals, found in the hallway, were also splattered with blood. When fire department personnel asked the 27-year-old how he hurt his hand, he replied, I punched my wife, and told them it happened yesterday, records state. No weapon was found, but the detective who wrote the report stated that Chen apparently used his bare hands to kill her, striking her in the head repeatedly. His wife, Xuanyi Yu, worked at Google as a software engineer, was found dead with blunt force trauma to her head Flowers were left at the door of Chen and Yu's Santa Clara home in Yu's wake Chen, who was initially taken to a hospital, remains in custody pending an arraignment on Wednesday. He and Yu bought their home at 714 Valley Way in April last spring for $2.05 million, according to property records. The two-story house, freshly painted with a well-groomed lawn and bushes, is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood in the Silicon Valley. A silver BMW SUV was parked Monday in the driveway of the now shuttered house, which had been crawling with crime scene investigators last Tuesday when they arrived in the morning and stayed into the night. Thats my bedroom window right there, next door neighbor Jenny Powell, 43, told DailyMail.com. Im shocked. All this was happening and I had no idea. Powell said Chen and his wife had been living there just since last April with a cat named Cooper and seemed friendly, bringing her cookies and a card when they moved in. But the couple mostly kept to themselves. Powells son, upon hearing about the homicide, told his mom, You mean the shut-ins next door? They werent here long and they didnt interact with a lot of people, Powell said. Jenny Powell, a neighbor, said Chen and his wife had been living there just since last April with a cat named Cooper and seemed friendly, bringing her cookies and a card when they moved in The couple both worked for Google as software engineers in California She described the bizarre scene of having a dozen police cars flooding her block and a CSI truck parked out front of her house for the entire day. Another neighbor, Sylivia Atondo, told DailyMail.com that shed seen the couple just a few times walking down the block. They seemed friendly when we saw them, nothing out of the ordinary, she said. She said her neighborhood is close-knit and gossipy, so if there was any argument involving neighbors, people around here would talk about it. But there was nothing. Thats why neighbors are completely shocked. Google spokesperson Bailey Tomson told The New York Post in a statement: 'We are shocked and deeply saddened by what has happened to Xuanyi. 'Our thoughts are with her family at this time, and we will work to provide support to them and to co-workers who are processing this tragic news.' According to his Linkedin, Chen worked on the YouTube shorts algorithm for Google, while Yu's page says she was a software engineer. Both of them studied in China at Tsinghua University and at the University of California San Diego. Chen and Yu bought their home at 714 Valley Way in April last spring for $2.05 million, according to property records The two-story house, freshly painted with a well-groomed lawn and bushes, is situated in a quiet residential neighborhood in the Silicon Valley District Attorney Jeff Rosen said 911 calls for domestic violence have risen. He added: 'Domestic violence deaths have been falling in our county but that does not measure the depth and destructiveness of the violence. 'Anyone who feels that they or someone else is being abused by their partners, please reach out your local law enforcement agency. You are not alone. We can help.' To most Britons, beef is what you have for Sunday lunch and bare is what you are when you take your clothes off. But for many members of Generation Z (those born in the late 1990s and early 2000s), these words mean something else entirely. This week, a survey of English teachers showed that foreign students are trying to get to grips with dozens of slang terms they have seen on TV, social media and elsewhere. The most queried slang terms are 'beef' (an argument), NPC (short for non-playable character and meaning a boring person) and 'pop-off' (go crazy), the survey of academics found. But do people living in Britain know what the terms - including Oxford Dictionary Word of the Year 'rizz' - even mean? MailOnline visited the streets of London, Solihull and Sunderland to ask millennials and boomers how much Gen Z slang they really know... London On the streets of Borough Market near London Bridge, Millennials and Gen X were asked if they understand the slang terms used by their Gen Z friends and family. Kevin Kent, 53, from Canada, sells Japanese kitchen knives for a living. When asked what his knowledge of young British slang is like he said: 'I will probably be terrible at it. I have two Gen Z's at home so hopefully I have picked up something from them.' Kevin ended up doing quite well , getting 50 per cent of the words correct. He knew the terms 'beef' and 'NPC' but was stumped at 'pop off' and 'dead'. Liu, 27, is from Ukraine and said that English slang did cause some confusion when she was first learning the language. Kevin Kent, 53, from Canada , sells Japanese kitchen knives for a living. He knew the terms 'beef' and 'NPC' but was stumped at 'pop off' and 'dead' Annaliisa Asbait, 38, from Estonia, said the new slang words are 'very confusing' Liu, 27, is from Ukraine and said that English slang did cause some confusion when she was first learning the language She said: 'It is kind of confusing sometimes, but luckily for me I have spent some time with teenagers who taught me about some of this stuff. 'I don't really use Tik Tok so I don't need to use these words very often.' When asked about the words 'salty', 'drip', and 'safe' she added: 'I am really not good at this.' Annaliisa Asbait, 38, from Estonia shared the same view on how confusing new slang can be when learning English. 'I have lived in London for 14 years and before that I lived up North for a while. 'Northern slang is very different from southern slang so when I moved here, I had to start from scratch again. 'It is very confusing. It is not at all what you study in school.' Sisters Caitlin and Shauna O'Hare, ages 29 and 25 respectively, are originally from Ireland. Sisters Caitlin and Shauna O'Hare, ages 29 and 25 respectively, are originally from Ireland. Shauna said that Gen Z slang is very popular there adding: 'It is definitely really common in Ireland, especially the phrase 'no cap' I hear that a lot back home' Word of the year 'rizz' was of particular interest to James Smith, 42, when he took on the challenge. He said: 'I am always amused by the word of the year when it comes out. Rizz this year had absolutely passed me by. Shauna said that Gen Z slang is very popular there adding: 'It is definitely really common in Ireland, especially the phrase 'no cap' I hear that a lot back home.' Caitlin, who now lives in Glasgow, said: 'I hear 'bruv' a lot in Scotland that one is really popular. It is a whole new language.' Word of the year 'rizz' was of particular interest to James Smith, 42, when he took on the challenge. He said: 'I am always amused by the word of the year when it comes out. Rizz this year had absolutely passed me by. 'I know what it means now but I had to look it up I was clueless.' Within Gen Z however, these terms seem to be extremely popular. Aaron Burns, 35, was left completely clueless when asked about a list of slang while his friend Jensen Vaughan, 23, was an expert on the topic. A similar theme was seen when Clay, who would only say he was over 30, was mocked by his friend for not knowing the meaning of any of the Gen Z slang thrown his way. Aaron Burns (left), 35, was left completely clueless when asked about a list of slang while his friend Jensen Vaughan, 23, was an expert on the topic Clay, who would only say he was over 30, was mocked by his friend for not knowing the meaning of any of the Gen Z slang thrown his way Sunderland For people in the North East, the terms beef, as well as 'buff,' meaning strong, were the easiest to get right. When quizzed with the list, primary education student Maddie Thomson was able to correctly identity almost all of them. Afterwards, the 24-year-old said: 'A few of these terms I would maybe expect to be associated with down south. 'Whereas I'm not sure people in the North East will be as familiar with some of them. 'I know quite a few of those words through social media. 'Some do get used by people up here but I some of them I only know through social media sites. For people in the North East, the terms beef, as well as 'buff,' meaning strong, were the easiest to get right. When quizzed with the list, primary education student Maddie Thomson was able to correctly identity almost all of them 'It doesn't really surprise me that foreign students are wanting to learn them though. 'There are so many people in this country who use these types of words that I think it would help them understand our language more. 'I think it could help them socialise and help them feel like they fit in better.' Chris Copeland volunteers at Sunderland University and sometimes mixes with foreign pupils. However, he admitted he hasn't yet heard many of the students use any of the top 20 words. The 36-year-old was able to identify over half on the list. Chris Copeland volunteers at Sunderland University and sometimes mixes with foreign pupils. However, he admitted he hasn't yet heard many of the students use any of the top 20 words However, he thought drip was a term for an unpopular person and pop-off meant to shoot someone. He said: 'I think that someone very popular has made these words and they have caught on. 'Everyone has started saying these new words and if anyone dares use the old word they used to be, then they get looked down upon. 'It's like wildfire. Once people hear a certain type of slang they start to use it as a respect thing.' Chris added: 'I don't use many of those words on the list. 'Quite a few of them are words used to describe people so I might think they're a 'drip' but I wouldn't necessarily say it out loud. 'A lot of slang are used as insults. 'But we use different words to people down in London so if a foreign student used a slang term up here it could have a different meaning.' Retired coal miner Eddie Crockhill knew very few of the terms. The 82-year-old from nearby Seaham said: 'I am totally bewildered with the term NPC. I have never heard of the word peng before either. 'I think fam would mean some sort of family gathering, and salty would associate with the seaside.' Eddie added: 'It doesn't surprise me about all the different slang words. 'They've changed so much from when I was younger - it is beyond recognition.' Retired coal miner Eddie Crockhill admittedly knew very few of the terms. The 82-year-old from nearby Seaham said: 'I am totally bewildered with the term NPC. I have never heard of the word peng before either' Georgina Blakey lives in Sunderland with her partner but is originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The 25-year-old nurse got most terms correct but also thought drip was a negative and had never heard of the phrase pop-off. She said afterwards: 'I am familiar with a few of those but some of them took me by surprise. 'I don't use them often but I have definitely heard them used. 'It surprises me slightly that foreign students are keen to learn them. Georgina Blakey lives in Sunderland with her partner but is originally from Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The 25-year-old nurse got most terms correct but also thought drip was a negative and had never heard of the phrase pop-off 'At the same time if I was studying somewhere else I would probably ask my tutor what these words meant. 'But these aren't the English language, they're slang.' Bank administrator Luca Graham, 21, admitted he didn't know what the slang for 'bear' and 'pop-off.' However, he was more confident with words like beef and flex. He said: 'If you're from an English-speaking country then I'd say it's more than likely you'd be familiar with them.' Bank administrator Luca Graham, 21, admitted he didn't know what the slang for 'bear' and 'pop-off' Solihull, West Midlands Retiree Colin Bosworth looked dumbfounded when asked what 'rizz' means in Solihull, near Birmingham, telling our reporter he had 'no idea'. He refused to even hazard a guess, saying 'I would not have a clue, I'm afraid.' When he was read the definition - that it means someone who is good at chatting people up - the 65-year-old chuckled and joked 'that's probably why I don't know that one!' He managed to guess 'fam', meaning 'family' or 'familiar', but thought 'gassed' - meaning overcome with excitement - might mean tired. 'No cap' was met with a blank expression, with Colin suggesting 'not wearing a hat' for the phrase which roughly translates as 'telling the truth'. Retiree Colin Bosworth looked dumbfounded when asked what 'rizz' means, telling our reporter he had 'no idea' Colin admitted that he had not heard of the new phrases, but said 'it's just a method of communication that youngsters use today that I don't need to know about. 'For them, it's their own bit of identity that they can use to make themselves different.' He said of the influx of foreign students who are coming to the UK to try and learn the new words: 'It will be hard for them if they are looking to learn the traditional English language. 'It would be an extra set of vocabulary that they would have to learn I suppose.' John Walton, 78, was not far off getting the definition of 'gassed' when he said 'astonished'. John Walton, 78, was not far off getting the definition of 'gassed' when he said 'astonished' Jan, 75, and her friend Catherine, 74, said they had 'no idea' what rizz meant, guessing 'good' and 'happy' He appeared largely unimpressed with phrases like 'no cap', predicting that a lot of the slang 'won't last - you won't get them in the dictionary in 20 years' time. 'Some will, but some won't.' Jan, 75, and her friend Catherine, 74, said they had 'no idea' what rizz meant, guessing 'good' and 'happy'. They also joked 'we're past that' when they found out it was to do with being good at flirting. They thought 'salty' sounded more like it meant 'cheeky' or 'sarcastic' than 'upset', as it has widely come to mean among Generation Z. They called the words 'a waste of time' and said they would 'just stick to what we know' and 'keep Rule Britannia!' Milennial festival managers Darren and Endija faired a bit better than the Brummie Boomers who were asked Meanwhile manager Ian, 50, instantly knew what 'beef' meant, laughing about 'having a problem' with one of his pals Milennial festival managers Darren and Endija faired a bit better than the Brummie Boomers who were asked. Darren, 35, managed to get 'gassed' and 'salty', while Endija, 28, said she knew what 'no cap' meant, putting her knowledge down to TikTok and social media. But the pair called the words 'rubbish', with Endija saying: 'That's when people start to make up their own language, when they don't do it properly anymore. But Darren pointed out that it is nothing new, and that 'every generation will bring it's own new words in.' Meanwhile manager Ian, 50, instantly knew what 'beef' meant, laughing about 'having a problem' with one of his pals. But he was stumped by 'rizz' and said he would have to 'ask the kids'. New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) Coming down heavily on four police officials who had tied four men to the poles and beat them up in full public view in the Kheda District of Gujarat, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said every police officer must know what is the law laid down in DK Basu on Custodial Torture. A bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked the four police officials, who have been convicted by the Gujarat High Court for flogging, 'What authority do you have to tie people to poles and beat them up, the bench asked four police officers involved in Kheda Flogging incident. The bench was hearing the appeal filed by the four police officers A V Parmar, D B Kumavat, Laxmansinh Kanaksinh Dabhi, and Rajubhai Dabhi who have been sentenced to 14 days imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court for violating DK Basu guidelines on custodial torture. The Gujarat High Court had charged them with contempt of court after five of the Muslim men who were flogged in public view had approached the court alleging a violation of the DK Basu guidelines on custodial torture. The incident took place at Undhela village in Kheda district soon after their arrest on charges of pelting stones on a garba event. The High Court after sentencing the police officials for contempt of court, directed them to undergo 14 days imprisonment. The high court agreed to stay the execution of its order for three months to allow them to challenge its verdict. Given the statutory nature of the appeal, the Supreme Court bench though agreed to admit the case but it came down heavily on the police officers for their conduct. Justice Mehta exclaimed, "What kind of atrocities, and then you expect this court to...Tying the people to poles, beating them in public view." Appearing for the alleged errant officials, Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, informed the court that his clients were already facing criminal prosecution, departmental proceedings, as well as an inquiry by the National Human Rights Commission. But, he said that the high court did not have the jurisdiction to proceed against them in a contempt case, arguing that a 'wilful disobedience' of the court's order in DK Basu could not be made out. "So you have authority under the law? To tie people to poles and beat them, and take videos?" Justice Gavai asked. The senior Advocate said that the question was not about the culpability of the accused, but the jurisdiction of the high court. "It has to be wilful disobedience of the court's judgment. Justice Gavai asked whether he knew about the DK Basu judgment, "So, ignorance of the law is a valid defense? Every police officer must know what the law is laid down in DK Basu. As students of law, we have been hearing about DK Basu." Assailing the high court's findings that the Muslim men were kept in illegal detention for over 24 hours, Dave argued, "This finding is subject to a trial. Under contempt jurisdiction, they cannot be prosecuted for an offense. Suppose it is later discovered that they were not under illegal custody." When asked about the status of the private complaint, Senior Advocate IH Syed pointed out that although the private complaint was pending, according to the DK Basu verdict, contempt charges were independent and irrespective of departmental proceedings and criminal prosecution. The senior counsel also argued, "They are simply saying it's not wilful. Beyond that, they have no case." Dave protested. Ultimately, the bench admitted the appeal and directed the hearing to be expedited. Responding to Dave's request for an extension of the high court's stay on its own order in the contempt case, Justice Gavai initially said, "Enjoy the custody. You will be a guest of your own officers. They will provide you with special treatment". Eventually, the top court acceded to the request and stayed the contempt proceedings going on before the high court. The matter pertains to an event that occurred on October 3, 2022, during a garba event in Gujarat's Kheda district. Video clips showing police officers flogging individuals accused of disrupting the event emerged. The victims, belonging to the minority community, filed a contempt petition in the Gujarat High Court against 13 police personnel, alleging flogging and illegal detention. They invoked the Supreme Court's guidelines outlined in the DK Basu v State of West Bengal on custodial torture and sought compensation for the violation of their rights. Following an inquiry report from a magistrate in Nadiad, the Gujarat High Court initiated contempt proceedings against the four police officials which led to their conviction on October 19, 2023. The high court sentenced them to undergo simple imprisonment of 14 days and imposed a fine of Rs 2000 on each one. The police officers then approached the Supreme Court to stay their sentence. UNI SNG SSP An estate agency has caused anger among some Australians after a sign was put out the front of a rental property stating the home had been leased for 'a record price'. The sign was proudly displayed recently outside the home at Coburg in Melbourne's north by an agent for real estate firm Barry Plant. It advised passers-by the rental property had been snapped up 'for a record price in Coburg'. A picture of the sign was uploaded to Reddit where it quickly drew the ire of many people, including the person who posted it, blasting the message the sign was sending to millions of Aussie renters struggling to buy a home during the cost of living crisis. Aussies have been left fuming after a sign was put up outside a property proudly displaying the home was leased for a record price (pictured) 'Is this something to be proud of in a housing crisis?' the user captioned the post. Hundreds of angry users flooded the post with comments saying the sign was insensitive. 'Who would be so proud of how much you just [f***ed] someone over that you wanted to put a huge sign out the front celebrating it?' one user wrote. 'Soon they'll be auctioning off rentals so we can all spectate on a Sunday morning and be amazed at how high the prices go,' another said. 'Holy hell we are living in a distopia (sic).' Others said the agent was just doing his job by finding the best price for the property. 'Typical tenant behavior whinging and crying, what do they expect an agent to do? His job is to deliver good results for his Landlords...' one user wrote. 'Realo's [real estate agents] don't work for you [renter], they work for the owner/landlord,' another said. The agent, who didn't wished to be named, told Daily Mail Australia the sign was not intended to offend anyone. 'We're hired as agents to get them [homeowners] exceptional results for their property,' he said. Hundreds of Aussies slammed the sign (pictured) and said it was insensitive to renters struggling to afford a home Others said the agent was doing his job by getting the right price for the home (pictured, prospective tenants queueing up outside of a property inspection) Lisa Pennell, CEO of Barry Plant, told Daily Mail Australia the sign had been removed and said the agency did not intend to upset renters. Ms Pennell said the company fielded many offers from prospective tenants that were above the advertised price. 'That wasn't [done] through us seeking a higher price,' Ms Pennell said. 'We didn't accept the top offer, we accepted the best tenant who was very happy to pay above the advertised price.' Ms Pennell declined to reveal how much the property was leased for but said the property was a high-end dwelling that renters who are struggling to purchase a home would not consider buying. According to the latest figures from real estate tracker Domain, the median price of a two-bedroom apartment in Coburg is $502,000 while the median price for a three-bedroom unit is $730,000. The median price of rent for homes in Melbourne for the December quarter held steady at $550 while there was also no change in the median price of units at $520. The family of a father who was swept out to sea while rescuing six children said his death has shaken them to their 'core'. Dan Cojocea, 43, was lost at sea on Friday afternoon after bravely diving into a rip to rescue the children off Mary Ellis Wreck Beach, near Port Lincoln. Two of Mr Cojocea's children and his wife of 18-years, Alina, watched in horror from the shore as Mr Cojocea was dragged out to sea by the current. His body was found four days later on Monday. 'Our hearts are broken with devastation over the loss of a wonderful husband, son, father and brother,' the Cojocea family told 7News on Tuesday. Dan Cojocea (above) was swept out to sea on Friday while trying to rescue six children from a rip on Mary Ellis Beach, near Port Lincoln Mr Cojocea's heartbroken family (above) said the discovery of the 43-year-old's body on Monday has 'shaken our family to its core' 'Although this tragedy has shaken our family to its core, we are forever grateful for the support and prayers from loved ones and the wider community, particularly those who have been on the ground searching tirelessly with the SES. 'Dan was loved by all who knew him, bringing joy, laughter and encouragement wherever he went.' 'A man who loved his family more than anything in the world. He will forever be remembered as a hero and a man of faith. 'Thank you for everyone's messages of love and support as we attempt to walk through this tragedy.' It's understood Mr Cojocea was holidaying with his four children, his wife and the family of his best mate, Riaan Grobler. He was swimming with six children when they were caught in a strong rip current. Mr Cojocea managed to save all the children from drowning and four of the group were treated in hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, including hypothermia. A four-day aerial, ground and ocean search (above) began on Friday afternoon but Mr Cojocea's body was found by his relatives washed up on the shore on Monday morning Two of those children were Mr Cojocea's sons, Eddie and Elijah aged between nine and 12, and Mr Grobler's daughter. 'He is an absolute hero,' Mr Grobler told the Adelaide Advertiser. 'He went in there without thinking and saved my daughter's life she told me she thought she was going to die. 'He just couldn't save himself. He's a national hero. He is my hero without a doubt.' However, Mr Cojocea was caught in large waves near the shoreline and disappeared below the surface. A four-day aerial, ground and ocean search began on Friday afternoon but could not find the father's body. He was eventually found by his relatives washed up on the shore on Monday morning. The discovery led to an outpouring of grief from friends and family online. Two of Mr Cojocea's children and wife of 18-years, Alina (pictured with Mr Cojocea), watched in horror from the shore as Mr Cojocea disappeared on Friday 'Dan Cojocea leaves behind a legacy. He was a loving husband who was as in love with his wife today as he was years ago,' one wrote. 'A helper, always happy to lend a hand. A father that was never afraid to look like a clown if it brought smiles to their faces. A good friend to many. Forgiving and loving. 'A hero! Took his last breath saving his children and his mates daughter. To think that the world is without you now Dan, is devastating.' Another said: 'My heart is heavy tonight. Always a kind and humble man, his love for his family and his generous spirit radiated out, always with his trademark smile. 'He will be missed by so many who had the pleasure of knowing him. 'Rest in peace, Cojo. May your legacy live on through your beautiful family, who will be enveloped in love by those near and far.' Many of Mr Cojocea's 13 siblings have also travelled from across Australia to be with his grieving family. Family member Lidia has started a GoFundMe to help support the 43-year-old's wife and children as they come to terms with the sudden loss. A GoFundMe to help Mr Cojocea's (above) grieving family has raised more than $61,000 from 294 donors 'To say we are heartbroken is an understatement. We cannot believe that such a beautiful, kind, funny and generous human that we call father, son, brother and uncle is no longer with us earth-side,' the post reads. 'We find comfort in knowing that we will meet again one day in heaven. 'For everyone who knew Dan will agree to say he truly was an amazing man. Taking on everyone else's burdens and making everyone feel included and loved. 'He impacted so many lives in the best way, even though he probably didn't know it. 'We are so incredibly proud of him, for the hero he is, portraying selfless love even in his final hour of life.' The fundraiser has already received more than $61,000 from 294 donors. The bulk of Sir Keir Starmer's much-heralded oration on civil society yesterday was a predictable mix of pomposity and platitudes. Straight out of the Blairite playbook, it was long on rhetoric, devoid of substance. New social contract, new vision, new focus, society of service, more caring, more compassion, blah, blah, blah. But within this flat souffle of a speech was a section highlighting what will surely be one of the key dividing lines between Labour and Conservative come the general election the culture wars. Sir Keir said this clash of ideologies was of the Tories' own making and they were intent on 'demonising' wokery. If only! Many believe they have been far too timid. Britain's institutions, seats of learning and charities are increasingly gripped by vocal minorities who trash our culture, decry our history, and seek to 'cancel' anyone who dares to challenge them. They started this war, not the Government. Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer speaking during the Labour and Civil Society Summit at St John's church in Waterloo, south London on Monday The National Trust, which Sir Keir enthusiastically backed yesterday, is one of the most prominent culprits, endlessly guilt-tripping over the slaving and colonial links of its properties and shaming the families of those who donated them. The Trust looks after some 200 historic homes and associated land supposedly 'for the nation's use and enjoyment'. In recent years it has become far more interested in sermonising about the evils of Empire. If its leaders want to go into the pulpit, they should join the Church. Identity politics and trans-extremism form another bloody battleground. While sensible people know women don't have male genitalia, Sir Keir and the liberal Left believe they can. This is not only a denial of biology but potentially dangerous if men are given access to female-only spaces such as the male rapist sent to a women's prison. Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer speaking during the Labour and Civil Society Summit When feminists express their objections, they are subjected to a storm of abuse and in some cases, hounded out of their jobs. Universities, which should be crucibles of ideas and open debate, are at the forefront of this assault on free speech. Sir Keir accuses the Tories of McCarthyism, yet it is the woke activists who are the real witch-hunters. The cancellers and bullies have had it their own way long enough. While Sir Keir has made it plain he is on their side, Rishi Sunak must emphatically show he isn't. He must be bold, and unequivocal in honouring our history (warts and all) and defending free expression. Voters will thank him for it. Tax on good parents Labour's class warriors love to characterise private school parents as belonging to the wealthy echelons of society. In fact, many are on relatively modest salaries but choose to scrimp and save to give their children the best education they can. Tony Perry is an admirable example, spending a quarter of his 60,000 income to send his dyslexic son to private school. However, if Sir Keir Starmer wins the election and carries out his threat to impose VAT on fees, Mr Perry may not be able to keep him there. He and other parents launched a campaign yesterday to persuade Sir Keir to reconsider. Grammar school-educated himself, if he has any sense of fairness, the Labour leader will listen to their pleas. The promise of 15 hours weekly free childcare for all two-year-olds, rising next year to 30 hours for all children from the age of nine months proved hugely popular. Yet almost a year on, the scheme is apparently in chaos because of funding delays, staff shortages and IT problems. If the Government can't deliver, it will give working parents one more reason not to vote Tory. The list grows ever longer. The wife of a NSW frontbencher who works as a teacher has been reprimanded by the education department for her pro-Palestine activism at a public school. Sky News Australia host Sharri Markson reported Erin Dib, whose husband is NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib, told a Teachers 4 Palestine online group meeting on Friday she was spoken to three times in one week over her activism. Mr Dib is the former Shadow Education Minister and was principal of Punchbowl High School from 2007 to 2014 before he took office at the 2015 state election. The Education Department said a teacher at the publicly-funded Burwood Girls High School in Sydney was 'counselled' last year about communications on the conflict in the Middle East while on the job. Ms Dib is reportedly part of a small group of teachers plotting a protest outside the offices of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Premier Chris Minns or Education Minister Jason Clare on Friday. Teacher Erin Dib, the wife of NSW Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib, claims she was disciplined by the education department over her pro-Palestine activism in school There has been a surge of political activism in many countries, including Australia, regarding Palestine following terror attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel on October 7 and the Israeli government's subsequent retaliation. An Education Department spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Teachers are expected to be politically neutral during class, on school grounds or anytime they identify themselves as a NSW public school teacher. 'We provide clear guidance around this for all our employees in our Code of Conduct.' It is understood the principal of Burwood Girls High School has apologised to parents, students and staff over the unsanctioned political activism. The education department is also offering students who may be affected by the conflict support in the form of counselling services. The Teachers 4 Palestine NSW Instagram page includes posts encouraging teachers to wear traditional Palestinian Keffeiyahs into the classroom to show their support. Mr Dib has previously voiced his support for Palestinians who predominately occupy the contested territories of Gaza and the West Bank Other posts encourage teachers to attend protests calling on Labor to voice support for Palestine and encouraging 'block the boat' protests aimed at disrupting Israeli shipping out of Port Botany. The group has also made t-shirts and an informational booklet instructing teachers and school staff how to be politically active on the conflict. The group's Facebook page has also posted an event for January 26 at Sydney's Belmore Park. 'Join Teachers & School Staff for Palestine as part of the Palestine contingent at the Invasion Day Rally, 2024. We will have placards, and our t-shirts available on the day.' Jewish passenger said she felt 'intimidated' during the flight More complaints have been made about airline staffers wearing Palestinian flag lapel pins after a number of Qantas workers were accused of intimidating passengers by wearing the symbol last month. In the latest incident, a a 64-year-old Jewish woman who was returning to Melbourne from Coolangatta with her daughter-in-law and grandchildren on flight VA738 said she felt 'intimidated' and hid her Star of David bracelet after spotting a male flight attendant wearing a Palestine flag pin. But after investigating the woman's formal complaint, Virgin Australia confirmed that the employee was wearing a United Arab Emirates flag, not a Palestinian one, as the employee could speak Arabic. In another case, the Australian Jewish Association posted a picture of what it claimed was a Qantas worker wearing the Palestinian flag pin at a baggage gate. A Virgin airlines employee is under investigation after a 64-year-old Jewish woman from Melbourne formally complained about him wearing a Palestinian flag pin during her flight Another airline staffer, this time from Qantas, was posted in Instagram by the Australian Jewish Association after being spotted in an airport also wearing a Palestinian flag pin. Qantas confirmed the photo was taken at Dallas Fort Worth Airport in the United States where the person pictured is employed by a third party ground service provider Qantas confirmed to Daily Mail Australia that the photo was taken at Dallas Fort Worth Airport in the United States where the person pictured is employed by a third party ground service provider. Qantas had earlier introduced a 'zero-tolerance' approach to the wearing of unauthorised pins by staff. 'This has been escalated to the Ground Services Provider who will be reminding the employee of our policy,' Qantas said in a statement. The Melbourne woman involved in the Virgin incident said she felt 'intimidated' because of high tensions stemming from the Israel-Hamas conflict and asked the airline that 'at a time of high political conflict, I requested they consider advising staff that the wearing of political symbols on flights is not permitted,' she said. READ MORE: Activist crashes Aus Open A masked protester disrupted a match at the Australian Open on Monday by throwing 'Free Palestine' leaflets onto the court. Advertisement 'On a holiday flight with my daughter-in-law and grandsons, this was not what I was expecting (and) I felt intimidated.' She said that she chose to hide her bracelet to avoid being ostracised or getting 'drawn into some kind of conversation with the male crew member'. Once the plane had landed she immediately filed a complaint against the employee anonymously because she feared retribution. Virgin Australia has since called off the investigation after discovering the employee was wearing a UAE lapel, whose flag is similar to Palestine's. The airline reiterated that employees are only allowed to wear pins issued by the airline which indicate whether an attendant can speak a language other than English - as was the case with the Melbourne woman's complaint. 'Virgin Australia can confirm that crew members were not wearing unauthorised flag pins on their uniform on VA738 on 21 January 2024,' a spokesperson said. 'One crew member on the flight speaks multiple languages, including Arabic. That crew member was wearing their Virgin Australian approved flag pin from the United Arab of Emirates, along with the French flag.' In its Instagram post picturing the third-party Qantas worker, the Australian Jewish Association asked the airline 'what's the point of bringing in a policy that you don't enforce'. 'AJA has been contacted by concerned passengers with multiple reports of activist flight attendants wearing political pins,' it wrote. 'This may be intended as a challenge to management, but it is intimidating Jewish passengers. 'There is a long history of Palestinian Arab airplane hijackings and they were once a common occurrence.' Airline workers have been seen on numerous occasions recently wearing Palestinian flag pins, which Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich claims 'weaponises' the companies they work for Earlier Qantas reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on unauthorised badges. 'We understand there are strong and opposing views on the current conflict, but there is no room for these to be expressed by our employees in the workplace,' the statement read. 'Our priority is creating a safe and respectful environment for our customers and all our people. 'Unauthorised badges cant be worn by employees and weve reinforced this to the crew member involved, along with the seriousness of this particular matter. We have also reminded all employees of this policy.' Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich told Daily Mail Australia that Qantas must 'not only walk the walk, it must talk the talk and reinforce its own policies'. 'Clearly, Qantas management needs to revisit this issue and make it absolutely clear that if this unacceptable behaviour recurs, serious disciplinary action will be taken,' he said. The latest sightings of Palestinian pins on airline staff comes after Emma Ale and other cabin crew members wore the pins on a December 20 flight from Melbourne to Hobart. A photo of Ms Ale wearing one was taken by a passenger and quickly began circulating on social media, forcing Qantas to respond. Since being identified the stewardess contacted Palestinian Christians in Australia to ask for 'all the help' to 'fight against the person who reported me to the media'. 'I am praying you view this! I am a flight attendant who works for Qantas and a strong advocate for Free Palestine,' she wrote in a Facebook message to the group. Qantas is understood to have spoken to Ms Ale after the photos began circulating online. The airline confirmed its staff members are also only permitted to wear flag badges if they speak the national language of the country. 'Cabin crew are not allowed to wear any badges unless they are part of the approved uniform, such as a name tag,' a spokesperson said. 'Every customer should feel safe and respected when flying on a Qantas aircraft.' The latest sightings of Palestinian pins on airline staff comes after Emma Ale (pictured) and other cabin crew members wore the pins on a December 20 flight from Melbourne to Hobart A boogie-woogie piano player last night slammed police for siding with the 'ludicrous' demands made by flag-waving Chinese tourists not to film them while he recorded a livestream from London's St Pancras station. Brendan Kavanagh, who goes by the name Dr K, called the bizarre incident 'a comedy of errors' that 'raises a lot of serious issues about stupid rules, authoritarianism and also our own British culture'. Video shared on his YouTube channel shows the musician playing piano in the busy station while the group of Chinese tourists stand in the background. They later approach Kavanagh and ask him not to film them, with one of the women saying she works for Chinese TV. Dr K refuses to stop filming, telling them 'we are in Great Britain, we are not in China' and insisting he could continue his livestream because they were in a public place. The incident then dramatically escalates, with one of the tourists then yelling at him after accusing Kavanagh of touching one of the women. The pianist denies this, saying he touched her flag. Moments later, police officers descend - with one pulling Kavanagh to one side and asking him not to publish the video on YouTube. The musician repeatedly questions this, saying 'we are in a free country'. Speaking to TalkTV last night, Kavanagh said: 'I thought blimey, we are in London town and I've got a bunch of Chinese people telling me what I can't do. And I thought enough is enough.' Brendan Kavanagh (pictured at the piano), who regularly takes to the station to play boogie woogie tunes, was livestreaming on Youtube when he was approached by a woman from the tourist group In the video Mr Kavanagh told the group that he could film in public, but he was still threatened with legal action and even called 'racist' for telling the tourists that 'this is not China'. 'The guy used the r-word. Once you say "you're racist" the British police just melt. It was so ludicrous,' he added. This comes after one of two police officers told the pianist 'this is not to go on your channel' as Mr Kavanagh kept on filming after the officers intervened. The other officer told the Chinese tourist who had shouted at Mr Kavanagh that he had the right to film because he was in a public place. 'I was so glad I actually had it filmed because if I narrated this people wouldn't believe me, but the fact that it was on a livestream... It was completely spontaneous and now the world has seen it,' he added. Before the officers arrived, the situation escalated from the group asking him politely to stop filming to shouted demands as Mr Kavanagh was accused of 'trying to touch' one of the female tourists after he seemingly pointed to the Chinese flag she was holding. He denied the accusation. They insisted that they were enjoying his music but would 'put legal action into it' because they had an agreement with others not to be shown online as they claimed they were 'protecting our own image right'. He responds saying that they just need to 'walk away' if they don't want to be on camera. A male member of the group, who was the most vocal in his complaints against being filmed, suddenly started screaming: 'Why are you touching her? Stop touching her. Don't touch her.' Mr Kavanagh had touched the lady's pennant as he looked to illustrate that she was holding a Chinese flag. He added: 'You are not the same age, do not touch her.' The woman intervened and said: 'Don't shoot him, don't shoot him. What's the problem?' The woman (pictured) told him she was working for Chinese TV and asked whether they were in view of his camera and then followed up saying that 'wasn't allowed' The tourists, who were wearing red scarfs, gathered around the pianist, who repeatedly explained to them that he was allowed to film since they were in a public place. 'We are in Great Britain, we are not in China,' he added Mr Kavanagh said on TalkTV last night (pictured) that during the interaction with the tourists, it was 'all about what I couldn't do and what they could do' Mr Kavanagh, who also goes by Dr K, was seemingly confused after being shouted at and defended himself by saying he only touched the flag. The piano player repeatedly pointed to the small red flags with five yellow stars, which he claimed were communist flags. One of the tourists said that Mr Kavanagh should 'educate' himself, as the flag is not a flag for the communist party - which would portray a yellow hammer and sickle instead of the five stars. The woman the pianist allegedly touched - something he denies doing - said she was 'here to celebrate the new year' and didn't want to be filmed doing so. The pair repeatedly accused Mr Kavanagh of not 'respecting their right' by filming them, but the piano player again pointed out that he is allowed to film them as there is no expectation of privacy in a public place in the UK. When the police officers approached, one tourist said to the male officer that Mr Kavanagh filmed them and they asked him to remove the footage, but he refused. 'You're in a public place,' the policeman explained repeatedly - until the female officer chimed in and said to the cameraperson: 'Excuse me, if we're having a police matter, you need to put that phone down.' Mr Kavanagh then addressed his viewers as the officers took the tourists aside. He said: 'The Chinese communist party told us not to film here.' Afterwards, the policewoman warned him: 'This is not to go on your channel by the way, this is me talking to you.' But Mr Kavanagh interrupted and said: 'Listen, we're in Britain, we're in a public space, it's a free country.' The officer added: 'The matter is, they say you've been making communist comments at them,' but Mr Kavanagh denied this and added that he only said they were waving communists flags. One of two police officers (pictured behind the pianist), who were walking by and stopped due to the loud argument, told the pianist 'this is not to go on your channel' as Mr Kavanagh kept on filming after the officers intervened The situation soon escalated after Mr Kavanagh was accused of 'trying to touch' one of the female tourists after he seemingly pointed to the Chinese flag she was holding. One of the tourists shouted at him, which the pianist met with a confused look (pictured here) She also asked him about the allegation that he tried to touch one of the tourists, which the pianist denied. He said: 'I was not trying to touch her, that's why I have a camera.' 'They [the tourists] have requested that the video where they approach gets deleted and is not used on your channel [...] They work for a company and their faces cannot be shown on TV or on somebody's channel,' she told Mr Kavanagh. Eventually the tourists and police officers moved one, leaving Mr Kavanagh to finish his livestream with more boogie woogie songs after declaring: 'Free speech prevails.' Mr Kavanagh said on TalkTV last night that during the interaction with the tourists, it was 'all about what I couldn't do and what they could do'. A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: 'We are aware of a video circulating on social media of a disagreement in St Pancras railway station on Friday 19 January. Officers on patrol came across the incident and the situation was deescalated.' Israel's ex-prime minister Ehud Barak has called for an immediate election to end the war in Gaza as critics claim time is running out for Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel will find itself 'sinking in the Gaza mud for years to come' if Netanyahu keeps hold of power Barak, who is also the nation's most highly decorated soldier, told The Telegraph. In a blistering interview, Barak, 81, urged Netanyahu to resign, ramping up the pressure for him to call an election. He said time was running out for Israel to remove itself from a war that has already passed the 100-day mark. Recalling Leo Amery's take down of Neville Chamberlain in 1940, Barak said of his rival: 'In the name of God, go.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak gesture and smile as Brig. Gen. Eyal Zamir (not pictured) is appointed the new military secretary, on November 26, 2012 in Tel Aviv, Israel Smoke rises over residential areas following an Israeli attacks on Deir al-Balah, Gaza on January 22, 2024 Protestors hold up portraits during a rally organised by family and supporters of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attacks by Hamas in southern Israel, to demand their release, near the residence of the Israeli prime minister in Jerusalem, on January 22, 2024 Barak argues that Netanyahu is pursuing a bloody, vengeful war with no strategic endgame. He believes that the 74-year-old prime minister is holding on to power when he should have stood down in the wake of the military and intelligence failures that triggered the October 7 attacks. 'Israel cannot announce victory without destroying the military and the governing capabilities of Hamas. But for Hamas to win it just needs to survive. And even if Israel kills Sinwar [Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader], they will still survive,' Barak said. 'The only way [out of the conflict] is to have an election straight away.' He claims that Netanyahu is being kept afloat by far-right ministers who he derisively labels the 'Proud Boys', referring to the Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol in 2021. Barak blames the prime minister for ignoring the 'explicit demand coming from the inner Cabinet' to talk through an exit plan and for not considering 'everything that should have happened three months ago' in the wake of the terrorist attack on southern Israel. He said there have been leaders, such as the nation's first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, who came to power and attempted to stay there by putting Israel's best interests first. He added that Netanyahu is more self-devoted in his leadership. With Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the religious Zionist Party, serving as minister of finance, and Itamar Ben-Gvir, leader of extremist party Otzma Yehudi, as minister of national security, Barak compares them to the Proud Boys. He said: 'Imagine if in the US one of them had become secretary to the treasury and the other put in charge of homeland security. It is crazy but in Israel that is what happened and Netanyahu is dependent upon them. He is hostage to them.' Barak believes the priority should have been releasing the 240 hostages, 105 of whom were set free during a temporary ceasefire, arguing that if it means halting the war for '10, 20 or 30 days' then that shouldn't stand in the way of things. He claims Israel is 'losing legitimacy' and is concerned for the next generation. He said: 'We need to do something about it because time is running out. There are two clocks ticking at a different pace. The clock of legitimacy is ticking very fast; the clock of achieving the objective is ticking very slow. It is the basic role of the senior command to make sure these two clocks become synchronised.' This photograph taken on January 22, 2024 from Rafah, shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, amid ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian terror group Hamas Injured Palestinians, including children, are brought to Nasser Hospital to receive medical treatment following Israeli attacks in Khan Yunis, Gaza, on January 22, 2024 Israeli soldiers manoeuvre military vehicles near the border with the central Gaza, Israel, on January 22, 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sits next to then Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak during a press conference at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, Israel, on November 21, 2012 Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since October 7, faces pressure from the US to shift to more precise military operations and do more to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza. The US is also calling for a reformed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the war and for negotiations to start on a two-state solution. The authority currently governs pockets of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and was ejected from Gaza in 2007 when Hamas took power. Netanyahu has rejected both the entry of the Palestinian Authority and the creation of a Palestinian state. His governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties that want to step up the offensive, encourage the emigration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and reestablish Jewish settlements there. At a meeting in Brussels on Monday, European Union foreign ministers added their voices to the calls for a Palestinian state, saying it is the only way to achieve peace. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell insisted the immediate 'priority is to provide support to the people' facing a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. He insisted that the urgency of the situation on the ground 'should not prevent work in the long-run and medium term' towards a conference to work towards an enduring peace. Borrell said the Israeli minister 'could have made better use of his time' after he showed videos about a potential artificial port island off Gaza and a transport corridor to India to his European counterparts. 'Which are the other solutions they have in mind?' Borrell said of Israel. 'To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill them off?' The EU has struggled for a united stance on the conflict in Gaza as staunch backers of Israel such as Germany have rejected demands for an immediate ceasefire made by the likes of Spain and Ireland. But there is overall backing in the bloc for a two-state solution. 'The two-state solution is the only solution, and even those who don't want to know about it have not yet come up with any other alternative,' said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock. European High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, talks to the press after the European Foreign Ministers Council meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on January 22, 2024 A woman sits in front of a tent as displaced Palestinians, including children, try to survive under difficult conditions in the makeshift homes they have set up in the desolate area near the Egyptian border in Rafah, Gaza on January 22, 2024 Displaced Palestinians, including children, try to survive under difficult conditions in the makeshift tents they have set up in the desolate area near the Egyptian border in Rafah, Gaza on January 22, 2024 A general view of a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on January 22, 2024 Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terror group attend a protest calling for their release outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence, in Jerusalem, on January 21, 2024 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a joint press conference with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman and Defence Minister Ehud Barak, on November 21, 2012 in Jerusalem, Israel Also on Monday, dozens of family members of hostages held by Hamas stormed a committee meeting in Israel's parliament, demanding a deal to win their loved ones' release. 'These are our children!' they shouted. Some had to be physically restrained, and at least one person was escorted out. The developments showed the increasing pressure on Netanyahu, who has dug in on both fronts. He has insisted to the Israeli public that pursuing the devastating offensive in Gaza is the only way to bring the hostages home. At the same time, he has rejected the United States' vision for a postwar resolution, saying he will never allow a Palestinian state. The dispute over Gaza's future pits Israel against its top ally and much of the international community. It also poses a major obstacle to plans for postwar governance or reconstruction of the coastal territory, large parts of which have been left uninhabitable by Israeli bombardment. As fears grow that Israel's war in Gaza will spark a wider regional conflict, the US and British militaries bombed eight locations in Yemen used by the Houthi rebels. It is the eighth time the US has bombed Houthi sites since January 12, US officials said late on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation. The Iranian-backed Houthis have attacked shipping in the region's waterways, saying they aim to end the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. In southern Gaza, Israeli strikes and shelling intensified in and around the city of Khan Younis, sending Palestinian families fleeing south in pickup trucks and donkey carts loaded with possessions. In the city, which has been a battle zone for weeks, people dug graves for the dead inside the yard of Al-Nasser Hospital as staff struggled to deal with dozens of newly killed and wounded, including children. Health care workers said strikes hit at least four schools sheltering displaced people on the city's western edges, including two inside a coastal strip that Israel had declared a safe zone for people fleeing. Gaza's internet and phone networks collapsed again Monday for the 10th time during the war. The repeated blackouts severely hamper distribution of aid that's essential for the survival of the territory's population of 2.3 million, UN officials said. The loss of service also prevents Palestinians from communicating with each other and the outside world. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until 'complete victory' over Hamas and to return all remaining hostages after the October 7 rampage in southern Israel that triggered the war. In that attack, some 1,200 people were killed and Hamas and other terrorists abducted around 250 people. Israelis are increasingly divided on the question of whether it's possible to do either. Yemen's Houthi followers lift their rifles and shout slogans as they attend a tribal rally and parade held against the United States-led aerial attacks launched on sites in Yemen, and solidarity with Palestinians, on January 22, 2024 Yemen's Houthi followers rally and parade against the United States-led aerial attacks launched on sites in Yemen, and solidarity with Palestinians, on January 22, 2024, near Sana'a, Yemen More than 100 hostages were freed under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Around 130 remain captive, but a number have since been confirmed dead. Hamas has said it will free more captives only in exchange for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has ruled out such an agreement, but anger is rising among hostages' families. Relatives and other protesters set up a tent camp outside Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem on Sunday, vowing to remain until a deal is reached. Meanwhile, some 85 per cent of the Gaza population has been driven from their homes by the war. UN officials say one in four people in Gaza is starving as the fighting and Israeli restrictions hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid. Only 15 bakeries are working across the Gaza Strip, all of them in either Rafah or the central town of Deir al-Balah, the UN said. The Israeli military says it has killed around 9,000 terrorists in its offensive, without providing evidence, and blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because it operates in dense residential areas. The war has also stoked tensions across the region, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen attacking Israeli and US targets. Lord Cameron yesterday insisted 'the UK is doing everything it can' to ensure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. The pledge came as the Foreign Secretary and Rishi Sunak met the families of Gaza captives whose nightmare was highlighted by the Daily Mail. During the annual Conservative Friends of Israel lunch, the Prime Minister and Lord Cameron met Orly and Ran Gilboa, and Eli Albag, the parents of Daniela Gilboa, 19, and Liri Albag, 18, who are still missing 108 days on. The politicians were shown copies of the Mail's article telling of their nightmare which features shocking photos of the once smiling teenagers. Mr Sunak was also given a dog-tag engraved with 'Bring them home' by Daniela's mother Orly after he pledged to keep fighting for the release of the 130 Israelis still held hostage. Lord Cameron yesterday insisted 'the UK is doing everything it can' to ensure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas The pledge came as the Foreign Secretary and Rishi Sunak met the families of Gaza captives whose nightmare was highlighted by the Daily Mail A person holds a placard showing photos of missing people during a protest calling for the immediate release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem, 22 January 2024 In a speech, the Prime Minister condemned the 'brutal, barbaric and indiscriminate' October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas while advocating a two-state solution. 'It is the position of this Government that efforts to achieve a two-state solution are more important than ever,' he said. 'This Government is acutely aware that security is the pre-condition for us to reach that new political horizon and we will play our part.' Yesterday No 10 doubled down on criticism of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to a Palestinian state, with Mr Sunak's spokesman calling his remarks 'disappointing'. The Prime Minister also censured Iran for being 'at the heart' of the nexus of malign groups seeking to destabilise the region. After meeting the group of parents, Lord Cameron said: 'It was heartbreaking to hear from Ran, Orly and Eli about what they are going through. 'The taking of hostages is barbaric. As a dad of children of a similar age, I can only imagine the turmoil they are going through. 'The UK is doing everything it can to ensure all the hostages, including the two British nationals, are released as soon as possible.' The last time the Gilboas were in London, Orly, 48, was pregnant with Daniela. They have had no information about their daughter for more than 50 days. For the last few weeks, the parents of the remaining female hostages have been begging world leaders to redouble their efforts in case the teenagers have been raped and are pregnant. Hostage Daniela Gilboa, 19 (pictured) has been held by Hamas since Oct 7 A Mail article highlighting the plight of Daniela and Liri, plus Karina Ariev, 19, and Agam Berger, also 19, has been used to boost demands to get their daughters home after it went viral. The clipping, which shows the bloodied faces of the four girls with the headline 'Don't forget them' was shown at The Hague in the Netherlands and at the UN. The Gilboas also took a framed copy to Washington DC last week. Liri's father Eli said the article has helped people to visualise the suffering of his daughter. 'For each person who sees the images of these girls it will help them to understand,' he added. 'Sometimes I think I'm living in a nightmare, But the Prime Minister has given us hope that they are fighting with us.' Last night Mr Sunak had a phone conversation with US President Joe Biden in which they vowed to work to get the hostages out and more aid into Gaza. A psychologist has been suspended for a year after falling in love with a patient and maintaining a sexual and inappropriate relationship with them. Sydney psychologist Julie Ann Catt was found guilty by a tribunal of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct. The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Ms Catt 'failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries' with a female patient between November 2012 and May 2015. She unsuccessfully argued for her identity to be suppressed. It can now be revealed that Ms Catt is the sister-in-law of Australian actor Alex Dimitriades, best known for starring in '90s television series Heartbreak High. The tribunal found Ms Catt and her patient sent sexual emails to each other, kissed in a practice room at the psychology clinic, and had touched each other's breasts at two Sydney nightclubs - ARQ and Della Hyde - although Ms Catt denies this. Sydney psychologist Julie Ann Catt was found guilty by a tribunal of unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct The psychologist had began treating the patient, who can't be identified and is now aged in her 50s, in 2009 but the relationship turned flirty at the end of 2012. The patient had 'very complex psychological problems and was vulnerable', the tribunal found. In emails between the pair, Ms Catt had written to the patient in November 2012, saying 'you blow my mind' and 'I have all kinds of complicated feelings about being flirtatious with you'. 'I know beggars can't be choosers, but I'd prefer someone femme and sweet to boss around, if you don't mind terribly much,' Ms Catt wrote to her patient in May 2013. In January of 2013, the patient expressed her feelings for Ms Catt and in April asked to end their 'therapeutic relationship'. The patient had asked to stop their therapy sessions again in October 2014. 'Please help me, I'll survive the rejection. But I won't survive you,' she said. 'Shut my therapy with you down because I just can't. Refer me to somebody you trust and have trust in me I am no risk to you. Ever.' The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal found Ms Catt, a Sydney psychologist, had 'failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries' with a female patient between November 2012 and May 2015 While Ms Catt stopped treating the patient in June 2015, their relationship continued until 2017. Ms Catt told the patient she had fallen in love with her in December 2015. The same month she sent an email to the patient which read: 'Removalists here. Now you will never be able to bend me over that lounge.' The tribunal found that Ms Catt had let the patient into a practice room in the psychology clinic in either 2016 or 2017 where they kissed. Ms Catt denied this. In January, 2016 Ms Catt sent an email to the patient which read: 'Holy f**k I cannot believe how bad I want you. I like seeing your mind work too. I want to get in my car, drive to Sydney, and spend the next 18 hours in bed with you. Gah!'. Ms Catt sent sexually explicit emails to the patient Pictured is another email shared between the pair in January 2016 The following month she sent another email. 'What do I think about? How it feels to kiss you. What it would be like to f**k you. To sleep with you (or have insomnia with you),' it read. The tribunal found Ms Catt's conduct was 'inappropriate in circumstances where the practitioner had recently been in a therapeutic relationship' with the patient. In December, 2015, Ms Catt told the patient that as per the rules of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, a therapeutic relationship between a psychologist and patient must have ended two years before any personal relationship can begin. The tribunal heard the patient had also sent sexual emails to Ms Catt, and one time said she wanted to 'bend her over the couch and f**k her from behind'. The patient emailed Ms Catt in March 2019, ending the relationship and asking her to stay away from her neighbourhood. In a statement submitted to the tribunal, the patient said she had 'no idea I was being retraumatised rather than loved'. She had unsuccessfully argued for her identity to be protected and it can now be revealed Ms Catt is the sister-in-law of Australian actor Alex Dimitriades (pictured) 'By 2021, I felt like I was drowning with the responsibility of protecting Julie and started to feel overwhelming guilt that I had threatened to report her in 2019,' she said. 'I felt equally guilty that I had not reported her and that she may do this to another. I feel trapped and that the attachment I have to Julie is not reversible. I can't form any romantic interest or emotional attachment to another person. 'I often recoil against sexual, physical or emotional advances from people. I am squeamish about being hugged or touched in a non-sexual way by friends. I have become cut off from intimacy and feel isolated from society.' Ms Catt was found to have shown 'genuine remorse' for her actions. She has been suspended for 12 months from January 22. Following her suspension, she will have to practice under supervision. In a statement, the psychologist said she respected the tribunal's decision. 'I made some questionable decisions and am totally accountable for them,' she said. 'I've worked very hard to become a better person over these past several years, and as a result a better therapist.' Shirley Mincher's breast tumour, found in 2016 after a routine mammogram, was tiny, the size of a small pea. 'My surgeon said I should be the poster girl for breast screening, as I'd never have found it so early myself,' she says. The lump was removed and Shirley had radiotherapy, then for the next five years she took the drug letrozole to keep it at bay. In 2021 she stopped, as she was in remission, but was advised to have a mammogram every three years. 'Of course, I'd never miss a screening appointment but I used to dread going to hospital for them, as you queued for 45 minutes for the car park, appointments ran up to an hour late and the busy environment made me uneasy.' But last week, on her 75th birthday, Shirley's screening took place at a new, local 'hub' one of more than 174 such centres being set up throughout England for tests and checks. Shirley Mincher had her mammogram at one of England's new community diagnostic centres (CDCs). There are 174 centres throughout England (File Image) She was seen at the Glass Works shopping centre hub in Barnsley, where she lives with her husband, Stephen, 76, a retired fireman. The experience couldn't have been more different from previous appointments. 'I was immediately struck by how bright and clean it was, all open-plan, very unlike going into an NHS hospital,' says Shirley. 'The chairs in the waiting areas are different colours and it was easy to find the purple seats for breast scans. 'It was relaxing there was no A&E. I was seen on time and was out in 15 minutes. Stephen had parked at a multi-storey car park, so different from the 'one in, one out' system at the hospital car park. 'Afterwards we did a bit of shopping and went for a coffee it was so enjoyable,' says Shirley, a retired clerical worker. She'd had her mammogram at one of England's new community diagnostic centres (CDCs). Most of these are in buildings converted for the purpose (they include one in a former car showroom), and are designed to be patient-friendly and accessible, placed at the heart of the community, in shopping malls or universities, for instance, and staffed by the NHS, sent from local hospitals. Launched at a cost of 2.3 billion two-and-a-half years ago, the CDC scheme was intended to shake up the way the health service does tests and scans; taking most non-emergency testing out of acute hospitals so as to cut waiting lists, with speedy access to testing. According to the The King's Fund, 85 per cent of patients waiting need a diagnostic test, from MRI and PET scans, to biopsies, ultrasound and blood tests and demand is increasing by 10 per cent annually. The NHS diagnostics service is creaking, with nearly 1.6 million people on waiting lists for MRI or CT scans in England alone. The NHS diagnostics service is creaking, with nearly 1.6 million people on waiting lists for MRI or CT scans in England alone. Stock image: Doctor and patient making a mammography (File Image) The CDC scheme is the brainchild of Professor Sir Michael Richards, a leading UK cancer expert and former chief inspector of hospitals. In 2020, he was asked by then chief of NHS England, Lord Simon Stevens, to help reform it. 'He recognised that to deliver his commitments to the NHS, a new approach to diagnostics was needed,' says Sir Michael. His review, published three years ago, set out the vision for CDCs. As well as speeding up diagnosis, the aim was to attract people who weren't keen on hospitals or didn't make their health a priority making CDCs easy to get to, attractive and familiar, so people are more likely to use them. It sounds promising, but as Good Health can exclusively reveal, a parliamentary report on CDCs published tomorrow makes for some disheartening reading. The investigation by the APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) for Diagnostics found that only 6.5 per cent of all NHS England tests were carried out in CDCs in September 2023. The target was for CDCs to have carried out 17 million tests by March 2025, yet only six million have been done in the past two-and-a-half years. 'That target date is just 14 months away,' says Maggie Throup, the Tory MP for Erewash, Derbyshire, and a former vaccines minister, who now chairs the APPG for Diagnostics. 'There hasn't been enough singing and dancing about the importance of these new centres,' she argues. 'Some GPs aren't referring patients because they don't know about them.' There are other significant problems. While there are now 138 CDCs open and another 36 due to be operating by March next year, only about half are in easy-to-access places such as shopping centres, the APPG report reveals with 5.2 per cent on hospital sites (contrary to Sir Michael's plan) and 41 per cent attached to community hospitals. 'The easy option of just putting CDCs on existing sites has been taken,' says Maggie Throup. 'Where it's tagged on to an existing hospital, an adjunct to what's already there, it's just a way of getting more money for new scanners and is not the answer. 'As vaccines minister, it really struck home that many people are fearful of hospitals but will go to a shopping centre for a health procedure. 'When people are referred for a scan they shouldn't have to go to a hospital that's two bus rides away, or somewhere they can't park, and risk losing wages when they're off work for half the day. 'We must make this easier so we can catch disease early, so waiting lists go down and people's outcomes are better.' The APPG report also highlights a shortage of staff to do the tests and analyses, which 'continues to impede the effectiveness' of the centres. But it highlights good news, too, including clever approaches taken to promote CDC services. Wood Green CDC in North London, for example, which opened in a shopping centre in August 2022, placed ads on the sides of buses and staff went into GP surgeries to increase referrals. It's already done 65,000 tests including MRI and CT scans. Meanwhile, an empty car showroom in Bexhill was turned into a CDC by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust. It then gave a presentation about it to bus drivers, who persuaded the bus company to change its routes so services stopped outside the centre. The CDC at The Glass Works in Barnsley, where Shirley was seen, was originally 'going to be added to an existing building, like a GP practice', says Bob Kirton, the CDC's managing director. 'Barnsley Council offered us discounted rent to be in the shopping centre. Our gleaming new CDC opened last March: we have a beautiful site and everything works to time very un-NHS as it's easy to park or get the bus. 'Nearly all patients have told us that they're seen on time, or early, for their appointments, and say that the extended hours and weekend working are helpful. They say they really love us.' But alongside the success stories are challenges for CDCs, the report concludes. A 'key limiting factor' is that there aren't enough qualified staff, leading to 'unmanageable workloads'. These staff shortages include radiographers, who carry out the scans; radiologists, who interpret images; sonographers, who do ultrasounds; and pathologists, who examine tissue and fluid samples. The staff shortfall has been made worse, the report adds, by 'inadequate workforce planning and funding'. It found that trusts were rotating staff between the acute site and the CDC, with no extra staff in 88 per cent of CDCs 41 per cent of clinical directors of radiology working with CDCs said the workload was unmanageable. One told Good Health: 'We have to report [i.e. interpret] images from a CDC as well as our existing hospitals, but I wasn't given any new staff meanwhile, the medical director is asking me why I have thousands of scans waiting to be reported.' Maggie Throup says: 'It's easy for politicians to say we need more doctors and nurses, but people don't understand how many staff we need for diagnostics. 'Plus, the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan doesn't mention a workforce plan for CDCs at all.' Dr Katharine Halliday, president of the Royal College of Radiologists, adds: 'Expanding the number of CDCs without a proportional increase in staff is akin to robbing Peter to pay Paul.' Yet Sir Michael believes the CDCs will clock up at least 16 million tests by next year. 'The waiting list is too long and that's a concern,' he says. 'But it often takes six months between a CDC being declared open and getting up to anything like the capacity that we want.' Sir Michael, now chair of the UK National Screening Committee, is not concerned that so many CDCs are on community hospital sites. He says: 'Look at Clacton in Essex, a deprived population with low access to cars. Patients used to have to go to Colchester, a couple of hours by public transport. 'Yes, its CDC is in a community hospital, but it's five minutes from the centre of town, it's open seven days a week and it's got scanners and other facilities.' He adds that drawing in more patients for tests will lead to health conditions being found earlier. 'We can do all the tests we need in a CDC in one bundle, and get patients on the right path to healthier lifestyles and the best treatment.' He says workforce shortages are being partly tackled by international recruitment, and by connecting CDCs with training centres. Technology, like advances in making MRI screening shorter, will help, too, he says, but admits 'we will need more money'. Maggie Throup says it's been important to see how CDCs are doing, as 'there's still time to mould them' and 'so we know how taxpayers' money is being spent'. To read the APPG report on CDCs, go to rcr.ac.uk Israelis on Tuesday mourned and demanded answers over the army's biggest single-day losses since ground operations in Gaza started amid growing pressure on the government to end the conflict. Twenty-one of the 24 troops killed on Monday were reservists slain "when a squad of terrorists surprised the force" with fire from a rocket-propelled grenade, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said. The army said the grenade hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an investigation was launched into the "disaster" and that Israel "must learn the necessary lessons". More than 200 people attended the funeral of one of the reservists, Hadar Kapeluk, whose coffin was draped with an Israeli flag, at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. "The price of the war is heavy and painful," Hagari told a news conference later. Israela Oron, of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, said the mounting toll of soldiers killed -- now 221 -- since Israel launched its ground offensive in Gaza will heap pressure on the government. "Everybody is mourning the soldiers... people will demand clear answers about the purpose and the goal of this operation in Gaza." - Khan Yunis 'encircled' - On the ground, fighting raged in Khan Yunis, Gaza's main southern city, which the Israeli army said it had "encircled". Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry said Israeli tanks fired on Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis on Tuesday, with "dozens expected wounded". The Israeli military told AFP they were "not aware of the event" when asked about firing at the hospital. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces had hit its headquarters in Khan Yunis "resulting in injuries among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises". Hagari described the urban combat landscape as "very complex" but said troops "eliminated in the past day over 100 terrorists in the west of Khan Yunis". UN agencies and aid groups have sounded the alarm about the growing threat of disease and famine in Gaza, where an estimated 1.7 million people are uprooted. Gaza is "slipping every day into a much more catastrophic situation", said Abeer Etefa, senior Middle East spokeswoman for the World Food Programme. The territory has "the largest concentration of people in what looks like famine-like conditions anywhere in the world", she added. The Gaza war broke out with Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. In response, Israel has carried out a relentless offensive that has killed at least 25,490 people in Gaza, around 70 percent of them women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. Militants also seized 250 hostages, and Israel says around 132 remain in Gaza. That number includes the bodies of at least 28 dead hostages, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. - Hopes for hostage deal - Netanyahu's vow to destroy Hamas is increasingly seen within the cabinet as incompatible with returning hostages, experts say. A week-long truce in November saw 105 hostages released, the Israelis among them in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. US news outlet Axios reported on Monday that Israel had proposed to Hamas, via Qatari and Egyptian mediators, a new deal to free all the hostages over two months. The report, citing unnamed Israeli officials, said the proposed deal would be carried out in multiple stages and involve releasing an undetermined number of Palestinian prisoners. Qatar's foreign ministry declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations and said many media reports "are either missing elements or completely false". The US coordinator for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, was in the region for meetings aimed at securing a new hostage exchange deal, the White House said. A Palestinian source familiar with the talks told AFP a Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo on Tuesday to meet Egypt's intelligence chief and discuss new ceasefire proposals. It comes as Netanyahu has come under increased fire over remarks rejecting Palestinian "sovereignty", with UN chief Antonio Guterres on Tuesday describing the rejection of a two-state solution as "unacceptable". - US, UK hit Yemen's Huthis - The Gaza war has spurred fears of a wider escalation, with a surge in violence involving Iran-backed Hamas allies across the region. Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah said Tuesday it struck the Israeli air control base of Meron for a second time in recent weeks, in response to Israeli "assassinations" and attacks on civilians. Israel's military said air forces struck several locations in Lebanon on Tuesday, including a "military asset" used by Hezbollah and "operated by Iranian forces". The army also said reservists killed a "terrorist" who opened fire on them in the occupied West Bank. The United States and Britain launched new air strikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Tuesday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping. The Huthis, who say their action targets Israeli-linked shipping in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, warned "these attacks will not go unanswered and unpunished". burs-jsa/imm Florida Governor Ron DeSantis says state taxpayers will not be on the hook for former president Donald Trump's legal bills. One day after suspending his campaign for the White House, he shot down attempts from some Florida Republicans to set aside millions of dollars in government funds to help pay for Trump's legal battles. A Miami Republican, who is backing Trump's reelection, has already filed a bill that would allow the Sunshine State to dish out up to $5 million to the former president. But despite now backing Trump for the 2024 presidential election, Governor DeSantis, said in a tweet that he would not be approving the funds. After withdrawing from the 2024 race, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis stressed that Florida taxpayers would not be responsible for covering Donald Trump's legal expenses Some Florida Republicans have proposed allocating millions of taxpayer dollars to assist in financing Trump's legal battles with a bill introduced in the senate. Trump is pictured in court on January 11 DeSantis made it clear through a tweet that he would not approve such funds, countering the efforts of some Florida Republicans to pass the bill 'Some Florida Republicans want taxpayers to pay Trump's legal bills', a tweet from Politico read. 'But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen', DeSantis responded in a follow up message. Approval has already been gleaned from Jimmy Patronis, the state's Republican chief financial officer. Patronis has been making the case for taxpayers to foot the bill and pay for Trump's defense in his criminal charges. Trump's legal bill are mounting as he deals with four separate criminal cases: a federal case involving the hoarding of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago; in New York a case involving hush money payments made to a porn star; in Georgia over election interference, while in Washington, he faces charges that he tried to overturn the 2020 election. 'We're in the midst of an historic moment where we're watching an election that's trying to be stolen by left wing prosecutors, the Biden Administration and even Blue States,' said GOP state Sen. Ileana Garcia in a statement. Trump leaves his apartment building in New York on Monday DeSantis announced his withdrawal from the Republican presidential candidacy in a pre-recorded statement on Sunday 'They're not trying to win at the ballot box; they're trying to keep President Trump off the ballot by weaponizing the courts. Having a Floridian in the White House is good for our state and anything we can do to support Florida Presidential candidates, like President Trump, will not only benefit our state, but our nation.' Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo who switched her endorsement to Trump following DeSantis' dropping out would not be drawn on whether she would support Garcia's bill. 'President Trump has the means to cover his legal expenses; however, many people do not, which is Senator Garcia's concern,' Passidomo said in a statement forwarded by her office. Across the floor, the Florida Democratic Party chair, Nikki Fried, appeared disgusted with the Republicans twisted priorities. 'What this shows you is who the Florida GOP is loyal to because it's certainly not the people of Florida. Senator Garcia's victim-card bill is a disgrace and should inflame any Floridian who cares about where their tax dollars are going,' Fried said to Politico. It's not the first time Trump has demanded Americans should pay his legal fees. In a November 2022 lawsuit, Trump demanded taxpayers foot the bill for any subpoena-related costs he might be facing. Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo (right), who switched her endorsement to Trump following DeSantis dropping out, would not be drawn on whether she would support the bill Trump is seen in Federal Court on Monday in New York On Sunday, DeSantis suspended his presidential campaign two days before the New Hampshire primary and endorsed Trump. 'It's clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance. They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him,' DeSantis said. 'While I have had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear,' he said. In return, Trump thanked DeSantis for his endorsement stating it was 'highly unlikely' he would have a role in his administration. 'I have a lot of great people, and I have great people that have been with me right from the beginning,' Trump said. Nikki Haley's future in the White House race is hanging by a thread with the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll showing Donald Trump 20 points ahead going into Tuesday's primary. The former president has orchestrated a show of force since Ron DeSantis dropped out on Sunday unleashing a huge swell of support and endorsements. In rallies he has brought former rivals, including Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott, on stage in what a top campaign aide described as 'Avengers Assemble'. He now goes into the Republican contest with the chance of repeating his landslide win in the Iowa caucus, vanquishing his final opponent Haley, and locking up the nomination. Nikki Haley 's future in the White House race is hanging by a thread with the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll showing Donald Trump 20 points ahead going into the primary As the GOP contenders have suspended their campaigns the GOP has fallen in line and anointed Trump as the only candidate who can beat Biden in 2024. The latest DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll shows Trump has 57 per cent support to Haley's 37. Just 24 hours earlier, Haley was only behind by 10 points and had a glimmer of hope if independent and Democrat voters turned out to back her. On the final day the poll of 851 people was conducted, Trump had a 40-point advantage over Haley in respondents asked by J.L. Partners. Even if she sees a swell of support from undeclared New Hampshire residents, she could still struggle to close the gap. 'DeSantis' departure from the race has added rocket fuel to Donald Trump,' J.L. Partners co-founder James Johnson told DailyMail.com. 'He posted an exceptional 40-point lead over Nikki Haley in our final day of fieldwork all after the DeSantis drop. 'This means our final poll taking all days of fieldwork into account gives Trump an advantage of 20 points. 'Add in the fact Haley voters are lacking enthusiasm, and Trump looks set for a landslide victory. The whiff of inevitability now surrounds Donald Trump. If this poll is accurate, then the primary contest ends tonight.' The former president has orchestrated a show of force in recent days that has seen a huge swell of support and endorsements since Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday The latest results come just four days after Haley banned DailyMail.com reporters and photographers from all her campaign events. Trump has been urging his former U.N. Ambassador to drop out and unite behind him so he can take down Joe Biden in a rematch of the 2020 election. Haley has bucked these calls in recent days, and insists she will stay in the race until the primary in her home state of South Carolina in a month. But she is behind Trump in the polls by as much as 20 points in the Palmetto State, and her path to the nomination is getting narrower every day. The first polls open at 6am in the Granite State and the last will close at 8pm. If Trump has an insurmountable lead in the votes, the results could be known before 9pm. If Trump does pull off another victory like Iowa, where he won by 30 points, Haley will be facing a wave of questions of whether she can stay in the race. She has hit the campaign trail hard, filling bars and hotel ballrooms with supporters who don't want to see Trump back on the ticket. The former South Carolina governor has focused on Trump's recent gaffes to insist that he is not mentally fit to be president. But according to DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners data, her message has struggled to break through the dominance of the MAGA faithful. More data from the poll shows Haley backers were motivated by one thing: Stopping Trump. More than half of Haley's fans said the main reason for backing the former South Carolina governor was 'to stop Trump.' And that is part of the reason she is struggling to put a dent in the frontrunner's colossal lead. The results come from a survey of 651 people who said they will vote in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. The latest DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll shows Trump has 57 per cent support to Haley's 37. Just 24 hours earlier, Haley was only behind by 10 points and had a glimmer of hope if independent and Democrat voters turned out to back her Respondents were asked to explain their choice in a single sentence. 'Nikki Haley's support is not about Nikki Haley. Only two percent say they are voting for her because of her policies,' said Johnson added. 'Instead it is about stopping Donald Trump. That, coupled with low enthusiasm for Haley, limits her voting pool in these primaries to a relatively small number of people, especially in later contests where undeclared voters cannot vote. 'Meanwhile Trump's supporters are energised for positive reasons: Trump's strength, his plans on the economy and above all his record in his first term. 'This is an election that Trump dominates: even his opposition knows it.' Trump's blowout win in Iowa last week means he has already taken one step towards his party's presidential nomination. Another win in New Hampshire would make him all but unstoppable. 'It should be over tomorrow almost irrespective because, by the way, if she won tomorrow, it should be over because there's no path beyond that,' Donald Trump Jr. told reporters of Haley while he was campaigning for his father on Monday in Hollis, N.H. California and Texas were under flood warnings on Monday as torrential rain swept through a large swath of the country following a week of deep freeze. Flash floods inundated homes and overturned cars in San Diego, toppling trees and overflowing streets with videos showing vehicles buried beneath. All the way up north, early morning flooding hit the town of Guerneville, near San Francisco, where a creek overflowed after more than 4 inches of rain fell in 24 hours. The local school district canceled classes for the day. On the southern end of the state, the weather system unleashed a severe punch with the second major rain event of the winter. Floodwaters swept away vehicles and caused cars to pile on top of each other in parts of San Diego. California and Texas were under flood warnings on Monday with a car seen floating on a flooded road in San Diego Floodwaters swept away vehicles and caused cars to pile on top of each other in parts of San Diego. Several feet of water inundated the Mountain View, Shelltown and Southcrest neighborhoods, and multiple highways including Interstate 15. Over a three-hour period, a whopping 3 inches of rain fell at nearby National City, while 2 inches fell at San Diego International Airport, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. During the winter, the region typically averages around 2 inches of rain per month. The San Diego River was flooding, the National Weather Service said, warning that crossing roads would be unsafe. The city fire department said it had rescued at least 24 people from the rushing San Diego and Tijuana rivers. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria declared a state of emergency and the city set up shelters to house displaced residents. Deputies pulled people to safety after water rushed into homes in the Spring Valley and Casa de Oro neighborhoods, said San Diego County Sheriffs Lt. Zee Sanchez. Eddie Ochoa, a resident of San Diego, said it was just sprinkling when he and his sister went out for breakfast Monday morning. Several feet of water inundated the Mountain View, Shelltown and Southcrest neighborhoods, and multiple highways including Interstate 15 Over a three-hour period, a whopping 3 inches of rain fell at nearby National City, while 2 inches fell at San Diego International Airport When they returned to their family-owned auto body shop, the entire block was flooded and his sister's parked car had been washed away. 'All that happened within an hour,' Ochoa said, guessing that the sewers had backed up. They later found his sister's car about three miles down the street. 'It's never been that bad, ever. It's crazy,' he said. Other residents escaped by wading through waist-high water carrying their cats and dogs. 'Flooding is pretty widespread out there,' Sanchez said. The department aided in a swift-water rescue near Santee, he said. No injuries were reported. The Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management issued an evacuation warning near Topanga Canyon effective through Tuesday morning due to possible mud or debris flow. Up north, there's an avalanche warning through Tuesday morning for the backcountry in the mountains around the Lake Tahoe area, which might see more than a foot of snow, according to The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee, California. The storm is expected to bring up to 8 inches of snow to the lakes shores and up to 14 inches with winds gusting up to 60 mph in the highest elevations beginning late Monday. The city fire department said it had rescued at least 24 people from the rushing San Diego and Tijuana rivers Other residents escaped by wading through waist-high water carrying their cats and dogs Juan Gonzales gestures to the waterline of a flooded home during a rain storm In San Antonio, Texas, firefighters investigated whether five homeless people might have been swept away by rushing waters early Monday morning, according to fire department spokesperson Woody Woodward. They were camping in drainage tunnels next to a highway north of downtown, officials said. Firefighters searched multiple locations, including drainage tunnels with the help of a boat, but did not find anyone. 'No individuals were found, so I cannot confirm if there were in fact five people swept away,' Woodward said, adding that the fire department had conducted 25 water rescue missions or investigation calls from late Sunday night through 8 a.m. Monday with no injuries being reported. Some parts of the San Antonio area had received up to five inches of rain since Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service. Rainfall was also soaking Houston, Dallas, as well as various parts of north and east Texas. In other parts of the country, as in Arkansas, there's freezing rain. Forecasters warned that up to a half-inch of ice could coat parts of the state by Monday evening. That prompted an ice storm warning that includes much of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas and the cities of Fayetteville and Fort Smith. Early morning flooding hit the town of Guerneville, north of San Francisco, where a creek overflowed after more than 4 inches of rain fell in 24 hours Some parts of the San Antonio area received up to five inches of rain since Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service A small part of northeastern Oklahoma was also under an ice storm warning Monday, the National Weather Service said. The ice - combined with winds of up to 20 mph - could lead to power outages, the agency said. Days of subfreezing temperatures have caused water problems in multiple Arkansas cities and in Memphis, Tennessee, due to broken pipes and equipment. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers responded to more than 400 crashes and at least 600 stranded motorists by 3:30 p.m. Monday, Capt. John Hotz of the patrol said. Three of the accidents were fatal, including one involving a vehicle that struck a Missouri Department of Transportation truck in rural northern Missouri. A transportation department spokeswoman said the truck driver was not hurt. Portions of interstates 70 and 44 were closed at the height of the icing, with officials describing the roadways as sheets of ice. 'Just lots of slide-offs,' said Dallas Thompson, a St. Louis-area trooper. Damage is shown after a heavy rain storm causes a small river to overflow into a neighborhood in San Diego Around the country, the wintry weather and heavy rainfall was expected to continue this week. Freezing rain and some snowfall was predicted for parts of the Midwest, the lower Great Lakes area and the Northeast, the National Weather Service said. Parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and the Gulf Coast were predicted to have heavy showers and thunderstorms from Tuesday through Thursday, with some areas getting as much as 4 inches to 8 inches of rain through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. A council has controversially removed the words 'Australia Day' from some January 26 events and changed the date of their annual citizen merit awards. Cairns Regional Council has changed the title of their 'Australia Day Awards' to the 'Citizen of the Year' ceremony which will instead be held on February 1. Councillors Max O'Halloran and Cathy Zeiger said councillors were not involved in the decision. 'It's sad to see it's come to this. We seem to be losing this tradition everywhere it's being thrown out the window,' Mr O'Halloran told The Cairns Post. Ms Zeiger said she thought it was 'poor form' and that 'councillors being the last to find out things seems to be the case quite often recently'. Cairns Regional Councillor Max O'Halloran (second from left) said councillors were taken by surprise over the decision to wind back Australia Day events On Tuesday, Cairns Regional Council re-added the word Australia Day to some promotional posts advertising activities for January 26 following media enquiries. Council CEO Mica Martin said council's events for the day were focused on free family fun and the term Australia Day was still allowed to be used. 'The promotion of Australia Day events and the format of the Citizen of the Year Awards was done in close consultation with mayor Bob Manning last year. The approach was very successful,' Ms Martin said. It is understood a citizenship ceremony will still be held on Australia Day at Council's civic building with more than 70 people expected to attend. Ms Martin added the decision to move the Citizen of the Year Awards to another date was partly due to their achievements not being overshadowed by debate surrounding Australia Day. Some of the 2023 Cairns Citizen of the Year winners with mayor Bob Manning (centre) January 26 commemorates the landing of the First Fleet in Australia and raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove. However, in recent years Invasion Day rallies attended by thousands have garnered more attention on January 26 as they protest the plight of First Nations Australians. Aboriginal activist Michael Mansell explains on the Invasion Day website: 'The British were armed to the teeth from the moment they stepped foot on our country... It's not a date that is particularly pleasing for Aborigines.' The six registered voters of the tiny town of Dixville Notch all voted for Nikki Haley to give her victory in the historic first count of the New Hampshire Republican at midnight on Tuesday. Haley swept President Donald Trump in the ski community just 20 miles south of the Canadian border, where four of the voters are registered Republican and two are independent. Dixville Notch has produced the first results of the first-in-the-nation primary since 1960 with its midnight vote on Election Day. With such a tiny sample, the vote doesn't typically indicate how the election will end up. Trump is going into the primary with a 20-point lead over Haley and looking to repeat his landslide win in Iowa that could lock up the Republican nomination. Polls for the first vote in Dixville Notch closed at 12:07 a.m. ET on Tuesday, January 23 and other locations in the state didn't open next until 6 a.m. The town of Dixille Notch, New Hampshire continues its 64-year tradition on Tuesday morning by holding its midnight vote, which produces the first results of the first-in-the-nation primary election Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley won all six of the votes cast in Dixville Notch at midnight on Tuesday morning. Pictured: Haley speaks with supporters in Salem, New Hampshire on Monday, January 22 Trump and Haley are the two top Republican candidates contending for votes after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday just two days before the primary. Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips is also on the ballot for the Democratic primary, which did not include President Joe Biden. There will be 25 Republicans on the New Hampshire ballot, including those who registered before dropping. LIVE Follow DailyMail.com's live coverage of the New Hampshire primary HERE Advertisement But voters in New Hampshire are also able to write-in whichever candidate they want in the primary. There has been a huge write-in campaign by Democrats urging left-leaning voters to write in President Biden's name on Tuesday. Many Granite State voters will wake up Tuesday morning to the results of Dixville Notch's election at The Balsams ski resort in northern New Hampshire as other polling places begin opening as residents head to work. Before voting commenced, an empty ballot box was shown to the journalists, then the National Anthem was played by world famous accordion player Cory Pesaturo from Rhode Island. Also in the room with the voters and the reporters and cameras were two dogs: Max and Lucy. The town's clerk Tom Tillotson moderated the polls on Tuesday by announcing to press gathered in his living room that the voters would also be wearing the hat of election officials and trading off posts so they could cast their ballots. Each of the six went behind a wall of draped American flags to vote in secret before dropping their ballot in the ballot box, which Tilloston then emptied at 12:07 a.m. to begin counting the votes. In 2020's general election there were five voters, and they all cast their ballot for President Joe Biden over Trump. Just 20 miles from the Canadian border, The Balsams opened its closely-watched polling place in the living room at the Tillotson House to a room full of journalists who documented the votes of the town's handful of voters. Tom Tillotson hands his ballot in after voting in New Hampshire's primary just after midnight on Tuesday, January 23 at the Tillotson House in Dixville Notch Voting for the six residents of the town took place in the living room of the Tillotson House at The Balsams ski resort in northern New Hampshire (pictured just before midnight) One of the six Dixville Notch voters cast their ballot just after midnight while their dog accompanied him to the polls in the living room of Tillotson House at The Balsam resort Hart's Location and Millsfield also historically open voting at midnight on Tuesday and were among the first to declare results of the primary election in New Hampshire. Hart's Location, a small town in the middle of the state with 68 residents, and Millsfield, just 10 miles south of Dixville Notch with 21 registered voters have decided to ditch their midnight voting this year. Hart's Location, which markets itself as the smallest town in New Hampshire, has polls opening at 11 a.m. on January 23. Meanwhile, Millsfield election official Shawn Cote told WMUR of the change in time: 'Our population is getting older in Millsfield, and getting up at midnight to go vote is getting harder and harder for our population. But Dixville Notch continued the 64-year-old tradition in the wee-morning hours of Tuesday, January 23. Dixville Notch only has six voters this year. In 2020, five people voted in the primary and general elections in the town. Journalists gather before midnight to watch the historic count of the first-in-the-nation primary votes in the tiny northern New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch Prior to the pandemic, the small New Hampshire town had double the residents it has now, with a dozen casting ballots back to 2010 and even more in years prior. In the 2020 primary election, three candidates in the town voted for former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one voted for Sen. Bernie Sanders and one voted for Pete Buttigieg. Then in the general election, all five candidates voted for President Joe Biden over Trump. 'As Dixville goes, so goes the country,' Dixville Notch voter Les Otten told WMUR or the results that are watched by dozens of camera and immediately reported. 'Even if the spotlight wasn't there, we would be doing the same thing,' he added. 'It's sort of become a tradition where we understand the importance of voting.' The Balsams resort where the Dixville Notch voting takes place is undergoing a $300 million restoration and revitalization project. Otten says the hope is that the voting bloc in the New Hampshire town that produced the first results of the first-in-the-nation primary election will grow. 'Our six will grow to 16 and 26 and 60 and so forth this week as we grow, and it will be more difficult to get everybody in,' he said. 'But the idea will remain the same.' Haley told the man to 'Get out of here' before continuing her rally The audience of Haley fans erupted in boos when the man said he was voting for Donald Trump - who swept the Iowa caucus by 51% last week A cheeky Donald Trump supporters trolled Nikki Haley during a campaign stop in New Hampshire when he called out and asked her: 'Will you marry me?' Haley, who is fighting for her spot on the GOP ticket in today's primary, was interrupted by a man in the crowd at the Artisan Hotel on Monday. 'Nikki! Will you marry me?' he shouted from the audience. Haley, 52, appeared taken back before laughing and asking: 'Are you going to vote for me?' Much to her dismay, the man jokingly offering his hand in marriage responded: 'I'm voting for Trump.' The former president, 77, is Haley's only competition in the state's primary after Ron DeSantis backed out of the running on Sunday. As the audience began booing, Haley shot back: 'Oh. Get out of here.' She started waving goodbye to the man, before continuing her rally. This comes after banning DailyMail.com reporters and photographers from all her events over reporting on alleged affairs. Nikki Haley, who is fighting for her spot on the GOP ticket in New Hampshire, was interrupted by a man in the crowd on Monday The Trump supporter screamed 'Nikki! Will you marry me?', catching her off guard Haley is hoping that a strong ground game can turn out undeclared voters who are eligible to take part in New Hampshire's semi-open primary, and give her an edge. Trump is leading in the polls this year, but is facing a ramped up challenge from Haley, his former ambassador to the United Nations, who has been trying to out-campaign him in a state that values one-on-one time with presidential contenders. The tiny town of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire and its six residents voted first at 12:01am on Tuesday. Haley earned all six votes in the electorate where members of the GOP are moderate than the deep-red Iowa . Four of the voters are registered Republican and two are independent. The Granite State prides itself on it's independent streak. Unaffiliated voters as they are called those who can vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary outnumber voters pledged to one of the main political parties. Trump and Haley are the only Republican candidates on the ballot while Democrat Rep. Dean Phillips is also on the ballot for the Democratic primary, which did not include President Joe Biden The primary comes after a new poll revealed that many of Haley's supporters in New Hampshire are voting for her to get rid of Trump. A J.L. Partners/DailyMail.com poll shows that her backers are motivated primarily by the idea of stopping the former president. Haley, 52, appeared taken back before laughing and asking: 'Are you going to vote for me?' The Republican said 'Oh. Get out of here' when the man said he was voting for Trump In contrast, Trump's supporters say: Country, America, or border. The results of our exclusive poll illustrate how one figure dominates the entire Republican nomination race, motivating not just his supporters but his opponent's supporters too. More than half of Haley's fans said the main reason for backing the former South Carolina governor was 'to stop Trump.' And that is part of the reason she is struggling to put a dent in the frontrunner's colossal lead. The results come from a survey of 651 people who said they will vote in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. Respondents were asked to explain their choice in a single sentence. 'Nikki Haley's support is not about Nikki Haley. Only two percent say they are voting for her because of her policies,' said James Johnson, co-founder of J.L. Partners, which conducted the survey. The tiny town of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire and its six residents voted first at 12:01am on Tuesday with all choosing Haley over Trump Only three percent of Haley's supporters say her policies are the reason for supporting her New Hampshire has been the first-in-the-nation primary since 1920. In the last seven competitive Republican primaries, five of the winners went on to win the party's nomination 'Instead it is about stopping Donald Trump. That, coupled with low enthusiasm for Haley, limits her voting pool in these primaries to a relatively small number of people, especially in later contests where undeclared voters cannot vote. 'Meanwhile Trump's supporters are energized for positive reasons: Trump's strength, his plans on the economy and above all his record in his first term. 'This is an election that Trump dominates: even his opposition knows it.' Haley's supporters' top three words were: Trump, Donald and Biden. Some 15 percent said she was more 'moderate,' seven percent said she was 'the most qualified,' and six percent said she could 'unify the country.' But their words do not exactly suggest they are fired up by Haley the candidate. 'All the good candidates have dropped out and she has the best chance of beating Trump if she doesn't sell out to him again,' said one voter. Others pointed to her electability. 'I am voting for Nikki Haley because I believe she can beat Biden and she would be a new generational leader,' said another voter. They were there to support fellow sovereign citizens Glen Short, 52 Group of sovereign citizens were escorted out of a courthouse A group of 30 sovereign citizens were booted out of a courthouse after turning up to support a man who went viral for refusing a random breath test. The group showed up to the Wollongong courthouse on Tuesday in support of Glen Edward Short, 52, who is accused of not complying with police on August 7, 2023, the Illawarra Mercury reported. Mr Short gained national notoriety after a video of him arguing with police during a random breath began circulating online. Supporters of Mr Short, who call him 'Patriot 101', took up most of the seating in the courtroom and were subsequently removed after the hearing became nonsensical. Mr Short has pleaded not guilty to five driving charges, including refusing to submit to a breath test and refusing to produce a drivers licence. Sovereign citizen Glen Edward Short, 52, appeared in the Wollongong Court with an entourage of 30 others as he faced five charges relating to not complying with police Mr Short gained notoriety after filming a random roadside breath test where he went on a bizarre tirade claiming he was a self governed citizen on August 7, 2023 (pictured) Throughout the hearing Mr Short repeatedly interrupted Magistrate Michael Ong, the local paper reported. Mr Short refused to stand at the bar table when Magistrate Ong called his name, instead announcing in the third person that 'the beneficiary of that man is here'. The defendant then flew off on a tangent of disjointed observations and questions, noting that the Judge was 'sitting under a unicorn seal' before asking if it was alright to refer to him as Bob, according to Illawarra Mercury. Magistrate Ong ended the hearing after Mr Short threw a stack of papers across the court and announcing that the 'court has now been placed on judicial notice'. 'You have no jurisdiction as the state of NSW is registered to Washington DC on the Security Exchange Commission,' Mr Short reportedly told the magistrate during his tirade. After the abrupt ending, court sheriffs and police officers were called to escort the large crowd from the room but one 49-year-old man allegedly refused to leave. Officers used capsicum spray to coerce the man out of his seat before he was taken out of the court and arrested. The man was taken to the Wollongong Police Station. He was charged with failure to leave court premises as required by a security officer, not leaving the court at the request of court security, failure to comply with the reasonable direction of a security officer and willfully delaying a security officer. The man was granted a conditional bail and will appear before Wollongong Local Court on February 13. Mr Short's hearing continued later in the afternoon after the magistrate made an order prohibiting the group from entering the courthouse. Ten police officers guarded the entrance while Mr Short entered to complete the day alone. The group was kicked out of the court (pictured) shortly after the hearing began once Mr Short, who they call Patriot 101, started interrupting and derailing the magistrate Several of Mr Short's followers called on others to join them at the courthouse for his trial. 'If you are in Wollongong please get down to Wollongong Court House ASAP. We want as much support down here as possible for Patriot 101,' one wrote online. Mr Short became a local figurehead after he refused to make a Wollongong Highway Patrol Officer's job easy when he was stopped on the side of a busy highway. Mr Short filmed the altercation where he referred to himself as a 'self-governed' citizen, accused the cop of not having his consent to look up his personal details, and claimed he beat a chief magistrate in court. 'Do you agree that I've said to you that is a commercial contract with roads and maritime services, and that is a separate corporation to NSW Police force, which is a different ABN,' Mr Short said. 'So you didn't have consent by me, who I am the beneficiary and the executor of that legal fiction name. 'You didn't have the consent to even look up the details of that commercial contract to the RMS because you're a separate corporation. I do study law.' The video ended with Mr Short telling the police officer he didn't have any jurisdiction over him and that he was leaving. The gunman shot himself with a handgun in an altercation with police on Monday evening around 8.30pm after being on the run for over 24 hours Romeo Nance, 23, was caught by US Marshals at a Chubby's gas station in Natalia, Texas, over 1,191 miles from the shootings in Joliet, Illinois The killer behind a Chicago shooting spree which left eight dead - including seven family members - has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound The gunman behind an Illinois shooting spree that left eight people dead has killed himself after he was surrounded by police more than 1,100 miles away in Texas. Romeo Nance, 23, was on the run after he was linked to three separate shootings in Joliet, near Chicago, in the past two days. A man was killed and another injured on Sunday before seven more dead bodies were found on Monday afternoon. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said Monday's victims were 'family members' who were found dead in two homes on the 2200 block of West Acres Road in one of the 'worst crime scenes' he had ever seen. The shootings were all linked to Nance and a frantic manhunt was launched until he was finally caught 1,191-miles away at a Chubby's gas station in Natalia, Texas at 8.30pm on Monday. Officers said they tracked him down in a 'stand-off' at the gas station before he shot himself dead with a handgun following the 'confrontation' with police. Romeo Nance, who police said was 'armed and dangerous', is dead after he was surrounded by police in Texas on Monday evening Nance was linked to three shootings in Joliet on Sunday and Monday before he fled and was finally spotted at a Chubby's gas station 1,191-miles away in Texas on Monday evening The gas station was cordoned off after reports of a 'confrontation' with police in the forecourt Footage of the scene showed a red Toyota Camry - like the one linked to Nance in Illinois - stopped next to a pump and pinned in by a large black pick-up truck The Joliet Police Department said: 'At approximately 8:30 PM this evening, the Joliet Police Department learned that Nance had been located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas at which time it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials.' He was caught at a Chubby's gas station with photos of the cordoned-off scene showing a red Toyota Camry - with different plates than the ones that were seen on his car in Illinois - stopped at a pump with a large black SUV pinning it in. Medina County Sheriff's Office said they 'received a call of an individual heading into our county on IH35 from Bexar County. The individual was believed to be wanted out of Chicago for multiple homicides. 'Deputies were able to help assist the other agencies and the suspect was at a standoff in Natalia at Chubby's Gas station. 'The male suspect ended up sustaining self inflicted gunshot wounds. 'The scene is currently secured and there is no threat to the public. We ask the public to please be mindful of this area and allow the Investigators and Deputies to conduct their investigation.' The fastest route from Joliet to Texas by car would have taken Nance at least 19 hours and crossed through four states. Police at the scene of one of the shootings on the 2200 of West Acres Road, Joilet, Illinois Five of the family members were found dead in one of the houses and then another two were found dead in another house across the road Two people were found dead in one home in Joliet while five were found dead in another house In Illinois, Will County Sheriff's Office had started investigating Nance after the shootings on Sunday, when a 28-year-old man was fatally shot and another man was shot in the leg but survived. They set up surveillance at an address linked to Nance's car on Sunday night in the 2200 block of West Acres Road, and when he didn't return they decided to knock on the door. They said that when they approached the door of 2212 West Acres Road they saw blood on the floor and then forced entry to find 'five individuals that appeared to be deceased from gunshot wounds'. They then discovered 'another possible crime scene at 2225 West Acres Road and made entry into this home as well, locating two individuals also deceased from gunshot wounds.' Chief Evans said the seven dead people are 'family members'. A motive for their killings hasn't been established, but Chief Evans said the family were 'known' to Nance. He said: 'I've been a policeman 29 years, this is probably the worst crime scene I have ever been associated with'. The two homes are located on the 2200 block of West Acres Road Police cordoned off the area all of Monday following the discovery of seven dead bodies on the block A previous mugshot of Nance from 2019 after he was charged with theft and robbery Will County Sheriff's Office deputy chief Dan Jungles said they had been working on the investigation into Nance since Sunday when they were called to a report of a man bleeding from his head at 5 Pheasant Run Lane. He said: 'Our officers responded to that area for a person found with blood coming out of his head and upon deputies arrival they located a gunshot wound. 'He was transported to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.' The man was later identified as 28-year-old Toyosi Bakare, originally from Nigeria, who has been living in the United States for approximately three years. Dept Chief Jungles said they quickly identified Nance's vehicle and found it was linked to another non-fatal shooting, where a man was shot in the leg but survived, in the 200 block of Davis Street, Joliet, the same day. He said at midnight on Sunday officers set up 'constant surveillance' near an address linked to Nance's vehicle in 2200 West Acres Road but it 'yielded negative results'. After Nance or the car failed to appear at the address, Dept Chief Jungles said: 'Just before noon this morning, our officers then went to a residence, located blood, made entry where they located two deceased individuals. 'Our deputies did go to one of the residence, knocked on that door first and when they received no response, they knew that the house across the street was related to the individuals in that house. Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans said it was the 'worst' crime scene he had seen in his 29-year career Deputy Chief Dan Jungles said they had been surveilling the houses since midnight on Sunday 'Walked over there and that's when they discovered the blood and made entry into the house to look for these individuals.' 'We had surveillance on it all through the evening and into this morning, constant surveillance, hoping the vehicle would return to that residence which it did not. 'And that's when we made the decision to try to make contact with the registered owner of the vehicle.' Chief Evans said that they 'do not have any motive' for the shootings but that Nance 'does know the victims'. Referring the the victims, he said: 'They are related. We do believe they are family members.' He added: 'Our hearts go out to the victims' families of this heinous crime. We will do everything in our power, here at the Joliet Police Department, to bring the person responsible for this to justice.' Before he was caught, a frantic manhunt was launched and Chief Evans warned the public to be vigilant and said: 'Do not attempt to take this subject into custody on your own.' Police were looking for a red Toyota Camry which was seen near the scenes of two other shootings on Sunday Police said Nance was believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry with the license plate Q730412 A red Toyota Camry with the same license plate was identified as being involved with two shootings on Sunday Nance was arrested by Joliet police before in 2023 after allegedly trying to shoot a woman multiple times. The 36-year-old woman was driving when a black four-door sedan began honking at her. Nance then pulled up alongside her and threw a water bottle at her, before following her car and pointing a gun at her. He allegedly then shot at the woman multiple times, but didn't hit her, before speeding away. Police identified Nance as a suspect, found him near his house and arrested him after brief struggle. He was charged with aggravated discharge of a weapon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated assault, reckless discharge of a firearm and obstructing a peace officer. But he was released after posting $10,000 of a $100,000 bond in March 10 2023, according to court documents seen by WGN9, and was due back in court February 1. He was also imprisoned aged 19 and charged with two counts of robbery, two counts of theft and one charge of unlawful possession of cannabis. A man convicted and sentenced to life in prison for killing his girlfriend was attacked in the courtroom by the victim's stepfather before he was led away. Euren Balbuena, 33, was convicted in November of the 2020 murder of then-31-year-old Zaira Patino-Trejo. Balbuena stabbed Patino-Trejo over 30 times in front of her mother, Ariana Avetisyan, whom he also slashed in the head. While Avetisyan was giving her victim impact statement, her husband suddenly lunged at Balbuena. Patino-Trejo's stepfather 'landed a punch or two' at the killer before they had to split up, according to a spokesperson for Ventura County. Euren Balbuena, 33, was convicted in November of the 2020 murder of then-31-year-old Zaira Patino-Trejo Balbuena stabbed Patino-Trejo (pictured) over 30 times in front of her mother, Ariana Avetisyan, whom he also slashed in the head The impact statements continued after a delay of about 45 minutes to remove the stepfather from the courtroom. Balbuena appeared stunned by the attack in photos released by the Ventura County District Attorney which showed him being held back by a bailiff. The DA's office has yet to file any charges against the stepfather. DailyMail.com has reached out to the district attorney for comment. Patino-Trejo's mother, Avetisyan, went to the couple's apartment in Simi Valley on February 17, 2020 after not having heard from her and knowing a history of domestic violence between them. When she arrived, she saw signs of physical harm done by Balbuena on her daughter's face. She tried to get Patino-Trejo to leave Balbuena before he blocked them and slashed Avetisyan twice across her face. He then used multiple knives to stab his girlfriend at least 30 times - which prosecutors saying it was closer to 95. Avetisyan ran from the scene and called 911 after her daughter died, her face still bleeding, according to a bystander she flagged for help. The impact statements continued after a delay of about 45 minutes to remove the stepfather from the courtroom and keep him away from Balbuena Patino-Trejo's stepfather 'landed a punch or two' at the killer Balbuena (pictured) before they had to split up, according to a spokesperson for Ventura County 'Zaira Patino-Trejo was such a vibrant young woman with a bright future,' Supervising Senior Deputy District Attorney Melissa Suttner said in a statement. 'We cannot replace her unimaginable loss, but we pursued justice for Zaira and her family,' Suttner added. 'We hope that this sentence brings some small relief to her family, knowing that Euren Balbuena was held accountable for her brutal murder.' Balbuena was convicted on charges of battery causing great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon in addition to first-degree murder. He now faces 33 years to life in prison. Balbuena was convicted on charges of battery causing great bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon in addition to first-degree murder Balbuena now faces 33 years to life in prison for his brutal attack on Patino-Trejo Authorities said they believed police had responded to the apartment on previous occasions, but did not provide further information, according to KTLA. Patino-Trejo worked for Merrill Lynch, with the company paying tribute to her in a statement. 'Zaira was a valued member of our team and served our clients with great professionalism and care,' a company spokesman said. 'Our heartfelt condolences go out to her entire family, friends and those that were fortunate enough to know her.' A former Bunnings shelf stacker is suing the hardware giant after bosses allegedly told her that lodging a compensation claim over a back injury would lead to her and her colleagues losing their bonuses. Nicole Moldenhauer, 43, who worked at Bunnings' Maroochydore store in Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has lodged a $500,000 claim against the Wesfarmers-owned chain, after she allegedly suffered a back injury while moving 20kg products onto shelving in 2018. Her claim, which has been lodged in the Brisbane District Court, alleges that Bunnings had a policy of discouraging staff from lodging WorkCover claims, reported The Australian. Ms Moldenhauer was offered six sessions of physiotherapy by Bunnings in December 2018 but told that the company would not pay for any further treatment. Nicole Moldenhauer (pictured), 43, who worked at Bunnings' Marrochydoore store in Queensland's Sunshine Coast, has lodged a $500,000 claim against the Wesfarmers-owned hardware chain after she allegedly suffered a back injury while moving 20kg products onto shelving in 2018 A duty manager asked if she planned to lodge a workers' compensation claim. 'The manager reminded her that if she did so all staff in the Maroochydore store would lose their bonuses,' the claim states. 'Ms Moldenhauer did not then appreciate that her right upper limb symptoms were in fact related to a disc injury in her cervical spine.' Ms Moldenhauer alleges the injury occurred while restocking items as heavy as 20kg on her tip toes and with her arms outstretched. 'To perform the work, it was necessary for her on occasions to reach forward, fully extend her upper limbs, bending at the waist and bearing her weight on tippy toes to reach and take a hold of the stock,' the claim states. The claim suggests Ms Moldenhauer did not visit her own doctor for three months after the alleged injury because of Bunnings' policy of attempting to deal with complaints internally. Her claim, which has been lodged in the Brisbane District Court, alleges that Bunnings had a policy of discouraging staff from lodging WorkCover claims (pictured: Bunnings Warehouse in Maroochydore) READ MORE: Single photo exposes the cost of Bunnings' domination as the beloved old hardware stores disappear Advertisement 'She did not immediately attempt to lodge a WorkCover Claim or see her private doctor as she had been informed prior to the date of the incident that bonuses would not be payable to staff unless metrics were met with respect to time loss injuries and workers compensation claims,' the claim adds. 'It was reinforced to her prior to the date of the incident at pre-start meetings that if there were workers compensation claims of time loss injuries that all staff would lose their bonuses. 'Subsequent to the incident, she was informed again at daily team meetings when she attended to undertake light duties that staff would not receive bonuses if there were any workers compensation claims or time loss injuries.' Its understood that Bunnings does not link its employees' compensation claims to team bonuses. In its defence, Bunnings denied Ms Moldenhauer would have been asked to lift anything as heavy as 20kg. The company said the injury was not reported at the time and claimed Ms Moldenhauer had said she was unsure if it was work-related or due to her 'activities at home with three children'. Bunnings said it 'remains uncertain as to the truth or falsity' of the other allegations. Damian Zahra, Bunnings chief people officer, said: 'Theres nothing more important to us than maintaining a safe working environment for our team, and we have processes in place to manage workplace injuries when they occur including providing personalised care and support. 'As this matter is currently the subject of legal proceedings and parties are preparing for trial, it'd be inappropriate to provide further comment.' Ms Moldenhauers lawyer Travis Schultz, of Travis Schultz and Partners, said employers are obliged to report any work-related injuries' to their workers' compensation insurer under Queensland law. 'While employers have an interest in managing their statistics regarding workplace injuries, the legislation imposes a duty on employers to complete a report in the approved form, and give it to their insurer if a worker sustains an injury for which compensation may be payable,' Mr Schultz told the paper. The Spanish Caribbean regions cuisine demonstrates how different and seemingly disparate cultures can contribute to a natural form of culinary fusion. Puerto Rican cuisine, in particular, can be traced back to 1493, when Christopher Columbus expedition allowed Spain to colonize the island. La Mallorquina is one of the oldest restaurants in Old San Juan, opening in 1848, and the first cookbook, El Cocinero Puerto-Riqueno o Formulario, was published in 1859. Three seemingly unrelated sources influence traditional Puerto Rican dishes. The indigenous Tainos tribe cultivated root vegetables and tropical fruits for thousands of years. Spanish colonizers brought over their own livestock and also developed a seafood-based economy. The arrival of African slaves as plantation workers introduced new cooking techniques and unique spice blends. Because Puerto Rico is now a United States territory, there has also been a noticeable American culinary influence as well. 8 Essential Puerto Rican Dishes Every Foodie Should Know Empanadillas Empanadillas are small crescent-shaped turnovers typically filled with a savory mix of ground beef and potatoes. Available fried or baked, the empandatillas filling contains two Puerto Rican staples: sofrito and achiote. Much like Indian curry, sofrito recipes vary from region to region, but Puerto Rican sofrito incorporates onions, cubanelle peppers, garlic, cilantro, ajices dulces peppers, cilantro, culantro, tomatoes, and red pepper. These ingredients are chopped into a fine paste in a food processor. Achiote is a nutty, sweet, and earthy spice sold in both powder and oil form. After filling and frying, a Puerto Rican empanadilla has a slightly crunchy crust that holds a generous portion of filling. Popular alternatives to ground beef include lobster, conch, and shrimp. Rellenos de Papa The first Puerto Rican dish I ever tried was rellenos de papa, shares Michael Pollick from Media Decision. I was amazed at the depth of flavor. This wasnt a typical spicy Hispanic side dish or a thick American comfort food. The sofrito brought a unique flavor combination, and the plantains, which I had never had before, were surprisingly good. Rellenos de papa, often served as an appetizer or street food, combines a mashed potato-based croquette with picadillo, ground beef, or pork seasoned with sofrito. Additional ingredients could include onions and cheese. Plantains or breadfruit are sometimes used in place of potatoes. The croquettes are breaded and deep-fried before serving. Tostones and Maduros Plantains are considered a staple food in Puerto Rico. To make the savory snack tostones, unripened green plantains are fried twice in oil, then sprinkled with salt and served with a garlic sauce. Tostones are equivalent to french fries in American cuisine. Fully ripened plantains, which closely resemble bananas, are used to create the sweet counterpart called maduros. Maduros can be fried lightly in oil or griddled and served as a side dish to offset salty or spicy dishes. Pasteles Pasteles are considered essential Christmas food in Puerto Rico but are very labor intensive. Preparation is reminiscent of masa-based tamales, with a soft vegetable-based dough shell wrapped and steamed in banana leaves. The dough is a seasoned blend of grated green plantains, green bananas, malanga/yutia (a root vegetable similar to yuca), and potato or pumpkin with milk. The filling may contain pork, along with tropical vegetables and possibly pumpkin. Both the filling and the masa-like dough are seasoned with achiote and/or sofrito. Meat fillings include pork, tropical vegetables, and pumpkin. Both filling and dough are often seasoned with achiote and/or sofrito. Mofongo Mofongo has become a signature dish of Puerto Rican cuisine and has also made its way onto American menus. The base of mofongo is a mash-up of fried plantains, crunchy pork skin, and garlic, but there are dozens of regional variations when it comes to meat and spice fillings. It is typically served as a side dish but can also be portioned as a full entree. American versions of mofongo typically add chunks of grilled chicken or pork to make it a substantial main course. The dish is often topped with stewed shrimp as well. Pernil Pernil is a slow-roasted pork shoulder that can require almost a full day to prepare, but the end result is a fork-tender roast that falls apart easily. A whole pork shoulder, butt, or leg is seasoned with salt, pepper, sofrito, Adobo, oregano, and sometimes a Sazon spice packet. The meat is roasted very slowly for hours and may be marinated or basted with oil and citrus fruits. The finished dish is often served with rice or bread and a mojito sauce. The crispy skin is also crumbled and served as a garnish for the pork. Pollo Guisado Pollo guisado is a one-pot chicken stew, considered a comfort food in Puerto Rico. Dark meat chicken is browned and cooked down with adobo, sofrito, achiote, garlic, cilantro, oregano, and other seasonings. The stews broth is typically tomato-based. Vegetables in pollo guisado vary widely from region to region, but heaty root vegetables such as potatoes and carrots are common. Olives are also popular additions, along with bell peppers and onions. Pollo guisado is usually served in a large bowl as a stew, with a garnish of red pepper flakes and parsley. Arroz Con Habichuelas / Arroz Con Gandules The Puerto Rican version of beans and rice, arroz con habichuelas or gandules, is a staple comfort food typically served as a side dish along with sliced avocados, fried plantains, or picadillo. The beans are heavily seasoned with bacon fat and sofrito, but regional recipes allow for pigeon peas, herb blends, Spanish olives, and local seasonings. This flavorful dish can also be used as a base for meat dishes. Sazon and adobo spices are commonly added to many Puerto Rican rice and bean recipes. Thunderstorms threaten to dampen Australia Day celebrations across the country. While some parts of the nation will enjoy blue skies and sunshine on January 26, other areas will be ravaged by wild storms. Flood-ravaged North Queensland may even see a category three cyclone smash the coast on the national holiday. So before you make plans, here's is the forecast across Australia. SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES Despite the cloudy skies in Sydney, the temperature is expected to soar to 35C on Friday. The predicted heat could cool with a 50 per cent chance of rain, and possible thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. Light winds of about 15 to 20km an hour are also forecast which will help Sydneysiders stay cool. Despite the cloudy skies in Sydney, the temperature is expected to soar to 35C on Friday MELBOURNE, VICTORIA Conditions are looking overcast for Melbournians on Friday. Residents in the south-east should expect showers. There is also a chance of rain in the rest of the city with partly cloudy conditions throughout the day. Temperatures are expected to stay below 25C. BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND A sunny 32C day is forecast for Brisbane but there's a chance of thunderstorms in the evening. The UV is expected to reach a whopping 14, with Queenslanders urged to slap on sunscreen. Northeasterly winds will reach 25km/h by the afternoon, before turning northerly at 20km/h. Meanwhile, an escalating tropical low over the Coral Sea is due to form into Cyclone Kirrily late on Tuesday. Millions of Aussies have been told to brace for impact as Cyclone Kirrilly barrels towards Queensland (radar map pictured) with up to a metre of rain to be dumped in some areas Cyclone Kirrily is expected to make landfall (track map above) between Cairns and Mackay either late Thursday or Friday morning Authorities have warned the effects of the wild weather system may be felt as early as the coming 24 hours with residents told to prepare now. The tropical low, named 05U, sat about 850km northeast of Townsville on Tuesday morning and is slowly tracking southwest towards Queensland's coast. The system is expected to intensify into a category one cyclone either Tuesday afternoon or evening before strengthening to a category two or three and making landfall between Cardwell and Airlie Beach either late Thursday or Friday morning. PERTH, WESTERN AUSTRALIA After a cloudy few days with isolated storms, the weather will clear up in time for Friday gatherings on the west coast. Perth residents should look forward to a top of 33C and blue skies with no clouds. However, UV levels will reach an extreme 13, so Perth locals are reminded to be sun smart. Perth residents should look forward to a top of 33C and blue skies with no clouds Residents in the south-east of Melbourne should also expect a chance of some showers ADELAIDE SOUTH AUSTRALIA Originally predicted to have a cloudless Australia day, the forecast has changed slightly. The temperature is set to reach just 24C and will be partly cloudy. Although there is a slight chance of rain, it is unlikely. HOBART, TASMANIA The apple isle's temperature is expected to hit a high of 21C on Friday and have cloudy conditions. Some isolated storms are expected. DARWIN, NORTHERN TERRITORY In the top end the temperature will reach a high of 31C but the conditions will be mainly overcast. Darwin will most likely experience thunderstorms and has a 90 per cent chance of rain The city will most likely experience thunderstorms and has a 90 per cent chance of rain. Although up to 25mm of rain is expected, the UV will reach a dangerous 15. CANBERRA, ACT The capital is expected to reach a high of 26C on Friday. However, it will be cloudy with a high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. There is also a chance of a thunderstorm. Twenty people consisting of two groups of ice fishermen were rescued from an ice floe in Lake Erie that had broken away from the mainland, the Coast Guard said Monday. The Coast Guard's Ninth District Great Lakes station said it received a report about 10:20am that the people were stuck on a mile-long floe about a half-mile off Catawba Island State Park near Port Clinton in Ohio. A Coast Guard helicopter was sent from Air Station Detroit and two airboats headed to the scene from nearby Station Marblehead, said Petty Officer Jessica Fontenette. Rescuers from the Put-In-Bay fire department on South Bass Island and the Ottawa County sheriff's office also assisted. U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Detroit and Station Marblehead responded to reports of 20 ice fishermen stranded on an ice floe near Catawba Island on Lake Erie, Ohio on Monday Twenty people were rescued from an ice floe in Lake Erie, the Coast Guard said Monday The Put-in-Bay Fire Department were able to head out onto the ice to rescue seven fishermen A rescuer with the U.S. Coast Guard is winched down onto the ice to rescue nine people The Coast Guard was able to rescue nine people; four others were rescued by Put-in-Bay Fire Department and the remaining seven were able to get to shore themselves on an airboat. No injuries were reported. Authorities said everyone was safe and accounted for by 12:41pm. 'We got out there, got set up and got a few fish on the ice. The wind started picking up, which we knew was a possibility today. That's also why we brought our airboat,' said Matt Kubacki, a fisherman who was rescued to WTOL. 'When the ice cracks, it's one of those feelings where you're sitting on the ice and you do feel it. You'll feel it in your seat and the water will bubble up in your holes. But when it cracked, we decided to check it out and see what was going on and it started to push.' The fisherman were likely encouraged onto the ice after the recent cold snap which has seen parts of Lake Erie freeze over. Temperatures in Ohio at the weekend were in the teens but warmed up to the 30s on Monday likely leading to a thawing of the ice. Emergency services were quickly on the scene with the entire rescue taking about two hours Seven people were able to get to get back to shore themselves on an airboat A member of the Coast Guard is seen being lowered down onto the ice floe to rescue the stranded fishermen The Coast Guard issued advice on when it is safe to go onto the ice 'We are committed to public safety and want to remind everyone the importance of exercising caution around ice formations,' said Lt. Adeeb Ahmad, Sector Detroit Public Affairs Officer. An ice floe is a floating sheet of ice that has broken off from a larger ice formation. 'Ice floes are unpredictable and can quickly become hazardous, particularly in windy conditions or strong currents. Always check local ice conditions before venturing out and be prepared for any emergencies. Your safety is our top priority,' the Coast Guard said in a statement. 'There's no safe ice. We like to drive that point across,' said Colt Fairchild, commanding officer of Coast Guard Station Marblehead. 'If you're going to venture out on the ice to fish or recreate, we recommend that you carry a life jacket with you, wear that life jacket, and also dress appropriately for the winter.' South Australia is set to introduce tough new laws to jail repeat child sex offenders indefinitely. Under the proposed legislation, offenders jailed for a second time will need to demonstrate to the court they are no longer a risk to children, in order to be considered for release. If a release is granted, the offender would then be monitored electronically for the rest of their life. Premier Peter Malinauskas said his government will also 'fast-track' the automatic sentencing of anyone convicted of a second child sex offence to a potential lifetime behind bars. South Australia is set to introduce tough new laws to jail unrepentant repeat child sex offenders indefinitely. Pictured: Premier Peter Malinauskas 'Any parent around the state would be legitimately worried and concerned at the prospect of a repeat child sex offender being in the community offending yet again,' he said. 'As a parent, I can't think of anything more horrifying. 'We cannot have a situation where courts are releasing repeat child sex offenders, for them only to harm more children in our community, innocent children.' The proposed amendments to the Sentencing Act 2017 will make the laws the 'toughest of their kind in the country'. The proposed law change comes after a 21-year-old, who was considered a high risk child sex offender, was accused of raping a 12-year-old girl on the Seaford train line last week. 'Our community is rightly sick of seeing paedophiles offending again and again and then being released back into the community,' Mr Malinauskas said on Tuesday. 'I want to be clear, dangerous repeat offender paedophiles should not be in our community where they pose a risk to children. The 'fast-tracked' legal changes are set to introduced in South Australia's parliament in February (stock image) 'These laws will keep them locked up in jail, where they belong.' The amendments are likely to be introduced to the South Australian parliament in February. The Malinauskas government has previously introduced several other changes to toughen child sex offender laws. These include increasing penalties, slashing sentencing discounts and banning child sex offenders from working in places that hire underage employees. Police in Colorado are combing through missing person files to try and identify a person whose decapitated head was discovered in a chest freezer. The grisly discovery was made when the property - in the 2900 block of Pinyon Avenue, Grand Junction - changed hands earlier this month. The new owners held a yard sale to try and dispose of some of the bric-a-brac that the previous owners had left behind. People in hazmat suits were seen at the Grand Junction property - which roused the suspicion of the neighbors The house had recently changed hands, and the new owners wanted to get rid of the junk left behind Sam Troester, who lives across the street, said she noticed something strange when people in hazmat suits turned up at the home. Troester said she learned what had happened when the people intending to buy the freezer came to her door and asked if they could use her restroom. 'I let them in and cautiously I was like, 'What's going on?'' she told 9 News. 'And they continued to tell me that they opened the freezer to empty it so they could transport it and they said a head fell out. A human head!' Sheriffs later confirmed that human hands were also found in the freezer. Sam Troester, who lives across the street, told 9 News that people who came to buy the freezer told her what had happened 'A thorough and detailed investigation is the top priority,' the Mesa County Sheriff's Office wrote in a news release, describing their investigation as a homicide. 'Our hope is to positively identify the victim while remaining respectful of the victim and the victim's family.' Officials from the sheriff's office say extensive testing on the human remains is in progress. They added: 'These types of tests take a significant amount of time.' A Jewish woman who was assaulted by a gang of thugs on a night out in London's Leicester Square in a suspected anti-Semitic attack feared she was 'going to die', it has emerged. The 28-year-old woman, Tehilla, and her two male friends, both 25, were heading towards a West End club early on Sunday morning when they were assaulted by a massive group of '15 to 20' men. Tehilla suffered neck and leg injuries, while her friends were punched in the head, after they were 'overheard speaking Hebrew'. She revealed the yobs menaced the trio by asking them 'are you Jewish?' and 'swearing in Arabic' before chanting 'Free Palestine' and 'f*** Jews' during the terrifying incident. Police took 28 minutes to arrive at the scene after repeated 999 calls were made, the Telegraph reported. Officers apparently arrived at Tehilla's home some 16 hours after the attack. Tehilla told the newspaper: 'We just tried not to get into trouble, to walk away, but they started following us and then all of a sudden, it started with like two or three guys, and all of a sudden, they called all their friends and 15 to 20 guys started attacking us physically.' Aerial view of people walking in London's Leicester Square The Community Security Trust, a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats, said it would be 'raising' the handling of the incident with the police and would be providing 'ongoing support' to the victims. A friend of the victims said they visited them at the hospital in North London but the police never 'showed up'. They told the Telegraph: 'We believe there's a two-tier police situation. The police are not tackling the weekly hate marches, they are not tackling anti-Semitism.' The Met Police are hunting the attackers and are treating the incident as an 'anti-Semitic hate crime'. This picture shows Leicester Square Underground station Detective Supt Lucy O'Connor said: 'We are investigating this incident as an anti-Semitic hate crime. I know how upsetting such inexcusable violence is for anyone who was injured or who witnessed the incident, and also for the wider community. I share their concerns. 'Officers arrived at the scene some 28 minutes after they were called. Of course, I wish we could have come to their aid sooner. The police investigation will now focus on speaking with the woman and any other victims or witnesses, as well as following up all lines of enquiry including analysis of CCTV. I urge any witnesses to get in touch. 'I can assure Londoners, tackling anti-Semitic crime is a priority for the Met. There is no place for hate in our city.' A father and his three young children who have been missing for over two years are believed to be hiding out in an area of remote bushland in New Zealand. Tom Phillips and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, eight, and Ember, seven, were reported missing from the tiny village of Marokopa on the west coast of the country's north island by family members on January 18, 2022. No one has seen the children in over two years, although their father has been sighted several times and was also allegedly involved in an armed robbery. But now police believe they know where the fugitive and his children are hiding out. Tom Phillips (pictured) and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7, (pictured below) were reported missing from the tiny village of Marokopa on the west coast of New Zealand 's north island by family members on January 18, 2022 Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said: 'The investigation team working on this case have one focus to bring Ember, Maverick and Jayda home' 'We believe Tom and the children are hiding out in Western Waikato within Marokopa or the surrounding areas,' Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said. 'Although the environment is challenging for investigators, we continue to devote resources to this operation and follow up on all reported sightings.' 'We continue to review existing evidence and new information and appeal to the community to pass on any details that could help the three children be reunited with their family.' Phillips, a capable hunter with intimate knowledge of the bush, was last spotted in grainy CCTV in November last year attempting to allegedly rob a store in Piopio in the Waitomo District with another individual, believed to be one of his children. Dressed in army-style combat clothing with caps pulled low and masks covering their faces, the two figures can be seen leaving a red quadbike before they approach the window of the store. Phillips then allegedly smashed the shopfront before fleeing when the alarm sounded. In May last year, two armed people entered an ANZ bank in Te Kuiti, demanding cash before fleeing on a black motorbike (pictured). Police later linked Phillips to the robbery and charged him with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm Phillips, a capable hunter with intimate knowledge of the bush, was last spotted in grainy CCTV in November last year attempting to allegedly rob a store in Piopio in the Waitomo District with another individual, believed to be one of his children (pictured) In August, Phillips was sighted three times in one day. He was first seen driving an allegedly stolen 2003 len bronze-coloured Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute on State Highway 31 in the Kawhia area, on New Zealand's north island. The same day, Phillips was recognised by someone who knows him in the car park of the Bunnings Warehouse store in Te Rapa, Hamilton. CCTV footage captured Phillips with his head and face completely covered by a beanie, reading glasses and a mask. He reportedly paid cash for headtorches, batteries, seedlings, buckets and gumboots. His children were not with him. Less than three hours later, the ute Phillips got into an alleged fight with another motorist in Kawhia Rd, near the small west coast settlement. While the ute involved in the incident was eventually found abandoned by police, Phillips had managed to escape. On August Phillips was seen driving an allegedly stolen 2003 len bronze-coloured Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute on State Highway 31 in the Kawhia area, on New Zealand's north island That same day CCTV footage captured Phillips with his head and face completely covered by a beanie, reading glasses and a mask in Bunnings In May last year, two armed people entered an ANZ bank in Te Kuiti, demanding cash before fleeing on a black motorbike. Police linked Phillips to the robbery months later, charging him with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm. 'While we cannot comment on speculation about any assistance or support Phillips may be receiving, or rumours around the Te Kuiti bank robbery and who the possible accomplice could be, we have previously confirmed that Phillips is the suspect of the attempted burglary of the Piopio superette store,' Detective Inspector Saunders said. He added: 'The investigation team working on this case have one focus to bring Ember, Maverick and Jayda home.' Police have previously said they believe Phillips is receiving help from members of the community. The father and his three young children first went missing on September 11, 2021. Police and emergency services alongside hundreds of volunteers and locals spent days searching for the family after his ute was found below the high tide mark on Kiritehere Beach with waves crashing against it. Mr Phillips' grey Toyota Hilux (pictured) was discovered abandoned in the surf on Kiritehere Beach (pictured below) in September 2021 before he and the three children reappeared 18 days later Police and emergency services alongside hundreds of volunteers and locals spent days searching for the family after his ute was found below the high tide mark on Kiritehere Beach (pictured) with waves crashing against it Family and the local community feared the worse. But 18 days later Phillips and the children returned to the family farm with relatives revealing they had spent the time living in a tent in dense bushland to 'clear his head'. He was charged with wasting police time and resources. But fewer than three months later they disappeared again, with the last sighting of the father and his three children on December 9, 2021. On January 12, 2022, Phillips failed to show up for his court appearance for a charge of causing wasteful deployment of police personnel and resources, with his absence leading to a warrant for his arrest. Police warned the public that Philips is thought to be armed and should not be approached. Anyone with any information is urged to come forward. The father of an Israeli girl taken hostage by Hamas has told of his fear that his daughter is being sexually abused after other captees released from Gaza avoided telling him details of her condition. Liri Albag, 18, was kidnapped from her bed in a bomb shelter along with three other women by Hamas gunmen amid their ruthless October 7 attacks. Several of her fellow captees were later freed by Hamas, but Liri remains missing with no sightings or knowledge of her whereabouts. Now her grief-stricken father Eli, who yesterday met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Foreign Secretary David Cameron, has spoken of his family's pain - and concern Liri is being abused in captivity. 'They say that they don't have food, they don't have water, they don't take a shower, they're sleeping on the floor, very cold humidity, 40 metres under the ground. 'And the most important issue, they are touching them,' he said. 'We know that some of the girls - it's very difficult to say this - they attacked them, sexually, and we are worried, especially that they didn't release them.' Mr Albag described his family as 'broken', adding: 'All our lives have collapsed.' Eli Albag, the father of 18-year-old Liri Albag, who was kidnapped from a bomb shelter near the border of Israel on October 7 Liri Albag, 18, was kidnapped from her bed along with three other women by Hamas gunmen amid the ruthless October 7 attacks Pic shows L-R: MP Stephen Crabb, Ran Gilboa, Orli Gilboa (parents of hostage Daniela Gilboa), Foreign Secretary David Cameron, Eli Albag - father of Liri, and media coordinator Gali Sheba 'It's difficult to say, and difficult to think, but I worry that they've done something wrong to these girls. I cannot understand them, I cannot understand these animals,' Mr Albag said Family members of people taken hostage by Hamas in Israel on October 7 (left to right) Eli Albag, the father of 18-year-old Liri Albag, who was kidnapped from a bomb shelter near the border of Israel; Ziv Abud, the girlfriend of 26-year-old Eliya Cohen who was kidnapped at the NOVA party in Reim, and Liran Berman, the brother of twins Ziv and Gali Berman who were kidnapped from their home on a kibbutz in Kfar Aza This photograph taken on January 22, 2024 from Rafah, shows smoke billowing during Israeli bombardment over Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip Liri's father questioned why Hamas was not releasing younger women aged between 18 and 30, and wondered aloud why freed hostages would not respond to his 'difficult questions' about sexual abuse. 'I understand they don't want to talk about this, they don't want to hurt us. But we understand. We really understand,' he told BBC. 'It's difficult to say, and difficult to think, but I worry that they've done something wrong to these girls. 'I cannot understand them, I cannot understand these animals.' Mr Albag shared his concern yesterday at a Conservative Friends of Israel meeting attended by the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary. Liri's father showed the Prime Minster a photo of his daughter and handed him a dog tag on which the words 'Bring Them Home' were emblazoned. Mr Albag said of the Prime Minister 'He was very sensitive and inside his heart is like a very warm person. And for me, it's made me feel more close and that he understands our situation very well. Mr Albag said he was told by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary that they will remain in close contact with officials in Qatar - one of the principal mediators of the conflict that managed to broker the initial ceasefire in which dozens of Israeli hostages were released. Rishi Sunak's meeting with families of hostages came as other family members staged a protest inside Israel's parliament yesterday - a symptom of the growing discontent with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One woman held up pictures of three family members who were among the 253 people seized in the cross-border Hamas rampage of October 7 that triggered the worst fighting in decades. Some 130 remain held in Gaza after others were brought home in a November truce. 'Just one I'd like to get back alive, one out of three!' the woman protester cried after pushing into the Knesset Finance Committee discussion. Other protesters, clad in black T-shirts, held up signs reading: 'You will not sit here while they die there. Get up from your chairs. 'Release them now, now, now!' they chanted. A fire rages at sunrise in Khan Younis following an Israeli airstrike on targets in the southern Gaza strip About 20 people stormed the Knesset today, signalled growing domestic dissent in the fourth month of the Gaza war Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected terms presented by Hamas to end the war Protesters held up signs and chanted slogans in parliamentary session The storming of the Knesset came after a top Hamas official declared there is now 'no chance' that hostages held in Gaza will return to their families. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday resolutely rejected conditions presented by Hamas to end the war - a release of all hostages in return for a total military withdrawal from Gaza by the IDF, and Hamas maintaining power. 'In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands the end of the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of all the murderers and rapists,' Netanyahu said in a statement. 'I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas,' he retorted bluntly. Hours later, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said the Israeli leader's refusal to end the military offensive in Gaza 'means there is no chance for the return of the (Israeli) captives.' It comes as the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said over the weekend that more than 25,000 Palestinians had perished in Israeli strikes since October 7, triggering anti-war protests in cities worldwide. Under a deal brokered in late November by the United States, Qatar and Egypt, more than 100 of the estimated 240 hostages taken captive to Gaza during an attack by Hamas militants on October 7 were freed in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Since then, Netanyahu has faced mounting pressure to secure the release of the 136 hostages who remain in captivity. A horde of protesters camped outside the Israeli Prime Minister's residence over the weekend, chanting slogans and holding up placards with the faces of dozens of hostages still stuck in the clutches of Hamas. The grief-stricken mother of a young British woman who died after a botched weight-loss operation has accused the cosmetic surgery clinic in Turkey of 'taking her money and leaving her to die'. Morgan Ribeiro flew to Turkey to undergo a gastric sleeve operation after suffering years of bullying about her weight. But the 20-year-old from south London died from complications in a Serbian hospital after her return flight to Britain had to make an emergency landing in Belgrade when she became severely unwell. Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Morgan's heartbroken mother Erin Gibson has condemned the cosmetic surgery clinic for releasing her daughter from the hospital in Istanbul just three days after the botched operation, while she was suffering an infection. 'No mother should have to go through the pain that I am going through,' she told MailOnline. 'She [Morgan] paid 2,500 to a company in Switzerland but the operation was done in Turkey. But they botched the operation. After the plane made an emergency landing in Serbia the doctors there found that they had perforated her small intestine. The surgeon shouldn't have been anywhere near there. And she had got an infection from the operation. 'There was no way Morgan should have been discharged from hospital after only three days following such a complicated procedure. They took her money, and they left her to die. Morgan Ribeiro flew to Turkey to undergo a gastric sleeve operation after suffering years of bullying about her weight Her grieving mother Erin Gibson (pictured) has condemned the cosmetic surgery clinic for releasing her daughter from the hospital in Istanbul The 20-year-old from south London died from complications in a hospital in Serbia after her return flight to Britain had to make an emergency landing in Belgrade when she became severely unwell. Pictured: In her last TikTok These people need to be stopped. They are only interested in selling our young people a dream. But what is it for? To conform to the pressures of society.' Mrs Gibson, a mother-of-five, added: 'She was a beautiful girl, both inside and out. She booked this surgery without my knowledge. I would never had had let her go ahead with it if I had known.' Erin told how she had become estranged from her 'head-strong' daughter in the six months leading up to the operation at the beginning of January this year. She said: 'I am head-strong and so is Morgan. We were estranged for the past six months, and it was during this time that she researched this weight-loss surgery. 'She was interested in the bargain price. The clinic only highlights the successes, not the failures. 'If I had had known I would have shown her risks. 'I only found out she was having the operation on the day she flew out and by then it was too late.' She added: 'The Serbian doctors and authorities have been great. 'They told me this is the third time a plane carrying a British cosmetic surgery patient has had to make an emergency landing in Belgrade because of medical complications. 'The Serbian prosecutor's office and the British authorities have launched investigations into Morgan's death. 'I hope it doesn't happen to another girl, to another woman's daughter.' During the operation, surgeons removed over 10cm of Morgan's small intestine but tragically Morgan suffered a heart attack on January 9 and was placed in an induced coma - dying four days later in a hospital in Belgrade. Mrs Gibson says that no mother should have to go through the pain she is going through Mrs Gibson paid tribute to her 'beautiful girl', as she said she had booked the surgery without her knowledge. Pictured: Morgan as a child Her boyfriend James (pictured with her) claims that hospital staff and translators speaking to her did not mention the dangers associated with the operation prior to Morgan going under the knife Mrs Gibson says she would have shown her daughter the risks if she had known what she was going to do Mrs Gibson, a mother-of-five, told how she had become estranged from her 'head-strong' daughter in the six months leading up to the operation During the operation, surgeons removed over 10cm of Morgan's small intestine but tragically Morgan suffered a heart attack on January 9 and was placed in an induced coma - dying four days later in a hospital in Belgrade Her sister, 26-year-old Kayleigh Ribeiro had begged her not to go through with the surgery which carries a number of complicating health risks. In advance of the procedure, Morgan had had a virtual consultation with the Turkish company in September 2023 before booking the January operation. Her boyfriend James claims that hospital staff and translators speaking to her did not mention the dangers associated with the operation prior to Morgan going under the knife. The organisation that connected Morgan with the Turkish surgeon has denied any wrongdoing Following her operation on their Wizz Air flight home, he recalled that Morgan was 'really hot and in a lot of pain.' He explained: 'The flight attendant gave her some ice and water and she was finding it hard to breathe so they took her to the front of the plane where there was more space, they tried to give her an oxygen mask. 'I could tell something was seriously wrong.' A Wizz Air spokesperson said: 'We can confirm that during a flight from Istanbul to London Gatwick we made a diversion to Belgrade due to a passenger requiring medical assistance. Morgan died just three days after the botched operation and while suffering from an infection Mrs Gibson says Serbian authorities told her this is the third time a plane carrying a British cosmetic surgery patient has had to make an emergency landing due to complications Young mother Demi Agoglia, 26, has also died this year after surgery in Turkey 'The health and safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority, and in this instance the passenger was disembarked from the aircraft to seek urgent medical attention. 'We're incredibly saddened to hear of the passenger passing away following their medical treatment and our thoughts remain with their family at this time.' A government spokesman said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Belgrade and are in contact with the local authorities. 'We urge anyone considering a medical procedure abroad to review our travel advice and the relevant guidance from the NHS and other professional bodies.' Morgan's tragic death comes days after a 26-year-old mother-of-three died days after a Brazilian bum-lift operation in Turkey. Demi Agoglia of Salford, Greater Manchester, is said to have become ill despite doctors initially declaring her surgery last Thursday was successful. The 26-year-old, who had a seven-month-old baby boy, first said she felt unwell just hours before she was due to return to Manchester, The Sun reported. The young woman was taken into intensive care but was tragically pronounced dead last Monday. She had flown to Turkey having already had dental work which was botched as well as another surgery. Number of Brits needing hospital treatment after getting cosmetic surgery abroad DOUBLES in three years amid booming popularity of Turkey's cosmetic clinics By John Ely Senior Health reporter for MailOnline Cut-price overseas butt lifts, tummy tucks and 'mommy makeovers' in Turkey are landing more and more Brits in hospital, a new audit warns. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) found 324 Brits have needed medical treatment or corrective surgery after having gone under the knife overseas since 2018. This has surged 94 per cent in three years, the organisation claimed, as increasing numbers of Brits seek to look more like their celebrity idols. Turkey was the largest source of botched ops, BAAPS figures suggested. Almost 80 per cent of Brits who needed corrective ops in the last year were treated originally in surgical tourism hubs like Istanbul and Ankara. The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons analysed 324 cases of Brits needing medical treatment or corrective surgery after having gone under the knife overseas since 2018 Other big surgical destinations for Brits included the Czech Republic and Lithuania, according to BAAPS. Brits who head abroad for cut-price surgery are coming home with life-threatening infections, implants bursting through the skin and blood clots. Some are even returning with antibiotic-resistant bugs, medics warned. Such bacteria are known to leap between patients in hospital settings, triggering potentially fatal infections. An estimated 12,000 Brits are killed by drug-resistant bacteria every year. Procedures to treat botched cosmetic ops cost the NHS millions of pounds each year. READ MORE: I am a consultant plastic surgeon and this is why you should NEVER follow the celebrity trend and go to Turkey for a cut-price 'mommy makeover' As a consultant plastic surgeon working in the NHS in Belfast, and a spokesman for the British Association of Plastic and Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), Alastair Brown has seen first-hand the life-changing and potentially fatal consequences of travelling abroad for budget surgery Advertisement BAAPS estimates the average cost to the health service of treating a Brit botched overseas is about 15,000, putting the total bill since 2018 at about 4.8million. This bill represents the cost of resources like medication and dressings, as well as the time surgeons and other NHS staff must spend on such cases. While the 15,000 figure is an average, surgeons have previously told this website more serious cases can cost upwards of 100,000 to the taxpayer. BAAPS's president Marc Pacifico said the audit only includes surgeons who are members of the charity, and therefore, are an underestimate of the issue. 'We are only scratching the surface of the true number needing treatment on an already-stretched health service with a record-high waiting list,' he said. Mr Pacifico said BAPPS is in discussion with regulators and governments, both here in the UK and abroad to try and reduce the number of botched overseas surgeries. 'We're not trying to stop this, we're in no position to and nor is this what we're aiming for,' he said. 'We're aiming to try and raise awareness, increase safety, ultimately protect patients but also relieve the burden on the NHS.' He said one of these discussions is about advs promoting surgery overseas, with too many Brits lured to places like Turkey thinking they can go under the knife and enjoy a holiday in the sun at the same time. 'Nothing could be further from the truth,' Mr Pacifico warned. He added:' Medical advice and support for people looking to go abroad is drowned and dwarfed by the number of paid promotions and glossy advertisements for the cosmetic tourism market itself'. MailOnline has previously warned about so-called 'all inclusive' package deals that offer Brits weighing up surgery luxury hotels, VIP airport transfers and more to sweeten the deal as well as discounts on multiple operations. BAAPS audit of the 324 cases where Brits required treatment doesn't include information on outcomes, such as if patients made a full recovery or suffered life-long injuries. Liposuction that offers to remove up to 15 litres of fat, BBL's, eye colour changing laser treatments and hymenoplasties are all offered in clinics across Turkey But at least 25 Brits are known to have died following medical procedures in Turkey since January 2019, according to Government data. Price isn't the only factor driving Brits to seek cosmetic surgery overseas. British surgeons have previously warned this website that Turkish clinics will also perform procedures on Brits who 'should never have gone under the knife'. Such cases can be because Brits are too fat or have other health conditions that make them more likely to suffer dangerous complications post-surgery. Turkish clinics have also been known to offer extreme procedures like mega-liposuction, which are not offered in the UK due to the risks to the patient. A deadly attack has killed 24 Israeli soldiers in Gaza, the country's military has said, a major setback that could add to mounting calls for a cease-fire. The soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza on Monday when a terrorist fighter fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, according to Israeli media reports overnight. The blast triggered land mines, causing the buildings to collapse on the soldiers, killing 24 - the largest single loss of life for the Israeli military since the war began. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said it was a 'difficult and painful morning,' but that Israel was committed to pressing ahead. 'This war will determine the future of Israel for decades to come, and the fall of soldiers is a requirement to achieve the goals of the war,' he wrote on X. Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters the IDF was 'investigating the details of the event and the reasons for the explosion.' 'We worked to find the victims until the last hours,' Hagari added, indicating the difficulty in extracting bodies buried under the rubble. 'Our reservists sacrificed what was dearest to them, so that we could all live here in complete safety.' A deadly attack has killed 24 Israeli soldiers in Gaza , the country's military has said. Pictured: Smoke rises over Gaza in the early hours of Tuesday morning According to a website run by the IDF which posts details on fallen soldiers, those killed in the attack were from the 261st Infantry Brigade - a unit of reserves within the Israeli army's Gaza Division, and the 205th division - a reserve armour brigade. The ages of those identified so far ranged from 23 to 35. READ MORE: British and US troops launch strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen for the second time Advertisement The incident occurred around 4pm in al-Muasi in central Gaza, the Jerusalem Post reported. The deadly attack came as Israeli forces continued to probe deeper into western Khan Younis, the largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip. Reports said the operation included the storming of a hospital and the arrest on medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra told Reuters. Earlier on Monday, the IDF said three soldiers were killed in a separate incident in southern Gaza, taking the total IDF death toll for the day to 24. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to press ahead until Israel crushes the ruling Hamas terrorist group and wins the freedom of more than 100 hostages held captive in Gaza. Israelis are increasingly divided on the question of whether it is possible to do either. Families of the hostages and many of their supporters have called for Israel to reach a ceasefire deal, saying time is running out to bring the hostages home alive. On Monday, dozens of hostages' relatives stormed a parliamentary committee meeting, demanding a deal to win their loved ones' release. Monday's heavy death toll could add new momentum to calls for Israel to pause the offensive or even halt it altogether. Large numbers of Israeli casualties have put pressure on Israel's government to halt past military operations. News of the attack came as a senior Egyptian official said Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which the hostages would be freed. In exchange, Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be released and be allowed to relocate to other countries. The official, who was not authorised to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hamas rejected the proposal and is insisting that no more hostages will be released until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from Gaza. Pictured: Some of the Israeli soldiers killed in Monday's attack. Left to right: Capt. Nir Binyamin (29), Capt. Ariel Mordechai (28) and Major General Ahmed Abu Latif (26) Pictured: Some of the Israeli soldiers killed in Monday's attack. Left to right: Maj. Elkana Wiesel (35), Major General Israel Soko (24) and Major General Sagi Idan (24) Pictured: Some of the Israeli soldiers killed in Monday's attack. Left to right: Sergeant Major Matan Lazar (32), Maj. Gen. Sergey Guntmacher (37), Maj. Gen. Elkana Yehuda Sepaz (35) and Major General Yuval Lopes (27) Pictured: Some of the Israeli soldiers killed in Monday's attack. Left to right: Major General Cedric Green (23), Maj. Gen. Raphael Elias Moshioff (33), Major Yoav Levy (29) and Major General Nicholas Berger (22) Israeli soldiers walk next to military vehicles and ambulances, as the conflict continues between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, near the fence on the Israeli border with Gaza, Israel January 22 Israel's government declined to comment on the talks when approached by the Associated Press, the news agency reported. The official said Egypt and Qatar, which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas, were developing a multistage proposal to try and bridge the gaps. Israel launched the offensive after Hamas' October 7 cross-border attack that killed over 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. The offensive has caused widespread destruction, displaced an estimated 85% of Gaza's population and left more than 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory. The UN and international aid agencies say the fighting has unleashed a humanitarian disaster with a quarter of the area's 2.3 million people facing starvation. The war has also heightened regional tensions, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen attacking US and Israeli targets in support of Palestinians. The US and Britain launched another wave of strikes Monday against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have targeted international shipping in the Red Sea in what they portray as a blockade of Israel. The growing death toll and dire humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure on Israel to scale back the offensive and agree to a pathway for the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The US, which has provided crucial military aid, has joined those calls. But Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since October 7 and whose governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties, has rebuffed both demands. Instead, he has said Israel will need to expand operations and eventually take over the Gaza side of the border with Egypt, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled from other areas are packed into overflowing UN-run shelters and sprawling tent camps. That drew an angry protest from Egypt's government, which rejected Israeli allegations that Hamas smuggles in weapons across the heavily guarded frontier. Flares fired by Israeli forces are seen over the sky at different parts of the city of Deir Al-Balah, Gaza as the Israeli army's air, sea and land attacks against the Gaza Strip continue uninterruptedly on January 22 Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypt's State Information Service, said Monday any Israeli move to occupy the border area would 'lead to a serious threat' to relations between the two countries, which signed a landmark peace treaty over four decades ago. Egypt is also deeply concerned about any potential influx of Palestinian refugees into its Sinai Peninsula. Rashwan said Egypt was in full control of the border after taking a number of measures in recent years, including the creation of a 5-kilometer (3-mile) buffer zone and the construction of barriers above and below ground. Egypt 'is capable of defending its interests and sovereignty over its land and borders, and will not mortgage it in the hands of a group of extremist Israeli leaders who seek to drag the region into a state of conflict and instability,' Rashwan said. Peers faced fury today after they voted to delay a key plank of the Rwanda deportations plan in a signal of the battle to come. . The House of Lords backed a motion to kick the treaty with the African nation into the long grass by 214 votes to 171. Although ministers can get around the defeat - calling for ratification to be postponed until ministers demonstrate the country is safe - it highlights the problems confronting Rishi Sunak over the policy. There are fears the Upper House will take an axe to the other element of the package - the Safety of Rwanda Bill - when it is debated next week. Ministers again warned that the Lords must not 'frustrate the will of the people' after the Rwanda legislation was passed by the Commons without any changes. And Nigel Farage was blunter, posting on the X social media site: 'We must sack all current members of the House of Lords. It is beyond parody.' Labour former attorney general Lord Goldsmith today tabled a motion seeking to delay the treaty underpinning the Safety of Rwanda Bill Peers voted for a motion trying to delay Rishi Sunak 's Rwanda deportation plan Nigel Farage posted on the X social media site venting his frustration at the Rwanda vote Mr Farage suggested all current members of the House of Lords should be axed The treaty, signed by Home Secretary James Cleverly in Kigali last month, sets out a range of safeguards over the treatment of migrants sent to Rwanda. Former Labour attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who chairs the Lords international agreements committee, tabled moves to postpone its ratification until a series of laws and other measures have been put in place. Lord Goldsmith told peers: 'We are not saying the treaty should never be ratified. 'But we are saying that Parliament should have the opportunity to scrutinise the treaty and implementation of its measures in full before it makes a judgment about Rwanda is safe.' Peter Goldsmith, an attorney general under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who laid the motion, said the vote marked the first time that lawmakers in the Lords had used parliamentary powers to vote to halt the ratification of a treaty. Debating the motion ahead of the vote, Liberal Democrat frontbencher Lord Fox said: 'There is more than enough reason to delay the ratification of the treaty until the conditions for its lawful operation are actually in place.' The vote came after the Prime Minister gave a press conference in which urged peers to pass the Rwanda Bill swiftly, challenging them not to 'frustrate the will of the people'. Labour frontbencher Lord Coaker hit out at Mr Sunak for seeming to instruct the House of Lords, saying: 'Nobody, not least the Prime Minister, should hold press conferences lecturing us about what our role is, when all we seek to do is to improve it and to act in our proper constitutional role.' He said the Government has not provided evidence that elements of the treaty have been implemented in Rwanda. 'The Government has not provided the evidence to support what it is saying needs to be done, either to the committee or to (the House of Lords). 'So how can we determine whether Rwanda is safe when the very things upon which that is dependent have not been provided to us? And that's what the committee is saying.' The Upper House (pictured at the state opening in November) debated the motion last night The Rwanda Bill was approved by the Commons last week despite major revolts from Tory MPs who demanded it was made tougher. As it was introduced to the Lords on Thursday there were shouts of 'shame' from the red benches. The Upper House is set to start scrutinising the law at the end of the month, but the process will not be complete until at least mid-March. Under the Rwanda plan, which has yet to be carried out, asylum seekers who cross the English Channel and land on England's southern coast in small, inflatable boats would be sent on planes to Rwanda. Sunak has said he wants the first deportation flights to leave in the next few months - ahead of a general election expected in the second half of this year - so he can meet one of his five pledges to 'stop the boats'. In an effort to overcome resistance from the courts who have ruled the plan is unlawful, Britain signed a treaty last year with Rwanda, in which it agreed to address safety concerns, and the government is trying to pass legislation through parliament that would block legal challenges to deportations. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Russia's willingness to deploy nuclear weapons in a potential conflict with NATO is growing because the Kremlin believes the US and its allies would not dare to respond, a think tank warned yesterday. 'Knowing that the West is casualty- and risk-averse, Russia may seek to use enough non-strategic nuclear weapons (NSNW) to inflict damage preventing its own defeat,' the report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) read. '[Russia knows] the US would be unwilling to cross the nuclear threshold in retaliation, and may terminate the conflict early. 'The Russian perception of the lack of credible Western will to use nuclear weapons or to accept casualties in conflict further reinforces Russia's aggressive NSNW thought and doctrine,' it concluded. The report said the logic of using such a nuclear weapon would be to escalate a conflict in a controlled fashion, 'either to prevent the US and NATO from engaging, or to coerce them into war termination on Russian terms'. NSNWs include all nuclear weapons with a range of up to 3,400 miles, starting with tactical arms designed for use on the battlefield - as opposed to longer-range strategic nuclear weapons that Russia or the US could use to strike each other's homeland. Russian nuclear Yars missile launch in October 2022 Launch of Sarmat ballistic missile in April 2022 Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers remarks during a flag raising ceremony for the Russian Navy Borei-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines at the Sevmash Shipyard, December 12, 2023 in Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region, Russia Movement of Russian nuclear capable hypersonic missiles in Russia's Orenburg region Moscow denies wielding nuclear threats but several of President Vladimir Putin's statements since the onset of the war in Ukraine have been interpreted as such in the West. This began on day one of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when the Kremlin chief warned of 'consequences that you have never faced in your history' for anyone who tried to hinder or threaten Russia. Since then, Western analysts and policymakers have been closely tracking a debate among Russian military experts about whether Moscow should lower its threshold for nuclear use. Last year, for example, Russian analyst Sergei Karaganov spoke of the need to threaten nuclear strikes in Europe in order to intimidate and 'sober up' Moscow's enemies. And a slew of Russian elites, including former President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and propagandist-in-chief Vladimir Solovyov, have routinely called for the deployment of nuclear weapons in Ukraine and beyond. But the warnings have not prevented the US and its NATO allies from providing massive military aid to Ukraine including advanced weapons systems that were unthinkable at the start of the war. Putin has resisted hawkish calls to alter Russia's stated doctrine, which allows for nuclear use in the event of 'aggression against the Russian Federation with conventional weapons when the very existence of the state is threatened'. He has however shifted Russia's stance on key nuclear treaties and said he is deploying tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus. The effects of a nuclear blast on Paris would destroy innumerable cultural treasures, including the Louvre and its artworks, Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe While most experts agree the chances of a Russian strike on the West are minimal, Joe Biden has warned the risk of Armageddon is greater than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis (file image, nuclear blast shown on Russian state TV) U.S. Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division participate in the distinguished-visitors day as part of Griffin Shock 23 held at Bemowo Piskie, Poland, in May 2023 William Alberque, author of the IISS report, said Russian analyst Karaganov was part of a wider discussion in Russia on the failure of its military to win the Ukraine war decisively and quickly. 'They're afraid, according to their own debates, that that has further emboldened us, so that's why this nuclear debate is happening now, where they think ''we need to do something else to super-scare the United States'',' Alberque said. But he assured reporters that Western intelligence would be able to pick up a number of signals if Russia was actually preparing to launch a NSNW. These would include the movement of weapons from a central storage facility to an air base, and possibly conventional strikes near the planned target area in order to cripple radar and anti-missile defences. Putin at that point would probably move to a nuclear shelter and put Russia's entire nuclear command and control system on high alert in case of a major nuclear response by the United States, he said. Alberque said any Russian use of NSNW would require Moscow to calculate the right 'dose' to coerce its adversaries to back down rather than triggering a cycle of escalation. The question of how to respond to such a scenario is what 'keeps U.S. planners awake all night', said Alberque, who has previously worked at the Pentagon and NATO. 'Once the other side crosses the nuclear threshold, how do you prevent the logic of escalation, escalation, escalation to annihilation? 'How do you contain it, how do you keep it down? This is one of the hardest problems, this is a problem that has existed since the dawn of the nuclear age.' A coroner has called for major reform to Victoria's maternal health services after finding mistakes were made in the lead-up to a nine-week-old baby's killing at the hands of her mentally-ill mother. Melissa Arbuckle, 32, was in the depths of severe postpartum depression and psychosis when she laid her daughter Lily on railway tracks near Upwey Station in Melbourne's east in July 2021. The former vet had been taking her daughter for a walk in a pram when she began searching for train speeds and timetables near her home, the court was told. Melissa Arbuckle (pictured), 32, was in the depths of severe postpartum depression and psychosis when she laid her nine-week-old daughter Lily on railway tracks near Upwey Station in Melbourne's east in July 2021 The mother laid the baby on the tracks in front of a moving train (stock image) She messaged her husband saying the girl was unsettled before placing Lily on train tracks and lying down alongside her. They were both struck by a train. Baby Lily died after being airlifted to hospital, while Arbuckle survived with fractures and internal bleeding. She took her own life last January, after pleading guilty to infanticide. An investigation into Lily's death by State Coroner John Cain found key medical staff failed to adequately respond to Arbuckle's repeated cries for help. Judge Cain said numerous steps were not actioned by the Maternal Child Health (MCH) nurses engaged with Arbuckle after she scored highly on a depression screening tool for new mums. She scored 14 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), indicating she was suffering serious depression. An investigation into Lily's death by State Coroner John Cain found key medical staff failed to adequately respond to Arbuckle's repeated cries for help Arbuckle's husband disowned her for killing his child (pictured: the couple in happier times) Her score should have meant she was referred to her GP for a mental health review and an enhanced MCH program. '(But) Melissa was not queried in relation to the risk she posed to Lily and was not engaged with Enhanced MCH services or additional supports,' Judge Cain said. 'I am particularly concerned given that this was the second time that Melissa had made reference to experiencing difficulties with her mental health and wellbeing and had made comments, at an unknown date, to suggest that further inquiry regarding her risk to Lily was warranted.' The coroner's court heard MCH nurses made five failed attempts to contact Arbuckle in the week before Lily's death, but did not request a police welfare check because she wasn't part of the enhanced program. If she had been part of the enhanced program, the unanswered calls would have triggered an escalated response, according to the Yarra Ranges Council MCH nurse co-ordinator. The coroner handed down a suite of recommendations to reform MCH care, including a focus on infant safety and that supervisors be alerted as soon as a mother scores 13 or above on the depression scale. Judge Cain also suggested that secondary carers, including fathers, were engaged by healthcare workers before the baby is born to look out for signs of depression or other mental illness. Arbuckle (pictured) worked at a veterinary clinic in inner eastern Melbourne for several years He also recommended that other healthcare workers, including lactation consultants, were given education around mental health risks of postpartum women. In 2022, Arbuckle pleaded guilty to infanticide, a rare charge that applies only to mothers who kill children under the age of two while suffering a 'disturbed' mind linked to birth. She was ordered to continue treatment and supervision for three years. In April last year, Arbuckle was allowed to walk free on a good behaviour bond. Just six years ago Arbuckle wrote about her then-successful and happy life as a well-respected veterinarian who travelled the world with her 'cheeky' husband. READ MORE: How a successful young mum went from clucky top vet to laying her infant daughter on train tracks to die - before she was diagnosed with postpartum depression just ONE DAY too late Advertisement But after Lily's birth she developed severe major postpartum depression and psychosis. She was diagnosed too late to save the life of her baby. The court heard in the weeks before Lily's death, Arbuckle had been 'really down' and believed she hurt the little girl after rocking her bassinet too vigorously, according to the summary read in court. She started to believe the child had suffered shaken baby syndrome as a result. 'She had a fixed delusional belief she had harmed her child and they were both broken,' Arbuckle's lawyer Megan Tittensor told the Supreme Court of Victoria in April 2022. 'She had a perfectionist personality and need for control she wanted to be the perfect mother. 'She had come to believe dying was her only option. She would hear voices telling her she was a bad mother.' Crown prosecutor Robyn Harper told the court that on the day of the horror Arbuckle's sister and mother came to visit Lily. Moments after the visit, Arbuckle texted her husband and said their daughter was 'losing it after a feed' and decided to take her for a walk, Ms Harper told the court. A train driver then spotted Arbuckle walking on the tracks. The train driver told police he 'closed his eyes' when he knew a collision was imminent. Arbuckle ended her life in January last year The baby was struck and thrown under the carriage while Arbuckle was left with serious injuries. The train came to a stop 41 metres further down the track. Witnesses rushed to help the pair and helped to pull out the still breathing baby. When first responders arrived at 5.18pm, Arbuckle was found still attempting to inflict injuries upon herself with railway ballast, bashing herself violently on the head with it. KNOWING THE SIGNS OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION There are many signs that someone may be struggling with postnatal depression. Some of the more common ones include: - having a very low mood - feeling inadequate and a failure as a mother - having a sense of hopelessness about the future - feeling exhausted, empty, sad and teary - feeling guilty, ashamed or worthless - feeling anxious or panicky having trouble sleeping - sleep for too long or have nightmares worrying excessively about their baby - feeling scared of being alone or going out In some cases, women may experience thoughts about leaving their family or worried that their partner may leave them. They could also have ideas about self-harm or doing harm to their partner or baby. In situations like this, you should seek professional help straight away. Source: HealthDirect Advertisement Her baby was rushed to hospital, but died shortly after from head injuries. The Supreme Court of Victoria heard Arbuckle's husband had since disowned her for killing his child. Associate Professor Alexander Holmes later told the court Arbuckle had been planning on seeing her GP and getting a mental health care plan, but could not see it making any difference. Arbuckle had been experiencing auditory hallucinations that she was not good enough and that she had to take her own life. 'The voices were there all the time and they were commanding, saying that you just had to do it,' Justice Dixon said. 'You had thoughts that Lily was broken and that Lily could see that you were broken, "She could see that mum was broken and that we will both be better off dead. We wouldnt suffer, we would both be dead". You said it was all you thought about. ' The court heard Lily's father, who has asked not to be named, has been profoundly affected by her death. 'He states that he loved Lily more than life itself and thinks of her constantly. He struggles with his feelings towards you,' Justice Dixon told Arbuckle. 'Some days he finds himself unable to go to work or to carry on. He says that the worst thing that could possibly happen to him has already happened and that seeing Lily at the hospital broke his heart.' Justice Dixon noted she was 'acutely aware' that it was beyond the power of the court to repair the suffering and loss flowing from Arbuckle's actions. 'I accept your counsels submission that you are deeply remorseful for the suffering caused to Lilys father and to all who loved her,' she said. 'You also regret the impact on the driver of the train that struck Lily, and you. Your life and the lives of others has been forever changed.' 'I also accept that you feel that, because of your own actions, you are under a life sentence. At times you have believed that you deserve any suffering you have experienced since the commission of the offence, as punishment for your actions.' Arbuckle ended her life in January last year. For confidential 24-hour support in Australia call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyondblue 1300 22 4636. For post-partum depression support call PANDA on 1300 726 306. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) A British woman has revealed how she lost 120,000 while trying to buy a home in Spain after scammers hacked into her email exchange with a solicitor's firm. The woman, named only as Michelle, wanted to buy a two-bedroom apartment in Murcia in 2020 which she found on a website linked to a popular TV property series. Michelle - who wanted to move with her family to start a new life in Spain - arranged the sale using a local property solicitor recommended on the same website, and exchanged a number of emails before being given the bank details for payment. As a cash buyer, she paid the 120,000 in full but was told two days later that the funds had not arrived, and it turned out her email exchange had been hacked. The scam featuring in Channel 5 documentary 'Scams: Don't Get Caught Out' which airs tomorrow evening at 8pm is an example of so-called 'Friday afternoon fraud'. This happens on a Friday so the scammer can try to avoid immediate investigation, with victims sometimes not realising they've been conned until the next Monday. Michelle lost 120,000 trying to buy a home after scammers hacked into an email exchange Michelle found the two-bedroom apartment on a website linked to a popular TV property show Speaking ahead of the documentary airing, Michelle told MailOnline today that she had found a property in the Roda area of Murcia, where a couple of friends had also bought homes. How 'Friday afternoon fraud' scam can wipe out your house deposit 'Friday afternoon fraud' gets its name because it generally happens on a Friday so the scammer can try to avoid immediate investigation, with victims sometimes not realising they've been conned until the next Monday. The tactic is also known as 'payment diversion fraud' and 'conveyancing fraud' and generally relates to when people pay the deposit on a house. A fraudster will hack the email account of either a homebuyer or their property solicitor, which allows them to monitor and intercept emails. The scammer will normally contact the buyer posing as the solicitor, providing them with fake bank details meaning the buyer transfers their deposit to the scammer without realising. Advertisement She then we went through a solicitor firm that was recommended through the website as well as an exchange company to manage the transaction. Michelle, who lives in West Sussex, said: 'It was all going through quite smoothly and then we were getting emails at the end of it to deposit the money. So we sent the details onto the currency exchange. 'And he did say it was different details to what we had to send the holding deposit to of 2,500. We called the solicitors and they confirmed it was the correct details. 'So we told the currency exchange, to which they placed three transactions of 40,000 with the name of the solicitors on the account. But it turned out to be the hackers.' She said she was made to feel like she had done something wrong despite checking the details with the solicitor's firm which claimed it does not record any calls, and cannot reclaim the money from its insurers because it was Michelle who was 'negligent'. Michelle then got in touch with the ombudsman and her local MP, and has also spoken to another company that can specialise in reclaiming lost funds. She continued: 'We first went to police to report it as a fraud case. They did a fraud case number but then they came back and said to get in touch with the ombudsman. We tried but they just weren't answering so we got in touch with their MP.' Michelle paid the 120,000 in full but was told two days later that the funds had not arrived Michelle also said the solicitors told her last August that they were trying to begin a lawsuit against the Spanish bank because the names on the account didn't match up, and were now pursuing her to help with legal fees. Speaking about the moment she found out she had been scammed, Michelle said: 'The solicitors sent an email saying they hadn't received our money which confused us because it cleared the currency exchange. 'We emailed back and said we had sent it. Then we were sent an email from the fraudsters saying they had the money. We called the currency exchange again and said this doesn't seem right, I'm going to try and red flag the account. But it was too late.' Michelle also described her reaction to being swindled as a 'mixture of emotions' which remains today. She said: 'It's just depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. Everything had just sort of gone. We've got a family and made plans to invest the money and make things more enjoyable in future. Even now it's a trust thing. 'I don't know if we're ever going to get anything back. It's awful. I wouldn't want anyone to experience what we have. It's absolutely horrendous.' Michelle also spoke to reporter Alexis Conran for the Channel 5 documentary. She said: 'We done an awful lot of looking into it not the background, it's very well-known so everyone knows of it, so it seemed quite straightforward. 'We had emails back and forth and we had an email that stated the bank details to send our money to. We were cash buyers. We then received an email two days later saying they hadn't received any money.' Somehow, the email exchange between Michelle and the solicitors had been infiltrated and taken over by a scammer, who had then created an almost identical email to the solicitor but adding small differences to the address to trick her and hacking the conversation to different bank details. Michelle continued: 'The email address was our solicitor's email address, but someone had hacked into something and got our details and we weren't actually speaking to the solicitors on the emails - we were speaking to someone else. Everything was identical.' The scam features in Channel 5 documentary 'Scams: Don't Get Caught Out' airing tomorrow Asked how she felt about the scam, Michelle said: 'All I can say is that when you go onto your mobile phone banking app, imagine everything's gone and it's zero, and you have to go home to your family and explain to them that everything's gone. There's nothing. 'All the emotions from not wanting to get out of bed, crying, to angry, you're just going through everything.' Because no one knows how the email was hacked, so far neither Michelle's bank nor the solicitor's firm have taken any responsibility for the scam. Asked how she was coping at having lost 120,000, she said: 'If I spoke to you maybe a year and a half ago I probably wouldn't have been able to finish a sentence. 'I just want an answer from the bank. How they can send my money to an account that was not a 100 per cent match. I want to know what they're going to do about it. 'And after that, I don't know, I'm going to have to try and find some other companies and avenues to go down. I'll keep trying, I'm not going to go quiet.' Scams: Don't Get Caught Out airs on Channel 5 tomorrow evening at 8pm For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, or visit a local Samaritans branch. See samaritans.org A university accidentally attached the answer sheet to one of their exams and now students are protesting the plans for an immediate resit date. Bath University unwittingly handed out the marking scheme containing the answers alongside the questions. The mistake means more than 400 economics students now have to resit the exam on Friday, January 26. But protests have been raised over the date, which is the last day of the university's first semester, as many international students had already booked flights home. Bath University is ranked fifth in the Complete University league table and has 20,311 students enrolled - 32 per cent of which are international students. The University of Bath's main Claverton Down campus (pictured). A spokesperson for the university said it was 'very sorry' for the error and 'fully understands' the response from students University students graduating at Bath Abbey (stock image). The students on the module have all been forced to resit to uphold the integrity of their degree A University Bath spokesperson said it was 'very sorry' for the error and 'fully understands' the response from students. The row over the resit date has caused 150 students to sign a petition against plans for an immediate resit. A student, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC he was initially 'confused' when he saw the papers which had the answers attached. But said he continued with his exam and used it to help his answers. The exam was completed without any communication from staff, and it was only the next day that students were told there would be a resit. 'I thought - who on earth managed to do this? I was quite angry, too. It was chaos', he said. 'I think the university needs to understand the stress and anxiety, performances are definitely going to fall.' A University of Bath spokesman said it has a 'strong track record' in delivering excellent education. He said this type of error is 'rare' and the university is taking steps to avoid a similar mistake happening again. But to ensure quality standards are met, the students will need to resit with a fresh exam paper to uphold the integrity of their degree. He added: 'We expect the majority of students to take the new exam on Friday, January 26 which is within the period that we ask all students to keep clear in case assessments need to be rescheduled. 'However, for those students who are unable to do this due to exceptional circumstances, there will be another opportunity to retake the exam in semester two.' Semester two runs from February, 5 to May, 31. The spokesman added: 'We will continue to liaise with the Students' Union on this matter and we would like to thank our students for their patience and ask them to speak to their Director of Studies or our Student Support Service if they need additional support at this time.' The mistake comes after Bath University was rocked by several scandals in recent years around the pay of its staff. Its previous vice-chancellor was the highest paid boss in England - taking home an eye-watering near 500,000 sum. The university also paid 66 senior colleagues six-figure salaries. A senior German royal told MailOnline today that Prince Harry should have thought of the King and Queen before having a selfie with a 'fake prince' at John Travolta 's 'Living Legends of Aviation' gala. Prince Alexander Schaumburg-Lippe has warned the Duke of Sussex to show 'more caution' after he posed with one of his errant distant relatives. Harry looked thrilled as he stood with Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe at the black tie event hosted at the Beverly Hills Hilton in LA on Friday night, despite the German being branded a Z-list German 'fake prince'. Prince Alexander said: 'I hope he [Harry] will be more careful in the future and also always keep in mind the dignity of their majesties the King and Queen'. Mario Max has earned the moniker the 'King of Trash TV' after a stint on Germany's Big Brother and several reality shows in the US. 'If Prince Harry read about these things he may exercise more caution in the future, which would be a wise thing to do. In his position, you can't surround yourself with people without vetting them first', Prince Alexander said. Mario-Max was adopted at the age of 24 by a member of the Schaumburg-Lippe family and then adopted the title of prince soon afterwards. But his relatives, including head of House, Prince Alexander, assert that Mario-Max is not a prince and has been 'harvesting our name' for fame. Prince Harry was all smiles as he posed for a selfie with Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe at the Living Legends of Aviation in Los Angeles on Friday night Alexander, Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe, believes that Harry should have been 'more careful' before agreeing to the selfie with his adopted distant relative Mario-Max insists he is a Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe and says it is 'fake news' to claim otherwise. But many including senior members of his family disagree Prince Mario-Max posts pictures of himself posing with celebrities on his Instagram page. Pictured with Lady Gaga in 2018 and right with Emily Blunt Yesterday the 46-year-old shared his own birth certificate on social media after his own family even questioned his right to use the title of prince. Tweeting in German and English, he said that he is son of 'Prince Waldemar, son of Princess Feodora of Denmark, and Princess Antonia Schaumburg-Lippe'. His small army of social media supporters backed him, with one saying of his critics: 'You are a gentleman sir. Ignore these people. They have no honour'. Mario-Max has been dubbed the 'King of Trash TV' for appearing on Germany's Big Brother before cameos on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills when he dated a star and Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker when he went in search of a wife in Iowa. The red-carpet loving German, who calls himself a 'royal and TV anchor' on Instagram, has even appeared on a shopping channel to sell a 'wealth elixir' at 99 euros for a 56ml bottle. Other embarrassing stunts include semi-naked modelling of lederhosen-style swimming trunks. He also has a penchant for asking royals as well as the rich and famous people for selfies to post on social media including Prince Albert of Monaco, Lady Gaga, Emily Blunt, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Paris Hilton and now Prince Harry. Prince Mario-Max flogging 'wealth elixir' on a shopping channel where he tells viewers 'they can have the life they wanted' by using the product Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe was adopted by a German Prince and Princess when he was in his 20s. He began using the title of prince in around 2009 In 2009 he strutted down the catwalk as he modelled the 'Badelederhose', described on his website as 'Bavarian-styled swim trunks' Mario-Max pictured with Paris Hilton in 2019. He boasts connections stretching back to William of Orange, which would make him a very, very distant cousin of the British Royals He grabbed a selfie with Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber in 2018. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told MailOnline: 'Harry has made a fool of himself'. Harry and Meghan's biographer Phil Dampier said: 'If Harry wants to be taken seriously he should not be posing up with people like this 'German Prince' who has been on their equivalent of Celebrity Big Brother and been dubbed the king of Trash TV on shopping channels. It's very sad to see someone who was once a real life royal with so much to offer reduced to this sort of tacky selfie'. Mario-Max's website boasts of family connections stretching back to William of Orange, which would make him a very, very distant cousin of the British Royals including Harry. He presents a royal show called 'Astro Royal' from Berlin that is broadcast on cable, satellite and web-tv. He also says he is a journalist. The adorable moment a deer ice-skates across a frozen brook has been caught on camera in scenes straight out of Bambi. Wildlife photographer Tony Marshall, 52, captured the moment on camera while visiting Rutland Water Nature Reserve in freezing -5C temperatures. The female muntjac deer can be seen trotting into view from the undergrowth by the water before she decides to have a skate on the ice. What she lacks in grace she makes up for in determination as, despite losing her footing multiple times, she makes it across the ice in one piece- without any help from Thumper. Mr Marshall braved sub-zero conditions to film the real-life Bambi moment at the East Midlands beauty spot last week. The female muntjac deer can be seen trotting into view from the undergrowth by the water before she decides to have a skate on the ice. Despite the deer's small size it is not a baby deer. Muntjac deer are a small species of deer with females weighing just 16kg What she lacks in grace she makes up for in determination! As despite losing her footing multiple times, she makes it across the ice in one piece Tony Marshall, 52, captured the adorable footage while visiting Rutland Water Nature Reserve in freezing -5C temperatures Mr Marshall, a handyman and former RAF engineer, from Oakham, said he was in the 'right place at the right time'. He said: 'I'm a regular at Rutland, it's a great big site and you never know what you're going to see down there. 'I went down at first light around 8am. It was around -5C early last week. I questioned why I was going out in those conditions but this made it worthwhile. 'You get otters and deer down there and I noticed this female Muntjac deer trotting into open view. 'She then started precariously making her away across the ice Bambi-style and made it safely to the other side. 'It was about -5C and this poor thing was in the cold enduring and surviving. 'It was determined to cross over this little brook and I was relieved to see her make it over. 'I was just in the right place at the right time.' Despite the deer's small size it is not a baby deer. Muntjac deer are a small species of deer with females weighing just 16kg and their hoof prints are just 2.5cm long. The species was brought over from China in the early 20th century and is now widespread across England. However, with their population only increasing, the pint-sized deer has been considered an invasive specie since 2019 This is the Kansas City Chiefs fan who says he was sleeping when his three friends died in his backyard in freezing temperatures on January 7. Jordan Willis, 38, is an HIV researcher and protein scientist who lives and works in the home on NW 83rd Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri. On January 9, the bodies of his three friends - David Harrington, Ricky Johnson and Clayton McGeeney - were found in his backyard. They had been there since January 7, when the three men visited Willis to watch the Chiefs play the Los Angeles Chargers. Willis' attorney claims he said goodbye to his friends - two of whom he'd known since high school - then 'crashed' on the couch. A short time later, he says he went upstairs to bed, leaving the doors unlocked. The three men, he says, then returned to the property and at some stage, went outside. There was a fifth man in the home on the night in question, a 'buddy' who Willis says 'left earlier' than the other three men. No other information about him has become public. Picerno insists Willis had no involvement in the deaths of the three men. 'He has nothing to hide. He went to the police station and spoke with officers without a lawyer present, he allowed them to search his home... these were his friends. 'He'd bought tickets for them all to go to the next Chiefs game - he didn't want any harm to come to any of them. There was no ill will,' attorney John Picerno told DailyMail.com. Jordan Willis is an award-winning HIV scientist who has moved home and deleted all of his social media after three of his friends were mysteriously found dead on his property David Harrington (second left), Clayton McGeeney (second right) and Ricky Johnson (right) are shown with two unidentified fellow Chiefs fans, neither of whom is believed to be involved in the mystery. Harrington, McGeeney and Johnson were found dead on January 9 in the backyard of another man's house He slammed internet sleuths and those assuming that he is to blame, calling the speculation 'unfair'. Picerno refused to answer questions about whether the men were using drugs. The results of the medical examiner's toxicology report have not yet been released. Willis insists he spent the next two days in his home, not thinking anything of the fact that his friends' cars were still outside, and only learned they'd died when the fiancee of one of the men broke into the house on January 9 in the hopes of finding him. He believes that after he waved the men off on January 7, they returned while he was asleep to 'hang out' in the living room. 'Maybe they didn't want to go to a bar or hangout somewhere else,' attorney John Picerno told DailyMail.com today, as the families of the three victims demanded answers. He worked from home and his two dogs were at his father's house, so did not require walking. For two days, the families of the victims say they bombarded Willis with phone calls and Facebook messages asking where their loved ones were but received no response. When the fiancee broke in on January 9 and found the first body, she called police. Officers arrived to find Willis in his underwear with an empty glass of wine in hand, according to the victims' families. The other two bodies were then found in the backyard. The deaths remain a mystery. Police say there was no foul play and Willis has not been charged or arrested. The medical examiner is yet to reveal how the men died, or what kind of condition their bodies were in. Willis, through an attorney, has denied wrongdoing. Willis with a relative. He maintains that he had nothing to do with his friends' deaths. Police say there is no foul play and have neither arrested nor charged him One of the bodies was found on the back porch of the property by the fiancee of one of the men, who broke in after receiving no answer from Willis The other two bodies were found in the backyard. Police initially said there was no foul play, but are yet to confirm the cause of death for the three men Willis (pictured) told police the men had frozen to death in his backyard. Their loved ones have raised questions over the lack of reporting of their bodies, and the snow that they say was not deep enough to submerge them 'He had absolutely nothing to do with their deaths,' lawyer John Picerno told DailyMail.com today. He has now moved out of the property and deleted all of his social media accounts amid a swell of public interest in the men's deaths. Willis' attorney says he did not hear the victims' loved ones banging on his door because he sleeps with headphones and a fan on. He also claims he did not see their Facebook messages until after the police showed up. He does not know how the men died and says he never suggested that they 'froze', as had been reported. Willis is an accomplished scientist, whose research into COVID and HIV has been praised in the medical world. In interviews, he described his two pit-bull mixes - Sadie and Daisy, as the 'light of his life'. According to an interview that Willis gave to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative's website in 2022, he is the senior principal scientist at the IAVI Neutralizing Antibody Center in Kansas City. Willis said in the interview that he conducts data analysis and interpretation for the IAVI's HIV vaccine trials. He also compared the search for an effective HIV vaccine to Covid-19 vaccine research. Ricky Johnson, a father-of-three, was one of the three men found dead David Harrington was found dead on his friend's property on January 9 Clayton McGeeney was also found dead in the backyard The Virginia-native graduated with a Ph.D. in Chemical and Physical Biology from Vanderbilt University in 2014. He previously studied chemistry and molecular biology at Northwest Missouri State University. TIMELINE OF EVENTS January 7: The three men go to Jordan Willis' home to watch the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which starts at 3:25pm CT. At some point during the night, Willis goes upstairs to sleep, leaving the three men and another unnamed man to hang out in his house. January 8: Jordan Willis claims he did not leave his home this day, so he didn't realize the victims' cars were outside. Loved ones of the missing men start trying to contact Willis, who doesn't respond. January 9: Clayton McGeeneys fiancee breaks into the home and scream Willis' name after two days of no communication with her partner. She finds one of the bodies on the back porch. At 9:51pm, three bodies are found at the property after police perform a welfare check. Advertisement In 2022, he received an award for his 'significant contributions to HIV vaccine development.' In the intro section to his now-deleted Facebook page, Willis wrote: 'Walking the line to be be the funnest guy in the room and a full-on mental breakdown.' While on another social media platform, Willis describes himself saying: 'Self-proclaimed man-about-town.' On January 9m Captain Jake Becchina of the Kansas City Police Department said: 'First and foremost, this case is 100% NOT being investigated as a homicide. There have not been any arrests [or] charges, and no one is in custody. 'There are no specific threats or concerns for the surrounding community at this time. 'The resident at the house was cooperative with detectives the day the deceased were discovered.' The loved ones of the men are however speaking out to demand answers. She said the police are 'not doing anything' to solve the mystery of her son's passing, and called for the owner of the home to be 'at least investigated.' Johnson's brother Jonathan Price said that he heard the owner of the home had animals that would need to go outside, and claimed the city didn't get enough snow to submerge the men for them to be hidden for days. 'There's many different things that don't add up, we just don't understand how somebody would at least be investigated in any way,' he said. 'We've heard that he's moving out as well, so we don't know if he'll even be sticking around much longer.' Johnson's (center, with his family) mother feels that police are 'not doing anything' to solve the mystery of her son's passing, and called for the owner of the home, who has not been publicly identified, to be 'at least investigated' Johnson's grief-stricken family say they aren't satisfied with the investigation, with his brother Jonathan Price (center) saying that 'freezing to death is not a cause of death that I would accept' He said Johnson and his two friends were inseparable, but he did not know Jordan Willis and hadn't heard how his brother met him. Price said he didn't want to speculate over his brother's death, but said the circumstances don't make sense to him at all. 'My brother was a smart man, and there's no way that he would just freeze to death. Freezing to death is not a cause of death that I would accept,' he said. In a GoFundMe for Johnson's funeral, he was described as a 'cherished son, brother, uncle and friend' who was beloved by his 'three beautiful daughters.' Johnson's father raised the possibility of legal action, telling KSHB that he has retained an attorney and is waiting for a search warrant to be issued on the home. 'I'm not going to stand back and let it go,' he said. 'I will go until the day I die to get this figured out.' Israel is seeking a two month ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza to ensure the safe release of some 130 hostages still trapped in the enclave, reports claim. Under a new proposal, Israel is open to exchanging more Palestinian prisoners in return for all the remaining hostages and the bodies of those who have died since the conflict erupted on October 7, American outlet Axios reported late on Monday. Qatari and Egyptian mediators have already helped facilitate urgent talks between the warring parties that would look to pause but not decisively end the war in the Middle East, the report claims. Officials said they were waiting for a response from Hamas - but claimed to be cautiously optimistic talks would progress in the coming days. The claims come just one day after aggrieved families of hostages stormed the Knesset, Israel's parliament, to demand the safe return of loved ones after nearly two months without an exchange. Families and supporters also mobilised outside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Jerusalem residence on Monday, holding up photos of hostages emblazoned with demands to 'bring them home now'. Hamas has also ramped up demands for Israel to end the bombardment of the Gaza Strip or risk further casualties. Earlier this month, the group released a video of hostages, apparently under duress, calling for an end to the hostilities from within Gaza - before claiming two had since been killed in airstrikes by Israel's Defense Forces. Families of hostages and supporters take part in a protest to call for the immediate release of hostages in Gaza outside the Israeli PM's residence, in Jerusalem January 22, 2024 A woman calls for the return of Alex Dancyg outside Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem, January 22, 2024 Protesters held up signs and chanted slogans in a Knesset parliamentary session yesterday According to Axios, Israel would look to see a multi-phase hostage-prisoner swap potentially lasting two months, in which women, men over 60 and hostages in critical medication condition would be prioritised for release. The proposed deal would aim to agree a set number of Palestinian prisoners to be returned to Gaza in return for hostages travelling the other way, before working out the finer details of each individual negotiation. Israeli officials would even be willing to redeploy the IDF outside of main population centres, as pressure mounts from Israel's allies to minimise the number of civilian casualties inside the Gaza Strip. But the proposal does not make provisions for Israel to formally end the war or to release all 6,000 Palestinians held within Israeli prisons, Axios reported. The claims come at the height of recent clashes between the government and the families of hostages urging the safe release of their loved ones. Last night, protestors wielding signs calling for the release of hostages amassed outside the Israeli PM's Jerusalem residence as relatives stormed a parliamentary committee nearby. Some 20 people interrupted the Knesset Finance Committee discussion with placards reading: 'You will not sit here while they die there. Get up from your chairs.' The group chanted: 'Release them now, now, now!' It was the latest in a string of deliberate disturbances to challenge the government on its stated aim of returning hostages snatched from Israel last October. Some 240 were taken as Hamas descended on small localities in southern Israel on the morning of October 7, 2023. Israel and Hamas agreed to a week's truce in November that saw a significant prisoner swap of some 110 held captive in Gaza in return for some 180 Palestinians held in Israel. Since then, Israel has returned to its bombing campaign over the beleaguered Strip, paving the way for infantry forces to sweep through major population centres in the north, south and centre for Hamas hideouts. Aid workers in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, told MailOnline in December conditions were much worse than before the ceasefire and that people were struggling to access food, water and medical supplies. But Hamas has reportedly rejected peace proposals from Israel in the weeks since as international pressure mounts on Israel to show restraint in Gaza either way. Dr Andreas Krieg, Assistant Professor of Defence Studies at King's College London, told MailOnline that Hamas' ceasefire demands have changed as Israel 'realises this operational tempo is not sustianable'. Where many of those released in the first ceasefire were civilians, a new list will include 'Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists and other high ranking, high profile terrorists', and demands will include 'some sort of permanent ceasefire'. It will be harder for Israel to justify the release of such groups than civilians previously held. Nonetheless, Hamas has requested the release of all Palestinian security prisoners in Israel in return for the remaining hostages, while turning down an ambitious proposal by Egypt to end the fighting and move towards a singular Palestinian government that could include Hamas late last year. Hamas is 'realising the IDF is not making the progress that they thought they were making and the IDF is realising that this military solution is going to take years, Dr Krieg said. 'But there is no stomach in the US or domestically to keep this going at the current rate so something has got to give.' The families of hostages have also called on Israel to scale back operations following reports IDF soldiers had accidentally shot dead hostages while operating in the Strip's dense urban environment. In December, the IDF took responsibility for the accidental deaths of three hostages revealed to have been shouting 'help' in Hebrew and waving white flags when they were gunned down earlier on Friday morning. A day later, the killing of a Christian mother and child sheltering in a church in Gaza fueled concerns about how the IDF was operating in Gaza. And this month, Hamas released a video reportedly showing the bodies of two Israeli hostages they claimed were killed in Israeli airstrikes. Mia Schem, 21, reunites with her family following her release from Gaza, November 30, 2023 Smoke billows over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment, January 22, 2024 Critics have otherwise urged Israel's government not to risk antagonising Hamas with new policies like widened provisions for the death penalty that they believe could put the lives of hostages at further risk. They remain a minority voice in Israel, with just 1.8 per cent of Israelis today believing the IDF is using too much firepower in Gaza. History lovers are up in arms as the site where parts of the Titanic were made in Cheltenham is set to be demolished. Buildings that made up the former H. H. Martyn & Co factory can be torn down to make way for housing after a controversial ruling by Cheltenham Borough Council. It has approved Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council's plans to build 215 homes and an arts studio on a large part of the town's Lansdown Industrial Estate. That has angered heritage enthusiasts, keen to preserve Cheltenham's industrial past. Martyn's made fluted columns for the ill-fated ship which famously sank in the Atlantic Ocean in 1912 after hitting an iceberg - killing about 1,500 people. H. H. Martyn & Co factory in Cheltenham was the location where many significant things from Britain's industrial past were built. This includes the Cenotaph in London, the Speaker's Chair, the despatch boxes in the House of Commons, the gates at the Marble Arch and decorations at Buckingham Palace The RMS Titanic under construction in 1910 in Belfast. The H. H. Martyn & Co factory made the fluted columns for the ill-fated ship Lansdown Industrial Estate in Cheltenham. Campaigners say the site is of 'national importance' due to its impact on Britain's industrial history Cheshire West and Chester Council has approved plans to redevelop the Lansdown Industrial Estate into 215 homes and an arts studio The columns were hollow and wrapped around steel uprights on the vessel, which was on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York before disaster struck. The Cheltenham factory, which closed in 1971 but parts of which remain, sawed the columns into two, grooved, carved and French polished them ready to be sent to the shipyard in Belfast where the Titanic was built. It did the same thing for other famous ocean liners such as the Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth and the QE2 and was world-renowned for its architectural decoration work. That included making the Cenotaph in London, the Speaker's Chair and despatch boxes in the House of Commons, the gates at Marble Arch and decorations at Buckingham Palace. The company also made Spitfire propellers during the Second World War. Herbert Henry Martyn established his company of art craftsmen on premises on the corner of College Road and the High Street, Cheltenham, in 1888. Pictured is HH Martyn's Robert the Bruce statue, which now stands at the Bannockburn Visitor Centre in Bannockburn, Stirling, Scotland HH Martyn built aeroplanes, motor cars, fitted out ships, cast statues, produced stained glass windows, made furniture, worked iron, carved stone and moulded decorative plaster. The picture shows an advert for the company proudly displaying the royal warrant. The Titanic sank at 2.20am on Monday, April 15, 1912, after hitting an iceberg in the North Atlantic Jill Waller, of Cheltenham Local History Society, spoke against the proposals at a meeting of the borough council's planning committee. She said the heritage assessment of the site was woefully under researched. She said Lansdown Industrial Estate was of national importance, not just local significance, as much of what came out of the site can still be seen across the country. Ms Waller spoke of the site's heritage and how H. H. Martyn & Co renamed the site as Sunningend in 1907 and built most of the buildings remaining there today. 'Surely, some of these buildings could be repurposed again as demonstrated in their history,' she said. 'Perhaps as mixed use and the last traces of Cheltenham's important industrial and artistic heritage be preserved.' HH Martyn's cast bronze figure of Sir Winston Churchill by Croatian sculptor Oscar Nemon who is known to have worked on more than a dozen statues of the war hero Lansdown Industrial Estate could soon become a building site after the council approved plans to demolish and rebuild the area Cheshire West and Chester Council wants to redevelop the Lansdown Industrial Estate into a residential area with 215 homes Steve Bryson, of Cheltenham Civic Society, told the meeting: 'It looks like you are about to nod through a scheme that will release huge amounts of carbon through the demolition of what remains of our town's industrial heritage. 'We have gone to great lengths in our publications and letters to both sets of councillors that the heritage buildings on this site can be reused in a mixed-use redevelopment. 'But such suggestions have just fallen on deaf ears. Cheltenham is an outstanding town, much loved for its heritage. But we are in danger this evening of rolling over to Chester's very poor-quality scheme.' But councillors heard that much of the industrial estate is in a poor state, with the developer arguing that the old buildings' history should not stop them from making way for much-needed houses. Councillor Emma Nelson said the town must embrace its past but also move forward. 'It's a very good scheme,' she said. 'Overall, one has to support this application.' As the star of classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sabrina and Wait Until Dark, she was one of Hollywood's greatest film icons. But, as a little girl with no claim to fame, Audrey Hepburn was just a small part of a big household. Researchers have unearthed the first ever written record of her time as a private school pupil in Kent between 1937 and 1939. The document, from the 1939 Register - which was a record of nearly everyone living in Britain - shows the then 10-year-old in the household of the Butcher family in Elham, Kent. She is listed under the double-barrelled surname of Hepburn-Ruston, which her father had adopted in the mistaken belief he was descended from James Hepburn, the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. After the Second World War began, her Dutch mother fatefully opted to take her back to Arnhem in the Netherlands, just before Nazi Germany invaded the country. Hepburn and her family had to resort to eating food made from tulip bulbs to survive the ensuing famine, which killed as many as 20,000 people. As the star of classics such as Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sabrina and Wait Until Dark, she was one of Hollywood's greatest film icons. But, as a little girl with no claim to fame, Audrey Hepburn was just a small part of a big household. Above: Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany's Researchers have unearthed the first ever written record of her time as a private school pupil in Kent between 1937 and 1939. The document, from the 1939 Register - which was a record of nearly everyone living in Britain - shows the then 10-year-old in the household of the Butcher family in Elham, Kent A 2019 book claimed that, when she was older, Hepburn worked for the Dutch resistance and her family sheltered a British soldier in their cellar. The research that uncovered Hepburn's 1939 record was carried out by House of Commons Library statistician Georgina Sturge and family historian Dave Annal, in conjunction with ancestry website FindMyPast. Ordinarily, a record from the 1939 Register is only opened when the deceased would have been 100, or if FindMyPast is shown a death certificate for someone younger. But the ancestry website agreed to make an exception for Hepburn's record. Hepburn was born in Brussels, Belgium, in May 1929. Her parents - Englishman Joseph Ruston and Dutch baroness Ella Van Heemstra - were both fascist sympathisers. By 1937, when her mother sent her to England, her parents' marriage had failed. Until the new discovery, historians had known that Hepburn lived with a family called Butcher, but searches had failed to turn up an entry for her. Mr Annal eventually uncovered an entry that listed Edward and Evelyn Butcher, their son George and domestic servants at Orchard Villa, in the village of Elham. Hepburn (above centre) is seen in fancy dress with other children during her time in Elham, Kent Hepburn (back row centre) at a friend's eighth birthday party in Ottinge, near Elham The research that uncovered Hepburn's 1939 record was carried out by House of Commons Library statistician Georgina Sturge and family historian Dave Annal, in conjunction with ancestry website FindMyPast However, the names of two of the other occupants of the property were redacted. Incredibly, when FindMyPast agreed to open the record, it showed Hepburn as one of the other occupants. In Elham, Hepburn attended two small private schools. One was run by a pair of sisters whose surname was Rigden. The house in The Square in Elham now bears their name. Ms Sturge said: 'I was researching the National Register for my new book, which is going to be a history of Britain through data, and thinking of famous people who might be in the records. I remembered the story of Audrey being in Elham when war broke out and was sure she must be in the Register. 'Thanks to Dave's sleuthing skills, we were able to track her down. The Register is a priceless historical resource which captures a unique moment in our history.' Hepburn was the daughter of Dutch baroness Ella Van Heemstra. Above: The mother and daughter in 1935 Mr Annal, genealogist at Lifelines Research said: 'It was very exciting to find Audrey Hepburn's record - or at least, to find what I thought was the record and then to have it confirmed by Findmypast! 'The National Register is a very important historical document and it's always nice to discover entries for people who went on to find fame and fortune - particularly when they're living in such ordinary surroundings.' Jen Baldwin, research specialist at Findmypast, said: 'We were delighted with the discovery of the iconic Audrey Hepburn in our records, living in the UK at such a pivotal moment in her young life. 'The 1939 Register is unique as a record of life on the eve of the Second World War, and its also a fascinating "living" document which means you'll find lots of family secrets and surprises as information was crossed out or amended over the years. 'It's always wonderful when we can help our communities and members to unlock mysteries and tell stories like this; it's what family history research is all about.' According to Elham History Society, Hepburn was remembered as a 'pretty child, smiling, polite, affectionate, eager to please.' One photo show her in fancy dress as she has fun with other children. Another image shows her towering over other children at a friend's eighth birthday party. She attended dance lessons and was given elocution lessons by the sisters who taught her. And it was while in Elham that she took part in her very first public performance, in the local Brownies' version of Humpty Dumpty. After Britain declared war on Hitler's Germany in September 1939, her mother ordered that she return to Arnhem. After the Nazis' invasion in May 1940, Hepburn became known as 'Edda' to conceal her English origins from the German occupiers. Whilst in Holland, she studied ballet at the Arnhem Conservatory but also had to cope with the travails of war. In Elham, Hepburn attended two small private schools. One was run by a pair of sisters whose surname was Rigden. The house in The Square in Elham now bears their name After the Dutch Famine began in 1944, Hepburn's family made flour out of tulip bulbs to make enough food to survive. But the actress still suffered from malnutrition and became seriously ill after the war. Her acting career began on the West End stage in London, before she had her first major film role in 1952 production Secret People. Hepburn went on to win an Academy Award for her performance in 1953 Roman Holiday and was nominated a further four times. The star died from appendiceal cancer aged 63 in 1993. More than 1,300 migrant children have been wrongly classified as adults by the Home Office after arriving in the UK, internal figures have revealed. Flaws in the approach to determining the age of arrivals led to the refugees being placed in unsupervised adult accommodation or detention between January 2022 and June 2023. In response to freedom of information requests, 69 councils said they received 1,004 referrals of young people who had been sent to adult accommodation or detention between January and June 2023. Of these referrals, decisions were made on age in 847 cases, with 57 per cent found to be children. This means at least 485 children were placed at significant risk in adult accommodation in just six months, the report said. Over 1,300 migrant children have been wrongly classified as adults by the Home Office Over a thousand refugee children were placed in unsupervised adult accommodation Campaigners say the Illegal Migration Act that Rishi Sunak's Government is attempting to pass could lead to hundreds of children being wrongly removed from the UK A joint report by the Refugee Council, the Helen Bamber Foundation and the Humans for Rights Network, said the Government's move to make the asylum system more punitive in recent years had resulted in vulnerable young people being excluded from child protection and welfare frameworks. They also claim the Illegal Migration Act that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Government is attempting to pass could lead to hundreds of children being wrongly removed from the UK and sent to Rwanda. The report stated that many may also be sent to countries where they may be at serious risk without ever having interacted with child protection professionals or a chance to challenge the Home Office's decision,. The findings are built on data gathered by the Humans for Rights Network between January 2022 and June 2023, which recorded 832 safeguarding episodes when there were 'strong reasons to believe' that a minor was sharing accommodation with an unrelated adult. Of these cases, 406 children have since had their age accepted by local authorities, with a further 123 in care pending an assessment outcome, and 136 receiving legal support in a bid to prove they are under 18. In addition, the Humans for Rights Network has been unable to contact a further 50 refugees, which the report said raises 'serious questions about their safety and whereabouts'. The report added: 'This shows that in 18 months over 1,300 children were wrongly assessed to be adults by the Home Office. 'These figures are likely to be an underestimate because not all local authorities collect this data and not all children are being referred to children's services.' The report described the Home Office's approach to assessment as flawed, with officials using a short visual assessment, which can include judgments based on 'demeanour', shortly after refugees arrive in the UK. The report described the Home Office's approach to assessment as flawed A view of small boats and engines used to cross the Channel by people thought to be migrants at a warehouse facility in Dover This is despite the Home Office's own guidance saying that 'physical appearance is a notoriously unreliable basis for assessment of chronological age'. The report highlights that if a person is deemed to be an adult by the Home Office, they are not referred for additional assessment. This process is said to then lead to children being exposed to 'significant risks and potential harm' in unsupervised shared accommodation or asylum detention with adult strangers. Local authorities are also not routinely informed of their presence, placing the onus on the child to seek support. The Human for Rights Network said it has identified 15 cases of children wrongly treated as adults being charged with offences under the Nationality and Borders Act, with 14 of them spending time held in adult prisons. Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, called on the Government to take urgent action so children are protected. He said: 'Hidden from view, very vulnerable child refugees are being exposed to harm and abuse as a result of inaccurate Home Office decision making. 'Each case is a child who is being put at risk and whose welfare is being forgotten. It is an alarming child protection failure and the Government must take urgent action so every child is kept safe.' Maddie Harris, director of Humans for Rights Network, said children have spent up to seven months in adult prisons. She added: 'These children are terrified and continue to be profoundly affected by this experience of wrongful criminalisation, which is a direct result of flawed Home Office decision-making at the point of arrival and a profoundly harmful policy of criminalising asylum seekers for the act of arrival in the UK.' Kamena Dorling, director of policy at the Helen Bamber Foundation, said Government plans to assess young refugees using x-rays will not address the problem. 'It will simply cause further harm to those seeking protection in the UK. What we need is urgent change to the flawed policy of officials assessing age on sight,' she added. The report included testimony from child migrants affected by being treated as adults, whose names were changed to protect their identity. A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover from a Border Force vessel Campaigners claimed some children have spent up to seven months in adult prisons Describing his experience, Jamal, 16, from Afghanistan said: 'They said I was 25. I felt sad and shocked. 'I'm 16 years old. I've been in the hotel about two months. I live alone here, with adults, I don't have money, I'm worried about the future, I don't feel good at all.' Helen, 16, from Eritrea, was rescued from a small boat but was treated with suspicion by officials. A Home Office spokes said: 'Age assessments can be challenging and there is no single method which can determine a person's age with precision. 'She said because you arrive by boat, you must know what you are doing, therefore you are over 18.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'Age assessments can be challenging and there is no single method which can determine a person's age with precision. 'Many individuals arriving in the UK who claim to be children often don't have clear evidence like an original passport or identity document to back this up. 'We are strengthening our age assessment process, including establishing the National Age Assessment Board and specifying scientific methods of age assessments. 'Measures under the Illegal Migration Act will ensure the swift removal of individuals who have been assessed as adults and who have no right to remain in the UK.' Mafia crime boss Benjamin 'The Claw' Castelazzo has been jailed for just 15 months for money laundering after his lawyers successfully argued a longer sentence would jeapardize his health and he could end up homeless. Castelazzo, 88, who quipped he got his nickname after he worked as a carpenter who was accustomed to using claw hammers, was handed the lighter sentence by a Brooklyn federal judge on Monday - despite prosecutors seeking 27 months. Castelazzo's attorney Ilana Haramati said a prison sentence a longer jail term could 'effectively turn into a death sentence' for the notorious Colombo crime family's underboss due to his ailing health including a bout of prostate cancer. Haramati told the Judge Hector Gonzalez that Castelazzo, who pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy, suffers from a series of health issues - including a decades-long problem with his heart - that means he is on a variety of medications. The attorney argued that Castelazzo would not receive proper care in a federal prison. 'He goes to the doctor often. He gets checkups. He's on a whole battery of medications,' Haramati told the court, as reported by the New York Post. Castelazzo, 88, who quipped he got his nickname after he worked as a carpenter who was accustomed to using claw hammers, was handed the lighter sentence by a Brooklyn federal judge on Monday - despite prosecutors seeking 27 months But prosecutors argued that his apparently ailing health has not stopped him from enjoying an alleged mafioso lifestyle, arguing that issues with his wellbeing only seem to pop up when he's in court over his family's dealings. The mafia boss's defence attorney's also argued that a new conviction would see him lose his subsidized apartment and leave him 'homeless'. Castelazzo was charged in 2021 as part of a sweeping federal indictment charging nine members of the Colombo crime family in a scheme involving labor union shakedowns, extortion, loansharking, drug trafficking and money laundering. He spent time in jail before posting a $1.6 bond in early 2022. Referring to Castelazzo's subsidized apartment, attorney Michael Marinaccio told the court: 'He didn't lose it when he was in for six months, but he was kind of on the brink.' As Judge Gonzalez sentenced Castelazzo to 15 months in prison starting from March 22, he told him: 'Hopefully this will be the end [of the alleged crime family dealings] but only time will tell.' Castelazzo's sentencing comes a month after Ralph DiMatteo, 68, the alleged 'number three' member of the Colombo crime family, was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to racketeering involving extortion and money laundering. He was caught after his son, Angelo, took a photo of him shirtless in a Florida swimming pool with a large gold chain around his neck. Angelo posted a rat emoji to his social media shortly after his father was arrested, seemingly claiming that someone had ratted him out. But the photo, shared to social media, was the key to his capture, as cops used it to figure out his location. When asked in court whether he regretted the photo, he merely asked: 'Why? It was a great picture.' Ralph DiMatteo, 68, (pictured) the alleged 'number three' member of the Colombo crime family, was sentenced to three years in prison this week DiMatteo served as a consigliere, an advisor to the Colombo family boss DiMatteo was one of 14 defendants charged for allegedly committing crimes as members of the Colombo family. One of his goons, Vincent 'Vinny Unions' Ricciardo, was found to have bullied a high-ranking union official into paying $2,600 a month to the mob family as a 'pension' for nearly 20 years, totaling nearly $600,000. DiMatteo was directly responsible for overseeing Ricciardo, and the consigliere was caught on wiretapped phone called telling Vinny Unions to hurry his extortion efforts up. 'Part of the privilege of being towards the top is that you don't have to get your hands dirty yourself. You have other people do that on your behalf,' Assistant US Attorney Michael Gibaldi said at DiMatteo's sentencing. The family also pressured a union-associated health fund into picking mob-friendly vendors paying an eyewatering tribute of $10,000 a month. In 2022, DiMatteo was freed from a Brooklyn jail on a $5 million bond despite federal prosecutors' objections that he was still conducting mafia business. Brooklyn Federal Court Magistrate James Cho said the mobster was not a flight risk and that home detention and phone monitoring was enough to 'alleviate the risk.' It is currently unclear who remains to take control of the Colombo syndicate on the street. Indeed, in July 2023, the Colombo crime family's boss-in-waiting - Theodore 'Skinny Teddy' Persico, 59 - was jailed for labor racketeering in a move that left the Mafia clan without a leader. Theodore 'Skinny Teddy' Persico, 59, struck a deal with Brooklyn prosecutors, meaning he was not available to lead the Colombo crime family as he'd been ordained to do Persico became one of six purported Colombo mobsters who accepted pleas in the massive case that devastated the clan's leadership in 2021. Persico - the nephew of the late Colombo godfather Carmine 'the Snake' Persico - was accused of conspiring with now-deceased Colombo boss Andrew 'Mush' Russo to shake down a Queens-based union and launder the funds, in a ploy that ran for 20 years. The entire administration of the Colombo crime family, including Russo and Castellazzo, have already pleaded guilty to a variety of mobster activities in 2012. The New York mafia has been weakened by several blows in recent years, including arrests, fratricidal struggles and competition from other criminal organizations, but they are still considered active. Princess Diana's former butler has revealed that the late royal haunts his mock Tudor mansion in Cheshire and that the late Queen also believed in the supernatural. Paul Burrell started working in Charles and Diana's royal household in 1987 and was the Princess's personal butler until her death in 1997. The 65-year-old was having his home inspected by a group of ghost hunters on an episode of Celebrity Help! My House is Haunted on Discovery Plus when he made the claims. Mr Burrell and his husband, litigation lawyer Graham Cooper, 64, called in the paranormal experts after being kept up at night by shadowy figures, wafts of cigarette smoke and unexplained bumps. Princess Diana's former butler has revealed that the late royal haunts his mock Tudor mansion in Cheshire and that the late Queen also believed in the supernatural Paul Burrell, pictured here with Diana in 1994, started working in the Princess's royal household in 1987 and was her personal butler until her death in 1997 Mr Burrell and his husband, litigation lawyer Graham Cooper, 64, right, called in the paranormal experts after being kept up at night by shadowy figures, wafts of cigarette smoke and unexplained bumps But the team hardly put the couple's mind at ease when their special EVP recorder, which they claim allows them to 'hear beyond the human ear for any nearby spirit contact', received some disturbing messages. The machine reported back with the words 'sorry' and 'France' and Mr Burrell believes that the latter might be a reference to the Princess's death in a car crash while being driven through the Pont de L'Alma tunnel in Paris. The Mirror reports that the former royal butler said: 'I don't understand why it would say "France" other than the fact that the Princess died in France and the fact I went to France to bring her home. 'I had been introduced to this world before by the Princess - she was heavily involved in spirituality.' Diana's ex-butler has previously described himself as the late Princess's 'best friend' and has alleged she referred to him as 'the only man she ever trusted'. And Mr Burrell is convinced that Diana is still reaching out to him more than 26 years after her death. 'When you have loved someone in life - and I did love her - and they pass very quickly, a little piece of them remains behind and you carry them with you for the rest of your days,' he said. Mr Burrell added that he dreams about Diana regularly, usually at around 3am, but that he is not obsessed with her as he only has one photo of the two together although he has hundreds of pictures of the Princess. The former royal servant also said that Queen Elizabeth II believed in ghosts and would only stay in Allt-na-giubhsaich, the cottage in Balmoral, if her corgis were with her as they would sense a supernatural presence before she could. Diana's ex-butler has previously described himself as the late Princess's 'best friend' and has alleged she referred to him as 'the only man she ever trusted'. And Mr Burrell is convinced that Diana is still reaching out to him more than 26 years after her death Mr Burrell said that he has only kept one photo of him with Diana but he has hundreds of pictures of the Princess This comes after Mr Burrell applauded King Charles for being so open about his prostate condition on Monday. Mr Burrell got the 'all clear' from doctors last year after a long battle with prostate cancer. Speaking on ITV's Lorraine, he said: 'His issues and his condition is very different to mine but similar in other ways, it will be uncomfortable for him but his message is clear, he wants people to know about it and he wants people to come forward. 'This is also what I am saying but he has a bigger platform than me, people are following him and going to the GP, people are going in droves.' The former GP was considered by his neighbours to be a bit of a recluse, although he would sometimes venture out of his living space to mix with others if he felt sociable. An intelligent man, he liked to keep his mind active, so played Scrabble, joined a card school and enrolled on an English literature course. Free time was something he had plenty of, so the married father of four also studied the Peninsular War and began writing a biography of Napoleon. When you consider that his accommodation was free and he did not have to worry about his heating, electricity and food bills, life could certainly have been a lot worse for the 57-year-old. Certainly when compared with the plight of the families and loved ones of the estimated 250 patients, mostly elderly women, he killed in cold blood to feed his addiction to murder. Detectives believe Harold Shipman killed about 250 of his patients, mostly elderly women Shipman hanged himself in his spartan 12ft by 6ft cell at HMP Wakefield, pictured, in 2004 And yet 20 years ago this month, Harold 'Dr Death' Shipman Britain's most prolific serial killer by several country miles ended his life at Category A Wakefield Prison. The bearded monster took the coward's way out by hanging himself in his spartan 12ft by 6ft cell on D-wing on January 14, 2004. That inmate CJ 8199 the once respected family doctor who according to prosecutors enjoyed 'the ultimate power over life and death' could dictate the timing and circumstances of his passing was scandalous in itself. But it then emerged that by killing himself before his 60th birthday, Shipman ensured his loyal wife Primrose was entitled to a bumper pension that could eventually be worth more than 500,000, including an immediate 100,000 lump sum. This dwarfed the sums that her husband's victims, who he injected with lethal doses of diamorphine (pharmaceutical heroin) before trying to cover his tracks by falsifying medical records, were entitled to in criminal injuries compensation. Two decades may have passed since Shipman killed himself, but disturbing questions remain about the case and about the way the medical profession deals with and sometimes turns a blind eye to misconduct or even criminality by those charged with caring for the sick. The recent convictions of nurse Lucy Letby, a serial baby killer, exposed a string of missed warning signs about her increasingly suspicious conduct. And there have been furores surrounding breast cancer surgeon Ian Paterson, who butchered his patients with unregulated operations, and nurse Victorino Chua, known as 'Killer from Manila', who murdered and poisoned patients at Stockport's Stepping Hill Hospital. Back in the late 1990s, I reported extensively on the Shipman case, which ended with the family GP with a surgery in Hyde, Greater Manchester, being found guilty of murdering 15 female patients. Fifteen is a huge number, but these were 'specimen charges' used when an individual is charged with numerous violations of the same offence. Even in the early stages of their investigation, detectives realised that Shipman had killed many more than 15 patients and was going to rewrite the history book on serial killers. Yet right up to the trial, many of Shipman's friends and colleagues were convinced of his innocence. The Mail reports on Shipman's suicide in jail on January 14, 2004 I was there for the start of his trial at Preston Crown Court in autumn 1999 and for its conclusion on January 31, 2000, when he showed no emotion as the verdicts condemning him to die behind bars were delivered. The jury had deliberated for six days at the end of the four-month trial before reaching unanimous verdicts. Nobody could seriously have thought then that his 'life' sentence would be over within four years. What struck me during the trial was the ordinariness of this small, colourless, brogues-wearing doctor. He seemed Britain's most unlikely serial killer. On the other hand, he displayed breath-taking arrogance in dismissing as mere coincidence the 15 murders of the patients, all of whom had trusted him implicitly. At one point, a hushed court listened in disbelief as he outlined his outrageously fabricated claim that a female patient aged 81 had been abusing drugs. He was a brazen liar when describing the sudden deaths of those under his charge: 'I turned round to get my stethoscope out of my bag and she just collapsed and died'; 'I was telephoning for an ambulance and she gave one cough. When I turned round, I could see that she had died'; 'She just died while I was examining her'. In the brass-railed witness box of the oak-panelled courtoom, his performance was sometimes stuttering or disrupted by his tears and once by his slurred speech, which he blamed on the tablets he had been taking. He tried in vain to portray himself as a caring GP with a detailed weekly routine. Monday, he explained, was the day he did a lot of administration before afternoon surgery. Friday was reserved for minor operations: 'Removing warts or ingrowing toenails'. Overall, though, it was a singularly unimpressive performance as he attempted in his mundane and methodical manner to convince the jury that he was right, and everyone else was wrong. When he was convicted, police estimated that the total death toll was about 150. That figure was later revised to 250 or more. It was only after the death of former mayoress of Hyde, Kathleen Grundy, pictured, that the true horror started to emerge about Shipman's appalling criminality Shockingly, after the case it turned out that people had expressed concerns about Shipman but failed to follow them up, while others simply blundered. The Mail told how, in 1997, a policeman who suspected Shipman of malpractice following the death of a woman at his surgery confronted him but then decided not to report his suspicions to his senior officers. We also reported that detectives investigated Shipman six months before he was finally arrested in 1998, but failed to discover that the death rate at his surgery was three times higher than normal or that he had a criminal record. That basic error allowed him to murder three more women. Concerns about his suitability to practise as a GP dated back to 1976, when he was convicted of fraud and drug offences after becoming addicted to pethidine, an opioid pain-relief medicine. At the time two distinguished psychiatrists called for him to be allowed to continue to work. Because he was allowed to return to the medical profession, the countdown to industrial scale serial murder had begun. Our investigation revealed the identities of more than 100 suspected victims. Five were murdered in his surgery just 200 yards from the local health authority offices. At one stage he murdered three patients on consecutive days. It was only after the death of the respected former mayoress of Hyde, Kathleen Grundy, that the true horror started to emerge. He injected the 81-year-old with diamorphine on June 24, 1998, and went on to forge her 386,000 will in a highly amateurish way. That error led to his belated downfall when her daughter, Angela Wagstaff, became suspicious. Stan Egerton, the late larger-than-life detective inspector who arrested him, described Shipman as 'the most evil person imaginable'. Mr Justice Forbes, who sent him down for 'wicked, wicked crimes', said as he passed life sentences: 'I have little doubt each of your victims smiled and thanked you as she submitted to your deadly administrations. None of your victims realised that yours was not a healing touch.' Commenting after the verdicts, coroner John Pollard said he believed it was impossible to put a precise figure on the number of victims. 'If he was killing patients throughout his 30 years as a doctor perhaps not so many in the early years we might be looking at 1,000,' he said. 'However, that is all supposition.' Earlier this month, the family of Shipman's earliest victim, Eva Lyons, who died aged 71 in 1975, said they fear hundreds more are yet to be identified, 20 years on from the doctor's suicide. Sir Richard Henriques KC led the prosecution against Shipman at Preston Crown Court Few people know the Shipman case better than Sir Richard Henriques KC, who led for the Crown at Preston Crown Court, and went on to become a distinguished High Court judge. It was in 1998 that he was asked to a hush-hush meeting with Greater Manchester Police. He was told beforehand that they wanted him to lead the prosecution against a doctor accused of forgery, something which did not excite him professionally. But he quickly realised the reason for the cloak-and-dagger nature of the meeting when he was informed that the same GP was also a suspected serial killer. Sir Richard told me Shipman was 'arrogant, condescending, and he thought it a personal insult that a detective constable and a detective sergeant should have interviewed him. He really thought that his standing as a medical practitioner merited an officer of much higher rank, and the way he treated the officers throughout that interview was as if they were intellectually inferior. He added: 'Even during the trial, he thought that he would be acquitted. He suffered from a high degree of self-delusion, over-confidence. 'It does seem that he enjoyed the thrill of not only killing someone, but also the adrenaline rush or whatever he got from dealing with their families, from dealing with the undertakers, from trying to fob off any concerns around the circumstances in which their loved one died. 'There's no doubt that he must have enjoyed this whole scenario, administering the diamorphine. And everything that followed. It plainly was very dramatic. He had to confront families who were shocked, grieving, very, very upset. 'And his task was to ensure that there was no post mortem, that the bodies were not taken to hospital by ambulance, and that if possible, he could advise families that cremation urns were much the best way of disposing of the body. 'Don't put your mother through it', was his favourite expression that cropped up time and again, explaining what a terrible ordeal for the deceased the post mortem would be. 'And he was of course, effective,' added Sir Richard. 'He realised that any properly conducted post mortem examination would bring a murder to light.' Primrose Shipman leaves Manchester prison after visiting her husband with her son He said that after getting away with so many murders, Shipman must have felt 'he could walk on water'. Did a childhood trauma the premature death of his mother, perhaps turn this 'Mummy's Boy' into a psychopathic serial killer with a grudge against elderly women? 'In opening the case to the jury,' said Sir Richard, 'I stated that Shipman was exercising the ultimate power of controlling life and death, and that he repeated it so often, that he must have found the drama of taking life to his taste. 'I think you're right that his mother's early death may well have had something to do with this.' While preparing for the Shipman trial, Sir Richard studied the case of John Bodkin Adams, a GP and convicted fraudster who was suspected of killing 160 of his patients but was controversially acquitted of murder in 1957. 'I often wonder to what extent Shipman was aware of Bodkin Adams' acquittal,' Sir Richard said. 'He did read and described himself as a reader of crime novels (and was) almost addicted to them. 'Indeed, he told one of his nurses shortly after the police had shown interest in him that on the evidence, "I would have me guilty".' Did Shipman model himself on Bodkin Adams and think he, too, could get away with murder? Sir Richard believes it is credible theory: 'I have no doubt that Adams was guilty, and Shipman was an avid reader of murder literature.' Shipman was found hanging in his cell, where he had a radio, a jigsaw and his books, on the eve of his 58th birthday. His wife had been due to visit him in prison the following day and had spoken to him on the telephone the night before. Sir Richard describes Shipman's death as 'no act of remorse on his part' but a calculated ploy to boost his wife's pension. He had had his GP's pension stopped by the then health secretary, Alan Milburn, following his conviction for murdering 15 patients in 2000. But his wife was still entitled to a widow's pension if he died before the age of 60. 'He had policies and the effect of them altered dramatically upon him obtaining the age of 60,' he said. 'If he died before 60, his wife would receive a large lump sum I think of 100,000 and an annuity of some 10,000 per annum. She would receive only 5,000 per annum if he died after that.' The then chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Michael Todd, was furious after being briefed fully on how Shipman's suicide in 2004 had helped his wife's finances. After learning how much she would get, Mr Todd, who died in 2008, told me he had 'cheated justice once again' and 'stuck two fingers up at his victims and their families'. Two decades on, Sir Richard also remains angry about Shipman's suicide and the pension payout. He is also concerned by the subsequent scandals as well as many other aspects of the Shipman case, including the fact that little seems to have been learnt regarding criminality in the medical profession. 'Twenty years ago I naively believed that Shipman's case was an episode of criminality by a medical practitioner unlikely ever to be repeated,' he told me this week. 'Tragically the shameful misconduct of Victorino Chua, Ian Paterson and Lucy Letby has fractured any lingering trust in those responsible for our care and wellbeing. 'My thoughts stray to Shipman whenever social debate turns to the death penalty. Many asserted that its abolition was demonstrably in error as evidenced by Shipman's many killings and yet his self-inflicted death was bemoaned by similar numbers who asserted that by committing suicide, and being allowed to do so, he had unfairly avoided many years of punishment by incarceration. 'I think, too, of motive. What really drove Shipman to kill over 250 patients, the great majority in excellent health, and many seen about town by their killer earlier in the day? Likewise what drove Lucy Letby to murder seven infants and attempt to murder six others. Alas, Shipman was not a one-off as I had misguidedly believed.' A group of flag-waving Chinese tourists at the centre of a row with a boogie-woogie pianist have hit back today. Brendan Kavanagh, who goes by the name Dr K, sparked a row after he shared video showing the moment the Chinese tourists told him to stop filming them during a livestream from London St Pancras station. After the musician was accused of touching one of the women - an allegation he strongly denies - British Transport Police officers trundled over to the bust-up and told Dr K not to upload the clip to YouTube. Speaking to TalkTV last night, Kavanagh slammed the police intervention and blasted the Chinese group's 'ludicrous' demands. Hitting back against the piano blogger today, one of the women involved accused Dr K of provoking them by referring to them as Japanese instead of Chinese, playing a 'discriminatory' song and constantly telling them 'we live in Britain, not in China'. The woman also claimed they had been waiting to play the piano themselves for a Chinese New Year greetings video they were planning to film in the station. She claimed the group asked Dr K to stop filming them after they realised he was livestreaming, adding: 'We kept waiting for over 40 minutes. He still played the piano for a long time. When I approached him his assistant kept filming and this was when I realised he was probably a content creator filming videos. But I didn't know he was live streaming at the time. 'So I asked can he delete his video because our content today is non-disclosable. It can't be made public in advance. He kept asking me questions and I really didn't know how to respond.' Police officers later approached Dr K and warned him not to put the video on his YouTube channel. But Kavanagh interrupted and said: 'Listen, we're in Britain, we're in a public space, it's a free country.' Brendan Kavanagh playing boogie-woogie piano in London St Pancras station A woman (pictured) who said she was working for Chinese TV asked him to stop filming them One of two police officers told the pianist 'this is not to go on your channel' as Mr Kavanagh kept on filming after the officers intervened. The other officer told the Chinese tourist who had shouted at Mr Kavanagh that he had the right to film because he was in a public place. 'I was so glad I actually had it filmed because if I narrated this people wouldn't believe me, but the fact that it was on a livestream... It was completely spontaneous and now the world has seen it,' he added. Before the officers arrived, the situation escalated from the group asking him politely to stop filming to shouted demands as Mr Kavanagh was accused of 'trying to touch' one of the female tourists after he seemingly pointed to the Chinese flag she was holding. He denied the accusation. They insisted that they were enjoying his music but would 'put legal action into it' because they had an agreement with others not to be shown online as they claimed they were 'protecting our own image right'. He responds saying that they just need to 'walk away' if they don't want to be on camera. A male member of the group, who was the most vocal in his complaints against being filmed, suddenly started screaming: 'Why are you touching her? Stop touching her. Don't touch her.' Mr Kavanagh had touched the lady's pennant as he looked to illustrate that she was holding a Chinese flag. He added: 'You are not the same age, do not touch her.' The woman intervened and said: 'Don't shoot him, don't shoot him. What's the problem?' Dr K told the group: 'We are in Great Britain, we are not in China' Mr Kavanagh on TalkTV last night Mr Kavanagh, who also goes by Dr K, was seemingly confused after being shouted at and defended himself by saying he only touched the flag. The piano player repeatedly pointed to the small red flags with five yellow stars, which he claimed were communist flags. One of the tourists said that Mr Kavanagh should 'educate' himself, as the flag is not a flag for the communist party - which would portray a yellow hammer and sickle instead of the five stars. The woman the pianist allegedly touched - something he denies doing - said she was 'here to celebrate the new year' and didn't want to be filmed doing so. The pair repeatedly accused Mr Kavanagh of not 'respecting their right' by filming them, but the piano player again pointed out that he is allowed to film them as there is no expectation of privacy in a public place in the UK. When the police officers approached, one tourist said to the male officer that Mr Kavanagh filmed them and they asked him to remove the footage, but he refused. 'You're in a public place,' the policeman explained repeatedly - until the female officer chimed in and said to the cameraperson: 'Excuse me, if we're having a police matter, you need to put that phone down.' Mr Kavanagh then addressed his viewers as the officers took the tourists aside. He said: 'The Chinese communist party told us not to film here.' Afterwards, the policewoman warned him: 'This is not to go on your channel by the way, this is me talking to you.' But Mr Kavanagh interrupted and said: 'Listen, we're in Britain, we're in a public space, it's a free country.' The officer added: 'The matter is, they say you've been making communist comments at them,' but Mr Kavanagh denied this and added that he only said they were waving communists flags. One of two police officers (pictured behind the pianist), who were walking by and stopped due to the loud argument, told the pianist 'this is not to go on your channel' as Mr Kavanagh kept on filming after the officers intervened One of the tourists shouted at Dr K after he was accused of touching one of the women - an allegation the piano blogger strongly denies She also asked him about the allegation that he tried to touch one of the tourists, which the pianist denied. He said: 'I was not trying to touch her, that's why I have a camera.' 'They [the tourists] have requested that the video where they approach gets deleted and is not used on your channel [...] They work for a company and their faces cannot be shown on TV or on somebody's channel,' she told Mr Kavanagh. Eventually the tourists and police officers moved one, leaving Mr Kavanagh to finish his livestream with more boogie woogie songs after declaring: 'Free speech prevails.' Mr Kavanagh said on TalkTV last night that during the interaction with the tourists, it was 'all about what I couldn't do and what they could do'. A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: 'We are aware of a video circulating on social media of a disagreement in St Pancras railway station on Friday 19 January. Officers on patrol came across the incident and the situation was deescalated.' This is the dramatic moment a would-be burglar is arrested after he was tracked to the middle of a field by a police officer and her dog using a drone. Images taken on a heat-seeking drone show Joseph Yates holding up his hands in surrender as he is caught. Officers on patrol spotted the 32-year-old running away from a business property after an alarm sounded in the early hours of Thursday August 24 last year. Entry to a storeroom had been forced, but the alarm scared Yates off before he managed to take anything. Yates ran and hid in a dense field in Nackington in Canterbury, Kent, and could not be found until dog handler PC Lisa Milligan and Police Dog Coty picked up his scent and tracked him to his hiding place in the middle of the crops. Yates was arrested, searched and found to be in possession of a crowbar and the keys to a car found abandoned nearby Images taken on a heat-seeking drone show Joseph Yates holding up his hands in surrender as he is caught The footage ends with PC Milligan cuddling her dog on bodycam film and saying 'Good girl!' Yates ran and hid in a dense field in Nackington in Canterbury, Kent, and could not be found until dog handler PC Lisa Milligan and Police Dog Coty picked up his scent and tracked him to his hiding place in the middle of the crops They were supported by drone pilot PC Andy Green, who with assistance from PC Richard Gabriel was able to detect Yates' heat source and guide them to his precise position. READ MORE - Policeman wrongly accused of using his police dog to make money from breeding is forced out Advertisement Footage shows PC Milligan running through the undergrowth, with PD Coty ahead before she is told there is a heat source nearby. PD Coty then lurches right as the dog smells Yates crouching nearby. Images from above clearly show him immediately putting his hands in the air as PC Milligan shouts 'Do not move! Stay there!' Yates was arrested, searched and found to be in possession of a crowbar and the keys to a car found abandoned nearby. Inside the vehicle was a pair of bolt croppers and other tools, as well as two cannisters of nitrous oxide that were found to have been stolen from a location in Sittingbourne the previous day. The footage ends with PC Milligan cuddling her dog on bodycam video and saying 'Good girl!' Yates pleaded guilty to attempted burglary, handling stolen goods and going equipped for burglary following an investigation by PC Georgia England from the Canterbury Victim Based Crime Team. He was sentenced to eight months when he attended Medway Magistrates' Court on Wednesday January 17. They were supported by drone pilot PC Andy Green, who with assistance from PC Richard Gabriel was able to detect Yates' heat source and guide them to his precise position Superintendent Elena Hall of Kent Police's Tactical Operations Command said: 'When a crime is committed we are able to call upon officers with a wide variety of skills and specialist training who work together to ensure justice is served. 'On this occasion the expertise of drone pilots, a dog handler and officers on patrol helped to ensure a criminal was caught and arrested within 40 minutes of the offence taking place. 'The strength of the evidence against him was so strong that he had little choice but to plead guilty in court. 'I hope this case sends a strong message to other would-be offenders that with the technology now available to us through the use of drones and other advancements, there really is nowhere you can hide from the law.' Elon Musk, who has been accused of allowing antisemitic messages on X to flourish in the wake of Hamas' barbaric attack on Israel on October 7 admitted in an interview with Ben Shapiro that he was 'naive' to the growth in attacks on Jewish people. Musk made the remarks after he and Shapiro toured Auschwitz, where over one million Jewish people were slaughtered by the Nazis. The South African went on to say that it was not until 'pro-Hamas' rallies began in western cities and on US college campuses that he realized how big of a problem antisemitism was. He then slammed America's elite colleges for 'fostering hate.' Musk described his visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on Monday, saying afterwards that the tragedy of the Holocaust 'hits you much more in the heart when you see it in person.' He also spoke about discussions with his family about antisemitism. 'My kids are pretty well read. They have read a lot of history and they are not ignorant but Ive had some sort of conversations with some nephews or family members where I was actually shocked to see examples of antisemitism.' 'In one disturbing conversation, even saying we deserved to have the Twin Towers destroyed because of our foreign policy, and I thought, "Is this what they are teaching you in our elite high schools?,"' he went on. Musk, holding his son X A-12 , takes part in a private visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau with European Jewish Association Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev Musk toured the most notorious extermination camp established by Nazi Germany during World War II before attending a conference on antisemitism organized by the European Jewish Association in the nearby Polish city of Krakow. He admitted to having been 'naive' about the extent of antisemitism until recently, saying that is because most of his friends are Jewish and he has had little contact with it in his own life. 'In the circles that I move, I see almost no antisemitism,' Musk said at the conference in a discussion with podcaster Shapiro of the Daily Wire. 'And, you know, there's this old joke 'I've got like this one Jewish friend.' No, I have like two-thirds of my friends are Jewish. I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. I'm like Jewish by association, I'm aspirationally Jewish.' He defended his X platform as a place where freedom of speech flourishes, saying that a free exchange of ideas is something that ultimately helps to correct hatred, noting that the Nazis shut down freedom of press and information. 'The overarching goal for the X platform is to be the best source of truth in the world,' he said. The 'relentless pursuit of the truth is the goal with X and allowing people to say what they want to say, even if it's controversial, provided that it does not break the law.' The billionaire has faced accusations from the Anti-Defamation League, a prominent Jewish civil rights organization, and others of tolerating antisemitic messages on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, since purchasing it in 2022. He sparked an outcry in November, including from the White House, when he responded on X to a user who accused Jews of hating white people and professing indifference to antisemitism by posting, 'You have said the actual truth.' During his conversation with Ben Shapiro, Musk took aim at DEI-activists, legacy media and TikTok Musk lights a candle during his visit behind a sign echoing the cry: Never Again Musk pictured alongside Shapiro at the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi German death camp in Oswiecim, Poland He later apologized for the comment, calling it the 'dumbest' post that he's ever done. Several big brands, including Disney and IBM, stopped advertising on the platform last year after liberal advocacy group Media Matters said that their ads were appearing alongside pro-Nazi content and white nationalist posts. X has since sued Media Matters, saying the Washington-based nonprofit manufactured the report to 'drive advertisers from the platform and destroy X Corp.' Musk visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau site with his 3-year-old son and others, including Shapiro and the founder and head of the European Jewish Association, Rabbi Menachem Margolin. The site, near the town of Oswiecim in southern Poland, is fenced off with barbed wire. Wooden barracks for the prisoners and the ruins of gas chambers endure as evidence of Nazi crimes. There is also a monument to the victims where remembrance ceremonies are held yearly. 'It was incredibly moving and deeply sad and tragic that humans could do this to other humans,' Musk said about the visit. 'I'm a student of history, so I had seen the pictures, I'd seen the videos, but ... it hits you much more in the heart when you see it in person.' Musk reviewing a map alongside Rabbi Menachem Musk arrived in Poland in a private jet and took a Tesla car from the airport Musk had been expected to make the visit on Tuesday and take part in a memorial service, together with political figures attending the EJA conference in Krakow, but showed up at the Nazi death camp on Monday instead. 'Due to schedule concerns, before Elon Musk's arrival to the European Jewish Association conference, he took part in a private visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau with EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev. Musk laid a wreath at the wall of death and took part in a short memorial ceremony and service by the Birkenau memorial,' the EJA said in an email. Oliver Bradley, an EJA media adviser, said the organization 'challenged' Musk to come to Auschwitz during a Zoom conference on antisemitism in social media several months ago. 'Musk shrugged his shoulders at the suggestion stating that he already knew the history of the Holocaust ... as if visiting might not be an impactful experience,' Bradley said. But Margolin, the EJA chairman, 'successfully convinced Musk of the necessity of experiencing a place of genocide in order to even begin to truly fathom the dimension of the Holocaust,' Bradley said. The EJA conference on the rise of antisemitism was held in Krakow before International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27. More than 1.1 million people were murdered by the Nazis and their henchmen at Auschwitz during World War II. In all, about 6 million European Jews died during the Holocaust. When the Soviets liberated the camp, they found about 7,000 survivors. Musk said that had there been social media at the time of World War II, the Holocaust 'would have been impossible to hide' and lives could have been saved. A girl's tenth birthday party turned into a nightmare when a hired entertainer poured liquid nitrogen on the host, leaving her with horrific burns. The birthday girl screamed in agony as her arms and legs were covered in second degree burns in what appeared to be a stunt gone wrong. Now the female entertainer faces police action in Moscow after the child was rushed to hospital. The schoolgirl's distraught mother told how she paid almost 400 for the entertainer at a shopping mall in the Russian capital to entertain her daughter and her friends. She said she was offered a discount equivalent to 60 by way of compensation for the mistake. The woman was filmed pouring liquid nitrogen on the girl as part of an elaborate stunt Liquid nitrogen is sold cold it usually skims off the surface of relatively warm human skin The unnamed ten-year-old and her guests were treated with black ice cream and special drinks prepared by the performer. She appeared to have planned a grand finale, pouring liquid nitrogen over the birthday girl - but got the stunt badly wrong. 'Nothing was said about the use of liquid nitrogen,' she said. 'A few seconds after the nitrogen hit the birthday girl's arms and legs, she started screaming that she was in pain,' reported Shot media. Paramedics were called and treated the crying girl. But the police are investigating and could bring charges against the female party animator. Liquid nitrogen is a liquid that has a very low boiling point of -196C. It is used for party tricks but needs handling with extreme care. Contact may cause burns and frostbite, while accidental inhalation or ingestion leads to asphyxiation and airway or gastric perforations. It's possible for liquid nitrogen to pass on top of human flesh without freezing due to the Leidenfrost effect. This causes liquid to produce a layer of insulating vapour that stops it from coming into direct contact with a surface significantly hotter than the liquid's boiling point. Because liquid nitrogen is so cold, body temperature is warm enough to usually allow it to skim off the surface of the body without causing damage. In 2014, a Russian scientist staged a spectacular spin on the - then popular - ice bucket challenge, filmed pouring liquid nitrogen over his head. Anton Sharypov, 34, a physicist from Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai, filmed the video for a YouTube channel called 'What happens if we try this...' Mr Sharypov said before the challenge: 'I am putting my faith in the laws of physics, biology and mathematics and I hope nothing will go wrong.' The poor child was left with second degree burns and taken to hospital after the accident Her mother said there was no indication liquid nitrogen would be used at the birthday party Others have been less fortunate playing with supercooled substances. In 2020, three died in Moscow after dry ice was poured into a swimming pool at an influencer's party. Dry ice is a solid form of carbon dioxide that can be used for temporary refrigeration and spectacular effects through fog machines. It sublimes - turns from a solid into a gas - at -78.5C (-109.2F), making it very dangerous to handle without protection. At the Moscow party, dry ice was poured into the pool after guests complained the sauna was too warm and sought to cool off. Preliminary analysis concluded three, all aged around 30, had died from suffocation. The father who was found dead at home with his two young daughters and sister-in-law had missed an emergency mental health assessment weeks earlier after police took him to a hospital following concerns about his wellbeing. The body of Bartlomiej Kuczynski, girls Jasmin, 12, and Downreuang, seven, and their aunt were found at a property in Costessey, near Norwich, on Friday morning. Norfolk Police have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct after it emerged the force failed to respond to a 999 call made by Mr Kuczynski just over an hour before the bodies were found. The IOPC is also investigating contact the force had with Mr Kuczynski on December 14 after he was reported missing. It is now understood officers searched woodland near his semi-detached house before eventually finding him on the Queens Hill estate nearby. Bartlomiej Kuczynski (left) was found dead at home with his two young daughters (bottom right) and sister-in-law at a property in Costessey, near Norwich Jasmin Kuczynski, 12, and her sister, seven, were described as 'beautiful girls' by neighbours Kanticha Noon, 36, was also found dead in the property with stab wounds to the neck Officers are said to have taken him to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich for an assessment but he left the site in Colney unescorted before it was carried out. The force is currently involved in a phased introduction of a scheme called Right Care, Right Person, which is aimed at reducing the amount of time officers spend on mental health-related incidents. Campaigners have warned more people could be left at risk as a result although Norfolk Police said officers would still attend incidents where there is believed to be an immediate threat to life. Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsible for mental health care in the region, and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital both said they were unable to comment as the police investigation was ongoing. Norfolk Police received the 999 call from Mr Kuczynski at around 6am on Friday but resources were not deployed. They finally responded after a second call around an hour later from a member of the public who wanted to raise a concern about the people inside. Officers arrived at 7.15am and broke in to find the bodies of Polish-born Mr Kuczynski, 45, his daughters, and their aunt, Kanticha Noon, 36, of Bangkok, Thailand. The girls mother, Nanthaka Kuczynska, was at her job as a caretaker at the time. Post-mortem examinations on Sunday revealed Ms Noon who arrived in the UK on December 27 to help care for her nieces - died from multiple stab wounds to the neck, while Mr Kuczynski had a single stab wound to the neck. Post-mortem examinations on the sisters are not due to take place until tomorrow but police have confirmed both had injuries. Officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. Ms Noons best friend Naty Wathanakul has confirmed Mr Kuczynski had a mental health issue and that he had given up his job. She added: We dont know the detail. Police at the scene in Costessey, Norfolk, today after four bodies were found at a property The IOPC is also investigating contact the force had with Mr Kuczynski (pictured with one of his children) on December 14 after he was reported missing Kanticha Noon, 36, was found dead in the property with stab wounds to the neck Norfolk Police received the 999 call from Mr Kuczynski (right) at around 6am on Friday but resources were not deployed. He is pictured with one of his girls and a woman Floral tributes left near a house in Costessey A cordon remains in place this afternoon along with a forensic tent outside the home The four bodies were discovered inside in the Norfolk suburb of Costessey by police today Mrs Kuczynska has been left shocked and heartbroken by the tragedy, said Ms Wathanakul, who speculated that petite and beautiful Ms Noon was in the wrong place at the wrong time and may have died fighting to protect her nieces. Neighbours have also said Mr Kuczynski had been suffering with mental health problems for months and had asked for help, although they didnt know if he had engaged with mental health services. Norfolk Chief Constable Paul Sanford described the incident as horrific and tragic but said he couldnt comment on it further due to the IOPC investigation. The countys police and crime commissioner, Giles Orpen-Smellie, has stated he will robustly hold the chief constable to account for the actions of officers and other staff. Floral tributes have been left outside the house in Costessey, while pupils at the schools the girls attended have been offered support. Police forces across the country last year said they would attend fewer mental health calls that take up almost a million hours a year. The body of a woman who vanished from beside a swollen river just before Christmas was found two miles downstream after the waters finally receded three weeks later, an inquest has heard. Lucy Charles, 39, was last seen in Bangor-on-Dee near Wrexham on December 22 when she was captured on CCTV walking past the Royal Oak pub. Police, mountain rescue teams, the fire service and the police helicopter were all involved in a massive search for the bar worker, with divers also entering the water. Finally on January 12 the tragic news was revealed that a body had been found. At a brief hearing yesterday, John Gittins, senior coroner for North Wales East and Central, said a search team discovered Ms Charles's body near Dongrey Hall Farm. Lucy Charles, 39 (pictured), was found dead in a river two miles from where her personal possessions were found on a riverbank, an inquest heard The location is about two miles downstream from where items of her property had been found on the riverbank. The water level had by that point fallen significantly compared to when the River Dee was swollen following December's heavy rain, the hearing in Ruthin was told. Mr Gittins adjourned the inquest to a date to be fixed, saying samples had been taken for testing so a decision on the cause of death had been deferred. Ms Charles is understood to have worked in pubs in the scenic border village of Bangor-on-Dee and was known to enjoy reading a book beside the broad river. Living in the next village with her partner Ian Beech, she knew the area well and was seen earlier on the day of her disappearance at a local shop. However the last known sighting of her at 5.34pm on December 22 was after dark, and she was wearing a high-visibility jacket for reasons which have not been explained. CCTV images captured the last sighting of Ms Charles as she walked past the Royal Oak pub in Bangor-on-Dee at 5.34pm on December 22 But North Wales Police made it their 'working hypothesis' that Ms Charles fell into the River Dee accidentally that day and was swept to her death. Belongings found near where she was last seen indicate she did not enter the water deliberately, sources said, and there were not thought to be any suspicious circumstances. Efforts by members of the North West Regional Underwater Search Team to search the river were hampered by weeks of heavy rain which raised the water level by over 6ft. Before the tragic discovery, relatives were said to be clinging to hope that Ms Charles will be found alive, while preparing for the worst. Earlier her mother Vicky posted on Facebook: 'Lucy is still missing. Please, please keep sharing. I love you so much.' Asking locals in Bangor-on-Dee to help, she wrote: 'Just check any dash cam or Ring door bells and keep everything crossed for Lucy's return.' Revealing that a body had been found, Chief Inspector Stephen Roberts said: 'My thoughts are with Lucy's family and friends at this difficult time.' In response to the tragic news, her mother simply posted a string of broken heart emojis, adding: 'She was so loved.' Paying tribute, friend Jeanette Proctor wrote: 'Lucy was a lovely person inside and out, such a terrible tragedy. 'She will be so missed by all who had the pleasure to have met her.' Chloe Wilkinson posted: 'Forever grateful for the love and care she showed me! 'Growing up I idolized her, Lucy was always 'the tanned, gorgeous and kind girl'.' Ms Charles's social media shows a busy social life with recent foreign holidays and nights out with her partner, Ian Beech. Poignantly her last public post three days before she was last seen read simply: 'I love my mummy.' Ms Charles (pictured) is understood to have worked in pubs in the scenic border village of Bangor-on-Dee and was known to enjoy reading a book beside the broad river Sharing the appeal for sightings of his friend, chef Brian Mellor wrote: 'You might remember her as the most welcoming of people at The Sandstone Inn, that big smile and laughter after every other sentence. 'She was also part of the cookery school family working with Mary and I, post service we would sit together reflecting on the evening's events and the state of hospitality in general. 'Please share if you can, we all want you home mate.' As the search continued, Ms Charles' partner shared the anguish of her friends and family as they waited for updates. 'The police have been keeping us informed on a daily basis,' Mr Beech told Mail Online. 'They're doing great work. 'The river's as high as I've ever seen it. When it gets flooded like this it's almost impossible to get into the water. 'Sadly I don't think anything will be found until the river starts to go down.' The water level in the Dee was recorded at an average of 6.84m (22ft 5in) on the day Ms Charles was last seen, 2m (6ft 6in) deeper than at the start of September. 'It's been very difficult to get police divers into the river so they're having to search the area with boats instead,' a source said at the time. 'The water coming down the river is faster and wider than normal, and it's also spreading out into nearby undergrowth. 'Hopefully the level will drop over the next few days and they can establish exactly what happened.' A full inquest will be heard at a later date. Norway's defence chief has become the latest senior military figure to warn that Europe has a matter of years to prepare for war against Russia. In his dire warning, Eirik Kristoffersen said NATO countries have 'two, maybe three' years to get ready for an assault by Vladimir Putin's forces. Last week, the NATO defence chiefs met in Brussels where several emphasised the importance of countries in Europe increasing their readiness for an attack. This came as secret plans were leaked revealing that Germany is preparing for Putin's forces to attack NATO as early as 2025, and after a senior NATO general said the alliance was preparing for such a scenario to happen within 20 years. Speaking to NTB, Norway's press agency, Kristoffersen pointed out that Moscow has built up its military stockpiles far quicker than expected. Norway's defence chief has outlined a series of suggestions on how NATO can prepare for a possible military attack by Russia in the coming years, urging Norway and other NATO allies to improve their aerial defences, increase their supply of long-range weapons, strengthen their defences along NATO's eastern front and prepare armies and populations for war Norway's defence chief has become the latest senior military figure to warn that Europe has a matter of years to prepare with war against Russia. Pictured: Ukrainian soldiers drive a tank on a road in Lyman district, Donetsk region, on January 21 In his dire warning, Eirik Kristoffersen said NATO countries have 'two, maybe three' years to get ready for an assault by Vladimir Putin's forces, who are currently engaged in Ukraine With his invasion in Ukraine at a stalemate, Putin has also switched his economy on to a war footing, meaning weapons factories are producing arms around the clock. What's more, Putin's allies in Iran and North Korea are also propping his forces up with arms, meaning Russia can build up its defences faster than previously thought. Analysts believe the despot intends to outlast Ukraine - which is relying heavily on support from its allies, particularly the US - before setting his sights beyond Ukraine's western borders, with the Baltic states in particular under threat. But Norway also shares a border with Russia at Europe's most northern point, and is thus vital to the continent's defence strategy against Putin's forces. 'Russia has increased production significantly,' Kristoffersen told NTB. 'They have also collaborated with countries such as Iran and North Korea, which means that we can get a faster build-up of the Russian defence than what we envisioned just last year,' he added. 'So we must use the time well now to strengthen our own defence.' Relative peace in Europe was shattered in February 2022 with Putin 's invasion of Ukraine and kicked European nations into action. Germany, for example, dramatically ramped up its defence spending, while Finland swiftly joined NATO. Sweden is set to follow once its application is approved. However, Kristoffersen warns that much of Europe's military supply is being sunk into Ukraine to support Kyiv's forces in their fight against the invading Russians. He points out that the same can be said of Russia, which has sunk vast supplies of military hardware - as well as soldiers - into its war, with limited success. With Russia having found ways to quickly replenish and expand its supply of weapons, Kristoffersen says it is vital for NATO to continue to support Ukraine - currently Europe's the first line of defence - 'for as long as it takes'. 'This is a calculated risk,' he says. 'If the danger was imminent of an attack by Norway right now, then we could not have given so many weapons. But that is not the case.' With his invasion in Ukraine at a stalemate, Putin has switched his economy on to a war footing, meaning weapons factories are producing arms around the clock Speaking to NTB, Norway's press agency, Eirik Kristoffersen (pictured) pointed out that Moscow has built up its military stockpiles far quicker than expected Relative peace in Europe was shattered in February 2022 with Putin 's invasion of Ukraine and kicked European nations into action. Pictured: Ukrainian solders are seen in Ukraine, Jan 20 Ukrainian servicemen check newly build anti tank fortifications, named 'dragon's teeth' and razor wire, near Russian border in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, January 10, 2024 Ukrainian soldiers are seen driving a German-supplied Leopard tank in Ukraine in December Ahead of last week's NATO meeting in Brussels, NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer urged countries to ensure they are prepared conflict. 'We need public and private actors to change their mindset for an era in which everything was plannable, foreseeable, controllable and focused on efficiency to an era in which anything can happen at any time. An era in which we need to expect the unexpected,' he said as he opened the meeting. 'In order to be fully effective, also in the future, we need a warfighting transformation of NATO,' Bauer added. Kristoffersen echoed this comments when asked what this means for Norway and other NATO countries. 'Concretely, this means that we must fill NATO's plans with content and provide the necessary capacities,' he told the Norwegian press agency. 'The challenge for NATO now is that there are some gaps here.' Specifically, he warned that air defence and long-range weapons are lacking. 'More investment must be made in air defence,' he said. 'It also means that we have to have more in stock, both when it comes to ammunition and spare parts.' He also agreed with his Swedish counterpart, Commander-in-Chief Mikael Byden, who recently called on all Swedes to prepare for war. 'What the Norwegian population should think about is their own preparedness, which was actually what Byden was also talking about. We recommend everyone to have three days (worth of supplies at home) to manage themselves. 'And we also recommend increasing it if you are very vulnerable,' he added. Norway's defence chief also addressed mounting concerns in Europe that a potential election victory for Donald Trump in this year's US presidential elections could be damaging to Ukraine, the NATO alliance and Europe's defences. Kristoffersen played down the concerns, saying: 'What Trump criticised was primarily that the various European countries do not spend enough on defence. But the situation is completely different now in 2024 than it was in 2016 or 2020.' He added: ;It is absolutely in the USA's interest to have a strong NATO in the world we live in now. I think Trump understands that.' Meanwhile, NATO said on Tuesday it does not see any imminent military threat from Russia towards any member of the alliance but was keeping up its deterrence with the largest exercise in decades set to kick off later his week. 'We do all of this to ensure that we have the ... forces in place to remove any room for miscalculation or misunderstanding in Moscow about our readiness to protect every inch of NATO territory, and as long as we do that, there will be no attack against the NATO territory,' NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters in Brussels. NATO this week will launch its Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise - its largest since the Cold War involving some 90,000 troops - which will rehearse how US troops would reinforce European allies in countries bordering Russia, and on the alliance's eastern flank if a conflict were to flare up with a 'near-peer' adversary. Ahead of last week's NATO meeting in Brussels, NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer (pictured) urged countries to ensure they are prepared conflict Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the state RIA news agency over the weekend that the NATO exercises mark an 'irrevocable return' of the alliance to Cold War schemes 'These exercises are another element of the hybrid war unleashed by the West against Russia,' Grushko told RIA. 'An exercise of this scale ... marks the final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are being prepared for confrontation with Russia.' NATO did not mention Russia by name in its announcement. Britain's ageing rail infrastructure is facing a major crisis due to climate change as many of its Victorian-era structures reach the 'end of life', Network Rail has warned. Passengers have again been hit by severe disruption this week as Storm Isha's rain and 90mph winds caused chaos - with more to follow today from Storm Jocelyn. Among the affected operators today were Avanti West Coast which told passengers not to travel north of Preston after 3.30pm; while ScotRail suspended all services from 7pm tonight; and TransPennine Express warned of major disruption from 3pm. LNER told customers not to travel north of Newcastle between 3pm today and 12pm tomorrow; and CrossCountry said no trains will run north of Newcastle from 5.30pm. Commuters also faced mass cancellations over Christmas and New Year as Storm Gerrit on December 27 before Storm Henk on January 2 brought major flooding. Eurostar passengers were among those hit by delays when the Thames tunnel faced major flooding for the first time since services began running through it in 2007. Now, Network Rail has issued a warning about the impact of climate change on infrastructure mostly built in a 70-year period during Victorian times from 1850. A fallen tree at Arrochar & Tarbet station on the West Highland Line yesterday after the storm A tree that fell onto the overhead wires at Whitecraigs station in Scotland yesterday Repairs ongoing between Garrowhill and Easterhouse in Scotland yesterday after damage A greenhouse on the Southeastern line at Westgate-on-Sea in Kent yesterday amid the storm Martin Frobisher, group safety and engineering director at Network Rail, told the Financial Times: 'We're definitely seeing the impact of climate change. It's happening now, it's real, and it is having a significant impact.' The organisation, which owns and operates UK rail infrastructure, has said it will spend 1billion on adapting the network to climate change between 2024 and 2029. But it expects weather-related damage to worsen reliability on a network of 20,000 miles that survived largely intact after the Second World War - while other European countries rebuilt their infrastructure following heavy bombing. Mr Frobisher added: 'The reality is that you cannot rebuild the entire Victorian railway infrastructure of the UK, that is just not practical. 'We're able to make better decisions than ever before. So we can't rebuild everything but we can use science to allow us to make the best operational decisions in difficult circumstances.' Network Rail also states on its website: 'More frequent and more extreme weather conditions caused by climate change will impact our ability to run the railway safely and on time.' Examples given include heavy rainfall leading to flooding and landslips which can stop trains from running and damage infrastructure, causing months of expensive repairs. Strong winds can also blow trees onto tracks and overhead cables, while extreme heat in summer - such as during the unprecedented temperatures of July 2022 - can result in buckling rails which increase the chance of derailments. Network Rail adds: 'Climate change is often viewed as a future problem. However, it's already causing more frequent and more severe extreme weather events and we are experiencing its impact.' The fatal derailment of a ScotRail train near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire in August 2020 The line at Dawlish in Devon in March 2018 which was closed after the sea wall was breached Massive waves crash into the seafront at Dawlish in December 2021 as Storm Barra hit Britain A report from Network Rail issued in May last year stated: 'Large parts of the rail network continue to depend on structures, buildings and earthworks assets that were installed as the railway was originally built between 1850 and 1920. 'A growing number of these assets are reaching 'end of life', as well as being exposed to changing weather patterns, which increase defects, failures and weather-related disruption to passengers and freight users. 'We have made resilience improvements to our assets over the last decade. However, we have seen a 50 per cent increase in adverse weather impacts over the past five years compared to the previous ten a trend that we expect to continue.' Among the most recent rail accidents involving bad weather was a derailment near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire on August 12, 2020 that claimed three lives. A fire on overhead cables between Motherwell and Lockerbie after they were hit by a tree during Storm Dudley in February 2022 which blocked trains between Scotland and England A fallen tree on the railway at Keighley in West Yorkshire during Storm Dudley in February 2022 The train's driver, Brett McCullough, 45, the conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and a passenger, Christopher Stuchbury, 62, all died in the crash which saw Network Rail later fined 6.7million for health and safety breaches. In May last year, the Met Office revealed it had a team developing a new temperature model designed to help rail networks in the UK minimise weather-related impacts. The aim is to ensure speed restrictions and other preventative measures could be applied in a more localised and targeted way, therefore minimising disruption. The steel on railway tracks can significantly expand or contract in hot and cold weather, meaning they are pre-stressed to withstand a range of temperatures. The 'stress-free temperature' (SFT) is the reading at which the rail is neither in tension nor compression, which is 27C in the UK. Flooding on the train line at Balloch station in West Dunbartonshire in October last year The flooded rail line at Bowling station near Glasgow last December during Storm Gerrit Other countries can have higher SFTs - for example, the US standard levels range between 35C and 43C. While this allows their rail to withstand hotter temperatures before expanding, it also means the rails are more likely to face brittleness and cracks in cold winter weather. This model uses forecasts of local air temperature and precipitation amounts, which then calculates the incoming and outgoing energy at the rail surface that can help forecast local rail surface temperatures and therefore reduce disruption. Met Office applied climate scientist Alice Lake told MailOnline: 'The latest UK climate projections indicate that we can expect hotter, drier summers and warmer, wetter winters with more extreme weather as our climate continues to change. A fire on track near Sandy in Bedfordshire in July 2022 during an extreme heatwave in the UK 'The impacts of climate change will be felt across a range of industries and sectors, and the rail network is no exception. Extreme heat can lead to track buckling and intense rainfall can lead to earthworks failures. 'Both of these types of severe weather events are projected to become more frequent and extreme in the future, which is why it is crucial that industries across the UK adapt to our changing climate, and why the Met Office is ensuring industry and business can remain resilient to current and future weather impacts.' And Michael Solomon Williams, from the Campaign for Better Transport charity, told MailOnline: 'The railways are crucial to the country so we need to ensure they are future-proof, but decades of under investment has left the network vulnerable. 'The Government must invest in ensuring the network can stand up to a future of extreme weather as well as doing more to get people out of their cars and onto trains to help prevent further climate damage.' Meanwhile Mike Hewitson, head of policy at the independent watchdog Transport Focus, told MailOnline: 'In our research passengers rated the ability of the railway to cope with adverse weather as the most important environmental issue for the industry. 'While there is no one simple solution, investment by the rail industry to improve infrastructure and weather forecasting is a welcome step for a more resilient and 'weather-proof' future for passengers. 'When bad weather does hit, transport operators must support passengers by providing accurate, timely and clear information to help them make informed decisions.' And a Department for Transport spokeswoman told MailOnline: 'We have committed 44.1billion to Network Rail to maintain vital infrastructure and run a safe and more reliable railway. 'When this settlement was announced, the Transport Secretary made clear that our railway infrastructure must be as resilient as possible to the effects of extreme weather.' The UK is home to 92 counties, each with its own distinctive look and feel. Now, a film editor has tasked artificial intelligence (AI) with putting a face to these counties - with some generating hilarious results. The result is a collection of brightly coloured characters, supposed to represent what the 'average person' from a place looks like. The images were made by Duncan Thomsen, 53, after he previously illustrated other counties using AI including London, Somerset and Norfolk. This time, generated images show Bristolians as artistic and innovative - while Wiltshire folk look mystical and curious. A film editor has tasked artificial intelligence (AI) with putting a face to UK counties - with some generating hilarious results (Average person from East Sussex according to AI) Generated images show Bristolians as artistic and innovative Those from Greater Manchester look proud according to the AI programme The images were made by Duncan Thomsen, 53, after he previously illustrated other counties (Pictured - average person from Hampshire) Monmouthshire residents look to be quietly sophisticated, according to AI And those from Greater Manchester are proud - compared to Monmouthshire residents who are quietly sophisticated. Duncan, from Brighton, said: 'There are 106 counties in the UK and I want to do them all eventually. 'My favourite one is Merseyside, I think they are cool and funny. 'Aberdeenshire is groovy, I love the way they come out with character. 'The best thing about looking at all these people is the diversity and seeing people from different parts of the UK. We have such a broad pallet of people in this country - it is wonderful.' AI responds to prompts and commands set by the user and creates pictures by referencing billions of images online. Duncan used the software Midjourney, through the application Discord. He typed in certain phrases to achieve the results. Wiltshire folk look mystical and curious according to the AI programme Creator Duncan particularly likes the Aberdeenshire generated images (pictured) 'Aberdeenshire is groovy, I love the way they come out with character', he says According to the AI, people in Stirlingshire often have ginger hair The AI depicts locals in Glamorgan as happy and relaxed - smiling in their pictures AI responds to prompts and commands set by the user and creates pictures by referencing billions of images online (pictured, South Yorkshire) Merseyside (pictured) is Duncan's favourite - 'I think they are cool and funny', he said Duncan said: 'Some of the detail in their faces are amazing. I love how AI gives us these real character faces, especially Wiltshire. 'It gives us a really great flavour of the counties.' Duncan added that the opportunities with AI are endless. And he believes the software will be used more and more in everyday life as time goes on. He said: 'I got an eye for image through my day job and have been fortunate to have worked with some really great people. 'It's allowed me to cross-reference everything I've worked on and explore my imagination without limits, and this is the result.' Hannah Clarke's father has revealed that she rang him in the final moments of her life after her estranged husband set her and their three kids alight. Rowan Baxter, 42, murdered Ms Clarke and her children Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three, as they set off for school at Camp Hill, in Brisbane's south, on February 19, 2020. The twisted killer doused the inside of her Kia SUV with petrol and then set it on fire before fatally stabbing himself to death on a suburban street in front of horrified residents. Ms Clarke and her three children all died in the sickening attack. It prompted a national discussion about domestic violence in Australia. Now, Hannah's father, Lloyd, has written an unflinching account of his daughter's final moments, calling for the rest of Australia to follow the lead of NSW, Queensland and Tasmania's in enacting laws designed to tackle coercive control. Hannah Clarke and her children Aaliyah, six, Laianah, four, and Trey, three (pictured together), were murdered by her estranged husband in a car as they set off for school at Camp Hill, in Brisbane's south, on February 19, 2020 Hannah's father Lloyd has described how his daughter rang her after she was set alight (Lloyd is pictured with his wife Sue. The pair set up the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to educate young people about the signs of coercive control) 'In what were to be the final moments of her life, my daughter Hannah phoned me,' Mr Clarke wrote in The Australian. 'It's a call that will haunt me until the day I see her again. 'When I answered, there was no one on the other end, and I assumed that it was a pocket dial or one of her kids playing with her phone. 'A couple of hours later, the police came to tell me that my grandchildren, Aaliyah, Laianah and Trey, had been awfully murdered by the person who was supposed to love and protect them. 'Hannah had survived his cowardly attack, but would succumb to her injuries later that day. Her last act of resistance was to reach out for her dad. But she couldn't talk to me.' Mr Clarke, who with his wife and Hannah's mother, Sue, has set up the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation to halt the cycle of domestic violence, said that Hannah's final phone was a 'metaphor for what happens to victims of coercive control'. The morning of the murders Baxter bought his children (pictured) Kinder Surprise Chocolates Baxter was lying in wait for Ms Clarke to step outside of her parents' home when he ambushed her and their children (pictured together) with a knife and ordered her to 'just drive' READ MORE: Zip ties, a jerry can, surface cleaner, three Kinder Surprises and one EVIL plot: Monster husband's sick 'Plan A' is revealed before he became desperate and burned his wife Hannah Clarke and their children to death Two days before the murder Rowan Baxter was seen on CCTV footage shopping for a fuel can, plastic zip ties and a container of surface cleaner, in vision shown to the inquest (pictured) Advertisement 'Coercive control is about taking away the person's voice, and ultimately their identity,' Mr Clarke wrote. 'That's how control is truly exerted. 'Like water torture, it's a steady drip, drip, drip of tricks and manipulation that leaves the victim entirely at the mercy of their tormentor. 'And, as we discovered almost four years ago, the psychological torment frequently ends in physical harm.' Mr Clarke said his daughter's killer exerted all the hallmarks of coercive control. '...dictating what she could wear, who she could spend time with, her social media accounts, tapping her phone, tracking her car,' he wrote. 'Her killer threatened self-harm if she didn't give in to his demands. He asked friends to spy on her. 'He isolated her from our family. He snatched Laianah and took her out of the state.' Mr Lloyd said that viewed individually the controlling behaviour may not seem as serious but taken together it revealed a pattern of offending that could often result in physical harm. 'It's about putting an end to a pattern of behaviour before it escalates,' he wrote. 'The alternative is to wait for an offence that is far more grievous serious assault or cold-blooded murder.' Mr Lloyd called for more Australian states to legislate against coercive control. In 2022, NSW became the first state or territory to create a stand-alone offence for coercive control. The laws will come into force in July this year. Queensland followed suit in November last year, while Tasmania's 2004 Family Violence Act includes two offences related to coercive control: economic abuse and emotional abuse or intimidation. We urge the other states and territories to come on board, especially those that believe they don't need coercive control laws,' Mr Clarke wrote. 'This is not a problem that is confined to state boundaries. Sadly, it's rampant across our nation.' If you or anyone you know is suffering from domestic violence call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline 13 11 14. An American tourist has sounded off about Melbourne's confusing 'hook turn' traffic rule. Former journalist Steve Hatton shared a picture of the road sign to an online forum about American road standards. A hook turn is a unique central Melbourne road rule which allows drivers to make a right-hand turn from the left-hand lane. It usually occurs when driving adjacent to a Melbourne tramline. The turns are well known to baffle drivers not familiar with the city-specific rule, including people from elsewhere in Victoria, interstate drivers and overseas visitors. A hook turn is a unique central Melbourne road rule which allows drivers to make a right-hand turn form the left-hand lane Former journalist Steve Hatton shared a picture of the road sign to an online forum regarding American road standards 'In Melbourne (where they drive on the left), drivers may often have to make right turns in a manner similar to cyclists in order to avoid collisions with all the trams that run in the middle of the road,' Mr Hatton wrote. Another American on the forum replied: 'OMG, yeah, these are ALL over Melbourne. (I) saw them when I was there in 2022.' But despite the initially confusion, many argued the strange rule makes travelling more efficient. 'Each time I have visited Melbourne, I have found that this system seems to work very well for everyone,' one person wrote. Another said: 'It looks like an invisible roundabout.' One Aussie also weighed in with a more detailed explanation. The hook turns usually occurs when driving adjacent to a Melbourne tramline Traffic must wait as far left as possible until the light in the direction they are turning changes to green, this leaves busy intersections free for trams 'Yes, Melbourne and in South Melbourne they insist on having these, 130 odd intersections use this turn so as not hold up the trams in the centre of the road,' he wrote. 'You sit to the left of the intersection, allowing through traffic to continue, when the lights change for the crossroad to go thats when you complete your turn. 'All other cities in Australia just ban right turns if it holds up traffic, particularly in NSW, the State of No Right Turns.' However, many Australians were quick to sympathise with confused American drivers. 'They were scary enough as a west Aussie, can't imagine trying one while also trying to remember to drive on the left,' one person wrote. One by one, the occupying soldiers were neutralised by the Ukrainian marksmen A pair of Ukrainian snipers are said to have racked up a whopping 22 kills in just one night as they defended a position in the embattled region of Donetsk. Footage showed how the thermal imaging scope used by the crack shots revealed the Russian soldiers hustling through a wooded area. The warm bodies were illuminated by the thermal scope as they stuck out like flares on an otherwise dark, grainy background in the frigid Ukrainian winter. One by one, the occupiers were picked off by the exceptional marksmanship of Kyiv's soldiers, who fired at their foes from a range of roughly 2,300ft (700m). It is believed the snipers were equipped with German-made Haenel HLR 338 rifles - a shipment of which was delivered to Ukraine in December after months of campaigning by Kyiv officials. Firing .338 calibre Lapua Magnum rounds, the Haenel rifles are renowned for their accuracy over large distances thanks to their minimal recoil and customisable stock. Footage uncovered earlier this month showed how the thermal imaging scope used by the crack shots revealed the Russian soldiers hustling through a wooded area One by one, the occupiers were dusted by the exceptional marksmanship of Kyiv 's soldiers, who picked off their foes one by one at a range of roughly 700 metres Ukrainian Army snipers practice shooting at a firing range near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine December 23, 2023 Firing .338 calibre Lapua Magnum rounds, the Haenel rifles are renowned for their accuracy over large distances thanks to their minimal recoil and customisable stock The clip, released by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine (GUR) and shared by the Telegram channel Butusov Plus, caused quite a stir, not least because of the thermal scopes used so expertly by the snipers to put down the Russian attackers. Their excellent shooting skill aside, the snipers were only able to neutralise the Russian threat thanks to the thermal imaging technology designed and produced by a Ukrainian company, Archer. Archer has provided Ukraine's armed forces with a host of highly effective scopes, rangefinders, sights and other imaging technologies - invaluable equipment for Kyiv's soldiers fending off the Russian invasion. But late last year its CEO, Oleksandr Yeremenko, claimed his company's manufacturing, maintenance and repair processes were being disrupted by government officials who conducted searches at the factories for evidence of embezzlement. In a statement published in October, Ukraine's anti-graft agency NABU said Archer had signed a number of contracts to supply the Defence Forces with thermal imaging devices for a total cost of almost 1.5 billion hryvnia - some 31 million. 'Despite this, there was a violation of the delivery time by more than nine months, which resulted in the Armed Forces receiving the equipment they need to fight Russian aggression with a significant delay,' NABU said, adding this gave them grounds to search Archer offices. But the news angered several Ukrainian military observers, some of whom accused the anti-graft agency in turn of having been infiltrated by Russian agents. A view shows an optical sight on a rifle of a Ukrainian Army sniper at a shooting ground near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine December 23, 2023 Ukrainian Army snipers practice shooting at a firing range near a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine December 23, 2023 One such military analyst, Oleksandr Kovalenko, speculated that NABU was attempting to find schematics and details of Archer products to pass to Russia in the hope that cloaking devices and other countermeasures can be developed. It comes amid reports this weekend that Russian military manufacturers have successfully developed lightweight 'invisibility cloaks' - suits which dampen the thermal signature of the wearer, making them harder to see with thermal scopes. 'I'm not hinting at anything, but in October 2023 data on Archer's developments were copied, and in January 2024, Russians will have their first ''invisible cloakes'',' Kovalenko wrote in a post yesterday. 'In general, this is all strange. The main supplier of products for Ukraine's best snipers - who shoot invaders like wild animals - turns out to be under investigation. 'A few months after the searches, the enemy appears to have equipment to counteract Archer's products. 'That's the way we live. This is how we fight...' he concluded. Police were phoned by a nearby vets where the dogs were brought for treatment The dogs were killed in the Belle Vale area of Liverpool on Monday Dog owners have been warned after an unknown 'white substance' killed two pets in a park and left more needing treatment. As well as killing the pair of dogs, the poisonous substance also left a third seriously ill and a fourth in need of veterinary treatment after they ate the mystery material in a park. The incident happened at a green space near Childwall Valley Road, in the Belle Vale area of Liverpool yesterday afternoon. Shop staff at a Lidl opposite the scene were today asked by officers to check CCTV footage. The area has been cordoned off and people living near have been advised to keep doors and windows shut while police 'seek to establish what the substance is and how it got there'. Police at the scene on a green space near to Childwall Valley Road, in the Belle Vale area of Liverpool in the afternoon on Monday, January 22 Police were first contacted by a local veterinary surgery, where the poorly and dying dogs were brought for treatment Police wore masks as remained in the area into Tuesday while they carried out testing on the mysterious substance Officers have not yet revealed the nature of the substance and whether it was in powder or liquid form despite local rumours it may have been a type of painkiller. Police were contacted by a local veterinary surgery, where the poorly and dying dogs were brought for treatment. White Cross Vets in Gateacre posted on social media yesterday to warn pet owners to be 'extra careful' around Hartsbourne Avenue and the area near the children's park leading onto Childwall Valley Road after two dogs became unwell. The vets reported they had two cases of possible poisoning. A spokesperson from White Cross Vets said: 'Due to client confidentiality we cannot comment publicly on individual cases. 'However, losing a pet unexpectedly is always extremely difficult and our thoughts are with the families of the affected dogs. We will continue to work alongside police and support them with their enquiries. 'It's common for dogs to ingest things that they shouldn't when out on a walk, often without the owner's knowledge, so it's really important to recognise when something might be wrong and seek urgent vet care straight away. 'Symptoms of poisoning can include vomiting, lethargy, difficulty breathing, appearing uncoordinated and seizures. If your dog displays these signs you should contact your vet as soon as possible for support.' Merseyside Police said specialist contractors will be attending the scene on Tuesday 'to remove the substance in a safe and controlled manner' Police have advised pedestrians and dog walkers to avoid the area while the incident is dealt with The fire brigade were also in attendance at the scene On Monday night officers were conducting house-to-house enquiries to find out how the substance was left there. The investigation continued on Tuesday morning as police worked to ensure all potential deposits of the substance are found and safely removed for testing. One man who lives opposite the scene said: 'We saw the police arrive and went out but when we came back the cordon was huge. 'A lot of people have described seeing two white blots of like white powder in one area and that got triple cordoned. It's scary, our dogs are like our babies.' Another dog owner living near the scene told the Liverpool Echo: 'Why would anyone do something like that? What can you do? We have got a dachshund and I won't let it out now.' The emergency services have said the airborne risk from the substance is low but officers who are at the scene are taking necessary safety precautions Chief Superintendent Jonathan Davies, of Merseyside Police, said: 'Whilst the incident is obviously of concern, I want the public to be reassured that the matter is being dealt with and is under control. We would advise people to avoid the area as we seek to establish what the substance is and how it got there.' In a further statement this lunchtime, the officer added: 'The airborne risk from the substance is low but police officers who are at the scene are taking any necessary safety precautions. 'We would continue to advise people to avoid the area as the removal gets underway. 'Anyone who believes they were in the area yesterday and came into direct contact with the substance is advised to seek medical assistance if they believe they have suffered any ill effects. 'We would always advise anyone who comes across an unknown substance to not touch but to report it to police.' Merseyside Police added there have been no reports of any people, or further animals, being affected overnight. The force said specialist contractors will be attending the scene today 'to remove the substance in a safe and controlled manner and pedestrians and dog walkers are advised to avoid the area while the incident continues to be dealt with'. Officers have not said if it was in powder or liquid form. The wife of the heir of one of America's richest families has been mysteriously buying lakefront homes in Minnesota that she then branded 'pieces of crap.' Kathy Cargill, who collects McLaren hypercars, has bought ten homes through the LLC she manages in Park Point, on a Lake Superior sandbar in Duluth. The properties have been bought for $2million over market value, sparking suspicion among locals who are concerned about what her plans are. They fear her buyouts will cause a spike in property taxes and are worried what she will build on the site of the buildings, seven of which have already been demolished. Kathy Cargill, who collects McLaren cars she calls 'drivable art,' has bought ten homes through the LLC she manages in Park Point, Minnesota The 10 homes were purchased in just one year, with a median price of about $477,000 Park Point residents have expressed concern both about rising property taxes and over what exactly will be built in the place of the homes. Cargill purchased 1221 Minnesota Av for $300K Cargill is the wife of billionaire James Cargill II, who is one of the heirs to the largest privately-owned company in the US, which sells food and beauty products. Adding to the mystery is Cargill's secrecy surrounding the project having declined to answer questions and threatened legal action against the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She did, however, tell the newspaper in December the properties belonged to her, and not the Cargill family at large. 'The homes that we bought were pieces of crap,' Cargill told the Duluth News. 'I couldn't imagine living in any of them.' Brooks Anderson, 93, told the Duluth News Tribune he fears the quiet enclave becoming a 'part-time playground for rich folks.' Cargill bought 1223 Minnesota Av for $350K - over 100k over appraisal value 4202 Minnesota Ave was purchased for $2.5million and is being renovated Longtime area resident Danny O'Neil received $825,000 for his 1,500-square-foot house, which was initially appraised at $370,000. While he was happy for the generous payout, Cargill's comment about the homes she purchased did sting. 'That was my house,' O'Neil told the New York Post. 'It's a family home that is an old beach house. That [remark] made me feel bad. No doubt, she is trying to justify tearing them down. But give me a break.' O'Neill also claimed that Kathy told him she is planning on building a 'modest' house for her grandson who is studying environmental science at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The 10 homes were purchased in just one year, with a median price of about $477,000, and there are rumors swirling that another three sales are in negotiations, according to the Star Tribune. Cargill is currently renovating one home on Park Point, which she bought for $2.5 million in 2021. The other homes are grouped together in two areas of the stretch. No building permits have been issued so far, per local reports. The miles of beach along Park Point are open to the public, but, the community remains tight through their own neighbor newsletter, an email list server and a community hub. 1239 Minnesota Av was bought for $500K, although it was appraised at $239.5K 2931 Lake Ave S, Duluth was purchased for $600K Seven of the properties have already been torn down and locals worry what will be put up instead. 1314 Minnesota Ave, Duluth seen above Locals have told the Star Tribune they want to protect the 'unique, ecologically significant and beautiful place,' and the secretive nature of Cargill's purchases, as well as her comments about the homes she bought, are causing many locals anxiety. Cargill is known for her love of McLarens, which sell for over $1million each and can drive speeds of over 200mph. The Cargills are the fourth-richest family in the US, worth an estimated $47million. The family now has 14 billionaires, more than any other family in the world. Cargill was founded in 1865 by William Wallace Cargill. It is headquartered in Minnesota and the largest agricultural company in the world, producing and processing agricultural products but also offering a variety of financial services. Most family members have extremely private lives and according to Forbes, many live on ranches and farms throughout Montana. Very few pictures of the family exist in the public realm. Duncan MacMillan's 1998 book, 'The American Grain Family', described the family as 'most doggedly secretive'. The company's common equity has been owned by descendants of William Cargill and his son-in-law John MacMillan for over 140 years and six family members are on its 17-person board. There are nearly 100 family members that together own around 90 percent of the company. The remaining ten percent is owned by employees through stock ownership plans and management-owned shares. Former prime minister Scott Morrison has revealed he will take up a new job working alongside ex-CIA director Mike Pompeo. The 55-year-old, who retired as an MP on Tuesday, is set to become vice chair of American Global Strategies, which was co-founded and chaired by Robert O'Brien who was National Security Advisor to US President Donald Trump from 2019 2021. On its website the firm advertises itself as 'a boutique strategic advisory firm that looks beyond todays headlines'. Mr Morrison told The Australian he will also take up a role as a strategic adviser to DYNE Maritime, an Australian-founded, US-based venture capital company that invests in technologies related to the AUKUS pact. Scott Morrison is pictured with his wife Jenny Morrison and their children Lily and Abbey Mike Pompeo (left) and Robert O'Brien (right) walk together in 2020 when both were serving the Trump Administration The pact, which will deliver US nuclear submarines to Australia with American and British support, was negotiated by Mr Morrison and eventually ratified by his successor Anthony Albanese. Former Trump Secretary of State and CIA director Mike Pompeo currently works as strategic adviser to DYNE Maritime. Mr Morrison has sat on the backbench since the Coalition lost the 2022 federal election to Anthony Albanese's Labor party. He revealed he will leave politics in February to 'take on new challenges in the global corporate sector and spend more time with my family'. The ABC reported that Mr Morrison's new role is believed to be based in the US. He has already written a memoir aimed at the Christian market with a US publisher. 'By giving advance notice of my intention to leave parliament... this will give my party ample time to select a great new candidate who I know will do what's best for our community and bring fresh energy and commitment to the job,' he said. Scott Morrison is set to resign from politics altogether less than two years after he was voted out as prime minister Former US vice president Mike Pence, who, like Mr Morrison, is a high-profile Christian, has written the foreword to the book, titled: Plans for Your Good A Prime Minister's Testimony of God's Faithfulness. The 288-page book is said to be 'less political memoir and more pastoral encouragement'. 'It has been written with a broader audience in mind,' Mr Morrison said last September. Mr Morrison was elected to the federal parliament in the southern Sydney seat of Cook in 2007, when the Liberal-National Coalition lost heavily to Labor under Kevin Rudd. When the Coalition regained power in 2013 after two terms of Labor government, Mr Morrison was appointed Immigration Minister. Under that, he was responsible for Operation Sovereign Borders. He oversaw the turning back of asylum seeker boats and reintroduced temporary protection visas which had been dropped under Labor. After widely being seen as an effective minister, he was promoted to the Social Services portfolio in late 2014 and then Treasurer in 2015. In August 2018, Peter Dutton failed to unseat then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull in an internal Liberal Party challenge, but came close enough that Mr Turnbull stepped aside. In the second leadership ballot that followed, Mr Morrison beat both Mr Dutton and Julie Bishop, becoming party leader and prime minister. Nine months later, in May 2019, he led the Coalition to victory over Bill Shorten's Labor, gaining two seats while the Opposition lost one. Scott Morrison is pictured (centre, wearing blue t-shirt) on holiday in Hawaii while Australia was in a bushfire crisis Then Prime Minister Scott Morrison (second from right) is pictured in Hawaii on a controversial holiday he took during a bushfire crisis He was subsequently hailed the 'Messiah from the Shire' by The Australian newspaper. Mr Morrison ran into trouble later that year when he went on holiday to Hawaii with his family during a bushfire crisis. The trip was unannounced and his office initially denied he had gone to Hawaii. But the holiday could no longer be denied when pictures emerged of him in the US island state on social media. On December 20, 2019 he released a statement saying, 'I deeply regret any offence caused'. When asked why he took a holiday while the country was burning, Mr Morrison infamously told Sydney radio station 2GB: 'I don't hold a hose mate.' Then Australian prime minister Scott Morrison is pictured with his wife Jenny Morrison and their children Lily and Abbey in May 2022 When he did come back and visited areas that had been devastated by the fires, there were several photos and video clips of people refusing to shake his hand. Mr Morrison then steered the country through the Covid pandemic, founding the National Cabinet of premiers and chief ministers, with his government establishing the Jobkeeper and Jobseeker economic programs. Mr Morrison was prime minister from August 24, 2018 to May 30, 2022. Following his election defeat, Mr Morrison revealed that he was secretly sworn into a number of ministerial portfolios - without alerting the public - during the Covid pandemic. In an unprecedented act, Mr Morrison was secretly appointed as health minister, finance minister, industry minister, home affairs minister and treasurer without voters knowing. There can't be a single person on the planet who hasn't wondered where and how when the moment eventually comes they will depart this mortal coil. A quick death is obviously good. To go painlessly would be ideal. Trapped and petrified on a Wizz Air flight as it tries and repeatedly fails to land at Gatwick airport in 90mph winds - as I was on Sunday night - has got to come pretty close to bottom of the list. The very fact we'd even taken off from Rome when every news outlet in the UK was reporting the Met office 'do not travel' warning should have been a concern. But nobody in Italy seemed remotely bothered that the timing of our flight, due to land at 8.40pm, was smack bang when the full force of Storm Isha was predicted to hit the South of England. I'm a seasoned traveller. My husband lives in Dubai and to sustain our marriage (and my suntan) I to and fro about three times a year to see him. I love everything about flying. Mail writer Shona Sibary, 52, was travelling back to Gatwick from a weekend in Rome when her Wizz Air flight got caught in Storm Isha as it tried to land Shona said she thought she was going to die after the jet - seen on the runway - aborted three landings From the moment the plane lifts from the tarmac, through to the clink of the drinks trolley and that feeling of wonder you get when you see a stretch of unknown country below you through pink tinged clouds. It just never ceases to excite me. Obviously, I'd rather not fly budget, crammed like a sardine into the back of the fuselage. Who would? But with four children money is invariably tight and luxury travel not a priority. However, last weekend saw my youngest daughter, Dolly, 14, travel to Rome to sing with her school choir at the Vatican. It was one of those once in a lifetime experiences and I couldn't not go to watch her. So I booked the cheapest flight I could find and that is how I ended up on Wizz Air in Row 37, seat E sandwiched between Tommy, a computer science graduate from Worthing and Kennedy, a 29-year-old old graphic designer from Balham. Yes, I remember their names. It's one of those details you tend to find happens when you go through a near death experience with total strangers. For the majority of the flight we did what most Brits do in cattle class. Despite our intimate proximity we managed to studiously ignore each other for almost two hours. At one point my handbag upended its entire contents on the floor beneath our three seats and my mascara rolled somewhere under Tommy's feet. An embarrassing five minutes ensued where I apologetically scrambled around on the floor trying to find it. Oh, how I wish now that this was the most embarrassing thing that happened on that flight. It became obvious as we started our descent into Gatwick that things were going to be hairy. The plane was not only being forcefully buffeted from side to side but also up and down like a bucking bronco. We grinned nervously at each other. The cabin lights were dimmed which always, somehow, makes everything seem more ominous. Outside, through the porthole, I could see the light on the wing blinking red through dark, dense cloud. 'Cabin crew take your seats for landing.' We were on our final approach. I have experienced severe turbulence before. But there is something very different about this happening at cruising altitude 37000 feet and when the plane, like ours, was just a few hundred feet in the air, coming down fast with the ground rushing up imminently below. From my seat at the back of the aircraft I could see straight down the entire length of the fuselage, and it was absolutely terrifying to see how violently we were being knocked about. I looked down at my knuckles, tensed and white, and realised I was hogging both armrests, but it was difficult to sit upright without clutching something. 'He's not going to land this, is he?' I found myself saying out loud. Shona was in Rome to watch her daughter, Dolly, 14, sing with her school choir at the Vatican The writer flew back to the UK just as Storm Isha hit the South of England Next to me Kennedy patted my arm. She looked utterly terrified but was, at least, managing to stay calmer than me. I could feel panic rising. On my other side Tommy said: 'Think of all the planes in the sky. We're not going to crash.' He didn't sound very convinced and at that moment I wondered what the word 'budget' in airlines actually entails? Are their pilots trained less extensively? How many times, for instance, had our pilot tried a landing like this in severe weather conditions? Or had he only ever done it in a simulator? Suddenly the plane's engines roared ominously, and we surged upwards. I thought: 'Thank God. He's not going to attempt this.' But then a shaky sounding cabin crew announcement informed us all that despite it 'not being safe to land' we were going round again. Everyone around me looked horrified. Seriously? I started to feel really unwell. Whether it was panic or turbulence I don't know. Clearly, I wasn't alone. Call buttons all down the fuselage started pinging. There were no sick bags in the seat pockets in front. Somebody a few rows ahead stood up and was yelled at by the cabin crew who were strapped into their seats and not moving. 'But I'm going to vomit...' I heard them say. 'Just be sick anywhere it doesn't matter' the stewardess shouted back above the roar of the plane's engines. It's hard to describe but it felt out of control and life threatening. I managed to find one of those small plastic bags I'd been given in the airport to put my liquids in and I unceremoniously threw up into it before bursting into tears. Next to me, Tommy asked to borrow the bag I'd just been sick in and he, too, used it to vomit. It's funny the things you think when you have no control over what is happening around you. My head was telling me that, of course, we weren't going to crash above Crawley. But every other sense in my body was screaming: 'This is how you're going to die. On a bloody Wizz air flight.' What was probably the most eerie thing of all was the silence in the cabin from passengers frozen in fear. All I could hear was the sound of vomiting and the plane's engines straining against the force of the wind. When a second attempt to land failed the woman in the row in front of us started having a panic attack and began breathing into a bag. The man in the three seats opposite strangely unbuckled his seatbelt, stretched out and put a coat over his head. Someone later told me that, at this point, they saw a flight attendant do the sign of the cross. I hope she doesn't get into trouble because, frankly, it was entirely understandable in the circumstances. Shona says watching her daughter sing was a 'once in a lifetime experience' she couldn't miss I've always thought that I'm a calm person in the face of a crisis, but this was something else. 'I'm turning my flight mode off to text my family,' I suddenly announced. 'Doesn't that mess with the radar or something?' Tommy asked, still clutching our bag of sick. I didn't know (I still don't) and in that moment I didn't care. 'I love all of you,' I typed. 'If I die on this plane please look after the dogs properly.' A third attempt to land was again aborted. By now I was holding on to the head rest of the seat in front and breathing like I had in labour. It seemed inconceivable that we were going to be put through anymore of this hell. I remember thinking: 'There's so much I still want to do with my life.' I made a bargain with myself that if I came out of this alive, I would definitely start running again. When the announcement came that we were diverting to Stansted the relief in the cabin was palpable. 'Please, just get us off this plane,' someone wailed. Twenty minutes later we were on the ground in Essex. I now know we were quite lucky. Some planes got sent back across the channel to avoid the storm. One Ryanair flight due to land in Dublin ended up in Paris. As we finally came to a stop at the gate I turned to Tommy and Kennedy. 'I'm so sorry for making such a fuss.' We could all laugh now, bonded in the knowledge that we had just experienced something pretty awful together. I won't forget their stoicism. I'm sure they won't forget my panic. As we filed to exit through the cabin I was shocked at the aftermath. There were puddles of sick everywhere. I caught a glimpse of the pilot in the cockpit he was filling out mountains of paperwork and looked so young I could have given birth to him. Thank God I hadn't seen him as I got ON the plane. But what a hero. A bitter squabble broke out today over whether ministers kept Labour in the dark about the latest Houthi strikes. The Opposition insisted that Keir Starmer did not get a briefing before the attacks last night, as happened on the previous occasion. One senior source said it was 'crackers' that Sir Keir was kept out of the loop given he had been supportive. But Downing Street argued that Labour had been informed what was happening around 10pm, the same time as the Cabinet. Rishi Sunak had held a Cobra meeting and call with Joe Biden earlier. One Tory insider suggested that Sir Keir's chief of staff was contacted rather than Sir Keir directly. Downing Street argued that Labour had been informed what was happening around 10pm, the same time as the Cabinet. Rishi Sunak had held a Cobra meeting and call with Joe Biden earlier The Opposition insisted that Keir Starmer did not get a briefing before the attacks last night, as happened on the previous occasion The PM's official spokesman said a general debate will be held in the Commons tomorrow, but the premier had the power to order action without approval. 'It's important that parliamentarians are able to have their say but we are acting in line with precedence,' he said. 'The powers to make a decision on this action rest with the Prime Minister. 'There isn't a requirement and, in line with previous strikes, we have not sought a parliamentary vote before acting. 'It's important to note first and foremost the importance of ensuring safety of UK personnel and not doing anything to adversely impact operational security.' Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told Sky News he received a phone call from No10 'after the operation, or as the operation was taking place'. An RAF Typhoon launches as part of the strikes on Houthi targets last night 'What I would say is that Parliament will have a say today and what we will hear from is the Prime Minister (who) will be at the House at 12.30pm to explain what happened last night and the reason for it,' 'I think that is important. 'As I say, the House must be informed at the earliest opportunity. If this is continuous action, therefore quite rightly, the Government must inform the House and it must put a big debate on. 'The House matters to me, it matters to MPs, they are elected by our constituents. So, we need to hear it in the House ASAP.' Advertisement Fresh images from Ukraine have laid bare the stark reality of life nearly two years into Russia's invasion after Putin's missiles struck civilian centres in brutal overnight strikes. One elderly woman was seen standing inside an ambulance, her face a crimson mask after being hit by shrapnel. Sporting nothing more than heavy bandaging for her wounds, a beige coat spattered with blood and a pair of snow-covered slippers, she clutched at a small canvas bag - likely all that remains of her possessions after the bombs fell. Other shocking pictures showed demolished buildings and cars reduced to twisted hunks of charred metal as firefighters and rescuers worked feverishly to free civilians trapped underneath the dust and debris of their homes in temperatures of -7 degrees Celsius. The Russian missile attack, which killed at least six people, came after Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv and its Western allies to end the nearly two-year-old war. The barrage included more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles, officials said. Ukraine's air force said it could only intercept 21 of them. In Kharkiv, in northeast Ukraine, the onslaught killed five and injured 48, including four minors, as the missiles damaged around 30 residential buildings and shattered hundreds of apartment windows in icy weather, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. Russia used S-300, Kh-32 and hypersonic Iskander missiles in the attack, he said. An entire section of a multistory residential building was destroyed, trapping an unknown number of people there, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. A wounded local resident stands in an ambulance at a site of residential buildings heavily damaged during a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine January 23, 2024 Medical workers treat a wounded local resident in a damaged building at a site of a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 23, 2024 Medical workers treat a wounded local resident in a damaged building at a site of a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv Medical workers treat a wounded local resident at a site of residential buildings heavily damaged during a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kharkiv, Ukraine January 23, 2024 This photograph taken on January 23, 2024 shows destroyed vehicles in front of a residential building destroyed as a result of a missile attack in Kharkiv Rescuers conduct search conduct operation at non-residential premises in the yard of damaged residential building after Russian missile attack on January 23, 2024 in Kharkiv, Ukraine A view of a damaged residential building with a collapsed wall after a Russian missile attack at Northern Saltivka district on January 23, 2024 in Kharkiv State Emergency Service of Ukraine sappers remove debris of a shot down Russian X-101 missile from the site of a rocket attack, in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine, 23 January 2024 Officials work on the building where a Russian rocket strikes and causes fire as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine on January 23, 2024 Analysts say Russia stockpiled missiles at the end of last year to press a winter campaign of aerial bombardment. Kharkiv, about 18 miles from the border with Russia, has often felt the brunt of Russia's winter campaign of long-range strikes that commonly hit civilian areas. The attack injured at least 20 people in four districts of Kyiv, the capital, including a 13-year-old boy, according to Mayor Vitalii Klitschko. Officials corrected initial reports that a civilian had been killed there, saying the wounded person was hospitalised on life support. A missile also killed a 43-year-old woman and damaged two schools and eight high-rise buildings in Pavlohrad, an industrial city in the eastern Dnipro region, the country's presidential office said. In Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region, an 88-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman were rescued from the rubble of a house after Russian shelling, it said. In the south, Russia attacked the city of Beryslav with drones, killing a 69-year-old man on a motorcycle. The attacks keep Ukrainians on edge while the 1,500-kilometre (930-mile) front line has barely budged. Both sides' inability to deliver major gains on the battlefield has pushed the fighting toward trench and artillery warfare. Health units and officials save people injured after Russian rocket strikes Russian missile attack targeted the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Pavlohrad, and Balakliia on Tuesday, January 23 Firefighters try to extinguish the fire at the building after Russian rocket strikes as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine on January 23, 2024 Medical workers treat a wounded local resident in a damaged building at a site of a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 23, 2024 People stand near a damaged building and the debris of a shot down X-101 Russian missile Health units and officials save people injured after a Russian rocket strikes a building and causes fire as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine on January 23 A local resident looks from a destroyed window of an apartment block after a rocket attack, in Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine, 23 January 2024, amid the Russian invasion State Emergency Service of Ukraine sappers remove debris of a shot down Russian X-101 missile from the site of a rocket attack, in Kyiv Firefighters try to extinguish the fire at the building after Russian rocket strikes as Russia-Ukraine war continues in Kharkiv, Ukraine on January 23, 2024 Medics hospitalize a victim after a Russian missile attack on January 23, 2024 in Kyiv There appears to be scant chance of an end to the war anytime soon. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defied the United States and other Ukraine supporters at a U.N. meeting on Monday, ruling out any peace plan they support. Lavrov claimed that Ukrainian forces have been 'a complete failure' on the battlefield and are 'incapable' of defeating Russia. The attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv came two days after Moscow-installed officials in eastern Ukraine claimed that Ukrainian shelling killed 27 people on the outskirts of Russian-occupied Donetsk. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a 'monstrous terrorist act.' The Ukrainian military, however, denied it had anything to do with the attack. Peskov said Tuesday's attacks should not be seen as Moscow's response to the Donetsk strike. He repeated the Kremlin's claim that its forces don't strike civilian areas, although there is substantial evidence to the contrary. Deaths of Ukrainian civilians have stirred international outrage over Russia's invasion, and Ukrainian officials have pointed to the attacks in their efforts to secure further military aid from the country's allies. NATO on Tuesday signed a $1.2-billion contract to make tens of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish the dwindling stocks of its member countries. The contract will allow allies to backfill their arsenals and provide Ukraine with more ammunition. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday was the latest foreign leader to visit Ukraine and announce a new aid package that includes a loan to buy larger weapons and a commitment to find ways to manufacture them together. Ukraine's allies have recently sought to reassure the country that they are committed to its long-term defence amid concerns that Western support could be flagging. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and France's new foreign minister also traveled to Kyiv in the new year. But the United States, Ukraine's main supplier, is currently unable to send Ukraine any ammunition or weapons. While waiting for Congress to approve more money for Ukraine's fight, the U.S. is looking to its allies to bridge the gap. Rishi Sunak stepped up his 'Stop the Boats' push today as he held talks with the Belgian PM. The PM discussed a joint crackdown on people-smuggling gangs running Channel crossings as he met his counterpart Alexander De Croo in Downing Street. As they sat down for the meeting, Mr Sunak said the two countries were 'good neighbours' and would be working on how to 'break those gangs'. The premier has been stressing the need for international cooperation on the issue alongside enforcement and the Rwanda deportations deterrent. Mr De Croo said he hoped to make progress with a post-Brexit 'agreement on first-of-a-kind law enforcement co-operation'. Rishi Sunak stepped up his 'Stop the Boats' push today as he held talks with the Belgian PM Alexander De Croo As they sat down for the meeting, Mr Sunak said the two countries were 'good neighbours' and would be working on how to 'break those gangs' Mr De Croo, who was visiting No10 hours after the UK and US conducted joint strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, referenced the 'turbulent world' of the present day. The pair also met with a backdrop of the conflict in Gaza and ongoing war in Ukraine. Mr Sunak, praising the 'very close partnership' between the two countries, said the two leaders would discuss efforts to tackle illegal migration. He said: 'Belgium and the UK have always had a very close partnership and friendship. 'I know we'll talk today about our efforts to combat the criminal gangs who are facilitating illegal migration and strengthening our co-operation to break those gangs.' He said that the situation in Ukraine, as well as energy security, was also a shared interest. Mr De Croo told Mr Sunak: 'We're good neighbours, we're allies. And I think in a turbulent world more than ever, countries like the UK and Belgium need to align, need to work together.' The cause of the crash is still unknown and is now being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration The crash happened on Saturday night after the Operation Control Center reportedly lost contact with the Bell 206L-3 helicopter A travel nurse, paramedic and pilot that were killed in a medical helicopter crash in an Oklahoma field have been identified. Flight nurse Adam Tebben, paramedic Steven Fitzgerald and pilot Russell Haslam died after their Air Evac Lifeteam helicopter crashed on Saturday night just after dropping off a patient in Oklahoma City. The Operation Control Center lost contact with them as they were on their way back to their base in Weatherford, approximately 70 miles of Oklahoma City, the emergency rescue service said in social media post. The incident is now being investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration who have said that cause of the crash was due to 'unknown circumstances.' 'Please continue to hold all of their families in your hearts. Russell, Adam and Steven, we miss you so much. Well take it from here,' Air Evac Lifeteam said in a Facebook post. Flight paramedic Steven Fitzgerald (left), travel nurse Adam Tebben (middle) and pilot Russell Haslam (right) died in a helicopter crash on Saturday night after just after dropping off a patient in Oklahoma City Pieces of chopper were found all over the ground in the middle of a field after the Air Evac Lifeteam and authorities tracked down the helicopter The Bell 206L-3 helicopter was found near County Road 1010 as authorities believe it crashed around midnight. Pieces of chopper were found all over the ground in the middle of a field as an officer was seen blocking the dirt roadway on Sunday morning near the scene. The investigation will go ever every detail of the journey from recordings, to air traffic control communications, radar data, weather reports, a 72-hour background of the pilot and witness statements, according to The New York Times. 'It is important to note that N.T.S.B. does not determine cause in the early part of the investigative process. This is considered the fact-gathering phase of the investigation,' the agency said in a statement. Tebben, the travel nurse onboard, was on his way back home to Wichita, Kansas, following the assignment. Many who knew him said that he died doing what he loved most as he was a member of the Kansas Board of Nursing. 'He was willing to put others first in any circumstance. Because he cares. He put his heart and soul into it,' Bethany Diercks, a co-worker of Tebben, told KSNW. 'Unfortunately, he passed away doing what he loved. His goal was always to be a flight nurse.' The Bell 206L-3 helicopter was found near County Road 1010 as authorities believe it crashed around midnight Tebben, the travel nurse onboard, was on his way back home to Wichita, Kansas, following the assignment. He is seen in a picture with his friend and co-worker Bethany Diercks Haslam, the pilot that was flying the helicopter at the time of the crash served in the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regimen and was the father of two daughters Briauna Barkdoll, another one of Tebben's co-workers, said that it was because of him that she got her current job on a different air medical team. She went on to say that it has 'put things more into perspective' on the dangers of the job. 'Hes always been the type of person that would advocate for his patients and other nurses. And he was always somebody you could count on regardless. It was always more than just a job to him,' Barkdoll said. Haslam, the pilot who was flying the helicopter at the time of the crash, was also very loved by his community. His friend Eddie Sprabary told KOCO 5 that Haslam was 'the life of the party,' and that when he had conversations with the pilot he could tell that he was listening and 'truly cared about what you had to say.' Sprabary also added that he and Haslam served in the 160th Special Operation Aviation Regimen together. 'He spent his entire adult life in service,' Sprabary added. Besides being a great friend, Haslam was also a family man and father to two daughters. Fitzgerald, the flight paramedic onboard the fatal crash, was also cherished by his co-workers, family and friends. He first started his career with EMSA Oklahoma as an EMT before he graduated from the emergency rescue service's paramedic program, according to a post from EMSA Oklahoma. 'Steven served his country during tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, and Syria as a U.S. Army Flight Paramedic. Following his most recent deployment, he came back to EMSA before joining Air Evac Lifeteam,' the service said. Fitzgerald (middle), the flight paramedic onboard the fatal crash served as a U.S. Army flight paramedic in Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, and Syria prior to joining the Air Evac Lifeteam 'Please continue to hold all of their families in your hearts. Russell, Adam and Steven, we miss you so much. Well take it from here,' Air Evac Lifeteam said in a Facebook post An officer was seen blocking the dirt roadway on Sunday morning near the scene. The overall investigation could take one to two years to complete, NTSB revealed His son Tyler commented under the tribute post of his father and said: 'Rest in paradise, dad. I love you so much.' The Air Evac Lifeteam operates more than 150 bases across 18 states, with more than 100 communications specialists, according to its website. Weatherford Mayor Mike Brown said: 'They basically delivered a patient, you know, earlier in the day and, you know, doing their job, they maybe saved somebody elses life and then end up losing their own, you know, on the way back home. And so those are things that are hard to explain.' The National Transportation Safety Board said that a preliminary report of the crash will be conducted and available in 30 business day. The overall investigation could take one to two years to complete, NTSB revealed. The celebrity chef behind a formidable fleet of vegan restaurants is in business free fall, a new report has claimed. The LA Times paints a picture of deceit, failure, and unpaid bills surrounding Matthew Kenney, the ex of disgraced New York restaurateur Sarma Melngailis. Her downfall was showcased in Netflix's 'Bad Vegan' in 2022, after she stole some $2million from investors and staffers at an eatery that Kenney helped open. Kenney, 59, is now being accused of eerily similar schemes, after several ex- and current staffers at Kenney restaurants told the Times their paychecks often bounce. Several used to work at one of six L.A.-area Kenney eateries that have closed in recent months, and complained how he continues to provide influencers with comps of up to $10,000 apiece each year. Matthew Kenney, the LA-based celebrity chef behind a formidable fleet of vegan restaurants on five different continents, is in business free fall, a new report has claimed The LA Times paints a picture of fraud, failure, and unpaid bills surrounding Kenney, who for years dated jailed New York restaurateur Sarma Melngailis (seen with Kenney and actors Woody Harrelson and Jason Lewis at their restaurant Pure Food and Wine in 2004) Kenney is worth a reported $20million. He runs more than 50 eateries on five continents, serving stars like Alec Baldwin, Miley Cyrus, and Woody Harrelson. A close-down was inevitable, said an ex-server of Kenneys Culver City hangout Sestina, which shuttered in July. Echoing claims made in the 2022 Netflix film that painted Kenney as a fraudster, the former staffer continued. 'As soon as I started, there was a lot of talk,' he recalled. '"Yeah, Matthew Kenney - every time one business goes bad, he opens a new one."' Others who spoke to the paper - including several who worked at one of the chefs 12 recently-closed establishments - offered similar sentiments. Seven current staffers said at least one of their paychecks bounced during their employment, with several calling it a regular occurrence. Some recalled racing to the bank to cash a paycheck ahead of colleagues, claiming if they didn't, pay day would have to wait. 'If you waited too long it would bounce,' said a former bartender and server at Sestina of the Plant City mogul's questionable payout practices. Her downfall was showcased in Netflix's 'Bad Vegan' in 2022, after she stole some $2million from investors and staffers at New York's Pure Food & Wine, an eatery Kenney - seen here with his partner at the time - helped open in 2004 Kenney is worth a reported $20million. He runs more than 50 eateries on five continents, serving stars like Alec Baldwin, Miley Cyrus, and Woody Harrelson. '[Matthew] was not a well-respected businessman,' Vanity Fair Journalist Allen Salkin recalled in Netflix's Bad Vegan documentary in 2022, as former staffers accuse Kenney of similar misdeeds. Pictured: Kenney's Long Beach restaurant Hungry Angelina, which closed in December 2022 'There was a lot of word around New York that Matthew was a guy who didnt pay his billswho stiffed a lot of investors, and was trouble'. Pictured: Hungry Angelina, which began the stream of six LA closures - bolstered by six more elsewhere in the US since 2022 Echoing claims made in the 2022 film, another staffer said this month of Kenney's business practices: ' As soon as I started, there was a lot of talk: "Yeah, Matthew Kenney - every time one business goes bad, he opens a new one."' Pictured: Double Zero in Venice, which closed in July A close-down was inevitable, said an ex-server of Kenneys Culver City hangout Sestina, which shuttered in July. 'If you waited too long it would bounce,' added a former bartender and server 'Sometimes,' she continued, 'I would submit my paycheck the day of and [it] would bounce back and I wouldnt get that money until the next pay period. 'It would be two or three weeks and Id be scrambling.' Former general manager Stacy Schlepp - the one to claim that influencers were receiving up to $10,000 of free food - brought up how a back-of-house worker who sent money back to his family in Guatemala once went unpaid for a whole month. 'I remember fighting with executives,' Schlepp said of the former staffer, a cook. 'And it was, "We dont control the money." 'Then who the hell did?' The ex-regional manager for the West Coast operations of Kenney's company, meanwhile, accused his old boss of doing something more nefarious - purposely painting his restaurants as performing better than they actually were Calling his restaurants and accompanying army of influencers an ecosystem of smoke and mirrors', former Michael Kenney Cuisine exec Miles Jenson tore into the plant-based eating evangelist. 'That is an inherent flaw with the company,' said Jenson of Kenney's alleged tendency to ply vegan, yoga and fitness influencers with up to $10,000 a year in free food while employees unpaid paychecks piled up. The two co-founded Pure Food and Wine in 2004, and after they broke up a few years later, she took control of the company and its $2 million debt Melngailis proceeded to plead guilty to various fraud charges in 2017 after swindling the same sum from investors while also stiffing employees out of their paychecks. She was released after four months on Riker's Island, maintaining she used the money to pay employees back Kenney's Plant City in Providence, Rhode Island - one of the remaining bastions of his long-reaching food empire, which several said is languishing 'It is emblematic of what is going on.' He said such practices were what led him to quit the company in 2022, as Kenney's many businesses - including crown jewel Plant Food + Wine - secretly floundered. Coincidentally, 2022 is the year that several of Kenney's LA-eateries - including Venice's Double Zero, Hungry Angelina in Long Beach, Sestina in Culver City, and Vegan Plant Food + Wine - began closing down, with several running into legal trouble in the process. Plant-based pizza joint Double Zero, billed as a possible chain upon its release in 2016, allegedly still owes real estate developer John Saca a return on his $1 million investment in the eatery, after he offered it up in 2018. Saca alleged in a lawsuit filed in 2022 that he and Kenney had agreed the restaurateur would pay him back within two years, leading a judge that year to rule that Kenneys companies pay him back $1.17 million, with the chef personally liable for about $192,000. Sacas LLC was subsequently also awarded an unspecified stake in one of Kenneys companies, of which the chef has at least 15, The Times found. Each play a part in the operations of Kenney's more than 50 companies, while protecting much of Kenney's personal assets amid on onslaught of legal judgements and creditors' claims. Court documents show how the landlord for Kenney's LA home (seen here) filed a lawsuit in September seeking to remove him from the residence over alleged nonpayment of rent totaling $70,000 Among them was restaurant-supply wholesaler that recently alleged in a lawsuit that Kenney and several companies owed it tens of thousands of dollars. It further claimed that Kenney - who partnered with Melngailis to open Pure Food and Wine in Manhattan in 2004 - 'formed various business entities for the sole purpose of preventing lawsuits against them when they failed to pay their duly incurred debts.' Kenney in the filing denied the allegations. Regarding his use of LLCs, he wrote, 'Thats how everybody advises you to do it.' Another suit involving Double Zero alleged Kenney stopped paying rent on a Lincoln Boulevard commissary kitchen. A Venice property owner filed a lawsuit against the business holding company in 2022 over back rent, and after it failed to appear in court, a default judgment was entered in favor of the landlord. He had been seeking past due rent to the tune of about $27,000, legal records viewed by the Times reportedly showed. It repossessed the space at the start of 2023. Meanwhile, an April filing in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of the LLC behind Kenney's Plant Food + Wine location in Venice - closed this past May - listed suppliers of wine, linens, produce, propane and more whom were due more than $50,000. Meanwhile, four LLCs with ties to his restaurants - among them Plant Food + Wine - received a total of nearly $1 million in loans during the pandemic, via the Paycheck Protection Program, The Time reported. He only had to repay $16,000, records reportedly showed. When asked, Kenney - who declined to speak about any of his settled or ongoing lawsuits - told the paper how the funds 'certainly helped, but... wasnt enough.' Melngailis, 44, wept in a Brooklyn court before being given the slight sentence after first fleeing from cops Her bizarre downfall was showcased in full in 'Bad Vegan' as the former restaurateur maintains she used funds from the show to pay back her employees. The pair's Pure Food & Wine in New York - rumored to be reopening soon - was a night life hotspot that was beloved for its raw food vegan recipes As this was going on, Kenney began renting a posh five-bedroom, four-and-a-half bath super home in Mar Vista's best hillside neighborhood $17,000 a month. However, court documents show his landlord filed a lawsuit in September seeking to remove him from the residence of alleged nonpayment of rent, this time totaling $70,000. Kenney told The Times the case was resolved, but records viewed by the paper indicated it was still ongoing. As Kenney continues to live there, landlord, Glen Irani, alleged the same, and said he is still pursuing Kenney's eviction. 'I dont feel like I have a personal belief in the guy anymore,' he told the Times. George Infante, former chef of New Yorks also-closed Sestina, claimed the house is merely part of Kenney's overall ruse. 'His house looks like its out of a magazine, he said, after claiming he had two bank accounts closed because so many of his checks from Kenney bounced. Im like, Hey, hes got money. Meanwhile, other recent lawsuits that Kenney include the landlord of his Venice Plant Food + Wine against three of the restaurateur's LLC's, for an alleged $41,000 in back rent. Alec Baldwin famously met his wife Hilaria at Pure Food & Wine, which opened in 2004, in 2011, after becoming friendly with the chef at the height of her success. Other Kenney clients include Miley Cyrus, Lenny Kravitz, Lea Michele and Christina Hendricks Baldwin reflected on the moment he first laid eyes on his wife at Pure Food and Wine in a heartfelt Instagram post in 2019 In court filings, Kenney denied the allegations, calling the agency an 'aggressive landlord' that 'went after everything. In June, a judge awarded the landlord, GMB Ventures $215,000 in past due rent and damages, but by then, the restaurant had already closed. Matthew Kenney Cuisine, located in the same building, shuttered too. The Times reported that earlier this month, a reporter found a legal filing from another California entity claiming Kenney - or one of his many LLCs - owed them money. In an interview with the Times, Kenney conceded that some shortfalls had led to employees' checks to bounce, but attributed it to confusion rather than fraud. 'Im aware of some of those issues,' he said, claiming partners had recently had been able to provide him the necessary capital to address his sprawling empire's financial issues. 'We put in whatever we could.' In regards to the claim that influencers were receiving $10,000 in perks annually, Kenney declared he'd be 'shocked' if any influencer received more than $1,000 of free food annually. As of Tuesday, Kenney's corporate website is down, providing only a 503 service error. The claims are markedly similar to those surrounding the handsome vegan's former girlfriend, now 44, who served four months in a cell on Riker's Island and was released in October 2017 for fleecing her and Kenney's old restaurant. The two co-founded Pure Food and Wine in 2004, and after the broke up a few years later, she took control of the company and its $2 million debt. She proceeded to plead guilty to various fraud charges in 2017 after swindling the same sum from investors while also stiffing employees out of their hard-earned checks, before going on the run. Her bizarre downfall was showcased in full in 'Bad Vegan' as the former restaurateur maintains she used funds from the show to pay back her employees. The restaurant - a site frequented by stars like Alec Baldwin, Chelsea Clinton, Tom Brady, and Owen Wilson - was pegged to reopen this year with Melngailis's release, but as of Friday, remains closed. Meanwhile, operations at Kenney's more than 50 remaining restaurants including his last one in LA in Plant Food + Wine - continues. DailyMail.com tried to reach out to his most recent rep for comment, but was told that he is no longer a client. Moreover, a contact email intended for press on his now defunct site - which was offline when The Times published its piece on January 10 - is also no longer active. Amazon's first US union leaders are at loggerheads less than two years after the group formed, with infighting and dried up donations leaving them 'pretty much broke'. Workers at a Staten Island warehouse became the first in the US to unionize against the online retail giant in April 2022, suggesting that others might follow. But 21 months later it remains the lone organized warehouse in the US, and the grassroots group - called the Amazon Labor Union - is yet to finalize a contract with the corporation. This means they can't charge membership fees, and vice president Michelle Nieves told the Wall Street Journal that donations have dwindled and they're now 'pretty much broke'. President Christian Smalls agreed the group doesn't have much money after paying legal fees, and progress has stalled thanks to infighting as members including Nieves want to oust him as leader. In April 2022, workers at a Staten Island warehouse (pictured) became the first in the US to unionize against the online retail giant, suggesting that others might follow. But almost two years later it remains the lone organized warehouse in the US, with no contract President Chris Smalls agreed the group doesn't have much money after paying legal fees, and progress has stalled thanks to infighting as members including Nieves want to oust him as leader Amazon Labor Union vice president Michelle Nieves (pictured) told the Wall Street Journal that donations have dwindled and they're now 'pretty much broke' Smalls organized workers for a year outside the Staten Island warehouse after being fired by Amazon in 2020 when he aired safety concerns at the company. But his influence has become schismatic. While some workers continue to rally behind him, many have grown disillusioned with his leadership, saying he appears more interested in globe-trotting and fame, per the WSJ. Smalls told the newspaper the Amazon Labor Union has essentially 'lost a year' thanks to fratricidal disputes. 'Every union has their problems,' he said. 'This union is a year old. Whether we have disagreements or not, I'm still going to support (workers) and organize regardless.' He also defended his traveling as essential for the group's reputation - saying his frequent excursions to labor gatherings and other events keep it relevant and help it to fundraise. But this doesn't seem to have gone to plan, with donations drying up since 2022, when it received more than $750,000 in funding from several established unions who haven't given money since. The American Federation of Teachers gave $250,000 to the union in 2022, and the SEIU United Healthcare Workers West gave $25,000 - but neither donated in 2023, according to the WSJ. 'We don't have what we had before,' Smalls told the newspaper. 'The other established unions are not helping us.' President Biden greeted Amazon organizer Christian Smalls with a hug and handshake when they met at the White House Smalls (pictured) organized workers for a year outside the Staten Island warehouse after being fired by Amazon in 2020 when he aired safety concerns at the company Nieves (pictured), vice president of the Amazon Labor Union, is among members who now oppose Smalls' leadership Since its founding in 1994, Amazon has successfully rebuffed labor organizers The jubilant scene after union members get the voting results to unionize in 2022 After being fired Christian Smalls stood with fellow demonstrators during a protest outside of a Staten island Amazon warehouse in May 2020 Smalls and the union members who oppose him, which includes Nieves, recently agreed to hold a conference to decide whether to have a leadership election in the coming months. The president said he doesn't intend to run for the leadership again, according to Business Insider. Several other Amazon warehouses in the US including in North Carolina and California have held votes on whether to form unions, but none have passed. To blame is high turnover at facilities, fear of repercussions and a concerted effort by Amazon to prevent its employees uniting. Amazon has said it opposes unions because it prefers to have a direct line of communication with workers and thinks such groups would slow down the progress of their business. The retail behemoth invested around $14 million in labor consultants to work against burgeoning grassroots efforts in 2022, according to the WSJ. A former choirboy has accused the church of serious failings after he was sexually abused by a choirmaster at the centre of a twisted paedophile ring. Peter Allison, 48, told how his life was ruined after he was targeted by depraved solicitor Stuart Eager when he was just 12 years old. The father-of-four bravely waived his right to anonymity to speak about his ordeal for the first time after accusing the Church of England of failing to protect him and allowing his abuser to operate in plain sight. He told MailOnline: I feel betrayed by the church. They seem more concerned about protecting their reputation than the people to whom they have a duty of care. This man stole my childhood and he stole most of my life from me. This haunts me every single day yet the church to this day insist it is nothing to do with them. Its disgusting. Peter Allison, 48, says his life was ruined by the ordeal. He has now spoken publicly for the first time about what happened to him. Pictured at Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire. Paedophile Stuart Eager (pictured), 73, is being sued by the former choirboy he sexually assaulted more than 30 years ago Eager was jailed for four years at Portsmouth Crown Court after he was convicted of three counts of indecent assault in May 2019 Peter has now launched a 120,000 legal fight for compensation for the personal injury he suffered as a result of Eagers sexual abuse. He is seeking damages from the vicar, parochial church council, and churchwardens of the ecclesiastical parish of St Faiths Church in Havant, Hampshire. Peter told how he was repeatedly molested by Eager, a former law firm partner, after he became choirmaster at the church in the late 1980s. Eager, who was in his 30s when the abuse happened, gave Peter lifts home after practise but would head off in the opposite direction from the youngsters house and drive up a dirt track to a remote farm. He carried out the attacks after offering Peter driving lessons and persuading him to sit on his lap. The calculating abuser kept a diary of his escapades and swore Peter to silence, warning that he would get into trouble for allowing Eager to touch him. The abuse happened after Eager had quietly moved to the parish after being choirmaster at the 12th century St Peter and St Pauls Church five miles away in Wymering. There he had been involved in a sordid paedophile ring where boys as young as seven were abused over a four year period after being preyed on by local vicar The Reverend Dennis Allison. Peter told MailOnline: I feel betrayed by the church. They seem more concerned about protecting their reputation than the people to whom they have a duty of care' In 1989 Eager and Rev Allison, who is now believed to be deceased, were jailed at Winchester Crown Court along with three other men including another Church of England vicar. The abusers admitted offences but Eager received a sentence of just nine months in prison and was soon back on the streets. Meanwhile Peter was condemned to a nightmare existence as his life began to spiral out of control. He said: I stopped going to school from the age of 14. I lost my education. I just didnt care about anything. Not receiving an education, I became a loner. I was very quiet because of everything going around in my head. Nobody understood me, not my family, nor my teachers. How could they? I couldnt understand myself. I ran away several times. I stole a car several times to run away. I turned to gambling because that was my way of blotting everything out. My life became a constant cycle of depression, a feeling of not belonging. I couldnt deal with normal life situations. When I was older I turned to drugs and just lived a very transient lifestyle from the age of 16 or 17. I was constantly trying to move around to try and reinvent myself, using gambling and drugs to escape my life, using so much mental energy to contain what happened. Peter said he questioned his sexuality and found it difficult to form relationships. He added: It destroyed my faith. It destroyed my love of music. If I hear classical music it triggers me, choirs trigger me. I cant listen to carols. Christmas is a really bad time for me. It took me 30 years to come to the realisation that trying to contain what happened, how to deal with it by not dealing with it, hadnt worked. When I decided to finally address what happened I had just finished a relationship and I was not coping with it because I dont cope with anything. Its there constantly and as soon as something in my life goes wrong its just there right in the forefront. In 2017, Peter could live with the torment no longer and finally decided to take action. Peter said the ordeal caused him to stop going to school at 14 - losing his education He went to the parish office at St Faiths to report the historic abuse but found the vicar unavailable so he turned to the police. He said: The next day I had a call from the safeguarding officer for the Diocese of Portsmouth. I had a meeting with him. Their answer was to arrange six hours of counselling. The counsellor managed to extend it to the maximum of 10 hours and the counsellor said that was nowhere near enough. After a two year investigation Eager, now 74, was charged with three counts of indecent assault but he denied the abuse putting Peter through the ordeal of having to relive his torment during a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court. Eager was jailed for four years but there was further anguish for Peter after the paedophile was released from prison. Eager hid the nature of his offending when he mounted a public campaign to get a refund from Premier Inn after he was forced to cut short his stay at the hotel when he was sent to prison. He wrote to the Daily Telegraphs consumer champion seeking the return of 107.50 he says the hotel group owed him after his trial finished in four days while he had booked a six night stay. Eager complained it was bang out of order when his campaign backfired and his crimes were exposed. In 2022 it was revealed Eager demanded the return of 107.50 he said Premier Inn owed him after he was forced to cut short his stay at the Portsmouth branch when he was sent to prison Peter said: He put me through the whole court case and he was going on about his bloody hotel room. After what he had done to me thats all he cared about. It made me feel like I was worth nothing. Peter, who spent his life drifting from one casual job after another, told how he suffered a breakdown and was left so traumatised after giving evidence at Eagers trial that he has been unable to work since. Despite his ongoing trauma, Peter mustered up the courage to recount his ordeal again when he gave testimony to the Truth Project which formed part of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal. Peter said: As painful as it was having to go through it all over again, I wanted to stop this happening for the next generation. READ MORE: Paedophile demands his 107 back from Premier Inn after his stay was cut a day short when he was jailed for sexually abusing a choirboy Advertisement I thought I was safe with the church. My parents thought I was safe there but I wasnt. When the inquiry published its damning report in 2020 it found the Church failed to protect children and young people from sexual predators within its ranks and instead created a culture where abusers could hide. The report revealed nearly 400 people in positions of trust within the Church of England have been convicted of sexual offences against children since the 1940s. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby apologised publicly for the way allegations of sexual abuse were handled by the Church of England in the past. But Peter insists his treatment at the hands of the church shows the institution still has a long way to go. He said: After my therapy sessions that was it. The church washed their hands of it. Justin Welby did all this talking at the inquiry of how he is going to change everything with the church but where are his actions? So many times I have come so close to emailing him. He has just said whatever he had to say to make the church look good. They are supposed to be compassionate. I feel very betrayed by the church. They had somebody at the trial every single day until Eager was found guilty but then he was not to be seen again. He didnt go along to the sentencing. There was never any contact with me to ask how I was - nothing. They were just gathering information to cover themselves. It seemed their reputation was more important to them than looking after people. Its all about trying to sweep things under the carpet. Ive heard nothing from the church since. There has been no communication. Nothing. Peter said the church had, bizarrely, even tried to establish a link with the paedophile ring as his family has the same surname as the disgraced vicar. He said: My dad was accused of being related to the vicar of Wymering because his surname is Allison. They did a family tree to find a link. I knew there was no truth behind it because my dad is an only son. He had three sisters. My grandad was also an only son. I had to ask dad and he had just come out of hospital after having a stroke if there was a big family secret and he was related to the Reverend Allison who was a paedophile. The more this has gone on, the more I feel the injustice at the hands of the church. David Hawkins, who is a specialist in abuse law with Biscoes Solicitors and is representing Peter in his claim against the church said Peter has shown immense courage and bravery in coming forward and seeking justice for what Eager put him through. He has suffered the consequences of Eagers abuse throughout most of his life. Both Peter and I think there may well be other victims of Eagers offending, so if anyone else has been affected, I would encourage you to speak to the Police who have been exemplary in bringing him to justice. A former home economics teacher - who rose to fame with a viral farewell video from students and appeared on Good Morning America in 2020 - admitted to having sex with a male high school senior 20 to 30 times. Heather Hare, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court to transporting a minor across state lines for the purpose of unlawful sexual activity and now faces up to life in prison. Hare had sex with the victim, a male student at Bryant High School in Arkansas, 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school year, including on a class trip to Washington, DC. Before her arrest and resignation from the high school in April of last year, Hare was cherished by her students. They even recorded a farewell video when her class was temporarily halted during the pandemic. 'It hurt me to see her so upset because she's so helpful and always so nice,' student Bella Watkins told Good Morning America in 2020. 'To see her crying it was awful. I said, 'I have to do something for her.'' Heather Hare, 33, who rose to fame with a viral farewell video from students and appeared on Good Morning America in 2020, admitted to having sex with a male high school senior 20 to 30 times Hare had sex with the victim, a male student at Bryant High School in Arkansas , 20 to 30 times throughout the 2021-2022 school year, including on a class trip to Washington DC Hare surrendered herself in April 2023 after various TikTok and Snapchat posts were made alleging her involvement with a student, according to local reports. She was arrested again in July after a second student came forward, leading to investigators seeking additional charges of first-degree sexual assault, the Bryant Police Department stated. Investigators revealed Hare met the victim on his first day of his senior year and started one-on-one counseling sessions with him. The 33-year-old teacher eventually gave the student her phone number and talked with him through Instagram and Snapchat. She told the victim she had a dream of them having sex and gave him her home address in Conway, Arkansas. She lived at the home with her husband and young daughter. Between the 2021 to 2022 school year, she had sex with the victim 20 to 30 times, including multiple times at her home in Conway, in her vehicle, her classroom and parking lots at Bryant High School. She admitted to having sex with the victim between April 21 and April 24, 2022, when she supervised a field trip to Washington, DC, where the victim and three other female students attended. Hare surrendered herself in April 2023 after various TikTok and Snapchat posts were made alleging her involvement with a student, according to local reports Hare received nationwide attention when she was featured on Good Morning America in 2020 for a surprise video from her former students. Her 12 students, including graduating seniors, shared selfie footage as they said goodbye to Hare when the course she taught was discontinued during the pandemic. 'Hi Ms. Hare, I just want to say thank you for literally everything you did for me this year. You helped me overcome so much and you helped me through so many problems,' a student said in the tearful video. 'I think she was really touched by the video. Everybody that knows her, loves her,' Watkins, a then-sophomore, said. 'It was nice to see that many people care about [Mrs. Hare] the way that I care about her,' another student said. Hare told the outlet at that time: 'It breaks my heart because so many kiddos look for a break in their day and they enjoy coming to my class. The last unit was sewing. We had so many fun projects [planned] and we didn't get to do those.' Hare is married and has a five-year-old daughter. Her family was also featured on local outlet, ABC7, in October 2022, when the little girl went viral for her Halloween costumes. Hare and her husband prepared a dozen costumes and conducted photo shoots for their daughter before Halloween. Before her arrest and resignation from the high school in April of last year, Hare was cherished by her students. They even recorded a farewell video when her class was temporarily halted during the pandemic Hare received nationwide attention when she was featured on Good Morning America in 2020 for a surprise video from her former students Less than a year later, Hare was indicted and charged with one count of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross said: 'This former teacher took advantage of her position of trust and the vulnerability of a minor, using her role to entice and lure this minor into engaging in unlawful sexual activity,' Ross added: 'Our office will continue to seek significant penalties against any educational professional who sexually abuse their students.' As part of a plea agreement, the charge of interstate/foreign travel for prostitution/sexual activity by coercion was dropped by prosecutors. Hare will be sentenced at a later date, prosecutors have announced. They added she faces a minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum of life in prison. Prosecutors recommend that she spend 13 years in prison, according to the plea agreement seen by DailyMail.com. Major Jennifer Wilson sent the X-rated pictures and video of Christian Craighead, to his current girlfriend Tobi-Jayne Cadbury An Army dentist warned she faces jail for sending revenge porn to the girlfriend of an SAS hero has been arrested for breaching her bail conditions. Major Jennifer Wilson, 42, sent the X-rated pictures and video of Christian Craighead, 48, to his current girlfriend Tobi-Jayne Cadbury, 36. Wilson who is with the Royal Medical Corps admitted sending pictures and footage of Craighead that were indecent and grossly offensive. MailOnline exclusively revealed earlier this week she had appeared at Aylesbury Crown Court and pleaded guilty to sending the images which are an offence under the Malicious Communications Act. She was bailed to her home address in nearby High Wycombe and warned not to contact Ms Cadbury as part of her bail conditions. But MailOnline can reveal she was arrested at her home late on Monday night after she allegedly contacted Ms Cadbury and sent her a message saying: 'You belong to me.' Married Major Wilson was held by police and kept in custody overnight before an appearance at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court. In a statement Thames Valley Police told MailOnline: 'On Sunday we received reports of bail offences on Old Moor Lane, High Wycombe. A 42-year-old woman was arrested yesterday and is due to appear at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court today.' Major Wilson was initially arrested last year for the revenge porn offence and held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey before being granted bail. Aylesbury Crown Court was told Wilson sent the images to Ms Cadbury between June 14, 2022, and March 10, 2023, 'with the intention of causing distress'. Ms Cadbury is the great-great-great granddaughter of chocolate baron Richard. Wilson was also accused of stalking her through two fake social media accounts called 'mikewoodali53' and 'crazy_fredo_87'. MailOnline can reveal Wilson was arrested at her home late on Monday night after she allegedly contacted Ms Cadbury and sent her a message saying 'you belong to me' Christian Craighead's current girlfriend Tobi-Jayne Cadbury is the great-great-great granddaughter of chocolate baron Richard Wilson was also accused of stalking Ms Cadbury, above, through two fake social media accounts - but the first charge was left to lie on the file and the second was dismissed Who Dares Wins legend Craighead earned a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross award after fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2019 - saving dozens of lives. She pleaded not guilty to the charge and entered the same plea for an allegation of perverting the course of justice. Judge Recorder Wright ruled the first charge would lie on file and the second allegation was dismissed after prosecutor Neil King offered no evidence. Defending Wilson, Brent Martin, asked the court that she should be allowed access to a computer for her 'work with the army' and this was granted. Recorder Wright told Wilson that she would be bailed pending sentencing reports. Guidelines say the maximum time in prison for sending sexual photographs and film with the intention to cause distress is two years. Outside court Wilson declined to comment and was driven away in car with friends holding a coat over her head. Last year the General Dental Council, the governing body of dental medicine, ruled she should be temporarily suspended from practising for 18 months until after her upcoming court case. The case was heard in private because of the criminal prosecution after being told in a submission 'there would be serious damage to public confidence in the dental profession should she be permitted to continue in unrestricted practice while facing serious criminal charges'. In a written ruling on the GDC website the body said: 'While the Committee took into account that you are not currently in clinical practice, it considered its duty to safeguard the wider public interest. 'It also took into account that the bar is set high for the imposition of an interim order on public interest grounds alone. 'It concluded, however, that given the nature and gravity of the matters in this case, and notwithstanding all the matters drawn to its attention, there would be a risk of serious damage to public confidence in the profession, if no interim order were imposed. 'The Committee therefore determined that an interim order on your registration is otherwise in the public interest.' The hearing was held via video link and the order was made for 18 months although it can be reviewed in six. Who Dares Wins legend Craighead earned a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross award after fighting Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked the DusitD2 hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2019 - saving dozens of lives. The off-duty former SAS fighter rushed to the scene of the attack and, armed with an assault rifle he kept in his car boot, spearheaded the rescue alongside local security forces. Ms Cadbury was not in court for the hearing. Tory students have been accused of a 'disgraceful new low' after it was revealed they planned to discuss how to 'sink the boats' and 'invade Yemen' while guzzling port. Conservative societies at University College London and King's College London arranged 'Port and Policy' debates on the Channel migrant crisis and Red Sea attacks. In an Instagram post promoting the boozy event, planned for Thursday, the proposed motions were 'This house would invade Yemen' and 'This house would sink the boats'. But Conservative Party bosses branded the event unacceptable and demanded it be cancelled, while Labour claimed voters would be 'looking on in despair'. Conservative societies at University College London and King's College London arranged 'Port and Policy' debates on the Channel migrant crisis and Red Sea attacks An Instagram post advertising the event was later changed to read: 'This house would send the boats back' According to The Sun, the Tory university societies had initially advertised the event - to be held at a UCL building near London Euston station - with the controversial proposed motion about sinking migrant boats. But the newspaper reported the Instagram post - which included an image of a group of people in life jackets in a small dinghy - was later changed to read: 'This house would send the boats back.' Earlier this month, five migrants trying to cross the Channel died in French waters after their small boat overturned. Labour shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth said: 'While Tory students quaff port and laugh at weak Rishi Sunak's failure to stop the boats, the British people are looking on in despair. 'Suggestions of sinking boats, after the tragic loss of life in the Channel last weekend, is a disgraceful new low. 'Rishi Sunak and his colleagues should come clean immediately over whether this event is sanctioned by the Conservative Party.' A CCHQ spokesman: 'This is obviously not acceptable and we will be asking the student groups to remove this and cancel the event.' It later emerged that Thursday's event had been cancelled. A statement from London Universities Conservatives said an 'initial investigation' had suggested there was a 'miscommunication of the proposed motion leading to a member of a society committee posting the incorrect motion'. 'This mistake was noted shortly after posting , and the motion duly revised,' the statement added. 'It is important to note this was actioned before any media interest had arisen. 'A full investigation is now being conducted to determine the exact course of events, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until this investigation has been concluded.' London Universities Conservatives stressed they are 'independent from the Conservative Party'. They also insisted 'at no point was anybody seriously suggesting sinking the boats as a credible policy option, and we had no intention of debating the motion as was first promoted'. Speaking in the House of Commons today, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak confirmed to MPs that Britain last night took part in a second wave of airstrikes against Houthis in Yemen. It follows a series of attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea by the militant group. This is the 63-year-old Illinois father who shot dead his wife and three daughters during 'an argument' at their home in Tinley Park on Sunday. Maher Kassem has been charged with three counts of murder for killing wife Majeda and daughters Zahia and Halema, 25, and Hanan, 24. Police say he flew into a rage during a domestic incident at the house. It remains unclear what they were arguing about. Kassem remains in custody and is awaiting his next court appearance. Maher Kassem has been charged with three counts of murder for killing wife Majeda and daughters Zahia and Halema, 25, and Hanan, 24 Maher Kassem, 63, has been charged with the murders of his wife and three daughters It remains unclear what drove Kassem into the rage. Police say he was 'arguing' with his family Halema and Zahia Kassem, 25, were killed yesterday in their home in Tinley Park along with their mother and younger sister The devout Muslim family is now being mourned by the community. A friend and former colleague of Zahia told DailyMail..com she had confided in her in the past about her 'mentally ill' father. Friends say the family were devout Muslims who and Palestinian activists. Zahia, who also went by Zee, had recently visited Mecca. Their mother Majeda devoted her life to 'family and religion', according to a fundraising site dedicated to completing a mosque in Mali in the family's memory. Hanan, 24, was a speech pathology student, according to her friends. 'She was always a helping hand and had her special way of making people feel like they belong. She was always so thoughtful and considerate with her supportive words. 'Her heart held a special place for her family, and she will be deeply missed,' a friend said in the mosque fundraising effort. Soto and her boyfriend Matthew Guerra, 22, were found dead in a car outside a San Antonio apartment building the day after Christmas Soto's heartbroken mother Gloria Cordova carried her daughter's pink coffin from the church alongside her son Josh Delgado A funeral has been held for murdered 18-year-old Savana Soto and her unborn baby, Fabian, after she was found shot to death in San Antonio A funeral has been held for murdered 18-year-old Savana Soto and her unborn baby, after she was found shot to death alongside her boyfriend in a car in San Antonio. A funeral Mass was held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Monday followed by a burial at Wild Flower Cemetery in San Antonio. Soto's heartbroken mother Gloria Cordova carried her daughter's pink coffin from the church alongside her son Josh Delgado. Soto's other siblings Nathanial Soto and Jordan Corona were seen weeping over her casket, decorated with her favorite things including cartoons. Soto and her boyfriend Matthew Guerra, 22, were reported missing just a day before she was supposed to be induced into labor. Nathaniel Soto is comforted by brother Jordan Corona as he lays his head on the casket of their sister Savanah Soto Soto's heartbroken mother Gloria Cordova carried her daughter's pink coffin from the church alongside her son Josh Delgado A CLEAR Alert was issued in lieu of Soto's disappearance. These alerts are reserved for cases where a missing adult is believed to be in 'imminent danger' They were found dead in a car outside a San Antonio apartment building the day after Christmas. Police have now arrested 19-year-old Christopher Ray Preciado and his 53-year-old father Ramon Preciado. Christopher faces charges of abuse of a corpse and altering or destroying a human corpse in addition to capital murder. His father was charged with altering or destroying a human corpse after initially facing an abuse of a corpse charge for allegedly helping his son move the bodies. Soto and Guerra may have been killed in retaliation for a drug deal gone awry, according to Guerra's family. Soto's family reported her missing on December 22 after calling her cellphone proved futile, according to a police report. They searched local hospitals, knowing Soto was due to give birth, but were unable to find her. A CLEAR Alert, reserved for missing adults believed to be in immediate danger, was issued on Christmas Day. The alert gave a description of Guerra's 2013 gray Kia Optima, identified by a resident of a Northwest Side apartment complex who spotted it in the parking lot. The 18-year-old's family comforted each other at the funeral on Moday A funeral Mass was held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church on Monday followed by a burial at Wild Flower Cemetery in San Antonio The bodies of Soto and Guerra were found in Guerra's 2013 Kia Optima, both with fatal gunshot wounds to the head The two were arrested in connection to the shooting deaths of 18-year-old Savanah Soto and 22-year-old Matthew Guerra. Soto vanished days before she was supposed to be induced into labor Christopher Ray Preciado, 19, now faces charges of abuse of a corpse and altering or destroying a human corpse in addition to capital murder A Texas father and son were dealt additional charges in connection to the deaths of a pregnant teenager and her boyfriend. Ramon Preciado, 53, faces a charge of altering or destroying a human corpse in addition to an abuse of a corpse charge Police responded and found Soto was dead in the front seat and Guerra dead in the backseat. Investigators believe he was dragged into the car, according to the report. The Bexar County Medical Examiner confirmed that both Soto and Guerra died from a gunshot to the head. Guerra's family members confessed to investigators that their son sold drugs through social media. 'It was also advised that the boyfriend would post money and narcotics on Instagram,' the police report read. 'It was stated that people wanted to rob (Matthew) and it was stated that (he) had been shot at before.' On December 21, surveillance video captured a Chevy Silverado pulling up alongside Guerra's Kia in the parking lot of the complex. A heavy-set man climbed out of the Silverado and appeared to speak to the driver of the Kia before retrieving a towel and wiping down the driver's side door. A few minutes later, the Silverado drive off. When detectives arrived at Ramon Preciado's home, he told them they needed to speak with his son, according to the police report. Both men were taken to the police station for questioning. Mariana Delgado, who claims to be the deceased teenager's sister-in-law, posted on Facebook that Soto's body had been found early this evening and that she was in a 'bad bad condition' Soto's family raised alarm as the pregnant teen vanished days before she was supposed to be induced into labor and their attempts to reach her over the phone proved futile Guerra's family told detectives that he sold and advertised drugs on social media. He was charged with domestic violence after beating Soto on Christmas Day 2022 and subsequently violated parole (pictured: Guerra's jail booking photo from 2022) Soto's younger brother, 15-year-old Ethan, was also killed over the past year in revenge for a drug robbery, according to police Christopher Preciado said Guerra pointed a gun at him, resulting in a struggle that led to Soto being shot. In a separate struggle, the teen alleged, Guerra was also shot in the head. But detectives determined that Christopher's retelling of events was 'inconsistent with the evidence collected from the scene and from the victim's vehicle.' As he was placed in a patrol car Wednesday night, Ramon was asked by reporters whether he had remorse. 'You don't even know what's going on. You just make stuff up like always,' the 54-year-old responded. Both men are being held at the Bexar County Jail. Christopher's bail was set at $2 million, while Ramon is being held on a $600,000 bond. Court documents show that, in 2022, Soto had been beaten by Guerra on Christmas Day and filed charges against him. This resulted in a protective order prohibiting Guerra from 'intentionally, knowingly or recklessly communicating' with the teen, including 'in person in a harmful or injurious manner.' Guerra violated parole for the domestic violence charge and was back in court months later, charged with three new felonies: evading arrest, unlawfully having a firearm and reckless driving. Soto's death is the latest tragedy to strike her family, as they also lost her brother, 15-year-old Ethan, over the past year. The teen was shot on May 16 in an act of revenge for a drug robbery, according to San Antonio Police. Victor Rivas, 18, is accused of killing Soto after the younger boy stole THC-related drugs. Rivas allegedly used an underage girl to lure the boy outside his home before opening fire. Emotions spilled over at a subsequent hearing, where four members of the Soto family leapt over a partition as Rivas took the stand. They were arrested and charged with assault and disruption of court proceedings. A baby girl born in Gaza was an orphan before she was even born after she was delivered by caesarean section following the death of her mother. Doctors rushed to save the baby after her young mother, Hanadi Abu Amsha, was killed in an Israeli air strike, according to reports by Palestinian news outlets. After the mother succumbed to her wounds, surgeons were able to remove the newborn from her mother's womb and treat her in an incubator. The girl is now being cared for in the intensive care unit in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaza, reports said. The situation in the hospital was recently described by an American doctor as the 'stuff of nightmares'. All of the child's family are presumed dead. A baby girl (pictured) born in Gaza has been hailed a miracle after she was delivered by caesarean section - but was already an orphan when she took her first breath Doctors rushed to save the baby (pictured on Monday) after her mother, Hanadi Abu Amsha, was killed in Israeli air strikes, according to reports by Palestinian news outlets Israeli forces launched an offensive into Gaza in response to the October 7 terror attack carried out by the Hamas terror group, which killed around 1,200 people. The IDF's offensive on the small coastal strip has left more than 25,000 dead, according to Palestinian health officials, many of them children. Estimates suggest 10,000 children - or one in every 150 - has been killed in the war. Thousands more people are feared dead, lost under the rubble, officials say. Meanwhile, nearly 20,000 babies have been born in conditions 'beyond belief' in Gaza since the start of the Israeli offensive, the UN children's agency UNICEF said. Last week, the organisation described the Gaza Strip as 'the most dangerous place in the world to be a child' amid the unfolding humanitarian crisis. Pictures from the hospital on Monday showed the tiny orphaned baby being cared for by nurses. She is seen inside an incubator and being fed with a bottle, staring out through the glass of the incubator at the photographer. According to a video report by the Palestinian Wafa News Agency, the baby was brought to the hospital in late December. It suggested that the mother was killed at the site of a school in Gaza. The MailOnline was not able to independently verify this. At first, the newborn struggled from a lack of oxygen, the report says, something which was expected due to the death of her mother. The report adds that authorities have not been able to track down any other relatives of the baby. It is understood that once the baby is nursed back to health, she will be put up for adoption. During his most recent visit, UNICEF's deputy executive director Ted Chaiban said the situation in Gaza has gone 'from catastrophic to near collapse'. 'This is a war against children. But these truths do not seem to be getting across. Of the nearly 25,000 people who have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the escalation of hostilities, up to 70% are women and children,' he added. The girl is now being cared for in the intensive care unit in Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, located in central Gaz (pictured)a. The situation in the hospital was described by an American doctor as the 'stuff of nightmares' Pictures from the hospital on Monday show the tiny baby being cared for by nurses On Monday, the IDF said it had launched a major operation to seize remaining parts of Khan Younis, the main city in the south of the enclave, which is sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. 'Over the past day, IDF troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis and deepened the operation in the area,' the military said. 'Ground troops engaged in close-quarters combat, directed strikes, and used intelligence to coordinate fire, resulting in the elimination of dozens of terrorists.' Israeli tanks, advancing west across the crowded city towards the Mediterranean, shut the last road out towards the coast on Tuesday, blocking the escape route for civilians trying to flee southwest towards the Egyptian border, residents said. 'I am trying to leave for Rafah but the tanks are now very near to the coast and are firing toward the west,' said Shaban, 45, an electrical engineer with four children. Speaking to Reuters, he said he still hoped to evacuate his family to the north. At least 195 Palestinians were killed in the space of 24 hours, raising the documented toll to 25,490, according to Palestinian health officials, who say thousands more dead are feared lost in the rubble. Palestinian officials said the advancing Israelis had blockaded hospitals, making it impossible to reach the dead and wounded. Press members hold a demonstration in front of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital to mark the 'Palestinian Journalist's Loyalty Day' in Deir al-Balah, Gaza on December 31, 2023 Pressure from the IDF has mounted on the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the orphaned baby is being cared for, in recent days. Many people inside have begun fleeing for their lives fearing that the facility is no longer a safe haven, according to a report from Al Jazeera. Witnesses have said civilians have been picked off by unmanned Israeli quadcopters, or drones, shooting anything that moves outside the building. Israel has long accused Hamas of using hospitals and other civilian facilities as military bases, and thus as human shields - something Hamas denies. In a report for NPR on January 10, American Dr Seema Jilani said the situation at the hospital was the 'stuff of nightmares'. From the hospital, she said there were 'children lying on the ground, a double amputation on one child, and there are no beds available. 'There's not really room or space for us to breathe or think.' Israeli artillery fires towards targets in the Gaza Strip, as seen from an undisclosed location in Israel, January 23 2024 Israeli Merkava tanks stationed along the southern part of the border with the Gaza Strip near Khan Yunis, as seen from an undisclosed location in Israel, January 23 2024 She told NPR that the hospital is on the brink of collapse, with 500 patients arriving in just one night despite the facility haveing very limited supplies. Dr Jilani said she had no morphine or portable oxygen to administer to anyone. 'I've always told myself there's not much we can do in medicine, but we can treat pain and it's no longer true anymore, so we cannot even offer any comfort here. 'There is no death with dignity when you're lying on the ground of an emergency room in Gaza,' she added. An audio recording obtained by DailyMail.com reveals the extraordinary moment when what appears to be Arizona's top Republican official tried to bribe populist firebrand Kari Lake not to run in the state's Senate race. Jeff DeWit, 51, chair of the Arizona Republican Party, can be heard asking Lake, a close ally of Donald Trump, to name her price to stay out of politics for two years. 'There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,' he tells her in a conversation recorded at the start of March last year. DeWit tells Lake, 54, one of the most public faces of the former president's MAGA movement and a woman frequently spoken of as a 2024 vice-presidential pick, that he thinks Trump will lose and it is time to make way for someone else. After asking her not to mention the conversation to anyone, he makes his first offer. Jeff DeWit and his wife Marina with President Donald Trump. DeWit was elected chair of the Arizona Republican Party last year. Soon after, he urged Kari Lake to step back from politics for two years. 'There are very powerful people who want to keep you out,' he told you 'So the ask I got today from back east was: "Is there any companies out there or something that could just put her on the payroll to keep her out? Lake reacts with indignation. 'This is about defeating Trump and I think that's a bad, bad thing for our country,' she said. Later, DeWit, who was chief operating officer on the Trump's 2020 campaign frames it differently. 'Just say, is there a number at which....' he begins. Lake cut in: 'I can be bought? That's what it's about.' 'You can take a pause for a couple of years. You can go right back to what you're doing.' Lake repeatedly rebuffs him and says she wouldn't do it for a billion dollars. 'This is not about money, it's about our country,' she says. Pressure is already growing on DeWit to step down as state party chairman Lake described what happened to an audience at the Conservative Political Action Committee last year. 'They called me before and said I got to talk to you in person. It's can't be done over the phone,' she said, as she revealed how an unnamed person had tried to buy her off Two sources confirmed DeWit's identity as the speaker. He and his press secretary did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Lake's office also did not respond. At the time of their conversation, Lake was publicly mulling a run for the U.S. Senate. And the episode reveals the tensions triggered after she refused to accept defeat in the 2022 Arizona governor race. She emerged as a national figure, becoming a regular on Fox News as she echoed Trump's election denialism. That put her at odds with the more traditional wing of the Republican Party who feared a new breed of Trump loyalist may alienate big donors. In October, she announced her run. Lake has previously discussed the extraordinary effort to keep her out of the race, but never revealed who was behind it. On Monday, Arizona talk show host Garret Lewis named DeWit, who was elected chairman of the party in January last year. He was state treasurer of the party before being appointed by Trump to be NASA's chief financial officer. Arizona party officials quickly called for him to step down as news of his offer to Lake spread. DeWit was nominated to be the chief financial officer of NASA by the Trump administration. He was confirmed by the Senate in 2018 and stepped down two years later Lake is frequently talked about as possible vice presidential pick for Trump's 2024 ticket 'If this is, in fact, true, I'm asking AZGOP Chairman Jeff DeWit to resign." said Maricopa County Republican Committee Chairman Craig Berland. It is latest in a string of scandals to hit state Republican Parties. Earlier this month the Florida party ousted its chairman after the police said he was being investigated for sexual assault. The new 10-minute audio clip includes DeWit asking for secrecy. 'If you say no, its fine, it's your choice, don't tell people,' he tells Lake. Later he sets out the rationale behind the offer. 'I think what it really comes down to for a lot of people, its not about like control or agenda,' he says. 'It's about the ability to raise money to win.' Lake sticks to her guns. 'I don't want to make a deal with these kinds of people. This is a hill worth dying on,' she said. 'I'm not ... if they're gonna steal the election to make me and our movement go away. I'm not letting them do that. 'I owe it to the people of Arizona to carry their torch and voice.' Lake has been on the campaign trail for Trump during the past month, spending time in Iowa and New Hampshire to encourage supporters to vote. She is seen here at a rally in Rochester, new Hampshire, on Sunday Lake revealed the approach days after it happened. She used an appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference to describe how someone had shown up at her door. 'They called me before and said I got to talk to you in person. It's can't be done over the phone,' she said. She described being asked to name her price for getting out of politics for two years. 'Now I'm going to be honest, at that very moment. I wanted to sic my dog on him,' she told the audience in Orlando, Florida. 'But I have a pug and it wasn't gonna happen.' At Sandringham on Christmas Day as the Duke of York was captured on video asking the crowd why they all had their phones out to record the royal family, it quickly became clear who the fans were really interested in. Sarah, Sarah! came the calls from well-wishers, drowning out Prince Andrew as he attempted to explain what it was like being confronted by a wall of phones. No one cared. The person they really wanted to chat to, the person they most admired in this weirdly uncoupled couple, was the Duchess of York, the woman who hadnt walked alongside the royals to a Christmas Day church service for more than 30 years. Its been a long time coming but Fergie, the larger-than-life, chaotic but eternally optimistic and well-meaning duchess, has come in from the cold yet in the cruellest turn of events her newfound happiness and calm has been upended by not one, but two cancer diagnoses. Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York attends the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church for the first time in 32 years Sarah stayed at the Mayrlife Clinic in Austria where she rested and recuperated Sarah proved very popular on 'Good Morning Britain in December 2023 We used to say poor Fergie with ridicule and more than a little disdain. Now we say it with genuine affection and concern because the 64-year-old grandmother of three has suffered breathtaking bad luck. Last year she revealed she was being treated for breast cancer, a process which involved a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, and now she has discovered she has skin cancer of the worst kind a malignant melanoma. Tests are ongoing to determine whether the cancer has spread. It's all the more distressing because the royal once so maligned for her poor decisions, grasping behaviour and downright stupidity, has recently undergone a midlife reawakening. Shes now a hard-working career woman, a charity dynamo, a devoted mother, loyal ex-wife and a careful and enthusiastic cheerleader for the new-look royal family. If a measure of maturity is finally learning to think less about yourself and more about others, and to be guided by kindness above all else, then Sarah Ferguson has finally grown up. Poor Fergie. To have finally got her life together after decades of shame and scorn and then to find herself contemplating not seeing her grandchildren grow up, as she admitted on her podcast, is desperately sad. We all remember the toe-sucking, the attempts to sell access to Prince Andrew and the bad financial decisions, but underneath it all was probably just a girl with abandonment issues. Remember, Sarah was just 14 when her mother Susan Barrantes left home to live in Argentina with a polo player. Yet in modern therapy speak, Fergie has done the work. Those who know her say she is still fun-loving and demonstrative but theres a newfound restraint. Sarah seen with the late Queen's dog, and revealed that they had both been grieving too Sarah Ferguson launched a podcast with her friend Sarah Thompson in 2023 Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson together at Ascot in 2019 Like Camilla, like Kate, like Zara Tindall, she occupies that unique position of having one foot within the royal family and the experience of having the other outside of it. Its why she was so honest about her breast cancer urging others to check their breasts and why, now, she is sharing intimate details of her latest diagnosis. She has been brave and generous in discussing her health challenges but with her father being diagnosed with skin cancer three months before his death from a heart attack in 2003, Sarah must be deeply worried about where this will lead. Here in Australia, where two in three people will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime, we are applauding the extraordinary transparency by the royal family in discussing their health issues. We dont see these challenges as weakness but as the reality of being human. To share your private medical setbacks knowing there will be heightened speculation just as youre trying to manage your own personal fears - goes beyond the expected duty and service. Its an act of grace. Police chiefs faced questions yesterday after a landmark review of wrongdoing looking at the record of every officer in the country led to only nine criminal investigations. In a national assessment billed as the largest 'integrity screening' in police history, only five officers and four members of staff were flagged as requiring criminal investigation out of UK's 307,452 police officers, staff and volunteers. Notably in the Metropolitan Police, the review didn't find a single case worthy of criminal investigation even though its own Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has previously said he wants to root out hundreds of officers for wrongdoing. Yesterday victims campaigners were incredulous at the tiny number of investigations required, suggesting policing's 'clean bill of health' may reveal more about shortcomings in force data. Checks on the Police National Database for every employee were ordered by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) after the conviction of a series of police predators including Sarah Everard's killer Wayne Couzens and serial rapist David Carrick which sparked fears that other criminals were lurking in the ranks. Notably in the Metropolitan Police, the review didn't find a single case worthy of criminal investigation even though its own Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley (pictured) has previously said he wants to root out hundreds of officers for wrongdoing Yesterday victims campaigners were incredulous at the tiny number of investigations required, suggesting policing's 'clean bill of health' may reveal more about shortcomings in force data. Pictured: File photo Analysts looking at criminal records, HR information and police intelligence logs held on officers and staff unearthed 461 cases classed as serious enough to warrant assessment by a senior officer. Of those, only nine cases led to a criminal investigation for sexual offences, drugs, theft and fraud. Another 88 individuals faced a disciplinary investigation, 139 had their vetting reviewed, 128 faced management intervention and 97 cases were found to require no further action. But the review only looked at 'new information or intelligence' held by forces, excluding previous criminal convictions, ongoing investigations or alleged wrongdoing that bosses were already aware of. Yesterday Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, the NPCC lead for the 'data washing' exercise was unable to say how many of the 461 officers and staff flagged had criminal convictions, saying the assessment did not consider this. She stressed that the review team had gone to great lengths to interrogate intelligence on police systems for example assessing whether an officer's home had ever been used in criminality. Stressing the thoroughness of the review, she said: 'While the historical data wash has resulted in some cases which require criminal or disciplinary investigation, this low number, together with the fact these people have now been identified and appropriate action taken, should provide reassurance that we are committed to the highest standards of integrity and will continue to deal robustly with those who fall below these standards.' But former Victims Commissioner Vera Baird, QC, questioned its narrow remit: 'Surprise, surprise, there isn't very much on the police's own intelligence systems about their own officers because otherwise many more would have been under investigation long ago. Checks on the Police National Database for every employee were ordered by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) after the conviction of a series of police predators including Sarah Everard 's killer Wayne Couzens (left) and serial rapist David Carrick (right) Analysts looking at criminal records, HR information and police intelligence logs held on officers and staff unearthed 461 cases classed as serious enough to warrant assessment by a senior officer. Pictured: File photo 'How is this new information defined? And what do you do about history, draw a line and say it doesn't matter if this officer has got previous convictions, doesn't matter if he is already under investigation, doesn't matter if he is accused of raping a child, none of that is relevant to the question of police integrity if this was known to his force the day before the review started? 'I see clear flaws in this, there is no prospect of anybody feeling that they can rely on this to give the police a clean bill of health. 'It is simply not credible that there are only nine people nationally who require criminal investigation.' Previous reports have highlighted shortcomings in police data regarding officer criminality. In 2022 the NPCC acknowledged: 'Data collected locally about police misconduct is not recorded in a detailed and consistent manner, making it more difficult to provide accurate and timely insight into police-perpetrated VAWG (violence against women and girls)' When the Bureau of Investigative Journalists later made a Freedom of Information request for the number of non-molestation orders against officers, most forces said they didn't hold that information. Harriet Wistrich from the Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) said: 'The outcome that only a tiny number of police officers from across the country have been found to require further investigation simply does not accord with the recent findings in the Met police alone as revealed in the Baroness Casey report and Operation Onyx (a review of 1,600 sex abuse and domestic abuse cases involving officers and staff). 'Neither does it accord with the evidence we have collected from women who have come forward to CWJ following our police super complaint submitted in March 2020. 'The explanation for such a virtually clean bill of health must lie in the significant problems in the collection of data that the police themselves have identified.' The Home Office has now promised 500,000 to establish a continuous integrity screening programme so forces are automatically notified when officers are convicted. Currently it is left to individual officers to inform their bosses if they have committed an offence in another part of the country. Policing Minister Chris Philp said: 'Public confidence in police has been damaged by a number of truly shocking cases, and we must take action to root out any officer not fit to serve. 'While we know that the vast majority of officers and police staff - over 99 per cent - are brave, hard-working and dedicated to protecting the public, new serious concerns have been raised in a small number of cases as a result of this work. The police are now carefully scrutinising these cases, and we will continue to work with the police to remove those who fall short of the standards we expect. 'That is why we are making it easier for the police to sack rogue officers and we will be providing half a million pounds so forces can roll out automated and continuous vetting. 'We will stop at nothing to restore trust in policing and keep people safe.' ends Maine's attorney general has called women 'persons who have a womb' and 'persons who have a uterus' as he proposed adding abortion rights to the state's constitution. Democrat Aaron Frey proposed the amendment to Maine's state constitution on Monday, claiming it would enshrine the right to abortion and apply to 'persons who have uteruses.' 'The ability to carry a child belongs to that person who has a womb. I understand that there are others who believe they know better than the person who has the womb as to how they should use it,' Frey said. 'I believe that this, what is proposed is written to recognize, persons who have a uterus, decisions that they get to make with how they're going to use it. There are some individuals who have a uterus that do not claim the pronoun he or she.' Maine law allows abortions up to fetal viability, which is typically 24 weeks. Moreover, there is an exception to the law when the mother's life is in danger or the fetus has a deadly condition. Maine 's attorney general Aaron Frey called women 'persons who have a womb' and 'persons who have a uterus' as he proposed adding abortion rights to the state's constitution Many social media users have expressed anger about Frey's comments, claiming his words are exclusionary and disrespectful to women. One comment reads: 'We are women. You are NOT allowed to take that from us!' Another says: 'Living here is becoming more and more like Funny Farm every day. Actually, it's moving toward One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest territory.' A third added: 'Why is Maine trying to be a joke?' Progressive activists have increasingly began using terms like 'person with a womb' or 'pregnant people,' claiming the word 'woman' is exclusionary of trans and nonbinary people. Last month, the CDC was slammed for its new health guidance in which it replaced the word 'women' with the gender-neutral term 'pregnant people. DailyMail.com found all gender-specific terms including 'she,' 'her,' 'women' and 'mother' were omitted and gender-neutral terms like 'pregnant people' and 'pregnant person' were used instead. Many social media users have expressed anger about Frey's comments, claiming his words are exclusionary and disrespectful to women Many of Frey's critics pointed to a scandal last year that saw him cheat on his girlfriend of 12 years with a married woman who worked for him. An outside investigation found that Frey was not guilty of any wrongdoing. Portland-based HR Studio Group, which conducted the investigation, said in a report that 'While the OAG is held to a higher standard, those who work in the OAG, including AG Frey, are human and not infallible.' The report added: 'What we have, I believe, is an opportunity to strengthen a policy and awareness and while continuing to focus on the important work of the office rather than on a personal, consensual relationship that has found its way into the public eye for reasons only known by a disgruntled family.' Frey said the relationship had been an 'error in judgment.' 'I have heard that our policy is not as robust as it could be with supervisor/supervisee relationships,' he said. 'There is no policy or professional rule or statute. The error in judgment was that while the relationship may have been permitted, it doesn't mean that people should not have the transparency, and disclosure is important. 'While the relationship is fine, most policies do allow for the disclosure. I'm not just anybody. This was going to get some attention. Even though disclosure is not required, it was owed. I did owe that transparency.' Humza Yousaf and Scotland's national clinical chief discussed how to get around Covid face mask rules, the official inquiry heard today. Professor Jason Leitch told Mr Yousaf - then Scottish health secretary - that he would technically be within the regulations standing around chatting as long as he had a drink in his hands 'at all times'. The WhatsApp exchange took place in November 2021, when in people were not obliged to wear masks if they were sitting to eat or drink north of the border, but had to while moving around a bar or restaurant. However, grilled on the messages at the inquiry today, Professor Leitch said he was merely advising the SNP minister on how to stay within the rules. The official probe is currently taking evidence in Edinburgh about the Scottish Government's handling of the pandemic. Prof Jason Leitch told Humza Yousaf that he would technically be within the regulations standing around chatting as long as he had a drink in his hands The WhatsApp exchange took place in November 2021, when in people were not obliged to wear masks if they were sitting to eat or drink north of the border, but had to while moving around a bar or restaurant In the WhatsApp exchange, Mr Yousaf asked about mask rules ahead of an event he was attending. 'I know sitting at the table I don't need my mask,' Mr Yousaf said in the partially redacted message. 'If I'm standing talking to folk need me mask on (sic)?' Responding, the national clinical director said: 'Officially yes. 'But literally no one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then you're exempt. 'So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink.' Counsel to the inquiry Jamie Dawson KC suggested Prof Leitch had given Mr Yousaf a 'work around to enable him to attend the function, not wear a mask and get out of complying with the rules'. But Prof Leitch said: 'No, that follows the rules. 'If he has a drink and it's a drinks reception-type environment, then that follows the rules. 'I gave him advice to show him how to comply.' When Mr Dawson pointed to the professor telling Mr Yousaf to 'have a drink in your hands at ALL times', he replied: 'Having a drink in your hands means you don't have to wear a mask.' He added: 'The nuance here is somebody approaches you because you're the Cabinet Secretary for Health, or the national clinical director, talks to you at the table and you stand to speak to them.' In July of 2021, Nicola Sturgeon announced that most coronavirus restrictions would be lifted, but masks would still be needed indoors. Following an outcry from the hospitality industry, the final guidance was amended, removing the need to wear a mask in clubs and people were allowed to drink in pubs while standing. Prof Leitch went on to say there was 'nuance' in the rules as lockdown was easing during that period, with this being one such situation. Asked how the public was supposed to understand that level of complexity, the adviser admitted regulations were 'tricky' during that period. Earlier, Prof Leitch said he regularly deleted messages during the pandemic. The national clinical director went on to claim a message he sent claiming deletion to be a 'pre-bed ritual' was a 'flippant exaggeration'. He said: 'As you've heard, the record retention policy was that you could use informal messaging systems for Scottish Government business. 'If you did, you should ensure that any advice or any decisions or anything that should be in the corporate record was then placed in that corporate record by email, briefing, etc, and then you should delete the informal messaging, and that's the guidance I followed.' Mr Dawson then read out a statement from Mr Leitch in which he said: 'Except for direct messages from my Twitter account, I have not retained any one-to-one informal communications in relation to the management of the pandemic in Scotland, this is because I followed the policy described in more detail above.' Mr Dawson asked: 'So, you used text messages, WhatsApp messages, is that right? But you did not retain them above and beyond the interpretation of the policy that you've just set out for us?' In July of 2021, Nicola Sturgeon announced that most coronavirus restrictions would be lifted, but masks would still be needed indoor Mr Leitch replied: 'Correct.' He was also asked about a message exchange shown to the inquiry last week in which he appeared to suggest deleting WhatsApp messages was a 'pre-bed ritual'. Mr Leitch said: 'I didn't daily delete my WhatsApp. My position is as I have just described to you that I tried to do today's work today and if I could assure myself that work had been managed and dealt with, then I would delete the informal messaging that had led to that moment. 'But this was a flippant exaggeration in an informal messaging group and it wasn't done every day before I went to bed.' The comments come amid a growing political storm over the retention of informal messages during the pandemic. The inquiry has heard both former first minister Nicola Sturgeon and her deputy, John Swinney, both did not retain messages, while a message from Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith who testified on Monday showed him instructing colleagues to 'delete at the end of every day'. The videos showed the young girl being attacked and stabbed in the stomach with a pencil Ana Calderon and Miguel Salguero discovered cuts and bruises on their daughter in December and demanded answers from Ira Earl Elementary School The parents of an eight-year-old girl who was left with bruises and puncture wounds after bullies stabbed her with pencils have been left furious at the school's perceived inaction. Ana Calderon and Miguel Salguero discovered a series of cuts on their daughter's body on December 8 and demanded answers from Ira Earl Elementary School in Las Vegas. 'She was really bruised,' Calderon told KSNV television station. 'Her legs, inside of her leg, her wrist.' The parents took the young girl to the hospital and called the police to make a report. Authorities looked at surveillance video and the incident took place in the school library between 1.03pm and 1.11pm on December 6 and saw the girl being attacked and stabbed with a pencil in the stomach. The names of the eight-year-old boys who attacked were redacted from an investigation report, which said the girl tried to get away but was stopped by one while the other stabbed her. The parents of an eight-year-old girl in Las Vegas who was left with bruises and puncture wounds after bullies stabbed her with pencils Parents Ana Calderon (pictured) and Miguel Salguero discovered a series of cuts on their daughter's body on December 8 and demanded answers from Ira Earl Elementary School Authorities looked at surveillance video and the incident took place in the school library between 1.03pm and 1.11pm on December 6 and showed the girl being attacked with a pencil Calderon asked her daughter about how she got the injuries after noticing the bruises and cuts. 'I asked her what happened, and she wouldn't say,' Calderon said. 'My mom asked her if it was a boy that did this, and she said two boys had stabbed her with a pencil.' Calderon and her husband then went to the doctors and filed a report with the Clark County School District police. 'First thing, I was angry. But at the same time, I was surprised. That was hard on her. She had those wounds,' Salguero said. The school district launched an investigation into the incident and found it happened in the library. 'Yeah, I was really surprised because it was a long time that my daughter was alone and nobody else was in the library,' Calderon said. The names of the boys were left out of an incident report which said: 'I observe *** walking around with a wooden #2 pencil, cornering *** in an aisle of the library. '*** is then seen stabbing *** multiple times around her stomach.' The eight-year-old girl tried to run away but one of the boys blocked her before the other one stabbed her, according to the report. 'I never would have imagined that an eight-year-old would be so cruel to another child,' her mother Calderon said. 'I think the school and the teachers are responsible since they are there to watch after the kids.' Parents conferences were held with the two boys involved in the incident on December 12. No criminal charges have been brought against the children due to their age. The eight-year-old girl tried to run away but one of the boys blocked her before the other one stabbed her, according to the report Salguero moved his daughter out of Ira Earl Elementary because they believed she was no longer safe The boys reportedly 'admitted to stabbing *** with a pencil but could not give a valid reason as to why,' according to the report. Calderon and Salguero were told the two boys were suspended and Calderon but angrily said 'they should have been expelled'. Her parents are waiting to get access to the surveillance footage that shows the young girl being stabbed. Their attorney, Amanda Laub, says it should never have happened and it is the latest example of bullying in the school district. 'Why are eight-year-old kids alone?,' she asked. 'As the parents have said, they're eight-year-old kids and the school must protect their children while the children are at school.' DailyMail.com has contacted Clark County School District for comment. However, it told KSNV it could not discuss individual student matters due to privacy but that all bullying allegations are investigated. You probably haven't noticed, given the paucity of coverage in the media, but the Democrats are also holding a primary election in New Hampshire today. All the attention has been on the Republican contest in the Granite State, which will almost certainly confirm Donald Trump as the party's presidential candidate and mark the end of the road for Nikki Haley's bid to be the nominee. It's already sounded the political death knell of Florida governor Ron DeSantis. So, it's not surprising the Republican primary has made all the headlines. But the Democratic contest might just generate news of its own by giving President Biden a bloody nose. How come? Let me start with a little background. Early last year, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), in its wisdom, decided to end over a century of tradition, during which New Hampshire had always been the first Democratic primary, by awarding that accolade to South Carolina for 2024. The DNC cynically claimed New Hampshire was 'too white' and the Palmetto State more suitably 'diverse' because of its large black population and so more representative of the nation. It's not surprising the Republican primary has made all the headlines. But the Democratic contest might just generate news of its own by giving President Biden a bloody nose. Biden was a big fan of the move. He'd come a poor fifth in the New Hampshire primary in 2020 and owed the state no favors. Indeed, it was South Carolina which revived his ailing campaign, propelling him to the Democratic nomination and, eventually, the White House. So, with presidential approval, South Carolina was duly promoted to pole position. The New Hampshire Democrats were furious. The State Party Chairman described the DNC as less popular than the New York Yankees among his party faithful (New Hampshire avidly supports the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees' deadly rivals). In fact, they were so angry that they decided to proceed with their own primary without DNC approval. State law mandated that New Hampshire must always be first, they said. The DNC described it as 'meaningless' because it wouldn't even determine the state's delegates at the Democratic convention. Local Democrats said they didn't care they were having a primary. The only candidate of note to be running is Dean Phillips, a Minnesota congressman and a multi-millionaire businessman who could bankroll his own campaign. For a while he made no impact. At one rally he staged, nobody turned up. By early January he was still languishing in the polls at 6 percent. The Democratic establishment dismissed him as a no-hoper. But suddenly his campaign started to have traction. People packed out his rallies and he was holding three a day. Biden's people started to panic. Biden's name is not on the ballot but a campaign to 'write in' his name on the ballot paper was ramped up. Over 1,000 local party activists were mobilized to encourage the write in. They have been desperately trying to raise the profile of the primary and encourage Biden supporters to go to the polls. They expect to win. But there's winning and there's winning and some historical precedents to suggest the outcome could be more significant than most people realize. The only candidate of note to be running is Dean Phillips (pictured), a Minnesota congressman and a multi-millionaire businessman who could bankroll his own campaign. For a while he made no impact. At one rally he staged, nobody turned up. By early January he was still languishing in the polls. The Democratic establishment dismissed him as a no-hoper. But suddenly his campaign started to have traction. People packed out his rallies and he was holding three a day. Biden's people started to panic. Biden's name is not on the ballot but a campaign to 'write in' his name on the ballot paper was ramped up. Over 1,000 local party activists have been desperately trying to raise the profile of the primary. They expect to win. But there's winning and there's winning - and some historical precedents to suggest the outcome could be more significant than most people realize. Back in 1968, another Minnesota politician, Senator Eugene McCarthy, decided to run in the New Hampshire primary against President Johnson on an anti-Vietnam War ticket. Like Biden this year, Johnson wasn't on the ballot paper and, again like Biden, a 'write in' campaign was organized for the president. Johnson won but only by 48 percent to 42 percent. The media and many Democratic activists interpreted the result as, in effect, a humiliating defeat for the President. Within two weeks Johnson had decided to throw in the towel and not seek his party's renomination for a second full term. An even earlier precedent is also interesting and relevant. In 1952 an increasingly unpopular President Truman, like Johnson haunted by an interminable war (in this case the Korean War), was challenged in New Hampshire by Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver, who had gained national prominence by chairing televised congressional hearings on organized crime and corruption. This time Truman was on the ballot and he lost to Kefauver. Eighteen days later Truman announced he would not seek renomination as the Democratic presidential candidate. Now, I do not argue that the Democratic New Hampshire primary of 2024 will have such a dramatic impact as the ones in 1952 and 1968. Phillips is no McCarthy or Kefauver and it's also not clear where his candidacy would go after New Hampshire even if he won there. But the anger of local Democrats against Biden and the DNC is palpable. Many are of a mind to give both a kicking. If Phillips was to win or, more likely, come a strong second with Biden getting less than 50 percent of the vote, then there is virtually no chance our stubborn President would simply pull out, like Truman and Johnson. But it would reinforce the views of many Democrats that Biden is the wrong candidate for 2024 and that it is a mistake of historic proportions to allow him to take his party's nomination unchallenged. Back in 1968, another Minnesota politician, Senator Eugene McCarthy (pictured), decided to run in the New Hampshire primary against President Johnson on an anti-Vietnam War ticket. Like Biden this year, Johnson wasn't on the ballot paper and, again like Biden, a 'write in' campaign was organized for the president. Johnson won but only by 48 percent to 42 percent. The media and many Democratic activists interpreted the result as, in effect, a humiliating defeat for the President. Within two weeks Johnson had decided to throw in the towel and not seek his party's renomination for a second full term. (Picutred: McCarthy, left, and President Johnson at the White House). In 1952 an increasingly unpopular President Truman was challenged in New Hampshire by Tennessee Senator Estes Kefauver (pictured). This time Truman was on the ballot - and he lost to Kefauver. Eighteen days later Truman announced he would not seek renomination as the Democratic presidential candidate. A majority even of registered Democrats think he is too old to run again. Among voters as a whole, his disapproval rating is at 58 percent, which is huge for a sitting president. His cognitive decline continues apace for all to see. It will likely speed up as the demands of the campaign take their toll. A setback in New Hampshire will be dismissed by his cheerleaders as of no importance, an insignificant bump on the clear road to his renomination as the Democratic presidential candidate for 2024. They might be right. But should Phillips do well tonight, more and more Democrats will shake their heads and wonder, some aloud, why Biden has been given such a clear run to head a ticket many fear will go down to defeat in November. Many Democrats running for state and federal office already fear their own chances of victory are diminished in a campaign led by Biden. The party risks ignoring New Hampshire's unofficial, rebel primary at its peril. This is the wild moment a fire truck loses control and spins down an icy Missouri street at full speed while terrified onlookers scream. The Rock Community Fire Protection District was responding to a fire alarm in a Jefferson County subdivision near St. Louis when the incident took place. In shocking footage - the truck was captured on video as it flew down the icy road, spinning in circles as it went. The truck came terrifyingly close to slamming into a home on the street before it banged into a vehicle - causing a massive crashing sound. Scared bystanders panicked on the porch of their home screaming 'oh my God' and even shrieking at one point. This is the wild moment a fire truck loses control and spins down an icy Missouri street at full speed while terrified onlookers scream The Rock Community Fire Protection District was responding to a fire alarm in a Jefferson County subdivision near St. Louis Scared bystanders panicked on the porch of their home screaming 'oh my God' over and over again and even shrieking at one point Neighbors Joe Lawson and Katelynn Voisey recorded videos of the fire truck as it lost traction on the sloping, curved road which was coated with slippery ice. After crashing into the car, the truck lodged on a grassy area between two houses. 'At approximately 7:00am the Rock Community Fire Protection District was dispatched to a still other alarm on the 1700 block of Parkside Place,' a statement from the Rocky Community Fire Protection District said. 'Upon responding in the inclement weather the Rock Community apparatus began to slide and would eventually strike the car involved in the original accident and come to a stop. 'There is no structural damage to report during this incident and both the fire truck involved and the original car involved both sustained damage. 'No injuries were reported during this incident for anyone involved.' The unsettling incident involving the emergency vehicle comes amidst drastic and dangerous weather conditions that have spread out over parts of the U.S. this week. The plans and Southern portions of the U.S. have been hit by icy winter weather that has caused hazards, especially for drivers. Scared bystanders panicked on the porch of their home screaming 'oh my God' and even shrieking at one point The truck came terrifyingly close to slamming into a home on the street before it banged into a vehicle - causing a massive crashing sound After crashing into the car, the truck lodged on a grassy area between two houses Slick and icy roadways have developed over the week from previous storms and might get more dangerous as the National Weather Service warned for dangerous road conditions in Missouri, along with possible power outages. As of Monday, 70 million people from northern Texas to the Great Lakes have been put under a winter weather advisory and have been told to use caution on roadways. The continued cold weather is responsible for at least 27 deaths in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. Mississippi's Emergency Management Agency said Sunday that 11 people died from causes related to frigid weather since January 14. Another 16 deaths have been linked to the weather in Oregon, including a pregnant 21-year-old, her 15-year-old brother and boyfriend after live cables fell on their car and shocked them to death. Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Washington, Kentucky, Wisconsin, New York and New Jersey have also seen deaths. Serbian rights watchdogs today urged authorities to allow chaperones to attend births in hospital, after a newborn died last week during an alleged case of violence by a doctor. The Balkan country has been rattled since reports surfaced last week of a Roma woman accusing her gynaecologist of 'jumping on her stomach' and insulting her ethnicity while she was in labour. Her newborn later died. The doctor in the northwestern town of Sremska Mitrovica has since been arrested on accusations of jeopardising a person's health, police confirmed, and was in custody. Meanwhile, the board of directors of the town's General Hospital responded to the calls, approving new measures allowing women to appoint one person of choice to accompany them in childbirth, provided they can pass standard medical checks. But the victim today told local media that a post mortem report simply concluded that her baby's death was caused by 'violent childbirth'. Following the harrowing incident, social media was flooded with similar testimonies involving abuse during gynaecological procedures and medical staff allegedly assaulting patients in Serbia. General Hospital in Sremska Mitrovica Activists say women in the region have faced abusive medical treatment for decades, where discussions of such issues are often taboo. In Serbia and across the Balkans, a combination of patriarchal values and a weak legal system has allowed for various types of violence against women to often go unchecked. The Kreni-Promeni advocacy group has said it collected more than 190,000 signatures in a petition calling for reforms that would allow for pregnant women to be accompanied by a partner while giving birth. The petition was delivered to the Serbian health ministry this morning. 'This is a call to protect all future mothers, so that they can feel safer and that they will bring their babies to the world in a better and less stressful environment,' said Marina Pavlic, executive director of Kreni-Promeni, in a statement. Responding to news of the case last week, Minister of Health Danica Grujicic said: 'Obstetric violence is inadmissible. We must give special attention and care to pregnant women and women in labour. We will work on additional education of colleagues and protect mothers and pregnant women in every way.' But she went on to caution against a mass discrediting of doctors. Serbian Minister of Health Minister of Health Danica Grujicic 'If the witch hunt starts now, in five years no one will want to be a gynaecologist or an obstetrician. 'Complications happen everywhere in the world within a certain percentage - we need to reach that allowed percentage.' A 2015 survey showed that 10 percent of Serbian women do not want to have another child following traumatic hospital experiences with their first child. More than 60 percent of those surveyed said they did not feel protected at childbirth, with many women saying they are not kept in the loop about what doctors are doing during procedures. A report published in 2022 by lawyers Marina Mijatovic, Ivana Sokovic Krsmanovic and Jelena Stankovic found that some 200 women in Serbia experienced 16 different types of violence at the hands of gynaecologists and medical staff during labour. es of medical treatment. Gen Zers are by far the most LGBTQ generation in US history, and they are turning away from religion and the Republican Party in droves, says a survey with big implications for this year's presidential election. Some 41 million members of Gen Z will be eligible to vote in November, estimates show, and a new survey reveals they are leaning toward US President Joe Biden's Democratic Party if they bother to turn out and vote. A Public Religion Research Institute survey shows that Gen Zers, who were born between 1997 and 2012, are the most racially, ethnically and sexually diverse and progressive generation to date. Alejandra Caraballo, a Harvard academic and male-to-female trans influencer, said the survey results showed that: 'It's over for white Christian male hegemony in the United States.' Gen Z TikTokers celebrate how their generation can 'come out' as LGBTQ more easily than others A remarkable 28 percent of Gen Zers say they're LGBTQ, including 15 percent who are bisexual 'Time for an egalitarian and equitable society,' she posted on Threads. The survey comes as voters take part in New Hampshire's primary on Tuesday, setting the stage for an expected face-off between Biden, 81, and former Republican president Donald Trump, 77, in November. Gen Z has 'less trust in many of our nation's institutions,' says Melissa Deckman PRRI's survey of more than 6,000 respondents confirms the left-leaning values of Gen Zers found by other researchers, and sheds new light on their gender and sexual identities and religious habits. More than a quarter of Gen Zers say they're LGBTQ a much bigger share than among all previous cohorts, including Millennials (16 percent), Gen Xers (7 percent) and baby boomers (4 percent). Among Gen Zers, a remarkable 15 percent say they're bisexual. On TikTok, Gen Z creators frequently proclaim that 'Gen Z is Gay' or more 'fluid' than other generations and how it's easier for young people to 'come out' and live 'authentically' nowadays. Still, Jay Richards, of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank, and others, say the large share of Gen Zers to identify as 'bisexual' is more of a fashion statement than a sexual revolution. Nowadays, it pays to be a member of a 'minority,' Richards told DailyMail.com. Voters young and old were casting ballots in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday Male-to-female trans writer and influencer Erin Reed argues that 'Gen Z is gay' Gen Zers also showcase a drift toward liberal politics, with only 21 percent identifying with the GOP Gen Zers also showcase a drift toward liberal politics. Republicans are struggling to attract Gen Z adults, with only 21 percent identifying with the GOP, compared to 36 percent who say they're Democrats. They're also much more likely to say they're a liberal (43 percent) than either a moderate (28 percent) or a conservative (28 percent). It's not clear whether Gen Z's progressive voters will pave the way for a Democratic victory in November. Many younger Americans say they're not excited by Biden as a candidate or this year's election race and could turn out and vote in fewer numbers than in 2020, other studies have shown. Younger progressives have expressed anger that Biden has not done enough to deter Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which has left some 25,000 Palestinians dead. Melissa Deckman, CEO of the polling group, said young adults were already jaded, expressing 'less trust in many of our nation's institutions than older Americans' even as they 'participate in politics at similar or higher rates.' Gen Z is also turning away from Christianity and other types of organized religion. Only 27 percent of gen Z adults say they're white Christians, compared to 54 percent of baby boomers. A third of them describe themselves as not affiliated to any religion, a bigger share than in any cohort except millennials. Haley railed against Fox News, saying she won't crown Trump as GOP winner Nikki Haley told Fox News in a testy back-and-forth that her campaign is going to 'run through the tape' and that she doesn't condone the media coalescing around Trump despite his large lead in the polls. Haley's remarks come after the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll revealed that Trump is leading her by 20 points ahead of Tuesday's primary. 'I don't care how much you all want to coronate Donald Trump,' Haley told the hosts of Fox & Friends in a tense exchange. 'At the end of the day, that's not what Americans want.' In response, host Brian Kilmeade said: 'I'm wondering why you think we're the enemy.' Haley shot back: 'I have looked at the media saying 'this is Donald Trump's to have.' Look at the political class all coalescing and saying everybody needs to get out. That's not democracy.' 'Americans don't want a Trump-Biden rematch,' she continued. 'Americans want a choice and we're going to give that choice.' Haley told Fox News hosts she would not roll over and surrender the GOP nomination to Trump Haley and her campaign are looking for a strong showing in New Hampshire before the primary in her home state of South Carolina The latest DailyMail.com poll puts Haley 20 points behind former president Trump Fox host Ainsley Earhardt tried to alleviate the tension during the interview, admitting to Haley 'we definitely are doing our best to be accurate.' Later in the interview Haley also added that she will have a 'strong showing today here in New Hampshire' and that her campaign is 'headed to South Carolina.' Haley also said she is not interested in a vice presidential role, adding 'I don't play for second.' The former president has orchestrated a show of force since Ron DeSantis dropped out on Sunday unleashing a huge swell of support and endorsements. In rallies he has brought former rivals, including Vivek Ramaswamy and Tim Scott, on stage in what a top campaign aide described as 'Avengers Assemble.' Nikki Haley 's future in the White House race is hanging by a thread with the final DailyMail.com New Hampshire poll showing Donald Trump 20 points ahead going into the primary He now goes into the Republican contest with the chance of repeating his landslide win in the Iowa caucus, vanquishing his final opponent Haley, and locking up the nomination. As the GOP contenders have suspended their campaigns the GOP has fallen in line and anointed Trump as the only candidate who can beat Biden in 2024. The latest DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll shows Trump has 57 per cent support to Haley's 37. Just 24 hours earlier, Haley was only behind by 10 points and had a glimmer of hope if independent and Democrat voters turned out to back her. On the final day the poll of 851 people was conducted, Trump had a 40-point advantage over Haley in respondents asked by J.L. Partners. Even if she sees a swell of support from undeclared New Hampshire residents, she could still struggle to close the gap. 'DeSantis' departure from the race has added rocket fuel to Donald Trump,' J.L. Partners co-founder James Johnson told DailyMail.com. 'He posted an exceptional 40-point lead over Nikki Haley in our final day of fieldwork all after the DeSantis drop. 'This means our final poll taking all days of fieldwork into account gives Trump an advantage of 20 points. 'Add in the fact Haley voters are lacking enthusiasm, and Trump looks set for a landslide victory. The whiff of inevitability now surrounds Donald Trump. If this poll is accurate, then the primary contest ends tonight.' The former president has orchestrated a show of force in recent days that has seen a huge swell of support and endorsements since Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday The latest results come just four days after Haley banned DailyMail.com reporters and photographers from all her campaign events. Trump has been urging his former U.N. Ambassador to drop out and unite behind him so he can take down Joe Biden in a rematch of the 2020 election. Haley has bucked these calls in recent days, and insists she will stay in the race until the primary in her home state of South Carolina in a month. But she is behind Trump in the polls by as much as 20 points in the Palmetto State, and her path to the nomination is getting narrower every day. The first polls open at 6am in the Granite State and the last will close at 8pm. If Trump has an insurmountable lead in the votes, the results could be known before 9pm. If Trump does pull off another victory like Iowa, where he won by 30 points, Haley will be facing a wave of questions of whether she can stay in the race. She has hit the campaign trail hard, filling bars and hotel ballrooms with supporters who don't want to see Trump back on the ticket. The former South Carolina governor has focused on Trump's recent gaffes to insist that he is not mentally fit to be president. But according to DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners data, her message has struggled to break through the dominance of the MAGA faithful. More data from the poll shows Haley backers were motivated by one thing: Stopping Trump. More than half of Haley's fans said the main reason for backing the former South Carolina governor was 'to stop Trump.' And that is part of the reason she is struggling to put a dent in the frontrunner's colossal lead. The results come from a survey of 651 people who said they will vote in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary. The latest DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll shows Trump has 57 per cent support to Haley's 37. Just 24 hours earlier, Haley was only behind by 10 points and had a glimmer of hope if independent and Democrat voters turned out to back her Respondents were asked to explain their choice in a single sentence. 'Nikki Haley's support is not about Nikki Haley. Only two percent say they are voting for her because of her policies,' said Johnson added. 'Instead it is about stopping Donald Trump. That, coupled with low enthusiasm for Haley, limits her voting pool in these primaries to a relatively small number of people, especially in later contests where undeclared voters cannot vote. 'Meanwhile Trump's supporters are energised for positive reasons: Trump's strength, his plans on the economy and above all his record in his first term. 'This is an election that Trump dominates: even his opposition knows it.' Trump's blowout win in Iowa last week means he has already taken one step towards his party's presidential nomination. Another win in New Hampshire would make him all but unstoppable. 'It should be over tomorrow almost irrespective because, by the way, if she won tomorrow, it should be over because there's no path beyond that,' Donald Trump Jr. told reporters of Haley while he was campaigning for his father on Monday in Hollis, N.H. Eriz and girlfriend Wynne Lee, who was driving, face felony charges in connection with the boy's death A bullet pierced Aiden's liver, lung and heart as he was heading to school The mother of a six-year-old shot dead in an alleged fit of road rage testified that her son's accused killer smiled at her before firing his gun from a nearby car. Joanna Cloonan took the stand on Monday in Santa Ana, California. Marcus Anthony Eriz, 26, faces second-degree murder charges in relation to the death of Aiden Leos, who was killed just 10 days after his birthday. In May 2021, Cloonan was driving Aiden from their home in Costa Mesa to Calvary chapel Pre-School in Yorba Linda. He was strapped into his booster seat behind her. As they drove along the 55 Freeway, a Volkswagen SportWagen 'swerved out of the carpool lane' and in front of her car, Cloonan testified. After cutting her off, Eriz's girlfriend Wynne Lee - who was driving - flashed a 'peace sign.' 'I didnt want to be near these people,' Cloonan said. 'I left the carpool lane. We were next to each other. I made a gesture. And I started to merge away from them.' Aiden Leos, 6, was killed in May 2021 after a bullet tore through the trunk of his mother's car and entered his body in a suspected road rage incident The preschooler (pictured with mom Joanna Cloonan, left, and sister Alexis, right) was pronounced dead at the hospital His accused killer, 26-year-old Marcus Anthony Eriz, appeared in court Monday. Eriz stands accused of second degree murder and discharging a firearm at a vehicle The 'gesture,' she acknowledged, was the middle finger - one that prosecutors said she would 'regret beyond comprehension.' Cloonan testified that she made eye contact with Eriz, who sat in the passenger seat, before merging into the lanes to her right. 'He looked at me and smiled after the gesture,' Cloonan said. 'I tried to get away as much as I could.' Moments later, something hit her car and Aiden cried out. 'I looked behind me and his head was hanging down,' Cloonan said. The mother pulled over to the side of the freeway and tried to speak to a 911 dispatcher between gasping breaths. In the audio from the call, which was previously played in court, Cloonan calls her son's name multiple times. 'I put my hand over his belly, held him up to my body to try to save his life,' Cloonan said. An off-duty police officer and paramedics tried to save the little boy, who was pronounced dead at the hospital. Investigators later determined a bullet tore through the trunk of Cloonans car before passing through Aiden's back, piercing his liver, lung and heart before exiting his right abdomen. Eriz (pictured at the time of his arrest in 2021) is accused of smiling at Cloonan before opening fire. His girlfriend, Wynne Lee, was driving the car at the time of the incident, which was sparked after Lee cut Cloonan off and flashed a 'peace sign' Cloonan testified that she heard something hit her car (pictured) before Aiden cried out. When she turned around, 'his head was hanging down' The 26-year-old's murder trial began last week. The court heard a recording of the interrogation where he quickly admitted to his role in Aiden's death Cloonan phoned 911 and struggled to speak with the dispatcher, hyperventilating and calling her son's name after he was shot During the opening statements in Eriz's trial on January 18, Orange County Deputy District Attorney Dan Feldman called the little boy's death 'an expression by Mr. Eriz of his callous and total disregard for human life' Defense attorney Randall Bethune argued his client was 'not a murderer,' saying he did not mean to kill anyone When the prosecution showed a photo of the little boy, his mother broke into tears. She denied ever posing a danger to the couple. Erizs attorney, Deputy Public Defender Randall Bethune, asked Cloonan whether she had previously told anyone about Eriz smiling at her. 'I dont recall,' she responded. Eriz's murder trial started in Orange County last week. At the opening of the trial on January 18, Orange County Deputy District Attorney Dan Feldman called Aiden's death 'an expression by Mr. Eriz of his callous and total disregard for human life.' The 26-year-old's defense attorney said Eriz did not intend to kill anyone, proclaiming that his client was 'not a murderer.' Earlier, the court heard a recording of Eriz's interrogation, where he quickly confessed to his role in the child's death. 'We went in front of that lady, the lady came up to us and started acting hostile toward us,' Eriz told police. 'I dont know why, I have no answer why, but I pulled out my Glock and pulled the trigger and it was gone.' He was unable to recall if he stuck the gun out the window or fired from inside the car, saying he shot 'without really taking time to aim.' Lee was upset with him afterward, he added. When prodded to consider his own motives, Eriz replied: 'I don't have an answer. Because I'm stupid? I didn't think of the consequences or anyone.' Cloonan denied ever posing a threat to the couple (pictured: Feldman shows the jury a photo of Aiden and his mother's car on January 18) Eriz told police Cloonan was acting 'hostile,' adding that he did not recall whether he shot from inside the car or out the window The 26-year-old told investigators that he only learned he was responsible for Aiden's death a week after the shooting - but police say he stashed the car in a relative's garage and changed his appearance He and Lee appeared in court in April 2022, with both pleading not guilty Eriz told investigators he did not turn himself in because he feared Lee would get in trouble and did not believe she did anything wrong Lee, who was 23 at the time of her arrest, faces one felony count of being an accessory after the fact and one misdemeanor count of having a concealed weapon. She is being tried separately and has a pretrial hearing scheduled for February 9 Authorities posted $500,000 in reward money as they embarked on a two-week manhunt for Aiden's killer. During that time, police say, Eriz hid the car in a relative's garage, shaved his beard and changed his hairstyle. He and Lee were ultimately arrested outside their apartment in Costa Mesa. Eriz told investigators he only learned he was responsible for the boy's death a week after the shooting. He said he decided not to turn himself in as he thought Lee, who was 23 at the time, did nothing wrong. While he regretted firing the gun, Eriz added he did not know if he would have turned himself in. He told police where to find the vehicle and the weapon, which was tucked away in a locker at the Highland autobody shop where he worked. After officers left the room, Eriz could be heard muttering to himself: 'Im sorry Wynne, I love you so much, Im so sorry.' The 26-year-old is being held without bail. He pleaded not guilty to murder and discharging a firearm at a vehicle and faces 40 years to life in prison. Lee, who is being tried separately, was charged with one felony count of being an accessory after the fact and one misdemeanor count of having a concealed firearm. Her pretrial hearing is scheduled for February 9. Multiple Columbia University students have filed for assault after allegedly being hit with a 'chemical stink bomb' at a New York rally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. NYPD told DailyMail.com that six students complained of being attacked with an 'unknown substance' which was 'sprayed into the air' at the protest organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) on Friday. Students have described the 'nightmare' experience online, saying two male Israeli pupils were behind the attack and they targeted Jewish protesters. Many were hospitalized with a mysterious sickness for days afterwards. NYPD confirmed the first report came from a 24-year-old woman who said she 'smelled an unknown odor, began to feel nauseated and experienced a burning sensation in her eyes'. She filed a complaint with police on Saturday afternoon, and five more followed on Sunday evening. The department said there have not been any arrests and the investigation is ongoing. Multiple Columbia University students have filed for assault after allegedly being hit with a 'chemical stink bomb' at a New York rally calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Pictured: one of the alleged victims in the hospital after the attack) NYPD told DailyMail.com that six students complained of being attacked with an 'unknown substance' which was 'sprayed into the air' at the protest organized by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) on Friday. (Pictured: the protest) The suspects have been widely identified online as two Caucasian men aged in their twenties who were wearing dark cargo pants, puffer jackets and caps at the protest Students have described the 'nightmare' experience online. Many were hospitalized with a mysterious sickness for days afterwards Alleged victims have said Israeli students, who are also IDF soldiers, were behind the attack and that they used a 'chemical weapon' known as 'skunk'. A Palestinian-American social work graduate at Columbia identified as Layla said 'many' Jewish students at the rally were also targeted with the 'stink bombs'. 'We were sprayed at with chemical weapons,' she said. 'Many Jewish students, especially those in CU Jews for Ceasefire, were directly targeted. Some of them are in the hospital.' Layla said the perpetrators 'repeatedly yelled' at the Jewish protesters, calling them 'self-hating Jews' and 'terrorists'. The student added that she was still 'throwing up' and feeling 'terrible' more than 72 hours after the attack. 'Skunk has not come out of my hair after 11 showers,' she said. Describing the experience as a 'nightmare', she shared four photographs of anonymous students in the hospital, wearing medical wristbands and heart monitors. Another student said she was among those who went to hospital because her symptoms 'have not subsided'. 'Still experiencing nausea, burning eyes, headaches, and irritation of my nose,' she said. 'When will Columbia take action against these men?' Columbia University has issued a statement saying it is 'working with local and federal authorities, with NYPD in the lead, to investigate incidents of great concern reported in connection with a protest on January 19'. It added that two suspected perpetrators have been banned from campus amid the police probe. Alleged victims have said Israeli students, who are also IDF soldiers, were behind the attack and that they used a ' chemical weapon ' known as 'skunk'. (Pictured: one of the alleged perpetrators, in the orange puffer jacket) A Palestinian-American social work graduate at Columbia identified as Layla said 'many' Jewish students at the rally were also targeted with the 'stink bombs'. (Pictured: one of the alleged victims in hospital after the incident) NYPD confirmed the first report came from a 24-year-old woman who said she 'smelled an unknown odor, began to feel nauseated and experienced a burning sensation in her eyes' Several students were hospitalized with persistent symptoms of nausea and fatigue after the attack The suspects have been widely identified online as two Caucasian men aged in their twenties who were wearing dark cargo pants, puffer jackets and caps at the protest. SJP and JVP, the groups who organized the demonstration on Friday, said 'dozens' of students have spoken about the attack and the 'foul smell left on them even after the initial burst of stench at the protest'. Calling for an investigation by the university and blasting the attack as a 'hate crime', the groups wrote on Instagram: 'We demand that Columbia start taking the constant hateful attacks on its students seriously before - to be blunt - one of us is killed'. They described skunk as 'a foul-smelling liquid that has been described as a cross between "dead animal and human excrement".' 'Students are traumatized, sick, and have hospital bills to cover in addition to schoolwork. This is unacceptable,' the groups said in a second post on Monday. The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the alleged attack on Saturday. 'The alleged use of a chemical agent on the grounds of a college campus in NYC is beyond heinous, ' executive director Afaf Nasher said in a statement. 'It is an escalation of violence launched against peaceful protesters by individuals who seek to inflict harm and undermine the principles of peaceful dialogue and dissent upheld in any democratic society.' Tensions on ivy league campuses across America have escalated since the outbreak of the full-scale Israel-Hamas war in October. Poulos is accused of choking the Colombian dj to death on January 22, 2023 and concealing her body in a suitcase that was abandoned in a dumpster John Poulos told Colombian news magazine Semana he has 'evidence' that will clear him of charges he murdered Valentina Trespalacios An American man on trial in Colombia for the murder of his DJ girlfriend has opened up for the first time, claiming he was 'in love' with the 23-year-old woman, with whom he drank and took drugs days before her body was found inside a suitcase abandoned in a dumpster. John Poulos told Semana news magazine that his defense has 'all the evidence' that will clear him from charges he killed Valentina Palacios in January 2023 and avoid serving a 50-year sentence. The father-of-three Wisconsin children recalled first meeting Palacios on Tinder in 2022 and taking her on vacation to Cancun and agreeing to carry out a long distance relationship before he traveled to the Colombian capital city of Bogota to meet her family for the time days before she was found dead. 'Yes, I was in love with Valentina. When we met for the first time, she seemed that she had a very good energy,' Poulos recalled. 'We had a great time together and over time, as we got to know each other more, I realized that we had very different lives. But it seemed like we matched together very well, and yes, I was love with her.' John Poulos (left) is facing charges in Bogota, Colombia for the murder of his girlfriend Valentina Trespalacios Colombian dj Valentina Trespalacios was met her American boyfriend John Poulos on Tinder in 2022 and met him in person in Cancun. Poulos traveled to Colombia in January 2023, where he spent four days before he allegedly killed her He arrived in Bogota on January 19, 2023 and for two days took tusi, which is a mix of ketamine with ecxtasy or amphetamine, and drank liquor with Trespalacios before a man searching for recyclables in the dumpster found the luggage bag with her body in it. On the night of January 20, he accompanied Trespalacios to a local bar where she has hired to DJ and that they joined a group of people in doing drugs and drinking liquor before they returned to the apartment he rented on the northern side of Bogota and continued to party. They woke up late on January 21 and once again consumed drugs and drank alcohol inside the home, but Poulos claimed that he did not remember what happened after except that they stood in bed sleeping. 'We had a good time that night. So here we are, the next day, partying again,' he said. 'It was a lot of partying in a short time and from then on I don't remember exactly what happened. We both fell asleep, that's the last thing I remember.' Prosecutors alleged that Poulos had sex with Trespalacios the early morning of January 22, 2023 and then beat and choked her to death. An autopsy report showed that Valentina Trespalacios was strangled and beaten John Poulos (pictured) was taken into custody in Panama on January 24, 2023 moments before he was about to board a flight to Turkey and then connect to Montenegro Later that morning, a surveillance camera mounted in the hallway outside the apartment showed Poulos pushing a supermarket cart with luggage bags, including the one that had Trespalacios' body stuff inside. Poulos had a blanket covering the suitcase because her head was sticking out. A security camera in the building's garage showed Poulos placing the cart next to his car rental and struggling to pick up the luggage bag before he was able to place it in the trunk. Prosecutors alleged that Poulos drove to the south side of Bogota and abandoned the suitcase, which he taped up to prevent Trespalacios' corpse from falling out, in the garbage bin. Poulos drove to El Dorado International Airport and escaped on a flight to Panama City, Panama, and was apprehended at Tocumen International Airport on January 24 moments before he was set to board a flight to Istanbul, Turkey. His plan included flying to Montenegro, which does not have an extradition treaty with Colombia. A homeless man was searching through a waste container in the Bogota neighborhood of Los Cambulos when he discovered the suitcase with Valentina Trespalacios' body on January 22, 2023 Poulos, who told a judge during a September 2023 that he was not responsible for Trespalacios' death, claimed that her family and acquittances, who have been interviewed by prosecutors, have been lying all the time and wrongfully accusing him of being responsible for their loved one's gruesome killing. He also accused authorities of illegally arresting and extraditing him to Colombia to face charges. 'In reality, the mother, the friend, the club owner, the ex-boyfriend, they are all lying,' he said. 'Colombia has decided to deny my rights. For example, my capture was completely illegal and there is a list of things and ways in which Colombia has denied my rights, but one of the biggest is that I have not been allowed to present my evidence.' Poulos said he relates to the pain that Trespalacios' family has been dealing with because his son survived a battle with cancer. 'My message to his family is that I feel completely horrible about what happened, I wish it hadn't happened,' he said. 'In fact, I wish I could change places with Valentina, that I was dead and she was alive. I don't think or feel anything bad about her family or anyone in Colombia. 'Valentina's family, you know, they lost her, and I know they hate me. Right now I have empathy for that, her feelings are completely acceptable and I only wish them the best in the future. I'm sorry for what happened, I feel horrible.' He told the outlet that he has proof that he did not commit the crime and that is sure he will demonstrate in court that he is innocent: 'The thing is that my version of the story and what really happened has not been revealed to Colombia or the world, but soon everyone will see that I am the only person who tells the truth and I have all the evidence.' Poulos is set to appear before a judge Wednesday. The accused murderer spends his time in his cell reading books and teaching English to inmates who are awaiting extradition to the United States. 'God says life on Earth was never meant to be easy, so I try to stay positive,' he said. A noticeably slimmer Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was seen for the first time in a month on Tuesday in the aftermath of the scandal over his secret hospital trip to treat complications from prostate cancer surgery. Austin, 70, appeared on a Zoom call with stakeholders about the more than $46 billion in U.S. weapons that have been sent to Ukraine since Vladimir Putin's invasion. He seemed to have lost weight and looked gaunt as he sat in front of a white wall with what appeared to be a security system keypad on his left and a Department of Defense seal on the right. Small U.S. and Ukraine flags were visible. The defense secretary skipped over prepared remarks that would have addressed his health, according to Reuters. A noticeably slimmer Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was seen for the first time in a month on Tuesday in the aftermath of the scandal over his secret hospital trip to treat complications from prostate cancer surgery 'I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors,' Austin said in his opening remarks. Austin's appearl to 50 other countries on the call to give money to the Ukraine came as the administration is waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraines fight. Until then the U.S. is looking to its allies to continue the funding fight. Austin had surgery on December 22 for prostate cancer and left the hospital the next day. He returned to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on January 1st but didn't tell President Joe Biden of his whereabouts until Jan. 4th. Austin didn't disclose the cause of his surgery - his prostate cancer - until Jan. 9th after facing days of questions about his hospitalization. Biden learned about it the same day as the general public. The defense secretary was released from the hospital on Monday after 15 days of recovery. His complications included 'nausea with severe abdominal, leg and hip pain.' The early diagnosis was a urinary tract infection but further examination showed Austin had a fluid build up in his abdomen that was impairing the function of his small intestines. Democrats and Republicans alike blasted Austin for the secrecy. Some called for his resignation. Biden stood by his defense secretary but did admonish him for a lapse in judgement. The White House is conducting a review of the matter. Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients sent a memo to Cabinet secretaries, ording them to keep the White House informed when they may not be able to perform their duties. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, 70, was hospitalized on January 1 and released on January 15th. He is pictured December 20 in this most recent pic Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participated in a zoom meeting on Ukraine Secretary Austin was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center The Pentagon's inspecter general also is investigating the mishandling of Austin's secret hospitalization. Eight in ten men and six in ten black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. The risk grows for men as they age. It is the most common cancer among men in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 5-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer in the United States is 97%. Austin will work from home as his recovery continues. He will have to do physical therapy and regular follow ups but is expected to make a full recovery, his doctors said. He needs no further treatment for his cancer. 'I'm grateful for the excellent care I received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and want to thank the outstanding doctors and nursing staff for their professionalism and superb support,' Austin said in a statement. 'Now, as I continue to recuperate and perform my duties from home, I'm eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon,' he said. Melissa DeRosa, the former top aide to then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, details the toll her high-stress, high-power job took on her now-dissolved marriage in her book. DeRosa, 41, reveals in 'What's Left Unsaid: My Life at the Center of Power, Politics & Crisis,' that her personal life is now one big question mark as she re-orients her entire existence following her former boss's fall from grace in 2021. At the time, Cuomo resigned following half-a-dozen accusations of sexual harassment catalogued in a lengthy report by New York Attorney General Letitia James, DeRosa was in the middle of a divorce from her husband of five years. DeRosa writes in the book that she often prioritized her professional life above her personal one, which eventually led to her then-husband, Matthew Wing, finding 'attention elsewhere.' The thinly veiled accusation of infidelity provides a curious counter-narrative to the claim that DeRosa and Cuomo were at one time engaged in a romantic entanglement, which DeRosa has always vehemently denied. Melissa DeRosa (left) was, thanks to her boss's high-profile COVID conferences, a veritable it-girl of a certain sort before everything came crashing down DeRosa's first book arrived in October of last year, just over two years after her longtime boss resigned in disgrace In an interview with Bustle, DeRosa said that after the dust had settled following the resignation, she was forced to sit down and 'decide what I want the next part of my personal life to look like.' 'Do I want a child, and has that ship sailed?' she wondered. 'I certainly never thought I'd find myself 41 and divorced.' In one scene in the book, DeRosa recounts meeting with a doctor to discuss the process of freezing her eggs. Her phone rings during the appointment, and when the doctor asks if the call can wait, she replies: 'Usually no,' and picks up. 'When you choose these all-consuming, high-stress jobs, thats a choice, and that choice comes with a cost. You do everyone a disservice when you lie about that,' she said in the interview. DeRosa, who - thanks to her boss's high-profile COVID conferences - was a veritable it-girl of a certain sort before his fall, has quietly re-entered the political world. She will likely never turn her back on her old boss, whom she has unfailingly defended against the accusations in Letitia James' report, but is now attempting to find an identity outside of him. Beyond the book tour, her path forward is opaque, or at least it's not yet public knowledge. She has been consulting again for political entities, albeit ones with a much lower profile than the former governor, and writes a column for the Daily Beast about how to improve her party's strategic movements. She told Bustle that she is thinking about running for office, possibly even for The Big Apple's chief executive position. With NYC Mayor Eric Adams' popularity declining every day as his city contends with unprosecuted lawlessness, an unaffordability crisis, and the wave of illegal migrants arriving by the thousands, some reports have indicated that Cuomo is pondering a run at the job himself. DeRosa says she has 'no plans to run against the governor in the future,' but at some point, there will be a desire for fresh blood within the New York Democratic establishment. DeRosa (left) announced her divorce from Matthew Wing (right) shortly after Cuomo resigned from office in 2021. Her prioritization of her high-power job caused strain on her personal life DeRosa (polka dots) boards a helicopter with Cuomo just after his resignation announcement in August of 2021 DeRosa remains a staunch defender of her former boss. She has, from the beginning, denied his ability to sexually harass anyone In other parts of the interview, DeRosa got candid about her distaste for some elements of current progressive culture. She slammed what she sees as the overapplication of the #MeToo movement - no surprise given her unabatingly loyal position on her former boss. 'The problem with where #MeToo has lost course is that its conflated rape with assault, with a kiss on the cheek, with an inappropriate comment, with a look that you perceive to be meaningful in some certain way,' she said. She also criticized the current attitude toward work that has been adopted, to some extent, by Gen Zers and younger millennials. 'The idea that nobody needs to work more than 9 to 5, and youre breaking some rule if you email them after hours - were heading down a bad path,' she said of the generation who are rejecting corporate drudgery and coming to realize that the modern working world may not be set up to allow space for both personal and professional success. 'Was I demanding and difficult? You bet your ass,' she said. 'And in this new woke environment, where people dont want to be told they have to do things or be responsible early in the morning or late at night, or on weekends, if you dont want those demands on you, you shouldnt be working in a high-level government job.' 'It was hard and grueling on a good day, but it was an honor,' she said. Serial race-baiter and part-time homophobe Joy Reid is at it again. This time her clumsy attack on parental rights advocate and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice has gone viral for all the wrong reasons for the MSNBC host. The duo came to lady blows on Reid's progressive Pravda hour over removing controversial, sexually explicit, downright pornographic books from public school libraries. Justice wants mothers and fathers to have a say in what their children read. Reid thinks that amounts to Nazi book burning. Ding, ding Round one. Dressed in an oversized sparkly jacket like a bloodthirsty Liberace, Reid came out throwing haymakers. Reid: 'Do LGBTQ parents and parents of LGBTQ kids have parental rights?' Justice: 'Every parent has the fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children.' Reid: 'Liberal parents? Do liberal parents have those rights as well?' Justice: 'All parents, Joy.' I would have added, 'You walking ignoramus.' That line of questioning didn't go well for the pro-porn cause, but with the grit of a lemming, Reid would not be deterred. Serial race-baiter and part-time homophobe Joy Reid (left) is at it again. This time her clumsy attack on parental rights advocate and Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice (right) has gone viral for all the wrong reasons for the MSNBC host. The clash climaxed over George Johnson's memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren't Blue, in which the author details his traumatic rape by a male family member. Round two. The clash climaxed over George Johnson's memoir-manifesto All Boys Aren't Blue, in which the author details his traumatic rape by a male family member. Justice doesn't think that book is appropriate for storytime. 'Who's the main character in the book?' spat Joy. A perplexed Justice stared back. 'The main character is the author,' she answered. Reid for some reason thought she had sprung a trap. Perry Mason she is not. 'What's his name?' Reid snapped. 'George,' replied Justice. That's how memoirs work, Joy. It was Justice's turn to counterpunch. 'In what context is a strap-on dildo acceptable for public school?' asked Justice. 'Or the rape of a minor child by a teacher? We're talking about public school.' Uppercut knockout! Reid never answered those questions, but this carnival barker has weighed in on similar topics. Back in 2018, Reid a brave advocate for LGBTQ school children caught a lot of heat for homophobic blog posts and lines like, 'most straight people cringe at the sight of two men kissing.' Speak for yourself, you bigot! After initially blaming the writing on anonymous, still unidentified hackers, Reid apologized profusely. But her regrets only came after critics had unearthed a veritable smorgasbord of conspiracy theories and vicious smears that would have made Alex Jones blush. Flash forward to today and Reid doesn't 'cringe' at bulgy-eyed 4th graders reading about graphic sex. That's some progress for this progressive! Why is it that those who hold themselves up as the most tolerant among us are the most small-minded, uncompromising, unforgiving, hypersensitive shrews imaginable? Sure, Tiffany Justice and Reid are going to disagree, but if Reid extracted her head from her backside for a moment, she may see a glimmer of compromise. The COVID lockdowns and remote learning pulled back the curtain on the garbage that failing schools were extruding into our children's brains like a cow dung sausage factory. Millions of newly-motivated parents gave rise to groups like Moms for Liberty which exist to put a check on an out-of-control public education system that just perpetuates propaganda mills. If Reid really cared about the kids she'd be on board with empowering parents. Instead, she smears them as a mouth-foaming, pitchfork-wielding, book-burning mobs. If playing 'find the hidden porn' treasure hunts in the school library helped bridge the post-COVID achievement gaps then perhaps I could be convinced. But Reid's dildo, lube and domination reading list isn't the answer. Yet, if you dare disagree or even waver from her blinkered worldview, she starts throwing filth like confetti. There's no issue too obtuse, too fringe to stoke her rage. Have a problem with the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools? Well, you're a 'dangerous racist,' she says. Care about the war in Ukraine? That's because those poor, war-ravaged people are, 'white and largely Christian.' Are you starting to sense a theme here? Were you glued to the TV screen watching coverage of the 2021 disappearance of 22-year-old Gabby Petito? Simple - you suffer from 'missing white woman syndrome.' Were you glued to the TV screen watching coverage of the 2021 disappearance of 22-year-old Gabby Petito (above)? Care about the war in Ukraine? That's because those poor, war-ravaged people are, 'white and largely Christian,' according to Reid. It goes on and on: Disgraced Harvard plagiarist Claudine Gay was ousted because of. racism. Nikki Haley has no chance in the GOP primary because of (Do I even have to write it?) This is how whiny-weenie Reid and her ilk see the world. You're either with her extreme progressive cult or you're a vile, prejudiced monster and there's no in-between. I'm so tired of this myopic clown show. And so is the rest of America. It's nothing more than authoritarian left-wing bullying and they say that Donald Trump is a threat to democracy. Look in the mirror, Joy. Ex-Labour minister Sir Tony Lloyd was today hailed as a 'great man of Manchester' as the House of Commons paid tribute to the Rochdale MP following his death. Sir Tony died at the age of 73 last week - only days after announcing he was suffering from an incurable form of leukaemia and had left hospital to 'spend the time I have left with my family'. As MPs gathered this afternoon to say goodbye to their former colleague, Sir Tony's family watched the tributes in the Commons chamber. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle recalled his final phone call with Sir Tony after he left hospital, telling MPs: 'Tony made it so easy for me and he was that kind of person he put me at ease when it was meant to be the other way around. 'He made sure it wasn't a difficult conversation. I didn't know that would be the last time we'd ever speak but I'm so glad we did. 'We've not only lost a great colleague and friend, the country has lost one of the nicest, most effective MPs.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, addressing Sir Tony Lloyd's family, said: 'I hope they can take some comfort in the memories and tributes of colleagues today' Sir Tony, the Rochdale MP, died at the age of 73 last week - only days after announcing he was suffering from an incurable form of leukaemia As MPs gathered this afternoon to say goodbye to their former colleague, Sir Tony's family watched the tributes in the Commons chamber PM Rishi Sunak said Sir Tony was 'a great family man, a great man of Manchester and a great man of the House of Commons' Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle recalled his final phone call with Sir Tony after he left hospital Dawn Butler, who served in Labour's shadow cabinet with Sir Tony under the party's former leader Jeremy Corbyn, broke down in tears as she concluded her own tribute Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Sir Tony was an 'enormously decent man who gave his life to public service'. He added: 'In his penultimate contribution in this House, Tony said that change can happen and we must fight for the change we want to see. 'From the beginning of his career right to the end, Tony Lloyd lived those words. 'He was a great family man, a great man of Manchester and a great man of the House of Commons. 'He will be missed but he and the change he fought for and achieved will never be forgotten.' Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, addressing Sir Tony's family, said: 'I hope they can take some comfort in the memories and tributes of colleagues today. 'And I hope they see just how much Tony was loved and respected here in this House and how much he managed to achieve in his decades of public service.' Sir Keir added he was able to convey to Sir Tony the 'high esteem in which he was held by everyone', adding: 'I hope it did give him some comfort and support in those final days.' Sir Keir said Sir Tony used his final newspaper article to write about his hopes for 2024, which included peace in the Middle East and across the world, action on climate change, support for education and the need to help the NHS. He added: 'Tony might not be able to lead the fight for that better world he hoped for. 'But those of us he leaves behind will and we will have him in mind as we continue to fight for the causes he was passionate about, the values he lived and the people he served throughout his entire life.' Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described Sir Tony as an 'absolutely lovely man', adding to his family: 'You should be really proud of him.' Labour MP Dawn Butler, who served in Labour's shadow cabinet with Sir Tony under the party's former leader Jeremy Corbyn, broke down in tears as she concluded her own tribute. The Brent Central MP described how, when she first entered Parliament as an MP in 2005, Sir Tony put his hand on her shoulder and told her: 'Dawn, your often going to feel lost in this place, but don't worry'. She added: 'He said if I ever had any questions, I could always ask him, no matter how silly those questions were. 'And I passed that on to new MPs who came in... because I rememebr how Tony made me feel when he said that.' Sir Tony spent 25 days in hospital, including a spell in an induced coma on a ventilator, in 2020 after being admitted with coronavirus. Pictured: The politician in June 2017 Sir Tony, pictured in 1997, served as a Foreign Office minister for two years in Sir Tony Blair's first New Labour government Sir Tony was first elected to Parliament in 1983 when he succeeded Winston Churchill, the grandson of the former prime minister, as MP for Stretford. He then switched to the Manchester Central seat at the 1997 general election when constituency boundaries were reformed. Sir Tony served as a Foreign Office minister for two years in Sir Tony Blair's first New Labour government. He was elected as Greater Manchester's inaugural Police and Crime Commissioner in 2012 and then became the region's interim mayor in 2015. Sir Tony stood to be Labour's candidate for the 2017 election for Greater Manchester mayor. But he was beaten by Andy Burnham who went on to win the mayoral contest for the party and has served ever since as the region's elected representative. Sir Tony returned to the House of Commons as MP for Rochdale at the 2017 general election and went on to become shadow Northern Ireland secretary under Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. In April 2020, he was replaced in the role by Louise Haigh shortly after being admitted to hospital with coronavirus. After 25 days in hospital, including a spell in an induced coma on a ventilator, Sir Tony was discharged nearly two stone lighter and too weak to walk 50 metres to a waiting car without the arm of a nurse. As he continued his recovery, Sir Tony told the Guardian in January 2021: 'There's this recognition that you only have a certain time left. 'I'm 70 and as such you think, well, I'm probably not going to be around in x years' time, so use these years wisely. Use these days wisely. That's probably good advice for us all.' In January last year, Sir Tony revealed he was being treated with chemotherapy. He said his doctors had told him to 'socially isolate and avoid meetings'. Sir Tony informed his constituents he would not be attending Parliament during his treatment or meeting people in his Rochdale constituency or elsewhere. But he said he would continue to hold advice surgeries via Zoom or telephone. The Colorado thief behind the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of copies of a local newspaper on the day it broke a story about the town's police chief's son being accused of violently raping a 17-year-old girl has been unmasked. Ouray Police Chief Jeff Wood's stepson Nate Dieffenderffer, alongside co-defendants Gabriel Trujillo and Ashton Whittington, has been charged with raping a girl in the family's home while the cop was asleep. The Ouray Plaindealer was the first outlet to report the arrest. But on the same day it broke the story hundreds of copies of the paper were stolen from around town - sparking fears of a cover-up. But Paul Choate, 41, who has now been named as the thief by the Ouray County Sheriff's Office on Monday after he turned himself into police, said he took the newspapers to protect the victim not the accused. Choate was issued a summons on January 20 for petty theft, and 'is not a member or relative of local law enforcement and not associated with the defendants in the recent reported sexual assault,' according to the Sherriff's department. Paul Choate, 41, has been named as the thief by The Ouray County Sheriff's Office on Monday after he turned himself into police Choate revealed he was the culprit in Facebook post on Sunday Ouray Police Chief Jeff Wood's stepson Nate Dieffenderffer (left) was charged alongside co-defendants Gabriel Trujillo and Ashton Whittington in a shocking rape case The papers were removed from around the town on Thursday morning. Initially the paper believed it was being silenced in an attempt to suppress the story. 'If you hoped to silence or intimidate us, you failed miserably. We'll find out who did this. And another press run is imminent,' co-publisher Mike Wiggins wrote on X. However, Choate revealed he was the culprit in Facebook post on Sunday. 'I want the public to know that I was the culprit of the Ouray Plaindealer theft' Choate posted on his account. 'I turned myself in the Sheriffs office and returned the papers to the Plaindealer. He added: 'I offered to compensate for any damages I caused.' In a following post on Monday Choate explained that 'on the evening of January 18, I became aware of an article being released the next morning.' 'My motivation behind this is to bring to light that no details in any victims statements and interviews should be posted without their consent. 'Specifically, I was appalled by the graphic details reported; I would never want this information to come out about someone I cherish. 'It was irresponsible to publish this without the consent of the victim and without links to resources.' He added: 'I want to highlight that the first article published in the January 4th-10th edition of the newspaper provided sufficient and well written information about the case without delving into explicit details and revictimize the girl involved.' The newspaper report detailed graphic sexual assault allegations contained in Colorado Bureau of Investigation affidavit for arrests in the case. Hours after Colorado's published a story about the alleged violent sexual assault of a teen girl at the police chief's house, hundreds of copies of the paper were stolen out of nearly every newspaper rack in the county. Pictured: Ouray County Plaindealer Newspaper rack The Ouray County Plaindealer was the first to report the arrests. Nearly every copy of the issue was stolen from racks around Ouray County following the report The 17-year-old accuser told investigators that she screamed and fought as she was was raped at least three times in a bedroom and bathroom by two different people on May 14, 2023. At the time of the alleged assault, Wittington had just turned 18 and they were celebrating his birthday, while Trujillo was 19 and Dieffenderffer was days away from turning 18. The accuser described joining the three males Dieffenderffer's home and drinking some hard seltzer and gin, before passing out on a bed in the home. She said she awoke to find her clothes removed and Dieffenderffer on top of her, having sex with her. She said she tried to fight back but was restrained. She said that one of the male suspects was laughing, but that another was sitting in a chair looking 'horrified', but failed to help her. Subsequently, the accuser said she was taken across the hallway to a bathroom and raped by two different people. 'I remember really trying to yell so that someone would hear me and screaming because of how painful it was,' she told investigators. She said she passed in and out of consciousness and chipped a tooth on the floor of the bathroom as her head was held down. The accuser said when she regained consciousness, she fled the home at around 4.30am, but was unable to find her clothes, and grabbed a sweatshirt from a pile of laundry. The sweatshirt was later identified as belonging to Police Chief Wood, who has not been charged in the case or accused of wrongdoing. After contacting a friend, the accuser went to the hospital on the same day for a sexual assault examination, in which evidence was gathered. An investigator with the Ouray County Sheriff's Office took an initial report at the hospital, but the case was later referred to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, presumably to eliminate conflicts of interest. Investigators say that DNA evidence from a vaginal swab matched Trujillo, and Dieffenderffer matched genetic material recovered from a bite mark. Trujillo spoke with investigators and said he and Dieffenderffer had a prior consensual 'three-way' sexual relationship, according to the affidavit. He claimed that he was just a 'witness' to the events of May 14, saying Dieffenderffer and the accuser went to the bathroom and came out 10 minutes later fully clothed 'and everything seemed fine.' He further called the teen girl a 'pathological liar' and someone who seeks attention, according to the report. But owners of several storefronts said the Flamingo Pedestrian Bridge saw them lose a combined $23million because customers could not reach their stores The Las Vegas strip underwent a $500million transformation last year as organizers welcomed the Grand Prix to Nevada between November 16 and 18 Furious Las Vegas business owners have confronted Formula One bosses to demand compensation over claims they lost more than $20million after the construction of a temporary pedestrian bridge prevented customers from reaching their stores. The track area underwent a $500million transformation last year as organizers welcomed the Grand Prix to Nevada but local entrepreneurs complained access to their businesses were heavily restricted. Owners of the storefronts, including Battistas Hole in the Wall, Ellis Island, Las Vegas Souvenirs & Gifts, Jays Market and Ferraros Ristorante said the Flamingo Pedestrian Bridge has seen them lose a combined $23million because customers could not reach their stores. They submitted letters to city leaders on January 2 demanding a financial 'remedy' as well as the deconstruction of the bridge before the Super Bowl set for February 11. One of the business owners met with the Las Vegas Grand Prix's chief operating officer Betsy Fretwell on Monday about the situation and said they were glad Formula One was addressing the issue. 'We're going to look at some numbers, and F1 will get back to us,' business owner Randy Markin said. 'So, hopefully, by the end of the week, we'll see how we're going to progress to get things settled for this year. And F1 said that they would like to work with us in the coming years.' The Las Vegas Grand Prix's second practice session got underway at 2.30am on Friday - with Charles LeClerc eventually finishing first after a loose drain cover had caused chaos The track area underwent a $500million transformation last year as organizers welcomed the Grand Prix to Nevada but local entrepreneurs complained access to their businesses were heavily restricted Owners of storefronts, including Battistas Hole in the Wall (pictured), Ellis Island, Las Vegas Souvenirs & Gifts, Jays Market and Ferraros Ristorante said the Flamingo Pedestrian Bridge has seen them lose a combined $23million because customers could not reach their stores Markin, who owns Battista's Hole in the Wall Restaurant just off Flamingo Road, said his business lost as much as $5million when foot traffic collapsed due to construction, detours and closures caused by the race. He met with Fretwell after the businesses won their fight to have the temporary bridge removed ahead of the Super Bowl, which is set to be held at nearby Allegiant Stadium. 'It was a very good meeting. I'm glad that F1 is stepping up,' Markin told KSNV. He is hopeful there will be progress and that his business will be reimbursed for the losses incurred. The business owner wants his employees, who he says lost around 80 percent of their income, to receive support. Steve Hill, president and CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, was also present at the meeting and was praised by Markin. 'Steve Hill stepped up and made sure that this meeting happened,' he added. DailyMail.com has contacted Formula One, the Clark County Commission and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for comment on the proposed deal and the the business' conerns. The Las Vegas Grand Prix, which saw races between November 16 and 18, led to the removal of trees, closure of fountains in front of the Bellagio, draining the gondola canal at the Venetian and sights blocked with scaffolding and fencing. The Flamingo Pedestrian Bridge was highlighted as blocking access to store fronts and creating traffic chaos which saw cab drivers unwilling to enter the area. Formula One has not spoken publicly about the demand from the businesses to be reimbursed for their losses. Within just eight minutes of the Las Vegas Grand Prix starting, a loose drain cover caused havoc in the first session. Ferraro's Ristorante (pictured) is one of the businesses calling for action to be reimbursed Its executive chef Mimmo Ferraro said his family-run businesses lost $2million despite their close proximity to the Formula One track While Jay's Market owner Wade Bohn claimed he had to lay off five employees as sales dropped and says he is down around $4.3million in revenue In a nightmare start, the first practice was scrapped after just eight minutes when a red flag was thrown by the race director after Ocon's Alpine and then Sainz's Ferrari suffered significant damage having run over the damaged part of the track. Pictures then began to emerge of the drain cover that had been filled in by workers - with residue visible on top of the manhole showing how it had been quickly fixed to get the practice back on track. Ferraro's Ristorante is one of the businesses calling for action and executive chef Mimmo Ferraro said his family-run businesses lost $2million despite their close proximity to the Formula One track. 'I mean, every small business that we are friends with around here was affected by that,' he said. 'So, it includes inclusion with the city, inviting them to be a part of it.' Markin told Forbes his restaurant suffered its first-ever revenue loss last year. He said: 'Every single night wed have 100 to 200 cancellations with the same line, Im really sorry, but I cant get down there,' Markin told Forbes. While Jay's Market owner Wade Bohn claimed he had to lay off five employees as sales dropped and says he is down around $4.3million in revenue. Clark County Commission Chairman Tick Segerblom admitted some mistakes were made with the race event. 'We are very serious about looking back, going back and re-evaluate what happened, and try to figure out ways we can tweak the system or even dramatically change the system,' he said. 'Because, in a lot of ways, it was a great event for us. But in a lot of ways, we paid the price for it and learned the hard way.' He added stakeholders will have the chance to look at the final economic numbers and see how road closures and detours impacted them. Clark County Commission Chairman Tick Segerblom admitted some mistakes were made with the race event Within just eight minutes of the Las Vegas Grand Prix starting, a loose drain cover caused havoc in the first session Pictures showed how the drain covers had been filled to get the session back on track 'The Las Vegas Grand Prix' inaugural race exceeded our expectations in both economic benefit to the state and the international exposure the event brought to our city,' Hill said in a statement. 'We do recognize some were disproportionately impacted by the construction required to put on an event of this magnitude. 'We learned a lot going through the first year, and we have started discussions with businesses near the Flamingo-Koval intersection to understand their concerns. 'We will continue to work with them to find potential solutions and create opportunities so that future races are better for all involved.' Business owners near the Grand Prix circuit sent letters to the Clark County Commission and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority earlier this month. They asked for the Flamingo Pedestrian Bridge to be removed and threatened a class action lawsuit if they weren't given 'some kind of remedy' for the financial losses incurred. Formula One then announced the bridge would be dismantled by February 1. Community activist Lisa Mayo-DeRiso said: 'Government is not supposed to pick winners and losers in the business community. Thats not their job. So were looking for a remedy.' He was brought up as a quiet modest boy in a hardworking Christian family but Valdo Calocane hid the full extent of his mental breakdown from his family before knifing three innocent people to death in Nottingham last year. Calocane, who killed students Grace O'Malley Kumar and Barnaby Webber and school caretaker Ian Coates in Nottingham, is a dual Guinea-Bissau/Portuguese national who had settled status in the UK through his Portuguese citizenship. Nottingham Crown Court heard he had been sectioned four times in the three years leading up to the killings including an incident during lockdown in which he followed a woman home and left her so terrified she leapt from a window to escape. The heinous killings in June last year shocked locals, who said he had enjoyed a 'good upbringing' under his family, who hailed from West Africa and later moved to Europe. He was born in Guinea-Bissau, his family moving to Madeira when he was a toddler and then on to Lisbon in Portugal when he was around eight. Valdo Calocane has pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter after he killed three people in Nottingham last summer Calocane pictured in a student flat in 2022. A previous flat mate said he 'seemed like a normal guy' A court sketch of Calocane as he appeared in Nottingham Crown Court today to give his guilty pleas on charges of manslaughter The killer's 55-year-old father moved to Pembrokeshire almost 20 years ago to work on construction at an oil refinery in Milford Haven. His wife, Celeste, 43, followed with their three children in 2007, after he found a house and schools for the children. Calocane was the oldest child, aged 16 at the time, and was soon noted as being somewhat quiet and withdrawn. He did not sit A-levels because he didn't think he would achieve adequate grades, the court heard, and instead found menial work such as labouring or as a cleaner. By 17, the Mail was told, Calocane had moved out of the family home against his parents' wishes and rented a flat with friends nearby. He is believed to have moved to Birmingham where he drifted between bedsits before rediscovering education and 'studying well'. After settling in Nottingham he enrolled at the University of Nottingham as a mature student on its mechanical engineering course, and graduated in 2022. An online CV suggests he found work at a branch of fashion retailer Next during his studies. A former housemate in Nottingham, who lived Calocane for much of 2020, said the killer 'seemed like a normal guy' back then - but admitted grappling with his mental health. 'I didn't know him too well but he didn't do drugs or drink much', the former student said. 'He said he heard and saw things that weren't there. 'I didn't talk to him much. When he wasn't at college he was at work, but he never told me where he worked.' Around the same time Calocane is said to have struck up some sort of relationship with an OnlyFans model - the flat where she lived at the time was raided by police last summer. But the model, a woman in her late 20s who grew up in Lincolnshire, denied ever knowing Calocane when contacted through her family. Nottingham Crown Court heard that Calocane was assessed under the Mental Health Act in 2020 after the university sought to get him help for his mind following incidents in which he tried to break down doors in his student accommodation. He was found to be psychotic but posing a low risk to others; but he was later detained under the Act and admitted to inpatient psychiatry services at Nottingham's Highbury Hospital for three weeks. He was advised to take anti-psychotic medication for six to nine months, but less than a month later he was readmitted to hospital after he stopped taking his medication and forced his way into another room. By May 2021 Calocane's parents were concerned about his mental health, but he was said to be 'actively concealing' his psychosis and had stopped taking his medication again, as suspected by his brother Elias. Barnaby Webber and Grace O'Malley Kumar (left and right) were stabbed to death by Calocane in June last year School caretaker Ian Coates was stabbed to death by Calocane, who then stole his van and used it to drive at others A CCTV image of Valdo Calocane on the day he carried out the brutal killings of three people in Nottingham in June 2023 The court was told he failed to report voices that told him his family would die, and he disengaged from treatment having claimed the voices were the creation of the mental health services trying to help him. He was then sectioned and remained in hospital until October 2021, after which he trapped a flatmate in their student kitchen, restraining him in a headlock; that lead to another assessment and, after an initial spell in the community, a further sectioning. One of the students who shared the accommodation with Calocane told MailOnline: Looking back, I think he was a ticking timebomb and he was going to explode some time. 'I feel lucky that I wasnt in the blast zone, but (feel) so awful for those people who were. Within a few months of the incident in the flat, he was caught attempting to break into the same ground-floor property just a two minute walk from the spot where Barnaby and Grace fell. The flatmate said: We were visited by the complex security people who told us they had caught Valdo trying to break into our block on the ground floor and he appeared to have something under his jacket. Calocanes former flatmates were warned by university accommodation officials to keep their door locked, but it is not clear what action, if any, was taken against Calocane at that point. Thereafter, the court heard Calocane engaged on an intermittent basis with the community team, but gave them a false address But just five weeks before the killings, the court heard Calocane attacked two colleagues at a warehouse he had found work, and was banned from the premises. Calocane's parents remain in Haverfordwest. Around a year ago his father had a career change when he started work as a carer, while his mother works as an intensive care nurse in the town's Withybush Hospital. Reverend Adrian Vaughan, minister at the church, said: 'His parents moved into the street where the church is, they are strong Christians and settled in well with us. 'When Valdo moved out of the family home he rented a place with friends. I would still see him in the town centre - he always greeted me and was polite.' The minister praised the Calocanes for being hard workers, adding: 'They've never been on welfare for a single day since they came to this country. 'Valdo's mother is a degreed nurse in intensive care and his father is a carer out in the community. 'They are hard-working, gentle, honest people and their children have had a good upbringing.' Blood-soaked items including a bra, zip ties and a razor recovered after Jennifer Dulos' death have been shown to jurors in the trial of her ex-husband's new lover, Michelle Troconis. Fotis Dulos is accused of murdering his ex-wife Jennifer, the mother of their five kids, at her home in New Canaan, Connecticut on May 24, 2019. Troconis, 49, allegedly joined Dulos in his Ford Raptor truck as he went through Hartford dumping evidence in various trash cans. The bloodied items shown to jurors Tuesday included a Vineyard Vines shirt, a white T-shirt, a poncho, black gloves and a white bath towel. Luxury real estate developer Fotis was charged with brutally killing Jennifer amid bitter custody proceedings. He killed himself aged 52 in January 2020, leaving Troconis to face the music alone. The 49-year-old Venezuelan socialite denies the charges leveled against her - conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering and hindering prosecution. A blood-soaked bra that cops recovered from a trash can that the State alleges Fotis Dulos, with the help of his lover Michelle Troconis, disposed of evidence in Zip ties that were covered in blood were also recovered from a local trash can Michelle Troconis (pictured approaching court for day eight of her trial on Tuesday) denies the charges leveled against her - conspiracy to commit murder, evidence tampering and hindering prosecution Troconis placed her hand on her head as she walked towards Stamford Superior Court on Tuesday beside her father Jurors were previously presented with surveillance footage which appeared to show Troconis helping her late boyfriend and Jennifer's ex Fotis Dulos disposing of trash bags Jennifer Dulos (left) vanished on May 24, 2019, amid a divorce from her husband Fotis (right), who was later charged with her murder. Fotis killed himself in January 2020, leaving his new lover Michelle Troconis to face trial alone for allegedly helping him conceal the killing Michelle Troconis (left) and Fotis Dulos (right) were living together in his Farmington CT home at the time of his ex-wife Jennifer's disappearance on May 24, 2019 On day eight of her trial, state prosecutors showed jurors several bloodied items found inside garbage cans on Albany Avenue in Hartford by Connecticut State Police Sergeant Kevin Duggan. Duggan said he collected the items on May 30, 2019, six days after Jennifer's disappearance. Jurors were shown what a blood-soaked bra and towel which were once white, zip ties, a bloodied plastic poncho, a stripy black and white long sleeved shirt, a razor blade and a screwdriver. Duggan said each of the items was stained with a 'blood-like substance' and they were sent to labs for further investigation. According to police, Fotis and Troconis binned 30 bags of items, and Jennifer's blood was detected on some of the objects found in the trash cans. Prosecutors claim that Fotis killed Jennifer after she returned home from dropping their five children at school, who were then aged between eight and 13. Her body was never found. Troconis' trial began January 11 and it is expected to continue for six weeks before jurors are sent out for deliberations. Connecticut State Police Sergeant Kevin Duggan said the white t-shirt in this photograph was seized as evidence due to the 'suspicious' 'blood-like stains' splattered on it Zip ties that were found in one of the trash cans cops say Fotis threw the evidence into Luxury real estate developer Fotis was charged with brutally killing Jennifer in her New Canaan home amid acrimonious divorce and child custody proceedings. He killed himself aged 52 in January 2020, leaving Troconis to face the music alone. (Pictured: Troconis on Tuesday) Troconis linked arms with her father as she approached Stamford Superior Court Tuesday Troconis was living with her daughter Nicole and Fotis at his home in Farmington, CT, at the time of Jennifer's disappearance on May 24, 2019. (Pictured: Troconis with her father on Tuesday) Jon Schoenhorn, representing Troconis, has contested much of the evidence in the case According to police, Fotis and Troconis binned 30 bags of items, and Jennifer's blood was detected on some of the objects found in the trash cans. (Pictured: one of the trash cans in question in Hartford, Connecticut) Jurors previously heard from several Connecticut detectives on the case, and the Dulos family's nanny Lauren Almeida. Almeida, 32, gave illuminating insights into the inner lives of the wealthy Dulos family, describing their family holidays to luxury ski and beach resorts. She told the court that the Dulos parents were initially 'nice' to each other but their relationship deteriorated, and when Jennifer found out about Fotis' affair with Troconis in March 2017 it took a turn for the worse. Almeida said Fotis often intimidated Jennifer, and she grew so scared of him that she fled from their Farmington family home with their five kids in secret to file for divorce from the safety of a five-star hotel Manhattan hotel and hired a bodyguard. She also recounted how she ate lunch in Jennifer's kitchen with her children hours after the Connecticut mother vanished - oblivious to the tiny bloodstains in the room, which would later become a crime scene. Almeida said in hindsight there were several chilling signs that Jennifer had not gone about her day as normal - including a full cup of tea and granola bar in the kitchen, and her expensive handbag strewn on the floor. The nanny, who still lives with the now-orphaned Dulos children and Jennifer's mother Gloria, wore a silver necklace with the number '5' on - possibly a nod to the brood - as she gave testimony over two days. Jurors were shown messages Fotis Dulos sent to their nanny, Lauren Almeida (pictured) asking her for updates on his 50-year-old wife's disappearance on May 24, 2019 Jennifer Dulos was 'terrified' of her husband Fotis in the months before she died, according to their nanny Lauren Almeida (pictured), who continued her testimony in court on Wednesday Jennifer Dulos had an idyllic family life until her husband Fotis cheated on her with Michelle Troconis, the woman now accused of helping him cover up her murder, Almeida revealed. (Pictured: Almeida being sworn in as a witness during the Stamford trial on Tuesday) Almeida previously said Jennifer was an 'incredibly nurturing mother' to her five kids, who were aged between eight and 13 when she disappeared on May 24, 2019 Jurors were also shown text messages Fotis sent to Almeida in the days following Jennifer's disappearance asking several times for 'updates' on his missing wife, before he was identified as a suspect. Jennifer's body was never found, but Judge William P. Osterndorf declared her 'officially dead' last week. Troconis' trial began in Stamford began on Thursday before pausing over the weekend and for Martin Luther King Jr Day. On the first day, the state presented bodycam footage of officers searching Jennifer's home in New Canaan, Connecticut, including the garage where police say Jennifer was so badly injured that she bled profusely. Jurors were shown what appeared to be a bloody footprint in her garage, and various red marks on the Range Rover parked in the central bay. Troconis' sister Claudia, flanked by their parents Marisela and Carlos, made an emotional statement outside the Stamford courthouse following the first hearing, insisting that Michelle is innocent. The next day, Troconis' lawyer Jon Schoenhorn attempted to block detectives from testifying about their use of a luminol swab to identify some of the stains as blood, claiming the test is based on 'junk science'. Former state police detective Matthew Reilly said he spotted red stains on several surfaces in Jennifer's kitchen, including on a paper towel roll, sink faucet, and counter-top - and in her garage Suspected blood stain in Jennifer Dulos' Range Rover which was parked in her garage He made an impassioned statement to press outside, saying that luminol, which glows blue when blood is present, also presents the same color for substances including bleach, rust, paint and turpentine. But Judge Kevin Randolph ruled that evidence regarding luminol was admissible, adding that Schoenhorn would get an opportunity to cross-examine officials about it. Former Connecticut State Police detective Kevin Reilly spoke about the luminol tests when the trial resumed on Tuesday after the three-day holiday weekend, and jurors were shown new images of alleged bloodstains in Jennifer's kitchen. Reilly said some of the garage samples tested positive for blood. The swabs were sent to a lab for confirmation, but none of the witnesses have testified yet about these results. Under cross-examination by Schoenhorn, he agreed that the luminol tests, which was one of the two tests deployed, would also have appeared positive for a 'laundry list' of other substances. A rare bronze statue by Salvador Dali believed to be worth 7,500 has been stolen in a raid on a seaside town home. The theft took place at a home in Broadstairs, Kent, sometime between Sunday December 31 last year and Friday January 5, 2024. Several items were taken when the property was broken into including jewellery and the limited edition statue. The Menorah Gilt Bronze sculpture by the famous Spanish artist could be part of a limited edition collection of 250, one of which recently sold for 7,500. The stolen piece is a bronze and marble menorah which is around 60cm tall. Dali (pictured) is renowned for his technical skill, precise craftsmanship and the striking and bizarre images in his work The Menorah Gilt Bronze sculpture (pictured) by the famous Spanish artist could be part of a limited edition collection of 250, one of which recently sold for 7,500 READ MORE: Salvador Dali brooch once owned by tragic socialite who inspired Taylor Swift hit set to fetch $1.5 MILLION at auction Advertisement The investigation into the thief is still ongoing by Kent Police as they hope to find CCTV footage or eye witnesses. A Kent Police spokesperson said: 'Information is being sought after a rare antique was stolen from a Broadstairs home. 'Anyone with information about the burglary or the missing items, or has private CCTV footage taken in the area which might assist officers, is asked to call Kent Police.' Dali is renowned for his technical skill, precise craftsmanship, and the striking and bizarre images in his work. He started making more surrealist art in the 1920s and soon became a leading figure in the art world. His most valuable work 'Portrait De Paul Eluard' was sold at Sotheby's for 13.5 million. He died in 1989. A man on TikTok warned viewers about Downtown Los Angeles and how the area's portrayal in some movies is partially realistic. Downtown LA resident Jordan Matthew posted a TikTok video on January 19 and described two crucial things that don't make the area great: homelessness and crime scenes. Matthew brought up unhoused communities he's frequently seen in the area and police officers using helicopters and megaphones like they're in a movie. 'They do that s*** in LA and I've heard it like too many times to count,' he stated. Jordan Matthew is warned viewers about Downtown Los Angeles and how the area's portrayal in movies is partially realistic in a video on January 19 @aceofjay_ #stitch with @BRAVO Los Angeles Creator Bro is spitting facts Downtown LA is nothing but hot blocks and homeless folks. If youre here for a good time not a long time, Id get a TAP card and stay in Pasedena, Studio City, maybe even South LA (Inglewood, etc) and just mob around the city #losangeles #downtownla #downtownlosangeles original sound - J. Downtown LA resident Jordan Matthew described two crucial things that don't make the area great: homelessness and crime scenes Matthew moved to Downtown LA in 2021 and he thought it would give him 'a New York vibe.' He hardly talked about the unhoused communities but hinted that he's seen them more often in Downtown LA than he did in New York. The Californian had plenty to say about the crime scene that caught him by surprise. 'I've been a part of active stakeouts... I've walked outside of my crib and there've been police with yellow tape saying "nah bro go back inside,"' said Matthew. The TikToker remembered an incident where he was forced to cancel or reschedule an appointment after officers refused to let him pass yellow tape in his Downtown LA neighborhood. He mentioned that there are some positive things to say about Downtown LA, but tourists should look into staying areas near the area rather than in town. Matthew interacted with some of the TikTokers who suggested better neighborhoods in LA and he even referred to the area as Gotham City. According to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, an estimated 42,260 individuals are homeless in Los Angeles, which is a 10 percent rise from last year's number. Matthew was allegedly part of ongoing stakeouts near his home Social media users have made suggestions on other areas to stay besides downtown Los Angeles but have also dissed the entire area 'Stay in the chill place visit the lit spots,' Matthew wrote to a user who suggested tourists stay near the beach rather than Downtown LA or Hollywood. Another user wrote that the helicopters in the area that Matthew mentioned were regularly there due to crime scenes. Downing Street vowed to plough on with its plan to send Channel migrants to Rwanda today as it set the battle lines for a major confrontation with the House of Lords. Peers faced fury after they voted to delay a key plank of the scheme, backing a motion to kick the treaty with the African nation into the long grass by 214 votes to 171. Although ministers can get around the vote - which called for ratification to be postponed until ministers demonstrate the country is safe - it highlights the problems confronting Rishi Sunak over the policy. There are fears the Upper House will take an axe to the other element of the package - the Safety of Rwanda Bill - when it is debated next week. But a spokesman for the Prime Minister told reporters: 'The process for ratification of the treaty will continue, I am not aware of this impeding on that.' Labour former attorney general Lord Goldsmith today tabled a motion seeking to delay the treaty underpinning the Safety of Rwanda Bill Peers voted for a motion trying to delay Rishi Sunak 's Rwanda deportation plan Nigel Farage posted on the X social media site venting his frustration at the Rwanda vote Mr Farage suggested all current members of the House of Lords should be axed Ministers again warned that the Lords must not 'frustrate the will of the people' after the Rwanda legislation was passed by the Commons without any changes. And Nigel Farage was blunter, posting on the X social media site: 'We must sack all current members of the House of Lords. It is beyond parody.' The treaty, signed by Home Secretary James Cleverly in Kigali last month, sets out a range of safeguards over the treatment of migrants sent to Rwanda. Former Labour attorney general Lord Goldsmith, who chairs the Lords international agreements committee, tabled moves to postpone its ratification until a series of laws and other measures have been put in place. Lord Goldsmith told peers: 'We are not saying the treaty should never be ratified. 'But we are saying that Parliament should have the opportunity to scrutinise the treaty and implementation of its measures in full before it makes a judgment about Rwanda is safe.' Peter Goldsmith, an attorney general under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who laid the motion, said the vote marked the first time that lawmakers in the Lords had used parliamentary powers to vote to halt the ratification of a treaty. Debating the motion ahead of the vote, Liberal Democrat frontbencher Lord Fox said: 'There is more than enough reason to delay the ratification of the treaty until the conditions for its lawful operation are actually in place.' The vote came after the Prime Minister gave a press conference in which urged peers to pass the Rwanda Bill swiftly, challenging them not to 'frustrate the will of the people'. Labour frontbencher Lord Coaker hit out at Mr Sunak for seeming to instruct the House of Lords, saying: 'Nobody, not least the Prime Minister, should hold press conferences lecturing us about what our role is, when all we seek to do is to improve it and to act in our proper constitutional role.' He said the Government has not provided evidence that elements of the treaty have been implemented in Rwanda. 'The Government has not provided the evidence to support what it is saying needs to be done, either to the committee or to (the House of Lords). 'So how can we determine whether Rwanda is safe when the very things upon which that is dependent have not been provided to us? And that's what the committee is saying.' The Upper House (pictured at the state opening in November) debated the motion last night The Rwanda Bill was approved by the Commons last week despite major revolts from Tory MPs who demanded it was made tougher. As it was introduced to the Lords on Thursday there were shouts of 'shame' from the red benches. The Upper House is set to start scrutinising the law at the end of the month, but the process will not be complete until at least mid-March. Under the Rwanda plan, which has yet to be carried out, asylum seekers who cross the English Channel and land on England's southern coast in small, inflatable boats would be sent on planes to Rwanda. Sunak has said he wants the first deportation flights to leave in the next few months - ahead of a general election expected in the second half of this year - so he can meet one of his five pledges to 'stop the boats'. In an effort to overcome resistance from the courts who have ruled the plan is unlawful, Britain signed a treaty last year with Rwanda, in which it agreed to address safety concerns, and the government is trying to pass legislation through parliament that would block legal challenges to deportations. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst is demanding an audit into every Cabinet secretary's work from home schedule after Biden's Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin's secret hospitalization raised questions about the administration's work from home policies. The defense secretary was released from the hospital on Monday after 15 days of recovery after a surgery for prostate cancer on December 22. After he was admitted to the hospital due to complications on January 1, he didn't tell President Biden of his whereabouts until three days later. It also came to light that the president wasn't aware that Austin was under general anesthesia during the initial surgery and Austin's staff believed he was simply working from home the week of the procedure. Now, Ernst is raising questions about the frequency of Cabinet heads working from home after Austin went 'AWOL' for days. She wrote a letter to OMB Director Shalanda Young on Tuesday first obtained by DailyMail.com asking about the 'frequency' of Austin's work from home schedule. 'Is Secretary Austin working from home so frequently that he can disappear into the hospital for an entire week to undergo invasive surgery, and folks simply just think he's working from home again?' she inquired. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was seen in a zoom meeting - his first public appearance since his secret hospitalization The senator is demanding that 'every agency and department head' publish their schedule online 'When department secretaries do work from home, are they as nonresponsive as someone under general anesthesia?' Ernst continued. The senator is demanding that 'every agency and department head' publish their schedule online. She also says the administration should 'redouble' efforts to get federal workers back in the office. 'That should include agency leadership as well,' Ernst adds in the letter to Young. OMB wrote to all agencies in April 2023 stating that the 'expectation' is that they would increase in-person work at federal offices. 'Now, nine months later, most agencies still haven't listened,' accused Ernst. Last week, Biden's Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients ordered Cabinet heads to ensure that their workforce returns to the office this year. According to a memo obtained by DailyMail.com, he wrote that federal employees should be in the office at least 50 percent of their work time in order to achieve the goals of the administration. He highlighted the State Department's 'expectation' that all employees are in the office at least 3-4 times per week because there's 'no substitute' for 'engaging face-to-face' when it comes to diplomacy. But he also acknowledged that 'some of your agencies are not where they need to be.' The memo comes weeks after a bombshell report revealed that all federal agencies are less than 50 percent occupied - wasting billions in taxpayer dollars - over a year after President Biden declared the COVID-19 pandemic over. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) memo obtained by DailyMail.com, not a single federal agency has over half of its workforce in the office. That's a staggering statistic since federal agencies spend about $2 billion taxpayer dollars per year to operate and maintain federal office buildings - and over $5 billion annually in leases. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was seen for the first time on Tuesday since his secret hospitalization due to complications from his prostate cancer surgery. Austin, 70, appeared virtually and from home during a meeting on Ukraine's military needs, appearing on a zoom call with stakeholders. He appeared gaunt as he sat in front of a white wall with what appeared to be a security system keypad on his left and a Department of Defense seal on the right. Small U.S. and Ukraine flags were visible. The defense secretary skipped over prepared remarks that would have addressed his health, according to Reuters. 'I urge this group to dig deep to provide Ukraine with more lifesaving ground-based air defense systems and interceptors,' Austin said in his opening remarks. Biden stood by his defense secretary but did admonish him for a lapse in judgement Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin participated in a zoom meeting on Ukraine Austin's appeal to 50 other countries on the call to give money to the Ukraine came as the administration is waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraines fight. Until then the U.S. is looking to its allies to continue the funding fight. Austin's complications included 'nausea with severe abdominal, leg and hip pain.' The early diagnosis was a urinary tract infection but further examination showed Austin had a fluid build up in his abdomen that was impairing the function of his small intestines. Democrats and Republicans alike blasted Austin for the secrecy. Some called for his resignation. Biden stood by his defense secretary but did admonish him for a lapse in judgement. The White House is conducting a review of the matter. Chief of Staff Jeffrey Zients sent a memo to Cabinet secretaries, ordering them to keep the White House informed when they may not be able to perform their duties. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, 70, was hospitalized on January 1 and released on January 15th. He is pictured December 20 in this most recent pic Secretary Austin was treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center The Pentagon's inspector general also is investigating the mishandling of Austin's secret hospitalization. Eight in ten men and six in ten black men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year. The risk grows for men as they age. It is the most common cancer among men in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 5-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer in the United States is 97%. Austin will work from home as his recovery continues. He will have to do physical therapy and regular follow ups but is expected to make a full recovery, his doctors said. He needs no further treatment for his cancer. 'I'm grateful for the excellent care I received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and want to thank the outstanding doctors and nursing staff for their professionalism and superb support,' Austin said in a statement. 'Now, as I continue to recuperate and perform my duties from home, I'm eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon,' he said. The skeletal remains of an American aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan 15 years ago have finally been returned to her family. English teacher Cydney Mizell, 50, vanished in January 2008 after she was driven off a road and abducted by gunmen with her driver Muhammad Hadi near Kandahar. For over a decade her family presumed her dead, but awaited to find out the details of what had happened to Mizell, from northern California. As the US prepared to withdraw from Afghanistan in 2021, the State Department offered a $5million reward for information on the kidnapping. Last year Mizell's sister Jan received a call from the FBI saying they had collected small bone fragments belonging to the aid worker. The skeletal remains of American aid worker kidnapped in Afghanistan 15 years ago Cydney Mizell have finally been returned to her family Jan said she was told the reward led to a breakthrough, with somebody stepping forward with bone fragments the FBI matched to DNA samples from Cydney's dad. Two FBI agents escorted the remains, draped in the US flag, back home through a third country. They also brought the journals she kept in Afghanistan. According to an autopsy report, Mizell was shot in the head and her skull was crushed. The FBI believes she was killed in 2008 and buried near Kandahar. The FBI did not disclose the findings until Saturday, when the agency told the New York Times Mizell's remains had been 'recovered and repatriated to her family.' Afghan police tightened security in the southern city of Kandahar after the kidnapping, as seen above in January, 2008 It is not clear if anyone was given the $5million reward. No one has been charged in the case, but a former US official said the Taliban were most likely to blame. They claimed they most likely wanted to trade Mizell for one of their members held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mizell's family held a memorial for her in October in Seattle, Washington. They had created a GoFundMe in August, 2023, to cover the costs. The page's description read: 'After 15 years, we recently got word that her remains were retrieved. Although this has been emotional it finally brings much needed closure to our family, specially her only sister, my mom. Mizell taught English at Kandahar University and embroidery and sewing at a girls school. She had lived in Afghanistan for three years 'My Aunt Cydney was a pure hearted soul, fully devoted to God and everyone she met. She will be forever missed, but is truly a martyr in heaven.' Mizell taught English at Kandahar University and embroidery and sewing at a girls school. She had lived in Afghanistan for three years. The aid worker's kidnappers used her phone to call the aid agency she worked for several times after she was abducted. But shortly after she was taken, the kidnappers indicated she had been killed, without offering any details. Mizell's father died shortly after she was kidnapped, after making several public appeals for her return. Shortly after Mizell's kidnapping, hundreds of Afghan women gathered in a rare protest. The women, many wearing burqas, called on officials to find the captive American and urged the kidnappers to release her. The demonstration by so many Afghan women in the conservative southern province of Kandahar was a rare display of women's wishes. The 90-minute meeting was filled with prayers and speeches calling on government leaders to act. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reasoned that Donald Trump is so popular among Republicans because he reaffirms 'insecure' men and white people and their ideas on gender and race. In a podcast appearance last week, the New York Democrat riffed about voters identifying too much with the politicians they support, as she tried to explain that she will vote for Joe Biden but does not entirely identify with him. 'Donald Trump is what you actually get when you want a politician to embody all of your hopes and dreams and caricature of yourselves. Donald Trump affirms insecure mens idea of masculinity. They affirm insecure peoples idea of wealth,' she said on the 'I've Had It' podcast with hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie "Pumps" Sullivan, 'insecure white folks idea of race.' Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reasoned that Donald Trump is so popular among Republicans because he reaffirms 'insecure' men and white people and their ideas on gender and race The 34-year-old progressive went on: 'Thats what you get when you want your everything to come all of your life, and identity-affirming things, to come from electoral politics, you get demagogues, people who symbolize these psychological things. Joe Biden doesnt do that, and I think thats actually a good thing, becauseits its more honest, I think, about where we are, whether we like it or not.' Ocasio-Cortez explained that she was supporting Biden to defeat fascism but did not agree with his support of Israel in its war in Gaza, but voting for him 'doesnt mean that he embodies everything about me.' 'I dont associate myself with whats happening [in Gaza]. But at the end of the day, we have to acknowledge that we just cant allow this fascist movement to grow in this country. And what I think is actually hopeful about our politics is that we can exist outside of electoral politics in organizing our communities and standing with our friends,' the congresswoman said. The liberal firebrand also said there has been a 'vacuum' in Democratic politics surrounding faith issues and revealed that she grew up in an environment surrounded by 'conservative religiousity.' 'My father's side of the family was Catholic. my mom's side of the family is much more evangelical Pentecostal. Deep, deep, deep. deeply religious and often very adjacent to conservative religiosity, just culturally.' Ocasio-Cortez was raised in a suburb of New York City. 'I feel like for me a lot of the seeds of how I got to where I got to come from a moral place, and they come from a spiritual place,' she said. 'And in fact, when you look at some of the most successful movements in American history, like the civil rights movement, civil rights movement was a religious movement.' She said appealing to the public's moral nature was the key to her success. 'Donald Trump is what you actually get when you want a politician to embody all of your hopes and dreams and caricature of yourselves,' AOC said 'So I do think that there is there's a missing component where a lot of times what's being messaged is in a logical way or in a wonkish way, and, and people are kind of like focused on the policy of this, that and the other,' Ocasio-Cortez went on. 'While some of us can be very demonized like Bernie [Sanders] or myself, I actually think one of the reasons why we've been successful is because we tried to message on that moral plane as well.' The congresswoman also had high praise for her ideological near-opposite, Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett. 'We're opposed on every single ideological issue, possibly under the sun. Except he used to have a composting business,' she said of the eccentric southern Republican who voted to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy. 'He's on the Oversight Committee. He's just a character like a real character. He's real strong on the UFO issue,' she went on. 'He comes in in a Carhartt jacket every day. His glasses are on a rope around his neck, it's great.' Campaigning Queen Camilla is set to star in a documentary on domestic and sexual abuse, it can be revealed, as she visited a specialist centre to help survivors today. Filming has already begun on the programme, being made by production company Love Monday, with Her Majesty being followed by a film crew at several recent events. It is understood to be cover the wider sphere of domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse, but the Queen and her work will feature heavily. Camilla has been a passionate campaigner on the issue for many years, working with organisations to break the taboo around the issue and support survivors. She even created wash bags that have been handed out at UK Sexual Assault Referral Centres to victims following forensics examination containing items such as soap and shampoo which offer comfort and familiarity at what can be a very sensitive and dehumanising time. Campaigning Queen Camilla is set to star in a documentary on domestic and sexual abuse, it can be revealed, as she visited a specialist centre to help survivors today Queen Camilla pictured with Chair of Refuge's Board of Trustees, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton at Refuge's Gaia Centre today During her visit, the Queen heard from specialist staff about how children who have experienced abuse are supported by the centre While she admits that it is 'gritty' subject that some have shied away from in the past, she has vowed that her work will continue even though she has become queen. Today she visited Refuge's Gaia Centre in South London, a specialist Violence Against Women and Girls service and community hub, based in the heart of Lambeth, working to end gender-based violence and support survivors. The Gaia Centre, which opened its doors in 2012, is one of the first services in the UK to offer a single point of access for those experiencing violence and abuse. The centre provides confidential, non-judgemental support to more than 1,500 adults and 2,000 children each year, providing care for survivors of domestic abuse,sexual violence, trafficking, modern slavery, sexual exploitation, Female Genital Mutilation,forced marriage and honour-based violence. During the visit, Her Majesty met privately with survivors of domestic abuse, who shared their personal stories and their experience of being supported by Refuge. The Queen also visited a children's playroom and heard from specialist staff about how children who have experienced domestic abuse, and other forms of gender-based violence, including Child Sexual Exploitation, are supported by the centre. She was accompanied by the Chair of Refuge's Board of Trustees, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, and interim CEO Ellen Miller. Refuge is the largest provider of special support for women and children experience domestic abuse and gender-based violence in the country. Queen Camilla meeting frontline staff on a visit to Refuge's Gaia Centre in Lambeth, south London today Camilla today visited Refuge's Gaia Centre in South London, a specialist Violence Against Women and Girls service and community hub, based in the heart of Lambeth During the visit, Her Majesty met privately with survivors of domestic abuse, who shared their personal stories and their experience of being supported by Refuge During her visit Queen Camilla referred to a previous visit to the Safe Lives organisation eight years ago, when she first became interested in working in the field, and said: 'I think like a lot of people in this country, and all over the world, I certainly didn't know very much about this abuse. 'I'd literally scratched the surface. It's only when I sat down and listened to these really heartbreaking stories that I realised how terrible it was and how deep it was. 'I do remember saying at the time that I'd like to do anything I could to help and I'm not sure I've done a lot, but I've been trying to get out there and talk about it and make it a normal subject that people can talk about and stop it being a taboo subject; which it's been for years. 'I particularly salute all the survivors who are able to get out there; to talk to me, talk to everybody and tell other people about what they've been through, because they are going to save lives by getting others to come forward. 'It's wonderful to see everybody here today, to see a whole team working together, it's obviously producing good results and will save lives. Thank you all very much for all you do in this field, because you are doing a brilliant job.' More than one in four women in England and Wales experiences domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime, and on average two women are killed by a current or former partner a week. Two nuns and a care worker who were jailed for their 'cruel and unnatural' abuse of vulnerable children at an orphanage have launched bids to overturn their convictions and sentences. Sister Sarah McDermott, 79, Sister Eileen Igoe, 79, and carer Margaret Hughes, 76, subjected children to terrifying ordeals at Smyllum Park Orphanage in Lanark, Scotland. The three women denied any wrongdoing between 1969 and 1981 and went on trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court. A jury convicted them of carrying out a number of 'cruel and unnatural' incidents while children were in the care of the Order of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul. The three women were each jailed for three years last week by Sheriff Scott Pattison. Sister Eileen Igoe, 79, arrives at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Scotland, where she was jailed for three years for abusing children at the notorious Smyllum Park Orphanage, in Lanark Sister Sarah McDermott, 79, is helped into Airdrie Sheriff Court, where she was convicted The former Smyllum Park Orphanage in Lanark where children where abused by the nuns It has now emerged the trio have instructed lawyers to appeal both their convictions and sentences. All three remain in custody but hearings regarding their 'interim liberation' will be held next week. A number of former residents told the trial they had been mistreated at Smyllum during the six week trial. One woman said she was beaten by McDermott, of London, after she reported witnessing her brother being sexually abused in a toilet in the orphanage. She said volunteer worker Brian Dailey, who was later jailed for 15 years for abusing youngsters, molested the three-year-old in a cubicle. But rather than investigate the abuse, McDermott slapped the girl and told her she was bringing her 'filthy home habits into a good Catholic place'. McDermott also struck another girl with rosary beads and repeatedly struck her on the head and body. Igoe, of Edinburgh, was convicted of abuse which included force feeding children and making one eat their own vomit as well as striking one boy on the head and body. Hughes, of Lanark, seized one boy by the hair before striking him with her arm. She also forced a girl into a freezing bath and held her head under water. Carer Margaret Hughes, 76, (hiding under hood) arrives at Airdrie Sheriff Court, Scotland, where she was jailed for three years for abusing children at Smyllum Park Orphanage Igoe, of Edinburgh, was convicted of abuse which included force feeding children and making one eat their own vomit as well as striking one boy on the head and body Sheriff Pattison said: 'It would have been obvious to you all and anyone at the time that what you were doing was abusive and that it was criminal and you must have known what you were doing was wrong. 'What should have been a home and a safe place, a safe haven even, for these children was a place of anxiety and fear.' Smyllum closed in 1981 and has been at the centre of allegations of abuse. The Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry said in 2018 youngsters had been sexually abused and beaten with leather straps, hairbrushes and crucifixes. The Daughters of Charity said they wished to 'reiterate' their 'heartfelt apology' to anyone who suffered abuse in their care following the conclusion of the case against the three women. The Appeal Court confirmed they had been given notice the three women intended to appeal their convictions and sentences. A gang of killers who disguised themselves in women's burkhas before storming into home and brutally murdering two rappers have been jailed for a total of 152 years. The group barged their way into a house in Ilford, east London, armed with four guns and knives before killing Saydi Abu Skeikh, 23, and Zakariya Jeilani Mohamed, 31. Some 45 shots were fired and Mr Sheikh - who was a rapper under the name Giddy - was 'butchered' during the midnight raid on October 25, 2022. A third man, Khalid Khalid, was shot six times - including through the head - but remarkably survived, while a fourth fled with a shoulder wound and a fifth hid between a bed and a wall. The murders were orchestrated by Zain Mirza, 21, in revenge for the killing of his brother who was stabbed to death three years earlier. Saydi Abu Skeikh, pictured, was brutally shot and stabbed to death in a gang-related revenge attack The attack was orchestrated by Zain Mirza, pictured, in revenge for a fatal stabbing that killed his brother Chibuike Ohanweh, 21, Ayaanle Adan, 20, and Mahad Gouled, 22, carried out the carnage, with Mirza nearby. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, they were all found guilty of double murder, two charges of attempted murder and perverting the course of justice. On Tuesday, Judge Mark Lucraft KC sentenced them to life with a minimum term of 38 years. He told them: 'I'm entirely satisfied that the events were the culmination of a carefully planned retaliation attack for the killing of Mohammed Usman Mirza. 'Not satisfied with with the police investigation, convictions and sentence of those responsible, you Mirza embarked on planning a revenge attack on members of a rival gang.' Ohanweh, from Romford, Adan, from Barking, Gouled, from Enfield, and Mirza, of Newham, were also handed life sentences for the attempted murders and six years for perverting the course of justice to run concurrently. A fifth defendant, Zakarie Mohamad, 19, of Kensington, was sentenced to four years in a young offenders institute after he pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice. Judge Lucraft said the offence was aggravated by the level of planning that went into it. Mirza's brother Mohammed Usman Mirza, 19, was ambushed and violently stabbed to death in a 'carefully planned' attack in November 2019 - itself in revenge for a different stabbing. The attackers had donned burkas to hide their identities when they set off from a 'mission' base flat a couple of miles away. They travelled to the murder scene in a stolen Mitsubishi Outlander which was set on fire minutes afterwards, destroying all but one of their discarded robes. Chibiuke Ohanweh was part of the group of three men who carried out the hit job. He has been jailed for a minimum of 38 years Mahad Gouled was jailed for a minimum of 38 years after being found guilty of two counts of murder and two of attempted murder Ayaani Ali Adan was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 38 years for his role in the murders The court heard that the sounds from the gunshots were mistaken for fireworks by people living nearby, with prosecutors saying when police arrived minutes later they 'found a scene of bloody carnage'. Prosecutor John Price, KC, told the jury earlier: 'In an upstairs room were two young men, both dead or dying. They had each been shot and stabbed many times.' Saydi Sheikh was stabbed 28 times and shot four times, while Zakariya Mohamed was stabbed five times and shot seven times. Mr Price said: 'A third young man, gravely wounded, had been left for dead. Though he sustained a gunshot wound which had passed through his head, he was to survive.' READ MORE: Killers who disguised themselves in burkhas as they plotted revenge murder of two rappers are facing life in jail Advertisement Mr Khalid's family were told he may end up as needing around the clock care. He made a remarkable recovery but was left with a brain injury and lost hearing in one ear. Mr Sheikh ran outside but the bullets grazed the top of his shoulder by his neck, the court heard. The prosecutor added: 'A fifth man was even more fortunate. Zachary Abdi had been in the upstairs room but before the gunmen were able to force their way into the room, he had concealed himself between a bed and the wall and almost miraculously, his presence there went undetected by the gunmen.' One of the killers was heard saying 'he's not dead yet, finish him, stab him, kill him' after Sheikh had been shot through a door, the court heard. Judge Lucraft said: 'What took place on the night of October 25th into the early hours of October 26th 2022 was very well orchestrated and planned. 'This is, all too sadly, yet another example of gang rivalry and violence played out on the streets of London. 'Two more young men killed, one young man left with life-changing injury, another lucky he only received a single gunshot wound, and this court sentencing more young men to lengthy terms in custody. 'Each of you has sought to distance yourself from what took place by saying you were not involved and some blaming other members of your gang. Two of you claimed to be elsewhere. 'As the verdicts show, your lying accounts have been comprehensively disbelieved.' Saydi Abu Sheikh, 23, (pictured) and Zakariya Mohamed, 31, were gunned down in a house in Ilford, east London , in a 'scene of bloody carnage' in the early hours of 25 October 2022 Police officers in forensics gear walk along the road after the brutal attack in Ilford on October 25 An aerial view over the police cordon around the house where the revenge attack took place Judge Lucraft noted a 'chilling' remark as Mr Sheikh was attacked, with one saying: 'He is not dead yet - finish him, stab him, kill him.' He said Ohanweh and Mirza had been on licence at the time and Adan subject to a community order. In a statement, Mr Sheikh's family said he 'put a smile on countless faces'. They said: 'His untimely murder has left an irreplaceable void in our lives.' Mr Mohamed's family said losing their 'beloved Zakariya' had 'cast a long, dark shadow on our family', adding: 'Our hope is that over time we can find a new normalcy.' In their victim impact statement, Mr Khalid's family said: 'The journey of his recovery became a tumultuous odyssey. 'The person he once was has been altered by a brain injury. Despite the hardship, we are immensely grateful that he is still with us today.' Mitigating, David Etherington KC said Mirza's father had written a statement to express his sorrow for the murders his son helped to commit. in the letter, the defendant's father said: 'No parent should have to bury their child. I speak from experience when I say it is the hardest thing any parent can do.' Tom Forster KC, for Adan, acknowledged the murders were the 'most appalling example of the most grotesque violence'. But he said a report had confirmed Adan's diagnosis of ADHD and suggested the defendant's age and maturity as mitigating factors. Stephen Kamlish KC, representing Mohamad, said the defendant had been 'criminally exploited', 'humanly trafficked' and was a victim of modern slavery. He said Ohanweh and Mirza had been on licence at the time and Adan subject to a community order. President Joe Biden's team wants former President Donald Trump to win big today in the New Hampshire Republican primary, so the general election can kick off Wednesday. Axios reported Tuesday the sentiment from team Biden, as Granite State voters head to the polls to choose between Trump and former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley. Trump is leading Haley by double digits in the polls and he and his surrogates are urging her to drop out after tonight in a show of party unity. Haley's campaign, in turn, put out a strategy memo Tuesday morning pointing to a number of Super Tuesday states that have open primaries, which would allow independents and even Democrats to vote for her, potentially embracing her less MAGA and more moderate Republican message. Biden's Democratic backers see this as a win-win - either Trump wraps up the nominating fight, which will invigorate Democratic voters and grassroots donors, who despise him, or the ex-president has to deal with a protracted Republican primary. President Joe Biden's campaign would like to see former President Donald Trump wrap up the Republican nomination fight after Tuesday's New Hampshire primary so the Biden-Trump 2.0 general election campaign can officially kick off Wednesday Former President Donald Trump (left) wants former U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley (right) to drop out of the presidential race after today's New Hampshire primary in a show of party unity. Trump is leading Haley in the polls, though she's indicated that her campaign will press on While Nevada is the next state to vote on the primary calendar, a weird quirk between the state wanting a primary and the Republican Party keeping its caucus means Trump and Haley won't appear on the same ballot. That moves the primary race to South Carolina - Haley's home state - which holds its primary on February 24. After that comes Super Tuesday, which will take place on March 5. Axios reported that the Biden campaign has internal data that indicates most of the undecided voters the Democrats are targeting don't believe Trump will end up the GOP nominee - as they haven't been fully engaged in the primary process. If it is indeed Trump - which looks very likely - Biden's team believes the dynamics of the race will change, with those undecideds moving to the president's column. The Real Clear Politics polling average currently has Trump leading Biden in a general election match-up by 2.9 percent, which is within most surveys' margin of error. That being said, a Biden-Trump match-up seemed destined for months, with Trump having a commanding lead against his primary rivals in Iowa, a state he eventually won by 30 points, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and the Super Tuesday states. So Trump officially becoming the nominee may not shake up the race as much as Democrats would like. New Hampshire also has a history of extending presidential primaries. . There was Sen. John McCain's win in 2000 over Texas Gov. George W. Bush that kept the race going a few more weeks - though Super Tuesday. And there was Sen. Hillary Clinton's 2008 win in the state after Sen. Barack Obama bested the former first lady in the Iowa caucuses. Clinton's Granite State win kept that primary going until late May of that year. At midnight Tuesday, the first New Hampshire voters - residents of the far-north community of Dixville Notch - made their selection for president. All six voters picked Haley. From 1992 through 2012, the voters of Dixville Notch correctly predicted the eventual presidential nominee for both parties. However the streak ended in 2016, the year of Trump's first non-traditional presidential bid. Republicans chose Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Democrats picked Sen. Bernie Sanders over Clinton. Artificial Intelligence may not be coming for our jobs as soon as we feared. That's according to experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who've identified a saving grace for human workers they're relatively cheap. MIT researchers say AI's impact on the labor market has been slower and costlier than many of its early adopters predicted. They ran the numbers and found that AI automation only makes sense for a business about 23 percent of the time. TikTok influencers have been warning that chatbots and AI will lead to mass layoffs Other creators have been highlighting the well-paying jobs that robots cannot perform 'In many cases, humans are the more cost-effective way,' said Neil Thompson, one of the authors of MIT's 45-page study. From the perspective of executives, they 'are a more economically attractive way, to do work right now,' he told CNN. Poll Are you worried about the changing job market? Yes No Not sure Are you worried about the changing job market? Yes 941 votes No 753 votes Not sure 136 votes Now share your opinion Fears have mounted that chatbots and other forms of artificial intelligence will lead to mass layoffs as companies swap their human workers for machines that are cheaper, faster, and don't take lunch breaks. The first workers in the firing line are bank tellers, cashiers, data entry clerks and secretaries, according to early predictions. One study from Goldman Sachs found that a quarter of jobs would be automated within the next few years. Worse still, McKinsey, a consultancy, predicted that half of all work would be automated by 2055. Analysts at the World Economic Forum (WEF) last year warned that a staggering 83 million jobs will be nixed globally in the next five years. They said bank and postal clerks, cashiers, secretaries and other roles would be pushed out by new technology. At the same time, 69 million jobs will be created in emerging industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI), sustainability, and robotics. Still, that's a net loss of 14 million jobs, or 2 percent of the current global workforce. MIT researchers looked at 414 jobs often seen as threatened by AI, especially those involving visual tasks They focussed on 'vision' jobs, in which robots carry out duties that involve scanning and processing the data Against this backdrop, anxious employees took to TikTok to express their fears about being scrapped. Others listed the careers that could be AI-proof and were a safer bet for today's students. They included lawyers, therapists, and entertainers. Others still advised others not to worry the robots can do the boring work, freeing up people to have fun and be more creative, said the optimists. This week's study from MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence says these fears were overblown. They looked at what types of work could be automated by AI, but also at when this was likely to happen. They looked at 414 jobs often seen as threatened by AI, especially those involving visual tasks. That includes retail store supervisors, who check prices and inventory throughout a store, and nurse anesthesiologists, who monitor patients for pupil dilation, cheek color and other telltale signs. Postal clerks, like these men working in Orlando, Florida, along with bank tellers, cashiers and stock checkers who are at the front of the firing line, the World Economic Forum says Some 83 million jobs will vanish globally in the next five years as bank and postal clerks, cashiers, secretaries and other roles are pushed out by new technology Then they looked at the wages paid for these roles, and calculated the cost of automating them. In most cases, they found that many of the jobs considered at risk would be too costly to automate any time soon. This was the case with shop workers, who keep tabs on merchandise and prices throughout a store. Machines programmed correctly can undertake the same function but they cost a lot of money. Indeed, they cost more money than the wages of a human shop clerk, they found. Even big firms with 5,000 or more employees could only cost-effectively automate less than one-tenth of their existing vision tasks, researchers found. 'What we're seeing is that while there is a lot of potential for AI to replace tasks, it's not going to happen immediately,' added Thompson. 'It's really important to think about the economics of actually implementing these systems.' Machetes and zombie knives should be completely banned in the UK, Sadiq Khan has said as he called on the Government to speed up plans to curb availability of the weapons. The Home Office said last summer that it would press ahead with plans to toughen up laws on these types of knives. The Mayor of London said a ban must be introduced quickly, with a complete bar on all machetes and zombie knives. Current plans are for machetes with no practical use and certain types of zombie knives to be made illegal, while the maximum penalty for the importation, manufacturing, possession and sale of these weapons will be increased to two years. Mr Khan said: 'I've been mayor now for almost eight years, I'm now on my eighth Home Secretary. Andre Salmon, 18, was gunned down in north London last July Khaled Saleh, 17, was found with stab wounds and was treated by paramedics but later died last June A spokesman for Mr Khan said: 'Nothing is more important to the mayor than keeping Londoners safe' A total of 106 people were murdered in London during 2022 - the lowest figure since 2014, down from 132 in 2021 A total of 14 teenagers were murdered in London in 2022. Of that figure, 13 were boys who were victims of stabbings 'We've been hearing since 2016 their plans to make it more difficult to buy zombie knives and machetes. They've not done so. 'It's more difficult for a teenager to buy a lottery ticket than to buy online a machete or a zombie knife. 'There can be no reason why anybody would have a machete in this country, we haven't got forests like South America, there's no justification or reason to have a zombie knife.' Earlier this month, actor Idris Elba launched the Don't Stop Your Future campaign, calling for an immediate ban on these knives. According to the Telegraph, the Home Secretary is to fast-track plans to toughen up knife laws in response. Mr Khan said: 'What I'm saying to the Government is you should ban altogether machetes, there's no reason to have a machete. 'I've been on police operations and we found hidden away these zombie knives and these huge machetes. 'The Government's current plans are to only ban zombie knives if they're bigger than eight inches, if they are serrated, or they have more than one hole, or they have more than one spike. 'Well, that will encourage manufacturers to make knives that aren't caught by the ban. 'So what I'm saying to the Government is, firstly speed up this legislation and actually ban machetes and zombie knives.' Some 1,003 died in London as a result of knife crime before 2023 ended including Harry Pitman on December 31 and another five in the first ten days of January 2024. It comes as the mayor is refusing to supply the Met Police with 70million in funds for its sought-after 'New Met For London' reforms, meanwhile unions have been offered a bumper 30million pay deal to avert crippling Tube strikes. Harry Pitman, 16, was fatally stabbed in north-west London on New Year's Eve Harry Pitman, 16, became the last homicide victim of 2023 when he was stabbed and killed on New Year's Eve on Primrose Hill Tafari Thompson-Mintah, 16, was riding his moped on Sevenoaks Way in St Paul's Cray, Orpington, when he was involved in a collision in October Rahaan Ahmed Amin, 16, was found wounded in West Ham Park, Forest Gate, and later died in July last year Teenager Max Moy Wheatley, from the Orpington area of Bromley, was found stabbed in September Sadiq Khan (pictured) was last night accused of failing Londoners on crime levels after it emerged that more than 1,000 people have been killed since he became mayor The data sparked accusations that Mr Khan had only made the situation worse while in the job although his office claimed that homicide levels had fallen to their lowest since 2014. Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall said: 'I am deeply saddened to hear that over 1,000 people have been killed in London since Sadiq Khan took charge eight years ago. 'Sadiq Khan has simply not done enough, and we cannot afford another four years under his watch.' A Home office source said: 'The Home Secretary requested a meeting over a fortnight ago in which he was hoping to discuss the Mayor's record on knife crime. He looks forward to hearing how Sadiq plans to reverse the 40% increase in knife crime he has overseen in office.' A 49-year-old mother-of-two died of suspected hyperthermia after slipping on ice and falling at a snowy bus stop in Milwaukee. Jolene Waldref had been taking the bus after her car recently broke down and was waiting at the bus stop after work last Monday when tragedy struck. The Wisconsin native slipped on ice and hit her face on a gate near 76th and Congress streets at 5:45 pm. After the incident, which was caught on surveillance cameras, a passerby slowed down as they approached Waldref's unconscious body on the pavement - but stepped over her and continued walking instead of stopping to help. The footage then showed another passerby, Charlotte Morris, as she rushed to help the victim and called 911 along with another person. Jolene Waldref, 49, died of hyperthermia after slipping on ice and falling at a snowy bus stop in Milwaukee The Wisconsin-native and mother-of-two slipped and hit her face on a gate near 76th and Congress streets at 5:45 pm A crew of paramedics showed up at the scene, but they were unable to revive Waldref, who was lying unconscious in the freezing snow that was left over from the winter storm two days earlier. Waldref had frozen to death and was officially pronounced dead in the ambulance after CPR was performed along with other life-saving measures. The 'feels like' weather at the time of Waldref's fall was between 20 and 30 degrees below zero. The 49-year-old had cared for her chronically ill husband up until last year when he tragically died. Sara Arellano was a close friend of Waldref's. She told WISN that as well as being her tenant for over 20 years, Waldref babysat for her kids, helped file their taxes and was 'always willing to help.' Waldref had two daughters Kevina, 21, and Kaleia, 14. The surveillance footage showed a passerby, Charlotte Morris, as she rushed to help the victim and called 911 along with another person A crew of paramedics showed up at the scene, but they were unable to revive Waldref, who was lying unconscious in the freezing snow left over from the winter storm two days prior Loved ones created a GoFundMe to help raise money for the orphaned daughters of Waldref. 'Her girls have a long road ahead of them. They are still reeling from the loss of their dad 6 months ago,' the charity page said. 'The funds that are raised will be used to cover the costs of funeral arrangements and things that will be needed for the girls. 'Kevina will be taking guardianship over Kaleia. These kids have had to grow up much too fast. Let's help make this transition a little less stressful for them.' The GoFundMe has raised $4,361 so far. Waldref's death has been ruled as accidental after the preliminary report. The official cause of death is still pending. The CEO of United Airlines warned Boeing needs 'real action' to restore its reputation after dozens of its planes were grounded when a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight. Scott Kirby said he is 'disappointed' by ongoing manufacturing problems at Boeing. He added that the airline will consider alternatives to buying a future, larger version down the line. Kirby's comments came one day after United disclosed that it expects to lose between $116 million to $262 million in the first three months of this year as a result of 79 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jets being taken out of action by federal regulators. A Alaska Airlines Max 9 plane narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when a door plug blew off, terrifying passengers and forcing the pilot to land with a gaping hole in the plane. CEO of United Airlines Scott Kirby warned Boeing needs 'real action' to restore its reputation after dozens of its fleet were grounded following an incident aboard an Alaska Airlines flight Boeing 737 Max 9s have been grounded since a door plug blew out at 16,000 feet forcing an emergency landing The missing door panel was found days later in High school physics teacher Bob Sauer's back yard Investigators are probing whether bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing or broke off. Kirby said on CNBC that he believes the Max 9s could be cleared to fly again soon, but is 'disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing.' It is thought the jets will remain grounded until at least the end of the month. At times over the past few years, manufacturing flaws have held up deliveries of Max jets and a larger Boeing plane, the 787. Last year, United received 24 fewer Boeing aircraft than it expected. United has a standing order for Max 10 jets, a larger version of the Max line. However, that model and a smaller one, the Max 7, are years behind schedule for being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The grounding of the Max 9 is likely to further complicate Boeing's drive to get the new models approved. Kirby said the Max 10 is at least five years behind schedule and could be pushed further into the future. 'I think this is the straw - the Max 9 grounding - is probably the straw that broke the camel's back for us,' he told CNBC. 'We're going to at least build a plan that doesn't have the Max 10 in it.' Kirby wasn't specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but noted there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes - Boeing's European rival Airbus. Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, apologized for the Max 9 grounding United's 79 Boeing 737 Max 9s have been grounded since the Alaska Airlines incident on January 5 Doing without the Max 10 probably means United won't grow as fast as it had hoped, Kirby added. The CEO is said to be so concerned he has been venting to colleagues and attempting to lobby Secretary of Transport Pete Buttigieg for action, according to Fortune. Max 9s have been grounded since January 5, when a jet which took off from Portland, Oregon bound for California was forced to make a harrowing emergency landing 20 minutes in when the door plug blew out at 16,000 feet. There were 171 passengers and six crew on board the flight at the time, with those on board later telling how fearing the worst, they began saying their final goodbyes to loved ones. Federal officials spent days looking for the lost parts of the plane to help in their investigation. Authorities also ordered similar planes be grounded while they investigated. The missing door plug was found by a Portland high school physics teacher Bob Sauer, 64, days after the incident. Stan Deal, CEO of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, apologized for the Max 9 grounding and said the company is making changes. 'We have let down our airline customers and are deeply sorry for the significant disruption to them, their employees and their passengers,' Deal said. 'We are taking action on a comprehensive plan to bring these airplanes safely back to service and to improve our quality and delivery performance.' Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. rose 6 percent Tuesday to $40.73 in pre-market trading After the end of regular trading Monday, the company said it expected a quarterly loss of between 35 cents and 85 cents per share in the first quarter due to the grounding - a total loss of between $116 million and $262 million. But for the full year the airline forecast adjusted earnings of between $9 to $11 per share, which would be around analysts' estimates. Shares of The Boeing Co. fell less than one percent and opened at $215.35 on Tuesday. An Archbishop rolled his eyes at concerned parents when getting grilled about the sexual abuse claims made against the new senior associate pastor at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Lenexa. At Sunday Mass last week, Father John Pilcher - who was placed on leave in 2021 for sexual abuse allegations - greeted his new parishioners at the Kansas church, and came clean about his murky background. 'Also, by way of introduction, I want to be totally transparent. If you Google my name, you will find that back in 2021, when I was pastor at Mater Dei in Topeka, an allegation was brought up against me,' he said to the horrified parishioners. When the alarmed parents directed their concerns at Archbishop Joseph Naumann who was visiting the parish, he made matters worse by allegedly continuously rolling his eyes at them, insiders revealed to the Kansas City Star. The outlet obtained recording of Naumann's after-Mass meetings with parishioners where he reportedly 'rolled his eyes repeatedly in response to worried questions from parents.' At Sunday Mass last week, Father John Pilcher - who was placed on leave in 2021 for sexual abuse allegations - greeted his new parishioners at the Kansas church, and came clean about his murky background When the alarmed parents directed their concerns at Archbishop Joseph Naumann who was visiting the parish, he made matters worse by allegedly continuously rolling his eyes at them, insiders revealed to the Kansas City Star 'He did it dozens of times!' one parishioner who witnessed the act told the Kansas City Star. He came to 'address some of the confusion and turmoil over the recent appointment of Father John Pilcher,' he said. He reportedly spent his time praising Pilcher's past efforts at fundraising. Rev. Pilcher was suspended from his position as a priest at Mater Dei Catholic Church in Topeka, pending the outcome of an investigation in 2021. He was ultimately did not stand trial on the abuse accusations, as the DA in Topeka declined to file charges and the church-appointed review board did not substantiate the claims. In response, Naumann allegedly expressed strong belief in one's 'innocence until proven guilty'- emphasizing his fight for the truth and the rights of accused priests The outlet obtained recording of Naumann's after-Mass meetings with parishioners where he reportedly 'rolled his eyes repeatedly in response to worried questions from parents' In one instance, a man can be heard on the audio recording asking Naumann to stop rolling his eyes and disrespecting him. 'I just asked myself, are my children safer today than they were two weeks ago when this decision was made? And I have to trust my judgment and say no. And so again, I mean why are you looking at me like that? I'm starting to get frustrated. You're rolling your eyes!' Witnesses recalled parents crying and 'begging' the archbishop not to risk destroying their parish by placing their children at risk, the Kansas City Star reported. In response, Naumann expressed strong belief in one's 'innocence until proven guilty' - emphasizing his fight for the truth and the rights of accused priests. When a friend of the archbishop suggested to end the meeting with 'a Hail Mary for father,' the congregation took a defiant stance against it - emphasizing that their questions were still left unanswered. 'That's how heated it was,' an insider told the Kansas City Star. 'Normally, this was a crowd that would have been all for that' suggestion of a Hail Mary, for any reason or none.' Nearly 2,000 minors were sexually abused by Catholic priests in Illinois over 69 years, a shocking investigation by the state's Attorney General found in May. As many as 451 Catholic church clergy abused 1,997 children in Illinois between 1950 and 2019, per an investigation by Attorney General Kwame Raoul revealed on Tuesday Priest Thomas Francis Kelly assaulted more than 15 boys aged 11 to 17 in various parishes in the state during the 1960s and 1970s As many as 451 of the church's clergy members and lay religious brothers in six dioceses abused 1,997 children between 1950 and 2019, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said when he unveiled the report. The 696-page document accuses Illinois church leaders of being severely slow to acknowledge the extent of the abuse, and of frequently dragging their feet to confront accused clergy. The report claims the church failed to warn parishioners about possible abusers in their midst, sometimes taking even decades to respond after allegations had emerged about a clergy member. However, as Raoul noted, the statute of limitations has expired in many cases and those abusers 'will never see justice in a legal sense.' A Brooklyn woman has been detained after a severed head and multiple body parts were found in her freezer. Heather Stines, 45, was detained on Monday night after cops received a tip about the grisly find, sources told DailyMail.com. Stines has not been charged. It's unclear who the body parts belong to, and DNA testing is under way. It's understood the body parts have been removed from the apartment. NYPD confirmed that they were called to the apartment on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn at 7.10pm. Once there, officers 'observed an unconscious and unresponsive, unidentified male inside the apartment'. 'EMS responded and pronounced the aided deceased on the scene,' NYPD said in a statement. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death and the investigation remains ongoing. It's unclear how long Stines has lived in the apartment for, but neighbors told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that Stines' home had been broken into at least twice. Heather Stines, 45, (pictured) was detained on Monday night after cops received a tip about the grisly find, sources told DailyMail.com NYPD confirmed that they were called to the apartment on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn (pictured) at 7.10pm on Monday A cop stands guard in the apartment building Tuesday Stines's elderly aunt, Amy Stines, expressed her shock and horror at the news when reached Tuesday by DailyMail.com. 'Oh God, I just can't fathom this,' the 79-year-old from Kentucky said. She said her niece has had longstanding drug problems and moved from Kentucky several years ago hoping to escape her problems. According to the aunt, Heather was living with her husband in an apartment in Brooklyn, and was earning some money cleaning apartments. She said she reached out to her niece on Sunday to see how she was and catch up on things, but got no response. Heather's husband, Nicholas McGee, has been in a Chesapeake, Virginia, jail since September after he was accused of trying to cash a fraudulent check in a bank, a relative of his told DailyMail.com. McGee was due to appear in court Tuesday morning, his sister-in-law Catherine McGee, 55, said. She told DailyMail.com that the couple are both drug abusers, who'd used heroin and crack, and been arrested multiple times. She said Heather relapsed a 'year or two' ago after learning that one of her daughters had died of a drug overdose. The sister-in-law said she had yet to speak with Nicholas about the police investigation. 'He's going to be f**king devastated because he's coming out of jail and she's possibly going into jail, for a possible murder,' she said. Darrell, who lives across the hall from Stines in the Brooklyn block and sometimes loaned her cash, said he knew she was a drug addict and people tried to break into her apartment at least twice looking for money she owed for drugs. He said he last saw Mcgee, who was 'a cool guy' in the last week of August. 'They got into an argument one night and I haven't seen him since,' he said. 'A couple of days later she said "my husband got locked up, I don't have my food stamp card, do you have $10?" I said sure. 'A couple of days ago she said detectives were here looking for my husband and I told them he was in jail. 'She's cool as hell, I would never expect she'd have a head in her freezer, hell no.' Body parts were found in a freezer in Apartment 4C in a 2069 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn Heather Stines, 45, was detained on Monday night after cops received a tip about a severed head and body parts in the freezer in her Brooklyn home Another couple who lived in the building said Stines was so addicted to crack and heroin she had sold 'everything of value' in her apartment, even her TV. 'She's what we call a garbage can addict, she'll do any drugs,' they said. 'Heather is one of the people bringing this building down, nobody would be sad if she went to jail.' The couple said Stines recently started hanging out with a short black man with dreadlocks, whom she was seen with frequently - as recently as the weekend. Stines' aunt Amy said her niece had several children from prior relationships who were taken away from her. As far as she knew, child protective services took the kids away after finding her to be neglectful. 'The worst I know of is she lost her children because somebody reported them sleeping on the floor because she didn't have any beds,' the aunt said. 'She said she threw the beds away because of bed bugs. They slept on palettes.' The old building with 'Flatbush Court' engraved above the always-unlocked door was poorly maintained with graffiti on the walls and chips all through the lobby's plaster. Most of the shops nearby are boarded up and piles of trash bags line both sides of the door 'My husband said let's go buy them some beds, and the next thing we knew she didn't have the kids,' she added. 'She went to live with her cousin, then stole her computer. She also stole some money from me and my husband. She just would run off. You couldn't do anything with her.' 'Even though she was bad, she was sweet,' the aunt said. 'She was nice as can be.' A few years back, the aunt recalled, 'Heather said she had to get away from here. And I said you think New York is better than here? I told her there's more drugs in New York. 'She said she was going to come back here to Kentucky at some point, and I was going to let her stay with me,' she continued. 'But she never did come back. She'd text me over the years at times for money. I'd always ask if she's in trouble and she'd say, no, just running low.' The old building with 'Flatbush Court' engraved above the always-unlocked door was poorly maintained with graffiti on the walls and chips all through the lobby's plaster. Most of the shops nearby are boarded up and piles of trash bags line both sides of the door. The four-year-old will soon meet the seven other giraffes that live there He was originally living at the city-run Central Park zoo in Ciudad Juarez Benito, the once 'lonely' giraffe, arrived at his new home in central Mexico after a lengthy 40-hour road trip. The four-year-old giraffe touched down at the Africam Safari Park on Tuesday in central Puebla state and was nestled into his new home that he has to share with other giraffes. The 7.5-acre enclosure already holds seven giraffes, three of which are females. As Benito arrived, the other giraffes were seen looking at the giant box he was transported in as it pulled into the park. Benito was transferred after environmental groups voiced strong complaints about his conditions at the city-run Central Park zoo in Ciudad Juarez, where weather in the summer is brutally hot and temperatures plunge during the winter. Benito, the once 'lonely' giraffe, arrived at his new home in the Africam Safari Park on Tuesday As he arrived, the other giraffes at the park watched him pull in. Benito will have to share his enclosure with seven other giraffes On Sunday night, a crane carefully lifted a container holding the giraffe onto a truck while city dwellers in love with the animal said a bittersweet goodbye. The container, more than 16.5feet high, was specially designed for Benito, and the giraffe was allowed to become familiar with it during the weekend. The animal's head stuck through the top of the big wooden and metal box, but a frame allowed a tarp to cover over Benito and insulate him from the cold, wind and rain as well as from noise and the sight of landscape speeding by. Inside the container was straw, alfalfa, water and vegetables, and electronic equipment monitored the temperature and allowed technicians to even talk to the animal. The crate was accompanied by a convoy of police, National Guard and press vehicles. After he made it to his new home, Benito was held in a tall-roofed medical evaluation room at the park. The park plans to move him out to meet the rest of the herd as soon as possible, possibly within a couple of days. Frank Carlos Camacho, the director of the Africam Safari Park said: 'He has been alone for a long time, and it is going to take us a few days to introduce him to the rest of the herd.' 'But even so, we believe this is a very stable herd and that they will accept him. It all depends on Benito, how he interacts with the herd,' Camacho added. Benito was captured on video as he sniffed around the park and accepted a carrot from a park staff member. Frank Carlos Camacho, the director of the Africam Safari park is seen speaking to the press after Benito arrived on Tuesday Inside the container was straw, alfalfa, water and vegetables, and electronic equipment monitored the temperature and allowed technicians to even talk to the animal At his old home in Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, Benito had little to do in his half-acre enclosure where he often ate loads of alfafa. In the border area's blazing hot summer Benito had little shade as photos showed him crouching to fit under a small, circular shade canopy to keep cool. In the winter, ice sometimes formed in his enclosure's pond and there were few trees for him to munch on. At the Africam park, Benito will start eating leaves from the acacia tree, one of the favorite foods of giraffes in their native habitat in Africa. 'Benito is going to be introduced to foods that are new to him, which are the ones his cousins in Africa eat. Even though Benito is not familiar with them, he's going to like them,' Camacho said. Benito has reached the age where giraffes are known to reach sexual maturity as many males separate from the herd and go looking for a mate. On Sunday night, a crane carefully lifted a container holding the giraffe onto a truck while city dwellers in love with the animal said a bittersweet goodbye An environmentalist dressed as a giraffe observes Benito's transfer with other supporters At the Africam Safari park, the giraffes live in a much larger space that more closely resembles their natural habitat 'I am very pleased that Benito will be the next stud at Africam,' Camacho said. Benito originally came from a zoo in Sinaloa, a state on Mexicos northern Pacific coast with a much more temperate climate. Benito couldnt stay with the two other giraffes there because they were a couple, and zookeepers feared the male would become territorial and attack Benito, so he was donated to Ciudad Juarez. At the Africam Safari park, the giraffes live in a much larger space that more closely resembles their natural habitat. Visitors travel through the park in all-terrain vehicles to observe animals as if they were on safari. Camacho said: 'Hes ready to be a giraffe. He will reproduce soon, and contribute to the conservation of this wonderful species.' Rabbi Jorge Bar-levy previously told Reuters that he only assisted Hernandez in finding lawyers for his trial and obtain kosher food in jail He wants the court to assign him a new lawyer and to postponed the start of his trial - slated for February 5, because the DEA had a rabbi infiltrate his defense Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was president of Honduras from 2014-2022, is facing drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York federal court Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is expected back in court Tuesday to request a United States district judge appoint him a new lawyer and delay his drug trafficking dial because the Drug Enforcement Administration infiltrated his team of attorneys with a rabbi. Hernandez, who was extradited to the United States in April 2022, alleges that Jorge Bar-Levy had been 'enlisted' by the DEA. Bar-Levy, who resides in Florida, had previously told Reuters that he was ordained as a rabbi in 2018 and that he assisted Hernandez in finding legal representation in New York and get kosher meals in jail. 'That is not a fair trial, judge,' Hernandez said during a court hearing last Thursday in Manhattan. U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel will now determine whether the embattled former Honduran president's trial on charges of protecting drug traffickers will commence February 5. Hernandez has also requested that Castel appoint a public defender to represent him because his current lawyer, Raymond Colon, has said he is too ill to try the case. Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez was due back in court Tuesday to ask a New York federal judge to assign him a new lawyer and delay the start of February 5 trial for drug trafficking because the Drug Enforcement Administration infiltrated his defense team with a rabbi Rabbi Jorge Bar-Levy has said that he only provided former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez assistance in finding attorneys to defend him on international drug trafficking and weapons charges Prior to his downfall, Hernandez served as a major ally for United States operations to stem illegal immigration and drug trafficking as president from 2014-2022. However, the Justice Department said he abused his power and ran the Central American country as a 'narco-state,' and took millions of dollars in bribes from cartels, including from Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and the Sinaloa Cartel. During 2019 the trial of his former Congressman brother, Juan Antonio Hernandez, a key government witness testified before a New York federal court that El Chapo contributed $1 million ahead of Juan Orlando Hernandez's 2013 presidential campaign in exchange for protection. The future president sent his brother and an associate - who has not been identified - with machine guns to collect El Chapo's payment. Federal prosecutors alleged the money was used to finance the presidential election and engage in voter fraud. Juan Antonio Hernandez was convicted on drug trafficking and firearms charges in October 2019. He was sentenced to life in prison in March 2021. Hernandez was extradited to the United States in April 2022 and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges. Former Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez is facing drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York federal court Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman allegedly handed over $1 million to support the 2013 presidential campaign of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez in exchange for protection of drug deliveries, according to U.S. Department of Justice Juan Antonio Hernandez (pictured in 2017) was convicted in a massive drug conspiracy case in a New York City federal court in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison in March 2021. He is the brother of former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez At last Thursday's hearing, Colon said Bar-Levy met with Hernandez's family and reported information back to the DEA. Colon said he had also met Bar-Levy 'many, many times.' He compared the sequence of events to a melodramatic Latin American soap opera. 'This turned into basically, as we say in Spanish, a novela,' Colon said at the hearing. Castel ordered prosecutors to confer with the DEA. Prosecutors acknowledged via a letter last Friday that Bar-Levy met with Hernandez's family and shared information with the DEA in 2020. But they said the DEA had no contact with Bar-Levy since then and called the claim the government directed him to infiltrate Hernandez's defense team 'unfounded and incorrect.' They also said they shared documents pertaining to Bar-Levy with the defense in August 2022. Bar-Levy also acknowledged meeting with Hernandez's relatives in early 2020 and sharing information with the DEA. But he said he told Colon about those contacts in 2022, and disputed the claim that the DEA directed him to infiltrate Hernandez's defense. Bar-Levy told Reuters his initial meeting with Hernandez's relatives was shortly after the former president's brother was convicted. He said the family thought he could help with legal troubles. Bar-Levy said he had alerted the DEA of the meeting so the U.S. government would not perceive him as a 'collaborator' of a foreign government, but had not had contact with the agency since 2020. Bar-Levy said Hernandez asked him for help after he was arrested in Honduras in 2022. Bar-Levy said he referred the case to Colon, and later helped Hernandez get kosher meals in jail, but otherwise had no role in the defense. Supermarket chain Morrisons has scrapped four-day working weeks for staff at its head office after workers complained about having to work weekends. The shopping chain, which prides itself on fresh produce and its fish and meat counters, implemented the overhauled work week in 2020 at its head office in Bradford, West Yorkshire. It cut staff time from 40 hours a week to 37.5 without reducing their pay one of several companies to have a go at overhauling their working weeks. But Morrisons has now changed the schedule again, instead implementing a four-and-a-half day week from Monday to Friday, still on 37.5 hours, after staff voiced their unhappiness at having to work 13 Saturdays a year one every four weeks. The move affects the 2,000 people employed at the supermarket's head office, and does not affect in-store colleagues. Morrisons has stopped its four day week for head office staff after they complained about having to work on weekends (file picture of a Morrisons store, above) Staff will continue to work 37.5 hours a week for 40 hours' pay across four-and-a-half days Monday to Friday The change does not impact supermarket colleagues, who continue to work their regular hours (file picture of a Morrisons worker) According to reports in The Grocer, Morrisons was inundated with complaints by employees about weekend work. A spokesperson for the chain told the PA news agency: 'In recent years, our head office colleagues have worked a four-day week and then 13 Saturdays a year. 'The Saturdays have now been dropped following colleague feedback and we will work an extra half-day per week instead. The hours remain unchanged.' READ MORE: Civil servants demand the right to work a four-day week with no loss of pay as Defra looks to become the first department to try the controversial scheme Advertisement The four-day week has been promoted by campaigns such as the 4 Day Week Campaign, which calls for employers to pay people full pay on a reduced 32-hour week. It claims that a four-day week leads to less burnout, a drop in stress, and happier workers because they have more time to look after themselves and their families. Responding to the Morrisons news, the campaign's director Joe Ryle told MailOnline: 'Morrisons' four-day week experiment was an important first step but still quite a long way off a true four-day, 32 hour working week. 'Being required to work on Saturdays was never going to be popular and isnt really a four-day week. 'However, we still welcome the reduction in hours from 40 hours to 37.5 hours a week.' Saturday working was implemented at Morrisons so head office workers could support the company's 497 stores that operate on weekends. This change comes a week after rival supermarket Asda introduced four-day working weeks to its business. As part of a 'case for change', some Asda store managers will be offered a scheme that includes flexible working hours and shorter shifts. Following a 2022 trial by 61 UK companies, which involved around 2,900 workers, 56 of the firms decided to continue with the four-day work week. The radical new way of working was even set to be trialled by government department Defra after union bosses delivered a petition on behalf of workers to ministers. However, it is not thought to have been given the go-ahead. Some firms and organisations that have implemented four-day weeks on full pay include mobile games firm Hutch, the Royal Society of Biology and PR and marketing firm Neonhive. A Missouri doctor was found dead in her fiance's home - three years after another woman died in his home. Dr. Sarah Sweeney, 39, was found dead in the home of her fiance, local fire captain Robert Daus, in suburban St. Louis on Saturday, reported Fox News. Frontenac Police said there was no obvious signs of a struggle and have classified it as a sudden death pending a medical examiners evolution. In 2020, 35-year-old Grace Holland died from a single gunshot wound to the head in Daus' home, her then-fiance. Police ruled Holland's death a suicide but her family believes the investigation was tainted because of Daus' status with the fire department, reported First Alert 4. Dr. Sarah Sweeney (pictured), 39, was found dead in the home of her fiance, local fire captain Robert Daus, in suburban St. Louis on Saturday In 2021, 35-year-old Grace Holland (right) died from a single gunshot wound to the head in Daus' (left) home, her then-fiance According to his Facebook, Daus is a captain at Maryland Heights Fire District and Vice President of his family owned business Liberty Art Works An attorney for Holland's family said of Sweeney, 'We are saddened to learn of another death, especially of such a young person. We hope that the Frontenac Police do what the Creve Coeur Police and the County Medical Examiner didn't do in the past and fully investigate this tragedy.' Born in West Virginia, Sweeney moved to Missouri to open up her own podiatry practice in Creve Coeur. She attended North Carolina State University and got her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree from Barry University School of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Florida. Sweeney completed her surgical residency at several hospitals in the Miami area then practice medicine in Port Arthur, Texas before moving to St. Louis. Her mother, Teresa Sweeney Light, said Sweeney was diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome, which can be life-threatening but she was managing it. 'We just wish we could have her back. We just want closure, we want it to be truthful and fair, and as of right now, we're still in shock,' Light said. According to her mother, Daus and Sweeney met when she was working an emergency room shift shortly after she moved to St. Louis. 'Sarah was a vibrant and outgoing person who never, ever met a stranger. She loved dogs and cats, and she rescued and owned several over the years,' said her obituary. 'Sarah was diagnosed with Perthes Disease when she was 6 years old, which caused her to experience much physical pain throughout her life.' According to his Facebook, Daus is a captain at Maryland Heights Fire District and Vice President of his family owned business Liberty Art Works. Holland's family filed a lawsuit against Daus in July for wrongful death. 'One of two things occurred that night. Either Robert Daus shot Grace Holland or Grace Holland took her life after years of being subjected to physical and mental abuse by Robert Daus,' said the lawsuit. 'Either way, Robert Daus Jr. is liable for the wrongful death of Grace Holland.' The lawsuit said Daus and Holland had been in a relationship for four years and engaged for two years before her death. Her family said the relationship was fraught with abuse and he pressured her to work for his family company so he could control Holland's money. They said the couple bought a house together, but because he controlled the money Holland was left off the deed. Public records show he purchased his home on Conway Road, the same home Sweeney died in, for $740,000 in 2020. In one incident the family alleges Holland called her mother during a fight and when she told her daughter to call the police Daus said, 'My brothers in blue are not going to do anything to me.' The lawsuit claims Daus repeatedly offered Holland $600 to abort their child that she was carrying. In a court filing Daus denied the allegation he tried to pay Holland to get an abortion. Sweeny's mother, Teresa Sweeney Light, said she was diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome, which can be life-threatening The family of Grace Holland filed a lawsuit against Daus in July for wrongful death. Allegedly two days before Holland died Daus texted Holland 'I want you out of [my] life' and 'You did nothing but ruin my first night staying at Conway.' According to the lawsuit, Holland was taking selfies at the Conway house on the night of July 21, 2020, then approximately seven hours later was found dead at Daus property on Fairways Circle. 'Daus has never given any explanation regarding what happened the night of Graces death, much less explained how Grace went from being in bed at the Conway house to dead in the Fairways house seven hours later,' said the lawsuit. 'The gunshot wound is to her left temple. Grace is right-handed. When she trained in using firearms, she used only her right hand. A self-inflicted gunshot wound to the left temple is inconsistent with being right-handed.' Daus has denied any wrong doing in the death of Holland. The Los Angeles Times has slashed over a fifth of its workforce - one of the worst days in the paper's 142-year history - as it faces $40million in revenue losses. The paper's owner, biotech billionaire Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, said the loss of 115 workers was necessary as the business is losing $30million to $40million per year. 'Today's decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation. We are committed to doing so,' Soon-Shiong said. Soon-Shion, who acquired the paper in 2018 for $500million, had promised to revive it but has expressed concern over the control Facebook and Google have over the news industry's revenue. 'They freely use all the amazing journalism work being produced locally, regionally and nationally while drawing away the revenue stream,' Soon-Shion, 71, told the Wall Street Journal in 2019. 'At some point, something will have to be done to address that, because it has become an unfair breach of the infrastructure of democracy.' The paper's owner, biotech billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, said the loss of 115 workers was necessary as the business is losing $30 to to $40million a year About 400 union members walked off the job last week for the first time in the paper's history in protest of the looming layoffs News publishers have seen major losses after Meta's Facebook moved away from news content, ending partnerships with outlets and banning Canadian users from sharing news over a law that requires tech firms to pay fees to news organizations. Soon-Shion also called on lawmakers to take action to save news organizations being starved of revenue in the internet era. He added: 'I'd like to put the question to them: What can they do to help preserve a free and robust press, one that is instrumental in upholding our democracy? 'All we are asking for is the opportunity for our newspaper and hardworking journalists to be fairly compensated, and for the LA Times to have a fair chance to become a self-sustaining institution.' On Tuesday, the billionaire said he was disappointed that the newsroom guild had focused on a one-day strike last Friday instead of working with management to come up with a plan, adding the protest 'did not help' the situation. About 400 union members walked off the job last week for the first time in the paper's history in protest of the looming layoffs. Soon-Shiong, worth an estimated $5.4billion, had great hopes for the historic publication when he bought it and claims he has invested over $1billion since the purchase. The LA Times, the largest newsroom in the western US, has been going through turmoil for the last years The LA Times, the largest newsroom in the western US, has been going through turmoil for the last years, according to insiders. Last June, the organization let go of 70 employees. It's not the only publication going through financial struggles - last year nearly 2,700 jobs were cut in the journalism industry, the highest number since 2020, when the pandemic hit. Nonprofit magazine Mother Jones have seen a shocking 99 percent drop in Facebook referrals since its peak, as reported by CNBC. Meanwhile Facebook represented just 6 percent of all referral volume, down from 12 percent in December 2022. Meanwhile Buzzfeed shut down its news division last April, and Vice Media went bankrupt in May. Layoffs and buyouts have hit a wide swath of the news industry over the past year. The Washington Post, NPR, CNN and Vox Media are among the many companies hit. Despite the layoffs, however, Soon-Shiong said he remains hopeful for the paper's future. 'We are not in turmoil. We have a real plan,' he said in an interview with the LA Times. Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West, which encompasses the Times' union, called it a 'dark day.' He said the layoffs represent one-fourth of the Times Guild's entire membership. 'Many departments and clusters across the newsroom will be heavily hit,' Pearce said in a statement Tuesday. 'This total, while devastating, is nonetheless far lower than the number of layoffs the Bargaining Committee was expecting last week.' He said some of those selected for layoffs by management may be eligible for buyouts under the union contract. Donald Trump on Tuesday shrugged off Nikki Haley's vow to stay in the presidential race no matter how she does in New Hampshire's primary, saying he was 'confident' of his victory. 'I'm very confident,' he said Tuesday afternoon during an unannounced stop at a polling place in Londonderry, N.H. 'Let her do whatever she wants, it doesn't matter,' he added. 'I'm very confident,' Donald Trump said Tuesday afternoon during an unannounced stop at a polling place in Londonderry, N.H. Trump also predicted Haley's wish to have a two-person race - him and her - would actually hurt her chances in the state's first-in-the-nation primary. 'I think it hurts her actually. I think it's gonna hurt her, probably have a big loss today,' the former president said. Haley, meanwhile, has vowed to fight on. 'I don't do what he tells me to do. I've never done what he tells me to do,' she said Tuesday morning of calls from Team Trump for her to drop out. Trump and Haley spent Tuesday following a candidate tradition of stopping by polling places in New Hampshire on the day voters were out at the polls. There are 24 Republicans on the New Hampshire ballot, including those who registered before dropping out of the contest: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Gov. Chris Christie, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Vice President Mike Pence, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Sen. Tim Scott. New Hampshire voters were experiencing a cloudy day to cast their ballots but the temperature crept up to the 30s after being in the single digits for the past week. The majority of all polls in the state will be closed by 7 p.m. ET with a few more closing at 8 p.m. ET. Donald Trump addressed the media during his stop in Londonderry, N.H. 'I don't do what he tells me to do. I've never done what he tells me to do,' Nikki Haley said Tuesday morning of calls from Team Trump for her to drop out. Trump has led by double digits in polling leading up to primary day. He said he would never ask Haley to drop out. 'It's up to her. I would never ask anybody to pull out. I didn't ask Ron to pull out, I didn't ask Vivek to pull out, nobody. But we have great support and most of the people that pulled out have already supported me. So it's actually quite nice,' he said. DeSantis, Scott, Burgum and Ramaswamy all endorsed Trump after they ended their own presidential bids. Some of Trump's team have called on Haley to end her campaign. Trump himself has made an appeal for party unity. 'I think we're going to see the end of the primary, hopefully later tonight,' Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greeene said Tuesday morning as she campaigned for Trump at the Red Arrow Diner in Manchester. 'It'd be a good choice for Nikki Haley if she drops out after this election. It's is not going to go well for her.' Haley, however, has announced she will hold a campaign event in Charleston on Wednesday, the day after New Hampshire's primary, ahead of South Carolina's primary. Haley's home state holds its nominating contest in a month on February 24th. Trump will head west after the primary to campaign in Nevada, where, through quirk in the rules only he and DeSantis are on the ballot. He's also still dealing with the Jean Carroll defamation trial in New York. Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, right, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., left, greet young supporters at a campaign stop in Londonderry Donald Trump greets a voter during his stop in Londonberry, N.H. The former president said he has no hard feelings against his rivals, even DeSantis, who was critical of him during the primary. 'I'm a very for giving person. I try.' And Trump shrugged off Republican voters who supported him in 2020 but said they didn't want to vote for him again in 2024. 'They are going to all vote for me again, all vote for me again. I'm not sure we need too many. Biden is the worst president in the history of this country. But we are going to all come back, all coming back, and I think you see that here. I think you see it -- thank you, everybody. They'll all be back.' Stone's performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' latest film, which she also helped produce, earned her a nomination for Best Leading Actress She added a guesthouse and expanded the kitchen while preserving many of the 1926 home's original details The 35-year-old actress bought the sun-soaked estate in 2019 for $2.3 million Poor Things star Emma Stone's charming Los Angeles compound has been snatched up by a buyer less than 10 days after it was listed for $3.95 million. The four-bedroom, four-bathroom estate is nestled in the suburbs of Comstock Hills in Westwood, an upscale neighborhood bounded by Sunset Boulevard to the north and the Los Angeles Country Club to the east. The 35-year-old actress paid $2.3 million for the house in 2019, according to property records. The main residence and guesthouse span a combined 3,276 square feet, all situated on 0.15 acres. Listing agent Eric Lavey of Sothebys International Realty said Stone added the guesthouse and renovated the main house, expanding the kitchen while leaving original details unchanged. The two-story home was built in 1926 and has 'character in all the right places,' according to the listing, which stresses its privacy and proximity to Century City shopping. Emma Stone's Los Angeles compound was snapped up just over a week after it hit the market for $3.95 million The actress, 35, won an Oscar nod for her performance in Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things, on which she also served as a producer - sharing in the nomination for Best Picture Stone's charming four-bedroom, four-bathroom estate is nestled in the suburbs of Comstock Hills, part of L.A.'s Westwood neighborhood She originally purchased the home, which was built in 1926, for $2.3 million in 2019. Despite undergoing renovations including the addition of a guesthouse, it has preserved much of its original character The home features moss-green accents on the doorframes and shutters, plus a red shingled roof that perfectly contrasts the crisp white exterior paint. A tiled patio outside is framed by lush foliage, and the driveway is tucked away behind a double swinging wooden gate. The front door opens to a sun-soaked entryway. To the left is a staircase with a wrought-iron handrail. The living room features cheery green accents and a built-in fireplace. Several rooms have vaulted ceilings and bountiful windows throughout let the light in. The updated kitchen includes an island girding a small sitting area and beyond, a door leading to a tiled deck that overlooks the grassy backyard. The kitchen is separated from a downstairs bedroom by a red French door. Two additional bedrooms can be found upstairs, with additional space to accommodate a baby nursery. The home features mossy green accents on the doorframes and shutters and an expansive tiled patio Despite its sleek modern touches including the updated kitchen, the house has retained plenty of its quirks The kitchen island girds a small sitting area and beyond, a door leading to a tiled deck that overlooks the backyard Prior to its sale - for an undisclosed amount - Stone had only occasionally been staying in the home One bathroom features a clawfoot tub and separate tiled shower, built-in vanity and dual mirrors. Despite its sleek modern touches, the house has its quirks, like a smaller bathroom with blue-and-white floral wallpaper and a bright green sink. The cozy guesthouse includes its own kitchen, den and bedroom suite with laundry -'perfect for extended stays for family and friends or a well-appointed office,' the listing declares. Prior to its sale - for an undisclosed amount - Stone had been using the Westwood home only for occasional stays when she and her family were in Los Angeles. In 2018, the 35-year-old actress closed on a Manhattan apartment for $3.56 million. This was followed by a home in Austin, Texas, in 2021. She drew critical acclaim for role in Yorgos Lanthimos' Poor Things, where she stars as Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by a mad scientist played by Willem Dafoe. Stone won critical acclaim for her performance as Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by an eccentric scientist, in Poor Things The Oscars nominations come just a week after the Critics' Choice Awards, where she won Best Actress for her role in Poor Things The movie star closed on a Manhattan apartment for $3.56 million in 2018, followed by a home in Austin, Texas in 2021 Stone's standout performance earned her an Oscar nod for Best Leading Actress alongside the film's nomination for Best Picture - she also served as a producer. Following the announcement Tuesday morning, the 35-year-old issued a statement to the media. 'I am beyond grateful to the Academy for including me as both an actress and producer among this group of exceptional nominees and for recognizing our film in so many categories,' Stone said. 'The team of artists who contributed to "Poor Things" gave it everything and I am forever thankful for the opportunity to play Bella and see the world through her eyes. She has shown me that life is so much more than just sugar and violence.' The news comes just one week after Stone won Best Actress at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. Her upcoming roles include another Lanthimos film, Kinds of Kindness. A primary school has announced plans to fine parents 6 if they are late in picking up their children at the end of the day amid claims late parents are stopping teachers from getting on with their work. St Peter's Church of England Primary School in Folkestone, Kent, says parents who are repeatedly late in arriving to take children home will have their youngsters put into after-school clubs until they arrive, and will charge them for doing so. School bosses say they are dealing with an 'increasing number of children...being collected late' without the office being informed and without any apology to staff. As a result, it says it is being forced to threaten parents with the fine if they fail to turn up on time without ringing ahead. The move has divided social media users, who have questioned whether the move might actually lead to parents deliberately leaving their children to be cared for by the after-school service. St Peter's Church of England Primary School in Folkestone, Kent, says it will fine repeat offenders who fail to collect their children on time Folkestone Harbour ward councillor Nicola Keen said she supported the principle of the scheme Details of the plan were first made public in November via an edition of the school newsletter issued to parents, reported by Kent Online. 'Staff have work to complete once children have been dismissed and arriving late to collect your child prevents staff from being able to get on with their work,' the newsletter read. 'We have an increasing number of children who are being collected late at the end of the day, without the office being informed or any apology to staff. 'We understand that occasionally lateness cant be avoided and in these cases, it is important you call the school office, so we know you are running late.' READ MORE: Outrage as school threatens parents with a 5 fine for every half an hour they are late picking up their children Advertisement Folkestone Harbour ward councillor Nicola Keen said she supported the principle of the scheme, adding that children can be left 'anxious' if their parents fail to arrive on time at the end of the school day. She added: 'It does not take long for parents to let the school know if they are going to be late. I just encourage all parents to communicate clearly with them. 'I would be very surprised if the school would actually have to enforce this. The pastoral care within this school is absolutely amazing.' Kent County Council says that since the new rule has been put in place at the start of the January term, nobody has yet been asked to stump the cash. A spokesperson said: 'Parents were informed at the start of November 2023 that pupils who are collected late from school on more than one occasion, will be put into after-school club and a fee of 6 may be applied. 'The school appreciates that there may be occasions where late collection is unavoidable and simply asks that parents keep the school informed. 'The school works closely with parents and since this announcement was made no parent has been asked to make such a payment.' On social media, users were divided on whether the threat of the fine would serve as a deterrent or actually lead to a rise in late arrivals. One said: 'Great idea in principle - my worry would be that some of the not-so-caring parents will tell their children to leave the school on time and wait to be picked up just round the corner or similar. 'Being kids they will get bored and if in a group could be a real nuisance to anyone living close by - then it raises another problem. 'I fully agree schools are schools and not a child minding service and they should not be expected to look after the children outside of school hours...just not sure this will work.' Stephen Neethling said: 'It can actually lead to the problem getting worse as people can start to see the charge as a payment for a service and therefore feel less guilt about doing it. 'In this case the 6 for having the school look after their kid might seem like a good deal and so more parents might start leaving their kids.' But another user wrote: 'It's a school not a childminding service so yes charge for late pickups. Teachers have enough to do once school has finished for the day. St Peter's is not the first school to threaten tardy parents with financial penalties. A primary school in Gravesend, Kent, introduced measures to penalise parents who were late to collect pupils shortly before the Covid pandemic hit in 2020. Holy Trinity told parents and carers they would be fined 1 every five minutes per child if they failed to arrive at the school gates on time. If they had not arrived by 4pm - half an hour after the 3.30pm finish time - social services would be contacted. And last year, Woodbank Primary School in Bury, Greater Manchester, warned parents they could be fined 5 for every half hour they were late in picking their children up. Headteacher Kelly Macadam told MailOnline in January 2023: 'It is very important that parents and carers pick up their children on time at the end of the school day. 'Children not collected on time often get upset and distressed if they do not know where their parent is. 'Also, staff members have to attend meetings, lead extra-curricular clubs or have work to complete, and sometimes have to leave school on time for their own child care arrangements.' Anyone with information is asked to call 101 quoting reference 6578030/23 Met anti-terror chiefs appeal for anyone who recognises him to get in touch Counter-terror police are hunting a man who is alleged to have chanted support for Hamas outside the gates of Downing Street during a pro-Palestine protest. The Metropolitan Police says it wants to speak to the man in connection with the demonstration on October 31 last year one of a number to take place across central London that day. Activists also stormed Liverpool Street Station on the other side of the capital, parking themselves on the concourse as they called for a ceasefire less than a month after Hamas terrorists murdered some 1,200 Israelis on October 7. The Met's anti-terror division has issued CCTV of the man in a bid to identify him; showing support for proscribed terror organisations, of which Hamas is one, is a criminal offence. Detectives say they were alerted to the alleged crimes after footage was shared on social media that appeared to show a man chanting in support of the group, which has the full name of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Police released these images of a man in Charing Cross station after a man was heard allegedly chanting support for Hamas outside Downing Street The protest at Downing Street was one of several to happen on October 31; elsewhere in central London protesters occupied Liverpool Street Station (pictured) The Downing Street action was organised in response to an Israeli airstrike at Jabalia refugee camp Campaign group Friends of Al Aqsa convened the protest as it called for a ceasefire following Hamas' murderous incursion in Israel, which killed some 1,200 people Security camera footage was sourced from Charing Cross railway station on October 31 shortly after the remarks were allegedly made. It shows a man described as having a 'Middle-Eastern appearance' in his mid-20s to early 30s, with a dark beard and moustache and short hair closely shaved at the back and sides. He was wearing a dark top and bottoms, black shoes, and a black and white Palestinian shemagh scarf. Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: 'We've followed a number of lines of enquiry to try and identify this man and now we're asking the public for their assistance. 'Take a good look at these pictures. Is this someone you recognise? If you have any information that could help us identify him, please get in touch. 'If you're the man in the pictures, please contact us - we would like to speak with you.' Anyone with information is asked to call 101, quoting reference 6578030/23; information can also be given anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111. The action outside No 10 was organised by a coalition of pro-Palestine groups including Friends of Al Aqsa, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition. It had been organised in response to an Israeli airstrike at the Jabalia refugee camp in the north of the Gaza Strip on October 31. The strike killed at least 50 people and left over 100 others buried under the rubble, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israel admitted responsibility for the strike, and later said that it had taken out Hamas commander Nasim Abu Ajina, believed to be an architect of the October 7 attacks. Proscribed group offences, including that of showing support for a banned organisation, can carry sentences of up to 14 years in prison upon conviction. Alabama is pushing forward with the nitrogen hypoxia execution of death row murderer Kenneth Eugene Smith despite fears from experts that it will be a slow, 'agonizing' end to his life. Smith is due to be executed tomorrow at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. He will have a mask placed over his mouth and nose that will pump the lethal gas into him for 15 minutes. In 1988, Smith and another man stabbed Elizabeth Sennett, 45, to death in a brutal killing that was orchestrated by her preacher husband. He was paid $1,000 to carry out the murder. It will be the first execution of its kind in the US and is the result of a botched, previous attempt to execute Smith with the lethal injections. Nurses couldn't find a clear vein to inject him with the fluid, and were forced to give up before the execution warrant expired. One assisted suicide expert fears Smith could die a very painful death. Kenneth Eugene Smith was sentenced to death in 1996 after admitting the murder-for-hire killing of a pastor's wife who was beaten and stabbed in 1988 Prosecutors said Smith and John Forrest Parker were each paid $1,000 to kill Elizabeth Sennett for husband Charles Sennett Sr., who was deeply in debt and wanted to collect on insurance Smith and his team requested the nitrogen hypoxia execution as an alternative and it was agreed. Now, he has asked for a stay in execution, citing experts' fears and a UN effort for it to be called off. But Alabama's Attorney General Steve Marshall says it's the treatment Smith deserves for the heinous murder he committed 36 years ago. In a response to Smith's Supreme Court application for a stay in execution, Marshall said: 'Kenneth Smith is scheduled to be executed by nitrogen hypoxia, perhaps the most humane method of execution ever devised. 'Such treatment is much better than Smith gave Elizabeth Sennett nearly thirty-six years ago. Smith and an accomplice tricked Elizabeth into letting them into her home, only to stab her eight times in the chest and twice in the neckall to make a quick buck. 'Now Smith says his execution will be cruel and unusual because fourteen months ago, he was stabbed with a needle to obtain IV access during a prior execution attempt. Alabama's lethal injection chamber at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Ala., is pictured in this Oct. 7, 2002 file photo. Kenneth Smith, 58, is scheduled to be executed Jan. 25, 2024 Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall says the execution is more gentle than Smith deserves 'Smiths application for a stay should be denied,' he wrote. The experimental method is so grim that the American Veterinary Medical Association ruled it was too 'distressing' to be used when euthanizing animals in 2000. Dr. Philip Nitschke, an assisted suicide expert who uses the gas in his 'euthanasia pods', has also warned of how unpleasant it will be for Smith. 'I feel anxious about Kenny, and I just dont know which way things are going to go,' Nitschke told The New York Times. He says that while nitrogen hypoxia is suitable in chambers, the fact Smith will be wearing a mask poses the possibility of oxygen leaking in and prolonging the procedure. Rev. Jeff Hood, Smith's spiritual confidante, told the Times he expects he will thrash against the gurney. 'This is not going to be a peaceful experiment. I think its important for people to realize, when you strap someone down like that, you cant expect someone whos choking to death suffocating to death to not resist,' he said. The Supreme Court is yet to rule on Smith's last minute application for a stay. Plans to ban conversion therapy which could see parents jailed for refusing to let their children change gender are a draconian attack on family life and religious freedom, the Catholic Church has warned. The Church spoke out after a senior bishop met Equalities Minister Emma Roddick yesterday to raise concerns over the proposed new law. The SNP Government are consulting on the radical legislation which would make it illegal to change or suppress another individuals gender identity. Ministers acknowledge so-called conversion practices often take place in a family setting, raising the prospect parents could be criminalised if they refuse to go along with a childs declaration that they are transgender meaning they could face a prison sentence of up to seven years. Equalities Minister Emma Roddick is in consultation regarding a new law which could see parents jailed for refusing to let their children change gender Bishop of Paisley John Keenan raised concerns about the proposed law Writing in todays Mail, Peter Kearney, spokesman for the Bishops Conference of Scotland, raised concerns the plans amount to draconian laws to tackle a non-existent problem, which could sever relationships between parents and their children and curtail religious freedom. He added: Banning such conversations between a parent and their child, would demolish the parental bond and destroy the concept of parental primacy. Its difficult to imagine anything more damaging to the well-being of society. At a stroke, children alone would be empowered to decide whether they should be given puberty blocking medication or have irreversible surgery. Any attempt by a loving parent to dissuade them could result in prosecution. The Bishop of Paisley, John Keenan, met Ms Roddick yesterday. The Church said he set out very clearly and robustly the concerns of the Catholic Church. He also questioned the need for the legislation and the low quality of evidence on which the proposals were based, before calling for the plans to be shelved. Stopping someone dressing in a way that reflects their gender identity is cited in the consultation document as an example of an action that would become illegal, even if a parent believed they were acting in a childs best interests. It also states that the new law would allow pre-emptive civil orders to be obtained against parents or religious leaders, even where conversion practices had not yet taken place. The legislation is the latest controversial gender identity measure put forward by the SNP. Last year, plans by then First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that would have let children of 16 change gender were blocked by the UK Government. The Christian Institute has threatened legal action to block the proposals, with critics arguing they would have a devastating impact on freedom of speech, privacy and family life in Scotland. Writing on social media, Roddy Dunlop, KC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, said the definition of conversion practices set out in the consultation document was not legally coherent. Responding to the Churchs concerns, Ms Roddick said: Our approach respects the legal right to a private and family life and to parents exercising their rights in relation to their children. It is a consultation, and we are open to all views. Our proposals do not prohibit parental guidance, questions or decisions about a childs welfare that is not motivated by an intention to change or suppress their sexual orientation or gender identity. A man has allegedly confessed to starting a fire in a block of flats in Johannesburg that killed 76 people while trying to get rid of a body. The 29-year-old man has been taken into custody by police in South Africa after reportedly admitting to setting the blaze in a bid to cover up the fact he had strangled a man in the basement of the five-storey building. The man, referred to in the South African media as 'Mr X' allegedly admitted to pouring gasoline on the man's body and setting it alight with a match, causing the blaze which killed dozens of people, including 12 children, in August last year. He testified that he was a drug user and had been told to kill the man by a drug dealer who was living in the building at the time. The unexpected apparent confession came as a shock, as the man was testifying as a resident of the building at an ongoing non-criminal inquiry looking into possible causes of the blaze. Medics and emergency services work at the scene of the fire in downtown Johannesburg on August 31, last year Aerial footage shows the fire raging in the five story building in the early hours of the morning A firefighter drinks water as he walks at the scene of the fire in Marshalltown, Johannesburg The man, who was not named, was facing 76 counts of murder and 120 counts of attempted murder, and arson, police said in a statement. The panel in charge of the inquiry ordered that he not be identified after his testimony and a lawyer leading the questioning of witnesses said that it couldn't be used against him, because it wasn't a criminal proceeding. READ MORE: More than 70 people are killed as fire rips through multi-storey building housing homeless people in Johannesburg Advertisement South African police said the man would appear in court soon, but didn't give a date. The fire itself tore through the Usindiso building, which was being used to house homeless people, before dawn on August 31, last year. Witnesses have spoken of parents throwing their babies out into the street in Johannesburg, trying to save them. Blankets and sheets - used by people desperate to reach safety - still hang from the blackened windows. Others just jumped, choosing to risk a fall rather than burn in the flames. Inside, emergency workers found further signs of the horror that confronted residents. Bodies were discovered piled up at a security gate that had been closed, preventing people from getting out, an official said. In the aftermath the authorities revealed 76 people died, while more than 50 were injured in the blaze. As many as 200 people were living in the building at the time, according to witnesses. Smoke rises into the air as fire engulfs the Usindiso building in Johannesburg in August last year A total of 76 people died when a fire ripped through a multi-story building in Johannesburg, South Africa's biggest city Firefighters use a ladder to help them douse the building with water in the aftermath of the fatal fire Firefighters were called to the building before dawn after the fire broke out in the building which was being used by homeless people as housing The building, was located in Marshalltown a deprived, crime-ridden area of what used to be the business district of South Africa's economic hub. The city of Johannesburg owned the building, but it had been taken over by illegal landlords, who were renting out space to hundreds of poor people desperate for somewhere to live. Many of the building's occupants were immigrants suspected of being in South Africa illegally. Illegal occupation of disused buildings in the city centre is widespread, with many said to be under the control of criminal syndicates who collect rent from occupants. The fire drew the world's attention to downtown Johannesburg's long-running problem with 'hijacked buildings,' structures that have become rundown and taken over by squatters and are abandoned by authorities. There are hundreds of them in the old centre of the city, officials say. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the inquiry into the disaster which started in October by hearing testimony from emergency services personnel who responded to the fire in the early morning hours of Aug. 31. Johannesburg's acting chief of emergency services testified at the inquiry last year that the building was a 'ticking timebomb,' because it was crowded with people living in wooden structures, while fire hoses and fire extinguishers had all been removed. Border czar and Vice President Kamala Harris said on Monday a pathway to citizenship is needed to end the crisis of migration at the southern border - as Congress tries to hash out a policy solution. 'There's no question that our immigration system is broken,' Harris said in an interview on CNN. 'So much so that as the first bill that we offered after our inauguration, was to fix the immigration system, which included what we must do to create a pathway for citizenship and to put the resources that are needed into the border. But sadly, people on the other side of the aisle have been playing politics with this issue.' Biden tapped his VP to run point on the border shortly after becoming president. The White House later backtracked and said Harris' priorities were to address the 'root causes' of migration. 'There's no question that our immigration system is broken,' Harris said in an interview on CNN 'The solution includes putting resources at the border to do what we can to process people effectively, and putting in place laws that actually allow for a meaningful, meaningful pathway to citizenship,' Harris said. Her comments come as the Senate is locked into fraught discussions on a sprawling national security package that would include Ukraine and Israel aid in exchange for border security provisions. The deal is unlikely to include a pathway to citizenship. House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, has thrown cold water on the Senate deal by insisting that the House will not accept anything less than H.R. 2, his conference's conservative House border bill. That bill is a nonstarter for Democrats. 'Harris has had three years to secure the border and stop the open flow of illegal immigrants into our country,' Johnson shot back at the vice president's comments in a statement Tuesday. 'Yet, when asked about her solutions, she recommended that Congress grant mass amnesty and spend taxpayer dollars to process not stop more illegals. Her 'solution' is to spend billions of additional taxpayer dollars and incentivize the lawlessness and chaos.' He went on: 'This answer from President Biden's 'border czar' is exactly why the administration can't be trusted to solve the catastrophe they, themselves, created. Their idea is to attract millions more aliens, cause more pain, and further surrender America's national and economic security.' Harris, despite being tapped by Biden to lead the immigration issue, has not been seen in recent negotiations between the Senate and the White House. Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas has been back and forth on Capitol Hill amid the talks, as have other White House staff. He is also separately under a GOP-led impeachment investigation, which is expected to result in an impeachment vote next week. About 500 Honduran and Venezuelan migrants begin the march towards the U.S. border Some 300,000 migrants attempted to cross into the U.S. through the U.S.-Mexico border in December More than one million people have been allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration on the basis of parole alone, according to a new CBS report. The vice president declined to weigh in on CNN on the status of the bipartisan talks. 'I will tell you that the negotiations that are happening right now, I hope are going to be directed at solutions that are genuinely focused on fixing the problem,' Harris said. Negotiations on the deal have dragged on for months, with only murky details leaking out into the public. Negotiators are believed to be hung up over reining in the Biden administration's use of parole authority to allow migrants into the country. It comes as border crossings have reached formerly unimaginable records. Some 300,000 migrants attempted to cross into the U.S. through the U.S.-Mexico border in December. More than one million people have been allowed into the U.S. under the Biden administration on the basis of parole alone, according to a new CBS report. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government launched a consultation on banning what it termed conversion practices. This refers to practices aiming to change or suppress a persons sexual orientation or gender identity. Equalities minister Emma Roddick, who launched the consultation, said conversion practices have absolutely no place in Scotland, while insisting that the right to a family life and religious beliefs would be protected. Many people, however, are concerned that what is being proposed amounts to draconian laws to tackle a non-existent problem, which could sever relationships between parents and their children, and curtail religious freedom. In a meeting with the minister yesterday, Bishop John Keenan set out the very serious concerns felt by the Catholic Church about the nature and scope of these proposals. Peter Kearney, Bishops' Conference of Scotland spokesman We support legislation which protects people from physical and verbal abuse, while believing that a fundamental pillar of any free society is that the state recognises and respects the right of religious bodies and organisations to be free to teach the fullness of their beliefs and to support, through prayer, counsel and other pastoral means, their members who wish to live in accordance with those beliefs. The proposed ban would apply to conversion practices related to gender identity and sexual orientation. It would include talk-therapy, counselling and certain faith-based practices potentially meaning that talking to, or counselling, a young person struggling with gender issues will be prohibited. Instead of exploring why someone might feel they have been born in the wrong body, only affirmation of a persons chosen gender identity could legally be offered. Banning such conversations would demolish the parental bond and destroy the concept of parental primacy. Its difficult to imagine anything more damaging to the well-being of society. At a stroke, children alone would be empowered to decide whether they should be given puberty-blocking medication or have irreversible surgery. Any attempt by a loving parent to dissuade them could result in prosecution. This is completely at odds with the European Convention on Human Rights, where Article 16 states: The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the state. Further, Article 18 states: Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance. The suggestion that certain faith-based practices could be deemed conversion therapy could actually make it impossible for parents to bring their children up in accordance with their own faith. Crucially, the Scottish Government offers no evidence of a widespread problem which must be solved. As The Christian Institute, has pointed out, Gay and trans people are already protected, quite rightly, from verbal and physical abuse by existing law. Remarkably, the evidence being offered by the Scottish Government in support of such far-reaching legislation, is about as threadbare as its possible to imagine. It includes testimony given by LGBTQI+ individuals who claim to have been subject to conversion practices. They comprise anonymous, anecdotal recollections of individuals experiences, some of which clearly did not take place in Scotland. Additionally, an Expert Advisory Group on Ending Conversion Practices has apparently informed the Scottish Government on the measures which should be considered in order to end conversion practices. The groups report praised the conversion therapy law in Victoria, Australia, where official guidance says not affirming someones gender identity amounts to conversion therapy, as does refusing to consent to your children going on puberty blockers. It also claims that conversion therapy includes promoting the importance of marriage and, incredibly, advocates the option of removing children from the home if their parents seek to caution them in the area of gender and sexuality. All 15 group members were known to support the Scottish Governments policy. Most contentious, however, is the fact that, asked for evidence that legislation was justified, the Scottish Government answered, most of the data we have comes from the 2017 UK Governments National LGBT Survey. Incredibly, this six-year-old study fails every basic test of empirical evidence-gathering. According to the only detailed UK research into conversion therapy carried out for the UK Government in 2021 by Coventry University the National LGBT Survey wasnt a randomised trial, therefore it is not possible to make robust claims... or causal inferences. Furthermore, the Coventry researchers complained that recruiting through LGBT networks may introduce sampling biases. The Coventry research found little evidence of conversion therapy and could only find six trans people in the UK who had been offered it in the last 20 years, of whom only three claimed to have undergone it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Coventry research is not referenced by the Scottish Government at all. These ill-considered proposals would force parents to navigate a legal minefield to have a conversation with their children. The worrying lack of clarity about what is meant by the term conversion practices may criminalise advice or opinion given in good faith. I urge the Scottish Government not to criminalise mainstream religious pastoral care, parental guidance and medical or other professional intervention relating to sexual orientation. I hope that as many people as possible respond to the consultation and register their objections to these damaging and unnecessary proposals. PETER KEARNEY is spokesman for the Bishops Conference of Scotland New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez claims gold bars and cash at the center of his bribery indictment were found during an illegal search of his home - and he wants a New York judge to toss out the evidence. The 70-year-old embattled Democrat and wife Nadine are charged with accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car over the last five years to carry out favors for three businessmen who are also charged. All have pleaded not guilty. Menendez claims his home was searched because prosecutors wanted revenge after he beat a conviction in 2017. His arguments, delivered by his lawyers, were contained in papers filed late Monday in Manhattan federal court, where Menendez faces a May trial. New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez claims gold bars and cash at the center of his bribery indictment were found during an illegal search of his home - and he wants a New York judge to toss out the evidence The latest twist in his corruption case comes a week after he and his wife Nadine asked for separate trials so their marriage secrets weren't spilled in court. In 2017, a federal jury in New Jersey deadlocked on 18 criminal charges against Menendez and a wealthy Florida eye doctor accused of buying his influence with luxury vacations and campaign contributions. Prosecutors then dropped the case. 'The governments apparent zeal to `get back at Senator Menendez for defeating its prior prosecution has overwhelmed its sound judgment,' his lawyers said. 'The FBI ran roughshod over the Senators Fourth Amendment rights, and all evidence collected from those searches must therefore be suppressed.' After his fall arrest, the senator was forced to give up his powerful post leading the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The 70-year-old embattled Democrat and wife Nadine are charged with accepting bribes of cash, gold bars and a luxury car over the last five years to carry out favors for three businessmen who are also charged Piles of cash are pictured from the raid on the Menendez's home in New Jersey. He claims the search was revenge from prosecutors after he beat federal charges in 2017 Menendez's lawyers asserted in their latest effort to find defects in the indictment against him that search warrants used to get judicial permission for the seizure of Menendez's personal belongings 'were riddled with material misrepresentations and omissions.' Menendez's lawyers said FBI agents ransacked the senator's home during a June 16, 2022 raid, seizing 'virtually anything of value.' 'Agents broke down doors (even, in some cases, where the doors were unlocked) and tore apart closets, wardrobes, dressers and other storage locations in the home, flipped over documents and rifled through file folders,' they wrote. 'The FBI seized all manner of things, including the cash and gold bars that the government has made the centerpiece of its case.' Some pages of the lawyers' submission were heavily redacted as they asked the judge to conduct a hearing to study their claims. A spokesperson for prosecutors declined to comment. The father of a British woman who died after botched weight loss surgery in Turkey has revealed her final words to him, saying she was 'OK' and had started 'healing'. Morgan Ribeiro, 20, flew out to undergo a gastric sleeve op after being bullied for years about her weight, but died from complications relating to the surgery in a Serbian hospital after becoming severely unwell on her flight home. Her father, Richard Ribeiro, said she had carried out research online before deciding to pay 2,500 to a company in Switzerland, later flying to Turkey for the operation itself, staying in hospital for three days. But he revealed that her final heartbreaking message to him was a WhatsApp voice note just before she boarded a Wizz Air flight back to Gatwick, after telling him she felt 'OK and that she was starting the healing process'. However, she never made it home after it emerged surgeons had perforated her small intestine, causing an infection that led to a heart attack on January 9, for which she was placed in an induced coma. Morgan Ribeiro flew to Turkey to undergo a gastric sleeve operation after suffering years of bullying about her weight Her boyfriend James (pictured with her) claims that hospital staff and translators speaking to her did not mention the dangers associated with the operation prior to Morgan going under the knife In a last post on TikTok prior to her operation, Morgan told her friends she'd 'see them on the other side' She died four days later despite the best efforts of Serbian medics. Mr Ribeiro, 44, has urged others to avoid flying abroad for cheap private operations. 'She contacted me while she was out there, after she had the operation, said it had gone OK and that she was starting the healing process, but that she was sore,' he told the Mirror. He said he had been unable to listen to the voice note again after it became the last time he would hear his daughter speak. Mr Ribeiro added: 'That was the last time I heard her voice. I havent been able to listen to it again. 'We want to make sure something like this doesnt ever happen again. That no more children are taken away from their families because of these ridiculous surgeries, where they do not operate properly and do not follow proper procedures.' Morgan had used cash from a trust fund set up by her parents to pay for the surgery, posting about it excitedly on TikTok. One video was tragically captioned: 'My last post before weight loss surgery - see you on the other side.' Earlier today, her mother Erin Gibson told MailOnline she had become estranged from her 'head-strong' daughter in the months before the operation earlier this month. She said: 'She was interested in the bargain price. The clinic only highlights the successes, not the failures. If I had had known I would have shown her risks. 'I only found out she was having the operation on the day she flew out and by then it was too late.' Serbian prosecutors, together with the British authorities, have launched investigations into Morgan's death after she took ill on her flight home, going into septic shock. The Wizz Air flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Belgrade, where surgeons removed over 10cm of her small intestine in a bid to save her. Her older sister, Kayleigh, 26, had begged her not to go through with the operation while boyfriend Jamie Brewster said the hospital had not made the risks associated with the surgery clear before she went under the knife. Mr Brewster told the Independent that she did not want to wait years to have the surgery on the NHS. The organisation that connected Morgan with surgeons in Turkey has denied any wrongdoing. Mrs Gibson says she would have shown her daughter the risks if she had known what she was going to do Mrs Gibson paid tribute to her 'beautiful girl', as she said she had booked the surgery without her knowledge. Pictured: Morgan as a child Serbian surgeons removed over 10cm of Morgan's small intestine in a bid to contain the infection Morgan suffered a heart attack on January 9 and died four days later Ms Gibson added: 'The Serbian doctors and authorities have been great. They told me this is the third time a plane carrying a British cosmetic surgery patient has had to make an emergency landing in Belgrade because of medical complications. 'The Serbian prosecutor's office and the British authorities have launched investigations into Morgan's death. I hope it doesn't happen to another girl, to another woman's daughter.' A government spokesman said: 'We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Belgrade and are in contact with the local authorities. 'We urge anyone considering a medical procedure abroad to review our travel advice and the relevant guidance from the NHS and other professional bodies.' Morgan's tragic death comes days after a 26-year-old mother-of-three died days after a Brazilian bum-lift operation in Turkey. Demi Agoglia of Salford, Greater Manchester, is said to have become ill despite doctors initially declaring her surgery last Thursday was successful. The 26-year-old, who had a seven-month-old baby boy, first said she felt unwell just hours before she was due to return to Manchester, The Sun reported. The young woman was taken into intensive care but was tragically pronounced dead last Monday. She had flown to Turkey having already had dental work which was botched as well as another surgery. President Joe Biden fired up Democrats at a 'Restore Roe' rally in Northern Virginia Tuesday, hoping to harness the issue that has kept Democrats competitive but got interrupted repeatedly by anti-Israel protesters. Biden scheduled a camera-ready event where he and other speakers went directly and repeatedly at Donald Trump, on when the Republican presidential nomintation was on the line in the New Hampshire primary. One by one, protesters interrupted, forcing the president to pause his remarks while security removed them from the venue, which was decked out with pro choice signs and spotlights. 'This is going to go on for a while. They got this planned,' Biden said in frustration after the 7th such interruption. He was assisted by the crowd, which chanted 'Four more years!' and 'Let's go Joe!' after the interruptions, which repeatedly accused him of 'genocide.' 'Please dont jump!' Biden joked after the 10th interruption, by a woman holding a sign about Gaza amid Israel's war on Hamas. Protesters repeatedly interrupted President Joe Biden as he held a rally for reproductive rights in Virginia The protests began almost as soon as the president began speaking. The president was in the process of thanking Amanda Zurawski, who had spoken about her struggles to get an abortion in her home state of Texas after experiencing medical complications at 18 weeks of pregnancy. She said she faced 'catastrophic complications' in 2022 when pregnant with a girl, and had told the crowd she was 'devastated' learning she would lose her baby with '100 per cent certainty.' 'I want to thank you again Amanda for your absolute courage,' Biden said. At that point, a man who carried a Palestinian flag and shouted out 'How many kids have you killed ...?' before the crowd shouted him down with chants of 'Four more years!' Another woman also protested and got ejected. 'Theres one other person who doesnt have a clue about the power of women in America, thats Donald Trump,' Biden said in one of the lines he was able to get out without being cut off. Another protester yelled about 'keeping baby formula from babies,' calling it a war crime, in reference to the struggles in Gaza following Israel's invasion after the October 7 Hamas attack inside Israel. 'Keep going!' a member of the crowd encouraged the president. It was a demonstration of the difficulties Biden must navigate as he seeks to unify his party's base amid a growing challenge from Trump. Polls have showed support slipping among younger voters and low approval for his handling of the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The event had been carefully planned out by an advance team, and scheduled right as the national media was focused on Trump's duel with Nikki Haley in New Hampshire. A total of five speakers read from a teleprompter, with Biden rattling off digs at Trump, who he defeated in 2020. Protesters began interrupting the president soon after he started speaking at a rally for abortion rights The interruptions came during an event where Biden and speakers hammered Donald Trump 'Across our nation, women are suffering,' said Vice President Kamala Harris' The interruptions came during a packed rally set up with a huge digital sign Vice President Kamala Harris kisses her husband second gentleman Doug Emhoff before President Joe Biden appears at an event on the campus of George Mason University in Manassas, Va. Protesters repeatedly accused Biden of 'genocide' for backing Israel's war on Hamas in Gaza Police remove a pro-Palestinian protester during the president's speech 'Theres one other person who doesnt have a clue about the power of women in America, thats Donald Trump,' he said, referencing his predecessor who was able to confirm three conservative justices to the 6-3 conservative court that struck down Roe. 'Donald Trump is betting you wont vote on this issue. But guess what? Hes betting we wont hold him responsible either,' Biden said. 'Hes betting youll stop caring. That youll get distracted, discouraged, that youll stay home.' 'Guess what? Im betting hes wrong,' Biden said. 'The reason women are being forced to travel across state lines for health care Is Donald Trump,' Biden said. Activist group Code Pink took credit for orchestrating the protests but DailyMail.com was not able to verify the claim Tuesday night. Biden wasn't even on the ballot in the first-in-the-nation contest in New Hampshire, after scrambling the party calendar to make South Carolina the first contest sanctioned by the Democratic Party. But Tuesday's event made clear that the campaign was still very much on his mind, as his campaign team packed an auditorium in Manassas, filled a stage with mostly young women voters, and set up a huge 'RESTORE ROE' banner to mark the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade. 'Across our nation, women are suffering,' said Vice President Kamala Harris at the event. 'And let us be very clear about who is responsible. Former President Trump hand -picked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn roe. He intended for them to take your freedoms. He is the architect of this health care crisis. And he is not done. And the extremists are not done. Persistent fractures were also on display outside the event, where protesters jeered at 'Genocide Joe' as the president's motorcade rolled in, and several people poured pink fake blood into the snow. The protesters tried to seize the spotlight at an event that featured the president, the first lady, the vice president, and the second gentleman President Joe Biden, right, and first lady Jill Biden flew to northern Virginia to hold a rally on the push to restore abortion rights after the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade First gentleman Doug Emhoff and first lady Jill Biden each spoke at the event, with Emhoff describing the time his wife told him the news Roe had been overturned. 'We were both outraged and we knew we had to turn that anger into action,' he said. 'Do we all still feel that outrage today? I know I do,' he said. 'Theyre not going to stop. What theyre doing is immoral. What theyre doing is wrong. We all need to stand up for the dignity and freedom of all Americans,' said Emhoff, a day after Harris kicked off her 'reproductive freedoms tour' with a speech in Wisconsin. 'Everythings on the line. Our rights are on the line. Our futures on the line,' said Emhoff, after saying 'Donald Trump ... And the extreme MAGA Rs have created this new reality where families are living in fear and doctors are worried about helping patients.' Amid polls showing low public approval ratings for Biden and lower enthusiasm for him among Democrats than Trump enjoys with Republicans, the Virginia crowd cheered for 'Four more years!' In her own remarks, Jill Biden retold a story about visiting and sheltering a friend who got an abortion after her friend got pregnant in high school. She said the friend was asked to get a psychiatric evaluation before a Pennsylvania doctor would perform the procedure. She said she asked her mother, 'Can she come stay with us? My mom didnt hesitate. Of course she can. And my mom never told a soul. In fact we never spoke about it again. Secrecy, shame, silence, danger even death thats what defined that time for so many women. And because of Dobbs thats where were finding ourselves back again. 'We will not let the extreme MAGA Republicans win this fight, will we?' she asked the crowd of several hundred, who responded with a 'No!' A Delta Air Lines plane flying out of Atlanta lost its nose tire as it tried to take off on Saturday, the Federal Aviation Administration has revealed. The Boeing 757 was set to take off from HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport to Bogota, Colombia on Saturday when the nose wheel came off. According to the FAA reported, the nose wheel came off and rolled down the hill as during the line up and wait to take off. The Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 nose wheel incident is the latest in a slew of terrifying incidents involving Boeing aircrafts. A Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 flying out of Atlanta lost its nose tire as it attempted to take off on Saturday 'The 75 on the runway just lost the nose tire,' said the pilot who was behind the Boeing 757, according to audio posted by VASAviation. The Delta Pilot said, 'Thanks for that sounds like we got a problem.' 'Yeah, we saw that tire roll off the runway to the south. Looks like it went off the runway, probably down the bank down there,' said the other pilot. All 184 passengers on board and their bags were removed from the plane put on a replacement aircraft, reported WSB-TV. It comes after an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 plane narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when a door plug blew off. Max 9s have been grounded since the January 5 incident when a jet which took off from Portland, Oregon bound for California was forced to make a harrowing emergency landing when the door plug blew out at 16,000 feet. Federal officials spent days looking for the lost parts of the plane to help in their investigation. Authorities also ordered similar planes be grounded while they investigated. An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 plane narrowly avoided disaster earlier this month when a door plug blew off Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci told NBC News found 'some loose bolts on many' Boeing 737 MAX 9s during inspections following the incident. An Atlas Air Boeing 747 was forced to land at the Miami International Airport shortly after take off because one of the engines caught fire. The captain said the incident involved engine number two and it occurred 'on the climb out' of the airport. Officials later said that a 'softball sized' hole was found above the engine after it was examined upon landing. Two teenage boys have gone missing while visiting Australia on an overseas school trip. Police hold concerns for both Saurab Pun and Mabindra Pun, both aged 14, who vanished while in Sydney earlier this week. Saurab was last seen at Sydney International Airport, about 6:30pm on Tuesday. Mabindra was last seen leaving a property on Rawson Place in Haymarket, in Sydney's CBD, at about 12pm Sunday. Two boys aged 14 have vanished from Sydney while on an overseas school trip, Saurab Pun (pictured) was last seen at Sydney International Airport on Tuesday Mabindra Pun (pictured) was last seen leaving a property on Rawson Place in Haymarket, in Sydney's CBD, at about 12pm Sunday Both boys are described as being of Indian Sub-Continental appearance, a thin build with black hair and brown eyes, Saurab is about 155cm tall while Mabindra is about 140cm tall. Saurab was last seen wearing a black t-shirt and shorts, with black and grey shoes. Mabindra was last seen wearing a navy shirt and black pants, with black and white sneakers. Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to contact police. The Labour-run Welsh government handed 100,000 of taxpayers' money to Stonewall last year, it can be revealed. It sparked fears Sir Keir Starmer would follow suit if he was to become prime minister. Cash handouts to the charity were part of grants to 'create a society where LGBTQ+ people feel safe to live', officials say. Accounts show Stonewall received 100,000 from the Welsh government in grants during the year ending March 31, 2023. It also received 89,700 from the Arts Council of Wales and 52,971 from the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action. Campaigners last night criticised the party as out of touch and called on Sir Keir to back an inquiry into the misuse of public funds. The Labour-run Welsh government handed 100,000 of taxpayers' money to Stonewall last year, it can be revealed (pictured: Stonewall banner at London Pride parade in July 2023) It sparked fears Sir Keir Starmer would follow suit if he was to become prime minister Tanya Carter, of Safe Schools Alliance, said: 'Labour cannot continue to claim to be the party of the working class when they are this far out of touch with ordinary people. We want a public inquiry into this misuse of taxpayer money and reassurance from Keir Starmer that the same will not be repeated here in event of a Labour government.' Gender-critical author Helen Joyce added: 'Given that Stonewall has morphed into a transactivist lobby group that routinely gives incorrect advice on equality law, it is ludicrous any government would hand it a sizeable chunk of public funds.' The payments are not the first examples of the Welsh administration pandering to wokery. Is your school signed up to Stonewall's Champions programme? Tell us about it, in confidence, at stonewallkids@dailymail.co.uk Advertisement Last year, First Minister Mark Drakeford was accused of 'trampling over women's rights' by asking to introduce Scottish-style trans laws to make it easier to change gender. His administration unveiled a LGBTQ+ action plan that aimed to allow people to self-identify their gender without having to apply for a certificate. A Welsh Government spokesman said: 'We work with a range of partners to challenge discrimination and to create a society where LGBTQ+ people feel safe to live openly and freely as themselves.' A Stonewall spokesman added: 'The funding supports vital activities in responding to rising hate crime, improving healthcare access for LGBTQ+ people, promoting inclusion in sport and celebrating our communities in all parts of life in Wales.' More than 300 schools have been told to stop calling pupils 'boys and girls' after signing up to Stonewall's School & College Champions programme. Schools receive awards if they 'remove any unnecessarily gendered language'. A British hiker has died in the Canary Islands after reportedly disappearing while trying to reach a lookout point on of the Canary Islands' highest peaks. The unnamed walker, 53, was recovered this afternoon following a search by local authorities using a helicopter after he disappeared on Monday. He had reportedly been trying to reach a viewpoint on Gran Canaria's Pico de Las Nieves (Snow Peak), which stands 6,394ft above sea level and is one of the Spanish archipelago's highest points. His wife triggered the search, raising the alarm sometime around 5pm on January 22, but it was halted three hours later due to a lack of light until this morning, at which point his body was discovered. Authorities say the man was found in the early afternoon in an area described as being 'difficult to access', and he was recovered at around 5pm in an operation involving Civil Guard officers, firefighters and Civil Protection officers. The man is believed to have died while trying to reach a viewpoint on Pico de Las Nieves in Gran Canaria (file photo) Pico de Las Nieves is one of Gran Canaria's tallest points and one of the highest in the Canary Islands overall An investigation into his death is underway. Police sources who confirmed his nationality said the initial probe pointed to the incident being an accident. A spokesman for the regional emergency services coordination centre confirmed the search operation and the subsequent discovery of the man's body. He said: 'Around 1pm an emergency and rescue helicopter located the body of a man who had died and after receiving judicial authorisation, evacuated it a car park at the viewpoint at Pico de Las Nieves so the Civil Guard could take over. 'The alarm had been raised around 5pm on Tuesday. The information received was that a person had gone walking from the lookout at Pico de las Nieves and hadn't returned. 'The search operation was launched immediately.' The dead man is thought to have been on holiday in the area, although police are yet to make any further announcements. The ongoing investigation is being coordinated by a local court. Pico de Las Nieves is easily accessible by car, bike or foot. Despite its name there is hardly ever any snow on the peak. It was regarded as Gran Canaria's highest peak, until it was ousted from its top spot by another mountain next to it, Morro de la Agujereada, which was discovered to be 19ft higher. The tallest point in the Canary Islands is Pico de Teide on Tenerife, which is some 12,198ft tall. It is the highest point of any sovereign Spanish soil. Rishi Sunak's authority has been dealt a fresh challenge by a Tory former minister insisting the Conservatives face an electoral 'massacre' under his leadership. Sir Simon Clarke, who served in the Treasury while Mr Sunak was chancellor, said 'extinction is a very real possibility' with the Prime Minister at the helm. He said Mr Sunak had become an 'anchor' around the Conservatives and said his 'uninspiring leadership' was the biggest reason the Tories are doing badly in the polls. The intervention by the former Levelling Up Secretary has sparked a war of words within the Conservatives, with other senior party figures hitting back. Tory grandees including David Davis and Priti Patel warned colleagues against putting leadership ambitions before duty and engaging in 'facile and divisive self-indulgence.' And a Sunak ally said last night: 'The Party must unite - and they have in their frustration, or rather anger, at Simons comments. Rishi Sunak has faced a fresh challenge to his authority after a senior Tory and former minister spoke out against him Sir Simon Clarke warned that the Conservatives face a 'massacre' if Mr Sunak remains in charge at the next election 'In every party you get people who believe they are bigger than the whole. 'The significant majority of us know that the strength of the Conservative team is each individual member, but the strength of each member is the team. Simon ought to remember that.' Writing in the Telegraph, Sir Simon claimed that for the Conservatives to succeed at the next election, they would need to change leader for the third time in the space of two years. 'Rishi Sunak has gone from asset to anchor,' he said. Sir Simon said Mr Sunak was not solely to blame for the party flagging in the polls during an election year, but insisted 'his uninspiring leadership is the main obstacle to our recovery'. 'The unvarnished truth is that Rishi Sunak is leading the Conservatives into an election where we will be massacred,' he wrote. Sir Simon said: 'He [Mr Sunak] does not get what Britain needs. And he is not listening to what the British people want.' In an opinion piece for the paper, the former minister branded the Rwanda Scheme, which saw Mr Sunak get his legislation to send asylum seekers to Africa through the House of Commons, a 'debacle'. He claimed immigration was the key issue for voters, and that failing to change leader would 'give the Left a blank cheque to change Britain as they see fit'. His words sparked recriminations within the party, with senior Tory figures urging against disloyalty. Sir Simon's intervention has sparked recriminations within the Tory party from other senior figures Former Brexit secretary Sir David Davis said: 'The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UK's best interests.' Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel said: 'At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country. READ MORE HERE - Rishi Sunak steps up 'Stop the Boats' drive as he holds talks with Belgian PM about joint crackdown on people-smuggling gangs running Channel crossings Advertisement 'Engaging in facile and divisive self indulgence only serves our opponents, it's time to unite and get on with the job.' Former defence and trade secretary Sir Liam Fox said those attempting to 'destabilise the Government in an election year should understand the consequences'. Former prime minister Liz Truss, whose 2022 leadership bid Sir Simon threw his support behind before serving as levelling up secretary in her Cabinet, does not back his intervention, it is understood. Downing Street has been contacted for comment. Sir Simon was among 11 Conservative MPs who voted against the Prime Minister's Rwanda Bill at its third reading earlier this month, despite Mr Sunak seeing off a wider Tory rebellion. His intervention comes amid a slew of wider challenges facing the PM, including opinion polls that show a healthy Labour lead and making progress on pledges to 'stop the boats' and revive Britain's sluggish economy. As infighting broke out on Tuesday night, opposition critics accused the party of embroiling itself in another 'circular firing squad' and subjecting voters to a 'never-ending Conservative soap opera'. Labour's national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden said: 'There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped-out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them. 'Whilst the Conservatives fight among themselves, Labour will fight for a better future for the country, where economic growth is felt in every part of Britain, where we generate the wealth we need for the NHS, good schools and safety on our streets and where we renew the country after 14 years of Tory failure.' Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: 'It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth prime minister without even giving voters a say. 'The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis. People are sick and tired of this never-ending Conservative Party soap opera.' The United States on Tuesday launched a series of airstrikes on Iran-backed terrorists in Iraq - the latest in a series designed to deter the militia from attacking U.S. bases and personnel in the region. The bombs struck three sites used by the Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-backed jihadists, according to the Pentagon. The assault was in retaliation for ballistic missiles fired at Al-Asad airbase on Saturday that left four US personnel with traumatic brain injuries, officials said. The Pentagon did not say where the targets were located, but footage on social media showed people picking through the debris of a badly-damaged building in the town of Qa'im, in western Iraq near the border with Syria. Another city south of Baghdad, Jurf al-Sakhar, was also targeted, CNN reported. US Central Command said their forces 'conducted unilateral airstrikes' targeting 'KH headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV capabilities.' Jaafar Al-Hussaini, a spokesman for Kataib Hezbollah, said that the airstrikes change nothing, OSINT Defender reported. Footage shared on social media appeared to show the aftermath of the air strikes in the town of Qa'im, in western Iraq near the Syrian border The badly-damaged building in Qa'im, western Iraq, is pictured following Tuesday's air strikes He wrote on X that the group will 'continue to strike the strongholds of the enemies, in support of our people in Gaza until the brutal killing machine backed by America stops, and the complete siege is lifted. This is the promise of the free people.' The strikes come after the US and Britain on Monday night bombed Houthi targets in Yemen for a second time this month. There have been more that 150 rocket and drone attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza over Washington's support for Jerusalem. There are still around 2,500 US troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria to quell Islamist militants. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement: 'Today, at President Biden's direction, US military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq. 'These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against US and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias. 'I am grateful for both the skill and professionalism with which our personnel planned and conducted these strikes and the continued efforts of our troops on the ground as they work with regional partners to further dismantle and degrade ISIS. 'The President and I will not hesitate to take necessary action to defend them and our interests. We do not seek to escalate conflict in the region. We are fully prepared to take further measures to protect our people and our facilities. We call on these groups and their Iranian sponsors to immediately cease these attacks.' US personnel suffered minor injuries and a member of Iraq 's security forces was seriously wounded in an attack on Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base on Saturday A picture taken on January 13, 2020 shows a member the US forces walking past a drone in the Ain al-Asad airbase in the western Iraqi province of Anbar Iraq is deeply concerned about becoming a battleground between the United States, Israel and Iran. Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office announced moves to evict US forces following an American drone strike in Baghdad that was condemned by the government. The Pentagon said the strike killed a militia leader responsible for recent attacks on US personnel. The Pentagon said it has not been formally notified of any plans to end its presence in the country, and says its troops are deployed to Iraq at the invitation of the government in Baghdad. Iran last week struck Erbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, with ballistic missiles in what it said was an attack on an Israeli spy headquarters - claims denied by Iraqi and Iraqi Kurdish officials. A major cosmetic chain known for its fat-freezing treatments that was on the brink of collapse has been thrown a lifeline to allow existing clinics to remain open. Body Catalyst last week permanently closed 26 clinics after the company was plunged into voluntary administration last month. The fate of 16 remaining clinics and 85 staff hung in the balance until this week. Company director Samantha Barakat Light proposed a Deed of Company Arrangement (DoCA) that would enable the restructured group to continue trading and bring an effective end to voluntary administration. The proposal was accepted by creditors - who are owed $8.5m - at a meeting on Tuesday. The move will allow existing the clinics to continue operating and 85 staff to remain employed. Staff will receive 100c for every dollar owed while unsecured creditors will get 3.2c under the DoCA. Body Catalyst's 16 clinics will continue operating following a creditors meeting held this week Body Catalyst clinics that will remain open Armadale Bondi Junction Camden Charlestown Chermside Doncaster Geelong Green Hills Hampton Ivanhoe Melbourne Central Moonee Ponds Mornington Mosman Mount Gravatt Williamstown Advertisement Administrators Alan Walker and Glenn Livingstone from WLP Restructuring had recommended creditors approve the DoCA as it had better outcomes compared to placing the remaining clinics in liquidation. 'Since being appointed as Administrators, we have focused intently on restructuring Body Catalyst to preserve jobs, maximising the recovery for creditors and ensuring the Group remains a going concern,' Mr Walker told Daily Mail Australia in a statement on Tuesday. 'While this process led to the unfortunate but necessary closure of clinics and related staff redundancies, the vote today creates a viable path forward for the Group.' Ms Barakat Light added: 'The approval of the DoCA not only allows us to begin a new chapter for the business, it's also a vote of confidence in the restructured Group's future.' 'Through this challenging process, I've been humbled by the unwavering support of our incredible employees, suppliers, and clients, and I'm beyond grateful. 'We remain committed to our mission and delivering results for clients, and we are excited to continue our journey as leaders in the industry. We can now get back to what we do best - shaping bodies and shapeshifting lives.' All staff made redundant during the restructuring process will receive their full entitlements, with a return to unsecured creditors to be realised. The beauty chain owes $5.3million to unsecured creditors and a further $3.2million owed to secured creditors, according to its administrators. Founder Samantha Barakat Light (left) is hopeful clinics will remain open It's understood Body Catalyst may have been trading insolvent since at least June last year due to growing tax debts and lower sales. Ms Barakat Light, who stepped down as the struggling company's chief executive last May, recently cited the challenging economic landscape for the company struggles but remained committed to its long-term sustainability. 'Despite these challenges, we are determined to emerge stronger and more resilient,' she said in December. 'As part of our commitment to a brighter future, we are reorganising our operations to create a leaner and more efficient business model. 'This restructuring will enable us to refocus on delivering high-quality services to our clients in key locations, whilst navigating the changing economic climate. 'We appreciate the support of our loyal clients and partners during this transitional period, and we look forward to serving you with renewed vigor and commitment in our refined and revitalised business model.' Around 85 existing Body Catalyst staff were thrown a lifeline by creditors Founded in 2015, the cosmetic chain operates across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as New Zealand. The company describes itself on social media as leaders in non-surgical body and skin treatment with more than 20,600 Instagram followers. Treatments include fat freezing, cellulite reduction, non surgical facelifts, Botox, skin rejuvenation, skin tightening, body contouring, pelvic floor strengthening, muscle definer and fat cavitation. The struggling company remains active on social media with regular posts spruiking its services and testimonies from clients. Former defence ministers and Royal Navy chiefs tonight expressed dismay over the UK's refusal to deploy either of its 3.5billion aircraft carriers to the Red Sea. They suggested it was absurd for Britain to continue to rely on RAF jets flying 3,000 miles from their base in Cyprus to launch air strikes against Houthi in Yemen. Meanwhile, the hugely expensive carriers supposedly built so Britain could rule the waves have remained anchored in Portsmouth. The Navy's website describes HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales as 'investments in British security, prosperity and place in the world'. Despite the rhetoric, neither carrier has ventured anywhere near a conflict zone since they entered service. Yesterday morning, just hours after the UK's latest air strikes to prevent attacks by Houthis on international cargo ships and tankers, the huge Royal Navy vessels were seen idling in tranquil waters off the Solent. Becalmed: Aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales in Portsmouth Harbour yesterday (Picture by Steve Reigate) A Malta-flagged and Greek-owned MT Zografia bulk carrier was targeted in the Red Sea on Tuesday The reason for this, the Mail has been told, is that senior government figures vetoed a Navy recommendation that a carrier should be sent. The decision apparently horrified senior officers who fear one of the carriers could be vulnerable to future defence cuts. Speaking to the Mail, former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord West said: 'I find it absolutely extraordinary we have not sent a carrier. As with either HMS Queen Elizabeth or HMS Prince of Wales in situ we would be able to make a much more significant contribution. Instead, we are reduced to flying thousands of miles to and from Cyprus and to dropping a strictly limited number of warheads at great expense. 'Why did we bother building the carriers when, seemingly, we are reluctant to deploy them operationally. Doing so would send a very strong message to the Iranians and the Houthis. We need to plan for the medium to longer term as there is no end in sight.' The RAF Typhoons from Cyprus refuelled on both legs of yesterday's journey, as they did on the first British air strikes on January 11. On Monday evening they dropped a total of eight guided missiles at two locations near the Yemeni capital Sanaa before returning to RAF Akrotiri. The US F/A-18 Super Hornets involved in the joint operation took off and landed on the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier. Its presence has enabled the Americans to launch eight separate air strikes on Houthi targets in the past ten days and to deliver significantly more firepower. According to former defence minister Tobias Ellwood, the US would back the UK sending one of its aircraft carriers to the conflict zone. He said: 'The US would like us to deploy a carrier group to the Middle East. We must work to prevent escalation but prepare in case it does and further destabilises the region. We must plan four chess moves ahead.' Footage shows a huge explosion at the bow of the Malta-flagged boat This photograph provided by the Indian Navy shows U.S.-owned ship Genco Picardy that came under attack Wednesday from a bomb-carrying drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden, on January 18, 2024 U.S. forces conducted new strikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday Another former defence minister, Mark Francois, backed calls to send a carrier. He said: 'Part of the Royal Navy's historic mission has been to protect freedom of navigation for ours and allied shipping. So deploying an aircraft carrier would be wholly in keeping with this.' Tonight the Ministry of Defence said: 'One of our aircraft carriers is constantly held at high readiness to deploy along with the aircraft, personnel and supporting ships it requires. Any decision as to whether to deploy the carriers would be made in conjunction with our allies and based on operational need.' No 10 and the Foreign Office were approached for comment. The row exploded as British and US aid workers were told to leave Yemen. In a letter to the United Nations, the Houthi-controlled foreign affairs ministry gave British and Americans 30 days to leave. Rishi Sunak told MPs yesterday that UK aid had been a lifeline to Yemenis caught up in civil war and that the UK had provided 1billion since the conflict began in 2014, feeding 100,000 people a month. The PM added that Britain would 'continue to deliver humanitarian aid and to support a negotiated peace'. BBC Radio 4's longrunning The News Quiz was delivered a 'completely biased' anti-Tory 'diatribe' on the programme, a Minister said yesterday. The comments from Huw Merriman, a transport minister, also singled out the BBC's reporting on universal credit, came a day after culture secretary Lucy Frazer said that the broadcaster had 'on occasion' been biased. Appearing on Sky News, he was pushed to give examples of where the BBC had failed to be impartial. Mr Merriman, who described himself as a 'friend of the BBC', said he had been driving home from his constituency office when he heard the episode of The News Quiz. He told Kay Burley's show: 'For 10 minutes all I heard, and it wasn't satirical, it was just diatribe against Conservatives, not the Government, and I did listen to that and think: 'For goodness sake! Where is the balance in that?' BBC Radio 4's longrunning The News Quiz was delivered a 'completely biased' anti-Tory 'diatribe' on the programme, Huw Merriman (pictured) said The comments from Mr Merriman, a transport minister , also singled out the BBC's reporting on universal credit, came a day after culture secretary Lucy Frazer (pictured) said that the broadcaster had 'on occasion' been biased 'So, yes, I'm afraid to say despite the fact that I've always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biased.' The Tory politician said he felt there were times when the corporation 'could do better'. Mr Merriman said during his previous work with the Department for Work and Pensions, he felt the corporation's coverage of social affairs 'didn't necessarily give two sides of the story'. In 2018, The News Quiz was rebuked for anti-Tory bias. Producers of the show were censured by BBC complaints chiefs after a guest accused Theresa May of being a 'coward' for failing to push for the repeal of the abortion ban in Ireland. Previously the show also faced complaints that it treated Leave voters as though they were 'completely stupid'. The News Quiz, is a satirical panel game show looking at the events of the past week, which has been aired on the station since 1977. Previous hosts include Barry Norman, Sandi Toksvig, Simon Hoggart,and Miles Jupp. It is currently fronted by comedian Andy Zaltzman. Last year Radio 4 appeared to be tackling criticism that BBC's comedy output was guilty of a left wing bias when it told programme makers that 'humour shouldn't just come from one political viewpoint'. The station has also told its factual producers to 'check the political assumptions underlying your idea'. Mr Merriman seemed to have confused Art Attack presenter Neil Buchanan with BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan, when he singled out the journalist that he felt was giving one side of the story. A BBC source said: 'Michael's an excellent and impartial journalist who was named RTS specialist journalist of the year last year, not to be confused with the presenter of a children's art programme from the 1990s.' A BBC spokesman said: 'We're confident our audiences know the difference between a longstanding and popular satirical comedy show and our news reporting.' Kemi Badenoch has scrapped more than 2,000 EU laws with the promise of more to come before the election. The Business Secretary said around 3,400 pieces of Brussels legislation would have been revoked or reformed by June 2026 more than half of those that were carried over after Brexit. However, a report shows that 67 per cent of EU law remains unchanged, four years after the UK formally left the bloc. Writing to all Tory MPs to mark the fourth anniversary, she said she was making use of 'new-found freedoms' to 'spur growth and innovation'. She said the Retained EU Law Act was 'one way that we have seized on the benefits of Brexit, to deliver long term change'. Kemi Badenoch (pictured) said around 3,400 pieces of Brussels legislation would have been revoked or reformed by June 2026 more than half of those that were carried over after Brexit 'It turned slogan into statute and took back control of our laws, ending the supremacy of EU law for the first time in 40 years,' Mrs Badenoch added. She said the changes so far had included 'major' reforms in employment law, cutting red tape and saving businesses up to 1billion. The Cabinet minister added that it had benefited the wine industry by simplifying packaging requirements and opening up new products. However, her predecessor Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg who introduced the Bill when he was in government told the Mail that the achievement was 'relatively unexciting'. Mrs Badenoch made the announcement after she came under fire last year for scrapping a decision to allow all EU laws to expire automatically by the end of 2023. The UK incorporated thousands of EU laws to minimise disruption to businesses in 2020. The Retained EU Law Bill, announced under Liz Truss, initially included a December 31, 2023 deadline for these laws to expire automatically, unless the Government decided to retain or replace them. But in May last year around three months after she took over responsibility for the Bill on her appointment as Business Secretary Mrs Badenoch announced the deadline would be ditched. Her move provoked a furious reaction from Brexit-backing Tory MPs who held a testy exchange with her at the Commons European exchange committee. Brexiteer David Jones accused her of lacking 'courtesy' and being 'disrespectful' toward MPs by slowing government efforts to scrap EU laws after the Bill had passed. Conservative MP Richard Drax said her approach had created 'distrust' among some Tories who fear 'this bonfire won't take place'. Conservative MP Richard Drax (right) said her approach had created 'distrust' among some Tories who fear 'this bonfire won't take place' But Mrs Badenoch denied the Government had ever promised a 'bonfire' of regulations before the end of 2023, adding she was 'not an arsonist'. Reacting to the delay at the time, Mr Rees-Mogg called the move an 'admission of administrative failure'. He said it represented the triumph of 'the Blob' and showed an 'inability of Whitehall to do the necessary work and an incapability of ministers to push this through their own departments'. Keeping to the deadline would have required the review of around 4,000 pieces of legislation by December 31. Some businesses complained this move would cause regulatory uncertainty. Around 600 laws will be reviewed this year instead. A man is fighting for his life in hospital after being savaged by an 'out-of-control' XL bully-type dog that had attacked another man in the street minutes before. The man was attacked by the 'bulldog-type' animal in the area of Tinto View, Hamilton, Scotland at around 5pm, prompting Police Scotland to send armed response officers to the scene who subsequently shot the animal dead. Police say he suffered 'life-threatening injuries'; he was rushed to Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for treatment by Scottish Ambulance Service paramedics. Shortly beforehand, another man had been attacked in Loudonhill Avenue, the next street over. He was taken to Hairmyres Hospital in nearby East Kilbride for treatment for 'minor injuries'. Police Scotland has referred itself to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) Scotland's version of the IOPC as is standard procedure with the discharge of any firearms. Police at the scene of the attack in Hamilton, Scotland, which saw an XL Bully-type dog shot dead after it attacked two men A cordon has been established at the scene of the attack. Police Scotland has referred itself to watchdogs following the discharge of a firearm The dog was subsequently shot dead after it reportedly lunged at a police officer responding to the attack The animal attacked one man on Loudonhill Avenue, Hamilton (pictured) before mauling another on the next street over, leaving him grievously injured The second man was attacked and left with life-threatening injuries in the area of Tinto View (pictured) Police say the animal was a 'bulldog type' dog, but is still working to confirm the exact breed (file photo of an XL Bully) Police Scotland armed response officers were called, and shot the dog dead after it reportedly tried to attack a police officer (file photo of Police Scotland armed officers above) The force says it sent out armed officers because the dog was 'dangerously out of control'; the decision to fire on the animal was taken after it attempted to attack one of the officers in attendance. Superintendent Steven Espie said: 'This was a distressing incident for those involved. 'I would like to reassure the local community that this was a contained incident and there is no further risk to the public. 'There will be a continued police presence in the area while our enquiries continue. 'Enquiries are also ongoing to establish the breed of the dog.' Reports in the Daily Record, citing unnamed sources, suggest that the animal had been rehomed in Scotland from England following the implementation of the XL Bully ban south of the border. These reports could not be corroborated at the time of publication. However, MailOnline has reported extensively on the mass shipping of XL Bully type dogs from England and Wales to Scotland following the introduction of control measures at the end of December. As of December 31, XL Bully owners in England and Wales are required to muzzle their animals and keep them on a lead in public; the sale, trading and rehoming of the animals has also been outlawed. And at the end of January, all XL Bully owners must have a certificate of exemption issued by the government in order to legally keep their animals. Keeping the animal without a certificate beyond this point is a criminal offence. Amid the influx of XL Bully dogs flowing into Scotland, first minister Humza Yousaf announced a ban on the breed that will 'in essence replicate' the UK Government's legislation. He said at First Minister's Questions earlier this month: 'What has become clear - I'm afraid - in the last few weeks, is we have seen a flow of XL Bully dogs coming to Scotland.' Since then, community safety minister Siobhan Brown has announced that Scotland will also require XL Bully dogs to be muzzled and kept on a lead. Dates for the legislation to take effect are yet to be announced, but in remarks to parliament Ms Brown warned: 'We are working at pace to urgently develop necessary regulations. 'Dog owners in Scotland should therefore start to consider what they may wish to do with their XL Bully dogs.' Two Scottish pensioners were mauled by an XL Bully last week and hospitalised with grievous injuries after visiting a relative's house to check on the animal. The terrifying attack took place in a property in Dyce, Aberdeen. The animal involved, named Gumma, has been put down. Queen Camilla has told 'workaholic' King Charles to 'slow down' in the wake of his recent health scare, with the 75-year-old set to attend hospital this week. The Queen, 76, told well-wishers over the weekend that her husband was 'fine' as he awaits an operation for an enlarged prostate. Charles has gained a reputation for being dedicated to his work and packed 2023 full of engagements - with one tally suggesting he undertook 516 over the course of the year including 94 abroad. He had to immediately cancel all public duties on the advice of doctors last week after his symptoms were spotted and he was diagnosed with the benign condition. The Palace said His Majesty would be undertaking 'a short period of recuperation,' which is expected to last around a month. But now, an insider has claimed that the Queen has urged him to take a new approach to his work. The Queen, 76, has told well-wishers that the King, 75, is 'fine' as he awaits an operation after doctors found he has an enlarged prostate King Charles III looked in good health as he is seen driving on public roads in Sandringham, Norfolk, on 22nd January, 2024 Speaking to The Sun, they said: 'The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit.' The King has kept up his workload after he acceded to the throne 16 months ago and had his coronation at Westminster Abbey last May after more than 70 years as heir. Palace aides have worked to ensure that he and Camilla are not overloaded as they adjust to life on the throne. One insider recently suggested that the Queen has struggled with the increased pace of her work. Meanwhile, the transition is said to have left the King feeling 'anxious', according to another source, cited by The Telegraph. Royal biographer Robert Jobson said that the King is 'a grafter' and 'has always had an innate sense of duty and tried his best to justify his good fortune by working tirelessly to improve the lot of others less fortunate than himself'. While Camilla has continued with her back-to-back schedule, the King's public duties are now on hold as he recovers at his Sandringham Estate. His Majesty will be admitted to an unidentified hospital to be treated this week. Queen Camilla leaves after a visit to a women's refuge on January 22, 2024 in Swindon A young girl holds a get well card for King Charles III as she waits to greet Queen Camilla during her visit to Deacon & Son Jewellers in Swindon, western England on January 22, 2024 His Majesty speaks to members of the public ahead of the Sunday church service at St Mary Magdalene Church on January 7 Camilla also said last week that the King was 'fine', adding that he is 'looking forward to getting back to work' despite the shock diagnosis. In the 2018 BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir, Prince William said: 'The man never stops. 'When we were kids there were bags and bags and bags of work that the office just sent to him.' Prince Harry also shared the feeling that their father should 'slow down' a bit. The Royal family was hit by a double health woe with it also being announced that the Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery (Pictured with Charles in 2022) Announcing Charles' diagnosis last week, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said : 'In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate. 'His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure. The King's public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation.' The King and Queen Camilla were at his Scottish home Birkhall when they received the shock news, just after it was disclosed that the Princess of Wales was in hospital. It is thought that the Princess of Wales will resume working in a reduced capacity once she is discharged from hospital. The Wales' are said to be focusing on family The couple were flown more than 300 miles on Friday on an RAF jet from Aberdeen Airport to RAF Marham before being driven the final 15 miles to Sandringham. Buckingham Palace shared the news about the King's procedure just 90 minutes after Kensington Palace said Kate had undergone abdominal surgery and would spend two weeks in hospital. The Princess of Wales was admitted to the private London Clinic hospital on Tuesday for successful abdominal surgery, which Kensington Palace said was planned. She is said to be 'doing well' but is expected to remain in the exclusive clinic for ten to 14 days, and is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. The Princess of Wales stay in hospital has passed the one-week mark as she continues to recover from abdominal surgery. Princess Catherine was admitted to the London Clinic last Tuesday ahead of a successful planned operation. The nature of the operation has not been revealed yet but it is believed not to be cancer-related. The 42-year-old is expected to spend between 10 and 14 days in total at the private hospital, while her recovery outside is expected to take months. Her husband, Prince William, has cleared his diary of official visits and meetings, and has stepped back to care for Kate and look after their children , Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. It comes as her father-in-law King Charles is set to have treatment for an enlarged prostate later this week, news of which was announced just 90 minutes after news of her operation was made public. The Princess of Wales pictured arriving at the Design Museum in London in November last year Police stand outside The London Clinic, the private hospital where Princess Catherine is staying following her abdominal surgery The King has also cancelled engagements ready for his corrective procedure in hospital this week, with the Queen urging her workaholic husband to take it easy. READ MORE HERE - DR MAX PEMBERTON: Believe me, Kate must NOT rush back after this surgery Advertisement An insider told The Sun: 'The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit.' Meanwhile, Kate was last week said to be 'doing well', with William spending time at her bedside. The Prince of Wales has cleared his diary of official visits and meetings, with no mentions of William in the Court Circular - the daily record of royal engagements - since his wife was admitted. Kate is not expected to return to official duties until after Easter. A royal source told The Sunday Times the Waleses have switched to '100 per cent family first, day job second'. Aides insist the princess will be out of sight over the next few months but is likely to be working behind the scenes. 'Her passion for the early years is clear - there will be a huge continuation of that campaign and she will be keen to be out continuing that conversation with the nation as soon as possible,' the source told the newspaper. Prince William, pictured here with his wife following the Coronation of King Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, has cleared his calendar to look after Kate and their children The Prince of Williams pictured leaving The London Clinic after visiting his wife on January 18 King Charles, pictured here waving to crowds as he attends Sunday church service at Sandringham on January 7, is also set to undergo treatment this week for an enlarged prostate Kensington Palace has not revealed further details of the princess's condition, but confirmed it was non-cancerous. A spokesman said: 'The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. 'She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible, and her wish that her personal medical information remains private.' READ MORE HERE -King Charles is spotted driving near Sandringham as he prepares for treatment on an enlarged prostate this week Advertisement Meanwhile, her father-in-law King Charles was pictured driving near Sandringham on Monday as he prepares for treatment on an enlarged prostate later this week. The monarch, 75, was spotted behind the wheel of his electric Audi 4x4, as his wife Queen Camilla revealed he was doing 'fine' when chatting to a member of the public during a visit to Swindon. Charles flew back to Sandringham from Scotland on Friday to prepare for his upcoming operation, the date of which has not been made public. The monarch and his wife were flown more than 300 miles on a Royal Air Force jet from Aberdeen Airport to RAF Marham before being driven the final 15 miles. There was a further health scare for the Royal Family as well over the weekend as it was revealed that Sarah, the Duchess of York, had been diagnosed with skin cancer. The 64-year-old was diagnosed with malignant melanoma - an aggressive form of the disease - after several moles were removed during reconstructive surgery following her mastectomy in June. One was identified as cancerous and she is now undergoing further medical checks to make sure the cancer has been caught in the early stages. GOP heavyweight Rep. Elise Stefanik slammed the 'sham' January 6 Committee as an obstruction of justice after a new report alleges that Democrats illegally deleted files pertinent to the investigation before Republicans took control of the House. A bombshell new report released Monday alleges that just days before the GOP took over the House majority in 2022, over 100 encrypted files relating to the January 6th Capitol riot probe were mysteriously deleted. The chair of the investigation, Rep. Barry Loudermilk, said that the files have been recovered and he's demanding Democrats hand over the passwords. Loudermilk alleges that a forensics team found that 117 files had been either deleted or encrypted on January 1, 2023, shortly before the Republicans took over the investigation that had previously been led by Democrat Bennie Thompson and Republican Liz Cheney. 'As I said from day one, Nancy Pelosi's sham January 6th Committee was illegitimate and unconstitutional,' Stefanik wrote on X in response to the report. 'It should come as a surprise to no one that Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney's fake committee illegally deleted records of their sham investigation and obstructed justice. The American people deserve full transparency,' her post continued. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, however, did not let the personal attack go unanswered. The chair of the investigation, Rep. Barry Loudermilk said that the files have been recovered and he's demanding Rep. Bennie Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney hand over the passwords She posted on X Stefanik's past statements on the Capitol riot where the New York Republican claimed the event was was 'tragic' and 'perpetrators of this un-American violence,' should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. 'One day she will have to explain how and why she morphed into a total crackpot,' Cheney wrote. 'History, and our children, deserve to know.' Fellow Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also sounded off on the findings, posting on X that 'the members of congress on the Jan 6 Select Committee must be investigated.' 'I applaud Congressman Loudermilk's efforts to find and decrypt these deleted files and stand by his efforts to bring transparency and accountability,' Stefanik posted. The congressman is demanding that Democrats handover the passwords as the files have since been recovered. The files are believe to contain interviews and depositions that could prove crucial to the case. 'It's obvious that went to great lengths to prevent Americans from seeing certain documents produced in their investigation. It also appears that Bennie Thompson and Liz Cheney intended to obstruct our Subcommittee by failing to preserve critical information and videos as required by House rules,' Loudermilk said. The former state senator said that the investigation into 'what really happened' that day is growing thanks to the support of new House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is pouring more taxpayer dollars into the probe. 'The speaker has committed whatever resources we need to move forward, and has basically tripled the size of our staff,' he said. But Rep. Bennie Johnson - the top Democrat on the January 6 Committee - wrote a letter to Loudermilk Tuesday saying his 'accusations are false.' 'Since the Select Committee concluded its work, you and other allies of the ex-President have engaged in a concertedbut futileeffort to amplify conspiracy theories and attack the credibility of the Select Committee and outside prosecutors,' he fired back. The riot, which began after ex-President Donald Trump called on his supporters to try and overturn the result of the 2020 election, was responsible to for the deaths of nine people, saw dozens more injured and has so far seen 1,200 people charged. 'We are investigating what really happened on January 6 and how were these people whoever they were how were they able to get into the Capitol? What was the security failure?,' Loudermilk told Fox News. 'Because the American people have a right to know what happened. My main goal is to get the truth out there and give the American people the ability to make their own determination on this with facts not with preconceived ideas or pre-determined narratives but just the facts of what happened,' he added. The Georgia conservative accused the Democrat-led investigation into the riot as trying to 'prove something that they wanted to be the truth.' He went on to say that liberal's 'cherry-picked' evidence and omitted things that contradicted their narrative. 'Look, I'm not here to vindicate anyone. But we want the truth to prevail,' Loudermilk said. DailyMail.com has reached out to both Thompson and Cheney's offices for comment. Rep. Barry Loudermilk said that the investigation into 'what really happened' that day is growing thanks to the support of new House Speaker Mike Johnson Loudermilk said that his investigation will target security failures on the days including the erection of a gallows by Trump supporters, something that has been used in Biden campaign adds. 'He's using images of the gallows that was erected that's something we've been investigating. It was erected at 6 in the morning how in the world did it stay up all day long? Right with Capitol Police there? That is something that at first sight, somebody should have been taking down,' Loudermilk said. 'We do know there was plenty of intelligence that there was going to be an attack on the Capitol. So Secret Service knew of it. The FBI knew of it. Department of Defense had intelligence. Homeland Security had intelligence. That intelligence was sent to the Capitol Police Intelligence Divisionbut it never got passed on any further. The chief did not know about it,' he went on. Loudermilk said that intelligence has indicated that there were federal agents embedded with the crowd, common practice for large gatherings. Authorities are still working to identify more than 80 people wanted for acts of violence at the Capitol and to find out who placed pipe bombs outside the Republican and Democratic national committees' offices the day before the Capitol attack. And they continue to regularly make new arrests, even as some Jan. 6 defendants are being released from prison after completing their sentences. The cases are playing out at the same courthouse where Trump is scheduled to stand trial in March in the case accusing the former president of conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the run-up to the Capitol attack. 'The Justice Department will hold all Jan. 6 perpetrators at any level accountable under the law, whether they were present that day or otherwise criminally responsible for the assault on our democracy,' Attorney General Merrick Garland said earlier this month. He said the cases filed by Graves and the special counsel in Trump's federal case, Jack Smith, show the department is 'abiding by the long-standing norms to ensure independence and integrity or our investigations.' Climate scientists have claimed that sea levels around New York City could rise by one-foot in the 2030s, triggering tropical storms and hotter temperatures. The New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC) released sea level projections that annual precipitation could increase by up to 10 percent over the years and warming would rise between two and 4.7 degrees Fahrenheit. The projection is part of a final report set to be released this spring. The estimates are based on carbon emissions and greenhouse gas emissions that cause ice caps to melt and increases precipitation, which leads to rising sea levels. New York City's sea levels have already risen by about a foot in the past 100 years, and if NPCC's predictions are accurate, it would mark a doubling in just 30 years. However, several climate experts have previously proclaimed sea levels would increase to great levels by 2021, submerging parts of the metropolis - and those predictions were incorrect. Climate experts have claimed that sea levels around New York City could rise by one-foot in the 2030s, triggering more tropical storms and hotter temperatures. NYC has already experienced intense flooding, like the results of Hurricane Ophelia last year (pictured) The Mayor's Office of Climate & Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) addressed the NPCC's latest predictions, telling Dailymail.com it is 'working with the New York City Panel on Climate Change to finalize the latest Climate Risk Information report, which is based off the most up-to-date science.' The MOCEJ added: 'The projections, along with the efforts the city is taking to protect New Yorkers from climate threats, are included in 'PlaNYC: Getting Sustainability Done,' our long-term strategic climate plan.' The NPCC released its report on they city's rising sea levels during a presentation to a northeast climate consortium earlier this month based on the growing levels of gas emissions. The panel is made up of 20 climate experts who advise policymakers on how to address climate issues within NYC's five boroughs. The organization noted during the presentation that the city currently experiences an average of 46.6 inches in precipitation annually, but a 10 percent increase means the city would get roughly 51.2 inches of rain per year by the 2030s. These are the updated projections for how much sea levels will rise by the corresponding year. It shows the minimum predicted sea level rise in the 10th percentile column, with the worst case being displayed in the 90th percentile column. That is predicted to increase up to 14 percent by the 2050s and 30 percent by 2100, amounting to 53.1 inches and 60.5 inches of rain. New York City's coastal location gives it a high level of exposure, but because it is the most densely populated city in the U.S., it is more vulnerable to the effects of rising sea levels than other coastal cities. The consequences of sea level rise was immediately apparent during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which decimated the city, bringing with it tidal waves of floods that destroyed homes and subway systems and killed 44 people. The storm resulted in an estimated $19 billion in damages and temporarily displaced thousands of New Yorkers. Researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey and the University of Rhode Island reported last year that the thousands of skyscrapers and high-rise buildings are causing Manhattan to sink, adding to the rising sea levels and risk of future flooding. 'It's inevitable that the ground is going down, the water's coming up. At some point, those two levels will meet,' lead researcher Tom Parsons of the U.S. Geological Survey told AP News. This adds to the annual average precipitation that is projected to increase up to 14 percent by the 2050s and 22 percent by the 2080s, according to NPCC's report. 'This is a huge problem,' Amy Chester, managing director of resiliency nonprofit Rebuild By Design, told The City regarding the new estimates. Chester added that recent storm surges and high tides caused rising floods in parts of Manhattan earlier this month, and she said if the sea level rises by another two feet, 'even if it's the lowest [estimate] it wouldn't even be overtopping, it would just be topped 100 percent of the time.' The graphic of Battery Park in NYC shows what happens when you have heavy rainfall combined with higher sea levels. On the left, the bottom MSL (mean sea level) is where the sea level is now, with the ghost images above is showing where the water would flood the area if the sea level was that high. The rising tides are costing New York state more than $4 billion to put in 'sea level rise solutions, which include raising roads, fixing drainage, and building seawalls,' according to Sea Level Rise.org. Klaus Jacob, a Columbia University geophysicist who previously served on the NPCC told The City that NYC is 'moving in the right direction, but compared to how the weather and climate is changing, it's a snail's pace, and the climate is a rabbit.' 'The direction of the change and the general magnitude of those changes are very constant,' said Luis Ortiz, a climate scientist and professor at George Mason University, who worked on the report. 'Things are going to get hotter and relatively wetter We need to prepare, and we need to adapt now to get ready for those changes.' NPCC's projection mirrors the same warning environmental scientists said in the late 1980s when they predicted that sea levels around NYC would rise by one to four feet by 2050. Scientist Jim Hansen predicted the greenhouse effect before Congress in 1988, and told The New York Times at the time, 'Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause and effect relationship between the greenhouse effect and observed warming.' 'It is already happening now,' he added. Hansen reiterated his predictions in 2001 when he claimed that by 2021 portions of New York City would be submerged by rising sea levels. 'The West Side Highway [which runs along the Hudson River] will be underwater,' Hansen told Salon at the time. He added: 'And there will be tape across the windows across the street because of high winds. And the same birds won't be there. The trees in the median strip will change.' Dailymail.com has reached out to the NPCC for comment. Cybersecurity reseachers raised the alarm this week after discovering the 'Mother of all Breaches' (MOAB). With 26billion records leaked online, experts say this is the single biggest data leak in history. Sensitive records from popular sites including Twitter, Dropbox and Linkedin were discovered on an unsecured site, which experts say could spark a 'tsunami of cybercrime'. So, is your data safe? Following the news, experts have revealed to MailOnline how to check if your emails or passwords have been compromised. The easiest way to see if you have been affected is to use a data breach checker like this one created by Cybernews. The researchers say that they have logged over 70 per cent of the files in the breach and are aiming to have the checker fully updated by the end of the week Cybersecurity researchers warn that it is almost certain that your personal data has been exposed in the 'Mother of All Breaches' which leaked 26billion records onto an unsecured site READ MORE: Dymocks hack: Customers warned their personal information could have been leaked on the dark web Advertisement Yesterday, researchers from Cybernews and Bob Dyachenko, owner of SecurityDiscovery.com, announced that they had uncovered an enormous data breach. The researchers discovered that 12 terabytes of data had been stored on an open instance, hidden in plain sight on the internet. This data included billions of username and password combinations as well as highly sensitive personal data. The researchers warn that this dataset could be 'extremely dangerous' in the hands of criminals. The easiest way to check if this includes any of your information is to use a data breach checker such as Cybernews' data leak checker. To use this tool, simply enter your mobile number or email address into the search bar and click 'Check Now'. Mantas Sasnauskas, head of security research at Cybernews, told MailOnline the team are working to ensure that the tool includes all the records from this new breach. Mr Sasnauskas says that more than 70 per cent of records leaked by the MOAB breach have already been registered on the tool. Because the MOAB is a combination of historic breaches and new material, only around a third of the leaked data has not been previously released. This means that the data leak checker will still probably show whether your data was included in this latest breach. Mr Sasnauskas and his team are currently sorting through the remaining 30 per cent of new leaks to see which accounts have been compromised. If you use any of these sites, then there is a good chance your details have been leaked. While some records are certainly duplicates these sites have each leaked over 100million personal records If you are particularly concerned about your account with a specific site, Cybernews has also created a searchable list of sites that have been affected. You might also be able to tell that an account has been breached if you begin to notice suspicious activity on any of your accounts. Receiving login notifications from any of your accounts that you do not recognise can be an indication that someone has gained access. However, given the scale of the breach, Mr Sasnauskas warns that you are almost certainly affected. He told MailOnline: 'Probably the majority of the population have been affected.' Because of the sheer number of records leaked from popular sites like Linkedin, the experts say that the majority of the population will have at least one account compromised by this leak READ MORE: Genetic testing company 23andMe admits hackers accessed data of more than 6.9 MILLION people Advertisement The researchers expect that this breach contains significantly more than 15.5 billion unique password and account combinations from 3,386 different sites - more than 20 of which have released hundreds of millions of records. The biggest leak comes from Tencent's QQ, a popular Chinese messaging app which had 1.5billion records in the breach. Some of the other biggest leaks came from MySpace (360m), Twitter (281m), Linkedin (251m), and AdultFriendFinder (220m). This means that if you are an internet user, it is almost certain that at least one account you use will have been included in the breach. Jake Moore, global cybersecurity adviser for ESET, told MailOnline that people should act under the assumption that their accounts have been compromised. Experts warn that you should use this opportunity to change your passwords. If you use X, which leaked 281 million records, hackers will be able to gain access to any account that shares the same password The biggest risk is that hackers can get control of one account and use that to access others owned by the same person. Mr Moore told MailOnline: 'Unfortunately, many people still reuse their favourite passwords across multiple sites which makes this type of beach spread laterally and very quickly indeed. 'Therefore, people should take this announcement as an opportunity to make their passwords unique but also to add multi factor authentication to their accounts.' Mr Moore also warns that even an old account you no longer use being compromised can risk a cascade of more dangerous attacks. 'Criminals can do an awful lot from accessing accounts where other personal data may reside such as home address or phone number,' he says. Brian Martin, Director of Product Management at Integrity360 says: 'It's well-known that threat actors compile private copies of previous breaches to support their malicious activities.' Mr Martin explains that this breach data is extremely useful for launching 'phishing, social engineering, and credential stuffing attacks'. He recommends that organisations and individuals use good cyber hygiene to limit the risk of future attacks. This includes resetting passwords, using two factor authentication, and being aware of phishing techniques. Mr Martin adds: 'It's always been the case that the lack of these basic cyber hygiene steps increases your risk, but the risks grows with the availability of such a massive compilation database of information readily available.' The existence of massive data dumps like this makes the risk of future cyber attacks much greater since criminals are able to use the account information from one leak to break into others The researchers who discovered the breach say that the person behind it will likely never be identified. However, Mr Sasnauskas suspects that it might have been created by someone attempting to build a criminal marketplace for private information. He added: 'Historically there were such services and they do sometimes pop up. 'Basically, you could enter anyone's email address and you would be able to buy the passwords for their accounts for a couple of dollars.' It is also possible that this could have been compiled by a data broker or other organisation which works with massive amounts of data. However, Mr Sasnauskas says it was more likely to have been created by a malicious actor. The symbolic clock indicates humanity is doomed if it reaches midnight Today, we will find out if humanity is doomed. The Doomsday Clock a symbolic clock that edges closer to midnight to reflect human-made global catastrophes is about to be updated. Since last year, it's been set at 90 seconds to midnight, but MailOnline predicts it will get closer to midnight for 2024, largely due to the Israel-Hamas war. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which decides where the hands are set, will unveil the updated clock in a livestream from 10am EST (3pm GMT). MailOnline will also be covering the announcement, but until then here's everything you need to know about the Doomsday Clock. Is humanity doomed? We will finally find out, as the Doomsday Clock - a symbolic clock, which edges closer to midnight to reflect human-made global catastrophes - is updated for 2024 Since last year, the Doomsday Clock has been set at 90 seconds to midnight, but MailOnline predicts it will get closer When will the Doomsday Clock be updated? The clock is currently the closest it has ever been, at 90 seconds to midnight. But at 10am EST (3pm GMT) today (January 23) it could be set even closer to midnight. This means the threat of human-made global catastrophe is closer than ever since 1947, when the clock was devised. Advertisement WHAT IS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK? The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic timepiece showing how close the world is to a human-made global catastrophe, as deemed by experts. Every year, the clock is updated based on how close we are to the total annihilation of humanity ('midnight'). If the clock goes forward and gets closer to midnight (compared with where it was set the previous year), it suggests humanity has got closer to self destruction. But if it moves back, further away from midnight, it suggests humanity has reduced the risks of global catastrophe in the past 12 months. Some years, the hands of the clock are not moved at all as was the case in 2021 and 2022 which suggests the global situation has not changed. The clock is set by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that publishes an academic journal. Although symbolic and not an actual clock, the organization does unveil a physical 'quarter clock' model at an event when revealing if and how the hands have moved. After the unveiling, the model can be found located at the Bulletin offices in the Keller Center, home to the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. Experts at the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists remove a cloth covering the Doomsday Clock in Washington on January 24, 2023 READ MORE 'A time of unprecedented danger': Doomsday Clock set 90 seconds before midnight Russia's war in Ukraine is why humankind is the 'closest it has ever been to annihilation Advertisement WHEN IS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK UPDATED? Every January, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists reveals its annual update to the Doomsday Clock even if the hands have not moved. This year, the organisation will reveal the clock hands at 10am EST (3pm GMT) today during a livestreamed event. Speakers at the event will include Bulletin president and CEO, Rachel Bronson, and science educator, Bill Nye, known in the US for his wacky experiments. It will be livestreamed on the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists YouTube channel and website and MailOnline will also be covering the announcement. WHEN WAS THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK CREATED? The Doomsday Clock goes back to June 1947, when US artist Martyl Langsdorf was hired to design a new cover for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists journal. With a striking image on the cover, the organisation hoped to 'frighten men into rationality', according to Eugene Rabinowitch, the first editor of the journal. The Doomsday Clock goes back to June 1947, when US artist Martyl Langsdorf was hired to design a new cover for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists journal Dr Leonard Rieser, Chairman of the Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, moves the hand of the Doomsday Clock back to 17 minutes before midnight at offices near the University of Chicago on November 26, 1991 READ MORE: Scientists reveal how to survive a nuclear explosion Researchers from the University of Nicosia simulated an atomic bomb explosion from a typical intercontinental ballistic missile Advertisement It came amid a backdrop of public fear surrounding atomic warfare and weaponry, just two years after the Second World War ended. Langsdorf initially considered drawing the symbol for uranium before sketching a clock to convey a sense of urgency. She set it at seven minutes to midnight because 'it looked good to my eye', Langsdorf later said. On the cover of later issues in subsequent years, the hands of the clock were adjusted based on how close we are to catastrophe. After the Soviet Union successfully tested its first atomic bomb in 1949, Rabinowitch reset the clock from seven minutes to midnight to three minutes to midnight. Since then, it has continued to move forwards and backwards. In 2009, the Bulletin ceased its print edition, but the clock is still updated once a year on its website and is now a much-anticipated highlight of the scientific calendar. WHO DECIDES THE TIME? Shortly after it was first created, Bulletin Editor Eugene Rabinowitch decided whether or not the hands should be moved. Rabinowitch was a scientist, fluent in Russian, and a leader in the conversations about nuclear disarmament, meaning he was in frequent discussions with scientists and experts all over the world. After considering the discussions, he would decide whether the clock should be moved forward or backward, at least in the first few decades of the clock's existence. When he died in 1973, the Bulletin's Science and Security Board took over, made up of experts on nuclear technology and climate science. This has included 13 Nobel Laureates over the years. The panel meets twice a year to discuss ongoing world events, such as the war in Ukraine, and whether a clock change is necessary. WHEN WERE THE HANDS SET CLOSEST TO MIDNIGHT? In 2023, the hands were set at the closest they've ever been to midnight 90 seconds as humanity entered a 'time of unprecedented danger'. The change was largely due to the war in Ukraine and Russia's threat of using nuclear weapons against Ukraine's allies. MailOnline predicts the clock could get closer to midnight as the the Israel-Hamas war rages on. Pictured, smoke billowing over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment on January 18 The change in 2023 was largely due to the war in Ukraine, which the science and security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists predicted would carry on for its second year Prior to 2023, the hands were set the closest they'd ever been to midnight in 2020 (100 seconds to midnight). It was because governments around the world were faced with 'two simultaneous existential dangers' nuclear war and climate change. WHEN WERE THE HANDS FURTHEST AWAY FROM MIDNIGHT? In 1991, following the end of the Cold War, the Bulletin set the clock hands to 17 minutes to midnight. The end of the war saw the US and the Soviet Union sign the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. This meant the countries would cut down their nuclear weapons arsenal, reducing the threat of nuclear war. Unfortunately, the hands have not been as far away from midnight since then. In 2023, the Science and Security Board set the time to 90 seconds to midnight, largely (though not exclusively) because of the dangers of the war in Ukraine. Before 2023, the closest the hand was set to midnight was 100 seconds to midnight in 2020 WILL THE DOOMSDAY CLOCK REACH MIDNIGHT IN 2024? When it's updated later today, the clock won't reach midnight, as this would mean humanity is at the point of total annihilation and self destruction. However, it's very likely the hands will move forward, considering the current conflict between Israel-Hamas and the fact the war on Ukraine hasn't ended. In 2007, the Bulletin began including catastrophic disruptions from climate change in its hand-setting deliberations. Climate will likely play a part in decisions this year as scientists have repeatedly warned in the past 12 months about the costs of the world heating up. The Bulletin warns on its website that nuclear weapons and climate change are 'intertwined' and both have the potential 'to destroy civilization and render the Earth largely uninhabitable by human beings'. 'We can't afford to address one threat without addressing the other,' it says. 'If we don't reduce emissions, some natural resources, like fresh water, could become more scarce, leading to conflicts that might spiral into war and the possible use of nuclear weapons. 'International cooperation required to reduce and prohibit nuclear weapons would likely also lead to cooperation to save us from deadly climate disruption.' It's one of the most spectacular sights in the night sky and can result in some superb Instagram-worthy snaps. And tonight, Britons should have their eyes to the skies, as the Northern Lights also known as aurora borealis will be visible in the UK. The Met Office says people in Scotland, northern England and Northern Ireland will be able to witness the colourful light display with the naked eye. That means those as far south as Newcastle, Belfast and the Isle of Man could get a glimpse by looking northwards after nightfall. It comes as a huge solar storm strikes Earth, which could also impact radios, aviation communication and degrade satellite operations. The aurora borealis appears over Bamburgh Lighthouse, in Northumberland on the North East coast of England, November 5, 2023 The Northern Lights: Nature's stunning light display The Northern and Southern Lights (auroras) are natural light spectacles. The displays light up when electrically charged particles from the sun enter Earth's atmosphere. Usually the particles are deflected by Earth's magnetic field, but during stronger storms they enter the atmosphere and collide with gas particles such as hydrogen and helium. These collisions emit light in many amazing colours, although pale green and pink are common. Advertisement The Northern Lights are most commonly seen over places closer to the Arctic Circle such as Scandinavia and Alaska, so any sighting over the UK is a treat for skygazers. On average, the aurora can be seen in the far north of Scotland every few months, but becomes harder to see as you get further south. Auroras are caused by disturbances in Earth's 'magnetosphere' (its system of magnetic fields) due to powerful activity on the sun. Tonight's aurora stems from a coronal mass ejection (CME) a massive expulsion of plasma from the sun's corona, its outermost layer. The high-energy particles left the sun on Saturday and travelled towards us at hundreds of miles per second before bombarding our magnetosphere commonly known as a 'solar storm'. At this point, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into our planet's atmosphere. There, the particles interact with gases in our atmosphere, resulting in beautiful displays of light in the sky, known as auroras. Oxygen gives off green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple. Although not dangerous to humans, the particles aurora can damage power grids on Earth and satellites in orbit, which can lead to internet disruptions. The Met Office has revealed the auroral oval the ring-like range of auroral activity that determines where the Northern Lights will be most visible. A Met Office animation shows the auroral oval - the ring-like range of auroral activity that determines the range of the Northern Lights and where it will be most visible The aurora is due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) - a massive expulsion of plasma from the Sun's corona, its outermost layer (artist's depiction) The Northern Lights seen above St Leonard's Head in St Andrews, Scotland, February 27, 2023 'There is a chance of seeing the aurora on 22-23 January due to arrival of a CME that left the sun on 20 January,' the Met Office said in a statement. 'If the effects increase then Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and similar latitudes have the best chance of overhead aurora sightings where skies are clear.' Meanwhile, in the southern hemisphere where it's known as aurora australis the spectacle should be visible in Tasmania and southern New Zealand. 'There is a good chance of enhancement to the auroral oval in the current UTC evening, perhaps eventually becoming visible in the extreme south of New Zealand and Tasmania although limited by long daylight hours,' the Met Office adds. In North America, the strongest likelihood of seeing the aurora tonight is from Canada and Alaska, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). People in northern parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin may also see the event although it will likely be fainter. NOAA has rated it 'G2' (on a scale of one to five), so it's considered 'moderate', meaning it could disrupt satellites in space and power grids, including 'possible widespread voltage control problems'. According to the US's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there's the strongest likelihood of seeing the aurora tonight over Canada and Alaska The Northern Lights is most commonly seen over places closer to the Arctic Circle such as Scandinavia and Alaska, so any sighting over the UK is a treat for skygazers. Pictured is the aurora as seen in Sommaroy, Norway, November 19, 2023 An aurora is created by disturbances in Earth's magnetosphere due to a flow of particles from the sun and is usually centred around the Earth's magnetic poles. It's pictured here through the window of a plane flying between Svalbard and Tromso, Norway January 5, 2024 According to the Met Office, people with a decent camera should be able to capture decent shots of the aurora even when it's not visible with the naked eye. 'Cameras help as the long exposure allows loads of light in and enhances the colours more than the human eye can see,' a spokesperson said. 'That is why you see pictures as far south as Cornwall sometimes though youre unlikely to ever be able to see it with the naked eye that far south.' Aurora can often be observed somewhere on Earth from just after sunset or just before sunrise, but are not visible during daylight hours. The northern lights (aurora borealis) over St Mary's lighthouse in Whitley Bay on the north-east coast of England. Picture date: April 24, 2023 The best way to see the stunning displays is to find a dark place, away from light pollution such as street lights and ideally a cloud-free sky. Look north if you're in the northern hemisphere, but look south if you're in the southern hemisphere and set up your camera likewise. Some of the best aurora spots around the UK are in areas of high elevation (closer to the magnetosphere) and away from cities that pollute the sky with artificial light. These aurora hotspots include the Lake District in Cumbria, Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, the Shetland Islands and Whitley Bay, North Tyneside. Humanity is still in a 'time of unprecedented danger.' That is the conclusion of scientists behind the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic timepiece which indicates how close the world is to ending. The clock was updated today and remained at 90 seconds to midnight - the theoretical point of annihilation. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which decides where the hands are set, said it is the closest to global catastrophe it has been since it began in 1947 at the end of WW2. The researchers said the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and advancements in artificial technology - which many commentators have dubbed the new nuclear arms race. Scientists updated the Doomsday Clock Scientists Tuesday, revealing they are keeping it 90 seconds to midnight - the same as in 2023 Rachel Bronson, the bulletin's president and CEO, said: 'Conflict hot spots around the world carry the threat of nuclear escalation, climate change is already causing death and destruction, and disruptive technologies like AI and biological research advance faster than their safeguards.' She added that keeping the symbolic timepiece unchanged from the prior year is 'not an indication that the world is stable.' 'Quite the opposite. It's urgent for governments and communities around the world to act,' Bronson explained. 'And the Bulletin remains hopeful and inspired in seeing the younger generations leading the charge.' The Doomsday Clock was founded by US scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, which led to the first nuclear weapons during World War II, and is a symbolic countdown to represent how close humanity is to complete global catastrophe. Artist Martyl Langsdorf was commissioned to make the timepiece, and told to create an image that would 'frighten men into rationality,' according to Eugene Rabinowitch, the first editor of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. The Doomsday Clock started in 1947 with the timepiece set at seven minutes to midnight, but now it is only 90 seconds until midnight Rachel Bronson, the bulletin's president and CEO, said that keeping the symbolic timepiece unchanged from the prior year is 'not an indication that the world is stable' The scientists asks if humanity is safer or at a greater risk this year than compared to the previous and the same query, but compared to the more than 75 years of the Doomsday Clock's existence. And that is how they determined where the time will stand. The war in Ukraine was largely behind the scientists' 2023 decision, but the continued bombing, deaths and nuclear war threats have played a roll in this year's Doomsday Clock. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022 in an escalation of the war that started in 2014. 'A durable end to Russia's war in Ukraine seems distant, and the use of nuclear weapons by Russia in that conflict remains a serious possibility. In the past year Russia has sent numerous worrying nuclear signals,' Bronson said. She continued to explain that Putin's announcement to use nuclear weapons has also contributed to the Bulletin's decision. The unchanged clock - a symbolic timepiece showing how close the world is to ending - was accredited to the wars in Ukraine The war in Gaza was also mentioned as a factor. The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas gunmen launched a surprise Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and taking over 220 hostages In addition to he Russian parliament's October 2023 passage of a law withdrawing ratification of the global treaty banning nuclear weapons tests. Putin has also threated the West with total nuclear destruction in 2013 - the nation has more than 5,800 nuclear warheads in its arsenal. The war in Gaza was also mentioned as a factor for unchanging the Doomsday Clock. The conflict began on October 7, when Hamas gunmen launched a surprise attack in Israel, killing more than 1,400 people and taking over 220 hostages. The unprecedented strike reignited the ongoing war between the two nations. Gaza deaths have exceeded 25,000, according to the Health Ministry. 'As a nuclear state, Israel's actions are clearly relevant to the Doomsday Clock discussion,' Bronson said. BREAKING: The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists has announced that the 'Doomsday Clock' remains at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been pic.twitter.com/mC5wlxSNkE i newspaper (@theipaper) January 23, 2024 Climate change was also part of the scientists' decision, noting that 'the world entered 'uncharged territory' for climate impacts last year, with conditions exceeding past extremes by enormous margins' The most significant development in the disruptive technology space last year was the dramatic advance in generative artificial intelligence, the scientists said 'Of particular worry is that the conflict might escalate more broadly in the region creating a larger conventional war and drawing in more nuclear powers or near-nuclear powers.' When the clock was first created, the greatest danger arose from nuclear weapons. Climate change was weighed as a factor for the first time in 2007. Climate change was also part of the scientists' decision, noting that 'the world entered 'uncharged territory' for climate impacts last year, with conditions exceeding past extremes by enormous margins.' Data showed that 2023 was the hottest on record, with the global average temperature hitting 58.96F, around 0.3F higher than the previous record holder - 2016. 'A lack of action on climate change threatens billions of lives, Bronson said during the live streamed event. Bronson also raised concerns about biological threats amid the revolution in the life science and associated technologies. 'Biological research aimed at preventing future pandemics has proven useful, but also presents the risk of creating one, she said. 'And recent advances in artificial intelligence raise a variety of questions about to control a technology that could improve or threaten civilization in countless ways.' Fears the Pentagon has been 'building killer robots in the basement' may have led to stricter AI rules that mandated all systems must be approved before deployment. The Department of Defense (DoD) recently updated its AI rules among 'a lot of confusion about' how it plans to use self-decision-making machines on the battlefield, according to the deputy assistant defense secretary. Michael Horowitz explained at an event this month that the 'directive does not prohibit the development of any systems,' but will 'make clear what is and isn't allowed' and uphold a 'commitment to responsible behavior,' as it develops lethal autonomous systems. While the Pentagon believes the changes should ease the public's minds, some have said they are not 'convinced' by the efforts. Fears the Pentagon has been 'building killer robots in the basement' may have led to stricter AI rules that mandated all systems must be approved before deployment. Pictured is the MAARS unmanned vehicle unveiled in in 2015 News of the update to the Pentagon's 2012 'Autonomy in Weapon Systems,' has sparked a debate online with many people saying 'If the Pentagon says they're not doing it, they're doing it.' Dailymail.com has reached out to the DoD for comment. The DoD has been aggressively pushing to modernize its arsenal with autonomous drones, tanks, and other weapons that select and attack a target without human intervention. Mark Brakel, director of the advocacy organization Future of Life Institute (FLI), told DailyMail.com: 'These weapons carry a massive risk of unintended escalation.' He explained that AI-powered weapons could misinterpret something, like a ray of sunlight, and perceive it as a threat, thus attacking foreign powers without cause. Brakel said the result could be devastating because 'without meaningful human control, AI-powered weapons are like the Norwegian rocket incident [a near nuclear armageddon] on steroids and they could increase the risk of accidents in hotspots such as the Taiwan Strait.' The Department of Defense (DoD) recently updated its AI rules among 'a lot of confusion about' how it plans to use self-decision-making machines on the battlefield The DoD has encouraged global measures to monitor AI weapons by calling on other countries to endorse the Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy, and as of November, 47 countries endorsed the initiative. Horowitz said during a January 9 panel that the DoD is laser-focused when it comes to building the public's trust and confidence in the technology and that the department is committed to adhering to international humanitarian law. 'The real test of any new directive should be in how many weapons it rules out or significantly modifies,' Brakel said. 'We have yet to see any evidence that changes in the directive have a meaningful impact on how weapons are developed.' Autonomous military systems are not only being developed by the US, as China and Russia have their own AI-powered arsenals that are currently being used in two wars. The Pentagon announced in November that it would unleash thousands of AI-enabled autonomous vehicles by 2026 to keep up with America's adversaries. Humanitarian groups worry that the AI-powered weapons could fall into the wrong hands or unintentionally spark a war by mistaking something like sunlight for an attack The ambitious initiative dubbed Replicator seeks to 'galvanize progress in the too-slow shift of U.S. military innovation to leverage platforms that are small, smart, cheap, and many,' Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks said in August. 'Replicator itself is about a process,' Mr. Horowitz said this month. 'It's about figuring out how ... we can field at speed and scale key capabilities that we view as important given the national defense strategy.' Horowitz also said that the DoD is laser-focused when it comes to building the public's trust and confidence in the technology and that the department is committed to adhering to international humanitarian law. However, other members of FLI are not sold on the stricter rules and how the Pentagon will see them through. Anna Hehir, who leads autonomous weapons system research for FLI, told The Hill: 'It's really a Pandora's box that we're starting to see open, and it will be very hard to go back. ' I would argue for the Pentagon to view the use of AI in military use as on par with the start of the nuclear era,' she added. 'So this is a novel technology that we don't understand. And if we view this in an arms raceway, which is what the Pentagon is doing, then we can head to global catastrophe.' Her sultry performance of Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, wearing a pink satin dress and flanked by adoring male admirers has been endlessly emulated. And 70 years after Marilyn Monroe reinvented Hollywood glamour in Gentleman Prefer Blondes, Kate Moss has recreated her look for the new Charlotte Tilbury campaign. The supermodel, who turned 50 last week, wore a pink strapless gown - similar to Ms Monroe's William Travilla creation - and over-the-elbow gloves, with her blonde hair curled in 1950s-style waves. Dripping in jewellery, Ms Moss did her best impression of the late film star by flinging her arms up in the air and posing alongside a group of male dancers. She was joined by supermodel Jourdan Dunn, 33, who is also a regular in Ms Tilbury's campaigns, to promote the launch of her new Hollywood Beauty Icons lipsticks. Kate Moss (left) recreated Marilyn Monroe's famous Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend look as she stunned in a glamorous new Charlotte Tilbury campaign The supermodel, who turned 50 last week, wore a pink strapless gown - similar to Ms Monroe's William Travilla creation Ms Monroe's sultry performance of Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend, wearing a pink satin dress and flanked by adoring male admirers has been endlessly emulated The make-up artist, who is a celebrity favourite, has studied 'Hollywood lip architecture' to come up with brand new range of shades. 'We always have so much fun dressing up on set and this campaign took it to the next level - we really embodied the Hollywood icons of the past and present,' said Ms Moss. 'I loved the Icon Baby lipstick used on me for the shoot. I do love a nude lip, and this is such a gorgeous nude rose shade and feels luxurious when you apply it. 'The Hollywood Vixen lipstick is the perfect movie star red and makes you feel like a true Hollywood icon.' She added: 'I always make sure I have one of Charlotte's Lip Cheat liners in my make up bag and I'm obsessed with the NEW! Icon Baby and Red Carpet Red shades, which paired perfectly with my Hollywood Beauty Icon lipsticks.' Ms Tilbury was one of the guests at Ms Moss' blow-out 50th birthday party in Paris last week, with the supermodel even borrowing her friend's vintage coat when it got a bit chilly. She was among the 30 select guests who were invited to the exclusive Laurent Restaurant for a night of eating and dancing until 2am. The glamorous new campaign was to promote the launch of her new Hollywood Beauty Icons lipsticks 'We always have so much fun dressing up on set and this campaign took it to the next level - we really embodied the Hollywood icons of the past and present,' said Ms Moss She added: 'I loved the Icon Baby lipstick used on me for the shoot. I do love a nude lip, and this is such a gorgeous nude rose shade and feels luxurious when you apply it' She explained: 'I always make sure I have one of Charlotte's Lip Cheat liners in my make up bag and I'm obsessed with the NEW! Icon Baby and Red Carpet Red shades' Ms Tilbury was one of the guests at Ms Moss' blow-out 50th birthday party in Paris last week, with the supermodel even borrowing her friend's vintage coat when it got a bit chilly She was joined by supermodel Jourdan Dunn, 33, who is also a regular in Ms Tilbury's campaigns Jourdan looked stunning in the campaign with her light pink lip Another shot saw her don a red sequin dress as she posed with feathers She beamed as she chatted to one of the other models Her lipstick and other makeup was flawlessly applied Ms Moss, who has been teetotal for over five years, and now has her own wellness brand, Cosmoss, was still the last person to leave the party despite her new commitment to clean living. Ms Monroe cemented her status as Hollywood's ultimate blonde bombshell with her role in Howard Hawks' 1953 musical comedy, starring opposite Jane Russell and Charles Coburn. The scene in which her character, Lorelei Lee, performs alongside a group of potential suitors is considered one of the most beloved in screen history. Madonna famously imitated the scene in her 1985 music video for song Material Girl. Charlotte herself wore a busty red dress as she applied some of the makeup Michaela Jae Rodriguez also looked incredible starring in the campaign Jourdan's long dark tresses were styled into perfect bouncy waves She held the bright red lip as she posed for another stunning shot She gazed at the mirror as she applied a blush to her cheeks She looked beautiful in the glamorous shots from the campaign Michaela opted for a light pink lip for another shot The star donned a baby pink corset for another shot in the Charlotte Tilbury campaign This Morning presenter Sian Welby confirmed her father is battling vascular dementia while hosting a segment on the degenerative condition during Tuesday's show. Welby, who has been praised for 'bringing fun back' to the beleaguered ITV flagship, was on hand to discuss a revolutionary new blood test that can detect Alzheimer's disease during its initial stages. Making her latest stand-in appearance alongside Dermot O'Leary, the presenter, 37, admitted her father Ian, 84, is one of more than 900,000 people currently living with dementia across the United Kingdom. Discussing the incurable condition, she said: 'It's one of the most devastating, my dad's going through it, he has vascular dementia. 'You're scared to lose a person that you know, it is quite frightening! Like you say, would I want to take a test knowing I could be susceptible to it? This Morning presenter Sian Welby confirmed her father is battling vascular dementia while hosting a segment on the degenerative condition during Tuesday's show Making her latest stand-in appearance alongside Dermot O'Leary, the presenter admitted her father Ian, who is 84, is one of more than 900,000 people currently living with dementia 'It's hard to know! I don't know if I want to know, is ignorance bliss? But then again, if I could do something about it?' Welby, who has previously discussed her father's battles with cancer and COVID-19, was subsequently praised for her professionalism by viewers, with many taking to X, formerly Twitter, to express their views. 'Nice to see Sian on #thismorning Very professional and engaging,' wrote one impressed fan. A second added: "I'm really enjoying the @Sianwelby and @radioleary mix.. they work well together. Well done to Sian, it must be nerve wracking presenting such a big morning show, she's doing great.' While a third urged ITV bosses to 'sign Sian up. We've now found what we are looking for.' Viewers were equally impressed with her debut on Monday alongside host Dermot O'Leary, as they said she was doing a 'great job' and 'brought fun to the show'. But behind-the-scenes in her personal life, Welby has had a tough couple of years - with her father being diagnosed with Leukemia. In 2022 she admitted harboring fears for her elderly father after he contracted COVID-19 following his cancer diagnosis. Ian's health seriously declined after suffering from sepsis and pneumonia in both lungs. Welby was on hand to discuss a revolutionary new blood test that can detect Alzheimer's disease during its initial stages WHAT IS DEMENTIA? Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of neurological disorders A GLOBAL CONCERN Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour. There are many types of dementia, of which Alzheimers disease is the most common. Some people may have a combination of different types of dementia. Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience dementia in their own unique way. Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED? The Alzheimer's Society reports there are more than 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK today. This is projected to rise to 1.6 million by 2040. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting between 50 and 75 per cent of those diagnosed. In the US, it's estimated there are 5.5 million Alzheimer's sufferers. A similar percentage rise is expected in the coming years. As a persons age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia. Rates of diagnosis are improving but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed. IS THERE A CURE? Currently there is no cure for dementia. But new drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted, the more effective treatments can be. Source: Alzheimers Society Advertisement Welby, who has previously discussed her father's battles with cancer and COVID-19, praised for her professionalism by viewers of Tuesday's show They were equally impressed with her debut on Monday, with fans claiming she 'brought fun to the show' His weight dropped to six and a half stone during a seven-week stint in hospital - with Welby fearing the worst. When he showed signs of improvement, she shared sweet snaps with her father on Instagram and wrote: 'Doctors have said it's nothing short of a miracle. 'My dad has leukemia and then got COVID, which lead to sepsis, pneumonia in both lungs and got to the point where he couldn't eat, walk or talk. He's spent the last 7 weeks in hospital, and there was a chance he'd never come home. 'I posted the second photo on my insta story last week after I was finally able to hug him and was flooded with positive messages from all of you. 'I just want to say thank-you for all your kind words. So much positivity was sent his way and literally the day after I had a text from my mum saying he had got out of bed. It's incredible.' She added: 'I believe in the power of positive thoughts and seriously feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I'm back home and my dad's out of hospital!! He's making an incredible recovery, the doctors can't believe it!! In 2022 she admitted harboring fears for her elderly father after he contracted COVID-19 following his cancer diagnosis When he started to improve, Welby shared sweet snaps with her father on Instagram and wrote: 'Doctors have said it's nothing short of a miracle' 'What an amazing day... I've showed him all your messages and he's got a tear in his eye - he's asked me to print them all off so he can read them again when I'm not here' 'I just want to add, if you're going through anything similar I truly send you all love in the world. Even when you feel totally helpless. 'Tell them you love them, hold their hand, hug them if you can. Be that positive voice repeatedly telling them to fight and if they can't fight anymore, just tell them happy stories from their past.' Welby admitted her dad couldn't believe public figures including Spice Girl Emma Bunton and presenter Amanda Holden sent him well-wishes. Speaking to The Sun, she explained: 'A week after that post of me hugging him, and after 37,000 people liking and commenting on my story, I really believe in the power of positivity. 'He couldn't believe Emma Bunton and Amanda Holden sent him a message to get well soon! 'He asked me to print all the DMs out so he can look at them when I'm not there!' Welby is hosting This Morning alongside Dermot O'Leary as ITV continue to search for a replacement for Holly Willoughby Welby is temporarily hosting This Morning alongside Dermot as ITV continue to search for a replacement for Holly Willoughby. Viewers were impressed with her debut as she took the helm on Monday as they said she was doing a 'great job' and 'brought fun to the show'. She is best known for her work on Capital Breakfast, where she appears alongside Roman Kemp and Chris Stark every weekday between 6am and 10am. Prior to Capital, she had her own Heart FM evening show and her own Heart FM Sunday morning show. Her hosting debut on This Morning is not her first appearance on the show, as she also hosts regular showbiz segments from 'Sian's Shack'. Further TV work for the star includes her weather presenting Channel 5 and her appearance on CBBC's Saturday Mash Up alongside Sonny Jay. Welby's role on This Morning comes three months after Willoughby quit after 14 years at the helm of This Morning after an alleged kidnap plot was revealed. Sian has been paired with Dermot to anchor Monday to Thursday next week while they continue to search for a replacement for Holly Willoughby (pictured in September) Former security guard Gavin Plumb has also been accused of incitement to murder her. Since then, ITV bosses have been searching for a replacement for her. They were left 'gutted' last month when Cat Deeley ruled herself out of the role after signing for US talent show, So You Think You Can Dance. Chiefs also had their eye on The Voice presenter Emma Willis but she is understood to have turned down the job as she can't commit to three days. Christine Lampard was also said to not be keen on working four days a week. Noel Gallagher has finally broken his silence on his divorce from ex-wife Sara McDonald, a year after the pair split. The musician, 56, who reportedly paid the mother of his kids 20million plus their 8million mansion in the settlement, said that he wanted to cycle past the pricey property and shout: 'You didn't take this [bike] from me!'. Noel confirmed the end of his 12-year marriage to publicist Sara with whom he shares sons Donovan, 16, and Sonny, 14, in January 2023, blaming the pandemic and COVID lockdowns for putting an strain on their relationship. Now speaking on Matt Morgan's Patreon Podcast he quipped about his new life as a single man in London: 'I can get on the bike and go... outside my wonderful ex-wife's house and give her a little wave, and go, "You didn't take this from me!". Noel Gallagher, 56, has finally broken his silence on his divorce from ex-wife Sara McDonald, a year after the pair split The musician, who reportedly paid the mother of his children 20million plus their 8million mansion in the settlement, said that he wanted to cycle past pricey property on his bike and shout: 'You didn't take this from me!' (Noel and Sara pictured in 2019) Before adding: 'But the pace of London is f**king great at the minute, I'm loving it'. Noel also lifted the lid on living a year in a 2,500-a-night suite at swanky hotel Claridge's following the marriage breakdown, after sources claimed he was 'parting through the pain'. He told pal Matt: 'I had some proper f**king good times there it was a proper good time. I lived there for most of last year, I was there three or four nights a week'. Noel, who has a reported net worth of 57million, stayed in the lap of luxury while waiting for his new flat in nearby Maida Vale to be renovated, which he confirmed he had now moved into. Elsewhere in the interview the Wonderwall hitmaker shared his thoughts on reforming Oasis with estranged brother Liam, 51, before claiming the band would likely 'be cancelled in an afternoon' these days. Saying: 'Timing is everything. Even if we were to come back now, it would be just like a heritage kind of thing. It could never be the same'. 'If Oasis appeared tomorrow with Supersonic and we were talking about f**king Rottweilers snorting cocaine in the studio and how we didn't give a f**k about drugs in the studio, the record companies would sh**t themselves'. 'It would be like the Sex Pistols. We wouldn't be this massive thing with Radio 1 playing it constantly. You'd be underground'. Noel confirmed the end of his 12-year marriage to publicist Sara with whom he shares sons Donovan, 16, and Sonny, 14, in January 2023, blaming the pandemic and COVID lockdowns for putting an strain on their relationship (pictured in 2018) He said: 'Outside my wonderful ex-wife's house and give her a little wave, and go, 'You didn't take this from me!' Elsewhere in the interview the Noel (L) shared his thoughts on reforming Oasis with estranged brother Liam (R) before claiming the band would likely 'be cancelled in an afternoon' these days (pictured in 2005) Noel has been embroiled in a very public feud with his brother since Oasis split in 2009, though there has been recent talk that the warring siblings could finally unite for a comeback gig. And teasing a reunion once again in an interview with The Sun last year he cheekily shared his thoughts on what the gig would look like, remarking: 'Me, Liam and a load of fit f**king birds'. More recently Noel revealed how he is planning a 'big blowout' after kicking his four-year nightly wine habit. The High Flying Birds musician cut back on his drinking, giving up booze on New Year's Day and swapping it for peppermint tea, according to the Mirror. But the former Oasis star plans to break his run of sobriety in the coming months after a London gig when he will celebrate by waving his underwear in the air. Telling pal Matt: 'Ive been drinking every day for four years, half a bottle of red wine a night. 'Ive got a gig on March 21 at the Royal Albert Hall, so thats the aim to have a big blowout the night after that, go mad, swinging my undies round my head in the dressing room'. A Queensland rental which last sold for a mere $395,000 is the main filming location for Boy Swallows Universe, one of the biggest shows on Netflix. Located in Beenleigh, 35kms from Brisbane, the 50s-era three-bedroom, one-bathroom weatherboard features prominently in the gritty Australian-made drama. The seven-part drama, which co-stars iconic actor Bryan Brown, is a crime story set in 1980s Brisbane and deals with a young family who become involved in a drug war. Based on the novel by Trent Dalton, the story is set in the Brisbane suburb Darra, which 40 years ago was known for its low-cost housing built in the 50s and 60s. In filmmaker jargon, the Beenleigh shack features as the 'hero' house - the 'home' for the series' main character Eli played by teen actor Felix Cameron. A Queensland rental which last sold for a mere $395,000 is the main filming location for Boy Swallows Universe, one of the biggest shows on Netflix Located in Beenleigh, 35kms from Brisbane , the 50s-era three-bedroom, one-bathroom weatherboard features prominently in the gritty Australian-made drama The Courier-Mail reports the house, which last sold in 2015 for $395,000, was available to lease for $440 a week in March, 2023, some time after filming wrapped. According to the report, the Beenleigh home underwent a 'makeover' so viewers would be convincingly transported back in time to Brisbane's blue collar suburbs. Changes to the house included building in 'retro' fittings in the kitchen, bedrooms and living areas and a new paint job. The seven-part drama, which co-stars iconic actor Bryan Brown, is a crime story set in 1980s Brisbane and deals with a young family who become involved in a drug war The Courier-Mail reports that the house, which last sold in 2015 for $395,000, was available to lease for $440 a week in March, 2023, some time after filming wrapped. The Beenleigh home was retro-fitted with features typical of a home built in the 50s and 60s (pictured) A construction crew from the show's design department also added a fence and a 'patio' before filming. The Beenleigh home was last listed for $426,000 in 2018, but did not sell. Boy Swallows Universe has emerged as a global hit. The show has stormed into the Netflix global Top Five streaming chart, with 3.8 million viewers watching it in the first four days of its release. The drama also reached the top ten in 47 countries, including America, the UK, Canada, France, Germany and Australia. Boy Swallows Universe was released in full on January 11. The series stars an A-List lineup of Australian actors, including Phoebe Tonkin as Frances Bell and Vikings star Travis Fimmel as her drug-dealing partner Lyle Orlik. A construction crew from the series' design department also added a fence and a 'patio' before filming (pictured, the a recent photo of the rear of the Beenleigh home) Boy Swallows Universe stormed into the Netflix global Top Five streaming chart, with 3.8 million viewers watching it in the first four days of its release Pictured: A scene from Boy Swallows Universe Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was put on the spot by Kyle Sandilands on Tuesday when he asked him about his relationship with girlfriend Jodie Haydon. During a radio appearance, the PM was asked by the KIIS FM presenter whether he planned to ask Ms Haydon to marry him. Mr Albanese appeared lost for words before telling Sandilands and his co-host Jackie O Henderson he won't be discussing his relationship live on air. 'Are you putting a ring on your [girlfriend] or not?' Sandilands asked. 'You can't be discussing my relationship on Kyle and Jackie O. Maybe discuss it with the parties involved. You didn't consult me on your wedding, you just told me when it's happening and gave me an invite,' Mr Albanese responded. Kyle Sandilands (pictured) put Anthony Albanese on the spot by asking when he'll propose to his longtime girlfriend Jodie Haydon live on air Henderson then asked: 'Has an Australian Prime Minister ever got married before during his role?' 'I don't think so... But I'm entitled to a private life instead of having to discuss it on national radio,' Mr Albanese said. 'No you're not,' Sandilands joked. Ms Haydon began dating Mr Albanese in early 2020 after meeting at a conference in Melbourne. Mr Albanese was previously married to NSW deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt for 19 years. The former couple shares a 22-year-old son, Nathan. The PM was asked by the KIIS FM presenter whether he planned to marry Ms Haydon. Mr Albanese appeared lost for words before telling Sandilands and co-host Jackie O Henderson he won't be discussing his relationship live on air In July 2022, Ms Haydon said she knew she was in love with the prime minister when she got the harrowing news he'd been a serious car crash. The financial advisor had been dating the then Opposition Leader for barely a year when his car was wiped out by a Range Rover driven by a P-plater metres away from his home in Sydney's inner-west in January 2021. Mr Albanese was rushed to hospital with extensive injuries. 'When I got to the accident and I saw the car before I saw Anthony, and I remember thinking at the time, "This can't end well,"' Ms Haydon told 7News Spotlight 'And that overwhelming sense of, "What if I lose him?" And I knew then that, yeah, I love him. And I love him deeply.' He made the shock network jump from Channel Ten to Channel Seven in July last year. But Dr Chris Brown may be having second thoughts about his latest 'high-pressure' television gigs. The beloved celebrity vet, 45, appeared glum earlier this month when he stepped out solo for a coffee at a cafe in Coogee, Sydney. He dressed casual for the one-man outing, wearing a pair of grey shorts and a washed-out dark T-shirt. The blond vet sat at an outdoor table on his own where he enjoyed a hot cup of coffee. Dr Chris Brown appeared glum earlier this month when he stepped out solo for a coffee at a cafe in Coogee, Sydney He dressed casual for the one-man outing, wearing a pair of grey shorts and a washed-out dark T-shirt He also seemed bored while scrolling through his phone. According to reports, the television star is 'feeling the pressure' with his upcoming roles at Seven his first few duties include hosting Dancing With The Stars, a new renovation show Dream Home, and new animal adventure series Once In A Lifetime. 'I do think he's finding it tough,' a source told New Idea magazine. 'He's turned his whole life upside down moving to Seven, and he could be feeling the pressure.' The blond vet sat at an outdoor table on his own where he enjoyed a hot cup of coffee According to reports, the television star is 'feeling the pressure' with his upcoming roles at Seven his first few duties include hosting Dancing With The Stars, a new renovation show Dream Home, and new animal adventure series Once In A Lifetime He also appeared bored while scrolling through his phone The insider added the network is 'ruthless' for ratings and relying on Brown when the 'cameras start rolling'. 'He can't afford to stuff up,' they added. Brown signed a two-year contract with Seven worth more than $1million a year, following his contractual obligations for I'm A Celebrity at his former network. In October, an industry insider believed the celebrity vet was invariably feeling 'nervous' about his new gig - especially the prospect of hosting Seven's new renovation series Dream Home by himself. Brown signed a two-year contract with Seven worth more than $1million a year, following his contractual obligations for I'm A Celebrity at his former network Speaking to Woman's Day magazine at the time, TV commentator Steve Molk said Brown would be forgiven for feeling the 'pressure' of helming a primetime show without a co-host to fall back on. 'This is the first time he's really had to take on the entirety of the focus from critics and audiences alike, and the reality renovation space has not been kind to Seven,' Molk said. Molk noted that Brown won't be lacking in support from his bosses at Seven as he takes the spotlight for the first time since departing I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!. Brown's first few duties include hosting Dancing With The Stars, a new renovation show Dream Home, and new animal adventure series Once In A Lifetime Dream Home is based on the successful New Zealand series of the same name which aired from 1999 to 2013. The series will be made by production company Endemol Shine and will begin filming last year before premiering in early 2024. Brown inked a multi-year deal with Seven in February to produce unspecified 'new projects' for the station. Aside from hosting Dream Home, he is also co-hosting Dancing With The Stars alongside Sonia Kruger. 'I do think he's finding it tough,' a source told New Idea magazine Brown started his TV career in 2003 as a presenter on Harry's Practice on Seven, a role that earned him a Logie nomination for Most Popular New Talent Brown started his TV career in 2003 as a presenter on Harry's Practice on Seven, a role that earned him a Logie nomination for Most Popular New Talent. He joined Ten in 2008 to host Bondi Vet, which became a surprise ratings hit and was syndicated around the world. The factual series was based on his real-life experience as a vet at the Bondi Junction Veterinary Hospital in Sydney's east. He went on to become a part-time panelist on The Project and also co-hosted I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! and The Living Room, which was axed last year. Naomi Watts was the image of Manhattan chic when she surfaced this Monday evening in the city that never sleeps. Modeling a snappy set of white-rimmed shades, she signed autographs for admirers and smiled for a selfie with one of her adoring fans. The 55-year-old has plunged into the publicity whirlwind for her upcoming FX show Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the latest Ryan Murphy confection. Amid a star-studded cast including Diane Lane, Demi Moore and Chloe Sevigny, Naomi features as the ultra-glam New York socialite Babe Paley. A bit of the show's retro chic has evidently rubbed off on Naomi, who cut an eminently stylish figure in a throwback collarless black jacket with brass buttons. Naomi Watts was the image of Manhattan chic when she surfaced this Monday evening in the city that never sleeps Modeling a snappy set of white-rimmed shades, she graciously stopped to smile for a selfie with one of her adoring fans Heightening the flashback effect, she pulled the wrap over a cream blouse that glinted under the city lights as she pounded the pavement. The King Kong actress teased her platinum blonde locks into a do reminiscent of the 1950s, accentuating her winning features with makeup. Premiering January 31, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans stars Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, in the story of his dramatic exile from the New York beau monde. Truman ingratiated himself into the highest echelons of New York society, becoming the confidante of many of its top trophy wives, whom he called his 'Swans.' The break came in 1975, when he published a now infamous short story in Esquire called La Cote Basque, 1965, dishing the dirt on his extremely thinly-veiled friends. Furious and wounded at his betrayal, the Swans closed ranks and ejected him from their circle, much to Truman's shock and dismay. 'What did they expect?' he argued. 'Im a writer, and I use everything. Did all those people think I was there just to entertain them?' Naomi features as Babe Paley, the wife of CBS president Bill Paley and a woman widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and glamorous in New York. The 55-year-old has plunged into the publicity whirlwind for her upcoming FX show Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the latest Ryan Murphy confection A bit of the show's retro chic has evidently rubbed off on Naomi, who cut an eminently stylish figure in a throwback collarless black jacket with brass buttons Of all the Swans, Babe was among those most hurt by the Esquire piece, inasmuch as she had regarded Truman as a close and trusted friend. Compounding her misery, the story was published at a time when Babe was battling what turned out to be a terminal bout of lung cancer. La Cote Basque, 1965 included an anecdote in which a stand-in for Babe's husband has an adulterous one-night stand with a stand-in for Maria Harriman, the wife of diplomat-turned-New-York-governor Averell Harriman. In the Esquire piece, the governor's wife has her period all over the tycoon's sheets, forcing him to spend all night trying to remove the stains before his wife gets home. Feud: Capote vs. The Swans features Diane Lane as socialite Slim Keith, who husband-hopped from Howard Hawks to Leland Heyward to an English aristocrat. Heightening the flashback effect, she pulled the wrap over a cream blouse that glinted under the city lights as she pounded the pavement The King Kong actress teased her platinum blonde locks into a do reminiscent of the 1950s, accentuating her winning features with makeup Naomi features as Babe Paley, the wife of CBS president Bill Paley and a woman widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and glamorous in New York Chloe Sevigny meanwhile plays horsewoman and fashion plate CZ Guest, who remained friends with Truman after the furor over the Esquire story - an act of loyalty possibly made easier by the fact she was not turned into one of his characters. Calista Flockhart plays Jackie Kennedy's sister Lee Radziwill, with Molly Ringwald as Johnny Carson's second ex-wife Joanne. Demi plays Ann Woodward, a social climber who became a scandalous figure when she killed her wealthy husband at home with a shotgun one night and avoided a trial by insisting she thought he was a burglar. Upon hearing news of Truman's story, Ann committed suicide, prompting her mother-in-law to drily remark: 'Well, that's that. She shot my son, and Truman just murdered her, and so now I suppose we don't have to worry about that anymore.' Sharon Osbourne has candidly admitted that she tried to take her own life after learning of husband Ozzy Osbourne's four-year affair in 2016. The TV personality, 71, discovered Ozzy's infidelity with a hairdresser, named Michelle Pugh, after she scoured through his emails. Ozzy, 75, and Michelle had a secretive relationship between 2012 and 2016, which saw him briefly split with Sharon. And recalling her past heartbreak, Sharon shared she attempted to overdose because of his actions. Speaking on stage with her friend Jane Moore in her Cut The C**p show last week, Sharon revealed: 'He always, always had groupies and I was so used to that. Sharon Osbourne, 71, has candidly admitted that she tried to take her own life after learning of husband Ozzy Osbourne's four-year affair in 2016 The TV personality discovered Ozzy's infidelity with a hairdresser named Michelle Pugh, after she scoured through his emails 'But when he knows the name of the person, where they live and where they work... it is a whole different thing as you are emotionally invested. I took, I dont know how many pills. 'I just thought "My kids are older, they are fine and can take care of themselves". So I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean the room and saw me.' At the time of Sharon discovering Ozzy's wrongdoings, Sharon confirmed she'd split from the Black Sabbath rocker, whom she married in 1982, on her chat show The Talk in 2016 when she thanked her fans for their support. She said: 'I'm 63 years of age, and I can't keep living like this... I've been avoiding looking at any pictures or reading anything. I know what's going on. 'I don't need to read about or see about it. It's like putting salt in a wound. I don't need to... He's back, and now I'm out of the house.' In 2019, Ozzy praised Sharon as a 'god' for taking him back after his affair. In an interview with The Sun newspaper, he said: 'Sharon and I have never been as close as we are now. It's great. Sharon has been a god. He said: 'We all make mistakes. I'm lucky she took me back. Sometimes I sit there and go, 'What the f*** was I thinking?' I won't understand why it happened until the day I die.' Ozzy, 75, and Michelle had a brief secretive relationship between 2012 and 2016, which saw him briefly split with Sharon Speaking on stage with her friend Jane Moore in her Cut The Crap show last week, Sharon candidly revealed: 'He always, always had groupies and I was so used to that And recalling her past heartbreak, Sharon shared she attempted to committed suicide by overdosing because of his actions She added: 'But when he knows the name of the person, where they live and where they work... it is a whole different thing as you are emotionally invested. I took, I dont know how many pills' (pictured with Jane Moore) She continued: 'I just thought "My kids are older, they are fine and can take care of themselves". So I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean room and saw me.' Sharon claimed in an interview with the Telegraph in 2017 that there were several women Ozzy cheated on her with. She said: 'There were six of them: some Russian teenager, then a masseuse in England, our masseuse out here, and then our cook.' Firing off a stark warning to other females, she stated: 'He had women in different countries. Basically, if you're a woman giving Ozzy either a back rub or a trolley of food, God help you. Celebrity hair stylist Michelle was thrust into the spotlight when her affair with Ozzy was revealed and she told People at the time: 'When I say he gave me the greatest love of my life, I mean it.' Ozzy said that it was a purely physical relationship that came as a result of his sex addiction, which he eventually went into 'intense therapy' for. Nicole Kidman feels 'sexier than ever' at 56 as the Hollywood starlet turned heads at a red carpet event in New York, a source close to the actress told DailyMail.com exclusively. Kidman showed off her incredible figure in a racy backless black gown by Atelier Versace while attending the New York premiere of her new Amazon Prime Video series Expats on Sunday evening. The dress was a throwback to a look that the Australian actress rocked on the red carpet 20 years before, at the 18th annual American Cinematheque tribute held in her honour. A source close to Kidman - who is married to singer Keith Urban and mother of teenage twins Sunday and Faith, 15 and 13 - told DailyMail.com: 'Nicole feels sexier than ever being over 50 and showing skin - and her true fans applaud her for it. 'Nicole knows what people are saying and she is going to continue to push the boundaries with her outfit choices because she believes it is important for women to be proud of their bodies. She is completely unapologetic for anything that she wears and laughs at any criticism that she may get over her daring choices. 'She is redefining the definition of what beauty is and showing that you don't have to be 20 to be sexy.' The source added: 'Nicole knows who she is and she knows that she is healthy, fit and happy'. Nicole Kidman recreated one of her most famous red carpet looks from 2003 (right) at Expats premiere on Sunday evening (left) Nicole's latest look featured a cowl neck design on the bodice and high split in the skirt, showcasing her incredibly trim body. She let her dress do the talking by accessorising with elegant but simple drop diamond earrings, a matching diamond bracelet and ring and a watch. She wore her hair down this time and opted for a copper-toned eyeshadow palette and a rosy lip for makeup. In 2003, Nicole stunned in a similar backless dress at the 18TH annual American Cinematheque tribute held in honour of her. The gown appeared demure at the front as it covered her entire decolletage, but as she turned around it featured the same backless design Meanwhile, Nicole's latest look featured a cowl neck design on the bodice and high split in the skirt, showcasing her incredibly trim body After her New York premiere over the weekend social media marvelled at her ageless appearance. 'As she's getting older I'm liking here more and more,' wrote one commenter on Facebook. 'Beautiful dress, and she looks fabulous,' wrote another. 'Wow, she looks amazing, very beautiful,' someone else gushed. 'She's looking stunning and after seeing everyone else wearing thongs and see-through lace, she's dressed very demurely for the times,' wrote another fan. In Expats, Nicole plays Margaret, a well-off American woman living a seemingly idyllic life in Hong Kong with her family - until an unthinkable tragedy occurs and her son goes missing. Her life becomes wrapped up with two other American women also undergoing their own ordeals, including a young woman struggling to let go of the past. Nicole recently opened up about her experiences navigating Hollywood as a woman in her fifties. The star told Stellar's Something To Talk About podcast that after kicking up a stir with her controversial 2022 Vanity Fair micro skirt photoshoot, she's never let what other people think hold her back. 'I make the most random, crazy choices. I call it 'teenage choices' because I don't ever think of the consequences,' she admitted. Nicole let her dress do the talking by accessorising with simple drop diamond earrings and an elegant watch Nicole's backless dress showed off her entire back and just covered her bottom Nicole's muscular back was on show in the show-stopping frock 'I have to be made to think of consequences half the time. Part of my brain just doesn't think like that.' The Nine Perfect Strangers favourite went on to say she makes all her fashion choices based on how she feels rather than what others say she should wear. 'I just try to keep in that place, because otherwise I think you get scared or worried about what people think,' she added. 'In terms of people's reactions, I say don't tell me. I don't really want to know. It'll stop me from doing what I want to do.' The renowned actor continues to film her latest Binge series, The Last Anniversary, produced by her company Blossom Films. Following the success of Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, Nicole will collaborate once more with fellow film producer Per Saari. The Last Anniversary will be her latest adaptation of a novel written by Liane Moriarty, which was published in 2006. It tells a story of intrigue about a woman who inherits a home on a mysterious island, and is being filmed in Sydney with Australian actors. 'Australian accents, an Australian project with Australian accents for the world. This has been a long time in the making,' Nicole said at the SXSW Festival last year. She went on to say she was thrilled to be working on yet another production based on a story by Liane, as they have so much in common. 'She is the same age, she has got kids, she has gone through similar things at different times. She has become a great friend,' the movie star said of the author. Claire Danes embraced the northeast chill as she enjoyed a stroll with her six-month-old daughter, whose name hasn't been revealed, along the Hudson River on Monday. The 44-year-old actress kept warm in a quilted black coat and shiny black gloves as she pushed her baby in a black stroller. She added a marbled gray and black hat to keep her head cozy as he blond locks streamed out from underneath. The My So-Called Life star welcomed her little one with husband Hugh Dancy in July. The hood of the stroller was drawn, keeping her baby comfortably out of the bright sun. Claire Danes embraced the northeast chill as she enjoyed a stroll with her six-month-old daughter, whose name hasn't been revealed, along the Hudson River on Monday The 44-year-old actress kept warm in a quilted black coat and shiny black gloves as she pushed her baby in a black stroller The bundle of joy was wrapped up in a gray and black patterned blanket. Claire wore a pair of dark gray leggings and stepped out in black sneakers with white soles. The mother-of-three was makeup-free for the outing, showing off a bare face as she got fresh air. Missing from the scene was Hugh, who is also an actor, and their two older children sons Cyrus, 11, and Rowan, five. Earlier this month the superstar made a splash while attending the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. She looked incredible as she showed off her toned postpartum figure in a flowing and sleeveless light pink dress. The stunning gown boasted rhinestone-covered accoutrements on each of the straps. Claire was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as Rachel Fleishman in the dramatic miniseries Fleishman Is In Trouble. She added a marbled gray and black hat to keep her head cozy as he blond locks streamed out from underneath Earlier this month the superstar made a splash while attending the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards She looked incredible as she showed off her toned postpartum figure in a flowing and sleeveless light pink dress It's been one year since the Hollywood siren announced she was expecting her third child with Dancy, who she wed in 2009. Shortly after, while appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Claire shared how her sons reacted when they found out was pregnant. She said her older son Cyrus 'was sort of resigned to it,' as she joked about her younger son: 'I mean, the worst has already happened his name is Rowan.' The award winning actress then noted, 'But Rowan has more to lose, like, he has more at stake. And he was categorically opposed to the idea.' Anna Wintour embraced the 'mob wife' trend as she attended the Giambattista Valli show with film director Baz Luhrmann during Paris Fashion Week. The Vogue editor-in-chief, 74, looked chic in a long brown faux fur coat which was covering a green, sleek patterned maxi dress. Her signature straight-cut bobbed auburn hair was left down, as she she sported big black sunglasses, brown snake print boots ad an orange chunky necklace. Risen from TikTok's black hole of micro-trends, the mob wife look is replacing last year's minimalist trend for a more flashy, garish vibe. Anna nailed the brief as she attended the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show with Moulin Rouge director Baz on Monday. Anna Wintour embraced the mob wife trend as she stepped out for Haute Couture Week in Paris on Monday with film director Baz Luhrmann The Vogue editor-in-chief, 74, looked chic in a long brown fur coat which was covering a green, sleek patterned maxi dress The Australian Moulin Rouge director, 61, joined the fashion queen in a maxi beige duffle coat layered over a brown military-style two piece suit. Anna's appearance comes after she was reportedly sporting her signature shades as she laid off nearly half of the staff working at music magazine Pitchfork. She was slammed online by her now former employees, who called the move indecent and appalling. 'One absolutely bizarro detail from this week is that Anna Wintour seated indoors at a conference table did not remove her sunglasses while she was telling us that we were about to get canned,' Allison Hussey, a former Pitchfork staff writer, wrote on X. 'The indecency we've seen from upper management this week is appalling.' The tweet, posted Friday morning, has already reached nearly 300K views online and hundreds of retweets. Conde Nast laid off upwards of half of the Pitchfork staff on Wednesday, including editor-in-chief Puja Patel and features editor Jill Mapes. Conde Nast, who bought Pitchfork in 2015, is merging the publication into GQ. The company announced the move in a memo to employees. Anna attended the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show with Moulin Rouge director Baz Luhrmann The Australian director joined the fashion queen in a maxi beige duffle coat layered over a brown military-style two piece suit Catherine Martin, Baz Luhrmann and Anna Wintour attend the Giambattista Valli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2024 show Anna's appearance comes after she was reportedly sporting her signature shades as she laid off nearly half of the staff working at music magazine Pitchfork The decision 'was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork's performance and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company,' Anna, Conde Nast's chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue, wrote in a memo to staff. Mapes, a feature editor who was laid off, stated on Twitter: 'I've referred to my job at pitchfork as being on a ferris wheel at closing time, just waiting for them to yank me down. 'After nearly 8 years, mass layoffs got me. glad we could spend that time trying to make it a less dude-ish place just for GQ to end up at the helm,' Mapes added. The 'fashion legend' Anna is known for never taking off her trademark sunglasses. As well as wearing them in the Vogue offices, she is regularly seen sporting them on the catwalk, and even watched the entire Academy Awards in 2015 without taking them off. Stay inside! Anna Wintour shared a photo of herself staying inside her Long Island home and urged other not to go out Editor-in-chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour attends the 87th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015 She also donned her signature specs while working from home at her Hamptons house in 2020. One of the only times Anna, who has worked for Vogue for 30 years, has been seen taking them off is when she was made a Dame at Buckingham Palace in 2017. She wore her trademark sunglasses on arrival at the Palace, but removed them before entering the ballroom, where she received the award from the Queen. During her '60 minutes with Anna Wintour' interview, the American editor admitted she used her sunglasses as 'armour', and they were a useful tool to 'hide boredom'. 'I can sit in a show and if I am bored out of my mind, nobody will notice At this point, they have become, really, armour', she said in 2012. On Monday, Netflix dropped the first teaser for its limited psychological thriller series Ripley - starring Emmy nominee Andrew Scott as the titular con-man - which premieres on April 4. Oscar-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian's (Schindler's List) wrote and directed all eight episodes of the small-screen adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. At 47, the Irishman is far too old to play the young ambitious grifter who's hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home. So they aged up all the characters, including 40-year-old Johnny Flynn as the spoiled playboy Dickie Greenleaf and 29-year-old Dakota Fanning as his suspicious girlfriend Marge Sherwood. Zaillian opted for a stark black-and-white, film noir style for Ripley rather than the sumptuous cinematography of Anthony Minghella's critically-acclaimed 1999 adaptation starring Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law. On Monday, Netflix dropped the first teaser for its limited psychological thriller series Ripley - starring Emmy nominee Andrew Scott as the titular con-man - which premieres on April 4 The Ripley teaser features one ominous glimpse of a single man standing in a motorboat in the middle of the sea. It's a sign to come of the climactic showdown between Tom Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf aboard a tiny motorboat, which has a grisly ending. 'You're a very hard man to find,' a detective tells Tom in the preview. 'No address. Phone, office.' The Ripley ensemble also features Elliot Sumner, Maurizio Lombardi, Margherita Buy, and John Malkovich who's heard saying: 'I like the name.' The 70-year-old Emmy winner famously portrayed Tom Ripley in Liliana Cavani's 2002 thriller Ripley's Game, which was based on Patricia Highsmith's 1974 novel. 'It was a heavy part to play. I found it mentally and physically really hard. That's just the truth of it,' Andrew - who also executive produced Ripley - admitted to Vanity Fair last month. 'I feel like you're required to love and advocate for your characters, and your job is to go, "Why? What's that?" You don't play the opinions, the previous attitudes that people might have about Tom Ripley. You have to throw all those out, try not to listen to them, and go, "Okay, well, I have to have the courage to create our own version and my own understanding of the character."' You have to throw all those out, try not to listen to them, and go, "Okay, well, I have to have the courage to create our own version and my own understanding of the character."' Ripley arrives five months after Emerald Fennell released her so-called 'original' film Saltburn - which borrowed much of the tone, character dynamics, and plot from The Talented Mr. Ripley. Oscar-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian's (Schindler's List) wrote and directed all eight episodes of the small-screen adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 crime novel The Talented Mr. Ripley At 47, the Irishman is far too old to play the young ambitious grifter who's hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy to try to convince his vagabond son to return home So they aged up all the characters, including 40-year-old Johnny Flynn (L) as the spoiled playboy Dickie Greenleaf and 29-year-old Dakota Fanning (R) as his suspicious girlfriend Marge Sherwood Zaillian opted for a stark black-and-white, film noir style for Ripley rather than the sumptuous cinematography of Anthony Minghella's critically-acclaimed 1999 adaptation starring (from L-R) Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jude Law The Ripley teaser features one ominous glimpse of a single man standing in a motorboat in the middle of the sea It's a sign to come of the climactic showdown between Tom Ripley and Dickie Greenleaf aboard a tiny motorboat, which has a grisly ending A detective tells Tom in the preview: 'You're a very hard man to find. No address. Phone, office' The Ripley ensemble also features Elliot Sumner, Maurizio Lombardi, Margherita Buy, and John Malkovich (R) who's heard saying: 'I like the name' The 70-year-old Emmy winner famously portrayed Tom Ripley in Liliana Cavani's 2002 thriller Ripley's Game, which was based on Patricia Highsmith's 1974 novel Andrew - who also executive produced Ripley - admitted to Vanity Fair last month: 'It was a heavy part to play. I found it mentally and physically really hard. That's just the truth of it' Scott continued: 'I feel like you're required to love and advocate for your characters, and your job is to go, "Why? What's that?" You don't play the opinions, the previous attitudes that people might have about Tom Ripley. You have to throw all those out, try not to listen to them, and go, "Okay, well, I have to have the courage to create our own version and my own understanding of the character"' Audrina Patridge is seeking justice for her late niece Sadie Raine Loza, who died at the age of 15 less than a year ago after taking Percocet laced with a deadly dose of fentanyl. The 38-year-old reality star appeared on the rebooted Fox series America's Most Wanted alongside her sister Casey Loza, 37, on Monday, in an effort to explain the circumstances leading to her tragic death, and find and bring to justice those responsible for selling her the deadly drug. The appearance came on what would have been Sadie's 16th birthday Monday, less than a year after Patridge publicly announced her niece's premature passing in February of 2023. Patridge told the show's hosts John Walsh and Callahan Walsh that Sadie had sought out Percocet to deal with back pain after she was involved in a car accident. 'So she was suffering from chronic pain due to that car accident and thats why she was seeking some relief from that,' Callahan said. Audrina Patridge, 38, is seeking justice for her late niece Sadie Raine Loza, 37, who died at 15 less than a year ago after taking Percocet laced with fentanyl. She was pictured appearing on America's Most Wanted Monday with her sister Casey Loza who is Sadie's mother Loza stressed the ease in which resourceful teenagers can obtain powerful - and potentially deadly - medications. 'She got Percocet; I mean they have phones, theyre smart, they have the Internet they grew up with having [access] to anything they want,' Loza said. 'It's like, "Oh I have a migraine and here is a menu" - like, its crazy, how easy and accessible it is.' Loza said that the drug dealers are fully aware of the deadly and criminal implications in what they're doing, 'and they're instantly gone and they disappear.' Callahan noted that 'these transactions are happening so fast its hard for law enforcement even to catch up' and identify the drug dealers. The Hills alum, who has more than 1.7 million Instagram followers, said that she aims to use her platform 'to bring awareness' to the unprecedented epidemic, 'because we as parents and adults, we need to figure out what to do to fix it.' Loza added: 'Exactly and you cant protect your child from an enemy you dont understand.' In November, police sources confirmed to TMZ that Sadie died as result of a narcotic overdose, and that a criminal probe into her death was ongoing. Law enforcement insiders told the outlet that 'Sadie was able to buy Percocet through Snapchat, and it was laced with fentanyl.' The appearance came on what would have been Sadie's 16th birthday Monday The family shared a photo from Sadie's tragic decline in health after the overdose Patridge publicly announced her niece's premature passing in February of 2023 Patridge told the show's hosts John Walsh and Callahan Walsh that Sadie had sought out Percocet to deal with back pain after she was involved in a car accident Loza stressed the ease in which resourceful teenagers can obtain powerful - and potentially deadly - medications The grieving parent said that the drug dealers are fully aware of the deadly and criminal implications in what they're doing, 'and they're instantly gone and they disappear.' The Hills alum, who has more than 1.7 million Instagram followers, said that she aims to use her platform 'to bring awareness' to the unprecedented epidemic Loza said, 'You cant protect your child from an enemy you dont understand' Loza said on her Instagram, 'Sadie Raine Loza has left this Earth for the heavens. Writing this was the hardest thing I ever have had to do' On February 14, Patridge made the tragic announcement about her niece's death. 'My heart hurts to even write this,' Patridge said. 'My beautiful niece is now in heaven. 'I know Its not goodbye forever, but it is the hardest to say goodbye for now. We will miss you and cherish every single moment we had with you. Rest in peace Say Say!! We love you forever & ever!' Loza said on her Instagram, 'Sadie Raine Loza has left this Earth for the heavens. Writing this was the hardest thing I ever have had to do.' She wrapped up in saying, 'Her story will save countless lives, her memory will never be forgotten. Rest In Peace you brilliant starseed. You're with your creator. We will miss you dearly. I love you.' Dakota Johnson corrected reports that she insists on sleeping 14 hours a night on Monday while promoting Madame Web on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. The 34-year-old actress while wearing a little black Wardrobe.NYC dress was asked by Jimmy, 49, about a December 2023 story in The Wall Street Journal with the headline 'Dakota Johnson Likes To Sleep for 14 Hours a Night'. 'The Wall Street Journal. That's a long time to sleep,' Jimmy said. 'I didn't even say that like that,' Dakota said. 'That's a long time. You like to sleep 14 hours?,' Jimmy said. Dakota Johnson corrected reports that she insists on sleeping 14 hours on Monday while promoting Madame Web on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on NBC 'No. I said that I could easily sleep 14 hours. But I don't like demand it. I'm not a monster,' Dakota said laughing. Jimmy pointed out how other outlets picked up on the story including Page Six and USA Today and how it sparked a whole debate on the proper amount of sleep. 'Why is sleep bad? Like, why? Leave me alone,' Dakota said laughing. 'I'm just asleep.' Jimmy agreed that getting 14 hours of sleep would be fantastic. 'I don't have to take anything to sleep like that either, I can just sleep like that,' Dakota said. 'I think if I took like an Ambien, I think I'd wake up next year,' she quipped. Dakota told WSJ in December that sleep is her 'number one priority' and that she also relies on meditation to manage anxiety. She said: 'I don't have a regular [wake-up] time. It depends on what's happening in my life. If I'm not working, if I have a day off on a Monday, then I will sleep as long as I can. Sleep is my number one priority in life.' The 34-year-old actress wore a little black Wardrobe.NYC dress, stockings and black Louboutin heels Jimmy asked her about a December 2023 story in The Wall Street Journal with the headline 'Dakota Johnson Likes To Sleep for 14 Hours a Night' 'I didn't even say that like that,' Dakota said 'No. I said that I could easily sleep 14 hours. But I don't like demand it. I'm not a monster,' Dakota said laughing ''I'm not functional if I get less than 10. I can easily go 14 hours,' Dakota told WSJ. Dakota was on the NBC talk show to promote her upcoming superhero movie Madame Web. She portrays Cassandra 'Cassie' Webb, aka Madame Web, in the film that also stars Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O'Connor, Isabela Merced and Tahar Rahim. Dakota said the movie takes place in 2003 'before Spider-Man even existed' and described it as a superhero world 'from a female perspective'. Madame Web is scheduled to be released on February 14. Elisabeth Moss was spotted taking a stroll in the rain in Los Angeles on Monday. The 41-year-old actress could be seen talking on the phone and walking around on set in between filming scenes for her upcoming thriller film Shell. This comes just days after her father Ron Moss passed away at the age of 79 last Thursday. In the days following, the Handmaid's Tale star was already back at work and was seen on set bundled up in an all-black outfit. She sported an oversized jacket layered over a hoodie and teamed with cozy sweatpants. Elisabeth Moss was spotted taking a stroll in the rain in Los Angeles on Monday. The 41-year-old actress could be seen talking on the phone and walking around on set in between filming scenes for her upcoming thriller film Shell The Mad Men vet sported gray sneakers with white laces as she walked around a lot full of cars. Her long blonde hair was left down in soft waves and she appeared to be sporting a natural, makeup-free look. Last Thursday, it was reported that her father Ron passed away peacefully in Clearwater, Florida after a brief battle with an infection. The executor of his estate revealed that he was surrounded by family when he died. He followed the Church of Scientology just like Elisabeth. She is one of two children shared by Ron and Linda Moss. She also has a younger brother. Back in 2022, she got candid about her upbringing and being raised a Scientologist. In a conversation with The New Yorker, she defended the religion and said it is 'misunderstood'. The Handmaid's Tale star was seen on set bundled up in an all-black outfit. She sported an oversize jacket layered over a hoodie and teamed with cozy sweatpants This comes just days after her father Ron Moss passed away at the age of 79 last Thursday Her father was a Scientologist just like her. In the past, she has opened up about her upbringing and defended Scientology, claiming the religion is 'misunderstood' 'It's not really a closed-off religion,' she explained to the outlet. 'It's a place that is very open to, like, welcoming in somebody who wants to learn more about it. 'I think that's the thing that is probably the most understood,' she added. She also credited Scientology with teaching her the communication skills she has used to excel in her acting career. She said communication was 'probably one of the number one basic things that I grew up learning and grew up using and use every day.' According to the outlet, she took the L. Ron Hubbard Key to Life Course at age eight and was declared 'Clear' three years later. 'Clear' is a Scientology term describing those who have achieved a state of no longer being bothered by trauma or unwanted emotions. Kim Kardashian has been blasted by fans after revealing she has become an ambassador for Balenciaga, one year after the brand faced controversy for an advert featuring children and BDSM items. The reality TV star, 43, announced her partnership with the label, helmed by creative director Demna Gvasalia, on Monday. The mother-of-four previously refused to cut ties with the fashion house but said she was 'shaken and disgusted' by the images which sparked a backlash against the brand. After announcing her new partnership many fans were left disappointed by the decision and hit back at her statement, in which she wrote that her relationship with the brand was built on a 'commitment to doing what's right.' 'Of all the brands, she had to choose the one with child abuse allegations. Not even surprised though' one person wrote, while another branded her a 'hypocrite' adding, 'Money is all that matters to her.' Kim Kardashian, 43, has been blasted by fans for becoming an ambassador for Balenciaga, one year after the brand faced controversy for an ad featuring children and BDSM items Another person accused Kim of throwing her 'morals out of the window' for money, while someone else added, 'Anything for money and a higher net worth I guess.' 'Where's she gonna keep all the money and fame when she's gone?' 'So we forgot about the kid bondage thing? lol' one commentator inquired. 'But Kim this company does everything BUT what's right,' another added in reference to her statement. The comments continued to roll in, with another one asking: 'So Kim just forgetting what Balenciaga advertised with the children?? K.' 'Has she learned nothing?' someone else asked. 'Even after the scandal?' another Twitter user asked. One comment simply read: 'Girl.... Embarrassing.' Others called the SKIMS founder out for hypocritical behavior: 'So basically she said f**k Balenciaga when they were getting backlash but now that its safe for her brand she's back??' Many others hit out against the brand, calling it 'trash' and 'canceled.' 'Money is all that matters to her,' one commentator hit out at Kim 'Of all the brands, she had to choose the one with child abuse allegations. Not even surprised though' someone else wrote 'So we forgot about the kid bondage thing? lol' one commentator inquired 'But Kim this company does everything BUT what's right,' another added in reference to her statement 'Has she learned nothing?' one person asked Another person accused the mother-of-four of throwing her 'morals out of the window' for money 'Anything for money and a higher net worth I guess' A number of comments suggested Kim only took the deal for money Kim continued to get backlash in the comments 'Even after the scandal?' one Twitter user asked One comment simply read: 'Girl.... Embarrassing' Others called the SKIMS founder out for hypocritical behavior Many commentators hit out against the brand Kim's full statement about becoming an ambassador for the brand read: 'For several years now, Balenciaga's designs have been a part of my many looks and some of my most iconic fashion moments.' 'This historic fashion house embraces modernity, craftsmanship and takes an innovative approach to design under Demna.' 'For me, this long-standing relationship is built on mutual trust and a commitment to doing whats right. Im excited about this next chapter for the brand and to become their ambassador.' Kardashian has previously starred in Balenciaga campaigns, walked in their show and accompanied Demna to the 2021 Met Gala. Back in November 2022, the fashion house came under fierce fire after it released an ad that showed kids posing alongside various BDSM-themed items. Kim initially faced backlash for refusing to cut ties with the brand and praising the way it handled the scandal, despite her claiming to be 'shaken' and 'disgusted' by the images. Since then, she has made her loyalty clear by participating in an ad for Balenciaga's upcoming Summer 2024 collection. Clearly embarrassed by their ill-judged campaign, Balenciaga took the drastic step of wiping its social media pages clean. The reality star, who previously refused to cut ties with the brand but said she was 'shaken and disgusted' by the advert, posted a statement announcing her partnership with the label under its creative director Demna Gvasalia Kardashian has previously starred in Balenciaga campaigns, walked in their show and accompanied Demna to the 2021 Met Gala Kardashian is often seen wearing Balenciaga to major events and has featured in several of the brand's campaigns in the past such as Paris Fashion Week 'I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven't been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened,' the Los Angeles-born celebrity said in a statement on her Instagram page at the time. She continued: 'As a mother of four, I have been shaken by those disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it should have no place in our society - period.' She subsequently reissued the statement that saw some of the wording changed using stronger language adding: 'any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society - period.' However, on balance, Kardashian said that she is comfortable with how the company reacted to the scandal. 'I appreciate Balenciaga's removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.' In an additional post, to both Instagram and Twitter, Kardashian said she was reconsidering her relationship with the fashion brand but had not yet many any firm decisions. 'As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with -- & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.' She was famously introduced to Balenciaga Creative Director Demna by her ex, Kanye West with the couple's daughters also sporting the brand, too, having recently been spotted carrying four-figure bags from the brand. Kim initially issued a statement on her Instagram Stories account in November 2022 In an additional post, this time to both Twitter and Instagram, Kardashian said she was reconsidering her relationship with the fashion brand She acknowledged the role her ex-husband had played in the relationship in December 2021 as she spoke at the People's Choice Awards where she accepted an award for fashion. 'To Kanye, for really introducing me to the fashion world,' she said. 'I fell in love with fashion and I'm so inspired by so many people. But again, this is like a dream that I get to wake up and wear these amazing clothes and try new things and take a risk. I'm so humbled.' At the time, Vogue described it as 'the peak of Kardashians Balenciaga moment.' Balenciaga is owned by Kering; the corporation also owns Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent and Creed. Balenciaga publicly apologized and announced that it will be swiping off the ad from all of its social media profiles. 'We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms,' the high-end luxury house shared on Instagram. Disney+ has just released images from their exciting new animated series Iwaju. The six-part sci-fi fantasy is set to drop on the streaming giant on February 28. Set in a futuristic version of Nigeria's largest city, Largos, the coming-of-age story was produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Pan-African company Kugali. The plot centres on a young girl, Tola, from a wealthy island and her best friend, self-taught tech expert Kole. Their adventures together lead to a series of amazing discoveries as each learns something special of the other's world. Disney+ has just released first images from their exciting new animated series Iwaju which is set to drop on the streaming giant on February 28 The title of the series, Iwaju, from the Yoruba language of West Africa, means 'the future'. New first look images feature futuristic creatures, while others depict characters standing over a futuristic city. Another image shows a scene depicting a market, while a fourth depicts one of the characters in a futuristic flying machine. Set in a futuristic version of Nigeria 's largest city Largos, the coming-of-age story was produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios and the Pan-African company Kugali The plot centres on a young girl, Tola, from a wealthy island and her best friend, self-taught tech expert Kole. Their adventures together lead to a series of amazing discoveries as each learns something special of the other's world The voice cast includes Nigerian-American actor Dayo Okeniyi who appears in The Hunger Games and the Apple TV+ series See. Also featured in the cast is 54-year-old Nigerian actor-director-producer Femi Branch and British-Nigerian actress Weruche Opia, who is known as the founder of the Jesus Junkie Clothing brand. Opia, 36, has also appeared in the 2022 Netflix film Slumberland and the series Black Mirror. The title of the series, Iwaju, from the Yoruba language of West Africa, means 'the future' Meanwhile, newcomer Simisola Gbadamosi plays Tola, and actor Siji Soetan is also featured. Creative talent behind the scenes includes screenwriters Adeola and Halima Hudson, director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku. Hamid Ibrahim is also production designer on the series. Iwaju is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ on February 28, and will consist of six episodes. Russell Crowe is among several stars to receive a 'Worst Actor' nomination at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards. The Razzies are given out each year to performers and movies deemed the 'worst' of the year, in direct contrast to the Oscars. The Australian actor, 59, is nominated for his lead role as the 'James Bond of exorcists' in the controversial film The Pope's Exorcist. Crowe delivers a chilling performance as the late Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist of the religious institution, who died in 2016 after becoming one of the most famous and respected exorcists in the Catholic Church. Other stars named in the Worst Actor category are Vin Diesel for Fast X, along with Chris Evans for Ghosted, Jason Statham for Meg 2: The Trench and Jon Voight for Mercy. Russell Crowe is among several stars to receive a 'Worst Actor' nomination at this year's Golden Raspberry Awards for his role in The Pope's Exorcist Many Hollywood stars found themselves hiding under the covers on Monday morning as the 2024 Razzie Awards nominations were announced. This year, Sylvester Stallone's Expend4bles lead the list with seven nominations. Jennifer Lopez (for The Mother) and Megan Fox (for Johnny & Clyde) were some of the ladies who were named Worst Actress, along with Ana de Armas for Ghosted, Salma Hayek for Magic Mike's Last Dance and Dame Helen Mirren for Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Crowe delivers a chilling performance as the late Father Gabriele Amorth, chief exorcist of the religious institution, who died in 2016 after becoming one of the most famous and respected exorcists in the Catholic Church Fox was also listed in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her acting on Expend4bles along with Kim Cattrall for About My Father, Bai Ling for Johnny & Clyde, Lucy Liu for Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Mary Stuart Masterson for Five Nights at Freddy's. The Razzies are always announced one day before the Oscar nominations, which will be unveiled on Tuesday, January 23 8.30am ET (Wednesday 12.30am AEDT). Jennifer Lopez (for The Mother) and Megan Fox (for Johnny & Clyde) were some of the ladies who were named Worst Actress The Worst Picture list nominees include: The Exorcist: Believer, Expend4bles (pictured with Randy Couture, Sylvester Stallone, Jacob Scipio), Meg 2: The Trench, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey The Worst Picture nominees includes: The Exorcist: Believer, Expend4bles, Meg 2: The Trench, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey. There were plenty of big names in the Worst Supporting Actor category. They are Michael Douglas for Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Mel Gibson for Confidential Informant, Bill Murray for Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Franco Nero (as 'The Pope') for The Popes Exorcist and Sylvester Stallone for Expend4ables. Among the nominees for Worst Screen Couple are Ana de Armas and Chris Evans for Ghosted as well as Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum for Magic Mikes Last Dance. The awards ceremony is on March 9, 2024. Megan Fox us nominated for Worst Actress for Johnny & Clyde and also listed in the Worst Supporting Actress category for her acting on Expend4bles (pictured) Vin Diesel in Fast X The Golden Raspberry Awards is a parody award show honoring the worst of cinematic 'failures'. The awards show was co-founded in 1981 by UCLA film graduates and film industry veterans John J. B. Wilson and Mo Murphy. Razzie nominations are determined by a select committee before ballots are issued to the membership. Anybody can become a voting member of the Razzies by paying an annual fee of $40 or a lifetime membership of $500. There were plenty of big names in the Worst Supporting Actor category. They are Michael Douglas for Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania (pictured), Mel Gibson for Confidential Informant, Bill Murray for Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania, Franco Nero (as 'The Pope') for The Popes Exorcist and Sylvester Stallone for Expend4ables Among the nominees for Worst Screen Couple are Ana de Armas and Chris Evans for Ghosted (pictured) as well as Salma Hayek and Channing Tatum for Magic Mikes Last Dance The Razzie Awards' satirical annual ceremony is preceded by its opposite, the Academy Awards, by four decades. In 2023, following backlash for nominating 12-year-old Ryan Kiera Armstrong for Worst Actress, the Golden Raspberry Awards rescinded the nomination and said individuals under age 18 would no longer be nominated. Andrew Dominiks Blonde starring Ana de Armas led the competition with eight nominations, going on to win the prize for worst picture in 2023. A model has sparked controversy once again over her 'proudly child-free' life after she mocked young mothers in an Instagram video on Sunday. Ellie Gonsalves, 33, who previously shared a controversial list of 118 reasons not to have kids, uploaded a scathing clip against parenthood to Instagram. The reality star shared footage of a young mother struggling to dress her screaming and wiggling toddler. Mocking the woman's struggles, Ellie clipped the chaotic video with one of herself sitting peacefully on her couch while dressing her well-behaved dog. The blonde then smiled and gave her calm Pomeranian a smooch, showing she is relishing in being child-free. Ellie Gonsalves, 33, (pictured) has sparked controversy once again over her 'proudly child-free' life after she mocked young mothers in an Instagram video on Sunday Many followers slammed Ellie in the comments of her video, criticising her for 'putting down someone else's decision in some way to validate your own'. 'There clearly isnt a good intent in this post. Are you not confident or happy with your choices? Or are you trying to spark a reaction in people who are?' one person wrote. Another said: 'We get it, you don't want kids. no need to put it all over your Instagram.' Someone else suggested Ellie shouldn't try to 'influence' people who consume her content with thoughts of a child-free life. 'It's okay if you don't want to have children, but you don't need to influence in your followers. Unfollow,' they said. Despite the amount of hate comments she received, several fans rushed to Ellie's defense, with one person commented: 'There are so many mommy bloggers you can follow if you want to see people happy with the choice to have children. Its not that deep.' The reality star shared footage of a young mother struggling to dress her screaming and wiggling toddler Mocking the woman's struggles, Ellie clipped the chaotic video with one of herself sitting peacefully on her couch while dressing her well-behaved dog Another added: 'If your comment is negative... Here is a crazy idea... Don't follow her! She can put whatever she likes on HER Insta.' A third said: 'When people share their joy about pregnancy and kids, they get praise. But when someone shares their joy about not having kids, they get bullied. This is the society we live in. The entitlement online is beyond a joke.' Ellie came under fire last November for sharing her list of 118 reasons not to have children. Many followers slammed Ellie in the comments of her video, criticising her for 'putting down someone else's decision in some way to validate your own' Despite the amount of hate comments she received, several fans rushed to Ellie's defense Among her reasons were: 'postpartum hair loss, your vagina will be different, your house will never be tidy, childbirth can cause rectal prolapse and you miss out on things you love doing'. 'I have already received hundreds of DMs criticising me telling me how much of a horrible and broken person that I am,' she wrote alongside the list at the time. 'And while some of those things on my list are satirical, many are serious and factual. Societal pressure when it comes to this topic are truly questionable and I believe unfair towards those with differing opinions.' Ellie came under fire last November for sharing her list of 118 reasons not to have children 'Very rarely do we see a voice in support of this, because let's face it, the public backlash can be too much,' the reality star added. 'I think once you decide to bring consciousness into this world... you cannot and should never walk away from that responsibility. I don't want to accept that responsibility and I can't see myself ever accepting that responsibility,' Ellie went on. 'My position is NOT for everyone, it's for one person, the person I am talking on behalf of, ME. I do however find it hurtful when I see people who do feel pressured to make this decision based on friends, family and societal pressures. I know this all too well because I have felt it for most of my life.' Ellie's followers were quick to share their opinions about her list, with many supporting her but others being highly critical. 'So much fear. Better not to have kids if that's what you will instill into them anyway. Gosh, so many self-centred people in this world,' one person commented. 'Why are people so bothered. It's not their business, it has zero effect on their lives and yet they are so upset by it. Totally your choice!' another said. One more wrote: 'Don't forget that you once were a baby and someone had the sacrifice so you could have life and experience the gift of life. 'Children are the most incredible miracle and the future of humanity. Definitely not everyone has to have children. But biology doesn't lie, the female body was created to birth the gift of life'. Yet another commented: 'Your "list" on why you don't want kids are all negative, but how about the positives. The positives completely outweigh. Of course it's a person's choice as to whether they want to be a Parent, but a lot of your list were very vain reasons in my opinion.' READ: Ellie Gonsalves' full list of reasons she doesn't want children Advertisement 'I never wanted kids. Now that I have them, I know why I didn't want them. Now that they are here of course I love them and do everything thing for them but farkkkkk the daily grind is hard,' one mum said. 'People who PUSH kids on you are miserable and want you to suffer like they do,' another wrote. 'There is enough kids in this world anyway, not every woman's job is to reproduce, sometimes we need ones like you with a really hot body that protects animals and entertains and do a million other things,' another follower wrote. Yet one more said: 'I'm with you. I'm 40, don't have kids, and never wanted kids. I'll be happy being a mom to fur babies. 'I had a coworker ask me once, "If you don't have kids, who's going to take care of you when you're old?" I remember thinking, (and still do), that that's a selfish reason to HAVE kids.' One more parent offered: 'Kids suck. Period. Ask ANY parent who can be honest. They suck 80-90% of the time. 'Then a whole 10% of the time, mostly when they're sick and need you and aren't being a d**k, they're sweet and cuddly, then it's amazing to be a parent. If I were a betting woman, those are odds I would not take.' Ellie married entrepreneur Ross Scutts (right) in two luxury ceremonies in March. The couple, who have been together for 15 years, have been vocal about not wanting children Ellie married her long-term partner, entrepreneur Ross Scutts in two luxury ceremonies back in March. The official nuptials took place at the floating beach club La Luna on the Gold Coast in an intimate toi et moi wedding. They followed it up with a second luxury gathering where they invited their bridal party and other guests. The couple, who have been together for 15 years, have often been vocal about not wanting to have children. A famous American actor is set to star in a quirky new game show which will begin filming at Melbourne's Docklands studios later this month. Industry blog TV Tonight reports the mystery star will host 'The Quiz with Balls' - an inventive format from the producers of Holey Moley and The Voice. Ten episodes will be made of the show, which has been adapted from a successful Dutch format and will feature teams of five who compete for a cash prize. Players perform the quiz while standing on a platform over a pool of water while large balls are poised behind them. Each question the players are asked has six potential answers. Once answers are locked in, the balls are set in motion. A famous American actor is set to star in a quirky new game show which will begin filming at Melbourne 's Docklands studios later this month If the player gets a question wrong the ball knocks them into the water. The format requires teams of five, which will consist of family members, work pals or friends. The show is being produced for an unnamed US network by Eureka Productions, the creative force behind hit shows such as Farmer Wants a Wife, Stars from Mars, The Amazing Race and Holey Moley. The 'mystery host' is a well-known actor, comedian and 'impressionist' and has featured in both film and TV. Industry blog TV Tonight reports the mystery star will host 'The Quiz with Balls' - an inventive format from the producers of Holey Moley (pictured) and The Voice The Quiz with Balls is adapted from a successful Dutch format from Talpa, the company controlled by TV guru John De Mol - creator of Big Brother and The Voice. Filming of The Quiz with Balls will begin at Docklands in Melbourne on January 30 and last until February 5. Dutchman De Mol, 66, is worth a staggering US$1.8billion, a personal fortune he accumulated by devising the formats for global hits like The Voice and Big Brother. She has lost 40kg following the birth of her second child after gaining 30kg during the pregnancy. And Biggest Loser Australia star flaunted her six-pack abs in a bikini during her trip to Bali this past week. Sharing a reel of photos to Instagram on Monday, the celebrity trainer was all smiles as she posed up a storm during her tropical getaway. 'Bali 23/24 its giving self-care, nourishment and movement,' she wrote in the caption of her happy post. The blonde beauty flaunted her washboard abs in a blue and black bikini as she soaked up some sun at the beach. Biggest Loser Australia star Tiffiny Hall flaunted her six-pack abs in a bikini during her trip to Bali Another photo saw her enjoying a fresh coffee in a quaint cafe as she slipped into a floral peach coloured dress. Despite enjoying her much-needed vacation, Tiffiny didn't let the time off keep her away from the gym as she also shared several photos of herself in workout clothes. It comes after Tiffiny spoke about the mental strain she faced after putting on 30kg during her pregnancy. Another photo saw her enjoying a fresh coffee in a quaint cafe as she slipped into a floral peach coloured dress Sharing a reel of photos to Instagram on Monday, the former Biggest Loser Australia star was all smiles as she posed up a storm during her tropical getaway 'Bali 23/24 its giving self-care, nourishment and movement,' she wrote in the caption of her happy post The Australian influencer is known online for posting fitness content and helping women to feel happier and healthier in their bodies. She often flaunted her toned physique on social media, but after having a baby and putting on weight she said she felt like 'a fraud'. However, she recently said she's not going to feel guilty for her changing body, and is helping other mothers feel comfortable in their new skin. Despite enjoying her much-needed vacation, Tiffiny didn't let the time off keep her away from the gym as she also shared several photos of herself in workout clothes It comes after Tiffiny spoke about the mental strain she faced after putting on 30kg during her pregnancy. Pictured: Tiffiny two weeks after giving birth to daughter Vada Speaking candidly on her Bouncing Forward podcast, Tiffiny said: 'I had put on over 30kg in my pregnancy, and I didn't recognise myself anymore. 'And when Ed (my husband) walked in I felt like a fraud, like people wouldn't trust me because I put on so much weight, that I didn't look like a fitness trainer any more. 'I felt the pressure to bounce back and I felt overwhelmed. And he replied, "You've never looked more beautiful," and his words changed everything for me in that moment.' Tiffiny shares two children with her husband Ed Kavalee. She welcomed a son, Arnold, in 2017, and gave birth to a baby girl called Vada in May 2022. Sofia Vergara opened up about why her seven-year marriage to Joe Manganiello ended. Speaking to the Spanish publication El Pais, the 51-year-old star who is currently in in Miami revealed that her 47-year-old ex-husband wanted kids and she did not. The Colombian-bred beauty said plainly: 'My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didnt want to be an old mom.' She explained to the outlet, 'I feel its not fair to the baby. I respect whoever does it, but thats not for me anymore.' Mentioning her son Manolo from her first marriage to high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez, she noted, 'I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and Im ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. So, if love comes along, he has to come with [his own] children.' Sofia Vergara opened up about why her seven-year marriage to Joe Manganiello ended Speaking to the Spanish publication El Pais , the 51-year-old star revealed that her 47-year-old ex-husband wanted kids and she did not The bombshell America's Got Talent judge was candid about where she is in life. 'Im almost in menopause; its the natural way of things,' she stated. 'When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then Ill give it back to him and go on with my life; thats what I have to do,' Vergara emphasized. She and Joe announced their divorce in a joint statement shared with Page Six last July. They said: 'We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives.' Only two days after announcing their split, the True Blood actor filed for divorce and listed their date of separation as July 2. The reason for the end of their marriage was cited as 'irreconcilable differences.' In the wake of their separation, Sofia has busied herself with new love interest Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon. The Colombian-bred beauty said plainly, 'My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didnt want to be an old mom' In the wake of her separation from Joe, Sofia has busied herself with new love interest Justin Saliman, an orthopedic surgeon For his part, Joe has moved on with 34-year-old actress Caitlin O'Connor In late October she and the doctor were first spotted together on a night out in West Hollywood. For his part, Joe has moved on with 34-year-old Winning Time actress Caitlin O'Connor. Sofia kicked off her week in Miami doing press for her upcoming Netflix limited series Griselda, about Colombian drug cartel leader Griselda Blanco. During her chat with El Pais, she said: 'Griselda was a very badass woman Women are not saints, [theyre not] perfect. 'The interesting and complex thing is that this woman had children, friends, employees. She was loyal to some and implacable with others. She degenerated [as a result of] power, fear, ambition and insecurities. Just like a man. No more, no less.' Jackie 'O' Henderson appears to be giving her $13million Clovelly mansion an upgrade. The radio host, 48, hinted she will be renovating in the near future on Monday. In her Instagram stories, the co-host of the Kyle and Jackie O Show shared a picture of herself finalising her designs for the luxury home. Jackie was seen sitting across from her architect with plans and illustrations laid out in front of her. 'Final design meeting,' the blonde beauty captioned the image, tagging her architect Madeiline Blanchfield. Jackie 'O' Henderson appears to be giving her $13million Clovelly mansion an upgrade. The radio host, 48, hinted she will be renovating in the near future on Monday In her Instagram stories, the co-host of the Kyle and Jackie O Show shared a picture of herself finalising her designs for the luxury home during a meeting with her architect In March, it was revealed Jackie splashed-out $13.25million on a three-storey oceanfront house in Clovelly at an open auction. The fixer-upper is set back from the road, offering privacy she didn't have on the narrow streets of her former address. Jackie had previously complained about intrusive paparazzi as the reason for her sale of her past home. In March, it was revealed Jackie splashed-out $13.25million on a three-storey oceanfront house in Clovelly at an open auction. Pictured: Clovelly home The fixer-upper is set back from the road, offering privacy she didn't have on the narrow streets of her former address. Pictured It comes after Jackie and her co-host Kyle Sandilands confirmed their historic new radio deal will see them expand to Melbourne. The Sydney-based radio duo late last year signed a record-breaking $200million, 10-year deal live on-air - keeping them on the airwaves until 2034. Meanwhile, Jackie recently contemplated 'renovating' a certain part of her body. During The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Friday, the radio star wondered aloud on air whether she should undergo breast enhancement surgery following her 18kg slim down. It comes as Jackie recently contemplated 'renovating' a certain part of her body. During The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Friday, the radio star wondered aloud on air whether she should undergo breast enhancement surgery following her 18kg slim down 'Because I've lost weight, my boobs are pretty small... I wouldn't get a "boob job" but I heard you can get injections to pump them a little bit,' she stated. 'But then, I also look at my body and I'm like, "you're fine, don't pick yourself to bits." I really don't want to do that. I'm 48 and should appreciate that my body's holding up and I'm fit and healthy.' Kyle then asked if she'd consider taking her clothes off and letting him circle areas he thinks could improve, to which Jackie quickly responded: 'That would defeat the whole purpose of trying to love myself more.' The radio hosts then polled the studio about whether she should have her breasts done. Producer Pedro Vitola was initially hesitant to answer, but after Jackie begged him for his opinion, he said: 'When you wear a top that shows a bit of cleavage, sometimes they can be a little bit...' '... Saggy?' asked Jackie, completing his sentence, before he agreed. 'That's true, I think they do look like that. The thing I've been struggling with is that the weight has been lost at the top of the breast,' Jackie clarified. Other producers and crews denied there was any problem, with one suggesting Jackie just wear a push-up bra. Taylor Swift fever has hit Australia ahead of her sold out shows in Sydney and Melbourne - and die-hard Swifties in Victoria can now visit a Taylor-themed cafe. Blank Space Cafe in Newton, in regional South Geelong, provides customers with a unique Swift-themed dining experience. Some of the diner's notable features include an enormous banner with a drawing of Swift and 'Blank Space' cups where customers write their name. Each coffee cup is adorned with a drawing of Swift wearing sunglasses, adding to the venue's unique vibe. The cafe is named after Taylor's 2014 hit single and features a New York-inspired menu and drinks named after some of the pop star's most famous songs. Taylor Swift (pictured) fever is in Australia ahead of her sold out shows in Sydney and Melbourne and die-hard Swifties in Victoria can now visit a Taylor-themed cafe Patrons can order a 'Lavender Haze' or a 'Cruel Summer Spritz'. Cafe owner Josh Armstrong posted a video to TikTok showcasing his diner to fans, who gushed over the unique homage to Swift. 'Who else got coffee and still kept the cup?' one fan joked. Blank Space Cafe is located in Newton, South Geelong and provides customers with a unique Swift dining experience from entry to exit. Some of the diner's notable features include an enormous banner featuring a drawing of Swift Swift will arrive in Australia in February to perform seven sold out shows, with the expected revenue reaching hundreds of millions of dollars. The 34-year-old pop star's Aussie tour is set to benefit many Australians in unexpected ways, with countless Swifties forking out big bucks on costumes and accessories for her show. 'The spend on fashion and craft supplies in the lead-up to the concert are additional to the usual visitor expenditure bundle,' a representative for economist Deloitte told Nine. Patrons receive their coffee in Swift-decorated cups featuring lyrics to her hit 2014 song Blank Space The venue is named after Taylor's 2014 hit single and features a New York-inspired menu and drinks named after some of the pop star's most famous songs They added that a jaw-dropping $220million was expected to be spent by Australian Swifties excited about seeing their idol perform live. In addition to the millions of dollars spent on tickets, interstate fans will spend big travelling to shows, booking hotels, buying food and drinks, and merchandise. An estimated $126million has already been spent by fans on concert tickets and, when combined with the additional $220million, Aussies are spending a whopping $346million on Swift's 2024 Eras Tour in Australia. Kanye West and his wife Bianca Censori did their best to shock onlookers yet again as they headed to a tanning salon in Los Angeles on Monday. Bianca, 29, ensured all eyes would be on her as she went braless in a tight white vest with 'wet' emblazoned across the chest. Yet it wasn't her top that proved to be the most racy part of her ensemble as a closer inspection of her tiny black shorts revealed a very crude element. A small hole was visible at the front of the pants, which is designed to accommodate sex toys. The Packer Gear pants can be bought in sex shops for $50 and can be used on both men and women. Kanye West's wife Bianca Censori sported a very crude detail on her outfit as she headed to a tanning salon with the rapper in Los Angeles on Monday The American rapper and his Australian wife have hit the headlines for their attention seeking outfit choices and bizarre outings of late Kanye - who recently got $850k titanium teeth fitted - has been sharing a slew of highly sexualised images of his wife, despite slamming his ex Kim Kardashian for 'dressing too sexy' during his stint as a gospel artist. When Kim wore a custom corset-style minidress made of silk organza and dripping crystals by French designer Thierry Mugler at the 2019 Met Gala, Ye openly slammed the reality TV icon's ensemble. 'I didn't realize that that was affecting my soul and my spirit as someone that's married and loved, the father of what's about to be four kids,' Ye said about Kim's outfit choice. 'A corset is a form of underwear. It's hot. It's like, it's hot for who, though?' You are my wife, and it affects me when pictures are too sexy,' he told his wife. Kanye's criticism came amidst his gospel phase, during which the rapper hosted Sunday Services to worship Jesus Christ and God. In a clip from Kanye's 2022 interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, the rapper blasted Kim again in what many people have described as 'slut-shaming' attempts. 'Now Kim is a Christian, but she has people who want her to go to Interview magazine and put her a** out while she's a 40-something-year-old multibillionaire with four black children.' Last year it was claimed Kanye and Bianca wed for 'religious reasons' after he vowed to abstain from sex until marriage following his divorce from Kim Kardashian. It wasn't her top that proved to be the most racy part of her ensemble as a closer inspection of her tiny black shorts revealed a small hole designed to accommodate sex toys After months of mystery surrounding their whirlwind union, an insider dished to Us Weekly that the lovebirds walked down the aisle to 'be intimate.' 'Kanye calls her his muse and loves dressing her up,' the source added, before noting that the Grammy winner is 'very much 'in love' and 'inspired' by his spouse. The Packer Gear pants can be bought in sex shops for $50 and used on men and women The pair have hit the headlines for their attention seeking outfit choices and bizarre outings of late. Their most shocking excursion came when when they were spotted enjoying an amorous moment on a water taxi in Venice, with Kanye exposing his bare buttocks in front of gawking tourists. Images of the couple showed the American rapper seated at the back of the river taxi while his Australian bride placed her head in his lap. Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, the company that rented the boat to the showbiz couple later told Daily Mail Australia that the pair are 'no longer welcome' aboard their boats. In its statement the company condemned the pair's bawdy activity, while confirming they were 'completely unaware' about what occurred on the boat until the photos were made public. Deborra-Lee Furness shocked the world when she announced her split from long-time husband Hugh Jackman in September. And on Tuesday, the actress shook off the stress of her divorce as she stepped out in style for the Sydney premiere of her new film, Force of Nature: The Dry 2. The 68-year-old looked every inch the major movie star in a figure-hugging black gown with stylish square shoulder pads. Her short blonde hair was styled in a trendy pixie cut and her lips were painted an alluring shade of pink. She kept the entire look simple and elegant, but added some diamond and ruby earrings for a splash of luxury. Deborra-Lee Furness shook off the stress of her divorce as she stepped out in style for the Sydney premiere of her new film Force of Nature: The Dry 2 on Tuesday Deborra-Lee couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she proudly posed for photos and worked the red carpet. She was joined by her strapping co-star Eric Bana, who proved to be the perfect accessory for the newly-single starlet. The 6'2" Hulk hunk was every bit the ultimate gentleman as he stood by Furness and and addressed the baying media and fans nearby. The 68-year-old looked every inch the major movie star in a figure-hugging black gown with stylish square shoulder pads Deborra-Lee couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she proudly posed for photos and worked the red carpet According to Woman's Day, the pair quickly became pals while working on the set of Force of Nature: The Dry 2 together. 'She and Eric had a great time filming and were set buddies from day one. She's getting a real kick out of co-starring with him,' an 'insider' allegedly told the publication. 'Having Eric around on her first foray into acting in a long time was a huge comfort to her.' The source went on to say Deborra-Lee found Eric, 55, 'funny and handsome', while the actor was impressed by her acting talent. Her short blonde hair was styled in a trendy pixie cut and her lips were painted an alluring shade of pink She kept the entire look simple and elegant, but added some diamond and ruby earrings for a splash of luxury Eric is happily married to his long-time wife Rebecca Gleeson. It comes after Deborra-Lee shared a very telling message about her split from Hugh on her T-shirt as she stepped out in Bondi on Sunday. She proudly donned a white shirt with 'S**T HAPPENS written in bold lettering across the front. The Correlli actress and Wolverine star ended their 27-year marriage last year, with the former couple announcing their shock split in September. Deborra-Lee was joined by her strapping co-star Eric Bana, who proved to be the perfect accessory for the newly-single starlet The 6'2" Hulk hunk was every bit the ultimate gentleman as he stood by Furness and and addressed the baying media and fans nearby Delivering the news with a united front, they told their fans they separated 'to pursue our individual growth'. 'We have been blessed to share almost three decades together in a wonderful, loving marriage,' the couple said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. 'Our journey now is shifting and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.' The pair tied the knot in 1996 after crossing paths on the set of Correlli in 1995, and share two adopted children: son Oscar, 23, and daughter Ava, 18. Salma Hayek took to Instagram on Monday to share an insight into her trip to Pompeii. The Hollywood actress, 57, cut a glamorous figure in a black outfit with nude lace straps as she shared a series of selfies from her trip. Salma wrote: 'I feel an undeniable connection to the world that existed centuries ago. 'When you walk through the ruins of Pompeii you cant help but imagine the lives of the people and their spirit linger in the air. 'The endurance of its buildings have survived to tell stories of of triumph and tragedy, of love and loss, all frozen in time.' Salma Hayek took to Instagram on Monday to share an insight into her trip to Pompeii The Hollywood actress, 57, cut a glamorous figure in a black outfit with nude lace straps as she shared a series of selfies from her trip Mount Vesuvius erupted in the year AD 79, burying the cities of Pompeii, Oplontis, and Stabiae under ashes and rock fragments, and the city of Herculaneum under a mudflow. Mount Vesuvius, on the west coast of Italy, is the only active volcano in continental Europe and is thought to be one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. Every single resident died instantly when the southern Italian town was hit by a 500C pyroclastic hot surge. Numerous bodies were frozen in time, having been preserved in a protective layer of ash before they eventually decayed. Around 30,000 people are believed to have died in the chaos, with bodies still being discovered to this day. Salma's trip comes after she shared some racy flashback photos from the 1990s on Instagram last week. The actress posed completely nude in a bed with silver sheets and a lilac feather boa. Salma wrote: 'I feel an undeniable connection to the world that existed centuries ago' 'When you walk through the ruins of Pompeii you cant help but imagine the lives of the people and their spirit linger in the air' Salma took pictures of some on the ancient artwork which has been uncovered in the city Salma's trip comes after she shared some racy flashback photos from the 1990s on Instagram last week Salma last starred as Kitty Softpaws in the critically-acclaimed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. She was also seen in Magic Mike's Last Dance. She will also star in Angelina Jolie's next directorial effort Without Blood, which is currently in post-production. The actress is in the cast alongside Demian Bichir in the adaptation of Alessandro Baricco's novel, adapted by Angelina herself. Alice Evans has broken her silence after her ex Ioan Gruffudd announced he had got engaged to his girlfriend Bianca Wallace, following their bitter divorce. The actress, 55, took to Instagram on Monday night to share an Instagram post of her beloved dog Emma and responded to fans asking how she was in the comments. She said she and her daughters Ella, 14, and Elsie, 10 - who she shares with Ioan, 50 - were doing 'good' as she gushed over how their dog has 'injected positivity' into their lives. Her ex Ioan and his girlfriend Bianca, 31, got engaged over the weekend, with the actress taking to Instagram to confirm the news with a snap of her glitzy ring. Following the news, Alice shared a gallery of pictures of her sweet pooch Emma and praised her pet for being so well-behaved at the dog groomers. Alice Evans has broken her silence after her ex Ioan Gruffudd announced he had got engaged to his girlfriend Bianca Wallace, following their bitter divorce Her ex Ioan and his girlfriend Bianca, 31, got engaged over the weekend, with the actress taking to Instagram to confirm the news with a snap of her glitzy ring In the comments section, a fan asked her how she and 'the girls' were doing, with Alice replying: 'We're good thank you! How are you doing Annette?' Another fan commented: 'Emma is a sweetheart and she has been the best friend and family that you and the girls have needed over the last few years.' To which Alice said: 'She really has. It's amazing seeing what it has done for the girls - how having Emma has injected positivity and love and security into their lives. I'm so glad we got her!' In her original post, Alice said of her beloved dog in the caption: 'Ok so this was not meant to be Emma's account but I can't help myself. Yesterday she got groomed! 'I cannot speak highly enough of @Barkbus. ( check out the account it's too cute for words) Emma barely even flinched! It was like she was enjoying it ( she does NOT enjoy baths or nail trims when we do it!) 'I did feel a bit bad this morning because if you look at the last pic she has that 'new haircut face' that we all used to have when we had our haircut and it was a bit fresh and short and we had to go back to school? 'She's lucky it's raining today though so she can stay home and won't bump into any of her friends on the street. But she's way more comfortable and it will grow back. (well that's what we keep telling her anyway) Bless her cottons.' Her latest post comes after Ioan and Bianca confirmed they had got engaged over the weekend, following the actor's bitter divorce from Alice. The actress, 55, took to Instagram on Monday night to share an Instagram post of her beloved dog Emma and responded to fans asking how she was in the comments Alice said she and her daughters Ella, 14, and Elsie, 10 - who she shares with Ioan, 50 - were doing 'good' as she gushed over how their dog has 'injected positivity' into their lives Bianca took to Instagram on Saturday as she confirmed her jovial news by sharing a snap where she flashed her glitzy engagement ring for the camera. Bianca beamed as she shared a kiss with her new fiancee and proudly showed off her stunning emerald ring. The couple, who have been dating since 2021, captured the loving moment outdoors with Bianca writing in a caption: 'The most precious thing happened' News of the engagement comes three years after Ioan's ex Alice Evans first announced that the actor had left her after 20 years of marriage in a bitter divorce. A friend of the pair has since told The Mail on Sunday: 'Ioan and Bianca have had the most torrid couple of years but their love has remained strong. 'Now they are looking to a lovely future together.' He went public with his relationship with Bianca in October 2021, and Ioan and Alice were declared legally divorced in July 2023. Bianca's engagement news comes just weeks after she hit back at speculation that she was pregnant, after catching the eye with a white illusion dress. Last month, Bianca took to Instagram to share a beaming selfie in a pretty white sundress, gushing in the caption she was 'just a happy gal living life'. However, she later shared a comment replying to another user as she said she'd been 'smashed' with messages asking if she was expecting. She noted that her pinstriped white dress was 'giving her tummy that illusion,' and clarified that she was not pregnant. Elsewhere in December, The Daily Mail reported that Alice, who shares daughters Ella, and Elsie with her ex, is in dire financial straits and has told friends that she cannot pay her rent or afford food, and is contemplating taking a job in Starbucks. She has told pals that the money which she got from the sale of the marital home, believed to amount to $100,000 is all gone, much of it on lawyers, and she is now in a financial crisis. Her post comes after Ioan and Bianca confirmed they had got engaged over the weekend, following the actor's bitter divorce from Alice The couple, who have been dating since 2021, captured the loving moment outdoors with Bianca writing in a caption: 'The most precious thing happened' A friend of the pair has sincetold The Mail on Sunday: 'Ioan and Bianca have had the most torrid couple of years but their love has remained strong' (Alice and Ioan seen together) News of the engagement comes three years after Ioan's ex Alice Evans first announced that the actor had left her after 20 years of marriage in a bitter divorce A friend said: 'Alice has been extremely upset and says that she can't afford to make rent when it is due later this month at least not if they want to eat - and has just hit a financial rock bottom. She says she has nothing not even medical insurance.' They continued: 'She's been told that she should get a job but has not found any acting work and in any case she needs to look after their children who are school age. 'This week she has been discussing trying for a job in Starbucks but she thinks they might not want her as she is probably too old for them at 55. Also her agent doesn't want her to do it in case it looks bad.' The friend added: 'She is feeling desperate and is out of ideas about how she can get along. She has been crying herself to sleep. Alice and Ioan finally divorced in July 2023 but custody, spousal and child support have yet to be settled, and the next hearing in the case is due in March. It comes amid news that the Fantastic Four star will reunite with his daughters at least once a week after claiming his ex-wife had kept the girls away from him for almost a year. In new court filings obtained by DailyMail.com, a judge ordered Alice to take the girls to weekly 'reunification therapy' sessions with their father. And Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Josh Stinn also decreed that the warring former couple could not trash or insult each other in front of their children during therapy sessions. According to court papers, the two girls now use the last name Griffith, the Anglicized version of their Welsh father's last name. Ioan, who met Alice when they co-starred in the 2000 Disney movie, 102 Dalmatians, filed for divorce in March 2021, shortly after the blonde actress claimed on social media that her husband of 14 years was walking out on her and their two daughters. Alice announced on Twitter in January 2021: 'Sad news. My beloved husband/soul mate of 20 years, Ioan Gruffudd, has announced he is to leave his family, starting next week. 'Me and our young daughters are very confused and sad. We haven't been given a reason except that he 'no longer loves me'. I'm so sorry.' Bianca's engagement news came just weeks after she hit back at speculation that she was pregnant, after catching the eye with a white illusion dress He went public with his relationship with Bianca in October 2021, and Ioan and Alice were declared legally divorced in July 2023 Last month The Daily Mail reported that Alice, who shares daughters Ella, 14, and Elsie, 10 with her ex, is in dire financial straits and has told friends that she cannot pay her rent or afford food, and is contemplating taking a job in Starbucks (pictured in 2018) Ioan successfully obtained a three-year restraining order against Alice in August 2022 that banned her from mentioning him or his girlfriend on social media (Ioan and Bianca pictured in 2022) In June 2022, she launched a Go Fund Me page asking for $25,000 to try and pay her bills, saying: 'I never in a million years thought I would be doing this. However in August 2020, just as the pandemic was really kicking in, my entire world fell apart. 'Since that date I have been not only struggling as a single mother to my babies, but also trying to cover bills and food and legal fees (ha! don't even talk to me about legal fees) which dwarf any other expense in my life and have finally drained everything - savings, accounts, pension, the lot. 'Yesterday all my accounts ran out and I couldn't buy anything. On the same day, my husband's lawyer sent me a letter telling me I was due in court on 2 August to argue 'my case' in the divorce. I currently have no lawyer and no funds to pay one. 'If I don't turn up at court I will be in contempt, and I have no idea what will happen to me or my kids at that point.' It comes amid news that the Fantastic Four star will reunite with his daughters at least once a week after claiming his ex-wife had kept the girls away from him for almost a year She and Ioan finally divorced in July 2023 but custody, spousal and child support have yet to be settled and the next hearing in the case is due in March (pictured with her daughters) Shona Manderson bravely revealed her 'real skin' in a candid Instagram snap as she continues her painstaking battle with acne. The MAFS UK star, 31, shared a makeup-free selfie, showing her 143,000 followers what lies beneath her daily glam makeup looks. She revealed that the latest product in her at-home trial to cure her painful whiteheads was a light antibiotic called Lymecycline, but the product did not heal her skin. The TV personality revealed that she has started to see some results after adding an acnecide cleanser to her routine. Sharing a picture of her week's progress, Shona captioned her story: 'One week later. Keep persevering. I've added acnecide cleanser to my routine this week, which I think is making a difference'. MAFS star Shona Manderson, 31, bravely showed off her 'real skin' in a candid Instagram snap as she continued her painstaking battle with acne Shona usually shares heavily polished images on social media but she has been asking her fans for help and advice Shona has now also added Skincern - Azelaic Acid - to her skincare as she hopes this next product will help solve her skin problems for good. Shona captioned her very honest update: 'This time last week I woke up like this... Two weeks after taking antibiotics and using acnecide'. The influencer previously explained in a video that the acne was being caused by her IUD due to the progesterone hormone, which is an androgen. The IUD is a popular choice of contraception for many women and can protect against pregnancy for five to 10 years. She said: 'Here's a little update where I'm at, so my spots seem to be like here, here, here, got them really bad on my chin. 'But I'm getting my coil removed on Monday so hopefully... fingers crossed.' It comes after Shona and her partner Matt Pilmoor revealed they 'definitely want to get married' and have children together as they opened up about their relationship. The duo originally tied the knot on the E4 show, but their romance ended, leading to their surprise union. She revealed that the latest product in her at-home trial to cure her painful whiteheads was an antibiotic called Lymecycline, but the product did not heal her skin breakouts The TV personality revealed that she has started to see some results after adding acnecide cleanser to her routine Shona has now also added Skincern - Azelaic Acid - to her skincare as she hopes this next product will help solve her skin problems for good Now, the reality star couple are ready to take their relationship to the next level as they discussed marriage and starting a family. Speaking in an interview with OK! Magazine , Matt, 29, and Shona said they would like to get married in the UK so their family can attend and have an 'amazing honeymoon in Bali'. Matt said: 'We definitely want to get married. Getting married abroad would be lovely but logically we would do it in the UK for family coming. We do need money, so there will be no ring anytime soon! 'But I would love to propose at some point. Let's see how the next year goes in terms of finances, but it's definitely on the cards!' Shona added: 'Yeah, we've spoken about getting married. Matt has said he will wear a kilt because my family are Scottish. We've spoken about engagement rings, we just need the money first.' The couple went on to say that they are also on the 'same page with kids' and are hoping to have two. Shona continued: 'I want two kids. I'm 32 next year, so I definitely want babies in the next few years. It's mental, but when you know, you know, and it just works. And it can move at a healthy pace. I don't even feel scared about anything.' As the year comes to an end, Shona and Matt went on to reveal their plans for the new year as they hope to go on their 'first holiday' together and 'move in'. The couple confirmed their relationship last month after going on separate journeys on Married At First Sight. Speaking previously to OK!, Shona, who was ejected from the experiment due to the toxicity of her marriage , revealed: 'We have a really healthy, happy, safe, fun relationship - I really appreciate Matt, it's what I deserve, we deserve each other'. Matt admitted they 'had to be so careful' to keep their romance secret and while it would have been 'incredible' to be paired together from the start, he conceded: 'I think it happened this way around for a purpose.' Shona went on: 'I'm proud to be his girlfriend and it just works. Matt would be driving and I would be in the back, we would be walking around Nottingham and I'd be all the way over there, we were like secret agents on a mission'. Matt added: 'We had to do it, we had to be so careful... 'We had to do what we had to do, my experience was good but we were meant to go on those journeys to find each other... Being together from the start would have been incredible, but I think it happened this way around for a purpose.' He once said he would never ride off the coat-tails of his famous sister. And this mystery person has taken a very different career path to his sibling, opting to live his life away from the spotlight. Born in Croydon, south London, he runs a mobile catering business specialising in South East Asian delicacies. He often shares photos of himself and his sister on Instagram and recently celebrated her birthday with a slew of unseen childhood snaps. So, can you guess who it is? This mystery person has taken a very different career path to his sibling, opting to live his life away from the spotlight He often shares photos of himself and his sister on Instagram and recently celebrated her birthday with a slew of unseen childhood snaps So, can you guess who it is? It's of course Kate Moss' brother Nick! Nick, 47, who runs Vietnamese street food truck called Vietvan, has largely stayed out of the spotlight over the years. He previously told how he 'never wanted to piggyback on [Kate's] fame', despite admitting she 'can open doors'. Speaking to The Sunday Times Style magazine, he said: 'You see people on the coat-tails of other people's success and it's cringey and embarrassing. You want to be your own person.' Last week Nick shared previously shared unseen photos of his sister Kate as he wished her a happy 50th birthday. The model jetted off to Paris for the milestone day and enjoyed brunch with boyfriend Nikolai von Bismarck and daughter Lila at Brasserie Lipp. Nick shared several snaps of his older sister including adorable childhood photos of the pair standing side by side. In one image, Kate could be seen in a sleeveless white dress with her hair tied up as she wrapped her arm around Nick. It's of course Kate Moss' brother Nick! Nick, 47, who runs Vietnamese street food truck called Vietvan, has largely stayed out of the spotlight and previously told how he 'never wanted to piggyback on [Kate's] fame' (pictured with their dad Peter) Nick pictured with his younger half-sister Lottie Last week Nick shared previously unseen photos of his sister Kate as he wished her a happy 50th birthday Another appeared to be taken when Kate and Nick were in their twenties as they posed alongside their mother Linda. Alongside the post, Nick wrote: 'Fabulous at 50!! To the world you might be Kate Moss but to me you are my big sister. 'Wishing you the best birthday and year ahead on your special day. Love you Sis.' Advertisement Naomi Campbell caused a stir on Tuesday, as she sat front row at the Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2024 collection show for Chanel in Paris, which was opened by a sophisticated Margaret Qualley, while a number of stars sat in the audience, including Lucy Boynton. The supermodel, 53, helped with the making of the fashion show alongside rapper Kendrick Lamar and filmmaker Dave Free. Naomi caught the eye in a mulberry coloured tweed jacket, with sparkly thread stitched through it and intricate beading at the waist and sleeves The mother-of-two teamed the jacket with a pair of black suede trousers that clung to her toned legs, while adding gold and ruby earrings. She completed her timeless look with a pair of black heels adorned with flowers and by hiding her eyes behind oversized sunglasses. Naomi Campbell (left) caused a stir on Tuesday, as she sat front row at the Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2024 collection show for Chanel in Paris, alongside Lucy Boynton (centre), which was opened by Margaret Qualley (right) Supermodel Naomi, 53, helped with the making of the fashion show alongside rapper Kendrick Lamar (right) and filmmaker Dave Free (left) Naomi caught the eye in a mulberry coloured tweed jacket, with sparkly thread stitched through it and intricate beading at the waist and sleeves Actress Margaret, 29, looked ethereal as she strutted down the runway in a very classic Chanel look, donning a tailored white textured jacket, adorned with neat pockets and gold monogrammed buttons. The Poor Things star also donned a white skirt underneath with a sheer panel and opaque coordinating tights and confidently led the rest of the models down the catwalk in a pair of strappy black high heels. Margaret, who has been a Chanel ambassador for a number of years, pushed her look to more zany heights by adding an old-fashioned lace ruff around her neck. The Golden Globe nominated actress wore her hair in an intricate updo, secured with an elegant black bow and sporting a light palette of makeup to show off her youthful beauty. Meanwhile, Lucy, 30, looked timeless in a classy white, black and pink tweed minidress, embroidered with sequins in a check pattern. Her dress also boasted a unique hood detail, adding a modern twist to the Bohemian Rhapsody star's sophisticated look. The actress elevated her height in a pair of black high heels adorned with sweet pink bows and delicate pearl straps. Naomi teamed the jacket with a pair of black suede trousers that clung to her toned legs and black heels adorned with flowers, while she swept her raven hair up in an elegant ponytail to show off her dazzling gold and ruby dangling earrings The collection saw models slip into a number of timeless and elegant looks, that Chanel has become known for Actress Margaret, 29, donned a tailored white textured jacket, adorned with neat pockets and gold monogrammed buttons The Poor Things star also donned a white skirt underneath with a sheer panel and pushed her look to more zany heights by adding an old-fashioned lace ruff around her neck She confidently led the rest of the models down the catwalk in a pair of strappy black high heels and opaque coordinating tights Margaret, who has been a Chanel ambassador for a number of years, wore her hair in an intricate updo, secured with an elegant black bow Lucy artfully styled her short blonde hair in layered bob and sported a dramatic and sultry black smoky eyeshadow look. She attended the swanky fashion bash with her musician boyfriend Murdo Mitchell, who looked handsome in a maroon coat and embroidered patterned trousers. The couple's romance was revealed in September last year, after they were seen kissing and cuddling during a stroll in London's Soho. Their relationship came after Lucy split from Rami Malek earlier last year after over five years together, reportedly due to 'growing apart.' Her Bohemian Rhapsody co-star and ex-boyfriend Rami has also confirmed a new romance, after he was seen kissing The Crown's Emma Corrin in public last summer. Glasgow-based artist Murdo released his debut album Aztec Jewel last year and has signed with Sony Music Norway/Drabantand, with new music and shows planned in the coming months. Anna Wintour was also in attendance at the star-studded fashion show, and cut a typically stylish figure in floral maxi dress under a gray marbled coat. The Vogue editor-in-chief added a purple bejewelled choker and a huge diamond pendant, while sporting her signature black sunglasses. The show is called 'The Button', intended to pay tribute to the jewelled button signature to Chanel The fashion house states that the collection aims to 'bring to life a story about time and transmission' Lucy, 30, looked timeless in a classy white, black and pink tweed minidress, embroidered with sequins in a check pattern Her dress also boasted a unique hood detail, adding a modern twist to the Sing Street star's sophisticated look The actress elevated her height in a pair of black high heels adorned with pink bows and delicate pearl straps Lucy artfully styled her short blonde hair in layered bob and sported a dramatic and sultry black smoky eyeshadow look She attended the swanky fashion bash with her musician boyfriend Murdo Mitchell, who looked handsome in a maroon coat and embroidered patterned trousers The couple's romance was revealed in September last year, after they were seen kissing and cuddling during a stroll in London's Soho Their relationship came after Lucy split from Rami Malek earlier last year after over five years together, reportedly due to 'growing apart' Glasgow-based artist Murdo released his debut album Aztec Jewel last year and has signed with Sony Music Norway/Drabantand, with new music and shows planned in the coming months She sat next to her close friend, award-winning director Baz Luhrmann, who sported a dapper black suit and a moustache. Joining Anna was Arielle Dombasle, who looked chic in a black knitted minidress over a white zip-up top, encrusted in gems. She added a pair of leather heeled boots and a long black coat, while toting a patent leather quilted Chanel handbag. Julie Gayet arrived in a padded black trench coat that was embossed with the Chanel logo. She added a matching belt to cinch her in at her svelte waist and black leather heeled boots, while carrying a matching clutch. Alma Jodorowsky ensure all eyes were on her, by opting for a navy suit with nothing underneath, leaving her chest exposed in the sultry outfit. Iman Perez put on a leggy display in a pink checked dress with a matching belt and sheer black tights. She boosted her height with a pair of black leather heeled boots and toted a tiny pink handbag, adorned with a bow. Anna Wintour was in attendance at the fashion show, and cut a typically stylish figure in floral maxi dress under a gray marbled coat The Vogue editor-in-chief added a purple bejewelled choker and a huge diamond pendant, while sporting her signature black sunglasses She sat next to her close friend, award-winning director Baz Luhrmann, who sported a black suit and a moustache Joining Anna was Arielle Dombasle, who looked chic in a black knitted minidress over a white zip-up top, encrusted in gems. She added a pair of leather heeled boots and a long black coat, while toting a patent leather quilted Chanel handbag The French actress and singer completed her look with sheer tights, gold and diamond bangles and a classic red lip Julie Gayet arrived in a padded black trench coat that was embossed with the famous Chanel logo adding a matching belt to cinch her in at her svelte waist and black leather heeled boots, while carrying a matching clutch Cecile Cassel opted for a more daring look, donning a black semi-sheer mesh shirt, allowing a glimpse at her slender figure underneath. She added a pair of coordinating trousers, black high heels decorated with pearls and a trio of gold Chanel necklaces. Kim Higelin sat beside her and flashed her long legs in a more casual ensemble, sporting a denim co-ord and carrying a tiny navy purse. She wore a short jacket and matching miniskirt with a knitted crop top underneath and black Mary Jane heels. Imani Selina flashed a glimpse of her toned midriff in a white bandeau and navy miniskirt with a coordinating tweed jacket and a yellow handbag for a pop of contrast. While Rebecca Marder donned a pair of houndstooth patterned trousers and a smart grey jacket, while carrying a quilted black clutch. Ines de la Fressange looked classy in a pair of black flares and a red tweed jacket, secured with a black and silver buckled belt. She draped a navy striped scarf over her shoulders and accessorised with a black velvet handbag and patent leather boots. Alma Jodorowsky (left) ensure all eyes were on her, by opting for a navy suit with nothing underneath, leaving her chest exposed in the sultry outfit, while Xenia Franca (right) opted for a multicoloured tweed dress with statement hoop earrings Iman Perez put on a leggy display in a pink checked dress with a matching belt and sheer black tights. She boosted her height with a pair of black leather heeled boots and toted a tiny pink handbag, adorned with a bow Cecile Cassel opted for a more daring look, donning a black semi-sheer mesh shirt, allowing a glimpse at her slender figure underneath She added a pair of coordinating trousers, black high heels decorated with pearls and a trio of gold Chanel necklaces Kim Higelin sat beside her and flashed her long legs in a more casual ensemble, sporting a denim co-ord and carrying a tiny navy purse She wore a short jacket and matching miniskirt with a knitted crop top underneath and black Mary Jane heels Charlotte Cardin looked fashionable in black satin trousers and a knitted cardigan as posed with her dapper boyfriend Aliocha Schneider, who donned a navy jumper and blazer. While Elsa Zylberstein stood out from the crowd in a pair of purple and black checked trousers teamed with a silk blouse with a matching trim. The collection saw models slip into a number of timeless and elegant looks, that Chanel has become known for. One model donned a voluminous white ruffled skirt with a plain long-sleeved top and a bralette over the top, adorned with three-dimensional flowers. Another channelled Barbie in a bright pink satin skirt, embroidered with intricate silver beads, and a matching cropped jacket. There were several floral inspired ensembles on the catwalk, with one model donning an eye-catching colourful jacket stitched from individual flowers. While another garment was a sheer floral jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and voluminous sleeves and a third saw a model walk in a sheer textured jacket covered in pastel flowers. The iconic Chanel tweed jacket was also incorporated into the collection, with one model wearing a black and white version with a white tutu dress underneath and another wearing a green and pink sleeveless version with a pink feather belt. Imani Selina (left) flashed a glimpse of her toned midriff in a white bandeau and navy miniskirt with a coordinating tweed jacket and a yellow handbag for a pop of contrast. While Rebecca Marder (right) donned a pair of houndstooth patterned trousers and a smart grey jacket, with a quilted black clutch Charlotte Cardin looked fashionable in black satin trousers and a knitted cardigan as posed with her dapper boyfriend Aliocha Schneider, who donned a navy jumper and blazer Ines de la Fressange (left) looked classy in a pair of black flares and a red tweed jacket, secured with a black and silver buckled belt, while Elsa Zylberstein (right) stood out from the crowd in eye-catching purple and black checked trousers teamed with a silk blouse with a matching trim One model donned a voluminous white ruffled skirt with a plain long-sleeved top and a bralette over the top, adorned with three-dimensional flowers Another channelled Barbie in a bright pink satin skirt, embroidered with intricate silver beads, and a matching cropped jacket There were several floral inspired ensembles on the catwalk, with one model donning an eye-catching colourful jacket stitched from individual flowers While another garment was a sheer floral jumpsuit with a plunging neckline and voluminous sleeves and a third saw a model walk in a sheer textured jacket covered in pastel flowers The iconic Chanel tweed jacket was also incorporated into the collection, with one model wearing a black and white version with a white tutu dress underneath and another wearing a green and pink sleeveless version with a pink feather belt The collection was created by the current creative director of Chanel, Virginie Viard, who was appointed in 2019 after the death of Karl Lagerfeld. The show is called 'The Button', intended to pay tribute to the jewelled button signature to Chanel, while the fashion house states that the collection aims to 'bring to life a story about time and transmission'. The show itself was written and directed by Dave and scored by Kendrick, while supermodel Naomi and actresses Margaret and Anna Mouglalis are also credited. Anna, 45, has been a house ambassador for Chanel since 2002 and famously portrayed the fashion designer Coco Chanel in the 2009 film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky. She looked chic at the fashion show, wearing a black spotted dress with rope detailing and gold buttons, and adding black Chanel accessories. The collection was created by the current creative director of Chanel, Virginie Viard, (pictured) who was appointed in 2019 after the death of Karl Lagerfeld The show itself was written and directed by Dave and scored by Kendrick, while supermodel Naomi and actresses Margaret and Anna Mouglalis are also credited Anna, 45, has been a house ambassador for Chanel since 2002 and famously portrayed the fashion designer Coco Chanel in the 2009 film Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky Alex Pike debuted her new romance with American plastic surgeon Dr Sachin Shridharani last year. And last week, the glamorous cosmetic nurse flew to New York to spend time with her Manhattan-based beau for his birthday. During one romantic date night, the 46-year-old slipped her curves into a skintight brown catsuit with a Louis Vuitton belt that highlighted her small waist. The mother-of-three stunned in the racy ensemble, which no doubt would've left her quite chilly in New York's freezing winter weather. Despite the distance between them, Alex and Sachin have barely spent any time apart since falling in love. Alex Pike flaunted her enviable figure in a designer catsuit while on a date with her boyfriend in New York earlier this week The swanky surgeon spent the Christmas holidays Down Under with Alex to meet her family for the first time. Approximately two weeks later, Alex was in New York to spend some more time with her beloved partner. 'Thank you for making my birthday so special and memorable!' Sachin wrote on Alex's Instagram page, before adding: 'Grateful for your [love] my [love].' The mother-of-three stunned in the racy ensemble, which no doubt would've left her quite chilly in New York's freezing winter weather The Harvard-educated doctor is one of the top names in his field and was trained in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital. He went on to establish his own clinic LUXURGERY in 2014, which offers many of his own signature procedures, including the Tubeless Tuck. The popular clinic is located on New York's famed Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Alex Pike debuted her new romance with American plastic surgeon Dr Sachin Shridharani last year. (Pictured together) It comes after Alex's high-profile romance with AFL legend Nathan Buckley came to an end in 2022. Outside of her highly-publicised love life, Pike is known as one of Australia's most successful cosmetic injectors. She runs clinics in Albury and Melbourne and has since branched out into the health and wellness space with her own eight-week kickstart program called Inside Out Beauty. Giovanni Pernice lifted the lid on his intense rehearsal schedule as his former celebrity partners have spoken out about their experience with the Strictly pro. The dancer has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after his 2023 partner Amanda Abbington claimed that the show left her with PTSD and reportedly demanded footage of her rehearsals with Giovanni. His alleged feuds with 2016 partner Laura Whitmore and 2020's Ranvir Singh have also resurfaced, while 2021's Rose Ayling-Ellis and 2017's Debbie McGee have spoken out in his defence. Speaking to Spencer Matthews on his Big Fish podcast last May, Giovanni, 33, gave an insight into his gruelling training regime as he revealed his key to success as a dancer was: 'Practice, pretty much 20 hours a day. He continued: 'The studio is open 24 hours. Well, 18 hours a day, sleep and go back to the studio and practice. Lots of lessons.' Giovanni Pernice lifted the lid on his intense rehearsal schedule as his former celebrity partners have spoken out about their experience with the Strictly pro The dancer has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after his 2023 partner Amanda Abbington claimed that the show left her with PTSD (pictured on the show) Giovanni also credited his can-do attitude and refusing to accept defeat with his success. Explaining how he feels about losing, the star explained: 'I don't want to sound cliche, but when you lose, when something doesn't go the way you want it to go, I am one of those people who gets back up, just like Rocky Balboa, one of my idols, you go down but then you straight away stand up. 'There is no point for me when you lose to cry about those things, you are the person who chooses about your future. Nobody else can do it for you, so you have to find a way to make it better.' Asked whether he ever feels emotionally vulnerable, he responded: 'I stay away from that, the reason why, I think it's a waste of time. 'I think vulnerability is good, it's beautiful but it just doesn't really make sense in my head, because there is always a solution to do better. 'I have got millions of problems, but I always find a way to make things better, I am not one of these people who cry. So vulnerable is not a word I can use to describe myself.'. The podcast has resurfaced after Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood defended Giovanni amid the ongoing scandal. The judge praised the show's dancers as being 'the backbone of the show,' after it was reported that BBC bosses were backing Giovanni amid Amanda's claims. The Sherlock actress is said to have sought legal advice over the dancer's alleged behaviour towards her and believes video footage could 'back up' her claims. Speaking to The Sun ahead of the Strictly tour, Craig said: 'The pros not only have to be creative and be able to be good choreographers, they also have to be psychiatrists, doctors, they have to be nurses, they have to be welfare guidance people. It's not just teaching dance.' Sherlock actress Amanda is said to have sought legal advice over the dancer's alleged behaviour towards her and believes video footage could 'back up' her claims It comes after Amanda revealed she was 'sent death threats' by Strictly Come Dancing fans in a new interview. The star was paired with Giovanni but quit the BBC One programme mid-series last year citing 'personal issues'. It was then revealed she had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following her stint on the show. Speaking to The Sun on Sunday, Amanda gave her thanks to both her fans and fellow Strictly stars for their support. She explained: 'I was diagnosed with mild PTSD after Strictly for several reasons and I told a few people about that, in the utmost confidence, among other things that were happening in my life at the time both professionally and personally.' Amanda continued: 'I'm very sorry that people felt the need to send me death threats, threaten my children and bring up my past, healthy relationship with an ex-partner as an indicator of my current mental health. I wish those people well.' She has two children with her actor ex Martin Freeman, a daughter Grace, 15, and son Joe, 17. Recently it was claimed the show left her with PTSD and demanded footage of rehearsals to highlight the Italian's 'tense' and 'full-on' training methods, which allegedly caused her much grief. Amanda left Strictly during week five in October and failed to return for the final, where eliminated celebrities took part in a group dance. Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has defended Giovanni amid his feud with Amanda Amanda was praised by the judges for her performances on the show but it was claimed she was struggling behind the scenes. After her departure, it was alleged she struggled with Giovanni's 'militant approach to training', with her time on the show said to have been 'plagued by difficulties'. An inside source told The Telegraph: 'It could be that she didn't know what she let herself in for. 'He [Giovanni] was quite tough and she found that difficult. If she wasn't very well, that wouldn't have helped.' They continued: 'She was with a partner that had a certain training style that she couldn't cope with. Whether that came to a head or whether there's something else going on I don't know.' It has been reported that she is seeking footage of their rehearsals to back up her claims as she seeks legal advice. An on-set source told The Sun: 'The BBC have received a request for the footage they hold of Amanda and Giovanni. It is known as a data subject access request. 'There is a feeling that the recordings will lift the lid on what really goes on behind the scenes on Strictly. Things in rehearsals can become very tense. 'Giovanni is a perfectionist and he can be incredibly full-on.' A friend of Amanda told the publication it has taken her months to recover from her Strictly experience and she has needed therapy. They said: 'Amanda has been left broken and saddened by the whole experience. She has needed therapy and was left in shock by the behaviour she was exposed to. 'Everyone else was having a fabulous time, but she was really stressed by having to spend eight hours a day with Giovanni. She spent a lot of time crying and couldn't sleep or eat properly.' The pal added that Amanda found the negative response she got on social media for not mentioning Giovanni in her exit statement difficult, but insisted her family and friends had been there to support her. It was reported she had quit the show after clashing with Giovanni, but she dismissed claims of a fallout at the time. Sources at the BBC are ready to fight the Sherlock star over her claims the show had traumatised her, saying that at the time she told them she was quitting due to a different medical reason. A source told the Mail: 'Amanda's reason for quitting Strictly was an entirely different one to her PTSD. 'She told production of a totally different medical condition and they [were] hugely supportive of her and did all they could to help. 'Nobody seems to quite understand what is going on here.' It is understood that first BBC chiefs knew about her PTSD was late last year when they received a request for the tapes. There is added confusion because Amanda quickly shot down suggestions made before the show aired in September that she and Giovanni had fallen out. On Instagram, she dismissed the claims as 'bulls****' and told people to, 'Shut up, it's b******s.' During broadcasts, she and the Italian dancer who has worked on the show since 2015 were seen hugging and appearing to be friends. One Strictly source said: 'All you'd see at the studio were the pair of them hugging and kissing.' Twinkle-toed star Giovanni was also reportedly only given the news of Amanda's exit a few hours before the official statement was released. Amanda left Strictly during week five in October and failed to return for the final, where eliminated celebrities took part in a group dance A source told the Daily Star: 'Amanda didn't tell Giovanni she had decided to quit the show. The first he heard was a call from a producer. 'This has really annoyed him. He's barely heard from her for 10 days. She hasn't been replying to messages or telling him what's happening. 'He's been complaining about it to friends. He's frustrated. He is worried the drama will be damaging for his career and make him look bad.' However, according to reports, BBC bosses are sticking behind Giovanni in the wake of the feud. According to The Sun, bosses arranged a call between Giovanni's management and Strictly executives where they offered him their full support and checked in on his mental health. Giovanni is understood to have been assured that his place on the show is secure. A source said: 'It's no secret Gio and Amanda had a tricky relationship but there are two sides to every story. Cillian Murphy, Carey Mulligan and Emily Blunt led the British and Irish stars receiving an Oscars nomination ahead of this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The Oppenheimer actor, who scooped the 2024 Golden Globe for Best Actor, is hoping to also take the Oscar home after being nominated in the same category. Irish star Cillian's performance has received critical acclaim for his role in the Christopher Nolan directed film and he was hotly-tipped to receive an Oscars nod. Cillian - who was predicted to go head-to-head with fellow Irishman Barry Keoghan - will face no competition from the actor as he missed out on a nod. However he will go up against Bradley Cooper [Maestro], Colman Domingo [Rustin], Paul Giamatti [The Holdovers] and Jeffrey Wright [American Fiction]. Also up for one of the top gongs is Carey Mulligan, who has received a Best Actress nod for her role in Maestro, as Bernstein's wife Felicia Montealegre in Maestro. She will face Annette Bening [Nyad], Lily Gladstone [Killers of the Flower Moon], Sandra Huller [Anatomy of a Fall] and Emma Stone [Poor Things]. Carey, who has been nominated twice before for an Oscar for Promising Young Woman [2021] and An Education [2010], will be hoping its third time lucky. Meanwhile, British actress Emily has been nominated for Oppenheimer as the title character's wife, Katherine 'Kitty' Oppenheimer, in Best Supporting Actress. Cillian Murphy, Carey Mulligan and Emily Blunt led the British and Irish stars receiving an Oscars nomination ahead of this year's Academy Awards ceremony Meanwhile, Emily has been nominated for Oppenheimer as the title character's wife, Katherine 'Kitty' Oppenheimer, in the Best Supporting Actress category British and Irish Academy Awards nominations at a glance: Best Actor Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer Best Actress Carey Mulligan - Maestro Original Song Mark Ronson - I'm Just Ken - Barbie Best Supporting Actress Emily Blunt - Oppenheimer Best Director Christopher Nolan - Oppenheimer Jonathan Glazer - The Zone of Interest Advertisement Also nominated in the same category is; Danielle Brooks [The Color Purple], America Ferrera [Barbie], Jodie Foster [Nyad] and Da'vine Joy Randolph [The Holdovers]. Emily is also nominated for a BAFTA and an SAG award this awards season. Another Brit receiving a nod on Tuesday afternoon was award-winning songwriter Mark Ronson, who penned Barbie's I'm Just Ken. He will go up against Billie Eilish's What Was I Made For?, which is also from Barbie as well as The Fire Inside from Flamin' Hot, It Never Went Away from American Symphony and Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People) from Killers of the Flower Moon. British-American filmmakers Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Glazer have been nominated for Best Director for Oppenheimer and The Zone Of Interest respectively. Christopher has been nominated for five Oscars for his films Momento, Inception, Dunkirk in the past - but has never won. While it was a big night for these stars, there were several surprise snubs for actors who were expected to receive nominations from the Academy. There had been Oscars buzz surrounding Saltburn star Barry Keoghan, however the Irish actor did not receive the coveted nod. Saltburn failed to acquire any nominations at the ceremony, also notably for British actress Rosamund Pike, Elspeth Catton. Despite being nominated at both the Grammys and Golden Globes, Dua Lipa's original song, Dance The Night, did not receive the same fate at the Oscars. Her Barbie track missed out on a nomination, however two other songs from the soundtrack [I'm Just Ken and What Was I Made For] made it onto the shortlist. The nominees were revealed by Atlanta star Zazie Beetz and The Boys actor Jack Quaid. Also up for one of the top gongs is Carey Mulligan, who has received a Best Actress nod for her role in Maestro, as Bernstein's wife Felicia Montealegre in Maestro Carey, who has been nominated twice before for an Oscar for Promising Young Woman [2021] and An Education [2010], will be hoping its third time lucky Cillian - who was predicted to go head-to-head with fellow Irishman Barry Keoghan (pictured in Saltburn) - will face no competition from the actor as he missed out on a nod After a tumultuous movie year marred by strikes and work stoppages, the Academy Awards showered nominations on Nolan's blockbuster biopic, Oppenheimer, which came away with a leading 13 nominations. Nolan's three-hour opus, viewed as the best picture frontrunner, received nods for best picture; Nolan's direction; acting nominations for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt; and multiple honors for the craft. Greta Gerwig's Barbie wasn't far behind with eight nominations, including nods for best picture; Ryan Gosling for best supporting actor; and two best-song candidates in What Was I Made For and I'm Just Ken. But Gerwig was surprisingly left out of the best director field. Over the summer, Oppenheimer went head-to-head with Greta Gerwig's hit comedy based on the iconic Mattel doll - which eventually earned almost $1.5 billion at the box office whilst 'Oppenheimer' brought in $953.8 million - and the two will both go up against each other once again for the title of Best Picture. Both Martin Scorsese's Osage epic Killers of the Flower Moon and Yorgos Lanthimos' Frankenstein riff Poor Things were also widely celebrated. Poor Things landed 11 nods, while Killers of the Moon was nominated for 10 Oscars. Lily Gladstone, star of Killers of the Flower Moon, became the first Native American nominated for best actress. For the 10th time, Scorsese was nominated for Best Director. Leonardo DiCaprio, though, was left out of Best Actor. Despite being nominated at both the Grammys and Golden Globes, Dua Lipa's original song, Dance The Night, did not receive the same fate at the Oscars What Was I Made For and I'm Just Ken from Barbie received their expected nominations for best original song Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid announced the Oscar nominations for 2024 from the academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday morning Those four contenders made for a maximalist quartet of Oscar heavyweights. Nolan's sprawling biopic. Gerwig's near-musical. Scorsese's pitch-black Western. Lanthimos' sumptuously designed fantasy. Each utilised a wide spectrum of cinematic tools to tell big, often disturbing big-screen stories. And each - even Apple's biggest-budgeted movie yet, Killers of the Flower Moon - had robust theatrical releases that saved streaming for months later. The 10 films nominated for best picture were: Oppenheimer, Barbie, Poor Things, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Holdovers, Maestro, American Fiction, Past Lives, Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest. Lily Gladstone is the first Native American nominated for best actress, for her performance in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon Lucy Boynton put on a stunning display as she stepped out with her musician boyfriend Murdo Mitchell at the Chanel Haute Couture fashion show in Paris. The actress, 30, caught the eye at the star-studded event as she looked timeless in an elegant black and pink tweed Chanel minidress. Her sophisticated garment featured embroidered sequins in a check pattern and large silver buttons detailed with the brand's iconic double CC logo. Lucy's dress also boasted a unique hood detail, adding a modern twist to the Bohemian Rhapsody star's relaxed look. She added inches to her statuesque figure in a pair of Chanel retro black heels adorned with a pale pink bow and pearl studded ankle straps. Lucy Boynton put on a stunning display as she stepped out with her musician boyfriend Murdo Mitchell at the Chanel Haute Couture fashion show in Paris The actress, 30, caught the eye at the star-studded event as she looked timeless in an elegant black and pink tweed Chanel minidress To accessorise, Lucy paired her outfit with a matching Chanel tweed handbag, black tights and a glossy black manicure. The chic ensemble was picked from the Chanel Spring/Summer 2024 Ready-to-Wear collection imagined by Virginie Viard. Artfully styling her short platinum blonde tresses in a layered cut, Lucy opted for a dramatic, sultry makeup look as she looked sensational with a dark smoky eye. She attended the swanky fashion show with her partner Murdo, who looked dapper in a maroon trench coat and matching shirt. The guitarist from Glasgow paired the classy outfit with a pair of vintage-looking geometrical floral trousers and black leather platformed dress shoes. The brunette talent finished off his look with an array of dramatic rings, a chained bracelet and a chained necklace. Charlotte Casiraghi was seen sitting front-row at the show with the love-up couple. The couple's romance was revealed in September 2023 after they were seen kissing and cuddling during a stroll in London's Soho. Her sophisticated garment featured embroidered sequins in a check pattern and large silver buttons detailed with the brand's iconic double CC logo Lucy's dress also boasted a unique hood detail, adding a modern twist to the Bohemian Rhapsody star's relaxed look Artfully styling her short platinum blonde tresses in a layered cut, Lucy opted for a dramatic, sultry makeup look as she looked sensational with a dark smoky eye Charlotte Casiraghi was seen sitting front-row at the show with the love-up couple The collection saw models slip into a number of timeless and elegant looks, that Chanel has become known for Actress Margaret Qualley, 29, donned a tailored white textured jacket, adorned with neat pockets and gold monogrammed buttons The show is called 'The Button', intended to pay tribute to the jewelled button signature to Chanel The fashion house states that the collection aims to 'bring to life a story about time and transmission' She attended the swanky fashion show with her partner Murdo, who looked dapper in a maroon trench coat and matching shirt The couple's romance was revealed in September 2023 after they were seen kissing and cuddling during a stroll in London's Soho Murdo, who shot to fame after an X Factor appearance in 2014, has since been spotted attending other star-studded events as Lucy's plus one. On Thursday, the two were spotted getting close at the Chanel and Dazed celebration of the new Coco Crush campaign at Dazed Space. Their relationship came after Lucy split from Rami Malek earlier last year after over five years together, reportedly due to 'growing apart.' Her Bohemian Rhapsody co-star and ex-boyfriend Rami has also confirmed a new romance after he was seen kissing The Crown's Emma Corrin in public last summer. Glasgow-based artist Murdo released his debut album Aztec Jewel last year and has signed with Sony Music Norway/Drabantand, with new music and shows planned in the coming months. Crystal Hefner, the final wife of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has revealed that she wants to revert to her maiden name Crystal Harris. The 37-year-old lifted the lid on the sordid reality of life at the Playboy Mansion in her new memoir Only Say Good Things, published under her married name. Now, with the book in circulation and its revelations reverberating through the media, Crystal feels ready to return to her old name. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, she divulged that the choice to adopt the surname Hefner had never been hers in the first place. Rather, the decision was made for her when she married Hugh in 2012, whereupon his secretary did the paperwork to have Crystal's name changed. Crystal Hefner, the final wife of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, has revealed that she wants to revert to her maiden name Crystal Harris; seen in July Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Crystal divulged that the choice to adopt the surname Hefner had never been hers in the first place; she and Hugh are pictured in 2015 When we got married, had Mary his secretary immediately changed my name so I didn't really know,' Crystal explained. 'I had a friend that got married shortly after. And she said: "Oh, how do you change your name?" I was like: "I don't know. It was all done for me."' Hugh Hefner died in September 2017 at the age of 91, and his new widow receded from the public eye to a certain degree - until the time came for her memoir. 'But after leaving the mansion, and after the five years of downtime, and I wrote the book now like: "Okay, I'm gonna look into the name change,"' the Playboy widower announced. 'Yeah, I don't want that name.' In the book, she disclosed that she used to 'find girls' for sex orgies with herself and the late magazine mogul during their marriage. She described how her late husband liked to have 'at least five girls' at the same time when they would get intimate in the bedroom. Crystal revealed in her book that she used to 'find girls' for sex orgies with herself and the late magazine mogul during their marriage In a candid recollection about the experience, the former Playmate admitted that it had been a 'relief' to recruit other women so that she would not have to be 'sexual with him all alone.' The pin-up, who wed the magazine publisher when she was 26 and he was 86 in 2012, wrote: 'After the twins [Kristina and Karissa Shannon] were gone, it became my job to help find girls to come up to the bedroom at parties at the mansion, or on an increasingly rare night out. 'It was a big part of the reason we still went out at all: for Hef to find fresh girls.' She continued: 'Sometimes Hef would point someone out. Other times, I picked. He liked to have at least five girls, and I knew what he liked. It was actually a relief to have other women up in the bedroom with me, to not have to be sexual with him all alone. If these other girls were doing it, then I didn't have to. 'And there were always so many girls eager for a turn in Hugh Hefner's bed, sidling up to me at every party, desperate to be picked. I felt torn - part of me wanted to turn them down for their own good. But I also knew it was going to be someone coming up, so it might as well be someone who really wanted to go. 'I trusted that as adults they were making their own decisions about their bodies, but I also felt a responsibility to make the whole experience exciting for them. Or if not exciting then at least not so awkward. ' Crystal admitted that she would ensure that the women she recruited would know that they couldn't take her place, as she continued: 'Sometimes they would try to stick around, hanging on Hef and sucking up to him. There seemed to be an endless stream of women desperate to get into the mansion; it never slowed down. Crystal, pictured right, was the final wife of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner - pictured together with Kristina and Karissa Shannon at Hugh's 83rd birthday pool party in 2009 The model reveals all in her new memoir, Only Say Good Things 'And it solidified the feeling even more that I couldn't possibly walk away. The more other people wanted what I had, the tighter I clung to it. When somebody stuck around for any length of time, I'd try to find out what they wanted. Girlfriend? Playmate? What? 'It got to the point where I'd ask them, point blank. Surprised, they'd answer. "Uh, Playmate," said one very young-looking girl named Talia.' The model, who was married to Hugh until his death at the age of 91 in 2017, made it clear that she did not enjoy the group sex encounters with her husband and the other women. She wrote: 'Here I was in the Playboy Mansion, in Hugh Hefner's bed with Hugh Hefner inside me, beautiful naked women surrounding me, and there was nothing sexy about it. 'This wasn't about making love. It was about power and control and leverage. It was a performance. I was auditioning for a part. I thought it was about my power. The pin-up famously wed the magazine publisher when she was 26 and he was 86 in 2012 - pictured in 2009 The 37-year-old described how her late husband liked to have 'at least five girls' at the same time when they would get intimate in the bedroom - pictured in 2009 'And with Madonna still singing in the background, [another Playmate] Amber pulling out sex toys from the cabinet behind the bed, I gritted my teeth and surrendered to the task at hand. The twins had quietly slipped away, leaving us to do the job they clearly didn't want to do.' She continued: 'So Amber and I pretended, like women have done in every porn movie ever made. Our job tonight was to make Hugh Hefner feel like he was the man. 'This was his fantasy, and our only job was to reassure him that this was everything we ever wanted or needed, that this was our fantasy, too, that this scene was every woman's fantasy. 'Amber and I pretended to use the sex toys on each other. I moaned harder and louder. Hugh Hefner smiled. 'After a while he was just done, no climax, just done. Suddenly he waved us off of him, almost pushing us to the side....' The model was married to Hugh until his death at the age of 91 in 2017 and has decided to share the truth about her time living in the Playboy mansion Crystal continued that he would 'finish the job' by himself and as his face 'contorted as if he was in pain,' she 'panicked' that he was 'having some kind of eighty-one-year-old-man attack,' but he was okay. 'It was the strangest five seconds of my life. He gave us each a little pat on the shoulder. "You can stay the night in here if you want to, and you're welcome to spend the weekend with me and my babies,"' she wrote. In the book, Crystal shares more details about living at the Playboy Mansion famously populated by Playboy 'bunnies' hand-picked by Hugh himself including how her husband had a 'cruel streak,' and had been addicted to Viagra and painkillers. Hugh passed away aged 91 in 2017 as a result of heart failure and septicemia after contracting a deadly strain of e-coli, leaving a reported $43 million fortune. Crystal Hefner's Only Say Good Things: Surviving Playboy And Finding Myself will be available for purchase from January 23. Bella Thorne commanded attention on Tuesday as she stepped out in a very revealing outfit for several Haute Couture shows during Paris Fashion Week. The actress, 26, left little to the imagination as she arrived at the Stephane Rolland show and in a plunging emerald green gown. The semi-sheer dress left her cleavage on full display and boasted long flowing sleeves that she flung into the air. Bella ensured all eyes were on her ample assets, as the daring neckline was encrusted in glass beads. The former Disney Channel star boosted her height in a pair of towering metallic gold high heels. Bella Thorne commanded attention on Tuesday as she stepped out in a very revealing outfit for several Haute Couture shows during Paris Fashion Week The actress, 26, left little to the imagination as she arrived at the Stephane Rolland show and in a plunging emerald green gown The semi-sheer dress left her cleavage on full display and boasted long flowing sleeves that she flung into the air She covered her fiery red hair underneath a hood connecting to her dress and outlined her eyes in black kohl. She posed inside the glitzy fashion bash before sitting front row, and flashed a look at her giant diamond engagement ring. Last month, Bella revealed that the huge rock was actually her fifth ring, after her fiance Mark Emms got her a batch of five to choose from. She explained that her husband-to-be, 44, 'saw her face' after he popped the question and knew it wasn't 'the one'. Bella admitted she 'didn't see anything wrong' with the first ring but the entrepreneur insisted on her finding the perfect style. The former Disney star said she 'wore each ring for like two weeks to try it out' as Mark 'wanted it to be perfect'. The couple got engaged after nine months of dating in May 2023, after meeting on the beach in Ibiza at Cara Delevingne's birthday party. Bella previously said she envisioned their 'fairytale' wedding taking place in the UK, where Mark is originally from, and gushed that she would love to be surrounded by 'huge trees and lots of twinkling lights'. Bella ensured all eyes were on her ample assets, as the daring neckline was encrusted in glass beads The former Disney Channel star boosted her height in a pair of towering metallic gold high heels She covered her fiery red hair underneath a hood connecting to her dress and outlined her eyes in black kohl She posed inside the glitzy fashion bash before sitting front row, and flashed a look at her giant diamond engagement ring Last month, Bella revealed that the huge rock was actually her fifth ring, after her fiance Mark Emms got her a batch of five to choose from She explained that her husband-to-be, 44, 'saw her face' after he popped the question and knew it wasn't 'the one' Bella admitted she 'didn't see anything wrong' with the first ring but the entrepreneur insisted on her finding the perfect style The former Disney star said she 'wore each ring for like two weeks to try it out' as Mark 'wanted it to be perfect' The couple got engaged after nine months of dating in May 2023, after meeting on the beach in Ibiza at Cara Delevingne's birthday party (pictured) Bella previously said she envisioned their 'fairytale' wedding taking place in the UK and gushed that she would love to be surrounded by 'huge trees and lots of twinkling lights' But she admitted last month that they hadn't done a lot of wedding planning yet due to their busy schedules, despite setting the date for 2024 Noah Cyrus opted for a brown long sleeved dress with a silver collar But she admitted last month that they hadn't done a lot of wedding planning yet due to their busy schedules, despite setting the date for 2024. Her appearance at Paris Fashion Week comes after Bella revealed that she will be making her directorial feature debut. She announced she would be directing the film Color Your Hurt, which will follow the true story of a young gay man growing up in the Bible Belt. The project is based on Bella's original screenplay from a short film she made called Unsettled, which is in post-production. The star has begun casting for the movie with the aim to start filming in the Midwest and Italy this spring. Speaking to Deadline about the project, Bella said: 'Color Your Hurt is not just a screenplay; its one of the most inspiring projects Ive ever penned. 'As I step into my new role as a movie director, it symbolizes the beginning of a truly impactful and exhilarating chapter in my career. 'I could not be more honored to tell a true story that has moments I deeply connect with.' Bella's first time in the directing chair came in 2019, when she directed the adult film Her & Him, which garnered positive reviews. Bella ensured all eyes were on her as she struck a series of poses at the event The star accentuated her natural beauty with a light palette of makeup Her appearance at Paris Fashion Week comes after Bella revealed that she will be making her directorial feature debut She announced she would be directing the film Color Your Hurt, which will follow the true story of a young gay man growing up in the Bible Belt The project is based on Bella's original screenplay from a short film she made called Unsettled, which is in post-production The star has begun casting for the movie with the aim to start filming in the Midwest and Italy this spring Speaking to Deadline about the project, Bella said: 'Color Your Hurt is not just a screenplay; its one of the most inspiring projects Ive ever penned' 'As I step into my new role as a movie director, it symbolizes the beginning of a truly impactful and exhilarating chapter in my career. I could not be more honored to tell a true story that has moments I deeply connect with' Deadpool 3 stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman tussled on the grass on Monday as they continued filming the comedy-action movie in the south of England. Ryan, 47, was in full red and black Deadpool attire complete with the mask while Hugh, 55, wore just his yellow and black Wolverine suit. The film's star energetically jumped onto the irritated-looking Hugh's back and locked one arm around his neck. Hugh attempted to shake him off but Ryan was too strong at first. Hugh eventually succeeded, and the two began walking peacefully side by side. It was just Ryan and Hugh on set during these specific scenes but on Friday they were joined by Ryan's stunt double. Deadpool 3 stars Ryan Reynolds, 47, and Hugh Jackman, 55, tussled on the grass as they continued filming the comedy-action movie in the south of England Ryan was in full red and black Deadpool attire complete with the mask while Hugh wore just his yellow and black Wolverine suit The film's star energetically jumped onto the irritated-looking Wolverine's back and locked one arm around his neck Hugh last played Wolverine in 2017's Logan. The revival of the clawed and flawed character comes as he separates from his wife after 27 years of marriage. Deadpool 3 began filming last year but had to take a four-month break from July to November due to the US actors' strike. Production of the film is believed to have been relocated to the UK so Ryan can manage his commitments with his team Wrexham FC. Last month, images from the filming of Deadpool 3 revealed another major X-Men cameo is set to occur in the upcoming movie. Fans were sent into meltdown when it was revealed Hugh would be reprising his role alongside Sabretooth (Victor Creed). Pictures - taken on set a month before the actors' strike ground filming to a temporary halt - revealed Sabretooth's comeback. Sabretooth is one of Wolverine's greatest nemeses and Hugh and Victor were seen filming tense scenes on a British beach. Hugh last played Wolverine in 2017's Logan. The revival of the clawed and flawed character comes as he separates from his wife after 27 years of marriage Production of Deadpool 3 is believed to have been relocated to the UK so Ryan can manage his commitments with his team Wrexham FC Deadpool 3 began filming last year but had to take a four-month break from July to November due to the US actors' strike Back on set, Wolverine attempted to shake Deadpool off but Ryan was too strong at first, clinging on Wolverine looked merely inconvenienced by the weight of a full-grown man on his back, not even using his arms to support the load Eventually, Wolverine overpowered Deadpool and he dramatically begins to fall, arms and legs flailing wildly Deadpool reached out to Wolverine for support as he fell but the X Man swiftly moved away, leading Deadpool to a rough landing Wolverine left Deadpool on the ground and headed in the opposite direction, but the resilient superhero was already on his way to his feet Once again side by side, Deadpool enthusiastically tells Wolverine a story, raising his arms high in the air while the mutant looks perplexed Wolverine and Deadpool then set their sights on something else and form a reunited front as they walk calmly together Among those set to star in the upcoming film is The Crown's Emma Corrin, who will play a lead villain whose name has not been disclosed. Ryan tweeted: 'New addition to the family! The Deadpool family, for clarity. Which is just like a real family except with less swearing... Welcome, Emma Corrin!' The film will also feature Jennifer Garner, reprising her character Elektra who has not been seen for over 20 years, since 2003's Daredevil. The day after Ryan announced that Hugh would return as the late Wolverine, the pair sat down for a faux fan Q&A. 'I had a lot of questions. I'm sure you had a lot of questions. But rest assured, we're going to answer them right now,' Hugh promised. 'Like, for example, how is Wolverine alive after Logan?' Ryan clarified that Logan was set in 2029 and it was a 'totally separate thing' - hinting it might involve the MCU multi-verse. When audiences last saw Wolverine, whose healing powers were diminished, he had been stabbed in the heart and impaled by a branch by his evil clone X-24 in the 2017 film Logan. He was then buried by his mutant daughter Laura and the other Transigen children beneath a wooden X to honour his time with the X-Men. Among those set to star in the upcoming film is The Crown's Emma Corrin, who will play a lead villain whose name has not been disclosed Ryan tweeted: 'New addition to the family! The Deadpool family, for clarity. Which is just like a real family except with less swearing... Welcome, Emma Corrin!' The film will also feature Jennifer Garner, reprising her character Elektra who has not been seen for over 20 years, since 2003's Daredevil The day after Ryan announced that Hugh would return as the late Wolverine, the pair sat down for a faux fan Q&A Hugh promised: 'I had a lot of questions. I'm sure you had a lot of questions. But rest assured, we're going to answer them right now. Like, for example, how is Wolverine alive after Logan?' Ryan clarified that Logan was set in 2029 and it was a 'totally separate thing' - hinting it might involve the MCU multi-verse When audiences last saw Wolverine, whose healing powers were diminished, he had been stabbed in the heart and impaled by a branch by his evil clone X-24 in the 2017 film Logan He was then buried by his mutant daughter Laura and the other Transigen children beneath a wooden X to honour his time with the X-Men Deadpool 3 follows Deadpool 2 in 2018 and Deadpool in 2016. The franchise's first sequel is among the highest-grossing R-rated films in history, R-rated meaning unsuitable for those under 17. Development on Deadpool 3 began at 20th Century Fox in 2016, but was placed on hold after the studio was acquired by Disney in 2019. Deadpool 3, its working titles, hits US cinemas on July 26. A UK release date as not yet been announced. Kanye West shared a new photo of his wife, Bianca Censori, covered head-to-toe in fur to Instagram after receiving backlash for posting a scandalous snap of her posing almost naked. On Tuesday morning, just days after sending the internet into a frenzy over an image of Censori, 29, wearing a nude string thong one piece in the kitchen, the 46-year-old rapper uploaded a picture of his spouse rocking a snow leopard printed coat from BLUEMARBLE's 2024 fall/ winter runway collection. Censori's face was completely shielded by the floor-length garment's massive hood, which only exposed a bit of her neck and feet. She completed the conservative ensemble with a pair of black leather pumps. Kanye West shared a new photo of his wife, Bianca Censori, covered head-to-toe in fur to Instagram after receiving backlash for posting a scandalous snap of her posing almost naked 'DRY,' her husband captioned the post, one day after she stepped out in a tank top with 'WET' emblazoned across her chest. The comment section was full of fans voicing their thoughts on Censori's latest look. 'Good job, shes dressed now,' one joked. A third predicted: 'This one about to be deleted after he realizes we notice she has clothes on lol.' Another mused: 'Hey ye friendly reminder you are supposed to be dropping and album not promoting your girl's future Only Fans.' A handful admitted they were fed up with the content of his wife as they pleaded they've had 'enough.' Later, he shared a trailer for his and Ty Dolla Signs three-volume project, Vultures, which will drop in volumes on February 9, March 8 and April 5. West - who recently got $850k titanium teeth fitted - has been sharing a slew of highly sexualised images of his wife, despite slamming his ex-wife Kim Kardashian for 'dressing too sexy' during his stint as a gospel artist. When Kim wore a custom corset-style minidress made of silk organza and dripping crystals by French designer Thierry Mugler at the 2019 Met Gala, Ye openly slammed the reality TV icon's ensemble. On Tuesday morning, just days after sending the internet into a frenzy over an image of Censori, 29, wearing a nude string thong one piece in the kitchen, the 46-year-old rapper uploaded a picture of his spouse rocking a snow leopard printed coat from BLUEMARBLE's 2024 fall/ winter runway collection Later, he shared a trailer for his and Ty Dolla Signs three-volume project, Vultures Ye confirmed it will roll out its initial volume on February 9, then the next two volumes on March 8 and April 5 The trailer was shot by Canadian artist and filmmaker, Jon Rafman Vultures has been delayed numerous times over the years 'I didn't realize that that was affecting my soul and my spirit as someone that's married and loved, the father of what's about to be four kids,' Ye said about Kim's outfit choice. 'A corset is a form of underwear. It's hot. It's like, it's hot for who, though?' You are my wife, and it affects me when pictures are too sexy,' he told his wife. Kanye's criticism came amidst his gospel phase, during which the rapper hosted Sunday Services to worship Jesus Christ and God. In a clip from Kanye's 2022 interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, the rapper blasted Kim again in what many people have described as 'slut-shaming' attempts. 'Now Kim is a Christian, but she has people who want her to go to Interview magazine and put her a** out while she's a 40-something-year-old multibillionaire with four black children.' West - who recently got $850k titanium teeth fitted - has been sharing a slew of highly sexualised images of his wife , despite slamming his ex-wife Kim Kardashian for 'dressing too sexy' during his stint as a gospel artist (seen in May 2023) Last year it was claimed Kanye and Bianca wed for 'religious reasons' after he vowed to abstain from sex until marriage following his divorce from Kim Kardashian. After months of mystery surrounding their whirlwind union, an insider dished to Us Weekly that the lovebirds walked down the aisle to 'be intimate.' 'Kanye calls her his muse and loves dressing her up,' the source added, before noting that the Grammy winner is 'very much 'in love' and 'inspired' by his spouse. The pair have hit the headlines for their attention seeking outfit choices and bizarre outings of late. Ye's risque Instagram posts prove the rapper to be a hypocrite, given his history of shaming his ex Kim Kardashian for her revealing clothes, despite none of her fashion choices being as explicit as Bianca's consistently revealing outfits Their most shocking excursion came when when they were spotted enjoying an amorous moment on a water taxi in Venice, with Kanye exposing his bare buttocks in front of gawking tourists. Images of the couple showed the American rapper seated at the back of the river taxi while his Australian bride placed her head in his lap. Venezia Turismo Motoscafi, the company that rented the boat to the showbiz couple later told Daily Mail Australia that the pair are 'no longer welcome' aboard their boats. In its statement the company condemned the pair's bawdy activity, while confirming they were 'completely unaware' about what occurred on the boat until the photos were made public. Fury is mounting on social media after Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were snubbed for Oscar nominations for their film Barbie. The Academy Award nominations were announced to fanfare in Hollywood on Tuesday morning - but the two most prominent women involved in last year's billion-dollar blockbuster were notably left out. Greta failed to secure a nomination for best director this year, and Margot, who played the title character, was also passed over for best lead actress. The omissions attracted extra attention on account of the fact that Ryan Gosling, who played Ken, did get nominated for best supporting actor. Some social media commentators leapt to point the finger at sexism - despite the fact America Ferrera was nominated for best supporting actress for the same film. Fury is mounting on social media after Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were snubbed for Oscar nods for Barbie; seen last week The omissions attracted extra attention on account of the fact that Ryan Gosling , who played Ken, did get nominated for best supporting actor 'Wait Ryan Gosling got nominated for his role as Ken, but Margot Robbie didn't get nominated for Barbie?!' groused one livid fan on X Ryan's big musical number in the film, I'm Just Ken, is also up for an award. with the nomination honoring songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt Ryan's big musical number in the film, I'm Just Ken, is also up for an award. with the nomination honoring songwriters Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. Further, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell landed a nod for What Was I Made For?, another song written for Barbie. 'Ryan Gosling, while deserving, got an Oscar nomination for Barbie while Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie didnt?' wrote one outraged fan on X. 'Completely proving the point of the movie in 20 f***ing 24 you cannot make this up,' the social media user added, referring to the movie's feminist themes. 'Wait Ryan Gosling got nominated for his role as Ken, but Margot Robbie didn't get nominated for Barbie?! And Greta got snubbed for Best Director?!?! Way to justify the literal plot of the movie,' wrote another X user, echoing the theme. A third groused: 'If Ryan deserved a nom, then Margot certainly did, the fact she wouldn't have won isn't the point. It almost feels like the Academy deliberately played into the theme of the movie to get people talking. #Oscars haven't been about who actually deserves it for a long time.' Although Margot is not in the running for best lead actress, the movie itself is up for best picture, meaning she has in fact been nominated as a producer. Greta and her husband Noah Baumbach are also nominated jointly this year for having written the adapted screenplay of Barbie. X, formerly known as Twitter, erupted in outrage at the snubs Some social media commentators leapt to point the finger at sexism - despite the fact America Ferrera was nominated for best supporting actress for the same film Margot has previously been nominated for two Oscars - best lead actress for her 2017 film I, Tonya, a biopic of Tonya Harding, and best supporting actress for the 2020 film Bombshell, which dramatized the story of the Fox News sex scandals. Meanwhile Greta was previously nominated for the best director Oscar for her 2017 film Lady Bird, which marked her first time solo at the helm of a feature film. She was also nominated for that film's screenplay, as well as the script of her follow-up feature, the 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel Little Women. In a recent interview, Margot revealed that she harbors an ambition to one day follow in Greta's footsteps and become a director herself. 'I really do want to direct,' she told Deadline. 'I've felt like I wanted to direct for about the last seven years. But I've always seen it as a privilege, not a right.' She reflected: 'I've been slowly working towards the feeling that I've earned the right to direct, and I feel I'm getting close to that feeling now.' Vicky McClure kept things casual as she attended the launch of the second series of ITV's Trigger Point in a tracksuit, ahead of its premiere on Sunday. The Line of Duty actress, 40, was spotted at Ugly Duck in London on Tuesday celebrating the upcoming season. She opted for a casual ensemble for the photo call, sporting an Adidas tracksuit and trainers, with her hair scraped up in a messy bun. In Trigger Point, Vicky plays lead character Lana Washington - a police bomb disposal officer who lost her best friend and colleague Joel 'Nut' Nutkins and her brother Billy in explosions in 2022's series one, as well as being betrayed by her friend Karl, who it transpired was behind the bombings. The explosive series is back for another six-part run, with the first episode debuting on Sunday January 28. Vicky McClure kept things casual as she attended the launch of the second series of ITV 's Trigger Point in a tracksuit, ahead of its premiere on Sunday In Trigger Point, Vicky plays lead character Lana Washington - a police bomb disposal officer who lost her best friend and colleague Joel 'Nut' Nutkins and her brother Billy in explosions in 2022's series one In the six months since the events of season one's final episode, Lana has been in Estonia, training Ukrainian bomb disposal officers. But in this new series she's back in the UK dealing with more explosive situations, as well as the news that the man she still carries a torch for, DCI Thom Youngblood, has a new girlfriend. In episode one Lana is in London giving a lecture to security officers from financial institutions about terrorism issues when a huge nearby explosion lights up the picture window behind her audience, queuing up another high-octane thriller. 'Everything about Trigger Point is elevated this time around,' Vicky told Weekend Magazine. 'We couldn't get some items to film with first time around because of Covid, but for this series we have more explosives, more cameras, more angles and more amazing stunts.' 'Season one was quite small and personal,' says executive producer Jed Mercurio, who was also behind Line Of Duty. 'This season it's much more enigmatic, and it's only revealed later in the series what the organisation's agenda is. As another executive producer on the series, which won Best New Drama at the National Television Awards, Vicky also had a say in how to portray Lana's emotional reaction to all the trauma. Vicky opted for a casual ensemble for the photo call, sporting an Adidas tracksuit and trainers, with her hair scraped up in a messy bun The Line of Duty actress, 40, was spotted at Ugly Duck in London on Tuesday celebrating the upcoming season Vicky was pictured at the launch attempting to 'defuse a bomb' as she posed for photographs In the six months since the events of season one's final episode, Lana (seen is Vicky at the launch) has been in Estonia, training Ukrainian bomb disposal officers 'I was talking to the production team last night and saying this has to hit a peak now,' she says. There can only be so many times Lana can get blown off her feet and brush herself off and not acknowledge whats going on around her. Its got to have an effect shes at the forefront of it every time. We thought a lot about the trauma Lana and the team had been through, how that feels and how we should play it. 'I think theres a lot to be said for doing nothing. Working in those kinds of fields, you can become quite desensitised to things and deal with them privately. I didnt want to turn Lana into this quivering mess all of a sudden. Shes still got a big job on her hands and shes determined to see it through. Trigger Point, Sunday 28 January, 9pm, ITV1 and ITVX. It was the famous scene where Will Ferrells loveable character Buddy devoured spaghetti deluged in maple syrup in the much-watched festive movie, Elf. The concoction, which also featured marshmallows, Smarties and a smashed up Pop Tart, became so globally famous that restaurants across the world sold their own versions of the meal. And now, speaking for the first time about the iconic moment in the 2003 film, Will has revealed that the dish happened by chance because there was nothing in the script for him to create the dish. Instead, the Hollywood actor says that he instead improvised it with no help from his production staff. Speaking to Ruth Rogers - the owner of Michelin starred Italian restaurant The River Cafe - on her podcast Ruthies Table 4, Will described the moment as his favourite food scene from his illustrious career. Will Ferrell, 56, has admitted he created the iconic maple syrup covered spaghetti dish in festive classic Elf himself as he reveals the scene was improvised during an appearance on Ruth Rogers's podcast Ruthie's Table 4 The concoction, which also featured marshmallows, Smarties and a smashed up Pop Tart, became so globally famous that restaurants across the world sold their own versions of the meal Will, 56, told the restaurateur: The one that is kind of sweet is eating the spaghetti and maple syrup in Elf. Because, we didnt really plan out what, they just put a bunch of stuff in front of me and I just kind of improvised that and ate as much as I could so hundreds of kids every year asked me what it tastes like. That's the one that stands out the most. The unusual concoction was showcased in the hit 2003 comedy which followed elf Buddy as he headed from the North Pole to New York in a bid to track down his real father. After meeting his father Walter and his partner, Emily, Buddy was left alone in their Manhattan apartment where he decided to create his own breakfast meal using everything sweet he could find in the kitchen. He threw on marshmallows, Smarties, broken up pop tarts and maple syrup before slurping up the pasta, looking delighted with his meal. Meanwhile Will, who won an Emmy award for his role as executive producer of Sky Atlantic drama Succession, also revealed he is yet to return to work following last years strikes. Hollywood stars refused to work between July 14 to November 9 after the the American actors union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) decided to strike over a labour dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Will admitted: Because, we didnt really plan out what, they just put a bunch of stuff in front of me and I just kind of improvised that and ate as much as I could so hundreds of kids every year asked me what it tastes like' In the iconic film Buddy was left alone in his father's Manhattan apartment as he decides create his own breakfast meal using everything sweet he could find in the kitchen The actor, who had just finished a voiceover role for a movie named Strays alongside Isla Fisher (pictured with canine cast member Sophie at CinemaCon 2023) The actor, who had just finished a voiceover role for a movie named Strays alongside Isla Fisher, told Ruthies Table 4 that he is still kind of on a holding pattern because of the SAG strike. He added: I have been at home more and kind of waiting for the next thing to happen. The father-of-three was also quizzed by Ruthie on whether any of this three sons Magnus, 19, Mattias, 17, and Axel, 14, had ever worked as waiters. He replied that they hadnt but it would be a nice wake up call for them. To listen to the podcast go to Ruthie's Table 4 (chtbl.com) The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton was left so devastated by an agonising pain disorder that she considered taking her own life. Recruitment manager Charlotte, 32, was the latest contestant to be banished from The Traitors castle after the roundtable descended into chaos in Friday's episode. Since leaving the show, the television personality has spoke out about a chronic condition she suffers with, which has caused her to miss out 'on a lot of things in life'. Charlotte has trigeminal neuralgia, which is sudden, severe facial pain often described as a sharp shooting pain or like having an electric shock in the jaw, teeth or gums, according to the NHS. The painful attacks, which can last from a few seconds to two minutes and can stop as suddenly as they start after being provoked by light touch, have been described as 'the worst pain known to man', with the condition also known as 'suicide disease'. The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton was left so devastated by an agonising pain disorder that she considered taking her own life Charlotte has trigeminal neuralgia, which is sudden, severe facial pain often described as a sharp shooting pain or like having an electric shock in the jaw, teeth or gums (pictured this week) Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Charlotte said she 'didnt want to live anymore' as she struggled with the pain and had a 'terrible time' after having brain surgery in her twenties to treat the condition. Charlotte explained: 'You dont know when youre going to have your next pain and when you do have your pain, it can be managed sometimes with painkillers or it can be to a point youre screaming, you want to stick a knife in your face because its unbearable. 'Its actually known as the "suicide disease" because it has such a high percentage of people who [die by] suicide because its just agony. Its the worst pain condition you can have.' An emotional Charlotte admitted she had missed out in life because of the condition, adding: 'I didnt want to live anymore. I was at my worst.' Charlottes wife Laura found a surgeon to treat the reality star but her situation took a horrific turn for the worse. She was involved in a car accident and hit her head which caused the pains to come back. She was rushed into hospital and the surgery was performed again. Charlotte said her nerve was 'shredded' as part of the operation in a bid to help her but the recovery the second time was a lot longer and she suffered from short-term memory loss. As part of her recovery, she had to learn to eat, talk and walk again, and also had to work on her coordination. Charlotte said she 'didnt want to live anymore' as she struggled with the pain and had a 'terrible time' after having brain surgery in her twenties to treat the condition (Charlotte, left, pictured with her wife Laura) WHAT IS TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA? Trigeminal neuralgia is sudden, severe facial pain, often described as a sharp shooting pain or like having an electric shock in the jaw, teeth or gums. It is caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve which is inside the skull and transmits sensations of pain and touch from your face, teeth and mouth to your brain It usually happens in short, unpredictable attacks that can last from a few seconds to about two minutes. In most cases, trigeminal neuralgia affects just one side of the face, with the pain usually felt in the lower part of the face. It can affect both sides. Attacks of pain can happen regularly for days, weeks or months at a time. In severe cases attacks may happen hundreds of times a day. It can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life, resulting in problems such as weight loss, isolation and depression. The condition can be treated with medicine or surgery. SOURCE: NHS Advertisement Charlotte still gets pains today despite her treatment and said one side of her face often feels numb. Charlotte was the latest star to be banished after the round table descended into chaos in Friday's drama-packed episode. She came under suspicion of being a Traitor after her close ally Charlie was murdered in a shock twist as they believed she was double-bluffing with the move. Charlotte then got locked in a tense war of words with Jasmine at the round table as they both went for each other in dramatic scenes, before she was voted out by the group. The roundtable descended into chaos as her co-stars thought she was becoming 'defensive' over the Traitor accusations, and uncertainly decided to banish her. However, they were left devastated when she revealed she was a Faithful as they sent another member of their team home as the pressure ramped up for the final. The dramatic roundtable saw Charlotte and Jasmine locked in a tense war of words as they both suspected the other of being a Traitor. Jasmine said: 'I think you're being really suspicious today, I think you're doing a lot of overcompensating of the fact that Charlie's gone, you're really honing in on the fact that you're a Faithful through and through.' To which Charlotte said: 'Well you accused me this morning, so of course I am,' prompting Jasmine to fume: 'Sorry Charlotte, when you were speaking, did I interrupt you?' Looking unimpressed, Charlotte went on: 'I'm going to get defensive when somebody tells me that I'm not a Faithful... I'm passionate about this. I get you see this as an angry girl, but I love the bones off every one of you.' After saying she loved her co-stars, Jasmine looked unconvinced, with Charlotte arguing: 'Why are you giving that look like you don't? I think you're awesome, you're making this personal, not me!' Molly then asked Charlotte if she tried to recruit her friend Charlie, prompting her to hit back with: 'No because she's terrible, she can barely sit at a table, why the hell would I recruit someone like that?' The Traitors star Charlotte was the latest star to be banished after the round table descended into chaos in Friday's episode Charlotte had come under suspicion of being a Traitor after her close ally Charlie was murdered (pictured) as they believed she was double-bluffing with the move The group then decided to vote out Charlotte, with Traitor Harry tactically admitting he 'wasn't sure' about the group decision as he tried to keep suspicion off himself. After announcing she was a Faithful upon her exit, a confused Ross asked: 'Why would she just compensate and overcompensate?' Jasmine then said to camera after being wrong in her convictions: 'Charlotte was a Faithful, I was completely wrong! But I'd rather speak up than not say anything, but people are going to be suspicious of me.' The Traitors returns on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Killers Of The Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone made Oscar history on Tuesday. The 37-year-old star's Best Actress nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese's hit Western, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, at this year's Academy Awards makes her the first ever Native woman of American descent to be nominated in this category. In response to the honor, Gladstone told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that she was 'so excited.' 'I didn't think I was going to cry, but I did. I was on the phone with my folks,' she gushed. Killers Of The Flower Moon's Lily Gladstone made Oscar history on Tuesday morning (seen earlier this month at the 81st Annual Golden Globe Awards) She continued: 'I've been acting for a long time. I'm new to the studio world, (but) I've been in theater and indies for a long time... I was completely expecting my life would be in small black box theater, would be in independent film, would be in the classroom, teaching students about social justice and history using the art of acting.' Gladstone went on to call the nomination 'a dream that you have when youre young' that's 'beyond anything' she 'could have hoped for.' The feat comes just weeks after the first Indigenous actor to win a Golden Globe in the ceremony's 81-year history. In Scorsese's film, Gladstone -- who uses she/they pronouns portrayed Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman whose family members are tragically murdered in a plot to seize their fortune. Gladstone, whose heritage includes Blackfeet and Nez Perce roots, is now just the second Native actress recognized by the Globes. The first was Irene Bedard, nominated in 1995 for the television movie Lakota Woman: Siege at Wounded Knee. 'This is a historic one, and it doesn't belong to just me,' Gladstone said in English, after opening their acceptance speech speaking in the Blackfeet language. 'I'm holding it with all of my beautiful sisters in the film and my mother [in the film], Tantoo Cardinal.' The star then noted that, in the past, Hollywood would create fictional Native languages instead of portraying them accurately and authentically. The 37-year-old actress' Best Actress nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese's hit Western, also starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, at this year's Academy Awards makes her the first ever Native woman of American descent to be nominated in this category In response to the honor, Gladstone told Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager that she was 'so excited' (seen in January 2024) 'I'm so grateful that I can speak even a little bit of my language because in this business, Native actors used to speak their lines in English and then the sound mixers would run them backwards to accomplish Native languages on camera,' Gladstone explained. She then thanked Chief Standing Bear and the Osage Nation as well as Scorsese, and her costars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, for being 'allies.' 'This is for every little res kid, every little urban kid, every little Native kid out there who has a dream, who is seeing themselves represented and our stories told by ourselves, in our own words, with tremendous allies and tremendous trust with each other.' In May 2023, Killers of the Flower Moon received a rapturous nine-minute standing ovation when it premiered at Cannes Film Festival. Words like 'searing and 'masterpiece' were bandied about by critics who managed to get their hands on a ticket to the first screening. IndieWire said DiCaprio gives 'his best-ever performance', while The Guardian awarded five stars for a 'remarkable epic about the bloody birth of America.' Words like 'searing and 'masterpiece' were bandied about by critics who managed to get their hands on a ticket to the first screening. IndieWire said DiCaprio gives 'his best-ever performance', while The Guardian awarded five stars for a 'remarkable epic about the bloody birth of America.' Jorgie Porter has praised her 'supportive' fiance Oliver Piotrowski for helping her bounce back after the loss of their quadruplets. The couple welcomed their first child, son Forest, in December 2022 after tragically miscarrying quadruplets at 14 weeks in August 2021. The Hollyoaks actress, 36, then had a second miscarriage six weeks into another pregnancy in February 2022 - on the day of the couple's engagement party. In a joint interview, the happy couple spoke to Cheshire Life about how they have coped with baby loss. While Jorgie explained that their heartbreak made them 'stronger' as a couple, Oliver added it was important to be open about their raw emotions to get through the tough time. Jorgie Porter, 36, has praised her 'supportive' fiance Oliver Piotrowski for helping her bounce back after the loss of their quadruplets The couple welcomed their first child, son Forest, in December 2022 after tragically miscarrying quadruplets at 14 weeks in August 2021 She said: 'We felt it was important to talk to each other and try and be open and honest about how we felt. We went through the toughest times and it made us stronger. Having Ollie there by my side gave me the most support.' Oliver added: 'I think it's really important to just take each day as it comes, to take each emotion as it hits, whether it's anger or sadness. As a man, I think you can feel helpless. I wanted to protect Jorgie and take away her pain but in reality all you can do is be there for each other.' Jorgie, who has dated Oliver since 2020, recently appeared on an episode of Giovanna Fletcher's podcast, Happy Mum Happy Baby. Opening up about the tragic miscarriage, she said: 'I remember just like, we were arguing and stuff. 'And I was just like, you have to tell me what you're feeling and thinking because you'd like keep it in a bit at times. And then he'd like, let loose and tell me everything. 'And I was like, Ah, okay, and so we really lucky with each other, that we opened up so much, maybe in an argumentative way. 'But then we came around afterwards and was like, to so caring, so loving, so understanding and so like, oh, it's not just me, the mum that's been through this, like, Ollie as the dad has suffered loss. She added: 'And also, he's not been able to do anything physically, emotionally, like he didn't have, you know, a very helpless position to be Yeah. The Hollyoaks actress then had a second miscarriage six weeks into another pregnancy in February 2022 - on the day of the couple's engagement party (picture with son Forest) In a joint interview, the happy couple spoke to Cheshire Life about how they have coped with baby loss While Jorgie explained that their heartbreak made them 'stronger' as a couple, Oliver added it was important to be open about their raw emotions to get through the tough time She said: 'We felt it was important to talk to each other and try and be open and honest about how we felt. We went through the toughest times and it made us stronger. Having Ollie there by my side gave me the most support' Oliver added: 'I think it's really important to just take each day as it comes, to take each emotion as it hits, whether it's anger or sadness. As a man, I think you can feel helpless' He added: 'I wanted to protect Jorgie and take away her pain but in reality all you can do is be there for each other' 'And so, he felt like he couldn't say anything at the time. But now I was like, you have to because you are a part of it. It's a partnership.' Speaking about finding out they were due to have four babies, Jorgie said: 'Yes, (the nurse) did say I can see three sacks. So she said they could be triplets. 'Ollie lost his mind. He went 'whoa, what?' He went pale. He didn't speak. I was like, 'Oh, wow, triplets. Jeez.' And I remember leaving that room be like, Whoa, that's a lot. 'And he was like, we have to change the car, I don't want to drive a minibus. Like he's thinking we can't really afford three and I'm like, wow, three. Okay, that's cute. 'So, then we get to this hospital the next day and the woman was on a computer for good half an hour. Like really long. They were all silent. And we've all got masks on. 'Couldn't see anyone's expression as well. So, we were like, when she turned to me, like I was like, I've actually counted four Ollie, literally lost his mind. 'Silence. And I was like, Four! Four! And I was swearing, I was like 'I can't hold f******g four, I'm too small.' Amid the couple's heartache, Jorgie shared the happy news that Ollie had popped the question three weeks before Christmas. Jorgie recently discussed helping Oliver come to terms with the loss of their quadruplets The actress, best known for her role as Theresa McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, got engaged to Ollie while staying at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perth and Kinross. The former Dancing On Ice star and her fiance have been dating since 2020 and went Instagram official in October of that year. Jorgie returned to Hollyoaks in 2020 as part of a storyline to mark the soap's 25th birthday. Nadia Sawalha made a political statement about IsraelHamas war as she arrived at the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday. The actress and television personality, 59, held her hands up on the red carpet with the words 'cease' and 'fire' written on them in black lettering. She had a red hairband between her fingers, with Nadia having recently been vocal about the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza strip. Loose Women panellist Nadia commanded the attention of onlookers as she held her hands up for the entire time she posed on the red carpet, at one point raising her arms up in the air above her head. Nadia was recently at the centre of a bitter row after being accused of using her social media account to circulate pro-Palestinian propaganda, while ignoring the suffering of Israelis murdered and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. Nadia Sawalha made a political statement about IsraelHamas war as she arrived at the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday The actress and television personality, 59, held her hands up on the red carpet with the words 'cease' and 'fire' written on them in black lettering The Mail on Sunday revealed in November last year that ITV was bombarded with complaints from viewers angered by what they claimed was a 'one-sided' stance after the conflict began after Hamas terrorists committed atrocities in southern Israel on October 7. In Instagram posts, Nadia infuriated viewers of Loose Women, many of whom were Jewish, after she appeared to support pro-Palestinian campaigners who argue that the best way to secure the return of the hostages, who include several Brits, was for Israel to adhere to a ceasefire in Gaza, even though many military experts and politicians, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer, argue this would only allow Hamas time to restock weaponry. An ITV insider confirmed the channel's switchboard had been 'bombarded' with viewers saying they were angered by Sawalha's stance on Gaza, and who 'wanted to know the best way of lodging complaints against her with ITV bosses'. 'We were quite surprised at the volume of complaints over the past week about Nadia. It's quite unusual to get this sort of reaction. 'But then again, Israel/Palestine has always been a very divisive issue.' People commenting online also asked why she has been 'silent on 7/10'. Nadia told MailOnline: 'I have talked about the awful tragedy of October 7th and the continuing hostage crisis for Israel. 'As a British-Arab I have also talked about the plight of the Palestinians, and I firmly believe, as do millions of other humanitarians, that a ceasefire is the most humane way forward for both the innocent hostages and the innocent civilians of Gaza and the West Bank.' She had a red hairband between her fingers, with Nadia having recently been vocal about the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza strip Meanwhile, Nadia's cameraman husband Mark Adderley also waded into the row and defended his wife's stance suggesting the murder of 1400 men, women and children by Hamas, with over 240 innocents taken hostage in Gaza had been 'all the attention of sympathy in the world' but that the conversation had now 'moved on'. Nadia is the daughter of the Jordanian-born British actor Nadim Sawalha and his English wife Roberta Lane. She is the sister of television actress Julia Sawalha and has appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank with her. All Of Us Strangers - based the film on the 1987 Japanese psychological novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada - is directed by Andrew Haigh and will be released in the UK on January 26. The film stars Andrew as screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbour (Paul Mescal). General Hospital actress Sonya Eddy's posthumous Emmy Award trophy is at the center of a fight between her family and friend just over a year after she died aged 55 from an infection after a scheduled surgery. The talented actress earned a Daytime Emmy last week for her work on the longest running American soap opera last week as her friend and producing partner Tyler Ford accepted the trophy on her behalf. However her estranged family is determined to take the trophy from Ford and are upset that they did not receive it in the first place according to TMZ on Tuesday. Sonya's younger brother Robbie Eddy told the publication that the Television Academy didn't even notify their family that she was going to be winning the award beforehand and her friend Ford told them he would be the one keeping the trophy. They tell the publication that everyone in her family is now doing what the can to get the trophy including sending a letter to the Television Academy. They also believe that it was a disrespectful move as they are still in the process of grieving her death in late 2022 and that this has made the process even harder. General Hospital actress Sonya Eddy's posthumous Emmy Award trophy is at the center of a fight between her family and friend just over a year after she died aged 55 from an infection after a scheduled surgery; she is pictured in LA back in January 2016 The talented actress earned a Daytime Emmy last week for her work on the longest running American soap opera last week as her friend and producing partner Tyler Ford accepted the trophy on her behalf Robbie told TMZ that the family has no plans to take legal action against Ford or even the Academy as they do not want to 'tarnish her memory' with a lawsuit but are hoping that he does 'the right thing.' As for what they will do if they are able to get the trophy back, Sonya's 84-year-old mother will hold onto it as the family claim that she had sponsored her acting career. One interesting thing that the publication notes is that Sonya was estranged from some family members at the time of her passing as she did not get along with her brother due to fighting over who was going to provide care for their mother who has both Alzheimer's and dementia. However Robbie told TMZ that he was in the process of repairing their relationship just before she passed away. Back in December 2022, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, 53, had revealed the tragic loss of Sonya, sharing a poignant snap of the actress and lauding her 'creative angel'. The aforementioned Ford told TMZ at the time that she had developed a serious infection following a surgery that wasn't an emergency. Sonya was released from the hospital on December 11 following her surgery, and began to feel ill so she went to the hospital on December 15, and doctors found she had an infection that became uncontainable, Tyler told the outlet. On Monday, December 19, 2022 Sonya was placed on life support and she died that night. However her estranged family is determined to take the trophy from Ford and are upset that they did not receive it in the first place according to TMZ on Tuesday. Sonya's younger brother Robbie Eddy told the publication that the Television Academy didn't even notify their family that she was going to be winning the award beforehand and her friend Ford told them he would be the one keeping the trophy Back in December 2022, Oscar winner Octavia Spencer , 53, had revealed the tragic loss of Sonya, sharing a poignant snap of the actress and lauding her 'creative angel' So sad: Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, 52, revealed the tragic loss of Sonya on Tuesday, sharing a poignant snap of the actress and lauding her 'creative angel'. Her close friend and producing partner Tyler Ford told TMZ that she had developed a serious infection following a surgery that wasn't an emergency (pictured March 2022) Octavia wrote on Tuesday announcing the news: 'My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night. The world lost another creative angel. Her legions of @generalhospitalabc fans will miss her. 'My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, friends, and fans! Parks and Recreation star Retta commented: Oh noooo. So sorry Octavia.' Eric Stonestreet commented two heart emoji, while Ant Anstead penned: Im so sorry x x. Eddy starred on General Hospital from 2006 as non-nonsense head nurse Epiphany Johnson, who was the mother of Stan Johnson. She appeared in 543 episodes in her recurring role. The role was close to her heart as she was a licensed vocational nurse. Eddy was born in Concord, California. She majored in Theatre and Dance at University of California, Davis and received her B.A. in 1992. Actress: The star is seen in a 2014 episode of Girls Meet World Tragedy: Actress Yvette Nicole Brown paid tribute on Twitter iconic role: Eddy starred on General Hospital from 2006 as non-nonsense head nurse Epiphany Johnson, who was the mother of Stan Johnson (pictured with Jane Elliot as Tracy) Last red carpet: Eddy is pictured in March 2022 at the premiere of Apple TV+'s The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey She made her acting debut in the Ruby Dee's play Zora Is My Name in 1990. She also appeared on stage in productions such as The Comedy of Errors and Bloody Mary in South Pacific. She moved to Los Angeles to further her acting career and has appeared in shows including Married... with Children, Seinfeld and Home Improvement, Joan of Arcadia., Those Who Can't, Glee, 2 Broke Girls and Fresh Off the Boat. General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini paid tribute to the star, saying: 'I am heartbroken about the loss of the incredible Sonya Eddy. I truly loved her not only as an actress but as a friend. 'The lights in the hub of the nurses' station will now be a bit dimmer, but her spirit and light will live on in both the show and our set. On behalf of the entire GH cast and crew, we send our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, and fans. She will be very missed.' Barbie star America Ferrera shared her emotional reaction to her first Oscar nomination on Tuesday - but admitted she feels 'incredible disappointment' over Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig being snubbed. Ferrera, 39, who played Gloria in the 2023 billion dollar blockbuster, landed a nod in the Best Supporting Actress category alongside Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer, Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple, Jodie Foster, Nyad and DaVine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers. Speaking to Variety, the star said she was in disbelief when her name was announced, saying: 'There was a moment where I wasnt sure if I had made it up. And then my phone started blowing up so I figured that I must have heard it right. 'I still havent really been able to get in my feelings because Im still on like the top layer of "I cant even believe that this is real."' The star said her publicist called her 'screaming' before her The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants co-stars: Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel FaceTimed her as a group. Barbie star America Ferrera shared her emotional reaction to her first Oscar nomination on Tuesday - but admitted she feels 'incredible disappointment' over Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig being snubbed Robbie and Gerwig missed out on Best Actress and Best Director nominations with Ferrera saying: 'I was incredibly disappointed that they werent nominated' (pictured at the Critics Choice Awards) She said: 'Its been a long Barbie journey I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, its been years and years and years everyones really excited that we get to celebrate and to end this journey at the biggest party of the year.' Barbie also picked up nominations for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Ryan Gosling as Ken,adapted screenplay (Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach), costume design, production design, and original songs Im Just Ken and What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish. Robbie and Gerwig missed out on Best Actress and Best Director nominations with Ferrera saying: 'I was incredibly disappointed that they werent nominated. Greta has done just about everything that a director could do to deserve it.' She added of Robbie: 'What Margot achieved as an actress is truly unbelievable. One of the things about Margot as an actress is how easy she makes everything look. And perhaps people got fooled into thinking that the work seems easy, but Margot is a magician as an actress in front of the screen, and it was one of the honors of my career to get to witness her pull off the amazing performance she did. ' Barbie's Oscar nomination for I'm Just Ken was booed when Academy Award nods were announced on Tuesday as Robbie and Gerwig from the blockbuster were snubbed leading fans to slam the announcements for sexism. The Oscar nominations for 2024 were announced by actors Zazie Beetz and Jack Quaid from the academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California on Tuesday morning. Quaid, 31, did the nominations for Best Original Song and began with The Fire Inside written by Diane Warren for Flamin' Hot which received a lengthy ovation by the crowd in attendance. However, the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan moved on to say I'm Just Ken from Barbie written by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt which received audible boos from the audience which could clearly be heard on the livestream. Ryan Gosling was the main performer in the number as another Barbie track was also nominated. She said: 'Its been a long Barbie journey I mean longer even for Greta and Margot and Noah, its been years and years and years everyones really excited that we get to celebrate and to end this journey at the biggest party of the year' (pictured with Robbie and Gerwig) Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas O'Connell landed a nod for What Was I Made For? and other nominees included It Never Went Away from American Symphony and Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People) from Killers of the Flower Moon. Regardless of the reaction Ronson and Wyatt were excited about the nod as they released a statement which read: ' We're excited and grateful beyond words. 'This really is the highest honour to be recognized by our peers and heroes from the Academy. And in a year of so many extraordinary songs - including those from our incredible fellow Barbie contributors. 'It's a testament to Greta Gerwig's power to inspire and bring out the very best in everyone around her. Thank you so much.' Meanwhile fury is mounting on social media after Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig were snubbed for Oscar nominations for their film Barbie as two most prominent women involved in last year's billion-dollar blockbuster were notably left out. Greta failed to secure a nomination for best director this year, and Margot, who played the title character, was also passed over for best lead actress. The omissions attracted extra attention on account of the fact that Ryan Gosling, who played Ken, did get nominated for best supporting actor. Barbie's Oscar nomination for I'm Just Ken was booed when Academy Award nods were announced on Tuesday The omissions attracted extra attention on account of the fact that Ryan Gosling , who played Ken, did get nominated for best supporting actor Ronson and Wyatt are seen at the Critics Choice Awards last week as they released a statement which read: ' We're excited and grateful beyond words. 'This really is the highest honour to be recognized by our peers and heroes from the Academy. And in a year of so many extraordinary songs - including those from our incredible fellow Barbie contributors' Some social media commentators leapt to point the finger at sexism - despite the fact Ferrera was nominated. Ryan received nominations for Best Supporting Actor and his performance of I'm Just Ken in the film. 'Ryan Gosling, while deserving, got an Oscar nomination for Barbie while Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie didnt?' wrote one outraged fan on X. 'Completely proving the point of the movie in 20 f***ing 24 you cannot make this up,' the social media user added, referring to the movie's feminist themes. 'Wait Ryan Gosling got nominated for his role as Ken, but Margot Robbie didn't get nominated for Barbie?! And Greta got snubbed for Best Director?!?! Way to justify the literal plot of the movie,' wrote another X user, echoing the theme. A third groused: 'If Ryan deserved a nom, then Margot certainly did, the fact she wouldn't have won isn't the point. It almost feels like the Academy deliberately played into the theme of the movie to get people talking. #Oscars haven't been about who actually deserves it for a long time.' Although Margot is not in the running for best lead actress, the movie itself is up for best picture, meaning she has in fact been nominated as a producer. Greta and her husband Noah Baumbach are also nominated jointly this year for having written the adapted screenplay of Barbie. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson has weighed in on a local Italian government's controversial method of catching dog owners who don't pick up their pooch's poo. Last week, the northern Italian province of Bolanzo announced that dog owners must present their pets for DNA testing, so that genetic testing can be used to identify owners responsible for uncollected poo. Owners that are traced down by the DNA will face fines of up to 1000 (AUD $1,650). While the rule has sparked plenty of backlash among locals, Jackie expressed her full support during a segment on Wednesday's radio show. 'I love it! That's genius!' exclaimed Jackie, who owns a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cross poodle. Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson (pictured) has weighed in on a local Italian government's controversial method of catching dog owners who don't pick up their pooch's poo Kyle had some reservations, however, noting that police stations 'can't even process rape kits', let alone dog DNA tests. 'But it only takes a few,' Jackie replied, adding: 'You know, they don't have to do them all. It's like, you know, the speed cameras, they don't get everyone.' 'They don't always work, but because we know it's a possibility we obey that rule,' she explained. Last week, the northern Italian province of Bolanzo announced that dog owners must present their pets for DNA testing, so that genetic testing can be used to identify owners responsible for uncollected poo. Stock image While the rule has sparked plenty of backlash among locals, Jackie expressed her full support during a segment on Wednesday's radio show. 'I love it! That's genius!' exclaimed Jackie, who owns a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel cross poodle (pictured) DNA registration will become compulsory for all Bolanzo residents from around late March. Dog owners are also required to pay for the initial DNA test themselves, with prices costing between 65 and 100 (AUD $107 - $165). 'Bolzano receives a few hundred complaints a year from citizens about improper management of public land. More than half are for dogs,' veterinary department director Paolo Zambotto told Reuters. 'Law enforcement could only catch three or four of them because they have to go there and set up some kind of stakeout.' Anne Hathaway walked out of a Vanity Fair photoshoot on Tuesday morning as she showed support for the Conde Nast Union walk out. The Oscar-winning actress, 41, was 'in hair and make-up' when her team 'was notified by a staffer from SAG-AFTRA to advise Hathaway to support the work stoppage,' according to Variety. Hathaway was said to be unaware of the work stoppage when she originally arrived at the New York City shoot. A source told the publication: 'They hadn't even started taking photos yet. Once Anne was made aware of what was going on, she just got up from hair and makeup and left.' DailyMail.com has contacted Hathaway's representatives for comment. Anne Hathaway walked out of a Vanity Fair photoshoot on Tuesday morning as she showed support for the Conde Nast Union walk out (pictured 2021) Hundreds of unionized staffers at Conde Nast, the parent company behind legacy publications including Vogue and Vanity Fair, walked out Tuesday in protest of looming layoffs. As part of the NewsGuild action, 400 employees walked off the job on the news-heavy day, which saw the announcement of Academy Award nominations and voting in a presidential primary. The union urged people not to cross the digital picket line by refraining from visiting Conde Nast sites, which also include GQ, Bon Appetit, Glamour, Architectural Digest and Teen Vogue. Protestors chanted: 'Bosses wear Prada, workers get nada!' The union action comes after the company's CEO Roger Lynch said last fall it would lay off five percent of the total staff - about 300 employees. Facing protest by the union, Conde Nast later said it would instead lay off 94 members of the guild, about 20 percent of total unionized staff. Negotiations are ongoing. The NewsGuild's New York chapter has filed a complaint with the federal labor board against Conde Nast. Variety reports the Oscar-winning actress, 41, was 'still in hair and make-up' when her team was 'was notified by a staffer from SAG-AFTRA to advise Hathaway to support the work stoppage' (pictured 2023) Unionized employees at Conde Nast, which includes brands like Vogue and Vanity Fair, walked off the job on Tuesday in protest of looming layoffs Magazine publisher Conde Nast is laying off nearly 100 employees in the US due to a sharp decline in ad revenue spurred by the coronavirus pandemic 'The last nearly three months of fighting for our co-workers on the company's layoff list has led us to today,' said Ben Dewey, an employee and representative of the Conde Nast Union. Conde Nast laid off upwards of half of the Pitchfork staff on Wednesday, including editor-in-chief Puja Patel and features editor Jill Mapes. Conde Nast, who bought Pitchfork in 2015, is merging the publication into GQ. Anna Wintour was reportedly sporting her signature shades as she laid off nearly half of the staff working at Pitchfork. The 74-year-old Vogue editor-in-chief was slammed online by her now former employees, who called the move indecent and appalling. 'One absolutely bizarro detail from this week is that Anna Wintour seated indoors at a conference table did not remove her sunglasses while she was telling us that we were about to get canned,' Allison Hussey, a former Pitchfork staff writer, wrote on X. 'The indecency we've seen from upper management this week is appalling.' The tweet, posted Friday morning, has already reached nearly 300K views online and hundreds of retweets. The company announced the move in a memo to employees, Anna Wintour was reportedly sporting her signature shades as she laid off nearly half of the staff working at Pitchfork The decision 'was made after a careful evaluation of Pitchfork's performance and what we believe is the best path forward for the brand so that our coverage of music can continue to thrive within the company,' Wintour, Conde Nast's chief content officer and global editorial director of Vogue, wrote in a memo to staff. Mapes, a feature editor who was laid off, stated on Twitter: 'I've referred to my job at pitchfork as being on a ferris wheel at closing time, just waiting for them to yank me down. 'After nearly 8 years, mass layoffs got me. glad we could spend that time trying to make it a less dude-ish place just for GQ to end up at the helm,' Mapes added. In 2020, Magazine publisher Conde Nast, which owns Vogue, GQ and The New Yorker, was under fire when it laid off nearly 100 employees in the US due to a sharp decline in ad revenue spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. The cuts were announced in an internal memo that also said under 100 other staffers would be temporarily furloughed and 'a handful' of the company's approximate 2,700 staffers would have reduced work schedules. 'Not all teams will be impacted equally by these actions. That doesn't mean some teams are more valuable to us than others,' Conde Nast CEO Roger Lynch said at the time. 'We tried to identify specific areas where we could bring down our costs without limiting our growth priorities.' Also that year, Conde Nast announced in a separate memo that employees earning more than $100,000 would receive 10 to 20 percent pay cuts. 'These decisions are never easy, and not something I ever take lightly. I want to be transparent about the principles and approach we used,' Lynch added. Dailymail.com has contacted Conde Nast but did not receive a response. Advertisement All the Swans were out in force this Tuesday in New York City. Naomi Watts, Demi Moore, Chloe Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Diane Lane and Molly Ringwald all surfaced to promote their new show. They have thrown themselves into the publicity whirlwind for their upcoming FX show Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, the latest confection from Ryan Murphy. The 'Swans' were the New York City socialites who welcomed Truman Capote into their high-flying circles, only to ruthlessly jettison him when he aired out their dirty laundry in public. When they emerged in Manhattan on Tuesday, the actresses playing the Swans exuded a classic glamour that was worthy of the ultra-chic society ladies they just portrayed onscreen. Naomi opted for an evocative midnight blue look, wrapping a retro jacket with brass buttons over a matching top and a pair of trendily baggy pants, then rounding off the look with Melody Pro heels. All the Swans were out in force this Tuesday in New York, where Naomi Watts (left), Demi Moore (center), Chloe Sevigny (right), Calista Flockhart, Diane Lane and Molly Ringwald all surfaced to promote their new show They have all thrown themselves into the publicity whirlwind for their upcoming FX show Feud: Capote vs. The Swans , the latest confection from Ryan Murphy (from left) Calista, Diane and Molly also star as various trophy wives in Truman Capote's circle, many of whom turned on him ruthlessly after he aired out their dirty laundry in public Sharpening her screen siren features with makeup including a slick of pink lipstick, the King Kong actress treated onlookers to her megawatt smile as she pounded the pavement. Meanwhile when Chloe surfaced that day, she still radiated the air of insouciance that once prompted Bright Lights, Big City writer Jay McInerney to call her 'the coolest girl in the world.' Sweeping her platinum blocks up into a high bun, she wore a blouse faintly reminiscent of pajamas and a set of trousers with flared hems redolent of the 1970s, when Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is set. Demi, in a move worthy of the old-school Upper East Side society matrons, was carrying her miniscule chihuahua Pilaf in one hand when she sauntered onto the sidewalk on her towering monochrome heels. She modeled a split skirt and a matching jacket with a nautical chic blue and white check print, emphasizing her impressively svelte frame with a black top. Calista on the other hand draped her petite figure in a gentle pastel getup, wearing a sleeveless powder pink sweater with matching slacks and a crisp white blouse. The Birdcage actress, who is now married to Star Wars heartthrob Harrison Ford, was unmistakable as she dashed around Midtown, her luscious caramel locks fluttering back in the breeze. Diane tucked a snappy collarless blouse into a split print skirt, while Molly cut a striking figure in a long black cloth coat that featured a extravagant plush fur trim. Sweeping her platinum blocks up into a high bun, Chloe wore a blouse faintly reminiscent of pajamas and a set of trousers with flared hems redolent of the 1970s, when Feud: Capote vs. The Swans is set Naomi opted for an evocative midnight blue look, wrapping a retro jacket with brass buttons over a matching top and a pair of trendily baggy pants, then rounding off the look with Melody Pro heels Demi modeled a split skirt and a matching jacket with a nautical chic blue and white check print, emphasizing her impressively svelte frame with a black top Calista on the other hand draped her petite figure in a gentle pastel getup, wearing a sleeveless powder pink sweater with matching slacks and a crisp white blouse Diane tucked a snappy collarless blouse into a split print skirt Molly cut a striking figure in a long black cloth coat that featured a extravagant plush fur trim Later in the day Demi and Molly took part in SiriusXM's Town Hall with the rest of the cast. Premiering January 31, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans stars Tom Hollander as Truman Capote, in the story of his dramatic exile from the New York beau monde. Truman charmed his way into the highest echelons of New York society, becoming the confidante of many of its top trophy wives, whom he called his 'Swans.' The break came in 1975, when he published a now infamous short story in Esquire called La Cote Basque, 1965, dishing the dirt on his extremely thinly-veiled friends. Furious and wounded at his betrayal, the Swans closed ranks and ejected him from their circle, much to Truman's shock and dismay. 'What did they expect?' he moaned. 'Im a writer, and I use everything. Did all those people think I was there just to entertain them?' Diane plays the acid-tongued society maven Nancy 'Slim' Keith, who husband-hopped from Howard Hawks to Leland Heyward to an English baron. In La Cote Basque, 1965, Slim is rendered as 'Lady Ina Coolbirth,' an American who has married her way into the British aristocracy and spends the story gleefully spilling her dearest friends' nastiest secrets. Meanwhile Naomi Watts features as Babe Paley, the wife of CBS president Bill Paley and a woman widely hailed as one of the most beautiful and stylish in New York. Of all the Swans, Babe was among those most hurt by the Esquire piece, inasmuch as she had regarded Truman as a close and trusted friend. Naomi Watts (left) features as Babe Paley (right), the wife of CBS president Bill Paley and a woman widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and stylish in New York Compounding her misery, the story was published at a time when Babe was battling what turned out to be a terminal bout of lung cancer; she is pictured in 1954, more than two decades before her death Calista Flockhart (left) plays Jackie Kennedy's perpetually eclipsed younger sister Lee Radziwill (right) Demi Moore plays Ann Woodward, a social climber who killed her husband Billy Woodward at home with a shotgun and avoided a trial by insisting she thought he was a burglar; Ann and Billy pictured in 1955 days before his death When she got word that Truman's story was about to air out her past all over again and suggest she murdered her husband deliberately, Ann (right), played by Demi (left) in a querulous performance, committed suicide Molly Ringwald as Johnny Carson's second ex-wife Joanne, pictured in 1968, whose home was the site of Truman's death Chloe Sevigny (left) plays horsewoman and fashion plate CZ Guest (right), who remained friends with Truman after the furor over the story - an act of loyalty possibly made easier by the fact she was not turned into one of his characters Diane plays the acid-tongued society maven Nancy 'Slim' Keith, pictured in 1974, who husband-hopped from Howard Hawks to Leland Heyward to an English baron Demi took part in SiriusXM's Town Hall with the rest of the cast She showed off her chic ensemble for the shutterbugs Molly wowed in a stylish black gown with polka dot sleeves She was pictured onstage On her lap was an adorable fluffy Pomeranian dog Compounding her misery, the story was published at a time when Babe was battling what turned out to be a terminal bout of lung cancer. La Cote Basque, 1965 includes an anecdote in which a stand-in for Babe's husband has an adulterous one-night stand with a stand-in for Maria Harriman, the wife of diplomat-turned-New-York-governor Averell Harriman. In the Esquire piece, the governor's wife has her period all over the tycoon's sheets, forcing him to spend all night trying to remove the stains before his wife gets home. Chloe Sevigny plays horsewoman and fashion plate CZ Guest, who remained friends with Truman after the furor over the story - an act of loyalty possibly made easier by the fact she was not turned into one of his characters. Calista Flockhart plays Jackie Kennedy's perpetually eclipsed younger sister Lee Radziwill, with Molly Ringwald as Johnny Carson's second ex-wife Joanne, whose home was the site of Truman's death. Demi Moore plays Ann Woodward, a social climber who became a scandalous figure when she killed her wealthy husband at home with a shotgun and avoided having to go to trial by insisting she thought he was a burglar. When she got word that Truman's story was about to air out her past all over again and suggest she murdered her husband deliberately, Ann committed suicide. 'Well, that's that,' her mother-in-law remarked. 'She shot my son, and Truman just murdered her, and so now I suppose we don't have to worry about that anymore.' Advertisement Kim Kardashian was showing off her Balenciaga purse collection in her handbag closet inside her $60 million Hidden Hills, California mansion on Tuesday. The 43-year-old reality TV star was seen in a black strapless corset with skintight leggings and boots as she posed in the room with several packed shelves and recessed lighting on the ceiling. The ex-wife of Kanye West was also seen in a video talking about her vast collection. She told her crew that she thought she had about 130 purses in all, then she proceeded to count them all as she spun around in the center of the room. The reality TV maven said she had 128 and was close to the right number, then was thrilled when she realized that she had a black model in her hand that she had not yet counted, bringing the grand total to 129. 'I was only one off,' she cooed as she seemed to be in a happy mood for her 'closet campaign' with the Paris-based brand that was launched over 100 years ago in Spain. Kim Kardashian was showing off her Balenciaga purse collection in her handbag closet inside her $60 million Hidden Hills, California mansion on Tuesday. The 43-year-old reality TV star was seen in a black strapless corset with skintight leggings and boots as she posed in the room with several packed shelves and recessed lighting on the ceiling And Kim posed with a beige top and black leggings on as she lay on the platform of her purse closet with bags all around her. 'Balenciaga #closetcampaign @inezandvanoodt,' said the siren in her caption. Each purse costs about $3,000 and if she has 129, that means there was almost $400,000 worth of product in the room. That is just about the average cost of a home in the United States. This comes after she was blasted by fans after revealing she has become an ambassador for Balenciaga, one year after the brand faced controversy for an advert featuring children and BDSM items. The star announced her partnership with the label, helmed by creative director Demna Gvasalia, on Monday. The mother-of-four previously refused to cut ties with the fashion house but said she was 'shaken and disgusted' by the images which sparked a backlash against the brand. After announcing her new partnership many fans were left disappointed by the decision and hit back at her statement, in which she wrote that her relationship with the brand was built on a 'commitment to doing what's right.' 'Of all the brands, she had to choose the one with child abuse allegations. Not even surprised though' one person wrote, while another branded her a 'hypocrite' adding, 'Money is all that matters to her.' Another person accused Kim of throwing her 'morals out of the window' for money, while someone else added, 'Anything for money and a higher net worth I guess.' The ex-wife of Kanye West was also seen in a video talking about her vast collection. She told her crew that she thought she had about 130 purses in all, then she proceeded to count them all as she spun around in the center of the room The reality TV maven said she had 128 and was close to the right number, then was thrilled when she realized that she had a black model in her hand that she had not yet counted, bringing the grand total to 129. 'I was only one off,' she cooed as she seemed to be in a happy mood for her 'closet campaign' with the Paris-based brand 'Where's she gonna keep all the money and fame when she's gone?' 'So we forgot about the kid bondage thing? lol' one commentator inquired. Paying no mind to the backlash, Kim took to her Instagram Story later on Wednesday to plug pajama sets from her SKIMS Valentine's Day campaign. She was seen modeling little pink outfits with cherry prints in different styles as she posed in the mirror inside of her massive closet with clothes all over the floor. To the tune of their latest campaign model and singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey's song Cherry, Kim showed off a sleeveless bodysuit before trying on a long-sleeved top with short shorts and then a zip-up hoodie with pants all in the same pattern. Kim's full statement about becoming an ambassador for the brand read: 'For several years now, Balenciaga's designs have been a part of my many looks and some of my most iconic fashion moments.' 'This historic fashion house embraces modernity, craftsmanship and takes an innovative approach to design under Demna.' 'For me, this long-standing relationship is built on mutual trust and a commitment to doing whats right. Im excited about this next chapter for the brand and to become their ambassador.' Kardashian has previously starred in Balenciaga campaigns, walked in their show and accompanied Demna to the 2021 Met Gala. And Kim posed with a beige top and black leggings on as she lay on the platform of her purse closet with bags all around her. 'Balenciaga #closetcampaign @inezandvanoodt,' said the siren in her caption. Each purse costs about $3,000 and if she has 129, that means there was almost $400,000 worth of product in the room. That is just about the average cost of a home in the United States Paying no mind to the backlash, Kim took to her Instagram Story later on Wednesday to plug pajama sets from her SKIMS Valentine's Day campaign She was seen modeling little pink outfits with cherry prints in different styles as she posed in the mirror inside of her massive closet with clothes all over the floor. She recorded herself posing in the mirror to the tune of their latest campaign model and singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey's song Cherry Kim showed off a sleeveless bodysuit before trying on a long-sleeved top with short shorts and then a zip-up hoodie with pants all in the same pattern She didn't talk in the clip and just plugged SKIMS Valentine's Day collection in her caption alongside a cherry and a heart emoji She had clothes and hangers on the daybed and on the floor as she changed between outfits She later moved to another side of her massive closet Back in November 2022, the fashion house came under fierce fire after it released an ad that showed kids posing alongside various BDSM-themed items. Kim initially faced backlash for refusing to cut ties with the brand and praising the way it handled the scandal, despite her claiming to be 'shaken' and 'disgusted' by the images. Since then, she has made her loyalty clear by participating in an ad for Balenciaga's upcoming Summer 2024 collection. Clearly embarrassed by their ill-judged campaign, Balenciaga took the drastic step of wiping its social media pages clean. This comes after she was blasted by fans after revealing she has become an ambassador for Balenciaga , one year after the brand faced controversy for an advert featuring children and BDSM items The reality star, who previously refused to cut ties with the brand but said she was 'shaken and disgusted' by the advert, posted a statement announcing her partnership with the label under its creative director Demna Gvasalia Kardashian has previously starred in Balenciaga campaigns, walked in their show and accompanied Demna to the 2021 Met Gala 'I have been quiet for the past few days, not because I haven't been shocked and outraged by the recent Balenciaga campaigns, but because I wanted an opportunity to speak to their team to understand for myself how this could have happened,' the Los Angeles-born celebrity said in a statement on her Instagram page at the time. She continued: 'As a mother of four, I have been shaken by those disturbing images. The safety of children must be held with the highest regard and anything against it should have no place in our society - period.' She subsequently reissued the statement that saw some of the wording changed using stronger language adding: 'any attempts to normalize child abuse of any kind should have no place in our society - period.' However, on balance, Kardashian said that she is comfortable with how the company reacted to the scandal. 'I appreciate Balenciaga's removal of the campaigns and apology. In speaking with them, I believe they understand the seriousness of the issue and will take the necessary measures for this to never happen again.' In an additional post, to both Instagram and Twitter, Kardashian said she was reconsidering her relationship with the fashion brand but had not yet many any firm decisions. 'As for my future with Balenciaga, I am currently re-evaluating my relationship with the brand, basing it off their willingness to accept accountability for something that should have never happened to begin with -- & the actions I am expecting to see them take to protect children.' She was famously introduced to Balenciaga Creative Director Demna by her ex, Kanye West with the couple's daughters also sporting the brand, too, having recently been spotted carrying four-figure bags from the brand. She acknowledged the role her ex-husband had played in the relationship in December 2021 as she spoke at the People's Choice Awards where she accepted an award for fashion. 'To Kanye, for really introducing me to the fashion world,' she said. 'I fell in love with fashion and I'm so inspired by so many people. But again, this is like a dream that I get to wake up and wear these amazing clothes and try new things and take a risk. I'm so humbled.' At the time, Vogue described it as 'the peak of Kardashian's Balenciaga moment.' Balenciaga is owned by Kering; the corporation also owns Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent and Creed. Balenciaga publicly apologized and announced that it will be swiping off the ad from all of its social media profiles. 'We sincerely apologize for any offense our holiday campaign may have caused. Our plush bear bags should not have been featured with children in this campaign. We have immediately removed the campaign from all platforms,' the high-end luxury house shared on Instagram. Claire Foy looked incredible as she attended the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday. The Crown star, 39, wowed in a plunging white gown with two daring thigh-high splits, as she joined co-stars Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott on the red carpet. Claire boosted her height in a pair of strappy silver heels, while accessorising with matching jewellery. She looked radiant as she posed for snaps at the premiere of her new film, after receiving a Best Supporting Actress nomination for the role at the upcoming BAFTAs. Meanwhile, Normal People star Paul, 27, cut a dapper figure in a dark grey suit and a knitted polo top. Claire Foy looked incredible as she attended the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday The Crown star, 39, wowed in a plunging white gown with two daring thigh-high splits, as she joined co-stars Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott on the red carpet Andrew, 47, stood out in a pale pink blazer, teamed with a white vest and navy trousers. In a new interview with Screen Daily, the Irish actor discussed the relationship between casting and sexuality, revealing he 'never thought' he would get the opportunity to play leading roles. He said: 'I remember growing up and reading Empire magazine and thinking I would never get a chance to play leading roles in the cinema. And I am thrilled that has changed. 'As much as I feel like representation is important, so is transformation. I dont love the idea of being cast for something purely for my own sexuality youre not just playing "gay", youre playing the attributes of the character. 'I dont want a totalitarian regime - we have to look at each individual story were telling and whats right for that.' All Of Us Strangers - based the film on the 1987 Japanese psychological novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada - is directed by Andrew Haigh and will be released in the UK on January 26. The film stars Andrew as screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor (Paul). Claire cut a very glamorous figure as she wore her white backless dress The star was happy to pose for pictures as she walked the red carpet at the event Claire boosted her height in a pair of strappy silver heels, while accessorising with matching jewellery She sported a bronzed makeup palette which accentuated her natural features, with a swipe of nude lipstick She looked radiant as she posed for snaps at the premiere of her new film, after receiving a Best Supporting Actress nomination for the role at the upcoming BAFTAs Normal People star Paul, 27, cut a dapper figure in a dark grey suit and a knitted polo top Andrew, 47, stood out in a pale pink blazer, teamed with a white vest and navy trousers The pair were all smiles as they caught up at the event All Of Us Strangers - based the film on the 1987 Japanese psychological novel Strangers by Taichi Yamada - is directed by Andrew Haigh and will be released in the UK on January 26 The film stars Andrew as screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with a mysterious neighbor (Paul) Claire stars as Andrew's mother in the film which follows his character as screenwriter drawn back to his childhood home who enters into a fledgling relationship with Paul's character Claire plays Adam's mother while Billy Elliot star Jamie Bell portrays his father, as his late parents appear to him in his childhood home at the age they were when they died. The LGBTQ+ romantic fantasy dominated the competition at the British Independent Film Awards last month, earning a staggering seven gongs in total. Among the awards was the top prize for Best Film, beating Femme, How To Have Sex, Rye Lane and Scrapper. All Of Us Strangers also scored Best Director and Best Screenplay for English filmmaker Andrew Haigh, who is known for his work on films Weekend and 45 Years. Paul shared the Best Supporting Performance gong for his role in the film with Shaun Thomas from How To Have Sex. Claire was also nominated in the Best Supporting Performance category but lost out to her co-star Paul. She will be hoping to take home the BAFTA for Supporting Actress on February 18 but faces stiff competition in her category. Laura Whitmore looked typically stylish in a pale blue waist coat and matching wide leg trousers She wrapped up in a navy blue coat and grey fluffy scarf while posing on the red carpet Aisling Bea showed off her cool sense of style in a blue and red checked mini skirt and a brown and white jumper Irish actress Alison Oliver wore a pink feathered jumper with a plunging neckline and some flared jeans Dermot O'Leary and Dee Koppang cosied up for snaps at the event Jenni Falconer looked incredible in a black jumpsuit and a faux fur coat Big Brother stars Henry Southan and Jordan Sangha put on a loved-up display at the premiere Television presenter Dan Walker looked dapper in a black shirt which he wore under a coat in the same colour Edith Bowman wore a quirky gold crimped dress and a pair of black heels for the evening She will compete against Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer; Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple; Sandra Huller, The Zone Of Interest; Rosamund Pike, Saltburn and Da'vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers Acclaimed film director Andrew Haigh previously said that Paul and Andrew were 'fearless' when filming their sex scenes in the new movie. Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said: 'There was chemistry between the two of them literally the second I saw them together. 'Both of them were pretty fearless. There was no sense of them being afraid of approaching those scenes. They knew how important they were.' Nadia Sawalha made a political statement about IsraelHamas war as she arrived at the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday. The actress and television personality, 59, held her hands up on the red carpet with the words 'cease' and 'fire' written on them in black lettering. She had a red hairband between her fingers, with Nadia having recently been vocal about the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza strip. Loose Women panellist Nadia commanded the attention of onlookers as she held her hands up for the entire time she posed on the red carpet, at one point raising her arms up in the air above her head. Nadia Sawalha made a political statement about IsraelHamas war as she arrived at the UK Gala Screening of All Of Us Strangers at BFI Southbank in London on Tuesday The actress and television personality, 59, held her hands up on the red carpet with the words 'cease' and 'fire' written on them in black lettering Nadia was recently at the centre of a bitter row after being accused of using her social media account to circulate pro-Palestinian propaganda, while ignoring the suffering of Israelis murdered and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists. The Mail on Sunday revealed in November last year that ITV was bombarded with complaints from viewers angered by what they claimed was a 'one-sided' stance after the conflict began after Hamas terrorists committed atrocities in southern Israel on October 7. In Instagram posts, Nadia infuriated viewers of Loose Women, many of whom were Jewish, after she appeared to support pro-Palestinian campaigners who argue that the best way to secure the return of the hostages, who include several Brits, was for Israel to adhere to a ceasefire in Gaza, even though many military experts and politicians, including Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer, argue this would only allow Hamas time to restock weaponry. An ITV insider confirmed the channel's switchboard had been 'bombarded' with viewers saying they were angered by Sawalha's stance on Gaza, and who 'wanted to know the best way of lodging complaints against her with ITV bosses'. 'We were quite surprised at the volume of complaints over the past week about Nadia. It's quite unusual to get this sort of reaction. 'But then again, Israel/Palestine has always been a very divisive issue.' People commenting online also asked why she has been 'silent on 7/10'. She had a red hairband between her fingers, with Nadia having recently been vocal about the armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza strip Nadia told MailOnline: 'I have talked about the awful tragedy of October 7th and the continuing hostage crisis for Israel. 'As a British-Arab I have also talked about the plight of the Palestinians, and I firmly believe, as do millions of other humanitarians, that a ceasefire is the most humane way forward for both the innocent hostages and the innocent civilians of Gaza and the West Bank.' Meanwhile, Nadia's cameraman husband Mark Adderley also waded into the row and defended his wife's stance suggesting the murder of 1400 men, women and children by Hamas, with over 240 innocents taken hostage in Gaza had been 'all the attention of sympathy in the world' but that the conversation had now 'moved on'. Nadia is the daughter of the Jordanian-born British actor Nadim Sawalha and his English wife Roberta Lane. She is the sister of television actress Julia Sawalha and has appeared on Lily Savage's Blankety Blank with her. Loose Women panellist Nadia commanded the attention of onlookers as she held her hands up for the entire time she posed on the red carpet Get more tips for healthy skincare by visiting our brand-new wellness page A dermatologist on TikTok revealed the best time of day to put on deodorant It's part of our morning routine. Wake up, get dressed, and roll on deodorant before heading out for the day. However, while most of us feel embarrassed if we leave the house without putting on deodorant, experts have revealed that morning isn't the best time to apply it if you want it to be most effective. Dr Lindsey Zubritsky, a dermatologist from Mississippi, took to TikTok to share when you should actually roll on an antiperspirant. 'If you're not applying your deodorant at nighttime, you're doing it wrong,' she said in the video, which has more than 340,000 views. She added: 'At nighttime, our sweat glands are less active. Therefore, it absorbs the antiperspirant more effectively.' Dr Lindsey Zubritsky, a dermatologist in Mississippi , took to TikTok to share when you should actually roll on an antiperspirant Deodorants are meant to eliminate odor but not reduce perspiration - sweating. Meanwhile, antiperspirants contain aluminum-based ingredients that block sweat pores to prevent perspiration Antiperspirant is absorbed more effectively at night because body temperature naturally drops to prepare our bodies for sleep due to increased production of melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that controls how asleep or awake people feel. It's produced in the brain's pineal gland, and its release in the body is controlled by light. During the day, when the eye absorbs light, melatonin levels in the body are low, and, as a result, we feel awake. But when darkness settles and the amount of light being absorbed by the eye reduces, more melatonin circulates around the body. In addition to cooling down body temperature, melatonin reduces blood pressure and slows heart rate to tell the body it's time for bed. When you put on deodorant or antiperspirant at night as melatonin increases, it works to block sweat and odor produced by sweat glands. The body has two types of sweat glands: eccrine and apocrine glands. Eccrine glands are present throughout most of the body and open up directly to the skin's surface, producing sweat droplets. Apocrine glands, however, develop in areas with hair follicles leading to the surface of the skin. They are usually found in the armpits, scalp and genitals and produce body odor. Applying antiperspirant at night and giving it time to be absorbed helps the substance plug the apocrine glands in the armpit, more effectively stopping sweat and odor than applying it right before you head out the door. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that applying deodorant or antiperspirant at night gives it the full six to eight hours it needs to plug the sweat ducts. The benefits can be seen with both deodorant and antiperspirants, which reduce body odor in different ways. Deodorants are meant to eliminate odor but not reduce perspiration - sweating. Meanwhile, antiperspirants contain aluminum-based ingredients that block sweat pores to prevent perspiration. However, don't roll on your deodorant or antiperspirant immediately after your evening shower. Both products are most effective when applied to dry skin, so make sure you towel off first before swiping them on. In her video, Dr Zubritsky also shared several other skin tips, including tossing your Chapstick brand lip balm. She said the products are likely making your chapped lips worse because they are 'filled with fragrances' that can lead to allergic contact dermatitis, a type of itchy rash. Instead, she recommended products with petroleum jelly, which has been shown to help moisturize your face and hands. This is found in products like Vaseline and Aquaphor. Lastly, for a type of acne called Pityrosporum Folliculitis, which is caused by a fungal infection and leads to bumps on the skin, Dr Zubritsky recommended using foot creams with antifungal properties. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda predicts battery electric vehicles will only ever capture 30 percent of the car market. Hybrids, hydrogen fuel cell and gas-powered combustion engine cars will take the rest, he said during a press conference in Japan this month. Customers want choice, the grandson of Toyota's founder said - but he also pointed out that a billion people in the world don't have any access to electricity. As such, Toyoda - who was CEO from 2009 to 2023 - emphasized that Toyota is making various types of cars to suit the needs of different customers. He pointed out that outspoken advocates of battery-only electric cars - potentially hinting at the likes of Tesla - have an all-or-nothing strategy, whereas Toyota has its eggs in multiple baskets. Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda has long endorsed a 'multi-pathway' approach that would see the company develop a whole range of different cars suited to different customers' needs Toyota's FT-3e electric SUV concept displayed during the press day of the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo in October The chairman suggested that engine cars will 'definitely remain' and that the market should be determined by customers and not regulations or politics. The executive also hit back at claims that Toyota is lagging in battery EV development, citing its broader successes and legacy of developing hybrid vehicles. 'Thanks to the introduction of [hybrids] in Japan 20 to 30 years ago, Japan is the only developed country to have reduced CO2 emissions by 23 percent,' he said, according to a transcript of the conference, shared by Toyota. 'Japan has its own way of doing things. I don't think the correct answer is to try to imitate the West in everything,' he said. Toyota was the first automaker to bring hybrid cars into the mainstream, starting with the Prius back in 2000. Many Americans are skeptical about battery electric vehicles, largely due to fears around range and doubts around the infrastructure. Pictured is a Toyota slide shared this month outlining its intentions to focus on hydrogen fuel cell and hybrid cars to achieve carbon neutrality Range is not an issue with hybrid models, which are also powered by gas-burning engines. Toyota has also become a leader in the development of hydrogen fuel cells, which offer an alternative means of powering electric vehicles to batteries. Earlier this month, Toyoda also announced that the company was in the process of developing new combustion engines. Toyoda stood down as CEO in April and was succeeded by Chief Branding Officer Koji Sato. Hero MotoCorp on Monday said it will set up a facility for assembling products in Nepal in partnership with CG Motors, its newly appointed distributor in the country. The facility will be located in Nawalpur district and have a capacity of 75,000 units per annum, the country's largest two-wheeler maker said in a statement. Operations will begin in March 2024, it added. Hero MotoCorp forayed into Nepal in 2014. Over the years, the company has established itself as a leading player in the country. "With their vast expertise and diversified business knowledge, Chaudhary Group (CG) will provide an enormous fillip to our operations here," Hero MotoCorp Head-Global Business Sanjay Bhan said. In the near future, the company plans to further strengthen its operations across the country and introduce a slew of new products that will excite the market, he added. "This partnership marks CG Motors' ambitious re-entry into the automotive market, leveraging Hero MotoCorp's renowned products and services," Chaudhary Group Managing Director Nirvana Chaudhary stated. Hero MotoCorp sells models like Super Splendor, Glamour, HF Deluxe and Xpulse 200 motorcycles in Nepal It also sells Destini 125, Maestro Edge, and Pleasure+ scooters in the market. farmers. Jan Nayak wanted to create an egalitarian society where resources were distributed fairly and everyone, regardless of their social standing, had access to opportunities Today is the birth centenary of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji, whose relentless pursuit of social justice created a positive impact on the lives of crores of people. I never had the opportunity to meet Karpoori Ji but, I heard a lot about him from Kailashpati Mishra Ji, who worked closely with him. He belonged to one of the most backward sections of society, the Nai Samaj. Overcoming numerous obstacles, he achieved a lot and worked for societal betterment.Jan Nayak Kapoor Thakur Jis life revolved around the twin pillars of simplicity and social justice. Till his last breath, his simple lifestyle and humble nature resonated deeply with the common people. There are numerous anecdotes that highlight his simplicity. Those who worked with him recall how he preferred to spend his own money on any personal matter including his daughters wedding. During his tenure as Chief Minister of Bihar, a decision was taken to build a colony for political leaders but he himself did not take any land or money for the same. When he passed away in 1988, several leaders went to his village to pay tributes. When they saw the condition of his house, they were moved to tears- how can someone so towering have a house so simple! Another anecdote of his simplicity dates back to 1977 when he had just taken over as CM of Bihar. The Janata Government was in power in Delhi and Patna. That time, Janata leaders had gathered in Patna to mark Loknayak JPs birthday. Among the galaxy of top leaders walked in Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur Ji, with a torn Kurta. In his own style, Chandrashekhar Ji asked people to donate some money so that Karpoori Ji could purchase a new Kurta. But, Karpoori Ji was Karpoori Ji- he accepted the money but donated it to the CM Relief Fund. Social justice was most dear to Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji. His political journey was marked by monumental efforts to create a society where resources were distributed fairly, and everyone, regardless of their social standing, had access to opportunities. He wanted to address the systemic inequalities that plagued Indian society.Such was his commitment to his ideals that despite living in an era where the Congress Party was omnipresent, he took a distinctly anti-Congress line because he was convinced very early on that the Congress had deviated from its founding principles.His electoral career began in the early 1950s and since then, he has become a force to reckon with in the legislative chambers, powerfully voicing the struggles of the working class, labourers, small farmers and youngsters. Education was a subject very close to his heart. Throughout his political career, he worked to improve education facilities for the poor. He was a proponent of education in local languages so that people from small towns and villages could climb the ladder and attain success. As CM, he took many measures for the welfare of senior citizens as well. Democracy, debate and discussion were integral to Karpoori Jis personality. This spirit was seen when he immersed himself in the Quit India movement as a youngster and it was again seen when he resisted the Emergency tooth and nail. His unique perspectives were greatly admired by the likes of JP, Dr. Lohia and Charan Singh Ji.Perhaps one of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Jis most significant contributions to India was his role in strengthening the affirmative action apparatus for the backward classes, with the hope that they were given the representation and opportunities they deserved. His decision was met with heavy opposition but he did not bow to any pressure. Under his leadership, policies were implemented that laid the groundwork for a more inclusive society, where one's birth did not determine ones fate. He belonged to the most backward strata of society but he worked for all the people. He had no trace of bitterness in him, which is what makes him truly great. Over the last ten years, our Government has walked on the path of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji, reflected in our schemes and policies that have brought transformative empowerment. One of the biggest tragedies of our polity has been that barring a few leaders like Karpoori Ji, the call for social justice was restricted to being a political slogan. Inspired by Karpoori Jis vision we implemented it as an effective governance model. I can say with confidence and pride that Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji would have been very proud of India's feat of freeing 25 crore people from the clutches of poverty in the last few years. These are people from the most backward sections of society, who were denied basic facilities nearly seven decades after freedom from colonial rule. At the same time, our efforts towards saturation- ensuring every scheme reaches 100% coverage echo his commitment to social welfare. Today, when people from OBC, SC and ST Communities are becoming entrepreneurs due to MUDRA Loans, it fulfils Karpoori Thakur Jis vision of economic independence. Likewise, it was our government that had the privilege of extending SC, ST and OBC reservations. We also had the honour of setting up the OBC Commission (which was opposed by Congress, sadly), which is working on the path shown by Karpoori Ji. Our PM-Vishwakarma Scheme will also bring new avenues of prosperity for crores of people belonging to OBC communities across India. As a person belonging to the backward classes myself, I have much to thank Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji for. Unfortunately, we lost Karpoori Ji at a relatively young age of 64. We lost him when we needed him the most. Yet, he lives on in the hearts and minds of crores of people due to his work. He was a true Jan Nayak! (This is a special article by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on the 100th birth anniversary of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur) Ladakh is experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals, necessitating a substantial increase in recruitment of doctors and paramedical staff In the relentless battle against COVID-19, our doctors and nurses have emerged as resilient heroes, bravely standing at the forefront to shield us from the pandemic. Yet, behind their courageous facade lies a story of immense challenges and personal sacrifices. This article delves into the untold narrative of the healthcare heroes from remote villages of Leh, Ladakh, exploring the hardships they've faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. From enduring exhausting work hours to navigating intense emotions, this is a tale of their unwavering dedication and determination in the face of adversity. During the outbreak of this massive disease, chaos ensued as no one had any prior knowledge of the coronavirus. Chuchot, a village in Ladakh, situated 8 km away from Leh, was declared a containment zone, and it was among the countrys earliest hotspots. Its residents were strictly confined within barricades. Throughout the period from the end of 2019 to the end of 2021, doctors and paramedical staff in Chuchot faced relentless challenges. They worked tirelessly for endless hours, wearing masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, experiencing both physical exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness. During this time, they had the additional responsibility of compiling and submitting data to higher authorities on a daily basis. The healthcare workers also revealed that, in the initial stages, a single case required the mobilization of all available resources, including doctors, nurses, and policemen, for effective contact tracing. The situation in Chuchot reflected the immense strain on medical professionals, showcasing the hardships they endured while grappling with the uncertainties of the pandemic. Are you aware that Ladakh is facing a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, requiring a significant increase in recruitment, as reported by the medical staff in Leh? During the summer, recruitment drives under the National Health Mission (NHM) are observed, attracting mostly non-local staff. These individuals receive their initial training, exposure, and experience in Ladakh. However, a concerning pattern emerges as, after six months, with the onset of winter and challenging weather conditions, particularly in rural areas with limited facilities, many doctors choose to leave their positions and relocate to urban areas for better perks. To address this issue, it is imperative for the government to initiate permanent recruitment, considering that NHM recruitments are based on one-year contracts. Offering doctors a permanent position would make them reconsider leaving their jobs, ensuring a more stable healthcare workforce. Since the declaration of Ladakh as a Union Territory, there has been an absence of permanent doctor recruitments, emphasizing the immediate requirement for systemic changes to address staffing challenges in the region. In 2023, a Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh had directed the Commissioner/ Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Ladakh to personally file an affidavit without fail indicating steps taken to deal with the shortage of Medical Officers (Doctors) as well as non-medical (Para Medical Staff) and other supporting staff in the district of Ladakh. In addition to the shortage of doctors, a medical officer highlighted a concerning trend, stating, "After the bifurcation of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, a new issue has emerged VIP duties. Despite the shortage of doctors in Ladakh, VIPs enjoy doctor facilities. With Ladakh gaining immense popularity among tourists, VIPs visit here to spend their summers with family and relatives." Expressing strong disapproval of this practice, he added, "These VIPs often summon doctors for routine checkups like blood pressure, oxygen levels, sugar levels, etc., forcing us to wait outside their offices for 2-3 hours. If VIPs have health concerns, they should visit hospitals designed for this purpose. Some physiotherapists were even exploited, providing therapy to VIPs' relatives while patients waited in line at the hospital. I personally confronted a VIP who requested an ECG machine to be delivered to their residence, as we had only one machine available at that time." The lack of necessary equipment was also highlighted by the staff. According to them, Chuchot Primary Health Centre urgently requires an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine to address cardiac emergenciesessentially delivering a shock to restart a patient's heart. Referred to as a lifeline, this device can be instrumental in giving patients residing in this far-flung region a second chance at life. Additionally, the necessity for an Advanced Life Support ambulance (ALS) in Chuchot was also highlighted. Presently, the health centre only has Basic Life Support Ambulances equipped with stretchers. These ambulances, often utilised as 108 ambulances in the Chuchot vicinity, have encountered breakdowns,. Given Ladakh's vast geographical spread and population distribution, it is imperative to have ambulances strategically stationed at key points across the region to ensure prompt and efficient emergency response services. (The writer is a student in Leh, Ladakh. Views are personal) Charkha Features) Ladakh is experiencing a shortage of healthcare professionals, necessitating a substantial increase in recruitment of doctors and paramedical staff In the relentless battle against COVID-19, our doctors and nurses have emerged as resilient heroes, bravely standing at the forefront to shield us from the pandemic. Yet, behind their courageous facade lies a story of immense challenges and personal sacrifices. This article delves into the untold narrative of the healthcare heroes from remote villages of Leh, Ladakh, exploring the hardships they've faced during the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath. From enduring exhausting work hours to navigating intense emotions, this is a tale of their unwavering dedication and determination in the face of adversity. During the outbreak of this massive disease, chaos ensued as no one had any prior knowledge of the coronavirus. Chuchot, a village in Ladakh, situated 8 km away from Leh, was declared a containment zone, and it was among the countrys earliest hotspots. Its residents were strictly confined within barricades. Throughout the period from the end of 2019 to the end of 2021, doctors and paramedical staff in Chuchot faced relentless challenges. They worked tirelessly for endless hours, wearing masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits, experiencing both physical exhaustion and a sense of hopelessness. During this time, they had the additional responsibility of compiling and submitting data to higher authorities on a daily basis. The healthcare workers also revealed that, in the initial stages, a single case required the mobilization of all available resources, including doctors, nurses, and policemen, for effective contact tracing. The situation in Chuchot reflected the immense strain on medical professionals, showcasing the hardships they endured while grappling with the uncertainties of the pandemic. Are you aware that Ladakh is facing a shortage of doctors and paramedical staff, requiring a significant increase in recruitment, as reported by the medical staff in Leh? During the summer, recruitment drives under the National Health Mission (NHM) are observed, attracting mostly non-local staff. These individuals receive their initial training, exposure, and experience in Ladakh. However, a concerning pattern emerges as, after six months, with the onset of winter and challenging weather conditions, particularly in rural areas with limited facilities, many doctors choose to leave their positions and relocate to urban areas for better perks. To address this issue, it is imperative for the government to initiate permanent recruitment, considering that NHM recruitments are based on one-year contracts. Offering doctors a permanent position would make them reconsider leaving their jobs, ensuring a more stable healthcare workforce. Since the declaration of Ladakh as a Union Territory, there has been an absence of permanent doctor recruitments, emphasizing the immediate requirement for systemic changes to address staffing challenges in the region. In 2023, a Division Bench of the High Court of J&K and Ladakh had directed the Commissioner/ Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department, Ladakh to personally file an affidavit without fail indicating steps taken to deal with the shortage of Medical Officers (Doctors) as well as non-medical (Para Medical Staff) and other supporting staff in the district of Ladakh. In addition to the shortage of doctors, a medical officer highlighted a concerning trend, stating, "After the bifurcation of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir, a new issue has emerged VIP duties. Despite the shortage of doctors in Ladakh, VIPs enjoy doctor facilities. With Ladakh gaining immense popularity among tourists, VIPs visit here to spend their summers with family and relatives." Expressing strong disapproval of this practice, he added, "These VIPs often summon doctors for routine checkups like blood pressure, oxygen levels, sugar levels, etc., forcing us to wait outside their offices for 2-3 hours. If VIPs have health concerns, they should visit hospitals designed for this purpose. Some physiotherapists were even exploited, providing therapy to VIPs' relatives while patients waited in line at the hospital. I personally confronted a VIP who requested an ECG machine to be delivered to their residence, as we had only one machine available at that time." The lack of necessary equipment was also highlighted by the staff. According to them, Chuchot Primary Health Centre urgently requires an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) machine to address cardiac emergenciesessentially delivering a shock to restart a patient's heart. Referred to as a lifeline, this device can be instrumental in giving patients residing in this far-flung region a second chance at life. Additionally, the necessity for an Advanced Life Support ambulance (ALS) in Chuchot was also highlighted. Presently, the health centre only has Basic Life Support Ambulances equipped with stretchers. These ambulances, often utilised as 108 ambulances in the Chuchot vicinity, have encountered breakdowns,. Given Ladakh's vast geographical spread and population distribution, it is imperative to have ambulances strategically stationed at key points across the region to ensure prompt and efficient emergency response services. (The writer is a student in Leh, Ladakh. Views are personal) Charkha Features) The Government's secrecy and censorship cast shadows on the true story of LAC, leaving critical gaps in the nation's defence narrative Unlike soldiers, diplomats and government officials are like the three wise monkeys. One such person not in that league I met more than a year ago told me about Chinese intrusions across LAC in 2020 and Operation Snow Leopard, the Indian Armys only riposte to the intrusions. Former COAS, Gen Naravanes book Four Stars of Destiny and periodic statements by the hawkeyed Chushul Councillor Konchok Stanzin throw new light on the ground situation. The government has put the lid on Manipur and LAC. No debate has been allowed in Parliament on LAC nor has any discussion been permitted in Parliamentary Standing Committees on Defence. Home, Defence and Foreign Ministers have made cryptic statements that are neither here nor there. Questions on LAC are conflated with questioning the integrity of our brave jawans. This was illustrated most effectively during Uri's surgical strikes and Operation Balakot, the 2019 election clinchers. Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Ajay Bisaria, questioned by Karan Thapar on the Wire in his recent book Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan about the effectiveness of Balakot strike, said: We have got a narrativebut no proof. The government was clearly surprised by Chinese actions. As the first movers, the Chinese had the advantage. He explained that due to the overlapping perception of LAC host of issues which the Chinese refuse to resolve have arisen. The overlap in perception led to the Chinese grabbing their 1959 Claim line. He insisted that what China had done was transgression not intrusion and did not involve the loss of Indian territory. The two remaining friction points Depsang and Demchok will not be settled now. I suggested this might have been due to Indian actions at Doklam and Home Minister Amit Shahs parliamentary statement about reclaiming Aksai Chin. He referred to problems of patrolling due to buffer zones but said that this could be resolved by regulating patrols on both sides. Out-of-the-box procedures could be initiated to resume patrolling on fixed days and nominate no patrolling zones where clashes would not take place. On DMZs while he mentioned the specifications of relocations of the two sides in the Fingers area, Kailash Heights being declared a buffer zone was not mentioned. Only on 29 December Congress leader Jairam Ramesh cited Stanzin reporting that the memorial built after the 1962 war on Kailash Heights to commemorate the Rezang La battle was demolished as it fell into the DMZ where all manmade landforms had to be removed as per the withdrawal agreement. India had insisted PLA erase all writings in Mandarin and English indicating the Fingers area as belonging to China. India not only vacated Kailash Heights but also let the Chinese turn it into DMZ, a strategic folly compounded into a blunder for perpetuity as India could no longer reoccupy its own territory. The most interesting aspect of our conversation was this: it was the Army, my friend said, that chose to vacate Kailash Heights as the government would have preferred it to be held as it gave a clear advantage to our forces as events later proved. Excerpts from Naravanes book contain a blow-by-blow account of Op Snow Leopard but reasons for vacating Kailash Heights are not. The excerpts so far released by the publishers who have been told not to publish any further excerpts till the book is cleared for publication will leave a crucial blank in the narrative. The excerpts from Operation Snow Leopard show the lack of decisiveness in government leadership about dealing with a critical situation that followed from the massing of tanks especially when India must not be the first to open fire. Naravane writes he got these orders from the very top. All this might seem like history but like the present government keeps flaying Nehru for losing Aksai Chin, a future non-BJP government will castigate it for letting China realise its 1959 Claim Line in Ladakh and the government for surrendering the gains of Op Snow Leopard. The government official in 2022 ruled out any military or diplomatic breakthrough on LAC. He said India has achieved what China is willing to concede. He also said there will be no high-level meetings though we know that Modi did try for one at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia. He also said nothing will happen till after the 2024 elections as the government will keep a lid on LAC till it has won a third term. 90 per cent of his predictions have turned out true and for the rest we have to wait. It is a pity we may not know about the blanks in the LAC story as Naravanes book is likely to be heavily censored if it is released at all. Ajay Bisarias book has had no such problems though it contains critical details about operational matters as it shows that both the Balakot air strikes (whose effectiveness he does not confirm) and the readiness of nine missiles that were ready to be launched to force Wing Commander Abhinandans release were evidence of governments muscularity. PM Modi himself bragged in an election rally about targeting Pakistan with nine missiles, adding these were not meant for Diwali. For an election speech, it breached many red lines. All is forgiven and forgotten about publishing classified information when it demonstrates the governments strength and power. Naravanes book apparently does not. (The writer, a retired Major General, was Commander, IPKF South, Sri Lanka, and founder member of the Defence Planning Staff, currently the Integrated Defence Staff. Views are personal) Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur will be posthumously awarded Indias highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna. The socialist icon is well-known for his efforts to uplift the backward classes in Bihar. Politically, the announcement came as yet another masterstroke of Narendra Modis Government, countering the Opposition Bloc INDIAs charge that the BJP Government is anti-OBC. To further the Congress agenda, a couple of non-BJP ruled States, including Bihar, had also announced plans for a caste census. The President (Draupadi Murmu) has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur (posthumously), a one-line release from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. The announcement of the Bharat Ratna award for him comes ahead of his 100th birth anniversary on January 24. Karpoori Thakur was a pioneer in providing the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with the benefit of reservation, implementing the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission during his tenure as Bihar CM from 1977 to 1979. I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji, especially at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality and empowerment, the Prime Minister said in a statement on social media. His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on Indias socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society, Modi said. Senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his delight at the award bestowed on the greatest social reformer and politician of the State and country. The Centres decision has to be appreciated, as this demand I had been making for several years, Nitish said in a statement. Coming ahead of the general election, it is seen as a move to please the Chief Minister of a State that has 40 parliamentary seats and has an on-again-off-again relationship with the BJP. Nitish is now with the Congress-led INDIA Bloc, where he is playing truant on whether to continue with the bloc, which ideally was his own brainchild. Nitish severed ties with the BJP and allied with his friend-turned-foe-turned-friend Lalu Prasad and the Congress to lead a Grand Alliance Government in Bihar. He now seems to be restless even in the present arrangement, as his party members allege that the entire Bloc has been hijacked by the Congress. When the idea was conceived of a Congress-led Opposition Bloc, Nitish anticipated that he would be the Prime Ministerial candidate to counter Modi. Several political leaders, including Cabinet Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, appreciated the Governments efforts to award one of the tallest leaders of the country with the Bharat Ratna. Born in the Samastipur district of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur became part of Indias freedom struggle from a young age. During the Quit India Movement, he was jailed with other freedom fighters but kept struggling to push the Britishers out of the country. Following his initial triumph in 1952, he consistently emerged victorious in every subsequent election due to his widespread appeal arising from his modest lifestyle and unwavering commitment to promoting social justice. Thakur actively advocated for the rights of marginalised communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other Backward Classes. His commitment to social justice and inclusive development was a key aspect of his political ideology. BJP chief JP Nadda on Tuesday alleged that Congress and its allies in the INDIA bloc are interested only in garnering votes in the name of caste census and are not bothered about the welfare of various sections. He was addressing BJP workers and leaders after inaugurating the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Constituency office in Thaltej area of Ahmedabad. Nadda also virtually inaugurated similar offices for the rest 25 LS constituencies in Gujarat from the stage. "The Congress and INDI Alliance (INDIA) parties are talking about a caste census. They are not concerned about the welfare of castes, but are interested only in securing votes in the name of caste census," the BJP president alleged. While Opposition parties pursued the politics of the vote bank, Prime Minister Narendra Modi united the countrymen by giving the concept of 'GYAN' (Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Nari Shakti), said Nadda. "Modiji said Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Nari Shakti are the only four castes in India. We will work for them. While the INDI Alliance was dividing the country in the name of castes and religion, Modiji united the country by the concept of GYAN," he said, adding that these four categories include everyone, irrespective of caste or religion. Nadda claimed about 50 crore people are now covered under the Ayushman Bharat scheme wherein beneficiaries get free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh annually based on their income and "not on the basis of caste". "PM Modi changed the definition and culture of politics in India by introducing the politics of accountability and credibility wherein votes are sought only on the basis of performance," he said. Nadda exuded confidence that the BJP will retain power by winning a record number of seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and that Modi will become prime minister for a third term. Notably, the BJP has been winning all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, the home state of PM Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, since 2014. Nadda said the BJP will score a hat-trick of this performance in Gujarat in the upcoming elections. "Today, India has become the fifth largest economy under Modiji. When you will once again elect Modiji as our PM, India will become the third largest economy by 2028," the BJP chief said. Referring to pran pratishtha of Lord Ram's idol at Ayodhya temple, Nadda said some Congress leaders have started saying that they also worship Lord Ram. He wondered why these leaders kept mum in the past. "I want to ask them why you didn't say this earlier. The Congress accuses the BJP of capitalising on this issue. I told them that it was BJP workers who had vowed to sacrifice everything for this cause when Congress tried to create hurdles in the construction of the Ram temple. "We are not capitalizing this. We are feeling fortunate that a dream has come true for which our ancestors fought for 500 years," said Nadda. 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Inc., Dynacare Holdco LLC, Dynacare Laboratories Inc., Dynacare Laboratories Limited Partnership, Dynacare Northwest Inc., Dynacare Realty Inc., DynalifeDX Infrastructure Inc., Envigo's nonclinical contract research services business, Esoterix Genetic Counseling LLC, Esoterix Genetic Laboratories LLC, Esoterix Inc., Execmed Health Services Inc., FirstSource Laboratory Solutions Inc., GDML Medical Laboratories Inc, Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratories GP Inc., Gamma Dynacare Central Medical Laboratory Limited Partnership, HHLA Lab-In-An-Envelope LLC, Health Testing Centers Inc., Health Trans Services Inc., Home Healthcare Laboratory of America LLC, IDX Pathology Inc., Impact Genetics Corporation, Impact Genetics Inc., Kaleida LabCorp LLC, Lab Delivery Service of New York City Inc., LabCorp BVBA, LabCorp Belgium Holdings Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (Canada) Inc., LabCorp Central Laboratories (China) Inc., LabCorp Colorado Inc., LabCorp Development Company, LabCorp Employer Services Inc., LabCorp Health System Diagnostics LLC, LabCorp Indiana Inc., LabCorp Japan G.K., LabCorp Limited, LabCorp Michigan Inc., LabCorp Nebraska Inc., LabCorp Neon Ltd., LabCorp Neon Switzerland S.a.r.l., LabCorp Specialty Testing Billing Service Inc., LabCorp Specialty Testing Group Inc., LabCorp Staffing Solutions Inc., LabCorp Tennessee LLC, LabCorp UK Holdings Ltd., LabWest Inc., Laboratoire Bio-Medic Inc., Laboratory Corporation of America, Lifecodes Corporation, LipoScience Inc., Litholink Corporation, MEDTOX Scientific Inc., MNG Laboratories, MedAxio Insurance Medical Services GP Inc., MedAxio Insurance Medical Services LP, Medical Neurogenitics LLC, Medtox Diagnostics Inc., Medtox Laboratories Inc., Monogram Biosciences Inc., Monogram Biosciences UK Limited, Myriad Autoimmunes Vectra Testing Business, NWT Inc., National Genetics Institute, New Brighton Business Center LLC, New Imaging Diagnostics LLC, New Molecular Diagnostics Ventures LLC, Orchid Cellmark ULC, Ovia Health, PA Labs Inc., Paclab LLC, Path Lab Incorporated, Pathology Associates Medical Lab LLC, Pee Dee Pathology Associates Inc., Personal Genome Diagnostics Inc., Persys Technology Inc., Pixel by LabCorp, Princeton Diagnostic Laboratories of America Inc., Protedyne Corporation, SW/DL LLC, Saint Josephs-PAML LLC, Sequenom Biosciences (India) Pvt. Ltd., Sequenom Inc, Sequenom Inc., Tandem Labs Inc., Toxikon Corporation, Tri-Cities Laboratory LLC, Viro-Med Laboratories Inc., Visiun, and Yakima Medical Arts Inc.. Read More Ad Behind the Markets Troubles brewing in the South China Sea President Biden warned "Any attack on the Filipino aircraft, vessels, or armed forces will invoke our Mutual Defense Treaty." Which is why you need to prepare... Here's how to keep your assets safe >>> Ad InvestorPlace They said crypto was dead. It went up 100X. Bitcoins haters are out again. Despite the price doubling in the last six months alone That hasnt stopped the experts from piling on. Warren Buffetts right-hand man Charlie Munger called crypto investors idiots in one of his last interviews. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, recently called Bitcoin a pet rock and a hyped-up fraud. But when it comes to cryptos, these are exactly the people you shouldnt listen to. Theyve predicted cryptos demise for years. There are five coins you must take a look at right away. The following companies are subsidiares of AES: 25 Ashdown Road Solar LLC, AES (India) Private Limited, AES (NI) Limited, AES Abigail S.a.r.l., AES Accabonac Solar LLC, AES Africa Power Company B.V., AES AgriVerde Holdings B.V., AES AgriVerde Services (Ukraine) Limited Liability Company, AES Alamitos Development Inc., AES Alamitos Energy LLC, AES Alamitos L.L.C., AES Alicura Holdings S.C.A., AES Americas International Holdings Limited, AES Andres (BVI) Ltd., AES Andres BV, AES Andres DR S.A., AES Andres Holdings I Ltd, AES Aramtermelo Holdings B.V., AES Argentina Generation S.A. (1), AES Argentina Holdings S.C.A., AES Argentina Investments Ltd., AES Argentina Operations Ltd., AES Arlington Services LLC, AES Armenia Mountain Holdings LLC, AES Armenia Mountain Wind 2 LLC, AES Aurora Holdings Inc., AES Aurora Inc., AES BES Jordan B.V., AES Bainbridge Holdings LLC, AES Bainbridge LLC, AES Ballylumford Holdings Limited, AES Baltic Holdings BV, AES Barka Services Inc., AES Barry Limited, AES Barry Operations Ltd., AES Beaver Valley L.L.C., AES Belfast West Power Limited, AES Belleville Solar LLC, AES Big Sky L.L.C., AES Botswana Holdings B.V., AES Brasil Ltda, AES Brazil Inc., AES Brazil International Holdings Limited, AES Broadalbin Solar LLC, AES Bulgaria B.V., AES Bulgaria Energy Solutions EOOD, AES Bulgaria Holdings BV, AES Bussum Holdings BV, AES CC&T International Ltd., AES CLESA Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita de Capital Variable, AES Calaca Pte. Ltd., AES Calgary Inc., AES California Management Co. Inc., AES Caracoles SRL, AES Carbon Exchange Ltd., AES Carbon Holdings LLC, AES Caribbean Finance Holdings Inc., AES Caribbean Investment Holdings Ltd., AES Cartegena Holdings BV, AES Cayman Guaiba Ltd., AES Cayman Pampas Ltd., AES Central America Electric Light LLC, AES Central American Holdings Inc., AES Central American Investment Holdings Ltd., AES Central Asia Holdings BV, AES Ceprano Energia SRL, AES Changuinola S.R.L., AES Chhattisgarh Energy Private Limited, AES Chigen Holdings Ltd., AES China Generating Co. Ltd., AES Chivor & Cia S.C.A. E.S.P., AES Chivor S.A., AES Climate Solutions Holdings I B.V., AES Climate Solutions Holdings I LLC, AES Climate Solutions Holdings II LLC, AES Climate Solutions Holdings L.P., AES Climate Solutions Holdings LLC, AES Colon Development S. de R.L., AES Columbia Power LLC, AES Communications LLC, AES Communications Latin America Inc., AES Connecticut Management L.L.C., AES Coop Holdings LLC, AES Costa Rica Energy SRL, AES Costa Rica Holdings Ltd., AES DE AssetCo VI LLC, AES DE Class B Holdings LLC, AES DE Class B I LLC, AES DE Class B II LLC, AES DE Class B III LLC, AES DE Class B IV LLC, AES DE Class B V LLC, AES DE Class B VI LLC, AES DE Class B VII LLC, AES DE Construction LLC, AES DE DevCo I LLC, AES DE DevCo NC LLC, AES DE Holdings I LLC, AES DE Holdings III LLC, AES DE Holdings IV LLC, AES DE Holdings V LLC, AES DE Holdings VI GB LLC, AES DE Holdings VI GB Owner LLC, AES DE Holdings VI LLC, AES DE Manager LLC, AES DE RS IX LLC, AES DE RS VI LLC, AES DE RS VII LLC, AES DE RS VIII LLC, AES DE RS X LLC, AES DE RS XI LLC, AES DE RS XII LLC, AES DE Residential Holdings I LLC, AES DE Solar Access Holdings I LLC, AES DE-GIE LLC, AES DPL Holdings LLC, AES DPP Holdings Ltd., AES Deepwater LLC, AES Desert Power L.L.C., AES Development de Argentina S.A., AES Disaster Relief Fund, AES Distribuidores Salvadorenos Limitada, AES Distribuidores Salvadorenos Y Compania S en C de C.V., AES Distributed Energy Inc., AES Dominicana Cooperatief UA, AES Drax Financing Inc., AES Drax Power Finance Holdings Limited, AES EDC Holding L.L.C., AES ES Alamitos LLC, AES ES Deepwater LLC, AES ES Gilbert LLC, AES ES Holdings LLC, AES ES Tait LLC, AES Ecotek Europe Holdings B.V., AES El Faro Electric Light Ltd., AES El Faro Generating Ltd., AES El Salvador Electric Light LLC, AES El Salvador LLC, AES El Salvador S.A. de C.V., AES El Salvador Trust, AES Electric Ltd., AES Electroinversora B.V., AES Elpa S.A., AES Empresa Electrica de El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, AES Endeavor Inc., AES Energia SRL, AES Energy B.V., AES Energy Developments S.L., AES Energy Ltd., AES Energy Services Inc., AES Energy Solutions LLC, AES Energy Storage Arizona LLC, AES Energy Storage Holdings, AES Energy Storage Holdings LLC, AES Energy Storage LLC, AES Energy Storage UK Limited, AES Energy Storage Zeeland B.V., AES Engineering LLC, AES Europe Services EOOD, AES Finance and Development Inc., AES Florestal Ltda., AES Fonseca Energia Limitada de C.V., AES Forca Ltd., AES Foreign Energy Holdings LLC, AES GEI US Finance Inc., AES GEO Energy OOD, AES GPH Holdings Inc., AES Gabreski Solar LLC, AES Gas Supply & Distribution Ltd., AES Gener S.A., AES Generation Development LLC, AES Global Insurance Company, AES Global Mobility Services LLC, AES Global Power Holdings B.V., AES Globales B.V., AES Grand Dominicana Ltd., AES Grid Stability LLC, AES Griggs Solar LLC, AES Guaiba II Empreendimentos Ltda, AES Guayama Holdings BV, AES Hawaii LLC, AES Hawaii Management Company LLC, AES Highgrove Holdings L.L.C., AES Highgrove L.L.C., AES Hispanola Holdings BV, AES Hispanola Holdings II BV, AES Holdings B.V., AES Holdings B.V. - Vietnam Rep Office, AES Holdings Brasil Ltda., AES Honduras Generation Ventures Ltd., AES Honduras Holdings Ltd., AES Horizons Holdings BV, AES Horizons Investments Limited, AES Hungary Energiaszolgaltato Kft., AES Huntington Beach Development L.L.C., AES Huntington Beach Energy LLC, AES Huntington Beach L.L.C., AES IB Valley Corporation, AES Ilumina Holdings LLC, AES Ilumina LLC, AES Ilumina Member LLC, AES India Holdings (Mauritius), AES India L.L.C., AES Indiana Holdings L.L.C., AES Integrated Energy LLC, AES Intercon II Ltd., AES Interenergy Ltd., AES International Holdings II Ltd., AES International Holdings III Ltd., AES International Holdings Ltd., AES Investment Chile SpA, AES Italia S.r.l, AES James Baird Solar LLC, AES Johnsville Solar LLC, AES Jordan Holdco Cayman Limited, AES Jordan PSC, AES Jordan Solar B.V., AES Juniper Point Holdings LLC, AES K2 Limited, AES Kalaeloa Venture L.L.C., AES Kekaha Solar LLC, AES Keystone L.L.C., AES Keystone Wind L.L.C., AES King Harbor Inc., AES Kuihelani Solar LLC, AES LA FIT Dedeaux LLC, AES LA FIT Francisco LLC, AES LA FIT Sun Valley LLC, AES LATAM Energy Development Ltd., AES Landfill Carbon LLC, AES Latin America S. de R.L., AES Latin American Development Ltd., AES Laurel Mountain LLC, AES Lawai Solar LLC, AES Levant Holdings B.V., AES Levant Holdings B.V/ Jordan PSC, AES Lion Telecom Investments B.V., AES Lumos Holdings LLC, AES Maritza East 1 Ltd., AES Maritza East 1 Services Ltd., AES Mayan Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida B.V., AES Merida III S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida Management Services S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida Operaciones SRL de CV, AES Mexican Holdings Ltd., AES Mexico Farms L.L.C., AES Mexico Generation Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES MicroPlanet Ltd., AES Mid East Holdings 2 Ltd., AES Mong Duong Holdings B.V., AES Mong Duong Project Holdings B.V., AES Monroe Holdings B.V., AES Mount Vernon B.V., AES NA Central L.L.C., AES NEXT Ltda. de C.V., AES Nejapa Gas Ltda. de C.V., AES Nejapa Services Ltda. de C.V., AES Next LLC, AES Nile Power Holdings Ltd., AES North America Development LLC, AES OPGC Holding, AES Oahu LLC, AES Oahu Wind Holdings LLC, AES Oasis Holdco Inc., AES Oasis Ltd., AES Oasis Mauritius Inc, AES Ocean Springs Trust Deed, AES Odyssey L.L.C., AES Ohio Generation LLC, AES Operaciones Laguna del Rey S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Operadora S.A, AES Orissa Distribution Private Limited, AES Overseas Holdings (Cayman) Ltd., AES Overseas Holdings Limited, AES Pacific Inc., AES Pacific L.L.C., AES Pacific Ocean Holdings B.V., AES Pak Holdings Ltd., AES Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., AES Pakistan Operations Ltd., AES Panama S.R.L., AES Parana Gas S.A., AES Parana Holdings Ltd., AES Parana IHC Ltd., AES Parana II Limited Partnership, AES Parana Operations S.R.L., AES Parana Propiedades S.A, AES Parana Uruguay S.R.L, AES Pardo Holdings Ltd., AES Pasadena Inc., AES Peru S.R.L., AES Phil Investment Pte. Ltd., AES Philippines Power Partners Co. Ltd., AES Platense Investments Uruguay S.C.A, AES Puerto Rico Inc., AES Puerto Rico L.P., AES Puerto Rico Services Inc., AES Redondo Beach L.L.C., AES Renewable Power Group S.R.L., AES Renewables (India) Private Limited, AES Riverside Holdings LLC, AES SACEF Investment LLC, AES SEB Holdings (Delaware) LLC, AES SEB Holdings Ltd., AES Saint Petersburg Holdings B.V., AES San Nicolas B.V., AES SellCo III LLC, AES Services Inc., AES Services Ltd., AES Services Philippines Inc., AES Servicios America S.R. L., AES Servicios Electricos S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Servicos TC Ltda., AES Shady Point LLC, AES Silk Road Energy LLC, AES Silk Road LLC, AES Solar Energy B.V., AES Solar Energy Holdings B.V., AES Solar Energy LLC, AES Solar Espana S.L., AES Solar Holdings LLC, AES Solar Power PR LLC, AES Sole Italia S.r.L., AES Soluciones Limitada de Capital Variable, AES Solutions LLC, AES Solutions Management LLC, AES South America Holdings Cooperatief U.A., AES South America Holdings I B.V., AES South America Holdings II B.V., AES South American Holdings Ltd., AES South Point Ltd., AES Southland Development LLC, AES Southland Energy Company Holdings I LLC, AES Southland Energy Holdings II LLC, AES Southland Energy Holdings LLC, AES Southland Energy Investment LLC, AES Southland Energy LLC, AES Stonehaven Holding Inc., AES Strategic Equipment Holdings Corporation, AES Sul L.L.C., AES Summit Generation Ltd., AES Swiss Lake Holdings B.V., AES TEG Holdings I LLC, AES TEG Holdings LLC, AES TEG II Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG II Mexican Investments S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG II Operations S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Management Inc., AES TEG Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Mexican Investments S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Operations S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Power Investments B.V., AES TEG Power Investments II B.V., AES TEGTEP Holdings B.V., AES TEP Holdings I LLC, AES TEP Holdings LLC, AES TEP Management Inc., AES TEP Power II Investments Limited, AES TEP Power Investments Limited, AES Tamuin Development Services S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Texas Funding III L.L.C., AES Thames L.L.C., AES Thomas Holdings BV, AES Tiete Eolica S.A., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia I Ltda., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia II Ltda., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia Ltda., AES Tiete Integra Solucoes em Energia Ltda, AES Tonawanda Solar LLC, AES Transgas I Ltd., AES Treasure Cove Ltd., AES Trinidad Services Unlimited, AES Trust III, AES Tucano Holding I S.A., AES Tucano Holdings II S.A., AES U&K Holdings B.V., AES U.S. Holdings LLC, AES U.S. Investments Inc., AES U.S. Solar LLC, AES UCH Holdings (Cayman) Ltd., AES UK Datacenter Services Limited, AES UK Holdings Limited, AES UK Power Financing II Ltd, AES UK Power Financing Limited, AES UK Power Holdings Limited, AES UK Power L.L.C., AES UK Power Limited, AES US Distributed Solar Holdings LLC, AES US Generation Holdings LLC, AES US Generation LLC, AES US Services LLC, AES US Wind Development L.L.C., AES US Wind Generation Holdings LLC, AES Union de Negocios S.A. de C.V., AES Uruguaiana Empreendimentos S.A., AES Venezuela Finance, AES Volcan Holdings B.V., AES WR Limited Partnership, AES Waikoloa Solar LLC, AES Warrior Run L.L.C., AES West Oahu Solar LLC, AES Western Power Holdings L.L.C., AES Western Power L.L.C., AES Western Wind L.L.C., AES Western Wind MV Acquisition LLC, AES Wind Bulgaria EOOD, AES Wind Generation LLC, AES Wind Generation Limited, AES Wind Investments I B.V., AES Wind Investments II B.V., AES Yucatan S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Zephyr 2 LLC, AES Zephyr 3 LLC, AES Zephyr Inc., AES- IC Ictas Enerji Uretim ve Ticaret A.S., AES-3C Maritza East 1 Ltd., AES-RS Spanish Holdings LLC, AES-RS Sunshine Cooperatief U.A., AES-RS Sunshine Holdings LLC, AES-VCM Mong Duong Power Company Limited, AESCom Sul Ltda., AESEBA Trust Deed, AGV Solar IV Geradora de Energia S.A., AGV Solar V Geradora de Energia S.A., AGV Solar VI Geradora de Energia S.A., AM Solar B.V., AM Solar B.V. - Jordan Co., APR Walden Solar 1 LLC, ARNIKA Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, AZ Solar I LLC, AZ Solar II LLC, AZ Solar Phase Zero LLC, AgCert Canada Co., AgCert Canada Holding Limited, AgCert Chile Servicios Ambientales Limitada, AgCert International Limited, AgCert Servicios Ambientales S.R.L., Agilion Energy Private Limited, Allis Medina Solar LLC, Altai Power Limited Liability Partnership, Alto Maipo SpA, Amaterasu LLC, Andes Solar SpA, Arizona B&GC Solar LLC, Assonet Solar 1 LLC, Atlantic Basin Services Ltd., B.A. Services S.R.L., Bakersfield Industrial PV 1 LLC, Bakersfield PV I LLC, Beals Medina Solar LLC, Boa Hora 1 Geradora De Energia Solar S.A., Boa Hora 2 Geradora de Energia Solar S.A., Boa Hora 3 Geradora De Energia Solar S.A., Bolton Solar I LLC, Brasiliana Participacoes S.A., Bridgeport Solar LLC, Buffalo Gap Holdings 2 LLC, Buffalo Gap Holdings 3 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Holdings LLC, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 2 LLC, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 3 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 4 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Wind Farm LLC, Bullock Freetown Solar 1 LLC, Bosforo de Responsabilidad Limitada de Capital Variable, CCS Telecarrier, CDEC-SING Ltda, CIA.TRANSMISORA DEL NORTE CHICO S.A., CO-CA Wholly Owned LLC, Camille Ltd., Camille Trust, Cavanal Minerals LLC, Cayman Energy Traders, Cemig II C.V., Centrais Eolicas Ametista S.A., Centrais Eolicas Borgo S.A., Centrais Eolicas Caetite S.A., Centrais Eolicas Dourados S.A., Centrais Eolicas Espigao S.A., Centrais Eolicas Maron S.A., Centrais Eolicas Morrao S.A., Centrais Eolicas Pelourinho S.A., Centrais Eolicas Piloes S.A., Centrais Eolicas Seraima S.A., Centrais Eolicas Serra do Espinhaco S.A., Centrais Eolicas Tanque S.A., Centrais Eolicas Ventos do Nordeste S.A., Centrais Eolicas da Prata S.A., Centrais Eolicas dos Aracas S.A., Central Electricity Supply Company of Orissa Limited, Central Termoelectrica Guillermo Brown S.A., Cerulean Properties LLC, Clean Wind Energy Ltd., Coastal Itabo Ltd., Colon LNG Marketing S. De R.L., Compania de Alumbrado Eletrico de San Salvador S.A. DE C.V., Compass Circle Solar LLC, Compania Transmisora Angamos SpA, Compania Transmisora La Cebada S.A., Compania Transmisora del Norte Grande SpA, Costa Norte LNG Terminal S. de R.L., Cronin Road Solar 1 LLC, DPL Capital Trust II, DPL Inc., Daggett Ridge Wind Farm LLC, Delano PV1 LLC, Diamond Development Inc., Distribuidora Electrica de Usulutan Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Domi Trading S.L., Dominican Power Partners, Dublin Solar I LLC, Dunstable Solar 1 LLC, EMLP Controladora S. de R.L. de C.V., ENERAB S. de R.L. de C.V., ENERGEN S.A., Eloy ESD Solar Holdings LLC, Empresa Electrica Angamos S.A., Empresa Electrica Campiche S.A., Empresa Electrica Cochrane II SpA, Empresa Electrica Cochrane S.A., Empresa Electrica Guacolda S.A., Empresa Electrica Ventanas S.A., Empresa Electrica de Oriente S.A. de C.V., Empresa Generadora De Electricidad Itabo S.A., EnerAB Cogeneracion I Laguna del Rey S. de R.L. de C.V., EnerAB Suministro Calificado S. de R.L. de C.V., EnerAB Tenedora S. de R.L., Energetica Argentina S.A., Energia Eolica Los Olmos SpA, Energia Eolica Mesamavida SpA, Energia Verde S.A., Energy Trade and Finance Corporation, Energia Eolica Curauma SpA, Energia Eolica Paposo SpA, Energia Natural del Este Enadom, Eolica Mesa La Paz S. de R.L. de C.V., FTP Power LLC, Finchville Solar LLC, Fluence Energy LLC, Founder's Homestead Farm Solar LLC, Fundacion AES Dominicana Inc., Fundacion AES Gener, GENERGIA S.A., GNRY Holdings & Investments Limited, Gas Natural Atlantico II S. de R.L., Gas Natural Atlantico S. De R.L., Gasoducto GasAndes Argentina S.A., Gasoducto GasAndes S.A., Gener Argentina S.A., Gener Blue Water Ltd., Genergia Power Ltd., Georgia Solar Holdings LLC, Georgia Solar Parent LLC, Global Energy Holdings C.V., Goller Enerji Uretim Ltd. Sti., Gray Springs Vista Solar LLC, Greenwich Solar 1 LLC, Guacolda Energy S.A., Guaimbe I Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe II Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe III Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe IV Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe Solar Holding S.A., Guaimbe V Parque Solar S.A., Health and Welfare Benefit Plans LLC, Hipotecaria San Miguel Limitada de Capital Variable, Hipotecaria Santa Ana Limitada de Capital Variable, INVERSIONES NUEVA VENTANAS S.A., IPALCO Enterprises Inc., Indianapolis Power & Light Company, Indimento Inversiones S.L., Instituto AES Brasil, InterAndes S.A., Inversiones Cachagua SpA, Inversiones Energia Renovable Limitada, Inversiones LK SpA, Inversiones Termoenergia de Chile Ltda., Inversiones Zapallar Limitada, Inversora de San Nicolas S.A., Itabo III S.R.L., Jemeiwaa KaI S.A.S., Johnstown Solar 1 LLC, KA Energy OOD, KMR Power Company, Kazincbarcikai Iparteruletfejleszt Kft., Kings Rooftop PV LLC, La Plata I Empreendimentos Ltda., La Plata II Ltd., La Plata III C.V., Lane Ave Solar LLC, Lemoore PV 1 LLC, MFP CO Holdings II LLC, MFP CO Holdings LLC, MFP CO I LLC, MFP CO II LLC, MFP CO III LLC, MFP CO Parent LLC, MM Solar Holdings I LLC, MM Solar Parent LLC, MSP Master Tenant I LLC, MSP Master Tenant II LLC, MacGregor Park Inc., Manteca PV 1 LLC, Maple Solar LLC, Maui 17-2 LLC, Mauka FIT Twenty LLC, Mercury Cayman Co II Ltda Agencia en Chile, Mercury Chile Co. II Ltd., Mercury Chile Holdco Ltd., Mercury Chile I Limitada, Mercury Chile II Limitada, Miami Valley Insurance Company, Miami Valley Lighting LLC, Mid-America Capital Resources Inc., Middletown Solar 1 LLC, Mong Duong Finance Holdings B.V., Motor EV LLC, Mountain Minerals LLC, Mountain View Power Partners IV LLC, Mountain View Power Partners LLC, Murcia Generation Holdings B.V., NY RNM Project1 LLC, NY RNM Project1A LLC, NY RNM Project2 LLC, NY RNM Project3 LLC, NY RNM Project4 LLC, Na Pua Makani Power Partners LLC, New Caribbean Investments SRL, Norgener Inversiones SpA, Norgener Renovables SpA, Norgener S.A., Nova Energia Holding S.A., Novus Barre Town Solar LLC, Nurenergoservice LLP, Oahu SPE 101-14 LLC, Oahu SPE 101-19 LLC, Oahu SPE 101-2 LLC, Oahu SPE 101-33 LLC, Oahu SPE 101-4 LLC, Oahu SPE 101-9 LLC, Odisha Power Generation Corporation Limited, Omega SpA, PARQUE EOLICO NOLANA SpA, PARQUE EOLICO TOPOLOA SpA, Parque Eolico Beata SRL, Parque Eolico Litueche SpA, Parque Eolico Campo Lindo SpA, Parque Eolico Los Cururos SpA, Parque Eolico Victoria SpA, Punta del Sol SpA, Quebrada Seca SpA, RMR Solar LLC, RT52 Walden Solar 1 LLC, Ransomville Solar 1 LLC, Remittance Processing Services LLC, Rep Office of AES Silk Road in Almaty, Rep Office of AES Silk Road in Tajikstan Republic, Richmond Solar Power 1 LLC, River Street Solar 1 LLC, Riverside Canal Power Company, Rosamond Solar LLC, Ryan Road Solar LLC, SD Solar I LLC, SEPV Imperial LLC, San Bernardino Solar LLC, Scituate Solar I LLC, Scottsdale Solar Holdings LLC, SeaWest Asset Management Services LLC, SeaWest Energy Project Associates LLC, SeaWest Properties LLC, SeaWest Wyoming LLC, Shazia S.R.L., Simple Energy Inc., Solar Access America LLC, Solar Access CA LLC, Solar Access California LLC, Southern Electric Brazil Participacoes Ltda., Store Heat and Produce Energy Inc., Stow Solar I LLC, Sudbury Ervin GMC Solar LLC, SunE Solar XVII Project5 LLC, SunE SunHoldings4 LLC, T&T Power Holdings I SRL, T&T Power Holdings II Ltd., TEG Business Trust, TEG/TEP Management LLC, TEP Business Trust, Tau Power BV, Tecnoma Energia Solar S.L., TermoAndes S.A., Termoelectrica Penoles S. de R.L. de C.V., Termoelectrica del Golfo S. de R.L. de C.V., Terneuzen Cogen B.V., The AES Barry Foundation, The Dayton Power and Light Company, Thermo Fuels Company Inc., Tozer Road Solar LLC, USVI Solar I LLC, University Solar LLC, Vientos Neuquinos I S.A., Village of Waterbury Solar I LLC, W. Orange RD Solar LLC, West Brookfield Boston Post Road Solar LLC, West Street Solar 1 LLC, Western Solar Parent LLC, Wilbur Woods Solar LLC, Wildwood Trust, Williamsburg East Street Solar LLC, Winchendon Ash Street Solar 1 LLC, Winchendon Lincoln Avenue Solar 1 LLC, Winchendon Lincoln Avenue Solar 2 LLC, Your Energy Holdings Limited, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-001 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-003 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-006 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-007 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-008 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-011 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-014 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-017 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-023 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-024 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-038 LLC, ZPD-PT Solar Project 2017-044 LLC, sPower, and sPower OpCo A Blocker LLC. Read More Ad Paradigm Press 8,788% Return Predicted For THIS Crypto (already up 40% in 6 months) THIS cryptocurrency has gained 40% in 6 months. A crypto millionaire who has researched the space for a decade says it will go up 8,788% in 5 years. The name of this cryptocurrency is revealed right here: Click to get the name of the cryptocurrency The Hyunmoo Vanguard: A new missile era South Korea recently conducted tests of the Hyunmoo-IV-1 and the more advanced Hyunmoo-V strategic missiles. This test marks a critical milestone in South Koreas military capabilities, particularly with the Hyunmoo-V, a missile that heralds significant advancements in firepower and technological sophistication. Boasting over 11 tons of firepower, the Hyunmoo-V is slated to incorporate cutting-edge technologies such as Maneuverable Re-entry Vehicle (MaRV) and Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV), significantly boosting its strategic value and versatility. Get alerts: Targeting the underground: Hyunmoos specialized design A standout feature of the Hyunmoo series, specifically the Hyunmoo-IV-1 and Hyunmoo-V, is their tailored design for neutralizing underground facilities. Termed the High Power Missile (HPM), the Hyunmoo-V is engineered to detonate above these subterranean structures, effectively collapsing and sealing them off. This capability is particularly relevant given the proliferation of such facilities used by potential adversaries for military purposes. The missiles propulsion system is advanced enough to necessitate a cold-launch mechanism, and it incorporates sophisticated evasion systems to counter air defense measures, especially those deployed by North Korea. Beyond the atmosphere: The Hyunmoo-Vs trajectory and reach The Hyunmoo-V missile is a heavyweight in its class, tipping the scales at 36 tons. It employs a Lofted trajectory flight path, soaring through the exosphere, which enhances its penetration ability and increases its range effectiveness. The missiles strategic trajectory enables it to strike targets with greater precision and power. Additionally, South Koreas ongoing development of hypersonic cruise vehicles and the Hypersonic Glide Vehicle (HGV) signifies a broader commitment to advancing its missile technology. Strengthening the arsenal: Hyunmoo-Vs production and deployment Deciphering missile movements: The role of NOTAMs in test disclosures Presently, South Korea possesses over 20 Hyunmoo-V missiles, with a robust production process for the HPM series in progress. The nation prefers the term Extreme Precision, High Power Missile for these missiles, distinguishing them from traditional IRBM and ICBM classifications. This choice of nomenclature underscores the specific tactical roles these missiles are designed to fulfill. The exact timing of these missile tests remains undisclosed officially. However, the use of NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen) offers indirect insights into such tests. NOTAMs, which outline restricted or hazardous airspace regions, provide clues about the timing and locations of missile tests. Analyzing these NOTAMs has led experts to speculate on the probable dates and areas of the Hyunmoo-Vs testing. Hyunmoo-V: The monster missile The Hyunmoo-V has been nicknamed the monster missile for its formidable capabilities. It can carry one of the largest warheads in the world, weighing up to 9 tons, comparable to the destructive power of nuclear weapons. In its descending phase, the missile reaches speeds close to Mach 10. While its maximum range remains classified, expert analysis suggests a potential reach of up to 3,000 kilometers, placing it in the intermediate-range missile category. The broader picture: South Koreas comprehensive defense strategy The development of the Hyunmoo-V is part of South Koreas larger defense strategy, notably its 3K Defense System. This system is designed to preempt and counter North Korean nuclear launches and includes the Kill Chain component, the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation plan (KMPR). Each element of this defense system plays a critical role in providing a comprehensive security umbrella for South Korea against potential regional threats. The evolution of the Hyunmoo-V missile underscores South Koreas dedication to enhancing its military capabilities. This missile, along with the broader 3K Defense System, represents a significant step forward in South Koreas defense posture, providing a robust response to the complex security challenges in the region. Exxon Mobil Corporation is the largest direct descendent of John D. Rockefellers Standard Oil and one of the worlds largest companies. Its earliest roots lie with Vacuum Oil which got its start in the 1860s. Vacuum Oils primary product was kerosene, an important advancement for heating and lighting in rural America. Vacuum Oil was later merged with Standard Oil of New Jersey which was the parent operation of the Standard Oil empire prior to its breakup. Standard Oil of New Jersey would merge with other independent operators over the next few years until settling on the brand Exxon for most of its operations. Meanwhile, Standard Oil of New York was operating under much the same impetus, merging and growing, until it became known as Mobil. Then, in 1999, the two giants became one with a merger of equals that on paper had Exxon buying Mobil. Now, the combined company operates under the Exxon, Mobil, and Esso brands as an international vertically integrated energy and petrochemical business. Today, the company explores and produces crude oil and natural gas and their derivative products globally. As of 2022, it was ranked 6th on Forbes Fortune 500 list and 12th on the Global 500 list but it has held positions from #1 to #10 over the years. In terms of its operations, it is the worlds second-largest oil refiner and the largest refiner outside of China. In terms of reserves, ExxonMobil claimed about 18.5 million barrels of oil and oil equivalents at the end of 2021 and was ranked 15th globally. ExxonMobil operates through three segments that are the Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical segments. The Upstream segment explores for and produces oil and oil equivalents and represents roughly 70% of the income. The Downstream segment gathers, receives, stores, transports and refines oil and equivalents and their derivatives. The Downstream segment also markets and delivers fuel products to consumers and businesses. The Chemicals segment produces the full range of petrochemicals including plastics, resins and synthetic rubber. ExxonMobil is committed to advancing sustainable and carbon-free energy solutions. The company is targeting 2050 for net-zero emissions and its 2030 interim targets are in alignment with the Paris Accord, the EU's Global Methane Pledge, and US Methane Emissions Reduction Action Plan. The companys plans include investing $15 billion into reducing greenhouse emissions by 2028. A 1.2m solar roof installation is underway at Causeway Hospital which, once complete, will offset more than 200,000 kgs of carbon emissions by generating around 1 million kWh of electricity each year. The project is the largest solar PV (photovoltaic) roof installation on any Health and Social Care building in Northern Ireland, and one of the largest rooftop installations on the island of Ireland. Work on the 1.2 MWp (megawatt peak) system is due to be completed by the spring. Chris Smyth, Head of Specialist Services with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, said: We are really delighted that this exciting project to produce clean, renewable energy is underway. Once complete, the reduction in carbon emissions would equate to planting around 8,800 trees for every year it is operating, which is significant. It will not only help us to reduce running costs, but importantly will help us reduce our carbon footprint through generating our own electricity to run the hospital. Renewable energy in health and social care is an important aspect of how we create a more sustainable and cost-efficient system for generations to come. This project has been made possible by funding from the Department for the Economy and demonstrates the Trusts commitment to investing in Causeway Hospital so it can continue to serve the local population for many years to come. Renewable energy projects such as this help to reduce our carbon emissions and move us toward our long-term goal of delivering a net zero health and social care service for the region. The Trusts Energy Team has been delivering a range of sustainability projects, from installing energy-saving LED lighting to replacing inefficient boilers across its estate. As well as the solar PV installation at Causeway Hospital, smaller-scale solar PV projects have been completed at Dalriada Hospital in Ballycastle and at the Route Complex in Ballymoney. Planning is also underway for a solar PV installation and replacement window scheme at the Mid Ulster Hospital, as part of the Trusts Delivering Value Programme. Northern HSC Trust Director of Infrastructure Paddy Graffin said: Our health and social care system as a whole is facing increasing financial pressures and so it is vital that we look across our organisation to ensure we are getting the very best value and identifying areas where we can make efficiencies across our estates. We have set up a Delivering Value Programme Board to oversee this work which covers three main areas: productivity, cost control, and sustainability. Investing in renewable energy will help us meet our cost control targets on energy, as well as having benefits for our local environment and communities. The Department for the Economy has provided the Northern Trust with total funding of 1.8million towards its renewable energy projects. Ian Snowden, Permanent Secretary at the Department for the Economy, said: The Department for the Economy is delighted to support the Northern Health and Social Care Trust in its ongoing energy efficiency and decarbonisation journey as part of our wider efforts to help Northern Ireland achieve its ambitious Net Zero targets. As part of our delivery of the Energy Management Strategy for central government, the Department was pleased to be able to provide funding for the new solar PV installation at the Causeway Hospital. This fantastic project shows how government is continuing to lead on the deployment of renewable energy solutions as part of Northern Irelands journey to Net Zero. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Subscriber content preview WASHINGTON (AP) Federal officials are recommending that airlines inspect the door plugs on more Boeing 737s after one of the panel blew off a Boeing jet in midflight. The Federal Aviation Administration says airlines should also inspect the panels on an older model, the 737-900ER. Those planes have door plugs that are identical in design to the one that flew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing Max 9 jetliner this month. . . . Subscriber content preview By R.J. RICO Associated Press ATLANTA The longstanding and at times violent protests against Atlanta's planned police and firefighter training center are partially responsible for a nearly $20 million rise in costs connected to the project, city officials said. The 85-acre project, which critics call Cop City, is now expected to cost $109.65 million, up from a previous estimate of $90 million, Atlanta Deputy Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burkes told City Council members on Wednesday. . . . The Irish premier said that South Africas legal case against Israel is valid, but that Ireland will wait until the main case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is filed before taking a decision on any intervention. Leo Varadkar also said he doesnt believe any order from ICJ will bring an end to the conflict in Gaza. Speaking in the Irish parliament, Mr Varadkar said that the government is committing to support any decision of the ICJ on preliminary measures. His comments come as opposition politicians criticised the governments vague position in relation to South Africas legal case. Mr Varadkar said: Im sad to say I dont believe that an order from the ICJ will bring about an end to this conflict. It didnt in Ukraine and it may be four years before the case is finally decided. So this conflict will be brought to an end by diplomacy and by politics and thats why were focusing on diplomacy and politics. He added: Were also committing to support any decision of the ICJ on preliminary measures. These will be final and binding on the parties concerned. Were also committing to consider an intervention in the South Africa versus Israel case at the ICJ. This is done at the point when South Africa would file its main, memorial case. To date, while some countries have indicated that they will intervene, none have yet because that doesnt happen until that point. He added: We do agree that Africas case is valid. He said that the Attorney General will travel to The Hague in February to make a submission in an ongoing case involving Israel and Palestine, which is separate from South Africas case. Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said the government doesnt want to even contemplate the word genocide when it comes to Israels actions in Gaza. Thats why youre refusing to take a stance now and signal your support for South Africa in the Court of Justice, she added. You want to wait until you have the cover of the preliminary ruling and then youll consider your options. This approach lacks courage. Its at odds with the annihilation that were witnessing and your words of support for Palestinians. While your government is faffing around, other countries are making their intentions clear. Germany has already announced they will intervene in the case on the side of Israel, saying they firmly and explicitly reject the accusation of genocide. The US and the UK have also made their views clear, they rubbish South Africas case as meritless and unjustified. Western countries are lining up to support Israel. There could not be more of a pressing need for countries like Ireland to signal the support for South Africa now and your governments claim it cannot simply isnt credible. Earlier on Tuesday, Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said that Ireland had not yet made a decision and would wait to assess South Africas legal case. The Tanaiste also said that it is not possible to join the case yet as it is only at the preliminary stages. Demonstrators at several pro-Palestine protests in Dublin have called on the government to support South Africas case, and Irish charity Trocaire has urged Ireland to assess itself whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed. It said assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The charity also called on Ireland to publicly support South Africas call for interim measures, such as a humanitarian ceasefire and for aid to be delivered unhindered into the Gaza Strip. Asked about South Africas case at the ICJ on his way into Cabinet on Tuesday, Mr Martin said: Its important to make that point, no-one has joined because no one can right now. That misinformation has gathered that somehow we havent joined. Nobody has joined. The Government will later table a motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, ahead of a vote on Wednesday on a parliamentary motion by the Social Democrats calling on Ireland to support South Africas case, opposition parties said they had yet to see the wording. Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik said that she had sought cross-party support for a separate motion that would call on the government to investigate the possibility of joining the South African case. We believe they could join the case now or indicate a willingness to join it at a much higher level, Ms Bacik said. Were working with government to see a timing for agreeing that cross-party motion, I think there is a certain momentum there, she said, adding that she had been in touch with all three coalition party leaders. But Im really trying to work constructively with government parties and opposition parties to see if we can form a common purpose in support of Gaza. Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon said that unity happens when we vote for it in the Dail, it doesnt happen in some behind-the-scenes backroom deals. Im not going to wait for some illusion of unity, Im going to act, thats what people who are contacting my office are asking that we do. He said that as Germany had already signalled it would support Israels case at the court, Ireland should signal its intention to support South Africa. We dont have to wait to look at the legal arguments made by the South African case and the incredible Irish human rights lawyers out there we can also start our own case. The government can actually move to initiate their own findings. We appreciate that thats not going to happen tomorrow, but the process needs to begin. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that the Tanaiste stating that they would consider South Africas case showed that the government is under pressure. He said a protest is being organised outside the Dail at 5.30pm on Wednesday to pile the pressure on the government to support South Africas case at the preliminary stage. Vague references to what they may do in the future or simply rhetorical calls for a ceasefire are not good enough, he said. To be honest, talking about joining the case later, possibly, when theres a genocide happening now, is worse than useless. The whole point of the South African action was to demand provisional measures on to the Genocide Convention to stop the genocide thats happening now. We needed the international community to take measures to stop Israels slaughter before the already horrific situation in Gaza gets even worse. A heartbroken family has appealed for help in bringing back their sick son back home to Ireland. Dublin native Stephen Hynes, aged 44, suddenly took sick in California and is now receiving end of life care. According to his family, he is expected to pass in the next few days. As many of our friends and family are aware, last Monday morning we received a call to turn our lives upside down our son and brother Stephen took sick very suddenly in California where he lives and he is now in end of life care where he is expected to pass in the next few days at the young age of 44, said Stephens family. Stephen grew up in Artane, Co Dublin, and moved to California in 2007. He is a huge part of everyones lives and he is so loved by his wife, children, mam, brother, sisters nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles cousins and a large group of friends in Ireland and in California, they added. We as a family are honouring Stephens wishes to be brought home and laid to rest with his dad so we have set up this GoFundMe to help bring Stephen home to Ireland where he belongs and loved by so many. You can donate to the fundraiser here. Christmas FM, Irelands favourite festive radio station, which officially Switches Christmas On around the country every year, is delighted to announce that it raised 324,000 in 2023 for The Magic of Christmas appeal which raises funds for Barnardos, Barretstown, Make-A-Wish Ireland and a range of childrens charities making a difference in communities through Community Foundation Ireland. This year's donations are another big step towards Christmas FMs goal to raise over 1,000,000 between 20222024 for the Magic of Christmas appeal. The funds will be used to support 5,000 vulnerable children in our communities affected by traumatic life events such as poverty, abuse, neglect and bereavement, and to assist children whose lives are affected by serious childhood illness. 2023s figure brings the total amount raised by the radio station to over 3.5 million since it began broadcasting 16 years ago. Christmas FM is presented on air each year by up to 100 volunteers who devote hundreds of hours of their time assisted by a core management team. Paul Shepherd, Co-Founder of Christmas FM, says: We are absolutely delighted to have raised almost 325,000 for The Magic of Christmas appeal. We are incredibly grateful for our devoted listeners and fans who generously donated all throughout the festive season. We would also like to thank Coimisiun na Mean for granting us the license to broadcast Christmas FM across Ireland, and our premier FM sponsors for 2023 - Cadbury, Coca-Cola, and An Post as well as Extra.ie, the official media partner of The Magic of Christmas appeal. We would also like to thank The Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley, who, once again, kindly donated their studio space to the station. Last but not least, a warm thank you to all the team and volunteers who make Christmas FM so special each year. Commenting on the total amount raised, the charity partners jointly said: We are extremely grateful to The Magic of Christmas appeal for continuing to work with us as the official charity partners for 2023. The Magic of Christmas appeal does so much for over 5,000 vulnerable children in our communities across Ireland. It is because of Christmas FMs great work and the generosity of their listeners that 324,000 was raised in 2023. The money raised will have a positive impact on many children who use our services around Ireland and everyone involved should be proud of their contributions to such a worthy cause. Coimisiun na Mean grants Christmas FM a 30-day temporary sound broadcasting license, which enables the station to broadcast on a range of frequencies throughout the country. Coimisiun na Means Director of Broadcasting, Clare Diamond, said: We would like to congratulate all involved in Christmas FM for the achievement of another fantastic fundraising result for charities. The service demonstrates once again the power and popularity of radio as a medium to bring people together and, through the generosity and contributions of its sponsors and listeners, to reflect the true spirt of Christmas. This year, Christmas FM was generously sponsored by the premier FM sponsors Cadbury, Coca-Cola and An Post. Christmas FM was broadcast live from The Clayton Hotel, Liffey Valley. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. The Civic Initiative is actioning an 18-month citizen-led review of key socioeconomic rights and commitments under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement including housing, healthcare, education, political institutions, human rights, poverty, rural access, and culture across Northern Ireland and border counties with a view to finding pathways forward. Following Forums in Armagh, Newry, and Derry the Initiative is holding a cross-border Peoples Forum in Dundalk on Saturday January 27 at 9.30am at the Wellington Hall. Residents in Newry, Dundalk, Drogheda, and surrounding areas are encouraged to attend. This forum is an opportunity for people to discuss key issues impacting their community, and to work collectively to find practical solutions to address important areas of peace and wellbeing. It forms part of a new civic movement to give citizens a voice on key issues. Recommendations developed through the Civic Initiative will be delivered to the Irish and British governments as well as the Northern Ireland Assembly. Les Allamby, the former Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and the Independent Chair of the Civic Initiative said: The Civic Initiative is an ambitious project that brings together a wide-range of civic society organisations to create a much-needed space for deliberative dialogue on key issues. "This is an expansive and inclusive space for people across Northern Ireland and border counties to have voice on issues impacting their lives, and importantly, to look for practical solutions that recognise the circumstances facing communities. The Cross Border Peoples Forum takes place on Saturday January 27th, 9.30am, Wellington Hall Dundalk, St. Mary's Road , Dundalk, County Louth, A91 XH21, Ireland. registration is available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/civic-initiative-peoples- forum-dundalk-tickets-774269540037 The Initiative provides financial support towards travel costs. The forum is a three-hour facilitated deliberative dialogue, refreshments are provided. Officially launched this week, the Young Social Innovators (YSI) online Youth Space platform empowers young people nationwide including in Co Louth to start their social innovation journey on their own terms and in their own time. Supporting and enabling positive youth-led initiatives outside formal educational environments, the sites six main sections serve as a dynamic hub, allowing the next generation to leverage an array of focused resources and access insider tips from a range of experts. Commenting on the launch of Youth Space, YSI CEO Roger Warnock said: Today, we're thrilled to introduce Youth Space, an exciting new platform that empowers young people with the tools, resources, and inspiration they need to drive positive change in their communities, including in Co Louth. With Youth Space, we've created a one-stop shop for young social innovators, offering a wealth of articles, polls, and toolkits, plus an online, self-paced course. It's not just a website; it's a dedicated space to support a movement and a valuable resource for young changemakers. I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to IBM and the Community Foundation of Ireland for their invaluable support in making this idea a reality. One sixth-year student who spent some time exploring the Youth Space site, commented: Youth Space is seriously helpful; there are some fantastic articles, handy tips, real-world examples, and a sweet short course that I'm definitely sticking on my CV! It's a great way to show I'm all about making a positive difference. If you've got any questions about social innovation and how to get involved, this is the place to start! The design and development of the online site were made possible by contributions of 100,000 from IBM and 95,000 from Community Foundation Ireland, enabling additional educational assets including online courses and micro grants, plus support for YSIs social impact fund. Deirdre Kennedy, IBM corporate social responsibility manager for social impact programmes, said: IBM encourages a collaborative and diverse approach to problem-solving, aiming to harness the collective creativity of teams to drive innovation. This is why were delighted to support the Youth Space platform, which will allow young curious minds to propose fresh ideas in a safe and secure environment and develop solutions that can make a difference to real-world challenges. Denise Charlton, chief executive, Community Foundation Ireland, added: Young people with vision, passion and energy now have a new online support which equips them with the tools to help shape the future of local communities, our country and our planet. The level of information and advice available is incredible, drawing from the vast experience of projects by Young Social Innovators. As a partner with our own mission of Equality for All in Thriving Communities, we wish the tens of thousands of young changemakers who will use Youth Space every success. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) recently hosted their inaugural RiVeR Project community of practice event on campus. The RiVeR Project is a national initiative based in DkIT which has been initiated to support and facilitate frontline services who respond to the impacts of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence through research, education and training. This project is a multi-agency approach to a national problem. The RiVeR Project is funded under Higher Education Authority Performance Funding. The project, in partnership with key stakeholders, aims to incorporate systematic continuous research and evaluation to build a community of practice at national level. The initiative aims to develop educational resources for higher education institutions to raise awareness and build further capacity in this field. Through research and education this project will broaden the national availability and opportunities for training for those most in need of further support and education in Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV). This recent sold-out community of practice event offered attendees keynote addresses from Professor John Devaney, Centenary Professor of Social Work and Dean of the School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh. Professor Devaney Said Im delighted to have the opportunity to talk at this extremely important initiative. The RiVeR Project is now an additional frame of reference to empower first line workers functioning in this area. Professor Devaneys discourse was followed by an address by Mary McDermott, CEO of Safe Ireland. Mary McDermott stated at the event, This project is an enormous opportunity for education in this area and it has the potential to help build an intellectual infrastructure for the work that needs to be done. The event was attended by over 100 participants from a wide range of organisations from across Ireland with the aim of maximising support and building a community of practice for those who currently work in this area. The keynote addresses were followed by an interactive workshop to ascertain stakeholder education and training needs in the area of sexual and gender-based violence. The event also facilitated opportunities for attendees to network with colleagues in the field. Dr Kathleen Nallen, RiVeR Project Lead added, We were thrilled to host our inaugural community of practice event and were delighted that an event of this ilk was in such high demand. We look forward to growing and evolving our community of practice which will support those working in this area. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Prof John Devaney and Mary McDermott for their incredible and insightful keynote addresses. We felt privileged to have two such distinguished and knowledgeable guests speak so eloquently about the field of DSGBV. The RiVeR Project team also took this opportunity to officially launch their new website and were joined virtually by Minister for Justice Helen McEntee via a recorded video message which was shown on the day to all attendees. Storm Jocelyn continues to develop and bear down on Ireland across the Atlantic amid a series of warnings from Met Eireann and the possibility of hidden dangers. Met Eireann has issued a Status Orange wind warning for Mayo and Galway which is valid from 5pm on Tuesday until midnight. A Status Orange wind warning for Donegal will remain in place a little longer until 2am on Wednesday. "Storm Jocelyn will bring very strong southwest to west winds with severe and damaging gusts," Met Eireann said. They warn of serious impacts including large coastal waves with wave overtopping, very difficult travelling conditions, fallen trees, damage to power lines and damage to already weakened structures. Weakened trees and structures like damaged buildings could come down in Storm Jocelyn despite not being as strong as Storm Isha. Further Status Yellow wind warnings for the rest of the country lapse at various times on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with the longest warning for Donegal, Leitrim and Sligo valid until 5am on Wednesday. Nick Critch from Weather Alerts Ireland has described Storm Jocelyn as "a monster" as it makes its way towards us. Meanwhile, Cathal Nolan from Ireland's Weather Channel has pinpointed when and where the worst of the winds will hit at Storm Jocelyn moves over Ireland. "Another day, another wind warning in place, but this time the winds wont be quite as severe as those experienced during Storm Isha, but, nevertheless theres a renewed risk of power outages, disruption to restoration services and the risk of damage to weakened structures or falling trees due to the impact of Sundays storm," he said. "The strongest winds will again be across counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, with further damaging winds expected along coastal fringes of Derry and Antrim. Further disruptive winds are likely in remaining areas of Connacht and Ulster, with the southeast of the country fairing the best in terms of reduced windspeeds. "In terms of the strength of the wind theyll peak between 110-120km/h in parts of the west and northwest, with winds elsewhere between 90-100km/h generally. The wind will also be accompanied by heavy rain this morning, clearing to blustery showers with a risk of isolated thunderstorms and hail later this afternoon and this evening. "Winds are already blustery and theyll continue to increase through the early afternoon and evening. The strongest of the winds will begin to show up along Atlantic coastal counties between 12-1pm, transferring countrywide by 2-3pm and peaking between 5pm to midnight, with winds remaining strong in Donegal and other norther coastal counties through the early hours of tomorrow." Cathal added: "Please do continue to keep up to date with all the available weather warnings. Secure any loose objects that may have been damaged in Sunday's Storm. Avoid travelling during the peak hours of Storm Jocelyn where possible, and be prepared for some further disruption to power services across the west, northwest and north Midlands." GARDAI have said the the investigation into the 1996 murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier in West Cork remains active and ongoing. This follows the sudden death of Ian Bailey, who had described himself as the prime suspect in the case, and who passed away on Sunday in Bantry following a suspected heart attack. The Garda investigation onto the murder of Sophie Toscan de Plantier in 1996 remains active and ongoing, as does assistance from the Garda Serious Crime Review Team, a Garda spokesperson said. The years leading up to Mr Baileys death had been steeped in controversy due to his suspected involvement in the Toscan du Plantier case. He was sentenced in absentia to 25 years in jail by a French court in 2019 for the murder. Ms Toscan du Plantiers uncle, Jean Pierre Gazeau, said Mr Bailey, who had always denied any involvement in her death, never faced legal consequences in Ireland. High Court In October 2020, the High Court in Ireland rejected an attempt by French authorities to extradite Mr Bailey for the murder. The court ruled that he would not be surrendered to France after a European Arrest Warrant was issued in 2019. The uncle of of Sophie Toscan de Plantier, Jean Pierre Gazeau, said he thinks the cold case investigation into the murder of his niece should continue because there is a strong possibility to have new evidence coming from DNA researchers. Picture: Dan Linehan. Mr Gazeau said his family were certain of Mr Baileys guilt because of his conviction in a French court, adding there were so many circumstantial evidences tying him to her death. Ian Bailey remained free in Ireland, he told RTE Radio. He never faced legal consequences in that country. He constantly refused to answer questions from French investigators from the judge. He tied himself in lies, omissions, contradictions before Irish investigators. I think the cold case teams investigation in Ireland should continue because there is a strong possibility to have new evidence coming from DNA researchers with this new system of investigation. Contact He also said that Mr Bailey attempted to contact him a number of times. We always refused to establish a direct contact with Ian Bailey. This is a matter of justice. When someone is accused of murder, I think the most important thing is to have normal a relationship between that person, which is considered a suspect, and the police. Its not normal to have a direct communication between the suspect and the family of the victim. Meanwhile, Mr Baileys solicitor, Frank Buttimer, expressed doubt about whether the murder suspects name will ever be cleared following his sudden death. Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Mr Buttimer described Mr Bailey, a University College Cork law graduate, as a complicated individual. He described their first encounter. He came into my office. At that point of time, he was the principal suspect in relation to the crime. He had heard of me in some other context and just came in and spoke to me. He had his own solicitor at the time. I met him and spoke to him and my immediate reaction was that he was in no way involved in this particular crime. I did say to him that if he was ever prosecuted, I would represent him. That transpired never to be necessary. He acknowledged Mr Baileys interest in the limelight. He did not describe himself as a self-declared prime suspect. He became that because he described himself as the prime suspect. He then became this very convenient thing called the self-confessed prime suspect which was an ideal status for the police to attribute to him. It was as if he was portraying himself as a prime suspect on this confessional basis. The police in Ireland knew that they did not have sufficient evidence to put him on trial and knew that there were fundamental flaws with the evidence they had generated which was quite frankly a puff of smoke. This was subsequently determined by the review that was carried out initially by the DPP as far back as 1997. Frustrating Mr Buttimer admitted he found Mr Baileys reaction to public attention frustrating at times. The whole perception of Ian Bailey was generated by himself in the manner in which he spoke about his own case and his own circumstances, he said. It really didnt help him. Different people react in different ways to circumstances. The circumstances which he found himself in were very challenging for him. It was really hard to process what was going on. It turned into a spiral of mental problems that he had with regard to what had been done to him and his method of reaction. Sometimes he became proactive instead of reactive. The proactive element I found difficult but I always understood it. The solicitor cast doubt over whether the case will ever be solved. The reality is that he always wanted that to happen but he died before it ever would have happened. I suppose theres a possibility, like with anything else in life, but with the passage of time it is very hard to see that somebody will be identified and prosecuted. The ex-partner of Ian Bailey spoke to The Echo yesterday about the appalling public abuse that haunted the former couple. Jules Thomas, an artist, had supported Mr Bailey after he was accused of Sophie Toscan du Plantiers murder. Mr Bailey and Ms Thomas finally parted ways in 2021 after 30 years together. She had stood by him after the murder conviction in France in 2019. Despite admitting to feeling nothing following Mr Baileys death, Ms Thomas said her experiences had taken their toll. Torment She spoke about the torment she experienced after her then-partner first became a suspect in the case. Back in the early days, we had all sorts of ghastly things going on. It was appalling, she told The Echo. The knock-on effect was my family not wanting to visit because of the shame really. They didnt want to be connected for years. Theyre okay now, but for years I missed out on young grandchildren and other important stuff. I mean its awful, absolutely awful. Ms Thomas said the loneliness that followed the speculation around Mr Bailey was difficult. I dont think a lot of people have the ability to mentally transport themselves into the reality of the situation. Much of it just goes straight over their heads. This is just another story to them. Ms Thomas said she will likely never find peace after the experience. She said she does her best not to dwell on cruel comments. I think something changes in your life and you cant go back on it really, she said. What I do is try and put it out of my mind altogether. I dont dwell on it because thats the only way of keeping my mind healthy. Ms Thomas had been in the process of writing a book about her experiences before Mr Baileys death and hopes to complete the project with the help of a ghost writer. The funeral of Mr Bailey is expected to take place in West Cork in the coming days. STUDENTS from first year to Leaving Cert at Scoil Mhuire in Kanturk cast off their school uniforms to don their 1950s leather jackets and high school skirts to raise the roof at a rip-roaring last night of musical magic recently. According to Scoil Mhuire principal, Denis Keating, the performance of the musical Grease on the night created a magical atmosphere in the school and he described it as the highlight of the 15 years he has been teaching in the north Cork academy. Grease, performed at Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk.Pictures: Janusz Trzesicki Preparations for the musical had begun in early October and the school had been a hive of activity as students and teachers alike gave up their free time to build and paint sets, practice dance sequences and get ready to perform for the three night run which packed out the school auditorium. We make it a whole school activity and thats part of the logic of why we do it, its very much a bringing together of staff, parents and students, and then students across the different year groups, so that we build sense of togetherness and community, said Mr Keating. Grease, performed at Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk.Pictures: Janusz Trzesicki We make an effort to make it as in-house as possible and teachers give up a significant amount of their free time, weekends included, to build the sets, doing the lighting and taking on the role of musical director. He paid tribute to the spirit of volunteerism which, he said, was very much alive in his school. Thankfully Im very fortunate as I have a staff here who step up to the plate and deliver on that score. There were 56 students from the 300-pupil academy on stage during the three-night run and many more working behind the scenes to get the production ready and to help on the nights of the performances selling tickets and programmes. Grease, performed at Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk.Pictures: Janusz Trzesicki Macdara Neenan played the role of Danny while Eabha OCarroll was Sandy for the musical and their performances in the show, for which Caitriona McNamara was musical director with Sharon McCarthy assisting, earned rapturous applause from the packed houses each night. The school stages a musical once every two years such is the effort that goes into it but Principal Keating regards it as well worth the effort in terms of the life skills the students learn during their involvement. Grease, performed at Scoil Mhuire, Kanturk.Pictures: Janusz Trzesicki There are life skills that they will take from being involved in this production for some of them, they didnt get the part they auditioned for, theres learning in that, some of them mucked up when they were rehearsing, they learned from that, some of them learned they had to work hard, they have to practice, learn and, then, on the night, they have to go out and perform, said the principal. Each and every one of the skills they learn in the sphere of the musical is directly transferable to other aspects of life, including their exams. The curtain has come down on the musical for another year and now students and teachers will be anticipating its return in two years time. Alleged damage to Michael Flatleys Co Cork period mansion will cost 30 million to repair, 5 million more than previously claimed, the Commercial Court has heard. The former Riverdance star has submitted a surveyors report in support of his claim that there are unsafe levels of toxic chemical residue at Castlehyde manor, including on the wall surfaces in the pool, spa and cinema areas. The survey letter outlines that the ceilings, which are inset with decorative guild gold, have been extensively damaged by contamination, fire and smoke and must be replaced in keeping with heritage specifications. Among the 30 million repairs provisionally estimated by a construction costs consultant, is 3.9 million for woodwork, 2.2 million for bespoke plaster works, 2.5 million for decor and 3.5 million for finishes. Some 9.8 million has been recommended for demolition-related costs and isolation works at the house, which is just outside Fermoy. Due to the extent of surface repairs required, the surveyor advised that further investigations are needed to establish the level of structural contamination. The figures come in response to questioning by Mr Justice Denis McDonald last week of the very broad brush assertion that repairs could be in the region of 25 million. Mr Flatleys barrister, Ronnie Hudson, instructed by Maxwell Mooney and Company Solicitors, said on Monday that an architectural letter has now been submitted showing the works could cost 30 million. 2016 fire Mr Flatley claims the unsafe levels of chloride residue are due to PVC combustion in a 2016 fire at the estate and that the alleged main renovation contractor, Austin Newport Group Ltd, was aware of a residue issue. Austin denies the claims. Mr Flatley is suing Austin and three insurance underwriters: MS Amlin Underwriting Ltd, AXA XL Underwriting Agencies LTD and Hamilton Managing Agency Limited alleging negligence, endangerment, misrepresentation and breach of duty and contract. A fourth insurer, Hiscox SA, which has an Irish address at Sir Rogersons Quay in Dublin 2, was added to the case this week to seek indemnity against it over alleged damage to the property. All of the allegations are denied. The judge was told Hiscox wants to join the other insurers in seeking to have the case referred to out-of-court mediation due to a clause in an alleged 3.9 million settlement of a claim by Mr Flatley on his insurance policy over the fire. The court heard the proceedings were not properly served on the final defendant, London-based David Cushion, who is being sued for alleged negligent misstatement and breach of contract over allegedly acting as Mr Flatleys accountant and insurance broker. Neil Steen SC said his client, Mr Cushion, cannot understand why he has been drawn into this case and is adamant he has no responsibility for any of the alleged issues. He cannot understand why he has been named personally as he has at all times been a partner of MSE Business Management LLP, the court heard. Mr Steen, instructed by Beale & Co, told the court he will be bringing a motion seeking to have the case dismissed against his client for failing to disclose a cause of action. He said Mr Flatleys agent, Des Walshe, previously told Mr Cushion the proceedings would be discontinued against him. Mr Hudson told the court his client will not be withdrawing his case against anyone at this stage. The judge adjourned the case for one week. The Lord of the Dance star claims he has invested more than 29 million since acquiring the property in 1999. A move to introduce e-tickets across Irish Rails intercity services has been welcomed by local elections candidate in Cork city, Peter Horgan, who said such an initiative should be rolled out as a priority across all public transport. Irish Rail said it has completed the introduction of new phone-based QR code ticketing, which the railway operator said has the potential to eliminate up to four million printed tickets annually for intercity rail journeys. Following a pilot on selected ticket types, the technology is available on all online booked intercity journeys (excluding Dublin to Belfast) from Tuesday 23rd January, a spokesperson for the company said. Customers on intercity routes (excluding Dublin to Belfast) will now be able to scan the QR-code ticket from their phone at selected marked ticket gates at stations on the national rail network. The initiative was welcomed by Labour Party candidate in the citys South East ward Peter Horgan. Finally we are moving rail travel on a level like air travel where you have an e-ticket, Mr Horgan said. We all know or have knowledge of those who misplace tickets and are forced to repurchase tickets at full price. It was a strange situation where getting a train to Dublin from Charleville you were issued a QR code but those from Kent had to secure the paper slip. Mr Horgan said he would like to see a wider implementation of e-tickets. We now need this rolled out as a priority across all public transport and especially in Cork as a frontloaded effort on BusConnects to encourage usage. Digital next gen ticketing is here and it shouldnt take a year for the fleet to be fitted with the capability that is second nature in most European public transport hubs, he said. To avail of an e-ticket on intercity services choose the download QR ticket(s) option when booking online at www.irishrail.ie or through the Iarnrod Eireann app. The option to collect a ticket remains available for customers who prefer to do so. A Department of Integration spokesperson has confirmed to The Echo that the former Ennismore Retreat Centre on the north side of the city will not be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees. It comes after a protest began at the gates of the premises last night, with people objecting to the proposed use of the site and blockading the entrance with tents and signs reading "Ireland is full." Tents erected outside the former St Dominic's Centre in Mayfield. Picture by Chani Anderson A spokesperson for the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth wrote, The position as of this morning is that, the Department received an offer of commercial accommodation for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (those fleeing the war in Ukraine) in relation to the property identified. Following a full review, taking into account the needs across our overall accommodation portfolio, this offer is not being progressed. It comes as another spokesperson for the Department told The Echo yesterday, The Department is responding to an offer of accommodation made in respect of this property. Discussions with the provider are at an advanced stage, and a full assessment of the property is currently taking place. The Cork City Council have been consulted on the suitability of this accommodation. Should it be deemed suitable for accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine, the Community Engagement Team will provide detailed information in direct engagements with elected representatives in advance. The Echo has contacted the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for clarification on if the building is under consideration for housing International Protection Applicants. Two hospitals have apologised for the failings in care to a young Cork boy whose brain tumour grew and went undetected for over 12 years. Jack Doran from Carrigaline, Co Cork, was only 15 years of age when he died two days after the 10cm brain tumour was finally discovered after he was brought to hospital suffering from seizures. The apologies from both hospitals which acknowledged that an opportunity was earlier missed to identify low-grade cells on Jacks brain were read to the court as his parents settled a High Court action over his death. Outside the Four Courts his devastated parents said their love for Jack is to infinity and beyond reflecting the autistic boys love of the movie Toy Story. Thank you for being a great brother to Conor. You taught us so much in your short life the true meaning of unconditional love. You are missed beyond words, our darling boy. Our love for you Jack is to infinity and beyond. they said in a statement. The Dorans also said there is a shortage of facilities to perform MRIs in Munster and this should be rectified especially for our most vulnerable children. "We never want another family to go through what weve been through. they said. The familys counsel, Liam Reidy SC instructed by Orla Kelly of Cantillons Solicitors, told the High Court that Jack had a cyst on the brain which grew over the years and caused his death in 2021 when he was 15 years of age. Apologies Childrens Health Ireland sincerely apologised for the failings in Jacks care and treatment at Temple Street Childrens Hospital, Dublin, from 2008 to 2021. Jack got his first brain scan in at the Dublin hospital in 2008 when he was three years old and it was claimed this was not reported correctly and Jack had been deprived of the chance to have at that stage the low-grade cyst present in the 2008 scan resected which would have allowed him to survive into adulthood. In the apology which was read to the High Court, Childrens Health Ireland acknowledged that an opportunity was missed to identify a low-grade glioma which is a collection of cells on the brain. It said: Had this diagnosis been made Jack would have been recommended for surveillance and sadly that opportunity was lost. Childrens Health Ireland offered condolences to Jacks parents and said it acknowledged the pain and suffering that this has caused to you and your family. Mercy University Hospital, Cork, in an apology read to the court acknowledged that an opportunity was missed in 2020 when Jack was brought to hospital, after a fall to identify a low-grade glioma which it said would have resulted in early surgical intervention and which would probably have prevented Jacks death". It added: We wish to extend our sincere apologies to you and your family for the failings in Jack's care and treatment and for the profound grief and loss you have all experienced. The hospital CEO Ann Coyle on behalf of the management and staff at the Mercy University Hospital also expressed sincere and deepest sympathy to the Dorans for the devastating loss of your son, Jack. David and Sarah Doran of Carrignacurra, Carrigaline, County Cork, had sued Childrens Health Ireland and Mercy University Hospital, Cork over the death of their 15-year-old son on March 5, 2021. Liability was admitted in the case. The details of the settlement are confidential. Jack, who had autism, was on March 2, 2021, brought by ambulance to Mercy University Hospital with seizures and vomiting. A CT brain scan the next day showed the tumour which was more than 10cm in diameter. Jack was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit and a surgical procedure was carried out to relieve pressure on the brain. Jack died on March 5, 2021. Heartbroken In a statement outside the Four Courts David and Sarah Doran said they were devastated by the loss of their beloved Jack, stolen from us at the young age of 15 years. Jack was our angel and we adored him. He was a beautiful happy boy, full of laughter and life. He had autism and was a softly spoken kind boy, loved by his family and friends and teachers, they said. They added: We are heartbroken and without him, our sense of joy in life is gone. Our lives are changed forever. They said when their son died they did not know why he had died so suddenly and they had many questions. We have now learnt that Jack died because there was a tumour growing in his brain which was missed. Jack had an MRI of his brain at Temple Street Childrens Hospital in September 2008 and the tumour, which was operable at that stage, was missed. Over the years he attended the Mercy University Hospital, Cork with symptoms. "The simple step of performing a repeat MRI would have revealed the tumour in Jacks brain was growing and he would be with us today. Noting the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to the Dorans. A 63-year-old Cork man accused of attacking his sleeping wife with boiling water and a claw-hammer complained today that he should be in hospital and not in jail saying he was not getting the right medication in custody. Noel Twomey of 18 Carbery Grove, Knocknaheeny, Cork, was arrested last week and remanded in custody to appear again by video link from prison at Cork District Court. As the matter was proceeding today, Noel Twomey spoke up on the video link and said, I would prefer to stay in hospital. Im not getting the right medication up here. Judge Mary Dorgan repeated the request that he would get whatever medical and psychiatric assistance was required while in custody. Sergeant Gearoid Davis said directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions would not be available at this early stage. He applied for a two-week adjournment with the accused in continuing custody. Judge Mary Dorgan remanded Mr Twomey in custody until February 6 for him to appear again by video link from prison. Defence solicitor, Shane Collins-Daly, said he had informed the accused prior to the brief hearing that this would be the application from the prosecution and that they did not require consent for a two-week remand in custody. Detective Garda Brian Murphy testified last week that that the accused man flagged down a garda patrol car while soaked in blood and carrying a bloodstained hammer in a plastic bag at 5 am on Monday, January 15 at Bakers Road, Gurranabraher, Cork. Det. Garda Murphy charged Mr Twomey with two counts of assault causing harm to his wife, Jackie Twomey, at the family home. Objecting to bail, Det. Garda Murphy said, This is very serious. She went to sleep in the safety of her own bed. Noel Twomey made the very conscious decision to boil a pot of water and retrieve a claw hammer from the tool box. He has stated that he paced the apartment 10 to 20 times considering would he carry out his actions. He then entered his bedroom where his wife slept and attacked her in a cowardly fashion as she lay asleep. He showed no remorse and never inquired about his wifes condition. He comes across as a very controlling individual. His actions were very disturbing and sinister. It is alleged that on January 15 in the early hours of the morning, Jackie Twomey returned home. She had been out with family members that night. Jackie Twomey later went to bed and fell asleep. When the water was boiling he took the pot and the hammer and paced the flat for some time before entering the bedroom. He proceeded to pour the boiling water on his wife before striking her over the head with the hammer a number of times. He expressed surprise that she was able to jump up and leave the property. Mr Twomey admitted attacking her and said during his bail application, My wife goes out three or four times a week, I dont drink or smoke. The remains of Ian Bailey (66) were cremated at the Island Crematorium in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork today. The service was low-key with no notification being placed on Rip.ie. It is understood that the ashes of the late British national, who lived in Ireland for over three decades, will be sent to his sister Kay Reynolds in England. Frank Buttimer, Baileys solicitor in a statement said I have been authorised to confirm the remains of Mr Bailey were cremated at a private event which occurred early this morning (Tuesday). The next of kin of Mr Bailey will not be making any further statement. The remains were taken by an undertaker from Bantry General Hospital to the crematorium this morning for the service. Native of Manchester Mr Bailey was a native of Manchester but spent his early years in Stockport where his father, Kenneth, was employed as a craft butcher. When he was nine the family moved to Gloucester where he attended a religious school called The Crypt. Mr Bailey completed a two-year journalism course in Wales in 1980. He married a fellow journalist in 1979 but the couple split in 1983. As a freelance journalist he supplied copy to UK publications such as The Times, The Sunday Times, The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Mirror. He first travelled to West Cork in 1986 when he came to write a story and left enchanted by the landscape. He moved to Ireland in the early 1990s after becoming disillusioned with his journalism career in Gloucester and Cheltenham. He lived in Cork, Wicklow and Waterford before settling in West Cork where he met his long-term partner Jules Thomas. The couple ended their relationship two years ago. His father Kenneth died on Christmas Eve in 2000 whilst his mother Brenda passed away in 2016. Mr Bailey was unable to travel to the UK for her funeral as he was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant. Sophie Toscan du Plantier Mr Bailey was on two occasions detained by Gardai for questioning in relation to the 1996 murder of 39-year-old Sophie Toscan du Plantier. The body of the French woman was discovered outside her remote holiday home in Toormore on the outskirts of Schull in West Cork on December 23rd, 1996. Bailey always denied any wrongdoing in relation to the murder of the film producer. Mr Bailey was convicted in absentia after a trial in France in 2019. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison. However, officials in France have been unable to extradite the Britsh man to Paris to serve the sentence handed down by the courts. Cillian Murphy learned of his Oscar nomination while home in Cork and celebrated the news with some tea and cake. Earlier today, it was announced that Murphy has been nominated for best actor for his performance as J Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist described as the father of the atomic bomb, in Christopher Nolans epic biopic Oppenheimer. He is nominated alongside Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers and Jeffrey Wright for American Fiction. Murphy told Variety that he was in his childhood kitchen when the nominations were announced this afternoon. "Weve had a few days off and Ive been at home, which has been very, very pleasant. Im actually in my parents house in Cork city. I was with my parents and my wife today. So that was really nice. He added: We had a cup of tea and a slice of cake. It was quite nice. My mom made a sponge cake. It was very tasty. The Cork actor has already been nominated for a Bafta and an SAG award for the performance and has won a Golden Globe. Oppenheimer picked up 13 nominations in all including for best picture and best director. Poor Things, co-produced by Ireland's Element Pictures, scored 11 nods in total, including best picture. Congratulating Murphy on the Oscar's nod today, Tanaiste Micheal Martin said "Delighted to see Irish talent being recognised in this years #Oscars nominations, with Cillian Murphy in the Best Actor category and Poor Things receiving several nominations. Another great success for Irish cinema. Comhghairdeas." Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin also congratulated Cillian Murphy and Element Pictures saying "brilliant to see Irish talent recognised on this prestigiious stage". Nominations for the 96th Oscars were announced by Atlanta star Zazie Beetz and The Boys actor Jack Quaid, ahead of the annual ceremony hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. The Academy Awards ceremony will take place on March 10 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Cork University Hospital (CUH) has appealed for patients not to attend its emergency department unless experiencing a major health emergency. The appeal came as the hospital recorded its highest number of attendances ever (293) on Monday with attendances this month up 35% on the same period last year, and admissions up 37%. For those over 75 years old, attendance is up 43%, and admissions are up 57%. A hospital spokesperson described the demands as "unprecedented" and said that CUH is utilising all the available hospital capacity and working with community colleagues to maximise what is available in terms of community services. The hospital is advising members of the public to only present at the hospital emergency department for major health emergencies and to instead use all other options in non-emergency situations - services such as a local pharmacy, injury units, GPs and HSE.ie. Mr David Donegan, CEO of Cork University Hospital, said: We are grateful for everyones efforts across the Cork health system to ensure that everything that can be done is being done to support patient flow in the short term and to balance risk as best as possible. Those in need of care should continue to access the most appropriate source of support and utilise alternatives to ED where possible - GP surgeries and SouthDoc out-of-hours have increased capacity, and local injury units remain open. I apologise to all patients and their loved ones for any delays they experience while attending CUH, and I want to thank the public for their continued cooperation and support of our dedicated and hardworking staff. 10 people aged over 75 waiting 24+ hours HSE figures show that on Tuesday morning there were 57 people on trolleys at the hospital, 40 in emergency departments and 17 in wards, with 10 of those people described as patients aged over 75 years old who have been waiting more than 24 hours. A spokesperson for the HSE said today that the high levels of activity in hospitals are related to ongoing high illnesses due to winter viruses, saying, the latest information suggests that influenza levels seem to have peaked." The HSE added: While many hospitals have coped very well with the very high recent prevalence of winter viruses, hospitals under considerable pressure today include Cork University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, UH Limerick, Galway University Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital. Surge protocols Damien McCallion, Chief Operations Officer at the HSE, added, Whilst we ask the public to seek alternative services for non-urgent care, we want to reassure them that anyone who is seriously injured or ill, or worried their life may be at risk, should to go to the emergency department without delay. He shared that surge protocols, as part of the Urgent and Emergency Care plan, have been implemented as needed, to reduce the number of patients waiting on trolleys for an acute bed and reduce the number of patients over the age of 75 waiting in emergency departments after a decision has been made to admit them for ongoing care and treatment. McCallion added, The HSE also appeals to the public to adhere to the public safety advice regarding the stormy weather and to avoid putting themselves in a position where they may have an accident or require emergency services. NEED some good news? In the depths of a cold and stormy January, we could all do with a dose of good news to counter the mounting pile of war-torn, hate-filled, far-right, anti-everything news. Here is some good news to help warm up your faith in humanity. Ta-ta Malaria You probably know that the deadliest creature on earth is not the ferocious lion, hungry hippo or stealthy shark, but the tiny mosquito which kills 619,000 humans a year with malaria. Globally, there are 247 million annual cases of malaria and nearly every minute a child under five years of age dies of the disease. Almost half a million African children die from malaria every year. Wheres the good news in those depressing figures? Well, this week marks a historic and optimistic milestone in the global fight against malaria and doctors are hoping those stark statistics will eventually be confined to history. Yesterday, Cameroon became the first country in the world to introduce routine malaria vaccinations. Children have started to receive one as part of childhood immunisations, and as the vaccinations roll out across Africa, the hope is that more and more children will now live beyond the age of five. Cameroon is a country where malaria cases and deaths have been rising since 2017. Nearly 30% of all hospital consultations are malaria- related. Think about the time and scant resources that are absorbed treating malaria, the vaccination will not just save lives and provide major relief to families, but will also provide major economic relief to the countrys health system. As a malaria researcher, I used to dream of the day we would have a safe and effective vaccine against malaria. Now we have two, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, back in October, 2023, when the WHO approved the use of a second malaria vaccine. Just like the proverbial buses, you spend decades waiting for an effective vaccine to come along and then two come in quick succession. Work on developing a vaccine began back in the 1940s and continued tirelessly since. Malaria vaccines were notoriously difficult to perfect because the disease is caused by a parasite. The new vaccines are against the P. falciparum parasite, which is the deadliest of the malarial parasites and the most common on the African continent. Decades of research has gone into understanding the life cycle of the parasites, it has evolved sophisticated ways of evading the human immune system, making it really tricky to develop an effective vaccine. But researchers have finally cracked it and the first vaccine, called RTSS, reduced cases by more than half in the year after vaccination, and by 75% when the vaccine is provided seasonally. The second vaccine, R21, reduces cases by 75% too. Because these vaccines do not provide a 100% protection, the continued use of bed nets to stop the insects biting at night and other mosquito reduction methods like spraying are still being emphasised. Along with Cameroon, 12 other African countries will be receiving 18 million doses of the RTSS vaccine over the next two years, and at least 28 countries in Africa plan to introduce the malaria vaccine into their childhood immunisation programmes. At least 40-60 million doses of malaria vaccine will be needed by 2026; growing to 80-100 million doses each year by 2030. This is where the second malaria vaccine (R21) comes in. It is cheap to manufacture and will be produced by the Serum Institute of India, the worlds largest vaccine manufacturer, to meet demand. There is an Irish angle to the good news. Irishman Professor Adrian Hill founded the Jenner Institute in Oxford University and has spent decades leading work in the design and development of new vaccines for globally important infectious diseases. He was instrumental in the creation of one of the Covid vaccines and has helped develop a vaccine to tackle the scourge of malaria. Nice work. I attended a WHO media briefing last week about the Cameroon vaccine launch and it was clear from all the experts and contributors presenting how genuinely delighted they were to have reached this public health milestone. After decades of relentless scientific research, the malaria vaccine is a new tool in the fight against this deadly disease and will have a profound and wide reaching impact. Surely good news. All aboard This next story doesnt have the same global significance, but give yourself a bualadh bos! Public transport numbers reached record highs in 2023 thanks to more and more of us hopping on board buses, trains, and trams. I think there should have been a bit more fanfare last week when the news broke that public transport passenger numbers had increased by 24% compared with 2022. Thats quite a jump, although perhaps the fact that we are only 5% up compared with 2019 numbers means its less to be excited about. But still, its numbers going in the right direction and Ill take good news wherever I can. Reduced fares and expanded services all played a part in encouraging us to ditch the car and take the bus. Imagine what the numbers would be if we had more buses and less traffic congestion deterring people from taking the public transport plunge. In Cork, enforcing the Pana ban and enabling buses to sail down Patrick Street at peak times would be a game-changer and is a measure that is entirely achievable with political will. Plenty of cities around the world have ways of deterring traffic from certain zones of the city. If investment in a camera monitoring system is beyond us, a simple big road traffic management electric display that says Turn Left Now with a big fat arrow pointing in the right direction at key junctions would go a long way. The day that happens will definitely be a good news day. By Grainne Ni Aodha, PA The Government has been urged by a charity to support South Africas legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Trocaire, an aid agency of the Irish Catholic Church, called on Ireland to fulfil its legal obligation to prevent genocide by urgently assessing the case of Gaza. It said that Irelands calls for a ceasefire, though welcome, were no longer enough to prevent further atrocities. Local health authorities reported that 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli operation, launched after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 people hostage on October 7th. Thousands of Palestinians have been injured and the majority of Gazas population have been displaced. The Irish Government must assess whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed in Gaza, said Caoimhe de Barra, the chief executive of Trocaire. She said that assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The charity also called on Ireland to release a statement supporting South Africas case, specifically the provisional measures requested by South Africa for a suspension of its military operations in Gaza. It also called on Ireland to as soon as possible, join the case as an intervener in support of South Africas case as it did in the Ukraine v Russia case. Accountability and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law are critical if these repeated cycles of indiscriminate violence and wanton destruction is to end, Ms de Barra said. Tanaiste Micheal Martin said at the weekend that Ireland would assess the legal case by South Africa once the preliminary stage had ended. The Tanaiste said Ireland will review the case being presented and decide whether to join after that, as had been done in relation to Ukraines case at the ICJ. Gaza is now facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Trocaire, along with the @UN and other international and humanitarian bodies, calls for the following to be implemented immediately. pic.twitter.com/F7kobxgJhC Trocaire (@trocaire) October 25, 2023 Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said previously the Government does not intend to join South Africas case, and there is a need to be very careful of accusing a Jewish state of genocide. He said: I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless were absolutely convinced that theyre the appropriate ones. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Ms de Barra said: The Irish Government must act urgently as the Israeli military is killing an average of 250 Palestinians per day in Gaza, a higher daily death rate than any other twenty-first-century armed conflict. Israels unrelenting military campaign on the Gaza Strip has resulted in more than 25,000 thousand deaths and the displacement of 1.9 million people. One in four people in Gaza are facing immediate risk of starvation. These acts are war crimes. The desperate situation endured by the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip has led UN experts and Trocaire partners to warn that there is an immediate risk of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Ireland has taken a leadership position in recent months in calling for a ceasefire. However, this is no longer enough. Now is the time for measures to be taken to end the violence and suffering and to prevent further atrocities. The events of October 7th, perpetrated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also war crimes and they must be held accountable. As horrific as these attacks were, they cannot be used as justification for the actions of Israel towards the civilians of Gaza. While standing in the midst of a grove of aspens in Utah, youre actually in the presence of a single organism thats 14,000 years old. Travel west to Oregon and hike on top of a 2,400-year-old fungus growing beneath the ground. Cross the Atlantic, and meet a rose bush thats been blooming for over 1,000 years in Germany. These are the worlds presumed oldest plants and what we know about them. Pando in Sevier, Utah (9,000 to 14,000 years) The Pando clone spreads over 106 acres, consisting of over 40,000 individual trees. USDA / Forest Service In Fishlake National Forest stands a grove of quaking aspens trees known for their small leaves that shimmer and quake in the wind. This particular aspen grove, however, is actually one single organism. Its 47,000 individual trees some of which are over 130 years old themselves all grow from a single root system, meaning all of the trees in the grove are genetically identical. Its technically the worlds largest tree, as determined by the U.S. Forest Service through genetic testing in the early 2000s. Named Pando which is latin for I spread the tree spans over 106 acres and is the densest organism ever found, weighing nearly 13 million pounds. While its specific age is debated, Pando is somewhere between 9,000 and 14,000 years old, initially sprouting some time after the last ice age. Sadly, according to scientists, Pando is showing signs of decline due to insects, disease and lack of regeneration from the overgrazing of deer and other animals. King Clone in Lucerne Valley, California (11,700 years) King Clone, the 11,700-year-old creosote bush ring in the Mojave Desert. Klokeid / public domain Like the quaking aspens and as the name suggests King Clone is a clonal colony of genetically identical creosote bushes growing from one original plant. This ancient Larrea tridentata is located in the Mojave Desert, and radiocarbon dating puts it at 11,700 years old. The bushes grow and multiply in a slow, unique process. The oldest branches die over time, and their central stem crown (the top part of the plant) begins to split into different segments. The original stem and branches decompose, and those other stems that formed thus become independent, genetically identical plants. This process continues, often in a circular shape that creates the characteristic rings associated with creosote bush colonies. They also produce small, beautiful yellow flowers. The ring thats known as King Clone has an average diameter of 45 feet, and continues to (slowly) grow. Honey Mushroom in Grant, Oregon (2,400 years) Honey mushrooms at the base of an infected grand fir in the Malheur National Forest, Oregon. Craig L. Schmitt and Michael L. Tatum / USDA Forest Service Or, as locals call it, the Humongous Fungus. This Armillaria ostoyae may not be the oldest organism on Earth, but is the largest, stretching 2,200 acres in Oregons Malheur National Forest and weighing 35,000 tons. Its not a massive, capped mushroom growing aboveground, but rather a huge network of hyphae underground, almost entirely hidden from sight except during rainy periods in the autumn, when small honey mushrooms do sprout from the soil. Armillaria ostoyae is a parasitic fungus that consumes the roots of conifer trees. In the case of the Humongous Fungus, its size has been determined by the dead trees that grow above it. The mushroom was actually found because stands of trees were dying off a Forest Service scientist suspected the fungus, and DNA tests proved that many trees in the area shared DNA, confirming his hypothesis. It grows and consumes roots slowly, expanding about 1-3 feet every year. Thousand-Year Rose in Hildesheim, Germany (1,200 years) The thousand-year rose bush near the apse of the cathedral in bloom in Hildesheim, Germany on May 29, 2017. Holger Hollemann / picture alliance via Getty Images Also called the Rose of Hildesheim, this 30-foot plant is believed to be the worlds oldest-living rose. The Rosa canina was probably planted in the early 800s when the church it grows on Hildesheim Cathedral was built, possibly by King Louis the Pious. The bush is extremely resilient, and was almost entirely destroyed when the church was bombed during World War II. The roots survived, however, and new branches grew from the ground that still sprout pink flowers every year in May. Methuselah in Big Pine, California (4,800 years) The Methuselah tree in Big Pine, California on June 29, 2013. Yen Chao / Flickr Although the title of oldest trees in the world is hotly contested, the Methuselah tree is a top contender. This ancient bristlecone pine or Pinus longaeva is set apart from the aspens and other ancient trees given that its not a clonal organism. Methuselah is named after the biblical figure from the Old Testament who lived 969 years, but this tree is even older. Its estimated that Methuselah the tree was germinated in 2832 BCE, meaning it is older than the Egyptian pyramids. It grows in the White Mountains of eastern California specifically in the Methuselah Grove within Inyo National Forest as a part of the Forest of Ancients within the National Forest, home to many ancient trees. At 135 feet tall, its massive size is even more impressive given its elevation. Its wood is resistant to rot and drought, and its beautifully twisted branches which are shaped by the fast winds of the mountains help the tree remain standing and resist breakages during storms. Dont expect to easily find it, however, as Methuselahs exact location is kept secret to protect it from damage by visitors. Old Tjikko in Alvdalen S, Sweden (9,550 years) Old Tjikko in Swedens Fulufjallet National Park. TT / iStock / Getty Images Plus This Norway spruce doesnt look particularly impressive in fact, it looks like any other old tree, growing on top of Fulufjallet Mountain in Swedens Fulufjallet National Park. However, its the oldest known individual clonal tree in the world, meaning the tree itself has regenerated from its roots many times. This specific trunk itself is several centuries old. This type of spruce can regenerate from its own branches that are pushed to the ground during snowstorms, which then take root themselves through a process called layering. Coast redwoods and western red cedars also reproduce this way. Old Tjikkos old age indicates that it started growing soon after the retreat of the glaciers from the region during the last ice age. Olive Tree of Vouves in Vouves, Greece (2,000 to 3,000 years) The oldest known olive tree at Kavusi, Crete, Greece. Gatsi / iStock / Getty Images Plus On the Island of Crete stands the oldest olive tree in Greece. No one is sure whether it was planted by humans or by natural forces, but either way, it began growing before the rise of classical Greece. Miraculously, it still grows olives, and has for 2,000 years. The famous olive tree is at least that old, but scientists have been unable to determine its exact age while the tree is still standing, as its heartwood has decayed. A museum was built next to the 15-foot-wide, 27-foot-high tree to honor the olive harvesting techniques in Crete and the olives of the Mediterranean. Even if you havent visited the tree itself, you might have seen its boughs, which were placed on the heads of the winners of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Thailand bans poultry imports from Belgium and French provinces due to HPAI Thailand has suspended poultry imports from Belgium and three provinces in France in a bid to prevent the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The announcement by the country's Department of Livestock Development, published in the Royal Gazette on January 18, will be in effect for nine days. It noted that the disease could spread widely due to the transport of sick poultry or their carcasses, adding that it could affect Thailand's poultry farming and people's health. The move follows a World Organisation for Animal Health report on the spread of HPAI in both countries. Department director-general Somchuan Ratanamungklanon has suspended the import of poultry, such as birds, chicken, ducks, geese and swans, as well as their semen, eggs and carcasses from Belgium and France's three provinces, namely, Morbihan, Nord and Somme. - The Nation According to Chinas General Custom Administration, Russia surpassed Saudi Arabia to become Chinas top crude oil supplier in 2023, shipping a record 107 Mt of crude oil to China, equivalent to 2.14 mbl/d (+24% compared to 2022). Imports from Saudi Arabia, previously China's largest supplier, fell 1.8% to about 86 Mt, while Iraq took third place with more than 59 Mt shipped (+6.8%). The accelerating demand from Chinese and Indian refiners for the discounted oil boosted the price of Russian crude through 2023, pushing past the G7's US$60/barrel price cap imposed in December 2022. The US, who was Chinas 10th largest crude oil supplier in 2023, shipped more than 14 Mt to China, representing an impressive increase of more than 81% compared to 2022. In addition, Chinas General Custom Administration revealed that Russia exported 8 Mt of LNG to China in 2023, a 23% rise from 2022. Russia was in the top three LNG suppliers to China after Australia (24.2 Mt) and Qatar (16.7 Mt). Its that time of year again. Oscar nominations are in, setting off a firestorm of debate and speculation until the awards ceremony in March. This year, the streamers absolutely ruled the roost. Netflix snagged 18 nominations, including best picture, which technically puts it in first place, according to a breakdown from Variety. I say Netflix technically received the most nominations because it depends on your point of view. Disney actually scored 20 nominations across various categories, but only when you dont split up its various sub-brands. Remember, Disney owns just about everything, including 20th Century Studios, Hulu, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Pixar Animation Studios and Searchlight, among others. All of them together came to 20 nominations, including a best picture nomination for Poor Things. Apple came away with 13 nominations, including best picture nods for Napoleon and Killers of the Flower Moon, which isnt bad for a company that just started creating original content around four years ago. Universal, an actual old-school production company, also nabbed 13 noms, including best picture for one half of the summers hottest cinema event, Oppenheimer. The other half of the equation, Barbie, was also nominated for best picture. However, Greta Gerwig got snubbed for best director, which is not sitting right with denizens of the internet. Also, Margot Robbie didnt get a best actress nomination, while Ryan Gosling got one for best supporting actor. To be fair, that best actress category is crowded with stellar performances from relative newcomers like Lily Gladstone to long-time veterans like Annette Bening. Feature films with the most #Oscars nominations: "Oppenheimer" 13 "Poor Things" 11 "Killers of the Flower Moon" 10 "Barbie" 8 "Maestro" 7 "American Fiction" 5 "Anatomy of a Fall" 5 "The Holdovers" 5 "The Zone of Interest" 5https://t.co/Ag0MICHLXY Variety (@Variety) January 23, 2024 Apple has reportedly scaled back its automotive aspirations, at least for now. Bloombergs Mark Gurman says the companys decade-old vehicle project has pivoted from planning a fully self-driving car to an EV more like Teslas. The so-called Apple Car is now projected to launch no earlier than 2028 two years after the companys last reported target date. The cars autonomous features have reportedly been downgraded from a Level 5 system (full automation) to a Level 4 system (full automation in some circumstances) and now to a Level 2+ one (partial automation). That would mean it offers limited self-driving features like lane centering and braking / accelerating support while still requiring the drivers full attention. Teslas Autopilot is categorized as Level 2. Level 2+ isnt an official designation, but its sometimes used informally to describe a more advanced version of Level 2. What Apple once envisioned as a car without a steering wheel or pedals and perhaps having a remote command center ready to take over for a driver now looks more like a Tesla-like market entrance. Teslas Model 3 (Photo by Roberto Baldwin / Engadget) Bloomberg says Apple views the projects downscaling internally as a pivotal moment. People familiar with Apples plans allegedly believe delivering the pared-down Apple Car with reduced expectations could make or break the entire project. Either the company is finally able to deliver this product with reduced expectations or top executives may seriously reconsider the projects existence, Gurman wrote. Apple has reportedly talked with potential manufacturing partners in Europe about the updated strategy. Bloomberg says the company still wants to offer a Level 4 autonomous system at some point, even as its debut is on track for something more grounded. Bloomberg describes the meetings leading up to Apples decision as frenzied, involving CEO Tim Cook, the Apple board and project head Kevin Lynch. The latter took over after former leader Doug Field left in 2021. (Field was a former Tesla engineering head who now leads Fords EV wing.) The board reportedly pushed leadership about the car plan throughout 2023. After starting well out of the blocks, self-driving cars didnt have a great 2023. Cruise, GMs robotaxi division, laid off 24 percent of its workforce in December. That came after one of the companys vehicles pinned and dragged a pedestrian who had been hit by another car. The aftermath was swift, as the California DMV suspended Cruises driverless permits over safety concerns. On the brighter side, Waymo seems to be doing well. But government standards are the wild card in this equation, and perhaps Apple saw the wind blowing in a direction that warranted caution. Apples Project Titan has been the subject of rumors since at least the mid-2010s. The company has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the initiative. Its worked on powertrains, self-driving hardware and software, car interiors and exteriors, and other key components, according to Gurman. Given how many times the expensive projects details have changed, dont be surprised if they do so again. The company is also trying to make it easier to spin out projects. Mere days after Alphabet and Google CEO Sudar Pichai warned of more job attrition this year, the company is shedding more staff, at its moonshot lab. Alphabet is also restructuring X (not to be confused with what used to be called Twitter) to make it easier to spin out projects with backing (read: money) from outside investors. X division head Astro Teller told staff in a memo that the company was expanding our approach to focus on spinning out more projects as independent companies funded through market-based capital. X has attempted to tackle bigger-picture challenges and problems worldwide, like climate change, the future of the internet and cybersecurity, but it hasnt found consistent success through its spinoff businesses. The company hopes this could refocus heady ideas into those with a future. Mat Smith You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest stories you might have missed The second-gen AirPods Pro are cheaper than ever right now The best MacBooks for 2024 Awesome Games Done Quick 2024 raises $2.5 million for cancer research How Disneys A Real Bugs Life docu-series turns insects into giants An iPadOS update has the same. iOS 17.3 is available to install now, and while its not shaking things up too much, it does have Stolen Device Protection. The feature first popped up in the developer beta of iOS 17.3, and its actually pretty handy. If someone steals your iPhone or iPad, and youre updated to OS 17.3, you can lock them out of the system by forcing Face ID or Touch ID access. This works even if they have your passcode. The update also has AirPlay hotel support, optimized crash detection and collaborative playlists on Apple Music something Ive been waiting for since my iOS 17 preview. Continue reading. It can add ray tracing and AI-upscaled textures to older games. NVIDIA has finally leased a beta version of its RTX Remix tool. This software is for modders and can add ray tracing and AI-upscaled textures to older games. For those who know what theyre doing, its capable of end-to-end remastering of just about any DirectX 8 or 9 game from the past. NVIDIA has released a list of compatible games classics like Call of Duty 2, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, Garrys Mod, Freedom Fighters and Need for Speed Underground 2. Continue reading. It stars Noomi Rapace and premieres on February 21. Apple Apple's newest TV series follows an astronaut, played by Noomi Rapace, after an emergency return to Earth. According to the trailer, it will be filled with unreliable narrator twists and turns and its in HDR, so it should really pop on that new Vision Pro headset. Watch here. The US citizen who hacked in 2019 the computer system of the Roquetas de Mar city council and stole almost 700,000 euros of the salaries of their employees has accepted a sentence of two years in prison and eight months of fine, of six euros a day. The hacker has shown conformity with the penalties interested by the Prosecutors Office, which initially requested six years in prison as the author of a crime of computer fraud in medial competition with a crime of access to others computer system. The court has agreed to suspend the serving of the prison sentence on condition that he does not commit a crime for a period of four years. The arrested man took great security measures to avoid detection made a shell corporation registered in Gibraltar and headquartered in the United Kingdom, with a bank account in Germany, where he fraudulently received funds through the network. The accused is located in the United Kingdom and Latvia was arrested in Poland in 2023 and, according to the prosecutors office, he may have taken advantage of a security hole in the computer system of the Roquetero town hall. On the morning of June 25, 2019, the accused used his knowledge hacking and lack of authorization, allegedly managed to enter the files of accounting data hosted on the server where the respective amounts enrollment of municipal corporation employees. He further adds that he also accessed relevant numbers bank accounts where the transfer was to be made for the payment of the monthly payment, so this was done with documents that were sent to the financial institutions so that they could make the payment city council fund and that they were executed automatically. The Prosecutors Office specifies that, with the aim of obtaining illegal economic benefits, the accused modified the bank account numbers of 428 employees and replaced them with an account he owned in a German bank and where the total 696.894,09 euros. The document indicates that, although the transfer of all funds was executed and the payroll amount was credited to the account of the alleged hacker, "preventive blocking measures could be adopted that allowed the recovery of all of the defrauded money". By Dean Murray via SWNS The tallest building in the United States is set to be in Oklahoma. Developers have submitted revised plans to make a tower in the proposed building project The Boardwalk at Bricktown 1,907 feet (581m) high. The Oklahoma City building would become the fifth tallest building in the world. Architecture company AO and real estate investment and development company firm Matteson Capital had previously drawn up plans to make the structure the second tallest in the USA. The new, symbolic height honours the year that Oklahoma was admitted as the 46th state of the United States. The development features three towers, each rising to 345 feet (105m), and the fourth highest tower, referred to as Legends Tower. The top floors of the Legends Tower would consist of a public observatory, restaurant and bar where visitors will be able to enjoy sweeping city views. Spanning approximately 5 million square feet, the project will be mixed-use including Hyatt hotels, serviced condominiums, and 1,776 residential units, ranging from market-rate to affordable workforce and luxury options. A retail and restaurant area has been earmarked, with over 110,000 square feet of space designated for commercial use, food and beverage. Scot Matteson, CEO of Matteson Capital, says: "Oklahoma City is experiencing a significant period of growth and transformation, making it well-positioned to support large-scale projects like the one envisioned for Bricktown. "We believe that this development will be an iconic destination for the city, further driving the expansion and diversification of the growing economy, drawing in investment, new businesses, and jobs. Its a dynamic environment and we hope to see The Boardwalk at Bricktown stand as the pride of Oklahoma City." Rob Budetti AO managing partner says: "We are excited to embark upon this pivotal undertaking with a carefully assembled team of talented and experienced architects and designers from within our ranks. "Crafting a project of this significance is an honor, and the collaborative process with the City, Matteson Capital, Hensel Phelps, and a top-notch team of engineers, consultants, and development partners has been exceptional. Managing the intricacies of such a project, ensuring seamless integration of all components is a significant challenge. Fortunately, this aligns with one of AO's core strengths." TOP FIVE TALLEST BUILDINGS IN THE WORLD: Burj Khalifa Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates Height: 2,717 feet (828 meters) Merdeka 118 Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Height: 2,227 feet (679 meters) Shanghai Tower Location: Shanghai, China Height: 2,073 feet (632 meters) Abraj Al Bait Clock Tower Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia Height: 1,971 feet (601 meters) Ping An Finance Center Location: Shenzhen, China Height: 1,965 feet (599 meters) The NFU and AHDB have today announced a joint review of farm assurance schemes following controversy over Red Tractor's 'bolt-on' voluntary environmental module. Both organisations believe now is the right time to conduct a review to ensure assurance schemes are fit for purpose in modern times. Red Tractor's controversial Greener Farms Commitment standard is on hold following a backlash among farmers, many of whom feared it would eventually become compulsory, forcing them to increase spend on higher environmental standards. The NFU and AHDB's new review will seek to capture views from across the whole industry, including farmers, growers, merchants and processors. It will examine how farm assurance can deliver value back to scheme members and explore how they are developed to meet the evolving needs of members, the markets they serve, sector diversity and in appreciation of the global marketplace. The review will also seek how members are engaged with, including the development of standards, and how technology is used in assurance now and in future. Red Tractor, which was formed 25 years ago, will be considered as part of this process as it is the dominant assurance scheme in many key sectors. However, the NFU and AHDB stress that this is only a part of the purpose of the review, which is focused on all areas of farm assurance. Both groups agree that there is "a need to step back and ask some fundamental questions about all farm assurance schemes to ensure the needs of farmers are met". Announcing the review, NFU President Minette Batters said "it's time for change", adding that farmers "dont feel that many schemes currently work for them". The world is very different to the way it was when farm assurance schemes started in the UK some 25 years ago," she explained. "This review will see us go back to basics to look at the future of assurance and I would encourage the entire industry to positively engage with it. Food safety, branding, provenance, differing sector needs and sustainability are just some areas that farm assurance is trying to address. It is right to ask how these areas can be delivered without giving away value from the farm gate. Next steps include appointing an independent commission to oversee the review, as well as to ensure full transparency, according to the NFU and AHDB. Meanwhile, AHDB is conducting two additional pieces of work to provide insight into assurance schemes, how they operate and why they are needed. In the beef and lamb sector, it will explore how domestic farm standards compare with our international competitors. The first stage of this work will be complete by the end of March. In the cereals sector, AHDB says it will set out what assurance covers and how it currently works for the different supply sources into the market. The levy board says it is developing the terms of reference for this work and expects that this work will be complete by next summer. AHDB chair Nicholas Saphir said it was vital that the reputation of levy payers' produce is maintained by assurance and where relevant, audits. He said: This independent evidence based review will allow us all to understand and address the future needs and opportunities that assurance has to play for the successful future of our industry. Agri auctioneer Cheffins has released record figures for 2023, showing that total machinery and plant sales were 71m, a 23m rise compared to the previous year. Demand for machinery remained strong last year and many items were sold at a premium as buyers looked to the second-hand market for significant saving on buying new. Cheffins conducted 51 sales during the year, which consisted of 34 on-site farm or dealer dispersals, 12 monthly Cambridge Monthly Machinery Auctions and five Vintage sales. Despite supply chains returning to normality from the past couple of years, new machinery prices continue to be high. Oliver Godfrey, Cheffins director, said this was adding caution to the market, especially when many arable growers had struggled to get winter crops established. He added: "The export market has also returned in full force over the past 12 months, with machines sold and shipped worldwide from both our monthly machinery sales hosted at Sutton and at the on-site sales throughout the country. Sale highlights last year included the dealer dispersal for Ripon Farm Services in Yorkshire, which saw over 5 million of machinery sell in one day. The well-known dealer sold various stock items from its 11 depots with machines from foragers and feeder wagons going under the hammer. The Staines Hire UK auction also saw a fleet of late registered, low-houred John Deere tractors offered to the market with high prices being achieved. Auctions took place from Northumberland to Somerset with strong UK interest as well as buyers from throughout the EU. Standout lots during 2023 included a low-houred 2022 John Deere 6R125, which sold well at 131,000 to a buyer from Poland. Elsewhere, a Massey Ferguson 20 Multi-Power smashed pre-sale predictions at the Harrogate Vintage and sold for three times its estimate, eventually reaching a record price of 31,500. Another Massey Ferguson, this time a 6150 that had one owner and been on the same farm since new, clocking a modest 3,210 hours, sold for 35,000 via one of our timed online auctions. Mr Godfrey said there was still a huge demand for low-hour, high-spec, well-maintained second-hand equipment that had come directly from farm. "Buyers are prepared to pay a premium for these items as they represent a sound investment and a considerable saving over a new machine," he explained. "We offer all our auctions to a global audience which provides sellers with greater confidence that we can achieve the best prices for their machines and handle exporting kit to its final destination. "2024 has started at the same pace we saw in 2023, with strong prices being paid for good-quality, second-hand machinery." Farmers who are campaigning for a fairer deal have protested outside the Houses of Parliament along with nearly 50 scarecrows. The protest stunt on Monday (22 January) was in response to the poor treatment of farmers by the UK's largest retailers and their suppliers. Farmers behind the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign said the 49 scarecrows represented the 49% of farmers who fear theyll go out of business in the next 12 months. It comes as parliament debated the issue on Monday after well over 100,000 people signed the campaign's petition urging supermarkets to treat British farmers more fairly. Its debate day in parliament for our #GetFairAboutFarming petition. Weve brought 49 scarecrows with us, representing the 49% of farmers who fear theyll go out of business in the next 12 months. Is this the day we start to see some seeds of change ? It couldnt be more urgent?? pic.twitter.com/kPUP5IAYWc Riverford (@Riverford) January 22, 2024 An open letter was sent to the CEOs of Tesco, Sainsburys, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl over three months ago warning that the farming industry was on its knees. Farmers behind the #GetFairAboutFarming campaign want the UK's largest supermarkets to adopt new principles as a way of spreading fair trade across the industry more widely. One of the key asks from the campaign is for the government to amend the Grocery Supply Code of Practice (GSCP). This would see supermarkets required to buy what they agreed to buy, pay what they agreed to pay, and pay on time, without exception. Defra responded to the petition: "The government is committed to tackling contractual unfairness that can exist in the agri-food supply chain and Defra is working to support farmers and ensure they get a fair price for their products. "We announced a new review into fairness in the horticulture supply chain building on what we have already got underway to improve transparency and contracts in the pork and dairy markets." Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford Organic who launched the campaign, said there was a clear message being sent to the big six and the government to safeguard the future of British farmers. He said: Despite the encouraging public support, the lack of a mere acknowledgement from the big six is insulting at a time when British agriculture is on its knees. Our countryside is being desecrated because thats the only way you can produce cheap food and farmers in my sector are not being paid fairly. The pressure further increases on supermarkets to act now and avoid having their poor practices exposed to the nation in a debate in parliament. The public can still show their support for the campaign by signing the online petition. A group of farmers have launched a 3 million funding bid to save a small abattoir located in the Cotswolds from closing for good. Long Compton Abattoir, one of the last small abattoirs in the region, is set to close this month in what has been described as a 'devastating blow' to the local farming community. Established in the 1930s, the abattoir, which has a customer base of over 900, serves farms and consumers in Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and beyond. A team of local farmers have created the Save Long Compton Abattoir Steering Group, who are working to rescue the 'essential rural service'. They are seeking to attract a combination of private and public funding, via a new private company, to purchase the freehold site and business, and to improve the abattoir. Without Long Compton, the steering group warns that farmers' businesses will become less sustainable, along with a risk to animal welfare and increased food miles. "Without a thriving local abattoir, our farm businesses, conservation work, meat retail, food system and rural economy all become less sustainable," the group said. "With the future of all our other local abattoirs hanging in the balance, it is vital we ensure Long Compton remains in operation." The steering group currently proposes setting up a new limited company and funding the purchase of the site and business by selling shares in multiples of 1,000. It says it will need to raise in excess of 3m: "We are thus, in the first instance, seeking expressions of interest (not your final commitment) from potential investors like you, big and small. "If successful we can then progress to the next stage of negotiation," the group states. The smaller abattoir sector has an important role in maintaining food security, but numbers have fallen drastically in recent years. During the period between 2019 and 2021, the sector saw the closure of 14 small, family-run abattoirs. In response, Defra recently launched a 4 million fund to boost the sustainability and efficiency of small abattoirs. The Smaller Abattoir Fund awards capital grants from 2,000 up to a maximum of 60,000. Nearly six out of 10 people living in the countryside do not think rural policing has improved since Police and Crime Commissioners were introduced in 2012. The figures, from the Countryside Alliances annual rural crime survey, come ahead of elections for PPCs on 2 May, the same day as local elections. There are currently 39 PPCs who are elected to make sure the police are run properly, with the Conservatives holding 30 of those positions, while Labour hold eight and Plaid Cymru one. According to three-quarters of the more than 2,000 people who took part in the survey, it is felt crime has got worse in the last 12 months. Over one in 10 (12%) feel unsafe after dark in their homes or communities and 42% feel less safe than they did five years ago. The situation is so bad that 16% say they have considered moving or leaving their local area because of crime and 44% have felt intimidated by criminality or criminals over the last year. More than a third of respondents experienced rural crime in the past year, but around three out of 10 of incidents were not reported to the police. Half of these people said they thought reporting the crime was a waste of time, with 42% thinking the police would not be able to help. Of those who did report a crime, nearly six out of 10 were dissatisfied with the police response, with a mere one in 20 very satisfied. Of the half of people who have taken crime prevention measures, most have installed security lighting, as well as CCTV, video, or infra-red systems. The most commonly experienced crimes were fly-tipping (37%), agricultural machinery theft (32%), trespass (31%), and wildlife crime/hare poaching (27%). Sarah Lee of the Countryside Alliance said that the presence of a police and crime commissioner had done little to help rural communities. She said: The scale of rural crime and the fear it generates paints a bleak picture of the reality of what living in the countryside can mean for many people. "Rural communities sadly feel there is a complete disconnect between themselves and their local police force, made even worse by such a lack of visible policing. "We know that many forces have taken strides in separating their police officers into urban and rural teams which is welcome but there is clearly a long way to go to establish trust and confidence in rural policing." A Home Office spokesman said: We are committed to tackling rural crime, which is why we welcomed the rural and wildlife crime strategy published by the National Police Chiefs Council in September 2022. "There are now a record number of police in England and Wales, and overall crime is down by 56%, excluding fraud and computer misuse. "We are supporting forces in rural areas through funding for crime prevention measures, such as CCTV and better technology. Florence Pugh's show 'The Custom of the Country' was cancelled because Apple TV+ bosses didn't "get" her character. Florence Pugh's show was axed over producers' issues with her character Producers at the streaming giant decided to pull the plug on the project - which was adapted from Edith Wharton's classic novel - due to apparent issues with the female protagonist Undine Spragg. Sofia Coppola, who was set to direct the series, told The New Yorker magazine: "Apple just pulled out. They pulled our funding." The show, set in the Gilded Age, would have followed Undine, a woman from the Midwest desperately trying to infiltrate New York City's high society. Coppola argued with Apple executives - who she claimed were "mostly dudes" - during development, but they found the lead character too "unlikeable" to move forward. She added: "They didnt get the character of Undine. Shes so unlikable. But so is Tony Soprano! The director admitted she thought Apple had "endless resources" for the five episode limited series, which she claimed would have had a budget the size of "five Marie Antoinettes", referring to her own movie with a $40 million budget. The now scrapped project was first announced in 2020, and at the time Coppola heaped praise on Undine as an "anti-heroine", and someone she was looking forward to bringing to life on screen. She said at the time: "Undine Spragg is my favorite literary anti-heroine and Im excited to bring her to the screen for the first time. In late 2021, the company decided to shut down the project, and Coppola has made her feelings on the situation clear. She also told the New York Times: "The idea of an unlikable woman wasn't their thing. But that's what I'm saying about who's in charge. "The people in charge of giving money are usually straight men, still." Boy George has insisted Madonna is "too full of herself". Boy George gives frank opinion on Madonna The Culture Club legend - who insisted "every gay man loves Madonna and theres no one gayer than me" - has reflected on several less than positive meetings with the Queen of Pop over the years, insisting her unfavourable memories of the first time they crossed paths couldn't have happened like she recalled. Writing in his memoir 'Karma: My Autobiography', he said while Madonna remembers him "head to toe in Westwood", he was exclusively wearing Sue Clowes at the time. Reflecting on a later meeting in New York City, George continued: "Madonna arrived with Sean Penn and pretended she didnt see me. Madonna is everything it says on the tin but she adds new ingredients every day. I know for a fact shes too full of herself to even mention me. "She once said, Boy George was mean to me in the eighties and hes still mean. To be fair, I havent really been given the opportunity. The 62-year-old 'Karma Chameleon' hitmaker insisted he is still a fan of her work, while he isn't so certain she shares his "sense of humour". He said: "Not knowing anything about her I would assume shed have issue with the word some'... "I have a sense of humour, I dont think Madonna does, despite some of the clothes she wears (LOL)." George admitted he loves "all the drama" and "pop star behaviour", hairling her brand as "genius". However, he wrote: "But outside of that, you know, its how you act. You know, because you want, as I say in the book, you want your artists to be weirdly beautiful and strange and all that, but you also want them to be kind of ordinary. Despite their apparent feud over the years, George thinks they could become pals one day. He said: "Like Bette and Joan, we should have been friends. There's still time." Jamie Foxx "looks and feels fantastic" following his health scare in 2023. Jamie Foxx has returned to shooting the movie The 56-year-old actor recently returned to filming 'Back in Action', his upcoming Netflix movie, and Jamie is now said to be doing "so well". A source told PEOPLE: "Jamie is indeed back on set and shooting through February. He looks and feels fantastic." Jamie is fully committed to the new film, which also features Cameron Diaz. The insider added: "They tried to finish the movie with a stunt double but it didnt come out right so Jamie is going to do all of the parts now. "He is doing so well." Despite his high-profile health struggles, Jamie has always been determined to complete 'Back in Action'. Another source said: "For Jamie, the show must go on and he has always been eager to see this project completed. "Jamie is super talented and loves his work. He will finish this film." In April 2023, Jamie's daughter Corinne announced that her dad was suffering from a medical complication. In a statement written on behalf of her family, Corinne explained: "We wanted to share that my father, Jamie Foxx, experienced a medical complication yesterday. "Luckily, due to quick action and great care, he is already on his way to recovery. We know how beloved he is and appreciate your prayers. The family asks for privacy during this time." Meanwhile, in May 2023, Jamie took to social media to thank his fans for their support. The Hollywood star wrote on Instagram: "Appreciate all the love!!! Feeling blessed [prayer and heart emojis] (sic)" Corinne, 29, also shared the message on her own Instagram page. She captioned the post: "Thanks for the love!" Queen Camilla has reportedly urged King Charles to "slow down". King Charles has been encouraged to slow down The 75-year-old monarch is set to undergo a "corrective procedure" for an enlarged prostate, and his wife has already encouraged him to take things easy. An insider told The Sun newspaper: "The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit." Charles was recently spotted driving around Sandringham estate, where he is supposed to be resting ahead of his operation. The monarch ascended to the throne in September 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth, and he's been typically diligent in his approach to the role ever since. The insider added: "His work ethic is well known and not a surprise to anyone." Meanwhile, a royal expert recently claimed that Charles' health troubles underline why "you dont want a slimmed-down monarchy". Richard Fitzwilliams told Us Weekly: "It shows you dont want a slimmed down monarchy. Only four [people] are under 70 as it is." The monarch has made a concerted effort to reduce the number of senior working royals since he ascended the throne, but Richard warned that the policy comes with some potential pitfalls. He added: "[Prince William] is a Counsellor of State, who, in theory, could stand in for the monarch in the event of him being abroad or of incapacity. "If necessary, Counsellors of State could step in for the monarch. There are several, including [Prince] Harry and [Prince] Andrew, who obviously would not be asked to." Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales recently underwent abdominal surgery and she's not expected to resume public duties until after Easter. The 42-year-old royal - who has Prince George, ten, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five, with her husband - also asked for her medical information to remain private. A statement from the palace said: "The Princess of Wales appreciates the interest this statement will generate. She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible, and her wish that her personal medical information remains private. "Kensington Palace will, therefore, only provide updates on Her Royal Highnesss progress when there is significant new information to share." Former BBC DJ Danny Baker has hailed the late Avengers composer Laurie Johnson a brave maestro. Former BBC DJ Danny Baker has hailed the late Avengers composer Laurie Johnson a brave maestro The broadcasters tribute was one of a flood of tributes to the British-born musician best known for scoring the 1960s spy show as well as films including Stanley Kubricks Dr Strangelove who passed away in his sleep aged 96 on Tuesday (23.01.24) in North London. Ex-BBC presenter Danny, 66, said on X: The magnificent Laurie Johnson has passed. Bravo maestro. He takes to the tomb the secret of whatever instrument it was leading on this. Steve Rosenberg, Russia Editor for BBC News, posted a musical tribute on piano for Laurie, which he captioned: Sad to hear that Laurie Johnson has died. Heres my musical tribute to the man who composed some of the greatest themes in British TV: from Animal Magic to The Avengers. Floods of fans also posted tributes to the late composer, whose other film scores included Tiger Bay from 1959, the Werner von Braun biopic I Aim at the Stars and sci-fi and fantasy films First Men in the Moon and 1972s Captain Kronos, Vampire Hunter. His music for The Avengers, which starred John Steed and Emma Peel as Patrick Macnee and Diana Rigg, gave him star status. He came aboard for the fourth season of the British-made series, which aired in America starting in 1966, and remained with the show after Dianas departure and the arrival of Linda Thorson as Tara King in the series sixth season. He said scoring nearly every episode was an unheard-of extravagance, and added about the work: Sometimes there would be as much as 30 minutes of music to be recorded and synchronized every week. Over the whole series I must have composed around 50 hours of music. Laurie reprised the opening bars of his original Avengers theme but wove it into a new piece when the same production team launched The New Avengers in 1976, which starred Joanna Lumley. The series aired in a late-night time slot in America in 1978, a year after Laurie went on to score popular UK crime drama The Professionals. His music for four TV movies, all based on Barbara Cartland romance novels A Hazard of Hearts, The Lady and the Highwayman, A Ghost in Monte Carlo and Duel of Hearts have been hailed as orchestral masterpieces. Born 7 February, 1927, in Hampstead, England, Laurie studied at the Royal College of Music and spent four years in the Coldstream Guards. He became an acclaimed big-band music arranger, with some of the music he contributed to the KPM music library being heard decades later in the cartoons Ren and Stimpy and SpongeBob SquarePants. He is survived by his wife Dot, a daughter, son-in-law and grandson. His familys statement on his death said: Lauries music touched the lives of millions around the world. Throughout his illustrious career, he composed numerous iconic scores, themes and soundtracks that graced our lives across film, TV, theatre and radio. In this time of mourning, we draw strength from the beautiful memories we shared with him. We remember Laurie as an extraordinary individual who embraced life with passion and brought joy to so many. His kindness, compassion and infectious sense of fun and laughter will be profoundly missed by all that knew him. Away from music the composer had a passion for dogs and for the work of Charles Dickens, and collected first editions and memorabilia associated with the writer. He saw similarities in their work, once saying: Like me, Dickens was writing for a commercial end and under pressure. It doesnt mean your work is going to be any less good. Norman Jewison has died aged 97. Norman Jewison has died aged 97 The Oscar-nominated director - who helmed movies such as 'Moonstruck', 'In The Heat Of The Night', and 'Fiddler on the Roof' - passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday (20.01.24). The news has been confirmed by Jeff Sanderson, Jewison's publicist. The director - who was born in Toronto, Canada - enjoyed a glittering career in the movie industry, with his films receiving 46 Academy Award nominations and 12 Oscar wins. The acclaimed filmmaker was also awarded a lifetime achievement accolade from America's Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences in 1999. Jewison's movies often focused on political and social issues, including racism and injustice. In his autobiography, 'This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me', the director explained: "Every time a film deals with racism, many Americans feel uncomfortable. Yet it has to be confronted. We have to deal with prejudice and injustice or we will never understand what is good and evil, right and wrong; we need to feel how the other feels." Jewison was also determined to make movies that his audience could relate to. The award-winning director - who worked with the likes of Denzel Washington and Sidney Poitier during his career - wrote: "I have tended to show humanity as fallible, sensitive, befuddled, misled but redeemable, rather than mindless, relentlessly violent. "I want people to recognise themselves in the movies I make. I don't enjoy no-brainer action movies." Jewison and his wife Margaret Ann Dixon had sons Kevin and Michael, and daughter Jennifer Ann. The director and Margaret were married for 51 years, until she passed away in 2004. Jewison subsequently married Lynne St David in 2010. DISCOVER MORE Hidden Assets with the highly anticipated return of this lauded, gritty Irish-Belgian Noir. The brand-new six-part second series sees acclaimed actress Nora-Jane Noone (Brooklyn, Jack Taylor) join the cast as DS Claire Wallace, an ambitious newcomer whos brought in to head up the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). With a no-nonsense attitude and a point to prove, she must deal with the organisation's old enemies once and for all. Hidden Assets Series One & Two The first series of Peter McKennas (Kin, The Last Kingdom), acclaimed thriller earned plaudits galore and now Hidden Assets Series Two is set to arrive on DVD on 22 January 2024, alongside Series One & Two Box set, courtesy of Acorn Media International, following its BBC Four transmission. Both series are available on digital now. The new series picks up one year after the explosive events of season one and theres a new boss, DS Claire Wallace, at the Bureau, whos about to shake things up. When one of the criminals from the previous investigation the infamous Bibi Melnick (Simone Kirby His Dark Materials, Peaky Blinders) requests a deal: protection in exchange for the true conspirators behind the Belgian bombings, Wallace is sceptical.. Finding herself drawn into the Antwerp investigation, which tormented her predecessor, Detective Emer Berry, Wallace must partner with CTUs Christian De Jong (Wouter Hendrickx Blackout, Cordon) to crack the case once and for all. The pair embark on a lethal, high-stakes investigation with huge international political implications and as things get increasingly more complicated, the investigators are never sure who they can truly trust... Series two welcomes returning cast, including Cathy Belton (Philomena, Red Rock), Aaron Monaghan (The Banshees of Inisherin, The Vanishing Triangle) and Gilles De Schryver (Storm Lara) and Kwaku Fortune (Line Of Duty, Normal People), as well as new faces: Eva Kamanda (Babyproof), Karine Vanasse (Cardinal), Natali Broods (Skunk), Arend Pinoy (A Good Year), Yemi Oduwale (Couples Therapy) and Valentijn Dhaenens (The Misfortunates). Series one introduces the viewers to the bureau and Detective Emer Berry (Angeline Ball The Commitments, Keeping Faith), who must untangle an international conspiracy involving drugs, terrorism and corrupt corporate and political leaders. With explosive criminal danger and dodgy diamond deals, reveal Hidden Assets Series One & Two Box set to discover a hidden gem of a drama in the New Year. Special features include: a behind-the-scenes featurette with cast and crew. Title: Hidden Assets Series Two Release Date: 22 January 2024 Cat.No: AV3773 RRP: 27.99 Cert: 15 Running Time: 305 mins. Also available to download and keep. Title: Hidden Assets Series One & Two Box set Release Date: 22 January 2024 Cat.No: AV3774 RRP: 39.99 Cert: 15 Running Time: 610 mins. Also available to download and keep. Competition Prize Providers Aim Publicity To celebrate the release of these great dark and sinsister videos we have teamed up to offer some lucky person the chance to win a DVD of Hidden Assets Series Two DVD box set. To be i with a chance to win one of these briliant prizes all you need to do is answer the question below, then complete and submit the attached entry form. Question: Where is the Belgium part of the investigation take place? A. Brussels B. Antwerp C. Kinder Garten As usual GOOD LUCK Closing Date : 23rd January 2024 Sri Lanka is a budget-friendly destination for Indians and we have ways to help you get even more bang for your buck Sri Lanka has always been good value for money as a destination. Accommodation and food are plentifully available at every price point, and the famous Sri Lankan hospitality extends to all. Theres also plenty to see, do and experience across the capital Colombo and the many beaches and seaside destinations that dot the island nation. Cultural experiences, too, are plentiful (at Kandy, Galle and Sigiriya) and so is wildlife at havens such as Yala National Park and Udawalawe National Park. And, of course, Sri Lanka is also easy to get to from India, and now offers a multiple entry visa valid for five years. Heres how you can make your trip to Sri Lanka even more budget friendly Book Your Flights Early While the rest of the world is advised to fly via India for the best flight prices, were already here, so thats a saving already. All you need to do is keep an eye out for good flight deals and book well in advance. Travel In The Off Season Avoid travelling to Sri Lanka during the peak season December to April to get great deals on accommodation. The northwest monsoon hits the country from May to September, but were used to that, and the downpours dont usually last long. In fact, the monsoon season is recommended if you want to hit the east coast of the country, which has sandy beaches, a cool surf season and great wildlife spotting. October to November is the shoulder season and you should still get great deals before the high season begins again. Stay In A Homestay Sri Lanka is known for its clean and comfortable homestays that are available at budget-friendly prices. Not only will they help you stretch your travel (Sri Lankan) rupee, but they are also one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the local experience. Take Local Transport If you can take a bus in India, you can take a bus in Sri Lanka. They are a great way to get from the big cities to smaller towns and villages, though, like in South Indian states, they are not air-conditioned, often play loud music, set off only when almost full, and there are no timetables. However, there are usually buses every few minutes and they are certainly budget-friendly. Sri Lankan trains (above) are comfortable and paisa vasooli, a great way to see the different landscapes from a good vantage point. There are both air-conditioned and non air-conditioned options. Do a little research on how to buy your ticket especially if you want to reserve a seat; booking through an online platform can double or triple the cost of the ticket. If you avoid weekends and rush hour, you can just turn up on the day of travel and buy a cheap ticket in the unreserved compartment. The air-conditioned Southern Expressway buses are great to get from Colombo to Galle, Matara, Tangalle and Hambantota (close to Yala National Park). Eat At Local Hotels And Women-Run Food Outlets Hotels are small restaurants at which the locals eat. There are always plenty of short-eats (snacks) on the menu and local meals. Hela Bojun outlets are run by local women in green aprons and hair covers under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and sell healthy vegetarian and vegan food. Images: Shutterstock Also Read: Planning A Summer Trip? Here Are 62 Visa-Free Countries To Pick From! Image: Shutterstock Yoga is a combined effort of physical, mental, and spiritual practices which traces its roots back to ancient India. An asana or a pose is the method Yoga is practised. The ultimate goal of yoga is to control the conscious and subconscious mind. The mind and body, sound and working at one pace are achievable through yoga. There is a vast variety of schools of yoga practices and goals, mostly associated with the religions Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Yoga has several health benefits. From curing ailments to getting into shape, yoga can not only help your physical wellbeing but with practices like meditation, it can also severely uplift the mental wellbeing of an individual. Yoga has been popularised in recent times and traditional forms and modern methods of yoga are adopted and practiced worldwide. Image: Shutterstock Yoga has been around for centuries dating back to as old as the 5th - 6th Century BC. In several religious and ancient texts found in India, yoga dictates various prospects of human well-being. These practices have then been evolved and aligned for the benefits they provide. To target a problem like obesity or if youre looking to lose weight, yoga can be a great option to pick. Yoga is practised through 5 different disciples that target your complete body - Exercise Diet Breathing Relaxation Meditation Yoga is not an arduous task that demands a lot of energy but simple poses called asanas can help speed up your metabolism and help you shed some extra pounds without equipment and memberships to classes. Yoga can be easily learned, picked up at home and there is no necessary mandate that a professional can train you. With no side effects, it is also a natural and safe way to approach weight loss and obesity. Yoga is the best option to consider for all your health concerns and here are some asanas that help target your fat. 1. Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) Image: Shutterstock If not just for weight loss, the Surya Namaskara is a widely practised yoga asana that is the right way to start a day. Just practising Surya Namaskara can help improve your health in a speedy and secure manner. The Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation not only warms up the muscles and facilitates better blood circulation but also stretches and tones most of the major muscles, trims and tones the waist, and arms, stimulates the digestive system and balances the metabolism. Different asanas that involve completing a cycle of Surya Namaskara also individually hold good and when practiced on their own also yield great results. Surya Namaskar is a packaged effort to achieve good health and the best way to lose weight. 2. Chaturanga Dandasana (Plank pose) Image: Shutterstock Chaturanga Dandasana or Four-Limbed Staff Pose, also known as Low Plank, is an asana in modern yoga in which a straight body parallel to the ground is supported by the toes, palms and elbows. The plank position is also a very common exercise in western training methods and while it specifically targets your abdominal muscles and the core, it is also great for your arms, thighs and legs. 3. Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose) Image: Shutterstock The warrior pose is broken down into several parts and pieces that combine overall efforts to tone your thighs, shoulders and arms while simultaneously improving your focus. A few minutes of Virabhadrasana can fetch you great results and tighter quads. The warrior pose is designed to improve your balance along with toning your back end, legs, and arms. Additionally, Virabhadrasana yoga asana cuts your tummy and gives you a flat belly if you pick up poses that also attack your abdominal muscles while you hold the position. 4. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose) Image: Shutterstock The etymology comes from the Sanskrit word trikona, meaning 3 corners, a triangle. The trikonasana helps to improve digestion as well as reduces the fat deposited in the belly & waist and also improves balance & concentration. This speeds up metabolism, stimulates blood circulation and helps fight obesity. The lateral motion of this asana helps you burn more fat from the waist and abdominal region while also strengthening the muscles in the thighs and hamstrings. 5. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose) Image: Shutterstock Adho Mukha Svanasana comes from the Sanskrit terms svana- dog and Adho mukha- downward facing. It is an asana where one goes on all four limbs, inverting to face the ground, often practised as part of a flowing sequence of poses, especially Surya Namaskar, the Salute to the Sun. The asana is also commonly used in other Western and modern exercise methods. Stretching the hamstring and calf muscles in the back of your legs and strengthening the shoulders. 6. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand) Image: Shutterstock By turning yourself completely upside down with the help of your shoulder and your abdominal muscles, Sarvangasana helps strengthen your core and shoulders. It effectively targets these regions and comes with multiple benefits, from increasing your strength to improving digestion. Not only does it boost your metabolism but it also helps in balancing thyroid levels. Sarvangasana or shoulder stand strengthens the upper body, abdominal muscles and legs, improves the respiratory system and improves sleep. 7. Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose) Image: Shutterstock Targeting your core, legs and shoulders, this asana with several benefits is the Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge pose. It works wonders for glutes, thyroid and weight loss. The Bridge position works on your core being above gravity, improving muscle tone, digestion, and hormone regulation that works on supporting the thyroid levels. It also strengthens your back muscles and reduces back pain. 8. Parivritta Utkatasana (Twisted Chair Pose) Image: Shutterstock Utkatasana or the chair pose is an asana aimed at supporting the balance of the body but when additionally twisted, it becomes Parivritta. The Parivritta Utkatasana is similar to a squat, an exercise common in modern and Western practices. This asana effectively works on toning the abdominal muscles and strengthening the quads and glutes by increasing the intensity of the pressure this posture provides. The asana also improves the lymph system and the digestive system. 9. Dhanurasana (Bow Pose) Image: Shutterstock The Sanskrit word for bow, Dhanush or Dhanur is the description of how one's body is structured in this asana. By placing oneself on the ground flat on their abdomen, the hands and legs are to be connected from the back. This helps massage the abdominal organs, improves digestion, and strengthens the thighs, chest, and back and gives one the perfect way to achieve a flat belly. It stretches your whole body and strengthens and tones your muscles with improved blood circulation. Yoga is a great approach to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier body. Practising yoga just several times a week can yield significant results and improve your overall well-being. Yoga targets obesity and helps you start a flourishing journey to weight loss. Also Read - 8 Effective Yoga Asanas For Weight Gain British International Investment (BII), the UK's development finance institution (DFI) and impact investor, in conjunction with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a regional development bank for Asia and the Pacific, have announced a partnership that aims to finance up to $100 million in green trade transactions across Asia, a significant step towards promoting sustainable development. The new partnership will operate through ADB's Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program (TSCFP) and is set to concentrate on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate-smart agriculture. The primary objective is to bolster the region's transition to clean energy and enhance climate resilience, particularly in South and South-East Asia. These regions are amongst the most susceptible to the adverse effects of climate change, BII said in a press release. BII and ADB announced a partnership to finance $100 million in green trade in Asia, focusing on renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture. The initiative, aimed at enhancing clean energy transition and climate resilience in South and South-East Asia, will operate through ADB's TSCFP. It supports local importers of sustainable products. A critical aspect of this initiative is the development and enhancement of renewable energy capacity and its supply chain, deemed vital for achieving the sustainability goals of the region. Trade plays a crucial role in this endeavour, facilitating the movement of green goods that assist in mitigating and adapting to climate change's impacts. However, a significant challenge remains: the global trade finance gap, estimated at $2.5 trillion per annum. This gap signifies the lack of accessible financing for businesses to trade goods essential for climate projects. Additionally, local banks often struggle to provide the extended tenures required for financing goods related to climate projects, particularly within the renewable energy sector. The partnership between BII and ADB seeks to narrow this global trade finance gap and cater to the unmet demand for longer tenures in green transactions. A risk-sharing agreement between the two organisations will enable international banks to enhance their financial support to local banks, beginning in Vietnam and subsequently expanding to other countries supported by BII and ADB. This initiative is poised to provide essential financing for local importers of sustainable products like solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicles, and agricultural goods. By doing so, it will play a pivotal role in advancing the green trade agenda in Asia, thereby contributing significantly to the global fight against climate change and the promotion of sustainable development. This agreement between BII and the Asian Development Bank will unlock crucial green trade finance in Asia. It demonstrates how, by working together, the development finance system can mobilise the private finance so urgently needed to support countries in their transition to low carbon, climate-resilient economies, said Andrew Mitchell, UK minister for development and Africa. Supporting sustainable development in South and South-East Asia is a key priority at BII. Green trade finance enables supply chain development of the renewable energy industry and tackles the bottleneck for much needed long-tenor financing in the region. We are delighted to work with ADB, a strong partner with extensive knowledge and network in Asia, on a shared ambition to support the regions clean energy transition and build climate resilience, said Srini Nagarajan, managing director and head of Asia at BII. This collaboration with BII will strengthen ADB TSCFPs capacity to further grow green supply chains in Asia-Pacific region, with a focus on energy transition goods that are essential for tackling climate change, said Suzanne Gaboury, director general for private sector operations at ADB. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) Germany witnessed a decline in its exports to countries outside the European Union (EU) (third countries) in December 2023, according to the provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). These exports decreased by 4 per cent in December compared with the previous month of November 2023, on a calendar and seasonally adjusted basis. The value of the goods exported to these third countries in December 2023 amounted to 57.2 billion, following seasonal and calendar adjustment. This marks a decrease from the exports recorded in the same period last year. In terms of original values without seasonal and calendar adjustment, exports to third countries stood at 53 billion in December 2023. This figure represents a 9.2 per cent decrease compared to the same month a year earlier, indicating a significant downturn in Germany's trade with non-EU nations, as per Destatis. Germany's exports to non-EU countries fell by 4 per cent in December 2023 compared to November 2023, with adjusted exports valued at 57.2 billion, according to Destatis. This decline represents a decrease from the previous year. Original values show exports at 53 billion in December 2023, a 9.2 per cent drop from the same month last year. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP) Recently seen in the critically and commercially successful comedy-drama film 'Dunki', acclaimed movie star Boman Irani is credited for entertaining his audiences for more than two decades now. Widely known for his versatility, Boman Irani has over the years made his way into the hearts of audiences and established himself as one of the finest performers in Indian cinema. Moving forward, Boman Irani is now headed to London on January 24, 2024, with his family for four major events as a speaker. Announcing the same on social media, Boman Irani revealed that he will be taking centre stage and will be speaking at Oxford University, The London School of Economics, The British Parliament and The Indian High Commission. Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity Boman Irani said, "It's truly humbling to represent India on such esteemed global platforms and receive this recognition. I look forward to sharing my life experiences and the wisdom gained throughout my two-decade career with other bright minds there. Taking a piece of India with me, I'm truly grateful for this opportunity." Meanwhile, up next, Boman Irani is gearing up for his directorial debut. Fans eagerly await more updates on the project, as it stars him and has even been written by him. OTT Releases This Week: OTT platforms have revolutionised the viewing experience for audiences. With multiple channels like Netflix, Prime Video, Zee5, and more, and plenty of releases in different genres and languages from across the world, people now have ample options to choose from every week. It also enables viewers to watch their favourite shows and films with just one click while sitting in their comfort place. As the new week has just begun, here's a list of new shows and films that you can watch during the weekend. Sam Bahadur (January 26) Vicky Kaushal-led biographical war film chronicles the life of India's first Field Marshal, Sam Manekshaw. The film shows his crucial role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War. Directed by Meghna Gulzar, Sam Bahadur will stream on Zee5 from January 26. Karmma Calling (January 26) This Disney+ Hotstar web series, starring Raveena Tandon and Namrata Sheth, is an engaging tale of retribution set in the glamorous and treacherous world of Alibaug's high society. Directed by Ruchi Narain, the series also stars Varun Sood, Gaurav Sharma, Waluscha D'Souza, Amy Aela, Viraf Patel, and Piyush Khati in pivotal roles. Wonka (January 22) Starring Timothee Chalamet in the titular role of Wonka, the film is a musical fantasy adventure that ventures into the origins of the world's most famous chocolatier, Willy Wonka. The film is based on Roald Dahl's 1964 novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Wonka will be available to buy and rent on BookMyShow Stream starting January 22. The other cast includes Hugh Grant, Olivia Colman, and Rowan Atkinson in key roles. Neru OTT Release Date And Platform: Here's Where To Watch Mohanlal And Jeethu Joseph's Courtroom Drama Badland Hunters (January 26) Helmed by Heo Myeong-haeng, the action Korean film stars Ma Dong-seok, Roh Jeong-eui, and Lee Jun-young in important roles. Its synopsis reads, "After a major earthquake, Seoul, South Korea, transforms into an apocalyptic wasteland where everything from civilization to law and order has collapsed." The film will stream on Netflix. Animal (January 26) Ranbir Kapoor, Rashmika Mandanna, and Anil Kapoor starrer revenge drama Animal will start streaming on Netflix on January 26. One of the biggest hits of 2023, the film revolves around a toxic relationship between a father and son. Neru (January 23) Directed by Jeethu Joseph, Neru is a 2023 Indian Malayalam courtroom drama film starring Mohanlal in the lead. Its synopsis reads, "Sara, a blind sculptor, seeks justice after suffering trauma. She contends with the legal system and her own resilience to find resolution." Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (January 23) James Wan's Aquaman 2 is an American superhero movie inspired by DC comics. Starring Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in key roles, Aquaman 2 will stream on the BookMyShow stream on January 23. Agent (January 26) Directed by Surender Reddy, Agent is a Telugu-language spy movie, starring Akhil Akkineni, Mammootty, Dino Morea, Sakshi Vaidya, and Vikramjeet Virk in key roles. The film marks the debut of Vaidya and Morea in Telugu cinema. The film will stream on SonyLIV from January 26. Sam Bahadur OTT Release Date & Streaming Platform: Here's When & Where Vicky Kaushal's Film Will Stream Expats (January 26) The Prime Video drama series, created by Lulu Wang, stars Nicole Kidman, Brian Tee, Ji-young Yoo, and others in important roles. Based on Janice Y. K. Lee's novel The Expatriates, this six-episode gripping drama series delves into the intriguing lives of an expatriate community in Hong Kong. Neru OTT Release: 'Neru,' directed by the acclaimed Jeethu Joseph and featuring the legendary Mohanlal in the lead role, released in theatres on December 21. The movie, titled Neru, is accompanied by the intriguing tagline "Seeking Justice." Industry insiders suggest that "Neru" is poised to be a gripping courtroom suspense thriller, adding another layer of intrigue to its narrative. "Neru" marks the fifth venture between the dynamic duo of Mohanlal and Jeethu Joseph, following the successful projects "Drishyam-1," "Drishyam-2," "Twelfth Man," and the eagerly awaited "Ram." Penned by Santhi Mayadevi and Jeethu Joseph, the screenplay is under tight wraps, promising an engaging and intriguing storyline. The film is being produced under the prestigious banner of Aashirvad Cinemas, helmed by Antony Perumbavoor, bringing together a powerhouse of talent to create cinematic magic. Vishnu Shyam took charge of composing the music for the film, and Vinayak Sasikumar penned the lyrics for the songs. A pre-release single titled 'Roohe' was unveiled on December 19, 2023. The song features vocals by Karthik and is complemented by a chorus performed by Shyam and Cathy Jeethu. Neru received acclaim from critics for its cast performances, especially those of Mohanlal, Siddique, and Anaswara Rajan, along with commendation for its direction. The film proved to be a commercial success, earning over 85 crore worldwide. This achievement positioned Neru as the third-highest-grossing Malayalam film of 2023 and the sixth-highest-grossing Malayalam film of all time. Critics hailed Neru as Mohanlal's comeback, marking his third-highest-grossing film. Neru OTT Release Date And Platform Neru is now streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar, offering not only the original Malayalam version but also dubbed editions in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada. For those who missed the theatrical release, this presents an excellent opportunity to experience the film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jeethu Joseph. Audiences can immerse themselves in the engaging narrative and characters, all from the comfort of their homes. 'Neru' is the 33rd film from Aashirvad Cinemas. As "Neru" unfolds, Satheesh Kurup takes charge of the cinematography, while the music is composed by Vishnu Shyam. The trailer for 'Neru' showcases the powerhouse pairing of Mohanlal and director Jeethu Joseph. This intense courtroom drama immerses viewers in the world of Vijayamohan, a lawyer portrayed by Mohanlal thrust into the challenge of representing a petitioner/victim in a high-stakes trial. The trailer tantalises with glimpses of a probing investigation set in Thiruvananthapuram, suggesting the accused's presence near the incident site the day prior. Amidst escalating tension, Vijayamohan reluctantly embraces the case, admitting to his waning confidence after a prolonged absence from legal proceedings, stating, "I am not confident anymore." The trailer unfolds to reveal Vijayamohan's immersive journey through the trial, confronting scrutiny and self-doubt. With an unexpected turn of events, the narrative reaches a gripping climax within a Kerala courtroom, promising compelling and relentless courtroom sequences that stretch into the night. The Neru trailer has garnered exceptional acclaim, sparking widespread anticipation for the Mohanlal-Jeethu Joseph magic to captivate audiences once again. Home Top Listing Top Listing Top 10 Most Iconic Movies Of Bollywood The Hindi cinema world will always be the center of attraction for people, this is because of the songs present in these films and their excellent stories, due to which the audience becomes crazy about these films as well as the characters present in these films and the artists who play them. There are many such films that even today people remember and love to watch. Similarly, we are going to mention some priceless films of Hindi cinema in this list which you would like to watch. Anand (1971) The 1971 film Anand was written and directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The dialogues of this film were written by Gulzar and here Rajesh Khanna was in the lead role, while the supporting cast included Amitabh Bachchan, Sumita Sanyal, Ramesh Deo, and Seema Deo. This film won the Best Film of the Year award in 1972. This film is present in Anupam Chopra's book Hundred Films To See Before You Die. Read More Mother India Mother India film begins with the finishing of a water canal to the village set in the present. Radha (Nargis), as the 'mother' of the village is asked to open ... Read More Sholay Sholay movie follows two criminals, Veeru and Jai (played by Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan), hired by a retired police officer (Sanjeev Kumar) to capture the ... Read More Don Don movie is based on the Don (Amitabh Bachchan) who is the leader of an underworld gang until Police Officer D'Silva (Iftekhar) tracks him down and in an ... Read More Mera Naam Joker Mera Naam Joker is the story of Raju, whose father was a considered the best circus clown ever. Ever since Raju's father died in a trapeze accident during his ... Read More Hum Saath Saath Hain Read More Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham is family drama movie and was the highest grossing Indian film overseas till 2006. Yashovardhan Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan) is ... Read More Munnabhai MBBS Munnabhai MBBS is based on Murli Prasad Sharma who is a local goon in Mumbai popularly known as 'Munna bhai'. He has kept his real identity secret from his ... Read More Lagaan This is the story about the resilience shown by the Indians when they were under the British Rule. They are already taxed to the bone by the British and their ... Read More 3 Idiots The film 3 Idiots, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, and released in 2009, is a very inspirational film for the young generation. This film comes in the comedy-drama genre, written by Abhijat Joshi and produced by Vinod Chopra. Abhi is in the lead role in this film. Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi, R Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani and other lead actors. This film was the biggest film of its time and even today many people are crazy about this film. LOADING...... CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The market for industrial networking solutions will see significant growth in the coming years due to important trends such edge computing adoption, 5G integration, industrial IoT development, cybersecurity emphasis, and AI and machine learning integration. In addition, there will be a focus on cloud integration, sustainable networking, and the use of robotics, augmented reality, and virtual reality to improve industrial processes. Global supply chain resilience and regulatory compliance will be given primary priority. Partnerships and collaborations are anticipated to be essential for fostering innovation and responding changing market conditions. The Industrial Networking Solutions Market size is projected to grow from USD 29.2 billion in 2023 to USD 73.3 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 20.2% during the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The need for improved efficiency and reduced operational costs is driving the adoption of automation in various industries. Industrial networking solutions play a crucial role in connecting and coordinating automated systems and processes. Browse in-depth TOC on "Industrial Networking Solutions Market" 257 - Tables 47 - Figures 247 - Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=263573485 Scope of the Report Report Metrics Details Market size available for years 2018-2028 Base year considered 2022 Forecast period 2023-2028 Forecast units Value (USD) Million/Billion Segments Covered Offering (Technologies, Services), Technology (SD-WAN, WLAN, IIoT), Service (Network Planning & Optimization, Network Integration, Network Orchestration, Training & Education, Network Consulting, Network Provisioning, Network Security, Network Auditing & Testing, Support & Maintenance), Application (Remote Monitoring, Asset Tracking & Management, Supply Chain Management, Real-Time Streaming & Video, Emergency & Incident Management, Predictive Maintenance), Vertical (Process Industry (Energy & Utilities, Chemicals & Materials, Food & Beverage, Water & Waste Management, Other Process Industries) Discrete Industry (Automotive, Machine Manufacturing, Semiconductors & Electronics, Medical Devices, Logistics & Transportation)), Networking Type (Wireless Networking, Wireline Networking) and Region Region covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America Companies covered Cisco (US), Juniper Networks (US), Huawei (China), Dell Technologies (US), Rockwell Automation (US), Eaton (Ireland), Nokia (Finland), HPE (US), ABB (Switzerland), Belden (US), Siemens (Germany), Moxa (US), Red Lion Controls (US), Veryx Technologies (India), Litmus Automation (US), Celona (US), GE Digital (US), Kyland Technology (China), Graphiant (US), A5G Networks (US) Based on service, the network planning and optimization segment holds the largest market size during the forecast period Network planning and optimization helps enhance the performance of network infrastructure for the betterment of network availability and secured data flow. Network planning mainly deals with traffic forecasting and capacity planning to stabilize the network's performance. It also helps in developing network strategies and action plans to achieve business-specific goals and provide timely inputs during the designing and architecting phase of the network. In an industrial scenario, network planning needs to cater to a vast environment of multiple interconnected facilities. An industrial network plays a pivotal role in automating the system architecture, as it facilitates data exchange, data controllability, and flexibility to connect multiple devices. Request Sample Pages @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=263573485 Based on technology, the SD-WAN segment is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period SDWAN is a replacement for traditional routers; it provides a dynamic and policy-based application path for business functions. SDWAN uses cloud-based software and technologies to enhance and optimize the delivery of WAN services to the remote offices of an enterprise. Moreover, SDWAN is an emerging technology that revolutionizes networking and makes it faster, more reliable, and more manageable. The technology enables administrators to manage networks more agilely by controlling them with software-defined functions. Moreover, it provides a unified look at the network and offers a managed end-to-end solution that enables the scalability and stability of networks. In addition, SDWAN also provides an efficient and effective solution for designing, deploying, and managing distributed networks in today's complex and hybrid network environment. Asia Pacific is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period The Industrial Networking Solutions Market in the Asia Pacific region has undergone significant growth and evolution. The Industrial Networking Solutions Market in the Asia Pacific region is dynamically influenced by several key factors fuelled by automation, government support, and a thriving manufacturing sector. Technological advancements, including integrating the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), edge computing, and wireless communication, have played a pivotal role in enhancing connectivity and real-time monitoring in industrial settings. Government initiatives across the region have further accelerated digital transformation, smart manufacturing, and infrastructure development, contributing to the expansion of the market. Global and regional players offer a diverse range of products and services, addressing the unique needs of various industry verticals such as manufacturing, energy, transportation, and healthcare. Top Key Companies in Industrial Networking Solutions Market: The Industrial Networking Solutions Market comprises major providers, such as Cisco (US), Juniper Networks (US), Huawei (China), Dell Technologies (US), Rockwell Automation (US), Eaton (Ireland), Nokia (Finland), HPE (US), ABB (Switzerland), Belden (US), Siemens (Germany), Moxa (US), Red Lion Controls (US), Veryx Technologies (India), Litmus Automation (US), Celona (US), GE Digital (US), Kyland Technology (China), Graphiant (US), A5G Networks (US). To increase their market share in the industrial networking solutions industry, these competitors have used a variety of growth methods, including partnerships, agreements, collaborations, new product releases, product enhancements, and acquisitions. Recent Developments In December 2023, Nokia partnered with Innova Solutions, to deliver programmable network applications for enterprises using Nokia Network as a Code platform. The agreement will accelerate the digital transformation of enterprises in industries such as banking/financial services, transportation and logistics, technology, life sciences, retail, and industrial sectors. In November 2023, Huawei launched its All-Scenario WLAN Solution, which continuously promotes the application of the Wi-Fi 7 standard technology in the enterprise market and continuously upgrades the network experience of customers in the education, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing industries. In May 2023, Juniper Networks partnered with ServiceNow, to deliver end-to-end automation for enterprise network service provisioning & monitoring. In February 2023, Cisco collaborated NTT, to to drive Private 5G adoption across the automotive, logistics, healthcare, retail, and public sectors to accelerate industry transformation. In December 2022, Rockwell Automation partnered with Fortinet, to secure operational technology environments and provide powerful cybersecurity protection to global customers through the convergence of advanced networking and security capabilities. Inquire Before Buying @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=263573485 Industrial Networking Solutions Market Advantages: Industrial networking solutions interconnect different machines, systems, and devices in an industrial setting with strong connectivity. Because of this connectedness, data interchange and communication are made easier and overall operational efficiency is increased. Real-time data transfer over industrial networks makes process monitoring swift and precise. This is critical for sectors in which prompt data is necessary for process optimisation, quality assurance, and decision-making. Through the simplification of communication, decrease in downtime, and optimisation of resource utilisation, the integration of industrial networking solutions improves operational efficiency. Lower operating expenses and increased productivity follow from this. Industrial operations can be remotely managed and monitored thanks to industrial networks. Because it enables centralised control and troubleshooting, this functionality is especially advantageous for industries with distributed processes. Scalability and flexibility in response to evolving industrial needs are key features of industrial networking solutions. Easy network expansion, device integration, and adaptability to changing operational requirements are all made possible by this flexibility. One major benefit is interoperability, since industrial networking solutions frequently follow standardised protocols, guaranteeing compatibility across numerous systems and devices from different vendors. This encourages an integrated and cogent industrial ecology. Redundancy characteristics are a common component of industrial networking solutions, which increase reliability. Redundant channels and backup systems are essential for sectors with high reliability requirements as they assist prevent communication disruptions and ensure operational continuity. Report Objectives To determine, segment, and forecast the global Industrial Networking Solutions Market based on offering, technology, service, application, vertical, networking type, and region in terms of value. To forecast the size of the market segments to five main regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. To provide detailed information about the major factors (drivers, opportunities, threats, and challenges) influencing the growth of the Industrial Networking Solutions Market. To study the complete value chain and related industry segments and perform a value chain analysis of the Industrial Networking Solutions Market landscape. To strategically analyze the macro and micro markets to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the total Industrial Networking Solutions Market. To analyze the industry trends, patents, and innovations related to the Industrial Networking Solutions Market. To analyze the opportunities for stakeholders by identifying the high-growth segments of the Industrial Networking Solutions Market. To profile the key players in the market and comprehensively analyze their market share/ranking and core competencies. To track and analyze competitive developments, such as mergers & acquisitions, product launches & developments, partnerships, agreements, collaborations, business expansions, and Research & Development (R&D) activities. Browse Adjacent Markets: Data Center and Networking Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Software Defined Networking Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Modular Data Center Market- Global Forecast to 2030 Data Center Transformation Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Green Data Center Market- Global Forecast to 2026 Data Center Power Market- Global Forecast to 2025 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. 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Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/industrial-networking-solutions-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/industrial-networking-solutions.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2297424/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/industrial-networking-solutions-market-worth-73-3-billion-by-2028---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302040470.html TAIPEI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NEXCOM, a leading global supplier of network appliances, excitedly reveals its participation in MWC 2024 Barcelona, under Taiwan Pavilion supported by the Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA, Taiwan. For the second year in a row, NEXCOM invites industry professionals to visit booth 5A61 (Hall 5) to learn about the future of 5G networks and see a live demo of NEXCOM FWA over 5G uCPE solutions. NEXCOM will showcase its latest groundbreaking technologies for building a full-scale 5G infrastructure. The comprehensive product portfolio spans from compact 5G uCPE boxes deployed at the Edge to the core network, where high-performance servers efficiently handle the processing and storage of substantial data volumes. The four key product lines will be shown at display: 5G uCPE Solution for SD-WAN & FWA Applications - cross-platform solutions for powerful connectivity and real-time data processing. - cross-platform solutions for powerful connectivity and real-time data processing. OT Security Solutions for Industry 4.0 - fanless rugged DIN rail boxes for harsh industrial environments and mission-oriented applications. - fanless rugged DIN rail boxes for harsh industrial environments and mission-oriented applications. Distributed Unit for Optimized Network Efficiency - a selection of rackmounts for reduced latency, dynamic resource allocation, and network capacity at the network Edge. - a selection of rackmounts for reduced latency, dynamic resource allocation, and network capacity at the network Edge. Centralized Unit for Core Network Operations - high-performance appliances for handling Big Data and heavy workloads. NEXCOM provides turnkey network solutions inclusive of verified software packages from eco-system partners. Additionally, white box hardware options are available for companies equipped with their own software capabilities. Visit the NEXCOM booth to unlock the potential of such cutting-edge technologies as the groundbreaking integration of AI in 5G applications, diverse grades of 5G uCPE, each tailored to distinct needs, and uncover the nuances of different 5G connectivity options, including Sub-6 and mmWave. Event Details Date: Mon, Feb 26, 2024 - Thu, Feb 29, 2024 Venue: Fira Gran Via, Barcelona Booth: Hall 5, Booth 5A61 (Taiwan Pavilion) About NEXCOM Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, NEXCOM integrates its diverse capabilities and operates six global businesses, including the Network and Communication Solutions (NCS) unit. NCS focuses on the latest network technology and helps to build reliable network infrastructure, by delivering professional design and manufacturing services for customers all over the world. NCS's network application platform is widely adopted in Cyber Security Appliance, Load Balancer, uCPE, SD-WAN, SASE, Edge Computing, Storage, NVR, and other network applications for businesses of all sizes. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323361/2__NEXCOM_MWC_2024_PR.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/join-nexcom-for-a-journey-into-5g-innovation-at-mwc-barcelona-2024-302040513.html SHANGHAI, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-three companies had signed up early for the seventh edition in Shanghai on Jan 9. Among them are big names such as PepsiCo, Tesla, 3M and Bayer. "The CIIE facilitates economic and trade cooperation, and has helped PepsiCo know the Chinese market better," said Daniel Shih, vice-president of corporate affairs, APAC and Greater China at PepsiCo. Highlights of the CIIE in the past six editions. Over the past six years, companies from 173 countries and regions have made appearances in the CIIE and achieved tentative transactions worth $424.23 billion. Last year, six-time CIIE exhibitor Singapore Business Federation (SBF) led a delegation of over 500 senior business representatives from 56 Singaporean companies to search fresh market opportunities. "The CIIE remains an essential platform for Singaporean companies to grow their business in the Chinese market, particularly in high-growth areas such as digital innovation and sustainability," said Kok Ping Soon, CEO of the SBF. According to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, CIIE 2023 had a record attendance of nearly 250 Australian exhibitors. "We're excited to meet Chinese customers and for all CIIE attendees to see the premium products we have to offer," said Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto, the first Fortune Global 500 company to make a 5-year commitment to the expo starting in 2024. The Country Exhibition allowed 72 countries and international organizations to showcase their scientific and technological achievements, culture and art. "Thanks to the CIIE, our products like black tea, chocolates and coconut oil are now popular in China, and many Sri Lankan farmers have improved their lives as a result," said six-time CIIE participant Giguruwa Gamage Sathyajith Prasada from Sri Lanka. Hongqiao International Economic Forum spotlights global issues. This year's Hongqiao Forum will feature more globally renowned speakers who will share their insights on key international issues. Subsequent seminars will be conducted to invite opinions and suggestions for the topics to be discussed during the seventh Hongqiao Forum. As a crucial part of the expo, the sixth Hongqiao International Economic Forum, also known as Hongqiao Forum, had a record attendance of over 8,000 participants and featured 22 sub-forums covering a range of subjects. High-profile government officials, Nobel Prize laureates, and senior executives of industrial pacesetters from across the world were invited to discuss global issues such as financial reform and innovation, digital governance, and green investment. "The Hongqiao Forum is showing increasingly extensive influence worldwide. We regard the forum as a premier platform to enhance global communication and promote sustainable development," said Wang Dawei, economics affairs officer at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. CIIE 2024 welcomes more participants. The seventh CIIE will kick off another series of global roadshows from January 23 to 31 in Sri Lanka, Singapore and Australia, and more local firms are invited to participate in CIIE 2024 and embrace the vast Chinese market. To date, more than 300 companies have booked over 130,000 square meters of exhibition area for CIIE 2024, which will take place from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai. Grab your spot now at: https://www.ciie.org/exhibition/f/book/register?locale=en&from=press Contact:Ms. Cui Yan Tel.:0086-21-968888 E-mail:exhibition@ciie.org Website:http://www.ciie.org/zbh/en/ Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ciieonline Twitter:https://twitter.com/ciieonline Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323768/CIIE.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1938442/4506361/CIIE_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/more-enterprises-secure-early-spots-at-ciie-2024-302040889.html The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2024 Japan prize at 1PM today, 23 January, 2024. Prof. Sir Brian J. Hoskins (UK) and Prof. John Michael Wallace (USA) are co-winners of the Japan Prize in the fields of Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and Prof. Ronald M. Evans (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. For this year's Japan Prize, Prof. Hoskins and Prof. Wallace are being recognized for their distinguished contributions to Establishment of a scientific foundation for understanding and predicting extreme weather events, and Prof. Evans is being recognized for his Discovery of the nuclear hormone receptor family and its application to drug development. For the 2024 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 15,500 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this year's fields. We received 130 nominations for the fields of Resources, Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and 198 nominations for the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. This year's winners were selected from that total of 328 candidates. About the Japan Prize The establishment of the Japan Prize in 1981 was motivated by the Japanese government's desire to create an internationally recognized award that would contribute to scientific and technological development around the world. With the support of numerous donations, the Japan Prize Foundation received endorsement from the Cabinet Office in 1983. The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and engineers from around the world, who have made creative and dramatic achievements that help progress their fields and contribute significantly to realizing peace and prosperity for all humanity. Researchers in all fields of science and technology are eligible for the award, with two fields selected each year in consideration of current trends in scientific and technological development. In principle, one individual in each field is recognized with the award, and receives a certificate, a medal, and a monetary prize. Each Award Ceremony is attended by the current Emperor and Empress, heads of the three branches of government and other related officials, and representatives from various other elements of society. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240112035071/en/ Contacts: Kiyoshi OGURA Press Officer The Japan Prize Foundation Public Relations ARK Mori Building, East Wing 35th Floor 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6035, Japan Tel: 81-3-5545-0551 Fax: 81-3-5545-0554 E-Mail ogura@japanprize.jp Technip Energies, a leading Engineering Technology company for the energy transition, announces the following Executive Committee appointments: Chief Digital and Information Officer Naila Giovanni, has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief Digital and Information Officer (CDIO), to accelerate Technip Energies' digital transformation. Based in Paris, she joins the Executive Committee. Naila Giovanni brings over 25 years of business transformation experience, both in consulting and industry sectors. She began her career as Internal Auditor in 1995 and joined the consulting industry at Oracle in 1998, where she worked on ERP implementations. She then joined Arthur Andersen (now BearingPoint) in 2001, working on digital, organizational, strategic transformation and M&A plans for industrial groups. In 2013, Naila Giovanni joined the Vallourec Group, first as the Director of Internal Audit, then as Chief Transformation Officer (2017) and as Chief Digital Information Officer (2020), overseeing the company's digital and IT transformation program. She is graduated with a master's degree in Accounting and Financial Sciences and Techniques in 1993, a Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Finance in 1997, later completed with an Executive Program at Yale School of Management in 2009. Chief Business Officer Technip Energies also announces the appointment of Marco Villa, previously Chief Operating Officer, to the new position of Chief Business Officer within the Executive Committee. The role will provide commercial and project execution leadership across all businesses, in both traditional and new markets. Graduated in 1987 from Sapienza University of Rome in Economics and Business, with a professional background in Finance, Marco Villa spent most of his career in Technip where he served in many leadership positions until 2017, including as President Europe, Middle East, India, and Africa, Regional President and Chief Executive Officer, Regional Chief Financial Officer and Export Project Finance Manager of Technip Italy. In 2017, Marco Villa was named President Onshore Offshore EMEA of TechnipFMC and became responsible a year later for the operations worldwide as President Operations Onshore Offshore. In 2021, he became Chief Operating Officer of Technip Energies. He also worked as a finance specialist for Finmeccanica, an Italian multinational company specializing in aerospace, defense and security, and as the Head of the Finance and Risk Management Division of Telespazio (Telecom Italia Group), a European spaceflight services company. Chief Operating Officer Loic Chapuis is appointed as Chief Operating Officer, joining the Executive Committee. Drawing on more than 15 years with Technip Energies, Loic Chapuis will oversee upholding operational excellence, developing talents and leading the evolution of the Company's operating model and ways of working. He was previously Senior Vice President for the Gas and Low Carbon Energies Business Line. Graduated from the Ecole Polytechnique and HEC Paris, Loic Chapuis began his career in 2005 as a McKinsey Company consultant in Paris, in the steel industry. In 2006, he joined Technip Energies as a Strategy Group Analyst and then became, in 2007, a Sales Manager in Paris and then in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, developing commercial strategy and negotiating contracts for Floating Liquified Natural Gas matters. From 2012 to 2015, Loic Chapuis operated as a Project Control and Compliance Manager in Malaysia. In 2015, he became Deputy COO for Onshore Offshore Operations in Technip European centres' execution. Between 2016 and 2020, he oversaw, as Project Director, key joint ventures. Following these appointments, the Executive Committee is comprised of 11 members with a shared commitment to meeting the energy trilemma challenge of affordability, availability and sustainability, while accelerating the net-zero journey, in close contact with the Company's customers and markets: Arnaud Pieton, Chief Executive Officer Christophe Belorgeot, Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Wei Cai, Chief Technology Officer Magali Castano, Chief People Officer Loic Chapuis, Chief Operating Officer Naila Giovanni, Chief Digital Information Officer Samir Karoum, Chief Strategy Sustainability Officer Michael McGuinty, Chief Legal Officer Alain Poincheval, Chief Operating Officer of Reju Bruno Vibert, Chief Financial Officer Marco Villa, Chief Business Officer About Technip Energies Technip Energies is a leading Engineering Technology company for the energy transition, with leadership positions in Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), hydrogen and ethylene as well as growing market positions in blue and green hydrogen, sustainable chemistry and CO2 management. The company benefits from its robust project delivery model supported by extensive technology, products and services offering. Operating in 35 countries, our 15,000 people are fully committed to bringing our client's innovative projects to life, breaking boundaries to accelerate the energy transition for a better tomorrow. Technip Energies is listed on Euronext Paris with American depositary receipts ("ADRs") traded over-the-counter in the United States. For further information: www.ten.com Important Information for Investors and Securityholders Forward-Looking Statement This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Technip Energies' (the "Company") intentions, beliefs or current expectations and projections about the Company's future results of operations, anticipated revenues, earnings, cashflows, financial condition, liquidity, performance, prospects, anticipated growth, strategies and opportunities and the markets in which the Company operates. Forward-looking statements are often identified by the words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "plan", "intend", "foresee", "should", "would", "could", "may", "estimate", "outlook", and similar expressions, including the negative thereof. The absence of these words, however, does not mean that the statements are not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations, beliefs and assumptions concerning future developments and business conditions and their potential effect on the Company. While the Company believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that the Company anticipates. All of the Company's forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, some of which are significant or beyond the Company's control, and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's historical experience and the Company's present expectations or projections. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. For information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see the Company's risk factors set forth in the Company's 2022 Annual Financial report filed on March 10, 2023, with the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) and the French Autorite des Marches Financiers which include a discussion of factors that could affect the Company's future performance and the markets in which the Company operates. Please also see Section 1.3 (Principal Risks and Uncertainties) of the Company's 2023 Half-Year Report which was filed with the AFM and the AMF on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and speak only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no duty to and will not necessarily update any of the forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events, except to the extent required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122713220/en/ Contacts: Investor relations Phil Lindsay Vice-President Investor Relations Tel: +44 20 7585 5051 Email: Phillip Lindsay Media relations Jason Hyonne Press Relations Social Media Manager Tel: +33 1 47 78 22 89 Email: Jason Hyonne SOFIA, Bulgaria, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftGroup, the best-in-class end-to-end traceability technology provider in the CEE region, today announced the launching of SATT PLATFORM, the new advanced Track & Trace brand line built on well-established Microsoft Azure technology. Developing the future-ready traceability service SATT PLATFORM, SoftGroup continues to go straight forward in amplifying innovative Track and Trace products to enable global regulatory compliance and overall pharma supply chain transparency. SATT PLATFORM is a comprehensive SaaS solution that offers end-to-end traceability and compliance to pharmaceutical companies while leveraging state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure design. The solution covers the Track and Trace vertical from Level 2 to Level 5, enabling the seamless integration of pharmaceutical serialization and aggregation into production processes, significantly reducing supply chain complexity, and ensuring full compliance across both mature and emerging track and trace regulatory environments. The SATT PLATFORM, Serialization, Aggregation, and Track & Trace (SATT) Platform for pharmaceutical companies, enables the enhancement of: Serialization and aggregation data management through exceptional flexibility and customization capacity Supply chain visibility and transparency with effortless integration of third-party systems Global regulatory compliance with EMVO, DSCSA, Tatmeen, ASL BELGISI, IS MPT, ?? ???, ANVISA & NMPA Harnessing the Microsoft Azure technology, SATT PLATFORM applies incentives to the whole Track and Trace process, developing functionalities on the subsequent level. Such as exceptional reliability, performance metrics, scalability on demand, data backup and disaster recovery capabilities, secure identity, access management, and many more mission-critical features for pharmaceutical companies. Being an endorsed partner of Microsoft, SoftGroup successfully published the SATT PLATFORM as a transactable solution in Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Hosted on Azure, SATT PLATFORM's efficient and cost-effective business model enables pharmaceutical companies (MAHs, manufacturers, CMOs, parallel distributors, 3PLs, and multinational pharmaceutical organizations) to streamline their processes by providing rapid deployment, advanced insights, and automatic updates. The data storage is secured by European Data Centers, supported by 24-7 European Support Center. More information and requests: marketing@softgroup.eu About SoftGroup SoftGroup is a software company that provides end-to-end traceability technology to the pharmaceutical industry worldwide, covering all levels of the Track & Trace process. SoftGroup is a Certified Gateway Provider and Trusted partner of the EMVO and BgMVO, as well as a certified partner of GS1. Additionally, the company is an accredited solution provider and integrator of CRPT system, Asl Belgisi, Tatmeen, IS MPT and ?? ???. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/softgroup-launches-its-new-flagship-brand-satt-platform-built-on-microsoft-azure-technology-302040920.html COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's consumers expressed a less pessimistic approach in January, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Tuesday. The consumer confidence index rose to -8.4 in January from -13.0 in the previous month. Further, this was the highest reading since February 2022, when it was -3.2. All five sub-components strengthened at the start of the year, the survey said. Consumers' views towards their own financial situation in the next twelve months rose to 4.9 in January from 1.0 in December. Similarly, opinion regarding the general economic situation of the country over the next year improved to -3.6 in January from -6.6 a month ago. Households expect prices to rise more slowly over the next twelve months, and they also expect a rising trend for unemployment, the survey said. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. PSG's investment seeks to support Visit Group's next phase of organic and inorganic growth Visit Group, a market-leading, Nordic-based, hospitality and travel software company, today announced more than 100 million in strategic growth investment from PSG Equity ("PSG"), a leading growth equity firm partnering with software and technology-enabled services companies to help accelerate their growth. PSG is acquiring a majority stake in the company. Headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, Visit Group is a market leader in the Nordics within hospitality and travel technology, providing collaborative commerce software to in-destination experience vendors, including lodgings, day tours and attractions, mountain resorts, ferry operators, amusement parks and activity vendors. As of August 2023, the company serves more than 2,200 customers in over 25 countries. Visit Group's multiple software solutions create a unique ecosystem that helps hospitality and travel providers package, sell, distribute, and deliver excellent guest experiences. With PSG's support, Visit Group will invest to help accelerate both organic and inorganic growth across the region by broadening the range and depth of solutions offered to its customers. "As a product-led business with high ambitions to make a real difference in the development of the hospitality industry, we believe that we have found the right partner for both continuing to strengthen our offer, and to accelerate our growth in and outside the Nordics. I believe that we will get the best of both worlds with our product building DNA and PSG's experience in areas like M&A and growth operations," said James Dixon, CEO of Visit Group. "We've been in dialogues with several potential international partners for the next step in our growth journey. During this process, PSG has demonstrated some of the best understanding for what we are building, and we share the vision of the digital ecosystem for the hospitality industry. From the start, our customer-centric approach to innovation and our focus on building a scalable business with a good balance between growth and profitability have been our keys to success, and we aim to hang on to those values going forward," said Magnus Emilson, founder and Executive Chairman of Visit Group. The transaction marks PSG's first platform investment in Sweden and Norway and its twenty-fourth in Europe. Under the terms of the investment, PSG will acquire shares in Visit Group from Standout Capital, a leading Nordic technology investor, and other minority shareholders while the founder and management will remain significant owners. "We've been closely monitoring this space for some time and have been impressed by Visit Group's unique value proposition across the Nordics, underpinned by strong network effects which help enhance connectivity and synergies among all stakeholders in the hospitality ecosystem," said Edward Hughes, Managing Director at PSG. "We're delighted to partner with Magnus and the team, bringing our sector expertise and experience to support them in achieving their mission of becoming one of the go-to software providers in European hospitality and travel." Houlihan Lokey acted as financial advisor to PSG Equity with MCF Corporate Finance acting as financial advisor to Visit Group. ABOUT VISIT GROUP Visit Group was founded by Magnus Emilson in Gothenburg in 1999. With 175 employees in seven countries and more than 2,200 customers across 25 countries as of August 2023, the group is a leading hospitality SaaS company in Northern Europe. With its collaborative commerce platform, the group serves providers of all types of lodging, ski resorts, activities, day tours, theme parks, museums, DMOs, ferry companies as well as resellers and agents. Visit Group's platform optimizes customers' sales, dynamic packaging, distribution as well as operational efficiency. To learn more about Visit Group, visit www.visitgroup.com. ABOUT PSG PSG is a growth equity firm that partners with software and technology-enabled services companies to help them navigate transformational growth, capitalize on strategic opportunities and build strong teams. Having backed more than 130+ companies and facilitated over 470+ add-on acquisitions, PSG brings extensive investment experience, deep expertise in software and technology, and a firm commitment to collaborating with management teams. Founded in 2014, PSG operates out of offices in Boston, Kansas City, London, Madrid, Paris and Tel-Aviv. To learn more about PSG, visit www.psgequity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122579024/en/ Contacts: For media queries, please contact: Prosek Partners Matthieu Roussellier Kate Pledger pro-psg@prosek.com Philippe Jacson, further expands Premialab's Asia and Middle East footprint, bringing his extensive investment banking expertise to the fintech platform dedicated to quantitative investment strategies LONDON and DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Premialab announces the appointment of Philippe Jacson as Head of Business Development in Asia & Middle East. Based in Dubai, Mr. Jacson will lead the business development in this key market segment. Before joining Premialab, Mr. Jacson served a wide range of institutional clients investment banking leadership roles including MSCI, Merril Lynch, and BNP Paribas. Mr. Jacson has over 20 years' experience in equity derivatives and index investment solutions. In his role, he will be responsible for executing and scaling Premialab's business development initiatives, providing data and analytics solutions to Asian and Middle Eastern Sovereign Wealth Funds, Pension Funds, Asset Managers and Insurance Companies. Adrien Geliot, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Premialab said, "With the increasing appetite from institutional investors for quantitative strategies in Asia and the Middle East, it was a natural step for us to open our new office in Dubai. We are thrilled to welcome Philippe to the team. His appointment will strengthen our presence in the region and underscores our commitment to expanding the markets in which we operate, delivering first class service to both our existing and future clients." The announcement follows recent senior appointments at Premialab, including Daniel Fields, former Global Head of Markets at Societe Generale; John Macpherson, former Managing Director at Goldman Sachs, Citibank, and Nomura; Marc Fisher, former Managing Director at Citibank with a prior position at Deutsche Bank; and Georgios Sittas, former Managing Director at HSBC, Standard Chartered, and previously a director at Lehman Brothers. These appointments reflect Premialab's long term strategy to strengthen its presence in key growth markets, building on the success of its data and analytics platform worldwide. Recognized as the reference for data and risk analytics on quantitative strategies, Premialab's capital markets infrastructure is currently used by leading asset managers, insurance companies and pensions funds, accelerating their digitalization and enhancing performance and risk control while reducing costs. The platform's client AUM is representing an estimated USD$10 trillion. Mr. Jacson holds an enginereing degree from Ecole Polytechnique and ENSAE in Paris. About PremiaLab Premialab is the leading independent platform providing data, analytics and risk solutions on systematic & factor-based strategies in collaboration with leading investment banks and institutional investors globally. Combining intelligent technology with a unique source of information the platform empowers asset allocators to make better investment decisions whilst achieving utmost time and cost efficiency. With offices in Paris, London, New York, Hong Kong and Sydney, its international team is dedicated to supporting a global client base with the most up-to-date risk premia dataset, advanced portfolio construction, performance & risk analytics. The firm has established strong partnerships with the top 18 investments banks, global asset managers, pensions funds & insurance companies. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bnp-paribas-merrill-lynch-and-msci-former-executive-joins-fintech-premialab-302040931.html LONDON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbr announced today that its 'last mile' data solution is available for provisioning in AWS Marketplace. This extends the relationship with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to solve the last mile for data, making it easier than ever to deploy a private data marketplace. The last mile of data is notoriously challenging due to diverse users, complex architectures, and the need for strong governance. Harbr's award-winning private data marketplaces - like Moody's DataHub - have solved the last mile problem. By coordinating the access, use, and distribution of data across their ecosystem, data owners can meet users' needs while retaining complete control. Mike Salk, MD Distribution & Media Solutions for Moody's Analytics, explained, "The key advantage of the Harbr platform has been the flexibility it offers us to deliver data to different types of endpoints. This helps our users integrate those data assets into their environments." In addition to data delivery, Harbr private data marketplaces contain collaborative sandboxes where users can securely query data, regardless of where it's stored. This unlocks value even when the data cannot be moved. "We're so excited to build on the relationship with AWS. It's now easier than ever for organizations to solve the last mile for data. With secure collaboration and flexible delivery, our customers get outsized returns on their data investments," explained Leo Spiegel, Chairman and CEO of Harbr. Harbr private data marketplaces are AWS-certified for security and architecture, and deploy directly into an AWS customer's virtual private cloud (VPC) account. This allows AWS customers to trial, buy, and deploy their own Harbr platform via the AWS Marketplace. To learn more, visit the Harbr website or Harbr on AWS Marketplace . About Harbr: Harbr is an award-winning provider of data sharing and distribution solutions for large organizations. Harbr serves a diverse range of industries and has established itself as a trusted partner for businesses aiming to leverage data as a strategic asset for commercial and non-commercial purposes. Harbr follows the AWS Foundational Technical Review Best Practices standard, Center for Internet Security (CIS) AWS Foundations Benchmark v1.2.0, and AWS Well-Architected Framework. Harbr is recognized as a finalist at the 2023 DataIQ Awards and winner of the 2023 Data Breakthrough Awards. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2259716/Harbr_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/harbr-and-aws-partner-to-solve-the-last-mile-for-data-302041146.html MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and MUMBAI, India, Jan 23, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - CleverTap, the all-in-one engagement platform today announced the top 2024 MarTech Trends which will transform the way brands deliver customer experiences.The convergence of data privacy regulations, advancements in AI and increasing demand for personalized content will redefine the MarTech landscape. Among other areas, here's where CleverTap anticipates seeing the most activity in 2024:1. AI: the new-age consultantsAs customer engagement evolves, Generative AI will go beyond mere suggestions to definitive prescriptions. It will guide brands toward optimal courses of action, transforming customer engagement into not only a personalized but strategically optimized experience. In 2024, this development will manifest in two key areas: content prescription and customer engagement strategies. In content prescription, it will allow brands to analyze data, predict resonant content for specific customer cohorts, and generate new content. Prescriptive customer engagement strategies will enable proactive customer journey orchestration, granular user segmentation for hyper-personalization, and predictive analytics that anticipate needs and forecast long-term revenue impact.2. From Return On Investment (ROI) to Return on Experiences (ROX)While ROI has historically been the way to evaluate campaigns: "money in vs money out", 2024 will see brands take a more holistic view that extends beyond immediate returns - return on experience (ROX). The approach will continually evaluate the long-term impact on customer experiences. It will be a more nuanced and precise metric for gauging customer success, helping marketers look at customer journeys historically and go beyond click-throughs and conversions. Instead, it will consider nuanced metrics such as brand perception, satisfaction, loyalty, and advocacy. The full spectrum of interactions and emotions is responsible for driving user engagement.3. The gambit of omnichannel will expandAdvancements in generative AI are coming thick and fast. And the chatbots spawned in 2023 will soon transition from being mere large language models to large action models. This means they will not just be able to respond with text, but also act upon commands, giving rise to an era of Generative AI assistants. The Rabbit R1 is already giving the world a pique into this by letting go of traditional apps in exchange for AI. The device's software is powered by a large action model, or an algorithm that can learn from how users use apps so that it can replicate and automate those processes. In 2024, marketers will contend with the challenge of integrating these AI assistants into their omnichannel engagement strategies.4. Zero-party data: consensual and accurateThe petabytes of data and insights brands have on their customers comes with a crucial responsibility i.e. ethically navigating this repository of information to deliver the best results while not compromising trust. Customers are increasingly wary of their data, how it's being used and whether it's being protected. 2024 will see the end of third-party cookies, the most popular targeting and tracking technique. As brands transition away, they will not only need to align with regulatory changes, but also foster a transparent and trustworthy relationship with their audience. In this new era, the focus on ethical data practices will become a cornerstone of effective and responsible marketing strategies.Jacob Joseph, VP - Data Science, CleverTap said, "2023 was the year of generative AI, whose profound impact on society had us both excited and cautious about what the future holds. While advancements in the field will make it a sustained talk-point in 2024, other developments will reach a tipping point too. By getting ahead of this curve, we at CleverTap, can not only adapt to these shifts but also innovate and leverage any advancements for the benefit of our customers. This approach ensures that our customers receive unparalleled value and stay at the forefront of the rapidly evolving tech landscape."About CleverTapCleverTap is the all-in-one engagement platform that helps brands unlock limitless customer lifetime value by helping them create personalized experiences to retain their most valuable customers. The platform empowers businesses to orchestrate experiences for individuals across their lifecycles and design personalized journeys that span a lifetime. It offers analytics that encompasses every aspect of the lifecycle, enabling businesses to measure and optimize each experience in real time. Its unique AI capability is insightful, empathetic, and prescriptive, facilitating smarter and faster decisions. The all-in-one platform unifies experiences from every touchpoint, paving the way for a new era of customer engagement.The platform is powered by TesseractDB - the world's first purpose-built database for customer engagement, offering both speed and economies of scale.CleverTap is trusted by 2000 customers, including Electronic Arts, TiltingPoint, Gamebasics, Big Fish, MobilityWare, TED, English Premier League, TD Bank, Carousell, AirAsia, Papa John's, and Tesco.Backed by leading investors such as Peak XV Partners, Tiger Global, Accel, CDPQ, and 360 One, the company is headquartered in Mountain View, California, with presence in San Francisco, New York, Sao Paulo, Bogota, London, Amsterdam, Sofia, Dubai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Singapore, and Jakarta.For more information, visit clevertap.com or follow us on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clevertap/X: https://twitter.com/CleverTapFor more information:SONY SHETTYDirector, Public Relations, CleverTap+91 9820900036sony@clevertap.comIPSHITA BALUConsultantArchetype+91 9590111798ipshita.balu@archetype.coSource: CleverTapCopyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Global Provider Signs Long-Term Agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for CASGEVY KAISERAUGST, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Solvias, a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics, announced today that it will perform analytical release testing services on the world's first CRISPR/Cas9 genome-edited cell therapy. The company has signed a long-term agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel or exa-cel) which received U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients 12 years and older with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises. Solvias and Vertex Pharmaceuticals have worked together for several years to develop and validate test methods that are critical for the final release of patients' own edited cells, so that they can be delivered back to patients. The companies' collaboration included establishing the testing methods that will be scaled for commercializing CASGEVY. Solvias also has invested significantly in preparing one of its global facilities to support the commercial release work for this transformative therapy. Archie Cullen, Chief Executive Officer, Solvias, stated: "Solvias is honored to be playing a critical role in delivering this breakthrough therapy to patients. Our decades of experience offering comprehensive GMP analytical services uniquely positions us to partner with companies in bringing their therapies to market. This collaboration highlights our deep scientific knowledge and creative solutions serving to advance even the most cutting-edge therapies." In addition to gaining FDA approval, CASGEVY recently received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's (EMA's) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for conditional approval of the treatment of severe SCD and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). About Solvias Solvias is a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics to the pharmaceutical, biotech, material science, and cosmetic industries. Its team of scientists and regulatory experts have years of experience in small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapies. The company offers comprehensive solutions from raw materials to drug products to final release testing, as well as API development and manufacturing for small molecules. Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland, Solvias operates five facilities to the highest standards and in accordance with ISO, GMP, GLP and FDA regulations. For more information, visit solvias.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2321760/solvias_logo_2clr_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2321761/Solvias__PR_Vertex_Archie_quote_2024_FINAL.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/solvias-to-perform-release-testing-on-worlds-first-crispr-based-gene-editing-therapy-302039641.html Commerzbank AG - Pre-Stabilisation Notice PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 23 Pre-Stabilisation notice January 23, 2024 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Hamburg Commercial Bank EUR 500,000,000 2yr Ship Covered Bond Pre-Stabilisation Notice Commerzbank AG (contact: Daniela Olt-Farrelly; telephone: +40 60 136-20) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Hamburg Commercial Bank Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: EUR 500,000,000 Description: Fixed rate Ship Pfandbriefe due 2026 Offer price: tbc Other offer terms: issue rating Aa3 expected, denoms 1k, settlement date Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG Danske Bank DekaBank J.P. Morgan NordLB UniCredit Stabilisation period expected to start on: January 23, 2024 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Hamburg regulated market In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. END New SRP and FOW parent company Derivia Intelligence officially launched. LONDON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Derivia Intelligence launched today as a global data and insight provider for the derivatives markets - headquartered in London and with offices in New York, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, and India. Derivia Intelligence is a parent company to the two sub-brands - SRP and FOW, both providing specialist sectors with incisive data, news, insights, and events for over 25 years. The group's mission is to provide essential data and intelligence to companies and professionals operating in those markets - its current customer base comprises 9 out of 10 of the world's largest investment banks among multiple financial institutions. SRP is the structured products industry's leading source of data and market intelligence. FOW is a trusted provider of critical reference data, news, and events for the futures and options community. Guy Dunn, CEO of Derivia Intelligence, gave his thoughts on the parent brand launch: "When I joined the business in June 2023, I immediately realised there was a real opportunity to significantly grow SRP and FOW and bring significant benefits to our customers. Both have a subscription-based business model, service a niche area of the financial industry, and benefit from strong customer loyalty. Each had a 95% net renewal rate in 2023, and 85% of Derivia's business is subscription-based recurring revenue." He added: "There is a symmetry of offering between both brands, with market-leading data, proprietary news and insights, and events convening industry leaders. Bringing them together under one company and consolidated visual identity will allow us to increase our reach and strengthen synergies across the portfolio. We are working hard to develop new capabilities and product enhancements across both SRP and FOW, and we look forward to sharing these exciting updates with our customers very soon." About Derivia Intelligence Derivia Intelligence is the world's leading provider of critical data and market intelligence for derivatives and complex financial instruments, including structured products, futures and options. Our data is trusted by the world's top tier investment banks, asset managers and hedge funds to help them gain a competitive edge and drive growth. For over 25 years, our flagship businesses have been providing these specialised sectors with an unrivalled combination of incisive and timely data, news, insights and events. To learn more about Derivia Intelligence and our businesses, visit www.derivia.com. For more information, please contact: - Guy Dunn, Chief Executive Officer, Derivia Intelligence: guy.dunn@derivia.com - Nada Khalil, Chief Marketing Officer, Derivia Intelligence: nada.khalil@derivia.com Contact no: +442077797215 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2322439/Derivia_Intelligence.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/introducing-derivia-intelligence--financial-data-and-market-insight-provider-302039607.html EQS Newswire / 23/01/2024 / 10:30 CET/CEST HANGZHOU, CHINA - Media OutReach Newswire - 23 January 2024 - Every winter, Davos, a small Swiss town clad in snow and ice, awaits elite representatives from all walks of life worldwide. They gather in the well-known resort for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, where the latest economic trends and solutions to global challenges would be discussed. Zhejiang University released its first-ever SDG report during the annual meeting of the WEF As the center of knowledge production, the cradle of talent training and the source of innovation, the academia is an important force in the WEF. From Jan. 15 to 17, leaders from top universities and research institutions around the world met for the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF), a community to address educational, scientific and research agendas to support WEF's mission of improving the state of the world. How universities and the private sector can work together to address major global challenges in sustainable development is the theme at the GULF 2024, and for Prof. Jiangfeng DU, President of Zhejiang University and Chair of the Association of University Presidents of China (AUPC), this is an effort that the university he is leading has relentlessly committed to. According to The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 released last July by the United Nations, half of the SDGs were moderately or severely off target, and more than 30 percent of the goals have made no progress or even retreated. There is much to be done to further upgrade research and action to drive sustainable development policies and practices, and Zhejiang University in east China is one of the pioneers. During the annual meeting of the WEF, Zhejiang University released theZhejiang University Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023 , which is the first time for this renowned Chinese university with more than 120 years of history to introduce its sustainable development policies and practices in an open report. The report shows the efforts and contributions made by faculty members and students of Zhejiang University in 17 SDGs in 2023. In 2023, the University held an advanced seminar on anti-poverty issues in developing countries, sharing innovative and effective practices in absolute poverty eradication, rural revitalization and new-type urbanization with officials from 13 countries including Sri Lanka and Uzbekistan. Last year, Prof. Baojing GU from Zhejiang University won the inaugural Frontiers Planet Prize for his research contribution to mitigating PM2.5 air pollution. Gu is one of the prize's four recipients and the only Chinese scientist. Meanwhile, Xuehong ZHAO, deputy director of the Nursing Department at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University's School of Medicine, won the Florence Nightingale Medal for the year. This is the honor that nursing staff in Zhejiang Province have received again after a gap of 14 years, and she is also the first nursing staff at Zhejiang University to claim this honor. Zhejiang University, together with Cambridge University, National University of Singapore, Kyoto University and other universities at home and abroad, has established a number of international alliances focusing on sustainable development, such as the International Digital Equality Alliance and the Sustainable Smart Livable Cities Alliance. On November 14, 2023, Zhejiang University played host to the third Sino-German Sustainable Development Forum in Berlin, Germany. Featuring in-depth discussions encompassing critical themes such as climate change and governance, technology and sustainability, global health and well-being, the forum sought to explore effective pathways for Sino-German cooperation in promoting sustainable development. Besides 2023, Zhejiang University have been making contributions to global sustainable development for a long time, with remarkable achievements made in fields like scientific research, talent training and open development. Sustainable development is a key field of scientific research in Zhejiang University. Over the past five years, Zhejiang University faculty published over 82,500 academic papers covering 17 SDG project areas, with specifically abundant output in SDG3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG7 (Affordable and Clean Energy). In order to cultivate more talents in the field of sustainable development for China and the world, Zhejiang University has strengthened its education in related disciplines, and also held the SDG Global Summer School for two consecutive years. Focusing on key modules such as carbon neutrality, inclusive development, smart city, data visualization and networked autonomous systems, the summer school attracted the participation of more than 2,000 outstanding young students from over 420 universities in 80-plus countries and regions. Zhejiang University has also become an active advocate for the sustainable development of university services. In 2021, Zhejiang University rolled out its sustainability action plan--A Global ZJU for Social Good, and launched the Joint Statement of Global University Leaders on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. So far, the initiative has received positive responses from over 60 universities from 31 countries and regions, including Harvard University, Yale University, University College London, University of Sydney, University of Toronto, Peking University and other universities from six continents, and many of them have also participated in the GULF. Among the plethora of sustainable development issues facing the world, global warming is one of the prominent challenges, which directly relates to whether Davos will still be such a snowy fairy-tale place in winter in the near future. In the past decade, Zhejiang University has generated more than 10,000 research papers related with net-zero emissions, ranking among the best in terms of global academic output. It has established the Institute for Carbon Neutrality, which seeks to build a high-level carbon neutrality sci-tech talent center and a high-tech innovation highland via interdisciplinary integration and collaborative innovation. "Higher education institutions, as the bank of talent and hub of scientific research, play an essential role in addressing the pressing challenges brought by climate change. Zhejiang University has actively answered the call of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Development Initiative, and will continue working with its global partners to address the urgent challenges facing the world," Du said. Hashtag: ZhejiangUniversity The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. News Source: Media OutReach 23/01/2024 Dissemination of a Financial Press Release, transmitted by EQS News. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Media archive at www.todayir.com BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - U.K. stocks were little changed on Tuesday, even as miners jumped after reports that policymakers are considering fresh stimulus measures for China's economy and stock market. The benchmark FTSE 100 was marginally higher at 7,491 after closing 0.4 percent higher on Monday. Miners Anglo American, Antofagasta and Glencore rallied 1-3 percent. Pub operator Marston added about 1 percent after reporting solid holiday sales growth. Primark-owner Associated British Foods climbed 1.8 percent after releasing its trading update for the 16 weeks to 6 January 2024. In economic releases, the U.K. budget deficit narrowed in December, figures from the Office for National Statistics showed earlier today. Public sector net borrowing excluding public sector banks declined GBP 8.4 billion from the last year to GBP 7.8 billion in December. This was the lowest December borrowing since 2019. In the financial year-to December, borrowing totaled GBP 119.1 billion, the fourth-highest financial year-to-December borrowing on record. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CHONGQING, China, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As an indispensable part of Chinese culture, the Spring Festival embodies the spirit of reunion and a promising future. Last year, the United Nations marked the Spring Festival as an official UN holiday. This recognition has extended the appeal of the Chinese-style reunion well beyond China, inviting people worldwide to partake in a unique and vibrant celebration of the Spring Festival. "The Spring Festival holds significance not only for China but also for the global community". This year, the Spring Festival celebration started early in countries such as the United States, France, Singapore, and Malaysia. The streets are alive with New Year parades featuring dragon and lion dances, and the crafting of Spring Festival couplets. Leading supermarkets have also introduced Chinese New Year products. Alongside traditional items like red envelopes, couplets, and lanterns, there's a growing trend for traditional Chinese pastries and the sought-after Meijian green plum liqueur. Recently, many have opted to start their Spring Festival reunions early, sharing New Year's Eve dinners with Chinese friends, relishing Chinese delicacies and sipping on Chinese plum liqueur, particularly Meijian green plum liqueur. Jie, a Chinese expatriate in France for four years, this year he's already made plans for a Spring Festival's Eve dinner with friends. "On last Spring Festival's Eve, we brought over some sausages, preserved meat, and Meijian green plum liqueur straight from China. They were a big hit, especially the plum liqueur, which has a similar vibe to red wine but packs its own unique flavor. Recently, I noticed that French supermarkets stock a wide array of such goodies. I bought some smoky flavor green plum liqueur, planning to give them a taste of something new this New Year's Eve. After all, diving into delicious food and liqueur is the only way to properly ring in the Spring Festival." The Spring Festival stands as a universal cultural symbol for Chinese people worldwide, and Meijian green plum liqueur is gaining popularity as the preferred choice for reunion gatherings among Chinese communities worldwide. The broad appreciation for Chinese cuisine, fine liqueur, and cultural traditions mirrors the diverse and inclusive values championed by the United Nations, fostering meaningful cross-cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations around the world. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324549/AEON_Supermarket_Malaysia_Chinese_flavors_MEIJIAN_Green_Plum_Liqueur_popular.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324552/Drinking_Chinese_Green_Plum_Liqueur_experiencing_Spring_Festival_reunion.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/celebrations-in-full-swing-chinese-plum-liqueur-emerges-as-the-top-pick-for-chinese-new-year-celebrations-worldwide-302041719.html Rise in automation in industrial & machinery sector and technological advancements & industry 4.0 drive the growth of the global hydraulic power unit market. WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, " Hydraulic Power Unit Market by Operating Pressure Rating (0-750 PSI, 750-2000 PSI, 2000-3000 PSI, and more than 3000 PSI) and by Application (Mobile, Industrial, Construction, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032". According to the report, the global hydraulic power unit industry generated $12.4 billion in 2022 and is estimated to reach $21.9 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 5.9% from 2023 to 2032. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/814 Prime determinants of growth Hydraulic power units are used in various industries, including manufacturing, metalworking, plastics processing, and more, in industrial automation and technology. Their capacity to provide strong power, accurate manipulation, and dependable operation renders them a crucial element in numerous industrial uses. Hydraulic technology advancements keep improving industrial automation operations' control, efficiency, and energy conservation. In hydraulic presses, hydraulic power units are widely utilized for metal forming, stamping, forging, and molding operations. They supply the force required to shape and work with materials. Shears, bending machines, and hydraulic brakes are examples of machine tools powered by hydraulic systems. For precise machining and forming processes, hydraulic power units' precise control is necessary. Hydraulic system remote monitoring and control is made possible by Industry 4.0 principles. Operators may monitor HPU performance, receive alerts, and even change system parameters remotely through secure cloud-based systems, which increases operational responsiveness and efficiency. The process of building a virtual duplicate of a real hydraulic system is known as "digital twins." Before modifications are made to the real system, this virtual model enables testing, simulations, and optimization, offering insights into the behavior and performance of the system. Cyber-physical systems, which integrate digital and physical components, are increasingly using hydraulic power units. The physical and digital domains can now better coordinate, communicate, and make decisions because of this convergence. Ensuring cybersecurity becomes increasingly important as hydraulic systems grow more interconnected. Hydraulic power units' (HPUs') costs might differ based on a number of variables, including the application, system complexity, level of customization needed, and market conditions. Acquiring hydraulic power units have high upfront capital cost, particularly for big systems. Specialized hydraulic power units for particular uses frequently come with extra engineering and design expenses. To satisfy certain requirements, customization might be necessary, which would increase up-front costs. For hydraulic systems to operate as efficiently and dependably as possible, frequent maintenance is necessary. The cost of maintenance may involve changing the fluids, replacing the filters and seals, and taking care of component wear and tear. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2023-2032 Base Year 2022 Market Size in 2022 $12.4 billion Market Size in 2032 $21.9 billion CAGR 5.9 % No. of Pages in Report 250 Segments Covered Operating Pressure Rate, Application, and Region Drivers Rising automation in industrial and machinery Technological advancements and industry 4.0 Opportunities Industry 4.0 and rise of electric and hybrid applications Restraints Cost challenges The 2000-3000 PSI segment is projected to dominate the market growth during the forecast period. By operating pressure rating, the 2000-3000 PSI segment dominated the market share for hydraulic power unit in 2022 in terms of revenue with more than one-third of the total market revenue, at a CAGR of 6.2%. Hydraulic presses used for metal forming processes, including stamping, punching, and deep drawing, operate in the 2000-3000 psi pressure range. This enables the generation of substantial force for shaping and forming metal sheets. Hydraulic power units in this pressure range are employed in injection molding machines used in the plastics industry. The high pressure facilitates the injection of molten plastic into molds with precision, ensuring accurate and consistent molding. Procure Complete Report (250 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, and Figures) @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/hydraulic-power-unit-market The mobile segment is projected to dominate the market growth during the forecast period. Depending on application, the industrial segment dominated the market share for hydraulic power unit in terms of revenue and contributed nearly one-third of the total market revenue in 2022. HPUs are widely used in a variety of industrial applications as they supply the hydraulic power required to operate systems, machinery, and equipment. Owing to their adaptability, hydraulic systems are useful in many different sectors. Lathes, milling machines, and CNC machining centers are just a few examples of the machine tools that depend on hydraulic power units to function. They supply the energy needed for clamping, moving tools, and other fine activities. However, the mobile segment is projected to grow at a higher CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period. Mobile hydraulic power units are essential when portable hydraulic power is needed for a range of applications. These movable components are made to be flexible, portable, and easy to handle. In the construction industry, mobile hydraulic power units are widely utilized to supply hydraulic power to machinery such as excavators, loaders, cranes, and compactors. The power required for digging, lifting, and other building chores is supplied by these units. The Asia-Pacific region is projected to maintain its dominance the growth during the forecast period. Region-wise, Asia-Pacific dominated the market share for hydraulic power unit in 2022 in terms of revenue, with more than two-fifths of the revenue at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period. Due to its rapid industrialization and infrastructure development, the Asia-Pacific region has made a considerable contribution to the worldwide hydraulic power unit market. Growing industrial activity, urbanization, and economic expansion have been the main forces behind the Asia-Pacific hydraulic power unit market. In the region, hydraulic power units are widely used in a wide range of industrial applications, such as mining, construction, manufacturing, and agriculture. For Purchase Inquiry: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/hydraulic-power-unit-market/purchase-options Leading Market Players: - Brevini Fluid Power S.p.A Bailey International LLC Hydac International GmbH Weber Hydraulik GmbH Nachi-Fujikoshi Corporation (Nachi Robotic Systems, Inc.) Hydro-Tek Co Ltd. Bosch Rexroth AG Parker Hannifin Corporation Eaton Corporation plc Dana Incorporated The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global hydraulic power unit market. These players have adopted different strategies such as new product launches, collaborations, expansion, joint ventures, agreements, and others to increase their market share and maintain dominant shares in different regions. The report is valuable in highlighting business performance, operating segments, product portfolio, and strategic moves of market players to showcase the competitive scenario. Trending Reports in Hydraulic Power Industry: Hydraulic Workover Units Market Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Hydraulic Power Market : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2031 Hydraulic Turbines Market Forecast, 2020-2027 Europe Industrial Hydraulic Power Unit Market Forecast, 2020-2027 Hydraulic Fracturing Market : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032 About us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Wilmington, Delaware. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of " Market Research Reports " and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact us: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/reports-store/energy-and-power Follow Us on | Facebook | LinkedIn | YouTube Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hydraulic-power-unit-market-to-reach-21-9-billion-globally-by-2032-at-5-9-cagr-allied-market-research-302041729.html IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / HippoFi's (OTC PINK:ORHB) biotechnology business PUR Biologics, proudly announces Scott Bauccio as its new Head of Sales. Utilizing his 20 years of sales management and his extensive network of industry- leading sales professionals, Bauccio is expanding the company's sales and distribution channels; already securing two new products: PURamnio (selling now) and PURpeptide (launching within 30 days). "We are excited to welcome Scott to our team. His proven success in driving growth and remarkable ability to establish a strong market presence is perfectly aligned with our objectives," says Ryan Fernan, Head of PUR Biologics. CJ Wiggins, Executive Chairman & CEO of HippoFi shared, "Scott's appointment is a tactical move to strengthen our leadership team at a pivotal time in our sales growth. His industry expertise and market insights are invaluable in our continuous pursuit of innovation and excellence in the biologic sector." In his previous role at Biogennix, as the Vice President of Sales & Business Development, Bauccio successfully established the company's ortho-spine biologic sales and distribution channels throughout the United States. Prior to Biogennix, his time at LDR Spinal Implants and Orthofix Spinal Implants, was marked by significant achievements and leadership awards for sales growth. Bauccio's appointment reflects the first of several strategic actions HippoFi will take in 2024 to further their commitment to leading the industry as the Authority in Regenerative Biologics. ---- About PUR Biologics PUR Biologics, a wholly owned subsidiary of HippoFi, Inc. (OTCPK:ORHB), is a leading biologic company committed to supporting surgeons and hospitals in providing the best care for their patients. PUR Biologics' full line of biologic products currently include: advanced allografts and demineralized extracellular matrixes (d-ECM), innovative synthetic solutions, cellular derived tissues, and a future of next generation regenerative stem cell and growth factor driven therapeutics for treating osteoarthritis and cartilage regeneration. About HippoFi, Inc. HippoFi is a healthcare innovator and publicly traded company, delivering proprietary technologies in the multi-billion-dollar Spine, Orthopedic, and Cancer markets. The company's purpose is to improve patient care and outcomes by utilizing biotech and AI technologies to address degenerative and diseased conditions affecting the quality of life. HippoFi's business is designed to drive company value by commercializing and monetizing innovative solutions, acquiring assets, and licensing technologies, establishing strategic partnerships and industry alliances, and leveraging its worldwide sales channels. The operations of the company comprise of two segments: Regenerative Therapeutics and Intelligent Automation. HippoFi's Regenerative Therapeutics division is actively developing and deploying scalable biological solutions into the $1.37 Trillion (13.96% CAGR) biotechnology market through its wholly-owned subsidiary - PUR Biologics. Capitalizing on HippoFi's established partnerships with ZIMMER / BIOMET, Hoag Hospital Newport Beach, BPB Medica, Precision Spine, and others, PUR Biologics' team of industry experts, pioneering scientists, and world-class medical professionals are utilizing the company's powerful patent portfolio and proprietary technologies to commercialize advanced technologies that improve bone growth in spinal fusion procedures, regenerate joint cartilage and intervertebral disc, eliminate pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis, joints, and the lower back, and deliver a cell-based immunotherapy to help defeat cancer. HippoFi, Inc. is publicly traded under the symbol: ORHB and is headquartered in Irvine, California. For more information, please visit: www.HippoFi.comand www.PURbiologics.com Contact: HippoFi, Inc. 949-323-2330 orders@hippofi.com SOURCE: HippoFi, Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com PreveCol, a blood test for oncological diagnosis, has obtained US recognition for its efficacy in detecting precancerous lesions compared to existing alternatives in the United States. Amadix becomes the first European company to announce this recognition for early detection of colorectal cancer. MADRID, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amadix, a Spanish biotech company, announced today that PreveCol, its colorectal cancer screening blood test, has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With this milestone, Amadix becomes the first European company to announce this recognition for early detection of colorectal cancer. PreveCol has demonstrated to have the potential to offer a great significant benefit to patients and has proven to have better diagnostic efficacy than currently approved colorectal cancer screening tests in the US. FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program is intended to provide patients and health care providers with timely access to novel medical devices by expeditingthe assessment and premarket approval process. The Breakthrough Devices Program reflects the FDA's commitment to device innovation leading to more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating human diseases. "To gain this recognition from the FDA is an important milestone for our company. It motivates us to continue working to bring PreveCol to American patients as soon as possible. We will continue preventing the onset of colorectal cancer and the complications derived from the current treatments.", said Rocio Arroyo, Amadix CEO. About PreveCol PreveCol is aimed at the early detection of biomarkers in blood associated with colorectal neoplasia. The Spanish test is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 45 years or older, without apparent symptoms. A positive result may indicate the presence of colorectal cancer and/or Advanced Precancerous Lesions and should be followed by diagnostic colonoscopy. More information About Amadix AMADIX is a leading molecular diagnostics company focused on liquid biopsy, developing innovative diagnostic tests for early cancer detection in blood. The mission of the company is extending people's lives, developing disruptive technologies to detect the tumor years in advance before the symptoms appear. https://amadix.com/ CONTACT Agathe Cortes Communication Director acortes@amadix.com +34 663 07 09 28 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fda-grants-breakthrough-device-designation-to-amadixs-preventive-screening-blood-test-for-colorectal-cancer-302039322.html January 23, 2024 - London, UK - Leading cybersecurity firm Egress has announced a groundbreaking partnership with Make-A-Wish UK, a non-profit organization granting lifechanging wishes to critically ill children in the UK. The year-long collaboration aims to leverage technology to enhance the charity's capabilities and further their impact. This collaboration marks a significant milestone as Egress becomes the first-ever tech partner for the esteemed charity. As part of the initiative, Egress has donated 23 computers to the Make-A-Wish UK team to help them process and organize more wishes. Egress is also providing essential tech skills to empower Make-A-Wish UK in scaling their technological infrastructure. An additional feature of the tech partnership involves providing technical guidance and consultation for Make-A-Wish UK 's team to ensure they are utilizing the best technology for their requirements. This education-centric approach underscores Egress' commitment to fostering a sustainable, long-term impact through knowledge transfer. Make-A-Wish UK is known for its dedication to creating life-changing experiences for children battling critical illnesses, bringing them joy and empowering them to fight their conditions with renewed strength. With Egress joining as a tech partner, the charity will gain access to cutting-edge technological solutions and expertise to streamline their processes and amplify their impact. Tony Pepper, CEO at Egress, comments: "Every child deserves the chance to experience joy and hope, and fulfill their dreams, and Make-A-Wish UK embodies this completely. By partnering with Make-A-Wish UK, Egress has the opportunity to combine our world-class technical capabilities with their remarkable vision, making a lasting difference in the lives of these courageous children. "We'll be announcing details of further tech initiatives throughout the year and we're looking forward to using skills from across our company to help the incomparably dedicated Make-A-Wish UK team." Sarah Watson, Director of Finance and Technology at Make-A-Wish UK, comments: "We are truly excited about this collaboration with Egress and Make-A-Wish UK. Their commitment to our cause and their team's technical capabilities will undoubtedly propel us forward, enabling us to grant even more wishes and bring happiness to the lives of children who need it most. "If we can make the process of applying for a wish as simple as possible for families with critically ill children by improving our tech capabilities, the tech partnership will be a great success, and I have no doubt that Egress will deliver." - ENDS - About Make-A-Wish UK Every day, the lives of 10 families in the UK are changed forever when a child is diagnosed with a serious illness. From that moment, childhood takes a backseat to medical appointments and worry. A wish helps to restore that childhood and puts worry on the backseat. It provides an opportunity to choose something positive to look forward to and the chance to be a child first and a patient second. Make-A-Wish UK is a registered charity that was established in the UK in 1986 to create life-changing wishes that revive the childhood that critical illness often takes away. The charity receives no Government funding - registered charity numbers: 295672 in England and Wales, SC037479 in Scotland. To see more wish stories, visit www.make-a-wish.org.uk or follow us on social media at: Instagram: www.instagram.com/makeawishuk Facebook: www.facebook.com/makeawishuk Twitter: www.twitter.com/makeawishuk About Egress As advanced persistent threats continue to evolve, we recognize that people are the biggest risk to organizations' security and are most vulnerable when using email. Egress is the only cloud email security platform to continuously assess human risk and dynamically adapt policy controls, preparing customers to defend against advanced phishing attacks and outbound data breaches before they happen. Leveraging contextual machine learning and neural networks, with seamless integration using cloud-native API architecture, Egress provides enhanced email protection, deep visibility into human risk, and instant time to value. Trusted by the world's biggest brands, Egress is private equity backed with offices in London, Sheffield, Cheltenham, New York, Boston, and Toronto. For press inquiries, please contact: Destiny Gillbee PR Director egress@c8consulting.co.uk LONDON (dpa-AFX) - The US and UK have carried out a second joint operation against Houthis in Yemen in response to their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. US, UK forces have carried out a second joint air strike against targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen used by the rebel militants to attack commercial vessels in Red Sea. The Pentagon said precision strikes hit eight Houthi targets in Yemen, including a Houthi underground storage site and locations linked with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities. The militaries of the United States and United Kingdom were provided support by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, these nations said in a joint statement. The latest round of joint military operation destroyed missiles, unmanned aerial systems, and weapons storage areas, a Senior U.S. Defense Official said at a Pentagon news conference. 'We conducted the strikes with Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, or TLAMs, and manned aircraft from the United States Navy and the UK Armed Forces. Precision-guided munitions were used to destroy the targets and also to minimize collateral damage,' he told reporters. The Houthis have conducted more than thirty attacks on international and commercial vessels since mid-November. The Houthis have vowed to retaliate for the attacks. Since Israel's offensive in Gaza, there have been dozens of attacks on international shipping by the rebel movement, which controls much of Yemen. These assaults, notably the unprecedented use of anti-ship ballistic missiles, have significantly disrupted the free flow of commerce and navigational rights in one of the world's most vital waterways. The Red Sea is an artery for nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade, including eight percent of the world's grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil, and eight percent of global liquefied natural gas. The Houthis have seized a Japan-owned vessel with a multinational crew, attacked a Norwegian tanker transporting vegetable oil with missiles, and targeted a New York-bound vessel carrying 16.1 million gallons of U.S.-owned jet fuel. U.S. military and merchant vessels have faced persistent threats from Houthi missiles and UAVs. Notable incidents include a January 14th attack on the USS Laboon and a barrage of nearly two dozen munitions on January 9th targeting U.S. Navy and U.S.-flagged merchant vessels. The risky situation in the trade route has forced more than 14 shipping companies to suspend Red Sea operations, severely impacting global commerce and the economies of Egypt and Jordan. In response, President Joe Biden has directed the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to execute precise strikes against select Houthi targets in Yemen. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) announces that it has today filed an Interlocutory Application in the High Court, Republic of Botswana for an order in the following terms: Calling upon the First Respondent, Minister of Minerals and Energy, to show cause why he ought not to be held in contempt of Court by reason of his failure to comply with the judgment of this Court dated 15 December 2023 (see, Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - News Releases), in particular that he failed: 1. to renew, within 14 days of the judgment, the Applicant's license (020/2018); and 1.2. to align the effective dates of contiguous licenses PL 021-024/2018 with that of the renewed license. 2. Declaring that the First Respondent is found to be in contempt of the judgment of this court as handed down on 15 December 2023; 3. Imposing a fine on the First Respondent, such as this Court may deem appropriate for every day that the judgment remains unsatisfied; 4. Imposing a period of imprisonment, such as this Court may deem appropriate, on the First Respondent, suspended on conditions deemed appropriate by this Court; 5. For avoidance of doubt, it is hereby clarified that the licenses to be issued by the First Respondent shall be the first two-year renewal across all licenses effective from 01April 2024; 6. Directing the Respondents to bear the costs of this application on the attorney and own client scale; and 7. Granting the Applicant further and/or alternative relief. The purpose of this application is to compel compliance with the judgment granted by this Honourable Court on 15 December 2023. Today's application as well as the Court's decision of December 15, 2023, are available on the Company's litigation landing page(s): Botswana Litigation for litigation documents and Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - MMGE for related documents. "We believe that the matter will be resolved in short order, and we can resume the evaluation and development of the XIF project", commented Mr. Bruchs, Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO. XAUDUM IRON FORMATION (XIF) About the XIF Project The project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and extends for a known length of some 40 kilometers. The XIF is proximate to the Namibian border and lies twenty-two (22) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu, providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port. Preliminary work on the XIF project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF. Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15 - 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See, Press Release of 6/02/2014 on the Company's website for further details. on the Company's website for further details. Metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show that an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See, Press Release of 12/17/2013 on the Company's website. on the Company's website. Further exploration will be focused on Block 2a where the Company expects an increase in the resource. Additional informational of the project can be found on the Company's website at https://tsodiloresources.com/s/Metals.asp.html and further technical information can be found in a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014, and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. About Tsodilo Resources Limited Tsodilo Resources Limited is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal and diamond deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. ("Bosoto) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of McDonald Kahari (Pr. Sci. Nat.) a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kahari. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Head Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, market volatility, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, uncertainties relating to availability and cost of funds, timing and content of work programs, results of exploration activities, interpretation of drilling results and other geological data, risks relating to variations in the diamond grade and kimberlite lithologies; variations in rates of recovery and breakage; estimates of grade and quality of diamonds, variations in diamond valuations and future diamond prices; the state of world diamond markets, reliability of mineral property titles, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required project approvals, operational and infrastructure risk and other risks involved in the diamond exploration and development business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. SOURCE: Tsodilo Resources Limited View the original press release on accesswire.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Mawson Gold Limited ("Mawson" or the "Company") (TSXV:MAW)(Frankfurt:MXR)(OTC PINK:MWSNF) announces Southern Cross Gold Ltd. ("Southern Cross Gold" or "SXG") has provided a geological update with an outline of vein morphology and continuity at its 100% owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria, Australia (Figure 12). SXG is an Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX") listed company owned 51% by Mawson. Highlights: Geological update focusing on vein morphology and continuity at the 100%-owned Sunday Creek Project in Victoria to provide background for an upcoming Exploration Target; Continuity of vein sets and grades are described in three dimensions across multiple datasets including: Structural oriented drill core data, quality control data and geostatistics that demonstrate a low coefficient of variation; Geological likeness; Predictability of extension drilling; Fifty years of historic mining records and drilled continuity below mined areas. A total of 42 mineralized vein set shapes have been created for Sunday Creek. The mineralized vein sets are typically between 5-30 m wide, 20-100 m in strike (see Figures 5-7 which show 3 individual veins strike distance 30-40 m, 25-40 m, 40-55 m and up to 110 m) and currently defined vertically down to 1 km depth and up to 570 m in depth extent on an individual vein set basis. Mawson owns 93,750,000 shares of SXG (51%), valuing its stake at A$88.1 million (C$78.0 million) based on SXG's closing price on January 22, 2024 AEST. Michael Hudson, Mawson Interim CEO and Executive Chairman, states: "The Company will soon release a maiden Exploration Target for the Apollo and Rising Sun areas at Sunday Creek. This update describes vein morphology and geological and vein continuity to provide geological context for the Exploration Target. "The observations made here are important because, while geological continuity is critical when constructing a mineral deposit model, in most cases it is the continuity of the grade of the mineralization that will determine the economic nature of a deposit." As is standard in industry, Southern Cross Gold is applying multiple datasets to build the Sunday Creek geological and mineralization model. These are described below. Geostatistics A total of 42 mineralized vein set shapes have been created for Sunday Creek. Wireframes were created in Leapfrog Geo using a threshold of 1 g/t Au over 2 m. Modelling consistently shows the vein sets have a higher-grade core with broader lower grade halos. The Company, along with leading global consultants, are preparing grade variography with volumes determined by a strong understanding of geological and grade continuity, trends and other supporting information. The mineralization model provides the first geostatistical summary of the project. Coefficient of variation The coefficient of variation ("CV") is the ratio of the standard deviation to the average of the assay results. The lower the CV, the less variable and erratic the distribution of the mineralization is, and therefore it is easier to model (Table 1). In Apollo, where sufficient drill density and drill spacing is present, geostatistical assessment provides validity of the geological shapes (Table 2). Within Apollo, the average of all the vein sets has a CV below 1.5 when applied to 1 m composite data and an average CV of less than 2 for raw assays (Table 2). Rising Sun requires further drilling before similar calculations can be made. The CV at Apollo implies both a strong understanding of the geological controls on mineralization, correct sub-domaining of high tenor material and the predictability of high-grade mineralization within these shapes. Coefficient of Variation (CV) Range <1 1-2 2-5 >5 Qualitative Description Excellent Good High Extreme Table 1: Qualitative description of the range of the Coefficient of Variation ("CV") within mineral systems. The lower the CV, the less variable and erratic the distribution of the mineralization is, and therefore it is easier to model. Stereonets All diamond drill core drilled by Southern Cross Gold is orientated. Orientation data can place structures measured in drill core in 3-dimensional space. A measure of confidence is assigned to ensure only quality data are utilized and drill bias, or inaccurate measurements, do not materially influence the interpretation. Combined with triangulation of intercepts (minimum three points on a plane to determine an orientation) high confidence in structural continuity of vein sets is maintained. This allows for major trends and critical controls on high grade trends or linking features to be identified. Geological controls on mineralization (structural, chemical, stratigraphic) exist in every ore deposit and Sunday Creek is no different. Mineralization is structurally controlled, with increased mineralization associated within the "bleaching" around and within the intrusive sequence. Early alteration and sulphide (pyrite) mineralization exploited the vesicular/amygdaloidal nature of the pervasively altered/mineralized dyke and the brecciated areas, and forms east-west trending pyrite veinlets. Stereonet data supports this observation and shows pyritic veins parallel the east-west structural host and predates the higher tenor NNW Au-Sb mineralized vein sets (Figure 1). Stereonet data (Figure 1) also demonstrates that gold-antimony ("Au-Sb") mineralization is dominantly hosted within zones of sub-vertical, brittle-ductile NNW-NW striking shear veins and associated veins, containing visible gold, quartz, stibnite, occasional fibrous sulphosalts and minor ferroan carbonates infill. The veins have an associated selvedge of disseminated sulphides in the form of arsenian pyrite, pyrite and arsenopyrite. The mineralized vein sets are typically between 5-30 m wide, 20-100 m in strike (see Figures 5-7 which show 3 individual veins strike distance 30-40 m, 25-40 m, 40-55 m and up to 110 m) and currently defined vertically down to 1 km depth and up to 570 m in depth extent on an individual vein set basis. These zones repeat every 10-20 m within the Apollo and Rising Sun areas with 42 vein sets currently defined to date. When observed from above, the altered sediment and dyke host resembles the side rails of a ladder, where the sub-vertical mineralized vein sets are the rungs that extend from surface to depth (Figures 5-7). Quality Control Data Drilling recovery at Sunday Creek is excellent (99.2% average core recovery). All samples are oriented diamond core, predominately HQ core size. Quality control data is routinely acquired. Standards are inserted at regular intervals and show appropriate consistency. Both field duplicates (quarter core) and laboratory duplicates (from the LM5 pulverizer) show good consistency implying homogenization at both the core and pulp sampling stages with low variability (Figure 2). Addtional screen fire assay data compares favourably with fire assay data showing the homogenization of mineralization, and low nugget effect after pulverization (Figure 3). Predictability The Company is now able to plan drill holes and predict, with a high degree of confidence, the vertical and lateral extents of high-grade mineralization within the altered "bleached" sediment and dyke host. This is best evidenced at the Rising Sun area where our drilling over the last 6 months has expanded the strike and footprint of these vein sets. Longitudinal section views of vein sets RS10, RS20 and RS80 with mineralized intercepts are shown (Figures 4-7) to demonstrate how the Company is building predictability of veins sets with continued drilling. Geological Likeness A strong component of the geological domaining of vein sets and high-grade individual veins relies on the geological similarities of the interval; similar mineralogy, vein types and textures are critical to identifying the domain, as well as consistent orientations ensuring that assays are not simply being linked together in a coincidental manner. Figures 8-9 show examples of textural similarity of veins and breccias containing high grade gold from recent drillholes. Old mining areas Hard rock mining at Sunday Creek commenced in the 1870's and continued until after World War 1. Fifty years of historic mining records and remanent stoping highlight similar observations of the E-W host and continuity of the NW veins set structures. Whitelaw (1899) describes the "ladder" structure of the host structure "rails" and vein set "rungs" as observed today: "Sulphide in large and oxide in small quantities occur in connexion (sic) with numerous quartz reefs crossing a strong well defined diorite dyke, which cuts diagonally through the enclosing Silurian slates and sandstones of Sunday Creek, 8 miles east of Kilmore. The dyke has an average width of 80 feet it strikes E 100 N. It has been traced on the surface for over two miles uninterruptedly, is very fine grained, contains a large amount of arsenial (sic) and iron pyrites disseminated throughout, and towards the north is somewhat porphyritic in structure, passing over into aphanitic porphyry. It is generally a greenish colour." "Cutting through the dyke in a direction N100W, at intervals every few yards occur mineral reefs composed mostly of quartz, antimony, pyrites and breccias of the adjacent "country". Of these reefs, every one that has been exploited has proved auriferous." Additionally, historic mining stope orientations are consistent with surrounding orientated drill core and mineralized intercepts. Drilled mineralization at Apollo coincides spatially with historic stopes and development (Figure 10). LiDAR surface mapping also shows the consistent mining of the mineralized "rungs" in a NW direction across the 10 km trend of historic surface workings at Sunday Creek (Figure 11). Pre-Resource Studies SRK Consulting (Australasia) Pty Ltd ("SRK") have been engaged to work with in-house staff for ongoing modelling assistance and the eventual preparation of a Mineral Resource Estimate, consistent with the requirements of the 2012 edition of the JORC Code. In-House and External Expertise Southern Cross Management and Board have deep internal technical experience and the Company is led by those with who have made multiple discoveries which have advanced to mining across the globe over the last 30 years. The SXG Board is Chaired by Tom Eadie, a seasoned explorer with numerous discoveries and capital market successes. Likewise, David Henstridge is an industry veteran who has dedicated his career to mineral discovery and the capital markets. Georgina Carnegie has a long career in mining and finance and provides strong strategic and governmental advice. Management is led by Michael Hudson, Managing Director, who has +30 years of mine and exploration experience with multiple gold, base metal and REE mineral discoveries. Lisa Gibbons, General Manager, has been involved with multiple gold discoveries with North Flinders Mines, Normandy and Newmont in Australia. Kenneth Bush, Exploration Manager is an experienced (>10 years) exploration and mine geologist specialising in 3D geological and structural modelling. He has worked extensively in Victoria on some of the highest-grade gold mines in the world including Costerfield and Fosterville. The Company also employs several experienced geological and geotechnical staff, augmented by highly experienced geological consultants. About Sunday Creek History The Sunday Creek deposit is a high level orogenic (or epizonal) deposit. Small scale mining has been undertaken in the project area since the 1880s continuing through to the early 1900s. Historical production occurred with multiple small shafts and alluvial workings across the existing permits. Past production at the Sunday Creek prospect is reported as 41,000 oz gold at a grade of 33 g/t gold. Larger historic workings along the trend from west to east include Christina, Golden Dyke, Rising Sun and Apollo. Regional Geology Sunday Creek occurs with the Melbourne Zone of the Lachlan Geosyncline, in sequences folded and thrust-faulted by the Late Devonian Tabberabberan Orogeny. The regional host to the Sunday Creek mineralization is an interbedded turbidite sequence of siltstones, mudstones, and minor sandstones, metamorphosed to sub-greenschist facies and folded into a set of open north-west trending synclines and anticlines. Structural Setting and Local Geology Intruded into the sedimentary sequence is a series of intermediate monzodiorite - diorite dykes and breccias on an east-west trend. The Sunday Creek dykes have highly variable textures and compositions with the earliest emplaced aphanitic varieties emplaced along thin fracture sets. These fine-grained dykes locally grade into porphyritic to massive varieties as the thickness of the dykes increases and brecciate in areas of complexity or in proximity to fold hinges. Large scale thrusts sub-parallel to the NW trending structural grain, dislocate the dyke system and an array of sub-vertical extension veins form subparallel to the bedding trend and orthogonal to the intruded dyke sequence. Veining is focused within areas of high competency contrast, such as the intruded dyke and surrounding alteration, fold hinges and areas of structural complexity. Alteration Distally a regional chlorite alteration weakly pervades the sediments, with a change in mica composition from phengitic to muscovitic mica approaching mineralization, an increase in carbonate spotting and cementation and proximal to the dyke a very intense texturally destructive alteration of sericite-carbonate-silica "bleaching" of the sediments. Further Information Further discussion and analysis of the Sunday Creek project is available through the interactive Vrify 3D animations, presentations and videos all available on the SXG website. These data, along with an interview on these results with Managing Director Michael Hudson, with a 3D Leapfrog presentation, can be viewed at www.southerncrossgold.com.au Gold Equivalent Calculation SXG considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony. SXG considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2022 dated 25 March 2022. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using recoveries achieved at the Costerfield Property Brunswick Processing Plant during 2020, using a gold price of US$1,700 per ounce, an antimony price of US$8,500 per tonne and 2021 total year metal recoveries of 93% for gold and 95% for antimony, and is as follows: ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.58 ???? (%). Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXG considers that a ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.58 ???? (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek. Technical Background and Qualified Person The Qualified Person, Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman and a director of Mawson Gold, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release. Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process. MAW considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony. SXG considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2022 dated 25 March 2022. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using recoveries achieved at the Costerfield Property Brunswick Processing Plant during 2020, using a gold price of US$1,700 per ounce, an antimony price of US$8,500 per tonne and 2021 total year metal recoveries of 93% for gold and 95% for antimony, and is as follows: ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.58 ???? (%). Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXG considers that a ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.58 ???? (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek. Certain information in this announcement that relates to historic mining is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report, titled "Independent Geologists Report Southern Cross Gold" dated 16 March 2022 which was issued with the consent of the Mr Terry C. Lees. The report was released as an announcement to ASX on 12 May 2022 and is available at www2.asx.com.au under code "SXG". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. Certain information in this announcement also relates to prior drill hole exploration results, are extracted from the following announcements, which are available to view on www.southerncrossgold.com.au: 7 October, 2020 MDDSC003, 27 October, 2021 MDDSC020 & 21, 16 May, 2022 CRC021, VCRC022, 1 June, 2023 SDDSC066, 4 October, 2022 SDDSC041, 43 & 46, 21 November, 2022 SDDSC050, 14 December, 2022 SDDSC050, 28 February, 2023 SDDSC053 & 55, 16 May, 2023 SDDSC064, 3 July, 2023 SDDSC069, 28 August, 2023 SDDSC078, 5 September, 2023 SDDSC077B, 12 October, 2023 SDDLV003 & 4, 23 October, 2023 SDDSC080 & 82, 9 November, 2023 SDDSC091, 14 December, 2023 SDDSC092, 11 January, 2024 SDDSC097A. About Mawson Gold Limited (TSXV:MAW)(FRANKFURT:MXR)(OTC PINK:MWSNF) Mawson Gold Limited has distinguished itself as a leading Nordic exploration company. Over the last decades, the team behind Mawson has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in the Nordics and Australia. Mawson holds the Skelleftea North gold discovery and a portfolio of historic uranium resources in Sweden. Mawson also holds 51% of Southern Cross Gold Ltd. (ASX:SXG) which owns or controls three high-grade, historic epizonal goldfields covering 470 km2 in Victoria, Australia, including the exciting Sunday Creek Au-Sb discovery. About Southern Cross Gold Ltd (ASX:SXG) Southern Cross Gold holds the 100%-owned Sunday Creek project in Victoria and Mt Isa project in Queensland, the Redcastle and Whroo joint ventures in Victoria, Australia, and a strategic 10% holding in ASX-listed Nagambie Resources Limited (ASX:NAG) which grants SXG a Right of First Refusal over a 3,300 square kilometer tenement package held by NAG in Victoria. On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson" Michael Hudson, Interim CEO and Executive Chairman Further Information www.mawsongold.com 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7 Mariana Bermudez (Canada), Corporate Secretary +1 (604) 685 9316info@mawsongold.com Forward-Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). All statements herein, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although Mawson believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate, and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. Mawson cautions investors that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, Mawson's expectations regarding its ownership interest in Southern Cross Gold, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including COVID-19, on the Company's business, risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; exploration potential being conceptual in nature, there being insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource on the Australian-projects owned by SXG, and uncertainty if further exploration will result in the determination of a mineral resource; planned drill programs and results varying from expectations, delays in obtaining results, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, local community relations, dealings with non-governmental organizations, delays in operations due to permit grants, environmental and safety risks, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Mawson's most recent Annual Information Form filed on SEDAR. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Mawson disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.Table 2: Statistics of Au g/t within modelled domain shapes in Apollo. Values are raw assays. Figure 1: Stereonets showing poles to veins measured in oriented drill core. Stereonet data shows pyritic veins parallels the east-west structural host and predates the higher tenor NNW Au-Sb mineralized vein sets and gold-antimony ("Au-Sb") mineralization is dominantly hosted within zones of sub-vertical, brittle-ductile NW striking shear veins and associated veins. Figure 2: Quality control data showing field duplicates (325 quarter core samples) and laboratory duplicates (2,614 samples from the LM5 pulverizer) show good consistency implying homogenization at both the core and pulp sampling stages with low variability. Figure 3: Quality control data showing screen fire assay data (110 samples) compares favourably with fire assay data showing the homogenization of mineralization, and low nugget effect after pulverization. Figure 4: Longitudinal Section showing location of RS10, RS20 and RS80 vein sets. Figure 5: RS10 vein set defined at a 25 m x 50 m spacing extending over 570 m down dip and 30 m - 40 m along strike, with a 2 m @ 1 g/t Au lower cut-off grade. Drill density only limits extensions in all directions. Figure 6: RS20 vein set defined at a 25 m x 50 m spacing extending over 275 m down dip and 25 m - 40 m along strike, with a 2m @ 1 g/t Au lower cut-off grade. Drill density only limits extensions in all directions. Figure 7: RS80 vein defined at a 25 m x 50 m spacing, set extending over 180 m down dip and 40 m - 55 m along strike (up to 110 m), with a 2m @ 1 g/t Au lower cut-off grade. Drill density only limits extensions in all directions. Figure 8: A strong component of the geological domaining of vein sets and high-grade individual veins relies on the geological similarities of the interval; similar mineralogy, vein types and textures are critical to identifying the domain, as well as consistent orientations ensuring that assays are not simply being linked together in a coincident manner. Here examples from drillhole SDDSC082. Figure 9: A strong component of the geological domaining of vein sets and high-grade individual veins relies on the geological similarities of the interval; similar mineralogy, vein types and textures are critical to identifying the domain, as well as consistent orientations ensuring that assays are not simply being linked together in a coincident manner. Here examples from drillholes SDDSC077B and SDDSC091. Figure 10: Historic mining stope orientations are consistent with surrounding orientated drill core and mineralized intercepts. Modelling from modern day diamond drilling within Apollo coincides spatially with historic stopes and development. Figure 11: Sunday Creek regional plan view showing LiDAR, soil sampling, structural framework, regional historic epizonal gold mining areas and broad regional areas (Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan) tested by 12 holes for 2,383 m drill program. The regional drill areas are at Tonstal, Consols and Leviathan located 4,000-7,500 m along strike from the main drill area at Golden Dyke- Apollo. Figure 12: Location of the Sunday Creek project, along with SXG's other Victoria projects and simplified geology. SOURCE: Mawson Gold Limited View the original press release on accesswire.com NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Eventus, a leading provider of comprehensive, at-scale trade surveillance software, today announced robust global growth in 2023 and a strong outlook for 2024 as the firm aims to redefine trade surveillance with client-driven solutions and customizable technology. CEO Travis Schwab reflected on the company's strategic growth and client-focused initiatives in 2023, emphasizing the team's dedication to enhancing client experiences through flexibility, automation, efficiency and expertise. He said: "After year over year of triple-digit growth, we took a moment in 2023 to reflect on our expanding client base and challenge ourselves on how we can ensure we meet their future needs. Our focus was on refining our offerings and enhancing our capabilities. 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The in-memory processing will allow clients to perform faster data analytics and computation, providing the ability to make data-driven decisions. Martina Rejsjo, Director of Product Strategy, said: "Our latest architecture is designed for rapid evolution with new features like cross-product capability, dynamic parameterization and behavioral analysis, and it also enables our Services team to efficiently create tailored solutions by asset class and jurisdiction in line with our clients' specific needs." Jeff Bell, President and COO, highlighted the unique value of Eventus' Services team. "Our commitment to providing precisely the level of service each client requires sets us apart. In 2023, we added our Regulatory Solutions team, comprising in-house experts from top-tier banks and exchanges, to develop custom procedures and reports as well as build automations, ensuring our clients stay ahead of risks and seize new business opportunities." Looking forward, Eventus will continue leveraging development efforts and strategic partnerships. In addition to continued focus on its core trade surveillance and algo monitoring offerings, it plans to explore avenues of growth in areas such as transaction monitoring, additional fixed income coverage and expanded use of AI technologies. "Validus will remain a product designed by practitioners and shaped by our clients, for the most effective and accurate risk mitigation," Schwab said. Other Eventus achievements in 2023 included earning a System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type 2 certification demonstrating the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of its controls. In addition, Eventus has now captured nearly 40 global and regional awards and honors since 2018, adding seven in 2023 alone. Eventus provides state-of-the-art, at-scale trade surveillance software across all lines of defense. Its powerful, award-winning Validus platform is easy to deploy, customize and operate across equities, options, futures, foreign exchange (FX), fixed income and digital asset markets. Validus is proven in the most complex, high-volume, and real time environments of Eventus' rapidly growing client base, including tier-1 banks, broker-dealers, futures commission merchants (FCMs), proprietary trading groups, market centers, buy-side institutions, energy and commodity trading firms, and regulators. Clients rely on the platform, coupled with the firm's responsive support and product development, to overcome its most pressing trade surveillance regulatory challenges. For more, visit www.eventus.com . Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/635481/Eventus_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/eventus-aims-to-redefine-trade-surveillance-with-client-driven-solutions-in-2024-302041441.html Press Release Nokia selected by DARPA to design communications services infrastructure framework for future lunar economy Nokia's research arm, Nokia Bell Labs, was one of only 14 organizations picked to participate in DARPA's LunA-10 Capability Study The selection demonstrates Nokia Bell Labs' expertise in future network architectures and industry leadership in advanced space-based communications. 23 January 2024 Murray Hill, New Jersey - Nokia Bell Labs was selected to participate in the 10-Year Lunar Architecture (LunA-10) program, a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) initiative that will design an integrated multi-service architecture to support a thriving economy on the Moon in the next decade and beyond. LunA-10 will design the essential infrastructure framework capable of supporting industrial activities, as well as scientific discovery. DARPA chose 14 companies across a variety of industrial sectors to launch LunA-10. Nokia was selected for its expertise in designing future network architectures and leadership in lunar surface communication technologies, stemming not only from its current mission to build the first cellular network on the Moon but also from Nokia Bell Labs' long history in space innovation dating back to the Mercury Program. Nokia will collaborate with the 13 other companies specializing in areas critical to establishing an integrated commercial economy on the Moon, such as energy, transport and construction. For instance, Nokia Bell Labs will be responsible for recommending a reliable, high-performance communications infrastructure, and it will also work closely with other LunA-10 companies to ensure that infrastructure may be efficiently transported and built on the lunar surface and that it would have reliable power sources once installed. At the program's mid 2024 conclusion, LunA-10 will deliver a comprehensive blueprint for establishing the infrastructure necessary to support commercial operations on and around the lunar surface by 2035. Communications will be critical as virtually all use cases and applications require or benefit from high throughput, low latency, ultra-reliable and scalable communication capabilities. Networks would allow astronauts to freely communicate directly and with mission control on Earth. Networks would transmit video and telemetry data from cameras and sensors spread across the Moon and integrated into spacesuits, vehicles, structures, and scientific experiments. Networks would supply the connectivity necessary to control robots and automate dangerous tasks on the lunar surface. Thierry E. Klein, President of Nokia Bell Labs Solutions Research, said: "DARPA has had a direct hand in some of the most significant technology advancements of the last fifty years - the foundation of the Internet, the creation of GPS, and the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccine. Nokia Bell Labs is thrilled to play a key role in DARPA's next game-changing endeavor and help shape the infrastructure architecture for the lunar economy. Pushing the frontiers of technology is in Bell Labs' DNA, and by creating the communication solutions blueprint for the Moon, we will help establish the foundations of a permanent human presence on the lunar surface." As part of NASA's Tipping Point initiative, Nokia is deploying the first cellular network on the Moon in 2024 to prove that 3GPP-based technology can meet the critical communications needs of future lunar and Martian missions. However, Nokia Bell Labs' legacy in space stretches back decades. Bell Labs worked with NASA to launch one of the world's first communications satellites, Telstar 1, into orbit in 1962. It also provided systems analysis and engineering for every crewed U.S. space program from Mercury to Apollo. And in 1964, two Bell Labs researchers made the critical discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation left over from the Big Bang. Resources and additional information Webpage: The first cellular network on the Moon Article: An inside look at Nokia's Moon Mission Video: Nokia is networking the Moon About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today - and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Media inquiries Nokia Communications, Corporate Email: Press.Services@nokia.com Follow us on social media LinkedInXInstagramFacebookYouTube Patented Advances in Gyrocardiography Bring Affordable, Clinical-Grade Disease Detection to Remote Patients with Smartphones CardioSignaltoday announced the closing of $10 million in Series A funding, led by DigiTx Partners, with participation from Sandwater and existing investor Maki.vc. David J. Kim, M.D., managing director of DigiTx, will be joining the board. To date, CardioSignal has raised $23 million. The Series A investment will fund additional clinical validation of CardioSignal's breakthrough technology and the expansion of its commercial efforts. CardioSignal develops digital technologies and software-as-medical-devices to provide early detection of heart diseases, and provides the first and only technology to detect several major heart diseases with high accuracy using just one clinical modality without any specialized medical equipment. CardioSignal's technology harnesses gyroscope and accelerometer motion data from smartphones to measure specific rotational movements of the heart that can be used to accurately detect abnormal heart function. The analysis takes place utilizing a smartphone placed on the patient's chest for a one-minute measurement. A clinically validated algorithm analyzes the motion data in a secure cloud service and provides immediate results. The company has 52 patents covering its method and clinical algorithms, which are based on gyrocardiography and have been heavily researched and documented in more than 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Currently, CardioSignal's technology produces digital biomarkers validated in clinical studies for Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) and Heart failure, with additional development ongoing for Aortic stenosis, Coronary artery disease, and Pulmonary artery hypertension. The CardioSignal application is already available in 15 countries as a class IIa medical device for detecting signs of Atrial fibrillation. The societal impact of the technology is accelerating heart disease detection for millions who are currently underdiagnosed or at risk of developing a serious condition. The ability to access care through smartphones solves critical issues in healthcare reach. Healthcare inequities is a major reason why cardiovascular diseases are the #1 killer in the world. "More than 20 million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases. This funding enables us to scale a detection and remote monitoring solution for primary care doctors and their patients. Currently, primary care has very limited tools to detect heart diseases, like heart failure patients who are often already experiencing symptoms. We can support the shift in cardiovascular care from treating complications to earlier detection and prevention," said cardiologist Dr. Juuso Blomster,founder and CEO of CardioSignal. "CardioSignal has the potential to meaningfully impact heart disease on a global basis. Besides the ability to detect various heart diseases, which continue to be one of the common causes of death, CardioSignal has lowered the barrier to the adoption of its technology by making it readily available to all individuals who have smartphones. We can reach millions of at-risk patients and make a real impact," said David J. Kim, managing director of DigiTx Partners. Selected Company Highlights: March 2018 Clinical validation of atrial fibrillation detection published in Circulation (2018): Mobile Phone Detection of Atrial Fibrillation With Mechanocardiography. The MODE-AF Study February 2019 CardioSignal application earns CE Marking as a Class IIa medical device in Europe for detecting signs of atrial fibrillation as a in Europe for detecting signs of atrial fibrillation March 2022 CardioSignal wins the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Innovation Prize Innovation Prize October 2022 CardioSignal wins the American Heart Association (AHA) EMpowered to Serve grant to advance health equity EMpowered to Serve grant to advance health equity November 2022 Partnership with OMRON Healthcare November 2022 Ursula Burns , former chairwoman and CEO of Xerox Corporation , member of Mayo Clinic 's Board of Trustees, and Uber board member, joins CardioSignal's Board of Directors , former chairwoman and CEO of , member of 's Board of Trustees, and board member, joins CardioSignal's Board of Directors August 2023 The technology's heart failure detection capabilities presented at the European Society of Cardiology Annual Meeting in Amsterdam About CardioSignal: CardioSignal is a brand and a product by Precordior Ltd, an ISO 13485 and 27001 certified health technology company formed in 2017 and headquartered in Turku, Finland. Subsidiary CardioSignal Inc is based in Palo Alto, CA, USA. CardioSignal develops groundbreaking solutions for the detection of heart diseases using digital cardiac biomarkers. The CardioSignal technology utilizes the gyroscope and accelerometer motion sensors to non-invasively measure heart motion to determine cardiac health and function. Originally an academic spin-off, the company's patented gyrocardiography technology is built on a decade of research and algorithm development. Europe: cardiosignal.com USA: us.cardiosignal.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123288912/en/ Contacts: Press Contacts: USA: Barbara Zamost Rocket Science PR zamost@rocketscience.com mobile: +1 415 987 2810 Europe: Juulia Simonen CardioSignal juulia.simonen@cardiosignal.com tel: +358 503 059 018 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Irving Resources Inc. (CSE:IRV)(OTCQX:IRVRF) ("Irving" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Corporation (collectively, "Newmont"), has designated the Yamagano and Noto properties (collectively, the "Property"), the exploration work on which has been funded under alliances formed by the Company with Newmont[1] and with Sumitomo Corporation ("Sumitomo")[2], for joint venture. The parties will use commercially reasonable best efforts to enter into a joint venture agreement or similar governing agreement within 90 days which is expected to include an exploration program up to an initial US$5 million. Initially, Property interests will be split 60% to Newmont, 27.5% to Irving, and 12.5% to Sumitomo if Sumitomo elects to participate, and Irving will be the initial joint venture manager. Irving and Sumitomo will have a one-time right to elect to maintain their respective interest in the Property by contributing their respective share of Property expenditures. If such right is not exercised, the relevant party's interest will be subject to dilution. About Irving Resources Inc.: Irving is a junior exploration company with a focus on gold in Japan. Irving resulted from completion of a plan of arrangement involving Irving, Gold Canyon Resources Inc. and First Mining Finance Corp. Additional information can be found on the Company's website: www.IRVresources.com. Akiko Levinson, President, CEO & Director For further information, please contact: Tel: (604) 682-3234 Toll free: 1 (888) 242-3234 Fax: (604) 971-0209 info@IRVresources.com Forward-looking information Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation including, without limitation, statements as to planned exploration activities and the completion of a joint venture agreement or similar governing agreement within 90 days. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the mineral resource exploration industry, the availability to Irving of sufficient cash to fund any planned drilling and other exploration activities, as well as the performance of services by third parties. THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE [1] Refer to the Company's news release dated April 23, 2019. [2] Refer to the Company's news release dated June 26, 2020. SOURCE: Irving Resources Inc View the original press release on accesswire.com Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - NxGen Brands, Inc. (OTC Pink: NXGB) ("NxGen" or the "Company"), (www.nxgenbrands.com) updates its Q1 2024 sales forecasts for its recently acquired brand Mad House Innovations (www.madhousesupps.com) with new Protein product slated for release mid-February. In its first quarter of operations under the NxGen Brands ownership, Mad House is set to achieve topline revenues of somewhere between $200,000 and $250,000 in first quarter sales. With low inventory coming into the year due to the brand purchase and the new Protein product only coming on stream halfway through the quarter, management continues to forecast this would account for 15% of 2024's annual revenues, putting the total years sales to be in the region of $1.3-$1.6m from the brand. Mad House recently announced that it was launching a new Protein Line. The new Protein products will be fortified with 3 sources of ultra-premium protein, plus digeseb which the Company says is an innovate 'NO-BLOAT' protein absorption ingredient, making the customers' use experience of this product significantly better than other comparable products. The low carb, low calorie, low sugar and low-fat formula will also include a super special 'secret ingredient' yet to be announced, that will take the market by storm and be completely disruptive in the space. This product is slated to launch early March 2024, with further details to be launched mid-February. Speaking earlier about the new product, CEO Joseph Lawanson stated, "I recently put a massive Inventory order in for Mad House which was in excess of 10,000Lbs of product, including 3000lbs of the new protein product. This Protein is going to disrupt this space and has something special which is going to blow the market away. 'The Perfect Protein Does Existuntil now' is our motto for our new Mad House Scoops protein. It will contain 23g of protein with 11g of amino acids to make this the perfect protein blend. Each scoop of 'Mad House Scoops' contains the core building blocks necessary to create a true 'Circus Freak' physique. I cannot wait for people to be able to get hold of this products from the NxGen Brands family of products". About NxGen Brands, Inc. NxGen Holdings, Inc. is a publicly traded company under the symbol NXGB. The Company is building a profitable Nutritional Supplements company, comprising of several brands. www.nxgenbrands.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including information about management's view of NxGen Brands, Inc.'s future expectations, plans and prospects. In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "believes," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," or "may," and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any statements made in this news release other than those of historical fact, about an action, event or development, are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the results of NxGen, its subsidiaries and concepts to be materially different than those expressed or implied in such statements. Unknown or unpredictable factors also could have material adverse effects on NxGen's future results. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date hereof. NxGen cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Finally, NxGen undertakes no obligation to update these statements after the date of this release, except as required by law, and also takes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that are not paid for by NxGen. Corporate Contact: ceo@nxgenbrands.com www.nxgenbrands.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195196 SOURCE: NxGen Brands Inc Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) grants FINAME certificate to the company's solar trackers for meeting Brazil's local content requirements NORWALK, Conn., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GameChange Solar (GCS), a leading global supplier of advanced, cost-effective solar tracking solutions for ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) plants, announced the opening of a new factory, training, service, and technical support center exclusively for its Genius Tracker solar trackers in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil. The Brazil factory, located in Feira de Santana, Bahia, became operational in November 2023. It has the capacity to produce 2.5 GW of trackers and can be expanded to meet additional demand. In addition to serving the local market, the Brazilian factory will be able to supply Genius Tracker units to other Latin American countries. In addition, the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) has granted FINAME certification for its GameChange Solar Genius Tracker trackers, assuring industry customers that the trackers meet Brazil's domestic content and manufacturing process requirements. "Opening our new factory in Brazil demonstrates GameChange Solar's commitment to the Brazilian solar economy," said Vikas Bansal, International President at GameChange Solar. "As a global leader and supplier of solar tracker technology, we are thrilled to be operational, FINAME-compliant, and providing high-quality solar jobs in one of the fastest-growing solar markets in the world. We are open for business and will start fulfilling orders immediately." Ion Accosta, Operations Director & Head of Brazil at GameChange Solar, added "Having the factory and service center in addition to our business headquarters in Sao Paolo is such a great step for us in Brazil. We will be able to provide unparalleled service to our customers with the ability to provide in-country manufacturing, training, service, and support." According to recent forecasts by Absolar, Brazil's solar energy association, new investments in Brazil's solar PV industry could exceed BRL 38.9 billion ($7.8 billion) in 2024, with developers expected to install more than 9.3 GW of solar capacity this year. About GameChange Solar GameChange is a leading global provider of solar tracker solutions used in utility-scale and ground-mounted distributed generation solar projects around the world. We have delivered over 26 GW of solar tracker and fixed tilt systems that combine fast installation, bankable quality, and unbeatable value through superior engineering, innovative design, and high-volume manufacturing. Our products enable solar panels at power plants to follow the sun's movement across the sky and optimize plant performance while also protecting the array from damaging weather conditions. Additionally, GameChange Solar, through its GeniusBOS subsidiary, is growing a portfolio of products for the broader balance of system needs of solar arrays. For more information, please visit GameChange Solar. Contact: Lisa Andrews Director of Marketing GameChange Solar lisa.andrews@gamechangesolar.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2321649/GameChange_Solar_Brazil_Factory_for_LinkedIn.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gamechange-solar-opens-solar-tracker-factory-in-brazil-302039162.html Dukosi is a pioneering developer of cell monitoring and battery management technology, offering cutting-edge solutions for real-time monitoring and accurate data analysis SAN ANTONIO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Frost & Sullivan recently researched the battery cell monitoring industry and, based on its findings, recognizes Dukosi Ltd. with the 2023 Global Market Leadership Award. Dukosi is an industry-leading company that offers state-of-the-art cell monitoring, battery management technology, and advanced data analysis to optimize battery performance. Dukosi developed a next-generation battery cell monitoring solution that delivers highly accurate insights into the status and health of cells in real-time with 24/7 monitoring, lifetime data logging and its unique contactless data transmission called C-SynQ. It features a chip-on-cell sensing platform, which puts intelligence on every cell and provides in-depth insights into each battery cell's status, enabling enhanced control of battery performance and lifetime traceability for extended battery life. Additionally, this sophisticated technology allows accurate, contactless, and synchronous communication between cells and the main battery management system (BMS), empowering organizations to monitor every cell in real-time more safely and cost-effectively boosting the performance of every cell. Dukosi's technology is increasingly adopted across various sectors, including automotive, industrial mobility, and stationery battery energy storage. Moreover, the company's solutions are being used by companies in North America, Europe, and Asia, which establishes a global reach and a promising future growth potential. "The company has a robust global presence with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia. This strategy allows Dukosi to broaden its reach, increase its market share, and get a better understanding of customer requirements and needs in different parts of the world. A global presence gives the company a competitive advantage that enables it to maintain a leading position in the battery cell monitoring industry," said Silvana Rulet, Best Practices Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. Dukosi's chip-on-cell sensing platform fulfills the market demand for optimized battery performance and the need for building a sustainable battery value chain, placing the company ahead of its competitors. This innovation can provide better warranty and liability protection, along with more accurate residual value assessment for both battery owners and original equipment manufacturers. The on-cell lifetime traceability information helps show compliance with emerging regulations and paves the way to a circular battery value chain. As a result, Dukosi's forward-thinking and innovative strategies have established it as a leader in its field, setting a benchmark for excellence in the industry. "With its chip-on-cell sensing platform, Dukosi addresses an unmet market need ahead of competitors. The solution provides insights into each battery cell through embedded software, onboard processing, and memory. Moreover, this technology allows for accurate and synchronous data collection and communication between cells and the main battery management system, enabling organizations to monitor the status, health, and performance of every cell in real-time," noted Abigail Collins-Carey, Mobility Consultant at Frost & Sullivan. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased ROI it offers customers, which, in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in various regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analyses, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Frost & Sullivan For six decades, Frost & Sullivan has been world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders, and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models, and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Tarini Singh P: +91- 9953764546 E: Tarini.Singh@frost.com About Dukosi Dukosi develops revolutionary technologies that dramatically improve the performance, safety, and efficiency of battery systems, and enable a more sustainable battery value chain. The company provides a unique cell monitoring platform based on chip-on-cell technology and C-SynQ communications protocol for electric vehicles (EV), industrial transportation and stationary battery energy storage markets. Headquartered in Edinburgh, UK, Dukosi has a global footprint with locations in USA, Asia and Europe. For more information, please visit www.dukosi.com Contact: Destanie Clarke Director of Marketing M: +44 7753826162 E: dclarke@dukosi.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323348/iTAC_Software_Award.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/dukosi-ltd-recognized-with-frost--sullivans-2023-global-market-leadership-award-for-revolutionizing-the-battery-cell-monitoring-industry-302040545.html The new CRO facility for proteomics services in Newton, Massachusetts ensures closer proximity to US customers Biognosys' center of excellence for proteomics innovation at its headquarters near Zurich, Switzerland continues to offer its entire portfolio of services for discovery, targeted, and structural proteomics for all regions, including the Americas ZURICH, Switzerland and NEWTON, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biognosys, a leader in next-generation proteomics solutions for drug discovery and development, announced today the operational readiness of its new proteomics facility in Massachusetts. This US expansion facilitates access to select proteomics contract research organization (CRO) services for our US biopharma customers. The Massachusetts facilitywill initially focus on TrueDiscovery data-independent acquisition (DIA) discovery proteomics services that offer biopharma researchers high-throughput proteome profiling with industry-leading depth, reproducibility, and cost-efficiency, powered by the Bruker timsTOF mass spectrometry platform. Biognosys also anticipates offering additional discovery and targeted proteomics services for US customers to access domestically in the future. "The opening of our new CRO facility in Massachusetts marks a milestone in our commitment to making proteomics accessible globally for life science research and drug development," commented Dr.Oliver Rinner, CEO and co-founder of Biognosys. "We are excited to bring our CRO services closer to our US customers and enable them to fully leverage the potential of cutting-edge proteomics for the acceleration of therapeutic discoveries, development and pharmacoproteomics." Dr. Rohan Thakur, President Life Sciences Mass Spectrometry at Bruker, said: "Offering 4D-Proteomics CRO services from the inventors of Spectronaut - the leading DIA proteomics software, now augmented with deep learning - will provide broader access to proteomics in key research areas such as chemoproteomics, immunopeptidomics, or plasma proteomics. Proteomics at the depth and scale of Biognosys' TrueDiscovery platform will accelerate insights into the complexity of disease biology and is another step forward in the post-genomic era of drug discovery and development." In the last 15 years, Biognosys has served US biopharma companies from its facility near Zurich, pioneering the use of next-generation DIA proteomics in drug research. By expanding its presence near the life science cluster in the Boston-Cambridge area, the company plans to extend its collaborations with innovative early and late-stage biotech companies in New England and across the Americas. Biognosys' laboratory at its headquarters in Switzerland remains the company's center of excellence for proteomics innovation and offers Biognosys' complete portfolio of services for discovery, targeted, and structural proteomics to all regions including the Americas: TrueDiscovery (http://truediscovery.bio/) (http://truediscovery.bio/) services for unbiased discovery proteomics from biofluids, tissues and cells, with applications ranging from biomarker discovery to mechanism of action studies, phosphorylation profiling, and immunopeptidome profiling (http://truediscovery.bio/) services for unbiased discovery proteomics from biofluids, tissues and cells, with applications ranging from biomarker discovery to mechanism of action studies, phosphorylation profiling, and immunopeptidome profiling TrueSignature (http://truesignature.bio) (http://truesignature.bio) custom targeted proteomics panels for pharmacodynamic and clinical biomarker monitoring through absolute protein quantification in clinical trials (http://truesignature.bio) custom targeted proteomics panels for pharmacodynamic and clinical biomarker monitoring through absolute protein quantification in clinical trials TrueTarget (http://truetarget.bio) (http://truetarget.bio) services for novel drug target identification and validation powered by Limited Proteolysis Mass Spectrometry (LiP-MS), a proprietary, patented chemoproteomics technology co-developed by Biognosys "Our dual-lab strategy underscores our dedication to providing leading-edge, accessible proteomics solutions," said Biognosys' Chief Officer of Scientific Operations (COSO), Dr. Jakob Vowinckel. "The synergy between our Swiss and US facilities allows us to serve diverse customer needs, fostering innovation and collaborations." To offer customers industry-leading solutions for a wide range of biological applications, Biognosys remains committed to employing mass spectrometry instruments from multiple vendors in their research services. About TrueDiscovery The Biognosys TrueDiscovery platform offers integrated proteomics solutions across the entire drug development pipeline. TrueDiscovery is powered by Hyper Reaction Monitoring (HRM) mass spectrometry, an advanced Data Independent Acquisition (DIA)-based protein quantification technology co-invented and patented by Biognosys. TrueDiscovery is the only platform that searches the complete proteome to quantify thousands of the most relevant proteins, including an unlimited number of proteoforms. The platform enables the deepest unbiased profiling of tissue and biofluids proteomes with unbeatable specificity on a large scale. The generated data are highly reproducible and easily transferrable to clinical assays. Studies can be performed in compliance with GCP guidelines. For more information, visit truediscovery.bio . About Biognosys At Biognosys, we believe that deep proteome insights hold the key to breakthrough discoveries that transform science for better lives. With our versatile portfolio of next-generation proteomics solutions, including the TrueDiscovery, TrueTarget, and TrueSignature research service platforms, our flagship software Spectronaut, and the PQ500 kit, we make the proteome actionable to empower research, drug development, and clinical decision-making. Our solutions provide a multi-dimensional view of protein expression, function, and structure in all biological species and sample types. Our unique, patented technologies utilize high-resolution mass spectrometry to quantify thousands of proteins with industry-leading precision, depth, and throughput. Through our strategic partnership with Bruker. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5411f22b-cf51-4f28-823f-b275b58c4d70 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a07139f-ded9-405e-b99d-31272a47946a https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6ac22376-012f-4152-9a94-a3126df69f9c https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/111df067-42cb-477c-b6a4-6a8c92eb86a1 Collaboration Enables Global Manufacturing and Engineering Firms to Increase Sales and Achieve Digital Transformation STOCKHOLM, Sweden and CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024, the leading provider of Configure, Price, Quote, a leading business consulting company that helps engineering companies achieve digital transformation, today announced that Scandinavian Digital is now an official reseller of Tacton CPQ , the No. 1 rated CPQ for manufacturers. The expanded partnership further strengthens the companies' commitment to providing best-in-class solutions for Design Automation and sales configuration across the Nordics, DACH, and other global regions. Last year, Scandinavian Digital joined forces with Tacton to successfully deliver Tacton's Design Automation solutions - which support the full range of computer-aided design (CAD) systems including SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, and PTC Creo - to major companies in the Nordics, DACH regions and India. Building on this success, Scandinavian Digital is now expanding its reseller agreement with Tacton, adding Tacton CPQ to its portfolio of solutions and services. This strategic move allows Scandinavian Digital to offer a more comprehensive suite of products that enable engineering and manufacturing companies to streamline operations, increase sales, and drive higher profitability. In today's competitive manufacturing landscape, customization and personalization are key to meeting customers' evolving demands. Manufacturing and engineering leaders are constantly seeking more efficient ways to configure complex products, manage intricate pricing structures, and ensure accuracy and speed in their sales and engineering processes. Tacton's Configure, Price, Quote software is the solution of choice for these challenges. Tacton CPQ software, deemed by major research firm Gartner as the leading CPQ for manufacturers, brings significant value to sales and engineering processes, particularly for companies that offer complex product or service offerings with numerous customizable options and pricing variables. Tacton CPQ has been proven to deliver substantial gains for companies that implement it. With Tacton CPQ, manufacturers typically experience a 30% increase in sales volume and a 20% increase in profits. For more than 25 years, renowned global manufacturers such as Siemens, Xylem, ABB and many more have trusted Tacton CPQ to generate accurate quotes in minutes and close deals faster. Scandinavian Digital has already delivered numerous Tacton Design Automation models to major clients in the DACH and Nordics regions, solidifying its expertise in the field. By becoming a Tacton CPQ reseller, Scandinavian Digital can extend these benefits to companies across the region, helping them enhance their competitive positioning. "Scandinavian Digital has been a strong partner for us over the years, bringing our Design Automation solutions to large manufacturers," said Viveka Tengo, Vice President Global Channel and Alliances at Tacton. "The successful implementations combined with an increasing demand in CPQ has resulted in including Tacton CPQ into Scandinavian Digital's portfolio. We look forward to the continued success of this partnership, as cutting-edge manufacturers and engineering firms across the Nordics, DACH region and India see the cost-cutting, operational efficiency, and profit-boosting benefits made possible by Tacton CPQ." "I am thrilled about the continued success of our partnership with Tacton. Since its beginning in 2022, our collaboration has significantly empowered businesses by reselling Tacton's industry-leading Design Automation," said Simon Nielsen, CEO of Scandinavian Digital. "Extending this partnership marks an exciting milestone - our expert team's extensive experience in CPQ guarantees that we'll assist numerous companies in the Nordics, DACH, and India. The combination of CPQ and Design Automation has the power to be a game-changer for machinery manufacturers, our primary clients, ultimately setting us apart." For more information about how Tacton and its global network of partners help manufacturers embrace digital transformation and ignite company growth, we invite you to visit: 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Configure, Price and Quote Applications (https://www.tacton.com/gartner-mq-2023/) (https://www.tacton.com/gartner-mq-2023/) Tacton's Blog (https://www.tacton.com/cpq-blog/) (https://www.tacton.com/cpq-blog/) Tacton Partner Pages (https://www.tacton.com/partners/) (https://www.tacton.com/partners/) Customer Case Studies (https://www.tacton.com/research-reports/) About Tacton Tacton is a leading SaaS company trusted by global manufacturers. Tacton Trusted Configuration simplifies sales for manufacturers of complex products. Tacton's Configure, Price, Quote software is continually recognized by the analyst community for its advanced product configuration and visualization capabilities. Tacton's founders pioneered computer-based product configuration which today powers Tacton CPQ and CAD Design Automation. Since 1998, Tacton is trusted by global customers such as ABB, Daimler, MAN, Scania, Siemens, Xylem, and Yaskawa. It is co-headquartered in Chicago and Stockholm, with regional offices in Karlsruhe, Warsaw, and Tokyo. Follow Tacton on LinkedIn and Twitter About Scandinavian Digital Scandinavian Digital helps engineering companies succeed with their digital agenda and assists them in attaining a full digital transformation on both the strategic and operational level. The company has proven that 3D and 2D computer-aided design. Bacteria-killing viruses could protect livestock without the risk of creating resistant microbes as antibiotic-resistance increases globally Top-tier syndicate of international investors to support global expansion into key markets such as Brazil and the US PhageLab, a biotechnology company developing bacteriophage-based applications to seek and destroy multidrug resistant bacteria in the livestock industry, announced today a $11 million funding round with investment from Nazca, Collaborative Fund, Water Lemon Ventures and individual investor Kevin Efrusy. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123553007/en/ Hans Pieringer, Co-Founder and CEO, PhageLab (Photo: PhageLab) The funding will enable PhageLab to advance its pipeline of phage-based solutions and establish a commercial position in Brazil, its main target market and expand its technology into the US. PhageLab will also use the funding to expand its global team, which currently has close to 100 employees across Latin America and Europe. Bacteriophages are small viral particles that can recognize and eliminate pathogenic bacteria, and are a natural alternative to heavy antibiotic use for the treatment of livestock infections. Antibiotic-resistant outbreaks in livestock farming have been increasing, due to the high emergence rate of multidrug treatment-resistant bacteria. Since 2019, 50% of all antibiotics used in intensive animal farming have become ineffective, and more than 4.95 million deaths worldwide were related to multidrug resistance. PhageLab's proprietary microbial bioinformatics platform is designed for the search and development of bacteriophage-based treatments. The platform employs AI to generate "customized cocktails," that can effectively manage pathogenic bacteria in the livestock industry and reduce antibiotic dependence. The training dataset for this platform is based on more than a decade of experimentation data and tested phage repositories, to create one of the world's largest industrial bacterial databases. PhageLab uses this library to create custom solutions in 45 days, that is safe and effective for use to eliminate livestock bacteria. "We're thrilled to attract a top-tier investor syndicate that supports our business and mission of combating antibiotic resistance," said Hans Pieringer, CEO Co-Founder, PhageLab. "Solving the antibiotic resistance crisis requires multi-stakeholder collaboration across industry, policy, and science, and we are committed to developing the best solutions possible. Starting in animal health allows us to expand our global impact quickly, and this funding will enable our expansion into both new geographies this year, as well as product development." "PhageLab is focused on progressing breakthrough science that provides long-term solutions to today's global antibiotic resistance challenges," said Kevin Efrusy. "The company is a true pioneer in the industry, bringing not one, but two never before seen phage-based solutions to market that have tremendous potential to innovate and advance sustainability in our food system and human health. Unlike traditional biotechs, PhageLab has a shorter development time to commercialization at lower cost of capital. The company is already making an impact in addressing the growing health concern of multidrug antibiotic resistance." "PhageLab's technology, backed by one of the world's largest industrial bacteria databases, represents a transformative approach to combating antibiotic-resistant outbreaks. We are thrilled to support this world-class team as they scale their initial products serving poultry farms in Brazil and expand into new markets and applications," said Luisa Sucre, Principal at Collaborative Fund. "We're excited to be part of PhageLab's journey, a true Latin American trailblazer dedicated to tackling worldwide health and food security issues. Their remarkable technology, coupled with an outstanding team, fills us with pride as we welcome them into our portfolio," said Hector Sepulveda, Managing Partner, Nazca. "Together, we're reshaping the battle against antibiotic resistance and propelling the future of livestock health a cause close to our hearts." PhageLab has a marketed product that eliminates and reduces the presence of Salmonella spp. in broiler chicken farms, called INSPEKTOR. PhageLab is about to launch its E. coli product for broiler chicken farms and develop products to prevent infectious diarrhea in pigs. PhageLab also has a service for clients that identifies, detects and characterizes microorganisms within livestock production. PhageLab will deliver an oral presentation demonstrating the successful reduction of Salmonella on poultry farms in Brazil through the application of its custom-made bacteriophage cocktail at the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, January 30-February 1, 2024. To connect with our team on-site contact: hello@phage-lab.com. About PhageLab PhageLab is a biotechnology company that develops precision bacteriophage treatments to reduce the overuse of antibiotics to control bacteria in breeding processes in the livestock industry. Founded in 2010, PhageLab has developed a platform based on deep epidemiological diagnostics to create effective results in bacterial population control based on data collected over a decade. The company's mission is to develop personalized bacteriophage treatments to treat global bacterial challenges. PhageLab is headquartered in Santiago, Chile with offices in Spain and Brazil. For more information, visit https://phage-lab.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123553007/en/ Contacts: Media Contact PhageLab Rafael Figueroa Head of Communications +569-36110934 rfigueroa@phage-lab.com US Media Kimberly Ha KKH Advisors 917-291-5744 kimberly.ha@kkhadvisors.com DUBLIN, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuromod Devices Ltd., developer of the first and only FDA approved bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, has announced reorganisation of the company's finance responsibilities within its Senior Management Team. The reorganisation sees Chief Financial Officer, Derek Madden assume the role of Vice President of Finance and Corporate Governance. Neuromod's current Chief of Strategy & Corporate Development, Florian Elsaesser, will succeed Mr. Madden as the company's new Chief Financial Officer. Neuromod was granted FDA approval for its first-of-a-kind tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, in 2023, which saw the technology company successfully launch in the United States of America resulting in exponential commercial growth. The commercial growth combined with the company's continuous expansion of US and European availability of Lenire, as well as an increase in corporate finance activity, prompted the organisation to ensure its financial organisation is best resourced and structured for continued growth. The reorganisation combines the strengths, skills, and experience of Mr. Elsaesser and Mr. Madden as Neuromod Devices enters a critical growth phase. "The reorganisation ensures Mr. Elsaesser's previous experience is fully utilised to deliver on our corporate development plans, which in turn, empowers Mr. Madden to focus his considerable expertise leading a medical device manufacturer on maintaining Neuromod's financial operational excellence as we continue our global expansion." - Dr. Ross O'Neill, Neuromod Devices Founding CEO. Florian Elsaesser gained extensive experience at a private equity-backed hearing instrument company as CFO of International Sales at Siemens Audiology Group, which was acquired from Siemens by EQT VI for 2.15bn. His appointment as Neuromod's CFO allows the company to leverage his knowledge and provide dedicated resource to deliver on its strategic corporate development plan. Derek Madden, Neuromod's CFO for over a decade, has led the organisation through significant commercial growth and financing milestones including a 30 million Series B extension in 2023 which included the participation of the European Investment Bank. Madden's appointment as Vice President of Finance and Corporate Governance ensures that Neuromod will continue to support its commercial success in 2024 and beyond through the continued development of the financial operations required of a rapidly growing company. Neuromod Devices' bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, is the first device of its kind to receive FDA approval and CE-mark certification. Lenire has one of the largest evidence bases in existence for a tinnitus treatment device, having been proven safe and effective in three large-scale clinical trials that involved over 600 patients.1,2,3 About Neuromod Devices Founded in 2010, Neuromod Devices is a global medical technology company with offices in Ireland and USA. Neuromod specialises in the design and development of neuromodulation technologies to address the clinical needs of underserved patient populations who live with chronic and debilitating conditions. The lead application of Neuromod's technology is in the field of tinnitus, where Neuromod has completed extensive clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of its non-invasive neuromodulation platform in this common disorder. For more information visit www.neuromoddevices.com . About Lenire Lenire is the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device granted approval by the US FDA after being shown to soothe and relieve tinnitus in large-scale clinical trials. Lenire has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in Europe and has received a De Novo Approval Grant by the US FDA. Further details about Lenire including a list of providers can be found at www.lenire.com . References Conlon et al., Sci. Transl. Med. 12, eabb2830 (2020) Conlon et al., Different bimodal neuromodulation settings reduce tinnitus symptoms in a large randomized trial, Sci Rep, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-13875-x (2022) TENT-A3 clinical trial data in preparation for publication. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05227365 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/neuromod-devices-announces-finance-leadership-reorganisation-302041980.html Red Light Holland's natural psilocybin microdosing capsules developed from psilocybin truffles grown in the Company's farm in the Netherlands, have received the final Product Specification document signed by CCrest Laboratories aimed to assist NUBU Pharmaceuticals in applying for an import license to Australia and/or New Zealand The Product Specification document follows the previously announced completion of Certificate Of Analysis and stability testing which confirmed Red Light Holland's capsules are free of any pesticides, bio contaminants or heavy metals Red Light Holland is planning the next stages, which include a larger import of psilocybin truffles into Canada and connecting to NUBU's network of medical doctors in Australia and New Zealand to educate them about microdosing psilocybin Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Red Light Holland Corp. (CSE: TRIP) (FSE: 4YX) (OTCQB: TRUFF) ("Red Light Holland" or the "Company"), a company engaged in the production, growth and sale of functional mushrooms and mushroom home grow kits in North America and Europe and a premium brand of psilocybin truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in compliance with all applicable laws, is pleased to announce updates regarding its development of accurately dosed homogenized natural psilocybin microdosing capsules. Further to the announcement on December 11th, 2023, CCrest Laboratories Inc. ("CCrest Laboratories"), a Montreal-based cGMP pharmaceutical laboratory, that holds a Controlled Drugs and Substances Dealer's License, have completed the awaited Product Specification report for the Company's accurately dosed natural psilocybin microdosing capsules, that were developed from Red Light Holland's natural psilocybin truffles grown in the Netherlands and imported via a Psilocybin Import Permit from Health Canada. The vital Product Specification report encompasses and confirms detailed testing methodologies and an established shelf life based on documented stability testing results. The Product Specification document is aimed to provide the necessary and mandated details for Red Light Holland's Australia and New Zealand's distribution partner NUBU Pharmaceuticals ("NUBU Pharmaceuticals"), to begin the process of requesting an import license for the Company's psilocybin microdosing capsules. Red Light Holland is currently planning the next stages of taking their homogenized microdosing capsules to market, which include: Seeking approval of a fifth psilocybin import license from Health Canada, via CCrest Labs, to import a larger quantity of psilocybin truffles from the Company's farm in the Netherlands, which would be developed into a larger batch of homogenized microdosing capsules under established methodologies and protocols. Work with our Partners to obtain all licenses to export and sell the Company's fully homogenized capsules manufactured by CCrest Labs, a cGMP testing facility operating under Health Canada Controlled Substances Dealer's License and Drug Establishment License to potential emerging markets, clinical trials and other avenues in the legal microdosing market. Connecting to NUBU's network of medical Doctors to educate them about microdosing psilocybin, including sharing the Company's published report on psilocybin microdosing "A Basic Guide to Microdosing". (https://redlight.co/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Microdosing-report.pdf) "The Product Specification report, completed and signed by CCrest Laboratories, is a key document requested by NUBU Pharmaceuticals to help assist in importing Red Light Holland's products to Australia and New Zealand. As well, Red Light Holland remains extremely dedicated to working diligently, in full compliance with regulators, to have our GMP tested and produced natural psilocybin microdosing capsules enter emerging legal markets across the world," said Todd Shapiro, CEO and Director of Red Light Holland. "This report is one more step in the innovative R&D process working with natural psychedelics. Our partnership with Red Light Holland continues to pioneer new frontiers in the field, with the ultimate aim of assisting those who require it," added Alex Grenier, CEO of Shaman Pharma and President of CCrest Laboratories. The Company wishes to amend the announcement on December 11th, 2023, and clarify that after evaluating all data and calculating total amount of psilocin and psilocybin in capsules, shelf life for the capsules has been determined to be four months. About Red Light Holland Red Light Holland is an Ontario-based corporation engaged in the production, growth and sale of functional mushrooms and mushroom home grow kits in North America and Europe, and a premium brand of psilocybin truffles to the legal, recreational market within the Netherlands, in compliance with all applicable laws. For additional information on the Company: Todd Shapiro Chief Executive Officer & Director Tel: 647-643-TRIP (8747) Email: todd@redlight.co Website: www.RedLight.co About Shaman Pharma Corp. Shaman Pharma is a federally registered Canadian corporation with the mission to power outstanding psychedelic life science innovation. Accelerating time-to-market through its portfolio of assets, Shaman launches and consolidates revenue-driven pharma-biotech life sciences ventures focused on supplying psychedelic drugs & novel active ingredients. About NUBU Pharmaceuticals Formed in 2017, NUBU Pharmaceuticals (New Zealand's largest medicinal cannabis distribution company) specializes in the distribution of therapeutics from the new frontier of medicine, including cannabis and psychedelics. The company also develops New Zealand-made cannabis products for export markets, harnessing two of New Zealand's great strengths, its innovative culture and unique botanicals. For additional information on the Company: Mark Dye Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer Tel: +649-360 0204 Email: mark.dye@nubupharma.com Website: www.nubupharma.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's performance, business objectives and milestones and the anticipated timing thereof, and costs in connection with, the execution or achievement of such objectives and milestones, including its plans to continue seeking legal opportunities to increase responsible access to natural psilocybin around the world and NUBU Pharmaceutical's distribution of the Company's microsdosing capsules in Australasia; the Company and the Company's partners, including NUBU Pharmaceuticals and CCrest Laboratories, to maintain its stated licenses and obtain all necessary additional licenses and regulatory approval required for the Company to carry out its plans as described, including bringing a microdosing product that has the potential of helping many people; complete stability tests; certificate of analysis meeting requirements for medical grad; Government of Australia to down list psilocybin under its controlled substances list and under the stated timelines; the Company's continued commitment to its products for microdosing that can potentially be accessible in emerging legal markets worldwide; import license; future plans; finalizing report; connecting to NUBU network of medical docters, participating in clinical trails; and that the Company will provide updates with respect to its continued work with its partners on the microdosing capsules. Forward-Looking information in this press release are based on certain assumptions and expected future events, namely: the Company's ability to maintain or exceed its current performance, and carry out its business objectives and milestones and under the anticipated timing and costs in connection with, the execution or achievement of such objectives and milestones; the Company and the Company's partners' abilities, including NUBU Pharmaceuticals and CCrest Laboratories, to maintain its stated licenses and obtain all necessary additional licenses and regulatory approval required for the Company to carry out its plans as described; Complete stability tests; the ability of the Government of Australia and/or New Zealand and/or Canada to down list psilocybin under its controlled substances list and under the stated timelines; the ability for governments on all levels in Canada to allow research for Veterans and the Company's ability to donate to Veterans research;; the ability of NUBU Pharmaceuticals to receive an import license; the Company's ability to continue developing its products for microdosing that can potentially be accessible in emerging legal markets worldwide; future plans; finalizing report; connecting to NUBU network of medical docters, import license; participating in clinical trails; and the Company's ability to provide updates with respect to its continued work with its partners on the microdosing capsules. 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 Company's inability to maintain or exceed its current performance, and carry out its business objectives and milestones and under the anticipated timing and costs in connection with, the execution or achievement of such objectives and milestones; the Company and the Company's partners' inabilities, including NUBU Pharmaceuticals and CCrest Laboratories, to maintain its stated licenses and obtain all necessary additional licenses and regulatory approval required for the Company to carry out its plans as described; the inability for the Company to export it homogenized microdosing capsules, the potential for NUBU Pharmaceuticals to accept the COA and future reports by CCrest labs, the inability of the Government of Australia or Government of New Zealand to down list psilocybin under its controlled substances list and under the stated timelines; the Company's inability to continue developing its products for microdosing that can potentially be accessible in emerging legal markets worldwide; the Company's inability to provide updates with respect to its continued work with its partners on the microdosing capsules; 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 press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and reflect the Company's 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195258 SOURCE: Red Light Holland Corp. By Kelly Petrich NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc. Cisco was honored last year to win the top spot on People's 2023 List of Companies That Care, and a key factor was our employee culture of giving back. We've been on a multi-year journey to engage our employees for positive impact at scale. Four years in, the results surprised even us. Not only did we see significant increases in donations and volunteerism to our global communities, but tangible benefits back to Cisco. "We learned from Cisco's own business transformation to make giving back a habit." Leveraging Business Transformation for Employee Giving It all started with an audacious goal around 2016 to engage 80% of our employees in giving back annually by the year 2020. We diligently adopted best practices in the field such as offering year-round donation matching, raised annual match amounts to $25,000 per employee, and offered 40 hours of volunteer time off per year. These were an excellent foundation and edged our engagement up to 50%. Good, but not enough. The breakthrough came when we shifted to learn from Cisco's own business transformation and re-design around the question: How do we make giving back a habit? We landed on these design principles: Center on inclusion and make it simple for nonparticipants to take their first give back action. For example, we provided new hires with $15 donation credits to direct to their preferred charity on their first day at Cisco. for nonparticipants to take their first give back action. For example, we provided new hires with $15 donation credits to direct to their preferred charity on their first day at Cisco. Leverage digitization to engage at scale. From virtual volunteerism to Webex chatbots that encouraged people to donate, we deployed digital features to keep it top of mind, make it easy to get started, and keep coming back. From virtual volunteerism to Webex chatbots that encouraged people to donate, we deployed digital features to keep it top of mind, make it easy to get started, and keep coming back. Follow the data. In near real time, we tested new programs and approaches, tweaked campaigns and communications, and monitored adoption rates all to help us get the best fit for and connection with our people. We continued to iterate through 2019, and that year we hit our goal with 81% employee participation. Since then, we haven't looked back. We have been sustaining these rates, including an increase to 85% participation in fiscal year 2023. Hitting our goal felt like a feat unto itself, but what came out of it was even better-increased social impact and substantial business value. Let's look at the numbers. Leveraging Employee Giving for Social Impact Not surprisingly, engaging at scale grew our employee volunteerism and giving exponentially. From 2016 to 2020 when we first hit 80%, we saw a 176% increase in volunteer hours and a 150% increase in employee donations and matching. And each year that we've hit 80%, we have sustained record levels of contributions, providing a total of $130 million to over 7,000 nonprofits over the past four years. When you look closely at the nearly one million actions taken over these years, you see meaningful stories of change, like: 400 employees and friends hiking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain to raise funds for global cancer charities Six Cisco engineers designing and installing a network for homeless shelters in San Jose, California, so residents can access information and resources for a better life Cisco employee Daniel volunteers every week to take live calls with the Trevor Project to support LGBTQ+ youth experiencing crisis Leveraging Social Impact for Business Value Cisco's purpose is to Power an Inclusive Future for All, and at the heart of this is the belief that doing good for the world is good for business-and we have the data to prove that it is. With the help of Cisco's Research and Intelligence team, we conducted a longitudinal study to explore the relationship between giving back at Cisco and individual, leader, and team performance data. We examined the first three years of Cisco's 80% engagement data-who gave back, what they did, and how frequently-against performance data to analyze business factors like attrition, promotion, bonuses, and recognition. The results were eye-opening. Compared to employees who did not take any community impact action, those who took at least one per year stayed longer at Cisco, had higher bonuses, had higher odds of promotion, and received more recognition from others. The same held true for specific subgroups like teams, leaders, and new hires. For example, when a team collectively engaged in giving back, the whole team had higher rates of promotion and higher recognition. Particularly compelling was that when leaders engaged in giving back, their team was more likely to give back as well. Such leaders had 20% lower attrition rates for their teams than their non-engaged counterparts. Doing Good for the World is Good for Business When we put these elements together-social impact and business value-this is the foundation for building a purpose-driven employee culture. Our journey has helped us demonstrate that making a positive impact to our world also makes an incredibly positive impact for Cisco. And like any good story, the end is just the beginning. While we continue to engage at scale, we also invite our broader ecosystem of business partners, customers, and suppliers to join us. Check out our Partnering for Purpose blog stories for examples and contact us to share your story. View original content here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc. Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-inc Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com SUZHOU, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Suzhou Pinyu Precision Mechanical Co., Ltd., parent company of SOTSU, welcomed Michael Locher-Tjoa, COO of SAP Greater China on January 11, 2024. Mr. Locher-Tjoa met with Pinyu and SOTSU CEO Jerry Ruxun Dong while also touring Pinyu and SOTSU's manufacturing, design, engineering, assembly and operation facilities. Jerry introduced Pinyu and SOTSU's vision to Michael: "We create innovative products that help people travel lighter, move faster and learn easier. We want to build 'Made-in-China' into 'Designed-in-China' and 'Innovated-in-China.'" Jerry Ruxun Dong, CEO of Pinyu and SOTSU, shaking hands with Michael Locher-Tjoa, Chief Business Officer of SAP Greater China Pinyu recently launched SOTSU, the maker of SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16, the world's first even-bezel portable monitor, a premium portable monitor that is made with aerospace grade aluminum parts with a 270-degree pivot, comes with a SD slot and a detachable base stand along with two-way passthrough daisy chain charging capabilities. SOTSU is also the creator of SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game (TCG), the world's first popular manufacturing business TCG which combines real world manufacturing and business concepts creating a one-of-a-kind TCG, collector's item and an educational tool. "We do not stop at good enough, we benchmark ourselves against the very best in the world because we control the entire product cycle, from a blank piece of paper to scaled production and final assembly. SAP is the world's best ERP system. As we move forward with our digital transformation, we can count on SAP to be with us every step of the way. Putting it simply, SAP cares about its customers," says Jerry Ruxun Dong. For additional information, please contact Pr@Pinyu.co Website: www.pinyu.co; www.sotsu.com Contact Information SOTSU Brand pr@pinyu.co Related Images Jerry Ruxun Dong, CEO of Pinyu and SOTSU, shaking hands with Michael Locher-Tjoa, Chief Business Officer of SAP Greater China SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16 SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16, the world's first even-bezel portable monitor, a premium portable monitor that comes in three colorways: Universe Black, Granite Gray and Arctic Blue. SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game, the world's first popular manufacturing business TCG which combines real world manufacturing and business concepts creating a one-of-a-kind TCG, collector's item and an educational tool. SOURCE: Suzhou Pinyu Precision Mechanical Co., Ltd. View the original press release on newswire.com. Highlights: Smart Sensor Wearables Redefining Data Capture and Analysis Proprietary & Patented Neural Network Technology Allowing Life Sciences Researchers to harness rich, previously inaccessible data VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FWB:42FB), a leading company committed to acquiring and advancing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technologies that address urgent societal needs, is pleased to report that it has received the following press release from its majority-owned subsidiary, Health Gauge Inc.: Health Gauge Inc. proudly announces the launch of its innovative product, "The Pulse Whisperer" for Biometric Raw Signal Data. The Pulse Whisperer is a powerful tool designed for use by Life Science Researchers, providing them with unprecedented access to the raw biometric signals captured from smart sensor wearables, as well as the ability to utilize the raw data to help improve health outcomes through Health Gauge's unique and comprehensive suite of products. In a significant departure from conventional wearables like Apple Watches and FitBits, The Pulse Whisperer product suite encompasses Health Gauge's Smart Sensor Wearables, Device Firmware, SDK & APIs, and licensed access to Health Gauge's Proprietary and Patented Neural Network technology, all coupled with Health Gauge's scalable Biometric Platform for Life Sciences. Researchers can now harness rich, previously inaccessible data, opening new frontiers in health research. Paul Duffy, CEO of AI/ML Innovations Inc., expressed enthusiasm, "The Pulse Whisperer marks an important moment in health tech innovation. By providing researchers with unparalleled access to raw biometric signals, we empower them to delve deeper into the intricacies of human health. This aligns with our mission at AI/ML Innovations Inc. to advance technologies that address urgent societal needs". Mr. Duffy continued, "Feedback indicates that there is widespread need within the medical community for a product suite such as The Pulse Whisperer. We anticipate that early adopters to this product suite will include Life Sciences and Medical Researchers, Educational and Academic Research communities, Healthcare Technology Developers, Data Scientists in Healthcare, Biomedical Engineers, Pharmaceutical Companies and Government and Health Policy Makers." Real-Time Monitoring[1]: "With the competitive Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) market anticipated to grow to a global value of $187bn by 2028, the widespread adoption of interconnected devices and wearables that collect biometric data seems assured. Smartwatches and fitness trackers are just the first waves of technologies that are able to provide biometric research professionals with the ability to continuously monitor trial participants' vital signs, sleep patterns, and physical activity. The data science applications of the IoMT and real-time monitoring are immense. Large-scale data collection will allow researchers to aggregate and parse through vast amounts of biometric information, creating opportunities to improve healthcare outcomes and service provision across entire populations and the identification of disease patterns and trends that can be quickly responded to before they are spread too widely." (Source: Warman O'Brien 10:08:23) Bruce Matichuk, Co-founder and CTO of Health Gauge Inc., added, "The Pulse Whisperer reflects our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in health technology. It's not just a product; it's a gateway to a new era of understanding and leveraging biometric data for transformative research." About Health Gauge https://www.healthgauge.com/ Health Gauge, a majority-owned subsidiary of AI/ML Innovations Inc., is at the forefront of revolutionizing healthcare through the power of Health Intelligence. With a commitment to leveraging technology for human well-being, Health Gauge provides cutting-edge solutions for personalized health insights. About AI/ML Innovations Inc. https://aiml-innovations.com/ AI/ML Innovations Inc. has realigned its business operations to capitalize on the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), with an initial investment focus on emerging digital health and wellbeing companies that leverage AI, ML, cloud computing and digital platforms to drive transformative healthcare management solutions and precision support delivery across the health continuum. Through strategic partnerships with Health Gauge (95.2% owned by AIML), Tech2Heal (up to 22% ownership rights, with 12.44% currently owned by AIML), AI Rx Inc. (70% owned by AIML) and other planned accretive investments, the Company continues to capitalize on expanding growth areas, to the benefit of all the Company's stakeholders. AI/ML's shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "AIML", the OTCQB Venture Market under "AIMLF", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under "42FB". On behalf of the Board of Directors Tim Daniels, Executive Chairman For more information about AI/ML Innovations : For detailed information please see AI/ML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedarplus.ca For further information, contact: Blake Fallis at (778) 405-0882 or info@aiml-innovations.com Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For AI/ML Innovations Investors Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, AI/ML Innovations' expectations concerning management's plans, objectives, and strategies, including strategies for defending the Company's intellectual property. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. AI/ML Innovations Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or circumstances or otherwise except as expressly required by applicable securities law. Further information regarding the uncertainties and risks can be found in the disclosure documents filed by AI/ML with the securities regulatory authorities, available at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: AI/ML Innovations Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Las Vegas Sands Las Vegas Sands With a capacity-building investment from Sands Cares, the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) has created a series of events, awareness programs and engagement initiatives to increase access to medical and social services among Southern Nevada's diverse Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Announced in mid-2023, the latest round of Sands Cares funding for ACDC continued support for the Healthy Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Medical Center and the API Language Link, which provide critical in-language health and social services to the Southern Nevada AAPI community. Since that time, ACDC has used the Sands Cares investment to create a series of community health and wellness events to boost awareness of the medical center's services and drive visits. ACDC co-hosted more than 40 events that delivered health screenings, wellness information and 2,000 vaccines to 1,500 clients. The nonprofit planned events at venues trusted by the Southern Nevada AAPI community, including grocery stores, the Uu Dam Pagoda Vietnamese Temple, Northern Nevada Muslim Community Center and the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Center. Medical center staff and care providers communicated with attendees in their preferred languages to explain services available to them. According to ACDC, health and wellness events at these locations have been a successful strategy, driving more than 250 patients in 2023 to seek care at the HAPI Medical Center - in the language with which they feel most comfortable. ACDC also has pursued expansion of its API Language Link with Sands Cares funding. In 2021, Sands enabled ACDC to launch the language service, which connects Southern Nevada AAPI community members to a variety of social services. With Sands Cares' most recent investment, ACDC has expanded the language link to include nine language specialists who can provide support in 10 languages. The API Language Link connects community members to health care services at the HAPI Medical Center and ACDC's other direct service locations, including a culturally sensitive food distribution warehouse in Las Vegas and a second community resource center in Reno, Nevada. ACDC followed a strategy similar to the health and wellness community engagement series to expand its food outreach efforts by planning a series of pop-up events in trusted places where the organization provided food staples and supplies. Venues included the Buddhaya Nandharam Temple, the Wat Buddhica Khmer Temple, the Diwali Food Distribution and a partnership with the Filipino American Educators of Nevada (FAME) for a holiday food distribution event. API Language Link staff were on site at the pop-up events to educate about the array of services ACDC offers. Through the food outreach series, the nonprofit provided nearly 2,500 families and nearly 6,000 individuals with food supplies. "Sands Cares has made it possible for us to pursue a robust slate of events in the places where our community members feel most comfortable so we can further establish the HAPI Medical Center and the API Language Link as trusted resources for our communities," Vida Lin, founder and president of ACDC, said. "We are grateful that Sands understands the need for in-language services to increase access to critical resources. The Sands Cares support we received has helped ensure we reach as many people as possible with the broad array of services we provide." ACDC's mission is to improve the overall well-being of AAPI communities through initiatives spanning food assistance, voter registration, health insurance support, pathways to citizenship and health care. Since 2021, Sands has provided $425,000 to support this mission through the HAPI Medical Center and API Language Link. The company's partnership with ACDC is representative of Sands Cares' focus on providing hardship relief and enabling underserved groups, including diverse communities, to overcome barriers and gain access to critical and empowering services. To learn more about Sands' community engagement initiatives, read the company's latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/2022-environmental-social-and-governance-report/ ACDC language staff assisting community members at community outreach events View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Las Vegas Sands on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Las Vegas Sands Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/las-vegas-sands Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Las Vegas Sands View the original press release on accesswire.com - Expanded Board of Independent Directors to Support Growing Domestic and International Operations and Potential National Stock Exchange Listing - AVENTURA, FL / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Safe Pro Group Inc. ("Safe Pro" or the "Company"), a U.S.-based developer of safety and security solutions for people and infrastructure, today announced that it has added Colonel (Ret.) Lee Van Arsdale to its Board of Directors as it continues to advance its planned listing on a national stock exchange in 2024. Colonel (Ret.) Lee Van Arsdale is a distinguished member of the U.S. armed forces serving for over 25 years in the Army including multiple tours of duty with the Special Forces and Special Missions unit. He has been decorated for valor with the Silver Star and received a Purple Heart. After his retirement from active duty, Col. Van Arsdale was a senior business executive and entrepreneurial leader, serving in positions including as Chief Executive Officer of Triple Canopy Inc. (a Constellis company), an integrated security solutions company, and as the Chief Executive Officer of Creative Radicals, a data analytics software solutions company. "We are honored that Lee has agreed to join Safe Pro Group's board as we experience increased business development opportunities both domestically and internationally in response to the events currently unfolding around the world. Lee's proven military leadership experience combined with his business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit makes him an ideal addition to our Board of Directors," said Dan Erdberg, Chairman and CEO of Safe Pro Group. "The team at Safe Pro Group has built a unique and powerful portfolio of capabilities featuring advanced artificial intelligence applications, high-performance, American-made ballistic protection products, and the innovative use of drone technologies to detect landmines utilizing machine learning as a critical tool to support end users on the ground around the world. Together, these solutions can play a vital role in helping support the evolving security and safety needs of customers in the Government and commercial sectors worldwide and I am honored to join the team and look forward to realizing a shared vision for a safer and more secure future," added Colonel (Ret.) Lee Van Arsdale. Colonel (Ret.) Van Arsdale's military career as a soldier includes assignments in U.S. Army Special Forces, with 11 years spent in a U.S. Army Special Mission Unit. Over his 25-year Army career, Colonel (Ret.) Van Arsdale served in three combat zones in leadership positions, and participated in numerous classified operations, on a global scale. Following his military career, Col. Van Arsdale was also the Assistant General Manager for National Security Response at the Bechtel Nevada Corporation; the founder and president of Unconventional Solutions, Inc., a private consulting firm, and was the founding Executive Director of the University of Nevada Las Vegas Institute for Security Studies. He currently serves on the boards of several companies. Col. Van Arsdale received the Excellence in Writing Award from the Army War College Foundation for a paper entitled "The Use of Special Operations Forces in the Counter-proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction" and is a recipient of the Combat infantryman's Badge, Master Paratrooper Wings, Master Military Freefall Wings, Air Assault Wings, Ranger tab, and Special Forces tab in addition to the Silver Star and Purple Heart. He is a graduate from the U.S. Armed Forces Staff College and U.S. Army War College and received an M.S. from the University of Colorado and a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He has been named a Distinguished Graduate of West Point, and a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment. Colonel (Ret.) Van Arsdale joins Safe Pro Group's other independent directors on its Board including: Lieutenant General (Ret.) John E. Miller Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Ret.), John E. Miller is a decorated combat veteran who has served over 34 years in the U.S. Army, most recently as the Deputy Commanding General of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Army's first digitized command and control system in a combat brigade. Lt. Gen. Miller served as a Divisional President for L-3 Communication providing linguist, intelligence analyst and technical support for deployed forces in 13 countries. Major General (Ret.) Arthur T. Dean Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.) Arthur Dean served over 31 years in the U.S. Army most recently as Director of Military Personnel Management, HQ Dept of Army and Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel & Installation Management, U.S. Army Forces Command. Maj. Gen. Dean served as a member for the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Health (NIH). For more information about Safe Pro Group, its subsidiaries, and technologies, please visit https://safeprogroup.com/ and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. About Safe Pro Group Inc. Safe Pro Group has strategically acquired and assembled best-of-breed Drone services, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and ballistic protection manufacturing companies enabling it to provide the industry's first turnkey solution for next generation demining. Safe Pro is led by a team of Executives and Subject Matter Experts (SME) drawn from the Government and Commercial sectors dedicated to assembling unique safety and security technologies and solutions. Through a layered approach to the development and integration of advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning, drone-based remote sensing technologies and services, and personal protective gear, Safe Pro Group can provide Governments, Enterprises and NGOs with innovative solutions designed to respond to evolving threats. For more information on Safe Pro Group Inc., please visit https://safeprogroup.com/. Media Relations for Safe Pro Group Inc.: Michael Glickman 917-397-2272 mglickman@safeprogroup.com SOURCE: Safe Pro Group Inc. View the original press release on accesswire.com NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Equum Medical announces an initiative with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), addressing the pressing healthcare challenges faced by underserved populations in rural Mississippi through innovative telehealth solutions. This initiative marks a significant effort toward healthcare accessibility and quality for all by coupling the pillars of telehealth: people, process and technology. A significant portion of Mississippi's population resides in rural and remote areas, where healthcare access remains a persistent challenge. The Delta Region, in particular, faces economic and infrastructure disparities, resulting in limited access to quality healthcare services. Rural hospitals in these areas often struggle with limited financial resources, severe physician shortages and restricted access to specialized care. UMMC has emerged as a pioneering institution in the field of telehealth, aiming to address the critical healthcare challenges faced by the rural population in Mississippi, particularly in the Delta Region. In 2017 UMMC was recognized as one of only two federally designated Centers of Excellence in Telehealth, and with this designation, UMMC is tasked by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to explore innovative ways to advance telemedicine practice. Telehealth has emerged as a transformative approach to bridge the healthcare gap in rural areas. By utilizing technology, telehealth enables healthcare professionals to reach patients remotely, providing consultations, diagnoses and treatment recommendations. For a market like Mississippi, ensuring adequate provider availability is a specific requirement to support telehealth program services and scale. Enter Equum Medical and Dynamic Virtual Resourcing; dynamic resourcing involves the real-time allocation of healthcare professionals and resources based on patient needs, demand fluctuations and service availability. Equum Medical CEO Dr. Corey Scurlock expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying, "Equum Medical is proud to work with the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the effort to transform rural healthcare. We have a shared vision of leveraging technology to overcome barriers to healthcare access." The initiative is expected to not only provide essential high-acuity care services to underserved populations but also serve as a reference tool for others seeking to replicate the model of comprehensive telehealth integration and dynamic resource allocation. About Equum Medical Equum Medical is a nationally recognized, tech-enabled clinical services company that provides the people and processes that ensure investments in telehealth technology succeed in transforming inpatient care. Equum's clinical services platform focuses on the acute care population spanning ED, ICU, nursing, sitter and telemetry services solutions. For 2024, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has designated Equum Medical as its exclusive Health Information Technology Coalition Partner and Equum Medical continues to be a partner and Gold member of the NRHA. Learn more here at www.equummedical.com. Contact Karsten Russell-Wood Chief Marketing Officer, Equum Medical karsten.russell-wood@equummedical.com SOURCE: Equum Medical View the original press release on accesswire.com Vilnius, Lietuva, 2024-01-23 14:45 CET -- Click here to join the meeting Identification of the person in the Meeting 1. Person attending the Meeting and having the right to vote, and depending on the situation, will have to provide (show) to the Trustee: (i) an identity document - passport or identity card; (ii) if the legal person is being represented by a person acting under the Articles of Association - an extract from the national or foreign register of legal entities (if not in Lithuanian or English, shall be translated to Lithuanian or English) not older than 10 days, and, if applicable, procuration; (iii) a confirmation that the Power of Attorney submitted to the Trustee has not been revoked, or if due to unforeseen circumstances, the Power of Attorney has not been submitted to the Trustee, the Power of Attorney; (iv) a confirmation that the agreement on transfer of voting rights submitted to the Trustee has not been terminated or have not ended on other grounds, or if due to unforeseen circumstances, the agreement on transfer of voting rights has not been submitted to the Trustee, the agreement on transfer of voting rights. 2. An identity and if applicable, right to vote (basis of representation), in compliance with data protection requirements, will be determined during the Meeting, by Trustee creating separate virtual rooms on "Microsoft Teams". 3. Please consider that the Trustee shall have the right to ask any attendee of the Meeting to provide copies of the respective documents by e-mail address obligacijos@audifina.lt. Therefore, each attendee of the Meeting shall prepare copies of the respective documents in advance. DZ Bank AG - Pre-Stabilisation Notice PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 23 DZ BANK AG Frankfurt am Main - Pre Stabilisation RNS Number: residue number system Frankfurt am Main, 23. January 2024 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Pre-Stabilisation Notice European Union (EU) DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: European Union (EU) Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: Size: currently outstanding EUR 12.812 bn Description: 3.00%, due 04. March 2053 Offer price: [x]% Other offer terms: Fixed, Annual, Act/Act, ISIN EU000A3K4DY4 Stabilisation: DZ BANK Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: BofA/CA-CIB/Citi/DZ BANK/NatWest Stabilisation period expected to start on: 23 January 2024 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State. Announces Fully Portable Bot Defense for Any Web Application Firewall and New Bot Defense Data in ThreatScope Mobile XDR REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Appdome, the mobile app economy's one-stop shop for mobile app defense, announced extensions to its groundbreaking MOBILEBot Defense product, making it fully portable to any web application firewall (WAF). These extensions save mobile brands millions of dollars, extend the useful life of existing WAF infrastructures and drive down the cost to extend bot defense to the mobile channel. Appdome's MOBILEBot Defense product is the industry's only comprehensive anti-bot defense solution built-from-the-ground-up for mobile apps. It offers mobile brands multi-layered bot detection, intelligence and defense all in one solution, easily protecting the mobile channel from 100+ attack vectors including fake apps, weaponized apps, malware-controlled apps, bot attacks, credential stuffing, DDoS and account takeovers (ATOs). It requires no SDK, no coding, and no added servers to deploy, and is fully compatible with all coding languages and frameworks used in mobile app development. With the new line up of extensions announced today, Appdome's MOBILEBot Defense product now works seamlessly with any WAF used in a mobile brand's network. "Most mobile brands have heterogeneous WAF environments or are looking to change, add or upgrade only part of their WAF environment," said Tom Tovar, CEO and co-creator of Appdome. "By combining no-code, no-SDK and no-server value proposition with full portability for bot defense, brands now have the operational flexibility to extend bot defense to the mobile channel without forklift upgrades to the entire WAF environment." Unlike other anti-bot products, Appdome MOBILEBot Defense can be used with any cloud, hosted or on-premises WAF including Akamai WAF, Cloudflare WAF, Fastly WAF, F5 WAF, Radware WAF, AWS WAF and more. MOBILEBot Defense does not require an SDK, mobile app code changes or any servers and offers full support for all mobile languages and frameworks, including Obj-C, C+, Java, JS, C#, C++, Swift, Kotlin, Flutter, React Native, Unity, Xamarin, Maui, Cordova and more. "In today's challenging economic environment, everybody is looking to do more with less," said Richard Stiennon, Chief Research Analyst, IT-Harvest. "Appdome's breadth of threat signals and attack coverage and its ability to work with any WAF leveraging existing investment, coupled with its no-code, effortless delivery, method enables dev and cyber teams to automate the implementation of all required mobile app defenses, whether it be mobile anti-bot, mobile app security, anti-fraud, malware protection, or threat intelligence - all from a single platform. The best security solutions simplify." As part of its announcement, Appdome also released real-time visibility of bot attacks in its ThreatScope Mobile XDR. The new bot detection and analytics service allows mobile brands to measure, track, investigate, report, and respond to threats and attacks across the WAF infrastructure, providing SOC-class visibility into mobile bot attacks and threats with full drill-down on attacks against specific apps, devices, OSs, releases, and more, all without a separate analytics package, SDK or device agent. "Portability and visibility offer a ton of financial advantages for brands with a significant or growing mobile app installed base," said Chris Roeckl, chief product officer at Appdome. "Where other anti-bot products force developers into siloed offerings using SDKs that work only with the SDK vendor's WAF. Appdome's bot defense allows brands to preserve the existing WAF investment, unify visibility and response to bot activity across WAFs and solve bot defense and WAF infrastructure separately." Visit Appdome's web site to learn more about MOBILEBot Defense, and about Appdome's support for WAF providers including Akamai, AWS Virtual Server, Azure Virtual Server, Cloudflare, Fastly, Google Cloud Platform, Imperva, Radware and F5. About Appdome Appdome, the mobile app economy's one-stop shop for mobile app defense, is on a mission to protect every mobile app in the world and the people who use mobile apps in their lives and at work. Appdome provides the mobile industry's only mobile application Cyber Defense Automation platform, powered by a patented arti?cial-intelligence based coding engine, Threat-Events Threat-Aware UX/UI Control and ThreatScope Mobile XDR. Using Appdome, mobile brands eliminate complexity, save money, and deliver 300+ Certified Secure mobile app security, anti-malware, anti-fraud, MOBILEBot Defense, anti-cheat, MiTM attack prevention, code obfuscation and other protections in Android and iOS apps with ease, all inside the mobile DevOps and CI/CD pipeline. Leading ?nancial, healthcare, mobile games, government, and m-commerce brands use Appdome to protect Android and iOS apps, mobile customers and mobile businesses globally. Appdome holds several patents including U.S. Patents 9,934,017 B2, 10,310,870 B2, 10,606,582 B2, 11,243,748 B2 and 11,294,663 B2. Additional patents pending. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/772169/AppDome_Logo_9_27_23.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/appdome-extends-mobile-bot-defense-leadership-302041464.html From secondments to full-service legal support across 12 practice areas, Axiom now serves more than 60% of the Fortune 100 with 95% client satisfaction NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One year ago today, Axiom launched Axiom Advice & Counsel (AA&C), a modern law firm that leverages Axiom's highly qualified, on-demand attorneys across 12 practice areas-all at a fraction of the rates charged by national law firms. The creation of AA&C, an Arizona law firm, extends Axiom's 23-year history of legal services innovation, creating a new type of firm that can work with Axiom's thousands of lawyers-many of whom are Am Law 100 alumni-and all who are unencumbered by billable hours requirements and the traditional partner pyramid. AA&C has seen steady momentum during the past 12 months, hiring four partners and four additional team members. The firm has been engaged by clients of all types-from Fortune 50 enterprises to growing startups, for a wide range of use cases and matters ranging from interim general counsel services to privacy, litigation, M&A, and more. AA&C is a prime example of the impact Arizona's pioneering Supreme Court decision1 is having on enabling alternative business structured (ABS) law firms. "Axiom offers exactly the new paradigm the industry needs," said James Turoff, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of The Hershey Company. "We greatly value the relationships we have with our traditional outside counsel, and they will always play a key role in our legal strategy, but Axiom's innovative model-focused on value and flexible service delivery-is ideal for our everyday legal needs. With Axiom's addition of AA&C to its portfolio, there's now a single vendor who can provide the full spectrum of services that in-house legal departments need today: partner-level expertise at favorable rates, plus access to an ecosystem of thousands of vetted legal professionals." Axiom now provides the industry with the broadest range of high-quality legal talent across a spectrum of In-House Solutions and Law Firm Services, all of which help companies better manage their risk and the variability of work requirements to increase capacity and optimize their budgets: In-House Solutions, Delivered by Axiom Top-quality talent drawn from Axiom's global network of legal professionals with in-house and Am Law 200 experience. Only 3% (3 out of 100) of attorneys who apply are accepted through Axiom's rigorous vetting process. Secondments to fill strategic, temporary talent needs, with talent available on full or part-time basis. Specialized advice from experienced, world-class lawyers who average 18 years of post-qualified experience (PQE). Clients can send work as needed and get on-demand availability of legal talent. Large projects that require teams of lawyers and coordination by an experienced leader. Law Firm Services, Delivered by Axiom Advice & Counsel A law firm built to fit today's in-house budgets, with rates 25% lower than national law firms, extending Axiom's decades-long focus on unbeatable client value. Partner relationships with oversight and accountability. Managed teams providing quality outcomes, delivery management, and enhanced reporting. Scalability and affordability working with Axiom's network of experienced lawyers, including many in-house counsel and Am Law 100 alumni. Fractional or full-time General Counsel services. Support across 12 practice areas, including litigation. With more than 1,500 clients across North America, Europe, and Asia, Axiom today serves over 60% of the Fortune 100 with 95% client satisfaction. In fact, 90% of clients surveyed say Axiom lawyers are as good or better than their law firm lawyers. "Our accelerating momentum is driven by our clients' need for a new, value-based delivery model from their law firms and legal service providers," said Catherine Kemnitz, Chief Strategy and Development Officer at Axiom. "It's clear that clients are in pain. Big law rates keep going up, in-house budgets keep going down. Companies recognize that the old model, which focused on profits per partner supported by ever-increasing rates, is out of step with today's business realities. Our clients need an agile legal services partner who can help them manage their risk and legal matters in a far more cost-effective way, and that's exactly what we've built Axiom to do." Indeed, despite relatively flat demand, Big Law continues to drive sharp hikes in billing rates, according to analysts at Wells Fargo's Legal Specialty Group. Law firm rates rose, on average, by 7.9% by the third quarter of 2023, the highest percentage rate uptick since the Great Recession 15 years ago.2 Meanwhile, workloads and regulatory complexity for enterprise, mid-sized, and small business in-house legal teams continued to rise while budgets shrank. Legal departments are under immense pressure to do more with less, with 70% reporting higher matter volumes, and 66% reporting their budgets are flat or declining.3 "You no longer have to do more with less," said Kimberly Burke, General Counsel of Cerapedics Inc. "Companies today need to do more for less, and Axiom is heeding that call. They've become a true extension of our in-house team. They offer outstanding, experienced in-house attorneys who are skilled in the practice areas we need and able to speak the language of our business, and they're far more cost-effective than the traditional big law firm. With their help, we've been able to undertake a large volume of strategic projects while meeting our budget goals this year." Today's Axiom provides a simple, technology-enabled, AI-enhanced process to help companies of all sizes-with or without in-house counsel-quickly find the most efficient and effective way to meet their immediate or long-term legal needs. "Axiom is uniquely positioned to help legal organizations thrive," said David McVeigh, CEO of Axiom. "Our north star has always been to drive disruptive innovation, improve access to quality counsel, and spur value realization in law. Today, with the largest and most comprehensive portfolio of solutions and services in the market, we're doing just that. We're giving business and legal leaders a full array of in-house solutions and the industry's first and only on-demand law firm that puts their business and budget first. We'll continue to invest in the technologies, solutions and services, and quality talent that our clients need, as the industry continues to evolve." About Axiom Advice & Counsel Located in Arizona, Axiom Advice & Counsel (AA&C) is setting a new standard for the modern law firm. From prioritizing clients and the lawyer experience, to finding the right legal talent for the right legal matter, AA&C's approach to the law firm model provides clients with better value for every dollar spent on outside counsel. AA&C represents a diverse set of clients, ranging from growing mid-market businesses to global multinationals with large in-house teams. The firm focuses on corporate law including general counsel services, real estate, labor and employment, mergers and acquisitions, data privacy, intellectual property, and regulatory matters. For more information, please visit https://www.axiomadviceandcounsel.com. About Axiom Axiom is where high-caliber legal talent meets full-service law firm work. We invented the alternative legal services industry 23 years ago and now serve more than 1,500 legal departments globally, including 60% of the Fortune 100, with 95% client satisfaction. Axiom gives small, mid-market, and enterprise clients a single trusted provider who can deliver a full spectrum of legal solutions and services across more than a dozen practice areas and all major industries at rates up to 50% less than national law firms. To learn how Axiom can help your legal departments do more for less, visit www.axiomlaw.com 1https://www.natlawreview.com/article/arizona-s-new-alternative-business-structures-law-alive-and-kickin 2https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2023/11/16/billing-rates-accelerated-again-big-law-will-likely-keep-foot-on-the-pedal 3https://generalcounselnews.com/legal-departments-see-higher-matter-volumes-but-flat-or-declining-budgets-thomson-reuters-2023-legal-department-operations-index Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324178/Axiom_Hersheys_Interview_Highlight_Reel_v8.mp4 Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324179/Axiom_AnthemExt_Short_NewSoundtrack.mp4 Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324175/Axiom_logo_Logo_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324177/Axiom_2024_Flyer.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324176/Axiom_Advice_and_Counsel_Original_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/axiom-marks-first-full-year-of-innovative-law-firm-practice-now-offers-industrys-broadest-array-of-law-firm-services-and-solutions-302041525.html The Company to present updated clinical research results and developments of its non-invasive blood glucose monitor Know Labs, Inc. (NYSE American: KNW), an emerging developer of non-invasive medical diagnostic technology, today announced the company will be exhibiting at the International Fair of New Technologies in Diabetes at the 17th International Conference on Advanced Technologies Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD) in Florence, Italy on March 6-9, 2024. The Company will share updates on the latest developments of its non-invasive blood glucose monitor and present results from its ongoing clinical research, with two abstracts accepted for e-poster presentation in the scientific program. These results will be presented by Dr. Virend K. Somers of the Mayo Clinic, who serves as an author and co-investigator on Know Labs' current clinical research protocol. The protocol assesses the accuracy of the Know Labs radiofrequency (RF) sensor for non-invasive blood glucose measurement in participants with prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes using venous blood as comparative reference. During the conference Know Labs will sponsor an invitation-only luncheon hosted by Children With Diabetes (CWD) where key thought leaders in the diabetes management field will discuss non-invasive glucose monitoring innovation. For more information on Know Labs, visit www.knowlabs.co. About Know Labs, Inc. Know Labs, Inc. is a public company whose shares trade on the NYSE American Exchange under the stock symbol "KNW." The Company's platform technology uses spectroscopy to direct electromagnetic energy through a substance or material to capture a unique molecular signature. The technology can be integrated into a variety of wearable, mobile or bench-top form factors. This patented and patent-pending technology makes it possible to effectively identify and monitor analytes that could only previously be performed by invasive and/or expensive and time-consuming lab-based tests. The first application of the technology will be in a product marketed as a non-invasive glucose monitor. The device will provide the user with accessible and affordable real-time information on blood glucose levels. This product will require U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance prior to its introduction to the market. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains statements that constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These statements appear in a number of places in this release and include all statements that are not statements of historical fact regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of Know Labs, Inc., its directors or its officers with respect to, among other things: (i) financing plans; (ii) trends affecting its financial condition or results of operations; (iii) growth strategy and operating strategy; and (iv) performance of products. You can identify these statements by the use of the words "may," "will," "could," "should," "would," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "continue," "estimate," "project," "intend," "likely," "forecast," "probable," "potential," and similar expressions and variations thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Know Labs, Inc.'s ability to control, and actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. These risks and uncertainties also include such additional risk factors as are discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2023, Forms 10-Q and 8-K, and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These documents are available on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of our website at www.knowlabs.co. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123862937/en/ Contacts: For Know Labs Media Inquiries: Matter Health Abby Mayo Knowlabs@matternow.com Ph. (617) 272-0592 Know Labs, Inc.: Jordyn Hujar jordyn@knowlabs.co Ph. (206) 629-6414 DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / iRewardify, a leading global provider of reward and incentive solutions, today announced the addition of Chief Technology Officer Todd McGuire to its team. Photo Caption: Todd McGuire A technology executive with 25 years of experience leading product and technology teams, McGuire looks forward to creating a next-generation fintech platform that is "more efficient and powerful than the existing rewards and incentives tools on the market, many of which were designed years ago with legacy technology." McGuire adds, "This role is very exciting to me because it's a rare opportunity as a cloud solutions architect to have a clean canvas to design the technology infrastructure to meet the demands of iRewardify's API-first business model. We are starting with our partners' needs in mind, so that real-time transactions, customized reward messaging, and powerful data analytics are available to the business leaders who want to partner with iRewardify in the incentive space." Since its debut in the incentive marketplace in 2023, iRewardify has focused on providing a comprehensive solution that goes beyond typical gift card offerings, providing options such as instant payments, branded merchandise, and premium experiences, according to incentive industry veteran and founder Rick Rubin. McGuire will be tasked with leading the technology design for iRewardify's next-generation fintech platform, including the development of industry-leading Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to provide a seamless reward fulfillment engine for B2B partners. "Throughout my various encounters and experiences in past roles, I have yet to encounter an individual with such a brilliant mind, who consistently demonstrates strategic thinking," says Rubin. "Todd's unparalleled intellect and strategic mindset make him an outstanding Chief Technology Officer and partner. I am genuinely honored to welcome him to our team. His distinctive capability to develop next-generation technologies with strategic foresight positions him as the leader in shaping iRewardify's future for years to come." McGuire's expertise spans industries including e-commerce, healthcare, professional services, manufacturing and hospitality. A graduate of the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business, he has been awarded patents in the United States and Australia for remote patient monitoring and data visualization systems. His incentive experience includes building behavioral economics platforms that generate real-time rewards for participants in health management programs. iRewardify serves businesses of all sizes, from those looking to transform their reward systems to retailers seeking to enlarge their gift card portfolios. Since its founding, iRewardify has garnered a client portfolio that includes organizations with transactions totaling tens of millions of dollars in annualized sales. The company has quickly established itself as a leader in connecting businesses and brands to enhance engagement, drive revenue, and boost productivity. Visit https://irewardify.com to learn more. Media Contact: info@iRewardify.com SOURCE: iRewardify View the original press release on accesswire.com TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Core State Holdings, Corp., a leading innovator in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency solutions, today announced the launch of its pioneering cryptocurrency Crowdfunding module on PTPShopy. This new feature offers entrepreneurs, non-profits, charities, influencers, and creators a dynamic platform for fundraising using cryptocurrency, marking a significant advancement in digital commerce. Similar to 'Buy Me a Coffee' and 'Patreon', the PTPShopy Crowdfunding module reforms the way projects and ideas are funded. It provides a user-friendly and secure environment for businesses and individuals to raise necessary funds via direct Crowdfunding and Donation-Based Crowdfunding. With its global reach and crypto-friendly nature, the module ensures that projects can connect with supporters worldwide. Key features of the module include effortless fundraising, a cryptocurrency payment gateway for secure transactions, and customizable campaign options. It also boasts real-time analytics, allowing campaigners to track the progress and adjust strategies accordingly. "PTPShopy's Crowdfunding module is designed to empower businesses and creators," said Daniel Cheine, Founder and Director of Business Development at Core State Holdings, Corp. "We are excited to offer a tool that not only simplifies the fundraising process but also expands the possibilities for global support through cryptocurrency." The launch of this module aligns with Core State Holdings, Corp.'s mission to innovate and expand the accessibility of blockchain technologies. It paves the way for a new era of community-driven support and project financing. For more information about the PTPShopy Crowdfunding module and to start your campaign, visit PTPShopy Crowdfunding. About Core State Holdings, Corp. Core State Holdings, Corp., based in Ontario, Canada, is a software development company specializing in blockchain services and products since 2017. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Core State Holdings, Corp. is committed to advancing the global mass adoption of cryptocurrencies. CONTACT: ocheine@cannasos.com SOURCE: Core State Holdings, Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Result of AGM PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 23 23 January 2024 Finsbury Growth & Income Trust PLC (the "Company") Result of Annual General Meeting The Board is pleased to announce that at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on Tuesday, 23 January 2024, all resolutions as detailed below were duly passed by shareholders on a poll. Resolutions Votes For % Votes Against % Total Votes Cast VotesWithheld 1. To receive the Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 30 September 2023. 81,134,252 99.95 38,765 0.05 81,173,017 83,505 2. To re-elect Simon Hayes as a Director of the Company. 78,348,850 98.55 1,149,669 1.45 79,498,519 1,758,002 3. To re-elect James Ashton as a Director of the Company. 79,878,288 98.57 1,159,093 1.43 81,037,381 219,140 4. To re-elect Kate Cornish-Bowden as a Director of the Company. 79,902,522 98.60 1,132,174 1.40 81,034,696 221,825 5. To re-elect Sandra Kelly as a Director of the Company. 79,903,455 98.60 1,133,098 1.40 81,036,553 219,968 6. To re-elect Pars Purewal as a Director of the Company. 72,276,455 89.23 8,726,791 10.77 81,003,246 253,275 7. To re-elect Lorna Tilbian as a Director of the Company. 72,372,708 89.31 8,666,887 10.69 81,039,595 216,926 8. To receive and approve the Directors' Remuneration Report for the year ended 30 September 2023. 80,902,238 99.77 184,178 0.23 81,086,416 169,856 9. To authorise the Audit Committee to determine the remuneration of the Auditors of the Company. 81,108,060 99.94 51,009 0.06 81,159,069 97,453 10. To receive and approve the Company's Dividend Policy, as set out in the Annual Report. 81,034,066 99.90 78,763 0.10 81,112,829 143,693 11. To authorise the increase of the maximum aggregate amount payable to Directors. 79,955,810 98.67 1,081,134 1.33 81,036,944 219,578 12. To allot securities in the Company. 81,090,349 99.91 76,556 0.09 81,166,905 89,617 13#. To disapply the rights of pre-emption in relation to the allotment of securities. 80,956,559 99.76 194,376 0.24 81,150,935 105,587 14#. To disapply pre-emption rights on the sale of Treasury Shares and to sell Treasury Shares at a premium to the net asset value per share. 80,799,783 99.54 370,719 0.46 81,170,502 86,020 15#. To authorise the Company to make market purchases of Ordinary shares in the Company. 79,059,678 97.40 2,113,347 2.60 81,173,025 83,497 16#. Cancellation of Share Premium Account. 81,095,047 99.92 64,769 0.08 81,159,816 96,706 17#. That the Directors be permitted to call General Meetings (excluding the AGM) on not less than 14 clear days' notice. 80,783,543 99.55 368,386 0.45 81,151,929 104,593 # - Special Resolution A vote Withheld is not a vote in law and is not counted in the calculation of the proportion of votes "For" and "Against" a resolution. Notes: Any proxy votes which are at the discretion of the Chairman have been included in the "for" total. A vote withheld is not a vote in law and is not counted in the votes for or against a resolution. As at the date of the Annual General Meeting, the total number of voting rights in the Company was 196,008,422. The Company had 28,982,881 ordinary shares held in Treasury. The full text of the resolutions can be found in the Notice of Annual General Meeting, which is available for viewing at the National Storage Mechanism and can be located at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism and on the Company's website, www.finsburygt.com In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.2 and Listing Rule 9.6.3, the full text of the resolutions passed has been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism . Resolutions 11 to 17 will additionally be filed with Companies House. Terms not otherwise defined in this announcement have the meaning given to them in the Notice of Meeting. For further information, please contact: BEIJING, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The white tern, with black eyes and a black, sharp bill, is a scarce migrant seabird that is completely white. Although widespread around the Pacific, white terns breed only in and around the urban area of Honolulu, Hawaii, which explains why they are called "the official bird of Honolulu". In Zhongshan, a sister city of Honolulu, nearly 250 bird species have been recorded so far, and this number is expected to rise year on year thanks to its perfect location in Guangdong province, home to the longest coastline in China. It serves as an important refueling station for shore birds. Have white terns ever visited Zhongshan? How does Zhongshan preserve its ecological environment to attract so many birds to stop by, settle down and breed there? In this video, China Matters and bird photographer Nicholas Ludovic Green head to Zhongshan Cuiheng National Wetland Park, which boasts a sizable shorebird record, eager to look for the figure of white terns. During the visit, they are learning more about the measures the wetland park has taken to enrich the diversity of species. Also, it's intriguing that they manage to find some others who are wanting to engage in and support them in completing their mission. Will they be fortunate enough to find the mysterious, rarely-seen little white terns? What is there to look forward to in other rare but well-known wild animals in Zhongshan? Contact: Wu Xuanni Tel: 008610-68996566 E-mail: chloefeng@foxmail.com Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX1FSR_O15o Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2146127/ChinaMatters_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-matters-feature-birding-palss-project-x-in-zhongshan-302042020.html Mirai Medical, a cutting-edge medical technology start-up and leader in Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) within the Gastrointestinal Tract, proudly welcomes David A. Pierce as a Non-Executive Director to its board. Mr. Pierce, formerly Executive VP and President MedSurg, President Endoscopy at Boston Scientific, brings a wealth of experience and industry insight, aligning perfectly with Mirai Medical's mission to empower every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis. David A. Pierce's distinguished career at Boston Scientific, spanning 31 years, has been marked by numerous accomplishments and a deep understanding of the MedTech landscape. His expertise in product commercialisation, market access and clinical change management in the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy space positions him as a valuable addition to Mirai Medical's leadership team. "We are thrilled to welcome David to our board. His extensive experience at Boston Scientific, coupled with his deep knowledge of the industry, will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in guiding Mirai Medical's strategic direction," said Mirai Medical CEO, Dr. Declan Soden, PhD. "As leaders in Pulsed Field Ablation, we are confident that Mr. Pierce's contributions will further elevate our capabilities and impact in interventional endoscopy." David A. Pierce shared his enthusiasm for joining Mirai Medical, saying, "I am honoured to be part of Mirai Medical, a company at the forefront of innovation in interventional endoscopy. The mission to enable every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis resonates strongly with me, and I look forward to contributing to the company's growth and success." Mirai Medical remains dedicated to advancing healthcare solutions, particularly in Pulsed Field Ablation, and is poised to benefit from Mr. Pierce's strategic guidance as Non-Executive Director. About Mirai Medical: Mirai Medical is a leading MedTech start-up specializing in Pulsed Field Ablation within the Gastrointestinal Tract. Our mission is to empower every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis, revolutionizing patient care. Its proprietary ePORE therapy is uniquely designed with precise algorithmic control of PFA parameters enabling the safe and effective treatment of both pre-malignant and malignant disease across the entire gastrointestinal tract. Mirai Medical are headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information visit www.mirai-medical.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123951083/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries or additional information, please contact: Sean Kinsella Email: sean@mirai-medical.com Phone: +353 91 442 498 CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global microinverter market is expected to be valued at USD 4.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 14.5 billion by 2029; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.1% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. The growth of the micro-inverter market is propelled by increasing energy prices that contribute to the installation of solar panels and rising energy demand across the globe. However, limited power handling capacity and high installation and maintenance costs restrain the market's growth. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=43340469 Browse in-depth TOC on "Micro-inverter Market" 170 - Tables 56 - Figures 204 - Pages Micro-inverter Market Report Scope: Report Coverage Details Market Revenue in 2024 $ 4.9 billion Estimated Value by 2029 $ 14.5 billion Growth Rate Poised to grow at a CAGR of 24.1% Market Size Available for 2020-2029 Forecast Period 2024-2029 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered By Offering, Communication Technology, Power Rating, Connection Type, Sales Channel, Application Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of World Key Market Challenge Complexity during installations Key Market Opportunities Government incentives and policies for renewable energy Key Market Drivers Increasing energy prices across the globe The wireless segment is expected to have the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The wireless segment in the micro-inverter market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Wireless communication technologies, such as Wi-Fi and Zigbee, provide enhanced flexibility and simplified installation when compared to conventional wired alternatives. Moreover, wireless communication facilitates greater scalability in solar installations, aligning with the increasing trend of distributed energy resources. The growing preference for intelligent and interconnected energy systems made possible through wireless communication is a significant factor contributing to the growth of this segment. The grid-tied segment in micro-inverter is anticipated to dominate during the forecast period. The grid-tied segment is expected to dominate in the forecast period. Currently, most micro-inverters associated with solar panels in residential, commercial, and PV power plant applications are linked or connected to the electrical grid. In numerous urban and suburban settings, residences and businesses maintain a connection to the electrical grid. Furthermore, grid-tied micro-inverters support energy sustainability without necessitating the use of energy storage solutions. Surplus energy generated during abundant sunlight can seamlessly be fed back into the grid, effectively serving as a distributed power source for the community. Inquiry Before Buying: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=43340469 North America to dominate the micro-inverter market during the forecast period. North America is expected to dominate the micro-inverter industry during the forecast period. This is due to numerous installations in countries like the United States and Canada. The United States, in particular, stands out as one of the pioneering nations in the widespread adoption of micro-inverters. Additionally, the region benefits from the presence of several major companies, including Enphase Energy, Altenergy Power System, and Chilicon Power. Key players The micro-inverter market includes significant Tier I and II players like Enphase Energy (US), Altenergy Power Systems (US), Hoymiles (China), Ningbo Deye Inverter Technology Co Ltd (China), Chilicon Power LLC (US), AEconversion GmbH & CO. KG (Germany), Envertech (China), ZJBENY (China), Bluesun Solar Co., Ltd. (China), and Solar Panels Plus (US), are some of the key players in the micro-inverter companies. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=43340469 Browse Adjacent Market: Semiconductor and Electronics Market Research Reports &Consulting Related Reports: Photovoltaics (PV) Market by Component (Modules, Inverters, BOS), Material (Silicon, Compounds), Installation Type (Ground Mounted, BIPV, Floating PV), Application (Residential, Commercial & Industrial, Utilities), Cell Type and Region - Global Forecast to 2028 Battery Energy Storage System Market Size, Share, Statistics and Industry Growth Analysis Report by Element, Battery Type (Lithium-ion, Advanced Lead Acid, Flow), Connection Type (On-Grid and Off-Grid), Ownership (Customer Owned, Third-Party Owned, Utility Owned), Energy Capacity - Global Forecast to 2028 Organic Electronics Market by Material (Semiconductor, Conductive, Dielectric, Substrate), Application (Display, Lighting, Solar Cells), End User (Consumer Electronics, Automotive, Healthcare) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028 Interactive Display Market by Product (Interactive Kiosk, Whiteboard, Table, Video Wall, Monitor), Technology (LCD, LED, OLED), Panel Size, Panel Type (Flat, Flexible, Transparent), Vertical (Retail, Corporate) and Geography - Global Forecast to 2029 Flexible Display Market by Application (Smartphone, Smartwatch, Wearable, TV, Digital Signage, PC Monitor, E-reader, Electronic Shelf Label, and Automotive), Technology (OLED, Quantum Dots, LED, E-Paper), Panel Size, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/micro-inverter-market.asp Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/micro-inverter.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/micro-inverter-market-worth-14-5-billion-by-2029---exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302041705.html The linear actuators market is driven by several factors, including increased automation in manufacturing, advancements in robotics, the miniaturization of devices, and integration with the Internet of Things (IoT). WILMINGTON, Del., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, " Linear Actuator Market" by Operation Mechanism (Electric, Pneumatic, Hydraulic, Others), End-Use Industry (Automotive, Construction, Energy and Mining, Healthcare, Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2023-2032". According to the report, the global linear actuator industry generated $17.4 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $31.2 billion by 2032, registering a CAGR of 6.05 % from 2023 to 2032. Download Research Report Sample & TOC: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/10278 (We look forward to moving quickly provide the report analysis as per your research requirement, needed for your business success.) 258- Pages 100 - Tables 53 - Charts Prime determinants of growth The market for linear actuators is expected to witness substantial expansion during the forecast period. This growth is primarily driven by factors such as increased automation in manufacturing, advancements in robotics, and the miniaturization of devices. In addition, the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to further benefit the linear actuator market. However, the high initial investment cost presents a significant restraint to the growth of the linear actuator market during this forecast period. Report coverage & details: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2022-2032 Base Year 2022 Market Size In 2022 $17.4 Billion Market Size In 2032 $31.2 Billion CAGR 6.05 % No. Of Pages In Report 259 Segments Covered Operation Mechanism, End-Use Industry, And Region Drivers Increased Automation in Manufacturing Advancements In Robotics Miniaturization Of Devices Opportunities Internet Of Things (IoT) Integration Restraints High Initial Investment Cost The electric linear actuator segment is anticipated to dominate in terms of revenue during the forecast period On the basis of operation mechanism, the electric linear actuator segment accounted for over two-fifths of the total revenue in the global linear actuator market in 2022, and it is expected to continue its dominant position throughout the forecast period. It is expected to experience the fastest CAGR of 6.88% from 2023 to 2032. The remarkable growth of this segment is primarily attributed to increase in demand for automation, advancements in technology, and the shift toward energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions. The automotive segment is projected to retain the major share by 2032 On the basis of end-use industry, the automotive segment emerged as the market leader in the global linear actuator market in 2022, holding nearly one-third of the market share. Simultaneously, the same segment is projected to witness the fastest CAGR of 6.92% from 2023 to 2032. This dominance is attributed to the increase in automation in vehicle manufacturing, the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles, and the integration of advanced technology in automotive design. Inquiry before Buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/10278 Asia-Pacific garnered the major share in 2022 On the basis of region, Asia-Pacific dominated the Linear Actuator Industry revenue in 2022, representing over one-third of the global market share. The same segment is projected to experience the fastest CAGR of 6.98% from 2023 to 2032, due to its extensive manufacturing sector, increased adoption of technology, growth in automation across various industries, rapid expansion of the healthcare sector, and the rising demand for electric vehicles. Leading Market Players: Bosch Rexroth AG Emerson Electric Co. HepcoMotion Ltd. Kollmorgen Corporation. LINAK Oriental Motor Co., Ltd. Parker Hannifin Corporation Rockwell Automation Thomson Industries, Inc. Tolomatic, Inc. The report provides a detailed analysis of these key players in the global linear actuator market. These players have adopted various strategies, such as product launches, expansion, new product development, geographical expansion, and product upgrade/development, to increase their market penetration and strengthen their position in the industry. The report is helpful in determining the business performance, operating segments, developments, and product portfolios of every market player. Key Industry Developments: January 2023 - Thomson Industries introduced a new range of compact linear motion systems designed for small-scale, high-functionality applications. These systems offer customization with components such as integrated stepper motors and linear bearings and feature a 3D modeling tool for optimized design. Ideal for applications such as 3D printers and medical systems, they support various motor sizes, stroke lengths, and load capacities. June 2022 - Emerson has launched the AVENTICS Series SPRA Electric Actuators, offering three screw technologies for high precision and load capacity. These versatile actuators, ideal for various industries, come in four sizes with multiple mounting options and comply with ISO-15552 standards. Key Benefits for Stakeholders: To provide an accurate view of future investment pockets, this study provides analytical estimates for linear actuator market size along with current trends and estimations. In order to be able to achieve a more prominent position, the overall linear actuators market analysis is based on an understanding of prevailing profitability trends. The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and linear actuator market opportunity with a detailed impact analysis. In order to measure financial competence, linear actuator market forecasts shall be quantitatively analysed from 2022 until 2032. The Porter Five Force analysis shows that buyers and suppliers are more powerful in the linear actuator market. Key vendor shares and linear actuator market trends are included in the report. Linear Actuator Market Key Segments: By Operation Mechanism: Pneumatic Hydraulic Others Electric By End Use Industry: Automotive Construction Energy and Mining Healthcare Others By Region North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe) (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) (China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Rest of Asia-Pacific) LAMEA (Brazil, Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa, Rest of LAMEA) Trending Reports in Semiconductor and Electronics Industry (Book Now with 10% Discount + COVID-19 Scenario): https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/checkout-final/linear-actuator-market Organic CMOS Image Sensor Market size was valued at $1.19 billion in 2020, and is projected to reach $2.87 billion by 2028, registering a CAGR of 12.4% from 2021 to 2028. Electric Actuator Market size was valued at $15.54 billion in 2018, and is projected to reach $28.73 billion by 2026, registering a CAGR of 6.6% from 2019 to 2026. Asia-Pacific Linear Actuator Market Size, Share, Competitive Landscape and Trend Analysis Report: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032. U.S. Linear Actuator Market : Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032. Japan Linear Actuator Market : Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2022-2032 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports Insights" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies, and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact Us: David Correa 1209 Orange Street, Corporation Trust Center, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware 19801 USA. Int'l: +1-503-894-6022 Toll Free: +1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-800-792-5285 help@alliedmarketresearch.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/636519/Allied_Market_Research_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/linear-actuator-market-to-reach-31-2-billion-globally-by-2032-at-6-05--cagr-allied-market-research-302041917.html NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / When it comes to business financing, Groves Capital stands out as the best company offering tailored financial solutions to ambitious entrepreneurs. Led by the dynamic duo of Chris Groves and Aleyna Groves , this San Diego, California-based family-owned residential and commercial lending company exemplifies the transformative impact of entrepreneurship. Known for their diverse services, excellent customer service, and quick turnaround, Groves Capital has become a trusted name in the industry. Their mission is unique: to empower businesses by offering them a wide range of financial services tailored to their specific needs. The company's offerings span a wide range of services, including business expansion funds, infrastructure development loans, land acquisition assistance, apartment loans, quick collateral loans, flexible financing, short-term loans, cannabis business loans, medical building financing, and real estate development support. A standout feature of Groves Capital is their offering of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, a service that consolidates debt and facilitates growth. The company places great importance on transparent communication, fostering an environment of trust in the financial landscape. With an extensive network at their disposal, Groves Capital offers customized solutions for working capital, inventory financing, debt refinancing, property acquisition, and more. Their commitment to customized financial solutions and equipment financing underscores their dedication to their clients' success. Groves Capital's continued growth, bolstered by strategic partnerships and government approvals, points to a promising future. Positioned as a reliable ally for entrepreneurs and business owners, Groves Capital emerges as a trusted partner for financial success. The collaboration with Glenn Stearns of Kind Lending ensures competitive pricing but also presents a range of distinctive product options. Groves Capital's focus on virtual operations, the creation of partner opportunities, and the introduction of innovative lending options exemplify their commitment to staying ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving financial landscape. Groves Capital, the fastest-growing mortgage company in the U.S., is in all 50 states. The company leverages technology to create a more efficient, real-time environment. In 2023, amid economic uncertainties and possible signs of recession, Groves Capital was ahead of the trend. While many large companies were downsizing, they were expanding, launching new product lines, and growing steadily. Groves Capital's success can be attributed to several factors, not the least of which is transparency, which is not just a value, but a guiding principle of their client relationship strategy, as well as an impressive ability to adapt to situations and take advantage of downturns. Beyond just lending, Groves Capital is committed to ensuring that clients are fully informed about all facets of their financial decisions. This dedication to transparent communication cements Groves Capital 's position as a trusted partner throughout the business journey. About Groves Capital Groves Capital is a San Diego, California-based company offering tailored financial solutions to ambitious entrepreneurs. This family-owned residential and commercial lending company exemplifies the transformative impact of entrepreneurship. Groves Capital is known for their diverse services, excellent customer service, and quick turnaround, Groves Capital's mission is unique: to empower businesses by offering them a wide range of financial services tailored to their specific needs. Contact: Paula Henderson 561-768-4444 phendersonnews@gmail.com SOURCE: Groves Capital View the original press release on accesswire.com GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In a collaboration with E.ON and Uniper, two of Europe's leading energy companies, along with Sweden's governmental research institute RISE, City of Malmo, the global healthcare provider Orion, and health product innovator TePe, TEXEL is poised to take on a central role. The collaboration is partially funded by the Swedish governmental innovation agency, Vinnova, and within this project, an alliance of industry leaders, public agencies, and energy corporations will work together to forge an industrial framework to create a resilient industry and sustainable energy system. The challenges with electricity supply and the changing external environment have increased the need to establish a sustainable energy system. TEXEL, through the Vinnova supported project "Malmo Energy Lab", will play a crucial role in this context. In Malmo Energy Lab, TEXEL together with industry, public organizations, and energy companies will collaborate to ensure a resilient industry that contributes to a sustainable and robust energy system. Malmo Energy Lab is about providing industries with a secure and sustainable energy supply and integrating industries into the future energy system, contributing to society when needed. Achieving this requires new technology combined with existing technology and a shift in behaviors related to energy consumption. In Malmo Energy Lab, energy storage and flexibility solutions will be tested by and within the industries involved in the project to create a more sustainable and less vulnerable energy system. While individual industries have previously focused on solutions that strengthen their operations, Malmo Energy Lab explores how individual solutions can collectively strengthen the energy system. The partnership includes Sustainable Business Hub (project leader), TEXEL, Region Skane, E.ON, , SYSAV, Uniper, Orion, RISE, Malmo stad, and TePe. "TEXEL intends to develop an energy recovery system to reduce the need for electricity, thereby also lowering the impact of greenhouse gases in the region of Skane, with the potential for global scaling. This can be achieved through the utilization of both our storage and Stirling technologies" says Lars Jacobsson, CEO of TEXEL.". "Malmo Energy Lab provides actors in Malmo (Malmo third largest city in Sweden) with excellent opportunities to identify and work on new comprehensive solutions for energy supply security to industry and energy flexibility in the energy system," says Per-Johan Wik, project leader for Malmo Energy Lab. Skane (Skane a region in south of Sweden) faces significant energy challenges, and new solutions are needed to address them. The hope is that the project will provide insights that can benefit the entire Skane region. "We look forward to being part of this collaboration where the city and Malmo's business community can develop resilient and sustainable energy systems in the port and other parts of Malmo," says Olle Anderberg, port strategist at Malmo stad. The project partners plan for four different tests: Backup power and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) Battery solution for industry resilience and system benefit Installation for increased electricity production - Quench boiler Exhaust gas and waste heat to electricity through Stirling technology CONTACT: Daniel Wilke Head of PR daniel@texeles.com +46736329827 The following files are available for download: https://news.cision.com/texel-energy-storage/i/2023-texelr-logo-no-tagline,c3260009 2023 TexelR-logo no-tagline View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/texel-supported-by-swedish-government-in-new-collaboration-with-leading-european-energy-companies-eon-and-uniper-to-create-sustainable-energy-system-302042153.html DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As per the recent release published by Kings Research, the Global HVAC Insulation Market value was recorded at USD 5.49 billion in 2022 and is estimated to grow to USD 8.83 billion by 2030, exhibiting a 6.12% CAGR through the projected period of 2023-2030. The market shows promise for the future due to various factors such as rising energy expenses, stringent construction regulations, and a growing emphasis on sustainability. As the market progresses, certain trends are emerging, including the use of environmentally friendly and high-performance insulation materials, the incorporation of smart HVAC technologies, and an increased awareness of indoor air quality. The market is projected to witness a shift toward innovative materials such as aerogels and vacuum insulation panels, with a rise in retrofitting projects for existing buildings. HVAC insulation encompasses the essential functions of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, with the ultimate goal of ensuring comfortable indoor environments and maintaining satisfactory indoor air quality for various types of buildings, including residential, commercial, and industrial structures. The increasing need for energy-efficient thermal insulation solutions and the ongoing growth of the construction sector are significant factors contributing to the rising demand for HVAC insulation. Moreover, rising awareness toward reducing energy consumption in buildings has further propelled the growth of the market for HVAC insulation. Get a Sample PDF of the Report:https://www.kingsresearch.com/request-sample/hvac-insulation-market-239 Trending Now: Governor Hochul Initiates Construction on $67 Million Public Housing Project in Troy On March 30, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul declared the commencement of construction for the John P. Taylor Apartments in the City of Troy. This initiative involved the transformation of a deserted public housing complex into a cutting-edge $67 million downtown waterfront development. The forthcoming seven-story mixed-use structure is set to house 141 affordable apartments and retail space on the ground floor. It replaces the original towers of the complex, which were demolished in 2022 after remaining vacant for over a decade. The project will incorporate cutting-edge energy efficiency elements, such as an all-electric HVAC system, enhanced insulation, and an energy recovery ventilation system. Competitive Landscape Major businesses in the global HVAC insulation industry are emphasizing product innovation in order to maintain their standing in the competitive landscape. For instance, Rockwool introduced its NyRock stone wool technology in the UK in July 2022. This innovative product provides the UK market with the lowest lambda stone wool insulation option. NyRock is created using a newly patented manufacturing method and boasts an impressive thermal conductivity of just 0.032W/mK. Key companies operating in the global HVAC insulation market include: Saint-Gobain Group Armacell Owens Corning Knauf Insulation Johns Manville. A Berkshire Hathaway Company Kingspan Group Fletcher Insulation GlassRock.com IKO Industries Ltd. ROCKWOOL A/S Have an Enquiry? Talk to our Analyst @ https://www.kingsresearch.com/enquiry/hvac-insulation-market-239 The global HVAC Insulation Market is segmented as: By Type Glass wool Elastomeric foam Stone wool Phenolic foam Others Rising Popularity of Glass Wool HVAC Insulation to Aid HVAC Insulation Market Progress On the basis of type, glass wool accounted for the largest share in the global HVAC insulation market in 2022. This segmental growth is primarily driven by its diverse range of properties, making it an ideal choice for insulation purposes. Glass wool offers exceptional thermal insulation, remarkable acoustic efficiency, lightweight construction, and cost-effectiveness, all while promoting environmental sustainability. Glass wool plays a crucial role in ensuring workplace safety through its effective thermal insulation properties, which protect workers from hot surfaces and help reduce energy consumption. Additionally, glass wool is highly effective in providing acoustic insulation, thereby minimizing noise pollution and creating a safe working environment, particularly in noisy settings. Ask for Customization:https://www.kingsresearch.com/customization/hvac-insulation-market-239 By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Growing Adoption of HVAC Insulation in the Residential Sector to Boost Market Growth In terms of application, the residential segment is expected to lead the global HVAC insulation market through the projection period. The segment is expanding due to an increase in economic growth and anticipated enhancements in the standard of living in the coming years, which is expected to lead to a significant rise in the demand for residential construction in developing countries. Additionally, homeowners opt to insulate their HVAC systems as insulation helps maintain steady temperatures, enhances comfort, and improves the air quality inside buildings. Moreover, insulation aids in reducing energy consumption offers fire protection, and minimizes unwanted noise generated by HVAC systems. Purchase This Comprehensive Research Report for Valuable Market Insights: https://www.kingsresearch.com/buy-now/239 Soaring Energy Costs to Bolster Demand for HVAC Insulation The increase in energy costs is one of the main factors driving the global HVAC insulation market's growth. Rising energy costs have made it necessary for both the commercial and residential sectors to look for low-cost methods of improving building energy efficiency. HVAC insulation is essential to this effort as it reduces heat transfer and maintains desirable interior temperatures, which lowers the energy consumption of heating and cooling systems as a whole. As the focus on cost savings and sustainable practices grows among consumers and industries, there will be an increasing need for HVAC insulation solutions that are both effective and contribute to energy conservation and long-term financial advantages. This rising demand is likely to drive innovation in materials and techniques related to HVAC insulation. North America to Dominate HVAC Insulation Market Due to Growing Use of Advanced Technologies North America is expected to lead the market in the foreseeable future. The domestic market is experiencing significant growth primarily due to technological advancements in HVAC insulation solutions within the region. With a focus on energy-efficient construction practices and the use of cutting-edge technologies such as aerogels and vacuum insulation panels, North America has emerged as a leader in the worldwide HVAC insulation market. The demand for high-performance insulation products is increasing on account of government incentives and regulatory measures that aim to encourage sustainable construction. Moreover, the emphasis on upgrading current buildings to enhance energy efficiency in the area has resulted in a significant increase in the need for HVAC insulation solutions. Moving forward, North America is predicted to retain its leading position in the HVAC insulation market, supported by continuous advancements in technology, growing consciousness of environmental issues, and the integration of intelligent systems into insulation solutions. For more information on the report, visit: https://www.kingsresearch.com/hvac-insulation-market-239 Key Points from TOC: Chapter 1 Introduction of The Global HVAC Insulation Market 1.1 Market Definition 1.2 Market Segmentation 1.3 Research Timelines 1.4 Limitations 1.5 Assumptions Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Research Methodology 3.1 Data Collection 3.2 Subject Matter Expert Advice 3.3 Quality Check 3.4 Final Review 3.5 Bottom-Up Approach 3.6 Top-down Approach Chapter 4 Global HVAC Insulation Market Outlook 4.1 Market Evolution 4.2 Overview 4.3 Market Dynamics 4.4 Pricing Analysis 4.5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 4.6 Value Chain Analysis 4.7 Macroeconomic Analysis Chapter 5 Impact of Russia-Ukraine War Chapter 6 Global HVAC Insulation Market, By Type Chapter7 Global HVAC Insulation Market, By Application Chapter8 Global HVAC Insulation Market, By Component Chapter9 Global HVAC Insulation Market, By Geography Chapter10 North America Chapter11 Europe Chapter12 Asia Pacific Chapter13Middle East & Africa Chapter14Latin America Chapter 15 Global HVAC Insulation Market Competitive Landscape 15.1 Overview 15.2 Key Developments 15.3 Key Strategic Developments 15.4 Company Market Ranking 15.5 Regional Footprint 15.6 Industry Footprint Chapter 16 Company Profiles 16.1 Saint-Gobain Group 16.1.1 Key Facts 16.1.2 Financial Overview 16.1.3 Product Benchmarking 16.1.4 Recent Developments 16.1.5 Winning Imperatives 16.1.6 Current Focus & Strategies 16.1.7 Threat from competition 16.1.8 SWOT Analysis 16.2 Armacell 16.2.1 Key Facts 16.2.2 Financial Overview 16.2.3 Product Benchmarking 16.2.4 Recent Developments 16.2.5 Winning Imperatives 16.2.6 Current Focus & Strategies 16.2.7 Threat from competition 16.2.8 SWOT Analysis 16.3 Owens Corning 16.3.1 Key Facts 16.3.2 Financial Overview 16.3.3 Product Benchmarking 16.3.4 Recent Developments 16.3.5 Winning Imperatives 16.3.6 Current Focus & Strategies 16.3.7 Threat from competition 16.3.8 SWOT Analysis 16.4 Knauf Insulation 16.4.1 Key Facts 16.4.2 Financial Overview 16.4.3 Product Benchmarking 16.4.4 Recent Developments 16.4.5 Winning Imperatives 16.4.6 Current Focus & Strategies 16.4.7 Threat from competition 16.4.8 SWOT Analysis 16.5 Johns Manville. A Berkshire Hathaway Company 16.5.1 Key Facts 16.5.2 Financial Overview 16.5.3 Product Benchmarking 16.5.4 Recent Developments 16.5.5 Winning Imperatives 16.5.6 Current Focus & Strategies 16.5.7 Threat from competition 16.5.8 SWOT Analysis Continued.. About Us: Kings Research stands as a renowned global market research firm. With a collaborative approach, we work closely with industry leaders, conducting thorough assessments of trends and developments. Our primary objective is to provide decision-makers with tailored research reports that align with their unique business objectives. Through our comprehensive research studies, we strive to empower leaders to make informed decisions. Our team comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds and a wealth of knowledge in various industries. At Kings Research, we offer a comprehensive range of services aimed at assisting you in formulating efficient strategies to achieve your desired outcomes. Our objective is to significantly enhance your long-term progress through these tailored solutions. Contact Us Kings Research Phone: (+1) 888 328 2189 E-mail: business@kingsresearch.com Website: https://www.kingsresearch.com Blog: https://www.kingsresearch.com/blog Follow Us: LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/global-hvac-insulation-market-to-accrue-8-83-billion-by-2030--registering-a-cagr-of-6-12-with-north-america-leading-the-industry-due-to-technological-advancements-estimates-kings-research-302042137.html With their current database solution losing its primary support, Small Sums looked for a system that was able to give them more, while providing unparalleled support and knowledge of the non-profit sector. SAINT PAUL, MN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Small Sums is a Minnesota-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides the support workers need to "say yes to the job", and the resources to move them toward long-term stability. They believe employment is a key factor in helping individuals experiencing homelessness become housed. Their mission is to outfit individuals experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, with the work gear, tools, training, and transportation they need to start a new job. Small Sums Helps Workers Small Sums had been utilizing a custom Access database that was meeting their fundamental needs. However, with a key support agent retiring, they were looking for a system that would support them in the long-term, give staff easier access by being cloud-based, and give them new functionality to improve workflows. Following a robust vetting process, NewOrg Management System was selected as the system of choice. Guided by NewOrg's implementation team, the set-up process was clear, easy to follow, and efficient. Some of the benefits attained include the following. "As a small non-profit organization, our employees wear many hats. NewOrg provides an intuitive system that makes it easy for everyone to enter and retrieve good data. We are thrilled with their communication and look forward to a long-term partnership." Andrea Kish-Bailey, Executive Director, Small Sums - Online worker intake process that feeds into the database, with employment verification document upload capability. - Internal HIPAA compliant messaging center to share confidential information with staff prior to appointments. - The ability to track inventory of items given to workers. - Clear, easy to follow processes that are backed up with a simple screenshot manual. - HIPAA compliant electronic signature for consents. Avoiding paying 3rd party signature tools. - Grant reporting results based on set time periods are available at a touch of a button using NewOrg's Dashboard functionality. - NewOrg implementation staff were able to offer data management suggestions that were not previously thought of, based on their wealth of non-profit experience. About NewOrg Management System, Inc. - www.neworg.com NewOrg is a leading software developer providing a cloud-based data management platform for nonprofits and local government/social agencies, with more than 50,000 users in the US & Canada since 2006. Celebrating 15 years providing complete, 100% customized data management for nonprofit organizations and affiliates, NewOrg's integrated software and service approach ensures that our partners improve efficiency, transparency, and sustainability. About Small Sums - www.smallsums.org Small Sums is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that outfits individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability with the required work items needed to start a new job. Contact Information John Baker Partner Relations jbaker@neworg.com 866-843-2835 ext. 1 Andrea Kish-Bailey Executive Director andreakb@smallsums.org (651) 242-9441 SOURCE: NewOrg Management System View the original press release on newswire.com. GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The shareholders of Concordia Maritime AB (publ), 556068-5819, are hereby invited to the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 1.00 p.m. CET at Mannheimer Swartling Advokatbyra's offices at Jarnvagen 1 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Right to participate and registration A person who wishes to attend the meeting must be recorded as a shareholder in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB on the record date Wednesday, 14 February 2024, in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB on the record date Wednesday, 14 February 2024, give notice of participation in the Extraordinary General Meeting no later than Friday, 16 February 2024. Notification of participation at the Extraordinary General Meeting can be made by post to Setterwalls Advokatbyra AB, Attn: Anna af Petersens, P.O. Box 1050, 101 39 Stockholm, Sweden or by email to anna.afpetersens@setterwalls.se. The notification must state name, social security- or company registration number, address, telephone number and the number of possible advisors (maximum two). If shareholders are represented by proxy, a written and dated power of attorney signed by the shareholder must be attached to the notification and presented at the meeting. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a registration certificate or other authorization document must be attached. Form of proxy is available at the company's head office and on the company's website, www.concordiamaritime.com. Nominee-registered shares In order to be entitled to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting, shareholders who have registered their shares in the name of a nominee must, in addition to giving notice of participation in the meeting, request that their shares be registered in their own name so that the shareholder is entered into the share register on Wednesday, 14 February 2024. This registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested with the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures and in advance as determined by the nominee. Voting right registrations completed no later than Friday, 16 February 2024, are considered when preparing the share register. Items and proposed agenda Opening of the meeting. Election of Chairman of the meeting. Election of person to verify the minutes. Preparation and approval of the voting list. Approval of the agenda. Consideration if the Extraordinary General Meeting has been duly convened. Resolution regarding the number of members and deputy members of the Board of Directors. Resolution regarding the remuneration to the Board of Directors. Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board. Closing of the meeting. Resolution regarding the number of members and deputy members of the Board of Directors (item 7) The shareholder Stena Sessan AB, representing approximately 93 per cent of the shares and 96 per cent of the votes in Concordia Maritime AB, proposes that the number of Board members elected by the shareholders shall be three and that no deputies shall be appointed. Resolution regarding the remuneration to the Board of Directors (item 8) Stena Sessan AB proposes that the remuneration of SEK 400,000 to the Chairman of the Board, resolved upon by the Annual General Meeting on 4 May 2023, shall continue to apply and that no remuneration shall be paid to the other proposed Board members. The remuneration of SEK 300,000 to the other Board members elected by the shareholders, that was resolved upon by the Annual General Meeting on 4 May 2023, shall be paid pro rata in relation to the duration of each resigning Board member's directorship. Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board (item 9) Stena Sessan AB proposes that the Board of Directors, for the period until the next Annual General Meeting, shall consist of the current Chairman of the Board Stefan Brocker, born 1966, as well as Monalotte Theorell Christofferson, born 1969, CFO at Stena Sessan AB, and Fredrik Konopik, born 1985, Investment Director at Stena Sessan AB. Stefan Brocker is proposed to be re-elected as Chairman of the Board. Shares and votes The total number of shares in the company amounts to 47,729,798 shares, whereof 4,000,000 Series A shares and 43,729,798 Series B shares, representing a total of 83,729,798 votes. The company does not hold any of its own shares. Information at the meeting The Board of Directors and the CEO shall, if requested by a shareholder and if the Board considers that it will not cause significant damage to the company, provide information on circumstances that could affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda and the company's relations with another group company. Processing of personal data For information on how your personal data is processed, see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf. Gothenburg in January, 2024 Concordia Maritime AB (publ) Board of Directors For more information, please contact: Erik Lewenhaupt CEO, Concordia Maritime AB +46 704 855 188 erik.lewenhaupt@concordiamaritime.com The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/1948/3914118/2557927.pdf Concordia Maritime - Press release - Notice - 20240123 (PDF) View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/notice-to-attend-extraordinary-general-meeting-of-concordia-maritime-ab-publ-302042172.html BETHESDA (dpa-AFX) - Marriott International and Delonix Group, China-based hospitality company, Tuesday announced a long-term cooperation agreement under which the two companies will work together to grow Marriott's Tribute Portfolio brand in mainland China. The Delonix portfolio currently includes ten hotel brands with over 1,400 hotels open or in the development pipeline. Marriott International will franchise its Tribute Portfolio brand in connection with selected Grand New Century and other premium brand hotels managed by Delonix Group. 'Our collaboration with Marriott International demonstrates our confidence in the premium hotel market in China,' commented Alex Zheng, Executive Chairman of Delonix Group. 'Leveraging the strength of Marriott International's Tribute Portfolio brand, competitive affiliation cost structure, and robust loyalty program in China and globally, as well as Delonix Group's fast-growing Betterwood membership program, we are committed to offer additional value to hotel owners and elevated travel experiences for Chinese travelers. The agreement represents an unprecedented opportunity to drive the long-term growth of Delonix premium brands and Tribute Portfolio in China.' Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Altitude Water, a U.S.-based leader in Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs), and New Use Energy Solutions (NUE), a Phoenix-based expert in mobile solar technologies, have joined forces to deliver innovative solar-plus-water generation systems. These systems are designed to ensure sustainable electricity and clean drinking water in any location, particularly beneficial for areas impacted by disasters or situated remotely. SunCase 3651 Rugged 3600W/ 5120Wh unit with a built-in inverter/charger capable of accepting up to 1700W/170V DC of PV input. Includes 1650W of built-in AC charging standard. Jeffrey Szur, COO of Altitude Water, said, "Since entering the water space 14 years ago, it has always been Altitude's goal to utilize solar power to provide a quiet, clean, fume-free, low-carbon emissions solution to meet the growing needs for clean water in communities affected by disasters or in remote locations." The partnership between Altitude Water and NUE is grounded in their extensive experience in enhancing community resilience around the world, including the U.S. Gulf Coast, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Maui. Their collaboration was sparked through their involvement with FootprintProject.org during a project in Maui. Will Heegaard, Operations Director of Footprint Project, states, "In October 2023, we began looking for sustainable solutions to the Louisiana saltwater intrusion disaster and found Altitude Water. A week later, our paths crossed in Maui. Private-public partnerships are essential to build back greener and connecting these two innovative emerging-growth technology companies just made sense." This alliance brings together Altitude's advanced AWGs and NUE's versatile solar and battery solutions, offering a resilient and sustainable alternative to traditional power and water sources. Their systems are already operational in areas requiring disaster relief and military and government support, and in the live events and film production sectors. Paul Shmotolokha, CEO of New Use Energy, said, "We are thrilled to be working with Altitude Water to connect renewable energy with water generation. Changes in technology and reduced material costs are enabling the change from reliance on gas generators to solar- and battery-powered water creation anytime, anywhere. Jeff and his team have a long history working with NGOs after disasters and disaster response is in NUE's DNA, so we are a great fit." Recently, Altitude Water updated its website to feature a solar generator by New Use Energy bundled with Altitude's T-12 unit, enhancing the reliability of water supply. The team is focusing on developing mobile disaster relief solutions. Jeff Szur concludes, "We were ahead of our time 14 years ago when we just focused on building the best AWG on the market. Today, with bottled water now the #1 beverage sold in the world, but with our aquifers being contaminated, our solution couldn't be timelier to avert another environmental catastrophe with so much plastic waste proliferating and choking our eco-system. I truly believe we have an amazing partnership to avert a catastrophe." Contact Information: Paul Shmotolokha CEO paul.shmotolokha@newuseenergy.com +1 (202) 285-3371 SOURCE: New Use Energy View the original press release on newswire.com. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Northern Trust The Northern Trust Ireland team proudly hosted last week's Guidance and Industry Network (GaIN) event, which brought professionals from career guidance & industry together to share knowledge & ideas about the ever-changing careers and employment landscape. This event was supported by Dublin City University, CWiT Ireland (Connecting Women in Technology) and the 30% Club Ireland team, whose mission is to achieve better gender balance for better business outcomes. The daylong event consisted of; ? Case study overview - Northern Trust's Inclusive Hiring Strategy ? Panel discussion on Talent Attraction and skills - Modern-day planning of recruitment campaigns targeting graduates and school leavers ? A focus on Career Journeys - the journey from transition year (circa 16 years old) to current early career role ? Panel discussion on Atypical recruitment - a look into creative talent attraction strategies, including apprenticeships, returner programs, re-training schemes ? Panel discussion on Career Guidance "The energy was palpable in Limerick as career guidance counselors and cross-sector industry participants, facilitated by the 30% Club and DCU, collaborated to identify opportunities to create better and bigger progression pathways for students. Northern Trust was thrilled to host such an important discussion." Meliosa O'Caoimh, Country Head Northern Trust Ireland. "I was delighted to welcome the GaIN event to our Limerick office. In collaboration with industry partners, Dublin City University has established GaIN to support guidance counselors and share Labor Market Information, progression pathways and other key recruitment information. Following the inaugural event's success in 2023, DCU, in collaboration with the 30% Club, CWiT and supporting industry partners, including Northern Trust, hosted an all-day event last Friday. In attendance were over 60 Careers Guidance teachers and professionals, as well as panelists from 14 companies, including our own Orla O'Flaherty and Noranne McDermott." Catherine Duffy, General Manager Northern Trust Limerick. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Northern Trust on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Northern Trust Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/northern-trust Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Northern Trust View the original press release on accesswire.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - British Columbia (ACEC-BC) together with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) and the Province of British Columbia (the Province) is pleased to announce the release of standard contracts for architectural and engineering design assignments. The contracts - based on national standard form agreements - support fairness, transparency, and efficiency for architectural and engineering consultants and government. Background In 2018 the Deputy Ministers and Industry Infrastructure Forum (DMIIF) formed a Subcommittee led by the Ministry of Finance, with participation from the Ministry of Citizens' Services, BC Housing, ACEC-BC, AIBC, and the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA). The Subcommittee collaborated to develop Supplemental Conditions for RAIC Doc 6 2022 Standard Form of Contract for Architectural Services and CCDC-31 2020 Service Agreement Between Owner and Consultant which were reviewed by the provincial Legal Services and Risk Management Branches before ratification by the DMIIF. Delivering on our shared commitment to protect the public A shared commitment to protect the public was foundational for the industry, regulatory, and public representatives on the Subcommittee as they proceeded with review. The resulting contracts are expected to support fairness, transparency, and efficiency in contracting architectural and engineering consultants. Further, the use of standard contracts aligns with the Province's procurement strategy by making it easier to do business with government and creating opportunity for businesses of all size. Agreements Architectural Agreement - The new standard architectural agreement is based on RAIC Doc 6 2022. Where appropriate, Supplemental Conditions to RAIC Doc 6 2022 align with the Engineering Agreement (see following paragraph). The agreement has been approved as an acceptable standard contract by AIBC and supports registrants in complying with Professional Standards on contracts in the AIBC Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Engineering Agreement - The new standard engineering agreement is based on CCDC-31 2020. Where appropriate, Supplemental Conditions to CCDC-31 2020 align with the Architectural Agreement (see previous paragraph). A user guide is available for each agreement. Both the agreements and user guides are posted to the Province's Capital Asset Management Framework (CAMF) Guidelines website. To access go to the CAMF Guidelines website (link), and select the Resources link on the sidebar (direct link). When to use the agreements The agreements have been approved for use by all provincial Ministries and agencies who directly engage consulting Architects or Engineers including BC Housing, Health Authorities, and School Boards. Agreements already in place will continue under their existing agreement; new assignments undertaken after February 1, 2024, should use the new agreements. To assist in the transition, Architectural and Engineering firms are encouraged to request use of the new agreements if another form of contract is provided after the release date. Quotes Caroline Andrewes, P.Eng., CPA, CMA, President & CEO for ACEC-BC - "The release of standard form contracts is a significant outcome for design consulting firms of all sizes. Contract review and negotiation can be disruptive and lead to project delays; use of standard forms of agreement supports trust, efficiency, and transparency for all project partners. The effort of all members on the Subcommittee was significant, and we are very proud to deliver this work with exceptional partners." Maura Gatensby, Architect AIBC CP, Lead Practice Advisor and Regulatory Liaison at the Architectural Institute of British Columbia - "The use of standard contracts is essential for achieving successful projects: they support the public interest, are equitable, and ethically grounded. These new Supplementary Conditions are tailored to the specific requirements of the Province and will increase efficiency and streamline the consultant procurement process while still upholding transparency and fairness for all parties involved. They are the direct result of multi-industry collaboration, and the AIBC is delighted to have been a contributing partner on the publication of these resources." Chris Atchison, President for BCCA - "As a staunch proponent of fair, open and transparent practices, BCCA has always been, and remains, highly supportive of standard documents. We salute this initiative and see it as a clear indication that we may expect the similar endorsement of collaborative standardized supplementary conditions for construction contracts in the near future." Heather Wood, Deputy Minister, Finance and Co-Chair of the DMIIF - "Implementing standard form contracts contributes to fair, transparent, and consistent procurement processes for public sector construction projects and protects the public interest. This achievement reflects the DMIIF's commitment to a collaborative environment that fully utilizes industry resources and assists public sector owners to achieve best value for public sector dollars." ### About the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - British Columbia (ACEC-BC) The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia (ACEC-BC) is the voice of consulting engineering companies in BC. Our purpose is to serve the interests of members through advocacy, creating opportunity for collaboration, and building profile for members and the industry. Visit acec-bc.ca to learn more. About the Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) The Architectural Institute of British Columbia (AIBC) is a professional self-governing body with the mandate to regulate the profession of architecture in the interest of serving and protecting the public, through a responsive regulatory framework. The AIBC was established in 1920 by provincial statute, and since 2023, has governed the profession under the authority of the Professional Governance Act. For more information about the AIBC, please visit aibc.ca. About the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) The British Columbia Construction Association advocates for all companies in BC's industrial, commercial, institutional, and residential (multi-unit) construction sector regardless of labour affiliations. It protects contractors' interests with the provincial government, provides expert procurement services, access to project opportunities and talent, and funding for apprenticeship training. BCCA's mission is to ensure a productive and resilient industry. To learn more, visit bccassn.com. For more information about this release: Caroline Andrewes President & CEO - Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - BC 604-687-2811 Caroline@acec-bc.ca To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195168 SOURCE: ACEC-BC (Association of Consulting Engineering Companies British Columbia) SEATTLE (dpa-AFX) - The data privacy watchdog, CNIL has fined Amazon's (AMZN) logistic subsidiary in France 32 million euros, equivalent to $35 million, for breaching its workers' privacy. The CNIL said that during the investigation it was found that the surveillance system installed by Amazon was 'excessively intrusive'. Amazon had installed the 'stow machine gun' indicator to track if employees make a mistake while scanning the products too quickly, the 'idle time' indicator to signal if the scanner had been kept idle for ten minutes or more, and 'latency under ten minutes' indicator to signal scanner interruptions between one and ten minutes. The French regulator further said that Amazon would keep the collected data on all employees and temporary workers for 31 days. Further, it noted that the employees as well as the visitors were not properly informed of the video surveillance systems. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Boston, Massachusetts--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - In December 2023, Emmy Award-winning PBS travel host Joseph Rosendo joined a group of 20 lifelong learners in Costa Rica on an educational adventure with Road Scholar, the nonprofit world leader in educational travel for older adults. Road Scholar and Rosendo chose Costa Rica because of its popularity among their older adult travelers and its progressive focus on ecotourism. Costa Rica is also Road Scholar's 2024 "Campus of the Year" for the same reasons. On Road Scholar's "A Taste of Costa Rica" program, Rosendo and his fellow participants learned about Costa Rican coffee production, explored the rainforest canopy from hanging bridges, and went whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqui River. Footage from the Costa Rica trip will appear in an episode of Rosendo's new show, Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out, expected in spring 2024. Joseph Rosendo has been a travel journalist and broadcaster for over 50 years. His show Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope ended in 2023 after 12 seasons on public television, making way for his new PBS venture: Joseph Rosendo's Steppin' Out, which will air on PBS stations across the U.S. throughout 2024. Rosendo served as producer, host, director and writer for Travelscope and will do the same for Steppin' Out, and Road Scholar will be underwriting the first season of the new series. Rosendo says he's excited to be partnering with Road Scholar because the approach he's taking in his new show fits so well with the nonprofit organization's values and approach to educational travel. "This show will have the same attitude as Road Scholar has in so many ways," said Rosendo. "Road Scholar really focuses on meeting the locals and serving people, and what I do is an extension of that. And Road Scholar wants people to come away from their programs feeling that they've contributed to something in a personal way that has made them realize something, be aware of something, be enlightened, be inspired. By forming this alliance together, we're stepping out together, continuing to do what we do in a new, enhanced way." Rosendo will also join a Road Scholar program in Cuba in March 2024: "Cuba Today: Havana and Vinales," where the group will learn about Cuban history, dance, and music through lectures, discussions and performances from the Cuban people. Joseph Rosendo and Maikol Alvarez Ramirez in Costa Rica with Road Scholar by Marco Alonso To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9315/195161_d593c00554e9a863_002full.jpg Joseph Rosendo in Costa Rica with Road Scholar by Marco Alonso To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9315/195161_d593c00554e9a863_003full.jpg Joseph Rosendo in Costa Rica with Road Scholar by Marco Alonso To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9315/195161_d593c00554e9a863_004full.jpg About Road Scholar: Based in Boston, Massachusetts, not-for-profit Road Scholar is the world's largest and most innovative creator of experiential learning opportunities. Founded in 1975 as Elderhostel and rebranding as Road Scholar in 2010, we serve 80-100,000 lifelong learners annually. Our programs combine travel and education to provide experiential learning opportunities featuring an extraordinary range of topics, formats and locations, in more than 100 countries and throughout the United States. Alongside renowned experts, our participants experience in-depth and behind-the-scenes learning opportunities by land and by sea on educational travel adventures designed for boomers and beyond. We are a diverse community of knowledge seekers and explorers, united in the belief that lifelong learning is a vital part of overall wellbeing. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, on X, and on LinkedIn. For more information, please visit us at www.roadscholar.org. # # # Media Contact: Kelsey Knoedler Perri kelsey.perri@roadscholar.org (617) 521-5301 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195161 SOURCE: Road Scholar Q1 2023/2024 revenue1 from the Pierre Vacances Center Parcs tourism businesses rose almost 6% compared with Q1 2022/2023, in line with growth over the summer season. All brands contributed to growth in revenue. Tourism reservations to date are higher than the year-earlier period, representing 85% of the target budgeted for the first half, and almost half of the target set for the full-year 2023/2024. Regulatory News: Franck Gervais, CEO of Pierre Vacances Center Parcs (Paris:VAC), stated: "The 2023/2024 financial year has started well for Pierre Vacances Center Parcs, with a rise of almost 6% in tourism revenue during the first quarter, in line with the momentum seen over the past two years. Reservations to date for the winter season confirm this uptrend, which was driven by all our brands and enables us to approach 2024 confidently, while remaining cautious in a changing economic and social environment." 1] Revenue Under IFRS accounting, revenue for the first quarter of 2023/2024 totalled 368.6 million, compared with 351.8m in Q1 2022/2023. The Group comments on its revenue and the associated financial indicators in compliance with its operational reporting, which is more representative of its business, i.e. (i) with the presentation of joint undertakings in proportional consolidation, and (ii) excluding the impact of IFRS16 application. A reconciliation table presenting revenue stemming from operational reporting and revenue under IFRS accounting is presented at the end of the press release. Revenue is also presented according to the following operational sectors defined in compliance with the IFRS 8 standard2, i.e.: Center Parcs covering both operation of the domains marketed under the Center Parcs, Sunparks and Villages Nature brands, and the building/renovation activities for tourism assets and property marketing in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium. Pierre Vacances covering the tourism businesses operated in France and Spain under the Pierre Vacances brand, the property development business in Spain and the Asset Management business line (responsible notably for relations with individual and institutional lessors). maeva.com, (previously included in the Pierre Vacances operating segment3), a distribution and services platform, operating the maeva.com, Campings maeva, maeva Home and La France du Nord au Sud brands on the French market and the Vacansoleil brand on European markets. Adagio, covering operation of the city residences leased by the Pierre Vacances-Center Parcs Group and entrusted to the Adagio SAS joint venture under management mandates, as well as operation of the sites directly leased by the joint venture. an operational sector covering the Major Projects business line responsible for construction and development of new assets on behalf of the Group in France, and Senioriales, the subsidiary specialised in property development and operation of non-medicalised residences for independent elderly people. the Corporate operational segment housing primarily the holding company activities. Q1 m 23/24 22/23 Chg. Center Parcs 255.0 261.8 -2.6% o/w revenue from tourism businesses 249.4 234.3 +6.4% o/w accommodation revenue 196.3 185.0 +6.1% P&V 50.1 49.1* +2.0% o/w revenue from tourism businesses 50.1 49.1 +2.0% o/w accommodation revenue 37.7 37.3 +1.1% Adagio 59.0 55.3 +6.5% o/w revenue from tourism businesses 59.0 55.3 +6.5% o/w accommodation revenue 53.2 50.0 +6.3% maeva.com 5.4 4.9 +10.1% o/w revenue from tourism businesses 5.4 4.9 +10.1% Major Projects Senioriales 24.3 19.1 +27.6% Corporate 0.4 0.4 -9.1% Total 394.1 390.7 +0.9% Revenue from tourism businesses 363.7 343.6 +5.9% Accommodation revenue 287.2 272.4 +5.4% Supplementary income 76.6 71.2 +7.5% Other revenue 30.4 47.1 -35.4% * restated for the externalization of the maeva.com operating segment Revenue from the tourism businesses Q1 2023/2024 revenue from the tourism businesses was up 5.9%, continuing on from Q4 of the previous year (+6.1%). The revenue trend was in line with targets for the period and is strengthened by the level of tourism reservations generated for the second quarter of the year. Accommodation revenue Accommodation revenue totalled 287.2 million in Q1 2023/2024, up 5.4% relative to the year-earlier period, after a 4.8% increase seen over the summer season. Growth in revenue was driven by the rise in average letting rates (+5.0%) and the number of nights sold (+0.5%). RevPar4 was also higher than in Q1 2022/2023 (+4.4%). The occupancy rate stood at 69.4% (vs. 69.9% over Q1 2022/2023). All brands contributed to growth in revenue: Center Parcs: +6.1% Growth was primarily driven by average letting rates (+6.3%), and benefited domains located in BNG5, with revenue at the French domains suffering from a disadvantageous calendar effect for the school holidays and the partial unavailability of cottages at the Domaine des Hauts de Bruyeres, which was being renovated over the quarter. RevPar was up 2.8%. Pierre Vacances: +1.1% Revenue from the residences in France was down (-4.8%), due to the reduction6 in the stock operated by lease (-8.1% of nights offered relative to the first quarter of the previous year). On a constant stock basis, revenue was up (RevPar up 3.7%). Revenue from the residences in Spain was up sharply (+32.4%), driven by both average letting rates (+10.6%) and a higher occupancy rate (+9.6 points). RevPar was up 32.7%. All destinations combined, the P&V brand posted a 5.2-point increase in the occupancy rate, offsetting the decline in average letting rates (-3.0%) related to: a disadvantageous calendar effect in France (shift in the second week of the school holidays, which has higher average letting rates, to the second quarter of the year). A mix effect (robust growth in revenue at seaside destinations (+9.6%) posting lower average letting rates than at mountain sites). it should also be remembered that Q1 2022/2023 represents a high base effect (+8.7% compared with Q1 2021/2022). RevPar was up 7.2%. Adagio: +6.3% Adagio continued to grow with revenue for the first quarter driven by average letting rates (+7.3%). RevPar was up 2.6%. Supplementary income7 Q1 supplementary income totalled 76.6 million, up 7.5% relative to Q1 of the previous year, driven by higher onsite sales (+8.3%) and growth in the maeva.com management and distribution business (+10.1% over the quarter). Other revenue Q1 2023/2024 revenue from other businesses totalled 30.4 million compared with 47.1 million in Q1 2022/2023 (with no significant impact on EBITDA), primarily made up of: Renovation operations at Center Parcs domains on behalf of owner-lessors, for 5.0 million (compared with 26.1 million in Q1 2022/2023). Les Senioriales for 14.3 million (vs. 18.2 million in Q 2022/2023). The Major Projects business line: 10.1 million (of which 8.8 million related to the extension of the Villages Nature Paris domain) vs. 0.8 million in Q1 2022/2023. 2] Main events during Q1 2023/2024 On 28 December 2023, the Group completed the disposal of its businesses operated by lease for 29 Senioriales residences to the ACAPACE Group, shareholder of the brands Jardins d'Arcadie (residences for the elderly) and Sandaya (open-air hotels). ACAPACE's takeover of this perimeter is effective from January 1, 2024. 3] Outlook Tourism businesses In view of reservations to date for the second quarter of 2023/2024, the Group is currently expecting further revenue growth in Q2 compared with Q2 2022/2023, for all of its brands. The portfolio of reservations generated so far is higher than the year-earlier level, representing 85% of the target budgeted for the first half (which accounts for slightly more than 40% of full-year revenue), and almost half of the target set for the full-year 2023/2024, thus enabling the Group to approach 2024 confidently. 4] Financial calendar First half revenue for 2023/2024 will be published on 23 April 2024 after the market close. 5] Change in operational KPIs RevPar Average letting rates (by night, for accommodation) Number of nights sold Occupancy rate (excl. tax) Chg. N-1 (excl. tax) Chg. N-1 Units Chg. N-1 Chg. Pts N-1 Chg. Pts N-1 Center Parcs 122.8 +2.8% 173.2 +6.3% 1,133,286 -0.2% 70.9% -2.4 pts Pierre Vacances 52.8 +7.2% 97.8 -3.0% 385,664 +4.3% 61.5% +5.2 pts Adagio 80.6 +2.6% 109.3 +7.3% 486,160 -0.9% 74.3% -3.6 pts Total Q1 2023/2024 revenue 96.6 +4.4% 143.2 +5.0% 2,005,110 +0.5% 69.4% -0.5 pt 6] Reconciliation table between revenue stemming from operational reporting and revenue under IFRS accounting. Under IFRS accounting, revenue for the first quarter of 2023/2024 totalled 368.6 million, compared with 351.8m in Q1 2022/2023, representing growth of 4.8% driven by the tourism businesses. Growth in revenue was driven by both the rise in average letting rates and the number of nights sold. millions 2023/2024 according to operating reporting Restatement IFRS11 Impact IFRS16 2023/2024 IFRS Center Parcs 255.0 -4.4 250.6 Pierre Vacances 50.1 50.1 Adagio 59.0 -14.3 44.6 maeva.com 5.4 5.4 Major Projects Senioriales 24.3 -3.8 -3.1 17.5 Corporate 0.4 0.4 Total Q1 2023/2024 revenue 394.2 -18.1 -7.5 368.6 millions 2022/2023 according to operating reporting Restatement IFRS11 Impact IFRS16 2022/2023 IFRS Center Parcs 261.8 -6.4 -12.0 243.4 Pierre Vacances 49.1 49.1 Adagio 55.3 -13.2 42.1 maeva.com 4.9 4.9 Major Projects Senioriales 19.1 -7.3 -0.1 11.7 Corporate 0.4 0.4 Total Q1 2022/2023 revenue 390.7 -26.9 -12.1 351.8 IFRS11 adjustments: for its operating reporting, the Group continues to integrate joint operations under the proportional integration method, considering that this presentation is a better reflection of its performance. In contrast, joint ventures are consolidated under equity associates in the consolidated IFRS accounts. Impact of IFRS16: The application of IFRS16 as of 1 October 2019 leads to the cancellation, in the financial statements, of a share of revenue and the capital gain for disposals undertaken under the framework of property operations with third-parties (given the Group's leasing contracts). See below for the impact on Q1 revenue. ___________________ 1 according to operational reporting 2 See page 186 of the Universal Registration Document, filed with the AMF on 22 December 2022 and available on the Group's website: www.groupepvcp.com 3 The Group has externalized the maeva.com operating segment in order to improve the readability of this business line's performance, and has consequently restated the historical comparative information presented in this press release. 4 RevPar accommodation revenue divided by the number of nights offered 5 Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany 6 Decline in stock due to non-renewal of leases 7 Revenue from onsite activities (catering, animation, stores, services etc.), co-ownership and multi-owner fees and management mandates, marketing margins and revenue generated by the maeva.com business line. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123102394/en/ Contacts: For further information: Investor Relations and Strategic Operations Emeline Laute +33 (0) 1 58 21 54 76 info.fin@groupepvcp.com Press Relations Valerie Lauthier +33 (0) 1 58 21 54 61 valerie.lauthier@groupepvcp.com Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Financial and Organizational Growth Leader Vijay Raghavan Joins the Company SEATTLE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / NLM Photonics, a semiconductor company leveraging its hybrid electro-optic modulation technology to transmit more data with less power, welcomes aboard Vijay Raghavan as Chief Financial Officer. Vijay Raghavan, CFO at NLM Photonics Vijay Raghavan headshot "After a few years' stint in bio-pharma, I am excited to be back in tech. What place can be better than photonics, where so much is going on. I met with Lewis (CSO) and Gerard (CEO) a couple of months ago, and I got really excited about some of the critical stuff that NLM is working on, which made me jump back into tech. My decade or so working for Cray and the knowledge I acquired in large-scale computing has made me passionate about this space," says Raghavan. Raghavan is a finance and accounting professional with progressive experience spanning over 30 years working for startups and medium/large-scale global organizations (public and private). He has held key financial executive positions in global conglomerates such as AGC Biologics (as its CFO), Cray Inc., Microsoft, and Fila, focusing on organizational growth. Raghavan is enthusiastic about leveraging his experiences in technology, healthcare, REIT, and education to help entrepreneurs scale their ideas to meaningful businesses. He is also passionate about DEI and has worked across teams to build company equity and inclusion through events. "We are very excited and very grateful to welcome Vijay as our new CFO. NLM is at a critical growth inflection point right now, and the addition of a seasoned CFO like Vijay couldn't come at a better time," says Gerard Zytnicki, NLM's CEO. In his personal life, Raghavan is dedicated to community service, including leadership positions at Hopelink and the Indian Association of Western Washington Senior Center, and as a financial advisory committee member of his local school district. He earned a Master of Commerce, Accounting, and Banking from the University of Madras in India and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Hartford. About NLM Photonics NLM Photonics is based in Seattle and develops cutting-edge photonics solutions for transforming networking, computing, and sensing alongside our global partners. Follow us at nlmphotonics.com and on LinkedIn @nlm-photonics. Contact Information Erica McGillivray Communications Director ericamc@nlmphotonics.com SOURCE: NLM Photonics View the original press release on newswire.com. BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 23 BH Macro Limited (the "Company") (a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235) Transaction in Own Shares 23 January 2024 BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc: Ordinary Shares: - Share Class Sterling Date of purchase: 23 January 2024 Number of ordinary shares purchased: 131,549 Lowest price per share 365.50 Highest price per share 366.50 Trading venue London Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 131,549 Weighted average price per day per trading venue: 366.2353 The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury. Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows: Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 368,485,984 Sterling Shares 5,043,923 Sterling Shares 29,854,672 Dollar Shares Nil Dollar Shares From 23 January 2024, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 564,750,346. Enquiries: Company website: www.bhmacro.com William Simmonds JPMorgan Cazenove Tel: 020 7588 2828 The Company Secretary Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Tel: 01481 745001 Redde Northgate Plc - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, January 23 NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO OR FROM ANY JURISDICTION WHERE TO DO SO WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THE RELEVANT LAWS OR REGULATIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION 23 January 2024 REDDE NORTHGATE PLC ("Redde Northgate" or the "Group" or the "Company") Transaction in Own Shares Redde Northgate plc (LSE:REDD) announces that on 23 January 2024 it purchased the following number of its own shares to be held in treasury: Class of shares : Ordinary shares of 50p ("shares") Number of shares purchased : 50,000 Weighted average purchase price paid : 346 pence per share Highest purchase price paid : 346 pence per share Lowest purchase price paid : 346 pence per share Following the above transaction, the Company's issued share capital consists of 246,091,423 ordinary shares of 50p each, of which 18,115,071 ordinary shares are held in treasury, and 1,000,000 preference shares of 50p each which do not carry any rights to vote. Therefore the total number of voting rights in the Company is 227,976,352 which may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. In accordance with Article 5(1)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 (the Market Abuse Regulation) as incorporated into UK domestic law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the schedule below contains detailed information about the purchases made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of the Company as part of the Company's buyback programme. Schedule of Purchase - Individual Transaction (as at 23 January 2024) Number of shares purchased Transaction price (GB pence per share) Time of transaction Transaction reference number Venue 50,000 346.00 16:21:06 00068587401TRLO0 LSE Notes This announcement is made in accordance with the requirements of Listing Rule 12.4.6. For further information contact: Buchanan David Rydell/Jamie Hooper/Hannah Ratcliff +44 (0) 207 466 5000 Notes to Editors: Redde Northgate is the leading integrated mobility solutions platform providing services across the vehicle lifecycle. The Company offers integrated mobility solutions to businesses, fleet operators, insurers, OEMs and other customers across seven key areas: vehicle rental, vehicle data, accident management, vehicle repairs, fleet management, service and maintenance, vehicle ancillary services and vehicle sales. The Company's core purpose is to keep its customers mobile, whether through meeting their regular mobility needs or by servicing and supporting them when unforeseen events occur. With its considerable scale and reach, Redde Northgate's mission is to offer a market-leading customer proposition and drive enhanced returns for shareholders by creating value through sustainable compounding growth. The Group aims to achieve this through the delivery of its strategic framework of Focus, Drive and Broaden. Redde Northgate services its customers through a network and diversified fleet of over 120,000 owned and leased vehicles, supporting over 600,000 managed vehicles, with more than 170 workshop, body shop and rental locations across the UK, Ireland and Spain and a specialist team of over 6,000 automotive services professionals. Further information please visit the Company's website: Elywhere North America (ENA) launches to bring versatile and reliable Norwegian EV charging to the US and Canada Elywhere, a trailblazer in Norwegian electric vehicle charging technology, is proud to announce the initiation of its North American operations. Elywhere North America (ENA), headquartered in Portland, OR, will work in synergy with Elywhere Norway to bring innovative charging solutions to this rapidly expanding market. Elywhere provides high-power charging stations, designed with integrated batteries for quick and efficient deployment. These stations can deliver up to 200 kW during charging sessions, liberating customers from the constraints of installing high-power grid connections. For high-demand applications such as Heavy-Duty Electric Vehicles (HDEV), Elywhere's chargers can be configured to support power in the 1 MW range, providing compelling solutions for electric fleets. Beyond charging, Elywhere's integration of sophisticated Battery Energy Storage Systems addresses the challenges of grid support. Advanced energy flow management software optimizes grid performance, facilitating deployment in regions facing power constraints, from weak grids to inconsistent renewable production. This minimizes impact and stabilizes the grid through services like frequency support and local flexibility. ENA will leverage Elywhere's strategic partnership with Pratexo, the preeminent edge-to-cloud computing provider, to deliver intelligent management of power distribution. Elywhere's expansion into North America builds upon the success of the company's ES300 fast charging stations in Europe. "We've seen our solutions meet and exceed expectations in some of the most demanding locations across Europe, which gives us confidence in our North American venture. Anders Rudlang, CEO of Elywhere, Norway ENA is led by seasoned professionals. Chief Executive Officer Erlend Wilhelmsen, Chief Financial Officer Daniel Alderman, and Chief Commercial Officer John Brice, combine their extensive knowledge to continue the company's success in this critical new market. "Recognizing the unique challenges of the US market early on, we knew Elywhere's technology would be an excellent fit. Our operational expertise is now geared towards delivering these robust charging solutions across North America." Erlend Wilhelmsen, CEO Elywhere North America ENA's operations cater to a wide array of market segments, including energy and utilities, government and municipalities, and retail and convenience stores. As electric vehicles enter the mainstream in North America, there is a critical need for reliable, flexible fast charging options. The introduction of Elywhere North America enriches the landscape of EV charging available across the continent, while advancing the company's mission to deliver dependable charging and energy management solutions that steer the US and Canada to a more sustainable future. About Elywhere AS Elywhere is an innovative Norwegian company revolutionizing electric vehicle charging infrastructure. With a mission to break down barriers to widespread EV adoption and enable fast charging anywhere, Elywhere has developed the groundbreaking ES300 Super Charger. These mobile, battery, and grid-powered fast charging stations are specifically designed for locations with high demand and limited spare grid capacity. The ES300 SuperCharger effectively multiplies the maximum power available for fast charging, contributing to a more sustainable future. Visit www.elywhere.com or email usa@elywhere.com to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123407742/en/ Contacts: Elywhere North America Erlend Wilhelmsen (+1) 213 880 8723 usa@elywhere.com Fewer Denver Children and Families are Going Hungry Each Weekend Thanks to The CE Shop Foundation DENVER / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / While a staggering number of children in Denver receive free or reduced lunches at school, unfortunately, the lunch they receive at school on Friday is often the last meal they eat until back at school on Monday morning. Childhood hunger is a heartbreaking problem not just in Denver but in all of Colorado, where 1 in 7 children aren't sure where their next meal will come from. (L-R) Bob Bell, Food for Thought Denver & Michael McAllister, The CE Shop Foundation However, Denver area families are getting some relief. The CE Shop Foundation is proud to be feeding children and families in need and working to resolve and reverse the effects of hunger, which include increased illness, depression and anxiety, as well as behavioral problems. Through a $275,000 donation from The CE Shop Foundation to support Food For Thought Denver, a nonprofit that provides a PowerSack filled with food for the weekend to children in need at 76 Denver-area schools. It's important to note that Food For Thought does what it does with zero overhead, and every single dollar collected goes to buying food. Food For Thought Denver estimates that $5 is enough to feed a family of four for the weekend. This $275,000 donation equates to giving 55,000 families of four to be fed for a weekend. "We are beyond words. Thank you to The CE Shop Foundation for the most beautiful demonstration of selfless love. Food For Thought Denver promises to make every cent matter to those children who need it most. The CE Shop Foundation has been critical to meet an unending need," states Bob Bell, founder and board member of Food For Thought Denver. Michael McAllister, founder of The CE Shop Foundation, stated, "The CE Shop Foundation was created to meet the exact needs that Food For Thought is so brilliantly meeting in our community - that of feeding young children who would otherwise go without food. The recent and continued influx of migrants has put an unprecedented strain on our schools and Food For Thought has stepped up and met the challenge of feeding these young kids and families. We are so grateful to our students, team members and all contributors who make our support possible." The CE Shop chose to support this cause because, as a leading provider of online professional education, its employees believe that school-aged children should be able to focus on learning rather than worrying about where their next meal will come from. The CE Shop Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Since 2017, The CE Foundation has contributed $795,000 to Food For Thought, but since its inception, the company in total has donated nearly $1,470,000, which has proven to be the lifeblood of Food For Thought. The majority of The CE Shop Foundation's donations come from either The CE Shop's employees, who can choose to give through a payroll deduction, or its students, who can donate during checkout when purchasing real estate education courses. Many employees also volunteer with Food For Thought Denver, helping to pack the food bags during the school year. For more information on The CE Shop's work to eliminate childhood hunger in the Denver area, visit TheCEShop.com/Foundation. About The CE Shop The CE Shop is the leading provider of professional real estate education with online mortgage, real estate, appraisal, and home inspection courses available throughout the United States. The CE Shop produces quality education for professionals across the nation, whether they're veterans in their industry or are looking to launch a new career. We believe that the right education can truly make a difference. Visit TheCEShop.com to learn more. Contact Information Liz Meitus SVP of Corporate Marketing liz.meitus@careercertified.com 720-822-5314 SOURCE: The CE Shop View the original press release on newswire.com. LONDON, UK AND AUSTIN, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / 1E today announced 1E Intelligence, a new set of hybrid edge AI capabilities blending the rapid, real-time processing abilities of edge computing with the adaptive, analytical power of cloud AI. This combination empowers businesses to unlock unprecedented digital employee experience (DEX) efficiencies and insights, directly at the source of data generation. 1E Intelligence showcases two innovative capabilities: Intelligent Sentiment is a patent-pending, user-centric "digital twin" AI that's native to the edge and uses predictive analytics to identify user frustration. This technology allows IT organizations to optimize operations and deliver frictionless digital employee experiences by bringing the user's needs front and center in the decision-making process. Intelligent Insights uses predictive, causal, and generative AI processes to analyze trends and offer actionable, data-driven insights. This empowers digital workplace leaders, administrators, and technicians to make informed decisions to boost user up-time and operational efficiency. "The transition from manual to autonomous DEX operations is the magic of these capabilities. They provide an AI-driven mechanism to highlight problems, drive action, and provide a feedback loop when issues are resolved, all while uncovering user sentiment for a holistic understanding of DEX perception and issues. Businesses today need to do more with less and demonstrate a clear return on their investment. 1E Intelligence is doing just that, eliminating friction in the moments that matter, and paving the way to a self-governing DEX strategy." -Mark Banfield, CEO of 1E What can 1E Intelligence do for IT organizations? Personalized Experience at the Edge: Using edge AI, 1E Intelligence helps IT teams deliver a highly personalized user experience that adapts to each employee's distinct work style and preferences. Precise Root-Cause Analysis: Using causal AI to methodically unravel the cause and effect behind IT disruptions enables us to deliver precise root cause analysis, paving the way for quick and accurate resolution. Predictive Sentiment: Intelligent Sentiment predicts user sentiment in real-time. This rapid analysis not only pinpoints user frustration but also anticipates problems before they escalate into broader challenges. Effortless Troubleshooting: 1E Intelligence uses predictive and generative AI to simplify root cause analysis (RCA) by surfacing issues and providing IT professionals with the context of what they need to investigate. Frictionless DEX: By focusing on the user's needs, 1E Intelligence ensures that the digital workplace intuitively aligns with the employee's work style, minimizing disruptions and promoting productivity. Check out our 1E blog to learn more about 1E Intelligence, Intelligent Sentiment, and Intelligent Insights. About 1E More than 500 organizations in 42 countries trust 1E to help them create a better Digital Employee Experience (DEX). The 1E Platform provides real-time diagnosis, remediation, and automation to proactively fix issues before they ruin the workday. Reduce costs, move faster, and increase employee happiness with 1E. For more information, visit 1E.com. Contact Information Namita Tendolkar Communications Manager namita.tendolkar@1e.com SOURCE: 1E View the original press release on newswire.com. Future Market Insights, Inc. (FMI) predicts a thriving future for the digital textile printing market, fueled by digital design platforms, AR integration, and sustainable advancements. Dive deeper into the intricate dynamics of this burgeoning market and uncover compelling stakeholder opportunities in our comprehensive FMI report. NEWARK, Del., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Digital Textile Printing Market is anticipated to reach a valuation of US$ 2,989.6 million in 2024, driven by focus on sustainable materials. The trend is expected to create new opportunities for the market, leading to a projected CAGR of 12.1% between 2024 and 2034, and reaching a total valuation of approximately US$ 8,897.3 million by 2034. Request Exclusive Sample Report: Digital Textile Printing Industry Strategic Insights, https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7550 One of the major factors contributing to the growth of the market is the growth in textile digitalization platforms. The emergence of digital platforms that facilitate the creation, sharing, and sale of digital textile designs is opening new avenues for designers and manufacturers to connect and collaborate. Integration of augmented reality in the textile design process is becoming a trend, allowing designers and customers to visualize and experience the final product before production. Supportive government initiatives and regulations promoting sustainable practices and digital technologies in the textile industry are driving the adoption of digital textile printing. Ongoing developments in digital printing inks, including advancements in water based, pigment, and reactive inks, are improving color vibrancy, durability, and compatibility with various textile materials. Integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as IoT, AI, and data analytics, is enhancing the efficiency and automation of digital textile printing processes. Increased collaborations between digital printing technology providers, textile manufacturers, and fashion brands are fostering innovation and expanding the market reach of digital textile printing. Within digital textile printing, the direct to garment printing segment is gaining popularity, especially in the apparel industry, due to its ability to print directly onto garments with high quality results. Some governments are promoting the adoption of advanced technologies in the textile industry, including digital printing, through incentives, subsidies, and supportive policies. Digital textile printing is gaining traction in the home decor sector, with applications in the production of customized curtains, upholstery, bed linens, and other interior furnishings. Digital Textile Printing Market Research Report Scope Attribute Details Estimated Market Size in 2024 US$ 2,989.6 million Projected Market Valuation in 2034 US$ 8,897.3 million Value-based CAGR 2024 to 2034 12.1 % Forecast Period 2024 to 2034 Historical Data Available for 2019 to 2023 Market Analysis Value in US$ million Key Market Segments Covered Segmentation Analysis of the Digital Textile Printing Market By Printing Process: Direct To Garment Dye Sublimation Direct To Fabric By Ink: Sublimation Reactive Acid Direct Disperse Pigment By Substrate: Digital Cotton Printing Digital Silk Printing Digital Rayon Printing Digital Linen Printing Digital Polyester Printing Others By End Use: Clothing Households Displays Technical Textiles By Region: North America Latin America Western Europe Eastern Europe South Asia and Pacific East Asia The Middle East and Africa Key Countries Profiled The United States Canada Brazil Mexico Germany France France Spain Italy Russia Poland Czech Republic Romania India Bangladesh Australia New Zealand China Japan South Korea GCC countries South Africa Israel Key Takeaways from the Market Study From 2019 to 2023, the market demand expanded at a CAGR of 4.1%. The market in India is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.9% through 2034. By printing process, the direct to fabric segment to account for a market share of 47.8% in 2024. From 2024 to 2034, digital textile printing market is expected to flourish at a CAGR of 12.1%. By 2034, the market value of digital textile printing is expected to reach US$ 8,897.3 million. "The exploration of 3D printing technologies in combination with digital textile printing allow for the creation of innovative, textured fabrics and intricate designs with a three dimensional aspect," says Ismail Sutaria (Lead Consultant, Packaging and Materials). Competitive Landscape Prominent players in the digital textile printing market are: Seiko Epson Mimaki Engineering Kornit Digital D. Gen RolandDG Corporation Dover Corporation Konica Minolta Brother Industries Purchase this report now to get key companies with their Revenue Forecast, Volume Forecast, Company Ranking, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, Trends, and Pricing Analysis. Recent Development In 2022, Japan based Mimaki Engineering Co., Ltd., a renowned manufacturer of Eco solvent technology, expanded its product portfolio with the introduction of two new high performance textile printers. The JV330 130/160 and the CJV330 130/160 join the existing line of inkjet printers and cutting systems of the company, highlighting the commitment of Mimaki to innovation in the field of textile printing. More Valuable Insights Available Future Market Insights offers an unbiased analysis of the global digital textile printing market, providing historical data for 2019 to 2023 and forecast statistics from 2024 to 2034. To understand opportunities in the digital textile printing market, the market is segmented on the basis of printing process (direct to garment, dye sublimation, direct to fabric), ink (sublimation, reactive, acid, direct disperse, pigment), substrate (digital cotton printing, digital silk printing, digital rayon printing, digital linen printing, digital polyester printing, others), and end use (clothing, households, displays, technical textiles), across seven major regions (North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South Asia & Pacific, East Asia, and Middle East & Africa (MEA)). Request to Access the Detail Research Methodology from here! About the Packaging Division at Future Market Insights The packaging team at Future Market Insights offers expert analysis, time efficient research, and strategic recommendations with the objective to provide authentic insights and accurate results to help clients worldwide. With a repertoire of over 100+ reports and 1 Million+ data points, the team has been analyzing the market lucidly in 50+ countries for over a decade. The team provides a brief analysis on key trends including competitive landscape, profit margin, and research development efforts. About the Author: Ismail Sutaria (Lead Consultant, Packaging and Materials) has over 8 years of experience in market research and consulting in the packaging & materials industry. Ismail's strength lies in identifying key challenges faced by the client and offering logical and actionable insights to equip the clients with strategic decision-making power. Ismail has been an instrumental part of several transformational consulting assignments. His key skills include competitive benchmarking, opportunity assessment, macroeconomic analysis, and business transformation advisory. Ismail is an MBA holder in Marketing and has a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics. Ismail is a regular at industry conferences and expos and has been widely covered in electronic and print media. He is a Speaker at our upcoming Talk show - Rise of the Intelligent Packaging. Ismail has been quoted in leading publications, including the European Pharmaceutical Review and the European Adhesive Tape Association. Explore FMI's Extensive Coverage in the Packaging Domain: Recycled Plastic Packaging Market Forecast by Polypropylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Material from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. Forecast by Polypropylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate Material from 2024 to 2034. - Tinplate Packaging Market Forecast by Containers and Lids Product Type from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. Forecast by Containers and Lids Product Type from 2024 to 2034. - Chocolate Bar Packaging Market Forecast by Wrappers and Boxes for 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. Forecast by Wrappers and Boxes for 2024 to 2034. - Stretch Wrapper Market Forecast by Ring, Robotic, and Others from 2024 to 2034. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. Forecast by Ring, Robotic, and Others from 2024 to 2034. - Polyethylene Films Market by Material, Thickness, Application, End-Use & Region | Forecast 2023 to 2033. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. Old Corrugated Container Market by OCC 11, OCC 12, and WX-OCC Grades from 2023 to 2033. - Review and Request to Access the Sample PDF Summary. About Future Market Insights (FMI) Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in Dubai, and has delivery centers in the UK, U.S. and India. FMI's latest market research reports and market analysis help businesses navigate challenges and make critical decisions with confidence and clarity amidst breakneck competition. Our customized and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. A team of expert led analysts at FMI continuously tracks emerging trends and events in a broad range of industries to ensure that our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers. Contact Us Nandini Singh Sawlani Future Market Insights Inc. Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA T: +1-845-579-5705 For Sales Enquiries: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com LinkedIn| Twitter| Blogs | YouTube Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/3531122/FMI_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/digital-textile-printing-market-to-total-us-8-897-3-million-by-2034--expanding-at-a-cagr-of-12-1-302042099.html Unprecedented December storm damaged Shoreside Power System at the Port of Hueneme, causing more than $30M in damages PORT HUENEME, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / The Port of Hueneme, the pioneering West Coast Port in adopting Shoreside Power for cargo vessels, faced substantial setbacks following severe damage to its Shoreside Power System during an unprecedented rain event on December 21 and 22, 2023. Torrential rainfall, exceeding three inches per hour, impacted the City of Port of Hueneme and surrounding communities, leading to substantial damage and flooding to the Port's Shoreside Power System-a 1,000-year storm event. Throughout the 48-hour storm, Port crews worked tirelessly to pump water away from the system. However, the overwhelming force of water and converging stormwater flows from the local community and Naval Base Ventura exacerbated the situation, resulting in significant flooding. The Port, working in concert with Southern California Edison, promptly deactivated power to the shoreside power electrical infrastructure to ensure the safety of its staff, labor and the community. Internal and external engineering teams including Schneider Electric, Southern California Edison, H3 Engineering and CAL-OES are conducting a thorough assessment. Projected costs to rebuild the system are upwards of $30 million to $40 million. "The Shoreside Power technology first implemented by the Port of Hueneme in 2014 was a remarkable leap toward sustainability in the maritime industry," said Vahik Haddadian, CEO of H3 Engineering and technical expert for the Port. "The setback underscores the need for resilient infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events. I recommend the Shoreside Power be rebuilt to the highest standards required by the industry and for safety requirements." Local 46 ILWU offered its support from the docks with more than 200 jobs filled at dispatch. Unionized trades also made a strong showing with representation from the Tri-Counties Labor Trades Council Local 46, IBEW, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Teamsters and LIUNA 585. "We must look at our history and how our Port has been critical to the growth of our community and great union jobs. When we received the call, we mobilized in an all-hands-on deck manner, and today we are here to stand by our Port" said Joshua Medrano, Executive Secretary of the Tri-County Labor Council. The Port of Hueneme is fully committed to aggressively pursuing all available avenues and assistance to restore the Shoreside Power System. Collaborations with Ventura County Office of Emergency Services (VCOES), California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES), and local, regional, state and federal authorities are underway to secure financial support for restoration efforts. As a result of the damage, ocean going vessels will not be able to plug into Shoreside Power. The Port is closely monitoring air quality in collaboration with the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District and other environmental groups. "This unforeseen challenge poses a significant impact on our community and operations," said Oxnard Harbor District Board President Celina Zacarias. "The collaboration between the Port, local authorities and community members is crucial as we work toward recovery and strengthening our resilience." Despite this setback, the Port remains steadfast in its commitment to environmental sustainability, having been a pioneer in mitigating diesel emissions and will keep the course for zero emission targets for at berth vessels and all yard equipment by 2030. In the short-term, the Port is exploring strategies to minimize impacts on operations, including the commission and purchase of an emissions capturing bonnet system and other innovative options. Long-term, the Port continues its dedication to pioneering technologies for decarbonization. "Our commitment to environmental sustainability remains unwavering," said Port of Hueneme CEO Kristin Decas. "We appreciate the understanding and support from our community. With collective efforts, we are confident in overcoming this challenge and emerging stronger than before." The event concluded with a symbolic demonstration of solidarity from Port officials, community leaders, and labor, all lining up in front of the damaged system to form a "powerwall," pledging to work together to secure funding and rebuild the Shoreside Power System. For more than 80 years, the Port of Hueneme has been a cornerstone of economic activity in Ventura County, generating $2.8 billion in economic activity and supporting 24,997 trade-related jobs. Flooded and Damaged Shoreside Power Infrastructure Flooded and Damaged Shoreside Power Infrastructure Parked Vehicles in Flooded Port Terminal Outside of Shoreside Power System Inside of Shoreside Power System Port Officials, Community Leaders, and Labor Come Together in Solidarity Oxnard Harbor District President Celina Zacarias and Commissioner Jason Hodge About the Port of Hueneme The Port of Hueneme is one of the most productive and efficient commercial trade gateways for niche cargo on the West Coast. Five locally elected Port Commissioners govern the Port. The Port consistently ranks among the top ten U.S. ports for automobiles and fresh produce. Port operations support the community by bringing $2.8 billion in economic activity and creating 24,997 trade-related jobs. Trade through the Port of Hueneme generates more than $236 million in direct and related state and local taxes, which fund vital community services. In 2017, the Port of Hueneme became the first port in California to become Green Marine certified and was voted the Greenest Port in the U.S. at the Green Shipping Summit. www.portofh.org . Press Contact Letitia Austin Public & Government Relations Manager laustin@portofh.org (805) 271-2205 SOURCE: Port of Hueneme View the original press release on accesswire.com IRVING (dpa-AFX) - Oil giant Exxon Mobil (XOM) has filed a complaint in a Texas court seeking to prevent climate activist investors' proposal from going to a vote at annual investor meeting in May. This marks the first time a major U.S. oil company has gone to court to block environmental activist investors' motions. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas against Massachusetts-based investment firm Arjuna Capital and Follow This, an Amsterdam-based activist investor group. The investors have been urging Exxon to step up the pace of reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Exxon says the US and Dutch investors are driven by an 'extreme agenda'. According to a CNBC report, in an emailed statement, Exxon Mobil said, 'the breakdown of the shareholder proposal process, one that allows proponents to advance their agendas through a flood of proposals, does not serve the interests of investors.' The company added, 'We are simply asking the court to apply the SEC's proxy rules as written to stop this abuse and eliminate the significant resources required to address them.' In its filing, Exxon Mobil said that it requires relief from the court by March 19, because it must file its proxy statement by April 11. The Houston-based firm is scheduled to hold its annual shareholder meeting on May 29. 'With this remarkable step, ExxonMobil clearly wants to prevent shareholders using their rights,' Follow This' Mark van Baal said in a statement. 'Apparently, the board fears shareholders will vote in favour of emissions reductions targets.' Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China's National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA) website quietly retracted its page featuring the proposed online gaming restrictions as of Tuesday morning. Following the news, the shares of online gaming companies such as Tencent Holdings (TCEHY) and NetEase (NTES) surged in the stock market. In December, China proposed some regulations to curb obsessive gaming by limiting in-game purchases and daily log-in rewards. The proposed regulations wiped off approximately $80 billion in terms of market value from two leading Chinese online gaming companies in Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York. However, after witnessing the repercussions of the announcement, the NPPA announced that it would make amendments to the draft after carefully studying the public feedback on the proposed rules. It also emphasized that the regulations were meant to promote 'healthy development' of the gaming industry. Later, a key official of the Communist Party's Propaganda Department was removed over poorly handling the release of the online gaming rules draft. The country's biggest crackdown on online gaming came in 2021 when the government banned children from playing online games for more than a stipulated time on certain days. It also stopped granting gaming licenses for eight months. China approved a total of 105 new video games in December last year. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - RARE EARTH RIDGE RESOURCES CORP. (the "Company" or "Rare Earth Ridge"), is pleased to announce the retention of Mr. Wiliam (Bill) Bennett as a consultant to the board of directors of the Company. Mr. Bennett was formerly a government MLA in British Columbia ("BC") for 16 years in the Riding of Kootenay East. In addition to holding portfolios for Local Government and Tourism, Mr. Bennett was named BC Mines Minister three separate times over his 16 years. Mr. Bennett has a BA from the University of Guelph and a law degree from Queen's University. Mr. Bennett is known across Canada for his knowledge of the mining industry in BC. He led the BC government's efforts over many years to restore BC's competitiveness for exploration investment, including having improved the BC Ministry of Energy & Mines permitting process and helping to launch BC's First Nations mine revenue sharing program. There are few people in Canada who have such a strong combined knowledge of government processes, of the mining industry and of First Nations. Mr. Bennett also sits on the board of directors of Ascot Resources Ltd., Kutcho Copper Corp. and Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. Mr. Bennett stated, "I am happy to support Rare Earth Ridge as a consultant to its Board and look forward to helping the Company move ahead. The rare earth space has become a very important part of the global mining industry with critical implications for the future." Barry Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Rare Earth Ridge, comments, "We are very excited to welcome Mr. Bill Bennett as a consultant to our board of directors. Mr. Bennett will be an invaluable resource to the Company in advancing our Mount Major Hart rare earth element project." About Rare Earth Ridge Resources Rare Earth Ridge Resources Corp. is a Canadian junior mining exploration company with its 100% owned Mount Major Hart property located in British Columbia. The Company is focussed on rare earth elements and rare metals, particularly lithium and rubidium. More information can be found at the Company's website at www.rareearthridgeresources.com. ON BEHALF OF RARE EARTH RIDGE RESOURCES CORP. "Barry Miller" President, CEO and Director T: (778) 232-1878 E: barry@rareearthridge.com Forward-Looking Information: This press release may include forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation, concerning the business of Rare Earth Ridge. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of Rare Earth Ridge. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "will," "may," "would," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "could" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Although Rare Earth Ridge believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking information because Rare Earth Ridge can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195361 SOURCE: Rare Earth Ridge Resources Corp. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / As part of our commitment to environmental stewardship, social responsibility and meeting our customer needs, Entergy has been a longtime supporter of Ducks Unlimited, one of the world's largest wetland and waterfowl conservation organizations. Our Environmental Initiatives Fund provides $1 million shareholder-funded dollars each year for environmental improvement projects. Through this fund, one of the major initiatives we have supported is the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership. The partnership was formed in 2013 to bring about meaningful and long-term improvements to three of the nation's critical natural and economic resources: waterfowl, working rice lands and water. Entergy and the Rice Stewardship Partnership share a common goal: helping agricultural producers with their operations, with an eye toward improving their bottom line while also protecting our natural resources. As the largest electric power production and retail distribution company across the rice-growing regions of the Mississippi Alluvial Valley and Gulf Coast, we are a natural partner for this work. "Innovative collaborations among companies, governments and conservation organizations show increasing potential to tackle underlying challenges like preserving groundwater, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving wildlife habitat," said Dr. Scott Manley, director of agriculture support at Ducks Unlimited. "Collaborations with partners like Entergy are essential to meet everybody's climate and nature goals." In 2019, the Environmental Initiatives Fund provided a $250,000 grant to support the Rice Stewardship Partnership's work to conserve wetlands on agricultural lands. The program's goal is to improve water and energy use and increase wildlife habitat in rice-growing areas. We don't just provide funding, however - we also provide expertise and technical support to rice growers to help them reach their conservation goals. Since 2006, we have donated nearly $1 million through shareholder-funded grants and more than $8.5 million of in-kind contributions to Ducks Unlimited in support of initiatives across Entergy's service area. Through our partnership, we are leveraging a variety of resources to support important regional conservation efforts while helping our customers build a more sustainable future. The Environmental Initiatives Fund was launched in 2001 and has invested nearly $43 million in environmental improvement projects. Learn more about our commitment to the environment at entergy.com/environment. Ken Bradshaw, Chad Eschete and Keith Smallwood, members of Entergy's eTech team, discussed Entergy's ongoing sustainability activities at last year's Rice Stewardship Partnership Summit. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Entergy Corporation on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Entergy Corporation Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/entergy-corporation Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Entergy Corporation View the original press release on accesswire.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - United Airlines (UAL) CEO Scott Kirby shared his doubts and concerns in an interview with CNBC about the 737 Max 10 deliveries amid Boeing's safety and quality-related problems. The company had earlier ordered 277 Boeing Max 10 along with an option to purchase an additional 200 in the future. However, the order has been delayed. In a call with the investors, Kirby said that the airline is not quite cancelling the order for Max 10, but at the same time, it does not anticipate that it would receive the planes. He further explained, 'We are taking it out of our internal plans.' Kirby added, 'And we'll be working on what that means exactly with Boeing. But Boeing is not going to be able to meet their contractual deliveries on at least many of those airplanes. And let's leave it at that.' The Airlines currently has 79 of the Boeing's Max 9, which were recently grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration after a door plug blew off on an Alaska Air flight on January 5, leaving a hole on the plane's side. Reacting on the incident, Kirby said, 'I think the Max 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camel's back for us.' According to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, United Airlines has the largest number of Max 9 planes and it had scheduled around 8,000 flights with the plane before the incident was reported. The CEO said that the company expects a loss of $116 million to $262 million in the first quarter. 'We're still going to be the fastest growing airline,' Kirby emphasized. 'But we're not going to be as fast growing as we planned.' Reacting to the problems faced by its customers, Boeing head Stan Deal said, 'We are taking action on a comprehensive plan to bring these airplanes safely back to service and to improve our quality and delivery performance. We will follow the lead of the FAA and support our customers every step of the way.' Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - High anxiety regarding artificial intelligence displacing workers has prompted MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab researchers to assert that the economy is not yet prepared for widespread job displacement by machines. Their findings reveal that the impact of AI on the job market will likely unfold at a slower pace than previously anticipated, with the majority of jobs considered vulnerable to AI not currently conducive to automation from an economic standpoint. The study's findings revealed that only about 23% of the current wages paid to human workers for potentially AI-replaceable roles would be cost-effective for employers to automate at this time. While this could change in the future, the overall conclusion is that AI-induced job disruption will likely occur gradually, rather than abruptly. Neil Thompson, one of the study's authors and the director of MIT's Computer Science and AI Lab's future tech research project, told CNN in an interview. 'What we're seeing is that while there is a lot of potential for AI to replace tasks, it's not going to happen immediately'. While reports from entities like the International Monetary Fund, Goldman Sachs, and McKinsey suggest significant AI-driven job displacement, which will deepen existing inequality and a survey from the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, and Princeton finds that ChatGPT alone could impact around 80% of jobs, MIT researchers caution that the majority of jobs at risk of AI displacement are not currently 'economically beneficial' for automation. Thompson also underscores the importance of considering the economic feasibility of implementing AI systems. This gradual pace of AI disruption to jobs presents an opportunity for policymakers, employers, and workers to proactively prepare and adapt to forthcoming changes and address AI's impact on the labor market. Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Video-Workshop: Das kleine Einmaleins der Charttechnik In diesem kostenlosen Video-Workshop von Stefan Klotter lernen Sie alles uber Charttechnik. Lassen Sie sich diesen kostenfreien Workshop nicht entgehen! Hier klicken NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Originally published on bloomberg.com A shifting narrative For the last fifty years, the narrative told to high schoolers and college students across America has remained unchanged. "We were telling college-bound students to just get into college and everything is going to be fine," attests founder and CEO of Basta, Sheila Sarem. However, this simple equation falls short when applied to first-generation college students with limited social capital and access to professional networks. Herein lies the systemic problem that changemakers like Basta and Bloomberg have set their sights on. Basta's model is addressing that gap. "A college degree on its own does not necessarily lead to a great first job," Sarem says. "I thought if we could create a space for employers to actually think about how to hire differently, we could really change the face of workforce leadership." From the beginning, Bloomberg has been a foundational partner in achieving this vision, opening pathways for first-generation students of color to join the ranks at Bloomberg and other Top 100 companies. Since 2016, 200+ Bloomberg employees have contributed over 400 volunteer hours and worked with 200 Basta fellows. And perhaps more notably, Bloomberg has hired over 50 Basta fellows into full-time roles across diverse sectors and teams. In honor of National Mentorship Month, we celebrate this long-running partnership by highlighting some of the successes we've achieved together. The path to knowledge In eight years, Basta's vision has flourished: 81% of fellows secure full-time jobs with an average salary of $62,700. What's behind this success? The Basta Fellows themselves, of course, and the extraordinary dedication of partner companies and their employees. "Companies like Bloomberg are a bit of a unicorn," Sarem attests. "The willingness to think differently about hiring, the willingness to tap multiple channels for great talent." When ambition meets innovation, great things happen: enter the Bloomberg Mentorship program. "Every three months, we bring together a set of Bloomberg employees into one-on-one mentoring relationships with Basta fellows," explains Sarem. Malia Simonds from Bloomberg's Corporate Philanthropy team, whose belief in the partnership runs deep, is heading up the Bloomberg-Basta partnership. Simonds shares, "Bloomberg is committed to opening doors for students who have traditionally been underrepresented in fields where we have expertise. Those fields include technology, finance, business, and data. When we find a great partner like Basta, we love to support them in multiple ways - bringing together funders, corporations, and alumni of the program. We've hired people from Basta who have come through the program and are now mentoring fellows." A pay-it-forward mentality is the norm rather than the exception when it comes to the mentorship program. One such Basta alum-turned-Bloomberg mentor is Lynn Fernandez-Ponce, a first-generation student whose parents immigrated from Mexico. Now a Fixed Income Specialist at Bloomberg, she confesses, "As a first-gen student it was very difficult to have an insight on how to set my career forward and plan for it. I was pretty much on my own. And that's where Basta filled this gap the partnership between Basta and Bloomberg has really changed my life." Takes two A successful mentorship relies heavily on the experience and empathy of the mentor. Take, for example, Basta mentee/mentor pair Bradley Belliard, Basta Fellow, and his mentor, Mary Abelack, Bloomberg employee and also a first-gen college graduate. "When I initially met Mary, I was definitely nervous and wanted her to see me as someone who took this seriously and was really passionate about what I do," says Belliard. Well, his hopes were most certainly realized. When speaking about him, Abelack gives glowing reviews: "I was really impressed by how confident he was." Successful mentorship is also fundamental to career development. Abelack explains, "I decided to become a mentor because I had also been a first-gen college grad and I feel like the first ten years of my career were not going anywhere. I felt like I could alleviate that for someone." So, how exactly does a mentor go about helping pave a path for a mentee such as Belliard? To Abelack, that means "giving him access to the network I've built here at Bloomberg," providing a glimpse of the interview process and giving resume feedback tailored to the position he was interviewing for - perfectly embodying Basta's mission. The generosity of his mentor has not been lost on Belliard. "Our time together was pretty crucial to my success in the past year or so," he says. "She gave me the confidence and the knowledge to go out there and get what I want, which was this job." Regarding networking, Belliard can pencil in at least one first-gen superfan and advocate to his rolodex, Abelack. Senior level support Global Head of Bloomberg Marketing & Strategy, Brandon Harris, serves as Bloomberg's representative on Basta's board of directors. He is emblematic of what works in this partnership - through his board participation - he keeps one foot firmly planted in each organization and provides unique counsel on how to continue optimizing the partnership. "I decided to join the board of Basta because it really fit all the categories I was looking for in a non-profit board opportunity. The fact that Basta focuses on first-generation students was, I think, the most compelling part for me," he says. "We take for granted the fact that we have a parent, a sibling, a cousin, a relative that can give us insights. Some people don't have that [they] are the very first person to go to college." Basta's shared NYC roots with Bloomberg certainly help. "Basta started in our own backyard," he adds. "And we've been proud to grow with them and grow beyond NYC, giving opportunities to students across the United States." Join a community of first-generation college students and receive the support and guidance to land a job in the field of your choice. Click here to learn more about Basta and their fellowship program. Bloomberg's Corporate Philanthropy program invests in a global network of nonprofit partners providing education and workforce development opportunities for individuals from historically underserved communities. Learn more about our global efforts to make careers in finance and tech more accessible and inclusive. For more information on Bloomberg careers, click here. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bloomberg on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Bloomberg Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/bloomberg Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Bloomberg View the original press release on accesswire.com Rio Tinto will drive development of Australia's largest solar power project near Gladstone, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1GW1 Upper Calliope Solar Farm to provide renewable power to Rio Tinto's Gladstone operations. The agreement will bring more renewable power into one of Australia's most important industrial hubs and marks another step towards Rio Tinto's climate goal of halving its global Scope 1 2 carbon emissions this decade2. If combined with more renewable power and suitable firming, transmission and industrial policy, it could also provide the core of a solution to repower Rio Tinto's three Gladstone production assets the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. Under a new power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with European Energy Australia, Rio Tinto will buy all power generated from the Upper Calliope solar farm for 25 years. The plant will be built and operated by European Energy, at a site about 50 kilometres south-west of Gladstone, pending development and grid connection approvals. Once approved and developed, Upper Calliope would have the potential to lower Rio Tinto's operating carbon emissions by 1.8 million tonnes per year. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said "This agreement is a first important step in our work to repower our Gladstone operations and illustrates our commitment to keeping sustainably powered industry in Central Queensland. "The task remains challenging, but we have a pathway to provide the competitive, firmed power our Gladstone plants need and we are continuing to work hard with all stakeholders, including the Queensland and Australian governments, on getting there. "Competitive capacity, firming, and transmission, are critical to developing a modern energy system that can ensure more large-scale renewables development in Queensland and help guarantee the future of Australian industry." Once approved, construction of the Upper Calliope plant is targeted to start in 2025 or 2026 and, when complete, it will provide enough electricity to meet about 5% of Queensland's current demand. The plant, which is expected to take two years to construct, will cover 2400 hectares, employ 1000 people during construction and support 100 direct and indirect jobs when operating. European Energy CEO Erik Andersen said "European Energy is proud to be a strategic partner in this project with Rio Tinto. Our commitment to providing renewable and reliable energy aligns perfectly with Rio Tinto's ambitious climate goals. The Upper Calliope Solar Farm is not just a solar power project; it's a testament to our shared vision for a greener future. "By supplying renewable energy to one of Australia's key industrial hubs, we are setting a new standard for industrial energy consumption. This project underlines our dedication to driving the transition towards renewable energy in Australia and demonstrates the potential of solar power in transforming the energy landscape of the region. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Rio Tinto and other stakeholders to create a sustainable and energy-efficient future for Australia." Upper Calliope is the first successful applicant in a formal Request for Proposals made by Rio Tinto for renewable power and firming projects in Central and Southern Queensland. Rio Tinto continues to assess other proposals, solutions and partnerships to help competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region. These assets require more than 1GW of reliable power to operate, which equates to over 4GW of quality wind or solar power with firming. Potential further electrification of plant processes could increase their electricity demand in the future. 1 1.1GWac or 1.3GWp 2 From 2018 levels View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123544880/en/ Contacts: Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118 Michelle Lee M +61 458 609 322 Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152 Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse M +44 7825 195 178 David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Laura Brooks M +44 7826 942 797 Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto plc 6 St James's Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Limited Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category General LAS VEGAS, NV / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Planet 13 Holdings Inc. (CSE:PLTH)(OTCQX:PLNH) ("Planet 13" or the "Company"), a leading vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis company, today provided the following update. As reported in a press release issued by the Company on November 17, 2023, on June 20, 2021, the Company engaged El Capitan Advisors, Inc. ("El Capitan"), an investment advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), for cash management services. One of the Company's accounts managed by El Capitan was held at BridgeBank, a division of Western Alliance Bank (collectively "WAB"). Pursuant to a dispute unrelated to the Company, Casa Verde Capital, L.P. and Casa Verde Capital EF, L.P. (collectively "Casa Verde") obtained a US$35.0 million default judgment against El Capitan, which is a portfolio company of Casa Verde. Casa Verde then levied that judgment causing approximately US$5.5 million of the Company's funds held at WAB (the "WAB Funds") and managed by El Capitan to be directed to the Orange County, California Sheriff's Office (the "Sheriff's Office") on September 21, 2023. On or around October 24, 2023, the Company became aware of the levy against the WAB Funds and thereafter filed a third-party claim (the "WAB Claim") of exemption asserting rightful ownership over the WAB Funds. The Company has secured a partial settlement with Casa Verde for the release of US$3.4 million of the WAB Funds. On January 16, 2024, the court entered an order directing the Sherrif's Office to release these funds to the Company. The remaining approximately US$2.1 million of the WAB Funds (the "Remaining Levied Funds") are still in the possession of the Sherrif's Office while litigation is ongoing. The Company has not relinquished any right to the Remaining Levied Funds and continues to pursue their return. A hearing on the ultimate disposition of the Remaining Levied Funds is scheduled for April 29, 2024. After filing the WAB Claim in November 2023, the Company also took immediate action to withdraw the remaining approximately US$16.5 million that the Company held in two additional Company accounts managed by El Capitan (the "Additional Funds"). The Company was initially informed by El Capitan that the Additional Funds were being wired to the Company in due course. However, on November 14, 2023, El Capitan informed the Company that due to issues in connection with the Casa Verde judgment the wire was not able to be processed. Since November 14, 2023, El Capitan has refused to honor the Company's further withdrawal requests with respect to the Additional Funds and at this time it is unclear whether the Additional Funds will be returned. Based on discussions with El Capitan to secure the withdrawal of the Additional Funds and purported bank statements provided by El Capitan, the Company has reason to believe that the Additional Funds were misappropriated by El Capitan. On January 22, 2024, the Company initiated a lawsuit in Santa Monica, California against El Capitan, El Capitan's founder and Chief Executive Officer-Andrew Nash, Casa Verde, Casa Verde's Managing Member-Karan Wadhera, and Jamie Nash, the spouse of Andrew Nash (collectively "Defendants") seeking approximately US$16.5 million in compensatory damages and other relief. The Company alleges that each Defendant is liable for their involvement in a scheme to defraud the Company of funds managed by El Capitan in its capacity as the Company's fiduciary. The Company is vigorously pursuing its rights against Defendants and intends to act quickly to enact all necessary remedies available. At this time, the Company is not able to predict what, if any, action may be taken by law enforcement or other regulatory authorities. The Company will continue to vigorously pursue its rights to reclaim the funds that it entrusted to El Capitan and will pursue recovery of its funds through all legally available means, including as appropriate, through cooperation with law enforcement. The Company has engaged legal counsel regarding these matters and is conducting an internal investigation with respect to the same. Given the nature of the claims and the actions taken by the Defendants, the Company may be limited in what information it can disclose following this announcement. While this matter has resulted and will continue to result in some additional near-term expenses, the Company does not expect this incident to have a material impact on its current business operations or its ability to fund the anticipated working capital and other liquidity requirements of its near-term ongoing operations. About Planet 13 Planet 13 (https://planet13.com/investors/) is a vertically integrated cannabis company, with award-winning cultivation, production and dispensary operations across its locations in California, Nevada, Illinois, and upcoming sites in Florida. Home to the nation's largest dispensary located just off The Strip in Las Vegas, Planet 13 recently opened its first Illinois dispensary in Waukegan, bringing unparalleled cannabis experiences to the Chicago metro area. Planet 13 holds a medical marijuana treatment center license in Florida allowing for state-wide expansion throughout the Sunshine State. Planet 13's mission is to build a recognizable global brand known for world-class dispensary operations and innovative cannabis products. Licensed cannabis activity is legal in the states Planet 13 operates in but remains illegal under U.S. federal law. Planet 13's shares trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the symbol PLTH and are quoted on the OTCQX under the symbol PLNH. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are often, but not always, identified by phrases such as "plans", "expects", "proposed", "may", "could", "would", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to whether the WAB Funds and/or the Additional Funds will be returned to the Company, statements regarding the Company pursuing recovery of its funds through all available legal means and the impact on the Company's business and ability to fund the anticipated working capital and other liquidity requirements. Such forward-looking statements reflect what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon such forward-looking statements and that actual results may vary from such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties which may cause actual results to differ include, among others, those assumptions, risks and uncertainties discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 and any of the Company's subsequent periodic reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov and on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made only as to the date of this press release and we assume no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements should they change, except as required by law. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. For further inquiries, please contact: LodeRock Advisors Inc., Planet 13 Investor Relations mark.kuindersma@loderockadvisors.com Robert Groesbeck or Larry Scheffler Co-Chief Executive Officers ir@planet13lasvegas.com SOURCE: Planet 13 Holdings View the original press release on accesswire.com Concrete4Change (C4C), a Nottingham, UK-based advanced materials company that permanently captures and utilises CO2 by mineralising it in concrete, raised 2.5M in Seed funding. The round was led by Zacua Ventures. This brings the total investment raised to date to 4.5m including 1.5 million in grant funding. The company intends to use the funds to scale its technology from the lab environment to pilot projects with strategic investors that included some concrete manufacturers, Goldbeck and Siam Cement Group. Founded by Dr. Sid Pourfalah, Dr. Michael Wise and Dalraj Nijjar, Concrete4Change is an advanced materials startup developing novel technology for mineralising CO2 in concrete. The company has developed proprietary technology that permanently captures CO2 and mineralises it in concrete. CO2 is captured by C4Cs carrier material, and the loaded material is mixed in fresh concrete as an additive. The result is concrete that is 20% stronger and becomes a CO2 sink that prevents any leak, even after demolition of the concrete. FinSMEs 23/01/2024 macrostreet, a Nairobi, Kenya-based finance news website, raised a seed funding of undisclosed amount. The backers were not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to further develop and enhance the websites features, as well as to expand its team of experienced financial journalists. Led by Chris Nyaga, founder and CEO, macrostreet aims to provide in-depth and unbiased coverage of the financial world. The funding will allow macrostreet.com to provide more comprehensive and timely coverage of the latest market trends, cryptocurrency news, and investment opportunities. The website also plans to introduce new sections and features, such as expert analysis and opinion pieces, to cater to the diverse needs of its readers. FinSMEs 22/01/2024 TravelPerk, a London, UK-based business travel management platform, closed an additional $104m funding round. The deal was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 with participation from existing investors including Kinnevik and Felix Capital. The round was an extension of the Series D-1 raised in January 2022, led by General Catalyst. Stephen Thorne, Investment Director for SoftBank Investment Advisers will join the TravelPerk Board of Directors. The company intends to use the funds to increase investment into its platform, enhancing the customer experience through new inventory capabilities and launching new business travel services, as well as expanding product automation through AI. Led by Avi Meir, CEO and Co-Founder, TravelPerk is a SaaS business travel platform that gives travellers the freedom they want whilst providing companies with the control they need. TravelPerk provides travel inventory alongside management features, 24/7 customer support, state-of-the-art technology, and consumer-grade design, all of which enable companies and organisations worldwide like Revolut, Wise, Redbull, GetYourGuide and Aesop to get the most out of their travel. In 2023, the company grew revenue by over 70% year-over-year, gross profit increased by more than 90% year-over-year, and annualised booking volumes approached $2 billion. TravelPerk has a team of more than 1200 employees. FinSMEs 23/01/2024 Visit Group, a Gothenburg, Sweden-based hospitality and travel software company, received more then 100M in Strategic Growth funding from PSG. PSG is acquiring a majority stake in the company from Standout Capital, a Nordic technology investor, and other minority shareholders while the founder and management will remain significant owners. The company will use the funds to invest to help accelerate both organic and inorganic growth across the region by broadening the range and depth of solutions offered to its customers. Led by James Dixon, CEO, and Magnus Emilson, founder and Executive Chairman, Visit Group specialized in the Nordics within hospitality and travel technology, providing collaborative commerce software to in-destination experience vendors, including lodgings, day tours and attractions, mountain resorts, ferry operators, amusement parks and activity vendors. As of August 2023, the company serves more than 2,200 customers in over 25 countries. Its multiple software solutions create an ecosystem that helps hospitality and travel providers package, sell, distribute, and deliver excellent guest experiences. FinSMEs 23/01/2024 The total value of shares listed on Indian exchanges reached $4.33 trillion as of Mondays close, exceeding Hong Kongs $4.29 trillion For the first time, Indias stock market has surpassed Hong Kongs to rank as fourth-biggest equity market in the world. The total value of shares listed on Indian exchanges reached $4.33 trillion as of Mondays close, exceeding Hong Kongs $4.29 trillion. According to Bloomberg data, the Indian stock market capitalisation surpassed $4 trillion for the first time on December 5, with about half of that coming in the past four years. Advertisement What is leading to boom in Indias stock market? Equities in India have been witnessing a boom due to a rapidly growing investor base, sustained inflows from foreign institutional investors (FII) and strong corporate earnings as well as robust domestic macroeconomic fundamentals. According to Bloomberg, India has positioned itself as an alternative to China, with increasing inflow of fresh capital from global investors and companies alike. More investments are coming to India thanks to its stable political setup and a consumption-driven economy that remains among the fastest growing of major nations, the report said. In 2023, more than $21 billion overseas funds were pumped into Indian shares, helping the countrys benchmark S&P BSE Sensex Index cap an eighth consecutive year of gains. Advertisement Largest equity markets in the world Currently, the US is the worlds biggest market with a market cap (mcap) of $50.86 trillion, followed by China with a mcap of $8.44 trillion and Japan at $6.36 trillion. India now ranks number fourth with mcap at $4.33 trillion. Hong Kong markets see a slump The rally in Indian stocks has coincided with a historic slump in Hong Kong markets where some of Chinas most influential and innovative companies are listed. Advertisement As per reports, the total market value of Chinese and Hong Kong stocks plunged by more than $6 trillion since their peaks in 2021. China has been witnessing a downturn in its economy due to stringent anti-COVID-19 curbs, regulatory crackdowns on corporations, a property-sector crisis and geopolitical tensions with the West. All this has diminished Chinas appeal as a global growth engine. Advertisement China has also been losing its status as one of the worlds busiest venues for initial public offerings (IPO) as new listings have dried up in Hong Kong. With inputs from Bloomberg Almost 22 months after the reporting period ended, Byjus Tuesday finally filed its FY22 financials with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Byjus, a beleaguered edtech startup, is going to slash valuation by more than 90 per cent from its previous round to raise fresh funds and alleviate its financial troubles. Once counted among the worlds most valuable startups, Byjus is seeking more than $100 million from existing investors through a fresh issuance of shares scheduled for February 2024, at a price that values the firm at less than $2 billion, which is around 90 per cent less than the $22 billion valuation the firm received during its previous round of funding in late 2022, a report by Bloomberg cited people familiar with the matter as saying. Advertisement Byju Raveendran, founder of Byjus, will participate in the share sale to keep his stake in the startup, the report quoted sources saying on the condition of anonymity. The sources were further reported saying Byjus is expected to utilise the proceeds from this share sale towards paying off vendors and stabilising the business. Byjus has been battling a cash crunch for several months. Trouble for Byujs Byjus has been facing challenges with venture capital (VC) funding and drop in the demand for online learning post-COVID. Raveendran has also been facing challenge to keep the company afloat and to ease its financial pressures. Byjus is also in the process of selling its US-based kids digital reading platform for about $400 million and is embroiled in a legal battle with creditors over a missed interest payment on a $1.2 billion term loan. Advertisement Global investment firm BlackRock has also reduced its valuation of Byjus to $1 billion, a massive decline from $22 billion in early 2022. Tech investor Prosus too has reduced the value of its stake in the firm to less than $3 billion, 86 per cent less from the previous valuation. Byjus - formally known as Think & Learn Pvt - and backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, General Atlantic and Prosus NV, has raised billions of dollars to finance a global acquisition spree before it ran into a worldwide tech funding downturn. Several shareholders in the company are expected to participate in the share sale, the reported cited people as saying. Advertisement Byjus finally discloses financial results for FY22 Byjus, finally on Tuesday (23 January), filed its FY22 financials with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) almost 22 months after the reporting period ended. Its consolidated revenue jumped 118 per cent from Rs 2,428 crore in FY21 to Rs 5,298 crore in FY22, whereas losses spiked from Rs 4,564 crore in FY21 to Rs 8,245 crore in FY22. Advertisement Byjus FY22 financials showed that 69 percent or Rs 3,464 crore of the companys operating revenue of Rs 5,014 crore came from domestic sales, whereas the rest came from exports. In the FY22 financials, the Byjus auditor warned that a material uncertainty exists due to its large losses and a $1.2 billion loan that may cast significant doubt on the groups ability to continue as a going concern. Presented by Jio Studios, Laapataa Ladies is directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande. The film has been made under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions Ever since the teaser of Jio Studios and Aamir Khan Productions Laapataa Ladies was released, the audience has been eagerly waiting to see more of this laughter riot. Now, after a long wait, the makers are all set to treat the audience with the much-awaited trailer on 24th January 2024, Tuesday. Advertisement The film received positive responses at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023. Kiran Rao expressed her gratitude to everyone for giving such a phenomenal response. She said, Theres no better reward for a filmmaker than to experience firsthand the laughter, tears, and applause of your audience, and at TIFF we were delighted and humbled by it. A big thank you for all the support and love we received, and looking forward now to bringing Laapataa Ladies to theatres at home in India and the rest of the world. While sharing his reaction to the amazing response the film received, Aamir Khan said, I am absolutely thrilled with the audience, press and industry response to Laapataa Ladies. I feel especially proud of Kiran, and her emergence as a strong voice in the popular space! Cant wait for the film to release now. Advertisement Presented by Jio Studios, Laapataa Ladies is directed by Kiran Rao and produced by Aamir Khan and Jyoti Deshpande. The film has been made under the banner of Aamir Khan Productions and Kindling Productions, with the script based on an award-winning story by Biplab Goswami. The screenplay & dialogue are written by Sneha Desai, while the additional dialogues have been jotted down by Divyanidhi Sharma. According to Daily Mail story on the Living Legends of Aviation awards held in Los Angeles which was considered to be a D-list gathering, Prince Harry was present for this award. According to reports, Prince Harry was supposed to attend with his wife Meghan, in what had been billed as the couples first joint Hollywood red carpet appearance, but it was later announced that Harry would be solo, and he came in through a back entrance. It was later reported that Meghan had decided to stay home because one of their two children was sick which many journalist and critics present at the event felt it to be a smart move. And as we all know by now how conniving and image conscious Meghan who considers herself to be star, when she hardly is one. Advertisement Meghan, the mastermind behind Harrys moves As for Harry , the royal family feels that he has brought a lot of shame to the family by first the release of Netflixs series Harry & Meghan where he and Meghan had royally defamed the British royal family which was followed by his controversial memoir Spare . Both of them were Meghans idea though. In fact, she was the mastermind behind Prince Harrys Spare. Firstpost had earlier reported that Prince Harrys acknowledgment to his beloved wife in Spare. It talks of Meghan Markle being Prince Harry s logical, physical, emotional and spiritual inspiration. Royal biographer Tom Bower suggested that the Duchess of Sussex is the driving force behind the controversial memoir, titled Spare. Now Harry is completely at the mercy of Meghan. He cants even says any kind words for his father and sister-in-law with whom he was very close to during his Living Legends of Aviation speech knowing that both were going through a health crisis. Advertisement According to a report published in Daily Mail, a guest mentioned, We all assumed Harry would say something kind about his father and Kate, before going into his acceptance speech. But he didnt say a word about them, which was weird. (With added inputs from agencies) The movie, also written and directed by Ranaut, features the actor in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi Actor Kangana Ranauts latest movie Emergency will release in theatres on June 14, the makers announced on Tuesday. Unlock the story behind Indias darkest hour. Announcing #Emergency on 14th June,2024 Witness history come alive as the most feared & fiercest Prime Minister #IndiraGandhi thunders into cinemas #Emergency in cinemas on 14th June,2024@AnupamPKher #SatishKaushik pic.twitter.com/hOBRnXt4uu Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) January 23, 2024 Advertisement The movie, also written and directed by Ranaut , features the actor in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. Emergency is my most ambitious project and second directorial post-Manikarnika, we have the best of Indian and international talent come together for this big budget, grand period drama, the actor said in a statement. All About Emergency The movie is inspired by the infamous Indian Emergency and will see Kangana Ranaut essaying the role of the former Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi. In addition to this, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Mahima Chaudhry and Milind Soman have also been roped in for significant roles in the drama. Advertisement Bankrolled by Manikarnika Films and EaseMyTrip, the songs and background score of the film have been provided by G. V. Prakash Kumar. Along with leading the movie, Kangana Ranaut has also produced Emergency. Why the film was postponed The Tejas star said given the constant changes in her schedule, they had taken the decision to alter the release date for Emergency, We have announced Emergency release date as 24th November 2023 but because of all the changes in my back to back releasing films calendar and over packed last quarter of 2024 we have decided to shift Emergency to next year (2024), she said. Advertisement With added inputs from agencies Apart from the veteran actor, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif were clicked together and also in attendance were Ayushmann Khurrana, Rohit Shetty, and Madhuri Dixit Ramayan actor Arun Govil, who became a household name for playing the legendary character of Lord Ram, has spoken about attending Ram Mandirs consecration ceremony. Bharat 24 has reported the actor was left a tad bit disappointed and he has a reason behind it. The actor was quoted saying, The dream has been fulfilled but I did not get to do darshan. I cant say anything at the moment. Advertisement Other attendees Ranbir Kapoor , Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif were clicked together and also in the frame were Ayushmann Khurrana, Rohit Shetty, and Madhuri Dixit. Actor Kangana Ranaut says its her good fortune to be invited for the Ram temple consecration ceremony here on Monday. The 36-year-old actor on Sunday met her spiritual guru Rambhadracharya and participated in a yagya at a temple here. Ranaut , who reached Ayodhya on Saturday, said devotees are waiting for Lord Rams arrival. I have come here to meet my Guru Rambhadracharya ji. Many priests are carrying out rituals and reciting verses in the name of Lord Hanuman. The energy here is miraculous. Its my good fortune that Im getting an opportunity to be part of this (consecration) ceremony. We all are busy making arrangements to welcome Ram Lalla ji. The whole city of Ayodhya is decked up with flowers to welcome Him. May Lord Ram bless us. Jai Shri Ram! the actor told reporters here. Advertisement Ranaut also paid a visit to the Hanuman Garhi temple for a clean-up drive, but she said she had to leave soon after she was mobbed. Actor couple Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram, who were spotted at the Mumbai airport before heading to Ayodhya on Sunday, said the Ram temple ceremony is a big day for Indian culture. Advertisement Shri Ram is not only a religious symbol but he also represents our culture and civilisation. This day will bring everyone across the country and world together. We are happy to be a part of this event, Hooda said. The actor spoke about the kind of scripts that came his way post Kabir Singh at the trailer launch of his upcoming rom-com Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon are coming together for a rom-com called Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, which has been hailed as an impossible love story. At the trailer launch, the actor said he didnt get any exciting scripts after his 2019 blockbuster Kabir Singh, and then this film came along. Advertisement I have been missing doing something light and fun. But honestly, it is the most difficult genre to crack. I listen to ten scripts a month. People dont know that, but there is so much to hear. I know people tell me aur picture karo (do more films), but it is so difficult to find scripts that you feel that you are going to offer the audience something new, said the actor. He added, Love stories is the most difficult genre to do. I just feel that this film was answering that question of mine What is it that you can do new in a love story? When I did Kabir Singh, the character was new for me. The entire journey, the way the entire relationship was, it was shocking, but it was new. Post that, I didnt hear anything that was exciting. Then popped in this film, and I was like this is it. Advertisement About the film The trailer starts off and ends on a breezy and frothy note, with Kapoor in his OG, ultimate swagger that he can pull off even in his sleep. This is the kind of breeze that nearly faded away from the celluloid for long. Sanon plays a robot, and the man is clearly smitten by her and so is she. This is the path S. Shankar also took with his 2010 blockbuster Robot. But this is a far more glossy and glamorous world that oozes style and sass, and an easy-on-the-eye chemistry between the leads. Several Democratic voters in New Hampshire received robocalls featuring the digitally manipulated voice of President Joe Biden urging them to save their vote for November rather than todays primary. Whats going on? The New Hampshire primaries are today and the dirty tricks are already underway. As Donald Trump and Nikki Haley face off for the Republicans, Democratic voters in the Granite State over the weekend received robocalls featuring the digitally manipulated voice of President Joe Biden. The robocall urged voters to stay home and save their vote for November. Advertisement But what happened? Why is this happening? And who is behind it? Lets take a closer look: What happened? The news that the robocall was targeting Democratic voters was broken by NBC. A recording of the call generates a voice similar to Bidens and employs his often-used phrase, What a bunch of malarkey. It then tells the listener to save your vote for the November election. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again, the voice mimicking Biden says. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday. NBC reports that NH voters are getting robocalls with a deepfake of Bidens voice telling them to not vote tomorrow. its important that you save your vote for the November election.https://t.co/LAOKRtDanK pic.twitter.com/wzm0PcaN6H Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) January 22, 2024 Advertisement The New Hampshire attorney-generals office said it was investigating after a high-profile Democrat in the state filed a complaint. The Democrat, Kathy Sullivan, is the former chair of the Democratic Party in the state. Advertisement Her number appears at the end of the message telling Biden voters not to bother voting today. Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications," the attorney generals office was quoted as saying in a statement by NBC. Advertisement These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. Why is this happening? Because Biden isnt on the ballot in New Hampshire though his allies havent given up on the state. Advertisement As per NPR, this is down to a tiff between the New Hampshire Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee. Advertisement The DNC this year has designated South Carolina a state that saved Bidens candidacy in 2016 and catapulted him to the presidency as the years first contest. Sullivan, who leads a super PAC in the state, is urging New Hampshire Democrats to conduct a write-in campaign for the president. Sullivan said she alerted law enforcement and issued a complaint to the attorney general after multiple voters in the state reported receiving the call Sunday night. This call links back to my personal cell phone number without my permission, she said in a statement. Advertisement It is outright election interference, and clearly an attempt to harass me and other New Hampshire voters who are planning to write-in Joe Biden on Tuesday. This is deep fake disinformation designed to harm Joe Biden, suppress votes, and damage our democracy, Aaron Jacobs, a spokesperson for the write-in campaign told Axios. Advertisement We are confident that New Hampshire voters will respond by showing up to the polls and making clear that we wont be intimidated by these dirty tricks," Jacobs added. Gail Huntley, a 73-year-old Democrat in Hancock, New Hampshire, who plans to write in Bidens name on Tuesday, said she received the call at about 6:25 pm on Sunday. Advertisement She instantly recognised the voice as belonging to Biden but quickly realised it was a scam because what he was saying didnt make sense. Initially, she figured his words were taken out of context. I didnt think about it at the time that it wasnt his real voice. Thats how convincing it was, she said, adding that she is appalled but not surprised that AI-generated fakes like this are spreading in her state. Advertisement Who is behind it? We dont know yet. My head exploded and I said, I cant believe that some son of a gun is trying to suppress the vote on Tuesday, Sullivan told NPR. But Sullivan told NBC the conclusions can be drawn quite easily. Its obviously somebody who wants to hurt Joe Biden. Advertisement Hopefully, whos been doing this wont be able to do this in the future, Sullivan told ABC. You shouldnt be telling people you shouldnt go and vote. Thats crazy. That undermines our democracy. Its just not right. Ive been calling it an unpardonable sin. I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible because this is an attack on democracy, Sullivan further told NBC. Im not going to let it go. I want to know whos paying for it? Who knew about it? Who benefits? It was unclear how many people received the call but a spokesperson for Sullivan said she heard from at least a dozen people who received it. CNN reported estimates from the anti-robocall app maker Nomorobo as saying that the number of such calls could be anywhere between 5,000 and 25,000. The attorney generals office encouraged anyone who has received the call to email the state Justice Departments election law unit. The office told ABC approximately a dozen people have called to request not to get such calls in the future and approximately half a dozen more sent in complaints to them or the secretary of states office. What do experts say? David Becker, the executive director of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, told NPR the calls were a canary in the coalmine for what were going to see this election year. Becker, who formerly worked for the justice department, added, It could very well be that this wasnt designed to help the campaign so much or to hurt President Biden, but to be one of the first shots in 2024 by some actors, whether they be foreign or domestic, to just get us to generally distrust our overall election system. Those who are pushing disinformation, whether they use AI or not, have an easier job than those who are pushing accurate information. The political deepfake moment is here, Robert Weissman, the president of the progressive watchdog group Public Citizen, told The New York Times. Policymakers must rush to put in place protections or were facing electoral chaos. New Hampshire State Representative Angela Brennan told CBS she was worried about the impact of such deepfakes You know, its not like maybe it used to be where it costs thousands of dollars to create a deep fake. Were talking about something that someone can do on their phone in five minutes time. Its a really big problem and its something we all need to be paying attention to, said Brennan. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Monday that the call was indeed fake and not recorded by the president. Bidens campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, said in a statement that the campaign is actively discussing additional actions to take immediately. Spreading disinformation to suppress voting and deliberately undermine free and fair elections will not stand, and fighting back against any attempt to undermine our democracy will continue to be a top priority for this campaign, she said. Katie Dolan, a spokeswoman for the campaign of Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, who is challenging Biden in the Democratic primary, said Phillips team was not involved and only found out about the deepfake attempt when a reporter called seeking comment. Any effort to discourage voters is disgraceful and an unacceptable affront to democracy, Dolan said in a statement. The potential use of AI to manipulate voters is deeply disturbing. The Trump campaign said it had nothing to do with the recording but declined further comment. AI and disinformation The apparent attempt at voter suppression using rapidly advancing generative AI technology is one example of what experts warn will make 2024 a year of unprecedented election disinformation around the world. Generative AI deepfakes already have appeared in campaign ads in the 2024 presidential race, and the technology has been misused to spread misinformation in multiple elections across the globe over the past year, from Slovakia to Indonesia and Taiwan. We have been concerned that generative AI would be weaponised in the upcoming election and we are seeing what is surely a sign of things to come, said Hany Farid, an expert in digital forensics at the University of California, Berkeley, who reviewed the call recording and confirmed it is a relatively low-quality AI fake. As AI technology improves, the federal government is still scrambling to address it. Congress has yet to pass legislation seeking to regulate the industrys role in politics despite some bipartisan support. The Federal Election Commission is weighing public comments on a petition for it to regulate AI deepfakes in campaign ads. Though the use of generative AI to influence elections is relatively new, robocalls and dirty tricks go back a long ways, said Becker. He said its hard to determine whether the main intent of the New Hampshire calls was to suppress voting or simply to continue the process of getting Americans to untether themselves from fact and truth regarding our democracy. They dont need to convince us that what theyre saying, the lies theyre telling, are true, he said. They just need to convince us that there is no truth, that you cant believe anything youre told. With inputs from agencies As Ayodhya sees a surge in visitors, brands like Coca-Cola, Parle, and ITC are rushing to ensure their products get visibility in dhabas, on vending machines and on signboards. Jewellers are launching limited editions dedicated to Lord Ram and the Ram mandir The Ram mandir is good for business. As Hindus in India and the world over celebrated the consecration of the temple in Ayodhya, corporates jumped onto the bandwagon. They are using the popularity of the temple and its deity for marketing and luring customers. India Inc has introduced a slew of campaigns to cash in on the grand Ayodhya event from signboards endorsing products to limited edition packs, companies are doing all they can to grab eyeballs. Advertisement The temple town is at the centre of all the frenzy. The mandir is expected to give Ayodhya an economic boom . Hundreds and thousands of devotees are flocking to the newly inaugurated shrine, which opens to the public today. But before them, came the marketers to ensure they got the product placement correct. Shops, dhabas and restaurants in Ayodhya and highways connecting it to the big cities of Uttar Pradesh like Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi have been refurbished with brands setting up signboards, coolers and vending machines. From gates to changing rooms, everything in and around the mandir doubles up as a prop for promotion. Advertisement Brands rush to Ayodhya FMCG companies like Coca-Cola, Parle, Dabur and ITC have been at the top of their game. Many of these brands have been focusing on having an on-ground presence, putting up hoardings and kiosks around the Ram temple . Several have invested a few crores in the mega event, industry watchers told The Times of India (ToI). Advertisement Dhabas in and around Ayodhya are rebranding. Darbur has partnered with eateries along the highways, putting up props and setting up stalls and experience zones which allow visitors to sample its products like tea or hair oil. ITCs agarbatti brand has joined hands with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the trust set up for the construction and management of the Ram mandir to set up a Kushboo Path a corridor adorned with the incense sticks within the temple premises. It has also donated its dhoop, which will be used in daily rituals, for six months. Advertisement To help in crowd management, the incense stick brand has 300 barricades at the main temple and over 100 barricades at the temple entrance, according to the ITC. The changing market With a population of 350,000, Ayodhya has been a small market so far. But the temple changes everything. The town is likely to see an eight to 10 times surge in visitors, which makes it a large captive market. Keeping this in mind, consumer brands have increased their supplies to Ayodhya. A rise in the demand for daily essentials and products related to worship like incense sticks and idols is expected. Advertisement Mohit Malhotra, CEO of Dabur India, was quoted as saying by Hindu Businessline, The Ram mandir consecration is undoubtedly one of the most momentous occasions in our history. Besides ramping up the distribution of our products in the city anticipating the surge in demand for daily essentials, we are also creating special experience zones in the city where visitors and pilgrims arriving in Ayodhya can touch, feel, and experience our range of products like Real juices, Dabur Amla hair oil, and Dabur Vedic Tea. Advertisement Also read: Business Boom: How Ram temple will change the fortunes of Ayodhya Coca-Cola has swapped its trademark red palette with brown to match the theme of the Ram mandir. It also has placed 50 vending machines on the pathways leading up to the temple and is ensuring that retailers get sufficient supplies. Advertisement The beverage company is backing local shopkeepers by helping them revamp their stores and placing coolers. Thats not all. It has also set up changing rooms and setting up a park for devotees, reports Hindu Businessline. Parle also has its eyes set on the temple town. Ayodhya has a population of about 3-5 lakh but with the inauguration of the Ram temple, we expect the city to attract a lot of tourists, Krishnarao Buddha, senior category head at Parle Products, told The Times of India, adding that the company has plans to increase brand spends in the town. Advertisement Outdoor advertising rates in Ayodhya have risen by 40 to 50 per cent with hoardings at prime spots already sold out, ad industry executives told The Economic Times (ET). A senior executive with a leading electronics brand said that it was not getting prime outdoor advertising spots. We are now trying to get spots at the airport and its approach road, he said. Advertisement Brand Ayodhya is here to stay While most have focused on Ayodhya, a few brands are opting for a mass media moment-marketing campaign. Jewellery retailer Senco Gold and Diamonds has launched a new SiyaRam Collection, which comprises pendants, necklaces, and earrings with designs of the Ram temple. Several other jewellers have also launched collections to coincide with the mandir opening. Kalyan Jewellers has updated its existing temple jewellery line, Nimah, adding motifs of Ram, Sita, and the Ayodhya temple into its designs. And the Jaipur Watch Company is selling a special watch and keychain with imagery of the deity. Advertisement Amul also endorsed the temple in its trademark style. A post on social media features the Amul girl barefoot, praying in front of mandir with the caption, Temple of a billion hopes Amul Welcome it. Advertisement But this is just the beginning. Brand Ayodhya is here to stay. Airlines and travel companies are expected to start mainstream advertising now. Many were waiting for the temple to be opened to the public, say experts. Ambi Parameswaran, the founder of Mumbai-based brand advisory, Brand-building.com, told ET, Logistics and infrastructure brands involved in the construction of the temple will also most probably start advertising their involvement in the project in some time, to showcase it as a key part of their portfolio. However, several brands remain conscious. The politics of the temple cannot be overseen. According to management consultant Devangshu Dutta, while brands are looking to get a boost from the Ayodhya event, many will be treading cautiously. We may see vanilla marketing, such as congratulatory or celebratory billboards from brands. But marketers will not want to hit any off note that can get hugely controversial, so they may avoid going for something clever or humorous, he told ET. With inputs from agencies The Ram temple in Ayodhya is set to open for devotees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Parakram Diwas celebrations at Red Fort. Donald Trump and Nikki Haley face off in the New Hampshire primary. All this and more in our guide to todays big events Its Tuesday. And there are some mega events set to occur today. The Ram temple in Ayodhya, which witnessed its consecration ceremony on Monday, will be thrown open to devotees. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to attend the Parakram Diwas celebrations at the Red Fort on Tuesday. After Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 race for the Republican nomination, Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are set to fight a one-on-one battle in the New Hampshire primary. Advertisement And the nominations for the 96th Annual Academy Awards better known as the Oscars are set to be announced today. Lets take a look at todays big-ticket items: Ram temple opens to public Starting today, the general public can visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The authorities are expecting thousands of devotees to visit today the day after the Pran Pratishta ceremony and lakhs upon lakhs of devotees to descend on the temple town immediately. Visiting hours are from 7 am to 11.30 am and from 2 pm to 7 pm. Advertisement Doordarshan will conduct a LIVE broadcast of the aarti and opening of the temple to the public. Modi on Monday said said Lord Ram will no longer live in a tent but will now reside in a magnificent temple. Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our Ram has arrived, The prime minister said he could still feel the divine vibrations he experienced during the consecration ceremony inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram temple. Advertisement Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Our Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple, Modi said. People will remember this date, this moment even after thousands of years from now, he said. It is Rams supreme blessings that we are witnessing it, Modi said. I seek forgiveness from Lord Ram, there would have been some shortcomings in our penance that we could not complete this work for so long. That shortcoming has been overcome. I am confident Lord Ram would forgive us, Modi concluded. Advertisement PM Modi attends Parakram Diwas at Red Fort Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Parakram Diwas celebrations at the Red Fort to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. The celebrations, which will continue till 31 January, are being organised by the Archaeological Survey of India, National School of Drama, Sahitya Akademi, and the National Archives of India. Advertisement The events are slated to delve into the profound legacy of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj. Advertisement The PMO said this years programme will be a multifaceted celebration seamlessly weaving together historical reflections and vibrant cultural expressions. The prime ministers office (PMO) said Modi will also launch Bharat Parv, which will be held between 23 and 31 January to showcase the countrys rich diversity with Republic Day tableaux and cultural exhibits featuring efforts of 26 ministries and departments, highlighting citizen centric initiatives, vocal for local, diverse tourist attractions, among others. Advertisement It will take place at the Ram Leela Maidan and the Madhav Das Park in front of the Red Fort, the PMO said. Trump vs Haley in New Hampshire For the Republican Party, it all comes down to this. Can Nikki Haley knock off Donald Trump in New Hampshire? The odds seem against it particularly with the former president leading his ex-ambassador to the United Nations by double digits. Advertisement Even worse news for Haley is polls uniformly show that Ron DeSantis voters are far more likely to support Trump. In 2016, Republicans blamed a wide and fractured field for Trumps nomination. The thinking went that any normal Republican could have beaten Trump in a mano-e-mano battle. Will Haley do it? Time will tell. Advertisement 96th Academy Award nominations The Oscar nominations will be announced today. The ceremony will be hosted by Zazie Beetz of Deadpool 2 fame and Jack Quaid of Oppenheimer and The Boys. Will Oppenheimer continue its critical and cultural dominance? Will Barbie be nominated for Best Picture? Advertisement Will the academy throw up any surprises? All will be revealed today. Jimmy Kimmel is set to host the Oscars this year. The gala will be broadcast live around the world from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on 10 March. On this day. Bal Thackeray was born on 23 January, 1926. Thackeray began as cartoonist alongside RK Laxman in the Free Press Journal in the 1950s. Advertisement He founded the Shiv Sena in 1966 on the plank of job security for the Marathi manoos (sons of the soil) which translated into attacks on South Indians whom he had blamed for taking away the opportunities from the locals. The party would later turn to Hindu nationalism. Known for his strong views and speaking his mind, Thackeray passed away of cardiac arrest in November 2012 at his residence Matoshree in Mumbais Bandra With inputs from agencies The mice infestation, fuelled by a static war situation and harsh winter conditions, is not only spreading disease among soldiers but also causing severe disruptions in military operations amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict Russias war in Ukraine has a new problem: the infestation of rats and mice, echoing the haunting conditions of World War I trench warfare, CNN reported. The infestation was fuelled by a static war situation and harsh winter weather. It not only spreads disease among soldiers, but it also causes significant disruptions in military operations. Advertisement Heres a look at how rats and mice are becoming a nightmare in the Ukraine conflict. Rats on the frontline Ukrainian servicewoman Kira vividly recounted a mouse epidemic that plagued her battalion in the southern Zaporizhzhia region last fall. She described the unsettling scenario of soldiers trying to rest, only to be disturbed by mice crawling into their clothing, biting fingers, and causing sleepless nights. In Kiras dugout, housing four soldiers, the estimated 1,000 mice turned the tables, making the soldiers feel like guests in their own quarters, as reported by CNN. The infestation is attributed to seasonal changes, the mating cycle of mice, and the stagnant nature of the war. Ukraines counteroffensive faced strong resistance from heavily fortified Russian defences, resulting in a protracted conflict. The nearly 1,000-kilometre frontline has become a breeding ground for mice, spreading disease and discontent among troops searching for food and warmth in the bitter winter. Advertisement Kira and her fellow soldiers employed various methods, from poison to prayer, to rid their bunkers of mice. However, the relentless influx forced them to explore unconventional strategies. Even the introduction of a cat named Busia, initially effective in catching mice, proved futile in the face of overwhelming numbers. Videos circulated on social media by Ukrainian and Russian soldiers provided a visual testament to the extent of the infestation. Mice and rats were captured scurrying under beds, in backpacks, power generators, coat pockets, and pillowcases. The severity of the problem reached a point where mice poured forth from a Russian mortar turret, resembling bullets from a Browning machine gun. Advertisement In December, Ukraines military intelligence reported an outbreak of mouse fever among Russian units near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region. While CNN could not independently verify the report, the disease was described as being transmitted from mice to humans through inhalation of mouse faeces dust or ingestion of mouse faeces in food. Symptoms included fevers, rashes, low blood pressure, eye haemorrhages, vomiting, severe back pain, and urinary problems. Advertisement Ukraines Defence Intelligence claimed that mouse fever significantly reduced the combat capability of Russian soldiers, highlighting the debilitating impact of the infestation. The specific condition affecting Russian troops was not named, but various diseases associated with living near rodents could present similar symptoms, including tularaemia, leptospirosis, and hantavirus, according to CNN. Advertisement Devastated military and electrical equipment The situation draws parallels with World War I, where trench rats thrived in unsanitary conditions, causing immense stress for soldiers. The rat population surged during periods of conflict stagnation, and concerns arose that a similar pattern is emerging in Russias war in Ukraine. General Valery Zaluzhny, head of Ukraines armed forces, drew parallels with the technological stalemate of the first world war, emphasising the challenges posed by the conflict. Advertisement Ihor Zahorodniuk, a researcher at Ukraines National Museum of National History, attributed the mouse infestation to rodent reproduction peaks in the fall and the disruptive effects of the war itself. Winter crops sown in the fall of 2021 were left unharvested in many places in 2022, providing an ideal environment for mice to breed. The dispersal of natural predators further facilitated their propagation. Advertisement Beyond causing anxiety and disease among soldiers, mice have devastated military and electrical equipment. Kira, while working as a signalman in Zaporizhzhia, recounted how mice infiltrated metal boxes, chewing through wires and disrupting communications. The financial losses incurred from the damage were significant, amounting to one million hryvnia ($ 26,500 or Rs 22.02 lakh) in her dugout alone. Advertisement As Ukraine faces another harsh winter, the mouse problem is expected to intensify. Zahorodniuk warned that colder temperatures would drive mice into trenches, exacerbating the situation. He stressed the need for organised efforts to combat the infestation, emphasising the impact on the combat capability of the army, CNN reported. With inputs from ANI Hundreds of rural women across India have received training as drone pilots under the Centres NAMO Drone Didi Scheme. These women will soon travel across their districts and fly drones to spray fertilisers and pesticides in agricultural fields Drone Didis are ready to take over the skies. Hundreds of women across India have received training as drone pilots under the NAMO Drone Didi Scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last November. Punjab BJP vice president Bikramjit Singh Cheema recently said that 110 women from the state have been trained to operate drones under the Centres women empowerment scheme. He said they will be given drone kits by the Central government on 26 January, as per a Times of India (TOI) report. Advertisement Who are these Drone Didis? Lets take a closer look. Drone Didis Women in rural areas have been trained to fly drones to slash time spent in spraying nano-urea on fields. The scheme was announced following PM Modis Independence Day speech last year where he had declared the plan to train at least 15,000 Drone Didis across the country, as per an Indian Express report. The scheme aims to decrease labour costs, save time and water, as well as empower women. The initiative is a part of a broader plan to create at least two crore Lakhpati Didis (rural women earning in lakhs) in India through self-help groups (SHGs). Ladies in #MadhyaPradesh flew drones on this #MakarSankranti instead of the traditional kites as the NaMo Drone Didi Scheme of Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi has changed their lives forever. Glimpse of the ladies getting Drone Pilot training at a facility in Indore.#NaMoDroneDidi pic.twitter.com/6hXc4A38Jt National Fertilizers (@NFL_Kisan) January 16, 2024 Advertisement The training of the first batch of 300 women was conducted by Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), the countrys largest manufacturer of chemical fertilisers, in association with Gurgaon-based training company Drone Destination. Advertisement As per Indian Express, several women, including 22 from Punjab, 20 from Haryana, 24 from Rajasthan, 29 from Maharashtra, four from Himachal Pradesh, 18 from Gujarat, 23 from Madhya Pradesh, 28 from Uttar Pradesh, two from Kerala, 10 from Bihar, three from Uttarakhand, 20 from Karnataka, nine from Assam, 11 from Telangana, 16 from Tamil Nadu, 13 from Andhra Pradesh, etc. have been trained as drone pilots. Advertisement Touching the skies Women from varied backgrounds and educational qualifications applied to become drone pilots. They were contacted by several organisations associated with the agricultural sector at village-level, including Grant Thornton Bharat, Farmer Producers Organisation (FPO) and others, as per the Indian Express report.They were then connected to IFFCO. Speaking to TOI, Manpreet Singh, manager for public sector consulting at Grant Thornton Bharat, said that the main aim of the programme was to empower women and create a positive impact on their social and economic conditions by upskilling them and making them eligible for government schemes. Advertisement The selection process involved interviews wherein the candidates were tested for basic knowledge about farming, the newspaper report added. After selection, the women had to take theory classes before they were taught how to handle drones. Kiranpal Kaur (34), a trained drone pilot from Punjabs Barnala district, told Indian Express, When we reached the training centre, I realised everything was in English, including theory classes and the notes they had provided. I am only a 10th pass, and it was almost 18 years since then that I was touching books again. Advertisement Before practically handling a drone, we first had to clear theory. Our trainers were extremely cooperative, and they helped us in translating the notes in Hindi and Punjabi. Once I cleared the theory exam, there was no looking back. Now, when we have returned after successful training and a certificate in hand, everyone is feeling proud that the word pilot has been attached to my name, she said. Advertisement Now, the word pilot seems like a trophy I have earned in life, Kaur added. Gurinder Kaur from Machhiwara in Ludhiana told TOI that her husband motivated her to join the programme. He is innovative-minded and wants to use every new farm equipment. He has already planned things for me. Once the drone is delivered to us, he would get me a shop and hire support staff. Till now, I was busy with kids, but now that theyre in college. I am trying to learn new things. All women in the team come from the grassroots and are best-suited for the project, she said. Advertisement The project also caught the interest of a postgraduate in microbiology. Zeenat Sharma (37) from Himachal Pradeshs Mandi told Indian Express she did not face any issues during training. What amazed and inspired me was the determination of rural women from Punjab for whom trainers first translated entire lectures into Hindi and then they would further translate them to Punjabi, she said. Advertisement These women will soon be travelling in their e-vehicles across their districts and fly drones to spray fertilisers and pesticides in agricultural fields. How much will they earn? As per IFFCO estimates, the scheme could generate an income of at least Rs 7 lakh per annum for these drone pilots, even if they work only 200 days in a year and spray 20 acres a day. These Drone Didis would charge farmers Rs 300 per acre or more, reported Indian Express. Advertisement IFFCO will provide drones and e-vehicles to the trained women pilots for free. Speaking to Indian Express, Yogendra Kumar, marketing head, IFFCO, said, The entire setup, being given for free, would otherwise cost Rs 13-14 lakh for each woman. A total of 2,500 drones are expected to be bought for the country in a phased manner. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Following the consecration ceremony of the Ram mandir, Modi announced the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana. This initiative aims to install rooftop solar panels on one crore houses. The PM believes the scheme will not only make India more self-reliant in energy production but also benefit the poor Monday (22 January) was a big, big day for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He presided over the consecration ceremony, also known as the pran pratishtha, of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya during the day and then later announced a huge scheme for people. In a post on X, PM Modi on Monday evening wrote, The first decision I have taken after returning from Ayodhya is that our government will launch Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana with the target of installing rooftop solar on one crore houses. Advertisement He further added that the scheme was inspired by Lord Ram and that this scheme would not only help people, but also make the nation self-reliant in energy production. Heres what we know about the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana and how it will benefit India. About the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana On Monday, upon his arrival from Ayodhya where he presided over the consecration ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the scheme, called the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana, under which one crore households will get solar rooftops. In a post on X, Modi said: Today, on the auspicious occasion of the consecration of life in Ayodhya, my resolve has been further strengthened that the people of India should have their own solar rooftop system on the roof of their houses. The first decision I have taken after returning from Ayodhya is that our government will launch Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses. Advertisement He added that the scheme would help not only reduce electricity bills of the poor and middle class, but also push Indias goal of becoming self-reliant in the energy sector. - pic.twitter.com/GAzFYP1bjV Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2024 Advertisement The scheme aims to provide electricity to low and middle-income individuals through solar rooftop installations. Moreover, it will offer additional income for surplus electricity generation. Advertisement Similar to previous scheme Notably, the Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana is very similar to the previously announced Rooftop Solar Programme in 2014. The previous scheme had aimed to produce 40,000 megawatts (MW) or 40 gigawatts (GW) of solar power by 2022. In 2022, this programmed received a four-year extension and now aims at achieving its target of 4,000 megawatt (40 gigawatt) rooftop solar capacity addition, by March 2026. In fact, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy had then said that the Rooftop Solar Programme Phase-II has been extended until 31 March 2026, without any financial implication, within the originally approved total outlay of Rs 118.14 billion for both components of the programme the incentives to distribution companies and Central Financial Assistance to the residential sector. Advertisement And how did this scheme work? Minister of New and Renewable Energy RK Singh had previously said that the consumer can choose any vendor on the national portal and after installation, the subsidy is sent directly to the bank account of the consumer. Advertisement India harnessing the suns power At the end of last year, 2023, Indias solar power generation stood at 73.31 GW, up from 2022s 63.3 GW. However, rooftop solar power generation only stands at around 11.08 GW as of December 2023. Data reveals that of the total solar power generated in the nation, Rajasthan leads the pack with 18.7 GW while Gujarat follows with 10.5 GW. However, when talking about rooftop solar power, Gujarat is at peak position with 2.8 GW followed by Maharashtra at 1.7 GW. Advertisement According to a report by JMK Research & Analysis and Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, India having more than 300 million households and an average of 300 sunny days each year, has tremendous potential for rooftop solar installations in residential spaces. And keeping this in mind, the government has come out with different schemes and initiatives. However, experts note that despite several measures, Indias rooftop solar power generation is not where it should be, listing reasons for the situation. Advertisement Senior Programme Lead from Council on Energy, Environment and Water, Neeraj Kuldeep, speaking to Mongabay, said that the primary reasons for rooftop solar not becoming popular is that it is still an expensive option for many. Interestingly, a report revealed that in 2020, the average cost of a residential rooftop solar system in India was $658 per kilowatt. If compared with other leading rooftop solar residential markets like Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the United States of America, it is three to six times cheaper. But people still find it exorbitant. Advertisement Kuldeep further explained that there is also a lack of awareness. Moreover, consumers receive subsidised electricity from electricity distribution companies. Importance of solar power to India Harnessing the power of the sun to generate electricity is important to India for multiple reasons. If India wants to achieve its aim of becoming net zero by 2070, it has to look towards the sun. In fact, at COP26 , in November 2021, India had committed to meet 50 per cent of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2030. For these aims to be met, India has to harness the full capacity of the sun. Advertisement Moreover, Indias share of global energy demand is predicted to double to 11 per cent in 2040, making it imperative to enhance energy security and self-sufficiency in power generation without increasing environmental costs. This increase in power demand is likely to increase Indias reliance on coal, oil and natural gas as a source of energy. Advertisement However, additional imports of oil and increased domestic production of coal will not only fall short of energy demand but will also entail economic and environmental costs. Expansion of solar power units and increased reliance on solar power allows India to enhance energy security in the face of rising demand. Furthermore, India is already facing depleting groundwater levels, owing to which the nation must shift its energy resources away from water. It is left to be seen if PM Modis new scheme is a step forward in this goal. With inputs from agencies Hollywood actor Reese Witherspoons recent TikTok videos showing her shovelling snow into a cup and making it a winter dessert have gone viral, sparking concerns if its safe to do so. Experts note that while it may look appetising, it could also be a recipe for disaster Hollywoods Reese Witherspoon is whipping up a storm on social media with her new winter dessert. She has sparked a debate with even health experts wading in after she shared a video of herself making a Snow Salt Chococinno on TikTok. It went so far that the Hollywood star had to make another three videos on the video-sharing platform to address worries. Advertisement As the controversy continues to snowball (no pun intended), we take a closer look at what exactly happened and more importantly, is it safe to eat snow. Whats the deal with Reese Witherspoon and eating snow? Last Friday (19 January), the Legally Blonde star shared a video of herself consuming snow after she fashioned it into a chocolate drink, calling it a snow salt chococinno. The video, which she shared on TikTok and has amassed over 4.5 million views since posting, shows Witherspoon gathering snow outside her house in large cups. After that, she added salted caramel sauce and chocolate syrup over the snowflakes and mixed it with cold-brewed coffee. She says, OK, so we got a tonne of snow over the past few days so we decided to make a recipe. It is so good! Advertisement She also captioned her post, Snow days were made for Chococinnos. However, her winter delicacy prompted quite a few people to react, some raising objections. One user responded, writing, No no no.. snow is not made to eat.. u can get seriously sick. Another wrote, I love you Reese, personal anecdote: As someone who grew up in Minnesota, our teachers would always melt snow to show up how dirty it was and not to eat it! Be careful out there. Soon many more commented, raising concerns about the safety of the dish. Advertisement This prompted the Oscar-winning actor to react and address their concerns in not one, but three videos. In one of them, she is seen saying, There are so many people on here saying that snow is dirty. So we went and took snow from the backyard and microwaved it and its clear - is this bad? Am I not supposed to eat snow? Advertisement In another she said, So, were kind of in the category of, you only live once, and it snows maybe once a year here. I dont know. Also, I want to say something it was delicious. So, is snow safe to eat? Witherspoons video has undoubtedly opened up the debate on whether snow is actually safe to eat or no. But for those thinking its a simple yes or no answer, think again. As with most things, the answer is nuanced. Advertisement Doctors and scientists suggest the first snowfall is not safest to taste. This is because snow can soak up pollutants on the way down to the ground. In fact, many observe that snowfall acts like a scrub brush for the air. And notably, scientists have found that new snow can contain particles as well as dangerous pesticides, soot, and even mercury and formaldehyde. Advertisement So, this means that the first snowfall while beautiful to watch is likely the least safe to eat. Thats not all. A study conducted in 2016 had revealed that snow in urban areas could absorb the same toxic and carcinogenic pollutants that come from the car exhaust. And Dr Parisa Ariya, professor of chemistry and atmospheric sciences at McGill University in Canada, who led the research then had told Huffington Post, Snow flakes are ice particles with various types of surfaces, including several active sites, that can absorb various gaseous or particulate pollutants. As a mother who is an atmospheric physical chemist, I definitely do not suggest my young kids to eat snow in urban areas in general. Advertisement Some experts note that the best time to consume snow is later-fallen or falling snow on less windy days. However, there are caveats to this too. Snow plowed off the roads or pavements should not be consumed. This is because in most cases that snow might contain rock salt, which has chemicals that help melt ice to keep people from slipping. Unfortunately, those chemicals can also make you sick if you eat them, so you definitely dont want to eat any snow thats been shovelled or plowed. Advertisement Mark Williams of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado was quoted as telling NPR, Snow thats plowed is likely to contain sand and chemicals such as magnesium chloride. All this gets incorporated into the plowed snow and is bad for you. Experts also point out that any discoloured snow is also a complete no-no to consume. Fengjing Liu, a hydrologist and biogeochemist at Michigan Tech told Outside.com that any snow that has colour is a sign that its been contaminated by bacteria. For instance, watermelon snow (which has a pink tint to it), may sound delicious, but its actually caused due to the presence of 60 species of algae. Advertisement Is there such a thing as eating too much snow? Experts note that eating a snowflake here or there is really not a huge deal. But the amount of snow eaten does actually matter. Diane Calello, medical and executive director of New Jersey Poison Information and Education System and associate professor of emergency medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, was quoted as telling Prevention.com, It is safe in small quantities. A small amount is non-toxic. Advertisement However, its not great to make a meal of it. Thats primarily because depending on whats in the snow, one could end up with an upset stomach or even an infection. And for those who still want to indulge in a snow buffet, opt for clean snow just fallen, white snow. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Iowa and New Hampshire are the first states to hold US presidential contests. But they are not representative of the country, particularly when it comes to race Iowa and New Hampshire have long been the first states to hold presidential contests in election years. But should they go first? This largely unquestioned influence of the two states raises serious concerns about fairness, diversity and political representation. Here they are: Not a fair representation of the US White, non-Hispanic residents make up 84 per cent and 89 per cent of Iowa and New Hampshire respectively, compared with just 58 per cent of the nation as a whole. Iowa and New Hampshire are not representative of the United States, particularly on the basis of race. Advertisement This matters because the presidency is a national office that affects everyone. Because of the boost in political momentum , media coverage and donations that a win in Iowa or New Hampshire can provide, their choices have a bigger effect on the race than most other states. Candidates recognise this and campaign accordingly: Nearly 80 per cent of all Republican candidates events through mid-January 2024 had taken place in Iowa and New Hampshire. Voting in the primaries American elections are carried out by a decentralised system . States and parties choose to hold primary elections at different times throughout an election year leading up to the party conventions. Even if Iowa and New Hampshire were a perfect demographic mirror of the country, the process would still be unfair to states that dont vote early. In almost all modern cases, the primaries in both major parties have been all but wrapped up by April, leaving dozens of states that had not yet held primaries essentially without a voice in the process. Advertisement In the 2020 Democratic primary, for example, Joe Bidens main rival Senator Bernie Sanders suspended his campaign before 26 states and territories had even held their contests. Later states might have a kind of information advantage. For example, some states will likely have the benefit of seeing the outcomes of some of Donald Trumps many legal cases , while Iowa and New Hampshire voters will not. Advertisement But this advantage cuts both ways. Voters in later-voting states often dont even see the same slate of candidates on their ballot as Iowans do. Now that Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended his campaign, most of the countrys voters will never have gotten a chance to weigh in on him. Different, more diverse states could go first on the primary calendar. For example, frontloading bigger states like California, Illinois or Texas would certainly bring a broader swath of voters into the mix; but it also would make person-to-person campaigning more difficult. Its also politically fraught: Democrats moved South Carolina earlier in their own primaries in 2024, but it was perceived by many as a move to boost incumbent Biden, who lost Iowa and New Hampshire in the 2020 primaries but won South Carolina. Advertisement The problem with staggering elections A more substantial reform could create a single primary election day for all states how the US does every other election in this country. Small states would surely dislike this reform: By the current method of staggering elections, these states can shine individually, rather than get lost in the mix of larger states with more voters and delegates. Staggered primaries might also help voters get to know the candidates on a more intimate basis, and political science says voters think of politics in personal terms . Advertisement But the current cost essentially disenfranchising people in later-voting states might not be worth it. Charles R. Hunt , Assistant Professor of Political Science, Boise State University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article . Canada has announced a two-year cap on the intake of foreign students after explosive growth in recent years, aggravating the countrys housing shortage. Here is how the new plan will work and its impact on Indians Canada is one of the most popular destinations for Indian students studying abroad, particularly those from Punjab. And the number keeps growing year-on-year. But now, the North American country has announced a cap on the number of student visas granted over the next two years. The move intends to address the housing impact caused by international students and target problematic institutions, said Immigration Minister Marc, according to CBC News, Canadas publicly owned news service. Advertisement The federal government aims to approve 3,60,000 undergraduate study permits in 2024, compared to around 900,000 in 2023, a 35 per cent reduction. Ahead of the September 2024 semester, Miller said, we are prepared to take necessary measures, including limiting visas, to ensure designated learning institutions provide adequate and sufficient student support as part of the academic experience, as reported by NDTV. Last year Canada issued nearly one million study permits, about three times that of a decade ago, according to government data. The new proposal will cut the intake by nearly a third. Heres how the cap will be applied and how it will affect Indian students. What we know about the cap? Canadas immigration minister, Marc Miller, said the Liberal government will introduce a temporary, two-year cap on student visas, which will result in the issue of about 364,000 visas in 2024. Advertisement Each province and territory will receive a portion of the total, distributed based on population, which they are free to distribute among universities and colleges in their jurisdiction. For some provinces, Miller said, the total reduction can go up to 50 per cent. Along with the cap, the federal government will also require international students applying for a permit to provide an attestation letter from a province or territory. Advertisement The cap will be in effect for two years, with a reassessment of visa numbers scheduled for 2025. The new proposals will also set limits on post-graduate work permits issued to foreign students, which will likely encourage them to return to their home countries. The permits were previously seen as an easy path to securing permanent residency. People pursuing masters or post-doctorate programs will be eligible for a three-year work permit. Advertisement Beginning in September, international students who begin a programme as part of a curriculum licencing arrangement (in which a private college is licenced to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college) will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit, reports CBC News. Masters and other short graduate-level programmes graduates will soon be able to apply for a three-year work permit, according to the government. Spouses of international students pursuing masters or doctoral degrees will also be eligible for open work permits. Advertisement This international student cap is a two-year temporary policy, and will not affect current study permit holders or renewals. Furthermore, it exempts students pursuing masters and doctoral degrees. Spouses of international students enrolled in other levels of study, including undergraduate and college programs, will no longer be eligible, Miller said. The acceptance of new study permit applications in 2025 will be subject to reassessment at the end of the current year, he added. Advertisement Why is government cracking down? Canada has emerged as a popular destination for international students since it is relatively easy to obtain work permits after finishing courses. But the surge in international students led to an acute shortage in rental apartments , which pushed up rents. In December, rents nationwide rose 7.7 per cent from a year earlier, according to Statscan. Advertisement Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus popularity has been dented mainly due to the affordability crisis, and Opposition Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has taken a commanding lead over Trudeau in opinion polls ahead of an election next year. Apart from the rental crisis, the government has also been concerned about the quality of education provided by some of the institutions. Advertisement Whom will this impact? International students contribute about C$22 billion ($16.4 billion or Rs 1.35 lakh crore) annually to the Canadian economy. The move will hurt many educational institutions that had expanded their campuses in the hope of a continued inflow of students. Ontario, the most populous province, received the biggest share of international students. Some businesses, including restaurants and retail sectors, have warned that a cap on foreign students will create a shortage of temporary workers. Advertisement Restaurants across Canada are grappling with labour shortages with nearly 100,000 vacancies, and international students made up 4.6 per cent of 1.1 million workers in the food service industry in 2023, a lobby group told Reuters last week. Canadian banks had benefited from the influx of new students, as each student was required to have a Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GIC) of more than C$20,000, a prerequisite for international students to cover living expenses. Advertisement The vast majority, about 40 per cent, of foreign students come from India, with China coming in second with about 12 per cent, according to official data from 2022. The University of Toronto said in a statement that it looks forward to working with all levels of government to ensure that the allocation of study permits recognises institutions like U of T and addresses the problem where the challenges lie. Advertisement Should Indian students be worried? Canadas decision is going to hit Indian students hard, as Indians makes the largest group of international students in Canada, receiving over 41 per cent of permits in 2022. In 2023, more than 300,000 Indian students reportedly went to Canada, according to CBC News. Miller expressed concern about certain private institutions taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, providing inadequate student support, charging exorbitant tuition fees, and significantly increasing their international student enrollment. Its unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking supports for students and charging high tuition fees all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students, Miller said The Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), a student advocacy group, criticised the cap. The biggest problem is that theres been announced a cap that is a reaction to the housing crisis. What is needed is more support and housing for international students," CASA Director of Advocacy, Mateusz Salmassi said as reported by Mint. With inputs from Reuters and ANI The AAP government, which is challenging the Centre expanding the BSF jurisdiction in the Supreme Court, has called the move an attack on federalism and encroaches upon its constitutional authority. Heres what you need to know The Centre and states are at loggerheads about the Border Security Force (BSF) yet again. This comes after the Centre in 2021 deciding to expand the BSFs jurisdiction to undertake search, seizure and arrest within a larger 50-kilometre stretch from the International Border compared to the earlier limit of 15 kilometres. The Centre had also decided to decrease the BSFs area of operation in Gujarat from 80 kilometres from the border to just 50 kilometres. Advertisement A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misrais is currently hearing a suit filed by the Punjab government accusing the Centre of usurping its constitutional authority. It has said it will examine the validity of the Centres 2021 notification expanding the BSFs jurisdiction. But why has this become a source of dispute? And what did the apex court say? Lets take a closer look: What happened? First, lets take a brief look at the BSF. The BSF was established on 1 December, 1965. With a strength of about 2.65 lakh personnel, it has 192 operational battalions. It is the countrys largest border force. The other forces include the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles. Advertisement The Centre in October 2021 issued a gazette notification defining the new jurisdiction as whole of the area comprised in the States of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya and Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and so much of the area comprised within a belt of fifty kilometres in the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal and Assam, running along the borders of India. Advertisement In short, the BSF jurisdiction was increased from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres in Punjab, West Bengal and Assam. Advertisement In Gujarat, which shares its borders with Pakistan, the limit was reduced from 80 kilometres to 50 kilometres. In Rajasthan, the jurisdiction was left unchanged at 50 km. This amended a July 2014 provision defining how BSF personnel and officers could operate in the border areas. The 2014 notification had defined the BSFs jurisdiction as whole of the area comprised in the States of Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya and so much of the area comprised within a belt of eighty kilometres in the State of Gujarat, fifty kilometres in the State of Rajasthan and fifteen kilometres in the States of Punjab, West Bengal and Assam, running along the borders of India. Advertisement As per Hindustan Times, the Center issued the notification under Section 139(1) of the BSF Act. This allows the force to prevent any offence involving the Passport Act, Registration of Foreigners Act, Foreigners Act, foreign exchange regulation law, customs, excise laws, or any cognisable offence punishable under any Central act within the local limits of such area adjoining the borders of India. Advertisement It also allowed the BSF to nab any individual who violated the aforementioned laws. As per The Hindu, the Centre did so to allow itself more power to thwart crimes across borders and to work better with the police forces of states. How did states respond? The states at the time had decried the move as an irrational decision, a direct attack on federalism and an attempt to interfere through Central agencies. Advertisement Punjab and West Bengal denounced the move with the respective state Assemblies even passing resolutions against the Centres decision. The Punjab government in 2021 filed a lawsuit against the Centre. Advertisement As per Hindustan Times, the Punjab government claimed the notification was against the concept of federalism as it impacted the states legislative powers over the police and law and order. The state government, in its original suit, alleged that the extension of the territorial jurisdiction of BSF encroaches upon its own constitutional jurisdiction. The Punjab government has said the unilateral declaration under the 11 October notification without consulting the state or without conducting any consultative process is violative of the provisions of the Constitution of India. Advertisement The defendant, all of a sudden, on October 11, 2021 without consulting the plaintiff State of Punjab or conducting any consultative process, issued the notification, whereby it amended the schedules of notifications dated July 3, 2014, September 22, 1969 and June 11, 2012 and increased the limit from 15 km to 50 km, it has said. Advertisement The plea says the effect and consequence of the 11 October notification is that it amounts to encroachment upon the powers of the state by the Centre in as much as more than 80 per cent area of the border districts, all the major towns and cities, including all the district headquarters of these border districts, fall within a 50-km area from the Indo-Pakistan border. Advertisement It says Punjabs concerns are totally different and distinguishable from those of the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan. It is submitted that the notification dated October 11, 2021 is ultra-vires the Constitution as it defeats the purpose of Entry 1 and 2 of List-II of Schedule 7 of the Constitution of India and encroaches upon plaintiffs plenary authority to legislate on issues which relate to or are necessary for the maintenance of public order and internal peace, the plea states. What happened in the Supreme Court? As per The Times of India, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre on Monday, said the Union government in 2021 brought in uniformity in the BSFs area of jurisdiction under which it was allowed to exercise powers under the Criminal Procedure Code for areas within 50 kilometres of the border. Mehta pointed out that none of the states including Punjab had challenged the BSFs jurisdiction since 1969. Mehta told the court the October 2021 notification stated that the BSF would deal with cognisable offences relating to border issues. It would thus not hamper the investigative powers of the police. The local police are not deprived of their powers. A concurrent jurisdiction is conferred on BSF, with primacy to the latter, Mehta told the apex court. The AAP government, meanwhile, claimed the move seriously impaired the functions of the state police. As per The Hindu, Punjab advocate general Gurminder Singh said the agencys jurisdiction depends, among other things, on the states topography and population concentration. Additional advocate general Shadan Farasat claimed that 50 kilometres for Punjab, unlike Rajasthan and Gujarat, would leave several cities and towns within its ambit. The Supreme Court on Monday framed several questions of law that need to be examined concerning the Punjab governments lawsuit. The first question it will take up is if the Centre exercised its power arbitrarily. Whether the impugned notification dated October 11, 2021 of increasing the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force, from 15 kilometres to 50 kilometres in the state of Punjab constitute an arbitrary exercise of power by the defendant (Centre) under section 139 (1) of the Border Security Force Act, 1968, the first question reads. The top court also said it would consider whether increasing the BSFs jurisdiction to 50 kilometres is beyond the local limit of areas adjoining the borders under the BSF Act. Whether all states have to be treated alike for the purpose of determining the local limits of areas adjoining the borders of India under Section 139 (1) of the BSF Act, the third question reads. The bench will further examine the factors which have to be taken into account in determining the meaning of local limits of areas adjoining the borders of India under Section 139 (1) of the BSF Act. It will also examine whether the October 2021 notification amounts to unconstitutional interference in the legislative domain of the state under the constitutional scheme. It will also scrutinise whether the constitutionality of the impugned notification of 11 October, 2021, can be challenged in an original suit under Article 131 of the Constitution." As per Live Law, the apex court will also examine what reliefs and costs, if any, apply to the case. The court granted two more weeks to the Centre to file additional written submissions in the lawsuit filed by the Punjab government. It also gave the state government two weeks thereafter to file its rejoinder submissions. The apex court said it will next hear the matter in April. The Supreme Court in December observed that the powers of the Punjab Police have not been taken away by the Centres decision. After perusing the records, the CJI prima facie observed that there were concurrent powers to be exercised by the BSF and the state police. The power of investigation is not taken away from the Punjab Police, the CJI orally observed. The solicitor general had said the BSF has jurisdiction in all border states. He said in states like Gujarat, the jurisdiction of the border guarding force earlier was up to 80 km but now it stands at a uniform 50 km in all border states. With inputs from agencies Some on social media are saying Vladimir Putin wants Alaska back from the United States and has signed a decree regarding the same. Lets take a look at the history of Russias interest in Alaska, why Moscow sold it to Washington and whether theres any truth to the claim Is Vladimir Putin planning to take back Alaska from the United States? Thats what some on social media claimed after sharing a document allegedly signed by the Russian president. But is it true? And why did Russia sell Alaska to the United States in the first place? And why did America buy Alaska? Advertisement Lets take a closer look: Why did Russia sell Alaska to the US? First, lets briefly examine Russias interest in the region. As per the US state department website, this kicked off in 1725 when Peter the Great sent Vitus Bering on an expedition to Alaskas coast. Russia found the region both rich in natural resources and without many inhabitants. Meanwhile, the US continued its expansion westward which caused a rivalry between Americans and Russian explorers and traders. But St. Petersburg did not have the manpower or funds to back major settlements or ensconce its military in Alaska. The Russian populace in Alaska never crossed 400, as per the state department The Smithsonian puts that figure at around 800 people. Regardless, the population itself remained limited to just hundreds of people. According to the magazine, communication with Alaska remained a huge problem for Russia. Another big problem was growing food in Alaskas harsh climate. Advertisement While Russia tried to get around this by establishing trade with the Spaniards and even set up shop at Fort Ross in 1812, the firm handling the explorations the Russian American Company went bankrupt. The decline of the sea otter populace had also taken a toll on the profitability of the colony. Advertisement Making things worse was that Alaska was a hard place to defend. Russia also happened to be fighting the Crimean War which was a huge drain on money. As per the state department, Moscow first made the offer to sell Alaska then known as Russian America in 1859. However, the purchase was delayed by the US Civil War. Advertisement The US finally bought Alaska from Russia in on 30 March, 1867. Seward and Russian minister Edouard de Stoeckl agreed that the US would purchase Alaska for $7.2 million. The agreement was officially known as the Treaty of Cession, as per The Times of India. The US paid Russia in gold for Alaska which works out to around 2 cents per acre. Advertisement The US Senate gave its blessing on 9 April, following which then president Andrew Johnson signed the bill on 28 May. The territory came into US possession on 18 October, 1867. Why did the US buy Alaska? Because the US was looking to get expand. According to The Smithsonian, the US in the 1840s took Oregon, Texas and California as its own territory. Advertisement Our population is destined to roll resistless waves to the ice barriers of the north, and to encounter oriental civilization on the shores of the Pacific, Secretary of State William Seward wrote in 1848. In Alaska, the Americans foresaw a potential for gold, fur and fisheries, as well as more trade with China and Japan. The Americans worried that England might try to establish a presence in the territory, and the acquisition of Alaska it was believed would help the US become a Pacific power. And overall the government was in an expansionist mode backed by the then-popular idea of manifest destiny, The Smithsonian piece states. Advertisement But not everyone agreed. Critics dubbed the idea of purchasing Alaska Sewards Folly. Advertisement As per the state department, the government gave Alaska little to no attention over the next 30 years. The US would only establish a civil authority in 1884 that too for regulating mining laws. For a time, it did look like Alaska was Sewards Folly. But the discovery of gold in the Yukon in 1896 changed everything. By World War II, Alaska had been recognised as a location of strategic importance. Advertisement It finally became a state on 3 January, 1959. The US has done quite well from the bargain. As per The Smithsonian, not only did it gain access to 370 million acres of mostly pristine wilderness, but it has also received hundreds of billions of dollars in whale oil, fur, copper, gold, timber, fish, platinum, zinc, lead and petroleum from Alaska. Advertisement The state likely contains billions of barrels of oil reserves. Has Putin declared the agreement illegal? No. According to Snopes, what actually happened was that Putin on 18 January signed a decree relating to the property of the Russian Federation abroad. The document made no mention of Alaska or that the sale was illegal. Advertisement Russian news agency Tass on 19 January reported that Russia will allocate funds for an effort to find, register and ensure legal protection of Russias property abroad, including property of the Soviet Union and the Russian Empire. It reported that the decree signed by Putin would allocate funds for this purpose to the Department of Foreign Property of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation. The funds will be allocated to cover expenses related to the process of searching the real estate property owned by the Russian Federation, the former Russian Empire, the former USSR, as well as for due registration of [property> rights and legal protection of this property. So much for that rumour. However, Snopes quoted the Institute for the Study of War, a nonprofit research group and think-tank as saying, The Kremlin may use the protection of its claimed property in countries outside of its internationally recognised borders to forward soft power mechanisms in post-Soviet and neighbouring states ultimately aimed at internal destabilisation. So while Putin may not want Alaska back from America, he may have some nefarious ideas in mind. W_ith inputs from agencies_ Six out of 14 people on board Myanmar military aircraft, that skidded off in Mizorams Lengpui airport, have been injured in the incident A Myanmar Army plane with 14 people, including the pilot, on board crashed at Mizorams Lengpui airport on Tuesday. At least six people were injured in the Burmese Army plane crash. Myanmar army plane crash lands in Mizoram Airport, six injured Sources said the plane, which came to take back its soldiers from Mizoram, crashed while landing at the airport. There were 14 persons on board including the crew. #Mizoram #Myanmar #Airport #Planecrash #crashed pic.twitter.com/ruiyWzS503 mishikasingh (@mishika_singh) January 23, 2024 Advertisement As per initial reports, the Myanmar military aircraft, which came to pick up Myanmar soldiers who fled the Lawngtlai district due to clashes between the Myanmar Army and rebels, skidded off the runway at Lengpui airport in Myanmar. The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital, the Mizoram DGP said. Mizorams Lengpui airport has a tabletop runway and as the name suggests it is located and built on top of a plateau or hilly surface, with one or both ends of the runway overlooking a drop. Myanmar soldiers enter Indias Mizoram On Monday, India sent home at least 184 Myanmar army soldiers. An official statement from Assam Rifles confirmed that 276 Myanmar soldiers entered Mizoram on 17 January to take shelter after a gunfight with the rebels in which Khankha mountain Myanmar military base in Southern Chin state which was reportedly captured by the rebels. Advertisement The Myanmar soldiers entered Bandukbanga village at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction in Mizorams Lawngtlai district and approached the Assam Rifles for assistance. The Myanmar soldiers were taken to the Assam Rifles camp at Parva, after which, they were relocated to Lunglei for supervision. The aircraft came on Tuesday to take back the remaining 92 soldiers. Advertisement With inputs from agencies A private conversation between the former British Prime Minister Clement Attlee and then Acting Governor of Bengal Justice P.B. Chakravartti (1956) on the comparative role of Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Indias independence could not be treated as gospel truth Shortly after Dr RC Majumdars book on the history of Bengal viz. Bangla-Desher Itihas Vol-4 (in Bengali) was published, his former student and publisher Suresh Chandra Das received a handwritten letter (in Bengali) from Justice Phani Bhushan Chakravartti (1898-1981), the former Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court (1952-58), who had also served as the Acting Governor of West Bengal between 8 August and November 3, 1956. While complimenting the publisher for bringing out a masterly piece, Justice Chakravartti (Retd) narrated an incident that had never been in the public domain before. The retired jurist referred to his meeting with former British Prime Minister Clement Richard Attlee (1883-1967), when the latter sojourned at Raj Bhawan (Governors House) of Calcutta (now Kolkata), on an Indian tour in 1956. It was during Attlees two-day stay at Raj Bhawan that Justice Chakravartti reportedly had long discussions with the former British Prime Minister on various issues including why the British chose to grant India independence in 1947. It is needless to remind that Attlee was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the Transfer of Power. The Labour Party had stormed into power in the British general elections of 5 July, 1945. Advertisement Justice Chakravarttis contention was that the Quit India Movement (1942) had fizzled out within a few months. If the British could weather that movement, in the midst of World War II, what promoted the British to leave India in a hurry in 1947? Attlee reportedly mentioned a few reasons for that British decision, especially the erosion of loyalty towards the Crown in the Indian armed personnel. He attributed this changed attitude to Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses Azad Hind Fauz (INA). It might be remembered that many soldiers of the British Indian Army, despite swearing loyalty to the King and God, had switched sides to the INA due to patriotic motives. Though the INA was not successful in its mission, the INA trial (Second Red Fort Trial) 1945-46 provoked the nation. The British dare not actually punish the prosecuted officers for fear of mass reprisal. There was mutiny in Royal Indian Navy in February, 1946 inspired by the INAs example. Towards, the end of their discussion, Justice Chakravartti asked Attlee about the influence of Gandhi on the British decision to leave India. Attlee, we are told, smiled sardonically, and replied, m-i-ni-mal (modulation Justice Chakravarttis). Dr. Majumdar narrates the incident in his memoirs (in Bengali) Jiboner Smritideepe (P.228-231) and provides a facsimile copy of the letter (attached here). Advertisement Jiboner Smritideepe (1978), was published when Dr Majumdar was 90 years old. He chose to include this reported incident not in any scholarly work, but in appendix of his memoirs, without any critical remarks. The existence of this letter was known in Bengali literary circle for many years. However, it was General G.D. Bakshi who gave it a forceful national exposure in his book viz. Bose, An Indian Samurai- Netaji and the INA: A Military Assessment (2016). It was subsequently taken up by eminent Netaji research scholars like Anuj Dhar and Chandrachur Ghoshe, who have even fished out photos of Attlees visit to Calcutta and meeting with Justice Chakravartti and tweeted them. Advertisement II There is certainly no doubt about Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses patriotism, valour and enterprise that brought India within inches of freedom. It is also a fact that political initiative had moved out of the Congress hand after the Quit India Movement fizzled out. After the failure of Simla Conference (June, 1945), when the Congress Working Committee met at Poona (Pune) on 14 September, 1945 and after a few days adjourned to Bombay (Mumbai) there were heated discussions on a new line of policy. Maulana Azad, informs that a majority, including Gandhi, held that the Congress must dedicate itself exclusively to constructive work, as there was not much hope was there on political plane (India Wins Freedom, P.141). Maulana Azad, the then Congress president, argued that the party should have confidence in the new Labour Government (led by C R Attlee) in Britain. The party, instead of launching any new movement, should participate in the General Elections promised. III The hard fact is that India did not win her freedom through direct and frontal fight unlike the USA in the 18th century, Greece in the 19th century, and Bangladesh in the 20th century. In those countries, the sword that had been unsheathed was not put back into the scabbard until the freedom was won. There was no intermission where the fighting parties sat down and smoked together. However, this happened in India, more than once. Acknowledging this plain fact hurts our self-respect in 21st century, when India is eyeing to be a world power. Thus it must be proven that we booted the British out like the Americans did in the 18th century. Even if we cant prove it, on the basis of available facts, it has to be established that we made the life for British so intolerable and insecure that they realized that discretion is the better part of valour. They allegedly fled by handing the Indians independence in a haste. Thus we link a RIN mutiny in February, 1946 to British leaving in August, 1947 as though they were mortally terrified. Did mutineers grant time of 18 months to their military masters anywhere in the world? Did the British leave in hurry, and if so, could that haste be necessarily linked to mutinous tendencies in the armed forces? In this whole scheme of things we are discounting the role of Muslim League, which had begun to foment large scale riots since August, 1946 in order to force the British to concede partition. The British Indian Army behaved in quite a coherent manner down to the day of independence. This was despite the fact that it underwent division on communal basis with Hindu and Sikh personnel opting for India, and Muslims mostly Pakistan. At least there was no crisis of leadership or insubordination at any point of time after February, 1946. Advertisement Would the British have not granted India independence without Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses military campaign, or its domino effect? The answer lies in considering the long time perspective. The independence of India was not an event, but a process. The Government of India Act, 1919 was aimed at granting India responsible government under which direct elections to legislature on territorial basis, though based on extremely limited franchise size, were introduced in India. The narrative was carried forward in the Government of India Act, 1935 (the longest legislation passed by the British Parliament until 2011) under which the Congress could form governments in eight out of the 11 provinces. Advertisement The question is why were the British introducing constitutional reforms in India, gradually holding over political power to Indians in a structured manner over the decades. The Mughals or Marathas never did the same in their time. Neither did the potentates of princely states, who between them ruled over 45 percent of Indian territory and 25 percent of population of India, initiate any substantial reform. The answer is that the British had the goal of self-government for India before them. Advertisement Ramsay Macdonald, the then Prime Minister of Britain, while speaking from the Chair at the First Round Table Conference on 12 November, 1930 said: The declarations made by British Sovereigns and Statesmen from time to time that Great Britains work in India was to prepare her for self-government have been plain. If some say that they have been applied with woeful tardiness, I reply that no permanent evolution has seemed to anyone going through it to be anything but tardy. Advertisement Should an official speech delivered by a British Prime Minister, at the Round Table Conference, in presence in 89 delegates- 57 from British India, 16 from princely states and 16 from British political parties- have less historical value than what a former Prime Minister of Britain allegedly said in a private conversation? That the British were determined to concede self-government to Indians months before the INA trial and IRN mutiny- is proven by the statement of Secretary of State in Churchills national government viz. Leopold Amery in the House of Commons on June 14, 1945. Amery concludes his speech thus- Advertisement His Majestys Government feel certain that given the goodwill and a genuine desire to cooperate on all sides, both British and Indian, these proposals can mark a genuine step forward in the collaboration of the British and Indian peoples towards self-government and assert the rightful positions, and strengthen the influence, of India in the counsels of the nation -Anil Chandra Banerjee (ed), The Making of Indian Constitution 1939-1947 Vol-1 (Documents), P. 95. Advertisement On the same day in Delhi, Governor General Lord Wavell made a radio broadcast over All India Radio. In fact, taking aid of five and half hours advantage that India enjoyed over the GMT, he could almost synchronize it with Amerys statement in British Parliament. His opening words were- I have been authorised by his Majestys Government to place before Indian political leaders proposals designed to ease the present political situation and to advance India towards her goal of self-government. These proposals are at the present moment being explained to Parliament by the Secretary of State for India. My intention in this broadcast is to explain to you the proposals, the idea underlying them, and the method by which I hope to put them into effect (ibid, P.95-96). Advertisement The statements by Amery and Lord Wavell also disprove the common myth that Winstons Churchill was absolutely impervious to the idea of conceding India any self-government (independence). However, admittedly, the advent of Labour Government in power only accelerated the process. The Labour Partys landslide victory in the British general elections of 5 July, 1945 (results declared on 26 July, 1945) was a defining hour. C. R. Attlee took office on 26 July, 1945. Lord Pethick-Lawrence was appointed the new Secretary of State. At that time the War had not concluded in the Asia-Pacific. The British had been able to wrest control of Burma (Myanmar), but Singapore was still under Japanese occupation. Advertisement It would be interesting to note what C. R. Attlee records in his memoirs As It Happened (1954), which had been completely overlooked in pursuit of minimalist view of history. He mentions there Subhas Chandra Bose once in the passing. However, what he says about self-government was more important. Successive British Governments had declared their intention of giving India full self-government. The end of the war would certainly bring a demand for these promises to be implemented. Furthermore, our allies the American people had very strong views, shared by the Administration, of the evils of imperialism. Much of the criticism of the British rule was very ill-informed but its strength could not be denied. Prior to the War, I had a long talk with Cripps and Nehru on possible lines of dealing with the problem of Indian self-government and we had sketched out an idea of the constituent assembly to be summoned in order that Indians themselves might decide on their future (As it Happened, P.180-181). Thus the contention that the British were compelled to give independence to India in 1947, against their plans and wishes, is rather preposterous. On the contrary, those who take a minimalist view, overlook the complexity of independence. It involved settling the communal question, the issue of princely states, and the matter of Constituent Assembly. Had British fled in a huff, it would have resulted in anarchy, comparable to 1857. There was a long-drawn process of Transfer of Power. Between June, 1945 to June, 1947 the British toyed with idea of loose federal constitution for India. When that did not succeed, plan for partition had to be announced in Governor General Lord Mountbatten on 3 June, 1947. The myth that the British left India in haste, perhaps had its origin in Prime Minister Attlees statement in House of Commons on 20 February, 1947 that His Majestys government would like to hand over power not later than June, 1948. It never meant independence would be given only in June, 1948 and not before. The General Elections were held in India in the winter of 1945-6 as a result of which central legislative assembly, council of states, and provincial councils were re-elected. The results of the elections showed India was a nation divided on communal lines as far as Pakistan demand was concerned. A Constituent Assembly was elected indirectly from the provincial legislative councils. The Constituent Assembly started functioning on 9 December, 1946 though the Muslim League members never joined it. However, it simultaneously proves that the British withdrawal from India occurred in a planned manner rather than in panic as being alleged by some. When the British rule came to an end at the midnight of 14-15 August, 1947 the sovereign power was assumed by the Constituent Assembly that also acted as a unicameral provisional Parliament under a Speaker (GV Mavalankar) in addition to Constitution making body (under the Chairmanship of Dr Rajendra Prasad). Commander-in-Chief General Rob McGregor Lockharts address to the Indian Army after independence on 18 October, 1947 praised the army for its remarkable performance during the disorders. I am proud of you and I want you to convey to your men my pride in their work (PIB Press Release C-in-Cs Address to Army Officers, October 18, 1947). The last British troop left India was the 1st Battalion of Somerset Light Infantry. They set sail from the Gateway of India in Bombay amidst a resounding farewell. A silent video of the occasion is available in the online archive of British Pathe. The British rule thus came to end in India without bitterness towards former rulers, in sharp contrast to how French rule came to an end in Algeria or Vietnam. The acrimony and horrible carnage that tarnished the independence was as a result of communal riots, not anti-British violence. If the British had fled in panic, there might have been discord between the Army and civilian authorities on the question of withdrawal, which could not have been concealed in public for long. One might remember how Secret Armed Organization (OAS), a rightwing French paramilitary group, had tried to assassinate French President Charles De Gaulle when he signed Evian Accords in March, 1962 granting Algeria independence. The event was famously dramatized in Fredrick Forsyths novel The Day of Jackal (1971), later turned into a blockbuster film. Did anything of that sort remotely happen in Britain? I have never read about people, observed Nirad C. Chaudhuri (1955), who have been so happy to lose an empire and so ready to think that the loss is really a great gain. That simply shows that in spite of having created the greatest empire the history has seen, the English people never had any real understanding of empires. Those who have do not lose them in less than two hundred years (A Passage To England, P.194). Chaudhuri visited England for the first time in 1955. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose completed the missing aspect in Indias freedom struggle- a national army. His military enterprise filled the Indians and home and abroad with patriotism, pride and spirit of self-reliance. There was hardly any such example in the entire world. However, he himself never conceived of achieving success without support from the Congress at home. His campaign did not succeed directly. Whereas it has its unique place in the history freedom movement, it is improper to see it out of perspective. A reductionist view of history must be eschewed. The writer is author of the book The Microphone Men: How Orators Created a Modern India (2019) and an independent researcher based in New Delhi. The views expressed herein are his personal. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya signifies more than the reconstruction of bricks and mortar; it stands as the embodiment of Indias transformationa shift from a constitutional state to a civilisational state In the heart of ancient India, where the river of time flows through the epochs of Bahudha, a cultural tapestry woven over five millennia stands resilient, embracing the principle of universal acceptance. This cultural ode, rooted in the ethos of Swami Vivekanandas profound words, finds its expression in the sacred land of Ayodhya, where the saga of Lord Ram unfolds as a beacon of civilisational and cultural pride. Advertisement In the sanctum of Indian secularism, the term transcends political theories imported from the West. It is an intrinsic part of the Bahudha culture, a culture not defined by religious boundaries, but by the very essence of the Spirit that permeates every soul. Swami Vivekanandas assertion echoes through the ages, proclaiming the oneness of all beings and the unity of the soul with the divine. Amidst the ongoing narrative in Ayodhya, where the stones bear witness to history and devotion, it is not merely an event tied to one religion. It is a testament to the overwhelming acceptance of Lord Ram as more than a religious figurea symbol of ideals worth emulating. In the throbbing heart of democracy, can any government dissociate itself from promoting its own culture and civilization? Advertisement The embodiment of Dharma, Lord Ram, is not confined to religious dogma but resonates as an ideal son, warrior, king, and husbanda beacon of righteousness. The Ram Katha, intricately woven into the fabric of Indian culture, forms the sacred thread binding the nation together. The essence of Lord Ram was aptly described by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech after the iconic consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla at the Ayodhya Ram Mandir on 22 January. Advertisement Ram is not fire; Ram is energy. Ram is not a dispute; Ram is a solution. Ram is not just ours; Ram belongs to everyone. Ram is not just present; Ram is eternal, Prime Minister Modi said. Ram is the faith of Bharat; Ram is the foundation of Bharat. Ram is the thought of Bharat; Ram is the constitution of Bharat. Ram is the consciousness of Bharat; Ram is the contemplation of Bharat. Ram is the pride of Bharat; Ram is the glory of Bharat. Ram is a continuous flow; Ram is an influence. Ram is an idea; Ram is also a policy. Ram is eternal, Ram is perpetual. Ram is pervasive, Ram is universal. Ram is the soul of the world, he said. Advertisement Incorporating the importance of the ideologies of Lord Ram towards nation building, Prime Minister Modi said, Rams thoughts should be in the mind as well as in the mind of the people, this is the step towards nation building. Now cross over the seas to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, where a colossal statue of Krishna Arjun Samvad stands proudly outside the Presidential Palace. Here, culture transcends religious confines, and the people proudly proclaim, Of course, we are Muslims, but this is our culture. Indonesia, with its rich tapestry of 2,000 cultural groups, celebrates diversity, embracing Hindu symbols as national emblems. Advertisement In the worlds largest Muslim-majority country, the epic of Ramayana is not merely a story; it is a philosophy of life. The Indonesian people have not only romanticised the narrative but have also imbibed it as a guiding light for modern existence. For them, Ram and Sita are not just heroes but torchbearers of timeless values. Advertisement As Indonesia, with its 25 crore Muslims, uses Hindu symbols as national insignia, it raises a poignant question: should their faith be scrutinised? Must they face a fatwa and be excommunicated from Islam for celebrating their ancestral culture alongside their religious beliefs? Is it not normal to practice ones faith while celebrating the rich tapestry of ones culture and ancestors? Advertisement In a world divided by religious and cultural boundaries, Indonesia stands as a testament to the harmonious coexistence of faith and heritage, reminding us that embracing our cultural roots does not weaken our beliefs but enriches the very essence of our existence. In the heart of a bustling city Washington D.C., where nations converse through embassies adorned with the echoes of their history, a peculiar sight unfolds before the Indonesian Embassy. One might anticipate the stoic presence of Sukarno, the founding father of Indonesia, casting his authoritative gaze upon the diplomatic landscape. Yet, in a twist of fate, it is not his visage that commands attention; instead, the ethereal form of Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of learning, stands resplendent in white and gold, her four arms gracefully upraised. Advertisement This unexpected manifestation raises an intriguing question: why would the worlds most populous Muslim nation, where Hindus constitute a mere 1.7 per cent, choose a Hindu goddess as its emblem? The answer reverberates through the hallowed halls of Indonesias commitment to religious freedom. In this nation, secularism is not a mere political doctrine; it is a lived reality, anchored in the profound philosophy of Pancasilaa pluralistic tapestry that weaves together the diverse threads of Indonesias soul. Advertisement Hinduisms enchanting forms permeate every facet of Indonesian life, an indelible mark that transcends numerical proportions. The very wings that carry passengers across the archipelago bear the name Garuda, the celestial bird and divine vehicle of Vishnu, etching Hindu mythology into the fabric of daily existence. Garuda is the National airline of Indonesia. The national emblem proudly displays Garuda Pancasila, an emblematic synthesis of secular ideals and cultural richness. Advertisement India, with its rich tapestry of history and cultural diversity, can draw profound inspiration from Indonesias exemplary embrace of different religious traditions. As Indonesia stands as a beacon of harmony on the global stage, India could benefit from incorporating a similar ethosa nation where diversity is not merely celebrated but intricately woven into the fabric of everyday life, fostering an enduring legacy of peace and unity. In the radiant shadow of Saraswatis statue, Indonesia beckons India to embrace cultural pluralism, drawing strength from its historical roots, and to weave a narrative where unity and diversity coexist in harmonious resonance. Advertisement For Hindus, Ayodhya is not merely a city; it is the very cradle of their faith, the birthplace of Lord Ram. The conviction runs through the veins of millions, a belief etched in the depths of their souls. Yet, in embracing this historical reality, does the faith of 20 crore Indian Muslims teeter on the brink of jeopardy? Amana Ansari, a discerning columnist, paints a poignant canvas with her words: What Mecca Medina is to Muslims, what the Vatican is to Christians, what Jerusalem is to Jews, Ayodhya is to Hindus. In these echoes, Ayodhya transcends the realm of a mere temple; it is the embodiment of Hinduisma resounding testament to a civilisations heartbeat. The looming question arises: as the sands of time sweep away the layers of denial, as the facts, evidence, and data reveal the historical reality, does it cast a shadow on the faith of our Muslim brethren? In the aftermath of the Babri Masjid issue, I ask for a reflectiona call for Muslim youth to grapple with the civilisational truth that Ayodhya symbolises. It is not a call to erase history but an opportunity for peace, a bridge to traverse the storm sown by leaders in the fertile minds of the Muslim community. The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya signifies more than the reconstruction of bricks and mortar; it stands as the embodiment of Indias transformationa shift from a constitutional state to a civilisational state. This is a government that perceives itself not just as a contractual entity with its citizens but as the guardian and promoter of a nations culture and traditions. The Ram Mandir becomes the cornerstone, a tangible expression of a collective identity that transcends temporal boundaries. The blood-stained chapters post the Babri Masjid demolition, where Hindus and Muslims suffered, are not justified in this narrative. Yet, in the face of this historical reckoning, should denial shackle us? Should a victimized mindset be allowed to build walls between us and our Hindu brethren? I pose the question with a sense of urgency, urging a collective introspection. Should Communists and Islamists continue to hold us hostage in an eternal confrontation with our Hindu majority and our shared Hindu past? In the swirling currents of emotions and history, Ayodhya emerges as a crucible of transformation. It beckons us to confront our truths, reconcile our past, and forge a future where the shared tapestry of faiths can coexist. In the shadow of the Ram Mandir, there lies a narrative not of division but of an opportunityan opportunity to rebuild not just bricks and mortar, but the bridges of understanding and unity that connect the hearts of a diverse nation. In the echoes of Ibn Khaldun Bharatis poignant words, a stark reminder emerges of the missed chance of Truth and Reconciliation with Babri, a historical crossroads where understanding could have paved the way for unity. As the shadows of Kashi and Mathura loom, let us not weave another monumental blunder into the tapestry of our shared heritage. The time has come to unravel these civilizational flashpoints, to untangle the threads that bind us to the past, and to embrace a new dawn for India, a new Bharat that beckons us all. In the symphony of diversity, where the chords of Hinduism resonate as the guiding melody, let us resolve these lingering issues once and for all. Beyond the confines of history, a new India awaitsan India that cradles all its children, regardless of their faith. Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Atheisteach is a unique note in the grand composition of our nation. Indias secular fabric finds its strength in the tolerance and inclusivity inherent in Hinduism, a testament to its greatness. As the long-awaited return of Lord Ram to his home unfolds after years of battle, the joy is not confined to a single heart but resonates in the collective spirit of the nation. It is a victory that transcends religious boundaries, a triumph that unites every soul under the vast sky of Bharat. At this moment, I, a believer in the greatness of Lord Ram, am filled with hopea hope that the new generation of Muslim youth will chart a different course, steering away from the self-destructive patterns of their parents and grandparents. May this new India, this resplendent Bharat, rise above the scars of yesteryears and soar towards a horizon where unity is not just a concept but a living reality. Together, let us weave a future where the colours of diversity paint a tapestry of strength, resilience, and love. The author is a practising Advocate. She writes articles on womens rights, politics and law. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . The Ram Temple in Ayodhya stands as more than just a religious monument; it embodies the spirit of a nation connecting with its past while confidently claiming its future The inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya marks a significant moment in Indian history carrying both domestic and global implications. As the temple opens its doors, it becomes crucial to analyse the multifaceted impact it may have on Indias socio-political landscape and its standing on the global stage. Domestic implications Harmony and unity: Ayodhya, a city steeped in history, has witnessed its share of painful and violent episodes. However, the completion of the temple represents a symbolic end to that tumultuous narrative. Prime Minister Narendra Modis assertion that Lord Ram belongs to everyone emphasizes the hope for a new chapter characterised by harmony and unity. Advertisement Civilisational milestone: Ayodhyas significance as the birthplace of Lord Ram is deeply ingrained in Indian culture. The temples construction signifies a civilisational milestone akin to a homecoming for the revered deity, fostering a sense of cultural identity and pride. Political implications: As India approaches elections, the political implications of the temples construction are noteworthy. The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised the temples construction and its rise is closely linked to the Ram Temple issue. The event is likely to feature prominently in the political discourse leading up to the elections. Global implications Soft power: The story of Lord Ram is not confined to India; it resonates across Asia. Different versions of the Ramayan are embraced by countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, China, Myanmar, Indonesia and Vietnam. This shared cultural heritage can be leveraged as soft power fostering closer ties between India and these nations. Advertisement Tourism boost: The Ramayanas global influence can potentially boost tourism in India, especially from Asian countries where the epic is widely known. Initiatives like the Ramayan Railway Circuit linking Ayodhya, Chitrakoot and Buxar aim to capitalise on this potential, making religious tourism a significant contributor to Indias economy. Power projection: The inauguration ceremony saw the participation of foreign dignitaries, signifying a subtle form of power projection. Notable figures, such as Israels Ambassador Naor Gilon expressed their admiration for the temple. This global attention reinforces Indias growing diplomatic influence. Advertisement The Ram Temple in Ayodhya stands as more than just a religious monument; it embodies the spirit of a nation connecting with its past while confidently claiming its future. The domestic implications centre around fostering unity and embracing a new era, while globally, the temple serves as a powerful tool for diplomacy, cultural exchange and economic growth. As India celebrates this historic occasion, it remains committed to its secular ethos, celebrating diversity in the spirit of Rama Rajya a kingdom of harmony, peace and righteousness. Advertisement Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . As China faces economic turmoil and political challenges in the year of the dragon, the bearish outlook suggests a challenging period ahead As India celebrates the consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the festive mood is overshadowed by discontent in its neighbouring countries. Pakistan has officially condemned the event and urged India to ensure the safety of religious minorities. Meanwhile, China, Indias iron brother, is grappling with significant economic challenges, leading to a mass exodus of investors and mounting losses in its financial markets. Advertisement Pakistans disapproval of the Ram Temple consecration reflects ongoing political tensions, with concerns raised about the safety of religious minorities. In contrast, China, facing substantial economic setbacks, witnessed a massive sell-off in its financial markets, particularly in Hong Kong. Financial market crisis in China The Hong Kong stock market is experiencing a severe downturn, marked by a 36 per cent discount on stock prices. Investors are grappling with the dilemma of whether to buy during this crisis or exercise caution, considering the unpredictable nature of the situation. Since 2021, over $6 trillion dollars have been wiped off the Chinese and Hong Kong markets, indicating the magnitude of the economic challenges. Hong Kong, once a gateway to the mainland and a vital financial hub, has seen its value drop to its lowest point in 15 months. The decline of Hong Kongs financial prowess signifies a shift in Chinas growth story, with external pressures and internal challenges contributing to the current economic climate. Advertisement Chinas economic growth has come to a halt, with various challenges including overcapacity in industries, weak domestic demand, and external pressures in the form of sanctions and trade wars with the US. The Chinese government acknowledges the complexity of the situation, but investors remain sceptical about the attractiveness of China as an investment destination. Advertisement The external environment has become more complex, and the severity and uncertainty have increased. Domestic demand is still insufficient. Some industries have overcapacity. Social expectations are weak. There are still many risks and hidden dangers. And there are also impediments in the domestic circulation, said Liu Sushe, Vice Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission. Advertisement Failed attempts to reassure investors Despite Hong Kongs attempts to woo back investors by cutting taxes on trading and launching a public relations tour, the sentiment remains unchanged. Beijings promises at the highest levels, including the Chinese Premiers commitments at Davos, have failed to restore confidence among foreign investors. We will also listen to the views of foreign businesses regularly. We will actively promote solutions as long as they are reasonable demands. All in all, no matter how the world situation changes, China will adhere to the fundamental national policy of opening up to the outside world, and the door of opening up will only open wider and wider, said Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Advertisement Investor exodus from China Foreign investors, once optimistic about Chinas economic prospects, are now pulling their money out of the country. In 2022, an influx of $33 billion took a turn for the worse as chaos ensued in Chinas markets. Beijings policies targeting major companies led to plummeting profits and valuations, prompting investors to cut their losses. Advertisement The exodus of foreign capital has put pressure on Chinas currency, the yuan, causing it to lose value. In 2023, the yuan dropped nearly 3 per cent against the US dollar and in the first three weeks of 2024, it lost an additional 2 per cent. By the end of 2023, investors had already dumped about 90 percent of the $33 billion they had initially invested. Advertisement Looking ahead to 2024, we also need to see that the current external environment remains complex and severe, domestic effective demand is insufficient, overcapacity in some industries, social expectations are weak, and there are many hidden risks. There are still a number of difficulties and challenges to be overcome in order to push Chinas economy to further rebound and improve, said the head of Chinas Statistics Bureau, Kang Yi. Advertisement Currency and economic stabilisation efforts The continuous outflow of foreign funds has put pressure on Chinas currency, the yuan, leading to a loss in its value against the US dollar. To counter this, Beijing has mobilised state-owned banks to sell dollars from their reserves and exchange them for yuan in an attempt to stabilize the currency. However, financial experts in Hong Kong remain pessimistic about the yuans prospects. Advertisement Despite these measures, financial experts in Hong Kong remain pessimistic about Chinas economic outlook. The yuan is expected to remain under pressure due to bearish expectations for Chinas growth in 2024. As China faces economic turmoil and political challenges in the year of the dragon, the bearish outlook suggests a challenging period ahead. The impact on Chinas economy combined with geopolitical tensions raises concerns not only for the country itself but also for the global economic landscape. Advertisement Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram . Although Apple is no longer functioning directly in Russia, it still has a significant presence. iPhones remain prevalent in Russia, with many users accessing the latest models through imports from third countries. The iPhone 15 is available at a significant markup compared to US prices Apple has settled a Russian fine of 1.2 billion roubles ($13.65 million), according to Russias FAS antitrust agency. The fine was imposed due to allegations of Apple abusing its dominant market position in relation to in-app payments, as per a report by Reuters. Apple had previously expressed a respectful disagreement with the FAS ruling, contending that the distribution of apps through its iOS operating system did not unfairly favour its products. Advertisement Russias anti-monopoly watchdog, FAS, announced on Monday that it received the payment following a November ruling. The ruling found Apple guilty of preventing app developers from informing customers that they could make purchases outside of the App Store. The payment will contribute directly to the Russian budget, supporting the governments financial needs amid increased defense spending related to the conflict in Ukraine. This dispute between Apple and Russias competition regulator predates the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and it is not the first time Apple has faced fines in the country. In addition to the recent fine, Apple paid a 906 million roubles ($10.1 million) fine a year earlier for a different violation of antimonopoly law, as reported by the FAS. Other Western tech companies, including Google, have also faced fines following action by the FAS in recent years. Advertisement American companies, including Apple, must seek permission from the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control to pay fines imposed by the Russian government. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Western sanctions prompted several tech companies to cease operations in Russia. Apple halted the sales of its physical products in 2022, but its App Store and some subscription services continue to operate. Advertisement Although Apple relinquished its office in Moscow at the end of 2022, it still maintains two legal entities in the country. Despite the restrictions, Apple has removed apps from Russian propaganda outlets and sanctioned Russian banks from its mobile store. However, iPhones remain prevalent in Russia, with many users accessing the latest models through imports from third countries. Notably, the iPhone 15 is available at a significant markup compared to the US prices. Advertisement Apples App Store policies have faced scrutiny globally, with a US federal court finding that its rules wrongly prevent developers from directing customers outside their apps. Apple recently adjusted its rules in the US to comply with this ruling. Additionally, new EU legislation is compelling Apple to allow sideloading, allowing iPhone users to download apps from sources other than the App Store. Advertisement (With inputs from agencies) Elon Musk has announced that external auditors have found that X has far less antisemitic content compared to its competitors. Musk defended the platforms commitment to free speech as a fundamental principle Elon Musk, owner of social media giant X, announced on Monday during an antisemitism conference that the platform boasts less antisemitic content compared to its competitors. Musk shared insights from audits commissioned by the company, emphasizing that external evaluations have revealed a lower prevalence of antisemitic material on X. The disclosure came as Musk addressed concerns about the platforms recent controversies, including a decrease in advertising support after Musk, last year, endorsed an antisemitic conspiracy theory put forth by an X user. Musk defended the platforms commitment to free speech as a fundamental principle, emphasizing the importance of correcting misinformation. Advertisement During the conference in Krakow, Musk, who earlier in the day visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau site, discussed the alarming surge in antisemitism across Europe since the Israel-Hamas conflict erupted in October. The event, organized by the European Jewish Association (EJA), focused on addressing and combatting the rise of antisemitism. Despite Musks claim of lower antisemitic content, he did not disclose the specifics of the audit, including the identity of the auditing entity or details from the report. Musk was interviewed on stage by US conservative journalist Ben Shapiro but did not entertain questions from other journalists. When questioned about the platforms approach to balancing free speech and combatting hate speech, Musk reiterated his stance in favour of free speech. He argued that allowing corrections to false information, such as Holocaust denial, was a more effective strategy than outright removal, asserting that free speech ultimately prevails. (With inputs from agencies) The high death toll might provide further impetus to calls for Israel to postpone or perhaps cancel the attack entirely. The high number of Israeli dead has put pressure on Israels leadership to discontinue previous military actions The Israeli army reported Tuesday that 21 soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip in the bloodiest strike on Israeli forces in the three-month-old conflict with the Islamist Hamas organisation. On Monday, as reservists were preparing explosives to demolish two structures in central Gaza, a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby, according to Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the top military spokesperson. The detonation set off the explosives, forcing both two-story structures to fall on the soldiers within. Advertisement The high death toll might provide further impetus to calls for Israel to postpone or perhaps cancel the attack entirely. The high number of Israeli dead has put pressure on Israels leadership to discontinue previous military actions. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, has threatened to keep going until Israel destroys the militant Hamas organisation that rules the region and frees the more than 100 captives that are being held captive in Gaza. There is a growing division among Israelis over the feasibility of achieving either goal. Time is running out to send the hostages home alive, according to the families of the captives and many of their supporters, who have urged on Israel to negotiate a cease-fire agreement. Numerous families of hostages disrupted a parliamentary committee hearing on Monday, seeking an agreement to secure the release of their loved ones. Advertisement Following a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7 that resulted in over 1,200 deaths and 250 kidnappings, Israel went on the offensive. More than 100 were released in November in exchange for a weeklong cease-fire and the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The offensive has caused widespread destruction, displaced an estimated 85% of Gazas population and left over 25,000 Palestinians dead, according to health officials in the Hamas-run territory. The United Nations and international aid agencies say the fighting has unleashed a humanitarian disaster, with a quarter of the areas 2.3 million people facing starvation. Chinese survey and research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 that has been denied permission for it to dock in Sri Lanka is now expected to reach the Maldives by around the first week of February Chinese survey and research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 is en route Maldives and has entered the Indian Ocean through the Sunda Strait of Indonesia on Monday. The destination of the Chinese vessel is Male and it is so, after Sri Lanka refused permission for it to dock at one of its ports. Advertisement XIANG YANG HONG 03 the Chinese ocean research vessel heading to Male, Maldives is no stranger to the region, having conducted ocean surveys in 2019 & 2020, the vessel has been observed in the IOR, Bay of Bengal & Arabian Sea raising fresh concerns in India, OSINT handle @detresfa posted on X, adding the vessel coordinates. XIANG YANG HONG 03 the Chinese ocean research vessel heading to Male, Maldives is no stranger to the region, having conducted ocean surveys in 2019 & 2020, the vessel has been observed in the IOR, Bay of Bengal & Arabian Sea raising fresh concerns in #India https://t.co/WsiMOzjYkZ pic.twitter.com/8iDzCSuVEg Damien Symon (@detresfa_) January 22, 2024 Advertisement India monitoring Chinese research vessels move Advertisement India is closely tracking the Chinese vessel equipped with advanced surveillance equipment. There have been no instances of the ship undertaking any type of research activities within the Indian EEZ. Indian Navy is aware of the presence of the ship and is monitoring its movement," Defence sources to News18 said. As per reports the Chinese research vessel is expected to reach the Maldives by around the first week of February. Advertisement Why Chinese research vessel is heading to the Maldives? Chinas need may have been necessitated after Sri Lanka put a moratorium on the entry of Chinese research vessels for a year. It is also worth mentioning that there has been ongoing friction between India and Maldives over Indian troops stationed there. Earlier, Sri Lanka had turned down a request by China to allow Xiang Yang Hong 3 to call on Sri Lankan ports by early 2024 to conduct a survey. Advertisement The development follows the visit of Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzus five-day state visit to China earlier this month. Also, later this month, Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) Vice-Minister of the International Department will be visiting the Maldives. The CCPs Sun Haiyan called on Muizzu on Monday, less than a fortnight after the Maldivian leaders return from China, during which he agreed to elevate strategic ties with the Maldives. Advertisement On his return from China, Muizzu announced a 15 March deadline for the removal of Indian soldiers, while New Delhi has said discussion on the matter is ongoing. The Foreign Ministers of India and Maldives met in Uganda, on the sidelines of the Non-Alignment Movement [NAM> summit. After the meeting, Indias External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said he held a frank conversation with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer, who said, We exchanged views on the ongoing high-level discussions on the withdrawal of Indian military personnel. Advertisement Steady rise in Chinese research vessels in IOR As per reports, there has been steady rise in the deployment of Chinese research vessels in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the general area of deployment has been observed around the Ninety Degree East Ridge and Southwest Indian Ridge. The research or survey vessels have powerful equipment for snooping and gathering a range of data, The Hindu said in a report. Advertisement Chinese presence in the IOR began in 2008 under the garb of anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. The country has since maintained continuous presence in the region and has even deploying nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) on occasion. An Indian Navy representative informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence in April 2023 that China has grown from having 250 to more than 350 navy ships becoming the largest navy in the world in just over a decade. Advertisement It was further informed that Chinas operations have also expanded and at any point of time, five to nine ships are operating in the IOR in addition to their research vessels, which can influence our security, the representative informed. In an interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), he conveyed his weariness and clarified that his motivation for freedom is rooted in the commitment to deradicalise rather than personal reasons Ali Imron, sentenced to life for his role in the 2002 Bali bombing, is appealing for a presidential pardon, expressing a desire to contribute to deradicalisation initiatives across Indonesia upon release. Having served 21 years in prison for the Bali bombings that claimed 202 lives, Imron, 54, hopes for clemency from Indonesian President Joko Widodo. In an interview with the South China Morning Post (SCMP), he conveyed his weariness and clarified that his motivation for freedom is rooted in the commitment to deradicalise rather than personal reasons. Advertisement Imron emphasized his intention to engage in deradicalisation programs throughout Indonesia, aiming to address the persistent threat posed by groups like Jemaah Islamiyah, responsible for the Bali attack. Despite acknowledging personal safety within prison, he stressed the limitations of influencing change from behind bars. During his incarceration, Imron actively participated in government-led deradicalisation initiatives, including speaking at schools to caution against extremism. The Indonesian government has incorporated such programs alongside security measures as part of its broader counter-terrorism strategy. Formerly an Islamic boarding school teacher, Imron was sentenced in 2003 at the age of 33 for his involvement in assembling and transporting explosives for the attack. Noteworthy is his remorse, a rarity among defendants in this case. While Imrons quest for a pardon is underway, the potential release raises concerns in Australia, home to numerous victims of the Bali attack. Advertisement This apprehension is reminiscent of the controversy surrounding the parole release of Umar Patek in December 2022, who had received a 20-year sentence for his role in the Bali nightclub bombings. Australias government expressed deep concern over Pateks release, underscoring the emotional impact on citizens and seeking assurances from the Indonesian government regarding ongoing supervision and monitoring. Advertisement Imrons potential pardon is likely to reignite debates on justice, accountability, and the delicate balance between rehabilitation and public safety. The UN Human Rights Councils Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will examine Chinas human rights record in a meeting in Geneva. China is one of 14 states to be reviewed by the UPR working group between 22 January and 2 February The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday expressed its desire for a constructive and non-politicised approach from all parties involved in the United Nations examination of Chinas human rights record. According to a Reuters report on Monday, citing diplomats and documents, China has been actively seeking support from non-Western nations to commend its human rights practices in preparation for a forthcoming UN groups meeting where China anticipates facing inquiries and criticism regarding its actions in Hong Kong and Xinjiang. Advertisement China upholds a people-centered human rights philosophy and has made historic progress in human rights issues, Reuters quoted Wang Wenbin, a ministry spokesperson, as saying when asked about what the diplomats said. The UN Human Rights Councils Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will examine Chinas human rights record in a meeting in Geneva. China is one of 14 states to be reviewed by the UPR working group between 22 January and 2 February. I want to stress that China always does its work in participating in the UPR according to UN procedures, Wang told Reuters. Tuesdays review will be the first since the UNs top rights official released a report in 2022 saying the detention of Uyghurs and other Muslims in Chinas Xinjiang region may constitute crimes against humanity. China denies any abuses. Advertisement The Universal Periodic Review is an important platform under the UN framework for fair and candid exchanges, constructive dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues, Wang said. We hope that all parties in their participation in the review will follow the UPR mechanisms principle of being constructive and non-politicised. Chinas human rights record was previously reviewed by the UPR in 2009, 2013 and 2018. Advertisement With inputs from agencies At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd, said Musk on X Worlds richest person and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has batted for reforming the UN Security Council (UNSC) and said that India, despite being the most populous country, not having a permanent UNSC seat is absurd. Taking to X, he said, At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo. Advertisement At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024 His remarks came after United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Saturday lamented the lack of any African nation as permanent member of the Security Council. Advertisement How can we accept that Africa still lacks a single Permanent Member in the Security Council? he asked in a post on X. Institutions must reflect todays world, not that of 80 years ago," he added. Guterres also hoped that Septembers Summit of the Future would provide a platform to consider global governance reforms. Advertisement Responding to Guterres post, American-born Israeli venture capitalist Michael Eisenberg threw in Indias name. And what about India? he asked. The businessman went a step further and suggested dismantling of the UN and and build something new with real leadership. Musk then echoed the same sentiment as the billionaire said he saw the need for a revision of the UN body. Advertisement The United Nations Security Council is tasked with the responsibility of upholding global peace and security. It consists of 15 members, including five permanent membersnamely, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, and Russiaeach possessing veto power. The remaining 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. Advertisement Despite Indias efforts to secure permanent membership, these endeavors have faced obstacles primarily from China, fueled by the existing animosity between the two nations. With inputs from agencies French journalist Vanessa Dougnac was a contributor to several French-language publications, including the weekly magazine Le Point, and has been based in India for 22 years French journalist Vanessa Dougnac has claimed to have received a notice from the Indian home ministry that alleged her work was inimical to national interests, reported AFP. The news agency claimed she was facing expulsion from India after two decades, claiming that Indian authorities had termed her reportage malicious and critical. AFP said Dougnac was a contributor to several French-language publications, including the weekly magazine Le Point, and has been based in India for 22 years. Advertisement AFP claimed the alleged notice said: Her journalistic activities are malicious and critical in manner they create biased perception about India. In addition, her activities may also provoke disorder and disturb peace. AFP said the said notice gave Dougnac, married to an Indian, until February 2 to challenge the ministrys decision to cancel her permanent residency. AFP claimed Dougnac had reported on issues such as Maoist Naxalite insurgency in parts of rural India. The news agency quoted the French journalist as having denied all the allegations and imputations made against her. India is my home, a country which I deeply love and respect, and I have never engaged in any acts that are in any manner prejudicial to Indian interests, AFP quoted Dougnac. Advertisement The AFP report also said the home ministry and foreign ministry were contacted for comment. The ruling is being closely watched as mainstream politicians struggle to respond to a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), second in most polls with support of about 22% Germany has the authority to stop providing public support to the far-right NPDs replacement. even if it is not prohibited, the Constitutional Court declared on Tuesday in a historic decision that stokes discussion on whether the nationalist AfD should face consequences. The National Democratic Party (NPD) and its successor, Die Heimat, were accused by the Karlsruhe court of trying to undermine or destroy the nations democratic system in order to justify their ruling. Advertisement The government, the Bundesrat upper house, and the Bundestag lower house had petitioned the court to stop financing after radical parties were barred from receiving public cash that other parties are entitled to under a revised Basic Law in Germany. The ruling is being closely watched as mainstream politicians struggle to respond to a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), second in most polls with support of about 22%. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Germany protesting against the AfD after a report that some party members discussed policies such as mass deportations of people of foreign origin at a meeting of right-wing radicals. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his official trip to Nigeria, on Monday said that globalisation is being weaponised in various ways by dominant players and added that the phenomenon has designated currency, trade and tourism as weapons External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his official trip to Nigeria, on Monday said that globalisation is being weaponised in various ways by dominant players and added that the phenomenon has designated currency, trade and tourism as weapons. He stressed that those in control of the world order established in 1945 are reluctant to create more opportunities. Advertisement Jaishankar observed that powerful entities leverage their significant market shares on the global platform to pursue specific national goals, acknowledging both the positive and negative aspects of globalisation. Addressing the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos, Jaishankar said, When I spoke about globalisation and concentration, a different challenge emerging out of that is how globalisation itself has been weaponised, that today currency is a weapon, trade is a weapon, tourism is a weapon, that dominant players they may be dominant as producers they may be dominant as consumers that they often with very little hesitation leverage their market shares on the global system for their particular national purpose. Of course underlying all of this since this is an Institute dealing with International Affairs is a challenge that we know very well which is a world order that was devised in 1945 when the members of the United Nations were roughly 25 per cent of what they are today and that world order continues obstinately because those who are in the driving seat dont want to create more seats for other people to be at that engine, he added. Advertisement The Union minister observed that the world order, which was at its natural diversity, was distorted by Western domination. The world was diverse and it was distorted by the period of Western domination and in a post-Colonial world today, restoring that natural diversity is actually a collective objective. Now what are the challenges to that process one, of course, is while many of us attained independence, we have all built our Nations and societies, said Jaishankar. Advertisement Highlighting the significance of the Global South, he said Global South is about a mindset, a solidarity and a self-reliance and without the advancement of the Global South, the world is not going to see planetary progress. He said the global agenda today is on promoting rebalancing and multipolarity, thereby restoring the world to its natural diversity. Advertisement The global conversation today is focussing on the advancement of the Global South because without the advancement of the Global South, we are not going to see planetary progress, Jaishankar said. However, this global conversation, the minister said, by its very nature is constantly distracted. Some crisis happens, some big event happens, some other agenda comes in place. And the global conversation then boggles, it goes off track. People lose that sense of focus about what are the priorities, he said. Advertisement So one of the big achievements of our (Indias) G20 presidency was that, after some experience with a very polarised divided world, which was very much, I would say, focused on one particular regionwe were able to bring back the attention of the Global South, the minister said. Meanwhile, Jaishankar on Monday co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Nigeria and said that both the sides have agreed to strengthen efforts in a slew of sectors, including people-to-people exchange, energy, mobility and consular cooperations. Advertisement The Joint Commission meeting, which Jaishankar co-chaired along with his counterpart Yusuf Tuggar, also discussed opportunities in the sectors of energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture, and security between the two countries. Co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting along with FM @YusufTuggar. Noted the expansion of our economic cooperation, especially trade and investment. Discussed new opportunities in energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture and security," Jaishankar said in a post on X. Advertisement Earlier, he arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja from Lagos, which he reached on Sunday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda. With inputs from agencies While local women and gender experts commend the elders decision at Konomiya Shrine as progress towards equality, the Hadaka Matsuri festival is set to unfold on February 22, expecting around 10,000 participants and an equal number of spectators In a groundbreaking decision, the Konomiya Shrine in Japan, known for hosting a naked man festival with a history spanning 1,250 years, will allow women to participate in its rituals for the first time this year. Despite this step towards inclusivity, women remain barred from the festivals iconic scrum, where men in loincloths aim to touch a fully naked man known as the shin-otoko or god man for good fortune. Advertisement While local women and gender experts commend the elders decision at Konomiya Shrine as progress towards equality, the Hadaka Matsuri festival is set to unfold on February 22, expecting around 10,000 participants and an equal number of spectators. The festival, which faced disruptions due to the pandemic in recent years, now witnesses a notable shift as approximately 40 local women unite to engage in the traditional bamboo ritual. Ayaka Suzuki, expressing her long-standing desire to participate, emphasised the significance of the event in the towns calendar. Suzuki, the vice chair of the womens group advocating for festival inclusion, plans to use her role to pray for her familys safety and those affected by the Noto Peninsula earthquake. Sumie Kawakami, an instructor specializing in women and gender issues, expressed surprise and delight at the shrines decision, hoping it signals a broader shift towards women participating in all aspects of such celebrations. Advertisement She noted that Japan has restrictive practices in various areas, citing the ban on women entering sumo wrestling rings and highlighting the Shinto religions limitations. Kawakami proposed that a more gender-friendly approach, akin to Buddhism, which includes female priests, should guide future practices. She also suggested a societal motivation for the change, with rural communities recognizing the need for increased participation, regardless of gender, to preserve cultural traditions threatened by population decline. Advertisement The festivals origins trace back to a time when locals sought assurance of luck amid plagues and diseases. Men, clad in white loincloths, engaged in ritualistic activities throughout the town, culminating in the iconic shrine-centered event where the shin-otoko is surrounded by a crowd attempting to transfer bad fortune for good luck through touch. Advertisement Notably, this shift towards inclusivity mirrors recent changes in other traditional festivals, such as the Katsube Fire Festival and the Somin-sai festival. While the former welcomed women for the first time, the latter faced its final iteration due to a decline in local participants, signaling a broader need for cultural preservation and community engagement. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting the Israeli armys northern command center on Tuesday, saying that the attack was in response to recent assassinations and repeated attacks on civilians in Lebanon and Syria Lebanese militant group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for targeting the Israeli armys northern command centre on Tuesday, saying that the attack was in response to recent assassinations and repeated attacks on civilians in Lebanon and Syria. The group reported launching a substantial number of missiles at the Mount Meron base, marking its second assault since the Gaza war initiated by the unprecedented 7 October attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel. Advertisement The first attack occurred on 6 January in response to the killing of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri in a strike in Beirut, widely attributed to Israel. Earlier today, Hezbollah attacked a group of Israeli soldiers at the Cobra hill. The Israeli army for its part shelled the outskirts of Shihin, Merwahin, Tayrharfa, Ramia, Jabal Blat, Mays al-Jabal and the Hamames Hill while a drone carried out an airstrike on an agricultural land in al-Wazzani. Israeli warplanes had struck overnight three houses in the southern border town of Blida, the National News Agency said. Since the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel on 7 October, the Lebanese-Israeli border has witnessed a near-daily exchange of fire between Israels army and Hezbollah. As many as 202 people have been killed in south Lebanon, 147 of them belonging to Hezbollah. At least 26 civilians have also been killed, including three journalists and two rescuers in addition to a Lebanese soldier. Advertisement More than 83,000 Lebanese have been forced to flee their homes since hostilities began, according to the International Organization for Migration. On the Israeli side, 15 people have been killed in the northern border area, including nine soldiers and six civilians, according to the Israeli army. With inputs from agencies According the Claims Conference, an organisation dedicated to securing reparations for Holocaust survivors, of the 245,000, 119,300 survivors are in Israel, 38,400 in the United States, 21,900 in France, and 14,200 in Germany Nearly eight decades after the conclusion of World War II, approximately 245,000 Holocaust survivors are still alive, residing in over 90 countries, a study revealed on Tuesday. According to AFP, citing the Claims Conference, an organisation dedicated to securing reparations for Holocaust survivors, among them, 119,300 are in Israel, 38,400 in the United States, 21,900 in France, and 14,200 in Germany. Advertisement Nearly all of the current population of survivors were children at the time of Nazi persecution, having survived camps, ghettos, flight and living in hiding, AFP quoted the report, underlining that children had the slimmest chances of surviving. With a median age of 86 now, they are at a period of life where their need for care and services is growing, Gideon Taylor, president of the Claims Conference, told AFP, adding that it was time to double down on our attention to this waning population. The report is the most comprehensive in recent years, drawing on an unprecedented worldwide database of survivors, the conference said. Established in 1951, the Claims Conference has played a pivotal role in advocating for compensation on behalf of Holocaust survivors. It was a key participant in the Luxembourg Agreement, wherein West Germany acknowledged responsibility for Nazi atrocities and made reparations. Advertisement The signing of this agreement marked West Germanys significant reintegration into the international community following World War II, during which six million Jews perished in the Holocaust. Over the years, Germany has disbursed more than $90 billion through negotiations with the Claims Conference, addressing the financial needs of survivors. Ongoing payments are provided to certain survivors, such as those who endured incarceration in concentration camps, while others who fled the Nazi regime receive one-time payouts. Advertisement With inputs from agencies According to other religious and human rights workers, the ten documented attacks on churches in the western state of Chin that the researchers looked into are a part of a larger assault on religious communities throughout the war-torn country Researchers gathering evidence of war crimes in Myanmar released a study on Tuesday that corroborated reports that the military governments airstrikes destroyed churches in the one Christian majority state in the predominantly Buddhist nation. According to other religious and human rights workers, the ten documented attacks on churches in the western state of Chin that the researchers looked into are a part of a larger assault on religious communities throughout the war-torn country. Advertisement After the army overthrew Aung San Suu Kyis elected government in February 2021, Myanmar descended into civil war. Since then, oppressed ethnic minorities, some of which have sizable Christian populations, have united with resistance fighters from the Buddhist Burman ethnic majority. Human rights agencies and United Nations investigators have found evidence that security forces indiscriminately and disproportionately targeted civilians with bombs, mass executions of people detained during operations and large-scale burning of civilian houses. According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, which tallies political arrests and attacks, at least 4,416 people have been killed by security forces since the 2021 takeover. Tuesdays report, compiled by the Myanmar Witness project of the United Kingdom-based Centre for Information Resilience, analyzed in depth five claims of airstrikes causing major physical damage to churches in Chin state over several months in 2023 and concluded that all five could be verified. Advertisement Religious buildings are accorded special protected status under international law. At least 107 religious buildings including 67 churches and five Buddhist monasteries have been destroyed by the military since the 2021 takeover in Chin state alone, the Chin Human Rights Organization said. A 2023 report by the International Commission of Jurists, covering the period through April, counted 94 major Buddhist religious sites and 87 Christian ones destroyed or damaged nationwide. Advertisement Myanmar Witness cross-checks evidence such as photos, videos and witness accounts found on social media with satellite photo analysis and other methods to try to verify human rights abuses. The ultimate aim, said project director Matt Lawrence, is providing material to international mechanisms that can hold perpetrators of atrocities to account. Advertisement The report did not address whether the strikes were deliberate, but wrote that the Myanmar Air Forces overwhelming air superiority makes it likely that they were conducted by the government. Many human rights activists believe that the military aims for religious buildings. Bombing churches is much more than just collateral damage, wrote Benedict Rogers, former East Asia team leader for the human rights organization Christian Solidarity Worldwide and author of three books on Myanmar, wrote in an email interview. Targeting them is part of a deliberate strategy, he said. Advertisement The military regime is intolerant of non-Burman ethnic and non-Buddhist religious minorities, he said. in 2017, the military carried out a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine that drove about 740,000 members of the Muslim Rohingya minority to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. By targeting churches and other places of worship, they are striking directly at the identity of these communities, he said. Advertisement Crucially, churches and other places of worship are also suspected of sympathy with ethnic opposition groups, he added, even though they are much more commonly used as places of refuge for civilians seeking to shelter from fighting. The military was not available for immediate comment on the report, but in the past has repeatedly said it attacks only legitimate targets of war, accusing the resistance forces of being terrorists. Advertisement Salai Mang Hre Lian of the Chin Human Rights Organization said that previous governments also discriminated against religious minorities, but the attacks and direct violations and discrimination against Christian minorities are more significant and increasing since the armys 2021 takeover. Buddhist monasteries suspected of providing shelter or assistance to resistance groups have also been attacked, he noted. Advertisement Attacks on religious buildings send a powerful signal to all civilians that even in places protected by international humanitarian laws, if they support non-junta groups, they will be targets, Lian said. Not only Christians, but all the religious minorities are being persecuted, said Ngun Thawng Lian, a well-known Christian pastor who now lives in Australia. Advertisement His hometown of Thantlang was virtually leveled in September 2021, in some of the wars most brutal early fighting. With four Myanmar nationals, he filed a criminal complaint in the Philippines against the junta generals, under a 2009 Philippine law claiming universal jurisdiction. More reports of attacks on churches were made by Christian humanitarian assistance group Free Burma Rangers, which runs missions bringing medical aid and evangelical activities to villagers in Kayah, also known as Karenni state, and elsewhere in eastern Myanmar. Advertisement Since the coup, many churches have been bombed and destroyed in Chin state not just Chin, but in Karen and Karenni, said Dave Eubank, a former member of the U.S. Special Forces who is the groups founder and director. He said that around Demoso, a contested township in Karenni, most of the churches have been bombed and completely destroyed or damaged. Advertisement I can think of 10 that Ive already seen in ruins or big holes in them, direct airstrikes, Eubank said. One of the biggest churches in Demoso was hit in 2022, with helicopter gunships directly firing rockets and heavy machine guns into the church steeple. (with inputs from The Associated Press) Weapons and money are flown into eastern Chad from where they are loaded onto convoys of trucks and driven across the border to Darfur Oil-rich United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been supplying weapons and money to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has been fighting the Sudans military since April in the ongoing civil war. Thousands of people have been killed and more than 7.6 million have been forced to abandon their homes in Sudan after a civil war broke out between two rival military factions. It is the largest displacement crisis in the world till date. Advertisement A leaked United Nations report, obtained by The Globe and Mail, has revealed that one of the key sources providing fund and ammunitions to Sudan is the UAE. The report by a UN panel of experts on Sudan which has been submitted to the UN Security Council but has not yet been officially released, quoted sources specifying the route through which weapons are illegally sent to Sudan. Illicit Weapons Route As per the report, weapons and money are flown into eastern Chad from where they are loaded onto convoys of trucks and driven across the border to Darfur. The ammunition and money are then distributed among the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the paramilitary group that has been fighting Sudans military in the war. Advertisement Violation of arms embargo As per the report, the shipments of weapons began in June and were a violation of the UN arms embargo on Sudan. How weapons from UAE are proving beneficial to Sudans RSF? The weapons supplied by UAE has been enabling the RSF to escalate its operations by capturing cities in Darfur and shooting down Sudanese warplanes, the report said. Advertisement This new RSF firepower had a massive impact on the balance of forces on the ground, it added. Also, the UAE, earlier this month, provided an airplane for the RSFs top commander - Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo - for him to fly to a series of African capitals and meet top African leaders to lobby for his cause. Advertisement The report said widespread sexual violence are being committed by RSF members and allied militia in all areas under RSF control. RSF placed snipers on the main roads that indiscriminately targeted civilians, including women, pregnant women, and youth," it added. The report also identifies the UAE as a key country in the RSFs financial networks, which include gold-smuggling and proxy companies. Advertisement UAE denies sending weapons to Sundan The UAE government has denied sending any weapons to Sudan and claimed that its cargo flights to eastern Chad were only carrying humanitarian supplies for a hospital in the region. But the UN report said the allegations of weapons being sent to Sudan from the UAE are credible and have been corroborated by sources in Chad and Darfur. Advertisement The report also mentions that the UAE flights coincided with a new surge of sophisticated weapons in the RSF arsenal, including multiple-rocket launchers, drones, howitzers and advanced anti-aircraft missiles, all of which were observed in Darfur and had not been used by the RSF before the shipments began. Mohammad Ghobadlou, 23, was hanged early Tuesday after 487 days of legal proceedings, according to a report, citing judiciarys Mizan news agency Iran on Tuesday executed a 23-year-old man who was convicted of killing a policeman and wounding five others following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini in September 2022. According to a Bloomberg report, citing judiciarys Mizan news agency, Mohammad Ghobadlou, 23, was hanged early Tuesday after 487 days of legal proceedings. He was charged with spreading corruption on earth, a crime punishable by death, for allegedly killing a policeman in anti-government protests that gripped Iran after the death of 22-year-old Amini in September 2022, the report added. Advertisement Amini had been earlier arrested for allegedly breaking Irans strict dress code for women. Hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands more arrested over what officials labelled as foreign-instigated riots. Ghobadlou was initially sentenced to death in November 2022 after being convicted of corruption on Earth for attacking police in Tehran with a car, resulting in the death of one officer and injuries to five others, AFP quoted Mizan as reporting at the time. In February 2023, the Supreme Court later granted him a stay of execution and later referred his case to a new jurisdiction to deal with issues relating to his mental health, according to a report by Irans Mehr news agency in July. On Tuesday, Mizan said the Supreme Court had approved the death sentence against Ghobadlou which was carried out with respect to qesas (Irans Islamic law of retribution). Advertisement Ghobadlous execution brings to eight the total number of people executed after being convicted of murder or other violence against security force personnel during the protests. Iran executes more people per year than any other nation except China, according to human rights groups including Amnesty International. Iran generally carries out executions by hanging. Advertisement With inputs from agencies According to the article, which cites anonymous Israeli officials, the plan would be implemented in phases, with the first including the release of women, males over the age of 60, and those in serious medical condition According to Axios, Israel has suggested to Hamas, through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, a two-month cease-fire as part of an agreement to rescue all captives held in Gaza. According to the article, which cites anonymous Israeli officials, the plan would be implemented in phases, with the first including the release of women, males over the age of 60, and those in serious medical condition. Advertisement Subsequent phases would include the release of female troops, younger civilian males, male soldiers, and the remains of deceased hostages. Officials claimed the arrangement will also result in the release of an undisclosed number of Palestinian detainees detained in Israel, but not all of them. The plan calls for Israeli soldiers to withdraw from key Gazan cities and to progressively enable people to return to the regions damaged north, but it makes no assurances about ending the conflict. According to the officials, the agreement should be implemented in about two months. The plan was also covered by the Israeli publication Ynet, which cited anonymous sources and said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made mention of it at a Monday meeting with the families of the captives. The idea was made public just as US media reported that Brett McGurk, the White Houses Middle East coordinator, was scheduled to visit the area for discussions in Egypt and Qatar with the goal of negotiating a fresh prisoner swap agreement. Advertisement About 250 hostages were taken during Hamass bloody October 7 attacks, and Israel says around 132 remain in Gaza. That includes the bodies of at least 28 dead hostages, according to an AFP count based on Israeli data. The October 7 attacks resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. Advertisement In response, Israel launched a relentless offensive that has killed at least 25,295 people in Gaza, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according to Hamas-run Gazas health ministry. The Torkham border closure since 12 January came after Islamabad imposed tighter controls requiring drivers from both sides to have visas and passports - documents many Afghans do not have Pakistan and Afghanistan officials on Tuesday announced the reopening of a crucial trade crossing, ending a closure that began on 12 January. The closure had resulted from a dispute over travel documents, as Islamabad implemented stricter regulations, mandating visas and passports for drivers from both sidesdocuments that many Afghans lacked. Tensions between the two nations have escalated in recent months, with Islamabad alleging that the Taliban government has not effectively addressed the presence of militants launching attacks in Pakistan from Afghan territory. Advertisement Kabul has consistently denied these accusations. A Pakistan border official, who asked not to be named, confirmed the reopening after negotiations between Islamabad and Kabul, allowing hundreds of waiting trucks to cross. It was agreed during the discussions that until 31 March, Pakistani and Afghan drivers can cross the border without a visa and passport, AFP quoted him as saying. However, starting on 1 April, both a visa and passport will be mandatory, he added. Afghan Torkham official Abdul Jabbar Hikmat confirmed lorries were allowed to cross again on Tuesday without the need for passports and visas. Pakistans casualties from armed groups hit a six-year high in 2023 with more than 1,500 civilians, security forces and militants killed, according to Islamabads Center for Research and Security Studies. Advertisement The biggest militant threat to Pakistan is its domestic chapter of the Taliban movement, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan officials said tighter restrictions on trade and on-off border closures are a pressure tactic to get the Taliban government to work with Pakistan on security. Pakistan desires Afghanistan to adopt a tough stance against the TTP, a senior provincial government official in Peshawar city who asked not to be named told AFP. Advertisement If they do not, the trade route will be intermittently closed for various reasons. Islamabad has also recently forced out hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghans living in Pakistan. More than 500,000 Afghans fled in the four months since Islamabad imposed a deadline ordering 1.7 million Afghans it says are living in the country illegally to leave or risk arrest and deportation. Advertisement Millions of Afghans escaping conflict poured into Pakistan in past decades, including around 600,000 since the Taliban ousted the US-backed government and imposed its harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Some of the Afghans crossing into Afghanistan as a result of Islamabads eviction scheme were entering the country for the first time, having lived their whole lives in Pakistan. Advertisement Upon arrival, migrants have received only modest assistance from the government and NGOs in a country contending with one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. With inputs from agencies I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty. Therefore, the Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts, said Marcos reiterating his earlier position President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Tuesday said that the Philippine government will not cooperate with the International Criminal Courts (ICC) investigation into a brutal anti-narcotics campaign, calling it a threat to our sovereignty. Reiterating his earlier position, Reuters quoted Marcos as telling reporters, I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty. Therefore, the Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts. Advertisement In July, the ICC dismissed Manilas appeal and permitted the continuation of an investigation into the numerous killings during the war on drugs led by former President Rodrigo Duterte, along with other suspected human rights abuses. Marcos stated that ICC investigators are welcome to visit as ordinary individuals, but the government will not provide assistance. These comments from Marcos came after his justice ministers statement to Kyodo News last week, suggesting that the government might consider an ICC probe if legal procedures were observed. Dutertes camp contested this stance, asserting its illegality. Allowing the ICC to conduct its probe in our country, in brazen violation of the constitution, is an absolute surrender of our birthright as a sovereign nation, Reuters quoted Salvador Panelo, Dutertes former presidential spokesperson, as saying in a message. Advertisement The Philippines officially withdrew from the international tribunal in 2019 after then President Duterte questioned its authority to investigate the campaign against illegal drugs that killed thousands of people. Police say they killed 6,200 dealers who resisted arrest during anti-drug operations during Dutertes term. Many thousands more users and peddlers were gunned down during the crackdown, in what authorities said were vigilante killings. Rights groups and some victims accuse the police of systematic cover-ups and executions, which they deny. Advertisement In November, Marcos said he was studying the Philippines return to the ICCs fold, months after saying he would cut off contact with the tribunal. With inputs from agencies The upper house of the UK Parliament has urged the Conservative government not to proceed with the ratification of a migration treaty with Rwanda. While the move is largely symbolic, it signifies growing opposition to the controversial plan aimed at unilaterally relocating asylum-seekers to Rwanda The upper house of the UK Parliament has urged the Conservative government not to proceed with the ratification of a migration treaty with Rwanda. While this move is largely symbolic, it signifies growing opposition to the controversial plan aimed at unilaterally relocating some asylum-seekers to the African nation. On Monday evening, the House of Lords voted 214 to 171 to postpone the treaty essential for implementing the deportation plan. The treaty and an accompanying bill are the pillars of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak s bid to overcome a block on the deportations by the U.K. Supreme Court. Advertisement The appointed members of the Lords supported a motion asserting that Parliament should refrain from ratifying the pact until ministers can demonstrate the safety of Rwanda as a destination for asylum-seekers. John Kerr, a former diplomat a former diplomat who sits in the Lords, criticised the Rwanda plan, describing it as incompatible with our responsibilities under international human rights law. The considerations of international law and national reputation convince me that it wouldnt be right to ratify this treaty at any time," The Associated Press quoted him as saying. The vote has little practical impact, because the House of Lords cant block an international treaty, and the government says it will not delay. However, ignoring the demand could later be used against the government in a legal challenge. Advertisement Lawmakers in the House of Commons approved the bill last week, but only after 60 members of Sunaks governing Conservatives rebelled in an effort to make the legislation tougher. Mondays vote indicates the strength of opposition in the House of Lords. Many there want to water down the bill and, unlike in the Commons, the governing Conservatives do not have a majority of seats. Advertisement The Lords will begin debating the bill next week. Ultimately the upper house can delay and amend legislation but cant overrule the elected Commons. The Rwanda policy is key to Sunaks pledge to stop the boats" bringing unauthorised migrants to the UK across the English Channel from France. Sunak argues that deporting unauthorised asylum-seekers will deter people from making risky journeys across the English Channel and break the business model of people-smuggling gangs. Advertisement London and Kigali made a deal almost two years ago under which migrants who reach Britain across the Channel would be sent to Rwanda, where they would stay permanently. Britain has paid Rwanda at least 240 million pounds ($305 million) under the agreement, but no one has yet been sent to the East African country. Advertisement Human rights groups have criticised the plan as inhumane and unworkable. After it was challenged in British courts, the UK Supreme Court ruled in November that the policy was illegal because Rwanda isnt a safe country for refugees. In response to the court ruling, Britain and Rwanda signed a treaty pledging to strengthen protections for migrants. Sunaks government argues the treaty allows it to pass a law declaring Rwanda a safe destination. Advertisement If approved by Parliament, the law would allow the government to disapply sections of UK human rights law when it comes to Rwanda-related asylum claims and make it harder to challenge the deportations in court. With inputs from agencies The topics of discussion at the bilateral discussions were the tense situation in the Red Sea, Syria, and the Gaza Strip, the ministry said on Tuesday via the messaging app Telegram. On Monday, the meetings were held in New York In order to address the Middle East, Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met with his counterparts from Iran, Turkey, and Lebanon on Tuesday before the UN Security Council meeting, according to the Russian foreign ministry. The topics of discussion at the bilateral discussions were the tense situation in the Red Sea, Syria, and the Gaza Strip, the ministry said on Tuesday via the messaging app Telegram. On Monday, the meetings were held in New York. Advertisement Lavrov and Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, reached a consensus, according to the ministry, about the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the prerequisites for delivering humanitarian supplies to people. General concern was expressed about the tense situation in the Red Sea, which has sharply degraded, it said. On Monday, the United States and Britain carried out an additional round of strikes against Yemens Houthis over their targeting of Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said. Lavrov and Lebanons Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib talked about the importance of collective efforts of countries in the region toward an immediate ceasefire, the ministry said. Advertisement Israel in recent days carried out reportedly the most intense bombardment in southern Gaza since the war began in October, prompting calls from Washington to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients. According to the UN agenda, the Security Council is to discuss the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. Advertisement Lavrov said on Thursday he will propose collective efforts at the meeting to solve the Middle East crisis. With his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, Lavrov also discussed energy issues as well as upcoming bilateral contacts. In December, the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin may visit Turkey in early 2024. Six senior officers from the Myanmar junta, who relinquished control of a crucial town to ethnic minority insurgents and surrendered along with hundreds of troops, have been taken into custody, according to a report, citing military sources Six senior officers from the Myanmar junta, who relinquished control of a crucial town to ethnic minority insurgents and surrendered along with hundreds of troops, have been taken into custody, according to a report, citing military sources. The surrender took place in Laukkai, situated near the China border, where junta forces yielded to a coalition of armed ethnic minority factions after enduring weeks of conflict initiated by an unforeseen assault on the military. Advertisement Approximately 2,000 troops surrendered and were subsequently permitted to depart the town alongside their families. This event fueled additional censure of the juntas leadership by its backers following a series of defeats on the battlefield. The six brigadier-generals who led troops in the Laukkai region have been taken into custody, AFP quoted a military source as saying. It was not clear what they could be charged with, or if all would be charged, said the source, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media. Under Myanmars military law leaving a post without permission can be punished by the death penalty. There was no sentence for the six brigadier-generals yet, junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told AFP on Tuesday. Advertisement Some of the six were considered close to junta chief Min Aung Hlaing, another military source told AFP, who also requested anonymity. Laukkai is the largest town seized by the alliance - made up of three armed ethnic minority groups - since it launched attacks in October. Min Aung Hlaing made a name for himself in 2009 when, as a regional commander, he expelled one of the alliance groups, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), from the town. Advertisement The military then installed a militia that got rich producing drugs and selling a potent cocktail of gambling and sex to visitors from across the Chinese border. Laukkai is also notorious for online scam operations where thousands of Chinese and other foreign nationals are often trafficked and forced to work defrauding their compatriots over the internet. Advertisement The scams anger China, a major ally and arms supplier of the junta, and Beijing has repeatedly asked the military to crack down on the billion-dollar industry. Analysts say Beijing maintains ties with ethnic armed groups along its border and likely knew in advance about the alliances October offensive, which has seized swathes of territory and blocked trade crossings with China. Advertisement This month the military and the alliance announced a China-mediated ceasefire, which both sides have since accused the other of violating. With inputs from agencies There was no word from Israel on the situation at the hospital, and the military spokespersons office had no comment. The military said later that three Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday in southern Gaza The United States urged Israel on Monday to safeguard innocent people in hospitals, medical personnel, and patients as Israeli soldiers stormed one hospital and placed another under siege as they moved far into western Khan Younis, Gaza. Residents reported that the bombing from air, land, and sea was the most intensive in southern Gaza since the conflict began in October. Advertisement Troops made their initial move into the Al-Mawasi region along the Mediterranean shore, west of Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza. They raided Al-Khair Hospital and seized medical personnel, Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Ashraf al Qidra told Reuters. There was no word from Israel on the situation at the hospital, and the military spokespersons office had no comment. The military said later that three Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday in southern Gaza. Qidra said at least 50 people were killed on Sunday night in Khan Younis, while the sieges at medical facilities meant dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby on Monday said Israel had a right to defend itself but added: We expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as well, as much as possible. Advertisement Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals, which Hamas and medical staff deny. Israel launched an offensive last week to capture Khan Younis, which it now says is the principal headquarters of the Hamas militants responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies. Advertisement Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that rules Gaza and is sworn to Israels destruction. At least 25,295 Gazans have been killed since Oct. 7, Gaza health authorities said in an update on Monday. West bank International concern has mounted over the Palestinian death toll from Israels assault on the densely populated enclave and a humanitarian crisis afflicting hundreds of thousands of people. Advertisement The United States has urged Israel to reduce civilian harm in Gaza, called on it to stop violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and has said it still believes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible. In Brussels on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz sidestepped discussion of a two-state solution at a meeting with European Union counterparts, opting to show them aspirational videos of future infrastructure projects. Advertisement Israel has pushed back against calls for a Palestinian state, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday reaffirmed a hard line, saying any Palestinian state would pose an existential danger to Israel. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has circulated a discussion paper with a roadmap to peace that calls for a preparatory peace conference organised by the EU and Arab nations. The U.S. and U.N. were also invited to be conveners. Advertisement Washington on Monday called for an investigation and accountability as appropriate following the West Bank death on Friday of a 17-year-old Palestinian American, who Palestinian health officials say was killed by Israeli security forces. The Israel-occupied West Bank has seen a surge of violence in parallel to the Gaza war that erupted in October. Advertisement The American-born youths uncle told Reuters he died during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone throwing by Palestinians. In the United States, where there are more firearms than people, shootings occur often and any attempts to stop their proliferation are invariably met with fierce opposition Authorities reported that on Monday, police were looking for a man who they believed was responsible for shooting at least seven people dead in two separate suburban homes in the Chicago area of the United States. A total of seven people were found shot to death in two residences, Bill Evans, chief of police in Joliet, Illinois, told a news conference. Advertisement We are currently looking for a suspect by the name of Romeo Nance, he said, adding that Nance, 23, lived in the immediate vicinity of the shootings. In connection with what they called random gunshots that occurred in the region the previous day and left one guy dead and another critically injured, police were also looking for an automobile. In the United States, where there are more firearms than people, shootings occur often and any attempts to stop their proliferation are invariably met with fierce opposition. According to polls, most people are in favour of tighter laws governing the possession and use of weapons. Nonetheless, the pro-gun lobby is quite powerful, and courts have decided that private owners are entitled to the constitutional right to possess guns. Maduro urged that those arrested should be given maximum punishment. Also, he has ordered the defence ministry to cashier and expel the military personnel involved in the plot As many as 32 civilians and soldiers have been arrested by Venezuelan authorities for their alleged part in a US-backed conspiracy to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro loyalist Attorney General Tarek William Saab told media arrest warrants have been issued for 11 other people, including rights activists, journalists and soldiers in exile, for the alleged plot that also targeted Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino. Advertisement The arrests were made after a months-long investigation. All suspects have confessed and revealed information about the plans, Saab told reporters in Caracas. Saab further said they had been accused of treason and convicted for their crimes. Maduro urged that those arrested should be given maximum punishment. Also, he has ordered the defence ministry to cashier and expel the military personnel involved in the plot. The maximum sentence must be applied against them for terrorism, conspiracy and treason, Maduro said on his television program. Maduro had already denounced on 15 January what he said was a plot against him. Addressing the same press conference, Padrino said an operation that started last year to uncover details of the alleged conspiracy was kept secret as it coincided with talks between Maduro and the United States that resulted in a prisoner swap. Advertisement Padrino blamed the plot on the far right, as the Maduro government usually refers to the opposition, with support of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Officials released a video that purportedly implicates opposition leader Maria Corina Machado in the plot, and Saab vowed that more arrests will follow, without naming names. Advertisement Maduro was elected in 2018 for a second, successive term not recognised by dozens of countries and met with a barrage of sanctions. These have been eased since his government agreed to hold free and fair elections in 2024 with observers present. Machado, however, remains barred from holding public office despite winning overwhelming support in a primary vote last October. Advertisement She was disqualified by the authorities for alleged corruption and for backing sanctions against Caracas. The United Nations Human Rights Committee, in a report last year, expressed concern about the persecution of dissidents in Venezuela as well as the intimidation, persecution, arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of journalists, human rights defenders and political activists. Advertisement Maduro, who has not confirmed whether he will seek another term, frequently denounces plans to overthrow him, usually with the same co-conspirators: the United States, the opposition and Colombian drug traffickers. With inputs from AFP Despite having suffered the worst one-day loss in which 24 IDF soldiers were slain on Mondaythe names of whom were released by Israel Tuesday, much to the pain of its top leadership Tel Aviv has resolved to push further and farther West Asia continues to simmer despite efforts from several quarters to put paid to hostilities between Hamas and Israel since that has become the flashpoint of larger and wider conflicts that threaten to escalate by the hour and destabilise the entire region. Most of the actors in the region have, in some way or the other, jumped into the fray already from either side. Advertisement Meanwhile, as the European Union (EU) has been pushing for a two-state solution for the Palestinian-Israel conflictthe proposal has been put forward by the US too, but Israel PM Netanyahu has summarily rejected itEU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell Tuesday said Israel could not be allowed to veto a separate state for Palestine. One thing is clear Israel cannot have the veto right to the self-determination of the Palestinian people, Borrell said at a presser in Brussels with his Egyptian counterpart. The United Nations recognises and has recognised many times the self-determination right of the Palestinian people. Nobody can veto it, Borrell added. Advertisement Worst Loss for IDF Despite having suffered the worst one-day loss in which 24 IDF soldiers were slain in an anti-Hamas op in Gaza on Mondaythe names of whom were released by Israel Tuesday, much to the pain of the top leadership of the countryTel Aviv has resolved to push further and farther. Advertisement Painfully difficult morning was the refrain on Tuesday as Israel woke up to the worst loss of lives on IDF side in the raging war on Hamas in Gaza: 24 soldiers killed in one go. Details still foggy, reasons still being probed. The loss of this magnitude is significant since Israel has always kept the lives of its soldiers before anything else, even in combat. Advertisement A sketchy outline of what happened suggests that IDF soldiers were operating 600-mts from the border in the Kissufim kibbutz, clearing and razing Hamas buildings when tragedy struck. According to reports, the site that looked like the wake of a devastating earthquake became the graveyard of 21 Israeli bravehearts when explosion ripped two buildings that were being cleared even as the soldiers were inside. The prelude was an RPG attack on a tank manning the site. Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the loss. In a statement he said, I know that for these families, their lives will be changed forever. The IDF has launched an investigation into the disaster. We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors. In the name of our heroes, for our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory. Advertisement Israel President Isaac Herzog wrote on X: An unbearably difficult morning, in which more and more names of the best of our sons are added to the gravestones of heroes, when there is no war that is more just. The intense battles are taking place in an extremely challenging space, and we send strength to the soldiers of the IDF and the security forces, who are working with endless determination to realize the goals of the fighting. Advertisement IDF Encircles Khan Younis In latest reports, the IDF has succeeded in encircling Khan Younis, a city it believes is the primary headquarters of those responsible for the October 7 attack, including Yahya Sinwar. Over the past day, IDF troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis and deepened the operation in the area. The area is a significant stronghold of Hamass Khan Younis Brigade, the military said. Advertisement Ground troops engaged in close-quarters combat, directed (air force) strikes, and used intelligence to coordinate fire, resulting in the elimination of dozens of terrorists, it said. Houthi Conundrum Widens While the Houthi terrorist on Tuesday issued threats against the UK-US axis that has launched some eight rounds of attacks on its establishments in retaliation of the former threatening the busy shipping lanes of the Red Sea that have disrupted supply chains across the world, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took matter further. Advertisement He said the strikes on Houthi targets was but just a part of the larger response to its terrorism, especially in the Red Sea. Sunak told MPs in the House of Commons a wider response to the Houthi threat was being taken by his government. He added that the UK was widening diplomatic engagements in the region to cut off supply of arms and ammunition to Iran-backed Houthis using global sanctions. He also said that UK was trying to garner more humanitarian aid to the war-ravaged people of Yemen. Advertisement In a surprise development, though, he delinked the action against Houthis from the Israel-Hamas war, but continued to add that those who stood with the Houthis were backing terrorism and would be met with zero tolerance. In fresh threats from the Houthi terrorists, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) Tuesday reported to have received a report of drone activity around Yemens port city of Mokha. The UKMTO said authorities were lookin into the potential threat. Advertisement Hezbollah Continue to Muddy Waters The Hezbollah Tuesday launched a barrage of missiles at Israels crucial Mount Meron air traffic control base. While most of the missiles were intercepted, some did pass through to hit part of the base. The Iran-backed Lebanese terror group claimed the attacks were a response to assassinations and frequent attacks on civilians in Lebanon and Syria. The IDF, meanwhile, confirmed the attack. Israel forces said slight damage was caused to the base. According to the IDF, most of the Hezbollah missiles were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system. The sensitive base is located just eight kilometers from the Lebanon border. No injuries have been reported so far. This was Hezbollahs second strike on the air traffic control base. The first one had come on January 6 in the wake of Israeli assassination of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in a strike in Beirut. Israel had just stopped short of taking responsibility for the Beirut attack. Israel Proposes 2-month Pause to War Israel has suggested to Hamas, through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, a two-month ceasefire as part of an agreement to rescue all captives held in Gaza. Reportedly, the plan would be implemented in phases, with the first including the release of women, males over the age of 60, and those in serious medical condition. Subsequent phases would include the release of female troops, younger civilian males, male soldiers, and the remains of deceased hostages. Officials claimed the arrangement will also result in the release of an undisclosed number of Palestinian detainees detained in Israel, but not all of them. The plan calls for Israeli soldiers to withdraw from key Gazan cities and to progressively enable people to return to the regions damaged north, but it makes no assurances about ending the conflict. According to the officials, the agreement should be implemented in about two months. Qatar foreign ministry, meanwhile, Tuesday said mediation efforts were on to strike peace in the region. On the other hand, the ministry spokesperson flagged the escalation in Red Sea to be a rather bigger danger. The 48-year-old FSO Safer was dubbed a ticking time bomb for years. It remained unserviced as fighting erupted in Yemen and concerns mounted that a leak or on-board explosion might spill its 1.14 million barrels of crude oil into the Red Sea Work on dismantling an old oil tanker off the coast of Yemen has been put on hold due to growing threats to maritime security, officials told AFP, endangering a rare example of success in the war-torn nation. With its corroding hull, the 48-year-old FSO Safer was dubbed a ticking time bomb for years. It remained unserviced as fighting erupted in Yemen and concerns mounted that a leak or on-board explosion might spill its 1.14 million barrels of crude oil into the Red Sea. Advertisement However, the UN declared in August of last year that the difficult process of moving the oil to a new ship had been completed, which was a critical step in averting a financial and environmental catastrophe. The UN said at the time that completing the project would involve towing and scrapping the Safer, which still posed a residual environmental threat, holding viscous oil residue and remaining at risk of breaking apart. However, after delays over a $22 million funding shortfall and other challenges, security in the Red Sea has deteriorated dramatically, a knock-on effect of the conflict between Israel and Hamas triggered by the militant groups unprecedented attacks on southern Israel on October 7. Iran-backed Huthi forces, which control the capital Sanaa and the waters where the Safer is located, began attacking Red Sea shipping in November, and the United States has carried out several rounds of strikes on Huthi targets this month along with two joint operations with Britain. Advertisement The situation has resulted in unforeseen operational and financial challenges for the Safer project, making it difficult to move forward, a spokesperson for the UN Development Programme told AFP. After much consideration, the UN had no option but to pause the project at this time and has informed the authorities accordingly, the spokesperson said. Advertisement We continue to follow developments on the ground very carefully and closely. Edrees al-Shami, the Sanaa-appointed executive general manager of SEPOC, the Yemeni oil and gas company, said there was a big risk of the ships being struck by a stray missile as Huthi-controlled areas come under attack. - Peace talks in peril - Advertisement Completing the Safer project was always expected to be complicated because of Yemens war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people, either directly in the fighting or indirectly as a result of war-induced shortages. It pits the Huthis, who took control of Sanaa in 2014, against a Saudi-led coalition supporting the internationally recognised government based in the southern city of Aden. Advertisement Though a six-month truce that took effect in April 2022 has largely held, analysts say the recent regional turmoil threatens efforts to secure a durable ceasefire. The Huthis say their activities in the Red Sea are aimed at Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israels withering retaliatory campaign against Hamas has killed more than 25,000 people, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry. Advertisement The October 7 attacks resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures. The Huthis have also declared American and British interests to be legitimate targets. The group will use all cards at their disposal to tarnish this US-led coalition, said Bader al-Saif of Kuwait University. Advertisement A delay for the Safer project fits into the anti-US propaganda (the Huthis) are good at assembling. - Who owns the oil? - Yemens rival authorities in Sanaa and Aden are at odds over who owns the oil that was on the Safer as well as the new tanker that now holds it, the MT-Yemen. Advertisement The Huthis have previously said they want to sell the oil and use the revenue to cover their employees salaries. They have also called for the completion of onshore storage facilities that could potentially hold the crude. Under the terms of the handover deal announced last summer, the MT-Yemen was to be managed by a UN-contracted firm for at least six months. Advertisement But Shami, the Sanaa-appointed executive general manager of SEPOC, told AFP thefirm wants to leave the vessel due to the recent developments in the region. The UN says the crew is due to leave under the terms of its contract but that the MT-Yemen remains under the firms management. Shami raised the possibility that SEPOC will have to take over management of the vessel, a development sure to rile the government in Aden, which does not acknowledge Shamis authority and has named its own executive general manager of SEPOC. Advertisement Other steps yet to be completed include tethering an anchored buoy to the MT-Yemen, for stability and to aid the eventual offloading, and inspecting the underwater pipeline that stretched from Yemeni soil to the Safer and will later be connected to the MT-Yemen, Shami said. All of these are integral to the project, he said. Advertisement If the UN fails to support operating the vessel properly, MT-Yemen will be FSO Safer the sequel, he said. (with inputs from AFP) Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin announces: At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Musalia Mudavadi will pay an official visit to China from January 24 to 26. Samsung has introduced its latest, 20000mAh Power Bank with a sleek, eco-friendly design. This power bank supports 45W fast charging for USB-C devices and features dual ports for charging two devices simultaneously. The body of the battery pack has a clean beige finish with curved lines and soft edges for a comfortable grip. Its designed with UL-certified recycled materials, ensuring an eco-friendly choice. The exterior is made from UL-validated recycled materials, containing a minimum of 20% post-consumer recycled content. In terms of functionality, the power banks dual USB-C ports allow simultaneous charging of two devices at a maximum speed of 9W each. To achieve the best results, the company recommends using genuine Samsung cables. The power bank is compatible with various USB-C devices, such as mobile phones, earphones, and tablets. Quick specifications: Samsung 45W Dual USB-C Power Bank 45W Super Fast Charing (single device) Eco-friendly with UL-certified recycled materials Stylish, portable and ergonomic design Pair two devices for simultaneous charging Universal compatibility with USB-C devices Battery: 20000mAh Fast Wired Charging In & Out (SFC/PD/ in/out max. 45 W ) Cable Length: 0.2m Dimensions (W x H x D): 70 x 148 x 15.6mm Color: Beige Pricing and availability The Samsung Quick Charge 45W Dual USB-C Port 20000mAh Power Bank is priced at 59.99 (USD 76 or Rs. 6,350 approx.) in the UK, with no information available regarding its availability in other regions. Via Samsung India has opened its first Online-to-Offline (O2O) lifestyle store, Samsung BKC, in Mumbai, located in the Jio World Plaza mall. The 8,000 sq ft store strategically resides in Mumbais central business hub, Bandra Kurla Complex. Samsungs First O2O Store in India As the inaugural Samsung O2O store in India, Samsung BKC reimagines the retail shopping experience by merging online convenience with offline assistance. With over 1,200 product choices available in the online digital catalog, customers can enjoy in-store assistance and have products delivered anywhere in the country. Premium Product Showcase and AI Experiences Samsung BKC aims to provide a unique retail experience by showcasing Samsungs premium product range, which includes smartphones, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and more. The store leverages Samsungs AI ecosystem to offer curated experiences and real-life scenarios. Targeting premium consumers and technology enthusiasts, Samsung BKC offers the latest AI experiences such as AI for All for consumer electronics and Galaxy AI for mobile devices, all under one roof. Lifestyle Zones at Samsung BKC Samsung BKC introduces eight unique lifestyle zones catering to various passions, including gaming, home office, art, yoga, cooking, and more. Hobby Room: Dive into an immersive mobile gaming experience with an 85-inch 8K QLED TV, Samsung gaming monitors, and laptops. Dive into an immersive mobile gaming experience with an 85-inch 8K QLED TV, Samsung gaming monitors, and laptops. Home Office: Experience cutting-edge home office setups using big screens and smart monitors. Connect to Galaxy Buds, make calls on the Smart Monitor with Google Meet, and boost productivity across multiple screens. Experience cutting-edge home office setups using big screens and smart monitors. Connect to Galaxy Buds, make calls on the Smart Monitor with Google Meet, and boost productivity across multiple screens. Home Atelier: Explore premium 8K TVs, The Frame, and an AI-enabled Smart Yoga mat providing real-time feedback. Explore premium 8K TVs, The Frame, and an AI-enabled Smart Yoga mat providing real-time feedback. Home Cafe: Check out bespoke refrigerators and vacuum cleaners. Customize refrigerator colors to match your homes scheme. Connected Kitchen: Witness a professional chef cook in real-time, learn to manage and prepare healthy food with AI-enabled appliances. Witness a professional chef cook in real-time, learn to manage and prepare healthy food with AI-enabled appliances. Intelligent Closet: Discover AI-enabled washing machines and dryers. Get insights into home energy management through SmartThings AI Energy Mode. Discover AI-enabled washing machines and dryers. Get insights into home energy management through SmartThings AI Energy Mode. Private Cinema: Experience the connected device experience with a 110-inch MicroLED TV. Experience the connected device experience with a 110-inch MicroLED TV. Mobile Zone: Explore Samsungs flagship Galaxy devices, including the Galaxy Z series, Galaxy S series, the latest Galaxy S24 series, flagship tablets, laptops, and wearables. Learn @ Samsung Programme Samsung BKC will host various events and workshops throughout the year, focusing on consumer passion points such as digital art, photography, fitness, and more as part of its Learn @ Samsung program. Integrated Service Centre The store includes an integrated service center offering online and offline appointments, device pickup, same-day repair for Galaxy devices, and remote assistance. Customers purchasing multiple SmartThings-enabled products receive a free SmartThings setup and product installation by service engineers. Galaxy S24 Series Exclusive Pre-Booking Samsung BKC introduces the latest Galaxy S24 series, offering exclusive color options and first-of-its-kind AI-enabled personalization for Galaxy AI smartphones. Customers can experience and pre-book the series starting January 23. Samsung BKC is not merely a store; its a lifestyle destination, inviting customers to embark on a journey where technology meets elegance. Commenting on the inauguration, JB Park, President & CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia, said: OnePlus just launched the OnePlus 12R, the companys latest smartphone in the R series in India along with the OnePlus 12, as it had promised. It packs a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED with 1-120Hz 8T LTPO panels, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, and supports wet hand control. The phone is powered by Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and up to 256GB UFS 3.1 storage. It has 9140mm Dual Cryo-velocity VC Cooling System, more than 76% bigger than the one inside OnePlus 11R. The phone has a 50MP main camera with Sony IMX890 sensor, support for OIS, along with a 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro camera, same as the Oneplus 11R. It runs Android 14 with OxygenOS 14, and will get 3 years of Android updates and 4 years of security updates. The phone still retains the three-stage alert slide, but the company has repositioned it to the left-hand side of the phone, which allows OnePlus to introduce a new integrated antenna and the Alert Slider solution on the new device to deliver an enhanced antenna performance for gaming, said the company. Cool Blue is a glossy finish with a light, fresh appearance, while Iron Gray has a matte feel to give a sophisticated and strong feeling, says the company. The company will launch OnePlus 12R Genshin Impact edition in the future. It packs a 5500mAh battery, the largest on a OnePlus phone, and supports 100W SuperVOOC fast charge, which can fully charge the phone in 26 minutes. It is equipped with a SUPERVOOC S power management chip and proprietary Battery Health Engine technology. OnePlus 12R specifications 6.78-inch (27801264 pixels) (1~120Hz) LTPO AMOLED display with up to 4500 nits peak brightness, 100% DCI-P3 color gamut, 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming, 360Hz touch sampling rate, 2160Hz instant touch sampling rate, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Octa Core Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 4nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 740 GPU 8GB / 16GB LPDDR5X RAM with 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 storage Android 14 with OxygenOS 14 Dual SIM (nano + nano) 50MP rear camera with 1/1.56 Sony IMX890 sensor, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, 8MP 120 ultra-wide camera with Sony IMX355 sensor, f/2.2 aperture, 2MP macro camera with Howe OV02B sensor, f/2.4 aperture, LED flash 16MP front-facing camera with Samsung S5K3P9 sensor, f/2.4 aperture In-display fingerprint sensor, Infrared sensor Dimensions: 163.375.38.8mm; Weight: 207g USB Type-C audio, Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos 5G SA/ NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7 802.11 be (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 5.3, Beidou: B1I+B1C+B2a; GPS: L1+L5; GLONASS: G1; Galileo: E1+E5a; QZSS: L1+L5, NFC, USB Type-C 5500mAh (typical) battery with 100W SuperVOOC fast charging Pricing and availability The OnePlus 12R comes in Cool Blue and Iron Gray colours and is priced at Rs. 39,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and the 16GB + 256GB model costs Rs. 45,999. It will go on sale from February 6th from Amazon.in, OnePlus online store and OnePlus experience stores offline. Launch offers Customers can avail an instant bank discount of INR 1,000 with ICICI credit card and OneCard Customers can also avail of a 6-month no-cost EMI through ICICI credit/debit card EMI and OneCard EMI. Customers can also buy the OnePlus 12R with OnePlus Easy Upgrades and get 35% assured value at the end of the 24 months. Customers purchasing the OnePlus 12R can avail benefits worth INR 2,250 on Jio Plus OnePlus 12R users can link to RCC and avail a special coupon discount of INR 3,000 discount while purchasing the OnePlus Pad Customers purchasing the OnePlus 12R will get a free trial of Google One for 6 months & YouTube Premium for 3 months. Find more details on OnePlus.in Eager users can also get their hands on a OnePlus Buds Z2 worth 4,999 with the purchase of the OnePlus 12R. Limited period offer. Commenting on the launch, Kinder Liu, OnePlus President and COO, said: Our users in India love our OnePlus R Series, so I cant wait for them to get their hands on OnePlus 12R and see our latest performance-focused flagship, said Kinder Liu, OnePlus President and COO. And Im truly thrilled that we can bring our OnePlus 12R to users in North America and Europe too as the first R Series device to launch in these markets. Everything we do is driven by our users and I know our worldwide community will be excited to try it too. In 2023, labor union approval in the U.S. exceeded its long-term average for the fifth consecutive year. And in three notable labor disputes of 2023 -- United Auto Workers, the Hollywood writers strike and the actors strike -- the majority of the public sided with the workers. In fact, Americans approval of unions has been rising for the past decade. And when we ask more questions about unions, we see this support is not superficial. 61% say unions help rather than hurt the U.S. economy (a record high) 43% want unions to have more influence in the country (another record high) 34% predict unions will become stronger than they are today (a recent surge after two decades hovering around 20%) So, are unions experiencing a renaissance? Not quite. ###Embeddable### Union membership remains in long-term decline Amid surging support for unions, union membership as a percentage of the workforce reached a record low in 2022, the last year of published data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 And this decline has been steady for decades, unaffected by the highs and lows of public approval. ###Embeddable### ###Embeddable### This may surprise those familiar with high-profile labor organizing at major corporations in recent years. The reality is that, although the absolute number of union members has risen, nonunion jobs have increased faster.2 Gallup data support the apparent lack of worker demand for joining a union. Although 17% of workers are highly interested in joining a labor union, six in 10 U.S. employees say they are not interested at all, unchanged from 2022. Union workers remain committed Although the percentage of labor union members has been declining, for those who are already union members, membership is growing in value. In 2022, four in 10 union members said their membership was extremely important. In 2023, those who saw their membership as extremely important rose to five in 10. More committed union members and surging public support are likely to strengthen unions in the workforce and U.S. economy for the foreseeable future. Stay up to date on the latest data on workers and workplaces. Subscribe to the Gallup at Work newsletter to get Gallup's latest workplace advice and discoveries delivered straight to you. Discover more about the worlds workers by exploring our State of the Global Workplace report. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Developers Eye Zelda Spinoff Project Ubisoft Montpellier, the development team behind Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, has revealed a keen interest in working on a spinoff game within the Legend of Zelda universe. The idea was brought up during a recent interaction on the Metroidvania subreddit, where developers engaged with fans to discuss various aspects of the newly released Prince of Persia title. Read Also: Call of Duty Introduces Superhero MP Mode with 'The Boys' Event in MW3 Eagerness to Craft Zelda Spinoff During a Q&A session on the Metroidvania subreddit, developers from Ubisoft Montpellier, creators of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, discussed their aspirations beyond the current project. In response to a fan's question about creating a game for a different series or intellectual property (IP), Remi Boutin, the senior game designer, expressed eagerness to collaborate with the Legend of Zelda IP. Boutin's mention of a potential "strange spin-off based on Adventure of Link" adds an intriguing layer to their creative ambitions. While not a confirmation of their next project, this insight highlights the team's openness to exploring diverse gaming universes, as seen in their recent work on The Lost Crown, a Metroidvania title. A Dream Collaboration: Navigating the Possibilities Collaborations between major gaming studios and established franchises are not uncommon, and Ubisoft's history of working with Nintendo in the Mario + Rabbids games adds an interesting dimension to this revelation. Although there is no concrete indication of a Prince of Persia and Legend of Zelda crossover, the positive relationship between Ubisoft and Nintendo opens the door to exciting possibilities. While Nintendo tends to be selective about collaborations involving its IPs, the previous success with Ubisoft makes the prospect intriguing and worth considering. As fans eagerly await further developments, the idea of a Legend of Zelda spinoff from the creators of Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown remains an exciting and plausible concept. Related Article: Ace Combat 7 Deluxe Edition Soars onto Nintendo Switch with Exclusive DLC Ultimate Guide for Defeating the Rayne Syndicate's Tower Boss in Palworld Palworld presents players with diverse challenges in its campaign, culminating in the formidable Rayne Syndicate's Tower boss at the end of the tutorial stage. This guide offers a step-by-step approach to locate and defeat Zoey and Grizzbolt, outlining the journey due northwest from the starting point to the coordinates X: 107, Y: -437. Read Also: Join the Weekly MCL Tournament: Your Guide to Mobile Legends Mastery Preparing for Battle The tower, distinguished by its high-tech design and eerie bluish light, serves as the battleground for this challenging encounter. Success against the Rayne Syndicate's Tower boss requires meticulous preparation: Approach the battle at around level 17. Be aware of the 10-minute time limit; failure to defeat the boss within this timeframe results in a challenge failure. Expand your roster of Pals, incorporating creatures like Nitewing and Dinossom. Establish a functional base for crafting better gear and maintaining a steady material supply. Early-game weapons such as the Old Bow and Stone Spear remain effective. While base relocation is possible, the clearing before the tower already features a fast travel point, allowing swift teleportation once the location is tagged. Optimal Pals for the Battle The Rayne Syndicate's Tower boss battle pits players against Zoey and Grizzbolt, the formidable electric-type creature with 30,550 HP. Key considerations for success include: Grizzbolt's Abilities: Watch out for multi-hit punch combos, frontal arc orbs, and a pinpoint blast with a crosshair, causing a stun effect. Effective Pals: Nitewing proves effective with its fast attacks, flying rush, and multi-hit projectiles. Water-type Pals, such as Relaxauruses, struggle, often getting incapacitated quickly. Individual experiences may vary; for instance, Cattiva showcased surprising resilience during the later stages. Upon defeating Zoey and Grizzbolt, players receive +5 Ancient Technology Points and are teleported to the top of the pillar, which conveniently houses a fast travel point. Note that while the battle can be revisited, capturing Grizzbolt during this specific encounter is currently unavailable. Related Article: Here are the Top 3 Must-Play Marvel Games You Shouldn't Miss "If it had ended up a few millimetres from where it did, it could have caused much more serious damage and left his arm or one side of his body paralysed. It was very risky for the patient but we believe that in 20 to 30 days he will be able to continue with his normal life." Saturday Night Partly cloudy skies early giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Nathan graduated with his journalism degree from Auburn University in 2017. After growing up in the flatlands of rural Alabama with his parents and older sister, Nathan enjoys Western Colorado's natural resources and recreational opportunities. He currently covers education and business for The Daily Sentinel. Ethiopia insisted on Wednesday that its controversial deal with the breakaway region of Somaliland broke no laws after Somalia accused its neighbour of a blatant attack on its sovereignty. Secretary-General's remarks to the Non-Aligned Movement United Nations Secretary-General 20 January 2024 Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, President Museveni, thank you for your warm welcome. I congratulate Uganda on its chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. This Movement began at a divided moment in history. In the midst of the Cold War, its architects leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Josip Broz Tito, Gamal Abdel Nasser and others worked to advance cooperation. Supporting countries as they travelled the path to full decolonization. Boosting trade and economic development in the Global South. And championing the pillars of peace dialogue, diplomacy and co-operation. We see clear convergence between the principles of the UN Charter and the Bandung principles of the Non-Aligned Movement. And you have an important role at the United Nations. As significant contributors to UN peacekeeping forces. As supporters of our work to uphold the United Nations Charter, international law and human rights. As champions of solidarity in times of crisis including during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. And in your strong call for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, This Summit falls at another moment of deep division. Geopolitical tensions are rising. Democracy is eroding, while populism and extremism are increasing. Our climate is breaking down. Poverty and inequalities are rife. And the developing world faces its weakest economic growth in decades. And more countries than ever are struggling with debt distress or default. Human rights, international law, the Geneva Conventions, and the UN Charter are being flouted with impunity. And conflicts are raging and proliferating from Sudan to Ukraine to Gaza. Following the abhorrent Hamas attacks on 7 October, the wholesale destruction of Gaza and the number of civilian casualties caused by the Israeli army in such a short period are totally unprecedented during my mandate. And this includes 152 of our own UN staff members a heartbreaking tragedy for our organization, for their families, and for those they were serving in Gaza. While humanitarian workers are doing their best to deliver relief, they face constant bombardments, daily dangers to themselves and their families, and the enormous constraints posed by damaged roads, communication blackouts and access denials. Meanwhile, disease and hunger are deepening. People are dying not only from bombs and bullets, but from lack of food and clean water, hospitals without power and medicine, and gruelling journeys to ever-smaller slivers of land to escape the fighting. This must stop. I will not relent in my call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. And we must do all we can to prevent spillover of this conflict across the region in the West Bank, across the Blue Line between Israel and Lebanon, and in Syria, Iraq and the Red Sea. Excellencies, The refusal to accept the two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians, and the denial of the right to statehood for the Palestinian people, are unacceptable. This would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to global peace and security; exacerbate polarization; and embolden extremists everywhere. The right of the Palestinian people to build their own state must be recognized by all. Excellencies, Within this swirl of uncertainty and instability, I see new opportunities for countries and the Non-Aligned Movement to lead. This meeting's theme points the way "Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence." But what does that mean in practical terms? First global affluence depends on peace. Peace means focusing on prevention, dialogue and mediation to heal divisions and defuse conflicts. This requires institutions that reflect today's world, not the world of 80 years ago. The UN Security Council is a prime example. The world's preeminent platform for resolving global disputes is paralyzed by geopolitical divisions that block effective solutions. Your Movement has long highlighted the Council's systemic shortcomings and the need for reforms to make it truly effective and representative. How can we accept that the African continent still lacks a single Permanent Member? September's Summit of the Future is a unique opportunity to consider reforms to the institutions of global governance and promote ideas to re-build trust and strengthen multilateral cooperation. The proposed New Agenda for Peace sets out a vision for preventing conflict, sustaining peace and advancing development. It reflects our commitment to all human rights civil, political, economic, social and cultural. It includes initiatives around disarmament, tackling terrorism and transnational crime, and managing threats posed by lethal autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence. And it calls for a new generation of peace operations including peace enforcement and counter-terrorism operations led by regional partners, notably the African Union, with a Security Council mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, supported by guaranteed funding, including through UN assessed contributions. The Security Council's recent resolution on this issue is a major step forward and one that your members, as well as I myself, have long advocated. Second peace requires sustainable development. We are moving backwards in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. People are going hungry. Communities lack access to health care, clean water, electricity and proper sanitation. Families are struggling to make ends meet without social protection and safety nets. And children are denied education. Developing countries need resources to overcome these challenges. And this requires immediate debt relief and re-channeling unused Special Drawing Rights. It means reforming an outdated, unjust and unfair global financial system that favours its founders, mostly rich countries, and has proven unable to provide a global safety net, in particular to developing countries in distress. It means all countries going the extra mile to allocate their budgets wisely investing in education, health, nutrition and social protection systems. And it means strengthening the social cohesion of societies, and upholding fundamental human rights, recognizing the rights of minorities and standing up to all forms of discrimination. At September's SDG Summit, world leaders adopted a political declaration that demonstrated clear support for an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion per year. And they also supported our longstanding call for reform of the global financial architecture including the Bretton Woods System to better respond to the needs of developing countries, making it fully representative of today's global economy, and not the one that existed after the Second World War. And at COP28, countries operationalized the long-awaited Loss and Damage Fund to support those countries most vulnerable to the devastation wrought by climate change. But contributions so far have been minimal, and developed countries have not yet fulfilled many of their longstanding commitments on climate finance. I urge the Non-Aligned Movement to hold leaders to keep these promises this year. Excellencies, Conflicts, poverty, inequality, geopolitical fragmentation and climate catastrophe are the result of choices the world makes or fails to make. Guided by the solutions being discussed here and the spirit of trust, understanding and solidarity that has infused the NAM from the start, I know we can tackle these challenges together, and make the right choices in the time ahead. And I thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary-General's remarks to the Third South Summit - G77 Plus China United Nations Secretary-General 21 January 2024 Your Excellency, President Yoweri Musevini, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, all protocol observed, It is a pleasure to join you for this very important summit. I thank the Government of Uganda for its hospitality, and congratulate it on the leadership of the G77 plus China. Sixty years ago, recognising the need for unity and solidarity in the face of common challenges, the G77 was born. Over the decades, you have been an engine for South-South cooperation and development; lifted millions of people out of poverty; and provided a powerful voice for developing countries on the global stage. Today, you are the largest grouping of the global South, representing 80 percent of the world's population. And your solidarity and partnership are essential to building a sustainable, peaceful, and just world for all. A world in which the United Nations Charter, international law and human rights prevail in global relations. Excellencies, Halfway to the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, far from leaving no one behind, we are leaving half the world behind. Progress on poverty and hunger is stalling and, in some countries, going into reverse. Many G-77 members are grappling with an economic hangover from the Covid-19 pandemic, crippling debts, a cost-of-living crisis and sky-high borrowing costs. Hundreds of millions of people around the world, particularly women and girls, are living without the most basic respect for their human rights. And the lack of jobs is generating enormous frustration among young people. Climate disasters most of you did little to create are knocking chunks out of your economies and increasing people's suffering. Investment in sustainable development and climate action is slipping further out of reach. And while South-South cooperation is strong and deepening, it does not replace the need for the respect of the commitments of the global North - for sustained engagement to reduce poverty and inequality, support growth, and build resilience in developing countries. Digital technologies have enormous potential for good - but they are also inflaming inequalities. The International Monetary Fund warns that artificial intelligence could make things even worse. And peace - the foundation of sustainable development - is breaking down amidst a climate of global impunity. Around the world - from Sudan, to Ukraine, the Middle East and beyond - wars are devastating lives, fuelling mass movements of people, disrupting global supply chains, and threatening to set entire regions alight. In Gaza, Israel's military operations have spread massive destruction and killed civilians on a scale unprecedented during my time as Secretary General, including more than 150 members of our own staff, following the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on 7 October. This is heart-breaking, and utterly unacceptable. The Middle East is a tinderbox. We must do all we can to prevent conflict igniting across the region. And that starts with an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to relieve the suffering in Gaza, allow humanitarian aid to reach everyone in need, and facilitate the release of hostages, which should be immediate and unconditional. The repeated refusal yesterday to accept the two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians is totally unacceptable, as I told the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. The denial of the right to statehood for the Palestinian people would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to global peace and security; exacerbate polarization; and embolden extremists everywhere. Excellencies, Righting our troubled world depends on effective global action. Yet the international system is out of date, out of time, and out of step, reflecting a bygone age when many of your countries were still colonized. The United Nations Security Council is paralyzed by geopolitical divisions. And its composition does not reflect the reality of today's world. It must be reformed. And the global financial system, including the Bretton Woods Institutions, has failed to provide a global safety net for developing countries in distress, as it was created after the Second World War in a totally different global economic situation. Yet, amidst all this gloom, there is hope. Last year, the SDG Summit issued a strong political declaration - thanks in large part to the advocacy and tenacity of G77 countries. And this year we have an opportunity to build on that success. The Summit of the Future, to be held in New York in September, is a generational opportunity. It aims to reform and revitalize multilateralism so that it works for everyone, everywhere - and meets the challenges of today. It is a chance to create the conditions for countries to achieve the SDGs. To find consensus on frameworks to address new challenges. And to build a better world for us all. We rely on the G77 plus China to make the Summit of the Future a success. To seize this opportunity and to find common solutions. The Summit will consider deep reforms of the international financial architecture. Financial institutions and frameworks created after the Second World War still largely correspond to the power relations and the global economy of that time. They must be reformed so that they are truly universal; reflect with justice the realities of today; and are much more responsive to the needs of developing countries. I have also proposed an SDG Stimulus of $500 billion a year in affordable, long-term finance for sustainable development and climate action in developing countries. And Multilateral Development Banks must be adequately capitalized, and must change their business models to leverage far more private finance for developing countries at reasonable cost. The SDG Stimulus calls for urgent action on debt, including breathing space for countries facing unbearable repayment schedules. And it calls for the expansion of the contingency financing for countries in need, including through the rechannelling of Special Drawing Rights. Momentum is building. All countries backed these proposals in the SDG Summit last year. But now we must turn them into reality. Excellencies, Beyond the Summit of the Future, I ask you to unite against climate catastrophe. The very existence of some countries in this room depends on limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius - in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of different national circumstances. I urge you to hold developed countries to account for climate justice, and for leading an equitable and just transition, based on the phaseout of fossil fuel and massive investment in renewable energy. All financial commitments must be met. Clarifying the delivery of the $100 billion, and doubling adaptation finance by 2025, are only starting points. The Loss and Damage Fund is a step forward and a testament to the power of the Global South. But we must call for meaningful contributions that have not yet been announced. And we must also advocate for an ambitious new finance goal for the future at COP29. And we must not forget that the just and equitable energy transition includes producing and trading critical minerals in a way that is fair, sustainable, and provides maximum benefit to developing countries. They must be more than simple exporters of raw materials. Excellencies, New technologies can turbocharge progress toward the SDGs. Our proposed Global Digital Compact aims to ensure that in a new technological era, no one is left behind. And I hope it will be agreed at the Summit of the Future. And the High-Level Body on Artificial Intelligence that I created, which includes several experts from G77 countries and is balanced 50 percent North and 50 percent South, has already made preliminary recommendations on global Artificial Intelligence governance, including the objective of accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals. The new Scientific Advisory Board is also working to ensure scientific breakthroughs are shared equally for the benefit of all. And I praise the efforts done by the Presidency of Cuba to put science and technology in the center of G77 concerns. I encourage you to engage in all these efforts. The 21st century cannot replicate the vast inequalities of the twentieth. Do not let new rules for new technologies be written by the rich, for the rich. Excellencies, Let us face it: those that benefit most from the present global governance system are unlikely to lead its reform. So, momentum for change must come from you. I urge you to keep driving these efforts forward. We have a chance to cultivate a just, peaceful and prosperous future, where no one is left behind. But for that, a lot needs to be changed and reformed. Together, let's unite and fight to make that a reality. And I thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ecuador Joins Combined Maritime Forces in Middle East as 40th Member U.S. Central Command Jan. 22, 2024 By Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs MANAMA, Bahrain -- On Jan. 11, the Combined Maritime Forces welcomed Ecuador as the 40th member of the world's largest maritime security partnership. "Ecuador joining CMF only makes us stronger," said Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, CMF commander. "This growing international naval coalition benefits mightily from having Ecuadorians standing shoulder-to-shoulder with other CMF nations, dedicated to maritime security and stability in the Middle East region, and protecting some of the world's most important waterways. I look forward to being 'Ready Together' with such maritime professionals." CMF is comprised of a headquarters staff and five combined task forces focusing on defeating terrorism, preventing piracy, encouraging regional cooperation, and promoting a safe maritime environment. The naval partnership upholds the international rules-based order by supporting security and stability across 3.2 million square miles of water encompassing some of the world's most important shipping lanes. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address January 22, 2024 By Jim Garamone , DOD News Military Health System Stabilization: Rebuilding Health Care Access Is Critical to Patient's Well-Being The Defense Department is on a mission to get the right people into the right military hospital or clinic at the right timeboth medical staff and patients. On Dec. 6, 2023, the deputy secretary of defense signed a memo directing the stabilization of the Military Health System. The memo requires that the MHS add capacity to reattract patients and beneficiaries, improve access to care in military hospitals and clinics, and increase opportunities to sustain military clinical readiness for medical forces. The need to stabilize the MHS is clear. The realignment of medical personnel and the volatile health care economy of the past three years, created challenges in the care of beneficiaries. Further, the ability to efficiently generate and sustain ready medical forces was also affected. "Coming out of COVID-19, there were capacity constraints across all health systems in both the United States and peer nations," said Dr. David J. Smith, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for health readiness policy and oversight, who is leading a task force charged with implementing the memo's directives. "Health-seeking behaviors changed as well as the demands on the war fighters and readiness ... health systems worldwide could not keep up." Aligning with the recently released MHS Strategic Plan for fiscal years 2024 through 2029, the memo primarily addresses the need for the MHS to continue providing medically ready forces and ready medical forces while simultaneously delivering quality care to beneficiaries. Doing so effectively, "requires a stable, predictable workforce sufficiently staffed, trained, and routinely available to provide health care to our beneficiaries," the memo states. "A big piece of this memo was about providing that stability: creating more stability for our staff so that they can provide more stability for our patients," said Smith. "This leads to better access to care and more clinical capabilities." Rarely have issues in the MHS become so front-and-center. Recognizing the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and reorganization, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness began relying heavily on the MHS executive review board to oversee and implement major improvement projects. Moreover, the board began referring issues to the senior most military and civilian leadership in the DOD through the deputy secretary's workforce council. "The board is chaired by the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, with official representation from the Army, Navy, Air Force, joint staff and Marine Corps ... all of the major components of the United States DOD," Smith said. "This is so important to our senior leadership, as we are actively discussing and updating this effort at the Deputy's Workforce Council, the most senior governance forum in the department covering personnel issues. "This is a massive commitment of time from our senior-most leadership because we know that medical is critical to the war fight," Smith said. He added, in reference to the four-years-long reorganization of the MHS, "The [Defense] Department has undergone a tremendous transformation to deliver more effective and efficient health care. This is critical to the well-being of our patients and the well-being of our families." The reorganization realigned all military clinics and hospitals from the Army, Navy and Air Force to the Defense Health Agency. Doing so leverages economies of scale and standardizes care for our warfighters and beneficiaries in the long-term, but the transition was enormous. Smith said the organization has been characterized as the largest reorganization and transformation in the DOD since the establishment of the Air Force in 1947. Major transitions often take time to stabilize and realize improvements, especially for organizations as large and diverse as the MHS. Upcoming Steps to Stabilize the MHS The DOD will prioritize military and civilian staffing and uniformed personnel management at military hospitals and clinics, incorporating the memo's guidance into programming and planning activities. The focus is increasing medical personnel delivering care at military hospitals and clinics to optimize capacity for beneficiaries and mission requirements. "The [Secretary's] goal of taking care of our people is about investing in our workforce," Smith said, and that is exactly what the Deputy Secretary's memo does in the short and long term. First and foremost, by June 30, 2024, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness will complete a comprehensive review of all medical manpower and staffing. The review will inform how best to increase capacity to improve access to care for service members, their families and all MHS beneficiaries while maintaining and improving readiness capabilities. The memo also directs the DOD to rethink policies on the assignment of military medical personnel to hospitals and clinics. In the short term, there will be a limited redistribution of medical personnel to boost capacity at a few key locations to begin no later than July 1, 2024, "to stabilize health care delivery and mitigate risk to operational forces and missions." "We'll begin PCSing [permanent change of station] a number of health care professionals," said Smith. "From there, we're going to a phased progression of assigning these providers to military hospitals and clinics." Assigning military medical forces primarily to military hospitals and clinics will provide more predictability and continuity for patients and increase capacity for day-to-day health care. "Another big change will be on civilian personnel staffing," Smith said. "We are going to implement authorities allowing us to recruit and retain our civilian employees better. This will include facilitating paying our civilian employees at rates commensurate with the [Department of Veterans Affairs] and the private sector." As Smith stated, one critical, key initiative is implementing the authorities under chapter 74 of Title 38 opens NIH.gov to improve pay for civilian health care personnel. The Department recognizes the need to be a more competitive employer and pay civilian health care personnel at rates equal to the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services. Boosting Staff to Bring Back Beneficiaries The DOD wants to reattract beneficiaries back to military hospitals and clinics where possible. Many have turned to the private sector for health care as fewer military and civilian personnel were available to deliver care in the Defense Department's hospitals and clinics. The DOD also recognizes that burnout in health care workers is a serious challenge in the United States. Recruiting and making more medical personnel available at military hospitals and clinics reduces burnout, improves the workplace environment and enhances the experience of care for patients. "If we have more people in military hospitals and clinics, we won't be burning out people as much. We also know that burnout is correlated with the experience of care for our beneficiaries," Smith said. "In doing so, we can reattract beneficiaries to MHS." Based on an economic model that optimizes the future state of the MHS around warfighters and military families, the memo directs, "reattracting at least 7 percent of available care from the private sector back to MTFs on average." Reattracting 7% of patients from the private care system is an ambitious yet realistic goal given the time it takes to close gaps in medical personnel staffing. For patients, coming back to military hospitals and clinics should be easy and limit any out-of-pocket costs. "We want to bring beneficiaries back to the MHS ... and truly make the MHS the place you want to receive care," Smith added. "We are going to rebuild that capacity first to earn trust from our beneficiaries." The Defense Department does not plan to ask any patients to change their health plan or their doctor. The goal is to make the MHS more accessible to make getting care at military hospitals or clinics the easiest, simplest choice. "We remain focused on readiness and health care for all our beneficiaries," stated Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, the DOD assistant secretary for health affairs, in the strategic plan. "The two are inseparable: When our people take care of people, we increase the readiness of the total force. I look forward to this work, knowing that it will lead to a stronger MHS capable of meeting the challenges we inevitably face." His message to the MHS is this, "I hear you. I know we have serious issues, and we have a plan to fix our situation. I am asking for your support during the time it will take to make the changes we need." Ultimately, the MHS exists to support the military and the nation. Doing so is the highest calling, and the Deputy Secretary's memorandum stabilizes and makes whole the MHS to provide better access to care for the DOD's 9.6 million beneficiaries in the United States and around the world. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Affairs Council: Press remarks by High Representative Josep Borrell upon arrival European External Action Service (EEAS) 22.01.2024 EEAS Press Team Check against delivery! Good morning to all of you. Today, we are going to have an exceptional Foreign Affairs Council. I think that never before we have had a Council with so many, and so important guests, in these dramatic circumstances. We managed to invite - and they are coming today - first, the Israeli Foreign Minister [Israel Katz] - the new one. Second, the representatives of the Arab and Muslim countries diplomatic initiatives: the Ministers [for Foreign Affairs] of Saudi Arabia [Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud], Egypt [Sameh Shoukry], Jordan [Ayman Al Safadi] and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States [Ahmed Abou Ghei]. And after, in a separate session, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Palestine [Riyad al-Maliki]. So, we are going to have here today all actors - [of] the countries engaged, the countries who are directly affected by the situation in Gaza. I have been talking with the new United Nations [Senior] Coordinator for the Humanitarian support [and Reconstruction for Gaza], Sigrid [Kaag], who explained to me yesterday on the phone. She will also come to the Council to debrief the ministers. The humanitarian situation [in Gaza] could not be worse. It could not be worse. There are no words to explain how the situation is, with hundreds of thousands without anything - without shelter, without food, without medicines, and under the bombs. And every day, there is a high toll of civilian people being killed. Many ministers have said that there are "too many". Well, the question is: how many is "too many"? What does it mean "too many"? [Is] too many 25,000 people? For how long is this going to continue? This is the thing that ministers will discuss today, so it is a very important meeting. I am happy to have managed to invite them, and to make them to come. And after, we will have a discussion among us, among the ministers, and I will present - I have already presented - a comprehensive approach. A comprehensive approach to what? I think that we have to stop talking about the "peace" process, and start talking more concretely about the "two-state solution" process. Because peace, it could be many different [kinds of] peace. What kind of peace are you talking about? So, let's talk about what we want to do. What we want to do is to build a two-state solution, so let's talk about it. The way you are naming it is important. So, from now on, I will not talk about the peace process, but about the two-state solution process. If we are serious about that, we have to study the underling causes that prevent this solution from being implemented. Certainly, Hamas is one of them - an important one - but there are others. This comprehensive approach has to be studied, and discussed. I know it is difficult. The 27 [Member States] have different approaches, but we have to work together with the Arab world. I know it is difficult, but it is our moral endeavour, our moral obligation to try to do our utmost to try to look for a solution. So, from now on, please talk about the "two-state solution" process. Q&A Q. Hight Representative, the Prime Minister of Israel excluded that option for the moment. You are going to meet with the Israeli Foreign Minister today, so are you going to mention this? Because his government has a different stand than what you just told us. I know they have a different stand, I know. The Secretary-General of the United Nations [Antonio Guterres] knows also, and he answered yesterday in very concrete terms, saying that it is unacceptable to say "I do not want this solution", because this is a solution that has been approved by the United Nations, and the whole international community is behind it. So, if they do not agree we have to discuss. That is why we are here. We have to discuss even if they disagree. They have to come here, and they will discuss with us, and we will study whatever solution they have in mind. Which are the other solutions they have in mind? To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill them? 25,000 already in Gaza, 70% women and children. Certainly, the way of trying to destroy Hamas is not the way they are doing, because they are seeding the hate for generations. We have in mind what Hamas is, what Hamas has done, and certainly we reject [it] and we condemn [it]. But peace and stability cannot be built only by military means, and not in this particular way of using military means. I say that with full respect to the victims of Hamas terrorist attacks. Q. High Representative, when you are talking about a two-state solution; are you considering Hamas to be a part of this solution? How are you going to deal with that? As I said, I presented a comprehensive approach. Do not say "a 10-point plan". Yes, it is 10/12 [points], it is a way of presenting things. It is a complex thing; it cannot be solved overnight. Thirty years that these things have been discussed without a solution, do not expect me in a Council to [find] a solution immediately. There are a lot of problems, I cannot give you a concrete answer to all of them, so, let us work. Q. High Representative, what will you discuss on Ukraine, as Ukraine is also on the agenda? Ukraine is also on the agenda, the first item in the agenda. The fact that we are engaged in looking for a solution in the Middle East does not mean that we are not continuing supporting Ukraine. The first one intervening [today] will be the Foreign Affairs Minister of Ukraine [Dmytro Kuleba], and we will discuss with the ministers our continuous support to Ukraine. And [at] the Gymnich meeting, [later on, there] will be a specific meeting with the Defence Ministers to discuss about it [and] boost our support. Do not worry, Ukrainians have not to worry, European support continues as strong as ever, and it will continue. Q. How can you persuade Israel to accept your ideas, or to take them seriously? What arguments will you use to convince them? What leverage do you have to lure them in that direction? We are not there still. Let us work. Q. A quick question on humanitarian aid for Gaza. Are there any other options on the table to increase the humanitarian aid right now? This is what Sigrid [Kaag] is trying to look for. Certainly, today the number of trucks and controls, and the delays of entering the trucks, is not in accordance with the needs of hundreds of thousands of people. And that is why, the United Nations has nominated a Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Support [and Reconstruction for Gaza]. She is working, and she told me yesterday that there are some issues, some possibilities - opening harbours, opening cross borders. It is her job, and we will support her. Because certainly, today the situation does not allow to make these people survive. Q. Will you address the recent ballistic airstrikes in the Kurdish region by Iran? Because Iran is saying there is a Mossad headquarters there. We will discuss about everything that affects the situation in the Middle East. Certainly, we will discuss about everything. I am sorry, I have the Egyptian [Foreign] Minister waiting for me. Thank you. Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-251557 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SIS: Egypt responds to Israeli claims about its borders with Gaza Egypt State Information Service (SIS) Monday 22 January 2024 - 09:24 PM Head of State Information Service (SIS) Diaa Rashwan, announced that the recent period has witnessed several statements by Israeli officials, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, containing false claims and claims about the existence of weapons'smuggling operations, explosives, ammunition, and their components, into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian territory through several methods, including tunnels that claimed to be existed between both sides of the borders. He added that what clarifies and confirms the falsehood of these allegations are the following: = All countries around the world know well the extent of the efforts made by Egypt in the last 10 years, to achieve security and stability in Sinai and enhance security on the border between Egyptian Rafah and the Gaza Strip, as Egypt itself had suffered greatly from these tunnels during the fierce confrontation with terrorist groups in Sinai after the overthrow of the Brotherhood regime in June 2013 and until 2020, it represented a means for smuggling fighters and weapons to Sinai to carry out terrorist operations that claimed the lives of more than 3,000 martyrs from the army, police, and civilians, and more than 13,000 injured. = This situation prompted the Egyptian administration to take broader steps to eliminate these tunnels once and for all. A 5-kilometre-long buffer zone was created from the Egyptian city of Rafah to the border with Gaza, and more than 1,500 tunnels were destroyed. Egypt also strengthened the border wall with the sector extending to 14 kilometers, by strengthening it with a 6 meters long concrete wall above the ground and 6 meters under the ground, so that there are three barriers between Sinai and Palestinian Rafah, with which any smuggling operation is impossible, neither above ground nor underground. Egypt has full sovereignty over its land, and has complete control over its entire northeastern borders, whether with the Gaza Strip or with Israel. = It is surprising that Israel speaks in this undocumented way about the allegations of arms smuggling from Egypt to Gaza, which is the country that has military control over the Strip and possesses the most modern and accurate means of reconnaissance and monitoring, and its forces, settlements, and naval forces surround the small strip on three sides, and are content with the accusations sent to Egypt without any further evidence of it. = Any claim that smuggling operations are carried out through trucks carrying aid and goods to Gaza from the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing is an empty and ridiculous statement, because any truck entering Gaza from this crossing must first pass through "Karm Abou Salem" controlled by the Israeli authorities, which inspects all trucks entering the Strip. Also, the recipients of this aid are the Palestinian Red Crescent and United Nations relief organizations such as UNRWA, which adds further evidence of the falsehood of the Israeli allegations. = The true essence of Israel's claims is to justify its continuation of collective punishment, killing, and starvation of more than 2 million Palestinians inside the Gaza Strip, which it has practiced for 17 years. = Also, Israel's continued marketing of these lies is an attempt to create legitimacy for its attempt to occupy the "Philadelphia Corridor" or "Salah al-Din Corridor", in Gaza along the border with Egypt, in violation of the security agreements and protocols signed between it and Egypt. Here, it must be strictly emphasized that any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Egyptian-Israeli relations. Egypt, in addition to being a country that respects its international obligations, is capable of defending its interests and sovereignty over its land and borders, and will not mortgage it in the hands of a group of extremist Israeli leaders who seek to drag the region into a state of conflict and instability. This Egyptian red line joins the previous one, which Egypt has repeatedly declared, which is the categorical rejection of forcibly or voluntarily displacing our Palestinian brothers to Sinai, which Israel will not be allowed to pass. Egypt was the initiative and agreed with Israel, in 2005 and 2021, to increase the size of the border guard forces and capabilities in this border region in order to secure the northeastern strategic direction, out of respect for the peace treaty with Israel, and so that the latter does not take any unilateral step on its part. = The Israeli government must conduct serious investigations within its army, state agencies, and sectors of society, to search for those truly involved in smuggling weapons to Gaza, from inside, for the purpose of profit. Many of the weapons currently inside the Gaza Strip are the result of smuggling from inside Israel, for example M16 rifles and types of RPGs, as well as dual-use materials in the military manufacturing of the military wings in the Gaza Strip. Here, it is sufficient to review what the Israeli media publishes about the investigations taking place with members of the Israeli army, on the background of the disappearance of weapons or their sale in the West Bank and from there they are sent to the Gaza Strip. = Speaking of the West Bank, can Israeli officials, who are spreading lies against Egypt, explain the source of the large quantities of weapons, ammunition and explosives spread in various areas of the West Bank, according to their official statements, in light of the full control of the occupation army over it, and that it does not have any kind of border with Egypt? Then, they will only find the same people involved, from their army, state agencies, and sectors of society, in smuggling weapons into the Gaza Strip for the purpose of profit. = The information shows that most of the heavy weapons smuggling operations into the Gaza Strip take place across the Mediterranean Sea, where its shores with Gaza are completely controlled by the Israeli naval and air forces, which indicates the same type of people involved in Israel, from its army, its state agencies, and sectors of society, in weapons smuggling to Gaza for the purpose of profit. = It is worth noting what the Israeli statements ignore, which is what was revealed by the Israeli army's statements during the current war, especially the video ones, about the seizure of many weapons, missile and explosives manufacturing workshops inside the tunnels in Gaza, Which means that there is a high possibility that a large part of the armament of Hamas and the Palestinian factions will be manufactured locally and not through smuggling. = These allegations and lies are a continuation of the policy of escaping forward followed by the Israeli government due to its successive failures in achieving its declared goals for the war on Gaza. It is looking for someone responsible outside of it for these failures, as it also did the same thing recently by accusing Egypt in the International Court of Justice of being the one preventing and obstructing Humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip, despite its full knowledge that Egypt did not close the Rafah crossing on its part, even for a single moment. = The arbitrary policies of successive Israeli governments have eliminated any prospects for a peaceful solution to the Palestinian issue and encouraged the separation of the Gaza Strip under the leadership of Hamas from the Palestinian Authority, including turning a blind eye to the funding it receives and the stifling siege of the Strip. These have led to the current conditions that Israel, from time to time, claims that Egypt is responsible for it. These policies, for more than a decade and a half, are part of Netanyahu's strategy to deepen the Palestinian division and ensure the separation of Gaza from the West Bank to weaken the Palestinian Authority, and to have the justification to refuse to enter into any negotiations on a two-state solution. = The full support and solidarity of the Egyptian people with the Palestinian cause is certain and realistic without the slightest doubt, and is in line with Egypt's official statue on supporting the rights of the Palestinian people in their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital on the borders of June 4, 1967. But this popular and official solidarity and support for the Palestinian cause does not conflict with securing our borders and preventing smuggling to and from it, and that supporting the Palestinian cause has many political ways that bear fruit until the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights, which Egypt has done publicly since the beginning of the recent crisis, and before that all the time in support of the brotherly Palestinian people. = There is no doubt that such false allegations do not serve the positive Egyptian efforts made to resolve the crisis in Gaza, which has affected the entire region and made it ripe for expanding the circle of conflict, something that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi warned against and sought to do repeatedly. = The conclusion is that these false allegations do not serve the peace treaty that Egypt respects, and it demands that the Israeli side to show its respect for it also, and to stop making statements that would strain bilateral relations in light of the current inflammatory conditions. Egypt calls on everyone who talks about its failure to protect its borders to stop making these allegations, in light of the fact that it has a strong army capable of protecting its borders with all efficiency and discipline. Egypt will continue its natural positive role in order to solve all the problems of the region, and these false allegations will not succeed in dissuading Egypt from carrying out its internal, regional and international responsibilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Al-Asad Airbase comes under new drone attack IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Iraq's Islamic Resistance has said it has carried out a drone attack against US-controlled Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq's western Anbar Province. The Monday attack on the US base comes few hours after the Islamic Resistance forces launched two separate missiles attacks on another US base in Syria's Koniko. Iraq-based resistance fighters have launched numerous attacks on US bases in their country and in neighboring Syria since the Israeli regime began its war on Gaza in early October. They say the attacks are in retaliation for Washington's support for the Israeli regime's crimes in the Gaza Strip, which have thus far killed more than 25,000 people. 9341**4261 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Australia recalls Israeli-bound ship over Yemen threats IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Australia has recalled an ship carrying livestock to the Israeli-occupied territories over fears it may be targeted by the Yemeni armed forces. According to a Monday report by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the ship which was transporting sheep and cattle to Israeli customers, had started sailing from Fremantle port in western Australia for Aqaba port in Jordan on January 5, but it was forced to return to the port of departure. The Israeli regime is one of the biggest importers of livestock from Australia. The regime imported around one million livestock from Australia in 2022. Yemen's army and its ruling Ansarullah movement have announced that they will continue to target Israeli-linked ships in the Red Sea in support of the Palestinian people being subject to Israel's relentless attacks in the Gaza Strip. 4208**4261 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemenis acting independently in their Red Sea operations: IRGC Navy chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy says that the Yemeni armed forces are acting independently in their military operations in the Red Sea, adding that attacks on Israeli-linked ships are in line with supporting the Muslim people of Gaza in their struggle against the Zionist regime. "The Yemenis showed they cannot tolerate seeing the martyrdom of Muslim families in Gaza," said Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri in remarks published on Monday. Tangsiri told the Al Alam news channel that Yemen is an independent country with a strong army and a strong leadership that is not directed by any external party. Yemenis have been launching attacks on Israeli-linked ships since the Israeli regime started a brutal military campaign on Gaza in early October. The attacks expanded earlier this month to cover ships owned by US and Britain after the two countries launched attacks on the Yemeni soil in what they said was meant to protect shipping in the Red Sea and surrounding waterways. 4261 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah targets Israeli force ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 22 January 2024 / 12:40 The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon - Hezbollah - targeted an Israeli force near the 'Zar'it' barracks, "which was preparing the carry out an attack inside Lebanese territory," according to what was included in Hezbollah's statement. The statement noted that the resistance targeted the Israeli force with missile weapons, resulting in confirmed injuries. This targeting is a continuation of the resistance operations against occupation sites and deployments. Earlier on Sunday, the resistance launched missiles at the Israeli "Biranit" barracks, then attacked the Ruweisat al-Qarn site in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms, before targeting the Hadab al-Bustan military site. In addition, the Islamic Resistance's fighters launched a barrage of rockets toward the Israeli settlement of "Avivim" in response to Israeli air strikes on civilian areas in southern Lebanon. This comes amid the Islamic resistance in Lebanon's ongoing operations in Lebanon against settlements and military barracks in northern occupied Palestine, in response to the Israeli massacres against innocent people in Gaza and support of the Palestinian resistance. The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon on Sunday celebrated young martyr Fadel Ali "Issa" Salman Shaar from Nabatiyeh, southern Lebanon, a martyr on the path to al-Quds who ascended while performing his duty in the face of the Israeli occupation. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi resistance attacks two US bases in Syria ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 22 January 2024 / 12:40 The Islamic Resistance in Iraq announced that it attacked the American bases of Al-Omar and Al-Shaddadi fields deep in Syria, using drone strikes. Tehran (ISNA) - It has been reported that the sounds of explosions were heard from inside the American base in the city of Al-Shaddadi, south of Al-Hasakah Governorate, noting that the US air defense systems attempted to repel the attack. Our correspondent further reported that the "Green Village", which contains the housing of American forces at the base of the Al-Omar oil field in the Deir Ezzor countryside, was also targeted. Ash Shadadi occupation base is just one kilometer southeast of the city of Al-Shadadi; it has helipads and is equipped to launch all sorts of drones. As for the Al-Omar field base, it is located in the workers' city of the Al-Omar oil field in the Deir Ezzor countryside. It is the largest American base. According to the White House, attacks on US forces in the Ain Al-Assad base by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq over the weekend are being taken "extremely seriously." White House Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer called it a "serious attack" on Sunday, emphasizing that the attack was carried out using "a capability of ballistic missiles that posed a genuine threat." End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu Meets with Representatives of the Hostages' Families Israel - Prime Minister's Office The 37th Government 22.01.2024 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with representatives of the hostages' families and told them: "Contrary to what is being said - there is no genuine proposal by Hamas, this is not true. I will say this as clearly as I can because there are so many incorrect items that are certainly causing you pain. On the other hand, there is our initiative, which I will not detail." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baltic defence ministers agree on the Baltic Defence Line Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Defence 01/22/2024 In Latvia Information prepared by Media Relations Section Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian defence ministers signed the agreement on Baltic Defence Line during the Baltic Defence Ministers' Committee meeting. Common defence line will further reinforce the external border of the Baltic States and NATO's eastern border. "My Estonian and Lithuanian colleagues and I approved the idea to create the Baltic Defence Line. From a military perspective, this initiative will significantly boost our capability to protect our borders at the national level - we will be able to slow down and block the movement of potential aggressors more efficiently. This is a joint project for Baltic countries, which will also advance NATO's collective defence," Defence Minister Andris Spruds commented. In future, Baltic States intend to develop and install various anti-mobility infrastructure elements along the NATO and EU external border. This infrastructure should prevent and stop potential aggressors from advancing into the territory of the Baltic countries. During the meeting, Baltic defence ministers also underlined the need to continue development of air defence capabilities, which are integral for regional security of. A memorandum of understanding regarding rocket artillery capabilities, signed by defence ministers, will further advance regional rocket artillery capabilities and promote interoperability training, artillery system maintenance and cross-border cooperation. During the meeting, Baltic defence ministers reaffirmed their readiness to intensify continued support for Ukraine through various coalitions and agreed to provide mutual support in developing such coalitions. Baltic countries will also continue to offer training to Ukrainian troops. Baltic defence ministers also confirmed their unanimous support for Ukraine's NATO membership, which will be discussed during the forthcoming NATO Summit in Washington D.C., and country's European Union accession. They also stressed the importance of further strengthening of NATO's air defence systems in the Baltic region. As announced earlier, Baltic defence ministers met for joint committee meeting in Riga on 18-19 January. Latvia was represented by Defence Minister Andris Spruds, Lithuania by Defence Minister Arvydas Anusauskas and Estonia by Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. Baltic countries maintain a regular defence policy and capability dialogue at the level of ministers, armed force commanders and defence experts. This was the last Baltic Defence Ministers' Committee meeting chaired by Latvia as rotating presidency of the trilateral defence ministers' committee was transferred to Lithuania. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address New Marine Radios Cement Electromagnetic Spectrum Superiority US Marine Corps News 22 Jan 2024 | By Johannes Schmidt, Office of Public Affairs and Communication, MARCORSYSCOM Marine Corps Systems Command MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- In a decisive move meant to ensure dominance over the electromagnetic spectrum, Marine Corps Systems Command is on track to upgrade 50,000 legacy radios with state-of-the-art multi-channel, crypto-compliant models in Fiscal Year 2024. In line with Force Design's call for rapid force modernization, MARCORSYSCOM's Program Manager for Communications Systems, or PM CS, team has moved quickly fielding more than 4,000 radios across the fleet since October 2023. In recent years, experts have warned that stagnation in U.S. electromagnetic spectrum operations-- the strategic and tactical management of electromagnetic frequencies for military communications, intelligence, and combat operations-- has enabled our adversaries to significantly challenge American dominance in this crucial domain. Recognizing this urgent need for change, the 2018 National Defense Strategy laid the foundation for the Department of Defense's 2020 Electromagnetic Spectrum, or EMS, Superiority Strategya document that emphasizes the EMS as a critical battleground where invisible waves and frequencies become pivotal in modern warfare. With this new strategic reality in mind, PM CS has worked tirelessly to update the fleet's radio capabilities, ensuring that the fleet has the communications capabilities required to fight and win-- no matter the clime, place, or electromagnetic environment. "We began fielding in October, focusing on a specific domain while being mindful of the capabilities of multi-channel radios," explained Richard Sessions, program manager for Communications Systems. "In addition to their enhanced functionality, our priority was to transition to radios that meet cryptographic compliance standards mandated by the NSA. This compliance allows us to operate securely across various frequencies and within a secure environment. Our deadline for achieving this compliance is set for December 31, 2024." The new multi-channel radios provide the warfighter with a versatile, software-defined system that emphasizes modularity and flexibility to allow rapid integration of new waveforms and cryptographic standards. This enhances Marines' ability to operate securely and effectively in the dynamically evolving electromagnetic environment. "The closest analogy to our current transition in radio technology is akin to moving from the era of flip phones to the advanced world of smartphones," said Sessions. "In the past, we were limited to purchasing radios with fixed capabilities and had to replace them with newer models as technology evolved. Now, we're shifting towards acquiring highly adaptable hardware radios that are not just modular but also capable of supporting new waveforms, marking a significant milestone in our communication capabilities." As the Corps prepares to fight and win on the future battlefield, these fieldings prove crucial as superiority in the electromagnetic spectrum directly influences communication, intelligence, and combat effectivenesssafeguarding the warfighter's strategic advantage ahead of the future fight. In order to address challenges in transitioning from hardware-centric management to waveform and software configuration management, the PM CS team maintains regular contact with NSA partners. This ensures alignment and approvals for the necessary waveforms and configurations. However, the team noted that communication with the fleet is also critical, underscoring the importance of Marine feedback throughout the acquisition process. According to Stephenie Dodge, product manager at PM CS, "Our team has conducted extensive testing and field user evaluations involving Marine units to ensure that our systems meet their needs. In every aspect of our work, we actively involve Marines from the fleet. We provide them with the equipment, offer quick training sessions, and then seek their input on how they would use it, what improvements are needed, and what aspects need fixing." Ultimately, this effort is critical within the context of Force Design's ambitious modernization goals. As Sessions highlighted, Tactical Communications Modernization bolsters our operational capabilities, securing robust communication and efficient data flow. "In today's Marine Corps operations, where combat often unfolds within the electromagnetic spectrum, our success relies heavily on maintaining effective communication across the fleet and with joint forces," said Sessions. "Controlling this space is critical, as it directly impacts our physical deployment capabilities. A key focus in our communication systems' rollout is minimizing detection and interception risks. We're dedicated to making our systems challenging for the enemy to locate and disrupt, thereby enhancing the operational security and effectiveness of our units in this digital battlespace." Despite the logistical challenges associated with the modernization of the fleet's radio capability, the PM CS team is on track for a successful fielding. In a transformative move for Marine communications, the planned deployment of 30,000 multi-channel radios by December 31, 2024, is poised to significantly enhance the communication capabilities of Marines in the field, marking a crucial advancement in military communications technology. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO starts talks with civil society on Women, Peace and Security Policy update NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 22 Jan. 2024 On 18-19 January, NATO held its first talks with Civil Society representatives on the update of NATO's policy on Women, Peace and Security. The talks were carried out as part of the first meeting of the new Civil Society Advisory Panel (CSAP) on Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) under the leadership of NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for WPS Irene Fellin. Ms Fellin said: "the CSAP provides a unique platform to engage with civil society experts with outstanding expertise and from a diverse range of backgrounds. Their perspectives bring invaluable insights for the WPS Policy update, and will support the advancement of NATO's WPS agenda". At the Vilnius Summit, Allies agreed to update NATO's 2018 policy on WPS, adapting it to the current security environment, in particular Russia's war in Ukraine, and its implications for women and girls. The policy, which drives NATO's work on WPS, is set to be endorsed at the NATO Summit in July 2024. The CSAP was first established in 2016. In 2023, Allies agreed to revise its terms of reference to increase its representation and inclusiveness, and expand its areas of expertise to include gender implications related to climate change, cyber security, emerging disruptive technologies and counterterrorism. It comprises 24 civil society experts from across the Alliance, partner nations, and conflict-affected regions, from diverse backgrounds working on women's rights, peacebuilding, human rights advocacy, community leadership and mediation. In his opening address on 18 January, NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana welcomed the re-establishment of the CSAP, which "comes at a critical time as the Alliance is facing a multitude of complex security challenges". He thanked the Secretary General's Special Representative for WPS for her efforts in making this happen. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Condemns Consecration of the 'Ram Temple' on the Site of Demolished Babri Mosque Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan condemns the construction and consecration of the 'Ram Temple' on the site of the demolished Babri Mosque in the Indian city of Ayodhya. The centuries-old mosque was demolished on 6 December 1992 by a mob of extremists. Deplorably, India's judiciary not only acquitted the criminals responsible for this despicable act but also allowed the construction of a temple on the site of the demolished mosque. Developments of the last 31 years, leading to today's consecration ceremony, are indicative of growing majoritarianism in India. These constitute an important facet of the ongoing efforts for social, economic and political marginalization of the Indian Muslims. A temple built on the site of a demolished mosque will remain a blot on the face of India's democracy for the times to come. Notably, there is a growing list of mosques, including the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and Shahi Eidgah Mosque in Mathura, facing similar threat of desecration and destruction. The rising tide of 'Hindutva' ideology in India poses a serious threat to religious harmony and regional peace. The Chief Ministers of two major Indian states, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, are on record as citing the Babri Mosque's demolition or inauguration of the 'Ram Temple' as the first step towards reclaiming parts of Pakistan. The international community should take cognizance of the growing Islamophobia, hate speech and hate crimes in India. The United Nations and other relevant international organizations should play their part in saving the Islamic heritage sites in India from extremist groups and ensuring the protection of the religious and cultural rights of the minorities in India. Pakistan urges the Government of India to ensure the safety and security of religious minorities, including Muslims and their holy places. Islamabad 22 January 2024 24/2024 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rocket hits airbase housing U.S. forces in W. Iraq People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:33, January 22, 2024 BAGHDAD, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- About 20 rockets were launched Saturday toward an airbase housing U.S. forces in Iraq's western province of Anbar, wounding at least one Iraqi soldier, a source from the Iraqi army said. The attack occurred in the afternoon when an unidentified militant group fired rockets on the Ayn al-Asad Airbase near the town of al-Baghdadi, some 190 km northwest of the capital Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The air defense weapons shot down most of the rockets except for one rocket that landed in an empty area inside the airbase, the source said. A soldier was wounded by the shrapnels after the rockets were intercepted by the air defense weapons and exploded in the air, the source added. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Security forces gun down 3 armed rebels in India People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:31, January 22, 2024 NEW DELHI, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Indian security personnel gunned down at least three armed rebels (popularly called "Naxals"), including two women, in the central state of Chhattisgarh on Saturday, local police confirmed. The encounter took place in a remote area in the state's Bijapur district, around 480 km from the state capital Raipur. A cache of explosives and weapons, rebels' uniforms, coded-literature and other items were also seized from the encounter site, said police. Based on intelligence information, a joint team of the state police's District Reserve Guard and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action carried out an operation. The Naxals began firing on the security personnel to which the latter retaliated. The bodies of three Naxals were recovered from the spot, added police. According to media reports, a combing operation was going on in the area in search of more armed rebels. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza under longest communications blackout: UN agency Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 6:30 PM The UN agency for Palestinian refugees says the besieged Gaza Strip is experiencing the longest communications shutdown that has kept the territory cut off from the outside world over the past week. In a Monday post on X, UNRWA, the largest UN organization in Gaza, said the telecommunication services in Gaza have been down for the past seven days. It said "disruption of telecommunication services prevents people accessing life-saving information, calling first responders & continues to impede humanitarian response." The Palestinian telecoms provider Paltel confirmed the complete loss of all telecommunications services in Gaza on Monday. "We regret to announce that telecom services in Gaza Strip have been lost," Paltel said in a post on X. "Gaza is blacked out again for the 10th time since October 7th due to the ongoing and escalating aggression." A near-total communications blackout across the territory leaves the civilians unable to call for help. Aid workers have also been struggling to reach the injured. Digital civil rights group Access Now said last week that the telecommunications blackout in the Gaza has become a "matter of life and death." "It is unconscionable to toy with connectivity amidst unprecedented violence and unfathomable human suffering," Marwa Fatafta, the group's policy and advocacy director for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a statement on January 18. Gaza has been under Israeli bombardment since early October. The regime's troops have also been engaged in ground hostilities in the besieged territory. Israel has killed more than 25,000 people, mostly women and children, in Gaza ever since. The regime was caught off-guard by the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Storm conducted by the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas on October 7. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-occupied Ain al-Asad military base in Iraq comes under fresh attack by resistance forces Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 4:36 PM The Ain al-Asad air base housing US troops in Iraq has come under a fresh attack by resistance forces opposing Washington's support for the Israeli regime's war on Gaza. The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) on Monday launched a drone attack on the base located in the western province of Anbar. The attack came just two days after Iraqi resistance groups fired multiple ballistic missiles and rockets at Ain al-Asad, reportedly causing traumatic brain injury for the personnel in the base. The US Central Command confirmed the attack Saturday evening and said in a statement that "a number" of US personnel are being evaluated for traumatic brain injuries. The Saturday attacks on US forces were the largest in scope and size since early October when resistance groups in Iraq began to target US positions in the country and in neighboring Syria in a bid to force the US to withdraw its support from Israel's military campaign in Gaza. The IRI said on Monday that it had hit US military positions in Koniko, an area in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr which is home to a key oilfield. US forces in Koniko came under two rounds of attacks within an hour on midday Monday, said the IRI. The IRI includes several paramilitary groups recognized by the Iraqi government as legitimate forces in the country's fight against terrorism. The groups have been pressing for an end to the presence of foreign forces in Iraq more than a decade after a US-led coalition invaded the Arab country in blatant violation of international law and under the pretext of finding WMDs However, no such weapons were ever discovered in Iraq. Attacks by Iraqi resistance forces on US and Israeli interests in the region have expanded in recent weeks to cover targets near or inside the occupied territories. An IRI statement on Sunday said resistance forces had launched a first drone attack on a target controlled by the Israeli regime in Syria's Occupied Golan Heights. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel kills at least 190 people in Khan Younis in 24 hours Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 3:09 PM Israel has killed at least 190 people in a time span of 24 hours in the southern part of the besieged Gaza Strip. Gaza's Health Ministry confirmed the death toll in the city of Khan Younis on Monday. Israel targeted a house adjacent to Nasser Hospital. Video footage showed people digging graves inside the hospital complex due to the large number of casualties. Ashraf al-Qedra, the spokesman for the health ministry, said the Israeli troops were committing "horrific crimes." "Dozens of martyrs and wounded are still in the targeted places and roads. The Israeli occupation prevents the movement of ambulances to retrieve the martyrs and wounded west of Khan Yunis." Gaza's media office says Israeli forces bombed the Al-Aqsa University shelter, the University College accommodation, the Khalidiya School shelter, the Mawasi School shelter and the Khan Younis Industry shelter. Virtually 30,000 displaced people are taking refuge in the shelters. Since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 25,000 people, most of them women and children, in Gaza. It has also displaced hundreds of thousands. Despite the destructive genocidal campaign in Gaza, Israel has failed to achieve any objectives in the onslaught. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu's regime isolated, fearful of Gaza truth as Hamas fighting on: UK media Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 9:28 AM The invading Israeli forces are still facing "fierce resistance" in Gaza, while more than three months of brutal aggression on the besieged Strip has caused a deep split in prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's war cabinet, according to a British daily. Netanyahu's cabinet is becoming increasingly isolated both domestically and internationally, said the report run by The Times on Sunday. "Israeli forces are still facing fierce resistance in northern Gaza despite having claimed to be able to wind down operations in the area," it added. The report said that the ability of Hamas to "continue to put troops on the ground in Gaza City, the territory's capital," has raised questions about Israel's "strategy for the war." It also highlighted that Joe Biden's administration is "downgrading its expectations of the war's outcome." This comes after US intelligence sources said they believe the Israeli military may have killed about 5,000 to 6,000 Hamas fighters, according to reports in American media; however, the Israeli military claims to have killed 9,000 fighters. "[That] is a disparity which also appears to reflect the deepening divide between Netanyahu's [cabinet], and the Biden administration," it said. The report also stated that Israeli and the US claims that hundreds of fighters of the Hamas resistance movement were killed in the ongoing aggression "has shown no signs of crippling its activities." The fighting in northern Gaza "followed a series of incidents in which Hamas attempted to show it had a broad presence there", the daily said, noting that that the resistance fighters continued to "fire missiles into Israel from central Gaza, despite Israeli tanks on the ground." The Times said the prolonged fighting has also contributed to divisions in Netanyahu's war cabinet, as Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff and now a member of the opposition National Unity party, stressed that Netanyahu's war goal of the elimination of Hamas was unachievable. "Whoever speaks of the absolute defeat and of it no longer having the will or the capability, is not speaking the truth," he said in an interview last week with Israeli television, adding "That is why we should not tell tall tales." Eisenkot directly said the leadership is not telling the truth, the report said. According to the report while Eisenkot and Benny Gantz, another former chief of staff, called for fresh elections in Israel within months, Netanyahu, however, insisted that there's not going to be elections while the occupying regime is at war. The pressure mounted on Netanyahu from the opponents comes as the number of Israeli military personnel is reportedly approaching the 200 mark. Netanyahu also faces pressure to secure the release of the remaining captives held in Gaza, but he still continues to reject Hamas offers to end the war and release captives. In late November, a short-lived 7-day truce saw more than 100 Israeli captives freed in exchange for Palestinians held illegally in Israeli jails. Israel says more than 132 captives remain in Gaza. The report says Netanyahu is caught between his right-wing allies, who are urging a full-scale occupation of Gaza; the Biden administration, which wants him to begin talks for a so-called two-state solution; and the opposition, along with much of Isarel, who want him to quit. 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 campaign of bloodletting and devastation against Palestinians. Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 25,105 Palestinians and injured more than 62,681 others. Thousands more are also missing and presumed dead under the rubble in Gaza, which is under "complete siege" by Israel. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jan. 21: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 7:59 AM By Press TV Website Staff Resistance groups in Palestine and across the region continue their operations against Israel and its Western backers amid the regime's genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which has claimed the lives of nearly 25,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women. The operations carried out by the Palestinian and regional resistance groups on Sunday, January 21, are as follows: Qassam Brigades' operations on Jan. 21: Targeted a Merkava tank with an 'Al-Yassin 105' shell east of the Jabalia Al-Balad area, north of the Gaza Strip. Targeted Israeli military concentrations east of the Al-Tuffah and Al-Daraj neighborhoods with mortar shells, causing direct casualties. Targeted Israeli military vehicles, soldiers and buildings in which these soldiers were holed up, in the outskirts of Gaza City. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Jan. 21: Seized an Israeli military reconnaissance quadcopter drone "EVO Max 4T" while it was performing its spying tasks in the skies over central Gaza. Shelled Israeli regime soldiers and vehicles with 107mm rockets and mortars in the axes north and east of the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza. Shelled the Israeli military site and headquarters of "Sufa" with several mortars in a joint operation with Al-Qassam Brigades, using a barrage of mortars. Sniped two Israeli regime soldiers in the Al-Ajla area, northeast of Al-Bureij camp, resulting in their immediate death. Targeted a Merkava tank with Tandem rockets, east of Khan Yunis. Shelled military concentrations, east and central Khan Yunis with regular 60mm mortars. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Jan. 21: Shelled Israeli military vehicles and soldiers east of Gaza City with heavy-caliber mortars. Al-Aqsa Brigades' operations on Jan. 21: In a joint operation with the Mujahideen Brigades, targeted the Nahal Oz military site with a rocket barrage in central Khan Yunis, and destroyed a military vehicle with a Tandem rocket. Hezbollah's operations on Jan. 21: Eastern sector: At around 15:40 local time, the Ruwaisat al-Qarn site in Shebaa was targeted with missiles. Western sector: At around 12:50 local time, the Beranit Barracks was targeted with missiles. At around 16:45 local time, the Hadab Al-Bustan site was targeted with a Burkan missile. At around 17:00 local time, the Avivim settlement was targeted with missiles. Iraqi resistance's operations on Jan. 21: Attacked two American occupation bases in the Al-Omar and Al-Shaddadi field deep in Syria with drones, leading to destruction and casualties. Targeted US occupation's Ain al-Assad base in Anbar province with at least 10 high-caliber rockets. Attacked an Israeli military target in the occupied Golan Heights with drones, resulting in destruction and casualties. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel resorts to 'blind terrorism' as regime achieves none of war aims in Gaza: Iran Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 6:21 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian says the Israeli regime is resorting to "blind terrorism" to make up for its defeat in the besieged Gaza Strip. In a meeting with Head of Iran-Kuwait Parliamentary Friendship Group Marzouq al-Hubaini in Tehran on Sunday, Amir-Abdollahian commended Kuwait's stance in support of the oppressed Palestinian people. "Although the Zionist enemy has destroyed Gaza on a large scale and martyred tens of thousands of people, it has not achieved any of its goals, so it is trying to make up for its defeat by resorting to blind terrorist acts," the top Iranian diplomat said. Israel began its military aggression against Gaza on October 7, 2023 following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by the territory's resistance movements. More than 25,105 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli military onslaught so far, while over 62,680 others have been injured. Amir-Abdollahian urged the Iranian and Kuwaiti parliaments to give priority to promotion of mutual relations. Hubaini, for his part, said the expansion of parliamentary relations is the strongest pillar for the continuation of bilateral ties. He reiterated Kuwait's resolve to boost parliamentary relations with Iran. The Kuwaiti parliamentarian further said that Kuwait, as a Muslim and Arab country, hails Iran's principled stance on defending the Palestinian people's rights and cause. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hezbollah fighters thwart Israeli military incursion into southern Lebanon Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 6:01 AM Fighters from the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement have thwarted an Israeli military incursion into the southern part of Lebanon, amid strikes by the group against the regime's positions, in response to the ongoing Israeli genocidal campaign in the besieged Gaza Strip. Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Manar television channel, citing a Hezbollah statement, reported that the group had targeted a gathering of Israeli forces stationed at an outpost in the town of Zar'it, close to the border with Lebanon, early on Monday. A number of the soldiers were injured as a result. The statement added that the troops were preparing to carry out an offensive against an area in southern Lebanon. The development came hours after Hezbollah announced in a separate statement that it had launched a heavy-caliber Burkan (Volcano) missile at 4:45 p.m. (1445 GMT) on Sunday, targeting a gathering of Israeli soldiers at the Hadab al-Bustan site. There were casualties among the forces. Lebanese resistance fighters also targeted Israeli soldiers at an outpost in Ruwaisat al-Qarn area in the occupied Shebaa Farms with a salvo of rockets, causing casualties among the forces. The Israeli regime launched its devastating hostilities in the Gaza Strip on October 7 after the territory's Hamas-led Palestinian resistance groups carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity. The Israeli military has also been carrying out attacks against the Lebanese territory since then, prompting retaliatory strikes from Lebanon's resistance movement Hezbollah in support of the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The movement has vowed to keep up its retaliatory operations as long as the Tel Aviv regime continues its onslaught on Gaza. The Israeli campaign in Gaza has killed at least 25,105 people, most of them women and children. More than 62,000 individuals have also been wounded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli forces destroyed 1,000 mosques, dozens of cemeteries since October 7: Ministry Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 2:01 AM Israeli forces have destroyed at least 1,000 mosques during their ongoing genocidal war against the Gaza Strip while desecrating dozens of cemeteries, the territory's officials say. The Palestinian Information Center quoted Gaza's Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs as providing the information in a statement on Sunday. "The Israeli occupation forces have destroyed more than 1,000 out of 1,200 mosques in the territory since October 7 last year," the ministry said, adding that reconstruction of those mosques would cost around $500 million. The Palestinian ministry added that the Israeli aggression has also destroyed a number of churches across Gaza, including the historical Greek Orthodox Church, as well as Zakat religious committees, schools for teaching the Holy Qur'an, and the headquarters of the Endowment Bank. Israeli forces have assassinated more than 100 religious scholars, preachers, imams, and muezzins who announce the Muslim call to prayer, since the onset of their military onslaught, the report noted. In the same context, the ministry pointed out that the Israeli aggression has led to desecration and destruction of dozens of cemeteries and graves where dead bodies were stolen in clear violation of all international laws and human rights. The regime began its military aggression against Gaza on October 7, 2023 following Operation al-Aqsa Storm by the territory's resistance movements. More than 25,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been killed in the Israeli military onslaught so far, while over 62,600 others have been injured. The new revelation came after another investigation, whose results were released on Saturday, found that Israeli forces have desecrated at least 16 cemeteries in Gaza during their ongoing onslaught against the besieged territory. The CNN study, which is based on satellite imagery and social media footage, said Israeli troops have left tombstones torn down and even bodies unearthed as they destroyed those cemeteries. It went on to say that the regime forces have destroyed an entire cemetery in the southern city of Khan Yunis, removing bodies buried there. The report further noted that in other cases, Israeli forces have used Gaza's cemeteries as military outposts. Legal experts told CNN that Israel's acts could amount to war crimes, stressing that the intentional destruction of religious sites, such as cemeteries, violates international law. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 10 defendants given life sentences for Dak Lak attacks A total of 100 people were convicted in the 4-day trial, criticized as hasty and artificial by lawyers inside the country. By Truong Son for RFA Vietnamese 2024.01.22 -- After a four-day trial, 10 defendants were sentenced to life in prison on terrorism charges for attacks on two People's Commune headquarters in Vietnam's Central Highlands last June, state media, defendants and their families said. A total of 100 individuals were tried in the case, which lawyers in the country criticized as a hasty show trial. The remaining 90 were handed prison sentences ranging from three-and-a-half years to 20 years, mostly on terrorism-related charges, Vietnamese state media said. The armed attacks on the offices in Ea Ktur and Ea Tieu communes of Dak Lak province left nine people dead, including four policemen, two commune officials and three local residents. One lawyer said it was impossible to convict 100 defendants over just four days. "Everything has been predetermined before the official sentencing," said Vietnamese lawyer Dang Dinh Manh, who was not involved in the case. "The court's trial, the prosecutor's arguments, and the lawyer's defense [were] all just done in an artificial and sketchy way to quickly end the trial." It is unclear how many defense lawyers participated in the trial, and whether they were hired by the defendants' families or appointed by the court. A relative of one of the defendants told RFA that the family could not visit their detained loved one or hire a lawyer. The convictions appeared to be based on confessions. State media reported that the defendants confessed that they were "lured, incited and forced" to attack by counter-revolutionary groups abroad, including those in the United States and Thailand. Alleged U.S.-based masterminds At the start of the trial, authorities said all the participants were members of a U.S.-based organization that ordered them to infiltrate Vietnam and carry out the attack. Several of those convicted were American citizens, sentenced in absentia because they are outside Vietnam. One, named Y Sol Nie, who lives in the United States, was accused of "commanding, leading, manipulating and directing" the attacks, and given a life sentence. Another, Y Mut Mlo, said to be a mastermind behind the attacks, was sentenced to 11 years. The area where the attacks took place is home to about 30 indigenous tribes who have a long history of conflict with the Vietnamese majority, and claim they have been discriminated against. They are often referred to as Montagnards, a term coined by French colonialists to describe the tribes who live in the Central Highlands, many of whom are Christians, but Vietnam has rejected use of the term. Alur Y Min, a pastor and ethnic Ede who has been living in Thailand since 2017, told RFA last week that said the Vietnamese government had been using the police and military to oppress Montagnards for decades by taking their land and denying them freedom of religion. While 93 of the defendants are from ethnic minorities, Vietnamese authorities have denied that ethnic discrimination, injustice and poverty were behind the attack. Yet during a meeting of the government's Judicial Committee in September to discuss the attacks, Deputy Minister of Public Security Tran Quoc To was quoted by state media as saying that the root causes of the shootings were the "socio-economic problems of the Montagnards in the region - the gap between rich and poor; land management; building the political system, and finally, some other issues on security and social order management at the grassroots administration." The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in an email to RFA that it called on Vietnam to ensure that the trial took place fairly, transparently and according to legal procedures. Mostly terrorism charges Among those in court, 53 were convicted of "terrorism aimed at opposing the people's government," and 45 were convicted of "terrorism." One person was charged with "organizing others to leave or enter the country illegally," and one was charged with "concealing crimes." Y Quynh Bdap, one of six defendants convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison, told RFA that the Vietnamese government intentionally and wrongly implicated him because it wants to destroy his human rights organization. "They didn't produce any evidence but accused me of that," said the cofounder of Montagnards Stand for Justice, an organization that advocates for the religious freedom of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. The court convicted Y Quyhn Bdap in absentia, though he has denied participating in the attack. "I am in no way related to that armed group," he said. "It is absurd for the Vietnamese government to make such accusations!" Another lawyer who wasn't involved in the case, Dang Dinh Manh, said he believes that the lawyers and legal assistants involved in the trial did not fulfill their responsibilities. "Based on information reported by the state-owned press, I even think they sold out their client[s] with such an irresponsible defense," he said. "I believe that it is impossible for all 100 Montagnard compatriots brought to court to be guilty." Translated by Mai Tran for RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Journalist Detained In Taliban's Continued Crackdown On Independent Media By RFE/RL's Radio Azadi January 22, 2024 The Taliban has detained another Afghan journalist in the country's capital, Kabul, in a continuing crackdown on independent media in Afghanistan. Media watchdog the Afghanistan Journalist Center (AFJC) said Taliban intelligence officers detained Ehsan Akbari, an Afghan reporter for Japan's Kyodo news agency. "The arrest of this journalist shows that the ruling group is trying to suppress the media and freedom of expression," Samia Walizadeh, the head of the communications and litigation at AFJC, told RFE/RL's Radio Azadi on January 22. The organization says the arrest violates the country's media law that was crafted by the previous, pro-Western Afghan republic. After returning to power in August 2021, the Taliban suspended Afghanistan's constitution and most of the laws adopted over the two decades the militants were out of power. The hard-line Islamist group has issued a vague guideline for journalists, which requires them not to violate Afghan and Islamic values, since it came back to rule. "We demand his immediate and unconditional release," the AFJC added in a statement. The organization has demanded that the Taliban, and in particular its intelligence agency, "should respect the country's media law and end the process of suppressing journalists and free media." Sayed Amir Akbari, a brother of the detained journalist, said that Ehsan Akbari was detained in the government's media and information center on January 17 after he was called there for questioning. "The next morning, the Taliban intelligence officers took Ehsan Akbari to the news agency's office [in Kabul] and took away his laptop and camera," he told the AFJC. He added that the militants forced him to call his family to hand over his mobile phone to Taliban officials when they arrived. As per the Taliban's practice, the group has neither confirmed nor denied his arrest. The detention of journalists has started to become more commonplace in Afghanistan. On January 18, the Taliban detained journalists Jawad Rasouli and Abdul Haq Hamidi. Both worked for a local news agency, Gardesh-e Etilat. They were released on January 20 after their families handed over an affidavit, which typically guarantees that they would not violate Taliban rules. The AFJC said the Taliban arrested 61 journalists in 2023. While most were released after weeks or months of detentions, some were sentenced to lengthy prison terms. Overall, the AFJC documented 168 cases of violence and intimidation against journalists during the past year, highlighting the extensive censorship the authoritarian rulers are exercising over the media. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-taliban- journalist-detained/32787205.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Lebanon FM Says Fighting on Border Will Stop if Agreement on Gaza Reached Sputnik News 20240122 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The fighting on the Lebanese-Israel border between the Israeli Defense Forces and Hezbollah would stop if a ceasefire agreement on Gaza is reached, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah BouHabib said on Monday. "If they really reach an agreement in Gaza, this will stop immediately and automatically. It will stop in southern Lebanon or northern Israel," BouHabib said. BouHabib characterized the skirmishes on the Lebanese-Israel border as "minor fighting." "I don't think the intention is to have a big war. It has to do with what's going on in Gaza, which is not acceptable," BouHabib said. The situation in southern Lebanon deteriorated after the start of Israel's indiscriminate bombardment and invasion of Gaza in which more than 26,000 Palestinians have been killed and well over 60,000 have been wounded. The IDF and Hezbollah regularly exchange fire in areas along the border. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthis Attack US Military Cargo Ship in Gulf of Aden - Spokesman Sputnik News 20240122 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Yemen's Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, attacked n a US military cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said. "The naval forces of the Yemeni Armed Forces carried out a military operation targeting an American military cargo ship (OCEAN JAZZ) in the Gulf of Aden, using an appropriate naval missiles," Saree wrote on X (former Twitter). Back in November, 2023, the Houthis vowed to attack any Israel-linked ships until Tel Aviv halts the invasion of the Gaza strip. In January, the US and the UK began airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen to degrade their fighting capabilities. Russia condemned both the Houthi actions in the Red Sea and the Western aggression against Yemen, characterizing the latter as "another example of the Anglo-Saxons' distortion of UN Security Council resolutions and complete disregard for international law". Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Top Diplomats 'Agree in Principle' on Red Sea Maritime Security Operations - Borrell Sputnik News 20240122 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The foreign ministers of the European Union member states have "agreed in principle" to establish maritime security operations in the Red Sea, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Monday. "The Red Sea was high in our discussion, we agreed in principle to establish European Union maritime security operations and discuss the various options of these missions," Borrell told a press conference. Back in November, 2023, the Houthis vowed to attack any Israel-linked ships until Tel Aviv halts the invasion of the Gaza strip. In January, the US and the UK began airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen to degrade their fighting capabilities. Russia condemned both the Houthi actions in the Red Sea and the Western aggression against Yemen, characterizing the latter as "another example of the Anglo-Saxons' distortion of UN Security Council resolutions and complete disregard for international law". Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza Hostage Talks Deadlocked as Israel Rejects Hamas' Demands for Ceasefire - Reports Sputnik News 20240122 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The talks on the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip have reached a stalemate as Israel rejects Hamas' demand for a constant ceasefire, NBC News reported on Monday, citing sources. Israel's position led to an impasse despite the parties to the conflict already agreeing on some mechanisms for the possible hostage release, the report said. The preliminary agreement included a month-long ceasefire and the gradual release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, the broadcaster reported. On October 7, 2023, 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 25,100 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. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Czech Republic to Sign Agreement to Purchase 24 US F-35 Fighters by End of March Sputnik News 20240122 PRAGUE (Sputnik) - The Czech Republic will sign an agreement to purchase 24 fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighter jets from the United States by the end of March, Czech Defense Minister Jana Cernochova said on Sunday. In September 2023, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said that Prague had decided to procure 24 F-35 fighter jets. He added that the first fighters would be delivered to the Czech Republic in 2031, while all 24 purchased units would be put into service in 2035. "It will definitely be signed before the end of March or even earlier. We are now looking for a suitable form and a suitable date, including due to the illness of [US Defense] Secretary [Lloyd] Austin," Cernochova told the CNN Prima NEWS broadcaster. The broadcaster reported that Prague would pay the US 105.8 billion Czech korunas ($4.64 billion). Additional costs, including the construction of a new airfield, will amount to 43.8 billion korunas, the report said, adding that the total costs for the purchase and use of these aircraft by the Czech Republic for the period until 2069 will reach 322 billion korunas. Currently, the Czech air force is armed with 14 JAS-39 Gripen fighters leased from Sweden, as well as 24 L-159 aircraft of its own production. Maria Zakharova, an official spokeswoman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earlier noted that America's efforts to sell its own weapons "have already damaged the global economy and affected the well-being of the population of many countries far beyond Europe." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Call with Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 22, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The Secretary and the Prime Minister underscored the deep and enduring U.S.-Greece bilateral relationship, their shared values as NATO Allies, and Greece's essential partnership in addressing a wide range of issues. The Secretary and Prime Minister also spoke about the importance of protecting navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea and Greece's participation in Operation Prosperity Guardian. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Call with Democratic Republic of the Congo President Tshisekedi US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 22, 2024 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke to Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi today to congratulate him on his re-election. The Secretary encouraged President Tshisekedi to address the concerns raised by election observation missions by taking steps to promote confidence in the democratic process going forward. The two leaders also discussed the ongoing crisis in eastern DRC and a path forward for a diplomatic solution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Remarks Following Visit to Porto de Praia US Department of State Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Praia, Cabo Verde January 22, 2024 SECRETARY BLINKEN: It's wonderful to be here in Cabo Verde and the port of Praia. We start this trip to Africa here in Cabo Verde because it is quite literally a gateway to Africa for countries around the world, including for the United States. And a big part of that gateway is this port. One of the things I'm very proud of is the fact that, thanks to the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the United States was able to invest significantly in modernizing and upgrading this port so that its capacity was dramatically expanded in terms of the number of ships that it could bring in, the efficiency of the port also dramatically increased so that ships could be processed much more quickly, the storage capacity around the port also built up, and all of that has created an incredibly vibrant place and a much stronger gateway to Africa for us and for so many other countries. We also see that in the fact that this expansion project has produced jobs right here in Cabo Verde. And we're also seeing Cabo Verde become increasingly a destination for tourism, for cruise ships, all of that thanks to work that was done in large part through the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Cabo Verde is the only country in the world to have completed two Millennium Challenge Corporation compacts, and now it's embarking on a third, but a third that will really focus on regional connectivity and on integration and strengthening ties economically among countries in West Africa. So we couldn't be more pleased and more proud for this partnership with Cabo Verde, and it seems like a very fitting place to start this trip to Africa that'll take us now to Cote d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and on to Angola. And it's further evidence of the fact that, as President Biden said, the United States is all in with Africa. We see Africa as an essential, critical, central part of our future. The partnerships between the United States and Africa were a big focus of the work that we did at the Africa Leaders Summit in Washington and, most important, the work that we continue to do ever since that summit in following through on the commitments and the agreements that were made there. This trip is a big part of that, and it really does focus on President Biden's commitment and conviction that the United States and Africa are joined in partnership for the future. So thanks very much and glad to be able to bring you to the port. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken and Cabo Verdean Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva Before Their Meeting US Department of State Remarks Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Cabo Verdean Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva Praia, Cabo Verde January 22, 2024 PRIME MINISTER SILVA: (Via interpreter) Good morning, Your Excellency Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Welcome to Cabo Verde. A special visit of yours to Cabo Verde, to the city of Praia, strengthens our excellent relations between Cabo Verde and United States of America. This visit to four African countries that begins in Cabo Verde is an example of the Biden administration's genuine interest in win-win partnerships with Africa. Cabo Verde is a longstanding and consistent partner of the U.S. We have a diaspora of thousands of American Cape Verdeans, Cape Verdean American citizens who are proud of their origins. We share values of democracy, good governance, respect for human rights, and a defense of human dignity. History, diaspora, and values are the foundations of our relations. That's why they are strong in structure. In general, Cape Verde's foreign relations are guided by the values of liberal democracy, international law, and multilateralism, and by predictability, consistency, and trust in our partnerships. It is based on these references that we strongly condemn Russians' - Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we condemned the terrorist act of Hamas in Israel, and we defend solutions that make the two states of Israel and Palestine viable. We condemn coup d'etat and changes to constitutional term limits for presidents of the republic that have occurred in Africa. We clearly and explicitly define the U.S.A., Brazil, the united European Union, and the UK as strategic partners for cooperative security and defense. In relation to our partnership, I would like to express my gratitude for your support in the fight against COVID-19. Vaccines have been decisive in the good fight we have waged against COVID. As a demonstration of this, Cape Verde is one of the higher - has one of the higher rates of vaccination, and we are thankful for the quick and consistent response of the U.S.A. To recognize another Millennium Challenge Account compact is an important distinction for Cape Verde (inaudible) to underline the important investment in the construction of the new embassy of the United States in Cabo Verde, specifically in the city of Praia, and underlined the important investment in the construction of the U.S. embassy. We recognize the partnership program with the National Guard of the state of New Hampshire in the training and technical assistance of our coast guard. I personally witnessed this partnership. We want to strengthen our relations in terms of (inaudible) diplomatic dialogue of attracting investment and exports, training, science and technology, and the spread of the English language for the development of our country. The massification of the English language is strategic for developing the potential of tourism; business; technological, scientific, and academic connectivity in a country open to the world and with a high level of economic freedom. In this sense, we would like to have the Peace Corps return to Cabo Verde. We believe that partnership for development and cooperative security should go hand in hand. It is in our common interest for the developed countries and partners. We would like to strengthen our partnership with the U.S. in maritime security and cyber security from a regional, global perspective - the structured, predictable, and sustained partnership. We have good topics for conversation during our work (inaudible). Thank you, and I'll give you the floor. SECRETARY BLINKEN: Prime Minister, thank you for the incredible warmth of your welcome, and I also mean that literally. We've just come from the snows of Washington, D.C. to quite literally the warmth of Cabo Verde. We're so delighted to be here. (Interruption.) Very good. Thank you. As you said, Mr. Prime Minister, we are here on the first day of a trip that takes us from Cabo Verde to Cote d'Ivoire and then on to Nigeria and finally to Angola, and this trip - and by the way, I believe the last time a secretary of state was in Cabo Verde was more than 20 years ago with Secretary Powell, and I'm thrilled to follow in his footsteps. But we're here in Cabo Verde, in Africa because, as President Biden has said, our futures are linked, our prosperity is linked, our people are linked. And African voices increasingly are shaping, animating, and leading the world in conversation. The United States is committed to deepening, to strengthening, to broadening our partnerships across Africa, partnerships that benefit Africans and Americans alike. As President Biden has said, we are all in when it comes to Africa. But I have to tell you there's a good reason that we're starting here in Cabo Verde, and that's because you have been and you are a remarkable partner for the United States. And as you've said, Prime Minister, this is a partnership that is based fundamentally on shared values as well as shared interests, and also a deep history together. Assistant Secretary Phee was just telling me of a Cabo Verdean who played a prominent role in our own Civil War, and we have so much history since then, and very strong communities of Cabo Verdeans in the United States who contribute in remarkable ways to our country. But in our own relationship, I believe that the work we've already done and that we can build on in terms of our economic partnership is absolutely critical. It is extraordinary that Cabo Verde is the first country to complete two Millennium Challenge Corporation compacts, and now you're starting to build a third one. I'm deeply honored that we were able through one of the compacts to make substantial investments in the port here of Praia, and that's had manifest benefits for the port. In fact, I look forward to visiting it a little while later. We'll have a lot on our agenda, as you've suggested. One of the things that we'll focus on, health and health security - I have to congratulate you on the malaria -free certification for Cabo Verde, which is also a remarkable achievement. But along with health, along, of course, with climate, which we know animates your government and animates our partnership, I have to also tell you that for the United States, Cabo Verde is truly a beacon of stability in the region at a time when there is more than our share of instability and challenge. And, of course, that goes well beyond the region of West Africa. We see it in different parts of the world. But the work that you've done - and we've been proud to partner with you - for example, on law enforcement, on drug interdiction, seizing more than 30 tons of cocaine in recent years, has been very significant. And beyond that, in our own partnership, working with you on your coast guard, restoring vessels, as well as strong packages to support U.S.-built aircraft here in Cabo Verde that are so critical to maintaining maritime domain awareness, making sure that, for a country that is 99 percent sea, that you have a complete picture of what's happening around you. You also noted and I must underscore as well the global issues where we've been partnered. I have to thank you, thank you for deeply, for the strong, principled voice Cabo Verde has brought to international conversations, international discussions, international work at the United Nations and beyond. We see this in some of the very difficult issues that you've tackled from a place of principle, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine. We're also building partnerships that are founded in multilateral work in other critical ways that will really be to the benefit of Cabo Verdeans and Americans alike - our new Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, where Cabo Verde is playing a leading role, and we are grateful for that - and then, as I mentioned as well, a strong voice around the world on climate, because you know better than so many the effects both now and potential when it comes to climate change. But building a blue economy - that too is I think a very powerful part of our partnership. Prime Minister, you said something very powerful that I just want to repeat, and that is that your true source of wealth, of richness is in the peace, security, stability, and democracy that Cabo Verde enjoys. And we want to leverage those strengths to the benefit of Cabo Verdeans but also Americans and, in fact, the entire world. So it's in that spirit that we're here today - a spirit of partnership, a spirit of admiration for the work that you've done, and a determination to do even more together between the United States and Cabo Verde. We're grateful for your welcome, your hospitality. And of course - I saved the best for last - congratulations on making the knockout round in the Africa Cup. We'll be looking, we'll be watching carefully, and - don't tell anyone - we're cheering for you. (Laughter.) So thank you so much. PRIME MINISTER SILVA: Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Daily Press Briefing by the Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Department of Public Information . News and Media Division . New York 22 January 2024 The following is a near-verbatim transcript of today's noon briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General. ** Secretary-General's Travels Good afternoon. You will all be delighted to know the Secretary-General is back in New York. He just landed a few hours ago. And tomorrow, he will be speaking at the monthly meeting of the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East. As you know, he was in Davos last week, and from there he went to Uganda. In Kampala, he met with leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 plus China. His messages to both groups focused on renewed international efforts for peace; financing for sustainable development and climate action; and the need for urgent reforms to our multilateral institutions. He also mentioned that the Security Council is stuck in a time warp, as it lacks a single African permanent member. On the situation in the Middle East, the Secretary-General stressed that the refusal to accept the two-State solution and the denial of the right to statehood to the Palestinian people are unacceptable. The right of the Palestinian people to build their own State must be recognized by all, he said. He also added that he will not give up on calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire; hence, this is "the only way to end this nightmare for civilians in Gaza, to facilitate the release of all hostages, and to prevent the conflict from engulfing an entire region." While in Uganda, he also held a number of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of both summits, including obviously with the President of the host country of the summits, President [Yoweri] Museveni, and a number of other officials. He also had a press conference and we shared that transcript with you. ** Occupied Palestinian Territory Turning to the situation in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory as a whole: Our colleagues in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) report that since 19 January, mobile phone communications have been restored to most of Gaza after a weeklong blackout, except for some services in the north. However, the Internet remains down across the whole of the Gaza strip. The telecommunications blackout, as you can imagine, restricts people in Gaza from accessing lifesaving information and impedes other forms of humanitarian response. Since Friday, limited amounts of fuel have entered the Gaza Strip from Rafah. However, since these are insufficient, hospitals, water facilities and other critical facilities are still only operating at limited capacity. Our humanitarian partners tell us that ongoing hostilities as well as lack of access to health care, clean water and nutritious food are fuelling the risk of famine in Gaza. They report that no bakeries are functioning north of Wadi Gaza and only 15 bakeries were operational across the entire Gaza Strip as of 17 January and those were in Rafah and Deir al Balah. The World Food Programme (WFP) has been supporting eight of those bakeries with flour, salt, yeast and sugar. Through this initiative, about a quarter of a million people were able to purchase bread at a subsidized price. Meanwhile, the Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros [Adhanom Ghebreyesus], reported that cases of Hepatitis A have been confirmed in Gaza through test kits supplied by WHO. And turning to the West Bank: As of yesterday, more than 700 Palestinians including more than 300 children have been displaced since 7 October, following the destruction of 115 homes during operations carried out by Israeli forces. This is in addition to displacement due to the demolition of homes. About 95 per cent of the displacement due to Israeli operations was reported in the refugee camps of Jenin, Nur Shams and Tulkarm. Israeli military operations last week in the Nur Shams and Tulkarm refugee camps rendered more than 20 homes uninhabitable, and civilian casualties were also reported. That is according to our OCHA colleagues. ** Security Council This morning, the Security Council held a meeting on threats to international peace and security. Briefing Council members, the Director and Deputy to the High-Representative for Disarmament Affairs, and that is Adedeji Ebo he noted that almost two years have passed since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the Charter of the United Nations. That represents twenty-three months of death, destruction, and unbearable suffering and devastation. Mr. Ebo reported that reports related to the transfer and use of cluster munitions throughout the conflict are very concerning. He emphasized that the Secretary-General has repeatedly called for an immediate end to the use of cluster munitions, and in line with his long-standing position, these weapons must be rendered inoperable and consigned to the dustbins of history. Mr. Ebo stressed that the UN will continue to work towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with international law, including the United Nations Charter and the relevant United Nations General Assembly resolution. ** Ukraine Some of you over the weekend have asked us for our response on the attack in Donetsk. I can tell you that the Secretary-General strongly condemns all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including the shelling of the city of Donetsk in Ukraine, which reportedly killed at least 25 people and injured more than 20 others. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must stop immediately. ** Afghanistan A couple of reports I want to flag to you. One is from Afghanistan, from the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). They released an update on the human rights situation in the country, covering October to December [2023] and, as you can imagine, it is not good. Our colleagues in Kabul note that the de facto authorities continue to enforce and promulgate restrictions on women's rights to work, education and freedom of movement. Instances of officials of the de facto Department for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice impeding women from working or accessing services because they were unmarried or did not have a male escort were recorded by the UN. According to the update, in early December, the de facto officials from that Department advised an unmarried female staff at a health-care facility to get married or risk losing her job, stating that it was inappropriate for an unmarried woman to work. The update also noted that the de facto authorities continue to implement corporal punishment in public places, usually announcing the punishments, and the crimes for which they were implemented, on social media. The full update is available online. ** Democratic Republic of the Congo Our colleagues in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's UN Peacekeeping Mission (MONUSCO) continue to work in close partnership with the Congolese armed forces in South Kivu to contribute to building the capacity of their units and support the protection of civilians. Peacekeepers carried out joint operations in the Minembwe region, in response to armed group activity. These operations also led to the release of two child soldiers and the handing over of weapons. ** International Organization for Migration Our colleagues in Geneva at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) today launched their Global Annual Appeal for 2024 and, as you can imagine, it is large. They called for $7.9 billion to support their operations and help create a system that realizes migration's promise as a force for good throughout the world. The appeal seeks funding to save lives and protect people on the move, drive solutions to displacement, and facilitate safe pathways for regular migration. Full funding would allow IOM to serve almost 140 million human beings, including internally displaced people and the local communities that host them. Crucially, it would also allow for an expansion of IOM's development work, which helps prevent further displacement. ** Resident Coordinators Two new Resident Coordinators to announce. They have been appointed by the Secretary-General, and they took up their posts just yesterday, following the agreement by the host Governments. The first is Mohamed Yahya of Somalia, who will be the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Pakistan. And second, our dear friend Nahla Valji of Canada, who is now the Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, and we congratulate her for that appointment. Both will lead the work of our UN teams on the ground boosting their countries' commitments to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind. They will both also serve as the Humanitarian Coordinators in their respective countries. ** Honour Roll Lastly before lunch. Food quiz. Karjalan Paisti, Palusami and Bouneschlupp are the national dishes of which three Member States? I'll give you a hint. Bouneschlupp is a traditional green bean soup with potatoes, bacon, and onions. Palusami includes coconut milk and taro leaves. And Karjalan Paisti is a mixture of beef, pork and lamb stew, seasoned with peppercorn and allspice. Who do we say bon appetit and thank you to? Bouneschlupp is a traditional soup of Luxembourg. So we say thank you. Palusami is the national dish of Kiribati. And Karjalan Paisti is the national dish of Finland. We say bon appetit and thank you to all. ** Questions and Answers Spokesman : Maggie, go ahead. You start to eat. Question : Let me kick this off. Spokesman : Yes. Question : Alright. I saw the Secretary-General's remarks over the weekend in Kampala on Gaza and the two-State solution. But I would like to ask, President [Joseph] Biden said on Friday that there are multiple kinds of two-State solutions. And he gave us an example, a State without an army, for instance. Does the Secretary-General believe there's a single one... a two-State solution, or does he believe there are other ways to get to a two-State solution? Spokesman : Well, they are different. The goal is to get to a two-State solution. Two States where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace and security. Obviously, a lot of the details will have to be negotiated by the parties, and that's why we've also been calling for a long, long time for those talks to happen. Edith? Question : A couple of questions, Steph. First, can you give us an update on Sigrid Kaag's whereabouts and what she's doing? Spokesman : With pleasure. She is in Israel. Yesterday, she concluded productive discussions with a number of senior Israeli Government officials, including President [Isaac] Herzog. She also met with the Defence Minister, Mr. [Yoav] Gallant, with the Foreign Minister, Mr. [Israel] Katz, the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Mr. [Ron] Dermer, and the Head of the National Security Council, Mr. [Tzachhi] Hanegbi, as well as the Head of COGAT, which is the liaison mechanism between the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) and our interlocutor with the UN, and that is Major General [Ghassan] Alian. She also, while in Israel, visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza, which was one of the kibbutzim that was hit during the Hamas attack on 7 October, and she met with family members of people who continue to be held hostage in Gaza. Today, she was in Ramallah. She met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority and the head of the Palestinian Red Crescent today. And that's further to her meetings with the Egyptian Red Crescent recently. Question : And are we going to get any kind of readouts from those meetings, or is anybody going to get even in the region going to get a chance to talk to her? Spokesman : She will... I'm not going to give you a detailed readout because her work is ongoing. We do expect Ms. Kaag to be here at the end of 30 January, when she reports back to the [Security] Council, and I'm sure there'll be an opportunity to talk to you. Obviously, since she's deployed in the region, there have been moments of press interactions, and those will continue as they occur. Question : And a question on the Taliban's latest actions. What is the Secretary-General's reaction to the Taliban's latest ban on unmarried women and women who are not accompanied by a male guardian to doing anything, working? Spokesman : Horror. Right? I mean, it's difficult enough to read this out from here. It must be unimaginable to have to live through it. Dezhi? Question : Okay. First, a quick question on the schedule of the Secretary-General. Will the Secretary-General meet with the Foreign Minister of Russia? Spokesman : Yes. Question : What are they going to discuss? Spokesman : You pick. There's lots to discuss. Question : Okay. So my question here about the hostages kept in Gaza. On 21st, yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister, [Benjamin] Netanyahu, said they won't stop the war. They have to get the victory, to eliminate Hamas, to ensure that all the hostages could go home. We know that the Secretary-General said those hostages must be released unconditionally. Do you think to, how to say that, to completely eliminate Hamas, which means to achieve the victory of the war, is the way to release those hostages? Spokesman : We are not defence advisers to the Israeli... Question : But is that helpful? Spokesman : Let me... to the Israeli Government or any other party involved in this conflict. I think the Secretary-General has been very clear in what he's been advocating for, which is a humanitarian ceasefire. In the last time there was a pause, hostages were released. He's also been very strong in advocating for an immediate and unconditional release of all the hostages that are currently detained in Gaza. He has said so publicly. He said so when he's met numerous times with families of the hostages, and he met with two people who had been held hostage. So his position is clear. You can do the compare and contrast with what others are saying. Question : So how does the Secretary-General feel, his two calls, one for immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the other one for unconditional release of the hostages? Both cannot be fulfilled or achieved by both parties. Spokesman : He's continuing in his determination to call for those two things. Question : Okay. Sorry. Spokesman : Go ahead. Question : One last part of this question about the spill-over. The last weekend, there's a strike in Damascus which led to the death of, I believe, 10 people, among them, five Iranian advisers, military advisers. Does the Secretary-General have anything to say on this? Spokesman : Yeah, I mean, it's yet another demonstration of the risk of the spill-over. He's very concerned about these air strikes, the reported air strikes that took place in Damascus. According to what Iran has been saying publicly, they resulted in number of casualties among the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran. They also hit a residential area where, in fact, UN premises are located. I mean, we're very happy that all our staff is accounted for. But there are also... we are concerned and deplore the civilian casualties that did occur nearby. Again, he calls on all to exercise the maximum possible restraint and reminding all the parties of their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to all to avoid attacks that could lead to civilian casualties. Dennis? Question : Is there a report that UN opened Russian bank account that was reported by Sovkombank. Can you provide your comment on that? Spokesman : Yeah. I saw... I think I received a question from one of your colleagues. If I'm not mistaken, that refers to something for a UN Environmental Programme (UNEP) facility. I will give you the contacts at UNEP. I have no information on it from here, but you should contact our colleagues at UNEP. Okay. Gabriel? Question : Thanks, Steph. Any update on the UN helicopter crew in Somalia? Spokesman : Nothing to share with you. Question : Okay. And following up on Edie's question about Ms. Kaag, she's been on the job a little over three weeks now, almost four, if I'm not mistaken. She's been to Gaza once. Is that your understanding as well? Is that correct? Spokesman : That is factual. Question : And do you have any update about plans for her to go back into Gaza, efforts to get into Gaza, anything along those lines? Spokesman : I can assure you that as soon as there's movement in that direction, you will be the second to know after me. Linda, then Mike. Question : Thank you, Steph. Just going back to the SG's meeting with [Sergey] Lavrov. Are there any details? Will that be tomorrow? And also who else will he be meeting in terms of world leadership here? Spokesman : He will be meeting with a number of the foreign... there are a number of foreign ministers who are coming tomorrow. Off the top of my head I know he will also be meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister. He will be meeting with the French Foreign Minister. He will be meeting with the Algerian Foreign Minister. I will and I ask for the indulgence of those Member States who are not on the top of my head, but we will share with you his schedule for tomorrow later this afternoon. Mike? Question : A follow-up on Ms. Besheer's question earlier. The Secretary-General has said many, many times in terms of a two-State solution, Israel's legitimate security need to be taken into account. Spokesman : That's correct. Question : He's never delineated what exactly that means. So going forward, according to the Biden plan, that whatever it might be the vision for a two-State solution, demilitarized, militarized, whatever. What is he talking about when he says legitimate security concerns? Spokesman : I think every country, ever Member State has a right to feel safe and to address its legitimate security concerns. Those are issues that are going to have to be negotiated between the parties. The Secretary-General is not one to impose a solution. But we all know the concerns of all the parties involved. A circle will have to be squared at some point to get to a two-State solution. Question : So the comments he made over the weekend in terms of a refusal to recognize Palestinian statehood to be unacceptable. We're three months past 7 October, hostages still in Gaza. Forget Netanyahu specifically, I mean, any Israeli leader what would he expect them to accept? Would he expect them to wrap their arms around a two-State solution at a time like this? Spokesman : Well, I think what the Secretary-General has said a number of times during interviews is that this is a human crisis of huge proportions, right, for human beings. And we need, out of this crisis, to find the opportunities to move forward to peace. And for him, it is to... the end needs to be a two-State solution. Alan, and I'll get to you, sir. Question : Thanks so much, Stephane. Foreign Minister Lavrov during his speech reiterated that he asked the SG several times to provide the list of the victims of Bucha provocation, but still he didn't manage to get it. Do you have any signals, any signs from Ukrainian part? Are they ready to provide it finally? Spokesman : I have nothing on that for now. Yes, sir? Question : Yeah. Thank you. This is Lovlu Ansar from Bangladesh Pratidin. Spokesman : Yes, sir. Question : I have two questions, one in Gaza, another on Bangladesh. United Nations and USA's request ignored by Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu, to a ceasefire in Gaza, even for humanitarian reasons. Were there any discussions regarding this issue at the meeting of the Security Council this morning? Spokesman : You would have to... the Security Council meeting this morning was open and transparent. You will have to do your reporting. It's not for me to tell you what was discussed in an open meeting with the Security Council. Your second question? Question : Yeah. You are aware that Bangladesh is hosting more than 1.2 million Rohingya refugees since 2017, almost seven years. Lack of progress in repatriation is leading to infestation, and they are increasingly getting involved in criminal activities. Other hand, humanitarian funding, international... Spokesman : What is your question, sir? Question : Yeah. Humanitarian attention, everything is shrinking. Spokesman : No. So what is the... I enjoy your description, but what is the question? Question : Yeah. What is the plan of the United Nations Secretary-General to address these challenges to repatriate these Rohingyas? Spokesman : Well, first of all, no one should ever be repatriated. No refugee should be repatriated against their will. It needs to be done voluntarily in a manner that preserves their dignity and their safety. It is clear for us that the situation in Myanmar currently does not meet the necessary requirements. What we do need is increased global solidarity for those communities that are hosting generously Rohingya refugees, like the community in Cox's Bazar, which the Secretary-General has visited, because the refugees need our solidarity and the host communities need our solidarity and we need increased funding for all of that. Question : Thank you. Spokesman : Okay. Yes, sir? Question : Thank you for the briefing. So, my name is Yu from Kyodo News. My question is about the Nuclear Ban Treaty, Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. So three years ago, today, the treaty entered into force. Could you give me a comment? Spokesman : That it entered into force when? Well, I mean, the Secretary-General's, I think, position and calls for complete nuclear disarmament have been very clear, and they will continue to do that. Yes, sir? I'll come back to you the second round. Yes, go ahead. Question : Thank you, Stephane. I'm Jaehong Lee from Yonhap News of Republic of Korea. This morning in our joint statement [inaudible] 46 States or nations urged Russia and DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) to abide by the Security Council resolution relating to Russia's use of ballistic missiles from DPRK. So I'm wondering if Secretary-General has a comment on this. Spokesman : The Secretary-General, his position is pretty clear. He urges all Member States to abide by Security Council resolutions. Yes, sir? Question : Yeah, multiple reports indicating that US and many European countries are pushing for aids through Israel, through Ashdod Airport. Is the UN part of this process? Are you...? Spokesman : Well, we are part of, in a sense, we are part of the process to advocate for the use of Ashdod port to bring in more aid. We think it would make sense financially and logistically for us to be allowed to use that port. And that is something we've been advocating for. Question : I believe you touched on this briefly when you started talking about the aid to Gaza. Can you update us on the aids that goes to Gaza from UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) and the UN agencies? How is the status? How much have you been able to send to Gaza if possible? Spokesman : I mean, the short answer to your question is not enough. Right? But I'll give you just a little bit of granularity. Over the weekend, we had about 325 truckloads of foods, medicine, and other supplies that entered Gaza through Rafah and Kerem Shalom. About 174 on Saturday, and 151 on Sunday, which all of that is very much a drop in the bucket. Question : I know you're not satisfied, but specifically regarding Kerem Shalom, are you seeing, like, the flowing of aids getting better the same level or worse? Spokesman : Not particularly getting better. Let's go... Mike, I'll come back to you. Let's go to the screen. Iftikhar? Question : Thank you, Steph. My question on Afghanistan has been asked by Edie. But as regards two-State solution, I would like to know when the Secretary-General calls for a two-State solution, does he mean independent and sovereign States? Spokesman : He calls for a two-State solution of two States living in peace and security side by side. Question : But he always used it in the past the words independent and sovereign States. Spokesman : There's been no change in his position. Obviously, he's not going to use every same words every time he speaks. Phrases may be different, but the position is unchanged. Abdelhamid, then Mushfiq. Question : Thank you, Stephane. I have few questions. On Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza demolished a huge university called Israa University. It was videotaped. It was a volcanic explosion of one of the largest universities in Gaza. And it includes a museum of 3,000 pieces, which were all either stolen or destroyed. I haven't seen any statement coming from any UN official about destruction of that university. Spokesman : Well, I think I was asked about this last week and I did speak to it. Your next question? Question : But UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) did not say anything, but just... My next question, Hamas issued an 18 page statement or a document. It's entitled, this is our story about October 7. Have the Secretary-General been briefed about this important document? Out of even just knowledge of what was being written there? Spokesman : I can't, I don't know is the short answer. Question : Okay. My last question is about the two-State solution. Why the SG doesn't refer to those UN resolutions that entitled the Palestinians for a two- State, a free and independent State, resolution 1397 of 2002 and resolution 1515? Spokesman : Abdelhamid, I will answer you and all of you have asked questions about the two-State solution. The position is unchanged. The fact that every time he speaks, he doesn't refer to every Security Council resolution or General Assembly resolution that has been adopted on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict doesn't mean he's ignoring it. He speaks using different words. I mean, he could repeat the same speech over and over again, but I think we'd get very little coverage if he did that. All of that to say clearly that his position is unchanged. He is a Secretary-General of the United Nations, a defender and a promoter of the Security Council resolutions. Mushfiq? Question : Thank you, Steph. Did the Secretary-General disregard human rights violation and sham elections in Bangladesh when congratulating Sheikh Hasina for renewing State power? Does this raise concerns about a contradiction with the UN's previous stance and the statements from its Human Rights Commissioner on the non-democratic nature of the elections? Spokesman : No. He sent a letter to the Prime Minister as he does to Heads of Governments or Heads of States when they're re-elected. What we have said in the past from this podium, what the Human Rights High Commissioner has said remains unchanged. Mike? Question : I forgot to ask you earlier. Multiple media reports today said that the Israeli Foreign Minister, Katz, in a meeting of the EU ministers in Brussels proposed an idea of an artificial island as a potential home for Palestinians, floating there in the Mediterranean. You mentioned he met with the Senior Coordinator Kaag yesterday. Was that idea brought up to her to your knowledge? Spokesman : I don't know. I don't know. Question : Okay. Spokesman : Sometimes I don't know and I won't lie about it. Yes. One last question, and then I'm going to go eat some traditional green soup with... [cross-talk] Question : Yeah, it needs a short answer. So do you think this suggestion is valid? Spokesman : I think people are allowed to determine their own future, and I will leave it as that. Hasta la vista. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Gaza: 'The siege is the silent killer' 22 January 2024 - In Gaza, bombs and bullets are far from the only threat to life. Residents lack food and clean water, health facilities are practically nonexistent and communication with the outside world is patchy at best. That's according to Juliette Touma, Director of Communications for UNRWA, the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees, who spoke in depth to UN News's Conor Lennon on Monday about her most recent visit to the Strip. The interview has been edited for clarity and length. "This was my second trip since the war began. I try to go whenever it's possible to express solidarity with the people there who are severely impacted by this brutal war and also to see our colleagues who continue to serve the communities through their humanitarian mission. This time, however, I visited the middle areas, including Deir al-Balah, and then in the south, I went to Rafah and Khan Younis. It was absolutely desperate. Wherever you looked, there were people who are displaced, people asking for assistance, and people were just very, very exhausted and tired after three and a half months of what has been a very brutal war. I think that what was different to the first visit I took is how congested a city like Rafah has become. Makeshift shelters The population of Rafah in the south has quadrupled since the war began. People kept fleeing, looking for shelter in that part of Gaza, in the hope that they will find safety and protection. Wherever you drove, wherever you walked, wherever you looked, the city was covered with these little structures that people who fled to the area have set up. They're very basic, just a couple of wooden poles covered with plastic sheeting. That's all people can find, and these have become home to many, many people. 'These are not conditions meant for human beings' I spoke to one mother who was living in one of those informal structures. There were 26 people living on top of each other in a small space, less than three square metres. She was carrying two of her kids, and she told me that they have no way to stay warm at night, that they were frustrated, that they are tired of this life. She said that, in terms of assistance, she only had one piece of vegetable to be shared between the 26 people. She told me that she cannot wash; either the queues are too long or the showers don't work. These are not conditions meant for human beings. Total communication blackouts Since the beginning of the war, phone and internet services have been cut several times, leading to total communication blackouts, but this has been the longest [still ongoing at time of publication] telecommunications blackout that Gaza has had since the war began. This is due, I understand, to severe damage that was done to the telecoms network in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. When I was there, you couldn't even send a simple WhatsApp message, and you could forget about trying to place a call from one mobile phone to another. The majority of people feel extremely isolated from each other and the rest of the world. This also contributes to a lack of safety. Imagine, you're in the middle of a war zone, and you need to call an ambulance. Or you want to call for help, check on your loved ones. You simply cannot do it. The other impact this has is on our own aid operation, whether it's UNRWA, the UN system or the humanitarian organizations in general, because it is, as one can imagine, very challenging to coordinate. You need to be able to call truck drivers and to organize with those who do the loading, the off-loading, the storing and the distribution. A phone is absolutely indispensable. Humanitarian ceasefire, now So, right now, we are continuing to call for a humanitarian ceasefire to bring respite and calm not only to people in Gaza, but the people across the region. Meanwhile, there is a need for more humanitarian supplies, including medicines for chronic diseases, which are in very short supply at the moment. That is why we said, after the trip to Gaza, that the siege is the silent killer of people in Gaza. People are likely dying as a result of hunger, disease or a lack of medical and health care. And then what also needs to happen is more commercial supplies should come to the private sector in the Gaza Strip because the entire population almost entirely now is relying on humanitarian assistance, and that's not sustainable, not in the medium term and not in the long term." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address World News in Brief: Pandemic treaty in jeopardy, historic IOM appeal, 'enormous obstacles' facing Iran's lawyers 22 January 2024 - The head of the UN health agency raised concerns on Monday that the draft of a global agreement to head off a future pandemic may not be finalized by May this year, as previously agreed. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was addressing the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board when he said that "several outstanding issues" still needed to be resolved by governments and that time was "very short" to find consensus. "A failure to deliver the pandemic agreement and the International Health Regulations amendments will be a missed opportunity for which future generations may not forgive us," Tedros said. Legally binding The WHO chief's warning follows agreement by Member States of the UN agency to start a process to draft and negotiate a "convention, agreement or other international instrument" to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response after the huge loss of life caused by COVID-19. Such agreements made between countries have legal standing and are binding. WHO has emphasized that a proposed pandemic convention would be driven by the need to ensure equity of access to tools that can stop pandemics in their tracks, including vaccines, personal protective equipment, information and expertise and access to healthcare for everyone. UN migration agency issues first ever global annual appeal for $7.9 billion UN migration agency, IOM, issued a nearly $8 billion funding call on Monday to help almost 140 million people, including those internally displaced and the communities that host them. Leading the appeal, IOM Director General Amy Pope said it was urgent to help communities resist climate change, which last year was an even bigger driver of migration than conflict. "Hundreds of millions of people live in communities that are extremely vulnerable to climate shocks," she said. Crisis ahead "If we do not begin to build this capacity now, we collectively will face a displacement crisis that dwarfs anything we deal with." Speaking in Geneva, Ms. Pope stressed that irregular and forced migration had reached "unprecedented levels", with more than 71 million people already displaced within their own countries today. But, the IOM chief also insisted there was "overwhelming evidence" that well-managed migration was "a major contributor to global prosperity and progress". In line with the UN agency's long-term objectives, it said that Monday's appeal would help to save lives and protect people on the move, find solutions to displacement and facilitate safe pathways for regular migration. Rights defenders demand protection for lawyers in Iran Independent UN human rights experts hailed lawyers in Iran over their "courageous commitment to the rule of law" and efforts to practice their profession despite "enormous obstacles and pressures". In a statement issued on Monday ahead of the International Day of the Endangered Lawyer, marked on 24 January, the Special Rapporteurs on Iran and the issue of judicial independence called on Tehran to fully protect the country's legal professionals. Following the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022, Iranian authorities arrested thousands, subjecting them to deplorable conditions and even death penalty charges, said the two independent experts. Despite the risks, many Iranian lawyers attempted to provide legal support to the protesters and consequently faced intimidation, arbitrary arrests and being disbarred. Rising to the challenge "Lawyers in Iran have, again and again, risen to the challenge and have suffered the consequences," the experts declared. They underscored that Iranian lawyers often operate in peril due to restrictions that violate international standards for the free and independent exercise of the legal profession and the right to a fair trial. The Bar Association, one of Iran's oldest professional organizations, has been targeted by the Government through structural changes and investigations, according to the rapporteurs. They urged Iran to implement measures ensuring that lawyers can fulfil their vital role without the threat of prosecution for legitimate professional activities, emphasizing the impact on the right to a fair trial for all Iranians. Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. They do not receive a salary for their work and serve in their individual capacity. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USS Normandy Returns Home from 8-Month Deployment US Navy 22 January 2024 From Carrier Strike Group 12 Public Affairs NORFOLK, Va. The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) - part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (GRFCSG) - returned to homeport in Norfolk after an 8-month deployment to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, Jan. 20, 2024. Normandy steamed more 61,000 nautical miles while serving as the air defense commander for the strike group. "From the North Sea to the Eastern Mediterranean, this deployment has enhanced and reinforced regional stability, as we worked with our allies and partners to uphold our mutual commitment to maritime security," said Capt. Errol A. Robinson, Normandy's commanding officer. "Our Sailors expertly executed complex multi-ship maneuvers with our allies and tactically controlled aircraft and the airspace, while maintaining the material readiness of the ship. During my two tours aboard Normandy, as division officer and 23 years later as her commanding officer, I can say that my Sailors' tireless and exacting performance was in keeping with Normandy's 34 years of superb service." Over the course of 262 days, Normandy's crew conducted over 40 replenishments-at-sea, and manned flight quarters 670 times. Normandy's embarked air detachment, the "Spartans" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70, flew 393 sorties, totaling 1,132 hours flown. Normandy's culinary team prepared and served over 388,500 meals, which included over 68,619 lbs. of fresh fruits and vegetables, 4,382 lbs. of steak, 10,520 hot dogs, 3,207 lbs. of bacon, 89,000 individual eggs and 800 lbs. of coffee. After departing Naval Station Norfolk on May 2, 2023, the strike group spent a month steaming in the High North before transiting the Strait of Gibraltar on June 15, entering the Mediterranean Sea where the strike group would spend the rest of deployment working with allies and partners to provide maritime stability and security in the region. Normandy participated in two named multinational naval exercises while in the Mediterranean: NATO vigilance activity Neptune Strike in July and Sage Wolverine in August. During Neptune Strike, command and control of all participating vessels was transferred to Naval Striking and Support Forces NATO (STRIKFORNATO) to synchronize the U.S. and the NATO Alliance's planning teams and to improve the Alliance's ability to provide assurance, deterrence, and collective defense. Sage Wolverine consisted of 10 days of high-end maritime training events and air defense exercises with NATO allies. In concert with U.S. allies over the eight months Normandy was underway, the ship completed 24 air defense exercises, 12 low slow flier exercises, and 7 simulated air defense exercises. Throughout deployment, Normandy's crew embraced numerous opportunities to strengthen partnerships with allied navies, hosting crew exchanges with the U.K. royal navy Duke-class frigate HMS Kent (F 78), the Italian navy Carlo Bergamini-class frigate ITS Carabiniere (F 593), the Turkish navy Gabya-class frigate TCG Gokceada (F 494), and the first-in-class Hellenic navy frigate HS Elli (F 450). In addition to these crew exchanges, the 2023 deployment saw Normandy steam with frigates of the Croatian, Dutch, French, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish navies, demonstrating a shared commitment to promoting safety and stability in Europe. Port visits in the U.S. Sixth Fleet area of operations made Normandy's Sailors de facto ambassadors, as the ship moored in: Gothenburg, Sweden; Koper, Slovenia; Rijeka, Croatia; Aksaz, Turkiye; Bar, Montenegro; and Athens, Greece. Office calls to local navy leadership, and community relations events in nearly every country Normandy visited, bolstered valuable partnerships. In Bar, Montenegro, Normandy hosted Nicole Otallah, the charges d'affaires of the U.S. embassy in Montenegro, at a reception for Montenegrin civil and military leaders held on the ship's flight deck. Following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip, Normandy and the strike group were ordered to the Eastern Mediterranean by the secretary of defense to provide a constant and stabilizing presence that would prevent regional escalation of the conflict. "For almost 70% of Normandy's crew, this was their first deployment," said Command Master Chief William Palmer. "That did not deter them from seizing opportunities to excel and gain further expertise in their fields. Normandy's Sailors are returning home more accomplished and more resilient, and their families should be proud of the work they have done." The GRFCSG is comprised of its flagship and namesake, the Ford-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), Carrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8), Destroyer Squadron Two (DESRON-2), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60), and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS McFaul (DDG 74), and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116). The squadrons of CVW-8 embarked aboard Gerald R. Ford are the "Tridents" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 9, the "Spartans" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70, the "Bear Aces" of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 124, the "Ragin' Bulls" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 37, the "Blacklions" of VFA-213, the "Golden Warriors" of VFA-87, the "Tomcatters" of VFA-31, the "Gray Wolves" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 142, and the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40. Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) and U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) areas of responsibility. U.S. Sixth Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF, and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bataan ARG, 26th MEU(SOC) Arrive in Souda Bay for Port Visit US Navy 22 January 2024 From Chief Mass Communication Specialist Eva-Marie Ramsaran, Amphibious Squadron 8 Public Affairs SOUDA BAY, Crete -- The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), comprised of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), along with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) arrived in Souda Bay, Crete, Jan. 20 and 21, for a regularly scheduled port visit following the completion of a large scale MEU(SOC) exercise Odyssey Encore in Greece alongside the 32nd Hellenic Marine Brigade. While in port, the Bataan ARG and 26th MEU(SOC) team will conduct routine maintenance following several months of distributed operations and activities within the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operations since July 2023. "The last six months has showcased the value, utility, and operational flexibility a forward-deployed ARG and MEU(SOC) provide in terms of campaigning and crisis response," said Col. Dennis "Dolf" Sampson, commanding officer of the 26th MEU(SOC). "Our recent MEU(SOC) Exercise "Odyssey Encore" and the integrated training with the Hellenic 32nd Marine Brigade and Hellenic SOF was essential to sustaining our operational capabilities and readiness across the MEU(SOC) Marine Air-Ground Task Force. This port visit will provide an opportunity to conduct normal required maintenance and inspections of our vehicles and equipment prior to getting underway for the next phase in our deployment. More so, it will provide the Marines and Sailors with some quality, well-earned liberty and an opportunity to enjoy the local culture in Crete." Souda Bay marks the second port visit for majority of the Sailors and Marines of the Bataan ARG and 26th MEU(SOC) to the U.S. Naval Force Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) area of responsibility following their re-aggregation in the Mediterranean, Dec. 28. During this visit they will have the opportunity to explore Souda Bay, participate in community relations projects and cultural excursions hosted by each ship's Morale, Welfare and Recreation committees. "This is my last port visit as I depart the Bataan after six years, and I am looking forward to seeing historical places from 1,000 years ago," said Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Fuel) 2nd Class Gerald Labtis. "I will cherish and treasure every bit of it." Headquartered in Naples, Italy, NAVEUR-NAVAF operates U.S. naval forces in the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of responsibility. U.S. 6th Fleet is permanently assigned to NAVEUR-NAVAF and employs maritime forces through the full spectrum of joint and naval operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Commander, Naval Forces Korea Begins Contruction on New Headquarters Building US Navy 22 January 2024 BUSAN, South Korea -- Commander, Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), commemorated the beginning of the construction of its new headquarters building with a groundbreaking ceremony on Republic of Korea (ROK) Busan Naval Base, Jan. 18, 2023. The purpose of the new building is to expand CNFK's administrative and operational capabilities, allowing it to better achieve its mission of fostering a strong and productive relationship with CRF and the ROK Navy, as well as enable U.S naval forces to "Fight tonight," in the Korea area of operations (KAO), should the need arise. "In 2015, Admiral Byrne moved to Busan and realized the strength of CNFK and ROK Fleet working side-by-side," said CNFK Commander, Rdml. Mark Schafer, in an address to the event's attendees, "With support from CRF, all of CNFK moved to Busan. Now, each ACOS [Assistant Chief of Staff] can meet face-to-face with their counterpart. This building is the final step to bring the full brunt of CNFK to our 70-year alliance." The new building will be substantially larger than the current building and will feature a number of quality-of-life improvements on top of its operational and administrative spaces. "This project will construct a two-story facility at approximately 33,000 square feet, to support U.S military personnel and civilian staff, from Commander Naval Forces Korea," Said FED Project manager, Mr. Robert Zhang, "The new facility will be three times the size of the current CNFK building and provides operational, administrative spaces along with new storage and a fitness center." The inclusion of these quality-of-life amenities are part of CNFK's commitment to its Sailors and its mission to be the assignment of choice for any Sailor picking new orders. Construction is scheduled to be completed February 1, 2025. After the new building's completion, the current CNFK Headquarters the current will continue to be utilized by CNFK to support joint and combined naval operations across the Korean peninsula. CNFK proudly celebrates its 70 year alliance with our ROKN partners, continuing to foster an enduring relationship of mutual respect and working together to temper combined maritime warfighting capability, interoperability, and readiness that has spanned generations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Hosts Arctic Training Exercise Snow Crab Ex US Navy 22 January 2024 From Lt. Chelsea Cannaday LITTLE FALLS, Minn. -- U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Group 2 commenced Snow Crab Exercise (Snow Crab Ex) 24-1 Jan. 22, 2024 following the arrival of Navy EOD Mobile Units (EODMU) and Navy Divers at Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minn. now Crab Ex 24-1 is a two week exercise designed to test and evaluate U.S. Navy EOD capabilities in a simulated Arctic environment and, ultimately, improve Navy EOD's combat effectiveness. "We have a responsibility and a duty to be able to respond globally to explosive threats to peer adversaries and competitors. Navy EOD and Navy Diving forces aggressively pursue opportunities to further develop a more agile and flexible force to support the Fleet commander," said Capt. Joseph Haywood, commander, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group (EODGRU) 2. "Snow Crab Ex allows Navy EOD and Navy Diving forces to build capability and readiness in an Arctic environment, so we are better equipped to fight for sea control in the Arctic environment." During Snow Crab Ex, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 12 and Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 2 will exercise tactical control over Navy EOD technicians from EODMU 12 and EODMU 2, as well as MDSU 2. "Our EOD technicians and divers have a highly unique skill set, strong mindsets, and an unbreakable bond that allows them to commit to and accomplish seemingly impossible tasks, and that is what we are training toward during Snow Crab Ex 24-1," said Cmdr. David Scherr, commander, EODMU 12. "It is important that we are able to efficiently operate wherever we are called, and we'll be honing our tactics, techniques, and procedures in a challenging Arctic environment to ensure we are ready for the challenge." Units participating in Snow Crab Ex 24-1 include: EODGRU 2, EODMU 2, EODMU 12, MDSU 2, EOD Expeditionary Support Unit (EODESU) 2, Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 4, Expeditionary Exploitation Unit One, and Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command (NEIC). Navy EOD will clear simulated unexploded ordnance, secure critical infrastructure, and effectively communicate between units who will be distributed and operating simultaneously in a training environment, while also maintaining command and control (C2) during the exercise. Navy Divers will also complete ice dive training, to include underwater location and identification of ordnance, to ensure they can complete dive and salvage operations in Arctic waters. The Minnesota National Guard will provide air support for portions of the exercise. Camp Ripley provides ideal conditions and training ranges to simulate an Arctic environment for ice and cold weather dive training, where Navy divers can train in a subzero temperature and arduous conditions at training ranges. "Camp Ripley provides us an opportunity to train in an environment that mimics the Arctic region, without the exceptional cost of traveling to remote areas," said Capt. Haywood. "The Minnesota National Guard and Camp Ripley provide us modern facilities and the logistical and administrative support needed. They have been exceptional partners training with us as we train and prepare to be able to respond to any situation in any environment." The U.S. Navy routinely patrols on, above, below and around Arctic waters to ensure the security of commerce and demonstrate freedom of navigation. Exercises like Snow Crab Ex 24-1 allow our teams to assess their readiness, increase their experience in the region, test new technologies, and advance our understanding of the Arctic environment. Navy Expeditionary Combat Command units participating in Snow Crab Ex 24-1 include: EODGRU 2, EODMU 2, EODMU 12, MDSU 2, EOD Expeditionary Support Unit (EODESU) 2, Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron (MSRON) 4, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG), and Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command (NEIC). All units are headquartered at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story with the exception of NEIC, headquartered on Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, and NAVELSG, headquartered on Naval Weapons Station Yorktown. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, UK Launch More Strikes Targeting Weapons in Houthi-Controlled Yemen By Carla Babb, Jeff Seldin January 22, 2024 U.S. and British warplanes, backed by surface ships and submarines, launched a series of strikes into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen late Monday, aimed at further degrading the capabilities of Iranian-backed Houthi militants who have sought to carry out attacks against key shipping lanes in the Middle East. U.S. defense officials said the strikes hit multiple targets across eight locations, including an underground storage facility as well as missile launch sites and other locations linked to Houthi surveillance capabilities. The strike locations were intentionally selected to target weapons systems not to amass casualties, a senior military official told reporters. The official assessed the underground storage facility had "more advanced conventional weaponry" in it than sites hit in the first round of strikes on Jan. 11. "These precision strikes ... are in response to a series of illegal, dangerous and destabilizing Houthi actions," the U.S. and Britain said in a statement, noting the latest strikes were carried out with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. "We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats," the statement added. The Red Sea route carries about 15% of the world's maritime traffic. Major shipping companies have responded to the attacks by rerouting vessels on the longer and more expensive route around Africa. This is the eighth time U.S. military assets have struck Houthi targets in the past 10 days, but only the second time Washington has had help since Britain took part in the initial round of strikes earlier this month. A senior military official told reporters the strikes Monday had "removed significant capability" from the Houthis to launch attacks. A U.S. defense official "directly attributed ... the decline in the number and the ferocity of the [Houthi's] maritime attacks ... to the reduction in Houthi capability to carry out those attacks." "That does not mean they have no more capability, but we definitely believe that has had an impact," another U.S. official said. Since mid-November, the Houthis have launched 33 attacks on international shipping lanes, according to the Pentagon. The Houthis say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza under attack from Israel. Defense experts worry the United States is now fighting a regional war in the Middle East amid a sharp increase in attacks on American forces over the weekend. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday there have been 151 attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the October 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel, including a "barrage" of ballistic missiles fired at Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq that constituted "a larger-scale attack than we have seen before." Most of the missiles were shot down, Singh said, but those that landed on the base injured one Iraqi Security Forces member and caused traumatic brain injuries in two U.S. service members. The 151 attacks since October have injured at least 83 Americans in Iraq and Syria, a U.S. defense official said on Monday. All but two have returned to duty. "We do not seek escalation. We don't want to see it escalate," Singh said Monday in response to a question from VOA. "If you're in a scrap with somebody and you can find a way to tie one or both of their hands behind their back, that's not escalating. That's de-escalating. That's taking ability away from the other party to inflict harm," John Kirby, National Security Council director of strategic communications, told reporters Monday at the White House. Critics like Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, say the U.S. military's limited strikes against Iranian-backed targets across the Middle East amount to a "shoulder shrug" response to what he said was "absolutely" a "low-level, and in some cases not-so-low-level regional war going on." "Don't expect to have good policy coming out of Washington if we can't be objective and honest and assessing where we sit. Full points for not wanting a regional war and trying to avoid a regional war, but news flash, we appear to have one," Bowman told VOA. He added that as in any war, the adversary also gets a vote in whether the Middle East violence erupts into a full-blown war. "Our adversary here is [the] Islamic Republic of Iran and its network of terror proxies, and they are repeatedly trying to kill Americans. And the only reason why we haven't had more American casualties [is] because we've taken measures to defend ourselves, and we've gotten lucky. And sooner or later, luck runs out," Bowman said. Most of the attacks against U.S. forces inside Syria and Iraq have been claimed by an umbrella group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington's support for Israel in the war. Attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia on ships in and around the Red Sea for the past several weeks have bogged down trade between Asia and Europe and created fears of a widening war in the Middle East. Many of the attacks by the Houthis have targeted ships that are not associated with Israel. Also on Monday, the U.S. sanctioned Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani, saying the airline provided assistance to Iran's military wing and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN: Taliban Dismiss 600 Female Afghan Workers Over Edict Violations By Ayaz Gul January 22, 2024 The United Nations said Monday that the Taliban government in impoverished Afghanistan had recently forced hundreds of females out of their jobs for allegedly not adhering to Islamic law requirements imposed on women nationwide. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, or UNAMA, documented the job dismissals in its latest report on human rights, covering the last quarter of 2023 in a country where millions of people need humanitarian aid. "The de facto authorities continue to enforce and promulgate restrictions on women's rights to work, education, and freedom of movement," according to the report. UNAMA noted that the Taliban's Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice had taken the enforcement role, impeding women from working or accessing services because they were unmarried or did not have a male guardian. It said that a lack of compliance with the hijab or dress code, absence of a mahram, or male relative, and other restrictions imposed on women visiting public places, offices, and educational institutions had apparently led to at least 600 women losing jobs in two Afghan provinces during the reported period. The provincial chapter of the ministry banned 400 women from working in a pine-nut processing plant in eastern Nangarhar province in October without providing any reasons, while men were allowed to continue working, the report stated. It added that a Taliban-run power plant in northern Balkh province in November dismissed 200 women allegedly due to financial reasons, yet no male employees faced the same action. In one instance, the vice and virtue ministry officials "advised an unmarried female staff at a healthcare facility to get married or risk losing her job, stating that it was inappropriate for an unmarried woman to work," the report said. Last month, the ministry officials visited a bus terminal in southern Kandahar city to ensure that women were not traveling long distances without a male relative and instructed drivers not to allow female passengers to board buses if they are not accompanied by a chaperone, according to the UNAMA findings. The report said that women without male relatives in the eastern Paktia Province have been denied healthcare access since early December, with authorities from the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice continuing to visit provincial health facilities to ensure compliance. UNAMA stated that while there is no general ban on women's employment in Afghanistan, the mahram requirement effectively limits their right to work if they do not have a male relative who can accompany them to workplaces. The report recorded instances of arbitrary arrests and detentions, sentencing, and some releases of human rights defenders and journalists, including women, from October to December. "The de facto authorities continue to infringe the right to freedom of expression by limiting the public's opportunity to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas," UNAMA said. The report also documented growing suicide bombings and other attacks on members of the country's predominantly Shiite ethnic Hazara community over the past three months. The violence, mostly claimed by Islamic State militants, killed nearly 50 Afghan Shiite Muslims and wounded many more. The U.N. mission said its human rights workers continued to record extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and detentions, and torture and ill-treatment of former Afghan government officials and security forces. The Taliban have persistently denied the charges, saying they are adhering to a general amnesty their leadership announced after seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021. The fundamentalist Taliban have since imposed their strict interpretation of Islamic law, banning Afghan girls from receiving an education beyond sixth grade and most female employees from public as well as private workplaces. The international community has denounced the Taliban curbs on women and demanded they be removed immediately. No foreign country has recognized the de facto Afghan government, mainly over human rights concerns and the treatment of women. The Taliban rejected Monday's U.N. report, claiming it shows the world body's "ignorance" about Sharia or Islamic law. Zabihullah Mujahid, the chief Taliban spokesman, asserted in an English-language statement that denouncing Islamic rules as "an act against human rights...is obviously an insult to people's beliefs." Mujahid advised UNAMA to desist from criticizing the Afghan nation's religious matters. "Women's hijab, the necessity of Sharia mahram with women, Sharia environment for women's work and education....these are all the commitments and responsibilities of a responsive and Islamic government," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address An exhibition at the Palace Museum demonstrates how civilizations advanced together, Wang Kaihao reports. Blue-and-white porcelain is probably a good example of the global market in the ancient world. This Chinese ceramic variety gained a global reputation during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and over the following centuries, became one of the country's signature products on the flourishing Maritime Silk Road. Orders from overseas poured into Chinese kilns, and many countries along the trade routes also made their own variants. Nonetheless, when people look back at how this saga began, they may discover an interesting fact this "made-in-China "product was also an example of the international supply chain in the past, as the raw cobalt pigment initially used to make its amazing blue came from modern-day Iran. This is just one of the stories told through the 266 cultural artifacts on display at Historic Encounters: Interaction Between China and West Asia in History, an ongoing exhibition running through April 11 in the central hall of the Meridian Gate Galleries in Beijing's Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City. "In the blue-and-white porcelain on exhibit, you'll find many typical West Asian decorative patterns and inscriptions," Ji Luoyuan, the exhibition's curator and an associate researcher with the Palace Museum, says. "But China gradually developed its own materials during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and adopted more traditional Chinese patterns," he adds. "The craftsmanship and aesthetics of blue-and-white porcelain then became more localized. Chinese civilization has always been inclusive and creative." Chemistry between China and West Asia occurred long before that. For millennia, the rise of metallurgy in West Asia greatly influenced its counterpart in China. "Distinctive West Asian elements thus surfaced on Chinese bronze vessels and weapons, as well as on gold and silver items," Ji says. Nonetheless, as Chinese civilization favored order and harmony from the start, ritual was particularly highlighted. "That explains why bronze was mainly used in West Asia to make tools and weapons, but in China it developed into a complicated system of ritual artifacts," Ji adds. The millennia-old ceremonial bronze musical instruments from the Palace Museum's own collection take visitors back to Confucius' time to appreciate the ways that the cold metal inspired the imaginations of Chinese sages, resulting in a time of great thinkers. Though smaller in size and rougher in appearance, one of the bronze daggers on display may prove equally amazing. Carved in the shape of dragon head with a pair of turquoise eyes, the Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC) dagger, which displays typical elements from both China and West Asia, hints at the kind of cultural exchanges that occurred across the Eurasian grasslands before recorded history. Just as bronze, which originated in West Asia and once enriched the genes of ancient Chinese civilization, silk from China may also have shaped the path of development on the other side of the continent, as it once inspired caravans to endure the tough desert crossing in search of wealth. An ivory sculpture of a silkworm, unearthed from the 5,300-year-old Shuanghuaishu site in Henan province, tells the early chapters of the silk legend, while other exhibits explain its sequel. "Chinese silk continued to spread westward, but Chinese artisans also absorbed elements of textiles from West and Central Asia and used them to improve their own patterns and techniques," Ji says. "The communication was in two directions." A group of textiles unearthed in the present-day Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were chosen to directly reflect this mix. "Ancient artisans in West Asia may not have known silk weaving techniques, but their skill at weaving wool was introduced to China and adopted to make silk pieces," the curator explains. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907), Chinese silk borrowed patterns then popular in West Asian textiles, which had a lasting influence on the later development of the silk industry. Glass was another major cultural ambassador between China and West Asia. Though glass beads were introduced to China, becoming part of the collections of nobles as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), it only became a key import after the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) when trade along the Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road routes thrived. As a result, Chinese artisans were inspired to make glass products of their own. A graveyard in Datong in today's Shanxi province, which was once the capital city of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534), has yielded many pieces of exquisite glassware, as the exhibition shows. During the fifth century, when the city was known as Pingcheng, it was a hub for glass production. Ji says that the use of precious glass vessels was also localized after their arrival in China. For example, after glass perfume bottles were introduced to China from Persia, they were popular at Buddhist temples for use during the worship of sacred relics. One highlighted exhibit is a typically Islamic-style glass plate dating back to the Tang Dynasty. It was found in the underground palace of the Famen Temple in Xi'an in Shaanxi, and may prove surprising for its inclusion in a royal Tang Buddhist temple. "How much influence a civilization accepts depends on whether it has an open mind and an inclusive attitude toward others," Wang Guangyao, a researcher at the Palace Museum, says. In the center of the gallery, a cluster of Tang pottery figurines known as sancai grab attention. They include figurines of camels and merchants from West and Central Asia. In spite of their age, their glaze and vividly portrayed facial expressions still seem fresh, and remind people of the importance of exchanges. These pioneering merchants may have disappeared into the dust of time, but the routes they once explored have become immortal. In the New Book of Tang, the official history of the dynasty compiled by the famous 11th-century historian and poet Ouyang Xiu, different routes from China to the Arabian Peninsula are recorded, along with various countries and their distances. A copy printed in the Forbidden City in 1739 is on display near the entrance of the exhibition as a teaser. "Civilization means that a group of people inspire their surrounding areas to prosper as they achieve development," Wang explains. "Interactions between ancient China and West Asia not only benefited each other, but also influenced other regions and contributed to their shared growth," he says. Cambodia, France Boost Relations in Hun Manet's First Western Visit By Sun Narin, Colin Meyn January 22, 2024 France and Cambodia have signed a $235 million aid agreement for drinking water and energy infrastructure development, as well as vocational training. The deal is part of a move to boost bilateral relations between the two countries, which have maintained a postcolonial dialogue since Cambodia became independent in 1953. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace and announced the pact last week. It was the West Point graduate's first official visit to a Western power since succeeding his father, Hun Sen, in August. "Cambodia will always remember France's role in contributing to national economic recovery and development through the French Development Agency," Hun Manet said at a press conference alongside Macron. "I hope that my visit to France, especially with the president, will enable us to discuss the work that needs to further strengthen Cambodia-France relations," Hun Manet said Thursday. The meeting with Macron came just months after France joined other European Union countries in expressing concern about July's election, in which Cambodia's main opposition party was barred from participating. After July's elections, in which the ruling Cambodian People's Party won all but five seats in parliament, France called for the release of jailed opposition politicians and respect for Cambodia's democratic obligations under international pacts and domestic law. Former Prime Minister Hun Sen was the ruling party's prime minister candidate in the election but quickly stepped down to make way for his son in a long-planned succession. Hun Sen remains the president of the ruling party and is expected to be the president of the Senate after elections in late February. Hun Manet's first trip after succeeding his father in August was to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People. Cambodia has long supported China in return for receiving significant investments, loans and grants to build infrastructure, according to analysts. Cambodia's democratic donors have largely set aside differences over political freedom and human rights to focus on areas of cooperation with the new government in Phnom Penh. During the visit, Macron reiterated France's appreciation of Cambodia's position at the United Nations regarding Russia's war against Ukraine, according to the joint statement. Cambodia has repeatedly voted with Ukraine's supporters in condemning Russia's invasion, in a rare break with China on the world stage. Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is in exile in France, criticized Macron in a post on Facebook and an opinion article in The Geopolitics for legitimizing Hun Manet's rule. "Macron has clearly made the calculation that it is better to engage with dictators rather than deny them legitimacy," he wrote. "There is no sign that Macron, along with some other Western leaders, fully understands the unseen impacts of affording high-profile acceptance and credibility to dictators such as Hun Manet," Sam Rainsy added. "An official visit to a venue such as the Elysee is a major propaganda coup for any such regime. It gives an unequivocal message to the Cambodian regime and the Cambodian people that arrests of and violence against opposition supporters can continue." Sok Eysan, a spokesman for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, told VOA Khmer on Friday that the visit showed that the Cambodian government and its new prime minister were recognized by the world's leaders and other officials. Before traveling to France, Manet also attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While there, he met with Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development. In a post on X, Power said they discussed "opportunities to build a more productive relationship." Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, criticized Power's approach: "How about talking about human rights, Samantha? #Cambodia has descended into a single party dictatorship under the Hun family and you want a 'more productive' relationship? Aiya! How about some sanctions instead?" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arab League urges U.S. to adopt stance leading to Gaza ceasefire People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:38, January 23, 2024 CAIRO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Arab League (AL) on Monday urged the United States to stop supporting the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and to adopt a stance coherent with international humanitarian law. It urged the United States to adopt a stance that leads to a full and sustainable ceasefire in Gaza and to pressure Israel to stop its aggression and siege on the strip, read the resolution passed at the bloc's emergency meeting on Palestine held Monday at its headquarters in Cairo. The AL also warned against what it called "Israeli plans" to push the nearly 2 million internally displaced Palestinians in Gaza towards the border with Egypt. The pan-Arab body demanded the swift implementation of Security Council Resolution 2720 adopted in December 2023 and urgent steps to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza in a safe and unobstructed way. Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive in Gaza to retaliate against a surprise attack by Hamas, the ruler of the enclave, on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, when about 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies. So far, the Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 25,295, the Gaza-based Health Ministry said on Monday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Operation Iron Swords - Day 108 - 22 January 2024 The US called the attacks in Yemen "Operation Poseidon Archer", accoring to CNN. The United States and the United Kingdom have carried out a new round of strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen as the Iran-aligned armed group continues to target commercial shipping in the Red Sea. The Houthis, who control much of Yemen, have attacked dozens of ships in the major waterway since November, disrupting international maritime trade and raising concern about the impact on the global economy. The US and UK said they had carried out eight strikes, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities. These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners, the joint statement said. Grant Shapps, Britain's defense secretary, said that the attacks are another blow to the Houthis' ability to threaten global trade, and that Britain will continue to support regional stability throughout the Middle The US Central Command also stated, "The attacks were aimed at areas in Yemen controlled by the Houthis who routinely attack international trade ships and ships of the US Navy, and are intended to damage the ability of the Houthis to continue their attacks." The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars and weapons storage facilities." Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip witnessed difficult hours as a result of it being subjected to an unprecedented and intense Israeli bombardment that left more than 160 martyrs and wounded, amid explosions and Israeli attempts to penetrate the western axis of the city, and fierce clashes waged by the resistance that led to the killing of at least three occupation officers and the injury of dozens of others. At a time when the occupation army announced the expansion of its operations in Khan Yunis and spoke of 7 brigades operating underground and above ground, the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) said that Israel had committed a new crime against the displaced by bombing 5 shelter centers in the governorate. This resulted in dozens of martyrs and wounded. Israeli media confirmed the killing and wounding of more than 20 officers and soldiers in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, and Likud Party Minister Tali Gottliff called on the army to issue an official statement clarifying this news. Israeli sources told Axios "Israel" has presented The Palestinian Resistance with a plan through Qatari and Egyptian mediators that includes up to two months of a pause in the war as part of a multi-phase settlement that would also involve the release of all remaining captives in Gaza. The proposal would have a pause of up to two months but had no mention of a permanent ceasefire, as the Israeli genocidal war against the Strip has claimed the lives of 25,295 Palestinians with the number of injuries reaching a staggering 63,000 since October 7. Brett McGurk, President Biden's assistant, visited Egypt on Sunday and will then go to Qatar for discussions aimed at making progress in the negotiations to free Israeli captives while disregarding the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Israeli officials told Axios they are awaiting a response from Hamas regarding the potential deal, which includes the release of all remaining captives and a return of the bodies of those who have died. The officials explained the first phase would involve the release of women and men over the age of 60, and captives with serious medical conditions. The next steps would entail the release of female IOF troops, non-military individuals under the age of 60, Israeli male troops, and bodies of captives. The Israeli occupation and Hamas would agree on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released, followed by separate discussions on the identities of these detainees, according to the Israeli proposal. Additionally, the idea involves redeploying the IDF such that some are relocated out of Gaza's key population centers, as well as enabling Palestinian people to gradually return to Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip when the accord is executed. According to Israeli authorities, the plan clearly states that Israel would neither agree to halt the war nor free all 6,000 Palestinian inmates held in Israeli jails, which are among the main conditions of the resistance to initiate any captives exchange agreement. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich believes that the claim that Israeli captives in Gaza can be released and then "Israel" could go back to fighting and eliminate Hamas is "science fiction." The Knesset Channel quoted Smotrich as saying that he would not agree to a deal that includes a ceasefire with Hamas, adding: "You can say that releasing the captives and going back to fighting and eliminating Hamas is science fiction." It is worth noting that Smotrich and Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben Gvir always urge in their extremist statements to continue fighting and continue the war with the declared aim of destroying the Gaza Strip. Former Israeli Reserve General Yitzhak Brick has said that Israel will not be able to achieve its main war objectives of ending Hamas and its political and military capabilities or retrieving the captives, and this failure would impose on the occupation entity paying a very heavy price. US National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby told reporters earlier that US President Joe Biden "still believes in the promise and the possibility of a two-state solution." The mother of Israeli soldier Ron Sherman (19 years old), who was detained by the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip , accused the Israeli army of deliberately killing her son during the assassination of the commander of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - Ahmed Al-Ghandour in Jabalia, north of sector last November. Sherman's mother said that the army knew where her son and two other hostages were being held with him, but the army chose to sacrifice him to eliminate the commander of the Hamas Northern Brigade. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz called for the opening of an independent investigation into the killing of three Israeli detainees with poison gas thrown by the Israeli army inside a tunnel in Gaza, according to what the mother of one of the detainees said. The newspaper asked, "Did the Israeli army use poison gas in Gaza to kill people in the tunnels? And if it used such a tactic, is this legal under the laws of war to which Israel is bound?" It continued, "Are the lives of the hostages taken into account when making decisions about the tunnels?" Operational Update Al Jazeera military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, said that the method of managing the battle in the northern Gaza Strip differed significantly, as the defensive approach of the resistance became based on lone wolves undertaking the task of monitoring and passing information to reach movement and fire, while he described the Israeli-discovered tunnel in Khan Yunis in the south as for public service purposes. Al-Duwairi explained that the first approach was based on large-scale attacks by pushing the Israeli forces deep into Gaza City, but now the number has become limited at its highest level and is estimated at a brigade. He pointed out that the battle now boils down to a battle of movement, as the Israelis seek to make incursions, and the speed of its movement depends on the corresponding measures taken by lone wolves distributed over more than one region. He pointed out that the mission of these wolves is to distract the invading Israeli forces by distributing their members in a systematic manner consistent with the nature of the land, as areas have been prepared for luring and killing, adding that if the occupation forces stop and retreat, they will be closed in, and if they advance, they will be confronted. Regarding what was reported by the Israeli newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth", 130 Israeli commanders and officers who participated in the Gaza war sent a letter to the Council of Ministers and the Chief of Staff, in which they demanded rejecting the return of the displaced to the northern Gaza Strip before the return of the prisoners. Al-Duwairi described the step as an "immoral barter." Al-Duwairi explained that the message expresses the state of crisis that the IDF has reached, and includes the conviction that it will not be able to defeat the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) militarily, stressing that the process of systematic displacement is still at the core of Israeli plans. Al-Duwairi believes that the satellite images - which were broadcast by Al-Jazeera and showed small numbers of Israeli vehicles on the Gaza coastal strip - have limited implications and do not portend any future step, because they did not depict the positioning of the Israeli army in the main areas. The military expert stated that the main body of the Israeli forces is located in the areas not covered by the pictures, as he said that it was supposed to focus on the Gaza Valley area, where there are two brigades, and which is a concentration area for forces, as well as the eastern area of Gaza City. As for the video published by the Israeli army about a tunnel it discovered in Khan Yunis in the south, which it claimed was used to detain prisoners, Al-Duwairi described the tunnel as having good finishes, but it is classified as public service tunnels and not combat and strategic tunnels. He added that this discovered tunnel does not lead to a network of branched tunnels that were built according to specific standards, and in which certain types do not overlap with other types, while he said that the Israeli march, which was controlled by the Al- Qassam Brigades - the military wing of Hamas - will be used in reverse engineering to develop the Al-Zawari and Ababil marches. Regarding what was reported by the Israeli media that the form of the battle in the Gaza Strip will change, Al-Duwairi pointed out that in the ongoing wars (the World War - the Vietnam War - the Afghanistan War - the Iraq War) it was necessary to make a change in the plans to fit the changes on the ground. He stressed that the Israeli army suffered an intelligence, operational and tactical failure in Gaza, as failure was the title of the Israeli intelligence work system despite the huge size of the forces in the Gaza Strip, pointing out that the goals of the war were not achieved, stressing that the military is the one who determines the change in the form of the battle. As for expectations for the future of the Gaza battles, Al-Duwairi revealed that war is one of the means of politics, and the one who controls the pace of the battles is the political decision, and the military implements the political decision, which in turn seeks to prolong the war. The Al- Quds Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement - broadcast scenes that it said were from the artillery attack on Israeli enemy concentrations, soldiers and vehicles on the frontlines of the advance in the center of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. The video stated that after controlling an Autel Evo Max 4t reconnaissance aircraft, Al-Saraya fighters carried out an artillery take-up operation based on the important information they obtained from the controlled aircraft. In the video broadcast by Al Jazeera, Al Saraya showed scenes from the plane, which it said was used to create three-dimensional flight paths, equipped with a laser finder to determine coordinates with high accuracy, and equipped with a high-resolution thermal imaging camera. It contains a GPS device. It also showed scenes from the aerial survey from the controlled plane and from field monitoring after analyzing the aerial survey coordinates, in addition to scenes from enemy helicopters landing to evacuate the dead and wounded. Commenting on the scenes shown by Al Jazeera, the military and strategic expert, Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi, suggested that the plane from which the Al-Quds Brigades obtained important information did not go down, but was descended in order to obtain information. Al-Duwairi mentioned - in his daily military analysis - that the landing operation provided more than one benefit to the Palestinian resistance, first that it provided information about the locations of the Israeli army forces, and that the areas identified by this plane were bombed with mortars, in addition to that the resistance will benefit from these planes. In developing its capabilities for drones and others. Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked terrorist infrastructure and observation posts of the terrorist organization Hezbollah in the area of the villages of Laida and Itarun in southern Lebanon. In addition, the IDF attacked a military structure of the organization in the Majdal Salem area. Fighter jets of the Air Force attacked a military building in the Maroon al-Ras area where terrorists from the terrorist organization Hezbollah were staying. After the attack on the building, many sub-explosions can be seen, indicating the invention of weapons on the spot. In addition, three observation posts and a military structure of the Hezbollah terrorist organization were attacked in the areas of Marvin, Shehin, Taiba and Tir-Kharfa in southern Lebanon. Also, IDF forces attacked several other areas in southern Lebanon. The fighters of the 401st Brigade combat team destroyed a training post of the terrorist organization Hamas in Derj Tupah. The outpost had, among other things, a facility for training in an underground route, a simulator for firing mortars and a swimming pool for training in preparation for a naval raid. In the battle in which the late Major David Alfasi, the late Major Ilay Levy and the late Captain Eyal Meborech Toito fell, another soldier from the 202nd Battalion, the Parachute Brigade was seriously injured. In addition, two fighters in the 603rd Engineering Battalion, 'Saar Megolan' formation (7), were seriously injured in a battle in the southern Gaza Strip. The injured were evacuated to receive medical treatment at the hospitals, their families were informed. In recent weeks, the Kafir brigade combat team has been operating in the Khan Yunis region. During the fighting, the forces eliminated dozens of terrorists, raided dozens of terrorist infrastructures and took control of Hamas headquarters. In recent days, the battle team of the Kafir Brigade has been operating in the Kasbah in Khan Yunis in the 'Bnei Suhila' neighborhood. The forces located in the Kasbah many weapons, weapons, explosives, grenades, cartridges and rockets. In one of the raids, a home lathe that was used to create weapons was found and destroyed. "During the fighting, we searched considerable areas in the area of ??the Kasbah and the neighborhoods and the other locations," described Major General Duchifat, Lt. Col. Sahar, "We found a military base, we found a lot of enemy infrastructure, we destroyed them all. The fighting was carried out with quite a few professional engineering forces, which In partnership, we destroyed shafts, destroyed underground infrastructure, and eliminated terrorists." The brigade combat team began to operate with the beginning of the maneuver in the northern area of the Gaza Strip in the neighborhood of Shajaiya and then in the south in Khan Yunis. This is the first time that the brigade is maneuvering in cooperation with the armored, air and engineering forces, working shoulder to shoulder in face-to-face battles against terrorists, above and below ground. The fighters of the Kafir Brigade's combat team left the Gaza Strip last night for several days to refresh and improve their skills and were replaced by other forces in Khan Yunis, after which the brigade will continue operational activity according to the assessment of the situation. As part of the activity of the battle team of the 'Yiftah' brigade in the center of the Gaza Strip, a terrorist squad that approached the forces was eliminated. Later, a number of terrorists were identified who tried to ambush the fighters in the area and in further cooperation with the Air Force, the fighters directed an aircraft that eliminated the terrorists. In the north of the Gaza Strip, forces from the 5th Brigade Combat Team identified a squad of armed terrorists. The fighters responded by firing and killed one terrorist, directed an Air Force aircraft that killed the rest of the terrorists and a fighter plane that destroyed the military building where the squad was operating. The Palestinian resistance confirmed the targeting of members of the Israeli army in various locations in the Gaza Strip, and Israeli Radio said that the army deepened and expanded its operations in Khan Yunis, south of the Strip. The Al -Qassam Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) - broadcast images showing an Israeli spy drone, which it said it had captured in an intelligence operation in the northern Gaza Strip. Pictures obtained by Al Jazeera showed scenes of battles fought by Al-Qassam on the outskirts of Gaza City, and showed the brigades targeting Israeli soldiers and vehicles in the Al-Daraj and Al-Tuffah neighborhoods. The Al- Quds Brigades - the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement - said that its fighters targeted, with a "Badr 1" missile, a gathering of Israeli soldiers east of the Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip. The brigades also bombed with mortar shells a site where Israeli soldiers are stationed, east of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City, and targeted an Israeli military vehicle with an RPG shell in the center of Khan Yunis. For his part, Al Jazeera's correspondent confirmed that the resistance is confronting the Israeli forces with machine guns in the Sheikh Radwan and Al-Nasr neighborhoods in Gaza City, and said that violent clashes are taking place southwest of the city following an attempt by the Israeli forces to advance. The Israeli army announced the killing of two soldiers in battles yesterday in the Gaza Strip, bringing the total number of its deaths to 532 since the seventh of last October. On the other hand, Israeli Radio said that the army deepened and expanded its operations in Khan Yunis, and explained that there are 7 brigades active underground and above ground in the region. The Battle of Khan Yunis is approaching its third month without the Israeli army being able to tighten its control over the governorate, which the Israeli army commanders see as the most important militarily center for the resistance. The Israeli forces published - earlier - pictures showing a tunnel that they said was housing prisoners in Khan Yunis, and the video clip showed the path of a tunnel extending hundreds of meters and a number of rooms, and the Israeli army spokesman, Daniel Hagari, announced - on Saturday - that the army had found this tunnel underneath. One of the houses in Khan Yunis, confirming that they had obtained evidence indicating that it was used to detain Israeli kidnappers at different periods, adding that the depth of the tunnel reached 20 meters, and included 5 cells and a central courtyard. More than 50 days after the start of its ground invasion, Israeli vehicles reach the vicinity of Al-Amal Hospital, west of Khan Yunis, and Nasser Hospital, the main hospital there. As for eastern Khan Yunis, the clashes and artillery shelling did not subside for nearly two months of fighting. Bani Suhaila was the second point of the ground incursion, specifically from the Al-Fokhari area, where Israeli vehicles entered under heavy fire cover and fire belts that burned everything, and continued their march until they reached Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis. Israeli forces also penetrated from the Zinna area and from the New Abasan side until the areas east of Khan Yunis were completely separated from the areas west of the governorate. After separating Khan Yunis from the central areas of the Gaza Strip and isolating the eastern areas of the governorate from its west, Israeli forces move to completely separate Khan Yunis from Rafah, south of Gaza. The Israeli army says that in Khan Yunis it is fighting above and below the ground, but it seems surprised by the ferocity of the resistance on the fighting fronts there, which is what Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy indicated by saying that they are fighting an enemy that has been preparing for a very long time to defend itself in a very organized manner, and that the fighting is taking place in a very complex geographical area. The Hebrew media described what happened in Khan Yunis as a difficult event, explaining that an explosion rocked two buildings with soldiers inside. The "Journalists Without Censorship" channel said on "Telegram": "Friends, there is a difficult event unfolding in Gaza. We write very carefully. Two buildings exploded with our force inside them. One of the buildings collapsed on a reserve battalion. So far there are definitely 8 dead, and 10 missing who have not been confirmed." "Identify any one of them, and 6 are trapped." The city of Khan Yunis is witnessing violent bombardment in conjunction with the Israeli armys attempts to penetrate the city center, and the Palestinian factions confirm their continued confrontation with the army forces. The Hebrew media also described this day inside the Gaza Strip as the most brutal since the outbreak of the war. The "Al-Qassam Brigades" announced on Monday that it targeted four Israeli "Merkvah" tanks with an "Al-Yassin 105" shell, and targeted an infantry force with an anti-personnel shell, leaving them dead and wounded. Al-Qassam also targeted an Israeli "D9" bulldozer with a "Tandum" shell. West of the city of Khan Yunis, south of the Gaza Strip. In recent days, fighting has escalated significantly in the areas of central and southern Gaza Strip, especially in the refugee camps in central Gaza and the city of Khan Yunis, and Israeli warplanes are launching violent raids on Khan Yunis amid ground forces trying to advance deeper into it. For their part, the Palestinian resistance factions continue their fierce fighting against the Israeli army, and announced several times during the day the killing and destruction of Israeli vehicles in the areas of the incursion into Khan Yunis. The New York Times reported that American, British and European officials are putting pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter the Gaza Strip through the port of Ashdod. The newspaper quoted sources as saying that US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken raised this issue earlier in January during negotiations with representatives of the Israeli authorities in Tel Aviv. According to the Western plan, the goods will be delivered from Cyprus to the port of Ashdod, and from there they will be transported to the Kerem Shalom checkpoint and to Gaza, with the aim of having a practical alternative to aid supplies via Egypt that meets Israels requirements regarding verification procedures. The newspaper indicated that the most that was achieved in this direction was Israel's agreement to allow the supply of flour to the Palestinian population via Ashdod. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has stated on more than one occasion that the capacity of the Kerem Shalom and Rafah inspection crossings is not sufficient to meet the needs of the residents of the Palestinian Strip and solve the humanitarian catastrophe. The Times of Israel newspaper quoted the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as categorically denying Foreign Minister Yisrael Katzs offer to displace the residents of Gaza to an artificial island, and said that what the minister offered was to build a port for Gaza on an artificial island. Media reports quoted the Israeli minister during his meeting with his counterparts in the European Union to discuss the next day after the war on Gaza, as saying on Monday: We presented the idea of an artificial island that would be an alternative homeland for the Palestinians. The minister said that the island would be 5 kilometers from the coast of Gaza, and a port and airport could be established on it to be a commercial center similar to Singapore, as he put it. He added that Israel will control what enters and exits the island and connects it to the mainland via two bridges. Sources told Al Jazeera that some European ministers expressed their concern about this Israeli perception of displacing the Palestinians. Many ministers in Benjamin Netanyahu 's government had spoken since the beginning of the war on Gaza about the displacement of Palestinians from the Strip, and one of them said that what we are witnessing now is the "Gaza Nakba." Al Jazeera's correspondent reported that the Israeli forces continued their nightly arrest campaigns in the cities and towns of the occupied West Bank, arresting a number of young Palestinians, and others were injured as a result of being shot or subjected to severe beatings. The Israeli forces stormed the town of Kafr Ain, north of Ramallah in the West Bank, and wounded a young Palestinian man with live ammunition during the storming operation. Local Palestinian platforms published video clips documenting the Israeli forces raiding the home of prisoner Rami Barghouti during their storming of the town. Israeli forces stormed the town of Beitunia, west of Ramallah, and local Palestinian accounts circulated scenes of the Israeli forces' incursion into the town, and also stormed the towns of Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya and Silwad, east of Ramallah. The Israeli forces also stormed the town of Zawata, west of the city of Nablus in the West Bank. Local Palestinian platforms published video clips documenting this raid. They also stormed the town of Sebastia in Nablus, as well as the western neighborhood of the town of Beita, south of Nablus. In Tulkarm , a young Palestinian man was shot by the Israeli forces during their storming of the Shweika suburb, north of the city. The young man was in his car trying to avoid the foot force that was patrolling the suburb, but they opened fire on him and hit him with two bullets, which led to his car swerving and colliding with an electricity pole. In Jenin, in the northern West Bank, two young Palestinians were injured after being severely beaten by Israeli soldiers in the town of Yaabad, southwest of the city. Foot soldiers from the Israeli army also stormed the village of Faqoua, northeast of Jenin, according to local sources. Also in Jenin, Al Jazeera's correspondent said that Palestinian resistance fighters opened fire on the Israeli military checkpoint in Al-Jalama, north of the city. He added that the Israeli forces stormed the village of Al-Jalama, north of Jenin, after the military checkpoint came under fire, and launched a massive combing operation to search for the resistance fighters. Meanwhile, confrontations and clashes broke out in the town of Nahalin, west of Bethlehem, where the Israeli army fired live bullets and tear gas bombs at Palestinian homes, closed shops, and sent military reinforcements to the town after Palestinian youths repelled the intrusion. Palestinian accounts on social media showed video clips documenting the Israeli forces storming of the town of Beit Ummar, north of the city of Hebron , in the southern West Bank. Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the Israeli forces also stormed the city of Al-Dhahiriya, south of Hebron, amid live bullets, and raided a number of homes, and also stormed the Al-Aroub camp, north of Hebron. The Israeli forces also stormed the Shuafat camp, north of occupied Jerusalem , and arrested a young man from the camp. Local Palestinian platforms published a video clip documenting the arrest of the young man. The Israeli police, accompanied by municipal crews and a military bulldozer, stormed the town of Silwan on Sunday afternoon, deployed in the Al-Thawri neighborhood, closed the road leading to it, and began demolishing the wall of the house without notifying the family. The Israeli forces arrested 15 Palestinians, including freed prisoners, in an operation that continued until yesterday, Sunday, in various parts of the West Bank. Among the detainees were 3 young men from the Shweiki family in the Al-Thawri neighborhood, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem. The Israeli forces beat the young men while they were trying to demolish a wall surrounding their house under the pretext of opening a street surrounding the neighborhood. The Lebanese Hezbollah announced the killing of two of its members and bombed several Israeli military sites. The Israeli army responded by bombing towns and villages in the south, while the majority of residents of northern Israel expressed their fear of returning to their homes. A party statement mourned Ali Saeed Yahya from the town of Taybeh in southern Lebanon, and had previously mourned Sameh Asaad Asaad, from the town of Kafr Kila in the south, who were killed in confrontations with the Israeli army in southern Lebanon, raising the number of party members killed since October 8. /Last October to 146. In the context of the confrontations between Hezbollah and the Israeli army, the party said that its members targeted an Israeli army force in the Israeli Abu Dajj Heights with appropriate weapons. Hezbollah had announced, in two previous separate statements, that its members had targeted an Israeli force in the vicinity of the Zarit barracks with missile weapons, at midnight yesterday, Sunday. He also announced that his members targeted a gathering of Israeli soldiers in the vicinity of the monk site, opposite the town of Aita al-Shaab in southern Lebanon, with appropriate weapons and achieved a direct hit. The party stated that it repelled an attack by Israeli forces off the southern border, at a time when they intended to strike targets inside Lebanese territory. On the other hand, the Israeli army targeted residential buildings in several towns and villages in southern Lebanon with air strikes and artillery shelling using phosphorus shells. The official Lebanese news agency reported that Israeli artillery targeted the town of Kafr Kila with phosphorous shells , amid a sweeping operation with machine guns from Metulla towards the town. It pointed out that the Israeli raid on the town of Taybeh caused major damage to the towns high school, and the high school director and members of the educational staff survived the bombing. It indicated that an Israeli drone fired a missile at a residential room inside an agricultural project in the Abel al-Qamh locality, outside the town of Wazzani, without recording any casualties. An Israeli drone also fired a missile behind the "Khiam Detention Center" in the town of Khiam, south of Lebanon, and artillery bombed Al-Awaida Hill from the Taibe side. The agency said that this afternoon, Israeli warplanes carried out an air attack, targeting with an air strike the home of the citizen S. Yaghi in the town of Tayr Harfa, firing two air-to-surface missiles at him, causing significant damage. It is noteworthy that the Israeli bombing caused the displacement of more than 83,000 Lebanese from their homes, according to data from the International Organization for Migration. The border areas in southern Lebanon have witnessed increasing security tension and an exchange of fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli army since the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip , where 200 people were killed on the Lebanese side, including 146 from Hezbollah and 25 civilians, including 3 journalists and two paramedics, in addition to a Lebanese soldier and 20 fighters. From the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Islamic Jihad Movement. On the Israeli side, it was announced that only 9 soldiers and 6 civilians were killed, knowing that Israel imposes military censorship on this information and no independent party can verify the accuracy of these numbers. In a related context, an Israeli academic study showed that about 60% of the settlers who were evacuated from the northern regions feared returning to their homes. While about 40% of those who remained in their homes confirmed that they experienced post-traumatic stress symptoms without receiving organized psychological support from the state, according to what was reported by Israeli Channel 13. The study also showed that post-traumatic feelings increased three times among the residents of the Eastern Galilee, compared to the period before the Al-Aqsa Flood battle . The publication of the study coincided with the announcement that the Israeli army was preparing a plan for the possible shelter of about 100,000 people on the northern border. The Israeli Walla website reported that the aforementioned shelter plan comes in preparation for their evacuation in light of the possible escalation. In turn, the mayor of Haifa said that the city's residents should stock up on food in the event of a war with Lebanon. The deteriorating situation among Israelis in the north prompted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Galant to stress that even if Hezbollah stops its operations, Israel will not stop until the security situation on the northern border changes. Galant added, during his meeting with French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu, that war with Hezbollah would be harsh on Israel and devastating for Hezbollah and Lebanon, as he put it. Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant hosted French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu at the Ministry of Defense headquarters in Tel Aviv. On the northern front, he expressed gratitude to Minister Lecornu for France's commitment to altering the security dynamics in southern Lebanon. Of particular importance is the effort to push Hezbollah forces away from the border, reducing potential threats to Israel. "A war in the north will be challenging for Israel, but devastating for Hezbollah and Lebanon. Israel will not cease fire until it can guarantee the safe return of the northern communities to their homes, following a change in the security situation along the border, Gallant declared in the meeting. Against the background of the ongoing tensions on the northern border and the reports of an Israeli proposal for a unilateral ceasefire - the Lebanese media is in a frenzy. The editor of a newspaper affiliated with Hezbollah commented yesterday (Monday) morning on the reports about the proposal of senior officers in the north and wrote that "things are moving towards a big war". In the meantime, in the political system in Lebanon that does not belong to Hezbollah, there is harsh criticism of the conduct that leads to war in the country. "It is true that Hezbollah does not want to start a large-scale war, but that does not mean at all that it is willing to pay high prices in exchange for not entering the war," wrote Ibrahim Al-Amin, the editor of the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is affiliated with the terrorist organization, in his article. "This is an inevitable reaction, even if it leads to things rolling towards a major war. Therefore, the ball is back in Israel's court." "The war will stop if it stops its aggression in Gaza," he continued. "Otherwise, she has no choice but to exist together with the existing reality in Lebanon and the other resistance fronts. She is the one who will bear the responsibility for what will happen if she continues her stubbornness." In his words, the editor responded to the reports published in recent days, according to which senior officers proposed to create a "new equation" with Hezbollah, and to initiate a unilateral 48-hour ceasefire, and if Hezbollah does not abide by it - Israel will launch an extensive campaign in the framework of which it will attack thousands of the organization's targets south of the river Litani. In the Lebanese newspaper A-Diyar, they commented on the report and wrote that it was: "trapped and failed from the beginning". According to the sources in the newspaper, Hezbollah's position is "clear and decisive", and the organization's Secretary General Nasrallah announced that the only option is to end the war in Gaza. "Israel violates the sovereignty in Lebanon, so the responsibility falls on both sides" Even in the political system on behalf of Hezbollah, they responded to the reports by canceling them. "The enemy sends threats and messages in many ways, but we are fully prepared for any possibility," said Hassan Fadlallah, a member of the Lebanese parliament on behalf of Hezbollah. "All the options are on the agenda. Everything that Israel offers will not change the equation and our choice is to continue the resistance. The equation is to stop the aggression in Gaza in order to open doors to other matters." Other politicians in Lebanon who are not from Hezbollah, criticized the conduct of the army in the country which allowed tensions to rise. "Hezbollah decided to open a front in support of Gaza and violated Resolution 1701," said the chairman of the Lebanese Phalange Party, Sami Al-Jamail. The solution is for Lebanon to restore its sovereignty and enforce the implementation of Resolution 1701 with the deployment of the army along the entire border in cooperation with UNIFIL. "The Unity of the Arenas is a violation of the Lebanese people's right to self-determination, and this is evidence that there is a 'team' that decides on behalf of the Lebanese that all of Lebanon should be part of a regional war led by Iran," he added. The chairman of the Christian Lebanese Forces party, Samir Jaja, also referred to the failed conduct of the army in the country. "Lebanon is in the eye of the storm," he said. "If the Lebanese army were deployed along the southern border, we would prevent Lebanon and its inhabitants from what is happening now". The field escalation continues between the Israeli forces and the Lebanese Hezbollah on the border with Lebanon, while the Israeli targeting circle appears to be expanding day after day until it exceeds a few kilometers north of the Litani River. The IDF focused its precise operations and assassinated prominent figures in Hezbollahs field cadre, most notably Hussam Tawil (Hajj Jawad), one of the leaders of the Al-Radwan Force, who was assassinated on January 8, 2024. The IDF also withdrew from the Gaza Strip all elements of the 36th Division, which includes the Golani Brigade , the 188th Brigade, and the 7th Brigade of the Armored Corps, Artillery and Engineering Corps. The military correspondent for the Wala website, Amir Bouhbut, linked this to the IDF s efforts to maintain the efficiency of the forces in light of the threats on the northern front. With Lebanon." Although Hezbollah is balancing between maintaining the level of deterrence without going to open war, the repercussions of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation last October 7 reinforce the IDFs fears of a repeat of the event on its northern front, and thus lead it towards more and more confrontation. Talk about a possible confrontation between Hezbollah and the Israel raises many questions, perhaps the most prominent of which are related to the dangers that Tel Aviv fears during any confrontation in the north at the operational and strategic levels. In a research paper entitled The Day After the War, the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies believes that this confrontation would impose on Israel new and more difficult challenges than those it experienced in its ongoing war on Gaza, or in previous confrontations with Hezbollah, which will affect The nature of war if it breaks out. Iran has exploited its growing influence in Iraq and Syria to enhance the traditional capabilities of the axis of resistance, independent of its nuclear capabilities. In recent years, this axis has become a cohesive alliance of entities with great military capabilities, spearheaded by Hezbollah and working in integrated coordination with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Hezbollah is considered one of the most powerful quasi-governmental organizations in the world, and in the last decade it has acquired large and diverse fire capabilities. The Institute for National Security Studies estimates Hezbollah's stock of missiles at about 150,000 short-, medium- and long-range missiles, which can cover almost all of occupied Palestine. This threat has increased recently as a result of Hezbollah's efforts to develop a precision missile project, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, surface-to-sea missiles, and attack drones, some of which Hezbollah revealed through its war media. The Israeli newspaper "Jerusalem Post" spoke of "serious tactical errors" that contributed to the success of Hezbollah's attacks since the start of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle. It mentioned, among other things, the dilemma of anti-armor guided missiles, which the party has begun to use as a sniper weapon, while the Iron Dome is unable to intercept them, as they fly at a low altitude and in a straight line towards the target. On the other hand, the IDF sought to stop the growth of Hezbollah's power through the "battle between wars" strategy, by targeting its warehouses and supply lines through Iraq and Syria. It also focused on the assassination of the figures active in this project, most notably Sayyed Radhi Mousavi, one of the senior generals of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard , who was assassinated in Damascus last month, followed by the assassination of Al-Quds Force intelligence official Haj Sadiq and his deputy in an Israeli raid on a residential building in the Mezzeh neighborhood in Damascus a few days ago. But it seems that this strategy has not yet prevented the party from developing and accumulating its capabilities. Hezbollah has also made efforts to develop its ground attack options by raising the efficiency of the Radwan Force, an elite, well-trained division that includes thousands of fighters, according to the BBC. Al-Radwan gained great experience as a result of its participation alongside the Assad regime in confronting the factions of the Syrian revolution. Despite the IDF's discovery and destruction of many tunnels along the northern front during Operation Northern Shield in January 2019, the main mission of the "Radwan" fighters - according to the BBC article - is to enter the Galilee, where its main focus is, This is similar to what the Qassam elite did in the Al-Aqsa Flood. In January 2023, Hezbollah's Combat Information Unit published training scenes of the party's fighters simulating their infiltration into the occupied territories. Iran's presence near the Syrian border with occupied Palestine, through its advisors and groups loyal to it, constituted a major strategic change. Despite the repeated targeting within the battle between wars, which enabled Israel to undermine Irans efforts to establish military bases in the Syrian arena, it did not prevent it from deploying surface-to-surface missile batteries and attack drones, as well as dozens of Iranian advisors and tens of thousands of fighters loyal to it. According to Farzin Nadimi, a researcher specializing in Iranian affairs at the Washington Institute for Studies. This coincided with efforts made by Hezbollah, also with Iranian support, to establish sites on the outskirts of the Syrian Golan , and to form local groups affiliated with it. As well as other groups affiliated with the Palestinian resistance, which are likely behind some of the missile and drone attacks on the Golan Heights last December. Israel fundamentally fears a multi-front war, which would involve simultaneous fighting in near and far arenas. In its war on Gaza, the IDF is able to determine the battle axes, its primary and secondary fronts, determine its priorities, and distribute attention and resources. But in a large-scale war, he will find it difficult to control the borders and duration of the war, and if open war breaks out in the north, he will not be able to prevent Axis of Resistance groups stationed in other arenas from joining the battle. In such a confrontation, Hezbollah, for example, will try to operate from the Syrian Golan, and pro-Iranian groups may then intervene in Syria and perhaps in western Iraq as well. In these circumstances, Iran may try to drag the Syrian regime into the fighting as well. This scenario is taken into account by the IDF, as it conducted ground maneuvers north of the Golan Heights in July 2023, that is, 3 months before the Al-Aqsa Flood operation! Another major challenge that Israel will face in the next war, according to the Institute for National Security Studies, is the threat posed by Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies against the Israeli home front as well, where it is expected to suffer widespread damage, at least in the first phase of the war. This damage includes Israel's vital capabilities, by striking, for example, the main Israeli army installations (headquarters, air force bases, reserve force mobilization centers), strategic infrastructure and vital services (sea and air ports, energy, water and transportation facilities). In addition to targeting the headquarters of the Israeli government, economic facilities and population centers, such tactics will aim to undermine the Israelis sense of security and ability to remain in the occupied territories. Israel may resort to steps that are both proactive and cautious, especially since the field failure in Gaza cost its army a lot at all levels. In the face of these challenges, it will primarily maintain its current strategy to delay and disrupt the accumulation of power by Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iranian proxies in Syria through the battle between wars. However, the failure of diplomatic efforts raises the possibility of launching a military operation inside Lebanon to reduce the level of threat posed by Hezbollah, while risking the situation deteriorating into a broader war. On 18 January 2924, the Washington Post quoted Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as confirming to his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, that Israel is approaching the point of decision-making in Lebanon as long as Hezbollah continues its attacks in the northern border region. He stressed the Israeli commitment to returning the settlers of the north to their homes. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also said that Tel Aviv informed Washington that it would carry out military action in Lebanon unless the Radwan Force was removed from the border. Despite many rational calculations that are supposed to keep Israel away from such steps, the internal crisis that Netanyahu, his government, and the leaders of the Israeli army are going through may push them towards reckless steps, which they believe may give them certain achievements to compensate for their failure in Gaza. The "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" showed scenes of it launching a drone towards the port of Ashdod in Israel. The military media of the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" published a video clip showing "scenes of it launching a drone towards the usurping Zionist entity... the port of Ashdod." This came after the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" issued a statement in which it said that it attacked "the port of Ashdod in the occupied territories, with drones, and the Islamic Resistance confirms its continued destruction of enemy strongholds." The "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" announced that "for the third time on Monday," its fighters attacked the American "Coneco" base in Syria with missiles. Earlier, the "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" confirmed that it had attacked "a military target in the occupied Golan with drones." It also indicated in November that it had targeted the Israeli city of Eilat. The resistance factions in Iraq had warned the United States that it would increase the number of armed operations in Syria and Iraq , in response to Washingtons continued provision of military assistance to the Israeli army, which is killing civilians in the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon. The "Islamic Resistance in Iraq" targets American military sites and bases in Syria and Iraq, against the backdrop of the war launched by the Israeli army on the Gaza Strip and the American support that Israel receives. US Department of Defense spokesman Patrick Ryder also previously announced that the number of attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria has reached 130 attacks since October 17, 2023, indicating that US military bases in Iraq were subjected to 53 attacks, while bases in Syria were subjected to 77 attacks. National Interest magazine said that the world is wondering how the Houthis in Yemen will respond to the series of devastating strikes launched by the United States and Britain on their targets to deter their attacks on ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Will they, for example, target the American naval base in Djibouti? In a report by Emily Milliken, the magazine recalled the US-British attacks aimed at weakening the Houthis capabilities and acting as a deterrent to future attacks, suggesting that the Houthis will remain able to launch naval attacks, and that these strikes will encourage them to intensify their attacks on the United States, Israel and their allies in the short term. Shortly after the raid on the radar site, Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdel Salam said that the American attack would not deter the group from targeting ships linked to Israel. Another Houthi official said that the group had drawn up a list of targets that included American bases in the region, which could include American bases in Saudi Arabia. Jordan, the Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and Syria. However, one of the obvious targets was not mentioned, which is the US Navy base Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, although it is located 80 miles from Yemen, and it is the primary base for US African Command (AFRICOM) operations in the Horn of Africa, and hosts about 4,000 soldiers from the United States. The United States and allied countries, and it has been used for operations against the Houthis for years. In addition to the Camp Lemonnier base, the Houthis - who claim to have a liquid-fueled missile with a range of up to 1,200 miles - can target the nearby Chabelle Airport, where the army has operated Predator and Reaper drones since their transfer from Lemonnier in 2013. However, if there is something that keeps Djibouti safe from Houthi attacks - according to the writer - it is its governments fierce support for Palestine since the Al- Aqsa Flood operation on the seventh of last October and long before the attack, as the Prime Minister confirmed that Djibouti will not allow the United States The United States has decided to deploy missile launchers in the country or use it as a base for operations against the Houthis, because it considers the group's naval attacks to be "legitimate relief for the Palestinians." Moreover, Djibouti announced that it is reluctant to participate in the US-led naval coalition in Operation Prosperity Sentinel to fight the Houthis, and was one of the five countries that called on the International Criminal Court last November to investigate Israeli war crimes in the Palestinian territories. Maps All maps are lies. Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential, wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper is bound to be reductive. 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. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. 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. These 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 European Union foreign policy official Josep Borrell intends to present a plan to establish a Palestinian state, in light of Netanyahu and his ministers statements over the past few days rejecting the two-state solution . At the same time, Borrell said that the way Israel is trying to destroy Hamas is wrong and will not succeed, as he put it. For her part, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said - before attending the European ministerial meeting - that the two-state solution is the only solution to the ongoing conflict, as she put it. She added: All those who say they do not want to hear anything about such a solution have offered no alternative, and also called for an urgent humanitarian halt to the war in Gaza. On the other hand, the foreign ministers of Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Secretary-General of the Arab League are participating in meetings in Brussels on the sidelines of the European Union foreign ministers meeting. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi denounced the Israeli government's "extremist racist agenda" and said it defies the world by refusing to accept a two-state solution to end the conflict. He added, in his statements to reporters, that "the only way out of this tragedy is the two-state solution... They are challenging the entire international community, and it is time for the world to take a stand." The European Union's diplomatic corps sent a discussion paper to member states proposing a road map for peace between the Palestinians and Israel in light of the ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip for more than 3 months. The distribution of the internal document drawn up by Brussels' foreign affairs arm came ahead of the monthly meeting of European Union foreign ministers on Monday, which this time was attended by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the Secretary-General of the Arab League. The meeting's talks focused mainly - according to statements by Union officials - on the repercussions of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" battle launched by the Palestinian resistance on settlements in the Gaza Strip on October 7, the ongoing Israeli war on the Strip since that date, and other files such as the Ukraine war. The 12-point plan calls for a preparatory conference for peace organized by the European Union, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the League of Arab States, while also inviting the United States and the United Nations to participate in its holding. The conference will be held "even if the Israelis or Palestinians refuse to participate." But the document also indicates that both parties will be consulted at every step of the talks as delegates seek to develop a peace plan. It is unrealistic to assume that Israelis and Palestinians will participate directly in bilateral peace negotiations in the near future, the document stated. Instead, the EU proposed parallel talks with the United States, the United Nations, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Arab League, and the document threatened consequences against Israel if it refused to participate. The document, which was distributed to European capitals, says that the Palestinians will need a renewed political alternative to Hamas , while the Israelis will need to find the political will to participate in meaningful negotiations towards a two-state solution. According to the document, Therefore, it is the responsibility of external actors such as the European Union to assist the parties to the conflict by paving the way for comprehensive peace. The proposed peace plan stressed that "there is no comprehensive and reliable solution other than the establishment of an independent Palestinian state living side by side with Israel." It added, "One of the core elements of the peace plan must be the development of strong security guarantees for Israel and the future independent state of Palestine, conditional on full mutual diplomatic recognition and integration of both Israel and Palestine into the region." The internal document indicated that the Union would move forward with peace talks to end the war in the Gaza Strip even without Israels participation. The document says EU member states must be prepared to "identify the consequences they intend to attach to participation or non-participation in the peace plan." The document did not mention what these consequences are, at a time when the European Union has several potential aspects of influence. The European Union is a major provider of economic aid to the Palestinians, and has a wide-ranging cooperation agreement with Israel that includes a free trade zone. Some officials privately suggested that this could be used to influence Tel Aviv, according to Reuters. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, participated in a meeting hosted by the European Union foreign ministers in Brussels in the presence of Josep Borrell, the High Representative for European Foreign Policy, and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan. Aboul Gheit, said that the meeting between the foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, with the foreign ministers of the European Union, confirmed the existence of a great convergence of views. Aboul Gheit: There is a great convergence of views with the European Union regarding the rapid transition to a political path to a two-state solution"Axios": Biden seeks to normalize Israeli-Saudi relations on the condition of establishing a Palestinian state In his account on the X platform, Ahmed Aboul Gheit wrote after the meeting: The meeting today between the (foreign) ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan and the Secretary-General, with the foreign ministers of the European Union, confirmed the existence of a great convergence of views, not only about the necessity of... Stopping the Israeli war on Gaza, but also about the necessity of a rapid transition to a political path that leads to the implementation of the two-state solution without wasting years as happened in the past. We will need more dialogue at different levels to reach the required Arab-European consensus. The official spokesman for the Secretary-General, Jamal Rushdi, stated that the meeting addressed the necessity of working immediately to stop the aggressive Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and deal with the effects of the humanitarian catastrophe that the residents of the Strip are experiencing. The spokesman explained that the meeting witnessed broad agreement between the Arab and European sides that the two-state solution remains the only way to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and that every attempt to delay the implementation of this solution or evade it exposes the security and stability of the region to danger. The spokesman added that Aboul Gheit, along with the Arab ministers, listened to some serious European ideas for launching a credible peace process based on the two-state solution, and reaching a final settlement based on implementing this solution, by ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders. The spokesman quoted Aboul Gheit as saying that many European ideas contain positive aspects regarding the political horizon required to end the conflict, and that what is required now is to combine words with action, calling on European countries to take a necessary initial step, which is to recognize the Palestinian state. In a related context, Rushdi explained that Aboul Gheit met on the sidelines of the European meeting with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tiani, where the latter listened to the vision of the Secretary-General of the Arab League for the situation in Gaza and the necessity of stopping the war and launching a political path leading to the establishment of a Palestinian state. The two parties also expressed their deep concern. Regarding the state of escalation in the region, especially in the Red Sea. Axis of Resistance Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian commented on the possibility of the Gaza war expanding amid the tensions that the region has witnessed recently, such as the mutual bombing with Pakistan and the tense situation in southern Lebanon and in the Red Sea. In an interview with CNN, the interviewer said: In a previous interview we conducted with you on October 29... you said that you do not want the war to expand and do not want escalation. Since then, Hezbollah has launched attacks against Israel, and the Houthis are attacking... Ships in the Red Sea. You attacked Iraq , and you attacked Pakistan . It certainly seems that the actions of Iran and its allies do not indicate that you are trying to prevent this war from expanding. It seems that you are encouraging escalation. Hussein Amir Abdullahian replied, saying: I agree with you...in West Asia now we are witnessing the expansion of the crisis and tensions, but the roots of these tensions are not what happened on October 7th. Hamas is a Palestinian liberation group fighting against the occupation in order to liberate the lands of Palestine. The occupiers, they carried out an operation... Of course we do not approve of the killing of women and children anywhere in the world, but I want to tell you that the roots of that are not what happened on October 7th... The roots of that go back 75 years when the Israeli regime occupied Palestine, Since the beginning of the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza, which followed the October operation. He added: "We warned that if the attacks, war crimes and genocide against Gaza and the West Bank do not stop, the war will expand and become more comprehensive, and this does not mean that we wanted to play a role in this expansion." Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed that "the activity of Iranian military advisors in combating terrorism and securing the region will continue strongly." This is after the Iranian Revolutionary Guard confirmed the killing of 5 Iranian military advisors in Syria, the fifth of whom died of his wounds following the Israeli attack on Saturday morning on Damascus. The Israeli bombing of the Gaza Strip and clashes between the Israeli army and Hamas continue for the 118th day, in light of a humanitarian and health catastrophe in the Strip. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said the Zionist regime has resorted to blind assassination attacks to compensate for its failure in achieving the objectives of the war on Gaza. In a meeting in Tehran on Sunday, Amirabdollahian and the head of the parliamentary friendship group of Kuwait and Iran, Marzouq Al-Hubaini, discussed a range of regional issues and bilateral cooperation. The Iranian foreign minister praised the position and role of the Kuwaiti parliament and government in supporting the oppressed Palestinian nation. Evaluating the current developments and events in Gaza, he pointed to the continuation of the Zionist regime's criminal actions in killing women, children, and the defenseless people of Palestine. "Although the Zionist enemy has destroyed Gaza on a large scale and martyred tens of thousands of people, it has not achieved any of its goals. So, it tries to compensate for its failure by resorting to blind terrorist actions," Amirabdollahian noted, the Foreign Ministrys website reported. The Israeli regimes crimes against Iran wont go unpunished, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said. Asked about the Israeli assassination of Iranian military advisers in Syria, Kanaani said at a presser on Monday, The usurping Zionist regimes crimes against the Iranian government have never gone and wont go unpunished. The spokesman warned that Iran will respond to the Israeli crimes in its own way. Dismissing the Israeli prime ministers threat of military action against Iran, he said such rhetoric reveals the aggressive nature of the Zionist regime and the degree of the threats that it poses to regional and world security. The essence of this (Israeli) regime is in contradiction to peace. This regime has always tried to seize every opportunity to promote insecurity in the region and the world, he stated. The spokesman refuted Netanyahus hollow rhetoric, reaffirmed Irans right to respond to the threats, and said the Zionist regime had better think about survival from the quagmire of Gaza. Allied for Democracy Israeli officials and analysts agree - in their discussions of the repercussions of the war on the Gaza Strip - in their rejection of the establishment of a Palestinian state, in a position identical to the position of their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who contradicted the American desire in this context. Gideon Sa'ar, a minister in the War Council, spoke of his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state, saying, "It is not possible to establish a demilitarized Palestinian state unless Israel has security control, as it does in the West Bank and intends to do in the Gaza Strip." He added in a discussion session on Israeli Channel 14, The lands that we hand over to the Palestinians will become a base for aggression against Israel. The minister revealed that when he took the decision to unite between his New Hope party and the Blue and White party led by Benny Gantz, they had a clear agreement to reject the establishment of a state. Palestinian. According to Michael Sheams, a political affairs correspondent for Channel 11, the Prime Minister is using the story of the Palestinian state as a kind of political campaign, stressing that large sectors of Israelis oppose the establishment of this state. Gil Tamari, Channel 13's international news editor, explained that US President Joe Biden bypasses Netanyahu, and directly tells the Israeli public, "I'm offering you a dream plan," which means, "You get a big reward now and you pay the price at some point in the future." He added, "What is the return? Complete normalization with Saudi Arabia and 6 additional Muslim countries, and an unprecedented security umbrella that Israel will enjoy? The price will be a declaration of intent that will lead to a future path to the establishment of a Palestinian state that will be demilitarized and without an army." He commented, saying, "This is what the Americans are proposing to the Israeli public because they realize that Netanyahu is not a partner." As for the journalist on Channel 12, he believed that even if Gantz (a minister in the War Council) became prime minister, it would be difficult for him to provide the American president with a response other than that offered by Netanyahu, which is that the chances of establishing a Palestinian state are non-existent. Netanyahu had previously revealed that he had informed the United States of his opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state within the framework of any post-war scenario in Gaza, contrary to the American desire. According to Arab observers and experts, Benjamin Netanyahu s government failed to neutralize Israels economy and spare it losses like previous wars, especially since the area that caused the Al-Aqsa flood battle ( the Gaza envelope ) is responsible for supplying the Israeli economy with about 75% of the agricultural crops that the occupation needs, but the war It transformed it from an agricultural area into a closed military area. The Jordanian economist, Dr. Amer Al-Shobaki, painted a bleak picture of the reality and future of the Israeli economy in light of the continuation of the war on the Gaza Strip. He said in his interview with Al-Jazeera Net that the total direct and indirect economic losses of the occupation in its war - which it has been waging against Gaza since the seventh of last October - It reached 165 billion dollars. Al-Shoubaki added that what is announced by Israel is a small part of the real military losses. The operational cost of this war has reached 280 million dollars per day, the equivalent of 28 billion dollars in the first 100 days of the battle, in addition to the cost of the military vehicles that the resistance announced had been destroyed. Which exceed a thousand armored vehicles and tanks, and these are military losses that the occupation has not announced yet. Al-Shoubaki summarizes the occupations losses in its war on Gaza as emptying many sectors of Israeli workers, so that they become reserve soldiers in the Israeli army, and their number exceeds 300 thousand employees working in various vital sectors, the most important of which is the technology sector, which supplies Israel with half of its exports, and this sector has suffered losses exceeding 20 billion dollars. Foreign investments became idle as a result of the war on Gaza, causing huge losses, reaching $15 billion, which takes a long time to recover, in addition to stopping the tourism sector, which was damaged - according to what was announced - by 75%, and this sector was generating approximately 20%. Billion dollars to the Israeli treasury annually. Sheltering and compensating families displaced as a result of the war in the Gaza Strip and in the northern border areas with Lebanon, whose number is estimated at one million settlers, currently living in 280 hotels. This requires huge sums of no less than $10 billion, and compensating them for their commercial and industrial losses that they suffered as a result of the war. Compensating and treating war-wounded civilians and war-wounded soldiers, in addition to compensating the families of dead soldiers, treating the wounded and disabled as a result of the war, and compensating those whose homes were damaged as a result of being hit by Palestinian resistance missiles and Hezbollah missiles, which increases additional costs to the occupation treasury. In the short and long term. The migration of more than 400,000 Israelis - so far - who hold dual nationalities to the European and American continents, which is reflected in a decrease in government and taxpayer revenues. The loss of Palestinian labor in the construction sector in the territories occupied in 1948, and the flight of Thai labor in agricultural facilities around the Gaza Strip for fear of war, which adds new burdens to the Israeli economy, as a result of the complete cessation of this vital sector. The navigation crisis continues in the Red Sea, with the Houthi group preventing ships coming towards Israel, or Israeli ones, from sailing through Bab al-Mandab, which has stopped maritime traffic in the Israeli port of Eilat by 95%. The occupation has also become dependent on ships coming from the Mediterranean, which has raised the cost of shipping and caused a sharp rise in the prices of consumer goods and vehicle prices within the occupying state. The chief economist of the Ministry of Finance in Israel, Shmuel Abramson, expected that the economy would contract by 1.5% if the war on Gaza continued until the end of the current year, after he had expected growth of 2.7% for the year 2024 before the start of the war, according to a report carried by the Israeli economic newspaper Globes. Economic expert Hossam Ayesh did not stray far from Al-Shoubaki, as he confirmed that Israel did not plan for its war on the Gaza Strip to extend for more than 100 days, because the occupation suffered huge losses on the economic level due to the war, and entered into a real dilemma as a result of the high debts it needs to spend on. Military operations, in addition to its suffering from a severe budget deficit due to the decline in revenues, which means that its credit rating declined from stable to negative, with expectations that it will face a government deficit of 5.3% during the years 2023 and 2024, given the large defense spending imposed by the war. Ayesh told Al Jazeera Net: "The economic, military and technological damage incurred by the occupation during the past 100 days exceeded 100 billion dollars, adding that the more the war increased, the greater the percentage of loss." He continues that the technology sector, which represents the backbone of the Israeli economy - due to its superiority in this field - has begun to decline, noting that tax revenues related to this sector have declined by 80%. Ayesh said, "The Israeli military reserve called up a large portion of the workers in this sector, accompanied by the state of uncertainty resulting from this war, and all of this has caused particularly heavy losses." Earlier, the Accountant General of the Israeli Finance Department, Eli Rotenberg, expected that the proportion of public debt would increase to 62.1% of the gross domestic product in 2023 as a result of the financial repercussions of this war, after expectations indicated a decline of 1% on an annual basis to 59% before the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. According to Globes newspaper. Official data also showed that the budget deficit is expected to rise from 2.25% to 6.6% of GDP during the current year. According to these data, the financial impact of the war is estimated at about 150 billion shekels ($40.25 billion) for the period 2023-2024, assuming the war ends in the first quarter of this year. The economic expert, Ayesh, pointed out that the Netanyahu government is hiding the truth about its economic losses in order not to disrupt the course of the battle in the Gaza Strip. However, the Western media - especially the American ones - recently published the truth about the losses that the occupation has incurred since more than 100 days of aggression against the Gaza Strip. This comes - according to Ayesh - despite the fact that Israels budget for the year 2023 - before the war - amounted to 130 billion dollars, which is the largest budget in its history. However, with the outbreak of the war, it was forced to approve an additional budget of 8.1 billion dollars, to meet the wars military needs. Which will lead to an increase in the fiscal deficit to 3.7% of GDP last year, then to 5% in 2024. He explained that although the Central Bank of Israel allocated $45 billion to protect the shekels exchange rate, its value deteriorated, recording the longest series of losses in 39 years, while the Central Banks loss amounted to $7.3 billion from its foreign currency reserves. It is noteworthy that the Governor of the Central Bank of Israel had estimated the cost of the war on Gaza at about 210 billion shekels ($56 billion) for defense and compensation for those displaced from their homes in the south, due to Palestinian resistance operations, or the north, due to the missiles targeting them from Lebanon. The center-left French newspaper Liberation, a newspaper of record in France, said that protests are increasing in Israel 3 and a half months after the start of the war on Gaza , and that the opposition has begun its preparations in conjunction with calls from more Israelis to hold early elections in the hope of ousting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The newspaper - in a report by its correspondent from Tel Aviv, Nicolas Roger - began by criticizing former General Gadi Eisenkot - a member of the war cabinet - publicly and surprisingly of Netanyahus policies, saying: What is happening in Gaza today is that the goals of the war have not been achieved, those who talk about... The complete defeat of Hamas . They are not telling the truth. He added, No, when the journalist asked him, Are the decision makers honest with the public? Eisenkot's comments sparked some criticism, but the former chief of staff cannot be touched, because his son and nephew were killed in Gaza, and he is more capable than others - as the correspondent believes - of understanding the reality and repercussions of Israeli military actions. Therefore, when Eisenkot says that elections are necessary in the coming months, it is a clear message that the opposition will not wait for the end of the war, which will be long - as Netanyahu promised - to force the country to go to the polls. The correspondent explained that the Prime Minister is trapped in what appears to be a growing turmoil reminiscent of the months preceding last October 7, from protests by hostage families in front of his house to thousands of people demanding his departure in the streets of Tel Aviv, in addition to the torrent of criticism of the new budget. On the main street that surrounds Tel Aviv from the east, new billboards say, We need elections, in a campaign that appears expensive and of unknown origin. In the background - as the reporter sees - there are veterans who participated in the demonstrations against judicial reform and a number of people from Technology. Ronen Koehler of the Brothers in Arms leadership believes that there is no point in the campaign as long as Benny Gantz is still in government, adding, What we want is to rebuild the democratic space by encouraging our members to join civil life. Our liberal secular values ??must return. To the forefront and fight for the hearts of Israelis. It is an ambitious project - according to the correspondent - and it is almost ideal to reverse what the extreme Israeli settler right has done over the past 15 years to the point that, although it represents only 5% of the population - as Kohler insists - it has become the one that determines the content of political debate, even in times of war. As for Netanyahu and his partners, they launched their election campaigns early last December, while the opposition was very late, despite the great anger at Netanyahu, whose opinion polls indicate his loss every time, even though he is the only one who proposes a simple and coherent project for the next day, according to the correspondent. He confirms that there is no going back. To the world before October 7, and therefore no concessions to the Palestinians who are being killed in Gaza. The reporter concluded that Benny Gantz is the one who will become prime minister if the elections are held today, and he will be at the head of a warlike right-wing government without a clear political project, which indicates that the Israeli opposition still believes that getting rid of Netanyahu will change everything, and that this is the key to a new beginning. While the Guardian newspaper ruled out the success of attempts to eliminate the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) and its leaders in the Gaza Strip , the Independent newspaper wrote about clear rifts between Israel and its allies, the United States and Britain. As part of their coverage of developments in the war in the Gaza Strip, international newspapers and magazines focused on the ongoing debate regarding the future of the Gaza Strip, and the disputes it creates between Israel and its allies, in addition to US-Iranian relations in light of the current developments. While ruling out the success of attempts to eliminate Hamas and its leaders, an article in The Guardian newspaper expects that Israel's plans regarding the future of the Strip will lead to the movement's continued activity, "which may shift to other arenas that Hamas has been avoiding, and thus its danger will not diminish." The author of the article believes that "the most realistic solution is to think about how to integrate Hamas into the authority that governs Gaza after the war, instead of thinking about eradicating it." For its part, The Independent newspaper focused on the "clear rifts" between Israel and its allies the United States and Britain, which are reflected in officials' statements regarding the establishment of a Palestinian state. The newspaper wrote that the rifts come at a time when the voices of thousands of Israelis are rising, demanding the liberation of those detained by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza and the holding of new elections, and amid clear divisions within the War Council over the future of the conflict and post-war plans in Gaza. For its part, other newspapers and magazines discussed the issue of US-Iranian relations, as The Economist magazine wrote that the attacks and assassinations bring the two countries closer to war. The magazine expects that pressure will increase on US President Joe Biden "to respond to Iran and its agents in the Middle East so that America does not appear weak... He then risks entering a new war in the election year." In the same context, Le Monde newspaper published a lengthy investigation in which it stated that the United States, along with other powers, is today paying the price for its neglect of the Houthis growing capabilities, so that they have turned today into active players in the conflict in the Middle East. Writer Owen Jones in The Guardian newspaper said that Western political and media elites are complicit in the Gaza nightmare , and that they have lost the last vestiges of moral authority forever. The writer explained that US President Joe Biden gave a specific answer last week in the statement he issued on the occasion of the 100th day since the start of the current terror, in which he showed his true sympathy with the plight of the prisoners of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), and with their shocked families, but he did not issue a response. There is no mention of the Palestinians about him. However, the lack of interest by politicians and the media in concealing their contempt for Palestinian life will have major consequences, even though it is not a new thing, as the writer believes; If the powerful countries of the world had not so impudently ignored three quarters of a million Palestinians who were expelled from their homes 76 years ago, with about 15,000 of them violently killed, the seeds of this bitter harvest would not have been sown today. Owen Jones wondered how many people knew that 234 Palestinians were killed last year, just before October 7, by Israeli forces in the West Bank alone. He continued that if there was some value to the lives of Palestinians, perhaps decades of occupation, siege, illegal settlement, apartheid, violent repression and mass massacres would not have occurred. Some may have expected that after this deadly massacre, the dam would eventually collapse, because violently killing 10,000 children, amputating legs, or removing the kidneys of others without anesthesia would arouse strong feelings, just as performing caesarean sections without anesthesia and the death of premature infants due to low blood pressure. Body heat and diarrhea would provoke unstoppable disgust. Although predictions that a quarter of Gaza's population might die within a year due to Israel's destruction of the health care system alone should lead to a loud call to end this injustice, no one has taken action. According to the writer, underestimating the value of Palestinian life is not a hypothetical matter, but rather a statistical fact, as a new study of coverage in major American newspapers says that Israeli deaths are mentioned at a rate of 16 times more than Palestinian deaths, and that human terms such as mother or husband were used much less often to describe Palestinians, while emotional terms such as "massacre" were used for Israeli victims. All of this will have a profound impact, as the writer sees; We must forget any future Western claims regarding human rights and international law, because a large part of the world views this self-justification with contempt, and considers it merely a trick to advance the strategic interests of countries that have become rich at the expense of the rest of the world, after centuries of colonialism characterized by genocide and pigeons. Recent bloodshed such as the Iraq War, and even arming and supporting Israel as it engages in mass murder in Gaza. He continued that Western political and media elites should not panic about the condition of other countries, but rather about the moral collapse occurring in their countries, because the refusal to treat the Palestinians as human beings has made todays nightmare inevitable, and has permanently torn apart the moral claims used to justify Western hegemony over the world. Consequences that will not be understood until it is too late. A report on the British University of Portsmouth website confirmed that former US President Donald Trump's victory for a second term in the upcoming presidential elections will mean a return to the policies he followed in his first term under the slogan "America First." The report explained that if Trump wins a second term in the upcoming presidential elections , it is unlikely that Joe Biden will continue attempts to ease Israeli operations in Gaza, as Trump has been a long-time ally of Israel and has become the first American president to officially and controversially recognize Jerusalem as its capital. In 2017. It added that Trump will return to the policies he followed in his first term under the slogan America First, which means withdrawing from military spending and paying attention to internal affairs, which means stopping the free flow of money and weapons from the United States and its proxy wars in Ukraine. A potential Republican candidate winning a second term would have disastrous effects on international diplomacy, according to Le Monde columnist Sylvie Kaufmann: The G7 and NATO summits will once again turn into unpredictable circus moments. The report added, In continuation of the focus of his first presidency, Trump pledged to transfer thousands of American troops stationed abroad, FBI agents, and Drug Enforcement Administration officials to address the migration crisis on the Mexican border, and this will not only affect the American military presence in various parts of the world. "It will also have a devastating impact on Mexico, which will have to deal with an increasingly problematic border with the United States." The report continued, "One important difference this time is that Trump and his allies have been planning his next term since he left the White House. He will be surrounded exclusively by his loyalists, will be free from any constrained rational voices, and will be more organized than his first term, so he is unlikely to continue... Trump and Biden's attempts to ease Israeli operations in Gaza. The report noted, "Although much of the concern is focused on Trump's potential re-election, his two main rivals for the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, have identified support for aggressive immigration policies and support for Israel as key goals if they win." 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 25,295 martyrs, and the killing of nearly 10,000 Palestinian children and 6,600 women killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The number wounded was 62,681. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 8,000, including including 4,700 children and women, amid expectations that the toll will be double thi figures. The IDF intensified its military operations in the West Bank, and increased the pace of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 342 Palestinians, the injury of about 3,950, and the arrest of 5,780, according to official HAMAS sources. As of 17 January 2023, the Israeli escalation in the West Bank led to the death of 360 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 2,200, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the arrest of about 6,000, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club. More than 130 Hezbollah fighters were killed in Lebanon during exchanges of bombing operations with Israel. 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 officially announced number of deaths among the Israeli army since the start of the ground incursion on October 27th was 198, and 534 deaths since the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on the 7th of October. Among them were at least 56 with the rank of platoon commander, 43 with the rank of company commander, 9 with the rank of battalion commander, and 5 with the rank of brigade commander. These officers constitute 23% of the total deaths of the Israeli army in the war on Gaza. Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war were officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that 29 of the army's deaths were caused by "friendly fire" and operational incidents since the start of the ground war in Gaza, late last October. The Israeli authority explained that "18 army soldiers were killed by friendly fire, two were killed as a result of gunfire (without explanation), and 9 Israeli soldiers were killed in ammunition, weapons, or run-over accidents." The Jerusalem Post newspaper revealed that 15 soldiers were killed in the Strip without their bodies being found. According to some reports statistics indicate that 20% of the Israeli losses were due to friendly fire. Because the nature of the battle has become completely different from what was expected, and it lacks a front line. According to the latest data published by the army, the number of wounded soldiers and officers has risen to 1,152 since the start of its ground attack on Gaza on October 27, including 228 seriously wounded, while the total number has reached 2,602 wounded since the outbreak of the war on the 7th of October. The Israeli army reported that In addition, 2,659 officers and soldiers were injured, including 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious, while 405 were seriously injured, 692 were moderately injured, and 1,562 were described as having minor injuries since the start of the war. At least 13,599 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV. 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. An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7. The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received psychological assistance since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat. The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles." Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel cannot represent the truth, due to a discrepancy between the Israeli armys data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself. In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the Best Saying program on RT channel, The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive. He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation." He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear." Hostages Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. 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. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club revealed that about 11,000 arrests were carried out by the Israeli army during the year 2023 in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, in addition to arrests from the Gaza Strip before the seventh of last October. The number of people arrested by the occupation in the West Bank since that date has exceeded 6,000. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons is 8,800, as documented by the club until the end of December 2023. The Prisoners' Club stated that cases of arrest among women amounted to (300), and this toll includes women from the occupied interior detained after October 7, while the number of cases of children reached 1,085. The arrest campaigns affected all groups, including women and children, as the number of women who were arrested reached about 200, while the number of arrests among children until the end of last December exceeded 355 children. The number of administrative detainees in Israeli prisons reached more than 3,290, which is the highest percentage since the years of the 1987 Intifada. Israel said on 14 January 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, approximately 2,650 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, approximately 1,300 of whom are affiliated with Hamas. On 08 January 2024 it was reported that more than 1,350 wanted persons had been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, more than 870 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org m Operation Iron Swords - Day 109 - 23 January 2024 A Palestinian resistance operation in Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip resulted in the killing of 21 Israeli soldiers. The Israeli army described it as the most difficult since the beginning of the ground invasion of the Strip on October 27 last year. In the details of the operation, Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari explained that Palestinian fighters fired an RPG missile at a tank that was securing the Israeli force, and at the same time an explosion occurred in two two-story buildings, while most of the force was present inside them, or near them. For its part, the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the incident, which led to the death of 21 soldiers, occurred in the Maghazi camp. It explained that the incident occurred when soldiers booby-trapped two buildings in the camp, and then members of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) fired anti-tank missiles, which led to the explosion of explosive devices and the collapse of the two buildings on the Israeli soldiers. It added that the explosion that killed the soldiers occurred 600 meters from the border fence, stressing that rescue operations for those injured in the collapse of the two buildings from under the rubble continued for long hours last night. It pointed out that the tank crew, which was there to secure the soldiers at the scene of the accident, was directly hit by a Palestinian fighters shell. Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the preliminary investigation into the circumstances of the incident that led to the killing of the soldiers in the Maghazi camp showed that the explosion occurred as a result of the firing of two RPG missiles that hit a tank and bombed buildings that collapsed on the soldiers. the Israeli "Wala" website reported that the soldiers were booby-trapping the two buildings in the Maghazi camp with the aim of blowing up 10 houses in the area, so that they would be exposed to the army, under the pretext of preventing Hamas fighters from hiding there, according to what he put it. The site confirmed that the Palestinian resistance's bombing of the two adjacent buildings led to their collapse, making the area appear to be a hotbed of destruction, burying the soldiers under the rubble, describing the incident as an "earthquake." The resistance operation in Al-Maghazi camp came after the Israeli army announced yesterday that it was continuing to fight the Palestinian factions in the northern and central Gaza Strip, while Israeli media had been talking for days about the army moving into the third phase of the war, and withdrawing a number of forces from the northern areas of the Strip. Israeli officials expressed their pain following the announcement of the killing of 24 officers and soldiers in the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours, especially since 21 of them died in a resistance operation in the Maghazi camp in the center of the Strip, which was described as the harshest since the start of the ground invasion on October 27. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and War Council member Benny Gantz expressed their sadness in a joint statement, saying that they bow their heads to those who fell in Gaza, and that they will not stop striving to achieve victory. Galant also said that Israel suffered a strong blow yesterday with the killing of 24 soldiers, 3 of them in battles in the southern Gaza Strip, adding that they are following Hezbollah, which continues to provoke Israel in the north, as he put it. More than one political and military official also spoke about the difficulty of the ongoing battles in the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu : "Yesterday we lived through one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of war, and the army began an investigation into the disaster. We are doing our best to preserve the lives of our soldiers, and we will not stop fighting until absolute victory is achieved. President Isaac Herzog : "It is a difficult morning to bear with the addition of the names of more of our soldiers to the list of the dead. War Council member Benny Gantz : "A difficult morning for the entire people of Israel with the catastrophic killing of 21 soldiers. We must unite and remember the heavy price we had to pay for this just war. Defense Minister Yoav Galant : "A difficult and painful morning, and our hearts are with the families of the victims in their most difficult times. This is a war that will determine Israel's future for decades to come, and our soldiers will die to achieve the goals of the war. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich : "Tragic news, and we pledge that the killing of our children in Gaza will not be in vain. Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir : "A difficult and painful morning, heart broken and shattered. Education Minister Yoav Kisch: "I feel tremendous pain and cannot find words to express the great sadness I feel with the announcement of the terrible disaster that occurred yesterday. Energy Minister Eli Cohen: "A very difficult morning, and the killing of 21 soldiers in the Gaza Strip is a very heavy price. Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana: "A very difficult morning in which the people of Israel woke up to heartbreaking news. Every one of our dead in Gaza is a world full of families, hopes and dreams that were cut off prematurely. Opposition leader Yair Lapid : "An unbearable difficult morning with the bitter news of the killing of 21 soldiers in Gaza. A disaster in Gaza, the most difficult incident, a difficult and unbearable morning. These phrases are among the most widely circulated on official and unofficial Israeli communication platforms after the Israeli army announced the killing of 24 officers and soldiers in the Gaza battles within 24 hours. The accounts of the Israeli Ministry of Defense on social media platforms began publishing the names and pictures of its soldiers who were killed in the Gaza battles. Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari appeared with a look of sadness and grief on his face, announcing the killing of 21 officers and soldiers from the Israeli reserve forces who were killed in the bombing of two buildings in Al-Maghazi camp in the central Gaza Strip. The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that the killing of soldiers in the Maghazi camp occurred 600 meters from the border fence, and that operations to rescue victims from under the rubble continued for many hours. Al Jazeera broadcast a clip showing the moment of the explosion of a building in the Maghazi camp in which the occupation forces had barricaded themselves after it was targeted by Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza. The killing of Israeli officers and soldiers sparked a state of shock on Israeli social media platforms, and accounts began publishing photos of the officers and soldiers whose names and photos were allowed to be published. The Israeli Prime Minister offered his condolences to the families of the soldiers and officers who were killed, saying, Yesterday we witnessed one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war. I ask to extend our sincere condolences to the dear families of our brave fighters who fell on the battlefield. I know that the lives of these families have changed forever. I am saddened. For the fall of our brave soldiers, I embrace the families in their anguish as we all pray for the recovery of our wounded. The IDF has begun investigating the circumstances of the tragedy. We must draw the necessary lessons and do everything in our power to preserve the lives of our fighters, in the name of our heroes, and for our lives. We stop fighting until absolute victory is achieved." But Netanyahu's condolences to the families of the dead aroused the anger of many followers, who described him as a failure and held him primarily responsible for the terrible situation in which Israel now finds itself, for the never-ending nightmare, and for the endless black hole. They demanded that he stop lying to Israeli citizens, as well as Others called on him to resign, and asked him how many Israeli army forces would be killed before he resigned. But how did the audience on social media platforms in the Arab world react to the news of the killing of 24 Israeli officers and soldiers in 24 hours? Tweeters commented on the news as a good morning and described the operation as thoughtful and precise. They said that the Palestinian resistance had caught the Israeli forces in a trap. After they let them bomb houses, they targeted them. The resistance fired a missile that cost no more than $10, which blew up the place, killing 21 officers and soldiers at once. Some observers commented by saying, "After the specific operation of the Palestinian resistance, it seems that the leaders of the occupation army will raise the ceiling of their feelings of disappointment, despair and frustration and read the scene from a field perspective indicating that a battalion or several companies were completely annihilated and fell into an elaborate trap." Bloggers said that the Israeli army sent large numbers that were not experienced in urban combat into Gaza, which increased the chance that they would be targeted by Palestinian resistance factions. Tweeters also repeated Abu Ubaidas famous saying, Here are the sands of Gaza swallowing their soldiers. While some observers pointed out that the Israeli army underestimates the number of its deaths, and does not announce the real numbers in order not to frustrate the rest of the fighting forces in the Gaza Strip, and they added that the operation came more than 100 days after the ground invasion of the Strip, which proves the failure of Israeli military intelligence in Its information gathering and inability to protect its forces from Palestinian resistance attacks. Operational Update The Israeli Broadcasting Authority said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed his government ministers that the third phase of the war on Gaza will take 6 months. The authority added that Netanyahu explained that it would take 6 months for the army to end the third phase of the war, which had already begun in the northern Gaza Strip. It quoted Netanyahu as saying to the ministers at a meeting yesterday: "As we said previously, the air part will continue for 3 weeks and so it was, and as we said that the second part of the huge maneuver will last 3 months and so it was, and thus we say that the third part of stabilizing control and cleansing will continue for 6 months", according to his expressions. Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevy said that the battle in the Gaza Strip will be long; Stressing the need for reserve forces again, after 24 Israeli soldiers were killed in one day in a specific Palestinian resistance operation. Halevy added: "We will continue to fight" the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) "with great determination for our right to live in safety." Regarding the operation in which 21 of his forces were killed, Halevy said: Our soldiers fell in battle during a defensive operation in the area separating the Israeli towns and Gaza. He added that the operation was aimed at creating security conditions for the residents of the Gaza envelope area to return to their homes safely, noting that an in-depth investigation will be opened and lessons will be drawn so that such an incident will not be repeated. In recent weeks, the Israeli army announced the withdrawal of many of its forces from the Gaza Strip as part of entering the third phase of the war, which focuses on targeted bombing, noting that it does not clarify the number of its forces currently present in the Gaza Strip, as part of its ground incursion. The Al-Qassam Brigades , the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), stated that it destroyed an Israeli troop carrier with an Al-Yassin 105 shell in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, which has been witnessing, since dawn on Monday, Israeli incursion attempts and fierce fighting and bombing. For its part, the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, reported that it blew up an Israeli tank with a piercing device in the Al-Taqadum axis, west of Khan Yunis, in the vicinity of the Japanese Quarter. It added that it bombed with a barrage of mortar shells a position of occupation soldiers and vehicles in the advance axis in the western camp in Khan Yunis. Al Jazeera's correspondent said that the Israeli army also announced last night that about 18 wounded in battles in the southern Gaza Strip had been transferred to Israeli hospitals. The reporter added that the occupation forces are besieging the southern area of Khan Yunis and closing the western area with 7 military battalions, because they believe that the military leaders of the Hamas movement are concentrated in this area. The Israeli army claimed to have completed the encirclement of the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The army said, in a statement, Over the last 24 hours, the 98th Division carried out a large-scale attack in Khan Yunis. It claimed that within the division, "the paratroopers, the Givati and the 7th Brigade completed the operation during the attack to encircle Khan Yunis. The commandos also deepened the attack into the heart of the area that is used as a pivotal center of gravity for the Hamas-affiliated Khan Yunis Brigade." The IDF army claimed that it "eliminated dozens of militants in face-to-face battles in cooperation with air force raids." The American newspaper The Washington Post quoted Israeli military and security leaders as saying that the Israeli army may lose gains in the Gaza Strip, due to the lack of a post-war strategy. The leaders explained that the army must maintain its areas of control, not control new territory. The Washington Post, citing an Israeli military source, said that the long-term security presence in Gaza is a nightmare rejected by many in the security establishment. The newspaper pointed out that the Hamas tunnel network is much more extensive than the occupation army estimates, and that it extends for a distance of more than 300 miles in the southern Gaza Strip alone. According to military commanders, it is unlikely that Hamas's tunnel network in Gaza will be completely dismantled. Israeli media reported details of what they said were the broad outlines of a possible exchange deal with the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), which was drafted in cooperation with the Israeli security services, Mossad chief David Barnea, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar. Under the weight of protests in the Israeli street demanding the release of those detained by Hamas, the strengthening of convictions of the Israeli failure to achieve the goals of the war on Gaza , and the disagreements in the war cabinet , Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that he had presented broad outlines for a possible exchange deal, refusing to go into details. According to these lines, 136 Israeli detainees will be released in 3 stages: Civilian detainees. Then the female soldiers and the bodies of dead detainees. Finally, the soldiers and men who serve in the Israeli army are regular and reserve, which is the condition that Hamas has insisted on from the beginning. In return, Israel will release at every stage thousands of Palestinian prisoners, male and female, including veteran prisoners, the sick, the elderly, people with high sentences, and prisoners who the occupation says have blood on their hands, and the army will gradually withdraw from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu claimed that there was no serious offer by Hamas for an exchange deal, and he appeared contradictory during his meeting with a delegation of the families of Israeli detainees held by the Palestinian resistance, as he stated that he rejected the movements demands to end the war and reach an agreement that he says also includes the release of elite forces militants from Hamas. Who were arrested by Israel for allegedly participating in the Al-Aqsa Flood battle. Israel recently handed over to the Qatari and Egyptian mediators a new framework for a possible exchange deal that includes preparing for a two-month truce in exchange for the return of all those detained by Hamas in Gaza, according to two senior Israeli officials. According to Barak Ravid, a political analyst on the Walla website, this proposal is the most important that Tel Aviv has put forward since the beginning of the war, in an attempt to bring about a breakthrough in the negotiations to release the detainees. Although the proposal rejects Hamas's request to stop the war, it includes preparations for the longest ceasefire agreed to by Israel so far, according to Ravid. The analyst quoted two senior Israeli officials as saying that the war cabinet agreed about 10 days ago on a framework that includes the principles of what Israel wants and does not want to implement within the framework of the detainee release deal. Ravid says that the deal includes the release of all living detainees and the return of all bodies held by Hamas in several stages. The first phase will include the release of Israeli women who are still in captivity, men over the age of 60, and detainees who are in serious health condition. In the next stages, men under the age of 60, female soldiers, male soldiers, and guard team members will be released, and the bodies will be returned. According to the same proposal, Israel and Hamas would agree in advance on the number of Palestinian prisoners to be released for each Israeli detainee in each of the categories, and then the names of the Palestinian prisoners to be released would be negotiated separately at each stage. Ravid explained that the Israeli proposal includes preparations to begin redeploying army forces in the Gaza Strip, so that they gradually withdraw from large population centers, as well as allowing a gradual and controlled return of the Palestinian population to Gaza City and the northern Strip during the implementation of the agreement. According to Ravid, the framework of the potential deal approved by the War Cabinet indicates that Israel will not agree to end the war after releasing the detainees and releasing all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners in its prisons. He stressed that Israel is still waiting for Hamas response to the proposal, but the Israeli side expressed cautious optimism about the possibility of moving forward with negotiations on the basis of this proposal, and acknowledged that if the deal is implemented, the activity of the occupation army in the Gaza Strip two months after the truce will be significantly less in scope and intensity. . In reading the implications of Israel's drafting of a proposal for a new exchange deal and what was reported about Hamas showing some kind of flexibility in negotiating the deal, Amos Harel, a military analyst for the Haaretz newspaper, believes that the gap in positions is still large, but there is a willingness on both sides to discuss the broad outlines of this deal. Harel estimated that the United States , Qatar and Egypt are exerting pressure on both sides to enter into a process of negotiations that will lead to the conclusion of an exchange deal in stages, in the first stage of which some Israeli detainees will be released, and in the final stage the occupation army will withdraw from the Gaza Strip, and thus the end of the war will be declared. Harel added that it seems that no breakthrough has been achieved yet in the talks, but for the first time in a long time there is a willingness from Israel and Hamas to discuss - and seriously - the broad lines of the deal, and it is expected that one of the channels of talks will resume this week in Cairo . The military analyst pointed out that Israel, in light of the widening circle of protests denouncing the governments handling of the file of detainees held by Hamas, is seeking to move forward with another stage to release them in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners it holds in prisons, while agreeing to a two-week ceasefire. He pointed out that the Egyptian mediators are seeking to reach a ceasefire for a period of 90 days, and to eventually move to a final stage of the agreement to end the war. In this context, Harel points out that the families of the detainees have escalated their protests against the backdrop of frustration with what appears to be the laxity of the political level regarding the deal. A kilometer and a half long tunnel route and a factory for the production of rockets: the combat team of the 7th Brigade destroys the production capabilities of Hamas. As the forces advanced in the area, terrorist squads opened fire with small arms and many RPGs in order to prevent the entry of the forces. At the same time, the terrorists blew up the tunnel shafts in an attempt to prevent the force from penetrating the subsoil. Battles were held in the area against a large number of terrorists. The fighters returned fire and eliminated the terrorists at close range, with machine gun fire, tank shell fire and air support. The fighters of the combat team together with the fighters of the Yalam unit located many shafts that led to a long tunnel route with a laboratory and a lathe for the production of underground rockets, this is the largest lathe that has been located so far in the southern Gaza Strip. The underground route was scanned, explored and destroyed after the end of the exploration. This activity is part of the effort to damage Hamas' weapons and rocket production capabilities in the Gaza Strip. Air force fighter jets completed an attack on terrorist targets in Lebanon. As part of the attack, a military asset used by the terrorist organization Hezbollah and operated by Iranian forces was destroyed. Also, a military site where the organization's terrorists were operating was destroyed. During the day, IDF forces attacked several other areas in the territory of Lebanon. Maps All maps are lies. Not only is it easy to lie with maps, it is essential, wrote cartographer Mark Monmoneir in his book How to Lie with Maps. He showed that condensing complex, three-dimensional spaces onto a two-dimensional sheet of paper is bound to be reductive. 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. The first characteristic of guerrilla warfare is the loss of a front line. 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. These 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. Indeed, by late January 2024 mappers were rather less exuberant in their depictions of IDF advances. While by the end of 2023 maps suggested that it was "mission accomplished" in North Gaza which was depicted as entirely pacified, by late January 2024 enclaves of IDF elements were depicted at the margins of Gaza City, much of North Gaza was now depticted as either HAMAS-controlled, or "contested". Another noteworthy cartographic ambiguity is found to the south of Khan Yunis in the stretch of Salah Al-Deen avenue running north from Al-Nasr through al-Fukhari to the vicinity of Tawhid Mosque in the environs of Khan Yunis proper. By the end of 2023 some cartographers indicated that a large swath of territory centered on this avenue had been liberated by the IDF, while other cartographers professed no knowlege of an IDF presence in that part of the Strip. By late January 2024 there are suggestions that while the avenue itself is an IDF permissive corridor for nearly the full length of the Strip, much of adjacent territory is not. Bystanders European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said that Israel does not have a veto against the Palestinians' right to self-determination. Borrell pointed out that an agreement had been reached between the European Union and its allies in the Middle East on a two-state solution, which Israel announced that it opposes. He pointed out that the United Nations has repeatedly recognized the right of the Palestinians to self-determination, and no party can deny or oppose that. Axis of Resistance Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on Islamic governments to join hands and cut off the lifeline of the Zionist regime in response to its onslaught against Gaza. The organizers of the National Congress for the Commemoration of the 24,000 Martyrs from Tehran met with Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran. In the gathering, the Leader criticized the officials of Islamic countries for their poor conduct regarding the highly crucial situation in Gaza, saying, "Sometimes the positions and statements of the officials of the Islamic countries are wrong because they talk about an issue such as the ceasefire in Gaza, which is beyond their control and is in the hands of the evil Zionist enemy. The officials of Islamic countries should focus on matters that are within their control." The Leader stressed the importance for officials in the Islamic countries to sever all ties with the Zionist regime in order to cripple its power, Khamenei.ir reported. "That which is in the hands of the officials of the Islamic countries is to cut off the lifeline of the Zionist regime. Islamic countries should cut off their political and economic relations with the Zionist regime and they should also refrain from supporting this regime," the Leader stated. Despite the inadequate conduct of the officials of Islamic countries and despite all the difficulties, as stated in the Quran, God is with the righteous people and wherever God is, there is victory', Ayatollah Khamenei underlined. The Leader also noted that the victory of the people of Gaza is inevitable, adding, "the Almighty God will show this victory to the Islamic Ummah in the not-too-distant future, and it will bring joy to the hearts of Muslims, especially the people of Palestine and Gaza." The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy argued that the Yemeni military forces have decided, of their own volition, to bar vessels owned by or bound for Israel from sailing through the Bab al-Mandab Strait without taking orders from anybody. Yemen is an independent state that has a powerful army and a strong leader, which acts independently and does not take orders from any party, Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said in reaction to the attacks that the Yemeni forces have been launching against Israeli vessels in the Red Sea. He noted that the hero Yemenis have expressed their practical support for the Palestinian people in Gaza. Allied for Democracy Haaretz newspaper said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has lost control over his lying, as happens to him when he is under pressure, especially since he is cornered due to the pressure of calling for the detainees deal and the United States. The newspaper reported - in a report by Anshel Pfeiffer - that Netanyahu said in a meeting with relatives of detainees held by the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ) in Gaza that contrary to what is said, there is no real proposal on the part of Hamas, and this is not true, according to Pfeiffer. The writer added, "I will say that as clearly as I can, and then he will ask, 'Who said that there is a proposal from Hamas?' He responds that Netanyahu is the same one who said less than 24 hours ago, I completely reject the terms of surrender proposed by the monsters of Hamas. Thus - the writer points out - that there is not only a proposal, but rather that there are actual conditions that Netanyahu continued to detail, saying, In exchange for the release of our hostages, Hamas demands an end to the war, the withdrawal of our forces from Gaza, the release of the killers and rapists from the elite, and leaving Hamas in its place. Although Netanyahu can avoid lying to the families of detainees and to the public, what worries him most is that the Egyptian government is about to present an official proposal regarding a deal to release detainees in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a long-term ceasefire in Gaza, which is what his companions Benny Gantz and Gadi prefer. Eisenkot, and they will demand a clear answer from him and will not allow him to evade. Meanwhile, Netanyahu is still trying to lie to US President Joe Biden . He gave him the impression of being prepared to consider certain forms of a demilitarized Palestinian state. He then took to social media and wrote, I will not give up full Israeli security control over western Jordan, and this contradicts With the Palestinian state. After the two pressure factors - the Americans and the detainees deal - became unbearable, it is possible for Netanyahu to agree to discuss the possibility of the Egyptian proposal and the American framework, because it is likely that Hamas and the Palestinian Authority will reject it , and therefore he may be playing for time in the meantime. But the biggest concern and what Netanyahu fears most is losing the majority in the Knesset , after it took him 4 years and 5 election campaigns - including 18 frustrating months out of office - for him to be able to secure it in November 2022. This majority of the parties that supported him in the last elections is all... Something is for him, and he will do anything to avoid wasting it. Any indication from Netanyahu that he is willing to accept a ceasefire or agree to the Palestinian Authoritys control of Gaza after the war - as the writer says - will put 14 seats at risk, and not because the leaders of the two extreme right-wing parties, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, are in a hurry to leave the ruling coalition. But because they need to bolster their claims to be true right-wingers when the next election comes. Without these two full-backs, Netanyahu will be at the mercy of Gantz and Eisenkot, whose National Unity Party has the seats needed to keep the government afloat if the far-right parties leave, but they will want to replace him as soon as possible. The writer concluded that Netanyahu cannot curb events forever despite his avoidance of a serious discussion in the cabinet regarding the next day strategy in Gaza, but whatever he does, he is likely to lose part of his emergency coalition within weeks, and Smotrich and Ben Gvir will not be able to protect him from The decisions he has to make, and soon his lies will run out, according to the writer. Israeli historian Shlomo Sand, author of the controversial book How Were the Jewish People Invented, has published a new work entitled Two Peoples for One State? It supports the idea, which has been defended by many Zionist intellectuals since the end of the 19th century, which is the establishment of a bi-national state for Israelis and Palestinians. Sand said - in an interview with him, summarized by Julie Conan for the French newspaper La Croix - that what is happening in the Gaza Strip is dangerous because no one in the Israeli authority knows what to do, and because aimless wars are dangerous, and almost turn into genocide. The Israeli historian explained that he never supported a bi-national state and was not against it, but after the 1967 war, he supported the two-state solution. But after all these years of settlement, the idea of a two-state solution has become more and more hollow, because we have been living for half a century in a bi-national state under a clear apartheid system, in which people live side by side but with different rights, as he put it Sand believed that it was Europe that vomited the Jews onto the Arabs of Palestine, and for this reason the behavior of the Europeans bothers me a lot. Speaking to the Europeans, he added, You are responsible for long-term tragedies. For all my life, I have been surprised that people who claim that they were taken from their land two thousand years ago do not recognize the rights of those who were taken from their land 75 years ago. Israel does not want to recognize this, despite the fact that all Hamas leaders , such as Yahya Al-Sanwar and Sheikh Ahmed Yassin come from the ancient land of Palestine, from Ashkelon and Ashdod, which is considered the land of Israel. The air and missile strikes launched by the administration of President Joe Biden against the Houthis in Yemen did not succeed in restoring American deterrence, or preventing them from attacking ships in the southern Red Sea . Instead of calming tension in one of the most important commercial sea lanes in the world, the military strikes exacerbated it further. A number of experts Al Jazeera Net spoke to fear the involvement of the United States in a broader war in the region, at a time when the Houthis do not show any signs of retreating from their declared position regarding the continuation of attacks as long as the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip continues. Washington hopes that its almost daily attacks will deter the Houthi group from attacking shipping lines in the Red Sea, or destroy and eliminate its missile stockpiles. For his part, John Finner, Deputy National Security Advisor to the White House, defended the Washington-led coalition strikes against the Houthis, saying, "The goals here go beyond deterrence. We seek to weaken their ability to continue launching these attacks." Despite the continuation of the strikes involving the British Navy, Biden admitted that they had not yet produced the desired effect. He responded to the question of one of the journalists accompanying him, Will the Houthis stop? He said, No. He answered the question, "Will they continue?" By saying: Yes. In an interview with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, retired General Frank McKenzie, former head of the US Central Command, said that the US strikes are welcome, even if they are somewhat late, given the importance of the Bab al- Mandab Strait. We may be able to deter the Houthis from continuing these actions, McKenzie said. There is still a lot of fighting ahead to achieve this goal, but I think we are doing the right thing. Days earlier, the US announced the killing of two Navy personnel after they disappeared 10 days ago during a naval operation to intercept weapons from Iran destined for Houthi fighters. They are among the first known American deaths in the US campaign against the Houthis. This coincided with the publication of successive reports about the possibility that taking action against the Houthis could fuel a broader war in the Middle East , and McKenzie believes that the threat is exaggerated. In an interview with CNN last Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said , Since the beginning of the Israeli genocidal war in Gaza, which followed the October operation, we have issued warnings that if the attacks and war crimes do not stop... And the genocide against Gaza and the West Bank , the war will spread widely, and will become larger. He added, "This does not mean that we wanted to play a role in this expansion. We care about maritime security and shipping safety. Our oil exports take place across the sea. Therefore, the security of the Red Sea, the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf is very important to us. We benefit from it. Otherwise, we will not be able to Export our oil. On the other hand, McKenzie believes, Iran currently has no interest in entering a major war, because they understand in the end what will happen. They will be defeated. The regime will be under intense pressure and may collapse. I do not think that Tehran will escalate its attacks significantly in the region because we are striking the Houthis, according to him. Appreciate it. He continues, "Currently, this is a cheap war for them. They have waged it very effectively by shipping missiles and other lethal components to Yemen." For his part, security affairs expert Alexandre Langlois considered, in an article published by "The Nation" magazine, that while the Houthi strikes have continued since last November, the Biden team hopes that its step will deter them from continuing these attacks. But he believes that the reality is more ambiguous, and Biden will fail to stop the groups aggression while it further obstructs international shipping, as both actors are climbing an escalatory ladder that risks a broader regional war. Speaking to Al Jazeera Net, the director of the Gulf States Studies Foundation, Giorgio Cafiero, considered that the Houthis conflict with the United States gives them more sympathy and support throughout the Arab world at a time when anti-Washington sentiment is rising in the region due to the Biden administration providing strong support to Israel amid the genocidal war on Gaza. Cafiero added that the conflict with Washington enables the Houthis to better consolidate their position within the Iranian-led axis of resistance, and demonstrates to Tehran the extent of the groups connection to this anti-hegemonic alliance. He also pointed out that the Houthis are accustomed to war and fighting while foreign powers bomb their targets in Yemen. Hence, the Houthis spread their weapons across the country, making it increasingly difficult for the US military or any other force to eliminate their fighting capacity through air strikes. Langlois believes that instead of continuing with failed regional policies, the United States should consider the only clear measure that will end the Houthi strikes on international shipping with a permanent ceasefire between Israel and the Islamic Resistance Movement ( Hamas ), which will solve multiple problems facing American foreign policy if the administration shows... Biden is real leadership by pressuring Israel. In a difficult election year, President Biden's aides are concerned about the possibility of escalation on the one hand, and the fear that he will appear as a weak president if he does not resort to military tools on the other hand. Jawdat Bahjat, a professor at the Near East and South Asia Center for Strategic Studies at the Pentagon s National Defense University , told Al Jazeera Net, Washingtons military and technological superiority does not give it the ability to deter the Houthis. It has previously failed in Afghanistan , and the Houthis have won, in one way or another, In the war in Yemen. He adds that the Houthis, like other militias, use asymmetric wars and tactics to confront the United States. In an election year, President Biden cannot appear weak, noting the possibility that Washington will continue to attack the Houthis, but these strikes are unlikely to stop their attacks or prevent them from taking action against Israel. 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 25,295 martyrs, and the killing of nearly 10,000 Palestinian children and 6,600 women killed. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The number wounded was 62,681. The Palestinian Government Media Office in Gaza had said much earlier that the number of missing people had risen to more than 8,000, including including 4,700 children and women, amid expectations that the toll will be double thi figures. The IDF intensified its military operations in the West Bank, and increased the pace of incursions and raids into cities, towns, and camps, resulting in the martyrdom of 342 Palestinians, the injury of about 3,950, and the arrest of 5,780, according to official HAMAS sources. As of 17 January 2023, the Israeli escalation in the West Bank led to the death of 360 Palestinians, the injury of nearly 2,200, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, and the arrest of about 6,000, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club. More than 130 Hezbollah fighters were killed in Lebanon during exchanges of bombing operations with Israel. 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. With the Israeli army announcing the killing of 24 soldiers, the total number of occupation deaths has risen to 559 since the start of the war on October 7, including 229 killed since the ground invasion as a result of the ongoing clashes with the Palestinian resistance [other sources report the total number of deaths of the occupation army has risen to 221 since the start of the ground invasion]. Among them were at least 56 with the rank of platoon commander, 43 with the rank of company commander, 9 with the rank of battalion commander, and 5 with the rank of brigade commander. These officers constitute 23% of the total deaths of the Israeli army in the war on Gaza. Israeli media reported that 27% of the Israeli military casualties in the war were officers. In detail, the media highlighted that three brigade commanders, four battalion commanders, and other senior officers have been killed in the war so far. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that 29 of the army's deaths were caused by "friendly fire" and operational incidents since the start of the ground war in Gaza, late last October. The Israeli authority explained that "18 army soldiers were killed by friendly fire, two were killed as a result of gunfire (without explanation), and 9 Israeli soldiers were killed in ammunition, weapons, or run-over accidents." The Jerusalem Post newspaper revealed that 15 soldiers were killed in the Strip without their bodies being found. According to some reports statistics indicate that 20% of the Israeli losses were due to friendly fire. Because the nature of the battle has become completely different from what was expected, and it lacks a front line. According to the latest data published by the army, the number of wounded soldiers and officers has risen to 1,152 since the start of its ground attack on Gaza on October 27, including 228 seriously wounded, while the total number has reached 2,602 wounded since the outbreak of the war on the 7th of October. The Israeli army reported that In addition, 2,659 officers and soldiers were injured, including 407 who are still receiving treatment for their injuries in the Gaza battles, and the condition of 48 of them is serious, while 405 were seriously injured, 692 were moderately injured, and 1,562 were described as having minor injuries since the start of the war. At least 13,599 Israelis were injured, according to i24 TV. 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. An estimate by the Israeli Ministry of Defense expected that the number of soldiers with disabilities in the war taking place in the Gaza Strip since October 7 of last year would reach 12,500 soldiers. The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth said that the Soldiers' Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Defense has dealt with 3,400 soldiers who were classified as disabled in the army since last October 7. The Israeli army revealed that about 9,000 of its soldiers have received psychological assistance since the beginning of the war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, and about a quarter of them have not returned to combat. This came according to a new statement revealed by the Army Medical Corps, according to Channel 12 and the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the statement, nearly 9,000 soldiers have applied for psychological assistance since the beginning of the war, and approximately a quarter of them have not returned to combat. The statement continued, "In total, about 13,000 regular and reserve soldiers required accompaniment or medical treatment at some level during the fighting, and thousands of them were injured in the battles." Al Jazeera military and strategic expert Major General Fayez Al-Duwairi expressed his conviction that the numbers of dead and wounded announced by Israel cannot represent the truth, due to a discrepancy between the Israeli armys data and the Walla website, which is close to the army itself. In an interview with RT, Military strategist retired Tunisian Brigadier General Tawfiq Didi said that the number of Israeli army deaths in the Gaza battles is much greater than what Israel announces. Didi explained in an interview with the Best Saying program on RT channel, The number of people killed in battles can be easily known, as the equation in wars is that for every 3 wounded there is a dead person, and the numbers now in Israel hover around 12,500 wounded and disabled people, and when we divide by Three, we find that the death toll exceeds 4,000, especially after eliminating more than a thousand tanks and armored vehicles, and I know what happens when Kornet missiles hit a tank. Its ammunition explodes and no one is left alive. He added, "The Israelis announce their dead only of those of Jewish origin and of the first race, meaning all Arabs, Falash, and those who are among them. They are not counted because they are of the second category. So I am sure that the number exceeds 4 thousand dead, and this is a very easy military calculation." He pointed out, "The Palestinian resistance documented everything it did, unlike the Israelis. The resistance documented shooting at tanks and armored vehicles and destroying the houses in which the Israeli soldiers were holed up, and we saw them being killed... We saw the Kornet hitting the tanks, we saw Al-Yassin 105, so the difference is clear." Hostages An Israeli official said that negotiations with Hamas regarding a ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for a prisoner exchange are still ongoing. The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying that the negotiations are still ongoing and we have not received a negative response. It pointed out that the Israeli official's statements came after Western reports about Hamas rejecting the Israeli offer. Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed have been held as hostages in Gaza since 2014 and 2015, respectively. Unlike the roughly 240 people kidnapped in the Hamas October 7 terrorist attacks, the campaign for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed has received little publicity. Mengistu is known to suffer from what HRW deemed "serious" mental health issues. "Avera crossed one of the safest borders in the world, under the eyes of the security services," recalled Gil Elias, a relative. "We're talking about a mentally ill person who got lost." The calls for the release of Mengistu and al-Sayed have been barely audible during the many years they have been held captive in Gaza. Israel had previously estimated there were 116 living hostages in Palestinian custody. Israel declared 20 out of 136 people in Gaza captivity dead in absentia, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages. By another count, 132 of them are still being held in Gaza, and 25 of them have been confirmed dead. 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. The Palestinian Prisoners' Club revealed that about 11,000 arrests were carried out by the Israeli army during the year 2023 in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, in addition to arrests from the Gaza Strip before the seventh of last October. The number of people arrested by the occupation in the West Bank since that date has exceeded 6,000. The total number of prisoners in Israeli prisons is 8,800, as documented by the club until the end of December 2023. The Prisoners' Club stated that cases of arrest among women amounted to (300), and this toll includes women from the occupied interior detained after October 7, while the number of cases of children reached 1,085. The arrest campaigns affected all groups, including women and children, as the number of women who were arrested reached about 200, while the number of arrests among children until the end of last December exceeded 355 children. The number of administrative detainees in Israeli prisons reached more than 3,290, which is the highest percentage since the years of the 1987 Intifada. Israel said on 14 January 2024 that, since the beginning of the war, approximately 2,650 wanted persons have been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, approximately 1,300 of whom are affiliated with Hamas. On 08 January 2024 it was reported that more than 1,350 wanted persons had been arrested throughout the Judea and Samaria Division and the Bekaa and Valleys Division, more than 870 of whom are associated with the terrorist organization Hamas. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 22 January 2024 - Day 697 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 Ukraine's ports exported more agricultural products in December 2023 than at any other point since Russia's invasion, almost certainly driven by the reopening of Ukraine's main Black Sea ports and establishment of a unilateral shipping export channel. It has surpassed monthly volumes achieved during the UN- and Turkey-brokered Black Sea Grain initiative, which was subject to Russian inspections. Ukraine has achieved this because it has largely prevented the Russian Black Sea Fleet from operating in the western Black Sea, where it is held at risk by Ukrainian missiles and uncrewed surface vessels. Market confidence is supported by the UK-brokered reduction in insurance premiums through the Unity Facility insurance package and the announcement that Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have formed a naval mine countermeasures force. The health of this export route is vital in the long term: both for Ukraine's export revenue; and as a symbol that both sides are willing to suspend attacks on civilian shipping, paving the way to diminished risk and greater trade for all in the Black Sea. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that during the day, 53 combat clashes took place. In total, Russian forces carried out 2 missiles and 41 air strikes, carried out 28 shelling from the volcano fire jet systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. As a result of the Russian attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Destruction and damage private residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure have suffered. In the Volyn and Polisky directions, the operating environment without significant changes. The sign of the formation of offensive groups has not been detected. The designated units of the armed forces of Belarus perform tasks in the border areas with Ukraine. In the northern and slobozhans komu directions, Russia maintains a military presence in the border areas, conducts diversijno-intelligence activities, carries out shelling of settlements from the territory of Russia, increases the density of mine-explosive fences along the state border of Ukraine. Russian forces caused air strikes in the areas of the settlements of graniv, grigorivka kharkiv region. More than 50 settlements were hit by Russian artillery and mortar shelling, among them Baranivka, Karpovychi, Leonivka of Chernihiv region; Znob-Novgorod, Marchikhina Buda, Photovyzh of Sumy region; Udi, Ohrimivka, Zemlyanki, Home of Kharkiv region. In the Kupiansky direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled 4 attacks near Synkivka Kharkiv region, where Russian forces tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainan troops. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the areas of the sandy kharkiv region and Novoegorivka luhansk region. More than 15 settlements were under artillery and mortar fire, including Dvorichna, Masyutivka, Synkivka, Petropavlivka, Brestove Kharkiv region. In the Limansky direction, Ukrainan defenders repelled the Russian attack in the area of Terniv Donetsk region and 4 more attacks near Makiyivka, Bilogorivka, Serebryansky forest of Luhansk region, where Russian forces tried to break through the defense of Ukrainan troops. Russian forces caused air strikes in the areas of bilogorivka, serebryans .kogo forestry of luhansk region and terniv, rozdolivki of donetsk region. More than 10 settlements were affected by Russian artillery and mortar shelling, among them Karmazinivka, Nevsky, Dibrova Luhansk region and Ivanivka, Verkhnyokamianske, Spirne Donetsk region. In the Bakhmuts komu direction of the Defense Forces were hit by 7 attacks near Bogdanivka, Klis iivka and Andriyivka Donetsk region, where Russian forces unsuccessfully tried to improve the tactical position. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the areas of the settlements of Bogdanivka, Khromove, Klishchiyivka, Bila Gora, Mayors ke Donetsk region. About 10 settlements were under artillery and mortar fire, including Bogdanivka, Ivanivsk, Klishchiyivka, Andriyivka, Kurdyumivka, New York of the Donetsk region. In the Avdiyiv direction, Ukrainan defenders repelled 9 attacks of occupiers in the areas of Stepovo, Avdiyivka and 5 more attacks near the Pervomay and Nevelsky Donetsk region, where Russian forces unsuccessfully tried to break through the defense of Ukrainan troops. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the areas of Novobakhmutivka, Avdiyivka, Water Donetsk region. Artillery and mortar shelling occurred about 15 settlements, among them Novobakhmutivka, Avdiyivka, Tonenke, Pervomaiske, Netailove, Nevels ke Donetsk region. In the Marinsky direction, the Defense Forces continue to restrain Russian forces near Georgiyivka and Novomykhailivka Donetsk region, where Russian forces tried 16 times unsuccessfully to improve the tactical position. Russian forces carried out air strikes in the area of Novomykhailivka Donetsk region. Under the artillery and mortar fire of the Russian occupiers were the settlements of Donetsk region, such as Krasnogorivka, Maryinka, Georgiyivka, Pobeda, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviyivka. In the sakhtars .komu direction the Russian forces of the aggressive (storm) actions did not lead. Made air strikes in the areas of Staromayorskogo Donetsk region and Novodarivka of Zaporizhia region. Artillery and mortar shelling were hit by more than 10 settlements, including Vodyane, Vugledar, Purchistivka, Zolota Niva, Urozhajne Donetsk region. In the direction of Zaporizhia, Ukrainan defenders repelled a Russian attack near the Robotinogo Zaporizhzhia region, where the Russian occupiers tried unsuccessfully to recover the lost position. Artillery and mortar shelling occurred in more than 15 settlements, including Poltavka, Gulyaypole, Novoandriyivka, Shcherbaky, Kamianske Zaporizhia region. In the area of responsibility of the osuv "Odessa" in the kherson direction of artillery shelling of the Russian forces suffered the regional center of the kherson region, the areas of the settlements of shlyakhove, berislav, antonivka of the kerson region and solonchaki, cornomorka of mykolaiv region. Also Russian forces fired from the reactive systems of the volcano fire of the areas of settlements Ivanivka, Ponyativka, Yantarne, Beregove, Veletens ke Kherson region. Russia does not give up the intention to knock out Ukrainan units from placdarmiv on the left bank of the Dnieper. Yes, within the day Russian forces carried out 1 unsuccessful raid of Ukrainan troops positions. During the day, the Defense Forces Aviation struck 8 areas of concentration, weapons and Russian military equipment. Also by the forces and means of anti-air defense of Ukraine, one kerovanu aviation missile X-59. The missile troop units attacked 1 control point, 1 artillery device and 1 Russian radio station. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in Kupyansk direction, units of the Zapad Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery repelled three attacks of assault detachments of the AFU 32nd, 60th, 66th, and 81st mechanised and 68th jaeger brigades close to Makeyevka (Lugansk People's Republic) and Sinkovka (Kharkov region). The enemy losses were up to 180 troops, five tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, and two pickup trucks. Also, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, and one MT-12 anti-tank gun were hit during the counter-battery warfare. In Krasny Liman direction, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled three attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 117th Territorial Defence Brigade near Yampolovka and Grigorovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Up to 180 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, two infantry fighting vehicles, and three motor vehicles have been neutralised. In counter-battery warfare, the Russian troops hit one Zuzana-2 self-propelled artillery system made in Slovakia, two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, and one D-20 howitzer. In Donetsk direction, units of the Yug Group of Forces supported by artillery repelled six attacks launched by assault detachments of the AFU 22th Mechanised Brigade near Kleshcheyevka (Donetsk People's Republic). Also, artillery strikes caused fire damage to the manpower and military hardware of the 22nd and 92nd mechanised brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Kleshcheyevka and Krasnoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The enemy lost up to 320 troops killed and wounded, ten tanks, including one Leopard 2A5, two infantry fighting vehicles, six armoured fighting vehicles, one Strela-10 anti-aircraft missile system, and 12 motor vehicles. During the counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: two U.S.-made M777 artillery systems, one Polish-made Krab self-propelled artillery system, Msta-B and D-20 howitzers, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, one Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and two D-30 guns. In South Donetsk direction, units of the Vostok Group of Forces, in cooperation with artillery, inflicted fire damage on manpower of the 31st mechanised, 79th air assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the 105th Territorial Defence Brigade close to Staromayorskoye, Novomikhailovka (Donetsk People's Republic) and Priyutnoye (Zaporozhye region). The enemy losses amounted to up to 120 Ukrainian troops, three motor vehicles, two Akatsiya self-propelled artillery systems, and one D-20 howitzer. In Zaporozhye direction, units of the Russian Group of Forces supported by aviation and artillery defeated the clusters of manpower and military hardware of the 117th, 118th mechanised and 128th Mountain Assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine close to Rabotino, Kamenskoye, and Pyatikhatki (Zaporozhye region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 105 Ukrainian troops, one tank, and three pick-up trucks. During the counter-battery warfare, the following were hit: one French-made Caesar self-propelled artillery system and two howitzers: D-20 and D-30. In Kherson direction, units of the 35th Marine Brigade and the 121st Territorial Defence Brigade were defeated close to Novotyaginka and Zolotaya Balka (Kherson region). The enemy lost up to 100 Ukrainian troops and three motor vehicles. In the course of counterbattery warfare, one U.S.-made M777 artillery system and one Grad MLRS were destroyed. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation, unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces have neutralised two field ammunition depots of the 23rd Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and have engaged AFU manpower and hardware in 103 areas during the day. Air defence systems shot down one Su-25 aircraft of the Ukrainian Air Force Ivanovka (Kharkov region). During the day, six Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles were intercepted, as well as five HIMARS MLRS projectiles. In addition, 76 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were neutralised neat Donetsk, Novosyolovka, Vodyanoye, Verkhetoretskoye, Lipovoye (Donetsk People's Republic), Kremennaya, Zolotarevka (Lugansk People's Republic), Ocheretovatoye (Zaporozhye region), Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region) and Tokorevka (Kharkov region). In total, 568 airplanes and 265 helicopters, 11,033 unmanned aerial vehicles, 451 air defence missile systems, 14,738 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,205 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 7,822 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 17,727 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S., UK, and Australia Target Additional Hamas Financial Networks and Facilitators of Virtual Currency Transfers U.S. Department of the Treasury January 22, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed a fifth round of sanctions on Hamas since the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel. Today's action targets networks of Hamas-affiliated financial exchanges in Gaza, their owners, and associates, and particularly financial facilitators that have played key roles in funds transfers, including cryptocurrency transfers, from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Gaza. Concurrent with OFAC's designations, the United Kingdom and Australia are also placing sanctions on key Hamas officials and facilitators. "Hamas has sought to leverage a variety of financial transfer mechanisms, including the exploitation of cryptocurrency, to channel funds to support the group's terrorist activities," said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. "Treasury, in close coordination with our allies and partners, will continue to leverage our authorities to target Hamas, its financiers, and its international financial infrastructure." This action builds on OFAC's recent joint designations with the United Kingdom on December 13 and November 14, targeting Hamas leaders and financiers; as well as U.S. actions on October 27, targeting sources of Hamas support and financing; October 18, targeting Hamas operatives and financial facilitators; and May 2022, designating officials and companies involved in managing Hamas's secret international investment portfolio. Individuals and entities targeted today are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorist groups and their supporters. SHAMLAKH NETWORK Over the last several years, members of the Shamlakh family have become the main end point for funds transferred from the IRGC-QF to Hamas and PIJ in Gaza. Gaza-based financial facilitator Zuhair Shamlakh (Zuhair) is a Gaza-based moneychanger who facilitates funds transfers in the tens of millions of dollars from Iran to Hamas. Zuhair has used his companies Al-Markaziya Li-Siarafa (Al-Markaziya) and Arab China Trading Company to channel funds for the Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades (al-Qassam Brigades), the military wing of Hamas. Zuhair has been facilitating funds transfers to terrorist groups in Gaza since at least 2017, when he worked with Muhammad Kamal al-Ayy to coordinate the transfer of millions from Lebanon to Gaza. Al-Ayy was designated in August 2019 for providing financial, material, technological support, financial or other services to or in support of Hamas. Gaza- and TArkiye-based Al-Markaziya is owned by Zuhair and managed by his family members. Formerly known as Al-Mutahadun for Exchange, it has been directly involved in facilitating tens of millions of dollars from IRGC-QF to Hamas and PIJ. In April 2023, the Israeli Defense Ministry's National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing (NBCTF) seized 189 cryptocurrency accounts associated with three Palestinian currency exchanges, one of which was Al-Markaziya. Arab China Trading Companyis also based in Gaza and TArkiye and is owned by Zuhair. Israel designated both Arab China Trading Company and Al-Markaziya for their support to Hamas. Gaza-based financial facilitators Ahmed Shamlakh (Ahmed), Alaa Shamlakh (Alaa), and Imad Shamlakh (Imad), serve as key players in the financial flow from Iran to Hamas and PIJ using their ties to money changing companies, including Al-Markaziya. Ahmed is one of the owners or directors of Al-Markaziya and Alaa is the sole employee and officer of Al-Markaziya's branch in TArkiye. Both Ahmed and Alaa have been involved in transferring money to Hamas. Imad has directly facilitated the transfer of Chinese yuan from bank accounts in China to accounts controlled by Hamas in Gaza. Imad has also faciliated multiple transfers, worth approximately 50,000 Chinese yuan, to accounts in China likely for the benefit of Hamas. Additionally, Imad has smuggled cash from Egypt to Gaza on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria in the Sinai (ISIS-Sinai). Zuhair Shamlakh,Ahmed Shamlakh, Alaa Shamlakh, and Imad Shamlakh are being designated pursuant to E.O.13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or good or services to Hamas. Al-Markaziya and Arab China Trading Company are being designated pursuant to E.O.13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled or directed by Zuhair Shamlakh. HERZALLAH NETWORK Hamas has used multiple methods of illicitly transferring funds to the West Bank from Gaza in order to fund and support recruitment and the purchase of weapons there. Hamas has directly co-opted and utilized some corrupt money exchanges in both the West Bank and Gaza to launder funds for the terrorist group. Since at least 2020, Hamas has also used cryptocurrency to transfer some funding in support of operational costs in the West Bank as a means of mitigating the risks of physically moving cash, circumventing border crossings, and evading monitoring by authorities. Gaza-based Herzallah Exchange and General Trading Company LLC (Herzallah Exchange) has worked with Hamas to facilitate transactions, including through the use of cryptocurrencies. Herzallah Exchange has laundered money for Hamas, as well as for PIJ. Herzallah Exchange is owned by Muhammad Fallah Kamil Hirzallah (Muhammad Fallah), Na'im Kamil Raghib Hirzallah, and Salah Kamil Raghib Hirzallah (Salah). Muhammad Fallah has facilitated the transfer of cash while Salah acts as the financial manager of Herzallah Exchange which is a primary money launderer for Hamas. Gaza-based Samir Herzallah and Brothers For Money Exchange and Remittances (Samir Exchange) has also worked with Hamas to facilitate money transfers for the group. Samir Exchange has facilitated millions of dollars worth of funds transfers from around the region for Hamas since at least 2014. Samir 'Abd Al-Mu'in 'Abd Hirzallah (Samir Hirzallah) is the manager of Samir Exchange and has publicly represented Samir Exchange. Gaza-based financial facilitator Thair Abd Al Raziq Shukri Hirzallah (Thair Hirzallah) has previously coordinated transfers of millions of dollars to TArkiye, and has handled financial transactions for both Hamas and PIJ. Thair Hirzallah has worked with Gaza-based money exchanger Muhammad Kamal al-Ayy and Hamas financial official Fawaz Mahmud Ali Nasser. Fawaz Mahmud Ali Nasser was designated in August 2019 for providing financial, material, technological support, financial or other services to or in support of Hamas. Herzallah Exchange, Muhammad Fallah Kamil Hirzallah, Na'im Kamil Raghib Hirzallah, Salah Kamil Raghib Hirzallah, Samir Exchange, Smir Hirzallah, and Thair Hirzallahare being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or good or services to Hamas. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, non-U.S. financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions risk or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Treasury remains committed to enabling the flow of legitimate humanitarian assistance supporting the basic human needs of vulnerable populations, while continuing to deny resources to malicious actors. Accordingly, OFAC sanctions programs contain provisions for legitimate humanitarian support to vulnerable populations, including authorizations for certain humanitarian transactions in support of nongovernmental organizations' activities. For more information, please review relevant authorizations and guidance on OFAC's website. On November 14, 2023, OFAC issued a Compliance Communique which provides additional guidance for the provision of humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. Click here for more information on the individuals designated today. Additional Treasury resources on countering the financing of terrorism: ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US, Britain, Australia Impose New Sanctions on Hamas By VOA News January 22, 2024 The United States, Britain and Australia imposed a fifth round of sanctions against Hamas on Monday, targeting the militants' financial exchanges in Gaza and money being sent there by Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force to Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. In announcing the sanctions, U.S. Treasury official Brian Nelson said, "Hamas has sought to leverage a variety of financial transfer mechanisms, including the exploitation of cryptocurrency, to channel funds to support the group's terrorist activities. Treasury, in close coordination with our allies and partners, will continue to leverage our authorities to target Hamas, its financiers and its international financial infrastructure." British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said, "These sanctions send a clear message to Hamas [that] the [United Kingdom] and our partners are committed to ensuring there is no hiding place for those financing terrorist activities. To reach a sustainable cease-fire in Gaza, Hamas can no longer be in power and able to threaten Israel." The U.S. said the sanctions target key financial officials in Gaza who have handled millions of dollars in Iranian transfers to Hamas in recent years. The newest sanctions follow earlier ones imposed in the weeks after the shock October 7 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and led to Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza that Hamas health officials say has killed more than 25,000 people. In a statement, Treasury said, "Since at least 2020, Hamas has also used cryptocurrency to transfer some funding in support of operational costs in the West Bank as a means of mitigating the risks of physically moving cash, circumventing border crossings, and evading monitoring by authorities." The sanctions freeze any assets the Hamas entities hold in the U.S. and blocks Americans from doing any business with them. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctions in response to terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas Minister for Foreign Affairs Media release 23 January 2024 Australia has imposed further counter-terrorism financing sanctions on 12 persons and three entities linked to Hamas, Hizballah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. This action is concurrent with further sanctions imposed on Hamas-linked targets by the United States, United Kingdom, and European Union. Those sanctioned include Hamas leaders, financial facilitators, and persons who have provided training to terrorist operatives, as well as three entities that have facilitated the transfer of funds to Hamas. Sanctioning and publicly listing these 12 persons and three entities for counter-terrorism financing sanctions shows they have engaged in the support and facilitation of terrorism. Australia has already imposed sanctions on Hamas, Hizballah and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in their entirety, and a further 17 persons and seven entities with links to these groups. Once listed for sanctions, it is a criminal offence to use or deal with the person or entity's assets, or to make assets available to them. This is punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and/or heavy fines. Australia continues to unequivocally condemn the attacks on Israel by Hamas as abhorrent acts of terror against innocent civilians. A Consolidated List of sanctions is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs website. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Cyber sanctions in response to Medibank Private cyber attack Minister for Foreign Affairs Joint media release with: The Hon Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Defence The Hon Clare O'Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Cyber Security 23 January 2024 Australia has today used cyber sanctions powers on a Russian individual for his role in the breach of the Medibank Private network. This is the first use of Australia's autonomous cyber sanctions framework and is a result of Australian Government efforts over the past 18 months to investigate and respond to this cyber incident. In the attack, 9.7 million records were stolen. These records included names, dates of birth, Medicare numbers, and sensitive medical information. Some records were published on the dark web. The Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Federal Police, under Operation Aquila, together with other Commonwealth agencies and international partners, have worked tirelessly to link Russian citizen and cybercriminal Aleksandr Ermakov to the compromise of the Medibank Private network and continue to pursue other leads. The Australian Government has imposed a targeted financial sanction and a travel ban on Aleksandr Ermakov. This sanction makes it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment and heavy fines, to provide assets to Aleksandr Ermakov, or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. This announcement highlights the Albanese Government's commitment in the 2023a2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy to deter and respond to malicious cyber activity, including through the use of sanctions. We encourage all Australians - including businesses - to be vigilant about their cyber security arrangements to help make Australia a harder target against increasing malicious cyber activity. The Australian Government discourages businesses and individuals from paying ransoms or extortion claims to cyber criminals. If you are asked to pay a ransom you should: Call the Australian Cyber Security Hotline on 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371) for cyber security assistance; and Report the cybercrime, incident or vulnerability to the Australian Signals Directorate at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report Quotes attributable to the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP: "In our current strategic circumstances we continue to see governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and households in Australia targeted by malicious cyber actors. "The Australian Signals Directorate and the Australian Federal Police have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to unmask those responsible for the cyberattack on Medibank Private and to ensure Australians are protected from malicious cyber activity. "We continue to work with our friends and partners around the world to ensure cyber criminals are held to account for their actions and we will relentlessly pursue activities which disrupt their capability to target Australians in the cyber space." Quotes attributable to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Penny Wong: "The use of these powers sends a clear message - there are costs and consequences for targeting Australia and Australians. "The Albanese Government will continue to hold cybercriminals to account. "This is an incredible effort from our cyber and intelligence teams. We are using all elements of our national power to make Australia more secure at home and to keep Australians safe." Quotes attributable to the Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Cyber Security, the Hon Clare O'Neil MP: "The Australian Government condemns malicious cyber activity, and we will work with our partners and do everything in our power to punish individuals who attempt to perpetrate cyber crime in this country. "Through the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, we are hardening our defences and putting layers of protection around Australians and Australian businesses. This includes working with industry to break the ransomware business model. "Our strong advice to businesses is never pay the ransom. Paying a ransom does not guarantee sensitive data will be recovered, prevent it from being sold or leaked online or prevent further attacks. It also makes Australia a more attractive target for criminal groups." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sorayya's launch aimed at accomplishing key missions: Iran's top space official IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2024 Tehran, IRNA -- Head of the Iranian Space Agency Hassan Salariyeh has said that the most important mission of the newly-launched indigenous Sorayya satellite is to verify the performance of Qaem 100, a domestically-made satellite carrier designed for launches at higher space orbits. Salariyeh made the comment in an interview with IRNA on Monday, two days after Iran placed the Sorayya (meaning Pleiades in Persian) research satellite into a space orbit of 750km above the Earth's surface. Minister of Communications and Information Technology Isa Zarepour said afterward that it was the first time that Iran put a satellite in the 750-km orbit above the Earth's surface, hailing it as a new record set in the height of the country's space launches. Sorraya was launched into the space using Qaem 100 satellite carrier built by the Aerospace Unit of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC). Now, the head of the Iranian Space Agency has said that the Sorayya satellite was launched to accomplish several missions including to verify the performance of Qaem 100 carrier, and to test the performance of locating the satellite using indigenous space GPS. Testing the performance of telecommunication equipment in sending data on the situation of the satellite and receiving orders from the Earth, coupled with testing the satellite's performance in the orbit at the time of separation are some of other missions defined for the satellite, Salariyeh added. He also elaborated on the capabilities of Qaem 100 satellite carrier. He said it is equipped with an engine working on solid fuel, which enables the carrier to carry objects weighing above 50kg and destined for a 500-km orbit. Qaem 100 is capable of carrying objects weighing up to 100kg, he added. The official said the engine of Qaem 100 promotes its flight sustainability and have a better control mechanism, adding that the carrier will be used for several more space launches in the coming months to further test its capabilities and performance. Salariyeh also said that Iran is building another satellite carrier called Qaem 120, while it will test-launch another one named Simorgh (meaning phoenix) in the near future, which has been produced by the country's ministry of defense. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trial In Absentia Of Former Belarusian Police Starts In Minsk By RFE/RL's Belarus Service January 22, 2024 The trial in absentia of six former Belarusian law enforcement officers who left the country after taking the side of protesters in 2020 challenging the official results of a presidential election that named authoritarian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka the winner began behind closed doors on January 22. Alyaksandr Azarau, Matsvey Kupreychyk, Ihar Loban, Andrey Astapovich, Uladzimer Zhyhar, and Aleh Talerchyk are being tried in the Minsk City Court on charges of inciting social hatred, plotting to forcibly seize power, and the creation of an extremist group. Although the Belarusian authorities had said the trial would be open to the public, the court said some parts of it will be held behind closed doors, citing "classified data." The charges stem from the defendants' role in the creation abroad of ByPol, a group uniting former law enforcement officers who support opposition politicians. In August 2022, ByPol was designated a terrorist organization by Belarus's Supreme Court. A year later, ByPol split into two groups -- ByPol and BelPol -- following disagreements within the organization and with the Belarusian opposition in exile led by Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya. If convicted, the six former law enforcement officers may be sentenced in absentia to dozens of years in prison. Thousands have been detained during countrywide protests over the election results and there have been credible reports of torture and ill-treatment by security forces. Several people died during the crackdown. Lukashenka, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 1994, has refused to negotiate with the opposition and many of its leaders have been arrested or forced to leave the country. Also on January 22, the Vyasna human rights center said that the Brest regional court in the country's west sentenced local resident Alyaksandr Boyka to 2 1/2 years in prison for taking a video of unspecified military equipment and posting it on an unspecified online chat room. Judge Dzmitry Karasinski sentenced Boyka after finding him guilty of taking part in an extremist group's activities. Lukashenka has supported Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022 by allowing Russian troops to use Belarusian territory. Moscow also sent tactical nuclear weapons to be stationed in Belarus. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-bypol- 6-trial-absentia/32786895.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China willing to play a constructive role in improving Iran-Pakistan relations: Foreign Ministry Global Times By Zhang Yuying Published: Jan 22, 2024 09:21 PM China maintains close communication with both Iran and Pakistan, and is willing to continue playing a positive and constructive role in improving the relationship according to their needs, the Chinese Foreign Ministry stated on Monday, with Chinese experts noting that as a responsible power, China has played a crucial part in promoting the relationship between the two countries in the long run. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks during a regular press conference on Monday when asked about whether China is mediating between Iran and Pakistan after the two countries conducted strikes inside each other's territory. Wang said China maintains close communication with Iran and Pakistan, emphasizing that the two countries are friendly neighbors and both are good friends of China. The spokesperson noted that China has always been committed to maintaining regional and international peace and stability, supporting Iran and Pakistan in resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation. "China is also willing to continue playing a positive and constructive role in improving the relationship between the two countries according to their needs," Wang said. On Sunday, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu had a phone call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani, during which the two sides had an exchange of views on regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern. Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met with Pakistani Foreign Secretary Mohammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, on Saturday. The two sides had an exchange of views on the current international and regional situation, stressing that China and Pakistan will strengthen coordination and cooperation and jointly contribute to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. "While having friendly relations with both countries, China is committed to promoting the relationship between Iran and Pakistan in the long run," Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Monday. Qian noted that China has played a crucial role as a responsible power by promoting bilateral relations of the two countries and regional peace and stability unaffected by issues such as border disputes between Iran and Pakistan. Chinese experts said that Iran and Pakistan respect China's role in regional and international affairs, and China will continue to play an essential part as a mediator, so as to promote Iran and Pakistan to resolve their differences through diplomatic channels, as well as to build trust and dispel doubts. According to Reuters, Pakistan launched strikes inside Iran on Thursday, two days after Tehran said it struck the bases of another group within Pakistani territory. In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Thursday that China believes that relations between countries should be handled in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law and that countries' sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity should be respected and safeguarded. Mao said that Iran and Pakistan are close neighbors and both have influence and keep friendly relations with China, and China sincerely hopes that the two sides will remain calm and restraint and avoid escalation of the tension. "If there is need from the two sides, we would like to play a constructive role in cooling down the situation," Mao noted. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PLA Navy's 8th Type 055 large destroyer examined in drills Global Times By Liu Xuanzun Published: Jan 22, 2024 08:44 PM The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's eighth Type 055 large destroyer recently received a multi-mission examination that experts said on Monday tested the newly commissioned warship's comprehensive capabilities, as the vessel readies itself for combat. A vessel training center affiliated with the PLA Navy recently organized the Xianyang and the Bayannaoer to conducted a full-course training examination featuring tests in sea attack missions, anti-submarine missions and air defense missions at an undisclosed sea region, laying down a solid foundation for the ships' future missions, China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday. The vessels conducted live-fire shooting with their main guns, close-in weapon systems and anti-submarine depth charges, the report shows. The Xianyang is the PLA Navy's eighth 10,000 ton-class large destroyer, the commissioning of which was announced in April 2023, while the Bayannaoer is a Type 054A frigate, according to the CCTV report. Receiving a full-course training examination indicates that the warships are close to achieving operational capabilities, a Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Monday. Thanks to experiences garnered by previous hulls of the Type 055, the Xianyang is gaining combat capabilities fast since it has commissioned in less a year, the expert said. The Xianyang is commissioned into the PLA Southern Theater Command facing the South China Sea, CCTV reported when the Xianyang was announced entering service last year. At a time when tensions remain in the South China Sea, having another Type 055 ready for missions is a powerful boost in the safeguard of national sovereignty, security and maritime rights, analysts noted. Shi Hong, executive chief editor of the Shipborne Weapons magazine, considers the Type 055 to be the world's best destroyer in terms of comprehensive capabilities. He told the Global Times that the Type 055 can not only accompany aircraft carriers, but can also serve as the command ship of a flotilla, and provide more flexible tactics for the PLA Navy. With a displacement of more than 10,000 tons, the Type 055 large destroyer is equipped with an integrated mast that gives the warship outstanding situational awareness, plus the 112-cell missile vertical launch system hosting a combination of land attack, anti-ship, anti-air, and anti-submarine missiles, according to openly available information and analyses. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 'China threat' bubble fermented by US politicians is aimed to stymie China's development: Foreign Ministry Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 22, 2024 05:33 PM The "China threat" bubble fermented by US politicians is getting bigger, while their real intention of curbing China's development under the guise of national security is also becoming more pronounced, Wang Wenbin, spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry, said on Monday. Wang's remarks came after that several US lawmakers have again invoked so-called security concerns to launch a probe into the Swedish-Swiss multinational engineering giant ABB Group's operations in China. The investigation focuses on Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co, with ABB becoming involved because it's a sub-supplier to the Chinese state-owned manufacturer of container cranes, Bloomberg reported on Friday, citing a letter from US Congress. "It seems that the victimization paranoia of the US politicians concerned is getting more serious." Wang said. "I would like to ask those US politicians why they keep accusing the Chinese companies of threatening US national security without providing any evidence, and why the spearheads of the US national security threats are always pointing at the leading Chinese companies in various sectors," Wang asked. "Why is it that when other countries do not feel threatened by Chinese products, and the US has to coerce them into blocking relevant Chinese companies, by claiming that cranes produced in China are a Trojan horse for intelligence gathering, or rendering Chinese-produced electric car batteries a threat to its national security," the spokesperson asked. Wang said that for those US politicians, anything advanced from China is a threat, and they have to take all measures to suppress it. What the US politicians represent is "an act of bullying." "The US politicians talk about abiding by the rules, but what they actually do is to ignore the rules and undermine them; they talk about fair competition, but in reality, they suppress their competitors by all means and deprive other countries of their legitimate right to development, which is despicable and deserves to be condemned and opposed by the international community," Wang said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin's Regular Press Conference on January 22, 2024 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China 2024-01-22 21:23 Shenzhen TV: This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. On January 19, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Brazil. Can you share more about the highlights of Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Brazil and the outcomes and common understandings reached between the two sides at the meetings? Wang Wenbin: During the past few days, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Brazil and Jamaica upon invitation. During his visit to Brazil, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Brazilian President Lula da Silva, Vice President Geraldo Alckmin and chief adviser to the President Celso Amorim respectively. He also co-chaired the fourth China-Brazil Foreign Ministerial-Level Comprehensive Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and jointly met the press. President Lula da Silva noted that since day one after Brazil established diplomatic relations with China, Brazil has publicly supported and adhered to the one-China principle and will stick to this position. Brazil is optimistic about China's development prospects, and hopes to draw on China's governance experience and enrich cooperation with China. Brazil shares high consensus on many major issues with China, and hopes to work with China to improve global governance and increase the collective strength of developing countries and their say in international affairs. The Brazilian side also noted that they look to hosting the G20 Leaders' Summit in Rio de Janeiro as an opportunity to enhance high-level exchange with China, boost bilateral ties and lead the friendship and cooperation between the two countries to another, more promising 50 years. Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted that Brazil is the first developing country to establish a strategic partnership with China and the first major Latin American country to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Relations with Brazil have always been a priority in China's diplomacy, and China firmly supports Brazil in accelerating economic and social development and playing a bigger role in international and regional affairs. China stands ready to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to work with Brazil for another "golden 50 years" of bilateral ties. During the visit, the two sides reached a number of common understandings: First, the two sides will jointly implement the important common understandings between the two presidents, enhance strategic mutual trust and keep understanding and supporting each other on issues related to our core interests and major concerns for the benefit of the two peoples. Second, the two sides will continue to advance mutually beneficial cooperation. China and Brazil work together in fields ranging from space to soybean. We will stay committed to the principle of openness, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation, better synergize development strategies and elevate bilateral cooperation across the board to a new level. Third, the two sides will jointly strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, enhance the public support of the China-Brazil friendship, offer visa facilitation to each other, and expand mutual interactions. Fourth, the two sides will jointly display the sense of responsibility as major countries and build a community with a shared future for mankind. We will strengthen communication and coordination, uphold the common interests of developing countries, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build a community with a shared future between China and Brazil, and between China and Latin America. During his visit to Jamaica, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with and held talks with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Foreign Ministera Kamina Johnson Smith respectively. The Jamaican side said it will stay committed to the one-China principle, put China-Jamaica relations front and center and strive for a robust China-Jamaica strategic partnership. China's modernization sets an example of high-quality development. Jamaica admires China's remarkable achievements and expects to draw from China's successful experience for more efficient and equitable development. Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed that China upholds equality among all countries regardless of their size, greater democracy in international relations and non-interference in any other country's internal affairs, and will not strive for geopolitical rivalry or force other countries to pick sides. China respects Jamaica for choosing a system and lifestyle with its own characteristics, and supports Jamaica in upholding its sovereign independence and national dignity, and playing a more critical role in regional and international affairs. China expects to better align development strategies, expand cooperation on trade, investment, renewable energy, agriculture, digital economy, blue economy and other fields, and enhance cultural and people-to-people exchanges with Jamaica. Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to six countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean is a continuation of the 34-year tradition of making Africa the Chinese foreign minister's first overseas destination at the start of the year. It reflects that China, a member of the Global South, shares the same future through thick and thin with developing countries. China will stand on the side of justice and equity, and stand with developing countries, especially medium-sized and smaller countries. We will promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, build a community with a shared future for mankind with all countries, and make new contributions to the development and progress of humanity. Associated Press of Pakistan: After Iran and Pakistan conducted strikes on each other's territory last week, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that China is willing to play a constructive role to cool down the situation. I noticed that Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu had a phone call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani last night, and Vice Minister Sun Weidong is visiting Pakistan. Is China mediating between Iran and Pakistan? Wang Wenbin: China maintains close communication with Iran and Pakistan. I want to stress that Iran and Pakistan are friendly neighbors and both are good friends of China. China is committed to upholding regional and international peace and stability and supports Iran and Pakistan in continuing to bridge differences through dialogue and consultation. We would like to continue to play a positive and constructive role in improving the relations between Iran and Pakistan based on the needs of the two countries. China News Service: During the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 last week, the head of Switzerland Tourism said that they could learn from China, Switzerland wants to welcome Chinese visitors and both countries have winter tourism assets to share. "Switzerland applying to join the tourism competition" became a hot online topic in China. Do you have any comment on this? Wang Wenbin: I also noted the reports. According to a report issued by the China Tourism Academy, as the second ice and snow season after the Beijing Winter Olympics, the 2023-2024 season is expected to see over 400 million ice and snow tourism trips across China, which will hit a record high, and ice and snow tourism revenue reaching RMB 550 billion. China's booming holiday consumption and thriving ice and snow economy provides powerful impetus for the global tourism market and demonstrates the strong vitality of Chinese economy. As stressed by Premier Li Qiang in his special address at the opening ceremony of the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024, China has a supersize market with rapidly unlocked demand. The Chinese market, with its vast space and growing depth, will play an important role in boosting aggregate global demand. China sees lucid waters and lush mountains as invaluable assets. And winter tourism destinations have become popular around the world. This reflects Chinese tourists' growing spending power and demand for tourism. This also shows the conviction and confidence that China's economy will navigate through the choppy waters. It is also an opportunity for China, Switzerland and other countries to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation. We will keep exploring and unleashing market demand, provide broader space for boosting global trade and investment, and inject stronger impetus into the global economic recovery. Nippon Television: According to our report, a group of North Korean IT technicians are doing business in the city of Beijing and earning foreign currency. Some analysts have pointed out that this may be a violation of UN Security Council sanctions. Do you have any comment for that? Wang Wenbin: I am not aware of that. On implementing Security Council resolutions, China has always fulfilled our international obligations fully and in good faith. Bloomberg: The recently reelected President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo said in his inaugural address that the details of the royalty for the Sicomines project will be renegotiated. That was discussed when he was here last year and when he met with Chinese leader. Can you confirm the details of this renegotiation of the royalty agreement? And can you give us the details about when that would be paid and how? Wang Wenbin: I have no information on what you asked about. I'd refer you to competent authorities. Ukrainian News Agency: Last week during the World Economic Forum in Davos, the need for direct dialogue between the leaders of Ukraine and China was mentioned many times. How can you comment on the prospects of such a dialogue, or perhaps, negotiations between the two countries' foreign ministers? Wang Wenbin: China and Ukraine maintain smooth channels of communication and exchange views on issues of mutual interest. The two sides will continue to engage in exchanges in light of the needs in bilateral relations. Reuters: Two US Congress committees dedicated to investigating security threats and risks posed by Beijing are looking into Swiss engineering group called ABB. They're looking into ABB's operations in China, particularly about the installation of ABB equipment by Chinese firm, Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries (ZPMC), onto ship-to-shore cranes that are bound for the US. These committees are seeking to clarify the relations between these two companies. How does the Ministry respond to this matter and has the Ministry reached out to ZPMC about this matter? Wang Wenbin: It seems that the paranoia of some US politicians is getting worse. I would like to ask these politicians: why do they keep blaming Chinese companies for threatening US national security even though they do not have any evidence? Why is it always the industrial champions of China who are being targeted as "threats" to US national security? Why does the US coerce other countries into banning Chinese companies when these countries do not feel threatened by Chinese products at all?a From accusing Chinese IT manufacturers of leaving "backdoor" in their products to calling Chinese cranes "Trojan horse" that collect intelligence, and to blaming China-produced EV cells for harming US national security, some US politicians have been blowing up the bubble of "China threat", while exposing their real aim of suppressing China's development in the name of national security. For those US politicians, anything advanced from China can be a "threat" and must be stopped by all means; perhaps shirts and socks are the only type of Chinese exports that do not threaten the US. This is sheer bullying and hegemonism. These politicians talk about rules and fair competition, but all they do is break the rules, play foul to kneecap competitors and deprive other countries of their legitimate right to development. These despicable moves should be condemned and rejected by the international community. CCTV: There are foreign media comments saying that for some time, global talent are "reluctant" to work and live in Hong Kong, and even show a trend of "talent drain." What's the Foreign Ministry's comment? Wang Wenbin: Such comments lack factual basis and respect for the fact that Hong Kong remains the hub of global talent. It is quite irresponsible to discredit Hong Kong's freedom and human rights situation, for it is gravely misleading for the public. The reality is that Hong Kong's strong appeal to global talent continues to grow. According to the Hong Kong SAR government, from mid-2022 to mid-2023, the net inflow of Hong Kong residents amounted to 174,000. There's no so-called "talent drain" in Hong Kong. From January to November in 2023, the SAR government received more than 200,000 applications under various talent schemes. Among them, over 120,000 applications have been approved and 80,000 talents have arrived in Hong Kong, which far exceeded the annual target of admitting at least 35,000 talents. Besides, the International Institute for Management Development in Lausanne, Switzerland released the IMD World Talent Report 2023, which shows that Hong Kong ranks the second in Asia in terms of talent competitiveness. These numbers and facts fully show that Hong Kong remains a popular destination for global talent. Hong Kong has entered a new stage in which the region has restored order and is set to thrive. People there are living a happy life and enjoying lawful rights and freedom. This has created an unprecedented environment and golden opportunities for both Chinese and foreign talent to live and thrive in Hong Kong. We believe that under "One Country, Two Systems", Hong Kong's unique advantage of enjoying the backing of the motherland and being open to the world will further strengthen. Hong Kong will further expand the progress it is making in economic and social endeavors. The region's appeal to global talent will only grow. The Central Government of China will as always support the Hong Kong SAR in attracting global talent, building new advantages and welcoming world talent from all sectors to share in Hong Kong's development opportunities and open up a brighter future for Hong Kong. Global Times: After the Independent National Electoral Commission of Comoros announced on January 16 that incumbent President Azali Assoumani won the first round of presidential election with 62.97 percent of the votes, protests have broken out in multiple places of the country, and the US, the EU and France have issued statements questioning the election result. What is China's comment on this? Wang Wenbin: The presidential election is the internal affair of Comoros. China always upholds the principle of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, and respects the will and choice of the people of Comoros. As a good friend and good partner, China would like to see social stability in Comoros and continuity in its domestic and foreign policies, and hopes that relevant parties will express their aspiration through lawful means. The international community should play a constructive role, but not resort to interference. Otherwise it will only be counterproductive. China stands ready to work with international partners to support Comoros in maintaining social stability and play a positive role in upholding peace and development in the region. Bloomberg: You said in your earlier answer about Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Brazil that China supports Brazil in playing a greater role in regional affairs. Was there any discussion of the new government in Argentina as part of the discussion of Brazil's role in Latin American affairs and how China can assist with that? Wang Wenbin: I just briefed you on Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Brazil. Taking this opportunity, I'd like to give you more details on China-Argentina relations. China and Argentina are both major developing countries and important emerging markets, and we are each other's comprehensive strategic partners. In recent years, China and Argentina have been advancing Belt and Road cooperation. The two sides signed important cooperation documents, including the memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation plan. We stand ready to work with Argentina to cement political mutual trust, enhance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, tap on our complementary advantages, deepen equal-footed and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields and advance the sustained and steady growth of China-Argentina comprehensive strategic partnership. Meanwhile, China stands ready to work with Argentina to elevate the cooperation between China and Latin America. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address High Stakes For China Amid Simmering Iran-Pakistan Tensions By Reid Standish January 22, 2024 Air strikes and diplomatic sparring between Iran and Pakistan have raised difficult questions for China and its influence in the region amid growing fears the upheaval sweeping across the Middle East could spread. Since the tit-for-tat strikes on January 16 and 18 against militant and separatist groups, Islamabad and Tehran have signaled they want to de-escalate the situation and that their foreign ministers will hold talks in Pakistan on January 29. But the attacks have exposed the fine line between peace and conflict in the region and put the spotlight on China, a close partner of both countries, to see if it can use its sway to ramp down tensions and avoid a conflict that would jeopardize Beijing's economic and geopolitical interests in the region. "For China, the stakes are high and they really can't afford for things to get any worse between Iran and Pakistan," Abdul Basit, an associate research fellow at Singapore's S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told RFE/RL. China has tens of billions of dollars of investments in Iran and Pakistan and both countries are high-level partners that benefit from Chinese political and economic support. Following the missile-strike exchange, China's Foreign Ministry called for calm and said it would "play a constructive role in cooling down the situation," without giving details. Beijing is now expected to step up its engagement to head off another crisis in the region, in what analysts say is yet another test for China's influence after recently hitting its limit with the war in Gaza, shipping attacks in the Red Sea by Iranian-backed Huthi militants, and the growing instability across the Middle East these events have caused. "We're yet to see anything really concrete where China has stepped in to solve an international crisis," Sari Arho Havren, an associate fellow at London's Royal United Services Institute, told RFE/RL. "[But] China has a reputational image at stake where it's presenting itself as the alternative to the United States, even though assumptions about how powerful it really is in the Middle East are now being scrutinized." What's Going On Between Iran And Pakistan? The Iranian strikes in Pakistan were part of a series of similar attacks launched by Iran that also hit targets in Iraq and Syria. In Pakistan, Tehran said it was targeting the Sunni separatist group Jaish al-Adl with drones and missiles in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan Province. Jaish al-Adl operates mostly in Iran's southeastern Sistan-Baluchistan Province but is also suspected to be in neighboring Pakistan. The group claimed responsibility for a December 15 attack on a police station in southeastern Iran that killed 11 officers. In response, Islamabad said its military conducted air strikes in Sistan-Baluchistan targeting the Baloch Liberation Front and the Baloch Liberation Army, two separatist groups believed to be hiding in Iran. The exchange of strikes was followed by Pakistan recalling its ambassador from Iran and blocking Tehran's ambassador to Islamabad from returning to his post. On January 21, the Counterterrorism Department in Pakistan's southwestern Sindh Province announced it had arrested a suspect in a 2019 assassination attempt on a top Pakistani cleric who is a member of the Zainebiyoun Brigade, a militant group allegedly backed by Iran. But since the strikes on each other's territory, Iran and Pakistan have cooled their rhetoric and signaled that they intend to de-escalate, echoing sentiment through official statements that the neighbors are "brotherly countries" that should pursue dialogue and cooperation. Basit says this stems largely from the fact that the countries see themselves spread too thin in dealing with a host of pressing foreign and domestic issues. Tehran has grappled with a series of attacks across the country, including a January 3 twin bombing that killed more than 90 people, and is engaged across the region directly or through groups that it backed such as Yemen's Huthis and Lebanon's Hizballah. The tit-for-tat attacks, meanwhile, come as Pakistan is embroiled in an economic crisis and prepares to hold high-stakes elections on February 8, the first since former Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed in a vote of no confidence in April 2021, setting off years of escalating political turmoil. "Between the economy, elections, and always-present tensions with India that could grow, Pakistan simply can't afford another front," Basit said. Islamabad and Tehran are now pushing to cool down the situation, though Basit adds that the situation remains tense. "There is peace and calm now, but the animosity is ongoing," he said. How Much Leverage Does China Have? Following a week of tensions, China has leverage to push for a diplomatic settlement to the dispute, although experts say Beijing may be reluctant to intervene too publicly. "China looks to be quite measured here in its response and that raises some questions about where China stands in using its influence," Basit said. "China knows it can influence the situation, but Beijing also usually shies away from situations like this because they worry that if they try and fail, then the West will look at it differently." Beijing raised expectations in March 2023 it would play a larger political role in the Middle East when it brokered a historic deal between regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia. Michael Kugelman, the director of the Wilson Center's South Asia Institute, says China's willingness to be a mediator shouldn't be underplayed. "It looks like the Pakistanis and the Iranians had enough in their relationship to ease tensions themselves," he told RFE/RL. "But China was willing to do the Iran-Saudi deal, which is a more fraught relationship to get involved in. So, they might be relieved now, but that doesn't mean they won't step up if needed." China also holds other cards if it needs to calm the situation between Iran and Pakistan. As China's "iron brother," Islamabad has a close partnership with Beijing, with cooperation ranging from economic investment to defense. Pakistan is the largest buyer of Chinese weapons and is also home to the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship series of infrastructure projects within China's Belt and Road Initiative. CPEC is part of Beijing's efforts to connect itself to the Arabian Sea and build stronger trade networks with the Middle East. A centerpiece of the venture is developing the port of Gwadar in Balochistan, which would strengthen shipping lanes to the region, particularly for energy shipments from Iran. For Tehran, China is a top buyer of sanctioned Iranian oil, and Beijing signed a sprawling 25-year economic and security agreement with Iran in 2021. Arho Havren says that given both Iran and Pakistan's economic dependence on China, Beijing will do all it can, should tensions rise, but will likely do so behind the scenes. "China [is unlikely] to take a stronger public stake in the conflict, but will instead use its back-channels," Arho Havren said. What Comes Next? While the situation between Iran and Pakistan is moving towards de-escalation, the recent tensions highlight the often tenuous footing of regional rivalries that China's ambitions to lead the Global South rest upon. Both Pakistan and Iran are members of the Beijing-led Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which also includes India, Russia, and Central Asia (minus Turkmenistan). The SCO has been an important part of Beijing's bid for leadership across parts of Asia and the Middle East while looking to bring together countries to work together on economic and security issues. China has invested in growing the bloc and is in discussion to add more countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Belarus, but further conflict between its members could derail those moves and damage the SCO's credibility. Arho Havren says Beijing will still have to grapple with the lack of trust between Islamabad and Tehran and is facing similar issues elsewhere in the Middle East as it walks a tightrope between simultaneously raising its international influence and limiting any diplomatic exposure that could hurt its reputation. "Cooperation may be easy, but the relations between the countries in the region are complex, and China's journey [in the Middle East] is still in its beginning," she said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-pakistan-iran-mediating- conflict/32787233.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul doubts North Korea's underwater nuclear test Pyongyang claimed it had conducted the test last week By Lee Jeong-Ho for RFA 2024.01.21 -- North Korea has reiterated its dedication to enhancing its military prowess as South Korea has suggested that Pyongyang's claim about testing underwater nuclear weapons might be "exaggerated" and "fabricated." "There is a widespread dominance of coercion and unilateral actions driven by the logic of power, which severely encroaches upon the sovereignty and survival rights of nations advocating for self-determination and independence," said Kim Son Gyong, North Korea's deputy minister of foreign affairs, as cited by the North's state-run Korean Central News Agency on Monday. Speaking at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Uganda last week, the deputy minister justified Pyongyang's continued pursuit of military advancement, including its nuclear program. "The situation where the sovereignty, autonomy, survival, and development rights of sovereign nations are under severe threat is particularly evident on the Korean Peninsula," said Kim. "As provocations from our adversaries increase, there is a continuous need to build an overwhelmingly strong military preparedness, capable of deterring any form of provocation or action, and being fully and thoroughly prepared." Such remarks came as North Korea said Friday it had carried out a test of an underwater nuclear weapons system, claiming it was facing severe security threats from the allies. The North's Underwater Weapon System Institute tested the "Haeil-5-23," its underwater nuclear system involving drones, its Ministry of National Defence claimed. Submarine-launched weapons can be deployed covertly, often evading the allies' detection systems, potentially offering Pyongyang a more elusive means of deploying its nuclear weapons. South Korea on Sunday, however, raised the possibility that the claim might have been exaggerated and fabricated. "There is a possibility that North Korea's claims may have been exaggerated and fabricated, based on our comprehensive analysis up until today," South Korea's Presidential Office said in a statement. "If indeed a test had taken place, it is presumed to have involved some form of torpedo, and the likelihood of it being a nuclear-powered system is highly improbable. "There are no instances of developing a small nuclear reactor suitable for a torpedo with a diameter of less than 1 meter." Amid the tensions, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un pledged last week to amend the country's constitution to declare Seoul as Pyongyang's "primary and immutable enemy." Edited by Taejun Kang and Elaine Chan. 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Baerbock at the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels: Focus on the situation in the Middle East and support for Ukraine Germany Federal Foreign Office 22.01.2024 - Article Foreign Minister Baerbock will meet with her EU counterparts in Brussels today to discuss issues including the situation in the Middle East. In this context she will also exchange views with foreign ministers from the region. The EU foreign ministers are gathering today for their first Council meeting of the new year. The agenda continues to be dominated by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine as well as the difficult situation in Gaza and the threat of escalation in the region. Foreign Minister Baerbock will brief her EU colleagues today on her talks and the outcomes of her most recent trip to Israel, the Palestinian territories (the West Bank), Egypt and Lebanon. More than 100 days after Hamas' brutal terrorist attacks on Israel, more than 100 people are still being held as hostages in captivity by Hamas. Israel has the right to defend itself against Hamas' ongoing terror. At the same time, Israel must do everything in its power to protect the civilian population and adapt its military approach accordingly. Germany is urgently campaigning for more humanitarian assistance for the civilian population in Gaza to alleviate the immeasurable suffering of the people there. Since 7 October, Germany has tripled its humanitarian assistance to around 211 million euro for the civilian population in the Palestinian territories, primarily in Gaza. In order to further increase the pressure on Hamas and at the instigation of Germany, the EU adopted a new sanctions instrument in the run-up to the Foreign Affairs Council with the chief aim of drying up Hamas' cash flows. The mounting regional tensions will also be discussed at today's Council meeting. Foreign ministers from several countries in the region will participate in the meeting as guests. The German Government, along with many international partners, has sharply condemned the attacks on civilian trade ships in the Red Sea by the Houthi militia. There is no justification for these attacks on civilian targets - they have to stop. And the EU is prepared to make a contribution to stability in the region. For this reason, the 27 EU member states will today discuss plans for a joint EU naval operation to protect civilian shipping and freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The goal is to launch the mission as soon as possible. Germany and the EU will continue to stand alongside Ukraine in 2024 Today's Foreign Affairs Council will once again focus on Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Once again, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba will join the meeting at the beginning via video link. The German Government reaffirms its solidarity with the people in Ukraine. Through assistance with air defence and the supply of generators we are working with allies to provide a winter defence shield for Ukraine, for Russia is specifically attacking the country's infrastructure in order to weaken Ukraine also in the second winter of the war. We will not relax our support: in 2024, the German Government will make available bilateral military assistance to the tune of more than seven billion euro. The EU will also continue its support for Ukraine. For Ukraine is also defending the European peaceful order. The consultations in Brussels on how this support - both financial and military - should be allocated this year and for the coming years are currently under way. The European Council will also discuss this issue again on 1 February. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India's Modi inaugurates Hindu temple on site of razed mosque ahead of elections Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 11:28 AM India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated a controversial temple that was built on the site of a historic mosque, demolished by Hindu extremists, heralding a "new era" for India. "January 22, 2024, is not merely a date in the calendar but heralds the advent of a new era," Modi said, speaking outside the temple to the Hindu deity Ram on Monday. Modi has been accused of orchestrating the event for political gain ahead of the upcoming elections in the spring. The opening ceremony was seen as an unofficial start to his re-election campaign this year, where he will seek a third term in power. The general election is expected to be held between April and May. The inauguration of the temple, which came amid rising anti-Muslim hate crimes in India, has evoked blood-soaked memories of the violence that was sparked after the mosque that stood for centuries in Ayodhya was torn down in 1992 by Hindu far-right mobs incited by members of Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Some 2,000 people, most of them Muslims, were killed in the violence. Speaking to media, Mohammed Shahid, 52, recounted how his father was burned alive by a mob. "For me, the temple symbolizes nothing but death and destruction," he told AFP last month. Ever since it came to power in 2014, the BJP has been synonymous with its anti-Muslim stance as there have been recurring incidences, including mob lynching and hurting the sentiments of minority groups, especially of the Muslims of India. Modi has been setting his sights on winning a third straight term by pleasing the Hindu majority in India. Sunita Viswanath, executive director of the US-based nonprofit group Hindus for Human Rights, said the inauguration of the temple is an "electoral stunt" that "should not be happening in the name of my faith." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address FM Spox: Iran main supporter of stability in Iraq IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 22, 2024 Tehran, IRNA - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani has said that Iran is the biggest supporter of the national sovereignty, stability, security, and territorial integrity of Iraq. Addressing the press conference on Monday, Kanaani said that Iran's commitment to the national and territorial sovereignty of Iraq has been proven. Iran has proven its honesty to the nation and government of Iraq for many years, he added, noting that Tehran and Baghdad enjoy strong and have all-out relations. Iran's attack on Israel's espionage center in Erbil was aimed at fighting the aggressors of Iran's national security and was not against Iraq, or its security and sovereignty, he stated. Iran has repeatedly warned the Iraqi authorities and stressed Iran's national security is a red line, Kanaani said. He went on to say that some extremist groups' gathering in the Iraqi Kurdistan region to act against Iran's national security is unacceptable. Details of Iran's preemptive attack on terrorist group Kanaani also pointed to Iran's recent military attack on a terrorist group's hideout in Pakistan, saying that the recent strike on the headquarters of the so-called Jaish al-Adl in Koh-e Sabz in Pakistan's Balochistan province was an urgent need to confront terrorists who were planning to make attacks inside Iran. He further argued that the terrorists were only about half an hour away from the Iranian borderline and were getting ready to kick off their attacks on Iran's military posts and even civilians. Confronting terrorist groups and preserving security on both sides of joint borders are among the joint missions of Iran and Pakistan, he underscored, adding that the two nations enjoy a firm relationship and that the attack on the terrorist group, which has a long-run history of carrying out terrorist operations, proves the fact that the Islamic Republic attaches importance to its national security. The spokesman also said that the Iran-Pakistan relationship is brotherly and strong and that the two sides give significance to the mutual amicable ties. According to the diplomat, terrorism is a threat to both countries, so Tehran and Islamabad stress the need to fight the phenomenon and the recent military act cannot negatively affect bilateral relations. Iran and Pakistan will not allow third parties to interfere in their mutual interactions or try to create misunderstanding, he mentioned. Talks on lifting sanctions to be continued Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Ali Bagheri and Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora held talks in Geneva in a bid to exchange views on removing the sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic, said Kanaani. The negotiations are to be continued in this regard, he further noted. Regarding the relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the official said that the two sides will continue the talks. Kanaani also added that the two sides could pay visits whenever necessary to this end. Zionist regime's threats against Iran As to the threatening remarks of certain Zionist officials against Iran, he said that the baseless threats and statements demonstrate the aggressive nature of the Zionist regime. The measures indicate the level of threat it poses to regional and international security, he underlined. The regime keeps seeking to create instability and insecurity at both regional and global levels, he underscored. Kanaani termed the remarks as hollow, noting, "We will certainly not leave any action against Iran unanswered". The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) should pay attention to the statements of the Zionist regime, he said, calling on the UNSC to take the necessary legal measures against the threats. NATO's recent military drill We do not consider such military actions and maneuvers and efforts to expand NATO's presence in the region as contributing to peace, stability, and security in the region, Kanaani said. Not only have NATO's activities not brought any peace and stability to the region, but they have also fueled insecurity and war, he added. Iran-Egypt ties He did not comment on the Iranian foreign minister's trip to Egypt. He also hailed relations between Iran and Egypt, saying that based on the orders of the two presidents, and face-to-face and telephone conversations, a road map has been defined for the continuation of negotiations between the two countries and the resolution of disputes. The issue of Palestine has been discussed by the officials of the two countries, he said adding that the humanitarian institutions, including the Iranian Red Crescent, have a relationship with Egypt. Reports on Saudi Arabia mediating between Iran and the US As to media reports on conveying messages between Iran and the US by Saudi Arabia, Kanaani noted that he cannot confirm Riyadh's role in this respect; however, he said that American officials usually find ways to send their messages to Tehran. Iran and Saudi Arabia enjoy a good and growing relationship and are making serious efforts to expand collaborations, he added. Alleged death of Dutch national in Iran's attack On the issue of summoning Iran's ambassador by the Netherlands' Foreign Ministry, he said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic has not received any verified information in respect of the death of a Dutch national as a result of Iran's attack on a terrorist hideout in Iraq's Erbil city. Asked about a claim regarding the arrest of an Iranian national by the Kurdish forces in northern Iraq, he said that he does not have any information about this matter. Iran's support for South Africa's lawsuit against Zionist regime Answering IRNA correspondent, Kanaani said that the Islamic Republic backs the good, responsible, brave, and noble move by South Africa, who filed a lawsuit against the Israeli regime at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), adding that Iran announced its political support for the African country's stance. According to the spokesman, Iran has underlined the need for resorting to international conventions since October 7, 2023, and called upon different states to utilize the opportunity as well as the capacities of the ICJ to this goal. Iranians martyred in Syria When asked about the Zionist regime's attacks against some Iranian advisories in Syria, he said that the martyrs were serving in the Arab country at the request of the Syrian government. They had taken a considerable number of measures to fight against terrorism, he added. Iran's stance of Palestinian cause What the Zionist regime is pursuing is finding a way out of the self-created quagmire of the Gaza war. The regime keeps creating tension, conflicts, and war in the region, he said, adding that Iran will not play a role in a plot devised by the Zionist regime. Iran will not be tight-handed to respond to the measures of the Zionist regime against Iran's goals, he said. Regarding the stance of the Islamic Republic on the Palestinian cause, Kanaani said that Iran's stance on the crisis in Palestine is clear. He went on to say that Tehran has repeatedly announced that the ongoing crisis in Palestine is the result of the occupation of land by an occupier regime. The main owners of Palestine should be given the right to self-determination, with the result being determined through democracy and referendum. He also said that those countries that advocate a two-state solution to the issue of Palestine should recognize that the Zionist regime, as one side of this crisis, is opposed to the initiative. Those who propose the so-called peace initiative should realize that the right of one side is practically ignored in favor of the other, Kanaani said. This solution will not bear fruits, he further noted. NAM summit in Uganda About the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held in Kampala, Uganda, on January 15-20, Kanaani said that participation in the multilateral mechanism has always been one of the methods used by Iran to take advantage of the potential of the international arena. "We used the potential of the international organizations, particularly the NAM, to advance the Iranian interest in various areas," he pointed out. 9376**4208**7129**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's anti-terror strikes 'clear message' to certain recipients: Foreign Ministry Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 10:53 AM The foreign ministry spokesman says Iran's recent strikes on positions held by terrorists in neighboring countries conveyed "a clear message" to those who had to get it. Nasser Kan'ani made the remarks at a weekly press briefing on Monday, almost a week after Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched missile strikes on an Israeli spy base in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and a gathering of anti-Iran terrorist groups, especially Daesh, in northwestern Syria. The elite military force also carried out simultaneous drone and missile attacks on two bases belonging to the Jaish ul-Adl terrorist group in Pakistan. "These actions were a clear message to those who should have received it," Kan'ani said. "Iran is sensitive to national security and the security of its citizens. Simultaneously, it stresses friendly ties and implementation of bilateral agreements and understandings with its neighbors to ensure regional security, seeking to develop relations with neighboring states." He also provided details on the preemptive operation against terrorists in Pakistan. "The attack came from an immediate necessity to deal with the terrorists who were ready to operate. Perhaps, they were only about half an hour away from the common border. They were ready to attack the Iranian border, the country's bases and possibly our citizens," he added. Israel's anti-Iran acts won't go unanswered The Iranian diplomat also referred to Israel's latest terrorist acts against Iran, saying they will not go unanswered. Israel assassinated five IRGC military advisors in a Saturday airstrike on a residential building west of the Syrian capital Damascus. The targeted killing came nearly a month after another terrorist Israeli strike martyred Brigadier General Seyyed Razi Mousavi, a senior IRGC military advisor, in a Damascus neighborhood. Kan'ani said that Israel is constantly seeking to spark tensions and war in the region in a bid to get itself out of a self-made crisis and quagmire in the Gaza Strip. "Iran will not play in the sinister plot devised by the Zionist regime," he emphasized. Commenting on Israeli officials' anti-Iran rhetoric, Kan'ani said that the baseless claims show the level of the threat that the regime poses to regional and international security. "Such claims are empty, but of course we will not leave any action against Iran unanswered," he said. Tensions have ratcheted up in the region since the start of Israel's brutal war on Gaza that has so far killed at least 25,105 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 62,681 others. South Africa has filed a lawsuit with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over Isarel's genocidal actions against Palestinians in besieged Gaza. Kan'ani said Iran has supported "the good, responsible, honorable and courageous action" of the South African government and announced its political position in support of South Africa. Touching on Iran's relations with Iraq, he said that the ties are strong and that Tehran-Baghdad contacts are continuous and on a daily basis. He further noted that Iran's concerns can be eased by the full implementation of a security agreement signed between the two neighboring countries last year. The spokesman also referred to recent reports about Saudi Arabia's intermediation between Iran and the United States, saying he did not confirm the news that the Saudis are going to play a role in this regard. "However, the Americans use paths to send messages. The relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are good and developing. There is a serious will to expand cooperation," he pointed out. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Designating Supporters of Iran's Malign Agenda US Department of State Press Statement Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson January 22, 2024 The United States is today designating Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO for supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. We are also identifying two Iraq-registered aircraft that Fly Baghdad owns as blocked property. Additionally, the United States is designating three leaders and supporters of Kata'ib Hizballah, one of the IRGC-QF's Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, and one business that facilitates and launders funds for Kata'ib Hizballah. The IRGC-QF and Iran-aligned militia groups pose a significant threat to the Middle East region. Kata'ib Hizballah has been responsible for a series of drone and missile attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria since Hamas's horrific attack on Israel on October 7. The United States remains committed to exposing and taking actions against individuals and groups that abuse their local economies and engage in illegal activities that support terrorist groups destabilizing the region. Both the IRGC-QF and Kata'ib Hizballah are U.S.-designated entities. The Department of the Treasury action was taken pursuant to Executive Order 13224 , as amended. For more information on today's action, see Treasury's . NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Targets Kata'ib Hizballah Leaders and Airline Enabling IRGC-QF and Militant Proxy Groups U.S. Department of the Treasury January 22, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO for providing assistance to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. OFAC is also designating three leaders and supporters of one of the IRGC-QF's main Iran-aligned militias in Iraq, Kata'ib Hizballah (KH), as well as a business that moves and launders funds for KH. Today's action underscores the ongoing threat the IRGC-QF and its proxy network pose to U.S. personnel and the region. KH has carried out a series of sharply escalating drone and missile attacks against U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria since Hamas's horrific attack on Israel on October 7. KH and other Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq have consistently issued statements in support of Hamas's terrorism and declared their commitment to attacking U.S. personnel. "Iran and its proxies have sought to abuse regional economies and use seemingly legitimate businesses as cover for funding and facilitating their attacks," said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian E. Nelson. "The United States will continue to disrupt Iran's illicit activities aimed at undermining the stability of the region." Today's action is being taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists and their supporters. The Treasury Department designated the IRGC-QF as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) pursuant to E.O. 13224 on October 25, 2007 for providing support to multiple terrorist groups, and the Department of State designated the group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act on April 8, 2019. State designated KH as an SDGT pursuant to E.O. 13224 and as a FTO pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act on July 2, 2009. FLY BAGHDAD For several years, Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad has supported the operations of the IRGC-QF and its proxies by delivering materiel and personnel throughout the region. Fly Baghdad flights have delivered shipments of weapons to Damascus International Airport in Syria for transfer to members of the IRGC-QF and Iran-aligned militia groups on the ground in Syria, including the Syrian Arab Republican Guard, Lebanese Hizballah, KH, and the KH-affiliated Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Brigade. OFAC designated the Syrian Arab Republican Guard in 2016 for its role in perpetuating violence on the Syrian people, and State designated Hizballah as an FTO in 1997 and as an SDGT in 2001 for engaging in acts of terror. Fly Baghdad has delivered to these groups operating in Syria a range of weapons, including Iranian-made Fateh, Zulfiqar, and al-Fajr series missiles, as well as AK-47s, RPG-7s, and other grenades and machine guns. KH has been using Fly Baghdad to transport fighters, weapons, and money to Syria and Lebanon to prop up the Syrian regime. KH leaders used Fly Baghdad flights on multiple occasions to transport bags of U.S. currency and U.S.-made weapons obtained through battlefield collection from Iraq to Lebanon. KH sent fighters from Iraq to Lebanon on flights operated by Fly Baghdad and U.S.-designated Al-Nasr Wings to attend special operations training run by Hizballah. In October 2023, following Hamas's horrific terrorist attack on Israeli civilians, Fly Baghdad was involved in the transfer of hundreds of Iraqi fighters, including fighters affiliated with U.S.-designated terrorist organization and Iranian proxy militia Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), in support of the Iranian proxies' attacks on Israel. Fly Baghdad is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the IRGC-QF. Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani (al-Shabbani) is the CEO of Fly Baghdad. Al-Shabbani is being designated for owning or controlling, directly or indirectly, Fly Baghdad. OFAC is also identifying two Iraq-registered aircraft owned by Fly Baghdad, with tail numbers YI-BAF and YI-BAN, as blocked property in which Fly Baghdad has an interest. KATA'IB HIZBALLAH Hossein Moanes al-Ibudi a known publicly as Hossein Moanes a is a senior member of KH and currently the head of KH's political party, Harakat Hoquq. Hossein Moanes was previously KH's chief of government relations, and in that capacity was involved with many aspects of KH's activities, including KH's plans for gathering intelligence on, kidnapping, or even assassinating Iraqis identified as working with the United States as well as planning terrorist attacks on civilian targets with the help of the IRGC-QF. Riyad Ali Hussein al-Azzawi (al-Azzawi) is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist and an engineer for the Popular Mobilization Committee's (PMC) Directorate of Technical Equipment (DTE), which is headed by U.S.-designated terrorist and former KH official Salah Mahdi Hantush al-Maksusi (al-Maksusi). OFAC designated al-Maksusi in 2012 for his involvement in KH's attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Iraq. Al-Azzawi and the PMC DTE maintain links with KH and are involved in training Iraqi fighters on a wide range of procured or manufactured weapons. Al-Azzawi's fingerprints were found on an Iranian missile that was launched in the vicinity of U.S. forces in Iraq in 2021. Awqad Muhsin Faraj al-Hamidawi (Awqad al-Hamidawi), the youngest brother of U.S.-designated KH Secretary General Ahmad al-Hamidawi, directs KH's businesses and aspects of KH's financial portfolio. He raises funds for KH through commercial businesses, manages KH's money laundering operations, and is involved in KH's cross-border smuggling activities. Awqad al-Hamidawi manages Baghdad-based Al-Massal Land Travel and Tourism Company (Al-Massal), which KH uses to generate revenue and launder money. KH has used Al-Massal to evade taxes on large quantities of illegal imports and to illegally confiscate land and other physical property from Iraqis for KH's use. Hossein Moanes, al-Azzawi, and Awqad al-Hamidawi are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, KH. Al-Massal is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, for being owned, controlled, or directed by Awqad al-Hamidawi. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Click here for identifying information on the individuals and entities designated today. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi PM stresses determination to end U.S.-led coalition's presence People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:21, January 23, 2024 BAGHDAD, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said on Monday that any attack on Iraqi soil violates its sovereignty, stressing the country's determination to end the presence of the U.S.-led coalition. Al-Sudani made the remarks during his meeting with the Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, whose country is scheduled to assume the presidency of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) mission in Iraq in mid-May, according to a statement issued by al-Sudani's media office. Al-Sudani stressed his rejection of any attack on Iraqi territory or any violation of its sovereignty, reiterating "the government's commitment to protecting diplomatic missions and advisors working in Iraq, as well as assisting the NATO mission in carrying out its tasks agreed upon with the Iraqi government," the statement said. Meanwhile, al-Sudani affirmed "the Iraqi government's decision to rearrange the relationship with the international coalition" and move from the presence of foreign forces in Iraq to bilateral relations and cooperation with the coalition countries, according to the statement. For her part, Ollongren confirmed that the Dutch government agrees with al-Sudani's vision that victory over the terrorist group Islamic State (IS) requires changing the mission of the international coalition and moving it to equal bilateral relations after the development of the Iraqi security forces' capabilities, according to the statement. She also confirmed that the Netherlands will assume the leadership of the NATO mission in Iraq in the middle of this year and "will work with the Iraqi government to achieve its new vision." The Netherlands is part of the U.S.-led international coalition tasked with training and advising the Iraqi security forces in their fight against the IS. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM Netanyahu Meets with French Armed Forces Minister SAbastien Lecornu Israel - Prime Minister's Office The 37th Government 22.01.2024 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today, at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with French Armed Forces Minister SAbastien Lecornu. At the start of their meeting, the Prime Minister asked the French Armed Forces Minister to convey to French President Emmanuel Macron his deep gratitude for the latter's role in delivering the medicines to the hostages in Gaza. Prime Minister Netanyahu noted that Israel is still waiting for proof that the medicines have reached their destination and emphasized that the implementation of the understandings must be monitored. The two sides discussed the Lebanese issue at length. The Prime Minister emphasized that the need to distance Hezbollah terrorists from the border constitutes a national goal of the State of Israel, based on the principles of UN Security Council Resolution #1701, and said that this goal can be implemented diplomatically or in other ways. The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister's Military Secretary, the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Adviser, the IDF AttachA in Paris and the French Ambassador to Israel participated in the meeting. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military clashes with ethnic cease-fire signatory in Myanmar's Shan state The two sides characterized the incident as a 'misunderstanding' over an arms delivery. By RFA Burmese 2024.01.22 -- Clashes broke out Sunday in Myanmar's Shan state between the military and an ethnic army signatory of a national cease-fire, leading to the arrest of rebel officers, but both sides were quick to downplay the incident as a "misunderstanding." The fighting demonstrates how fragile treaties between the junta and Myanmar's myriad ethnic armies can be in the aftermath of the military's February 2021 coup d'etat and its subsequent nationwide offensive to solidify its hold on power. The incident was sparked when the military carried out an inspection of five Pa-O National Liberation Organization, or PNLO, vehicles laden with arms and ammunition as they entered Ho Pong township's Sam Hpu village, PNLO Patron Col. Khun Okka told RFA Burmese. The military initiated the attack because troops believed the supplies were being delivered to anti-junta forces, he said, adding that two brief skirmishes took place "while senior officials were in talks," and the military arrested three PNLO officers, who were released Monday morning. Khun Okka said that PNLO fighters believed that the military intended to confiscate the vehicles, so "our forces destroyed the military equipment to prevent its seizure by junta troops." He reiterated that the arms and ammunition "were for our armed group" and dismissed any suggestion that the PNLO was acting as an "arms broker." Khun Okka said the incident would have no impact on the PNLO's support for the nationwide cease-fire agreement, or NCA, which it signed along with seven other armed ethnic groups and the national military in 2015. He said the PNLO's strategies for 2024 include avoiding conflict except in self-defense, refraining from making enemies with any party, seeking public support, protecting civilians, and strengthening its capabilities with arms and ammunition. The junta confirmed the clashes in a statement issued through its broadcast channel MRTV. "In consideration of peace, security forces managed to stop the fighting after negotiations, in line with the provisions of the NCA," it said. "However, people in PNLO uniforms set fire to the vehicles ... during the negotiations. Explosions of arms and ammunition on the trucks caused a fire which then spread to Sam Hpu village, destroying 27 houses." Observers of Myanmar's ethnic affairs noted that as NCA signatories outline their stance amid the wider war in Myanmar, they are increasingly coming up against political and military conflicts. One observer, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, added that many ethnic Pa-Os are taking part in the resistance to the military regime, and suggested that the weekend incident "will change their politics and stance on the NCA." "The recent situation will have some impact on the PNLO and I wonder if the PNLO might turn to confrontation," he said. "Moreover, the junta is likely to put additional pressure on [the PNLO]." The observer added that as the NCA has not led to a lasting peace, relations between the junta and the signatories have gradually worsened. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar's Kachin army claims capture of 30 junta soldiers The group says it seized three more towns in the north, with four civilians killed during the battles. 2024.01.22 -- Myanmar's Kachin Independence Army and allied People's Defense Forces claim they captured 30 junta soldiers during battles in the country's north, a Kachin army officer told Radio Free Asia on Monday. The Kachin Independence Army launched the raid on Friday near the Kachin and Shan state border in another attempt to capture Mongmit city, according to the army's information officer Col. Naw Bu. Some 30 junta soldiers, including a deputy battalion commander, were captured alive along with their weapons, he said. The group also seized a junta camp near Man Wein Gyi village in Kachin state's Mansi township when the clashes ended on Sunday. "I received a report from the frontline that 30 junta soldiers, including the deputy battalion commander, had been captured," Col. Naw Bu said. "They are currently being held under the international prisoner of war law. It is not yet known what action will be taken against them." Over 10 junta soldiers were found dead in a clearing after the battle, he said, adding that they are seizing regional military bases in order to regain control over all junta-held areas. Scores of junta soldiers crossed the border into China on Sunday, Col. Naw Bu added. Roughly 57 of them were sent back through the Muse crossing which borders Yunnan province on Monday, according to reports by local media. Strategic Captures Mansi township's Man Wein Gyi camp is a strategic military base that connects Kachin's Bhamo city and northern Shan state's Namhkam city, Col. Naw Bu said. The Kachin Independence Army and joint forces also captured Kachin's Mabein city on Sunday morning, located between Mansi and Mongmit townships, he added. "Mabein has also been seized," he told RFA. "All armed forces, including the Arakan Army, People's Defense Forces, and the All Burma Students Democratic Front united and fought the junta camps." The junta retaliated with airstrikes, damaging some houses, Col. Naw Bu said, adding that the extent of the damage isn't known at this time. Y-12 planes dropped more than 60 bombs in Mabein township's Waing Long, Kone Ma Hkan, and Nam Pong Pong villages on Sunday afternoon, locals told RFA today, adding that scores more were dropped around 8 p.m. on Sunday. More than 4,000 civilians have fled Mabein city and nearby villages since the attack began on Thursday. Mongmit Battles Kachin Independence Army coalition forces have also been trying to seize Shan state's Mongmit since Thursday, leading to intense fighting until Saturday, residents said. Almost all residents in Mongmit have fled as well, they added. On Friday night, the junta army retaliated with airstrikes and heavy weapons, destroying the entire Mongmit market, a local who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals told RFA on Saturday. "The city's main market was flattened and turned black. It happened at 6 p.m. Friday. The entire market was burnt. The residents have been allowed to leave Mongmit this morning," he said. "Everyone has fled the city. [Can you hear] heavy weapon blasts? The planes are passing over our heads this morning and it is fierce." Around 150 shops in the market were destroyed by the bombing and only around 200 people out of the city's 10,000 residents have remained, he added. During Thursday and Friday's battles, four people, including an elderly woman and a middle-aged woman from Mongmit city, were killed. At least ten civilians were injured, locals said. Junta Infantry Battalion 348, as well as Light Infantry 276 and 223 are all based in Mongmit. As of Monday morning, the fighting has been ongoing for five days, locals said. The military junta has not released any information regarding the battles in Mansi, Mabein, or Mongmit. Calls to Kachin state's junta spokesperson Thant Zin Ko Ko, and Shan state's junta spokesperson Khun Thein Maung went unanswered Monday. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting of the Foreign Minister with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani received Vice Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China, Sun Weidong in his office today. Foreign Minister Jilani and Vice Foreign Minister Sun reaffirmed the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership and held an in-depth discussion on the entire gamut of bilateral relations including CPEC and bilateral economic and financial cooperation. The Foreign Minister appreciated the contributions of Vice Foreign Minister in deepening Pakistan-China friendship and commended China's unflinching support to Pakistan on all issues. Expressing satisfaction at the steady development of CPEC, Foreign Minister Jilani emphasized the significance of CPEC for Pakistan. He said that Pakistan would continue making efforts for realization of CPEC's full potential for shared benefits. He appreciated China's readiness and support for all CPEC projects in Pakistan. Thanking the Foreign Minister for the generous hospitality, Vice Foreign Minister Sun highlighted that as iron brother and a reliable friend, China accorded immense importance to Pakistan in its foreign policy and looked forward to even deeper cooperation in all fields. Islamabad 22 January 2024 25/2024 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran FM to visit Pakistan following tensions over missile strikes Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 10:47 AM Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian plans to make an official visit to Pakistan next week. The Iranian foreign minister and his Pakistani counterpart, Jalil Abbas Jilani, issued a joint statement on Monday following an earlier phone conversation. At the invitation of the Pakistani foreign minister, Amir-Abdollahian "will travel to Pakistan on January 29, 2024," the statement said. It added that the top Iranian and Pakistani diplomats also agreed that ambassadors of both countries would return to their posts by January 26. The two neighboring countries witnessed an escalation of cross-border tensions over Iran's counter-terrorism operations. On January 16, Iran launched simultaneous drone and missile attacks on two bases of Jaish ul-Adl, a terror outfit that was formed in 2012 and has conducted several attacks on Iranian soil in recent years. The group claimed responsibility for an attack in December 2023 on a police station in the southeastern city of Rask that killed at least 11 Iranian police officers. On January 10, another attack by the group on a police station in the city killed one officer. Pakistan carried out strikes on Thursday against what it called bases of the separatist Baloch Liberation Front and Baloch Liberation Army in regions close to Iran's border. Tehran condemned the attack as unacceptable and unbalanced. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan, Iran Agree to Resume Full Diplomatic Ties By Sarah Zaman January 22, 2024 Envoys of Pakistan and Iran will return to their posts by the end of this week, Pakistan and Iran announced Monday. The latest sign of de-escalation comes almost a week after Iran struck alleged terror targets inside Pakistan and Islamabad responded with counterstrikes against purported terror hideouts across the border. The strikes killed at least 11 civilians, 9 in Iran and 2 in Pakistan. Amid unprecedented tensions Islamabad recalled its ambassador from Tehran last Wednesday and told the Iranian envoy, who was on a trip to his home country, to not return. Islamabad also suspended all high-level visits between the two countries. Monday's press release, issued jointly by the foreign ministries of both the countries, said Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian will visit Pakistan on January 29 at his Pakistani counterpart Jalil Abbas Jilani's invitation. In a phone call Friday, the top diplomats of both countries agreed to defuse tensions and reestablish full diplomatic ties. Analysts VOA spoke to say that while smoothing over ruffled ties is necessary and welcome, Iran's unprovoked attack on Pakistan may have opened a Pandora's box in the region. Messaging tool Iran has said it was targeting Sunni separatist group Jaish al-Adl's hideouts on Pakistani soil. Anti-state insurgents targeting Pakistan and Iran have been active along the 900-kilometer border between the two countries for years. They frequently mount deadly attacks against security forces. The terrorist threat in the region has also expanded with hardline Sunni terrorist group Islamic State or IS targeting Shiite Muslims in both countries. The group claimed responsibility for twin blasts at an event near the tomb of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Qassem Soleimani on January 3. The blasts in southeastern Iranian city of Kerman killed more than 100 people. While Pakistan acknowledges the IS presence in the country, the group has a bigger, highly organized structure in Afghanistan. Washington-based security affairs expert Kamran Bokhari told VOA Iran's strikes were not necessarily a response to rising terrorism but meant to send a message to Washington in the context of the bloody Israel-Hamas war that has killed thousands in Gaza. Since the war started last October, Washington has targeted Iranian proxies in the Middle East and the Red Sea while Tehran has struck U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria several times. "They [militant hideouts in Pakistan] provided an excuse for Iran to do something different, which is basically to telegraph to the United States that look, we know that you are talking about a direct confrontation with us.... But, if you do that, then we have the capability to further expand this war," said Bokhari who serves as a senior director of Eurasian security and prosperity at the Newlines Institute. Bokhari believes Tehran picked Pakistan, as it's a U.S. ally but mired in economic, political and security crises, and therefore, less likely to engage in a massive confrontation. Pakistan's counterstrike marked the first time Iran faced a direct attack since the Iran-Iraq war ended in 1988. While the Biden administration condemned the Iranian action, Bokhari thinks those in Washington who favor a direct confrontation with Tehran may say, "We've never struck on Iranian soil. Now that the Pakistanis have done it, it sets a precedent." Islamabad-based security affairs expert Syed Muhammad Ali told VOA that while Pakistan and Iran managed to de-escalate quickly, any other country contemplating to attack Iran should not expect the same outcome. "Even if it gives some ideas to some other countries, I think, they will have to factor in Iranian possible response options based on their own bilateral history and geostrategic convergences or divergences," Ali said. Pressure tool While Tehran and Islamabad work to normalize ties, some are concerned sectarian groups may be exploited as a pressure tool. Pakistan has a history of sectarian violence as Saudi-funded Sunni and Iran-funded Shiite armed groups came head-to-head in the 90s. Targeted killings on sectarian basis still occur. On Sunday Pakistani officials claimed apprehending a "terrorist trained by a foreign country." Authorities said he was getting support from a "neighboring country" and linked him to Zainabiyoun Brigade, an Iranian-backed militia. "Pakistan is, both, being cautious not naming Iran, but also talking about perpetrators that may be linked with Iran," said Ayesha Siddiqa, a military affairs expert and senior fellow at King's College London. Siddiqa said Pakistan and Iran have no choice but to continue to de-escalate tensions to avoid possible sectarian strife. Shrinking space for militants On Monday Pakistan armed forces' media wing announced the military killed seven "terrorists" in an operation near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Baluchistan. The statement did not specify which outfit the slain militants were from. In Pakistan's counterstrike across the Iranian border, Islamabad claimed killing Baloch insurgents. Ali told VOA he believes the space for anti-state actors that target Iran and Pakistan might shrink after last week's events. However, he said military operations are only a part of Pakistan's multi-layered counterinsurgency strategy a that also relies on other incentives to encourage separatists to lay down arms. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S Korea, UK renegotiate trade deal for enhanced chips cooperation The move is expected to aid Washington's new supply chain initiatives that require less of China. By Lee Jeong-Ho for RFA 2024.01.22 -- South Korea and the United Kingdom have initiated their Free Trade Agreement renegotiations, aimed at better encompassing the latest bilateral advancements in chips and supply chain cooperation. The effort to enhance cooperation in areas such as semiconductor production and future industries adds weight to U.S. President Joe Biden's strategy to create an alternative global supply chain that knits democratic nations closer together while requiring less of China's input. Delegations comprising approximately 50 representatives from each side began their three-day FTA renegotiations in Seoul Tuesday, South Korea's Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said in a statement. Seoul and London are set to discuss ways to "upgrade" their existing agreement, as well as reflect "new trade norms" in the deal, including digitalization, supply chains, clean energy and bioeconomy, according to the ministry. The talks will solidify the "development of a comprehensive and forward-looking strategic trade relationship by exploring the incorporation of new trade norms in various fields," the ministry added. The existing deal, signed in 2019 and came into effect in Jan. 2021, was the first FTA the UK signed with an Asian country as it faced Brexit. The agreement, however, primarily focused on market access for goods and services, neglecting the latest global trade norms amid growing economic-security concerns, particularly in areas such as digital trade and supply chains. South Korea's trade minister Jeong In-gyo said during the negotiations in Seoul that the two nations must work together in response to both domestic and international uncertainties. "The global trade order is undergoing rapid changes, with the spread of protectionism worldwide and the swift restructuring of global supply chains," Jeong said. Cutting dependence on Chinese components and resources is seen as a derisking exercise for businesses, given that Beijing has intertwined politics with economics and imposed measures on countries that make political decisions contrary to its interests. The latest development follows the agreements made between South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the summit in London in November, where the two vowed to further strengthen their economic and technological cooperation, from semiconductors to space technology. At that time, the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a stable supply chain for the future, while also pledging to cooperate in artificial intelligence, digital technology, nuclear and space technology, biotechnology, quantum technologies, and renewable energy. South Korea has recently been actively involved in talks with other democratic nations, including the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Indonesia, India and Japan, a move designed to diversify key resource supply chains to reduce dependence on specific countries. There has been growing fear in Seoul over the possibility of China using its dominant control of essential resources, such as rare earth materials, as a means of strategic influence in international politics. Such a concern is particularly relevant given the potential impact on crucial South Korean industries like semiconductors and electric vehicles, which could lead to significant economic disruption. Earlier this month, South Korea also reorganized its National Security Office to prioritize "economic security," reflecting a growing global trend where countries are combining their economic and political tactics to optimize their diplomatic interests. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn. Copyright 1998-2024, 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Four Protesters In Russia's Bashkortostan Sent To Detention Over Rallies Supporting Activist By Current Time, RFE/RL's Idel.Realities January 22, 2024 A court in Russia's Bashkortostan region has sent four activists to pretrial detention for at least two months over their participation in rallies last week to support the former leader of the banned Bashqort movement, Fail Alsynov, who was sentenced to four years in prison on a charge of inciting hatred, which he and his supporter have called politically motivated. The Soviet district court in Bashkortostan's capital, Ufa, ruled on January 22 that Azat Mirzin, Dayan Valeyev, Rayat Davletbayev, and Vilyur Karachurin must stay in pretrial detention until at least March 17. The four activists were charged with taking part in mass disorders. Three of them also were charged with attacking law enforcement officers. The court also sentenced a fifth activist, Yuldash Timerbayev, to nine days in jail on a charge of organizing an unsanctioned public event for his online call for activists to rally in Ufa to protest Alsynov's imprisonment. Last week, courts in Bashkortostan sentenced at least 17 activists to up to 15 days in jail for their participation in the rallies. On January 21, another participant in the rallies, Dim Davletkildin, was charged with taking part in mass disorder. The situation around Alsynov's trial got tense on January 15, when some 5,000 people gathered in front of a court building in the town of Baimak, where the verdict and sentence were expected to be announced. But the court postponed the announcement by two days to allow security forces to prepare for any reaction to the outcome of the controversial trial. On January 17, thousands of supporters gathered again, and after Alsynov was sentenced to four years in prison, clashes broke out as police, using batons, tear gas, and stun grenades, forced the protesters to leave. Local officials said later that 40 people, including 22 police, were injured in the violence. Dozens of protesters were detained, and the Investigative Committee said those taken into custody in the January 17 unrest would face criminal charges for organizing and participating in mass unrest and using violence against police. The charge against Alsynov stemmed from a speech he gave at a rally in April 2023 in the village of Ishmurzino in which he criticized the local government's plans to start mining gold near the village, saying the operation would bring in migrant laborers. Investigators said Alsynov's speech "negatively assessed people in the Caucasus and Central Asia, humiliating their human dignity." Alsynov and his supporters have rejected the charge as politically motivated. Despite the violent dispersal of the protesters on January 19 and the detention of scores of activists, hundreds of people gathered on January 20 on the central square in Ufa singing songs in the Bashkir language and dancing in circles as they tried to ward off police officers who monitored the event by saying they were just out walking on Ufa's Salavat Yulayev square. However, that gathering also ended with the detention of about a dozen activists. On January 22, Fail Alsynov's brother, Idel Alsynov, said a bank account that had been opened to raise money to support Fail Alsynov's family was blocked. Fail Alsynov has four children, including one infant. With reporting by Kushtau.Bairam Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-bashkortostan- protests-slsynov-four-charged/32786506.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's reply to a media question on the investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Streams 22 January 2024 17:59 74-22-01-2024 Question: The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency decided that Sweden is not obliged to include in its national quota the 5.8 million tonnes of harmful substances that were released into the air due to the act of sabotage at the Nord Stream gas pipelines. What do you think about this? Maria Zakharova: This decision shows that Stockholm is trying to avoid paying large fines for exceeding EU-established standards. It is trying to justify its decision by referring to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, insisting that the kingdom's jurisdiction cannot be applied to the foreign pipelines in Sweden's exclusive economic zone. Thus, they concluded that Sweden is not responsible for the harmful emissions into the environment due to the bombing of the gas pipelines that run between Russia and Germany. In addition, more questions about Stockholm's role in this unseemly episode are raised in connection with Swedish media reports on the Swedish Belos rescue ship with its special equipment for underwater work. It arrived promptly at the site of the crime and collected some "precious evidence," including explosives residue. Far from facilitating a meticulous and unbiased investigation into the deliberate sabotage of the operation of a large international energy facility, the Swedish authorities are not willing to share out its environmental consequences. The Danish authorities are not interested in a serious investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines either. Copenhagen and Stockholm continue to reject any interaction with Russia on this issue. In December 2023, the Prosecutor-General's Office of Denmark refused a request from its Russian counterpart to provide legal assistance in investigating the act of sabotage on the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 gas pipelines. Despite the artificial obstacles, we will continue insisting on a transparent and depoliticised investigation into these acts with the participation of competent Russian agencies and with Gazprom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi FM: No Israel normalization without a path to Palestinian state Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 6:45 PM Saudi Arabia's foreign minister has said the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel without a credible pathway to a Palestinian state. Prince Faisal bin Farhan made the remarks in an interview with CNN late Sunday. "We need stability, and stability will only come through resolving the Palestinian issue," the foreign minister said. "That's the only way we're going to get the benefit." Elsewhere in his remarks, the minister said the centerpiece of Saudi Arabia's agenda is the de-escalation of the conflict in Gaza and halting civilian casualties. "What we are seeing is the Israelis are crushing Gaza, the civilian population of Gaza," he said. "This is completely unnecessary, completely unacceptable and has to stop." Prince Faisal made a similar statement in the recent past when he attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected Palestinian statehood. The head of the regime is talking of plans for open-ended military control over Gaza. In October 2023, there were reports that Saudi Arabia had reconsidered its foreign policy priorities in the wake of Israel's genocidal campaign in Gaza by postponing a US-brokered normalization deal with the regime. Israeli and Saudi authorities had earlier been claiming they were moving steadily towards such a deal. But the Israeli aggression proved otherwise. Washington, Israel's great benefactor, has also been casting its veto against the United Nations Security Council resolutions that call on the regime to cease hostilities. The United States remains unwilling to draw any red lines for Israel, which has killed more than 25,000 people in Gaza since early October. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria: Council adds six persons and five entities to EU sanctions list European Council / Council of the European Union Council of the EU Press release 22 January 2024 The Council today approved additional restrictive measures against 6 persons and 5 entities, in view of the gravity of the ongoing situation in Syria. The new listings include an economic advisor to Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, three leading businesspersons providing support to, and benefitting from, the Syrian regime and two persons connected to the Assad family. Five companies supporting, and benefiting from, the Syrian regime - Al-Dj Group, Cham Wings, Freebird Travel Agency, Iloma Investment Private JSC and Al-Aqila company - will also be subjected to restrictive measures. Some of these entities are engaged in the transfer of Syrian mercenaries, arms trade, narcotics trafficking or money laundering, which support the activities of the Syrian Regime. Those listed under the sanctions regime are subject to an asset freeze. The provision of funds or economic resources, directly or indirectly, to them or for their benefit is also prohibited. Additionally, a travel ban to the EU applies to the natural persons listed. Syria continues to be a high priority for the EU. The Council remains deeply concerned about the situation in Syria. After more than a decade, the conflict is far from over and remains a source of suffering and instability for the Syrian people and the region. The Council also notes that the Syrian regime continues to pursue its policy of repression. It is therefore necessary to maintain and ensure the effectiveness of the restrictive measures in place by further developing them. The EU reiterates that the only path to sustainable peace for Syria is a political solution in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254. Background Sanctions on Syria were first introduced in 2011 in response to the violent repression of the civilian population by the Assad regime. EU sanctions in place regarding Syria target the Assad regime and its supporters, as well as sectors of the economy from which the regime makes profit. EU sanctions in place regarding Syria are not meant to impede the provision humanitarian assistance to any part of the country. EU Sanctions do not prohibit the export of food, medicines or medical equipment by the EU to Syria, and they do not target Syria's healthcare system. The sanctions regime includes a wide range of humanitarian exceptions to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to any part of the country. Following the tragic earthquake of 6 February 2023, the already existing humanitarian exceptions were strengthened to further facilitate the speedy delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Syrian population. The EU and its member states have mobilised over EUR 30 billion since 2011, remaining the largest provider of international aid and delivering humanitarian, stabilisation and resilience assistance inside Syria and in neighbouring countries. Since 2017, the EU hosts yearly the Conference on Supporting the future of Syria and the Region to keep Syria high on the international political agenda, to raise pledges for assistance to those in need and to dialogue with the Syrian civil society. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Embracing One-China principle 'inevitable trend of times' as Tuvalu reportedly mulls severing 'ties' with Taiwan Global Times By Wang Qi Published: Jan 22, 2024 08:48 PM Embracing the One-China principle is the general trend of the times and the inevitable choice of the international community, Chinese experts said on Monday, after a Tuvalu envoy's recent remarks that the Pacific island country may follow Nauru's decision to sever "ties" with the island of Taiwan. According to a report published on January 19 by the Weekend Australian, Tuvalu's representative to the island of Taiwan said a source told him that Tuvalu could cut "ties" with Taiwan after the Pacific nation's election on January 26. The Tuvalu envoy's remarks came after Nauru, another Pacific Island nation, announced it was severing "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan on January 15, on the heels of the secessionist Democratic Progressive Party (DPP)'s Lai Ching-te's victory in the regional leader election in the island on January 13 this year. On Sunday, Taiwan's external affairs authority claimed that it "maintains deep ties with Tuvalu," according to reports from Taiwan-based media. The department also noted that despite Nauru's decision, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Palau all pledged to stick with Taiwan. Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Monday that the Taiwan authorities' reaction is nothing more than an effort to embolden themselves, or it shows that they are still making a last-ditch effort to hold on to Tuvalu. Analysts noted that regardless of whether Tuvalu severs its "ties" with the Taiwan in the short term, the trend of the international community further distancing itself from DPP authorities show that accepting the One-China principle is the general trend of the times and the inevitable choice of the international community. Lai's election victory further amplified the geopolitical risks posed by Taiwan secessionists, which in turn has made it increasingly difficult for the DPP authorities to establish themselves internationally, Zhang said. There are currently only 12 UN-recognized nations that retain "ties" with Taiwan authorities. According to Zhang, it cannot be ruled out that the number of Taiwan's "diplomatic partners" could fall into the single digit during Lai's tenure. According to Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, Tuvalu may just be the second domino in the chain. The Chinese mainland will not be soft in containing Taiwan secessionists, said Xin, "the mainland's influence on international affairs, and its importance to other countries, is far greater than that of Taiwan island." According to data from Taiwan's international trade department, the total trade volume between Tuvalu and Taiwan authorities in 2023 was only about $1.81 million. The Pacific Island countries (PICs) actually lack close economic ties with Taiwan region as ballast for solid ties. At the same time, the financial resources, which the Taiwan authorities use to serve their "dollar diplomacy," have been waning in recent years, Zhang said. The PICs have been facing the negative effects of global warming and rising waters in the Pacific Ocean in recent years, putting the countries' survival under threat, said Zhang, "In terms of the construction of infrastructures and coping with climate change, PICs are even more in need of, and more hopeful of, cooperating with Beijing." The DPP authorities are relying more on US and Australian efforts in pressing PICs to maintain "diplomatic ties" with Taiwan, but the vast majority of its handful of "allies" recognize their true national interests, which makes the trend [of cutting ties with the island of Taiwan] unstoppable, Xin told the Global Times. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Brainwashing still a global threat, new book on China says Editors hope the Taiwan-published book will educate people about the 'cognitive warfare' waged by Communist Party. By Hsia Hsiao-hwa and Huang Chun-mei for RFA Mandarin 2024.01.22 -- Brainwashing the public through mass propaganda campaigns by the Chinese Communist Party and other authoritarian regimes is a global threat, according to political scholars who recently published a new book on the topic. The book, "Brainwashing in Mao's China and Beyond," takes an in-depth look, through the lenses of political science, sociology and international relations, at the kind of "cognitive warfare" waged by the Communist Party from the Mao era onwards, co-editor Xia Ming told RFA in an interview on Monday. Xia hopes the book will be a "vaccine" against the propaganda pumped out by the party as a way to stifle dissent and shore up its grip on power. Taiwan's 23 million inhabitants got a heavy dose of cross-border Chinese propaganda in the run-up to the Jan. 13 general election, co-editor and Chinese-American Cultural Revolution historian Song Yongyi told a recent symposium. Song said the recent attempts by China to spook Taiwan's voters into complying with their constant negative messaging is just one among many examples showing that brainwashing is still being used, and still poses a threat to global stability. While Taiwan is governed as a sovereign state under the 1911 Republic of China, whose leaders and officials fled there after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong's communists in 1949, Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly said that Taiwan must be "unified" with China, and refused to rule out the use of military force to annex the island. "Communist regimes haven't been completely destroyed, and some totalitarian regimes have continued to develop in the post-Mao era, like Xi Jinping's regime," Song said, citing Russia under Vladimir Putin and its invasion of Ukraine. "This is still a global problem today - it's not just a problem in China or Taiwan," he said. Origin of term The term "brainwashing" is a direct translation of the Chinese (xinao - "wash brains") that was first used in English by U.S. journalist Edward Hunter in 1950 to describe how the Chinese government got people to cooperate with them during the Korean War. Later research found similar processes at work in Nazi Germany, and among criminal organizations including human traffickers. "Among the tactics used by the Chinese Communist Party to [try to] intervene in Taiwan's election was the claim that, if Taiwan allows the Democratic Progressive Party to come to power, there will be immediate war," said Song. "The Chinese Communist Party has been spreading such pessimism for a long time, telling Taiwan it can't win," he said. "[The message is] if we want to defeat you, we can." "Even some [political] leaders in Taiwan have accepted this brainwashing," Song said. Taiwan's Central Election Commission last week complained to TikTok about 105 videos posted to the platform it said were deepfakes targeting candidates in the Jan. 13 election. By Monday, TikTok had removed more than half of them. The Chinese-owned video-sharing platform has been repeatedly described by Taiwan officials and national security personnel as a "threat to national security," accusing it of peddling "digital opium" to the island's young people. The book includes chapters from Pei Yiran on the Yan'an Rectification Movement, Ding Shu on the 1958 "Confess to the Party" movement, Wu Guoguang on brainwashing, propaganda and "cognitive warfare," and from Yu Maochun on the impact of Chinese Communist Party propaganda on the international community. There are also contributions on its use in prisons, textbooks, literature and movies, with links to similar practices under Kim Jong-un and by fascist regimes. Suspicion of the U.S. Suspicion of the United States is a key theme of propaganda and infowars originating in Beijing, Xia said, citing a chapter contributed by Li You-tan and Yang Xiujing. Such themes have previously been used to target previous elections in Taiwan and undermine its democracy, while belittling the United States, he told RFA in an interview on Monday. "When [scholars in] Western countries study brainwashing, they actually help each of us to resist brainwashing ... to protect the independence of our thoughts." "The Chinese Communist Party does the opposite," Xia said. "They take the best and worst things in the world and throw them into the vat, to use against its people." "We need medicines to deal with this [thought-]virus," he said. "This book hopes to contribute by offering everyone a vaccine against it." Li You-tan, professor at Taiwan's National Chengchi University, said one example of Chinese government brainwashing is referring to aspirations to independence as "poison." "According to the manipulative language of the Chinese Communist Party, independence is the same as poison," Li said. "This is a form of brainwashing." "The manipulation here is aimed at 1.4 billion [Chinese] people, because Taiwan already is independent." Same family Another buzzword used by Beijing to bolster its territorial claims is the description of Taiwanese and Chinese people as coming from the same "race" or "family," suggesting that anyone who works against "unification" is betraying their ancestors, Huang Ching-Lung of the Taipei Trust in Democracy Association told the symposium. "Some people really take this on board," Huang said, citing comments by former Kuomintang president Ma Ying-jeou during a trip to mainland China last year. Political YouTuber Mr. Shen said Chinese people have been brainwashed since childhood, including through the use of textbooks during compulsory education. "A lot of people criticize those of us who oppose he Communist Party by saying we have been brainwashed by Western forces and Western media," Shen said. "But that completely distorts the definition of brainwashing." "There is one prerequisite for brainwashing, and it is this: it must prevent you from getting hold of any other information," he said. "But in the West, the information we see is diverse and conflicting, so whether you believe what the left or the right says becomes a matter of personal choice." Shen said he managed to rid himself of his early brainwashing, which included the belief that Taiwan could never be independent, by reading widely from overseas sources. "When I had received that different information, I digested and analyzed it in my own mind, and formed my own independent judgment," he said. "That's how I avoided being brainwashed." Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Copyright 1998-2024, 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 January 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PM call with President Biden: 22 January 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to US President Biden this evening. 22 January 2024 The Prime Minister spoke to US President Biden this evening. They discussed the situation in Israel and Gaza, and the urgent need to secure the release of Israeli hostages while alleviating the very real impact of the conflict on civilians in Gaza. The Prime Minister stressed that supporting Israel in its efforts to defeat the threat from Hamas does not detract from the need for the IDF to take greater care to protect civilians and operate within International Humanitarian Law. The Prime Minister and President Biden resolved to continue working together to encourage further humanitarian pauses to get hostages out of Gaza and allow more aid to enter. As part of this they underscored the need to open more aid routes into Gaza, including at Ashdod, while simultaneously increasing the efficiency of existing routes. The leaders also agreed that a two state solution which allows Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security is more important than ever. The Prime Minister and President Biden paid tribute to the British and American personnel who are currently working closely together to uphold freedom of navigation and protect lives in the Red Sea. The Prime Minister passed on his condolences on the death of two US Navy Seals confirmed today. The leaders condemned the surge in violent Houthi attacks on commercial ships transiting the area and undertook to continue efforts alongside international partners to deter and disrupt those attacks. This includes work through the multinational Operation Prosperity Guardian, putting diplomatic pressure on Iran to cease their support of Houthi activity and, as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities. The Prime Minister updated President Biden on his recent announcement of A2.5 billion of further military support for Ukraine alongside the signing of a new UK-Ukraine bilateral security agreement. The leaders agreed that it is paramount that the world continues to back Ukraine as it resists unprovoked Russian aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of President Joe Biden's Call with Prime Minister Sunak of the United Kingdom January 22, 2024 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke this afternoon with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom. The President and Prime Minister discussed ongoing Iranian-backed Houthi attacks against merchant and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea. They reiterated their commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks. The President and Prime Minister discussed the importance of increasing humanitarian aid and civilian protections for people in Gaza, and securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. The President and Prime Minister also reiterated their support for Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's continuing aggression. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the Prime Minister on the Day of Unity of Ukraine Prime Minister of Canada - Justin Trudeau January 22, 2024 Ottawa, Ontario The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the Day of Unity of Ukraine: "Today, on the Day of Unity of Ukraine, we celebrate the strength and courage of the Ukrainian people, and their unwavering spirit. "On this historic day in 1919, the Unification Act was proclaimed, joining the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Western Ukrainian People's Republic into a single, independent state. "Canada's ties with Ukraine run deep. We proudly host the largest Ukrainian diaspora in the Western world, with 1.3 million Ukrainian-Canadians calling Canada home. Along with our deep-rooted ties, we have a shared commitment to freedom, democracy, and the rule of law. "Today, this hard-won independence is once again under attack. As Ukrainians endure another winter under Russia's illegal and unjustifiable war of aggression, they persist valiantly and tirelessly in their fight to defend their homeland. Ukraine's fight is also a fight for freedom and democracy. Ukraine will remain free; Ukraine will remain independent; and Canada will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes. "As we mark the Day of Unity of Ukraine, we honour this enduring union, recognize the incredible resilience of Ukrainians, and recommit to supporting a free, independent, and sovereign Ukraine. "Slava Ukraini!" NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At the Foreign Affairs Council, Krisjanis Karins calls for agreement on the necessary military and financial support to Ukraine Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 22.01.2024 On 22 January 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krisjanis Karins, took part in the meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, at which the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States discussed Russia's aggression against Ukraine and exchanged view on the situation in the Middle East. "Ukraine needs undivided support from like-minded democracies to be able to defend itself. It is in our own interests! The European Union must take a decision as soon as possible on the Ukraine Facility and the Ukraine Assistance Fund under the European Peace Facility to ensure further assistance to Ukraine," Krisjanis Karins underlined at the meeting. The Latvian Foreign Minister also called for buying the ammunition that Ukraine needs from non-European Union countries to enable the delivery to Ukraine of the committed one million rounds of artillery ammunition. At the beginning of the Council, Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dmytro Kuleba, joined the ministerial discussion online. He urged the upcoming extraordinary meeting of EU leaders, the European Council, to decide on 50 billion in financial support as the best security guarantee for Ukraine, while calling for an understanding that the duration of the war waged by Russia was conditional on those decisions. In an exchange of views on a solution to the conflict in the Middle East, Krisjanis Karins reiterated the importance of an active role by the EU in resolving the conflict in close cooperation with the countries of the region and international players. That would help prevent a wider escalation of the conflict and find ways to bring sustainable peace to the region through a two-state solution. The Council's agenda also included a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the EU Member States with the Foreign Ministers of Israel, the Palestinian National Authority, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, as well as with the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Landsbergis in Brussels: "We have to be reminded that Ukraine is fighting not just for itself but also for Europe. So it's a battle of self-preservation as well for Europe" Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 2024.01.22 Today, on 22 January, ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council, the head of Lithuania's diplomacy spoke about assistance to Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, strengthening European security, and other issues. "We have to be reminded that Ukraine is fighting not just for itself but also for Europe. And I mean it not in a rhetorical sense but in a very practical sense. So it's a battle of self-preservation as well for Europe," said Landsbergis. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN condemns Ukraine's deadly attack on Donetsk market Iran Press TV Monday, 22 January 2024 10:07 AM UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned a deadly Ukraine's shelling of a market on the outskirts of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. A spokesperson for the UN chief said on Sunday that all such attacks are prohibited under international humanitarian law. "The Secretary-General strongly condemns all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including today's shelling of the city of Donetsk in Ukraine, which reportedly killed at least 25 people and injured more than 20 others," the spokesperson said. "Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law, are unacceptable, and must stop immediately." On Sunday, the busy market in Donetsk came under artillery shelling by Ukrainian troops. According to the Head of the Russian-administrated areas of the Donetsk region Denis Pushilin, Ukrainian troops used 152mm and 155mm artillery systems. As a result, at least 27 people were killed and 25 more were wounded. The Kremlin said the Ukrainian strike on civilians in Donetsk using non-precision weapons shows Kiev's vicious side. Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, also said that Ukraine's shelling of Donetsk would be brought up at a UN Security Council meeting. Pushilin announced a day of mourning on Monday in Donetsk, one of the four pro-Moscow regions that separated from Ukraine and joined Russia in a 2022 referendum. In Moscow, the Russian Foreign Ministry called the attack "a barbaric act of terrorism" by Ukraine that was carried out "with the use of weapons supplied by the West." "The Russian side categorically condemns this treacherous strike against the civilian population," the ministry statement added. After Russian troops began their special military operation in Donbas in February 2022, the US-led Western allies largely increased the supply of arms and munitions to Kiev, sending multiple shipments of guns and ammo worth tens of billions of dollars. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Borrell Says EU Needs To Do 'More And Faster' To Support Ukraine By RFE/RL January 22, 2024 EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said EU foreign ministers agreed during a meeting in Brussels on January 22 that now is not the time to reduce aid to Ukraine. "On the contrary, we need to do more and faster...regarding financial resources, military equipment, military training, and all of Ukraine's defense needs. We will continue to work on the projected aid," Borrell told a news conference after the meeting. He also announced plans to visit Ukraine in the second week of February but did not specify the date of his trip or with whom he plans to meet. The agenda of the EU's 27 foreign ministers' first meeting of the year included the battles in Ukraine and the Middle East. Ukraine's defense against Russia's full-scale invasion remains a priority for the European Union, Borrell said before the meeting, adding that conflicts in the Middle East will not distract the bloc. Ukraine "is the first item on the agenda," Borrell told reporters ahead of the meeting. "The fact that we are engaged in looking for a solution in the Middle East does not mean that we are not continuing supporting Ukraine." Ukraine is counting on quick steps in the first half of 2024 regarding the opening of negotiations on its bid to join the EU, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said. He also called on the bloc to increase the supply of weapons and approve a long-term support program for Kyiv . The war between Israel and Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU, has been a focus for Brussels since the conflict broke out after Hamas extremists launched a cross-border attack on October 7, killing just over 1,100 Israelis, mainly civilians. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki were scheduled to make separate appearances at the EU meeting on January 22. While the EU says Ukraine is a priority, some members have made statements in recent months questioning whether such staunch support should continue. Ahead of the meeting in Belgium, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto criticized the "pro-war party in Brussels" for seeking to supply $5 billion in military aid to Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on January 22 that he will tell his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv later this week that his country plans to veto Ukraine joining NATO because its membership would mean "nothing other than a basis for World War III." Slovakia, which has been a member of NATO since 2004, was long one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion. But when Fico's left-wing nationalist government took power in October, the country, which shares a border with Ukraine, decided to no longer supply Kyiv with weapons. With reporting by DPA Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukriane-eu-foreign-ministers- brussels-aid-meeting/32786795.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poland Preparing New Defense Package For Ukraine, Zelenskiy Says, As Warsaw, Kyiv Work To 'Reset' Relations By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 22, 2024 Poland is planning a new defense package for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on January 22 after a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in which they pledged to tackle political disputes that have caused bilateral friction amid Russia's full-scale invasion. The defense package is "a new form of cooperation aimed at larger-scale arms purchases for Ukrainian needs," Zelenskiy's press office quoted him as saying. Zelenskiy also expressed gratitude to Poland for its readiness to start work on a bilateral agreement on security cooperation. The two leaders also hailed proposed plans for joint arms production that Tusk said would "be a very profitable business for both sides." Tusk, who returned as prime minister in December following elections in October, insisted at a joint media briefing that "no one in Poland has any doubts" about further supporting Ukraine. Tusk's office said the Polish prime minister told Zelenskiy that "nothing builds mutual respect and friendship like selfless help in difficult times" and assured him that Ukraine is not alone as he delivered a message of friendship toward Ukraine. "Poland will do everything to increase Ukraine's chances of victory in this war," Tusk said. He also slammed leaders who have not fully backed Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia. "Today, anyone in the free world who pretends to be neutral...deserves the darkest place in political hell," Tusk said. Tusk announced the visit last week, saying he would hold talks on blockades by Polish truckers at the Ukrainian border, which threatened to hurt Ukraine's economic growth and eroded relations between the two countries. The truckers agreed last week to suspend their protests, which had been aimed at revoking Ukrainian truckers' permit-free access to the European Union, until March 1. Warsaw and Kyiv have also been at odds over Ukrainian grain exports to Poland and the rest of the European Union. Tusk said both sides "have reached a common understanding" over protests by Polish farmers and truckers. "We understand the depth of the reasons that led to this kind of situation, but draw attention first and foremost to the depth of the threat that stands before our peoples," Zelenskiy said, adding that he welcomed Warsaw's work on the issue. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in a separate briefing with Tusk, declared a "reset" in relations between the two governments and said they would hold regular meetings to strengthen cooperation. Kyiv will invest "maximum effort" to avoid harming Poland's economic interests, he said. But Ukraine also expects Warsaw to lift restrictions on its farmers and producers. "I am sure that we will find a solution that will benefit Polish farmers and producers and will be safe for the Ukrainian side," Tusk said. "An honest conversation between friends can work wonders." With reporting by Reuters and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-poland- zelenskiy-tusk/32786835.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Blames Ukraine For Gas Depot Blaze By RFE/RL's Russian Service January 22, 2024 The Kremlin has blamed Ukraine for a blaze at a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the Russian Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga that broke out on January 21. Asked about the fire, which led to the suspension of some operations at the terminal near Russia's border with Estonia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Ukraine was "striking civil infrastructure, people." The fire at the terminal operated by the Russian energy company Novatak erupted following reports of drone sightings in the area. The fire was caused by two explosions, state-run Russian news agency RIA Novosti cited local officials as saying. The agency said on January 21 that the fire had been contained to a 100-cubic-meter fuel depot at the terminal, located about 110 kilometers west of St. Petersburg. Leningrad regional Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko said on Telegram that there were no casualties as a result of the blaze and that the local fire service and the Emergency Situations Ministry were involved in the effort to extinguish it. The incident comes amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, which has been marked by frequent drone attacks by each side. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of targeting energy and other key infrastructure during the winter cold in an effort to break the Ukrainian people's will to fight following Moscow's unprovoked full-scale invasion in February 2022. Moscow claimed on January 19 that a Ukrainian drone attack had hit an oil depot in Russia's western Bryansk region. One day earlier, Russian officials claimed that an attempted attack on a Baltic Sea oil terminal was unsuccessful. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry traditionally does not comment on or claim responsibility for attacks Moscow claims Kyiv has carried out on Russian territory. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-baltic-ust-luga- gas-terminal-fire-ukraine-blame/32786608.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Zelenskiy Proposes Bill Allowing Ukrainian Citizenship For Foreign Fighters By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 22, 2024 KYIV -- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy marked Ukraine's Day of Unity with the introduction of a draft law that allows multiple citizenships, a move that would make it possible for foreign fighters and ethnic Ukrainians outside the country to hold Ukrainian passports while not giving up other citizenship. Zelenskiy said in an address on January 22, which marks the 1919 Unification Act of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the short-lived West Ukrainian People's Republic, that the law would not apply to "citizens of the aggressor country," a thinly veiled reference to Russian citizens. Ukraine has been fighting to repel a full-scale Russian invasion, launched by the Kremlin in February 2022. The Ukrainian government established an officially sanctioned foreign legion just days after the invasion, with some estimates putting the number of foreigners at around 2,000. "Today, we have to step forward not only to strengthen the unity of Ukraine and our people, but also for the unity of the rights and freedoms, the truth for Ukrainians, the truth for us, and the truth for our history," Zelenskiy said of the draft law that will allow the adoption of comprehensive legislative amendments and the introduction of multiple citizenship. "Those who, with the outbreak of a full-scale war, regardless of their place of residence, birth, or passport, said in the affirmative, 'I am Ukrainian.'... Ukrainians by origin, who have long proven that they are Ukrainians in spirit. And after many years of waiting, they should finally become Ukrainians by passport," he added. Current law does not allow dual or multiple citizenship for Ukrainian passport holders. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a similar law earlier this month enabling foreign fighters the possibility of receiving Russian citizenship. Zelenskiy also signed a decree that contains an outline of a program "to preserve the ethnic identity of Ukrainians" traditionally residing in Russia's Krasnodar, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov regions. The Day of Unity has been marked as a national holiday in Ukraine since 1999. The idea to mark the Day of Unity appeared almost a decade before that, when the country was still part of what was then the Soviet Union. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians joined together on January 21, 1990, to form a live chain connecting Kyiv, the capital, with several other nearby cities in a show of unity and nationalism. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-foreign-fighters- citizenship-zelensky/32786522.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Slovakia Would Veto Ukrainian Membership In NATO, PM Says Ahead Of Kyiv Visit By RFE/RL January 22, 2024 Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico says he will tell his Ukrainian counterpart that Slovakia would reject Ukraine joining NATO because its membership would mean "nothing other than a basis for World War III." Fico is preparing to travel to Ukraine on January 24 to meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal for talks in the border city of Uzhhorod. One reason for the visit is to present a further aid package, but Fico said in an interview on January 20 with a Slovak public broadcaster that he would also make clear the Slovak position on Ukraine's desire to join NATO. "I will tell [Shmyhal] that I am against the membership of Ukraine in NATO and that I will veto it," Fico said, adding that if Ukraine were in NATO, "some conflicts will be constantly instigated there," and "once a clash happens between Russia and a NATO member state, we will have a world war." NATO in July reaffirmed its position that Ukraine will one day become a member of the alliance, and members voted to simplify Ukraine's path to accession, such as the removal of the requirement for a Membership Action Plan. NATO has also formed the NATO-Ukraine Council to improve relations. However, NATO members are torn over when to admit Ukraine, and no vote or decision on membership is imminent. Slovakia, which has been a member of NATO since 2004, was long one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion. But when Fico's left-wing nationalist government took power in October, Slovakia decided to no longer supply Kyiv with weapons. Fico also asserted in the interview that Ukraine is not an independent and sovereign country, saying it is "under the total influence and control of the United States." The remark repeated a baseless claim that Russia has made repeatedly. Fico said the trip was very important to him and he will be interested to hear what kind of solution Ukraine has to end the war, adding that in his view current policies mean "having 200,000 more people dead." He believes that some kind of a compromise will be necessary to end the fighting and "it will be very painful for both sides." During his visit he will offer humanitarian aid -- Bratislava continues to send mine-clearing systems and diesel generators -- but no weapons from the army or state reserves of Slovakia. Fico also said Slovakia was in favor of Ukraine joining the European Union as long as the country fulfills the same conditions as other candidates. "I will tell [Shmyhal] that we respect them, but they must meet the conditions," he said, adding that in his view there cannot be a political accession to the EU "by a country that absolutely doesn't meet any requirements." He said he will tell Ukrainian officials that their country is "one of the most corrupt countries in the world" and questioned how much of the aid the country receives "gets lost or channeled toward some criminal structures." With translation of Fico's remarks by Petr Kubalek and reporting by dpa and AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/slovakia-veto-ukraine- membership-fico-uzhorod-zelensky/32786330.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine Prepared For 'More Interaction' With Partners, Zelenskiy Says After More Than 100 Ukrainian Towns Hit In One Day By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 22, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said there will be more interaction and communication with the European Union and Ukraine's closest neighbors in the coming weeks. "We have already determined our Ukrainian priorities for the coming weeks. We clearly see the task -- both in terms of packages that will strengthen our positions at the front, and in terms of political interaction with partners, and in terms of what is needed for the financial stability of Ukraine," Zelenskiy said on January 21 in a video address posted on X, formerly Twitter. "We are preparing more interaction and new communication, new important negotiations," Zelenskiy said. He also said that on January 21 there had been about 60 battles on the front, describing the fighting near Avdiyivka as the most intense, but also mentioning clashes near Bakhmut, Maryinka, and Kupyansk. "In one day, the inhumane Russians shelled more than a hundred cities, towns, and villages in nine regions: from the Chernihiv and Sumy regions to the Mykolayiv and Kirovohrad region, he said, referring to regions in northeastern and southern Ukraine. "Russian strikes are particularly brutal in the Donetsk region. Unfortunately, there are wounded, there are dead. My condolences to all those who have lost family and friends," Zelenskiy said. He expressed confidence that Russia will be held accountable for such actions. "Russia must feel and remember forever that the aggressor himself loses the most from aggression," he added, saying that he is grateful to everyone who "brings Russia closer to responsibility in all ways," whether this is though military assistance, sanctions, or legal and political means. Zelenskiy did not mention an attack on a market area in a suburb of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk that a Russian-installed authority said killed 27 people and injured 25. Denis Pushilin, the Russian-appointed head of the Donetsk region, said Ukrainian forces used artillery to carry out the attack. The Ukrainian military's General Staff said earlier that Russian forces launched four missile and 69 air strikes, carried out 50 attacks from rocket salvo systems on Ukrainian troop positions and populated areas. According to the General Staff, the Ukrainian military repelled attacks by Russian forces in seven directions, mostly in Lyman and Avdiyivka. The General Staff said in its daily assessment that the Russian military actively uses aviation and first-person view drones and conducts assault operations with the support of armored vehicles. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-100-towns-hit-one-dy- russia-interation-partners/32786324.html Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Indignant About OSCE's Lack of Reaction to Ukraine's Attack on Donetsk - Mission Sputnik News 20240122 VIENNA (Sputnik) - Russia is indignant at the lack of reaction from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to the deadly strikes carried out by Ukraine on Donetsk, Russia's mission to the OSCE said on Monday. On Sunday, Ukraine fired 152 mm and 155 mm caliber shells at a market in a bustling district of Donetsk, leaving at least 28 dead and over 20 more injured. "We are indignant at the lack of reaction from the OSCE's senior personnel, including Malta's current chairmanship and Secretary General Helga Schmid, to the barbaric attack conducted by [Ukrainian President] Volodymyr Zelensky's formations on Donetsk (Tekstilshchik neighborhood unit) on the morning of January 21 2024," the mission said. The mission decried the fact that the OSCE had turned a blind eye to all prior Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities, which, it said, amounted to the organization aligning itself with the actions of the Ukrainian military. Russia's Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights said its head, Valery Fadeyev, reached out to various international organizations and rights groups with a call to respond to the Ukrainian military's attack on a civilian neighborhood it knew contained no military targets. "We are calling on you and the international community to condemn the criminal acts committed by the Ukrainian authorities. We ask that you use your power and tools of influence on Kiev to put an end to the flagrant violations of human rights," Fadeyev wrote in his letters. The letters were sent to OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the International Committee of the Red Cross, international human rights organization Amnesty International, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Blood of Killed Donetsk Civilians on Those Sending Weapons to Kiev - Lavrov at UNSC Sputnik News 20240122 Ukrainian forces deliberately attack purely civilian targets, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said while addressing the UN Security Council meeting. The majority of impartial experts see that the West's continued support of Kiev impedes peace, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN Security Council in New York on Monday. "Today, it is completely obvious to the overwhelming majority of non-biased experts that the key factor that impedes the search for paths to a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis is the ongoing Western support of the Kiev regime," Lavrov said at a UNSC meeting. The Russian foreign minister put the blame for the recent civilian deaths in a Donetsk market on those sending weapons to Kiev. "The 'merchants of death' are not at all embarrassed that their weapons, including cluster munitions and shells with depleted uranium, methodically, mercilessly and deliberately hit purely civilian targets, as it was during the attack on residential areas of Belgorod on December 30 and yesterday on the market and shops of Donetsk," Lavrov said. "The blood of dozens of dead civilians is on the conscience of those who arm (Volodymyr) Zelensky's regime and at the same time officially declare that the Kiev authorities themselves have the right to choose targets for strikes," the minister emphasized. Conflict in Ukraine Just Business for the US Lavrov compared the US position on military funding to Ukraine to a profitable business project. "Mr. Blinken, the US secretary of state, focuses on the fact that continued assistance to Ukraine is a guarantee of creating new jobs in the United States. As if this is not about financing a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in Ukraine, but about some kind of profitable business project," Lavrov said. He recalled that a striking example of US entrepreneurial activity in Ukraine is the acquisition by the structures of businessman George Soros of black earth soils for the disposal of waste from the Western chemical industry. "Most of the large Ukrainian factories and companies, including lithium production, were sold to the same Americans. Fertile lands were leased to them for an indefinite period, as we say, at a cheap price," Lavrov added. The Russian top diplomat highlighted that Kiev resells some Western weapons on the black market, and it is difficult to imagine that Western capitals do not know about this. "In an effort to profit as much as possible from the conflict [in Ukraine], those in charge in Kiev are simply reselling some of the weapons supplied by the West on the black market," the minister said. He noted that "you can find enough similar advertisements on the darknet." "It's hard to imagine that this is happening without the knowledge and participation of Western businessmen, because, as they say, one hand washes the other," the Russian minister added. If Ukraine stops fighting, hundreds of thousands of its citizens will not have to die for Western geopolitical interests, he continued. "Hundreds of thousands of those whom the Kiev authorities are trying to catch like cattle today on the streets, in bars, in churches and as cannon fodder will definitely save their lives for Western geopolitical interests and, as they say for 'democratic values'," the minister said. Lavrov emphasized that there are no interests - and there never were - in the conflict with Russia in favor of the Ukrainian people. There are only "the interests of the Anglo-Saxons, their henchmen and the criminal, rotten Kiev elite, which is tied to the West by mutual responsibility and which is afraid of being swept away the day after the end of the war." Russia Never Gave Up on Peaceful Resolution Moscow has never given up on a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict, he reminded. "We never gave up on the peaceful resolution, we are always ready to negotiate a negotiate not about how to keep the leadership of the Kiev regime in place but about overcoming the inheritance of a decade-long destructive looting of the country and violence against the people, removing the reasons for the tragic Ukrainian situation," Lavrov said. The minister added that the plans of both Kiev and its "masters" have nothing to do with peace. So-Called Zelensky Peace Formula a Path to Nowhere The so-called "Zelensky peace formula" and other similar formulas are a path to nowhere, and the sooner the US and EU realize this, the better, Lavrov said. "It's sad that the UN Secretariat is risking its reputation by participating in the absolutely surreal so-called Copenhagen format. All these formulas are a road to nowhere, and the sooner Washington, London, Paris, Brussels would realize this, the sooner the better for both Ukraine and West," Lavrov said. The "peace formula", developed and promoted by Kiev, requires the restoration of the territorial integrity of Ukraine, the provision of Euro-Atlantic security guarantees and the creation of a special tribunal to investigate "war crimes" attributed to Russia. Zelensky's "peace formula" is considered in Moscow to be completely divorced from reality. Moscow has repeatedly indicated that it is ready for negotiations, but Kiev has introduced a ban on them at the legislative level. The West calls on Russia for negotiations, for which Moscow shows readiness, but at the same time the West ignores Kiev's constant refusals to engage in dialogue. Earlier, the Kremlin stated that there are currently no prerequisites for the situation in Ukraine to transition to a peaceful direction; the absolute priority for Russia is to achieve the goals of the special operation; at the moment this is only possible through military means. As the Kremlin stated, the situation in Ukraine can move on to a peaceful course, provided that the de facto situation and new realities are taken into account; all Moscow's demands are well known, Lavrov concluded. US Turns Blind Eye to the Death of American Journalist in Ukrainian Prison Western officials including those in the United States lack the courage to comment on the death of US citizen Gonzalo Lira. "Has anyone in the West, especially the United States or any officials, said anything about this death? No." Lavrov said. "And the Western delegations today and the representative of the Kiev regime will probably not find the courage to comment on this and other outrageous crimes by Zelensky and his colleagues." The State Department in January confirmed to Sputnik that Lira had died in a Ukrainian prison following a lengthy detention in Ukraine. A dual citizen of the United States and Chile, blogger Gonzalo Lira was arrested by the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) on May 5 on charges of justifying Russia's military operation in Ukraine and allegedly disseminating pro-Russian propaganda. He was released in July and later arrested again after he attempted to leave Ukraine by crossing the border with Hungary on a motorcycle. A Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address READOUT: Under Secretary for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh's Call with Minister of Finance Sergii Marchenko of Ukraine U.S. Department of the Treasury January 22, 2024 WASHINGTON -- Today, Under Secretary for International Affairs Jay Shambaugh spoke with Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko to discuss critical economic assistance and international efforts to hold Russia accountable for its unjustified and unprovoked war on Ukraine. Under Secretary Shambaugh highlighted the Administration's ongoing efforts to secure the full $11.8 billion in direct budget support as part of the national security supplemental request before Congress, which combined with other international support will enable Ukraine to continue defending itself and help maintain access to Ukraine's $15.6 billion IMF program. Under Secretary Shambaugh and Minister Marchenko also discussed continued cooperation through the G7 as well as the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two years on from Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine and this war benefits no one: UK statement at the UN Security Council Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine. 22 January 2024 Colleagues, two years ago, Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Since its illegal and unprovoked attack, over 300,000 Russian personnel have been killed or wounded. Mothers and wives of these soldiers have been arrested or ignored. Thousands of Russian anti-war protestors have been detained. Media organisations have been shut down, and many journalists are now in Russian prisons. Russian military modernisation has been set back eighteen years. Now Russia's defence industry strips down fridges for parts. It orders its weapons from the DPRK, in violation of multiple resolutions agreed in this Chamber, under this Russian Foreign Minister's instruction. Its purchase and use of Iranian drones involves both states violating a Security Council resolution. And for what? To lose more than half of the land it seized since February 2022 and a fifth of its Black Sea Fleet? To have its economy deprived of over $400 billion by sanctions, and hundreds of thousands of young Russians, who have emigrated for a better future? This war benefits no one, not Russians, and certainly not Ukrainians. Colleagues, Last time the Russian Foreign Minister was here, he spoke of protecting the rights of Russian-speakers in Ukraine. Yet the only threat to any civilian in Ukraine continues to come from Russia. Russia continues to impede access for humanitarian organisations to the millions of people in need. The UN Commission of Inquiry has reported a systematic pattern of torture against Ukrainian civilians by Russian authorities. Russian missile strikes continue to strike population centres, with some of the most intense waves yet falling during the New Year. And Russia says it wants peace. But while Ukraine, the UK and around 80 other countries were in Davos last week, discussing President Zelensky's plans for peace, based on principles of the UN Charter that all here have signed up to, the deputy head of Russia's National Security Council was proclaiming there could never be peace while an independent state of Ukraine existed. That is not peace. That is subjugation, which would threaten Ukraine's very existence as a state and usher in a new era of global instability. This is why the UK will continue to replenish Ukraine's air defences, to help it shield its civilians from these brutal attacks. This is why we have signed a new long term agreement on security cooperation, and announced A2.5bn more in military aid, and A18 million more in humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Because Ukraine's security matters for global security. President, as my Prime Minister said on his recent visit to Kyiv, we remain unwavering in our commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its borders, to ensuring Ukraine's ability to defend itself, to resist future coercion, to choose its own future, and to prosper peacefully. Thank you. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Tusk talked to students of Ukrainian universities President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 19:44 On the Day of Unity of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk spoke with students and faculty of several Ukrainian higher education institutions. The meeting, which took place at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, was attended by students from this university, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and the Military Institute of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Mariupol State University, and Kyiv National Linguistic University. Addressing the audience, Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the Day of Unity of Ukraine is an extremely important and symbolic holiday filled with meaning and important signals about the power of unity. "It was so important to unite at the very beginning of the war. And this powerful shield that we have, that we managed to build in Ukraine, is a signal that reached the whole of Europe and the whole world. And then, having united, we managed to resist Russian aggression together with the whole world. And help came. I am very glad that Poland, the Polish people, was with us in those moments. I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart, from all Ukrainians," he said. The Head of State emphasized that this solidarity must not be lost today. "We cannot lose this unity in Ukraine, in Europe, in the world, because we will lose everything," the President is convinced. For his part, Donald Tusk noted that today Ukrainians are fighting for their territorial integrity and independence, but Ukrainians also dream that Ukraine will be home to their children and grandchildren. "Russian aggression is not only an attack on your country, it is an aggression against your future, the next generations. It is an aggression aimed at everything that matters to you," the Polish Prime Minister said. "I am convinced that today one cannot be in the European Union and not help Ukraine. Ukraine's fight with Russia is a fight for the essence of Europeanness," he added. Donald Tusk also noted that NATO would be much stronger if Ukraine became a member of the Alliance, as its army is one of the best trained today. "Therefore, in particular, the task of the Polish government is to convince all skeptics that it is in the interests of every NATO member and the entire Alliance that Ukraine becomes a member as soon as possible. This is an obvious way to strengthen the security of the entire free world," said the Prime Minister of Poland. During a conversation with the students, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that Ukraine should become a member of the EU. "We did not receive the candidacy just like that. And the accession negotiations were not opened just like that, nor was the path to the future in the EU. Because we truly gained it," emphasized the President. Answering the question about the most effective measures to combat Russian disinformation and PSYOP, the Head of State noted that it is very important, including for the youth, to verify and analyze information in the current saturated information space. In addition, the sanctions policy, which affects the ability of Russia to finance propaganda, has a certain effect. Speaking about the prospects for the development of Ukrainian-Polish relations, Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his belief that despite any difficulties, common victories can be achieved through respect for each other. In his opinion, they can be achieved in the agro-industrial complex and in the logistics sector. The challenges posed by the neighborhood with Russia and Belarus give impetus to joint development in cybersecurity, security issues in general, and joint arms production. According to the President of Ukraine, attention should also be paid to the development of joint educational programs, given the large number of Ukrainians living in Poland. Donald Tusk added that during this war, Ukraine and Poland have built extraordinary mutual trust not only at the level of leaders, but also at the level of people and societies. "The war has shown that you are one of the most modern, innovative nations. It has shown extraordinary flexibility and creativity, starting from the frontline and in other areas. You are experiencing tragedy, but you are moving forward," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The clauses contained in the G7 Vilnius Declaration will be further elaborated in bilateral security agreements - Andriy Yermak President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 18:48 The Agreement between Ukraine and the United Kingdom on Security Co-operation paves the way for signing similar documents with other allies. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. "Of course, this agreement has set a certain trend, a level, and I think this is the level that everyone will try to stick to," he emphasized. The Head of the Office of the President noted that the mandatory clauses that should be included in bilateral security agreements are contained in the Vilnius Joint Declaration of the G7 countries, which was based on the draft Kyiv Security Compact drawn up by an international expert group under the joint leadership of Andriy Yermak and former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. "These clauses have already been further elaborated in the agreement with the UK. Of course, it is absolutely crucial for us that this agreement will remain in force until we join NATO. It includes provisions on joint arms production, specifics of financial support, information security, sanctions, and intelligence cooperation. Not just military support. That is, in my opinion, all the factual points that the G7 Vilnius Declaration contained and that have now been further elaborated in the agreement with the UK will be used with other countries as well," explained Andriy Yermak. He also said that Ukraine had already begun consultations with the U.S. side on a bilateral security agreement. "America remains our key partner and ally. That is why I believe that the agreement with the United States will have even more (clauses - Ed.). I think it will be even more special. We are working on it," the Head of the Presidential Office added. Andriy Yermak also emphasized that Ukraine today enjoys the full support of both parties in the U.S. Congress, so the domestic political situation in the United States does not affect the drafting of the security agreement. "I met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives in Washington. Then we had meetings together with President Zelenskyy. We came back with positive feelings. We have no impression that the United States' support for Ukraine has changed in any way," he said. Andriy Yermak noted that, despite the U.S. presidential election, support for Ukraine remains at a very high level. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address On Unity Day, the Head of State awarded Ukrainians who distinguished themselves in the defense of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 18:45 On Unity Day of Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented state awards to the military and civilians. The ceremony, which took place at the Mariyinsky Palace in Kyiv, was attended by medical workers, volunteers, servicemen, power engineers, and representatives of local authorities. The Head of State noted that he was honored to personally congratulate each of them on the Day of Unity of Ukraine. "I would like to thank you for the fortitude, unity and strength that you have all shown since the very beginning of the Russian invasion. Thank you for having preserved our country. Thank you for having defended it. I personally and all our people are very grateful to you for this," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The President wished all those present good health and victory over the Russian enemy. "With people like you, victory is sure to come. With such mighty warriors who are on the frontline today. I would like to wish you, your children, your grandchildren, wives, husbands, brothers and sisters victory. This is probably the most important thing that keeps us all together today and for which we all live, work and fight," the Head of State added. Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Presidential Cross of Military Merit to ten servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for personal courage and heroism in the defense of state sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and selfless service to the Ukrainian people. In particular, the award was received by: Sergeant Oleh Bernadskyi, who defends Ukraine in the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk sectors as part of an assault unit; Soldier Oleh Duzhenkyi, who repeatedly conducted reconnaissance behind enemy lines; Marine, Junior Sergeant Serhiy Kryklyvyi, who performed combat missions in Mykolaiv, Kherson and Donetsk regions; Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Lytvynenko, commander of the anti-aircraft missile division of the South Command; Major Roman Stryzhobyk, who plans, organizes and ensures the fulfillment of combat missions in the Donetsk sector; Lieutenant Vadym Tymoshchuk, commander of an engineering-sapper company, who performs tasks in Zaporizhzhia region. The President also presented the Cross of Military Merit to Senior Soldier Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, who commands a mobile firing group for air defense of the "Danube" operational grouping of troops; reconnaissance man, Junior Lieutenant Vitaliy Tulaydan, who performs combat missions in Donetsk, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions; Master Sergeant Petro Fedunov, who repeatedly participated in the assault on the occupiers' positions, capturing Russian servicemen and evacuating wounded brothers-in-arms; patrol boat commander, Petty Officer 1st Class Oleksandr Chasovskyi. In addition, for merits in strengthening Ukrainian statehood, courage and dedication in protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and a significant personal contribution to the development of various spheres of public life, conscientious performance of professional duties and on the occasion of the Day of Unity, Volodymyr Zelenskyy presented the Orders of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, III class, "For Merit", III class, "For Courage", III class, Princess Olga, I and III classes, medals "For Saved Life", "For Labor and Valor", and conferred the honorary title "Honored Doctor of Ukraine". The award ceremony was also attended by Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhny, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Serhiy Shaptala, Head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, his deputies Roman Mashovets and Oleksiy Kuleba, and Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksiy Danilov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Donald Tusk in Kyiv: I am grateful for Poland's readiness to start working on a bilateral agreement on security commitments President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 14:56 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk, who arrived in Ukraine on a working visit. The Head of State noted that it was the first visit of Donald Tusk as Prime Minister to a country outside the EU. "We greatly value this choice - the choice to be in Ukraine. Poland's choice of Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a meeting with media representatives following the negotiations with Donald Tusk in Kyiv. The President thanked Poland and the entire Polish people for the support that helped Ukrainians withstand the full-scale Russian war. "We highly appreciate that we were not left alone in this battle for Ukraine. We are together with many nations that have helped us and continue to do so. And the Polish people, the Polish state is one of our greatest helpers," the Head of State noted. At the same time, he noted that due to support for Ukraine, Poland's freedom will definitely endure. During their meeting in Kyiv, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Tusk discussed all aspects of bilateral relations. Special attention was paid to defense support. "There is a new Polish defense package. We appreciate such unflagging support. There is a new form of our cooperation - aimed at a larger scale of arms purchases for Ukrainian needs - the Polish loan for Ukraine. Today, Mr. Prime Minister and I also discussed the possibilities of joint future arms production," the President of Ukraine informed. The parties also discussed security commitments and Poland's accession to the G7 Joint Declaration adopted in Vilnius. "I am grateful for the willingness to start working on a bilateral agreement between our countries. I am confident that the agreement can be very ambitious, exactly what our nations need. I would also like to thank you for the joint work with Poland on the Peace Formula - Poland supports global efforts and participates in relevant meetings. This is important," Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized. The leaders also discussed the situation on the border between Ukraine and Poland. The Head of State emphasized the importance of overcoming any problems together in the most pragmatic way possible for the sake of common interests. "We discussed with Mr. Prime Minister that all critical issues can be resolved at the level of our governments. And work on this will begin shortly," the President noted. The interlocutors also paid attention to the issue of cooperation in the energy sector, the possibility of building up and enhancing energy potential. "This includes the expansion of the relevant infrastructure of energy ties between Ukraine and Poland, and our government officials will elaborate on all this," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The Head of State and the Polish Prime Minister discussed Ukraine's course towards the European Union, particularly the exchange of experience in interaction with European institutions. "I am grateful for Mr. Prime Minister's willingness to support Ukraine with his experience, and perhaps we should form a special advisory group between our countries, between our governments, to support Ukraine on its way to the European Union. I am sure we will be together in the European Union. We will be together in NATO," the President said. In addition, Volodymyr Zelenskyy invited Polish business to contribute to the country's recovery after hostilities. "We share full understanding with Mr. Prime Minister on such cooperation and support of Ukrainian and Polish businesses. Together we will be free - Ukraine and Poland," the Head of State summarized. Donald Tusk, for his part, noted that all political forces in Poland share the belief that Ukraine needs to be supported in its fight against Russian aggression by all available means. "Poland will try to help in all aspects of the EU accession process so that Ukraine's full membership in the European Union becomes a fact as soon as possible. We will also cooperate in all other formats, so I have informed Mr. President that Poland has acceded today to the G7 Joint Declaration adopted at the NATO Summit in Vilnius," the Polish Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of Ukrainian-Polish business projects, as well as joint investment in the production of weapons and ammunition. According to him, Poland plans to take part in Ukraine's recovery and the Polish government will appoint a commissioner responsible for this issue. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Volodymyr Zelenskyy instructed to draw up an action plan to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians in Russia President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 13:15 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed Decree No. 17/2024 "On the Territories of the Russian Federation Historically Inhabited by Ukrainians." The document states that for centuries, Russia has systematically destroyed national identity, oppressed Ukrainians, and violated their rights and freedoms, in particular in the lands historically inhabited by them in Kuban, Starodubshchyna, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchyna within the modern Krasnodar Krai, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation. At the same time, Russia must comply with its international obligations to ensure that Ukrainians living in its territories, including those historically inhabited by ethnic Ukrainians, have the right to education in the Ukrainian language and its free use, civil, social, cultural and religious rights, access to Ukrainian-language media, and the right of peaceful assembly. "The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine with the involvement of international experts, representatives of the Ukrainian World Congress, scholars, and the public, shall elaborate and submit to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine an action plan to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians living in the Russian Federation, including the lands historically inhabited by them (Kuban, Starodubshchyna, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchyna within the modern Krasnodar Krai, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, and Rostov regions of the Russian Federation)," the decree states. The action plan shall envisage, inter alia, the collection and examination of evidence and testimonies about crimes committed against Ukrainians who live (lived) in the territories of Russia historically inhabited by ethnic Ukrainians, about the policy of forced Russification, political repression and deportation of Ukrainians, the restoration and preservation of historical memory, including the establishment of a center for these issues. Work shall also be intensified to counter disinformation and propaganda of the Russian Federation regarding the history and present of Ukrainians in Russia and all the peoples enslaved by it, with the involvement of domestic and foreign scholars, experts, representatives of the Ukrainian community abroad and organizations of Ukrainians abroad in the preparation and holding of events aimed at debunking Russian myths about Ukraine. In addition, cooperation between Ukrainians and the peoples enslaved by Russia shall be developed. Together with the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the preparation and dissemination of materials on the more than thousand-year history of Ukrainian statehood, the historical ties of the lands inhabited by ethnic Ukrainians with Ukrainian national state formations in different historical periods shall be ensured. The need to highlight the true history of ethnic Ukrainians in the lands historically inhabited by them within the Russian Federation in curricula and textbooks for educational institutions is also emphasized. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has also been tasked with ensuring that the provisions of this decree are taken into account when developing a comprehensive strategy for Ukraine's interaction with the Ukrainian global community. This Presidential Decree has been prepared in compliance with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities, in accordance with Article 12, paragraph 3 of part 1 of Article 106 of the Constitution of Ukraine. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President of Ukraine initiates a key bill that will enable the introduction of multiple citizenship President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 13:08 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was submitting a key draft law to the Verkhovna Rada to introduce the institution of multiple citizenship in Ukraine. This was stated by the President in his address on the Day of Unity of Ukraine. "Today I am submitting to the Verkhovna Rada a key draft law that will allow the adoption of comprehensive legislative amendments and the introduction of multiple citizenship. And it will allow all ethnic Ukrainians and their descendants from around the world to have our citizenship. Of course, except for citizens of the aggressor country," Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted. As the President emphasized, since the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine, the multimillion-strong diaspora of Ukrainians around the world has stood up for the interests of our country and has been helping us despite being hundreds and thousands of kilometers away from their homeland. "Those who collect, find, pack and deliver everything needed for the victory. All those who have not forgotten their roots and do not let the world forget about Ukraine. Everyone who has Ukrainian blood in their veins and a free heart beating in their chest. Ukrainians by origin, who have long proven that they are Ukrainians in spirit. And after many years of waiting, they should finally become Ukrainians by passport. At the legislative level," he stressed. According to the Head of State, multiple citizenship will be one of the opportunities to realize the right to be Ukrainian, for which we are now fighting. "Foreign volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine, all those who fight for Ukraine's freedom as if it were their homeland. And Ukraine will become such for them. For everyone who can feel that "being in Ukraine" means "being at home." Not as tourists, but as citizens. Citizens of a great, united, single Ukraine," Volodymyr Zelenskyy added. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Address by the President of Ukraine on the Day of Unity President of Ukraine 22 January 2024 - 09:01 Fellow citizens! Exactly 105 years ago, right here on Sophia Square in Kyiv, the following lines were proclaimed: "The age-old dreams have come true, dreams that the best sons of Ukraine lived for and died for. From now on, the parts of a single Ukraine, separated for centuries, are united into one." These are the words of the Unification Act, which brought together the Ukrainian lands on both banks of the Dnipro River into a single state. And on this occasion, today we celebrate the Day of Unity of Ukraine. Every year on January 22, we have always recalled two key lessons of those times, two guiding principles for all generations of the Ukrainian nation: to gain your own statehood, you have to fight. To preserve it, you have to unite. And the day has come when it fell to all of us to prove: both these lessons have been learned. Every Ukrainian knows this day. When recalling it, there's no need to mention the year, just the date and month will suffice. It's the 24th of February. When we showed that the unity and independence of Ukraine are real, not declarative values for us. And we did not give up our state, but proved from the first day of the war that people's full-scale unity repels full-scale enemy aggression. Not symbolically, not sporadically, not in words, but on the frontlines - on all fronts of the war against unfreedom. In all forms of the battle for the preservation of Ukraine. United, independent, strong. As a tribute to it, since 1990, Ukrainians have been coming together in human chains of unity. Ukrainian unity stretching from west to east. On February 24, Ukrainians joined hands again. Having chosen again not the chains of slavery, but the chain of unity. The only difference is that it has taken on a new form. When every Ukrainian no longer had the concept of "my" or "not my" region, as every corner of Ukraine, every city and village became native. When we became dear to each other. When Ukrainians from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro fight for Ukrainians in Donbas and Crimea, in the south and north. When Ukrainians from Zakarpattia, Bukovyna, and Halychyna open the doors of their homes and provide shelter to Ukrainians from Mariupol, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. Ukrainians who fight. Ukrainians who work. Ukrainians who help. Ukrainian mothers and Ukrainian children who have lost their homes and are now abroad, contributing to the common resistance, collecting and delivering what is needed here. When Ukrainians from every region work to protect every region. And to liberate every corner that is temporarily occupied. When the Ukrainians who are now there are waiting for us and hearing us. Continuing to be Ukrainians, continuing to resist. And together we will definitely force Russia to leave. And the words of the Unification Act about the unification of the parts of Ukraine that were separated from each other will be heard again. They will become a reality. Because today every Ukrainian is fighting for every Ukrainian. Proving that when all Ukrainians join hands, they won't raise them to surrender. We all fight. And today, this is true not only for the Dnipro's two banks. Today, the unity of Ukrainians spans both hemispheres of the Earth. In every corner of which, on February 24, there were people declaring, "I am Ukrainian." Declaring it on all continents where our people live. Those who, with the outbreak of a full-scale war, regardless of their place of residence, birth, or passport, said in the affirmative, "I am Ukrainian." Those who proved it with their deeds. Our millions-strong diaspora, our lobbyists for Ukraine's interests around the world. Those who collect, find, pack and deliver everything needed for the victory. All those who have not forgotten their roots and do not let the world forget about Ukraine. Everyone who has Ukrainian blood in their veins and a free heart beating in their chest. Ukrainians by origin, who have long proven that they are Ukrainians in spirit. And after many years of waiting, they should finally become Ukrainians by passport. At the legislative level. Today I am submitting to the Verkhovna Rada a key draft law that will allow the adoption of comprehensive legislative amendments and the introduction of multiple citizenship. And it will allow all ethnic Ukrainians and their descendants from around the world to have our citizenship. Of course, except for citizens of the aggressor country. All those who, during various emigration waves, were forced to leave their homeland and ended up in Europe, the United States, Canada, countries of Asia and Latin America. All those who help us despite being hundreds and thousands of kilometers away from their homeland. Foreign volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine, all those who fight for Ukraine's freedom as if it were their homeland. And Ukraine will become such for them. For everyone who can feel that "being in Ukraine" means "being at home." Not as tourists, but as citizens. Citizens of a great, united, single Ukraine. For the freedom of which we are fighting. Fighting for the right to be Ukrainians. And the corresponding decision is one of the elements of this freedom, one of the possibilities to realize this right. The right to be Ukrainian. Furthermore, today we must take steps not only to strengthen the unity of Ukraine and our people, but also to act for the unity of rights and freedoms, the truth about Ukrainians, the truth about us, and the truth about our history. To this end, today I have signed a Decree "On the Territories of the Russian Federation Historically Inhabited by Ukrainians." This is the restoration of truth about the historical past for the sake of Ukraine's future. Fellow Ukrainians! In the spring of 2022, I saw Bucha for the first time after the occupation. And for the first time I wore a T-shirt with the words "I am Ukrainian." Always, and especially now, the words "I am Ukrainian" carry a special meaning. Today, they are filled with courage, pride, and indomitability of our people. The pain that every Ukrainian feels and at the same time the strength that helps us endure everything. Overcome everything. Survive everything. Knowing and remembering that only strong Ukrainians can be united. And only united Ukrainians can be strong. Ukrainians all over the world. I am Ukrainian. Happy Unity Day, fellow Ukrainians! Glory to Ukrainians! Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine: UN rights office deplores attack in Russian-occupied Donetsk 22 January 2024 - The UN human rights office (OHCHR) on Monday strongly condemned a weekend attack on the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine which left scores dead and injured. Meanwhile, in New York, the Security Council met once again to discuss the war stemming from Russia's invasion that will mark its bloody two-year anniversary next month. At least 27 civilians were reportedly killed and a further 25 injured in the Donetsk attacks that struck local markets and a nearby residential area in the city, according to media reports. OHCHR is trying to obtain more information about the attack, despite its lack of access to the city and other occupied areas in Ukraine, spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani said in a statement on Monday. "It is crucial that thorough, prompt and independent investigations be carried out to determine the facts and responsibility for this attack," she said. "The investigation should establish whether this attack violated applicable law on the conduct of hostilities, with a view to ensuring accountability." Ms. Shamdasani also stressed the need to ensure strict respect for international humanitarian law and for the parties to the conflict to take all necessary precautions to protect civilians from harm. 'Unambiguous obligation' Addressing the Security Council on Monday morning in New York, Adedeji Ebo, Deputy UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, reiterated the "duty" of warring sides to protect civilians. "This is an unambiguous obligation," he said, briefing ambassadors. "Let me say it again: attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law. All such attacks must stop immediately." As of Sunday, OHCHR has verified 10,287 civilians killed and a further 19,444 injured since Russia's full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. The actual figures are likely far higher. Prevent further escalation Mr. Ebo said continued attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure were seriously distressing, adding that the use of aerial drones and missiles had resulted in many deaths and injuries. "Just like any other weapons or weapons systems, armed uncrewed aerial vehicles and missiles must not be used in a manner inconsistent with international humanitarian law," he said. He reiterated the UN Secretary-General's call on all States to help to prevent further escalation and bring about sustainable peace. "The only way to end the suffering and devastation is by ending this war," Mr. Ebo said. Council meeting a distraction: Ukraine Ahead of the meeting, Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukrainian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, criticized Russia for calling for "yet another UN Security Council meeting to criticize lawful arms transfers to Ukraine that are done in support of Ukraine's inherent right of self-defence". "This meeting today is another attempt by the Russian Federation to distract from its war of aggression against Ukraine and its intensified campaign of systematic air strikes killing civilians and destroying critical infrastructure," he said at a press stakeout, standing alongside dozens of ambassadors and representatives of other nations and the European Union. Western support impedes peace: Russia At the Security Council, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that "the absolute majority of unbiased experts" see clearly that the key factor impeding the peaceful settlement of the Ukrainian crisis "is the continued support on the part of the west to the regime in Kyiv". This is "despite the fact that it is obviously in agony, and it is incapable of attaining the goal set to it, namely to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia," he said. He added that the reality is that "despite the complete failure" of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the battlefield, "western patrons of the Kyiv regime" continue to push them towards a senseless military confrontation. Grim humanitarian situation The war continues to inflict "immeasurable human suffering" and is putting millions at risk of serious violations and generating grave humanitarian needs, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Millions across Ukraine have been forced from their homes, including nearly six million living as refugees outside its borders. Prolonged displacement has pushed many to the brink. In 2024, 14.6 million people - about 40 per cent of the Ukrainian population - require humanitarian assistance. UN agencies and partners aim to reach 8.5 million people with aid, focusing on the most severe needs and prioritizing communities on the frontline and in neighbouring areas. Children rights Meanwhile in Geneva, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, a body of 18 independent experts monitoring implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its States parties, is discussing the treatment and conditions facing children in Russia, including the fate of Ukrainian children allegedly deported to Russia during the course of the conflict. On Monday and Tuesday, the Committee will hold discussions with government representatives as well as review reports and submissions made by Russia and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Alongside Russia, the Committee will also review the situations in the Congo, Bulgaria, Senegal, Lithuania and South Africa at its ongoing session, which concludes next week. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Decree Could Give Ukrainian Citizenship to Foreign Fighters, Nation's Diaspora By VOA News January 22, 2024 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a decree Monday that could grant Ukrainian citizenship to foreigners fighting in Ukraine against Russia. The legislation was introduced Monday on the anniversary of Ukraine's Day of Unity, commemorating the unification in 1919 of western and eastern Ukraine, which has faced numerous invasions over its long history. Thousands of foreigners rushed to Ukraine to defend the country alongside its soldiers when Russian forces invaded the country in 2022. "Foreign volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine, all those who fight for Ukraine's freedom as if it were their homeland. And Ukraine will become such for them," Zelenskyy said in a post on social media. Zelenskyy also announced that the new proposed legislation would formally allow ethnic Ukrainians and their descendants from all around the world to gain dual citizenship, with the exception of Russia. "Those who, with the outbreak of a full-scale war, regardless of their place of residence, birth or passport, said in the affirmative, 'I am Ukrainian.' ... Ukrainians by origin, who have long proven that they are Ukrainians in spirit. And after many years of waiting, they should finally become Ukrainians by passport," he added. The decree, if approved by the Ukrainian parliament, would bypass Ukraine's constitution, which does not give Ukrainian citizens the right to dual citizenship. So, millions of people of Ukrainian origin who live abroad have not been able to hold Ukrainian passports so far. The process would take about a year, so long as Ukrainian lawmakers approve and the constitutional court authorizes the decree. The presidential decree also called for an action plan that would help preserve the identity of about 4 million Ukrainians living in Russia, the largest Ukrainian diaspora group in the world. The decree, Zelenskyy said, would help restore the "truth about the historical past for the sake of Ukraine's future," and counter Russian "misinformation" that aims to undermine the ethnic identity of Ukrainians living in Russia. The Day of Unity has been marked as a national holiday in Ukraine since 1999. The idea to mark the Day of Unity appeared almost a decade before that, when the country was still part of what was then the Soviet Union. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians joined together on January 21, 1990, to form a live chain connecting Kyiv, the capital, with several other nearby cities in a show of unity and nationalism. Some information for this report came from Reuters, Agence France-Presse and RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poland, Ukraine Affirm Their Common Front Against Russia By VOA News January 22, 2024 Polish and Ukrainian leaders pledged Monday to bolster their alliance against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, putting aside differences over the recent Polish blockade of Ukrainian trucks trying to enter the European Union. In his first visit to Kyiv since being elected prime minster of Poland, Donald Tusk described Ukraine's defensive war against the Russian invasion as a "battle" between "good and evil," adding, "Poland will do everything to increase Ukraine's chances of victory in this war." "The security of the Polish nation and the Polish state is also at stake in this fight," Tusk said at a joint media briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Relations between the two countries had soured in recent months because of Polish blockades against Ukrainian trucks at the border. Polish truckers enforced the blockade from November until last week, protesting Ukrainian truckers' permit-free access into the EU. The EU had waived the permits system after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but Polish truckers want it reintroduced, saying their earnings have taken a hit. The truckers agreed last week to suspend their protests until March 1. Tusk returned to Polish politics last month after serving as president of the European Council. Tusk and Zelenskyy hailed plans for joint arms production while Zelenskyy said on X, formerly Twitter, that they had discussed a new form of cooperation aimed at larger-scale arms purchases for Ukraine. He did not provide details. Tusk's surprise trip to Kyiv coincided with Ukraine's Unity Day, commemorating the 1919 unification of western and eastern Ukraine, which has faced numerous invasions over its long history. Zelenskyy marked the day by signing a decree offering dual Ukrainian citizenship to ethnic Ukrainians and their descendants from all around the world, apart from Russia, as well as foreign fighters who took up arms alongside Ukrainian soldiers to defend Ukraine against the Russian invasion. Drone attacks Meanwhile, Ukraine's military said Monday that it had thwarted Russian drone attacks in multiple parts of the country overnight, while Russian officials accused Ukrainian forces of carrying out a "vicious" attack in a Russia-controlled city in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian air force said its air defenses had downed eight drones launched by Russia, including in the skies over the Mykolaiv, Kherson and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Officials said the drones had come from Russia's southern Primorsko-Akhtarsk region. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov accused Ukraine of using indiscriminate weapons and attacking civilian infrastructure, leaving at least 27 people dead in the city of Donetsk on Sunday. Peskov also said Monday that Russia was taking necessary measures after a suspected Ukrainian attack on a Baltic Sea fuel export terminal. Ukraine's military remained tight-lipped about both attacks. US defense secretary U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will attend a meeting on Ukraine's military aid virtually from his house, as the defense chief continues to recover from complications of prostate cancer treatment that led to his secret hospitalization, the Pentagon said Monday. Tuesday's virtual conference will mark Austin's first public engagement since treatment. The meeting comes as Republicans in Congress have blocked President Joe Biden's emergency funding request for Ukraine, seeking increased security along the U.S.-Mexico border. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that while the United States is committed to Ukraine, lawmakers need to pass more funding for Kyiv as it battles Russian forces. "Our partners, our allies continue to do that, despite the fact that we do not have a supplemental [funding bill] that's been passed by Congress," Singh told reporters. Biden has requested $61.4 billion in additional military funding for Ukraine as well as for replenishing U.S. stocks as Ukraine nears the two-year mark of its war with Russia. The funds sought for Ukraine are part of a supplemental funding request that also includes $14.3 billion for Israel and $13.6 billion for U.S. border protection. Lavrov at the UN Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday attended a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York. At the meeting, requested by Russia, Lavrov focused on U.S. and European arms support to Ukraine, saying the aid was dragging out the conflict. He did not address Western accusations that Moscow has been procuring drones and missiles from Iran and North Korea. "It is cynicism of the highest order to claim that legitimate and lawful support for Ukraine's self-defense is prolonging Russia's war of aggression," U.S. envoy Robert Wood told the council. More than 40 ambassadors joined Ukraine's envoy in the reading of a public statement ahead of the meeting. The statement condemned Russia's aggression and its procurement of weapons from Iran and North Korea - which is a violation of several U.N. Security Council resolutions. "The Russian Federation's actions undermine the credibility of Security Council resolutions, undermine the global nonproliferation regime, exacerbate regional tensions and endanger us all," Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya read on behalf of the group. Asked by a reporter whether Ukraine could win the war, Kyslytsya said, "Ukraine will win this war. But not only Ukraine, but all the democratic world." Next month marks two years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. VOA U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some information came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address REGINA, Saskatchewan, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PROTON CAPITAL CORP. (Proton or the Corporation) (PTN.P-TSX-V), a capital pool company under the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV), is pleased to announce the results of the special meeting of the shareholders of the Corporation held on January 22, 2024 (the Meeting) and to provide an update on the proposed qualifying transaction of the Corporation (the Qualifying Transaction). Special Shareholders Meeting All matters set forth in the management proxy and information circular dated December 11, 2023, were approved by the shareholders of Proton at the Meeting. The resolutions that were passed at the Meeting included: conditional on the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the approval of the name change of the Corporation to PharmaCorp Rx Inc.; conditional on the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, fixing the number of directors of the Corporation to be elected at the Meeting at seven (7); conditional on the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the election of Alan Simpson, Dwayne Anderson, Grady Brown, Calvin LeRoux, Ken Brownell, James Dumont and Grant Hladun as directors of the Corporation to serve upon completion of the Qualifying Transaction; and conditional on the completion of the Qualifying Transaction, the approval of the equity incentive plan of the Corporation. Further disclosure on the matters approved at the Meeting can be found in the information circular, which was filed on SEDAR+ on December 15, 2023. Potential QT Acquisition Update Further to its news releases dated April 20, 2023, July 26, 2023, August 31, 2023 and October 10, 2023, Proton continues to evaluate the acquisition (Potential QT Acquisition) of a PharmaChoice Canada Inc. bannered pharmacy or pharmacies as part of the Corporations proposed Qualifying Transaction within the meaning of TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) Policy 2.4 - Capital Pool Companies. Proton advises that it has now executed seven non-binding letters of intent with PharmaChoice Canada Inc. bannered pharmacies, but it has not yet entered into any definitive agreements in respect of a Potential QT Acquisition. Proton will provide a further update in respect of a Potential QT Acquisition when Proton enters into a binding definitive agreement in relation to such Potential QT Acquisition. Proton cautions that there is no guarantee that a definitive agreement in relation to a Potential QT Acquisition will be completed with any of the pharmacies with which Proton has executed such non-binding letters of intent. Other Information and Halt Completion of the Qualifying Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance and, if applicable pursuant to TSXV requirements, majority of the minority shareholder approval. Where applicable, the Qualifying Transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the Qualifying Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Qualifying Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Qualifying Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of a capital pool company should be considered highly speculative. The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed Qualifying Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. In accordance with the policies of the TSXV, the common shares of Proton are currently halted from trading and will remain halted until further notice. About Proton Capital Corp. Proton was incorporated on September 1, 2021 by certificate of incorporation issued pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (Alberta). Proton is classified as a Capital Pool Company (CPC) as defined in Policy 2.4 of the TSXV. The principal business of Proton is to identify and evaluate assets or businesses with a view to potentially acquire them or an interest therein by completing a purchase transaction, by exercising of an option or by any concomitant transaction. The purpose of such an acquisition is to satisfy the related conditions of a qualifying transaction as defined under TSXV policies. Protons shares trade on the TSXV under the trading symbol: PTN.P For further information, contact: Mr. Alan Simpson 3603 Selinger Crescent Regina, Saskatchewan S4V 2H7 Tel: (306) 536-3771 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. Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking information. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information in relation to: the proposed Qualifying Transaction, including the completion of the proposed Qualifying Transaction, the matters that were conditionally approved at the Meeting, the execution of a definitive agreement in relation to a Potential QT Acquisition, and the completion of a Potential QT Acquisition. This forward-looking information reflects Protons current beliefs and is based on information currently available to Proton and on assumptions Proton believes are reasonable. These assumptions include, but are not limited to: the closing of the proposed Qualifying Transaction; the potential execution of a definitive agreement in relation to a Potential QT Acquisition, the completion of satisfactory due diligence by Proton in relation to proposed Qualifying Transaction; the receipt of all required approvals for the proposed Qualifying Transaction, including TSXV acceptance and any board or shareholder approvals or third party consents; the completion and approval of all requirements in relation to Protons previously announced potential prospectus offering, and market acceptance of the proposed Qualifying Transaction and potential prospectus offering. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Proton to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; delay or failure to receive board of directors, third party or regulatory approvals; competition; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation, affecting Proton; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; conclusions of economic evaluations and appraisals; lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key individuals; risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures, service disruptions, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, mandatory vaccination policies, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession. A description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in Protons disclosure documents on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Although Proton has attempted to identify important risks and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of Proton as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, Proton expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law. IONIA, Mich., Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, successful businessman, tech entrepreneur, Army veteran, and lifelong conservative Glenn Wilson (R-MI) released his first paid campaign ad of the election cycle, titled: We The People. The ad is slated to run across the state of Michigan on social media platforms over the next month. Watch at www.VoteGlennWilson.com or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2WyUmfkZN4 If we want to rescue the American Dream, we cannot rely on failed politicians and Washington bureaucrats to do the job for us, said Glenn Wilson. This campaign is about empowering We the People to rise up and take control of our own destiny. Our first campaign ad provides voters with a small glimpse of Glenns authenticity, sincerity, and passion for his country, said Scott Hagerstrom, chief campaign strategist. In a crowded field of Trump haters, perennial candidates, and career politicians, Glenn is going to stand out in the best possible way. www.VoteGlennWilson.com Paid for by Glenn Wilson for Senate A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c38fc606-7bcd-46f3-8ee0-520f87eff09f Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Single-use Bioprocessing Probes And Sensors Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Workflow (Downstream, Upstream), By Sensor Type, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global single-use bioprocessing probes and sensors market is poised for significant growth, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.87% leading to a market size of USD 6.67 billion by the year 2030. This report highlights these statistics, emphasizing the shift towards sustainable practices in the biopharmaceutical sector and increasing the adoption of more efficient probes and sensors. One of the key findings in the report indicates that the pH sensor type segment currently leads the market due to its essential role in monitoring and maintaining the process environment, supported by technological enhancements. This demonstrates the segment's indispensable contribution to making bioproduction not only more effective but also more environmentally friendly. In terms of workflow, the report reveals that the upstream process commands the largest market share due to the widespread integration of single-use systems in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Key Market Dynamics at Play COVID-19 Pandemic Impact: The unprecedented demand for vaccines and therapeutics during the pandemic intensified the need for rapid and scalable bioprocessing solutions, propelling the market for single-use technologies. The unprecedented demand for vaccines and therapeutics during the pandemic intensified the need for rapid and scalable bioprocessing solutions, propelling the market for single-use technologies. Environmental Considerations: With a global thrust towards sustainability, the biopharmaceutical industry is expressing a marked preference for single-use bioprocessing technologies due to their lower water and energy consumption compared to reusable systems. With a global thrust towards sustainability, the biopharmaceutical industry is expressing a marked preference for single-use bioprocessing technologies due to their lower water and energy consumption compared to reusable systems. Biopharmaceutical Innovations: Developments in the biopharmaceutical sector, along with the increased demand for these products, create significant opportunities for expansion in the market. North America continues to be a frontrunner, leveraging its robust biopharmaceutical sector, whereas the Asia Pacific region is set to exhibit the fastest growth. The report also details high-demand end-use segments, with biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies taking the lead. These market dynamics are buoyed by strategic industry moves, including mergers, acquisitions, and expansions, aimed at increasing production capabilities to meet the growing market demand. Market Report Highlights The dominance of pH sensors due to their high application rate in bioprocessing environments. The substantial contribution of upstream bioprocessing in adopting single-use technologies. Strong performance by biopharmaceutical and pharmaceutical companies in driving the market. Regional market analysis, with North America leading and Asia Pacific projected for rapid growth. The detailed insights offered by this latest market report underscore the evolving landscape of single-use bioprocessing probes and sensors. Interested stakeholders in the biopharmaceutical industry, investors, and other market participants can find the full report available as a comprehensive guide to understand the future of bioprocessing, the drivers behind its growth, and the potential it holds for sustainability and innovation in healthcare solutions. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $2.75 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $6.67 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 11.8% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Sartorius AG Danaher PreSens Precision Sensing GmbH ABEC Hamilton Company PendoTECH Equflow PARKER HANNIFIN CORP Dover Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/zdakmz About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Biotechnology Reagents & Kits Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Kit Type (Detection Kits, Isolation Kits), By Technology, By Tested Parameters, By Micro-organisms, By Purpose, By End-use, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2023 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global biotechnology reagents & kits market is poised for significant growth, with a projected market size reaching USD 1,377.2 billion by the year 2030. Expanding at an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.9% from 2023 to 2030, this market's drive is attributed to several key factors including the introduction of cutting-edge products, rising biotechnology sector investments, and a heightened demand for synthetic biology. Groundbreaking Developments in Diagnostics to Propel Market Growth A rise in research and development expenditure within the life sciences and biotechnology realms is set to notably propel the market forward. This comes as a result of substantial progress made toward new drug treatments, biologically controlled processing methods, genetically-modified foods, and novel material production. Moreover, molecular diagnostic advancements have spurred a greater adoption of reagents & kits in the marketplace. Segment Dominance and Regional Market Overview In terms of technology, cell culture has maintained the largest revenue share due to a diverse product array offered by key market entities and the expansion of cell biology studies. Additionally, the growth of virus segment utilization in cell and gene therapies has been catalyzed by recent global health challenges, thereby further impacting the market positively. North America maintains its dominant position in revenue share, with the United States as a significant market influencer, thanks to its robust research infrastructure and concentration of key industry players. The Asia Pacific region is poised for the fastest market growth rate from 2023 to 2030, a result of healthcare infrastructure improvements, entry of major biotech corporations, and a surge in R&D activities. Innovations in Kits Capture Market Attention Detection kits have captured a notable market share in 2022, driven largely by the pandemic's impact, with amplification kits anticipated to witness considerable growth due to their expanded applications in LAMP technology and PCR. Noteworthy Trends in End-use Sectors The development of Point-of-Care (POC) testing technologies is driving growth for on-site testing applications. On-site DNA testing services are expanding, covering a wide spectrum from paternity to forensic analysis. The healthcare sector dominates as the principal end-user segment, due to the high penetration and usage rate of reagents & kits in medical applications. The market for biotechnology reagents & kits stands at the cusp of a transformative period with a sustained growth trajectory forecasted through the end of the decade. The latest insights and data gleaned from this market can serve as a critical resource for stakeholders within the biotechnology sector. For a comprehensive understanding of market dynamics, key trends, and future forecasts, the full report of the global biotechnology reagents & kits market offers an in-depth analysis of the industry's significant advancements and the impact of technological innovations on the market's growth. Key Attributes Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 200 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2022 $595.3 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $1377.2 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 10.9% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Thermos Fisher Scientific QIAGEN New England Biolabs Illumina, Inc. Agilent Technologies, Inc. Bio Rad Laboratories F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd. Merck KGaA Promega Corp. Takara Bio, Inc. LGC Ltd. Toyobo Co. Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kk7k9z About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride Market by Form (Pellet, Powder), Production Process (Aqueous Suspension Method, Solid Phase Method, Solvent Method), Grade - Forecast 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC) Market is poised for a robust growth period, with projections estimating the market size to reach USD 5.98 billion by the year 2030. This substantial rise indicates a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.15% from its valued estimate of USD 3.72 billion in 2024. Market Dynamics and Growth Factors CPVC's increased incorporation in residential housing developments and stringent government regulations on water management systems contribute to the market's forward trajectory. Despite concerns over environmental impacts, advancements in sustainable manufacturing and recyclability of CPVC materials signal a broad spectrum of prospects for stakeholders. The Asia-Pacific sector is witnessing a significant uptick due to growing infrastructural projects demanding CPVC's durability and performance. The Americas' market is equally dynamic, with industry players exploring strategic partnerships and innovations to refine CPVC offerings. Emerging economies, spearheading the global market expansion, have become veritable hotbeds for CPVC's market potential. Market Segmentation & Coverage This comprehensive study segments the CPVC market by form, production process, grade, and region. By delving into each segment, the report uncovers trends and revenue forecasts that aid in strategic decision-making. Forms include Pellet and Powder Production Processes encompass Aqueous Suspension Method, Solid Phase Method, and Solvent Method Grades covered are Extrusion and Injection Report Highlights: Strategic insights into market penetration and diversification Competitive assessment of market share and vendor strategies Innovation trajectories and product development within the CPVC landscape Significantly, the report furnishes stakeholders with essential questions concerning market size, investment opportunities, current technological trends and regulatory scenarios. This enhances the readiness of stakeholders to effectively navigate the evolving CPVC market landscape. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 181 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $3.72 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $5.98 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 8.1% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned AKG Group of Companies Al Waab Plastics FlowGuard Plus Formosa Plastics Corporation GEON Performance Solutions Hanwha Solutions Corporation Heap Wah Enterprise Sdn. Bhd. Jiangsu Tianteng Chemical Industry KANEKA CORPORATION Kem One SAS Kothari Group Lubrizol Corporation Meghmani Finechem Limited Platinum Industries Limited PolyOne Corporation Polytech Plastics Qatar National Plastic Factory Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. Shandong Novista Chemicals Co.,Ltd (Novista Group) Shandong Xiangsheng New Materials Technology Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Ltd. SHREE BALAJEE ENTERPRISES Shriram PolyTech Ltd. UNITECH PVC Pipes Westlake Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fb6va5 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Real World Evidence Solutions Global Market Report 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The latest market analysis report on Real World Evidence Solutions unveils a comprehensive study and actionable insights for stakeholders in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. The report, now available for review, showcases an expansive growth trajectory of the market, primarily driven by the integration of real-world data in medical product evaluations and healthcare decisions. Significant Market Expansion Fueled by Aging Demographics and Technological Innovations The report sheds light on the burgeoning market size, previously recorded at $1.75 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $2.02 billion in 2024. The industry reflects a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.3% and is anticipated to maintain a similar momentum towards 2028, with expected values climbing to $3.58 billion. Key Findings and Market Trends With the expansion of the geriatric population, healthcare providers are increasingly relying on real-world data to address the complexities associated with aging and chronic diseases. Government support is significantly influencing the real-world evidence solutions landscape, fostering advancements that cater to the shifting regulatory and infrastructural landscape. Emerging trends, such as AI-powered predictive analytics and heightened emphasis on data transparency, are revolutionizing how evidence is leveraged in the healthcare space. The report highlights the diverse applications of real-world evidence solutions across functions like drug and medical device development, regulatory decision-making, and safety monitoring. Special attention is given to market segments experiencing rapid growth, including therapeutic areas like oncology and neurology, and the integration of advanced data analytics tools. Regional Insights and Future Projections In its geographical analysis, the report identifies North America as leading the global market, with promising growth rates anticipated in the Asia-Pacific region. These insights are of particular relevance to stakeholders and decision-makers looking to understand market dynamics and identify opportunities for investment and expansion. Major Companies Spearheading Development Numerous top-tier companies within the real-world evidence solutions sector are propelling innovation, aiming to refine the collection and analysis of data for improved patient outcomes. The outcomes of such endeavors are pivotal for the development of new drugs and treatments, as well as the optimization of existing healthcare practices. The report signals a cornerstone development in the understanding of real-world evidence and its applications in healthcare. It provides an in-depth look at current market conditions while casting a forward glance at future trends and opportunities. Stakeholders within the medical and healthcare sectors are poised to gain valuable insights from the findings detailed in this comprehensive analysis. For further information on the report, industry professionals and interested parties are encouraged to access the full analysis. The findings presented hold significant potential for influencing strategic decisions and operational approaches within the real world evidence solutions market. The analysis thoroughly details the market structure, key drivers, challenges, and competitive landscape, allowing for a granular understanding of the sector's trajectory. The integration and synthesis of real-world data in the clinical evidence sphere signal a transformative period for medical research and patient care, setting the stage for groundbreaking developments in real-world evidence solutions in the forthcoming years. A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Anthem Inc. Cegedim Health Data Clarivate PLC Clinigen Group Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation Flatiron Health Inc. International Business Machines Corporation ICON plc IQVIA Holdings Inc. Medpace Holdings Inc. Optum Inc. Oracle Corporation PAREXEL International Corporation PerkinElmer Inc. PPD Inc. SAS Institute Inc. Syneos Health Symphony Innovation LLC UnitedHealth Group Incorporated Amerisource Bergen Corporation Cardinal Health Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited Informa PLC Palantir Technologies UDG Healthcare PLC Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. Elevance Health Inc. Covance Consulting Ltd. Clinipace Worldwide Evidera Inc. Pharmerit International Analysis Group Inc. HealthCore Inc. Inovalon Holdings Inc. KMK Consulting Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/s54uex About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Shale Gas Market Outlook Report - Industry Size, Trends, Insights, Market Share, Competition, Opportunities, and Growth Forecasts by Segments, 2022 to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The comprehensive analysis of the global Shale Gas Market, covering industry size, trends, market share, competition, opportunities, and growth forecasts for the period of 2022 to 2030, has been added to the market research collection. This detailed report encompasses both qualitative and quantitative research, offering an insightful overview for stakeholders and strategic planners. Emerging Opportunities in Shale Gas Segments The research provides a segmented analysis of the Shale Gas Market's extensive growth rates at global, regional, and country levels, drawing a comprehensive forecast until 2030. It identifies and predicts the emerging segments within the market, high-growth regions, and countries that are promising investment avenues. The report offers a lucid insight into market penetration by different types, applications, and sales channels, validated by industry experts. Driving Factors and Market Restraints The surge in demand from emerging markets is anticipated to propel the growth of the Shale Gas Market at a significant CAGR. Advances in digital technology, coupled with increasing disposable incomes and post-pandemic economic recovery stimulating energy consumption, are expected to drive notable market expansion. Conversely, compliance with stringent regulations, competition, and fluctuating raw material prices may pose as market restraints over the forecast period. Geopolitical and Competitive Landscape Analysis An array of direct and indirect factors impacting the Shale Gas market are thoroughly analyzed in this report. A geopolitical analysis, demographic analysis, and a detailed assessment through Porter's five forces model provide a deeper understanding of potential market scenarios. The competitive intelligence section of the report reveals the market structure and key strategies deployed by industry competitors. This coverage helps businesses align their resources efficiently to enhance market share. Regional Insights and Future Outlook Geographically, the report offers separate chapters on Shale Gas Markets in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America. This regional analysis is further broken down by type, application, end-use, and country to provide a granular view of the market. The forward-looking analysis paves the way for market participants to identify prospective markets, monitor Shale Gas price trends, and explore new sales channels. It also outlines the impact of recent global developments, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, on market dynamics. Key Insights for Market Players and Stakeholders Analysis of current global, regional, and country-level market sizes. Evaluation of market penetration by different segments and growth factors. Assessment of the impact of significant global events on the market. Understanding of market diversity and regional investment opportunities. Insight into the structure and competitive strategies of key players. This market outlook report provides an exceptional tool for strategic planning and will empower stakeholders to navigate the complexities of the Shale Gas Market with confidence. The findings will help businesses in making informed decisions for future market prospects and competitive positioning. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xe5jer About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Telecom EMS Market Forecasts from 2023 to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The telecom electronics manufacturing services (EMS) market is set to witness significant expansion, bolstered by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.41% from 2021 to 2028. The market value is predicted to ascend from US$206.202 billion to US$318.622 billion by the end of the forecast period. This growth trajectory is largely attributed to the escalating demand for smartphones, burgeoning internet services, and an uptrend in smart electronic gadgets. 5G Rollout Catalyzing EMS Industry Growth The forthcoming widespread rollout of 5G technology presents numerous opportunities for the telecom EMS market, characterized by a variety of advantages, such as enhanced mobile broadband, ultra-reliable, low latency communications, and massive machine-type communication capabilities. A robust increase in the number of 5G subscriptions is anticipated to burgeon, which in turn, propels the demand for electronic manufacturing services in the telecom sector. Investments aimed at enhancing 5G technology test systems are a critical component of the markets growth, as prominent players strive to bolster their competitive stance. Innovations in interface and component technologies, necessary to accommodate the higher frequency spectrum utilized by 5G, further stimulate market expansion. Exponential Growth in Online Traffic and Internet Usage The telecom EMS market is also bolstered by the ever-increasing rates of internet penetration. In regions such as the United States, where internet use is highly pervasive, the need for reliable telecommunications infrastructure is imperative. The market thrives on this domestic demand, calling for the constant development and supply of sophisticated telecom and electronic devices. Additionally, the rising trend of Truecaller application adoption signifies a direct correlation with market growth. An increase in the applications user base represents an expanding need for smartphones and related telecommunications services, subsequently driving the production and innovation within the EMS sector. Regional Market Insights The North American region, particularly the United States and Canada, is forecast to undergo notable growth due to factors such as high investments in telecommunication infrastructures, a conducive environment for innovation, and the existence of a skilled workforce. Moreover, the Asia Pacific region is projected to capture a considerable portion of the market share. This is owed to an advanced technological infrastructure, the strong presence of industry leaders, significant research and development activity, and a high demand for telecommunication and electronic devices across the region. Market Segmentation Analysts have segmented the global telecom EMS market based on various criteria to provide a comprehensive overview. The segmentation includes an analysis based on devices such as routers, servers, base station transmitters and receivers, and other components. It also explores the diverse services provided by the market, including design and engineering, manufacturing, assembly, and testing, among others. Geographically, the market study covers influential regions including North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. This in-depth market analysis has been added to our collection of industry research publications. It provides critical insights into the current trends, growth drivers, and potential challenges of the telecom EMS market, serving as an essential tool for stakeholders and decision-makers within the industry. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 125 Forecast Period 2021 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2021 $206.2 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $318.62 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 6.4% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Benchmark Flex Ltd. Flextronics International, LTD Jabil Inc Celestica Inc Compal Inc Sanmina Corporation For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/3osmpj About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Mosquito Repellent Market by Product (Clip-on Repellents, Coil, Cream & oil), Distribution Channel (Offline Mode, Online Mode) - Forecast 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The latest findings reflect a robust market expansion from USD 5.85 billion in 2023 to an anticipated USD 9.86 billion by 2030, cruising at a compelling CAGR of 7.74% over the forecast period. The detailed analysis within the report dissects the market's multifaceted segments, including the burgeoning demand for cream & oil-based repellents and the burgeoning trend of online shopping influencing the online mode distribution channel. The evaluation casts light on the ardent rise of innovative products and their profound impact on consumers and market dynamics. Market Segmentation & Regional Deep-Dive An intricate segmentation analysis categorizes the market into products ranging from clip-on repellents to vaporizers, and distribution channels marked by offline and online modes. A geographical perspective exemplifies market performance in significant hubs including the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa, with granular insights into key regional trends and consumer preferences. The report addresses questions critical to market leaders and investors, aimed at aiding their strategic decisions. These include in-depth ponderings over market sizing, segment focus, technology trends, competitive intelligence, and visionary product innovation. With precision analytics and strategic recommendations, the report variant available offers invaluable intelligence, marking a cornerstone for those seeking to capture the essence and potential of the Mosquito Repellent Market. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 195 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $6.27 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $9.86 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 7.7% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned 3M Company BASF SE DABUR INDIA LIMITED EarthKind, LLC Enesis Group Godrej Consumer Products Limited Henkel AG & Co. KGaA Herbal Strategi Homecare Private Limited Jyothy Labs Limited PelGar International Limited PIC Corporation Quantum, Inc. Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc. Sawyer Products, Inc. Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/aj5plk About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Dublin, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Monument Makers in the US - Industry Market Research Report" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Indispensable insights into the US Monument Makers industry's performance, prominence, and prospects are now accessible through a newly-published market research report. This thorough analysis explores the dynamics and trajectories shaping the future of this sector. With meticulous examination, the report delineates the industry's scale and distribution while pinpointing critical elements of success and potential challenges. It encapsulates venerable industry forecasts over a five-year span, steering stakeholders with authoritative data for informed decision-making. Key features of the industry report include: Detailed evaluation of the industry's structure and financial health Comprehensive breakdown of market share and competitive positioning of key industry players In-depth tracking of emerging market trends and consumer behaviors influencing the industry's development Quantitative analysis of growth rates and market potential In this landscape of evolving consumer needs and regulatory changes, the monument makers industry stands on the cusp of a transformative era. Embracing modern technologies and expanding into contemporary memorialization services, businesses within this niche are poised for growth and continued societal relevance. Available for industry professionals, this report serves as an essential guide to navigating the intricacies of the monument makers market. The document is a rich resource for those seeking to reinforce strategic planning and enhance operational efficiency within this unique sector. Exploring the critical sensitivities affecting this industry, the report lends itself as a vital instrument for adapting to the shifting sands of the monument construction landscape. Professionals who are actively monitoring the monument construction industry or contemplating entry into this market will find this report invaluable. It illuminates pathways for opportunity and highlights the strategic imperatives for success in this enduring and respect-filled industry. Report Highlights: Construction and maintenance: A snapshot of the current and future outlook regarding the building and upkeeping of monuments. Growth trends: Insights into the regions and sectors showing robust expansion within the industry. Market analysis: An exhaustive depiction of the market, including key players and their influence on the industry's landscape. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b3c4w1 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "North America (NAFTA) Apparel Retail Market Summary, Competitive Analysis and Forecast, 2018-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Harnessing a comprehensive databank of market intelligence, a new research publication offers invaluable analysis of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Apparel Retail Market. This pivotal resource sheds light on the industry's size, growth trajectories, competitive dynamics, and key segments, projecting its direction through to the year 2027. The NAFTA region, encompassing the United States, Canada, and Mexico, represents a significant portion of the global apparel retail sector. According to the report, the industry held a substantial market value of $460.4 billion in 2022, with projections indicating a persistent growth curve. Key Market Highlights: The United States leads the pack within NAFTA, with a noteworthy market revenue soaring to $414.7 billion in 2022. Following suit, Canada and Mexicos apparel retail industries are also contributing to the regional economy with values of $26.9 and $18.8 billion respectively. Evidence points to a sustained expansion within the industry, suggesting the U.S. market value could escalate further to approximately $479.1 billion by 2027. A comparable upward trend is anticipated for Canada and Mexico, with forecasts of $33.3 and $25.7 billion respectively by 2027. The market's competitive landscape is thoroughly dissected, providing an analysis of the main actors shaping the industry's future. Key financial metrics offer insights into the financial health and market strategies of predominant enterprises within the sector. Strategic Industry Scope: Equip stakeholders with decisive market size estimations and detailed segment analysis. Explore and gauge the competitive intensity through a tailored Five Forces analysis. Enhance pitches and strategic planning with credible forecasts, bolstering decision-making processes. Assess the past five-year market performance to understand long-term trends and shifts. As the report dissects the strategic market dynamics, it sheds light on the elements influencing the industry's competitive environment and performance over the previous half-decade. The findings encapsulated within this publication are quintessential for stakeholders seeking an authoritative perspective on the NAFTA region's apparel retail market dynamics. The importance of this analysis extends beyond mere data presentation; it provides a critical benchmark for understanding the North American apparel retail landscape's current and future state. Stakeholders across the region and beyond can now access a forecast horizon that will fundamentally shape strategic business horizons. A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Aritzia Inc Hudson's Bay Company El Puerto de Liverpool SAB de CV Grupo Carso SA de CV Coppel SA de CV Inditex SA Walmart Inc Target Corp Macy's Inc Kohl's Corporation The TJX Companies, Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/6vhehx About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Westford,USA, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to SkyQuest's latest global research of the Smart Ticketing market , the rise of mobile ticketing applications, the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning for predictive analytics in ticketing systems, the emergence of blockchain technology for secure and transparent transactions, the implementation of open-loop payment systems for increased flexibility, the adoption of cloud-based ticketing solutions for scalability and accessibility, are the trends that aid in the market's growth. Browse in-depth TOC on "Smart Ticketing Market" Pages - 157 Tables - 63 Figures - 77 Smart Ticketing is a convenient and time-saving way to shop for groceries. You can order your groceries online from the comfort of your own home and have them delivered to your door or picked up at a designated location. This is a great option for people who are busy, have mobility issues, or simply don't enjoy grocery shopping. Get a sample copy of this report: https://www.skyquestt.com/sample-request/smart-ticketing-market Prominent Players in Smart Ticketing Market Amazon Fresh Walmart Grocery Instacart Kroger Aldi Costco Target FreshDirect Peapod Shipt Thrive Market HEB Publix Safeway Wegmans Albertsons Trader Joe's Fairway Market Whole Foods Market Amazon Prime Now Near Field Communication (NFC) Demand to Grow Substantially in the Forecast Period Near Field Communication (NFC) dominate the global online market as it allows for secure and convenient communication between devices over short distances, making them suitable for contactless transactions, including smart ticketing. NFC-enabled smartphones and contactless smart cards have gained popularity due to their ease of use and quick transaction times. Additionally, the widespread adoption of smartphones globally provides a built-in platform for NFC technology. Public transportation is the Leading Application Segment In terms of application, the public transportation is the leading segment. This transportation systems handle a massive volume of daily transactions, with millions of commuters using buses, trains, and subways. The implementation of smart ticketing in these systems can significantly streamline the fare collection process, reducing wait times and improving overall efficiency. Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC): https://www.skyquestt.com/report/smart-ticketing-market Europe is the leading Market Due to the Technological Advancements Region-wise, Europe is one of the largest growing markets with a huge emphasis on technological advancements, regulatory environments, and the pace of urbanization. Many European countries have well-established and integrated public transportation systems that span multiple modes, making them conducive to the implementation of smart ticketing solutions. A recent report thoroughly analyzes the major players operating within the Smart Ticketing market. This comprehensive evaluation has considered several crucial factors, such as collaborations, mergers, innovative business policies, and strategies, providing invaluable insights into the key trends and breakthroughs in the market. Additionally, the report has carefully scrutinized the market share of the top segments and presented a detailed geographic analysis. Finally, the report has highlighted the major players in the industry and their ongoing endeavors to develop innovative solutions that cater to the ever-increasing demand for Smart Ticketing. Key Developments in the Smart Ticketing Market In April 2023, Cubic Corporation announced that it had been selected by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to provide a new fare payment system for the New York City subway, bus, and commuter rail system. The new system will use Cubic's Axon fare collection platform, which includes contactless smart cards, mobile ticketing, and ticket vending machines. In March 2023, Scheidt & Bachmann announced that it had been awarded a contract to provide a new smart ticketing system for the London Underground. The new system will use Scheidt & Bachmann Aperio fare collection platform, which includes contactless smart cards, mobile ticketing, and ticket vending machines. Speak to Analyst for your custom requirements: https://www.skyquestt.com/speak-with-analyst/smart-ticketing-market Key Questions Answered in Smart Ticketing Market Report What specific growth drivers are projected to impact the market during the forecast period? Can you list the top companies in the market and explain how they have achieved their positions of influence? In what ways do regional trends and patterns differ within the global market, and how might these differences shape the market's future growth? Related Reports in SkyQuests Library: Global Lighting Fixture Market Global Underwater Drone Market Global Automotive Ignition System Market Global Flexible Heater Market Global Storage Water Heater Market About Us: SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally. Address: 1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886 Phone: USA (+1) 617-230-0741 Email: sales@skyquestt.com New York, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The clean beauty market was valued at USD 8.7 billion in 2023 with significant growth and is projected to reach USD 39.0 billion by 2033 with an outstanding CAGR of 16.65%. Get additional highlights on major revenue-generating segments, Request a Clean Beauty Market sample report at https://marketresearch.biz/report/clean-beauty-market/request-sample/ The expanding market for clean beauty is propelled by an increasing number of women and the demand for high-end toxin-free, non-toxic products. Clean beauty includes cosmetics and skincare free from harmful elements, encouraging non-toxic, safe, and environmentally friendly ingredients. This transformation marks a rejection of conventional brands containing toxic elements like parabens, synthetic fragrances, and more. An article from The Conscious Insider discloses alarming statistics, with over 83% of tested products containing titanium dioxide, a known human carcinogen. The outburst in clean beauty hashtags on social media platforms emphasizes the growing awareness, with 5.7 million views on Instagram in 2023 and an expected increase to 6.3 million in 2024. Consumers, gradually aware of skincare issues caused by harmful chemicals, are choosing clean beauty products. The European Union's severe regulations banning 1694 cosmetic ingredients dissimilar from the mere 11 banned in the US. Clean beauty products, transparent about their ingredients, offer health benefits and environmental sustainability by avoiding microplastics and synthetic fragrances. The market is poised for rapid expansion as consumers search for natural, eco-friendly skincare options, driving demand for pure beauty products in the coming years. Key Takeaways Skin Care is the leading product type segment due to growing consumer awareness and preference for skincare products made with organic cosmetics, and non-toxic, and sustainable ingredients. is the leading product type segment due to growing consumer awareness and preference for skincare products made with organic cosmetics, and non-toxic, and sustainable ingredients. Powder is dominating the product foam market due to its long shelf life, ease of use, and minimal need for preservatives. is dominating the product foam market due to its long shelf life, ease of use, and minimal need for preservatives. Women are the dominant gender segment due to concerns over harmful chemicals in skincare and makeup products. are the dominant gender segment due to concerns over harmful chemicals in skincare and makeup products. Specialty Stores lead the distribution channel due to their wide range of products and the ability to physically evaluate products before purchase. lead the distribution channel due to their wide range of products and the ability to physically evaluate products before purchase. North America commands a significant 38.50% participation in the clean beauty industry, fueled by an increase in consumer awareness and a desire for natural and sustainable items for personal use. Driving Factors Consumer Inclination towards Natural Ingredients The clean beauty market is driven by consumers' demand for natural, organic, and sustainable ingredients. This shift is driven by growing awareness of the potential health risks associated with synthetic chemicals in cosmetics. This change is compelled by growing awareness of the potential health risks associated with synthetic chemicals in cosmetics. This awareness has led to over 65% of consumers seeking clean ingredients, with more than 50% of Gen Z closely scrutinizing product compositions. Brands like Beauty Counter have successfully tapped into this market by emphasizing clean products, highlighting a paradigm shift towards safer, more transparent beauty and personal care products. Change in Regulatory Another significant factor contributing to the growth of the clean cosmetics market is the heightened regulatory scrutiny of cosmetic ingredients. Bans and restrictions on harmful chemicals by entities like the EU and individual states like Washington have compelled brands to reformulate their products. This regulatory landscape not only ensures safer products for consumers but also stimulates innovation within the industry. Brands are now incentivized to develop and market products that comply with these stringent standards, leading to an expanded market of clean, non-toxic beauty products. To understand how our report can bring a difference to your business strategy, Inquire about a brochure at https://marketresearch.biz/report/clean-beauty-market/#inquiry Restraining Factors Expensive Price Rates Restrict the Market The higher price points of natural and organic beauty products pose a significant barrier to mass market adoption. Smaller indie brands often struggle to achieve economies of scale, leading to higher prices for their products. The pricing disparity makes it challenging for consumers, especially those with budget constraints, to switch to clean beauty products. The premium pricing of these products limits their accessibility to a broader consumer base, thereby restraining market growth. Growth Opportunities Increase in Education on Ingredients and Toxins Many consumers are unaware of the concerns associated with chemicals like parabens, creating a space for brands to inform and guide them. Content marketing and influencer partnerships can be effective tools for this purpose. Educating consumers about the use of harmful chemicals and substances in cosmetics remains a crucial factor in the development of natural cosmetics. Such an educational approach not only helps in building an informed customer base but also positions brands as leaders in clean beauty, fostering market growth. Have Queries? Speak to an expert or To Download/Request a Sample, Click here. Report Attribute Details Market Value (2023) US$ 8.7 Billion Market Size (2033) US$ 39.0 Billion CAGR (from 2024 to 2033) 16.65% from 2024 to 2033 North America Region Revenue Share 38.50% Historic Period 2016 to 2023 Base Year 2023 Forecast Year 2024 to 2033 Regional Analysis North America commands a significant 38.50% industry share in clean beauty is propelled by heightened consumer awareness and a preference for organic, sustainable personal items. The United States and Canada witnessed a surge in demand, driven by an informed consumer base emphasizing health and wellness. Europe's market is driven by progressive regulations, a sustainability focus, and Asia-Pacific experiences rapid growth fueled by consumer awareness and a rising middle-class population, particularly in countries like South Korea and Japan. Segment Analysis By Product Type, Skin Care is the dominant sector within the clean beauty products market, driven by consumers' growing awareness and their preference for organic, natural, non-toxic, and sustainably sourced ingredients in cosmetics. The emphasis on transparency, ethical sourcing, and cruelty-free practices further enhances the appeal of clean skincare products. Hair care products in the field of healthy beauty are gaining popularity due to their absence of harmful chemicals like parabens and sulfates. Face products, including foundations and concealers, are evolving with clean formulations that promise safety without compromising performance. By Product Foam, Powder is dominating the clean beauty market. These are highly valued for their long shelf life, ease of use, and minimal need for preservatives. Liquid products, including cleansers and toners, are popular for their ease of application and ability to deliver active ingredients effectively. Creams are essential, especially in moisturizers and heavier makeup products, offering rich texture and deep nourishment. Gels are favored in skincare for their lightweight texture and hydrating properties, suitable for various skin types. By Gender, Women are the rules of the gender segment in the clean beauty market. The shift towards clean beauty is largely driven by concerns over harmful chemicals in skincare and makeup products and their potential effects on health, particularly reproductive health. The men's skincare segment is growing with an increased interest in grooming and self-care products that are free from harmful chemicals. The kids' segment is gradually gaining traction as parents look for safer and gentler products for their children. By Distribution Channel, Specialty Stores lead the distribution channel in the clean beauty market. Specialty stores are preferred by consumers seeking expert advice, a wide range of products, and the ability to physically evaluate products before purchase. These stores specialize in beauty and health products, usually providing a carefully curated selection of authentic beauty brands. Online and Retail channels also play crucial roles in the clean beauty market. Online shopping offers convenience, a wide range of options, and often more competitive pricing. Retail channels, including supermarkets and drugstores, are expanding their clean beauty offerings to meet growing demand. For more insights on the historical and Forecast market data from 2016 to 2033 - download a sample report at https://marketresearch.biz/report/clean-beauty-market/request-sample/ Segments covered in this report By Product Type Skin Care Hair Care Face Products Oral Care Makeup By Product Form Powder Liquid Gel Cream By Age Group Millennials Gen Z Gen X Baby Boomers By Gender Women Men Kids By Distribution Channel Speciality Stores Online Retail Others By Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Latin America Middle East & Africa Grow your profit margin with Marketresearch.biz - Purchase This Premium Report at https://marketresearch.biz/purchase-report/?report_id=42942 Competitive Landscape Analysis The rapid expansion of the clean beauty market is fueled by consumers' desire for non-toxic, natural products. Top companies like Burt's Bees, bareMinerals, Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics, Juice Beauty, Honest Beauty, Kjaer Weis, and RMS Beauty are influential players, emphasizing natural ingredients, sustainability, and transparency. Their commitment to eco-friendly practices and ground-breaking formulations reflects the industry's evolution towards premium, effective clean beauty solutions. Key Players Burt's Bees bareMinerals Ere Perez Natural Cosmetics Avon Juice Beauty, Inc. Honest Beauty LLC Kjaer Weis Inika rms beauty Vapour Beauty Mineral Fusion Natural Brands BITE Beauty Recent Developments In January 2024, Amika launched "Stylist Collective," enlisting influencers like Eric Vaughn and Sal Salcedo to shape education initiatives for salons. Following Amika's acquisition, the expected 100% revenue growth signals a commitment to professional hair care, constituting 40% of overall revenue. The brand aims to foster loyalty and industry investment with this program. Amika launched "Stylist Collective," enlisting influencers like Eric Vaughn and Sal Salcedo to shape education initiatives for salons. Following Amika's acquisition, the expected 100% revenue growth signals a commitment to professional hair care, constituting 40% of overall revenue. The brand aims to foster loyalty and industry investment with this program. In January 2024, Glossier introduces the highly anticipated Full Orbit Eye Cream, featuring hydrating ingredients like polyglutamic and hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, arctic microalgae, white hawthorn, and jasmine flower extract. Available online, in stores, and at select Sephora locations, it addresses eye area concerns with 24-hour hydration, depuffing, and dark circle reduction. The launch aligns with industry trends emphasizing hydration, clean beauty, and targeted skincare. Glossier introduces the highly anticipated Full Orbit Eye Cream, featuring hydrating ingredients like polyglutamic and hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, arctic microalgae, white hawthorn, and jasmine flower extract. Available online, in stores, and at select Sephora locations, it addresses eye area concerns with 24-hour hydration, depuffing, and dark circle reduction. The launch aligns with industry trends emphasizing hydration, clean beauty, and targeted skincare. In December 2023, Lumson, a leader in skincare and makeup packaging, expanded into hair care with three comprehensive collections: Slim, Verona, and Round. These turnkey solutions cater to various hair care products, aligning with the holistic trend and addressing the fusion of hair care and skincare. Browse More Related Reports Organic Cosmetics Market is projected to reach USD 27.9 Bn by 2032, with a CAGR of 8.6% from 2023 to 2032. Vegan Cosmetics Market is anticipated to be valued at USD 28.6 Bn by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% during 2023-2032. Cosmetic Raw Materials Market is forecasted to be worth USD 48.2 Mn by 2032, showing a CAGR of 5.1% from 2023 to 2032. Beauty Device Market is expected to hit USD 420.5 Bn by 2032, experiencing a CAGR of 17.4% during 2023-2032. CBD Skin Care Market is set to be valued at USD 1,298.5 Bn by 2032, with a CAGR of 3.1% from 2023 to 2032. About Us: MarketResearch.Biz (Powered by Prudour Pvt Ltd) specializes in in-depth market research and analysis and has been proving its mettle as a consulting and customized market research company, apart from being a much sought-after syndicated market research report-providing firm. MarketResearch.Biz provides customization to suit any specific or unique requirement and tailor-made reports as per request. We go beyond boundaries to take analytics, analysis, study, and outlook to newer heights and broader horizons. Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/marketresearch-biz/ Follow Us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marketresearch.biz Follow Us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PrudourResearch Dublin, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) Battery Market by Battery Type (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V), Size, Sales Channel (OEM, Aftermarket), Vertical (Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Healthcare, Industrial, Residential) and Region - Global Forecast to 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The latest market research report on the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery industry has been released, delivering a comprehensive analysis of market dynamics, trends, and forecasts for key segments and regions. The NiMH battery market, poised for growth from USD 2.4 billion in 2023 to an expected USD 2.7 billion by 2028, is undergoing a significant transformation thanks to technological advancements and expanding applications. 9V Battery Segment Set to Experience Notable Growth The report highlights the 9V battery segment as a substantial growth driver in the global market, due to its broad utilization in high-drain devices linked with the consumer electronics and industrial sectors. Known for their strong energy output and reliability, 9V batteries are becoming an increasingly important component across multiple applications. Consumer Electronics Hold Significant Market Share Within the sizeable consumer electronics sector, NiMH batteries are essential for powering an array of devices, such as wireless systems, portable audio equipment, and personal care products. Their compatibility with various device batteries like AA and AAA, combined with safe technology, acts as a major catalyst in the market. Europe's Market Growth Fueled by Healthcare and Automotive Sectors- A Close Look at the European Scenario The European market is forecasted to grow steadily, with Germany being a major hub due to its robust healthcare sector and the pivotal role of NiMH batteries in medical equipment. Additionally, the automotive and consumer electronics industries in Europe considerably contribute to the demand, bolstering the region's market position. Industry stakeholder profiles disclose a diverse landscape: By Company Type - A mix of Tier 1 (35%), Tier 2 (45%), and Tier 3 (20%) companies By Designation - Including C-level Executives (35%), Directors (25%), and Other professionals (40%) By Region - Featuring a wide geographical representation with North America (30%), Europe (25%), Asia Pacific (40%), and others (5%) The report delves into multiple market facets, segregating data by component, battery type, size, sales channel, and vertical. It furnishes stakeholders with an understanding of motivational factors such as the increased demand for portable consumer electronics and the growing necessity of emergency power backup in critical industries. The document serves as an indispensable tool for grasping market nuances and steering strategic business decisions. In summary, the NiMH battery market analysis offers a 360-degree view of the industry, scrutinizing all angles from product innovation to competitive assessments. Key market players like Energy Storage Corporations and Electronics Giants are positioned to navigate the market with informed strategies, backed by insights on drivers, opportunities, and emerging trends that are shaping the future of battery technologies and energy storage solutions. The dependable energy solutions provided by NiMH technology play an ever-increasing role across various verticals, making this market report an essential read for industry participants looking to take advantage of the potentials forecasted through 2028. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 179 Forecast Period 2023 - 2028 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2023 $2.4 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2028 $2.7 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 2.9% Regions Covered Global Companies Mentioned Ansmann Ag Arts Energy Byd Company Limited Camelion Batterien GmbH Corun Usa Duracell Inc. Energizer Holdings, Inc. FDK Corporation GP Batteries International Limited Harding Energy, Inc. Jauch Quartz GmbH Nexcell Battery Company Panasonic Holdings Corporation Primearth Ev Energy Co. Ltd. Shenzhen Highpower Technology Co. Ltd. Shenzhen Ept Battery Co. Ltd. Shenzhen Lexel Battery Co. Ltd. Tenergy Corporation Uniross Varta Ag For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/86811b About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NowVertical Group Inc. (NowVertical or the Company) (TSX-V: NOW) (OTCQB: NOWVF), a leading data analytics and AI solutions company, proudly announces a series of successful contract acquisitions with prominent government departments in Brazil through its A10 subsidiary. These contracts, amounting to approximately $1,500,000 US in total fixed-price value, signify NowVertical's commitment to delivering cutting-edge data and analytics solutions. These solutions leverage modern technologies to enhance the efficiency of critical government functions, integrating meaningful insights seamlessly into essential processes. CEO Sandeep Mendiratta expressed the company's enthusiasm, stating, Our successful collaborations with key government departments in Brazil mark a significant stride in NowVertical's mission to transform data into tangible value. These contracts underscore our commitment to delivering advanced data and analytics technology tailored to the unique needs of our government partners. As we embark on these ventures, we are poised to showcase the real-world impact of NowVertical's solutions and services, leveraging decades of public sector experience. We look forward to combining our expertise within the private and public sectors to provide critical services for the government. NowVertical's A10 subsidiary secured a contract from the Regional Electoral Court of Minas Gerais (TRE-MG). Under this agreement, NowVertical will implement cataloging and data analysis tools on local servers to address the distinct requirements of the Electoral Justice system. This platform will be pivotal in analyzing electoral data and conducting audits for enhanced information security during restricted cloud access periods. The Court of Justice of the State of Rondonia (TJRO) has also chosen NowVertical for a new contract. This project focuses on enabling and running the Qlik platform as a service, utilized for monitoring Monthly Productivity and Justice in Numbers. These statistical panels contribute to The National Council of Justices (CNJ) Quality Award and provide granular data for CNJ's National Judiciary Database. Furthermore, the Department of Health of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul (SES-MS) has selected NowVertical for a comprehensive project. This initiative includes delivering tailored insights built on the Qlik Platform for various health-related initiatives, including the Vaccinometer, COVID-19, and Dengue Case Monitoring Panel, and a Transparency portal featuring public health data. These contract wins reinforce NowVertical's role in enabling advanced data analytics tools tailored to the specific needs of government customers, solidifying the company's position as a trusted partner in transforming data into value for the government. NowVertical eagerly anticipates collaborating closely with government partners to achieve impactful results throughout these projects. About NowVertical Group Inc.: NowVertical Group is a Vertical Intelligence (VI) software and services provider that delivers vertically-specific data, technology, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications into private and public verticals globally. NOWs proprietary solutions sit at the foundation of the modern enterprise by transforming AI investments into VI, enabling its customers to minimize their risk, accelerate the time to value, and reduce costs. NOW is rapidly growing organically and through targeted acquisitions. For more information about NOW, visit www.nowvertical.com. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information, please contact: Andre Garber, Co-founder, CDO and Board Member IR@nowvertical.com Glen Nelson, Investor Relations and Communications: glen.nelson@nowvertical.com t: (403) 763-9797 Cautionary Statement This news release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws (together forward-looking statements) and are based on assumptions, expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this press release. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, the Companys ability to execute on the government contracts, the results of the Companys collaboration with government entities in Brazil, and the Companys goals, strategies and growth plans. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, and contingencies, including: the assumption that the Company will be able to execute on the government contracts, that the Companys collaboration with government entities in Brazil will have impactful results, the Company will be able to negotiate and secure subsequent contracts from government partners, and that the risk factors noted below, collectively, do not have a material impact on the Companys business. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and the forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by inherent risks and uncertainties, including: adverse market conditions; risks inherent in the data analytics and artificial intelligence sectors in general; regulatory and legislative changes; that future results may vary from historical results; inability to obtain any requisite future financing on suitable terms; any inability to realize the expected benefits and synergies of acquisitions; that market competition may affect the business, results and financial condition of the Company and other risk factors identified in documents filed by the Company under its profile at www.sedarplus.ca, including the Companys managements discussion and analysis for the year ended December 31, 2022 dated April 28, 2023 and the prospectus supplement (including all documents incorporated by reference therein) dated February 22, 2023. Further, these forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as expressly required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Latin Metals Inc. (Latin Metals or the Company) - (TSXV: LMS) (OTCQB: LMSQF), a leading mineral exploration company in South America, announces acquisition by staking of the 68,000-hectare Terraza copper exploration project (Figures 1 and 2) in northwest Argentina. Latin Metals is a first mover in exploring sediment-hosted copper deposits in this emerging belt and, with this acquisition, increases its ground holding to more than 500,000 hectares. Figure 1: Location of the newly acquired Terraza Project (purple highlights), together with Mirador, Solario and Ventana Projects, and location of key prospective stratigraphy in the region. Latin Metals exploration efforts in northwest Argentina are focused on understanding and unlocking the potential for sediment-hosted copper deposits in this emerging belt. The first step is a large-scale drainage survey where the Company hopes to take more than 1,500 samples, essentially screening and prioritizing the entire 500,000-hectare land position. This boots on the ground approach is what emerging belts need the most, and the drainage samples will be accompanied by systematic prospecting, mapping and sampling of mineralized outcrops. Work to date has included 196 stream sediment samples covering approximately 60% of the Mirador copper project. Sample pulps have been prepared by a commercial laboratory, but analysis using the Companys portable XRF has been delayed by unscheduled equipment service by the manufacturer. Analysis of mineralized rock samples at Mirador is ongoing with results expected in due course. Figure 2: Overview of Latin Metals copper interests in Argentina, including the newly acquired Terraza copper project in Juyay Province, the Solario, Ventana and Mirador copper projects in Salta Province, and the advanced Esperanza copper-gold porphyry project in San Juan Province. The Company has uploaded a technical presentation providing more detail on the sediment-hosted copper exploration projects in Argentina, which can be downloaded here . About Latin Metals Latin Metals is a mineral exploration company acquiring a diversified portfolio of assets in South America. The Company operates with a Prospect Generator model focusing on the acquisition of prospective exploration properties at minimum cost, completing initial evaluation through cost-effective exploration to establish drill targets, and ultimately securing joint venture partners to fund drilling and advanced exploration. Shareholders gain exposure to the upside of a significant discovery without the dilution associated with funding the highest-risk drill-based exploration. QA/QC The work programs at Terraza are designed and supervised by Eduardo Leon, the Company's Exploration Manager, who will be responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance of the following programs. Qualified Person Keith J. Henderson, P.Geo., is the Company's qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for portions of this news release. He has approved the disclosure herein. Mr. Henderson is not independent of the Company, as he is an employee of the Company and holds securities of the Company. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of LATIN METALS INC. Keith Henderson President & CEO For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's web site ( www.latin-metals.com ) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson Suite 890 - 999 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, V6C 2W2 Phone: 604-638-3456 E-mail: info@latin-metals.com 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 news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the negotiation of the Option Agreements and exercise of the Option for the Properties, the anticipated content, commencement, timing and cost of exploration programs in respect of the Properties and otherwise, anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities, and the Company's expectation that it will be able to enter into agreements to acquire interests in additional mineral properties, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves on the Properties, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, market fundamentals will result in sustained precious and base metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Companys Argentine projects in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development, construction and continued operation of the Company projects, and the Companys ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which 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. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities at the Properties, including the geological mapping, prospecting and sampling programs being proposed for the Properties (the "Programs"), actual results of exploration activities, including the Programs, estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the timing and amount of estimated future production, costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, the availability of a sufficient supply of water and other materials, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals and copper, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays or the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, any current or future property acquisitions, financing or other planned activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, hedging practices, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading as well as those factors discussed under the heading Risk Factors in the Companys annual managements discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Companys profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/af75cf1b-17c7-4fe1-80b6-e928e3c76b6d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d74fbaae-2910-4c00-80d3-d3e606fd9191 ATHENS, Greece, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, today announced that it has signed, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, a Memorandum of Agreement to sell to an unaffiliated third party, the 2006-built vessel Artemis, with delivery to the buyer latest by March 8, 2024, for a sale price of US$12.99 million before commissions. Upon completion of the aforementioned sale, Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet will consist of 39 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 9 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 6 Panamax and 9 Ultramax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet, including the m/v Artemis, is approximately 4.5 million dwt with a weighted average age of 10.59 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release. About the Company Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels. The Companys vessels are employed primarily on short to medium-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words believe, anticipate, intends, estimate, forecast, project, plan, potential, may, should, expect, pending and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Company managements examination of historical operating trends, data contained in the Companys records and other data available from third parties. Although the Company believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies that are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond the Companys control, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in the Companys view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the continuing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic; the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in the Companys operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for the Companys vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, including risks associated with the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, including the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These remarks were delivered on Monday evening in an interview with Canal N, in which he emphasized that efforts will be made to strengthen the presence of law enforcement agencies in border areas so that continuous patrols are carried out in a coordinated manner. "It has been agreed to strengthen the border points. This means more (police) presence because all borders are porous (...). In addition to continuous patrols, a bi-border control mechanism will be established immediately," the minister said. Among other measures, he noted that joint operations and information exchange will be carried out to combat drug trafficking and arms trafficking in border areas so that interventions can be carried out promptly. "Specifically, regarding the fight against drug trafficking, joint operations and exchange of information and interdiction will be carried out," the government official stated. "The idea is to carry out actions and prevent them (people) from passing from one side to another and, eventually, intervene them in the most rapid manner, classifying the crimes in each case and seeking the progressive systematization of qualification and penalty," he added. Moreover, Gonzalez-Olaechea reported that agreements have been reached in 10 fields, such as border actions, immigration cooperation, customs, the fight against illicit drug trafficking, coordinated operations, intelligence cooperation, arms trafficking, in addition to cooperation in penitentiary matters and training against transnational organized crime. The Cabinet member explained that the meeting also addressed "the Andean security network, in which an Andean database will be created, regarding people who are being prosecuted, in order to have common data, so that countries can be warned of possible people who whether they are from the community or not want to set foot on the Andean soil of the four countries." (END) NGB/JCR/MVB MONTREAL, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The CSL Group (CSL), a global leader in responsible marine transportation services, is proud to announce its third consecutive recognition as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People. This acknowledgment underscores CSL's ongoing commitment to offering a dynamic and rewarding workplace for young maritime professionals. Guided by a culture that values excellence, diversity, and innovation, CSL continues to spearhead initiatives that empower the development and growth of individuals in the early stages of their careers. The company's progressive approach and workplace programs play a pivotal role in attracting and retaining top young talent, including cadets and interns who make up approximately 10% of CSL's workforce each year. "We thrive on the energy and fresh perspectives young professionals bring to our ships and offices, and provide them with a platform to explore innovative ideas," remarks Stephanie Aubourg, CSL's Chief Human Resources Officer. "Were committed to cultivating a multi-generational workplace that not only fosters their ability to succeed, but also to work with purpose and make a meaningful impact in the maritime industry." CSL offers various opportunities for young people, including paid internships, summer jobs, co-op positions onshore, and a cadet and sponsorship program for aspiring seafarers. Once hired by CSL, young employees benefit from individual development plans, career advancement opportunities, training and development programs, tuition reimbursement, and paid learning hours. "We understand the pivotal role young professionals play in shaping the future of our company and industry and are honoured to be once again named one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People, noted Ms. Aubourg. Were committed to providing a supportive and inclusive workplace that promotes the growth and development of the next generation of maritime talent." Canada's Top Employers for Young People recognize employers that offer the nation's best workplaces and programs for young people. Evaluation criteria include attraction and retention programs, mentorship and training programs and career management programs. The CSL Group is the largest owner and operator of self-unloading ships in the world. Headquartered in Montreal with divisions operating throughout the Americas, Australia, Europe and Asia, CSL delivers millions of tonnes of cargo annually for customers in the construction, steel, energy and agri-food sectors. Media Contact: Brigitte Hebert, Director, Communications 514-982-3854 | brigitte.hebert@cslships.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84f26343-e695-46ee-8a26-ecd3fa22b6d7 Dublin, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "India Diagnostic Labs Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2019-2029F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. In an assessment of the India Diagnostic Labs Market, the latest research highlights a robust expansion with a projected CAGR of 11.55% through 2029, stemming from technological advancements, rising healthcare awareness, and an aging population. The market, valued at USD 16471.21 million in 2023, plays a crucial role in the healthcare industry by offering a vast array of diagnostic tests essential for patient care. Diagnostic Chains Segment Leads in Provider Type Insights Within the market, diagnostic chains are paving the way in terms of provider type, dominating due to their extensive reach, quality of service, and comprehensive test offerings. Their extensive laboratory network and investment in state-of-the-art technology position them at the forefront of the growing diagnostic services demand. Pathology Tests Drive Test Type Segment Growth As for test types, pathology labs hold the largest share, providing indispensable services for the diagnosis and monitoring of various conditions. The segment's growth is facilitated by the high volume of routine diagnostic tests, disease screenings, and referrals from healthcare providers. Walk-ins Contribute Significantly to End-User Segment Regarding end-user insights, walk-in diagnostic labs are increasingly popular, offering rapid and convenient access to testing services without the need for appointments. Their presence spans across the country, enhancing accessibility to immediate diagnostic services and fostering the market's expansion. North India Emerges as Leading Regional Market Geographically, North India emerges as a dominant force in the regional analysis. The presence of populous cities, advanced healthcare infrastructure, and economic development contribute to the region's significant share. Continued government efforts to bolster healthcare services are expected to maintain North India's leading position in the India Diagnostic Labs Market. Key Market Drivers - Technological Innovations and Increased Health Awareness Breakthrough technological innovations in diagnostics, such as PCR, NGS, and AI, have revolutionized the sector, enhancing the precision and efficiency of laboratory operations. The rising tide of health awareness among Indians encourages preventive healthcare and regular screenings, significantly driving demand for diagnostic services. Key Challenges - Ensuring Quality and Data Security The market faces significant challenges, such as stringent regulatory compliance and the implementation of quality control measures. Moreover, ensuring the privacy and security of patient data remains a pivotal concern. Emerging Trends - Home-Based Testing and Digital Integration Home-based testing kits have surged in popularity, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering a convenient and safe way to perform critical health screenings. Coupled with the rise of telehealth, digital integration into diagnostic practices is a trend gaining momentum. Enhanced by an aging population's need for regular health monitoring, the India Diagnostic Labs Market is set for transformative growth. The convergence of innovation, awareness, and demographic changes underpins a promising outlook for India's diagnostic lab services, presenting opportunities and challenges to key market players as the industry evolves into the next decade. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 71 Forecast Period 2024 - 2029 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $16.47 Billion Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2029 $31.8 Billion Compound Annual Growth Rate 11.5% Regions Covered India Report Scope: In this report, the India Diagnostic Labs Market has been segmented into the following categories: Diagnostic Labs Market, By Provider Type: Stand-Alone Diagnostic Labs Hospital Based Diagnostic Labs Diagnostic Chains Diagnostic Labs Market, By Test Type: Pathology Radiology Diagnostic Labs Market, By Sector: Urban Rural Diagnostic Labs Market, By End-User: Referrals Walk-ins Corporate Clients Diagnostic Labs Market, By region: North India South India East India West India Companies Profiled: Dr. Lal PathLabs Limited Metropolis Healthcare Ltd. SRL Diagnostics Pvt Ltd. Thyrocare Technologies Limited Vijay Diagnostics Centre Pvt. Ltd. Max Healthcare Institute Limited Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd. Quest Diagnostics India Pvt Ltd Lucid Medical Diagnostics Pvt Ltd Suburban Diagnostics India Pvt Ltd. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/mhaenx About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment SANDY, Utah, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mountain America Credit Unions recent $30,000 matching donation for the Humane Society of Utahs (HSU) Holiday Match Challenge ran from December 1531, 2023. The results were impressive, with over $282,859 raised from 1,745 donors, along with the matching donation, bringing the total campaign dollars raised to $312,859. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. The Holiday Match Challenge, made possible by Mountain Americas contribution, aimed to double donations during the specified period, providing essential funding for lifesaving veterinary care and the rescue of over 6,000 animals in need throughout the year. The funds will enable HSU to go beyond basic shelter services and support comprehensive programs, including advanced veterinary care, low-cost spay/neuter and vaccines for the community, pet retention, humane education and a behavior training program. Sharon Cook, chief marketing officer at Mountain America Credit Union, expressed the credit unions commitment to HSUs mission, stating, Mountain America is honored to help the Humane Society of Utah with its life-saving mission by offering this match to provide critical care to the animals at the shelter. Since 2016, we have partnered with the Humane Society of Utah to help nearly 1,200 pets find their forever homes. We are grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of these pets and appreciate the communitys support as we all work together to provide critical care and save as many lives as possible. Brittani Forbush, vice president of corporate partnerships at Mountain America Credit Union, thanked the community for their generous contributions, saying, "With your support, we were able to provide care for over 300 pets for one month. The Humane Society of Utah is experiencing a record number of surrenders, so this match came at a critical time. We are grateful for the community's overwhelming support." The success of the Holiday Match Challenge reflects the impact of the partnership between Mountain America and HSU, marking another milestone in their collaborative efforts. The communitys response highlights a shared commitment to the well-being of animals in need. Shannon Egan, HSUs development director, expressed gratitude for this collaboration, stating, The Humane Society of Utah is thankful for Mountain America Credit Union joining hands with us and extending their support to the homeless pets of Utah. Their generous contribution is helping us provide care and support to these animals, giving them a second chance at life and a loving home. For more information on the Humane Society of Utah, please visit: Home - Humane Society of Utah (utahhumane.org) Toronto and Montreal, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a highly competitive global advertising market, one of Canadas youngest independently owned agencies has been named to the list of the best places to work in North America. Broken Heart Love Affair, founded in 2020 at the start of the pandemic by five highly decorated industry veterans, has been named one of the Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024, an annual ranking of companies based on factors ranging from pay and benefits to corporate culture and leadership. The results were announced on January 22 at AdAge.com. The 2024 Best Places to Work winners demonstrate the value of giving employees competitive pay and benefits and designing optimal workplace practices to ensure great talent can do its best work, said Dan Peres, president and editor-in-chief of Ad Age. Companies will face more challenges in the new year against an uncertain economy, but winning workplaces know that taking care of employees drives business success. It is really impressive and exciting for a young agency like Broken Heart Love Affair to break into this ranking, added Bradley Johnson, Director of Data Analytics, Ad Age. We are honoured to be in such great company on this prestigious list. While we say we are in the advertising business, the fact is, we are in the people business. Broken Heart Love Affair was intentionally built to bring the love back for brands, and for agency talent so they can once again love what they do, said Beverley Hammond, Founding Partner and Chief Business Officer at the Toronto and Montreal based agency. According to Joline Matika, Lead People & Culture at Broken Heart Love Affair, for us bringing the love back isnt about free booze or a ping-pong table. People love what they do when they get the opportunity to do great work, are inspired by those around them, and have a true sense of belonging. So, from our talent scouting, onboarding, growth & development, retention, committee and community initiatives and policies, we anchor everything we do in a culture of love and the leadership team is committed to building on this culture every day. Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024 honours 50 companies around North America that did a standout job over the past year as the ad business met with the challenges of an unsettled economy, changing media market and a continued tight talent pool. The winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees. Ad Age produced Best Places to Work 2024 in partnership with Best Companies Group, a research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work. The competition was open to agencies, ad tech firms, data and research firms, brand or corporate marketing departments or groups and in-house agencies of marketers. Ad Ages scoring system factors in employee responses on topics including pay and benefits and seven other core focus areas (75% of the score) and a companys policies and practices on areas including pay and benefits, work/life balance, recruitment, training and development (25% of the score). -30- About Ad Age Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. About Broken Heart Love Affair Named Canadas small Agency of the Year 2023, and Ad Age Silver Newcomer Agency 2022, Broken Heart Love Affair is a global brand agency based in Canada and the partnership of industry veterans Jason Chaney, Carlos Moreno, Denise Rossetto, Todd Mackie, and Beverley Hammond. BHLA is focused on gathering the most decorated talent on a mission to bring back the love for brands, clients, and agency talent. The agencys roster of category-leading client partners includes Burger King, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), Destination Ontario (DO), GoRVing, GreenShield, Kruger Products, Lactalis, Levelwear, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF), Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Simplii Financial, Toys R Us, World Vision and more. Greenville, South Carolina, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Founded in 2012, Memories In Writing is a minority/woman-owned business dedicated to helping people preserve personal narratives. The company traces its roots back to BWD Publishing which was founded in 2002 by Rhondia Turano. Rhondia, a co-founder of Memories In Writing, embarked on a journey at first to introduce companies to online advertising before taking the business in a very different direction. The pivotal moment came when a client showed up at the office with a shoe box full of letters and poems from his daughter who had recently passed away and requested the works be transformed into a personal book that would be titled The Dreamer. The heartfelt request was to compile the pieces into a book format that could be shared with her nieces and nephews that she wouldnt get a chance to meet. This event inspired the desire for a more intimate and meaningful approach to help individuals capture, preserve, and share their stories. This revelation is what steered BWD Publishing away from traditional publishing models and marked the genesis of their Captured Memories, Do-It-Yourself Memoir workbook. The transition on the Do-It-Yourself Memoir Workbook over the years The journey of Memories In Writing started when Lachelle, Rhondias daughter, rediscovered one of the original BWD, Do-It-Yourself Memoir workbooks. This chance moment reignited the passion for storytelling, breathing new life into the business that had shuttered after Rhondias career took her on a different path. Memories are valuable gifts that can be shared through writing, making it a perfect way to preserve and cherish them, expresses Rhondia. Memories In Writing's DIY Memoir workbook, born out of a desire to make it easy for individuals to capture and preserve their unique narratives, became the cornerstone of a company that seeks to impact lives on a grand scale. The company expanded its offerings gradually, introducing the memoir interview service and its online Do-It-Yourself Memoir Workbook which allowed people to utilize a computer. These expanded offerings aimed to provide a variety of options for individuals to give them more avenues to tell their stories. We are on a new mission to help make it easier for individuals and families to capture and preserve their stories for current and future generations. We believe that everyone has a story to tell and every story matters, which is why we aim to make it easy for the preservation of individual stories to be universally accessible. This is why we have started the process of seeking sponsors that would allow us to distribute our workbooks for free to classrooms, seniors, and veterans, expresses Rhondia. Although Memories in Writing offers digital solutions, she highlights the persistent preference for their physical workbook among those looking to preserve their stories. Lachelle's pivotal role in modernizing the original memoir workbook and incorporating technology, such as the Memory Monday online version, highlights the company's adaptability. Memories In Writing recognizes the changing needs of younger as well as older generations and strives to provide accessible avenues for preserving memories, whether through tangible workbooks, online prompts, or interviews. Every story, no matter how small, is an important piece in the intricate puzzle of our shared humanity. Every story, no matter how small, is an important piece in the intricate puzzle of our shared humanity. We are not just capturing stories; were crafting a legacy that resonates across time, acknowledging that each narrative contributes to the diverse human experience. - Rhondia Turano In a world inundated with sensationalized stories, Memories In Writing emphasizes the significance of capturing everyday moments with loved ones. The company encourages people to talk to neighbors or family members, preserving moments that can be relived in the years to come. Media Contact Name: Elizabeth LaFleur Email: elafleur@memoriesinwriting.org Dallas, Texas, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nubia Brand International Corp. (the Company or Nubia), confirms today that it will not be accepting any requests for redemption reversals in connection with closing the business combination (the Business Combination) between the Company and Honeycomb Battery Company (Honeycomb), as described in the definitive proxy statement initially filed by Nubia with the SEC on November 8, 2023 (the Proxy Statement). About Nubia Brand International Corp. Nubia is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. About Honeycomb Honeycomb formerly the energy solutions division of Global Graphene Group, Inc., is a Dayton, Ohio, USA-based advanced battery technology company focused on the development and commercialization of battery materials, components, cells, and selected module/pack technologies. Additional Information about the Proposed Transaction and Where to Find It This press release relates to a proposed transaction between Honeycomb and Nubia. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or exchange, or the solicitation of an offer to buy or exchange, any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. In connection with the transaction described herein, Nubia has filed relevant materials with the SEC, including the Proxy Statement. Nubia mailed the Proxy Statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the Special Meeting relating to the transaction. Nubia urges its investors, stockholders and other interested persons to read the Proxy Statement as well as other documents filed with the SEC because these documents contain important information about Nubia, Honeycomb and the Business Combination. Stockholders will also be able to obtain a copy of the Proxy Statement and other documents filed with the SEC without charge, by directing a request to: Nubia Brand International Corp., Attn: Jaymes Winters, 13355 Noel Rd, Suite 1100, Dallas, TX. The Proxy Statement can also be obtained without charge at the SECs website (www.sec.gov). Participants in the Solicitation Nubia and its directors and executive officers may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies from Nubia stockholders with respect to the proposed transaction. Information about Nubias directors and executive officers and a description of their interests in Nubia is included in the Proxy Statement and is available at the SECs website (www.sec.gov). Additional information regarding the interests of such participants is contained in the Proxy Statement. Honeycomb and its directors and executive officers also may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Nubia in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about the Companys directors and executive officers and information regarding their interests in the proposed transaction is included in the Proxy Statement. No Offer or Solicitation This press release is not a proxy statement or solicitation of a proxy, consent or authorization with respect to any securities or in respect of the proposed transaction and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, exchange, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. No offer of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that are not historical facts and are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between Nubia and Honeycomb. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words believe, project, expect, anticipate, estimate, intend, think, strategy, future, opportunity, potential, plan, seeks, may, should, will, would, will be, will continue, will likely result, and similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this communication, including but not limited to: (i) changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political and legal conditions; (ii) the inability of the parties to successfully or timely consummate the proposed transaction, including the risk that any required regulatory approvals are not obtained, are delayed or are subject to unanticipated conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the proposed transaction or that the approval of the shareholders of Nubia or Honeycomb is not obtained; (iii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Honeycomb or Nubia following announcement of the proposed transaction; (iv) failure to realize the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction; (v) risks relating to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to Honeycomb; (vi) risks related to the performance of Honeycombs batteries; (vii) the extent to which original equipment manufacturers may elect to pursue other battery cell technologies; (viii) risks related to the safety of Honeycombs high-capacity anode and high-energy solid-state battery technology, for which only preliminary safety testing has occurred and for which additional and extensive safety testing will need to occur prior to being installed in electric vehicles; (ix) risks related to any substantial increases in the prices for Honeycombs raw materials and components, some of which are obtained from a limited number of sources where demand may exceed supply; (x) consumers willingness to adopt electric vehicles; (xi) risks related to Honeycomb being an early-stage company with a history of financial losses that expects to incur significant expenses and continuing losses for the foreseeable future; (xii) the possibility that Honeycomb may require additional capital to support business growth, and that this capital might not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all; (xiii) Honeycombs heavy reliance on owned intellectual property, which includes patent rights, trade secrets, copyright, trademarks, and know-how, and its ability to protect and maintain access to these intellectual property rights; (xiv) risks related to the intentional disruption, security breaches and other security incidents, or alleged violations of laws, regulations, or other obligations relating to data handling of Honeycombs technology and its website, systems, and data it maintains; (xv) the amount of redemption requests made by Nubias public stockholders; (xvi) the ability of Nubia or the combined company to issue equity or equity-linked securities in connection with the proposed transactions or in the future; (xvii) the outcome of any potential litigation, government and regulatory proceedings, investigations and inquiries; (xviii) the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on Honeycomb, Nubia, the combined companys projected results of operations, financial performance or other financial metrics, or on any of the foregoing risks; and (xix) those factors discussed in Nubias filings with the SEC and contained in the Proxy Statement. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties that will be described in the Risk Factors section of the Proxy Statement, and other documents filed by Nubia with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and while Nubia and Honeycomb may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, they assume no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Neither of Nubia or Honeycomb gives any assurance that Nubia or Honeycomb, or the combined company, will achieve its expectations. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing Nubias or Honeycombs assessments as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements. Contact Information: Denver, CO / Chicago, IL, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- An important addition to the national access to justice landscape, the Above the Line Network (ATLN) has launched today to tackle the daunting challenges that middle-class Americans face when seeking legal help that doesnt break the bank. While most organized access to justice efforts rightly focus on low-income and poor people who are especially vulnerable, we can never achieve our nations ideal of equal justice for all when middle-class peoplewho make up more than 50% of the nations population and small businesses struggle to find quality, affordable legal services. They are above the line of income eligibility for the free legal aid reserved for the poorest Americans, but they also struggle to find quality and affordable legal services in the current legal market. With a specific focus on the legal needs of the vastly overlooked middle class, ATLN is a new, organized network of individuals and organizations across the country and in Canada that are committed to improving access for the middle-marketa collaborative and supportive community where ideas, resources, and best practices can be shared, further developed, and scaled to reach more people who need affordable legal services. With the majority of Americans being left behind, a more concerted national effort is needed to address this distinct access gap, and ATLN aims to do just that, said Jessica Bednarz, IAALS Director of Legal Services and the Profession. To do so, we dont necessarily need to reinvent the wheel. Most of the pieces are there, and what were doing is bringing them together, thoughtfully and carefully, and ensuring that it rolls in the right directionfaster, more effectively, and finally getting the middle class where they need to go. ATLN intends to pull the many pieces together as a full ecosystem of middle-class legal providers and models for serving these clients. While there are some promising programs and models tackling this problem around the United States, Canada, and beyond, there is not a coordinated effort among them. ATLN will change that, uniting these existing efforts togetherfrom incubators, socially conscious private law firms, nonprofit law firms, legal aid programs, and other organizationsto help them grow, thrive, and replicate, and foster advocacy for the middle class in the larger access to justice circles. ATLN will help ensure that the voice of middle-class Americans is heard and represented in access-to-justice advocacy and funding efforts by engaging funders, the judiciary, and the bar on the extent of the gap in legal services and the need for more resources dedicated to serving middle-class people, said Roya Samarghandi, Associate Director of Advocacy, Innovation & Training at the CBF. By collaborating and expanding on successful middle-class-focused legal services, and by building support for larger policy and systemic changes, ATLN stands to dramatically increase access to justice for the middle classand ultimately, people of all income levels. IAALS, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System at the University of Denver, and The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) are excited to partner on this critically urgent project. The project advances the CBFs work in helping legal consumers in the middle class connect with affordable and accessible quality legal servicesincluding through its legal incubator program, the Justice Entrepreneurs Projectand the work of IAALS in helping the legal profession evolve to put client and consumer needs first and enable people of all socioeconomic backgrounds to find the legal help they need. ATLN is led by knowledgeable, experienced leaders and innovators from across the United States, Canada, and beyond who are dedicated to transforming the delivery of legal services to the underserved middle class. ATLN is offering two upcoming webinars which will delve further into the problem, challenges, and promising solutions. Transforming the Delivery of Legal Services: Unveiling the Above the Line Network February 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MT More information and free registration February 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MT More information and free registration Tackling Root Causes & Overcoming the Middle-Class Access to Justice Problem March 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. MT More information and free registration Individuals and organizations who are interested in joining the Above the Line Network can learn more about the membership criteria and apply to join ATLN on the project page. More information and quick links: Attachment Dublin, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market Competition Forecast & Opportunities, 2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Property Management Software Market in Saudi Arabia is witnessing a notable surge, driven by the growing complexity and competitiveness within the real estate domain. In the forecast period between 2024 and 2028, the market is expected to achieve a remarkable compound annual growth rate (CAGR), as businesses increasingly seek advanced solutions to streamline management processes for hospitality and commercial residential rental properties. The software is key in managing activities such as payments, inventories, and tenant complaints, providing robust support for property managers operating in the fast-paced market. Market Dynamics Spearheading Growth The expansion of the construction industry in Saudi Arabia, coupled with the rise of smart city initiatives in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and the National Transformation Program 2020, is catalyzing the demand for effective property management solutions. The trend is further reinforced by the acceleration of digitalization and adoption of Software-As-A-Service (SaaS) platforms. While the market offers diverse solutions ranging from web-based to hybrid systems, it has been noted that new construction projects and infrastructure development are key drivers influencing the adoption of Property Management Software (PMS). The construction sector's reliance on advanced technology, including the integration of ERP modules, is a prominent factor stimulating market growth. Market Segments and Key Players Rental and Tenant Management Property Sale and Purchase Solutions Marketing and Advertising Legal and Insurance Consultancy Accounting and Cash Flow Management Software The market is categorized based on deployment models such as On-Premises and On-Cloud, with end-user segments encompassing Industrial, Commercial, and Residential sectors. Geographically, the market spans the Western, Northern & Central, Eastern, and Southern regions of Saudi Arabia. Major players in the Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market include London Computer Systems, Inc., SunSmart Global Inc. Pvt Ltd, Expert Skill For Information Technology Ltd, and additional prominent global and local brands integral to industry advancement. Competitive Landscape and Future Outlook The competitive scenario is expected to evolve with companies leveraging organic growth strategies such as product developments, mergers, and collaborations to secure a solid market position. The market report presents a detailed analysis of these significant players, alongside regional market nuances and future forecasts that paint a comprehensive picture of the property management software landscape in Saudi Arabia. As the real estate sector in Saudi Arabia continues to advance rapidly, stakeholders remain optimistic about the future trajectory of the Property Management Software market, set against a backdrop of digital transformation and innovative industry practices. This research is a crucial resource for anyone looking to understand the in-depth dynamics of the Saudi Property Management Software market, providing insights into the factors driving growth and the opportunities that lie ahead. Report Scope In this report, Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market has been segmented into following categories: Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market, by Solution: Rental and Tenant Management Property Sale and Purchase Solution Marketing and Advertising Legal and Insurance Consultancy Accounting and Cash Flow Management Software Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market, by Deployment Model: On-Premises On-Cloud Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market, by End User: Industrial Commercial Residential Saudi Arabia Property Management Software Market, by Region: Western Region Northern & Central Region Eastern Region Southern Region Companies Profiled: London Computer Systems SunSmart Global Expert Skill for Information Technology PropertyNet Cloud Global Creative Concepts Tech Co Ltd. Crayotech Business Solution In4velocity Lodgify SolutionDot Buildium For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/h2ri0 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Dublin, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Data Center Construction Project Insights and Analytics (Q4 2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. With a total projected value of $507.9 billion, the global pipeline of large-scale data center construction projects is under intense scrutiny, according to this report providing extensive analysis and insights into these developments. This evaluation signals significant growth in the construction of state-of-the-art data storage facilities, underpinning the vital role of data processing and storage in today's technology-driven economy. The report methodologies compile comprehensive data on large-scale data center projects worldwide, each exceeding a value of $25 million. It encompasses a broad spectrum from pre-planning to execution phases, indicating a healthy balance within the industry - 54% of projects are in active pre-execution and execution stages, while the remaining 46% are in the anticipatory stages of pre-planning and planning. This equilibrium suggests robust, continued growth and immense opportunities in the data center construction sector. In a meticulously structured format, the report provides a granular view of the data center construction pipeline by dissecting project values, developmental stages, and funding sources across various regions. It also presents essential information such as: The top 20 projects per region, classified by country, developmental stage, and project value. Comprehensive rankings of major industry players, encompassing leading contractors, consulting engineers, and project owners. Importance of This Report for Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Planning Intended readership includes business leaders, strategists, and investors who are engaged in the data center construction space or considering entering this vibrant market. Key reasons to engage with this analysis include: Acute insights into the evolving landscape of the data center construction sector. Detailed data, supporting informed business development and strategic planning. Capability to tailor marketing campaigns and resource allocation to the most promising regional markets, founded on extensive project opportunity assessments. This comprehensive analysis outlines a forward-looking perspective for the data center construction sector, equipped with valuable data and analyses that are critical for decision-makers navigating this dynamic market. The insights provided by this report are significant in shaping strategic planning and identifying key investment opportunities across the globe. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xqx3bn About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The famed gingham checkered blue dress worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz that the late Mercedes McCambridge donated to The Catholic University of America, can now be auctioned to raise funds for an endowed professorship at Catholic Universitys Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art. In April 2022, the University announced that it had partnered with Bonhams, an international auctioneer, to display and auction the dress that the University had been given to the Catholic University by Mercedes McCambridge. However, the auction was canceled due to a filing of a lawsuit by Barbara Ann Hartke, the niece of Father Gilbert Hartke - claiming that the dress was owned by the estate of Father Gilbert Hartke even though the estate of Father Hartke was properly settled and the estate never listed the dress as Father Hartkes personal property. On December 11, 2023, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York dismissed Plaintiff Barbara Ann Hartkes claims, noting that Father Hartke, as a Dominican priest, had taken a vow of poverty and relinquished any and all claims to material goods and that Barabara Hartke lacked standing to bring a claim on behalf of the settled Estate of Father Hartke. Today, that same judge again denied the plaintiffs claims and dismissed the Plaintiffs request to amend her complaint and refile the case. While it took a little while longer, it is very satisfying to know that we will be able to proceed with an auction to raise funds benefiting a school that Father Hartke loved so dearly, said Jacqueline J. Leary-Warsaw, dean of the Rome School. Just like in the movie the Wizard of Oz, we have encountered some obstacles to reach this destination, but in the end it will be worth it - benefiting our students and our program. McCambridge, a Hollywood actress and artist-in-residence at Catholic University in 1973, presented the dress to Catholic University for the benefit of students in a well reported presentation to Father Hartke, the legendary head of the drama school. According to Bonhams, the blue and white gingham dress is one of only two existing dresses retaining the original white blouse and only one of four blue and white pinafore dresses in existence. This Catholic University dress has been matched to a specific scene in the movie: when Dorothy faced the Wicked Witch of the West in the witchs castle. Documentation indicates the dress was presented to Fr. Hartke when he was the head of the Catholic University Drama Department with the intention it be used to support the Catholic University drama department. The proceeds from the auction will endow a faculty chair, a position that will support the current bachelor of fine arts degree in acting for theater, film, and television, as well as the development of a new formal film acting program. The appointment was made official by Supreme Resolution No. 020-2024-IN , which was published in the Official Gazette El Peruano. Thus, Zanabria Angulo will replace Jose Luis Angulo Tejada in the post, whose appointment was terminated today. Moreover, the document indicates that very serious negligence has been shown in the control and command of the police institution, which would constitute incompatibility and lack of suitability for the exercise of said position. This responds to what happened during the official activities of President Boluarte in Ayacucho, who was taking part in a ceremony that laid the groundwork for the paving of a road in said jurisdiction, when a group of women approached her all of a sudden. One of them pulled the dignitary's hair. After the attack, the woman was separated by police officers, who arrested her. Both decrees were signed by the President of the Republic Dina Boluarte and Interior Minister Victor Torres. (END) NGB/RMB Lieutenant General Victor Jose Zanabria Angulo was appointed as Commander General of the Peruvian National Police (PNP) on Monday.Published: 1/22/2024 Toronto, January 22, 2024 - Pasofino Gold Ltd. (TSXV: VEIN) (OTCQB: EFRGF) (FSE: N07A) ("Pasofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 6,291,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at C$0.50 (or US$0.37) per Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$3,145,500 (US$2,330,000) (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.65 for a period of 18 months following the issue date of the Units. As disclosed in the Company's January 4, 2024 and January 11, 2024 press releases, Hummingbird Resources plc (AIM: HUM) ("HB PLC") a shareholder (51%) and control person of the Company has dedicated US$2 million of the proceeds of its recent fund raise to invest in Pasofino. Accordingly, HB PLC has expressed an interest in subscribing for 5,400,000 Units. As previously disclosed in the Company's January 17, 2022 press release, Esan Eczacibasi Endustriyel Hammaddeler Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi ("ESAN"), a shareholder (10%) and insider of the Company, has the right, but not the obligation, to subscribe under any private placement or prospectus offering of the Company in such amount as would permit ESAN to maintain its shareholding interest in the Company. Accordingly, ESAN has expressed its interest in subscribing for 891,000 Units. Following completion of the Offering, ESAN would own 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of Pasofino and HB PLC would own 53% of the issued and outstanding shares. The Offering is expected to close in January 2024 and is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, the conditional listing approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the applicable securities regulatory authorities. The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period in Canada expiring four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company in connection with advancement of the Dugbe Gold Project and working capital. The funds will be used to optimise the 2022 Definitive Feasibility Study through FY-2024 and further progress the Project. Several opportunities to maximise the value of Dugbe and reduce the overall project capex profile have been identified, including the optimisation of power usage, improvements to the metallurgical recovery rates and additional exploration activities. ABOUT THE DUGBE GOLD PROJECT The 2,302 km2 Dugbe Gold Project is in southern Liberia and situated within the southwestern corner of the Birimian Supergroup which is host to most West African gold deposits. To date, two deposits have been identified on the Dugbe Gold Project: Dugbe F and Tuzon discovered by Hummingbird entities in 2009 and 2011, respectively. The deposits are located within 4 km of the Dugbe Shear Zone which is thought to have played a role in large scale gold mineralization in the area. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. Related Party Transaction Each of HB PLC and ESAN are insiders of Pasofino and are participating in thee Offering. The Offering is therefore a "Related Party Transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied upon the exemptions from the minority shareholder approval and valuation requirements set out in Sections 5.7(1)(a) and 5.5(a), respectively, of MI 61-101. The Offering including the subscriptions of HB PLC and ESAN, was approved unanimously by the directors of the Company. ABOUT PASOFINO GOLD LTD. Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (VEIN). Pasofino, through its wholly owned subsidiary, owns 100% of the Dugbe Gold Project (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest). For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact: Lincoln Greenidge, CFO T: 416 451 0049 E: lgreenidge@pasofinogold.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterised by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully complete the Offering, the ability to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, the ability to apply the proceeds as intended, the results of business operation, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195207 /Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States/ VANCOUVER, Jan. 22, 2024 - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR8) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to the Company's news release dated January 18, 2024 (the "Initial News Release"), the Company has closed the first tranche (the "First Tranche") of its non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement"). Under the First Tranche, the Company issued 11,111,111 non flow-through units (the "NFT Units") at a price of $0.18 per NFT Unit for gross proceeds of $2,000,000. Each NFT Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase an additional Share (a "Warrant Share") at an exercise price of $0.28 per Warrant Share for a period of three (3) years from the date of issuance. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the First Tranche for general working capital and administrative purposes. The securities offered in the First Tranche are subject to a four month and a day transfer restriction from the date of issuance expiring on May 23, 2024, in addition to such other restrictions as may apply under applicable securities laws of jurisdictions outside Canada. Completion of the Private Placement remains subject to the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. 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 and Forward-Looking Statements This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. This news 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, completion of the Private Placement, the use of proceeds from the Private Placement and the payment of finders' fees under the Private Placement. 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, the Company not receiving the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Private Placement; recent market volatility; and the state of the financial markets for the Company's securities. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that the Company will receive the necessary regulatory approvals in respect of the Private Placement. 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 Scottie Resources Corp. TORONTO, Jan. 22, 2024 - BHP has announced its second cohort of six companies, chosen from a pool of over 500 applicants, to join the BHP Xplor accelerator program. The accelerator program is designed to support early-stage mineral exploration companies in finding the critical resources needed to support the energy transition. Each company will receive a grant of up to US$500,000 together with access to a network of internal and external industry experts to accelerate its growth and further build out its exploration concepts. The program aims to support development across technical, business and operational facets of the participating companies. BHP Xplor pushes the boundaries of what has conventionally been achievable in the exploration field. Over the span of the six-month program, the six companies will work collaboratively with BHP Xplor to expedite the maturation of their geological concepts to position the projects for commercialisation or partnership. Head of the BHP Xplor Program, Charlee Johnson, said: "The diversity and quality of the submissions amongst the applicants is amazing and inspiring. We are excited to partner with the selected cohort and help bring their ideas and passion for their exploration projects to life. We aim to accelerate this process and create disruptive results by identifying new concepts, data and testing opportunities." BHP Xplor provides BHP the opportunity to access some of the most exciting exploration prospects globally, enhancing the pipeline of new opportunities which may shape our future asset portfolio. Vice President, BHP Exploration and Xplor, Sonia Scarselli said: "Exploration for critical resources is moving slowly, but to meet the needs of the energy transition we must move at pace. We will be working together with the 2024 cohort to accelerate exploration in new geographies and advance new geologic concepts." The six companies selected to join the BHP Xplor accelerator program are: Longreach Mineral - a private company that is applying an innovative mineral systems approach by leveraging our petroleum DNA to identify new tier 1 deposits critical to the energy transition. Our expertise in seismic geophysics and AI search tools, sets us apart in the exploration industry. East Star Resources - a United Kingdom-based company listed on the London Stock Exchange exploring for copper and other base and precious metals in Kazakhstan. Pallas Resources - a private explorer focusing on large-scale copper, gold, nickel sulphide and lithium systems in Kazakhstan. Hamelin Gold - a mineral exploration company listed on the Australia Securities Exchange, established to execute a modern exploration program at the 100% owned ~3,000km2 West Tanami Gold Project ("West Tanami") in Western Australia. The Tanami Gold Province is prospective for high value, large scale gold deposits and for nickel-copper-PGE mineralised intrusions. Cobre - an exploration company listed on the Australia Securities Exchange, concentrating on copper and base metals exploration in Botswana. Equivest Minerals - a private company deploying a technology platform combining statistical insights on the location of major metal deposits with integrated machine learning and minerals systems to predict priority areas of interest within key regions. For more information on BHP Xplor, and to stay up to date with the program news and opportunities, please visit https://www.bhp.com/xplor Contact: xplor@bhp.com Vancouver - - January 22nd, 2024 - Arbor Metals Corp. ("Arbor" or the "Company") (TSXV:ABR) (FWB:432) is pleased to announce the highly anticipated assay results from its Fall 2023 prospecting program at the Jarnet Lithium Project in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James territory, Northern Quebec. The southern extremity of the Project is located 2.5km north-west of Patriot Battery Metals Corvette 5 spodumene bearing giant pegmatite. The exploration manager for the Project, Grander Exploration, stated, "We are pleased to announce the assay results from the 2023 prospecting program, marking a significant milestone in Arbor's exploration efforts." A total of 77 rock samples were collected, including 46 oriented channels totalling 41 metres. These samples were taken to crosscut known pegmatite and obtain a representative sampling, mainly from the central claim block. In addition, 31 chip samples were obtained from new pegmatite identified. The South block was briefly worked to note the absence of outcrops with the sampling of five large sub-angular boulders. The north-east block was not covered during the program. On central block, evidence of an extensive pegmatite field was identified despite of the scarcity of outcrops. One to three meter wide pegmatite outcrops were present associated with large boulder fields showing a usual muscovite rich composition associated with corroded feldspars and intergrowth quartz and local minute amount of dark blue tourmaline. To the south of the block, pegmatites are hosted in gneiss derived from sediments. Southward, the same type of pegmatite is hosted in amphibolite. Of particular note is the highest grading sample in this program, which yielded 88ppm lithium from sample 351593 (see photo below). The pegmatite sample showing a zoned structure came from a metric boulder found on the South Block Otherwise the whole samples population returned an average of 16ppm lithium with local spikes in Cs (33.8ppm in sample 267121), Ta (55.3ppm in sample 267122). Samples shows a moderate Rb enrichment with an average of 338 ppm Rb. All of which demonstrates the presence of lithium enriched pegmatites, and confirms the Company is on the right path to a significant discovery. See below mapped for samples location. Click Image To View Full Size Fig 1: picture of sample G351593 (88ppm Li) showing a zoned crystallization with layers of K feldspar, quartz (dark brown) and fine grain muscovite. Click Image To View Full Size Arbor views these results with great encouragement, as they highlight the presence of an extensive pegmatite field located along regional lithological and structural contacts. The Company is confident that lithium enrichment trends may be exposed on the property using a systematic exploration approach based on a combination of geochemistry and geophysics methods. Mark Ferguson, President of Arbor, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "The results from our Fall 2023 exploration program are truly exciting. We've gained valuable insights into the formation of lithium mineralization on the Jarnet Lithium Project, laying a strong foundation for future exploration endeavors. Our commitment to responsible and informed exploration continues to drive our pursuit of discovering a significant lithium resource." The Company is currently in the final stages of formalizing its 2024 exploration program, the details of which will be released in the near term. Arbor remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with local communities and indigenous peoples. Operating with environmental consciousness is a priority, and the Company ensures that its exploration activities adhere to the highest standards of sustainability. QA/QC Channel samples were obtained by a diamond saw cutting a continuous sample over length of 0.6 to 0.9m. Chip and grab samples must be considered as punctual and not necessarily representative of the rock formation sampled. Each sample was observed under the binocular for minerals identification and textures. Samples were delivered at ALS facility in Val d'Or, Quebec, and assayed using sodium peroxide fusion followed by ICP-MS analysis. Martin Demers, P. Geo registered in the Provinces of Quebec (ogq #770), a consultant to Arbor and a qualified person under National Instrument 43?101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed the technical contents of this news release and has approved the disclosure of the technical information contained herein. About Arbor Metals Corp. Arbor Metals Corp. is a mining exploration company focused on developing high-value, geographically significant mineral projects worldwide. Arbor is paving the way for advanced mineral exploration as it oversees world-class mining projects. The Company is confident that combining quality projects with proven strategies and a dedicated team will yield exceptional outcomes. The Jarnet lithium project, located in the James Bay region of Quebec, comprises 47 map-designated claims, covering an area of approximately 3,759 hectares. The Jarnet project is contiguous to the Corvette-FCI property, where diamond drilling has confirmed significant lithium mineralization representing one of the highest-profile lithium exploration projects in the sector. Click Image To View Full Size For further information, contact Mark Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, at info@arbormetalscorp.com, or 403.852.4869, or visit the Company's website at www.arbormetalscorp.com. On behalf of the Board, Arbor Metals Corp. Mark Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain "Forward-Looking Statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "target, "plan", "forecast", "may", "schedule" and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to the development of the Jarnet Lithium Project, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Copyright (c) 2024 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, Jan. 23, 2024 - Rusoro Mining Ltd. (TSXV: RML) (the "Company" or "Rusoro") is pleased to advise that it has submitted a Non-Binding Indication of Interest pursuant to the CITGO Bidding Procedures attached as Exhibit 1 to Exhibit A (Sixth Revised Proposed Sale Procedures Order) of the joint status report filed as of October 4, 2022 with the United States District Court for the District of Delaware in Crystallex International Corp. v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, D. Del. C.A. No. 1:17-mc-00151-LPS. The Non-Binding Indication of Interest is not binding and is revocable, and does not require the Company to take any further actions or to submit any final bid. Prior to submitting a final bid, if at all, the Company shall, among other things, obtain all necessary and advisable consents and approvals of its stakeholders. Andre Agapov, CEO, states "This is one more step in our process to realize on the value of our Arbitration Award and we look forward to the process continuing as planned." ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Andre Agapov" Andre Agapov, President & CEO 604-609-6110 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking statements: "This press release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. This information and statements address future activities, events, plans, developments and projections. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information and statements are frequently identified by words such as "may," "will," "should," "anticipate," "plan," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and similar terminology, and reflect assumptions, estimates, opinions and analysis made by management of Rusoro Mining Ltd. in light of its experience, current conditions, expectations of future developments and other factors which it believes to be reasonable and relevant. Forward-looking information and statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause Rusoro's actual results, performance and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements and accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed thereon. Risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to vary include but are not limited to the availability of financing; fluctuations in commodity prices; changes to and compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including environmental laws and obtaining requisite permits; political, economic and other risks; as well as other risks and uncertainties which are more fully described in our annual and quarterly Management's Discussion and Analysis and in other filings made by us with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and available at www.sedarplus.ca. Rusoro Mining Ltd. disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements except as may be required." SOURCE Rusoro Mining Ltd. Perth, Jan. 24, 2024 - DECEMBER 2023 QUARTER REPORT Perseus Mining produces 528,486 oz gold at US$984/oz AISC in CY 2023 PERTH, Western Australia/ January 24, 2024/Perseus Mining Ltd. ("Perseus" or the "Company") (TSX & ASX: PRU) reports on its activities for the three months' period ended December 31, 2023 (the "Quarter"). Key operating indicators and highlights for the December 2023 quarter include: PERFORMANCE INDICATOR UNIT DECEMBER 2023 QUARTER DECEMBER 2023 HALF YEAR CALENDAR YEAR 2023 Gold recovered Ounces 128,773 261,577 528,486 Gold poured Ounces 128,339 261,055 529,152 Production Cost US$/ounce 862 833 826 All-In Site Cost (AISC) US$/ounce 1,023 979 984 Gold sales Ounces 135,137 251,091 526,734 Average sales price US$/ounce 1,963 1,951 1,913 Notional Cashflow US$ million 122 254 492 Gold production of 128,773 ounces in the December 2023 quarter, giving December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year production of 261,577 ounces and 528,486 ounces, respectively. December 2023 quarter weighted average AISC of US$1,023 per ounce resulting in December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year AISC of US$979 per ounce and US$984 per ounce, respectively. Gold production in the December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year both in the upper half of guided production ranges while AISC was below the bottom end of guided cost ranges in the same periods. Quarterly gold sales increased to 135,137 ounces; average quarterly gold sale price increased to US$1,963 per ounce. Average quarterly cash margin of US$940 per ounce of gold resulted in notional operating cashflow of US$122 million in the quarter and US$492 million for the 2023 calendar year, US$90 million or 22% more than 2022 Calendar Year. Strong operating performance expected to continue in the June 2024 Half Year. Gold production guided at 226,000 to 254,000 ounces at AISC of US$1,180 to US$1,340 per ounce for the period, which would result in 491,000 to 517,000 ounces at an AISC of US$1,000 to US$1,100 per ounce for the Financial Year ending 30 June 2024. Organic growth activities included completion of a DFS for the CMA Underground development at Yaoure as well as various brownfields exploration programmes to expand Mineral Resources inventories at our operating mines. Available cash and bullion balance of US$642 million, as well as US$60 million of listed securities at quarter-end. Zero debt and US$300 million of undrawn debt capacity available. Group 12-month rolling average TRIFR at 0.89, down from 1.07 in the September 2023 quarter. Group Gold Production and Cost Market Guidance Table 10: Production and Cost Guidance PARAMETER UNITS DECEMBER 2023 HALF YEAR (ACTUAL) JUNE 2024 HALF YEAR FORECAST 2024 FINANCIAL YEAR FORECAST Yaoure Gold Mine Production Ounces 134,379 100,000 to 113,000 235,000 to 247,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 805 $1,150 to $1,300 $900 to $1,000 Sissingue Gold Mine Production Ounces 28,551 36,000 to 41,000 65,000 to 69,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,719 $1,450 to $1,650 $1,400 to $1,500 Edikan Gold Mine Production Ounces 98,647 90,000 to 100,000 191,000 to 201,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,003 $1,100 to $1,250 $1,000 to $1,100 PERSEUS GROUP Production Ounces 261,577 226,000 to 254,000 491,000 to 517,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 979 $1,180 to $1,340 $1,000 to $1,100 COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT All production targets referred to in this release are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code. Edikan The information in this release that relates to the Open Pit and Underground Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Edikan was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" released on 24 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report - Edikan Gold Mine, Ghana" dated 7 April 2022 continue to apply. Sissingue, Fimbiasso and Bagoe The information in this release that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at the Sissingue complex was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves" released on 24 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report - Sissingue Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire" dated 29 May 2015 continue to apply. Yaoure The information in this release that relates to the Open Pit and Underground Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Yaoure was updated by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Mining announces Open Pit and Underground Ore Reserve update at Yaoure" released on 23 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in "Technical Report - Yaoure Gold Project, Cote d'Ivoire" dated 19 December 2023 continue to apply. Meyas Sand Gold Project The information in this report that relates to the mineral resources and probable reserves of the Meyas Sand Gold Project was first reported by the Company in a market announcement "Perseus Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Orca Gold Inc." released on 28 February 2022. The Company confirms it is not in possession of any new information or data relating to those estimates that materially impacts of the reliability of the estimate of the Company's ability to verify the estimate as a mineral resource or ore reserve in accordance with Appendix 5A (JORC Code) and the information in that original market release continues to apply and have not materially changed. These estimates are prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 standards and have not been reported in accordance with the JORC Code. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the resource in accordance with the JORC Code and it is uncertain that following evaluation and/or further exploration work that the estimate will be able to be reported as a mineral resource or ore reserve in accordance with the JORC Code. This release and all technical information regarding Orca's NI 43-101 have been reviewed and approved by Adrian Ralph, a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION: This report contains forward-looking information which 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 of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Yaoure Gold Mine, the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Company's ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. ASX/TSX CODE: PRU CAPITAL STRUCTURE: Ordinary shares: 1,373,563,956 Performance rights: 10,382,896 REGISTERED OFFICE: Level 2 437 Roberts Road Subiaco WA 6008 Telephone: +61 8 6144 1700 Email: IR@perseusmining.com www.perseusmining.com DIRECTORS: Mr Jeff Quartermaine Executive Chairman & CEO Ms Amber Banfield Non-Executive Director Ms Elissa Cornelius Non-Executive Director Mr Dan Lougher Non-Executive Director Mr John McGloin Non-Executive Director Mr David Ransom Non-Executive Director CONTACTS: Jeff Quartermaine Executive Chairman & CEO jeff.quartermaine@perseusmining.com Nathan Ryan Corporate Relations +61 420 582 887 nathan.ryan@nwrcommunications.com.au Attachment Rio Tinto will drive development of Australia's largest solar power project near Gladstone, after agreeing to buy all electricity from the 1.1GW1 Upper Calliope Solar Farm to provide renewable power to Rio Tinto's Gladstone operations. The agreement will bring more renewable power into one of Australia's most important industrial hubs and marks another step towards Rio Tinto's climate goal of halving its global Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions this decade2. If combined with more renewable power and suitable firming, transmission and industrial policy, it could also provide the core of a solution to repower Rio Tinto's three Gladstone production assets - the Boyne aluminium smelter, the Yarwun alumina refinery and the Queensland Alumina refinery. Under a new power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with European Energy Australia, Rio Tinto will buy all power generated from the Upper Calliope solar farm for 25 years. The plant will be built and operated by European Energy, at a site about 50 kilometres south-west of Gladstone, pending development and grid connection approvals. Once approved and developed, Upper Calliope would have the potential to lower Rio Tinto's operating carbon emissions by 1.8 million tonnes per year. Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm said "This agreement is a first important step in our work to repower our Gladstone operations and illustrates our commitment to keeping sustainably powered industry in Central Queensland. "The task remains challenging, but we have a pathway to provide the competitive, firmed power our Gladstone plants need and we are continuing to work hard with all stakeholders, including the Queensland and Australian governments, on getting there. "Competitive capacity, firming, and transmission, are critical to developing a modern energy system that can ensure more large-scale renewables development in Queensland and help guarantee the future of Australian industry." Once approved, construction of the Upper Calliope plant is targeted to start in 2025 or 2026 and, when complete, it will provide enough electricity to meet about 5% of Queensland's current demand. The plant, which is expected to take two years to construct, will cover 2400 hectares, employ 1000 people during construction and support 100 direct and indirect jobs when operating. European Energy CEO Erik Andersen said "European Energy is proud to be a strategic partner in this project with Rio Tinto. Our commitment to providing renewable and reliable energy aligns perfectly with Rio Tinto's ambitious climate goals. The Upper Calliope Solar Farm is not just a solar power project; it's a testament to our shared vision for a greener future. "By supplying renewable energy to one of Australia's key industrial hubs, we are setting a new standard for industrial energy consumption. This project underlines our dedication to driving the transition towards renewable energy in Australia and demonstrates the potential of solar power in transforming the energy landscape of the region. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Rio Tinto and other stakeholders to create a sustainable and energy-efficient future for Australia." Upper Calliope is the first successful applicant in a formal Request for Proposals made by Rio Tinto for renewable power and firming projects in Central and Southern Queensland. Rio Tinto continues to assess other proposals, solutions and partnerships to help competitively meet the energy needs of its three production assets in the Gladstone region. These assets require more than 1GW of reliable power to operate, which equates to over 4GW of quality wind or solar power with firming. Potential further electrification of plant processes could increase their electricity demand in the future. 1 1.1GWac or 1.3GWp 2 From 2018 levels View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123544880/en/ Contact Please direct all enquiries to media.enquiries@riotinto.com Media Relations, United Kingdom Matthew Klar M +44 7796 630 637 David Outhwaite M +44 7787 597 493 Media Relations, Australia Matt Chambers M +61 433 525 739 Jesse Riseborough M +61 436 653 412 Alyesha Anderson M +61 434 868 118 Michelle Lee M +61 458 609 322 Media Relations, Americas Simon Letendre M +1 514 796 4973 Malika Cherry M +1 418 592 7293 Vanessa Damha M +1 514 715 2152 Investor Relations, United Kingdom Menno Sanderse M +44 7825 195 178 David Ovington M +44 7920 010 978 Laura Brooks M +44 7826 942 797 Investor Relations, Australia Tom Gallop M +61 439 353 948 Amar Jambaa M +61 472 865 948 Rio Tinto Plc 6 St James's Square London SW1Y 4AD United Kingdom T +44 20 7781 2000 Registered in England No. 719885 Rio Tinto Ltd. Level 43, 120 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Australia T +61 3 9283 3333 Registered in Australia ABN 96 004 458 404 riotinto.com Category - General Mesopotamia or Egypt may come first to mind when discussing initial civilizations in the present-day Arab world. Thanks to archaeological excavations in recent years, people now have a more comprehensive picture. For millennia, AlUla, an oasis city in a valley in northwestern Saudi Arabia, demonstrated its glamour and key role in human history as a home of various kingdoms and a key place in intercontinental trade networks. The flow of time may have eroded the spectacular ancient architecture, but unearthed artifacts there, thanks to joint work by archaeologists from Saudi Arabia and France, now help the Chinese public to imagine its lesser-known yet remarkable past long before the Islamic period. Opened earlier this month in the west wing of the Meridian Gate Galleries in the Palace Museum in Beijing, the exhibition AlUla, Wonder of Arabia, ushered visitors to time travel to trace the trajectory of evolving civilizations through 236 artifacts, of which 50 items have never been publicly displayed before. Various precious sculptures, pottery, rock paintings, inscriptions, bronze ware, and other items jointly present scenarios of civilizations from as far back as 7,000 years ago. Laila Nehme, French archaeologist and co-curator of the exhibition, has worked on the sites in AlUla for more than 20 years. In her eyes, recently excavated relics and animal bones in 120 sandstone monuments known as "mustatils" and thousands of funerary structures from the Bronze Age greatly contributed to people's understanding of that era. Many of the new findings are on show in Beijing. For example, some animal horns were believed to be used in sacrificial rituals. During the first millennium BC, the region emerged as a hub on the trade route when each oasis was ruled by a particular king. "AlUla then became a strategic transit area for camel caravans transporting frankincense, myrrh, and other aromatics across Asia," Nehme explains. As the exhibits indicate, kingdoms like Dadan and Lihyan left many traces of their existence, including hundreds of carved inscriptions, monumental statues representing either kings or divine figures mixing local artistic schools and those of ancient Egypt, and small sandstone figurines used as offerings in sanctuaries. Hegra, which is only a few kilometers north of AlUla, later rose as a prosperous city when Nabataeans settled down around the first century BC. Coming from their capital of Petra of Jordan, Nabataeans turned Hegra into a key regional center. Its booming period continued after the Nabataean Kingdom was annexed to the Roman Empire during the reign of Trajan. Archaeologists discovered many Greek and Latin inscriptions left by Roman legion soldiers. Hegra was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008, as one of the first entries to the list from Saudi Arabia. There is tantalizing evidence of long-distance exchanges. Discovery of a dyed silk piece in AlUla, for example, may create room for scholarly conjecture as silk was originally from China. Frequent trade and changing rulers also brought an evolution of cultures. Many carved inscriptions are particularly chosen for a section of the display focusing on the evolution of the writing systems and languages in the region. Arabic script was thought to be developed through continuous evolution from Nabataean, a local version of Aramaic script. Scholars widely believe that Jesus Christ used Aramaic. According to Nehme, the exhibited bilingual inscriptions and studies of their calligraphy just offered physical evidence to show how Nabataean evolved into Arabic script. Both have 28 letters. Following the exhibits, a time journey continued throughout the eras of the following centuries until the modern time. "Not only Hegra, but also the whole of AlUla showcased meetings of different people and civilizations in history," says Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani, executive director of archaeology, conservation, and collection at the Royal Commission for AlUla and the Saudi curator of the exhibition. "Generosity of this land inspires us today to engage with other people around the world," he says. After its debut in Paris in 2019, AlUla, Wonder of Arabia, was the first exhibition in China to comprehensively showcase the city with historical significance. It will run through to March 22 in the Palace Museum. "We have so far 12 archaeological missions (in AlUla), and all of them are international," Alsuhaibani says." To work with Chinese partners (in the future) is an objective of such an exhibition. "What we have in AlUla is well-preserved humanity," he tells China Daily. "To keep and preserve this heritage is not only our own responsibility and we thus invite people around the world to excavate and discover." From 2016 to 2020, China and Saudi Arabia conducted joint archaeological research surrounding al Serrian, a site of port ruins near Mecca. China helped to train the first Saudi underwater archaeologist. Now, before Chinese archaeologists set foot in Saudi Arabia again for another key site, its glamour has hooked wide Chinese public attention, not only through this exhibition. Divas Hit the Road, a popular Chinese traveling reality show that premiered last month, chose AlUla as its second destination in the country after the capital, Riyadh. For two lands with brilliant ancient civilizations, it is perhaps the continuation of a beautiful friendship. YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian National Committee of Canada has urged the Canadian government to maintain the arms embargo on Turkey amid reports suggesting that Ottawa is considering lifting the restrictions. The Armenian National Committee of Canada expresses deep concern over recent reports suggesting that Canada may lift its arms embargo on Turkey as part of a larger deal to appease the Turkish regime in exchange for approval of Sweden's accession to NATO, the Armenian National Committee of Canada said in a statement. This potential move is particularly troubling in light of Canada's recent history with arms exports to Turkey. Despite Global Affairs Canada imposing a moratorium on arms sales to Turkey in October 2019, Canada allowed the export of L3Harris/WESCAM drone technology to Ankara in the spring of 2020. Disturbingly, substantial evidence confirmed Turkey's illegal diversion of this equipment to Azerbaijan after Azerbaijan invaded the Republic of Artsakh in September 2020, which later resulted in Canada cancelling the relevant permits. This diversion, in violation of Turkey's contractual obligations with Canada, resulted in the illegal use of Canadian-made WESCAM drone avionics by Azerbaijan against civilians in Artsakh. Canada must not be complicit in Turkish-Azerbaijani war crimes by contributing to the expansion of their military arsenals. The sale of such weaponry to rogue states violates Canada's arms export regulations, posing a significant risk to domestic and regional stability. In line with Canada's stated priorities of preserving regional peace and security and protecting human rights, Ottawa must go beyond cancellations and implement a comprehensive ban on arms sales to Ankara, rather than lifting them. Moreover, Turkey has demonstrated a lack of trustworthiness in honouring contractual agreements with Canada, as evidenced by the illegal diversion of weapons to conflict zones. Canada cannot risk repeating such violations, especially as Azerbaijan - backed by Turkey - continues to threaten Armenia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, we urge the Canadian government to exercise utmost caution and prioritize regional stability, peace, and human rights by refraining from lifting the arms embargo on Turkey and instead enforcing a comprehensive ban on arms sales to Ankara and Baku. The Armenian National Committee of Canada remains committed to advocating for policies that align with Canada's principles of promoting global peace, security, and human rights, the organization added. YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia strongly condemns exploitation of food security for political purposes, Economy Minister Vahan Kerobyan said at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) in Berlin, where he participated with his deputy Arman Khojoyan. We are deeply concerned about the growing food security crisis in Europe and the Middle East and we strongly condemn the exploitation of food security as a method of achieving political goals. I believe that only together we can create a better future, by initiating changes that would accelerate economic growth and have deep impact on social welfare both nationally and globally, Kerobyan said, according to a press release issued by the Economy Ministry. Kerobyan also held meetings with agriculture ministers of Italy, Brazil and Botswana. The 61 participating nations adopted a communique during the ministerial meeting. SOFIA, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS/BTA.The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) was honoured at the ninth annual awards ceremony of the Sofia Library on Monday and it received the prize for original presentation of the library's literary heritage, digital resources and cultural events. As he received the honour, BTA Director General Kiril Valchev said that a comprehensive programme is needed for filling up library stocks with new books both in and outside the country. Valchev said that in 2023 the Sofia City Library offered its readers nearly 22,000 new titles of books and one in four of those was by Bulgarian classics and contemporary authors. "The vast majority of libraries not only in Bulgaria, but also of Bulgarian communities abroad, do not have this opportunity. Therefore, the Bulgarian State should start buying books for these libraries," he said. He went on to catalogue initiatives by the Bulgarian News Agency aimed to popularize books. BTA has opened a mobile National Book Press Club, which moves together with the Book Fair to different locations in the country and has started covering all the accompanying events, including the Sofia Literature Festival. The BTA press clubs present books. BTAs LIK magazine for literature, art and culture regularly writes about books as much as it writes about politics and economy, said Valchev. He argued that the State must support the publications of literature, art and culture. This also requires a national programme and responsible institutions rather than emergency measures every year. That is why BTA has restored its LIK magazine." (This information is being published according to an agreement between Armenpress and BTA.) He noted that starting this year, the paper version of the magazine will be available free of charge to about 300 libraries and other cultural institutions, and the on-line version will be available for to everyone at no cost on the BTA website. Archival issues will also be available for purchase in hard copy. The annual awards of the Sofia Library honour the most widely read writers and the most active readers. The selection of the most read contemporary Bulgarian authors is made by the library's readership based on statistics from the electronic catalogue. The writers prize for 2023 was awarded to Georgi Gospodinov for Time Shelter, and the prize for the author of the most read book last year went to Zahari Karabashliev and his novel Rana [Wound]. Prizes also went to: Ivan Landzhev for poetry; Prof. Tsocho Boyadzhiev for scientific and popular literature; Maria Doneva for children's literature; Tony Nikolov for a book about Sofia. The prize for original presentation of the literary heritage also went to the bTV newscast, the morning shows of Nova TV and of the Bulgarian National Television, the Zakuska na trevata [Breakfast on the grass] programme of the Bulgarian National Radio and to journalist Yana Spiridonov of Radio Sofia. Vladimir Zarev and Georgi Konstantinov were awarded the special prize of the Director of the Sofia Library. The Library reports that their readership is 91,000 people. In 2023 it has increased by 10,000 new readers. Over 60% of the active reading audience is young people up to the age of 28. The borrowed books for home are 630,000, and there are nearly 1,500 visits daily to the library. In the nine-year history of the Sofia Library awards, the library's readership has increased more than threefold, and the number of borrowed books - more than twofold, the library added. In 2023, readers were mostly looking for contemporary Bulgarian fiction, history, philosophy and politics, applied psychology, books on self-knowledge, healthy lifestyle, ecology, travel and tourism, memoirs, biograph. YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has been constructively involved in negotiations with Azerbaijan, nevertheless Yerevan has been observing some setbacks in regard to demarcation maps. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on Tuesday highlighted the importance of the peace process, the signing of the peace treaty, launching the demarcation process, as well as unblocking and transport and economic infrastructure in the region. Furthermore, FM Ararat Mirzoyan emphasized there are several key principles for Armenia. First of all, Armenia and Azerbaijan should recognize each others territorial integrity without ambiguities and without any wording that could leave room to misinterpretations, FM Mirzoyan said at a press briefing. Next, the border between the two countries should be demarcated on the basis of official maps drawn up by the authorities of the Soviet Union within the framework of their powers, with solid legal foundation. You know that we have always talked about the maps of 1974-1978 as the most recent maps reflecting the principles I mentioned. It is interesting that there was a proposal to use the maps from 1974-1990, this proposal was made by the Azerbaijani side itself. After a certain study, we assumed that this wording could be applicable, but going ahead, let me mention that for example, one could assume that certain setbacks have taken place in the Azerbaijani proposal itself [judging by] the Azeri presidents latest interview. Maximum clarity and legal invulnerability in the border demarcation process are key for Armenia, the FM said. In less than 24 hours, OnePlus will finally introduce the OnePlus 12 for international markets, following the phone's initial announcement for China back in December. So now is a great time to talk about its cameras, OnePlus has thought, since it just put out a press release that's all about them. Let's dive in, shall we? The OnePlus 12 "will boast an industry-first" customized Sony LYT-808 main camera, with a 1/1.4-inch sensor. The size lets it absorb 50% more light than the IMX890 main sensor used in the OnePlus 11, which should ensure exceptional performance in low-light or back-lit environments. The company promises you'll get shots with "remarkable details and clarity". There's also a special filter to reduce red glare and artifacts. The OnePlus 12 also has a 64MP periscope telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom, 6x in-sensor zoom, and 120x "Hybrid Zoom". This uses the OmniVision OV64B 1/2-inch sensor with an f/2.6 aperture. The sensor is 76% larger than the IMX709 used in the OnePlus 11, letting you capture "stunning photos at any distance", according to OnePlus. Interestingly (and, perhaps, tellingly), there's no mention of the ultrawide. It will be present, of course, it's just not highlighted - so we take it that this will have the smallest degree of improvement (if any) compared to the OnePlus 11's camera system. The company also boasts about its latest HDR algorithm, which can "replicate the interplay effects of natural lights and shadows" to deliver "breathtaking photos". We'll wait for our tests to confirm, of course. The new algorithm "comprehends what it sees", OnePlus says, and we're incredibly surprised it missed this opportunity to utter the "AI" buzzword. Portrait Mode gets an additional focal length that "embodies the iconic Hasselblad style", simulating the natural bokeh and flare effects of Hasselblad XCD 30, 65, and 90V lenses. The 1x to 3x Portrait Mode on the OnePlus 12 "delivers an authentic depth of field with seamless transitions between the subject and the background". Finally, the Pro Mode isn't called that anymore - say hello to Master Mode, while for video shooting there's support for 4K with Dolby Vision. Source On the eve of senators' expected debate on competing bills that would pave the way for a new Guam Memorial Hospital, Adelup issued a statement once again calling lawmakers to choose Barrigada over Ypao Point in Tamuning as the location for a new public hospital. "Ypao Point (in Tamuning) is too small for (a) new hospital," the governor's office said as it urged lawmakers to pass the administration-sponsored Bill 184-37. This measure would allow the administration to begin negotiating with the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission for the sale or lease of 64 acres of crown lands in the Mangilao-Barrigada area that the governor is eyeing for the site of a medical campus. The site has no known ancestral owner, Adelup said. Sen. Chris Barnett's Bill 185-37, meanwhile, seeks to mandate that the government build a new hospital at Ypao Point in Tamuning. An amended version of the bill eliminates the option to rebuild the current GMH, which was included in its original version. Adelup, in a statement Tuesday evening, said the alternative to Bill 184-37 would have Guam spend millions for a new hospital just as undersized as the current GMH"thanks to amended language added in Committee," referring to Barnett's amended Bill 185-37. "Senator Barnetts bill identifies three lots at Ypao Point for the construction of a new hospital. The total acreage of these three lots is 38 acres. This is not enough space to build a medical complex," the governor's office said. Barnett's amended bill also seeks to authorize the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to begin negotiating with the governor for the land they own next to the current GMH site at Oka Point. Senators will resume the session at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and they're anticipated to take up both bills. No room for growth The Guam Medical Association and a number of medical professionals have supported Barnett's bill seeking to place a new GMH at YPao Point. Southern residents and the Leon Guerrero administration continue to push for a Mangilao-Barrigada location. Adelup said even if the governor is forced to build a stand-alone hospital at Ypao Point and abandon plans to build a medical complex that includes a new public health building, behavioral health building, and veterans clinic, "there still wont be sufficient room for future growth." "The area at Ypao Point is too congested and tight," it said. "Sure, we can separate behavioral health, public health, and a veterans clinic from the hospital, but it will mean less efficient continuity of care." The governor's office statement also said while Guam can engineer ways to build on property with a fault line and caves underneath, it will cost more. "Sure, we can spend more money to put in new water and sewer infrastructure at Ypao Point, as the Guam Waterworks Authority has said will be necessary, but it will significantly increase traffic at the mouth of our tourism district. Sure, we can 'build up' and squeeze a hospital into Ypao Point, but what happens 30 or 40 years from now when we need more space?" Adelup said. "We'll either have to find another piece of property or expand into the Naftan Manaina-Ta or the Sagan Kotturan Chamoru Cultural Center, both of which have been reserved by law." The governor's office said the crown lands in Barrigada provide a flat, wide-open, uncongested space perfect for constructing a comprehensive medical complex. It said the area has more than enough room for future expansion 30 or 40 years from now when Guams needs have grown. "The Barrigada property does not limit our ability to build a state-of-the-art medical complex or grow and expand with Guams needs," Adelup said. "Why then limit Guams current and future needs to Ypao Point? Why limit ourselves? Barnett earlier said a government-commissioned study from Matrix Design that ranked Ypao Point as a better choice than the governors preferred site should not be ignored because of Adelups personal preferences. Ypao Point scored 34 points to the Mangilao-Barrigada sites 30 in the study, which Barnett said cost taxpayers $1.48 million. The Tamuning location ranked better on accessibility and infrastructure, but was deemed too small, at 35 acres, compared to the 102 acres at the other site. Debate on the final location of a new Guam Memorial Hospital and surrounding medical campus will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Senators are set to weigh two competing measures that would open up the door to the campus being built in either Tamuning or the Mangilao-Barrigada area. Whatever measure is ultimately passed could lock in the site of the new medical campus, which has been the subject of debate for months between lawmakers, the administration, medical professionals, and residents. Up first on the agenda is Gov. Lou Leon Guerreros Bill 184-37. It would allow the administration to begin negotiating with the Guam Ancestral Lands Commission for 64 acres of land in the Mangilao-Barrigada area that the governor is eyeing for the site of the new campus. Some southern residents and GMH leadership have spoken in support of the site, but no lawmakers have yet signed on to the governors bill as co-sponsors. Second on the agenda is Sen. Chris Barnetts Bill 185-37, which will mandate that the government build a new hospital in Tamuning, the site that the Guam Medical Association and a number of medical professionals have supported. An amended version of the bill eliminates the option to rebuild the current GMH, which was included in the original version of Bill 185. The amended version also would authorize the CHamoru Land Trust Commission to begin negotiating with the governor for the land they own next to the current GMH site at Oka Point. A final lease of up to 50 years would be allowed under the bill, pending legislative approval. Barnett told the Pacific Daily News he was not planning to ask for more testimony from experts in the medical field or the administration on Wednesday morning. Im not sure if any proponents of 184 have anything like that in the works, but Im eager to discuss, debate and have the vote on both of these bills, he said. The PDN did ask Adelup spokesperson Krystal Paco-San Agustin if any members of the administration were called on to testify on Wednesday morning, but was awaiting a response as of press time Tuesday. The Department of Revenue and Taxation has issued additional information about the new electronic filing requirements. Prior to 2024, employers who filed 250 or more information returns were required to file their information returns in electronic format. In February 2023, the Internal Revenue Service regulations were amended to require employers submitting 10 or more information returns to file electronically beginning in 2024. This requirement is described in Section 6011(e)(2)(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, also referred to as the Guam Territorial Income Tax Code, and applies to Guam. DRT currently accepts only the following information returns in electronic format: 1099MISC 1098E W2-GU 1099NEC 1098Q W2-G 1098C 1098T Paper form Filing in paper form is allowed. If an employer is unable to file electronically, it may submit a Form 8508 Application for a waiver from electronic filing of information returns to request a waiver of the electronic filing requirement. For those who are unable to file form W2-GU or 1099NEC either electronically or in paper form by Jan. 31, 2024, DRT said the employer may submit Form 8809 Application for Extension of Time to File Information Returns to request an extension of 30 days from the date the filing is due. However, this extension will only extend the employers due date for filing information returns with DRT. It will not extend the due date for employers to provide employees with their Form W-2 or 1099 statements. DRTs system currently accepts electronic filing only in ASCII text format. DRT is working on expanding the system to allow for online data entry. For additional information, contact the DRT Income Tax Assistance and Processing Branch at (671) 635-1857/7603/7604/1842 or by email at incometax@revtax.guam.gov. Capt. John T. Frye will relieve Capt. Michael D. Luckett as U.S. Naval Base Guam commanding officer during a change of command ceremony on Jan. 26. The ceremony will be held at Top o the Mar on Nimitz Hill at 4 p.m., with Rear Adm. Gregory Huffman, commander, Joint Region Marianas, as guest speaker. The ceremony will be livestreamed on Facebook.com/USNavalBaseGuam. Luckett has served as NBGs commanding officer from July 2021 to January 2024. During this time, Luckett expertly led his command in providing installation support to 52 Department of Defense activities and six non-DoD activities located on four geographically separate sites across 32,000 acres of land, according to a press release from NBG. Among his accomplishments, Lucketts exceptional logistical support enabled the safe completion of 1,856 ship movements and provided more than 45 million gallons of fuel to units of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, U.S. Transportation Command, Military Sealift Command, and allies. This support was indispensable to furthering the mission of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in the Marianas region, NBG said. Lucketts efficient and effective leadership during Typhoon Mawar resulted in the rapid restoration of life support services to the ships, sailors, and family under his care. Furthermore, he supported the local community by providing personnel, equipment, and more than 1 million gallons of fresh water per day as part of an island wide storm recovery. Lucketts superior performance of duties culminated his 30 years of honorable and dedicated military service, NBG said. New commanding officer Frye recently served as commanding officer of USS Frank Cable from May 2022 to December 2023. As Frank Cables commanding officer, Frye guided the crew through a critical expeditionary period which included conducting theater security cooperation events with allies and partners in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore; improved coordination and interoperability by hosting submarine staff talks between Commander, Task Force 74 and his counterparts in the Indonesian and Malaysian navies; and conducted 13 community relations projects in seven ports totaling more than 2,500 hours of community service. Following the ships expeditionary period, Frank Cable and crew completed an extensive repair overhaul period in Vallejo, California. Frank Cable returned to its homeport in Apra Harbor, Guam in October to assume duty as the lead maintenance activity on the waterfront. Presenting her annual activity report for 2023 at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Council of Europe (CoE) Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovic, called for determined and collective efforts to regain lost ground and advance human rights, PACE informed. January 23, 2024, 10:35 Dunja Mijatovic calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to focus on human rights during their peace talks STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 23, ARTSAKHRESS: She called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to ensure focus on human rights protection in their peace talks. During the PACE winter session, Mijatovic first recalled that she had visited Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Nagorno-Karabakh, from October 16 to 23, 2023, and then emphasized that human rights violations were also recorded during the long Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. She called on the parties to establish strong human rights safeguards for all persons affected by the conflict. "Just a few days ago, I published observations following a visit to Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. It was the first time in decades that a human rights mission of this kind was able to visit the Karabakh region. I stressed that effective human rights protection of all persons affected by the conflict over the Karabakh region is key to the success of the peace process," the CoE Commissioner for Human Rights said, in particular, in her speech . The amount of contaminated water discharged from Ordot dump has seen a steep fall after climbing high through early 2023, according to representatives from the court-appointed receiver in charge of closing out the dump. Getting the flow of leachate from the dump down is key to reducing the governments costs for monitoring and maintaining the environmentally hazardous site. The Guam Solid Waste Authority also has to adequately fund those costs, in order to get out of the federal receivership thats run the dump since 2008. After a large spike in leachate flows in 2022 and early 2023, the amounts of leachate have begun to come down, Chris Lund, senior vice president for receiver Gershman, Brickner, & Bratton Inc. told the GSWA board Tuesday. GBB President Harvey Gershman said the numbers were way down. We had through 2022, heavy, heavy flows through the entire year, really the highest flows that we have seen at the site, Lund said. Pumping out and treating those heavy flows at one point had the estimated post-closure costs for Ordot up to $87 million, the Pacific Daily News reported. That estimate has more recently fell to $32 million. In 2022, an average of 110,930 gallons of leachate was produced by the dumpsite a day, compared to 44,149 gallons per day produced in 2023, Lund told GSWAs board. Much of the fall-off coincided with the fix of a Guam Waterworks Authority line that was leaking water near the area, he said. Typhoon Mawar in May and heavy rains in August 2023 spiked rainfall rates, but we only had a very small reaction to our flow rates in the system, Lund said. For January 2024, the amount of leachate produced at the site is now down to about 10,000 gallons a day. The leachate removal system at Ordot can absorb up to 210,000 gallons a day, according to Lund. He said GBB is now working to put together documentation from the year-long investigation of leachate increases at the dump. The receiver previously said they aim to finally hand off control of Ordot to GSWA by summer, but District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood in November said she wanted to first see more done about water seeps at the dump site. Local and federal environmental officials are also concerned about the penetration of water into the dumpsite, which is lined with an 18- to 24-inch membrane meant to keep water out. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis predicts that residents will have the opportunity to vote on a marijuana legalization initiative in November. During an event in New Hampshire on Jan. 19, just a few days before officially ending his presidential campaign, cannabis lobbyist Don Murphy asked the governor about the likelihood of marijuana being legalized throughout the state. In response, DeSantis said, I think the court is going to approve that so itll be on the ballot. While supporting the ideal of letting voters decide for themselves, its safe to say the initiative wont be getting his own personal vote of approval. At an event put together by the Never Back Down Super PAC in August, Florida Politics reported that DeSantis called recreational marijuana a real, real problem and told reporters, Yeah, I would not legalize. But it may be up to Florida voters to decide. A proposed state amendment, which would allow Floridians to buy and hold limited marijuana amounts for personal use without a medical license is currently under review by the state Supreme Court, which has until April to decide if it will be included on the Nov. 5, 2024, ballot for a statewide vote. A petition in support of the proposition amassed 1,033,769 voter signatures, surpassing the 891,523 required and a recent survey by the University of North Floridas Public Opinion Research Lab revealed that nearly 70% of Floridas registered voters are in favor of it. Unlike previous surveys when we simply asked if folks support or oppose legalization of recreational marijuana, this time we gave respondents the specifics of this proposed amendment, Dr. Michael Binder, the labs director, said in a news release. Yet again, it looks like it has a good chance of passing, if the measure makes it through the courts, and that is a very big if. However, with DeSantis openly anticipating the courts approval, that once considerable if may now be inclining towards a more affirmative outcome. In 2016, Florida voters overwhelmingly supported a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, with more than 70% in favor, paving the way for a significant number of Floridians to access medical cannabis. As of Jan. 19, 2024, the state had 870,458 registered medical marijuana patients. Haiti - Politic : Former President Privert deeply concerned about insecurity in the country Monday January 21, 2024, in a note, former President Jocelerme Privert, expressed his "deepest concern about the constant deterioration of the security situation in the country" emphasizing that the population "[...] in different regions of the country, do not stop living in worry and fear of the terror of armed gangs who kill, rape, steal and kidnap all day long in the complicit silence of the authorities." "[...] The metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince, from north to south, is completely cut off from the rest of the country. People in disadvantaged neighborhoods are forced to flee their homes to settle in public squares, in schools or in precarious shelters. [...] The ordeal of members of the population living in working-class neighborhoods such as Solino, La Saline, Bel-Air, Cite Soleil, Carrefour-Feuilles, Canaan, Mariani, etc... who run in all directions to escape the fury of the bandits armed [...] These public calamities are a source of major concern. It is untenable and unacceptable and must challenge us all. "Former President Privert has, once again, drawn the attention of the national security forces to the urgent need for an appropriate and urgent response to this situation which can no longer continue. This spate of violence which bereaves Haitian families every day in all sectors of national life must be their priority. The very survival of our Nation is at stake ! Former President Privert urges, once again, the established authorities to assume their responsibilities by doing everything possible to definitively alleviate this situation of chronic instability preventing peaceful citizens from going about their business freely and without constraints." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Arrest of Cholzer Chancy Yesterday Monday, former Deputy Cholzer Chancy was arrested on the orders of judge Al Duniel Dimanche (responsible for investigating the case) after his hearing in the case of misappropriation of material at the National Equipment Center (CNE) https://www.haitilibre.com/icones/english.png Gazoline between 2000 and 2500 gourdes In Jeremie, a shortage of basic necessities persists due to the blockage of the Mariani road for more than 20 days. A gallon of gasoline has been sold for between 2000 and 2500 gourdes in the city since this Saturday, January 20, 2024. Shooting at Jeremie At the start of the day yesterday Monday January 22, a shooting cost the lives of 3 people and injured 3 others at Carrefour BAC (Jeremie), a strategic location for protest movements. Demonstrators and relatives of the victims took to some streets to continue to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, demanding justice for the victims. At Platon, the area of the new Delegate, they were greeted by throwing stones, bottles and projectiles. 6 nuns kidnapped : Chain of prayers The Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince and the Haitian Conference of Religious announce that they will devote the day of Wednesday, January 24 to prayer, meditation and Eucharistic adoration. Inviting all the Haitian faithful to "organize a chain of incessant prayers" for the release of the 6 nuns kidnapped on January 19, with their driver and a passenger in the minibus which transported them. https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-41473-haiti-flash-6-nuns-kidnapped.html Kidnapping of a PNH Inspector Yesterday Monday, Divisional Inspector Joachim Antoine, in charge of traffic (DCPR) in the Municipality of Tabarre, was kidnapped near the American embassy. Then released a few hours later by his attackers. Attack on the Carrefour-Marassa sub-police station Heavily armed individuals attacked the Carrefour-Marassa sub-police station in the north of the capital yesterday, at least two police officers were reportedly seriously injured. HL/ HaitiLibre After finding a barely noticeable GPS tracking device embedded into their kerbside rubbish bin, one Aussie has questioned whether other people "knew this data collection was happening". The Port Adelaide resident, in the city's north-west, uploaded a series of photos to social media showing the small, round device that's been placed atop the bin's body, just beneath where the lid sits. The tiny device, the person wrote "collects data on you, seemingly without anyones knowledge or any real announcement." While the South Australian is correct, that the device does gather waste collection data, many people pointed out that in fact there's nothing sinister about the trackers, and their deployment is actually quite "helpful" to the community. The trackers help local councils keep track of important information such as 'presentation rates and if bins were contaminated or overfull'. Source: Reddit They use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to help local councils keep track of important information such as "presentation rates and if bins were contaminated or overfull." The company responsible for managing the trackers in the area, East Waste, say they're also used "to track bin movements and identify where additional bins may located". "A small RFID microchip is fitted under the lip of each bin, which allows the truck to register each individual lift and log it directly against each bin, and its physical location," the company states on its website, pointing to the fact the scheme had been in operation since as early as 2012, in at least one local government area. When contacted by Yahoo News Australia, the Local Government Association of South Australia directed us to the company which manufactures the GPS trackers, East Waste. However it declined to provide comment for this story. The company does however state online that it's expanding its operations into bin weighing "to record the weight of contents of each bin, as it is emptied." Story continues It's not known if other councils in Adelaide use such technology for waste collection but bin weighing is used across the UK and throughout much of Europe. The company responsible for managing the trackers EastWaste, say they're also used 'to track bin movements and identify where additional bins may located'. Source: Reddit/EastWaste Here in Australia, a number of local government areas also use GPS bin tracking, including in NSW in Sydney's eastern suburbs, throughout areas governed by Randwick City Council. There, the trackers date all the way back to 2008. Online, people joked about privacy concerns. "Oh no! Now they know my bin goes from the kerb outside my house into my yard," one person said in jest. "Bin conspiracy sounds like rubbish to me," another joked. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Day-trippers flocked to a popular Aussie beach as the mercury soared to 30 degrees earlier this month. As they splashed in waters that felt like a warm tropical bath, an extremely rare Antarctic seal joined them. But all was not well. Acclimatised to an icy wilderness rather than stifling Port Phillip Bay, the crabeater seal kept its eyes closed and barely moved. Some people were really curious, but most were ignoring it and just trying to keep cool. They probably didnt realise how rare it was to see a crabeater seal, photographer Doug Gimesy told Yahoo News. Gimesy watched the animal for two hours at McCrae on Victorias Mornington Peninsula from behind ropes that authorities set up to protect it. But what they couldnt shield the animal from was the high temperature and the noise. On a Melbourne summer's day where the air temperature reached over 30 degrees, a species accustomed to the freezing waters of Antarctica swam close to shore. Source: Doug Gimesy It was languishing in the shallows, poking its head above the waves occasionally, and to me it looked like it was really struggling. With so many people around, most wildlife would try to head off, but it just stayed there. I felt sorry for it every time it put its head underwater, because I knew it would be hearing jet skis and motorboats zooming past. How rare was the crabeater seal sighting? Knowing how rare its appearance was, Gimesy snapped his images of the crabeater seal on January 12. The last time one swam close to Melbourne was 2016. It had been the first sighting in Victorian waters since 1999 and its presence attracted large crowds and national news coverage. Solitary crabeater seals are only spotted on Victorias shores an average of once a decade, and there are only 112 confirmed sightings on record. This year's visitor was first seen in early January, and it was later recorded at multiple beaches including Avalon. 2023 was the worlds hottest year on record and 2024 is expected to be hotter still because of climate change, and it's expected this will make conditions less desirable for crabeater seals. Did the crabeater seal survive its ordeal? Unusual sightings of crabeater seals have also been made around South America, New Zealand, and South Africa. And animals who have made these long trips often die. Story continues Every time the seal put its head underwater, Gimesy could imagine it would hear the sound of motorboats and jet skis. Source: Doug Gimesy Sadly, that was also the fate of this crabeater seal. Its body was discovered the Saturday after it was photographed on the Mornington Peninsula. Prior to its death, authorities had been concerned about its sustained stay in Melbourne's unusually warm waters. Zoos Victorias Marine Response Unit recovered the seal's body on behalf of the states Department of Environment (DEECA). The post-mortem is underway and we have not received a definitive cause of death yet, a spokesperson said. DEECA confirmed an investigation is being conducted. It will likely reveal what killed the animal in January. More rare creature sightings A Crabeater seal at Wauwermans Islands, Antarctic Peninsula in December 2018. Source: Doug Gimesy Comparing Melbourne and Antarctica Gimesy has photographed crabeater seals in their natural Antarctic habitat before, something he describes as magnificent. This experience made it even harder to see the animal struggling in Victoria. Seeing wildlife outside their natural habitat surrounded by people is always sad and distressing because you intuitively know that something's wrong, he said. Whereas seeing them 3000 kilometres away, doing what they should do, where they should be, is a joyful and wonderful experience. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Havre Police Department The theft of a compliance monitoring device was reported at 3:14 p.m. Monday. -- Justin James Martin of Havre, 46, was arrested on charges of trespass to property and possession of drug paraphernalia after a Second Street caller reported Monday at 6:22 p.m. that someone had broken into one of the caller's residences by crawling through a window. -- Nathan Charles Stanley of Havre, 42, was issued a summons on charges of no vehicle insurance and open container, Stephen Rocky-Jaden Small of Havre, 19, was arrested on a charge of minor in possession and Sydney Leigh... Staff and wire report Editors note: This version corrects former Rep. Ed Hill of Havres party affiliation. Hill is a Republican. Rep. Paul Tuss, D-Havre, announced in a press release this week he has filed for re-election to the Montana House of Representatives in House District 27, which encompasses the City of Havre and parts of Hill County, including North Havre. Tuss was elected to the Legislature in 2022, defeating incumbent Rep. Ed Hill, R-Havre, and served during the 2023 session. He served on the House Appropriations Committee, Long Range Planning Subcommittee and Legislati... Gail M. (Joy) Faber, 66, passed away January 17, 2024, at home of natural causes. A vigil will be held at 6 p.m. Friday January 26, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Havre, MT. Her funeral Mass will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday January 27, 2024, also at St. Jude's, with a luncheon/reception to follow in the St. Jude's Parish Center. Burial will take place this summer in a family ceremony, in her childhood home. Wilderness Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. Visit https://www.wildernessfuneralhomes.com to leave a message for the family. WEDNESDAY, Oct. 4, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- When Hannah, a California marketing professional, showed up at her local emergency room in March 2023 for a pregnancy-related complication, she wasnt prepared for what happened next. I arrived at 2 p.m. and finally saw the obstetrics team at midnight, she recalled. After an exam, doctors scheduled her for a procedure on the following day, but there wasnt a room available. I ended up spending the night in a makeshift room in the lobby of the emergency room with a plastic sheet separating me from the rest of the people waiting for attention, Hannah said. Unfortunately, this is not rare in U.S. emergency departments. Millions of people a day go to emergency rooms to seek care, but many, like Hannah, end up in a holding pattern due to overcrowding. This is known as boarding, and experts say the problem is only getting worse. We are facing a national public health crisis, Dr. Aisha Terry, associate professor of emergency medicine at George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C., and ACEP's president-elect, said Tuesday. Speaking at an ACEP press briefing, Terry said that emergency departments are overflowing, emergency physicians are overwhelmed, and patient care is at risk. Research consistently shows that boarding leads to worse outcomes, medical errors, privacy issues and in some cases, death, she said. Some people spend weeks, even months, waiting to get a room in the hospital or be transferred to an outside facility. Its jaw-dropping when you think about the length of time that people are waiting in the emergency department since there is no space to care for them, Terry said. Boarding has been an issue for decades, but stresses owing to the COVID-19 pandemic such as staffing shortages and an uptick in mental health conditions have made it much worse. In a new ACEP poll of 2,164 U.S. adults, 44% of respondents said they or a loved one experienced long waits in emergency departments, with 16% waiting 13 or more hours before being admitted or transferred. Almost half of adults surveyed said they would delay emergency care if they knew they could face boarding. In all, 42% said hospitals should be primarily responsible for improving the situation, while 17% said Congress should pass legislation addressing boarding. Sixteen percent said insurers should ease cumbersome prior-authorization policies that can result in days-long waits for transfer to a skilled nursing facility. Nine in 10 respondents consider emergency medical services (EMS) essential, roughly the same percentage who said additional or supplemental government funding for essential services should be a priority. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. One health care worker quoted in the ACEP's presentation to journalists said: "Last week our 22-bed emergency department had 35 boarders and an additional 20 patients in the waiting room. Longest boarding time this month was over 200 hours with averages around 70 hours per patient. In addition, we have patients who unfortunately have died in our waiting room while awaiting treatment. These deaths were entirely due to boarding." Terry told reporters that resource and staff shortages can't be accepted as the new normal. We need action now to preserve the safety net for the lives we work every day to save, she said. ACEP has suggested creating a regional dashboard of available beds that emergency departments can use when needing to place someone. In addition, reimbursement incentives for hospitals that transfer people to avoid extreme boarding could also make a difference, the group suggests. Terry added that tuition reimbursement, stress relief programs and suicide prevention services need to be available for health care workers to help address the staff shortages. Laura Wooster, senior vice president of advocacy and external affairs at ACEP, agreed. She added that some groups such as kids in mental health crises are disproportionally affected by staffing shortages and emergency room boarding situations. Addressing the crisis starts with efforts to increase the number of beds available for these kids in the community, Wooster said. Mental health mobile crisis teams can also help reach these kids where they are, she added. More information Learn more about the boarding crisis at the American College of Emergency Physicians. SOURCES: Hannah, marketing professional, California; Aisha Terry, MD, MPH, associate professor, emergency medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, D.C. and president-elect, American College of Emergency Physicians; Laura Wooster, MPH, senior vice president, advocacy and external affairs, American College of Emergency Physicians, Washington, D.C.; American College of Emergency Physicians, news briefing, Oct. 3, 2023 Jarkko Eloranta , the chairperson of SAK, on Monday said the central organisation is confident that the public ultimately understands the decision to resort to such forceful measures in protest of the labour market reforms and social security cuts laid out by the government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP). THE CENTRAL ORGANISATION of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) has expressed its regret about the damage caused by the political strikes that are to take place in early February. We apologise for the possible harm the upcoming strikes will cause to people, he said in a press release. We also hope that announcing the strikes early has enabled people to prepare for what is ahead. A series of political strikes are set to disrupt various activities and services in Finland on 12 February. The Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff (Akava) on Monday revealed that its member unions will organise a march-out of two hours on 6 February. Further actions are to be announced today by the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland (Tehy), the Finnish Union of Practical Nurses (Super) and the Trade Union of Education in Finland (OAJ). Eloranta on Monday also voiced his frustration with the public discussion surrounding the tense labour market situation. The public estimates that the strikes are oversized are evidence of arrogance and alienation from the day-to-day lives of wage earners in Finland, he argued, seemingly pointing to remarks by Orpo and Minister of Employment Arto Satonen (NCP). The government has made itself a party to the labour market. Wage earners are not calling for additional benefits but simply trying to uphold the rules of a fair working life, he said. He also rejected the view that companies are surrogate victims of the industrial actions. Many of the governments social security cuts represent goals that industries have long lobbied for. The ideas that swing the balance of working life markedly to the benefit of employers are from the wish list of business lobbies, stated Eloranta. Aleksi Teivainen HT In a recent survey conducted by Oma kieli ry, six Finnish presidential candidates unanimously voiced opposition to the ongoing trend of English becoming more prevalent in Finnish society. The candidates, Mika Aaltola , Sari Essayah , Pekka Haavisto , Jussi Halla-aho , Harry Harkimo , and Olli Rehn , responded to a series of questions about the role of English in Finnish society, particularly in education, public, and private services. Notably, Li Andersson , Alexander Stubb , and Jutta Urpilainen did not participate in the survey. The survey, echoing similar questions asked in the National Language Barometer in September 2023, sought the candidates' views on whether all permanent residents in Finland should be required to speak Finnish or Swedish, and if Finland should evolve into a country where living in English is feasible. All respondents affirmed the importance of proficiency in Finnish or Swedish for permanent residents and opposed the idea of an English-dominant Finland. A critical point of discussion was the role of English in education. Five of the six candidates expressed concerns that the quality of education in Finland could deteriorate if English becomes more widely used as the medium of instruction. Harry Harkimo did not take a stance on this particular issue. The candidates also diverged on the use of English in private services. The survey statement, "It is discriminatory to serve consumers in Finland only in English, as not everyone speaks or wishes to communicate in English," found agreement from Aaltola, Essayah, and Halla-aho. In contrast, Harkimo leaned towards disagreeing, highlighting entrepreneurs' freedom to choose their service language. Rehn and Haavisto chose "undecided", with their justifications focusing on the quick integration of skilled foreign workers into the workforce. The survey also revealed mixed opinions on the provision of public services in English. While some candidates agreed that offering extensive English-language public services could hinder integration and prove costly, others saw merit in facilitating certain services, like business establishment, in English. These responses from presidential candidates align with the sentiment expressed by 82% of Finns in the National Language Barometer, who view English-only private services as discriminatory. Additionally, 56% believe that extensive English-language public services could slow down integration and increase costs. The candidates' answers reflect a strong, principled support for the status of national languages in Finland. However, their varied responses on specific issues highlight differing views on the extent to which education, public, and private services should be offered in English. While some see the growing use of English as detrimental to integration and language learning, others argue for the necessity of English in addressing the pressing need for workforce. Oma kieli ry emphasizes that the future of Finnish and Swedish as common languages for all residents in Finland hinges on decisions made across various societal sectors. Increasing use of English in education, as a common language in Finnish working life, as an automatic third language in public services, and as the sole language in many private services, could lead to the very scenario the candidates and Finnish citizens oppose: an English-dominated Finland. HT THE Mayor of Henley has appealed for help in reigniting the towns friendship link with a city in Somaliland. Kellie Hinton said she needed volunteers to help restore the connection with Borama in the unrecognised state in the Horn of Africa. She was encouraged by Cabdi Jaamac, a Somali national, who travelled to Henley from his home in Bristol to meet her after reading about the declining relationship in an online article from the Henley Standard. The Henley-Borama Friendship Association was founded in 1982 but has struggled to fulfil its obligations since the death of its founder, Malcolm Page, in 2021. Mr Page was a junior officer in the Somaliland Scouts when the country was a British protectorate and wanted to maintain a link between the two countries on his return to the UK. John Green, a long-serving member of the friendship association, and president of the Henley branch of the Royal British Legion, also attended the meeting at the town hall. Councillor Hinton said: Although the friendship has obviously existed, for various reasons, including losing vital members of the group such as Malcolm, and covid, we havent been able to really strengthen that link. This meeting is about reigniting the friendship and strengthening it going forward, hopefully starting with a summer event like the ones held previously. Hopefully we will get some more people on board because many hands make light work. Councillor Hinton agreed to become the new link between the two communities in place of Jane Smewing, who previously led the association, and to continue when she steps down as Mayor in May. She said she wanted to hold a celebration event in Mill Meadows with members of the Somali community to kick-start a new chapter for the association. In July 2016, a celebration party was held in Market Place, which scores of Somali nationals from around the country attended. The association hosted similar events in 2017 and in 2019, called Borama comes to Henley. Councillor Hinton said: Everyone came down we had councillors, dancing, everything. Its normally an event where everybody has a picnic and there are some performances on the bandstand. Hopefully well have a summer event in Mill Meadows because its large enough to accommodate such a crowd and the whole community comes from around the UK. Hopefully people will have so much fun that they want to get involved in the group that helps keep the friendship. In recent years it has been difficult for a Henley representative to visit Borama as the UK does not recognise Somaliland as an independent state and advises British nationals not to travel there. Cllr Hinton said she tried to go when she was last mayor in 2017 but the Foreign Office wouldnt support her. She said: Id looked into it because I was invited and I was really quite keen. At the time Boris Johnson was Secretary of State, so I wrote him an email saying, Could you give me permission to go? It would be great for diplomatic relations. But we received no reply and before I knew, it was the end of my term. The reason we have a friendship link and not a twinning one like with Falaise, Leichlingen and Bled is because Somaliland is not officially recognised by the Government as a country in its own right, however crazy that may seem. The last mayor to visit Borama was Dr Noel Snell in 1985. Mr Jaamac, who is from the Somaliland capital Hargeisa, said: The way I got involved is I read the Henley Standards articles about the events in Henley with the Borama people. Then suddenly I was reading this story, Friendship link fading, says former mayor. I realised that with death of Malcolm and then covid, the link was fading. I said, This should not happen, we have to revive it. Somaliland was formerly a crown colony known as the Somaliland Protectorate and was granted independence by the UK in June 26, 1960. Mr Jaamac said: The British were not happy when that was happening. Somaliland doesnt get the diplomatic recognition as an independent country from the outside world, including in Great Britain. A Sydneysider has been praised for what he described as a "passive aggressive" approach to dealing with an annoying neighbour. After putting up with ash and cigarette butts raining down onto his balcony, the 40-year-old took matters into his own hands and put pen to paper, writing a seemingly-friendly note and he even included a gift. Hi there neighbour, the resident wrote. I would really like it if you would use this ashtray instead of flicking the ashes or butts off the balcony. It blows onto ours and is not so nice to clean up or to get in the eyes. Sincerely, another neighbour. Along with the letter, the man has given his neighbour an ash tray. Instead of calling strata, the Sydney resident sent his neighbour a note and an ashtray. Source: Reddit/dense-voyager Does this seem a bit too passive aggressive? he asked users on Reddit. Instead of calling strata, I did this instead: bought a $1 ashtray after I physically saw the guy flicking ashes and then the ciggy butt off the balcony. Neighbours revenge Despite his concerns, the Sydney resident has been congratulated for his responsible, thoughtful and polite way of dealing with the situation. And it turned out that not everyone is as kind under the circumstances with plenty of people happy to share their reactions to similar situations. Our neighbour kept flicking butts despite being told repeatedly to stop by the building manager and several tenants, especially as he'd do it in the courtyard and there were several toddlers in the building who would play there, one person wrote. So someone collected them all and put them in his shoes he'd leave outside by his front door. It was effective and he stopped flicking them after that. Another explained how the neighbour across the street from them used to cross the road and smoke on their driveway so his wife wouldnt catch him. He would flick his butts towards my bin as opposed to putting them in it, they explained. Story continues I politely asked him to not do that but he kept at it so I recorded him doing it daily for a year then submitted 345 individual reports of littering for each day to Report a Tosser. I think its around $300 to $600 depending on the offence. He moved out soon after. Apparently he could not afford rent and had to leave. Is smoking on a balcony legal? While cigarette smoking is one of the most common disputes strata managers face, according to The Strata Collective especially as more people are now working from home there is no direct law against it. It really comes down to what is in the strata bylaws, Monica Rouvellas, a property lawyer, told Yahoo News Australia. But smoking would, at least in New South Wales, generally impact the quiet enjoyment of other tenants and could be considered as a nuisance. The 40-year-old man said he "physically saw the guy flicking ashes and then the ciggy butt off the balcony". Source: Getty Images So unfortunately, its on a case-by-case basis. It depends on each strata complex and their various bylaws, Rouvellas explained. Some of them might have smoking areas or smoke-free areas. She urged the resident to check what is in their bylaws. If there is nothing in the bylaws, then technically the balcony is considered part of that person's unit so they should be able to do what they do on that balcony. However, throwing cigarette butts over the balcony onto someone else's balcony or yard, that would of course not only be littering but that would also fall under nuisance. If residents or owners fail to comply with bylaws, and are causing a nuisance or a hazard by smoking, the owners corporation can issue a Notice to Comply, according to The Strata Collective. If the notice fails to stop the problem, the owners corporation can then make an application to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal which can issue a hefty monetary fine with penalties of up to 10 penalty units, or $1,000. While a repeat offender who breaches the smoking bylaw again within 12 months of their first offence, could be fined double. Should neighbours try to solve problems themselves? For that person to offer them an ashtray and write a little note, I think that's probably a better way to try to resolve the issue, and good on them for doing that, Rouvellas said. She went on to explain that handling neighbourhood disputes yourself can often help avoid any flare ups. The first step should always be to speak or write to the person to ask them to stop this sort of behaviour because of X, Y and Z, and how it impacts on your right to quiet enjoyment, she said. The second step, if the behaviour keeps occurring, is of course to go to Strata and to report that behaviour. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Fed-up locals have called for more bins to be installed around our coastlines after "entitled" beachgoers left a popular beach in a "disgusting" state at the weekend, which people say is a regular occurrence. Jam-packed beaches is something Aussies have grown to expect in the summer months, with tourists and locals alike flocking to the sea to cool down and soak up the sun's rays. Although local businesses enjoy the influx of foot traffic, residents living near some of Sydney's busiest beaches say with extra visitors also comes "lazy" behaviour. Such was the case at Coogee, in the city's east, with images posted to social media on Sunday showing rubbish scattered all over the sand, dotting the shoreline as sea gulls pick through the litter. In the pictures, dozens of empty bottles can be seen on the sand along with empty food packages and discarded belongings. Beer bottles, food wrappers and discarded belongings were seen on Coogee beach. Source: Facebook. Images of rubbish-filled beach outrages locals Furious Eastern Suburbs residents slammed the "absolutely appalling" behaviour, with people calling for more rubbish bins to cater to the growing crowds. "I pick up bags full of plastic bottles at the northern end of Maroubra Beach," a person wrote. "In the two years I've been living nearby, l've never seen a ranger, but really, how hard is it to put rubbish in a bin. "Yesterday I collected 40 bottles along the rocks. It's really pathetic." People have said the beach was left in an "absolutely appalling" state. Source: Facebook. Others said they "truly don't understand the mindset" with some locals describing the environmental hazard as "absolutely appalling." "It's disgusting to think in this day and age people still don't know how to respect their surroundings and nature. Leave your bad habits at home," a furious local wrote. "The trouble with Eastern Suburbs beaches is there are no bins on the beach. If you provide a bin then people will use it [instead of] leaving it," said another. Story continues Mayor warns beachgoers Randwick City Council Mayor Philipa Veitch issued a warning to people hoping to visit beaches in the area. "Our message is simple: please take your rubbish with you. We will be adding more bins and more staff to empty the bins at our busiest areas. However, if the bin is full or you are in an area with no bins please take your rubbish home," she said in a warning issued late last month. Coogee locals have slammed the 'lazy' behaviour of beachgoers at the weekend. Source: Facebook. "Rubbish left on beaches or in parks can end up in our oceans. If youve enjoyed a swim for the day, look after our waterways and take your rubbish with you when you leave. Our staff do a great job and thats helped when every visitor puts their rubbish in the bins provided or takes it home with them." Recently, residents in Noosa, on the Sunshine Coast, were disappointed and dumbfounded by the bad behaviour of tourists who spent their Christmas break camping by the beach. The once pristine Noosa North Shore was left covered in litter with discarded camping gear, including new tents and popular cabanas, which were abandoned by holidaymakers fleeing the extreme weather that battered Queensland. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? Get our new newsletter showcasing the weeks best stories. Last week, ahead of the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra embarked on a three-day, three-state Reproductive Health Care Series where he spoke with patients, providers, policymakers, and others on how the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization has impacted access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraception. On Wednesday, January 17, Secretary Becerra launched the Reproductive Health Care Series at a press conference at the HHS headquarters building in Washington, D.C., alongside the following Members of Congress: Democratic House Whip Rep. Katherine Clark, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Diana DeGette, Pro-Choice Caucus Co-Chair Rep. Barbara Lee, Rep. Lizzie Fletcher, Rep. Valerie P. Foushee, and Rep. Jennifer McClellan. On Thursday, January 18, Secretary Becerra visited Richmond, Virginia, for a conversation at the local Planned Parenthood East End Clinic to hear from students, reproductive care providers, and womens health advocates on the importance of access to reproductive health care. Later that day, Secretary Becerra met virtually with undergraduate and medical students across the country to discuss how the Dobbs decision makes it harder to train our nations next generation of medical providers and may even lessen the number of next. On Friday, January 19, the final day of the series, Secretary Becerra hosted two conversations, changed from an in-person format to virtual due to inclement weather, with students at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and with students at the University of Maryland Baltimore alongside Maryland Governor Wes Moore. In Pennsylvania, Becerra told [Lincoln University] students that the Biden administration is working to protect patient-provider privacy, emergency abortions when the child-bearers life is in danger, and access to safe contraceptive care, wrote The Philadelphia Inquirer. And in Maryland, Secretary Becerra and Governor Moore discussed the increase of out-of-state patients following the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision: People from around the country have traveled to Maryland for abortions since the court in the June 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson decision shifted the onus to states to decide whether such services are legal, wrote The Baltimore Sun. Image Secretary Xavier Becerra holds a press conference at HHS in Washington, D.C. on access to reproductive health care. Image Secretary Xavier Becerra at Planned Parenthood East End Clinic in Richmond, Virginia. Read and watch more about the Reproductive Health Care Series: The Hill: Becerra to launch reproductive health care series ahead of Roe anniversary The health care series will start in D.C. on Wednesday, with Becerra hosting Democratic female Congress members for a discussion on HHSs work, The Hill can exclusively report. This series will take place ahead of the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision on Jan. 22. Becerra will be joined by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Democratic House Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.), along with Democratic Reps. Diana DeGette (Colo.), Barbara Lee (Calif.), Lois Frankel (Fla.), Lizzie Fletcher (Texas), Valerie P. Foushee (N.C.) and Jennifer McClellan (Va.). The Messenger: Democrats Launch New Abortion Rights Campaign Ahead of Roe v. Wade Anniversary "HHS will continue to take concrete action to protect womens access to reproductive care, contraception, and abortion. In America, every woman should be able to access the health care they need," Becerra said in a statement. Becerra's visits come ahead of the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. The landmark case was overturned in 2022 with Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, paving the way for increased abortion restrictions to take effect in several states across the country. Bloomberg: HHS Chief Promises Aggressive Fight to Protect Abortion Rights We will do everything we can, including go to court, to ensure the rights of all Americans when it comes to access to their health care, Becerra told reporters Wednesday. WTVR (CBS 6 Richmond): Image Richmond Times-Dispatch: In Richmond, U.S. health secretary says Biden will work to protect reproductive rights U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra said Thursday in Richmond that President Joe Bidens administration is prepared to pull every lever to protect reproductive health care privacy and access following the overturn of federal protections in June 2022. Becerra visited a Planned Parenthood center in Richmond to participate in a roundtable discussion with reproductive health care advocates The gathering Thursday was part of a series of meetings Biden administration officials are holding with activists, health care workers, students and abortion care patients. WWBT News 12 Richmond: Image WRIC Richmond: US Health and Human Services Secretary visits Planned Parenthood in Richmond ahead of Roe v. Wade Anniversary Health care decisions should be made by women and their doctors, not politicians, Becerra said. Since the Supreme Courts Dobbs decision, we have seen far too many appalling stories of women suffering because of restrictive laws that prevent them from getting the care they need whether that be a lifesaving abortion or contraception. HHS will continue to take concrete action to protect womens access to reproductive care, contraception, and abortion, consistent with the care they need. The Philadelphia Inquirer: Bidens health chief calls for restoring Roe, endorses doula training in call with Lincoln University Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), spoke on Zoom with three Lincoln University student leaders as part of the departments series of reproductive health care. The event is part of a larger push by the Biden administration to commemorate Mondays 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the landmark case which established a federal right to abortion until it was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2022 Located about an hour outside of Philadelphia in Chester County, the historically Black university has a majority female student body Becerra told the students that the Biden administration is working to protect patient-provider privacy, emergency abortions when the child-bearers life is in danger, and access to safe contraceptive care. Melissa Herd, the local acting regional director for HHS, said students with access to contraception in college are more likely to graduate and make more money when they graduate. The Baltimore Sun: Maryland has become abortion rights anchor, US Health and Human Services secretary says Maryland has become an anchor for abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that had made abortion a constitutional right, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Friday. Everyone needs a safe harbor. You cant swim forever, Becerra said during a video conference call with Gov. Wes Moore, state officials, physicians and others that was held three days before the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. You need a place where you know youll be secure. Maryland has been one of those anchors. The event was among a series the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, scheduled in the past week to show its support for abortion access. New Delhi (India), January 22: After the resounding success of three concerts in Mumbai, National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai, the countrys premier art and cultural centre, will be visiting Delhi to present two coveted concerts of its annual music festival - Aadi Anant. With a history of curating high-calibre concerts with stalwarts of Indian music, the 13th edition of the Citi -NCPA Aadi Anant festival seeks to celebrate the vitality of the guru-shishya tradition and India's rich musical traditions. It features artistes of different generations coming together to exhibit genres from classical and semi-classical, to folk and other lighter forms that collectively define the broad spectrum of music traditions in India. The first concert on the 27th of January will present Mame Khan with 47 folk artistes; comprising an orchestra of vocalists and instrumentalists of Manganiyar community. This evening promises to offer an experience of vibrant folk music of western Rajasthan. On the 28th, there will be a unique presentation - Triveni featuring Zakir Hussain (tabla) with Kala Ramnath (violin) and Jayanthi Kumaresh (Saraswati veena). The curation of this event is based on the mythical site of the union of three sacred rivers in India. The name aptly represents the confluence of the traditions of the three artistes. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. On taking NCPAs festival to Delhi, Dr. Suvarnalata Rao, Head of Programming, Indian Music expressed, The Aadi Anant festival is a representation of the NCPAs efforts to uphold the countrys rich art, culture and heritage and we are delighted to bring our presentation to Delhi, yet again. It has been a pleasure to join hands with Citi India and share our passion and commitment to preserve traditions, promote established and emerging talents and enable music education through unique collaborations like Aadi Anant and the Guru-Shishya Program for Indian music. We truly believe that art and culture are intrinsic pillars of a countrys community, and we sincerely hope that the audience in Delhi joins us in our collective efforts to promote Indian classical music tradition and nourish the future generations through these concerts. Both shows will be staged at Zorawar Auditorium, Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi at 6:30 pm. The tickets are available on BookMyShow. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. There was bloodbath in the Indian stock markets on Tuesday, with Sensex falling more than 1,000 points. BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 both fell significantly on January 23 BSE Sensex ended the day at 70,370.55, a decline of 1.47%, while Nifty slid 333 points to 21,238. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The markets were closed on Monday for the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol inside the newly-constructed Ram temple in Ayodhya. The Sensex hit a one-month low in intra-day trade. The markets witnessed a massive spike earlier this month, but have been struggling to keep up since. Both the benchmark indices fell for three days straight last week, seeing a slight recovery on Friday. However, a major decline was witnessed on Tuesday for five primary reasons, listed below. 5 reasons why Sensex, Nifty fell on Tuesday HDFC shares continue to tank HDFC Bank shares contributed hugely to the drop in NSE Nifty and Nifty bank on Tuesday, with the stock falling 3 percent. The steep decline in the HDFC Bank share price alone contributed to 1/3rd of the fall in the stock market today. RIL shares tumble Reliance Industries, India's most valued company, saw its shares fall 2 percent today, leaving the stock market in massive turmoil. Mukesh Ambani's Reliance became the second biggest contributor in today's stock market crash. FII selling Foreign institutional investors (FII) ended up selling Indian equities worth more than 23,000 crore in January 2024, according to SEBI date, which is why the last two weeks have been turbulent for the stock market. Global tensions on the rise The Israel-Hamas war and escalating tensions in Gaza have had a major impact on the crude oil prices and exports via Red Sea this month. Market experts believe that the hampering of imports and exports is leading to increased strain on the stock market. Technical tensions Nifty 50 has dwindled in the 21,500-21,700 segment for some time now, but slipped below 21,500 on Tuesday. Further, analysts believed that Nifty and Nifty Bank will continue to fall due to mounting selling pressures, expected to last for the next couple of weeks. Oxford, one of the oldest and most prestigious universities of the world, has ended its contract with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), that was its admission test provider. The university has cited technical problems following feedback from the candidates, test centres and parents, Mint reported. The university told the website that TCS will not be involved with Oxford, this a year after the duo had signed a partnership deal. Oxford had roped in TCS, replacing the Cambridge Admissions Assessment Testing (CAAT) in providing technical services for the admission tests to the university. ALSO READ: University of Mumbai inks pact with Oxford, to offer temple management courses Located in Oxford, England, Oxford is one of the oldest universities in the world and is one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It is known for its strong emphasis on research, innovation, and interdisciplinary studies.(Unsplash) In an email response to HT's sister website, Oxford administration said that some candidates experienced technical problems during the delivery of this year's online admission tests. "TCS will not be involved in the delivery of Oxford admissions tests going forward," the university stated. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This decision has been made following careful consideration of the issues, as well as feedback from candidates, teachers and test centres," the Oxford administration added in its response. Every year, thousands of students appear for Oxford's test in a bid to get into the prestigious institution. Prominent Indians who studied from this university include Indira Gandhi, Amitav Ghosh, Dr Manmohan Singh, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Vikram Seth among others. With more than 30 colleges under it, Oxford said the details of the new arrangement for the tests will be communicated at the start of the next admissions round. Nirmala Sitharaman, union minister for finance and corporate affairs along with the ministers of state for finance, Pankaj Chaudhary and Dr. Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and the senior officials arrived at Parliament ahead of presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in New Delhi, India. (Hindustan Times) Budget 2024 Highlights: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present the interim budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 on February 1. The complete budget for the same fiscal year will be introduced after the formation of the new government following the 2024 general elections. In her sixth union budget presentation on February 1, Sitharaman said that it would primarily be a "vote on account" before the general elections, ruling out any spectacular announcements. She added that such interim budgets do not involve spectacular announcements, and the public would need to await the new government's presentation of the comprehensive budget in July 2024....Read More Follow- Budget 2024 comprehensive coverage What is the union budget? All you need to know A union budget is the central government's annual financial statement. It outlines the governments proposed expenditures and revenues for the upcoming fiscal year. The union finance minister presents it in Parliament. It covers the next financial year- the period from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. Serves as a comprehensive document outlining the governments economic and fiscal policies for the next fiscal year. Includes details about proposed expenditures, revenues, liabilities, and welfare schemes. It is a crucial tool for financial planning and policy-making. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has asked the state's Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa to organise an essay competition for students on the topic -"Concerns of the 21st century and solutions given by Gandhian thoughts." Siddaramaiah proposes essay competition for students on Gandhian thoughts In a letter to Bangarappa, the Chief Minister asked him to make quick arrangements to hold an essay competition by the end of this month for students from class-6 and above excluding class-10 and 12 students who would be appearing for their board exams. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Also Read - Prohibitory orders clamped in Kalaburagi after quarrel during Ayodhya ceremony "After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, the country implemented his principles as much as possible. However, in recent times forces that promote hatred and violence, emphasise on centralisation by subjugating decentralisation, and take away rights of the downtrodden, Dalits, women, tribals, peasants, labourers and youth are becoming active," Siddaramaiah noted in his letter. He said those who did not take part in the independence movement are demeaning the contributions of Mahatma Gandhi in the freedom struggle. The Chief Minister also pointed out that in recent times, 'big languages are swallowing small languages.' "However, Gandhian ideology offers solutions to most of the challenges of our time. Hence, organise an essay competition, 'Concerns of the 21st century and solutions given by Gandhian thoughts," Siddaramaiah said in his letter. He said this competition which could be organised for students in government, aided and private schools, colleges and universities would help students to learn about Gandhiji. He also suggested rewarding winners and giving certificates to participants. Union minister Pralhad Joshi participated in Deepotsav in Hubli Gavali Galli on Monday on the occasion of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Hubballi.(PTI) Visuals showed people lighting up Diyas and making rangoli to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla. Children were dressed like Lord Ram and Hanuman. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was held amid unbridled celebrations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the main rituals officiated by a select complement of priests. READ | 'Auspicious day crores across generations had been waiting for': BS Yediyurappa on 'Pran Pratishtha' Meanwhile, 'Ram Nagri' Ayodhya also grabbed global eyeballs, with earthen lamps or diyas lit up on a massive scale and crackers going up and dazzling the night sky in different parts of the city. Visuals also showed celebrations unfolding at the famous Saryu Ghat, with beaming locals expressing their devotion to Ram Lalla. Celebrations were also held across the country to mark Lord Ram's return to this throne. An 'Aarti' was performed at 'Har Ki Pauri' at Haridwar, which saw the participation of a large number of people. Meanwhile, 'diyas' were also lit up at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, in a near-rerun of the historic celebration of Diwali upon Prabhu Ram's return from exile. The grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be open to the public from Tuesday onwards. The 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Lord Ram was held at 12.29 pm, with the main rituals performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ceremonial journey leading up to the Pran Pratishtha included a seven-day ritual that commenced on January 16. The ceremony was attended by representatives of all major spiritual and religious sects in the country. People from all walks of life, including representatives of various tribal communities, also attended the ceremony. READ | Karnataka CM inaugurates Ram temple in city amid Ayodhya fervour The idol of Ram Lalla was unveiled after the 'Pran Pratistha' rituals were performed. Built in the traditional Nagara style, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet and a width of 250 feet. It stands 161 feet above the ground and is supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, Gods, and Goddesses. In the sanctum sanctorum on the ground floor, the childhood form of Bhagwan Shri Ram (the idol of Shri Ramlalla) is enthroned. A cheetah from Namibia has given birth to three cubs in Kuno National Park (KNP) in Madhya Pradesh, forest officials said on Tuesday. Cheetah Jwala had given birth to four cubs in March 2023, but only one survived. (File) The cheetah, Jwala, has become mother for the second time. In March 2023, she gave birth to four cubs, but only one survived. Last month, another cheetah from Namibia, Asha, had given birth to three cubs. The Kuno National Park now has seven cubs and 13 adult cheetahs. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The parks field director Uttam Kumar Sharma said, We are happy that female cheetahs adapted well and are expanding the families. Pawan, a cheetah who explored the forest the most, is the father of all the seven cubs. Sharma said, The second litter of Jwala is healthy, and we are monitoring it from a distance. Their survival rate is higher than the previous one. The three cubs of Jwala, who were born last year, couldnt survive as she became the mother for the first time and couldnt handle the cubs well. Union environment minister Bhupendra Yadav said on X, Kunos new cubs. Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs. Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharats wildlife thrive. A woman from Uzbekistan and a man from Delhi on Monday were found dead in a resort in Haryanas Sonepat district, police said. The woman from Uzbekistan was currently in India on a tourist visa, said the police. (iStock) The bodies of the woman, aged 32, and the man, aged around 25, were found in a semi-naked state in the room where the duo had checked in on Sunday night, they said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, Sonepat Sadar police station SHO Karamjeet Singh said over the phone. The exact cause of their death can be ascertained only after the post-mortem, the SHO said. The woman from Uzbekistan was currently in India on a tourist visa, he added. There was no response from the woman when someone known to her tried to contact her on the phone in the morning, the SHO said. Some people known to her reached the resort later and contacted the staff following which the police was also informed, he added. When the room was opened, the woman and the man were found lying dead. There were no injury marks on their bodies...A liquor bottle was found in the room, but it cannot be confirmed at this stage whether they had consumed alcohol or not, the SHO said. The man was stated to be the womans friend, he added. An angeethi was also found and there is a possibility that it could have emitted some toxic gases, but all these are preliminary details. The cause behind death can be known once the post-mortem is done and its report comes, the SHO said. Further investigation is on into the matter, he added. Today show host Karl Stefanovic has gone to town on Woolworths boss Brad Banducci in a savage grilling on morning television over the supermarket's controversial decision not to stock Australia Day merch in its stores. The supermarket made the announcement earlier this month, following in the footsteps of Kmart which axed its Australia Day range last year. Aldi has since announced it will follow Woolworths' decision also. Despite fierce backlash from Aussies across the country, including from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton who called for a "boycott", Woolworths stands firm in its decision and continued to defend the divisive move on Wednesday. Woolworths boss Brad Banducci has defended the supermarket's decision to stop selling Australia Day merchandise. Source: Getty/Today Woolies accused of being 'anti-Australian' Appearing on Today this morning, Chief Executive Brad Banducci reiterated that a declining demand in sales of the merchandise was the reason behind the move, which has been dubbed "woke" by some. He insisted the company isn't "anti-Australian" when quizzed by Stefanovic and his co-host Sarah Abo. "So youre not anti-Australia today as a company?" Stefanovic asked the Woolies boss again in a heated discussion on Wednesday morning. "Karl, we are a very proud Australian company. Weve been around for 100 years. We have 178,000 hard working team members who are going to be in store doing the right thing for our customers on Australia Day, and were passionate about this country," Banducci said in response. "But youre not anti-Australia Day?" Stefanovic asked again. Woolies stores to display Aussie colours Banducci conceded the day "means different things to everyone" and the supermarket leadership supported Australians to commemorate the day in whatever way they wish. He added that while customers wont be able to buy the merchandise, stores around the country will be decorated in "green and gold" to commemorate the national day. He admitted the decision was made almost 12 months ago. Story continues Drilling Banducci some more, Stefanovic shot back, "You must have serious regrets about this?". Banducci admitted the company "could clearly have done a better job of explaining our decision". "I do feel anxious about the impact that this is having on our team," he added. "They are proud, hard-working Australians, and for them to be seen as anti-Australian or woke is fundamentally unfair." The remarks come as one Woolies worker revealed to Yahoo News he's already been confronted by disgruntled shoppers seeking Australia Day paraphernalia and believes the behaviour will only get worse in the lead-up to January 26. Karl Stefanovic (left) grilled the Woolies boss on morning television. Source: Today Backlash following controversial Australia Day decision Following the announcement to stop selling Aussie Day products, social media erupted with Aussies eager to express their views on the divisive topic. Australia Day has become an increasingly contentious day in the calendar, with growing support for the date to be changed. January 26 marks the day Britain's First Fleet landed in 1788, and in turn, began the oppression of Indigenous Australians. On X, formally known as Twitter, TV personality and Sky News contributor Prue MacSween branded Woolies "hypocritical" and "out of step with mainstream Aussies". "Thats it for @Woolworths for me. No longer selling Australia Day merchandise because some people get offended by it," she wrote. While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stepped away from the debate, instead urging Aussies to "give respect to First Nations people" and reflect on what it meant to be Australian, Dutton said, "I think its an outrage, to be honest". Australia Day merchandise is gradually on the decline. Source: Getty with NCA Newswire Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The mother of a 12-year-old schoolboy, who died days after allegedly being thrashed by his seniors in Delhi, appealed to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to give her son back, saying that she admitted her son to a government school only by trusting him. The boy succumbed at a hospital last Saturday, and the post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday. Mother of the 12-year-old schoolboy on Tuesday appealed to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to give her son back (PTI) I ask (Delhi CM Arvind) Kejriwal only one thing, that please give my son back, whom I had admitted in a government school by trusting you. I had only sent my son to school for one day this month and my son ended up in a very bad condition. I still do not know what happened to my son as there are no CCTV cameras in the school, she was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a video, she appeared distressed over her son's death and raised questions for the Kejriwal government. She said that she had voted for the government, trusting them with her child's education in a government school, and that the government is accountable to her regarding her son. She shared that her son had aspired to join the army, a dream now unfulfilled. The family of the boy previously mentioned his ambition to become a fighter pilot and has called for strict action against those responsible. The victim's father, Rahul Sharma, had earlier stated that his son was attacked by his seniors in school, resulting in injuries to his leg. "On January 11, when my son, a student of Class VI, returned home from the government school, he was limping and was in extreme pain. I asked him about the matter, but he did not utter anything," Sharma had told PTI. He mentioned that the child was brought to a hospital where he received medication and was advised to rest for a few days. However, his health worsened, leading the family to take him to another hospital in Rohini, where he passed away on January 20. In response to the incident, the Delhi government released a statement expressing condolences to the grieving family, acknowledging the loss of their child in a tragic incident. The alleged incident took place outside of the school's premises, as parents sought the CCTV footage that has been ascertained. A prompt inquiry has been ordered already in the matter soliciting a report from the committee within two days and a formal report from the head of the school is to be submitted by Tuesday, the government said in a statement. "The Delhi government is actively taking essential measures, including counselling students, to foster a positive state of mind and prevent any potential unforeseen incidents," the statement further said. A Delhi court has sentenced a woman to 10 years rigorous imprisonment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault on a four-year-old girl, a crime she committed in 2016. The woman was convicted of "committing penetrative sexual assault with the minor victim by applying her mouth on the vaginal area of the victim(HT_PRINT) According to news agency PTI, the case was heard against a woman Shahsi, who was convicted of offences under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty). Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. While convicting the woman of "committing penetrative sexual assault with the minor victim by applying her mouth on the vaginal area of the victim," Additional Sessions Judge Kumar Rajat observed that the heinous crime caused "immense mental trauma to the victim and her parents." The court sentenced the convict to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years and imposed a fine of 16,000. However, taking the note of nature of the offence and mitigating circumstances of the convict including her poor socio-economic background and being the sole bread-earner in the family, the court said the convict would only be sentenced under Section 6 of the POCSO Act as it was "higher in degree." "The object and basic purpose of sentencing is that the offender should not go unpunished and justice be done to victim of crime and the society," the court stated. In March last year, A POCSO court in Madhya Pradeshs Indore had sentenced a 24-year -old woman to 10 years in jail for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor boy. According to the conviction order, the woman from Rajasthan was 19-year-old when she developed a relation with a 15-year-old boy. The special court found the woman guilty under Section 5L/6 (sexual harassment) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sentenced her to ten years of rigorous imprisonment. The woman was also found guilty under Section 363 (abduction) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment. (With inputs from PTI) More than 150 flights were delayed at Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport as dense fog, this time coupled with restrictions ahead of Republic Day, played havoc with air traffic for much of Tuesday. At Kartavya Path on Tuesday morning. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo) Delhis minimum temperature, meanwhile, increased to 6.9C, from 6.1Ca day ago, as cold day conditions weakened in the city and the fog cleared out after 8.30am, though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted moderate to dense fog would envelop Delhi early on Wednesday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Delhi and North India witnessed dense fog leading to delayed take offs from their origin airports. More than 150 flights at Delhis IGI airport were delayed on Tuesday. Seven were cancelled due to operational reasons, said an Airports Authority of India (AAI) official aware of the matter. IMD said there was dense fog in Palam and Safdarjung from 11.30pm on Monday, with the visibility dropping to 50m and 200m between 11.30pm and 8.30am on Tuesday. The agency classifies a fog as shallow when the visibility is between 500 and 1,000 metres, as moderate when it is between 200 and 500 metres, dense when it is between 50 and 200 metres and very dense when it drops below 50 metres. Read Here: Rain deficiency 100% in 6 states, 2 UTs, says IMD SpiceJet warned passengers that flights are likely to be disrupted on Wednesday too. ..Due to expected poor visibility in Delhi (DEL)...all departures/arrivals and their consequential flights may get affected. Passengers are requested to keep a check on their flight status, the airline said in a post on X. The Indian Railways, meanwhile, said 26 trains in Delhi were delayed by more than an hour on Monday due to fog in north India. The fog has hampered flight and rail services all winter, leaving passengers stranded at airports and stations for hours, with the cascading effect of the delays throwing operations off schedule for several days. After the morning hours, a shallow fog was observed throughout the city. The skies were partially cloudy on Tuesday but there was ample sunlight to bring the maximum up, said Kuldeep Srivastava, scientist at IMD. Tuesdays minimum temperature was a degree below normal for this time of the year. The minimum temperature on Sunday and Saturday was respectively 4.8C and 8.5C. The maximum temperature on Tuesday rose to 19.5C, a degree below normal, from 17.6C on Monday. Read Here: Seasons lowest 3.6 C of bone-chilling cold leaves Lko shivering IMD has forecast that the maximum should stay around 20C throughout the week, while the minimum should stay around 8C. IMD qualifies it as a cold day when the maximum is 4.5 degrees or more below the normal and the minimum is below 10C. In the National Capital Region (NCR), Gurugram recorded a maximum of 16.4C, while Faridabad recorded a maximum of 15.6C. The minimum in both cities was 7.8C. Wednesday should be mostly clear with very low chances of cold day conditions. The western disturbances should make their way into the Capital by the end of this week, which will bring the minimum up to 9-11C, said Mahesh Palawat, vice-president of private forecasting agency Skymet. Meanwhile, Delhi clocked an air quality index (AQI) of 368 on Tuesday, in the very poor category, a deterioration from 333 (very poor) on Monday, according to the Central Pollution Control Boards (CPCB) national bulletin. CPCB classifies an AQI between 0-50 as good, between 51 and 100 as satisfactory, between 101 and 200 as moderate, between 201 and 300 as poor, between 301 and 400 as very poor, and more than 400 as severe. According to the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi, AQI is likely to stay very poor until January 26. The Delhi government has ordered an inquiry into the death of a 12-year-old Class 6 student of a government school in north Delhis Shastri Nagar on Saturday, an official aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The Delhi government said that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter. (File) According to police, the boy died on January 20, nine days after he was allegedly assaulted by some students of senior classes at the school. A senior police officer aware of the case said a post-mortem examination was conducted on Tuesday, and added that the report was awaited. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The officer said that the autopsy was conducted by a panel of three doctors that was constituted by the Delhi government on polices request. The police said that any legal action would be taken based on the findings of the post-mortem report. The officer said that in a verbal complaint the boys family had alleged that some senior students assaulted him and also claimed medical negligence by a private doctor in providing treatment to the young student. We have asked them to lodge a written complaint with us. The autopsy on the boys body was conducted on Tuesday and the report is awaited. Further legal action would be taken accordingly, said deputy commissioner of police (north) Manoj Kumar Meena. Read Here | Asking CM to give my son back: Mother of schoolboy thrashed to death in Delhi In a statement on Tuesday, the Delhi government said that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter by a committee and the head of the school has been directed to submit a formal report. The government has asked the committee to file its report within two days, the statement said. Delhi governments heart goes out to the bereaved family who lost their child in such a tragic incident. The alleged incident took place outside of the schools premises. A prompt inquiry has been ordered in the matter and a report from the committee and the head of the school is yet to be submitted. The Delhi government is actively taking essential measures, including counselling students, to foster a positive state of mind and prevent any potential unforeseen incidents, the government statement said. According to the boys father, Rahul Sharma, his son went to school on January 11, and was injured there. He returned home and when his parents asked him about the matter, he told them that some students of Class 9 and 10 assaulted him over when he was coming out of the washroom. Sharma said that he first took his son to a government hospital in northwest Delhi, where he was administered medical attention and then referred to the orthopaedic department. However, the orthopaedic department was closed, Sharma told reporters. The boys father said that he took his son to a private doctors clinic in Rohini Sector-7, where he was prescribed some medicines. But the boy stopped taking his meals and his condition started deteriorating, Sharma alleged. On January 20, the family took the boy again to the government hospital, where he died during treatment, his father alleged. I went to school and enquired about the assault. Two students verified that my son was assaulted by some senior students. However, they did not seen their faces, Sharma claimed. The family members said when they visited the school after the alleged assault, the administration assured them of action in the matter. It was a different journey of faith this youths face was scratched all over and smeared by dust as he rubbed it into the ground each time while pulling his body forward a ritual he started from Hanuman Garhi on way to the Ram Mandir, some 1.5 km away. A youth rubbed his face into the ground each time while pulling his body forward on way to the Ram Mandir, a ritual he started from Hanuman Garhi, some 1.5 km away. (Manish Chandra Pandey/HT Photo) Totally unmindful of the sea of humanity that had descended in Ayodhya on Tuesday, this devotee held a saffron flag and kept moving forward as a man in saffron clothes walked besides him chanting Jai Shri Ram. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A girl also moved ahead of him, clearing the ground with her hands as security forces also respectfully gave way to the group. Mere Ram aaye hain ... mere prabhu aaye hain ... 500 saal baad, main unse milne ja raha hoon (my Ram has come, my lord has arrived, and I am going to meet him), the youth said. He took a pledge that he would visit the Ram Temple like this. He is merely keeping a promise he made to himself, said the man accompanying the youth while explaining that the process was part of the self-torture people afflict themselves with to atone for sins, whether committed by them or for others. Read Here | Ayodhya: Devotees break through security cordon to offer prayers at Ram Mandir A little distance away Dhruv Upadhyay, 20, from Kanpur, a student of BA Sanskrit from Delhi University (DU) walked barefoot with his mother to the Ram Mandir. Its the joy of witnessing the sight of Ram in his abode. Imagine so many of our brothers were killed for this (temple movement) in 1990. In fact, I came without telling my father, a police officer, as he was away. As I was setting out, my mother also decided to accompany me. So, here we are, he said. OF BARRICADES & CROWD CONTROL AT RAM MANDIR From the Hanuman Garhi side, a sea of devotees pushed the first barrier for the Ram Mandir but cops on the other side, clearly caught off-guard, held them off. This isnt working. We will have to get some barriers erected, a senior IPS officer said. While the cops tried to hold the devotees, at other end, some security personnel devised a special plan to regulate crowd flow. Instead of opening the main barriers, they started letting the devotees through a narrow opening on the underside, one through which the devotees would have to sit and enter. Why so? This is a way to regulate the flow, said a CRPF officer managing the barrier. A little ahead at another barrier, a security personnel said around 1.5 lakh devotees had visited the temple already. Read Here: More than 2.5 lakh devotees offer prayers at Ayodhya's Ram Temple on day 1 They could be more, so this number is just a guesstimate, the security personnel offered. Controlling devotees is difficult. Yesterday evening itself after the consecration event, pressure had started building up and some of them driven by faith even tried to break the barriers. Some, including us, sustained minor injuries but what can you do? You cant treat devotees like outlaws, an officer of the Rapid Protection Force (RPF) said. Another RPF officer appeared elated that he managed to have both the darshan and get the prasad too. This Ram Temple is like a dream come true for millions and this includes us as well, said this officer, an OBC from Kannauj. An officer was seen helping a wheelchair-bound devotee enter the Ram Mandir. At another place Rakesh Mago, a wheelchair-bound lawyer from Punjab and his family, praised the police for helping them. We didnt face any problem, thanks to these police officers who went out of their way to ensure that we dont face any problems, Rakesh said. The family from Jammu came to visit the Ram temple with a wheelchair-bound octogenarian. Read Here | No stone left unturned: The engineering excellence of Ayodhya Ram Mandir No problem. All in Rams name and all is worth the effort, they said. The youngest of the family, a seven-year-old girl, looked most excited. I am from Jammu and I have come to meet Ram ji, she said with a little prodding from her mother. RAM MANDIR SELFIE As there was no ban on carrying cell phones right till Ram Mandir, everyone with a smart phone was clicking selfies with the temple in the background and connecting with family members. Security personnel too were affected by the craze. Yeh dekho, Ram ji ka mandir (look, look, this is the temple of Ram), said one of them after apparently connecting with his family. Commandos of the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) too were on duty. These commandos were primarily tasked with guarding against any terror attack. AYODHYA OPENS ITS HEART, WELCOMES DEVOTEES Apart from the many free kitchens being run across Ayodhya by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Teerth Kshetra Trust and others, nearer to the Ram Mandir Ayodhya residents held bhandaras to ensure that none of the devotees go back hungry. Hotels like Shri Ram Hotel on the Ram Path or Amma ki Rasoi run by Sanjay Maheshwari were also running free kitchens. SOME COULDNT MAKE IT DUE TO RUSH A woman was seen sitting on the ground to feed her infant daughter. We had gone to the temple but couldnt muster courage to queue up as it ran for several kilometers, said her husband Neer Kumar, a bike mechanic from Haryana. There were many like them. Read Here | Ayodhya mandir inauguration: What adorns Lord Ram HANUMAN FROM ODISHA Two persons from Odisha had come dressed as Hanuman, complete in the attire and with a mace. We managed to get a darshan of our lord and we feel blessed, they said. What about the rush? Most of it was outside. Once inside we sensed divinity, they said. EVENING TIME AND MODI SPEECH... Its evening time and some distance away from Ram Mandir, Prime Minister Narendra Modis speech that he delivered during the Ram Temple inauguration was being broadcast through loudspeakers. Some youths posed at a Modi selfie point while music played loud at Lata Mangeshkar Chowk. ... and kand mool phal Outside the Kanak Bhawan, a person sat on the floor selling Kand Mool Phal. Whats that? This was a fruit Lord Ram ate during his period in exile. I get these from Chitrakoot and surrounding areas where its found, said this person who introduced himself as Munnu as he sold a white slice of the Kand Mool for 10. Some people who were seen tasting it described it as tasty. Chief minister Yogi Adityanath, whose Gorakhnath Mutt was at the forefront of the Ram temple movement for decades, on Monday said he was overwhelmed at the Pran Pratishtha or the consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addresses a gathering after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at the Ram Mandir, in Ayodhya, Monday. (PTI) Drawing a forward-looking roadmap for the revamp of Ayodhya, which is already in the midst of a makeover, he said: Thousands of crores of rupees are being spent on Ayodhyas revitalisation and today the work of rejuvenation, conservation, operation and maintenance of various places like Ram ki Paidi, Naya Ghat, Guptar Ghat and Brahmakund is on. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The cultural mapping of the Ramayana tradition is being done, while the process of constructing Ramayana galleries on the Ram Van Gaman Path - the path taken by Ram during exile - is going on with commitment, he said. The new Ayodhya not only preserves its ancient culture and civilisation but also embraces modern urban development to cater to future needs. Inspired by the PM Ayodhya is evolving into a Solar City that harmonises tradition with contemporary urban amenities, he added. Navya Ayodhya is moving towards becoming a major centre for Sanatan believers, saints, tourists, researchers and inquisitive people from all over the world, he said. This is not the development of a city or a pilgrimage site, rather it is the victory of the faith which is embodied in the coat of arms of India as Satyamev Jayate. This is the victory of public faith and public trust. Glory is restored, he said. The Divya Deepotsav of Ayodhya is becoming the cultural identity of the new India and the consecration ceremony of Shri Ram Lalla is proving to be a harmonious expression of the cultural conscience of India. Today, Ayodhya is basking in the radiance of its Treta Yuga glory, becoming a global symbol of divinity and grandeur. This sacred city is progressively solidifying its position as the cultural capital of the world, captivating the attention of people worldwide. The divya and bhavya Ayodhya is now witnessed by the entire globe, he said. This remarkable transformation has been made possible through the resolute determination, willpower, and foresight of the Prime Minister. Just a few years ago, envisioning an airport in Ayodhya was beyond imagination. Yet, here we are, with an airport, a four-lane road within the city, and the introduction of cruises along the Sarayu River. This dream is coming true due to the efforts of the double engine government, he said. The establishment of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple stands as a profound spiritual ceremony, marking a cultural renaissance in Indiait is not merely a temple but the National Temple. Of course! The consecration of Shri Ram Lalla is a historic occasion of national pride, he said. YOGI REFLECTS ON SAINTS AND RAM JANMABHOOMI AGITATION He also said that the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation may have been the first instance of its kind where a majority had to struggle for so many years to ensure a befitting abode to the lord. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi case may have been the first such unique case in the world, in which the majority community of a nation had to fight for so many years and at so many levels for the construction of a temple at the birthplace of their god in their own country, Adityanath said after the consecration ceremony. In a joint operation by the anti-terrorism squad (ATS) and the Pimpri-Chinchwad police, five Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended from Nigdi for illegal stay. According to the police, the accused entered India via Siliguri, where a local agent prepared their fake documents like Aadhaar, school certificates and birth certificates. (REPRESENTATIVE PIC) The accused have been identified as Rocky Samor Barua (28), Jaidhan Amiroan Barua (28), Ankur Susen Barua (28), Ratul Shilphon Barua (28) and Rana Nandan Barua (25) from Chittagong in Bangladesh. Search is on for one Sainath and Jiku Das alias Joy Chaudhari who were working as agents, said police officials. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Based on a tip-off about accused staying in Pimpri-Chinchwad on fake documents, ATS along with the police raided Kalbhaor Chawl in Nigdi on Sunday and arrested the five persons. Ambarish Deshmukh, assistant inspector, Nigdi Police Station, said, Five accused carried Indian passports made by submitting fake Aadhaar card and birth certificates. According to the police, the accused entered India via Siliguri, where a local agent prepared their fake documents like Aadhaar, school certificates and birth certificates. They were working as labourers in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad since last six to eight months. The Nigdi police have filed a case against the accused under sections of the Foreigners Act 1946 and the Passport Act 1967. The inauguration of the Ram Mandir on Monday was marked by religious fervour. The function also had politics written all over with the Prime Minister (PM) doing the consecration of the Ram Lalla idol with the RSS sarsanghchalak and the Uttar Pradesh CM in attendance. This is hardly surprising since the temple has been a constant in the BJPs manifesto. PM Narendra Modi framed the moment as the beginning of a new kaal chakra and called for expanding our consciousness from dev to desh, Ram to rashtra, from deity to nation. He was drawing a direct line from God to the Nation, without any hint of triumphalism. This call will likely feature prominently in the BJPs campaign. The Opposition saw it coming, of course. Except that it has been unable to figure out a language to respond to the BJPs direct appeal, which the PM has now taken beyond the realm of religion to development, progress, and nationhood. The INDIA bloc has been sending out confusing signals on where its constituents stand on the mandir. The confusion was most evident when the Ram Janmabhoomi Trust invited Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, who declined the invitation alleging that the BJP had turned it into a political event. However, leaders of the UP Congress visited Ayodhya ahead of the consecration ceremony and two senior leaders attended the function. On Monday, TMC leader Mamata Banerjee visited religious places of different faiths, held an interfaith rally in Kolkata, and spoke about the Babri mosque. In Bengaluru, chief minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah made the case that his party stood for Gandhijis Ram, implying that this is different from the BJPs Ram. The AAP held Sundar Kand paths in Delhi ahead of the consecration ceremony while the Shiv Sena (UBT) has been highlighting its sainiks contribution to the demolition of Babri mosque. It is obvious that no party wants to be seen as opposed to the Ram temple for the fear of being branded anti-Hindu. Therein lies a story of a dramatic turnaround in Indian politics. In the 1990s, constituents of the National Democratic Alliance, had forced the Vajpayee-led BJP to shelve its demand for the mandir. The Modi-led BJP has turned the tables on other parties, which are now searching for a political language to challenge the party without being seen as anti-Ram, and, because of the way the PM framed the occasion, anti-India. What they come up with will have consequences not just for the INDIA blocs electoral fortunes but the future of the polity itself. Get ready, anime enthusiasts! Solo Leveling Episode 4 is on the horizon, bringing more action, quests, and surprises. If you've been following Sung Jinwoo's journey, this is one episode you won't want to miss. Solo Leveling Episode 4 airs on January 28, 2024, in Japan and January 27 for global viewers.(Crunchyroll) Solo Leveling Episode 4 release date and time: Solo Leveling Episode 4 is dropping at 12 AM JST on Sunday, January 28, 2024, in Japan. For our global friends, catch it at 7 AM PT on Saturday, January 27. Here's when you can hit play in your time zone: Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Pacific Standard Time - 07:00 am Central Standard Time - 09:00 am Eastern Standard Time - 10:00 am Greenwich Mean Time - 03:00 pm Central European Time - 04:00 pm Indian Standard Time - 08:30 pm Philippine Time - 11:00 pm Australia Central Standard Time - 12:30 am Where to watch Solo Leveling Episode 4: Solo Leveling Episode 4 will air on Tokyo MX, GYT, GTV, BS11, CBC, and YTV in Japan. For our international friends, Crunchyroll's got your back. Tune in approximately an hour after the Japanese broadcast for English-subtitled action. Just a heads up, you might need a membership for the streaming platforms. Recap of Solo Leveling Episode 3: In Episode 3, Jinwoo woke up in the hospital, clueless about the Double Dungeon aftermath. The System revealed itself, offering quests and challenges. Jinwoo faced a punishing quest in a desert, encountered magical creatures, and received a dungeon key. What to expect from Solo Leveling Episode 4: Brace yourself for more intense action as Jinwoo battles Steel-fanged Lycans in the Dungeon. This episode will showcase his evolution and progress since the Double Dungeon. The preview hints at the title "I've Gotta Get Stronger," promising character introductions and insights into the Hunter Society. What is Solo Leveling about: Solo Leveling follows E-class hunter Shun Mizushino's journey to change his life. In a hidden dungeon, he discovers a chance for improvement, but the opportunity takes an unexpected turn. With quests, rewards, and a game-like system, Solo Leveling blends action, mystery, and a touch of the unexpected. Ananya Panday has said her leaked vacation pictures with Aditya Roy Kapur or the public's interest in her personal life doesn't bother her as she has signed up for it being an actor. She told News18 in an interview that she doesn't get upset over such rumours now, but she does try to draw a line to protect her personal life from public scrutiny. Also read: Ananya Panday carries giant sieve as she debuts at Paris Fashion Week, internet compares her with Uorfi Javed Aditya Roy Kapur and Ananya Panday at a restaurant in Lisbon. Ananya on her leaked pics with Aditya Ananya and Aditya Roy Kapur had made headlines last year when several pictures of them vacationing together in Spain and other places went viral. The two have not spoken openly about the same but continue to be spotted together at events and parties. Sharing her reaction to rumours about her personal life, Ananya Panday told the portal, I cant say it bothers me." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. She added, "As actors, we signed up for it. Its going to happen and people are going to be curious. But its up to us to draw the line to protect whats important as much as we can and thats what I try to do. I cant get upset about it because its a part of my profession. I can only control whatever is in my power. Ananya Panday's recent work Ananya was last seen in the Netflix film, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan. It also starred Siddhant Chaturvedi and Adarsh Gourav. Despite delivering seven films in four years of her acting career, Ananya is often targeted by trolls for her statements, acting chops or for hailing from a film family. She had told PTI earlier this month, "If I hadn't been exposed to those emotions, I would probably not be able to perform a certain way. So I'm grateful for whatever's happened because I have been allowed to express myself through my work. And, some criticism is actually helpful and important feedback. Obviously, you have to block out the mindless trolling." Ananya will next be seen in her debut web series, Call Me Bae. She also has two films in her kitty, including The Untold Story of C Sankaran Nair and a film titled Control. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, Chinese expert said. GENEVA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China has made positive contributions to global human rights governance in the past five years after its last Universal Periodic Review (UPR), experts from the China Society for Human Rights Studies told Xinhua here on Monday. China's human rights record will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council's UPR Working Group for the fourth time on Tuesday. China is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its session from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. The first, second and third UPR reviews of China took place in February 2009, October 2013 and November 2018 respectively. Zheng Liang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Jinan University, told Xinhua that in the past five years, China's modernization drive has not only promoted the development of China's human rights protection but also made significant contributions to the world's human rights cause in terms of concept promotion and in-depth practice. China itself is committed to promoting human rights through development, putting the people first and advancing a path of human rights development suited to its national conditions, and meanwhile it provides support and assistance to developing countries and regions in infrastructure, education, health and agriculture, according to Zheng. Chang Jian, director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights at Nankai University, said that since the last review, China's ranking in the United Nations Human Development Index has continued to rise, demonstrating the advantages of China's modernization and human rights development paths. He said that the goal of China's modernization process is also the ultimate pursuit of the development of China's human rights cause. Mao Junxiang, executive director of the Human Rights Center of Central South University, said that while countries have different opinions on how to promote the human rights cause, no one should force other countries to follow a certain human rights model. To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, he said, adding that this will further need to respect different civilizations' understanding of the connotation of human rights and avoid imposing one's own human rights values and models onto others. Beijing (Gasgoo)- On January 22, Chinese automaker Chery Holding brought together its four major brandsCHERY, EXEED, JEOUTR, and iCARto discuss the 2024 business strategies for the company. Photo credit: Chery In 2023, the group achieved an annual revenue of 315.1 billion yuan, which surged 50.4% year over year, and an annual vehicle sales volume of 1,881,316 units, which hiked 52.6% from a year ago. The group's yearly export volume reached 937,148 units, showcasing an impressive year-on-year soar of 101.1%. For 2024, Chery sets an ambitious goal with a focus on "sales growth rate surpassing the industry by 10-20 percentage points," continuing its high-quality development and working towards the vision of becoming a "world-class green intelligent travel technology company." Photo credit: Chery Brand-wise, the CHERY brands portfolio includes the Tiggo series, Arrizo series, Explorer series, and Fulwin series, forming a matrix of both oil-fueled and new energy vehicles. In 2024, Chery plans to launch 8 upgraded fuel-burning models and 5 new hybrid electric models, covering various market segments. The EXEED brand posted a yearly sales volume of 125,521 units in 2023, representing a 134.9% leap year-on-year. In 2024, EXEEDs product lineup will undergo a complete transformation to new energy vehicles, introducing a comprehensive product matrix with 3 revamped oil-fueled models, 3 C-DM hybrid electric models, 2 pure electric models, and 2 extended-range electric models, targeting an annual sales goal of 300,000 units. The groups SUV brand, JEOUTR, exceeded expectations in 2023 with an annual sales volume of 315,167 units, which shot up 75% from the previous year. Continuing its two-pronged approach of oil-fueled and hybrid electric power options, JEOUTR plans to launch 7 fuel models and 8 hybrid electric models, aiming for a yearly sales target of 500,000 units in 2024. In addition, iCAR, the group's first new energy electric vehicle brand, aims to capture the hearts of young car enthusiasts by creating desirable and innovative vehicles. With a focus on blockbuster products, iCAR plans to introduce 2 new models annually, explore differentiated markets, and establish new business models for channels. Fighter is one of the most anticipated movies of the year. It marks the first time Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone are paired opposite each other in a film, while Anil Kapoor also stars in a pivotal role. After Pathaan, expectations are sky-high for Fighter from director Siddharth Anand. (Also read: Fighter trailer: Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone give it their all in intense air battle over Kashmir. Watch) Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone, Anil Kapoor play IAF officers in Fighter Before its release on January 25, here's all we know about the action film: Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Fighter cast Apart from Hrithik Roshan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor, Fighter's ensemble cast includes Karan Singh Grover, Akshay Oberoi, Sanjeeda Sheikh, Talat Aziz, Sanjeev Jaiswal, Rishabh Sawhney, and Ashutosh Rana, among others. Fighter plot The trailer for Fighter gave viewers a glimpse of the plot of the aerial action adventure. Hrithik stars as Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania, while Deepika plays Squadron Leader Minal Rathore and Anil Kapoor is Group Captain Rakesh Jai Singh. When militant activities begin to go out of control in the Srinagar Valley, a new and elite unit, Air Dragons, is commissioned by the Air Headquarters. Fighter revolves around the members of these Air Dragons, who are willing to give it their all for the nation while going through the highs and lows of their internal and external battles. Fighter's music The music of Fighter has been scored by Vishal-Shekhar. The album consists of five songs. Some of the songs that have been released in the past few weeks include the dance number Sher Khul Gaye, the peppy romantic number Ishq Jaisa Kuch and Heer Aasmani. Fighter release date Fighter was announced in January 2021. Fighter was originally scheduled for a theatrical release in September 2022. However, the pre-production was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Fighter is now slated to release on the eve of Republic Day, on January 25, 2024. Fighter controversies Hania Aamir, Adnan Siddiqui and many other Pakistani actors criticised the film's plot after the release of the trailer. Hania said in her Instagram Stories, So sad and unfortunate to know that there are artists out there in this day and age who are aware of the power that the cinema holds and still go ahead and feed the riff between the two countries. I feel sorry for the artists who try to bridge the gap by trusting their art as a medium. Distasteful; let art breathe. Siddharth Anand then reacted to tweets which revealed that Hania had starred in Anti-India films in the past. Adnan Siddiqui did not mention the name of the film, but tweeted recently, Once celebrated for love, Bollywood now crafts hate-filled narratives, portraying us as villains. Despite our love for your films, it's disheartening. Art transcends boundaries; let's use it to promote love and peace. Two nations, victims of politics, deserve better. Meanwhile, Pakistani actor Zara Noor Abbas said on Instagram Stories, "Aren't you guys tired of selling the same false crap?! Grow up, guys! The world is moving on and getting mature but why do you want to sell this cheap story of hatred? Could have also promoted peace. Don't we have enough hatred in the world that you had to boost more hate through this global medium of movies?" Censor Certificate, Runtime Fighter received clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) with a U/A certificate. According to an India Today report, a few changes were suggested by the board, including the removal of 'sexually suggested visuals' and to mute an offensive term. Meanwhile, the runtime of Fighter is approximately 2 hours and 46 minutes. Advance Bookings Fighter is the first major Bollywood release of 2024. The film has earned 3.66 crore nett in India so far from its advance bookings for day 1. As per the latest estimates on Sacnilk.com, a total of 1,13,110 tickets have been sold for the opening day across India. At the international ticket window, Fighter has crossed $300K, and is likely to cross Hrithik's previous records set by films like Vikram Vedha and War. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place Actor Kangana Ranaut has announced the release date of her upcoming film Emergency, a day after attending the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Kangana also shared a new poster of Emergency. The movie has also been directed and written by Kangana. (Also Read | Excited Kangana Ranaut chants Jai Shri Ram after Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha; jumps in joy, says Ram aa gaye. Watch) Kangana Ranaut as former prime minister Indira Gandhi in Emergency poster. Kangana announces Emergency release date In the poster, Kangana featured as former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. She captioned the post, "Unlock the story behind Indias darkest hour. Announcing Emergency on 14th June, 2024. Witness history come alive as the most feared and fiercest Prime Minister. Indira Gandhi thunders into cinemas. Emergency in cinemas on 14th June, 2024." Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Kangana's statement As per news agency PTI, Kangana said in a statement, "Emergency is my most ambitious project and second directorial post-Manikarnika, we have the best of Indian and international talent come together for this big budget, grand period drama." The film was previously set to release in theatres on November 24, 2023 but was postponed due to changes in her schedule. About Emergency Produced by Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films, Emergency is touted as a mega-budget depiction of the most controversial spectacle in the history of Indian Democracy. "Standing at the core of this is one of the most sensational leaders of all time the first woman prime minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi," the official logline read. The film also features Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair and the late Satish Kaushik. Ritesh Shah has penned the screenplay and dialogues of the movie. The film revolves around the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and features Kangana in the titular role of the late politician. Emergency marks Kangana's first solo directorial film. Kangana on directing Emergency, starring in it On directing Emergency and starring in it, Kangana earlier, said as per ANI, "Emergency is one of the most significant and darkest chapters in our history that young India needs to know. It is a crucial story and I want to thank my super-talented actors like late Satish ji, Anupam ji, Shreyas, Mahima, and Milind for embarking on this creative journey together. I am excited to bring this extraordinary episode from India's history to the big screen. Jaihind!" Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place The Academy Award nominations were announced earlier today - leading the pack is Christopher Nolans Oppenheimer with 13 nominations, followed by Poor Things with 11 nominations, Killers of the Flower Moon with 10 nominations, and Barbie with a disappointing 8 nominations. (Also read: Oscars 2024 full list of nominations: Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer leads with 13 nods) Greta Gerwig was shut out of the Best Director category whereas Leonardo DiCaprio missed out on the Best Actor race. Four of the smaller films that had been making waves in the last few weeks - American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, The Holdovers, and The Zone of Interest landed 5 nominations each, with strong showings in major categories. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Snubs Greta Gerwig - One of two big snubs today, Greta Gerwig was shut out for her work on Barbie. Barbies lukewarm performance at all the precursor awards earlier this month indicated that there had been some sort of cooling off on the pink parade, but its still stunning that Gerwig was not nominated. Gerwig would have become only the second woman after Jane Campion to be nominated twice for Best Director. On the other hand, this almost guarantees a win for Gerwig and her writing partner, Noah Baumbach in the Adapted Screenplay category. Margot Robbie - The other huge snub of the day, Barbie simply does not work without Margot Robbies central performance as stereotypical Barbie. Her journey from plastic to human is literally one of the most fully realized performances we have seen in a long while. How does Barbie make 1.5 billion dollars and land 8 nominations including best picture without a nomination for the titular role? Leonardo DiCaprio - Leo losing out on a Best Actor nomination seemed inevitable given the last few weeks. He didnt win any awards and he wasnt nominated for a SAG Award, but the Academy is very fond of him, so a nomination was possible. Now hell have to be content with cheering on Lily Gladstone for the only possible win for Killers of the Flower Moon. All of Us Strangers - Andrew Haighs moving story of love, loss, and lonely childhoods had a great showing at the BAFTAs with 6 nominations. There was an outside chance at a nomination for Hot Priest Andrew Scott in Lead Actor, but it was already a very crowded field. Saltburn -Saltburn was Emerald Fennells hotly anticipated follow-up to Promising Young Woman, which received 5 nominations including Picture and Director, and won for Original Screenplay. The class satire opened to a mixed reception, but there was some lingering hope for Rosamund Pike in Supporting Actress. The movie will not go unmentioned on the big night, the Oscar monologue is sure to reference the bathtub scene. Surprises America Ferrera - Ferrera was finally given her due in the Best Supporting Actress category for Barbie. Its easy to reduce her performance to that speech (which was outstanding), but Ferrera also makes the rest of her role work, from the comedic introduction to stereotypical Barbie to the wonder she feels when she first enters Barbieland. Its a bittersweet surprise given the more egregious snubs. American Fiction -The race satire had a great day with acting nominations for both Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown. Robert Downey Jr. has the supporting category locked down so Brown is not going to win, but its still an achievement to be nominated and recognised on this stage. I wouldnt count Wright out yet, theres still an outside chance of some kind of upset for Cillian Murphy. And writer-director Cord Jeffersons nomination for Adapted Screenplay is welcome appreciation for the man who wrote the single best episode of television ever, This Extraordinary Being from Watchmen. Anatomy of a Fall - The French movie about the elusive nature of the truth struck gold in major categories - Picture, Directing, Lead Actress, Original Screenplay, and Editing. And in true there can be only one fashion, the Academy swapped out Gerwig for Justine Triet in the Director category. Unfortunately, almost all of these categories are already spoken for, and the best chance for the movie to actually win is in the Original Screenplay, a category it has already won at the Golden Globes. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place On January 25, actor, writer and director RJ Balajis new film Singapore Saloon will release in theatres and he is quite excited. Reportedly made on a budget of 20 crore, the movie, directed by Gokul, sees him play a hairstylist, who aims to make it big. The Mookuthi Amman writer-director is known for his comedy, but in recent years he has moved into other genres like thrillers and family dramas. This film too will see a different side of him, he says, as he gets talking to Hindustan Times about Singapore Saloon, Thalapathy Vijay, the Annapoorani issue, and more. Also read: RJ Balaji says he felt bad that people enjoyed Ranbir Kapoors Animal RJ Balaji will soon be seen in Singapore Saloon. The Singapore Saloon challenge Since he started his movie career in 2013, actor and director RJ Balaji has had a release every single year, except in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. His next film, Singapore Saloon, is his first release in 2024. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Was this film and the role of Kathir a cakewalk? No, it was tough for me, confesses Balaji, adding, I am used to working in a certain way as a director and Gokul has an extremely different style. I shoot all the happy scenes first and then the emotional and sentimental scenes. The first day I landed on the Singapore Saloon set, we shot the climax, then the next day we shot a song. So, every day, it was like I expected the unexpected. And when I write my roles, I always focus on my strengths and leave out the weaknesses like dance and so on. Whereas in this film, I had to do everything. This initially threw me off, but I adapted slowly. The LKG director believes that the Singapore Saloon experience has prepared him better for working with other filmmakers and also gotten him out of his comfort zone to some extent. This is a movie that the youth of today will definitely relate to, says RJ Balaji. The Annapoorani controversy Recently, Nayantharas film Annapoorani was taken down from Netflix after a controversy erupted over some scenes and dialogues in the film. Many Tamil filmmakers had voiced their concerns about a movie being censored after it had already been submitted and certified by the Central Board of Film Certification. There are two things firstly, the Central Board of Film Certification, a Government of India body, has already watched the film, censored and certified it. So, when this was already done by the statutory body, how can a film be subject to scrutiny again? Doesnt this undermine the authority of the censor board? Secondly, I have also seen that OTT companies and their legal teams are being extremely over-cautious, when filmmakers go to narrate scripts to them. A small instance a filmmaker was asked to change the name of a character so as not to create any possible issues. Shouldnt the OTT platforms take a strong stand and stand up for themselves when theres an issue? I dont understand this aspect, reasons RJ Balaji. The Lokesh Kanagaraj Connect Interestingly, Leo director Lokesh Kanagaraj has done a cameo in Singapore Saloon. Did RJ Balaji ask him to do the cameo given that they are friends? No, he laughs. Even Lokesh asked me if I had told Gokul to ask him. Actually, it was Lokesh, who sent Gokul to me to narrate the script. They know each other too; it was Gokul, who requested him. When you ask him how Lokesh was as an actor, RJ Balaji smiles and says, Youll have to watch Singapore Saloon and find out for yourself. Working With Thalapathy Vijay Ask RJ Balaji whether he was a big fan of Kollywood star Vijay and pat comes the reply, Yes, I am! In fact, in 2022, Vijays team had gotten in touch with him for a script and he recounted what followed. When they asked for a script, my team and I put together a story and I went and narrated it to Vijay. This was before he started shooting for Varisu and Leo. He liked the script and asked whether we could shoot in April. I asked him, Which April thinking it would be a year or so later. He said, This April and I was stunned. I told him I couldnt possibly be ready then because even for my own films I take at least six months to work on the script. And working with such a big star like him required that I give him the best and the time was just too short, he explained. However, RJ Balaji reiterates, I definitely want to work with Thalapathy Vijay sometime and I hope the universe conspires! Is RJ Balaji related to Udhayanidhi Stalin? Recently, there were stories doing the rounds on social media that RJ Balajis and Udhayanidhi Stalins wives were, in fact, sisters. I had spoken at an audio launch about how Udhay and I had married girls from the same family, meaning that he and I had worked in films produced by Dr Ishari K Ganesh of Vels International. And I even explained that at the audio launch. Some overzealous journalists took the first statement and splashed it saying Udhay and I are brothers-in-law! We are not related in any way. I never respond to such things because I am off social media when I am shooting and writing. But this time, I felt I clarified this, he says putting a full stop to this rumour. Entertainment! Entertainment! Entertainment! Click to follow our Whatsapp Channel Your daily dose of gossip, films, shows, celebrities updates all in one place The 14 opposition MPs suspended for privileges cases may be able to attend the upcoming budget session, the last one before the general elections, as the privileges committees of both Houses have initiated the process to submit reports on the lawmakers, functionaries aware of the matter said on Tuesday. The Lok Sabhas privileges committee has called a meeting on January 30 to adopt the draft report on the issue (ANI) Amid the acrimony in the winter session, an unprecedented 146 opposition MPs were suspended between December 17 and 19. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Even as 90% or 132 lawmakers are free to attend as they were banned only for the winter session, the privileges charges against the remaining 14 -- three from the Lok Sabha and 11 from the Rajya Sabha -- will keep them out unless the reports of the privileges committees are submitted by the first few days of the session. The Lok Sabhas privileges committee has called a meeting on January 30 to adopt the draft report on the issue. Motion resolution adopted by the House on 18 December, 2023 leading to their suspension from the service of the House for creating grave disorder in the House and referring the matter to the Committee of Privileges for further investigation and report to the House-Consideration and adoption of draft Report, said the notice of the panel meeting posted in the Lok Sabha portal. The Rajya Sabha panel called a meeting on January 9 on the subject, but the meeting could not take any decision as only three members, including Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh, who heads the panel, were present. We are looking for a suitable date to call another meeting at the earliest, a functionary of the panel said, asking not to be named. We want to table our report in this session. Read Here: LS privileges committee adopts resolution to revoke 3 MPs suspension The 14 suspended MPs are K Jayakumar and Abdul Khaleque of the Congress and Vijay Kumar of the Janata Dal (United) from the Lok Sabha; and Congresss Jebi Mather, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, and GC Chandrasekhar, Communist Party of Indias Binoy Viswam and Sandosh Kumar, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagams Mohamad Abdulla and Communist Party of India (Marxist)s John Brittas and AA Rahim from the Rajya Sabha. We will adopt the report and try to submit it as soon as possible. We are aware that once the report is tabled, the three suspended MPs can participate in the proceedings, a functionary of the Rajya Sabha panel said. Another functionary said that the report will be presented as soon as possible to allow the MPs to participate in the debates on the Presidents speech and the Vote on Accounts. Both asked to remain unnamed. The budget session will start with the Presidents address to the joint sitting of both Houses on January 31, followed by the interim budget on February 1. The session, which will end on February 9, is likely to have only two debates to discuss the speech and the Vote of Accounts. We are trying to see that all MPs get a chance to participate in the two debates and listen to the Presidents speech, said a functionary of the Rajya Sabha privileges panel. The acrimonious winter session that saw a glaring lapse in the security of the heavily fortified building, with two intruders jumping into the Lok Sabha with smoke canisters, also witnessed a record 146 opposition lawmakers being suspended from Parliament. The Opposition has claimed the suspensions were prompted by their continuing demand for answers from the government on the security lapse -- and specifically a statement from home minister Amit Shah -- but the government has denied the charge and maintained that the suspensions were for disorderly conduct. As the Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was stopped from entering Guwahati on Tuesday, party leader Rahul Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, union home minister Amit Shah and Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi waves at supporters during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Guwahati on January 23.(PTI) Assam CM, the Union Home Minister and the PM can break the rules but we (Congress) would never do such a thing," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a gathering. However, this doesn't mean that we are weak. Congress workers are Babbar Sher. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was stopped from entering the city on Tuesday, triggering protests by Congress workers who broke barricades and raised slogans. The police, which had set up barricades at two places to prevent the Yatra from entering the city limits, resorted to lathi charge to stop the Congress workers. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma had said the Yatra would not be allowed to enter the city in order to avoid traffic jams. Meanwhile, the Congress has accused the Assam government of creating problems against their yatra and lodging police complaints unnecessarily. On Tuesday, Gandhi alleged that his talk at a university was cancelled at the behest of home minister Amit Shah and the Assam CM. I wanted to come to your university and talk to you and understand what you are facing, he said. The home minister of India called up the CM of Assam, and then the Assam CM's office called up the leadership of your university and said that Rahul Gandhi must not be allowed to speak to the students. He added: It is important that you are allowed to listen to anybody you want to listen to. You are being told that you must blindly obey the RSS and the leadership of this country. The Yatra, which entered Meghalaya on Monday, returned to Assam for its last leg and will travel through the outskirts of the state's largest city Guwahati. The Yatra would be in Assam till Thursday. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asserted that he and his party have a 'good' relationship with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during an INDIA alliance meeting in Bengaluru.(HT photo) He said that critical remarks from either the Trinamool Congress (TMC) or the Congress against each other will not negatively affect the seat-sharing talks for the coming Lok Sabha polls within the INDIA bloc. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The negotiations on seat-sharing are underway, I don't want to comment here. But Mamata Banerjee is very close to me and our party. Sometimes our leaders say something, their leaders say something, and it goes on. It's a natural thing, Gandhi said during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam. The Congress leader further added: " Such comments won't matter and these are not things that are going to disrupt things." Gandhi's remarks come a day after Mamata Banerjee, without naming the Congress, criticised the delay in seat-sharing discussions within the INDIA block for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Banerjee also alleged that the Left is attempting to control the agenda of the Opposition's INDIA alliance and underscored that no one confronts the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as directly as she does. I suggested the name INDIA during the opposition bloc meeting. But whenever I attend the meeting, I find the Left trying to control it, the chief minister had said. "This is not acceptable. I cannot agree with those with whom I had fought for 34 years. Despite such insults, I have adjusted and attended the INDIA bloc meetings. The Trinamool Congress is a key member of the opposition INDIA alliance comprising Congress, CPI (M)-led Left Front and other parties. However, in West Bengal, the CPI(M) and Congress have aligned against the TMC and BJP. Recently, several TMC leaders have alleged that West Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury continues to target the TMC and Banerjee even though their parties are allies in the INDIA bloc. Thousands of Anganwadi workers were taken into police custody on Monday across Andhra Pradesh as they were marching towards Vijayawada to represent their problems with the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government. The Anganwadi workers were protesting against the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led Andhra Pradesh government. (ANI) Simultaneously, the Vijayawada police foiled the indefinite fast of Anganwadi workers and helpers, who have been fasting for the last five days demanding that the government fulfil their 11-point charter of demands. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In last one month, the state government held several rounds of negotiations with Anganwadi workers and helpers union representatives and as the talks failed, the government decided to act tough with the protesting women. About 106,000 workers and helpers of Anganwadi centres have been agitating since December 12, 2023, demanding among other things, an increase in their salary from 11,500 at present to 26,000, besides payment of gratuity, paid medical leaves, recognition of mini workers as main workers, retirement benefits, and pension. On January 6, the government invoked provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) banning the agitations and asking the women to resume their duties, but the unrelenting Anganwadi workers continued with their protest.On Monday, chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy issued instructions to all the district collectors to dismiss the Anganwadi workers from service, if they did not join the duties before noon, when the notices served on them expired. The chief secretary asked the collectors to issue a fresh notification on January 25 for recruiting new Anganwadi workers. Parvathipuram Manyam district women and child welfare development officer MN Rani said in a statement that a total of 1,444 workers and 931 nurses who did not attend their duties were dismissed in the district. Similarly, Vizianagaram district collector Nagalakshmi said that while 4,151 Anganwadi workers participated in the strike in the district, 503 returned to work. Orders have been issued to remove Anganwadi workers and helpers who are still absent from duty, she said. Tense situation prevailed at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada in the early hours of Monday, when the police barged into the area and shifted the fasting Anganwadi leaders and workers to Machilipatnam police station. The police also removed the tents. The police swooped on the fasting camp around 3 am, forcibly bundled us into their vehicles, pulled down our tents and took us to Machilipatnam. Some of the protesting women were injured while resisting the police, AP Pragathiseela Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Union vice-president G Bharathi told the reporters. The police also took thousands of Anganwadi workers and helpers in all the districts when they were about to board the buses and trains to reach Vijayawada. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday directed the state police to file a case against Rahul Gandhi for provoking crowd amid Congress workers being stopped from entering Guwahati during the ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi waves at supporters during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, in Guwahati(PTI) "These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such naxalite tactics are completely alien to our culture. I have instructed @DGPAssamPolice to register a case against your leader @RahulGandhi for provoking the crowd & use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence," the Assam CM wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Nearly 5,000 Congress workers, along with Rahul Gandhi, trying to enter Guwahati on Tuesday were intercepted after the party restarted its flagship Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam today. Following this, party workers clashed with police officials and broke police barriers. Cops resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the crowd. Addressing a gathering close to the Guwahati border, Rahul Gandhi said his party workers would never break the rules and disrupt law and order; however, this doesn't mean that we are weak. "Assam CM, the Union Home Minister and the PM can break the rules, but we (Congress) would never do such a thing. However, this doesn't mean that we are weak. Congress workers are 'Babbar Sher'," he said, standing atop a bus. Before leaving for Guwahati, the former Congress chief alleged that Union home minister Amit Shah instructed the Assam CM to stop him from meeting students, which was scheduled for today. (This is a developing story. Kindly check back for more updates) New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised the Gujarat police officials involved in publicly flogging three Muslim men after tying them to a pole in October 2022, calling their conduct atrocious and unacceptable. The Supreme Court agreed to extend the stay on the jail term of the four Gujarat police officials until the next date of hearing (HT FILE PHOTO) A bench of justices Bhushan R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta emphasised that the policemen not only misused their authority but also acted in contravention of the Supreme Courts 1997 ruling in the DK Basu case that warned law enforcement agencies against custodial torture and laid down extensive guidelines on police conduct during arrests and detentions. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Do you have an authority under law to tie people to poles and beat them in public view? And take a video? What kind of atrocity is this and you even take video of it, the bench remarked as it took up an appeal filed by the policemen against their conviction and punishment in a contempt case. In October last year, the Gujarat high court sentenced four policemen to 14 days imprisonment, with a fine of 2,000, in the contempt of court case over the public flogging of three Muslim men in the states Kheda district. The incident, a video of which went viral, occurred in October 2022. On Tuesday, the bench asked senior counsel Siddharth Dave, who represented the accused policemen, about the basis for seeking a reversal of the conviction in the contempt case when there appeared no dispute over the facts of the case. Dave said the appeal questions the jurisdiction of the high court in proceeding under the contempt of court jurisdiction because the 1997 judgment in the DK Basu case did not term the incident in question as a form of custodial torture. So, you think you have authority under the law to tie people and beat them? wondered the bench, asking Dave if the act could be justified just because the 1997 judgment did not mention the act of flogging with sticks. Dave replied that the police officers were already facing criminal prosecution as well as departmental proceedings and that the issue in appeal was the high courts jurisdiction to proceed against them in a contempt case.\ It has to be willful disobedience of the courts judgment in a contempt case. This part has to be found. That he, knowing about this judgment, said he will not follow it, added the senior counsel. But the bench remained unimpressed. So, (is) ignorance of law a valid defence? Its the duty of every police officer to know what the law is laid down in DK Basu. We have been hearing about DK Basu since the time we were students, the bench told Dave. The bench added that the high court further noted that the victims were also kept in illegal detention for over 24 hours. Dave said this conclusion could be made only after a trial. Under contempt jurisdiction, they cannot be prosecuted for an offence without a trial that requires facts to be proven, he said. Senior advocate IH Syed, who appeared for the victims, informed the bench that a private complaint to prosecute the four policemen was also pending before a trial court, and that the contempt proceedings had to remain independent of any other legal proceedings. They are simply saying its (contempt) not willful. Beyond that, they have no case, Syed argued. At this point, the bench noted that the appeal against the order of the high courts division bench would have to be admitted by the Supreme Court since the Contempt of Courts Act allows a person to challenge such a decision. Its a statutory appeal. So, we will have to admit it and hear, the bench said. After Dave pointed out that the high court stayed the operation of the order for three months after the accused sought time to file an appeal, the bench agreed to extend the stay on their jail term until the next date of hearing. In October 2022, a group of 150-200 people from the Muslim community allegedly pelted stones at a garba event during Navratri festivities inside a temple at Undhela village in Kheda district. After the incident, the police arrested several people, some of whom were allegedly publicly flogged after being tied to a pole. Videos of the incident went viral. In its October 19, 2023 judgment, the high court termed the flogging as inhumane and an act against humanity while stressing that even those who were arrested by the police have the right to life, which also includes living life with dignity. It held that once a person is in the custody of the police, his dignity cannot be allowed to be comatose. In its ruling, the high court rejected inspector AV Parmar, sub-inspector DB Kumavat, head constable KL Dabhi, and constable Raju Dabhis contention that the act of flogging, by hitting the victims on their buttocks with sticks, did not amount to custodial torture. The policemen had offered monetary compensation to the victims to ward off an order of imprisonment, but the victims declined to accept any compromise or compensation. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. CATL to extend tech licensing cooperation model to more European and American auto companies CATL's Chairman Zeng Yuqun, during his attendance at the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, stated that CATL has established a fruitful collaboration with Ford Motor Company. CATL adopts a service model based on technology licensing, assisting Ford in constructing its own battery factories. Photo credit: CATL Mr. Zeng added, We will also provide similar service models for many automotive manufacturers and even battery manufacturers in Europe and the United States, assisting them in swiftly establishing battery production facilities and becoming world-class factories to address climate change. That is our goal." Hyundai's first N Lounge in China opens doors The first N Lounge in China for Hyundai N, Hyundais sub-brand for high-performance cars, engines, and related technologies, officially opened on January 19, 2024, at the Tianma Circuit in Shanghai. This marks the brands beginning of providing comprehensive services for 'N Players' and high-performance car enthusiasts. NETA Auto launches first OTA upgrade for NETA Xs users On January 22, the NETA X, a compact SUV model under NETA Auto, greeted its first OTA (over-the-air) upgrade with seven new functions newly added, including DMS (driver monitoring system), Karaoke TV, the Nap + Car Wash Mode, and a completely new gesture interaction approach. Besides, up to 100 functional experiences will be optimized through the OTA upgrade. Baohang Automotive secures corner-radar contract from VinFast Radar maker Baohang Automotive, the joint venture between Chinese auto parts supplier Baolong Automotive and Chuhang Technology, has successfully secured the corner radar contract for Vietnamese automaker VinFast's VF series comprising five vehicle models, according to Baolongs announcement on January 23. Geely's Farizon Auto ships first V6E vans to Turkey On January 20, Geely's Farizon New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group ("Farizon Auto") exported the first batch of the V6E vans to Turkey, officially setting sail from the Shanghai port, according to a post on Farizon Auto's WeChat account. FAW Group, Alibaba Cloud launch GPT-BI large model-based data-driven application On January 22, FAW Group, a major Chinese automaker, in collaboration with Alibaba Cloud, introduced the groundbreaking GPT-BI (Business Intelligence) application, further boosting FAW Group's digital transformation. Horizon Robotics open-sources Sparse4D autonomous driving algorithm On January 22, Horizon Robotics made a significant move by open-sourcing its leading Sparse4D series pure vision autonomous driving algorithms. This initiative aims to foster collaboration among developers and encourage collective exploration into cutting-edge technologies like end-to-end autonomous driving and sparse perception. Gecko Motors completes Pre-A funding round for new energy commercial vehicle R&D Shenzhen GECKO New Energy Vehicle Technology Co., Ltd. ("Gecko Motors"), a Chinese company with advanced digital chassis as the core, recently announced the completion of a Pre-A round financing, which bagged for the company hundreds of millions of yuan. Car retail platform Huasheng Haoche bags 650 million yuan in new funding round On January 22, China's automotive new retail platform, Huasheng Haoche, announced that it had raised 650 million yuan in a new financing round, which was led by local state-owned asset divisions. SAIC Motor breaks ground on new battery base in Nanjing city's Jiangbei New Area On January 21, the groundbreaking ceremony for the battery and new energy power technology factory project at the Jiangbei New Area base of Nanjing Automobile Group was held in Nanjing city, according to a post on SAIC Motor's WeChat account. WeRide deploys L4 unmanned Robosweepers for commercial sanitation service in Beijing WeRide, the Chinese autonomous driving solution developer, has officially launched its unmanned street cleaning vehicle, Robosweeper, in Beijing's Economic and Technological Development Area. Chery Holding eyes sales growth rate 10-20 percentages points higher than industry average in 2024 On January 22, Chinese automaker Chery Holding brought together its four major brandsCHERY, EXEED, JEOUTR, and iCARto discuss the 2024 business strategies for the company. A massive crowd thronged the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya as the grand temple opened its doors for devotees to offer prayers on Tuesday morning, a day after the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla. Devotees wait in queues to undergo security check to enter the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday,(PTI) Devotees gathered in large numbers since 3am to have darshan (viewing) of the new Ram Lalla idol on the first morning after the consecration ceremony, news agency ANI reported. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The 'pran pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was held amid unbridled celebrations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the main rituals officiated by a select complement of priests. A large number of devotees, both locals and visitors from other states, gathered near the main gateway along the Ram Path leading to the temple complex late on Monday, seeking entry to the mandir premises. As a large crowd built up near the ceremonial gateway decked up for the consecration ceremony police told the devotees that the temple would open to the public from Tuesday. For devotees seeking darshan of Lord Ram Lalla, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra website has provided specific time slots morning slot from 7am to 11:30am and afternoon slot from 2 pm to 7pm. Aarti timings include jagran/shringar at 6:30am and sandhya aarti at 7:30pm. One can obtain passes for the 'aarti' both offline and online. The offline passes are available at the camp office at Shri Ram Janmbhoomi, requiring a valid government identity proof. The 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of Lord Ram was held at 12.29pm on Monday. The ceremonial journey leading up to the mega event included a seven-day ritual that commenced on January 16. The ceremony was attended by people from all walks of life, including representatives of various tribal communities. Major spiritual and religious sect leader were also invited to the consecration ceremony. Built-in the traditional Nagara style, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet and a width of 250 feet. It stands 161 feet above the ground and is supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, Gods, and Goddesses. In the sanctum sanctorum of Ram Mandir, the child-like Lord Ram is enthroned. "We are very pleased. Ayodhya has decked up like a bride. We are touched even more to come to terms with the fact that we are going to have 'darshan' of the Ram Lalla," ANI quoted Tejender Singh, a devotee from Chandigarh, as saying. Another devotee said he came all the way from Odisha for the darshan of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. "I have come from Odisha's Puri to Ayodhya on bike to have darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. It was a journey of 1224 kilometres. I was very eager to have 'darshan' of Lord Ram Lalla. When I was asked on my way where I was going, I said that that I was going to have darshan of Lord Ram at the temple which was not built for over 500 years," he told ANI. Devotees were also seen taking a dip at the Saryu River by the temple amid intense cold weather. (With inputs from agencies) Bengaluru: A special court in Bengaluru ruled that valuable jewellery, worth crores, seized during the disproportionate assets case against the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa should be returned to the Tamil Nadu government. The court also ordered that the Tamil Nadu government must pay 5 crore in compensation to Karnataka for the expenses incurred in conducting the disproportionate assets case. Former Tamil Nadu chief minister (late) J Jayalalithaa. (File Photo) The trial had been conducted in Karnataka as per the Supreme Courts directive, leading to all relevant evidence being currently held in the Karnataka treasury under the courts custody. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Judge H A Mohan, presiding over the 32 additional city civil and sessions court, gave the order after hearing a plea filed by RTI activist T Narasimha Murthy seeking compensation for the amount spent by the Karnataka government in the disproportionate assets case through the auction of items seized from Jayalalithaa. The court rejected a plea seeking the auction of jewellery seized from Jayalalithaa during the investigation of the case. Instead, it directed the transfer of these confiscated valuables to the government of Tamil Nadu. The responsibility for further action, including the disposal of the gold and diamond jewellery considered as material evidence in the disproportionate assets case, was placed on the Tamil Nadu Government. Instead of auctioning the jewels, it is better to transfer the same to Tamil Nadu by handing over the same through the Department of Home, State of Tamil Nadu, said the special court judge. The court had earlier held that the family of Jayalalithaa were not entitled to the properties which are confiscated by the State. The special CBI court had thus rejected the petition filed by J Deepa and J Deepak, the niece and nephew of Jayalalithaa, respectively. The court then issued the direction that the Tamil Nadu Home Department authorise competent persons preferably in the rank of secretary along with police to come and collect the jewels. On September 27, 2014, a special court in Bengaluru had sentenced Jayalalithaa to four years in jail and fined her 100 crore in connection with a disproportionate assets case. It had also directed that Jayalalithas seized valuables should be sold to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or State Bank of India (SBI) through public auction. It was directed that the proceeds should be adjusted to the fine amount. This prompted Murthys plea before the special court. (With PTI inputs) The Maharashtra government on Tuesday razed illegal structures and encroachments in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road in Thane where a clash between two groups of people was reported on the eve of Ram temple pran pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya The alleged illegal structures were razed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.(ANI) According to ANI, the alleged illegal structures were razed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation with the help of the police on the instructions of the Maharashtra government. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. On Sunday night, the Nayanagar police in Mira Road arrested 13 people for allegedly pelting stones at vehicles bearing saffron flags, which were headed for a procession ahead of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Police officials said a mob of 50-60 people pelted stones on vehicles that were part of the procession, while one person attacked participants with a knife; 24 persons were injured in the incident, while four persons sustained serious injuries. Jayant Bajbale, deputy commissioner of police, Nayanagar, said that a case against the mob has been registered at the Nayanagar police station under sections 307 (attempt to murder), 341 (wrongful restraint), 295(A) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153(A) (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of region), 141 (unlawful assembly), 143 (being a member of unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (common intent in regards unlawful assembly) and 427 (mischief causing damage of property) of the Indian Penal Code. Also Read | Maharashtra politicians celebrate consecration of Ram temple After the incident, heavy security was deployed in the Mira Road area. Local police, Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, RAF (Rapid Action Force), MSF (Maharashtra Security Force) and SRPF were deployed in the area, according to ANI. Additional Commissioner of Police Shrikant Pathak at Mira Bhayandar issued an appeal to maintain peace in the area. "We are investigating the incident. Action will be taken against the accused only. I appeal to everybody to maintain peace. The Police have taken timely action. We are investigating the entire matter by looking at the CCTV footage. There are small miscreants which still try to create nuisance," he said, according to the news agency. Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said that he has been in touch with police officials over the incident. "Police have been instructed to take strict action against the accused. In this case, 13 accused have been detained so far and the process of identifying the other accused is underway by checking the CCTV footage. Anyone trying to disrupt law and order in Maharashtra will not be tolerated," he wrote on X. Six people were injured after a Myanmar Army plane crash-landed at Mizoram's Lengpui airport on Tuesday. There were 14 people, including the pilot, on board the aircraft, The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital, the Mizoram director general of police said. The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital, the Mizoram DGP said. Initial reports indicated that the aircraft had arrived to pick up Myanmar Army personnel, who entered India recently, and suffered damage after veering off the runway at Lengpui airport. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The mishap happened on a day an Assam Rifles official said India sent back 184 Myanmarese soldiers to their own country after they fled to Mizoram last week following gunfights with an ethnic insurgent group. A total of 276 Myanmarese soldiers had entered Mizoram last week, and of them, 184 were sent back on Monday, the official said. They were flown on Myanmar airforce planes from the Lengpui airport near Aizawl to Sittwe in the neighbouring country's Rakhine state, she said. The remaining 92 soldiers will be repatriated on Tuesday, she added. Myanmarese soldiers fleed to India The Myanmarese soldiers entered Bandukbanga village, located at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction, in southernmost Mizoram's Lawngtlai district with arms and ammunition on January 17 and approached the Assam Rifles. They fled to Mizoram after their camp was overrun and captured by 'Arakan Army' fighters. The Myanmarese soldiers were escorted to the nearby Assam Rifles camp at Parva, and later the majority of them were shifted to Lunglei, the official said. They have been under the supervision of the Assam Rifles since then, the official said. These 276 soldiers were brought to Aizawl over Saturday and Sunday, for their transport to Myanmar from the Lengpui airport. The group is headed by a colonel, and has 36 officers and 240 lower-rank personnel, officials said. Of them, 359 soldiers have already been sent back to their country, they said. In November, 104 Myanmar Army personnel were sent to the border town of Moreh in Manipur from different places in Mizoram by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters and then repatriated. Earlier this month, 255 soldiers were sent back via the Lengpui airport by Myanmar Air Force planes. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar. The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Monday dispatched a three-member team to ethnic violence-hit Manipur to hold talks with members of both Meitei and Kuki communities in an attempt to restore peace in the northeastern state, people familiar with the matter said. Manipur has been in the throes of ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis since May 3 last year. (PTI) The team comprising AK Mishra, the Centres interlocutor for peace talks, and two senior officials from the Intelligence Bureau (IB), will spend few days in Manipur, holding talks with various civil society organisations and representatives from both communities, an official aware of the details said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The central team reached Imphal on a special charter flight on Monday evening. They will remain in Manipur for next few days and start talks, the official said, requesting anonymity. Though MHA officials did not comment on the proposed meetings of its representatives, officials in Manipur said the MHA team held its first meeting with Arambai Tenggol, an influential Meitei group in the Imphal valley, where the community dominates. Manipur has been in the throes of ethnic violence between the majority Meitei community and the tribal Kukis since May 3 last year, with other communities increasingly sucked into clashes that have continued off and on. Over the past eight months, at least 207 people have lost their lives, and over 50,000 people have been displaced. To be sure, IB officials and Mishra have been visiting Manipur from time to time since the ethnic clashes broke out in the state on May 3 last year. However, people familiar with the matter said the ongoing visit holds significance for various reasons, including its timing as it comes amid the latest cycle of violence, particularly in Moreh town along the Myanmar border in Tengnoupal district and at Ningthong Kha Khunou in Bishnupur district where militants have not only targeted members from the other community but also the security forces. Another reason why the intervention by the central representatives is important, according to officials, is a call by Arambai Tenggol (AT) urging all legislators from the valley to gather at Kangla Fort for a meeting of the community on January 24. The Meitei civil society organisation, which has been accused of violence by Kuki groups, has called the meeting in the backdrop of recent cases of Meitei residents being killed while entering Kuki-Zo tribal villages. On Monday, a resolution was adopted by 34 legislators of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies in the state urging the Centre to abrogate the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement with militant groups to prevent violence from escalating. The MLAs also urged central security forces to fire back at militants when the latter attack unarmed civilians. Legislators have unanimously resolved that Government of India should take up appropriate action at the earliest. If Government of India is unable to take any positive action as per these demands, we the legislators will take appropriate action in consultation with the public, the resolution stated. The SoO agreement was signed by Kuki militant groups with the Centre and the Manipur government in August 2008 following the Kuki-Naga clashes. The agreement was signed with 25 Kuki militant groups 17 of them under the umbrella group Kuki National Organisation and eight under United Peoples Front. As per the agreement, the cadres of these groups were to be confined to designated camps and their arms kept locked in safe rooms under double-locking system. The Congress on Tuesday accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajyavardhan Rathore of wearing shoes while performing a puja of Lord Ram. The photograph was shared by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate on X.(X/SupriyaShrinate ) Sharing a visual of Rathore performing the puja, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said that a new tradition of worshipping God while wearing shoes has been started. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A new tradition of worshipping while wearing shoes in Hinduism has been started by the self-proclaimed custodians of the religion, Shrinate wrote on X, previously known as Twitter. Rathore has not so far responded to the allegations. An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandir's construction and to build the foundation of a "strong, capable and divine" India for the next 1,000 years. Also Read | Devotees throng Ram temple in Ayodhya after it opens for general public Lakhs of people watched the 'pran pratishtha (consecration)' ceremony on television in their homes and neighbourhood temples, savouring the historic moment. The consecration ceremony at the Lord Ram temple in Ayodhya was celebrated with religious fervour across the country. The Ram Temple in Ayodhya Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday presided over the 'pran pratishtha' ceremony of the idol of Ram Lalla inside the sanctorum of the newly constructed Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Ram temple delivers on a key 35-year-old promise by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Constructed in the traditional Nagara style, the Ram Temple has a length (east-west) of 380 feet, a width of 250 feet, and a height of 161 feet. Supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors, the temple is three-storied, with each floor being 20 feet tall. The pillars and walls showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, gods and goddesses. There are a total of five mandaps (halls) in the temple -- Nritya Mandap, Rang Mandap, Sabha Mandap, Prathana Mandap and Kirtan Mandap. At the four corners of the compound, there are four Mandirs - dedicated to Surya Dev, Devi Bhagwati, Ganesh Bhagwan and Bhagwan Shiv. In the northern arm is a Mandir of Maa Annapurna and in the southern arm is a Mandir of Hanuman ji. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he and his party share a very good personal relationship with Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, adding critical remarks from either side will not affect the seat-sharing talks for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addresses during a press conference at Hajo in Kamrup district of Assam on Tuesday (ANI) The former Congress president, who was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam, said talks are underway between his party and the TMC both allies in the opposition INDIA bloc on seat-sharing in the eastern state for the crucial general elections. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Our negotiations over seats are on. The conclusion will be evident. I dont want to comment on that here. I have a very good personal relationship with Mamata Ji, and so does our party, Gandhi said. His remarks came amid speculation of fissures among INDIA bloc members in West Bengal following recent heated comments from leaders from both the Congress and the TMC. Read Here | Mamata an opportunist: Adhir Ranjan's jibe after Rahul Gandhi says seat talks underway During an all-faith rally in Kolkata on Monday, Banerjee said she had proposed that the Congress should contest 300 of the 543 Lok Sabha seats and leave the rest for regional parties in various states, but the proposal was ignored at INDIA blocs meetings. She also targeted the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI(M), another ally in the 28-party grouping, accusing it of controlling the INDIA meetings. West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has often been vocal in expressing his discomfort over an alliance with the TMC, saying the INDIA bloc would not work in the eastern state as the Congress as well as the CPI(M) are opposed to both the TMC and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). When asked about Chowdhurys remarks, Gandhi on Tuesday said: Sometimes people from our side say something and sometimes they say something. These are natural things. These are not going to disrupt anything. TMC Rajya Sabha member Santanu Sen welcomed Gandhis remarks, but reminded the leader to restrain Chowdhury from making hostile comments. He targets Mamata Banerjee every day in public and makes insulting remarks. Rahul Gandhi should restrain Chowdhury if Congress is serious about the alliance, Sen said. The Delhi high court has stayed the income-tax departments order revoking the tax exemption status of Oxfam India and Care India Solutions for Sustainable Development, but directed the NGOs to only obtain domestic contributions and maintain proper accounts of the funds received by them, including details of contributors. The court passed the order while dealing with petitions filed by the two NGOs challenging the I-T departments order revoking their tax exemption status in September last year (Getty Images/iStockphoto) The high court, in its order passed on January 18 and made public on Monday, also asked the non-profits to use the funds in a manner aligned with their objectives and furnish details of the same. The court passed the order while dealing with petitions filed by the two NGOs challenging the I-T departments order revoking their tax exemption status in September last year. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A bench of justices Yashwant Varma and Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav granted relief to the NGOs after noting that a coordinate bench of the court had on August 25 last year stayed the I-T departments order revoking think tank Center for Policy Researchs tax exemption licence. The I-T department had challenged the August 25 order before the Supreme Court, but the latter refused to stay the high court ruling. We also bear in mind the need to adopt a uniform and consistent approach insofar as interim orders are concerned. This since an identical challenge has been duly entertained by a coordinate Bench of this Court and interim protection accorded, the bench said. We consequently hold that the petitioners shall be entitled to interim reliefs in terms identical to those provided in paragraphs 17-19 of the aforenoted order of 25 August 2023 subject to the clarification that the donations that may be accepted by the petitioners pursuant to the aforenoted interim directions shall be confined to domestic contributions only, it added. The court also extended its interim order regarding CPR till February 27, when the petitions filed by Oxfam, Care India and CPR will be heard next. Oxfams tax exemption status was revoked by the I-T department on September 30, months after its office was searched by the department. On Thursday, Oxfam, appearing through senior advocate Arvind Datar, submitted that the apex court on January 5 had upheld high courts August 25 order passed with regard to CPR. To be sure, a bench of justices Rajiv Shakdher and Girish Kathpalia in August had stayed the income tax reassessment proceedings against CPR, which were triggered on the grounds of it allegedly being engaged in litigation activities that were violative of Section 8(1) of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The I-T department, represented through special counsel Zoheb Hussain, sought for dismissal of the writ on the ground that the Income Tax Tribunal was competent to examine the issue of retrospective application of cancellation of tax exemption licence. The recent rejig of portfolios of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) ministers in the Bihar cabinet was in the offing for a while, but it had remained on hold amid growing speculations about the political turn it could take. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday changed the portfolios of three of his cabinet colleagues (all from the RJD), including education minister Chandrashekhar, whose comments on the Ram temple sparked a controversy, besides Lalit Yadav, minister for public health and Alok Mehta, minister of revenue and land reforms. In 2022, when the JD-U formed the government with the support of the RJD, it gave away the education portfolio that had been with it since 2005, when Nitish first took oath as CM of the state. However, Chandrashekhar was never at ease in the department and kept sparking controversy through his remarks and actions. At one point, the situation was so bad that he stopped going to his department for nearly a month and met his party chief, Lalu Prasad to seek his intervention. Relegated to a titular head, his department hit headlines under additional chief secretary (ACS) KK Pathak, particularly around the mega appointment of school teachers. Earlier this month, Pathak suddenly went on leave, relinquishing charge of his department and the CM office had to intervene to persuade him to withdraw the extension of leave. He did so, and within a couple of days, the portfolio re-jig sent the minister to take charge of the sugarcane department. There is no question that Chandrashekhars position has been downsized, but it cannot happen without the support of Lalu Prasad. Though Alok Mehta got education, he had to leave an equally important department of land reforms & revenue. Mehta was also at the receiving end of Nitish last year when his departments transfers and postings were stayed. Lalu Prasad is waiting, as he does not want to give Nitish Kumar any opportunity to walk out or align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or even plan dissolving the House for simultaneous state and national elections. For the RJD, 2025 Assembly elections will be more important and the party wants to tread cautiously, said a senior RJD leader, who did not want to be quoted. He said that the change of guard in education department might also be due to the credit-war over bulk appointments in the education sector. The vacancies were there for a long time, but it is only after the Grand Alliance government was formed that the government started showing a sense of urgency. RJD had made it an election issue in 2020. However, Nitish Kumar has been particular about showcasing it as his governments achievement. He projects it as part of the governments 7-Resolves that has continued despite change in alliance partners [the JD-U was earlier allied with the BJP]. He also expressed displeasure over some RJD leaders talking about it as partys success. Now RJD is quiet as it does not want to upset Nitish, he added. Another RJD leader said that both Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, who head different parties, may have differences over many issues, but they are also aware that their differences should not allow the regime led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to prevail over Bihar. Sometimes, compulsions are for a bigger objective and that binds groups, he added. Former director of AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies DM Diwakar said that Nitish Kumars style of functioning has always been bureaucracy-centric, unlike other parties, which have cadres, and he would never tolerate anyone hurting that in any way to impact his governance and politics. Through the portfolio rejig, Nitish Kumar has done what was expected for quite some time. Yet, in his decisions, RJD chief Lalu Prasads support is understandable, may be due to delicate circumstances and difficult electoral arithmetic that handicap both of them. Neither will want the BJP to take advantage of their differences. Despite unease on some issues, Laluji cannot afford to take unpopular decisions at this stage, though his style has always been cadre-based. Chandrashekhar also went to Laluji following a spat with his department ACS, but things did not work even there and he had to maintain silence, waiting for his exit, he added. Diwakar said that stakes are high in Bihar and RJD would not like to ruffle Nitish at this stage when a lot of bigger issues are yet to be settled and the states triangular politics (of the RJD, BJP and the JD-U) does not provide much elbow room to it. There are several factors behind the unease. One of them is the delayed seat sharing for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While JD-U wants it fast for clarity, RJD is not in any hurry. It is unlikely that Nitish Kumar will settle for less than 17 seats, which is how many JD-U won in 2019, and it may also not accept much change. That means the RJD will have to distribute the rest of the seats among the Congress, the CPI-ML and eventually end up contesting just as many as JD-U, or may be even fewer. But for both Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, options are limited and they would not like to spoil the broth impulsively, he added. The election to six Rajya Sabha seats and 11 seats of the Bihar Legislative Council in the coming months could also lead to some push and pull. On the basis of electoral arithmetic, JD-U will get just one RS seat. It might like to have another with surplus votes and support of other GA parties. Social analyst NK Choudhary said that Nitish Kumar is known for being authoritative in his actions and following the bureaucratic line even if it ruffled elected representatives some times. The unease with the RJD is understandable, as Nitish got nothing despite initiating the anti-BJP alliance. The RJD may also be feeling uneasy due to a delay in making Tejashwi Prasad Yadav CM. There will be some tussle over seat sharing as well. This may manifest in many ways. One of them is a portfolio rejig, as Nitish managed to get the RJD to agree to the changes he wanted and send the message out that he was in charge, he added. PANAJI: Goa legislator Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday said he will move a private members bill for reserving 80% of jobs in the private sector for state residents. Goa Forward Party chief and MLA Vijai Sardesi said he has again moved a private members bill for reservation to local residents Sardesai, the president of the Goa Forward Party, moved a similar bill in 2022, when he argued that there was no reason why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Goa shouldnt back quotas for locals when the Haryana government led by Manohar Lal Khattar enacted a similar law in 2021. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Punjab and Haryana high court in November last year struck down Haryanas law that reserved 75% private sector jobs, paying up to 30,000 a month, for local candidates. The high court said the law was unconstitutional, violated fundamental rights and held that notions about individual rights have to be in line with the text and spirit of the Constitution and not popular or majoritarian notions. In a post on X on Tuesday, Sardesai accused the state government of being indifferent to the plight of the youth. @GovtofGoas appalling indifference, and sometimes active intervention to block #Goans in their own land is shocking and unacceptable. Ill never back down from our demand of 80% jobs to Goans in private industries, and Ive moved a Private Members Billfor the second time!to this effect, Sardesai, the lone legislator of his party, said in the post. Goa industries minister Mauvin Godinho last year rejected attempts to legislate quotas for residents, saying employment of locals could be linked to incentives for industries. To be sure, chief minister Pramod Sawant was supportive of the demand for a law for reservation in the private sector in 2019 and had then sought six months to deliver on the assurance. Beijing (Gasgoo)- WeRide, the Chinese autonomous driving solution developer, has officially launched its unmanned street cleaning vehicle, Robosweeper, in Beijing's Economic and Technological Development Area. Photo credit: WeRide This groundbreaking project integrates "autonomous driving + new energy" mechanical operations with traditional manual methods, marking Beijing's first commercial sanitation initiative of this kind. The Robosweeper service covers key road sections in the area, operating during the day from 9:00 to 17:00 and introducing nighttime services from 0:00 to 7:00, strategically avoiding daytime traffic peaks to enhance operational efficiency. WeRide initiated autonomous sweeping vehicle road tests in Beijing in July 2023 and received fully unmanned road testing permits in October of the same year, making it the first and only autonomous driving company authorized for unmanned cleaning operations in the city. The WeRide Robosweeper, China's first mass-produced L4 autonomous sweeping vehicle, addresses challenges in the sanitation industry, such as aging labor force, high safety risks, and high carbon emissions. Utilizing pure electric drive, proprietary L4 autonomous driving software and hardware solutions, and a dedicated cloud control platform, it provides various urban sanitation services, including road sweeping, dust suppression, disinfection, and flushing. The vehicle significantly improves operational efficiency, reduces risks for sanitation workers, and minimizes exhaust emissions. Currently operational in Beijing and key cities like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Dalian, the WeRide Robosweeper is playing a crucial role in upgrading local traditional sanitation industries. The Union government on Monday opposed a petition demanding immediate implementation of the 2023 Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, so that one-third of the seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies are reserved for women before the 2024 general elections, contending that the plea failed to argue how the constitutional amendment fell afoul of the basic structure of the Constitution. On September 18, the Centre introduced the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill 2023 dealing with 33% women reservation in Parliament and state assemblies that was approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Raising preliminary objection to the maintainability of the petition, the Centre told a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta that the public interest litigation (PIL) questioning the constitutional amendments has not made any contention to demonstrate that the inclusion of census and delimitation as pre-conditions to the implementation of the 33% quota for women breached the doctrine of basic structure a judicial check on Parliaments power to amend the Constitution. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Learned solicitor general is appearing in this matter. He has a preliminary objection. There is a challenge to constitutional amendment but no pleading on basic structure is there in this petition. They are also seeking some interim orders, but we have the preliminary objection to the maintainability, advocate Kanu Agrawal, assisting solicitor general (S-G) Tushar Mehta in the case, submitted. Mehta was not present during the brief hearing. At this, the bench asked for an affidavit from the Centre, detailing its objections to the PIL filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur in October. While Agrawal said they would need two weeks to submit the written reply, senior counsel Vikas Singh, appearing for Thakur, pressed for an expeditious hearing. General elections can be announced anytime soon. Please, hear it immediately after two weeks or the whole purpose of filing this petition will be defeated, said Singh, adding there is also a request for an interim order. Singh also questioned why women reservation is made amenable to scientific data from census when the same was not done when one-third reservation was provided to women in local body polls for the first time in 1992. Responding, the bench said that it would not want to comment on the plea for an interim order without looking at the Centres response. We dont want to say anything about the interim order today. Let the reply come first, it told Singh. As the court proceeded to adjourn the matter by three weeks to let the Centre submit its reply, senior counsel Mahalakshmi Pavani, who also represented Thakur, requested the bench to issue a formal notice to the Union government. Accepting her request, the bench recorded in its order that the formal notice on behalf of the Centre was being waived by Agrawal as he appeared for the government. The doctrine of basic structure was evolved by a 13-judge bench of the Supreme Court in its historic 1973 judgment in the Kesavananda Bharati Case, laying down that Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution but cannot tinder with its basic structure a check on the executive and the legislative powers of the government. The verdict established firmly that Parliament does not enjoy unfettered power to amend the Constitution and that there are certain basic features that are beyond the scope of alterations. It clarified that Parliament is authorised to amend any part of the Constitution, including the fundamental rights, but at the same time, such amendments cannot remain immune from the power of the constitutional courts to exercise its power of judicial review to scrutinise all amendments and not just those affecting fundamental rights. While the Constitution bench in the 1973 judgment identified some of the features, including supremacy of the Constitution, unity and sovereignty of India, secular character of the Constitution and separation of power as the basic structure of the Constitution, the court clarified the list is not exhaustive. Later, the top court added some more features such as rule of law, judicial review and free and fair elections to the list of basic structure. On September 18, the Centre introduced the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill 2023 dealing with 33% women reservation in Parliament and state assemblies that was approved by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, as it is called, got the Presidential assent on September 28. By way of constitutional amendments, the law provided that implementation of the 33% quota will be subject to the next census and the subsequent delimitation exercise redrawing of Lok Sabha and assembly constituencies so as to ascertain the particular number of seats to be earmarked for women candidates. It added that the quota for women in Lok Sabha and assemblies will continue for 15 years although Parliament can later extend the benefit period. Congress leader Thakur approached the Supreme Court in October for immediate implementation of the 33% women reservation law and sought annulment of the provision in the Act making such reservation subject to the conduct of census and the subsequent delimitation exercise. The petition contended that the object of granting reservation to women cannot be defeated by allowing it to come into effect only after the exercise of delimitation is carried out and based on the relevant figures, the next census is carried out. The petition challenged the words after the delimitation is undertaken for this purpose after the relevant figures for the first census and sought an order from the top court to declare this clog to be void ab initio. The petition argued that there is no requirement for carrying out census or delimitation to implement the 33% women quota law as the proportion is fixed at 33% of the existing seats. The petition presented figures of representation of women in assemblies across the state to show that only 4% women in the country get representation in elections. Despite its publication, the object of the Act cannot be withheld for uncertain period, said Thakur, who is general secretary of the women wing of Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress party. Union home minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that after the introduction of three new criminal laws, Indias criminal justice system will be the most modern system in the world within the next five years. Union home minister Amit Shah inaugurated the 5th Criminology Conference of the National Forensic Sciences University in Gujarats Gandhinagar on Tuesday. (Image posted by Amit Shah on X) Speaking at the fifth International and 44th All India Criminology Conference of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gujarats Gandhinagar, Shah said that it marked a crucial juncture as Indias criminal justice system is entering into a new era. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He said that India has abolished the 150-year-old laws of criminal justice and introduced new laws. Parliament has approved three new laws, namely Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, to revamp our criminal justice system, he said, adding that the focus of these three lawsis on ensuring timely justice and boosting the conviction rate to curb crimes. Shah highlighted a bold directive mandating Forensic Science Officers presence at crime scenes involving offenses with a punishment of seven years or more. This decision aims to simplify investigations, facilitate judicial processes and make prosecution simple, said Shah, outlining a holistic approach to modernising the entire criminal justice system within the specified timeframe. This will also help us in increasing the conviction rate. Along with this, efforts are also being made to modernise the entire process. After five years, Indias criminal justice system will be the most modern system in the world, he said. Shah said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done more than 50 path breaking work in every field in the last 10 years, and three significant work in this field alone, in the last five years. First, after 40 years, the Modi government came up with a new National Education Policy which is completely based on Indian education, open to the whole world and will also provide a global platform to our children. Second, the foundation of NFSU which was laid down in Gujarat in 2003, expanded to establish the National Forensic Science University. Third, by making changes in the criminal justice system after 150 years, we have made three new laws, Shah said adding that if these three changes are seen together, there can be a comprehensive change in education, forensic science and the criminal justice system. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that 5 years later the country will get more than nine thousand scientific officers and forensic science experts every year. The conference is centered around Forensic Behavioral Science, an emerging field. Amit Shah expressed that Behavioral Science can play an equal role in preventing crimes as does a strict administration and a good judiciary. He added that understanding behavior, if integrated into primary education, can be instrumental in preventing criminal tendencies, surpassing the approach of the Modus Operandi Bureau. He said that forensic science should be used in investigation, prosecution, justice system and now the time has come to go one step further by adopting it in education. This is an important event in the direction of preventive, predictive and protective policing. An in-depth study of the criminal mind and behaviour and its strategic use in preventing crimes from happening in the coming days and averting the rise of criminals, it will be a great service to the entire world, said Shah. A Digital Forensic Excellence Centre was also inaugurated in Gandhinagar on Tuesday to help in capacity building and investigation. He highlighted four challenges facing our criminal justice system at this juncture to evolve into the most modern police system by wholeheartedly embracing technology without compromising basic policing principles, to prevent technology from diminishing the significance of human presence, to identify and address hybrid and multi-dimensional threats by fortifying the entire network, and to establish our criminal justice system as the most modern globally by boldly incorporating forensics as a distinctive feature. With the constant evolution of the form, mode, and method of crime, he stressed the necessity for law enforcement to stay two generations ahead of both crime and criminals. To prevent crimes, we should also try to bring global uniformity in the policies and rules of technology, he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hailed Bihar's former chief minister Karpoori Thakur, to be conferred with India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna posthumously. I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment, the prime minister posted on social media platform X. Former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur. PM Modi added,"His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India's socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society". Karpoori Thakur, known for his initiatives towards uplifting the backward castes, will be awarded the Bharat Ratna posthomously, 35 years after his death. Born in a Nai community of Bihar, he served twice as Bihar chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. In his second term, Thakur paved the way for the reservation of backward castes in government services in Bihar. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar called the Bharat Ratna to Thakur a right decision. "This will create a positive vibe among Dalits, deprived and neglected sections of society. We have been demanding this for a long time, Kumar said. Union minister Nityanand Rai said,"...First of all, I would like to express gratitude to PM Narendra Modi. Karpoori Thakur's entire life was dedicated to the poor and deprived...Those who do politics in his name never thought for him, they just did politics in his name. Parties formed government with Congress but Karpoori Thakur did not get the honour." BJP president JP Nadda said,"I thank the government of India for conferring Jannayak Karpoori Thakur ji with Bharat Ratna. As a great freedom fighter, teacher and Bihar chief minister, he dedicated his entire life to the welfare of he deprived communities. This honour is a true tribute to his struggle and dedication to the backwards, poor, Dalits and farmers." Laying bare the fissures in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee launched an attack on its constituents, alleging that she was insulted because it was the CPI(M) that led meetings of the bloc, and suggested that the Congress was being dismissive of the interests of regional parties. Mamata Banerjee expressed her angst publicly two days after she told party leaders in an internal TMC meeting that the party was ready to contest all 42 seats in West Bengal (HT) Banerjee expressed her angst publicly two days after she told party leaders in an internal TMC meeting that the party was ready to contest all 42 seats in West Bengal, a state where the BJP won 18 seats in 2019. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Speaking at an interfaith harmony rally in Kolkata on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Banerjee said, It was I who coined the name INDIA. But I am sorry to say that when I attend meetings, CPI(M) controls them. This is extremely sad. I feel insulted. I fought them (Left) for 34 years when they were in power. I will not follow their advice. While she did not name the Congress directly, she told a crowd of supporters at Park Circus maidan that she had asked them to contest 300 seats on their own, and leave the rest to regional parties, particularly in areas they were influential. I asked them to let the regional parties contest seats in areas where they are strong. I said you contest 300 seats on your own and we will help you. But they tell me We will do whatever we feel like, said Banerjee. Her comments came days before the Congress Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra led by leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to enter West Bengal, and is likely to cover nine Lok Sabha segments in five days. Banerjee suggested that this impasse would likely help the BJP in the national elections, and said that she was not being allowed to fight. Dont help the BJP. If any of you help the BJP then I swear in the name of Allah that nobody will forgive you. I will not forgive you. I have the power to fight. But these people are not letting me fight. I have the courage and thats why I took out this rally today. There are so many parties. How many showed this courage? the chief minister said. She accused the BJP of dividing the people on religious lines and said she was ready to shed blood to stop the BJP from winning even one seat in Bengal. I did not sit home when Kolkata burnt after the Babri incident. I met Jyoti Basu (then chief minister) and asked if he needed any help. Dont forget this history. The young generation did not witness those days, she said. Responding to her allegations, CPI(M) state secretary and politburo member Mohammad Salim said that Banerjee has been trying to weaken the coalition from the beginning. She has been trying to isolate the Left because we had been insisting on nationwide campaign against BJP by all parties while her sole interest was in seats. Her vested interest in coalition politics was exposed when she fielded candidates in Goa, Assam, Tripura and other states where the Congress was also contesting state polls, Salim said. Bengal PCC leader Koustav Bagchi, who earlier wrote to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge opposing any alliance with TMC, said : State Congress leaders like us have seen the real face of Mamata Banerjee long ago. Let those who are working on the alliance see her as well. She can never be trusted. Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday lashed out at West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, calling her an opportunist, just hours after Rahul Gandhi said that the Trinamool Congress chief was close to him and his party. Bengal Congress president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Mamata Banerjee. We will not contest the elections at the mercy of Mamata Banerjee. Congress knows how to contest elections on its own, and the two seats we have won (in 2019 Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal) were by defeating Mamata and BJP. Mamta is an opportunist; she herself came to power in 2011, with the mercy of Congress, Chowdhury was quoted by PTI as saying. Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in Assam as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, asserted that Mamata Banerjee is "very close" to him. The negotiations on seat-sharing is underway, I don't want to comment here. But Mamata Banerjee is very close to me and our party. Sometimes our leaders say something, their leaders say something, and it goes on. It's a natural thing. Such comments won't matter and these are not things that are going to disrupt things, ANI quoted Gandhi as saying. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In a latest development, the TMC chief in a closed-door party meeting, slammed the Congress and accused it of delay in discussions for seat-sharing for the INDIA alliance in West Bengal, citing "unjustified" demand for 10-12 Lok Sabha constituencies when her party was willing to share only two. During the internal meeting in Birbhum, Banerjee urged party leaders to gear up for the electoral battle, emphasising the need for the TMC's triumph in both the Lok Sabha seats from the district, PTI reported. Besides the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is also a member of the INDIA alliance. Mamata Banerjee had stormed to power in Bengal in 2011 by defeating the CPM-led Left Front that had ruled the state for 34 years. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that Meghalaya is not ruled from the state but from Delhi. Rahul was addressing a gathering in his ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which resumed from Meghalayas Ri Bhoi. (ANI photo) Rahul was addressing a gathering in his ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra which resumed from Meghalayas Ri Bhoi on Monday evening. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Rahul entered Meghalaya from Morigaon side of Assam after he was not allowed to proceed towards a shrine in Nagaon. Targeting the Union home minister Amit Shah for calling the then Meghalaya government the most corrupt, Rahul said that soon after making the statement, Shah partnered with the same government led by chief minister Conrad Sangma after the Meghalaya general elections. Also Read: Row erupts as Rahul Gandhi not allowed to visit holy site in Assam Addressing a gathering at Madan Pahamsyiem mini stadium in Ri-Bhoi districts capital Nongpoh, Rahul said, Meghalaya is not ruled from here, but from Delhi. This is not acceptable. The nation is facing the highest levels of unemployment in the last 40 years. The Home Minister had called Meghalaya govt the most corrupt in the country. Immediately after this, he partnered with the same govt... Rahul also highlighted the silence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Manipur issue. It is a matter of great concern that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on the Manipur clash, where hundreds of precious lives were lost, and thousands of people were displaced due to ethnic infighting. The BJP is not serious about solving this issue, he said. Ethnic clashes between the Kukis and Meiteis first erupted on May 3 during a protest against a court-ordered tweak to the states reservation matrix, granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the latter. Over 40.80 million voters are eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming elections to the state assembly and Lok Sabha in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held in April this year, people familiar with the matter said. Over 40.80 million voters are eligible to cast vote in the upcoming Andhra Pradesh elections. (AFP) The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday released the integrated final electoral roll of the special summary revision, 2024 in New Delhi. The final published electoral roll had reference to January 1, 2024 as the qualifying date. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The constituency-wise lists of voters were uploaded on the website of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Andhra Pradesh in the evening. According to an official in the office of the CEO, the total number of voters include a little more than 20 million men and 20.73 million women. There are as many as 3,482 voters belonging to the third gender, besides, 67,434 service voters. The draft electoral rolls released by the ECI on October 27 came in for sharp criticism from the political parties. There had been a large number of complaints from the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over a large scale manipulation of voters list by the ruling Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress party (YSRCP) with the help of village/ward volunteers. TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and JSP chief Pawan Kalyan met chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar on January 9 and submitted a common representation seeking to rectify the irregularities. Naidu alleged that in the Chandragiri assembly segment in Chittoor district alone, more than 115,000 bogus voters were registered, while the votes of genuine voters who went to other places in search of employment have been deleted. The YSRCP too suggested that the ECI conduct elections for the upcoming general elections in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in a single phase on the same day so as to avoid double voting by some sections of people. YSRCP general secretary V Vijay Sai Reddy alleged that the CEO was accepting bogus complaints from TDP, the YSRCP leader asked the EC to give instructions not to entertain the TDP complaints. On January 17, ECI ordered suspension of senior IAS officer P S Girisha, presently collector and district magistrate of Annamayya district of Andhra Pradesh, for the alleged malpractices during the by-election to Tirupati Lok Sabha seat held on April 17, 2021. The IAS officer was the commissioner of the Tirupati municipal corporation and returning officer for the by-election to the Tirupati Lok Sabha seat, when the alleged irregularities took place during the polling. The ECI had ordered a detailed inquiry into a complaint filed by BJP stating that more than 35,000 bogus electoral photo identity cards (EPICs) were supplied to people to impersonate as genuine voters during the polling. Soon after the publication of the final electoral list on Monday, the state government began the exercise for making arrangements for the elections. Chief secretary K S Jawahar Reddy held a meeting with CEO Mukesh Kumar Meena and other officials to discuss these arrangements. An official note from the state secretariat said the chief secretary directed the authorities of various departments to transfer all the officials and employees who have been working at a single place for more than three years, if they have connection with the electoral process. The transfers will be completed in the next three days. The chief secretary also reviewed the arrangements to be provided at the polling stations, besides shifting of employees and filling up of vacancies at the district level. The chief secretary also discussed with the police officers on the need to curb flow of money in the districts to woo the voters. On the eve of the 75th Republic Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted the armed forces, the military-civilian bureaucracy, and the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) to get their act together, erase cost overruns and project delays, and focus on making Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) a success in terms of defence manufacturing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi. HT learns that Modi held a high-level review meeting with top officials on January 13 and told them to ensure total accountability in Indian defence planning. The meeting was attended by Dr PK Mishra, principal secretary to PM, Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser, Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of Naval Staff, Giridhar Aramane, defence secretary, and Dr Samir V Kamat, secretary DRDO and chairman DRDO, apart from other top officials. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Although the details of the meeting are classified, it is understood that Modi asked those present to look at the long-term future of defence manufacturing, not merely the present, and conduct an audit of the platforms already with the armed forces before asking for more. He wanted accountability for cost overruns and delays in defence projects running into hundreds of crores and tens of years at a time when his government is keen to ensure the money saved can go into welfare programmes such as the PM Awas Yojana, which builds houses for the underprivileged. Read Here: India in 2023 focused on acquiring new military platforms, weaponry to boost combat prowess Rather than clear any new acquisitions, the PM wanted answers on how the armed forces handle the obsolescence of platforms and accountability for accidents in which platforms worth hundreds of crore are destroyed or rendered unusable, people familiar with the proceedings of the meeting said on condition of anonymity. Modis concern over the Indian defence research and manufacturing came just two weeks after Prof K VijayRaghavan, former principal scientific adviser to the Modi government, submitted a scathing review report, Redefining Defence Research and Development to defence minister Rajnath Singh on December 30. The high-level committee has made critical observations about DRDO that need urgent attention and reform (see chart). The sum and substance of the report is that DRDO is taking on defence projects it cannot possibly complete in the timelines projected, resulting in heavy cost overruns and technological obsolescence even before the platform is ready. The 10-member committee headed by VijayRaghavan found that DRDO was top heavy with an aging scientific force that was not nimble and focused only on Indias western front (Pakistan) rather than being cognisant of the current threat (an ostensible reference to China). The committee also found that DRDO was reactive to what was being done in third countries with no plans to lead in terms of technological expertise or advancement; DRDO was in a catch up mode technologically, not breakthrough mode. Read Here: India set to provide new energy to global aviation market, says Modi The report comes at a time when India has sought to enhance domestic acquisition of defence equipment, and also make products for the export market. The committee, after talking to stakeholders in government and private sector found there was a no synergy between DRDO and the equipment users, two with the designer and the user mostly talking past each other, leading to lopsided development of platforms. The VijayRaghavan committee has made 11 key recommendations with implementation deadlines in the report (the longest is 180 days). The report found near total neglect of development of the national ecosystem for defence research with the private sector kept out, ostensibly in the name of national security. It found that DRDOs interaction with a resurgent Indian academia and industry was only in the early stages of a project and usually, of a token nature. The conclusions of the report and the proceedings at the PMs review meeting suggest that DRDO needs a complete overhaul, armed forces need accountability, and national security planners, the vision to make Atmanirbhar Bharat a success. Tensions gripped Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday after several purported videos of students sloganeering for Babri Masjid on the university campus surfaced online amid the pran pratishtha or consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. The development prompted Delhi Police to deploy its personnel outside the campus to tighten vigilance. Students group fraternity movement Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) sitting on full day strike remembrance of Babri Masjid and announcement of government holiday in celebration of the Ram temple event at Jamia Millia. (HT Photo) (Hindustan Times) The Delhi Police said the force has been deployed outside the university as a precautionary measure after videos showcasing students allegedly raising slogans such as Strike for Babri went viral on social media. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "The deployment of police personnel outside (the university) is a precautionary measure," news agency PTI quoted a police official as saying, adding that it was done in view of the Ram temple consecration ceremony and upcoming Republic Day. An X handle with username Fraternity Movement JMI shared a video of some students raisng pro Babri Masjid slogans. "Boycott for Babri. Resistance is Remembrance Fraternity Movement Jamia Millia Islamia organized a university-wide strike, urging students to boycott classes and reading rooms in solidarity with Babri Masjid," it said while sharing the video. According to officials, the protest and sloganeering were held inside the campus. The police, however, said no one was detained. Meanwhile, the Jamia Millia Islamia administration said academic activity was not disrupted because of the protest. The situation is under control, it said. It was just two to three students who engaged in sloganeering. Classes and examination continued without any disruption, an official of the university told PTI. The Ram temple was built at the site where the 16th Century Babri Masjid once stood, before being demolished by a mob of karsevaks on December 6, 1992. (With inputs from PTI) Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal and Kanhaiya Kumar were booked on Tuesday by the Assam Police over charges of violence, provocation , damage to public property and assault on police personnel. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in Guwahati on Tuesday. (AFP)(HT_PRINT) With reference to wanton acts of violence, provocation , damage to public property and assault on police personnel today by Cong members , a FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal , Kanhaiya Kumar and other individuals under section 120(B)143/147/188/283/353/332/333/427 IPC R/W Sec. 3 of PDPP Act, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on social platform X. The showdown between the BJP-led Assam government and Rahul Gandhi, who is currently in the state as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, intensified on Tuesday. The Congress workers were stopped from entering Guwahati city, resulting in clashes between the cadre and police. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Sarma directed the state director general of police (DGP) to register a case against the Congress MP for allegedly provoking crowd. "Naxalite tactics" were alien to Assam's culture," the chief minister said in a post on social platform X. Gandhi hit back at Sarma during a press conference, calling him one of the most corrupt chief ministers in the country. Clear problem in Assam, chief minister of this state one of the most corrupt CMs in the country What the Assam CM is doing against the yatra is actually helping the yatra," Gandhi said. We are getting the publicity that we may not have got otherwise. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has become a main issue in Assam. Preventing from visiting the temple and college it is their style. Intimidation tactics, we are not intimidated by them, we are not afraid of them, he added. Beijing (Gasgoo)- OnTime, the ride-hailing platform under GAC Group, has obtained regulatory approval for passenger-carrying autonomous vehicle demonstrations in Shenzhen. The officially launched OnTime Robotaxi in Shenzhen aims to provide citizens with safe, comfortable, and convenient autonomous driving services. Photo credit: OnTime Following its debut in Guangzhou, Shenzhen marks the second city where the OnTime Robotaxi services are now available. Currently, the OnTime Robotaxi has seamlessly integrated into OnTime's platform, offering a mixed operation of regular ride-hailing and autonomous Robotaxi services in the designated regions in Shenzhen. Users can access the autonomous driving services effortlessly through the OnTime app, where the platform intelligently matches either manned or autonomous vehicles based on factors like waiting time and distance. In June 2023, OnTime, Pony.ai, and the authorities of Shenzhens Qianhai Cooperation Zone signed a cooperation framework agreement. The collaboration aims to establish a globally significant autonomous driving commercial pilot project, featuring routine operations without an onboard safety operator in the Robotaxi, in the Qianhai Cooperation Zone. OnTime, supported by the Qianhai Cooperation Zone, will partner with Pony.ai to form a specialized operational team, exploring a collaborative and commercial multi-entity operating model. The initiation of OnTime Robotaxi's passenger-carrying demonstrations in Shenzhen accelerates the realization of routine autonomous driving commercial pilot projects without an onboard safety operator. Rahul Gandhi of the Congress on Tuesday intensified his attack on Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, describing him one of the most corrupt CMs in the country. The Congress leader is leading the party's Manipur to Mumbai Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. Earlier in the day, Congress workers who were stopped from entering Guwahati city clashed with the Assam police. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi said, Clear problem in Assam, chief minister of this state one of the most corrupt CMs in the country What the Assam CM is doing against the yatra is actually helping the yatra. We are getting the publicity that we may not have got otherwise. The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra has become a main issue in Assam. Preventing from visiting the temple and college it is their style. Intimidation tactics, we are not intimidated by them, we are not afraid of them. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Earlier on Tuesday, Himanta Biswa Sarma instructed the state director general of police (DGP) to register a case against Rahul Gandhi for allegedly provoking crowd. In a post on social media platform X, Sarma said "Naxalite tactics" were alien to Assam's culture. "These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such "Naxalite tactics" are completely alien to our culture. I have instructed DGP Assam Police to register a case against your leader Rahul Gandhi for provoking the crowd and use the footage you have posted on your handles as evidence. Your unruly behaviour and violation of agreed guidelines have resulted in a massive traffic jam in Guwahati now," Sarma said on X. Rahul Gandhi had earlier today claimed that he was not allowed to interact with students of the state. Rahul Gandhi Ram temple event On speaking on why Congress leaders skipped the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, Gandhi said it was a "political programme" of the BJP and dismissed suggestions that it had generated any wave among the people. "It is nothing like that, that there is a wave. I had said earlier also that this is the BJP's political programme and Narendra Modi ji did a function and a show there, it's good, but we have told you, we have clarity about our programme which is about five justices to strengthen the country," Gandhi said. He said the yatra is about five pillars of justice that will give strength to the country participation, justice for youth, labourers, women and farmers. The Congress will put forward its blueprint for the five pillars of justice over the next one month, Gandhi said. (With inputs from agencies) Chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Acharya Satyendra Das on Tuesday expressed his jubilance as devotees in huge numbers arrived in Ayodhya to pay obeisance to Ram Lalla after the temple gates were thrown open to the public. He said that the temple town has gone back to the time of Treta Yug (the second of four Yugas believed in Hinduism), a time considered when Lord Ram used to live. Huge crowd in front of the Ram Temple gates.(Deepak Gupta/Hindustan Times) After Pran Pratishtha, the (Ayodhya) Nagari has turned pure. In the Treta Yug, when Lord Ram came back, the Ayodhya Nagari was delighted...A glimpse of the Treta Yug is visible today. So many Bhakts have come to Ayodhya now and Jai Shree Ram chants are echoing here; it seems that we have gone back to Ayodhya during the Treta Yug times, the chief priest said. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The chief priest also said that not everyone will be able to pay obeisance to Lord Ram today, given the sheer number of people assembled for darshan. "So much crowd has gathered here today that not everyone will be able to have darshan today and the same crowd will be visible tomorrow and for the next few days," he said. The Acharya said the reason for such a crowd could be attributed to 4,000 saints who arrived at the city from across the country. Each brought at least two to four people along with them. On Pran Pratishtha, Satyendra Das said on Monday that Ram Rajya will begin with the ceremony, and all the inequalities will be over. Everyone will behave with love. From Ayodhya, the change will come to the entire country, and it will be very beautiful. And everyone will live in harmony. We will live with goodwill. Lord Ram's blessing will fall on everyone, he said earlier. Unprecedented crowd The temple opened its doors to the public this morning after the consecration of Lord Ram's idol on Monday. Both locals and visitors gathered near the main gateway along the Ram Path leading to the temple complex late on Monday night, seeking an early entry to the premises the following morning. The Bhakti Path leading up to the temple is seeing an unprecedented crowd. The police are managing it by putting up barricades and ropes. The Ayodhya administration said several lakh people have turned up to the city, a number that was not anticipated by the officials. Almost the entire stretch of 13-km RamPath is witnessing a heavy turnout. An extra force, including the Rapid Action Force (RAF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along with civil police, has been deployed at Ram Path to prevent untoward situations. A political row erupted in Assam on Monday after Rahul Gandhi was denied permission to visit a temple in Nagaon district by police authorities citing law and order situation, with the Congress leader asking whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi will now decide who will visit a temple and when. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party workers protest after he was not allowed to visit the Sri Sri Sankardeva Satra, in Nagaon district of Assam on Monday. (PTI) Gandhi, whose Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is currently traversing the northeastern state, had left early in the morning for Sri Sri Sankardeva Satra, popularly known as Batadrava Than, the birthplace of 15th-century social reformer-saint Srimanta Sankardeva and a sacred site for Vaishnavites, but he was stopped at Haibargaon around 9am. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He then sat on a dharna along with other party leaders. In a video shared by Gandhi on X, he could be heard asking police authorities as to why he was being stopped from visiting Batadrava Than. Will PM Modi now decide who will visit a temple and when?... We do not want to create any problems and simply pray at the temple, Gandhi told the police authorities. Probably, today only one person can go to the temple, he added in an apparent reference to PM Modis visit to the Ram Temple consecration function in Ayodhya. After discussions with security officials for almost an hour, Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava legislator Sibamoni Bora were allowed to visit the temple to offer prayers. Gandhi attacked the state government, calling it strange that others can go to the temple but only Rahul Gandhi cannot go. On Sunday, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma at a press conference urged Gandhi not to visit the Satra during the period of consecration of Ram Lalla idol at the grand temple in Ayodhya. Later that day, the managing committee of the Batadrava Than also asked the Congress leader to not visit before 3 pm, citing pre-planned programmes on the premises to mark the Ram Temple event. Talking to reporters after denied entry on Monday morning, Gandhi said the temple committee had invited him on January 11, but declined the invitation at the last moment. Obviously they were being pressurised and got orders from the top, Gandhi alleged. Gaurav Gogoi, the local Congress MP from Kaliabor, after visiting the Batadrava Than, said there was no crowd in and around the premises and it was absolutely empty. We offered prayers of peace and harmony on behalf of Rahulji and all the pujaris who were present in the premises extended their blessings to him, Gogoi said. Lies and rumors were spread that a law-and-order situation could have arisen if Gandhi had visited the place. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said they were aware of the temple committees request to come after 3pm but it wasnt possible because of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatras schedule. At 3pm, we would be around 100 kilometres ahead, it wasnt possible to return. We dont understand why rules are different for us, he added. When reporters asked the Assam CM about his response to Rahul Gandhis remarks in Nagaon, the Assam CM, who attended an event in Guwahati where the Ram Temple event was streamed live, said, Why are you talking about Ravan today? Talk about Ram at least today. We have the opportunity to talk about Ram after 500 years. We should only talk about him and not about Ravan. Meanwhile, after the yatra resumed around 2 pm, the Morigaon district administration in a letter to the district Congress organisers asked Gandhi to refrain from holding street corner meetings and a padayatra, as miscreants may try to disrupt peace and tranquility in the district. Later in the day, the yatra entered Meghalaya, where Gandhi is likely to meet 3,000 students of University of Science & Technology on Tuesday morning. The yatra will then enter Guwahati, even as chief minister Sarma had asked the Congress to avoid bringing the yatra to the capital city. If Congress party violates traffic laws, Assam police will register cases, Sarma had said on January 18. Gaurav Gogoi on Monday asked on what grounds the chief minister warned the Congress from entering Guwahati. Only BJP leaders can take out rallies and conduct meetings in Guwahati? What rule allows this, Gogoi told HT. Hours after taking charge as the new president of Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee on Sunday, Y S Sharmila, sister of YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, announced a whirlwind tour of the entire state to reach out to the people and also to strengthen the party network. Y S Sharmila would tour two to three districts every day and cover the entire 25 districts during these nine days (HT) According to a schedule announced by the APCC on Monday, Sharmila would begin her tour from Itchapuram in Srikakulam district on the borders of Odisha on Tuesday and end it at Idupulapaya in Kadapa district on January 31. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. She would tour two to three districts every day and cover the entire 25 districts during these nine days. On Tuesday, she would tour Srikakulam, Partvathipuram Manyam and Vizianagaram districts. On January 24, she will visit Visakhapatnam, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Anakapalli districts followed by Kakinada, Dr. BR Ambedkar Konaseema and West Godavari Districts on January 25. Sharmila will tour East Godavari, Eluru, NTR districts on Jan 26, followed by Krishna, Guntur and Palnadu districts on Jan 27 and Bapatla, Prakasam, Potti Sriramulu Nellore districts on 28. She will visit Tirupati, Chittoor, Annamaya districts on 29 followed by Sri Sathya Sai, Ananthapuram, Kurnool districts on Jan 30 while on 31, she will tour Nandyala and Kadapa districts. Apart from interacting with the people, Sharmila will review the party situation in each district, activate the party cadre and also attract important Congress leaders who had been staying away from the party for the last 10 years, back into the party, a senior PCC leader familiar with the development said. Many senior leaders who were earlier associated with the Congress during the regime of Sharmilas father and former chief minister late Y S Rajasekhar Reddy are evincing interest in returning to the party. Sharmila is likely to interact with them during her tours, the leader quoted above said. On Sunday, Mangalagiri MLA Alla Ramakrishna Reddy, who had resigned from the YSR Congress party in December, joined the Congress. Another YSRCP MLA from Rayadurgam in Anantapur district Kapu Ramachandra Reddy, who had met former APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy, is also expected to join the Congress, the party leader said. Speaking to reporters after taking charge as the PCC president, Sharmila declared that the Congress would field candidates in all the 175 assembly constituencies and 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the upcoming elections. AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs Manickam Tagore will start accepting applications from ticket aspirants from January 24, she said. YSRCP general secretary and advisor to the state government (public affairs) Sajjala Rama Krishna Reddy said it was Jagan, not Sharmila, who had inherited the true legacy of YSR and had been implementing the welfare agenda initiated by his father. It is unfortunate that the tone and tenor of Sharmilas speech has changed after taking over as the PCC president. In criticising her brother Jagan, she is only repeating what the TDP has been alleging all these days, Reddy said. Another senior YSRCP leader Y V Subba Reddy, who happens to be uncle of Sharmila, said she had no locus standi in criticising the Jagan government, as she had just landed in Andhra Pradesh after winding up her party in Telangana. Let her go round the state first and see what has been done during the Jagan regime. It is surprising that she has chosen the Congress as the platform, as it was the same party which had divided the combined Andhra Pradesh, included her fathers name in the charge-sheet against Jagan (in the alleged disproportionate assets case being probed by the CBI) and sent her brother to jail, Subba Reddy said. Bihar's prominent socialist leader and former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur will be awarded India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna posthumously. Former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur.(X) Here's what we know about the socialist leader: Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. 1. Karpoori Thakur was born in one of the most backward sections of Bihar- the Nai Samaj on January 24, 1924. He was imprisoned during the Quit India Movement called by Mahatma Gandhi against the British regime. 2. He won his first election in 1952, and since then he never lost a single poll in his political career. 3. Thakur served as chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. 4. Embarking on his political career with the Praja Socialist Party, he later joined forces with the Janata Party during his initial tenure as the chief minister of Bihar from 1977 to 1979. 5. Karpoori Thakur died on February 17, 1988. India is celebrating the 127th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and founder of the Indian National Army Subhas Chandra Bose on Tuesday, January 23. Popularly known as Netaji, meaning "respected leader", Bose played a crucial role in advocating for complete independence for India. To commemorate his indomitable spirit in the struggle for freedom, the day is celebrated as 'Parakram Diwas'. Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's statue installed at India Gate in New Delhi (PTI) Read here: Netaji birth anniversary: PM Modi to attend Parakram Diwas at Red Fort today; 9-day Bharat Parv to be launched Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Several leaders across the nation greeted the citizens on the occasion of Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti. Union minister Nitin Gadkari took to X to wish the citizens. He said, "Tributes to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the founder of Azad Hind Fauj and the great leader of the Indian freedom struggle on his birth anniversary. Hearty greetings to all the countrymen on 'Parakram Diwas'." West Bengal leader of the Opposition and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari also wished the citizens on the occasion. "I bow down to pay my respects to the Greatest Freedom Fighter & National Hero of Bharat; Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 127th Birth Anniversary," he said. Early life and education: The charismatic leader who gave popular slogans like Delhi Chalo, "tum mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi doonga (You give me blood, I will give you freedom), was born to Jankinath, a prominent lawyer, and Prabhavati on January 23, 1897, in Cuttack (Bengal division) Odisha. Bose was the ninth child among Jankinath's 14 children, including eight sons and six daughters. He attended Presidency College, Calcutta, till his suspension in 1916 due to nationalist activities. Later, he graduated from Scottish Churches College in 1919. His role in national struggle: Being studious, Bose was sent to England's University of Cambridge to prepare for the Indian civil service examination which he cleared in 1920. A year later, he resigned from his post and went back to India after the freedom struggle was launched in the nation. Netaji's journey was marked by resilience, as he faced imprisonment several times between 1921 and 1941 in various jails. He became the president of the All-India Youth Congress in 1923 and later, in 1938, was elected as the president of the Indian National Congress. During his tenure with INC, he refuted Mahatma Gandhi's less confrontational approach as he believed that freedom would not be given by the oppressor, but had to be taken by force. Bose went on to establish the Azad Hind Fauj, also known as the Indian National Army (INA), on October 21, 1943, which played a pivotal role in attacking the British forces from the eastern side of undivided India. He founded the INA in Berlin and even launched the Azad Hind Radio Station in Germany. He was in Germany in 1942 when he was conferred the honourable title of 'Netaji', by both German and Indian officials at the Special Bureau for India in Berlin and by Indian soldiers at the Azad Hind Fauj. Read here: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti 2024: 10 most inspirational quotes by Netaji on his birth anniversary Mystery around his death: Bose went missing on August 18, 1945, after a plane crash in Taiwan. Out of three inquiry commissions on the accident, two claimed he died due to the crash, while one stated was alive after the tragedy. Parakram Diwas 2024 celebrations: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to participate in Parakram Diwas celebrations at Red Fort to launch Bharat Parv, a nine-day event to showcase the country's rich diversity and exhibit different cultures. Bharat Parv will be held between January 23 and 31, showcasing Republic Day tableaux constituted with the efforts of 26 Union ministries, highlighting citizen-centric initiatives and vocalising local, diverse tourist attractions, among others. January is a month of commemorations. While the birth of the Republic of India and Mahatma Gandhi are, justifiably, larger than life celebrations, the anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose has, until recently, gone relatively unnoticed. Subhash Chandra Bose Not any longer. January 23 marks the 127th anniversary of Netaji, and a time to commemorate his relentless struggle against British and American imperialism, which reached its climax from 1942 to 1945. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In todays globalised world, Netaji continues to be a dominant persona in contemporary history books, television serials and films that attempt to capture a slice of his adventurous life in those tumultuous years. The Indian National Army (INA) remains synonymous with Netaji, and as a tribute to those valiant soldiers and their leaders, it would be instructive to share the pledge of the INA, which the volunteers swore by as their Netaji made the clarion call. In the June 1942 broadcast to the Indian National Army from Europe, Netaji Subhas Chandra Boses words are immortalised as the pledge of the INA. Words flow out, almost in a single breath as he exhorted: Brave soldiers! Today you have taken an oath that you will give fight to the enemy till the last breath of your life, under the national tri-colour. From today you are the soldiers of the Indian National Army of Free India. You have volunteered to shoulder the responsibility of forty crore Indians. From today your mind, might and money belong to the Indian Nation." Netaji's journey from party worker to soldier Immortal words that captured the passion of Netaji, who emerged as a warrior from the ranks of the Congress Party. Bose was reared in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhis non-violence; for him, Bapu was the Father of the Nation. Wrote Prof Rudrangshu Mukherjee in Nehru & Bose Parallel Lives, Bose believed that he and Jawaharlal Nehru could make history. But Jawaharlal could not see his destiny without Gandhi, and the latter had no room for Subhas. As early as January 1942, the Mahatma had anointed Jawaharlal as his chosen heir: not Rajaji [Rajgopalachari], nor Sardar Vallabhbhai, but Jawaharlal will be my successor. You cannot divide water by repeatedly striking it with a stick'', he had written. Prof Mukherjees book is a journey commencing from the 1920s and focuses on the emergence of Bose and Nehru who were dedicating their lives to the call for freedom. When, in 1942, Bose made the historic broadcast, his words were tempered by the fires of freedom lit decades ago. Prof Mukherjees work underlines the radically different approach of Bose, who not only had a soft spot for militarism and regimented discipline but whose views on fascism made him seek collaborations in Germany, Italy and then Japan. For both Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru, this trajectory was unacceptable and abhorrent. Naturally then, the INA pledge, spelt out through the broadcast, called for freedom to be obtained by force. Netaji exhorted, "Today we are taking the vow of independence under the National Flag. A time will come when you will salute this flag in the Red Fort. But remember that you will have to pay the price of freedom. Freedom can never be had by begging. It has to be got by force. Its price is blood. We will not beg for freedom from any foreign country 'May God be with you' Throughout my life it was my ambition to equip an army that will capture freedom from the enemy. Today I congratulate you because the honour of such an army belongs to you. With this I close my speech. May God be with you and give you strength to fulfil the pledge which you have taken voluntarily today. Inquilab Zindabad!" It was with this revolutionary slogan that he ended his speech, archived for posterity in Selected Speeches of Subhas Chandra Bose, published in 1962 by Publications Division, Government of India. In history textbooks, Netaji has been hailed as a freedom-fighter, a dynamic young President of Indian National Congress and an integral part of the pantheon of Indias greatest leaders. It was Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who in a letter of May 1939, had addressed him as Deshanayak, a hero of the country, a leader of leaders. Gurudev quoted the Bhagavad-Gita, writing the Gita says that the protector of good appears time and again. When the nation suffers from tyranny and oppression, the suffering and the consequent inner pain inspires the leader to arrive on stage. Netaji, from 1942 onwards, had arrived on the stage with the vision to create a free, strong and independent India. (Ranjit Bhushan is a senior journalist.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday in his reply to President Droupadi Murmu's letter to him shared the moments of him presiding over the pran pratishtha of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. I am writing this letter to you after being witness to the most unforgettable moments of my life in Ayodhya Dham. I have returned with Ayodhya ingrained in my heart. It is an Ayodhya that is inseparable from me, the prime minister said in his letter. A file photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with President Droupadi Murmu.(X) I travelled to Ayodhya Dham as a pilgrim. It is a place comprising faith and history. I was overwhelmed after going there, he said, adding that being witness to such a historic moment is fortune and comes with a responsibilty. In your letter, you had mentioned my 11-day long anushthan and the rituals. Our country has witnessed innmurable people who undertook fast for centuries to ensure that Ram Lalla gets back to his own place, PM Modi's letter read. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Shri Ram who has inspired me to adopt Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas Aur Sabka Prayas. The country is witnessing results of this mantra. Over the past ten years, 25 crore people have come out of poverty, he said. President Droupadi Murmu in her letter to PM Modi on the eve of Ram temple consecration ceremony had said she could only contemplate the unique civilisational journey that will be accomplished with each step taken by the prime minister in the temple. The 11-day rigorous Anushthan that you have undertaken is not only a sacred ritual but also a supreme spiritual act of sacrifice and submission to Prabhu Shri Ram," the President had written in her letter. Adding further, President Murmu wrote,The nationwide celebratory atmosphere around the inauguration of the grand temple of Prabhu Shri Ram in Ayodhya Dham is an uninhibited expression of the eternal soul of India. We all are fortunate to witness the commencement of a new cycle in the resurgence of our nation. Forty four years after it was formed, the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), which had set creating a sovereign Assam as its main goal, disbanded itself on Tuesday. The outfit will also have to vacate all the 9 designated camps (Nav Nirman Kendras). (Representative file photo) The decision was taken at the outfits final general meeting held at Sipajhar, located around 55 km from Guwahati, twenty five days after ULFA signed a tripartite memorandum of settlement in New Delhi with the Centre and the Assam government on December 29. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The decision to disband and dissolve the outfit was taken at the meeting today as stipulated by the settlement signed in Delhi. With this the cases of sedition on the outfit will be lifted, ULFA chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said. To be sure, while the ULFA has around 700 total members, the anti-talks faction of the outfit, ULFA-Independent (ULFA-I), which has camps in Myanmar and parts of northeast and around 200 members, are opposed to any settlement till Assams sovereignty is discussed. Last months settlement, which HT has seen, stipulated that ULFA shall abjure the path of violence, give up all arms/ammunition and disband the armed organisation within one month. Also Read:The last hurdle to rid Assam of over four decades-old insurgency The outfit will also have to vacate all the 9 designated camps (Nav Nirman Kendras) where ULFA cadres and their families were staying after coming for talks in 2011. Leadership of the outfit informed that their arms/ammunition will be handed over to the state government at a formal ceremony later this month. The settlement promises a lumpsum ex-gratia payment to the cadres, funding of economic activities by them, vocational training and government jobs depending on eligibility. It stated that criminal cases registered against ULFA cadres for non-heinous crimes will be withdrawn. We believe that the issues mentioned in the settlement and the assurances given to us by the Centre and the Assam government will be fulfilled, said Rajkhowa. He stated that the outfit would stay away from party politics but members in their individual capacity could join political parties if they desired. Its an emotional and sad moment. We had given birth to the outfit and today due to circumstances we are forced to destroy it. All of us have made lot of sacrifices and given precious time of their lives to the outfit, said Anup Chetia, ULFA general secretary. In February 2011, ULFA split into two groupsone group led by chairman Rajkhowa that decided to give up its violent past and sit for talks with Centre without any condition and another led by Paresh Baruah, which decided against talks and rebranded as ULFA-Independent. International Day of Education 2024: Education is a basic right and is the duty of every citizen of the world to work in providing free access of education to everyone. Most of the difficulties and challenges of the world can be cured if we have bright minds chiseled with education to come together and figure out solutions. From poverty to gender equality, education and cure it all. It is important to provide inclusive and quality education to all, so that a lifetime of opportunities open up for everyone. International Day of Education 2024: Date, history and significance of the day(REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO) Every year, International Day of Education is observed to reinstate the importance of education and why it is important to make it accessible to all. As we gear up to celebrate the special day, here are a few things to keep in mind. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. We're now on WhatsApp. Click to join Date: Every year, International Day of Education is observed on January 24. This year, International Day of Education falls on a Wednesday. History: In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the resolution to make January 24 as the International Day of Education to create awareness on the accessibility of education and why it is significant for everyone. The resolution was authored by 59 member states, and since then, January 24 has been observed as International Day of Education. Significance: The theme of this year is Learning for lasting peace. "Learning for peace must be a transformative process, enabling learners to gain essential knowledge, values, attitudes, skills, and behaviors, thereby empowering them to serve as catalysts for peace in their communities. The foundation of more peaceful, just, and sustainable societies is laid through education, a force that permeates every facet of our daily lives and overall prospects. In the face of escalating climate change, democratic erosion, persistent inequalities, growing discrimination, hate speech, violence, and conflict on a global scale, education emerges as a powerful tool to both address and prevent these challenges in the future. Moreover, when effectively shaped and implemented, education becomes a long-term investment with increasing returns," wrote United Nations on the official website. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On January 21, the groundbreaking ceremony for the battery and new energy power technology factory project at the Jiangbei New Area base of Nanjing Automobile Group was held in Nanjing city, according to a post on SAIC Motor's WeChat account. Photo credit: SAIC Motor Nanjing Automobile Group Limited was established in 1947, and it became a wholly-owned subsidiary of SAIC Motor in 2007. Its Jiangbei New Area base is a crucial manufacturing hub for SAIC Motor's wholly-owned brands, covering both traditional oil-fueled vehicles and new energy vehicles. Following the principle of "overall planning, phased implementation," the project commenced with the completion of the main production plant in one go, while the production facilities are implemented in stages. Once the first phase is completed, the facility will have an annual production capacity of over 240,000 sets of power batteries, with an initial planned capacity exceeding 10 GWh. According to the project schedule, the main construction of the plant is expected to be completed by August of this year, with stable production capacity achieved by the end of the year. The automotive industry is a pillar industry in Nanjing, and in recent years, the city has seized the opportunity for the development of new energy vehicles. Embracing the directions of electrification, interconnection, and intelligence, Nanjing is accelerating the creation of a highland for the development of the new energy vehicle industry cluster. As an essential supporting force for the city's automotive industry, Jiangbei New Area has formed a complete industry chain, covering key components manufacturing such as chipsets, motors, and batteries, as well as vehicle production, intelligent network systems, vehicle-road coordination, and end-user consumption. Melatonin, a hormone produced by the body in the dark, regulates our sleep and wake cycles and acts as a natural antioxidant that helps in protecting and improving egg quality. Stress prevents us from sleeping while insufficient sleep exacerbates stress and anxiety levels hence, health experts point out that inadequate sleep can indirectly increase the risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity, which could also hinder fertility. Melatonin can help you conquer sleepless nights. Expert reveals how (Photo by Shutterstock) Though melatonin is a hormone that the body produces naturally, it can also be taken in supplement form as melatonin supplements can reset the circadian rhythm and promote better sleep. However, speaking with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements is essential. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr YongChiat Wong, Group Scientist, Medical and Technical Affairs at P&G Health Asia Pacific, India, Middle East and Africa., explained, Occasional sleepless can disrupt our lives for a variety of reasons, including increased stress and a variety of other problems. Thankfully, there is a natural and safe supplement that promises a good night's sleep the magical wand that acts as a blessing: Melatonin. Melatonin is an essential body substance for coordinating our sleep cycle. The pineal gland is the primary producer. About 80% of melatonin is produced at night because darkness increases its synthesis. He elaborated, Melatonin regulates sleep primarily by interacting with brain receptors that manage our sleep-wake cycle. It regulates our circadian rhythm, shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and also help you experience deeper, more restorative sleep if you keep a more consistent sleep routine but what happens to our body's hero substance over time? Melatonin production increases in youth but declines with ageing. After the age of 30, we might produce less than half the melatonin we produced as a child. Age and lifestyles change directly affect the occurrence of sleeping problems. He suggested, Some foods, like tart cherries, almonds and grapes also contain small amounts of melatonin. However, melatonin-based supplements have emerged as a popular option to help restore balance for people who battle with sleep disorders or have disruptions in their sleep patterns. With that said, Melatonin supplements are widely accessible over the counter and come in a variety of forms, the most well-known of which being gummies. Melatonin can be a safe and efficient sleep aid when used carefully and in moderation. When consuming melatonin supplements, always consult a healthcare professional, choose the right dosage like 2mg of Melatonin is the optimal dosage for anyone facing occasional sleeplessness, take it at the right time but also use it sparingly. On January 3, as Iranians gathered to pay homage to slain Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani in Kerman, his hometown and final resting place, two blasts took place near the martyrs cemetery, killing more than 90 people and wounding many more. Soleimani, who was killed four years ago in a US drone strike in Iraq, is hailed by Iran as the architect of the axis of resistance the network that includes Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis who share Irans ideological and geopolitical goal of countering the US presence in the region and Israel. Since the attacks took place on the anniversary of Soleimanis assassination and amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel war, Tehran suspected an Israeli role, even though Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blasts. Earlier, on December 15, 2023, 11 Iranian policemen were killed in a terrorist attack on a police station in the south-eastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan. While Jaish al-Adl, an extremist Salafist terror group, claimed responsibility for the attack, Irans interior minister Ahmad Vahidi claimed that the attacks were carried out by groups supported by Israel. In the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, Iran denied any direct role, insisting that it was a completely Palestinian action. However, Tehran has mounted a regional diplomatic campaign to isolate and condemn Israel for the humanitarian crisis created by Israeli military operations in Gaza. Also, over the last three months, Iranian-backed forces have engaged Israel on multiple fronts in what has so far remained a controlled escalation. Hezbollah, operating out of southern Lebanon, has fired thousands of rockets into northern Israel, and Israeli warplanes have been hitting Hezbollah military sites to keep them away from the border. Analysts argue that the conflict, which has so far remained contained within 4-5 km of the Lebanon-Israel borderline risks escalating as Palestinian forces increasingly use south Lebanon to target Israel given that Hamas stands weakened in Gaza. Meanwhile, the Houthis have launched more than 100 drone and missile strikes at Israeli-linked commercial shipping in the Red Sea, thus expanding the insecurity to the western Indian Ocean. The spate of terrorist attacks inside Iran further enhances escalation risks as Iran may feel compelled to retaliate. On December 28, Naftali Bennett, who served as prime minister between June 2021 and June 2022, wrote an article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) calling for the US and Israel to take on Iran directly, while taking credit for directing several attacks on Iranian soil. Bennetts Octopus Doctrine, called for rebalancing Israels national security resources towards weakening the primary enemy that is Iran, while avoiding, to the extent reasonably possible, clashes with Hamas and Hezbollah in the vicinity of Israeli borders. In June 2022, Bennett told The Economist, We no longer play with the tentacles, with Irans proxies: Weve created a new equation by going for the head. When Bennett served as the defence minister under the Benjamin Netanyahu government in 2020, he restructured the general staff and planning directorate of the Israeli Defence Forces to create a strategy and Iran directorate dedicated to countering Iran. Tactics included empowering domestic opposition in Iran, strengthening its enemies, sanctions and economic pressures while thwarting nuclear diplomacy with Tehran. During Bennetts tenure as prime minister, Israel and Iran engaged in a series of tit-for-tat attacks. In February 2022, a massive air raid on a drone manufacturing and storage facility near Kermanshah in western Iran wiped out much of Irans drone fleet. Though Israel did not take official responsibility for the attack on the IRGC facility at that time, Israeli and US media reports cited unidentified Israeli officials, claiming this as retaliation against drone attacks by Iran and its proxies against US and Israeli interests in Iraq and Syria. Irans Revolutionary Guards retaliated the following month by launching a barrage of missiles on what it described as an Israeli spy centre operating in the vicinity of the US consulate complex in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan. In May 2022, gunmen on motorcycles killed a Quds Force commander outside his home in Tehran. Until then, sabotage attacks and assassinations had been limited to Iranian nuclear facilities and scientists on Iranian soil. The trend of attacks on military facilities in Iran continued after Bennetts exit. In January last year, when drones targeted an ammunition depot in Isfahan, the western media pointed to the Israeli role in targeting the production of Iranian weapons that could be sent to Russia for use against Ukraine. What is clear is that what started as a Hamas-Israel conflict three months ago has morphed into a shadow war between Israel and Iran. The recent missile attacks on what Iran called terrorist camps in Pakistan and an Israeli spy centre in Iraq, suggest that Tehran wants to send out a message, at home and internationally, that it has the capabilities to strike at its enemies, beyond its borders. Deepika Saraswat is associate fellow, Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. The views expressed are personal Elon Musk, the world's richest person, recently pitched for India to secure a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the United Nations' primary international affairs body. Elon Musk supports India's bid for permanent seat in UNSC.(AFP/File Photo) India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd, the Tesla chief said in an X post on Sunday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. ALSO READ- Elon Musk's Starlink likely to get nod for India operations in next few days: Reports India, a strong candidate for permanent UNSC membership, has voiced discontent with the lack of progress in discussions on Security Council reform. Currently, the UNSC consists of five permanent members and ten non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms by the UN General Assembly. ALSO READ- UNSC must be expanded with inclusion of India, Brazil: Former Belgium prime minister The five permanent membersRussia, the UK, China, France, and the United Stateshold veto power over any substantial resolution The problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up, Elon Musk said. ALSO READ- Tesla makes big plans for India: May set up factory, make new car for developing nations UN secretary-general pitches for reform Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general, recently advocated for reforms in UN institutions. Institutions must reflect todays world, not that of 80 years ago. Septembers Summit of the Future will be an opportunity to consider global governance reforms & rebuild trust, he posted on X, asking why Africa still lacks a permanent membership. To this, Michael Eisenberg, a venture capitalist, replied, And what about India? Better yet is to dismantle the United Nations and build something new with real leadership. Musk's response came in reply to this post. Elon Musk added that Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat. UN's Summit of the Future The United Nations General Assembly has scheduled the Summit of the Future, titled "Summit of the Future: Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow," to take place on September 22-23. The summit's key goals, as outlined in the summit papers, involve adopting an action-oriented Outcome Document referred to as the Pact for the Future. Additionally, there is a possibility of establishing a UN Special Envoy for Future Generations, along with potential discussions on other institutional reforms and initiatives. As artificial intelligence advancements are fueling big tech companies, Google has announced three new generative AI features to be launched for Chrome in an effort to make the browsing experience smoother and more efficient for users. Google Chrome has announced the launch of three new generative AI features for its browser.(Pixabay) These three generative AI features will help the Chrome users organise their tabs, create custom themes and get assistance while writing on web. Here is all you need to know about how these AI features work. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Tab Organiser Chrome is set to launch its AI feature Tab Organiser, which will help the user manage and create lots of tabs without using manual commands. By using this AI tool, Chrome will automatically suggest and create tab groups based on your open tabs. To use this feature, all the user has to do is right click on a tab and choose Organise Similar Tabs from the drop down menu. Customise Chrome By using the Customise Chrome feature, one will be able to customise the theme for their Chrome browser, similar to the features recently introduced in Android 14 and Pixel 8 devices. Through this tool, users can create generative AI wallpapers for their Chrome browsers with just a few clicks. To use this AI tool, click on the Customise Chrome side panel on the homepage, click Change theme and then Create with AI. Help me write AI The Google Chrome Help me write AI tool is expected to be launched during next month's Chrome release. This tool will help one write on web pages with better language and confidence. It can be used to fill out online forms, write emails or online reviews. To use this tool, the Chrome user can simply right click on a text box on Chrome and select Help me write. After this, one needs to enter a few keywords and AI will generate an automatic text response to the prompts. A cybersecurity researcher has reportedly discovered a leak of 26 billion records, making it to be the mother of all breaches. This breach reported by Bob Dyachenko, the owner of SecurityDiscovery.com is beyond mere credentials, exposing highly sensitive data that holds significant value for malicious actors. The leaked data records go beyond mere credentials, containing highly sensitive information that could be exploited for blackmailing individuals and businesses. (Representational Image)(Getty Images) A report from cybernews suggests that the owner of these stolen data records remains unknown, with speculation pointing to the individual being a data broker or a cybercriminal. The potential risks include identity theft, scams, cyber attacks, and various other malicious activities. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The dataset is extremely dangerous as threat actors could leverage the aggregated data for a wide range of attacks, including identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts, the researchers were quoted as saying by the report. What are these records about? Reports indicate that the data compilation is a mix of both past and recent breaches, posing a significant threat to individuals. The largest chunk of data originates from Tencent QQ, a popular Chinese instant messaging app, accounting for 1.4 billion records. Additional millions of data records come from platforms like Weibo, MySpace, X (previously Twitter), and others. The data is sourced from diverse locations, including the US, Brazil, Germany, the Philippines, and Turkey. If users use the same passwords for their Netflix account as they do for their Gmail account, attackers can use this to pivot towards other, more sensitive accounts. the researcher said, according to the Cybernews report. Addressing this issue becomes crucial, considering the potential for cybercrimes and exploitation. While hackers continuously devise new methods, individuals themselves often display a lack of caution in cybersecurity practices. Some safety measures to protect your data Here are some security advisory laid down by technology companies and mobile phone manufacturers to safeguard data privacy and combat the dissemination of misinformation: -Enhance security with Two-Step Verification, adding an extra layer by setting up a PIN for account resets. Phones from leading companies like Apple, Samsung, and Google offer Touch ID, Face ID, or under-screen fingerprint sensors for added protection. -Messaging apps like WhatsApp limit forwards to five chats, reducing misinformation spread by over 25%. Viral messages face additional restrictions, marked as "Forwarded many times" and limited to one chat at a time. Users can block accounts and report messages. -WhatsApp's disappearing messages vanish after seven days, with a 'view once' feature for photos and videos. Telegram offers self-destructing messages for enhanced privacy. -Admin controls in some encrypted messaging services empower users to manage group messaging. In WhatsApp, administrators can control who sends messages within groups, while Telegram's secret chats remain device-specific and off its cloud. People in the US are set to witness a natural phenomenon that hasnt happened since 1803. In a rare occurrence, billions of cicadas from two different broods are set to emerge together from the underground after 221 years. It is estimated that billions of cicadas will emerge from underground in this rare event happening after 221 years in the US. (Unsplash/@ifilter) Why is this event special? These insects belong to two distinct groups of periodical cicadas. One group emerges from the underground every 13 years and the other every 17 years, reports NBC News. It is extremely rare when both groups line up their cycles. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. This year, the once-in-a-lifetime event is going to take place as two groups with different cycles are set to emerge at the same time. According to the outlet, the groups known as Brood XIII and Brood XIX have their homes adjacent to one another, with a narrow overlap in central Illinois'. Thomas Jefferson was president the last time these two broods came out, so is it rare? Yes, Gene Kritsky, an entomologist at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati told NBC News. Kritsky is also the author of the book A Tale of Two Broods which is written about this rare event and was published earlier this month. Kritsky, in a conversation with the New York Times, said that the first wave of the cicadas will show up in northern Louisiana, southern Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi, northern Georgia, and up into western South Carolina. How many cicadas will emerge? Floyd W. Shockley, an entomologist and collections manager at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History told the New York Times that during the duel emergence, it is estimated that billions of cicadas will appear on the surface in the US. To give perspective, Shockley added that if the insects, which are one inch long each, are laid side-by-side, they would cover 15,782,828 miles. When will it happen next? Nobody alive today will see it happen again, Shockley told the New York Times. Thats really rather humbling, the entomologist added. After 2024, the cicadas wont sync their emergence cycles till 221 years. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center took to YouTube to share a video that shows a man undergoing a brain tumour surgery while being awake. The video shows the guitarist playing the musical instrument while getting a craniotomy. The image shows a guitarist playing music during his brain tumour surgery. (YouTube/@SylvesterCancer) The centre wrote that Dr Ricardo Komotar performed the surgery on Christian Nolen. The surgery took place on December 18, 2023, and the centre shared the video on YouTube about four days ago. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The organisation added that it was important for Nolan to stay awake during the brain surgery so that the doctors could evaluate and protect his manual dexterity as they removed the tumour. In the video, Nolan is seen playing a tune on his guitar as surgeons perform the surgery on him. The video also shows his doctor Komotar explaining the procedure and sharing how Nolan is after the surgery. Take a look at this video of the man playing guitar during brain surgery: What did Christian Nolen say about his surgery? It was just like out of this world, like, to just like wake up and like have people actively working inside of your head. Its kind of an insane feeling, Nolan told WSVN Miami. Being able to go to the gym and be active again, which is a big part of my life. Its been very amazing, like, the recovery, he added about his life after the surgery. The outlet also reported that he was asleep at the beginning of the surgery. It was towards the end of the two-hour procedure that he was playing his guitar after being woken up by the doctors. Dr Ricardo Komotar on the surgery: Having the patient awake and playing the guitar while we take out the tumour allows us to be as aggressive as possible, yet still maintain his quality of life and his manual dexterity, he told WSVN Miami. The surgeon is only one small part of this entire procedure. Its not possible without amazing neuroanesthesiologists, nurses, techs, residents, fellows, neuro-oncologists, radiation oncologists, added Komotar. Bhavish Aggarwal, co-founder and CEO of Ola Cabs and founder of Ola Electric, recently shared a poem generated by AI on social media to congratulate Indians on the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. He said that the Ram Mandir inauguration marks a momentous day and termed it as a cultural renaissance that would play an instrumental role in nation building. He also quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modis words: Ram se Rashtra, and Dev se Desh. Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal shared an AI-generated poem to mark the opening ceremony of Ram Mandir. (X/Sadhguru Academy) Ayodhya is the true embodiment of Bharat, and it is a momentous day today that transcends beyond faith alone. Its a moment of cultural renaissance for our country which will be instrumental in our efforts of nation building. Our future will be built with the strength and inspiration of our heritage and culture, wrote Aggarwal on X. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. He further echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modis words, Like our Hon PM said today, from Ram se Rashtra, and Dev se Desh! Alongside, he shared a poem in Sanskrit to mark the opening ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Take a look at the poem shared by Bhavish Aggarwal below: Since being shared a day ago, the tweet has garnered nearly 50,000 views. The share has also received numerous likes and retweets. Some even bookmarked the tweet and shared their thoughts in the comments section. Heres how people reacted to this AI-generated poem: Indeed, it is a moment of pride for Bharat, as the Ram Mandir is not just a temple, but a symbol of the rich heritage and culture of India. It represents the power of faith and devotion, and serves as a reminder of the countrys past glory, commented an individual. Another added, To have our Hon PM eloquently linking Ram se Rashtra and Dev se Desh in one simple, yet powerful phrase is truly inspiring. It highlights the importance of our cultural roots in building a strong nation and a bright future. A fantastic piece that resonates with the spirit of the day. Jai Shree Ram, expressed a third. A fourth shared, Ayodhyas cultural renaissance comes alive in this poem, a fitting tribute to the inauguration. What are your thoughts on this AI-generated poem? Have you ever called in sick when you were not and crossed paths with your boss? Well, this happened with an Australian woman who took a day off claiming to be sick, only to find herself on the same flight as her boss. As per reports, Leila Soares realised this after she landed. The woman realised that she was on the same flight as her boss after she landed. (Representational image/@Unsplash) Daily Mail reported that the woman recorded a video upon spotting her boss and shared it on TikTok with the text overlay that reads, Messaged my boss to call in sick only to find him on the same flight. The clip shows the passengers alighting the JetStar flight. Moments later, the camera zooms in to show an individual that Soares shares is her boss. She then switches the camera back to her and can be seen wearing a cap, sunglasses and face mask to conceal her identity in case her boss spots her. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The video, as expected, has gone viral with millions of views. Soares, in the videos comments section, informed that there are very slim chances that her boss would have seen her as the passengers sitting in the back and front boarded the plane through two different doors. Earlier, a woman took to Reddit to share that her boss asked her to call in sick after she took an 8-minute long washroom break. I work from home and stepped away from my workstation to use the bathroom this morning. Halfway through my eight-minute bathroom break, I got a voicemail from my boss telling me that I either needed to call in sick, take PTO or get back online right now. I reiterated, I was offline for eight minutes and they wanted me to use a sick day. I frequently skip breaks and work past when my shift is set to end. I got this job in my second year in college because I was sick of working retail, wrote the woman who goes by the username SpecterGygax on Reddit. In the early hours of January 21, a small asteroid hurtled through the sky and into Earth's atmosphere near Berlin, Germany. After it entered the atmosphere, the asteroid exploded mid-air and created a harmless but bright fireball that could be seen for miles. The asteroid exploded mid-air and created a fireball. (X/@DeniaVida) According to Live Science, the asteroid, identified as 2024 BXI, was initially found by astronomer Krisztian Sarneczky, who calls himself an asteroid hunter. Sarneczky works at the Piszkesteto Mountain Station, which is a part of Konkoly Observatory in Hungary. Using the observatory's 60-cm Schmidt telescope, he was able to identify the cosmic rock. NASA released a comprehensive forecast of the meteor's impact location and time shortly after the space rock was discovered. (Also Read: NASA's cosmic treasures: 3 celestial object discoveries that stunned the world) Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Take a look at the video of the asteroid captured by Krisztian Sarneczky here: Here's another view of the asteroid near Berlin: Since the latter tweet was shared on X, it received more than one lakh likes and over 1,400 comments. The post also has numerous comments. Many were stunned to see the exploding space rock. Check out what people said about the video here: An individual wrote, "Incredible footage really enjoyed watching. Thank you for posting." A second added, "Wow! Great video! Amazing capture." "Look at the reflection in the water at the bottom left of the screen! It was close. Thank God it did not land," posted a third. A fourth shared, "Wow, this is amazing." Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On January 22, China's automotive new retail platform, Huasheng Haoche, announced that it had raised 650 million yuan in a new financing round, which was led by local state-owned asset divisions. Photo credit: Huasheng Haoche The funds, earmarked for expanding the company's sales network, accelerating the deployment of new energy vehicle stores, and optimizing/upgrading information systems, mark a significant step in propelling the platform's innovation and development in the automotive new retail sector. Building upon its eight years of establishment, Huasheng Haoche has been strategically focusing on third to fifth-tier markets in China, employing a business model combining "direct operation + direct leasing + direct procurement." This approach has not only reshaped the distribution network but also redefined the landscape of car consumption in the new retail sector, the company said. With over 600 direct-operated chain sales stores and 26 major central warehouses nationwide, the company has established its presence in more than 300 cities. Following the successful financing, Huasheng Haoche said it is set to deepen its channel construction, diversify collaborations with automotive brands, and further increase its market share. UK resident Phil Hardy was all set to fly to New York with his partner Magdalena Bobusia for his first holiday abroad in 14 years when he noticed an issue with the plane. Hardy expressed concerns about missing bolts on one of the plane's wings, which led to the Virgin Atlantic flight getting cancelled. A Virgin Atlantic flight was cancelled after a passenger found missing bolts. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) The 41-year-old claimed that after bringing up the matter with Virgin Atlantic employees, he was informed repeatedly by both the engineer and the crew that there was no wing issue, reported The Mirror. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "I noticed the four screws missing during the safety briefing. I could see all the fixings on the wing, and they were all white, and I could see the crossheads on the screws, and then there were just four that were black," Hardy told The Mirror. (Also Read: IndiGo passenger shares 'late-night scenes' from airport after flight delay) He also added, "I'm a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could." However, since the issue was not fixed, the VS127 aircraft to John F. Kennedy International Airport was cancelled, forcing all of the passengers to deplane. Virgin Atlantic inspection crew discovered that four of the 119 fasteners on the wing panel had missing caps. Eventually, workers replaced the old fasteners with new ones. (Also Read: Air India flyer appalled over veg meal with chicken pieces; airline apologises) A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told FOX Business that the airline cancelled the flight "to provide time for precautionary additional engineering checks, which allowed our team the maximum time to complete their inspections. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority, and this was not compromised at any point. We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft is now back in service". The death toll from a landslide in China's southwestern province of Yunnan province rose to 11 on Tuesday from eight as rescue workers battled extreme cold wave conditions and freezing temperatures amid snow to locate and rescue the several dozen buried people, news agency Reuters reported. Chinese military police and rescue workers searching for missing victims at a landslide site in Liangshui village in Zhaotong, in southwestern China's Yunnan province. (AFP) Rescuers worked through the night sifting deep mounds of earth at the site of the landslide in Zhenxiong County, the news agency said citing the state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) on Tuesday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Over 1,000 rescue workers equipped with 45 rescue dogs and 120 vehicles, including excavators, loaders and transport vehicles, were carrying out search and rescue work at the site. As many as 33 firefighting vehicles and 10 loading machines were also mobilised to search for the missing. Over 200 tents, 400 quilts, 600 cotton coats and 14 sets of emergency lighting equipment were also provided. The rescuers were unable to use large machines for the evacuation process due to the unstable soil in the terrain. "If the excavation is unloaded below, the top may continue to collapse. It is difficult to carry out large-scale mechanical operations, and it is very difficult to rescue on site," the worker was quoted as saying in the report. Another two people were hospitalized for head and body injuries, the national health commission said. The landslide struck a remote and mountainous part in two villages in Zhaotong city at 05:51 local time (21:51 GMT) on Monday, trapping at least 47 people from 18 households. Eight of the missing were found dead on Monday, according to Zhaotong Daily, a local state-owned media outlet. "The mountain just collapsed, dozens were buried," a man surnamed Gu, who witnessed the landslide, told the media outlet adding that four of his relatives were buried under the rubble. More than 500 people were evacuated from their homes and nearly 1,000 rescue workers were dispatched to the site. Meanwhile, President Xi Jinping has ordered an "all-out" rescue in the area which is experiencing sub-zero temperatures. The government has allocated disaster relief funds totalling 50 million yuan (about USD 7 million) to support disaster relief and emergency rescue work. The cause of the landslide has remined unclear, but the remote, mountainous region is prone to them. According to a preliminary investigation by an expert group, the landslide was triggered by the collapse of a steep cliff-top area measuring almost 100 metres in width and 60 metres in height, the report said. The Ministry of Emergency Management has upgraded the emergency response level to the second-highest level from the Level-III emergency response for disaster relief activated by the Provincial Commission for Disaster Reduction immediately after the landslide. Video clips shared on social media showed rescuers walking on piles of rubble against a backdrop of snow-covered mountains. (With inputs from Reuters, AP) Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Monday highlighted the negative side of globalisation while acknowledging its benefits. He said globalisation has designated currency, trade and tourism as weapons and stressed that those in control of the world order established in 1945 are reluctant to create more opportunities. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks at the interaction session on India and the Global South at the Nigerian Institute Of International Affairs (NIIA), in Lagos on Monday(DrSJaishankar-X) He pointed out the drawback of globalisation when he emphasised that it has concentrated the economic power in a few regions, making much of the world dependent on them. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "Today, the currency is a weapon, trade is a weapon, tourism is a weapon. They may be dominant as producers, they may be dominant as consumers and often, with very little hesitation, leverage their market shares on the global system for their particular national purpose. We know very well this is a world order that was devised in 1945 when the members of the United Nations were roughly 25% of what they are today This world order continues obstinately because those who are in the driving seat don't want to create more seats for other people to be at that engine," EAM Jaishankar said addressing the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos. The Union minister observed that the world order, which was at its natural diversity, was distorted by Western domination. "The world was diverse and it was distorted by the period of Western domination and in a post-Colonial world today, restoring that natural diversity is actually a collective objective. Now what are the challenges to that process one, of course, is while many of us attained independence, we have all built our Nations and societies," he added. Jaishankar further highlighted the challenges to bring the world to its natural diversity and said those who dominated the world for the last 200 to 300 years continue their dominance with new instruments and techniques using new regimes. While globalization has had many positive results. It has also undeniably led to such deep economic concentrations that much of the world today depends on the production of a few geographies, he said. The EAM is in Nigeria where he will co-chair the 6th India-Nigeria Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) with his counterpart. He will also inaugurate the 3rd edition of the Nigeria-India Business Council meeting. A man shot and killed eight people at three locations since Sunday in the United States's Chicago suburbs and remains at large, Illinois authorities said on Monday. Police in Joliet and Will counties claimed that they were still trying to find out the motive behind the killings. The authorities also claimed that the man knew the victims. Police work at the scene of a shooting in Tinley Park on Sunday. Authorities have identified a woman and her three adult daughters who were found slain inside their suburban Chicago home. (AP) The victims were found Sunday and Monday at three separate locations, authorities told reporters on Monday evening, several hours after warning on social media that the man should be considered armed and dangerous. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. One of the persons killed was found on Sunday in a home in Will County. Seven others were found on Monday at two homes in Joliet. Joliet Police chief William Evans said the Federal Bureau of Investigation's fugitive task force was assisting local police in the search for the suspect. Also Read: US school principal dies after shielding students during mass shooting in Iowa 'Worst crime scene I have been been associated with' During a news conference outside the homes on Monday evening, William Evans said, I have been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene I have ever been associated with. Will County chief deputy Dan Jungles said deputies had been staking out one of the houses since Sunday evening in case the suspect in that days shootings returned to them. When no one showed, they finally went to the door of one of the houses. No one answered so they tried the other house, which they knew was linked to the first house and found the first bodies. Jungles didnt offer any further details. Also Read: Cops acted with no urgency during Uvalde school shooting, DOJ report says Jungles also said he didnt have any indications yet of how long the people in the houses had been dead, adding that autopsies were pending. Evans said the victims were family members. When asked if the victims were members of the killer's family, Jungles said he couldnt comment except to say that the suspect knew them. In a Facebook post earlier on Monday afternoon, Joliet Police said they were investigating multiple people found dead and shared the mans photo and images of a vehicle. Authorities identified the vehicle as a red Toyota Camry. Earlier Monday, the Will County Sheriffs Office shared images of the same car via Facebook and said it had been seen at the scenes of two separate shootings Sunday afternoon. (With inputs from AP) A record number of people sought asylum in France last year, a rise of more than eight percent on the previous year, the county's refugee protection authority said Tuesday. Demonstrators hold banners reading "Liberty, Equality, Fraternity" (L) and "No the asylum immigration law" as they attend a rally against France's recently passed law on immigration in Paris.(AFP) The announced increase comes weeks after the government passed a tough new immigration law under pressure from the far right. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Around 142,500 people applied in total -- including 123,400 for the first time -- and around a third of all requests for protection were accepted, the French Office for the Protection of Refugee and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) said in provisional figures. Just 131,000 people had applied in 2022, with a slightly lower proportion of 29 percent receiving a positive response. "This increase is not specific to France, but comes within a European context," OFPRA director Julien Boucher told AFP. "It is much lower than the European average" increase, he added. In Germany, first-time asylum applications rose by more than 50 percent last year to 329,120, official figures showed earlier this month. In France, the largest number of first-time applicants last year were from Afghanistan for the sixth year in a row, OFPRA figures showed, with 17,500 Afghans seeking refuge away from their war-torn country. Other large contingents applying for protection hailed from Bangladesh, Turkey, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea. France has a long tradition of welcoming refugees and immigrants, but a rise in the number of asylum seekers, a chronic affordable-housing shortage, and a cost-of-living crisis have worsened social tensions in the country. Parliament last month backed a controversial new immigration law after it was hardened under pressure from the right. A council of experts is to rule this week on whether it is in line with the constitution. The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a rocket attack that killed 21 Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv that the militants' rockets hit a building where Israeli forces had laid explosives. (AP) Israel earlier blamed unidentified Palestinian militants for the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on Monday, which was the deadliest day to date for the Israeli military in its campaign in Gaza. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "Watch the execution by Al-Qassam Brigades fighters of a compound operation against the enemy soldiers and vehicles east of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp," Hamas said in a message released to media, accompanying a video of the attack. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv that the militants' rockets hit a building where Israeli forces had laid explosives. The strike caused that building and one next to it to collapse, he said. Most of the soldiers died there while two who were securing the area in a tank were killed by a second rocket, Hagari said, citing an initial inquiry. The military was still studying the incident, Hagari said. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces killed more than 100 militants in western Khan Younis in southern Gaza, he added. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday, the biggest death toll in a single day since the war began in October, amid what Palestinians said was the most intense bombardment of southern Gaza in the conflict. Israeli soldiers walk next to military vehicles and ambulances, as the conflict continues between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas(REUTERS) Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters that 21 soldiers were killed in an explosion. He said militants had fired rocket-propelled grenades at a tank, and at the same time an explosion occurred in two buildings where forces had planted explosives in order to destroy them. The buildings collapsed onto the troops. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "We are still studying and investigating the details of the event and the reasons for the explosion," he said. Earlier, the military had said three soldiers were killed in a separate attack in southern Gaza. The assault came as Israeli forces pushed deep into western Khan Younis in Gaza, with an air, sea and land bombardment that included storming a hospital and arresting medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra told Reuters. There was no word from Israel on the situation at the hospital, and the military spokesperson's office had no comment. Qidra said at least 50 people were killed on Sunday night in Khan Younis, while the sieges at medical facilities meant dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers. The United States called on Israel to protect innocent Palestinians and medical staff. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said on Monday that Israel had a right to defend itself, but added: "We expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as well, as much as possible." Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals, which Hamas and medical staff deny. Israel launched an offensive last week to capture Khan Younis, which it now says is the principal headquarters of the Hamas militants responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks on southern Israel that according to Israeli tallies killed 1,200 people. Israel has vowed to wipe out Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that rules Gaza and is sworn to Israel's destruction. At least 25,295 Gazans have been killed since Oct. 7, Gaza health authorities said in an update on Monday. WEST BANK International concern has mounted over the Palestinian death toll from Israel's assault on the densely populated enclave and a humanitarian crisis afflicting hundreds of thousands of people. The United States has urged Israel to reduce civilian harm in Gaza, called on it to stop violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, and has said it still believes a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is possible. In Brussels on Monday, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz sidestepped discussion of a two-state solution at a meeting with European Union counterparts, opting to show them aspirational videos of future infrastructure projects. Israel has pushed back against calls for a Palestinian state, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying that any Palestinian state would pose "an existential danger" to Israel. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has circulated a discussion paper with a roadmap to peace that calls for a preparatory peace conference organised by the EU and Arab nations. The U.S. and U.N. were invited to be conveners. Washington on Monday called for an investigation and accountability "as appropriate" following the West Bank death on Friday of a 17-year-old Palestinian American, who Palestinian health officials say was killed by Israeli security forces. The Israel-occupied West Bank has seen a surge of violence in parallel to the Gaza war that erupted in October. The uncle of the American-born youth told Reuters he had died during clashes with the Israeli military that included stone throwing by Palestinians. Israel's army said its troops had surrounded the city of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, which has been the epicentre of fighting in recent weeks. Israel's military said in a statement, "Over the past day troops... have encircled Khan Yunis and deepened the operation in the area." Khan Yunis is a densely populated city where Hamas's Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar was born. Israel-Hamas War: Smoke billowing over Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during Israeli bombardment.(AFP) This comes as Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to not stop fighting in Gaza until "absolute victory" is achieved after the country sustained its highest single-day death toll in the Palestinian enclave as twenty-four soldiers were killed amid intense fighting in the southern and central Gaza Strip. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. As Israel is trying to clear areas near the border, 21 of the soldiers died when there was an explosion in a building and it collapsed. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had experienced one of its most difficult days of the war. "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory," he said. Israel's defence minister Yoav Gallant said his heart was with the families of those killed on "this difficult and painful morning", but that Israel would not back down. "This war will determine the future of Israel for decades to come - the fall of soldiers is needed to achieve the goals of the war," he said. The Maldives on Tuesday said that Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03 would be making a port call at Male following a diplomatic request by Chinese government for the necessary clearances for rotation of personnel and replenishment. Maldives president Mohammed Muizzu ( AFP) The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes, the government of Maldives said in a statement. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The development comes against the backdrop of a dramatic downturn in bilateral relations since the election victory last year of President Mohamed Muizzu, who has sought to move his country closer to China. ALSO READ: Chinas stake in Maldives leaves little room for diplomacy with India The Indian Navy has been tracking the Chinese vessel since it entered the Indian Ocean region through the Sunda strait in Indonesia on Monday, officials aware of the development said on Tuesday. The navy keeps a close watch on extra-regional activity in the Indian Ocean Region, especially the movement and presence of Chinese vessels. As part of its mission-based deployment model, the navy continues to position its warships along critical sea lanes of communications and choke points in the region. The Chinese vessel would not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters, the Maldives said reacting to media reports regarding the port call of the Chinese Research vessel. Such port calls not only enhance bilateral ties between the Maldives and its partner countries, but also demonstrate the centuries old tradition of the Maldivian people welcoming vessels from friendly countries. The Maldives continues to uphold international best practices, and relevant international maritime law on all such cases, the statement added. The Chinese vessel is moving to Male after the Sri Lankan government denied permission for docking. India last week said it was committed to taking forward its development agenda with the Maldives, at a time when the bilateral ties are under pressure following Muizzu's call for the withdrawal of all Indian military personnel deployed in the Indian Ocean archipelago by March 15. "We remain committed to our projects and to taking them forward. We have been an important development partner of the Maldives. We remain committed to doing all things that we can do as a development partner of the Maldives," ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on January 18. ALSO READ: Maldives president amid India row: We arent in anyone's backyard, so' Muizzu made the demand as the high-level core group set up by India and the Maldives held its first meeting in Male on January 14. The next meeting of the core group set will be held in India soon. India and the Maldives agreed to set up the high-level core group when Muizzu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on the margins of COP28 in December. Following his return from a visit to China, Muizzu announced a slew of measures apparently aimed at curtailing the Maldives dependence on India in key sectors such as healthcare and food security. Hundreds of Indians on Monday gathered at New York City's Times Square to mark the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram in the grand Ayodhya temple. Chants of Jai Shree Ram and Bharat Mata Ki Jai echoed in the Big Apple to celebrate the opening of the Ram Temple. Indian diaspora at Times Square to celebrate the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram Temple, in New York, USA, on Sunday.(Consulate General of India, New York) Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, a Stanford University graduate, headed the crowd residing in Rishikesh for the last 30 years. The Indian diaspora at Times Square waved saffron flags and amped up the celebration with a dance performance. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. "Back home today, we have opened not just a Ram Temple but also a Rashtra Temple. It will stand as a temple of unity. This is the temple for which we waited for over 500 years," Sadhvi Saraswati said, addressing the crowd. Meanwhile, in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Ram Temple and unveiled the idol of Ram Lalla. He also sprinkled flowers on the idol of Jatayu at the Ram Temple premises and offered prayers to Lord Shiva in Ayodhya Dham. Army choppers were pictured showering petals on the temple as the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony unfolded. This is not just a moment of celebration for us all but also one to reflect the coming of age of the Indian society. This occasion is as much about triumph as it is about humility. The world is replete with instances of countries that faced a lot of difficulties resolving historic wrongs and injustices, PM Modi said while addressing the dignitaries invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On January 20, Geely's Farizon New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group ("Farizon Auto") exported the first batch of the V6E vans to Turkey, officially setting sail from the Shanghai port, according to a post on Farizon Auto's WeChat account. The latest move marks Farizon Auto's first delivery of the European-spec V6E model to overseas markets, also signifies the brand's foray into the Turkish market, as part of its efforts to further expand its global footprint. Photo credit: Farizon Auto As Turkey actively explores the path of green and sustainable development in the automotive industry in recent years, Farizon Auto, as a leading brand in Chinese new energy commercial vehicle field, has gained trust and recognition from Turkish consumers, said the carmaker. Even before the delivery of demo vehicles, the V6E model has successfully secured over 100-unit intention orders from end users. Designed specifically for pure electric transportation, the V6E is a new energy van model with a cargo compartment size of 1,600mm and a cargo space of up to 6m, suitable for various urban delivery platform scenarios. The V6E features a motor direct-drive bridge design with a permanent magnet synchronous motor. Farizon Auto also noted it is actively expanding its presence in overseas markets, with current orders received from customers of Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, the Middle East, and other regions. Sri Lanka's Parliament on Tuesday voted to go ahead with a scheduled debate on a controversial Online Safety Bill that critics say will stifle freedom of speech. Sri Lankan social media activists hold placards with slogans against the proposed Online Safety Bill during a protest near the Parliament in Colombo, Sri Lanka.(AP) Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had called for a vote to decide if the two-day debate should proceed. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Out of 225 legislators, 83 voted in favour of holding the debate while 50 voted against it. The Opposition parties had sought more time for consultations on the bill. Opposition MPs and other critics have warned that the Online Safety Bill could be a threat to freedom of speech. Tiran Alles, the public security minister, while opening the debate said the Supreme Court had suggested amendments to the bill and they would be incorporated after the bill is approved in parliament on Wednesday. As Alles was speaking, a civil group demonstrated near Parliament to oppose the bill. They said the government aims to censor the expression of public opinion through social media. The bill aims to establish the Online Safety Commission, make provisions to prohibit online communication of certain statements of fact in Sri Lanka and prevent the use of online accounts and inauthentic online accounts for restricted purposes. It also makes provisions to identify and declare online locations used for prohibited purposes in the island nation, suppress the financing, and other support of communication of false statements of fact. The Asian Internet Coalition (AIC) in a letter to Alles had objected to the bill. The proposed legislation, in its present form, poses significant challenges that, if not addressed comprehensively, could undermine the potential growth of Sri Lanka's digital economy," it said. The vote on the parliamentary approval of the bill is to take place on Wednesday. Five people forced their way into the Iranian embassy in Sweden on Tuesday afternoon before being escorted out, the Stockholm police said. The people were later removed from the area. It was not immediately clear whether any of the five had entered the embassy building itself. (File) "Police had been called to Iran's embassy because there was a crowd outside and five people had penetrated into the embassy's zone," the police said in a communique. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. One person was arrested for alleged aggression. All the intruders were escorted out, a police spokesperson told the TV4 television station, without confirming whether the protest had been authorised. Relations between Sweden and Iran have soured after a Swedish court sentenced a former Iranian prison official, Hamid Noury, to life in prison over mass executions in 1988. On December 19, a Swedish appeals court confirmed the life sentence for Noury, 62, who was convicted of "grave breaches of international humanitarian law and murder" over his role in the killings of at least 5,000 prisoners during a 1988 purge of dissidents in Iran. Several Swedish citizens are being held in Iran, including a European Union diplomat, Johan Floderus. Earlier in December, Floderus went on trial in Iran on charges of conspiring with Iran's arch-enemy Israel. Iran has used foreign prisoners as bargaining chips to free its citizens held abroad, and Swedish media have suggested a prisoner swap is possible. Turkey's parliament ratified Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delay. Hungary then becomes the only NATO ally not to have ratified Swedens accession. (File) Turkey's general assembly, where President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling alliance holds a majority, voted 287-55 to approve the application that Sweden first made in 2022 to bolster its security in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. When Sweden and Finland asked to join NATO that year, Turkey surprised some members in raising objections over what it said was the two countries' protection of groups it deems terrorists. It endorsed Finland's membership in April last year but, along with Hungary, had kept Sweden waiting. "We support NATO enlargement to improve the alliance's deterrence efforts... We hope Finland and Sweden's attitude towards fighting terrorism sets an example for our other allies," Fuat Oktay, head of parliament's foreign affairs commission and a ruling AK Party member, said during debate. Erdogan is expected to sign the legislation into law within days, leaving Hungary - whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban has friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin - as the only member state not to have approved Sweden's accession. Orban said earlier on Tuesday he had invited his Swedish counterpart to visit and negotiate his country joining the bloc. Hungary's parliament is in recess until around mid-February. Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom told Swedish news agency TT there was no reason "to negotiate in the current situation, though...we can have a dialogue and continue to discuss questions". Turkey and Hungary maintain better relations with Russia than other members of the U.S.-led North Atlantic Treaty Organization. While opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Turkey has criticised Western sanctions on Moscow. For its part, Russia has cautioned that it would respond if NATO bolstered military infrastructure in the two Nordic states. Sweden, whose membership bid marked a historic shift away from a non-aligned security policy, would enhance NATO defences in the Baltic Sea region facing Russia. DEMANDS AND CONCESSIONS Turkey's delays had frustrated some of its Western allies and enabled it to extract some concessions. Ankara had urged Stockholm to toughen its stance on local members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which the European Union and United States also deem a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes being a member of a terrorist organisation illegal. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the Netherlands also took steps to relax policies on arms exports to Turkey. In parliament, Oktay said Erdogan's AK Party endorsed Sweden's NATO bid after its positive steps fighting terrorism. The AKP's nationalist allies MHP and the main opposition CHP also endorsed Sweden's bid. Opposition nationalist, Islamist and leftist parties rejected it, while four MPs abstained. Erdogan, who had sent Sweden's bid to parliament in October, linked the ratification to U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The White House backs the sale and some analysts expect a deal to swiftly follow Turkey's approval of Sweden's bid. But there is no clear time frame for the U.S. Congress to approve the deal, with Turkey facing some congressional opposition over delays to NATO enlargement as well as its human rights record. Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel's worst day of losses in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday, as the White House said its envoy was having active discussions on ensuring the release of hostages and securing a humanitarian pause. Palestinians amongst the rubble of buildings hit by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. (Bloomberg) In the hours after the death toll from two separate incidents became clear, officials in Israel reiterated that the aims of its war against the Palestinian Hamas movement that runs Gaza were unchanged and that efforts were being made to bring about the release of more than 100 hostages. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Acknowledging Monday had been one of the "most difficult days since the war erupted", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory." Israeli government spokesman Eylon Levy said there would be no ceasefire that left Hamas in power and hostages in Gaza, following the militant group's cross-border rampage on Oct. 7 in which some 1,200 Israelis were killed. Palestinian health officials said at least 195 Palestinians had been killed in the past 24 hours, raising the documented death toll from Israeli air strikes and shelling to 25,490. Thousands more are feared lost in the rubble. The soldiers' deaths came on the day the Israeli military (IDF) launched its biggest operation in a month, to seize remaining parts of Khan Younis, Gaza's main southern city that is sheltering hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. "Over the past day, IDF troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis," the military said, adding that they had "eliminated" dozens of militants. US ENVOY IN CAIRO However, giving weight to media reports that a deal could be in the works to pause the fighting at least temporarily and free hostages, Qatar's foreign ministry had said earlier in the day it was engaging in serious discussions with both sides. "We have presented ideas to both sides, we are getting a constant stream of replies from both sides, and that in its own right is a cause for optimism," foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said. White House spokesperson John Kirby later said U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in Cairo for "active" discussions on ensuring the release of hostages and securing a humanitarian pause. "The conversations are very sober and serious about trying to get another hostage deal in place," Kirby told reporters, adding the talks included discussion on how long of a pause in combat would be needed to get the hostages out. Egypt's armed forces said Defence Minister Mohamed Zaki and McGurk discussed the "importance of concerted efforts to calm the situation and preserve the lives of civilians". The families of hostages, who have campaigned since Oct. 7 for the release of their loved ones, have become more vocal in recent days, including a group bursting into a parliamentary committee on Monday, demanding that the lawmakers do more. On Tuesday, former hostage Aviva Siegel, 62, who was taken captive from Kfar Aza kibbutz with her husband who is still held in Gaza, spoke at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in a discussion about sexual abuse during the war. "It's unbelievable that they (hostages) are still there. I can't imagine what they are feeling. I can't live with it. I can't breathe. I can't cope with it. It's too difficult. It's been almost four months and they are still there ... Something has to change. Urgently. Now," she said. She was released during a short truce in late November. TANKS SHUT KHAN YOUNIS ROAD Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said 21 soldiers were killed when two buildings they had mined for demolition exploded after militants fired at a nearby tank. Three soldiers were reported killed in a separate attack. Families and friends mourned them at funerals across Israel, touching coffins draped in the national flag and hugging one another in their grief. Advancing Israeli tanks shut the road out of Khan Younis towards the Mediterranean coast on Tuesday, blocking the escape route for civilians trying to reach Rafah, the last town on Gaza's southern edge bordering Egypt - now crammed with more than half the enclave's 2.3 million people. "I am trying to leave for Rafah but the tanks are now very near to the coast and are firing toward the west," Shaban, 45, an electrical engineer with four children, said by phone. The advancing Israelis have blockaded hospitals, which Palestinian officials say makes it impossible to rescue the dead and wounded. At the European Hospital, reached by Reuters in southern Khan Younis, Ahed Masmah brought in five corpses, piled on a mattress on his donkey cart. "I found them face down in the street," he said. At Khan Younis' main Nasser hospital, the biggest still functioning in the Gaza Strip, bodies were being buried on the grounds because it was unsafe to go out to the cemetery. Footage filmed by Palestinian journalist Hamdan El-Dahdouh showed persistent gunfire hitting the top of the main building. Israel says Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals, which hospital staff and Hamas deny. Israel said on Monday it was making efforts to help keeping hospitals running, delivering fuel and medical aid. "Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues," Philippe Lazzarini, head of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency UNRWA, said in a statement. He said six displaced people had been killed and many injured at one of the biggest UN-run shelters in Khan Younis. The Israeli military said it was unaware of any strikes in that area at the time in question. With nightfall, an Israeli air strike hit a house in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, killing seven Palestinians, health officials said. A man pulling stunts while driving a car in the Bronx on Sunday, January 21, crashed into a parked truck, killing two of his passengers. A15-year-old girl was among the victims. The 23-year-old driver has not been identified. The truck that the car crashed into was empty at the time. A video of the crash shows the driver swerving out of control before crashing his white Chrysler 300 into a large red truck (New York Post screenshots) A video of the crash shows the driver swerving out of control before crashing his white Chrysler 300 into a large red truck at around 3:28 am. The truck was parked near the intersection of Bryant and Viele Avenues, according to New York Post. The impact of the crash was so severe that the windows of the Chrysler broke down. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The victims have been identified as Gilvante Roberson, 21, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, and Sabrina Villagomez, 15, who was sitting in the back. They were both rushed to Lincoln Hospital but died there, the NYPD said. Another girl, 17, who was sitting in the back was taken to the St. Barnabas Hospital in critical condition. The driver was taken to Harlem Hospital, and was reportedly in stable condition. NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry said in a post on X that later that day, a group of drivers shut down the Grand Central Parkway while pulling a similar stunt. The hijacking of NYC roadways to drive recklessly endangers everyone. We saw this at the fatal collision in the Bronx last night. And today, another group caused chaos by shutting down the Grand Central Parkway, he wrote. He added, Your NYPD quickly deployed drones and apprehended the offenders. Our @NYCMayor, @NYPDPC & @NYPDChiefOfDept have been crystal clear on this: if you engage in reckless, criminal behavior in our city, you will be arrested. New Yorkers have had enough. A friend of Roberson mourned his death.He was a super energetic kid, always happy, always putting a smile on someones face, Jay Ben, 27, who works as a security guard, told New York Post. The two met while riding scooters. He brings the car community together individuals together, not only cars, Ben said, adding that Roberson worked at UPS. He was a marvelous person. He didnt have no hate for no one No one disliked him, no one hated him. We all loved him, and he didnt have to go out like this. No arrests have been made yet. A father of five children has been accused of shooting dead his three daughters and wife in a small community outside Chicago on Sunday, January 21. A 911 dispatcher described the incident as a massacre. Police work at the scene of a shooting in Tinley Park on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune via AP)(AP) A man called police outside a home in Tinley Park a little after 11:30 am. Shortly after, the victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the Cook County medical examiner's office confirmed. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The victims have been identified as Majeda Kassem, 53, and her three daughters including twins Halema and Zahia, both 25, and their younger sister, 24-year-old Hanan Kassem. A male subject said his wife was shot. The line disconnected. He wasn't really cooperative, the dispatcher initially said, the Daily Mail reported. Tinley Park Public Safety Department said it was a domestic-related shooting, adding that a suspect was in the house when police arrived. He was then taken into custody. The Chicago Tribune reported that a gun was found at the scene. The offender is in custody and scene is secure, a statement read after the arrest of the suspect. Due to ongoing investigation, we are asking residents to stay out of the area. Shocked neighbours described the residents as such a good family that had a bright future. Some of the children, they said, aspired to become pharmacists or doctors. The man had two adult sons too. My daughter knows them. She went to school with the oldest son, and she employed the twin sisters. She always talked about how they were all very intelligent, and they had very high goals in life, Charlotte Vaitkus told ABC 7. Village Manager Patt Carr said after the incident that there was no danger to the public. This was isolated to the home. The scene is secure. There is only one suspect at this time, Carr said. 'It's a tragedy. Not only for the family, but all the surrounding neighbors that are there. Along with his 3-year-old son X A-XII, Tesla owner Elon Musk paid a private visit to the historic Nazi German concentration camp site of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Poland on Monday. X owner Elon Musk visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau site with his 3-year-old son and others,(Reuters) The visit follows criticism that Musk received recently for supporting anti-Jewish conspiracy theories on his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Musk was also accompanied by Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev, journalist Ben Shapiro, and European Jewish Association (EJA) Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin. The SpaceX owner was seen carrying his son on his shoulders in pictures that have surfaced in the media. The website of Auschwitz, which is a solemn and harrowing place, says: It is not recommended that children under 14 visit the Memorial. Also Read: On outrage over antisemitic content, Elon Musk curses out advertisers who left X Musk admits to being 'naive' about antisemitism, defends X During his visit, Musk acknowledged that, up until lately, he was "naive" about the severity of antisemitism, attributing this to the fact that the majority of his friends are Jewish and he hasn't personally encountered it frequently. At the conference in a discussion with podcaster Ben Shapiro of the Daily Wire, he stated the tragedy of the Holocaust hits you much more in the heart when you see it in person. It was incredibly moving and deeply sad and tragic that humans could do this to other humans, Musk said. Im a student of history, so I had seen the pictures, Id seen the videos, but ... it hits you much more in the heart when you see it in person. "And, you know, theres this old joke Ive got like this one Jewish friend. No, I have like two-thirds of my friends are Jewish. I have twice as many Jewish friends as non-Jewish friends. Im like Jewish by association, Im aspirationally Jewish," Musk mentioned. Reiterating that a free exchange of ideas is what eventually helps to correct intolerance, he defended his social media site X, pointing out that the Nazis shut down press and information freedom. The overarching goal for the X platform is to be the best source of truth in the world, Musk asserted. The relentless pursuit of the truth is the goal with X and allowing people to say what they want to say, even if its controversial, provided that it does not break the law. Musk apologizes for remark seen as antisemitic Since his Twitter purchase in 2022, the billionaire has been facing backlash for allowing antisemitic remarks on the platform. He provoked outrage in November, notably from the White House, when he responded to an X user who alleged Jews hate white people. "You have said the actual truth," Musk replied. He later expressed regret for the remark and described it as his "dumbest" post ever. Musk visit comes ahead of the Holocaust Memorial Day, which marks the 79th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on January 27. According to history books, between 1940 and 1945, a million European Jews and over 100,000 non-Jews perished at the camp established by Nazi Germany in occupied Poland. During the conference, Musk also said that lives could have been saved and the Holocaust "would have been impossible to hide" if social media had existed during World War II. A Georgia pageant queen, 18, has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of her boyfriends 18-month-old son. The Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department asked authorities to investigate Trinity Poague on June 14 regarding the death of a baby. She has now been charged with Aggravated Battery, Felony Murder and Cruelty to Children First Degree. Trinity Poague has been arrested and charged in connection with the murder of her boyfriends 18-month-old son (Sumter County Sheriffs Office) The investigation indicates an unresponsive 18-month-old boy was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, Georgia. Hospital personnel performed life saving measures on the child; however, he later died, The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a press release. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Poague was arrested after several interviews and an examination of the evidence. At present, she is booked at the Sumter County Jail with no bond. The Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department along with the Americus Police Department assisted with this investigation, the release says, adding that the casefile will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorneys Office for prosecution after the investigation is over. The release also urged people with knowledge of the case to submit anonymous tips by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Poague was previously a contestant in the local National Peanut Festival Pageant. Sumter County Coroner Mathis Wright said that the babys name was Romeo Angles on his birth certificate, according to WALB. However, his father said at the hospital that his name was Jaxton Drew. A GoFundMe has been set up for Drews father, Jaxton Williams. An innocent life, that was taken from this world way too soon. A laugh that will no longer fill the room. A smile that will no longer light the darkness. Ja has been in our life for a long time. It was amazing watching him grow into one of the best fathers around, the page says. A man, that took on the role that even most women struggle with daily. A man, that was the sole care taker of his only child, now has the tragedy of having to lay him to rest. I come to you all to ask for your help and support for this grieving father in this horrific time of need, it adds. A terrifying viral video has captured the moment a giant wave crashed into a United States military building over the weekend. The wave slammed into a restaurant on a US Army base in the Marshall Islands, ABC News has reported. No one was reportedly seriously injured. A terrifying viral video has captured the moment a giant wave crashed into a United States military building over the weekend (ABC News screenshots/X via worldmaverik/Instagram) The waves, several metres high, were seen breaching the walls of the base and breaking down doors. People were knocked down. Property was damaged and an evacuation was prompted by the incident. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Erik D. Hanson, a diver living nearby in the Kwajalein Atoll, shared the video on Instagram, along with some clarifications. Now that Ive heard everyone from this event is ok Im finally posting the video. Roi Namur island was hit hard by several huge waves Saturday night. It was NOT a tsunami as many other sites that stole my video are saying. No other islands were affected. It was a combination of wind, tides and swell direction. It also was right after low tide at a 1.2ft tide so could have been worse, he wrote. Very very thankful no one was seriously injured. Thank you to all friends and family who reached out. Please share this video instead of those opportunistic ripoffs out there now, he added. Many commented on the frightening clip, with one saying, Thank god everyones safe. Watching what climate change is doing to the world breaks my heart. Im scared to see whats to come. Another said, This is absolutely insane. Im trying to figure out where Viv went!?!? So glad yall are all ok. Wow. Thank God everyone is okay! This video is so scary!!! How bad is the damage? one user said, while another wrote, The three people outside the door were uninjured!?? This is terrifying. Having spent some time at the Outrigger I just can't imagine this. In a recent deposition, Hollywood lawyer Kevin Morris found himself in the spotlight as he invoked attorney-client privilege a whopping 17 times, dodging questions about his dealings with Hunter Biden. Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, centre, with attorneys Kevin Morris, left, and Abbe Lowell, right, during a House Oversight Committee markup on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024. The House Judiciary and Oversight committees are expected to recommend that the president's son be held in criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena in the ongoing impeachment inquiry into his father, President Joe Biden.(Bloomberg) Early representation sparks frequent privilege invocations Morris began representing Hunter Biden just a week after the December 2019 California fundraiser for Joe Biden. This early representation became Morris' ticket to frequently invoking attorney-client privilege and avoiding questions about Hunter's affairs. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Morris and the mysterious Skaneateles acquisition Morris faced scrutiny when questioned about acquiring Hunter's company, Skaneateles, and initially tried to hide behind attorney-client privilege. However, he later revealed he saw it as a sound investment, despite initial confusion about the company's nature. Morris: A "virtual general counsel" for Hunter Biden Morris defended his extensive attorney-client privilege claims, stating he's like a "general counsel" in Hunter's "virtual corporation," overseeing various aspects of the first son's affairs. Legal group raises concerns: A possible violation of California Bar rules America First Legal filed a complaint against Morris, alleging a potential violation of California Bar rules, specifically rule 1.8.5(a), which prohibits lawyers from paying a client's personal or business expenses. Also Read | Hunter Biden agrees to face Republican committee in impeachment probe Millions in loans: A contradiction to Bar Rules Despite the complaint, Morris confirmed he loaned Hunter millions of dollars from 2020 to 2024, raising eyebrows and contradicting California Bar rules. Political motivations or just business? Morris insists his help was not politically motivated, despite being a Democratic donor. However, previous reports suggest his concerns about Hunter's tax debts were intertwined with political risks, as highlighted in a crisis meeting at Morris' home. Political risk and urgency: Emails reveal the truth Evidence from IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler shed light on a late January "crisis meeting" where Morris expressed concerns about the political risk of failing to file Hunter's tax returns on time. Urgent emails revealed the pressure Morris felt, referencing personal and political risks. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has won the Dixville Notch midnight primary in New Hampshire with six votes, managing a clean sweep over former President Donald Trump and all the other candidates. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and ex-US President Donald Trump(GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP, AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File) In the first round of the New Hampshire primary, all six registered voters in Dixville Notch chose Haley. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. A great start to a great day in New Hampshire, said India-American presidential candidate Haley in a statement moments after the vote was recorded. Thank you Dixville Notch! The ballot was cast by two independents and four registered Republicans, and Trump, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, did not receive enough votes to win. In the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, the resort town cast the first ballot in the country. Since 1960, Dixville Notch has held first-in-the-nation elections, with the results being declared just after midnight. In 2016, Governor John Kasich of Ohio defeated Trump in Dixville Notch by three votes to two, but Trump went on to win the primary by a margin of 19 percentage points over the Buckeye Stater. Also Read: Nikki Haley fires back at Trump for name-calling & promoting birther conspiracy; Hes insecure & threatened Trump says Nikki Haley won't be his VP pick, cites lack of calibre Trump has thrown cold water on the idea of picking Haley as a running mate, asserting that she was not of that calibre. She is OK, but she is not presidential timber. And when I say that, that probably means she is not going to be chosen as the vice president, Trump stated at a rally in Concord on Friday, as per The Hill. When you say certain things, it sort of takes them out of play, right? I cant say, Shes not of the timber to be the vice president and then say, Ladies and gentleman, Im proud to announce that Ive picked', Trump added. Haley's surge in the Republican racewith her poll numbers have been rising steadily over the past few monthshas stoked rumors that she might run as Trump's No. 2. Although Haley has consistently stated she is not seeking to finish second in the Republican primary, she has previously refrained from expressing with certainty whether or not she would be the former president's running mate. Haley is currently Trump's closest competitor in the New Hampshire polls. The 77-year-old Republican front-runner has recently launched personal attacks against Haley, including sharing a false "birther" conspiracy. Haley was born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa in Bamberg to immigrant Punjabi Sikh parents, and she has served as governor of South Carolina for two terms. Jan 23, 2024 8:41 PM IST Securing a party's presidential nomination involves a multifaceted process, and for the Republican Party, this journey involves a series of steps leading up to the party convention in the summer. The ultimate goal is to accumulate enough delegates to clinch the nomination, with primaries and caucuses serving as crucial battlegrounds in this intricate political terrain. Conventions and Delegate Selection: The Republican Party, like its Democratic counterpart, organizes a convention in the summer where delegates officially choose the nominee. The specific rules and processes vary between parties, but the common thread is the significance of winning delegates during the primaries and caucuses leading up to the convention. Delegate Accumulation: Performing well in primaries and caucuses translates to the acquisition of delegates. These delegates play a pivotal role in the final selection of the presidential nominee. The overarching objective is to amass a predetermined number of delegates before the convention convenes. Types of Nominating Contests and Delegates: The road to securing the nomination is paved with various types of nominating contests, each presenting its own set of challenges. Additionally, there are different categories of delegates involved in this process. Understanding the intricacies of these contests and delegate distinctions becomes crucial in navigating the timeline, which spans from January to June. Magic Number and Delegate Math: The coveted "magic number" represents the threshold a candidate must reach to secure the nomination. For the Republican Party in 2024, this number stands at 1,215 out of 2,429 total delegates awarded during the primary process. Achieving this magic number is the key to becoming the party's official nominee. Timing and Historical Context: In years without an incumbent, like the current Republican scenario in 2024, candidates often do not reach the magic number until May or June. A historical example is Donald Trump's first presidential run in 2016 when he hit the magic number on May 26. However, the timeline may vary, and if a candidate, such as Trump, establishes a significant lead in early primaries, they could secure the nomination earlier in the process. Future Scenarios: The dynamics of the nomination process remain fluid, and the outcome may hinge on candidates' performance in early contests. While historical patterns offer insights, the influence of polling trends, candidate strategies, and unforeseen variables can shape the course of the Republican presidential nomination process in 2024. A "state of emergency" has been declared in San Diego on Monday as flash floods inundated homes and overturned cars following torrential rains across parts of California. Hundreds were rescued from their homes in San Diego following torrential rains.(Twitter@SDFD) In San Diego, cars were washed away by floodwaters and piled on top of one another. The neighborhoods of Mountain View, Shelltown, and Southcrest, as well as several highways, including Interstate 15, were submerged in several feet of water. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The San Diego Union-Tribune said a massive 3 inches (7.6 cm) of rain poured in adjacent National City for over 3 hours and 2 inches (5 cm) fell at San Diego International Airport, the Associated Press reported. According to San Diego County Sheriff's Lt Zee Sanchez, deputies in the Spring Valley and Casa de Oro areas rescued residents when water entered their homes. Some residents managed to flee by wading through waist-deep water with their dogs and cats. Flooding is pretty widespread out there, Sanchez said, adding that no injuries have been reported so far. Navy Base San Diego, which is south of downtown, reported flooding. Therefore, Navy officials advised base personnel to remain where they were. "Recommend only essential personnel enter the base and all others avoid the base until further notice," Naval Base San Diego officials posted on X (formerly Twitter). "Personnel on base, please stay in place until flooding levels subside." San Diego Mayor urges citizens to avoid roadways On Monday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria urged locals to avoid the roadways. Classrooms at Spring Valley and neighboring La Mesa schools will remain shut on Tuesday. "This weather event was predicted, in terms of rain, but the amount of rain in the short amount of time was a bit of a surprise to, I think, everybody," he told press at Lincoln High School. Gloria continued by saying he would be requesting federal funding from State Governor Gavin Newsome. San Diego River's water level up following heavy rains The fire department in San Diego reported 24 instances of water rescues from cars and hundreds from residential areas, Fox News reported. More than 70 roadways remained completely or partially submerged in floodwaters early on Tuesday morning, according to the city of San Diego's website, and several routes were blocked by mudslides. Due to flooding over the lines, downtown trolley service was suspended on Monday. Meanwhile, the San Diego River is actively flooding and the water levels are continuously on surge. In the United States, extreme weather has wreaked havoc, killing dozens of peoplein traffic accidents or from hypothermia . Launching a scathing attack on Ron DeSantis after his failed presidential bid, former White House chief strategist Steve Banon called the Florida Governor a "petulant child" who will never be president. Florida Governor and 2024 Republican presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the US presidential campaign and endorsed former US president Donald Trump, (AFP) Conservative media personality Bannon targetted DeSantis in a recent episode of his podcast War Room that aired on Monday. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Bannon, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, hailed the former United States President as "super classy" and slammed DeSantis, stating the Governor has spent and "burned $150 million" on his 2024 presidential campaign in Iowa. A former federal prosecutor and frequent Trump critic, Ron Filipkowski, shared a nearly 30-second video of Bannon's comments on X (formerly Twitter). He captioned the video as Bannon says DeSantis will never be president. President Trump's very classy, super classy. He's got a kind heart. He's a very kind-hearted guy, Bannon said. Ron DeSantis was not gracious. He said, 'Oh, I signed the pledge, so I got to support him kind of,' still like the little 9-year-old, petulant child that Ron DeSantis is. Ron DeSantis, who's never going to be President of the United States, you just spent, burned $150 million in Iowa, dude. You can't come back from that, he added. Also Read: From being the next Trump to endorsing him: How Ron DeSantis' campaign unravelled Ron DeSantis ends his bid for president, endorses Trump In a video posted on X, DeSantis declared that he suspended his presidential bid and endorsed Trump, who is the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden, that is clear, DeSantis said. "I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear." DeSantis' departure from the White House race came after his second-place finish in the Iowa caucus on January 15, where he received roughly 21% of the vote compared to Trump's almost 51%. With almost 19% of the vote in Iowa, former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is still in the race and is facing Trump in Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire. Will Trump make DeSantis his running mate? On Monday, Trump stated that it is highly unlikely" DeSantis will be his 2024 vice presidential pick or even part of his administration. DeSantis' exit from the presidential race prompted speculation that Trump could pick him as his 2024 running mate. Asked if DeSantis could be part of the Trump administration as Vice President or as a Cabinet member, the former president firmly told 'Fox & Friends' co-host Lawrence Jones that he didn't see the Florida Governor serving as his running mate or in his administration. It's highly unlikely. I have a lot of great people. And I have great people that have been with me right from the beginning," the Republican front-runner said while appreciating DeSantis for the endorsement. I have to be honest, everything is a possibility, but I think it's highly unlikely. I have a lot of great people. And I have great people that have been with me right from the beginning," he added. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley unexpectedly received a marriage proposal from a pro-Trump heckler at a New Hampshire rally on Monday. Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley (REUTERS) While the GOP presidential contender was speaking to her supporters at the Artisan Hotel in Salem, she was interrupted by a Trump supporter to ask Will you marry me? The impromptu marriage proposal drew laughter from the crowd and 57-year-old Haley. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The former UN Ambassador, who is married to Maj. Michael Haley, quickly replied to the light-hearted proposal by asking her suitor whether he would cast his ballot for her. Im voting for Trump, the man responded after a little silence. Oh, get out of here! Haley hit back. Also Read: Why Indian-American leaders are not happy with Nikki Haley Internet reacts to marriage proposal sent to Haley The video of the event was shared by an X user on the social media platform, garnering mixed reactions from the netizens. One X user wrote: She doesnt even try to convince him to vote for her, Vivek would have been like lets talk. Too funny! Nobody wants Nikki. We want Trump! another added. She actually handled that pretty well, one more user reacted. Nikki Haley clean sweeps Trump in Dixville Notch Haley has won the Dixville Notch midnight primary in New Hampshire with six votes, managing a clean sweep over former President Donald Trump and all the other candidates. In the first round of the New Hampshire primary, all six registered voters in Dixville Notch chose Haley. A great start to a great day in New Hampshire, said India-American presidential candidate Haley in a statement moments after the vote was recorded. Thank you Dixville Notch! The ballot was cast by two independents and four registered Republicans, and Trump, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, did not receive enough votes to win. In the 2024 New Hampshire Republican presidential primary, the resort town cast the first ballot in the country. Since 1960, Dixville Notch has held first-in-the-nation elections, with the results being declared just after midnight. In 2016, Governor John Kasich of Ohio defeated Trump in Dixville Notch by three votes to two, but Trump went on to win the primary by a margin of 19 percentage points over the Buckeye Stater. In a divided decision, the US Supreme Court has granted Border Patrol agents permission to temporarily resume cutting razor wire installed by Texas along a key stretch of the US-Mexico border. The 5-4 vote allows the removal of concertina wire along the banks of the Rio Grande, a move intended to deter migrants from entering the US illegally. The ongoing legal battle between the Biden administration and Texas involves the state's aggressive measures to enhance border security, including the use of razor wire. A U.S. Border Patrol agent stands next to migrants seeking asylum before being returned to Mexico from the United States after U.S. authorities prevented their crossing, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico January 22, 2024. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez(REUTERS) The vote clears the way for Border Patrol agents to address the sharp wire, which has caused injuries to some migrants. The Justice Department contends that the barrier hampers the government's ability to patrol the border effectively and assist migrants in need. The Supreme Court's one-page order did not provide any explanations, marking a victory for the Biden administration while the lawsuit continues. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Texas Governor Greg Abbott had authorized the installation of razor wire as part of a broader strategy to curb illegal crossings from Mexico. The absence of deterrents like razor wire, according to Abbott's spokesman Andrew Mahaleris, could encourage migrants to undertake unsafe crossings, complicating the work of Texas border personnel. While the legal battle unfolds, the White House applauded the Supreme Court's decision, criticizing what it deems political stunts by Texas. The concertina wire spans approximately 30 miles near Eagle Pass, a hotspot for illegal crossings. The Texas Military Department recently took control of Eagle Park, restricting access for Border Patrol agents. Abbott has implemented various measures, including floating barriers in the Rio Grande and allowing arrests on trespassing charges, all of which face legal challenges from the Biden administration. In court, the administration argued that the wire impedes Border Patrol efforts, asserting federal immigration law supremacy over Texas' border control initiatives. The Supreme Court's decision saw Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor siding with the administration. On the other hand, Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas voted in favor of Texas. The legal dispute continues as both sides navigate the complexities of immigration enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border. A Virgin Atlantic flight destined for New York City was cancelled just moments before takeoff when a concerned passenger observed missing screws on the plane's wing. New York City bound Virgin Atlantic flight was cancelled on Jan 15, minutes before takeoff, after passenger spotted missing screws on the plane's wing.(Kennedy News & Media) British traveler Phil Hardy, 41, was aboard Flight VS127 at Manchester Airport on Jan. 15 when he identified four missing fasteners during a safety briefing for passengers. In an effort to ensure safety, Hardy promptly notified the cabin crew. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. Im a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could, Hardy told the Kennedy News agency of the moment he spotted the missing fixings. I thought it was best to mention it to a flight attendant to be on the safe side. Despite repeated assurances from airline staff that the wing's safety was unaffected, Hardy's apprehensions grew, particularly in light of a recent incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane losing a door plug and a portion of its fuselage mid-flight. Following Hardy's alert, engineers were swiftly dispatched to conduct maintenance checks on the Airbus A330 aircraft before its scheduled departure to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Hardy captured footage of an engineer climbing onto the plane's wing and using a screwdriver to address the missing fasteners. Virgin Atlantic and Airbus both emphasized that, despite the absent fixings, there was no compromise to the safety of the aircraft. Virgin Atlantic claimed not compromised at any point The Virgin representative told local media that the decision to cancel the flight was made to allow time for precautionary additional engineering maintenance checks. This ensured that the team had ample time to complete inspections, prioritizing the safety of customers and crew. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and this was not compromised at any point, the rep said in the statement. We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft is now back in service. Virgin Atlantic assured that they consistently adhere to safety standards exceeding industry norms, and the aircraft is now back in service. Neil Firth, the Airbus local chief wing engineer for A330, clarified that the affected panel was a secondary structure designed to enhance the aerodynamics of the plane. Each panel contains 119 fasteners, and the missing ones did not impact the structural integrity or load capability of the wing. As a precautionary measure, the aircraft underwent an additional maintenance check, and the missing fasteners were replaced. Phil Hardy and his partner, Magdalena Bobusia, eventually reached their destination in New York City after being rebooked on another flight. A group of people wailing racist remarks projected a swastika on the front of a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater dorm on Sunday night, according to school officials. University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (Facebook) This incident that took place on the night before the spring semester commenced comes amid a staggering surge of antisemitic incidents across the United States since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The group was chanting racist words, lighting what appeared to be road flares and displaying antisemitic symbols, Chancellor Corey A. King wrote in a letter to students and staff members. In an abundance of caution, we have increased police patrol on campus, King said, adding that students can avail counseling services. Calling the incident disturbing, he stated: "The actions of the group last night are abhorrent and go against our core values. At UW-Whitewater, we strive to create a safe community where everyone feels a sense of belonging." Also Read: New York City deli vandalised with swastika in anti-Semitic attack over it shared pro-Israel posts King informed that the campus police received calls regarding the inappropriate display at roughly 5:40 pm. When police arrived at the spot, the group left the area. The President of Universities of Wisconsin, Jay Rothman, described the event at UW-Whitewater as appalling, echoing the sentiments of King. In a video posted on Facebook, four individuals wearing red and black outfits can be heard shouting, We are everywhere. There will be blood, blood, blood, and a comment about white men. Those involved are not related to the campus, say officials University authorities believe that those involved in the incident aren't related to the campus. "The actions of the individuals are consistent with a group that has been visiting other campuses, and has no affiliation with UW-Whitewater whatsoever," King wrote. Hours before the incident, Toni Pharm, a mother who dropped her daughter off at the dorm, told CBS 58 that she reached out to campus police after receiving a "alarming message" from her daughter. Its very disturbing. I think it is a deplorable act of terrorism, in my opinion, Pharm said. This was too close for comfort for me. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic occurrences in the US "skyrocketed" following the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, reaching 3,291 incidents by January 7. The ADL said this figure indicated an almost 360% rise in antisemitic incidents that were reported in comparison to the same period last year. The United States carried out strikes in Iraq against three facilities linked to Iran-backed militia on Tuesday, the Pentagon said, after a weekend attack on an Iraqi air base that wounded U.S. forces. On Saturday, four US personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries after Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base was hit by multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired by Iranian-backed militants from inside Iraq. (AFP/File) US troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked about 150 times by Iran-aligned militants since the Israel-Gaza war started in October. Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. On Saturday, four US personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries after Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base was hit by multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired by Iranian-backed militants from inside Iraq. "U.S. military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. "These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias," Austin added. The attacks against the United States are seen as retaliation for its support of Israel in its war against Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas. The war in Gaza has been spreading- with U.S. forces hitting Houthi targets who have launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large parts of both countries before being defeated. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office announced moves to evict U.S. forces following a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad earlier this month that was condemned by the government. The Pentagon said that strike killed a militia leader responsible for recent attacks on U.S. personnel. Sudani has limited control over some Iran-backed factions, whose support he needed to win power a year ago and who now form a powerful bloc in his governing coalition. The Pentagon has said it has not been formally notified of any plans to end the U.S. troop presence in the country, and says its troops are deployed to Iraq at the invitation of the government in Baghdad. Romeo Nance, a 23-year-old man, wanted as a suspect in the fatal shooting of eight people and injuring several others in suburban Chicago, apparently shot himself fatally after an encounter with law enforcement in Texas, the police said. Romeo Nance(ANI) Romeo Nance had been located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas, and it was "believed that he took shot himself following a confrontation with Texas police officials." police said on Monday night (local time). Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now. The Medina County Sheriff's Office in Texas said on Facebook that the agency received a call about a person suspected in the Chicago killings heading into the county on Interstate 35. A standoff then occurred between Nance and police from multiple agencies at a gas station, where Nance shot himself, the sheriff's office said. "At approximately 8:30 PM this evening, the Joliet Police Department learned that Nance had been located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas at which time it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials," it said in a post. Nance was a suspect in fatal shooting of eight people at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. The police initiated a search after they found one man slaying and the two others wounded in two Chicago-area shootings. The search led police to the discovery of two more crime scenes in Illinois' Joliet, where seven members of one family were found dead in two houses across the street from each other. During the investigation, Joliet Police detectives regarded Nance as armed and dangerous, who was believed to be driving a red Toyota Camry Q730412. "This is an active investigation in which we are working with our area law enforcement partners. Nance should be regarded as armed and dangerous. Anyone with information regarding Nance and this vehicle is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement agency. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Joliet Police Department," the police said. Police said the motive of the killings was not clear, but said Nance knew the victims. "I've been a policeman 29 years. This is probably the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with," Joliet Police Chief William Evans said about two hours before the search for the suspect had ended. The authorities shared no further details while the circumstances and sequence of events surrounding the killings in Illinois likewise remained sketchy on Monday night. (With inputs from Reuters, AP) Shelling at a market on the outer limits of the Moscow-occupied city of Donetsk in Ukraine on Sunday, January 21, killed at least 25 individuals, according to local authorities. The attack on Tekstilshchik neighborhood injured 20 more, including two children, as per Donetsk's head of the Russian-installed authorities, Denis Pushilin. The Ukrainian military, he alleged, was responsible for the tragedy, which The Associated Press was unable to confirm independently. Artillery munitions of 155 mm and 152 mm caliber were fired into the region from the west, towards Kurakhove and Krasnohorivka, according to Pushilin. On top of that, he verified that rescue workers were still on the site. Following the incident, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement describing it as a terrorist attack, blaming it on Ukraine. It claimed that the terrorist assaults by the Kyiv administration show that they are not committed to ending the conflict via diplomatic methods and establishing peace. Another Ukrainian Attack Earlier, local authorities reported that two explosions had caused a fire to break out at a chemical shipping terminal at the Ust-Luga port in Russia. An explosion in a gas tank was reportedly caused by a strike on the port by Ukrainian drones. Situated 165 kilometers southwest of St. Petersburg, the fire broke out at a Novatek facility, a major natural gas producer in Russia. Novatek issued a statement explaining that operations had been temporarily suspended after the incident, which was caused by "external influence." It added: "The technological process at Novatek-Ust-Luga has been stopped, and an operational headquarters has been established to eliminate the consequences. Damage assessment will be carried out later," as reported by Reuters. The head of Russia's Kingisepp district, Yuri Zapalatsky, issued a statement stating that no casualties had occurred but that the region had been put on high alert. According to news outlet Fontanka, two drones were seen en route to St. Petersburg on Sunday morning, but they were subsequently rerouted to the Kingisepp neighborhood. Nevertheless, Russian defense officials did not mention any drone activity near Kingisepp in their daily briefing. Two further drones were reportedly shot down in the Tula and Oryol districts, while four were shot down in the Smolensk region of Russia. See Also: Drone Attack Causes Explosion, Fire at Seaport Terminal in Russia-Is Ukraine Involved? Bombarding Targets Recent Russian strikes on Ukraine have seemed to target air defense systems in an apparent attempt to overwhelm them by launching a barrage of missiles of different sorts in an apparent search for vulnerabilities. The armament stockpiles of Ukraine are being depleted as a result of the enormous bombardments. In fact, more than 500 missiles and drones were launched between December 29, 2023, and Jan. 2, as reported by The Associated Press, citing the authorities in Kyiv. See Also: Attack on Iraq's Air Base Injures US Troops: Report The final major festival of the Christmas season in the Philippines was held on Sunday, Jan. 21, as several places in the archipelago celebrate the feast of the Santo Nino, or of Jesus depicted as a child. In a message to the Filipino people, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on those who were devoted to the Christ Child to "translate [their] faith into action" in order to "spread the message of hope, love and joy to others." "Most importantly, always pray for spiritual strength and fortitude to overcome whatever challenges and difficulties that may lie ahead," he added. Marcos also particularly greeted the people of Cebu for its celebration of the Sinulog Festival. Read Also: [VIRAL] PSG Defends Marcos's Use of Presidential Helicopter to Attend Coldplay Concert; Filipinos Not Having It Cebu Police Estimates 3 Million Flocking Sinulog Festival Parade The city of Cebu is fiesta central as police estimate millions of people attending the Sinulog Festival, culminating with the peculiar Filipino Catholic feast every third Sunday of January. Several places in the nation also spread the celebration throughout this month. During the principal Mass on Sunday, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma urged the congregation to equally focus on enriching the family and the importance of education both at school and at home. Philippine National Police (PNP) Cebu chief Col. Ireneo Dalogdog told SunStar that an estimated 2.5 million to 3 million people attended the grand parade alone on Sunday afternoon, local time (morning UTC). An additional 1.1 million walked the city streets on the eve of the feast on Saturday, Jan. 20, local broadcaster GMA reported. Meanwhile, Cebu Mayor Michael Rama said he was delighted to notice that Sinulog attendees behaved more than in previous years. Manila's Santo Nino Festivities On the other hand, Manila matched the festivities of Cebu by hosting its own Santo Nino festivities in at least two of its districts. Festivities in the Philippine capital began last week with the district of Pandacan and its Buling-Buling Festival. Nearer to the city's center, the ancient district of Tondo culminated the city's festivities, with local media outlet ABS-CBN reporting at least 6,000 people joining the pre-dawn procession across its streets. Festivities in honor of the Santo Nino were also held in the Bago Bantay district of the nearby suburb of Quezon City. Related Article: Manila's Nazareno Procession Ends Within 15 Hours New York City Mayor Eric Adams is facing widespread criticism after vetoing a city council bill known as the "How Many Stops Act" that would require officers to document every "investigative encounter" with the public. During a press conference on Friday, the New York City mayor said that the city council's proposed legislation could slow down the response times of the New York Police Department (NYPD). He added that the bill, known as Intro. 586-A could also undermine community-oriented policing and add tens of millions of dollars in overtime to the NYPD budget. How Many Stops Act Adams argued that while the city council's new bill has good intentions behind it, it is misguided and compromises public safety. As per Fox News, he added that his administration supports efforts to make law enforcement more transparent, more just, and more accountable. However, he argued that the proposed bill would handcuff the police by drowning officers in unnecessary paperwork that would saddle taxpayers with tens of millions of dollars in additional NYPD overtime each year. In announcing his veto of the bill, Adams called on his government colleagues to work with his administration to improve public safety. The mayor cited serial stabbing suspect 27-year-old Jermain Rigueur, who is accused of at least five stabbings within about a week. He said that the bill would impede such quick arrests of dangerous individuals. The new bill was co-sponsored by New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams and was passed by the council in December last year. It would require the NYPD to log and report basic information on Level 1, 2, and 3 investigative encounters between law enforcement personnel and civilians. Read Also: Haley Aims to Win Over NH's Independents to Win GOP Primary Veto of the Controversial City Council Bill Some people opposed the bill, arguing that an officer doing a canvass can talk to dozens of people in just a few hours but may only get relevant information from one, if any. If the proposed bill is passed, every interview, whether productive or unproductive, will require a form to be filled out, according to the New York Post. The police officer will be required to either stop to fill out the form during the interview or take notes on the characteristics of the person he talked to, the reason for the discussion, the circumstances that led to it, and other information. On Friday, Adams said that he had discussions with several city council members regarding the bills. This suggests that he persuaded some of them to oppose the legislation. The speaker for the council, Adrienne Adams, said that despite the New York City mayor's late push, the City Council is "prepared to override" his veto. If successful, it would mark the second time the council has overridden the mayor, following a decision in July to reject his veto of a housing voucher program, according to the New York Times. Related Article: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Drops Out of 2024 Presidential Race, Endorses Donald Trump Multiple Chinese spy balloons were spotted, again, over Taiwan's airspace. These aircraft sightings happened just days after the self-governed island nation conducted its controversial presidential election. The Taiwanese government announced the detection of six Chinese spy balloons on Monday, Jan. 22, saying that they flew through the island's airspace just north of it. Another alarming thing about this is that authorities also spotted numerous Chinese navy ships, as well as warplanes in the same area. Here are other details shared by Taiwan's Defense Ministry. Multiple Chinese Spy Balloons Spotted Over Taiwan's Airspace The Ministry of National Defense of Taiwan said that the six Chinese balloons were included on a list of Chinese PLA (People's Liberation Army) activities across the airspace and waters around Taiwan. One of them passed near Pingtung. Meanwhile, the remaining Chinese aircraft flew to the location where Taiwan has an important naval base; north of the port of Keelung, as reported by ABC News. As of writing, Taiwan's defense ministry hasn't confirmed if these balloons are really used for explicit military activities. However, experts claimed that they could be part of China's harassment campaign against the small island nation. Between Jan. 21 and Jan. 22, Taiwanese defense officials said that they detected four Chinese navy ships, as well as four warplanes. They monitored these vessels and aircraft from China using their navy vessels, combat aircraft, and land-based missile systems. This just shows that Chinese balloon sightings are increasing further, especially since Taiwan conducted its presidential election, which was opposed by Beijing. During the last months of 2023, Taiwan also saw numerous Chinese spy balloon sightings. Because of this, Taipei said that it will start handling these aircraft based on their threat levels. Read Also: Chinese Spy Balloon Allegedly Used US Internet Provider; Intelligence Officials Share New Details Why China Sends Surveillance Balloons Over Taiwan According to Newsweek's recent report, the Chinese use these controversial high-altitude balloons and airships for intelligence-gathering activities. Taiwan's defense ministry said that these balloons are being used for high-altitude scientific research or meteorological observations. But, Taipei said these during its initial assessment. Since China was continuously sending its high-altitude balloons before the presidential election, many Taiwanese officials believed they could be planning to disrupt the political event. Ever since these sightings, Taiwan has been more vigilant whenever it spots Chinese spy balloons flying over its waters and airspace. Related Article: Chinese Spy Balloon Appears in Taiwan Strait, Defense Ministry Claims-Is China Trying To Disturb Presidential Election? Court documents filed on Sunday reveal that Terraform Labs, the entity responsible for the stablecoin TerraUSD, has initiated the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process in the United States. The Singapore-registered company, led by Do Kwon, explained in an official statement that it strategically opted to file in the Delaware bankruptcy court in order to sustain its operations while addressing ongoing legal challenges. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is commonly known as "reorganization" bankruptcy. Terraform Labs Faces Bankruptcy Amidst Cryptocurrency Fraud Investigation The bankruptcy reports came after the investigation of Terraform Labs for alleged cryptocurrency fraud. Kwon and Terraform Labs were implicated in the downfall of its blockchain network TerraUSD and Terra's blockchain native token Luna crypto coins, leading to disturbances in the worldwide crypto markets in 2022. The failure of TerraUSD to uphold its $1 peg in May 2022 resulted in losses exceeding $40 billion for both cryptocurrencies. Specifically, the collapse of TerraUSD and Luna had a cascading impact on various cryptocurrency firms, including well-known ones such as Singapore lender Hodlnaut, lender Celsius Network, hedge fund Three Arrows Capital, and brokerage Voyager Digital, according to The Strait Times. Due to this, Kwon has been charged by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for allegedly defrauding investors of billions of dollars last year. "We allege that Terraform and Do Kwon failed to provide the public with full, fair, and truthful disclosure as required for a host of crypto asset securities, most notably for Luna and TerraUSD," Gary Gensler, US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chairman, said in a statement dated February 16, 2023. In April of last year, Shin, co-founder of Terraform Labs, was also reportedly charged in South Korea in relation to the collapse of TerraUSD and Luna crypto coins last year. In a recent development, a federal judge has delayed the trial brought by the SEC against the company and its co-founder. This postponement is to facilitate the extradition of Kwon to the U.S. from Montenegro, where he fled and was arrested after South Korea issued an arrest warrant for him in late 2022. Read Also: Crypto Fugitive, Terraform Labs Founder Do Kwon Sentenced for Forging Travel Documents Terraform Labs Pledges Commitment to Stakeholders Amid Legal Challenges Terraform Labs, in the midst of its Chapter 11 case, assured it would fulfill all financial obligations to employees and vendors without the need for additional financing. The company, as expressed by CEO Chris Amani, strives to confront legal challenges while staying dedicated to its collective goals. "The Terra community and ecosystem have shown unprecedented resilience in the face of adversity," Amani said. "[A]nd this action is necessary to allow us to continue working towards our collective goals while resolving the legal challenges that remain outstanding." In his statement, Amani conveyed optimism, highlighting the ecosystem's ability to overcome significant challenges and thrive after de-pegging. He expressed anticipation for a successful resolution of the ongoing legal proceedings. The company's estimated assets and liabilities are both in the range of $100 million to $500 million. According to court documents, Kwon is identified as the majority shareholder, holding 92% ownership of Terraform Labs. The remaining portion of the Singapore-incorporated company is owned by another South Korean entrepreneur, Daniel Shin. Related Article: Coinbase Claims Crypto Buying is Like Purchasing Beanie Babies-Arguing They're Not Subject To SEC Jurisdiction A Google engineer was arrested by law enforcement personnel after being found "spattered with blood" and believed to be responsible for the fatal beating of his wife inside a Santa Clara home. The suspect was identified as 27-year-old Liren Chen who was arrested on Jan. 16 and has since been charged with murdering his wife, Xuanyi Yu. Police discovered the Google engineer kneeling while "staring blankly" into space near the body of his dead wife after a welfare call. Google Engineer Arrested for Murder Law enforcement personnel who arrived at the home located on Valley Way, Santa Clara, found the suspect with an "extremely swollen and purple arm." The Santa Clara District Attorney later said that his wife suffered "severe blunt force injuries to her head." The incident started when Santa Clara police officers traveled to the home of the couple on Jan. 16, at around 11:00 a.m. after they received a welfare call. After arriving at the area, a friend of Chen said that he was "concerned" about the two and noted that the husband was "refusing to answer his phone or his door," as per the Daily Mail. He also told law enforcement personnel that he could see Chen inside the house where he was "motionless on his knees, had his hands in the air and was staring blankly." The district attorney's office later said that the body of the suspect's wife was found inside the bedroom that was directly behind where he knelt. The office noted that when police arrested Chen, he had blood on his clothing, legs, arms, and hands as well as scratches on his arm. Property records showed that the couple first bought the house in April last year for $2.05 million. Read Also: Louisiana Teen's Killing by Israeli Forces Sparks Global Controversy Following the murder charges against the suspect, his arraignment was postponed to Jan. 22, as he is still being treated at a hospital. District Attorney Jeff Rosen highlighted the rise in 911 calls related to domestic violence. He also urged those who are in abusive situations to seek help, emphasizing that support is available for them. Google later responded to the incident by expressing profound shock and sorrow, according to the Times of India. Spattered With Blood A spokesperson for the tech giant, Bailey Tomson, conveyed the company's condolences. He added that everyone at Google was shocked and deeply saddened by what had happened to Xuanyi. Tomson said that their thoughts are with the victim's family and added that they will work to provide support to them and to co-workers who are processing the tragic news. The husband and wife involved in the incident were both graduates of Tsinghua University in China and the University of California San Diego. The incident comes as Rosen said that domestic violence deaths have been on the decline across the country but argued that it does not measure the depth and destructiveness of the violence, said the San Francisco Chronicle. Looking at their LinkedIn profiles, Chen was found to have been working on the YouTube shorts algorithm for Google while Xuanyi's page revealed that she was a software engineer. Related Article: Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Rex Heuermann Could Be New York Jail Inmates' 'Major Target' The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a recommendation late Sunday night (January 21) to all airlines operating Boeing 737-900ER jets to inspect the door plugs of the planes in question to ensure they were properly secured. The agency's "Safety Alert for Operators" disclosed that some airlines have conducted additional inspections on the 37-900ER mid-exit door plugs and "have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections." Reuters reported that the advisory was made after several operators reported unspecified issues with bolts upon inspections in the aftermath of an incident where the door plug of a brand new Alaska Airlines MAX 9 jet caused a mid-air blowout. The incident eventually forced the FAA to recommend grounding 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes, which remained in effect as of Sunday until it "is satisfied they are safe to return to service." Door Plug Issues Plague MAX 9 Fleet While the 737-900ER was not part of the MAX fleet, it has the same optional door plug design that allowed for the addition of an extra emergency exit door when carriers opt to install more seats. The FAA's recommendation told air carriers to perform key portions of a fuselage plug assembly maintenance procedure related to the four bolts used to secure the door plug to the airframe "as soon as possible." In an email obtained by Reuters, a Boeing spokesperson said that they "fully support the FAA and [its] customers in this action." The company delivered the 737-900ER to its customers from 2017 to 2019. Among US carriers, United Airlines is the only other operator of the specific 737 variant, and it said that they found loose parts on multiple grounded MAX 9 aircraft during preliminary checks, prompting them to cancel thousands of flights this month. United added that it was extending the cancellation of its MAX 9 flights until January 26. Alaska, whose MAX 9 planes account for 20% of its fleet, previously canceled all of its flights through Sunday but has not immediately provided comment on how long it planned to extend cancellations. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the parts that failed in Alaska's MAX 9 were made in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Indonesian carrier Lion Air, which also operated MAX 9 planes, said that it was resuming the fleet's flights after its own checks. Read Also: Boeing CEO Admits Mistake Before Alaska Airlines Mid-Flight Blowout Incident United, Alaska to Also Inspect 900ERs On the other hand, the Boeing 737-900ER has logged over 11 million hours of flight time and 3.9 million flight cycles without any issues with door plugs, the FAA added. However, both United and Alaska said that they have already begun inspections of the door plugs on their 737-900ER fleets to see if they were also affected by the door plug issue. United said that the inspections of their 136 737-900ER planes were "to be completed in the next few days" without disruption to their customers. As for Alaska, their inspections began several days ago, and that it has had no findings to date, but they expected to "complete the remainder of [its] -900ER fleet without disruption to our operations." Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines also said that it "elected to take proactive measures" to inspect its own 737-900ER fleet and does not anticipate any operational impacts. Related Article: Alaska Airlines, United Airlines Discover Unsecured Parts on Grounded Boeing 737 Max Aircraft: Report Washington state legislators are anticipated Monday to review a proposal that seeks to ban the practice of hog-tying suspects by law enforcement. This comes almost four years after the death of Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, who was killed while restrained face down with his hands and feet cuffed together. Bill on Prohibiting The Use of Hog-Tying After Manuel Ellis' Death House Bill 2414, aimed at prohibiting the use of hog-tying in use-of-force policies, has progressed through different stages in the 2024 regular session. The bill was prefiled on January 5, and it had its first reading on January 8 before being referred to the Law & Justice committee. A public hearing in the Senate Committee on Law & Justice is scheduled for January 22, followed by an executive session on January 25. Democratic Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, a bill sponsor, highlighted her goal of preventing others from experiencing the "dehumanization" Ellis faced before his death. "How do we move through the need for folks to enforce the laws, but do it in a way where they're treating people the way we expect, which is as human beings?" Trudeau said. The bill was prompted by the tragic death of Ellis in March 2020. Ellis was walking home when approached by Tacoma police officers Matthew Collins and Christopher Burbank. The officers claimed Ellis tried to enter a stranger's car and attacked them when confronted in the city, located approximately 30 miles south of Seattle. Witnesses observed the officers knocking Ellis to the ground, shocking and beating him. Subsequently, the officers applied a hobble restraint device to his legs, linking it to his handcuffs behind his back while he remained in a prone position, as reported by The Independent. Following the application of the hobble, Ellis ceased moving, according to a probable cause statement from the Washington attorney general's office. A medical examiner determined that his death was a homicide resulting from oxygen deprivation. Officers Collins and Burbank faced charges of second-degree murder and manslaughter, while Timothy Rankine faced a manslaughter charge. The defense argued that Manuel Ellis's death resulted from a lethal amount of methamphetamine in his system and a preexisting heart condition, rather than the officers' actions. In December last year, the jury ultimately acquitted all three on all counts Read Also: 'Excited Delirium' Paper Withdrawn After Years of Controversy What is the Hog-Tying Technique? The practice of hog-tying has been a widely accepted means of restraining unruly behavior, but it is recommended to discontinue its use, according to the United States (US) Department of Justice-Office of Justice Programs. The actual extent of deaths in custody due to positional asphyxia, commonly known as suffocation, from hog-tying, is unclear, as reported information is largely anecdotal, as per the department. Since at least 1995, the U.S. Department of Justice has advised against the practice of mitigating the risk of deaths occurring in custody. However, despite facing bans in numerous cities and counties over persistent suffocation concerns, the restraint technique persists in use in other regions. Related Article: Supreme Court Rejects Derek Chauvin's Appeal for New Trial in George Floyd Murder Case Xem them ... Tin bai cuoi cung Khong con du lieu e load Coldplay frontman Chris Martin wrote an impromptu song about the "insane" traffic jams in Manila during the band's show in the Philippines. The congestion was so bad that even the country's president, who attended the show with his wife, used a helicopter to go to the group's first night of concert. Chris Martin Says Traffic Is 'Completely Insane' On the first night of Coldplay's concert on Friday, January 19, Chris Martin acknowledged the traffic jam in Manila and thanked the audience for "coming through the traffic." "We've seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one in the world," he said, while Marcos stood in the audience, in viral videos on TikTok and X. The following night, Martin devoted an impromptu song about it, singing, "Yesterday, we sang about Manila and the rain but we're not gonna sing that song again. There is only really one thing that remains. The traffic here in Manila is completely insane." As compared to almost 400 cities in 55 nations, Manila's metro region had the slowest travel time in 2023, according to the TomTom Traffic Index. Approximately 52% of Manila's roadways are crowded, and the average rush-hour speed is 19 kph (11 mph), based on the figures from the transportation-focused tech startup. A typical trip of merely 10 km (6.2 miles) takes around 25 minutes. In the impromptu song, Martin even added: "If you wanna drive somewhere, then I'm warning you. A 2-mile drive will take a week or two. If you wanna get back home in time for your bath, well, I'd allow yourself about a year and a half." See Also: PSG Defends Marcos's Use of Presidential Helicopter to Attend Coldplay Concert; Filipinos Not Having It Marcos Criticized for Using Chopper to Concert Based on social media videos, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., his wife, and their entourage landed by helicopter at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan, north of Manila, on Friday. Apparently, some people on the internet were upset that Marcos failed to do anything to improve public transportation and wondered why he was using taxpayer money to go to a concert. Millions of Filipinos have long struggled with the problem of urban transportation since they must endure the everyday reality of waiting for hours in traffic, particularly in the capital, where private cars, jeepneys, taxis, buses, and tricycles vie for road space. On the other hand, private helicopters or light planes are typical modes of transportation for politicians, corporate executives, and their families. The commander of Marcos' security team issued a statement on Saturday, January 20, defending his method of transportation, stating that "unforeseen traffic complications" threatened the president's safety in the face of widespread internet criticism. See Also: Philippines: PCSO Ridiculed by Filipinos After Posting Lottery Winner's Photo-Here's Why Microsoft's system has been breached by Russian hackers. This was confirmed by the software giant on Friday, Jan. 19, saying that they detected a nation-state attack. The American tech firm announced that Russian hackers compromised its corporate systems on Jan. 12. Microsoft promised that it already activated its response process. This means that Microsoft is investigating the security breach, disrupting the cybersecurity attack, mitigating the breach, and preventing hackers from having further access. Russian Hackers Breach Microsoft's Email System According to Fortune's latest report, Microsoft identified the hackers as members of the highly-skilled Russian hacking group called Midnight Blizzard. These malicious actors are also known as Nobelium, the Russian state-sponsored actor behind the SolarWinds security breach. "As part of our ongoing commitment to responsible transparency as recently affirmed in our Secure Future Initiative (SFI), we are sharing this update," said Microsoft via its official blog post. Unfortunately, the cybersecurity breach happened in late November 2023. This means that it has been more than a month before Microsoft detected the malicious campaign against its corporate email system. The software giant confirmed that Russian hackers were able to access the accounts of its leadership team members. Email accounts of cybersecurity employees and legal team staff were also breached. But, Microsoft claimed that only a "very small percentage" of corporate accounts were compromised. Some emails and attached documents were stolen as well. Microsoft's spokesperson said that they haven't identified the exact numbers of affected senior leadership email accounts. "We are in the process of notifying employees whose email was accessed," said the giant tech firm. The software developer stated that they already removed the hackers' access from compromised accounts around Jan. 13. Read Also: Amazon Security Breach Adds New Mailing Addresses to AccountsIs It Hackers or Just System Bug? How Russian Hackers Breach Microsoft Corporate System The American tech firm clarified that the latest corporate system breach was not a result of a service/product vulnerability. Instead, Russian threat actors used a password spray attack. This allowed them to compromise a legacy non-production test tenant account, which gave them a foothold. After that, they used the account's permissions to access corporate email accounts. As of writing, Microsoft said that they haven't found any evidence proving that these Russian hackers had access to customer environments, source code, AI systems, and production systems. The software giant added that if ever it found evidence, it would immediately notify consumers. Related Article: Ardent Health Services Breach Affects 30 Hospitals in Six US States-Forcing Patients to Find Other Medical Facilities Israeli forces have advanced deep into western Khan Younis, storming one hospital and placing another under siege, cutting the wounded off from trauma care, Palestinian officials told Reuters on Monday. Troops advanced into the al-Mawasi district near the Mediterranean Coast, west of Khan Younis, the main city in southern Gaza. There, Israeli forces stormed the Al-Khair hospital and started arresting medical staff, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra reported to Reuters. The Palestinian Red Crescent said tanks had also surrounded another Khan Younis hospital, al-Amal, headquarters of the rescue agency, which had lost contact with its staff there. Qidra said at least 50 people were killed overnight in Khan Younis, while the sieges of medical facilities meant dozens of dead and wounded were beyond the reach of rescuers. "The Israeli occupation is preventing ambulance vehicles from moving to recover bodies of martyrs and the wounded from western Khan Younis," he said. A young man, Rabie Salem, sat on the floor cradling a small, wounded girl in his arms. They had finally reached the hospital in the morning after waiting for an ambulance through the night, while his mother lay dying. She had told him not to worry about her and help the rest of the family, he said, weeping: "Now she is gone." Outside, men were digging graves inside the hospital grounds because it was no longer safe to venture out to the cemetery. A man placed the tiny body of a toddler wrapped inside a white shroud into a shallow hole in the sand. Authorities said 40 people were buried there."It's very difficult to leave the complex and go to any cemetery and bury them because we're under siege and anyone who leaves the complex is targeted," said Abdelkarim Ahmad, participating in the burials. "Hamas embeds its operation within and under hospitals and other medical facilities," said Elad Goren of COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry branch that coordinates with the Palestinians. What Exactly Happened? The BBC reported residents said tanks had surrounded a hospital and university where thousands of displaced people were sheltering. Khan Younis has been a recent focus of Israeli forces, who are convinced top Hamas commanders are holed up there. As the US, Qatar, and Egypt try to mediate, Hamas has demanded that Israel end the war and withdraw its forces before the hostages are released. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected such a deal, saying it would amount to a capitulation to "monsters" and mean soldiers had "fallen in vain". Hamas gunmen took about 250 people hostage and killed 1,300 others when they carried out an unprecedented cross-border attack on southern Israel on 7 October, Israeli authorities said. At least 25,295 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the Israeli military launched a large-scale air and ground campaign in response. More are believed to be dead or lost under rubble. According to BBC, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told hostages' families on Sunday evening that troops were "engaging in a forceful operation in the Khan Younis area, and it will expand." Overnight, Khan Younis was pounded by heavy Israeli bombing. Explosions were seen lighting up the sky and constant gunfire was heard in videos. Al Jazeera confirms that at least 190 Palestinians were killed and 340 wounded in Gaza over the last 24 hours. Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents nearly two million employees in healthcare, the public sector, and property services in the United States and Canada, has called for ending the war on Gaza. Labor movements, a traditional constituency in the Democratic Party of US President Joe Biden, have been increasingly backing the call for a ceasefire, adding to the pressure against the White House's unwavering support for the war. "We call for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of life-saving food, water, medicine, and other resources to the people of Gaza," SEIU President Mary Kay Henry said in a statement. She added that the demand is "rooted in the pain" felt by the union's members, including "the hundreds of thousands of SEIU healthcare workers who see themselves in the healthcare workers in Gaza who have been killed trying to save lives." There was no immediate word from Israel on the situation at the hospital. The military spokesperson's office had no comment. Microsoft-backed OpenAI has banned the developer of a bot mimicking Democratic presidential hopeful Congressman Dean Phillips, the first action the ChatGPT maker has taken in response to what it sees as a misuse of its artificial intelligence (AI) tools in a political campaign, The Washington Post reported on Saturday. Dean Phillips, a Democratic congressman from Minnesota, is vying for the Democratic nomination in the 2024 primaries against President Joe Biden. Phillips sees his candidacy as a way to strengthen the Democratic Party's chances against Donald Trump, believing that a competitive primary will better position the party for success. With a focus on the New Hampshire primary, Phillips aims to secure a significant portion of the vote, targeting a goal of 20%. Dean.Bot, which could talk to voters in real-time via a website, was taken down by the start-up following the suspension, per The Post. "We recently removed a developer account that was knowingly violating our API usage policies which disallow political campaigning, or impersonating an individual without consent," a spokesperson for OpenAI said in a statement to Reuters. Dean.Bot, powered by OpenAI's ChatGPT was created by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs Matt Krisiloff and Jed Somers, who started a super PAC named We Deserve Better supporting Phillips, ahead of the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, the report added. The PAC has received $1 million from billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who called it "by far the largest investment I have ever made in someone running for office" in a post on social media platform X. In a statement shared with Axios on Sunday, a spokesperson for OpenAI said, "Anyone who builds with our tools must follow our usage policies." The suspension and subsequent bot removal occurred shortly before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, where Phillips continues his long-shot presidential bid against President Biden - the incumbent and Democratic frontrunner. The Columbia Spectator, an undergrad student newspaper, reported Columbia University students were allegedly sprayed with a hazardous chemical while attending a pro-Palestinian rally on Jan. 19. According to nearly two dozen students reported a foul smell, physical symptoms, or property damage after the protest. Spectator interviewed four students, gathered testimonials from eight protest participants anonymously through a restricted Google Form accessible only to LionMail accounts, and examined 12 submissions to Columbia's Students for Justice in Palestine chapter. Among the findings, 18 students noted a foul odor during or after the protest, while 10 experienced physical symptoms like burning eyes, headaches, and nausea-resulting in three seeking medical assistance. It also noted that eight reported damage to their personal belongings. Two students expressed concerns about their safety on campus during interviews with Spectator, fearing that incidents like this may continue. Public Safety "is investigating incidents reported in connection with Friday's protest that are of great concern," according to a Sunday evening statement from the department. The department received an initial complaint on Friday night and additional complaints on Sunday, according to the statement, and "has been actively working with local and federal authorities in this investigation, with the NYPD taking a lead role." The New York chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today condemned the reported use of a foul-smelling chemical agent suspected to be the product "Skunk" during a pro-Palestine protest. CAIR elaborated on "Skunk" by explaining that it's a chemical invented by Israeli firm Odortec and first used by the Israeli military against demonstrators in the occupied West Bank in 2008. It is most often used by the Israeli occupation forces as a form of collective punishment against Palestinians for daring to protest. It has since been developed by Mistral, a US company, and is used by police departments. In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive Director Afaf Nasher said: "Once again, we are witnessing the suppression and silencing of pro-Palestinian voices on campus. SJP and JVP are dedicated to holding institutions, including institutions of higher learning, to account for their support of Israeli apartheid and genocide of the people of Gaza. This brave, principled stance seems to bother the administration of Columbia University. We stand in solidarity with them and call on the university to stop this attack on constitutionally protected free speech." Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voices for Peace released a joint statement via their Instagram platforms stating they've identified two of the perpetrators, and have confirmation that both are former Israeli soldiers and current Columbia students. They were wearing fake keffiyehs to blend in with the crowd before spraying protesters discreetly. Their post goes on to say, "So far, Columbia has done absolutely nothing about the hundreds of reports of unrelenting harassment that pro-Palestine students have been facing, not just from other students but from a certain Columbia faculty member. However, this is the imported use of an illegal weapon. This is a hate crime that has permanently destroyed the property of dozens of students." They're demanding Columbia launch an investigation immediately and take action against the guilty parties. They are also demanding that Columbia start taking the constant hateful attacks on its students seriously before someone is killed. The state of Maine might embed reproductive rights in its constitution in the latest abortion-related development. In a report from U.S. News, the push for this is being headed by the state Governor, Janet Mills, as well as other leading Democrats. If the push is successful Maine will join four other states that have revised their constitutions to protect reproductive rights. Those states are California, Michigan, Ohio and Vermont. The Pushback However, the proposal has been facing some backlash but amendment supporters have agreed that the people of Maine should have the final say. For example, Lisa Kushner stated the following "Personal reproductive decisions have no place in state legislatures. Our elected representatives should never be orchestrating constituents' reproductive lives. Mainers deserve a right to vote and settle this issue." But this has not stopped some from being critical. One such critic is Republican Senator Lisa Keim representing Dixfield has stated "There's no way it's going to pass. They shouldn't be putting this political theater on stage again." 18-year-old activist Kristina Parker further stated, "This is a constitutional amendment proposal to make personal reproductive autonomy a right, except I don't think anyone has a right to kill anybody." Mills continues to show support for the revision, and says that the state should ensure the right to reproductive healthcare regardless of the ruling party. "No matter how strong our laws may be, they are subject to everchanging political tides and can be repealed," she wrote in testimony to the Judiciary Committee. "That is why, without any such federal protection, it is critical that Maine people be assured that reproductive autonomy be protected to the greatest extent possible in the state - through an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Maine." Abortion has been an issue front and center in the current politcal landscape. HNGN recently reported that a recent campaign ad from U.S. President Joe Biden highlights the impact of former President Donald Trump on overturning Roe v. Wade. Titled "Forced," the advertisement was shared on Biden's official YouTube channel on Sunday, January 21. Within 12 hours, it garnered over 16,000 views. Featuring Dr. Austin Dennard, an OB-GYN and mother of three from Texas, the ad shares her "nightmare" experience following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, facilitated by Trump's Supreme Court nominees. Dr. Dennard expressed her unexpected need for an abortion in a planned pregnancy, as conveyed in the official Biden-Harris campaign ad "Forced." Nikki Haley's uphill battle for the Republican nomination has landed in New Hampshire. In a report from the Associated Press, Haley seems hopeful that New Hampshire voters have such vitriol for the former president that they will support her for the GOP nomination. Haley has also stated to her supporters at a VFW (Veterans Of Foreign Wars Of the U.S.) hall "America does not do coronations". With her son-in-law and daughter in tow, she went on to say, "Let's show all of the media class and the political class that we've got a different plan in mind, and let's show the country what we can do". However, many republican voters want to give former President Trump another shot at the presidency. Many Republican representatives have already shown their support for the former President and while Trump appears to still be leading in the polls the gap does not seem to be as wide as the gap between him and Haley as it was in Iowa. What Does Haley Think? However, Haley remains confident and expects a better outcome than Iowa in a statement to reporters "This is a building game for us. This has always been that. We feel very good about it." Among the key Republican representatives that have given their endorsement of the former president are South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, who dropped out last week, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who dropped out just days before the New Hampshire voting went underway. Regarding whether Haley should drop out of the race, Trump remarked in an interview with Newsmax, "Well, I would never call for it, but perhaps she should." Trump also referred to New Hampshire as "a special place for me," for him, highlighting his victory in the 2016 primary. "I love this state." There have been other statements regarding Haley Trump's end from his team including the National field director for his campaign James Blair stating "If she doesn't win here, there's no path for her whatsoever going forward. Republicans control the nominating process. They are with Donald Trump, growing every day. We see consolidation all over the place since Iowa." Despite the negative remarks Haley doesn't seem to be phased and neither do her supporters as of earlier this month HNGN reported that her campaign raised a strong sum of 24 million dollars. In another statement, Haley's campaign manager Betsy Ankney stated "Beating Donald Trump is not easy. He is a juggernaut. But how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. We have to continue to show incremental growth and progress. We are the last man - woman - standing against him." According to two defense officials, the US and UK conducted more strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday. This recent round of attacks by the US military on the rebels' infrastructure is the eighth in just over 10 days. The recent joint operation by the US and UK targeted fewer than 10 sites. This is a smaller number compared to the previous operation on January 11, which had targeted over 30 Houthi targets. Fighter aircraft were deployed from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier as part of the strikes. US, UK Joint Attack in Yemen President Joe Biden had a conversation with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, according to the White House. They discussed various topics, including security in the Red Sea. On Monday, CNN shared that the US has given the ongoing operation in Yemen the name "Operation Poseidon Archer." This name choice indicates a more strategic and potentially extended approach to the operations in Yemen, which aim to prevent the Houthi group, backed by Iran, from attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. There have been a total of eight strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen since January 11, with the majority of them being conducted solely by the US military. According to an official, the initial round of strikes involved around 30 targets in Yemen under Houthi control, signaling the start of Operation Poseidon Archer by the US and UK. The attacks have focused on neutralizing the Houthis' arsenal, including their attack drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles, in an effort to hinder their capacity to threaten international shipping routes. According to Deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh, there have been no recent attacks on commercial shipping by the Houthis since January 18. On Monday, the Houthis made a claim about attacking a US-owned cargo ship, the M/V Ocean Jazz. However, a defense official informed CNN that this claim was false. Read Also: Israel-Lebanon War Becomes Much Likely, IDF Chief Herzi Halevi Warns Red Sea Tensions In recent days, there has been a continuous series of allied attacks targeting Houthi missile launchers. US fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks have been carrying out these assaults on a near-daily basis. The military's growing capability to monitor, identify, and target militant activities in Yemen is evident in the swift response missions. These missions specifically target launchers that are armed and prepared to fire. The ongoing cycle of attacks and counterattacks between the United States, its allies, and adversaries indicates that the Houthis remain undeterred in their efforts to target Red Sea shipping. This escalating situation raises concerns that the regional conflict, which the US has been striving to prevent for months, may be drawing nearer. Over the past few months, there have been repeated incidents of ship attacks in the region's waterways. The perpetrators claim that these ships are either connected to Israel or en route to Israeli ports. According to their claims, the attacks are intended to put an end to the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, which was initiated by the Palestinian militant group Hamas' attack in southern Israel on October 7th. However, as the rebel assaults persist, the connections to the ships that were targeted have become increasingly uncertain, as per AP News. Related Article: Attacks Against Israel Will Halt If 'Genocide' in Gaza Stops, Iran's Foreign Minister Claims SAP to Pay More Than $220 Million to Resolve Foreign Bribery Investigations SAP SE (SAP), a publicly traded global software company based in Germany, will pay over $220 million to resolve investigations by the U.S. Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) into violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). SAPs resolution with the department stems from schemes to pay bribes to government officials in South Africa and Indonesia. The departments resolution is coordinated with prosecutorial authorities in South Africa, as well as with the SEC. According to court documents, SAP entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the department in connection with a criminal information filed in the Eastern District of Virginia charging the company with two counts: conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA relating to its scheme to pay bribes to South African officials, and conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the FCPA for its scheme to pay bribes to Indonesian officials. SAP paid bribes to officials at state-owned enterprises in South Africa and Indonesia to obtain valuable government business, said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. Todays resolutionour second coordinated resolution with South African authorities in just over a yearmarks an important moment in our ongoing fight against foreign bribery and corruption. We look forward to continuing to strengthen our relationship with South African authorities and others around the world. This case demonstrates not only the critical importance of coordinated international efforts to combat corruption, but also how our corporate enforcement policies incentivize companies to be good corporate citizens, by cooperating with our investigations and appropriately remediating, so that we can take strong action to address misconduct. SAP has accepted responsibility for corrupt practices that hurt honest businesses engaging in global commerce, said U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. We will continue to vigorously prosecute bribery cases to protect domestic companies that follow the law while participating in the international marketplace. According to court documents, SAP and its co-conspirators made bribe payments and provided other things of value intended for the benefit of South African and Indonesian foreign officials, delivering money in the form of cash payments, political contributions, and wire and other electronic transfers, along with luxury goods purchased during shopping trips. Specifically, with respect to South Africa, between approximately 2013 and 2017, SAP, through certain of its agents, engaged in a scheme to bribe South African officials and to falsify SAPs books, records, and accounts, all with the goal of obtaining improper advantages for SAP in connection with various contracts with South African departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, including the City of Johannesburg, the City of Tshwane, the Department of Water and Sanitation (a South African state-owned and state-controlled custodian of water services), and Eskom Holdings Limited (a South African state-owned and state-controlled energy company). This successful resolution against SAP is another example of the power of relationships and persistence, said Assistant Director in Charge Donald Always of the FBIs Los Angeles Field Office. The sustained diligence by the prosecution team and continuous collaboration with South African law enforcement, regulators, and prosecutors identified corrupt activity in multiple countries. The FBI will continue our nonstop efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute companies willfully engaging in corrupt activities around the world. In addition, between approximately 2015 and 2018, SAP, through certain of its agents, engaged in a scheme to bribe Indonesian officials to obtain improper business advantages for SAP in connection with various contracts between and among SAP and Indonesian departments, agencies, and instrumentalities, including the Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan (the Indonesian Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and Balai Penyedia dan Pengelola Pembiayaan Telekomunikasi dan Informatika (an Indonesian state-owned and state-controlled Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency). When the mails are used in furtherance of a fraud or corruption scheme, borders are not an obstacle for U.S. Postal Inspectors, said Postal Inspector in Charge of Criminal Investigations Eric Shen. Postal inspectors, with our FBI law enforcement partners and Justice Department prosecutors, followed the wide-spread trail of bribes and corruption from South Africa to Indonesia. This joint effort resulted in the defendant company paying a significant criminal penalty and agreeing to long-term remedial measures. Pursuant to the DPA, SAP will pay a criminal penalty of $118.8 million and administrative forfeiture of $103,396,765. SAP will also continue cooperating with the department in any ongoing or future criminal investigation arising during the term of the DPA. In addition, the department will credit up to $55.1 million of the criminal penalty against amounts that SAP pays to resolve an investigation by law enforcement authorities in South Africa for related conduct. The department will credit up to the full forfeiture amount against disgorgement that SAP pays to the SEC or South African authorities. Under Part I of the Criminal Divisions March 2023 Compensation Incentives and Clawbacks Pilot Program, SAPs compliance obligations include a commitment to implementing criteria relating to compliance in the companys compensation and bonus system, subject to local labor laws. Under Part II of the Pilot Program, the department reduced the criminal penalty by $109,141 for compensation that SAP withheld from qualifying employees, which action the company defended in substantial litigation. The department reached this resolution with SAP based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. SAP received credit for its cooperation with the departments investigation, which included (i) immediately beginning to cooperate after South African investigative reports made public allegations of the South Africa-related misconduct in 2017 and providing regular, prompt, and detailed updates to the department regarding factual information obtained through its own internal investigation, which allowed the government to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its independent investigation; (ii) expeditiously producing relevant documents and other information to the department from multiple foreign countries, while navigating foreign data privacy and related laws; (iii) at the request of the department, voluntarily making company officers and employees available for interviews; (iv) taking significant affirmative steps to facilitate interviews while addressing witness security concerns; (v) raising and resolving potential deconfliction issues between SAPs internal investigation and the investigation being conducted by the department; (vi) promptly collecting, analyzing, and organizing voluminous information, including complex financial information, at the request of the department; (vii) translating voluminous foreign language documents to facilitate and expedite review by the department; and (viii) imaging the phones of relevant custodians at the beginning of SAPs internal investigation, thus preserving relevant and highly probative business communications sent on mobile messaging applications. SAP also engaged in timely remedial measures, including: (i) conducting an analysis of the root causes of the underlying conduct and gap analysis, and undertaking appropriate remediation to address those root causes and enhance its compliance program; (ii) undertaking a comprehensive risk assessment focusing on high risk areas and controls around payment processes and enhancing its regular compliance risk assessment process, including by incorporating comprehensive operational and compliance data into its risk assessments; (iii) eliminating its third-party sales commission model globally, and prohibiting all sales commissions for public sector contracts in high-risk markets; (iv) significantly increasing the budget, resources, and expertise devoted to compliance and restructuring its Offices of Ethics and Compliance to ensure adequate stature, independence, autonomy, and access to executive leadership; (v) enhancing its code of conduct and policies and procedures regarding gifts, hospitality, and the use of third parties; (vi) enhancing its reporting, investigations, and consequence management processes; (vii) adjusting compensation incentives to align with compliance objectives and reduce corruption risk; (viii) enhancing and expanding compliance monitoring and audit programs, planning, and resources, including developing a well-resourced team devoted to audits of third-party partners and suppliers; (ix) expanding its data analytics capabilities to cover over 150 countries, including all high-risk countries globally; and (x) promptly disciplining any and all employees involved in the misconduct. In light of these considerations as well as SAPs prior history, which include a non-prosecution agreement from 2021 with the departments National Security Division, as well as administrative agreements with the Departments of Commerce and the Treasury relating to export law violations, and a resolution in 2016 with the SEC concerning alleged FCPA violations in Panama, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 40% reduction off the tenth percentile above the low end of the otherwise applicable guidelines fine range. The FBIs International Corruption Unit and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys William E. Schurmann, Anthony Scarpelli, and Gwendolyn A. Stamper and Assistant Chief Jonathan P. Robell of the Criminal Divisions Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi B. Gesch for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case. The Justice Departments Office of International Affairs and authorities in South Africa provided assistance in this matter. The Criminal Divisions Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Departments FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. On the morning of January 23rd, the second session of the 14th Anhui Provincial People's Congress grandly opened in Hefei. Han Jun, secretary of the CPC Anhui Provincial Committee and Executive Chairman of the conference, presided over the meeting. The meeting listened to the "Government Work Report" presented by Wang Qingxian, Governor of Anhui Provincial People's Government; reviewed the report on the implementation of Anhui Province's National Economic and Social Development Plan for 2023 and the draft plan for 2024; and examined the report on the budget implementation for 2023 and the draft budget for 2024 in Anhui Province. Source: anhuinews.com NATO has kicked off its biggest military exercise since the Cold War era. Thirty-one NATO members and Sweden are taking part in the drills, involving around 90-thousand troops. Dozens of naval vessels, aircraft and more than a thousand combat vehicles will also take part. What are the intentions of NATO's biggest military exercise? Guess no one is going to attack NATO right now. Then why are they wasting money in the drills? Just a show of strength? Tensions arose at a UN meeting on Monday as Russia's foreign minister opposed any peace plan supported by Kyiv and the West, while China expressed concerns about the potential impact of global chaos on the slowing global economy. In a recent statement, Sergey Lavrov, Russia's top diplomat, expressed his belief that Ukrainian forces have not been successful on the battlefield and cannot defeat or weaken Russia. Russia Attands UN Meeting In his address to the UN Security Council, he emphasized Moscow's willingness to engage in peace negotiations, AP News reported. However, he expressed skepticism towards the peace plans put forth by Ukraine and its Western counterparts, suggesting that these proposals may serve as a pretext to prolong the conflict and secure financial support from Western taxpayers. According to the speaker, the various formulas being used are leading to no positive outcome. It is suggested that it would be beneficial for Ukraine and the West if Washington, London, Paris, and Brussels acknowledge this. The speaker also cautions that the ongoing efforts against Russia have already resulted in new risks that affect reputation and existence. The US deputy ambassador, Robert Wood, rejected Lavrov's claims as "blatant disinformation" and argued that it was Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 that initiated the war. Wood further stated that President Vladimir Putin's relentless pursuit of Ukraine's destruction and subjugation is prolonging the conflict. Russia convened the council meeting to once again express strong disapproval of Western military assistance to Ukraine. Prior to the commencement, diplomats from over 40 nations gathered around Ukraine's UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya, who delivered a collective statement emphasizing Russia's "hypocrisy" in condemning legitimate arms transfers aimed at assisting Ukraine in its self-defense. Monday's meeting was criticized by Ukraine's supporters, who viewed it as yet another attempt by Russia to divert attention from its ongoing war of aggression. They strongly condemned Russia's violation of UN sanctions through the use of military support from Iran and North Korea, including drones and ballistic missiles, as well as the acquisition of military equipment from Belarus. During the council meeting, numerous appeals were made for intensified peace initiatives. Additionally, China, a close ally of Russia, expressed mounting apprehension regarding the escalating risk to global security caused by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Read Also: EU Foreign Ministers Continue Urging Israel To Yield on Two-State Solution China Warns Further Global Chaos at UN Meeting According to China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun "It is crucial for the world to avoid escalating geopolitical tensions while the global economy is experiencing a slowdown." Zhang emphasized to the council the importance of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations. Ukraine has consistently demanded this, while Russia's actions in annexing four Ukrainian regions have clearly violated these principles. However, the Chinese ambassador expressed disapproval of Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO and cautioned Kyiv about the potential impact on Moscow's security concerns. Zhang emphasized the importance of expediting direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. He failed to address the peace plan issued by China in February 2023, which emphasized the need for a ceasefire, negotiations, and the lifting of sanctions against Russia. Instead, he chose to highlight the detrimental impact of the war on the global economy. China took the floor as the third speaker in the 15-member council, and Lavrov promptly exited the room once Zhang finished speaking, allowing a deputy to take his place. Lavrov was unable to hear Wood, but he did listen to Malta's UN Ambassador Vanessa Frazier. Per The Independent, Frazier echoed the US request for Russia to withdraw its forces and accused Moscow of neglecting its responsibility to uphold international peace and security, which is the primary mission of the Security Council. "Today's meeting aims to rationalize the irrational and present a narrative that portrays the victim as the aggressor and the aggressor as the victim," Frazier expressed, condemning the tragic loss of 10,200 Ukrainian civilians, including 575 children, and the injuries sustained by over 19,300 others in Russian attacks since the war started, as reported by the UN human rights office. Related Article: Sisi Says Egypt Will Not Allow Any Threat To Somalia's Security Amid Ethiopia Port Deal President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will share the stage on Tuesday in Virginia to push abortion rights in an election battle with the former Republican president Donald Trump. Biden and Harris will be joined by their spouses, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The four of them are appearing together for the first time since the campaign began, a reflection of the importance that Democrats are putting on abortion this year. Biden, Harris Push Abortion Rights in Virginia On Monday, Harris visited Wisconsin to mark the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the US Supreme Court ruling that made abortion legal nationwide. The ruling was overturned two years ago, and Trump helped pave the way by appointing three conservative justices to the court during his administration. Trump recently said that he was proud of his role. "Proud that women across our nation are suffering?" Harris said. "Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom?" Wisconsin was Harris' first destination on what is expected to be a nationwide tour focused on abortion. She described the visit as an integral part of the country's tradition of personal liberty. She said freedom should not be given in America and should not be bestowed. She noted that it is theirs by right. Furthermore, she continued, "And that includes the freedom to make decisions about one's own body - not the government telling you what to do." Harris shared stories of women who had miscarried in restrooms and developed sepsis because they were denied help by doctors concerned about breaking abortion laws. She claimed that this is a healthcare crisis for women. Abortion is also the focus of Biden's new television advertisement, starring Dr. Austin Dennard, an OB-GYN in Texas who had to leave her state to have an abortion after finding out her unborn child had a deadly condition called anencephaly. "In Texas, you are forced to carry that pregnancy, and that is because of Donald Trump overturning Roe v. Wade," Dennard said. Although Democrats want to reinstate the rights established in Roe v. Wade, there will be no chance with the current makeup of the Supreme Court and Republican control of the House. However, they have been successful in state-level campaigns when the topic of abortion is on the ballot. On Monday, Biden said at a meeting of his reproductive rights task force that they need the American people to keep making their voices heard. Read Also: US Rejects Yemen's Houthis Claim of Attack on American Ship Ocean Jazz in Gulf of Aden White House Supports Harris The White House has repeatedly turned to Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president, to argue on abortion. Despite Biden's longstanding support for abortion rights, he speaks about the topic less frequently and sometimes avoids using the word abortion even when he discusses the issue. Former Harris communications director Jamal Simmons claimed that abortion brought her and her team together in a manner that had never been possible before. Simmons added that the president and vice president appeal to different parts of the party. He noted that they are stronger as a team. Related Article: Legalizing Abortion: Missouri Residents Could Be Asked To Vote on Procedure as Rights Group Launches New Campaign A baby boy, Jaxton Drew, was born Romeo Angles but later referred to as Drew by his father, and tragically lost his life due to distressing circumstances. He was rushed to the hospital from the Southwestern Oaks II residence hall at Georgia Southwestern State University. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was called into action by the Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department after the baby was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus on Jan. 14 at approximately 2 p.m. The child, unfortunately, was unconscious upon arrival and, despite efforts from hospital staff, tragically succumbed to his injuries, as per The News Tribune. Georgia Beauty Queen Allegedly Kills Boyfriend's Son Following an extensive series of interviews, the GBI apprehended an 18-year-old woman named Poague. Currently, she is being held without bond at the Sumter County Jail, facing charges of aggravated battery, felony murder, and cruelty to children in the first degree. The nature of her relationship with the child remains unclear at this juncture. Respecting the family's plea for privacy, Fox News revealed that a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by a close family friend to support the grieving father. The friend expressed the profound tragedy of a man who was the sole caregiver to his only child, now having to lay him to rest. In a bid to gather more information, the GBI urges anyone with additional details about the case to contact them at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477) or submit an anonymous tip online. Law enforcement authorities believe that baby Jaxton Drew suffered from 'blunt force trauma,' as reported by WALB. However, conclusive information awaits the official autopsy reports, and police are diligently awaiting their completion. The arrested individual, an 18-year-old reigning beauty pageant winner known as Miss Donalsonville, was taken into custody by GBI agents. Charges of aggravated battery, felony murder, and first-degree cruelty to children were officially laid out on Monday, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Read Also: Washington State Lawmaker Urges Ban on Hog-Tying in Use-of-Force Policies After Manuel Ellis' Death Unsuccessful Efforts to Save Baby Jaxton According to a statement by the coroner, the child was initially taken from a dormitory on the Georgia Southwestern State campus to Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus around 12:40 p.m. on Jan. 14. Upon arrival, baby Jaxton was unresponsive, and the hospital staff worked tirelessly to save him, albeit unsuccessfully. The investigation unfolded as interviews were conducted and evidence examined, leading to the arrest of Poague. Despite the suspect sharing images and videos of young children on her social media accounts, the motive behind the tragic incident remains unclear. Poague, a recent graduate from Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus, is currently incarcerated at the Sumter County Jail with no bond. Upon the conclusion of the investigation, the case will be forwarded to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney's Office for prosecution, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. As the community awaits more details on how the baby sustained the injuries, the ongoing investigation underscores the gravity of the situation. If convicted, Poague faces a potential life sentence, adding another layer of tragedy to this distressing incident. It is worth noting that the discrepancy in the child's name on the birth certificate being Romeo Angles and referred to as Jaxton Drew by the father introduces an additional layer of complexity to an already sorrowful narrative. The investigation continues, and the community mourns the loss of a young life under tragic circumstances, Daily Mail reported. Related Article: FAA: More Boeing 737 Planes Should Be Checked After Alaska Airlines Door Plug Mishap The U.K.'s Sea Viper air defense system will receive a major upgrade, as confirmed by the Royal Navy on Sunday, Jan. 21. This means that the missiles used by the United Kingdom to take down Houthi drones will be more effective against Iran-backed rebels. As of writing, Western militaries are still trying to stop Iran-backed revels from attacking commercial vessels off the coast of Yemen. Recently, one of the efforts of the U.K. paid off after its HMS Diamond destroyer took down numerous Houthi one-way attack drones while operating in the Red Sea, thanks to the Sea Viper air defense system. UK Sea Viper Air Defense System To Receive Major Upgrade According to Business Insider's latest report, the U.K. government announced that it will spend $515 million to boost the Sea Viper air defense system. Royal Navy officials said that this initiative will help them better protect sailors and ships from aerial threats, such as the drones launched by the Houthi rebels. As part of the $515 million defense budget, new warheads, and software upgrades will be integrated into the advanced Sea Viper air defense system. These major enhancements are expected to make the U.K. air defense system more effective in defeating anti-ship ballistic missiles. "The contracts will make Sea Viper the most capable naval air defense system ever developed for the Royal Navy," said the U.K. Ministry of Defense via its official press release. The defense ministry added that this is an investment in a vital capability used in the past few weeks to protect commercial vessels in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes against drone attacks. Read Also: Shippers, Tankers Consider Rerouting Due to Houthi Raids on Red Sea Sea Viper Enhancements To Support More Jobs The U.K. defense ministry said that the missile upgrades will be under three contracts, which were awarded to MBDA (Matra BAe Dynamics) U.K. Two of these enhancements will be focusing on the Sea Viper capability on board Type 45 war vessels. The third one will cover enhanced in-service support and availability of the advanced defense system for the next five years. Aside from making the Sea Viper air defense system more advanced, the military contracts will also sustain over 300 jobs in the U.K. This means that the initiative will be in line with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's priority, which is to expand the economy. Related Article: US Launches New Airstrikes Against Houthi Rebels in Yemen as Biden Vows To Intensify Pressure Border Patrol officials were granted permission by the Supreme Court on Monday, January 22, to continue removing razor wire along a section of the border between the United States and Mexico that Texas put up. This move is the focus of an intensifying confrontation between the state and the Biden administration about immigration enforcement. Concertina Wire Along Rio Grande Banks As a result of the 5-4 judgment, Border Patrol officers are now free to remove the concertina wire that Texas had installed along the Rio Grande banks to prevent illegal immigration, as reported by The Associated Press. A number of migrants have suffered injuries at their contact with the razor-sharp wire, and the US Department of Justice has claimed that the barrier makes it more difficult for Border Patrol agents to assist those in need. The three-term Republican governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has taken several tough actions along the border to reduce the number of people illegally entering from Mexico, and the installation of the wire was one of them. The lack of razor wire and other barriers, according to his spokesperson, makes the work of Border Patrol agents in Texas more difficult and only encourages migrants to try crossing the border in an unsafe way. Abbott's spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, said that the governor would "continue fighting to defend Texas' property and its constitutional authority to secure the border" as the lawsuit goes on. After a federal appeals court ordered federal officials to cease cutting the concertina wire last month, the decision was handed down, and the White House applauded it. "Texas' political stunts, like placing razor wire near the border, simply make it harder and more dangerous for frontline personnel to do their jobs," said White House spokesman Angelo Fernandez Hernandez. The concertina wire extends for about 30 miles (48 kilometers) close to Eagle Pass, a border town where the Texas Military Department took over a park owned by the city and started barring Border Patrol officers from entering earlier this month. Also Read: Texas Allegedly Starts Detaining Migrants at Public Park Over US-Mexico Border Access Contentious Border in Texas In recent years, Eagle Park has grown into a major crossing point for Mexican nationals trying to enter the US illegally. Abbott has voiced his displeasure with what he claims are illegal immigrants coming via Eagle Pass and federal authorities putting them into busses. As a result, Texas has decided to stop allowing Border Patrol personnel into Shelby Park. Furthermore, Abbott gave the go-ahead for the installation of floating barriers in the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, and he allegedly ordered the arrest and jail of thousands of migrants on trespassing charges by state troopers. Those moves are also being challenged in federal court by the administration. Also Read: DHS Warns Texas of Potential Legal Action Amid Blocking of Access to Border Area Former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been relegated to the backbenches of the country's parliament ever since the coalition between the Liberal Party and The Nationals lost the 2022 general elections in favor of Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party. However, after 16 years as an MP and almost four as prime minister, he announced his political retirement on Tuesday (Jan. 23), ending his roller-coaster political career. Since his resignation as Liberal Party leader, he has publicly drawn closer to conservative former leaders in both the US and the UK, in particular, Mike Pence and Boris Johnson, respectively. Sources from the Liberal Party told Australian public broadcaster ABC that he was expected to take a job with a US defense contractor upon his official final day by the end of February. Morrison entered top-level Australian politics in 2007 after he was elected MP for the Sydney-based seat of Cook. His exit meant that a by-election for his seat would be held on March 2. ScoMo's Political Highlights Prior to parliament, Morrison, known to local media as "ScoMo," worked on tourism and marketing, selling Australia - and, in extension, New Zealand - to the world. It was during his time as head of Tourism Australia that the early 2000s catchphrase "So where the bloody hell are you?" was coined. Upon reaching parliament, he quickly rose through the ranks of the Liberal Party and weathered several infighting incidents between moderates and conservatives. Morrison's first significant policy was to curb the illegal migration of asylum seekers into Australia by boat. When former prime minister Tony Abbott was replaced by Malcolm Turnbull in 2015, Morrison was picked as federal treasurer, which became a stepping stone for him to assume leadership when Turnbull himself was ousted by Liberal colleagues in 2018. Read Also: Pro-Palestine Protesters Shut Down Port of Melbourne Morrison's PM Years As prime minister, he was supposed to be a lame duck due to the leadership spills before being demoted to the opposition in 2019, but the Liberals came out on top in a contest many observers at the time wrote off as unwinnable. However, Morrison's downfall came months after the election when he was photographed taking a vacation in Hawaii while parts of Australia were burning due to bushfires. Weathering the COVID-19 pandemic also further destroyed the reputation of the Liberal-Nationals coalition in the long run. His final hurrah apparently came with the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, which Australia entered with the US and the UK. But this deal left out the French and its separate contract with Australia for the building of diesel-powered subs. The final nail in the coffin of Morrison's political career appeared to be his alleged flat-footed and tone-deaf response to a cultural crisis in Canberra brought about by former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins. After returning to the backbench, he was plagued by the Albanese government's criticism of his policies, as well as several inquiries about controversial matters under his watch, including allegedly secretly swearing himself into the Health, Treasury, Finance, Resources, and Home Affairs portfolios during the pandemic. Related Article: Australia: Foreign Minister Penny Wong Allocates $21.5 Million in Taxpayer-Funded Aid for Gaza's Humanitarian Needs Amazon's excessive employee surveillance in France led to a $34 million fine, as confirmed by the French data protection agency CNIL (Commission nationale de l'informatique et des libertes). CNIL argued that what Amazon is doing with its workers is against the law, especially since the American retailer's surveillance activities are too extreme. To make matters worse, CNIL claims that Amazon employees were not adequately informed regarding the excessive surveillance, which kept data for over 30 days. France: Amazon's Excessive Employee Surveillance Leads To $34 Million Fine According to BBC News' latest report, CNIL confirmed that the Amazon France Logistique uses handheld scanners to capture workers' activities, as well as store data for a month. The French data protection watchdog said that it started investigating Amazon logistics, which manages warehouses, after numerous employees complained about the surveillance practice. France 24 reported that Amazon's extreme surveillance activities violate the EU's GDPR (general data protection regulation); GDPR imposes strict rules regarding obtaining consent on how employees' personal details are used. Because of Amazon France Logistique's law-breaking activity, it was fined $34 million, which is equivalent to 3% of the retailer's annual revenue. CNIL said that thousands of Amazon employees were negatively affected by the e-commerce giant's extreme surveillance practices. Read Also: Zara Removes 'The Jacket' Ad Campaign After Critics Claim It Resembles Israel-Hamas War Amazon Employees Experience Extreme Pressure CNIL said that the surveillance activity it identified puts immense pressure on Amazon employees. This is because almost all their actions are being recorded. For example, CNIL confirmed that scanners alerted Amazon of inactivity exceeding 10 minutes or the handling of parcels "right up to the second." The French data protection watchdog said that one of its targeted surveillance methods is Amazon's so-called stow machine guns." It involves checking if an article (the smallest unit in a line of goods) has been scanned too fast or less than 1.25 seconds. Aside from these, Amazon also monitors employees' entry into the warehouse, as well as the start of their work. Because of these unethical activities, CNIL said that Amazon staff were under constant pressure and were forced to justify their absences. Amazon might think that its surveillance practices will lead to more productivity in its warehouses. However, a recent study revealed that monitoring all the activities of workers can lead to mental stress and physical injuries. Once this happens, then Amazon's employees will decrease, leading to a less productive day. You can click here to learn more about this study. Related Article: Amazon Prime Video Faces Backlash After Streaming Platform Unveils Plan To Start Showing Ads in January At least 21 Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) personnel have been killed in action during an operation in central Gaza on Monday (Jan. 22), making it the deadliest incident in terms of Israeli military losses since its war against Hamas began on October 7. The Independent cited local media reporting that the Israeli soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza when militants fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank. The strike was followed by a huge explosion, causing the buildings to collapse while the soldiers were still inside. IDF chief spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that the killed soldiers were operating in an area around 600 meters from the border near Kissufim when the building collapsed while troops were still inside. The casualty count could further rise in the next few hours as more names were expected to be announced. Read Also: Khan Younis Hospital Hit by Bloodiest Assault of 2024 Another Day of Mourning The death toll in the recent attack could increase domestic pressure on the Israeli government to halt its offensive in Gaza. However, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant insisted that the deaths compelled the IDF to "achieve" its goal of eradicating Hamas. "Our hearts are with the dear families in their most difficult time," he said about the relatives of the fallen personnel. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also expressed condolences and grief for what he called an "unbearably difficult morning." "On behalf of the entire nation, I console the families and pray for the healing of the wounded," he added. "Even on this sad and difficult morning, we are strong and remember that together we will win." On the other hand, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the mass casualty "one of the most difficult days since the start of the war." Rescue workers have been deployed at the site of the attack to look for survivors, and at the same time, an investigation has also been launched to confirm how the explosives detonated and brought down the building. Meanwhile, the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry said that the death toll among Palestinians in the strip rose above 25,000, without distinguishing between militant and civilian casualties. Related Article: US Orders Israel to Protect Innocent as Forces Storm Gaza Hospital The agency of German music producer Frank Farian announced his death on Tuesday, Jan. 23. German public broadcaster DW reported that he died peacefully at his Miami home. Farian was famously known for being the producer of the disco music acts Milli Vanilli and Boney M, with the latter being famous for its tracks "Daddy Cool," "Rasputin," and "Rivers of Babylon." Read Also: Madonna Sued by Fans for Starting NYC Concerts Late Who Was Frank Farian? German local media said that Farian was born Franz Reuther in 1941. He began his music career in the 1960s by forming a rock and roll band called Frankie Boys Schatten, which later flopped. By 1967, he slowly transitioned to pop and eventually rose to fame after singing several contemporary covers before forming the disco band Boney M with Bobby Farrell and Maizie Williams. Farian eventually achieved international success in the 1970s and sold more than 800 million records with Boney M and various other artists throughout his career, including Stevie Wonder and Meat Loaf. However, he was also subject to controversy with his involvement with the supposedly singing duo Milli Vanilli after it was revealed that the performers were not singing themselves. Related Article: Coldplay in the Philippines: Chris Martin Performs Impromptu Song About Manila's 'Completely Insane' Traffic Two Lincoln corrections staff members were injured in recent assaults by inmates at the Reception and Treatment Center, according to the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services. On Jan. 10, an inmate was talking with two staff members in the office area of a housing unit. An inmate proceeded to close the door and started to punch one of them in the head. At first, a medical examination showed that the staff member was not injured, but he was later diagnosed with a concussion, according to the news release. The second incident occurred Wednesday when an inmate head-butted a staff member. They were treated at a local hospital for a fracture to their cheekbone, according to the news release. An investigation into both incidents is being conducted. The Lancaster County Attorney's Office will be given the findings for criminal prosecution. Top Journal Star photos for January 2024 The Israeli military has reported that its ground forces have effectively surrounded the city of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. This development follows the loss of 24 soldiers in the enclave, marking the highest single-day casualty toll during the three-month-long war. In a statement obtained by Al Jazeera on Tuesday, the military said, "Over the past day, troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis and deepened the operation in the area," calling the city a stronghold of the Palestinian armed group Hamas. "Ground troops engaged in close-quarters combat, directed [air] strikes, and used intelligence to coordinate fire, resulting in the elimination of dozens of terrorists," it said of the attacks on Gaza's second-largest city. Al Jazeera's Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Rafah in southern Gaza, said the Israeli army's operations would only deepen the humanitarian crisis in the city, which has been reeling "from an extreme shortage of food, water and medical supplies." Khan Younis was "designated as a safe zone for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who evacuated from the northern parts and Gaza City at the start of the war," Mahmoud said, adding that it "is now a scene of much suffering and devastation." What Exactly Happened? According to an article published by Reuters, Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said 21 soldiers were killed when two buildings they had mined for demolition exploded after militants fired at a nearby tank. Three other soldiers were also reportedly killed in a separate attack. "Yesterday we experienced one of our most difficult days since the war erupted," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory." The deaths occurred on the day Israeli Defense Forces undertook their largest operation in a month. The mission aimed to seize the remaining parts of Khan Younis, Gaza's primary southern city, which is currently providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians. Israeli tanks headed west towards the Mediterranean, blocking the road to the coast on Tuesday. This move cut off the escape route for civilians trying to reach Rafah, the last town on Gaza's southern edge, now housing more than half of the enclave's 2.3 million people. "I am trying to leave for Rafah but the tanks are now very near to the coast and are firing toward the west," Shaban, 45, an electrical engineer with four children, told Reuters by phone. In a span of 24 hours, the documented death toll has risen to 25,490, with at least 195 Palestinians reported killed, according to Palestinian health officials. Thousands more are feared to be lost in the rubble. Donald J. Trump seeks a decisive win in the first two primaries, Iowa and New Hampshire, while Nikki Haley faces pressure as the Republican primary narrows to a head-to-head battle between them. Associated Press reports that Trump is looking to deliver a crushing victory, securing a sweep of the first two primaries in Iowa and New Hampshire, respectively. The question as to whether Nikki Haley will be able to eat into his sizable margin remains to be answered. She has dedicated much of her time and resources in hopes of pulling off an upset in New Hampshire. In the first results, Nikki won the small town of Dixville Notch, a locale with just six registered voters. It is the only town that opened polling at midnight. New Hampshire was a huge win for Trump in his first presidential campaign, but many of his allies lost key races during the midterms two years ago. However, his deep bond with the GOP base is significant. Trump is looking to win New Hampshire so decisively that it will end Haley's competitiveness moving forward. The Republican primary has become a one-on-one match between Haley and Trump. President Joe Biden is not on the ballot in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire attorney general's office is investigating reports of a robocall mimicking President BIden's voice that encourages Democrats not to vote. The A.I. concoction is a criminal act. If Trump wins both Iowa and New Hampshire he will become the first Republican presidential candidate to win both states since they began the election calendar in 1976. What Are The Challenges? Haley is already facing pressure to leave the race from Trump's allies. Those calls will certainly grow louder and more belligerent if he easily wins New Hampshire. If Haley were to yield to Trump, it would hand him the GOP primary before the majority of GOP voters cast a ballot. Read Also: New Hampshire Primary Begins; Traditional Midnight Poll Goes in Favor of Haley New Hampshire Republican Governor Chris Sununu has been campaigning for Haley as he is a staunch critic of Trump. Nikki Haley insists, despite the polling, that she is in the race for the long haul. "This is about, do you have more of the same, or do you want someone who's going to take us forward with new solutions," Haley told reporters, also saying, "We can either do the whole thing that we've always done and live in that chaos world that we've had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people." "This is a two-person race," she added. Florida governor Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race on Sunday while former New Jersey governor Chris Christie ended his bid for the Republican nomination last week. New Democratic National Committee rules have the primary process beginning Feb 3 in South Carolina, instead of Iowa and New Hampshire. Biden argued that Black voters in this state were a critical part of his win in 2020 and that the state should have a larger, earlier role in determining the Democrats' nominee. On Monday, Britain's House of Lords voted 214 to 171 to delay a controversial treaty that would pave the way for a deportation plan that would send asylum seekers to Rwanda, according to the Associated Press. The measure is called "The Migration Treaty." The vote is seen as largely symbolic but could signal more opposition down the road. The House of Lords, which is filled with appointees rather than individuals who were voted in, posits that measures need to be undertaken to ensure the safety of Rwanda. The treaty and accompanying bill are key for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's plan to circumvent the opposition to deportations by the U.K. Supreme Court. John Kerr, a former diplomat who sits in the Lords, said the Rwanda plan was "incompatible with our responsibilities" under international human rights law. "The considerations of international law and national reputation ... convince me that it wouldn't be right to ratify this treaty at any time," he added. Though the House of Lords cannot block an international treaty, ignoring their overture could be used against the ruling government later. The bill was approved in the House of Commons last week but after 60 members of the governing party, Conservatives dissented in order to make the legislation tougher. Many in the House of Lords want a watered-down version of the bill. Read Also: Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Deportation Bill Survives Third Reading in Commons After Tory Rebels Back Down However, unlike in the House of Commons, the Conservatives do not have a majority. The upper house can postpone and amend legislation but cannot overrule the Commons, which is elected. The bill is part of Sunak's immigration plan to "stop the boats" bringing unauthorized migrants to the United Kingdom from France by way of the English Channel. It's worth noting that Sunak's parents, immigrants of Indian ethnicity, were born in East Africa. Background On Rwanda and Britain The deal was made between Rwanda and Britain two years ago under which migrants who cross the English Channel would be sent to Rwanda, where they would take up permanent residency. Rwanda has been paid $305 million thus far under the agreement. Yet, no one has been sent there as of yet. After it was challenged in British courts, the U.K. Supreme Court ruled in November that the policy was illegal because Rwanda isn't a safe country for refugees. Both Kegali and London signed a new treaty looking to strengthen migrant protections. The Conservatives argue that the treaty allows them to pass a law declaring Rwanda a safe destination. The law, if approved by Parliament, would allow the government to "disapply" sections of the Human Rights Law when it comes to Rwanda and asylum claims, making it hard to challenge deportation in court. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, and other scientists from the University of Chicago, created the Doomsday Clock two years later. The Science and Security Board of the Bulletin, in conjunction with its Board of Sponsors, is set every year. Midnight on the clock signifies a nuclear apocalypse. However, since then, the catalysts for destruction have been widened to include the peril of doom inherent in all manmade technologies. Each minute closer to midnight signifies the world's vulnerability to destruction by his own devices. Recently, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists set the clock to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest the Atomic Clock has ever been to midnight. The Bulletin emphasized that the clock still could be turned back, but urgent action is required from governments. A plethora of threats face us globally, causing the clock's tenuous reading in 2024. Among them are the Russia-Ukraine war, which some fear is the precursor to a broader war in Europe, Climate Change, genetic engineering, and the ability for advanced AI to be used to disinform a population. "Make no mistake: resetting the Clock at 90 seconds to midnight is not an indication that the world is stable. Quite the opposite. It's urgent for governments and communities around the world to act. And the Bulletin remains hopeful and inspired in seeing the younger generations leading the charge," said Rachel Bronson, PhD, president and CEO of the Bulletin. Last year the Doomsday Clock was also set at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest to midnight the Clock had ever been. The Doomsday Clock statement states: "Ominous trends continue to point the world toward global catastrophe. The war in Ukraine and the widespread and growing reliance on nuclear weapons increase the risk of nuclear escalation. China, Russia, and the United States are all spending huge sums to expand or modernize their nuclear arsenals, adding to the ever-present danger of nuclear war through mistake or miscalculation. In 2023, Earth experienced its hottest year on record, and massive floods, wildfires, and other climate-related disasters affected millions of people around the world. Meanwhile, rapid and worrisome developments in the life sciences and other disruptive technologies accelerated, while governments made only feeble efforts to control them [...] But the world can be made safer. The Clock can move away from midnight." Gov. Jerry Brown, executive chair of the Bulletin said: "As though on the Titanic, leaders are steering the world toward catastrophe-more nuclear bombs, vast carbon emissions, dangerous pathogens, and artificial intelligence. Only the big powers like China, America, and Russia can pull us back. Despite deep antagonisms, they must cooperate - or we are doomed." Former President Donald Trump is contending with four criminal cases in various cities, with numerous lawsuits. The majority of legal proceedings have primarily taken place in New York. Both sides anxiously await a judge's decision in a state attorney general lawsuit that accuses Trump and his company of fraud. Concurrently, an ongoing trial in New York revolves around defamation claims by writer E. Jean Carroll. Carroll alleges that Trump owes her compensation for statements he made while president, during which he vehemently denied any attack on her or knowledge of her. The former president faced a judge's threat of expulsion from the courtroom last week due to his behavior. The Associated Press revealed that Trump's attorney, Alina Habba, didn't fare any better. Habba was ordered to "sit down" after continuing in vain to press a point that the judge had rejected, prompting the lawyer to respond: "I don't like to be spoken to that way, your Honor." She was also later rebuked for sitting instead of standing while addressing the court and was chided the following day over how to properly question a witness. "Evidence 101," tsk-tsked Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Donald Trump's Strategy Anticipated clashes in court have become a regular occurrence as Trump's lawyers bring the assertive and confrontational style from his campaign trail into the legal proceedings. Their arguments appear more geared towards pleasing the client than addressing the court, frequently highlighting Trump's front-runner status in the presidential race. They echo his assertions of prosecutorial bias and political persecution while presenting broad theories of legal immunity, often facing skepticism from judges. "Trump is really only there as a provocateur," said Ty Cobb, who led the Trump White House legal response to the Russian election interference investigation. "He wants to be admonished and he wants his lawyers admonished as much as possible to feed the impression that he fraudulently sells to his supporters that the judges are being unfair to him and that he's a victim," Cobb told The AP. Former Ambassador to the United Nations under President Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, delivered a campaign speech in an American Legion hall in New Hampshire last week, warning constituents that the United States must prepare for a war with China. Haley recapped the size of the Chinese navy, warned of China's advances in artificial intelligence and hypersonic missiles, and worried about the development of "neurostrike" weapons that can scramble the brains of military commanders in the field. According to Reuters, Haley told the crowd of about 100 people gathered on an icy night in Rochester that China had been preparing for war for years and needed to be treated like an "enemy," not a "competitor," and that the United States was not ready. "We've barely gotten started," she said. Trump, who leads Haley in the Republican presidential nomination, has taken an entirely different tactic in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday. At rallies across the state, he tells voters that he alone can keep the nation out of "World War Three" and defends his relationships with some of the world's most authoritarian rulers, including China's Xi Jinping. The Battle For New Hampshire Per Reuters, with just two candidates left in the Republican race, the New Hampshire vote pits the most hawkish in Haley against the more isolationist Trump, who would rather avoid foreign entanglements in keeping with an "America First" approach. Trump is favored to win the primary, while Haley hopes to draw enough support to argue that she is a viable threat to Trump moving forward. The nominee will face President Joe Biden, a Democrat, in the Nov. 5 general election. Foreign policy is normally not the main focus in U.S. presidential elections, where domestic concerns are usually at the forefront of voters' minds. But with the war in Ukraine still raging, Israel's war on Gaza, and China taking a more aggressive stance in Asia, these are not normal times. "The world is on fire," is a line Haley often uses at her events. According to a Monmouth University/Washington Post poll of potential primary voters released on Monday, Trump is more trusted on foreign policy over Haley by a margin of 57% to 32%. Jennifer Horn, a former chair of the New Hampshire Republican Party, said at a roundtable on Monday that Haley's approach might appeal to centrists and moderates but that the bulk of the party under Trump has become isolationist."I don't think it's won her any votes," Horn said. "It's like Nikki Haley is the old Republican Party and Donald Trump is the current Republican Party." However, The National reported that Trump has also bragged about deliberately marring Haley's birth name as part of an effort to suggest there was something foreign about his last viable Republican opponent. Talking about Haley -- who was born in South Carolina, Trump speculated about "wherever she may come from." Late last week, he even reposted a false charge that she was ineligible to serve as president because her parents were not U.S. citizens at the time of her birth. Haley equated the crude attempts to portray her as a foreigner as nothing more than a "temper tantrum," and called Trump "insecure" before she concluded, "I don't sit there and worry about whether it's personal or what he means." A bill that would remove existing barriers to occupational licensure has made it through the first round of debate in the Nebraska Legislature with little pushback. Lawmakers advanced LB16 in a 41-1 vote Monday. The bill includes multiple proposals to ease regulations on obtaining individual work licenses in Nebraska in an attempt to help the state's ongoing labor shortage. "This is about removing needless red tape," said Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln. LB16 was originally introduced last year by former Sen. Tom Briese, who has since resigned from the Legislature to take up the post of state treasurer. Conrad, who was a co-sponsor of the bill last year, took ownership of the bill in Briese's absence and made it her priority bill for this session. Among other things, LB16 would make it easier for the states licensing boards to issue licenses to experienced workers outside Nebraska and would clarify what criminal offenses would exclude someone from getting a license. Prior to the session, lawmakers pinned workforce development as one of the top priorities for the year, and Conrad was eyeing LB16 as one way the Legislature could help resolve the statewide labor shortages. As such, most of the lawmakers who spoke in Monday's debate on the bill expressed support for the bill. Multiple supporters spoke on the bill's provisions that would help released prisoners obtain licenses, agreeing with Conrad's argument that helping that demographic find steady jobs is an effective strategy at reducing recidivism. "The key to parole is a plan," said Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue. The bill clarifies that licensing boards can still deny licenses to people with criminal records if their conviction directly conflicts with the work they are seeking, or if they could pose a direct threat to public safety. Sen. Mike Jacobson of North Platte, who voted to advance the bill, added that lawmakers should consider adding a safeguard for financial crimes as well, such as fraud or embezzlement. Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Bennington said she has been hesitant to support similar bills in the past, although she also voted for its advancement. She said she is concerned about the possibility of a "glut" of workers entering Nebraska from states with more lax licensing regulations. Conrad assured that the Legislature would retain the authority to address such issues if they arose, but added that about 20 other states already have enacted similar policies and haven't had any major problems because of it. Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha noted that while license regulations do differ across states, most states still set up high standards. The Platte Institute, a conservative think tank that has vocally supported LB16 from its introduction, applauded lawmakers for advancing the bill in a news release Monday. Officials said the bill would pave the way for skilled workers entering Nebraska, therefore aiding the state's economy. Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of January 2024 After hearing from a red-clad crowd at the Billings school board meeting Monday evening, the trustees decided to support the plan to close Washington Elementary and convert the building into a charter school for high school students focusing on early college and technology classes next year. I didnt come to Billings to close schools, but we have to balance the budget, Superintendent Erwin Garcia said. Why cant we look for a win-win situation? Earlier this month, Garcia announced a plan to help reduce the deficit by moving Washington students next fall to Miles Avenue, Broadwater and Newman elementary schools and reassigning teachers and support staff to other positions within the district. At a meeting with parents and community members on Jan. 2, he outlined a proposal to convert the building at 1044 Cook Avenue into what hes calling the Washington Innovation Center. It could house two new charter schools, one aimed at providing college credits to high school students and the other offering intensive classes for those pursuing technology careers. After sharing her concerns with Garcia at the meeting, Dannielle Paisley started a petition to stop the closure of Washington Elementary on Change.org. It had 565 signatures as of Monday evening. Washington teacher Kacey Olson and the schools secretary Julie Wilkinson asked the board to consider how vulnerable students and their families would be affected by the change. Many parents who spoke against the proposal to close Washington said they liked the small class sizes, their kids liked their teachers and the staff, and they feared moving students to another school could create challenges for transportation and childcare. Some viewed the proposal as a slight to elementary students while favoring high school students. The Early College High School would enroll students in joint high school and college classes, allowing them to graduate as seniors with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree. Garcia said it would be the first in the state. The Opportunity School would offer career certifications in various fields of information technology, with classes on computer repair, cybersecurity, coding, artificial intelligence, robotics and other fields. Garcia explained Washington was chosen because of the districts 22 elementary schools, it has the lowest enrollment. As a result, it is the most expensive per student to run. With enrollment steadily declining during the past several years, Washington now has 208 students and is operating at 77% capacity. Garcia said the annual cost of educating one Washington student is $9,429 versus an average of around $5,000 at other Billings elementary schools. The elementary school district is running on a $3.5 million budget deficit. Using Washington for high school classes would allow SD2 to move $1.5 million from the high school district budget into the elementary district, helping to reduce the shortfall, Garcia said. Im refusing to maintain and continue running with this deficit, he told the school board Monday evening. Balancing the budget is going to hurt and its going to hurt hard. Other financial challenges adding to the districts woes are the increasing costs of providing health insurance for employees and Montana having the lowest pay in the nation for starting teachers. Garcia said the districts applications for charter school funding for the early college and opportunity programs as well as another program for newcomers at the Lincoln Center have been approved. The district now has 45 days to negotiate contracts with the state. If approved, the three charter schools are expected to bring about $6.1 million into the district during the next five years. And it isnt about the money, Garcia said. The ultimate goal is to provide more pathways for our kids. He said the limited opportunity for students to access college classes or the Career Center during their first two years of high school are contributing to the districts 15% dropout rate. He said Billings loses about 260 students a year and dropouts are connected to violence in the community. Garcia wants to use Washington to provide a way to keep students who dont want to wait until they reach their junior or senior year of high school to start pursuing college credits or skills to enter the workforce. Garcia pointed out the district lost 97 teachers and 56 support staff at the end of the last school year through regular attrition. And, he said, hes already heard from 54 educators who wont be returning next year. So he plans to reassign the teachers, administrators and staff from Washington to fill those positions, rather than letting them go. I really havent heard any other rational solutions to fix the deficit, said Dr. Roger Santala, a former district trustee and retired Billings physician. Trustees Zack Terakedis and Teresa Larsen, who serve on the budget committee, said repurposing the school is a way to help reduce the deficit while still providing a quality education for students. Living beyond our means is not an option, Terakedis said. But weve tried to be very thoughtful about it. He said students and families will find the caring teachers and staff and the other things they like about Washington at the other schools, too. Trustee Tanya Ludwig said shed hate to see the district lose teachers and staff or another program cut due to the budget shortfall as has happened in years past. We have to make a hard decision tonight, she said. We have to work together, not against each other. Trustee Janna Hafer agreed. This is probably the best way today to balance the budget, she said, before making a motion to support the superintendents proposal and close Washington next year. By a 6-to-1 vote, the seven elementary district trustees on the nine-member board decided to support the plan, with John VonLangen opposing. Garcia has scheduled another public meeting to discuss the change with parents and community members for 6 p.m. on Wednesday at Washington Elementary, 1044 Cook Ave. Aman Resorts is partnering with KUN Investment Holding and AlUla Development Company to create the Aman Hegra project. The project will include an expansive Aman resort featuring 42 hotel and villa keys and 30 branded private residences available for purchase. The project will cover a prime eight million square meters site in Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the presence of His Highness Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan Al Saud, who serves as the Minister of Culture, Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AlUla Development Company, a strategic Shareholders' Agreement has been signed between KUN Investment Holding and AlUla Development Company, fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). The agreement aims to jointly own and develop the Aman Hegra project, a collaborative venture to introduce distinctive hospitality and residential initiatives in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. The signing ceremony, held in AlUla, was attended by KUN Investment Holding Chairman, Mr. Abdullah Saleh Kamel, and AlUla Development Company managing director, Naif Saleh AlHamdan. Eng. Mohammed N. Hefni, CEO of KUN Investment Holding, and Fabien Toscano, CEO of AlUla Development Company, officially formalized the collaboration by signing the momentous agreement.\ Mohammed N. Hefni, CEO of KUN Investment Holding, said "We are delighted to announce the collaboration with AlUla Development Company on the Aman Hegra project. This groundbreaking development marks an important moment in Saudi Arabia's tourism and hospitality landscape aligning with the Kingdom's vision 2030. "KUN's expertise in crafting exceptional real estate experiences will play a pivotal role in ensuring the project's essential success. While, leveraging the invaluable expertise of world-renowned consultants and an award-winning international architectural practice, will position Hegra project as a leading luxurious destination." Naif Saleh AlHamdan, MD of AlUla Development Company, added: "As we embark on this transformative journey with KUN Investment Holding for the Aman Hegra project, we are dedicated to crafting not just a lifestyle and hospitality experience, but authentic and memorable destinations in the historical city of AlUla. "We look forward to working together as we enable the transformation of AlUla into a place to visit, live and invest." Fabien Toscano, CEO of AlUla Development Company, concluded: "The collaboration with KUN Investment Holding represents a groundbreaking step in our mission to build and operate elevated assets in AlUla. The Aman Hegra project aligns with our commitment to fostering sustainable environments, unlocking the potential of this remarkable destination." In terms of ownership, KUN Investment Holding will hold 80 percent, while AlUla Development Company will hold 20% of the joint venture. KUN Investment Holding will take the lead in developing the project with strategic support from AlUla Development Company. DKN Hotels today announced a fresh chapter in the life of its Cardiff by the Sea Lodge. The three-story hotel has a new look after a comprehensive revitalization to its exterior, rooftop deck, public spaces and all guest rooms. The 17-room hotel located at 142 Chesterfield Drive is owned and managed by DKN Hotels of Irvine, California. "Cardiff by the Sea Lodge has always been a favorite hotel for guests and locals alike and these enhancements elevate the experience for everyone," says Shanna Davis, Senior Director of Marketing, DKN Hotels. "Every aspect of the renovation has been curated to enrich the guest experience and we are proud to offer exceptional accommodations with modern comforts in a premier oceanfront location." Nestled along the coastline renowned for wide-open beaches, breathtaking cliffs and amazing surf, Cardiff by the Sea Lodge offers plentiful shopping and dining options nearby. The upscale boutique hotel near Encinitas and just a short drive from downtown San Diego provides guests convenient access to Cardiff Town Center, Cedros Design District, The Forum Carlsbad and LEGOLAND California. Cardiff by the Sea Lodge features exquisitely decorated guest rooms and suites, each with contemporary decor and all new furnishings. Each guest room offers ocean or courtyard views, spa-inspired bathrooms, and some rooms feature a fireplace. Hotel amenities include a rooftop deck with a fire pit and sweeping ocean views, as well as a complimentary breakfast that includes premium juices delivered to your room daily. Hotel website Ahmed Ben Zaied has been named the new cluster general manager at Sharjah Collection, leveraging his extensive 12-year experience in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Known for his operational prowess, Zaied is celebrated for his precise attention to detail, unwavering support for his team, and a profound grasp of what guests seek. Zaied's professional path in hospitality began in 2012 at Wyndham, where he developed his expertise in the front office department. He ascended through various positions in esteemed international companies such as Accor Group and GHM, eventually taking on the role of director of rooms at Terra Solis Dubai by Tomorrowland. His latest position before joining Sharjah Collection was at the Chedi Al Bait in Sharjah, where he served from 2018 to 2023. In this role, Zaied oversaw key areas in the rooms division, including front office, housekeeping, engineering, spa, and security. Fargo's premier boutique hotel, Jasper Hotel, is excited to welcome Andrea Ziemer as General Manager. Responsible for managing all aspects of the property, Ziemer will bring her expertise in hospitality and restaurant management, event planning, and revenue analysis to the role. Ziemer is a hospitality veteran who got her start in hospitality trade school in Germany. Following her education, she worked throughout Europe until moving to Minot, North Dakota in May 2010. With over two decades of experience, she has worked as a General Manager and Regional Director of Operations for Wyndham, Choice, and other independent full-service properties. In March of 2022, Ziemer enriched her skillset by achieving her certification in Advanced Hospitality Revenue Management through Cornell University. Most recently, Ziemer was the Area Sales and Revenue Leader for KWB Hotels in Kansas City. She is excited that the General Manager role at Jasper is bringing her back to North Dakota. A long-time leader at various Hyatt properties, Tucker began his career 25 years ago at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee working overnight in the Security Department. As he grew within the industry, Tucker took many leadership roles with Hyatt including Hyatt Regency Chicago, Hyatt Regency Long Beach, and Huntington Beach Resort and Spa, eventually becoming Director of Rooms at Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center after which he spent the next six years in the Caribbean at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad West Indies, Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort, Spa and Casino, before heading back to the states as the Director of Rooms/AGM at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa in Bonita Springs FL. Prior to joining Thompson Denver, Tucker was General Manager for more than two years at the famed Andaz West Hollywood. Julian Tucker leans into many mottos when it comes to his work including; "don't be afraid to experiment and be creative", "lead with care at the center of it all," and "treat people like you would want to be treated." When he is not working, Tucker is involved with his community serving on a number of community programs including Hyatt Black Southwest Florida bringing awareness and opportunities in the area, Board of Directors West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, President of West Hollywood Minority Small Business Foundation, Board of Directors Sunset Strip Improvement district and the Board of Directors Visit West Hollywood visitors bureau. Tucker and his wife Zena now live in Denver and enjoy traveling, particularly to the West Indies with friends, and cheering for the Green Bay Packers. Auberge Resorts Collection, a portfolio of 26 one-of-a-kind luxury hotels, resorts and residences, and Sanctum, the global mindful movement method that has taken the world by storm, today announce an exclusive partnership that will bring the transformative wellbeing experience from Europe to the United States for the first time ever with a year-long series of wellness retreats at four of Auberge Resorts award-winning properties. Set to redefine wellness travel, the collaboration combines the expertise of both brands to curate life-changing wellbeing experiences in Auberges breathtaking natural settings. Debuting in January 2024, the new program will take place at four Auberge destinations across the United States, including Napa Valleys next-generation wellbeing destination, Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection, Austins legendary landmark mansion, Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, Connecticuts beloved wellness sanctuary, Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection and Tellurides mountainside adventure haven, Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection. Sanctum, a transformative wellbeing practice and radical self-care experience during which participants move in unity to reach a deep sense of joy and euphoria achieved on an individual level and as a community, brings a devoted global following to the partnership. The cutting-edge fitness experience first originated in Amsterdam as a nomadic global community in 2020 and has quickly gained a cult following in Europe and beyond with awe-inspiring retreats from Ibiza to London to Dubai. Now, Sanctum is set to make its initial foray into the U.S. in partnership with Auberge Resorts Collection, offering weekend immersions that draw deeply from each individual locale and seamlessly integrate into the one-of-a-kind Auberge experience. We are honored and beyond excited to partner with Auberge Resorts Collection, bringing Sanctum experiences to U.S. consumers for the first time. In a time when reconnection and sense of belonging are the highest currencies, this collaboration creates a perfect opportunity for our communities to come together and radically invest in self-care in a truly unique, authentic and transformational way, said Gabriel Olszewski, co-founder and CEO, Sanctum. We are excited about the chance to pioneer and advocate for unique and harmonious therapeutic experiences that have not yet been introduced in our respective markets, said Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, vice president of wellbeing, Auberge Resorts Collection. By introducing Sanctum into our portfolio, we are further revolutionizing the very notion of design-driven wellbeing within our global collection. Sanctum's unparalleled movement concept is set to empower guests, enabling them to unlock their full human potential during their stay. The series of weekend retreats will take place over the following dates: Each weekend will offer destination-driven itineraries featuring one or more Sanctum experiences per day, combining multidisciplinary forms of physical, spiritual and mental conditioning, such as kundalini yoga, dance, HIIT, martial arts, meditation and animalistic flow. These experiences will be coupled with itineraries filled with nourishing and convivial dining experiences, holistic spa treatments and unique local experiences. The program will offer both full weekend itineraries for single and double occupancy, as well as single day pass options. Prices vary per property. For more information or to book, please visit aubergeresorts.com/wellness. About Sanctum Sanctum is a nomadic mindful movement community established in 2020 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Founded by a charismatic couple, Luuk Melisse and Gabriel Olszewski, Sanctum has gained its international recognition for hosting transformational wellness experiences in the form of retreats, wellness festivals and weekly classes in Amsterdam and London. With the purpose of enriching the lives of consumers through restoring a sense of belonging and community, Sanctum is pushing the boundaries and revolutionizing conventions of the fitness and wellness sectors. For more information: www.wearesanctum.com. Connect with Sanctum on Instagram and LinkedIn About Auberge Resorts Collection Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences, and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine, innovative spas and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With 27 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the worlds most desirable destinations. For more information about Auberge Resorts Collection, please visit http://www.aubergeresorts.com. Follow Auberge Resorts Collection on Facebook at facebook.com/AubergeResorts and on Twitter and Instagram at @AubergeResorts. Glam, gaming and getaways collide in the luminous virtual world of Slivingland, a revolutionary Roblox sensation where Paris Hiltons flair for fun meets Hiltons signature hospitality, marking Hiltons first foray into the metaverse. Brought to life by the creative visionaries at Paris Hiltons next-gen media company, 11:11 Media, this isnt just another pixelated paradiseits a trendsetting metaverse thats doling out real Hilton Honors Points like theyre going out of style. Roam through a digital replica of Hiltons chic lobby, hunt for exclusive branded swag and embark on quests dripping with potential real-world rewards. From digital Limited Slivingland wearables and Points that pave the way to plush pillows at Hilton hotels around the world, every click in Slivingland brings a slice of the suite life closer to reality. Fans can even experience Hiltons It Matters Where You Stay national advertising campaign and Hilton. For the Stay global brand platform, with a commercial that first launched in late 2023 and stars Paris herself. To bring the campaign into Slivingland, the commercial was reshot in a frame-by-frame replication using Roblox avatars. The premiere makes this the first commercial fully recreated virtually by a brand on Roblox. The magic doesnt stop with quests and collectibles Paris has personally sprinkled a dash of her signature sparkle across Slivingland, ensuring fans can sliv in style, online and off. I want my fans in the metaverse to have unforgettable and rewarding experiences, she said. Im so excited to bring them this first-of-its-kind collaboration with Hilton that lets them stay and slay like me, both in our virtual world and at amazing hotels and resorts around the world. At Hilton, we are committed to creating the right Hilton Stay experience for every traveler. We are always looking for meaningful ways to engage our Hilton Honors members and connect with new travelers. Theres no better advocate and champion of the Hilton Stay, than Paris Hilton. Paris has been an amazing partner connecting her familys legacy with her love of travel to inspire the fan community she has built over the years. Today, we are excited to expand our partnership into her world on Roblox Slivingland. Well create new ways to engage with Paris and Hilton through entertaining content, co-branded digital wearables, and more. And together, we will remind her passionate community of the real-world magic of a Hilton stay and the opportunities that await through the Hilton Honors program. Mark Weinstein, chief marketing officer, Hilton Visit Slivingland on Roblox now for a chance to win more than 12 million Hilton Honors Points, as 111 lucky winners will snag a stash of 11,111 Hilton Honors Points, and a select 11 will be crowned with Diamond Status, turning their virtual victories into tangible treats. Plus, flex your hashtag game by tweeting #HiltonForTheStay for an extra entry into the giveaway. Hilton Honors commercial recreated using Roblox avatars - Paris Hilton's Slivingland on Roblox Photo by Hilton *Eligible users can be rewarded Hilton Honors points through sign-ups outside of Roblox. About Hilton Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 22 world-class brands comprising nearly 7,400 properties and more than 1.1 million rooms, in 124 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World's Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for seven consecutive years. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 173 million members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. As 2024 begins to unfold, Accor is continuing to meticulously expand the brands within its Luxury & Lifestyle division to meet the worlds accelerating demand for high-end and culturally relevant travel experiences. With estimates showing global luxury travel spend will reach $2.32 trillion by 2030, Accor is perfectly positioned with a portfolio of 370+ luxury hotels and 150+ lifestyle hotels worldwide as well as a robust development pipeline. Accor will open another 100 luxury and lifestyle hotels over the next two years, with expectations of at least 50 new luxury and lifestyle project signings per year. Accor has curated one of the most extraordinary hospitality portfolios in the world and we are leading the industry in designing hotel experiences that are as attractive to locals as they are to travelers with luxurious residences, award-winning restaurants helmed by celebrity chefs, bars where people want to meet after work, high-end retail outlets, thematic concepts, boutique spas and fitness clubs with memberships, and so much more.As stewards of some of the worlds most legendary hotel brands, we are honored to bring them to more destinations around the world, while nourishing the unique character that makes each so immensely popular. With the strength of these unparalleled brands as our fuel, development is the engine that will help propel the Group forward, writing the next chapter in Accors luxury and lifestyle hospitality story. Agnes Roquefort, Chief Development Officer, Luxury & Lifestyle, Accor Orient Express is set for an exciting year ahead, with the debut of Orient Express La Dolce Vita in late 2024 - a luxurious slow travel experience along the Italian rails in partnership with Arsenale Group. The brands first hotel, Orient Express La Minerva in Rome is also set to open in 2024, followed by Orient Express Palazzo Dona Giovannelli in Venice in 2025. Meanwhile, the Orient Express Silenseas, which will be the largest sailing ship in the world and is inspired by the Golden Age of the French Riviera, is preparing for its first voyages in 2026. Raffles Hotels & Resorts enjoyed momentous year in 2023 with the openings of Raffles Boston; Raffles London at The OWO;Raffles at Galaxy Macau; and Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain. Raffles Boston represents the first mixed-use development in North America for the 136-year-old brand, marking a new era for the legendary portfolio. These new destinations bring Raffles global hotel roster to 22 hotels in 18 countries. Since acquiring the brand in 2016, Accor has added 11 destinations and will debut another three in 2024, with Raffles Jaipur, Raffles Jeddah and Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa. The year ahead will also bring a bounty to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts with notable openings such as Fairmont La Hacienda, Costa del Sol in Spain and Cape Grace, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in South Africa.In The Americas, the iconic Breakers Hotel in California will be transformed into Fairmont Breakers Long Beach. By 2027, the brand will also introduce Fairmont Orlando; Fairmont Manchester San Diego, Fairmont Phoenix, andthe branded residence project Fairmont Heritage Place The Cedars. The core pillar of our development strategy in The Americas is focused on increasing our presence in key gateway locations and establishing landmark addresses for our luxury and lifestyle brands. We choose our destinations carefully, with strategic destinations in the United States, as well as select city centers and leading resort locations throughout the broader Americas region. For example, bringing the Fairmont experience to one of Californias best-known and beloved luxury hotels is a perfect example of our strategy in action. The Breakers has a rich history, star-studded lineage, and strong links to its community making it an ideal match for the Fairmont brand and for our luxury and lifestyle portfolio. Edouard Schwob, Senior Vice President Luxury Americas and Raffles & Orient Express Global Further afield, among the many beautiful new properties introduced by Sofitel Hotels & Resorts and MGallery Hotel Collection in 2023, two stunning properties stand out Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama and Domaine De La Reine Margot Paris Issy MGallery. Sofitel and MGallery will continue to expand their horizons in 2024, bringing the first Accor luxury property to Benin, with Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa; an alluring new haven in Mexico with MGallery Punta de Mita - Riviera Nayarit; the first MGallery in Japan with Hotel Sousei Sapporo MGallery; MGallery Taipei, Taiwan; Gigiri Gem Forest Hotel Nairobi MGallery; and two MGallery hotels in Poland: Sanssouci Karpacz Hotel & Spa MGallery, and Hotel Szczecin MGallery. The portfolio will be rounded out with the much-anticipated opening of Sofitel Shanghai North Bund. Looking beyond 2024, MGallery will continue to expand in The Americas region with Mayaliah Tulum MGallery in Mexico; DHotels Jeri MGallery in Brazil; and Valle Sagrado Cusco MGallery in Peru. Ennismore which represents Accors presence in the lifestyle category - introduced a number of outstanding lifestyle properties in 2023, such as Banyan Tree Dubai, an exquisite modern escape and the first property to open within a multi-staged project on Bluewaters Island. Also freshly opened are Mondrian Hong Kong,Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes, Mondrian Cannes, Mondrian & Hyde Ibiza, Maison Delano Paris and 21c St. Louis.In 2024, Ennismore brands will grow with over 15 new hotels in destinations around the world including London, Vienna, Dubai, Perth, Jeddah, Istanbul, Barcelona and more. Beyond luxury and lifestyle, Accors Premium, Midscale & Economy division is also preparing for an ambitious period of growth in 2024. Across The Americas region specifically, the group aims to increase its current portfolio of 450 hotels to more than 700 over the next three years. One of the Groups top markets of strength in The Americas is Brazil, where Accor is number one in the hotel sector with 340 hotels. Accor will seek to maintain its leadership position in all segments, while furthering the growth of its premium brands, such as the fast-growing Pullman Hotels & Resorts on track to achieve a global footprint of 400 Pullman hotels over the next four years. Handwritten Collection and Swissotel Hotels & Resorts are two more of Accors globally renowned premium brands set to debut in Brazil. Accor will also bring the design driven TRIBE brand to Brazil, with its first destination in Belo Horizonte. About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group Accor is a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,300 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries. The group has one of the industry's most diverse and fully-integrated hospitality ecosystems encompassing more than 40 luxury, premium, midscale and economy hotel brands, entertainment and nightlife venues, restaurants and bars, branded private residences, shared accommodation properties, concierge services, co-working spaces and more. Accor's unmatched position in lifestyle hospitality one of the fastest growing categories in the industry is led by Ennismore, a joint venture, which Accor holds a majority shareholding. Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. Accor boasts an unrivalled portfolio of distinctive brands and more than 260,000 team members worldwide. Members benefit from the company's comprehensive loyalty program ALL - Accor Live Limitless a daily lifestyle companion that provides access to a wide variety of rewards, services and experiences. Through its Planet 21 Acting Here, Accor Solidarity, RiiSE and ALL Heartist Fund initiatives, the Group is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity and inclusivity. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France and publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information visit group.accor.com, or follow Accor on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Melanie Mahiette Accor Marina Bay Sands to Inject USD750 Million for Its Second Phase of Hotel Transformation Singapores Marina Bay Sands (MBS) has announced the second phase of its reinvestment programme. Amounting to an additional USD750 million, the second phase focuses on Tower 3, the Hotel Lobby, and Sands SkyPark. The transformation will also include a reimagined VIP arrival experience, new premium dining and retail offerings, a lobby transformation, and a renewed focus on wellness guest experiences. Additionally, the integrated resort will have more than 550 re-designed rooms, of which 380 are suites. This second phase is expected to be completed in different stages across 2025. Upon the completion of all three hotel towers in MBS, there will be 1,850 refurbished luxury rooms, which includes 770 suites. Cross Hotels & Resorts to Launch Cross Vibe Brand in Indonesia Thailand-based Cross Hotels & Resorts has entered into a double agreement with Indonesia-based PT Sunset Studio One, a subsidiary of Indonesia-based PT Bhuwanatala Indah Permai Tbk (BIP Group), to launch the Cross Vibe brand in Indonesia. The 175-key Cross Vibe Paasha Atelier Bali Kuta (The hotel) is located on Jalan Raya Kuta and is in close proximity to Kuta beach and Balis Ngurah Rai International Airport. The hotel offers a range of room types, namely Superior, Superior Pool View, Duplex, Junior Suite, Deluxe Pool, and Deluxe Pool Suite. Other facilities include all-day international dining, a swimming pool, a day spa, and a gym. Qantas Launches Darwin-Singapore Flight Service Qantas has announced the launch of direct flights from Darwin, Australia, to Singapore. This new flight route will begin this coming December, whereby flights will initially operate five days per week. From March 2025, the flight frequency will increase to daily flights. This new service will add more than 60,000 seats on the route each year. China Has Further Relaxed Visa Rules for International Travelers Chinas National Immigration Administration has announced the relaxation of Chinas entry requirements for international travelers. Firstly, foreigners who urgently need to enter China for non-diplomatic activities, may apply for port visas via port visa authorities by presenting their invitation letter and relevant documents. Secondly, foreigners on 24-hour direct transits will be exempted from border inspection procedures at nine international airports in China. Thirdly, foreigners entering China for short-term non-diplomatic activities, may apply for visa extensions and renewals at the Public Security Bureau. Moreover, foreigners who need to enter and exit the country multiple times, may apply for a multiple-entry visa. Lastly, the document submission process, for China visa applications, has been further simplified. 308-key lyf Bugis Singapore Set To Open in Mid-2024 Singapore-based The Ascott Limited (Ascott) and CapitaLand Wellness Fund (C-WELL) have completed a 50:50 joint acquisition of the freehold 308-key Hotel G, in Singapore. The hotel is located in Singapores downtown core district and is in close proximity to Bugis and Bencoolen MRT train stations. Following the acquisition, the hotel will simultaneously remain operational and undergo renovations to be rebranded as lyf Bugis Singapore. The rebranded 308-key hotel is expected to open in mid-2024, as a green-certified property that focuses on sustainability, health, and active wellness. About HVS HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com. Its hard to imagine a better classroom on conservation than in the shadow of Montanas Rocky Mountain Front. The Boone and Crockett Conservation Education Program does just that from its headquarters on the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Ranch along Dupuyer Creek. In the classroom students learn about ecosystems, wildlife conservation and land ethics. In the field students try their hand at shooting sports, fishing, backpacking, packrafting and other hands-on outdoor skills. With me today is Luke Coccoli, Director of Conservation Programs for the Boone and Crockett Club. This podcast is created in partnership across five newsrooms the Billings Gazette, Helena Independent Record, Missoulian, Montana Standard and Ravalli Republic. You can support this podcast, and our efforts, by becoming a subscriber. Atom acquires Hotel Miramar and Gran Hotel La Florida in Barcelona Spanish REIT Atom Hoteles SOCIMI has acquired the five-star, 75-room Hotel Miramar and the five-star, 70-room Gran Hotel La Florida in Barcelona, Spain, from Lebanese investor Joseph Boutros El Khoury for a combined 50 million (345,000 per room). The transaction was completed using the SOCIMIs own resources and a 13.2 million loan facility. Hotel Miramar is located on Montjuic hill in Barcelona, close to the citys main harbour, whilst the Gran Hotel La Florida sits atop the Tibidabo mountain to the west of the city. The former will be operated by Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and the latter by Dubai-based Sunset Hospitality Group. Hotel Miramar is held on leasehold land, with a current pending duration of approximately 20 years. Atom is one of Spains largest hotel owners, with 28 hotels comprising 6,713 rooms and over 900 million in assets under management. Fattal enters French market with Hotel Prelude Opera Paris acquisition Israels Fattal Group has acquired the four-star, 59-room Hotel Prelude Opera Paris, France, from pan-European alternative investment manager Tikehau Capital, which had owned the hotel since 2019 through its Tikehau Real Estate Opportunity 2018 value-add fund. The price was undisclosed. Centrally located in the 9th arrondissement of the French capital, the hotel was managed by third-party operator Welfi Hospitality Management, having undergone an extensive renovation in 2020 that elevated the property to four-star standard. The hotel is set to be renamed as the Leonardo Boutique Paris Opera. Fattal Group will now target further expansions in France following this first entry into the French market. Extendam and SOHOMA acquire Citadines City Centre in Lille, France French hotel private equity firm Extendam and compatriot hotel management group SOHOMA have acquired the three-star, 101-room Citadines City Centre in Lille in northern France, from an undisclosed seller and for an undisclosed amount. The hotel is located in the Euralille business district, Frances third-largest by area. Extendam and SOHOMA are set to convert the property into Lilles first Residence Inn by Marriott aparthotel, with 107 keys. Residence Inn is Marriotts third-largest brand, with 890 properties across 20 countries. Extendam and SOHOMA already own and operate the Residence Inn Paris Didot Montparnasse. As of June 2023, Extendam had ownership in 316 European hotels, while SOHOMA manages 70 properties in France. Hotusa acquires Hotel San Anton in Granada, Spain Spanish tourism conglomerate Grupo Hotusa has acquired the four-star, 189-room Hotel San Anton in Granada, Spain, for an undisclosed amount. The hotel, previously managed by Hotusa, had been facing bankruptcy and closed its doors in January of 2023. The property includes three food and beverage outlets, four meeting rooms and a 360 degree terrace with a pool overlooking the Sierra Nevada mountain range and the famous Alhambra medieval complex. Hotusa plans to reposition the property under its upscale house brand, Eurostars. Grupo Hotusa consists of three main business units involved in hotel operations, travel distribution, and hotel services, and owns some 230 hotels across 17 countries in Europe and America, with a Spanish portfolio of 158 hotels. Deventure acquires New Bath Hotel and Spa in Matlock, UK Indian group Deventure Hotels & Resorts, led by founder Rajeev Mukul, has acquired the four-star, 54-room New Bath Hotel & Spa in Matlock, UK, for an undisclosed amount, from an undisclosed seller. The property is located in Derbyshire in Englands East Midlands, on the edge of the Peak District National Park in the village of Matlock Bath, 4 km south of the town of Matlock. The property comprises a bar, restaurants, conference rooms and spa, spread across a 4.5 acre plot of land, with a significant renovation and relaunch planned to occur by the middle of 2024. Deventure has three hotels in India, with a focus on weddings, banquets and conferences, and plans to expand further into the UK following this first acquisition. About HVS HVS is the world's leading consulting and valuation services organization focused on the hotel, restaurant, shared ownership, gaming, and leisure industries. Established in 1980, the company performs more than 4,500 assignments per year for virtually every major industry participant. HVS principals are regarded as the leading professionals in their respective regions of the globe. Through a worldwide network of over 50 offices staffed by 300 experienced industry professionals, HVS provides an unparalleled range of complementary services for the hospitality industry. For further information regarding our expertise and specifics about our services, please visit www.hvs.com. At EHL Lausanne, where 4 tons of coffee is consumed per year, a unique survey was brewed, capturing the essence of coffee culture among its vibrant community. This exploration delved into the aromatic world of coffee, seeking to understand not just the consumption patterns, but the deeper, personal connections people have with their daily cup. From students to faculty, the survey painted a rich tapestry of preferences, habits, and cultural significances, offering a glimpse into the role coffee plays in the dynamic life of EHL. Join us as we unveil the findings and the story they tell about our beloved beverage. Exploring EHL's Lausanne coffee culture through a comprehensive survey The survey aimed to gain insights into the coffee preferences and perceptions of the EHL community. It focused on understanding individuals' preferred coffee types and preparation methods. Additionally, it sought feedback on interest in coffee-related certifications and training, aiming to tailor or introduce new educational and experiential offerings that align with the needs and interests of students, staff, and potentially external participants. Titled "Coffee Break! - The report", the survey gathered 338 responses. Let's dive into the key insights. Demographics of the coffee culture at EHL The first insight from the EHL survey provides a comprehensive demographic breakdown of the respondents. The average age of participants was 26.4 years, with students making up 67% of the respondents. This highlights the youthful and dynamic nature of the EHL community. Gender representation was diverse, with 55% female, 42% male, and 3% preferring not to disclose their gender. The survey also showcased a rich international mix, with 40% Swiss nationals, followed by 20% French, and a variety of other nationalities including Italian, Chinese, and Belgian, reflecting the global footprint of EHL. Source: EHL Coffee consumption at EHL The second insight from the EHL survey revealed that a vast majority of the respondents, 90.61%, are coffee drinkers. This statistic underscores the significant role of coffee in the daily lives of the EHL community. Among these coffee drinkers, there is a diverse range of consumption habits: 50% identify as regular drinkers, 27% as enthusiasts, and 20% as occasional drinkers. This variation highlights the different ways coffee is integrated into the routines and preferences of individuals within the community. Coffee preferences and habits of EHL students The third insight from the survey highlights the preferences and habits surrounding coffee consumption at EHL. A prominent 75% of respondents cited taste and aroma as the primary reasons for their coffee consumption, emphasizing the sensory experience associated with the drink. Many also reported using coffee as a means to stay awake or as a pleasant break in their day. When it comes to types of coffee, preferences were diverse, with favourites including Cappuccino/Renverse, Ristretto Espresso, and Espresso Macchiato, reflecting a sophisticated palate among the EHL community. Source: EHL A good cappuccino ? Its all about the texture of the foam, with very fine bubbles and a creamy sensation. The right temperature is crucial because proteins and sugar are sensitive to heat. At 68C, proteins begin to denature by developing hydrogen sulfide, which we tend to associate with cooked milk or egg odor. The sugar contained in the milk (lactose made of glucose and galactose) starts to caramelize, spoiling the perception of sweetness in milk. Moreover, the excessive heating process of the milk causes the formation of lactulose (about 3.5gr/l in pasteurized milk), which has a laxative effect. This is why you should not reheat milk that has already been heated. Roberto Bertinetti, EHL's barista THE EVOLUTION OF COFFEE CULTURE: FROM BEAN TO CUP TO LIFESTYLE Source: EHL Coffee cultural aspects The fourth insight from the survey at EHL Lausanne delved into the cultural aspects of coffee consumption. It revealed that a significant 77% of respondents consider coffee an integral part of their home culture. This finding highlights the deep-rooted cultural significance and the diverse cultural backgrounds that coffee embodies for the EHL community. It underscores how coffee is not just a beverage, but a cultural symbol that resonates with a wide array of international traditions and customs. Interest for coffee & barista training and certifications The fifth insight from the survey reflects a keen interest in coffee-related education and certifications among the EHL community. It was found that 39% of the respondents showed interest in undergoing training in coffee-related areas. Furthermore, 25% expressed interest in pursuing certifications in this field. This highlights a significant enthusiasm for deepening knowledge and skills in coffee, pointing towards the potential for EHL to expand its educational offerings to cater to these interests. Source: EHL Opportunities to grow coffee culture at EHL The sixth insight from the survey at EHL Lausanne indicates potential opportunities for the institution to further integrate coffee culture into its academic and business focus. The diverse preferences and growing interest in coffee among the community suggest that there is room for EHL to enhance its offerings in this area. This could involve expanding curriculum content related to coffee, developing special events or workshops, and even exploring business ventures in the coffee sector. Such initiatives would not only align with the interests of the community but also enrich the overall EHL experience. Brewing a culture: coffee's role in shaping EHL As the rich aroma of the survey findings lingers, it's clear that coffee is more than just a beverage at EHL Lausanne. It's a cultural phenomenon, a daily ritual, and a passion shared across nationalities and ages. These insights not only reflect the diverse and vibrant community of EHL, but also point towards new opportunities for integrating coffee culture into both academic and social aspects of campus life. This survey, a blend of data and stories, reaffirms coffee's place as an integral part of the EHL experience. Source: EHL EHL Hospitality Business School Communications Department +41 21 785 1354 EHL View source Dallas emerges as a powerhouse, leading the nation with a record-breaking 193 projects/22,291 rooms, signifying Dallas\\\'s robust growth and confidence in the hospitality sector. Q4 2023 Report Reveals Record-High Project and Room Counts In the ever-changing landscape of the U.S. hospitality industry, the Q4 2023 U.S. Construction Pipeline Trend Report by Lodging Econometrics (LE) sheds light on dynamic trends across key markets. Dallas emerges as a powerhouse, leading the nation with a record-breaking 193 projects/22,291 rooms, signifying Dallas's robust growth and confidence in the hospitality sector. Following closely is Atlanta, setting its own record with 151 projects/18,730 rooms. Nashville joins the ranks with 123 projects/16,148 rooms, followed by Phoenix with 122 projects/15,977 rooms, and the Inland Empire with 116 projects/11,649 rooms. At the Q4 close, New York City continues to have the greatest number of projects under construction with 44 projects/7,338 rooms. Dallas follows with 28 projects/3,607 rooms, then Atlanta with 25 projects/4,279 rooms, Phoenix with 24 projects/4,247 rooms, and finally the Inland Empire with 22 projects/2,275 rooms. Dallas looks set to maintain its momentum; leading both projects scheduled to start in the next 12 months and early planning stages of the hotel construction pipeline. Other markets like Atlanta, Nashville, Inland Empire, Phoenix, and Los Angeles follow suit, signifying a dynamic landscape of upcoming projects. Atlanta takes the lead in new projects announced in Q4 with 16 projects/1,572 rooms, followed closely by Phoenix with 15 projects/1,832 rooms, then Dallas with 14 projects/1,706 rooms, Austin with 11 projects/1,007 rooms, and then Fort-Worth/Arlington with 10 projects/1,506 rooms. The U.S. continues to witness strong renovation and conversion pipeline activity. Forty-three of the top 50 markets in the U.S. currently have 10 or more hotels undergoing renovation or conversion at the end of the quarter. Atlanta leads the charge with a combined total of 33 projects/3,903 rooms. Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago, New York City, and Houston also contribute significantly to this trend, reflecting an industry focus on revitalizing existing structures. Throughout 2023, the U.S. saw 474 hotel openings adding 60,436 rooms to the U.S. supply total. The markets with the highest number of new openings through year-end are New York City with 19 hotels/4,308 rooms, Atlanta with 13 hotels/1,279 rooms, Inland Empire with 11 hotels/1,032 rooms, Phoenix with 10 hotels/1,339 rooms, and Houston with 10 hotels/1,327 rooms. Looking ahead to 2024, the U.S. markets forecast to open the greatest number of new hotels are New York City with 28 projects/3,050 rooms, Dallas with 18 projects/2,333 rooms, Phoenix with 17 projects/3,070 rooms, Atlanta with 15 projects/2,808 rooms, and the Inland Empire with 15 projects/1,559 rooms. In 2025, LE analysts expect the Inland Empire to open the most new hotels with 22 projects/2,074 rooms, followed closed by Dallas and Atlanta, each with 21 projects. These forecasts provide valuable insights into the ongoing evolution of the U.S. hotel landscape. Chicago, IL (60637) Today Mainly cloudy with snow showers around this morning. High 39F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies this evening will become overcast overnight. Low 29F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Hudson, NY (12534) Today Overcast. High 46F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 32F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. A murder trial scheduled in Williston this week was canceled after suspect Jacob Long changed his plea to guilty. Long also pleaded guilty Monday to charges of terrorizing and criminal trespass stemming from events following the December 2022 shooting of 30-year-old Megan Lindquist. Long's change of plea was entered openly and is not part of an agreement, so there are no recommendations by attorneys regarding potential sentencing, Williams County Assistant State's Attorney Nathan Madden told the Tribune. Murder carries a maximum possible sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Northwest District Judge Kirsten Sjue ordered a presentence investigation prior to scheduling a sentencing date. Long has been held on a $1 million bond since his arrest in mid-December of 2022 near Buford in rural Williams County. The arrest followed a search of more than 36 hours and included assistance from the Williams County SWAT Team and the Northwest Crisis Negotiations Team. Authorities say Long and Lindquist had been living together and may have been married at the time of the shooting. The couple had reportedly relocated to Williston from Spokane, Washington. A witness said that during a telephone call Long admitted killing Lindquist, and said he had her body in a field and needed help burying her, according to an affidavit. Lindquist's body was found near a home in the Buford area. The affidavit states she had been shot once in the head. A resident of the home told authorities he was in his bedroom when he heard a gunshot. Authorities have not offered a possible motive for the killing. North Berkshire Waste District Interested In Hydrogen Facility Project ADAMS, Mass. Members of the Northern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District (NBSWMD) were intrigued by a plan by Local Power to work towards community-wide decarbonization through a waste hydrogen facility in Western Massachusetts. In a presentation on Jan. 11, Local Power President Paul Fenn told the district members that Local Power helps local governments set up community-wide decarbonization with a focus on localization "as a core strategy in an industry defined by centralized energy and capital sources." He said the community choice aggregation firm helped usher in community choice power supply programs to many towns and cities in Berkshire County, including Williamstown, Dalton, Adams, and Sheffield, among others. Through these programs, Local Power works on carbon reduction, and exploring innovative ways to address solid waste, as waste is a major cause of greenhouse gas. Fenn proposed a new system municipalities can use that would process municipal solid waste at the local level, saving money and addressing inequity built into the current system of waste disposal. Local Power is partnering with California-based Ways2H to reuse trash and non-recyclable plastic using an evolving technology that is already built and operated in Japan, China, India, and the United States. They aim to detoxify existing landfill and sewage waste, produce hydrogen energy, add food waste to compost components, and convert municipal solid waste, such as kitchen and sewage waste and nonrecyclable materials into hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide into limestone. The Was2H process handles toxic waste, like poly-fluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances, in ways that do not pollute the environment and end up in drinking water. They aim to have the process conducted in Western Mass. while meeting or beating the current tipping fee. The facility would be privately financed so municipality capital is not required. The municipalities' contribution to the privately owned facility would be as customers of the plant. Throughout the presentation, Fenn demonstrated the current systems in place to address solid waste have a negative environmental, economic, and public health impact. He noted that with the closure of incinerators, waste energy plants, and landfills municipalities are forced to transport material on trains and haul them to other areas. This can pollute the air and water and where the material is ultimately buried or incinerated typically impacts the lowest income and most vulnerable communities. The process the waste-to-hydrogen facility would utilize would no longer release greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, rather the carbon dioxide is contained in limestone. The byproducts of the process both are usable, Fenn said: hydrogen as fuel and limestone in industrial applications. The private facility would be self-powered by utilizing the hydrogen it creates. The only gas that's released is ambient nitrogen, Fenn said. There isnt oxidation so nitrogen oxides are not produced from the system. The high heat from the process would destroy the "forever" chemicals. "That same nitrogen is the one that we are breathingambient nitrogen," he said. According to 2018 data, the United States generated 292.4 million tons on municipal solid waste, of which 23 percent, or 69 million tons, was recycled, 24.9 million tons was composted, only 8.5 percent and 68.5 percent was incinerated, landfilled, or incinerated as "waste to energy." He also emphasized the increasing cost that area residents are facing for trash disposal, citing a 2022 price increase by Republic Services, which raised its price per ton from $80 to $97, a 21 percent hike in one year. This project piqued the interest of the district members. However, they still felt there were a lot of unknowns surrounding it, including the cost, waste transportation methods, and how the facility would be maintained and operated. Douglas McNally, Windsor representative, said it was clear to him that there is a need for facilities that create hydrogen because there arent any in the area. McNally, who also serves on the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) said they are under pressure to go green on the buses" and utilize hydrogen. He said BRTA decided that "they're going to go hydrogen" but are struggling with how to obtain it. They are looking for means and would be interested in collaborating with someone to generate the hydrogen. He added that locally large construction vehicles mostly use diesel and gas, and although batteries are getting more efficient, they are not going to be able to power a highway plow efficiently. He felt maybe hydrogen power could be the answer. The district expressed interest in the effort and recommended that Local Power gain individual support from towns' Select Boards as well. This is a non-binding endorsement only in place to gauge interest. Local Power has already presented to Williamstown, Cummington, Chesterfield, Goshen, and eight other locations. They have received signed letters of interest from the Worthington Select Board, Goshen Select Board, and Williamsburg Select Board. Fenn said local Power has already met with the state Department of Environmental Protection to "assess the steps and time necessary to cite a waste to hydrogen facility." Local Power and its partners would then present the plan back to the towns for a decision to proceed with the plan. "The waste tonnage requires that towns aggregate together for this process," the presentation said. Berkshire Schools Awarded Financial Literacy Grant CHESHIRE, Mass. The State Treasurer's Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE), in partnership with the Division of Banks (DOB) and the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR), announced the 2024 recipients of the Financial Education Innovation Fund Grant. Following a competitive application process that concluded in November, the state agencies awarded grants to 59 schools, totaling $223,548. This funding will allow Massachusetts high schools and special education programs to host financial education fairs, known as Credit for Life Fairs, for their students. Of the 59 recipient schools, 15 received funding as Seed Applicants and will host fairs for the first time, including for students in Agawam, Brighton, Brockton, Cambridge, Cheshire, Dorchester, Everett, Fall River, Fitchburg, Lexington, Lynn, Middleborough, Milton, and Springfield. Hoosac Valley High School was awarded a $6400 seed grant and has requested additional funding due to DESE low-income status. Mount Greylock Regional School was awarded a $1,260 innovation grant. For the first time in the program's history, participating schools that have a large population of low-to-moderate income students will receive an additional $500. Ten schools received this additional funding to bring financial education to students in the state's most vulnerable communities. iciHaiti - Cholera : Daily Bulletin #437 January 11, 2024 : (after more than 2 months of interruption the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) has resumed the publication of information on the cholera situation in Haiti. Note that account given the insecurity on the ground and the inaccessibility of certain areas controlled by gangs, this information remains partial), previous Ministry bulletin January 10 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-41493-icihaiti-cholera-daily-bulletin-436.html Data calculated since the first confirmed case (October 3rd, 2022) according to data from the Directorate of Epidemiology, Laboratories and Research of the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP). Total suspected cases: 79,002 since October 3rd, 2022 +13 in 24 hours Total new confirmed cases: 4,608** cases +0 in 24 hours (no test results published by the Laboratory for 4 days) Total hospitalized cases (suspected and confirmed): 74,239 since October 3rd + 11 in 24 hours Total deaths: 1,161* deaths ((876 institutional deaths (+0) and 285*** community deaths (+0)) +0 *Not updated for 3 days **Based only on cases tested, i.e. only 17.6% of suspected cases. ***Very partial data due to difficulties in accessing areas controlled by gangs. Men: 53.06% men (=) Women 46.94% (=) (not updated for 2 days) Number of tests carried out: 13,618 +0 (not updated for 4 days) Positivity rate (average since the start of the epidemic): 33.83% (+), previous 33.51% Departments with confirmed cases: Artibonite, Center, GrandAnse, North, North West, Nippes, North-East, West, South and South-East Previous bulletin : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-41493-icihaiti-cholera-daily-bulletin-436.html List of Acute Diarrhea Treatment Centers (including Cholera) : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37939-icihaiti-flash-list-of-acute-diarrhea-treatment-centers-including-cholera.html Definitions: Suspected cases: Any person with acute watery, profuse diarrhea with or without vomiting and dehydration Confirmed case: Any suspected case with a positive culture for "Vibrio cholerae" or presenting an epidemiological link with a confirmed case of cholera Hospitalized case: Any suspected or confirmed case who spends at least 24 hours in a treatment center Institutional death: Any suspected or confirmed case who dies in a care center. Community death: Any suspected case who dies outside a care institution. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38148-haiti-humanitarian-the-un-and-its-partners-launch-a-flash-appeal-of-$1456m-for-haiti.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37816-icihaiti-cholera-entry-ban-on-cooked-food-from-haiti-on-the-dajabon-market.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37807-haiti-flash-cholera-the-who-is-sounding-the-alarm.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37803-haiti-flash-already-7-dead-from-cholera-and-dozens-of-suspected-cases.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37795-haiti-flash-cholera-back-in-haiti-fear-of-epidemic-the-un-ready-to-intervene.html IH/ iciHaiti The leader of the North Dakota University System has proposed that college presidents operate under three-year contracts rather than being up for annual review. A thing that could help morale for presidents ... is for you to consider extending the annual contract rule for presidents to three years, Chancellor Mark Hagerott told the State Board of Higher Education last Thursday. He said he believes state law allows three-year contracts and noted that initial contracts for presidents are for three years before becoming annual. It might lower their blood pressure a little bit, Hagerott said, and encourage longer-range goals. Hagerotts comments came after a discussion of a report on compensation for presidents, the North Dakota Monitor reported. Board members Casey Ryan, Kevin Black and a consultant discussed the compensation study. What I dont want to see is us losing a president that we think is doing an excellent job because of compensation, Ryan said. Black said a national trend that emerged in the study was pay based on performance. I really like the idea of performance-based compensation, in addition to a base salary, and I think that should be something we give a really hard look at, Black said. Some other parts of the report that were highlighted include: University of North Dakota President Andy Armacost was at the low end of compensation among a comparison group. Bismarck State College President Doug Jensen was at the high end of his comparison group but it was also noted that the vision for the college is to grow in its role as a polytechnic institution. There are disparities in housing for college presidents. Some colleges have a house for the president to live in, but others do not. Board member Jeffry Volk said several presidents can't find adequate housing in their communities and are living in apartments. Some of our presidents ... aren't living in conditions that they would think are appropriate for their role and their responsibilities, Volk said. He encouraged looking at housing as part of compensation packages. The board did not take immediate action on the suggestions. The board approved a proposal from Hagerott removing its authority to approve the pay for vice chancellors and other senior officers in the University System. Volk was the lone dissenting vote on that matter. So this is a policy that was put in place during a very interesting time for historians of the higher ed system, Hagerott said, referring to 2012-13 and the tenure of controversial Chancellor Hamid Shirvani. Shirvani attempted to make significant changes but his leadership was questioned and he fell into a power struggle with state legislators. The board ended up buying out his contract in 2013. This policy was put in place at that time to basically help provide oversight of what was happening to the staff there, Hagerott said. He said it was unfair to have those personnel discussions in front of the whole board, but that the board retains control over the University System. This is just getting back to where we had normal times and extending the courtesy that the senior staff can have their performance reviewed by me ... without the cameras on and then knowing you all have the authority at any time to become involved on any issue you want, Hagerott said. Volk pointed out that some vice chancellors make more money than about half the college presidents. That's concerning to me that we're not treating these two groups who are both, we'll say, executive level, we're not treating them the same, he said. President pay A look at the annual compensation of university and college presidents in North Dakota. Information is from the state University System. North Dakota State University, David Cook, $445,200, housing benefits University of North Dakota, Andrew Armacost, $405,825, housing benefits Minot State University, Steven Shirley $292,350, housing benefits Dickinson State University, Stephen Easton, $240,774, housing benefits Mayville State University, Brian Van Horn, $227,108, housing benefits Valley City State University, Alan LaFave, $226,546, housing benefits Bismarck State College, Doug Jensen, $248,992, no housing benefits Lake Region State College, Doug Darling, $215,235, no housing benefits North Dakota State College of Science, Rod Flanigan, $222,600, no housing benefits Williston State College, Bernell Hirning, $217,321, no housing benefits Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Nominations have been announced for the 2024 Golden Raspberry Awards, known as the Razzies, which aim to honour the years biggest cinematic failures. Action sequel Expend4bles leads the way with a total of seven nominations, while The Exorcist: Believer and Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey both have five. In the acting categories, Russell Crowe is nominated for Worst Actor for his performance in The Popes Exorcist, alongside Vin Diesel (Fast X), Chris Evans (Ghosted), Jason Statham (Meg 2: The Trench) and Jon Voight (Mercy). The Worst Actress award will go to either Ana de Armas (Ghosted), Megan Fox (Johnny & Clyde), Salma Hayek (Magic Mikes Last Dance), Jennifer Lopez (The Mother) or Dame Helen Mirren (Shazam! Fury of the Gods). The awards show, now in its 44th year, was founded in 1981. Nominations are determined by a select committee before ballots are issued to the membership. Anyone can become a voting member of the Razzies by paying an annual fee of $40 or a lifetime membership of $500. This years winners will be announced at a ceremony on 9 March 2024, the night before the Oscars. Razzies 2024: Worst actor nominees Jason Statham, Chris Evans, Helen Mirren and Megan Fox (Getty) The full list of this years Golden Raspberry nominations is below. Worst Picture The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Meg 2: The Trench Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Actor Russell Crowe - The Popes Exorcist Vin Diesel - Fast X Chris Evans - Ghosted Jason Statham - Meg 2: The Trench Jon Voight - Mercy Worst Actress Ana de Armas - Ghosted Megan Fox - Johnny & Clyde Salma Hayek - Magic Mikes Last Dance Jennifer Lopez - The Mother Dame Helen Mirren - Shazam! Fury of the Gods Worst Supporting Actress Kim Cattrall - About My Father Megan Fox - Expend4bles Bai Ling - Johnny & Clyde Lucy Liu - Shazam! Fury of the Gods Mary Stuart Masterson - Five Nights at Freddys Worst Supporting Actor Michael Douglas - Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Mel Gibson - Confidential Informant Bill Murray - Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Franco Nero (as The Pope) - The Popes Exorcist Sylvester Stallone - Expend4ables Worst Screen Couple Any 2 Merciless Mercenaries - Expend4bles Any 2 Money-Grubbing Investors Who Donated to the $400 Million for Remake Rights to The Exorcist Ana de Armas & Chris Evans (who flunked Screen Chemistry) - Ghosted Salma Hayek & Channing Tatum - Magic Mikes Last Dance Pooh & Piglet as Blood-Thirsty Slasher/Killers(!) - Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel Ant Man & The Wasp: Quantumania The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and The Dial ofStill Beating a Dead Horse Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey Worst Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield - Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey David Gordon Green - The Exorcist: Believer Peyton Reed - Ant Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Scott Waugh - Expend4bles Ben Wheatley - Meg 2: The Trench Worst Screenplay The Exorcist: Believer Expend4bles Indiana Jones and the Dial ofCan I go home now? Shazam! Fury of the Gods Winnie the Pooh: Blood & Honey For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Experts from the UN called on China to drop all charges against Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and media mogul Jimmy Lai and release him immediately. Mr Lai, a 76-year-old UK citizen and founder of now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, is facing the prospect of life in prison if found guilty of sedition and collusion charges brought against him under the draconian national security laws. He pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this month. "Jimmy Lais arrest, detention and series of criminal proceedings over the past few years appear to be directly related to his criticism of the Chinese government and his support for democracy in Hong Kong SAR, four UN experts said on Monday. The statement was signed by special rapporteurs Irene Khan, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, Alice Jill Edwards, and Margaret Satterthwaite. It comes amid the ongoing trial at a Hong Kong court, which is expected to last nearly 80 days and well into March. The trial is being closely monitored by Western democracies and condemned by the UK and the US as an "attempt to stop the peaceful exercise of (Mr Lais) rights to freedom of expression and association. "We are alarmed by the multiple and serious violations of Jimmy Lais freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and his right to a fair trial, including the denial of access to a lawyer of his own choosing and the handpicking of judges by the authorities, they added. The experts previously raised their concerns with authorities in 2020 and 2023, according to the UN's human rights body. "We expressed our concerns about the National Security Law before it was enacted and will continue to do so," they added. Mr Lai is the most high profile of nearly 300 people arrested under the Beijing-imposed security laws criticised by rights activists as a weapon to throttle dissent. He is facing charges of colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiring with others to release seditious publications. Mr Lai has already spent more than 1,000 days in detention since he was arrested in August 2020. China's human rights record will be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group on Tuesday in Geneva. It is a "once-in-a-five-year chance, which must not be missed, to raise Mr Lais case on the UN level in the full view of the international community", said Benedict Rogers, co-founder of Hong Kong Watch. "... Mr Lais case must be a priority not only for the UN Special Rapporteurs, but also for UN Member States, to stand up against violations of human rights and the dismantling of the rule of law in Hong Kong." Meanwhile, on the day 14 of the trial, a former Apple Daily publisher said Mr Lai believed it was not a big deal that protesters wreaked havoc in shops during the democracy movement in Hong Kong. Cheung Kim-hung, who worked for Mr Lai for nearly three decades, reportedly told the court that the media mogul found young protesters "brave" and didn't find shops being vandalised during the agitation to be an "issue". He believed the teenagers were fearless and committed to the social movement, Mr Cheung said, according to The Standard. Mr Cheung previously testified that his boss had instructed the editorial staff to use the newspaper to encourage people to join protests in Hong Kong and draw the attention of Western nations. He is one of the six former Apple Daily staff to plead guilty in November 2022 to conspiracy to commit collusion with a foreign country. Other prosecution witnesses include former associate publisher Chan Pui-man, former editorial writer Yeung Ching-kee, activist Andy Li and paralegal Chan Tsz-wah. They have all pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at the end of the trial. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A shrine in Japan that organises the famous Naked Man festival will allow women to participate for the first time in its 1,250-year history. A group of local women in Inazawa, in Japans Aichi prefecture, are all set to join the annual Hadaka Matsuri, held in February at the Konomiya shrine. While the women will remain fully clothed and avoid the traditional violent clash of near-naked men in loincloths, they will participate in the naoizasa ritual, which will require them to carry bamboo grass wrapped in cloth into the shrine grounds. Naked Man festival in Japan to include women for the first time in its 1250-year history ( YouTube) Men typically wear a minimal ensemble, consisting of a Japanese loincloth known as a fundoshi and a pair of white socks called tabi. The festival, celebrating the abundance of harvest, prosperity, and fertility, kicks off around 3.20pm local time. The Mainichi reported that this is the first time a group of about 40 local women will be a part of the ancient event. In 2023, due to the pandemic, the bamboo grass offering was conducted in both half-naked and clothed formats. For the 2024 edition, the womens group plans to dedicate the bamboo grass at a different time from the mens ceremony. Ayaka Suzuki, 36, was quoted in Yomiuri Shimbun saying that she had wanted to take part in the festival ever since she was a little girl. She said she used to think: I couldve participated if I were a boy! Ms Suzuki serves as the vice chair of a womens group that advocated for the inclusion of women in the festival. At a press conference recently, she said: Id like to pray for the safety of my family and for the people affected by the Noto peninsula earthquake [which struck Japan this month]. I will take good care of myself until the day of the festival. Around 10,000 people are expected to take part. Mitsugu Katayama, an official of the organising committee told South China Morning Post: We have not been able to hold the festival like we used to for the past three years because of the pandemic and, in the time, we received a lot of requests from women in the town to take part. Meanwhile, the decision has been praised by local women and gender activists, who say it is a positive step in their pursuit of equality. Many believe that the decision to involve women more prominently in the festival at the Konomiya shrine may be motivated by a broader demographic challenge. As many rural communities face population decline due to young people migrating to cities for employment, towns are left predominantly inhabited by the elderly and infirm. The need for increased participation in ancient traditions, regardless of gender, is seen as crucial to ensuring the continuation of cultural practices in the face of declining community populations. We hope they will be able to keep the tradition alive in the future, Mieko Itano, a spokeswoman from the Okayama tourism board, told CNN Travel in 2020. In the festival, the half-stripped men aim to snatch one of two 20cm-long shingi, wooden sticks thrown by a priest into the crowd. The sticks, thrown among 100 bundles of twigs, are meant to bring a year of good fortune to whoever is lucky enough to catch them. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Flash flooding has sparked an emergency declaration in San Diego after four inches of rain fell in six hours on Monday. San Diego mayor Todd Gloria declared a state of emergency after homes were inundated and cars were overturned as torrential rain swept through southern California over a roughly six-hour period on Monday. Flood waters swept away vehicles and caused cars to pile on top of each other, while several feet of water inundated the Mountain View, Shelltown and Southcrest neighbourhoods, as well as multiple highways. Meanwhile, three inches of rain fell in National City, while San Diego International Airport was hit with two inches of rain the fifth-highest single-day total for any time of year since the National Weather Service began tracking rainfall totals in 1850, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The San Diego Fire Department performed over 20 emergency rescue operations along the San Diego and Tijuana rivers, with at least eight migrants rescued after they were endangered by the floodwaters of the Tijuana River Valley on the US side, authorities said. Hundreds of residents in Southcrest also had to be rescued by firefighters as standing water quickly surrounded their apartment complex, according to authorities. No injuries were reported. A car sits along a flooded road during the rainstorm in San Diego (AP) Mayor Gloria said a high school in San Diego was being used as a temporary shelter after about 100 homes were in some way affected by the flooding. Sean Mahoney, regional CEO for the American Red Cross Southern California Region, added that the shelter would be able to house 375 people, providing hot meals and mental health support. A woman walks by cars damaged by floods during a rainstorm in San Diego on Monday (AP) Two homeless centres have also been relocated. Further up north, the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management issued an evacuation warning near Topanga Canyon effective through Tuesday morning due to possible mud or debris flow. Mayor Gloria has urged residents to stay off the roads amid the severe weather, which has also caused schools in La Mesa and Spring Valley to close. I strongly urge residents to please avoid any flooded areas and any unnecessary travel, he said in a statement. A woman removes debris from floods on Monday (AP) Mayor Gloria added that while flooding was predicted, the short amount of time that the rain fell in was a surprise. This weather event was predicted, in terms of rain, but the amount of rain in the short amount of time was a bit of a surprise to, I think, everybody, he said at a news conference on Tuesday. Residents were also left in shock by the damage caused to the city in such a short space of time. Eddie Ochoa told the Associated Press he and his sister went out for breakfast on Monday morning and returned to find their entire block was flooded and his sisters parked car had been washed away. All that happened within an hour, Mr Ochoa said. He added that they later found his sisters car about three miles down the street. Its never been that bad, ever. Its crazy, he said. Snowfall is also expected across large parts of California on Tuesday. An avalanche warning is in place for the backcountry in the mountains around the Lake Tahoe area, with more than a foot of snow expected in the region, according to the Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee. Mondays storm came after an Arctic blast hit much of the US last week, bringing snow, flooding and freezing rain. Cars swept down swamped roads as flooding wreaks havoc across San Diego (Accuweather) Dozens of people are believed to have died from hyperthermia or road deaths caused by the treacherous conditions. At a news conference, Mayor Gloria said he had just returned from a conference of US mayors in Washington, where attendees agreed that extreme weather, fueled by the climate crisis, was the new normal. It doesnt matter what mayor from what part of the country, what you see is people having experiences exactly like this one, he said. Were used to snow, but not this much snow, or, were used to rain but not this much rain. These unusual weather patterns that are really beyond peoples typical experience... its exactly what all of us are describing and why so many of us are so active on the issue of climate change. Additional reporting by the Associated Press Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The recent Arctic blasts across the United States left some electric vehicle (EV) owners in a jam. Fast-draining batteries, slow charging, long queues, and cars being towed after running out of power were reported from Illinois and Michigan to Texas. Sub-zero temperatures arent great for EV battery life - neither, of course, are they for gasoline-powered cars which more frequently break down in freezing conditions. New research from a Norwegian breakdown service revealed that electric cars fail less in extreme cold than fossil fuel-powered vehicles. Nevertheless, concerns about the range and longevity of EV lithium-ion batteries remain a sticking point for sales. A Tesla charges in an ice-covered parking lot on January 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. A breakthrough in battery techonology could vastly improve power longevity for electric vehicles (Getty Images) An Ipsos study last year found that along with the cost, the barrier for many people in buying an EV was concern about the lack of charging stations and battery life. The findings signal a spanner in the works of US climate plans. More than a quarter of the countrys greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation and to that end, the Biden administration is aiming for at least half of new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. EVs currently make up about 9 per cent of new US vehicle sales, according to industry tracker EV Hub. But a recent breakthrough by a team of scientists at Harvard University could help overcome these hurdles. Researchers from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) reported earlier this month that they have developed a new solid-state battery that can be charged in the time that it takes to fill up a tank of gas - and repeated at least 6,000 times. At the moment, EVs, laptops and other electronics that need energy storage, typically use lithium-ion batteries in a flat, compact pouch cell design. But the power of lithium-ion batteries, as demonstrated, can only take larger machines so far. There has also been evidence of these types of batteries catching fire. Last June, four people died after a lithium-ion battery caught fire in an e-bike store in New York and spread to apartments above. In December, a fire broke out on a cargo ship carrying nearly 2,000 tons of lithium-ion batteries off Alaskas coast. The race to develop solid-state batteries has ramped up in the past few years as the technology is widely considered essential to spurring a nationwide switch from gas-powered cars to electric. Companies including Volkswagen and Toyota have been working on their own solid-state batteries, aiming to get them into vehicles by the end of the decade. Dr Xin Li, associate professor of materials science at Harvard, described solid-state batteries as the holy grail. While they look similar to lithium-ion models on the outside, solid-state batteries replace the liquid, organic electrolyte with a material like a high-tech ceramic. This conducts better than liquid, and its non-flammable so its safer, Dr Xin Li told The Independent. The Harvard teams postage stamp-sized battery retained 80 per cent capacity after 6,000 cycles, and showed good performance at low temperatures. It outperforms other solid-state batteries on the market today, the scientists said, after they discovered a new way to make it with a lithium metal anode, which has ten times the capacity of the typical, commercial graphite anodes. With their new multilayer, multi-material design, the Harvard scientists were able to overcome the major challenge of dendrites- root-like structures which grow from the surface of the anode into the electrolyte and can pierce the barrier separating the opposing cathode, leading the battery to short, or worse, catch fire. The long battery lifetime - equivalent to 30 years - could dramatically reduce the cost of an EV. If the consumer spends less money to buy an EV that will really drive global electrification, Dr Li said. The ability to charge the battery in a matter of minutes also means that it has very high power density, increasing the possibilities for its use. Its not just electrical vehicles, it could be electric planes which need a lot of power to take off, he added. Dr Li began working on solid-state batteries in earnest when he started at Harvard in 2015 after stints at MIT, Cal Tech, Penn State, and Nanjing University in China. I had several dozen projects in parallel but after a couple of years, I realized the potential of solid-state battery, and I focused more on it, he said. In 2021, he and Harvard colleagues created a company, Adden Energy, to license and scale up the technology. A US car company has already tested their solid-state battery and found it to have the same positive results as in their internal testing, Dr Li said. A few other car companies are in the pipeline to test our batteries, he added. The US governments Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has dedicated $6bn to building out the domestic industry in battery materials, manufacturing and storage as the world rapidly shifts from fossil fuels to electrification. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} At least 20 people were killed in a landslide in Chinas Yunnan province on Monday, as rescuers raced to find dozens buried in the remote mountainous area in sub-zero temperatures. Some 24 people remain missing after the disaster which struck Liangshui village at around 6am, burying 18 homes. Two others were injured, and about 500 people had to be evacuated from the area. State news agency Xinhua, citing a preliminary investigation by local experts, said the landslide was triggered by the collapse of a steep cliff-top area, with the collapsed mass measuring around 100m wide, 60m in height, and about an average of 6m in thickness. It did not elaborate on what caused the initial collapse. Rescuers struggled with snow, icy roads, and freezing temperatures that were forecast to persist for at least the next three days. More than 300 rescue workers were deployed along with 50 emergency units to locate the missing, reported South China Morning Post. President Xi Jinping also assigned Chinese vice premier Zhang Guoqing to lead the rescue efforts. [We should] promptly organise rescue teams, make all-out efforts to search for missing individuals, and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible, Mr Xi said, according to Communist Party mouthpiece Peoples Daily. The country has allocated disaster relief funds of RMB50m (5.5m), reported Xinhua, citing Chinas ministry of emergency management. "The mountain just collapsed, dozens were buried," a man surnamed Gu, who witnessed the landslide, told the state-owned TV station for the neighbouring province of Guizhou. Mr Gu said four of his relatives were buried under the rubble. This picture taken on 22 January 2024 shows Chinese military police and rescue workers searching for missing victims at a landslide site in Liangshui village in Zhaotong, in southwestern Chinas Yunnan province (AFP via Getty Images) "They were all sleeping in their homes," he said. Luo Dongmei, 35, was sleeping when the landslide struck, but she survived and was relocated to a school building by local authorities. "I was asleep, but my brother knocked on the door and woke me up. They said there was a landslide and the bed was shaking, so they rushed upstairs and woke us up," Ms Luo said. Ms Luo, her husband and their three children, along with many other residents, have been provided with food at the school but are still waiting for blankets and other protection from the cold weather, she said. Luo said shes been unable to contact her sister and aunt, who lived closer to the site of the landslide. "The only thing I can do is to wait," she said. Firefighters were climbing through the rubble searching for survivors in light snow, CCTV reported. Zhengxiong county lies about 2,250km southwest of Beijing, with altitudes ranging as high as 2,400m. Heavy snow has been falling in many parts of China, causing transportation chaos and endangering lives. Yunnan is among several provinces in the countrys southern region currently experiencing bitterly cold temperatures, according to the National Meteorological Centre. Additional reporting by agencies Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Sofia Vergara has finally revealed why her marriage to Joe Manganiello ended after seven years. The Modern Family star, 51, recently opened up about her split from the Magic Mike actor, 47, in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais on 15 January. Back in July 2023, representatives for the former couple issued a statement to Page Six about their separation. We have made the difficult decision to divorce, Vergara and Manganiello said in the statement. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives. Two days later, Manganiello filed for divorce and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the couples split. Speaking to El Pais, Vergara confirmed speculation that the pair had conflicting opinions about having children, which led to their divorce. Im newly divorced from my second husband, who I was with for 10 years. My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids and I didnt want to be an old mom, Vergara told the outlet. While the Americas Got Talent judge is already a mother to son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara from a previous marriage, she explained that having another child was not in the cards for her. I feel its not fair to the baby, she continued. I respect whoever does it, but thats not for me anymore. I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and Im ready to be a grandmother, not a mother. Vergara went on to admit that if love comes along in the future, then whoever she dates has to come with his own children. Im almost in menopause; its the natural way of things, she added. When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then Ill give it back to him and go on with my life; thats what I have to do. Prior to her relationship with Manganiello, the Colombian-American actor married her high school sweetheart, Joe Gonzalez, at age 18. They welcomed their son Manolo in September 1991, before divorcing in 1993. Vergara and Manganiello first met in May 2014 while attending the White House Correspondents Association dinner. They went on their first date in June of that year while Vergara was filming Hot Pursuit, Manganiello recalled in an interview with Haute Living in 2015. He acknowledged that they got to know each other in a short time, before he went and got a ring and made it official in December 2014. In 2018, three years after getting married, Manganiello told Cigar Aficionado that the biggest adjustment for him was coming to grips with the idea that someone who is not related to you could possibly love you that much. She was it for me, he said, adding: People say things like: Marriage and relationships are work. But its not. Life is hard. Having somebody to help you deal with it is the greatest thing that ever happened. Manganiello is reportedly dating 33-year-old actor Caitlin OConnor. Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Stay ahead of the trend in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Lifestyle Edit email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Duchess of York has said she is in shock after being diagnosed with a malignant melanoma less than a year after undergoing surgery for breast cancer, but added that she remains in good spirits. Sarah Ferguson, the mother of princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, said she was taking some time for herself after being diagnosed with skin cancer, following her treatment for breast cancer last summer. She broke her silence for the first time since the news emerged in a post on Instagram, where she thanked her medical team and confirmed that she was now resting at home with her family. The duchesss cancer diagnosis is just the latest health scare to hit the royal family in recent days. The Princess of Wales is in hospital recuperating after undergoing successful abdominal surgery last week. She was visited by her husband Prince William at The London Clinic after the planned procedure, which was said to be a routine one. Meanwhile, the King revealed he would go into hospital this week for treatment for an enlarged prostate. His condition was described as benign. During a visit to Swindon on Monday, Queen Camilla told a member of the public that Charles is fine as he prepares to undergo treatment. Jessie Jackson, 86, from Swindon, said that she shook the Queens hand and asked her how Charles was doing. Sarah Ferguson shared a photo of herself smiling and dressed a vivid red warm winter coat while leaning on a small bridge over a river, apparently in Austria (Instagram) Camilla thanked her for asking and said he was fine. Both senior royals have cancelled upcoming public appearances and commitments so they can recuperate. The Duke of Yorks ex-wife shared a photo of herself smiling and dressed in a vivid red warm winter coat while leaning on a small bridge over a river, apparently in Austria. The duchess, 64, who underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery last year, recuperated at the Mayrlife Clinic in Austria after being treated in London. She said: I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year after I was diagnosed with breast cancer this summer and underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. It was thanks to the great vigilance of my dermatologist that the melanoma was detected when it was. Naturally another cancer diagnosis has been a shock but Im in good spirits and grateful for the many messages of love and support. Sarah Ferguson said she was shocked but grateful for an early diagnosis (AP) The duchess also praised the medics who cared for her, adding: I believe my experience underlines the importance of checking the size, shape, colour and texture and emergence of new moles that can be a sign of melanoma and urge anyone who is reading this to be diligent. I am resting with family at home now, feeling blessed to have their love and support. A spokesman said on Sunday that she was undergoing further investigations to ensure the disease had been caught in the early stages. The duchess joined the other senior royals for the annual Christmas get-together at Sandringham in Norfolk in December, a sign she was back in the royal fold. Since her divorce from Prince Andrew in 1996, she has forged a new career as a successful author. She remains close to her former husband and they still share a family home in Windsor. Additional reporting by agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Russian national has been sanctioned by the Australian government for his role in a cyber attack that compromised the personal information of more than 10 million Australians. In October 2022, client data from Medibank, Australias largest health insurer, was released by an extortionist, including details of HIV diagnoses and drug abuse treatments, after the company refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of current and former customers. On Tuesday, the Australian government imposed its cyber sanction powers for the first time against Aleksandr Ermakov after Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies, with support from undisclosed global partners made the link between the Russian citizen and the cyber attack. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the sanctions imposed are part of Australias efforts to expose cyber criminals and debilitate groups engaging in cyber attacks. In our current strategic circumstances we continue to see governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and households in Australia targeted by malicious cyber actors," Marles said in a statement on Tuesday. We continue to work with our friends and partners around the world to ensure cyber criminals are held to account for their actions and we will relentlessly pursue activities which disrupt their capability to target Australians in the cyber space. This sanction makes it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, to provide assets to Ermakov, or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the sanction sends a clear message to cyber criminals. There are costs and consequences for targeting Australia and targeting Australians, she said in a statement. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rwandan authorities accused Burundi's leader of making incendiary allegations aimed at inciting division among Rwandans, raising tensions that persist after Burundi closed all border crossings with Rwanda earlier this month. Relations between Rwanda and Burundi have deteriorated in recent weeks after Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye renewed accusations that Rwanda is funding and training the rebels of the RED-Tabara group. Burundian authorities consider RED-Tabara a terrorist movement and accuse its members of being part of a failed coup attempt in 2015. The group first appeared in 2011 and has been accused of a string of attacks in Burundi since 2015. Ndayishimiye spoke of Rwandan youth in captivity at an event in the Congolese capital Kinshasa on Sunday, saying the region needs to continue to fight until Rwandan people put pressure on their own government. He was addressing a youth conference after attending the inauguration of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi. He apparently spoke in his other capacity as the African Union Champion for Youth, Peace and Security. In a statement late Monday, Rwandan authorities described Ndayishimiye's remarks as inflammatory," saying calls for an uprising against the government undermine unity in Rwanda and threaten regional security. For anyone to try and undermine this progress by calling on young Rwandans to overthrow their government is troubling. But for a leader of a neighboring country to do so, from an African Union platform, is deeply irresponsible and a flagrant violation of the African Union Charter," the statement said. Earlier this month Burundi closed all border crossings with Rwanda and started deporting Rwandan citizens, asserting that it was responding to Rwanda's alleged support for RED-Tabara. Those rebels attacked the Burundian village of Gatumba near the Congo border last month, killing at least 20 people. RED-Tabara, which is based in the South Kivu province of eastern Congo, took responsibility for the attack in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. As long as they have a country that provides them with uniforms, feeds them, protects them, shelters them, maintains them, we will have problems, Ndayishimiye said in a national radio broadcast last month, referring to RED-Tabara. Rwanda has repeatedly denied the allegations. Rwanda and Burundi are both members of the East African Community bloc, whose trade ambitions have suffered in recent years amid sporadic flare-ups that undermine the free movement of people and goods. Congolese authorities also cite Rwandan aggression in eastern Congo, where government troops are fighting to dislodge the violent M23 rebels who control some territory there. Rwanda denies having authority over M23. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Hundreds of police officers are being investigated in the wake of Sarah Everards murder with nine staff facing criminal probes. The screening of officers, staff and volunteers comes in the wake of the Casey Review into the culture and standards in the Metropolitan Police, following Ms Everards murder by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens in 2021 the first in a string of shocking crimes linked to rogue police. A total of 461 officers and police staff who slipped through the net are being criminally investigated, revetted or facing disciplinary proceedings after being identified in a mass screening of police employees across the country although campaigners have suggested the relatively low numbers simply dont stack up. Five police officers and four members of police staff are facing criminal inquiries, including over alleged sexual offences, theft, drug offences and fraud. Meanwhile, some 88 are facing disciplinary investigations and have been referred to the police watchdog or a professional standards body. One officer is being probed over allegations about their sexual conduct, while one police staff member is being investigated over discriminatory conduct. More than 65 per cent of the disciplinary investigations were launched into officers and staff at the Metropolitan Police, which is currently in special measures. During Baroness Caseys inquiry which found the force was institutionally racist, misogynistic and homophobic another Met officer, David Carrick, was unmasked as one of Britains worst sex offenders and jailed for 32 years for raping and abusing multiple women. Former officer Adam Provan was also jailed for 16 years for multiple rapes while serving at the Met. Campaigner Anna Birley, of Reclaim These Streets, said it is shocking that these officers are only being identified almost three years after Ms Everard was kidnapped and murdered by a serving officer. That means there have been hundreds of officers at the end of the phone at peoples most terrifying moments who cant be trusted, she told The Independent. The number of officers shows it isnt just a few bad apples. Staff who commit a crime or behave in a discriminatory or predatory way is only the tip of the iceberg the bit we dont see and the bit these numbers dont tell us is how many of their colleagues knew there was a problem. And that is a cultural problem that cant be fixed by screening a database. It requires institutional reform. Sarah Everard was raped and killed as she walked home in south London on 3 March 2021 (PA Media) The 461 officers were flagged in the nationwide checks of 307,452 officers, the largest-ever integrity screening exercise undertaken by police, led by the National Police Chiefs Council. Forces said management intervention was needed for 128 officers and staff flagged in the screening which could mean the use of existing professional standards practices such as requiring officers to submit business interests for further consideration. A total of 97 required no further action. Other cases deemed less serious were reviewed internally by forces but they were not required to provide the numbers to the NPCC. The Centre for Womens Justice (CWJ), which published a police super-complaint in 2020 over police-perpetrated domestic abuse, noted the findings were lower than expected. It comes after the Met Police said last year it was re-examining 1,131 past allegations in the category of sexual or domestic abuse against women alone. CWJ director Harriet Wistrich said the figures simply do not stack up. The outcome that only a tiny number of police officers from across the country have been found to require further investigation does not accord with recent findings within the Met police alone as revealed in the Baroness Casey report and Operation Onyx, she added. Neither does it accord with the evidence we have collected from women who have come forward to CWJ following our police super-complaint submitted in March 2020. The explanation for such a virtually clean bill of health must lie in the significant problems in the collection of data that the police themselves have identified. Wayne Couzens received a whole life order for the murder of Sarah Everard (PA) There was widespread condemnation of the police response to a vigil for Ms Everard organised by Reclaim These Streets in the weeks after her death. However, campaign group founder Ms Birley does not feel there has been significant progress on police misogyny. Calling for urgent reform, she said: I dont think that the situation for women is any better than it was three years ago, five years ago or 10 years ago. There are still institutional issues with misogyny with the police. NPCC chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens said the screening was a significant task. Police forces responded with urgency, enabling us to carry out the largest integrity screening project that policing has ever seen. Despite the comparatively low numbers of returns, the exercise was important in ensuring we have a strong foundation on which to build an automated process, he added. We look forward to working with our colleagues across government and policing to make this a reality. I hope that it gives further reassurance to communities, and to colleagues in policing, that the overwhelming majority of the workforce can be trusted, and that if you are involved in wrongdoing, there is no place to hide. David Carrick was unmasked as one of the UKs worst sex offenders last year when he was convicted of 49 offences including 24 rapes (PA Media) The review also unearthed 400 cases where officers, staff or volunteers had been victims of or witnesses to a crime not previously known about by their employer. Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, NPCC lead for the data wash, said although cases of concern had been identified, the low number and action taken should provide reassurance that we are committed to the highest standards of integrity. The Met, the countrys largest police force, said no criminal investigations were triggered as a result of the screening although 58 disciplinary investigations into misconduct or gross misconduct were launched. Commander James Harman said: The Met was one of the first forces to carry out a data wash of our entire 50,000-employee workforce, finding a comparatively small amount of information needing further investigation, and nothing of a criminal nature. The task of checking every employee against the national database was a critical one and aligns to our significant steps to root out those who have no place in the Met. Plans are under way to set up regular police database screening for all police service employees. Donna Jones, chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, said individuals identified by the screening exercise will be dealt with swiftly. She added: Where individuals of concern have been identified, PCCs will hold their force chiefs to account locally to ensure that they are dealt with appropriately and swiftly. PCCs also support chief constables call for a permanent and ongoing system for the monitoring of police and staff and will work with policing partners and government to identify and implement the most effective solution as quickly as possible. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} King Charles needs to slow down a bit after being diagnosed with an enlarged prostate, the Queen has reportedly said. The monarch is resting at his Sandringham estate and was pictured driving there ahead of a planned surgery for the benign condition. Charles cancelled several engagements following the diagnosis, which he got following a check-up after having experienced symptoms. The health scare came after a busy 2023 for Charles, who made state visits to France, Germany and Kenya. King is pictured driving around his Sandringham Estate (Paul Marriott) The Queen has told him he needs to slow down a bit, a source told The Sun. The royal family was hit by an unprecedented double health scare last week , with the update about the King coming after the palace announced that the Princess of Wales was in hospital after successful abdominal surgery. And on Sunday the Duchess of York announced that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer - her second bout of the disease in a year following her treatment for breast cancer last summer. On a visit to a family-run jewellery shop in Swindon on Monday, Camilla told a member of the public that the King is fine ahead of his procedure. The King was reportedly keen to share details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who might be experiencing similar symptoms to get themselves checked. Princess of Wales is recovering from abdominal surgery (PA) Benign prostate enlargement (BPE) is the medical term to describe an enlarged prostate, a condition that can affect how you urinate. BPE is common in men aged over 50. Its not a cancer and its not usually a serious threat to health but many men worry that having an enlarged prostate means they have an increased risk of developing prostate cancer. This is not the case. Buckingham Palace has not said where or when the King will have his surgery, but members of the royal family usually receive their care at The London Clinic, which is where Kate is recuperating for up to two weeks after abdominal surgery last week. Sarah Ferguson also revealed she has been diagnosed with skin cancer ( sarahferguson15/Instagram) Around 155 different conditions are treated at the hospital, which also operates as a charity, reinvesting in research, education and innovation. Past patients include the late Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Princess Margaret and former US president John F Kennedy. Former prime minister and current foreign secretary, Lord David Cameron, was born at the central London hospital, and actress Elizabeth Taylor was also treated at the clinic after falling on a film set in the 1960s. Kate received her abdominal surgery at the hospital. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Sarah Fergusons family have been rallying around the royal as she recovers from the shock at being diagnosed with skin cancer - and the one person likely providing support to the Duchess of York is her ex-husband Prince Andrew. The former royal couple have been divorced for 28 years but still share a lasting bond despite both having endured a series of scandals that would have driven others apart. Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew at their wedding day in 1986 (Getty Images) Fergie has stood by Prince Andrew during the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, providing soothing words to her former lover as he was forced to step back from royal duties in 2019. She described him as a very good and kind man and gushingly described their wedding day on July 23 1986 as extraordinary and an exceptional day. Andrew for his part, rushed to be at Fergies side following her treatment for breast cancer last summer at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire, where they live together. They share two daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, but suffered a difficult romance that was often stymied by Andrews Royal Navy service that meant he was away for long periods of times. Prior to their courtship, Andrew was considered one of the countrys most eligible bachelors and earned himself the nickname Randy Andy after being linked to a string of women. Prince Andrew, Duke of York (L), Sarah, Duchess of York (2L) Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (2R) and Britain's Princess Beatrice of York (R) arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in eastern England (AFP via Getty Images) He was widely respected for his exploits during the Falklands War as a Sea King helicopter pilot and speculation was often rife as to who he would end up marrying. And it was the bubbly, flame-haired Fergie, the daughter of Major Ronald Ferguson, King Charless polo manager, who stole his heart. The duo had met as children but didnt see each other as adults until 1985 at Royal Ascot, in a meeting reportedly orchestrated by Princess Diana. Less than a year after they met Andrew proposed on 19 February 1986 at Floors Castle in Scotland on his 26th birthday. He gifted Fergie a bespoke ring designed by himself that featured an oval-cut Burmese ruby that reminded him of her hair. At the opulent wedding ceremony they shared a passionate embrace on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in front of hundreds of thousands of wellwishers and appeared set for a life of royal service. However, despite having two wonderful children, cracks started to appear in the marriage due to Andrews commitment to his naval career leaving out of the country. Prince Andrew, Princess Beatrice, The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and her sister Jane Luedeckee at All Saints Church, Odiham, Hampshire, England for a Thanksgiving Service (Getty Images) The duchess told US TV host Ernie Manouse in 2010: My deal was that I was marrying my man, who happened to be a prince and a naval officer. But what I got was not the man, I got the palace and didnt get him... and the courtiers told me I had to go to Buckingham Palace and he had to go to sea. For our marriage, I saw him 40 days a year. The royal couple separated in January 1992 and later divorced in 1996. The duchess became embroiled in one of the most notorious royal scandals ever after being pictured having her toes sucked by multimillionaire businessman John Bryan while she sunbathed topless in the south of France. Her tabloid scandals led to a swift banishment from the royal family, but Andrew and the duchess remained close friends. BBC handout file photo showing the Duke of York speaking about his links to Jeffrey Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis (Mark Harrison/BBC/PA) Andrews love life however became overshadowed by a string of more serious controversies that would lead to him becoming a figure of worldwide ridicule. After leaving the Royal Navy after 22 years service he became the UKs special representative for international trade and investment, but his 10 years in the role generated a great deal of controversy. He faced questions over his connections to politicians in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Libya and Turkmenistan. And his judgment was further questioned after he held meetings with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafis son Saif, and when he entertained the son-in-law of Tunisias ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali at Buckingham Palace. His relations with Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of the then-president of Kazakhstan, were also scrutinised after Mr Kulibayev purchased the dukes Sunninghill Park home for 3 million more than its 12 million asking price in 2007. Simon Wilson Britains deputy head of mission in Bahrain from 2001 to 2005 wrote in the Daily Mail that the duke was more commonly known among the British diplomatic community in the Gulf as HBH: His Buffoon Highness. However it was his relationship with American financier and convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein that shattered his reputation and led to his banishment from front line royal duties [Andrew has always fiercely denied any wrongdoing]. Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma (Joe Giddens/PA) Andrew paid millions to settle a civil sexual assault lawsuit to a woman he claimed never to have met, Virginia Guiffre. He denied the claims and attempted to clear his name in an infamous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis that heaped further humiliation on the duke. Despite each of their respective controversies and problems, they could each rely on each other, despite splitting up almost three decades ago. As well as continuing to live together at the Royal Lodge, they have also been on holiday numerous times, and met up for a royal engagement in Bahrain in 2019. They also co-owned a Swiss ski chalet that was reportedly sold to a British family for 19million so the duke could cover the legal costs arising from the fallout of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. There were even rumours the two were considering remarrying. In 2013, during a promotional event for her childrens book, Ferguson was asked if she and Andrew would remarry. She said: Hes still my handsome prince, hell always be my handsome prince. Its lovely that we are such a family and the story has a happy ending all the time. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A teacher who asked one of his pupils if she was still a virgin before trying to buy her silence has been banned from the profession for life. Enda Feeney, a biology teacher at Trinity Catholic High School in Woodford Green, Essex, sent messages of a sexual nature to the schoolgirl before paying her 500 in hush money. He was suspended from his role on 5 March 2021 after complaints were raised about his behaviour with the student, who he arranged to meet outside of school. Mr Feeney also asked the pupil if she would be up for cuddles and kisses, a professional conduct panel head. I like you so it would be pretty much up to what you wanted, he told the young student, referred to as Pupil A, when asked why he wanted to meet. The pupil threatened to report Mr Feeney to his employers if he didnt give her 3,000. Mr Feeney, who started working at the school in 1987, admitted handing over 500 to the pupil to stop all this nonsense after they had an exchange and settled on the figure. He admitted meeting the pupil, exchanging money for her not to report him, and that he was dishonest and lacking integrity. The former biology teacher also admitted to asking the pupil if she would consider having a fling with him and asking whether she would mind sending a pic before adding doesnt have to be naughty. In an interview with police, Mr Feeney said: I out of curiosity downloaded [an app] and put some likes on her videos. She wanted to know who I was and after some exchange of text happened she asked how old I was and I said 54 and she asked if I wanted to be her sugar daddy and I must have agreed and she said she would send me naughty pictures for 20. And I dont know, I must have been possessed. The panel concluded that Mr Feeney had acted in a sexually motivated manner with conduct that lacked integrity. Sarah Buxcey, the decision maker on behalf of the secretary of state for education, wrote: In this case, factors mean that allowing a review period is not sufficient to achieve the aim of maintaining public confidence in the profession. These elements are the seriousness of the findings involving sexually motivated conduct with a pupil. She added: I consider therefore that allowing for no review period is necessary to maintain public confidence and is proportionate and in the public interest. This means that Mr Enda Feeney is prohibited from teaching indefinitely and cannot teach in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation or childrens home in England. Mr Feeney has also been banned from applying to restore his teaching eligibility. Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Living Well email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The grieving mother of a 20-year-old woman who died after having weight-loss surgery in Turkey has spoken out days after her death, saying she never wants this to happen to another daughter. Morgan Ribeiro travelled from her home in south London to Turkey for a 2,500 gastric sleeve operation earlier this month, with partner Jamie Brewster saying she had researched her options thoroughly because she did not want to spend years on an NHS waiting list. But after being given the green light to fly home three days after the procedure on 5 January, Ms Ribeiro fell seriously ill during the flight back to Gatwick Airport, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Serbia, where she was rushed to hospital. Medics informed Mr Brewster, 19, that his girlfriend was going into septic shock. He said doctors at the hospital told him they had to operate on Ms Ribeiro after discovering her small intestine had been cut during the gastric sleeve procedure, which led to an infection. The family says surgeons removed 10cm of her small intestine and were hopeful she would pull through. However, on 9 January the family said Ms Ribeiro suffered a heart attack and she was put in an induced coma. She died four days later at 4am. Morgans mother described her a loving, caring girl who loved singing (Provided) Speaking days after her death, her mother Erin Gibson, 44, said her daughter had struggled with her weight in the past and was taunted by bullies from a young age, but that she had no idea that she was going to have the procedure. Growing up she was bullied a lot, shes always battled with her weight and been a bigger girl and she had a really rough time with it, the mother-of-five said. I told her she was beautiful inside and out, she really was a beautiful girl. Her daughter Kayleigh, 26, found out on Christmas Day that Ms Ribeiro was planning to travel to Turkey to have the surgery - the first time the 20-year-old would ever travel abroad - and begged her sister not to go through with it. Ms Gibson said: By the time I found out it was too late, she was already on the plane. I had that sinking feeling because Id heard horror stories about Turkey. I never ever want this to happen to another daughter. I dont want her life to be in vain. Erin, Morgans mother, described her as beautiful inside and out (Provided) Gastric sleeve surgery is offered to clinically obese patients to help them lose weight. It involves removing part of the stomach to leave behind a sleeve, therefore reducing the size of the stomach and limiting hunger. In September 2023 Ms Ribeiro had a virtual consultation with a company that connects prospective weight-loss patients with surgeries abroad and flew out on 4 January to have the procedure the following day. Mr Brewster recalled hospital staff and translators speaking to her about the procedure and the recovery but does not remember any mention of the dangers associated with the operation. He said she was under the knife for two-and-a-half hours and complained of discomfort when she awoke, but medics reassured her she would be fine. Morgan and Jamie were childhood sweethearts and met aged 15 (Provided) Days went by and Mr Brewster says his partner followed medical advice to keep mobile to build up her strength, although the medical company refuted this claim and said Ms Ribeiro did not follow advice to walk and stay hydrated. After being told they could return home, Mr Brewster said Ms Ribeiro was really hot and in a lot of pain while on the Wizz Air flight. He said: The flight attendant gave her some ice and water and she was finding it hard to breathe so they took her to the front of the plane where there was more space, they tried to give her an oxygen mask. I could tell something was seriously wrong. He said two doctors on board the flight rushed in to try and help before they made the emergency landing in Belgrade, Serbia, where she died in hospital five days later. Morgan as a young girl pictured with her siblings (Provided) Morgan was extremly close to her family (Provided) Now the family has launched a fundraising page to give Ms Ribeiro the best send-off they can, with her mother wanting the ceremony to be a colourful celebration of her life. They estimate the cost to repatriate her body and funeral costs will be over 10,000. She was loving, she was an artist, a drama queen, just like me, and she was beautiful inside and out, her mother said. She was outgoing, silly, friendly and loving. She loved singing and caring for others - and she worked closely with children. Ms Ribeiros death comes after another British mother-of-three, 26-year-old Demi Agoglia, died after undergoing a Brazilian bum-lift operation in Turkey. Demi Agoglia, mother who died after Brazilian Butt Lift surgery (Supplied) At the time, Maria Caulfield, the minister for mental health and womens health strategy, expressed her concerns over a lack of regulation regarding health tourism in Turkey. The organisation that connected Ms Ribeiro with the Turkish surgeon denied any wrongdoing.The Independent has reached out to the Turkish hospital and the Serbian hospital where Ms Ribeiro was treated but they are yet to respond. A Wizz Air spokesperson said: We can confirm that during a flight from Istanbul to London Gatwick we made a diversion to Belgrade due to a passenger requiring medical assistance. The health and safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority, and in this instance the passenger was disembarked from the aircraft to seek urgent medical attention. Were incredibly saddened to hear of the passenger passing away following their medical treatment and our thoughts remain with their family at this time. A government spokesman said: We are supporting the family of a British woman who died in Belgrade and are in contact with the local authorities. We urge anyone considering a medical procedure abroad to review our travel advice and the relevant guidance from the NHS and other professional bodies. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Woolworths might be making a comeback after the stores vanished from the British high street 15 years ago. CEO Roman Heini who is expanding Woolworth Germany in Europe says the UK is next on his list for potential expansion. Woolworths holds a special place in many Britons hearts who look back fondly on the brand which went into administration in 2009 after a century of providing a variety of goods to consumers. Steeped in British high-street history, Woolworths was renowned for its pick n mix, Ladybird childrens clothing range and WorthIt! Value range. Woolworths Picn Mix jar is back and filled with familiar favourites (Very) Mr Heini told the Mirror: I dont know of any brands where the recognition will be as high as it is in Britain, without having any stores. We have secured all the trademarks for the brand for the whole of Europe, so we could operate if we make the decision. It may be in the mix for the mid or long-term future. Facebook users have shared their delight as they hope for the return of the much-loved household name. The brand entered into crisis during the financial crash and Deloitte closed all 807 Woolworths stores in December 2008 and January 2009 leading to the loss of 27,000 jobs. The shock return comes as another popular high-street name Wilko made a small come-back to the high street after falling into administration in 2023. The DIY and homeware store relaunched at the end of last year by re-opening three new stores across the UK - in Plymouth, Exeter and Luton. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A government minister has accused the former presenter of Art Attack of anti-Tory bias in a bungled attack on the BBC. In an extraordinary gaffe, Huw Merriman mistakenly lashed out at Neil Buchanan for his reporting of the governments work on Universal Credit. But Mr Buchanan never reported on Universal Credit, and was in fact the presenter of the childrens arts and crafts show between 1990 and 2007. Instead, Mr Merriman appeared to be referring to BBC social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan, who has previously reported on the rollout of Universal Credit. Mr Merriman said the ex-Art Attack presenter always gave one side of the story (PA) Transport minister Mr Merriman, who was working in the Department of Work and Pensions at the time, said Mr Buchanan had always given one side of the story about Universal Credit. The extraordinary gaffe came as Mr Merriman was grilled over claims by culture secretary Lucy Frazer that the BBC is biased. Ms Frazer said she believed the broadcaster had been biassed on occasion, as she discussed a potential move for media regulator Ofcom to have more powers over the BBC News website. Neil Buchanan did not write about Universal Credit (PA) Mr Merriman was quizzed by Sky News presenter Kay Burley, who demanded evidence of the claim. He said: When I worked at the Department of Work and Pensions doing work on Universal Credit there was an individual there who would report on it, Neil Buchanan, who I always felt gave one side of the story and not the other side, which was the government side." He also suggested the corporation was biassed against the Conservatives because of its popular News Quiz. Mr Merriman told Sky News: Let me give you an example, I know that you were searching for them yesterday. I was listening to the News Quiz, which is on Radio 4 at 6.30pm on Friday when I was driving to my constituency office. "For 10 minutes all I heard, and it wasnt satirical, it was just diatribe against Conservatives, not the government. And I did listen to that and think for goodness sake, wheres the balance in that? So yes, Im afraid to say despite the fact Ive always been a big supporter of the BBC, that struck me as completely biassed. Ms Burley pointed out that the News Quiz is a comedy show, while others noted that the show has criticised left wing politicians in the past. Labours shadow culture secretary Thangam Debbonaire said: The government spending another day undermining the BBC, this time for supposed bias in a satirical news quiz, is laughable. Is this the Tories for the next few months? Is this really all they have to offer working people? Scraping the barrel. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Rishi Sunak has said the UK will not hesitate to launch further airstrikes against Iran-backed Houthi rebels if attacks on ships in the Red Sea continue. The prime minister issued the warning to the group hours after RAF jets took part in a second wave of joint US-UK action against them on Monday night. Mr Sunak told MPs: We are not seeking a confrontation. We urge the Houthis and those who enable them to stop these illegal and unacceptable attacks. But, if necessary, the United Kingdom will not hesitate to respond again in self-defence. We cannot stand by and allow these attacks to go unchallenged. Inaction is also a choice. He also rejected the Yemen-based groups claims that its attacks have been prompted by the war in Gaza. The prime minister said there was no link between our actions of self-defence in the Red Sea and the situation in Israel and Gaza. Rishi Sunak making a statement to MPs in the House of Commons (PA) He added: Those who make that link do the Houthis work for them. I want to be clear that those here at home who glorify the Houthis attacks are glorifying terrorism, plain and simple. They will be met with a zero tolerance approach. However, despite successfully hitting the designated targets, Mr Sunak admitted that there may be a difference between reducing and eliminating their capability. The Houthis, meanwhile, warned this latest strike will not go unanswered or unpunished. Since the last UK-US action 10 days ago, there had been more than 12 attacks on shipping by the Houthis in the Red Sea. David Cameron said Britain backs up our words and warnings with action (PA) Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer gave his support, for what he described as targeted action, but again called on ministers to again release their legal justification. He also said he totally rejected the idea that the Houthi attacks were linked to the situation in Gaza, as Mr Sunak faced calls from left-wing Labour MPs, including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell, for the UK to back calls for an immediate ceasefire. Sir Keir was not told in advance of the latest round of strikes, despite being informed when a similar decision was taken earlier this month. Mr Sunaks official spokesman said the governments preference was to inform the opposition leader, adding that wasnt a possibility in this instance. Officials say the joint operation by British and American warplanes took out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. Mondays strikes were significantly smaller in scale than the first joint operation, which hit as many as 60 different targets spanning the length and breadth of Houthi-controlled Yemen. The Ministry of Defence said fresh strikes were carried out against Houthi targets (PA) Despite those strikes, the Houthis have continued to target ships along the vital Red Sea and Gulf of Aden trade routes. The Houthis initially said they were targeting vessels linked to Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians suffering in Gaza, and have since expanded their missile attacks to include British and American ships. In a joint statement, the governments of the US, UK, Bahrain, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands said the precision strikes were intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A senior health official allegedly advised Humza Yousaf on how to avoid wearing a mask during the pandemic, the Covid inquiry has heard. Scotlands national clinical director, Professor Jason Leitch, apparently told Mr Yousaf, now first minister but then health secretary, that "literally no-one" wears a mask under official guidance as he advised him to keep a drink in his hands to get round the rules. Messages shown to the inquiry on Tuesday reveal Mr Yousaf whatsapped Professor Leitch to ask advice on attending an event in November 2021. He wrote: I know sitting at the table, I dont need my mask. If Im standing talking to folk, need my mask on? [sic] Professor Leitch responded: "Officially yes. But literally no-one does. Have a drink in your hands at ALL times. Then youre exempt. So if someone comes over and you stand, lift your drink. At the time, Covid rules in Scotland meant someone would not have to wear a mask while they were sitting down to eat or drink, but would if they were moving around a bar or restaurant while not drinking. First Minister Humza Yousaf (Andy Buchanan/PA) (PA Wire) Questioning Professor Leitch, the counsel to the inquiry Jamie Dawson KC said he gave Mr Yousaf a work around to enable him to attend the function, not wear a mask and get out of complying with the rules. Responding, the national clinical director said: No, that follows the rules. If he has a drink and its a drinks reception-type environment, then that follows the rules. I gave him advice to show him how to comply. When Mr Dawson pointed to the professor telling Mr Yousaf to have a drink in your hands at ALL times, he replied: Having a drink in your hands means you dont have to wear a mask. He added: The nuance here is somebody approaches you because youre the Cabinet Secretary for Health, or the national clinical director, talks to you at the table and you stand to speak to them. The national clinical director has also maintained that he deleted WhatsApp messages in line with the Scottish governments policy on the use and retention of informal messaging, despite telling the inquiry last week that his WhatsApp deletion was a pre-bed ritual. Jason Leitch played a key role in public health communication and awareness in Scotland during the pandemic (PA) Asked about it on Tuesday, Professor Leitch said the comment was "slightly flippant and "an exaggeration. I didnt daily delete my WhatsApps. "My position is - as I have just described to you - that I tried to do todays work today, and if I could assure myself that that work had been managed and dealt with, then I deleted the informal messaging that had led to that moment. "But this was a flippant exaggeration in an informal messaging group, and it wasnt done every day before I went to bed." He then assured the inquiry that his actions were in line with Scottish government policy. Screengrab from the inquiry showing messages between Professor Leitch and Mr Yousaf (PA) As youve heard, the record retention policy was that you could use informal messaging systems for Scottish government business. If you did, you should ensure that any advice or any decisions or anything that should be in the corporate record was then placed in that corporate record by email, briefing, etc, and then you should delete the informal messaging, and thats the guidance I followed, he explained. A woman who lost her brother to Covid-19 has now questioned why the national clinical director Jason Leitch is still in a job following these revelations. Ms Stewart told journalists: I would just like to say he (Prof Leitch) was a very confident man, but when he left, he wasnt so confident because he was caught out, not only by Kings Counsel and the judge, and we are very grateful for that. I would like him to be answering: why are people still dying from Covid in hospitals (and) in care settings? If hes still in that job, let him answer that question: what is he doing now to stop the death from Covid-19? Ms Stewart said it was heart-breaking to hear the revelations in Tuesdays evidence. Mr Leitch is the national clinical director in the Health and Social Care Directorate, meaning he played a key role in public health communication and engagement. As such, he held some responsibility for communicating the rules and guidance to the Scottish public. Last week, former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon also came under fire after the inquiry heard that she had erased all messages sent and recieved during the pandemic. The former leader of the SNP claimed previously she had never used informal messages to make decisions during the pandemic. Ms Sturgeon has since announced on twitter that she did not conduct any actions during the Covid response through Whatsapp. Posting on X, she said: To be clear, I conducted the COVID response through formal processes from my office in St Andrews House, not through WhatsApp or any other informal messaging platform. I was not a member of any Whatsapp groups. The number of people I communicated with through informal messaging at all was limited. Also, any handwritten notes made by me were passed to my private office to be dealt with and recorded as appropriate. Throughout the entire process, I acted in line with Scottish government policy. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A former Post Office investigator has revealed he was set a target by the Post Office to recover money from subpostmasters accused of false accounting and theft. Robert Daily, who was involved in the criminal investigation of two wrongly convicted subpostmasters who died before their convictions were overturned, said he had been given a personal objective of recovering 40 per cent of money from those who were accused. A document shown at the inquiry revealed that Mr Daily had exceeded his target. But he claimed he wasnt rewarded by the Post Office and would not have necessarily have been marked down had he failed to meet this target. Documents showed to the inquiry later on also revealed that loss recovery targets has risen to 65 per cent in 2013/14. Post Office-branded documents read: To ensure a robust approach to fraud loss recovery with a return rate of 65 per cent. Evidence given by Mr Daily seemed to suggest that the targets were linked to bonuses. MPs have sent letters to 21 organisations including the Bank of England, the HMRC and the Treasury requesting information on public sector contracts awarded to Fujitsu (PA) The counsel to the inquiry said: It appears here that the target for loss recovery has increased since the 2009 one-to-one meeting record we looked at and then you were over target at 40 per cent. And here the objective is 65 per cent. Is that right, that the target was increased by the Post Office? Mr Daily said: I believe that target was increased after I was sent a document for my objectives for 2010. I cant remember if it was 2013 to 2014 or 2011 to 2012, but it was in the figure of 65 per cent. Paul Patterson, European Director for Fujitsu, has apologised for the IT companies role in the scandal (AFP via Getty) One postmaster that Mr Daily helped investigate, Peter Holmes, eventually pleaded guilty to four counts of false accounting and was sentenced to a community order. He died from a brain tumour in October 2015 before his conviction was posthumously quashed. Mr Daily was asked about a period in November 2009 when he was the sole investigator in Scotland. He told the inquiry he felt under pressure to refer cases due to mounting backlogs, but that he did not think it affected the quality of the teams work. He also told how the Post Offices legal team passed cases on to prosecuters in Scotland without being qualified in Scots law. The inqury heard how Mr Daily believed he and other investigators were not adequately supported before a solicitor firm was brought in to advise in 2013. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} So cautious and moderate was former immigration minister Robert Jenrick when he entered the Commons that he was nicknamed Robert Generic. Jenrick ticked every box of the Conservative cliche. A history graduate from Cambridge and a qualified solicitor, he joined parliament as the MP for Newark in 2014. He voted to remain in the EU, and backed Theresa Mays Brexit deal three times. He has served as a minister, in multiple departments, under every prime minister since 2017. It is no surprise that he has long been considered a moderate within the party. Robert Jenrick has been friends with Rishi Sunak for many years (PA Archive) As a long-standing friend of Rishi Sunak, Jenrick seemed like the obvious choice to keep a watchful eye over the unpredictable home secretary Suella Braverman. Sunak may have hoped that the teddy-bear-like Jenrick would keep the wild bear Braverman under control instead, after 13 months, he joined her. Now he is among the favourites to succeed Sunak if the Tories lose the coming general election or if the prime minister is ousted before then, however unlikely that seems. It is with great stealth that Jenrick has crept up the list of possible leadership contenders. Despite serving in a number of high-profile departments, including the Treasury, health, the Home Office and housing, the former ministers name never entered conversations about leadership until recently. But those who have worked with him are complimentary, describing him as deeply cerebral and a skilled communicator, and say his political vision extends far beyond immigration. Housing is a high priority for Jenrick. Having brought forward proposed planning reforms as housing minister, and issued a plea to his successor, Michael Gove, not to water down housebuilding commitments, he breaks with some within the party who have opposed housing targets. Jenrick has warned that the party will lose young voters if it doesnt make good on its housing pledges. With only 10 per cent of those under 50 saying they will vote Tory at the next election, Conservative strategists say a pro-housebuilding stance could be the only way to avoid a wipeout. But despite his seemingly centrist credentials, allies insist Jenrick has always been of the right. One observer says it is the Conservative Party that has moved further left, citing David Camerons 2010 manifesto commitment to reduce net migration to tens of thousands a year which is considerably less than the current net migration figures, which stand at 672,000 for 2023. Though often seen as the more moderate force in the Home Office, Jenrick seized headlines by ordering murals of Mickey Mouse and Baloo from The Jungle Book to be removed from the walls of an immigration detention centre because they were too welcoming. Braverman and Jenrick have a long-standing friendship, having studied together at Cambridge University and worked closely together in the Home Office, and they have remained aligned on amendments to Sunaks Rwanda legislation. Robert Jenrick faced criticism after he ordered officials to paint over murals at an asylum seeker reception centre (HM Chief Inspector of Prisons) Whispers in Westminster are that Jenricks recent weight loss and new haircut are a clear indication of his ambition. He has not said he will run for the leadership but he has not ruled it out, either. Those close to him say they have no knowledge of his future plans, but are keen to sing his praises. There is no denying that he suddenly looks and sounds hungry, spearheading rebel amendments against Sunaks Rwanda bill and holding the pen on Daily Telegraph op-eds that are openly critical of the governments position. In almost everyones eyes, hes grown in stature, said a senior Conservative MP and close friend of Jenrick, John Hayes. But his record is not entirely flawless. Back in 2020, he was involved in a cronyism scandal when he overruled a planning decision to the benefit of newspaper magnate Richard Desmond, who then donated 12,000 to the party. As housing minister, he was accused by some of his colleagues of concreting over their constituencies in his push to build more rural homes. Jenrick is also married to Michal Berkner, a wealthy lawyer. If the Conservatives wanted to choose a leader who represents a break from the last few decades, picking another Oxbridge alumnus with millions in the bank would not be wise. Richard Tice, the leader of Reform UK, has said his party will stand a candidate in every Conservative battleground (PA) Few commentators doubt that the Tories are heading for defeat at the coming election. They say the party will inevitably lurch to the right, especially as Nigel Farage embarks on a media resurgence and Reform UK nibbles away at Conservative seats. A recent YouGov poll predicts that Reform could receive as much as 12 per cent of the vote share putting a considerable dint in the Conservative support base. But there are those who worry that Farages brand of brash populism could frighten away voters. Some in the party still talk highly of Bravermans prospects, but admit that her communication style may not be to everyones taste. Jenricks delivery feels more palatable. He exudes reasonableness, one Tory MP mused. How much more safe and sensible to pick someone like Jenrick, who holds similar views but seems a lot less scary. After all, who would be frightened by a teddy bear in a suit? Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A former Tory cabinet minister has launched a blistering attack on Rishi Sunak calling him to stand down as prime minister. Sir Simon Clarke warned extinction is a very real possibility for his party if Mr Sunak remains the leader when voters next go to the polls. Sir Simon, who was Liz Trusss levelling up secretary, said: Rishi Sunak has sadly gone from asset to anchor. He added: It is time to strip away illusion, and stop tolerating any indulgence of it [and] his uninspiring leadership is the main obstacle to our recovery. Sir Simon Clarke has called for a change in leadership (UK Parliament) (PA Media) Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the senior Tory said Mr Sunak was not solely to blame for the party flagging in the polls during an election year, but insisted his uninspiring leadership is the main obstacle to our recovery. The unvarnished truth is that Rishi Sunak is leading the Conservatives into an election where we will be massacred, he wrote. However, he came under fire from other senior Tories. In a withering assessment, one former cabinet minister: Simon Clarke kicking off is not anything. However, the intervention does suggest no let up in the attacks Mr Sunak will face from within his own party in the run up to the election. Sir Simon was among 11 Conservative MPs who voted against the prime ministers Rwanda Bill at its third reading earlier this month, despite Mr Sunak seeing off a wider Tory rebellion. The legislation survived the Commons hurdle after dozens of backbenchers demanding amendments to toughen the draft law largely backed down. Following the news former Brexit secretary Sir David Davis told Sky News: This is getting silly. The party and the country are sick and tired of MPs putting their own leadership ambitions ahead of the UKs best interests. It is really about time that these people realise they have a duty to the country that is greater than their personal leadership ambitions. Tory grandee David Davis reminded colleagues that their duty to the country is greater than their personal leadership ambitions (AP) Senior Tory and former Secretary of State, Liam Fox, also warned colleagues: This is not the time for self indulgence and tribalism in the party. Those who have an agenda to destabilise the government in an election year should understand the consequences. Having been on the front bench for all 13 years in opposition, it is a miserable place. Be warned. Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel added: At this critical time for our country, with challenges at home and abroad, our party must focus on the people we serve and deliver for the country. Engaging in facile and divisive self-indulgence only serves our opponents, its time to unite and get on with the job. This morning, Conservative backbencher Tobias Ellwood MP called Mr Clarkes comments dangerous, wreckless and selfless and said more and more colleagues are openly distancing themselves from Simon Clarke. Labours national campaign coordinator has said the Tories are forming another circular firing sqad. (PA) Pat McFadden MP, Labours national campaign coordinator, responding to Sir Simon Clarke calling on Rishi Sunak to resign, said: Labour will focus on serving the British people whilst the Tories form another circular firing squad. There are many good reasons for getting rid of this clapped out Conservative government and liberating the British people from endless bouts of Tory infighting is certainly one of them. Whilst the Conservatives fight among themselves, Labour will fight for a better future for the country, where economic growth is felt in every part of Britain, where we generate the wealth we need for the NHS, good schools and safety on our streets and where we renew the country after 14 years of Tory failure. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper MP said: It is utterly ludicrous that the Conservative Party is even discussing installing a fourth Prime Minister without giving voters a say. The Conservatives are once again fighting like rats in a sack while families face soaring bills and an NHS crisis. People are sick and tired of this never-ending Conservative Party soap opera. Its time for Rishi Sunak to give voters the chance to put an end to this farce and call a general election. Downing Street has been contacted for comment. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Conservatives have opened themselves up to the charge of bias over voter ID rules which came into force last year, the elections watchdog has warned. Electoral Commission chairman John Pullinger warned that the very, very tight rules risk excluding certain voter groups at this years general election. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Pullinger said: The photo ID requirement is clearly proving more of a barrier to some people than others. Rishi Sunak rolled out mandatory photo ID in Britain ahead of the local elections last May, despite little evidence of voter fraud at polling stations. Critics raised concerns that the move could disenfranchise voters, particularly those from marginalised communities. The Electoral Commission said that the requirement to carry photo ID posed a challenge and around 14,000 people were unable to vote as a result. Disabled and unemployed people were more likely than other groups to give a reason related to ID for not voting, it found. Tory former minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the rollout of voter ID was an attempt at gerrymandering that backfired against the party. He said the policy had made it harder for elderly Tories to vote and upset a system that worked perfectly well. Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the rollout of voter ID was an attempt at gerrymandering that backfired against the party (POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Mr Sunaks government has consistently denied that bringing in voter ID was an attempt at gerrymandering, but rather is intended to prevent voter fraud and ensure confidence in the UKs elections. In his FT interview, Mr Pullinger said that if a consequence of measures to improve election security was disenfranchising certain voter groups then we should do better, but he accepted it is too late to make changes ahead of the general election expected this autumn. Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner has described the voter ID policy as a barrier to voting. No legitimate voter should be locked out of democracy but that has been the effect of the Tories failed voter ID regulations, she has said. And the Liberal Democrats have pointed to the policy, claiming voters had been denied a voice. It looks like a transparent attempt at voter suppression by Conservative ministers who are desperate to stop people from holding them to account by any means possible, local government spokesman Helen Morgan said. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the View from Westminster email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A government crackdown on the right to protest has had a significant chilling effect on civil society and the exercise of fundamental freedoms, the UN Special Rapporteur said today. Michael Forst, the UN special rapporteur on environmental defenders, released a statement following a two-day visit to the UK, where he observed first-hand the treatment of protestors under UK law. He said after meeting with lawyers, NGOs, climate activists and government officials, he was issuing a statement in light of the extremely worrying information he had received regarding the increasingly severe crackdowns on environmental defenders in the United Kingdom, including in relation to the exercise of the right to peaceful protest. Eco-activists and human rights campaigners have protested the raft of anti-protest laws that have been introduced by the government over the last few years (PA Archive) Mr. Forst condemned the governments use of widespread restrictions on peaceful protests, referring to them as a matter of concern for any member of the public in the UK who may wish to take action for the climate or environmental protection. He emphasized, The right to peaceful protest is a basic human right. It is also an essential part of a healthy democracy. States have a duty to facilitate the right to protest, and private entities and broader society may be expected to accept some level of disruption as a result of the exercise of this right. The UN expert called for the protection of eco-activism, stating environmental defenders are acting for the benefit of us all (Getty Images) The UN special rapporteur also highlighted that new rules imposed on defendants in one London court prevented them from explaining their motivations to the jury. In another court, peaceful protesters were forbidden from mentioning the climate crisis, fuel poverty, or even the US civil rights movement in their statements. It is very difficult to understand what could justify denying the jury the opportunity to hear the reason for the defendants action, and how a jury could reach a properly informed decision without hearing it, Forst said. Mr. Forst criticized the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Court Acts, which became law in 2022, as regressive and revealed that those charged under this legislation were subject to harsh bail conditions for up to two years. These conditions included prohibitions on engaging in any further protest, contact with those in their campaign groups, curfews, requirements to wear electronic ankle tags, and GPS tracking. The rapporteur also pointed out that prior to the Act being introduced, it had been almost unheard of since the 1930s for peaceful protesters to be imprisoned in the UK. Mr Forst also condemned the toxic discourse around protest in the UK, stating that it may also be used by the state as justification for adopting increasingly severe and draconian measures against environmental defenders. Forst spoke out due to the gravity of his concerns about the widespread restrictions on peaceful protest, and says his investigations are ongoing as he considers formal complaints about treatment that have been submitted to him. The former home secretary Suella Braverman spear-headed the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act in 2022 (PA Wire) He concluded: We are in the midst of a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Environmental defenders are acting for the benefit of us all. It is therefore imperative that we ensure that they are protected. He called for a constructive dialogue with the Conservative government to ensure that members of the public seeking to protect the environment were not subject to persecution, penalization, or harassment for doing so. Appointed by the Human Rights Council of the UN, special rapporteurs act independently of governments and play an important role in monitoring sovereign nations and democratically elected governments and policies. The UN special rapporteur is appointed under the Aarhus Convention, to which the UK is a signatory. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A man has been arrested after he claimed responsibility for starting a building fire in South Africa that killed 76 people while trying to get rid of the body of someone he had killed on the orders of a drug dealer. The 29-year-old mans apparent confession came as a shock when he was testifying at an ongoing inquiry into the cause of the fire, which raged in an apartment building in downtown Johannesburg in August in what was one of the countrys worst disasters. The man, whose identity was not disclosed, had said at the inquiry that he had killed another man on the night of the fire by beating him and strangling him, according to South African media reports of the testimony. He said he then poured gasoline on the man's body and set it alight with a match in the basement of the rundown apartment complex, according to the reports. He testified that he was a drug user and was told to kill the man by a drug dealer who lived in the building. Police said later on Tuesday that they had arrested a man in connection with the fire after he had confessed to being involved in the fire at the inquiry. The man was facing 76 counts of murder, 120 counts of attempted murder, and a charge of arson, police said in a statement. Medics and emergency works at the scene of the deadly blaze in downtown Johannesburg in August (AP) The inquiry he was testifying at is not a criminal proceeding and his confession came as a complete surprise. The inquiry is looking into what caused the fire and what safety failures might have resulted in so many people dying. He testified at the inquiry because he was a resident of the building. The panel in charge of the inquiry ordered that he not be identified after his testimony and a lawyer leading the questioning of witnesses said that it could not be used against him because it was not a criminal proceeding. South African media referred to him as "Mr. X" when reporting on his claim that he believed he caused the fire that ripped through the dilapidated five-story building in the Marshalltown district, killing at least 12 children, including one-year-old Robert Mulaudzi. More than 80 people were injured in the nighttime blaze. South African police said that the man would appear in court soon but did not give a date. The fire drew the world's attention to downtown Johannesburg's long-running problem with "hijacked buildings, structures that have become rundown and taken over by squatters and are abandoned by authorities. There are hundreds of them in the old center of the city, officials say. The city of Johannesburg owned the building, but it had been taken over by illegal landlords, who were renting out space to hundreds of poor people desperate for somewhere to live. Many of the building's occupants were immigrants suspected of being in South Africa illegally. Mr. X also testified that the building was a haven of criminality and was effectively run by drug dealers. Emergency services officials at the time said that most of the fire escapes in the building had been locked or chained closed that night, making the blaze even deadlier. Many people jumped out of windows some as high as three floors up to escape the inferno, according to witnesses and health officials. Some said they had to throw their babies and children out, hoping they would be caught by people below. Many of the injured suffered broken limbs and backs from jumping out the windows. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa ordered the inquiry into the disaster, which started in October by hearing testimony from emergency services personnel who responded to the fire in the early morning hours of 31 August. Johannesburg's acting chief of emergency services testified at the inquiry last year that the building was a "ticking timebomb," because it was crowded with people living in wooden structures, while fire hoses and fire extinguishers had all been removed. Police opened a criminal case in the days after the fire and declared the building a crime scene. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The remains of the last known victim of the Green River Killer have been identified as a teenage girl from Washington state but officials say there are other unsolved cases that may be connected to the infamous murderer. Law enforcement identified the remains as 16-year-old Tammie Liles of Everett, Washington, the King County Sheriffs Office (KCSO) announced on Monday. Liles had previously been identified as a victim of Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, by matching her dental records to remains discovered near Tigard, Oregon, in 1988. Ridgway later led authorities to the second set of Liles remains in southern King County in 2003. However, the partial remains found at that time were labeled Bones 20, due to an inability to confirm identity. Investigators took a DNA sample from that second set of remains and uploaded it to a national law enforcement database to search for matches at the time, but none were found. The remains of the last known victim of the Green River Killer have been identified as Tammie Liles ( King County Sheriffs Office ) In 2022, the Sheriffs Office contracted with Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company that specializes in forensic DNA work. Othram built a DNA profile for the unknown victim and the companys in-house forensic genetic genealogy team tentatively identified her as Liles. Investigators then got a DNA sample from her mother and confirmed the match. There are no other unidentified remains believed to be connected to Ridgway, according to the sheriffs office. However, while all the remains in the medical examiners office have been identified, there are still more unsolved cases, Dave Reichert with the King County Sheriffs Office told KIRO-TV. Ridgway said that he killed 65 to 70 young women and little girls and so far hes plead guilty to 49 and weve closed 51 cases, Mr Reichert pointed out. So as I said there are other unsolved cases out there that may or may not be connected to Ridgway but there are parents still out there looking for answers about the death and murder of their daughter. Gary Ridgway was sentenced in 2003 and is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary (Getty Images) Ridgeway was long a suspect in the Green River killings so called because the first victims were found in the waterway, which runs through suburbs south of Seattle. Detectives were unable to prove his role until 2001, when advances in DNA technology allowed them to link a saliva sample they had obtained from him in 1987 to semen found on several victims. On Monday, King County sheriffs spokesperson Eric White told The Seattle Times that they felt a sense of relief that theyve been able to give closure to the killers victims. Its an immense feeling of satisfaction that in this case, that started in the early 80s, we are able to identify all of Gary Ridgways victims, Mr White said.. All 49 of them. The identification of Liles comes about a month after another of Ridgways victims was identified. Lori Anne Razpotnik was just 15 years old when she ran away from her family home in Lewis County in 1982. Her family never saw her again. Three years later on 30 December 1985, a car was found abandoned on Mountain View Drive in Auburn. When investigators got a closer look, they found human remains inside. Green River Killer victim identified in 2023 as Lori Anne Razpotnik 38 years after body found dumped in Alabama (King County Sheriffs Office) The Green River Task Force at the time searched the nearby area after the discovery and found a second set of human remains. For almost 40 years, the two sets of remains would be known only as Bones 16 and Bones 17. Detectives were eventually able to track down Razpotniks mother, who provided a saliva sample which the University of North Texas experts then used to identify the victim. Before Razpotnik, Wendy Stephens was the last Green River killer victim identified in 2020. Her body was found in 1984 in a swamp near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Ridgway, thought to be one of the most prolific serial killers in the United States, has pleaded guilty to 49 slayings, including Liles. He is serving life without the possibility of parole at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A blood-soaked bra recovered from trash bins along with zip ties, gloves and a razor also splattered with a blood-like substance were presented in court as evidence that prosecutors say links Michelle Troconis to the alleged murder of Jennifer Dulos. Ms Troconis, 49, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution. Shes accused of helping her then-boyfriend Fotis Dulos cover up the 2019 killing of Dulos, his estranged wife, whose body has never been found. The grim evidence was the focus of the trial on Tuesday, which is on its eighth day in Stamford, Connecticut. State Police Sgt. Kevin Duggan testified that the items were pulled from trash bins in Hartford where, according to prosecutors, surveillance video shows Ms Troconis sitting in a black Ford Raptor truck with Dulos as he tossed the bags just hours after Jennifer vanished. Michelle Troconis listens to testimony at her trial where she is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, tampering with evidence and hindering prosecution (Hearst Connecticut Media) Other items that were stained with a blood-like substance included a womans Vineyard Vines shirt, a large white towel, two sets of gloves and at least two ponchos. According to Ms Troconis arrest warrant, DNA from both Dulos and Jennifer was found on items in the trash and Ms Troconis DNA was found on some of the trash bags. That evidence is expected to come later in the trial. The surveillance videos were recorded the evening Jennifer disappeared but not discovered for six days. They were filmed in a city about 75 miles from her home in New Canaan, Connecticut, where prosecutors allege she was killed in May 2019 after dropping their five children off at school. Prosecutors on Monday showed jurors what they said were altered license plates found in an envelope in the sewer drain. A blood-soaked bra recovered from a trash bin in Hartford (Law&Crime) One trash bag ontained several zip ties, a womans shirt, two plastic ponchos also with blood-like stains (Law&Crime) Video footage also showed Dulos placing what police say were altered license plates in a sewer drain (Law & Crime ) Ms Troconis, who is not seen handling the trash in any of the videos, has pleaded not guilty and denied any involvement. During cross-examination on Tuesday, defence attorney Jon Schoenhorn suggested that just as law enforcement was not able to determine that a blood-soaked bra was inside the black plastic bag Dulos disposed of until it was brought to a lab and cut open, his client wouldnt have been able to see what was inside. You couldnt see through that, Mr Schoenhorn asked Sgt Duggan, who agreed. Jennifer Dulos, 50, was declared legally dead in October. She was a member of a wealthy New York family whose father, the late Hilliard Farber, founded his own brokerage firm. She also was a niece by marriage to fashion designer Liz Claiborne. Jennifer Dulos was declared legally dead in October Fotis Dulos, a luxury home builder originally from Greece, died by suicide in January 2020 after being charged with his wifes murder. At the time of her disappearance, the pair were going through a contentious divorce and child custody proceedings. Jennifer Dulos had moved out of the family home in Farmington, Connecticut, and Fotis Dulos was living there with Ms Troconis and her daughter. Ms Troconis trial is expected to last until March. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A 63-year-old man has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder after allegedly shooting his wife and three daughters dead at their home in a Chicago suburb. Maher Kassem allegedly shot and killed his wife Majeda Kassem, 53, his twin daughters Halema and Zahia Kassem, 25; and his youngest daughter Hanan Kassem, 24, after a verbal argument on Sunday morning. He then called 911 at about 11.20am to report that someone had been shot inside the home, according to the Tinley Park Public Safety Department. Officers responded to the home within minutes and found the four women deceased in a lower level of the home. Officers took Mr Kassem into custody after he made statements related to his involvement in the shooting. Police also recovered the gun believed to have been used in the shooting and said on Monday that there was no further threat to the public. Tinley Park Police chief Tom Tilton speaks to reporters following the domestic shooting (WLS) The village of Tinley Park consists of roughly 55,000 people and is located around 30 miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois. Tinley Park Police chief Tom Tilton told reporters that the force had not experienced an incident of such scale previously. He praised officers for their quick response, having arrived three minutes and thirty seconds after the call was dispatched. We want to make sure that our investigation and the activities that we take in connection with that investigation are as complete and efficient as they can possibly be, he said. Mr Tilton continued: Its troubling to come across that tragic loss of life, and its troubling to process and gather the evidence. Its not something that you would think people would ordinarily want to do, but it has to be done, and we have to provide justice for our victims. Tinley Park mayor Michael Glotz said: Words cant describe how deeply saddened I am at this horrible tragedy. A mother and her three daughters are gone, murdered in an act of senseless domestic violence. The entire Tinley Park community is heartbroken at the loss of these four innocent women, and we grieve alongside the family, friends and neighbours who loved them. This is a difficult day and a stark reminder of how quickly domestic violence can escalate. Tinley Park mayor Michael Glotz speaks at a press conference (WLS) Village manager Pat Carr told reporters: This was a very traumatic scene for everybody involved and our focus is on the family and our first responders. Incidents such as this are classed as domestic violence when the incident occurs inside the home. Domestic violence expert Pam Kostecki, said that there was a 500 per cent increase in the chances of loss of life when a firearm was involved. The family is known to be of Palestinian descent and is Muslim. However, the incident is currently not being treated as related to religion. According to neighbours two adult sons also live in the home. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A Virgin Atlantic flight from Manchester to New York was cancelled after a passenger noticed several bolts were missing from the wing. The transatlantic flight, VS127, was called off just moments before liftoff on 15 January even though the airline said there was no risk to passengers. Phil Hardy, 41, a British passenger on the plane, alerted a flight attendant to the parts he noticed were missing, according to The New York Post. Im a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could, he said. I thought it was best to mention it to a flight attendant to be on the safe side. Engineers were called in to address the issues, with photos showing one of them on the planes wing using a screwdriver. Flight staff reportedly reassured Mr Hardy that this was not a safety issue, which Virgin Atlantic later reiterated in a statement. Still, the flight was cancelled to provide time for precautionary additional engineering maintenance checks, which allowed our team the maximum time to complete their inspections, Virgin Atlantic said. The incident comes weeks after a fuselage panel ripped off an Alaska Airlines flight in midair, leaving a gaping hole in the plane, heightening fears about aircraft safety. Virgin Atlantic said the wing panel on the plane was inspected, and the tops of four of the panels 119 fasteners were found to be missing. They were then replaced. There was no impact to the structural integrity of the wing or the ability of the Airbus A330-300 to operate safely, the airline said. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The Los Angeles Times has announced it is laying off 115 people, marking one of the largest workforce reductions in the outlets history. The cuts, announced this week, will reportedly see the newsroom shrink by 20 per cent. It comes amid projections of another year of heavy losses for the paper. Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the Times, said that the decision was painful but that drastic changes were needed to make the paper indispensable to readers. As reported by the Times, Mr Shoon-Shiong said the paper could no longer lose $30 million to $40 million a year without making progress toward building a higher readership that would bring in advertising and subscriptions to sustain the organisation. Todays decision is painful for all, but it is imperative that we act urgently and take steps to build a sustainable and thriving paper for the next generation. We are committed to doing so, he said. The announcement comes after the LA Times Guild walked off the job last Friday to protest the imminent layoffs, the first newsroom union work stoppage in the newspapers 143-year history. Matt Pearce, president of the Media Guild of the West, which encompasses the Times union, called it a dark day. He said the layoffs represent one-fourth of the Times Guilds entire membership. Many departments and clusters across the newsroom will be heavily hit, Pearce said in a statement on Tuesday. This total, while devastating, is nonetheless far lower than the number of layoffs the Bargaining Committee was expecting last week. Mr Soon-Shiong has claimed that the newsroom guild did not work with management to come up with a plan that he said would have saved jobs, but instead focused on the one-day strike last week. More than 100 employees at the LA Times have been laid off (AP) Following the announcement on Tuesday, many employees, both current and former, took to Twitter to express their dismay. Some reported that the layoffs took place in a webinar on Zoom with the chat function disabled and no chance to ask questions. Climate columnist Sammy Roth wrote: More than 100 layoffs hitting @latimes this morning. Absolutely heartbreaking. Losing treasured colleagues who work hard to keep people informed and keep The Times afloat financially. This is bad for everyone. Later, quoting part of a Times article he added: Our owner says he has a real plan to turn around our finances. If so, he hasnt told us what it is. Decimating the newsroom absolutely will not help. Former breaking news editor Jared Servantez wrote: I was laid off from the LA Times this morning with over 100 of my colleagues, the hard-working people who made this place great. Its a blow to local journalism, Los Angeles and the West. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kimbriell Kelly announced that she was also part of the cuts. I was laid off today. Winning a Pulitzer was one honor of my life. Another, leading the Washington Bureau as its first person of color and only second woman, she wrote on X. De Los reporter Chelsea Hylton, wrote: As Im writing this message I have tears coming down my face. Today I received a lay off notice from @latimes. It was a childhood dream of mine to be a reporter for this paper and at least I can say I did it! Thank you to everyone who helped me get here. This isnt the end. A spokesperson for the Times told The Independent that the decision to proceed with the layoffs had been incredibly difficult, and was made only after evaluating all other viable options. The reduction in newsroom staffing was not a reflection on the work and dedication shown by any of the employees who were included in the layoffs. It was the result of economics and the significant gap between our revenue and expenses, the statement read. On the manner in which notice of dismissal was delivered, the statement added: The Guild was notified of the layoffs and notices were also sent to the individuals included in the layoffs, but the company also invited employees to meet with HR on Zoom, at the same time, so theyd receive consistent information in as timely a manner as possible. HR also established a dedicated support team to answer questions and provide guidance during this period. The company is also supporting the employees who will be leaving by offering severance packages and outplacement services to help in their transitions. Similar layoffs and buyouts have hit a wide swath of the news industry over the past year. The Washington Post, NPR, CNN and Vox Media are among the many companies hit. An estimated 2,681 news industry jobs were lost through the end of November, according to the employment firm of Challenger, Gray and Christmas. That was more than the full years of 2022 and 2021. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The remains of three Missouri men were found in a backyard after they reportedly froze to death following a visit to their friends home to celebrate a Kansas City Chiefs victory. Law enforcement in Kansas City is investigating the deaths of Clayton McGeeney, 36, David Harrington, 37, and Ricky Johnson, 38, after they were found outside a home on NW 83rd Terrace. Two of the bodies were discovered in the backyard, and one was found on the back porch of the residence, two days after they were last seen. Police said foul play is not suspected and the deaths are not being investigated as homicides, but the circumstances surrounding the fatalities remain unclear. The three men arrived at the home of their friend, Jordan Willis, shortly after 9pm on 7 January to celebrate a game that saw the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Las Vegas Raiders. Mr Willis reportedly went to bed and had no knowledge that his friends had died until police showed up at his door on 9 January and eventually found the remains. Although a cause and manner of death have not been confirmed pending an autopsy, John Picerno, an attorney for Mr Willis, said the men seemingly died by hypothermia. That weekend, Kansas City saw below-freezing temperatures that reached the teens. Mr Picerno said it was a mystery how the three bodies went undiscovered for two days. Jordan had absolutely nothing to do with their deaths, Mr Picerno said in that statement to The Independent. He does not know the timing or manner of their deaths, nor does he know how or when they exited his house. He had no knowledge that they remained in his back yard, or that they needed medical attention. According to Mr Picerno, Mr Willis was unaware that loved ones had been trying to locate his three missing friends. Although two cars that belonged to his friends were parked in his street, Mr Willis didnt notice the cars because they were not parked in his driveway. Two people came to his house; however, he did not hear them as he sleeps with earbuds and loud fan, Mr Picerno added. One of those people, the wife of one of the deceased, tried to reach him via Facebook messenger, unfortunately, he did not see the message until after the police contacted him. The Kansas City Police Department is investigating whether alcohol or drugs were involved in the incident. KCPD Captain Jake Becchina told Fox News Digital that Mr Willis had been cooperative with the investigation and he was not considered First and foremost, this case is 100% NOT being investigated as a homicide, Cpt Becchina said. There have not been any arrests [or] charges, and no one is in custody. There are no specific threats or concerns for the surrounding community at this time. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Another January 22 has come and gone without Americans constitutional right to abortion care affirmed by the US Supreme Court. The dissolution of Roe v Wades decades-long precedent 18 months ago unleashed a wave of anti-abortion laws across the US, including more than a dozen states where abortion is effectively outlawed in all cases stranding millions of women without adequate healthcare and exposing the scale of legal and medical minefields for patients and their providers. President Joe Bidens administration intends to frame the fight for abortion rights in unflinching terms as he campaigns for his re-election. Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking to supporters in the battleground state of Wisconsin on Monday, made it clear who was responsible: Donald Trump. As we face this crisis and as we are clear-eyed about the harm, let us also understand who is responsible, shall we? she said in her remarks on what would be the 51st anniversary of the Supreme Courts landmark decision in Roe v Wade. The former president handpicked three Supreme Court justices because he intended for them to overturn Roe, she said. He intended for them to take away your freedoms. And it is a decision he brags about. Mr Trump has routinely taken credit for the reversal of Roe v Wade, with his appointment of conservative justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, who joined Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas in the Dobbs v Jackson Womens Health Organization decision in June 2022. Proud that women across our nation are suffering? Ms Harris said. Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? Proud that doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for their patients, that young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers? How dare he. The seismic impacts from the Dobbs decision have spawned a burst of new legal battles including a forthcoming Supreme Court case to determine the fate of a widely used drug for medication abortion, the most common form of abortion care in the US and reshaped the landscape for reproductive healthcare across the country. Powerful anti-abortion groups are far from done, while Mr Trump and Republican lawmakers are forced to confront a post-Roe reality in step with an American public that is overwhelmingly against the GOPs long-held vision for political control of their voters bodies and healthcare. Mr Trump, likely the GOPs nominee to face Mr Biden in November, is open to banning abortions nationally at a certain gestational threshold. The Biden administration is underscoring that any federal abortion ban would undermine abortion rights even in states that have ensured those protections. Even if you live in a state where the extremist Republicans are not running the show, your right to choose, your right to privacy would still be at risk, Mr Biden said in remarks from the White House on Monday. Folks, this is what it looks like when the right to privacy is under attack, he said. These extreme laws have no place, no place, in the United States of America. Last year, in the first full year without Roes protections, stories of patients who were forced to flee their states to seek emergency care or who suffered life-threatening consequences after they were denied care for nonviable pregnancies have rocked communities and courtrooms across the country. Theyve also caught the attention of Democratic campaigns, warning that those devastating medical nightmares are a direct result of the GOPs anti-abortion agenda. Dr Austin Dennard an obstetrician-gynaecologist in Texas who was forced to leave her state to seek her own care to terminate a pregnancy is among the plaintiffs in a landmark lawsuit targeting the rules for emergency abortion care in Texas. She told her story in a new minute-long ad for the Biden-Harris campaign. At a routine ultrasound, I learned that the fetus would have a fatal condition and that there was absolutely no chance of survival, she says in the ad. In Texas, you are forced to carry that pregnancy, and that is because of Donald Trump overturning Roe v Wade We need leaders that will protect our rights and not take them away and thats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The White House has offered support to state and local lawmakers and health providers, with Ms Harris serving as the administrations face for its reproductive healthcare agenda in roundtables, conferences, speeches and other meetings across the country. But the administration has largely met the limits of the presidents executive authority on abortion care, facing a Republican-controlled House and a nearly deadlocked Senate that wont be able to codify Roes protections into law. On Monday, the US Department of Health and Human Services announced new guidance for patients under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, which requires hospitals to provide necessary care, including abortions, in urgent circumstances. Jennifer Klein, director of the White House Gender Policy Council, told reporters on Monday that ultimately, the only way to address the legal chaos and the medical chaos under state-level bans is through congressional action. Republican lawmakers once describing the end of Roe v Wade as a victory for states rights have pushed through dozens of new restrictions, including plans for a national abortion ban, and have swatted down measures that would allow voters to weigh directly on the future of their right to such care. But in states where abortion has been on the ballot, the American people have overwhelmingly voted to protect reproductive freedom, Ms Klein told reporters last week. Eighteen months after Roe was overturned, more than a dozen states mostly across the entire US South have effectively outlawed most or all abortions. Eleven states make no exceptions for pregnancies from rape or incest. Six states ban abortions after a specific gestational period, from roughly six weeks of pregnancy to 20 weeks. Most of those states have moved to ban abortion in nearly all cases with limited or no exceptions, making abortion care out of reach entirely for millions of Americans who are forced to travel hundreds or thousands of miles for access to legal care. For those patients, the consequences can be devastating, according to Dr Didi Saint Louis, a member of the Committee to Protect Healthcares Reproductive Freedom Taskforce and an obstetrician-gynaecologist in Georgia, where abortion is effectively banned at six weeks of pregnancy. When politicians interfere with womens personal health care decisions, womens lives are put at risk, she told reporters on Monday. A national abortion ban like Donald Trump supports would put lives at risk nationwide. A national ban would mean worse reproductive health care from miscarriage management to the infertility treatment that helps people start their families to caring for people with complicated pregnancies [and] worse reproductive health care for all of us, according to Dr Kristin Lyerly, a Wisconsin obstetrician-gynaecologist. It would also mean that anti-abortion extremists like Donald Trump would continue to be able to dictate your personal medical decisions, she told reporters on Monday. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An investigation has been launched after prospective voters in New Hampshire received an allegedly spoofed message from Joe Biden encouraging them not to vote in the state primary. The New Hampshire Attorney Generals office said it had received complaints regarding the fake message, which appears to be artificially generated. In the message, which was obtained by NBC, a voice that sounds like the president tells the listener Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday referring to the New Hampshire primary. Its important that you save your vote for the November election, the message says. Voting this Tuesday only enables the Republicans in their quest to elect Donald Trump again. The AGs office said the messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications, a statement from the department read. Voters in New Hampshire received a phone message from the president which appeared to be AI-generated (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The message appears to have been spoofed to falsely show that it had been sent by the treasurer of a political committee that has been supporting the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary write-in efforts for President Biden. The messages content directed recipients who wished to be removed from a calling list to call the number belonging to this person. The statement continued: These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. The office added that an investigation by its Election Law Unit is ongoing. The message concludes with a phone number belonging to Kathy Sullivan, a former New Hampshire Democratic Party chair, according to NBC. Reports of the spoofed messages come ahead of the New Hampshire primaries on Tuesday (Getty Images) Ms Sullivan told the outlet that while it was not clear who was behind the robocall, Its obviously somebody who wants to hurt Joe Biden. I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible because this is an attack on democracy, she said. Im not going to let it go. I want to know whos paying for it? Who knew about it? Who benefits? Ms Sullivan said she also plans to engage federal law enforcement. Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez told NBC "the campaign is actively discussing additional actions to take immediately." The incident comes amid concerns over the effects of AI on election security ahead of the general election in November. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, AI poses a major and immediate threat to election offices and election system vendors. It excels at imitating authoritative sources, making it easier to deceive specific individuals or the general public by impersonating election officials or forging official election documents, an article on the centres website states. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Is Kamala Harris a liability or Joe Bidens secret weapon? It depends who you talk to but the sentiments in Bidenworld trend toward the latter. Its unclear, then, what the campaigns latest moves mean. Recent polling shows that support for Mr Biden is slipping among Black voters in key swing states. Clearly, if Ms Harris is needed anywhere, its there: Her popularity among Black voters especially Black women voters is well-known. Yet she has instead been deployed repeatedly in recent weeks to South Carolina, a state that will have absolutely zero impact on the November election. Ms Harris took two separate trips there this month alone, for a total of eight since she became vice president in January 2021. When The Independent accompanied the vice president on one of those excursions a visit to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to speak to a Black womens group on the anniversary of the January 6 attack on the Capitol the room where she spoke was packed to the rafters. More than 1,200 members were there to hear her. Before she even entered the room, they gave her a standing ovation. After taking the stage, Ms Harris launched into what has become a standard version of her stump speech, which began with her crediting her audience for Mr Bidens 2020 election victory. It is because of you that Joe Biden is President of the United States and I am the first Black woman to be Vice President of the United States. And so Im here of course to say thank you for your work and your leadership and your vision for what is possible for our nation, she said. Kamala Harris accepts nomination for Vice President at DNC 2020 On a broad-brush level, she was correct to thank the audience of South Carolinians. It was their votes during their states 2020 primary that launched Mr Biden on a path to the Democratic nomination that year after he was soundly beaten in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary contests. And it was that result, in part, which led the Democratic National Committee to make the Palmetto States contest the first official primary on the Democratic calendar this year, though the stated reason was because of the states more diverse electorate. But despite the presence of other candidates in the field this year, Mr Biden is running as an incumbent, making the primary process a formality. And South Carolinas electoral votes havent gone to a Democrat since Jimmy Carter knocked off Gerald Ford in the 1976 general election. So why isnt Ms Harris putting the same effort into states that she and Mr Biden have a real chance of winning in November? The Independent spoke to people close to Ms Harris and Mr Biden about this issue, and received mixed feedback. One such person said the vice presidents repeated sojourns to South Carolina were in part an effort to keep her in front of friendly audiences and away from controversy, citing her penchant for awkward statements when confronted on contentious issues. Other allies of the administration say Ms Harris is being used in the right way, because she knows how to speak to key constituencies who will need to be kept in the presidents camp if he is to win a second term. Nevada Representative Steven Horsford, the current chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, told The Independent that he wants to see her spend more time in his state because she is comfortable speaking with people from all walks of life, particularly those in the service industry. When youre meeting with the culinary workers, shes relatable. She understands where people are, she knows their story, when shes talking to the culinary workers. Shes talking about her own experience, being raised by an immigrant mother and the values that that instilled in her and what she and the President are fighting for every day, he said. Nikema Williams, a second-term House member from Georgia, said Ms Harris recent travel to her Atlanta-area district has sent an important message about the administrations commitment to democracy. My constituents are Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss who are continuing to be harassed by Republicans, she said. She met with election workers and poll workers to talk about what the White House is doing to work with Congress to try and get legislation passed to secure voting rights across this country. But Ms Williams added that the administration and campaign need to continue to paint a contrast between them and a potential second Trump term for Black voters. The Biden-Harris administration has the best transformational opportunities for Americans, period, especially Black Americans. And so we have to continue to tell our story and talk about what weve been able to do over the past three years and under the Biden-Harris administration, she said. South Carolina Representative James Clyburn, the man whose pre-Super Tuesday endorsement propelled Mr Biden to victory in his states 2020 primary, wasnt concerned that Ms Harriss time in his state could be better spent in swing states. Mr Clyburn told The Independent last week that he expects the vice president to broaden her travel plans in the coming weeks and months. He added that he believes she will be a real asset to her campaign. Not everyone agrees. In their book The Truce, authors Hunter Walker and Luppe Luppen write that former Harris staffers have expressed a dim view of the vice presidents capabilities, citing dysfunction on her aborted 2020 primary campaign and in her Senate office. One ex-Harris aide from her Senate days was blunt in their assessment: This person should not be president of the United States. Another aide told the authors that Ms Harris has failed to advance a theory of why she should be on the ticket beyond her racial and ethnic background. And a White House staffer who worked for the vice president added that the atmosphere in Ms Harriss office was reminiscent of Game of Thrones. Even when Mr Biden first selected her as his running-mate, Ms Harris was a controversial choice. She slammed the soon-to-be-president over his record on bussing on the debate stage, in terms that were considered particularly harsh. Mr Biden selected her reportedly over the objections of top aides and his wife, Jill Biden. Since taking office, Ms Harris poll numbers have consistently been lower than Mr Bidens, which themselves have been alarmingly low for a while. The presidents approval rating started dropping in the wake of the August 2021 US withdrawal from Afghanistan and never fully recovered. But despite feverish speculation in right-wing media circles over Ms Harris future, there is no chance that Mr Biden or his brain trust are even considering replacing the ex-California attorney general turned Golden State senator as the 46th presidents number-two. Maxwell Frost, the young Florida representative who became the youngest ever House member when he was elected in 2022, told The Independent that Ms Harris value is in how she speaks to key constituencies about important subjects, citing her success on a tour of Historically Black Colleges and Universities last year. I think shes doing a good job and I think well see her amping it up more [this year], he said. He added that Ms Harris has the ability to have her message resonate with younger voters, and in particular Black voters who may not be excited about voting for the 81-year-old Mr Biden in November. A lot of folks actually look up to her, he said. GLOBALink | China, Africa join forces to advance modernization Pub Date:24-01-23 09:09 Source:Xinhua As the world's largest developing country and a continent home to dozens of developing countries, China and Africa are joining forces to advance their respective modernization with distinctive features. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Editor:Qin Shuying Related News The second session of the 13th Anhui Provi... GLOBALink | China, Vietnam jointly maintai... GLOBALink | China-Maldives Friendship Brid... GLOBALink | China's entry facilitation mea... Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Several new witnesses have been contacted in connection to the restarted House Ethics Committee probe into Florida GOP Rep Matt Gaetz. The Republican-led panel has reached out to new witnesses, growing its connections to people linked to the initial investigation into Mr Gaetz by the Department of Justice, sources told ABC News. Investigators for the committee have started to conduct interviews. The investigation into Mr Gaetz was restarted last July after the panel had at first deferred its probe following a request to do so from the Department of Justice. The top law enforcement agency ended its own sex-trafficking probe after several years in 2023 without charging Mr Gaetz. Its great to see the Ethics Committee has interests beyond trading stocks. They seem to be quite the unusual whales, Mr Gaetz told The Independent in a statement. Joel Greenberg once a close friend of the congressman was sentenced to more than a decade behind bars after pleading guilty to wire fraud, sex trafficking a minor, and other charges. His attorney, Fritz Schiller, told ABC News that he would not confirm or deny having been in touch with the House Ethics Committee. When the investigation was restarted in July, Mr Gaetz said: I was cleared by the Department of Justice and the FBI, who looked into my life for years. Now, I believe that the House Ethics Committee is trying to weaponize their process against me because every once in a while up here Im a rabble-rouser and I dont go along to get along. And right now, Im forcing this body to deal with our debt and our spending, he added. I think all the days in Congress, there are probably in the seven years Ive been in Congress, there have only been tens of days when I havent been under one form of ethics investigation or another, the congressman argued. Ive never been found to have violated any ethical laws. I wont be found to have violated them in this matter either. The House Ethics Committees investigation into former New York GOP Rep George Santos recently led to him being expelled from the chamber after the panel released a report outlining a litany of charges of wrongdoing against the then-congressman. After the end of the probe into Mr Santos, the Ethics panel has once again focused on Mr Gaetz. The committee is set to obtain further documents and schedule interviews in the upcoming weeks. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley tore into the hosts of Fox and Friends, and accused them of trying to "coronate" Donald Trump ahead of the New Hampshire primary. Ms Haley is running against Mr Trump in the Republican presidential primary. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was also running for the nomination, suspended his campaign this week, leaving Ms Haley the only candidate other than Mr Trump polling at double digits. Mr Trump soundly defeated Ms Haley and his other challengers in the Iowa caucus, earning 51 per cent of the vote. Ms Haley came in third with 19 per cent. During her appearance on Fox and Friends, the hosts asked Ms Haley about the New Hampshire primary, and asked if she would continue her campaign if she lost to Mr Trump again. Ms Haley replied "of course" she would not drop if she lost in New Hampshire. "We're going to have New Hampshire vote today, they deserve to have the power of their voice [heard]," she said. Ms Haley noted the upcoming primary in South Carolina her home state and said while she voted twice for Mr Trump in the presidential elections, she does not believe he is the right person for the Oval Office now. Host Brian Kilmeade pointed out that Ms Haley was trailing Mr Trump in national and state polls, and in some cases by 40 or 50 points. That's when Ms Haley went on the defensive. "I'm gonna fight, no matter what," she said. I dont care how much yall want to coronate Donald Trump. At the end of the day, thats not what Americans want. Americans want a choice. She said, "Americans want a choice and we're going to give them one". You keep saying coronate, lie, not tell the truth, what you are saying on the couch. Im really wondering why you think were the enemy? Kilmeade responded. Because Ive looked at the media, look at the media, saying, oh, this is Donald Trumps to have, look at the political class all coalescing and saying everybody needs to get out, Ms Haley said. Thats not democracy. Thats not who we are. Despite her protest, it is true that Ms Haley has been trailing Mr Trump by double digits in the majority of polling. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} President Joe Bidens administration is calling for an investigation into the killing of a 17-year-old Palestinian-American who was fatally shot by Israeli forces in the West Bank last week. US officials are devastated by the killing of Tawfic Abdel Jabbar, a US citizen, and demand an urgent investigation to determine the circumstance of his death, according to US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel. Mr Patel told reporters on Monday that the US Office of Palestinian Affairs has visited the teenagers family and is connecting them with the US Embassy in Jerusalem. We call on Israel to conduct a full, thorough, transparent investigation into his killing, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday. And of course, we have every expectation that those responsible for it will be held properly accountable. Tawfic, the son of Palestinian immigrants, was raised, coincidentally, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River from New Orleans. He attended schools in nearby Gretna and an all-boys Catholic preparatory high school in New Orleans. Last year, he made a temporary move to the occupied territory, where his father grew up, to be closer to relatives and improve his Arabic before returning to the US for college, according to his family. On 19 January, he was reportedly in a car in the village of Al-Mazraa Al-Sharqiya, roughly 10 miles northeast of Ramallah, when an Israeli settler began firing at him and others, followed by fire from Israeli military, according to accounts from his family and Defence for Children International Palestine. A statement from the Israel Defense Forces reported an off-duty police officer and a civilian fired toward a Palestinian individual who was reportedly throwing rocks. His family and witnesses have disputed Israels account. If they were throwing rocks 150 meters to the street, what is it going to do to a tank? Or to a jeep? Or to a car full of soldiers? Youre gonna shoot the car 10 times because a guy threw a rock? his father Hafeth told NBC News. Tawfic Abdel Jabbar (Defence for Children International Palestine) His father reported arriving at the scene to find his son bleeding in a truck with bullet wounds in his chest and neck, while people in IDF uniforms pointed guns at him and others with a warning to stay away from the area. At his funeral on Saturday, his father called the US killer machines for its unflinching support of Israels military. They are using our tax dollars in the US to support the weapons to kill our own children, he said, according to the Associated Press. Images from Tawfics funeral show mourners gathering around his body as it lies on a bed of flowers with his head wrapped in a keffiyeh. They demolished his dreams, not just his life. Instead of having produced a productive citizen, our tax money sent him to the grave. This is not right, according to Nabil Abukhader, president of Masjid Omar, Tawfics hometown mosque in Harvey, Louisiana, where family and friends and Muslim community members held a packed vigil on Saturday. Our administration should stand firm to stop this genocide, he said, according to New Orleans newspaper Gambit. And we should use our money and our influence to spread peace everywhere, for everybody. The mother of 17-year-old Palestinian Tawfic Abdel Jabbar mourns over his body before a funeral procession in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on 20 January. (AFP via Getty Images) Israeli troops and settlers in the occupied West Bank have killed nearly 300 Palestinians, including dozens of children, in the wake of Hamas attacks in Gaza on 7 October and Israels ongoing siege, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Palestinian children live in a hyper-militarized context where Israeli civilians illegally settled in occupied territory are armed by the Israeli government as a matter of official policy, according to Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at Defence for Children International Palestine. Israeli soldiers, police, and private security staff not only protect Israeli settler populations, but they also aid, abet, and perpetrate unlawful killings of Palestinians, including children, he said. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israels attack on Gaza in the last three months, according to Gazas health ministry. Most of the victims were women and children. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Accusations that Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis had an inappropriate relationship with a special prosecutor she hired to seek convictions of Donald Trump and others for interfering in Georgias 2020 election have led to renewed calls to remove Willis from the case. Willis has defended her hiring of Nathan Wade, who has little prosecutorial experience and has not directly denied a romantic relationship. The allegations were first made public in a motion filed earlier this month by defence attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents former Trump campaign staffer and White House aide Michael Roman. Merchant alleges that Willis office paid Wade large sums and that Willis improperly benefited when Wade then paid for the two of them to go on vacations. Merchant has not offered any proof of the alleged relationship. But a filing last week by Wades wife in their divorce case includes credit card records that show that Wade bought plane tickets for Willis to travel with him to Miami and San Francisco. Willis, an elected Democrat, has shown no signs of stepping down, but there are ways she could be removed. Heres a look at some options: What can the judge do? Merchants motion asks Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee to remove Willis and Wade and their offices from any further prosecution of the case. McAfee has the power to do that. In fact, another judge, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, took that step in July 2022 when he was presiding over the special grand jury investigation that preceded the indictment in the election case. Then-Sen. Burt Jones, one of 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate falsely stating that Trump had won the election and declaring themselves the states duly elected and qualified electors, had been told he was a target in the election case. He argued that Willis had a conflict of interest because she had hosted a fundraiser for his Democratic opponent in the lieutenant governors race. McBurney ruled in Jones favor, writing that the situation had gone beyond bad optics and had created a plain and actual and untenable conflict. He prohibited Willis and her office from prosecuting Jones in the case. If McAfee decides to take similar action and to remove Willis and her office from the election case, it would be up to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council of Georgia to find another prosecutor to take the case. That person could continue on the track that Willis has taken, could choose to pursue only some charges or could dismiss the case altogether. Finding a prosecutor willing and able to take on the sprawling case could be difficult, former Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said. Only a few district attorneys in the state all around Atlanta have the resources to handle such a case, he said. District Attorney for Fulton County, Fani Willis (AP) Could Willis step away from the case in order to save it? If Willis were to recuse herself, its likely her whole office would have to step away from the case, Porter said. In that scenario, too, it would be up to the Prosecuting Attorneys Council to find someone to take it on. Attorney Norm Eisen, who served as former President Barack Obamas ethics czar, said in a press briefing Saturday that based on what he knows so far, there is absolutely no legal basis under Georgia law for Willis or Wade to be disqualified. But, Eisen said, the wise thing to do at this point is for Mr. Wade to voluntarily end his time on this case. Even though he is not legally required to do so, Eisen said, at this point, the conversation about these issues has become a distraction from the overwhelming amount of evidence justifying the decision to prosecute Mr Trump and his co-conspirators. Could an oversight commission remover her? Many Republicans would like to see Willis investigated by Georgias new Prosecuting Attorneys Qualification Commission. That body was created last year to discipline and remove prosecutors. But it hit a snag after the state Supreme Court refused to approve the commissions rules. Lawmakers this year are seeking to remove the courts required approval, allowing the commission to begin operating. The commission would be able to remove district attorneys from office or discipline them for a conflict of interest, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice which brings the office into disrepute or for willful misconduct in office. However, its unlikely that the commission could remove Willis just from the Trump case, unless she agreed to step aside in a negotiated settlement. Could state lawmakers impeach Willis? A few lawmakers have proposed impeaching and removing Willis, an idea Trump endorsed over the summer. However, Georgias General Assembly hasnt impeached anyone in more than 50 years. And a two-thirds majority of the state Senate is required to convict. Thats a tough hurdle because Republicans currently control less than two-thirds in the 56-seat Senate. A Republican is likely to win a vacant seat, bringing the GOP majority back to 33. Even then, five Democrats would have to vote to convict. Also working against an impeachment proceeding: All of Georgias lawmakers are up for reelection this year. Taking up impeachment could keep them in session and off the campaign trail. State Sen Colton Moore of Trenton tried to persuade fellow Republicans to call themselves into special session over the summer to go after Willis, but never got close. Could the state bar step in? The State Bar of Georgia, which regulates lawyers, adopted special rules in 2021 governing prosecutorial misconduct. But those rules dealt with a prosecutors duty to disclose evidence that might prove someones innocence. If Willis were to face consequences from the bar, she would have to be disciplined under the rules applying to all lawyers. The bar has rules against conflicts of interest, but they are mostly geared to private lawyers who may mistreat clients. Its unclear how those rules might apply to this case. Are there other consequences? A Fulton County commissioner, Republican Bob Ellis, sent Willis a letter Friday demanding information on how she spent county money and whether any payments of county funds to Mr. Wade were converted to your personal gain in the form of subsidized travel or other gifts. Commissioners could cut Willis budget in the future, but Democrats hold a majority on the commission. Fulton Countys government has a code of ethics, but the county doesnt appear to prohibit consensual relationships. The county Board of Ethics could fine and reprimand Willis, but doesnt have the power to remove her. Republican state Sen. Greg Dolezal of Cumming on Monday proposed a special Senate committee to investigate Willis, saying a thorough and impartial examination would ensure transparency, accountability and the preservation of the integrity of our justice system. Dolezals proposed resolution suggests legal or budget changes could follow any inquiry. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A woman was killed and her husband and daughter seriously injured in a crash at a protest by French farmers against low wages. A car plowed into straw bales that demonstrators had placed across a road, hitting the three people before it came to a stop against a tractors semi-trailer, prosecutors said in a statement. The fatal crash in southwest France represented a dramatic turn for the growing protest movement among French farmers for better remuneration and against what they consider to be excessive regulation, mounting costs and other problems. The months of demonstrations have increased in recent weeks, with traffic barricades, dumps of foul-smelling agricultural waste outside government offices and other protests. Farmers have also been turning road signs upside down to protest what they argue are nonsensical agricultural policies. A firefighter vehicle is parked near the location where a farmer was killed (AFP via Getty Images) The car that rammed into the barricade of straw bales in the Ariege town of Pamiers was carrying three people, the prosecutor said in his statement. The woman killed in the pre-dawn collision was in her thirties, the statement said. Her husband was seriously injured and hospitalized and their 14-year-old daughter also was helicoptered for hospital treatment and is in critical condition, the prosecutor said. His statement said the collision did not appear to be intentional. Police detained the three occupants of the car for questioning. France is one of Europes agricultural powerhouses, with powerful farming lobbies but also deep discontent among farmers who say they struggle to make ends meet despite working long hours to feed the country and boost its exports with their produce. The French national flag drapped between two tractors as farmers block the A7 motorway near Albon, southeastern France (AFP via Getty Images) French President Emmanuel Macrons government has been working to assuage farmers concerns before their anger blows up into a wider movement, like the yellow vest protests against economic injustice in 2019 that dented Macrons popularity and saw frequent violence between protesters and riot police. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, newly installed by Macron in a government reshuffle this month, posted Tuesday on social media that being a farmer means working without respite. Its working for us, for the French. We are and will remain at their side. Gabriel Attal (AFP via Getty Images) The woman hit and killed by a car in southwestern France was a farmer, Attal said. French media reported that she raised cows. All our farmers are in mourning. Our nation is shocked, Attal said. Macron, in a social media post, described the accident as a tragedy that upsets us all and said he ordered his government to find concrete solutions to the difficulties that farmers are highlighting. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} A worrying outbreak of measles has led the World Health Organisation (WHO) to issue a fresh warning after a 30-fold increase in cases across Europe. The spread of the disease has accelerated in recent months with more than 30,000 cases reported by 40 of the regions 53 member states between January and October last year, compared to 941 cases in the whole of 2022. This alarming rise includes the deaths of five individuals in two countries, as well as 21,000 hospitalisations. Two in five cases were in children aged one to four, while one in five were among people aged 20 and over. The WHO has warned that the rising trend is expected to continue if people do not vaccinate their children against the disease. Two in five cases were in children aged one to four with parents urged to get their children vaccinated (Getty Images) The increase in cases in Europe has mirrored the the growing concern in the UK, with a national campaign launched to boost uptake of the vaccine. Outbreaks in the West Midlands and in London has caused the UKHSA to declare a national incident, with parents encouraged to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine for their children. Figures from NHS England suggest that more than 3.4 million children under the age of 16 are unprotected against the trio. Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious complications, lifelong disability and even death in extreme cases. If caught during pregnany, it can lead to miscarriage, low birth weight or still birth. It can also affect the lungs and brain and cause pneumonia, meningitis, blindness and seizures. Figures from NHS England suggest 3.4 million children are unvaccinated (Getty Images) Dr Hans Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: Vaccination is the only way to protect children from this potentially dangerous disease. Urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread. It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination. WHO said that sliding vaccination rates were to blame, but more people were now travelling abroad after Covid-19, increasing the risk of cross-border disease transmission and spread within communities. On Friday, the head of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned the UK is on a trajectory for everything getting much worse when it comes to measles spreading. The MMR vaccine signficiantly reduces the likelihood of contracting the trio of diseases (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Professor Dame Jenny Harries said that concerted action is needed to tackle the virus, as she visited a measles blackspot in the West Midlands. She suggested the majority of people are not against their child receiving the MMR jab, but that they need more information to feel confident about their decision. She added: What we are seeing at the moment with measles is that people have forgotten what a serious illness it is. We have had very high vaccination rates, especially for young families, but they are low at the moment. Vaccination rates across the country have been dropping, but there are particular concerns about some regions, including parts of London and the West Midlands. Figures released by the UKHSA on Friday showed there have been 216 confirmed measles cases and 103 probable cases in the West Midlands since October 1 last year. This is despite the UK declaring in 2016 that the country was measles-free. Four-fifths (80%) have been found in Birmingham while 10% were identified in Coventry, with the majority being in children aged under 10. (Getty Images) The UKHSA has declared a national incident, which it said is an internal mechanism signalling the growing public health risk and enabling it to focus work in specific areas. Official figures show uptake of the vaccine is at its lowest point in more than a decade. This is believed to be due to the influence of vaccine misinformation, people experiencing difficulties accessing appointments, the impact of Covid-19 and parents mistakenly believing the disease is not serious. In 2022/23, some 84.5% of youngsters in England had received both doses of the jab by the time they were five years old the lowest level since 2010/11. Some 92.5% had received one dose. Mike Tildesley, professor of infectious disease modelling at the University of Warwick and an expert in disease spread and Covid, said the R number for measles the number of people that one infected person will pass the illness on to is much higher than for Covid. This means we need over 90% of the population to be immune or youre going to start seeing cases growing, he said. We have childhood vaccinations for measles which for many years have helped us to get rid of the disease. Unfortunately, if those vaccination levels drop then we will start to see cases going up and thats what we are seeing at the moment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Polish prime minister Donald Tusk met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky on a solidarity visit to Ukraine on Monday as the closest regional ally of Kyiv announced a fresh military aid package and a loan to the war-hit nation. The leaders met in Kyiv in the latest show of unity between Poland and Ukraine amid growing difference between the two nations over Ukrainian food exports, amplified by protesting truckers on their shared border. Mr Tusk noted that it was his first visit to a foreign capital since being re-elected prime minister. He said the leaders reached an understanding to resolve through talks any differences between their countries over grain shipments and truck exports. The war, Mr Tusk said, was a wider struggle between Europe and Russia with repercussions beyond Ukraine and hence a priority for Poland. Today, Ukraine is shouldering the security matters of the entire European continent, today Ukraine is paying the huge price of blood for the values that are fundamental to the free world, Mr Tusk said, adding that Polands security is also at stake in this struggle. The Polish leader also met with his Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmyhal. Mr Zelensky said the talks were very productive and he had a meaningful conversation with the Polish leader about issues between the two countries. There will be a defence package from Poland. And to strengthen our positions, we talked about joint production of weapons, about increasing our capabilities in using Polish equipment and weapons systems, he said in his nightly address. Polands loan will allow Kyiv to buy big-ticket weapons. The Ukrainian president spoke about political cooperation with Poland. Of course, we talked in detail about political cooperation. About the fact that all the problems between Ukraine and Poland can be overcome mutually at the level of our states. He said he was confident that we can overcome the critical situations on the border the blockade which significantly undermine solidarity now, and can find pragmatic solutions to any critical situations. Mr Tusks visit came amid a growing Russian threat to Ukraines Nato-member neighbours after it positioned tactical nuclear weapons on Belarusian soil for the first time. Last week, Belaruss security council secretary Alexander Volfovich claimed the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus was aimed at deterring aggression from Poland, a Nato member. Russia ally Belarus, which was used as a launchpad for Russian soldiers invading Ukraine in February 2022, has amended its military doctrine to permit the use of nuclear weapons for the first time, months after its decision to host Vladimir Putins nukes sent alarm bells ringing across Europe. Located on Natos eastern flank, Poland has been one of Ukraines strongest allies. Warsaw has provided weapons and humanitarian aid, and opened its borders to Ukrainian refugees since Moscow invaded in February 2022. Close Moment Russian plane carrying Ukrainian prisoners of war appears to crash For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} At least seven people, including three children, have been killed overnight after a Russian drone hit a petrol station in the north-eastern city of Kharkiv. The strike caused a massive fire that burned down 15 private houses, while 50 people were evacuated as emergency workers tackled the blaze. It comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked army chief Valeriy Zaluzhny and replaced him with Oleksandr Syrsky. It follows days of speculation that Zelensky was considering dismissing Zaluzhny, who is seen by many Ukrainians as a national hero for overseeing the war effort since February 2022. We discussed what renewal the Armed Forces of Ukraine need. We also discussed who could be in the renewed leadership of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The time for this renewal is now, Zelenskys statement said on Telegram. In other developments, Ukrainian troops have shot down a Russian attack helicopter in eastern Ukraine near the city of Avdiivka as soldiers step up street fighting, Kyiv claimed. Meanwhile, Russian forces launched the second largest combined drone and missile strike on Ukraine this year with around 64 munitions hitting the country, according to a US think tank. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Russias foreign minister clashed with the United States and Ukraines supporters at a U.N. meeting Monday where Moscow ruled out any peace plan backed by Kyiv and the West, and China warned that further global chaos could impact the slowing global economy. Sergey Lavrov, Russias top diplomat, claimed that Ukrainian forces have been a complete failure on the battlefield and are incapable of defeating or weakening Russia. He told the U.N. Security Council that Moscow is always ready to negotiate peace, but he claimed peace plans presented by Ukraine and its Western masters are only used as cover to continue war and continue getting money from Western taxpayers. All of these formulas are a road to nowhere, and the sooner Washington, London, Paris and Brussels realize this the better for Ukraine and the West, he said, warning that their crusade against Russia has already created new, clear, reputational and existential risks. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood dismissed Lavrov's claims as just blatant disinformation and countered that it was Russias Feb. 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine that started the war, and it is President Vladimir Putin 's single-minded pursuit of the obliteration of Ukraine and subjugation of its people that is prolonging it. Russias imperialist designs are obvious," and for Russia, anything other than capitulation total capitulation by Ukraine is the only solution, and that's just not acceptable to the international community, Wood said. stressing that the war could end tomorrow if Moscow withdrew hundreds of thousands of troops in Ukraines internationally recognized territory. Russia called the council meeting to again sharply criticize Western military aid to Ukraine. Just before it started, diplomats from more than 40 countries surrounded Ukraines U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya who read a joint statement underscoring Russias hypocrisy in criticizing lawful arms transfers to help Ukraine defend itself. Ukraines supporters called Monday's meeting another Russian attempt to distract from its war of aggression, and they condemned military support to Moscow drones from Iran and ballistic missiles from North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, as well as military equipment from Belarus. The council heard many calls for stepped up peace efforts, and there was growing concern from Russias ally, China, about the increasing threat to global security from the ongoing war in Ukraine at the same time that Israel and Hamas are at war in Gaza following the militant groups surprise attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7. We must spare no effort to stem the spillover of the (Ukraine) crisis at a time when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict drags on, and some hotspot issues are at the risk of flaring up, Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun said. The world cannot afford to see further spreading of geopolitical clashes at the same time the global economy is slowing down. Zhang told the council the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, which Ukraine has insisted on and which Russia has violated by annexing four Ukrainian regions. But the Chinese ambassador criticized Ukraine for seeking to join NATO and warned Kyiv, without naming Russia, that this would deepen Moscows security concerns. Zhang urged the resumption of direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations as soon as possible. He did not mention the peace plan China issued in February 2023 that called for a ceasefire, negotiations and an end to sanctions against Russia but he did focus on the wars disruption to the world economy. The negative impacts of the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have added snow to the icy cold global economy, Zhang said. Countries with significant influence should refrain from politicizing, instrumentalizing or weaponizing the world economy, and should instead work together to maintain global food, energy and financial security as well as the stability and smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains. China was the third speaker from the 15-member council and Lavrov left immediately after Zhang spoke, giving his seat to a deputy. Lavrov didn't hear Wood but he did hear Malta's U.N. Ambassador Vanessa Frazier who echoed the U.S. call for Russia to withdraw its forces and accused Moscow of violating its duty to maintain international peace and security, the Security Council's primary mission. Today's meeting is yet another attempt to justify the unjustifiable and seek to provide a narrative where the victim is the aggressor and the aggressor the victim, Frazier said, decrying the killing of 10,200 Ukrainian civilians, including 575 children, and injuries to more than 19,300 others in Russian attacks since the war began, according to the U.N. human rights office. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, who is currently recovering from complications from prostate cancer treatment, is set to attend a meeting on Ukraines military needs virtually from his house on Tuesday, the Pentagon said. This will be Mr Lloyds first public engagement after his hushed up hospital admission on 1 January after complications, including a urinary tract infection, shocking the White House. The hospital admission also sparked criticism among US lawmakers over failure to inform president Joe Biden. He was admitted to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Maryland on 22 December to treat prostate cancer. The secret hospitalisation of the top military official was not revealed until 5 January and the Pentagon did not clarify why Mr Lloyd was being hospitalised until 9 January. He was discharged from the hospital 24 days after his secret surgery, according to the Department of Defence. In a statement on 15 January, Mr Austin said he will continue to work from home and hes eager to fully recover and return as quickly as possible to the Pentagon. Im grateful for the excellent care I received at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and want to thank the outstanding doctors and nursing staff for their professionalism and superb support, Mr Austin said. I also am thankful and appreciative for all the well wishes I received for a speedy recovery. Mr Austins treatment made headlines after it was revealed neither Mr Biden nor Mr Austins deputy secretary Kathleen Hicks knew about the surgery or subsequent intensive care admission until 4 January. Mr Austin also kept his cancer diagnosis a secret from Mr Biden and senior officials until 9 January. The White House is battling stiff resistance on emergency funding for Ukraine from Republicans in Congress who have used the new security policies along the US-Mexico border as a bargaining chip. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that while the US was committed to Ukraine, lawmakers needed to pass more funding for Kyiv as it battles Russian forces. "Its not just the United States that has been critical and providing security assistance to Ukraine, our partners, our allies continue to do that, despite the fact that we do not have a supplemental thats been passed by Congress," Ms Singh told reporters. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Russias military is being forced to strip down fridges and other household appliances for parts as its invasion of Ukraine grinds on, a British representative to the UN has said. The UKs deputy permanent representative to the UN, James Kariuki, also told a UN Security Council meeting in New York that the war had set back the modernisation of the Russian military by almost two decades. Now Russias defence industry strips down fridges for parts. It orders its weapons from the DPRK [North Koreas official name] in violation of multiple resolutions agreed in this chamber, under this Russian foreign ministers instruction. Its purchase and use of Iranian drones involves both states violating a Security Council resolution,, said at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine on Monday. Russian military modernisation has been set back 18 years, the UK envoy said. Ambassador Kariuki said Russia has suffered more than 300,000 casualties in Ukraine as Kyiv keeps up its stout defence while striking key targets in Russia and Russian-held territory, and mothers and wives of these soldiers have been arrested or ignored. The envoy added that all these military losses have not yielded president Vladimir Putin the desired results in his illegal and unprovoked campaign against Ukraine. For what? To lose more than half of the land it seized since February 2022 and a fifth of its Black Sea Fleet? To have its economy deprived of over $400bn by sanctions, and hundreds of thousands of young Russians, who have emigrated for a better future? Mr Kariuki said. This war benefits no one, not Russians, and certainly not Ukrainians. The UK has been among the most ardent backers of Ukraine since the war began, Earlier this month, prime minister Rishi Sunak said the UK will stand next to Ukraine for as long as it takes. Ukraine is not alone, and Ukraine will never be alone. Putin might think that he can outlast us but he is wrong. We stand with you today, tomorrow and for as long as it takes, he said after a visit to Kyiv. Mr Sunak also warned that if Putin wins in Ukraine, he will not stop there. Our opponents around the world believe that we have neither the patience nor resources for long wars. So waver now and we embolden not just Putin, but his allies in North Korea, Iran and elsewhere, the British PM said. The UK envoy, Mr Kariuk, also assured the Security Council that the UK will continue to replenish Ukraines air defences to help it shield its civilians from missile and drone assault by Russia. This is why we have signed a new long term agreement on security cooperation, and announced 2.5bn more in military aid, and 18m more in humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Because Ukraines security matters for global security, Mr Kariuki said. This comes amid reports of mistreatment of Russias mobilised troops, including alleged beatings by Russian military commanders. Russian opposition outlet Mobilization News said it is likely Russian military commanders are mistreating troops at a training ground in Volgograd oblast in southern Russia. Russian military personnel also said they have to sleep in unheated tents and purchase their own uniforms and equipment and that no one is training them. The personnel reported that they only rehearse formations before the arrival of high-ranking officers, the report added. Close Biden and Sunak spoke about Red Sea attacks, Gaza on phone call, according to White House For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Houthi rebels have vowed that the latest round of US and UK strikes against them in Yemen will no go unanswered - as their allies Hamas killed nearly two dozen Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The US launched their eighth attack on Houthi positions in western Yemen overnight, firing up to 30 munitions. UK defence secretary Grant Shapps said four Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoons were involved in the strikes. Mohammad Ali al-Houthi, head of the Houthis supreme revolutionary committee wrote on X, after the joint strikes by the US and the UK: Trust well that every operation and every aggression against our country will not be without a response. It comes as 21 soldiers have been killed in the Gaza Strip in the deadliest attack on Israels forces since the 7 October Hamas raid that triggered the war, the military has said. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the soldiers but vowed to press ahead with the offensive until "absolute victory" over Hamas was achieved. The soldiers were killed after a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank stationed next to two buildings being prepared for demolition. The area was packed with explosives. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Tensions in the Middle East have risen after Iranian-backed Houthi rebels began striking at ships passing through the Red Sea in November. Crews extinguished a fire on board a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel on Saturday after it was struck by a Houthi anti-ship missile in the Gulf of Aden, according to commodities trader Trafigura. It is the latest of more than 30 Houthi attacks in the past three months. The Islamist group claims it is striking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which is a narrow strip of sea between Yemen and east Africa that is a key international trade route, in a bid to end Israels air and ground offensive against Hamas. In retaliation, Britain and the US have launched air strikes across Yemen against Houthi forces. President Joe Biden, speaking after the first round of strikes, said they were a direct response to an onslaught of attacks on Red Sea ships which jeopardised trade, and threatened freedom of navigation. Mr Sunak said the action was necessary and proportionate. About eight hours after the incident involving the Marlin Luanda, the US military destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Red Sea and ready to launch, according to US Central Command. The missile presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and the US Navy ships in the region, it said. The Houthis' Al-Masira television also said on Saturday that the United States and Britain launched two airstrikes that targeted the port of Ras Issa, Yemen's main oil export terminal. But who are Yemens Houthi rebels? How are they linked to the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and why are they attacking western ships now? Click here for live updates from the latest on the conflict. The guided-missile destroyer USS Carney intervened to protect commercial ships under attack by Houthi drones (AP) Its clearly linked to a broader strategy of Iran, which is the main backer of the Houthis, militant jihadist expert Dr Elisabeth Kendall told The Independent. It is designed to ramp up pressure on Israel, America and other allies to stop the war in Gaza. The Houthis are armed, sponsored and trained by Iran as part of the so-called axis of resistance, Dr Kendall said. The Houthis, formed in the late 1990s, developed as political-religious Shia movement and launched a series of guerrilla wars against Yemens national army. The group seized the countrys capital of Sanaa when the Yemen civil war started in 2014, which caused neighbouring Sunni Islam Saudi Arabia to intervene at the head of a western-backed coalition over fears of growing Shia influence on its border. Since then, the civil war is estimated to have killed almost 400,000 people. The takeover of the capital prompted Saudi Arabia to intervene in a bid to restore the internationally recognised government, which has a Sunni majority. A Saudi and UAE bombing campaign against Houthi targets was launched in 2015 and drew criticism over civilian deaths, leading to calls for the UK to cease arms exports to Saudi Arabia. The Houthis have developed an arsenal including ballistic missiles and armed drones capable of hitting Israel more than 1,000 miles from Sanaa. The rebels have fired these missiles at Saudi Arabia dozens of times during the Yemen war. In September, the Houthis displayed anti-aircraft Barq-2 missiles, naval missiles, a Mig-29 fighter jet and helicopters for the first time. Houthi supporters rally to show support for Palestine in Sanaa, Yemen, on 7 October (REUTERS) Saudi Arabia and the US have accused Iran of fully enabling the rebel group to attack Israel and Western ships in the Red Sea. Iran denies the allegations, and says the Houthis are autonomous. But experts say the Houthis, along with Gazas Hamas and Lebanons Hezbollah, form part of Irans axis of resistance - a military alliance built over four decades to oppose Israeli and American power in the Middle East. Baraa Shiban, a Yemeni human rights activist who previously negotaited with the Houthis during failed peace talks in 2014, said it was clear in the decade since those talks that Iran has been supplying the militants with weapons. You have a situation where the Houthis have had a constant flow of weapons over the course of 10 years, he told The Independent. Citing a Houthi military parade last September as evidence of this, he said they showcased a wide range of military capabilities. If you know anything about how the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) operates, he added, referring to the Iranian military, you can see that those missiles and drones are basically mimics of Iranian weapons. The axis of resistance comprises a group of violent proxies across Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and Palestine, coordinated by Irans Quds Force, the foreign arm of the IRGC. The Quds Forces aim is to export Irans 1979 Islamic revolution abroad. The US assassinated the former head of the Quds Force, Qassem Solemaini, in January 2020. Lebanons Hezbollah, the most powerful group in the axis, boasts 100,000 fighters, has exchanged fire with Israeli forces since Hamas went to war with Israel and more than 70 of its fighters have been killed. The US also says its troops in Syria and Iraq have been attacked at least 55 times by Iran-backed proxies since Hamass assault on Israel on 7 October. The war has been viewed as a proxy in a wider conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia as they both seek greater influence across the Middle East. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Iran has executed a 23-year-old protester with a mental health condition over alleged crimes committed during nationwide Mahsa Amini protests in 2022. Mohammad Ghobadlou was executed early on Tuesday on charges of killing a local official and injuring five others after he ran them over in his car during a rally in the town of Parand near the capital of Tehran. After being upheld by the Supreme Court, the death penalty against defendant Mohammad Ghobadlou has been implemented early this morning, Mizan reported. He was first sentenced to death in November 2022 after he was held guilty of corruption on earth, a crime punishable by death, for allegedly attacking the officer. The stay was granted on the ruling by the Supreme Court in February 2023. His mental health was ordered to be considered, according to Mehr news agency. His lawyer, Amir Raesian, said on X (formerly Twitter), that the execution of Ghobadlou was completely illegal as he had the right to appeal the death sentence after the Supreme Court overruled the death penalty. He said the execution would account for murder and they were not notified about a ruling regarding his client. Mizan rejected the reports that his sentence was overturned. It said the sentence was upheld by one of the branches of the Supreme Court. If Mizan news agency is telling the truth, it should announce the number and date of issuance of this verdict, Mr Raesian said in a statement on X. Amnesty denounced the execution of Ghobadlou, calling it grossly unfair sham trials marred by torture-tainted confessions and failure to order rigorous mental health assessments despite (Ghobadlous) mental disability. Amnesty said Ghobadlou had been under the care of a psychiatric hospital for bipolar disorder since the age of 15. International law and standards explicitly discourage the use of the death penalty in cases involving individuals with mental disabilities, according to the rights group. Ghobadlous execution was the ninth reported by the authorities since the protests started in the fall of 2022, according to a count by The Associated Press. Unrest gripped Iran in 2022 following months-long anti-government protest after Mahsa Amini, 22, died after being detained by the morality police for not wearing the mandatory Islamic veil, or hijab, properly. An undated picture of Mahsa Amini (IranWire via REUTERS) The demonstrations sparked by Aminis death on 16 September 2022 died down following a heavy crackdown on dissent in which more than 500 protesters were killed and over 22,000 detained. Norway-based Iranian human rights group Iran Human Rights (IHR) called the latest execution extrajudicial killing by the Iranian government. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of the group, said the Islamic Republics leader Ali Khamenei and his Judiciary must be held accountable for this crime. This execution must be met with strong international condemnations! The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said it is gravely alarmed by reports of his execution. We urge the US to lead multilateral pressure on Iran to immediately drop these charges, it said. Hours before his execution, the family members and relatives of Ghobadlou gathered outside the prison where he was kept in detention for more than 480. A video of the mother of Ghobadlou showed her screaming you killed my Mohammad. His mother said earlier this month that her son was sick during a protest outside the prison in the Iranian city of Karaj. My child is sick, he has a medical file, but they dont want to accept, she shouted in one of the videos. In October, Iranian teenager Armita Geravand, 16, died in hospital after she fell into a coma after an alleged altercation with the countrys morality police on a Tehran metro train. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Twenty-four Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza during what Israels military called the single deadliest day for the army since the war on Hamas began more than 100 days ago. Twenty-one of the soldiers died in an explosion that is likely to have been caused by mines that Israeli forces had placed in two buildings to demolish them, the military said, blaming fire from Palestinian militants. Earlier, the Israeli military said three soldiers had been killed in a separate attack in southern Gaza. A total of 221 soldiers have been killed since Israel started its military offensive in the wake of the Hamas attack inside Israel on 7 October, which killed 1,200 people and saw more than 240 more taken hostage. In response to the incursion by Hamas, Israel has vowed to eradicate the militant group and has launched airstrikes and ground operations inside Hamas-controlled Gaza, backed up by a blockade. Health officials in Gaza say more than 25,000 people have been killed during the three months of conflict so far. The soldiers deaths came on the day that the Israeli army launched its biggest operation in a month, to seize the remaining parts of Khan Younis, and on Tuesday it said Gazas main southern city was surrounded. Over the past day, IDF [Israel Defense Forces] troops carried out an extensive operation during which they encircled Khan Younis, the military said, adding that they had eliminated dozens of Hamas militants. The recent advances by Israel have taken its military close to areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have been forced out of other parts of the territory by fighting or the destruction of their homes. Recent Israeli advances have taken them near to areas sheltering hundreds of thousands of Palestinians forced from other parts of Gaza (Reuters) The deaths will increase pressure on the Israeli government, and on Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the offensive inside Gaza. Yesterday we experienced one of our most difficult days since the war erupted, Mr Netanyahu said. In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory. Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said on Tuesday that it was a difficult and painful morning, adding: Our hearts are with the dear families in their most difficult time. This is a war that will determine the future of Israel for decades to come the fall of the soldiers compels us to achieve the goals of the fighting, he said. Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that rescue workers had been deployed at the site where the buildings collapsed, to search for survivors. An investigation has also been launched into how the explosives detonated and brought down the building. In Israel, families and friends mourned the soldiers at funerals across the country, touching coffins draped in the national flag and hugging one another in their grief. Relatives and supporters of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza by Hamas attend a protest calling for their release outside the Knesset, Israels parliament (AP) We are still studying and investigating the details of the event and the reasons for the explosion, Mr Hagari told an early morning press briefing. Advancing Israeli forces have blockaded hospitals around Khan Younis, which Palestinian officials say makes it impossible to rescue the dead and wounded. At the European Hospital, reached by reporters in southern Khan Younis, Ahed Masmah brought in five corpses, piled on a mattress on his donkey cart. I found them face-down in the street, he said. At Khan Youniss main Nasser Hospital, the biggest such facility still functioning in the Gaza Strip, bodies were being buried on the grounds because it was unsafe to go out to the cemetery. Footage taken by Palestinian journalist Hamdan el-Dahdouh showed persistent gunfire hitting the top of the main building. I am besieged at Nasser Hospital now and my life is in great danger, Dr Mahmoud Abu Shammala posted on Facebook. The smell of death, the only smell I know, is filling the place. Protesters spill red paint on the road to symbolise the blood of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the 7 October attacks (Getty) Another Khan Younis hospital, al-Khair, was stormed by Israeli troops who arrested staff, Palestinian officials said. Israel says that Hamas fighters operate in and around hospitals an assertion that both hospital staff and Hamas deny. Mr Netanyahu has repeatedly dismissed growing international pressure for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as exhortations to consider a two-state solution for Palestinians, and has thereby widened the apparent rift with his closest international allies, including Joe Biden. On Sunday, Mr Netanyahu rejected Hamass conditions for ending the war and releasing the hostages, which included the Islamist group retaining control of Gaza and Israel withdrawing completely. A senior Egyptian official told reporters that Israel had proposed a two-month ceasefire, under the terms of which the Israeli hostages would be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. Egypt and Qatar, which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas, have been developing a proposal involving a series of phased ceasefires and releases. More than 100 Israelis and other nationals were freed in return for 240 Palestinian women and children held in Israeli prisons as part of a week-long truce at the end of November. Asked about media reports that a ceasefire deal was being discussed, after Qatar said mediation efforts were ongoing, Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said the wars goals were unchanged. These include the destruction of Hamass governing and military capabilities in the Gaza Strip and the return of all the hostages, he said, adding: There will be no ceasefire that leaves the hostages in Gaza and Hamas in power. Despite popular support for the war still being relatively high in Israel, Mr Netanyahu is facing anger over his leadership, with thousands of Israelis holding protests against the leader in Tel Aviv and demanding a new election over his alleged mishandling of the countrys security. Protesters including relatives of hostages stormed a parliamentary committee meeting on Monday, demanding a deal to secure the release of their loved ones. Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyTech email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Humanity continues to be in the most danger it has ever been, experts have said. The Doomsday Clock has been left at 90 seconds to midnight, reflecting a continuing and unprecedented level of risk, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which sets the clock. Each January, a set of experts use the symbolic time to show how close the world is to annihilation with midnight representing the end of the world. The clock was set at 90 seconds to midnight last year, and it marked the closest to midnight it has ever been. The change was largely made to reflect the danger posed by the Ukraine-Russia war, the organisers said then. Those threats continue, and others such as disruptive technologies have grown in the past year. It pointed to the continuation of the war in Ukraine, the weakening of nuclear arms reduction agreements, the climate crisis and 2023 being the hottest year on record, new genetic engineering technologies, AI and the danger of misinformation. The scientists behind the clock urged that the decision not to change it should not lead to complacency. Make no mistake: resetting the clock at 90 seconds to midnight is not an indication that the world is stable. Quite the opposite, said Rachel Bronson, the president and chief executive of the Bulletin. Its urgent for governments and communities around the world to act. And the Bulletin remains hopeful and inspired in seeing the younger generations leading the charge. The scientists did point to some positive news amid the increased and new dangers. There has been some progress in responding to climate change, with the world heading in the right direction, it said. But overall the crisis still threatens humanitys future. And the Bulletin noted that while the worry about AI has grown, even the top experts disagree about whether it really poses an existential risk. Whats more, it would only cause a real danger to humans if it were hooked up to a physical system. And if it gained control of nuclear weapons, for instance, that would be a nuclear problem rather than an AI one. Many nations have recognised the need for controls on AI, too, noted Herb Lin, a member of the board that sets the time as well as a researcher at Stanford University. Some have taken steps to work out the governance required to limit the danger though they are still attracted by its use in war and other dangers. The Bulletin recognised the possibility of feeling powerless and depressed in the fact of such dangers. Everyone on Earth has an interest in reducing the likelihood of global catastrophe from nuclear weapons, climate change, advances in the life sciences, disruptive technologies, and the widespread corruption of the worlds information ecosystem, it said in its announcement. But it said that the threats were of such a character and magnitude that no one nation or leader can bring them under control ... that is the task of leaders and nations working together in the shared belief that common threats demand common action. As the first step, and despite their profound disagreements, three of the worlds leading powers the United States, China and Russia should commence serious dialogue about each of the global threats outlined here. At the highest levels, these three countries need to take responsibility for the existential danger the world now faces. They have the capacity to pull the world back from the brink of catastrophe. They should do so, with clarity and courage, and without delay. The countdown was established in 1947 by scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project to design and build the first atomic bomb. It was created to provide a simple way of demonstrating the danger to the Earth and humanity posed by nuclear war. The clock first started ticking at seven minutes to midnight, and has moved forwards and backwards over the years as the threats to the world changed. In 2020, it was set at 100 seconds to midnight, and remained unchanged for the next three years. In 2023, it was moved to 90 seconds where it has since stayed. Although originally intended to warn of the threat of nuclear armageddon, the Doomsday Clock has evolved to take into account the likelihood of other emerging threats such as climate change and advances in biotechnology and AI. The Bulletin is an independent non-profit organisation run by some of the worlds most eminent scientists. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Holidaymakers could face confusion when jetting off this summer after the UKs busiest airports admitted that they will miss the deadline for installing new security scanners that would end the need for a 100ml limit on liquids. The Department for Transport (DfT) set the June 2024 target at the end of 2022, with the transport secretary at the time, Mark Harper, pledging to lift the need for the tiny toiletry, which he said had become a staple of airport security checkpoints. However, London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Manchester airports look set to miss the deadline, reports BBC News. This will mean that while some new scanners will be in place, other lanes will be operating the current scanners, meaning 100ml limits to carry-on liquids will still apply which could lead to confusion and travellers being caught out by the inconsistency, according to one consumer group. Read more: Simon Calder on airport security: What are the rules for liquids? Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: Its very disappointing that some airports may miss the government deadline to install new CT security scanners by June this year. By allowing passengers to keep items like laptops and liquids in their bags, these scanners had the potential to drastically cut security queues in time for the peak summer travel season. With different rules and processes now likely to apply at different airports, its essential passengers check before they travel so they dont get caught out. Unfortunately, the lack of consistency is likely to be confusing for a lot of travellers and may lead to further hold ups." The delays could be down to the weight of the scanners, as well as the cost, according to aviation expert Sally Gethin. She told BBC News that sometimes the floors in the actual terminal have to be reinforced and that the price is high as its the latest technology. Heathrow has 146 security lanes, more than all the other UK airports combined, meaning the installation is a complex operation especially when taking steps to avoid disruptions to current passengers making their way through security. Some of Heathrows terminals T2, T3 and T5 already have some new scanners, with T4 expected to have some by the summer. The UKs largest airport declined to comment when approached by The Independent. A spokesperson for London Gatwick said the airport will have made significant progress installing state of the art next generation security scanners by June 2024 in both terminals, and that they plan to have completed the major logistical operation required to install the remaining scanners in Q1 2025, after the busy summer peak period has concluded. MAG, which operates Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, told The Independent that the new scanners will be in place on a large number of our security lanes by June 2024, with completion of the programme expected in 2025. This is a complex programme of work requiring the expansion of terminal facilities, while at the same time maintaining operations during construction, a spokesperson added. We are currently rolling out the new technology lane-by-lane at Manchester and London Stansted airports, with several new lanes already in operation. Work is also underway on major construction projects at both Manchester and East Midlands airports to expand the size of the terminals to accommodate the new equipment. The DfT has been approached for comment. The current 100ml restrictions on liquids have been in place since November 2006. The rules were introduction after a previous complete ban on liquids in the cabin was enforced three months earlier due to a foiled terror attack in which liquid explosives hidden in drinks bottles could have brought down 10 planes. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} An American Airlines flight was diverted to Houston, Texas, on Sunday due to a reported fire on board. On 21 January, Flight 885 from Texas to North Carolina was diverted due to the fire, according to a statement from American Airlines shared with NBC News. In the statement, the airline specified that the mechanical issues on board were caused by the oven in the forward galley. The flight had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin at 2pm and was diverted to Houston, according to data from FlightAware. After arriving at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) at 3pm CST, travellers experienced an extensive flight delay before heading to their initial destination. Flight 885 officially took off from IAH at 10.59pm CST on 21 January, before arriving at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) at 1.46am EST. According to American Airlines, nobody on aircraft Boeing 737-800 was injured by the reported fire. The Houston Airport System told NBC that the aircraft was examined by the maintenance team when it first landed in Houston on 21 January. The citys fire department also responded to the report of the fire on the aircraft. After approximately 30 minutes, the alert was terminated and the aircraft was declared fire-safe, a spokesperson for Houstons airport system said. In a statement issued after Flight 885 landed in Houston, American Airlines addressed the mechanical problems on board. The aircraft landed safely and without incident, and taxied to the gate under its own power, the airline said at the time. We apologise to our customers for the inconvenience and appreciate our team members for their professionalism. We are currently working to assist impacted customers, and they are scheduled to depart to CLT later tonight. The Independent has contacted a representative for American Airlines for comment. This isnt the first time that issues on a Boeing 737 aircraft have been reported. Earlier this month, Alaska Airlines passengers sued Boeing in response to an incident on a domestic flight, which resulted in a door-plug blowing out of the plane mid-air. The lawsuit listed seven plaintiffs and was filed in the Superior Court of Washington for King County, where part of the emergency occurred. The incident took place on 5 January, as Flight 1282 was 16,000 feet in the air as it travelled from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Millions of us are making up for lost sunshine, and taking extra trips to compensate for the dark days of lockdown during the pandemic. Unfortunately, villains know we are desperate to travel and that finances are tight. The number of online scams appears to be at an all-time high, targeting people who cannot afford to lose a small fortune. Any travel purchase of transport and/or accommodation is an act of faith, because you usually pay a substantial sum of money upfront and dont take delivery until you turn up and, hopefully, get the flights and/or villa you were hoping for. If you go to your local travel agent and buy a holiday, the overwhelming odds are that it will be a genuine and problem-free transaction. But if you are booking online, you are vulnerable to fraudsters. Be wary of these seven signs to ensure you are not going to be left thousands of pounds out of pocket, with no holiday. 1. Are prices way out of line? A favourite hunting ground for fraudsters in search of unwitting victims is to offer ultra-cheap airline tickets. While many online agents will assert they have the best fare, prices for a particular flight are usually in a fairly narrow band. A check on Skyscanner.net can give you a good idea of the ball-park figure. If an agent is selling well below the norm, be wary especially if the company tells you it has access to secret fares. 2. Do they make onerous demands? Scamsters arent simply interested in stealing your money. They also want your identity. A genuine business will not ask for a scan of your passport or driving licence, unless there are good and specific reasons that you can verify (e.g. a local law insisting on identity checks for propective guest). 3. Are the address and phone number disconnected, geographically? A genuine site should make it easy to find both the address and phone number. If the firm appears to be based in west Cornwall (code 01736) but has a dialling code in northern Scotland (01955), for example, you should ask why. If the number is foreign, be especially circumspect. If a business says it is a member of Abta, the travel association, then use the very straightforward checking system to confirm its membership status ring the landline shown on the Abta website to ensure that you are dealing with that company. Many scam sites have no telephone number, but may have an address. If you search this address online, you will often find the real company that is based at the address the fraudsters claim to use. Find a number for that company, dial it and see what happens; one shut-down scam site, CycladesRentals.com, claimed to be based at an address in west London that was actually the premises of a Polish restaurant. Recommended The 6 travel scams that can outsmart the savviest tourist 4. Is the marketing material dodgy? Many scam websites are set up using extracts copied and pasted from genuine travel companies. If something strikes you as odd, try a bit of copying and pasting yourself an odd phrase may take you to a genuine holiday company. In the CycladesRentals.com case, a phrase about health looked distinctly out of place; it turned out to have been stolen from a legitimate operator specialising in wellbeing holidays. 5. Could those friendly staff be pretending to be the real villa owners? Some fraudsters intercept emails to and from genuine companies. To ensure you are not dealing with a criminal, diverge from email conversations. Demand a landline rather than a mobile, check that the dialling code is commensurate with the location, and phone up the owner. You could ask, for example: Just before I book can you give me a few more details about the area: how far is the beach, how good is the WiFi, whats the mobile-phone reception like? If you are not satisfied with the answer, probe more deeply: ask for the name of the nearest restaurant and the days it is open, then find the number for this place and call the proprietor to cross-check. 6. Do they demanding payment by bank transfer? Paying for a service with a credit or debit card generally confers some protection if you dont get what you paid for. In contrast, sending a bank transfer directly to someones account is equivalent to handing over a big bag of your hard-earned cash, with little hope of retrieving it if you are defrauded. Yet plenty of genuine villa owners will ask for payment by bank transfer. Typically they will do this to keep handling costs down and avoid having to get inverviolved in complex and expensive systems for credit or debit card card payment. Regrettably, criminals know it, and in a bid to persuade you to send some cash over they will typically make up a story to explain why . So it is essential to make checks before you press confirm. Talk to the property owner at length, asking questions about the ownership of the property: when they bought it, what improvements they have made and background on the immediate vicinity. A genuine owner will typically talk knowledgeably and enthusiastically. If you feel something is not right, do not proceed. Be especially suspicious if the destination bank account is in an improbable location. If it is a villa in Spain through a British intermediary, being asked to pay into a bank account in a third country should be a red flag. Some scammers who have placed fictional accommodation availability on well-known platform may ask you to liaise direct and pay by bank transfer rather than going through the official payment platform. If anyone asks you to do this, you can be fairly sure you are dealing with a criminal. 7. Are they hurrying you? Fraudsters invariably want to pressure you into parting with your hard-earned cash quickly. They will warn that the property will be let to someone else unless you commit immediately. They may also offer a 10 or 20 per cent discount for immediate payment. You should be able to sense if they are getting agitated: a good way to test their response is to suggest you communicate by mail. A villain wont contemplate such an arrangement, but a genuine owner may cut you some slack and agree to receive your deposit as cash through the post. While that concept might sound ridiculously 20th century, it can offers safeguards you dont get online. I have phoned an accommodation owner in Greece and then posted the deposit in cash (by registered mail, of course) to a physical address in the village where the property was located. It is a safer transaction than transferring money to a bank account in a distant land. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Ryanair has launched its first partnership with an online travel agent (OTA) despite repeatedly branding the companies pirates. The Dublin-based airline said it has agreed a deal with loveholidays to offer its flights as part of package trips. Ryanair has previously strongly complained about OTAs selling its flights without permission. Last week it highlighted companies such as Kiwi.com, Opodo, eDreams and lastminute.com overcharging passengers. There is also an issue with passengers contact details not being passed on, making it difficult to provide travel updates and process refunds. Ryanair insisted its partnership with loveholidays is transparent as travellers will not pay more than if they book direct, and the airline will receive accurate contact details. At a press conference in London, Ryanairs director of marketing, communications and digital Dara Brady claimed it was a historic day for the carrier. He said: Nobody is looking to overcharge customers here. Nobody is looking for customers not to get the right information, and in the case of where it does go wrong, weve a process that guarantees customers can get refunds. Weve always said that if (OTAs) play by our rules, wed be happy to work with others. He went on: From a Ryanair respective I think its a very important step forward. We will continue to campaign hard against OTAs who dont play by the rules. Theyre pirates, we dont want to deal with them. For legitimate partners like loveholidays who are invested in the customer and are going to not apply mark-ups, and will give us the correct customer information were happy to work with them. Loveholidays is the third largest provider of package holidays in the UK, and the largest OTA. Chief marketing officer Al Murray said: This new partnership highlights our commitment to championing consumer choice, with the overall aim of making travel more affordable and accessible while opening the world to everyone. Ryanair said OTAs stopped selling its flights in December, which caused a slight decrease in the proportion of seats filled on its aircraft. Mr Brady said the loveholiday partnership is certainly not in response to that as the airline was happy for OTAs not to sell its flights. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Simon Calders Travel email {{ #verifyErrors }} {{ message }} {{ /verifyErrors }} {{ ^verifyErrors }} Something went wrong. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The dispute between the train drivers union, Aslef, and 14 train operators in England is into its third calendar year. With no settlement in sight to the long and bitter row over pay and working arrangements, the union has begun its first strikes for 2024. Train drivers belonging to Aslef are stopping work region-by-region over the course of a week between Tuesday 30 January and Monday 5 February. Thousands of trains will be cancelled on each day. The effect is exacerbated by a nine-day ban on overtime running from 29 January to 6 February. Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, says some members have not had a pay rise for five years and ministers have refused to engage with the union for a year. He told The Independent: Any industrial action is incredibly damaging, but after 18 months out on strike, and after a year with no one in the government or the [train operating] companies talking to us, we are forced to raise the profile of our issues. Rail minister Huw Merriman told The Independent: Strikes just hold the railway back. We believe a fair and reasonable offer is there on the table for Aslef if they put it to their members. These are train drivers that paid an average 60,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week, That pay deal would take them up to 65,000. We hope that they will take the opportunity to take it. Then we can all talk about the positives of rail. Separately, the 14 train operators have reached a tentative agreement with the RMT union that has put an end to walk-outs while talks continue on a local level. But the RMT has called two 48-hour strikes in February and March on the London Overground. These are the key questions and answers. Which rail firms are affected? Aslef is in dispute with the train operators that are contracted by the government to provide rail services. They are: Intercity operators: Avanti West Coast CrossCountry East Midlands Railway Great Western Railway (GWR) LNER TransPennine Express Southeast England commuter operators: C2C Greater Anglia GTR (Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink) Southeastern South Western Railway (including the Island Line on the Isle of Wight) Operators focusing on the Midlands and north of England: Chiltern Railways Northern Trains West Midlands Railway ScotRail, Transport for Wales, Transport for London (including the Elizabeth Line), Merseyrail and open-access operators such as Grand Central, Hull Trains and Lumo are not involved. But their services are likely to be extremely crowded on stretches where they duplicate strike-hit companies. What is the strike schedule? Monday 29 January: overtime ban begins. Tuesday 30 January: South Western Railway, Southeastern and GTR (Southern, Gatwick Express, Great Northern and Thameslink). Wednesday 31 January: Northern and TransPennine Express. Thursday 1 February: no strike but overtime ban continues. Friday 2 February: Greater Anglia, C2C and LNER. Saturday 3 February: West Midlands Trains, Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railway. Sunday 4 February: no strike but overtime ban continues. Monday 5 February: Great Western, CrossCountry and Chiltern. Tuesday 6 February: no strike but overtime ban continues for a final day. What are the likely effects of the strikes? These predictions are based on latest statements from rail firms and The Independents observation of previous strikes. They should be confirmed before travel. Great Northern (30 January): Shuttle service calling at London Kings Cross and Cambridge only (and probably branded Thameslink) with limited operating hours. Thameslink (30 January): Shuttle service calling at St Pancras, Luton Airport Parkway and Luton only. The firm says its trains will be extremely busy and that queueing systems will be in place. You may not be able to board your chosen service, says Thameslink. If you are planning to travel on one of the last trains of the day, please be aware that, depending on the size of the queue, you may not be able to board a service at all, and no alternative transport options will be provided after the last train departs. Please plan ahead and leave plenty of time to reach your destination. Southern (30 January): No trains except a nonstop shuttle service between London Victoria and Gatwick airport, from 6am to 11.30pm. Gatwick Express (30 January): The Southern airport shuttle, above, is doing the work. Southeastern (30 January): No trains. South Western Railway (30 January): The service is relatively extensive compared with other train operators. Up to four stopping trains per hour between London Waterloo and Woking. Hourly semi-fast trains between Waterloo and both Guildford and Basingstoke. A shuttle will run from Basingstoke to Salisbury every 90 minutes. Two trains per hour will also run between Waterloo and Feltham via Richmond and Twickenham. No trains on the Isle of Wight. Northern (31 January): No trains. The operator says that it expects two key routes to be very busy on 3 February when East Midlands Railway is on strike: Leeds-Sheffield-Nottingham and Sheffield-Manchester. TransPennine Express (31 January): No trains. There will be some alterations to evening services on Tuesday 30 January and to early morning services on Thursday 1 February, the company says. C2C (2 February): No trains. The company warns: Upminster car park will likely become full and close early in the day. Upminster is the eastern end of the District Line of the London Underground, which will be running normally. Greater Anglia (2 February): Limited service linking London Liverpool Street with Norwich, Ipswich and Colchester; Southend Victoria; Cambridge; and Stansted airport. LNER (2 February): Regular trains on core routes linking London Kings Cross with Doncaster, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. First trains will depart at around 8am, with most journeys finished by 7pm. Leeds will have a limited direct service, but connections are available from Doncaster. Avanti West Coast (3 February): No trains. The operator says: Services on the days either side of the strike will also be affected. East Midlands Railway (3 February): No trains. The train firm warns: No rail replacement bus services will be provided. Other train operators may be running a reduced service due to an overtime ban. West Midlands Railway (3 February): No trains, and a warning that services on Sunday 4 February will see widespread delays and cancellations. Chiltern (5 February): No trains either on the strike day or on the previous day, Sunday 4 February, as the train operator is dependent on drivers working overtime on Sunday to operate any trains at all. The overtime ban means no services will run. CrossCountry (5 February): No trains. Great Western Railway (5 February): On the actual strike day, a core service will run between London Paddington and Oxford, Bath and Bristol, with a link from Bristol to Cardiff. A limited service on branch lines in Devon and Cornwall. The Night Riviera sleeper service from London to Penzance will not run for a number of nights. In addition to the disruption on strike days, trains on adjacent days may be affected. Services on these days are also likely to be extremely busy due to passengers moving their journeys to avoid industrial action. What about the new minimum service levels law? Legislation now allows the transport secretary to stipulate minimum service levels (MSLs) on strike days amounting to 40 per cent of the normal service. The government says the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 aims to ensure that the public can continue to access services that they rely on, during strike action. No train operator is seeking to impose the new law on the train drivers union. LNER said it might do so, and opened consultations, at which point Aslef called a separate five-day strike on LNER alone. Then the train operator said it would not require drivers to work, and the strike was called off. The BBC reports that the prime minister is disappointed that train operators had not implemented minimum service levels. A Downing Street spokesperson said: Yes, its something that we and the public expect them to use. Weve been repeatedly been clear that this legislation is available for train operators to use. The Transport Select Committee has previously warned of potential unintended consequences of the legislation. The Conservative chair, Iain Stewart, said: There is a risk of MSLs worsening worker-employer relations and that, as a result, MSLs could end up making services less reliable. The minimum service level rules do not apply to union bans on non-contractual rest-day working. Is there a worst day? Yes. In terms of sheer number of passengers hit, Tuesday 30 January is the most disruptive. It is aimed at commuters in southeast England, the majority of whom use the affected train operators. Normally Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern, South Western Railway and Southeastern carry around 40 per cent of all passengers. Intercity travellers will be worst affected on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 February, when the main operators on the East Coast and West Coast main lines, plus the Midland main line, will be hit. Sunday 4 February is also likely to be severely disrupted mainly because of the ban on rest-day working. Chiltern Railway, which would normally run trains between London and Birmingham, says no services will run at all due to the overtime ban. Disruption will be heightened by planned engineering work between Birmingham and Wolverhampton on the West Coast main line and between London Kings Cross and Stevenage on the East Coast main line. What will be the wider impact of the overtime ban? The overtime ban alone will cause thousands of cancellations. Aslef says no train operator employs enough drivers to provide the service they promise passengers and businesses they will deliver without asking drivers to work their days off. Sunday is still not part of the working week at a number of train operators, so 4 February will be particularly disrupted by the ban on rest-day working. GWR says: There will be significant disruption to services and customers should travel on alternative days. No trains will operate on long-distance routes between London Paddington and Bristol, South Wales and Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance. Several rail firms have announced pre-emptive cancellations due to the previous overtime ban, as follows: C2C: Severely reduced service at weekends, with many trains also cut on weekdays. Chiltern: Significantly reduced service on most routes, with no trains at all on some branch lines. Services on all routes will finish earlier than usual. No trains will run on Sunday 4 February. Gatwick Express: No trains during the overtime ban. Southern trains will link London Victoria and Gatwick airport throughout the industrial action. London Northwestern Railway/West Midlands Railway: Branch lines between Bletchley and Bedford, Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey, and Leamington Spa and Nuneaton, will be closed on most or all days. Southern: An amended timetable with fewer services will run. Services may start later and finish earlier than usual. Thameslink warns: A reduced frequency amended timetable will be in operation. Some trains may restrict either boarding or leaving trains at certain stations to avoid overcrowding. What if I need to reach an airport? London Heathrow will remain accessible at all times on the Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth Line and the Tube. Passengers using London Gatwick will be significantly affected on the first day of strikes, Tuesday 30 January, when no Gatwick Express nor Thameslink trains will run. But passengers between London and Gatwick will be able to travel on a Southern shuttle service, nonstop between Victoria and the airport. The GWR link from Gatwick to Redhill, Guildford and Reading will run normally on 30 January but not on 5 February. London Stansted will have an hourly skeleton service from the capital on Tuesday 2 February, with service alterations on all the other days of the overtime ban. The link to Norwich will be axed on 2 February, but CrossCountry trains to Cambridge (and on to Birmingham) will still run. On 5 February, though, no CrossCountry trains will run to Stansted airport or anywhere else. Luton airport will remain accessible by rail, at least from London, on all days: on the Thameslink strike day, 30 January, Thameslink will have a reduced service from London St Pancras to Luton Airport Parkway. In addition, the East Midlands Railway link will be running. On 3 February, when no East Midlands Railway services are likely to run, Thameslink will be operating. Southend airport: hourly trains on Friday 2 February with restricted hours. Southampton airport will not be served by South Western Railway on Tuesday 30 January nor by CrossCountry on Monday 5 February. Manchester airport will have a drastically reduced rail service on Wednesday 31 January. With Northern and TransPennine Express drivers on strike, there will be only an hourly link on Transport for Wales to and from central Manchester, Chester and North Wales. Birmingham airport is likely to be inaccessible by rail on Saturday 3 February, except for Transport for Wales from Birmingham New Street. Will Eurostar be affected? No. Trains will continue to run as normal between London St Pancras International and Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. But connecting journeys will be difficult on strike days particularly Tuesday 30 January, when Thameslink and Southeastern are out, and on Saturday 3 February when no East Midlands Railway services are likely to run. What does Aslef say? In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: When we get to February, itll be half a decade without a pay rise. What do we do? Do we do nothing? The only thing that is going to get us out of this is a clean deal. Without an agreement, he says: Its going to get messier. Its going to get worse. What do the rail firms say? A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group, representing the train operators, said: There are no winners from these strikes that will unfortunately cause disruption for our customers. We believe rail can have a bright future, but right now taxpayers are contributing an extra 54m a week to keep services running post-Covid. Aslefs leadership need to recognise the financial challenge facing rail. Drivers have been made an offer which would take base salaries to nearly 65,000 for a four-day week before overtime that is well above the national average and significantly more than many of our customers that have no option to work from home are paid. Instead of staging more damaging industrial action, we call on the Aslef leadership to work with us to resolve this dispute and deliver a fair deal which both rewards our people, and makes the changes needed to make services more reliable.What does the government say? What does the government say? A Department for Transport spokesperson said: Its very disappointing to see Aslef continuing to target those who travel to work, school or important medical appointments by train. Aslef is now the only rail union that is continuing to strike while refusing to put a fair and reasonable offer to its members. The offer that remains on the table and would bring the average train drivers salary up to 65,000. The Aslef leadership should do the right thing and let their members decide their own future, instead of deciding it for them. What does the Labour Party say it would do if elected? Louise Haigh, Labours shadow transport secretary, said: It is a staggering dereliction of duty that the transport secretary hasnt got around the table with the unions to try to resolve it since the Christmas before last. Labour will take an unashamedly different approach to the Tories, and will work with both sides to reach a deal in the interests of passengers and workers. If the transport secretary took this sensible approach then perhaps we wouldnt still be having strikes on our railways. The shadow rail minister, Stephen Morgan MP, has previously said: Labour will bring our railways back into public ownership, as contracts expire, and ensure services work in the interests of the passenger. What are the London Overground strikes about? Pay. More than 300 members of the RMT will stage two 48-hour walkouts on the London Overground on Mondays and Tuesdays two weeks apart: 19-20 February 2024 and 4-5 March 2024. Among those taking action are security, station, revenue and control staff. The RMT said that Arriva Rail London, which has the contract for London Overground, has offered a below inflation pay offer. Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT, said: If this dispute cannot be resolved then RMT is more than prepared for a sustained period of industrial action to get London Overground workers the pay rise they deserve. The Independent has contacted the Department for Transport and Arriva Rail London for comment. Watch as Queensland Police uncover a cannabis cache at a property in a southern suburb of Brisbane. On Monday 15 January, officers from the Riverside Tactical Crime Squad and Upper Mount Gravatt Tactical Crime Squad executed a search of the Kessels Road address. The search yielded a significant discovery, uncovering 12.5 kilograms of cannabis and various cannabis-infused products, including brownies, edible gummies, cookies, and butter, with an estimated total value of $95,000AUD (49,000). In bodycam video, the officers can be seen pulling the products out of a fridge. Two men have been charged with multiple drug-related offences following the bust. Rishi Sunak has outlined the pathway to peace in the Israel-Hamas war. The prime minister addressed the House of Commons on Tuesday 23 January and said the government wants to see an end to the fighting as soon as possible. But to achieve that, Hamas must agree to the release of all hostages. They can no longer be in charge of Gaza. The threat from Hamas terror and rocket attacks must end, Mr Sunak said. An agreement must be in place for the Palestinian Authority to return to Gaza to provide governance, services and security. That is the pathway to peace. Cars slid and crashed into each other on a hill in Mono County, California, on Saturday (20 January) as a winter storm swept the area. Mono County Sheriffs Office released footage showing a chaotic scene on Davison Road near Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort, warning drivers to ensure their vehicles are "winter-ready before heading out." The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Mono County above 7,000ft until 1am PST on Tuesday, 23 January, warning that major travel delays are possible during higher-volume traffic. A child who fell into an icy pond was rescued by a quick-thinking police officer in Arkansas on Saturday, 20 January. Jonesboro Police Department released bodycam footage showing the incident at the Gladiola Estates complex. An officer, named by the department as Troy Ellison, runs through properties before finding the youngster who is holding onto the side of the ice with his body submerged in water. Ellison pulled the child to safety assisted by Lt Shon Morris and the Jonesboro Fire Department. The child was taken to hospital to be assessed for any injuries. Storm Jocelyn is set to hit the UK in the wake of Storm Isha, which left entire communities submerged in floodwater. Drone footage over York shows the extent of the flooding on Tuesday, 23 January, as heavy rain caused river levels to rise. The aerial view shows the overflowed River Ouse in Yorkshire, which was recorded at 3.74 metres this morning Storm Jocelyn will bring 80mph winds, with many towns still reeling from Ishas powerful winds, which reached over 100mph in parts of Scotland. The Met Office say a yellow wind warning is in place across the county for Tuesday and until 3pm on Wednesday. Dublin-headquartered Avia Solutions Group has acquired Australian airline Skytrans as it expands its presence in the region. Avia is the worlds largest aircraft, crew, maintenance and insurance (ACMI) operator, providing crewed so called wet leased craft to airlines. It now has a fleet of just over 200 aircraft. Skytrans is based at Cairns Airport in Queensland and operates 13 regional aircraft on so-called regular public transport routes, as well as providing charter services. The acquisition expected to close in March will give Avia an Australian air operators certificate (AOC) allowing it to operate both passenger and cargo services in the country. Avia Solutions Group, founded in Lithuania by its chairman, Gediminas Ziemelis, moved its headquarters to Ireland last year. It has annual revenues of more than 2bn. Its been addressing seasonality in its business by expanding in Asia and South America. The company currently has 11 AOCs globally. By the end of 2024, it aims to establish and acquire seven additional airlines in countries including Brazil, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey. "One of the main strategic objectives of the group is to expand into markets that have the opposite seasonality to Europe, said Avia Solutions Group chief executive Jonas Janukenas. Australia is a new addition to our group's global footprint, where we see significant potential and growth opportunities, enabling us to offer ACMI services, he added. Avia Solutions Group is the parent company to operators including SmartLynx Airlines, Avion Express, AirExplore, KlasJet and Magma Aviation. The group provides aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul services through tis FL Technics subsidiary. It has100 line maintenance stations worldwide and maintenance hangars in Lithuania, Indonesia, and the UK. Catherine McAuley National School on Lower Baggot Street will be overlooked, says board of management Esprit Investments Ltd plans to construct a 300-bedroom hotel on Mount Street Upper and Jamess Place East in Dublin Children with special educational needs and learning disabilities attending a Dublin primary school will be placed at considerable risk from a planned seven-storey hotel overlooking the school. That is the view of Neasa Sheahan on behalf of the board of management of Catherine McAuley National School of Lower Baggot Street on plans by Esprit Investments Ltd to construct a 300-bedroom hotel on Mount Street Upper and Jamess Place East. Along with the hotel, Esprit Investments is also planning 16 residential units, an arts/cultural space and a multi-use school space. In the objection, Ms Sheahan has told Dublin City Council building a hotel beside a special school is not appropriate. Ms Sheahan says our school will be overlooked by this development. Ms Sheahan adds: This brings obvious and understandable concerns. Catherine McAuley NS caters to vulnerable children with special educational needs and learning disabilities. Ms Sheahan told the council that it is a considerable concern to have a transient population ie the guests at a hotel overlooking our school. There is no way of Garda vetting these individuals. This places our students at considerable risk. Local residents and The Irish Georgian Society (IGS) are also objecting to the hotel plan. Executive director with the IGS Donough Cahill has told the council that the development would present an incongruous and anomalous addition to the street-scene. Mr Cahill states that the planned hotel would dwarf the established built in the vicinity and detract from the character of the area. James Kenny of Mount Street Crescent has told the council this proposed development is completely out of proportion and is reminiscent of the badly conceived developments built in 1970s Dublin. John Spain, planning consultant for the applicants, has told the council that the site is a highly appropriate location for a new hotel and residential uses. Mr Spain states that the proposed development will focus on the restoration of the protected structures while also providing for high-quality housing and a hotel development. Mr Spain states that photomontages of key views of the proposed development clearly indicate that the proposal will have no adverse visual impact from the surrounding area. Hotel Lenhart in limbo Hotel Lenhart owners Barbara and John Johnston thought the sale of their Hotel Lenhart on Bemus Point in Chautauqua County was a done deal when they closed the hotel for the 2022 season, moved out of their houses near the property and retired. But the sale of the hotel and three associated houses, which was originally slated for October 2022, has never gone through. The intended Pennsylvania buyers say they still have every intention of buying and renovating the hotel, but the seller has put the properties back on the market. William Curry, the intended buyer with Chautauqua Lake Hospitality, said he believes he and wife Jill are still under a binding contract to buy the property. "The seller refuses to acknowledge the agreement," he said. "We've hired a litigation attorney to try and transition through the process and we're hoping to avoid any legal proceedings." Curry said he has requested three different closing dates to no avail. "Every time we have requested a closing date, they come back with a new price and new terms," Curry said. "We are just asking them to abide by what they signed and what we've all agreed to in the beginning." Barbara Johnston accused Curry of giving her and her brother "the runaround." "We send them a contract and our attorney talks to their attorney and they haven't heard anything," Barbara Johnston said. Curry said he and his wife were "discouraged" when the hotel went back on the market over the summer. "We felt that we had done our best to secure the necessary things to close. And when we did request closing, they said that they wanted to field other options," Curry said. "And I guess that's their right to do if they want to do that. But according to our attorney, we don't believe that they are capable of selling it because they're still in a contract with us." In August, the Lenhart had been selected by Empire State Development Corp., through the Regional Economic Development Council initiative, for a $1.9 million grant to help renovate the facility. Chautauqua Lake Hospitality had laid out plans to turn the Lenhart into a year-round destination and update the hotel with more modern creature comforts, such as private bathrooms and air conditioning. The Lenhart did not open for the 2023 season, and Barbara Johnston has since moved to Florida. The hotel has since been listed for sale, along with the houses, for $4 million. Johnston said she has fielded interest from buyers who are interested in the hotel or the houses separately, but would prefer to sell the lot as a package. Samantha Christmann Want to know more? Three stories to catch you up: Welcome to Buffalo Next. This newsletter from The Buffalo News will bring you the latest coverage on the changing Buffalo Niagara economy from real estate to health care to startups. Read more at BuffaloNext.com. Maple farmers tap Les Trent Local TV reporter Les Trent may have left Buffalo behind for national fame as a senior correspondent on "Inside Edition" years ago, but his latest project the YouTube show Culinary Correspondent has reunited him with local maple farmers. The Emmy-nominated foodie has teamed up with the WNY Maple Producers Association to create a series of video recipes promoting maple products and its annual Maple Weekend event in March. Maple Weekend celebrates the tapping of maple trees with everything from tours of local maple tree farms and sap boiling demonstrations to all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts. "It's a natural collaboration because I'm a big fan of all things New York State especially Western New York," said Trent, who wears a Buffalo Bills sweatshirt in a recent episode that incorporates maple into a chili recipe. "As soon as they asked, I jumped at the chance, and immediately started creating meals using maple." Trent will share three official maple recipes and post them on the 10th of each month leading up to Maple Weekend in March, when producers open their farms to visitors. Scherer's Furniture closes after five generations After 127 years in the business, Scherer's Furniture at 124 Genesee St. will close. Father and son owners Fred and Jim Scherer will retire. Known for its solid-wood furniture and four-story showroom, the company began a deep-discount liquidation sale Jan. 18. Scherer's was founded in 1897 by Frederick Scherer, who started in a rented space in downtown Buffalo before moving to the current location at the corner of Oak Street in 1939. Fred Scherer III continues to help with the store's operations at 90 years old, working alongside son Jim and granddaughter Kathleen. Lace and Day moves Lace and Day, a lingerie store known for its custom bra fittings, has moved from its location at 445 Franklin St. to an expanded location in the Premier Place Plaza, 7974 Transit Road in Amherst. The new location has a larger sales floor, double the dressing rooms and ample parking. Co-owners Emily Constantine Doren and Holly Constantine Ortman, who founded the business in 2015, said moving from a two-story space to the one-story facility will be more convenient and accessible for customers, and provides more space as the operation continues to grow. THE LATEST A downtown Lockport project is staying in the Savarino family. Federal regulators shut down a debt reorganization firm in Buffalo. A closed Niagara County hospital building could be in line for a conversion. Independent Health unveils a succession plan. M&T's earnings take a hit. The secondary market for Bills-Chiefs tickets has turned chilly. Which local health agencies got grants from a big foundation? A plan to revive a closed airport in the Southtowns is finally inching forward. With another storm on the way, the mad dash was on to stock up on groceries. Gov. Hochul put numbers behind her economic development proposals. Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is in line for state money for mobile screenings. More self-storage is coming to Amherst. AKG workers will vote on forming a union soon. Ellicott Development proposes apartment project in South Buffalo. Spectrum customers brace for a rate increase. Benderson to move regional headquarters from Buffalo to Amherst. Clarence glass shop expands; Hilbert adds playing field. Tommyrotter distillery is closing its Seneca Street production facility. Ciminelli is scrapping a Lackawanna warehouse project. A former Noco executive is planning a housing project on Grand Island. The state is planning a workforce development program to train tech workers. A new consortium could boost UB's artificial intelligence capabilities. ICYMI Five reads from Buffalo Next: 1. What does the future of health care look like? A new report offers a glimpse. 2. Glass half full or half empty: The divergent signs on the state of the Buffalo Niagara job market. 3. The Buffalo Niagara advantage: The cost of living is lower here. 4. A cannabis potency tax is coming under fire. 5. The grand plan for UB's medical school. The Buffalo Next team gives you the big picture on the regions economic revitalization. Email tips to buffalonext@buffnews.com or reach Buffalo Next Editor David Robinson at 716-849-4435. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to get the latest in your inbox five days a week. Grant Thorntons Irish arm accused of major role in multi-million dollar US fraud cover up Receiver of US investment advisory firm says Grant Thornton Ireland partner helped to tailor wording in audit to minimise investor concerns Grant Thorntons Irish arm accused of major role in multi-million dollar US fraud cover up' John Mulligan Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 03:30 Accountancy firm Grant Thornton Ireland has been accused of taking part in a cover-up by colluding during audits to help a US investment advisory firm persist with fraudulent activity that resulted in a $400m (376m) black hole in the Florida firms balance sheet. Reddit says it does not consider itself a video-sharing platform The High Court has deemed challenges by Reddit and Google to regulatory authority decisions affecting the internet companies operations have been formally opened before the court for the purpose of ensuring they are brought within legal deadlines. Yesterday, Ms Justice Niamh Hyland agreed to stop the clock meaning the deadline has been met on separate cases by Reddit and Google. However, no details of the cases were outlined for the purpose of stopping the clock. Reddits challenge is to a decision by the media regulator, Coimisiun na Mean, to designate it as a video-sharing platform. The regulator recently announced that Reddit and nine other services will be bound by a new online safety code later this year. Andrew Fitzpatrick SC, for Reddit, told Ms Justice Hyland the various video-sharing guidelines decision, which is not in force yet, will have consequences for his client. Paul Gallagher SC, for the regulator, said his side did not oppose the grant of leave to bring the challenge but they wanted an early hearing of the matter. The video-sharing designation is relevant to a number of other statutory consequences, including that the platform would be subject to a code of conduct which is still out of consultation, he said. The judge agreed to put it back to early next month and said the parties should engage in advance of that date to agree on directions on how the case should proceed. There would be no difficulty about giving the case an early hearing date, she said. The new designation will also apply to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Udemy, TikTok, LinkedIn, X, Pinterest and Tumblr. The court also heard Google was bringing a separate challenge against the Data Protection Commission (DPC) over a new privacy investigation into the internet giant. Mr Gallagher, acting this time on behalf of Google, asked the judge to also stop the clock in relation to this challenge over procedures for opening Google accounts. Yesterday the judge agreed to do so and the case will also come before the court next week. Last week, before the hearing, Reddit said it had launched a High Court action against the Irish media regulator because it does not consider itself a video-sharing platform. The company has taken a judicial review against Coimisiun na Mean after it was included on the list of 10 video-sharing services that are to be subject to strict new online-safety rules. In a statement, a spokesperson said: While Reddit encourages thoughtful regulation, we respectfully disagree with the Commissions designation of Reddit as a video-sharing platform service. Reddit is a predominately text-based discussion platform, and we believe that links to videos uploaded to other platforms should not be within the scope of the EU legislation at issue, which is targeted at video-hosting platforms like YouTube and TikTok. Reddit, which claims to have 70 million users a day, believes it is difficult to see from the list of 10 designated companies what the Coimisiuns rationale was in making its choice. It is also querying why the list is so short, given the Irish media regulators broadly sweeping rationale for inclusion. Under the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act of 2022, the Coimisiun is responsible for the regulation of video-sharing platforms that have their European bases in Ireland. A draft Online Safety Code is currently open for public consultation, with the finalised code due to take effect later this year. Staffing levels will be reduced by around 10pc as shift from print to digital continues Mediahuis Ireland is again seeking voluntary redundancies among staff at its national and regional newspaper titles and has warned of potential compulsory job losses if a target to cut costs by 4m is not met. It comes less than a year after an earlier round of job cuts. The media group employs around 549 staff in its publishing division on the island of Ireland in titles that include the Irish Independent, Sunday World and Belfast Telegraph as well as regional newspapers including The Kerryman and Wexford People. That total is made up of 338 people working in journalism and around 211 in areas like technology, HR and finance. The CEO of Mediahuis Ireland Peter Vandermeersch told staff at a meeting yesterday that the company was seeking to reduce head count by around 10pc to achieve a 4m a year cost saving as part of an overall aim to put the publishing groups finances on a sustainable footing. Mediahuis operates in six countries. At group level it estimates that this year 70pc of revenue comes from print and 30pc from digital, but by 2030 it expects that ratio to reverse to a 30-70 ratio of print-digital income. The Irish publishing arm generated an operating profit of 6.8m last year, boosted by the scrapping of Vat on news products and a large cut in the cost of newsprint. However, Mr Vandermeersch warned that declining newspaper sales are not being compensated for by growth in cheaper online subscriptions. Journalism is the absolute core of our business, but all over the world, media companies are struggling with the same dilemma how to generate sufficient revenues to finance our ambition to produce excellent journalism, he said. I am convinced that our strategy is the right one: to restructure our business to make this a leaner, more streamlined news organisation with the most efficient processes and systems possible, while continuing to produce the highest quality journalism and diversifying our revenues to build a sustainable future for our company. The group has 80,000 digital subscribers for its Irish products. Staff were told investment in digital products will continue. Seamus Dooley, the Irish Secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) which represents many newsroom staff, expressed grave concern at the move, saying there had been no prior consultation with the union. The loss of up to 30 editorial posts would have serious implications in an organisation where editorial staff has already been reduced, Mr Dooley said. We note the commitment to voluntary redundancies but are also concerned that compulsory redundancies have not been ruled out at this stage. Mediahuis Ireland closed its last print plant on the island of Ireland, in Newry, last year and all printing is now done under contract. Antwerp-based media group Mediahuis, which bought Independent News and Media in 2019, said that move enabled it to concentrate on its transition to a digital-focused future. The most recent accounts filed for Mediahuis Ireland Group Ltd record a profit after tax in Ireland in 2022 of 13.4m. That compared with a steep loss in 2021. The swing was in significant measure a result of an accounting change, writing back a previously booked impairment. Revenue wants PAYE workers to file a return to claim refunds they are due. Huge numbers of PAYE taxpayers are due tax refunds that could amount to hundreds of euro each, it has emerged. The Revenue Commission said it estimates that 480m may have been overpaid in tax last year. Tax officials are encouraging PAYE workers to file a tax return, saying this is the most effective way for workers to find out if they due a refund. Key tax credits and reliefs that were refunded to PAYE taxpayers last year are the rent tax credit and health expenses. People can claim back 20pc of their spending on GP, consultants and prescriptions. The rent tax credit was worth up to 500 per person last year, and 1,000 for a couple who rent. For this year the credit is 20pc of rent payments in the year, up to a maximum credit of 750 for an individual and 1,500 for a couple who are jointly assessed for tax. This year the tax credits, which is an amount you can earn before paying tax, have all gone up by 100. In a statement, Revenue said some 472,000 income tax returns from PAYE workers were processed for last year. This was an increase of almost 30pc on the same period last year. Around 275,000 of the returns filed resulted in an overpayment of tax, with the health expenses credit and the rent credit the most prominent reasons for tax refunds. But 76,000 taxpayers were told they had underpaid Revenue. Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 23rd 2024 Revenue said the new facility for PAYE taxpayers to claim the 2023 mortgage interest tax credit will be available from next week. The tax authority has launched a public information campaign to raise awareness among PAYE taxpayers about the range of tax credits and reliefs available, and how they can claim those credits and reliefs. Finance Minister Michael McGrath welcomed the campaign. He said: Since 1 January 2024, 203 has already been refunded to individuals bank accounts as a result of the 2023 returns filed by PAYE taxpayers to date, but Revenue records indicate that a further 480m may have been overpaid during the year. He encouraged all PAYE taxpayers to log on to Revenues myAccount service. Taxpayers should finalise their tax position as soon as they can, to ensure that they have claimed all tax credits and reliefs they are entitled to and receive any refund they are due, he said. Revenues national PAYE manager Aisling Ni Mhaoileoin said the first step in the process is for taxpayers to review their preliminary End of Year Statement which is accessible in myAccount. This statement sets out the provisional tax position for the year, based on information available to Revenue. PAYE taxpayers can then file a PAYE income tax return to claim any additional credits or reliefs they are entitled to, and receive any refund they are due, she said. We use all the information available to us to pre-populate returns and therefore, for the vast majority of PAYE taxpayers, filing a return is straightforward and PAYE taxpayers can complete the process themselves through Revenues myAccount service its quick, its easy and its free. Ms Ni Mhaoileoin said taxpayers can also use this service to declare any additional income they have earned outside the PAYE system or make other changes to the information on their Revenue record. If Revenue owes you money, youll get a refund into your bank account within days. If you owe Revenue money, well work with you to find a suitable payment option, she said. Over 60 Dublin-based staff are at risk in the latest round of layoffs by the parent firm of tech firm Citrix Citrixs parent company is seeking to lay off over 60 staff at its Dublin offices as part of a global job-cutting program affecting 12pc of its worldwide employees. Irish staff have been notified of the companys intentions, which are expected to affect a cross-section of staff at the software group. Its the second time in 12 months that the tech firm has let staff at its Irish office go, having laid off workers last January. Two weeks ago, the CEO of Citrixs parent firm, Cloud Software Group, said that around 1,000 of the groups 8,000 worldwide staff would be affected. We notified approximately 12pc of the total Cloud Software Group workforce that their roles have been eliminated, wrote Tom Krause on Linkedin. However, for many of those roles, namely in our Operations, Security and IT functions, we are working with partners who will rehire many of those individuals to continue providing outsourced services to Cloud Software Group. A spokesperson for the companys Irish office has been contacted for comment. The number employed at the Dublin operation is understood to be between 200 and 300 people, including sister software firm Tibco, suggesting deeper cuts at the Irish operation than globally. Staff have been told that some functions currently overseen in Dublin are to be outsourced to India. The Irish Independent understands that there is unease among some staff at the proposed redundancy conditions, which are said to be weaker than those offered in a similar redundancy round last January. Under Irish employment law, multinationals are obliged to inform the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment when embarking on a significant round of layoffs. To those impacted, thank you for your contributions in the first year of Cloud Software Group, said Mr Krause. These decisions are never taken lightly, but are necessary to build the strongest foundation possible for the future. Citrix has had a presence in Dublin for over 20 years. Its office at East Point Business Park was designed as a hub for digital sales, finance, HR, technical support and consulting services teams. Alphabet's moonshot lab to cut staff and woo investors Focus shifting to spinning out fresh businesses as independent companies funded through market-based capital Google co-founder Larry Page. Photo: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg Julia Love Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 03:30 Google owner Alphabets lab for pioneering technology is laying off dozens of employees as it turns to outside investors to help fund its ventures. The countrys new president no longer plans to sell off state oil company YPF The privatisation of Argentinas state-run oil company YPF is no longer included in sweeping reforms that President Javier Milei is trying to get approved by his countrys congress, according to a summary of the legislation circulated by the government. The so-called omnibus bill, currently up for debate in the lower house, was changed after negotiations with lawmakers. It is the clearest sign yet that libertarian hard-liner Mr Milei, whose party has only a minority in congress, is willing to make concessions in order to push through a radical reform package that would shred the fabric of Argentina's interventionist economy to build a free-market haven. Meet the American who started farming in her 70s and now makes raw cheese, fudge and ice cream from goats she hand-milks on her 3ac Leitrim farm Former nurse Lisa Gifford (82), who taught herself how to make goats cheese, fell in love with Ireland and moved here seven years ago. Now she has been joined by her daughter and daughter-in-law, and they have opened a cheese shop to sell their produce Lisa with one of her goats on her Leitrim farm. Photos: Gerry Faughnan Tamara Fitzpatrick Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 03:00 Lisa Gifford was in her mid-70s when she decided to sell her house in Serbia and move to Ireland and buy a farm in 2016. Some suppliers hoping to take advantage of demand for milk tied to two-year notice period A fall in milk supplies may see some farmers look to obtain better conditions from other processors. Photo: Stock/Getty Images An aging farmer population, succession challenges, environmental restrictions and high costs could set the scene for a ramp-up in competition for milk supplies between co-ops. Fears of a fall in milk supplies on the back of the varied challenges facing the sector are said to be a growing concern for dairy processors, who have invested around 1.6bn since 2015 to handle additional milk produced by Irish dairy farmers. However, many farmers wishing to take advantage of the demand for milk and obtain better conditions from another processor could find themselves tied to a protracted notice period. Dairy farmers looking to switch processors may have to give notice of over two years to their current co-op. A 2015 protocol, signed by all Irish Co-operative Society (ICOS) member co-ops, agrees to apply a 90-day notice period before starting milk collection from transferring suppliers. However, it only applies to a minority of dairy farmers who are without a milk supply agreement or a contract. Tirlan confirmed to the Farming Independent that dairy farmer suppliers need to give two years notice. In a statement, it said it continues to welcome new milk supply entrants. New entrants are important for generational renewal in order to ensure a vibrant co-op and dairy sector. Over the period from 2020 to 2022, Tirlan welcomed 168 new entrants to milk supply. Tirlan requires its milk suppliers to enter into a Milk Supply Agreement (MSA), which sets out the terms of supply. This MSA is a five year agreement and if a supplier wants to supply another processor, they have to provide two years written notice. Dairygold confirmed that supplier members must give two years notice, effective from December 31. It also said it has had a number of new entrants each year. Lakeland Dairies said it is open to new entrants, while suppliers looking to leave are required to give at least one years notice, effective from December 31. Tipperary co-op confirmed it has a 12-month notice period from each November. It also said numbers joining as new entrants have not been restricted and will have new entrants this year. Drinagh confirmed that a shareholder must have ceased trading with the Society or supplying farm produce for two years before the board will consider an application to redeem their shares. Its MSA is for three years, but by mutual written consent, the MSA can be terminated, in which case the ICOS Orderly Transfer of Milk Protocol applies. Aurivo said it is very much open to new entrants and has strong interest from new entrants in 2024. However, it declined for competitive, sensitive reasons to give details of the notice period its suppliers must give, but said contractual commitments are explained to individual Aurivo suppliers as requested. Strathroy recently sent proposed contracts to its suppliers, with the Northern processor due to hold meetings in the coming weeks to engage with its supplier base on the matter. Cormac Cunningham, who runs Strathroy with his brother Ruairi, confirmed it has no contracts in place with suppliers at the moment, but is introducing them. He said under the proposed contracts, a 12-month notice period would be required of suppliers looking to leave the processor, with a window to notify the processor in January or July. He said this may change after the processor holds meetings with its suppliers in the coming weeks. He also said Strathroy is currently open to new suppliers. Kerry, Arrabawn, Bandon, Barryroe, Boherbue, Lisavaird and North Cork did not respond when asked for details. Breeders of continental cattle are unhappy with the changes and said they would be challenging for some breeds. Photo Roger Jones. A fund set up by the Irish Beef and Lamb Association (IBLA) to seek legal opinion, with a view to getting an injunction to stop the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) implementing its new beef breeding indexes, has raised 5,000. Farmers and farming organisations have been heavily critical of the new indexes, which were announced late last year, saying breeders of continental cattle are unhappy with the changes, which would be challenging for some breeds. ICBF has insisted the science-based approach will leave the majority of beef farmers better off. CEO Sean Coughlan told the Farming Independent that a stakeholder forum would take place in the coming weeks where it will engage with people and their concerns. At meeting in Athlone on Thursday night, organised by IBLA, it was decided to set up a Go Fund Me page asking suckler farmers to contribute towards a goal of raising 5,000 for a legal opinion on the matter. Yesterday, it issued a statement saying it had reached step 1, in a two-step process to raise funds for its campaign to seek an injunction. We would like to thank all (members and non-members) who donated to the initial target of 5,000 that allows us seek legal opinion. Now the work will commence to protect suckler farmers in Ireland from being potentially exposed to a devaluation of their livestock and the long-term viability of their farms. At the meeting, it said the next step will be to press ICBF to revoke any actions taken and to return to at least the previous set of evaluations in place If this is not agreed, then 20,000 suckler farmers will be asked to subscribe 1 each to the Go Fund Me page in order to progress an injunction in the high court to stop ICBF from wiping millions of euro off the values of our suckler cows, it said. All farmers can subscribe, IBLA said, and there will be a maximum upper ceiling and a cut-off on the funding that the Go Fund Me page can take in. IBLA said thousands of suckler farmers have had the values of their suckler herds decimated due the actions of ICBF last year. ICBF said the implementation of improvements to both the Terminal and Replacement beef indexes is the result of an independent technical review and consultation with a focus group. These changes stem from several years of collaborative research between Teagasc and ICBF, on the back of industry feedback and international best practice. It said the fundamental improvements to the genetic evaluations include: updates to the economic values on individual traits to better reflect the markets; inclusion of carbon to future-proof our breeding policy; and the inclusion of new traits to better reflect the changing market requirements and improved methodology in how animals are genetically evaluated. Niagara Falls police have arrested a man accused of bashing a gas station clerks head with a hammer during a robbery Friday, the police department said Tuesday. Police charged Darrion A. Cotton, 57, with first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree robbery in connection with the attack Friday morning at the gas station on Buffalo Avenue at 63rd Street, police said. The 57-year-old female victim remains hospitalized after being hit in the head four times with the hammer, according to a police news release and a police report about the incident. Niagara Falls Judge James J. Faso Jr. on Monday set Cottons bail at $500,000 cash, $1 million insured bond or $2 million partially secured bond, according to court records. Fridays robbery happened just after 7 a.m. The victims co-workers initially believed the victim had suffered her injuries due to a fall, according to the police report. After the victim was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, another employee realized cash was missing from the registers. Surveillance footage from the stores camera system was then reviewed, which showed the robbery, according to the report. Video shows the attacker pull out a hammer from a pocket and hit the victim in the head. She stumbled back and appeared to be dazed, according to the police report. The attacker approached the victim behind the counter and hit her three more times. The robber, who removed gloves when he got behind the counter, initially had difficulty opening the registers, according to the report. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, a customer entered the store. Police believe the robber pretended to be the store clerk during an interaction with that new customer. The customer handed him money and the robber pretended not to be able to open the register. The customer did not see the victim, who was unconscious and under the counter, according to the report. When the victim regained consciousness, the robber made her help him access the cash in the registers. In addition to the cash, the robber took cigarettes and lottery tickets. The quick arrest was the result of the diligent work of lead detectives Kevin Henderson and Kenneth Redmond and members of the Criminal Investigation and Crime Scene Units, as well as critical information developed by Patrol Officer Joshua Salada, the department said in the news release. Police ask anyone who may have information to call detectives at 716-286-4553. Paralympic cyclist Martin Gordon has accused a top-rated Dublin bistro of disability discrimination, claiming it refused him and his guide dog access last year because it had a no dogs inside policy. However, the company behind La Maison on Castle Market off South William Street in Dublin 2 is set to contest the claim on the basis that its indoor tables were all booked up and it only had room for Mr Gordons party outdoors on Saturday 14 January 2023. A High Court judge hearing the bail application of a Dublin youth accused of murdering gunman Tristan Sherry has said he had to consider the risk to other children if he was "blithely" released and let return to school. A Limerick man jailed for money laundering offences by the Special Criminal Court is suspected of being linked to the top of the food chain of one of the countrys most ruthless gangs. There were dozens of CCTV cameras, but no clue where she is disappearance of Jean Tighe four years ago was plagued by confusion from the start Fewer than one in five surveyed said they would seek medical help to get pregnant. Photo: PA Overconfidence in fertility treatments has come to light in a new study as more people wait until they are older to become parents. Among students in particular, more than one in five surveyed believed fertility treatment allowed most women to have a baby with their own eggs at any age. Close to a quarter (23.7pc) of the student group thought that with fertility treatments, a woman in her 40s had at least a 50pc chance of conceiving with her own eggs. The survey was carried out by the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Cork University Maternity Hospital. The study sought the views of university students, as well as patients attending clinics, on issues around fertility. There was a good level of knowledge among respondents around the impact of lifestyle factors such as smoking and alcohol use on fertility. A significant number of students incorrectly believed a womans overall health and fitness level is a better indicator of her fertility status than her age, the study in the Irish Medical Journal reported. A total of 48pc correctly believed assistance should be sought a year after trying to conceive below the age of 35, and 40pc correctly understood support is needed after six months of trying to conceive for those older than 35. However, fewer than one in five would seek medical help to get pregnant, preferring instead to talk to friends or family or use books or magazines. Just 29pc correctly believed a mans age is related to an increased risk of birth defects, and just 28pc correctly reported that children born to fathers over the age of 45 have higher rates of learning disabilities, autism, schizophrenia and some forms of cancer. The authors said it was reassuring that the group surveyed had a good knowledge of factors influencing fertility. However, there is evidence of poor understanding of delayed childbearing consequences, cost of treatment and male infertility. There may be a view you can control fertility and postpone childbearing, they cautioned. Gyproc has been given the go-ahead to open up the old Drumgoosat mine near Magheracloone in Co Monaghan, despite concerns in the local community over subsidence in the area. The gypsum mine was previously an underground operation, which closed in 1989 when the only gypsum left was in the pillars supporting its roof. Some of those pillars collapsed in 2018 after a flooding incident, creating large cracks in the earth above. A GAA clubhouse, community centre and playing fields located on the land overhead were destroyed as a result. Gyproc is in the process of replacing those facilities elsewhere in the community. The company last year sought permission from Monaghan County Council to go back into the mine from above in an open-cast operation to scoop out the remaining gypsum. The application was opposed by local residents and attracted dozens of submissions raising concerns about further subsidence and about the environmental legacy an open-cast mine would leave. Gyproc already has one depleted open-cast mine at nearby Knocknacran and an underground mine at Drummond. Members of the community are due to meet tomorrow night to consider their next move. Were going to discuss appealing the decision of Monaghan County Council to An Bord Pleanala, said local resident, Geraldine Ward. Were not happy with the decision and there are aspects of it that we would have particular concerns about. Gyproc, part of the Saint-Gobain global construction materials company, welcomed the decision to grant permission. We will now work with our team to review the detail of the permission and commence next steps in this important development, it said in a statement. Permission was granted with 26 conditions that include development contributions and bonds totalling 880,000. One aspect of the plan worrying locals is the decision to green-light a tunnel beneath the R179 road, which runs between Kingscourt and Carrickmacross. The road was closed for weeks after the initial collapse, while a road serving Magheracloone was closed for almost a year. It was subsequently closed again temporarily after further subsidence. The tunnel is to be used by Gyproc to transport gypsum a mineral used to the make plaster of Paris and fertiliser by haulage trucks from the new excavation area to a processing plant and also to bring earth and other non-gypsum material to fill in the old Knocknacran open-cast mine. Planning conditions require that the tunnel be built with a design life of 120 years, but with the intention that it would be managed by Gyproc for the lifetime of the Drumgoosat mine and then backfilled with concrete and sealed. Conditions also require stability monitoring of roads throughout the lifetime of the mining activity, and fresh stability assessments after its eventual closure. The 2018 incident happened after digging in the Drummond mine broke through to an underground lake, which poured into the mine for months. In the emergency that followed, the company pumped out water into the old Drumgoosat mine, where it undermined the gypsum pillars until they collapsed. The Health Research Board has published a report on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis for different health conditions. Photo: Getty People living with MS, diabetes or spinal injuries could benefit from using cannabis to treat nerve pain, according to a report published today. But the research, which was carried out as part of a review of the current Medicinal Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP), found limited evidence to support prescribing the drug for anxiety or pain. The report by the Health Research Board said there was no conclusive evidence to support the efficacy of prescribed medicinal cannabis for the pain or anxiety of people suffering from cancer, rheumatic diseases and fibromyalgia. The Health Research Board has published an overview of 47 different medical reviews on the efficacy and safety of medicinal cannabis for different health conditions. The research body was tasked with carrying out the review by the Department of Health, which is reviewing the MCAP. The programme, which was signed into law in 2019, allowed doctors to prescribe cannabis to patients suffering from specific conditions, if traditional treatments had not worked. The conditions covered included spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, nausea and vomiting for people going through chemotherapy and severe types of epilepsy. The report found evidence to support the use of prescribed medicinal cannabis for certain conditions for which it is currently approved in Ireland, such as nausea and vomiting in cancer and spasticity in multiple sclerosis. It said that there was evidence cannabis could offer a significant benefit for neuropathic or nerve pain, which can occur with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes or spinal cord injury. For most other conditions, including anxiety and pain in conditions such as cancer, rheumatic diseases and fibromyalgia, there is no conclusive evidence to confirm the efficacy of prescribed medicinal cannabis, it said. The report also examined the safety of medical cannabis. It said serious adverse events were not common, but there were some evidence patients could experience side effects. Mixed evidence was found, however, on the likelihood of other adverse events such as drowsiness, nausea, and any psychiatric disorder adverse events, it said. Dr Kathryn Lambe, the lead author of the report, said: Our review indicates there is some evidence to support the use of prescribed medicinal cannabis in conditions such as nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, spasticity in multiple sclerosis, and managing neuropathic pain. However, for most other outcomes, the findings were inconsistent at best. This review will help inform decision-making in relation to future policy on the use of prescribed medicinal cannabis along with input from patient groups, clinicians, and service planners. The Medical Council, which regulates doctors, does not have a position on assisted dying and the removal of the line "you must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient from its ethical guide has been misinterpreted, President Dr Suzanne Crowe said today. Dr Crowe, who was giving evidence to the Oireachtas committee on assisted dying said: "A number or paragraphs in the eighth edition of the guide were edited, merged or removed following the consultation and drafting. "One such paragraph in the eighth edition of the guide does not appear in the ninth edition, namely: 'You must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient'. This removal has been misinterpreted by some. She said that the "guide states that the medical profession must comply with, and operate within, the law. As per legislation, it is illegal for all individuals, including doctors, to take part in the deliberate killing of a person, or to assist a person to end their own life. "The removal of this paragraph was not the Medical Council taking a stance or paving the way for any possible future change, and should not be interpreted this way." Earlier, the Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran said he has written to the Medical Council seeking clarification on its ethics guide and asked if the council has now decided it is "acceptable for doctors to take part in the deliberate killing of a patient. Bishop Doran, who is chairman of the Catholic Bishops' Council for Life referred to the removal of the line "you must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient. He said that he recalled that this line was very clearly stated in the eighth edition of the guide, published in 2016. He said that even if assisted suicide were to be legalised for example that of itself would never make the killing of a patient ethical. He said it was a very important document for doctors but "unfortunately there are numerous defects in the new edition of the guide. In her evidence to the committee, Dr Crowe said that the key objective of the council is to protect the interests of the general public in their interactions with registered medical practitioners while also supporting these doctors. "The council protects the public by promoting and ensuring high standards of education, training, conduct and competence among doctors who are registered with the Medical Council." She said that "as with previous editions and as mentioned, the guide seeks to support doctors by providing principles-based guidance on how to best work in partnership with patients. She added the guide also has a detailed section on conscientious objection and says that a doctor may refuse to provide or to participate in a lawful procedure, treatment or form of care which conflicts with a doctors moral values. She added that "given the constantly evolving healthcare environment the council intends, over the next year and beyond, to issue additional guidance on a range of different areas. "With the evolving nature of the practise of medicine and delivery of healthcare in Ireland, the council will be regularly reviewing what additional support and guidance practitioners may require to supplement the guidance already available in the guide, and to align with national health policy developments." Nick Foster: I became sure Ian Bailey killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier I told him so and it was the very last thing I said to him Author of book on notorious case tells of his six-year pursuit of Ian Bailey and how a young woman was murdered because of a mans temper Ian Bailey at his house outside Schull in Co Cork in 2019. Photo: Mark Condren Nick Foster Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 03:30 Ian Bailey is dead. Irelands most notorious murder case has thus reached its endgame because on a winters night 27 years ago, it was a drunk and possibly drugged Ian Bailey who made his way to a cottage in Toormore in west Cork, and knocked on the door. Someone set a tour bus on fire in downtown Niagara Falls early Tuesday, according to a city police report. The fire was reported about 2:50 a.m. on Second Street, between Ferry Avenue and Niagara Street, according to the report. The tour bus, which had Massachusetts license plates, was fully engulfed when police arrived. An investigator from the Niagara Falls Fire Department determined the blaze was intentionally set, according to the police report. The investigator was unable to immediately determine how the blaze began. As of the time the report was filed, police had not determined the owner of the bus. Aaron Besecker The Tanaiste has said it would not make sense to boycott the annual St Patricks Day trip to Washington over US support for Israel, adding: You have to engage. Micheal Martin said the Government will instead continue its dialogue and engagement with other countries in a bid to increase pressure and end the violence in the Middle East. Asked whether Ireland should boycott the traditional trip to the White House for St Patricks Day, Mr Martin said: That doesnt make sense. You have to engage. The only way to increase pressure, the only way you can get a resolution on this is to get international pressure that is so overwhelming that there is a stop to the violence. It is clear that the US administration is now seeking to not only get an end to violence, but also to create political track to ensure that there is a Palestinian state, that we get a two-state solution to this. People take this very seriously and people are very worried about what is happening in the Middle East, not least because too many citizens are being killed and too many children are being killed, but also regional escalation is happening. We have the Houthis firing missiles at unarmed merchant ships, disrupting trade and economy. This could get much worse and therefore everyone is seized by the gravity what is happening in Palestine. The idea that Ireland would just retreat from any engagement to me doesnt make sense. I dont subscribe to that view. We believe dialogue and engaging with countries. Irelands Attorney General, Rossa Fanning SC, will travel to The Hague next month to make Ireland's intervention in person on the situation in Israel and Palestine, the Taoiseach told the Dail earlier today. The move relates to a existing case before the International Count of Justice (ICJ) in relation to Israel's actions of Palestine and the West Bank, and is separate to South Africa's action against the Government in Jerusalem. "I hope that proves that we're taking this seriously and that we take the International Count of Justice seriously," Leo Varadkar said, after being told by Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns that Ireland was obliged to take action under international law if we saw genocide taking place anywhere in the world. She insisted the Government should make a common case with the South African effort to stop Israel's slaughter in Gaza, where over 25,000 have died, saying Germany was standing by to do so. Mr Varadkar said: "We want to do this property, just as we have with the earlier case, and just as we did in relation to Russia and Ukraine." The Taoiseach said Ireland would further study the situation when South Africa's main case against Israel is set out in a looming legal argument known as a "memorial". Mr Varadkar said: "We do agree that South Africa's case is valid." He added: "We will also drive efforts at the EU level to bring about sanctions against violent actors in the West Bank. In relation to the ICJ case, I can inform the house that the Attorney General will travel to the Hague on 22nd February to make Ireland's intervention in person in relation to the situation in Israel and Palestine." The Peter McVerry Trust is one of the most high profile housing and homeless charities in the country. Photo: PA The Peter McVerry Trust is facing being compelled to come in before the Oireachtas Housing Committee if it refuses again to come in, according to committee chair Green TD Steven Matthews. There was fury at the committee today from TDs and Senators as the charity has been asked to come in but has refused to do so. The Cabinet signed off on a 15m bailout for the charity which is in a crisis with its finances. Mr Matthews said the Peter McVerry Trust wrote to the committee twice asking to come before the committee. He said the charity has previously been unhappy as it has not been asked to come in on hearings about homelessness. Weve carried out a series of meetings on homelessness and we published a pretty good report, I think. We had a number of service providers, Statutory providers, voluntary service providers. Peter McVerry Trust did write to us, to say that they were upset that they hadnt been invited in and that was on two occasions. Fine Gael Senator John Cummins said the trust wanted to come in on their terms. They wanted to come in on their terms to discuss an issue of importance but theyre not willing now to come before the Committee when theyre experiencing difficulties. That is unacceptable. This is an organisation that is largely funded by the public purse, as a result of a Cabinet decision before Christmas, a bailout was put in place for them. Senator Cummins said the situation is similar to RTE, the embattled State broadcaster which also received a bailout from Government following TV license revenue collapse when 345,000 worth of hidden payments to presenter Ryan Tubridy were revealed. Can you imagine the outcry if RTE refused to come before the Public Accounts Committee, or the Oireachtas Media Committee? It just wouldnt have been a tenable position. He said the Committee should use its powers and compel the Peter McVerry Trust to come before TDs and Senators. Mr Matthews said the charity was invited as politicians wanted to probe the bailout given by Government to it before Christmas. The Approved Housing Bodies regulator and the Charities regulator are both investigating the Trust. The Peter McVerry Trust, the Department of Housing and the Dublin Region Homeless Executive, who were invited to come in, refused to appear before the committee as the investigations are ongoing. Mr Matthews told the committee today he does not see any issue with the ongoing investigations and said politicians would conduct themselves appropriately. FG TD Emer Higgins said it is really disappointing the Trust is not coming in before the Committee. She said the organisation is State funded to quite a substantial amount and said it would be really regretful that the Trust should be compelled. Sinn Fein TD Eoin O Broin said the three organisations refusing to come in is really disappointing and prevents TDs and Senators on the committee from doing our job. He said it is entirely appropriate that the charity comes in. I think it would have been a really valuable opportunity for the Trust and the statutory side to set out what happened and how it happened, he said. Fianna Fail Senator Mary Fitzpatrick said she had huge and deep disappointment the Trust declined to come in. This is a public forum where they would have had an opportunity to explain to the general public what has gone on and most importantly assure the general public the path going forward, she said. Her party colleague TD Paul McAuliffee said the committee may yet carry out its own investigation into the charity. Mr Matthews said the committee will write back and remind them of the powers that exist for this Committee under standing orders to compel witnesses to appear. Id be of the mind that if the response is similar to what weve received previously then we would go and invoke those powers, he said. As members have outlined, it is a public interest case, it is the publics money and this committee has a job to do. The Peter McVerry Trust did not immediately respond to queries. A seventh person has been arrested by gardai investigating the death of a gunman in a restaurant in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve. Tristan Sherry (26) was initially killed in the horror gun attack in Brownes Steakhouse, which was followed by the death of his victim. Gardai said that as part of an ongoing investigation into the serious incident at a premises on Main Street in Blanchardstown, on December 24, they had arrested a man earlier this morning. The male is currently detained at a Garda Station in the DMR under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, gardai said. This is the seventh individual to be arrested as part of this investigation. Sherry (26) was killed after opening fire with a high-velocity gun inside Browne's Steakhouse in Dublin. Jason Hennessy Snr (48) was shot by Sherry in the neck and upper body while having a meal with family and friends. He was rushed to hospital, but his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on January 4 as a result of his injuries. Sherry was confronted at the scene and disarmed before being killed and a number of people are currently before the courts in relation to his death. Last week, a teenager who had become the sixth person arrested by gardai in connection with the probe into Sherrys death was charged and later appeared in court. On Saturday around 15 to 20 mourners, which included Hennessy Snrs sons, Jason and Devon, led the funeral procession from the murdered mans home to St Patricks Church in Corduff. Behind them, Hennessy Snrs Incredible Hulk wrapped casket was transported to the church on the back of one of his Hulk Recovery towing trucks. His funeral saw gardai enact a major security operation over fears the funeral cortege or church could be targeted by the rival gang. Checks were carried out both inside the church and at the exits ahead of the ceremony. Three busloads of public order gardai provided back-up to uniformed and plainclothes officers, while more than a dozen mobile units from Armed Support patrolled the roads around the church. A number of gardai present used discreet hand-held cameras as an intelligence-gathering tool aimed at collating the members of the gang with whom Jason Hennessy Snr had been associated. After the casket of Hennessy Snr was carried inside the church, mourners heard Hennessy Snrs action on Christmas Eve night in Brownes steakhouse had elevated him to the status of a true hero. The 48-year-old, who was well known to gardai and faced a money-laundering trial next year, had sustained his fatal gunshot injuries as he sought to disarm killer Tristan Sherry. Hennessy Snr was not believed to have been the intended target of the gun attack that night, with sources saying its more likely Sherry had intended to kill a younger, more volatile criminal linked to the deceased. During the funeral ceremony, a close pal of Hennessy Snr who introduced himself as Graham described his murdered friend as a truly exceptional man. Hennessy Snr was taken to Glasnevin Cemetery for cremation following the service. He died in hospital on January 4th, more than a week after he was shot in the neck during the shocking incident at Brownes Steakhouse in west Dublin on Christmas Eve. The 48-year-old was enjoying a meal with family when gunman Tristan Sherry opened fire. Sherry was ultimately overpowered and killed inside the restaurant with his weapon being taken from the scene. The funeral of Tristan Sherry (26) occurred without incident in Finglas on Tuesday. Floral tributes including a balaclava and pliers were seen being brought into the church ahead of his funeral as armed gardai kept a discreet eye on proceedings. Local sources fear the bitter feud between associates of the late Hennessy and Sherry will lead to more shootings and a renewed cycle of violence now that their funerals have taken place. SINN Fein will wait until the Government announces its position on the future status of Ukrainian refugees in Ireland before announcing its own policy, a senior party TD has said. In an apparent u-turn on Sinn Feins position last week, housing spokesperson Eoin O Broin said on Tuesday the party did not have access to same advice as Government and would therefore wait until the Coalition sets out its position. Mr O Broins comments appear to amount to Sinn Feins third different policy position within the last month on the future of Ukrainian refugees after the EU temporary protection directive expires next year. Last week, foreign affairs spokesperson Matt Carthy said all Ukrainians can stay in Ireland until the war with Russia ends. This was after party leader Mary Lou McDonald said before Christmas that Ukrainians not working in critical jobs should not automatically be allowed to stay in Ireland. Speaking to reporters at Leinster House on Tuesday, Mr O Broin said there was no option to extend the EU temporary protection directive, which entitles all Ukrainians arriving into Ireland to accommodation and welfare, beyond March 2025. What I would say is ultimately government needs to start addressing this issue because all of those Ukrainian people - about 80,000 who are in the State at the minute - I think they'd like some certainty as well, he said. Asked what Sinn Fein would do, he said the party wanted to hear the governments proposal. There's a series of legal issues, both at an EU level and a domestic level that are going to require very careful consideration, not just by government, by the Attorney General, he said. "They have access to that, we don't, so they need to set out their view. When pressed for Sinn Feins policy, Mr O Broin said: If we were in government, we would have access to the advice of an attorney general, and a range of people that we don't currently have access to. The government has access to that information, that advice. We'd like to hear what they have to say, and then we'll respond and set out our position at that point in time. Last week Mr Carthy said Sinn Fein is not suggesting Ukrainians be sent back while the war is ongoing and said refugees who stay here after the war is over should enter the direct provision system. My guess is, post the temporary measures expiring, what we will still have is that the international protection system will still be in place, he said. That will mean that any Ukrainian who is in Ireland or coming to Ireland, will be entitled to claim international protection, same as other people coming from other parts of the world. Ms McDonald had suggested to the Irish Daily Mail in a Christmas interview that Ukrainians who are not working critical jobs should not be automatically allowed to stay in Ireland. You have to differentiate between who wishes to go home and those who wish to stay, she said. Meanwhile, Mr O Broin said on Tuesday that any new State-run centres to accommodate asylum seekers have to be human rights compliant and that his party would like to see more detail of the Government's plan. Family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier will follow up on criminal investigation against Bailey, family lawyer says Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud arrives at a Paris courthouse on May 27, 2019, to attend the trial of Ian Bailey Ian Bailey at his house outside Schull in Co Cork in 2019. Photo: Mark Condren Sophie Toscan du Plantiers body was found outside her holiday home in Toormore, Goleen, Co Cork, on December 23, 1996 The campaign group that secured the French prosecution of Ian Bailey (66) for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) today vowed to continue their campaign to secure justice for the mother-of-one despite his death last Sunday. ASSOPH, the Association for the Truth about the Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, today vowed that they will continue to campaign amid hope that "new elements" will finally reveal the precise circumstances of the death of the French film executive in the early hours of December 23 1996. In a statement today, ASSOPH claimed that Mr Bailey had "taunted" the police over the past three decades - and claimed that the Irish judicial authorities never wanted to extradite him to France despite three attempts to do so since 2010. "On January 21, 2024, Ian Bailey passed away, 27 years after the horrific murder committed in Ireland against Sophie Toscan du Plantier, born Bouniol," they said. "The Paris Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia on May 31, 2019, to 25 years in prison for murder. "Despite this trial and Frances repeated requests for his extradition, Ian Bailey remained free, never facing charges from the Irish justice system. "Throughout these years, Ian Bailey refused to answer the questions of French investigators, entangling himself in lies and contradictions. Provoking and taunting the police, the judiciary, and the media, Ian Bailey always avoided telling the truth about this murder, of which, beyond any reasonable doubt, he knew every detail. "Irish judicial authorities never wanted to charge him or extradite him to France, in disregard of European commitments based on the principle of mutual trust between States, which Ireland signed and ratified." Ian Bailey dies after suffering suspected heart attack "With Baileys death, Sophies family and our association will never be able to obtain a confession from Ian Bailey." "We continue our efforts for truth and justice. An investigation is underway in Ireland, and we are confident that the discovery of new elements, the hearing of new witnesses, and the revelation of possible complicity will enable Irish police to close the case, 27 years after the murder." Mr Bailey collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack on Barrack Street in Bantry at lunchtime last Sunday. He had suffered a number of heart attacks late last year but was too ill to undergo planned bypass and stent surgery. Despite desperate attempts to aid him at the scene, he was pronounced dead before he could be rushed to Bantry General Hospital (BGH). Details of his funeral arrangements have yet to be confirmed. Mr Bailey, who was born in Manchester, was arrested twice by Gardai in 1997 and 1998 for questioning in respect of Sophie's murder. He was released without charge on both occasions and vehemently protested his innocence. The Indo Daily: "I never had any doubt that Ian Bailey killed Sophie Toscan du Plantier" Mr Bailey later sued eight Irish and British newspapers for libel after claiming he was branded as the murderer. He also took an action - which he lost - against the State for wrongful arrest. After an eight year French investigation, he was prosecuted for Sophie's murder at a Paris trial in May 2019 and convicted of her murder. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison - but had to be tried in absentia after he refused to attend the French hearing which he dismissed as "a show trial" and "a mockery of justice." The French failed on three separate occasions since 2010 to have Mr Bailey extradited to France. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) studied the Garda case file but ruled out any charges in 2000/2001 citing lack of evidence. Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud arrives at a Paris courthouse on May 27, 2019, to attend the trial of Ian Bailey A Garda cold case review is currently underway and will continue despite Mr Bailey's death. The Garda investigation into Sophie's death has been open and active over the past 27 years. Also speaking today, the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier said they will follow up on the criminal investigation against Ian Bailey despite his passing, the family lawyer said. A Paris lawyer Alain Spilliaert acting for the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier spoke about the familys reaction to Ian Baileys death. While speaking to RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland, he said: What we understand on a legal point of view, Bailey was sentenced in absentia by the Criminal Court of Paris a few years ago. In Ireland, he was considered to be the prime suspect. If the prime suspect in a criminal investigation dies, then the criminal investigation continues. So this is how it is, so we will follow this up, he added. Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family Handout/PA) When asked whether knowing a charge could have been brought against Mr Bailey despite he will not stand in Court would give solace to the family, the lawyer said the family was fighting for justice and the complete truth. If you get the complete truth, it's already very, very important for the family, he said. He confirmed the family has been satisfied with two Garda teams of very high professional level Garda members who were working on the case. We were satisfied with that, we were expecting that in due course Ian Bailey would be questioned by the guards, and unfortunately, Bailey died on Sunday, so this won't be possible. The family and the association is keen to continue their efforts for justice for them, for Sophie, and also for Ireland, and for the people of West Cork, this wonderful region of West Cork, he added. To understand the feeling of the family, everybody's asked to take into consideration the fact that this murder happened 25 years ago. And as everybody knows, this family is watching an image of dignity and courage, which is quite incredible, in their quest for justice, he added. Claire O'Shea and Shane Rodgers, parents of baby Noah O'Shea Rodgers, leave the Coroner's Court with a photograph of their son pictured this evening at Wexford Coroner's Court at Gorey Courthouse after the inquest into the death of baby Noah. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. The stillbirth of a baby at Wexford General Hospital four years ago could have been avoided if doctors had delivered the boy at an earlier stage given complications with his mother from a common condition in pregnant women, an inquest has heard. A jury of six men returned a verdict of medical misadventure into the death of baby, Noah OShea-Rodgers, who was stillborn when delivered at WGH on April 24, 2020. An expert witness, Professor Fergal Malone, criticised a number of elements in the care of the babys mother, Claire OShea, at the hospital including a delay of 15 minutes in deciding to deliver the baby via an emergency caesarean section as well as earlier missed opportunities to diagnose her with preeclampsia and to manage the condition. Preeclampsia is a medical condition linked to high blood pressure which can pose a serious risk to both mother and baby. Claire O'Shea and Shane Rodgers, parents of baby Noah O'Shea Rodgers leave the Coroner's Court with a photograph of their son pictured this evening at Wexford Coroner's Court at Gorey Courthouse after the inquest into the death of baby, Noah O'Shea Rodgers who was still born. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin. A postmortem showed the baby had died as a result of lack of oxygen from a severing of the placenta which was caused by his mothers preeclampsia. Prof Malone, a former master of the Rotunda Maternity Hospital in Dublin, told a sitting of Wexford Coroners Court that there was no doubt that baby Noah would have been born alive in perfectly healthy condition if had been delivered earlier after his mother had demonstrated warning signs of severe preeclampsia the previous evening. The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist said it was obvious from a review of medical records that by April 10, 2020 or shortly thereafter that Ms OShea had preeclampsia. However, the inquest heard it was only confirmed on April 23, 2020 at WGH, although she had been treated for high blood pressure for around a month. Evidence was also heard that there was a delay of two days in confirming Ms OSheas diagnosis with preeclampsia as certain laboratory tests could not be carried out at WHG. Prof Malone said pregnant women with preeclampsia were normally admitted as inpatients until delivery but said Ms OShea had been regularly monitored as an outpatient at WGH. He told a sitting of the coroners court in Gorey on Tuesday that scans carried out on Ms OShea up to April 20, 2020 had been reassuring but her condition had begun to deteriorate by the following day when she had severe hypertension. Prof Malone said the appropriate decision was made at the time to admit her to hospital and to give her steroids to help the development of her babys lungs for delivery. He acknowledged there was a debate among medical professionals about when delivery was optimum in the case of women with severe preeclampsia. However, he told the coroner, Sean Nixon, that the risk associated with the premature birth of a baby was relatively minor in Ms OSheas case given she was almost 34 weeks into her pregnancy. Prof Malone said delivery was generally recommended in cases where a mother with preeclampsia was also displaying neurological symptoms like headaches and blurred vision. The inquest heard evidence that Ms OShea had reported experiencing both such conditions on the evening of April 23, 2020 but a decision was not made to carry out an emergency caesarean section until the following night. Prof Malone said the delay by up to 24 hours in delivering the baby was probably unwise as doctors had enough information on April 23, 2020 to arrange a non-emergency delivery for Ms OShea. The consultant acknowledged the appropriate decision to carry out an emergency caesarean section was taken around 10.40pm on April 24, 2020 after the babys heartbeat started to deteriorate and was performed within an impressive 13 minutes. He also noted that it was easier to make decisions about a patients care from medical records than in real time. Pathologist Dr John Gillan confirmed that the babys death was linked to his mothers preeclampsia. Questioned by counsel for the babys parents, Doireann OMahony BL, Dr Gillan, said he believed the outcome could have been different if the baby had been delivered earlier. A specialist registrar at WGH, Aoife McTiernan, said she could not recall if she had been told on April 24, 2020 about Ms OShea experiencing a headache and blurred vision the previous evening. However, Dr McTiernan said she had been reassured herself by Ms OShea that she was not experiencing such symptoms when she examined her that morning. The inquest heard a review into the babys death carried out by WGH had established a key factor as a delay in the babys delivery. Dr McTiernan observed that medical staff were working in an incredibly difficult situation". In a joint statement, the babys parents, Claire OShea and Shane Rodgers said they had learnt of her pregnancy shortly after they had become engaged in October 2019. We could not have been happier for the journey we were to begin together, said Mr Rodgers. The couple said they had alerted hospital staff that Claire had a family history of preeclampsia, while she also had elevated blood pressure at ante-natal appointments. They said they were extremely hurt and angry that a diagnosis of preeclampsia was only made late in her pregnancy. We feel that if a diagnosis was made earlier and a plan put in place to manage the condition, Noahs life may well have been saved, said Mr Rodgers. The couple said their first child was a much wanted and much-loved baby. Mr Rodgers complained that when his wife woke up in theatre and asked about Noah that a doctor replied rather abruptly: He is dead Claire, before walking away. This was already a very traumatic time for Claire and it was further compounded by the terrible attitude and choice of words used by the doctor, said Mr Rodgers. Our lives have changed forever following Noahs preventable death, the couple noted. They added: We have both suffered mentally and have required both individual and couple counselling to help deal with the consequences that Noahs death had on us. They said they had also experienced a great strain on their relationship which they believed was solely due to their sons death. Had Noah been cared for appropriately he would have been delivered safely and the mental health issues we continue to suffer from would have been prevented, they concluded. The couple who come from Summerhill, Wexford subsequently had another baby boy, Shay. The jury returned a verdict of medical misadventure and recommended that HSE guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of pre-eclampsia be circulated to staff at WGH. Dr Nixon said the verdict did not blame or exonerate anyone for baby Noahs death and the coroner acknowledged it was a very difficult and emotional day for both the babys parents and hospital staff. A solicitor for the hospital, Peter Groarke, said staff had already been reminded about the guidelines on pre-eclampsia. Following the inquest, a solicitor for Noahs parents, John Kelly said Noahs death was an absolute tragedy a child deprived of life and parents deprived of their healthy child. It is a tragedy that should not have happened and was preventable, said Mr Kelly. He said preeclampsia was a well-recognised condition in pregnant women with well-established guidelines for the management of the condition. However, he said Ms OSheas condition was negligently mismanaged. Mr Kelly said the verdict justified their pursuit of the case since 2020 and more importantly it raised awareness among the public and medical staff so that someone with Ms OSheas condition would speak up louder in future and question their medical treatment, while medical staff might listen more attentively to patients. Perhaps a life could be saved and a child may have the chance of life. Tragically for Shane and Claire, Noah wasnt given that chance, he concluded. New health laws allow sales of approved medicines over the counter Supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies will have to take cash Grocery shops and pharmacies will have to accept cash as part of a new plan to keep physical money in the economy. Supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies will have to take cash, but not other stores will under law changes resulting from public consultation of the National Payments Strategy which is currently under way. It comes as third-party companies which operate ATMs may be forced to have 10 or 20 notes available as the Central Bank will have powers to set and impose rules on them. Banks will be forced to keep specific numbers of ATMs in certain regions under plans being signed off by the Cabinet today. There will have to be a minimum number of ATMs per 100,000 people and the proportion within 10km of an ATM or a cash service, such as banks or post offices. The responsibility for keeping the designated number of ATMs will be with the three main retail banks AIB, Bank of Ireland and Permanent TSB under plans from Finance Minister Michael McGrath. The new Access to Cash laws will aim to keep the numbers of ATMs at the same level as they were in December 2022, to coincide with the Retail Banking Review. Meanwhile, grocery shops and pharmacies will have to accept cash as part of laws imposed later on this year. In the west, 96.8pc of the population is within 10km of an ATM. The figure stands at 97.8pc in the midlands and at 99.1pc in the south-east. Currently, there are 95 ATMs per 100,000 of the population in the Border region and 75 ATMs per 100,000 people in the midlands. The Central Bank will examine cases where local areas have ATM deficiencies where particular difficulties arise in accessing cash and if needed, designated bodies will address the issue. For the first time, third-party ATM operators and cash-in-transit companies will be authorised and supervised by the Central Bank. This means the Central Bank will be able to impose regulations on them, such as the denominations they stock at all times, and set service standards. Cash usage in Ireland has fallen: before the pandemic, just under 20bn was withdrawn from ATMs in the State. In 2022 13.5bn was withdrawn, which is a decrease of under one-third. ATM transactions have declined by nearly 45pc 156m to 87m from before the pandemic to 2022. The average value per withdrawal has increased to 154. Meanwhile, people who rent out rooms in their house for up to 14,000 a year tax-free will not lose their medical cards, or be deemed ineligible. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly will seek approval for the Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024, which provides for a disregard of Rent-a-Room income of up to 14,000 a year from medical card assessment. This will mean medical card holders or people who are applying for a medical card, could have income of up to 1,166 a month without it being counted during the application. Pharmacists will be allowed to supply the contraceptive pill without a prescription and also free up the sale of other medicines under new legislation. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said today he received approval for the legislation which will also lay the ground for an enhanced role for pharmacists in Ireland, with further developments to follow via secondary legislation. The Bill intends to amend the 1995 Irish Medicines Board Act to enable pharmacists to sell and supply certain approved medicines without the need for a prescription, subject to appropriate regulation and controls to be set out in secondary legislation. This aligns with and supports the current practice of pharmacists supplying and administering vaccinations, both privately and on behalf of the HSE. This amendment may also enable regulations to allow pharmacists to supply oral contraceptive pills without prescription, to support the free contraception scheme, subject to further clarification and consultation. The Bill, when enacted, will also amend current legislation to enhance the ministers power to make regulations for management of and access to medicinal products. This will include provision for the enhanced management of shortages of medicinal products. The legislation will strengthen joint actions by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the Health Service Executive (HSE), the PSI (the Pharmacy Regulator) and the Department of Health and will enable pharmacists to make therapeutic substitutions of products that are in shortage, in line with an approved clinical protocol. Minister Donnelly added: We know that pharmacists can do more for patients and I have been clear that I want to further enhance the contribution that pharmacists make to our health services, and this will be an important step forward. It is intended to progress the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas in the coming month. The gynaecologist who once called out Gwyneth Paltrow for spreading false information about vaginal health on her site Goop, is on a mission to spread empowering and accurate information about periods I knew about it from Judy Blume, and some of the teen magazines. A couple of girlfriends had their periods before me, and they had mothers who were much more communicative than mine, the Canadian doctor, now based in San Francisco, recalls. My parents were both British and my mother embodied the no sex please, were British mentality. So when I got my period, my mother told me tampons were dirty and I wasnt to use those. But I was like, OK, well, its too late for that. Cillian Murphy will star in the screen adaptation of Claire Keegans novella set in 1980s Ireland Cillian Murphy filming a scene from 'Small Things Like These' in New Ross, Co Wexford. Photo: Mary Browne Cillian Murphy on the set of Small Things Like These in New Ross, playing Bill Furlong. Photo: Shane O'Connor It seems an inspired decision to cast Cillian Murphy as the intense and taciturn Bill Furlong in the screen adaptation of Claire Keegans stunning novella Small Things Like These. In the parts he chooses to play and in the glimpses we get of him off-screen, Murphy is a man of few but carefully chosen words. This makes him every inch the New Ross coalman Keegan created with such deftness in her 2022 Booker Prize-nominated story. The sense of anticipation around this film it will premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival next month is intense. But being adapted from such an acclaimed work brings great challenges, especially as this slight yet profound book reveals so much by showing so little. But there was, for me at least, a little catch. While I was immediately seduced by the hypnotic story-telling, I couldnt readily relate to this re-imagining of 1980s Ireland. Author Claire Keegan. Photo: Getty To me, it felt like the story belonged to the monochrome, theocratic 1950s or what is disparagingly called Devs Ireland. In Small Things Like These, the shame of illegitimacy still casts a long shadow and the Magdalene Laundry on the dark side of town remains a malevolent, dominating presence. As it happens, in 1980 a total of 552 babies were born to women in mother and baby homes But by then attitudes in Ireland had mellowed and this is reflected in the sort of discourse in our newspapers, on The Late Late Show and in the range of legislation passed by the Dail. Single mothers, for instance, were entitled to welfare payments an acknowledgement that while extra-marital sex was still a mortaler, it was no longer a capital crime. My own peers in the 1980s who were openly living together before marriage, undoubtedly having better sex in that sinful state than they did after, had no trouble getting contraceptives and would have found the word illegitimacy to be archaic and offensive. This first generation of middle-class, urban a la carte Catholics tolerated the institution, but paid it little heed. But there was another Ireland still in hiding and ashamed, the one where selective amnesia allowed me to forget. Cillian Murphy filming a scene from 'Small Things Like These' in New Ross, Co Wexford. Photo: Mary Browne As it happens, in 1980 a total of 552 babies were born to women in mother and baby homes. Contrast that with 498 in 1950 and 456 in 1960. These statistics wouldnt have been shouted from church steeples, but there were very public clues elsewhere too. Now that Ive bothered to remember. In 1982 Eileen Flynn, a schoolteacher in New Ross, Co Wexford, was dismissed from Holy Faith Convent because she was an unmarried mother living with a separated married man. Two years later, the Kerry Babies Case had the nation in its thrall, its central character Joanne Hayes shamefully vilified. Around the same time, 15-year-old Ann Lovett died after giving birth at a grotto in Granard, Co Longford. Ireland is far from perfect today were in danger of swapping one set of moral absolutisms for another but Small Things Like These is still a chastening reminder of how far weve come. The film has a lot to live up to. Lets say I could snap my fingers and make it so that former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley would win the Republican nomination and end the Donald Trump nightmare once and for all. But heres the catch: In addition to banishing Trump, Haley would also be magically proclaimed the winner over President Joe Biden in the general election, thus handing the White House back to the Republicans. Would you take that deal? JAN. 23, 2024 BY CHARLIE SPECHT Chris Collins gets the WaPo Style section treatment You have to give Chris Collins a certain amount of credit for his shamelessness. His boldness. The former Congressman from Clarence, who was imprisoned in 2020 for insider trading, was the subject of a big takeout in this weekends Washington Post Style section focusing on Collins life in Florida after his pardon by President Donald Trump. Can this ex-congressman show Trump the path to life after indictment? reads the WaPo headline. Convicted for insider trading, Chris Collins got a pardon from Trump and found warm refuge in Florida where crime is hardly a political liability, and comebacks are always possible. I reported in July that Collins was considering a run for Congress in Florida after his release from the federal penitentiary. In what was the best quote from the Post story, Liz Stephenson, one of Collins neighbors on Marco Island, explained why Collins conviction would not be a political liability. We have a lot of criminals and nuts down here, Stephenson said of the Sunshine State. The profile compares Collins to Trump and says the former president, if he is convicted of the numerous crimes of which he is accused, in a strange way could end up like Collins disgraced but not defeated, and in a twisted way, wearing the conviction like some sort of badge of honor. There are interviews with some notable WNY politicos, including Nate McMurray, Chris Grant and Dennis Vacco, and friends such as Chris Graham of Volland Electric, as well as other colorful characters from inside the Power Cubicle of his prison block. The article says Vacco helped launch Collins political career at a Buffalo Sabres game, and also contains an interesting tidbit part of a yet-unpublished memoir that was given to the articles author about Collins and the regions old Westinghouse plant. It references Collins rocky tenure as Erie County executive, saying his Lean Six Sigma efficiency programs had the unpopular effect of leading to cuts in the countys workforce through layoffs. Interestingly, it says Collins negotiated the sale of biotech company Zeptometrix located prominently on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus while he was still in prison. The story reinforces what many people already think of Collins: He is breathtakingly out of touch with many of the people he previously represented. He lives in a $6 million Florida estate and recently purchased a $300,000 Bentley for his wife and an Aston Martin for himself. Even if it makes his critics ill, Collins promises one thing: He is not receding from the spotlight anytime soon. News & Notes:Erie County Republicans have endorsed two police officers for Assembly seats. Marc Priore, an Erie County sheriffs lieutenant, has been chosen to challenge incumbent Democrat Patrick Burke in the 142nd District, and Cheektowaga Police Lt. Pat Chludzinski has been picked to run against 143rd District Assembly Member Monica Wallace. The endorsement process infuriated Joe Flatley, who had already announced he was running in the 142nd. Flatley, after the GOP meeting, sent out a news release saying the endorsement process was unethical, illegal and unfair. Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes says Speaker Carl Heastie made some really good committee appointments with chairs of the labor, economic development, transportation, small business and library committees all going to upstate members. It looks very much different than what traditionally has happened, with more chair appointments going to downstate members, Peoples-Stokes told my colleague Stephen T. Watson. Erie County Democratic Chairman Jeremy Zellner has announced the following delegates for President Biden: In the 23rd Congressional District, Terrence MacKinnon (Hamburg Democratic chair); Jessica Schuster (Concord Democratic chair); Terrence Melvin (secretary-treasurer, NYS AFL-CIO); Hilda Lando (Steuben County legislator); Shawn Hogan (Steuben County Democratic chair); and Marjorie Lawlor (Steuben County Democratic vice chair). In the 26th Congressional District, Zellner; Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz; Howard Johnson (Erie County legislator); Mitch Nowakowski (Buffalo Common Council member); April Baskin (Erie County Legislature chair); Leah Halton-Pope (Buffalo Common Council member); Bonnie Kane Lockwood (Gov. Kathy Hochuls regional director); and Melissa Bochenski (Hochuls deputy chief of staff). Weve seen the scorching temperatures around the world, followed by catastrophic flooding and now comes our second storm in 24 hours. The exit of Isha and arrival of Jocelyn marks the meteorological equivalent of one damn thing being followed by another. Emergency crews are to the pin of their collars working round the clock. ESB teams trying to restore power to around 155,000 homes and businesses across the country following Storm Isha, are likely to have their endeavours disrupted and prolonged by the destructive force of Jocelyn. Two storms in the space of two days is never good. We would be very concerned, ESB spokesman Brian Tapley told RTE. The severe winds and flooding pose serious public danger, so its essential we pay close attention to transport alerts. Met Eireann said gusts of between 133kmh and 137kmh were recorded in counties Donegal and Galway into yesterday morning. Very difficult travelling conditions, as well as fallen trees and damage to power lines must be allowed for in coming days. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) suggests northern Europe, including Ireland over the next 50 to 100 years, can expect more severe storms. But it accepts there is nothing guaranteed when it comes to climate and will only say it has medium confidence in its findings. Making a direct link between our warming world and a greater degree of storminess is difficult to do with precision. Even the experts say such an assessment can only be made retrospectively over several decades. What scientists will say is that the warmer seas are increasing the intensity of tropical storms. On our own shores, over four months we will have had nine storms: Agnes, Babet, Ciaran, Debi, Elin, Fergus, Gerrit, Isha and Jocelyn. Our country is warming in line with many others across the developed world. Scientists insist there is a direct link to soaring carbon emissions. They identify the burning of fossil fuels as by far the biggest contributory factor. Commenting on the extraordinary temperatures achieved in 2023, Keith Lambkin, head of climate services at Met Eireann said: Ireland has seen a remarkable year in climate terms with rainfall and warming at unprecedented levels at times. The record-breaking extremes have knock-on consequences for much of society, Mr Lambkin added. As the mercury rises, rainfall also grows more intense and the likelihood of extreme weather events is increased. Yet the Environmental Protection Agency predicted last summer that the State will miss almost all of its vital 2030 targets. We will achieve a reduction of only 29pc in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, well short of a legally binding target of 51pc. It warns we must have a far more ambitious approach to developing an economy and society powered by renewable energy sources. You dont have to be a scientist to hear the climate crisis banging on our hall doors, or crashing over harbour walls. Havent you seen the movie Gone Girl? These were the shocking words uttered by a Vallejo Police investigator in 2015, after accusing 29-year-old Denise Huskins of staging her own kidnapping and lying about a rape. To the eyes of the cop and much of the media the case bore a striking resemblance to David Finchers hit crime thriller, released the year before. In Gone Girl, Rosamund Pike plays Amy, a woman who frames her husband for her murder, running away before eventually returning home and claiming that she had been kidnapped and assaulted by a stranger. Huskins was telling the truth about her horrific ordeal, but it took months for the police to cotton on. As her lawyer later asked: How could this person whos charged with investigating crime think that this is like a Ben Affleck movie? Thats Hollywood. This is real life! The INMO has called for immediate cessation of all non-urgent elective procedures while the overcrowding is dealt with A total of 23 patients are waiting for a bed in St Lukes General Hospital for Kilkenny and Carlow. 18 of the 23 patients are currently waiting in the Emergency Department, while the remaining five are in wards elsewhere in the hospital. The figure has been rising steadily in recent days with 11 patients on trolleys last Friday, January 19. This figure rose to 21 patients yesterday and hit 23 today. Follow Independent Carlow on Facebook Follow Independent Kilkenny on Facebook Nationwide, 640 patients including 27 children are being treated without a bed in Irish hospitals today, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives organisation (INMO). While St Lukes General Hospital is experiencing a rise in the numbers of patients waiting for a bed in the hospital, INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha explained other hospitals have been hit far worse. "As predicted by the INMO, trolley numbers have been very high over the last few days leading to overcrowding records being broken in Cork University Hospital (94 patients on trolleys today) and University Hospital Limerick (132 patients yesterday). This is leading to very dangerous situations for patients and nurses who are trying their best to provide safe care. We are calling for the immediate cessation of all non-urgent elective procedures. We know anecdotally from our members that some hospitals are still allowing procedures to be carried out despite huge numbers of patients on trolleys in hospitals. This is not acceptable. Hospitals must now make it their focus to de-escalate the number of patients being admitted on trolleys. The aim has to be to reduce the number of patients on trolleys across the hospital. We are seeing a worrying increase in the number of patients on trolleys across wards. Patient and nurse safety and wellbeing must be a priority University Hospital Limerick is the worse impacted hospital today with 109 patients waiting for a bed. This is followed by Cork University Hospital with 94 patients waiting on trolleys, and University Hospital Galway with 73. Businesses cant absorb any more, warned Fine Gael councillor Marie OSullivan who brought forward a motion at last Mondays full council meeting seeking a reduction in the VAT rate for businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector. As of September 1, 2023 the VAT rate for specific goods and services, predominately in the tourism and hospitality sectors was increased from 9% to 13.5%. Cllr OSullivans motion which is seeking a reversal of that increase received widespread support from her fellow councillors who regaled stories about the growing number of small businesses that are currently closing throughout Cork County. Cllr OSullivan who runs a cafe in Kinsale said the VAT rate is a huge issue for business owners. We have all seen what is happening in the hospitality sector over the past couple of weeks with the amount of closures. We have seen hairdressers, beauty salons and other smaller businesses going to the wall. It is very frightening. The VAT rate is a huge issue for all of us. It went from 9% to 13.5% which is a 50% increase, she said. Rural Ireland needs oxygen, said Cllr OSullivan. We do need a bit of help. These small indigenous businesses in our towns are the heartbeat of our towns. They give work experience, spot prizes and vouchers. They are the cog in the wheel that keeps any small rural town going. They are also outlets for social integration for the residents within the area. Everything else has gone up as well. We are all dragging arrears with our electricity bills because the bills were impossible to pay. Everyone is limping along in our businesses. We have some people being very greedy in our big cities and all of us are getting the same punishment which isnt fair. You see bums on seats in restaurants, but the margins in these businesses is very small because the VAT rate, the cost of putting food on the plates and wages have all gone up, she added. Independent councillor Alan Coleman agreed that business owners need more support. Small businesses are the heartbeat of our towns and villages. They do need support. There is no doubt the bigger hotel chains did overdo it completely in the cities when big events were on. Accommodation needs to be decoupled from the rest of the service industry in terms of VAT. Fianna Fail councillor Joe Carroll said there is a crisis and it needs to be recognised as a matter of urgency, while Independent councillor Paul Hayes said small businesses are under pressure and it is one wallop after another. Fine Gael councillor John Paul OShea expressed his fears over the many businesses who have closed their doors in recent weeks. It is hugely important that we do pressurise the government to consider the 9% VAT rate for businesses particularly in terms of our hospitality for our cafes, shops and hairdressers. The large hotel chains could be separated from this 9% VAT rate. It is really worrying to see so many closures of restaurants and cafes in Cork County and Cork City over the last number of weeks. I used to enjoy going to work before, but it is a struggle now, said Independent councillor Danny Collins who owns a bar in Bantry town. Revenue are very much on top of businesses and are causing a lot of strain. We must also look at the pubs who only serve drink. They are paying 23% VAT. This should be looked at as well and reduced as well. Fine Gael councillor Noel McCarthy said the Minister for Finance must act and reduce the current VAT rate. I think when the VAT rate was reduced it did help big time. The minister needs to act and reduce the VAT rate. It is so sad to hear about all of the closures. I feel this will continue unless action is taken. Public houses need help as well. The minimum wage has gone up too much. We all want to see employees looked after but this rise happened too fast. It was such a big amount at the one time. Fianna Fail councillor Pat Hayes who is celebrating 40 years in business this year acknowledged it is a tough battle. Government have been very good to businesses, there has been great investment but the VAT rate needs to be reduced. It would make a huge difference in the hospitality sector. Im in business, we are celebrating 40 years this year. It has been a tough battle every year. In Mallow, people are really struggling in the hospitality sector. They are not opening at night or they are opening only a few days a week. They are finding the running costs nearly untenable, he added. Labour Party councillor James Kennedy said it is essential the VAT rate is reduced, while Fine Gael councillor Kay Dawson stressed that urgency in this matter is key. That industry needs help and it needs it now, said The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank OFlynn. I would fully support that the motion would go to the minister, the Taoiseach, the Tanaiste and all the Cork TDs. It was agreed that letters seeking a reduction in the current VAT rate for businesses in the hospitality and tourism sector would be sent to the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath, the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tanaiste Micheal Martin and all Cork TDs. It was also subsequently agreed that a separate letter would also be sent to the various politicians seeking a review on the current VAT rate for public houses who serve drink only. The former Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Danny Collins brought forward a motion at the council meeting seeking a commitment from the local authority that they would write to the appropriate government departments to abolish Uisce Eireann and to return services to all local authorities throughout the country. Independent councillor Danny Collins said no progress has been made despite public representatives holding a meeting with representatives from Uisce Eireann last year. When I was mayor last year we had a meeting with Irish Water officials. We had concerns about the way we were being treated, communication with them and the state of our mains water in a lot of towns and villages throughout the county. Irish Water said things would improve but they have not improved. I have met with staff on the ground and they are frustrated now as well. It seems there is nobody in charge. That is the big problem, he said Cllr Collins said it was a sad day when responsibility for Irish water was taken away from local authorities. The responsibility for Irish water and the wastewater services was taken away from our local authorities in 2013. This was a sad day. There is no substitute for democratic ownership, accountability and responsibility. Uisce Eireann has gone beyond a joke. Similar letters will be going to the department from other local authorities. If it does ruffle a few feathers and gets something done, isnt it better than sitting back and taking all this crap, he added. Labour Party councillor Cathal Rasmussen who seconded the motion said it is very hard to find how things have improved since they took over responsibility. I agree completely with the tone of Dannys motion. Since Irish Water has come in, we have spent many hours here over the last ten years discussing all the issues with Irish Water. Has anything improved? Very hard to find out what has. Fine Gael councillor Michael Hegarty also outlined his frustrations with Uisce Eireann. I said when Irish Water was being set up, that this would be a worse entity than the HSE. Communications have not improved not one bit. The sub-contractors that they use, the condition that they leave roads in after repairs is appalling. We are getting undermined and more impotent every year that passes by, said Fianna Fail councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy. In about three weeks time I will be here 16 years. In that time the amount of undermining of the powers of local government has been absolutely scandalous and frightening. This is another element of that undermining of local government. Ireland is probably the worst country in Europe for local democracy and local government. Fine Gael councillor Sinead Sheppard expressed her fears that the ship has sailed with regards to the abolishment of Uisce Eireann and said communications with them is a disgrace, while her party colleague Anthony Barry said Uisce Eireann are not answerable to anyone. Fianna Fail councillor Deirdre OBrien said she still rues the day that Irish Water were created, while her party colleague Cllr Michael Looney said Uisce Eireann are a total disgrace. Independent councillor Declan Hurley expressed his concerns over the abolishment of a faceless utility company. It is like peeling an onion on a daily basis trying to get through to Uisce Eireann, tears and all that go with it. We have to write to the minister again and outline our dissatisfaction at their approach to us as elected members. We probably wont get the abolishment but we need the minister to know that there has been no improvement in communications with elected members. We are talking about an essential service, said the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank OFlynn. We have numerous situations at the moment where the crews that are actually repairing the broken pipes on the ground are Cork County Council crews because they are fed up with Irish Water. The most important service going into any household, farm or business is the supply of water. They have a job to do and they are not living up to it. Chief Executive of Cork County Council Valerie OSullivan provided members with an update on water services in the county. Categorically every aspect of water services is a matter for Irish Water. Certainly since September 6. We dont have responsibility for it. What are the chances of the abolition or otherwise of that utility? Well why not. If they are not to be abolished, if they could be directed to behave in a reasonable matter aligned with the local authority we would be flying. It was unanimously decided that a letter would be sent from the local authority to the appropriate government departments seeking the abolishment of Uisce Eireann and to return services to all local authorities throughout the country. The design and craft trade show will allow businesses to meet with international buyers Some of Cork countys best up and coming craft and design businesses will join over 100 companies from across Ireland at the Showcase 2024 event at the RDS later this month. At the trade show, which will run from January 21-23, the businesses will have the chance to meet with and sell their products to the many buyers who will be in attendance from all over the world. In preparation for the show, Cork County Councils Local Enterprise Offices have been supporting the businesses that will attend by helping them with merchandising for their stands, marketing, and sales techniques. This is Cork Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Cork newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details Louise Morans Flourish Emporium, a Midleton-based home fragrance brand that sells luxury candles, reed diffusers and diffuser oils, is one Cork enterprise that will attend the RDS show, as is Hanna Backmos Hannas Bees. which creates sustainable and luxury honeybee products. The latter is one of the finalists in Showcases One to Watch award category. Reileen Bn Ui Dhuinnins Duil Ireland, a new jewellery brand based in Clondrohid, and Mary O Donnell of MOD ART Studios, a contemporary Irish artist, will also display their products at the event. Tracy McCarthys Naturally Balanced facial, body and lip oils business and another Kinsale business, Paula McGoverns Wizard and Grace, a plant-made candle vendor, will also showcase products at the RDS alongside Claire OSullivans WASI, a Bantry enterprise which specialises in seaweed skincare The Cork businesses will exhibit their wares at a special area of the event, known as the Local Enterprise Showcase, which is reserved for Irelands newest design talent. Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. Frank OFlynn, said that the upcoming Showcase event will be an opportunity like no other for the Cork companies that will attend. We have a wealth of creative enterprises from Cork County working in the gift, craft and design sector, Mayor OFlynn said The Showcase trade show is a unique opportunity to meet quality trade buyers in one place. With Irish and international retailers buying, a business could potentially get orders for the year ahead. While that wont happen for every business, the market research, PR leads, product development and networking opportunities will help grow their brand and develop their skills in marketing and sales into the future. A man who admitted possession child sexual abuse images while staying in a County Donegal hostel has had his case adjourned for sentencing. Robert Browne (52) of Clifden Road, Berkin Head, Merseyside appeared before Judge John Aylmer at Letterkenny Circuit Court on Tuesday to reaffirm his guilty plea. He is charged with the possession of child pornography on July 27, 2016 at Apple Hostel, Ramelton Road, Letterkenny, contrary to Section 6 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act, 1998. The charges relate to the possession of five anime images of prepubescent children in nude poses and sex acts. A further charge relates to the possession of four images depicting naked images of young teenage females. Defence barrister Shane Costelloe SC explained it was a peculiar case as Browne had been staying in the hostel and an item was left behind and on inspection to find the owner, the item was reported to the Gardai. Follow Independent Donegal on Facebook The court heard that Browne has been prosecuted for a related matter in the United Kingdom, and had received a non custodial sentence. Mr Costelloe said due to the quantity and nature of the images, he believed the offences to be at the lower end of the scale, and he had travelled to Letterkenny to affirm his guilty plea. He added that Browne had entered an early guilty plea, and suggested that a probation report would be appropriate in this case. A pre-sentence report was ordered, and the case was adjourned for sentencing until the June sitting of the Circuit Court. A Dublin TD has called for an investigation into a suspected dog poisoning incident in Johnstown Park in Finglas. Paul McAuliffe, Fianna Fail TD for Dublin North West, has urged members of the public not to walk their dogs in the park following reports of dog intoxication from local residents. A statement from the TD said a local vet in the area, Michael John Winters of Fox Veterinary Clinic, confirmed a number of dogs have presented over the past few days showing signs of intoxication. I have contacted Dublin City Council Parks to investigate the source of the poisoning as soon as possible, Deputy McAuliffe said. In the meantime, I would urge members of the public not to walk their dogs in Johnstown Park and would encourage any dog owners who may have been in the park over the last number of days to keep a close eye on their pets. They should visit their local vet if they notice their dog is unusually sleepy, unsteady on their feet, or acting unusual, he added. The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) advised dog owners to keep their pets on a lead where possible. The best advice, as with any situation, is when you bring your dog for a walk, you should always know where your dog is, always have them in sight, spokesperson Gillian Bird said. Keep them on the lead, and ideally not the long stretchy leads because sometimes your dogs can be out of sight, and you dont know what theyre doing. So, keep your dog under control, make sure you know exactly where they are and what theyre doing at all times, and keep an eye on them health-wise. Another piece of advice from the DSPCA is that if its not something a dog has ingested, it might be something the dog is walking in. A good idea would be to wash their paws when they get home. Just to make sure theres nothing that theyre possibly walking in as well that could be causing problems. There can be lots of things around this time of the year. That can be anti-freeze; there may be rat and mice poison; there could be any sort of thing out there that could be causing it. A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: Park services can confirm no programme of baiting has been carried out recently in Johnstown Park. Any baiting is always carried out by approved licensed pest control company, with the use of tamper proof boxes so would be very unlikely, even if an active programme was in place, to be the cause of this. There is no evidence of what might have caused sickness to dogs and there is no evidence that the source of any illness was in the park. A unique gig held in a Dublin kitchen has raised over 3,000 for those impacted by the war in Gaza. Hugh Carr and his housemates Caoimhe Bermingham, Niamh McGowan, Caoilfhionn Ni Dhulaing, Liam Schmidt, and Rob Stubbs, hosted a concert in the kitchen of their Dublin 14 home over the weekend. They arranged for musicians to come to the house and for each person they asked, they would get 10. They hoped the Gaff for Gaza gig would raise 400 for Doctors Without Borders, but it has since raised over 3,000. Acts such as Rogue Opinions, And He The Fool, Ronan Friel and Ryan ONeill, and Hannah McRoche and Erica OReilly, all performed on the night. It was gas, it was a mad way to spend a Saturday, organiser Hugh Carr said. We have mates in bands, one lad didnt play in four years because of Covid, one was a mate from home, and there was a girl we did musicals with. The 'Gaff for Gaza' gig in Dublin 14 We kept it in group chats. We were going to put it up publicly, but we didnt want a Project X situation. We kept it very low-key. Wed a goal set for 400, we thought if wed 10 people in the house and a tenner a head, but this morning we hit 3,000. Its so nice to see the generosity of people, its very sweet. Its very easy to feel idle or that you cant really do much, you feel stuck and so removed from the situation. You cant really see a way to help, but when you see something like this happen. It wasnt that hard to organise, we found musicians and found people to pay to see them. We gave the neighbours a good warning and invited them to the gig as well. Wed no complaints. It was all acoustic, we asked the bands to strip back. There were people blasting on the saxophone and clarinet but nothing too rock and roll thankfully, he added. A large blaze at the rear of a commercial cleaning company in a Dublin industrial estate has been brought under control by Dublin Fire Brigade. The alarm was raised at around 3.30am when the fire occurred at the premises in Airways Industrial Estate on the northside of the capital. Dublin Fire Brigade have warned local residents that 'smoke is drifting across the vicinity Seven fire engines originally responded to the incident, including a turntable ladder used to assess and control the fire from above. No injuries have been reported, however, locals have been urged to take precautions due to smoke drifting across the area which was exacerbated by winds. Early this morning, four fire tenders and other Dublin Fire Brigade responders remained at the scene as fire crews continued to dampen down the fire. The fire is believed to have broken out in an area where textiles and other combustible materials are stored and processed. Good progress has been made by firefighters in extinguishing the fire and the incident has been scaled back. There are no injuries reported, Dublin Fire Brigade reported. Local residents are being urged to close all windows and doors if they smell smoke as a precaution Smoke has been driven by a strong wind and we're asking nearby residents affected to close all windows and doors as a precaution. There are local road closures in place and we have had great assistance from An Garda Siochana, ESB Networks and Gas Networks Ireland, the report added. A garda spokesman confirmed they attended the scene of the fire at the industrial premises in Santry this morning at approximately 4am. There was some traffic congestion in the estate while the fire crews dealt with the blaze, which was confined to the rear of the premises. Crews used water from fire hydrants in the estate to fight the blaze. Dublin Fire Brigade and Garda personnel remain at the scene this morning, and it is understood an inspection of the scene to determine the cause of the fire, believed to be accidental, will be done when the area is declared safe. Villa Maria College and two groups announced Monday they will join together to help 15 clinicians of color in their aim to offer mental health services to clients who look like them and share a cultural perspective. Say Yes Buffalo and Healing Hub of New York, in collaboration with the Cheektowaga school, designed the program to increase the ability to provide culturally centered mental health counseling across the region. It was a need underlined after the fatal mass shooting on May 14, 2022, of 10 Black people at the Tops on Jefferson Avenue, Say Yes Buffalo CEO David Rust said during a news conference at Villa Maria. After 5/14, we need to remember the lives that were lost, Rust said. We showed up regularly to help our community with counseling services, food deliveries, whatever was needed ... Kelly and her team were there regularly. Thats what brought us here today, so that we could have proactive services in place so that we can help our community going forward. Kelly Dumas, to whom Rust referred, is executive director of Healing Hub of New York. Dumas, who also attended the news conference, said the goal of the program is to build up clinicians of color and their practices to enable individuals to seek help, find hope, and embark on a path towards healing and thriving in spaces that are reflective of their prospective clients. The May 14 tragedy really highlighted our need to have more access to clinicians of color, she said. I was one of the first people responding onsite that day for mental health support and was there for several weeks to come, as well as some of the clinicians who are here today. Aleese Flunder, a mental health therapist with her own private practice, is one of the inaugural cohort of 15 clinicians of color who hope to benefit from the resources the new initiative provides. I was in community work prior to opening up my private practice and I was already stepping out into something else, and then 5/14 happened and I recognized the need for Black clinicians in the community, Funder said, and so I went completely in another direction and started working on opening up my own private practice. Heres the thing with that, though, she said. This program wasnt there when I did that. I had no assistance, so what I found myself doing was literally picking apart individual brains and piecing together the information that I needed to open up a private practice. And even with that, there were things that I still was not able to do. The program will help those in private practice, fully licensed or working toward full clinical licensure. It will include an array of support through trainings provided by Rafiki Consortium, workshops and financial support to assist with credentialing to accept insurance payments. It also will teach marketing skills to help increase visibility, and support to assist with licensing exams and clinical supervision needs. In return, clinicians will have to provide the equivalent of five hours per month of free, pro bono counseling services to Buffalo residents for the next two years. Villa Maria has offered space for our workshops and our training, Dumas said. Our collaboration is evolving. We need more professionals coming into the field, so there will be some opportunities to work with the student population here. Villa Maria President Matthew Giordano spoke to the importance of the initiative to the college. Villa is a college where we really place a lot of importance on our engagement with our community, Giordano said. We are a college that feels very strongly about the potential of all the young people, in particular, in our community and what they can achieve, and we want to work as cooperatively as we can with many organizations that are really committed to helping people to succeed. The partners also thanked United Healthcare for its financial backing of the program. Living conditions arent good for the soul, head, lungs or health Residents from the Oliver Bond House case study alongside those involved with the Robert Emmet Community Development Project The living conditions in Oliver Bond House in Dublins south inner city arent good for the soul, head, lungs or overall health, according to one resident. Gayle Cullen, who was born and raised in the area, believes residents need better and timely maintenance for the complex, not just plastering them up, mould returns if its not dealt with. An analysis of respiratory health, recently published by Trinity College Dublin School of Medicine, shows that even adjusting for whether a patient had a medical card or not, Oliver Bond House residents were still 1.9 times as likely to have evidence for asthma in their medical records as other patients in the same practice. According to the report, 82.8pc of residents reported issues with mould and damp in their homes, while over one in three residents (35pc) also reported sewage problems. Over 30pc have water coming into their homes, exacerbating the mould and damp, and over 55pc of residents have been told by a medical practitioner that damp, mould or sewage is contributing to ill-health in their families. We need windows to keep our flats warm, better security gates where theres only access for residents, play areas for our children - we currently have four swings for 186 children, Ms Cullen said. Five generations of my family have been born and raised here. The Oliver Bond flats were built in 1936, it has 397 flats, three houses spread across 16 blocks. Its one of the largest housing complexes since the foundation of the State. Everybody looks out for each other, were a proud, strong, united community, however our living conditions are in serious decline. Theyre having a negative effect on our health, but were determined to turn it around. With the energy costs so high, residents are struggling to heat their homes. Were paying a lot of rent; we work hard to pay it. I love Oliver Bond. I want to live here. Were fearful for our young people and our elderly neighbours. We hate living in these horrible conditions, it is a breach of our human rights that physical and mental health is being neglected. Current living conditions arent good for the soul, the heart, and the head, theyre not good for our lungs or overall health. Were sick waiting, weve a proud history and we want a proud future, she added. She believes the people of Oliver Bond House in Dublin 8 have been forgotten as the city continues to develop. Its ironic hearing the importance of having a thriving city centre, bringing people to live in the city centre, the 15-minute city initiative, but were already here, Ms Cullen said. Theres new apartment complexes and student accommodation popping up all over the city, particularly Dublin 8. Theres a major urban regeneration, local places are being replaced by alternatives. Money is being used to develop more luxury tourist and student accommodation. What about the history that exists in between these development options? What about the community that lived here before the trail of expensive coffee shops? Are we invisible? Fellow resident, Natasha OKeeffe, is one of the many who suffer with respiratory issues due to the living conditions. Residents living here are almost twice as likely to have asthma in our medical records. I am one of those people, Ms OKeeffe said. I have breathing issues, my doctor says its the damp and mould affecting it. This is a clear breach to our right to a healthy living environment. Ive experienced damp and mould conditions for years, Ive spent thousands of my own money to try and rectify these issues. I reported them several times, but they werent fixed. I also paid for home improvements by private contractors only to have them replaced due to the mould. Ive to constantly wash and sanitise areas in my house. Some of my neighbours are so ashamed and embarrassed of these damp and mould issues that they dont have people over in their homes, they dont want people to think that theyre not hygienic. We are sick mentally and physically waiting for long promised regeneration, waiting to be able to live in Oliver Bond as a healthy and safe community, she added. Plans for regeneration were announced for the complex and a regeneration forum was established in October 2021. Another resident, Julie Barry, added: Ive a two-bedroom flat, one being a box room and the other being a bedroom which sleeps my three adult children. My son has autism and cant sleep at night; it disturbs the sleep of his two sisters and the family who have to concentrate in work and school every day. The physical and mental wellbeing of our family is being affected directly. Were living in dire conditions. We cant wait to live in adequate conditions. We want safe, warm, dry, healthy homes. Ill be in my seventies by the time I see any progress. A tree which fell on top of a bench near Darmouth Square after Storm Isha. Pic: @GeogheganCllr A Dublin councillor has warned it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured, or worse by falling trees in light of the series of storms battering the country. Fine Gael councillor James Geoghegan highlighted the destruction caused by fallen trees following Storm Isha, which battered the country on Sunday and led to an orange weather warning for Dublin. Cllr Geoghegan shared photographs from residents showing a fallen tree obstructing a pathway near Dartmouth Square in Ranelagh and called for a rethink on how we deal with the issue. It is estimated there are approximately 60,000 street and roadside trees in the Dublin City Council area. The staff really have their work cut out to ensure public safety in respect of trees that have been in place, in some cases, for over one hundred years, councillor Geoghegan said. The succession of storms should lead to a rethink of how we assess risk in these neighbourhoods when it comes to overhanging trees, while doing our best to preserve them. Damage caused by Storm Isha in Ranelagh. Pic: @GeogheganCllr In this area of Ranelagh, which has seen major tree falls in recent months, there are statutory tree preservation orders in place. This level of protection includes the prohibition of cutting down, topping, lopping or wilful destruction of such trees. It is a difficult balance to strike because these trees form part of the character of these beautiful neighbourhoods, and yet, with the increased frequency of storms, they pose a serious risk of injury to the community. What I would like to see, and will be raised at our next area council meeting, is a specific plan of inspection and preservation unique to this area. If we need outside experts to support the council on this, it will be worth the investment. We cant keep doing the same thing and hope for a better outcome. Its only a matter of time when, unfortunately, someone is going to be seriously injured, or worse, he added. Dublin City Council has been contacted for comment. Members of the Sea of Change Choir will be performing at the National Concert Hall next month A choir of cancer survivors will be performing at the National Concert Hall next month in aid of two charities close to their hearts. The Sea of Change Choir is an Irish Cancer survivor and supporters choir that began when a woman named Deirdre Featherstone was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer back in 2012. After her treatment, Deirdre decided to celebrate by organising a Strip and Dip fundraiser for childhood cancer, and the choir members have since gone on to become Guinness World Record Holders. In 2018, on a secluded beach in Wicklow, they were among those who broke the world record for the largest skinny dip in the world. Since then, the choir has gone from strength to strength, raising over 1.2m for respite homes in Dublin for the families of children going through cancer. At the beginning of next month, the choir will headline a gig at the National Concert Hall organised by Pat Egan in aid of Aoibheanns Pink Tie and The Capuchin Day Centre. The concert kicks off at 8pm on February 11 and tickets start at 26.50. Other special guests on the night will include Brian Kennedy, The Dublin City Ramblers, Aoibheanns Pink Tie vocal group Solstice, with Musical Director Eugene McCarthy and Sea of Change Musical Director, Ian Brabazon. The choir's upcoming gig will be in memory of four previous members who have died It started with 40 ladies in 2013, and in 2018, over 2,505 brave ladies bared all and absolutely smashed the world record for Strip and Dip, Deirdre said. We now have 52 members and meet twice weekly to rehearse. Our members are primarily based in Leinster, and we are a really special, energetic bunch of people. In 2018, the members met Ian Brabazon, and the choir began by launching on Irelands Got Talent. With a golden buzzer performance, the choir has never looked back, with performances all over Ireland, the European Parliament, and even as far as Africa last August with the World Health Organisation. The choir members are full of fun, hope, more fun, and most have been through cancer, with a lot of members who have lost people close to them through cancer, Deirdre said. Since forming the choir, they have lost four of their members, including Annette, Eileen, Therese and Claire. The families of the late members will be at their upcoming gig to show their support. The Sea of Change Choir Album is also out now on CD. A few years ago Aaran Donoghue was working in a local Tesco store in Galway, and now, after several hours on film sets and an amazing experience working at the Banshees Of Inisherin, he is about to feature in a Hollywood movie. 29-year-old Aaran explained his passion for cinema started as young kid in Loughrea, his hometown, while dreaming of becoming James Bond. Aaran Donoghue Aaran said: From a young age Ive dreamt of being James Bond someday. I loved James Bond. Follow Independent Galway on Facebook Ive done youth theatre in Loughrea. I was quite young and I was actually bullied and teased in school about it. So I stopped. Years passed, and at 21 Aaran became a manager at a local Tesco Express store in Galway. There, he quickly realised he wanted to give the actor career a change and decided to register for college. He said: It just came to a stage where I kind of saw all the other managers, they were stressed and they werent happy with their lives. Now Im not trying to downgrade Tesco because for years Tesco was so supportive of me and it really helped my career starting off, whether it was going back to college and let me work on weekends, if I needed time off at short notice they were flexible, they really helped my career. From that moment, Aaran started taking part in a number of short films, and unpaid work, while remaining positive about the future as he repeats: There's no such a thing as small roles, only small minds. And just a few years later, he was chosen to work at the award-winning movie The Banshees Of Inisherin. Aaran Donoghue on set Aaran was chosen as stand-in for Brendan Gleeson and, when not needed as a stand-in, he was a trainee assistant director. The Galway man remembers those months as a great opportunity and an unforgettable experience: Without doubt it was an amazing experience because we got to spend five weeks out in Inishmore, enjoying the summer, and six weeks in Achill, we all became so tight, we worked hard during the day, we ate food at night, we had a couple of drinks, and we would work hard again.+ It was an amazing experience. I got to watch some of Ireland's best actors right in front of me, not more than a foot away from me. He added: I'll never forget Martin McDonagh comes to me like 'you're a good actor'. I was so happy. Martin McDonagh is after saying that I'm a good actor! Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 23rd 2024 While working behind the scenes, Aaran realised he wanted to be an actor. I realised acting is what I really want to do. I want to be in front of that camera, I want that button to be pressed for me, he said. Despite having a long way to go, Aaran is now proud to announce that he recently had a role in a short film called I Found A Place - Zoe Gibneys debut film - and a new movie called Bonhoeffer, which was written, directed and produced by Todd Komarnicki - famous for being the producer of Elf - and will be in cinemas in November 2024. Aaran Donoghue on set Aaran said: Ill be in world war movie which is definitely going to premiere in Hollywood and further on, and I'm a boy from Loughrea! It's coming a bit slowly but it's coming together. As he finally made it to the big screen, Aaran cannot but think at that child that wanted to be James Bond. Asked what he would say to his younger self, he said: I would say keep going, keep believing in yourself, keep dreaming. All those days you were daydreaming in the back of the class and not doing school because you felt like the black sheep, it was all worth it buddy. A Dingle postmaster, a Tralee superintendent, and a Listowel native who made waves in Dublin are among the voices heard in the latest oral-history collection from Irish Life and Lore, the oral-history archive compiled by Tralee-based couple Maurice and Jane OKeeffe. But the new 2023 Heritage Collection goes far beyond Kerrys county bounds, as Maurice explained to The Kerryman in recent days. As is typical of the OKeeffes collections, the recordings cover a wide range of topics and will appeal to an equally broad range of listeners. Among the Kerry participants is Brian ODaly, a long-time employee of the ESB in Tralee, who discussed Valentia Cable Station with Maurice and Jane. Postmaster Bernie Goggin whose uncle, Paddy Foley, chaired this newspaper talks about Dingles transformation from a rural fishing town to a tourist hotspot; and Garda Donal OSullivan talks about his career, which included a transfer in 1982 to serve as Chief Superintendent in Tralee. This collection consists of oral history recordings conducted with 26 interviewees in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Meath in 2022 and 2023, Maurice told The Kerryman of the collections breadth. The content of these recordings covers a broad range of topics including life on Scattery Island and its inhabitants; the working of the Land Commission; the GAA; farming on the Burren in County Clare and its archaeology; lives spent in the nursing profession, in An Garda Siochana, the confectionary industry and the Dominican Order; vernacular architecture; rural electrification; the Seven Arch Bridge (pack-horse bridge) in Scurlockstown, County Meath; and Irish Traveller customs, traditions and culture. The full collection is available at www.irishlifeandlore.com/product-category/recordings/thematic/heritage-collection-2023/ for 220, while individual recordings are available from the same address, costing 10 apiece. TY students in the Mid-West have the opportunity of taking part in a short-film competition on the Shannon Estuary which will see the winning school receiving 2,000 and the coveted COMPASS Trophy. Organised by the port authority, the Shannon Foynes Port Company Compass schools competition is a biennial competition for TY students in counties Clare, Kerry and Limerick. In the competition, students are asked to create a short film that predicts what realising the unprecedented renewable energy opportunity on the Shannon Estuary will do for the region and nation. Follow Independent Limerick on Facebook Follow Independent Clare on Facebook Themed Shooting the Breeze, the competition returns for the first time since 2019 and has a top prize of 2,000 for the winning school. Students are tasked with creating a film of a maximum duration of seven minutes that will focus on the impact of wind power, what it will deliver in terms of sustainability and the downstream economic opportunities as the Shannon Estuary becomes the production hub for Irelands estimated 80GW of offshore wind ten times our domestic requirement - waiting to be tapped off the Atlantic seaboard. Shannon Foynes Port is partnering on this years competition with the Hunt Museum, leveraging off its 'Nights Candles are Burnt Out' exhibition, which charts the previous renewable energy revolution of the Shannon system via the development almost a century ago of the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme at Ardnacrusha. Students will get ample inspiration and insight for their film by visiting the captivating exhibition, which is free to all schools participating in 'Shooting the Breeze'. Information Packs and Entry Forms for the competition are available from eadams@sfpc.ie; telephone 069 73102. Entry forms must be returned by Wednesday February 14, with a further eight weeks for the TY teams to create their short-film, which must be submitted by March 21. The five Best Film Nominations will be announced on April 8th, with the chosen teams presenting their films at the Gala Awards Event in the Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum on April 26. Shannon Foynes Port Chief Executive Pat Keating said: COMPASS has been a great instrument for growing awareness among the youth of the region of the opportunity for the Shannon Estuary to become an international renewable energy generation hub. Participating schools have found it beneficial in terms of gaining awareness of our unique opportunity in this region to lead Irelands and influence Europes green transition, but they have really enjoyed the process. So, we would encourage as many as possible to enter. Our partnership with the Hunt Museum is an extra attraction as students visiting the exhibition will get plenty of inspiration and insight from it for their short film. A panel of independent judges will adjudicate on the film submissions and pay particular attention to creativity, knowledge, ingenuity and presentation of the outcomes. Evidence of teamwork is also essential. In addition to the 2,000 for their school, the winning team will also receive the coveted COMPASS Trophy. Each team member also receives an iPad & Commemorative Medal. The runner up prizes for each of the five teams are Commemorative Medals and Sailing Day at Foynes Yacht Club. There was double the cause for celebration in Ballybunion over the weekend as two separate Camino de Santiago walks helped to raise close to 5,500 for the Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue Service. The first of the two walks along a leg of the famed Camino de Santiago was undertaken by Ballybunions Lisa OMahony back in August of last year when she completed a 115km long of the route over the course of a week. Lisas efforts were hugely successful, raising a cool 2,615 through a combination of her online fundraiser and a 500 top up from her employer. Speaking to The Kerryman back in August on the completion of her walk, Lisa said that while the heat made the walk particularly challenging, the supportive group of people she was walking with helped to get her through it. The first day was 34 degrees so all of us in the group, we were thinking if it continues like this for the week, were going to be dead . We were just downing the water and at one stage, the sun cream wasnt even sticking, she laughed. I think because we were in such a big group - there was 88 of us - that we kept each other going. It definetely helped having nice people around you. They slowed down when you needed to and just helping keep you going, Lisa added. The second of the two walks in aid of the rescue service took place a month after Lisa in September when sisters and sisters-in-law Maura Hanrahan, Angela Enright, Sandra O Callaghan and Noreen Houlihan took on the Camino, raising 2808 in the process. Commenting at the presentation of both cheques over the weekend, PRO for Ballybunion Sea & Cliff Rescue Service Omar Fitzell stated: "This level of fund raising has blown us away. For us, this isn't just about the monetary gain but also the support from people. It's truly humbling that people go to such great lengths to raise money for us. It allows our members to concentrate more on training and maintenance without having to worry about where every penny of funding is coming from for the everyday running costs." To learn more about the Ballybunion Sea and Cliff Rescue Service or to donate to the volunteer run group, head to their website. From l-r: Fallon Murphy, Holly Tangney, Roxy Durkin Bons and Romi O'Shea having a great time at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Bryan Meehan, the owner of the Kenmare Park Hotel, pictured with l-r: Maxine Healy and Noreen O'Shea, Mary Donegan and Ann Bambridge pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Fiona and Saoirse van Zuilen with Margaret Vermaat pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Fallon Murphy, Holly Tangney, Roxy Durkin Bons and Romi O'Shea having a great time at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l to r: Johnathan O'Sullivan, Carmel Ann, Caoimhe and John Kevin Harrington pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Romi O'Shea, Fallon Murphy, Holly Tangney and Roxy Durkin Bons having a great time at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Caoilinn Kenny O'Sullivan, Rian Kenny O'Sullivan, Jill Kenny, Gerard O'Sullivan and Caragh Kenny O'Sullivan pictured at the Park Hotel, Kenmare Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Laura Hallissey and Antoinette O'Donovan pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Nora and Sinead Kelleher pictured at the Park Hotel, Kenmare Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough 'The Kerryman' senior reporter Sinead Kelleher pictured with Bryan Meehan, owner of the Park Hotel, Kenmare on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Laura Hallissey and Antoinette O'Donovan pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l to r: Johnathan O'Sullivan, Carmel Ann, Caoimhe and John Kevin Harrington pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Mary Donegan and Maureen Sullivan pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Pat Kelleher pictured with Mairead, Emma Louise and Lucia Savage at the Park Hotel, Kenmare Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Mossie and Helen Foley pictured with Bryan Meehan, owner of the Kenmare Park Hotel on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Ethel Killington Meynet and Stephanie Blandford having a great time at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Bryan Meehan, the owner of the Kenmare Park Hotel, pictured with l-r: Maxine Healy and Noreen O'Shea, Mary Donegan and Ann Bambridge pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Mossie and Helen Foley pictured with Bryan Meehan, owner of the Kenmare Park Hotel on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Catherina and Grace O'Sullivan with Avril, Ella & Chloe O'Sullivan having a great time at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Pat Condon with Shirley and Martin Cronin pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Claire Galvin and Sheila Finnerty pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From left: Svitlana Danyleichenko with Colleen and Wade Booth having a great time at the Park Hotel, Kenmare Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Mary Donegan and Maureen Sullivan pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough From l-r: Mary Bunbary, Claire Bunbary, Cleo Murphy and Darragh O'Malley pictured at the Kenmare Park Hotel Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough Pat Kelleher pictured with Mairead, Emma Louise and Lucia Savage at the Park Hotel, Kenmare Open Day on Sunday. Photo by Tatyana McGough A brand new chapter has begun at one of Kerrys most famous hotels as hundreds from the local community enjoyed an afternoon at the five-star hotel. The former Park Hotel in Kenmare owned by the Brennan brothers is now under the ownership of Dublin Entrepreneur Bryan Meehan who told The Kerryman this week he has big plans for the hotel Chief among those is to bring the community back to the hotel and to encourage them to come and enjoy the facilities and he had certainly achieved that goal given the huge praise for the community day on Sunday. This is Kerry Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Kerry newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details He invited everyone to come and visit the Park Hotel to encourage the community who felt not part of the hotel to become part of it. Hundreds attended the event and there was great excitement among the local community to visit and see the exclusive five-star facilities at the famous Park Hotel. It was not only those from Kenmare who attended but many came from across the county and even the border including former staff that had worked in the hotel as far back as the late 70s and 80s. Mr Meehan who lives in California was in Kenmare for the event and he met and chatted with the locals. He said that he will be a regular visitor to the town as plans get underway for the hotel. The local community were treated to tours of the facilities including the bedrooms, the exclusive Spa and Leisure facilities which include a 25m pool. The pool and gym are now open to membership marking a complete new move for the Kerry hotel and the community can also use the Spa facilities. Donations from the community day went to St John's National School building new links with the community and in the coming months Mr Meehan said he will reveal his overall plan for the hotel but in the interim there is great excitement around this new chapter for the famous hotel. This will be the first time the party has ran election candidates in Kerry Tim Clifford (left) from Killorglin and Mistura Oyebanji from Tralee who are hoping to run for the Social Democrats in Kerry. The convention will be held next week. Tim Clifford (left) from Killorglin and Mistura Oyebanji from Tralee who are hoping to run for the Social Democrats in Kerry. The convention will be held next week. Two Kerry community activists have put forward their nomination to run for the Social Democrats in Kerry. In the Kenmare Electoral Area, Tim Clifford from Killorglin has put his name forward to run for a seat in this municipal district, which takes in a large swathe of South Kerry including Cahersiveen, Waterville, Killorglin and Kenmare. In Tralee Mistura Oyebanji who is originally from Nigeria but has lived in Ireland since she was five years old has put forward her name for the party. Both candidates are likely to be selected at an online convention next week, Tuesday, January 30 and the official candidates launch for the party in Kerry is planned for early February. This is the first time that the party will run candidates in the county. 53-year old Tim is hugely involved in his local community and feels that running for election was the next step. Best known for his role in K-Fest of which he is currently Festival Director, Tim has ensured that the artistic festival is firmly established in the local area. "I have done a lot of community work and I feel that this is a natural progression, he told The Kerryman. "I am delighted to run, I have been involved in community and have dealt with the council on various projects that I would be doing. He joined the social democrats over eight months ago and when the appeal was made for candidates he decided to put his name forward. I am impressed with what they are about and with what they have to say, he said. Top of the priority list for Tim is housing, housing and housing and he says the housing objectives laid out in the Kenmare Local Area Plan for housing must be prioritised as housing is a real crisis in the county. In Tralee Mistura (24) believes that it is time for different parties to govern in Ireland. "Ireland is a great country but it has the same political parties for decades. We need to rethink the social contract, she said. "We take it for granted that only two parties can govern and that it is okay to kick policies down the road and the next election will fix it. She wants the country to have an open honest discussion about issues we facing in towns and counties" and that is why I am running and she chosen the Social Democrats as she believes they offer that. Mistura attended Tralee Educate Together and Colaiste Gleann Li and has just finishing studying Asian Studies and Religion in UCC. She wants to be the voice of Tralee not just for the migrant community but for everyone including the younger people who need to be incentivised to stay in Kerry. She is currently volunteering with the Migration Youth and Childrens Platform. Her biggest issue is housing and dereliction which go 'hand in hand. Mayor of Kerry wants mayors around Ireland to stand with Palestinians on February 13. Mourners react next to the bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli strike. The Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council, Cllr Jim Finucane, has written to Cathaoirleachs in all 31 local authorities in Ireland asking to join him in signing a document calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Along with the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, the Cathaoirleachs will sign the document on February 13 to show solidarity with Palestinians and recognition of the two-state solution and for a viable, independent Palestine. I just feel, like everybody else, the impact of what we are seeing every day. Every chairman of the county councils has got my letter asking to sign it as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian people, the Cathaoirleach said. The announcement was made at Mondays full meeting of Kerry County Council following a motion from Sinn Fein Cllr Robert Beasley demanding the Government and EU call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. His party colleague, Cllr Deirdre Ferris, asked for the Palestinian flag to be flown from County Buildings in Tralee on February 13. Its important to show the Palestinian members of our community that we stand with them in light of the genocide and ethnic cleansing that is currently ongoing within Gaza and the West Bank, Cllr Ferris said. Preparing to apply to college is an exciting although sometimes anxious time. You are closing one chapter and opening another that will provide a future foundation. I remember that period as I prepared for college decades ago. My teachers advised me to be honest about who I wasand my hopes for my college years. They stressed the importance of revealing my authentic self and my dreams when I wrote my college essays. I took their advice and shared my reality as a Black, first generational college goer, from a family that had no financial resources to support me. I also shared my strong love for the sciences and how I wanted to obtain a degree in a biology fieldto lift myself and my community. The result of my essay, my strong grades and my demonstrated commitment to my community must have been convincing and it resulted in admissions to the universities I had applied. Ultimately, I choose to attend a large public university and the experience was all I had hoped for and more. I have given similar advice about sharing your authentic self to thousands of students during more than four decades in higher education. But today I am hearing confusion and a concern from some prospective students. The recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that bans race being used as a component of college admissions is troubling to educators and confusing to many studentsespecially those from traditionally marginalized communities. Some students are beginning to wonder if they should hide specifics about themselves, particularly if they are members of African American or Hispanic communities. They fear race or ethnicity has become a negative factor in the college admission process. Highly selective universities currently enroll students of color at low rates and this ruling will not help open their doors to diverse students. They already are exploring creative ways to address this issue. But what really saddens me is traditionally marginalized students experiencing yet another burden to their hopes and dreams to go to college. When students begin to question the legitimacy of embracing and sharing their authentic self, we all lose. Our world needs authentic students of all hues, and all cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Students should not need to question that they are welcomed in the halls of higher educationas they seek to become our next generation of leaders. There will undoubtedly be multiple negative consequences from the recent ruling on college admissions, but the creation of doubt about sharing your full self was not one I anticipated. Campuses will need to be mindful of this dynamic and reassure prospective students as they navigate campus admission procedures. Front: Yelyzaveta with her friend Natallia Vydysh. Standing from left: Mary Frances Behan, Regional Vice-President, SVP; Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy; Paddy O'Flynn, South West Regional President, SVP, and Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork & Ross. Photo Brian Lougheed. Ukrainian Yelyzaveta Ohorenko, who moved to Kerry in April 2022, is the proud owner of a 2024 Ford Focus having won the car in the St Vincent De Paul South-West Annual Draw. Yelyzaveta is from Khrson in Southern Ukraine and had just completed her law studies when war erupted in her country. Yelyzaveta has been living at the Earl of Desmond Hotel in Tralee and works in local retail. She moved here with her partner, Yunis Barudi from Odessa. Yunis is a prominent chess player. Upon her arrival in Kerry, she was helped by the Society of St Vincent de Paul in Tralee, like many other Ukrainians, who fled war. This is Kerry Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Kerry newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details Prior to Christmas, Yelyzaveta was shopping in the St Vincents Charity shop in Tralee when she saw an advert for the car draw, which raises funds for SVP. She decided to buy a ticket on-line to give back to those who supported her when she arrived. She describes feeling shocked and overwhelmed at her good fortune when she received notification. Yelyzaveta was presented with the keys on Monday in Cork by the Lord Mayor of Cork City, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy; SVP Regional President Paddy O Flynn; Vice President Mary Frances Behan, and Bishop of Cork Fintan Gavin. I am incredibly happy about this, the thought still flashes in my head that this is some kind of dream or movie, and not reality, Yelyzaveta said. I remember I saw the St Vincent post about a charity fundraiser, and I decided to help them and make a small contribution to their donation, as a token of my insane gratitude for the help they then gave for all Ukrainians. But I didnt even expect the outcome of events that we have now. Honestly, its difficult to describe all my emotions, but Im incredibly happy. Dreams do come true, she added. The journey to Ireland was a difficult one as Yelyzaveta left behind her father, older sister, and friends in Ukraine, while her mother moved to Denmark. It was very difficult for me, like all other Ukrainians, to leave Ukraine. I love Ukraine madly, and I really miss my family and relatives who, unfortunately, stayed there, she said. Front: Yelyzaveta with her friend Natallia Vydysh. Standing from left: Mary Frances Behan, Regional Vice-President, SVP; Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy; Paddy O'Flynn, South West Regional President, SVP, and Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork & Ross. Photo Brian Lougheed. When asked about her hopes for the future, Yelyzaveta said she has not decided what she wants to do, but that she loves the Irish people for their generosity and friendliness. I am absolutely in love with the nature of Kerry and I really love the people who live here. The Irish are incredibly sincere, generous, positive and smiling people who are always ready to lend a helping hand, she said. I am very happy to live here, work in a wonderful team and continue to learn the language. I would like to thank all the Irish people for their sincerity, kindness and help, it is truly very valuable to us. Thank you very much. University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has warned the public it is currently experiencing extremely high demand as a significantly above average number of patients are attending the ED. For these reasons, University Hospital Limerick is appealing to the public to consider all care options before presenting at the Emergency Department. In recent weeks, UHL has been caring for an exceptionally high number of patients associated with a surge in respiratory illnesses. A total of 261 patients attended the ED on Monday, significantly above average and it follows an unusually busy weekend. UHL explained the hospital is currently at its highest state of escalation. Surge capacity has been opened at UHL and across their hospitals. Elective activity in UHL is being reviewed on a daily basis, with only urgent and time-critical patients, including cancer cases, scheduled for surgery this week. UHL explained in a statement: We apologise to anyone who has had a long wait for admission to University Hospital Limerick in recent days. We thank the public for their patience and support at this time of exceptionally high demand for our services. At the same time, we ask the public to support us in ensuring emergency care is prioritised for the sickest, most seriously injured and frailest patients. University Hospital Limerick added the Emergency Department remains open 24/7 and urgent care is being delivered to those who need it most. Anyone who comes to ED who doesnt have a life-threatening or severe illness or injury will face a significant wait. Injury Units and Medical Assessment Units in our model 2 hospitals at Ennis, Nenagh and St John's are also experiencing an increase in demand. It is encouraging to see this increase in demand for services available in our model 2 hospitals as more patients choose alternatives to the ED. Follow Independent Limerick on Facebook Commenting on the current demand on health services, Sandra Broderick, Regional Executive Officer, HSE Mid West, said:UHL is experiencing high demand for emergency care and I encourage members of the public across Limerick, Clare and North Tipperary to utilise alternative care options such as our local pharmacies, who can give advice on minor aliments; your GP; and our Injury Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St Johns. In addition, I would encourage people to use the GP urgent out-of-hours across the region as alternatives to ED care. I recognise people may require prompt, urgent medical attention that can only be met at the ED and those patients should continue to use the ED service. I want to apologise to the public who are experiencing unacceptable and excessive waiting times to access our various services in the community and the hospital. Unfortunately, we have had to reduce our elective activity and open additional surge capacity across our hospitals to manage this increased demand. I want to assure the public that the health and social care teams across the region are working at full capacity to meet this extreme demand and I thank the staff sincerely for their efforts, Ms Broderick added. The Bishop of Elphin says he has concerns over omissions from new guidlelines issued to doctors. The Irish Medical Council has recently issued a new 9th edition of the Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics. Bishop Kevin Doran says this is a very important document for medical doctors, because it is against this code that their professional conduct and practice is measured. Unfortunately, there are numerous defects in the new edition of the guide, he says. This is Sligo Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Sligo newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details The Bishop in a statement goes on to say: Towards the end of the section on End of Life Care, the previous (8th) edition (2016) states very clearly: You must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient. This statement has been dropped from the 9th edition. I find myself wondering if this is an oversight, or is it the case that the Medical Council has now decided that it is acceptable for doctors to take part in the deliberate killing of a patient? Even if assisted suicide were to be legalised, for example, that of itself would never make the killing of patients ethical. The sections on Assisted Human Reproduction and Abortion which were in the 8th edition of the Guide, have disappeared from the 9th edition. This would seem to suggest that the Medical Council does not see these very significant areas of activity as involving any ethical questions or risks. Is this simply because the law in these areas has changed? Have actions which were previously unethical, and quite simply bad medicine, suddenly become ethical because they are now legal? Bishop Doran asked. Follow Independent Leitrim on Facebook He added: Under the heading of Conscientious Objection, I note that the guide reflects recent legislation on abortion, in that it requires doctors to make such arrangements as may be necessary to enable the patient to obtain the required treatment. I am not sure how it makes sense ethically to require a doctor to assist a patient to access a procedure which the doctor, herself or himself, regards as unethical. These matters do not only affect doctors. These matters also impact the common good of our society by radically redefining what is good for us all. I have written to the President of the Medical Council seeking clarification, but my letter has received neither a reply nor even an acknowledgement, said the Bishop. Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) made a presentation to The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) receiving a warm welcome from Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) signing the visitor's book pictured with Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) and Philip Knight (Administator, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) addressing the attendance pictured with Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland), Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) and Philip Knight (Administator, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) pictured in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) made a presentation to The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning pictured with Philip Knight (Administrator, Gorey Kilmuckrdige Municipal District) and Liz Stanley (Senior Staff Officer, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District). Pic: Jim Campbell The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland) signing the visitors book pictured with Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) and Philip Knight (Administator, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District) in the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District Chamber on Monday morning. Pic: Jim Campbell The Australian Ambassador to Ireland, The Hon Gary Gray AO pictured on his visit to Gorey on Monday in the Council Chambers. Back- Senator Malcolm Byrne, Cllr Donal Kenny, Philip Knight (Administrator, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District), Ken Wall, Phil O'Regan, Willie Willoughby. Front- Liz Stanley (Senior Staff Officer, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District), The Hon Gary Gray AO (Australian Ambassador to Ireland), Cllr Pip Breen (Cathaoirleach, Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District), Pippa McIntosh (Australian Embasy, Ireland). Pic: Jim Campbell The Australian Ambassador to Ireland, Gary Gray and his wife, Pippa McIntosh, visited Gorey on Monday and attended a series of engagements around the town. Mr Gray was a guest of Senator Malcolm Byrne and he was also welcomed to the town by the Cathaoirleach of the Gorey Kilmuckridge Municipal District, Pip Breen. While at the Council offices he was invited to sign the distinguished visitors book. Ireland and Australia have strong diplomatic links and one in ten Australians claim Irish heritage. Most Irish families have Australian connections. Ireland exports almost 1.6 billion in goods to Australia each year. Anything that we can do to strengthen further those links must be encouraged, said Senator Malcolm Byrne. He went on to meet with students from the School of Sanctuary Committee at Gorey Central School. The students asked a number of questions about Australia and the job of an Ambassador. The Australian Ambassador has a number of connections to Gorey. Ms McIntosh has been writing about the history of the Australian Ambassadors residence in Dublin and discovered links to the Willoughby family in Gorey. Willie Willoughby was able to fill the couple in on the connections and also to speak about the Harry Clarke stained glass windows at Christchurch alongside Archdeacon Mark Hayden. There are also windows by Harry Clarke at the Australian residence. The Ambassador also popped into Myles Doyles on Goreys Main Street where John Doyle spoke about the wide range of quality local foods that Ireland produces. In the afternoon, Mr Gray and Ms McIntosh visited the Hatch Lab and met with a number of businesses who are members of Wexford Chamber who have Australian interests. The new Irish Farmers Association Deputy President, Alice Doyle was also in attendance. The day was rounded off with a tour of Naomh Eanna GAA Club led by Club Chairperson, Tony Molloy, where the Ambassador heard of how the club was growing rapidly and had an inclusive agenda. Senator Byrne thanked everyone who welcomed the Ambassador and highlighted the importance of networking and building relationships. Wexford native and yoga teacher Maura Rath will feature on the upcoming series of BBC's The Apprentice. A Wexford native has been confirmed among the 18 candidates to battle it out for a life-changing investment of 250,000 and the mentorship of business guru Lord Alan Sugar on the upcoming series of BBCs The Apprentice. A native of Killenagh near Gorey, Co Wexford, Maura Rath has built a successful business through her passion for yoga and is best known for her hosting of retreats and specialised yoga events throughout the country. Maura also has a massive social media following, with 40,000 followers on Instagram alone. Shell be hopeful of catching the eye of Lord Sugar as the new series kicks off on February 1. This is Wexford Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Wexford newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details In her pre-show interview, the Wexford woman said: I believe I deserve Lord Sugars investment because my business promotes positivity and well-being, in a profitable and scalable way, with five income streams. When asked for her biggest business success to date, she said: I hear back that my business brings some people a little bubble of self-love, it helps some people with that winter dread, and people move stronger and more freely than before. In a post shared on Instagram on Tuesday morning, Maura confirmed the news as excitement kicked off in her home county for the series opener. "Finally the hardest kept secret is out! I am a candidate on this years Apprentice, yes me yogi Maura, she said. The business side of yoga has always fascinated me. I have big plans to make Yoga with Maura a household name, which is why Im going for investment from Lord Sugar. This has been my hardest business journey to date, testing me emotionally and physically. Its been an absolute rollercoaster and I cant believe on February 1st episode 1 will be out! Yes St Brigids day which I think is a good sign for an Irish woman. As my yogis know my daily practice is everything to me, and when that was taken from me (I couldnt practice while in there) it really took its toll. I cant wait to share this journey with you all...thats if I dont get fired after task 1. To see if thats the case, well just have to tune in to The Apprentice on BBC1 at 9 p.m. on Thursday, February 1. A former leader of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), one of the nations leading conductors, and a child prodigy destined for a glittering career in music will headline the first of Wexford Sinfonias 30th anniversary concerts in the National Opera House on Sunday, January 28. Having finished his tenure with the NSO nine years ago, Alan Smale acted as guest leader for the Sinfonia and has remained an integral part of the group ever since. He, and star pupil Junhyung Kang (13), will perform the Bach Double Violin Concerto together, and Alan says there is something special about the Wexford Sinfonia which keeps him coming back for more. Its the atmosphere among the people in the orchestra which has kept me coming back, he says, its a very special group of people who are extremely enthusiastic and take a professional attitude to their work. Of his protege, Alan says there is no limit to what the young violinist can achieve. Junhyung is my star pupil, hes from Greystones, Ive know him since he was five-years-old, he came to me as a beginner, hes really talented and a very special young man. The sky is the limit for him really, hes very advanced for his age and when he finishes school its just a matter of where he wants to go and what he wants to do. But he is destined for a successful solo career in classical music. Also featured in the concert is the lively and uplifting Mendelssohn Scottish Symphony and Tchaikovsky's Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture which could have additional appeal for some audience members as it's currently on the Leaving Certificate music curriculum. It will be a really, very special concert, said Alan, the conductor, Sinead Hayes, works extremely well with the group and has a brilliant understanding of the music on a technical level, I really enjoy working with her. Wexford Sinfonia said, Innovative leadership and creative programming are meant to encourage young music students to further their music education and, more importantly, give all of our players a sense of musical enjoyment within their local community. The anniversary concert takes place on Sunday, January 28 at 4 p.m. in the National Opera House. Wicklow brothers reveal mental torture as they near finish of World's Toughest Row I can say for certain - I never want to get into an ocean rowing boat ever again! Wicklow brothers Eamon and Andrew Breen are nearing their end of their 3,000 mile cross-Atlantic fundraiser in aid of First Light and Make-A-Wish Ireland. Eoin Mac Raghnaill Wicklow People Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 08:00 After almost six weeks at sea, two courageous Wicklow brothers rowing across the Atlantic Ocean in aid of charity are nearing their finish line in the Caribbean. Legendary Roxy and Royal cinema rivalries recalled as talk of new Wicklow screen continues Reporter David Medcalf heard Bray native Jim Scannell recall how his early life was coloured by the Roxy and the Royal cinemas, both closed now, leaving the town without a dedicated silver screen. But there is talk of cinema returning. Royal Cinema Bray, from 'Irish Cinemas'. David Medcalf Wicklow People Tue 23 Jan 2024 at 13:00 Asked when he last attended the cinema, Jim Scannell reckons that the show in question must have been Michael Collins, starring Liam Neeson and Aidan Quinn, which was released back in 1996. Then he considers the matter again and feels that perhaps his last venture to the movies may actually have been to enjoy one of the Batman series with Michael Keaton in the leading role. So, it is fair to suggest that Jim is not nowadays a frequent cinema goer: a quick skim through the internet reveals that Keaton retired from patrolling the mean streets of Gotham City in 1992, more than thirty years ago. I was full of fear and anxiety...my life now would be my wildest dreams then A social worker has shared his story of drugs, crime and depression to press home the impact of housing and rehabilitation charity Tiglins partnership South East Technological University (SETU) as the organisations prepare to host an event in Greystones to celebrate the real opportunities their collaboration provides for people in need. Dean Hallion, now one of Tiglins social workers, grew up in Dublins inner city social housing complex in what he says was a dysfunctional family, as his father lived a repeating cycle of prison and returning to the family home. It was normal for me because thats what we saw at the flats, he says. In his early teenage years, Dean also started to get into trouble with the law, which resulted in a negative spiral of prison, drinking and drug use. I was just reckless, he says. I didnt care about the consequences of my actions. At the time, I didnt know why, but I was avoiding a lot of issues that I didnt think I needed to address. Despite being good at school, the environment and his decisions resulted in Dean leaving in the first year. Dean explains that he rebelled and that this progressively got worse; as a teenager, he spent a lot of time at a youth offender facility and then, following his 18th birthday, he was sent into adult prison for serious crimes. Prior to coming to Tiglin, Dean suffered from a chronic heroin addiction and was facing adverse legal issues. He says that he did go into several rehabs in his twenties but explained that when the organised structure was taken away, he would return to his ways once he returned to the community. I was suicidal. I was planning on suicide every week, he says. When his relative suggested that Dean should go to Tiglins treatment centre. He followed this advice and called Tiglins frontline service, Tiglin at the Lighthouse, where he undertook an assessment. He had to wait several months on the waiting list until he got the call, that he said really saved my life, looking back now. Coming in the door, I was broken. Coming up that lane [entrance to the rehab], I was full of fear and anxietyI spent the first two weeks sick, coming off the heroin. Dean explained that he planned to spend two or three weeks in the centre and that once his sickness was gone, he would leave, but then he encountered something which he never had before. I was hearing a lot of talk about purpose and hope and this kind of caught onto me. I started feeling hope, something I never felt before, this hope really spurred me on this is an opportunity for a new life, I told myself. When asked what made a difference, Dean said: Being given an opportunity. The staff believe in you here. My key worker told me before that it would be great to see me here one day [working].I was never used to hearing that kind of stuff at home that we can do this, do that, because my life now would be my wildest dreams then. The opportunities came by being in Tiglin. I know it is real because it happened to me. I see others entering the door, knowing it can happen to them. A lot of the time people coming into places like these have multiple years of addiction and trauma, and there are negative cycles they develop, and you need longer time to break them, and thats the beauty of a programme like Tiglin, which includes partnerships with SETU and other organisations which are vital to the people moving into the reintegration programme, he says. He explains that six or seven months into the programme, the group was doing an educational course delivered by SETU as part of the ongoing educational initiative. This is when I really started feeling hopeful about the future. I didnt know what I was going to do, but I knew I was going to do something. Dean explains that he found his purpose through the opportunity to work at the mens rehabilitation centre. The stuff I went through gave me experiences I can use with the lads coming in the door now. He also went on the educational journey, doing courses that give him an academic basis for his role now. I never thought I would be able to do this if. If I had never come to Tiglin. I dont think I would have the opportunity. Since 2016, Tiglin and South East Technological University have worked together, with their partnership entering a new phase in 2023 following the funding of a three-year project by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), entitled: Using the power of transformative education through inclusive education, leadership and enterprise to end the cycle of addiction. This groundbreaking project aligns seamlessly with the National Access Plan, embodying the whole person championed by Tiglin. Over the past year, SETU has delivered an impressive array of courses to Tiglin residents where those in Tiglins care, including Dean have hugely benefited from the influence of education in their lives. On Friday, January 26 at 10.30am, SETU and Tiglin will host an event at the Whale Theatre in Greystones, Co. Wicklow, to celebrate the transformative impact of their ongoing partnership. Speakers will include Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, Tiglin founder Aubrey McCarthy and Professor Veronica Campbell, President SETU. Speaking about the projects impact so far, Prof Campbell said: SETUs partnership with Tiglin, and the support it received from the HEA, means that the university can continue in its strategic goals to maximise educational opportunities for learners by enhancing alternative pathways to third-level courses. Our partnership with Tiglin is offering real opportunity for transformational learning and broadening access to higher education for all learners involved. This event serves as a testament to the transformative power of education, turning challenges into opportunities. The HEA-funded project will continue for a further two years, and Tiglin and SETU remain committed to providing a pathway to a brighter and more promising future for all. To attend this event, you can email: Communications Manager Jay Bobinac at jay.bobinac@tiglin.ie Wicklow students engaged in or applying for Teagascs Walsh Scholarships Programme stand to benefit from a new increase up to 25,000 in the annual stipend for Walsh scholars. The Teagasc Walsh Scholarships Programme is a postgraduate programme for graduates to undertake postgraduate research in agriculture, food, environmental science, agri-food economics, rural development, horticulture and other related disciplines. After the Teagasc authority approved the increase to the stipend at a recent board meeting, all current and future Teagasc-funded Walsh Scholars from Wicklow will receive an annual stipend of 25,000, plus a contribution towards the cost of their university fees up to a maximum of 6,000. An independent national review of State supports for PhD researchers last May recommended increasing the level to 25,000, a Teagasc spokesperson noted. Administrators of the Walsh Scholarships Programme in both Teagasc and the Universities/Technological Universities will commence the task of implementing the new rates, and its expected students will receive the increase in the March stipend. The stipends will be backdated to January 1. For Walsh Scholars funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the Irish Research Council (IRC) and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the increased stipends are being processed and, it is expected the increase will be paid in the January stipend. Commenting on the increased stipend, Professor Frank OMara, Teagasc Director said: The Walsh Scholarships Programme is one of the most important programmes in Teagasc, as it develops the next generation of young researchers, as they pursue their post-graduate studies. It creates a flow of well-trained graduates up to doctoral level, thus providing high calibre individuals to work in the agri-food and related sectors in Ireland and abroad. Jane Kavanagh, Head of Research Development and Walsh Scholarships in Teagasc welcomed the decision, saying: The increased stipend will provide much-needed support for graduates to meet the increased cost of living expenses as they pursue their PhD and master's qualifications. A public library has a special charge. It not only needs to be inclusive, it needs to educate about the acceptance of diverse lifestyles. Prejudices and bigotry have no place in library culture. That some prejudices linger is unfortunate, but intolerance is never acceptable. The Board of Trustees of the Buffalo Public Library was right to urge the resignation of Trustee Frank Gist, given the events detailed by News reporter Sandra Tan. Following a June 24, 2023, LGBTQ+ Pride storytelling program at downtowns Central Library, in which a drag artist was one of the guest readers, Gist indicated his displeasure with the event to his fellow board members and then wrote three articles for the Buffalo Criterion, an African-American weekly newspaper. In these, Gist called the Taking Pride in Our Story event an abomination, in the process denigrating his fellow board members who supported the event as morally bankrupt, and repeating Tik-Tok conspiracy theories about the meaning of LGBTQ+. The Taking Pride event supported all types of inclusion two of the readers were longtime disability advocate B.J. Stasio and Sam Mattie, executive director for the Center for Self Advocacy, both of whom use wheelchairs. There were also readings by Deaf Access Services, GLYS Western New York, Inc. and the Western New York Law Center. As Council Member Mitch Nowakowski, who organized and read at the event has stated, the goal was to celebrate diversity and inclusivity and to let children know that no matter how different or left out they may feel, there is space for them in the community. Such events, including storytelling with drag artists, have been taking place at the library since 2017, without incident, according to library officials. Those who object need not attend. Recently, there has been national controversy about this type of programming, but there has been no public uproar locally. And it appears that concerns about Gist go beyond this incident. At a November 2023 board meeting, library staff presented a letter to the Board of Trustees, which read in part: This behavior long predates the conversations brought about by a single drag queen storytime. For years members of the administration and the board, both past and present, have witnessed and sometimes experienced trustee Gists demeaning treatment. This has been especially true for women, who have suffered through behavior that should not have been and will no longer be tolerated. Gist denies these allegations, but the letter was presented on behalf of the entire staff, one of whom could be seen to become emotional as she recounted her experiences at the videotaped board meeting. It is unfortunate that a longtime supporter of the library, a former Buffalo firefighter, appears either unable or unwilling to accept a changing world. Gist, who deserves the respect he has won through his lengthy community service, resigned in December, offering a front-page apology column about the library issue in the Criterion. His appointment is one of four with expired terms that Mayor Byron Brown has failed to fill with newly appointed or reappointed board trustees in recent years. Those appointments should be made. Resolving diversity controversies isnt easy. But it does seem as though the Town of Hamburg flag pole issue, which inspired at least one angry encounter, has been resolved in a satisfactory manner. Last June, in support of Pride month, the town raised a LGBTQ rainbow flag on its sole flagpole, placing it below the American flag and removing a POW/MIA flag, said by Town Supervisor Randy Hoak to be frayed. Unsurprisingly, many local veterans were upset, with one incident of a 72-year-old veteran physically confronting Hoak. A new POW/MIA flag was returned to the pole. Now, with the support of new Town Board members, the plan is to install as many as two additional flagpoles outside Hamburg Town Hall, with a policy on their use to be developed. This is the very definition of inclusive engagement with a diverse community and the Town of Hamburg is correct to adopt such engagement. So is the Central Library. Nine tourist Irish tourism businesses, including Powerscourt Estate, joined Tourism Ireland in Germany as they kicked the 2024 programme of promotions at the CMT holiday exhibition in Stuttgart this week. CMT is one of the biggest travel fairs in Germany, attracting around 300,000 visitors or potential holidaymakers for Ireland all looking for ideas and suggestions for their next holiday. CMT also attracts leading tour operators and travel agents, as well as around 1,500 travel and lifestyle journalists, during the nine-day event. Nadine Lehmann, Tourism Irelands Manager Germany, said: CMT in Stuttgart is the first travel fair of the year for Tourism Ireland, providing an excellent opportunity to spread the word about the many great things to see and do in Ireland and to inspire German travellers to put Ireland on their holiday wish-list for 2024. Germany is the third-largest source of visitors to the island of Ireland and one of the largest outbound travel markets in the world. In 2024, Tourism Irelands aim is to increase the value of overseas tourism to Ireland, sustainably supporting economies, communities and the environment and will do so by inspiring overseas visitors and strengthening strategic partnerships. Tourism Irelands message in Germany, and elsewhere around the world, is that Ireland has so much to offer across regions and seasons. The organisation will showcase iconic reasons to travel here, expanding peoples bucket lists from best-known spots to our hidden gems. Cathaoirleach of Baltinglass Municipal District, Councillor Edward Timmins, has called for the reinstatement of the West Wicklow Citizens Information Centre (CIC) to provide people with a confidential in-person advice service again. Highlighting the negative impacts the closure of the popular service has had on public information provision in west Wicklow, Cllr Timmins proclaimed that funding for a dedicated Information Officer must now be considered. He went on to explain that the history of the advice service dates to the 1960s when people came together to share factual information, and while many CICs closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a phone and online service alone is not meeting the needs of a community that require independent advice on complex issues. This is Wicklow Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Wicklow newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details Access to accurate information on areas like housing, employment, educational grants, pension disabilities and other issues is needed through an independent service, Cllr Timmins commented. Blessington and Baltinglass CICs played an integral part in community information provision. I commend all the dedicated volunteers who made the West Wicklow services a success for a long number of years. I disagree with many aspects of the Periodic Critical Review of the Citizens Information Board carried out in May 2022 by the Department of Social Protection, including recommendation one which states that: The provision of face-to-face information should be reviewed. Sometimes there is just no substitute for face-to-face communication, when it comes to complex issues. Elaborating on the online and phone service, Councillor Timmins noted that despite the existence of the Citizens Information website citizens information.ie and Citizens Information Phone Service (CIPS), there are several residents, including older people, who prefer to visit a service in person while dealing with often sensitive issues and form filling. Others relied on the important advocacy aspect of the service and specialist clinics such as free legal advice, he continued. Research commission by the Citizens Information Service undertaken by Dr Nat OConnor of the Institute for Research in Social Sciences (IRiSS), Ulster University, in a 2017 report entitled Making an impact: The Public Value of Citizens Information Services in Ireland notes how many clients require more in-depth assistance including people with disabilities. Furthermore, in-person services remain important in combatting rural isolation. Discussing the volunteers who worked in the service, Cllr Timmins said that the outreach service worked well for many years with the commitment of dedicated volunteers. In fact, the original CIC service itself originated from volunteers coming together in their communities nationwide. A report entitled A review of Volunteers in the Citizens Information Services April 2023 highlighted the benefit of CICs in fostering a sense of belonging in the community. The Blessington CIC, located in the library, and the Baltinglass outreach centre based in the Credit Union were a force for good in the locality. We need this service reinstated and additional funding made available to hire a dedicated Information Officer. We should be ambitious in how any new service could work, including a satellite service to other more rural villages across West Wicklow to meet the needs of our ageing population. At a time of so much misinformation, proper information services have never been more important. Lifestyle Wicklow artists sought for All Together Now 2024 installations All Together Now 2024 is welcoming proposals from Wicklow artists who want to showcase their art installations and immersive experiences at the festival this August Bank Holiday weekend. A new designation of 305,000 hectares of marine waters off the coast of Wexford as a Special Protection Area (SPA) will compliment several other east coast SPAs in Wicklow, including Wicklow Head and the Murrough. Wicklow Green TD Steven Matthews has welcomed the news, which he feels will benefit the local bird population in both counties. This will bring the total percentage of marine protected areas up to 10 per cent, moving towards the target of 30 per cent designated Marine Protected Areas by 2030. This protection is vital in order to have a clean and healthy marine environment. A programme of measures accompanies the designation, including nature-based solutions to address biodiversity loss and climate change, and crucially for the Wicklow/Wexford coastline, environmental guidance for offshore renewable energy, said Deputy Matthews. This is Wicklow Newsletter Enter your email address below and click 'Sign Up' to receive the This is Wicklow newsletter direct to your inbox. Please check your inbox to verify your details The designation of the Special Protection Area by Minister Malcolm Noonan, Irelands Minister for Nature, is the largest designation of this nature in the history of the State. They are designated under the EU Birds Directive and cover a vast area of over 305,000 hectares of water important to a range of over 20 bird species, among them the Little Tern, well known for nesting on Kilcoole beach. This new SPA joins eight others along the coast. Other bird types that the area has a special conservation link to are the Common Scoter, Red throated Diver, Fulmar, Manx Shearwater, gannet, Shag, Cormorant, Kittiwake, Black headed Gull, Herring Gull, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Puffin, Razorbill and Guillemot. Ryan Tubridy shared the photos of the pair to Instagram. Ryan Tubridy caught up with his new colleague Graham Norton today, revealing that the pair exchanged some intriguing views over lunch. The former Late Late Show host shared a photo with the BBC broadcaster from Bandon, Co Cork, one of his newest co-workers at Virgin Radio UK in London. "Most enjoyable lunch and catch-up with Mr Norton earlier. Intriguing views were exchanged and I had the Black Forest Gateau for dessert and it was delicious, he captioned the selfie, adding the hashtag #irishontour. He described Norton as a tremendous Irishman and said the pair shared quality conversation and excellent desserts. The Irish broadcasters are now colleagues at Virgin Radio UK after Tubridy launched his new mid-morning show at the station earlier this month. During his first show, the former RTE star answered questions from a number of his new colleagues, including Jeremy Kyle and Graham Norton. Ryan Tubridy shared the photos of the pair to Instagram. He thanked the BBC host for his lovely message to welcome him to his first day at the station, describing Norton as a terrific guy and wonderful broadcaster. Tubridy has been keeping his Instagram followers up to date on his new life in London, giving regular updates about his show and his journey of finding somewhere to live. He last week brought his brother Garrett and sister Rachel to work with him in the Virgin Radio studio, joking on social media that it was bring your family to work day. Virgin Radio UK described Tubridy as the stations new King of Mid Mornings and Irelands latest export when they announced his new slot at the broadcaster. Tubridy also hosts a dedicated Irish weekend show each Sunday, with The Ryan Tubridy Show airing from 10am to 12pm on Sundays on Q102 in Dublin, 96FM in Cork, LMFM, and Live 95 in Limerick. It comes as Oliver Callan was this week revealed as the new presenter of the Nine OClock Show on RTE Radio One, formerly The Ryan Tubridy Show. The Ministry of Defence said fresh strikes were carried out against Houthi targets (Sgt Lee Goddard/MOD/Crown Copyright) Fresh UK and US joint airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen have been carried out, the Ministry of Defence has said. Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said the latest round of strikes were in self-defence as attacks on ships continue in the Red Sea, adding that the US-UK assault would deal another blow to the Iranian-backed militants. Photo Courtesy: PIB Devotees in large swathes thronged the Ram Temple in Ayodhya town on Tuesday after its doors were opened for all to offer prayers to the deity, a day after the grand consecration ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to reports, devotees gathered at the gates of the temple since 3 am with the anticipation of getting a glimpse of the Ram idol. The gates of the temple were opened at 7 am. Darshan timing Devotees can visit the temple from 7 am to 11.30 am and from 2 pm to 7 pm. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra website said the quota for Darshan and Arti services has been 'fully consumed'. The website mentioned devotees should follow it to find the upcoming darshan quota release date and schedule. Meanwhile, donations made through Bharat Bill Payment System towards the Ayodhya Ram Temple had doubled every two hours on Sunday, reported NDTV Profit. The number of donations, made via UPI, as well as the amount are doubling every couple of hours, allowing devotees to connect with the inauguration digitally, despite not being physically present, a person who knows about the development told the news channel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi participates in consecration of Ram Temple Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (January 22, 2024) inaugurated the much-awaited Ram Temple and unveiled the Ram Lalla idol in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. Modi was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the rituals, which were performed by the Prime Minister. From celebrities to politicians and seers, Ayodhya was overwhelmed by people from far and wide to witness a momentous religious event that will mark the course of Indian politics apart in coming days besides being a watershed event in Hinduism. Many of the rich and famous arrived in private jets for the ceremony. A majority of Hindus claimed that the site was the birthplace of Lord Ram before Muslim Mughals razed a temple at the spot to build the Babri Masjid. In a landmark verdict in 2019, the Supreme Court handed over the land to the Hindu community and ordered to allot a separate plot to Muslims. Photo courtesy: UNI New Delhi/IBNS: President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi were among the dignitaries who paid tributes to freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on the 127th birth anniversary. Murmu posted on X, "I pay my tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary observed as Parakram Diwas! Netaji demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the cause of India's freedom. "His unparalleled courage and charisma inspired Indians to fight fearlessly against colonial rule. His powerful personality had profound impact on our freedom struggle. The nation will always remember Netaji with utmost gratitude." I pay my tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary observed as Parakram Diwas! Netaji demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the cause of India's freedom. His unparalleled courage and charisma inspired Indians to fight fearlessly against colonial rule. His President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 23, 2024 Modi posted on X, "Greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas. Today on his Jayanti, we honour the life and courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom continues to inspire." Greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas. Today on his Jayanti, we honour the life and courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom continues to inspire. pic.twitter.com/OZP6cJBgeC Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2024 Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, "On the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, the great freedom fighter, former Congress President and our source of inspiration, who spread the wave of patriotism and revolution among the countrymen through slogans like 'Jai Hind' and 'You give me blood, I will give you freedom'. "Lots of respect. Netaji's patriotism and his strong thoughts will continue to inspire the coming generations towards national service." - , , , ~ ' ' ' ' pic.twitter.com/WX41uBAn14 Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) January 23, 2024 Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi posted on X, "Our heartfelt tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 127th birth anniversary. Netajis Indian National Army with brigades named Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Subhas, and Rani of Jhansi regiment played an integral role in Indias freedom struggle. "He was a leading example of Indian values of pluralism, social and economic justice, tolerance, and gender inclusivity. Jai Hind!" Our heartfelt tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 127th birth anniversary. Netajis Indian National Army with brigades named Gandhi, Nehru, Azad, Subhas, and Rani of Jhansi regiment played an integral role in Indias freedom struggle. He was a leading example of pic.twitter.com/Rs5yqqCfko Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 23, 2024 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said in an X post, "As we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, my heart swells with deep admiration for a true hero who, for me, has been a perennial source of inspiration. His courage, vision and love for the motherland has stirred profound emotions within me. Netaji's spirit transcends time and continues to live on in each heartbeat of free India. Today, let us connect with the essence of his journey and feel the pulse of his sacrifices. As we stand on the shoulders of this giant, let us pledge to carry forward his vision and legacy!" As we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, my heart swells with deep admiration for a true hero who, for me, has been a perennial source of inspiration. His courage, vision and love for the motherland has stirred profound emotions within me. Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) January 23, 2024 Bose was the chief of Indian National Army (INA), which was formed to secure India's independence from British rule. In 2021, the central government declared January 23 as Parakram Diwas to commemorate Netaji's birth anniversary. Photo courtesy: UNI New Delhi/UNI: Entry for all vehicles and devotees on foot heading towards Ayodhya has been closed after a massive crowd gathered on Tuesday to offer prayers at the Ram Temple following its grand opening. The Uttar Pradesh police issued an advisory, appealing to devotees not to visit Ayodhya Dham on January 23 because of the massive crowd at the Temple. All vehicle routes have been diverted, and devotees arriving on foot are also not allowed to enter Ayodhya, it said. In a social media post on X, Barabanki Police said, "Devotees planning to visit Ayodhya are humbly requested not to go on January 23 due to a massive crowd of pilgrims. "Due to the massive rush, the routes of all vehicles heading towards Ayodhya have been diverted, and devotees on foot are also being stopped by the Barabanki police," it added. PM Modi inaugurates Ram Temple Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the much-awaited Ram Temple and unveiled the Ram Lalla idol in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya. Modi was accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the rituals, which were performed by the Prime Minister. From celebrities to politicians and seers, Ayodhya was overwhelmed by people from far and wide to witness a momentous religious event that will mark the course of Indian politics apart in coming days besides being a watershed event in Hinduism. Many of the rich and famous arrived in private jets for the ceremony. A majority of Hindus claimed that the site was the birthplace of Lord Ram before Muslim Mughals razed a temple at the spot to build the Babri Masjid. In a landmark verdict in 2019, the Supreme Court handed over the land to the Hindu community and ordered to allot a separate plot to Muslims. Photo courtesy: UNI Aizawl/IBNS/UNI: A Myanmar army plane crashed at the Lengpui airport on the outskirts of Mizoram's capital Aizawl on Tuesday morning, injuring eight people on board, officials said. The plane was supposed to airlift Myanmar soldiers whose camps were overrun by rebels and are taking shelter in Mizoram. No one died in the mishap, officials said. Airport officials expressed the hope that normal flights will resume at the Lengpui airport on Wednesday. The officials said that the Myanmar Air Force transport plane was the same that had airlifted 184 Myanmar army personnel on Monday and returned from Sittwe town in Myanmars Rakhine state to airlift the remaining 92 soldiers. Officials, quoting eyewitnesses, said that the Shaanxi Y-8 aircraft landed at the Lengpui airport runway and ran extremely fast before suddenly turning and going off the runway. Of the 14 crew members and the pilot, 8 sustained injuries and were brought to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Lengpui village. After learning that the X-ray machine at the PHC was not properly working, they were brought to Aizawl. Three flights, two from Guwahati to Aizawl and one from Delhi to Aizawl, were cancelled due to the mishap, the officials said. The 92 Myanmar soldiers were also transported back to Zokhawsang, near Aizawl, the proposed battalion headquarters of the Assam Rifles, once they were shifted out of central Aizawl city. The ill-fated Myanmar Air Force transport plane was sent to Aizawl for the seventh sortie to evacuate Myanmar army personnel, who fled to southern Mizorams Lawngtlai district after their camps were overrun and captured by Myanmars largest ethnic armed organization, Arakan Army (AA) militants, during January. The first and second sorties, airlifting 151 Myanmar soldiers by a Myanmar Air Force transport plane coming from Mandalay and landing at Lengpui airport, were undertaken on Jan 2. The soldiers were flown to Sittwe Port town in Myanmar's Rakhine state. It was followed by another two sorties, which evacuated 104 soldiers from Lengpui airport to Sittwe on January 9. While the two sorties carrying 92 Myanmar soldiers each were successfully conducted on Monday, the proposed single flight to airlift the remaining 92 soldiers went awry on Tuesday. China's record grain output last year was the result of efforts on multiple fronts. Li Lei reports. A string of extreme weather events last year worried many farmers. A cold spell in spring that affected some wheat-growing provinces was followed by record-shattering heat waves and flooding that inundated large swaths of rice fields in Northeast China. Then, an earlier-than-usual cold wave swept across much of the country in November, prompting authorities to warn vegetable growers of possible damage. Despite the woes, the National Bureau of Statistics announced recently that China's annual grain output reached a new high of 695.41 million metric tons last year a year-on-year increase of about 1 percent. It was the ninth year in a row that the grain harvest topped 650 million tons, the benchmark set by the central government to ensure national food security for roughly a fifth of the world's population. The increase is a bright spot against the backdrop of a global rise in hunger. On a visit to China in November, Bram Govaerts, director-general of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, which is based in Mexico, described the state of global food security as scary and said the world's food supply system is fragile. "One conflict can destabilize global wheat availability, and because of the conflict we had in one place, the world was suffering from increased wheat prices," he said, adding that countries need to revamp their food supply mix, produce more food locally and curb their reliance on imported grain all things China has done in recent years. Govaerts added that China's recent efforts to step up agricultural research funding were another reason the country was now more resilient when confronted with global food price increases and supply chain woes. On multiple occasions, including before the harvest season in late October, senior Chinese agricultural officials said the greater use of high-yielding crop varieties many also designed to thrive under extreme conditions explained why the country's food output had remained satisfactory. That cast a spotlight on the increasingly critical role technologies play in China's efforts to guarantee food supply as supplies of untapped arable land and other natural resources dwindle. The harsh environment faced by farmers last year was noted at the annual Central Rural Work Conference in Beijing last month. The high-level gathering reviews progress on rural-related work in the previous year including food production and decides priorities for the next. It was agreed at the meeting that despite "multiple negative factors including severe natural disasters", national grain output had not suffered, rural incomes had grown more quickly, and the countryside was harmonious and stable, Xinhua News Agency reported. The meeting also called for more breakthroughs this year using the "dual drivers of technology and reform". China is racing to boost domestic food production and reduce its reliance on imported soybean and corn as geopolitical conflicts threaten to disrupt the global trade in food. To shield the nation's food supply from external factors, authorities have ramped up a long-running mission to stabilize the area of farmland and have increased penalties for those repurposing it for nonagricultural use. They also started a campaign more recently to vitalize China's sprawling but uninventive seed sector, urging plant researchers to focus on fields such as fundamental technologies, core germplasm resources and key machinery and equipment to increase agricultural efficiency. Germplasm, the genetic resources found in things like seeds or animal tissue, is used by scientists to breed better crops or farm animals. There have been growing calls among researchers for governments around the world to allow for unimpeded flows of such knowledge to slow the decline in crop biodiversity induced by climate change. It would also aid genetic research aimed at producing higher-yielding crop varieties able to cope with the harshest environments. Felix Dapare Dakora, former president of the African Academy of Sciences, said during a visit to China in November that the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as wildfires and flooding is putting the preservation of crop biodiversity under pressure, but the free exchange of germplasm could mitigate the impact. "If we work together, we will not destroy," he said. "If we don't work together, we will destroy the planet." China's push to bolster germplasm exchanges is part of its shift to a more technology-driven approach to addressing food security problems at home and abroad. Sharing starts with conservation. In 2015, the agriculture ministry launched a national census of crop germplasm as part of a broader effort to rescue vanishing crop species. It involved more than 30,000 grassroots officials who collected about 12,000 germplasm samples over the course of about three years. Without that effort, there was a risk the genetic material could have become extinct. China has also ramped up the construction of facilities to store such assets. In May, it finished a national germplasm bank for wild rice species in Sanya, Hainan province, that its builder called "the world's largest repository for gene resources of wild rice varieties". Experts said its location, in a free trade port, helps with the sharing and use of germplasm across borders. Three months later, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and authorities in Beijing and Hainan launched the genome-to-phenome program, an attempt to bolster the sharing of germplasm with global partners. The project has won widespread recognition, with Govaerts calling China a flag-bearer on that front. "China is really getting together all the international actors," he said. Seed research is also central to growing food in once unimaginable places such as saline-alkali land, another part of China's quest for increased food security. Central authorities called last year for scientists and technicians to screen and nurture crop seeds that can withstand saline-alkali stress. Better seed, coupled with soil improvement methods, fertilizers and irrigation, would make a difference, they said. In recent years, China's top legislature has formulated laws aimed at bolstering the country's seed research and development capabilities. After three rounds of revisions since 2022, the National People's Congress Standing Committee passed the National Food Security Law late last month. The 11-part law, which will come into effect in June, will give strong State backing to invigorating the seed sector and ensuring seed security. In one part dealing with seed production, the law stipulates that the Chinese government is obliged to conserve food germplasm resources. It also says it must support efforts to commercialize next-generation breeding techniques and roll out homegrown food species that are free from the threat of embargo by agricultural powerhouses in the West. At the NPC Standing Committee session that passed the law, China's top legislator, Zhao Leji, briefed lawmakers on the findings of a high-level inspection that was carried out from May to November last year to assess the progress in the seed sector since the Seed Law was last revised in 2022. He listed a number of highlights in agricultural technology advancement, including the improved research prowess of seed companies, whose investment in research and development climbed to 6 billion yuan ($839 million) last year, an increase of more than 50 percent from 2015. But he also said the supply of quality seed was inadequate and that even though the preservation of germplasm resources had been improved, efforts to use them were still lagging. Zhao said there had been an overreliance on crossbreeding to enhance existing crop varieties, with insufficient attention paid to research powered by next-generation techniques such as gene editing and artificial intelligence, and that despite the explosive growth of seed companies since 2016, many lacked research capabilities. That situation coupled with a lack of knowledge transfer between companies and researchers had hampered progress toward a market-oriented breeding environment, Zhao said, citing the example of Gansu province, where 85 percent of seed companies operated by conducting trial planting of new food varieties developed by their clients rather than designing them in-house. "Most companies are unable to conduct R&D," he said. Zhao reiterated China's commitment to the protection of corporate seed breeders' intellectual property rights. In the past they have had to grapple with lengthy and costly legal procedures to seek compensation when their interests have been jeopardized. "The seed industry is one of national strategic importance," he said. "We must fully implement the Seed Law and promote the sector's vitalization with legal provisions." In image red Sea/ courtesy: Unsplash Dubai/IBNS: Amid ongoing turbulence in the Red Sea region, India has sent naval destroyers, frigates, and surveillance aircraft to the Arabian Sea to help commercial vessels amid rising security concerns in key economic zones. According to Indias Ministry of Defence, the Indian Navy has dispatched guided missile destroyers to the Arabian Sea after an attack on an Israel-linked chemical tanker off its coast. Three stealth-guided destroyers were deployed in various areas of the sea to maintain a deterrent presence considering the recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea, the ministry said in a statement. It was also using long-range maritime patrol aircraft for domain awareness, it said. The turbulence in the region has led to Indias deliberate and cautious emergence as a significant military player in West Asias troubled waters. The transformation is driven by a convergence of interests between the two regions and the critical imperative to safeguard crucial shipping lanes, heralding a pivotal shift in Indias maritime presence. While India does not directly align with the US-led mission against the Houthi rebels in Yemen, which has recently involved strikes on Houthi-operated facilities, the independent operations of the Indian navy set a precedent for Indias evolving military strategy in West Asia. This marks a departure from its traditional stance of strategic restraint. The escalation of missile attacks by the Houthi rebels against commercial vessels in the region sent shockwaves throughout the maritime industry. Shipping giants like Maersk have diverted their container traffic away from the strategically vital Bab el-Mandab strait, significantly reducing Red Sea trade and disrupting global supply chains. The alternative route circumnavigates Africa and imposes additional costs on already stretched global supply chains. Export-dependent nations in Asia, particularly India, bear the brunt of these consequences, and there is a potential for oil prices to surge if the standoff persists. The situation in the Red Sea has triggered growing anxiety among Indian exporters, who may withhold shipments valued at an estimated US$ 30 billion as a precautionary measure. As India steadily expands its military presence in West Asia, the evolving dynamics in the region continue to be closely watched by international observers. A Pentagon report earlier said that MV Chem Pluto, a Japanese-owned tanker carrying 21 Indians and one Vietnamese citizen, was hit while traveling 200 nautical miles (370km) off the coast of India. The attack sparked a fire, which was put out but caused no casualties. The United States and the United Kingdom strike Houthi targets in Yemen. Photo Courtesy:Central Command video grab The United States and the United Kingdom carried out additional strikes Houthi targets in Yemen on Monday (January 22, 2024), officials said. According to a statement issued by the USA and the UK, the strikes were carried out on eight targets. The strikes were supported by Canada, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Australia. The US Central Command posted on X: "These strikes from this multilateral coalition targeted areas in Houthi-controlled Yemen used to attack international merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region." "The targets included missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply buried weapons storage facilities," the post said. Why the strikes were carried out? US Central Command said the strikes were intended to degrade Houthi capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on U.S. and U.K. ships as well as international commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab Al-Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden. It said the strikes are separate and distinct from the multinational freedom of navigation actions performed under Operation Prosperity Guardian. First joint operation During the first joint operation conducted by the USA and the UK on January 11, over 30 Houthi targets were hit. Joe Biden-Rishi Sunak discuss Red Sea-Houthi The White House on Monday (January 23, 2024) confirmed US President Joe Biden and UK PM Rishi Sunak discussed the ongoing Iranian-backed Houthi attacks against merchant and naval vessels transiting the Red Sea. "They reiterated their commitment to freedom of navigation, international commerce, and defending mariners from illegal and unjustifiable attacks," the statement said. Houthi leader reacts Houthi leader Mohamed Ali al-Houthi said the strikes will only strengthen people in Yemen. He posted on X: "Your strikes will not make the Yemeni people stronger and more determined to confront you, as you are the aggressors against our country." In the tumultuous landscape of 1947, as the Indian subcontinent was cleaved into two separate nations, the Sikhs found themselves at the epicenter of a storm of political unrest and communal violence. The events unfolding during the partition were marked by a series of brutalities that have left an indelible scar on the collective memory of the Sikh community. Amidst the political upheaval, Sikhs were grappling with the ramifications of the demand for Pakistan and the escalating Muslim League agitation. The rift between the Sikhs and the League deepened, pushing the former towards contemplating the creation of a separate Sikh-Hindu state in the Punjab districts where Muslims were in the minority. Public protests erupted as Sikh leaders vehemently opposed the pro-Pakistan and provocative slogans propagated by the Muslim League. Phrases like Khun se lenge Pakistan (We will take Pakistan through blood), Dena hoga Pakistan (We will take Pakistan), and Leke rahenge Pakistan (We will keep Pakistan) added fuel to the fire of communal tensions. The atmosphere became increasingly charged, reaching a boiling point on key dates like 15th and 21st February 1947. During these tense times, the Muslim League adopted a bullying, menacing, and hooliganistic character, fueled by what seemed like a mild and almost indulgent attitude towards its activities. Incidents of train hold-ups in Amritsar, Ludhiana, Gujranwala, and other places underscored the growing lawlessness. Shockingly, the police response was often insufficient, failing to adequately address the mounting crisis. A turning point occurred on the 14th of February, when non-Muslim tonga drivers had their faces blackened in an act of humiliation. The murder of a Sikh police constable in Amritsar revealed a chilling reality. The Muslim mob besieged the helpless constable, stoning him to death in a brutal manner. Disturbingly, Muslim members of the police party, including only a few non-Muslims, did nothing to rescue their Sikh colleague. This incident laid bare the harsh truth that Sikhs were being targeted solely based on their identity. This discriminatory violence escalated, prompting urgent pleas from Sikh sources. On February 26, 1946, the Assembly Panthic Party, with Master Tara Singh in attendance, appealed to the Muslim League to halt their unlawful activities and warned of serious repercussions. Simultaneously, Master Tara Singh emphasized the need for the Punjab Government to adopt a firm stance and swiftly address the growing menace to the provinces peace. (Photo and text courtesy: Khalsavox.com) Photo Courtesy: Pixabay Afghan Cultural Association (AKIS) and Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) demonstrated outside the Pakistan Embassy in Vienna recently. The demonstrators protested against the illegal arrest of the head and co-founder of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen and the forced deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan. Around 25 people from the Afghan community participated in this protest, which happened from 12:00 to 14:00 hours today, ANI reported. Satori Khan, who is the head of the PTM wing in Austria, told the Indian news agency that there is no justice for Pashtuns in Pakistan. Pashtuns are persecuted in Pakistan due to their ethnicity and are now forcefully deported. Ghossudin Mir, the head of the Afghan Cultural Association in Vienna, told ANI the Pakistani army and ISI are responsible for the ethnic cleansing in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He mentioned that Pakistan always acts against the interests of the Afghan people. Protesters also raised slogans against the Pakistani government during the demonstration. Special Tag: Pakistan US man who is a suspect in killing eight persons dies of self-inflicted gunshots in Texas. Photo Courtesy:Joliet Police Department X page A gunman suspected to have killed eight people in three different locations over the past two days in the US city of Joliet was found dead1,200 miles away Monday (January 22, 2024) night. The suspect was identified as 23-year-old Romeo Nance. He died reportedly due to a self-inflicted gunshot in Texas. Police recovered the bodies of seven of the victims in two nearby houses on Monday (January 22, 2024) while the other was found earlier on Sunday (January 21, 2024) Investigators told Sky News that they did not know of a motive for the killings, but said the man knew the victims. The police earlier posted on X: " ACTIVE INCIDENT (UPDATED) JANUARY 22, 2024 3:00 PM At this moment, Detectives and Officers are conducting an active homicide investigation after Officers located multiple deceased individuals who had sustained gunshot wounds in two homes in the 2200 block of West Acres Road." Joliet Police Chief William Evans told Sky News: "I've been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with." Following an elbow/triceps surgery at Mumbai's Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Saif Ali Khan left for his home a few hours ago. After coming back home, He waved and greeted paps alongside actor-wife Kareena Kapoor Khan outside their Bandra home. Saif had recently had surgery on his elbow, and he was seen wearing trousers and a blue T-shirt in a video that is going viral. When Kareena Kapoor arrived to pick him up, both of them cheerfully waved to the photographers outside their Mumbai residence. What Happened To Saif Ali Khan? As per HT, the 53-year-old actor had surgery following the recurrence of an old ailment sustained on a movie shoot. According to reports, he sustained the injuries whilst filming the 2017 Rangoon, which was helmed by Vishal Bhardwaj. A source said the same according to PTI that "He is doing well. Saif Ali Khan Discharged From Hospital/Viral Bhayani He said, This injury and the surgery that followed is a part of the wear and tear of what we do. I am very happy to be in such amazing surgical hands, and I thank all well-wishers for their love and concern. Saif said in a statement to Indiatoday. Devara makers wished the actor a speedy recovery, on Tuesday. The official X account of the film, wrote, "Wishing you a Speedy recovery, Saif sir! Get well soon. Can't wait for your comeback on the sets. #Devara." X Saif Ali Khan On The Work Front Regarding his career, Saif Ali Khan most recently starred alongside Prabhas and Kriti Sanon in Om Raut's 2023 film Adipurush. Prior to that, he co-starred with Hrithik Roshan in Vikram Vedha. The actor is starring alongside Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR in Devara, his upcoming film. The actor, his mother, and seasoned actress Sharmila Tagore recently made an appearance on an episode of Karan Johar's discussion show Koffee With Karan 8. For more news and updates from the world of celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. The cold spell across North India continued on Tuesday morning with the national capital New Delhi registering a minimum temperature of 7 Degrees Celsius. According to the IMD, the daytime temperature is expected to rise to a maximum of 18 Degrees Celsius on Tuesday. BCCL Fog delays trains, flights in Delhi IMD has predicted moderate fog till January 26 in the National Capital, with foggy conditions expected on January 27 and 28. The cold, accompanied by dense fog and reduced visibility continues to disrupt normal life and air and railway operations in New Delhi. According to Northern Railways, 28 trains, including Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Rajendranagar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express, Bangalore-Nizamuddin Rajdhani Express, Azamgarh-Delhi JN Kaifiyat Express, Banaras-New Delhi Express, and Katihar-Amritsar Amrapali Express, faced delays ranging from 2 to 5 hours. BCCL Several flights have also been delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport due to a layer of thick fog, that has reduced the visibility. Very dense across North India On Monday, the IMD had said that dense to very dense fog conditions are likely to continue over North India during the next 4-5 days while cold day to severe cold day conditions are likely to continue to prevail over North India during the next three days and decrease in intensity thereafter. In its daily bulletin, the weather forecast agency said that Jet Stream Winds of the order of 130-150 knots at 12.6 km above mean sea level are prevailing over the plains of North India. BCCL It is leading to subsidence of cold air and enhancing cold wave/cold day conditions over North India. Similar intensity of Jet Stream is likely to continue during the next 3-4 days. Under the influence of fresh Western Disturbance, light isolated rainfall/snowfall likely over the Western Himalayan Region from Thursday to Sunday, said the IMD. The IMD further said that minimum temperatures are in the range of 3-7 degrees Celsius over many parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, North Rajasthan, North Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. These are below normal by 2- 4 degrees Celsius in some parts of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, North Rajasthan, North Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and normal over Punjab and Haryana. Today, the lowest minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees Celsius was reported at Datia (West Madhya Pradesh), said the IMD. BCCL Minimum temperature to rise The IMD further warned that dense to very dense fog conditions are very likely to prevail for a few hours in night/morning over some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh till Saturday morning. Dense Fog conditions are very likely in isolated places over Delhi during Monday night and Saturday morning. Dense to very dense fog conditions are also very likely to prevail for a few hours at night/morning in isolated pockets of Rajasthan till Friday morning and in isolated pockets of north Madhya Pradesh till Wednesday morning, said the IMD. The IMD said that the rise in minimum temperatures by 2-3 degree Celsius is expected during the next five days over northwest India. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The ambitious reintroduction of Cheetahs in India has tasted yet another success as three more cubs have been born in Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on social media that a Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. Kunos new cubs! Namibian Cheetah named Jwala has given birth to three cubs. This comes just weeks after Namibian Cheetah Aasha gave birth to her cubs. Congratulations to all wildlife frontline warriors and wildlife lovers across the country. May Bharats wildlife thrive pic.twitter.com/aasusRiXtG Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) January 23, 2024 Second litter of Cheetah cubs this year This is the second litter of Cheetah cubs to be born in Kuno this year and the third since their reintroduction to India in September 2022. On January 3, Kuno National Park officials reported that Namibian cheetah Aasha had given birth to three cubs. In March 2023, another Cheetah, Jwala gave birth to four cubs, but only one of them survived. SCREENGRAB Cheetah reintroduction project Jwala and Aasha were among the first cheetahs translocated to India from Namibia under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Project Cheetah'. The first batch of eight cheetahs was introduced in India in September 2022. The second batch of 12 cheetahs was flown in from South Africa last February. The first-of-its-kind transcontinental species reintroduction project is aimed at repopulating Cheetahs, the only large carnivore species that went extinct in independent India in their historic habitat. BCCL 10 Cheetahs have died so far However, Project Cheetah has had its share of setbacks to the point where many including wildlife experts and environmentalists have called for it to be suspended. So far, 10 cheetahs including seven adults and three cubs have died in Kuno National Park. The latest to die was a Namibian cheetah named Shaurya, which passed away on January 16. According to the additional chief conservator of forest and the director of the Lion Project at Kuno, a tracking team noted signs of incoordination and a staggering gait in Shaurya, prompting an immediate medical intervention. The cheetah was tranquillised and weakness was determined during a medical examination and despite reviving it through medical intervention, the big cat developed some post-revival complications that eventually resulted in its demise. Cheetahs straying out of KNP Officials in KNP had also failed to keep track of the movement of the Cheetahs out of the protected area. Ever since they were released from the enclosure, Cheetahs -- Asha, Oban (Pavan) and Agni had strayed out of KNP. In fact, Agni had wandered all the way into a forest in Rajasthan's Baran district forcing authorities to tranquilise and bring it back. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Ayodhya witnessed a historic day today, with the much awaited inauguration of Ram Mandir finally taking place. The temple, which has been built at a cost of Rs 1,800 crores, is witnessing donations double every two hours, thanks to Indias homegrown bills and donations payments network BBPS (Bharat Bill Payment System) adding Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra in its list of beneficiaries for donations. Moreover, this act of kindness can now double your joy, as donations to Ayodhya's Ram Mandir are eligible for tax saving as well. Ram Mandir Temple Trust Added To Bharat Bill Payment System ram mandir ayodhya donation bbps/ndtv With Ram Mandir's inauguration in Ayodhya finally complete, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has been added as a featured biller on (Bharat Bill Payment System) over the weekend. PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm, and various bank apps have integrated the trust into BBPS. Getting added to the list of beneficiaries in Indias homegrown bills and donations payments network BBPS thus allows devotees to connect with the inauguration digitally and donate, despite not being physically present. State Bank of India (SBI) , Bank of Baroda (BoB) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) are the banks tied up for donations with the temple trust. For the unversed, the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, established by the Government of India, is the authorized body responsible for overseeing the construction of the Ram Mandir. Devotees can use the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust's website to donate money to the Ram Mandir. Even people from abroad can donate for Ram Mandir, as per the trust's website. ram mandir donation abroad/srjbtkshetra Also Read; List Of India's Richest Temples & Their Networth Ahead Of Ram Mandir Inauguration Donations To Ram Mandir Eligible For Tax Saving "An individual who wishes to donate money to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust rebuild/ repair Ayodhya Ram Mandir can do so online using various ways. These are: payment gateway, UPI/QR code/NEFT/IMPS/Demand Draft/Cheque. There is absolutely no charges or fee of any kind levied for donating money to Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust" as per the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust website. On the other hand, if someone uses the payment gateway to make a donation, a donation receipt will be instantly issued as soon as the payment is successfully completed. The Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust will verify the details before issuing the donation receipt for other methods (UPI, QR code, NEFT, IMPS, Demand Draft, Cheque). Therefore, in order to download the donation receipt, one should visit the website after 15 days. ram mandir ayodhya donation/twitter As per Ayodhya Ram Mandir's donation helpline agent, "Instant donation receipt will only be issued if payment gateway is used for making donation. All other methods UPI/QR code/NEFT/IMPS/Demand Draft/Cheque will require verification from the Trust's end and then only donation receipts would be issued on our website." As per Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust website, "The Central Government has notified "SHRI RAM JANMABHOOMI TEERTH KSHETRA" (PAN: AAZTS6197B) to be place of historic importance and a place of public worship of renown for the purpose of the said section from the year FY 2020-2021. 50% of Voluntary Contribution, for the purpose of renovation/repair of Mandir to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra is eligible for deduction under sec 80G (2) (b), subject to other conditions mentioned under section 80G of the Income-tax Act, 1961. Cash donation in excess of Rs 2000 are not allowed as a tax deduction." Steps To Donate Money For Ayodhya's Ram Mandir donatiodonation tax saving ram mandir/ET Here's a step-by-step guide on how to make a donation to the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust. 1.Payment using a payment gateway Here's a step-by-step guide: Step 1: Go here-https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/#/login Step 2: Click 'Donate' under the 'Donation' tab. Now login using your mobile number and authenticate it by inputting the OTP received. Source: https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/#/login Step 3: A new webpage would open where many details like PAN, purpose of donation, PAN, donation amount, address, pin code, etc would be asked to fill. After filling the details click on 'Donate'. You would be redirected to the payment gateway where UPI, debit card, net banking, credit card can be used to make payment. When payment is successful, the donation receipt would be issued instantly. 2.Payment using UPI/QR code/Cheque/ Demand Draft/ IMPS/NEFT Step 1: Go here-https://srjbtkshetra.org/donation-options/ Source: https://srjbtkshetra.org/donation-options/ Step 2: There are a total of 3 bank accounts of the Mandir Trust- State bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bank of Baroda (BoB). Use any one of them to donate money. If you are using this method no mobile number, Email ID, PAN is needed to be entered while making the payment. 3.How to download donation receipt If you have used the other donation methods (UPI/QR code/NEFT/IMPS/Cheque) to donate money, then you will need to follow the below steps: Step 1: Go here: https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/donation-receipt/. Source: https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/donation-receipt/ Step 2: Click on 'Download Receipt' tab. Enter your mobile in the appropriate space and click on 'GET OTP'. Enter the OTP and authenticate. Step 3: A new webpage would open. Click on the 'Donation Receipt' button under the 'Donate' tab. Fill in details- PAN, Mobile number, Email ID, address, donation amount, bank account number, donation purpose, UPI reference number (if used), donation mode, bank account of the Trust to where the donation was made, etc. Once all the information is filled up, click on 'Submit'. Source: https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/donation-receipt/ The information you submitted would then be verified by the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust officials, which could take some time depending on the payment method used. The donation receipt will be downloadable from this same website once the verification process is finished. Go to https://online.srjbtkshetra.org/donation-receipt/ and select 'Donation Receipt' from the 'Donation' tab to see the status. Next, select 'Donation Receipt History'. Here would be a download button if the receipt was ready, and an estimated time would be displayed otherwise. Documents Needed To Claim Tax Deduction For Ram Mandir Donation Since three years, the income tax department has mandated that starting in FY 20212022 (AY 2022-23) taxpayers must submit Form 10BE in order to claim a tax deduction for donations made to Ayodhya Ram Mandir Trust and other charitable organizations. On or before May 31 of the financial year following the year in which the institution receives the donation, the relevant charitable organization will issue Form 10BE. Therefore, the charitable organization must provide a donation certificate (Form 10BE) by May 31, 2024, if a person made a donation at any point between April 2023 and March 2024. A donation certificate (Form 10BE) must be provided by the qualifying charitable organization to the donor if they want to claim section 80G on account of their monetary contributions. Keep in mind that the donation receipt which Ayodhya Ram Trust gives instantly after the donation is not the donation certificate (Form 10BE), as per tax experts. Form 10BE is required to claim donations. However, in the case of Ayodhya Ram Mandir donations, a certificate in Form 10BE is not yet being issued. So donation receipt is likely to be considered as proof of evidence to validate the deduction claimed under section 80G. Now it remains to be seen if the temple trust and income tax department come out with further clarifications regarding the same. Also Read: List Of Tax Saving Investment Options With Totally Tax-Free Returns For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued warning against some politicians, allegedly exploiting the security challenge facing the FCT just for political gains. The former Rivers state governor led this out during a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, emphasising that some politicians were taking advantage of the insecurity problem. He said: After the first kidnapping incident in Bwari, President Tinubu summoned the service chiefs and my humble self, and within a few days, you have seen what they have achieved. But nobody is talking about that. Nobody has come to commend them. All you here security has collapsed. READ MORE: Senatell Summon Wike Over FCTs Insecurity Lawmaker Kingibe Nigerians forget easily, and that is why we have always said lets not play politics with the issue of security. Remember, some time ago, in the last administration, we were told that bandits came to Kuje prison and wrecked havoc. Nobody said there was no Minister of FCT. There was a minister. Nobody talks about FCT being the capital. Remember, there was an administration where terrorists came and burnt the United Nations building here. It was in FCT. Remember, there was an attack to burn the police headquarters. There was a minister. All over the world, we have heard where armed men went to school in cities and shot at will, killing 15 to 16 people in the United States, in Britain, as developed as they are. That does not mean that the security in those cities has collapsed. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, urged Nigerians to join hands in fixing the country and have a change of mindset towards the love of money. The President led this out yesterday, during the visitation of the Christian Association of Nigeria, led by its president Archbishop Daniel Okoh, at the State House in Abuja, tasking the CANs delegates to help in preaching against corruption and related matters. In a statement made available by his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed that Tinubu promised to be fair to all Nigerians despite all the challenges facing the country. He said: We have no other country but Nigeria. If you do not preach the sermon of understanding, tolerance, perseverance, and hope for Nigerians, you are doing damage to the country, and nobody will help us repair it. Let us dialogue because public condemnation of a nation is not what makes any citizen a good one. We must admonish Nigerians to have a change of mindset and not to make money our god or master. I believe we will get to the Promised Land, and Nigeria will flourish. READ MORE: Im Happy Buhari Didnt Interfere In My Cabinet Formation Tinubu We are here to listen, and if you observe any inadequacies in my government, let us know. I am here today because of your prayers and the will of God Almighty. What I have challenged myself to do each day is to be fair to all Nigerians. I have had a number of criticisms, including the rationale behind the size of my cabinet. If you want efficient, mobile, and resourceful people, we have to give people a load they can carry. If you combine too many ministries because you want to save money, you will have a future of non-performance and no results. Nigeria needs to turn the corner to grow, and we must give people challenges they can manage, and that is what we are doing. The Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, arrested no fewer than 24 suspected internet fraudsters, who were allegedly trained for cyber crimes in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State. It was gathered that the suspects were arrested on Monday, at a storey building suspected to be a criminal hideout for training internet fraudsters. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that some Items recovered from the premises and the suspects include: five exotic cars; 18 laptops; 17 mobile phones and one internet router. In a statement release by the EFCC, through its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the suspects were arrested on Monday, adding that the all- male suspected fraudsters were arrested in two locations in an intelligence-driven sting operation at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela area both in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The statement reads in parts: The all- male suspects were arrested in two locations in an intelligence-driven sting operation at D-Line Ewet Housing Estate and Nelson Mandela area, both in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Items recovered from the premises and the suspects include: five exotic cars; 18 laptops; 17 mobile phones and one internet router. READ MORE: Betta Edu: EFCC Grills Zenith, Providus, Jaiz Banks CEOs On November 28, 2019, the EFCC arrested 23 trainers and trainees at a Yahoo Academy at Essien Essien Street, Ikot Ibiok village in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded. Super Eagles beat Guinea-Bissau 1-0 in the last match of a Group A tie in the Africa Cup of Nations to qualify for the round of 16. INFORMATION NIGERIA reports that a first-half Opa Sangante own goal gave Nigeria a win over the African wild dogs on Monday. Sangante mistakenly turned a Moses Simon cross into his own net in the 36th minute, after feeling compelled to intervene with Victor Osimhen lurking behind him. The result means the Super Eagles qualify in second place in Group A with seven points, behind Equatorial Guinea whose 4-0 destruction of hosts Ivory Coast leaves them with a far better goal difference. READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Victor Osimhen Warns Super Eagles Ahead Guinea-Bissaus Clash After a 1-1 draw with Nigeria, a 4-2 victory over Guinea-Bissau, and now a 4-0 victory over host nation, Equatorial Guinea finished the group stage as Group A table leaders with 7 points in three games, on the same number of points with second-placed Super Eagles who have inferior goals difference. The team will now stay in Abidjan for a last-16 tie on Saturday at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium against the runners-up in Group C, which will be Senegal, Guinea or Cameroon. Apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged former President Muhammadu Buhari to disclose the truth on the arrest and trial of the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The reaction stems from revelations made by Femi Adesina, former presidential spokesperson, in his newly released book titled Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023). Adesina narrated how a group known as Highly-Respected Igbo Greats, led by Mbazulike Ameachi, a first republic minister of aviation, pleaded with the former president to release Kanu. In the book, Buhari said the federal government, under his watch, had the option to eliminate Kanu but brought him to Nigeria to face trial, which he noted was the best option for all parties. Reacting to the former Presidents comments, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the groups Secretary-General, in a statement on Tuesday, said Buharis confession of the killing option of Kanu is a flagrant validation of international conspiracy against the Igbo. Isiguzoro asked Buhari to summon the righteous resolve within him and provide Nigerians with an unambiguous account of the truth. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the unwavering voice of the Igbo people, demands that Former President Muhammadu Buhari face the Nigerian populace and answer for his alleged involvement in an egregious international conspiracy against the Igbo during his tenure. READ ALSO: Motorists Violating Zebra Crossing Risks N20,000 Fine LASTMA At Ohanaeze Ndigbo, we initially dismissed these stone-cold international conspiracy theories against our beloved Igbo brethren. However, our suspicions have now transformed into certainties, thanks to the spine-tingling revelations made by Mr. Femi Adeshina, the former spokesperson for Former President Buhari. Adeshina chillingly admitted that there was indeed a contemplation of the killing option before adopting the strategy of subjecting Nnamdi Kanu to court prosecution. These admissions now expose the nefarious web in which Buharis government entangled itself, willingly executing the scripts of international conspirators against the Igbo in their unjust arrest of Nnamdi Kanu. The blatant disregard for court pronouncements and verdicts in favor of Nnamdi Kanus release further strengthens our suspicions, suggesting a sordid partnership with international forces. There can be no more delay; the time for truth-telling is now. Ohanaeze Ndigbo implores Former President Buhari to summon the righteous resolve within him and provide Nigerians with an unambiguous account of the truth. Justice and transparency demand nothing less. The Igbo people, alongside the entirety of Nigeria, deserve honesty and accountability, the statement read. In 2021, the IPOB leader was extradited to Nigeria after he jumped bail and fled the country, following his arraignment for alleged terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement. He has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his extradition. Authentication and authorization rank among the top priorities for application developers today. While theyre often used interchangeably, they actually represent two very different things. Yet in order to ensure a secure and seamless experience for users, both must work in concert. To illustrate the distinction between authentication and authorization, I often use the example of taking your family to Disneyland. Authentication is like the front gate where upon arrival you show your ticket and ID to the gatekeeper who checks to confirm that you are who you say you aremuch like when you log onto an application in which the authentication system checks your username and password to validate your identity. Authorization is what happens once youre past the front gate. Your ticket may have a Fast Pass that allows you to skip waiting lines, or your kids might have different tickets meant only for certain rides. These authorization (or access control) measures govern what you can do after you are authenticated. In an organizational context, this is akin to having the right permissions to access certain files or programs. Of course, managing authorization for an enterprise application is far more complex and nuanced than the example shared above. Perhaps you need to grant access to a resource on a temporary basis and only to a select subgroup of users. Or maybe there are certain resources that should only be available to individuals under specific conditions, such as being part of a project team or working in a particular department. RBAC and ABAC Which is why over the past two decades weve seen the introduction and adoption of a number of different access control models. First-generation authorization models like mandatory access controls prioritized a one-size-fits-all approach over fine-grained access controls. However, in the modern enterprise, where access rights to certain applications, systems, or resources might need to be granted or revoked on a daily basis, it became evident that more dynamic solutions were necessary. This led to the development of more modern authorization models such as role-based access control (RBAC) and later, attribute-based access control (ABAC). RBAC simplified access management by assigning permissions to roles rather than to individual users. In a corporate environment, roles like manager, accountant, or IT technician come with predefined access rights, streamlining the process of granting or revoking access as employees assume different roles or responsibilities. ABAC took this a step further by incorporating a wider range of attributes (such as user location, time of access, and type of device used) in administering access decisions. However, while ABAC offers both a high degree of granularity and flexibility, it is also cumbersome to manage, as it requires the definition and ongoing maintenance of numerous and constantly shifting attributes and policies. This complexity has in turn led to an assortment of administrative challenges, especially in large-scale environments where the sheer number of attributes and rules, and the relationships between them, can quickly become an overwhelming burden. ReBAC enters the chat Relationship-based access control, or ReBAC, offers a more flexible option for software developers to add fine-grained authorization to applications and resources. Based on Googles Zanzibar framework, ReBAC considers the relationships between entities (like users, resources, and groups) to govern access. It provides a more context-aware approach to access control compared to RBAC or ABAC, making it particularly well-suited for complex environments where relationships and interactions are prioritized in determining who should and should not be granted access. For instance, consider a typical hospital thats staffed by a wide range of individuals and rolesfrom hospital administrators, doctors, and nurses to lab technicians, security guards, and janitors. While all of these individuals might be granted front door access, that doesnt mean that they all possess the same authorization rights. Moreover, just because a doctor might have the authority to review detailed patient records it doesnt necessarily mean they should have access to the privileged information in every patientjust the ones under their care while they are being provided care by the institution. Under a ReBAC model, when a doctor is assigned to a patient, they are granted access to that patients medical records. This access can be dynamically revoked when that patient is no longer in the doctors care. Similarly, a nurse in the same system might have different access rights, limited to the patients theyre directly involved with. This agility ensures that healthcare professionals have the necessary information to provide care while maintaining strict patient privacy that adheres to regulatory requirements. ReBAC also allows for a more detailed and precise management of user permissions compared to traditional access control models, which is achieved by focusing on the nature, context, and attributes of the relationships between various entities (like users, resources, and data). However, while ReBAC offers a promising way forward, its not without its own challenges. Implementation guidelines for ReBAC Implementing and managing a ReBAC system can be a complex undertaking, especially in large organizations where relationships and interdependencies are numerous and constantly evolving. If youre planning to implement ReBAC, consider these three guidelines. Focus on the initial definition Before dipping your toes in the ReBAC pool, its essential to invest the time up front in order to gain a full understanding of the various relationships that exist within your organization. This includes mapping out in detail how users relate to each other, to resources, and to the organization as a whole. Understanding and communicating these dynamics is crucial for defining effective access control policies. Establishing these initial definitions will play a critical role in determining not only how ReBAC is initially implemented but how it might evolve over time. Start small to secure quick wins Before rolling out ReBAC across an entire organization, its best to start with a small implementation or pilot program that will allow for the testing of the system in a controlled environment. For example, consider testing ReBAC initially in the human resources (HR) department, which typically have well-defined and stable relationships, such as those between HR managers, employees, and confidential data. In this context, ReBAC can manage access to sensitive employee information, such as personal details, performance reviews, and payroll data. Such an approach helps in identifying potential issues, fine-tuning policies, and understanding the practical implications of the system without overwhelming the staff or disrupting major organizational processes. Develop, test, and refine policies As part of a small-scale rollout, its essential to ensure that the policies being implemented are being regularly tested and refined based on stakeholder feedback, and that they accurately reflect the desired access controls based on relationships. Policies also should be tested using various hypothetical scenarios to assess their effectiveness and practicality. This might include scenarios like role changes, department transfers, or changes in project teams, ensuring that such policies grant appropriate access in each scenario and that any changes in relationships will result in an immediate update in access rights. Its also important to recognize that policy development and testing is an iterative process and that as the organization evolves and new types of relationships emerge, the policies will need to be revisited and updated to remain effective and relevant. No matter where you are in your authentication and authorization journey, its essential to stay informed about evolving security models like ReBAC, as they offer more nuanced and adaptable approaches to protect your resources and data in todays digital landscape. Rishi Bhargava is the co-founder of Descope, a drag-and-drop customer authentication and identity management platform. New Tech Forum provides a venue for technology leadersincluding vendors and other outside contributorsto explore and discuss emerging enterprise technology in unprecedented depth and breadth. The selection is subjective, based on our pick of the technologies we believe to be important and of greatest interest to InfoWorld readers. InfoWorld does not accept marketing collateral for publication and reserves the right to edit all contributed content. Send all inquiries to doug_dineley@foundryco.com. Placement of the headstone for the enslaved African people buried in Upper Dublin Friends cemetery. Avis Wanda McClinton is seated in front, in black. Read more In April 2021, Avis Wanda McClinton received a box from archivists at Haverford College. A retired steelworker and Black community activist from North Hills, Pa., she has spent the last decade commemorating and recognizing unmarked African American burial sites in Quaker graveyards. She slit the box open and lifted out reproductions of 200-plus-year-old documents. The sheaf of papers concerned Quaker freedom guarantees, also known as manumissions, for 413 enslaved African Americans contractually freed in the Philadelphia area between 1765 and 1790. As she read their names Polly, Accro, Philas, Dianah, Juliet, and her children McClinton could feel the promise and potential of their lives. They were real people, just like me and you, she said. McClinton joined the Quaker faith in the early 2000s when she thought all Quakers had been abolitionists. In 1780, Pennsylvania, led by Quaker abolitionists, became the first state to mandate the gradual manumission of all enslaved people. But these 339 manumissions a lesser number than 413 because sometimes one document freed more than one enslaved person are irrefutable evidence Quakers had condoned slavery. As the community liaison and Quaker preservationist for Haverford Colleges project Manumitted: The People Enslaved by Quakers, McClinton posed a question no one had ever addressed: What happened to the manumitted? Last November, McClinton inched closer to an answer when Washingtons Howard University and 339 Manumissions & Beyond, an advisory group led by McClinton, signed a memorandum of agreement to uncover the fates of those 413 Philadelphians previously enslaved and then lost to public memory. A manumission hard won Despite being among the first advocates for the abolishment of slavery Germantown Quakers denounced the practice of enslavement in 1688 Quakers enslaved people. The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) the organizing body of Quaker Meetings in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland deemed slaveholding a disownable offense in 1774. In 1776, it required slaveholding members to produce proof of manumission or risk expulsion from worship services. The process of convincing many slaveholding members to manumit slaves was a lengthy one, notes Haverfords postbaccalaureate fellow David Satten-Lopez. It included 111 disciplinary proceedings against Quakers who engaged in the slave trade between 1757-76. Advertisement Even after the Quakers manumitted, the Society of Friends was still not really welcoming these free Blacks into their meetings as equals, says former history teacher, Quaker, and 339 Manumissions & Beyond project member Dennis Gregg. They were asked to sit in separate sections. Manumitted but not safe McClinton has concerns about how the newly manumitted would have fared once their emancipation took effect. For one thing, the manumissions were not always immediate. They were unenforceable documents, she stresses. Another issue facing the newly manumitted was community and societal support. Howard Universitys research team will investigate what kind of systematic assistance (such as money and land) the Quakers provided the recently manumitted, and whether Quaker leadership punished members who failed to comply. Knowing that these documents were penned in the late 1700s, McClinton pointed out that a nationwide emancipation was still about 75 years away. They werent safe! Anyone could just click them over the head, and theyd be sold back into slavery! Kicked by God to take action As the only Black person on Haverfords Manumitted project, McClinton assembled the multiracial advisory board called 339 Manumissions & Beyond Project (composed of nine members, including Satten-Lopez) in late 2022. Its goal is to discover the full identities and fates of those named in the documents. Two members are verifiably descended from enslavers. But as far as the group knows, Kitty Taylor Mizuno is the only one directly descended from enslavers in the manumission documents. One of the documents was signed by her great-great-great-great-grandfather on her mothers side Jonathan David Evans, a rum and molasses importer who lived from 1714 to 1795. Based on the manumission he signed on Jan. 7, 1779, 16 years before his death, hed enslaved two people a woman named Celia and a man named Cesar. Twenty years ago, Mizuno met McClinton while working on a Quaker committee for racial justice and equality. In 2022, McClinton invited Mizuno to join the 339 Manumissions & Beyond Project. Since learning of her ancestors participation in slavery, Mizuno has felt kicked by God to take action. In a recent letter to the Haverford alumni magazine, Mizuno wrote, I think about how the privileged lifestyle and assumptions of my slaveholding family continue to be part of our family culture today. To date, no book contains any information about Celia and Cesars life after manumission, or notes if they had children. A Black Ellis Island Stephanie Leonard, a former member of the Ambler chapter of the NAACP (shes since relocated to California) and project member, sees another opportunity. In addition to identifying those who left bondage for freedom and accomplishment, this work will lay the foundation for what she calls a much-needed Black Ellis Island. Leonard is the mother of biracial children who trace their fathers heritage to an Irish village. But when it comes to her side of the family, she tells her sons, We cant do that. I cant do that. I dont know if my mother could do that. Led by Michael Ralph, the Cameron Schrier Professor and chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University, and Nathalie Frederic Pierre, an assistant professor in history, and assisted by Howards team of undergraduate and graduate students, the researchers will compile comprehensive booklike dossiers for the 54 manumitted persons who are listed in the documents with both first and last names. The students will (ideally) create genealogical records for all 413, including their descendants, and be organized in a format compatible with publicly accessible genealogical databases. This isnt just a five-year thing its a 25-year thing thats where the Beyond comes from, McClinton told an audience of Quakers and students from the University of Tennessee this past fall. Swarthmore College also has manumissions, McClinton says. Presumably, so does the New England Yearly Meeting. And Baltimore Yearly Meeting. And New York Yearly Meeting. And the Carolina Yearly Meetings. Its possible, she says, that other Quakers will try to find formerly enslaved humans who might otherwise remain unknown. This is part of really looking at the more complicated, real history of our country, said Satten-Lopez. Philly's bedbug problem was ranked as one of the worst in the country according to an annual report from pest control company Orkin. Read more First came the rats. Now, the bedbugs. According to an annual report released this week by pest control company Orkin, Philadelphia ranks third in the country among cities with the most bedbugs. The news follows the citys sixth-place ranking on a list of most popular cities for rats in the country. Bedbugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control, Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist, said in a statement. The bedbug list is based on metropolitan areas where the company performed the most bedbug treatments in commercial and residential spaces between Dec. 1, 2022, and Nov. 30, 2023. Advertisement Philadelphias place on the list didnt change compared to last year, but has ticked up in the rankings over the last few years. When the list came out in 2021, Philadelphia took 14th place among the cities, and then jumped to second place in 2022, before coming down to its current ranking. Among the top 50 cities with the most bedbug treatments, new to the list this year were Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, and Las Vegas. The top 10 U.S. cities for bedbug infestation are: 1. Chicago, Ill. 2. New York, N.Y. 3. Philadelphia, Pa. 4. Cleveland-Akron, Ohio 5. Los Angeles, Calif. 6. Detroit, Mich. 7. Washington, D.C. 8. Indianapolis, Ind. 9. Charlotte, N.C. 10. Champaign, Ill. Philadelphias bedbug history Bedbugs arent a new problem for Philadelphia. In 2015, SEPTA received 31 complaints about insects on board transit vehicles, around the time a photo went viral that purported to show a bedbug on a bus. In 2018, a video of what were alleged to be bedbugs on a SEPTA bus seat caught the attention of many. At the time, SEPTA was in the process of overhauling its upholstered seats on buses, switching to plastic which is harder for the bugs to scale, according to Billy Penn. Throughout the years, Philadelphia has also taken measures to mitigate its issue. The city established a bedbug task force after Councilmember Mark Squilla got bedbugs himself in 2014. Then in 2019, new rules were passed which put the responsibility of investigating and remediating a bed bug infestation on landlords. How to know if you have bedbugs Bedbugs can be seen by the human eye, are 3/16 of an inch long, and can range from red to brown in color. The bugs are mostly active at night when people are sleeping, and they can access their food source blood. Orkin recommends routinely checking a home for bedbugs. To do so, they advise to look in places bedbugs tend to hide. These places include on mattress tags and seams and behind baseboards, headboards, and picture frames. How to check for bedbugs while traveling Bedbugs can travel by attaching themselves to clothing, luggage, or furniture. To avoid bringing them home, Orkin recommends: Inspect a hotel room by looking out for the bugs or small ink-colored stains they may have left on sheets, mattress seams, headboards, and soft furniture. Keep luggage away from walls and the bed so the bugs cant easily get in. Inspect luggage and clothes when packing to head home, and check them again upon arrival. How to get rid of bedbugs Local exterminators can be found through an online tool from the National Pest Management Association. Ian Williams, technical services manager at Orkin, told The Inquirer last year that while waiting for an exterminator, people can take steps to help the situation: Screenshots from three of four YouTube livestreams by Anigar Monsee that were referenced in Upper Darby Police charging documents against her for four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. Read more Anigar Monsee playfully toyed with the audience in a live YouTube video filmed in August in her Colwyn kitchen, answering their sexually charged questions and encouraging them to like the video in order for her to begin her performance in earnest, according to police. When those likes came in, investigators said, the scantily-clad 27-year-old made good on her promise: She tortured a pigeon and cut its head off, with those watching the 49-minute feed praising her and making requests for future content. Monsee, now of Upper Darby, has been charged with four counts of aggravated cruelty to animals in a case that Upper Darby Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt described as disturbing and barbaric. Even more disturbing, Bernhardt said Tuesday, is that there are people out there that are entertained by this and theres a platform out there that is allowing it. Advertisement She was arrested late Friday, after police were contacted by representatives from PETA. The animal activist group used clues and background details in some of Monsees other videos, including a tour of her then-new house in Upper Darby, to determine her identity and where she lives, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed for her arrest. Bernhardt credited PETA for that information, and urged anyone else who sees similar content to contact law enforcement if they can determined where its being filmed. It takes a cold, heartless person to harm the animals, Bernhardt said. But we would never have known this, this would never have come across our desk, had it not been for the people out there who saw this and notified us. Monsee told police in an interview that she is the person depicted in the videos, and that the account that posted them belongs to her, the affidavit said. As police played the four videos in front of her she became visibly upset, particularly of the one with a rabbit, and asked for them to be turned off. In viewing her YouTube account, detectives found that Monsee uploaded three other videos in the last year in which she tortures animals including frogs, a rabbit and a chicken, the affidavit said. All of the videos purport to be about cooking the animals, but police say the way Monsee handled and abused them went well beyond preparing them for a recipe. READ MORE: Mehmet Oz is facing accusations of animal abuse tied to his medical research. Heres what you need to know. The latest video, called Cooking Lucky, was uploaded Jan. 17, and depicts Monsee torturing a chicken for 10 minutes, according to the affidavit. Toward the end of the video, she steps on the bird and kills it by slitting its throat with a dull knife. Other videos show her cutting the animals and scalding them with hot water, the affidavit said. In a video from September, she disembowels a frog while singing Happy Death Day, to the tune of Happy Birthday. Kristin Rickman, the emergency response team director for PETA, said in an interview Tuesday that she was grateful that Upper Darby police moved so quickly to address their report. Theyve done a great job, and theyve understood fully how damaging this content is, not only for the animals who suffer indescribable agony and torture, but for the minds of the people who watch, she said. Most people who might stumble across this would likely be traumatized by this content, but others actually seek it out. Rickman said the content made by Monsee was an example of crush videos, in which women harm small animals to fulfill the sexual fetish of viewers. This kind of activity is just so deplorable and so damaging that anyone engaging in it needs to be sought and held accountable, Rickman said. Monsee remained in custody on $20,000 bail. There was no indication that she had hired a lawyer. She is scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Harry J. Karapalides for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 5. The family of slain Temple University Police Officer Christopher Fitzgerald, who authorities say was shot and killed by 18-year-old Miles Pfeffer last year, said Tuesday that Pfeffer should be sentenced to death if convicted. Shortly after seeing Pfeffer in court for the first time since his arrest 11 months ago, Fitzgeralds family gathered outside the courthouse and called on District Attorney Larry Krasner to seek the death penalty in the case. What wed like to see is this person to go through the pain that our son went through, to go through the suffering that our family is going through, Joel Fitzgerald, a former Philadelphia police officer, said of his sons alleged killer. It meets every threshold of the death penalty, he said. Well be waiting with bated breath to hear from the district attorney to see what they decide. Advertisement Krasner has long said he opposes the death penalty, and last year just two days before Fitzgerald was killed Gov. Josh Shapiro said the death penalty should be abolished in Pennsylvania. Joel Fitzgerald said he wants Krasner to make a decision before Pfeffers next court appearance, on Feb. 13. Jane Roh, a spokesperson for Krasners office, declined to comment. Pfeffer, now 19, appeared in court Tuesday morning for the first time since police say he shot Fitzgerald multiple times in the face and chest at close range on the evening of Feb. 18. READ MORE: City to name city block for slain Temple police Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald Prosecutors have said Fitzgerald, 31, spotted Pfeffer and two others that night, dressed in black clothing and wearing face masks, near 18th Street and Montgomery Avenue. The area had recently experienced a rash of carjackings and robberies, and so at 7:12 p.m., Fitzgerald announced over police radio that he was going to make a pedestrian stop. Pfeffer fled, and Fitzgerald chased after him. After a brief struggle, police say, Pfeffer pulled out a pistol and shot Fitzgerald multiple times, killing him. A fellow Temple police officer heard the shots and chased down the two teens who had been with Pfeffer, one of whom was his younger brother. Pfeffer then carjacked a man a few blocks away, and used the car to flee to his fathers house in Brewerytown, then to his mothers home in Bucks County, police said. Law enforcement officials caught up with him at his mothers Buckingham Township home the next morning. A senior in high school at the time, Pfeffer was arrested and charged with murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, robbery, and weapons violations. He has been jailed without bail at Riverside Correctional Facility since that day. On Tuesday, Pfeffer, dressed in a black hoodie and light wash jeans, walked into the courtroom, briefly looking back at the crowded gallery before taking a seat next to his public defenders. Behind him sat dozens of Temple police officers and Fitzgeralds loved ones. Pfeffer waived his right to a preliminary hearing, allowing the case to head to trial. He answered questions briefly and with little emotion. Do you understand why youre here today? Prosecutor Joanne Pescatore asked him. I do, he said. Within five minutes, the hearing was over. Marissa Fitzgerald, wearing her husbands Temple officer jacket, began to cry as Pfeffer walked out of the courtroom to be escorted back to jail. Seeing him and hearing him speak for the first time, she said, was upsetting. No empathy, just an evil human being, she said through tears. Pfeffers family, covering their faces as they left the courthouse, declined to speak with reporters. His lawyers also declined to comment. Marissa Fitzgerald and her mother- and father-in-law said they were upset that the preliminary hearing had been delayed four times, something they said was a privilege extended to Pfeffer. All four rescheduled appearances were requested by Pfeffers defense lawyers, not prosecutors. Joel Fitzgerald said prosecutors should have pushed for an earlier hearing. In the meantime, he said, his family like thousands of others in the city who have lost loved ones to shootings is left to navigate a life with only memories of Fitzgerald: a father of four and avid runner who had marched against gun violence. He was posthumously promoted to sergeant. He stayed because he cared, he stayed because he wanted to make a difference, Joel Fitzgerald said of his son. And then a monster took his life. The University of Pennsylvania chapter of the American Association of University Professors rallied on campus Monday. Read more Faculty and staff at the University of Pennsylvania on Monday railed against a megadonors campaign to exert influence over the curriculum and urged school administrators to stand up for academic freedom. Over 100 people gathered outside the Van Pelt Library on Penns snow-strewn campus with signs that said, Hands off our university. And the hands in question were no mystery. Last month, Marc Rowan, the deep-pocketed university donor who successfully started a campaign to oust former Penn president Liz Magill and board chair Scott L. Bok, sent a letter to university trustees that questioned whether the school should eliminate unnamed academic departments and implement new qualifications for faculty. The letter sent a shockwave through the University City institution as well as other Ivy League schools amid a nationwide reckoning over antisemitism and political expression on campus. Advertisement Speaking at the foot of a bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin, tenured and nontenured faculty cast Rowans campaign as an attempt to undermine educators freedom to study and research. They said his effort would harm the diversity of academic life at one of the nations oldest universities. READ MORE: Penn faculty fear the donor who started the effort to oust Liz Magill is attempting to set the agenda for trustees Were here to stand up for some very simple principles that make a university a university, said Amy C. Offner, an associate professor of history. Universities are not autocracies, and we are not subjects. Decisions about academic life are ours to make as educators and researchers and dont belong to CEOs, trustees, or politicians. Speakers urged interim president J. Larry Jameson, school provost John L. Jackson, and trustees to reject Rowans attempt to influence the academic agenda. A spokesperson for Rowan said Rowan reiterated his position that he was merely asking questions of the trustees, not making specific suggestions: In no way is it what Marc wants. Ultimately, it is what the trustees and faculty want. Penn did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rally. But in an interview posted on Penns website last week, Jameson spoke to the issue of academic freedom and the schools code of conduct. In addition to establishing policies, it is important that they are communicated, understood, and clear, while leaving room for judgement since you cannot anticipate every possible circumstance, Jameson said. While our values are steadfast, we revisit our policies on a regular basis, for example to align with government regulations or to adapt to emerging technologies, such as AI or social media. The CEO of the New York-based private equity firm Apollo Global Management, Rowan co-leads Whartons board of advisors and, in 2018, donated the single largest gift in the elite business schools 143-year history. But in recent months, his influence at Penn has raised alarm among faculty and staff who feel the billionaire investor has sought to wrest control from the board of trustees. Rowan sent near-daily emails to trustees leading up to Magill and Boks ouster. But his Dec. 12 letter to trustees amounted to what speakers at the rally described as a hostile takeover by a nonacademic of an academic institution. The stakes became disturbingly clear, Offner said. The controversy over donor influence at Penn is not limited to Rowan and predates the Israel-Hamas war. A Palestinian literary festival in September which included speakers who had a history of making antisemitic remarks sparked one of the most voluble backlashes from donors in the universitys history. Over the last three months, concerns have ballooned over antisemitism, Islamophobia, and censorship on campus. Organizers with the progressive Jewish student group Penn Chavurah were threatened with discipline in November for screening a film critical of Israel, an incident that was followed by the abrupt resignation of the universitys Middle East Center director. Jack Starobin, 21, a member of Penn Chavurah, said the school should be held accountable about bowing to outside political pressure. They told us the film was not right for the climate on campus, Starobin said. If a film screening is off limits, ... what else are we not allowed to talk about? READ MORE: Penns antisemitism case dismissed by U.S. education department, citing a lawsuit containing same allegations Rowans letter to trustees did not specify which departments he believed the university should target for elimination, nor what types of new standards he felt should be placed on faculty. But many faculty viewed the suggestion as an assault that would ultimately hurt the university. Academic freedom has never been easy, said Margo Crawford, chair of the English department. It has never been safe. Speakers on Monday shared a nearly century-old anecdote to that point. In 1915, progressive economist and former Wharton director Scott Nearing was fired by Penn trustees due to his opposition to child labor and other then-radical views on economics. Eric Orts, a professor at Wharton, said history may not be repeating itself yet. But it may be starting to rhyme, he said, borrowing a quote often attributed to Mark Twain. Like our democracy, its easy to take our academic freedom for granted, Orts said. But also like our democracy, its worth fighting for. File. Toblerone (PA Archive) Hong Kong authorities warned locals against using a batch of Toblerone chocolates imported from Switzerland as the product might contain plastic foreign matter. Hong Kongs Centre For Food Safety (CFS) said on Monday that the trade should also stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it. The product in question is the Milk Chocolate with Honey and Almond Nougat bars (100 grams) manufactured by the renowned Swiss brand. The batch was distributed locally by Integrated Market Services Asia, carrying a best before date of 1 December 2024 and batch number OOY4233553. A spokesperson for the centre said it was notified by the manufacturers Hong Kong representative that the product was being voluntarily recalled. A statement from CFS said: The CFS received a notification from the manufacturers Hong Kong representative of the product concerned that the above-mentioned batch of the product is being recalled as it might contain plastic foreign matter. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately contacted the importer and distributor concerned for follow-up. According to the information it provided, the importer and distributor concerned has already stopped sale and removed from shelves the affected batch of the product and voluntarily initiated a recall. Members of the public may call the importer and distributors hotline at 2848 0808 during office hours for enquiries about the recall, it added. An investigation is ongoing, the statement said. Just a few days ago, Hong Kongs food safety watchdog also cautioned the public against consuming three Quaker oatmeal products imported from the US due to potential salmonella contamination. The identified products are three varieties of Quaker Oatmeal Squares (honey nut, cinnamon, and original flavour) in 14.5-ounce sizes, imported by PepsiCo Beverages (HK). The warning came six days after US authorities issued a similar caution regarding salmonella in these products. Consumers were told to avoid these items with expiry dates between 11 January and 1 October 2024. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, the discovery of contaminants has prompted retailers in the country to seek clarification and guidance regarding the safety of Toblerone chocolates on their shelves, according to a local media TVBS report. In some Philadelphia-area hospitals, vaccination rates for the flu are at 40%. Read more Three in four workers at Jefferson Healths Abington Memorial Hospital received their COVID-19 vaccines. At Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic hospitals in the region Mercy Fitzgerald, Nazareth, and St. Mary only 40% of staff got their flu shot. As the number of people sick with respiratory illnesses increases, and hospitals in the region are again asking all visitors to wear masks, The Inquirer analyzed the latest data on vaccination rates for local hospital workers. The percent of workers who are vaccinated against COVID-19 is higher than those who are vaccinated against the flu. But both rates vary across hospitals in the region and even within hospitals. At Temple University Hospital, 100% of employees were vaccinated against COVID-19 but only 60% were vaccinated against the flu. Advertisement Thats according to the latest federal data on hospital workers vaccine rates from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The agency required worker at hospitals that participate in Medicare to be vaccinated against COVID until last summer. CMS still tracks how many medical workers received the first series of COVID shots that rolled out in December 2020, but not later boosters. Hospitals had to report the COVID-19 vaccination status of employees for the period between Oct. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, and flu for the period between Oct. 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023. Differences reported between hospitals, however, may be due to a wide range of factors. Other vaccination requirements for workers in health care settings varied among counties, states, and employers during that time period. Philadelphia continues to require COVID-19 vaccination for health-care workers, while other counties do not. Temple said it is working to increase its flu vaccine rate. Trinity said its low reported flu rates were due to data tracking issues. Jefferson declined to comment without independently evaluating the data. Heres a look at the COVID-19 and flu vaccination rate for hospitals in the Philadelphia region: The Colored Girls Museum received official word Monday that Philadelphias Zoning Board of Adjustments granted it the variance it needed to remain open at its 140-year-old, three-story Victorian home at 4613 Newhall St. This is an enormous relief for the Colored Girls Museum and her community, said Vashti DuBois, the museums founder and executive director. We are incredibly grateful to the zoning board for recognizing the invaluable role the museum plays in celebrating the stories of ordinary Black women and girls. Last spring, following a complaint, a city investigation found the museum in violation of two codes. The museum, that also doubled as DuBois home, violated a long-standing city rule that a dwelling in a residential neighborhood was only allowed one use, like a home or a museum. The second violation is that cultural institutions in residential neighborhoods must be detached. The Colored Girls Museum is housed in a twin. The Zoning Board of Adjustments held a community meeting over Zoom in November, where dozens of residents in the Germantown neighborhood and many who lived on Newhall Street celebrated the museum, wanting it to remain open. Hundreds of letters were written in favor of the museum too, including one from Leonard and Diane Thompson, the owners of the twin next door. In the eight years weve been attached to the museum, weve never expressed any remorse for being on the other side of its walls, the Thompsons wrote. Advertisement The board decided the museum could remain open in December, but as a museum or cultural institution only. DuBois will move out before the next exhibit opens. The Colored Girls Museum opened in 2016, two years after DuBois husband unexpectedly died and she almost lost her home to foreclosure. It is a monument to healing. All of its exhibits starting with A Good Nights Sleep to its most recent, Sit A Spell offer Black women a safe place to recover from emotional wounds. Vibrant portraits, collages, sculptures, and fiber arts by Philadelphia artists Monna Morton, Denys Davis, Barbara Bullock, Toni Kersey, and Nile Livingston speak to the protection, praise, and grace of Black women like Michelle Obama and Beyonce, to ordinary/everyday sisters like school teachers, domestic workers, Big Mamas, and aunties. In 2022, DuBois was named a Philadelphia Culture Treasure for centering the work of Black artists and amplifying the voices of Black women and girls. A win for the Colored Girls Museum in a year that has already proven to be so challenging for Black women nationally represents a win for all of us at a time when we really needed it, DuBois said. The Holy Name of Jesus Church in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia. Read more Late last year, the Rev. Alfred Bradley planned a Christmastime surprise for the neighborhood he grew up in. He was bringing back the sound of church bells to Fishtown. Thanks to two crafty volunteers and two generous families, the Holy Name of Jesus Church at Berks and Gaul Streets received a bell tower upgrade with a new electronic carillon system and big speakers. The entire project cost less than $5,000. It was just our attempt to, we thought in a positive way, contribute to the sound of the city and maybe bring a bit of spirituality into an urban landscape, the priest said. The chimes began days before Christmas, ringing on the hour between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. with longer peals at noon and 6 p.m. for the Angelus prayer. A couple weeks and 980-plus chimes later, one Fishtown resident complained on a neighborhood Facebook page: Can someone pass along that I hate hearing the bells and it should be illegal to terrorize your neighbors with the sounds of impending doom thank you who can I speak with that has the authority to make this stop, the post read. The group lit up. The post prompted nearly 1,000 comments, most voicing support for the ringing bells, and telling the original poster a newcomer to the neighborhood to go back to Brooklyn, or wherever they moved from. There were some crude insults and comparisons to Satan (the devil, reportedly, hates bells), but overall the Philly pride jumped out in a response that was fiercely protective of Holy Name, its (electronic) bells, and Fishtowns Irish and Polish Catholic roots. Advertisement It was the first time Holy Name Church has [rung bells], but not the first time the neighborhood has for many, especially old-time parishioners and neighborhood people, its a familiar sound, said Bradley. A block away, the beloved St. Laurentius Church, built by Polish immigrants in 1882, tolled its bells for the last time in 2014. The building was demolished in 2022; its parishioners merged with Holy Name. READ MORE: What's that silence?: A Center City bell is quieted for repairs For folks who moved to the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood in the last decade, the sound could reasonably catch them off guard. But for many, the noise isnt a problem. I work from home, I hear them every day. They dont bother me, said Ashleigh Sullivan, 26, whos lived in Fishtown for about a year. Some people are just dramatic. People find a problem with everything around here. The bells give an old country feel for Jayanthi Sarathy, in her 50s, who walks around Fishtown all the time. Its like Notre Dame or something. I hope they dont stop it, she said. The sound resonates throughout the homes closest to Holy Name, raising concerns about interruptions to the sleeping schedules of the neighborhoods infants. They are loud I am indifferent. Like as long as it doesnt wake up my kid, Im really not too bothered, said one resident who lives behind Holy Name and did not want to be identified. Mjaan McIvor, 29, a nanny in the neighborhood, said the bells provide a sense of nostalgia, and she hears similar bells ring in Old City, where she also works. A white noise machine cancels out street sounds for the baby; McIvor observed that its usually construction noise, not chimes, that cuts through most. I find it ironic that people would get angry at bells in the city of Philadelphia, where our symbol is the Liberty Bell, said University of Pennsylvania religion professor Justin McDaniel, who years ago spoke in support of preserving and saving St. Laurentius. Theyre certainly more pleasant than sirens and cars honking. Bell tolls date back centuries, and the practice of ringing bells or other percussion in prayer and ritual cuts across religions, said McDaniel. They signal Mass, calls to prayer, the time, or big announcements, but more importantly, they offer a communal experience. Longtime Fishtown resident Maggie OBrien was baffled to hear of anyone objecting to church bells, especially when she heard the complaint went as far as City Council. One parent wrote to Councilmember Mark Squilla (though technically the church is under the jurisdiction of Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr.) and said the bells were disruptive to his sleeping baby. Squilla redirected the irked resident to Young, and to OBrien, whom he knew attended Holy Name. OBrien wrote back explaining the churchs efforts to install the new electronic system and that over the course of a day, the sound only lasts minutes. He seemed very entitled, like, Oh theyre bothering me, so stop ringing them. You live in a city! said OBrien, laughing. I dont understand how five minutes in a 24-hour period would make you this upset to write to a councilman. The sound of gentrification is silence, wrote the Atlantic writer Xochitl Gonzalez in a piece about shifting demographics in Brooklyn. As Fishtown has seen an influx of wealthier residents, it may be that more people want quieter streets, even if they are within city limits. Aside from the Facebook post and the parents letter, OBrien and the Rev. Bradley have received overwhelmingly positive feedback. Holy Names bells continue to toll, and theyre difficult to ignore, which is partially the point. Churches have disappeared across the city in recent decades, leaving a wake of silence thats only underscored the distance between neighbors. Maybe a few chimes could bring people closer together, whether to listen or like any city dweller complain. A Pennsylvania State Police trooper stands guard near a burning police vehicle near the intersection of North Broad and Vine Streets amid the May 2022 protests in Center City Philadelphia following the police killing of of George Floyd. Read more As his office charged seven demonstrators with setting police cars ablaze during the wave of racial justice protests that roiled Philadelphia after the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, then-U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain vowed that they would all be punished to the fullest extent of the law. He cast the city as one standing between respect for democracy and destruction and pursued stiff federal arson charges against most of those arrested that would have sent them to prison for mandatory terms of at least seven years. But as the last of those cases ended in sentencing Tuesday, it like the ones that came before resulted in significantly lighter punishment. In fact, none of the seven charged ended up sentenced to anywhere close to seven years. And except for two cases in which the defendants were charged with additional crimes, the prison time imposed by federal judges was roughly half that sought by prosecutors. Advertisement Nobodys saying that this was not a serious offense, said U.S District Judge Joel M. Slomsky as he sentenced the last of the defendants Marquise Williams, 29, of Philadelphia to 14 months behind bars on Tuesday. The government had sought just over three years. The events that happened that day were tragic in many, many ways beginning with the death of George Floyd, Slomsky added. Mr. Williams, like many, got caught up in the emotion of that day. The conclusion that the defendants behavior during the May 2020 protest was in most cases an anomaly stoked by communal outrage over Floyds May 2020 killing by Minneapolis police appears to have guided all of the judges who have sentenced defendants in the protest-related arson cases. In looking at this situation, I really come away thinking we wont see her again in a criminal courtroom, said U.S. District Judge Barclay Surrick as he sentenced 37-year-old massage therapist Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal in 2022. I think shes learned her lesson. He handed her a 2 -year sentence. Prosecutors had sought three to four. READ MORE: Philadelphia will pay $9.25M to protesters over police use of tear gas and rubber bullets during 2020 unrest The sentencing ranges faced by Blumenthal and the others were also significantly curtailed by deals they struck with prosecutors allowing them to plead guilty to counts of interfering with police during a civil disorder. That charge, unlike the federal arson charges that prosecutors initially pursued, carries a maximum five-year sentence and no mandatory minimum prison term. But even that outcome seemed unlikely in the months after the demonstrations that brought thousands into the streets of Center City to peacefully protest police violence only to end with widespread looting of businesses and police cars parked near City Hall and the intersection of North Broad and Vine Streets flipped and set on fire. Then-President Donald Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr urged U.S. attorneys across the country to pursue charges against the violent rioters as similar protests erupted across the nation. And throughout the 2020 election, Trump railed on the campaign trail against what he dismissed as anarchist riots. McSwains heated rhetoric about the arson cases brought by his office in Philadelphia mirrored that language from Washington. Activists and local civil rights lawyers accused him of playing politics by pursuing federal charges with what they viewed as overly harsh punishments instead of allowing the cases to play out in state court. McSwain would later launch an unsuccessful 2022 GOP primary bid for governor based in part on what he described as his record of literally stop[ing] Philadelphia from burning to the ground during the unrest. It was only after McSwain, Barr and Trump left their respective offices that prosecutors stance on the cases seemed to soften, resulting in the deals extended to each of the defendants allowing them to plead guilty to lesser charges. Still, the government maintained the crimes were serious. By setting fire to police cars amid throngs of protesters, prosecutors said, the defendants had potentially endangered thousands of lives, used peaceful demonstrations as an excuse to destroy government property worth thousands of dollars, and warranted stiff prison sentences. The judges overseeing the cases agreed but only to an extent. READ MORE: Federal judge questions push to imprison trans activist found with a Molotov cocktail at 2020 protest One of the defendants Ayoub Tabri, 27, of Arlington, Va. ended up with a sentence of one day shy of a year. Slomsky, the judge who imposed the punishment in 2022, said he believed that Tabri, a Moroccan citizen and permanent resident of the United States, deserved a second chance and fashioned the sentence to ensure he would not face the threat of deportation for his crimes. Facing a request from prosecutors in November to send prominent activist and social studies teacher Anthony Ant Smith to prison for 2 years, U.S. District Judge Juan R. Sanchez decided a year and a day behind bars was sufficient. The government sought nearly five years for Lester Fulton Smith, 29, of Philadelphia, for aiding in the destruction of a Pennsylvania State Police car at Broad and Vine. He ultimately received 2 . The facts in the case against Williams, the last of the defendants to face sentencing, differed in several respects from those against the others. The home health care aide turned himself in after the FBI circulated his photo, asking for public assistance in identifying him as a suspect in the destruction of a state police squad car parked near North Broad and Vine Streets. Although he admitted to throwing a lit road flare into the vehicle, it did not ultimately catch fire. It was, however, significantly damaged by other protesters beating it with skateboards, bike locks and fists. Unlike the others, prosecutors did not initially charge him with arson, instead charging him from the start with the interfering with police count to which the other protest-related defendants eventually pleaded guilty. At his sentencing hearing Tuesday, Williams apologized for his actions, telling the judge he got caught up in the fervor of the moment. I know I didnt express myself well, he said. In addition to the 14-month prison term, Slomsky ordered Williams serve three-years probation upon his release and as in the other cases repay the cost of the damage to the police car he helped destroy. HARRISBURG The Pennsylvania Republican Party on Monday evening endorsed York County District Attorney Dave Sunday for state attorney general, making an endorsement earlier than usual in an effort to avoid a messy primary election in this years highest-profile state-level race. After several unsuccessful elections in statewide races, Pennsylvania Republicans hope that, by coalescing around one candidate early, the party can avoid an attack-filled primary and save money for whats expected to be a hotly contested general election in November. Republican State Committee members met virtually Monday evening to hear from two of the three candidates in the race: Sunday and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katayoun Kat Copeland. Sunday, 48, was the first Republican candidate to join the race for attorney general last summer. He is a Navy veteran, and has been a prosecutor in the south-central Pennsylvania county for 15 years. He is in his second term as district attorney of the states eighth-largest county, and won reelection as Yorks top prosecutor in an unopposed election in 2021. Advertisement The race for attorney general is crucial for Republicans future in the state: The top prosecutor role is seen as one of the most influential roles in Pennsylvania government, and often serves as a launching pad to the governorship. Two of Pennsylvanias last three governors served as attorney general before their election to the governors mansion. The Pennsylvania GOP voted last year to make an endorsement in the open primary. The party re-endorsed the incumbents in Pennsylvanias other two row offices: Treasurer Stacy Garrity and Auditor General Tim DeFoor. It also endorsed financier Dave McCormick in the U.S. Senate race. I am thrilled with the experienced team that our State Committee has voted to endorse for the 2024 election, Pennsylvania GOP Chairman Lawrence Tabas said in a statement Monday night announcing the full slate of endorsed candidates. This team is committed, qualified, and prepared. We know they will be invaluable assets to citizens of the commonwealth and the United States when they are elected in November. Sunday said in a Wednesday news release he was deeply honored by the partys endorsement. Their endorsement is a recognition of our shared values and a commitment to ensure that justice and the rule of law are upheld across our great Commonwealth, Sunday added. Republicans desperately want to avoid a repeat of the 2022 election, when the party chose not to endorse in the U.S. Senate or gubernatorial races. In the open Senate primary, celebrity physician Mehmet Oz and McCormick spent tens of millions of dollars sparring with each other. After the costly primary, Oz lost to Democrat John Fetterman in the general election. In the gubernatorial race, the crowded field of GOP primary candidates allowed State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin) to win the partys nomination. The far-right Republican eventually lost to Democrat Josh Shapiro by 15 percentage points, or about 800,000 votes. The race is wide open after current Attorney General Michelle Henry chose not to run for a full term. Shapiro appointed Henry, a Republican-turned-Democrat, to fulfill the rest of his term as attorney general when he took office as governor last year. Sunday was the favorite going into the endorsement meeting, having won all of the regional GOP committee straw polls and receiving the Republican Attorneys General Association endorsement last year. Sunday wont be the only Republican on the ballot, however. A third candidate State Rep. Craig Williams (R., Delaware) withdrew from the GOP endorsement process and decided to run without the partys nod. And hes already swinging at his opponent, calling him a Democrat and comparing him to progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. I knew then there was no way I was bowing to a George Soros DA, Williams said in a statement Monday. I will unify the Republican voters with a message of tough-on-crime law and order. That has been my lifes work to keep people safe. Democrats like Sunday dont get that. Williams, 58, of Concord Township, previously said he believed the decision to move up the endorsement meeting was intended to block him out of the race, with the news of the virtual endorsement coming right after he announced his campaign in November. The Marine Corps combat veteran previously got into a public fight with the Republican Attorneys General Association when he inaccurately suggested in an email to Republican State Committee members that he would get the groups endorsement, and blamed a small group of Harrisburg insiders for controlling the outcome of the race. Its Harrisburg insiders, Harrisburg lobbyists, who have their thumbs on the scale, trying to pick one guy over another, Williams told The Inquirer last year. Copeland, 56, previously told The Inquirer she would drop out of the race if she did not get the partys endorsement. Her campaign could not be immediately reached for comment. Candidates can begin collecting nomination petitions on Tuesday. Any candidate who wants to get on the ballot for attorney general race needs to collect at least 1,000 signatures from registered voters from their party, including 100 from at least five counties. All petitions must be filed by Feb. 14. Democrats did not endorse in their crowded primary race, with five candidates still in the running: Rep. Jared Solomon (D., Philadelphia), Delaware County DA Jack Stollsteimer, Philadelphias former top public defender Keir Bradford-Grey, former Bucks County solicitor Joe Khan, and former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale. Cyerra Dorman (center) at a balloon release and vigil for Jaseem Thomas in 2023. The 16-year-old was one of 23 young people lost to gun violence last year in Philadelphia. Read more Nearly every other week last year in Philadelphia, a child was shot and killed. Most were teenage boys, but there were some girls, as well, including a 2-year-old. All of the victims were children of color. Beyond the statistics are the names and faces of 23 young people just starting out. They are: DaJuan Brown, 15; Nazeem Rains, 17; Wort Whipple, 14; Neko Rivera, 15; Hezekiah Bernard, 12; Diora Porter-Brown, 2; Randy Mills, 15; Ruby Corchado, 14; Jaseem Thomas, 16; Tysheer Hankinson, 16; Laron Williams Jr., 12; Semaj Richardson, 16; Devin Weedon, 15; Shaheed Saoud, 16; Anthony Pinckney, 14; Naqui Holley, 17; C.J. Johnson, 16; Khalif Frezghi, 17; Nafis Betrand-Hill, 16; Keivon Abraham, 16; Isaiah Odom, 17; Salaah Fleming, 14; and Malik Ballard, 17. Several grew up in poverty and faced significant trauma, including the death or incarceration of a parent or guardian, homelessness, violence, and substance abuse. Some were ensnared in the juvenile justice system. Each child had a story and future that was cut short. Their loss had a ripple effect across families, friends, and neighborhoods that have mostly become all too familiar with gun violence. READ MORE: Weve finally declared a public safety emergency in Philadelphia. But why do we have to wait to act on it? | Helen Ubinas Advertisement Inquirer reporter Ellie Rushing documented their life stories, including their very real struggles. Those individual portraits put names and faces to the broader challenges facing many families in the city from poverty, drugs, education, and easy access to guns, and offer compelling hints of ways to intervene. Many of those issues are not easily solved. But the fact that so many children have lost their lives underscores the urgency needed to tackle these problems. Already this year, Tyshaun Welles, 16, died after getting shot by a stray bullet while standing on a SEPTA train platform below City Hall. Welles death is a painful reminder that everyone is at risk in the city. Indeed, there were 410 homicides last year in Philadelphia. Thats a significant drop from the more than 500 killings in each of the previous two years, but still way above the historic average over the past two decades, when the number topped 400 only once. In addition, more than 1,200 people were shot in the city last year. While that was a 30% decline from 2022, the number of shooting victims was still higher than any pre-pandemic year since at least 2015. Doing nothing or being satisfied with incremental change is not an option. Lives are being lost and harmed every day. The death of a child feels especially painful, as they lose their lives before ever getting a chance to live them. Attention must be paid. READ MORE: Philadelphias gun violence took their children. Now they are giving the city a healing garden. | Helen Ubinas Mayor Cherelle L. Parker was elected last year largely because of her tough-on-crime plans aimed at combating the spike in gun violence. Parker has made it clear that she alone cant solve all the citys problems, and has called on others to join in the fight. But it will be up to Parker to mobilize and lead that effort. The more than 400 shooting deaths last year especially the 23 children make clear the dire emergency facing lawmakers, law enforcement, public health officials, and educators. Parker has the power, personality, and political prowess to bring various leaders together and get them to work toward her goal of making Philadelphia the safest, cleanest, and greenest big city in the country. Her first big test will be how her administration handles the shameful public health and safety emergency that has been allowed to unfold for far too long in Kensington. Parker has promised to shut down the open-air drug markets and help the unhoused battling addiction, while also supporting residents there. Getting that right can set the tone and build momentum toward reducing gun violence across the city. We owe at least that much to the children. When I hear the onetime South Carolina governor deny the fact that America has ever been a racist country, I see red. As the daughter of Indian immigrants, Nikki Haleys denialism disgraces her lineage. Her parents went through an awful lot living in a small town in South Carolina according to Haleys memoir, they couldnt find a landlord to rent them a home and a babysitter refused to watch her. She also says she was teased for being brown. You would think that Haley would understand better than many what the Confederacy was about, and why the rebel flag needed to come down from South Carolinas state Capitol as it finally did in 2015, when Haley was governor. But on CNNs town hall Thursday night, when Jake Tapper asked her about a claim she had made that America has never been a racist country, she missed a great opportunity. Instead of backtracking, Haley attempted to double down, pointing to the Declaration of Independences pronouncement that all men are created equal. When Tapper noted rightly that America was founded on many racial precepts, including slavery, she talked around it. The intent was to do the right thing, she said. Now, did they have to go fix it along the way? Yes, but I dont think the intent was ever that we were going to be a racist country. The intent was everybody was going to be created equally. And as we went through time, they fixed the things that were not all men are created equal. Haley looked like a fool fumbling what should have been an easy layup. Advertisement Does she honestly expect any of us to believe the intent of the founders was to create a country where all people were equal? Many of the Founding Fathers were slave owners. At the time, women and Black people couldnt vote. And huge portions of the economy were built around the institution of slavery. If America was designed to be free of racial prejudice, why do Black and brown families continue to have only a small fraction of the wealth of white families? Instead of trying to obfuscate the existence of racism in America, it would have been amazing for Haley to own up to Americas original sin. Her word salad answers to Tappers questions on race dishonored the experience of every Black and brown American. Haley can pretend to be color-blind, but those of us who live in the real America know the truth. One of my great-grandfathers, the late Robert Armstrong, was born into bondage on a plantation in Haleys home state. I carry his surname, which was the name of a white man who owned him and his relatives. I and millions of other Black people are still identified by the names of the white people who owned our families. Still think America isnt a racist country? My familys ancestors hail from West Africa. But like the vast majority of African Americans whose forbearers were dragged here in the belly of slave ships, I do not know which country they were from. It took a Civil War and the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation for them to be considered free. Even then, America wouldnt take her blood-soaked boot off the necks of Black people. Jim Crow laws another name for legalized discrimination were designed to keep African Americans as second-class citizens. The Ku Klux Klan is an outgrowth of that same mentality. Haley may not want to acknowledge it, but Black Americans have suffered terribly under the yoke of racism. Not being able to vote. Turned away from restaurants and hotels. Riding in the back of buses. Drinking from segregated water fountains. Dealing with racial covenants that kept them out of certain neighborhoods. Haley acts like this is the distant past, but its not. Haley acts like this is the distant past, but its not. I remember my own mother talking about having to use a separate entrance at the movie theaters when she was growing up in Morganton, N.C. For Haley, racism is an inconvenient truth she would rather glaze over to woo GOP MAGA votes. Thats why I roll my eyes whenever she refers to herself as a brown girl. I mean, why doesnt she go by her full name when campaigning, Nimarata Nikki Randhawa? The answer is obvious. Of course, her opponent, former President Donald Trump, is no better calling her Nimbra on Truth Social on Friday. Trumps otherizing of her mimics how he treated former President Barack Obama, claiming the nations first Black president wasnt born in America. Haleys presidential run is likely almost over. According to polls, she doesnt have much of a chance. Trump is expected to win big in the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday. If and when Haley disappears from our national stage, I, for one, will be happy. Courtney Pelikan, 42, and her children Grayson, 14, and Odin, 9, at their home in Bordentown. Read more Courtney Pelikan and her sons were outgrowing their two-bedroom apartment in Bordentown when a friend suggested she look into Habitat for Humanity in August 2022. Just one year later, the family moved into their 1,300-square-foot, two-story duplex. Its a cliche, but its a dream come true, one that I thought was unattainable, said Pelikan, an administrative assistant for the state of New Jersey. Being able to afford to buy my own home is amazing to me and my sons. Completing construction on a new home in less than a year may seem impossible, but Pelikans house is modular: It was constructed in pieces in an indoor factory and then moved to her Bordentown lot. It takes only about four months from breaking ground to completion for a modular-home build, much shorter than the 12 to 18 months to construct the entire house on-site, which is known as a stick build. With modular homes, were able to triple production compared to stick homes, said Lori Leonard, CEO of Habitat for Humanity of South Central New Jersey, based in Maple Shade. The ability to increase production then increases impact and allows us to serve our community in a much quicker way in this housing crisis. Advertisement For the organization, which provided more than 13 million affordable homes around the world in fiscal 2023, the quicker the better. Pelikans home, with three bedrooms and 1 bathrooms, is part of a five-unit duplex project housing 10 families. Getting into the modular home business When Habitat for Humanity started providing modular homes about eight years ago, the start was rocky. After spending a few years perfecting the process, the organization offers a catalog of four standard three-bedroom models: a two-story single family home, Cape Cod, two-story attached duplex, and rancher. The land is typically donated by townships that are trying to meet their affordable-housing obligations. The building is funded through grants and then sold to qualified families at a cost they can afford not more than 30% of their monthly income to cover principal, interest, taxes, and insurance. READ MORE: More of Philadelphias apartments are being built in a factory and put together later like LEGOs Beyond paying their monthly mortgage, the families must get involved in the process with sweat equity, through helping with the build or providing community service. That was one of my favorite parts, said Pelikan, who racked up more than her required 90 hours through helping on a stick-built construction site, working at the Hamilton ReStore, and helping in the community by providing meals through her church and working with the school PTA. She was also required to learn about home ownership, the mortgage process, and other topics important for a first time homeowner, often on Zoom sessions set up by Habitat for Humanity. Modular construction Modular homes are built exactly the same way and according to the same building codes as any site-built home, said Anthony Gentile, vice president of Berlin-based Modular Homes Affordably Priced. The biggest difference is that they are built inside a huge factory. That allows the building materials to stay clean and dry in a temperature-controlled warehouse, and the process wont be held up for inclement weather. While the house is being built in the factory, the foundation can be constructed on the property. Portions of the pre-built home are then delivered in boxes by crane and are married together on-site. Once delivered, the home is about 90% complete. Volunteers complete the house, with jobs including painting, installing doors and flooring, and building the front porch, back deck, and shed. The houses have to withstand sustained wind and elements on a flatbed truck, so when theyre delivered, they are solid, Leonard said. The houses are also tested for energy efficiency, which is required. Pelikan was pleasantly surprised that her energy bills now are less expensive than those from her smaller apartment. She has two-zone heating and air-conditioning, but rarely needs to turn on the systems on the upper floor. A typical stick-build three-bedroom house costs about $350,000 to build, much of which is covered by donations from individuals, families, corporations, foundations, and the government. READ MORE: Philly builder is doing more with less and says his process could help solve constructions labor problems Building a modular home isnt less expensive than a stick-build, but the time saved on carrying costs, staffing, and overhead, balances it out, Leonard said. If theres any downside to Habitats use of modular homes, its that there is less work for volunteers a mainstay of the organizations mission. Using modular homes is a new hybrid model, Leonard said. Its a way to balance volunteer opportunities with increased production. Pelikan and her sons, Grayson, 14, and Odin, 9, love their new home. Coming from an apartment, they can now add their own personal touches, like colorfully painted walls. They especially appreciate their outdoor space, including a yard, covered front porch, back deck, and shed. Now, we all have our own space to relax and decompress, Pelikan said. One of my dreams was sitting outside on my porch with a cup of coffee during a rainstorm, listening to the rain fall on the roof above me. I get that now. The owner of 700 Sansom Street, the oldest building on Jewelers Row and the only one listed on the Historic Register, is concerned about the impact of Toll Bros. construction. Read more In Philadelphia, obliterating a beloved old building isnt necessarily a barrier to celebrating it. The expensive new townhouses that replaced the original Please Touch Museum, which occupied a handsome, early 20th-century carpet factory, cant boast much in the way of design, but they do have a shiny nameplate that declares, Museum Estates at the former Please Touch Museum. Go to the Jewelers Row District website and youll find another exercise in nostalgia-making for a place that isnt quite gone yet. The landing page features an old-timey picture of Americas oldest diamond center, complete with horse-drawn trolleys. But its only a matter of days before whats left of that view of Sansom Street segues into history. After four years of official dithering at City Hall, preservation lawsuits, and uncertainty, Toll Brothers proposal to wedge a glassy 24-story condo onto the Federal-era street is finally a reality. A construction fence now surrounds the five doomed buildings, and demolition is expected to start any day now, followed by two years of construction. When the dust clears, what will be left from the old image? The answer depends on who you talk to. Rich Goldberg, a third-generation jeweler who owns Safian & Rudolph, remains bullish on the future of Jewelers Row. Since taking over as president of the merchants association from his father, Hy, he has presided over its rebranding and expansion. Its the Jewelers Row District, instead of just Jewelers Row. The groups membership now includes a healthy helping of non-jewelers, such as Jones and El Fuego restaurants. The districts boundaries are larger, too, encompassing the area from Walnut to Market, between Seventh and Ninth. The changes are intended to strengthen this unique place, which remains, despite Tolls incursion, an authentic, homegrown ecosystem of jewelry designers, fabricators, and retailers, and an important employment cluster for the city. But the decision to broaden its membership is also an acknowledgment that Philadelphias historic diamond district isnt as thick with jewelry shops and makers as it once was. More restaurants have settled on the Rows main street, the 700 block of Sansom. More property owners are converting the upper floors of their buildings to apartments. Advertisement There are no new jewelers coming in, said David Perlman, owner of the Jewelry Trades Building on the corner of Eighth Street. The issue now is whether the remaining jewelers can survive two long years of sidewalk blockages, dust, noise, and heavy trucks. Paul Steinke, the head of the Preservation Alliance, which led the unsuccessful legal fight to stop Tolls tower, is worried. Weve seen over and over again that construction is poison for foot traffic, he told me. The disruption caused by these projects is like hanging a Closed for Renovation sign on the blockplace Goldberg doesnt deny that the Row faces tough days ahead. In preparation, the merchants association has embraced a familiar suite of placemaking strategies to lure shoppers. It has started holding movie nights; Silver Linings Playbook, which features gorgeous shots of the Row, began the series, followed by Bridesmaids. In September, the district organized its first street festival with food vendors. Come holiday time, merchants will hang the lights they bought from the Silver Linings set. Theres an Instagram account, of course, with photos of diamond engagement rings in heavy rotation. While online sales have hurt some jewelers, Goldberg argues that the jewelry business is better off today than most other retail categories. People still want to look at a diamond in person, to see how its cut, he said. The Rows merchants can also offer custom designs, a practice supported by the artisans who occupy the beehive of workshops in the Jewelry Trades Building. All that has enabled Jewelers Row to hang on while the citys other Rows Fabric, Antique, Kitchen Supply have gradually lost their identity. Paul Levy, head of the Center City District, which includes Jewelers Row, argues that such single-use districts are a thing of the past, so welcoming other types of retail makes sense. But Jewelers Row isnt only important as a place to buy jewelry. Its a deeply resonant collection of buildings that reflects the capacity of Philadelphia architecture to adapt to new uses. Even though it is hard to tell today, the street was home to Philadelphias first rowhouse development, William Sansoms Carstairs Row, built in 1799. Only three buildings retain something close to their original design, but that includes the nearly unaltered house at 700 Sansom, next to the Toll site. Even with the architectural changes over the years, a visit to the Row still conjures up a disappearing Philadelphia, a time before glass-and-metal buildings began slicking things up. Because the 700 block refuses to obey the rules of the city grid, and veers slightly out of line, it feels like a place apart. Its redbrick street pavers, eclectic architecture, and the reflected sparkle of the shop windows enhance its distinctive character. Thats one reason the Preservation Alliance has been pushing the city since March 2017 to make Sansom Street a historic district. For a single block, the number of buildings by significant architects is extraordinary: T.P. Chandler, Henry Lea, the Wilson Brothers, Ralph Bencker. Yet, the Historical Commission has repeatedly delayed the vote, saying it wanted to give property owners time to respond. Two-and-half years seems generous. The vote is now scheduled for December, but Goldberg and others are vigorously fighting the historic district. Goldberg said owners worry the district will restrict the kind of renovations property owners can make. Thats true. But a historic district doesnt mean Jewelers Row will be frozen in time; it simply regulates how things change. The trade-off is that the designation increases the chances that the district will remain an attractive, desirable place to shop. Its hard to see how some recent repair jobs, like the stucco makeover at 720 Sansom, help advance the Rows viability. If a historic district had been in place when Toll proposed its tower, the commission could have played a meaningful role in shaping the design. Despite the importance of Jewelers Row to Philadelphia, we dont really know what the finished building will look like, since its renderings were clearly meant as placeholders, rather than real designs. Tolls tower isnt going to be the last on the street, either. Perlman has applied for permission to add six stories to his Jewelry Trades Building. Completed in 1929, the building was designed by Ralph Bencker to host just such an addition. With the right design, the expansion could even be an asset to Jewelers Row. But we need the Historical Commissions oversight to ensure that it is sympathetic to the existing building and the neighborhood. Jewelers Row also needs the city to aggressively protect the surviving Carstairs Row building at the corner of Seventh Street. Its owner, Richard Le, is fearful that the deep foundations necessary for Tolls tower could undermine the little building. The Department of Licenses & Inspections (which recently slapped him with a violation notice, for an unsafe parapet wall) has ordered Toll to install vibration monitors. Jewelers Row may never again look exactly like the image on the merchants associations website. But there is still time to contain the damage that already has been done. If we truly want to honor our history, we need more than plaques and photos of lost streetscapes. This is a very important day for cybersecurity in our country, ONeil said, as reported by ABC. Medibank, in my view, was the single most devastating cyberattack we have experienced as a nation. We all went through it. Literally millions of people having personal data about themselves, their family members, taken from them and cruelly placed online for others to see. Weve found, as weve continued to pound the pavement around the world, that the private family-owned business infrastructure that we have is really a strong value proposition, Kaufman Davis said. There has been a lot of consolidation in the industry, and the fact that weve been a strong family-owned and operated organisation for almost 55 years gives a lot of comfort to our current team, as well as additional potential team members that were in it, and we want to remain in it. Take out your calculators for this one 8.5% interest from the date the Petition was filed under the day before this judgment plus post-judgment interest of 8.5% from the date the Judgment is signed until it is paid, Monson wrote in the post. So interest has been accruing at $2,287.54 per day for 152 days so far for total accumulated interest since the suit was filed of $347,705.86. Thus the current value of the judgment is $10,170,665.53. An 18-year-old student fatally shot last year after his high school graduation in Virginia had been kept home for months because of fears for his safety but was still allowed to attend commencement ceremonies, according to a report released Wednesday. The report, prepared by a law firm at the request of Richmond Public Schools, found that the decision to allow Shawn Jackson to attend commencement for Huguenot High School occurred despite regulations barring homebound students from participating in school-sponsored activities without permission from a school principal or their designee. Jackson and his stepfather, Lorenzo Smith, 36, were shot and killed in June 2023 at the conclusion of graduation ceremonies outside Richmonds Altria Theater, located on the outskirts of Virginia Commonwealth University. Five other people were wounded by gunfire, and at least 12 more suffered other injuries or were treated for anxiety due to the mayhem, police said. Amari Pollard, 19, who graduated alongside Jackson, is jailed awaiting trial on murder charges for Jacksons death. Richmond Public Schools released the 29-page report along with thousands of pages of supporting interview transcripts and documents investigating what occurred. A judge ordered the reports release Tuesday after the school board voted against making the report public. The report shows that Jacksons mother was concerned enough about her sons safety that she emailed a counselor a week before the shooting asking if her son could skip the graduation rehearsal practices. A school counselor advised the mother that she would squeeze Jackson into the commencement without attending the required rehearsals if you feel that its too dangerous. Four months before the shooting, the mother sent an email complaining about safety procedures when her son had to attend the school in person to take a test. He was in the class with people who literally tried to kill him, she wrote. And a year before the shooting, she indicated to the same counselor and the school principal that we are still homeless from our home being shot up, by students in Huguenot. In a phone interview, the former principal, Robert Gilstrap, said it was unfair of the report to blame him or the counselor allowing Jackson to attend graduation. The entire mission we were given in my years there is, We need to get these kids to graduate,' said Gilstrap, who is now an assistant superintendent with the Virginia Department of Education. He said his understanding was that the dispute between Pollard and Jackson was something that stretched back to their freshman year, and he said he was not made aware that the mother had expressed fresh concerns about her sons safety. Gilstrap said he was unaware of the reports release until contacted by a reporter, and he took issue with a description in the report that he was checked out as principal around the time of the graduation shooting as he looked for another job. I worked there for eight years, he said. I was the longest serving principal in Huguenots history. According to the report, the counselor told investigators that she didnt consult with the principal before telling the mother that Jackson could attend graduation. But Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said in a reply memo that the school system believes Gilstrap had delegated the authority to decide on Jacksons participation in graduation ceremonies to the counselor. The school system did not respond immediately to an email requesting comment about the reports findings. It did issue a written statement saying in part, Our shared commitment is to learn from this tragedy and continue to improve in order to further safeguard our students and staff. We already have taken several steps, including updating our policies about who can authorize students to participate in a graduation ceremony. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Virginia K-12 How many vultures are required and how long must they be present to create an infestation? The Pennsylvania-based owner of a Maryland commercial building has learned that the answer, at least for insurance purposes, does not lie with an expert in bird behavior when that experts conclusions fly in the face of multiple eyewitness accounts, inspection reports, and dictionary definitions of infestation. The property owner has lost its appeal of a denial of its claim for $300,000 for repairs to a roof damaged by turkey vultures. Hanover American Insurance rightfully denied the claim in accordance with an exclusion in its policy for damage from nesting or an infestation by birds, a federal district court concluded in 2022 in granting summary judgment for Hanover. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has now upheld that decision. In denying the claim under the infestation clause, Hanover explained: Turkey vultures do not build nests, but rather lay their eggs in dark recesses in ledges, cave, crevices, and hollow logs, as well as on the ground. Turkey vultures also nest in the abandoned stick nests of birds, in mammal burrows, and in abandoned buildings. Existing pairs return to and reuse nesting sites year after year. The insurer maintained that this behavior of nesting and returning was an infestation, citing the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition: to spread or swarm in or over in a troublesome manner. The insurer also cited a page from the Turkey Vulture Society blog stating that Vultures are highly social animals, and they prefer to roost in large colonies. Since the policy specifically excluded damage from nesting or infestation or discharge or release of water products or secretions by insects, birds, rodents or other animals, Hanover concluded there was no coverage for this loss. The claimant, Mitchellville Plaza Bar, did not dispute that vultures caused the roof damage. Mitchellville also acknowledged that repeated attempts to repair that damage by patching had been futile because the vultures would simply pull them up again. Thus, there was no dispute that vultures were persistently present on the roof of the property over a period of months, and that they repeatedly damaged the roof by pecking and tearing at its membrane and at the site of the attempted patch repairs. The parties disagreement related solely to whether the vultures presence or activity on the roof fell within the scope of the exclusion. Mitchellville argued that the exclusion was limited to damages caused by specific activities, namely, nesting and infesting, and that those activities were not present in its case. Mitchellville maintained that Hanover acted in bad faith by denying the claim. PLRB Opinion Hanover submitted this coverage question to the Property & Liability Resource Bureau (PLRB) for guidance: Is long- term buzzard problems that caused damage to roof excluded under nesting and infestation exclusions? PLRB responded that a reasonable argument could be made that the term infestation should be limited to loss caused by a group of turkey vultures, as opposed to damage caused by one turkey vulture. In general, PLRB said, courts have limited the infestation exclusion to losses involving hundreds if not thousands of one kind of animal, such as mites, termites, or bats. But on the question of how many turkey vultures constitute an infestation, PLRB said the answer was unclear and recommended that perhaps consultation with an expert might help clarify what constitutes an infestation of turkey vultures. There was undisputed eyewitness testimony that the vulture activity constituted infestation within the terms plain and ordinary meaning. The property owners own roofer, who was on the property more than 10 times over a period of months, testified that there were between 50 and 75 vultures on the roof every time he visited. The property manager, who visited every two weeks, said she saw between 10 and 25 vultures on the roof each and every time. Hanovers adjuster and the forensic engineer it hired both observed vultures on the roof. The property owner engaged an ornithologist and animal behaviorist and relied upon this expert to argue that the infestation exclusion did not apply. This expert acknowledged that the damage to the roof was caused by pecking or shredding of the roofs protective membrane by the beaks of turkey vultures. However, she maintained that by no definition of the term infestation did the evidence suggest damage was due to an infestation of turkey vultures, given the behavioral ecology of turkey vultures as a species. None of the presented evidence suggests turkey vultures inhabited the roof in large numbers or long-term, or used the roof as a communal roost or nesting site. The evidence, and turkey vulture behavior, is far more consistent with the scenario of a small number of passing turkey vultures temporarily using the roof as a perching site, she stated. She concluded that the membrane damage on the roof was most likely caused by one or a few vultures in a brief, acute incident or series of incidents and that an acute visit of an animal or animals to a roof for a brief period of time, even if it results in damage to the roof, does not constitute an infestation. Not Specific The appeals court found that there was no indication that the parties intended to incorporate into the policy a species- specific biological definition when they agreed to exclude coverage for damages arising out of animal infestation. Furthermore, the dictionary definitions offered by both parties did not define the word infestation by a specific number of any particular animal. Instead, the court found, the plain and ordinary definition of the word infestation is the unwanted and persistent presence of a number of animals large enough to cause harm or damage.' The appeals court found that the ornithologists conclusions conflicted directly with the testimony of multiple eyewitnesses, including two who saw a minimum of 10 vultures, and as many as 75, each time they visited the property over the course of months. Also, the ornithologist conceded during her deposition that a number of vultures, 15 to 25, perched on that roof, perhaps with some regularity, which was testimony the court said directly conflicted with her own reports conclusion in her report that the roof damage was caused by one or a few vultures in an isolated incident, or a series of isolated incidents. The appeals court concluded that the conflicting conclusions of the expert, who never set foot on the property, did not establish a genuine dispute of material fact and thus upheld the summary judgment awarded to Hanover. Photo: Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), also known as the turkey buzzard. The Hartford will begin offering the Vermont Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) program for employers on February 15. Employers with two or more employees will have the opportunity to work withe the insurers brokers to design a plan to fit the needs of their employees and business, with benefits beginning on July 1. Providing all Vermonters with access to affordable paid family and medical leave, without imposing a new mandatory tax, is truly a win-win, said Vermont Governor Phil Scott. The FMLI benefits provide partial income replacement for workers who need to take care of a family member with a serious health condition, bond with a new child, tend to their own serious health condition, care for a military service members serious injury or illness, or address certain needs related to a family members covered active military duty or call to active duty. Megan Holstein, with The Hartfords group benefits division, said the firm is ready to help brokers and their employer clients design paid leave programs to help employers support their workforce and attract and retain talent, while providing peace of mind for employees who need to take time away from work to care for themselves or their loved ones. The FMLI plans are flexible and allow employers who opt in to design their own plan. Some key features include: Option to provide family and medical leave combined or stand-alone family leave insurance; Contributions can be fully paid by the employer, split between the employer and employees, or fully paid for by the employees as a voluntary benefit; Benefit duration options of six to 26 weeks per 12-month period; and Sixty to 70% wage replacement, with additional options available with underwriting review. This is the second phase of Vermonts program implementation. The first phase was implemented for Vermont state employees in July 2023. In the final phase of the program, FMLI benefits will be made available for individual workers in the state who do not have access to them through their employer, self-employed individuals and employers with fewer than two employees, to purchase in 2025 with benefits beginning on July 1, 2025. Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Vermont Five firefighters were injured, two by falling through a roof, while battling a blaze at three buildings in a Pittsburgh neighborhood over the weekend, authorities said. Fire crews were called just before 9:30 a.m. Saturday to the Homewood neighborhood where the fire started in one home and spread to two adjacent buildings that contained apartments. Authorities said two firefighters fell through the roof of one of the homes while battling the flames. The roofs of at least two of the houses collapsed. All five injured firefighters were taken to hospitals with injuries said not to be life-threatening, officials said. Matt Brown, chief of Allegheny County Emergency Services, said fire crews were hampered by temperatures in the teens and winds up to 20 mph. The cold froze one trucks water pumps and tanks and also froze the closest fire hydrant, and a ladder on one truck also wasnt working properly due to the cold, he said. At one point, firefighters used a chainsaw to cut away a second-floor wall to reach the flames inside one of the apartment buildings. Brown said nearly 100 firefighters, many of them volunteers from surrounding communities, responded to the fire, which was declared under control at about 1 p.m. Saturday. The county fire marshals office will investigate the cause. Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. A Massachusetts hospital that suffered a cyber attack in December has been hit with a class action lawsuit for its alleged failure to secure patients personal information. Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport experienced a significant shutdown of its electronic medical records systems and networked computers on December 24, 2023. The attack caused the hospital to redirect ambulances to other hospitals on Christmas day until service was restored on December 26. The not-for-profit community hospital, part of the Beth Israel Lahey Health System, acknowledged on January 5 that the attack happened. According to The Record published by Recorded Future News, a ransomware gang called Money Message has publicly admitted it was behind the Anna Jaques attack. It did not say how much of a ransom it is demanding. The proposed class action, brought by Salisbury resident Gary Cabozzi, alleges negligence and breach of implied contract and good faith by the hospital for failing to protect data. It seeks $5.4 million, or $200 each, in damages for an assumed class of 27,000 plaintiffs. However, according to the lawsuit, the actual number of individuals who have had their data exposed is unknown at this time and could be many more given the size of the hospital. The complaint also seeks court orders for the hospital to improve its data security systems. The complaint criticizes the hospital for concealing the existence and extent of the data breach for an unreasonable duration of time and allegedly failing to provide accurate notice of the data breach. The hospital has still not notified its own clientele about the data breach, the lawsuit claims. On January 5, the hospital said that if it finds that data has been impacted by this incident, it will send all required notifications in accordance with state and federal laws to patients, vendors, and impacted parties. Cabozzi complains that he only learned about the cyber incident from local news reports. Unknown Number The data that could have been exposed or stolen include personal health information such as medical records and history, test results, procedure descriptions, diagnoses, and personal or family medical histories, the complaint says. The suit also claims personally identifiable information (PII) such as Social Security numbers, passport numbers, drivers license numbers, and financial account numbers could have been breached. Some of the data is highly sensitive and presents a high risk of identity theft or fraud and it is likely that some of the information that has been exposed has already been misused, the lawsuit claims. According to the Newburyport Daily News, which first reported the incident, the hospital said on January 2 more than a week after the event that it was still working with external cybersecurity officials to restore information systems affected by the attack. The hospital spokesperson told the local newspaper that the FBI is conducting its own investigation. The hospital, with more than 1,000 employees, is the largest employer in the small coastal city that is north of Boston and close to the New Hampshire border. As a result of a merger in 2019, Anna Jaques is clinically affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Boston academic medical center and teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The suit seeking class action status was filed in Massachusetts Superior Court for Essex County by two lawyers, one from Connecticut, the other from Puerto Rico. Hospital Attacks The Anna Jaques incident is the latest in a series of attacks on hospitals. Last November, a ransomware attack prompted a Nashville-based healthcare chain that operates 30 hospitals in six states to divert patients to other hospitals and pause certain elective procedures. Ardent Health Services owns and operates 30 hospitals and more than 200 care sites in Oklahoma, Texas, New Jersey, New Mexico, Idaho and Kansas. In October, two New York hospitals that were hit with a cyberattack had to shut down their computer systems to investigate. In August, hospitals and clinics in several states run by Prospect Medical Holdings were forced to shut down some primary care, emergency rooms and ambulance services while recovering from a cyberattack. Prospect, which is based in California, has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Topics Lawsuits Cyber Massachusetts Trinity Health Grand Rapids, formerly known as Mercy Health St. Marys, a hospital and member of the Trinity Health-Michigan health system, agreed to pay $50,000 and provide other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. According to the EEOCs lawsuit, Trinity Health violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by rescinding a job offer to an applicant who, for religious reasons, refused to receive a flu vaccine. Under Trinity Healths influenza policy, which has since been rescinded, employees were required to get a flu shot on an annual basis unless granted an exemption. While the applicants conditional job offer for the position of business-office coordinator was pending, he applied for an exemption to the flu-shot requirement based on his religious beliefs. Trinity unlawfully denied his request and rescinded the job offer, the EEOC said. Such alleged conduct violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits religious discrimination. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Trinity Health-Michigan, d/b/a Mercy Health St. Marys, Case No. 1:23-cv-00435) in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process. Under the consent decree settling the suit, Trinity Health is enjoined from failing to hire applicants because of their sincerely held religious beliefs against taking the flu vaccine or denying religious exemptions from vaccination in the future, unless doing so would pose an undue hardship. The hospital will also train human resources and senior leadership team members at the hospital on Title VIIs religious protections for applicants and employees. In addition, the applicant will receive $11,348 in back pay along with $38,651 in non-economic damages. Source: EEOC Topics Lawsuits Michigan Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday said it had reached a tentative settlement to resolve probes by U.S. states into whether it misled consumers about the safety of its talc products, which thousands of lawsuits claim can cause cancer. The deal includes 42 states and Washington, D.C. The company tentatively agreed to pay about $700 million to settle the states claims, according to the Wall Street Journal. Consistent with the plan we outlined last year, the company continues to pursue several paths to achieve a comprehensive and final resolution of the talc litigation, Erik Haas, J&Js worldwide vice president of litigation, said in a statement. The settlement does not extend to private plaintiffs cases against the company, some of which are expected to go to trial later this year. J&J has maintained that its now-discontinued talc products are safe and do not cause cancer. It previously set aside $400 million to resolve state claims. The company, which reported fourth-quarter results on Tuesday, still faces more than 50,000 lawsuits over talc, most by women with ovarian cancer. A minority of the cases involve people with mesothelioma, a type of cancer linked to asbestos. It recently settled some of the mesothelioma cases for an undisclosed amount but has maintained that its talc did not contain asbestos. The company has twice tried to resolve the cases by placing its talc liabilities into bankruptcy, but both attempts were rebuffed by courts. In the latest failed bankruptcy attempt, the company had proposed to pay $8.9 billion to talc claimants. J&J said last year that it was planning a third bankruptcy filing. The settlement with the states could make that easier, as some states had previously argued that they, unlike private plaintiffs, can continue pursuing claims while a bankruptcy is pending. Courts have not resolved that issue. Trials in the talc cases have had a mixed record, with major plaintiff wins including a $2.1 billion judgment in 2020 awarded to 22 women with ovarian cancer. A New Jersey appeals court in October threw out a $223.8 million verdict against the company, finding the testimony of the plaintiffs expert witnesses unsound. The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in favor of cornstarch-based products, citing an increase in lawsuits and misinformation about the talc products safety. The family of a Texas woman killed in a January collision with a propane truck has filed a $150 million lawsuit against the propane company and the driver of the vehicle, citing negligence and wrongful death. Nineteen-year-old Yuliana Castillo and her brother Jonathan were driving on FM 2920 in Spring, Texas on January 8 when their Toyota Corolla collided with a Pinnacle Propane company truck driving on the opposite side of the road. A lawsuit filed by Yuliana Castillos family in Harris County District Court alleges the driver of the truck, Daniel Dunbar, failed to control his speed when traffic was slowing. When Dunbar attempted to stop, because of his speed, he began to skid. Dunbar crossed the median into oncoming traffic, slamming into the Castillos car. The Toyota Corolla spun counterclockwise into an adjacent ditch. Dunbars truck did not stop and went on to strike a parked commercial truck and trailer. Yuliana was killed at the scene. Jonathan suffered whiplash injuries, a fracture to his humerus, among other injuries, the lawsuit alleges. Florida Castillo, the representative of the estate of Yuliana Castillo, is suing Pinnacle Propane and Dunbar for negligence, negligence per se, gross negligence, survival action, bystander claim, and wrongful death. The lawsuit alleges that Dunbar had a duty to exercise ordinary care and operate the vehicle in a reasonable and prudent manner. Plaintiffs allege the duty was breached by Dunbars failure to observe and follow traffic laws and to safely yield and adjust to forward traffic. Topics Lawsuits Texas Auto (AP) Subfreezing conditions and treacherous roadways have contributed to dozens of deaths this month across the U.S., where states as far south as Texas and Florida were gripped by deadly arctic weather on Sunday. Nationally, winter storms have claimed at least 72 lives around the U.S. this January, many involving hypothermia or road accidents. On Sunday, crews in Memphis, Tennessee, continued to work around the clock to find and fix broken pipes that were causing low water pressure throughout the system. Memphis Light, Gas and Water President and CEO Doug McGowen told reporters Sunday afternoon that crews are making progress and he expects most of the 700,000 people the utility services to have water restored over the next 24 hours. If we remain on this very positive path, and we are on a positive path, I believe that by Wednesday we will have pressure sufficient for us to take samples of our water system, he said. Assuming good results, we think that means a Thursday for lifting of the boil water advisory. McGowen also asked people to stop dripping their faucets to help build pressure in the system. Memphis Light, Gas and Water was repairing 10 water main breaks on Sunday afternoon, and McGowen said he expects to see more as the ground continues to thaw. The utility said it previously repaired 41 broken water mains and located more than 4,000 leaks at homes and businesses. Rhodes College, in Memphis, began sending students living there home on Saturday and moving those who could not return home to hotels. The school was planning virtual classes on Monday and Tuesday. We ask that you NOT come to campus either day due to the ongoing water situation and the hazards that creates, the school announcement said. Sam Roth is a junior majoring in politics, philosophy and economics who drove back home to Nashville rather than staying in a hotel where he would still be required to boil water. Our faucets stopped working, and they said not to use any of the restrooms on our floor, and our showers were not working very well either, he said of the situation in his dormitory. Restaurants and bars were using bottled water to serve customers on Sunday. Some restaurants remained closed, citing the water issue, while others had a modified menu. Memphis was the largest, but not the only, water system in Tennessee to experience problems from the unusually cold weather. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said on Saturday night that 28 water systems have issued boil water notices. In Tipton County, the fire department in Mason warned residents on Saturday to be prepared for a multiday water outage. Fire officials said in a Facebook post that water crews were working at all hours to try to isolate and repair leaks. The mayor acknowledged in an interview with WMC-TV that the town has had water issues in the past due to a system that nobody took care of for a long time and is need of updates. The whole town has been without water for five days, said exasperated Mason resident Christina Ray. The fire department is handing out water throughout the town of 1,300 residents, but is limiting it to one case per day, per household. Thats not enough for her family, which was collecting snow to flush the toilets. Its hard to cook. Its hard to flush toilets. Its hard to do dishes. We cant wash laundry, she said. With warmer temperatures predicted this week, Ray now says shes faced with another worry: the potential of bursting pipes. The continued cold weather is also responsible for at least 27 deaths in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Department of Health. Just south in Mississippi, the states Emergency Management Agency said Sunday that 11 people have died of causes related to frigid weather since Jan. 14. Elsewhere, freezing rain, sleet and high wind gusts later Sunday would make traveling in parts of Kansas and Oklahoma particularly treacherous, the National Weather Service said. Wind chills in Iowa made it feel like minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 7 degrees Celsius) in some parts. Photo: Memphis and its famous Beale Street saw its share of snow on Jan. 16, followed by freezing temperatures Sunday. (Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal via AP) Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Tennessee The odds are rising that California and the West will be struck by a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, the US Climate Prediction Center said in a social media post. The agency said there is 60% to 80% chance of above normal rain and snow along the West Coast and across the Southwest. Atmospheric rivers rise out of the Pacific and can land as much water onshore as flows through the mouth of the Mississippi River. While weaker events are beneficial, more powerful systems are known to cause widespread destruction and even death from flooding and mudslides. A year ago a series of atmospheric rivers killed at least 22 people across California and caused $4.6 billion in damage and losses, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Hazardous, onshore high winds are likely to impact the West Coast as well January 30th to February 2nd, particularly the Pacific Northeast southward through much of California, which could lead to coastal erosion from persistently high waves, the climate center said. In addition to the heavy rains and snow, temperatures are set to rise across much of the contiguous US, with the highest chance for milder air to center on the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. The kind of atmospheric flow necessary to drive such an event would mean mild temperatures will prevail across most of the Northern Hemisphere, said David Roth, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. Across the eastern US there are already signs winters grip is relaxing. New Yorks Central Park will reach a high of 56F (13.3 C) Friday with rain, the National Weather Service said. Washington will hit 65F, Boston 49F and Philadelphia 59F. The combination of mild air and rain will erase any snow left on the ground. In other weather news: UK: Another round of high winds and rain will sweep across the UK through the day as Jocelyn, a second large Atlantic storm, rushes by. Earlier this week the UK and Europe were battered by winter storm Isha. Amber wind warnings, meaning power outages are possible, trees could be toppled and roads blocked, are up around the Scottish coast. A less severe yellow warning for heavy rain is out for almost all of the UK with the exception of southeast England. In some exposed areas of northern Scotland, winds may gust to 80 miles per hour, said Alex Deakin, a meteorologist with the UK Met Office. Australia: A tropical cyclone could strike Queenslands coast near Ayr on Thursday into Friday bringing widespread flooding rain to the region. It will arrive as a Category 2 system on the five-step Australian scale. And that could set the stage for a big flood event through inland parts of Queensland as we move into the weekend, said Dean Narramore, a forecaster at the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Tropical Cyclone warnings are up between Ayr and Mackay on Australias east coast as forecasters expect a storm to develop within the next day, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology said. To contact the author of this story: Brian K Sullivan in Boston at bsullivan10@bloomberg.net Copyright 2024 Bloomberg. Topics California Flood Coquitlam, British Columbia - January 23, 2024 (Newsfile Corp.) (Investorideas.com Newswire) Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. (TSXV: NTH) (OTCQB: CCWOF) (FSE: 4T9B) (the "Company" or "Nord" or "Nord Precious Metals"), formerly Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc., is pleased to announce that further to the news release dated January 19, 2024, the Company's shares begin trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the new name and trading symbol "NTH", today, Tuesday, January 23, 2024, at the market open. Trading symbols at other exchanges will remain the same. "Nord Precious Metals remains steadfast in its commitment to its silver and gold projects. The Castle property, with its exciting grades, is poised to successfully progress as we leverage our robust infrastructure to produce silver dore right here in the heart of the Cobalt Camp at Nord's TTL processing facility. Our enthusiasm is further fueled by the promising potential of cobalt byproducts, which we anticipate extracting in the future at marginal costs. This strategic advantage positions Nord as a key player in the North American EV ecosystem," said Frank J. Basa P.Eng., CEO of Nord Precious Metals. "Embracing Nord Precious Metals' renewed focus is exciting to me. Beyond the exceptional silver resource at Castle, there is the potential for a gold system awaiting further exploration on the property which is located in the southwestern Abitibi. I'm hopeful that government initiatives, particularly the acceleration of recovery permits under the new Ontario Mine Act, will pave the way for us to seamlessly advance our outstanding projects within the Castle system. Together, with determination and support, we can unlock the full spectrum of opportunities and propel Nord towards even greater success," said Matt Halliday P.Geo., President of Nord Precious Metals. Interested investors can access information about Nord Precious Metals at its website, NordPreciousMetals.com and its social media channels at X(Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube for which links are available on the Company's website. About Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. Nord Precious Metals Mining Inc. (formerly Canada Silver Cobalt Works Inc.) recently discovered a major high-grade silver vein system at Castle East located 1.5 km from its 100%-owned, past-producing Castle Mine near Gowganda in the prolific and world-class silver-cobalt mining district of Northern Ontario. The Company has completed a 60,000 m drill program aimed at expanding the size of the deposit with an update to the resource estimate underway. In May 2020, based on a small initial drill program, the Company published the region's first 43-101 resource estimate that contained a total of 7.56 million ounces of silver in Inferred resources, comprising very high-grade silver (8,582 grams per tonne un-cut or 250.2 oz/ton) in 27,400 tonnes of material from two sections (1A and 1B) of the Castle East Robinson Zone, beginning at a vertical depth of approximately 400 meters. Note that mineral resources that are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Please refer to the Nord Precious Metals (previously Canada Silver Cobalt Works) Press Release May 28, 2020, for the resource estimate. Report reference: Rachidi, M. 2020, NI 43-101 Technical Report Mineral Resource Estimate for Castle East, Robinson Zone, Ontario, Canada, with an effective date of May 28, 2020, and a signature date of July 13, 2020. The Company also has: (1) 14 battery metals properties in Northern Quebec where it has recently completed a nearly 16,000-metre drill program on the Graal property; and (2) the prospective 1,000-hectare Eby-Otto gold property close to Agnico Eagle's high-grade Macassa Mine near Kirkland Lake, Ontario where it is exploring. (3) St. Denis-Sangster lithium project - 260 square kilometers of greenfield exploration ground with numerous pegmatites focussed along a significant volcanic sedimentary rock - Archean granite contact near Cochrane, Ontario contiguous to Power Metals' Case Lake Lithium properties. Nord Precious Metal's flagship silver-cobalt Castle mine and 78 sq. km Castle property feature strong exploration upside for silver, cobalt, nickel, gold, and copper. With underground access at the fully owned Castle Mine, an exceptional high-grade silver discovery at Castle East, a pilot plant to produce cobalt-rich gravity concentrates, a processing facility (TTL Laboratories) in the town of Cobalt, and a proprietary hydrometallurgical process known as Re-2Ox (for the creation of technical-grade cobalt sulphate as well as nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) formulations), Nord Precious Metals is strategically positioned to become a Canadian leader in the silver-cobalt space. More information is available at www.nordpreciousmetals.com. "Frank J. Basa" Frank J. Basa, P. Eng. Chief Executive Officer For further information, contact: Frank J. Basa, P.Eng. Chief Executive Officer 416-625-2342 or: Wayne Cheveldayoff, Corporate Communications P: 416-710-2410 E: waynecheveldayoff@gmail.com Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 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. This news release may contain forward-looking statements which include, but are not limited to, comments that involve future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Except for statements of historical facts, comments that address resource potential, upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt and security of mineral property titles, availability of funds, and others are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may vary materially from those statements. General business conditions are factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from forward-looking statements. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Get Great Trading Ideas and News Alerts Guest posts and sponsored content - Got $100? That's all it takes to get an article published on Investor Ideas - Learn More Banking representatives have called for flexibility in the new General Scheme of the Access to Cash Bill. The Banking and Payments Federation of Ireland, or BPFI, said the criteria used to measure demand levels for banks must be updated regularly as the use of cash declines. The lobby group added that it recognises the vital importance of cash for many consumers and small businesses but it is also mindful of the decline in ATM cash withdrawals. The BPFI and its member banks are committed to ensuring there is reasonable access to cash both now and in the future in accordance with consumer demand, the organisation said. ATM withdrawals have fallen by 32% since the pandemic, according to the Central Bank. This may indicate a trend among consumers to spend money digitally or that some people are becoming more conscious of their spending amid a volatile economic environment. The comments made by the BPFI, which has over 125 member institutions and associates, followed the publication of the General Scheme of the Access to Cash Bill which was approved by government. The Bill stems from a recommendation made by the Retail Banking Review, published last year. The Review highlighted the use of cash for consumers in terms of financial inclusion, budgeting and security in the event of a cyber attack that could impact a bank. Although cash usage has declined in recent years, and this decline accelerated during the pandemic, it is important to protect its role in our society and economy in the future, said Finance Minister Michael McGrath. In the absence of a legislative intervention, it is likely that over time we would see more and more ATMs removed from communities across the country and I do not want to see this happen, he added. The legislation will for the first time regulate ATMs with the objective of improving operational standards and ensure good customer service. The legislation comes following backlash to AIBs plans to remove ATMs in 2022. Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary said the airline will emerge as a winner from rival Lufthansa's 325m investment in Italys ITA Airways, as more slots come up for grabs to secure regulatory approval. We support Lufthansa buying ITA, Mr OLeary said in an interview in Rome. "It will create more growth opportunities for Ryanair in Italy, he claimed. Under the deal, the German airline would initially buy 41% of the successor to failed flagship Alitalia from the Italian state, with an option to acquire the rest at a later date. The Italian government plans to contribute an additional 250m. Italy has emerged as a significant market for Ryanair and other airlines which have injected significant sums into aircraft at several hub airports. Mr OLeary made the comments ahead of a move by EU watchdogs to open an in-depth probe into the transaction. Paving the way for more slot concessions, regulators said a package of commitments offered so far by Lufthansa was insufficient, in terms of both scope and effectiveness, to clearly dismiss its competition concerns on long- and short-haul connections. Aside from helping Ryanair, Mr OLeary warned that if the deal goes through, the German carrier will increase all the airfares on the routes involved. Rather than growing routes to and from Italy they will just use it to feed the hubs in Munich and Frankfurt, he claimed. Italy has emerged as a significant market for Ryanair and other airlines which have injected significant sums into aircraft at several hub airports. Picture: Steve Parsons/PA Wire The CEO said his companys plan to add seven routes from Rome and 10 from Milan area hubs demonstrates a commitment to continue investing strongly in the country. The company expects traffic in Italy to grow least 10% this year to over 60m passengers, Mr OLeary said. We see a lot of inbound traffic that wants to come to Italy, tourism across Europe is recovering post-covid and Italy has been one of the biggest beneficiaries, he said. It is not the first time that Ryanair has clashed with Lufthansa. The airline won an EU court fight over a 6bn recapitalisation approved by the European Commission. The EU in its ruling on Tuesday set a provisional deadline of June 6 to decide whether to block the Lufthansa deal or approve it with or without conditions. We want to further assess the transaction and ensure that the acquisition of ITA does not reduce competition in short-haul and long-haul traffic and that it will not lead to higher prices, less capacity or lower quality for passenger air transport services in and out of Italy, the EUs competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said. Bloomberg KICs Miles Moreau to Present Profiling Basics and Best Practices at SMTA Wisconsin Chapter PCBA Profile Workshop Published: 23 January 2024 by Tyler Hanes by Tyler Hanes SAN DIEGO KIC, a renowned pioneer in thermal process and temperature measurement solutions for electronics manufacturing, announces that Miles Moreau, General Manager, will be a featured speaker at the SMTA Wisconsin Chapter In-Person PCBA Profile Workshop. The workshop is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. CST at Delta Hotel Menomonee Falls. The workshop will feature speakers from profile equipment suppliers, SMT Oven (reflow), Selective Solder, Wave Solder equipment suppliers, and Solder suppliers. Workshop topics will cover Best Practices, Tips and Tricks, How to Profile, Machine Health, and Solder Defects. Miles Moreau, with decades of experience in the electronics and semiconductor manufacturing industry, will delve into profiling basics and best practices contributing to the knowledge exchange at the Wisconsin Chapter workshop. As General Manager at KIC, Moreau has been instrumental in defining the company's product roadmap and bringing innovative solutions to the market. He holds numerous US and international patents through his work at KIC. For more information about KIC and its revolutionary solutions, please visit www.kicthermal.com When I read my 11-year-old daughters letter to Santa this year, I noticed she had asked for skincare as one of her gifts. I naively thought it was similar to what my sisters in the 1980s had got at Christmas baskets with dainty little bars of coloured soaps packaged in a bed of potpourri. Gifts like these were all the rage for pre-teens then and were usually accompanied by some scented writing paper or fancy pens. However, what Santa left under the tree for my daughter was quite different: a series of expensive-looking moisturisers and creams. I didnt think much more about it until the topic came on my radar again last week when I heard numerous radio shows discussing the surge of pre-teen girls buying skin-care products. The radio talk show panellists described how TikTok influencers are driving the demand by promoting skincare creams to young girls. After looking into this further, I discovered that this is a global issue. In the USA last Christmas, it was reported that skincare products took top priority on many of the wishlists of tweens, who spent 33% more on cosmetics and 19% more on skincare than the previous year. The rise in popularity of social media's Get ready with me makeup videos may be contributing to this early interest in skincare. Another possible reason for this spike may be North West, Kim Kardashian's nine-year-old daughter, who shared a video of her elaborate skincare routine last year. The radio discussions I heard mostly concerned the practicalities of children using such products and the expense for parents. But no one mentioned the broader mental health implications when children as young as ten become so concerned about their appearance that they resort to using skincare products. The fact that any ten or 11-year-old is even aware that anti-ageing creams exist is worrying enough not to mind believing they need to use them. For years, we have debated the negative influence of the beauty industry on girls' mental wellbeing. There was a time when we used to discuss the impact of glossy fashion magazines on womens self-esteem and body image, but now the conversation has moved on to social media influencers driven by powerful algorithms. Prohibiting your child's access to the online world is no longer foolproof as their peers with access to a smartphone can tell them what they need to do to have beautiful skin. The pressures young girls are under regarding body image and appearance Having worked for over 25 years with young girls with eating disorders, I am all too aware of the pressures young girls are under regarding their body image and appearance. While the average age of onset of an eating disorder is 14 to 18 years of age, Ive noticed these disorders are occurring more frequently in primary school-aged children. According to researcher Carson Benowitz-Fredericks and colleagues at Johns Hopkins University, aspects of body image, such as low self-esteem and perfectionism, can lead adolescents to pursue unattainable physical appearances, which can be prerequisites for developing eating disorders. Body image, says US psychologist Lauren Muhlheim, is a complex construct of beliefs, thoughts, perceptions and feelings about how we see ourselves and our bodies, often shaped during the teenage years. With so much at stake, its critical we are mindful of the messages children receive about their body image. The beauty industry promotes an ideal image of women, central to its commercial success. Of particular concern is the anti-ageing cohort, which often predicts serious consequences if you fail to use the right products. This pressure is a struggle for people of any age, never mind 10- and 11-year-olds. The use of skin care products and worrying about the ageing process at ten years is concerning; I see this as a symptom of a more significant problem. Well-meaning experts might recommend that ten-year-olds use SPF and cleanser, but the notion of any skincare routine at that age is problematic. Young girls growing interest in moisturisers and serums is further evidence that the period of childhood is shrinking. Children need to be allowed to be children without the burden of adult-like worries like the ageing process. We all have issues about our self-image, no matter how we look, which is not new. In 1984, researchers coined the term normative discontent to describe the widespread weight dissatisfaction most people experience. However, normative discontent is usually associated with adults, not children. We risk contaminating their childhood... A relatively carefree childhood is essential for healthy emotional development. Developing a deep self-consciousness about how we look should only become a feature of our lives when we are developmentally and emotionally mature enough to cope with them. We risk contaminating their childhood if we expose children to experiences that draw attention to how they should look and suggest steps to improve their appearance. It is essential children mature in line with their psychological development and are not hot-housed by influencers or advertisers who want to peddle expensive products. I am not suggesting that promoting skincare routines to 10-year-old girls will result in them developing eating disorders or mental health problems. But if we prematurely endorse being conscious of their body image, we risk contributing to their developing a poor relationship with themselves, with long-term negative psychological consequences. Pulling back on my daughters use of skin care products will be a challenge. I realise how difficult it is to counter the negative and pervasive influence of social media, but perhaps we need to do more to offer our children an alternative point of view. I would suggest encouraging girls to develop other values besides how they look. We need to challenge the myths created by social media content creators by explaining the use of filters, Photoshop, etc. But most importantly, we need to value our childrens internal qualities, such as their kindness, courage and creativity and move their focus away from their shape, looks or indeed the quality of their skin. Dr Colman Noctor is a child psychotherapist The Government has been urged by a charity to support South Africas legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Trocaire, an aid agency of the Irish Catholic Church, called on Ireland to fulfill its legal obligation to prevent genocide by urgently assessing the case of Gaza. It said that Irelands calls for a ceasefire, though welcome, were no longer enough to prevent further atrocities. Local health authorities reported that 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli operation, launched after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 people hostage on October 7. Thousands of Palestinians have been injured and the majority of Gazas population have been displaced. The Irish Government must assess whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed in Gaza, said Caoimhe de Barra, the chief executive of Trocaire. She said that assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The charity also called on Ireland to release a statement supporting South Africas case, specifically the provisional measures requested by South Africa for a suspension of its military operations in Gaza. It also called on Ireland to as soon as possible, join the case as an intervener in support of South Africas case as it did in the Ukraine v Russia case. Accountability and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law are critical if these repeated cycles of indiscriminate violence and wanton destruction is to end, Ms de Barra said. Tanaiste Micheal Martin said at the weekend that Ireland would assess the legal case by South Africa once the preliminary stage had ended. Mr Martin said Ireland will review the case being presented and decide whether to join after that, as had been done in relation to Ukraines case at the ICJ. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said previously that the Government does not intend to join South Africas case, and there is a need to be very careful of accusing a Jewish state of genocide. He said: I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless were absolutely convinced that theyre the appropriate ones. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Ms de Barra said: The Irish Government must act urgently as the Israeli military is killing an average of 250 Palestinians per day in Gaza, a higher daily death rate than any other twenty-first-century armed conflict. Israels unrelenting military campaign on the Gaza Strip has resulted in more than 25,000 thousand deaths and the displacement of 1.9 million people. One in four people in Gaza are facing immediate risk of starvation. These acts are war crimes. The desperate situation endured by the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip has led UN experts and Trocaire partners to warn that there is an immediate risk of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Ireland has taken a leadership position in recent months in calling for a ceasefire. However, this is no longer enough. Now is the time for measures to be taken to end the violence and suffering and to prevent further atrocities. The events of October 7, perpetrated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also war crimes and they must be held accountable. "As horrific as these attacks were, they cannot be used as justification for the actions of Israel towards the civilians of Gaza. Actor Cillian Murphy has received an Oscar nomination for his role in Oppenheimer and learned about the accolade while staying at his childhood home in Cork. Murphy, 47, was nominated for his role as J Robert Oppenheimer in Christopher Nolans drama about the father of the atomic bomb. It is Murphy's first Oscar nomination and the first Academy Award nod for the Rebel County. He is currently in Cork and told US publication Variety he celebrated with a slice of his mam's sponge cake at his family home in a southside suburb. Thankfully, I live in a time zone that I dont have to get up at 5am, he said, referencing the early-morning announcement in the US. The nominations were revealed at 1.30pm Irish time. It was already organised for me. Weve had a few days off and Ive been at home, which has been very, very pleasant. "Im actually in my parents house in Cork city. I was with my parents and my wife today. So that was really nice. He added they celebrated the nomination with some homemade treats. We had a cup of tea and a slice of cake. It was quite nice. My mom made a sponge cake. It was very tasty. Murphy added that he was "honoured and kind of overwhelmed" by the reaction to the film, telling Variety that he will be bringing his wife and sons to the Oscars in March. Director and producer Christopher Nolan hailed Murphy's work. Speaking to Variety, he described the Corkman as "thrilling". Murphy is not the only Irish person celebrating. While there was disappointment for Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, who both missed out on nominations for All of Us Strangers, and Barry Keoghan, who was in the running for Saltburn, Dublin-based Element Pictures was among the most celebrated production companies. Element Pictures co-produced Poor Things, the latest film from Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos, which counts Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo among its stars. Poor Things claimed 11 nominations in total, the second-highest of any film in the running, only beaten out by Oppenheimer. Emma Stone in 'Poor Things', co-produced by Dublin-based Element Pictures. Picture: PA Photo/Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. Among its nominations are Best Film, Best Actress for Emma Stone, and Best Cinematography. Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, founders of Element Pictures, described themselves as "thrilled" with Poor Things' 11 Oscar nominations, which they said is a record number for an Irish-produced film. In a statement, the producers said: "This is a phenomenal achievement for Yorgos [Lanthimos], Emma [Stone], and our incredible cast and crew of the film, including of course Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan. "It's also a huge tribute to all of the Element Pictures team in Dublin, Belfast, and London who have been across every detail of this production from its inception to its worldwide release. "We are also very grateful to the amazing team at Film4 and to our brilliant distributors Searchlight." Element Productions has already won two Golden Globes and scored 11 nominations at the Baftas for its previous productions. Tuesday's announcement brings to 26 the number of Academy Award nominations, as well as two Academy Awards, received by Element Pictures since it was established in 2001. Paula Heffernan, head of production at Element Pictures, described the nominations as "mind-blowing". Speaking to The Ray DArcy Show on RTE Radio 1, she said: "It was wonderful as they were all being announced just to breathe a sigh of relief after each one and celebrate, and think, 'Wow, were actually getting them all!' "Its quite mind-blowing actually were still in a state of shock, but very happy shock," she said. Ms Heffernan also said the film was "huge in scale", unlike the previous productions undertaken by Element. Elon Musk has said that his company X, previously known as Twitter, will fund Irish legal challenges to hate speech legislation. In an interview with Gript, Mr Musk said Xs default position is that it will challenge any laws it believes would infringe upon someones ability to say what they want to say. His comments are referring to the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill, which Justice Minister Helen McEntee had said would be progressed early this year. Mr Musk explained: "We obviously have standing as our European Headquarters are in Ireland, we have a big office in Ireland, a big presence in Ireland so we obviously have standing. "We will also fund the legal fees of Irish citizens who want to challenge the bill, so we'll make sure that if there is an attempt to suppress the voice of the Irish people that we do our absolute best to defend the people of Ireland and their ability to speak their mind," he added. Mr Musk added that people should show 'concern' if the Government defined hate speech in its own terms. People should be extremely concerned about that. Youre just at the mercy of the ruling party and whatever bureaucrats they put in place. And they can just define something that really is not hate speech as hate speech just because they dont like it. The Bill in question aims to tackle both incitement to hatred and hate speech. The new regulations criminalise communication or behaviour that is "likely to incite violence or hatred against a group or individual because they are associated with a protected characteristic." These characteristics include "race, colour, nationality, religion, national or ethnic origin, descent, gender, sex characteristics, sexual orientation and disability". Mr Musk also suggested that the "biggest lie in the media is the choice of narrative." He explained: "Because they can simply ignore anything they dont like and they can overly focus on things that they do want to talk about." A young man who was caught in Bishopstown with over 1,200 worth of ecstasy and more than 1,500 in cash admitted to gardai that drug-dealing was his main source of income. Sean Hussey of ORahilly Row, Fermoy, Co Cork, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court where his solicitor Frank Buttimer said that the young mans circumstances had changed dramatically for the better since the crime was detected. Sergeant Pat Lyons said that on August 6, 2020, at Belfort, Rossa Avenue, Bishopstown, where Sean Hussey was living at the time, a warrant was executed by Garda Ken Lawton to carry out a search. During the course of the search, MDMA better known as ecstasy to the value of 1,230 was located in the bedroom of Sean Hussey, along with 1,545 in cash. Sean Hussey was subsequently arrested, detained, and interviewed and he made full admission to the sale or supply of the drugs. Mr Hussey further admitted that his main source of income was drug-dealing. The Director of Public Prosecutions directed summary prosecution. The inspector made an order to have the seized cash forfeited to the State. Defence solicitor Frank Buttimer said there was no objection to that application. Sgt Lyons said the accused was convicted seven times previously for having drugs for his own use and twice for drug dealing. Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the offence before the court now dated back approximately three and a half years and may have been delayed for forensic analysis of the drugs or because of reasons to do with the pandemic. Mr Buttimer said of the garda interview with the accused at the time that the drugs and cash were seized, It was quite a candid, forthcoming interview. He was a heavy drug user himself at that time and the supply of drug was connected with his drug dependency. Matters have improved dramatically since. I believe the court would benefit from a probation report. It would enlighten (the court) and be of benefit to the accused. Judge Mary Dorgan agreed to direct a probation report and put sentencing back until April 8. A protest has been mounted outside an historic former religious property in Cork city following confirmation that it is being considered as a possible accommodation centre for people fleeing the war in Ukraine. The confirmation from the Department of Integration that it is examining the former Dominican Fathers Ennismore retreat centre in Mayfield comes just days after several Cork city councillors denied rumours swirling on social media that the building was to be used to house either international protection applicants or Ukrainian refugees. Based on briefings from city officials and the owners of the building, Labour Cllr John Maher and Fine Gael Cllr Joe Kavanagh were among the public representatives who publicly denied the rumours about unvetted males being housed at the property. There are currently no plans in place to accommodate anyone at all in the old Dominicans building in Ennismore. Rumours currently circulating are 100% false, Mr Kavanagh said. Mr Maher said he had spoken to council officials who had made contact with the owners of the building, and he said: the false news is incorrect and unhelpful. Hundreds turned up for a protest outside the former St Dominic's Centre in Mayfield, after rumours about it being repurposed for emergency accommodation were circulated earlier today. Picture by Chani Anderson However, in a statement to the Irish Examiner on Monday, the department said it is responding to an offer of accommodation in respect of this property, and that the city council had been consulted on the issue. Discussions with the provider are at an advanced stage, and a full assessment of the property is currently taking place, it said. Cork City Council has been consulted on the suitability of this accommodation. Should it be deemed suitable for accommodation for those fleeing the war in Ukraine, the (departments) community engagement team will provide detailed information in direct engagements with elected representatives in advance. It is understood the offer was made to the department over eight months ago. It is not clear when the city council was first consulted. The revelation prompted an almost immediate protest by a small group of people on a public green opposite the property, but the attendance grew quickly within two hours. At one point, there were at least 200 people at the protest. It was streamed online by anti-migrant agitator Derek Blighe, who is also protesting outside Abbeyville House in Fermoy, another property being considered by the department, and it was addressed by a number of speakers, including Anita Ward and Ross Lahive, who have been involved in several anti-asylum seeker and library protests. They denied the protest was racially or politically motivated and said Ireland's homeless should be housed first. It prompted calls from Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould for immediate clarity on the situation. We have government councillors saying one thing very strongly and a government minister saying another, he said. The community need to know what the answer is here. We need urgent clarity and I am calling on the Minister, Roderic OGorman, to come to Cork to meet with the council, with councillors and most importantly with the community and give people the answers they deserve. This situation is a shocking indictment of the governments complete failure to manage the constraints in accommodation for those seeking protection. They are causing confusion and anger in local communities by failing to give clear, correct information when asked. The local community are strong and has always been welcoming. Sowing division and creating mistrust does nothing for the community and does nothing for the vulnerable people who may be moving into Ennismore. The blame for any anger lies at the feet of the government who have once again shown that they do not have communities, or those seeking protection in this state, at the heart of their approach. The States approach to identifying accommodation for asylum-seekers and those fleeing the war in Ukraine has been described as "absolute chaos" after a building on Cork's northside was ruled out just hours after a protest. Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould said what played out over the past week regarding the former Dominican Fathers retreat at Ennismore, Mayfield was shambolic. It shows a total disconnect between Government and Government departments, and the local authority on the ground. They have made it almost impossible now for local public representatives who are trying to find solutions, and to keep constituents informed, he said. Rumours emerged on social media last week that the former retreat, which is in private ownership since 2022, was being refurbished to accommodate asylum seekers international protection applicants (IPAs). Videos posted on TikTok by a user under the hashtag IrelandIsFull made several unsubstantiated claims about this property, suggesting women and children would no longer be safe, and posted false claims about an under-construction social housing development nearby, which is actually being delivered by Cork City Council and Respond. Details of GoFundMe and Revolut links were shared, with appeals for donations to help buy tents, and it was decided to protest outside the property at 7pm on Monday. As rumours swirled, local city councillors sought updates from City Hall. In response to media queries last week, the council said it had been in contact with the property owners, who had said there was no intention of accommodating persons seeking international protection. It made no reference to Ukrainians fleeing the war, who are officially categorised as beneficiaries of the Temporary Protection Directive. Armed with this response, Labour councillor John Maher and Fine Gael councillor Joe Kavanagh publicly denied the online rumours about unvetted males being housed at the property. I've had a number of calls today in relation to Ennismore in Montenotte. I wish to clarify, with 100% certainty, that there are currently NO plans in place to accommodate Anyone at all in the old Dominicans Building in Ennismore. Rumours currently circulating are 100% FALSE. pic.twitter.com/WiIyDGNto8 Cllr. Joe Kavanagh (@Joekavanaghcork) January 15, 2024 Mr Kavanagh posted online: There are currently no plans in place to accommodate anyone at all in the old Dominicans building in Ennismore. Rumours currently circulating are 100% false", while Mr Maher said the false news is incorrect and unhelpful. Did their denials go too far? Perhaps they were trying to ease local concerns or Roscrea and recent arson attacks were on their minds. But it could be argued the council, and the buildings owners, should have been more forthcoming, especially now we know the department was "at an advanced stage" of talks with the building owners about using the site for Ukrainians. The council has since insisted that it provided factual information. But by Monday afternoon, everything changed, with official confirmation from the Department of Integration the property had been offered to it for accommodation, that "discussions with the provider are at an advanced stage", that the property was being assessed, and that the city council "have been consulted on the suitability of this accommodation". Within minutes, there were calls online for the protest to begin immediately. Aaron Joyce from Waterford, Jason Arthur Kelly from the Glen, and Anthony Cody from Fermoy, at Monday's protest. Picture: Chani Anderson By 7pm, a crowd of between 100 and 200 people had gathered outside the property. They were addressed by several individuals associated with previous anti-immigrant and library protests, some from Fermoy, Waterford and Tipperary. Some speakers tried to frame the protest as anti-Government, not anti-immigrant, with calls for the property to be used to house Irish homeless people. But live streams of the event, one of which has been viewed almost 40,000 times, platformed racist comments. By Tuesday morning, the department said following a full review, it was no longer considering the property. It has been asked what changed since Monday, and if it is still considering the property for IPA accommodation. A response is awaited. Whatever happens next, Mr Gould said the debacle had damaged the ability of local communities and elected public representatives to identify potential accommodation centres to and to help integrate new arrivals. People in this area are very welcoming. There are a number of accommodation centres in the area already, and they were occupied without fuss, and the people have integrated well, he said. The vast majority of people who were at that protest on Monday were angry about a promised primary healthcare centre not being delivered in Mayfield, about certain regeneration projects not happening, about the slow delivery of social housing in the area. It was the anger of not knowing what was happening, of social media going crazy, then the differing reports. It was shambolic. Independent councillor Ken OFlynn said it was unacceptable that elected public representatives were kept in the dark. This lack of transparency led to anger and upset within the community, he said. Finance Minister Michael McGrath has brought forward legislation that will mean local communities will be able to make the case to the Central Bank to have an ATM installed in their area under new access to cash legislation. The Central Bank will then be able to order the three main banks to roll out an ATM if is felt that there is a particular "local deficiency". The Access to Cash laws will ensure people can withdraw money and do not have to travel long distances to an ATM. The bill breaks the country into eight geographical areas and sets out regional criteria for the minimum numbers of ATMs per 100,000 people, as well as the proportion within 10km of a cash service point, be it through banks or post offices. Mr McGrath, who brought the measures to Cabinet, added that even where the distance and population criteria are met, the Central Bank will still have the power to compel banks to install or reinstate cash machines. He said: "If the community feels 'well, we're not presently adequately served, we don't have an ATM for whatever reason an ATM is a good distance away or given the topography of an area for example it is difficult to access one then there will be a mechanism whereby the central bank can carry out an assessment of the local deficiency." The Central Bank will then be able to compel the three pillar banks to put cash facilities in place. Unified Patent Court Meanwhile, a third referendum is to held this year after Cabinet agreed to draft wording for a poll on Ireland joining the Unified Patent Court (UPC). If the referendum is passed, it will mean companies will need only one patent instead of 27 for any products they sell in the EU. The UPC is the common patent court of 17 countries across the EU and only opened in June of last year. The referendum is to be held alongside the European and local elections in June. It will be the third referendum this year as the public will be asked to vote on the role of women in the home and care referendums in two separate referendums on March 8. The UPC will provide a one-stop-shop for patent litigation, with patent decisions of the court binding in all participating EU states. The Government believes it will reduce the costs of maintaining a unitary patent. If successful, the referendum would see Ireland setting up a local division of the Court and would bring many benefits for businesses. It would cost less than 4,700 to maintain a unitary patent for an average lifetime of 10 years, down from about 30,000 today. Justice Minister Helen McEntee briefed her Cabinet colleagues to note the extension of the Greentown Programme by three years which works to intervene between crime gangs and the children and young people they recruit. It aims to frustrate the grooming and disrupt the networks. The Government has refused to immediately join South Africa in a genocide case against Israel, despite mounting political pressure including from within its own ranks. Tanaiste Micheal Martin has told the Dail he believes an Arab peace deal based on a two-state solution can be reached in the coming weeks after meeting with Arab counterparts this week. However, he said that we must be credible when we engage with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and should not join any case for political reasons, but to succeed before the court. Mr Martin said a decision on the provisional measures that South Africa has requested will be made by early February and this will be analysed carefully by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Following this analysis and consultation, the Government will make a decision on whether to intervene and, if so, on what legal basis, said Mr Martin. As I have made clear, interventions by states are not about joining one side or another. Rather, they aim to assert a legal interpretation of the issue at hand. During a Dail debate on the ongoing bombardment of Gaza, which to date has taken the lives of more than 25,000 Palestinians, minister of state Joe OBrien said he wants Ireland to join the South African case. I strongly feel that as soon as possible after the court announces its preliminary measures within the next week that Ireland, as a state, should join the case, said Mr OBrien. We will support any decision of the ICJ on preliminary measures, which are final and binding on the parties concerned. We urge all parties to the convention on genocide to do the same. Calling on the Government to join the case, Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said South Africa has shown what it means to lead and has demonstrated what it means to stand for humanity against genocide. 'Hedging its bets' She said it is disgraceful that the Government would still equivocate and still hedge its bets. Echoing this call, Labour leader Ivana Bacik said around 1% of the entire population of Gaza has been killed since the brutal Hamas attack on October 7. Earlier in the day, Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns asked if the Government is waiting for the death toll to reach 30,000, 40,000, or 50,000 people before it acts. It is obvious the Government does not wish to use or even contemplate the word genocide when it comes to Israels actions in Gaza," she said. "That is why it is refusing to take a stance now and signal its support for South Africa at the Court of Justice. It wants to wait until it has the cover of the preliminary ruling and then it will consider its options. This approach lacks courage. Theres a great public institution in Dublin that seldom gets much of a mention. Its 110 years old, has been located in the same building more or less since the beginning, and it provides phenomenal services to the people of Dublin and beyond. It describes itself as a centre of excellence in care, in education, and in research, and in my direct experience it sure is. Its the Dublin Dental Hospital. Im very proud of the fact that it was my former colleague Brendan Howlin who rescued the hospital from a long period of neglect and in-fighting. It desperately needed investment, but the Department of Health didnt want to know, because it was a teaching establishment almost inside the gates of Trinity College. The Department of Education, on the other hand, said nothing to do with us its a healthcare place. Brendan overruled his own department (he was minister for health at the time), and told them to get on with it. Its thriving now, and producing great work. Its a good example of how political focus and determination can get an important job done. You gather the relevant people around the table and you keep the conversation going until responsibility is accepted. And you make it clear that this project is your agenda now you, the minister and you wont be letting up until its sorted. This is all a slightly roundabout way of telling you why Ive been watching so much inappropriate television. Well, not high-brow television anyway. About a year ago I started going into the Dental Hospital to support a friend whose health was in decline, and had a chance to watch them work. I ended up asking them for help myself, because Ive been fighting a losing battle with gum disease. There was a wait, of course, but once I was accepted and assessed, the work started. Everyone Ive met in the Dental Hospital, over a lot of visits, has been warm, courteous, and superbly professional. I wont name names, but I reckon Ive been dealing with the Leonardo da Vinci of dentures and the Michelangelo of extractions. Right now, Im recovering from a pretty dramatic bit of surgery on my lower jaw carried out last Friday. Ill spare you the details in case youre having your breakfast, other than to say I felt nothing at the time, but I really wish anaesthesia didnt wear off till the swelling goes down! A couple more visits, mind you, and I expect to be available for modelling assignments. But the last few days have been about piling in the paracetamol and lying on the couch. Which is how I came to be watching First Dates Ireland. Which is how I got to know Bel and Sam. I know if I try to describe them Ill make a bags of it (its an age thing!), so Ill rely on what the RTE website had to say about their meeting. Its another night in the First Dates hotel, and the scene was set for deep connections, moving conversations and, in this case, plenty of sex positivity. Tonights episode saw genderqueer, non-binary, bisexual, and polyamorous civil servant Bel, 30, from Wicklow meets pansexual Dublin hairdresser and self-described adult emo, Sam, 28. I understand some of those words. Mind you, I had to look up what an adult emo is. Youll be delighted to know that its a person who still has goth-like tastes in adult life. Theres all sorts online about it even a few websites that sell adult emo T-shirts. Im thinking of ordering one with a couple of embracing skeletons (if they do extra large sizes). But enough about me. Bel and Sam were honest, open, fun, brilliant young people. They talked about the relationship between gender, body dysmorphia, and mental health. Bel preferred to use the term coming home rather than coming out, but was absolutely determined to embrace their identity. If being stared at or even sneered at is the consequence of being able to live my authentic life and just be happy, Im here, Ill take that any day, Bel said. I was really impressed with the two of them. But two things kept occurring to me. First of all, Im a good deal older than Bel and Sam. But Ive known people in my life that dealt with the same issues of marginalisation and discrimination that they have. It was a long time ago and they endured the most appalling pressure to keep their feelings and their identity secret. Being gay was seen as a sin and a crime in those days, but non-binary? Even if the term non-binary had existed then, notions of transsexuality were completely outlawed. In those days, being a woman in a mans body (or vice versa) was the loneliest possible place to be. But even today there are still people who are terrified of what Bel and Sam stand for. Google words such as trans or search for them on X and youll find all sorts of hate. There are parts of the world now (including parts of the US), where discussion of gender identity is forbidden. Libraries in Ireland have been invaded by people trying to burn or destroy books about gender identity. There is a whole gender politics now, a belief on the one side that people ought to be allowed to be whatever they want, and on the other that this is just some kind of ideology, some sort of warped attempt to undermine and attack women. The dialogue is constantly framed as an attack on womens rights, and theres a sort of underlying assumption that men (in particular) who want to change gender are only doing it to take advantage of women. At any level, that has to be nonsense. No one would set out on a journey that guaranteed they would be marginalised and discriminated against unless they couldnt live any longer with the way things were. They do it because they have to. I had a friend years ago (but still in this century!) who had to pluck up the courage to come out to his father as gay at the age of 20. His father hit him twice on the side of the head, and told him to pick himself up off the floor and get the eff out of the house. That friend has been a really valuable member of his community our community ever since. Hes never spoken to his father since that day. According to the Dublin Pride website, Ireland ranks worst in the EU for trans healthcare, the ILGA Rainbow map only ranks us as the 16th best place in Europe to be LGBT+, many children of LGBT+ parents are left without protection and legal recognition, and violence against LGBT+ people has increased in recent years. And yet we pride ourselves on the fact that we were the first country to decide by popular vote in favour of equal marriage. You can be anything you like, it seems. Except different. If youre different, you get judged, feared, maybe even hated. Certainly discriminated against and shoved aside. For absolutely no reason whatsoever. Except for being different. Thats your crime. From January 2020 to December 2022, Pennsylvania hospitals reported an overall revenue loss of $8.1 billion associated with COVID-19, according to the latest report from a state agency watchdog of Pennsylvanias health care system. The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council, or PHC4, released a report this month that detailed the financial, institutional and overall toll the pandemic has taken on the state from 2020 through 2022. Of that $8.1 billion, staffing expenses were a significant portion, adding up to $1.3 billion. Additional factors, including $679 million in supplies and equipment, contributed to the overall cost. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified workforce shortages throughout the health care sector, with hospitals reporting average statewide vacancy rates of more than 30% at the end of 2022, the report said. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified these challenges, increasing burnout among health care workers and accelerating retirements. Workforce shortages and rising violence and abuse targeting health care workers have further compounded the strain on hospital teams. The report also said that, while the pandemic negatively affected hospitals and their staff, there were some bright spots. According to the report, Pennsylvania hospitals either directly or indirectly supported 590,000 jobs, or approximately 1 in every 10 jobs. This includes directly employing more than 267,000 Pennsylvanians in a wide variety of jobs, providing nearly $17.9 billion in wages, salaries and benefits. In addition to the financial cost that COVID-19 posed to Pennsylvania, the report examines hospitalizations for the disease and the vaccination rate in the state. In Cumberland County, 4,355 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 and COVID-related symptoms from March 2020 to December 2022. The most common symptom seen in patients was sepsis. By Sept. 12, 2023, the number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered per person was 2.2 in Pennsylvania, while it was 2.0 nationwide, the report said. Pennsylvania ranks as the 24th state with the highest number of doses administered per person. Recently, Cumberland County has seen one of the higher percentages of the population with updated (bivalent) booster doses, with 21.5% as of May 2023. The full 50-page report can be found at PHC4.org under COVID-19: The Impact on Health Care in Pennsylvania. As the clock counts down to June 6, when Limerick chooses Irelands first directly-elected Mayor, where are the candidates? Is the final legislation with watered-down mayoral powers deterring potential candidates? Many Limerick citizens are growing increasingly concerned that this potentially transformative moment will be another missed opportunity for the county. While local election candidates are all nominated, agreed, and beginning to canvas, there is still no live race for the office of Mayor. In 2019, Limerick voted for local government reform when other cities declined. Limerick citizens voted to change how the council does its business and whose interests it represents, choosing instead a more progressive system of local decision-making based on the principle of subsidiarity. The people of Limerick voted for transparency and accountability and the ability to vote out politicians that do not put the needs of the City, County and its people first. Limerick has a multitude of challenges, including soaring housing waiting lists, a staggering under-delivery on new homes, a pervasive issue with dereliction in the city centre and older neighbourhoods, as well as some of the highest residential and commercial vacancy rates in the country. The prospect of city centre housing remains a utopian dream, as does the concept of making Limerick a child-friendly city. In this post-homeownership society that Michael Byrne, Professor of Social Policy in UCD, describes as being rooted in generational and class-based inequality, the future looks increasingly precarious for young working-class families, facing increasing rents, childcare costs, energy and food costs. In recent years Limerick city and county has recorded some of the highest levels of deprivation in the country, at a time of unprecedented regional investment in social and physical renewal under the Regeneration Programme. Even the most rudimentary return on investment analysis raises questions about what and how Limerick keeps missing the mark when it comes to better outcomes for its citizens. In the background looms humanitys planetary crisis, disproportionately hitting those on low incomes or trapped in cyclical poverty. For many burdened with increasing costs of living, measures to avert the climate crisis become peripheral to or beyond their reach. Those calling for climate mitigation measures, are vilified for being out of touch with the present challenges people face and consequently ignored. Issues such as air quality and livable, accessible cities where children and older people are safe to walk, cycle and play become niche and sidelined when these very ideas are at the centre of thriving cities across the world. These divisions only serve to highlight the frailty of the notion of a common good or the true social order of equality, as set out in our constitution. These issues have been discussed nationally, regionally and locally and promises made but who is ultimately responsible in a Local Authority where the decision-makers are unelected? What happens when targets go unmet and the city continues to decline, with footfall hollowed out and small retail businesses closing? Why are we still wedded to offering red carpet treatment to the (rapidly disappearing) British high street chains to the detriment of local traders? The beating heart of Limerick currently is commercial office development, with an abundance of commercial space developed in recent years and more planned. Its as though Limerick is a place where people drive to work and leave again at 5pm, having extracted enough to keep FDI and those with vested interests happy. The Opera Centre is a clear example of Limericks commercial ambitions, yet this development, which received regeneration funding to ensure accommodation was contained in the plan, will provide a paltry sum of 16 units of accommodation. While other cities are looking to convert disused commercial space to residential, Limerick continues to predominantly develop office space in the city centre. The LDAs Colbert Quarter, an ambitious city housing development appears to have shut its doors, as though it was a fleeting dream. The Cleeves site continues to remain vacant without any meanwhile use, except when the circus comes to town. This key waterfront property could be a creative hub for artists from all over the city and county, whilst city planners take decades to settle on its long-term use. Because of the five years it has taken to finally set a date for this election with so much local authority prevarication and distrust, and lack of awareness at voter level, there is a real risk that this potentially transformative role causes further damage to Limerick, to its social and economic future and to levels of democratic engagement. While much of the potential of the role will unfold slowly as the new mayor takes office and the local government structures re-arrange themselves around him or her, it is crucial that the people of Limerick are given a real opportunity to discuss and debate what they want from a mayor and what they really want for the future of their city and county. Read More Legislation outlines roles and responsibilities for Limerick's new directly elected mayor Five children have died in a house fire in northern Indiana in the US. A sixth is being treated in hospital for burns after being airlifted to Indianapolis. Authorities are hunting for a man who shot and killed eight people across three locations in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The suspect remains at large. Police in Will County and the city of Joliet said they did not know of a motive for the killings. Joliet Police Chief William Evans did say the victims were known to the suspect, named as 23-year-old Romeo Nance. Ive been a policeman 29 years, and this is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Mr Evans said during a news conference outside the Joliet homes on Monday evening. One victim was found on Sunday, with the remaining seven discovered on Monday at three separate locations, authorities said. Police also believe another shooting in Joliet that wounded a man on Sunday is connected to the attacks. Mr Evans added that the victims found on Monday in the houses were family members. The FBIs Fugitive Task Force is assisting local police in the search for the suspect. Emergency services have also warned the community on social media that the man should be considered armed and dangerous. Joliet Police said in a Facebook post on Monday afternoon that they were investigating multiple people found dead. It also shared the mans photo and images of a vehicle, identifying the car as a red Toyota Camry. The Will County Sheriffs Office also shared images of the same car on Facebook on Monday and said it had been seen at the scenes of two separate shootings on Sunday afternoon. Will County Chief Deputy Dan Jungles said during the news conference that police deputies had been staking out one of the houses since Sunday evening in case the suspect in the first fatal shooting they discovered returned to them. Mr Jungles said he did not have any indication yet of how long the people in the houses had been dead and that autopsies are pending. A man suspected of shooting and killing eight people in suburban Chicago is believed to have fatally shot himself after a confrontation with law enforcement officials in Texas, police said. Police in Joliet, Illinois, said on Facebook that at about 8.30pm local time on Monday, 23-year-old Romeo Nance was located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas, and that Nance shot himself after a confrontation. Nance is suspected of fatally shooting eight people at three locations in the Chicago suburbs, sparking a search that left neighbours on edge earlier on Monday as police warned he was still on the loose and should be considered armed and dangerous. Police in Will County in Illinois and Joliet previously said they did not know of a motive for the killings, but said Nance knew the victims. Romeo Nance shot himself dead after being confronted by law enforcement (Joliet Police Department via AP) The FBIs fugitive task force had been assisting local police in the search for the suspect, Joliet Police Chief William Evans said. The victims were found on Sunday and Monday at three separate residences, authorities told reporters at a news conference earlier on Monday evening. One of the people killed was found on Sunday in a home in Will County. Seven others were found on Monday at two homes on the same block in Joliet, located about six miles (9.6 kilometres) north west of the scene police discovered first. Authorities said they also believe Nance was connected to another shooting in Joliet that wounded a man on Sunday but would not discuss their evidence. Ive been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Mr Evans said during a news conference outside the Joliet homes on Monday evening. Will County Chief Deputy Dan Jungles said during the Monday news conference that deputies had been staking out one of the houses since Sunday evening in case Nance, the suspect in the first fatal shooting they discovered, returned to them. Nances last known address was one of the homes, police said. When no one showed, deputies finally went to the door of one of the houses. No one answered so they crossed the street to the other house, which they knew was linked to the first house and found the first bodies. Five bodies were found in one house and two bodies were found in the other. Mr Jungles said he did not have any indication yet of how long the people in the houses had been dead. He said that autopsies were pending. Mr Evans said the victims found on Monday in the houses were family members. Asked if the victims were members of the suspects family, Mr Jungles said he could not comment except to say that the suspect knew them. A university student tried to fight off a killer as he was carrying out a deliberate and merciless attack on her friend while they walked home after an end-of-term night out, a court has heard. Grace OMalley-Kumar, 19, showed incredible bravery after Valdo Calocane, 32, pulled a dagger out of his bag and started repeatedly stabbing her friend Barnaby Webber in Ilkeston Road in Nottingham in the early hours of June 13 last year, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Tuesday. Trying to protect Barnaby, also 19, from the brutal attack just 200 metres away from where they were heading, Grace tried to fight off Calocane, pushing him away and into the road. The killer then turned his attention to her and was as uncompromisingly brutal in his assault of Grace as he was in his assault of Barnaby, prosecutor Karim Khalil KC said. Family members in the public gallery sobbed as Mr Khalil told the court Graces injuries were too severe and she collapsed as Barnaby tried to defend himself from the ground, kicking out at his attacker, before Calocane calmly walked away. Grace's mother is Dublin-born Dr Sinead O'Malley who is now based in the UK. Barnaby Webber also died in the attack (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) Mr Khalil said much of the attack was captured on CCTV footage from the dash-cam of a taxi which was parked overlooking the road, and also from a mobile telephone of a neighbour. That footage shows that the devastating violence of the attacks was mirrored only by the deliberate and merciless way the defendant acted, Mr Khalil said. Police and paramedics arrived at the scene within minutes but both Barnaby and Graces injuries were unsurvivable. Post-mortem examinations showed they both suffered multiple stab wounds to the chest and abdomen and had defensive stab wounds to their hands and arms. Less than an hour after the attack, Calocane, whose last known address was in Burford Road in Nottingham, called his brother and told him: This will be the last time I speak to you. Take the family out of the country. The court heard his brother asked him if he was going to do something stupid, to which he replied: It is already done. Calocane then made his way from the scene of the initial double killing to a residential hostel in Mapperley Road, where he arrived at about 5am. Prosecutors have accepted Calocanes pleas of not guilty to murder and guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to mental illness (Nottinghamshire Police/PA) At 5.04am he sought to gain access to the premises through ground floor windows, but retreated after being confronted by an occupant who punched him in the face. Ian Coates, 65, was driving a Vauxhall van in nearby Magdala Road and was repeatedly stabbed, suffering wounds to his abdomen and chest, at about 5.14am. Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told the court: The defendant then took Ian Coates van, leaving him for dead. Mr Coates was discovered by members of the public shortly after 5.30am, found to be unresponsive and was pronounced dead shortly after paramedics and police arrived. Calocane, who the court heard was suffering a serious mental illness at the time, is being sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court after his earlier guilty pleas to three counts of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility were accepted by prosecutors. He also pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted murder after using the stolen van to run over three pedestrians. The hearing continues. The chief executive of United Airlines has said he is disappointed in ongoing manufacturing problems at Boeing that have led to the grounding of dozens of his companys jetliners, and that the airline will consider alternatives to buying a future, larger version of the Boeing 737 Max. United Airlines boss Scott Kirby said that Boeing needed real action to restore its previous reputation for quality. Mr Kirbys comments came a day after United disclosed that it expected to lose money in the first three months of this year because of the grounding of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. United has 79 of these planes, which federal regulators grounded more than two weeks ago after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the plane. I'm disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing Investigators are looking into whether bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing or broke off. Mr Kirby said on CNBC that he believed the Max 9s could be cleared to fly again soon, but Im disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing. At times over the past few years, manufacturing flaws have held up deliveries of Max jets and a larger Boeing plane, the 787. Last year, United received 24 fewer Boeing aircraft than it expected. United has a standing order for Max 10 jets, a larger version of the Max line. But that model and a smaller one, the Max 7, are years behind schedule for being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The grounding of the Max 9 jets is likely to further complicate Boeings drive to get the new models approved. I think this is the straw - the Max 9 grounding - is probably the straw that broke the camel's back for us. We're going to at least build a plan that doesn't have the Max 10 in it Mr Kirby said the Max 10 was at least five years behind schedule and could be pushed further into the future. I think this is the straw the Max 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camels back for us, he told CNBC. Were going to at least build a plan that doesnt have the Max 10 in it. Mr Kirby wasnt specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there was only one other global manufacturer of such large planes Boeings European rival Airbus. Doing without the Max 10 would probably mean United would not grow as fast as it had hoped, Mr Kirby added. The developer behind a future solar farm just south of the town of Orange has been emphatic that its project is not just a business investment in the area but a community good. As part of that commitment, Maitland, Florida-based ESA Solar has awarded $10,000 to two Orange County nonprofit organizations as part of its community grant programming. The recipients, awarded $5,000 each, were the Childrens Toy Box, a volunteer-run organization that provides Christmas gifts to local children in low-income families, and the James Madison Museum, the first museum dedicated to the nations fourth president and the father of the Constitution. The Toy Box told The Daily Progress that it has pooled the $5,000 from the ESA with an additional $10,000 donated from nearby churches to order 325 $50 Food Lion gift cards. The cards are restricted, meaning goods such as alcohol, tobacco and lottery tickets cannot be purchased, but all other groceries can. The Toy Box handed out the gift cards, along with presents, to families in need on Dec. 16. You have never seen so much emotion, the groups founder and President Donna Waugh-Robinson told The Daily Progress. The ESA grant made a big difference, Waugh-Robinson said. Her organization first started distributing gift cards in 2022, but was able to order more this past December thanks to the grant money. With three Food Lions in Orange County, the grocer is the primary source of food for some residents. Im just thankful for the opportunity to do the gift cards, said Waugh-Robinson. We are a food insecure community and our local food banks are hit pretty hard. The James Madison Museum said it plans to use its money to support ongoing conservation and educational programs in the area. Were very appreciative of ESA for selecting us for the grant, museum President Jessica Cifizzari told The Daily Progress. Were very excited to see them working with so many community organizations and putting money into things that give back to the Orange County community. Some of the museums current initiatives include preservation efforts at Grassland, a historic Orange County estate owned by the Faudree family in the 1900s. The Faudrees operated a general store, post office and telephone company out of Grassland, and the James Madison Museum is working to preserve the telephone system. The museum is also undertaking an oral history project of the county and partnering with the Orange County Chamber of Commerce to celebrate its centenary. ESA said that before awarding grant money it looks for nonprofit organizations that embody one of four characteristics: community revitalization, environmental sustainability, education support or healthy living. Since its founding in 2017, ESA co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Justin Vandenbroeck estimated the clean energy company has donated roughly a quarter of a million dollars through its grant program. ESA implements the grant program with each of its solar projects that span across 22 states. The company, which was ranked as the No. 1 solar developer in Florida by Solar Power World in 2023, has permitted nine renewable energy projects in the commonwealth since 2021, all in the Southside area to date. Anytime were investing in small communities, we always try to ensure the economic benefits extend beyond our company, Vandenbroeck told The Daily Progress. One of the things weve learned is any time youre trying to ensure the economic benefits are extended to the community, you have to do community outreach and build partnerships. Aside from fulfilling its philanthropic values, ESAs grant program allows the company to connect with those in the community who stand to gain the most from its solar projects. ESAs Orange Road Solar Farm, a 35-acre plot off of James Madison Highway, is expected to produce electricity for roughly 1,000 low- to moderate-income households in the area as a part of the Virginia Shared Solar Program. The General Assembly passed the Shared Solar Program in 2020 to increase low- to moderate-income households access to clean energy, which the law defines as no more than 80 percent of the median income of the locality in which the customer resides. As a five megawatt project, ESAs Orange project hits the states maximum capacity for a community solar farm. If Dominion Energy consumers in Orange County subscribe to the solar farm, the program allows them to save a minimum of 10% on their electricity bill. As good as it sounds, the challenging part is reaching those who are eligible, according to Vandenbroeck. ESA recognized early on that establishing relationships with local nonprofit groups can help spread the message among people in the low- to moderate-income bracket of shared solars reduced rates, according to Vandenbroeck. This type of charitable outreach that ESA has intertwined with its projects is often as important to the success of a solar farm as the construction and other planning elements when it comes to garnering community support. Solar projects, particularly in rural Virginia, have experienced significant local backlash in the past few years. Residents have protested energy developments based on aesthetic, environmental and other arguments despite the legislative push for more clean energy. A 59-acre solar facility proposal was struck down in Madison County in July and, a month prior, a large-scale farm in Dinwiddie County faced enough community opposition that the company withdrew its bid with the countys planning commission. These projects planned to cover more acreage than the Orange Road Solar Farm. However, ESAs approach of engaging in conversations with the community and ensuring locals also see economic benefits has managed to ease this process, according to Vandenbroeck. One of our company values is to leave places better than you found it, said Vandenbroeck. Theres some people in our industry who struggle with that aspect, but I couldnt imagine trying to do a project without talking to a single person. Its much more advantageous to build relationships and take peoples concerns into consideration so that you can have a project that makes people happy. The Orange Road Solar Farm is currently waiting on a special use permit from the Orange County Planning Commission. The company hopes to obtain the permit sometime this spring and begin construction by the end of 2024. Construction is expected to take roughly four to six months. Tuesday, Jan 23rd, 2024 (12:01 am) - Score 4,440 Network builder and UK ISP Pine Media, which has been steadily deploying their own gigabit speed Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband infrastructure across parts of South Yorkshire, Kent and rural Derbyshire, has informed ISPreview that part of their network in Sheffield was recently hit by what appears to be a targeted attack. According to the companys Founder and CEO, Will Dear, part of the operators underground network was attacked in Sheffield on Saturday 13th January at 8:01pm. As a result, around 200 customers in the local area suffered connectivity problems. But thankfully, most of the issues were resolved within the space of 24-hours, except two leased lines that were cut too short by the attack and required extensive work to re-instate. PICTURED: Pine Media engineer holding up the damaged underground spine joint. The area of the attack is covered by a number of CCTV cameras that belong to some of Pine Medias customers, which the police will no doubt be studying as part of their investigation. The cameras revealed that the attacker was in and out within just 5 minutes, lifting the lid on their underground chamber and rummaging deep into the space below to cut five cables severing a spine joint (pictured). The box is shared with a number of other network operators, such as ITS Technology and Openreach, and Pine Medias kit was deeper below most of that (hard to reach). But despite this, only Pine Medias infrastructure suffered any damage and as a result the operator has not ruled out the possibility of this being targeted criminal damage. Similarly, nothing appears to have been stolen (this kind of kit doesnt hold much value), it was purely damage. The news comes not long after another network operator, Ogi, suffered a much more significant attack against its own infrastructure in South Wales (here). The big challenge in all this is that theres not a lot operators can do to mitigate the risk of recurrence, particularly when anybody so inclined can easily buy the necessary lifter and very few of Openreachs PIA (physical infrastructure access) accessible chambers are locked. In any case, locks have their caveats too (e.g. they degrade, create complications with access for other engineers and can still be broken etc.). Shelton, CT January 23, 2024 As the ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW (one of the largest and longest-running business technology events) fast approaches, we are pleased to announce the addition of Optimum Business to the already impressive lineup of exhibitors and sponsors. ITEXPO, celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2024, once again projects total attendance of more than 7,000 business and technology professionals. OPTIMUM BUSINESS will showcase their innovations and contribute to the dynamic discussions shaping the future of business technology. Details: Event Name: ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW Dates: February 13-15, 2024 Location: Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale, Florida Event Website: https://www.itexpo.com Exhibitor Company: OPTIMUM BUSINESS Exhibitor Booth Number: #727J Exhibitor Website: www.optimum.com/business/agents Media Opportunities at the ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW: Explore innovations and new releases from more than 400 exhibitors. Conduct interviews with company representatives. Gain insights into the latest business technology trends, including AI, automation and new contact center technologies. For Media Inquiries or Press Passes: Michelle Connolly Senior Marketing Manager [email protected] Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [ Free eNews Subscription Share this Page Tweet Share Edited by Alex Passett TUESDAY, JAN. 23 Trivia Night at the Southern with host Nate Scholz: 8 p.m., cafe opens at 7 p.m., the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, (434) 977-5590, no cover. VAFF at Violet Crown series screening of Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros: 6 p.m., Violet Crown Charlottesville, (434) 529-3000. WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24 Early Eyes with Mega Mango and Tel Peel: 8 p.m., doors open at 7:30 p.m., cafe opens at 7 p.m., the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, (434) 977-5590, $22, $17 advance. THURSDAY, JAN. 25 Julius Caesar: 7:30 p.m., Blackfriars Playhouse at American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, (877) MUCH-ADO, $68-$63. UVa Division for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Presents: Community MLK Celebration with the Rev. Dr. William Joseph Barber II: 6 p.m., Paramount Theater, (434) 979-1333, free. FRIDAY, JAN. 26 Julius Caesar: 7:30 p.m., Blackfriars Playhouse at American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, (877) MUCH-ADO, $63-$58. Chickenhead Blues Band: 6-8:30 p.m., Glass House Winery, (434) 975-0094, no cover. The Legwarmers: The Ultimate 80s Tribute: 9 p.m., doors open at 8 p.m., Jefferson Theater, (800) 594-8499, $25, $22 advance, general admission, all ages. The Rainmakers: 5 p.m., Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery and Tap 29 Brewery in Leon, (800) 800-WINE, no cover. LYAO Comedy Showcase hosted by Chris Alan: Featuring comedians Colby Knight, Sophia Belletti, Taylor Knight, Randolph Washington Jr., Amanda Fitz and Jemar ONeal, 8 p.m., doors at 7:30 p.m., the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, (434) 977-5590, $15, $12 advance, $40 for ticket four-pack, general admission seated show with standing room for latecomers, must be 18 or older. Three Notchd Road: The Virginia Baroque Ensemble: Clarinet Quintet: Mozarts Viennese Heritage, 7:30 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, (434) 409-3424, $30, free for youths and students. The Brit Pack: 7:30 p.m., Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro, (540) 943-9999, $29. SATURDAY, JAN. 27 Rockfish Wildlife Sanctuary Meet and Greet: 1:30-2:30 p.m., Albemarle CiderWorks, (434) 297-2326, no cover, donations welcome. Julius Caesar: 7:30 p.m., Blackfriars Playhouse at American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, (877) MUCH-ADO, $73-$67. Live Music in the Orchard: Cville Jazz Congregation: 2:30-4:30 p.m., Albemarle CiderWorks, (434) 297-2326, no cover. Vinyl Day at the Vineyard: 1-5 p.m., DuCard Vineyards in Etlan, (540) 923-4206, no cover, reservations recommended. Bring your favorite albums. Three Notchd Road: The Virginia Baroque Ensemble: Clarinet Quintet: Mozarts Viennese Heritage, 7:30 p.m., Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Greenwood, (434) 409-3424, $30, free for youths and students. Whole Theatre and Charlottesville Players Guild: 24/7, 7 and 9:30 p.m., Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, (434) 260-8720, $40 VIP, $20 general admission, $15 limited seats. Hot in Herre: 2000s Dance Party: 9 p.m., doors open at 9 p.m., Jefferson Theater, (800) 594-8499, $20, $18 advance, $16 early bird, must be 18 or older. Met Live in HD: Carmen: 12;55 p.m., Paramount Theater, (434) 979-1333, $26, $24 seniors, $20 students. Matt Johnson: 1 p.m., Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery and Tap 29 Brewery in Leon, (800) 800-WINE, no cover. Fig & the Newtons: 5 p.m., Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery and Tap 29 Brewery in Leon, (800) 800-WINE, no cover. Man Overboard! Will Overman and Justin Wells: 8 p.m., doors at 7:30 p.m., the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, (434) 977-5590, $20, $15 advance, $48 for ticket four-pack, general admission seated with standing room for late arrivals, all ages. Note: As a result of a scheduling conflict, Wells is performing in the absence of John Baumann. SUNDAY, JAN. 28 Silent Book Club: 7-9 p.m., Orchard Room at Albemarle CiderWorks, (434) 297-2326, free. Ty Burkhardt: 2-5 p.m., Glass House Winery, (434) 975-0094, no cover. Three Notchd Road: The Virginia Baroque Ensemble: Clarinet Quintet: Mozarts Viennese Heritage, 4 p.m., Grace Episcopal Church in Keswick, (434) 409-3424, $30, free for youths and students. The Record Company Roll with It Tour with Jesse Ahearn: 8 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m., Jefferson Theater, (800) 594-8499, $25, $22 advance, all ages. Live music: 1 p.m., Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery and Tap 29 Brewery in Leon, (800) 800-WINE, no cover. Music Open Mic hosted by Theocles: 5:30 p.m., cafe opens at 5 p.m., the Southern Cafe and Music Hall, (434) 977-5590, no cover, all ages. Sign up in advance to guarantee your slot. Two songs or 10 minutes per performer, whichever comes first. The Wool Factory Wine Fest: Noon-4 p.m., The Wool Factory, (434) 270-0555, $30, $25 advance. MONDAY, JAN. 29 Monday Night Trivia with Brandon The Trivia Guy Hamilton: 7 p.m., Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery and Tap 29 Brewery in Leon, (800) 800-WINE, no cover. Monday Movies: Never on Sunday: 2 and 7 p.m., Wayne Theatre in Waynesboro, (540) 943-9999, $75-$10. A rising tide lifts all boats. It was a favorite saying of the late David King, owner of King Family Vineyards in Crozet, and its been adopted by George Hodson, CEO of Veritas Vineyard and Winery in neighboring Afton, as the unofficial slogan for the entire Virginia wine country that surrounds Charlottesville. The tide has indeed been rising in the Monticello American Viticultural Area, christened Wine Region of the Year last year by Wine Enthusiast magazine, and Hodson, who helps lead not only his family winery but a number of viticulture advocacy organizations, said he wants to make sure everyone has a chance to ride the wave. Its us versus everyone else, Hodson told The Daily Progress. We want each winery to produce the best wine they can, so were going to cooperate. Were unified in a way that very few wine regions are, and its a testament to who we are, why our quality has improved so much and where were eventually going to go. Son of Veritas founders, Andrew and Patricia Hodson, George Hodson joined the family business as general manager before he was named CEO in the summer of 2012. Instead of dedicating his time and energy exclusively to Veritas, George Hodson has worked the past decade to nurture the Central Virginia wine industry as a whole. He serves as president of two industry trade groups, the Monticello Wine Trail and the Virginia Wineries Association, as well as vice chair of the Virginia Wine Board, part of the state Department of Agriculture. He also served as a member of a small task force assembled by former Gov. Ralph Northam to reopen the commonwealths economy after the pandemic. Why branch out so broadly? His friends, family and colleagues say its because George Hodson recognizes that all wineries stand to gain from the success of the wine country. Something Ive noticed about George is hes always had the ability to understand the effect of decisions, Ben Jordan told The Daily Progress. Hes forward-thinking, and not just about maintaining the status quo, but seeing the direction that we need to go, and really working in support of that. Jordan is the co-founder of Common Wealth Crush, a Waynesboro-based operation that offers winemaking and other services in order to reduce the financial burden on independent winemakers and one of many businesses in the industry that has benefited from Hodsons work locally and in Richmond on behalf of Virginia wineries. My main impression is that hes very much the type of leader who understands that if you can better the industry as a whole, it helps everyone, said Jordan. Industrywide initiatives, instead of staying and working on his business, help make the industry be in a better, healthier place that helps everyone. Despite his family stake in one of the regions well-known wineries, George Hodson did not start out in the wine industry. He was working for a pharmaceutical company in Jacksonville, Florida, for roughly a decade before he decided he was ready to travel less and work harder on something a little more meaningful to him than surgical device sales. He moved his wife and children to Virginia in 2012 and joined the family firm at Veritas. It was an incredible opportunity to come to an exciting industry at a very early point in this industrys history, he told The Daily Progress. So I think it was really the opportunity to grow as a person and spend more time with family. There is more than just one Hodson child at Veritas. His older sister Emily Hodson is lead winemaker there, and his younger sister Chloe and her husband Elliott Watkins are project manager and assistant winemaker, respectively. When they arent at Veritas, the siblings are next door at Flying Fox Vineyard, originally established to supply grapes to Veritas but now a popular destination in its own right and co-owned by the Hodson siblings. I wasnt sure it was going to be right for him as his older sister, but I have to say, he is absolutely phenomenal at what he does, Emily Hodson told The Daily Progress. Not only with working proactively for the Virginia wine industry, but keeping the family involved, running the business and raising his hand wherever it needs to be raised to help in any capacity in the region. Emily Hodson described her brother as a 100-percenter who pays attention to the little details that arent on the radar of a lot of other winemakers, including herself. One of those little details was a piece of legislation, Virginia Senate Bill 983. The bill was signed into law on March 27 of last year without pomp and circumstance but had a significant impact on the commonwealths wine industry. Sponsored by Democratic state Sen. Monty Mason of Williamsburg, the bill modifies the way farm wineries are defined and issued licenses to include wine producers who may not have access to adequate vineyard land or the resources to invest in vineyard development infrastructure but still produce wine from Virginia grapes. Prior to the legislation, licenses were limited to farm wineries that fit a more traditional requirement of a farm and restricted the industrys ability to diversify. We had also seen the limitations of the existing law that precluded small and new producers from entering the market, said George Hodson. This new legislation provides a pathway for small, independent and new producers to begin making their wine and building a brand that lowers the barrier to entry. Knowing what needed to be fixed allowed us to do this in a way that doesnt require an emerging winemaker or winery to spend millions of dollars. George Hodson said he realized the critical role these smaller innovators play in diversifying and growing the industry. As president of the Virginia Wineries Association, he continues to work with association members and industry stakeholders to keep the farm in farm winery, a saying the group has adopted as its mission statement. The big thing is that we want our consumers and neighbors to know that Virginia wine is uniquely agriculture in the world of craft beverages, he said. Vineyards are farmland and the Virginia wine industry has put over 30,000 acres of farmland into the production and growth of the Virginia wine industry, that wont become neighborhoods or strip malls and we think that is a good thing. This bill ensures that we will continue to be supported by the state in our efforts to grow the industry. While his sister Emily is more interested in the details of the vintage than the details of legislation in Richmond, she said she knows how meaningful his work has been for the industry and those it employs, such as herself. His work was above and beyond the call of duty and really did protect our agrotourism and our ability to farm and continue farming as families, she said. Hes been such a good strong leader as far as putting ideas in place, making sure we have a voice and making sure were represented correctly. It also helped grow Virginia wine and our ability to keep doing that is part of the reason why we got Wine Region of the Year. That recent recognition is only the beginning for George Hodsons vision for the Monticello wine country. He wants to take advantage of the moment and the momentum to capture more national and international attention, until Virginia reaches the same status as Bordeaux, Tuscany and Napa Valley. Our goal is to build a wine region, said George Hodson. Our goal is to make the Charlottesville area, collectively, be known for what we put our passion and lives into: making great wine and growing great grapes. It should come as no surprise that his approach to this goal is to work from the ground up, ensuring newer vintners get their roots planted first so they can one day be as fruitful as Veritas. George Hodson said he tries to make himself accessible to newer winegrowers, inviting them into the industry groups he leads, sharing information with them and guiding them around pitfalls, allowing them to shortcut all of that trial and error that our family has done over the past 25 years. Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard in Keswick is one of the more recent benefactors of his mentorship. Considering how much traffic it sees today, it may be hard to believe that Guy and Elizabeth Pelly only purchased Merrie Mill and started planting vines four years ago. We had someone advise us when it came to planting vines and what variety, but when we started building the tasting room, we were lost, Elizabeth Pelly told The Daily Progress. George helped us with everything from how many bathrooms, how much parking, even what dishwasher we should use. The Pellys eventually started paying George Hodson for his consulting assistance, because we were using up so much of his time, she said. But even before money traded hands, he was providing open and honest feedback, she said, advising them on what he wished Veritas had done when its tasting room was constructed more than 20 years prior. Someone else might not give us all the top tips and secrets, but he just doesnt have that mentality, said Elizabeth Pelly. It was never a sense that Im not going to help because I want Veritas to be better than Merrie Mill. He wanted to set us up for success because he cares about the success of the whole region. George Hodson has also helped the Pellys and winemakers like them connect to colleagues in the local industry which was more of a challenge than one might imagine. Initially, admission into the Monticello Wine Trail was limited to vineyards that also produce their wine on-site. However, a variety of financial and experiential barriers can prevent small, upcoming vineyards from crushing and fermenting their own grapes. Merrie Mill grows grapes at its own vineyard but sends its harvest to Veritas, where Emily Hodson transforms the fruit into wine, bottles it and then ships it back to Merrie Mill to be sold. George Hodson adjusted the wine trails membership requirements to include wineries with off-site winemaking. Now, 12 of the 41 Wine Trail members produce wine off-site. We are definitely running a lot more efficiently because of George, said Elizabeth Pelly. We still reach out and ask questions when we need help. Hes just wonderful. For more than a year, local governments say Airbnb has been flouting Virginia law, refusing to send them basic tax information. Its noncompliance is frustrating those governments, who feel they have little recourse against the multibillion-dollar corporation, one of the largest platforms in the world for short- and long-term property rentals. Essentially, Airbnb is considering itself different than any other business that operates within the commonwealth of Virginia, that they essentially do not need to follow the same laws and rules that any other business that operate in Virginia follows, Maggie Ragon, Stauntons commissioner of revenue, told The Daily Progress. In October 2022, Virginia enacted a law requiring rental intermediaries such as Airbnb and Vrbo to submit to a locality the property addresses and gross receipts from the locations it operates out of each month. In other words, if Airbnb has rental locations in a jurisdiction, every month it must send local tax officials the address of each rental and the receipts of each transaction. Previously, this responsibility fell on individual rental hosts, in the same way that individual hotels are required to collect and pay lodging taxes. The 2022 law shifted that responsibility to intermediaries such as Airbnb. But according to localities across the commonwealth, so far, the company is refusing to comply. Its the same data wed expect from any host paying on their own behalf because we need to tie what is paid to what is owed, Todd Divers, Charlottesvilles commissioner of revenue, told The Daily Progress. With a normal taxpayer, you can see the receipts behind it. With these guys you got nothing. Its just a brick wall. Former Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer has served as Airbnbs North America policy director since 2022. Even though Airbnb is headquartered in San Francisco, Signer lived in Charlottesville until last year. He did not respond to repeated requests for comment from The Daily Progress. The Daily Progress did, however, hear from another Airbnb representative, who was quick to highlight that, importantly, the company is paying taxes. In the first six months after the law was implemented, Airbnb collected and remitted over $23 million in state and local hotel tax revenue to more than 200 localities across Virginia, Vincent Frillici, Airbnbs Virginia public policy manager, told The Daily Progress in a statement. But unlike individuals and companies that file taxes, Airbnb sends its payments with no supporting documentation. That makes it impossible to know if the company is paying localities too much or too little. Am I getting a check every month? Yes. Do I have any idea what that check represents? No, Ragon said. Its frustrating, William Hoover, Westmoreland County commissioner of revenue, told The Daily Progress. Without documentation, Hoover said he is unable to tell if the tax was paid correctly. When thats not done of course, we cant do that, just to make sure there were no errors, Hoover said. And of course, to make sure everyone is remitting because we want to keep it fair for everyone. Airbnb says its service brings in significant sums of money for localities, and insists its payments are accurate. They pay what they say they owe. Thats the problem. We have no idea what thats based on, Divers said. Without the addresses, Divers and his counterparts cant know if Airbnb is paying taxes to the proper locality. We have no idea if they even know the difference between Albemarle County and Charlottesville, he said. Thats part of the reason we need to know. We need to make sure the tax is being paid where its owed and the amount thats owed. Right now, theyre just paying whatever. As commissioner of revenue, I have an obligation under the Constitution to make sure this stuff is right, that whats paid is owed and to treat all taxpayers fairly. But right now, theyre in a class all by themselves. Ragon said some legislators in Richmond dont understand the problem. Airbnb, after all, is paying taxes. She compared it to a grocery store purchase. If you have a cart full of goods, and you hand over $100 and say, Heres what I owe you. No, they want you to scan it through the register first, Ragon said. Theyre basically taking matters into their own hands, saying, Were giving you money, but you need to trust us that were giving you the right thing. We dont allow that for any other business that operates in the commonwealth. Localities find it especially frustrating because Airbnb has the data available. Theyre already collecting it, because theyre sharing it with hosts. So we know the data is there. Its not a matter of creating something that doesnt exist, Ragon said. It really would just be matter of them aggregating and sending it to us. While Airbnb could argue that aggregation is burdensome, Divers pointed out that its competitors, notably Vrbo, dont appear to have any difficulty complying. Other intermediaries are managing to do it so it just kind of rings hollow, he said. A chronic, national problem Virginia is far from the only state frustrated with Airbnb. For years, localities across the country have clashed with the company over its refusal to share data. Its not only an issue in Virginia, its an issue across the U.S. that professional vacation rental groups are constantly dealing with, said Travis Wilburn with the 100 Collection, which represents more than 50 vacation rental destinations across the U.S. Local zoning administrators are looking for transparency by permit holders to make sure the appropriate taxes are being collected, and instead states are getting just a large check. Sending a large check with little transparency appears to be a calculated decision by Airbnb. Airbnb likes to pay the taxes. They do not like to turn over data, Matt Curtis, founder of Smart City Policy Group, told The Daily Progress. Curtis consults with localities across the country, and he has seen many irritated by Airbnbs unwillingness to provide certain information. He said there is an ongoing conflict between the company and local governments. Localities want to know where the company is operating so it can know if the properties are renting legally. But with roughly 23,000 local governments in the U.S. alone, not to mention homeowner associations and other entities, Curtis said Airbnb does not want to get in the practice of supplying data to local authorities, even the most basic information such as addresses and receipts. Its the slipperiest slope of all slippery slopes, Curtis said. Their fear is that it would become an untenable exercise. So theyd rather pay what they think they owe and call it a day and hope cities like Charlottesville will walk away if they just get a big check. But there is another worry for the company: If Airbnb reveals its hosts addresses, it risks local governments discovering some properties are not legally permitted to function as short-term rentals. There are localities, not only in Virginia, that do not allow short-term rentals in certain jurisdictions or certain parts of jurisdictions, Ragon said. Online travel agencies such as Airbnb likely have properties on their sites that do not comply with local law. That could mean the rental does not have a permit or is exceeding capacity for occupancy limits or is not paying the appropriate tax rate. There are all kinds of things out there that would fly in the face of state and local ordinances that Airbnb doesnt want people on its platform to get in trouble for, Ragon said. Wilburn said Hawaii has worked out a possible solution. They make it a requirement to show the permit number on the listings to ensure legality and remittance, he said, meaning a property cannot be available for rent without first registering it with the locality and state. That eliminates the possibility of an unregistered property being listed on sites such as Airbnb. According to Curtis, the company and its competitors are simply providing an advertising platform for people who want to rent their properties. It is not checking if each rental complies with local regulations. They dont control the property, dont have anything to do with the property. Theyre merely a place for properties to promote themselves. But they certainly have illegal listings that are on their site, Curtis said. Its a chronic problem, and they dont have an answer to it. Violating the Fourth Amendment In Virginia, Airbnb argues the statute requiring it to provide addresses and gross receipts cannot be enforced; it believes that law violates the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Fourth Amendment requires searches and seizures to be reasonable, and the Supreme Court has held that requiring companies to turn over documents, for example with a subpoena, is a kind of search, William and Mary Law School professor Jeffrey Bellin told The Daily Progress. That said, government requests for documents are very common and are typically viewed as reasonable so long as there is a decent fit between the documents requested and a legitimate government purpose, like taxation. If taken to court, Bellin said that in order for Airbnb to prevail, it would have to show that the law forces them to turn over way more documents than necessary. Kiel Brennan-Marquez, a professor at the University of Connecticut School of Law, said there may be some legal precedent for Airbnbs argument. In Los Angeles v. Patel, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that hotels could not be forced to provide data on its guests to law enforcement. Prior to the ruling, Los Angeles city code required hotels to keep information about customers on file for 90 days and provide it to police if asked. Not providing that information could result in charges being filed. The court was worried about it as a policing problem, Brennan-Marquez said, a significant difference from the Virginia tax law. I dont think municipal tax authorities are showing up at Joe Smiths Airbnb apartment, demanding things in ways that look like the Patel problem. Theres a basic plausibility to what theyre arguing. It wouldnt get laughed out of court, he said of Airbnbs position. Companies such as Airbnb rely on the Fourth Amendment to avoid releasing certain information, arguing that supplying data to the government qualifies as unreasonable search and seizure. Airbnb picks that up and says, Great, were not dealing with those problems at all, but we dont want to disclose financial information to the government if we dont have to, so were going to flash Fourth Amendment language around, Brennan-Marquez said. Theres nothing wrong with that exactly, but its opportunistic clearly. The argument also implies that sending receipts and addresses to commissioners of revenue would somehow violate the privacy of Airbnb hosts. Ragon doesnt buy that argument, noting that Virginia Code strictly forbids commissioners of revenue from releasing any taxpayer business to anyone else. Even law enforcement would need to receive an order signed by a judge. We can be fined, we can be criminally charged, so we take our responsibility for confidentiality of business information very seriously, Ragon said. A statement from Frillici denies that Airbnb is violating law. As a leader in citizen-led tourism, Airbnb complies with all applicable state and federal laws, including Virginias local tourism tax law, Frillici said. False. That is not true, Ragon responded. But she identified a key term in Frillicis statement: applicable state and federal laws. They dont consider this law applicable to them. Theres the rub, she said. Airbnbs position appears to be that Virginia law is not applicable because it is superseded by the Fourth Amendment. In an effort to demonstrate its compliance with the applicable laws, Airbnb specifically directed The Daily Progress to Adam Schaefer, who helps run the finance department for the town of Colonial Beach. Schaefer said that he went to the company demanding it supply addresses and receipts so that he could do his job. Airbnb resisted at first but eventually connected him to a Dropbox that contained all of the required information. Schaefer said he likes how the data is displayed in the Dropbox and that the company always pays the taxes it owes based on that information. But even Schaefer, whose perspective Airbnb promoted, said that it took roughly four months to get access to the Dropbox, the information in that Dropbox is often months-old and Airbnbs competitor Vrbo simply submits monthly reports as required by Virginia law. This is Airbnb offering an unacceptable solution to a problem of their own creation, Ragon said of the Dropbox. First, it puts the burden on the local official to do the work. Secondly, it puts the intermediary in a class by itself, requiring continuous audit, unlike any other business operating in the commonwealth. Lastly, it is still noncompliant with state code. Costly court hearings There is no way to know if Airbnbs Fourth Amendment argument would hold up in court unless a locality sues. Thats happened before in other parts of the country, and appears to be the only way the company will comply with Virginia law. Airbnb waits until lawsuits have been fully discussed and the outcome of the lawsuit favors turning over data before they actually do it, Curtis said. So unless Charlottesville wants to fully sue, history has proven Airbnb is not going to turn over all the data. Its a daunting proposition, even if a locality believes Airbnbs Fourth Amendment argument wouldnt hold up in court. Charlottesville city attorney Jacob Stroman cast doubt on the companys legal position. I am not aware of any Virginia case law which suggests that statutes which include reporting requirements necessary for tax enforcement are unconstitutional because the reporting requirements constitute unreasonable searches within the meaning of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, Stroman told The Daily Progress. Accordingly, I am skeptical that a court would strike down this statute on constitutional grounds. Charlottesville City Manager Sam Sanders put it simply: We want Airbnb to follow law and proper procedures. But to make Airbnb fall in line, would the city of Charlottesville or any Virginia municipality be willing to take on the corporation in court? I think most attorneys that represent localities in Virginia are aware of this situation, Ragon said. Anecdotally, I believe they agree with us 100%, but the barrier there is who has the resources to fight Goliath? Because Airbnb is not based in Virginia, Divers said the only way to make it comply with the law is to take it to court. But they got more money and lawyers than God, so no little locality in Virginia is going to sue them, Divers said. I think thats what theyre banking on. Divers said that in Virginia, the rest of the U.S., and the world for that matter, Airbnb has often decided to disregard local laws, betting that localities wont dare go through the very expensive process of a lawsuit. We cant know exactly what Airbnb is doing here, Brennan-Marquez said. With that caveat in mind, I think the answer is of course theyre counting on that. This story was corrected to say that former Mayor Michael Signer moved away from Charlottesville last year. Oakland, Ca. (Special for Informed Comment; Feature) As state paranoia rises in Israel, civil liberties including freedom of the press have taken a huge hit. Indeed freedom of thought is under siege for Israeli Jews, not to mention the nightmare faced by Israeli Arabs, and those in the West Bank.* Israel has recently abused and imprisoned more journalists in the past two months than all but six, notorious right-wing dictatorships. A recent Haaretz editorial begins, War and emergencies provide fertile ground for curbing individual rights, even to the point of disposing of them while expanding the states rights to surveil and control its citizens, ostensibly for reasons of state security. As in Iran and Russia, Israel is putting a chokehold on dissent. A companion threat arises from Communications Minister Shlomo Khari, who has proposed dissolving the Cable and Satellite Council as well as the Second Authority of Television and Radio, and consolidating all that media power into his hands with Bibis approval and supervision. As Bibi faces criminal indictments on three fronts, hes desperately using any state mechanisms available to shut out information that reveals the depth of his crimes, as he prosecutes greater war crimes to stoke the state of emergency and remain in power. *Since October 7, civil liberties for Israeli Arabs living in Israel and the West Bank have been destroyed: Young men and women who voiced support for their families enduring the siege of Gaza have lost jobs, been kicked out of schools, and had their lives and livelihoods destroyed by the Shin Bet. Ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Belezel Smotrich have given unconditional approval for far-right Israeli settlers to carry out violent attacks on law-abiding Palestinians, in an effort to drive them out. Bibis goals in Gaza and Israel is to make Palestinian lives so miserable, they will willingly go anywhere else, though they have no place to go. Aljazeera English Video: Occupied West Bank arrests: Palestinians held without charge by Israel Meanwhile Bibi is betraying the Israeli hostages in Gaza, and appears to be willingly sacrificing them for his war effort to remain in power. By doubling down on his demands, Bibi is knowingly squeezing the lives of the hostages and non-combatants in Gaza. For Bibi, destroying Palestinian lives is more important than saving Israeli ones. To the callous and insensitive mindset of Bibis Zionism, this Faustian bargain is not a moral quandary, but rather a strategic bind, as characterized by the NYT. As a Jew, I grieve over the fate of the Israeli hostages, and the 10s of 1000s of Palestinian victims of Bibis war crime massacres. The hostages have all suffered horrible fates, and we cant know how many are still alive. I especially grieve over the fates of the innocent Israeli women subjected to the most horrible sex crimes imaginable, the innocent children whose lives have been reduced to war pawn status, the elderly and disabled who likely perished without the intensive care and medication they need, and all the innocent people on both sides who suffered horrible deaths as non-combatants. We cant know if there are living hostages to be bargained for. Regardless, their lives dont matter to Bibi; hes already shown hes willing to sacrifice them, leaving him free to prosecute further war crimes against the Palestinians. Then consider that the goal of wiping out Hamas will bring an opportunity cost of even more Israeli lives. Thoughtful war-tested Israeli generals do not believe the hostages can be rescued by military operations; that leaves diplomacy and hard bargaining-sacrifices as the only option. A tragic dialectic is occurring in Israel with, Right-wing politicians urging the military to act more aggressively in Gaza, even while Israel is contending with outrage across the globe over the carnage and decimation of so much of the territory. At the same time, the families of hostages are urging concessions to secure their return. As badly as Bibi disrespected President Barack Obama with his address to Congress in 2016 after he refused the Presidents White House invitation, Bibis disrespect is becoming even more costly to President Joe Biden. Biden is sacrificing great political capital, in a futile effort to be a good ally to Israel. The US de facto position now is that there MUST be an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel, governed by moderate forces of the Palestinian Authority. Bibi made his own deathly Faustian bargain when he shunned a willing negotiating partner in the PA, leaving Hamas with all the power, but a fatal intent to destroy Israel. The PA was willing to bargain acceptance of Israels existence. Hamas wont negotiate anything, and neither will Bibi. Thats a recipe for protracted war, which has already lit fuses along the Lebanese border, the Red Sea, Yemen and now the Irani-Pakistani border. Without a change in Israeli leadership, we are on the path to WWIII (G-d forbid). Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, has clearly said that, Only a deal with Hamas would secure the release of the hostages, he said, adding that Israel had so far failed in its stated aim of destroying Hamas. This keen recognition fuels the movement to oust Bibi, which had been gaining momentum until October 7, and is again gaining force. Bibis self-serving, dysfunctional leadership has brought more fractures to Israeli society from within, while stoking greater external threats at the same time. Joe Biden needs to get forceful to demanding Bibis resignation. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken needs to get make good on threats to withhold aid to the Israeli war crimes machine. Not doing so could cost Biden the 2024 Election. By Sarah G. Phillips, University of Sydney | As the Houthi militant group in Yemen ramps up its attacks on vessels in the Red Sea ostensibly in response to what it calls Israels genocidal crimes in Gaza the US and UK have responded with multiple military strikes in the last week. The US has also re-listed the group as a global terrorist organisation. The hope is these strikes will pressure the Iran-aligned Houthis to back down. It wont, however. Short of a complete halt to Israels war in Gaza and a 180-degree shift in Western support for Israels approach, there is little that will dissuade the Houthis to change course in the foreseeable future. There are three main reasons for this, none of which are principally about Irans regional strategy. The group has already survived years of airstrikes The first, and most obvious, reason is the Houthi movement, whose political wing is known as Ansar Allah, has already withstood years of airstrikes in its war with a Saudi-led and Western-backed coalition from 20152022. Prior to this, the Houthis fought six wars against the central Yemeni government from 20042010. Guerrilla warfare is not new to them, and harassing ships off their coast does not require sophisticated weapons. The blockade that accompanied much of the recent war (which is currently in a shaky truce) also helped the Houthis to finetune their weapon smuggling networks from Iran, as well as their own domestic weapon production. As a result, airstrikes alone are unlikely to deliver a knockout blow to their military capacity and will almost certainly increase their appetite for a fight. US and UK launch new airstrikes on multiple targets in Yemen | BBC News Video That is because they can for the first time more strongly frame their actions in the context of fighting against the US and Israel, per their slogan: God is Great, death to America, death to Israel, a curse upon the Jews, victory to Islam. With dissent rising, the Houthis have found quasi-legitimacy The second reason they are unlikely to be deterred is more important, but less understood, because it is about Yemens domestic politics. The Houthis currently control much of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, which accounts for around 70% of the population. The people in these regions have been subjected to years of acute and structural violence by the Houthis. This includes: It is important to note the Saudi-led coalition and internationally recognised Yemeni government have also been accused of committing war crimes and grave human rights violations in Yemen, including the ruthless bombardment of civilians and civilian infrastructure. At least 150,000 people are estimated to have died violently in the war that began in 2015, though the challenges with collecting such data are considerable. This also does not include the many more thousands that have died from preventable starvation and disease. Photo by Mohammad mansour on Unsplash The behaviour of the Houthis in power has made them deeply unpopular. Dissent is dangerous due to the sophisticated system of repression and neighbourhood surveillance the Houthis have imposed in the areas they control. But Yemenis began taking to the street in protest last year anyway in Ibb and the besieged city of Taizz. Then on September 26, just before Hamas assault on southern Israel and Israels bombardment of Gaza, Yemenis defied the authorities in large numbers. In protests in the capital city of Sanaa, they celebrated the anniversary of the 1962 revolution that ousted the countrys leader, the Zaydi Imam, Mohammed al-Badr and with him, the kinship-based autocracy that many Yemenis claim the Houthis seek to reinstate. Seeing this (rightly) as a demonstration against them, the Houthis were shaken. Amnesty International reported they responded with an alarming wave of arrests and a draconian show of force. Against a background of rising dissent at home, the Houthis actions and Western retaliation have given the group the gift of quasi-legitimacy, according to Yemeni analysts. The US-led strikes also give credence to the Houthis demands that critics shut their mouths. And just as important, the US strikes can boost the Houthis military recruitment efforts. And this could help them attempt to seize the government-held oil wells in Marib again, which the group needs to become economically sustainable. Anger is rising against the West across the region The third reason the Houthis are unlikely to be deterred by airstrikes or a terrorist designation is that their actions articulate the wider regions fury at Israels war in Gaza, which has so far claimed the lives of 25,000 Palestinians, and the decades of Western support for Israels policies in occupied Gaza and the West Bank. They have also tapped into profound grievances about the Wests policies more generally and its record of reinforcing unpopular regimes in the face of popular action for change. This includes the selling of weapons and bestowing of political legitimacy to authoritarian regimes in exchange for what the West considers stability in the world order. Yemenis are, however, keenly aware that the Houthis rise and expansion was enabled by this same external push for stability, which came at the expense of Yemenis ability to determine local solutions to local problems. By centring the defence of Palestinians in their actions, the Houthis have found a way to discredit their domestic opponents something that has largely eluded them for 20 years. This will make them even harder to dislodge from power and will likely consign ordinary Yemenis to further violence at their hands. Sarah G. Phillips, Professor of Global Conflict and Development at The University of Sydney; Non-Resident Fellow at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, University of Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. By ( Florida Phoenix ) From threatening students free speech on college campuses to making it easier for powerful people to sue for defamation, lawmakers have been filing bills in 2024 that are bad, according to Floridas First Amendment Foundation. The foundation is tracking the proposals and fighting back, hoping to get lawmakers to fix the problems in the bills or ditch them entirely. Our representatives need to know that you think these are bad bills and should not be passed, said Bobby Block, executive director of the First Amendment Foundation. This is our fight every year. Block said in a 2024 Legislative Action document. Though a handful of bills are pretty good, Block describes the 2024 legislation as many dreadful bills. He adds in the document: Some of these bills especially the ones trying to make it easier for rich and powerful people to sue their critics for what they write or say online, on the airways, and in print are among the biggest threats to free expression in the nation. They join other bills that would criminalize students right to protest and would turn university administrators into secret police, requiring them to report students to the Department of Homeland Security. Others would try again to exempt the identities of law enforcement officers who hurt or kill suspects in the line of duty, claiming they are victims, not civil servants doing their job in your name. Heres a list from the First Amendment Foundation categorized as bills we are dedicated to fighting. They will be tracking those bills throughout the two-month session. HB 85: Pub. Rec./State Banks and State Trust Companies. This bill seeks to create an exemption that would hide information, including shareholders and applications for new state banks and financial institutions, shielding the public from knowing who is behind them and stinging them. This also can shield these institutions from public scrutiny. HB 465: Postsecondary Education Students This bill threatens students free speech rights by banning certain student groups from college campuses. It also threatens to increase college tuition or remove scholarship options from students who engage in certain pro-Palestinian speech. SB 470: Postsecondary Education Students This is the companion bill to HB465. This bill threatens students free speech rights by banning certain student groups from college campuses. It also threatens to increase college tuition or remove scholarship options from students who engage in certain pro-Palestinian speech. HB 757: Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorized Publication of Name or Likenesses We fought this bill last year, and now it is back in the House and Senate. This bill would decrease the free speech rights of media, journalists, broadcasters, radio, and religious publications by making it easier for powerful public figures to sue for defamation. SB 1086: Defamation This bill is similar to HB757 and SB1780 in that it seeks to make it easier for powerful individuals to sue for defamation. It also seeks to reverse Floridian judicial precedent by introducing a false light standard for defamation any of these would be a blow for free speech and free press they would be a boon for trial lawyers and would turn Florida into the libel tourist destination of America. They are blatantly unconstitutional. HB 1605: Crime Victims Rights This bill redefines who is defined as a victim under Marsys Law, written to include law enforcement officers, correctional officers, or correctional probation officers who use deadly force in the course and scope of their employment or official duties. The Historic Capitol, foreground, and Florida Capitol buildings. Photo, Colin Hackley HB 1607: Pub. Rec./Crime Victims Rights Last year, the FL Supreme Court ruled that Marsys Law does not protect the identity of police officers involved in fatal shootings from disclosure. This bill seeks to reverse that decision and exempt the identities of police officers who claim to be crime victims. SB 1780: Defamation, False Light, and Unauthorizes Publication of Name or Likenesses This is the companion bill to HB 757 that would decrease the free speech rights of media, journalists, broadcasters, radio, and religious publications by making it easier for powerful public figures to sue for defamation. It also seeks to reverse 60+ years of judicial precedent by changing the actual malice standard. Another category, Opposed Legislation are bills we encourage you to write in opposition to your representatives about. Those bills include HB 395, Protection of Historical Monuments and Memorials, which penalizes any individual, elected official, or city that attempts to or supports a movement to remove a historical monument. Another bill, HB 999, Gender Identity Employer Practices, limits speech by prohibiting government workers or employees from using preferred pronouns or names of themselves or of coworkers. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - Nevada Sunrise Metals Corporation (TSXV: NEV) (OTCBB: NVSGF) ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that ABH Engineering Inc. ("ABH") of Surrey, BC, Canada has completed a maiden resource estimate on the Gemini Lithium Project ("Gemini", or the "Project") in Nevada, USA within the regulations of National Instrument 43-101 (the "Technical Report"). Nevada Sunrise plans to file the Technical Report within the next 45 days. It comprises a detailed review of the completed exploration programs, an Inferred resource estimate, interpretations and conclusions and recommendations for the next phase(s) of work. The Gemini resource estimate was based on geochemical analyses for lithium from composite samples of material collected from the rotary splitter in the reverse circulation ("RC") drilling rigs contracted by the Company, which produced a continuous, representative 3 to 5 kilogram sample for each sample interval (see Nevada Sunrise news releases dated April 21, 2022, April 28, 2022, May 18, 2022, and May 24, 2023). Results of the drilling proved the existence of clays mineralized with lithium, exhibiting very good geological continuity; the Inferred resource was calculated for lithium carbonate hosted in the clays. Highlights of the 2024 Gemini Inferred Resource Estimate 2022-2033 drilling at Gemini was based on targets selected from geological mapping and geophysical surveys that included a detailed gravity survey and two time-domain electromagnetic ("TDEM") surveys. Two phases of drilling were completed in five (5) RC holes totaling 7,330 feet (2,234.18 metres): Phase 1 drill holes GEM22-01 and GEM22-02 totaled 2,020 feet (615.85 metres); Phase 2 drill holes GEM22-03, GEM23-04 and GEM23-05 5,310 ft (1,618.49 metres) Drilling to date has tested only a small portion of the Project area within 844 acres, (342 hectares), which represents approximately 15%, of the area covered by the 5,600 acres (2,266 hectares) of Bureau of Land Management unpatented lode claims. The deposit remains open in all directions and at depth. The Inferred resource estimate comprises, in an open pit-constrained resource: Approximately 1.3 million tonnes Lithium, or 7 .1 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent ("LCE") contained within 1,200 million tonnes of lithium-mineralized clay at an average grade of approximately 1,130 parts per million ("ppm") Lithium; contained within 1,200 million tonnes of lithium-mineralized clay at an average grade of approximately 1,130 parts per million ("ppm") Lithium; Lithium cut-off values of 400 ppm Lithium and density of 1.7 grams per cubic centimetre ("gm/cm 3" ) were used. ) were used. Model constraints: Faults 3 and 4 (see Figure 1); a conceptualized 24 degree pit-slope, modelled from property boundaries, using a benchmark 24 degree pit-slope from several other Nevada lithium clay deposits. Additional information from the metallurgical work performed by Nevada Sunrise, especially the lithium recovery rate and the fact that LCE was produced in a bench-test study, is described in the Company's news releases dated June 5, 2023 and July 31, 2023. "We are very pleased that the maiden resource estimate has exceeded expectations," said Warren Stanyer, President and CEO of Nevada Sunrise. "With only five holes drilled to date in just 15% of the project area, Gemini has emerged as one of the world's largest lithium resources, and the fourth largest in the United States. We look forward to additional exploration at the Project to effectively expand the size of the resource, leading to the production of a preliminary economic assessment." The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Damir Cukor, P. Geo., who is a Qualified Person with respect to Nevada Sunrise's Gemini Lithium Project, as defined under National Instrument 43-101. About Nevada Sunrise Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, that holds interests in lithium, gold, and copper exploration projects located in the State of Nevada, USA. Nevada Sunrise owns 100% interests in the Gemini, Jackson Wash and Badlands lithium projects, all of which are located in the Lida Valley in Esmeralda County, NV. The Company owns Nevada water right Permit 86863, also located in the Lida Valley basin, near Lida, NV. The Company's key gold asset is at the Kinsley Mountain Gold Project near Wendover, NV, in a joint venture with CopAur Minerals Inc. Due to its focus on lithium exploration and development in Nevada, the Company elected not to contribute to the 2023 exploration program at Kinsley Mountain and has diluted its participating interest in the joint venture from 20.01% to an 18.74% interest. Nevada Sunrise has the right to earn a 100% interest in the Coronado VMS Project, located approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Winnemucca, NV. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This release may contain forwardlooking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and include disclosure of anticipated exploration activities. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forwardlooking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forwardlooking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forwardlooking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Such factors include, among others, risks related to: the results and outcomes of the Company's 2022-2023 exploration activities and future plans at the Gemini Lithium Project; the calculation of a National Instrument 43-101 compliant resource estimate for the Gemini Lithium Project; reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays due to pandemic; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine Months ending June 30, 2023, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Renegade Gold Inc. (TSXV: RAGE) (OTCQX: TGLDF) (FSE: 070) ("Renegade" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a multi-drill exploration campaign has commenced at its Red Lake Gold Project. The program will total 10,000 meters, utilizing two drills to test extensional targets at the advanced Newman Todd Deposit and high-priority regional targets at the Confederation property. Program Highlights High-grade Extensional Targets at Newman Todd Deposit. Previous programs have focused on widespread, near surface mineralization. Recent modelling suggests multiple high-grade zones with expansion potential along strike and at depth. Drilling for the current program will target high-grade zones. High-Priority Regional Targets at Confederation Property. Multiple new targets to be tested at the Confederation Project including Fly Moth, Panama and Fredart prospect areas. About Renegade Gold Inc. Renegade Gold Inc. is a growth focused company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario. As part of its regional-scale consolidation strategy, the Company has assembled one of the largest prospective land packages in and around the Red Lake mining district in proximity to major mines and deposits, as well as along the Confederation Lake and Birch-Uchi greenstone belts. The recent completion of the acquisition of Pacton Gold Inc. extends the Company's ownership in Red Lake to over 89,600 hectares of prospective and diversified exploration properties with significant potential for gold and critical minerals on trend with the major structures hosting known gold occurrences in the Red Lake mining district today. The Company also holds a portfolio of prospective projects in Western Australia. For further information, please contact: Renegade Gold Inc. Nav Dhaliwal President, CEO and Director This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: 604-678-5308 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "significant," "expect," "may," "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, inaccurate assumptions concerning the exploration for and development of mineral deposits, currency fluctuations, unanticipated operational or technical difficulties, risks related to unforeseen delays; general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes; timeliness of regulatory approvals, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets and the inability to raise additional financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this Forward-Looking Information. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update this Forward-Looking Information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Highlights Surface Program Completed at Picacho Returns Up to 15.9 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag NEW 1.6-kilometer Mineralized Trend Defined Visible Gold Discovered in Float Sample at San Ramon Prospect, 200-meters from Drill Discovery 75 Samples in Total Collected with Average Grade of 0.6 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag Tocvan Ventures Overview CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Tocvan Ventures Corp. (the "Company") (CSE:TOC) (OTCQB:TCVNF) (FSE:TV3), is pleased to announce results from its road accessible Picacho gold-silver project in the mine-friendly State of Sonora, Mexico. A short surface program was completed at Picacho to assess additional potential across the large 24-square kilometer property. A total of 75 rock chip samples were collected, averaging 0.6 g/t Au and 2 g/t Ag with the values up to 15.9 g/t Au and 32 g/t Ag (Table 1). A new mineralized trend extending over 1.6-kilometers in length has been discovered marked by old historic workings and exposure of mineralized veins and shear zones. The results are summarized below. Figure 1. Highlights from recent surface work completed at Picacho. Figure 2. Rock float sample discovered at Picacho with visible gold specimen. bHighlights from the recent surface sample program. All samples are rock chips. Coordinates are UTM WGS 84. Sample ID Easting Northing Weight (kg) Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) 555844 469389 3348062 4.03 15.85 10.40 555835 469279 3348240 3.78 9.49 8.80 555866 469070 3348563 2.70 5.22 5.60 555870 469113 3348740 4.12 3.42 2.40 555833 469041 3348631 3.27 2.01 1.30 555841 469138 3348292 2.20 1.39 2.20 555840 469282 3348258 3.73 1.34 1.30 555869 468863 3348325 2.60 1.22 0.25 555868 468997 3348532 2.55 0.90 0.90 555834 469041 3348628 4.05 0.85 32.50 555837 469292 3348280 3.47 0.69 0.60 555843 469168 3347991 3.16 0.65 2.40 555838 469293 3348281 3.29 0.61 0.25 555867 469072 3348572 3.22 0.55 1.60 555842 469138 3348292 3.08 0.49 8.70 555846 469424 3347948 3.10 0.44 0.25 555872 469627 3349891 2.14 0.23 9.30 555839 469283 3348258 2.71 0.23 2.30 555847 469470 3347898 3.80 0.20 0.25 555845 469402 3348052 2.98 0.17 1.50 555873 469629 3349890 2.42 0.12 31.70 555874 469630 3349891 3.53 0.08 6.80 555816 468515 3350736 2.44 0.07 0.25 555836 469280 3348248 3.71 0.06 2.50 555811 470570 3349789 3.00 0.02 0.25 555810 470469 3349701 3.51 0.02 1.40 555863 469875 3347891 2.74 0.01 0.25 555871 469672 3349791 2.81 0.01 0.25 "Picacho continues to provide excellent targets and validation for drill testing across the extensive property." commented Brodie Sutherland, CEO. "We now have defined over seven kilometers of prospective trend that has seen little to no drilling, leaving the area as one of the most prospective and untested exploration properties in the Caborca Gold Belt. The discovery by our local rancher of a quartz vein rock fragment along a fresh bulldozer track displays the coarse high-grade gold potential at Picacho. The proximity of the specimen sample to our San Ramon prospect where we drilled and discovered near surface gold-silver mineralization in our first drill program at Picacho indicates the potential to extend known mineralization in the area. Fresnillo, the world's largest silver producer, and Mexico's largest gold producer, controls the mineral concession title along the eastern border of Picacho. Picacho will provide us with continued exploration upside for our shareholders as we remain focused on the development of Pilar. We are pleased to be in the position to have two projects with immense upside. At Pilar, the data processing of the LiDAR survey is complete for the southern half of the property with the remaining northern half expected to be complete in February." About the Picacho Property The Picacho Gold-Silver property is interpreted as an orogenic gold system within the regional Caborca Gold Belt known for producing gold mines that include La Herradura (>10 Moz Au) and San Francisco (>3 Moz Au). The project is 140 kilometers north of Hermosillo and only 18 kilometers southwest of the past producing San Francisco Mine. The Project totals 24 square kilometers. Six primary zones of mineralization have been identified across the property totalling over seven kilometers of prospective trends. Surface sampling and historic workings have identified high-grade gold and silver values. In 2022, Tocvan drilled a maiden drill program at the San Ramon prospect returning 12.2-meters of 2.0 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag. Tocvan believes Picacho provides an excellent opportunity for discovery of a muti-million ounce district. Figure 3. Overview map of the Picacho Gold-Silver Project. About Tocvan Ventures Corp. Tocvan is a well-structured exploration development company. Tocvan was created in order to take advantage of the prolonged downturn in the junior mining exploration sector, by identifying and negotiating interest in opportunities where management feels they can build upon previous success. Tocvan has approximately 43 million shares outstanding and is earning 100% into two exciting opportunities in Sonora, Mexico: the Pilar Gold-Silver project and the Picacho Gold-Silver project. Management feels both projects represent tremendous opportunity to create shareholder value. 2023 Discoveries and Notable Highlights Advancement in 2023 continued with the Company's maiden drill program at Picacho discovering at surface gold and silver mineralization at the San Ramon prospect. Drilling returned 44.2-meters of 0.6 g/t Au, including 12.2-meters of 2.0 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag. 200-meters to the north a hole intersected 27.5-meters of 0.5 g/t Au, including 12.2-meters of 1.1 g/t Au. The San Ramon prospect remains open for drill targeting in all directions. At Pilar, a bulk sample was extracted and shipped (1,400 tonnes) to a nearby processing mill for crushing and stacking for heap leach. Heap leaching was conducted over a 46-day period returning a head grade of 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag with an initial recovery of 62% for gold. Agitated bottle roll test of the bulk sample material returned 80% recovery of gold and 94% recovery of silver after a rapid 24-hour retention time. Additional surface and core composites from across Pilar returned 95 to 99% recovery of gold and between 73 to 97% recovery of silver through combined gravity and agitated leach processing. An initial dore bar was later poured from the bulk sample material totalling 1.487 kilograms, containing 18% gold and 69% silver. A second gold-rich dore bar is scheduled to be poured this month. Channel sampling of newly opened trenches at Pilar returned similar values to the bulk sample highlighted by 20-meters of 1.9 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag. A property wide LiDAR survey that will be used for the base map for mine design at Pilar is near completion. Additional reconnaissance sampling across Pilar and Picacho projects are ongoing to advance target areas, results for initial samples are pending. 2024 Key Objectives: Resource Infill and Expansion Drilling Maiden Resource Estimate Q4, 2024 Mine Planning and Design Submit Applications for: MIA (Manifestacion de Impacto Ambiental) or Environmental Impact Statement EJT (Estudio Tecnico Justificativo) or Technical Justification Study Continued Metallurgical Testing 1:5,000 scale Geological Mapping and Sampling of New Expansion Area Trenching and Channel Sampling of New Targets Geophysical Surveys, including magnetics Discovery Drilling 2024 Outlook Tocvan's primary objectives for 2024 are to de-risk the Pilar project further with maiden resource estimation and the submission of mine permitting applications. The ongoing LiDAR survey will be used as the base map for mine development design and planning, an integral part to the next phase of the permitting process. Hydrological and environmental studies are scheduled to complete the MIA. While the permits are in process the Company will evaluate the need and timing for a maiden PEA to assist in securing later mine construction financing. Other objectives with the potential to yield high returns include the advancement of priority drill targets within the new expansion area at Pilar. With the new area around Pilar consolidated, current target areas are numerous and untested. Picacho remains a highly attractive project for drill targeting and Tocvan will continue to advance prospects there for future drill programs. Collectively across the two projects Tocvan controls over 45-square kilometers of prospective ground where the Company is targeting multi-million-ounce potential. Exploration work on both projects will remain ongoing with detailed geological mapping, surface channel and chip sampling and geophysics. In addition, continued metallurgical studies will advance the understanding to optimize future processing of material from Pilar. Top Drill Results for 2023 Picacho Project (New Discovery at San Ramon target) SRA-22-003: from 21.4-meters depth, 27.5-meters at 0.5 g/t Au Including 12.2-meters of 1.1 g/t Au SRA-22-008: from 21.4-meters depth, 16.8-meters of 0.5 g/t Au Including 4.6-meters of 1.8 g/t Au SRA-22-010 (100-meter step-out): from 41.2-metes depth, 44.2-meters of 0.6 g/t Au Including 12.2-meters of 2.0 g/t Au Top Surface Results for 2023 Pilar Expansion Area: 2.0-meter rock chip sample at 5.6 g/t Au and 106 g/t Ag Pilar Main Zone Channel Sampling: TR-2023-02: 20.0 m @ 1.9 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag TR-2023-03: 14.0 m @ 1.9 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag Including, 6.0 m @ 3.7 g/t Au and 17 g/t Ag Top Metallurgical Results for 2023 Pilar Bulk Sample: 62% Recovery of Gold Achieved Over 46-day Leaching Period Head Grade Calculated at 1.9 g/t Au and 7 g/t Ag; Extracted Grade Calculated at 1.2 g/t Au and 3 g/t Ag Extracted Grade Calculated at Bulk Sample Only Included Coarse Fraction of Material (+3/4" to +1/8") of Material (+3/4" to +1/8") Fine Fraction (-1/8") Indicates Rapid Recovery with Agitated Leach Agitated Bottle Roll Test Returned Rapid and High Recovery Results: 80% Recovery of Gold and 94% Recovery of Silver after Rapid 24-hour Retention Time Additional Studies Gravity Recovery with Agitated Leach Results of Five Composite Samples Returned 95 to 99% Recovery of Gold 73 to 97% Recovery of Silver Includes the Recovery of 99% Au and 73% Ag from Drill Core Composite at 120-meter depth. Quality Assurance / Quality Control Channel samples were shipped for sample preparation to ALS Limited in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico and for analysis at the ALS laboratory in North Vancouver. The ALS Hermosillo and North Vancouver facilities are ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certified. Gold was analyzed using 50-gram nominal weight fire assay with atomic absorption spectroscopy finish. Over limits for gold (>10 g/t), were analyzed using fire assay with a gravimetric finish. Silver and other elements were analyzed using a four-acid digestion with an ICP finish. Over limit analyses for silver (>100 g/t) were re-assayed using an ore-grade four-acid digestion with ICP-AES finish. Control samples comprising certified reference samples and blank samples were systematically inserted into the sample stream and analyzed as part of the Company's robust quality assurance / quality control protocol. Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO for Tocvan Ventures Corp. and a qualified person ("QP") as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Offering. Such forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words and phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements, and any assumptions upon which they are based, are made in good faith and reflect our current judgment regarding the direction of our business. Management believes that these assumptions are reasonable. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, risks related to the speculative nature of the Company's business, the Company's formative stage of development and the Company's financial position. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information 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 information. For more information, please contact: TOCVAN VENTURES CORP. Brodie A. Sutherland, CEO 820-1130 West Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 403-829-9877 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The Howard Group Jeff Walker VP Howard Group Inc. 403-221-0915 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. January 23, 2024 TheNewswire - London, Ontario Abitibi Metals Corp. (CSE:AMQ) (OTC:AMQFF) (FSE:FW0) (Abitibi or the Company) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced at the high-grade B26 Polymetallic Copper Deposit (B26 or the Project). The drill program is the first undertaken by Abitibi at the Project and represents a significant milestone for the Company following the closing of its recent financings, totalling $14.37 million. On November 16th, 2023, the Company entered into an option agreement on the B26 Deposit to earn 80% over 7 years from SOQUEM Inc (see news release dated November 16, 2023). Jonathon Deluce, CEO of Abitibi Metals stated: We are excited to announce the arrival of the first drill rig as Abitibi initiates the maiden drill program at the high-grade B26 Polymetallic Copper Deposit. With a robust treasury of $15 million, the upsizing of our recent financings is a clear mandate from our shareholders to accelerate our drilling and drive growth of the existing deposit and Abitibi will be aggressive in deploying our fully funded 30,000 metres across 2024 as we enter a transformative period for the Company. Abitibi intends to drill a minimum of 10,000 metres in this first quarter targeting a rapid expansion of the high-grade resource and we look forward to sharing further updates as drilling advances. Upon positive feedback from the field, we will be ready to mobilize a second drill. Figure 1 Left, central Section showing expansion targets at depth3. Right, plan view showing lateral expansion targets laterally and along strike3. An initial 10,000-metre drill campaign is planned for the first phase of the fully funded 30,000-metre 2024 field season. The primary objective of the initial drilling will be to delineate the open-pit potential of the B26 Deposit while concurrently advancing and expanding the existing resource with a focus on high-metal factor trends within the first 300-metre vertical. During the program, the Company will continue to develop the 3D model, integrating the improvement points identified in the 2018 resource and inputting information from the progress of the current drill program. The Company is also reviewing the history of geophysical surveys done on the Property to evaluate the signature of the B26 deposit and identify the best approaches to assist with extrapolating extensions of the fertile B26 volcanic contact across the Property. Considering the continuous overburden cover, the Company is evaluating parameters for a gravimetric survey to identify possible sulfides concentrations close to surface and at moderate depth of 300 to 600 metres. The initiated program is slated to be completed over the next eight to ten weeks and the Company will provide regular updates as fieldwork progresses. B26 Polymetallic Copper Deposit Summary Located within the prolific Abitibi Greenstone Belt, B26 comprises 66 claims covering 3,328 hectares in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James territory and represents a substantial opportunity to develop a copper, zinc, gold, and silver Polymetallic Deposit in a region with a rich history of base and precious metal production, which includes the Detour and Casa Berardi Mines. There is year-round road access with a power line running through the Project. Abitibi is the first public company with the option to earn into the B26 Deposit. With a strike length of 1 km and depth extent of 0.8 km, both of which are open to expansion, Abitibi will focus on delivering shareholder value with an aggressive exploration approach which includes a fully financed 30,000 metres of drilling in 2024 that will focus on advancing and expanding the existing underground resource (Ind: 7.0MT @ 2.94% Cu Eq & Inf: 4.4MT @ 2.97% Cu Eq) while delineating its open-pit potential. Property highlights include: 2018 resource that includes 254 holes over 115,311 meters, advancing the asset to a significant resource that includes, across all categories, 400 million pounds of copper, 286,000 ounces of gold, and significant zinc silver exposure. B26 Resource Summary (2018) Indicated: 6.97 Mt at 2.94% Cu Eq (1.32% Cu, 1.80% Zn, 0.60 g/t Au and 43 g/t Ag) Inferred: 4.41 Mt at 2.97% Cu Eq (2.03% Cu, 0.22% Zn, 1.07 g/t Au and 9 g/t Ag) Drilling has established the continuity down to a vertical depth of 800 meters and the deposit remains open at depth and laterally with strong historical intercepts* including: 2.32% Cu Eq over 89.5 metres (1274-13-117) 3.05% Cu Eq over 48.1 metres (1274-16-224) 8.95% Cu Eq over 11.5 metres (1274-14-152) Within 7 km of the historical Selbaie Mine, a similar Polymetallic Copper Deposit with a variety of mineralization styles and element combination, that had a historical resource of 56.9 Mt @ 0.87% Cu, 1.85% Zn, 0.55 g/t Au, 39 g/t Ag (CONSOREM 2012). Reference to this nearby property is for information only, and there are no assurances that the Company will achieve the same results at the B26 Deposit. Qualified Person This press release was reviewed and approved by Martin Demers, P.Geo., OGQ No. 770, who is a qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, and responsible for the technical information provided in this news release. About Abitibi Metals Corp.: Abitibi Metals Corp. is a Quebec-focused mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality base and precious metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. Abitibis portfolio of strategic properties provides target-rich diversification and includes the option to earn 80% of the high-grade B26 Polymetallic Copper Deposit (Ind: 7.0MT @ 2.94% Cu Eq & Inf: 4.4MT @ 2.97% Cu Eq) and the Beschefer Gold Project, where historical drilling has identified 4 historical intercepts with a metal factor of over 100 g/t gold highlighted by 55.63 g/t gold over 5.57 metres and 13.07 g/t gold over 8.75 metres amongst four modelled zones. About SOQUEM: SOQUEM, a subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, is dedicated to promoting the exploration, discovery and development of mining properties in Quebec. SOQUEM also contributes to maintaining strong local economies. Proud partner and ambassador for the development of Quebecs mineral wealth, SOQUEM relies on innovation, research and strategic minerals to be well-positioned for the future. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Jonathon Deluce, Chief Executive Officer For more information, please call 226-271-5170, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or visit https://www.abitibimetals.com. The Company also maintains an active presence on various social media platforms to keep stakeholders and the general public informed and encourages shareholders and interested parties to follow and engage with the Company through the following channels to stay updated with the latest news, industry insights, and corporate announcements: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbitibiMetals Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Source 1: Fayard, Q, Mercier-Langevin, P., Wodicka, N., Daigneault, R., & Perreault, S. (2020). The B26 Cu-Zn-Ag-Au Project, Brouillan Volcanic Complex, Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Part 1: Geological Setting and Geochronology. Source 2: Rapport Technique NI 43-101 Estimation des Ressources Projet B26, Quebec, For SOQUEM Inc., By SGS Canada Inc., Yann Camus, ing., Olivier Vadnais-Leblanc, geo., SGS Canada Geostat., Effective Date: April 18, 2018, Date of Report : May 11, 2018 Source 3: Fayard, Q. (2020). CONTROLES VOLCANIQUES, HYDROTHERMAUX ET STRUCTURAUX SUR LA NATURE ET LA DISTRIBUTION DES METAUX USUELS ET PRECIEUX DANS LES ZONES MINERALISEES DU PROJET B26, COMPLEXE VOLCANIQUE DE BROUILLAN, ABITIBI, QUEBEC. * Not necessarily representative of the of the true width of mineralization Copper Equivalent values calculated using metal prices of $4.00/lb Cu, $1.50/lb Zn, $20.00/ounce Ag and $1,800/ounce Au. Metal recoveries of 100% are applied in the copper equivalent calculation. Forward-looking statement: This news release contains certain statements, which may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information involves statements that are not based on historical information but rather relate to future operations, strategies, financial results or other developments on the B26 Project or otherwise. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions, which are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Companys control and many of which, regarding future business decisions, are subject to change. These uncertainties and contingencies can affect actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on the Companys behalf. Although Abitibi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. All factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Abitibis forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as expects, estimates, anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases (including negative and grammatical variations) or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, might or occur. Mineral exploration and development are highly speculative and are characterized by a number of significant inherent risks, which may result in the inability of the Company to successfully develop current or proposed projects for commercial, technical, political, regulatory or financial reasons, or if successfully developed, may not remain economically viable for their mine life owing to any of the foregoing reasons, among others. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in achieving commercial mineral production and the likelihood of success must be considered in light of the stage of operations. Vancouver, Canada TheNewswire -- January 22nd, 2024 Arbor Metals Corp. (Arbor or the Company) (TSXV:ABR) (FWB:432) is pleased to announce the highly anticipated assay results from its Fall 2023 prospecting program at the Jarnet Lithium Project in the Eeyou Istchee Baie-James territory, Northern Quebec. The southern extremity of the Project is located 2.5km north-west of Patriot Battery Metals Corvette 5 spodumene bearing giant pegmatite. The exploration manager for the Project, Grander Exploration, stated, "We are pleased to announce the assay results from the 2023 prospecting program, marking a significant milestone in Arbors exploration efforts." A total of 77 rock samples were collected, including 46 oriented channels totalling 41 metres. These samples were taken to crosscut known pegmatite and obtain a representative sampling, mainly from the central claim block. In addition, 31 chip samples were obtained from new pegmatite identified. The South block was briefly worked to note the absence of outcrops with the sampling of five large sub-angular boulders. The north-east block was not covered during the program. On central block, evidence of an extensive pegmatite field was identified despite of the scarcity of outcrops. One to three meter wide pegmatite outcrops were present associated with large boulder fields showing a usual muscovite rich composition associated with corroded feldspars and intergrowth quartz and local minute amount of dark blue tourmaline. To the south of the block, pegmatites are hosted in gneiss derived from sediments. Southward, the same type of pegmatite is hosted in amphibolite. Of particular note is the highest grading sample in this program, which yielded 88ppm lithium from sample 351593 (see photo below). The pegmatite sample showing a zoned structure came from a metric boulder found on the South Block Otherwise the whole samples population returned an average of 16ppm lithium with local spikes in Cs (33.8ppm in sample 267121), Ta (55.3ppm in sample 267122). Samples shows a moderate Rb enrichment with an average of 338 ppm Rb. All of which demonstrates the presence of lithium enriched pegmatites, and confirms the Company is on the right path to a significant discovery. See below mapped for samples location. Fig 1: picture of sample G351593 (88ppm Li) showing a zoned crystallization with layers of K feldspar, quartz (dark brown) and fine grain muscovite. Arbor views these results with great encouragement, as they highlight the presence of an extensive pegmatite field located along regional lithological and structural contacts. The Company is confident that lithium enrichment trends may be exposed on the property using a systematic exploration approach based on a combination of geochemistry and geophysics methods. Mark Ferguson, President of Arbor, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "The results from our Fall 2023 exploration program are truly exciting. We've gained valuable insights into the formation of lithium mineralization on the Jarnet Lithium Project, laying a strong foundation for future exploration endeavors. Our commitment to responsible and informed exploration continues to drive our pursuit of discovering a significant lithium resource." The Company is currently in the final stages of formalizing its 2024 exploration program, the details of which will be released in the near term. Arbor remains steadfast in its commitment to collaborate with local communities and indigenous peoples. Operating with environmental consciousness is a priority, and the Company ensures that its exploration activities adhere to the highest standards of sustainability. QA/QC Channel samples were obtained by a diamond saw cutting a continuous sample over length of 0.6 to 0.9m. Chip and grab samples must be considered as punctual and not necessarily representative of the rock formation sampled. Each sample was observed under the binocular for minerals identification and textures. Samples were delivered at ALS facility in Val dOr, Quebec, and assayed using sodium peroxide fusion followed by ICP-MS analysis. Martin Demers, P. Geo registered in the Provinces of Quebec (ogq #770), a consultant to Arbor and a qualified person under National Instrument 43101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed the technical contents of this news release and has approved the disclosure of the technical information contained herein. About Arbor Metals Corp. Arbor Metals Corp. is a mining exploration company focused on developing high-value, geographically significant mineral projects worldwide. Arbor is paving the way for advanced mineral exploration as it oversees world-class mining projects. The Company is confident that combining quality projects with proven strategies and a dedicated team will yield exceptional outcomes. The Jarnet lithium project, located in the James Bay region of Quebec, comprises 47 map-designated claims, covering an area of approximately 3,759 hectares. The Jarnet project is contiguous to the Corvette-FCI property, where diamond drilling has confirmed significant lithium mineralization representing one of the highest-profile lithium exploration projects in the sector. For further information, contact Mark Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or 403.852.4869, or visit the Companys website at www.arbormetalscorp.com. On behalf of the Board, Arbor Metals Corp. Mark Ferguson, Chief Executive Officer Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain Forward-Looking Statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When or if used in this news release, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, target, plan, forecast, may, schedule and similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to the development of the Jarnet Lithium Project, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Companys current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. (CSE: BNN) (OTCQB: BNNHF) (FSE: 5YZ0) ("BNN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Russell Ball, former EVP and CFO at Newmont Mining and Goldcorp, as a Senior Advisor to the Company. Russell Ball is an international mining executive with over thirty years of experience. He was the Chief Executive Officer of Calibre Mining Corp. (TSX: CXB) from October 2019 to February 2021 and Chair of the Board beginning in 2018. From May 2013 to December 2017, Mr. Ball held various executive positions with Goldcorp Inc. (TSX: G) (NYSE: GG) and was Goldcorp's EVP Corporate Development and CFO from March 2016 to November 2017. Prior to Goldcorp, Mr. Ball held various positions with Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM) from 1994 to 2013, including EVP and CFO from 2008 to May 2013. Mr. Ball is also a Non-Executive Chair of the Board of Faraday Copper Corp. (TSX: FDY) and is a director of Ivanhoe Electric Inc. (NYSE American: IE) (TSX: IE) and Southern Silver Exploration Corp (TSXV: SSL). Mr. Ball qualified as a Chartered Accountant (South Africa) and as a Certified Public Accountant in the United States, and holds a Masters in Accounting and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Natal (South Africa). Russell Ball comments: "I look forward to working with Cole and the team to advance the two projects in the Company's portfolio. In particular, the La Estrella project in Colombia is an exciting project with an extremely high rate of return that is expected to be revenue-generating and free-cash flow positive in less than twelve months' time." About Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. is a Canadian-listed junior exploration company focused on exploring and advancing the Alotta project, a prospective porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum project located 50 km south of the Casino porphyry deposit in the unglaciated portion of the Dawson Range porphyry/epithermal belt in the Yukon Territory of Canada. In addition, the Company holds a 20% interest in Aion Mining Corp., a company that is developing the fully permitted La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia. The project contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Cole McClay", CEO Benjamin Hill Mining Corp. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Forward Looking Statements Certain of the statements made and information contained herein may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, information concerning the Company's intentions with respect to the development of its mineral properties. Forward-looking information is based on the views, opinions, intentions and estimates of management at the date the information is made, and is based on a number of assumptions and subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated or projected in the forward-looking information (including the actions of other parties who have agreed to do certain things and the approval of certain regulatory bodies). Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws, or to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company, its financial or operating results or its securities. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We seek safe harbor. The gentle giants of the sea were disappearing. Blue whales, the largest animals on earth, had been hunted to the verge of extinction, and many other whale species were in similar straights. In the early 1980s, the International Whaling Commission, the governing body responsible for global whale population management, was responding to public pressure by inching toward imposing a whaling moratorium. But whaling-nation members, Japan in particular, kept hunting. A Place to Sleep, episode 3: Corvallis Do unhoused people know where to go in Corvallis? Well, the city has outlined where they shouldn't be: near creeks, rivers, wetlands, sidewalks or within 20 feet of trees. Discussions had reached a stalemate before the 1981 arrival of the new chair of the IWCs U.S. delegation, John Byrne. I first met John in 2019, when I stopped by a meeting of my wifes small group of artist friends who gathered monthly to critique each others work. A long-time participant, he had brought some of his charming paintings of birds, along with coffee and donuts for the group. I noticed there was something about his vibe engaging, validating, and humorous. Twinkly even. Nice of John to bring the coffee, I told my wife later. Oh, he always does that. Did you know that he was once the president of OSU? Hmm. A former university administrator who is now a good artist, I thought. A man of many talents. Little did I know. Byrne died Jan. 1. He was 95. Raised in rural New York during the Great Depression, John knew that his family was lucky because his father had a job. In "Undercurrents," his 2018 autobiography, he recounts a frequent occurrence from those times: Unemployed men would come to his back door and ask if they could perform chores in exchange for a meal. His mother would say, No, but let me fix a meal for you anyway. The lesson in compassion made a lasting impression. He describes an idyllic childhood in small town settings: playing in the woods and loving nature; learning to play the saxophone; getting an excellent public school education that prepared him well for college. After graduating from New Yorks Hamilton College, where he majored in geology, John pursued his masters degree at Columbia University. But in "Undercurrents" he said little about his classwork there, and a lot about his scientific field work in marine geology. He relished traveling to the Bahamas, where he studied near-shore marine sediments. But the real highlight of those days was a scientific expedition to Raroia, a remote South Pacific Atoll. There he worked with a scientific team charting the waters, cataloguing its wildlife and hanging out with their gracious native hosts. Everywhere he went, he made friends with the local people, especially the workers, fishermen and guides who helped with the grunt work needed to conduct field research. In 1953, John moved on to the University of Southern California where he sought a wife and a Ph.D. Toward that first goal, soon, a young woman named Shirley OConnor caught his eye, but he wasnt sure how to approach her. Then, one lunch hour at a campus snack shop, he and a friend saw her take a seat at table near them. His friend dared him to walk up and introduce himself, which he did. She invited him to sit with her, and they began a conversation that lasted 70 years. John and Shirley married about 18 months later. He continued his education, earning his doctorate by completing his thesis that had the ambitious title, "The Marine Geology of the Gulf of California." Wanting to continue assaying marine sediment deposits, he took a job surveying the Mississippi Delta with the research division Humble Oil and Refining Co., and the couple moved to Houston. Three years later, with a secure job doing what he loved and working with people he enjoyed; relishing domestic bliss with Shirley, their toddler and twin baby girls John Byrne had it made. But there was an ember glowing inside him, the desire to teach, and ultimately to become, of all things, a college president. From that position, he had told one of his USC professors, I could help others become more effective as teachers, and I could help set the direction of higher education. So when he learned that then-Oregon State College sought a marine geologist for an associate professorship in its newly-formed oceanography program, he made the decision to leave his comfortable position with Humble and relocate to a fairly obscure college town in a sparsely populated state and see what he could make of the situation. John and Shirley moved to Corvallis in 1960. Except for two shorts stints in Washington, D.C., they would spend the next 70 years there. That decision would change his life, and those of thousands of others, many yet unborn, for the better. The growth of the startup OSC Oceanography Program into the established OSU Oceanography Department was paralleled by Johns meteoric rise as one of its principal teachers, researchers and administrators, culminating in his becoming the first dean of Oceanography. Working with others, he was instrumental in the creation of the Hatfield Marine Science Center on an abandoned piece of land in Newport. Due to this and numerous other advances in research, staffing and fundraising, Oregon State today boasts one of worlds top two or three oceanography programs. John took a break from OSU in 1981, when he was offered the job as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's chief administrator at the beginning of the Ronald Reagans first term. As he would soon learn, the agency needed a real champion just to stay on track. He had to negotiate Washingtons bureaucracy in an administration that wanted to cut government services to the bone. But, due to his considerable personal skills and administrative acumen acquired at OSU, he made far more friends than enemies, gained the respect of both, and saved the agency while advancing the cause of science and human welfare. NOAAs critical divisions, such as the National Weather Service, and the various oceanic and atmospheric monitoring services and research projects maintained their independence and their funding. Attempts to privatize the NWS were beaten back, and John used his connections in the U.S. Senate to prevent the Sea Grant College Program from being defunded by a Reagan political appointee. Of all the things I did while I was in Washington, John told me as we sat having coffee in Corvalliss downtown New Morning Bakery. Im most proud of our work with the International Whaling Commission on the moratorium. If we hadnt gotten that done then things could have gone very badly for the whales and the oceans ecosystems. Although I was acquainted with John through his artistic activities, our real connection began when he attended a spring 2023 talk I gave on the future of the planet. He agreed with the bleak aspects of my prognostications about the directions of global warming, mass extinctions and so on, but had serious reservations about my more optimistic scenarios how we humans would find a way to do what was needed to avoid a global environmental and societal catastrophe. So, we got together several times to hash out our differing views. At the time, I knew only that he was a renowned scientist the former head of NOAA! as well as being a former OSU president. As a journalist who studies environmental and social issues, I was eager to hear his thoughts. Part of Johns NOAA job description was to chair the International Whaling Commission. Due to his deft diplomacy and persistence, and by letting Japan know that if it continued killing whales it could lose its lucrative fishing rights in American waters, the deadlocked whaling moratorium was approved in 1985. Today, the moratorium remains in place, and the populations of blue whales and other species, though still threatened, are slowly on the rise. OSU wanted John back, but he told them he would return only as its president. That position opened in 1984, he took it, and until his retirement in 1995, steered the institution to new heights despite ongoing budget struggles as Oregon cut back on educational funding. One approach John took was to strengthen private fund efforts through the OSU foundation and his own contacts as OSUs president. He had to make some painful cuts to programs, but through skillful reorganization of the administration overcame the budget crunch and expanded many programs and services. One notable achievement was the dramatic expansion of the old campus library into the beautiful new Valley Library. In retirement, John remained in demand as a member of several important statewide educational commissions, including one to train future leaders. By the time of our last conversation in November, John and I had moved closer to each others positions on the global environmental situation. Still, its hard to stay positive, he said, a bit downcast. But you keep trying to, dont you? I asked. He smiled. What was most important to this man with his remarkable legacy? In "Undercurrents," John said that he always considered his family to come first, his job second. As I can attest, he also made his friends feel they were part of his family. He is survived by his wife Shirley, daughters Donna Byrne and Karen Byrne (Mike Dickey), son Steven Byrne (Holly), and grandchildren Adiv Paradise, Liat Paradise, Lauren Byrne and Quentin Byrne. A celebration of life is planned for spring 2024. TORONTO / Jan 23, 2024 / Business Wire / Trigon Metals Inc. (TSX-V: TM; OTCQB: PNTZF) (Trigon or the Company) announces results from confirmation drilling at the Kombat Mine in Namibia (the Project) with key highlights from the drilling campaign. The reported results are from the shallow areas of 1 Shaft (Asis West Shaft) adjacent to the historic Omega Shaft from 100 years ago. The 1 Shaft area still contains high-grade zones of mineralization to be accessed from the underground. Highlights of the Drill Results Several confirmation holes near 1 Shaft have been completed. These drillholes were targeting orebodies adjacent to historic workings and close to existing development thus allowing for near-term mining during the ramp-up stage of underground operations. The holes listed below have extended the known mineralization and mineable tonnage in the zone. K15FLW02: 306 azimuth; -88.7 dip Intersected 9.0m with 2.59% Cu & 36.7 g/t Ag, from 26m; Intersected 9.3m with 1.35% Cu & 17.2 g/t Ag, from 49m; K15FLW03: 92.1 azimuth; -89.1 dip Intersected 15.5m with 5.56% Cu & 81.4 g/t Ag, from 10m; K15FLW09: 329 azimuth; -86.4 dip Intersected 9.8m with 1.01% Cu & 14.4 g/t Ag, from 10.2m; Intersected 7.0m with 1.44% Cu & 23.4 g/t Ag, from 25m; Intersected 6.0m with 1.91% Cu & 37.3 g/t Ag, from 43m; K15FLW11: 82.1 azimuth; -87.2 dip Intersected 18.0m with 6.15% Cu & 81.8 g/t Ag, from 18m; Andy Rompel, Trigons Vice President of Exploration, commented, We are pleased with the drilling results at the 1 Shaft area. These findings further demonstrate the high-grade copper and silver potential copper potential within our licences and solidify our confidence in the exploration and development potential of the Kombat project." Jed Richardson, Executive Chairman, commented, Dewatering has progressed well in the past weeks. The water level has been lowered 238m, past the 7th level and beyond our 6th level goal necessary to start underground mining. As previously announced, the Company remains on track to initiate underground mining beginning in Calendar Q2 this year. As we prepare for this stage Trigon Metals anticipates increased operational efficiency and enhanced resource extraction following the promising drill results that have showcased the substantial mineralization within the targeted zones. The assays have been prepared and classified by Trigon Mining (Namibia)(Pty) Ltd in accordance with the reporting guidelines as set out in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101) as required by the Canadian Securities Administrators. Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC): All sample assay results have been monitored through the Company's quality assurance / quality control (QA / QC) program following E2941 21 Standard Practices for Extraction of Elements from Ores and Related Metallurgical Materials by 4 acid Digestion with ICPOES finish. Drill core was sent to an independent laboratory, African Laboratory Specialists Namibia (ALS), for analysis. ALS is an independent laboratory, located in Kombat, Namibia. Core samples were prepared using the ASTM procedures. Sample size: 3 kg, crushed split to 250g weighed sample (+/- 0.5000g). Qualified Person The technical information presented in this press release has been reviewed and approved for disclosure by Fanie Muller, P.Eng, VP Operations of Trigon, who is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Trigon Metals Inc. Trigon is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core business focused on copper and silver holdings in mine-friendly African jurisdictions. Currently, the company has operations in Namibia and Morocco. In Namibia, the Company holds an 80% interest in five mining licences in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia widely recognized for its high-grade copper deposits, where the Company is focused on exploration and re-development of the previously producing Kombat Mine. In Morocco, the Company is the holder of the Silver Hill project, a highly prospective copper and silver exploration project. Cautionary Notes This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the Kombat Mine, the mineralization of the Kombat Mine, the Companys exploration plans and results thereof, the prospectivity of the Companys projects, the economic viability of the Kombat Mine, the Companys ability to restart underground operations and the Companys future plans and objectives. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXv:CCE, FSE:D7H0, OTCQX:CMRZF) (the "Company" or "Commerce") wishes to announce the appointment of Mr. Adam Ritchie as a new director. Mr. Ritchie brings with him a wealth of experience in the mining industry with a focus on major project development. His expertise and vision align well with Commerce's goals, and the Company looks forward to benefiting from his guidance in the coming years. Chris Grove, President of Commerce Resources, states "I am excited to have Adam join the Commerce Resources Board. His significant experience in project development and integrity in providing shareholder value will be a significant benefit to the company as we advance both the Ashram REE/ Fluorspar Deposit and our Niobium Claim Group this year." Mr Ritchie has over 20 years' experience in the resources industry and has been focused on project delivery in senior positions for many of Australia's best performing companies in the mining and minerals sector, including Pilbara Minerals, FMG, Rio Tinto and BHP. Mr Ritchie is known for delivering complex projects with a particular focus on high-value mineral assets. He is recognised for his contributions to major Australian lithium and iron ore projects, across all project stages. He is the Managing Director of Loyal Lithium (ASX:LLI) an ASX listed battery minerals company with hard rock lithium assets in Quebec, Canada. He holds a Bachelor in Engineer and a Masters Degree in Utility Engineering. He is committed to a sustainable future and harbors a long term-personal passion for technology and innovation. Adam Ritchie states "It's a genuine honour to join the Commerce Board of Directors, overseeing a project that holds such global significance. I am excited about contributing my project development experience and leveraging my intimate knowledge of Quebec to help advance the asset. The Ashram Project boasts substantial untapped potential, deserving serious consideration from both government and investors. The road ahead looks promising as we guide one of the largest undeveloped rare earth deposits to the next level." Additionally, David Ian Hodge has resigned as a director of the Company. The Company would like to express its sincere gratitude to Dave for his long-standing and dedicated service during his tenure, dating from 1999. His insight and leadership have been instrumental in guiding the Company through various strategic decisions including the staking of the Eldor claims in Quebec in 2007. About Commerce Resources Corp. Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located in Quebec, Canada. The Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market. In addition to being one of the largest rare earth deposits globally, Ashram is also one of the largest fluorspar deposits globally and has the potential to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . On Behalf of the Board of Directors COMMERCE RESOURCES CORP. "Chris Grove" Chris Grove CEO and President Tel: 604.484.2700 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Web: http://www.commerceresources.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements, which includes any information about activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include; the Company's plan to advance the Ashram REE/ Fluorspar Deposit and Niobium Claim Group in Quebec; that the Ashram deposit is one of the largest undeveloped rare earth deposits; that Ashram has the potential to become a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets; and that the Company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth element producers globally. These forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Risks that could change or prevent these events, activities or developments from coming to fruition include: that we may not be able to fully finance any additional exploration on the Ashram Project; that even if we are able raise capital, costs for exploration activities may increase such that we may not have sufficient funds to pay for such exploration or processing activities; the timing and content of any future work programs; geological interpretations based on drilling that may change with more detailed information; potential process methods and mineral recoveries assumptions based on limited test work and by comparison to what are considered analogous deposits that, with further test work, may not be comparable; testing of our process may not prove successful or samples derived from the Ashram Project may not yield positive results, and even if such tests are successful or initial sample results are positive, the economic and other outcomes may not be as expected; the availability of labour and equipment to undertake future exploration work and testing activities; geopolitical risks which may result in market and economic instability; and despite the current expected viability of the Ashram Project, conditions changing such that even if metals or minerals are discovered on the Ashram Project, the project may not be commercially viable; The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no responsibility to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as required by law. A Dutch court Monday jailed a former member of a Syrian militia for 12 years for crimes against humanity including complicity in torture under President Bashar Al-Assad's regime. The 36-year-old Syrian-born man, identified only as Mustafa A., was a "commander" in the Liwa al-Quds militia, a Palestinian group loyal to Assad's government, the court said. "The members of Liwa al-Quds were guilty of war crimes such as looting and violence against civilians and unlawful imprisonment of civilians," said the court in The Hague. In 2013, A. was involved in arresting a man seen as an opposition supporter from a Palestinian refugee camp near Aleppo. The Palestinian man was dragged from his home in front of his family and handed over to the notorious Syrian Air Force intelligence services, where he was brutally tortured, the court said. The court judged that A. knew the intelligence service was infamous for torture practices that often resulted in death. "Because of his role in the arrest and transfer of the Palestinian man to this agency, (he) is complicit in his torture," the verdict said. A. applied for asylum in the Netherlands in 2020 and was arrested two years later in the southern town of Kerkrade. "These are crimes committed in Syria. The Dutch judge can still rule on this because it concerns international crimes and the man is now in the Netherlands," the court said. It is the first time a Syrian rights abuse case has been tried in the Netherlands and could open the door to the prosecution of other suspects residing in the country. Syria's war is estimated to have killed more than half a million people and displaced millions since it began with a brutal crackdown of anti-government protests in 2011. Moscow said at the UN on Monday it was protecting "traditional families", as it awaits being grilled over thousands of Ukrainian children believed to have been forcibly sent to Russia. Kyiv estimates that 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly deported to Russia. Russian minister Alexey Vovchenko told the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child that "the Russian Federation constitution since 2020 has contained new amendments which for the first time have protected the family, motherhood, fatherhood and children". The panel of 18 independent experts is examining Russia's record, as part of a regular review that all countries have to undergo in turn, and should present its findings on February 8. The Russian delegation will answer Tuesday questions about how many children have been "evacuated" to Russia or within Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The committee also wants to know what Moscow has done to protect "the right of such children to preserve their identity, including nationality, name and family relations". Their lengthy list of concerns was sent to Moscow in the first half of 2023. In his opening statement, Vovchenko, Russia's deputy minister of labour and social protection, did not mention the topic of Ukrainian children but defended Russian measures on strengthening "the institution of the family and protecting traditional families". - 'Hero Mother' title - Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared 2024 as the "year of the family", with action to develop a strategy for "state demographic and family policies", said the minister, who is heading the Russian delegation at the hearing. "We've created a new holiday in honour of fathers, Father Day, and we've restored the honorary title of 'Hero Mother', which is given to all women who have given birth to or brought up 10 or more children," he said. The UN committee's list of concerns is long and includes concerns over discrimination towards LGBTQ children. In November, Russia banned the "international LGBT movement", claiming it was an extremist group, as the Kremlin pushes ultra-conservative social values. The panel will also seek answers on what Moscow is doing to remove obstacles to children exercising their right to freedom of association and assembly, and to ensure that children are not punished for taking part in demonstrations, particularly against the war in Ukraine. The NGO Human Rights Watch has told the committee it too is concerned about children's freedom of expression, their right to freedom of information, and discrimination linked to gender identity and sexual orientation. Russian lawyer Olga Sadovskaya, who heads the Crew Against Torture human rights organisation, said Russia had seen an increase in violence "in every part of life", which therefore affects children. She noted a sharp increase in domestic violence and the severity of brutality when people are arrested, and "when it burns somewhere, it spreads", she told AFP. The UN committee wants to discuss the illegal or arbitrary detention of children, corporal punishment, and measures taken to preserve the cultural and linguistic identity of indigenous children. - ICC arrest warrants - Of the children moved by Russia since its invasion of Ukraine, only around 400 have so far been repatriated. "Placements for evacuated children are arranged, first and foremost, at their request and with their consent," Russia said in a written response sent in October and shown to media by the UN on Friday. It does not specify the total number of children affected, but said they "included children from national residential institutions for orphans and children without parental care (about 2,000 in total)" and children with Ukrainian citizenship. It also said that in the second quarter of 2023, some 46,886 Ukrainian children acquired Russian citizenship. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant against Putin in March 2023 on the war crime accusation of unlawfully deporting Ukrainian children. The ICC has also levelled similar charges against Maria Lvova-Belova, Russia's presidential commissioner for children's rights. Russia, which is not a member of the ICC, insists the warrant against Putin is "void". Activists accused China of seeking to "erase" Tibetan cultural and religious identities, urging a review of Beijing's rights record at the UN on Tuesday to focus on its "cultural genocide" in the region. United Nations experts and activists estimate that more than a million Tibetan children between the ages of three and 18 have been separated from their families and placed in a network of residential boarding schools. "That represents nearly 80 percent of Tibetan school-aged children," said Lhadon Tethong, head of the Tibet Action Institute. Beijing has defended the boarding school system as respectful to cultural rights, and insisted it is needed especially in remote, high-altitude and scarcely-populated areas, where children often need to travel long distances to get to school. But a group of independent UN experts last year warned that the system "appears to act as a mandatory large-scale programme intended to assimilate Tibetans into majority Han culture, contrary to international human rights standards". In the schools, the children face "very intensive indoctrination", Tethong told AFP, adding that they often come out barely able to communicate in Tibetan and voicing criticism of Tibetan traditions. "It is a case of cultural genocide, a clear-cut case," she said. She and other advocates for Tibetan rights took part in an event at the UN in Geneva on Monday ahead of a review of China's rights record on Tuesday. Beijing will be undergoing a so-called Universal Periodic Review (UPR) -- an examination all 193 UN member states must face every four to five years to assess their human rights record. A civil liberties crackdown, Hong Kong's draconian national security law and repression in Xinjiang are among concerns expected to be raised. - Political indoctrination - The Tibetan advocates appealed Monday for countries not to forget about the situation in Tibet, where they accuse Beijing of a worsening crackdown and efforts to erase the cultural and religious identity. "We have seen a worsening of rights in China, especially in Tibet," Thinlay Chukki, a representative of Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, told Monday's gathering. Tibet has alternated over the centuries between independence and control by China, which says it "peacefully liberated" the rugged plateau in 1951 and brought infrastructure and education to the previously underdeveloped region. But many exiled Tibetans accuse China's ruling Communist Party of repression and eroding their culture. And the network of residential boarding schools was the main tool for erasing Tibetan culture, according to Tethong. She said the system was similar to the colonial boarding schools in Canada and the United States. While the Canadian and US schools aimed from the late 19th century to forcibly assimilate Indigenous children to "white and Christian" culture, she said that in China "we're talking about political indoctrination". "It's not just stripping the kids of their traditional identity, language and culture and religion, but it's really trying to imprint on them this sort of hyper-nationalist Chinese identity with this Communist Party as its foundation." She said it was important to shine a spotlight on what was happening, urging countries to raise the issue during China's UPR. "This is the opportunity to put the Chinese government on notice... that the system is known and that it is wrong," she said. Governments, she said, must "call for the Chinese government to stop this very obvious campaign of assimilation... of elimination of Tibetan children's identity and culture through the school system." AFP has sought a comment from the Chinese mission in Geneva. A single town in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region has seen 10,000 to 15,000 people killed since April, with paramilitaries allied with Arab militias potentially committing crimes against humanity there, according to a UN report seen Monday by AFP. Fighting has raged since last spring between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's troops and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo's rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with El Geneina -- the capital of West Darfur state -- emerging as the nucleus of the brutal violence. The conflict has claimed more than 13,000 lives, according to a conservative estimate by the ACLED analysis group, on which the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) bases its assessment. Millions of people have been displaced. But "according to intelligence sources, between 10,000-15,000 people were killed in El Geneina alone," according to a report by an expert panel mandated by the UN Security Council to monitor the enforcement of sanctions against Sudan. The document, sent to Security Council members but not yet officially published, provides no overall death toll but describes in detail the "ethnically motivated" violence in El Geneina, which fell under RSF control in June. "The attacks were planned, coordinated, and executed by RSF and their allied Arab militias," who "deliberately targeted civilian neighbourhoods, (internally displaced persons) gathering sites and IDP camps, schools, mosques, and hospitals, while looting" homes, non-governmental organizations and UN compounds, the experts wrote. The RSF and allied militias deliberately targeted the Masalit community, the town's majority non-Arab ethnic group, they added, saying there were snipers "placed on the main roads that indiscriminately targeted civilians, including women, pregnant women, and youth." More broadly in West Darfur, the experts said, the paramilitaries and their allies "systematically violated international humanitarian law," with crimes including torture, rape, mass arrests and forced displacement. "Some of these violations may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," the report stressed. It also denounced the RSF violations of the arms embargo, noting from July, it deployed heavy and sophisticated weapons including unmanned drones, howitzers and rocket launchers. "This new RSF firepower had a massive impact on the balance of forces, both in Darfur and other regions of Sudan," according to the experts in the report. They also pointed the finger at the United Arab Emirates and other nations, saying there were credible allegations that the UAE was funelling "military support" to the RSF through Chad, which borders Sudan's Darfur. The UAE has denied the allegations. China met stinging criticism from Western countries during a review of its rights record at the United Nations on Tuesday, but other nations lumped praise on Beijing, including Russia and Iran. China was facing a regular Universal Periodic Review (UPR) -- an examination all 193 UN member states must undergo every four to five years to assess their human rights record. A vast Chinese delegation took part in the review, insisting their country was making great strides to improve the lives of its people, end poverty and protect rights, and slamming critics for "politicising and weaponising" rights issues to interfere in its internal affairs. "Through tremendous efforts, China has made historic achievements in the human rights cause," said Chen Xu, China's ambassador to the UN, who headed the delegation of around 60 people. But diplomats from Western countries highlighted a crackdown on civil liberties and a sweeping national security law imposed on Hong Kong in 2020 to quash dissent after pro-democracy protests. Danish ambassador Ib Petersen called on Beijing to "release writers, bloggers, journalists, human rights defenders and others arbitrarily detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression, and guarantee this right, including in Hong Kong". - 'Crimes against humanity' - Others voiced alarm at alleged efforts to erase cultural and religious identity in Tibet, and repression in the northwestern Xinjiang region, where Beijing is accused of incarcerating more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities. Tuesday's UPR marked the first rights review of China since former UN rights chief Michelle Bachelet published a bombshell report just minutes before her term ended in 2022, bringing UN endorsement to the long-running allegations. That report, flatly rejected by China, cites possible "crimes against humanity". Several of the diplomats in Geneva urged China to implement the report's recommendations. Switzerland's representative Michael Meier said China should investigate the extent of arbitrary detention susceptible of constituting crimes against humanity. US ambassador Michele Taylor said Washington "condemned the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang". Members of China's delegation hit back. "The so-called concentration camp or genocide or criminal crime against humanity are nothing but pure fabrication," one delegation member said. Another demanded that critics "abandon their prejudices and stop politicising and weaponising human rights issues, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs." Outside the UN in Geneva, dozens of demonstrators gathered waving Tibetan and Uyghur flags with signs reading "China lies" and "Shame on China". - 'Disinformation campaign' - Inside the building, China's critics were pressed for time to get their points across. A full 163 countries signed up to talk during the half-day session, leaving each country with just 45 seconds to speak. "It's hard to capture the extent of our human rights concerns in China in 45 seconds," British ambassador Simon Manley said on X, formerly Twitter. He demanded that China "cease the persecution and arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Tibetans, and allow genuine freedom of religion". Observers said China had been pressuring its supporters to fill up the allotted speaking time with praise. Ilia Barmin, the Russian mission's first secretary, hailed Beijing's "impressive progress" in socioeconomic development, "effectively upholding human rights." Barmin also urged China to expand the use of "standard spoken and written Chinese... in Xinjiang". And Iran's ambassador Ali Bahreini said Beijing should "continue to protect the cultural rights of ethnic minorities". "The Chinese government used the review as an opportunity to whitewash their abuses, and apparently pressured other countries to do the same," Human Rights Watch's Geneva director Hilary Power said in a statement after the review. Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress lamented that "China's disinformation campaign was very successful", pointing out that most of the countries that took the floor "closed their eyes to the current situation". "It is an obligation to stop an ongoing genocide", said the activist. The new occult Netflix show "The Bequeathed" enjoyed a huge success during its premiere. Within just 3 days, the series took the No. 1 spot as the most streamed work in Hallyu. To give back to the fans, Yeon Sang Ho, the director, revealed production exclusives and also talked about how he came up with the highly engrossing project. Yeon Sang Ho Reveals How 'The Bequeathed' Was Created In an interview with Netflix, Yeon Sang Ho showed his eternal gratitude to the viewers who supported his new work "The Bequeathed." The director, for many years, produced high caliber works that instantly became Hallyu classics like "Train To Busan," "Peninsula" and "Hellbound." "The Bequeathed" follows a woman whose life turns upside down after inheriting a cemetery from an unknown relative. Later on, she experiences bizarre murderous incidents because of it. The series received great reception from viewers and critics alike, all thanks to its unconventional yet riveting narrative that has never been seen before in other productions. It's a mixture of fun and thrill where the twists keep every viewer on their toes. Although 2024 just began, "The Bequeathed" already earned the title "Best Dark K-drama of the Year." According to Yeon Sang Ho, he got the inspiration to create the work after hearing myths and hearsays from the elderly that were entwined with South Korean family culture and sentiments. READ MORE: Kim Hyun Joo's 'The Bequeathed' Receives Mixed Reviews- Is It Hit or Miss? "It's a work that was created while brainstorming with other authors," the director shared. "I wanted to keep the concept of "family" in my works so the drama came out in that context." Moreover, Yeon Sang Ho shocked the public when he revealed that "The Bequeathed" was created in 2014, even before the release of his most noteworthy film "Train To Busan." Here's Why You Should Watch 'The Bequeathed' Besides being helmed by a top-notch director, the work also boasts a stellar cast including Kim Hyun Joo, Ryu Kyung Soo, Park Hee Soon and more. "The Bequeathed," despite having little promotions, was interesting enough to captivate viewers from around the world, and keep them entertained from beginning until the end. "The plot twists are so unpredictable. The more I watch it, the more it leaves me speechless," one fan commented. "It even haunts me in my sleep. That's how good it is." On the other hand, "The Bequeathed" topped the Netflix global charts in just 3 days since its release, proving its success and popularity. ALSO READ: Jeon Jong Seo & Moon Sang Min Get On Each Other's Nerves In 'Wedding Impossible' Have you seen "The Bequeathed yet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below! KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Yoo Ah In abstained from media interviews after wrapping up his second trial. The award-winning actor, who is known for his appearance in Netflix's "Hellbound," attended the trial at the Seoul Central District Court regarding his involvement in charges of habitual drug use. Yoo Aj In Finishes Second Trial Within 30 Minutes Sporting a new look, the actor completed the hearing with a remarkably brief moment after arriving at the Criminal Agreement Division 25-1 at 10 a.m. KST in front of the judges, Chief Judges Park Jeong Gil, Ji Gwi Yeon, and Park Jeong Je. According to reports, the second trial only lasted 30 minutes. However, after leaving the courtroom, Yoo Ah In chose not to disclose any details or share his insights regarding the update as he exited the vicinity. As for reports, local media outlets revealed that the actor's legal counsel reportedly admitted that the "Chicago Typewriter" star used marijuana but refuted the prosecution's indictment. The defense lawyer pointed out that the accusations against the actor regarding the use of propofol and charges of instigating marijuana smoking and destroying evidence were "exaggerated." Since February 2023, Yoo Ah In has been facing controversy involving habitual drug use. The award-winning star faced charges of administering medical narcotics multiple times. READ MORE: Netflix Responds to News Regarding Release of Yoo Ah In's Drama 'Goodbye Earth' Yoo Ah In is believed to have used illegal drugs on 181 occasions between September 2020 and March 2022. It was also suspected that he acquired the medication from various hospitals and clinics in Seoul and used it regularly. In addition, he also tested positive on five drugs, which include propofol, marijuana, cocaine, ketamine, and midazolam. The said narcotics were allegedly used for sedative anesthesia during cosmetic procedures, with some being highly regulated in Korea and classified as psychotropic drugs. At the height of the controversy, the actor took to social media and apologized for the second time. Following the grueling 12-hour investigation at the Seoul Central District Court for his first trial, Yoo Ah In's Instagram featured a lengthy letter stating how sorry he is for making "an incomplete apology after the police investigation ended." "I have disappointed many people who care about me and love me after this disgraceful incident. I am sorry," he added. Unfortunately, his upcoming projects and brand deals have been affected by the scandal. Yoo Ah In Faces the Heartbreaking Effects of the Drug Controversy One of the much-awaited projects of Yoo Ah In is his return in "Hellbound" season 2. Unfortunately, Netflix and the actor made a mutual decision to drop out of the cast after the controversy broke. He was replaced by the equally talented Kim Sung Seol as Jung Jin Soo. As for his supposed K-drama comeback, "Goodbye Earth," which stars Ahn Eun Jin, is temporarily postponed as the actor deals with the issue. IN CASE YOU MISSED: Yoo Ah In Reportedly Warned Accomplices Amid Drug Investigation: 'Don't trust the police' For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article Written by Geca Wills As Yoo Ah In ended his second trial regarding the drug charges against him, his legal counsel shared the actor's unexpected health status. The award-winning actor, whose popularity rose because of several hit movies and K-dramas like "#Alive," "Chicago Typewriter," and more, continues to face an ongoing probe regarding suspicions of habitual use of illegal drugs. Yoo Ah In Concludes Second Trial in 30 Minutes On January 23, the 37-year-old star arrived at Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 25-1 for his second trial in front of a panel of judges, including Chief Judges Park Jeong Gil, Park Jeong Je, and Ji Gwi Yeon. Following a series of delays, the court officially started the hearing at around 10 a.m. and wrapped up the trial after 30 minutes, a surprising duration as compared to his first trial, which ended with a 12-hour period. In addition to this, Yoo Ah In also arrived in the Seoul Central District with a new hairstyle and chose not to disclose an update or do a brief interview with the media. READ MORE: Netflix Responds to News Regarding Release of Yoo Ah In's Drama 'Goodbye Earth' Although the actor abstained from the interviews, his legal counsel provided the media with an update regarding the case. Yoo Ah In's Lawyers Revealed Actor's Claim in Court In a report cited by Korea JoongAng Daily, Yoo Ah In's legal camp stated that the actor acquired the drugs for medical purposes. Charged with accusations of habitual use of illegal drugs, tampering with evidence, and inviting someone to smoke marijuana with him, the lawyers pointed out that Yoo Ah In is dealing with depression and other health issues due to his celebrity life. "Living the life of a celebrity and being in the public eye, Yoo has been suffering from depression, panic disorder, and sleeping disorders for a long time." In addition to this, the actor's lawyers said that Yoo Ah In "deeply regrets his actions." "Yoo went through various medical procedures, which resulted in a high dependency on sleep-inducing anesthesia. The actor owns up to the fact that he used drugs during the medical procedure." On the other hand, as for the said anesthesia that the actor administered, lawyers pointed out that it "was prescribed along with the procedures" and was "never prescribed" alone by doctors. "The type of anesthesia to be used was selected under professional supervision by the doctor." Amid this, the award-winning star deeply apologize for "disappointing and hurting" his fans, especially "those who have stayed by his side in support." Since February 2023, Yoo Ah In has been dealing with the drug controversy after there were suspicions that he was violating the Narcotics Control Act with propofol. During the legal process, he was banned from leaving South Korea. Moreover, the scandal also affected his upcoming projects, including the soon-to-be released Netflix series "Goodbye Earth" and "Hellbound." IN CASE YOU MISSED: Yoo Ah In Update: Female Citizen Hits Actor With Bundle of Money: 'Use it to pay bail' For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news, keep your tabs open here at KDramaStars. KDramaStars owns this article Written by Geca Wills The unusual style that Jung Hae In had during his fashion event attendance in Paris received mixed reactions from the public. Jung Hae In's Fashion Look at Dior's Event in Paris Receives Mixed Reactions Jung Hae In made his appearance at the Mens' F/W 2024 fashion show in Paris for the luxury house of Dior. The actor looked stunning with his slicked-back hairstyle. He was wearing a black textured top with matching black pants. Adding to the ensemble was the neon green embellished jacket, which is said to be the highlight of his outfit. However, the "Snowdrop" actor's fashion style didn't impress many and received mixed reactions among netizens. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Did You Know? Jung Hae In Gave Up His Dream of Becoming Doctor for THIS Reason Despite introducing a unique style through his outfit combination, others were complaining about Jung Hae In's fashion styling. Some said that his styling was too unconventional and hard to pull off. "What's up with Jung Hae In's styling?" "I feel like apart from Jung Hae In, everyone else at the event looks normal. That neon jacket is too funny." "They should have given Jung Hae another outfit." "Isn't Jung Hae In's makeup and styling too much?" Jung Hae In's Neon Green Jacket Fails to Impress the Public Meanwhile, the actor posted some snaps of his Fashion event journey on Instagram and it was also bombarded with various comments complaining about his outfit. "It might be the brand but it doesn't look good. Thank goodness Hae In is handsome. But seriously, this brand needs to rethink their designs and stop dressing celebrities in ugly clothes just because they can." "I love him, but I can't stand this outfit. Why did they dress him like that." "The jacket doesn't suit him. I love his casual style." Hence, many still shared their support for the actor and most of the fans praised the actor for pulling off such a unique fashion outfit. What's Next for Jung Hae In? Meanwhile, Jung Hae In is ready to make his small screen comeback this 2024 as he is finally confirmed to headline his first-ever romantic-comedy drama. He is set to work with Jung So Min in the series "Mom's Friend's Son." The script will be penned by "Hometown Cha Cha Cha" writer Shin Ha Eun who will collaborate with Director Yoo Je Won for this project. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jung So Min, Jung Hae In Set to Charm Audiences in New Rom-Com: Dynamic Duo Confirmed for 'Mom's Friend's Son' What can you say about the news? Share your thoughts/replies in the comments! For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins wrote this. In an interview with Netflix, Kim Hyun Joo got candid about her honest feelings for her comeback work "The Bequeathed," her reasons for choosing the production and more. The Hallyu star also dished out her regrets during filming. Keep on reading to know more. Kim Hyun Joo Shares Affection For 'The Bequeathed' On January 23, Kim Hyun Joo sat down for a brief interview with Netflix, and got candid about her first challenge of acting in an occult K-drama with "The Bequeathed." In the series, she transforms into a woman whose life turns upside down after inheriting an eerie cemetery from an unknown relative, which puts her in bizarre and murderous situations. "The Bequeathed" marks Kim Hyun Joo's third project with Yeon Sang Ho, following "Hellbound" and "Jung_E" which were released in 2021 and 2023, respectively. According to the actress, Yeon Sang Ho is the sole reason why she chose to star in the drama. She said, "It's a guaranteed high caliber work so I didn't hesitate to accept the offer." READ MORE: Did You Know? Kim Hyun Joo's 'The Bequeathed' Has Been Created Before 'Train To Busan' She added that she's always grateful for the director who gives her courage to take on new challenges as an actress. She shared, "I can always give a great performance with the director." Meanwhile, director Yeon Sang Ho described her as an "inspiring persona," thanks to her thirst for challenges and determination. Kim Hyun Joo Reveals Regrets About 'The Bequeathed' In the interview with Netflix, Kim Hyun Joo confessed that the unconventional narrative of "The Bequeathed" made her worried about how it would be received by the public. Surprisingly, during filming, she enjoyed the work as a whole. She also shared that she did something she has never done before to create a dramatic element. "It was my first time swearing at work," Kim Hyun Joo admitted. "Because I also didn't swear much in real life, I had to practice delivering swear words without being awkward in the camera." Sadly, the car chase scenes in the work were edited a lot. According to her, she swore a lot in the mentioned scenes, expressing her regrets as she put in a lot of effort and courage in it. When asked why she doesn't swear in real life, Kim Hyun Joo reasoned that she's an actress who speaks a lot, making her more wary of what she says both in front and behind the camera. Lastly, Kim Hyun Joo expressed her gratitude to the supporters of the Netflix series. Currently, it tops the global charts in more than 20 countries including South Korea, Singapore and more. ALSO READ: Kim Hyun Joo's 'The Bequeathed' Receives Mixed Reviews- Is It Hit or Miss? Have you seen "The Bequeathed" yet? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below! KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. In this screenshot from a Youtube video called School Board Crimes, Vernon school trustees leave a meeting after a member of the public harangues them with a speech against SOGI. Trustees have now barred the public from the future meetings for an indefinite period. Tiny homes such as these, each measuring 60 square feet in size, have arrived in downtown Kelowna on Crowley Avenue. Homeless people will begin moving into the tiny homes next month, the Ministry of Housing says. Kelowna-area teachers are on track to take an average of 13.5 sick days this school year, one day more than last year, trustees will hear Wednesday. A teacher in Wisconsin is shown here quizzing kids on their health in this file photo from 2020. Jordan Coble, back row left, represents WFN on the board of directors for the Regional District of Central Okanagan. He can participate in discussions but not vote on matters, a situation that may change in the future. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - There was drama at War Memorial Hospital in Nakuru after the county askaris and armed police officers forcefully took over the management of the hospital, ignoring orders issued by Justice Millicent Odeny on October 30, 2023. In her ruling, the judge restrained the county government from interfering with the running of the hospital pending the hearing and determination of a case touching on its ownership. The court order also allowed the hospital staff to access the medical facility pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed by the directors of the facility. However, Governor Susan Kihika ignored the court order and sent county askaris and armed police officers to forcefully take over the management of the hospital. The staff confronted one of the askaris after he attempted to remove a dialysis machine from a critically ill patient. They had to chase him away to save the patients life. The hospital, which has operated for more than 100 years, is privately owned and sits on 25 acres of land. Watch video. Drama as a Nakuru county enforcement officer is chased away from War Memorial Hospital after he allegedly attempted to remove a patient from a dialysis machine. Nurses chased him away. The country has disobeyed a court order and taken over the hospital pic.twitter.com/PPAz4FHnYx Abdulahi Adan (@AbdulahiAdan10) January 22, 2024 The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2023 - Detectives have made progress as they continue to investigate the brutal murder of 20-year-old University student, Rita Waeni, after the identity of the man captured on CCTV booking an Airbnb where Rita was brutally murdered was unmasked. The CCTV footage of the prime suspect picking up the keys to the Airbnb has been circulating on social media for almost a week, with detectives burning the midnight oil while trying to unmask his identity. The suspect hid his face with a cap and shades when he picked up the keys in a nearby shop, giving detectives a hard time. He also used a phone number registered under a womans name when he called the Airbnb owner to book the house. His identity was unmasked after one of his friends by the name, Johnbull Asbor, was arrested by detectives on Sunday in connection to the murder of Rita Waeni. Johnbull lives in an apartment in Ndenderu near where Ritas head was discovered dumped. A butcher's knife and a hatchet were recovered from the apartment. He was presented to court on Monday and taken to Kasarani police station, where he will be held as investigations continue. Johnbull was pictured together with the prime suspect, who is still at large. This implies that they know each other. The photo was taken in 2020. Below is a photo of the prime suspect who is still at large. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Monday, January 22, 2024 Canada has announced that the federal government will place a cap on the number of student visas to be granted over the next two years with the goal of targeting institutional "bad actors" amid concern about the impact growing numbers of international students are having on the housing market. Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, revealed on Monday, January 22 how the federal government plans to cap the number of international students in Canada. In 2024, the Canadian federal government says it will approve 360,000 undergraduate study permits, with the aim of reducing the number by 35 per cent from 2023. Each province and territory will be allotted a portion of the total, with permits distributed by population. Canada says this will result in "much more significant decreases in provinces where the international student population has seen the most unsustainable growth." The new rule states that Provinces and territories will be left to decide how permits are distributed across universities and colleges in their jurisdiction. The cap will be in place for two years and the number of visas to be issued in 2025 will be reassessed at the end of this year. "It's unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking supports for students and charging high tuition fees all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students," Miller said. In addition to the cap, the federal government will also require international students applying for a permit to provide an attestation letter from a province or territory. "To be absolutely clear, these measures are not against individual international students," Miller said. "They are to ensure that as future students arrive in Canada, they receive the quality of education that they signed up for and the hope that they were provided in their home countries." Miller said starting in September, international students who begin a program that is part of a curriculum licensing arrangement where a private college has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Graduates of master's and other "short graduate-level programs" will "soon" be able to apply for a three-year work permit. Open work permits will also only be made available to the spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programs. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has complicated the already complex supremacy battle for the control of the vote-rich Mt. Kenya region. This is after he threw his hat in the ring for the Mt. Kenya kingpinship. In the last two weeks, politicians from the region have pledged their loyalty either to Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua or Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro. However, Moses Kuria opined that he was best placed to assume leadership of the region, considering what he described as having a better national outlook than his competitors. Using a swimming metaphor, he reasoned that you cannot be declared an Olympic swimming champion for swimming in a bathtub. Oh ye angling for regional supremacy, come and face me in the open Indian Ocean that is the great Republic of Kenya, he dared other leaders. Kurias sentiments came a day after Gachagua urged politicians from the region to desist from taking sides and concentrate on unifying Mt Kenya. Our relevance in national leadership lies in our unity. We know what disunity and divisive politics did us in the 1992 and 1997 elections," he stated. He alleged those who were fronting different leaders for the kingship were out to divide and conquer the region. On whether his position as the most senior politician from the region was in jeopardy, he remarked, Nobody is planning to take someone else's position. These young men should relax. Mt Kenya legislators led by Muranga Senator Joe Nyutu and Gatanga MP Edward Muriu have requested President William Ruto to pick Ndindi Nyoro as the preferred running mate in the 2027 presidential election. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Monday, January 22, 2024 Equatorial Guinea have knocked out the host nation Ivory Coast out of the 2023 African Cup of Nations, ending their hopes of glory on home soil. Two goals from Emilio Nsue in the 42nd and 75th, and two goals from Pablo Ganet and Jannick Buyla in the 73rd and 88th minutes respectively handed Ivory Coast their heaviest defeat. Ivory Coast finished group A with only three points, picking just one victory against Guinea-Bissau and losing back-to-back against Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused some influential leaders and businessmen from the Mt Kenya region of planning to end his political career. Speaking at his Karen residence where he hosted leaders from Nyandarua County, the DP revealed that the threats were directed at him due to his resolve in fighting illegal brew in the region. Gachagua noted that some of the powerful leaders threatened to collude with some of the consumers to plot his political extinction. However, Gachagua made it clear that he would rather go home than lead a drunken region. "Many people are trying to sell me fear that these people who drink and the ones who sell are very active politically and that my political life can come to an end," he stated. "I know you are being threatened the same way. What we are saying is, if enacting laws to protect the next generation from extinction would bring our political career to an end so be it," Gachagua insisted. "I don't think there is any need for any leader to lead a drunken population. I don't think there is any pride for me to be Deputy President and everywhere I go people are staggering and sleeping in ditches," he added. The former Mathira MP vowed to execute the role as assigned to him by President William Ruto despite threats and pressure from some stakeholders. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - President William Ruto's government made commitments to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over its use of the fuel stabilisation fund that is aimed at cushioning Kenyans from high pump prices. In the IMF country report, Rutos government committed to having a structured plan for the implementation of the fuel stabilisation fund. It was noted that the move would eliminate the use of unbudgeted funds to subsidise fuel prices. According to the report, between October - November 2023, the government used unbudgeted funds to cushion Kenyans from high pump prices. In the new structure, the use of fuel stabilisation funds will be used based on the availability of resources at the National Treasury (NT). "Specifically, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) will seek confirmation from the NT and the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MEP) of the availability of resources for price stabilization purposes before announcing the prevailing domestic fuel prices every 15th of the month. "In the event, that a decision is taken to stabilize prices beyond what can be financed by budgeted resources, the NT will be required to indicate the sources of additional financing (e.g., budget reallocations, borrowing) and EPRA to communicate the financial implications of the domestic price decisions," read the report in part. Further, the government is expected to come up with the governance structures of the Petroleum Development Fund to ensure that the funds are used prudently. According to the IMF document, the government will have the new structure ready for implementation by the end of March this year. EPRA has been using the stabilisation programme to cushion Kenyans from high pump prices. This followed the removal of subsidies that were introduced by former President Uhuru Kenyatta. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - Senior Counsel Ahmednassir Abdullahi has come face-to-face with the reality of his ban from the Supreme Court. This is after he could not appear for his elderly client as a result of the ban handed to him by Chief Justice Martha Koomes Supreme Court due to his tirade against the bench. In a statement, Ahmedinassir made a plea to Chief Justice Martha Koome over the fate of his client demanding Ksh1 billion compensation. He revealed that his oldest client aged 94 years old was currently admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). According to the lawyer, he was supposed to appear before the Supreme Court to represent the 94-year-old Mama Cherubet Chelugui, who is demanding Ksh1 billion from the late former President Daniel Moi. However, Ahmednassir indicated that he could not appear at the Supreme Court after being banned. He pleaded with Chief Justice Koome to expedite the hearing of the case before the health of his client deteriorates. "I was supposed to argue this petition before the Supreme Court this morning. Mama Cherubet Chelugui turned 94 and is admitted to ICU...over to you, Chief Justice Martha Koome. "I hope you will hear and determine the case before the health of Mama Chelugui deteriorates further!" Ahmednassir wrote. Mama Cherubet sued Moi for allegedly grabbing her land in the 1980s. She won damages but she is yet to receive the dues as directed by the court. This compelled Ahmednassir to file a petition at the Supreme Court to help Mama Cherubet get her compensation. However, he is now facing a dilemma after the Supreme Court banned him for allegedly tarnishing its image. The Kenyan DAILY POST Monday, January 22, 2024 Nigeria have qualified for the round of 16 after beating Guinea-Bissau 1-0 in their last match of Group A tie of the 2023 African Cup of Nations. Despite a poor display, Nigeria got a 37th-minute own goal after Moses Simons cross was smashed into the net by Guinea-Bissau's defender Opa Sangante. The victory places Nigeria in the second position with 7 points in Group A and has earned them qualification to the Round of 16. Guinea-Bissau is leaving the AFCON 2023 after falling to fourth place with zero points. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - A Nigerian man identified as William Ovie Opia was arrested on Sunday in connection with the brutal murder of slain University student Rita Waeni. Detectives raided his apartment in Ndenderu, not far away from where Ritas head was found dumped. After conducting a search in the house, they recovered an axe which he reportedly bought online a day before Rita was murdered. He alleged that he bought the axe for self-defense. Detectives will conduct a forensic analysis to establish whether the axe was used to kill Rita. The suspect was in the country illegally. He had even managed to obtain a Kenyan Identity Card illegally. The suspect is being held at Kasarani police station as detectives conduct more investigations. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 President William Ruto has suffered yet another career-threatening blow ahead of the 2027 General Election. This is after more UDA members dumped him over unfulfilled promises and continuous lies. UDA members in Ugunja, Siaya County, ditched the Ruto-led party for Raila Odingas ODM party. Addressing the media, the members called out Ruto over empty promises. Ugunja boda boda Riders Association chairman Maurice Amenya noted that UDA members are suffering from the Kenya Kwanza governments unkept promises. I am very happy to come back to the ODM party because where I was in UDA, we were really suffering, our President is always saying 'I have allocated'. "We as youth have decided to come back to ODM. We are very happy and we are going to strengthen ODM, Amenya stated. Mildred Adhiambo, who also defected, mentioned that she was among the first people to introduce UDA to Ugunja but it was a terrible experience for her. I was happy to be with you at the beginning but it became terrible for me I am away from UDA totally. I am back home, I am going to do everything possible to bring my fellows back to ODM, said Adhiambo. This comes a day after senior officials of the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party associated with Senate Speaker Amason Kingi decamped to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party. The officials who were received by Raila at Chungwa House on Thursday accused Speaker Kingi of abandoning them since the Kenya Kwanza coalition formed the government. They also complained of a lack of inclusivity in the Ruto administration and unkept promises. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - The majority of Mt Kenya and Rift Valley residents are struggling to make ends meet. This is according to a survey released by Infotrak yesterday. The survey published by the pollster indicated that in the two regions, over 70 per cent of the residents were either struggling or in severe financial distress. Other regions where over 70 per cent of residents were in debilitating poverty include the Coast and North Eastern regions. In Rift Valley where President William Ruto hails from, 73 per cent of residents were in dire need of economic support. In Mt Kenya, which covers the defunct Central Province and Upper Eastern, 74 per cent of the population required emergency financial assistance. North Eastern and Coast led regions under severe financial distress at 78 and 76 per cent respectively. A majority of Kenyans (73 per cent) are either in severe financial distress or struggling to make ends meet, the survey indicated further. Of the total countrys population, 22 per cent of Kenyans stated that they were neither struggling nor comfortable. Only 5 per cent of the nations population is living comfortably amidst the rising cost of living. Infotrak stated that Kenyans who were surveyed indicated that getting a side hustle and reducing non-essential expenditures were the main coping strategies adopted by Kenyans to cope with economic hardships. 45 per cent of Kenyans are currently engaged in a side hustle to supplement their income while 41 per cent have reduced their expenditure on non-essentials. Infotrak reported that 18 per cent of Kenyans had taken out loans to fill the gaps. It was further indicated that 48 per cent of Kenyans had increased stress and anxiety due to economic hardships. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 A teenager named Monday, Jan. 22, as having deliberately pushed a 13-year-old boy into a river as part of a prank before he tragically died has now been pictured for the first time. Christopher Kapessa, 13, died after being pushed off a ledge by then-14-year-old Jayden Pugh, into the River Cynon in Fernhill, near Mountain Ash, South Wales, in July 2019. Mr Pugh, now 19, and other school friends jumped into the water to try to rescue Christopher but were unable to save him. The teenagers body was recovered by the emergency services nearly two hours after he had entered the water. South Wales Police investigated Christophers death and passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider a manslaughter charge. Prosecutors decided it was not in the public interest to pursue Mr Pugh, a decision later upheld by the High Court after a legal challenge by the Kapessa family. After a two-week inquest, South Wales Central assistant coroner David Regan recorded a narrative conclusion and said Christopher drowned after being pushed into the river by Mr Pugh during a dangerous prank. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found some shortcomings in the way police communicated with Christophers family. Speaking afterwards, his mother, Alina Joseph, criticised decisions made by South Wales Police and said she did not trust the force because of the way her family had been treated. She said: They had a biased view of me as a black single mother living in the Valleys. The police did not investigate the pattern of racism suffered by Christopher and the family. It was only after I raised concerns that they began to investigate properly. I was a victim of the institutional racist practices of South Wales Police. I deserve better. She added: I have not been able to grieve for Christopher. Ive been forbidden from grieving for Christopher or mourning his passing. The decision not to prosecute despite the evidence is something I wouldnt wish upon any mother or any family. Ms Joseph said Christopher, who was not a confident swimmer, had been pushed without warning and was unlawfully killed. The inquest heard evidence from four teenagers who saw Mr Pugh push Christopher into the river, which contradicted Mr Pughs claim that he stumbled and fell into his friend. Mr Pugh had first told police Christopher had slipped and fallen an account Mr Regan described as clearly untrue and then said he had accidentally knocked him in after stumbling. However, delivering his conclusions in the case, Mr Regan said: In my judgment, Christopher was deliberately pushed into the back from behind by Jayden Pugh using his hands. Jayden Pugh pushed Christopher into the water in a misplaced sense of fun, namely as a prank, and not with any malicious intention. During the inquest Ms Joseph described racist abuse that the family had suffered since moving from London to Wales, including her children being beaten, Christopher being urinated on, and being physically dragged by his neck. Mr Regan described their experience as extremely disheartening and said it was to the familys credit that, despite it, Christopher remained an active and well-liked member of his community. He added: There has been no suggestion during the inquest that Christophers death resulted from a racially motivated act. It is important that I make clear at the outset of these findings that there is no evidence at all that Christophers death was caused by any racially motivated action or antipathy. When he was present at the riverbank he was there with a group of school friends of broadly the same age. The coroner said there had been previous misreporting of the case, which meant a narrative conclusion was appropriate given the need to clarify what happened. During the inquest, police described how Mr Pugh had been dubbed a killer or murderer on social media, with one campaign linking Christophers death to the murder of Stephen Lawrence At times, Mr Pughs family were moved from the area and police safeguarding measures were put in place to protect them and their home. The IOPC published its findings into complaints made by Christophers family, after the inquest. It said it found some shortcomings in the way South Wales Police dealt with Christophers family, adding that communications by officers could have been better. A complaint by his family that officers concluded he had died as a result of an accident, without proper investigation, was not upheld. Evidence did not suggest the family were treated less favourably by police because of their race. David Ford, director of the IOPC, said: While it is clear that aspects of communication with Christophers family could and should have been handled better by South Wales Police, we found no evidence to justify bringing any disciplinary proceedings against individual officers. Assistant Chief Constable Danny Richards, of South Wales Police, said Christophers death had deeply shocked and affected many people. "We hope that this independent scrutiny and the outcome of the inquest proceedings will give us a greater understanding of the issues which have been raised about this case, he said. Jenny Hopkins, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Cymru/Wales, said the reasons why Mr Pugh was not prosecuted had been made clear previously. She added: Our decision that a prosecution was not in the public interest was considered and upheld as lawful by the Administrative Court in 2022. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - Controversial UDA-nominated Senator, Karen Nyamu, has broken her silence regarding Samidohs trip to the United States, where he reunited with his wife and kids. Samidoh landed in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 21 and received a warm welcome from his kids at the airport. His eldest daughter Shirleen shared heartwarming photos of the reunion and welcomed her dad to America. Wow, what a beautiful day, my daddy is finally here. We missed you, daddy. Welcome to Boston, Shirleen expressed in the shared photos. Upon Karen Nyamus return to Nairobi from China, she posted a photo on her Facebook page, leading netizens to flood the comments section, referencing Samidoh and his wife. Kanairo kumbe mlikua mumenimiss. Nairobians, so you had really missed me? Karen humorously responded to the mentions. Nosy fans informed her about Samidohs visit to Boston where he reunited with his wife and kids and started trolling her. In response, Karen stated, Both he and the babies needed that. We are happy for them. Addressing speculation about her relationship with Samidoh, Karen refuted any notion of being dumped. Hehehe kwani sisi tumewachana? Nyi mnaeza ona vile mnaona tu, but me naona a loving dad who takes his role as a dad seriously. (Hehehe, have we really parted ways? You might see it the way you see it, but I see it differently). Our babies are lucky, she said. She affirmed that she is still in communication with Samidoh. We are very much in communication mama, Karen assured. The Kenyan DAILY POST. The Denver Police officer who faced 14 criminal charges in connection with a July 2022 shooting in Lower Downtown, which injured six bystanders, took a plea deal on Tuesday. Prosecutors dropped all 14 of the original charges in exchange for Brandon Ramos' guilty plea to a third-degree assault charge. "No one, including myself, thought he was intending to hurt someone," said Assistant Denver District Attorney Zach McCabe. McCabe stressed the six shooting victims faced life-changing injuries. Terms of the deal call for Ramos, 30, to serve 18 months of supervised probation. The guilty plea also means he can never be a police officer in Colorado again, McCabe said. It's a career which Ramos' attorney, Lara Marks Baker, said he had dreamed of since he was a boy. His victims said they did not feel sorry for him. "The police shot me and five other innocent bystanders. The police. How is that possible?" said Bailey Alexander during her victim impact statement. The 25-year-old was shot through her back and out her arm on July 17, 2022. "No one else pulled the trigger. It was Mr. Ramos who pulled the trigger," Alexander said. Ramos, dressed in a light gray suit, pleaded guilty to the single charge and held on tight to the podium, as Denver District Court Judge Nikea Bland asked him if he understood the terms of his decision. He responded, "Yes Ma'am." Later on, he declined to make any statements in defense of his actions. That's not unusual for defendants who plead, or are found, guilty, considering he's facing civil lawsuits and any apology could be seen as admitting culpability. Bland accepted the plea. Ramos had been due for a Feb. 20 trial on charges of two counts of reckless second-degree assault, three counts of third-degree knowing or reckless assault, three counts of third-degree assault with negligence using a deadly weapon, one count of prohibited use of a weapon, and five counts of reckless endangerment. The shooting happened in the early-morning hours of July 17, 2022, when police officers responded to a fight as people left downtown bars for the night and some gathered around a food truck. According to the indictment, officers attempted to talk to Jordan Waddy after the confrontation outside the Larimer Beer Hall. Waddy pulled out a gun, prompting three officers to fire. Although the police said in the immediate aftermath that he posed a significant threat, body-worn camera footage appeared to show Waddy throwing his gun away. Several shots hit Waddy and injured six other bystanders. Featured Local Savings Several victims of the shooting were in the courtroom to watch the proceedings, as were at least four full rows of people in support of Ramos, including his family, friends and a few Denver police officers. His mother left the hearing in tears and said that she did not want to make a comment on her son's decision to plead guilty. Former state Sen. Polly Baca, who has known Ramos for years and publicly supported him since the shooting, said Tuesday the plea was a "miscarriage of justice." "He was just doing his job," Baca said from the court house. "He's a good man. He wants to get his life back." In a statement, Denver District Attorney Beth McCann called the case "incredibly difficult" and brought the initial responsibility back around to Waddy. "Of course, none of this would have happened had Jordan Waddy not been carrying an illegal weapon and, for that reason, I am pleased that Mr. Waddy has pleaded guilty to a felony charge and will be held accountable for his role in the events of that night. Waddy, now 23, pleaded guilty earlier this month to a single count of conspiracy to commit possession of a weapon by a previous offender, which was an added count. Four other counts against him were dismissed as a result of the deal. Waddy faces 15 to 36 months behind bars, which would run concurrent to any sentence he receives related to a separate pending case in Arapahoe County. He's set for sentencing on Jan. 30 at 9 a.m. The criminal case alleged Ramos did not have a clear line of fire behind Waddy and that he fired, despite knowing there was a large crowd of people there. Waddy did not turn to face him with the gun and Ramos was not in immediate danger, according to the investigation. Denver Police officials said Tuesday there's an ongoing internal investigation, and that Ramos remains on unpaid leave. "Denver Police officers show up every day courageously navigating dynamic and often dangerous situations, to include making contact with armed individuals," according to a statement. "Following this incident in lower downtown, the Denver Police Department has updated and enhanced officer training for such encounters to help ensure that our members can take the best and safest possible action in these split-second situations." A group of the bystanders injured have also filed a civil lawsuit against Ramos, alleging he recklessly fired down the sidewalk and claiming the two shots he fired were alone responsible for the injuries. Their attorney, Qusair Mohamedbhai, said that the civil lawsuit is in its early stages and that they will likely sue Ramos personally, as well as the Denver Police department. A grand jury indicted Ramos in January 2023 on the charges. Ramos has been free on a personal recognizance bond. Ramos' defense attorney Baker declined to comment on Friday. The two officers who fired other than Ramos were not charged. The investigation found their decision to shoot at Waddy was legally justified, as there was a brick wall behind him. Shooting victims who attended the hearing gathered outside of the courtroom when the hearing was over and talked with the press about the lasting effects of the shooting a year and a half after it happened. Yekalo Weldehiwet, who was shot in the right arm, said that seeing police on the street "throws me into a panic." Willis Small, who was shot in the foot, described Ramos' plea deal as "not the heaviest sentence, but this is one small step towards a safer society." Denver Gazette reporter Sage Kelley and our news partners 9News contributed to this report. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Two US Navy Seals who went missing during an operation to seize Iranian weapons bound for Yemens Houthi rebels have been declared dead after a 10-day search failed to locate them, the US military has said. US Central Command (Centcom) had previously said that two Seals who were reported as lost at sea were involved in the 11 January operation, in which the elite special operations personnel boarded a dhow off the coast of Somalia and seized missile components made in Iran. We regret to announce that after a 10-day exhaustive search, our two missing US Navy Seals have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased, Centcom said in a statement. The search and rescue operation for the two Navy Seals reported missing during the boarding of an illicit dhow carrying Iranian advanced conventional weapons concluded and we are now conducting recovery operations, the statement said. The US military said earlier that the Seals were lost while its naval forces were conducting a flag verification of a dhow near the coast of Somalia. It said commandos based on the USS Lewis Puller, which is classed as an expeditionary mobile base vessel, executed a complex night-time boarding, with the support of helicopters and drones, and seized Iranian-made ballistic and cruise missiles components. According to earlier US reports citing defence officials, the Seals approached the dhow in small special operations combat boats. At 8pm, as they were boarding the boat in high seas with 8ft (2.4-metre) swells, one Seal commando was knocked into the sea by a high wave and another dived in after him, following protocol for such an incident. In November, Houthis began targeting ships in the Red Sea they claimed were linked to Israel attacks they said were in support of Palestinians in Gaza, where Israeli forces are at war with Hamas. The US and Britain carried out strikes on dozens of Houthi rebel targets earlier this month, and American forces have since hit a number of missiles that Washington says were ready to launch and posed a threat to both civilian and military vessels. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 Chief Justice Martha Koome has sold her soul to the devil after meeting with President William Ruto at State House yesterday despite being warned not to as doing so would compromise the independence of the Judiciary. In a statement, Azimio Leader Raila Odinga slammed Koome over the meeting, saying Kenyans are now on their own since the Judiciary had been captured by Ruto. Raila termed Koomes move irresponsible, saying a dialogue between the Executive and Judiciary should be held at a neutral place. According to Raila, the Executive is compromising and holding the Judiciary hostage. Chief Justice, the head of Judiciary has gone for a meeting with the President in State House this is in our view an irresponsible move, if there is supposed to be a dialogue, the dialogue should be held in a neutral place, State House is the seat of the Executive that is where the President resides, said Raila. This means the Judiciary is being compromised by the Executive, the Judiciary is being held hostage and we have seen this before. "We saw it happen under the rule of Moi and we have tried to caution the Chief Justice not to go bed with the Executive it is an unfortunate development, he added. The opposition chief called on other members of the Judiciary not to be compromised and to exercise their work under the constitution. We want the judges to remain firm and do their work per law and the constitution of our country, Raila stated. CJ Koome on Monday morning arrived at State House to discuss contentious issues pitting the Executive and the Judiciary. The Chief Justice had written to President Ruto seeking to hold talks after he raised concerns about the conduct of some judges and judicial officers. Ruto welcomed the call for talks and insisted that he would lead the dialogue. The Kenyan DAILY POST Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - The murder of prominent Ugandan tycoon Henry Katanga has taken another twist after the court issued a warrant of arrest for his sick wife Molly Katanga, who is believed to have murdered him and destroyed the evidence. According to the prosecution, Mollys DNA was present on the trigger while cartridges picked at the scene matched the firearm used on the slain tycoon. The magistrate issued a warrant of arrest after Molly failed to appear in court to take a plea, claiming she was hospitalized. As court, we do not understand her medical condition. There is a mechanism of court to handle sick patients and she can apply for bail basing on her medical condition. "Therefore, an arrest warrant is hereby issued against the widow Molly Katanga to appear in court. She should be arrested by not later than February 12, the magistrate ordered. The court heard that Molly and Katanga had dinner together, but late in the night, a loud blast was heard before his body was found in a pool of blood in the bedroom. Molly, along with her daughters Patricia Kakwanza and Martha Nkwanzi, are facing charges of murder and destroying evidence, respectively. George Amanyire, a farmhand, and Charles Otai, a health worker, are accused of aiding in the alleged murder. The prosecution insists that Katanga was allegedly shot dead by Molly before their daughters tampered with the scene, making it unidentifiable for judicial proceedings. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - Two middle-aged Nigerian men have been arrested in connection to the brutal murder of 20-year-old University student Rita Waeni at an Airbnb along TRM Drive. The suspects, William Ovie Opia and Johnbull Asbor, were arrested on Sunday after Rita Waenis head was recovered near Kiambaa dam. Detectives from the Criminal Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) traced them to an apartment in Ndenderu in Kiambu County. The suspects were living not very far from the area where Rita Waenis head was recovered. Detectives recovered a hatchet, butchers knife, a national identity card belonging to a Kenyan (name withheld), six mobile phones, three laptops, 10 SIM cards from different telecom services providers, and other items from the house where the two suspects were living. It was also established that the suspects were in the country illegally. Detective Constable Benjamin Wangila of Kasarani DCI offices sought an order to hold the suspects for eight days at the Kasarani police station as investigations continue. Senior Principal Magistrate Agnes Mwangi of Makadara Law Courts ordered the suspects to be held until January 31. The Kenyan DAILY POST. By AFP Cameroon on Monday launched the first malaria vaccination programme to be offered nationwide and as a matter of routine, AFP journalists saw, in a step the WHO has described as historic. The mosquito-borne disease kills more than 600,000 people a year, mainly in Africa, according to the World Health Organization. Children under five years old account for more than 80 percent of deaths on the continent. Following a pilot phase, the RTS,S vaccine is being rolled out at scale across Africa, starting in Cameroon. At a hospital in the town of Soa, 20 kilometres (12 miles) from the capital Yaounde, six-month-old Noah Ngah became the first to receive the injection at the facility. Cheered and encouraged by the nurses, the infant received the jab much to the relief of his mother, who was waiting to have his twin sister vaccinated too. Some parents are reticent but I know that vaccines are good for children, their mother Helene Akono told AFP. It is one of many vaccine centres in 42 districts designated a priority across the vast central African nation of some 28 million people. The jab will be offered free of charge, according to the government, and systematically to all children under six months old at the same time as other obligatory or recommended vaccinations. The WHO, the UN childrens agency UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance said in November that the move was a historic step towards broader vaccination against one of the deadliest diseases for African children. Saving lives More than 300,000 doses of RTS,S the first malaria vaccine recommended by the UNs WHO arrived in Yaounde in late November. It took two months to organise Mondays launch. Since 2019, more than two million children have been jabbed in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi in a pilot phase. The drive resulted in substantial reductions in severe malaria illness and hospitalisations. Cameroon is the first large-scale and systematic programme in the world, according to the WHO, the coordinator of the campaign which is largely financed by Gavi. In Cameroon, 30 percent of consultations are linked to malaria, Aurelia Nguyen, chief programme officer of the Gavi vaccine alliance, told AFP. Having a preventative tool like the vaccine will free up the health system and result in fewer hospitalisations and deaths. Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone are set to follow with large-scale vaccination programmes. Willis Akhwale, special adviser at End Malaria Council Kenya, said the rollout was a relief but not a silver bullet. The efficacy, much as it is saving lives, is not 100 percent, but even at 40 percent its saving lives and especially at the age bracket of two years old when you tend to get severe malaria, he told AFP. By AFP US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday called on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi to address election concerns after he was sworn in for a new term. Blinken, travelling in West Africa, spoke by telephone with Tshisekedi to congratulate him on his victory, the State Department said. Blinken encouraged President Tshisekedi to address the concerns raised by election observation missions by taking steps to promote confidence in the democratic process going forward, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. Tshisekedi officially triumphed with 73.47 percent and the vote passed largely peacefully in a country long torn by violence and instability. But voting was officially extended by a day due to logistical snarls and polls were open for days afterward in remote areas. Eswatini Prime Minister, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, has pledged continued collaboration with the Buganda Kingdom and the Ugandan government to improve the lives of Ugandans. He made these remarks during a visit to the Buganda Kingdom premier, Charles Peter Mayiga, at Bulange Mengo on Tuesday. Urging Africans not to underestimate the power of peace, Dlamini noted that it is a crucial pillar of development. Meanwhile, Katikkiro Mayiga delivered a message from His Majesty the Kabaka Mutebi II, highlighting the fraternal bond between the two kingdoms rooted in shared norms and cultures. He further encouraged the Kingdom of Eswatini to explore investment opportunities in various Ugandan ventures. Indonesian ISP Link Net is reportedly planning to raise up to US$500 million by selling a stake in its fibre business as it gears up to expand its network coverage. According to a report from Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, Link Net wants to raise funds to expand its network. The ISP has been looking for an adviser to help it sell shares worth between US$400 million and US$500 million, the report said. The news comes a month after Link Nets parent company, Malaysia-based Axiata group, announced that Link Net would transfer its fixed-broadband business to mobile operator XL Axiata and continue as a wholesale fibre company. As part of the arrangement, Link Net is set to roll out fibre to pass an additional 2 million new homes, bringing its total coverage to 6.5 million homes passed. An Axiata spokesperson told Bloomberg that Link Net needs capital to accelerate its fibre build, but gave no further details. The anonymous sources noted that Link Net has no firm plan and could abandon the idea of a sale. In any case, the news bumped up Axiata Groups share price 3.5% on Monday morning, its highest in five months, the report said. President Yoweri Museveni has been called upon to utilize his prerogative of mercy powers to pardon individuals imprisoned for political reasons. This follows the recent pardoning of former National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Managing Director, Chandi Jamwa, and other inmates, under Article 121 (1) (a) of the constitution. Ismael Kirya, acting spokesperson for the Democratic Party (DP), noted the apparent discrepancy. Mr Chandi Jamwa was convicted on accounts of abuse of office and causing financial loss to NSSF by the Anti-Corruption Court and sentenced to 12 years in prison. This is a good gesture to show some forgiveness to such people, however, we want to see the same on other prisoners like those sentenced in the 2021 elections, he told journalists on Tuesday. We want to understand, does this article work in isolation or discrimination? Kirya wondered. Kirya further urged the committee that advises the president to avoid selective pardons and exercise fairness in their recommendations. By Abubaker Kirunda & Tausi Nakato The Minister for Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, has said no petitions will be delivered to President Museveni during the 38th National Resistance Movement (NRM) anniversary slated for Friday, January 26, 2024. The annual celebrations, to be held at St John Secondary School, Wakitaka in Jinja Northern City Division, marks 38 years since the then rebel outfit led by Mr Museveni toppled President Tito Okello Lutwa. The last of such celebrations in Busoga Sub-region were held in Mayuge District in 2014 as the ruling party marked 28 years in power. Last years event was held in Kakumiro District. Ms Babalanda, while meeting leaders from the twelve Districts of Busoga Sub-region, instead directed whoever has a petition to hand it over to Jinja Resident District Commissioner, Mr Richard Gulume, in advance for delivery to the Presidency. On that day, nobody will be allowed to make individual demands to the President; all those with petitions should instead hand them over to Mr Gulume so that I take them to the President in advance, Ms Babalanda said on Saturday. Her directive follows a demand by several leaders to be given a chance to address Mr Museveni before he takes to the dais, and share with him the problems they are facing in their respective districts. But Ms Babalanda said because the function is national in character, the President may not be able to give spontaneous answers at the venue. According to Ms Babalanda, delivering petitions to the President prior will help him internalise and make pronouncements on as he makes his speech. Ms Babalanda further asked the leaders to mobilise people to turn up in big numbers and erode the Presidents dismal performance during the last general elections. The NRM candidate only won in three of the 12 Districts of Busoga Sub-region, including Kaliro, Buyende and Namutumba, while National Unity Platform flag bearer, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, won in nine Districts. Mr Elijah Kagoda, the Kaliro District LC5 chairperson, said the President could consider holding national celebrations in the Districts in which he has more support to act as a motivation. The Jinja City Mayor, Mr Peter Kasolo, who subscribes to the opposition National Unity Platform, asked people to put aside their political prejudices and support the function. The Jinja City Deputy Speaker, Ms Sirina Kyakuwaire, however, described as an act of unfairness for people to be denied the chance to interact with President Museveni face-to-face. This comes as a number of fender roads in the vicinity of Wakitaka are being worked on to welcome the function. The Jinja City NRM Executive, lead by Mr Dan Musinguzi, says it was not involved in the organisation of the function yet they are the host. The Musinguzi-led team accused some Jinja District and NRM party officials of allegedly monopolising the function, which they say is outside their area of jurisdiction. By Denis Edema The Police leadership in Ssezibwa, led by the Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Jonathan Musinguzi, and local leaders in Njeru Central Division, Buikwe District, have camped in Bukaya Village following a story in Daily Monitor about abandoned uniports. Last week, the publication reported that five newly-constructed Police uniports, meant to address the poor accommodation challenges in some barracks, stations and posts, were acting as lodges, while others were being vandalised by scrap dealers and sold to some of the steel factories that dot the area. The uniports were constructed by the Uganda Police Force on Nyenga Road to curb security in Villages of Bukaya East and West in Njeru Central Division, Njeru Municipality. Later, the Ssezibwa Police Spokesperson, Ms Hellen Butoto, said the uniports were underutilised following the scrapping of Police Posts countrywide, leading to a shortage of (Police) personnel. But Mr Musinguzi thanked the local leaders and residents of both Villages for offering land for the Police Post and being security conscious by raising concerns over public property. I thank the residents of Bukaya and local leaders for offering land, the cordial working relationship with the Police in fighting security in the area, Mr Musinguzi said at the weekend. He acknowledged that some Police posts have been phased out; however, there is need for reopening of some due to public demand in curbing crime in some parts of the region, especially Njeru Municipality. He further explained that he has requested for two Police Posts through the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to be reopened at Nakyesa in Kayunga District and Kitigoma in Buikwe District. Mr Jimmy Okee, the Bukaya West Village chairman and his Bukaya East counterpart, Mr Ernest Ssenyonjo, among other concerned residents, urged Police to come to rescue of the new uniports that both said were attracting criminals. The local leaders and Police agreed to work together in order for the Police Post to become operational by putting a fence as one of the measures to protect the uniports from vandals, and also construct a pit latrine, water and electricity. Ms Edith Basalirwa, the Njeru District Police Commander, said Njeru Municipality is overstretched, adding that some of the thieves terrorising the community come from Jinja, and through community policing, residents are on the lookout for them and always inform Police in case of any suspicion. Ms Butoto said Police and local leaders are going to work on the unfinished structure that residents had embarked on before the uniports can act as offices. She, however, did not say when such an arrangement would commence. Residents and local leaders of Bukaya around 2011 offered land for putting up the Police Post. However, their construction efforts and resources started waning in 2022 with the phasing out of Police Posts by the Force. Government has given out a license to the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Uganda Limited to proceed with the construction of a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) facility in the Kingfisher development area. The Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, while handing over the license said the facility will be able to produce 20,000 tonnes of LPG annually. She says the project will cost over USD 4.8 million and it is expected to be ready by 2025. Last year, CNOOC Uganda Ltd submitted an application to the government for a license to produce and distribute Liquefied Petroleum Gas and electricity generated from the gas resources located at its Kingfisher oil field. She highlighted that the inception of the LPG facility marks a significant step for Uganda in advancing its clean energy initiatives. Stressing the double benefit, she underscores that the produced LPG not only meets energy demands but also plays a crucial role in promoting environmental sustainability. LPG production is consistent with our national development objectives on the energy use in Uganda. We expect that the increased supply together with focused market penetration interventions will stimulate increased consumption to the desired levels necessary to cause a shift in the high dependency on biomass to the use of cleaner fuel, Nankabirwa said on Tuesday. 1 of 1 INDIA HAS NOW BECOME THE VOICE OF GLOBAL SOUTH -- DY CM DIYA KUMARI khaskhabar.com : Tue, 23 Jan 2024 6:01 PM Jaipur,: Deputy Chief Minister, Diya Kumari today met the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Dennis Francis at City Palace. On this occasion, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Indian Foreign Service officer, Ruchira Kamboj and United Nations Resident Coordinator, Shombi Sharp were also present. Diya Kumari said that during the discussion on various international and contemporary issues, the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations praised India's foreign policy under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi. He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the G-20 summit chaired by India, India's help to many countries of the world during the Covid-19 epidemic and raising voice against the ongoing wars around the world. Deputy Chief Minister further said that the entire world is impressed by the efforts being made by the Hon'ble Prime Minister for the overall development of the Global South. Prime Minister also gave the slogan of 'One World, One Family, One Future' in the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' in the G-20 conference and is trying to unite the world through the International Solar Alliance. Diya Kumari also talked about the heritage conservation in detail on this occasion. President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Dennis Francis is on a five-day visit to India. 1 of 1 khaskhabar.com : , 23 2024 10:21 AM 1 of 1 , .. khaskhabar.com : , 23 2024 8:14 PM Telstra International and Trans Pacific Networks (TPN) announced on Tuesday that they have partnered to co-build and operate the transpacific Echo subsea cable backed by Google and Meta. The Echo subsea system aims to connect California, Guam, Indonesia, Palau and Singapore with a capacity of 12 fibre pairs at 12 Tbps each. Under the partnership deal, Telstra will be TPN's operating partner for the system. Telstra will also deliver cable landing station services for Echo in Singapore, as well as network operations centre services. Telstra has also partnered with XL Axiata, which is landing the cable in Tanjung Pakis, to deliver services in Indonesia. The Echo cable, announced by Google and Meta in March 2021, is partially funded by the US International Development Finance Corporation. Originally slated to be ready for service by the end of last year, the Guam-US segment will launch first in mid-2024, while the rest of the system will go live sometime next year. Roary Stasko, CEO Telstra International cited figures from TeleGeography that demand for transpacific bandwidth is growing at one of the fastest rates in the world, potentially increasing 39% year on year until 2029. "The Trans-Pacific is a critical connection point to reach the US, and the geography of these regions means they will rely on new submarine cable routes like Echo for international connectivity, Stasko said in a statement. TPN CFO Aaron Knapik added, The Echo subsea cable system will be a critical element of the Indo-Pacific's digital infrastructure, ultimately strengthening networks and increasing capacity while reducing internet costs in the region. The Echo partnership is Telstra Internationals latest move to expand its reach and capacity in the Pacific region. Last week, Telstra joined Google on another subsea cable project, along with Amalgamated Telecom Holdings (ATH) and APTelecom, to roll out two new intra-Pacific cables connecting Guam, Fiji and French Polynesia. Stasko noted that Telstra recently added 3 Tbps of capacity through the SEA-US cable connecting the US mainland to Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines, "which complements our existing transpacific cables like AAG, Unity, Faster, NCP and Jupiter." A prolific criminal offender who threatened to slit the throat of an ATM user and demanded cash from him has been handed down a ten-month prison sentence. Wayne McGrory, Good Shepherd Centre, Kilkenny appeared before Judge Geraldine Carthy at Kilkenny District Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to the robbery charge. Sergeant Morgan O'Connor told the court that on November 22, 2023 the defendant approached a male who was using the Bank of Ireland ATM on Parliament Street. The sergeant outlined how McGrory placed his arm around the male and placed an item to his neck. "He said take out 200 or I will slit your throat," Sgt O'Connor told the court. The male fought him off and the defendant was subsequently arrested and admitted the offence of robbery. The defendant told gardai that the item he had placed to the male's neck was a cigarette lighter. McGrory has 254 previous convictions including three for robbery, 11 for burglary and 38 previous convictions for theft. Solicitor Chris Hogan said that his client wished to apologise to the court and to the injured party adding that he had recently come out of prison when he committed the robbery. "He was addicted to crack cocaine and had a drugs debt at the time," said Mr Hogan adding that his client was also highly intoxicated. "My client has made full admissions. He is aware that he needs to address his substance misuse issues and knows that if he doesn't address them there will be more prison or worse," said Mr Hogan. Judge Carthy remarked that the facts outlined before the court were 'very serious' and imposed a ten month prison sentence and backdated it to November 23. Clara Parish Priest, Fr Willie Purcell, made an appearance on the small screen in recent days, contributing to RTE documentary, 'The Last Priests in Ireland'. The programme, presented by comic and Father Ted star, Ardal O'Hanlon, offered an insightful assessment into the role of Catholicism and the priesthood in Ireland, analysing the impact the evolution of Christianity has had on the priesthood and on Irish society at large and what changes may need to be made to make the role of the priest attractive again. In 2023, the number of priests attending Seminaries across the country continued to dwindle, with just 20 seminarians reported to be studying to become Catholic priests for Ireland's 26 dioceses. Meanwhile, statistics from 2022 paint an equally concerning picture. According to findings from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), 15% of priests over 75 are still working, over 25% of priests are aged between 6075, and just 2.5% of serving Catholic priests in Ireland are under 40. "Anybody who's presenting themselves for priesthood nowadays, it's really counter-cultural and really is a radical decision," Kilkenny priest, Fr Willie Purcell claimed. He also acknowledged how a move into the priesthood may be considered a 'risk' for a young person. "There really is an awful lot of humility involved, a lot of self-sacrifice involved in it but most importantly of all a vocation, it's a selfless decision to give yourself to Christ, to give yourself to others," he said. The local man finished by noting, 'you dont need to be a saint' when considering joining the priesthood and 'knowing your baggage' is key. At its meeting today, the Supervisory Board elected Professor Jan S. Hesthaven President of KIT (Photo: Alain Herzog) Today (January 23, 2024), the Supervisory Board of KIT elected Professor Jan S. Hesthaven President of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). Presently, the Danish mathematician is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne), one of the leading research and education institutions worldwide. Hesthaven is expected to considerably strengthen KITs international orientation and standing in worldwide competition. Dr. Stefan Schwartze was elected Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure by the Supervisory Board. The holder of a doctoral degree in law is Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). According to the KIT Act, both decisions still remain to be confirmed by the KIT Senate in February. Professor Hesthaven has presented a convincing vision for KIT. I am sure that he will push both the international standing of KIT and the scientific and cultural advancement of this unique institution, says Chairman of the Supervisory Board of KIT Professor Michael Kaschke. His reputation as a scientist and his vast expertise in leading large science organizations make him an ideal candidate for presidency and for shaping the next stage of KIT. KITs previous President Professor Holger Hanselka was elected President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in mid-2023. Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, born in 1965, has been Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne) since 2021. His scope of responsibility includes strong integration of research and academic education, all appointment procedures, as well as close cooperation with the President of EPFL on the universitys strategic orientation, among others. Since 2013, Hesthaven has been Professor of Mathematics of EPFL. Before, in 1995, he started to work at Brown University, one of the oldest and most renowned universities in the USA, where he was Founding Director of the Center for Computation and Visualization (2006 to 2013). Having co-founded the Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics, he served as its Deputy Director from 2010 to 2013. Hesthaven studied Computational Physics and earned his doctorate at the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. His successful research is reflected by more than 175 publication in scientific journals. Since 2022, Hesthaven has been Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. Stefan Schwartze Will Be Future Vice President for Administrative Tasks The Supervisory Board elected Dr. Stefan Schwartze Vice President Finance, Human Resources, and Infrastructure of KIT. Schwartze will succeed Michael Gan, who will retire this summer. The Supervisory Board elected Dr Stefan Schwartze Vice President of Finance, Human Resources and Infrastructure. (Photo: Reinhardt & Sommer) The Chairman of the Supervisory Board emphasizes: Dr. Schwartze is an acknowledged expert in the administration of universities and large research institutions. He possesses vast legal and financial know-how. I am convinced that Mr Schwartze will address the challenges and opportunities associated with this big and demanding Executive Board Department in a determined and cooperative way. Dr. Stefan Schwartze, born in 1966, has been Administrative Executive Director of the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) since 2011. From 2019 to 2022, he also worked as Administrative Vice President of the Helmholtz Association. Before, from 2008 to 2011, Schwartze was Chancellor of the University of Munster. Prior to that, he worked at the Max Delbruck Center for Molecular Medicine, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, and the German Research Foundation. Schwartze studied law at the universities of Mannheim, Heidelberg, and Munster and earned his doctorate at the University of Bochum. I would like to thank all members of the search committee for their very high commitment. It helped us swiftly complete both appointment procedures. Following the required confirmation of both elections by the KIT Senate, the newly composed Executive Board of KIT will be able to concentrate on the important and strategic tasks lying ahead, such as the German excellence competition, Kaschke adds. Professor Hesthaven and Dr. Schwartze will introduce themselves to the KIT public in February. The term of office of a member of the KIT Executive Board is six years. Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. A second suspect wanted for allegedly assaulting and exchanging gunfire with an employee at a Dothan business last week was arrested over the weekend. Detavian Tyqwan Durr, 20, turned himself in to the Dothan Police Department on Sunday, Jan. 21. He is charged with one count of second-degree assault and is currently in the Houston County Jail without bond. On Tuesday, Jan. 16, Durr and TyDarian Jackson, 19, entered a business in the 2300 block of Murphy Mill Road and confronted an employee. According to Dothan Police, Jackson began hitting the employee with a glass bottle, and during the altercation, the victim exchanged gunfire with the suspects, striking an unoccupied vehicle parked outside in the process. Officials believe this incident was a result of an ongoing feud between Jackson, Durr, and the victim. Jackson was taken into custody on the day of the incident and was charged with one count of first-degree attempted assault and one count of shooting into an unoccupied vehicle. Dothan Police said Durr, Jackson, and a third suspect, Freddie Allen Gilchrist Jr., are also charged with first-degree robbery stemming from an incident in which at least one individual brandished a weapon and demanded money from an employee at a CVS on Christmas Eve. Argentine government releases photos of Chois meeting with Cabinet chief By Park Jae-hyuk POSCO Group appears to have stopped informing the media about outgoing Chairman Choi Jeong-woos activities, after the government asked him to step down and launched an investigation into him and the nonexecutive directors of the steelmakers holding firm over extravagant overseas trips. The nations fifth-largest business group said Tuesday that it will not issue a press release on the chairmans meeting last Friday with Nicolas Posse, chief of the Argentine Cabinet of ministers, at the presidential office building in Buenos Aires. Their meeting was made public after the Argentine government issued a press release and photos of the event, where the Korean company reaffirmed its intention to continue investing in the Latin American country. This was also the first time for POSCO representatives to meet senior government officials of the newly launched Javier Milei administration. During the meeting, our government officials presented Argentinas economic and fiscal reform plans, the Argentine government said in a press release. The Asian firms executives talked about the progress of their projects in this country, particularly for the lithium production. In March 2022, when Choi met then-Argentine President Alberto Fernandez in Buenos Aires to discuss cooperation in the rechargeable battery materials sector, POSCO aggressively promoted their meeting through a press release and photos. However, the company has kept silent this time about the chairman, who was spotted in the same city. Earlier this year, POSCO Group only sent out the chairmans New Years message to the press, without releasing a photo of him at the companys New Year's ceremony, which has always been made public every year until 2023. The Korea Iron & Steel Association, where Choi serves as the chairman, also canceled its New Years ceremony. The association recently published his New Years message in its monthly magazine. Choi, who was appointed as the POSCO Group chairman under the presidency of Moon Jae-in, will resign after the general meeting of shareholders in March. Although POSCO was privatized in 2000, the government has forced his predecessors to step down after a change in political power by exploiting the voting rights of the National Pension Service, the largest shareholder of POSCO Holdings. As a result, the groups CEO recommendation committee has been seeking Chois successor from among the companys internal and external candidates. However, police have probed the committee members over allegations of damage caused to POSCO due to employees using company money to pay for luxurious overseas trips, under the pretext of holding board meetings in countries where POSCO affiliates are operating. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Occasional snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the low to mid 30s. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 80%. Snow accumulations less than one inch.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 27F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Angola, IN (46703) Today Snow likely. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of snow 70%.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening, then becoming cloudy after midnight. A few flurries are possible. Low 26F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Seungri is currently receiving flak from netizens for hosting an event in Cambodia, as well as for mentioning G-Dragon. Here's what people are talking about. Seungri Receives Negative Reactions for Hosting Official Event in Cambodia, Mentioning G-Dragon On January 22, netizens flocked to an online community, which discussed Seungri's appearance at an event in Cambodia. Fans state that the occasion was a birthday event held at Prince Brewing, where Seungri hosted and entertained goers in the venue. Moreover, local celebrities attended the event, as shown in the photos that were scattered online. However, netizens were bugged specifically by Seungri's special mention of G-Dragon. According to the posts, the former BIGBANG member declared that he would bring G-Dragon to Cambodia one day, much to the excitement of ecstatic fans. "He said that he promises to bring GD there sometimes," OP stated. Twitter Error Seungri cannot retired..he still one for BIGBANG members pic.twitter.com/pKE60ooQE6 LynaLSH (@lynariri91) January 21, 2024 Others were shocked with Seungri flipping out in the venue, since according to fans, the former idol "defended Cambodia from its bad reputation." Seungri diciendo Fuck you all mandando a la mierda a todos, dedo del medio pic.twitter.com/hJl7pHiDut January 21, 2024 YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: Ex-BIGBANG Seungri Caught Two-Timing in Bali Getaway - Here's What Dispatch Exposed K-netz were irritated with the photos and clips online. They expressed their frustration over Seungri for mentioning G-Dragon and wondered why he still has a huge following despite the infamous Burning Sun scandal in 2019. Read their comments below: "F**k, shut up already." "I saw the second video and he kind of looks scary." "Isn't Good Boy GD and Taeyang's song? Legendary thick face." "Seriously he looks so cheap now. He looks like some cult leader." "What crime did GD commit?" "He still has fans? This is horrible." "Why is he like that? He's not even BIGBANG anymore." Meanwhile, in a separate forum, and X (Twitter), international fans had the same sentiments about Seungri's celebrity presence and loyal fanbase. Here's how they reacted: "I can't believe a man like this still has a career and fans who adore him. Literally seeing his face puts me in a bad mood." "These 'fans' are why such scum on earth survive." "Can this guy just stop breathing?" "Maybe it's nostalgia and they can't get over this person they loved for a long time is a disgrace to humanity." "He should've been given an electric chair and the fact that he has fans is disgusting. Like come on, where's the self-respect? That's a criminal." seungri got welcome warmly by many celebrities in cambodia and they even defended him. he freely out of jail. everyone please go and report all of this celebrities. #burningsun #SEUNGRI #BURNINGSUNSCANDAL #KPOP #BIGBANG pic.twitter.com/Lc5ORK4W3A RJ (@zwxtqs) January 22, 2024 I need that seungri man to stfu and never mention gdragon name again . And all vip hyping him dont like gdragon, u know damn well kpop fans will take this occasion to hate him, they dont care about yall thread with 100 likes proving his innocence. pic.twitter.com/duU48DlTh3 ln_sy (@ln_sy22) January 22, 2024 I dare seungri to travel anywhere outside SEA because if I see him on the street its on sight IMMEDIATELY pic.twitter.com/AGZrz0lVCH January 22, 2024 What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments below! Read KpopStarz for more K-pop news. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Seungri Gets Released From Jail - What's Next For the Former BIGBANG Member? KpopStarz owns this article Written by Riely Miller In the world of haute couture, NewJeans' Minji emerged as a breath of fresh air, capturing attention at the Chanel Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture Show in Paris. As the brand's ambassador, Minji not only attended the show but left an indelible mark with her unique and goth-inspired vibe, garnering widespread acclaim from Korean netizens and fashion enthusiasts worldwide. NewJeans' Minji: A Captivating Presence at Chanel's Spring-Summer 2024 Haute Couture Show Curated by Virginie Viard, the show itself was a visual symphony that seamlessly waltzed through the realms of ballet and dance. Set against the backdrop of the Grand Palais ephemere, the collection featured a palette dominated by soft pinks and whites, showcasing Chanel's mastery in haute couture. Every garment spoke volumes, adorned with buttons that transcended functionality, transforming into jewels that embellished the clothing. Viral Sensation: Minji' Breathtaking Beauty Goes Viral Minji's appearance at the event was nothing short of a showstopper. Clad in a chic, slightly goth black outfit, she radiated a princess-like charm with an edge. The intricate black lace and sequin detailing of her dress added a modern rebellious touch, perfectly aligning with the sophisticated yet bold ethos of Chanel's latest collection. The impact of Minji's look reverberated across Korean online communities, particularly on TheQoo, where a post about her garnered over 27,000 views and hundreds of comments. NETIZENS COMMENTS Here's what fans are saying: The last thing you do is like a Korean princess. oh my god.. You're a legend, wow Wow it's really pretty She has the beauty of an Asian girl Oh my god she looks so gorgeous Wow princess, you are so pretty Elegant princess feeling Wow..it really fits the brand image. You chose a good model. Minji is so pretty, but the clothes aren't that great. Minji is a princess, so I think she pulled it off. The goth-inspired aesthetic struck a chord, sparking discussions about Minji's ability to seamlessly blend contemporary culture with high fashion. READ ALSO: NewJeans: Discover the K-Pop Sensation Taking Fashion World by Storm! The Goth Elegance Unveiled During the event, Minji took her place in the front row, rubbing shoulders with the creme de la creme of the fashion world. Her chic, slightly goth ensemble became a focal point of admiration, drawing attention not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for the confidence with which Minji carried herself amid the fashion elite. Minji: The Quintessential Chanel Ambassador As the curtains closed on the fashion spectacle, one thing became evident Minji is the quintessential Chanel ambassador. Her ability to seamlessly integrate contemporary culture with the sophistication of the Chanel brand sets her apart. This recent appearance not only solidified her status in the fashion community but also emphasized that Minji is more than just a pop culture icon; she stands as a formidable force in the world of high fashion. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: NewJeans Becomes 1st K-pop Girl Group to Achieve THIS on Spotify KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Cassidy Jones. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. One person was injured Monday after a vehicle crashed through a Dothan business. At around 4:30 p.m., Dothan Police and Fire personnel and Plichers Ambulance responded to the crash at Westgate Plaza in the 3100 block of Ross Clark Circle. According to multiple eyewitnesses, a silver GMC pickup truck sideswiped a white Audi sedan in the parking lot before continuing straight and crashing into the front entrance of Stokes Floor Covering, causing major damage to the structure. One occupant in the vehicle was loaded onto a stretcher and taken to an area hospital. His status is unknown at this time. First responders at the scene said no one in the building was injured. Starting a new small business or expanding an existing one can be challenging when it comes to securing the necessary funds. Whether youre in search of a loan or a grant, CO is here to provide assistance. Small businesses play a crucial rolethey bring fresh ideas, contribute to a robust economy, and generate employment opportunities. Recognizing their importance, various programs and initiatives exist to support their growth. These initiatives offer diverse forms of assistance, including financial support, expert advice, and guidance for global expansion. The objective is to empower small businesses with the resources they need to succeed in all aspects of their operations. In this guide, we present a curated selection of grants for small businesses in the United States. These grants serve as invaluable tools, offering financial support, guidance, and pathways for businesses to grow and strengthen. Skip $10k 2024 Kickoff Grant Skip, the small business aggregator, is starting off the year 2024 by offering a $10,000 grant, available to all small business owners and entrepreneurs based in the United States. This grant is in line with Skips mission to eliminate obstacles to funding and foster innovation. Applications for the 2024 Kickoff Grant are currently being accepted, and the deadline is January 31, 2024. The Skip $10k 2024 Kickoff Grant welcomes entrepreneurs and small business owners from all stages and sizes across the United States. This initiative mirrors Skips commitment to dismantling barriers that hinder access to funding, ensuring that promising ideas and hard work have the opportunity to thrive. Apply here FedEx Small Business Grant The FedEx Small Business Grants Program, formerly known as the FedEx Small Business Grant Contest, initiated in 2012, aims to acknowledge and support small businesses in the United States by providing grants and prizes. The 2024 program will commence accepting applications on March 1, 2024, at 12 pm ET (Noon), with the submission deadline set at 12 pm ET (Noon) on April 1, 2024. The announcement of grant recipients is scheduled for May 16, 2024. In its 12th annual Small Business Grant Contest, FedEx is prepared to award over $330,000 in grants and services to 10 U.S.-based small businesses. The contest will open for entries soon, and interested parties can subscribe to email notifications for grant submission details as they become available. The 10 grand prize winners will be unveiled in May, with specific dates yet to be announced. Each grand prize winner will be granted $30,000, accompanied by various benefits such as mentoring sessions, consultation services, and more. Apply here Small Business Innovation Research Program The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are fiercely competitive initiatives designed to encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research and Development (R&D) projects with potential commercial applications. SBIR provides grants to small businesses, allowing them to actively participate in federal research and development endeavours with the goal of eventual commercialization. This awards-based program, marked by intense competition, supports businesses in achieving scientific excellence and fostering technological innovation. To be eligible for SBIR grants, a company must operate on a for-profit basis and meet other specified requirements. Apply here 500 Global Flagship Accelerator Program Startups and small businesses in search of funding have the opportunity to apply for the 500 Global Flagship Accelerator program on a rolling, year-round basis. Established in 2010, this program provides businesses with a four-month accelerator experience situated in San Francisco, coupled with a substantial $150,000 investment. For detailed information on the application process and eligibility criteria, interested parties can refer to the companys website with link below. Apply here Awesome Foundation Grants Every month, the Awesome Foundation presents grants of $1,000 to individuals and groups seeking funding for diverse projects. Comprising 84 independently-operated chapters, the Awesome Foundation relies on its members to contribute to a micro-funding pool dedicated to supporting grant projects. While the funding scope extends beyond businesses, startups, and small businesses have been notable recipients of these monthly grants. The application process operates on a rolling basis, allowing interested parties to submit their proposals at any time. Apply here State Small Business Credit Initiative The American Rescue Plan Act has reauthorized and expanded the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), allocating $10 billion to bolster small businesses and enable them to secure the necessary capital for investment in job-creating ventures as the nation recovers from the pandemic. Within this initiative, the State Small Business Credit Initiative Investing in America Small Business Opportunity Program (SBOP) has been established as a $75 million competitive grant initiative. The SBOP aims to offer technical assistance, including legal services and financial management guidance, to very small and underserved businesses. Currently, applications are being accepted with an undetermined deadline, and there is a maximum limit of $10 million per applicant. Apply here Women-Owned Small Business Contracting Program The federal government is committed to allocating a minimum of 5% of federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year. Facilitated by the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Office of Womens Business Ownership administers a program that supports women entrepreneurs. This initiative provides essential resources such as business training, counseling, access to federal contracts, and assistance in securing credit and capital. The overarching objective is to ensure equal opportunities for all women in business, fostering an environment where they can thrive and contribute to the economy. Apply here Small Business Administration State Trade Expansion Program This program, designed to aid small businesses looking to expand into international markets, channels federal funds through state entities. Small businesses meeting the criteria established by each state can leverage financial assistance for various purposes. This includes participating in foreign trade missions and shows, gaining entry to foreign markets, developing websites, and designing international marketing products or campaigns. The initiative aims to empower small businesses to navigate and succeed in the global marketplace. Apply here Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Canberra [Australia], January 23 (ANI): Clothing brand H&M apologised for and removed a school uniform advertisement in Australia after social media users complained that it sexualised children, reported CNN. "We have removed this ad," the Sweden-headquartered clothing giant was quoted as saying in the CNN report. "We are deeply sorry for the offense this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward." Also Read | BCCI Awards 2024 Free Live Streaming: Here's How to Watch Live Telecast of Indian Cricket's Annual Award Event on TV and Online. The original ad which was removed, reportedly featured two elementary schoolgirls dressed in school uniform, with the slogan "Make those heads turn in H&M's Back to School fashion." Some social media users called it "creepy", while some termed it "disturbing," and a section of people recalled their own stories about "being ogled" while still at school, the CNN news report said. Also Read | Apple Music To Pay 10% Bonus Royalties to Artists for Creating Songs in Spatial Audio: Report. Australian writer Melinda Tankard Reist, who says her work addresses sexualization and the harms of pornography, was among the first on social media to oppose the ad. "Little schoolgirls generally don't want to 'turn heads.' The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance," she posted on X, as per the news report. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, inaugurated on Tuesday the Synopsys' Chip Design Centre at DLF Tech Park in Noida. During the event, the Minister delivered a special address to an audience comprising senior leadership, employees, partners, and customer delegates of Synopsys. Established in 1986, Synopsys has widely commercialized logic synthesis, revolutionizing the creation of digital designs from language descriptions. This capability propelled the transition of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) into the Electronic Design Automation (EDA) era, facilitating the scaling of digital complexity. Also Read | Fatehpur Gang Rape and Murder: Womans Husband in Dubai Plots Her Gang-Rape and Killing by His Brothers in Uttar Pradesh. Synopsys has consistently expanded its product portfolio and market position through substantial investments in research and development, coupled with approximately 120 strategic acquisitions. Today, Synopsys is a leading name in Electronic Design Automation, playing a pivotal role in advancing digital chips within the technology ecosystem. Synopsys offers a wide range of design portfolios, spanning from silicon to software, contributing to USD 5.9 billion in revenue. Also Read | CUET-UG Exam Results: National Testing Agency Assures Delhi High Court on Uploading Final Answer Key Before Result Declaration. Synopsys has established the second-largest design center in India, extending beyond its headquarters. This center is home to approximately 6,000 engineers from India, constituting 27 per cent of their global design workforce. While it's a fact that 20 per cent of global Very-large-scale integration (VLSI)/Chip designers are from India, the increasing footprint of Synopsys in Noida, hosting 1650 engineers to begin with, stands as a testament to the growing ecosystem of fabless chip design and innovation in India. "India has built significant headroom for innovation and growth under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji. It is absolutely thrilling to witness where India is heading in the semiconductor space. The coming decade will see innovation-driven performance in our devices, products, and systems. Inaugurated the Synopsys Design Centre in Noida and shared with the team how the pace and velocity of innovation at companies like Synopsys will play a significant role in shaping the future of technology," the minister posted on X after the inauguration event. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) PRNewswire New Delhi [India], January 23: Sofy, the leading feminine hygiene brand by Unicharm, is delighted to on-board popular Bollywood celebrity Sara Ali Khan as its new brand ambassador. This partnership aims to resonate with the aspirations of GenZ girls who seek confidence, comfort, and worry-free periods in their fast-paced lives. Also Read | South Korea: Nearly 350 Flights at Jeju International Airport Canceled Due to Heavy Snow, Gusty Winds. TVC Link: https://youtu.be/TnrFcNAFxK0 Unicharm, a global leader in the field of hygiene products, stands at the forefront of innovation and quality, catering to diverse needs in the personal care category. As the driving force behind Sofy, Unicharm has continuously met the evolving demands of consumers, particularly in the realm of feminine hygiene. From manufacturing products for both period and non-period days, Sofy sells top-quality sanitary napkins, tampons and pantyliners all around the world. Also Read | Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra: Samsung Takes Leaps With Its New 'Galaxy AI Phones', New Technology Boost Productivity, Creativity and Overall Life Experiences. Sara Ali Khan, known for her dynamic presence and relatable persona, is all set to represent Sofy AntiBacteria range in a captivating new TVC. The commercial, showcasing a day in Sara's life, emphasizes her hectic routine, effortlessly balancing professional commitments and personal life. Sofy's long-hour leakage protection ensures that Sara can conquer each day without the concern of leakage, smell, or bacteria. Vijay Chaudhary, Managing Director, Unicharm, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "We are excited to have Sara Ali Khan as the face of our brand, empowering young girls to relentlessly pursue their dreams. At Unicharm, we have pioneered advancements in research and technology over years, positioning us as a trusted ally in promoting health and comfort in everyday life. The collaboration with Sara Ali Khan as the brand ambassador for Sofy further underlines Unicharm's dedication in meeting the hygiene needs of girls during periods by offering them the highest product standards. Sara Ali Khan shared her excitement about the partnership, stating, "In a world where every step counts, I believe in living life without compromises. Sofy supports my long day shoots, prevents leaks, and ensures hygiene throughout the day. Every girl deserves a partner that understands her dreams and supports her journey, and Sofy has always been my trusted partner. With this association, I take pride in endorsing a product that aligns with the aspirations of the youth today to embrace a lifestyle that's ambitious and fearless." The TVC spotlights on the unique features of Sofy AntiBacteria XL+, promising Deep Absorption, and extra protection from leakage and smell. The highly differentiated Sofy Antibacteria product ensures hygiene from bacterial infection due to an innovative antibacterial sheet. The +30% Deep Absorption Power prevents leakage while the infusion of natural herbs prevents smell while maintaining hygiene during periods. Sofy stands out as a reliable solution, offering the confidence and comfort that modern, active girls seek thus making it the ideal choice for staying worry-free and confident during their periods.As the brand says, "hum aage aage duniya peeche peeche," Sofy remains dedicated to supporting girls on their journey to greatness. Talking about the campaign Bhavana Dogra, Sr. VP & EBD, VML India said: "We are proud to have worked with team Sofy on their latest campaign with Sara Ali Khan. Sara represents the young girl of today who is confident, aspirational and can't let fear of periods come in the way of achieving her dreams. Sara Ali Khan delivers the brand message well and is someone the girls look upon." (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation has summoned Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai to appear before the agency on January 25 for a preliminary inquiry in connection with the ongoing investigation on the cash-for-query case, sources said on Tuesday. Earlier this month, Dehadrai said that he has filed a complaint with the CBI and would not back down after he alleged that former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra was conducting surveillance against him. Also Read | Sudden Death in Haryana: 62-Year-Old Man Playing Hanuman in Ramlila Dies of Heart Attack on Stage (Watch Video). Dehadrai was also the complainant in the alleged 'Cash for Query' case, which led to the suspension of Moitra from Parliament. In a letter written to CBI Director Praveen Sood and Union Home Minister Amit Shah dated December 29, Advocate Dehadrai said that there might be a possibility that the TMC leader is "tracking" his physical location by using his phone number. Also Read | Lok Sabha Security Breach Case: 140 CISF Personnel Contingent Deployed for Parliament Complex Security Ahead of Budget Session. The advocate in his letter also alleged, "Moitra has a demonstrated history of misusing her clout and connections with certain senior officers of Bengal Police to obtain the Call Detail Records (CDR) of private individuals to satisfy her desire to stalk the precise whereabouts of certain individuals as also the details of the individuals they are in touch with." Advocate Dehadrai also stated in his complaint that earlier, the TMC leader was actively "tracking a person named Suhaan Mukerji in 2019". "Moitra informed me orally on multiple occasions in the past as also in writing (on WhatsApp on 26.09.2019) that she had been actively tracking her ex-boyfriend, one Suhaan Mukerji as she suspected him of being in a relationship with a German lady," the letter read. Dehadrai further alleged that Moitra, with the assistance of "Senior Bengal Police Officers", had the entire call records and history of Mukerji's phone in which she had precise information about the individuals who had been "in contact with Mukerji as also the precise physical location of Mukerji's phone for all hours of the day". The advocate also stated that Mahua Moitra has made several threats to him in the past and also said that on several occasions he felt that his car was being followed outside his residence in Delhi. Responding to allegations made in the complaint, Mahua Moitra in her post on X, urged the Home Ministry to appoint a Special Director in the CBI for complaints by 'jilted exes' all over India. "Urging MHA to set up a special Director CBI to probe all complaints by loser jilted exes pan India. Gratified to see Shahenshah of all Peeping Toms cc'd on the complaint. - he honed his surveillance skills covering up for his Sahib in Gujarat and can supervise CBI," she said in a post on X. Moitra, facing cash for query allegations, was expelled from the Lok Sabha after the Parliament adopted the report of its Ethics Committee, which was probing the matter. Moitra alleged that the Ethics Committee, without getting to the root of the investigation, decided to hang her. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) By Rajnish Singh New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): Amid high threat alerts during the inauguration of Ram Temple and 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla idol in Uttar Pradesh's Ayodhya, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) handled 350 VVIPs and 116 flight, mainly chartered aircraft, movements between January 21-22 at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport-- the 68th and the latest airport being secured by the paramilitary force. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Missing Woman Teacher Deepika Found Killed, Body Buried in Mandya's Remote Area. A total of 146 personnel of the CISF handled the security arrangements for 350 VVIPs landed at Maharshi Valmiki International Airport during these two days. Meanwhile, the CISF handled 42 flights, 32 chartered and 10 scheduled, movements on January 21, and 74 chartered flight movements, including 12 scheduled flights, on January 22-- the inauguration date of the Ram Temple. Also Read | Gadchiroli Boat Capsize: One Woman Dead, Five Others Missing After Boat Overturns in River in Maharashtra. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled the Ram Lalla idol at the Shri Ram Janmaboomi Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 and the "Pran Pratishtha' ceremony began at 12.20 pm, a gathering of more than 7,000 people, including seers and prominent personalities, were present at the venue. They all reached with different flights at the newly constructed Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, whose security was handed over to the CISF on January 10. On arrangements made by CISF in Ayodhya on January 21 and 22, CISF Deputy Inspector General Shrikant Kishore told ANI: "We handled the biggest challenge at the Maharishi Valmiki International Airport. On January 9 when CISF took over there were only two flights at the airport and on January 21 we handled five scheduled departures, five scheduled arrivals and 32 charter planes. On January 22 we handled 74 flights. We also handled the movement of 350 VIPs..." Asked about the footfall and future challenges at the airport, Kishore said "There has not been a decrease in footfall (in Ayodhya) after January 22." "In the coming days, this will be an important airport...Ayodhya's airport is one of the hyper-sensitive airports and we are making arrangements accordingly," Kishore said. The consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was held on January 22 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the rituals. Following the consecration, the shrine is now opened to the public. It was a challenging task for the CISF to handle such a mega event amid high threat perception as the consecration ceremony was held after the first phase of the temple's construction, made possible by a Supreme Court judgment in 2019 on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. The Hindu litigants argued that the Babri Mosque was constructed at the site of a temple marking the birthplace of Lord Ram. In 1992, the 16th-century mosque was demolished by "kar sevaks". On January 10, the CISF took over the security of Maharishi Valmiki International Airport, Ayodhya Dham. The unit is headed by a Deputy Commandant rank officer. This move of the CISF to secure the airport aimed to ensure secure passage for pilgrims and visitors to the holy city, contributing to a safe and enriching experience for all. This development brought the total number of airports under the protective umbrella of CISF to 68 as of date. The deployment of CISF personnel at Maharishi Valmiki International Airport underscores the organization's unwavering dedication to maintaining the highest standards of security across the nation's vital transportation hubs. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], January 23 (ANI): The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has tightened security on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway ahead of Republic Day celebrations on January 26. A CRPF official said that checkpoints at various locations along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) have been set up and all vehicles are being checked thoroughly. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Missing Woman Teacher Deepika Found Killed, Body Buried in Mandya's Remote Area. "The entire highway is also being scanned with metal detectors by patrol teams. We are prepared to deal with any situation. We often receive input at such times, which can be either correct or incorrect. However, it is important to be alert in such situations. The current situation is normal. Drones are also being used to monitor the highway. A dog squad has also been deployed," Kartar Singh (Second-In-Command of CRPF, 137 Battalion, Udhampur) told ANI. Earlier today, Major General Sumit Mehta informed that in the Republic Day Parade, for the first time, an all-women tri-service contingent will take part, which will include women troops of the Army's military police along with women from the other two services. Also Read | Gadchiroli Boat Capsize: One Woman Dead, Five Others Missing After Boat Overturns in River in Maharashtra. "Republic Day parade to start from 10:30 am on January 26 from Vijay Chowk to Kartavya Path. The parade commander would be Delhi Area Commander Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar. For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent will take part in the parade, which will include women troops of the Army's military police along with women from the other two services," he said. Around 13,000 special guests have also been invited to witness the parade this year. The objective is to provide an opportunity for people from all walks of life to take part in the national festival, in line with the government's vision of Jan Bhagidari. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 23 (ANI): Devotees broke through security lines at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya amid huge rush for 'Darshan' of Shri Ram Lalla on Tuesday. The temple was open to the public today a day after the grand 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla idol. Also Read | Lok Sabha Security Breach Case: 140 CISF Personnel Contingent Deployed for Parliament Complex Security Ahead of Budget Session. Crowds of impatient people broke through police lines as Ram Bhakts started thonging in large numbers to the temple. Security was steeped up at the temple, which witnessed a heavy rush of devotees at its main gate from 3 am. Appealing to devotees to stay patient, Additional Director General of Police (ADG) of Lucknow Zone, Piyush Mordia said that darshan is going on as usual but since a large number of devotees have gathered the process is taking time. Also Read | Fatehpur Gang Rape and Murder: Womans Husband in Dubai Plots Her Gang-Rape and Killing by His Brothers in Uttar Pradesh. "Darshan is going on as usual. However, since devotees have gathered in large numbers it is taking time. We want people not to lose patience. They need to wait patiently. Those who are standing ahead will get the chance to have darshan first," the ADG said speaking to reporters on Tuesday. The ADG said, "The way to the exit is separate. People are coming out from a separate route. Our entry and exit gates are defined." Mordia said that it is the primary duty of the police to ensure that no one faces inconvenience and so he appealed to the devotees to follow police directives. "Yesterday the Pran Pratishtha ceremony was performed. People are excited and are coming for darshan. In the coming days too, people will come for darshan and it is our primary duty to ensure that no devotee faces inconvenience. I appeal to devotees to follow police directives. If we are asking them to wait patiently at a holding area for some time, they should follow that directive," the ADG said. "People have deep devotion for Lord Ram. Some have come from far distances on foot or by cycle. We respect their devotion," he added. Asking people not to click photos on their mobile phones during 'darshan', Mordia said, "Please do not to use mobile phones inside temple premises. This causes delays in darshan. There are uncountable photos of Lord Ram on the internet. We want to ensure darshan for everyone." On traffic arrangements in Ayodhya, he said, "Heavy vehicles have been diverted for a few days so that people do not face difficulties at the city crossings." The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was held amid unbridled celebrations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the main rituals officiated by a select complement of priests. Celebrations were also held across the country to mark Lord Ram's return to this throne. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) 9 get death for trafficking 105 kg of drugs from Laos A Nghe An Province court sentenced nine people to death and two others to life imprisonment on Monday for trafficking drugs from Laos and trading them in Vietnam. Tran Thi Mau, 56, the ring leader and eight members, aged 39-59, received the death penalty for trafficking 105 kg of drugs, including 93 kg of meth, 8.3 kg of heroin and 3.8 kg of synthetic drugs. Tran Thi Mau smiles when standing trial in Nghe An Province, Jan. 22, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hung Le Two members, aged 51 and 37, were sentenced to life in prison. Mau formed the ring in 2021 to carry drugs from Laos into Vietnam via the Nghe An border. But it was busted the same year, and Mau and the 10 members were arrested one after another between late 2021 and May 2022. Members of a ring trafficking 105 kg of drugs from Laos to Vietnam at a court in Nghe An Province, Jan. 22, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Hung Le Vietnam has some of the world's toughest drug laws. Those convicted of possessing or smuggling more than 600 grams of heroin or cocaine or more than 2.5 kg of methamphetamine face the death penalty. Aizawl, Jan 23 (PTI) India sent back 184 Myanmarese soldiers to their own country after they fled to Mizoram last week following gunfights with an ethnic insurgent group, an official said on Tuesday. A total of 276 Myanmarese soldiers had entered Mizoram last week, and of them, 184 were sent back on Monday, the Assam Rifles official said. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Muslim Woman in Firozabad Names Her Newborn Son Ram Rahim After Lord Ram. They were flown on Myanmar air force planes from the Lengpui airport near Aizawl to Sittwe in the neighbouring country's Rakhine state, she said. The remaining 92 soldiers will be repatriated on Tuesday, she added. Also Read | India Overtakes Hong Kong To Become World's Fourth-Largest Stock Market: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. The Myanmarese soldiers entered Bandukbanga village, located at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction, in southernmost Mizoram's Lawngtlai district with arms and ammunition on 17 January and approached the Assam Rifles. They fled to Mizoram after their camp was overrun and captured by 'Arakan Army' fighters. The Myanmarese soldiers were taken to the nearby Assam Rifles camp at Parva, and later the majority of them were shifted to Lunglei, the official said. They have been under the supervision of the Assam Rifles since then, the official said. These 276 soldiers were brought to Aizawl over Saturday and Sunday, for their transport to Myanmar from the Lengpui airport. The group is headed by a colonel, and has 36 officers and 240 lower-rank personnel, officials said. With the 276 soldiers who entered last week, as many as 635 Myanmar soldiers have fled to Mizoram after their camps were overrun and captured by ethnic armed organisations and pro-democratic forces, officials said. Of them, 359 soldiers have already been sent back to their country, they said. In November, 104 Myanmar army personnel were sent to the border town of Moreh in Manipur from different places in Mizoram by Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters, and then repatriated. Earlier this month, 255 soldiers were sent back via the Lengpui airport by Myanmar air force planes. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar. (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], January 23 (ANI): Karnataka Youth Congress workers took out a torch rally from Congress Bhavan to Freedom Park in Bengaluru against the alleged attack on party MP Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam. The protesters said that BJP goons were trained to attack Rahul Gandhi but they were not scared of any such act and they will stand in solidarity with Rahul Gandhi. Also Read | Rajasthan Shocker: School Teacher Rapes, Murders 17-Year-Old Girl in Barmer; Dumps Body in Storage Water Tank at Her Residence. Youth Congress state president Mohammed Haris Nalapad led the protest. Earlier a clash broke out between Police and Congress workers in Assam's Guwahati, during Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. A large number of police were present at the scene to stop the yatra. Also Read | Jaipur Literature Festival 2024: 550 Writers, Speakers, Performers To Represent 16 Indian, Eight Foreign Languages. Police have barricaded the area and the route. Yatra was not allowed from the centre of Guwahati city so there were heavy police deployments. Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra reached Guwahati, Assam on Tuesday. Congress workers were trying to trespass the police barricading and enter Guwahati city. Police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse the workers from the site. Meanwhile, heavy security was deployed at Khanapara Area, the entry point of Guwahati for the Yatra earlier this morning. Amid the rift with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that efforts are being made to enslave students of North East and India, adding "There is no need for any student to be afraid." He also alleged that the Home Minister of the country picked up the phone and called CM Himanta and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], January 23 (ANI): The number of voters in the state has increased by 4.70 lakh from 2019 and the total number of voters has reached 83 lakh. As per the Election Commission voter list for Uttarakhand as of January 1, 2024, there are now 83 lakh voters in Uttarakhand, which also includes service voters. Also Read | Sudden Death in Haryana: 62-Year-Old Man Playing Hanuman in Ramlila Dies of Heart Attack on Stage (Watch Video). Comparatively, after the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the number of voters in the state has increased by 4.70 lakh. The state boasts 82.4 lakh general electors and 93,357 service voters, set to cast their votes at 11,729 polling stations across the Himalayan region. Also Read | Lok Sabha Security Breach Case: 140 CISF Personnel Contingent Deployed for Parliament Complex Security Ahead of Budget Session. According to the new voter list of the state elections, the number of voters in the age group of 18-39 has increased to 40,33,278, out of which there are 1.29 lakh voters in the age group of 18 years. The 11,729 polling stations across Uttarakhand include 3,461 in urban areas and 8,268 in rural pockets. Earlier, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held a meeting with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and workers ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Dehradun. Strategic points were discussed to win all five seats in the general elections with 75 per cent votes during the meeting. As the battle for 2024 begins, the BJP undeniably maintains the upper hand. After securing victories in three crucial Hindi heartland states--Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh it being said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strengthened its position to face the INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha elections. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 23 (ANI): An undertrial prisoner lodged in Indore's central jail died by hanging himself from a bedsheet in the bathroom of the jail on Monday, an official said on Tuesday. The prisoner was identified as Anil, a resident of Chhatripura, Mhow Naka, Indore and he was imprisoned on the charges of murder of his wife in July last year. Also Read | Sudden Death in Haryana: 62-Year-Old Man Playing Hanuman in Ramlila Dies of Heart Attack on Stage (Watch Video). Central Jail Superintendent Dr Alka Sonkar said, "An undertrial prisoner, Anil hanged himself with a bedsheet, which we provide to prisoners, in the bathroom of barrack number two in central jail. On getting information, we sent him to the hospital where he was declared dead." When asked about the reason behind it, Sonkar said that the prisoner was imprisoned for the murder of his wife and it was revealed from the nearby prisoners that he was mentally disturbed that he would never be released from jail. Also Read | Lok Sabha Security Breach Case: 140 CISF Personnel Contingent Deployed for Parliament Complex Security Ahead of Budget Session. "The prisoner had also participated in the Sunderkand path organised in the jail on Monday (on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla's idol in Ayodhya) and he had also taken prasad. When discussed with the family members of the deceased, they also said that he was worried about whether he would be released from jail or not," she added. The prisoner had come here in July last year and was an under-trial prisoner. No suicide note was recovered from the spot. The actual reason for the suicide will be known only after investigation but he might have been mentally disturbed due to the murder of his wife, the superintendent further said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 23 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed officials to ensure proper crowd management for convenient 'darshan' of Ram Lalla as more than five lakh people visited the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday, a day after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. He also appealed to people to cooperate with officials and maintain patience as this would allow everyone to have a darshan of the deity. Also Read | 'May Prabhu Shri Ram Always Bless Us': PM Narendra Modi's Post on Ram Temple Crosses Momentous Figure of One Crore Likes on Instagram (View Post). The doors of the newly constructed temple were opened to the public at 6 am. Also Read | Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Rahul Gandhi's Nyay Yatra To Enter West Bengal on January 25, May Not Reach Kolkata, Says Congress Leader. On the instructions of the chief minister, the Ayodhya district magistrate has deployed magistrates at eight places in the city for crowd management, according to a statement issued by the state government. Information Director Shishir, in another statement, said, "Today, five lakh devotees had a darshan of Ram Lalla." The last entry of visitors was at 10 pm. The consecration of the new idol of the deity at the temple was done at an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. The state government statement said that several times the crowd seemed to be out of control but police personnel and officials immediately took control of the situation and made people stand in queues for the 'darshan'. In a post on 'X', Adityanath said, "Conducted an on-site inspection of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex in Shri Ayodhya Dham today. On this occasion, necessary guidelines were also given to officials concerned to ensure easy and convenient darshan of Lord Shri Ram Lalla for the revered seers and devotees, and to run all necessary arrangements smoothly." The state government statement said the chief minister has taken command at "ground zero" to ensure smooth 'darshan' for people. The chief minister, after an aerial survey, held a meeting with officials and gave directions to make necessary arrangements for the safety, comfort and convenience of devotees. He also discussed with officials of the temple trust the measures to manage the huge number of people coming to the temple. The chief minister has appealed to people to maintain patience and cooperate, the statement said. He said everyone should maintain patience so that all can have a darshan of Ram Lalla. PTI CDN (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Jan 23 (PTI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday hailed the announcement that the country's highest civilian award "Bharat Ratna" will be conferred to his late mentor Karpoori Thakur. In a statement, the JD(U) president said it was a "fulfilment of an age-old demand" by his party that will "send a positive message among deprived sections of the society". Also Read | Delhi Shocker: Cleric Booked for Defrauding Four Dozen People of Rs 50 Crore in Northeast Delhi. "I have always raised the demand for Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. The announcement that comes on the eve of his 100th birth anniversary brings me great delight," Kumar said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Tuesday acquitted three accused of rioting and burning a bookshop during riots in the Dayal Pur area of North-East Delhi in February 2020. The court acquitted them giving the benefit of doubt as their presence had not been established. Also Read | Elephant Attack in Odisha: Villager Killed in Jumbo Attack in Dhenkanal, Residents Protest Apathy. While acquitting the accused persons, identified as Akram, Mohd Furkaan, and Mohd Irshad, the court discredited the testimonies of two police witnesses who claimed to have seen the accused persons in a riotous mob during the incidents. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Pulastya Pramachala held, "I find that charges levelled against all three accused in this case are not proved beyond reasonable doubts." Also Read | INDIA Bloc Seat Sharing Talks: Mamata Banerjee Accuses Congress of Delaying Seat-Sharing Discussions in West Bengal With 'Unjustified' Demand. "Hence, accused Akram, Mohd Furkan, and Mohd Irshad are acquitted of the charges in respect of the incident at the shop, namely "Chawla Book Centre," situated at Shiv Vihar Tiraha," the court said in the judgement passed on January 23, 2024. On the point of the presence of accused persons in the riotous mob, the court discredited the testimonies of two police constables. "I find that it is not safe to rely upon the testimony of Constable Pawan Kumar and Constable Amit to assume the presence of all the accused persons in the mob, which was behind the incident at the shop of Gulshan Kumar," ASJ Pramachala said. The judge made a one-liner statement to mention that these two witnesses had seenthe accused persons in the incident at the shop, is not sufficient to inspire confidence. "At the same time, there is a gap in the evidence of prosecution to show as to which particular video was seen by these two witnesses to identify the accused persons,"ASJ Pramachala pointed out. The court further said that both of these witnesses vouched that they knew the accused persons and their workplace prior to the incident. However, even after giving their statement before the IO, they did not lead the IO to the respective places of these accused persons. The present FIR was registered on March 4, 2020, on the basis of a written complaint dated March 1, 2020, given by one Gulshan Kumar. In his complaint, he alleged that on February 24, 2020, his 20-year'-old shop under the name and style of "Chawla Book Centre," situated near Rajdhani Secondary School, Shiv Vihar Tiraha, was set on fire during a riot. The complainant further alleged that all the articles of his aforesaid shop were burned, and he suffered losses of approximately Rs 8-10 lakh. After completion of the investigation, on June 17, 2020, a charge sheet was filed against accused Akram, Mohd Furkan, and Mohd Irshad for offences punishable under Section 147/148/149/427/435/436/120-B IPC. (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, Jan 23 (PTI) Six Indians will be part of the French military team that will march down the majestic Kartavya Path alongside Indian contingents at the 75th Republic Day parade on Friday, officials said. India will display an array of home-grown weaponry and military equipment such as missiles, drone jammer, surveillance systems, vehicle-mounted mortars and BMP-II infantry combat vehicles at the parade that will largely be "women-centric", they said. Also Read | Abua Awas Yojana: 20 Lakh Houses To Be Built for Poor in Jharkhand by 2027, Says CM Hemant Soren. French President Emmanuel Macron will be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations on January 26 that would make him the sixth leader from France to grace the prestigious annual event. For the first time, an all-women tri-services contingent will be part of the country's biggest ceremonial event, the officials said. Also Read | Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Says Government To Invest Rs 1.25 Lakh Crore To Build 200 Ropeway Projects Under Parvatmala Pariyojana. "80 percent of activities at the parade will be done by women," said Major General Sumit Mehta, the chief of staff of Army's Delhi area headquarters. A 95-member marching contingent and 33-member band contingent from France will take part in the parade. Two Rafale fighters and an Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport aircraft of the French air force will also feature in the celebrations. "Six Indians will be part of the French team," said commander of the French marching contingent Captain Noel Louis, who belongs to the Corps of French Foreign Legion. French Foreign Legion is an elite military corps open to foreigners to serve in the French Army with certain conditions. The Indians to be part of the French contingent are CCH Sujan Pathak (Chief corporal), CPL Dipak Arya (Corporal), CPL Parbin Tandan (Corporal), Gurvachan Singh (First Class Legionnaire), Aniket Ghartimagar (First Class Legionnaire) and Vikas Djeassegar (First Class Legionnaire) Set up in 1831, the French Foreign Legion is an integral part of the French Army. At present, it has almost 9,500 officers and legionnaires, comprising around 140 nationalities from all over the world, said Louis. "It is a great honour to be part of India's Republic Day parade," he said on the sidelines of an event organised by the Indian Army. Lt Romain Bression, another member of the French team, said the participation of the French military team at the grand parade is reflective of growing defence cooperation between the two sides. "It is a great opportunity for me. I am happy to be in India," he said. Major General Mehta said indigenously developed advanced radio frequency monitoring system and drone jammers will be showcased at the parade for the first time. "It is an indigenously-developed system. We are looking forward to displaying it at the prestigious event," said Captain Akansha Gomes, the contingent commander for the Advanced Radio Frequency Monitoring Systems. The weapons and platforms to be displayed at the parade will also include T-90 Bhisma tanks, Nag missile systems, BMP-II infantry combat vehicle, Pinaka multi-rocket launching system, Swati weapon locating radars, and various all terrain vehicles. "When the mechanised columns will go past the presidential dias, there will be a flypast by a fleet of Rudra advanced light helicopter (weapon system integration version) and light combat helicopters," Mehta said at a media briefing. The commander of the parade would be Delhi Area Commander Lt Gen Bhavnish Kumar. The Army columns will comprise Madras Regiment, Grenadiers, Rajputana Rifles. Instead of the traditional military bands, the parade this time will commence with 100 women artistes playing Indian musical instruments like shankh and 'nagada' and 'dhol'. Mehta said the parade will start at 10:30 am and the event will last for 100 minutes. The celebrations will end with the flypast by 46 aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The IAF fleet will include 29 fighter jets, seven transport aircraft, nine helicopters and one heritage plane. All these aircraft will operate from six different bases. Fifteen women pilots, including six from the fighter streams, will operate various IAF platforms during the fly-past. A total of 16 tableaux from states and Union territories and from central ministries and departments will roll down the Kartavya Path during the parade. The states and Union territories are: Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana, Manipur, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Ladakh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Telangana. Armed Forces Medical Services will also have tri-services contingent having representations from the medical components of the Army, Navy and the IAF besides personnel from the Dental branch and military nursing services. Mehta said the BSF's camel contingent will comprise both men and soldiers. The marching contingents of the National Cadet Corps will comprise women only. (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, Jan 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the police to respond to appeals filed by four convicts in the case of murder of journalist Soumya Vishwanathan challenging their conviction and life sentence. A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain issued notice to the police on the appeals by Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljit Singh Malik and Ajay Kumar. Also Read | Fraud Using Ads on Google: Delhi Police Arrest Two From Jharkhand for Cheating Several People on Pretext of Customer Care Services. The high court also asked the authorities to file reply to the convicts' interim application seeking suspension of their sentence. It listed the application for hearing on February 12. Also Read | Mira Road News: Heavy Security Deployed After Communal Clash in Naya Nagar, One Arrested for Provocation. Soumya was shot dead on September 30, 2008 while she was returning home in her car from office. The police had claimed robbery as the motive behind the killing of Soumya.PTI SKV (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Hubballi (Karnataka) [India], January 23 (ANI): Union minister Pralhad Joshi participated in Deepotsav in Hubli Gavali Galli on Monday on the occasion of the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Visuals showed people lighting up Diyas and making rangoli to mark the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Ram Lalla. Children were dressed like Lord Ram and Hanuman. Also Read | Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. The 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya was held amid unbridled celebrations, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi performing the main rituals officiated by a select complement of priests. Meanwhile, 'Ram Nagri' Ayodhya also grabbed global eyeballs, with earthen lamps or diyas lit up on a massive scale and crackers going up and dazzling the night sky in different parts of the city. Also Read | Manipur: 34 MLAs, Mostly of Ruling BJP, Threaten To Take 'Appropriate Action' if Central Government Does Not Cancel Suspension of Operations With Militants. Visuals also showed celebrations unfolding at the famous Saryu Ghat, with beaming locals expressing their devotion to Ram Lalla. Celebrations were also held across the country to mark Lord Ram's return to this throne. An 'Aarti' was performed at 'Har Ki Pauri' at Haridwar, which saw the participation of a large number of people. Meanwhile, 'diyas' were also lit up at Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram, in a near-rerun of the historic celebration of Diwali upon Prabhu Ram's return from exile. The grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya will be open to the public from Tuesday onwards. The 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony of Lord Ram was held at 12.29 pm, with the main rituals performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ceremonial journey leading up to the Pran Pratishtha included a seven-day ritual that commenced on January 16. The ceremony was attended by representatives of all major spiritual and religious sects in the country. People from all walks of life, including representatives of various tribal communities, also attended the ceremony. The idol of Ram Lalla was unveiled after the 'Pran Pratistha' rituals were performed. Built in the traditional Nagara style, Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet and a width of 250 feet. It stands 161 feet above the ground and is supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, Gods, and Goddesses. In the sanctum sanctorum on the ground floor, the childhood form of Bhagwan Shri Ram (the idol of Shri Ramlalla) is enthroned. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Woman wanted for trafficking five people from Myanmar to Laos A triangle that demonstrates the border area between Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Duc Police in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are looking for a local woman who tricked and trafficked five people from Myanmar to Laos and sold them to an online human trafficking ring. Vu Thi Khanh Huyen, 25, a resident of Gia Lais Duc Co District, is now wanted for "human trafficking," police said Monday. According to a report filed by the five victims, aged 23-26, Huyen convinced them to go to work in Myanmar between November 2022 and June last year. She promised them that she would hire them to work for a cosmetics company she owns and runs. The five agreed and Huyen helped them to make passports. After that, they bought ticket flights and went to Myanmar's capital Yangon last year. However, Huyen then collected their passports and put them in a car and trafficked them into Laos. Vu Thi Khanh Huyen. Photo by police When in Laos, she sold the five to illegal companies where they were locked up and forced to commit online fraud by tricking others into gambling online and defrauding players' money. Anyone who did not fulfill tasks as requested was tortured in different ways. If they wanted to return home, it was demanded they pay a ransom of VND210 million to the ring. The five reached out to their families to get the money and eventually got back home safely. After learning she had been reported to the police, Huyen fled immediately. Gia Lai police said in a warrant that anyone seeing Huyen was authorized to arrest her and contact the police. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to ensure that the final answer key of CUET is uploaded on its portal at least a day before the declaration of the result. The order was passed by Justice C Hari Shankar recently following an assurance to this effect by the Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, appearing for the NTA. Also Read | Karnataka Shocker: Missing Woman Teacher Deepika Found Killed, Body Buried in Mandya's Remote Area. The court was also told that any objections to the provisional answer key would also be undertaken by NTA only prior to the release of the final result. The court, which was hearing a petition by a Central University Entrance Test (CUET) candidate challenging the declaration of the final results of a test held in 2022 without making the final answer key known, directed NTA to ensure that the "assurances are scrupulously adhered to in future". Also Read | Gadchiroli Boat Capsize: One Woman Dead, Five Others Missing After Boat Overturns in River in Maharashtra. The petitioner appeared in the CUET (UG) 2022 examination in August 2022 and the provisional answer keys were released by the NTA on September 8, 2022, with an option to challenge the same by paying a nominal fee. It was stated by NTA that if the challenge raised by any candidate was found to be correct, the provisional answer key would be corrected and the result would be issued accordingly. The petitioner then submitted his objections against certain answers proposed in the provisional answer key and on September 16, 2022, the final result of the 2022 CUET along with the final scores of the individual candidates was released by the NTA. The petitioner approached the high court aggrieved by the fact that the NTA proceeded to release the final results without making the final answer key known to the candidates. In the order, the court noted that even after the final results of the CUET had been declared, there was a second exercise of examination of the objections to the proposed answer key and sought NTA's explanation. ASG Sharma submitted that the exercise of re-examination of the answer keys after the final results were declared may have been avoidable but was undertaken bonafidely, especially as a large number of objections were received even after the final result was declared. He stated that a decision was taken to reconsider the objections in the interest of the students and the fact that the CUET was being conducted for the first time. "However, the Court has been assured that in future, this would not happen and that any exercise of consideration of objections to the provisional answer key would be undertaken only prior to the final result of the examination of the CUET. "The Court has also been assured that the final answer key would be uploaded on the website of the NTA at least a day prior to the final declaration of result, though it would be accessible only through the individual login ID and password of the candidate concerned," the court recorded. "The Court is satisfied with the explanation. The NTA is directed to ensure that these assurances are scrupulously adhered to, in future," the court ordered. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 23 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee paid floral tribute to freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary in Kolkata on Tuesday. In her tribute the West Bengal CM said " As we celebrate the 127th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, my heart swells with deep admiration for a true hero who, for me, has been a perennial source of inspiration. His courage, vision and love for the motherland has stirred profound emotions within me. Netaji's spirit transcends time and continues to live on in each heartbeat of free India. Today, let us connect with the essence of his journey and feel the pulse of his sacrifices. As we stand on the shoulders of this giant, let us pledge to carry forward his vision and legacy." Also Read | Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: Rahul Gandhi Says 'Efforts Are Being Made To Enslave Students of North East and India' Amid Rift With Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in commemorating the birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, observed as Parakram Diwas (Day of Valour). PM Modi paid floral tribute to the freedom fighter at Samvidhan Sadan (Old Parliament Building). Also Read | Mizoram Airport Accident: Six People Injured After Burmese Army Plane Crashes at Lengpui Airport (See Pics and Video). Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh and other leaders also paid floral tributes to Netaji at Samvidhan Sadan. The Prime Minister conveyed his greetings to the people of India and highlighted Netaji's dedication to the nation's freedom. "Greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas. Today on his Jayanti, we honour the life and courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom continues to inspire," wrote PM Modi on X. Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu paid her respects, highlighting his unwavering commitment to India's independence and his enduring impact on the nation's freedom struggle. "I pay my tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary, observed as Parakram Diwas! Netaji demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the cause of India's freedom. His unparalleled courage and charisma inspired Indians to fight fearlessly against colonial rule. His powerful personality had a profound impact on our freedom struggle. The nation will always remember Netaji with utmost gratitude." President Droupadi Murmu posted on X. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar also commemorated the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, observed as Parakram Diwas (Day of Valor). In a tweet, Dhankhar wrote, "Remembering the fearless leader, #Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, on his birth anniversary, celebrated as Parakram Diwas. His indomitable spirit and unwavering commitment to India's independence continue to inspire us all." Dhankhar further quoted Netaji's iconic words, "Give me blood and I shall give you freedom," emphasizing their enduring power as a rallying cry for liberty and a reminder of the sacrifices made during the struggle for independence. The Vice President concluded his tweet by stating, "May this day serve as a reminder to keep Bharat first, and to work tirelessly towards a united, prosperous, and free India." Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also extended his tribute to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary. "Humble tribute to the great hero of the freedom struggle, leader of 'Azad Hind Fauj', 'Netaji' Subhash Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary! Tribute to the memories of national hero and revered 'Netaji' on 'Valour Day'!," Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath posted on X. The government had declared January 23 as Parakram Diwas in 2021 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, January 23: In a significant move aimed at enhancing the safety and security of citizens, with a particular focus on women, children, and the elderly in Uttar Pradesh, the Urban Development Department, in collaboration with the Home Department, has successfully set up a network of 100,000 CCTV cameras. "As part of the Smart City Mission, a total of 100,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in 17 municipal corporations and Gautam Buddha Nagar as well as integrated under the Safe City Project, maintaining continuous surveillance of these cities around the clock," the Chief Minister's office said in a press release. Amrit Abhijat, Principal Secretary, Urban Development Department, said that the Safe City project in Uttar Pradesh is an important example of the Smart City Mission, which is not only improving the infrastructure of the state, but also ensuring the safety of the city residents. Devotees Throng Ram Mandir: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath Conducts Aerial Survey of Ram Janmabhoomi Temple Premises As Devotees Continue To Arrive for Darshan (Watch Video) Abhijat expressed confidence that the Safe City project would play a pivotal role in establishing the state as the safest in the country. Under this initiative, all cameras are centrally monitored from the Smart City's Integrated Command and Control Center and Integrated Traffic Management System. This centralized monitoring facilitates real-time responses to incidents, bolstering the overall security systems of cities. "Notably, the implementation of this initiative gained heightened importance with the influx of thousands of devotees to Ayodhya following the historic Pran Pratistha ceremony. The Safe City project is designed to guarantee a secure and pleasant experience for devotees, underscoring a broader commitment to safeguarding citizens throughout the state," the press release added. Ram Mandir Consecration: Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan Greet Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath at Pran Pratishtha Ceremony in Ayodhya (View Pics) Key features of the project are that all cameras will be monitored in real-time through the Integrated Command and Control Center and Integrated Traffic Management System. Intelligent video analytics will be used to detect suspicious activities, emergency response time will be reduced and the safety of women, children, and the elderly will be increased. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Muzaffarnagar (UP), Jan 23 (PTI) Local police were deployed in a village here after an idol of Lord Ram was allegedly desecrated inside a Durga temple in a village here, officials said on Wednesday. The damaged idol was found on Tuesday morning in the Shahpur police station area, they said. Also Read | GUJCET Exam 2024: Registration Date for Gujarat Common Entrance Test Examination Extended Till January 31, Apply Online at gsebeservice.com. Villagers staged a protest over the incident near the temple, in which some local politicians also participated. The protest was called off after senior officials assured the protestors of swift action regarding the matter. Police said the situation in the village was peaceful. Also Read | Explainer on Union Budget of India: Everything Youve Ever Wanted To Know About an Interim Budget. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abhishek Singh said, "An idol of Lord Ram placed inside a Durga Temple in Dinkarpur village of the district was allegedly damaged by some miscreants. The damaged idol was found by villagers on Tuesday morning who informed police about it." Police have lodged an FIR under relevant sections of the IPC against unidentified persons based on a complaint by the head of the village and initiated investigations. Police personnel have also been deployed in the village to ensure law and order, the SSP said. "The situation in the village is peaceful. We are on alert to avoid untoward incidents. We are also in touch with the elders of the village," the officer said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 23 (ANI): ACME Group, a leading renewable energy company in India, and IHI Corporation, a Japanese integrated heavy industry group, signed an offtake term sheet for supply of green ammonia from Odisha, India, to Japan, informed the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. The term sheet was signed by Founder and Chairman of Acme Group, Manoj Upadhyay and President and CEO of IHI Corporation, Hiroshi Ide, in the presence of Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh, New and Renewable Energy Secretary Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, and Ambassador of Japan to India, Hiroshi Suzuki. Also Read | Uyghur Cultural Genocide: US Decries Ongoing Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang by China at UN. The term sheet between IHI and Acme covers the supply of 0.4 MMTPA (million metric tonnes per annum) of green ammonia from Phase 1 of the Odisha project in Gopalpur on a long-term basis. Both companies wish to partner across the value chain, starting from production to logistics and supply to Japanese customers and to create a market for green ammonia for use in a range of applications in power generation and various industrial uses in Japan to reduce overall emissions, the ministry's press release said. Speaking about the agreement, Union Minister for Power and New and Renewable Energy, RK Singh said that this is one of the first and largest agreements in the world in the field of green hydrogen and green ammonia. "Japan has been a close friend and partner of India. This collaboration in renewable energy in going green will further strengthen our partnership. India's cost of making green hydrogen and green ammonia is already among the most competitive in the world. We are going to emerge as one of the largest manufacturers of green hydrogen and green ammonia in the world." Also Read | Google Leaked Documents AI: Tech Giant Plans To Deliver 'World's Most Advanced, Safe and Responsible AI' in 2024, Says Report. The Minister underlined the strategic importance of the partnership between India and Japan. "Our partnership with Japan is strategic; it will grow stronger. Japan and other developed countries have huge requirements for green hydrogen and green ammonia, which India shall be able to supply at most competitive rates." Singh said that the agreement marks a landmark occasion, ushering in a new world. "This is a new world where we replace fossil fuels and carbon with green and renewable fuels such as green hydrogen and green ammonia. I congratulate both Acme and IHI for this partnership. May the partnership between Japan and India become bigger and stronger in the times to come." Speaking about the strategic partnership, Ambassador of Japan to India Hiroshi Suzuki said that the signing of the term sheet marks a major milestone. "The partnership between Acme and IHI will bring remarkable success, given the potential of globally competitive green hydrogen in India. I express the Government of Japan's unwavering support in taking forward the collaboration between India and Japan in the energy sector", he added, according to the release. The Ambassador said that the India-Japan Clean Energy Partnership, established by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, has been driving the cooperation between the two countries. "I express the Government of Japan's unwavering support in taking forward the collaboration between India and Japan in the energy sector", he added. The Ambassador also requested the Union Power and NRE mimister for early signing of Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) involving the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Government of Japan and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) Government of India. Speaking on the occasion, President and Director, Acme Group, Ashwani Dudeja said: "India is well positioned to develop the renewable resources and produce competitive green molecules for export as well as domestic consumption in applications which are otherwise difficult to decarbonise". He also emphasised the need for support from the Government of India and Government of Odisha in developing the green ammonia project at Gopalpur. Director and Managing Executive Officer, IHI Corporation, Jun Kobayashi said: "This agreement builds upon our earlier MoU with ACME and represents the strong relationship and alignment between the two companies in developing the market for this new generation fuel". The senior management of both the companies earlier visited Bhubaneswar and called on Chief Minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik and other officials of Government of Odisha. The green hydrogen and ammonia project at Gopalpur, Odisha is being developed by ACME with a planned capacity of 1.2 MMTPA to be developed in phases; and the first production is likely within 2027. Over its life cycle, the project will help reduce global GHG emissions by 54 million tons of CO2 equivalent, the release also said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ottawa, Jan 23 (PTI) Canada has announced that it is imposing an immediate two-year cap on new international student visas to tackle a housing crisis and target institutional "bad actors", a move that is likely to impact Indians planning to study in the country. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said as part of the cap there will be a 35 per cent reduction in new study visas in 2024. The cap is expected to result in 364,000 new approved permits in 2024. Nearly 560,000 such visas were issued last year. Also Read | Zombie Viruses: Climate Change Unleashes Ancient Threat As 48,500-Year-Old Virus Resurfaces From the Depths of Arctic Ice- Experts Warn of a Potential Global Pandemic Risk. The cap will be in place for two years; the number of permits to be issued in 2025 will be reassessed at the end of this year, he said. To maintain a sustainable level of temporary residence in Canada, as well to ensure that there is no further growth in the number of international students in Canada for 2024, we are setting a national application intake cap for two years from 2024, Global News quoted Miller as saying. Also Read | Elon Musk Says India Not Having Permanent Seat on UN Security Council Is Absurd: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. The move comes amid pressure on the federal government from provinces on the increasing numbers of non-permanent residents entering Canada while the country struggles with a housing crisis, CBC News said. Miller earlier this month said that a cap on international students would not be a one-size-fits-all solution to housing shortages across Canada. More than 800,000 international students were issued temporary study visas in 2022. Miller said last fall that 2023's numbers were on track to be more than triple the number accepted 10 years ago. The move is expected to impact students from India who see Canada as a preferred destination for higher studies. India was the first among the top ten origin countries of study permit holders in 2022 in Canada, with a total of 319,000 students. Miller said that by imposing the cap, the federal government is taking action against some small private colleges. The move will help the government to target institutional "bad actors", he said. "It's unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking supports for students and charging high tuition fees all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students," Miller said. In some provinces, Miller said, the total reduction in permits will be approximately 50 per cent. Provinces and territories will be left to decide how permits are distributed among universities and colleges in their jurisdictions. The cap will be in place for two years; the number of permits to be issued in 2025 will be reassessed at the end of this year. In an interview with CBC News on Monday, Miller spoke of "degree-granting institutions that are giving fake business degrees" to students who hope to stay in Canada. The minister said there could be "hundreds" of such schools operating in Canada and that the number has "exploded in the last couple of years." In addition to the cap, the federal government will also require international students applying for a permit to provide an attestation letter from a province or territory. "These measures are not against individual international students," Miller said. "They are to ensure that as future students arrive in Canada, they receive the quality of education that they signed up for and the hope that they were provided in their home countries." Miller also announced changes to the post-graduation work permit programme. Starting in September, international students who begin a programme that's part of a curriculum licensing arrangement (one where a private college has been licensed to deliver the curriculum of an associated public college) will no longer be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. Graduates of master's and other "short graduate-level programmes" will "soon" be able to apply for a three-year work permit, the government says. Open work permits will also be made available to the spouses of international students in master's and doctoral programs. The changes announced Monday come a little over a month after Miller first announced measures intended to target what the minister described as "the diploma equivalent of puppy mills." Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the blame lies entirely with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and called the prime minister "incompetent." "He is the one that granted the study permits. That is a federal responsibility," Poilievre said. Jenny Kwan, the New Democratic Party leader, also blamed Trudeau's "mismanagement." She also warned that the new cap "might punish talented students who seek to build a better life." In a media statement, Ontario's Minister of Colleges and Universities Jill Dunlop said her government recognises that "some bad actors are taking advantage of these students with false promises of guaranteed employment, residency and Canadian citizenship." The minister said Ontario has been engaging with the federal government on "ways to crack down on these practices, like predatory recruitment." A statement issued by Nova Scotia's department of advanced education said the province "will need to assess the impacts of the changes made by the federal government once we have more details, including provincial allocations." PTI (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Beijing, Jan 23 (PTI) China has assured Islamabad of its support in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity even while welcoming on Tuesday the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Islamabad after their recent air strikes against each other. As China's Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visited Pakistan on a mediation mission, a statement from Foreign Ministry on Monday said it is maintaining close contacts with Pakistan and Iran to bridge their differences. Also Read | Uyghur Cultural Genocide: US Decries Ongoing Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang by China at UN. China on January 18 offered to play a constructive role to ease tension between Pakistan and Iran following their missile strikes against each other and asked the two countries to "exercise restraint and calmness and avoid escalation. Earlier on January 18, Pakistan conducted "precision military strikes" against what it called "terrorist hideouts" in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province that killed 9 people. The attack was seen as retaliation to Iranian missile and drone attacks on January 16 which targeted two bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan's unruly Balochistan province. Also Read | Google Leaked Documents AI: Tech Giant Plans To Deliver 'World's Most Advanced, Safe and Responsible AI' in 2024, Says Report. Commenting on China's mediation efforts to dial down Iran-Pakistan tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing here on Tuesday that China welcomes the good progress that Iran and Pakistan have made in repairing their ties and supports them in further enhancing mutual trust and deepening cooperation through friendly consultation. China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, Sun was quoted as saying by the Chinese Foreign Ministry about his meeting with Pakistan's President Arif Ali on Monday. Sun is a former Ambassador to Pakistan and India both. China appreciates Pakistan's firm adherence to the one-China principle and supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, as well as its unity, stability, development and prosperity, Sun told Alvi. He also said, China is willing to work with Pakistan to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the leaders of the two countries, deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. Sun held talks with a host of Pakistan officials including the Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir during which too he assured China's support to Pakistan in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also took part in the key meeting of USD 60 billion CPEC over which India protested as it is being laid through the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, (POK). Wang Wenbin reiterated its stand on mediation and said in response to a question: We stand ready to work with Iran and Pakistan to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and safeguard regional peace, stability and development. Iran and Pakistan have mutually agreed that the ambassadors of both the countries may return to their respective posts by January 26. Following the air strikes against each other, the two countries had expelled the others' envoys. The attacks had put China in a piquant situation as Pakistan is an all-weather ally, while Iran is warming up to Beijing in recent years enabling China to expand its influence in the West Asia region. China also imports a considerable amount of oil from Iran. Meanwhile, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in a phone call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani asked him to dial down tensions while Sun visited Islamabad from January 20 to 22. China is also concerned over Iran's missile strikes in Balochistan where most of its investments are located especially, the Gwadar port, the starting point of the CPEC project that connects to China's Xinjiang province. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad [Pakistan], January 23 (ANI): The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that it stands with the ongoing Baloch camp led by women against enforced disappearances. It said it is "deeply concerned" by efforts to uproot the Baloch camp. In a post shared on X, HRCP stated, "HRCP stands in solidarity with the ongoing Baloch camp led by women against enforced disappearances that has faced persistent harassment from local law enforcement, as well as dismissal from government authorities." Also Read | South Korea: Nearly 350 Flights at Jeju International Airport Canceled Due to Heavy Snow, Gusty Winds. "We are also deeply concerned by efforts to uproot the camp--this violates not only the Islamabad High Court's order that the camp remain undisturbed, but also the protestors' right to peacefully assemble. The validity of the Baloch protestors' demands cannot continue to be ignored, and must be heeded with the legitimacy it deserves, not with undue force or defamation," it added. The HRCP's statement comes as the National Press Club (NPC) of Pakistan requested the Islamabad police to remove the Baloch rights camp near the club's premises, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. Also Read | Italy: Dance Floor Collapses During Wedding, Newlyweds With 39 Other Guests Fall 25 Feet Through Surface. Baloch protesters are currently demonstrating a sit-in in front of the NPC by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The camp has been installed since December 22 last year and continues to attract more participants despite the bitter cold weather and pressure from law enforcement agencies, Dawn reported. Furthermore, the organisers of the sit-in have accused the police of harassing their supporters and profiling them, as well as registering first information reports (FIR) against them. Reportedly, the NPC wrote a letter to the Kohsar police station house officer on Tuesday and urged them to make a plan to relocate the protesters to a different location so "the difficulties for the press club and all residents and the business community can be reduced. "The letter explained that the press club's sole means of income were press conferences and seminars held at the premises.However, the sit-ins and their related issues, such as security requirements, have been affecting not only the club's members but also the events, as well as the local business community and residents, according to Dawn. Baloch activist Mahrang Baloch expressed dismay at the letter and stressed that the journalist and media community "have an obligation to stand with people whose voices are neglected.". "It is painful to see that even now, the Islamabad Press Club is uncomfortable with our staging a sit-in outside the press club, protesting against enforced disappearances. We understand why they are doing this. There is pressure on us, too, and through various means, we are being harassed and threatened, with the police circulating false information,' she added. Moreover, Mahrang further emphasised that the Islamabad administration's response to the protesters was "deeply disappointing" and that the movement would announce its next step in a press conference on Tuesday at 2 pm. Another organiser, Sammi Deen Baloch, highlighted, "Earlier, our protests were not covered, but now the journalists are becoming a party and they are angry and disgusted with our protests.""I don't need to tell you what journalistic responsibilities are, but I must say that if there are strong on one side and weak on the other side, then we should take care of the weak instead of the strong." Meanwhile, journalists further expressed disapproval and strong condemnation towards the letter, Dawn reported. Recently, Mahrang Baloch called for global support against enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Balochistan. She has said that the movement of Baloch protesters, which has entered its fourth phase, aims to raise awareness nationally and internationally. Notably, the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) camp has continued to hold sit-ins outside the National Press Club in Islamabad for more than 50 days. Moreover, the BYC said that even though the state tried to use every force to sabotage the peaceful movement, the participants of the march faced each tactic with resilience. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Geneva [Switzerland], January 23 (ANI): Various organisations led by the World Uyghur Congress held a poster campaign in Geneva on Monday against the human rights violations being committed by China. The protest was organised at the Broken Chair Square, opposite the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. Also Read | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Time To Negotiate With Hamas on Hostage Exchange, Says Israeli Major General Noam Tibon. In addition to the WUC, people from different communities, including Falungong, Tibetans, Hong Kongers, and Mongolians, participated in the protest. The event is being held to draw the attention of global community and member states to articulate these issues during China's Universal Periodic Review (UPR) session in the UNHRC today. Also Read | Pakistan on Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya Indicative of Growing Majoritarianism in India, Says Islamabad. Around 150 people participated in the protest. However, if not for the inclement weather, the participation would have been higher. Meanwhile, a World Uyghur Congress delegation is in Geneva to attend China's fourth cycle Universal Periodic Review "The World Uyghur Congress Delegation is in Geneva this week to attend China's 4th cycle #UPR. Take Action Against China's Genocide of #Uyghurs and join the WUC tomorrow from 10:30 am - 1:30 pm in front of the UN to protest against 's genocidal policies," the World Uyghur Congress posted on X. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tehran, January 23: Iran has executed a man who ran over and killed a police officer and injured five others during countrywide protests in 2022 in Tehran, according to Al Jazeera. However, human rights activists challenged his conviction, claiming that he was not given a fair trial. "After being upheld by the Supreme Court, the death penalty against defendant Mohammad Ghobadlou has been implemented early this morning," Al Jazeera reported quoting Mizan. The police officer was slain amid widespread demonstrations following the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish-Iranian woman imprisoned for breaching Iran's stringent women's dress code. Ghobadlou was first condemned to death in November 2022 after being found guilty of "corruption on earth" for hitting Tehran police with an automobile. 2 Iranian Journalists Jailed for Their Reporting on Mahsa Amini's Death Are Released on Bail In February 2023, the Supreme Court gave him a stay of execution and later ordered a mental health evaluation, according to Mehr news agency. The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, which was carried out under Iran's Islamic rule of revenge. Hundreds perished, including dozens of security officers, and others were jailed during the 2022 demonstrations, which the government described as "riots" orchestrated by foreigners, reported Al Jazeera, citing Mizan. Ghobadlou is the eighth person executed after being found guilty of murder or other forms of violence against security personnel during the demonstrations. However, human rights organisation Amnesty International stated that the 22-year-old's right to a fair trial was violated, and the legal system did not consider his bipolar diagnosis, reported Al Jazeera. Mahsa Amini, 22-Year-Old Girl Who Died in Police Custody in Iran, Named Finalist for European Unions Top Human Rights Prize However, Mizan said that charges of mental incapacity were incorrect. Earlier this month, scores of people, including Ghobadlou's family, demonstrated in front of a jail in Karaj, Iran, against his and another young man's punishment. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Students arrive at the Marie Curie School of Hanoi on the morning of Jan. 23, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh More than ten kindergartens and primary schools in Hanoi let students stay at home on Tuesday as the city's temperatures have dipped below 10 degrees Celsius. Hanoi recorded a low of 9.9 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m. on Tuesday as a severe cold wave has been assaulting northern Vietnam, plunging temperatures in the plains below 10 degrees Celsius and in mountainous areas below zero at night and early in the morning. According to guidelines from Hanoi's Department of Education and Training, elementary students are allowed to skip school when temperatures fall below 10 degrees Celsius, and secondary students can do so if temperatures drop below 7 degrees. The department advises schools to adjust class timings flexibly under cold conditions, even when temperatures are above these thresholds. Thanh Xuan Trung Elementary School in Thanh Xuan District was among the first to announce a day off for students due to the cold wave. However, the school has made provisions for students who cannot be supervised at home, offering care from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Kien Hung Elementary School and Van Khe Elementary School in Ha Dong District have suspended classes, with a directive for schools to stay open for students needing supervision. Tran Thi Quyen, Principal of Van Khe Elementary School, said that the school would maintain daycare operations to assist families who need it. The school may also switch to online classes if cold conditions persist, reminiscent of strategies adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic. In Dong Da District, Trung Tu Elementary School has allowed over 1,500 students to remain at home due to the cold. Principal Nguyen Thi Thanh Ha said that since the start of winter, the school has reminded parents to keep their children warm, and follow weather reports. Trung Van Elementary School in Nam Tu Liem District has let students to stay home but study online. "The school is also prepared for more online teaching if the cold weather continues," Principal Giang Thanh Thuy said. Several other primary schools in Gia Lam, Ha Dong and Thanh Tri Districts have also let students stay at home on Tuesday morning. Some other schools in Hanoi delayed the start of classes by 15-60 minutes. Nhan Chinh Elementary School in Thanh Xuan District announced that on days with temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, classes start at 9 a.m., about an hour later than usual. The Hanoi's education department requires that on cold days, schools should not require students to wear uniforms, avoid outdoor activities, and focus on keeping students warm. Kindergartens must ensure enough warm water for children. Many schools in Phu Tho, Hai Phong and Bac Ninh in the northern region have also given students a day off on Tuesday due to the cold weather. The National Center for Hydrometeorological Forecasting reported that the cold spell will last until Jan. 28, with the lowest temperature in the northern delta being 7-10 degrees Celsius and sub-zero in high mountains. Jammu and Kashmir, January 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association National Convenor, Nasir Khuchami, penned a letter of gratitude to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar for facilitating the repatriation of the mortal remains of a Kashmiri MBBS student from Iran. This comes after the tragic death of a Kashmiri youth, Mohammad Arsalan, a medical student in Iran. The Indian Embassy in Tehran facilitated the return of the mortal remains to his hometown of Sopore in the Baramulla District of Jammu and Kashmir. Mohammad Arsalan was pursuing his medical studies in Kanjawal, Iran. The Indian Embassy in Tehran played a pivotal role in expediting the return of Arsalan's body to his grieving family. The organization convener underscored the timely intervention of the Indian embassy in Tehran with the officials of the government of Iran and said, "Your proactive engagement and compassionate handling of the matter reaffirm the responsiveness and efficiency of the Ministry of External Affairs." Very Steady and Very Strong: EAM S Jaishankar on India-Russia Relationship. The letter written on Monday read, "From the moment we brought this matter to your attention, your office, demonstrated a commitment to addressing our concerns promptly. The communication received from Secretary Consular of the Indian Embassy in Tehran, Harendra Singh, and the subsequent updates from Under Secretary Arun Kumar from your office were instrumental in keeping us informed and assured throughout the repatriation process." He also hailed the response of the Indian authorities for the unwavering support and said, "The repatriation, facilitated by Mahan Air Flight No. W5 071 on January 19, 2024, exemplifies the compassion and dedication of your ministry in ensuring the return of our fellow countrymen." As per the letter written to EAM Jaishankar, after the necessary post-mortem and formalities, Arsalan's body was respectfully brought back to India and reached Srinagar, and eventually to his native village in Sopore Kashmir. EAM S Jaishankar Condemns Defacing of Hindu Temple in US, Says Separatists Should Not Be Given Space. It added, "The entire process, from your office's communication to the final repatriation, demonstrated a seamless and well-coordinated effort on behalf of the MEA...Once again, thank you, Dr. S. Jaishankar, for your prompt and empathetic response in this challenging time." The matter was brought to the attention of EAM and the Consular Wing of the Embassy in Tehran who then got in touch with the students, the Iranian authorities and officials of the educational institute. The mortal remains were repatriated by a Mahan Air Flight on January 19. Islamabad [Pakistan], January 23 (ANI): Nawaz Sharif's party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), has announced that it will officially unveil its party manifesto on January 27, according to ARY News. The PML-N created the manifesto committee in October 2023 to develop the party's vision, which is overseen by Senator Irfan Siddique. Also Read | Italy: Dance Floor Collapses During Wedding, Newlyweds With 39 Other Guests Fall 25 Feet Through Surface. The PML-N, which is led by Nawaz Sharif, has established an online platform to solicit comments from professionals, experts, Pakistanis abroad, and residents for the party's 2024 election manifesto. According to party sources, the PML-N has given special attention to jobs and the improvement of living standards, as reported by ARY News. Also Read | Israel-Hamas Conflict: Benjamin Netanyahu Mourns Deaths of 21 Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza Attack. The PML-N plans to increase higher education funding from 13 per cent to 30 per cent, the sources said, according to ARY News. "The PML-N aimed at policies to unleash an agricultural and industrial revolution in the country," the party sources said. The general elections will be held on February 8. In a major 'breakthrough' for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz ahead of the nationwide polls, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) candidate Mehr Muhammad Waseem announced his withdrawal in favour of PML-N Senior Vice President Maryam Nawaz, according to Geo News. The election campaigns of all political parties equipped with mollifying manifestos and promises are in full swing across the country ahead of the February 8 vote. PML-N and PPP are eyeing the premier's office and desperately swaying voters to elect them to power. Moreover, the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) also suffered a blow in Lahore as its local officer bearers including the chairman, vice chairman, and zakat committee's head along with loyalists joined the Nawaz-led party on Monday (January 22). Formally launching the electioneering, Maryam also addressed the PML-N's election campaigners in the NA-119 constituency on Sunday. After party supremo and former PM Nawaz Sharif's return to Pakistan, PML-N believes it has gotten a much-needed boost, given the dismal performance during the 16-month tenure of the coalition government, headed by Shehbaz Sharif. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Wellington [New Zealand], January 23 (ANI): Trade Minister of New Zealand Todd McClay expressed heartfelt congratulations to the Indian diaspora in New Zealand and diaspora across the world on the Pran Pratishtha of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. "I wish to offer my very best wishes to all Indians in New Zealand and diaspora all around the world for such a significant achievement (Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple)," McClay said. Also Read | Zombie Viruses: Climate Change Unleashes Ancient Threat As 48,500-Year-Old Virus Resurfaces From the Depths of Arctic Ice- Experts Warn of a Potential Global Pandemic Risk. He further extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his friendship with New Zealand. The minister also highlighted that PM Modi was the first leader in the world to congratulate his new Zealand's counterpart when he was elected as the Prime Minister. Also Read | Ram Temple Consecrated; Muslim Woman in Uttar Pradesh Names Her Newborn Son 'Ram Rahim' After Lord Rama: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. " To Prime Minister Modi, thank you for your friendship with New Zealand. Prime Minister Modi was the very first leader in the world to offer our Prime Minister congratulations when he was elected as Prime Minister," he stated. Moreover, McClay again congratulated stressing that it is a significant achievement for all Indians. "We look very much forward to working so very closely together. Congratulations on what is a significant achievement for all Indians," he added. A day ahead of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony several sitting ministers in New Zealand sent out congratulatory messages to PM Modi on Sunday, saying it was his leadership that made the construction of the Ram Temple possible after a prolonged wait of 500 years. Speaking to ANI, New Zealand's Minister for Regulation, David Seymour, said, "Jai Shri Ram...I wish to congratulate everyone in India, including PM Modi, as it was his leadership that made this construction (Ram Temple) possible after 500 years. The temple is majestic and built to last another 1000 years." Moreover, New Zealand's Minister for Ethnic Communities, Melissa Lee, said the Ram Mandir is the result of PM Modi's leadership and work. The idol of Ram was unveiled for devotees on Monday, after the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony that involved hour-long rituals led by PM Modi. PM Modi performed the rituals surrounding the 'Pran Pratishtha' of the deity at his avowed birthplace, Ayodhya. He further said that the construction of the temple, which some feared would set off a firestorm, now stands as a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and integration. Addressing the dignitaries in attendance at the 'Pran Pratishtha' event, PM Modi said the unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol is not only a moment of triumph after a prolonged struggle but also one of humility. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Celebrations for Ram Temple Pran Pratishtha at Times Square in New York City on Monday (Photo/ANI) New York City [US], January 23 (ANI): As jubilation took hold of Ayodhya after the enthronement of Shri Ram Lalla at his majestic abode, hundreds erupted in celebrations at the iconic Times Square in New York City on Monday. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati, a Stanford University graduate from Hollywood who has been residing at Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh for nearly 30 years, led the crowd of hundreds here to celebrate the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Shri Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Also Read | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Time To Negotiate With Hamas on Hostage Exchange, Says Israeli Major General Noam Tibon. The vibrant celebrations were marked by triumphant chants of 'Jai Shree Ram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. Addressing members of the Indian diaspora, Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati said the celebratory event marks not only the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya but a 'Rashtra Temple', symbolising the country's unity. Also Read | Pakistan on Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya Indicative of Growing Majoritarianism in India, Says Islamabad. "Back home today, we have opened not just a Ram Temple but also a Rashtra Temple. It will stand as a temple of unity. This is the temple for which we waited for over 500 years," she said. Underlining the significance of the occasion, she added, "Ram devotees across generations had been waiting for this day. It has finally arrived after more than 500 years." The celebration drew hundreds of Indians to Times Square, as they waved saffron flags and joined in the collective joy. The cultural festivities included dance performances, adding to the vibrancy and festive ambience around the event. As the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony unfolded, army choppers were pictured showering petals on the temple. PM Modi also showered petals on workers, who were a part of the construction team that shaped the grand Ramn Temple. He was also seen sprinkling flowers on the idol of Jatayu at the Ram Temple premises and also offered prayers to Lord Shiva in Ayodhya Dham. While addressing the dignitaries invited to the Pran Pratishtha ceremony, PM Modi said the unveiling of the Ram Lalla idol is not only a moment of triumph after a prolonged struggle but also one of humility. "This is not just a moment of celebration for us all but also one to reflect the coming of age of the Indian society. This occasion is as much about triumph as it is about humility. The world is replete with instances of countries that faced a lot of difficulties resolving historic wrongs and injustices. However, the way we untied the knots and resolved all outstanding issues gives us hope that our future is going to be more beautiful and fulfilling than our past," PM Modi said. The PM said that the construction of the temple, which some feared would set off a firestorm, now stands as a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and integration. "There was also a time when some people used to say 'Ram Mandir bana toh aag lag jaegi' (the making of the Ram Temple would set off a firestorm). Such people lacked an understanding of the purity of our society, the spirit that binds us all. This majestic abode of Shri Ram Lalla will now stand as a symbol of peace, patience, mutual harmony and social unity. The construction of this temple did not set off a fire but exuded a positive energy that has been infectious for us all," he added. He added that the Ayodhya temple also testifies to a renewed national consciousness of Lord Ram and his place in our everyday lives. The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled during the grand 'Pran Pratishtha', which involved hour-long rituals led by Prime Minister Modi. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Jan 23 (PTI) The Pakistan government on Tuesday formally decided to deploy regular Army troops to provide security during the February 8 elections. The decision to deploy the Army was taken in a meeting of the cabinet that was chaired by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar. Also Read | Uyghur Cultural Genocide: US Decries Ongoing Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang by China at UN. The summary for deployment of troops was moved by the Ministry of Interior. The federal cabinet approved the deployment of Pakistan Army and Civil Armed Forces troops for the peaceful conduct of general elections on the recommendation of the Interior Ministry, according to an official statement issued at the end of the cabinet meeting. Also Read | Google Leaked Documents AI: Tech Giant Plans To Deliver 'World's Most Advanced, Safe and Responsible AI' in 2024, Says Report. These forces will perform duties at sensitive constituencies and polling stations and will also act as a rapid response force, the statement further said. The decision comes after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) sought 277,000 Army personnel to be deployed across the country to maintain security, and law and order situation across the country on February 8 when over 126 million Pakistani voters cast their votes. The armed forces are deployed under the Constitution in aid of the civil administration to provide security or any other services required by the government which authorises any such deployment through an approval by the cabinet. The Army already announced that it was ready to provide any kind of help to carry out the electoral exercise as the country faces the rising threat of militancy. The year 2023 was one of the worst since 2015 due to terror-related incidents. Earlier this month, an independent candidate, Kaleemullah Khan who was eyeing to contest polls for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly's PK-104 was shot dead in the restive North Waziristan district. Also, at the same time a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader, Shah Khalid, was also killed in Swabi after unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire on his car. Owing to the precarious situation, caretaker Prime Minister Kakar set up a high-level committee to oversee security for the polls. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) United Nations, Jan 23 (AP) Russia's foreign minister clashed with the United States and Ukraine's supporters at a UN meeting Monday where Moscow ruled out any peace plan backed by Kyiv and the West, and China warned that further global chaos could impact the slowing global economy. Sergey Lavrov, Russia's top diplomat, claimed that Ukrainian forces have been a complete failure on the battlefield and are incapable of defeating or weakening Russia. Also Read | Israel-Palestine Conflict: Time To Negotiate With Hamas on Hostage Exchange, Says Israeli Major General Noam Tibon. He told the UN Security Council that Moscow is always ready to negotiate peace, but he claimed peace plans presented by Ukraine and its Western masters are only used as cover to continue war and continue getting money from Western taxpayers. All of these formulas are a road to nowhere, and the sooner Washington, London, Paris and Brussels realise this the better for Ukraine and the West, he said, warning that their crusade against Russia has already created new, clear, reputational and existential risks. Also Read | Pakistan on Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha: Inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya Indicative of Growing Majoritarianism in India, Says Islamabad. U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood dismissed Lavrov's claims as just blatant disinformation and countered that it was Russia's February 24, 2022 invasion of Ukraine that started the war, and it is President Vladimir Putin 's single-minded pursuit of the obliteration of Ukraine and subjugation of its people that is prolonging it. Russia's imperialist designs are obvious," and for Russia, anything other than capitulation total capitulation by Ukraine is the only solution, and that's just not acceptable to the international community, Wood said. stressing that the war could end tomorrow if Moscow withdrew hundreds of thousands of troops in Ukraine's internationally recognised territory. Russia called the council meeting to again sharply criticize Western military aid to Ukraine. Just before it started, diplomats from more than 40 countries surrounded Ukraine's U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya who read a joint statement underscoring Russia's hypocrisy in criticising lawful arms transfers to help Ukraine defend itself. Ukraine's supporters called Monday's meeting another Russian attempt to distract from its war of aggression, and they condemned military support to Moscow drones from Iran and ballistic missiles from North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, as well as military equipment from Belarus. The council heard many calls for stepped up peace efforts, and there was growing concern from Russia's ally, China, about the increasing threat to global security from the ongoing war in Ukraine at the same time that Israel and Hamas are at war in Gaza following the militant group's surprise attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7. We must spare no effort to stem the spillover of the (Ukraine) crisis at a time when the Palestinian-Israeli conflict drags on, and some hotspot issues are at the risk of flaring up, China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said. The world cannot afford to see further spreading of geopolitical clashes at the same time the global economy is slowing down. Zhang told the council the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, which Ukraine has insisted on and which Russia has violated by annexing four Ukrainian regions. But the Chinese ambassador criticised Ukraine for seeking to join NATO and warned Kyiv, without naming Russia, that this would deepen Moscow's security concerns. Zhang urged the resumption of direct Russia-Ukraine negotiations as soon as possible. He did not mention the peace plan China issued in February 2023 that called for a ceasefire, negotiations and an end to sanctions against Russia but he did focus on the war's disruption to the world economy. The negative impacts of the Ukraine crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict have added snow to the icy cold global economy, Zhang said. Countries with significant influence should refrain from politicizing, instrumentalizing or weaponizing the world economy, and should instead work together to maintain global food, energy and financial security as well as the stability and smooth functioning of industrial and supply chains. China was the third speaker from the 15-member council and Lavrov left immediately after Zhang spoke, giving his seat to a deputy. Lavrov didn't hear Wood but he did hear Malta's UN Ambassador Vanessa Frazier who echoed the U.S. call for Russia to withdraw its forces and accused Moscow of violating its duty to maintain international peace and security, the Security Council's primary mission. Today's meeting is yet another attempt to justify the unjustifiable and seek to provide a narrative where the victim is the aggressor and the aggressor the victim, Frazier said, decrying the killing of 10,200 Ukrainian civilians, including 575 children, and injuries to more than 19,300 others in Russian attacks since the war began, according to the UN human rights office. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chicago, Jan 23 (AP) A man suspected of shooting and killing eight people in suburban Chicago is believed to have fatally shot himself after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials, police said late on Monday. Police in Joliet said on Facebook that at about 8:30 p.m. central time Romeo Nance was located by US Marshals near Natalia, Texas, and that after a confrontation Nance shot himself. Also Read | Zombie Viruses: Climate Change Unleashes Ancient Threat As 48,500-Year-Old Virus Resurfaces From the Depths of Arctic Ice- Experts Warn of a Potential Global Pandemic Risk. Police in Will County in Illinois and the city of Joliet previously said they did not know of a motive for the killings, but said Nance knew the victims. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) London, Jan 23 (AP) The UK government on Tuesday gave Northern Ireland politicians until February 8 to restore the collapsed regional government in Belfast, after a deadline this month passed without an end to the deadlock. The extension comes amid signs Northern Ireland's largest British unionist party is close to deciding whether to end a boycott that has kept the power-sharing administration on ice for almost two years. Also Read | Canada Immigration System: Opposition Blames 'Incompetent' Canadian PM Justin Trudeau for Causing Immigration 'Mess'. The British government is legally obliged to call new Northern Ireland elections now that a previous deadline of January 18 has passed. Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said he would bring a bill to Parliament on Wednesday to set a new date of February 8. He said significant progress had been made towards reviving the Northern Ireland Executive, and the short extension would give sufficient time for it to bear fruit. Also Read | Iran Executes Man for Killing Policeman in 2022 Nationwide Protests Linked to Mahsa Amini Death. The Democratic Unionist Party walked out in February 2022 in a dispute over post-Brexit trade rules. Ever since, it has refused to return to government with the Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein. Under power-sharing rules established as part of Northern Ireland's peace process, the administration must include both British unionists and Irish nationalists. The walkout left Northern Ireland's 1.9 million people without a functioning administration to make key decisions as the cost of living soared and backlogs strained the creaking public health system. Teachers, nurses and other public sector workers in Northern Ireland staged a 24-hour strike last week, calling on politicians to return to government and give them a long-delayed pay raise. The British government has agreed to give Northern Ireland more than 3 billion pounds (USD 3.8 billion) for its public services, but only if the executive in Belfast gets back up and running. The DUP quit the government in opposition to new trade rules put in place after the United Kingdom left the European Union in 2020 that imposed customs checks and other hurdles on goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. The checks were imposed to maintain an open border between the north and its EU neighbor, the Republic of Ireland, a key pillar of Northern Ireland's peace process. The DUP, though, says the new east-west customs border undermines Northern Ireland's place in the UK. In February 2023, the UK and the EU agreed on a deal to ease customs checks and other hurdles for goods moving to Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. But it was not enough for the DUP, which continued its government boycott. Protracted negotiations failed to persuade the DUP to return to government. But there have recently been signs of movement in the political stalemate. DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson said Monday that talks with the UK government had made progress, and we will endeavour to close the remaining gaps between us. Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O'Neill said it was decision time for the DUP. Workers and their families cannot be left in the lurch any longer, she said. The DUP leader should do the right thing and restore the democratic institutions.(AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, DC [US], January 23 (ANI): The US and UK have carried out additional strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen, marking the eighth round of attacks by the US military in the past 10 days, CNN reported, citing a joint statement. In the latest development, the countries attacked the rebels' infrastructure on Monday and struck eight sites, as per a joint statement from the US and UK. Also Read | Devotees Throng Ayodhya Ram Temple To Offer Prayers to Ram Lalla After Pran Pratishtha Ceremony: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. The two countries conducted the strikes, and Canada, the Netherlands, Bahrain, and Australia supported the attacks, according to CNN. Notably, the recent strikes on Houthi targets were "successful" and destroyed missiles, weapons storage sites and drone systems, a senior military official and a senior defence official stated. Also Read | Earthquake in China: Quake of Magnitude 7.2 on Richter Scale Jolts Southern Xinjiang; Tremors Felt in Several Parts of India. The officials, who briefed reporters following the Monday afternoon operation, said the strikes "achieved the desired effect." However, the strike that was conducted on January 11 was smaller as compared to the first joint operation, which struck over 30 Houthi targets. Reportedly, Monday's strikes targeted a Houthi underground storage site and site associates with Houthi missiles and air surveillance, the statement added, according to CNN. The senior military official said that the US used fighter jets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, as well as surface vessels and a submarine, to strike eight locations. He further added that approximately 25-30 precision guided munitions were fired at the targets, including Tomahawk cruise missiles. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden held a conversation with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday, and they discussed several topics, including security in the Red Sea, according to the White House statement. "Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats," the countries said in their statement. Furthermore, for the first time, the US also struck an underground storage facility used by the Houthis, the official said, as reported by CNN. The storage site was assessed to have "more advanced conventional weaponry," including missiles and one-way attack drones. Grant Shapps, the UK's secretary of state for defence, noted that four British Typhoon fighter jets took part in the strikes on Houthi targets. He warned that the ongoing Houthi launches against commercial vessels "threaten the lives of sailors and disrupt shipping at an intolerable cost to the global economy." Reportedly, the USS has named the ongoing operation targeting Houthi assets in Yemen as "Operation Poseidon Archer," which suggests a more organised and potentially long-term approach to the operations in Yemen that have been aimed at dissuading the Iranian-backed group from attacking commercial vessels in the Red Sea. Since January 11, the US has now struck Houthi targets in Yemen eight times, the majority of which have been carried out unilaterally, as reported by CNN. The first wave of strikes, in which the US and UK hit approximately 30 sites across Houthi-controlled Yemen, marked the beginning of Operation Poseidon Archer, according to an official. Moreover, the officials emphasised that the latest strikes were specifically intended to target the Houthi weapons and supporting capabilities used to target international shipping lanes, describing them as similar in nature to the first round of coalition strikes against Houthi targets on January 11. "We are not at this time expanding beyond that target set," the senior military official said. According to US officials, Iran has been silently fueling the attacks, enabling and supporting its proxy groups across the region. Moreover, Tehran has been supplying the Houthis with tactical intelligence and weapons to help them target ships in the Red Sea, as reported by CNN. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Geneva, Jan 23 (AP) Western countries used a regular UN-backed review of China's human rights record Tuesday to press Beijing to do more to allow freedom of expression, protect the rights of ethnic minorities and to repeal a national security law in Hong Kong that troubles independent activists. China's ambassador in Geneva, Chen Xu, led a delegation from some 20 Chinese ministries for the universal periodic review conducted under the UN Human Rights Council. He stressed China's progress in poverty eradication, said citizens engage in democratic elections and gave assurance that freedom of religious belief is safeguarded. Also Read | Canada Immigration System: Opposition Blames 'Incompetent' Canadian PM Justin Trudeau for Causing Immigration 'Mess'. China upholds respect for and protection of human rights as a task of importance in state governance," Chen said through an interpreter. "We have embarked on a path of human rights development that is in keeping with the trend of the times and appropriate to China's national conditions and so-called historic achievements in this process. Also Read | Iran Executes Man for Killing Policeman in 2022 Nationwide Protests Linked to Mahsa Amini Death. We uphold the people-centered philosophy and strive to deliver a better life for all the people, he said. An extraordinarily high number of more than 160 countries some critics of Beijing, some allies registered to take part in the discussion. That meant each country had a maximum of 45 seconds to speak, forcing some ambassadors into what at times felt like a speed-reading exercise. China's delegation had a total of 70 minutes to make its case. The review process, which encourages constructive recommendations over sharp criticism, nevertheless gave way to firm, if not scathing, advice to China from some leading Western countries, while some of China's friends rallied to its defense. Ambassador Leslie Norton of Canada urged China to end enforced disappearances targeting human rights defenders, ethnic minorities and Falun Gong practitioners. Falun Gong is a spiritual movement. Czech Ambassador Vaclav Balek said China needed to stop the criminalisation of religious and peaceful civil expression and cross-border kidnappings and intimidating Chinese citizens living abroad." Slovenian Ambassador Anita Pipan recommended that China establish a moratorium on the death penalty. UK Ambassador Simon Manley called for a halt to the prosecution of Jimmy Lai, a former Hong Kong publisher who is on trial for alleged national security violations, and an end to the forced repatriation of North Koreans who fled into China. Kozo Honsei, Japan's deputy permanent representative in Geneva, called for better protection of the rights of minorities in Tibet and northwestern China's Xinjiang region. US Ambassador Michele Taylor presented a list of concerns, concluding with, We condemn the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and transnational repression to silence individuals abroad. Some independent organisations and the United States have accused China of genocide against minority Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, but no UN bodies have affirmed that. China lashed out at a 2022 report by the UN's then-human rights chief citing possible crimes against humanity committed in the region. The hearing offered a wide-ranging look at the human rights situation in China. Bolivia's envoy commended China's efforts to reduce deforestation, Burundi's representative urged China to improve access to health care in central regions and to better housing in Hong Kong and Macao, and Iran praised China's national action plan for human rights. First secretary Ilia Barmin of Russia's diplomatic mission advised China to consistently improve the understanding and capacity of citizens to use standard spoken and written Chinese in Xinjiang. Many developing-world countries praised China's policies on issues like poverty reduction and economic development policies while also offering suggestions to Beijing. Frankye Bronwen Levy, political affairs counsellor for South Africa, called on China to strengthen an anti-domestic violence law passed eight years ago. Hilary Power, the Geneva director of Human Rights Watch, called it utterly shameful that many countries opted to use their platform at the UN's top human rights body to praise Beijing's rights record, or stay silent in the face of well-documented grave crimes. The universal periodic review puts all UN member states up for scrutiny at times sharp by other countries roughly every five years. The 3 1/2-hour discussion aims to offer constructive criticism and to yield a written report with recommendations. On Monday, countries examined Saudi Arabia's rights record. At China's last review in 2018, the United States and other countries voiced concerns about its treatment of Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Groups that included Falun Gong practitioners, Uyghurs and pro-Tibet activists held small demonstrations outside the UN Geneva compound during Tuesday's discussion. Inside, roughly 100 activists from nongovernmental groups attended the session or watched it from a spillover room in the vast complex, officials said. Another advocacy group sent representatives to speak out against the forced repatriation from China of women from North Korea who fled the nation under leader Kim Jong Un's rule.(AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C) and his spouse Elke Budenbender (L) at Hanoi's Noi Bai Airport, Jan. 23, 2024. Photo by VNA German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his spouse arrived in Hanoi on Tuesday morning, starting their two-day state visit to Vietnam at the invitation of President Vo Van Thuong and his spouse. They were welcomed at Noi Bai International Airport by Chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the Hanoi Peoples Committee Tran Sy Thanh, and Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Vu Quang Minh, among others. This is the first foreign visit of the German president in 2024 and the first high-level delegation exchange between the two countries this year - a pivotal year towards the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2025. He is scheduled to meet with Vietnams top leaders to discuss measures to promote bilateral cooperation in various fields, and exchange views on international issues of mutual concern. The president also plans to visit several German projects in Ho Chi Minh City and its surrounding areas. Beijing [China], January 23 (ANI): Following the Taiwanese people's refusal to buckle to Chinese coercion in the January 13 elections, voting back into power the incumbent Democratic People's Party (DPP) with its new leader Lai Ching-te, opinion varies as to what Beijing's next course of action will be. Will China make a precipitative military move against Taiwan, or will it continue its policy of incessant coercion? China's reaction has been rather subdued so far, though this does not preclude more vigorous actions before Lai assumes office in May. Also Read | Zombie Viruses: Climate Change Unleashes Ancient Threat As 48,500-Year-Old Virus Resurfaces From the Depths of Arctic Ice- Experts Warn of a Potential Global Pandemic Risk. Notably, though, China hit back almost immediately by announcing on January 15 that Nauru was switching recognition from Taiwan to Beijing. Taiwan now has diplomatic ties with just twelve nations as China picks off its allies one by one. Nauru asked for "massive economic assistance," according to Taiwan, but Taipei cannot compete with China in this regard. Also Read | India Overtakes Hong Kong To Become World's Fourth-Largest Stock Market: Live Breaking News Headlines & Updates, January 23, 2024. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning denied that money exchanged hands: "Those who see 'dollar diplomacy' as a go-to tool need to understand that there are things that money cannot buy." One wonders what China can offer Nauru other than money. In some respects, then, it is better for Taiwan to shrug off the burden of countries who value money more than morals. Nonetheless, this marked a setback for the USA, for President Joe Biden has been working hard to rally nations in support of a "rules-based international order". Nauru is a tiny nation of just 12,500 inhabitants, but China has gained a sharp win there against the wider run of play. Wendell Minnick, a veteran American defence analyst based in Taiwan, is pessimistic about cross-strait ties. Indeed, he thinks China will act militarily this spring (i.e. March-May), catalysed by the DPP's election win. "This could be the beginning of ballistic-missile strikes and cruise missile strikes on command-and-control nodes, radar, air defence batteries and the utter destruction of airbases. Xi is growing old quickly and wants a legacy that brings Taiwan back into the bosom of Mother China. He wants to be the Father of Modern China--to take down Mao's picture at Tiananmen Square and replace it with his own. He is a man. He is not a win-win negotiator. He wants to be beloved by the nation for the next 100 years." Minnick added that the lunar-solar calendar is perfect for military operations around April-May, which leaves "summer for fighter and bomber aircraft to clean up the scraps, then the amphibious invasion in the autumn with the lunar-solar calendar holiday of Ghost Month." The latter period is when conditions in the Taiwan Strait calm again and become more conducive to amphibious operations. However, it will be a massive challenge for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) to cross this "moat" that separates Taiwan from the mainland. China is encountering severe challenges that might cause Chairman Xi Jinping to take irrational actions. As tsar Vladimir Putin demonstrated with his fateful invasion of Ukraine, the twisted calculus of leaders in autocratic countries often does not correspond with logic. Xi might calculate that his window of opportunity is narrowing, or that he needs a national crisis to bind China around him. One disconcerting issue is China's economy, which is deeply unwell. Last year, China's gross domestic product (GDP) fell in dollar value to about USD 17.5 trillion. This was the first drop in almost 30 years, and China's share of world GDP slipped to slightly less than 7 per cent. In yuan terms, China's GDP rose by more than 4.5 per cent, but this ignores a sharp drop in the yuan's value. In 2023, America's GDP rose 6 per cent to about USD 27 trillion. The gap between the respective GDPs of the USA and China grew by USD 2 trillion last year, which is set to widen unless China's economy turns a corner. George Magnus, an economist at the China Centre, Oxford University, and at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, commented: "Given (what) we know about population shrinkage, debt capacity constraints, weak governance and the political awkwardness of market reforms, China's tech prowess islands are not the saviour. Only a real policy shift can do that, and the government is in stasis." He added that this year will therefore be important policy-wise. The bite of reality is a far cryfrom Xi's New Year message that the economy had "sustained the momentum of recovery". Another looming issue is demographics. China's population is shrinking; the birth rate contracted 5.7 per cent last year to reach the lowest in modern China's history - and the death rate in 2023 was the highest it has been since 1974, during the throes of Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution. With 280 million citizens aged over 60 (a figure that will increase 30+ per cent over the next decade), China is facing a ticking demographic time bomb. However, many would disagree with the dire warnings from the likes of Minnick in Taiwan. For example, Professor Rex Li, Research Affiliate of the Lau China Institute, King's College London, assessed: "Although China has not recognised the legitimacy of the Lai government, it is unlikely that it will opt for a military solution to the Taiwan issue for the time being. Most analysts believe that China does not yet possess the full military capability to take over Taiwan by force, especially if it has the backing of the United States. In addition, China is currently facing considerable economic difficulties due mainly to the recent COVID lockdowns. Beijing is also keen to stabilise its relations with Washington following the Xi-Biden summit in San Francisco in November 2023." Li concluded, "It can be expected that Beijing will continue to exert economic and military pressure on Taiwan and constrain its international activities where possible. But China would try to avoid a major armed conflict with Taiwan, which might trigger an unpredictable reaction and intervention from the US." Leading figures in the US armed forces concur with this viewpoint. For instance, Admiral John Aquilino, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), said at a Pacific Forum conference in Hawaii in mid-January that he expected the PLA to put on a show of "force against Taiwan in the near term". "The pressure campaign against Taiwan continues, and we're watching it in the wake of the elections...Their actions over the past number of years have been pretty consistent. When something occurs that they don't like, they tend to take action." An obvious example is the PLA's reaction to then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's 2022 visit to Taiwan. Admiral Aquilino predicted that China would also manipulate events so as to put the blame on American shoulders. He suggested Beijing would "attempt to spin it in the information space as the United States as the aggressor. I don't know how you connect those dots, but they're pretty effective in the information space. Doesn't have to be true. They've just got to say it enough times." The INDOPACOM commander also commented on China's increasingly aggressive actions farther south. Its "expansive claims in the South China Sea are not just thoughts anymore. What we are seeing as it applies to Second Thomas Shoal and our Philippine partners is that the rhetoric and the actions, whether they be lawfare, information warfare or physical actions, are now enforcing or attempting to enforce that illegal claim." Separately, General Charles Flynn, commander of the US Army Pacific, described recently at the Irregular Warfare Forum in Virginia how China is seeking to disrupt American regional influence. "The Chinese are trying to disassemble, fragment and fracture a network of allies and partners that the United States enjoys globally, but definitely in the Indo-Pacific. And they're working every day." The American commander said China is on a "very, very dangerous path. The PRC's immediate goal: prepare the operational environment for the seizure of Taiwan, full stop." If conflict erupts, it is essential that Taiwan already have in place the military equipment that it needs, for the PLA could effectively blockade the island and prevent American resupplies from reaching Taiwan. Taiwan needs to strengthen its mobile air defences and drone fleets with much larger quantities; such asymmetric capabilities strengthen its "porcupine strategy" designed to deter China by imposing an unacceptable level of loss and risk on the PLA. Taiwan is taking actions to deter China militarily, but these are often done under sufferance. This month, Taiwan's military conscription period extends from four months to twelve for 18-year-old males, after the USA pressured Taipei to raise the duration. Conscription is deeply unpopular in Taiwan but, faced by recruitment issues, conscription is the only way to fill out the armed forces. Bloomberg Economics, in an effort to quantify the cost of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan - came up with a figure of USD 10 trillion, equating to about 10 per cent of global GDP. Taiwan is the leading maker of advanced-logic semiconductors, and global supply would be hard hit. Of course, it is impossible to accurately predict the cost of a conflagration involving Taiwan. Regardless, Bloomberg predicted a 40 per cent drop in GDP for Taiwan in the first year, -16.7 per cent for China, -6.7 per cent for the USA, and -10.2 per cent for the world. However, military adventurism is fraught with risk for China, especially an operation as complex as an amphibious invasion. Xi still does not have confidence in the PLA, with serious question marks about the loyalty and capability of the Rocket Force in particular at present. Of course, the loss of Taiwan to Chinese military conquest would be horrendous. Apart from the tragedy of a democracy being swallowed by an authoritarian regime, a Chinese presence on Taiwan shatters the so-called First Island Chain of containment upon which the USA's whole defensive strategy depends. PLA forces garrisoned in Taiwan would have instant access to the Western Pacific, threatening maritime and aerial routes from the USA to Japan, South Korea and all American military bases there. It was Sir Walter Raleigh who said, "Whoever commands the sea, commands the trade; whosoever commands the trade of the world, commands the riches of the world, and consequently the world itself." China would be able to control all seaborne trade heading to and from economic powerhouses like Japan and South Korea. Taiwan already has de facto independence, but this means the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is fed up with the status quo. "Reunification" is a stated national goal, and it has become a point of pride for Xi. China was visibly angered that nations like Japan and the USA should congratulate Taiwan's Lai on his recent election win, though interestingly, Biden's first comment was, "We do not support independence." Separate from military pressure, China has plenty of other tools at its disposal. For instance, it can economically pressure Taiwan with measures such as fining Taiwanese companies in China, cancelling tariff reductions, banning certain imports from Taiwan, or restricting individual tourism. Xi advocated stronger United Front efforts to win Taiwanese hearts and said in an article published by the CCP's Qiushi magazine: "The patriotic, unifying forces in Taiwan should be developed and empowered. Separatist acts for Taiwan independence should be rejected. The full reunification of the motherland should move forward." Beijing will continue to exert undue influence, and the fact that the DPP won only 40.5 per cent of the votes (compared to 57.13 per cent in 2020) might encourage the CCP in thinking that the more amenable Kuomintang party might win the next election. During an official visit to Egypt, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said, "Taiwan independence seriously threatens the wellbeing of Taiwan compatriots, seriously damages the fundamental interests of the Chinese nation, and will also seriously undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. It is a dead end and a path to ruin. China will eventually achieve complete reunification and Taiwan province will surely return to the embrace of the motherland." Such sweeping talk illustrates the absurdity of Taiwan's international status - it is unrecognised by the United Nations and ostracised at every opportunity by China. China has no power or sovereignty over Taiwan's physical territory, yet it continues to force the rest of the world into maintaining a fiction about Taiwan's actual status. The CCP is imposing its will and a falsehood on the international community, with far too many being afraid to upset China. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, January 23: A woman was brutally gang-raped and murdered by her four brothers-in-law in Uttar Pradeshs Fatehpur district, while her husband, who orchestrated the crime, is absconding in Dubai, the police said on Tuesday. The deceased woman's naked body was found in a septic tank of an under-construction building in Fatehpur on January 20. According to an Aaj Tak report, police arrested the four accused, identified as Rohit Lodhi, Ramchandra alias Puttu, Shivam alias Pancham, and Sonu Lodhi, after the victims family lodged a complaint. A fifth accused, Nanku Lodhi, is still at large. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Woman's Naked Body Discovered in Under-Construction Building in Fatehpur, Investigation Underway (Watch Video). How Did Matter Come to Light? The incident came to light on January 20 when the locals found the naked body of the woman inside a water tank at an under-construction site. They quickly alerted the police. When the police arrived for the investigation, apart from the woman's body, they also recovered some soft drinks and snacks from the spot. What Did Police Find Out in Investigation? According to the police, the accused lured the woman, who had gone to her parents house, on the pretext of taking her to a fair. They then raped her and smashed her face with bricks to hide her identity. The accused confessed that they committed the crime at the behest of their brother, the womans husband, who promised them money. The police said they were trying to nab the husband and the fifth accused. Uttar Pradesh Shocker: Woman Held for Killing 15-Year-Old Daughter Over Her Love Affair in Kaushambi District. The postmortem report confirmed that the woman was gang-raped and died of severe head injuries and blood loss, the police added. In another incident, Uttar Pradesh Police arrested three people in connection with the murder of a 20-year-old woman whose body was found in a thicket in a village in Fatehpur district around nine months ago. The accused were identified as a 22-year-old man, his 45-year-old mother and his brother-in-law, 30. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2024 04:11 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Ayodhya, January 23: The new Ram Lalla idol consecrated at the grand temple here on January 22 will be known as "Balak Ram" as it depicts the deity as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture. "The idol of Lord Ram, whose consecration was done on January 22, has been named as 'Balak Ram'. The reason for naming the idol of Lord Ram as 'Balak Ram' is that he resembles a child, whose age is five years," Arun Dixit, a priest associated with the consecration ceremony told PTI. "The first time I saw the idol, I was thrilled and tears started rolling down my face. I cannot explain the feeling I experienced then," he added. The Varanasi-based priest, who has conducted nearly 50-60 consecrations, said, "Of all the consecrations (I have) performed so far, this is the most 'alaukik (divine)' and 'sarvoch' (supreme) for me." Dixit said he had the first glimpse of the idol on January 18. PM Narendra Modi Showers Flower Petals On Workers Associated With Construction Of Ram Temple; Visits Kuber Tila. The idol was consecrated on Monday in a grand ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said it marked the advent of a new era. The old idol of Ram Lalla, which was earlier kept in a makeshift shrine, has been placed in front of the new idol. Lakhs of people watched the 'pran pratishtha (consecration)' ceremony on television in their homes and neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the historic event held just months before the Lok Sabha elections. According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the ornaments for the idol have been prepared after extensive research and study of texts such as the Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas and the Alavandar Stotram. The idol is adorned in Banarasi fabric, featuring a yellow dhoti and a red 'pataka' or 'angavastram'. The 'angavastram' are embellished in pure gold 'zari' and threads, featuring auspicious Vaishnav symbols -- 'shankh', 'padma', 'chakra' and 'mayur'. Ram Mandir Consecration Ceremony: Ram Lalla Will No Longer Live in a Tent, Says PM Narendra Modi After Temples Pran Pratishtha (Watch Video). While the ornaments have been crafted by Ankur Anand's Lucknow-based Harsahaimal Shiamlal Jewellers, the garments were created by Delhi-based textile designer Manish Tripathi, who worked from Ayodhya Dham for the project. The 51-inch idol chiselled by Mysuru-based sculptor Arun Yogiraj has been carved out of a three billion-year-old rock. The azure-coloured Krishna Shile (black schist) was excavated from Gujjegowdanapura at Jayapura Hobli in HD Kote Taluk of Mysuru. It is a fine-to-medium-grained, sky-blue metamorphic rock, generally called soapstone because of its smooth surface texture and is ideal for sculptors to carve idols. The Krishna Shile was found while levelling the agricultural land of Ramdas (78) and a local contractor, who assessed the quality of the stone, drew the attention of the temple trustees in Ayodhya through his contacts. Yogiraj, who has received effusive praise for his work, told PTI, "I have always felt that Lord Ram has been shielding me and my family from all the bad times and I strongly believe that it was Him who chose me for the auspicious task." "I spent sleepless nights working on the idol with precision but it was all worth it. I feel I am the luckiest person on Earth and today is the best day of my life. I learnt the art of sculpting from my father. He would have been very proud to see my idol here today," he added. Rama Lalla idols for the grand temple were made by three sculptors -- Ganesh Bhatt, Yogiraj and Satyanarayan Pandey. The temple trust said that of the three, one would be placed in the sanctum sanctorum while the other two kept in other parts of the mandir. Chennai, January 23: Two final-year law students of the Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) in Tiruchirappalli have been suspended for a year and booked by the police for allegedly forcing their Dalit classmate to drink urine mixed with a soft drink on January 6. The News9 reported that the victim, who belongs to a scheduled caste, lodged a complaint with the university Vice-Chancellor V Nagaraj after he learnt about the humiliation from his classmates, who mocked him in the class the next day. The university formed an interim fact-finding inquiry committee of three professors, which confirmed that the two accused students had ragged the victim and mixed urine in his drink in the hostel room. Tamil Nadu Shocker: MBA Student Slits Friend's Throat on Bus Allegedly After He Stops Talking to Him in Karur. Action Against Students: Based on the committees report, the university Registrar, M Balakrishnan, filed a police complaint against the two students on January 18 and suspended them till January 2025. The Executive Committee of the university will take a final decision on the matter on January 30. The police have registered a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and launched a probe. The two accused students are yet to be arrested. In another incident, nine students of the Arignar Anna Government Arts College in Cheyyar of Tamil Nadus Tiruvannamalai district were suspended last year after a video of them beating up their juniors went viral on social media. Shawarma Kills Girl in Tamil Nadu: Class Nine Student Dies After Eating Chicken Shawarma in Nammakkal. In the video, taken purportedly by another student, the first-year students wearing a shirt and a lungi were seen being whipped with a rope by their seniors. The incident had reportedly taken place a few days ago at the Adi Dravidar Government Welfare Hostel for Men. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2024 06:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). As a precaution, police personnel were stationed outside Jamia Millia Islamia University on Monday, January 22, according to authorities, following the internet release of a video showing two or three students raising slogans like "Strike for Babri." In a viral video, some people at Delhi's Jamia Millia Islamia tried to protest on the University campus on the evening of Monday. After getting the information, the administration removed all of them. No action was initiated because the protest happened inside the campus, and no official complaint was given to the police, according to the Delhi Police. The University is further looking into the matter. Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia University to Remain Closed for Half-Day on January 22 for Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Ceremony in Ayodhya. Protest Take Place on Pran Pratishtha Day at Jamia Millia Islamia There were 2-3 students who raised slogans and showed placards yesterday. When we got the knowledge, the students were removed from the place. The University is further looking into the matter: Jamia Millia Islamia University Official ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) Mumbai, January 23: Motorola launched multiple devices last year powered by the Android 13-based OS, like Moto G54 and Moto G84. Also, this year, Motorola launched its new Moto G34 smartphone in India with Android 14-based OS. The other Motorola devices still have the Android 13 OS. According to the reports, the company has disclosed a list of devices that will get the latest Android 14 update. Google introduced its new Android 14 with its Google Pixel 8 series launched in October 2023. After that, many brands, including Xiaomi, OnePlus, OPPO and Samsung, rolled out their devices' updates with their respective operating system skin. According to the reports, the US-based smartphone company will start deploying the Android 14 updates with its My UX skin to its existing smartphones running on Android 13. iOS 17.3 New Features: Apple Launches Its New iOS With New Stolen Device Protection, Collaborative Apple Music Playlists and Other Features; Check Details. Motorola launched the devices with limited future OS updates, and the company did not confirm which devices would get the latest Google Android updates. However, the company has announced the list of devices that will get the Android 14 updates. However, Motorola has yet to confirm the timeline for releasing these updates for the devices; the list of the devices getting the new Android 14 update includes the following. GenAI Investments: 7 in 10 CEOs Globally Planning To Invest in Generative Artificial Intelligence, Says Report Motorola Razr (2022) Motorola Razr 40 Motorola Razr 40 Ultra Motorola Razr+ (2023) Motorola Edge (2022) Motorola Edge (2023) Motorola Edge+ (2023) Motorola Edge 40 Motorola Edge 40 Pro Motorola Edge 40 Neo Motorola Edge 40+ 5G UW (2022) Motorola Edge 30 Motorola Edge 30 Fusion Motorola Edge 30 Neo Motorola Edge 30 Pro Motorola Edge 30 Ultra Moto G (2023) Moto G Power 5G Moto G Stylus (2023) Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) Moto G14 Moto G23 Moto G53 Moto G54 Moto G84 Moto G73 Motorola ThinkPhone Motorola is expected to unveil the timeline of the Android 14 releases for each device in future. So far, the updates have been reported to be rolled out in 2024 without the dates. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 23, 2024 04:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). Another migrant caravan was supposed to head to the US from Honduras, bringing in hundreds of migrants to the US-Mexico border. That caravan has now dissolved before it can even reach Mexico, according to Guatemala authorities. The migrant caravan that dissolved in Guatemala was made up of mostly Hondurans and Venezuelans, who started the group of over 500 migrants back in Honduras on Saturday. However, as soon as it reached the border with Guatemala, the Central American country's authorities stopped it in its tracks. "The movement of people disintegrated," Guatemalan Institute of Migration spokeswoman Alejandra Mena told the Tico Times. However, she confirmed that a small group from that caravan still managed to break off and continue on to travel to the United States. Around 200 migrants were detained by Guatemalan authorities as the migrant caravan entered the country through the eastern Izabal department, near the border with Honduras. They intended to go to the US. However, around 80 people were able to move forward in small groups. They were allowed because they had permits to transit through Guatemala, according to authorities. Meanwhile, the rest had to go back to Honduras as they were deported. Authorities did not reveal how many were sent back to Honduras. Guatemala Officials Used Dialogue and Not Force To Stop Migrant Caravan Guatemalan migration officers were able to stop the massive migrant caravan as it advanced only a few kilometers into Guatemalan territory. They then immediately processed these migrants and gave priority to the minors that were part of it. READ MORE: Latin America Politics 2023: Election, Conflicts, Other Major Issues in the Region As to how the country's officials were able to stop the migrant caravan, they stated that they did not use force and instead said that they stopped it through dialogue. Most of those who were able to continue were from Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, as these countries have free transit with each other. However, the rest of the migrant caravan was sent back to Honduras. The Associated Press noted that these migrant caravans are actually rare as the vast majority often cross Central America and Mexico in small groups. They often use all sorts of transportation, with some even employing shady smuggling networks, which are often run by criminal organizations like drug cartels. The Formation of this Migrant Caravan from Honduras This was the first migrant caravan from inland and southern Honduras since January 2022. The area where these migrants came from was where many farm workers lost their jobs due to the closure of some plantations. "We are determined to keep going because here we are worse off. We have no jobs. We are hungry," said one of the migrants, identified as farm worker Edgar Ivan Hernandez, who was traveling with three relatives, according to NBC Dallas-Fort Worth. His cousin noted that they found out about the migrant caravan on social media and were encouraged to join. "The best way is to leave in a group because that way we are not stopped much by the police or immigration," he said. READ MORE: Guatemala Elections: Observers Say Political Parties and Justice System Interfered This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: (Part 1) The Trek: A Migrant Trail to America | The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper - CNN In a closely divided 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court granted permission on Monday for Border Patrol agents to resume cutting razor wire along a section of the US-Mexico border, intensifying the ongoing Texas border razor wire case between the Joe Biden administration and Texas over immigration enforcement measures. The decision allows agents to clear concertina wire installed by Texas along the banks of the Rio Grande to deter illegal migration, despite concerns about injuries to migrants and potential hindrance to border patrolling, Yahoo! News noted. The lack of explanation for the justices' votes in the one-page order leaves the specifics unclear. The Joe Biden administration views this ruling as a temporary victory while the legal dispute over the razor wire persists. Texas Governor Greg Abbott had authorized the deployment of razor wire, asserting that its absence encourages risky border crossings and complicates the tasks of Texas personnel at the US-Mexico border. The lawsuit remains ongoing, with the governor's spokesperson, Andrew Mahaleris, affirming Abbott's commitment to defending Texas' property and constitutional authority for border security. READ NEXT: Texas: 3 Migrants Drown at Rio Grande in Attempt To Enter US Biden Administration's Argument and Court Decision The Joe Biden administration argued in court that the razor wire obstructs Border Patrol agents from reaching migrants during river crossings, emphasizing that federal immigration laws supersede Texas' independent efforts to manage migrant flows. Justice Roberts cast the deciding vote, with Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh in dissent, according to Fox News. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, appointed by Trump, aligned with the majority, although no explanations were provided for the votes on the Texas border razor wire case. The majority of the razor wire is deployed in the Shelby Park area of Eagle Pass, owned by the city but recently seized by Texas. Border Patrol agents have been restricted from accessing the park since then. Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council, expressed concern that the ruling on the Texas border razor wire case could encourage more illegal immigration, diverting agents from addressing criminal elements crossing the US-Mexico border. "Unfortunately, this means Border Patrol agents are going to be tied up dealing with give-ups rather than going after the criminal elements that constantly cross our borders illegally," Judd said. Emergency Exception and Ongoing Legal Proceedings In the ongoing Texas border razor wire case, the administration contended that the limited emergency exception posed a serious risk to human life, citing a recent incident where one woman and two children drowned, per Bloomberg Law. "It is impossible to say what might have happened if Border Patrol had had its former access to the area-including through its surveillance trucks that assisted in monitoring the area," the government told the court on January 15. Meanwhile, Texas argued that fencing serves as a deterrent, guiding individuals to lawful ports of entry. The Texas border razor wire case is scheduled for argument at the Fifth Circuit on February 7, where the court will decide if Texas can prevent the Border Patrol from altering the barrier. Recent Supreme Court decisions have generally favored the administration's authority over immigration matters, and Texas faces additional legal challenges over its border-related policies. Congressional negotiations on US-Mexico border security have also gained attention, with House Republicans linking the issue to foreign aid for Ukraine. The broader debate over immigration policies and enforcement measures continues on multiple fronts. READ MORE: Texas Blocking Border Patrol From Patrolling Area Where Migrants Cross This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Supreme Court allows federal agents to cut razor wire installed by Texas on US-Mexico border - From KENS 5: Your San Antonio News Source Dexter King, the youngest son of the iconic civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has died at the age of 62, following a battle with prostate cancer, according to CNN. The King Center confirmed the sad news in a statement, expressing that Dexter transitioned peacefully in his sleep at his home in Malibu, alongside his wife, Leah Weber King. "He transitioned peacefully in his sleep at home with me in Malibu," Weber King said. "He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges in his life, he faced this hurdle with bravery and might," she added. READ MORE: Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birth Home Saved from Fire Reflections on Dexter King Death The news of Dexter King's passing comes just a week after the nation commemorated the national holiday in honor of his father, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dexter's brother, Martin Luther King III, described the sudden shock of Dexter King death as devastating, acknowledging the difficulty of finding the right words in such a moment, PEOPLE noted. "It is hard to have the right words at a moment like this," he said. The family is requesting prayers and strength during this challenging time. Dr. Bernice A. King, Dexter's sister and CEO of The King Center, expressed her heartbreak, emphasizing the need for strength to navigate this difficult period. The King Center, in a statement on social media, extended love and deepest condolences to the King family, highlighting Dexter King's lasting legacy as a humanitarian and civil rights activist. "We send our love and deepest condolences to the King family on the passing of Dexter Scott King," the statement said. Rev. Al Sharpton, who collaborated with the King family on civil rights initiatives, shared his sorrow over Dexter King death, per the NY Daily News. "I was heartbroken to hear that Dexter King left us this morning, but I was comforted by the knowledge he is reunited with his parents and sister," he said. A Legacy of Commitment and Continuity Dexter Scott King, born on Jan. 30, 1961, was the third child of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King. His namesake is derived from the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama, where his father began his pastoral service. At the tender age of 7, Dexter faced the tragedy of his father's assassination in 1968. Following his father's footsteps, Martin Luther King Jr.'s son, Dexter, attended Morehouse College and later became the chairman of the King Center. His life's mission was to carry forward his father's legacy, dedicating himself to the legal protection of Dr. King's work. Dexter King, a graduate of Frederick Douglass High School and Morehouse College, was known for his humility regarding his striking resemblance to his father. In the 2002 television movie, "The Rosa Parks Story," he portrayed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Despite initially pursuing a career in acting in California, he returned to answer the call of family duty. Survived by his wife, Leah Weber King, sister, Dr. Bernice King, brother, Martin Luther King III, and niece, Yolanda Renee King, Dexter leaves behind a profound legacy. He joins his father, mother, and sister Yolanda King, who passed away in 2007, WSB-TV reports. The King Center expressed its commitment to honoring Dexter King's contributions and the continuation of the civil rights legacy he worked tirelessly to preserve. READ MORE: David Gail Dies at 58 This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Martin Luther King Jr son, Dexter King, dies - From 11Alive As the political and religious persecution of the Roman Catholic Church in Nicaragua continued, Pope Francis met with one of the bishops exiled by dictator Daniel Ortega in the Vatican as the Central American country has expelled even more Catholic priests amid its crackdown on all forms of dissent. According to the Catholic News Agency, the Ortega regime expelled three priests, two of whom were Mexican. This came after the government canceled their congregation's legal personhood as part of its anti-Catholic crackdown. The news was first reported by researcher and author Martha Patricia Molina, who posted on social media that "beginning Jan. 14, the priests belonging to the Most Holy Savior religious order of the Diocese of Leon received threats from the police when they were returning from celebrating Holy Mass in the St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Corinto. Since that day Father Ezequiel Buenfil and Father Erick Figueroa disappeared and were then expelled." "With the cancellation of legal personhood, two houses belonging to the order of these religious people are in danger of confiscation," Molina added, as the regime also expelled Father David Perez from the Consecrated Missionaries of the Most Holy Savior. Meanwhile, as these abductions and expulsions were being done in Nicaragua, the exiled auxiliary bishop of Managua, Silvio Jose Baez, met with Pope Francis at the Vatican last Saturday, with the bishop posting on X, "Pope Francis invited me to visit him and received me today at the Vatican. I appreciate his brotherly affection and his wise words." Bishop Baez has been living in exile in Miami since 2019 because of threats from Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo. "He confirmed me as auxiliary bishop of Managua and expressed to me his interest and love for Nicaragua. We have decided to meet several more times this year," the bishop added after meeting with the Argentinian, Pope Francis. READ MORE: Pope Francis Removes Conservative Texas Bishop Joseph Strickland Nicaragua Cancels Legal Status of 16 NGOs The expulsions were a direct result of the Ortega regime canceling the legal status of 16 NGOs operating in Nicaragua. Around 10 of those were Catholic or evangelical, according to Vatican News. Nine of these non-governmental organizations were outlawed because the government claimed they failed "to comply with the regulations governing them and for hindering the oversight and surveillance operations provided by the authorities." With the cancelation of their legal statuses, the government now has control of the assets that previously belonged to these NGOs. Nicaragua Repression of the Roman Catholic Church Unlikely To Stop Nicaragua has blamed the Roman Catholic Church for starting and aiding the 2018 anti-government protests, which the Ortega regime violently put down, killing and imprisoning hundreds of protesters. Since then, the country has not relented in persecuting the church, as it exiled priests and banned street processions, which were once common during Christmas and Holy Week. While the recent release of Bishop Rolando Alvarez and others was seen as a ray of hope, The Conversation pointed out that it is unlikely that the persecution would stop, as seen in the recent actions by the government in expelling the three foreign priests. READ NEXT: Daniel Ortega Net Worth This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: Nicaragua Ends the Year With More Than a Dozen Catholic Clergy in Jail | EWTN News Nightly The United States, which is the number one destination of migrants in the Western hemisphere, has been experiencing a surge in the number of irregular migrantsthose who enter the country without passing through legal ports of entry. To help alleviate the problems associated with such an enormous influx of people, the United States is taking a number of steps to prevent circumvention of legal entry into the country, while at the same time expanding options of legal pathways. We have also significantly streamlined and increased our ability to use expedited removal, said Blas Nunez-Neto, Assistant Secretary for Border and Immigration Policy at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This results in quick consequences on individuals who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States. It is important to note that as we strengthen those consequences, we have demonstrated our commitment to providing lawful options for people to come. That includes our CBP [Customs and Border Patrol] One mobile application at the border, which has allowed hundreds of thousands of people to schedule safe, orderly appointments to present at a port of entry, he said. It includes some of our humanitarian parole programs, including for nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela that have shown to be effective in terms of channeling some of those flows into a legal and lawful, safe, orderly means. The U.S. Governments engaged in a comprehensive long-term effort to address the challenges of irregular migration and displacement in the Western Hemisphere, said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central America, Cuba, and Migration at the State Department, Eric Jacobstein. Late last year, President Biden announced nearly 485 million dollars in additional humanitarian aid that responds to the needs of refugees, migrants, and other vulnerable populations. The idea is to foster responsibility sharing that addresses regional migration challenges, provides stability aid to affected communities, expands lawful pathways, and promotes humane migration policies, essentially addressing the root cause of these issues before individuals migrate in the first place, he said. In addition, Our Safe Mobility Offices throughout the region facilitate expedited refugee processing via the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program and provide information referrals to humanitarian parole, family reunification, and to labor programs, said Deputy Assistant Secretary Jacobstein. Our message is clear: Take advantage of lawful pathways rather than make a dangerous journey north, where we will continue to robustly enforce our border. Authorities in Ecuador apprehended 68 gang members who stormed a hospital in Yaguachi, Guayas province, per BBC. The intruders attempted to take control of the facility, where a fellow gang member was undergoing treatment. Their motive, as revealed by police, was to safeguard the patient from potential threats posed by rival gangs. The incident unfolded in the early hours of Sunday, but the identity of the injured man and the specific Ecuador gang involved remain unclear. READ MORE: Ecuador: Gang Boss Adolfo Macias' Family Arrested Police Intervention and Seizures Law enforcement swiftly intervened to neutralize the situation. "We neutralized alleged terrorists who were trying to take over the facilities of a hospital in Yaguachi, Guayas," police announced on X. During the operation, firearms and drugs were seized, highlighting the gravity of the situation, according to France 24. Additionally, authorities raided a purported "rehabilitation center," which concealed a gang command center and brothel. Several alleged Ecuador gang members were discovered hiding in this location. Ecuador, with a population of 17 million, faces around 20 criminal groups, boasting a membership believed to exceed 20,000. Ecuador hospital incidents involving gang members have occurred in the past. Seven gunmen were apprehended after storming a hospital in Chone, seeking a rival gang member in intensive care in 2022. The standoff led to nurses and Ecuador hospital staff being taken hostage as the individuals exchanged gunfire with the police. Ecuador's Escalating Security Crisis Ecuador's security crisis has been escalating, with recent events contributing to the turmoil. The prison escape of Los Choneros drug gang leader Jose Adolfo Macias Villamar, also known as "Fito," on January 7 triggered a series of prison riots and unrest across correctional facilities, TASS noted. The armed forces and police have detained over 2,000 individuals, recovering a substantial number of firearms, bombs, and narcotics. In response to the unrest, President Daniel Noboa declared a 60-day state of public emergency and imposed a curfew. Drug cartels reacted swiftly to the government's actions, threatening civilians and security forces and taking hostages, including journalists and TV station staff, during a live broadcast. Soldiers were deployed to assist the police in quelling violence that had spread from prisons to major cities. The situation remains tense, with gangs intensifying their attacks. As the crisis unfolded, violence escalated, culminating in the tragic shooting death of prosecutor Cesar Suarez. Suarez was investigating the TV station attack and the escapee Fito's family members. Fito's family, detained in Argentina, were returned to Ecuador. President Noboa acknowledged that his country has become a logistical hub in the drug trafficking chain, leading to heightened security concerns, MercoPress reports. In response to the deepening crisis, White House Advisor Christopher Dodd, along with Southern Command Chief General Laura Richardson and Bureau of Counternarcotics Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Christopher Landberg, are set to visit Ecuador. Their aim is to "listen and consider options for accelerating bilateral security cooperation" between the two countries, according to a statement from the US embassy in Ecuador. Since the declaration of an "internal armed conflict," Ecuador has seen a significant number of arrests, including 158 individuals remanded on terrorism charges. Law enforcement seized a substantial cache of weapons, including firearms, bladed weapons, explosives, and ammunition. READ MORE: History of Ecuador Tradition, Inti Raymi This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: 68 people detained in Ecuador over hospital takeover attempt | #AJshorts - From Al Jazeera English A 23-year-old California woman, Delany Garcia-Lopez, is facing allegations of stealing a staggering 65 coveted Stanley cups with an estimated value of $2,500 from various retailers in Roseville, according to The Sacramento Bee. Garcia-Lopez pleaded not guilty to felony grand theft and two misdemeanors related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during her court appearance on Friday. Her bail was suspended under a penal code provision, indicating concerns about the legality of funds that could be used for bail. The incident unfolded when Roseville police responded to a call from the 6000 block of Stanford Ranch Road, where retail workers reported observing the California woman wheeling out a shopping cart filled with Stanley cups without making any payments. Subsequently, she was pulled over by officers as she attempted to enter Highway 65 from Galleria Boulevard. During the stop, law enforcement discovered 65 Stanley-branded insulated tumblers allegedly taken from multiple businesses, including Dick's Sporting Goods. Lt. Chris Ciampa, spokesperson for the Roseville Police Department, cautioned against resorting to crime to fulfill the growing demand for Stanley Quenchers. Garcia-Lopez, the California woman, is scheduled for another court appearance on Wednesday. READ NEXT: California Electric Plane Crash Kills 4 Craze Over Coveted Stanley Cups Sparks Retail Frenzy and Legal Warnings The popularity of Stanley cups, known for keeping drinks chilled for extended periods, has surged in recent times, fueled by influencers and exclusive color releases, Yahoo! News noted. The craze has led to in-store conflicts, with fights and shouting matches becoming commonplace. Exclusive editions, such as the coveted pink Starbucks Stanley cup, are currently being resold on eBay for as much as $5,000. Law enforcement agencies have issued warnings about potential scams related to counterfeit cups and credit card theft in the wake of this fervor. Roseville police specifically cautioned against resorting to retail theft to capitalize on the craze. The company behind Stanley Quenchers has experienced increased revenue as the items gained popularity. History and Extremes of Stanley Cups Stanley cup products have been part of consumer culture since 1913, but their popularity soared in 2019 when the insulated tumblers gained traction on various social media platforms, Road Track noted. The company's strategic social media marketing approach has contributed to its widespread appeal. People's fervor for these products has led to extreme measures, with some waiting for hours to purchase highly coveted models. However, incidents like the recent theft and subsequent arrest of the California woman highlight the less intelligent decisions people make in pursuit of these prized items. The Stanley cups craze has not been without its chaotic consequences. Recent releases, like the Target-exclusive Galentine's Day Stanley tumblers, reportedly led to customer stampedes, PEOPLE reports. Additionally, Starbucks Stanley products, exclusively available at Target stores, resulted in online bidding wars, with products fetching significantly higher prices than their retail value. Starbucks has stated they will not be restocking the product despite the enthusiastic response. READ MORE: Missouri Teacher Arrested After Allegedly Poisoning Her Husband This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Bert Hoover WATCH: Roseville police recover $2500 worth of stolen Stanley cups - From FOX40 News Donald Trump's attorneys finally employed their "Delay Delay Delay" strategy in the latest E. Jean Carrol rape defamation case, but not the one they wanted, as Trump lawyer Alina Habba was exposed to COVID-19 after her parents tested positive for the disease. Initially, US District Judge Lewis Kaplan announced that the proceedings would be delayed until Wednesday but did not explain why. These delays would mean that any further testimony, including former President Donald Trump's upcoming time on the stand, has been delayed. This also means that Trump can be present in New Hampshire after repeated attempts by Habba to delay the trial have failed. Alina Habba previously tried to make the New Hampshire primaries as an excuse to delay the proceedings. However, Judge Kaplan refused her repeatedly, even scolding her for her lack of decorum, and reiterated no means no, as Trump's presence in the case was only optional. Habba finally got her wish, though it was not how she originally planned to get the delay. As Politico pointed out, one of the jurors in the case fell sick, and to make the health concerns for the case even worse, Habba reported that she may have caught COVID-19, along with co-council Michael Madaio. The COVID-19 Scare That Almost Derailed the Donald Trump Rape Trial With the cold weather that is currently enveloping the Lower 48, health issues have arisen, including one of the jurors deciding on Donald Trump's fate, with Judge Kaplan ruling, "The juror in seat No 3 reported ...early this morning that he was on the way to the city, but feeling hot and nauseous, so I sent him home for the day with instructions to get a Covid test and report back." This was when Alina Habba, who was not wearing a mask during the trial, claimed that she and her co-counsel may have been exposed to COVID-19 as well, noting that she was not feeling well and claiming that she and Madaio had dinner with her parents and one of them tested positive. READ MORE: Donald Trump Lawyer Alina Habba Scolded for Not Knowing 'Evidence 101' "You said, Ms Habba, that one or both of your parents had Covid, is that right?" asked the judge. To which Habba replied, "Yes, your honor." They were then told to take COVID tests, to which both tested negative. Following the COVID-19 scare, the judge asked Habba whether they wanted to proceed without the ill juror, to which Carroll's attorney stated they wanted to press on. However, as expected, Habba, committing to Trump's "Delay Delay Delay" tactics, asked for a pause, saying she wanted the full panel. Kaplan agreed, pausing the trial. Donald Trump Confusing Barack Obama for Joe Biden Again While Habba dealt with a possible COVID-19 exposure, her client, Donald Trump, continued to grapple with being accused of cognitive decline after not just confusing Nikki Haley for Nancy Pelosi but also Joe Biden for Barack Obama. Trump once again confused Biden for Obama during an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, saying, "If the president of the United States and I'm not talking about myself, I'm talking about any president, has to have immunity, because if you take immunity away from the president, so important, you will have you have a president that's not going to be able to do anything." This was a reference to his argument that presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution, adding, "Because when he leaves office, the opposing party, president, if it's the opposing party, will indict the president for doing something that should have been good, like Obama dropped missiles, and they ended up hitting a kindergarten or school or the apartment house, a lot of people were killed." However, this led to him getting confused about which Democrat president is which, as he continued, "Well, if that's the case, he's going to end up being indicted when he leaves office. He meant well, the missile went in the wrong direction and other things." This recent claim led to Nikki Haley blasting her Republican primary opponent about his mental decline. READ MORE: Donald Trump Gets Laughed at in Court During Latest Rape Trial in New York This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Rick Martin WATCH: 'No denying' Donald Trump suffering from cognitive decline - Sky News Australia The United States is deeply concerned by reports of a recent crackdown by the government of Kyrgyzstan against independent media outlets and journalists. On January 16, the Kyrgyz police detained 11 journalists who were working or had worked for various independent outlets exposing alleged corruption involving Kyrgyz elites. On January 15, police in the capital Bishkek raided the newsroom of the independent outlet 24.KG and briefly detained and interrogated its director and two top editors. Authorities also confiscated equipment and mobile phones of other 24.KG reporters, sent them home, and sealed the office, according to local media. This wave of arrests on the basis of a dubious charge amounts to a purge of local investigative journalism, said Jeanne Cavelier, head of Reporters Without Borders Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk. Investigating corruption is not a crime and police should not be used as a tool of intimidation, she added. Kyrgyzstan's interior ministry claimed the arrests were over material calling for "mass riots" on the social media pages of the outlets Ayt Ayt Dese and Temirov Live. In a joint statement, eight human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, called on Kyrgyz authorities to "take immediate and decisive steps to bring the country's respect for press freedom in accordance with its international obligations," and to drop the criminal cases that had been initiated against these independent media outlets. In the last few years, independent media and journalists, bloggers, and others critical of the Kyrgyz governments policies have faced increasing pressure, including politically motivated criminal cases, arrests, and imprisonment, noted Human Rights Watch. The websites of independent news sites have been arbitrarily blocked and the authorities have attempted to close down media organizations because of their independent reporting, including a case against the Kyrgyz service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, which led to its bank account being frozen. These actions contribute to a pattern of government activity that appears aimed at stifling public debate and free expression, said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement. We encourage the Kyrgyz authorities to ensure journalists can operate without undue pressure or harassment. A free and independent press is essential for protecting human rights, maintaining effective democratic institutions, and promoting peace and security. Starbucks is creating a competition where more than 15,000 baristas from participating Starbucks locations in the U.S. and Canada will compete to become the first ever North America Barista Champion. Barista Championships have been taking place in international markets for the past decade, beginning in 2013 with Ireland and the United Kingdom, according to the company. The driver involved a deadly collision with a tractor-trailer Monday morning remained hospitalized Tuesday in serious condition, Pennsylvania State Police said. Linda F. Milliman, 65, of Orefield, at 10:41 a.m. Monday was headed along Route 222 (Hamilton Boulevard) in a 2021 BMW SUV X3 when she attempted to make a left turn onto Kressler Road, near Interstate 78, Pennsylvania State Police at Fogelsville said. A Burlington, New Jersey, man was driving north on Route 222 in the 2000 Freightliner tractor-trailer that was involved in the collision, according to state police. The rig struck the side of the SUV, pushing the SUV toward the center median, state police said. Both Linda Milliman and her passenger, 91-year-old John H. Milliman, of North Whitehall Township, were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township with serious injuries, according to police. John Milliman was later pronounced dead at 2:15 p.m. Monday at the hospital, according to the Lehigh County Coroners Office. His cause of death was from blunt force injuries to the chest due to the crash and the manner was ruled accidental, Coroner Daniel A. Buglio said. Trooper Nathan Branosky, public information officer for state police Troop M in Bethlehem, told lehighvalleylive.com Tuesday afternoon Linda Milliman remained hospitalized in serious condition. The tractor-trailer driver was unhurt, state police said. All of the motorists involved were wearing seat belts, state police said. Route 222 North was closed Monday for several hours at the crash site. Motorists were detoured onto Kressler Road then back to Hamilton Boulevard. The crash remained under investigation by state police at Fogelsville with the assistance of the Troop M Collision Analysis Reconstruction Unit and Troop M Forensic Services Unit , as well as the Lehigh County District Attorneys Office and Lehigh County Coroners Office. Witnesses are being asked to call state police in Fogelsville at 610-395-1438. The accident happened at 10:41 a.m. Monday, Jan. 22, 2024 at Route 222 and Kressler Road, near I-78. The driver of a BMW X3 collided with a tractor-trailer, state police said.Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. An online fundraiser has been launched to help aid a family of three that lost a home and two pet dogs in a blaze this weekend in Lehigh Township. A GoFundMe seeks to raise $12,000 to help the Fletcher family get back on their feet. As of Tuesday morning, $7,530 had been raised by 56 donors. The fundraiser was launched by neighbor, Stephanie Saeger, who said the family lost everything in the fire. The family just moved to the development last fall, Saeger told lehighvalleylive.com. Were trying to raise money to help them through this difficult time, Saeger posted. Any donations will help and are greatly appreciated! All donations will be going to the family. Flames Sunday afternoon tore through the single-story, modular home on Heritage Lane in the Heritage Village mobile home community, Lehigh Township Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1 Chief Richard Hildebrand Jr. told lehighvalleylive.com. Crews, which included aid from several neighboring departments, were dispatched shortly after 12:45 p.m. to a fully engulfed home, he said. Two residents Sharon Fletcher and her adult son, John were able to escape safely. A third resident and Sharons husband, Robert, were not home when the fire began. Both Sharon Fletcher and her son suffered injuries, as did two firefighters. All were taken to area hospitals for treatment. The firefighters have since been released and the conditions of the residents are unknown, Hildebrand said. It took firefighters until 2:19 p.m. to bring the blaze under control and it wasnt fully extinguished until 3:52 p.m., Hildebrand said. The home was a total loss and its cause remains under investigation by township fire marshals, he said. The American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region offered assistance to the family, but they have since made other shelter arrangements, Hildebrand said. Sharon Fletchers sister posted on the GoFundMe the family is especially in need of clothing, toiletries and furniture. Saeger added she has been overwhelmed by the support of total strangers. Were over half way to the goal in just one day, and its just amazing how compassionate and supportive people are being, she said Tuesday morning. An online fundraiser has been launched to help aid a family of three who lost their home and two pet dogs in a blaze this weekend in Lehigh Township. The GoFundMe seeks to raise $12,000 to help the Fletcher family get back on its feet.Courtesy photo Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Easton City Councilwoman Taiba Sultana announced Tuesday she is running for state representative for Pennsylvanias 136th District. She will take on longtime incumbent state Rep. Robert Freeman in the Democratic primary election. Taibas perseverance as a mother, an immigrant, a first-generation college graduate, and a current councilwoman demonstrates how our elected officials should be reflective of their community, her campaign said in a news release. Sultana is charged with two counts of simple assault and a single count of harassment for an alleged domestic assault in her home. She allegedly slapped, punched and head-butted the victim multiple times in her Easton home on July 31, 2023. Her attorney, Etorre Ed Angelo is working to have the charges dropped. He said the victim is Sultanas adult son. The episode that occurred was a family affair. All families have situations like this from time to time, Angelo said, adding, She and her son are reconciled. Taiba adamantly denies any criminal liability. We trust the wisdom and compassion of the district attorney to withdraw these charges. Taiba is a terrific mother, a devoted public servant, and law-abiding citizen. Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta didnt immediately return a message seeking comment on the case. Sultana was previously under consideration for accelerated rehabilitative disposition, a special program that would allow her to meet requirements to wipe the charges from her criminal record. That offer was made by the previous district attorney, Terence Houck. Baratta took office on Jan. 2. Over the summer, Sultana bickered with Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and some council members during meetings about the arrest of city council candidate Lance Wheeler. She argued during the meeting about the role of police and whether police overstep their authority. She said she felt demonized and marginalized by the mayor and members of council for speaking her mind at the meeting and on Facebook. She demanded an apology from Panto, who refused to aplogize and said police acted appropriately in Wheelers case. Sultana again caught flak from her council peers and from some residents in October and November for her insistence on a city council resolution calling for the cease fire of the Israeli-Hamas war. Easton councilwoman Taiba Sultana attends the city budget address on Oct. 3, 2022.Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com Sultana was elected to city council in 2021. Her campaign announcement calls her a champion of workers rights, affordable housing, a womens right to choose, and LGBTQIA+ rights. She came to the United States from Pakistan more than two decades ago, according to the campaign website she set up when she ran for city council. That website says that in 2010, Sultana and her family were homeless for nine months after escaping an abusive relationship. She then lived in in public housing for three years, it says. Easton welcomed my family and provided us a home to rebuild our lives. As a member of the Easton City Council, I will reflect the compassion we received. I will work to ensure that all of Eastons residents are safe and able to enjoy a life in which dreams can be achieved, Sultana said on her campaign website from 2021. Freeman previously served six terms in the state House from 1983 to 1994. He lost an election for state Senate in 1994, then reclaimed his state House seat in 1998. Hes been serving in the state House ever since. The 136th District covers Easton; the boroughs of Freemansburg, Glendon, Hellertown, West Easton and Wilson; the eastern portion of Lower Saucon Township, the southern part of Palmer Township and Williams Township. The Democratic primary election is April 23. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to lehighvalleylive.com. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. A suburban Philadelphia man is headed to trial in the shooting death of a Temple University police officer 11 months ago near the north Philadelphia universitys campus. Suspect Miles Pfeffer, 19, of Buckingham Township, Bucks County, waived his right Tuesday to a preliminary hearing on charges including murder and murder of a law enforcement officer in the Feb. 19 slaying of 31-year-old Officer Christopher Fitzgerald. A Laois town hit with decline at its commercial centre and a lack of available jobs, is to get a new Local Area Plan. The 4,900 residents of Mountmellick are being invited to give their ideas to Laois County Council for development over the next six years. As one of Laois' three biggest towns after Portlaoise and Portarlington, Mountmellick gets a new Local Area Plan with the next one to last from 2024 to 2030. An "issues report" has been published to advise on what may go into that plan. It lists both the challenges and advantages that the once thriving 19th century industrial town nicknamed the "Manchester of Ireland" now faces. Mountmellick has an unemployment rate of one in eight workers, 12.5%, compared to the national average of 4.5%. The flood defence scheme to prevent a repeat of the 2017 disaster is still at planning stage. An N80 bypass to take some of the 10,000 passing vehicles a day out of the town centre is a Laois County Council aim, but is not listed in the National Development Plan 2021 - 2030 for funding. Other challenges are listed as "High levels of out-commuting for work; Passing through status; Declining traditional town centre; Poor educational attainment and low skills base; Limited employment options; Traffic congestion; Absence of N80 by-pass; Sustainable management of surface water; Poor permeability within town centre; Improvements to public realm within town centre and without eroding built heritage; Poor broadband speeds; Rural crime; Irish Water infrastructure; Flood Risk; Climate Change. However the Georgian town has advantages too according to the report. "Location on N80 and proximity to Portlaoise and Tullamore; Water, energy and telecommunications infrastructure; High quality social facilities including library and schools; Mountmellick Development Association; Strong links to rural hinterland and rural enterprises; Strong community spirit; Architectural and cultural heritage; Environment and natural resources; Potential for tourism related development; Improvement of pedestrian and cycle networks." The population grew by 2.7% between 2016 and 2022, to 4,905 people. There is a "diverse and multicultural population with 7% non-Irish nationals residing in the settlement (CSO 2016). One in five commercial buildings are vacant, according to GeoView statistics in 2022. The 2016 Census reported that in Mountmellick the majority of persons commute to work, school or college by car (1,628 persons) and have a commute of under 15 minutes (1,079 persons), while 329 persons have a commute of over 1/1.5 hours. The public are being asked to give their views on all aspects of the town, including housing, economic development, urban design and regeneration, transport and travel, the environment, heritage and landscape. Submissions can be made up to 5pm on February 5, by post to: Laois County Council, Senior Planner, Aras an Chontae, JFL Avenue, Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Online on http://consult.laois.ie By email: mountmellicklap@laoiscoco.ie The draft plan will be published in spring, followed by more public consultation. The final plan will be adopted by September 2024. Laois County Council has requested regular updates on the Kolbe Special School new building from Minister for Education Norma Foley. Regular updates for the long delayed Portlaoise school building, are sought on foot of a motion tabled by Fine Gael Cllr Barry Walsh. He also wants to be given an updated timeline on when the school will be finished. Cllr Walsh said he is being "constantly asked" for updates by the public. "We as councillors need to be regularly updated. This needs to be fasttracked. These kids deserve better than what they have been given," he said, at the January meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District. Cllr Willie Aird said he listened to a "heartwrenching" interview with Kolbe parents on RTE Radio's Morning Ireland. "They are the last people left in Portlaoise to get a new school. There is no foundation or anything yet. From the timeframe we got in the hall we thought it would be nearly complete by now. The Minister should come forward and give us the completion date. It's just horrendous," he said. Cllr Marie Tuohy agrees. "it's soul destroying for parents. They get good news then it's put back again. It seems to go on forever. Imagine in this weather trying to heat where those children are," she said. Cllr John Joe Fennelly said they are all getting calls from concerned local people. "We don't know more than what we are being told either. We have to get this from the top officials," he said. "It's unacceptable," Cllr Thomasina Connell added. "We were told by Deputy Charlie Flanagan that the ESB is moving the cable as soon as possible," she said. She asked the Director of Services Simon Walton if the council had a link with the contractor. Mr Walton said the Department of Education was best placed to provide updates. "The council was originally involved to put one of the 38KV cables underground and we had facilitated that. I'll write today," he said. Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise relies on poorly insulated prefabs, to teach and nurse some 40 of Laois' most vulnerable children with severe to profound special needs. A plan for a new building was first discussed in the year 2000. A site is waiting for several years. Planning and 8.7m of funding are approved, site preparation began in May 2023 and the main contractor is ready. However construction can not yet start. The latest hold-up was caused by the wait for paperwork from the HSE to permit the burial of overhead electricity power lines across their land. That paper work was received by the ESB on January 10. An ESB spokesperson said then that "it is envisaged that the works will be completed by the end of February/start of March." The principal Orlagh Mahon said at that time that she is told that it will take 18 months to build and so she hopes children can move in for September 2025. Smaller retailers must be supported throughout implementation of Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), according to one Kildare-based Senator. Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O'Loughlin has said that smaller retailers 'cannot be left behind' when the new Scheme begins next month. The drink containers included in the scheme are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic bottles and aluminium and steel cans between 150 millilitres and three litres. A deposit of 15 cent will apply to containers from 150ml to 500ml inclusive and a deposit of 25c for containers over 500mls to 3 litres inclusive. Senator O'Loughlin said: "The introduction of the Scheme from February forms a key part of our national strategy to achieve a circular economy. "It is clear that we cannot continue to make, use and throw away; by moving to a circular economy, we can reduce material use and waste. "The Scheme will reduce litter and combat the impact of single-use plastics on the environment." Senator Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail). File photograph. She continued: "I strongly believe that Irish people recognise the need to move to a circular economy and that they want to recycle and to do the right thing. "However, we also need to ensure that we are bringing smaller retailers along with us. "I was concerned to see that while around 6,000 retailers will charge the extra deposit fee on drinks, just over 1,800 reverse vending machines are due to go live on the first of February. "The cost of a reverse vending machine for a retailer is 15,000, which could prove difficult to meet for smaller retailers in particular. "Retailers do have the choice of whether they opt for a reverse vending machine or not, and I know Re-turn offers grants to retailers to help with the scheme." Senator O'Loughlin said that she is calling for the operator of the Scheme, Re-turn, to review the levels of the grants they are providing. The Newbridge politician added: "It is vital that they are of the level required to help smaller retailers." "While I expect an increase in the number of retailers installing reverse vending machines as the go-live date approaches, it is important that smaller ones who may not be able to meet the cost of the machines are supported as much as possible if they wish to install them," she concluded. The Irish Government has been urged by a charity to support South Africas legal case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Trocaire, an aid agency of the Irish Catholic Church, called on Ireland to fulfil its legal obligation to prevent genocide by urgently assessing the case of Gaza. It said that Irelands calls for a ceasefire, though welcome, were no longer enough to prevent further atrocities. Local health authorities reported that 25,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israeli operation, launched after Hamas militants killed 1,200 Israelis and took 250 people hostage on October 7. Thousands of Palestinians have been injured and the majority of Gazas population have been displaced. The Irish Government must assess whether there is a risk that genocide is being committed in Gaza, said Caoimhe de Barra, the chief executive of Trocaire. She said that assessing this risk is a first step towards fulfilling Irelands duty under the 1948 Genocide Convention. The charity also called on Ireland to release a statement supporting South Africas case, specifically the provisional measures requested by South Africa for a suspension of its military operations in Gaza. It also called on Ireland to as soon as possible, join the case as an intervener in support of South Africas case as it did in the Ukraine v Russia case. Accountability and respect for international humanitarian and human rights law are critical if these repeated cycles of indiscriminate violence and wanton destruction is to end, Ms de Barra said. Irelands deputy premier Micheal Martin said at the weekend that Ireland would assess the legal case by South Africa once the preliminary stage had ended. The Tanaiste said Ireland will review the case being presented and decide whether to join after that, as had been done in relation to Ukraines case at the ICJ. Gaza is now facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Trocaire, along with the @UN and other international and humanitarian bodies, calls for the following to be implemented immediately. pic.twitter.com/F7kobxgJhC Trocaire (@trocaire) October 25, 2023 Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said previously that Irish government does not intend to join South Africas case, and there is a need to be very careful of accusing a Jewish state of genocide. He said: I would just think we need to be a little bit careful about using words like that unless were absolutely convinced that theyre the appropriate ones. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide is defined as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. Ms de Barra said: The Irish Government must act urgently as the Israeli military is killing an average of 250 Palestinians per day in Gaza, a higher daily death rate than any other twenty-first-century armed conflict. Israels unrelenting military campaign on the Gaza Strip has resulted in more than 25,000 thousand deaths and the displacement of 1.9 million people. One in four people in Gaza are facing immediate risk of starvation. These acts are war crimes. The desperate situation endured by the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip has led UN experts and Trocaire partners to warn that there is an immediate risk of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Ireland has taken a leadership position in recent months in calling for a ceasefire. However, this is no longer enough. Now is the time for measures to be taken to end the violence and suffering and to prevent further atrocities. The events of October 7, perpetrated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also war crimes and they must be held accountable. As horrific as these attacks were, they cannot be used as justification for the actions of Israel towards the civilians of Gaza. ELKO The Western Folklife Center overflowed with Elko County students, who crowded around educators and gave them their full attention. During the 39th annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Elko County students will enjoy immersive and age-appropriate educational experiences. The event began on Tuesday with the Western Folklife Centers Youth Festival hosting over 800 children through Thursday. During those three days, Elko County students experienced 90-minute programs. Educator Michelle Wines explained the purpose of cattle brands, holding up branding irons for students to see the initials on the bottom. She discussed how branding cows keeps them from being seen as wild animals in the chance they escape. In the Wiegand Gallery, Deb Howard quizzed kids on spurs and saddles after they spent several minutes exploring the cowboy gear displays, which included a two-headed calf taxidermy. In the G Three Theater, Andy Boyer explained how to stamp leather bookmarks with metal stamps, equipping students with wooden mallets and two sizes of stamps for embossing small letters and icons. The children received earplugs to defend their hearing against the cacophony of hammering, as the room filled with sounds of their eager forays into leather craftsmanship. The Western Folklife Center displayed in both the elevator lobby and the G Three Theater about 200 pieces of Elko County youth art, ranging from scratchboard etchings to tempera paintings to construction paper collages. Carlin has brought stuff in this year. And we havent had anything from Carlin in a long, long time, said Jan Petersen, now in her 22nd year as youth coordinator for the poetry gathering, noted. While the field trips were aimed at third- and fourth-grade students, other ages were welcome, the gatherings spokeswoman, Karyn Erickson, said. It shows the talent and cooperation from the school districts. A lot of school districts dont offer art and music, Petersen said. Arts education is part of the academic curriculum at Elko County schools, Petersen said. That is a wonderful gift that the school district is giving. Were on our second generation of kids coming through. Weve got parents coming through saying, I remember doing this as a little kid. Petersen said an arts program will tour Elko County schools on Monday and Tuesday. We are going everywhere from Owyhee to Spring Creek. Erickson said, We offer two on-site assembly programs for Elko County schools. One teaches the importance of the horse and western ways of life. The second presents performances by poets and musicians who are scheduled at the Gathering. Petersens responsibilities as Youth Coordinator extend across both weeks of the poetry gathering, involving Elko youth in several different ways. On Wednesday at the Convention Center, we have classrooms and we have some homeschoolers that come in. Wylie and the Wild West performs for kids at the Convention Center on Jan. 31. We completely fill all the seats. Its a grand and glorious and crazy time, she said. Wylie and the Wild West is fronted by Wylie Gustafson, who created the Yahoo! yodel commercial jingle. On Feb. 1, Petersen said, we wrap up our two weeks with the most wonderful event. Its a kids open mic, open to anybody and signups start at 5:30 pm at the convention center and we go and tell everybody its free signups. Close Elko County students at the Western Folklife Center use hammers and stamps to create custom leather bookmarks, Jan. 23, 2024. Art from Elko County schools covers the back wall of the Western Folklife Center's G Three Theater, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard helps Elko County students use a seal embosser in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard quizzes Elko County schoolchildren on the different pieces of cowboy gear found in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Michelle Wines addresses a group of Elko County students at the Western Folklife Center Youth Festival, Jan. 23, 2024. Elko County schoolchildren enjoy sarsaparilla drinks at the Pioneer Saloon in the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Michelle Wines educates Elko County students about how cattle branding works, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard quizzes Elko County schoolchildren on the different pieces of cowboy gear found in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Andy Boyer instructs participants at the Western Folklife Center Youth Festival on how to stamp letters and icons into a slab of leather, Jan. 23, 2024. Art from Elko County high schoolers is displayed on the walls of the Western Folklife Center lobby as part of youth participation in the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Jan. 23, 2024. Gallery: Students learn firsthand about Western activities The Western Folklife Center's Youth Festival on Tuesday, Jan. 23, engaged students from around Elko County in interactive activities such as hand-stamping leather and touring Wiegand Galley's cowboy gear displays. The first of three days, the event served as a lead-up to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which kicks off Sunday. Students at schools across Elko County will get to experience some of the activities Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. Elko County students at the Western Folklife Center use hammers and stamps to create custom leather bookmarks, Jan. 23, 2024. Art from Elko County schools covers the back wall of the Western Folklife Center's G Three Theater, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard helps Elko County students use a seal embosser in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard quizzes Elko County schoolchildren on the different pieces of cowboy gear found in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Michelle Wines addresses a group of Elko County students at the Western Folklife Center Youth Festival, Jan. 23, 2024. Elko County schoolchildren enjoy sarsaparilla drinks at the Pioneer Saloon in the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Michelle Wines educates Elko County students about how cattle branding works, Jan. 23, 2024. Deb Howard quizzes Elko County schoolchildren on the different pieces of cowboy gear found in the Wiegand Gallery at the Western Folklife Center, Jan. 23, 2024. Andy Boyer instructs participants at the Western Folklife Center Youth Festival on how to stamp letters and icons into a slab of leather, Jan. 23, 2024. Art from Elko County high schoolers is displayed on the walls of the Western Folklife Center lobby as part of youth participation in the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Jan. 23, 2024. The Young Buckaroo Open Mic is open to all sorts of creative interests, she explained. They dont have to have an original poem. They can have a pre-written poem or they can sing a song or weve had dance groups come. Children and parents are welcomed to the Family Dance on Feb. 3 at the Flag View Intermediate School gym. Also on Feb. 3, a Ranch Family Show will be staged at the Elko Convention Center auditorium. In addition, on Jan. 31, Western songwriter and working cowboy Forrest VanTuyl will lead storytime at the Elko Mybrary. The theme for this years youth gallery leads to valuable education about local belonging and diversity, Petersen said. Elko County consists of a combination of rural and city-based communities. But were all mixing together and were all caring for each other, she said. We are telling kids this means community, whether its your classroom, or your school, or the town you live in. And were talking about taking care of each other, being nice to each other, being civil to each other and taking care of the environment. Petersen added, This whole program, these two weeks, is probably at least 35 years old. I can remember going with my kids. So now weve got parents coming in whose kids remember doing this as kids, and we kept it the same. Its become a tradition. When they stamp leather then they realize this is a tedious art form that is enduring through all of these generations. Its just the cowboy way, she said. Alaska Energy Metals Announces Commencement of Marketing and Investor Awareness Program and New Engagements VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alaska Energy Metals Corporation (TSX-V: AEMC, OTCQB: AKEMF) ("AEMC" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into additional investor awareness and marketing agreements with a total of five vendors to deliver a comprehensive program that will begin in Q1 2024. Further to the Company's news release dated November 6, 2023, and subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"), it has engaged the marketing services of Market Radius Capital Inc. ("Market Radius"), InvestorIdeas.com DBA Econ Corp Services ("Investorideas.com"), and Triomphe Holdings Ltd. dba Capital Analytica ("Capital Analytica"). Further to the Company's news releases dated July 6, 2023 and December 8, 2023, it has renewed its Marketing Services Contract with MMG Market Medium GmbH & Co. KG. ("MMG") for an additional six (6) month term and further to news releases dated November 6 and 22, 2023, it has renewed its engagement with Gold Standard Media, LLC ("Gold Standard") for an additional 90-day term. This news release is made in accordance with requirements of the TSX Venture Exchange Policy 3.4 ? Investor Relations, Promotional and Market Making Activities. Funding for this comprehensive program comes from the proceeds of equity financings carried out in Summer 2023. Alaska Energy Metals Corporation President & CEO Gregory Beischer commented: "Our previously announced marketing program has now been fully approved. Marketing efforts we had hoped to start in Fall 2023 are just now beginning, and with the additional services mentioned in this press release, we are now finally ready to work in earnest to raise market and brand awareness of Alaska Energy Metals. The objectives of our comprehensive strategy are to create effective capital market awareness, increase investor engagement, and allow us to connect with existing and new shareholders during what we anticipate will be a very active time for us." Market Radius: The Company has retained Market Radius to provide video content on behalf of the Company. The term of this agreement will end when the video content has been completed or within 18 months, whichever is earlier. As compensation for the engagement, the Company will pay Market Radius an upfront fee of CAD $3,000 plus GST. Market Radius is a British Columbia-based company headed by Martin Gagel. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, Market Radius (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. The Company will not issue any securities to Market Radius as compensation for its marketing services. InvestorIdeas.com: The Company has retained InvestorIdeas.com to provide marketing services, including industry articles, feature interviews, and social media awareness. InvestorIdeas.com's engagement shall run for a three (3) month term. As compensation for the engagement, the Company will compensate InvestorIdeas.com with an upfront fee of CAD $12,000 plus GST. InvestorIdeas.com is based out of Delta, British Columbia and is headed by Dawn Van Zant and Cali Van Zant. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, InvestorIdeas.com (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. The Company will not issue any securities to InvestorIdeas.com as compensation for its marketing services. Capital Analytica: The Company has retained Capital Analytica to provide certain marketing services, including but not limited to corporate video dissemination, social media consultation, and the dissemination of Company news releases. The term of Capital Analytica's engagement shall be for an initial term of six (6) months with the possibility of renewing for an additional six-month term on the same terms as the initial term. In consideration of the engagement, the Company has compensated Capital Analytica with a fee of CAD $60,000 plus GST, which was paid upfront. Capital Analytica is a British Columbia-based company headed by Jeff French. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, Capital Analytica (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. The Company will not issue any securities to Capital Analytica as compensation for its marketing services. MMG: The Company has renewed its previously announced Marketing Services Contract with MMG for an additional term of six (6) months commencing on approximately January 20, 2024 (the "Extended MMG Term"). The Company will provide MMG a marketing expenditure budget of ?150,000 (approximately CAD$219,555), of which MMG shall retain a service fee for the Extended MMG Term of 15% of the total marketing expenditure budget (approximately ?22,500 or CAD$32,933). MMG is a service provider in the field of online marketing and investor relations services specializing in the European market and is based in Germany. During the Extended MMG Term, MMG will provide German-translated text materials, including text and display advertisements, advertorials with Company-provided publicly disclosed information, and general information on the nickel and battery metals sector. The firm will create specialized and structured campaigns and ad groups, optimize online advertising for detailed keyword research, and identify possible target groups of potential shareholders. For more information about the Company's engagement of MMG, please refer to its news releases dated July 6 and December 8, 2023. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, MMG (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. The Company will not issue any securities to Market Radius as compensation for its marketing service. Gold Standard Media: The Company has renewed its previously announced Advertising Agreement with Gold Standard for an additional term of 90 days commencing on approximately January 31, 2024 (the "Extended Gold Standard Term"). In consideration of the extension of Gold Standard's services through the Extended Gold Standard Term, AEMC shall pay Gold Standard an upfront fee of USD$150,000, which is the equivalent of approximately CAD$202,000. Gold Standard Media is a Texas-based firm headed by Kenneth Ameduri, Juliet Ameduri, and Lior Gantz and shall provide the Company with certain financial publishing and digital marketing services. The Company has the right to cancel the Extended Gold Standard Term at any time. Gold Standard operates at an arm's length from the Company and the Company will not issue any securities to Gold Standard Media as compensation for its marketing services. Certain affiliates and parties related to Gold Standard currently own 4,400,000 shares of the Company and 540,541 share purchase warrants in the Company (each a "Warrant"). Each Warrant is exercisable to acquire one additional share of the Company for an exercise price of $0.80 until November 24, 2025. For additional information, visit: https://alaskaenergymetals.com/ About Alaska Energy Metals Alaska Energy Metals Corporation is focused on delineating and developing a large polymetallic exploration target containing nickel, copper, cobalt, chrome, iron, platinum, palladium, and gold. Located in the interior of Alaska, the Nikolai Nickel project is located near existing transportation and power infrastructure. The project is well-situated to become a significant, domestic source of critical and strategic energy-related metals for the American market. The Company is also exploring the Angliers-Belleterre Nickel project in Quebec. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Gregory Beischer" Gregory Beischer, President & CEO FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Gregory A. Beischer, President & CEO Toll-Free: 877-217-8978 | Local: 604-638-3164 Sarah Mawji, Public Relations Final Edit Media and Public Relations Email: [email protected] Some statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information (within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation), including, without limitation, that (a) AEMC will obtain TSX-V approval for the marketing and investor awareness engagements (b) the terms and timelines of the second round of the investor awareness campaign will proceed as originally contemplated. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date those statements are made. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking 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 statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable law, the Company assumes no obligation to update or to publicly announce the results of any change to any forward-looking statement contained or incorporated by reference herein to reflect actual results, future events or developments, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting the forward-looking statements. If the Company updates any forward-looking statement(s), no inference should be drawn that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. 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 press release. 22 january 2024 at 19:00 News published onand distributed by: Yelp Reveals its 11th Annual Top 100 Places to Eat in the United States Yelp, the company that connects people with great local businesses, today announced its highly anticipated 11th annual list of the Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S., celebrating the best eateries across the nation. As Yelp celebrates its 20th anniversary later this year, the brand is spotlighting the stories, trends and data that show how Yelp helps people more meaningfully connect with their local community. Topping this year's list in the No. 1 spot is Tumerico in Tucson, Ariz. The restaurant's inventive, vegetarian Latin food offers a mouthwatering taste of home from Chef and Owner Wendy Garcia, a James Beard Award semi-finalist. Yelpers regularly keep an eye on the chalkboard menu that changes daily based on seasonal availability, such as salsa made from Tucson-grown chiltepin chiles and pitaya (Mexican dragon fruit) or nopalitos (made from prickly pear cactus). "From New York City to Houston, and Florida to California, Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat list celebrates the must-visit local restaurants across the United States," said Tara Lewis, Yelp's Trend Expert. "This year's list embraces the unique tastes of our users and spotlights the beloved hidden gems across local communities." Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat, generated through a combination of community submissions and data, gives a unique perspective on what diners are craving across the country. This year, the list sees overwhelming representation from Asian, Asian Fusion, and Southeast Asian restaurants, making up 25 percent of the list. Yelpers are also loving noodle restaurants like Menya Rui (#2) in St. Louis, which serves more than 200 bowls a day of decadent noodles and broth. While Asian street foods remain popular, diners discovered and ranked more Korean places to eat like O'Kims (#58) cooking up authentic Korean cuisine in Honolulu. Since its 2014 debut, the list has recognized more than 750 establishments across more than 380 cities, shining a light on beloved local businesses, while driving more foot traffic and revenue for their establishments. With 18 restaurants in the collection, California maintained its spot with the largest share of restaurants on the list. Florida followed with 13 restaurants and Arizona and Texas both have eight spots across their respective states. Nevada rounds out the top five most represented states on the list with six eateries. While Asian cuisines were the most represented, this year's list includes a diverse range of cuisines ? from a beloved Mexican eatery (and 2022's top spot), Cocina Madrigal (#52) in Phoenix with more than 4,100 reviews on Yelp, to EDOBOY (#44) in Orlando, featuring a standing sushi bar that only accommodates eight people at a time, as well as the unexpected Gino's Deli Stop N Buy (#9) in San Antonio famous for its Philly cheesesteaks and perfectly made burgers. Yelp's engaged community of locals who share their opinions and reviews is what enables its community to connect with great local and affordable businesses ? more than 85% of the businesses on the list are priced under 30 dollars per person. To access, follow or embed Yelp's 2024 list of the Top 100 restaurants in the United States, visit the Collection on the Yelp app and read more about this year's winning restaurants on Yelp. Photos of the Top 100 restaurants can be found in the press kit. Methodology: To determine the Top 100 Places to Eat in 2024, Yelp's data science team analyzed user submissions to determine the top restaurants by ratings, number of reviews, and volume of submissions, and finalized the rankings with the expertise of our Community Managers. About Yelp Yelp Inc. (yelp.com) is a community-driven platform that connects people with great local businesses. Millions of people rely on Yelp for useful and trusted local business information, reviews and photos to help inform their spending decisions. As a one-stop local platform, Yelp helps consumers easily discover, connect and transact with businesses across a broad range of categories by making it easy to request a quote for a service, book a table at a restaurant, and more. Yelp was founded in San Francisco in 2004. 23 january 2024 at 00:05 News published onand distributed by: Industry Vet Launches The Midst, a New Media Platform for Women in Midlife Today marks the official launch of The Midst, a new media platform empowering women to reinvent midlife through resources and community. The Midst covers a range of topics related to women's health, including perimenopause and real-life stories to inspire women about the possibilities of life after 40. This launch marks The Midst's first major step toward creating a comprehensive platform that connects the more than 1 billion women who will have experienced perimenopause by 2025 with the health resources and specialists needed to navigate their symptoms and get care. The Midst is the evolution of Jumble & Flow, a personal blog created by Schroeder in 2019 to chronicle her experience with perimenopause. Jumble & Flow started out as an exploration of perimenopause symptoms and the difficulties faced by women seeking medical care. This content resonated with women, generating an audience of more than 50,000 monthly readers and 2,500 loyal Substack subscribers. As of today, all Jumble & Flow traffic will be redirected to The Midst where readers can enjoy an even richer content experience. "This year, the oldest millennial will turn 43, which means many will join the millions of women who have experienced perimenopause," said Amy Cuevas Schroeder, founder and CEO of The Midst. "We're here to usher this next generation of women through their 40s and into their 50s so they don't have to go it alone. We look forward to growing this platform into a community that celebrates and inspires women after 40, and helps them receive the care needed to navigate their health ? because every woman's journey is unique." The launch of The Midst is the first tangible step toward creating a platform to inform and unite women in midlife. The company plans to expand its platform to help women access the right care for their individual circumstances. To achieve this, The Midst will make several key hires, including a chief technology officer, to develop an application that combines The Midst's content with its network of care providers to create a powerful user experience for women seeking resources to manage their health. Schroeder founded Venus, a zine that built a cult following for its coverage of women in the arts at a time when women were not making headlines. At its height, Venus had a global distribution of 60,000 per issue. The publication was completely bootstrapped and later sold to another Chicago publisher. About The Midst The Midst is an independent media platform empowering women to reinvent midlife through women's health resources and community. The publication aims to close the information gap for women experiencing perimenopause, which has long been overlooked by medical professionals. For more information about The Midst or to find women's health resources for women in their 40s and 50s, please visit www.the-midst.com. 23 january 2024 at 06:05 News published onand distributed by: PhageLab Raises $11 Million to Develop Bacteriophage Solutions to Treat Bacterial Outbreaks in the Livestock Industry PhageLab, a biotechnology company developing bacteriophage-based applications to seek and destroy multidrug resistant bacteria in the livestock industry, announced today a $11 million funding round with investment from Nazca, Collaborative Fund, Water Lemon Ventures and individual investor Kevin Efrusy. The funding will enable PhageLab to advance its pipeline of phage-based solutions and establish a commercial position in Brazil, its main target market and expand its technology into the US. PhageLab will also use the funding to expand its global team, which currently has close to 100 employees across Latin America and Europe. Bacteriophages are small viral particles that can recognize and eliminate pathogenic bacteria, and are a natural alternative to heavy antibiotic use for the treatment of livestock infections. Antibiotic-resistant outbreaks in livestock farming have been increasing, due to the high emergence rate of multidrug treatment-resistant bacteria. Since 2019, 50% of all antibiotics used in intensive animal farming have become ineffective, and more than 4.95 million deaths worldwide were related to multidrug resistance. PhageLab's proprietary microbial bioinformatics platform is designed for the search and development of bacteriophage-based treatments. The platform employs AI to generate "customized cocktails," that can effectively manage pathogenic bacteria in the livestock industry and reduce antibiotic dependence. The training dataset for this platform is based on more than a decade of experimentation data and tested phage repositories, to create one of the world's largest industrial bacterial databases. PhageLab uses this library to create custom solutions in 45 days, that is safe and effective for use to eliminate livestock bacteria. "We're thrilled to attract a top-tier investor syndicate that supports our business and mission of combating antibiotic resistance," said Hans Pieringer, CEO & Co-Founder, PhageLab. "Solving the antibiotic resistance crisis requires multi-stakeholder collaboration across industry, policy, and science, and we are committed to developing the best solutions possible. Starting in animal health allows us to expand our global impact quickly, and this funding will enable our expansion into both new geographies this year, as well as product development." "PhageLab is focused on progressing breakthrough science that provides long-term solutions to today's global antibiotic resistance challenges," said Kevin Efrusy. "The company is a true pioneer in the industry, bringing not one, but two never before seen phage-based solutions to market that have tremendous potential to innovate and advance sustainability in our food system and human health. Unlike traditional biotechs, PhageLab has a shorter development time to commercialization at lower cost of capital. The company is already making an impact in addressing the growing health concern of multidrug antibiotic resistance." "PhageLab's technology, backed by one of the world's largest industrial bacteria databases, represents a transformative approach to combating antibiotic-resistant outbreaks. We are thrilled to support this world-class team as they scale their initial products serving poultry farms in Brazil and expand into new markets and applications," said Luisa Sucre, Principal at Collaborative Fund. "We're excited to be part of PhageLab's journey, a true Latin American trailblazer dedicated to tackling worldwide health and food security issues. Their remarkable technology, coupled with an outstanding team, fills us with pride as we welcome them into our portfolio," said Hector Sepulveda, Managing Partner, Nazca. "Together, we're reshaping the battle against antibiotic resistance and propelling the future of livestock health ? a cause close to our hearts." PhageLab has a marketed product that eliminates and reduces the presence of Salmonella spp. in broiler chicken farms, called INSPEKTOR. PhageLab is about to launch its E. coli product for broiler chicken farms and develop products to prevent infectious diarrhea in pigs. PhageLab also has a service for clients that identifies, detects and characterizes microorganisms within livestock production. PhageLab will deliver an oral presentation demonstrating the successful reduction of Salmonella on poultry farms in Brazil through the application of its custom-made bacteriophage cocktail at the International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia, January 30-February 1, 2024. To connect with our team on-site contact: [email protected]. About PhageLab PhageLab is a biotechnology company that develops precision bacteriophage treatments to reduce the overuse of antibiotics to control bacteria in breeding processes in the livestock industry. Founded in 2010, PhageLab has developed a platform based on deep epidemiological diagnostics to create effective results in bacterial population control based on data collected over a decade. The company's mission is to develop personalized bacteriophage treatments to treat global bacterial challenges. PhageLab is headquartered in Santiago, Chile with offices in Spain and Brazil. For more information, visit https://phage-lab.com. 23 january 2024 at 08:10 News published onand distributed by: Cato Networks Introduces World's First SASE-based XDR Generative AI, Cato XDR, Cato EPP, and new incident response tools headline the expansion of the Cato SASE platform beyond networking, threat prevention, and data protection. TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cato Networks, the leader in SASE, announced the expansion of the Cato SASE Cloud platform into threat detection and incident response with Cato XDR, the world's first SASE-based, extended detection and response (XDR) solution. Available immediately, Cato XDR utilizes the functional and operational capabilities of the Cato SASE Cloud to overcome the protracted deployment times, limited data quality, and inadequate investigation and response experience too often associated with legacy XDR solutions. Cato also introduced Cato EPP, the first SASE-managed endpoint protection platform (EPP/EDR). Together, Cato XDR and Cato EPP mark the first expansion beyond the original SASE scope pioneered by Cato in 2016 and defined by industry analysts in 2019. SASE's security capabilities encompassed threat prevention and data protection in a common, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-adopt global platform. With today's announcement, Cato is expanding SASE into threat detection, incident response, and endpoint protection without compromising on the architectural elegance captured by the original SASE definition. "Cato SASE continues to be the antidote to security complexity," says Shlomo Kramer, CEO and co-founder of Cato Networks. "Today, we extend our one-of-a-kind SASE platform beyond threat prevention and into threat detection and response. Only Cato and our simple, automated, and elegant platform can streamline security this way." An early adopter of Cato XDR is Redner's Markets, an employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, with 75 locations. Redner's Markets' vice president of IT and Infrastructure, Nick Hidalgo, said, "The Cato platform gave us better visibility, saved time on incident response, resolved application issues, and improved network performance ten-fold." (Read more about Redner's Markets and Cato in this blog. "The convergence of XDR and EPP into SASE is not just another product; it's a game-changer for the industry," said Art Nichols, CTO of Windstream Enterprise, a Cato partner. "The innovative integration of these capabilities brings together advanced threat detection, response capabilities, and endpoint security within a unified, cloud-native architecture?revolutionizing the way enterprises protect their networks and data against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats." (Read more about what Cato partners are saying about today's news in this blog.) Platform vs. Product: The Difference Matters Cato XDR takes full advantage of the enormous benefits of the Cato SASE Cloud platform, the first platform built from the ground up to enable enterprises to connect, secure, and manage sites, users, and cloud resources anywhere in the world. Unlike disjointed point solutions and security appliances, Cato capabilities are instantly on, always available at scale, and fully converged, giving IT teams a single, shared context worldwide to understand their networks, prevent threats, and resolve problems. As an autonomous platform, Cato SASE Cloud sustains its evolution, resiliency, optimal performance, and security posture, saving enterprises the operational overhead of maintaining enterprise infrastructure. Enterprises simply subscribe to Cato to meet their business needs. Cato's cloud-native model revolutionized security and networking operations when it was introduced in 2016, a fact validated three years later in 2019 when the Cato approach was formally recognized by the industry as SASE. Breach Times Still Too Long; Limitations of Legacy XDR Cato is again revolutionizing cybersecurity with the first SASE platform to expand into threat detection, empowering security teams to become smarter and remediate incidents faster. The flood of security alerts triggered by network sensors, such as firewalls and IPS, complicates threat identification. In 2023, enterprises required 204 days on average to identify breaches.1 XDR tools help security analysts close this gap by ingesting, correlating, and contextualizing threat intelligence information with the data from native and third-party sensors. However, legacy XDR tools suffer from numerous problems relating to data quality. Sensor deployment extends the time-to-value as IT must not only install the sensors but also develop a baseline of specific organizational activity for accurate assessments. Data quality is also compromised when importing and normalizing third-party sensor data, complicating threat identification and incident response. Security analysts waste time sorting through incident stories to identify the ones most critical for immediate remediation. Once determined, incident remediation is often hampered by missing information, requiring analysts to master and switch between disparate tools. No wonder in 2023, average breach containment required more than two months.1 Cato XDR and Cato EPP Expands the Meaning of SASE Cato XDR addresses legacy XDR's limitations. Instantly activated globally, Cato XDR provides enterprises with immediate insights into threats on their networks. Incident detection is accurate due to Cato's many native sensors ? NGFW, advanced threat prevention (IPS, NGAM, and DNS Security), SWG, CASB, DLP, ZTNA, RBI, and now EPP/EDR. Powered by Bitdefender's world-leading malware prevention technology, Cato EPP protects endpoints from attack ? in the Cato way. Endpoint threat and user data are stored in the same converged Cato data lake as the rest of the customer's network data, simplifying cross-domain event correlation. The result is incredibly high-quality data that improves the incident identification and remediation process. Cato AI uses the data to accurately identify and rank incidents, empowering analysts to focus critical resources on an organization's most important remediation cases. Cato AI is battle-tested and proven across years of threat hunting and remediation handling by Cato MDR service agents. Remediation times reduce as detected incident stories contain the relevant information for in-depth investigation. Cato's tools sit in the same console as the native engines, enabling security analysts to view everything in one place -- the current security policy and the reviewed story. Finally, incident reporting is simplified with generative AI. Purpose-built for investigations, this natural language engine provides human-readable explanations of incident stories. Analysts save time sharing incident information with other teams and reporting to their managers. To learn more about Cato XDR and the Cato SASE platform, visit us at https://www.catonetworks.com. 1IBM Security Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2023, Ponemon Institute Digital Assets Supporting Resources Visit the Cato Blog, where you'll find relevant posts including: Cato XDR: A SASE-based Approach to Threat Detection and Response (Here) Cato Taps Generative AI To Improve Threat Communications (Here) Cato Networks Unveils Groundbreaking SASE-based XDR & EPP: Insights from Partners (Here) Cato XDR Proves to Be a "Timesaver" for Redner's Markets (Here) For more information about Cato's news and activities, follow the company via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. About Cato Networks Cato Networks is the leader in SASE, delivering enterprise security and networking in a single cloud platform. With Cato, organizations replace costly and rigid legacy infrastructure with an open and modular SASE architecture based on SD-WAN, a purpose-built global cloud network, and an embedded cloud-native security stack. Want to learn why thousands of organizations secure their future with Cato? Visit us at www.catonetworks.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323501/XDR_Dashboard.jpg 23 january 2024 at 08:30 News published onand distributed by: GigaStar Appoints Ex-Robinhood Serial Entrepreneur Victor Glava as Chief Technology Officer Glava joins GigaStar with more than 15 years of expertise in leading engineering teams and building innovative, scalable financial technology products. CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- GigaStar, a startup bringing YouTube Creators and Investors together, announced that financial technology veteran, Victor Glava, has joined the team as Chief Technology Officer. Glava will lead GigaStar's engineering team to execute the company's technical vision and strategy and intensify efforts to scale the GigaStar Market platform, including the development of its secondary market, expected to launch in mid-2024. Before joining GigaStar, Victor served as a technical leader within the Brokerage organization at Robinhood and was instrumental in many strategic initiatives within market data and crypto. Prior to Robinhood, Victor was co-founder and CTO of Cove Markets, a provider of crypto best execution trading software, later acquired by Robinhood. Victor also co-founded and served as CTO of OptionsCity Software, a financial technology firm and global leader for professional traders and risk managers. "Victor is a seasoned technologist with a successful track record of building and scaling teams, processes, and technologies behind sophisticated financial technology," said Hazem Dawani, CEO of GigaStar. "Given his expertise, I am confident that Victor's leadership will accelerate the pace of innovation at GigaStar." GigaStar Market, an SEC-registered funding portal, operates under Reg CF and has launched its first seven YouTube Creator offerings to date, raising $1.2M on the platform with over 12,000 investor accounts. About GigaStar GigaStar fuels human creativity by empowering Creators and Investors to grow together. Through GigaStar Market, Creators monetize future revenue by accessing thousands of strategic Investors in a streamlined and regulated public offering. Creators can build an army of promoters while Investors gain access to the Creator Economy to share YouTube revenue with Creators, enjoy an alternative investment, and join an exclusive club. Learn more at https://gigastar.io. Creator Networks, Inc., (dba GigaStar) is the Parent Company of GigaStar Portal, LLC (dba GigaStar Market). GigaStar Market is an SEC-registered funding portal and a member of FINRA offering securities under Reg CF. Investment offerings are speculative, illiquid, and involve risks, including risk of loss. Media Contact: Sarah McNabb [email protected] SOURCE GigaStar 23 january 2024 at 08:30 News published onand distributed by: Media Advisory - Minister Boissonnault to highlight investments in building careers in the skilled trades for women and equity-deserving groups GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 23, 2024 /CNW/ - The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, will announce funding for the skilled trades in Windsor, Ontario, to improve the participation of women apprentices and apprentices from other equity-deserving groups facing barriers in the Red Seal trades. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages and the Member of Parliament for Windsor?Tecumseh, Irek Kusmierczyk, will accompany the Minister. A photo opportunity and media availability will follow the announcement. Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local. Date: Wednesday, January 24, 2024 Time: 10:00 a.m. EST Place: Build a Dream 6465 Hawthorne Drive, Windsor, Ontario To register, contact [email protected] with your name and media outlet before 9:00 a.m. EST on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Please indicate if attendance will be in person or virtual. Further information will be provided upon registration. Follow us on X (Twitter) SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada 23 january 2024 at 10:00 News published onand distributed by: Mirai Medical Welcomes Former Boston Scientific Executive, David A. Pierce, as Non-Executive Director Mirai Medical, a cutting-edge medical technology start-up and leader in Pulsed Field Ablation (PFA) within the Gastrointestinal Tract, proudly welcomes David A. Pierce as a Non-Executive Director to its board. Mr. Pierce, formerly Executive VP and President MedSurg, President Endoscopy at Boston Scientific, brings a wealth of experience and industry insight, aligning perfectly with Mirai Medical's mission to empower every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis. David A. Pierce's distinguished career at Boston Scientific, spanning 31 years, has been marked by numerous accomplishments and a deep understanding of the MedTech landscape. His expertise in product commercialisation, market access and clinical change management in the Gastrointestinal Endoscopy space positions him as a valuable addition to Mirai Medical's leadership team. "We are thrilled to welcome David to our board. His extensive experience at Boston Scientific, coupled with his deep knowledge of the industry, will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in guiding Mirai Medical's strategic direction," said Mirai Medical CEO, Dr. Declan Soden, PhD. "As leaders in Pulsed Field Ablation, we are confident that Mr. Pierce's contributions will further elevate our capabilities and impact in interventional endoscopy." David A. Pierce shared his enthusiasm for joining Mirai Medical, saying, "I am honoured to be part of Mirai Medical, a company at the forefront of innovation in interventional endoscopy. The mission to enable every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis resonates strongly with me, and I look forward to contributing to the company's growth and success." Mirai Medical remains dedicated to advancing healthcare solutions, particularly in Pulsed Field Ablation, and is poised to benefit from Mr. Pierce's strategic guidance as Non-Executive Director. About Mirai Medical: Mirai Medical is a leading MedTech start-up specializing in Pulsed Field Ablation within the Gastrointestinal Tract. Our mission is to empower every endoscopist to treat at diagnosis, revolutionizing patient care. Its proprietary ePORE therapy is uniquely designed with precise algorithmic control of PFA parameters enabling the safe and effective treatment of both pre-malignant and malignant disease across the entire gastrointestinal tract. Mirai Medical are headquartered in Galway, Ireland. For more information visit www.mirai-medical.com 23 january 2024 at 10:05 News published onand distributed by: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison waves goodbye with his wife Jenny and daughter's Lily and Abbey at a Liberal Party function in Sydney, Australia, Saturday, May 21, 2022. MARK BAKER / AP Former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday, January 23, said he was leaving politics to pursue a business career, calling time on a contentious career. The veteran politician announced he was stepping down as representative for a Sydney suburb next month, after 16 years in parliament. Morrison said he would "take on new challenges in the global corporate sector." Read more Subscribers only Australia after 'Black Summer': A slow recovery from the 2019-2020 megafires The conservative leader led Australia during the devastating 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires and the Covid-19 pandemic, when he shut the country's borders to the rest of the world. An avid supporter of the fossil fuel industry, Morrison once brought a lump of coal into parliament to show that lawmakers had nothing to fear from the black combustible rock. He repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that arson was a bigger cause of wildfires than climate change. Read more Subscribers only Over Aukus deal, France took its time to process the affront His time in office was also coloured by secrecy. Morrison angered France when he negotiated a deal behind closed doors to acquire US and British nuclear submarine technology, cementing an alliance with Washington while abruptly ditching a long-standing agreement with Paris. And he secretly appointed himself to several ministerial roles during the Covid crisis, without informing his cabinet, the incumbents, or the public. Read more Subscribers only How former Australian PM Scott Morrison secretly gave himself five ministerial portfolios An IDP camp in the center of el-Geneina, the capital of West Darfur. All public buildings have been requisitioned to accommodate survivors of the Kirinding I and II massacres. ELIOTT BRACHET A single town in Sudan's war-ravaged Darfur region has seen 10,000 to 15,000 people killed since April, with paramilitaries allied with Arab militias potentially committing crimes against humanity there, according to a UN report seen on Monday, January 22, by Agence France-Presse (AFP). Fighting has raged since last spring between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan's troops and his former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo's rebel paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with El Geneina the capital of West Darfur state emerging as the nucleus of the brutal violence. The conflict has already claimed more than 13,000 lives since April 2023, according to a conservative estimate by the ACLED analysis group, on which the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) bases its assessment. Millions of people have been displaced. Yet "according to intelligence sources, between 10,000-15,000 people were killed in El Geneina alone," according to a new report by an expert panel mandated by the UN Security Council to monitor the enforcement of sanctions against Sudan. The document, sent to Security Council members but not yet officially published, provides no overall death toll but describes in detail the "ethnically motivated" violence in El Geneina, which fell under RSF control in June. "The attacks were planned, coordinated, and executed by RSF and their allied Arab militias," who "deliberately targeted civilian neighborhoods, [internally displaced persons, IDPs] gathering sites and IDP camps, schools, mosques, and hospitals, while looting" homes, non-governmental organizations and UN compounds, the experts wrote. 'Systematic violation' of humanitarian law The RSF and allied militias deliberately targeted the Masalit community, the town's majority non-Arab ethnic group, they added, saying there were snipers "placed on the main roads that indiscriminately targeted civilians, including women, pregnant women, and youth." More broadly in West Darfur, the experts said, the paramilitaries and their allies "systematically violated international humanitarian law," with crimes including torture, rape, mass arrests and forced displacement. "Some of these violations may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity," the report stressed. It also denounced the RSF violations of the arms embargo, noting from July, it deployed heavy and sophisticated weapons including unmanned drones, howitzers and rocket launchers. "This new RSF firepower had a massive impact on the balance of forces, both in Darfur and other regions of Sudan," according to the experts in the report. Read more Subscribers only Sudan: 'Some states are actively fuelling the conflict by providing arms and ammunition' They also pointed the finger at the United Arab Emirates and other nations, saying there were credible allegations that the UAE was funnelling "military support" to the RSF through Chad, which borders Sudan's Darfur. The UAE has denied the allegations. RENO Compassionate students at six Washoe County schools are being recruited to give hope and support to their peers who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. Washoe County is the latest Nevada school district to bring the Hope Squad program to its campuses. The program trains students on how to spot the warning signs of suicide, how to effectively communicate with a peer in distress and how to refer them to a trusted adult or resource where they can get the support they need. For help People thinking about suicide can call or text 988 for free and confidential support. This service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. A chat function is also available at the same number. The program was born in early the 2000s out of former Utah high school principal Gregory Hudnalls desire to prevent youth suicide after grieving the death of students by suicide. Over the past two decades, the program has expanded into about 2,000 K-12 schools across 35 states, including about 70 Nevada campuses across Clark, Lyon, Nye and Washoe school districts. The peer-to-peer model has already saved countless lives across the country. Julia Bush, Hope Squad regional support specialist and a retired Clark County school counselor, recalls one student who got help after a peer recognized suicide warning signs on the students social media post and alerted his mother, who then called 911. Were giving kids the skills they need, Bush said. Instead of laying there all night and worrying about what that kid had posted and not being able to sleep were teaching kids, Let us adults handle the burden. Let us know and we will take care of it. The Washoe County School District is piloting the program at five schools: Billinghurst, Dilworth, Marce Herz and Clayton middle schools and Sparks High School. The district is using about $40,000 of its federal COVID-19 funding to support the program at these schools for three years. Its in addition to other suicide prevention efforts the district is working on, including mental health screenings. Carissima Crissy Coulon and Kara Murphy, Hope Squad advisers at Sparks and Dilworth high schools, said they wanted to bring the program to their campuses because students are already talking about their mental health struggles with each other, especially over social media, and usually know whats going on with a student even before adults. A lot of times, if they dont know what to do, they dont do anything, Coulon said about the peers of struggling students. Youth suicide has become a growing issue in Nevada. It was the leading cause of death among youth ages 10-17 from 2017 to 2020, according to a 2022 state report. Across the country, the overall number of deaths by suicide increased by almost 3 percent from 2021 to 2022, according to provisional 2022 data released last November by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data also showed a 8.4 percent decrease in suicides among people ages 10-24. In a 2021 statewide survey, the latest year results are available for, about 12 percent of high school students said they attempted suicide during the 12 months before the survey, nearly 20 percent indicated they made a plan on how they would attempt suicide and 22 percent said they had seriously considered attempting suicide. Among middle school students, 8 percent said they attempted suicide, 13 percent made a plan and 20 percent seriously considered suicide. In Washoe County, youth suicide has become the one of the top preventable causes of death among Washoe County children. The number of suicides by children ages 17 and younger grew from three suicides in 2016 to six suicides in 2022. The county is still compiling its 2023 data, but so far has tracked six youth suicides. Denise Tyre, a supervisor for the Washoe County Human Services Agency, said she attributes part of this upward trend to youth exposure to the idea of suicide on social media and TV. Theres lots of trends out there and they tend to kind of glorify it a little bit, even kind of minimize the severity of it, she said. Tyre said the county is using grant funding it received last year to create training videos to help its first responders spot suicide warning signs and raise awareness of the issue when they are out working with children and families. She said the county is focused on expanding opportunities for youth to have conversations about suicide with trusted adults at home or school and destigmatize the topic. Spreading hope in schools Unlike typical school clubs and organizations, students are selected to be a part of Hope Squad through nominations by their peers. These are kids that other kids know are trustworthy, are kind [and] care about other kids, Bush said. Sparks High School junior Omar Hurtado said he decided to join Hope Squad because he has gone through a period of feeling depressed and suicidal himself. I want to help those people get the help that I felt like I didnt have at the time, Hurtado said. Dilworth eighth grader Tyrell Montegomery said he wanted to join to be around other people who want to help others and to be more aware of his peers around him. The program prepares students on how best to approach a classmate whos experiencing suicidal thoughts, and whats the best language to use. For example, Hurtado said rather than saying someone committed suicide, which can have a negative connotation, more preferred terms would be a victim of suicide. You dont want to say someone committed anything because its not a crime, its not a sin, Hurtado said. You want to be kind of careful with the words you use because if you make it sound negative, youre kind of making it a norm that its very bad to feel suicidal, its wrong, and it makes people closed off to expressing themselves. Breanna Gianopoulos, Dilworth Hope Squads second adviser, said the program also emphasizes self-care to its members and making sure they are taking care of themselves by setting emotional, social and physical boundaries. Its OK to tell your friends that you care about them and that you love them, but its also OK to say, Hey, Im not the one thats responsible, like, I cant. Yeah, I need to make sure that Im getting you the help that you need by somebody thats a trained professional. Sparks senior Joshua Rogers said hes already been able to apply the skills and knowledge hes learned through Hope Squad in real life. I personally have had a lot of friends that have had a lot of signs of being suicidal and Hope Squad has kind of allowed me to see it more and better talk to them about it, and just try to get them to be willing to get help, he said. At Dilworth, students have been working to spread hope throughout their school by passing out handmade bracelets to any students or staff who Hope Squad members feel needs a little help or a little extra love. Weve taught them and the staff here that if you see somebody else, you can pass that bracelet on to somebody else, Murphy said. So its not necessarily to keep; its to pass on to spread love and hope. She said demand for the bracelets has grown so much that students have been asked to make more. Sparks Hope Squad is planning on building more visibility and starting a conversation on suicide awareness. Rogers said he is hopeful that he and other Hope Squad members will be able to make a difference at their school. I know a lot of people probably struggle with thinking that theyre alone. So Hope Squads big goal is to really make them understand that were here for them, he said. PLANS are underway to erect a plaque in memory of the late Joe Drennan near the area where he tragically lost his life. The young journalist, who was in his fourth year at University of Limerick lost his life in a hit-and-run in October. It was after he finished work at a nearby restaurant, La Cucina, that he died while waiting for a bus back to the city centre. It is here where councillors are proposing to erect a plaque to remember him. Fianna Fail councillor Joe Pond asked the local authority if they could organise this plaque. He was told that any proposal like this needs to be approved by the local authority's civic memorial and public art technical committee. In a written answer, senior executive officer Laura Flannery also outlined a number of other steps which would need to be taken before a plaque can be introduced. But speaking to the Limerick Leader after the meeting, councillor Pond, who lives in nearby Annacotty, said he will be progressing the idea. Weve been speaking with the family and they want this, he said. I just want a simple plaque on the wall. I think thats what the family would be happy with. If Joes friends were in Limerick again, they could remember him through this plaque, added the City East councillor. He pointed out how a bench in nearby Castletroy Park had been dedicated in memory of the late Vicky Phelan. Councillor Pond also asked the local authority if it, or Bus Eireann were considering moving the bus stop in question. In a written answer, John OCallaghan, executive engineer of Active Travel said he is not aware of any plans by the bus provider. However, Active Travel is considering the inclusion of this bus stop as part of the 2024 Bus Shelter Enabling Works programme. As part of proposed works, a concrete footpath build-out is being considered along with the installation of a new bus shelter, he added. A LIMERICK man has described the incredible work carried out by a team of volunteers in Kolkata, India. Brian Sheehy, who works as an optometrist in Limerick city, was among a team of people who have been supporting 2,414 individuals living in Kolkatas street and slum communities in India. Mr Sheehy, who works with Specsavers, was part of a team of expert opticians that visited eleven different locations and gave eye checks to 2,414 patients, dispensed over 1,904 glasses, and in more severe cases, referred patients to Hope Hospital for surgery. There was incredible work carried out by the Hope Foundation team. So many people take eyecare for granted at home, so it was a privilege to do my bit for people less fortunate, said Mr Sheehy. One of the patients the team treated was Clara Halder, a 56-year-old community caregiver, whose passion for books had been taken from her due to deteriorating vision. This changed with the help of Specsavers mobile eye clinic, which prescribed Ms Halder glasses. Having been gifted the glasses on the day, Ms Halder reportedly told the volunteers that they will bring me back my joy, my peace and its something for just me to have. At the end of their week-long volunteering trip, Specsavers presented a cheque of 135,000 to The Hope Foundation This significant donation will play a vital role in sustaining the eye care clinic in Kolkata. Maureen Forrest, Founder of the Hope Foundation explained that this programme is the difference between life and death for people who cant feed their families. Vision is everything to people and for us to be able to support them in their vision journey is a great privilege, she added. COUNCIL has identified spots in the city centre for two new dog parks. Space in OBriens Park at Clare Street is being looked at to install a recreational space for pooches. And at Steamboat Quay, a narrow stretch of grass between Mount Kennett skate park and Shannon Bridge is being mooted for a dog run. The news was confirmed to Labour councillor Conor Sheehan who had a notice of motion passed at this months metropolitan district meeting. His motion sought the introduction of a facility in his City North constituency, which covers Clare Street. A dog park is something which wouldnt cost the earth to deliver but would bring enormous benefits for people who walk dogs in the locality and help some bit in terms of addressing dog fouling which I know is an issue for every member of this council, he said. The motion was seconded by fellow northside councillor Sharon Benson, Sinn Fein. She also called for the opening of a coffee dock at the park to boost employment and give a service to park users. Also speaking in support were councillors Elisa ODonovan, Social Democrats and Kieran OHanlon, Fianna Fail who backed the idea so long as residents are consulted with. Metropolitan district leader, Cllr Azad Talukder of Fianna Fail said its vital people in his own area are consulted before any dog run is put in at Steamboat Quay. People in Mount Kennett need to know exactly what is going on, he insisted. In a written answer, senior council engineer Aidan Finn confirmed the location in OBriens Park was identified, with a local authority spokesperson confirming the possibility of Steamboat Quay. Mr Finn added: There is no funding source identified for the project. The council will continue its endeavours to source funding. He added that a dog park could cost up to 30,000. A TOTAL of 14 locations across Limerick are to get new electric vehicle (EV) charging ports as part of a pilot project run by council. At present, the local authority is preparing an EV charging strategy which is designed to identify and facilitate the deployment of devices which will allow vehicles to be recharged. At the same time, council is progressing a pilot charging project, as the number of people driving cars without fossil fuel continues to grow. This will focus on delivering residential and destination charging solutions at a number of locations around the city and county, explained council official John OLeary in a written answer to Labours Joe Leddin at this months metropolitan meeting. Of the 14 pilot locations identified, eight are located in the metropolitan area. Mungret Park and Castletroy Park will be joined by an area around County Hall in Dooradoyle where ports will be erected. Elsewhere in Dooradoyle, the local area park will be the location for one. In the city centre, there will be pilot sites located at Merchants Quay, near City Hall, Hyde Road, near Colbert bus and rail station and OCallaghan Strand. A charging point will also be installed at Patrickswell. In addition to the work taking place, the Zero Emission Vehicles Ireland office is developing a national en-route transport plan EV charging network plan and its implementation will have a number of schemes to deliver charge points, Mr OLeary added. He says this will lead to a rise in EV charging infrastructure across Limerick. Councillor Leddin, who sought information on where new EV charging points could be located welcomed the response. He said: The reality is the sale of EVs is rising year-on-year and theres a gradual decline in the sale of the traditional fossil fuel car. The City West member added it is important in promoting Limerick as a tourist destination, saying many visitors to Ireland are now hiring electric vehicles. The first thing theyd check out is where are charging points. We as a city and region need to demonstrate we have sufficient numbers of these charging points at various locations. Its important this infrastructure is rolled out, he concluded. UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick asked the public on Tuesday to consider all care options before presenting to the Emergency Department as they are currently experiencing extremely high demand. A total of 261 patients attended the ED on Monday, significantly above average and it follows an unusually busy weekend. In recent weeks the hospital have been caring for an exceptionally high number of unwell medical patients associated with a surge in respiratory illnesses and who require admission to hospital. UHL is currently at its highest state of escalation. Surge capacity has been opened at UHL. Elective activity in UHL is being reviewed on a daily basis, with only urgent and time-critical patients, including cancer cases, scheduled for surgery this week. The Emergency Department remains open 24/7 and urgent care is being delivered to those who need it most. A spokesperson for UHL warned that anyone who comes to ED who doesnt have a life-threatening or severe illness or injury will face a significant wait. "Our teams are working hard to ensure emergency care is available for our patients. The ED is open 24/7 and delivering urgent care to those who need it most. "Injury Units and Medical Assessment Units in our model 2 hospitals at Ennis, Nenagh and St John's are also experiencing an increase in demand. It is encouraging to see this increase in demand for services available in our model 2 hospitals as more patients choose alternatives to the ED. "We apologise to anyone who has had a long wait for admission to University Hospital Limerick in recent days. We thank the public for their patience and support at this time of exceptionally high demand for our services. "At the same time, we ask the public to support us in ensuring emergency care is prioritised for the sickest, most seriously injured and frailest patients." A Tullamore man has recalled a horror flight from Copenhagen, which attempted to land in Dublin twice and then Belfast before eventually landing in Liverpool almost 12 hours later, to the BBC News. Cormac Kelly works in Copenhagen in Denmark and was due to return home to Ireland on Monday, but Storm Isha had other ideas, causing mayhem for the passengers on board the Ryanair flight. He recounted that the flight from Copenhagen to Dublin was relatively smooth until they came close to Dublin when it "started to go downhill from there". As they made their first attempt to land in Dublin, the plane "came back up in the sky," Cormac said. The pilot said they were going to try again after a go-around, but the second attempt was unsuccessful and Cormac said, "it just wasn't going to work". "The plane was going from side to side, it was very rough," he said. The plane then landed in Manchester smoothly, with little incident. However, they were then held on the plane for 5 or 6 hours. "We weren't let off the plane, and nobody knew what was happening," he said. Some passengers disembarked in Manchester, but people who stayed on were told they had the option of returning to Dublin. "We were told that the weather had subsided in Dublin and it would be possible to land," he said. This was about 5.30pm. Cormac's phone had died mid-flight, so he couldn't contact anyone, and then they were told they were diverting to Belfast. His parents were expecting him to land in Dublin but were tracking his flight path online. "The captain said we couldn't even land in Dublin, the winds were way too strong, they were 60 to 70 miles an hour, he said. We tried to land in Belfast, and Belfast was a disaster - it was very scary. The tension in the air was so thick. Everybody was looking at each other. No one knew what was going to happen, as we tried to land," Cormac said. "We got to about 1,500 feet and the pilot had to go back into the sky, because he couldn't land. It was just so dangerous," he said. They were then heading for Newcastle, and then back down towards Liverpool. "What was meant to be a 45 minute to an hour flight ended up being three hours, back to Liverpool," Cormac said. The BBC presenter remarked that it was a "most incredible story" and added: "I'm surprised you can remember and work out where you are" during the ordeal. Cormac managed to book a hotel with the help of his parents, Seanchail and Marie, in Liverpool and had to rebook his own flight. There was confusion over luggage and hotel accommodation for everyone after the arrival in Manchester which the BBC presenter noted "was a whole new story". He hoped the young Offaly man eventually managed to get home. A steep cost of going green is greenwashing": brands using misinformation or bad data to mislead consumers about their environmentalism. Organizations that resort to greenwashing risk reputational damage among customers who have paid a premium for what has turned out to be a false sense of sustainability, literally buying into environmentalist myths. Brands combat greenwashing with transparency, providing reliable third-party-verified certification and audited data to measure their impact, sourcing, production, and distribution, as well as to create a reliable future strategy to improve it. Unfortunately, some organizations that withhold such information may still enjoy the halo effect of their sectors sustainable public image. View Full Image Unpolished Synthetic Diamond Created via the CVD Process. Credit - Lightbox Jewelry The Fast Fashion of Laboratory Grown Diamonds Diamonds are a cherished and enduring symbol of love and commitment, which makes them a popular investment. As with any significant purchase, its important for consumers to research before buying, including the choice between laboratory grown and naturally sourced diamonds. Given the high financial and emotional costs, its critical for diamond brands to help consumers discern between whats green and whats greenwashing. And laboratory grown diamonds may not all be as environmentally or socially friendly as they seem. Its impossible to characterize the category of laboratory grown diamonds as having an overall neutral or positive environmental impact. Without impact data transparency, none of the laboratory grown diamond producers should make claims of sustainable practices. Any misperception that laboratory grown diamonds are generally more sustainable than naturally sourced diamonds can be costlyboth to the planet and to consumers wallets. The laboratory grown diamond sector bears similarities to the fast fashion industry, whose inexpensive, mass-produced, rapidly depreciating styles may conceal resource-intensive production costs. Like fast fashion, laboratory grown diamonds can be made in weeks, or even days, and in unlimited quantitiesin contrast to natural diamonds, a product in finite supply that takes billions of years to form. A common argument for choosing laboratory grown diamonds is that they are nearly indistinguishable from natural diamonds. But verification tools can easily detect the differences in growth patterns between natural diamonds that formed deep within Earth 1 billion to 3 billion years ago and synthetic diamonds that were manufactured in under two weeks. The ability to differentiate those patterns and their sourcing processes makes laboratory grown diamond prices far lower. Most natural-diamond mining companies are publicly listed and report on the significant measures they take to ensure their rare gems are ethically sourced, more environmentally friendly, and conflict-free, and that they benefit the families, communities, and countries of those who source them. (The natural-diamond sector supports over 10 million people worldwide.) Such transparency helps consumers consider which product best aligns with their sustainability awareness. View Full Image Diavik Diamond Mine, Canada. Credit - Rio Tinto Fossil Fuels and Carbon Emissions Many consumers assume laboratory grown diamonds are sustainably produced because they do not involve mining. But thats a misconception: the high-pressure, high-temperature method of manufacturing uses graphite, and the chemical vapor deposition method uses high-purity methane sourced from gas, coal, and oil drilling. Laboratory grown diamonds manufacturing machinery is also built with mined metals. Large-scale natural diamond producers such as De Beers Group are committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and mining giant Rio Tinto has set the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, incorporating renewable and alternative fuel sources into mining operations and exploring synthetic fuels and biofuels. The Diavik mine in Canadas Northwest Territories uses wind turbine energy for a significant portion of its operations, making it a global leader in cold-climate technology. Natural-diamond companies are also researching innovative methods for absorbing carbon, such as through the mineralization of the kimberlite rock from which diamonds are recovered. Opening a mine requires at least 10 years of careful planning among the natural-diamond companies and the local governments and communities. Before a single diamond is recovered, governments must grant environmental permissions with a legal obligation for ongoing monitoring, impact mitigation, and reporting, including on post-mining land use, plans to support the prosperity of communities, and closure plans and land rehabilitation at the end of the mines productive life. This is vital to ensure local communities and businesses will continue to thrive beyond the mines operation. Greenwashing vs. Regulation The global crackdown on greenwashing has already taken hold across key markets for diamond jewelry. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns synthetic-diamond companies that it could sanction any campaigns that claim products are eco-friendly," eco-conscious," or sustainable" without specific evidence. The FTC also intends to reinforce its Green Guides, which help marketers avoid making misleading environmental claims. Member companies of the Natural Diamond Council must comply with international and environmental legislation, and any practices including provenance claims must be audited through such third-party certifications as that of the Responsible Jewellery Council. Social Sustainability and Ethical Sourcing Governments, mining companies, and nongovernmental organizations are all stakeholders in a healthy and prosperous diamond industry. These stakeholders together ensure that all constituents share prosperity and place the health and well-being of employees and their communities at the forefront of all key decisions. Local communities can retain up to 80% of the value of rough diamonds from these activities as well as taxes, royalties, and other revenue. Under the Kimberley Process mandated by the United Nations and the World Trade Organization, all rough-diamond trade is strictly regulated to ensure it is conflict-free. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme has been fundamental to achieving conflict-free trade as a joint initiative among governments, diamond-industry bodies, and civil society since 2003. The heavy oversight of the natural-diamond industry stands in stark contrast to that of laboratory grown diamonds. A lack of regulatory oversight or tangible data transparency in China and India, the two largest producers in the emerging laboratory grown sector, makes it difficult for governments or industry associationsnot to mention consumersto learn about factories or sources from the companies that produce laboratory grown diamonds. And for sustainability-minded diamond consumers, thats one of the dangers of greenwashing: verifying claims of laboratory grown producers sustainable practices is nearly impossible. The True Cost of Diamonds Much like that of fast fashion apparel, the price of laboratory grown diamonds reflects the quantity and quality of productioncosting less up front and losing their value accordingly. According to analyst Paul Ziminisky, prices for some 1.5-carat laboratory-grown diamonds have fallen by more than 74% between 2016 and 2023: a consumer who spent $10,600 for a laboratory grown diamond in 2016 could have bought the same stone seven years later for $2,445. A three-decade-long study by Bain & Co. reports that while the price of natural diamonds fluctuates, prices have risen over the past 35 years by an average of 3% annually. The pricing structures of laboratory grown and natural diamonds also vary. The supply, size, and available quality mix of natural diamonds depend on geology. Because large stones are very rare, a 2-carat natural stone may cost triple the price of a 1-carat natural stone. For laboratory grown diamonds, the main constraint is each companys production capacity, so the price increase by carat is linear. When evaluating the costs of diamonds, consumers must consider the whole picture. Providing consumers with information transparently will allow them to make more informed decisions regarding diamonds that truly align with their values. Visit the Natural Diamond Council to compare industry myths and facts at https://www.naturaldiamonds.com/in/diamond-facts-info/diamond-facts/ Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of the brand, and it does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! In the era of digital connectivity and instant information, mobile apps undeniably hold the key to propelling growth. Since smartphones have become an extension of our daily lives, the demand for robust mobile apps has skyrocketed, creating endless opportunities for businesses to gain a competitive edge and capitalize on the flourishing digital landscape. According to a Statista report, the mobile app development market in India is expected to reach a valuation of $4,858 million by 2027, witnessing a CAGR of 11.44% from 2022-2027. The increasing market size can be attributed to the widespread adoption of mobile phones, increasing internet penetration, and a tech-savvy population. This growing market landscape has given rise to a robust ecosystem of reliable mobile app development companies that can help businesses in realizing their visions while contributing to Indias position as a global technology leader. If you are a business looking to venture into the mobile app development landscape, here is a curated list of the top 10 mobile app development companies in India that can help you tap into the immense potential of this growing digital market. So, without further ado, lets dive right into their details. Top 10 Mobile App Development Companies in India to Watch Out For If you are in search of the best tech partner and looking forward to hiring the top mobile app development companies in India, then give this listicle a quick read: 1. Appinventiv As a leading mobile app development company in India, Appinventiv is well-known for creating innovative, scalable solutions that help organizations grow globally. With over nine years of expertise and a dedicated team of 1600+ skilled professionals, the firm has delivered robust mobile applications across multiple industrial niches. The suite of mobile app development services offered by Appinventiv includes Android, iOS, React-Native, Flutter, PWA, and Wearable app development. As one of India's leading mobile app development companies, the firm boasts a portfolio of more than 3000+ projects, catering to multiple startups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 companies. Some of Appinventiv's notable clients include KFC, Pizza Hut, Adidas, BodyShop, American Express, IKEA, and more, all testifying to the company's proficiency across various business domains. Recognized as the "Tech Company of the Year" at the Times Business Awards 2023, Appinventiv is dedicated to pioneering cutting-edge technologies and delivering innovative solutions that propel businesses into the future. Leveraging disruptive technologies like AI/ML, Metaverse, Cloud, DevOps, Blockchain, IoT, etc., to deliver state-of-the-art digital solutions has helped the app development firm in establishing a glo-bal presence, extending its reach beyond India to the UK, US, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, and more. 2. LTI (Larsen & Toubro Infotech) LTI, a well-recognized part of Larsen & Toubro, is a leading global digital solutions and technology consulting company. With a strong focus on mobile app development, LTI has delivered cutting-edge solutions to clients from various industries. The company's expertise lies in developing feature-rich and user-friendly mobile applications that seamlessly cater to the specific needs of businesses. LTI's services include mobile app development, enterprise mobility solutions, and app testing. 3. Tech Mahindra Tech Mahindra is a leading provider of consultancy, business reengineering, and digital transformation services. The business employs a dedicated team of mobile app developers who are skilled in building scalable and reliable mobile apps. Tech Mahindra's expertise lies in developing apps for various platforms, including iOS, Android, and Windows. Their services encompass mobile app development, app integration, and app testing. 4. Capgemini Capgemini is an internationally leading company known for its consulting, technology, and digital transformation services. The company strongly focuses on mobile app development and offers comprehensive solutions to clients worldwide. Capgemini's team of skilled developers and designers ensures the delivery of high-quality mobile apps that meet the client's requirements. Their services include mobile app development, app modernization, and app security. Because of their flexibility, they can suit the technological needs of different industries, such as manufacturing, banking, and healthcare, which makes them a dependable partner for companies looking for cutting-edge solutions. 5. Wipro With its 78+ years of existence, Wipro, with its vast experience and expertise, has established itself as a trusted name in the mobile app development field. With its vast experience and expertise, Wipro has established itself as a trusted name in mobile app development. This global brand offers end-to-end solutions, from app ideation to deployment. Wipro's services include mobile app development, testing, and maintenance. Wipro works directly with clients to create, build, and maintain custom software solutions because of their knowledge and flexibility. 6. Coforge Coforge (formerly known as NIIT Technologies) is a global IT solutions organization that specializes in mobile app development. Focusing on innovation and customer satisfaction, Coforge has delivered successful mobile apps for clients across various industries. The company's services include mobile app development, modernization, and support. They stand out as a trustworthy partner for companies looking for app development services because of their dedication to meeting customer objectives and producing excellent results. 7. Infosys Established in 1981, Infosys is a multinational corporation that provides information technology and outsourcing services. The company has a dedicated mobile app development team that leverages the latest technologies to deliver exceptional apps. Infosys offers a wide range of technology-based services, such as mobile app development, app testing, and app integration. Infosys offers cutting-edge technology and astute business strategy to deliver innovative solutions for various industries, including banking, retail, healthcare, and more. 8. Accenture The global professional services firm Accenture provides an assortment of services, including the development of mobile applications. With its vast network of skilled professionals, Accenture has successfully delivered innovative mobile apps for clients worldwide. The company's services include mobile app development, optimization, and analytics. Businesses can maintain their competitiveness in the online market by utilizing their experience in developing technologies and offering services throughout the app development lifecycle. 9. DXC Technologies Founded in 2017, DXC Technologies is one of the reliable mobile app development companies that has made its mark in the industry. With a skilled team of experienced app developers, the firm offers various custom software services, including application development, cloud services, cybersecurity, data analytics and more. Renowned for its end-to-end solutions, DXC Technologies leverages industry insights and technological expertise to deliver scalable and transformative mobile apps that are tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses. 10. Andersen Lab Established in 2007, Andersen Lab is a leading development firm that offers iOS and Android app development services. Its suite of mobile app development offerings includes native mobile app development, cross-platform solutions, mobile app UI/UX, team augmentation and automated quality assurance. With a relentless commitment to innovation, Andersen Lab is a trusted partner for businesses seeking transformative results. In a Nutshell India is the global hub for top-tier mobile app development companies, known for their track record of success and ability to produce outstanding mobile applications for various industries. These firms, which can serve both new and existing clients, enable businesses to realize their full potential through innovative and intuitive mobile applications. By leveraging the technological expertise and innovative flair of Indian companies, businesses can build robust and scalable mobile apps. This ensures a seamless integration of business goals with the dynamic and constantly changing mobile landscape, establishing India as a major player in global mobile app development. Disclaimer: This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of Hindustan Times. Hindustan Times does not endorse/subscribe to the content(s) of the article/advertisement and/or view(s) expressed herein. Hindustan Times shall not in any manner, be responsible and/or liable in any manner whatsoever for all that is stated in the article and/or also with regard to the view(s), opinion(s), announcement(s), declaration(s), affirmation(s) etc., stated/featured in the same. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! BENGALURU : Edtech giant Byjus faces material uncertainty" and doubts on its ability to continue as a going concern, the companys auditor said in its 2021-22 earnings report, as what was once Indias most-valued startup struggled in a year that was among the best for Indias edtech sector. Losses at the Byju Raveendran-led company more than doubled to 8,245 crore from 4,564 crore a year ago, while consolidated income rose to 5,298.43 crore from 2,428.39 crore. MSKA & Associates, the audit arm of accounting firm BDO Global, pointed to continuing net losses from operations, accumulated losses, debt-related risks resulting from its outstanding $1.2 billion overseas loan; however, it added several disclaimers, finally concluding that Byjus continued to be a going concern in 2021-22. Byjus total financial liabilities added up to 17,678 crore in 2021-22, up from 3,116 crore in 2020-21, the auditor noted. This largely includes non-current liabilities including borrowings of 8,828.65 crorethe amount it borrowed abroad. These events and conditions cast significant doubt on the companys ability to continue as a going concern," the auditor said in its comments, as part of Byjus 2021-22 filing with the ministry of corporate affairs. Byjus India chief financial officer Nitin Golani, however, pointed to a subsequent section of the auditors opinion in the filing that stated the companys management has undertaken various measures to improve its operating financial condition and is also in the process of securing necessary funding arrangements and exploring the sale of assets as needed, and hence is confident regarding the future viability of the firm." The auditor noted that Byjus 2021-22 earnings had been prepared on a going concern basis" as basis a legal opinion, the management is of the view that it is unlikely that the (term loan B) will be required to be paid in the foreseeable future". The auditor issued Byjus an unqualified or unmodified report for 2021-22, the company said. The auditor cleared Byjus as an ongoing concern with a disclaimer, said Jidesh Kumar, managing partner at King Stubb & Kasiva Advocates and Attorneys, a corporate law firm. The auditors independent view is that it cannot continue as an ongoing concern. However, when the company supplied them with a legal opinion stating that loans need not be repaid immediately, the auditor issued a report stating that it can be dealt with as a going concern. In my view, Byjus auditor makes it a going concern with a disclaimer", Kumar said. He added that the primary impact for the company would be in securing debt, in light of the auditors report. Various indicators, including regulatory dues, debt management, repayment schedules, taxes, salaries, etc., would likely have been considered in this assessment. Should the auditors identify substantial doubt based on the evidence, it is incumbent upon management to furnish them with plans aimed at mitigating the causes of such doubt and to evaluate the likelihood of success of those plans. After a thorough consideration of all information, the auditors would subsequently determine whether substantial doubt persists," Kumar said. A Bloomberg report on Tuesday said Byjus has approached its existing investors to raise $100 million at a $2 billion valuation, a steep discount to its peak valuation of $22 billion. Byjus said the company had worked at reducing its losses, adding it made two acquisitions in 2022-23, after buying nine companies in the previous fiscal year. Of these nine, two companies had performed poorly, Golani said, adding the company was not making further investment in WhiteHat Jr and Osmo. Golani said Byjus 2022-23 results, which he expects to file over the coming months, are far better in terms of margins than the latest figures. The company is aiming towards profitability, he said. While we are happy that our total income has grown by 2.2x, we are also aware of our underperforming businesses like Whitehat Jr. and Osmo, which contribute to 45% of the losses," Golani said. ...these businesses were scaled down significantly to cut losses in the subsequent years while other businesses continue to see growth," he said. Whitehat Jr., which Byjus acquired for about $300 million during its heydays in 2020, accounted for a substantial portion of the loss in FY22. The subsidiary reported revenue of 295.11 crore for FY22, down from 326.67 crore in FY21. Whitehat Jr. which cost Byjus nearly 220 crore every month towards marketing expenses, ended up reporting a pre-tax loss of 2,877 crore for FY22, bigger than its loss of 1,549 crore in the year before. At US-based Osmo, which Byjus acquired in 2019 for about $120 million, revenue dropped to 553 crore in FY22 from 600 crore in the previous year, while its pre-tax loss soared to 852 crore from 191 crore earlier. The earnings filings come after a lengthy dispute with its lenders following several technical defaults. Since June, Byjus has stopped servicing interest payments on its loans and has been trying to negotiate repayments with lenders. Once Indias most-valued startup, Byjus has recently struggled with challenges including difficulties in raising capital, meeting payroll obligations, and managing debt exceeding a billion dollars. Byjus chief financial officer Ajay Goel left the company less than seven months after taking up the role, returning to Vedanta in late October. This followed the high-profile departures of Byjus auditor Deloitte and three key board members in June. Byjus investor Prosus publicly criticized the Bengaluru-based startup in July for insufficient disclosures and disregarding investor advice. Earlier this month, asset manager BlackRock reduced its valuation of Byjus by about 95% to $1 billion, according to a TechCrunch report. VEDANTA More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! ELKO When 911 is down, how can the public call in an emergency? That was the question among Elko County residents last week when a line was cut near the Elko County Regional Communications Center, delaying calls for two days. But there was a backup plan in place, according to Emergency Manager Lee Cabaniss, who also serves as chair of the Enhanced 911 Advisory Board. During a service outage such as the one we just experienced, 911 calls are transferred by the carrier to our cellular backup lines, Cabaniss said. This only takes a short time to do, and then 911 calls can be received into the center. Cabaniss said that although outage alerts are published on their social media, the Elko County website and through public safety partners such as the Elko Police Department, the county is actively looking for additional ways to share public information to citizens and visitors who may not have access to social media or the internet. Skip E-911? Consultants say Next Generation 911 is best for county ELKO Winbourne Consulting LLC is slated to present a report to the Elko County Enhanced 911 Board on Monday that recommends the county aim f Next Generation 911 Its been nearly four years since Elko County upgraded to Next Generation 911 from Basic 911, and is one of three counties in the state to have the system. In May 2020, Elko Countys Next Gen 911 system was launched, replacing 6-decade-old technology, increasing response time and becoming compatible with wireless systems. The launch also allowed Elko County to leapfrog over the second tier of emergency services, Enhanced 911, to the Next Gen 911 system that gives dispatchers and public safety personnel detailed information about an emergency call. Emergency departments boost efficiency ELKO Three Elko County emergency-focused departmentscentral dispatch, ambulance, and fire departmentare reaching new levels of cooperation The technology allows data sharing with public safety and public service departments across the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and public safety jurisdictions. It supports voice, data, text, image, video and multimedia applications on a secure and robust network, allowing dispatchers more information about the caller and incident. An Enhanced 911 surcharge added to landline and cell phone bills is used to fund the upgrade to Next Gen and its maintenance. Elko County Commissioners raised the surcharge that started at 25 cents to $1 in 2022. Approximately $58,000 to $60,000 per month, or $696,000 to $720,000 per year is collected into the E-911 account, according to Elko County Comptroller Susan Paprocki. County renews $1 surcharge for 911 ELKO A $1 surcharge on cellular and land line phone bills has been renewed for a second year for Elko County users to bring in revenue for N The Enhanced 911 Advisory Board established in 2016 developed the master plan to obtain surcharge funds according to state law that is reviewed and updated annually, Cabaniss said. The Board also reports to the Elko County Board of Commissioners with information and advice. The Enhanced 911 Advisory Board also collaborates with telecommunication companies with technical support and ongoing improvements to the Next Gen system installed at the Communications Center. Cabaniss said the Board is tasked with reviewing and updating its five-year master plan and overseeing upcoming goals and projects, such as a scheduled update of the Communication Centers equipment. He said thanks to funds accumulated in the E-911 account through the surcharge, the County is now well-positioned to fund higher-value projects that can upgrade or replace the aging and patchwork infrastructure. Having the technology to support and operate Next Gen 911 is thanks to Elko Countys strong financial management that allows the County to support improvements in public safety dispatch, Cabaniss said. NEW DELHI : JSW Energy on Tuesday reported over 28% rise in its consolidated net profit to 231 crore in the December 2023 quarter on the back of higher revenues. "Profit After Tax for the quarter (October-December 2023) increased by 28 per cent YoY (year-on-year) to 231 crore, compared to 180 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year," a company statement said. Also Read | Indians unable to access Maldives Foreign Ministry website amid row over Chinese research vessel During the quarter, the total revenue increased 13% year-on-year to 2,661 crore from 2,350 crore in Q3 FY23, driven by incremental contribution from renewable portfolio and strong thermal performance, largely driven by a buoyant merchant market, it added. The consolidated net worth and net debt as of December 31, 2023, were 20,976 crore and 26,286 crore, respectively, resulting in a net debt-to-equity ratio of 1.3X. Also Read | Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously Liquidity continues to be strong, with cash balances at 2,867 crore as of December 31, 2023, it stated. The company has one of the strongest balance sheets in the sector, which gives it the headroom to pursue value-accretive growth opportunities, it noted. It generated 6,128 million units (MU) of power in the third quarter, up from 4,274 MU a year ago, driven by the higher thermal generation and contribution from acquired and greenfield RE (renewables) capacity additions. It is presently constructing various power projects to the tune of 2.6 GW, with a vision to achieve a total power generation capacity of 20 GW by 2030. The board, in its meeting held on Tuesday, also appointed Ashok Ramachandran, Chief Operating Officer, as an Additional Director and as a Whole-time Director (designated as Whole-time Director & COO) of the company for a term of 5 years with effect from January 23, 2024, till January 22, 2029. Also Read | 2024 Oscar nominations announced: See the full list here Ramachandran, in his capacity as a Whole-time Director, is also appointed as a key managerial personnel of the company. Previously, Ramachandran had been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer, with effect from October 20, 2023. JSW ENERGY More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! BENGALURU : For dental-tech startup Dezy, a problem of plenty has forced it to lay off nearly 200 employees, shut a key division, and tweak its business model to focus on operating a chain of clinics. The startup, founded in 2018 and originally known as smiles.ai, began with selling transparent teeth aligners, competing with the likes of Toothsi, Snazzy and TeethLogic. This original business plan worked well, and orders spiked last year from a few dozens every month to thousands. But thats when the problems began, as Dezy struggled to keep up with the increase in demand, according to multiple people, including laid-off employees, Mint spoke with. The startup, which is backed by PeakXV (formerly Sequoia Capital India), confirmed it laid off about 180 employees over the past 18 months and that it has changed the focus of its business with an eye on expanding its clinicsan area it had kept away from earlier. Some employees have escalated the manner of their termination to the companys investors, saying they hadnt been paid a severance as per the terms of their contract. Dezy has denied this. At least one employee has filed a legal case against the company, which currently has about 280 employees. More than it could chew? Dezys initial business idea had involved manufacturing and selling clear teeth aligners, or braces. The company would send its orthodontists for teeth scans of customers, offer a treatment plan, and then ship the aligners to the customers. Dezy had partnered with clinics for certain parts of the treatment, sending its own orthodontists to conduct the procedure and paying the clinics a commission for using their space and equipment. Last year, Dezy diluted this model as it struggled to keep up with orders, and began opening its own clinics, said the people familiar with the happenings at the company. All of them declined to be identified. The company used to get about 30 orders a month but it peaked in June-July last year (to) about 1,000 orders," said a former employee of Dezy. There were backend issues and the company wasnt able to handle it. They had to provide refunds for most of the orders." Aligners and orthodontics currently contribute about 30% of the revenue, said Dezy co-founder and chief executive Hitesh Kakrani. The company has also shut its division called Lunin Hopkins under which it sold aligners and other dental equipment to clinics. The (business-to-business) experiment was largely to see if we can utilise some of the strengths that we had built on our overall (business-to-consumer) business and maybe leverage any of the supply partnerships we have had," said Kakrani. But over time, lack of focus and bandwidth plus, we had really good (product-market fit) numbers coming on our clinics business, so we thought its better to keep ourselves focused and double down on whats working rather than indulge ourselves in any line of revenue that could be exciting for the future," he said. Dezy currently operates about 20 dental clinics across Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Indore. Theres a massive opportunity for us to build a 1,000-1,500 crore annual revenue business in 3-3.5 years from now if we are able to strike a good playbook of clinic expansion," Kakrani said. An industry executive familiar with Dezys operations said the company probably tried scaling up prematurely. Its an orthodontic treatment (aligners) where you have to be with the patient for the 7-8 month journey. Someone has to build very strong processes to ensure customers are catered to," said the executive, requesting anonymity. If you do it in a startup way where you launch things and you do not have processes and then you scale, obviously it will explode." A tough climb Dezys focus on scaling up its clinics business may not be easy as the clinics have been struggling to generate revenue, said two former employees, including the one quoted earlier. According to Kakrani, though, Dezys clinics are seeing revenue growth of 10-13% month-on-month. Overall, although Dezys revenue from operations increased from 3 crore in FY22 to 14 crore in FY23, its losses surged from 11 crore to 36 crore, show documents provided by Tracxn. Dezy has raised $25 million in funding so far, and was last valued at around $45 million in 2022, according to Tracxn. The company is backed by 26 investors, including Alpha Wave Incubation, Chiratae Ventures, and MBX Capital. Kakrani said Dezy has a couple of years of runway and is not looking to raise immediately". Dezys rivals have secured a lot more capital. Clove Dental, which runs a chain of dental clinics, has raised about $133 million so far, and Toothsi, which sells transparent aligners, about $98 million. Indias dental-care market isnt huge. It was valued at $653 million in 2022 and is estimated to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 9.40% till 2030, according to market research platform Insights10. Forced exits Eight former employees Mint spoke with said Dezy forced them to resign without paying severance, bonuses, or incentives. Two of them said that as per the employee contract, the company was liable to pay them two-three months of severance, depending on the role, but Dezy had asked them to resign immediately and hadnt paid severance. They initially told me to resign and (that) they would pay 15 days of severance. When I asked for 2 months notice or severance, they terminated (my role)," said one employee. I mailed the company for a one-week leave request and they stopped responding to my calls. I resigned a few days after and I still havent heard anything from them. They havent paid my full and final settlement or communicated anything with me," said another employee. Yet another former employee said they were asked to take a huge pay cut or resign immediately without a severance payout. Kakrani confirmed that the company had laid off 180 employees over the previous 18 months, but disputed not paying severance. Only in seven-eight cases (out of 180, less than 5%) has the company withheld the severance amount or terminated people out of turn. That was in cases where the employee was terminated due to gross misconduct on cultural or ethical grounds," Kakrani said. The company has detailed documentation of all of these cases, and will continue to pursue them in the rightful manner." Pune/Chennai: It was late in March 2012. A record 580 exhibitors were displaying their wares at the seventh edition of the biennial DefExpo, Indias biggest defence exhibition, at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. They included 232 foreign majors, from countries such as the US, Russia, France, Israel, the UK and Germany. All of them were hoping to catch the eye of the Indian defence establishmentthe largest importer of weapons in the world then with an arms procurement budget of $16 billion. (India remains the largest importer even today, with an 11% share in global imports and an annual procurement budget of over $20 billion). In one corner of the expo was the stall of Bharat Forge Ltd, a leading auto component maker with little experience in the defence space. The company proudly displayed its Bharat 52, a 155 mm, 52 calibre artillery gun similar to those extensively used during the Kargil war. Defence ministry officials came, looked at the gun, laughed and walked away," recalled Baba Kalyani, chairman & managing director, Bharat Forge. No one believed that an Indian company could build a gun," he added. He was disappointed by the reaction but did not feel slighted. Instead, Kalyani set out to prove that India was capable of making its own weapons. For 12 years, between 2010 and 2022, Bharat Forge invested over 700 crore in designing weapons, guns, armoured vehicles and ammunition with practically no revenue to show. Things began to change when the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power in 2014 and started looking at indigenizing defence production. Policies that were obstacles to private sector participation were gradually replaced by those that encouraged it. Today, Bharat Forge, having invested in designing, prototyping and developing some cutting-edge products, finds itself in a sweet spot with its defence business primed for growth. While the defence vertical accounts for only a miniscule share of Bharat Forges total revenue today, contributing around 300 crore to its consolidated revenue of 12,910 crore in 2022-23, Kalyani expects that annual contribution to rise seven-fold by 2024-25. The defence vertical will go faster than our regular business and could be our biggest source of revenue soon," he asserted to Mint. Bharat Forges order book certainly seems to support that projection. The company bagged orders worth 1,100 crore in the second quarter of 2023-24 alone. The total order book now stands at 3,000 crore, to be executed in 24 months. Kalyanis optimism also stems from a shift in Indias arms procurement strategy. The government has increased local procurement of arms and ammunition significantly (import of arms and ammunition between 2013-17 and 2018-22 fell by 11%). In fact, exports of defence equipment by Indian players rose sharply in 2022-23 to 16,000 crore. This explains why many Indian companies, including L&T, the Tata group, the Mahindra group, the Reliance group and Ashok Leyland, are betting big on the defence business. Bharat Forge, for its part, appears to be ready with an arsenal. Today we have products across five verticals: artillery, armoured vehicles, ammunition (shells), missiles (anti-tank guided missiles and long-range guided missiles), naval/marine applications (unmanned vehicles and drones)," said Kalyani. The company has developed those weapons and products with its own proprietary technology. A 150 crore dedicated facility for defence production is close to completion. Leap of Faith Bharat Forges journey into the arms business began sometime in 2010, after casual conversations Kalyani had with officials in the defence ministry and his friends in the army (he had many, as he was educated in a military school). No company in India wanted to make artillery guns and the country was entirely dependent on imports. At that time, Bharat Forge was supplying gun barrels to various ordnance factories. Kalyani began wondering if the company, which was recognized as a leading forgings company globally, could give it a shot. We had the knowledge of steelhow to forge and machine it to various shapes and sizes. And we were anyway making the barrels," he recalled. The ordnance of an artillery gun contains a barrel, a muzzle, a breach and the recoil mechanism. He visited the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur to see how artillery guns were made. He then went to Cranfield University in the UK, which is known for its excellence in defence education. Professors there helped him understand an artillery gun better. It became clear to me that making an artillery gun was an extension of what we do day-to-day for auto components. The same laws of physics applied. Just that the parameters for stress, temperature and pressure were different," he said. In a stroke of luck, the professors at the university also told him that a gun plant belonging to Ruag AG, a Swiss defence equipment manufacturer, was up for sale. The very next day Kalyani landed in Zurich and by evening had signed an agreement to buy the plant. It took another two months to shift the machinery to India. It was a blind leap of faith. My father wanted to show the world that an Indian company can make a world-class gun," said Amit B. Kalyani, joint managing director, Bharat Forge. The plunge into gun making had nothing else going in its favour. This was years before Atmanirbhar Bharat became a buzzword. There was no certainty that the Indian army would procure guns locally and if it did so, what type of guns it would want. As the worlds largest manufacturer and supplier of the crankshaft, a complicated high-precision component, we were confident that if anyone in India could make guns, it was us," recalled Amit Kalyani. The path less taken One of the earliest decisions that the company took when it entered defence production was to do everything on its own. We wanted to own the technology and the intellectual property. That was critical for the global play," said Neelesh Tungar, president, defence, Bharat Forge. Any technical tie-up would have restricted the companys exports. It was baptism by fire. The acquisition of the Ruag plant only gave Bharat Forge the machinery. We did not get the design drawings, details of materials to be used or the technical know-how to make the guns. We had to learn it ourselves," Tungar added. The challenges were many. We had to get the right fracture toughness, which is a combination of tensile strength, yield strength and micro-structure of the metal," explained the senior Kalyani. By then, Bharat Forge had established the Kalyani Centre for Technical Innovation and had gained a lot of expertise in metallurgical engineering. It took us 10 to 12 iterations before we got the right toughness," he added. The barrel of an artillery gun is typically 8 to 9 metres long. They need to be heat-treated vertically in such a manner they do not bend. The first time we did that it bent like a banana. We had to come up with ingenious solutions," he recalled, adding, It took us two years to establish the process and build our first gun, Bharat 52." Now that the gun was ready, the company realized that there were no rules to test it in India. The army controlled the firing ranges in Pokhran (Rajasthan) and Balasore (Odisha) and there were no procedures in place to test a gun made by a private company. The gun was sent to Rock Island in the US to be test fired. The company got a certificate and a video that the gun fired well. A couple of months later, while speaking at an army conference in January 2016, Kalyani spoke about the challenges of testing a gun in India. Manohar Parrikar, then the defence minister, who was at the conference, acted immediately and put a new policy in place within weeks. Between 2010 and 2022, the company invested over 700 crore on product design, development and testing with minimal revenue to show. The entire defence business was brought under Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge. As India reformed its defence sector, Bharat Forge expanded its product base. Its Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System, or ATAGS, as it is called, was ready in 2017-18. After five years of testing, it is now ready for sale. The company also started making armoured vehicles. Its Armoured Troop Carrier was bought by Sri Lanka. Kalyani M4, a mine-protected, high-mobility infantry vehicle, has been used by the United Nations and the Indian Army. These were small orders, but the company believes it is now ready to rub shoulders with the big guns in the business. Not a cakewalk Challenges, however, remain. Despite the governments Make in India push, Bharat Forge has only now started supplying the countrys paramilitary forces.. Many of its products are still caught up in the armys cumbersome procurement process. Also, defence orders, unlike Bharat Forges other business, come in fits and starts. One year could see a huge order and another could see a drought. At times, orders take years to materialize. Sales of arms and ammunition is a very different animal and needs a very different approach," said an Indian arms expert, who didnt want to be identified. Bharat Forge needs to master this approach. It also has to contend with competition from well-entrenched global defence majors such as the USs Raytheon and Northrop Grumman; Frances Thales, and UK-based BAE Systems in the domestic and export markets. We do not foresee problems as our product range is unique. Unlike bigger players, we follow a modular systems approachthe weapons are designed as multiple modules and can be extensively customized for our customers," said Tungar. Though there are no export restrictions, the company has to look at the jurisdictions before going ahead. It needs a no-objection certificate from the government and also an end-use certificate from the customer. Also, the art of warfare is changing rapidly, so Bharat Forge will have to keep investing in product development and innovation. But the senior Kalyani is unfazed. I would not be surprised if defence becomes the largest revenue generator in a few years," he said. Most analysts agree with him. It is positive for (Bharat Forges) defence vertical as it looks to add more products and markets," Phillip Capital noted in its recent report. Analysts expect an ATAGs order from the Indian army soon. The defence segment is poised for significant growth, with execution already underway," Motilal Oswal noted in a recent report. A technology company View Full Image By 2030, Bharat Forge wants to produce cutting-edge hi-tech products. Succeeding in the defence business is therefore critical. The company is now setting its sights on new horizons. We are an engineering company now. By 2030, we want to become a technology company, producing cutting-edge hi-tech products," said the junior Kalyani. Succeeding in the defence business is critical for the company to achieve this aspiration. To this end, the company is transforming its component forging and industrial business verticals to become a solutions provider rather than be a product supplier. Bharat Forge works closely with customers to design the products. We have built a technology backbone across all businesses. Our research and development (R&D) investment tops 3.5% of our revenue annually," he said. The company has entered the aerospace and electric vehicle (EV) businesses too. In the aerospace vertical, it is trying to build products such as aircraft landing gear, transmission systems for helicopters and gearboxes for aircraft. The EV business is into the making of power electronics, e-bikes and re-powering trucks and buses (converting them from diesel engines to battery-powered vehicles). Today, less than 5% of our products are cutting-edge. We want to take this to 30% in the next few years," said the younger Kalyani. The company is betting on the defence business to achieve this. In 2022-23, Bharat Forge posted consolidated revenues of 12,910 crore and a net profit of 528 crore. Almost 65% of the companys output from India was exported. The stock market appears excited by its prospects. Bharat Forges share price is just shy of its 52-week high of 1,299. The father-son duo are confident that consolidated revenues will touch 20,000 crore in the next two years. They are confident that domestic procurement of defence products will soon start growing as the products prove themselves and gain acceptance. On 15 August 2022, Bharat Forges ATAGS were used for the 21-Gun salute at the Red Fort as India celebrated its 74th Independence Day. The firing signalled how far the company has come since the 2012 DefExpo, when its artillery gun caused much mirth. Swedish fashion giant H&M has pulled out an advertisement for school clothing that critics said sexualized young girls, the company said on Tuesday. Make those heads turn in H&M's Back to School fashion", the campaign launched in Australia featuring two young girls in school uniform read. Social media users pilloried the company for the ad which has since been withdrawn. We have removed this ad. We are deeply sorry for the offense this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward," a company spokesperson told AFP. Melinda TankardReist, an author asked the company about its intention behind the advertisement. What is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad? Little schoolgirls generally dont want to turn heads"," she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance," she added. The little girls parents generally prefer heads dont turn when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class. Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and style?" she further said. Perhaps have a word to your marketing team and come up with something that doesnt draw attention to pre pubescent girls already struggling to thrive in a culture that values lookism as an aspirational goal?" TankardReist said. Many internet users strongly reacted to the ad campaign on the microblogging site. One user said, It's deeper than just turning heads. The whole image is sexualised from the ethnicity of the girls, their pose and are their legs oiled?" The term turning heads" is clearly referencing adult women turning the heads of men. Stop objectifying and sexualising little girls, these models look no more than SIX YEARS OLD. Take it down," another user commented. This is really disturbing. I remember being cat called whilst waiting for the bus in my school uniform. It made me feel unsafe. Girls go to school to get an education, not to be jeered at by onlookers," the third user reacted. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! A week before Japans Sony Group Corp. called off the merger of its local unit with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, Subhash Chandra, founder-promoter of the Indian entertainment giant, wrote to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accusing the countrys markets regulator of attempting to scuttle the $10-billion merger. In a 16 January letter, a copy of which Mint has seen, Chandra said the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has been acting with a predetermined mind, and sought the ministers intervention to safeguard minority investors. Chandra cited excerpts from an order by the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), which had overturned a Sebi order barring him and son Punit Goenka from holding any key position in the merged entity. Chandra quoted SAT presiding officer Justice Tarun Agarwallas 30 October order, which stated, The (Sebi) chairperson committed a manifest error in confirming the ad interim order on the ground of presumptions, assumptions/preponderance of probability. The Supreme Court has categorically held in a catena of cases that foundational facts must be established first before a presumption is made." Justice Agarwalla had also pointed out that Goenka has been cooperating with Sebi and supplying whatever information was sought. On one hand, the chairperson has based its finding on a preponderance of probability while on the other hand has refused to accept the evidence filed by the appellant and has rejected the same on the ground that the documents do not prove the genuineness of the transaction beyond a reasonable doubt. This contrary stand taken by the chairperson is, in our opinion, arbitrary," the order had said. On Monday, Sony sent a termination notice to Zee, pulling the plug on the $10-billion mega-merger two years after the two parties signed a definitive agreement. While Sony has dragged Zee to the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, seeking $90 million in termination fees, Zee is also weighing legal options. The letter also highlighted concerns over the timing and urgency of Sebis investigation, given the Zee-Sony merger completion timeline. I am not suggesting that Sebi should not investigate if they have doubts of any kind. The company and all other people are cooperating in the investigation," he wrote. The department has also summoned an ex-director, questioning him for over four hours. My concern is the timing of this new notice, and the urgency of the same since it matches with the merger completion timeline. The mentioned notice does not contain any point that is not already a part of the companys records, that have already been provided to Sebi." A query emailed to a Sebi spokesperson seeking comment remained unanswered. In his letter, Chandra said issuing notices to Zees former directors appears to be an exercise to sensationalize" the matter through media. I had expressed my concerns earlier as well, in a letter to Sebi in November 2018 over negative forces impacting the valuation of Zee, but my requests went unnoticed," he said. If the mentioned parties continue to influence the investigations, especially by Sebi, it will lead to a huge financial loss for the minority shareholders of Zee. As the founder of the company, several shareholders repeatedly requested me to help the company as the proposed merger remains extremely important for all shareholders." Chandra said he and his son tried till the end to save the merger, but it was Sebis approach that didnt let it happen, and resulted in a loss of foreign direct investment of $1.5 billion from Sony in India. Chandra stated he has repaid 92% of his debt of 4,000 crore and continues to take efforts to ensure" that the lenders who suffered financial losses because of him, are repaid and their losses are compensated". On Tuesday, Zee shares plunged nearly 33% on BSE to end at 155.90. Separately, many minority investors of Zee have written to Sebi and other institutional investors expressing their grief against the promoter family. They have urged Sebi and the bigger investors to take immediate action against the board and investigate the matter. Bengaluru-based food delivery aggregator and grocery shopping unicorn Swiggy is testing a possible doubling of its platform fee from 5 to 10 per food order, as per a Moneycontrol report. The move is seen as a strategic effort to reduce losses as the company gears up for its upcoming initial public offering (IPO) later this year, it added. Swiggy has started hinting at the potential fee hike on its app, targeting a small set" of users. This follows a similar move in April 2023 when it introduced a nominal fee of 2 for a few customers and later expanded it to all customers. The current fee is set at 5. Swiggy has not changed its platform fee and has no plans for a significant increase in the near term. We're always running small experiments to better understand the consumers choices. This was one such experiment, and we may or may not scale it up in the future if it doesn't meet our goal of serving our users in the best way possible. We're always looking for ways to make our platform more affordable, and our latest offering, Pockethero, is another example of that. Pockethero is designed for budget-conscious consumers, and we're expanding it across the country right now," a spokesperson for Swiggy said. Challenges in a Slowing Market The move by Swiggy comes at a time when the food-delivery market is experiencing slower growth. Co-founder and group CEO Sriharsha Majety highlighted the importance of Swiggy Instamart as a growth driver, highlighting the company's efforts to make itself more affordable, as seen in the introduction of Pockethero. Swiggy's push to increase its user base aligns with its IPO plans later this year, as revealed by Majety. The competitive landscape includes Zomato, which initially stated no intention to introduce a platform fee but later followed Swiggy's path. The move to levy a fee reflects the challenges faced by food delivery companies in a dynamic market. As the industry continues to evolve, analysts emphasize the need for caution in implementing higher platform fees, considering customer sensitivity to pricing. Both Swiggy and Zomato have experienced success with nominal fees, and finding the right balance is crucial to maintaining customer satisfaction and order frequency. A Continued Pattern The company often follows a pattern of teasing higher amounts, offering discounts initially, and then gradually increasing the fee. A Swiggy spokesperson told Moneycontrol the 10 fee is part of ongoing experiments to understand consumer preferences. Earlier in October last year, Swiggy hiked the platform fee on food delivery orders to 5 per order, also marking a 50 percent jump then, first implemented in Hyderabad and Bengaluru, but later expanded to all areas of operation across the country. The Bengaluru-based food delivery aggregator has been applying platform fees on food orders since April 2023. Notably, platform fee is considered as a measure to improve unit economics a reference to the revenue generated by an entity from each unit of sale or order. Companies such as Uber, BigBasket's BB Now, and Zepto have been imposing this charge on each order. A Tale of Valuations US-based asset management company (AMC) Invesco, on January 4 raised Swiggy's valuation to $8.3 billion, for the second consecutive time, as per a regulatory filing. According to the exchange filing, the valuation of the company is as on October 21, 2023. By the end of this month, Invesco held 28,844 shares in Swiggy, with a total value of $147.6 billion. This equates to a valuation of $8.3 billion for the investment. The investor holds approximately a 2 percent stake in Swiggy, according to Tracxn, a private markets data provider. Regulatory filings indicate that the cost of acquisition for this stake was approximately $190.5 million. This marks the second consecutive instance in which Invesco has elevated Swiggy's valuation. In October 2022, it increased Swiggy's valuation by 42 percent, reaching $7.85 billion. It's noteworthy, however, that this adjustment occurred after Swiggy experienced consecutive decreases in valuation. Even with Invesco's approximately 6 percent increase in Swiggy's valuation, the latest assessment suggests a reduction in the company's worth compared to its valuation of $10.7 billion in January 2022 when it raised $700 million in a funding round led by the US-based AMC. Investors commonly reference public market valuations when assessing private market companies, and Swiggy is no different. The latest valuation update for Swiggy, at $8.3 billion as of October 2023, reflects a slight increase. Additional investors in Swiggy, including Baron Capital based in the United States, have recently recalibrated the company's valuation. As of March 2023, Baron Capital has lowered the fair value of Swiggy by almost 40 percent, establishing its valuation at $6.5 billion. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Oxford University has severed its partnership with Tata Consultancy Services Ltd as its admission test provider citing technical problems" following feedback from candidates, test centres and parents. Oxford University confirmed to Mint that Indias leading IT services provider will not be involved" with the global university going ahead. Although the deal size or the exit clause couldnt be immediately ascertained, the Oxford University partnership was an important contract for TCS, allowing it an opportunity to show its prowess in conducting digital assessments on a large scale. TCS didn't immediately reply to queries on the termination of its partnership with Oxford University. Phil Fersht, chief executive of US-based HfS Research, an outsourcing-research firm, said while the deal would not have been large for TCSmost likely in the $5 million range"as a platform solution it would have been highly profitable once up and running, and replicable to sell to other learning institutions". The alliance between TCS and Oxford was barely a year old. TCS had replaced Cambridge Admissions Assessment Testing in providing technical services for the universitys admission tests. The tests were conducted by TCS iONthe learning, development and assessment focused unit of TCS. Following the technical problems experienced by some candidates during the delivery of this years online admissions tests by a new provider, TCS will not be involved in the delivery of Oxford admissions tests going forward," Oxford University said in an email response to Mint. This decision has been made following careful consideration of the issues, as well as feedback from candidates, teachers and test centres," the university said in its response. On its website, the university stated that its pro-vice-chancellor for education, Martin Williams, has recently written to all test centres to communicate our decision to end our relationship with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)". University institutions are very sensitive about the efficacy, security and reliability of their assessment solutions and this is really bad news for TCS, especially with Oxford being the UKs most prestigious university alongside Cambridge," said Fersht. While TCS should be able to reassure existing clients they can address any future problems, their reputation in this space is tarnished and will take some time to recover. With the sensitivities around AI security in the current climate, which are very high in the university sector currently, this incident will surely hold back TCS progress in this market," he added. India has one of the largest batches of students heading out to global universities. Thousands of students appear for Oxford Universitys tests every year for admissions to its undergraduate colleges. The UK remains one of the most sought-after destinations for students from India along with Australia, Canada, Germany and the US. Oxford University, which administers more than 30 colleges under it, said details of its new arrangement for the tests will be communicated at the start of the next admissions round. It was in June last year that Oxford had announced its decision to have TCS administer its admission tests. The universitys Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) and BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) continued to be handled by Cambridge Assessment Admissions Testing. Handling of the universitys Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) also remained unchanged. All other tests used in Oxford undergraduate admissions will require applicants schools and colleges to follow a new process to apply for authorisation to become TCS test centres," the university had then stated. TCS iON offers a host of assessment services, and has assessed more than 400 million candidates. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! NEW DELHI : Serum Institute of India is set to receive up to $30 million from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, to expand its vaccine production capability, specifically targeting infections that hold potential to trigger an epidemic or pandemic. This would then enable CEPI-backed vaccine developers to quickly transfer their technology to SII within days or weeks of an outbreak to begin rapid production and equitable distribution of affordable vaccines to affected populations," SII said in a statement on Tuesday. The purpose of the collaboration is to shorten the time taken to manufacture and validate the first batches of experimental vaccines in response to an escalating outbreak within 100 days. The CEPI network focuses on vaccine makers in areas that are at high risk of outbreaks caused by deadly viral threats such as Lassa Fever, Nipah, Disease X, and other pathogens with epidemic or pandemic potential. With CEPIs funding, SII said it will also be able to support the development, stockpiling and licensure of new vaccines. CEPI and SII are exploring which CEPI-backed vaccines SII will support. As part of CEPIs global manufacturing network, SIIs world-renowned manufacturing and rapid response capabilities are poised to play a critical role in enabling swift and equitable access to affordable outbreak vaccines for the Global South," CEPIs chief executive Dr. Richard Hatchett said in the statement. This collaboration will enable us to respond more rapidly and equitably to public health disease outbreaks, particularly in Global South countries where access to life-saving vaccines can be limited," said SII chief executive Adar Poonawalla. SII is now the fourth member of CEPIs global manufacturing network. Other members include Aspen in South Africa, Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal, and Bio Farma in Indonesia. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Indian startup Jeh Aerospace inaugurated its new aerospace and defence manufacturing facility in Hyderabad on Tuesday. The new facility is estimated to be extended up to 1,60,000 sq ft and will provide manufacturing solutions to the aerospace and defence industry, the company said in a statement. Also Read: Airbus boosts Make in India, signs component making contracts with Mahindra Aerospace, 3 others The manufacturing hub has been established by the company after it managed to secure seed funding worth $ 2.75 million from General Catalyst. The startup also raised funding from aerospace industry veterans such as Airbus India's Former CEO and MD Dwarakanath Srinivasan and former President, of Boeing India Pratyush Kumar. General Catalyst is a San Francisco-based leading global venture capital company. Also Read: InCred cautiously optimistic on defence space; assigns add rating to 4 stocks including HAL, Bharat Electronics About Jeh Aerospace Jeh Aerospace has been co-founded by Tata Boeing Aerospace ex-Chief Operating Officer Vishal R Sanghavi and Venkatesh Mudragalla, ex-senior executive at Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Ltd. It provides ready manufacturing solutions to the aerospace and defense (A&D) industry through its scalable manufacturing facilities and vetted supplier networks. Apart from Tata Boeing, Vishal R Sanghavi has also worked with Sikorsky, and Lockheed Martin, and handled large P&L and teams. Also Read: US regulators complete inspections on 40 grounded Boeing's 737 MAX 9 aircraft The manufacturing facility will help in the transformation of the supply chain experience for global aerospace customers through vetted supplier networks that meet or exceed global quality standards. According to Sanghavi, the Hyderabad-based facility goes beyond being a physical space, which will transform the global aerospace and defence supply chain. The defence manufacturing facility will enhance the industry's capabilities and make its resilience to change by creating a robust supply chain. The company offers products and services to the global aerospace and defence industry related to manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain management.ad: Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Chinas real-estate crisis has dragged down the economy, caused massive layoffs and pushed multibillion-dollar companies to the point of collapse. Economists think its about to get worse. Sales of newly built homes in China fell 6% last year, returning to a level not seen since 2016, according to Chinas statistics bureau. Secondhand home prices in its four wealthiest citiesBeijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhendeclined by between 11% and 14% in December from the year before, according to the broker Centaline Property. Developers are starting fewer projects. Homeowners are paying back their mortgages early and borrowing less. Once-thriving property companies are stuck in protracted negotiations with foreign investors, following defaults on about $125 billion of overseas bonds between 2020 and late 2023, according to figures from S&P Global Ratings. Chinese developers and local governments are so desperate to attract home buyers that some have resorted to bizarre marketing strategies. A property company in Tianjin ran a video advertisement featuring the slogan buy a house, get a wife for free." It was a play on words, using the same Chinese characters as the phrase buy a house, and give it to your wife"but presented in a sentence structure typically used to offer freebies for home buyers. In September, the company was fined $4,184 for the ad. A residential compound in eastern Chinas Zhejiang province promised last year to give home buyers a 10-gram gold bar. Earlier this month, Sheng Songcheng, former head of the statistics department at the Peoples Bank of China, told a local conference that the housing downturn would last another two years. He thinks new-home sales will fall more than 5% in both 2024 and 2025. Wall Street economists are also ringing alarm bells about how long the real-estate slump will last. Not too many people are buying, can buy or want to buy," said Raymond Yeung, chief China economist at ANZ. He said there had been a fundamental shift in the way Chinese people view the property sector, with housing no longer seen as a safe investment. Chinas real-estate sector and related industries once accounted for around a quarter of gross domestic product and the sectors slump has been a significant drag on the worlds second-largest economy. That has increased calls for Beijing to do more to prop up the sector, but so far Chinese officials have stuck to piecemeal policies rather than introducing a landmark stimulus package. A number of economists are making comparisons to Japan, which spent decades trying to rebound from a crash in real-estate and stock prices. Chinas stock market is in a yearslong slump. Chinas central bank can help make the situation less painful, but it will need to be aggressive, said Li-gang Liu, head of Asia Pacific economic analysis at Citi Global Wealth Investments. The central bank still has policy room and could take one big step to make a significant impact, he said. Liu Yuan, head of property research at Centaline, said that without the governments help, new-home prices will need to drop by another 50% from current levels before they reach a bottom. This is based on the assumption that the tipping point will only come when it is cheaper to buy than to rent houses, Liu said. Chinas real-estate downturn has claimed dozens of victims. More than 50 developersmostly privately ownedhave defaulted on their debt. Developers still have millions of unfinished homes that were sold but not delivered. Chinese authorities have set aside billions of dollars to help builders complete apartments but the logjam is growing. The crisis has drained the coffers of some Chinese local governments, which previously relied on land sales as a main source of income. Economists estimate they have hidden debt worth anything from $400 billion to more than $800 billion. To quiet talk of potential defaults, the central government has set up debt-swap programs to help some of them refinance. Some economists are optimistic. In the first half of this year, buyers of secondhand homes will gradually return to the new-home market and prop up the sector, said Helen Qiao, chief China economist at Bank of America. Things will slowly get better from here," Qiao said. But most are still expecting more pain, and investors are bearish. A benchmark of Hong Kong-listed property stocks had fallen for four years in a row before the start of this year. Since Jan. 1, it is down another 15%. Write to Rebecca Feng at rebecca.feng@wsj.com and Cao Li at li.cao@wsj.com We all saw the pictures last week of people who own electric vehicles in Chicago having a rough time trying to charge their batteries. The winters blast there lowered the rate at which energy could be safely placed into the system. Lost in the ponderous owners manual was the fact that the charging process is a chemical reaction, really a diffusion process, that takes the movement of ions to occur, and, as most reactions go, it is very sensitive to temperature. This follows a notion suggested way back in 1889 by the Swedish chemist Svante Arrhenius, who pointed out roughly that the rate of a chemical reaction decreases by a factor of about 2 for every 10-degree Celsius drop in temperature. According to ABC News in Oak Brook, Illinois, people who drove Tesla EVs found themselves waiting in long lines at Supercharger stations because the temperature hit a low of minus-9 Fahrenheit (minus-23 Celsius). This meant a normal 45-minute charge turned into an eternity with a 10 times increase. A little research in this area shows that old Thomas Edison found this out the hard way with his doomed nickel-iron battery 120 years ago. The water-based cell just could not function in the cold, as opposed to the standard lead-acid battery of today. But there are other problems in the EV battery area besides the cold-charging problem that you will soon hear about. One of these deals with the element cobalt. Lets take a look. Most EVs today are powered by some sort of lithium cell that uses critical minerals like lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, phosphorus and graphite. Lithium is used in all cells because it is relatively a light weight element that has a high cell voltage of usually 3.0 volts. Your cell phone uses lithium for those very reasons. In a typical lithium cell, the anode material is graphite but the cathode can be one of several types: a layered lithium cobalt aluminum (NCA), lithium iron phosphate (LFP), or lithium manganese oxide (LMO), and it just depends on the manufacturer. For many years, Tesla used the NCA battery, and, unfortunately, found out the metal cobalt is very sensitive to price fluctuations because it is sourced from nations that sometimes are unfriendly to the U.S. A NCA battery is therefore more expensive to make than the other types, and since the car is mostly battery the vehicle price can be excessive. NCA batteries, however, offer very high energy density and are great for performance models, the types that offer quick and powerful acceleration. Tesla announced in fall 2021 they would be switching to LFP batteries in all standard range Model 3 and Model Ys, and these cells are largely produced in China to even save more money. LFP batteries solve several problems at once because, most notably, they are cobalt-free and thus cheaper to manufacture. They are also less likely to undergo thermal runaway a process that can lead to a fire. Unfortunately, they suffer from range loss in cold weather. For some locations within our country, it may be good to go back to the cobalt-based design. More than likely, those are the ones having the cold problems last week. A paper published this month by an MIT group on a new battery material that could offer a more sustainable way to power electric cars might just solve the battery problem. It describes a lithium cell where the cobalt cathode is replaced by one made of organic materials that offers the same electrical abilities. In their report: A Layered Organic Cathode for High-Energy, Fast-Charging, and Long-Lasting Li-Ion Batteries found in the Jan. 18th issue of ACS Publications, in conjunction with the American Chemical Society, the MIT group describes how the use of bis-tetraaminobenzoquinone (TAQ), can offer a distinct improvement in battery design. According the MIT website, their lead author, Mircea Dinca, the W.M. Keck Professor of Energy, says: I think this material could have a big impact because it works really well and is already competitive with incumbent technologies, and it can save a lot of the cost and pain and environmental issues related to mining the metals (cobalt) that currently go into batteries. The team says strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding and donoracceptor pi-pi interactions in TAQ render it insoluble in common battery electrolytes and at the same time offer high bulk electrical conductivity. They claim that using TAQ in lithium cells allows for at least 2,000 charge and discharge cycles, strongly contrasting with the issues of electrode dissolution chronically experienced using standard electrodes. Besides, the theoretical specific capacity of this material is found to be 356 mA H/gram comparing to the value of 190 mA H/gram for NCA as reported by the EVreporter.com which lists a compendium of electrode alloys. About six years ago, Dincas lab began working on a project, funded by Lamborghini, to develop an organic battery that could be used to power electric cars. While working on porous materials that were partly organic and partly inorganic, Dinca and his students realized that a fully organic material they had made in the process appeared that it might be a strong conductor. In their study, the researchers showed that this material (TAQ), can be produced at much lower cost than cobalt-containing batteries and can conduct electricity at similar rates. The new battery also has comparable storage capacity and can be charged up faster, the researchers reported. Lets hope they run cold tests before they get too far. Winter is warmer than usual in Northeast Asia and the Chinese economy is cooler. One result: prices of liquefied natural gas are chilling quickly and will probably remain muted. Unlike 2022, when shipping and natural gas pipeline disruptions thrust Europe into an energy crisis, high inventories and muted Asian demand in 2024 make a repeat unlikely. That is despite escalating Red Sea tensions bottling up global shippingincluding a new strike against Houthi militants by U.S. and U.K. forces Monday. Qatar, one of the major LNG suppliers in the region, has decided to avoid the Red Sea. Asian LNG prices have fallen over 40% to $9.41 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in the past two months, according to Refinitiv. Over the past year they have more than halved. Prices in Europe initially jumped in October when the Houthi attacks began, but have also since retreated back to around $9 per MMBturoughly where they sat last summer. Apart from the mild winter and high LNG inventories, demand for LNG in 2024 will probably be limited by competition from Russian piped gas in Asia, and abundant coal supplies. A halting recovery in Chinas energy-intensive heavy industry will also help keep a lid on prices. China and Japan are the worlds largest LNG importers. Qatar is a major supplier: Qatar sends more than 80% of its LNG to Asia, according to Rystad Energy, but not via the Suez Canal. Qatari supplies will have more trouble reaching Europe, but with the U.S. now a significant LNG exporterand European inventories still amplethat is less of a problem than it might have been in the past. Per Rystad data, storage levels are at 78% in Europe and close to the upper edge of the 5-year range in South Korea and Japan. Higher-than-expected winter temperatures until almost the end of December 2023 have limited inventory drawdowns in major importing countries such as Japan, South Korea and China, according to Argus Media. Asian LNG demand is projected to increase by 5%, or 12 million metric tons, this year, following a 2% rise in 2023, according to the consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Nuclear is another factor. According to Anu Agarwal, Asia head of LPG at Argus Media, an uplift in nuclear availability has also further limited the amount of spot LNG needed in Japan and South Korea this winter. The longer-term supply picture for Asia also looks ample: Russia aims to increase gas supplies to China via its Power of Siberia 1 pipeline to 38 bcm annually by 2025. Two years ago, when Russia attacked Ukraine, LNG prices took a trip skyward as Europe sought any and every alternative to piped Russian gas. LNG is sitting the current conflict out. Write to Megha Mandavia at megha.mandavia@wsj.com Bitcoin, the world's largest cryptocurrency , experienced a significant decline on January 22, dropping to a seven-week low and trading below $40,000 for the first time since the introduction of 11 spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on January 11, Reuters reported. At its lowest since December 4, Bitcoin recorded a 3.98 percent decrease, settling at $39,938.00, following a brief recovery. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, also saw a decline of 6.37 percent, reaching $2,328.30. Bitcoin had witnessed a surge in value, driven by anticipation of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approving bitcoin ETFs, a move expected to attract a wave of new investors. The cryptocurrency had gained approximately 70 percent since August 2023, when a federal court compelled the SEC to reconsider its rejection of Grayscale Investment's bitcoin ETF application. Analyst Views Some analysts foresaw a potential correction in Bitcoin's gains. Others suggested that the cryptocurrency faced challenges in competing with traditional stocks on January 22. The S&P 500 benchmark index achieved fresh record highs, primarily fueled by semiconductors and other tech stocks. "It feels like bitcoin investors are running up a descending escalator right now as traditional financial benchmarks enjoy the easier ride to record highs," Antoni Trenchev, co-founder of crypto lender Nexo told Reuters, He pointed out that previous major crypto events, such as the initial public offering (IPO) of crypto exchange Coinbase and the launch of bitcoin futures, had been followed by similar bitcoin slumps. Bitcoin also encountered pressure from outflows in Grayscale Investment's bitcoin trust, converted into an ETF following the SEC's approval of other bitcoin ETF products earlier this month. FTX, which faced bankruptcy in 2022, reportedly sold 22 million shares valued at nearly $1 billion in the ETF, according to a report by CoinDesk. Trenchev expressed concerns, stating, Spot bitcoin ETFs are in danger of joining the... crypto hall of infamy." Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Chinas benchmark CSI 300 has lost more than a third of its value since 2020, and is now entering its fourth year of declines. Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index, which includes the shares of many big Chinese companies, has already fallen 10% this year, making it the worst-performing major stock index in Asia. The selloff has fueled capital flight from foreign investors, pushed small investors in the country toward safer assets and encouraged emerging-markets-focused funds to adopt strategies that leave China out of their portfolios. Beijings top officials are taking notice. The State Council, the countrys top government body, said Monday that authorities should take stronger and more effective measures to stabilize markets and boost confidence. It called for better regulations, more transparency and an attempt to improve the quality of listed companies. The cabinet meeting, which analysts said was a direct response to the stock market selloff, was chaired by Chinese Premier Li Qiangthe countrys No. 2 leader. It led to speculation that China is planning a big stimulus package to boost the stock market, although market participants said the details are murky. Hong Kongs benchmark Hang Seng Index rallied in response, closing the day up 2.6%its best performance this year. In mainland China, the CSI 300 and Shanghai Composite indexes also closed slightly higher. The meeting came days after stock analysts noticed another sign of strong government support: a rash of buying by the so-called national team, a group of state-linked firms that Beijing sometimes pushes to buy shares and other assets. The national team is typically defined by analysts to include insurers, pension funds and Chinas sovereign-wealth fund. These investors started scooping up exchange-traded funds as early as last week, according to people familiar with the matter. Five of Chinas biggest ETFs got a combined $5 billion of net inflows on Monday, the biggest on record, data from research firm Z-Ben Advisors shows. It remains uncertain how long that sort of capital deployment will last," said Peter Alexander, founder of Z-Ben Advisors. But lets put it like this: the messaging for us matters more than the capital itself." The moves show the increasing sense of urgency in Beijing over the prolonged slide in stock prices, which has been fueled by doubts about the countrys economy. Chinas government has a love-hate relationship with the stock market. It has sometimes pushed back against big rallies and clamped down on speculation. But the governments plans to transform its economy into one centered on technology will rely in part on many billions of dollars of capital being raised from stock-market investors. China is grappling with deflation, weak consumer confidence and a prolonged slump in the real-estate market. Many economists started 2023 with a sense of optimism about the countrys post-Covid reopening, but they steadily lost faith after a string of disappointing economic data. Chinas economy grew 5.2% in 2023, according to official figures, roughly in line with the governments target. Senior officials have tried to reassure foreign investors about the countrys long-term potential. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, earlier this month, Li said the economy could handle the ups and downs" and talked up the benefits of investment in China. But many investors arent convinced. The abysmal cheapening of equity valuations suggests a deep disconnect between the authorities repeated rhetoric about reaching real growth targets and the markets disbelief that nominal growth is anything but healthy," said Aninda Mitra, BNY Mellons head of Asia macro and investment strategy. This disconnect needs to be bridged, or at least addressed, for equity market conditions to turn around." One of the concerns for investors is that Chinas economic growth was for many years highly dependent on the property sector, which accounted for around a quarter of economic output, according to some estimates. Beijing has tried to encourage a shift away from real estate into other sectors, but the results so far are mixed at best. The latest moves follow a raft of policy tweaks last year to support the market. The finance ministry cut a stocktrading tax to encourage Chinas powerful army of mom-and-pop stock traders back to the market. The securities regulator promised to lower index-fund registration thresholds, and make it easier for foreign investors to buy stocks. I believe the government will not stop finding ways to improve sentiment until the goal is achieved," said Jian Shi Cortesi, an investment director at GAM Investments. The selloff in Chinese stocks over the past year or so is particularly jarring because other markets have performed so well. U.S. stocks surged last year, and set record highs this week. Japans Nikkei 225 index rose 28% in 2023, and is now trading at its highest level for more than three decades. It is already up 9.1% so far this year. Some individual investors in China have joined the rush to buy Japanese stocks. Four China-listed ETFs tracking the Nikkei 225 index recorded about $2.6 billion of turnover last week, their busiest week of trading on record, according to Wind, a financial-data provider. Late last year, Goldman Sachs analysts predicted the CSI 300 would rise around 16% in 2024. Analysts at JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley also said Chinese shares were likely to go higher by the end of this year. Write to Weilun Soon at weilun.soon@wsj.com and Rebecca Feng at rebecca.feng@wsj.com Bitcoin has fallen over 20 per cent since the January 11 launch of the first exchange-traded funds investing directly in the token as speculators become more cautious about the potential impact of the products, according to a Bloomberg report. The digital asset rose to $49,021 on the day the ETFs from issuers including BlackRock Inc. and Fidelity Investments went live. Bitcoin traded at $38,860on Tuesday in New York, a 20.7 per cent drop from that intraday peak. As bearish sentiment appears to be prevailing, the next crucial price levels for bitcoin that could provide support are estimated to be between $38,000 and $36,000," analysts at crypto exchange Bitfinex wrote in a Tuesday note. Also Read: Bitcoin falls to $40,000, at seven-week low amid Bitcoin ETF launch Nine new US spot Bitcoin funds started trading on January 11, while the $22 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Trust or GBTC converted from a closed-ended structure into an ETF. A net $1.2 billion flowed into the group in the first six days, Bloomberg Intelligences Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas wrote on X. BlackRocks iShares Bitcoin Trust and the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund garnered most of the influx, while $2.8 billion exited the Grayscale fund, Balchunas said. Among the sellers was the estate of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, which disposed of the majority of its shares in the Grayscale vehicle. Over the past two weeks, Bitcoin has been challenged by tougher macro conditions evidenced by rallying rates and a strengthening dollar and significant selling pressure from traders unwinding their GBTC arbitrage positions along with the FTX bankruptcy estate offloading assets," Sean Farrell, head of digital-asset strategy at Fundstrat Global Advisors LLC, wrote in a note. The disposals by FTX potentially remove a supply overhang, suggesting that the intense selling pressure from GBTC may soon subside, the analyst added. The world's largest cryptocurrency surged almost 160 per cent last year, outperforming traditional assets such as stocks, amid speculation that the ETFs would catalyze wider adoption of the cryptocurrency by institutional and individual investors, according to the report. At its lowest since December 4, Bitcoin recorded a 3.98 per cent decrease, settling at $39,938.00, following a brief recovery. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, also saw a decline of 6.37 per cent, reaching $2,328.30. The token has been retreating since the turn of the year and trailing global markets. Tokens such as Ether and BNB also fell sharply along with Bitcoin, the largest digital asset, which is roughly $30,000 below its 2021 pandemic-era record of almost $69,000. GBTC outflows have created a dynamic in the market that needs to be normalized before we will see true price discovery," said Leah Wald, chief executive officer of digital-asset investment firm Valkyrie Investments, according to Bloomberg. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The remarkable rally in railway PSU stocks, observed in the last few weeks, paused during today's trade on account of profit booking. Shares of IRFC, Rail Vikas Nigam , Ircon International , Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), and RailTel Corporation of India all plummeted in today's trade between 7-14%. It is worth noting that these five stocks rallied up to 58% in the last week alone, despite frontline indices finishing the week in red. According to the analysts, the sharp rally in railway stocks was attributed to the anticipation of the Government of India (GoI) unveiling fresh investments for railway infrastructure development in the upcoming 2024 budget. Also Read: Stocks to buy this week: HDFC Bank, Cochin Shipyard, NMDC among 9 tech picks Additionally, the expected strong Q3 results have contributed to the upward momentum in these stocks. Meanwhile, Ircon International emerged as the most significant loser among major railway PSUs in today's trade, falling by 13.70% to 230 apiece. Despite a substantial rally of 37% in the previous week, the stock, even after today's sharp downturn, still boasts a remarkable 38.62% in January so far. Zooming out, the stock has displayed an astounding ascent from its low of 35.80 apiece in July 2022 to the current value of 230, yielding an impressive return of 542%. Likewise, RailTel Corporation of India witnessed a 12.60% decline in today's trade, reaching 388 apiece. Despite the sharp fall, the stock maintains an 18% gain in the current month so far. Also Read: Zee share price tanks 30%, erases over 6k crore mcap as Sony calls off merger Rail Vikas Nigam was another multibagger stock that saw a sharp drop of 10% in today's trade, settling at 288.50 apiece. Last week, the stock jumped from 204.25 apiece to 320 apiece to generate a massive return of 57.61%. This pushed the company's market capitalisation to 66,793 crore. Despite the significant fall in today's trade, the stock still holds a commendable 59% gain for January thus far. IRFC shares also tumbled 7.53% in intraday trade today, reaching 162.75 apiece. Just last week alone, the company's market cap witnessed a stellar rise of 82,082 crore as shares gained 55.42%. Having crossed the one lakh crore market cap milestone in September last year, the company took just four months to achieve the next one lakh crore as its shares continued their winning streak. As of today, the company's market capitalisation stood at 2.10 lakh crore. In the current month so far, it still holds a gain of 62%. Also Read: IRFC stock surges nearly 500% in 10 months, market cap reaches 2 lakh crore; here's why Simultaneously, IRCTC shares also saw a 9.20% drop in today's intraday trading, reaching 932.50 apiece. Disclaimer: We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The eagerly awaited inauguration of the Ram Mandir took place in Ayodhya on January 22. In the lead-up to this significant event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of substantial investments to transform Ayodhya into a smart city sparked a notable surge in various stock prices. The inauguration ceremony itself was a grand affair, with over 7,000 guests in attendance from both India and abroad. Officials from the Ayodhya Development Authority anticipate a substantial influx of visitors, estimating between 3 to 5 lakh individuals daily for at least a month following the inauguration. With over $10 billion in investments made in new airports, revamped railway stations, townships, and improved roads, the city is expected to attract around 5-10 crore footfall every year, according to a report by Jefferies. This influx of pilgrims is poised to create lucrative opportunities for many sectors. "Without a doubt, Ayodhya will become a major spiritual tourism destination. The potential for tourism-related business is enormous and has attracted investors into hotel, travel, and other tourism-related stocks. While appreciating the long-term potential of investment, investors should not go overboard chasing these stocks that have elevated prices. Many stocks in this segment have run up too much too fast and have shot up by more than 100 percent in just a few weeks. This is a sentiment-driven rally triggered by retail exuberance. Ayodhya tourism has excellent long-term prospects, but investors have to be careful about the valuations. Large caps in IT, capital goods, telecom, and selective private sector banks are safer bets now," advised VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, at Geojit Financial Services. These sectors stand to gain after the opening of the Ram Mandir Hotels The hotel industry in and around Ayodhya is poised for significant growth following the opening of the temple to visitors. Anticipating an upsurge in tourism, the region is likely to experience a boom in the hotel sector as accommodations become increasingly sought after by tourists and pilgrims visiting the temple. Currently, the city has approximately 17 hotels with around 590 rooms. To meet the anticipated increase in tourist arrivals, 73 new hotels are in the pipeline, with 40 of them already under construction, informed Jefferies Shares of hotel stock Praveg, which has built a resort at Ayodhya has jumped almost 40 percent just in January after a 12.4 percent rise in December. In the last 1 year, the stock has soared 205 percent. Meanwhile, other luxury hotel chains like Indian Hotels Co., ITC, Mariott, Lemon Tree, Trident, and Oberoi are also planning hotel openings in the area. ITC is opening a seven-star property, 12 km from the temple. Meanwhile, IHCL is building Vivanta and Ginger-branded hotels. Shares IHCL have gained 8 percent just in January while EIH and EIH Associates have jumped 22 percent and 36 percent in this period. Lemon Tree Hotels also advanced 18 percent and Chalet Hotels added 9 percent in Jan 2024 so far. Apollo Sindoori Hotels also rallied 46 percent. The hospitality projects are expected to add significant room capacity to accommodate the growing number of tourists and pilgrims visiting Ayodhya. Airlines The newly completed Ayodhya International Airport was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, 2023, and flight operations begin on January 10, 2023, ahead of the Ram temple opening. Ayodhya's Phase I of the new airport is operational, becoming a milestone in facilitating air travel to and from the city. The airport's Phase I, built at a cost of approximately approximately $175 million, has an annual handling capacity of 1 million passengers. Meanwhile, Ayodhya's international terminal is expected to be operational by 2025. Once operational, Phase II of the airport is expected to handle around 6 million passengers annually. InterGlobe Aviation Ltd.'s IndiGo started commercial operations in Ayodhya from Delhi and Ahmedabad. Meanwhile, ticket prices to Ayodhya airport have surged on the back of increased demand. Shares of SpiceJet have risen 5.33 percent in January after a 35 percent jump in December and a 23 percent gain in November 2023. Meanwhile, IndiGo shed around a percent in January till date on high valuations after 3 straight months of rise between October-December 2023. Railways The Ram temple city, Ayodhya, has witnessed enhanced connectivity through railways during the temple inauguration, with the operation of over 1,000 trains providing convenient access from major cities. Looking ahead, there are plans to introduce additional trains to further improve connectivity with Ayodhya, ensuring seamless transportation for visitors and pilgrims. IRCTC stock has added 7.5 percent in January so far after a 26 percent gain in December. Meanwhile, Rail Vikas Nigam soared over 61 percent just in Jan after a 10.5 percent rise in December. Tour operators Tour operators and travel agencies, including Thomas Cook (India) Ltd., EaseMyTrip, and RateGain Travel Technologies Ltd., are experiencing a notable uptick in inquiries and bookings from devotees interested in visiting the recently inaugurated temple. EaseMyTrip, in particular, is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand, as it anticipates a surge in bookings for various travel services such as air tickets, hotels, cabs, buses, and railway tickets in connection with the upcoming temple inauguration. The company's shares have surged 12.6 percent in January after a 5.3 percent rise in December. Meanwhile, Thomas Cook India advanced 18 percent in January so far and RateGain Travel Technologies is up 3 percent in Jan after a 10 percent jump in December. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decision. INTERGLOBE AVIATION More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Nifty 50 declined almost by a per cent in intraday trade on Tuesday, January 23, extending the losses into the second consecutive session. The domestic benchmark is going through a consolidation phase after hitting a record high of 22,124 on January 16. The index lost 1.24 per cent last week after weaker-than-expected December quarter earnings of heavyweight HDFC Bank. Moreover, fading optimism over an early rate cut and geopolitical concerns kept investors wary. Market observers point out that the Nifty 50 has strong resistance at 21,800 and if the index falls below this level, a sideways trade is expected. "We had expressed our lack of confidence to climb back on the 22,240-22,400 trajectory in the face of 21,800 posing a stiff resistance. While we wait for a break beyond the same for confirmation, slippage past 21,570 may lend to a sideways trend with a negative bias," said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist at Geojit Financial Services. "A slow drop to the 20,900 vicinity is a scenario which we have been watchful for, in the last week, but we will be watchful of bargain hunting resurfacing before testing 21,350," said James. Track live market updates here As the market sentiment appears cautious, experts recommend buying technically and fundamentally sound stocks at the current juncture. Based on the recommendations of several experts, below are 9 stocks that one can consider buying for the next three to four weeks. Take a look: Jigar S. Patel, Senior Manager of Equity Research at Anand Rathi Share and Stock Brokers HDFC Bank | Target price: 1,575 | Stop loss: 1,425 For the last two years or so, this stock has been rejected six times from the 1,7251,750 zone and is currently placed near the 1,535 mark. At present, HDFC Bank has taken timely support, retracing nearly 0.707 per cent of its recent up-move. A long-term bull trendline has been placed near 1,500, which is exactly around the above-mentioned 0.707 per cent retracement. On the indicator front, the weekly MACD has not made any bearish signals, and the weekly stochastics are taking a breather from their recent 260-point move. "Based on the technical setup, one can accumulate this stock in the range of 1,4601,490 with a stop loss of 1,425 and a target of 1,575," said Patel. Cochin Shipyard | Target price: 950 | Stop loss: 815 This counter has been in a stellar rally since it has been making higher highs and higher lows. Also, it has nicely followed major DEMAs regularly. In previous trading sessions, it took out its previous swing high and sustained above it. On the indicator front, daily stochastics have entered the overbought zone once again, which is a sign of strength. "One can buy this stock in the zone of 850870 for a target of 950, and the stop loss should be 815 on a daily close basis," Patel said. Tanla Platforms | Target price: 1,300 | Stop loss: 1,107 For the last three weeks or so, this counter has been consolidating in the range of 1,0701,150. On January 10, it took out the said range, thus making it lucrative at current levels. On the indicator front, the Weekly MACD has given a bullish cross exactly above the zero line, which is a sign of further bullishness in the counter. "One can buy this stock in the range of 1,1651,180 with an upside target of 1,300 and a stop loss of 1,107 on a daily close basis," said Patel. Also Read: Zee share price tanks 30%, erases over 6k crore mcap as Sony calls off merger; brokerages downgrade stock Shiju Koothupalakkal, Technical Research Analyst, Prabhudas Lilladher Jindal Stainless | Target price: 645 | Stop loss: 555 The stock has gained much strength in the last two years with a strong uptrend visible with regular instances of consolidation and thereafter regaining the momentum for fresh upward movement. Currently, after the short correction from the peak of 622, the stock has indicated signs of a trend reversal taking support near 557 and with improvement in the bias, is expected to rise further in the coming days. The stock has maintained above the significant 50EMA level for the last two months. "With support currently visible near 555 level, one can buy this stock for an upside potential target of 645 keeping the stop loss of 555," said Koothupalakkal. Inox Green Energy Services | Target price: 162-177 | Stop loss: 127 The stock has regained strength after the short correction, forming a flag pattern on the daily chart with new round momentum witnessed with a bullish candle. With the support taken near 127, the stock has indicated a trend reversal, signalling a further rise in the coming day. "With a decisive breach above the previous peak level of 150, a fresh breakout would be triggered for the next targets of 162 and 177 visible. The RSI also has cooled off from the highly overbought zone and currently is well placed to support our view," said Koothupalakkal. NMDC | Target price: 237 | Stop loss: 196 The stock has been in a strong uptrend for five to six months. After a short correction, it has once again shown signs of bottoming out, taking support near 196 and indicating a trend reversal with a positive bullish candle pattern on the daily chart. The RSI indicator also has corrected significantly from the highly overbought zone and reversed to signal a buy. "With much upside potential visible once again, we suggest buying and accumulating the stock for an upside target of 237 and 251 levels, keeping the stop loss of 195," said Koothupalakkal. Also Read: Stock market today: Sensex, Nifty 50 fall nearly 1% after strong opening: 5 key reasons behind the market dip Gaurav Bissa, VP, InCred Equities Paradeep Phosphates | Target price: 92 | Stop loss: 75 Paradeep Phosphate was in an 18-month consolidation and formed a rising wedge pattern. It recently witnessed a breakout from this pattern on the weekly charts on the back of strong volumes but failed to capitalise on the momentum providing market participants a chance to enter the stock for a strong upside. RSI is currently trading near 70 levels on the weekly charts which once sustains above 72 can give a strong push to the stock price towards 95 levels. Hindustan Oil Exploration Company | Target price: 207 | Stop loss: 181 Hindustan Oil Exploration Company has been in an 18-month consolidation. However, it has recently witnessed incremental volumes suggesting strong accumulation in the stock. The stock has shown a breakout on daily charts along with a buy signal in the Ichimoku system on a daily timeframe which can result in the start of a fresh uptrend. It has also witnessed a bullish MACD crossover which can give a strong push to the price towards 220 level. India Nippon Electricals | Target price: 750 | Stop loss: 600 India Nippon has witnessed multiple breakouts on the weekly charts. It has witnessed a breakout from a seven-year bullish triangle pattern on the back of strong volumes. It has also witnessed a smaller swing breakout above 630 level suggesting a strong uptrend can be seen in the coming time. RSI is comfortably trading above 70 which is likely to keep the trend strong. Read all market-related news here Disclaimer: The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts, experts and broking companies, not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions. JINDAL STAINLESS More Information Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Nifty closed at 21571.8, down by 1.54% today. Throughout the day, the Nifty touched a day high of 21750.25 and a low of 21192.6. Similarly, the Sensex traded in the range of 72039.2 and 70234.55 and closed 1.47% down at 71423.65, which was 1053.1 points below the opening price. The Midcap index underperformed the Nifty 50, with the Nifty Midcap 50 closing 3.15% down. Additionally, small cap stocks also underperformed the Nifty 50, with the Nifty small cap 100 ending at 15518.9, down by 445.85 points and 2.87% lower. Looking at the performance of the Nifty 50 over different time periods, it has given the following returns: - In the last 1 week: -3.6% - In the last 1 month: -0.94% - In the last 3 months: 10.15% - In the last 6 months: 7.97% - In the last 1 year: 17.23% The top gainers in the Nifty index were Cipla (up 7.05%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 3.93%), Bharti Airtel (up 3.05%), ICICI Bank (up 2.02%), and Hero Motocorp (up 0.97%). On the other hand, the top losers in the Nifty index were Indusind Bank (down 6.10%), Coal India (down 5.89%), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (down 5.02%), Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone (down 4.69%), and SBI Life Insurance Company (down 4.62%). The bank nifty ended at 46058.2, with an intraday high of 46580.3 and a low of 44886.1. The performance of the bank nifty over different time periods is as follows: - In the last 1 week: -6.42% - In the last 1 month: -5.64% - In the last 3 months: 4.36% - In the last 6 months: -1.94% - In the last 1 year: 5.17% Here is the list of stocks that were the top gainers and losers during the trading session on January 23, 2024: Sensex: Top Gainers: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 4.05%), Bharti Airtel (up 3.37%), ICICI Bank (up 2.10%), Power Grid Corporation Of India (up 0.27%), and Bajaj Finserve (up 0.13%) Top Losers: Indusind Bank (down 5.87%), State Bank Of India (down 4.19%), Hindustan Unilever (down 3.81%), HDFC Bank (down 3.45%), and Bajaj Finance (down 3.16%) Nifty: Top Gainers: Cipla (up 7.05%), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 3.93%), Bharti Airtel (up 3.05%), ICICI Bank (up 2.02%), and Hero Motocorp (up 0.97%) Top Losers: Indusind Bank (down 6.10%), Coal India (down 5.89%), Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (down 5.02%), Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone (down 4.69%), and SBI Life Insurance Company (down 4.62%) Nifty MidCap 50: Top Gainers: Petronet LNG, Persistent Systems, Lupin, Abbott India, and Indus Towers Top Losers: Oberoi Realty, IDFC First Bank, Aditya Birla Capital, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, and Power Finance Corp Nifty Small Cap 100: Top Gainers: Aegis Logistics, Eid Parry India, JB Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals, Aptus Value Housing Finance India, and Anupam Rasayan India Top Losers: Rail Vikas Nigam, Indiabulls Housing Finance, Angel One, M M T C, and Jindal Stainless BSE: Top Gainers: Cipla (up 7.35%), Petronet LNG (up 5.50%), Persistent Systems (up 4.19%), Garware Technical Fibres (up 4.06%), and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 4.05%) Top Losers: Rail Vikas Nigam (down 9.91%), Oberoi Realty (down 9.32%), General Insurance Corporation Of India (down 9.25%), Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (down 8.86%), and Indiabulls Housing Finance (down 8.66%) NSE: Top Gainers: Karur Vysya Bank (up 7.54%), Cipla (up 7.05%), Petronet LNG (up 5.31%), Persistent Systems (up 4.20%), and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (up 3.93%) Top Losers: Network 18 Media & Investments (down 9.99%), Rail Vikas Nigam (down 9.86%), General Insurance Corporation Of India (down 9.53%), Oberoi Realty (down 8.94%), and Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (down 8.92%). Source: [Livemint](https://www.livemint.com) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Ayodhya Ram Mandir: The Ram temple opened for public on Tuesday, a day after the ceremonial Pran Pratistha of Ram Lalla, that saw the who's who of India in attendance. On Tuesday, devotees thronged in large numbers to Ayodhya. A large number of devotees, both locals and visitors from other states, gathered near the main gateway along the Ram Path leading to the temple complex late on Monday, seeking an entry to the premises. Security was steeped up at the temple, which witnessed a heavy rush of devotees at its main gate to have 'Darshan' of Ram Lalla since the grand temple was thrown open to the public today. People were seen breaking through security at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. Devotees flocked to the temple from 3 am to offer prayers. The police stationed at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya had on Monday told the large crowd built up near the ceremonial gateway -- decked up for the consecration ceremony -- that that the temple would open to the public from Tuesday. A devotee told news agency ANI that he has come all the way from Odisha to have darshan of Lord Ram at Ayodhya. "I have come from Odisha's Puri to Ayodhya on bike to have darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. It was a journey of 1224 kilometres. I was very eager to have 'darshan' of Ram Lalla. When I was asked on my way where I was going, I said that that I was going to have darshan of Lord Ram at the temple which was not built for over 500 years," he said speaking to ANI. Devotees were also seen taking a dip at the Saryu River by the temple amid intense cold weather. "I will go to the Mandir now. I have brought rice for Ram Lalla. I took a dip at the Saryu. The water was very cold," one of the devotees at the ghat said. An astrologer who had predicted that the grand Ram temple would be built after October 2019 was also one of the devotees who queued up to have darshan at the temple. An idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, an event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandir's construction to build the foundation of a "strong, capable and divine" India of the next 1,000 years. Built-in the traditional Nagara style, the Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir has a length (east-west) of 380 feet and a width of 250 feet. It stands 161 feet above the ground and is supported by a total of 392 pillars and 44 doors. The pillars and walls of the temple showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities, Gods, and Goddesses. In the sanctum sanctorum on the ground floor, the childhood form of Bhagwan Shri Ram (the idol of Shri Ramlalla) is enthroned. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Bank holidays this week: Banks are in for a three-day long weekend starting this Friday. A total of 16 holidays have been allotted to banks in January 2024 including second, and fourth Saturdays, Sundays, and other regional holidays. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) releases the list of bank holidays, which is based on various factors including national/state holidays, cultural or religious observance, operational requirements, government announcements, and coordination with other banks. Banks will remain closed on these dates this week Banks closed today, January 23 January 23 (Tuesday)- Gaan-Ngai- Banks are closed in Manipur. Banks closed on January 25 January 25 (Thursday)- Thai Poosam/Birthday of Md. Hazarat Ali- Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh. Republic Day: Banks closed on January 26 January 26 (Friday)- Banks are closed Republic Day, which falls on Friday this year, is the only national holiday when banks will be closed for a long weekend as it is followed by fourth Saturday and Sundays. Banks closed on January 27 January 27 (Fourth Saturday) Banks closed on January 28 January 28 (Sunday). An order issued by the Ministry of Finance on January 18, asked public sector banks (PSBs) and regional rural banks to observe a half-day off on January 22, for the Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Banks in Imphal, Kanpur, Lucknow, and Panaji remained closed on Monday, January 22 on account of the consecration ceremony of Lord Shri Ram in the temple built in Shri Ram Janmabhoomi complex/Imoinu Iratpa, as per the RBI holiday calendar. These are holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act. Bank branches of private banks in Uttar Pradesh were closed on January 22, 2024 (Monday). Major private sector lenders, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank, were also shut in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. HDFC Bank will observe a full-day closure in UP and Uttarakhand, while Axis Bank will remain closed for the entire day in Uttar Pradesh. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! World Economic Forum (WEF) Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab expressed confidence in the future of the Chinese economy during an interview with CGTN at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the WEF, receives interview with CGTN. (Photo/CGTN) Schwab said he visited China in 1979 and was impressed by its economic development journey since then. At that time, China's GDP was more than 100 times lower than it is now, and its trade volume showed an even larger difference. Schwab observed that China has transformed from an underdeveloped country to a leader in many technologies. Despite some opinions suggesting that China's economic development has reached its peak, Schwab believes China will effectively respond to challenges such as an aging society, debt, and the real estate market. He is confident that China will discover new patterns of economic growth. While China's GDP has grown to represent 20 percent of the global GDP, its per capita GDP remains lower than that of most developed nations, indicating potential for further development, economic growth and dynamism, according to Schwab. "All countries at the moment go through difficult economic times for different reasons, but I feel China will have the wisdom to address the particular challenges, which are facing the Chinese economy," said Schwab. The WEF Annual Meeting was held from Jan. 15 to 19, 2024. Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur will be awarded India's highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, posthumously. The socialist icon is well-known for his efforts to uplift the backward classes in Bihar. Karpoori Thakur was the pioneer in providing the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) with the benefit of reservation as he implemented the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission during his tenure as Bihar CM from 1977 to 1979. The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously)," a one-line release from Rashtrapati Bhavan said. I am delighted that the Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur Ji and that too at a time when we are marking his birth centenary. This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalized and a stalwart of equality and empowerment," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India's socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society," PM Modi added. Karpoori Thakur's struggle for social justice Born in the Samastipur district of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur became part of India's freedom struggle from a young age. During the Quit India Movement, he was jailed with other freedom fighters but kept struggling to push the Britishers out of the country. Following his initial triumph in 1952, he consistently emerged victorious in every subsequent election due to his widespread appeal arising from his modest lifestyle and unwavering commitment to promoting social justice. Karpoori Thakur actively advocated for the rights of marginalised communities, including scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes. His commitment to social justice and inclusive development was a key aspect of his political ideology. The announcement of the Bharat Ratna award for him comes ahead of his 100th birth anniversary on January 24. Nitish elated over Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday welcomed the decision to confer Bharat Ratna on former CM Karpoori Thakur. In a statement, the ruling Janata Dal (United) said that the announcement is a fulfillment of the party's age-old demand and will "send a positive message among deprived sections of the society". "I have always raised the demand for Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. The announcement that comes on the eve of his 100th birth anniversary brings me great delight," Nitish Kumar said. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The Supreme Court on Tuesday extended the stay on the contempt of court proceedings against the four Gujarat police officials who were sentenced to 14 days of imprisonment by the Gujarat High Court in October last year for committing contempt of court for violating the apex court's guidelines about detaining and interrogating suspects. The apex court admitted the statutory appeal by the Gujarat police officers: inspector AV Parmar, sub-inspector DB Kumavat, head constable LK Dabhi, and constable Rajubhai Dabhi against the October 19, 2023 order of the Gujarat High Court. "It is a statutory appeal. It has to be admitted," the bench noted during the hearing. The bench of Justices BR Gavai and Sandeep Mehta, however, slammed the Gujarat police officials in question for their conduct. "What kind of atrocities are these? Tying the people to a pole, beating them in public view and taking videos. Then you want this court to intervene," Justice Mehta said. "(Do) you have an authority under law to tie people to a pole and beat them? Go and enjoy the custody," Justice Gavai added. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the officials in question, said they were already facing criminal prosecution, departmental proceedings and an inquiry by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). "The question here is the high court's jurisdiction to proceed against them in contempt proceedings," Dave said, adding no offence of wilful disobedience was made out against them in terms of the apex court's 1996 verdict in the DK Basu case where it had issued guidelines for making arrest, and detention and interrogation of suspects. "Was there any wilful disobedience of this court's verdict? This is the question for which the answer has to be found. Were the policemen aware of the verdict?" Dave added. Justice Gavai said ignorance of the law is not a valid defence. "Every police officer ought to know what is the law laid down in DK Basu. As students of law, we have been hearing and reading about the DK Basu verdict," Justice Gavai said. Dave, however, asserted the accused policemen cannot be prosecuted for the offence under the contempt jurisdiction of the high court. Justice Gavai then wanted to know about the status of a private complaint lodged against the accused policemen. Senior advocate IH Syed, appearing for the complainant, said it was pending. Also Read | Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Devotees break through security as temple opens for public "Contempt charges were independent and irrespective of departmental proceedings and criminal prosecution. They are simply saying it's not wilful disobedience. Beyond that, they have no case," Syed said. Justice Gavai said since it is an appeal, the court will have to hear the matter. Dave persisted with his prayer for stay and said even the high court had stayed the operation of its order by three months. Justice Gavai agreed to his request and ordered a stay on the sentence. Also Read | Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration Live Updates: Heavy rush of devotees outside temple for prayers Five Muslims were allegedly beaten up with batons by the accused policemen, who tied them to a pole. The five were among the 13 people picked up for their alleged involvement in throwing stones at a garba event in Undhela village of Kheda district during the Navratri festival in October 2022. Some villagers and police personnel were reportedly injured. Later, the five accused, including the main complainant Jahirmiya Malek, had approached the high court claiming police officials committed contempt of court by flouting the Supreme Court's guidelines. A total of 13 policemen were named as accused in the case initially. However, the CJM's report specified the role of only four of them after an inquiry. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Maharashtra News: Deputy Chief minister and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis has said that thirteen people were arrested by the Maharashtra Police for being involved in a scuffle that broke out between two communities at Mira Road on Monday, ahead of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratistha ceremony. Police urged the people of Mumbai to maintain peace and said the cops had taken timely action". Fadnavis also informed that the police have launched a probe into the incident. Heave security has been deployed in the Mira Road area adjacent to Mumbai. Local police, Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, RAF (Rapid Action Force), MSF (Maharashtra Security Force) and SRPF have been deployed in the area. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to microblogging site X to share the update. 13 have been arrested so far & detailed analysis of CCTV footage is underway to identify & arrest others involved too. There will be zero tolerance against anyone who tries to take the law in their own hands and attempts to disturb the law & order situation in Maharashtra" On Monday, it was reported that a dispute broke out between two communities at Mira Road's Naya Nagar area near Mumbai in Maharashtra. According to police, the incident occurred on 11pm on Sunday. Videos of the incident went viral on social media platform X. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jayant Bajbale told news agency ANI, "The conflict between the two communities broke out at around 11 pm on Sunday when some people of the Hindu community were raising slogans in 3-4 vehicles in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai." "Shortly after, an argument broke out between the Hindu community and some people belonging to the Muslim community. Seeing the deteriorating situation, the police vehicle immediately reached the spot and took some people into custody," he said. "Several videos of the clash between two communities in Mira Road adjacent to Mumbai went viral on social media. A video of a person named Abu Shaikh went viral where he was seen provoking people. The person who posted this video has been arrested and MBVV police have sought two days of custody: DCP Jayant Bajbale," said Jayant Bajbale. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Expectant mothers nationwide eagerly welcomed newborns, choosing to have pre-planned C-sections that coincided with Monday's consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. According to a report by Times of India, in different urban centres, numerous infants were delivered through C-sections, emphasizing the importance of aligning their births with the Abhijit Muhurat" period between 11:45 am and 12:45 pm. Also Read: Ayodhya Ram Mandir Inauguration Live Dr Sharika Roy, another gynaecologist in Patna, disclosed that at least twelve parents wished for deliveries to occur on the day of the consecration ceremony. A baby boy was born precisely at 12.31 pm to a patient named Neha," she told TOI. Meanwhile, in Bengaluru, six babies were born through planned C-sections during the auspicious muhurat." Keerthi J, a 27-year-old mother, shared a mix of joy and fatigue after giving birth to a baby boy. She told TOI her plan to name him Rama, a decision influenced by consultations with astrologers. The report further said that at Kolkata's AMRI Hospital, two scheduled C-section deliveries took place just moments before the commencement of the consecration ceremony. Also Read: 'History unfolds' at Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration 10 highlights from Pran Pratishtha led by PM Modi Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, a couple from Rajasthan joyously welcomed twinsa boy and a girlborn between 12:20 pm and 12:30 pm. Dr Mitali Vasavada, the gynaecologist overseeing the delivery, mentioned that the children were conceived through IVF, and the parents specifically requested the delivery dates to align with the Ayodhya ceremony, TOI reported. In Ayodhya, the statue of Shri Ram Lalla was revealed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in attendance, who subsequently conducted the rituals during the Pran Pratishtha ceremony within the innermost chamber of the majestic temple. Also Read: Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration: How your donation can help you save money from income tax outgo? Emphasizing the importance of establishing the groundwork for India's forthcoming millennium, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the citizens to commit to constructing a resilient, proficient, magnificent, and spiritually enriched India from this point onward. The PM said that the construction of the temple, which some feared would set off a firestorm, now stands as a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and integration. (With inputs from agencies) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Dense fog combined with air traffic restrictions on Tuesday resulted in several flight delays at Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport, causing inconvenience to travellers, Hindustan Times reported . Over 150 flights at Delhis IGI airport were delayed on Tuesday. However, only seven of them had to be cancelled," the English daily reported citing an official having knowledge of the matter. The cancellations, however, were due to operational reasons," the official added. An Airports Authority of India (AAI) official noted that dense fog in Delhi and other parts of North India led to these delays. Delhi along with North India witnessed dense fog leading to delayed take offs from their origin airports," the official said. This aligns with the Sunday forecast from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which predicted dense fog and severe cold conditions in North India conditions to continue next four days. Also Read | Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur to be awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously The airports in Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur, Lucknow, Kolkata, and Bangalore are equipped with Category III (CAT III) technology, enabling landings in low visibility conditions such as fog or rain. However, many airports are only CAT I or CAT II compliant, which limits operations during poor visibility. CAT I (or Category I) allows landing with a visibility of 500 mts and CAT II calibrations allow flights to land with a visibility of 300 mts on the runway. The recent increase in flight disruptions at Delhi airport due to fog caused severe inconvenience to passengers, forcing the government to come up with SOPs to be strictly followed by the airlines. Also Read | 2024 Oscar nominations announced: See the full list here The recent delays and inconvenience caused by fog and adverse weather conditions have underscored the pressing need to improve Category III (CAT III) facilities in airports across India...The absence of CAT III capabilities not only hampers operational efficiency but also strains the entire aviation ecosystem, impacting airlines..there is a compelling case for a collaborative effort between the government and the aviation industry to expedite the implementation of CAT III facilities at airports nationwide" HT quoted Jaideep Mirchandani, Group Chairman of Sky One, a VIP charter service company, as saying. Airport officials said that the number of flight delays also increased due to airspace curbs in Delhi from January 19 to 26. According to a statement issued by Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) last week, no flights are permitted to land or take- off from Delhi on the Republic Day week from 10.20 am to 12.45 pm. Also Read | Budget 2024 Expectations: Streamlining TCS to GST credit here's what travel & tourism sector expects this year While a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued to all the airlines, the closure of airspace leads to congestion in the airspace as airlines seek landing permissions from the air traffic control, as soon as it reopens. On Tuesday, the flights that were already delayed from smaller airports due to fog, had to be further delayed as per the Delhi airspace restrictions," an airport official said. IndiGo posted a travel advisory on X and alerted passengers of possible flight disruptions due to weather challenges" in Lucknow, Patna, Varanasi, Jammu and Agartala. ..our flight schedules may experience interruptions.." their post said. The 51-inch-tall idol of Lord Ram Lalla will be called by the name Balak Ram", as it is the embodiment of the child form of Lord Ram, according to a priest associated with the Pran Pratishtha ceremony held at Shri Ramjanmbhoomi temple in Ayodhya on January 22. The idol of Lord Ram, whose consecration was done on January 22, has been named 'Balak Ram'. The reason for naming the idol of Lord Ram as 'Balak Ram' is that he resembles a child, whose age is five years," news agency PTI quoted Arun Dixit, a priest associated with the Ram Temple ceremony, as saying. Ram Lalla's idol has been chiselled by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj. The azure-coloured Krishna Shila (black schist) used for the sculpture was extracted from Gujjegowdanapura in Jayapura Hobli, HD Kote Taluk of Mysuru. The sky-blue metamorphic rock, famously known as soapstone, is a perfect choice for sculptors in carving idols. After the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the idol, the aarti timings, offerings to Lord Ram, and other procedures have been fixed for the temple. Ram Mandir in Ayodhya: 5 things to know -The Ram Lalla idol is adorned with Banarasi fabric, donning a yellow dhoti and a red patka or angavastram. The angavastram is embellished with pure gold zari and threads. -Aarti at the Ram temple will be performed six times a day. The Ashtyam Seva of Ram Lalla will be held in all eight hours of 24 hours," said Acharya Mithileshnandini Sharan, the instructor of Ram Lallas priests. -The aartis held six times a day will include Mangala, Shringaar, Bhog, Uthapan, Sandhya, and Shayan aarti. Mangala Aarti will be performed to awaken Lord Ram Lalla. The deity will be adorned with fresh clothes and new jewellery in Shringaar Aarti. -At the time of Bhog Aarti, Bal Raam will be offered with Puri-sabzi-kheer. After this, Uthapan Aarti will be performed to remove the evil eye on Ram Lalla. In the evening, Sandhya Aarti will be done at the temple. At the end of the day, Shayan Arti will be performed before Lord Ram will be put to sleep. -In addition to offerings like puri-vegetables, and rabri-kheer, Bal Ram will also be offered milk, fruits, and other sweets. Darshan for lord Ram will begin at 6 am. As per the procedure, Ram Lalla will adorn white clothes on Monday, red on Tuesday, green on Wednesday, yellow on Thursday, cream on Friday, blue on Saturday, and pink on Sunday. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Recent United Nations (UN) findings in Afghanistan reveal escalating restrictions by the Taliban on women's freedoms. These limitations impact their work, travel and access to healthcare. Women are now required to have a male guardian (mahram) to engage in these basic activities, the Associated Press reported. A notable incident reported by the UN involved the Taliban's Vice and Virtue Ministry. They informed a female healthcare worker that her employment would apply only after she married. Education for girls beyond the sixth grade has been halted under the Taliban regime. This move reverses initial promises of a more moderate governance. Moreover, enforcing a strict dress code has led to the shutdown of beauty parlours. Women who fail to adhere to the Taliban's hijab standards face arrest. In May 2022, a decree further limited women's visibility in public, advocating for the burqa and allowing only the eyes to be shown. The latest report by the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) highlights the severe impact of these measures. For instance, in Paktia province, women without male guardians have been barred from accessing health facilities. The Vice and Virtue Ministry actively ensures compliance with these rules in public places, offices and educational institutions. Instances of women being detained for working without a mahram have been reported. In one case, three female health workers faced detention, only released after family assurances of compliance. Similarly, in Kandahar, women are prevented from travelling long distances without a mahram. Controversially, women have been arrested for purchasing contraceptives although the Taliban has not officially banned these. Islamic rulings The Taliban's chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, has defended these actions as adherence to Shariah. He criticised the UN report for its alleged misunderstandings and for challenging Islamic law. If UNAMA criticises these cases or considers explicit Islamic rulings as an act against human rights, then it is an insult to the beliefs of a people," AP quoted him as saying. (With AP inputs) Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Amid the ongoing Russia and Ukraine war, a social media post went viral on the internet which claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin declared the 1867 sale of Alaska illegal". In a post on X (formerly Twitter), a Ukrainian user Igor Sushko wrote, Putin signed an order insinuating the sale of Alaska to the United States in 1867 was illegitimate. This mofo is trolling the West and our leaders shake in their boots in response." Hahahah - seriously. not kidding: Putin has signed a decree making the sale of Alaska to the US illegal. territory is to be declared occupied," another post on the microblogging site read. However, it turned out to be a rumour which originated from an article published by essanews.com on January 21, 2024, with the title "Putin stokes tensions with the US, declares 1867 sale of Alaska 'illegal.'" "Enterprise for Property Management Abroad" of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation as the recipient of a subsidy for financial support of costs associated with the search of real estate of Russian Federation, the former Russian Empire, the former USSR, the proper registration of the rights of the Russian Federation in relation to the existing federal real estate," the document read. Sale of Alaska in 1867 In 1859, Russia offered to sell Alaska to the United States because it thought the United States would counterbalance the intentions of Great Britain, Russia's main Pacific adversary. The sale was postponed due to the impending American Civil War. Still, Secretary of State William Seward promptly accepted a new offer from Russia, according to the US State Department website. On March 30, 1867, it accepted Russian Minister in Washington Edouard de Stoeckl's proposal to buy Alaska for $7.2 million. The treaty of purchase was approved by the Senate on April 9, signed by President Andrew Johnson on May 28, and officially incorporated into the United States on October 18, 1867. This acquisition guaranteed US access to the northern rim. Alaska was governed by military, naval, or treasury rule, or sometimes no rule at all, for thirty years following its acquisition, during which the United States paid little attention to it. In 1884, the US established a civil government in an attempt to enforce US mining laws, it said. Critics dubbed the acquisition of Alaska "Seward's Folly," but when a significant gold deposit was found in the Yukon in 1896, and Alaska served as the entry point to the Klondike gold fields, the former Secretary of State was vindicated. It was not until World War II that Alaska's strategic significance was acknowledged. Alaska was admitted as a state on January 3, 1959. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed a two month pause to the attack on Gaza, killing Palestinians, reports Axios. Israel conveyed the proposal to to Hamas fighters through Qatari and Egyptian mediators. The proposal comes merely a day after Netanyahu rejected a deal by Hamas fighters to end the war on Gaza , that has killed over 25,000 Palestinians till now. Israel's multi-phase deal would include the release of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, the Axios report added citing two Israeli officials. Netanyahu, who is under growing domestic pressure to bring the captives home, had said that accepting Hamas conditions would mean leaving the armed group intact" and that Israels soldiers had fallen in vain". I reject outright the terms of surrender of the monsters of Hamas," Netanyahu had said on Sunday. Netanyahu earlier repeated his opposition to an independent Palestinian state, insisting he would not compromise on full Israeli security control over the entire area in the west of Jordan". Hamas freed more than 100 captives in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners as part of a brief truce brokered in late November by Egypt, Qatar and the US. Hamas is still holding 136 people in captivity, according to Israeli officials. At least 25,105 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel declared its intention to eliminate Hamas in response to the groups October 7 attacks. US, Britain launch new joint strikes on Houthis The United States and Britain launched new strikes on Yemen's Houthis Monday, saying their second round of joint military action against the Iran-backed rebels was in response to continued attacks on Red Sea shipping. The latest US-UK strikes were against "eight Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the Houthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea," Washington and London said in a joint statement with other countries that supported the military action. They "specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities," the statement said. "These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners," it said, adding that the rebel group had carried out "a series of illegal, dangerous, and destabilizing" actions since the previous joint US-UK air raids. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Israel said Tuesday 24 soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its ground war in Gaza amid growing pressure on the government to find a way to end the conflict. The heavy clashes came as a White House official was due in the region for talks aimed at securing more hostage releases, and as US media reported a new Israeli proposal for a deal that would involve a two-month pause in fighting. Twenty-four soldiers were killed on Monday, with the army saying 21 of them were reservists slain when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said an investigation was launched into the "disaster" and that Israel "must learn the necessary lessons". Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the "deaths of 24 of our fighters, our best sons... is a heavy blow". More than 200 people attended the funeral of one of the reservists, Hadar Kapeluk, whose coffin was draped with an Israeli flag, at Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem. An analyst said the mounting toll of soldiers killed -- now 221 -- since Israel launched its ground offensive in Gaza would heap pressure on the government. "Everybody is mourning the soldiers this morning and I think people will demand clear answers about the purpose and the goal of this operation in Gaza," said Israela Oron of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. On the ground, fighting raged in Khan Yunis, the biggest city in southern Gaza, which the army said it had "encircled". Witnesses said powerful explosions rocked Khan Yunis, as well as Deir al-Balah in north Gaza and Rafah in the south. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said its staff at Khan Yunis's Nasser Hospital felt the "ground shaking". The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces had hit its headquarters in Khan Yunis "resulting in injuries among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises". Looming threat of famine UN agencies and aid groups have sounded the alarm about the growing threat of disease and famine in Gaza, where 1.7 million people are estimated to have been uprooted. "The situation in Gaza is of course slipping every day into a much more catastrophic situation," with "a looming threat of famine", said Abeer Etefa, the World Food Programme's senior spokeswoman for the Middle East. Abu Iyad, his belongings piled on a donkey-drawn cart, said he was moving for the seventh time, fleeing Khan Yunis for Rafah on the Egyptian border, where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians have sought shelter, many in makeshift tents. "I'm heading to the unknown," he told AFP. "They told us to go to Rafah -- where to go in Rafah? Is there any space left?" The Gaza war broke out with Hamas's unprecedented October 7 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. In response, Israel has carried out a relentless offensive that has killed at least 25,490 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The Hamas attack also saw about 250 hostages seized, and Israel says around 132 remain in Gaza. That number includes the bodies of at least 28 dead hostages, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. A week-long truce in November saw 105 hostages released, the Israelis among them in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Relatives of those still held captive stormed a parliamentary committee meeting on Monday demanding urgent action. "You sit here while our children are dying over there," yelled Gilad Korngold, father of hostage Tal Shoham, an AFP correspondent reported. - Two-state solution - US news outlet Axios reported on Monday night that Israel had proposed to Hamas, via Qatari and Egyptian mediators, a new deal to free all the hostages. The report, citing unnamed Israeli officials, said the proposed deal would be carried out in multiple stages, and would also involve the release of an undetermined number of Palestinian prisoners. The plan was expected to take about two months to complete. The proposal does not include promises to end the war, but it would involve Israeli troops reducing their presence in major cities in Gaza and gradually allowing residents to return to the territory's devastated north, Axios said. News of the proposal comes as US media said the White House's coordinator for the Middle East, Brett McGurk, was expected in Egypt and Qatar for meetings aimed at securing a new hostage exchange deal. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel, however, said Washington still believed "a two-state solution, a creation of a Palestinian state, is the only path that gets us out of this endless cycle of violence". Netanyahu has steadfastly rejected calls for the creation of a Palestinian state, saying Israel must maintain "security control over all the territory west of the Jordan" River, an area that includes all of the Palestinian territories. - US, UK hit Yemen's Huthis - EU foreign ministers pressed Israel to change its mind at meetings in Brussels on Monday with the top diplomats from the two warring parties and key Arab states. "The two-state solution is the only solution, and even those who don't want to know about it have not yet come up with any other alternative," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. At the gathering, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ignored questions from journalists over a future two-state solution and said his country was focused on returning the hostages and ensuring its security. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, who was also in attendance, said Israel's rejection of "the two-state solution is dooming the future of the region to more conflicts". The Gaza war spurred fears of a wider escalation, with a surge in violence involving Iran-backed Hamas allies across the region. Lebanon's Shiite movement Hezbollah said Tuesday it struck the Israeli air control base of Meron for a second time in recent weeks, in response to Israeli "assassinations" and attacks on civilians. The United States and Britain launched a new wave of air strikes against Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Tuesday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping. In response, the Huthis warned that "these attacks will not go unanswered and unpunished". Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. PM Pham Minh Chinh (centre) speaks at a discussion on lessons from ASEAN at the WEF Annual Meeting 2024. (Photo: VNA) Engaging in more than 30 activities during his two-day stay in Davos, PM Pham Minh Chinh attended the WEFs Country Strategic Dialogue on Vietnam and a dialogue on Vietnams global vision, while also delivering remarks at other events of the WEF Annual Meeting. The events left strong impression on participants about the countrys outstanding socio-economic achievements, development orientations and strategies, foreign policy of independence and self-reliance, and responsible and effective contributions to regional and global peace and development. On this occasion, he also had over 20 meetings with leaders of countries, international organisations, and major enterprises to further intensify relations with partners in various areas, especially economy, trade, investment, science, technology, digital transformation, green transition, health care, and intellectual property. The meeting between PM Pham Minh Chinh and Hungarian President Katalin Novak in Budapest on January 19. (Photo: VNA) Meanwhile, during the official visits to Hungary and Romania, PM Chinh took part in over 30 meetings with all high-ranking leaders of the States, Governments, parliaments, and political parties of the two countries. He also delivered policy speeches at universities, took part in business forums, met with the two countries friendship associations with Vietnam, talked to the Vietnamese communities, and visited some economic and scientific - and technical establishments there. Vietnam and the two European countries agreed to augment cooperation in all spheres. While the Vietnamese side expressed the readiness to serve as a bridge linking Hungary and Romania with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the latter two said they will also help connect Vietnam with Europe. Vietnam and the European countries also agreed to fully implement the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and persuade the remainders to ratify the EU - Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA). The meeting between PM Pham Minh Chinh and Romanian President Klaus Iohannis in Bucharest on January 22. (Photo: VNA) A number of cooperation documents in multiple fields were signed during the visits, including nearly 30 on cooperation in education - training between Vietnamese universities and training institutions of the two countries. The Government leader also met with the Vietnamese communities in Hungary and Romania. The official visits marked important milestones in the Vietnam - Hungary comprehensive partnership and the Vietnam - Romania traditional and friendly partnership. They consolidated political trust and foster all-round cooperation in a more result-oriented manner for the sake of each countrys prosperity and for regional and global peace, stability, cooperation, and development./. The United States and Britain launched a second round of joint military strikes on Yemen's Huthis on Tuesday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping, as the Iran-backed rebels vowed to hit back. The latest raids, heard by residents of the rebel-held capital Sanaa around midnight (2100 GMT), hit eight Huthi targets, a joint US-UK statement said, while the Huthis listed 18 strikes across their territory. US and British forces carried out a first wave of strikes against the rebel group earlier this month, and the United States launched further air raids against missiles that Washington said posed imminent threats to both civilian and military vessels. But the Huthis have continued their attacks on shipping -- just one part of a growing crisis in the Middle East linked to the Israel-Hamas war, which has raised fears of a broader war directly involving Iran. The latest US-UK strikes were against "eight Huthi targets in Yemen in response to the Huthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea", they said in a joint statement with other countries that supported the military action. "These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Huthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners," the statement said. The US Central Command said in a separate statement that the targets of the strikes "included missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, radars and deeply buried weapons storage facilities". Attacks won't go 'unpunished' British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said the Huthis had carried out more than 12 attacks on shipping since the first wave of joint strikes on January 11. "What we have done again is send the clearest possible message that we will continue to degrade their ability to carry out these attacks... (and) that we back our words and our warnings with action," he said in a statement. The Huthis remained defiant, with military spokesman Yahya Saree promising a response. "These attacks will not go unanswered and unpunished," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, listing 18 strikes in Sanaa, Hodeida, Taez and Al-Bayda provinces. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said he told Cameron during the World Economic Forum in Davos last week that the attacks were a "strategic mistake". "We sent a serious message and warning to the Americans," he said during a trip to New York, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. "The action that the United States and the United Kingdom carried out jointly... is a threat to peace and security in the region. It is the intensification of the scope of the war." A senior US military official said the strikes were carried out using a combination of precision-guided munitions from US and British aircraft, and Tomahawk cruise missiles. There were no concerns about civilian casualties at the sites that were hit, while Huthi losses were unknown, the official told journalists. "The targeting was very specific and... very deliberate to go after the capability that they are using to attack maritime vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab and Gulf of Aden," the official added. Saree, the Huthis' military spokesman, did not mention any casualties in his post on X. Two months of attacks On Monday, hours before the joint operation, Huthis claimed they fired on a US military cargo ship off the coast of Yemen. The claim was denied by a US defence official. The Yemeni rebels began striking Red Sea shipping in November, saying they were hitting Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza, which has been ravaged by the Hamas-Israel war. The Huthis have since declared US and British interests to be legitimate targets as well. In addition to military action, Washington is seeking to put diplomatic and financial pressure on the Huthis, redesignating them as a "terrorist" organisation last week after dropping that label soon after President Joe Biden took office. The rebels reiterated on Monday that they will "respond to any attack" on Yemen and continue to "prevent Israeli ships" from passing through the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea until the end of the war in Gaza. The latest round of the Israel-Hamas conflict began after an unprecedented October attack by the Palestinian militant group that resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel responded with a relentless air and ground offensive that has killed at least 25,295 people, around 70 percent of them women, children and adolescents, according to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza. Those deaths have sparked widespread anger across the region and stoked violence involving Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as well as Yemen. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Coal India Ltd plans to mine for lithium. The companys technical director, B. Veera Reddy, said last week the company plans to explore for the critical mineral. CIL has so far only been in the business of mining coal. Recently, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and NTPC Ltd announced a joint venture to produce green hydrogen. In defence, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd is reaping the benefits of a long order book that reflects government priorities, instead of what the company is good at. In the maritime sector, Cochin Shipyards Ltd is staking a claim to build zero emission feeder container vessels without any visibility as to how it will do that. The striking aspect of these decisions is that these public sector undertakings, or PSUs, are making such announcements that are market moving without explaining to their private sector shareholders whether they have the technical capability to execute these new projects. Most of them have the money to spend, of course, being largely debt-free entities. Yet, the only shareholder that seem to know of and possibly approve these plans is the government of India, which holds majority stakes in these companies. That is the antithesis of good corporate governance, especially for companies run overwhelmingly on public funds. A private sector company will face serious shareholder blowback if it tries these capers. There have to be approvals explained in the annual general meetings, whose decisions are parsed carefully by investment research firms. There is a remarkable lack of such audits at state-owned firms. The lack of such controls is possibly why these companies jump to take up large projects whenever the government comes up with a new policy idea. For instance, in the successive Open Acreage Licensing Policy, in the petroleum sector, most of the bidders in the ninth round of auctions are apparently government-owned firms. Not only that, state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has made announcements of discoveries that can potentially add 45,000 barrels per day to its productionabout a tenth of its total daily production. The problem is that the discovery did not impress analysts since these were already in the offing for a long time, going as far back as 2018. While it is a no-brainer that the Indian sedimentary basin is a difficult territory, such fortuitous announcements by government-run companies only make price discovery for others complicated. Given the government's enthusiasm for creating domestic champions in all sectors, there is no doubt that the ranks of state-owned companies will expand, unlike the expectations from a previous era that their numbers would dwindle. The expanding ranks means their impact on the economy shall deepen massively. The combined market capitalization of PSUs at over 34 trillion bear out some of this story. The challenge is to ensure that public interest means the same as government interest. The stakes are no chicken feed. These state-owned companies have investible resources of 22.8 trillion, as per the Public Enterprises Survey FY22. But are the returns commensurate in their existing lines of business? For instance, the return on assets for ONGC is 11.03%. For IOC, it's even lower at 1.98% and for NTPC about 3.79%. Essentially, the assets are not being milked adequately for investors to be enthusiastic about their performance. The erratic signals that consequently emanate have an impact on market discipline. The recent enthusiasm of the markets about rail companies like Indian Railway Finance Corp. bear this out. IRFC, the financing arm of Indian Railways, is highly over-leveraged so the markets should be avoiding it like the plague, yet its scrip has soared. This unusual behaviour is because the market expects finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to provide for high capital expenditure for the Railways. In other words, it is not the companys performance but signals from the state that will determine its fortune. Not the best signal for the sector. The Indian Embassy in the UAE has invited Taliban envoy Badruddin Haqqani for Republic Day celebrations. He represents Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi. This gesture sparked significant debate. Critics argue that it indicates India's acceptance of the Taliban. However, Indian officials label it as a standard diplomatic procedure, as per The Hindu. Badruddin Haqqani, previously associated with the Haqqani network, is a contentious figure. This network orchestrated attacks on Indian missions in Afghanistan. The most notable was the 2008 Kabul Embassy bombing. It claimed 58 lives, including Indian diplomats and security personnel. The invitation for His Excellency Badruddin Haqqani" has caused a stir in diplomatic circles. Afghanistan's Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ashraf Haidari, expressed disappointment. This is utterly against Afghans basic expectation of India as an emerging democratic power to protect and defend Afghans human rights and to support their growing resistance against the same terrorists who bombed the Indian Embassy in Kabul and killed and wounded many Indian citizens," The Hindu quoted Haidari as saying. Globally, no country officially recognises the Taliban regime. However, several nations, including Russia, China and Central Asian states, have accredited Taliban representatives. In December 2023, China even accepted a Taliban-appointed ambassador, a first among nations. The Taliban's appointment of Badruddin Haqqani as envoy was seen as a significant development by their Acting Foreign Ministry. This appointment indicates expectations of strengthened ties between the UAE and the Taliban. The UAE recognised the Taliban during its initial rule from 1996 to 2001. Routine invitation While India has not officially reacted, The Hindu cited official sources to report that it was a routine" invitation. The invite was extended to all diplomatic missions in the UAE, barring Pakistan, as per the sources. Sources have also revealed to the publication that the Afghan Embassy in Abu Dhabi still displays the Republic's tricolour. This contrasts with the Taliban's black and white flag. The Indian Embassy in New Delhi, reopened by Afghan Consuls linked with the Taliban, also retains the flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan", the publication added. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chairperson Mamata Banerjee on January 23 criticised the Congress for delaying seat-sharing in the state over unjustified" demand for 10-12 Lok Sabha constituencies , when her party was willing to share only two. Her disapproval of the grand old party came at a time when Rahul Gandhi had claimed to have very close" relations with the TMC supremo. Also Read: INDIA bloc struggles for consensus as Lok Sabha polls near, Congress spars with TMC, JD(U) over seat-sharing TMC-Congress seat-sharing talks in Bengal: 5 latest updates Amid the seat-sharing talks between the TMC and the Congress, contrasting comments of Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, and other party leaders point towards ongoing tensions in the INDIA alliance. Here are five latest updates on TMC-Congress seat-sharing talks ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. -On Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi claimed that he has very close" bond with Mamata Banerjee. The negotiations on seat-sharing are underway, I don't want to comment here. But Mamata Banerjee is very close to me and our party," said the Congress MP. He also added that comments of other party leaders like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary won't matter and these things are not going to disrupt" the relations between the Congress and TMC. -Rahul Gandhi's claim of having strong relations with the TMC leader fell short when Mamata Banerjee expressed her displeasure with the party over seat sharing issue during a closed-door organisational meeting of the party's unit in Birbhum, a district considered a stronghold of the TMC, reported PTI. -During the same meeting in Birbhum, Mamata Banerjee urged party leaders to prepare to fight the electoral battle alone. She also emphasised that the TMC needs to win in both the Lok Sabha seats from the district. -"Our party supremo clearly said that we don't need to think about seat-sharing talks with the Congress. She said that the party had offered two seats to them. But the Congress at times is demanding 10-12 seats," PTI quoted a senior TMC leader as saying. -West Bengal has a total of 42 Lok Sabha seats. According to the news agency, party sources said that Banerjee encouraged district leaders to prepare for fighting alone in Birbhum. "Mamata didi told us to prepare to fight in both the seats from the district," the TMC leader said. Mamata Banerjee's remark at the party's internal meeting was in contradiction to not only Rahul Gandhi's comments but also her stance for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. A day ago, she had supported the idea of regional leaders spearheading the fight against the BJP in specific regions. She also suggested that the Congress can independently contest 300 Lok Sabha seats. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Assam Congress President Bhupen Kumar Borah has reacted to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma earlier calling Rahul Gandhi Ravan". Borah has called CM Sarma Ravan in return. "Rahul Gandhi's name has not been involved in any corruption case till now. It was BJP who accused Sarma of being involved in Louis Berger scam and Saradha scam," Borah said while referring to the corruption cases Sarma was allegedly involved in before joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2015. Also Read: Himanta Biswa Sarma sets rider as Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra prepares to enter Guwahati today Rahul-jis name has not been involved in any murder case. He was never a member of a terrorist organisation," Borah told ANI while apparently referring to the extortion case in 1991 that allegedly involved Sarma on behalf of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). Rahul-jis name is not there in any corruption charges. So, who is Ravana here?" Borah added while seemingly hinting at the PPE kits scam during the coronavirus pandemic. In 2020, JCB Industries, owned by Sarmas wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, received an urgent work order. This was for supplying PPE kits. Each kit was priced at 990. At that time, Sarma led the Assam health department. Bhupen Kumar Borah also spoke about an incident in Tinsukia where Damini Praja, a young girl from tea estates, had allegedly been raped by a BJP worker. Borah then alleged that the girls mother died by suicide after the saffron party and the police had come together to threaten her. Women in Assam, when compared to women in the entire country, are the most unsafe. Women are unsafe when there is Ravan around," he added while apparently calling the Assam CM Ravan". What Himanta Biswa Sarma said CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was asked about Rahul Gandhi on January 22 as the Ram Mandir inauguration took place in Ayodhya. "Why are you talking about Ravan today? At least, talk about Ram today. We have the opportunity to talk about Ram after 500 years. We should only talk about him and not about Ravan," he said. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra re-entered Assam today. 23 January. Earlier at a meet in Meghalaya, Rahul Gandhi claimed that he was "prevented" from interacting with students of a private university. This allegation against Union Home Minister Amit Shah comes as Assam Chief Minister and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Himanta Biswa Sarma has denied the Yatra permission to enter Guwahati. According to latest reports, the Yatra was stopped at the Guwahati border by the heavy security that the Assam government had deployed. In Meghalaya, on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had instructed" that the Congress leader be prevented from talking to the students of the private university. Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that efforts are being made to enslave students of North East and India, adding "There is no need for any student to be afraid." The Wayanad MP alleged that he Home Minister of the country picked up the phone and called CM Himanta and said that Rahul Gandhi should not meet the students of Assam. Wanted to come to your university and talk to you, understand what you are facing and try and see in my own little way if I could have helped you. The Home Ministry of India called up the CM of Assam and the CM's office called up the leadership of your university and said that Rahul Gandhi must not be allowed to speak to the students of this university. It is not important if Rahul Gandhi comes or does not come. What is important is that you are allowed to listen to anybody you want to listen to. This is not only happening in Assam but in every single university, college or school in India," Gandhi said, addressing students and others from atop his Yatra bus in the Assam-Meghalaya border. Rahul Gandhi was scheduled to hold separate interactions with students, civil society members and party leaders at the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, (USTM) in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district, bordering Assam, on Tuesday morning. The programmes at the private varsity were announced by the Congress on Monday afternoon but were re-scheduled to a hotel, also in Ri Bhoi district, later after the university withdrew the permission. "It is not important if Rahul Gandhi comes or not. What is important is that you are allowed to listen to anybody you want. You must be allowed to live the life as you want and not as somebody else wants," he said. "They want to turn you into slaves but I know that nobody, no power in the universe can do it," Rahul Gandhi asserted, while attacking the BJP. He also maintained that "this is happening not only in Assam but in every school, college, university of India", where the students are "being not allowed to have their own imagination". Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Assam later on Tuesday said, Assam CM (Himanta Biswas Sarma), the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) and the PM (Narendra Modi) can break the rules but we (Congress) would never do such a thing. However, this doesn't mean that we are weak. Congress workers are 'Babbar Sher'". In terms of household work, the washing machine stands as a quintessential cornerstone, revolutionizing the way we approach the age-old chore of laundry. As we delve into the dynamic world of laundry innovation, our spotlight is firmly fixed on Samsung, a brand synonymous with cutting-edge technology and avant-garde design. Samsung has consistently pushed the boundaries of technological advancements, and its washing machines are no exception. Beyond the mundane task of cleaning clothes, Samsung washing machines epitomize a fusion of innovation and efficiency. In this blog, we embark on a journey to unveil the top 10 choices in Samsung washing machines, each a testament to the brand's commitment to transforming the laundry experience. These appliances are not mere devices; they are sophisticated solutions engineered to simplify and elevate the way we interact with our daily chores. From sleek designs to state-of-the-art features, each Samsung washing machine on our list is meticulously curated to cater to diverse needs and preferences. Our exploration goes beyond the superficial, delving into the core technologies that make these washing machines stand out. Whether it's the incorporation of artificial intelligence for intuitive operation, energy-efficient mechanisms, or innovative wash cycles designed for specific fabrics, Samsung has intricately woven technology into the very fabric of these appliances. As we navigate through the intricacies of each model, we'll unravel the unique selling points that set them apart in the competitive market. Join us through innovation, where Samsung washing machines redefine the mundane and breathe life into the concept of modern laundry. Let's embark on a journey where technology meets the timeless art of washing, and together, we'll discover the unparalleled choices that Samsung brings to the world of laundry. Also Read: Best-selling washing machine: Choose from 8 options for your home 1. Samsung 7 kg, 5 star This Samsung washing machine, with its 5 Star Energy Star rating, is a game-changer in the laundry world. Designed for households with 3 to 4 members, its 7 kg capacity ensures effective and thorough cleaning. The powerful 700 RPM motor not only offers higher spin speeds for faster washing and drying but also makes it ideal for busy households. Equipped with a range of 9 wash programs, including Quick Wash, Bedding, Delicates, and more, this washing machine caters to diverse laundry needs. The Diamond Drum and Dual Storm Pulsator ensure a quality wash, while features like Eco Bubble Technology and BubbleStorm add an extra layer of efficiency. With a sleek Red LED panel display, this washing machine is not only easy to operate but also comes with special features like a Magic Filter for lint-free clothes. The Eco Tub Clean, Auto Restart, and Child Lock feature make it a user-friendly choice. Plus, with a 2-year comprehensive warranty on the product and an impressive 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter Motor, Samsung assures durability and performance. Experience the perfect blend of affordability, efficiency, and innovation in the world of laundry with the Samsung 7 kg, 5 Star Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine where quality meets convenience at a compelling Samsung washing machine price! Specifications of Samsung 7 kg, 5 star: Product Dimensions: 56.6D x 54W x 98.8H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 7 Kilograms Special Feature: Inverter, Water Level 5.00 Access Location: Top Load Pros Cons Diverse 9 wash programs for flexibility.. Red LED display may be bright. Durable with 20-year motor warranty.. 2. Samsung 9 Kg, 5 Star The Samsung 9 Kg, 5 Star Fully-automatic top load washing machine is a perfect blend of affordability and outstanding wash quality. Designed for ease of use, this samsung washing machine with a 9 kg capacity is ideal for large families. The impressive 5-star Energy Star rating ensures best-in-class efficiency, saving both energy and costs. Manufactured with precision, this washing machine comes with a 2-year comprehensive warranty on the product and an astounding 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter Motor. The motor operates at 700 RPM, offering higher spin speeds for faster wash and drying, making it perfect for busy households or those seeking quick and effective laundry solutions. Equipped with 10 wash programs, including Quick Wash, Baby Care, Bedding, and more, it caters to diverse laundry needs. The Diamond drum and Dual Storm pulsator ensure a thorough wash, while the Red LED panel display is suitable for hard water washing. Key performance features like Speed Spray, Super Speed, and Magic Filter enhance its efficiency. This Samsung top load washing machine also boasts special features such as WiFi Embedded, SmartThings App Support, and Eco Bubble Technology for a truly modern and connected laundry experience. With a rust-proof body, tempered glass window, and child lock, it's not just a washing machine; it's a comprehensive solution that brings innovation and convenience to your laundry routine. Specifications of Samsung 9 Kg, 5 Star: Product Dimensions 56.8D x 54W x 100.8H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 9 Kilograms Special Feature: Inverter, Water Level 10.00 Access Location: Front Load Pros Cons Efficient 5-Star Energy Rating Noisy Operation at High Speeds 10 Versatile Wash Programs 3. Samsung 8 Kg '5-star Ecobubble This Samsung 8 Kg '5-star Ecobubble Fully-automatic Top load washing machine is a game-changer in laundry for large families! With its mighty 8 kg capacity, it's perfect for big laundry days. Powered by Eco Bubble Technology, it's not just a washing machine; it's a laundry wizard. Let's talk efficiency it boasts a 5-star rating, making it the best in class. The BubbleStorm feature ensures your detergent works 2.5 times faster, providing 20% better fabric care. Speed Spray takes care of rinsing in a jiffy, and Dual Storm creates a water vortex for thorough cleaning. Now, here's the tech talk: the Digital Inverter Technology not only makes it quieter but also more powerful and energy-efficient. No need to worry about its performance, as it comes with a reassuring 2 years comprehensive warranty. But wait, there's more the DIT Motor is backed by a whopping 20 years of warranty. With a spin speed of 700 RPM, your clothes come out drier, reducing your waiting time. But what sets this washing machine apart isn't just its features it's the Samsung washing machine warranty. So, if you're looking for a reliable laundry companion, this Samsung washing machine not only promises top-notch performance but also provides peace of mind with its robust warranty, making laundry days a breeze! Specifications of Samsung 8 Kg '5-star Ecobubble: Brand : Samsung Model : WA80BG4546BRTL Energy Efficiency: 5 Star Rating Capacity: 8 Kilograms Annual Energy Consumption: 0.09 Kilowatt Hours Pros Cons Digital Inverter Technology ensures quiet operation. May require more space in the laundry area. Impressive 20-year warranty on DIT motor. 4. Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA80BG4441BGTL) The Samsung 8 Kg '5-star Ecobubble Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA80BG4441BGTL) is a perfect blend of affordability and superior wash quality. This fully-automatic top-load washing machine is designed for ease of use, making laundry a breeze for everyone. With an impressive 8 kg capacity, it's tailored for large families, ensuring you can tackle extensive loads with ease. Boasting a stellar 5-star Energy Star rating, it stands out for its best-in-class efficiency, helping you save on energy costs. Plus, the machine comes with a reassuring 2-year comprehensive warranty, and the Digital Inverter Motor is backed by a remarkable 20-year warranty. Operating at 700 RPM, the higher spin speed ensures faster washing and drying, making it ideal for busy households and those seeking quick and effective laundry solutions. The 9 wash programs, including Quick Wash, Bedding, Delicates, and Energy Saving, cater to a variety of fabric needs. Noteworthy features include Eco Bubble Technology, BubbleStorm, and Dual Storm, delivering an advanced and gentle cleaning experience. The machine's Diamond drum and Dual Storm pulsator ensure thorough cleaning, while the Red LED panel display adds a touch of modernity. With special features like a Magic Filter, Soft Closing Door, and Child Lock, this Samsung washing machine is not just a laundry appliance it's a complete solution for your household needs. Specifications of Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA80BG4441BGTL): Product Dimensions: 54D x 56.8W x 98.8H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 8 Kilograms Special Feature: Inverter, Water Level 5.00 Access Location: Top Load Pros Cons Advanced Eco Bubble Technology for gentle cleaning. Limited RPM speed for quicker washing. Durable Digital Inverter Motor with 20-year warranty. 5. Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T504DAX1TL) The Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T504DAX1TL) is a powerhouse of innovation for your laundry needs. Designed for large families, this fully-automatic front load washing machine combines the best wash quality with impressive energy and water efficiency. With a generous capacity of 8 kg, it's perfect for handling laundry loads of sizable families. The water pressure range of 50-800 KPa ensures optimal performance, while the water consumption adheres to BEE label standards. The energy-saving capabilities are further enhanced by the Digital Inverter technology, contributing to reduced energy consumption, as indicated by the BEE label. Boasting a 1400 RPM motor, this washing machine achieves higher spin speeds for faster wash and drying. Ideal for busy households, it gets your laundry done quickly and effectively. The appliance comes with a comprehensive 2-year warranty and an impressive 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter. The Samsung washing machine front load offers an extensive range of 21 wash programs, including quick wash, activewear, baby care, and more. The drum type, featuring 2nd Diamond technology, ensures efficient and gentle cleaning. Key performance features like hygiene steam, intensive wash, and bubble soak provide a thorough cleaning experience. Moreover, this smart washing machine is equipped with modern conveniences such as AI control, WiFi embedded, and SmartThings app support. The inclusion of bubble technology, in-built heater, and a host of additional features like child lock and delay end make laundry a breeze. With the Samsung washing machine front load, embrace a new era of efficient, smart, and convenient laundry care. Specifications of Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T504DAX1TL): Capacity: 8 Kilograms Colour : Inox Brand: Samsung Product Dimensions: 55D x 60W x 85H Centimeters Special Feature: Inverter, Child Lock, Hygiene Steam, Drum Clean, Bubble Technology Pros Cons Energy and Water Efficient Moderate Noise Levels 21 Diverse Wash Programs 6. Samsung 7 kg Fully-Automatic Top Loading Washing Machine (WA70A4002GS/TL) This Samsung 7 kg Fully-Automatic Top Loading Washing Machine (WA70A4002GS/TL) is a game-changer in affordable laundry solutions. With its user-friendly design and remarkable wash quality, it's the ideal choice for households seeking efficient and easy-to-use appliances. The 7 kg capacity makes it perfect for families with 3 to 4 members, ensuring you can tackle laundry effortlessly. Its 3 Star energy efficiency rating not only helps you save on energy bills but also contributes to a greener environment. This Samsung washing machine boasts a powerful 680 RPM motor, ensuring higher spin speeds for faster washing and drying. Ideal for busy households, it gets your laundry done quickly and effectively. With 4 wash programs - Normal, Quick Wash, Soak+Normal, and Delicates - it adapts to various laundry needs. The Eco Tub Clean feature ensures longevity by keeping the drum clean and efficient. Designed to handle hard water, the Diamond Drum and Center Jet Pulsator, crafted from stainless steel, deliver durability and superior wash performance. The yellow-green panel display adds a touch of vibrancy, and the Magic Filter ensures effective lint removal. With additional features like 5 water levels, Rat Protection, Rust-proof Body, Tempered Glass Window, Child Lock, and Monsoon program, this Samsung washing machine 7kg is a comprehensive solution for your laundry needs. Plus, backed by a 2-year manufacturer warranty, it offers peace of mind and reliability. Transform your laundry routine with this Samsung washing machine, where innovation meets practicality. Specifications of Samsung 7 kg Fully-Automatic Top Loading Washing Machine (WA70A4002GS/TL): Product Dimensions: 54D x 56.8W x 92.6H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 7 Kilograms Special Feature: Inverter Access Location: Top Load Pros Cons Affordable with great wash quality Moderate water level options 680 RPM for faster washing and drying 7. Samsung 10 Kg 5 Star Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA10BG4686BRTL) This Samsung 10 Kg 5 Star Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA10BG4686BRTL) fully-automatic top load washing machine not only offers affordability but also delivers outstanding wash quality. Designed for ease of use, this washing machine comes with a 10-liter capacity, making it perfect for bachelors. Its energy efficiency is top-notch, boasting a 5-star rating for best-in-class efficiency. What sets it apart is the special features like Eco Bubble, Bubblestorm, Speed Spray, Dual Storm, Hygiene Steam, and more. The 9-cycle programs cater to various needs, from Hygiene Steam to Quick Wash, ensuring versatility in every load. The machine is equipped with a range of functionalities, including Auto Restart, Child Lock, Delay End, and a Soft Closing Door with a tempered glass window. The innovative Dual Wing Pulsator and Super Speed, combined with a 700 RPM spin speed, promise quick and efficient washing. And here's the highlight it comes with a 2-year comprehensive warranty on the product and an impressive 20-year warranty on the DIT Motor. The Samsung washing machine 10 kg capacity, and laundry day just got a whole lot simpler and more efficient. Experience the perfect blend of technology, convenience, and durability upgrade to the Samsung washing machine for a smarter laundry solution! Specifications of Samsung 10 Kg 5 Star Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA10BG4686BRTL): Product Dimensions: 56.8D x 54W x 100.8H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 10 Kilograms Special Feature: Inverter, Water Level 10.00 Access Location: Top Load Pros Cons Advanced Wash Technology Limited Customization Options Durable 20-Year DIT Motor Warranty 8. Samsung 9 kg, 5 star Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA90BG4542BDTL) This Samsung Washing Machine that's designed to make your laundry days a breeze! This Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA90BG4542BDTL) is a fantastic choice for families, with a generous 9 kg capacity perfect for handling large loads of laundry effortlessly. What sets this washing machine apart is its 5-star Energy Star rating, ensuring not only affordability but also top-notch efficiency. The 700 RPM motor speed ensures faster washing and drying, making it ideal for busy households looking for quick and effective laundry solutions. Featuring 10 wash programs, including Quick Wash, Baby Care, and Energy Saving, this washing machine adapts to your diverse laundry needs. The Diamond Drum and Dual Storm Pulsator ensure a thorough wash, while the panel display with red LED adds a touch of convenience. The key performance features like Quick Wash, Intensive Wash, and the Magic Filter enhance the overall washing experience. Moreover, it comes with special features such as WiFi Embedded SmartThings App Support, Eco Bubble Technology, and a Child Lock for added safety. With a 2-year comprehensive warranty on the product and a remarkable 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter Motor, this Samsung washing machine is not just a purchase; it's an investment in hassle-free laundry and long-lasting performance. Embrace the future of laundry technology with this Samsung gem that effortlessly combines affordability, efficiency, and innovation. Specifications of Samsung 9 kg, 5 star Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA90BG4542BDTL): Brand : Samsung Model: WA90BG4542BDTL Energy Efficiency: 5 Star Rating Capacity: 9 Kilograms Installation Type : Free Standing Pros Cons 9 kg Capacity for Large Loads High RPM may cause noise Smart Control with WiFi Support Also Read: LG 6.5 kg fully automatic washing machine vs. competitors: Top 10 smart choices 9. Samsung 9.5 kg, 5 Star Semi-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine Appliance (WT95A4200LL/TL) The Samsung Washing Machine WT95A4200LL/TL is a Semi-Automatic Top Load marvel designed for efficiency and convenience in every wash. With a generous 9.5 kg capacity, it's tailor-made for large families, ensuring ample space for all your laundry needs. This appliance boasts a stellar 5-Star Energy Rating, reflecting its economical nature with low water and energy consumption. The high-performing 1300 RPM motor is a game-changer, ensuring faster wash and drying times, ideal for busy households or anyone aiming for quick and effective laundry sessions. Diving into its features, the Samsung washing machine offers four wash programs Heavy, Gentle, Delicates, and Normal, including a Soak option. The Hexa Storm Pulsator and Air Turbo Drying technology guarantee a thorough and efficient cleaning process. The Magic Filter adds another layer of performance, ensuring your clothes emerge spotless after every wash. Moreover, this appliance provides easy mobility with four wheels, allowing you to slide it effortlessly around your space. Backed by a 2-year comprehensive warranty on the product and an additional 5-year warranty on the motor, Samsung ensures durability and peace of mind. In essence, the Samsung Washing Machine WT95A4200LL/TL is not just a laundry appliance; it's a household companion designed to make your laundry routine efficient, quick, and hassle-free. With its impressive features and reliable performance, this Samsung washing machine stands out as a top choice for those seeking quality and convenience in every wash. Specifications of Samsung 9.5 kg, 5 Star Semi-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine Appliance (WT95A4200LL/TL): Product Dimensions: 48.5D x 83W x 103.5H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 9.5 Kilograms Special Feature: Delay Start Access Location: Top Load Pros Cons 5-Star Energy Rating - Economical Operation Limited Wash Programs - Basic Options 9.5 kg Capacity - Ideal for Large Families 10. Samsung 8 kg, 5 Star Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T4040CE1TL) This fully-automatic front load washing machine, the Samsung 8 kg, 5 Star (WW80T4040CE1TL), is designed for ultimate convenience and efficiency. With a robust 8 kg capacity, it's perfect for large families, ensuring you can tackle that laundry pile effortlessly. Boasting a remarkable 5 Star Energy Star rating, this washing machine stands out for its best-in-class efficiency, making it energy and water-efficient. The high-speed 1400 RPM motor ensures faster washing and drying, making it an ideal choice for busy households. The comprehensive 2-year warranty on the product and an impressive 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter Motor reflect Samsung's commitment to quality. Equipped with 11 wash programs, including a quick 15-minute wash, this washing machine adapts to your diverse laundry needs. The Diamond drum type and LED panel display make it suitable for hard water washing while the special features like Hygiene Steam, Smart Check, and Child Lock add to its functionality. With features like Delay End, Steam, and Rat Protection, this Samsung washing machine goes beyond the basics, ensuring a thorough and convenient laundry experience. Specifications of Samsung 8 kg, 5 Star Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T4040CE1TL): Product Dimensions: 60D x 55W x 85H Centimeters Brand: Samsung Capacity: 8 Kilograms Access Location: Front Load Pros Cons Seamless gear shifting with Japanese technology. Limited 21-speed setting for some riders. Easily adjustable saddle height for comfort. Top 3 features for you Product Feature 1 Feature 2 Feature 3 Samsung 7 kg, 5 star Fully-automatic top load washing machine Motor: 700 RPM 9 Wash Programs Samsung 9 Kg, 5 Star Best in class efficiency Digital Inverter Motor Red LED Suitable for hard water washing Samsung 8 Kg '5-star Ecobubble Higher spin speeds Powered by Eco Bubble Technology Dual Storm Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA80BG4441BGTL) Affordable with great wash quality Easy to use Suitable for large families Higher spin speeds Samsung 8 kg Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T504DAX1TL) Digital Inverter for energy savings Motor 1400 RPM 21 Wash Programs Samsung 7 kg Fully-Automatic Top Loading Washing Machine (WA70A4002GS/TL) Yellow Green Suitable for hard water washing 5 Levels Rat Protection Rust-proof Body Normal Quick Wash Soak Samsung 10 Kg 5 Star Ecobubble Wi-Fi Inverter Fully Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA10BG4686BRTL) Hygiene Steam Smart Control with Wi-Fi Durable, Silent and Efficient Performance Samsung 9 kg, 5 star Fully-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine (WA90BG4542BDTL) Suitable for large families Best in class efficiency Higher spin speeds Samsung 9.5 kg, 5 Star Semi-Automatic Top Load Washing Machine Appliance (WT95A4200LL/TL) Low water and energy consumption Hexa Storm Pulsator Air Turbo Drying System Samsung 8 kg, 5 Star Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine (WW80T4040CE1TL) Gentle Fabric Care Keep Inside Clean Cleans away residue Best overall product Experience unmatched convenience and efficiency with the Samsung 8 kg, 5 Star Fully-Automatic Front Load Washing Machine. Boasting a stellar 5-star Energy Star rating, this washing machine combines best-in-class efficiency with a robust 8 kg capacity, perfect for large families. The powerful 1400 RPM motor ensures faster washing and drying, making it ideal for busy households. With 11 diverse wash programs, including a quick 15-minute wash, this appliance adapts to all your laundry needs. The Diamond drum type, LED panel display, and special features like Hygiene Steam and Child Lock add to its functionality. Backed by a 2-year comprehensive warranty and an impressive 20-year warranty on the Digital Inverter Motor, this Samsung washing machine promises innovation, efficiency, and reliability. Best value for money Affordable yet efficient, the Samsung 7 kg Fully-Automatic Top Loading Washing Machine is the ideal choice for those seeking value for money. With a user-friendly design and remarkable wash quality, it's perfect for households with 3 to 4 members. The 7 kg capacity ensures effortless handling of laundry, while the 680 RPM motor guarantees higher spin speeds for faster washing and drying. Featuring 4 wash programs and special features like Eco Tub Clean and Magic Filter, this Samsung washing machine provides reliable performance. The Diamond Drum and Center Jet Pulsator ensure durability and superior wash performance. Backed by a 2-year manufacturer warranty, this washing machine transforms your laundry routine with innovation and practicality. How to choose the Best Samsung Washing Machine? Capacity: Assess your household's laundry needs. Choose a capacity that accommodates the size of your family and the amount of laundry you typically handle. Loading Type: Decide between a top-loading and a front-loading machine based on your preference. Front loaders generally offer better efficiency and cleaning performance, while top loaders are more convenient for loading and unloading. Energy Efficiency: Look for the Energy Star rating. Higher ratings indicate better energy efficiency, helping you save on utility bills and reducing environmental impact. Spin Speed: Consider the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) of the washing machine's spin cycle. Higher RPMs result in faster drying times. This is particularly useful for those with busy schedules. Wash Programs: Evaluate the variety and versatility of wash programs offered. Look for machines with a range of cycles catering to different fabrics and laundry needs, such as quick wash, delicate, and bedding cycles. Innovative Features: Explore unique features that define innovation. Samsung washing machines often come with technologies like Eco Bubble, Smart Check, Hygiene Steam, and AI Control. Consider which features align with your preferences and make laundry tasks more efficient. Digital Inverter Motor: Check if the washing machine incorporates a Digital Inverter Motor. This technology enhances efficiency, reduces noise levels, and often comes with an extended warranty period, reflecting durability. Smart Connectivity: Some Samsung washing machines offer smart connectivity features, allowing you to control and monitor your machine remotely through mobile apps. Consider this if you value a connected home ecosystem. Design and Build: Assess the overall build quality, aesthetics, and the materials used. Ensure the washing machine is durable and complements your home environment. Warranty: Look for a machine with a comprehensive warranty. A longer warranty period, especially on critical components like the motor, provides added peace of mind. Customer Reviews: Read reviews from other users to get insights into real-world experiences. This can help you understand the machine's performance, reliability, and potential issues. Budget: Finally, consider your budget. Samsung offers a range of washing machines at different price points. Choose one that meets your requirements without compromising on essential features. FAQs Question : What sets Samsung washing machines apart in terms of innovation? Ans : Samsung washing machines stand out with cutting-edge technologies such as Eco Bubble, Smart Check, and AI Control. These innovations enhance efficiency, convenience, and overall laundry experience. Question : How do I choose the right capacity for my household? Ans : Assess your family size and laundry needs. Smaller capacities suit individuals or couples, while larger families may benefit from machines with capacities ranging from 7 to 10 kilograms. Question : Are front-load or top-load washing machines better? Ans : The choice between front-load and top-load depends on personal preference. Front loaders offer superior cleaning and energy efficiency, while top loaders are more convenient for loading and unloading. Question : What is the significance of the Energy Star rating? Ans : The Energy Star rating indicates a machine's energy efficiency. Higher ratings translate to lower energy consumption, saving on utility bills, and reducing environmental impact. Question : How important is the RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) in a washing machine? Ans : RPM affects the spin speed, influencing drying times. Higher RPMs result in faster drying, making them suitable for those with busy schedules. Disclaimer: At Livemint, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. Mint has an affiliate partnership, so we may get a part of the revenue when you make a purchase. We shall not be liable for any claim under applicable laws, including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, with respect to the products. The products listed in this article are in no particular order of priority. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! A government panel led by Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood has been assigned the task of resolving the issue surrounding the rollout of 5G services in and around airports, as per an Economic Times report. The focus of these discussions will be on concerns related to aircraft and passenger safety. A broader panel has been constituted to "address the 5G matter", sources told the paper. This decision comes in the wake of the lack of consensus on timelines for replacing obsolete aircraft radio altimeters, a crucial device providing vital altitude information during landings in low visibility conditions. Concerns Linger While discussions between the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), telecom companies, airline operators, and aircraft manufacturers have been ongoing, the issue has remained unresolved for over a year. A radio altimeter operates in a bandwidth of 200 MHz in the frequency band 4200 MHz to 4400 MHz. Despite the DoT auctioning spectrum in the 3300-3670 MHz band for 5G, concerns persist about interference due to the wider frequencies caught by the current outdated altimeters in aircraft. As per preliminary estimates, around 500 Boeing aircraft and approximately 300 Airbus aircraft in India may require a retrofit. Experts said that interference between the 5G bands used by both carriers 3.3-3.5 Ghz and 700 Mhz should not be a concern since the bands were separate with adequate buffers. The bands are much lower than the band used by airline altimeters which start from 4.2Ghz. Temporary 5G Site Installation Restriction at Airports As a temporary measure in November 2022, the DoT barred mobile operators from installing any 5G sites in the 3,300-3,670 MHz band within 2.1 km of airport runways. This was done to avoid potential interference with aircraft radio frequencies and was intended to be in place only until the replacement of aircraft altimeters. However, leading telcos have now complained the continued halt on upgrades has caused them revenue losses. In September they urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MCA) to direct the DGCA to issue a deadline for all airlines operating in India to replace outdated radio altimeter systems. Weve written to the government because theres no evidence to suggest that there is any such interference, more so because the bands that are being used are not the same," the executive said. After the governments directions, 5G services had to be stopped in airports and high-density areas in key metros close to airports. 5G services were either stopped or severely compressed in Lutyens Delhi due to proximity to the Safdarjung airport, and similar closures had to be done in Hyderabad and Bangalore. A significant amount of coverage compression has taken place," a second executive said. Meanwhile, aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus have also stressed the need for a permanent solution around 5G connectivity at airports. They said that decisions regarding purchase orders for altimeters by airlines and DGCA were crucial, the report added. Earlier the manufacturers had conveyed that altimeters would be available for countries outside the United States only after December 2023. The delay in airlines placing purchase orders has further escalated the issue. Milestone Alert! Livemint tops charts as the fastest growing news website in the world Click here to know more. Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed it's all here, just a click away! Login Now! The information contained on this website shall not be construed as (i) an offer to purchase or sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or sell, any securities or services, (ii) investment, legal, business or tax advice or an offer to provide such advice, or (iii) a basis for making any investment decision. An offering may only be made upon a qualified investors receipt not via this website of formal materials from the Knightsbridge an offering memorandum and subscription documentation (offering materials). In the case of any inconsistency between the information on this website and any such offering materials, the offering materials shall control. 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Qualified Investors are defined as individuals who have met those Qualifications in the relevant jurisdictions. Members are defined as individuals who have been accepted into the Knightsbridge membership program. Institutions are defined as entities such as banks, pension funds, and hedge funds. If you are not a Qualified Investor, Member or Institution, you are not eligible to invest with Knightsbridge. All investments involve risk, and there is no guarantee of profit. You may lose some or all of your investment. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Knightsbridge is not a registered investment advisor, and this disclaimer should not be construed as investment advice. Please consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. By accessing this website, you agree to the terms of this disclaimer. Thank you for your interest in Knightsbridge. Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu speaking at the event (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu sent his sympathies to all Japanese people and the Vietnamese community affected by the earthquake that occurred in Ishikawa prefecture. He emphasized that with the consensus and joint efforts of the entire nation, including overseas Vietnamese, Vietnam achieved great achievements in 2023 in spite of numerous many difficulties and challenges. Regarding Vietnam-Japan relations, the year 2023 was of special significance to the two countries, and they had jointly organised more than 500 activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations, the diplomat said. Particularly, on the occasion of the official visit to Japan by President Vo Van Thuong in November 2023, Vietnam and Japan upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia and the World the highest level in Vietnams foreign relations. He also called upon overseas Vietnamese in Japan to make active and effective contributions to the great strides in the relations between the two countries. Currently, the Vietnamese community in Japan has more than 520,000 people and is the second largest foreign community in Japan, acting as an active and effective bridge, contributing to consolidating and strengthening the friendship between the two countries./. PM Pham Minh Chinh (right) meets with his Romanian counterpart Ion Marcel Ciolacu (left). (Photo: VNA) PM Ciolacu underscored the significance of PM Pham Minh Chinhs visit, which takes place at a time when the two countries are gearing towards the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties in 2025, affirming that Vietnam is one of the top important partners of Romania in Asia-Pacific. The leaders agreed on the necessity for closer collaboration across various domains, particularly in light of the complex and uncertain developments unfolding globally and in the region. PM Pham Minh Chinh stressed that the Vietnamese Government and people never forget the invaluable support provided by Romania throughout their 75-year journey of independence and national development, notably its assistance in training over 4,000 Vietnamese students and graduates who have played a pivotal role in their contributions to Vietnam and the bilateral relationship. Both sides agreed to continue facilitating the exchange of delegations at all levels, especially at high levels, through the Party, State, Government, parliamentary and people-to-people exchange channels to further strengthen political trust and mutual understanding, laying a foundation to expand bilateral cooperation in all areas. Describing economic, trade and investment ties as a crucial pillar in bilateral relations, they vowed to advance them commensurate with their political ties; further uphold existing cooperation mechanisms, and encourage businesses from both countries to fully and effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). Vietnam is ready to serve as a gateway for Romanian goods to access the Vietnamese and ASEAN markets, PM Pham Minh Chinh said. Acknowledging Romania's significant role, both as an EU member and a key contributor to the EVFTA which was signed on June 30, 2019, the last day of its rotating EU presidency, the Vietnamese leader urged continued advocacy for the prompt ratification of the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) by remaining EU countries. He also sought support in lifting the "yellow card" warning on Vietnamese seafood from the European Commission. PM Ciolacu, recognising Vietnam as one of Romania's most promising markets in Asia-Pacific, encouraged increased collaboration in trade, logistics and tourism, with Romania serving as Vietnam's gateway to Europe, particularly as Romania prepares to join the Schengen Area in March 2024. At the talks, PM Pham Minh Chinh also thanked Romania for being the first EU member country to provide 300,000 vaccine doses and various medical supplies for Vietnam to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The host also extended thanks to Vietnam for gifting 10,000 doses of African swine fever vaccine, produced by Vietnam, to Romania for disease prevention. He expressed a desire to continue collaborating with Vietnam to produce this vaccine in Romania. Host and guest pledged to strengthen effective cooperation in traditional areas such as education-training, sci-tech, national defence-security, culture-sports-tourism, labour, health care and pharmaceuticals while expanding collaboration in new fields, including information technology, innovation, digital transformation, green transition and circular economy. The Vietnamese leader proposed the Romanian Government continue creating even more favourable conditions for the Vietnamese community living in Romania to integrate deeply into the local society, contributing to people-to-people exchange and tourism cooperation between the two countries. At the talks (Photo: VNA) The two sides affirmed their commitment to continued sharing of experience and mutual support at multilateral forums and international organisations, for the sake of peace, security, cooperation and development in the region and the world. On the global issues, both sides underscored the importance of settling disputes through peaceful means, without the use or threat to use force, and in accordance with international law. They also promised to work closely together to effectively prepare for upcoming high-level visits between the two countries./. Longford tourism interests are being urged to put forward expressions of interest for a Failte Ireland initiative. The new Enterprise Supports Programme for tourism businesses in the Midlands will be funded under the EU Just Transition Fund. The aim of the fully funded professional development programme is to help build business capability and transform tourism in the region. Longford tourism businesses will join with counties Laois, Westmeath, Offaly, Roscommon and parts of Galway, Tipperary and Kildare to register their interest. The programme is open to existing and new tourism businesses, public sector partners and individuals located within the EU Just Transition territory. It provides a unique opportunity for participants to benefit from a fully-funded programme of tailored professional development that enhances their tourism skillsets and supports the transition from employment in the peat or electricity production to a career in the tourism industry. The open call for its Tourism Learning Network Programme as part of the EU Just Transition Fund Regenerative Tourism & Placemaking Scheme for Irelands Midlands 2023-2026. Paul Hayden, Head of Programme Just Transition at Failte Ireland said this EU Just Transition Tourism Learning Network Programme focuses on building professional tourism capability Valued at the equivalent of up to 10,000 per business/applicant, this best-in-class programme offers tailored professional development to suit commercial, not for profit, community and charity tourism enterprises in the territory, Mr Hayden said. The Failte Ireland Head of Programme Just Transition explained the purpose of the programme: Failte Ireland is committed to and focused on the sustainable development of tourism across Ireland which is an important economic driver and source of employment. The Director of the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly, Clare Bannon said the programme will build professional business capacities for tourism in the wider Midland area. This programme is a key part of the overall Regenerative Tourism and Placemaking Scheme, supported by the EU Just Transition Fund, which is bringing new local job opportunities and will enhance skills for diversification in the visitor economy, Ms Bannon said. The closing date for submission of Expressions of Interest is February 22, 2024. Applications will be assessed by Failte Ireland, who will provide guidance on the programme and offer direct support. Applicants can find more information and complete an Expression of Interest at www.failteireland.ie The sudden and premature death of Br Daniel Carlin in Ethiopia, at the end of August, brought to a premature end a life in the service of education as a De La Salle Brother. Only 68, he was principal of St Josephs School, Addis Ababa at the time of his death. Known as Danny to us, his cousins and friends, his death has left many reeling at its unexpected nature; he was in good health and loved his work in Africa. The resulting shock was felt by his brother Laurence, niece Siobhan, The Lasallian Family in Ireland, Great Britain and Malta and beyond, his confreres in Ethiopia and his many cousins and friends in and around Drumlish, Derry and London and parents, teachers and pupils of St Josephs School, Addis Ababa and his many past pupils in Dublin, Belfast. Danny was born on Christmas Eve in 1955 in Longford, the home county of his mother, Mary (nee Grimes); his father, Frank Carlin was from Derry. In his tender years the family left Longford and went to London where Danny attended primary and secondary school, followed by third level, and qualified as a teacher. We have indelible memories of Danny and his younger brother, Laurence, who was born in London, holidaying every Summer with their parents in the Grimes household (birthplace of their mother, Mary), Drumlish Hill. There were many visits by Danny and Laurence to their cousins, the Quinns in Greagh and also across the fields to our family homestead. Even as a young lad back then Danny spoke with an educated English accent, with perfect diction. What he made of what must have sounded to him as our mangling of the English language as we played in the sunny fields and meadows, we didnt reflect upon then. However, as we all moved on in life, I have reason to believe Danny appreciated the cultural roots and added colour to some of the alien expressions some vaguely informed by the Irish language - he would have heard while running around those same fields! Having qualified as a teacher in London, Danny moved to Dublin in 1978, aged 22, to join the Novitiate of the De la Salle order in Kilmacud Road Upper. I had the pleasure of attending his first profession there along with his parents, around 1980; Dannys final profession in Belfast, at which Cardinal Cathal B. Daly officiated in the heady Summer of 1984, was a wonderful day of celebration. Extended family and friends from Drumlish, Dublin, London and Derry converged on Belfast and the standout memories are of jollity, fun, storytelling, music and song. A most enjoyable and memorable occasion! Before all that, when Danny joined the Novitiate he attended Mater Dei in Dublin for a year to do his formation course. His colleagues in the Novitiate said of him that it was obvious he had a vocation from the beginning and had a sure-footed sense of his own direction. He had a strong sense of the spiritual without being sanctimonious. Indeed, he was modest and unshowy. Br Francis Manning in his beautifully delivered, tender eulogy brought together a selection of such tributes to Danny: his second level history teacher in London described him as a very good student, quiet and unassuming, observing that he really accomplished. A Brother who taught with him in Belfast said, Br Daniel was a brilliant teacher of any class, from the highly intelligent to those struggling to read and write. He led the Religious Education Department for a number of years before switching to Pastoral Care, in which role he counseled individual students and also a group of students after one their class friends was killed in an accident; and members of staff often approached him for advice. Br Kasu Dannys Director of his school in Addis Ababa said, Br Daniel had a rich vocabulary and conversation with him was always enlightening. He was very well read and brought his love of reading into his approach to teaching. He was never boastful and never undermined his students. I am aware his reading brought him to John Steinbecks The Grapes of Wrath and he was well able to discuss Samuel Beckett if you were interested, to mention but two. Br Ben, Irish Provincial, described Danny as quiet and reserved, but he was also a person who possessed great strength of character. And a former pupil said, He was vice-principal when I was in school and stopped me getting expelled and put me on the right track. Another former pupil said he always had time to listen and understand no matter what I was up to. RIP, Brother D, hope you get a great class in Heaven. The quotations outlined are just a small percentage of the huge volume received, but are sufficient to show clearly the high regard and respect in which Danny was held within the Lasallian Family. That respect is more than matched by all of us whove known him and miss him greatly. The Longford Association joins with all who mourn his loss, his brother, Laurence, and niece Siobhan and his Lasallian Family and many more. Rest In Peace, Danny, youve given unstinting service from which many have greatly benefitted. USE ARROWS OR NEXT BUTTON TO SEE MORE PICTURES PROTESTERS marched their way through Roscrea, last Saturday to protest the housing of international protection applicants in the sole hotel in the Tipperary town. Captured photos and videos depict hundreds of protesters marching through the town as they articulate their objection to the closure of Racket Hall Hotel. The protest route commenced from the hotel on the Old Dublin Road, culminating in speakers addressing the assembly on Castle Street. Leading the procession were individuals carrying a banner with the slogan 'Ireland is full', among others, including: 'We want action not promises' and 'It could be your town next'. The crowd were then addressed by a number of speakers, including Independent Tipperary TDs Mattie McGrath and Michael Lowry. James Kirwin, a vocal protester, stated on RTE Radio 1 last Monday that their issue is not with the asylum seekers, but rather with the government. "The hotel is a huge part of this town, it's the only hotel we have left," he stated. "This is an action against the government of the Republic of Ireland," he added. "Roscrea is now holding 85% of asylum seekers in Tipperary, [and] the knock-on effect is just huge". Craig Phelan, another protester, spoke of their determination to continue the protest, saying: "Our protest will continue until someone from that government comes to speak to us. The people of Roscrea won't allow it to continue. "We have done loads, more than our share; it has to be capped. Let the people already here integrate into the town properly." Regarding the housing of asylum seekers, Minister O'Gorman explained on RTE Radio 1, that those to be housed in Racket Hall Hotel will be families and female applicants. He acknowledged the distress experienced by asylum seekers, particularly children witnessing scuffles between protesters and gardai, especially after the arrest on one protester. The partner of MMA fight Ryan Curtis, Em Zac, has shared a sweet update as she brought their daughter to the hospital. Ryan Curtis, known as Chaos, suffered life altering injuries, including a broken back, broken neck and dislocated spine. The 31-year-old was injured during a training session and has no movement in his legs or his left arm. Sharing a picture Ryan, herself and their daughter Kassia, Em commented: Ryan finally got to meet our beautiful baby girl Kassia today she will be three in February, but has a good understanding of why her daddy is in hospital. According to Em, their three-year-old is constantly asking when her father will be home. Her understanding of time frames is difficult as she is constantly asking when he can come home and when can we have our usual disco in the kitchen dancing to her favourite Trolls soundtrack. This is such a huge event but children are amazing as they are often more resilient than us adults. This is what I find the hardest at the moment trying to split myself in two for the two people I love so so much in this world, Em said. I am so beyond grateful for our families and friends pulling together to help us through this journey. The staff at the RVH ICU are honestly amazing and provide me with so much comfort knowing he is in the best care when Im unable to be by his side. If I could move in I definitely would. Ryan sends his thanks as always for the well wishes, prayers and donations. They mean so much to our family. PS Kassia has kindly leant her daddy some of her teddies for comfort at night time." A man who stashed tens of thousands in crime cash inside his socks and a jacket while claiming disability allowance and paying no tax has been jailed for three years by the Special Criminal Court. Mr Justice Paul Burns, presiding in the three-judge court, said Dermot McManus had used money that was the proceeds of crime over a number of years for his own benefit. He said there was no evidence that he did so on behalf of an organised criminal group and held that the offending was in the lower end of the mid-range. Having set a headline sentence of five years, the judge considered McManus's guilty plea and the fact that he is blind in one eye and suffers from Crohn's disease. The judge sentenced McManus to four years with the final 12 months suspended on condition that he be of good behaviour. The court also ordered the forfeiture of cash seized by gardai and a Mercedes Sprinter van. In July last year, McManus (53), of Keating Park, Killalee, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty to three charges relating to money laundering offences. The defendant's arrest followed what gardai described as a significant development in Operation Coronation, which targeted organised crime in Co Limerick. In September 2021, gardai carried out 65 raids in the county as part of the same operation, involving soldiers, detectives, customs officers and over 300 local gardai, with 12 people arrested. At a sentencing hearing last year Detective Garda Chris McGrath, from Henry Street Garda Station, told Dominic McGinn SC, prosecuting, that the money laundering charges arose from a search that took place at the defendant's home address at Killalee on June 17, 2020. The detective said information received from the Revenue Commissioners and social welfare showed that McManus was unemployed at the time of the search and on a single rate of disability allowance of 230 per week. Prior to this, the court heard, McManus was on job seekers allowance and had been last employed in 2002. Det Gda McGrath said McManus' annual income on the date of the offence was short of 10,962. He said the defendant was not registered as a sole trader and had no history of paying tax. The detective said a warrant was issued to search McManus' home address and that substantial amounts of cash had been found. Some of the amounts, he said, which totalled 28,550 and 11,795 were discovered in two separate socks as well as a jacket pocket in the wardrobe of the defendant's bedroom. During the search, the detective said, McManus accepted he had lived in the house with his partner and two children. He also accepted the mortgage on the house had been paid off. Det Gda McGrath said the defendant claimed he had worked for himself trading cars and had been out sick. "He accepted all the cash was his and claimed 9,550 was from working in markets and that 10,000 was from the sale of a van," said the witness. Mr McGinn said the prosecution's position was that the monies derived from criminal conduct and not from market trading or trading in cars, which the witness agreed with. The detective said it transpired from the search that the defendant had a credit union account which was set up in 1998. Enquiries were made by gardai and a freezing order was placed on the account, which had a balance of 10,173 at the time. Det Gda McGrath said the defendant had made frequent lodgements into the account and the total amount of the lodgements was 59,032. The total amount of withdrawals amounted to 53,591. "The coincidence with the lodgements is that withdrawals took place quickly afterwards which is a sign of money laundering," said counsel. Mr McGinn said McManus was also in possession of a Mercedes Sprinter van in June 2020, which had a market value of 10,500. Gardai found the previous registered owner of the van was a man that the defendant had known for just over a month, the court heard. The detective said that gardai had observed the van parked outside the defendant's home since early 2020. The defendant claimed he had bought the van from someone in Northern Ireland for 4,500, continued the witness. At the end of the search McManus was arrested and interviewed by gardai, where he accepted that he owned the house and had paid off the mortgage. He repeated to detectives that he was unemployed, had worked in a market selling quilts and pillows and had received a sick benefit of 190 a week. He also accepted that he didn't pay taxes. The court heard that McManus has 22 previous convictions. At a previous hearing it was said that McManus was convicted of burglary but the prosecution today accepted that McManus was in fact convicted of receiving property that had been stolen during a burglary. McManus pleaded guilty to handling sums of cash worth 28,550 and 11,795, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether this was the proceeds of criminal conduct on June 17, 2020. Between January 1, 2018, and June 17, 2020, the defendant admitted he handled or used money credited to an account in his own name at the Limerick and District Credit Union, knowing or believing or being reckless as to whether it was the proceeds of criminal conduct. McManus also pleaded guilty to handling a white Mercedes Sprinter van between June 2, 2020, and May 23, 2021. Billionaire businessman and owner of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, has vowed to pay for Irish citizens to challenge the impending Hate Speech Bill. Musk made the promise during an online discussion with Gript's Ben Scallan via X's Spaces function earlier today (Tuesday January 23). Responding to a question by Scallan on whether Musk believes X has the legal standing to challenge Ireland's hate speech laws, he said, "Our default position is to challenge any legislation that infringes upon the people's right to say what they want to say, and we obviously have standing since our European headquarters are in Ireland. "We have a big office in Ireland, a big major presence in Ireland so we obviously have standing, and we will also fund the legal fees of Irish citizens that want to challenge the bill as well. "So we'll make sure that if there's an attempt to suppress the voice of the Irish people that we do our absolute best to defend the people of Ireland and their ability to speak their mind." It's not the first time Musk has commented on the matter; according to the Irish Independent, the entrepreneur was accused of "showboating" by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar when Musk previously suggested he would challenge hate speech laws in court. A self-described free speech advocate, Musk told Scallan: "I think it's pretty obvious that free speech is the bedrock of democracy, and if you lack free speech it's impossible to have a proper democratic process because people aren't aware of the facts, or they're being mislead. "People have to be able to speak their mind within the context of the law and without that you don't have a real democracy. "Generally you want to be concerned about any terminology that could be found in a George Orwell novel. These bills will generally be named in ways that sound innocuous and like 'Sure, why wouldn't anyone support that?' but when you look at the details it's often the opposite of what the title of the bill is or it's disingenuous." He continued: "So if the government is given broad powers to define what hate speech is, they can easily define things that doesn't support the ruling party effectively. It is a way for whoever's in charge to cement their power." The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 put forward by the Minister for Justice Helen McEntee - colloquially known as 'the Hate Speech Bill' - is currently with the Seanad and is expected to be enacted into law despite the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 currently being in place. The 1989 Act states "it is an offence to communicate threatening, abusive or insulting material that is intended, or likely to, 'stir up' hatred against a group of people because of their race, colour, nationality, religion, ethnic or national origins, membership of the travelling community or sexual orientation'. The new Hate Speech Bill - which will create new laws to deal with hate crimes, expand protected characteristics to include gender identity and express and disability, and make it an offence to deny or trivialise genocide - will replace the Act. The new Bill describes a hate crime as "any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim, or any other person, to have been motivated by prejudice based on a persons age, disability race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender. Ireland does not currently have specific laws that deal with hate crimes". Almost 80,000 people listened to Musk and Scallan's conversation live on X. Israeli tanks operate in Gaza on January 21. (IDF) The Israel Defense Forces expanded operations in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, a key stronghold for Hamas. Israeli forces, led by the 98th division, including commandos and paratroopers, have been fighting in the city since early December. The battle has been slow going in part because Israel has transitioned to a more low intensity type of fighting over the last month. This meant less airstrikes, more precision raids and more use of forces such as commandos and elite units. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar is from Khan Younis and what remains of Hamas intact battalions continue to fight in the city. Khan Younis covers a large area in southern Gaza. The city essentially sits astride a swath of Gaza such that any movement north and south has to go through the city. When Israel was fighting in the north, two main humanitarian evacuation corridors existed. Gazans could either flee along the coastal road, called Rashid, or via the Salah al-Din road, heading south to Khan Younis and then west to a humanitarian zone near the sea. When IDF forces entered Khan Younis, they set off from the area of Kissufim on the border, the site of an Israeli border community and an army post. The IDF then used precision air drops to supply the forces in the city, because the road to the city was exposed to fire. Now, the IDF has invested itself deep in the city, uncovering terrorist infrastructure. The units are also backed up by more tanks from the 7th brigade, as well as Givati brigade infantry and other units. In addition, Israel targeted terrorists in areas closer to the border in Khirbet Ikhza and Khuzaa, areas used by Hamas to attack Israel on October 7. Understanding this geography is important, because the deeper the IDF operates in and around Khan Younis, the more that IDF forces will now sit astride much of southern Gaza. This will leave Hamas forces scattered, either in Rafah near the Egyptian border, or near the humanitarian area of Mawasi on the coast west of Khan Younis, or in pockets in the center and the north. Reports say the IDF is operating in western Khan Younis in a significant operation involving multiple brigades. This operation is in contrast to the trend over the last three weeks of transition to lower intensity conflict. It is also in contrast to the withdrawal of some reserve units from Gaza and redeployment of the large 36th division out of Gaza after 100 days of combat. In Khan Younis, the 98th division also revealed a large tunnel. The IDF says that the tunnel included an area where they suspect Israeli hostages were being held. The length of the tunnel was about 830 meters and it was about 20 meters deep. The entrance to the tunnel was booby-trapped, and inside it there were many obstacles, explosives, sliding doors and blast doors. While the soldiers were advancing through the tunnel, they encountered a number of terrorists. The soldiers fought against them and eliminated them. When the soldiers reached the tunnel, the hostages were already gone, as they were moved to another location, the IDF said on January 21. Footage was also released of the extensive tunnel. In other operations in Gaza, the Israeli navy carried out strikes on terrorists along the coast. An IDF brigade operated in the central Maghazi area of Gaza. The IDF said a a number of terrorists who attempted to ambush IDF troops were also identified and struck by an aircraft in a joint ground and aerial operation, in the central area. In northern Gaza, an airstrike was also carried out, illustrating that threats continue in the north even though the IDF has said most of those areas were cleared of Hamas fighters. In another area in northern Gaza known as Daraj Tuffah, Israeli forces found a training facility which included a swimming pool where the terrorists trained for maritime raids, a simulator for mortar and weapons fire against IDF soldiers, and offices belonging to the commanders of the [Hamas] post. On January 22, Israel announced that 200 soldiers had now fallen since ground operations began in Gaza on October 27. In total, 535 IDF soldiers have been killed since the Hamas attack on October 7. Most soldiers were killed on October 7 itself, with many others killed during the first month and 12 killed in Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDDs Long War Journal. He is the acting news editor and senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post. The United States and the United Kingdom, backed by four other countries, struck eight Houthi targets as part of an effort to degrade Houthi capability to attack ships in the Red Sea, Bab Al Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Monday. The strikes by coalition ended a string of more than ten days of unilateral attacks solely by the U.S. military against the Iranian-backed Houthis. As part of ongoing international efforts to respond to increased Houthi destabilizing and illegal activities in the region U.S. Central Command forces alongside UK Armed Forces, and with the support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, conducted strikes on 8 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist-controlled areas of Yemen, CENTCOM stated in a press release. The U.S. and U.K. military forces struck missile systems and launchers, air defense systems, radars, and deeply buried weapons storage facilities, CENTCOM said. These strikes are intended to degrade Houthi capability to continue their reckless and unlawful attacks on U.S. and U.K. ships as well as international commercial shipping, while noting the operation was separate and distinct from the multinational freedom of navigation actions performed under Operation Prosperity Guardian. The paucity of countries willing to confront the Houthis, and thus Iran, highlights the difficulty the Biden administration has had in assembling an international coalition to restore calm to the vital shipping lanes. Operation Prosperity Guardian was formed on Dec. 19, one month after the Houthis began attacks on ships in the Red Sea, Bab Al Mandeb Strait, and the Gulf of Aden, by the U.S. and 10 countries. However the mission was a purely defensive one designed to escort ships through the troubled waters off the coast of Yemen. A subset of six nations involved in Operation Prosperity Guardian were willing to put their name on an operation to overtly target Houthi capabilities. The U.S. and U.K., supported by Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, and Bahrain, attacked Houthi military targets on Jan. 11. Between Jan. 12 and Jan. 21, the U.S. military unilaterally carried out strikes on 18 Houthi anti-ship missiles as they were deployed on launch rails. However, the U.S. government continues to send mixed messages about restoring deterrence and a desire not to escalate. We are not at war with the Houthis, said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh on Jan. 18. The Houthis are the ones that continue to launch cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles at innocent mariners What we are doing, with our partners, is self-defense. The Houthis, with the support of Iran, are doing their part to defeat the U.S. and Israel as the latter battles Hamas and its terrorist allies in Gaza. As part of Irans Axis of Resistance, the Houthis are playing a vital role in disrupting commercial shipping and putting pressure on the U.S. to restrain Israel. The Axis of Resistance, which includes the Yemen-based Houthis, Lebanese Hezbollah, the constellation of Iraqi and Syrian militias, and Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian terror groups, seeks to drive the U.S. from the Middle East and isolate and defeat Israel. Joe Truzman is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal focused primarily on Palestinian militant groups and Hezbollah. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal. The United States launched its first drone strike in Somalia this year on Sunday, reportedly killing three Shabaab members. Neither Africa Command (AFRICOM), the U.S. military command responsible for such strikes, nor Somalia itself have confirmed the exact coordinates, though both countries confirmed the strike took place in the countrys Lower Juba region. According to AFRICOM, at the request of the Federal Government of Somalia, U.S. Africa Command conducted a collective self-defense airstrike with two engagements against the al Shabaab terrorist group on Jan. 21. The U.S. military command continued by adding that the collective self-defense strike occurred in a remote area of Somalia, approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Kismayo. According to the U.S., three Shabaab members were killed without inflicting any civilian casualties. The strike marks the first of its kind so far this year inside Somalia and the first since Dec. 20, 2023, when AFRICOM conducted two such collective self-defense strikes in Somalias Lower Juba. The results of those combined strikes remained inconclusive. Just days earlier, on Dec. 17, the United States conducted another airstrike against a Shabaab position in its long-time stronghold of Jilib in the Middle Juba region. AFRICOM said that it killed at least one Shabaab member in the attack, offering no other details. However, the Somali National Army (SNA) reported that the strike on Dec. 17 targeted Maalim Ayman, the emir of Shabaabs eponymously named Jaysh al-Ayman. Jaysh al-Ayman acts as the military wing of Shabaabs Kenyan branch, which is responsible for all militant activity along the Kenya-Somalia border. This includes the January 2020 attack on the U.S. base in Manda Bay. While the SNA has reported that Maalim Ayman was killed in the strike, this remains unconfirmed. No other independent source has corroborated this information nor has Shabaab itself commented on the matter as of the time of publishing. If confirmed, Aymans death would be the first high-profile leader removed from the battlefield since Abdullahi Yare, a co-founder of Shabaab and former emir of its dawah [proselytizing] operations, was killed in Oct. 2022. The targeting of Maalim Ayman is also the first targeted operation conducted by the U.S. in Somalia since May 2023, when it also attempted to kill Maalim Osman, the emir of Shabaabs external operations. American, other strikes in Somalia AFRICOM conducted at least 18 airstrikes inside Somalia in 2023, in addition to a special operations raid in February. This marks the most active year for U.S. military operations inside Somalia since President Biden took office in Jan. 2021. The U.S. has conducted at least 262 strikes in Somalia since 2007, reportedly killing over 1200 Shabaab militants according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. This is likely an undercount as the U.S. sometimes does not comment on selected strikes due to security measures or lack of confirmation of results. It is important to note that the U.S. is not the only state actor conducting drone strikes inside Somalia, with Turkey also being an active participant with at least 19 drone strikes since 2022 according to data compiled by FDDs Long War Journal. That said, Turkeys strikes remain difficult to track and corroborate as they do not comment on any such operations. Its total number of drone strikes in Somalia is thus likely significantly higher. The United Arab Emirates is also alleged to have launched at least one drone strike in Somalia, though this remains entirely unconfirmed and denied by Somali officials. Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of The Long War Journal. Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa. Children make paper cutting works at a kindergarten in Yuping Dong Autonomous County of Tongren City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo by Hu Panxue/Xinhua) To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, Chinese expert said. GENEVA, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- China has made positive contributions to global human rights governance in the past five years after its last Universal Periodic Review (UPR), experts from the China Society for Human Rights Studies told Xinhua here on Monday. China's human rights record will be examined by the United Nations Human Rights Council's UPR Working Group for the fourth time on Tuesday. China is one of 14 States to be reviewed by the UPR Working Group during its session from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. The first, second and third UPR reviews of China took place in February 2009, October 2013 and November 2018 respectively. Herdsmen dance at a service station in Emin County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 11, 2024. (Xinhua/Ding Lei) Zheng Liang, a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Jinan University, told Xinhua that in the past five years, China's modernization drive has not only promoted the development of China's human rights protection but also made significant contributions to the world's human rights cause in terms of concept promotion and in-depth practice. China itself is committed to promoting human rights through development, putting the people first and advancing a path of human rights development suited to its national conditions, and meanwhile it provides support and assistance to developing countries and regions in infrastructure, education, health and agriculture, according to Zheng. Chang Jian, director of the Center for the Study of Human Rights at Nankai University, said that since the last review, China's ranking in the United Nations Human Development Index has continued to rise, demonstrating the advantages of China's modernization and human rights development paths. Pasang Butri's daughter Tsering Butri (1st L) prepares chema box for her family members at home in Xigaze, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Jan. 12, 2024. (Photo by Tenzin Nyida/Xinhua) He said that the goal of China's modernization process is also the ultimate pursuit of the development of China's human rights cause. Mao Junxiang, executive director of the Human Rights Center of Central South University, said that while countries have different opinions on how to promote the human rights cause, no one should force other countries to follow a certain human rights model. To respect the diversity of civilizations is an inevitable requirement for advancing the cause of human rights, he said, adding that this will further need to respect different civilizations' understanding of the connotation of human rights and avoid imposing one's own human rights values and models onto others. Editor: WXL Now, I know youre expecting the countrys largest city to take the cake. But in a shocking twist, Auckland fell in second place with 10,198 complaints - which I've gotta admit isnt so bad since almost a third of our team of 5 million live in the city of sails. Manchester, VT (05254) Today Cloudy this morning. A few snow showers developing during the afternoon. Temps nearly steady in the mid to upper 30s. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight Variable clouds with snow showers. Low 28F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 50%. Snow accumulations less than one inch. Dancers perform at the Shaanxi Opera House in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 12, 2023. (Xinhua) XI'AN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- For Lyu Hang, an avid fan of theater performances, attending as many as 10 dance dramas with diverse themes during the past year provided her with both emotional and spiritual satisfaction. "These dramas not only captivate the eyes of numerous audiences but also introduce innovative ways to blend cultures and arts across time and space for laymen like me," said the 32-year-old theater enthusiast who is a frequent visitor to the Shaanxi Opera House in the historic city of Xi'an in northwest China. Chinese dance dramas have garnered high acclaim from youngsters due to their diverse themes, spanning human relations with nature, iconic literati and historical novels, and artistic practices from both the East and the West. According to a report from the China Association of Performing Arts, people aged 18 to 34 had been a predominant segment of the consumer base in the performing arts market in 2022, accounting for over 76 percent of the total audience. For instance, the dance drama "Crested Ibises," named after the bird species featuring a red crest and long black beak, tells the story of how people strive to maintain a harmonious co-existence between humanity and nature during the process of urbanization and industrialization. The crested ibis was thought to be extinct in China until seven wild birds were spotted in Yangxian County in Shaanxi in 1981. After more than 40 years of protection efforts, its global population has exceeded 10,000. The drama visualizes the natural movements of the species and demonstrates the common environmental crisis faced by the whole world through vivid stagecraft. "The exquisite combination of Chinese folk dance and Western ballet makes it a true masterpiece," said Dai Ping, a professor at Shanghai Theatre Academy. According to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, in the first three quarters of 2023, a total of about 342,000 commercial performances were staged in China, which attracted over 110 million viewers, up 121 percent and 188.5 percent, respectively, from the same period of 2019. Lyu said that the most impressive drama she watched in 2023 was "Poetic Dance: Dongpo," which she believes is a good example of cultural fusion. The performance depicts the life of Su Shi, a poet and cultural icon from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) through 15 of his most recognized poems. "I once asked my French friends' impressions of the drama. They told me that they could sense the character's emotions and thoughts conveyed through body movements even without translation," said Shen Wei, who directed the poetic dance. In recent years, several Chinese dance dramas including "Confucius" and "Mulan" hit international stages in the United States, Mexico and many other countries. "Art has no boundaries. I hope that audiences from different cultural backgrounds can feel the shared pursuit of human beings through dance dramas," Shen said. Editor: WXL The Celtics will be seeing more of an old friend in future weeks after a major trade in the Eastern Conference occurred Tuesday morning. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com was first to report that the Miami Heat have acquired Terry Rozier from the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for a protected 2027 first-round pick and Kyle Lowry. Rozier was known to have a preference of being moved to Miami per multiple reports in recent weeks and the former Boston guard now gets his wish to help boost a Miami roster that missed out on acquiring Damian Lillard this offseason. Several teams were in the hunt for Rozier per multiple sources but the Heats willingness to give up a lightly protected first-round pick along with an expiring contract in Lowry likely sealed the deal. The 29-year-old Rozier has put together a stellar year so far for Charlotte before Tuesdays deal, averaging 23.2 points per game. The Heat will acquire him as a long-term piece of their roster since he still has three years total left on his deal including this season, earning an average of $25 million over those years. BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS CLAIM OFFER Promo code: MASS158 STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. Rozier has only played in 30 games this year thanks to an assortment of injuries but hes posted career-bests in field goal percentage (45.9 percent) and assists per game (6.6) so far. He will likely slide into Miamis starting five replacing Lowry who was recently benched by Erik Spoelstra. The veteran guard was drafted by the Celtics at No. 16 overall back in 2015 and was moved to the Hornets in 2019 in a sign-and-trade deal which opened the door for the team to sign Kemba Walker to a max deal. Rozier spent four seasons in Charlotte and did not make the playoffs in one season with a Hornets squad that struggled amid a rebuild. The Celtics did not have any interest in a Rozier deal per league sources due to his sizable salary making any type of trade with salary matching impossible without including any players of Bostons top-6. Boston continues to hunt for upgrades on the market using the teams $6.2 million trade exception. Lowry immediately becomes a trade candidate with his new team in Charlotte or potentially a buyout candidate. However, the Celtics will not be a that is eligible to sign him if he does hit the trade market since they are above the $172.3 million first apron and Lowry earns more than the mid-level exception this season. A soon-to-be father from Billerica died Friday in a sudden and freak snowmobile accident in Maine, according to a GoFundMe campaign meant to benefit his family. Shaun Lindmark, 33, was snowmobiling with friends in Caribou, Maine and doing what he loved when he died in the late evening of Jan. 19, his brother-in-law, Ryan OConnell, wrote in the campaign. According to his obituary, Lindmark was born in Melrose to Richard and Carolyn Lindmark on March 6, 1990, but lived in Billerica his entire life. He studied plumbing at Shawsheen Valley Technical High School, graduating in 2008, and went on to own and operate Lindmarks Plumbing and Heating in Billerica with his brother. Shauns life was a story of active engagement with his friends, his loved ones, and his truck. Whether it was his skilled hands fixing things, his love for boating and snowmobiling, or his knack for upgrading anything with a motor, Shaun did it all with enthusiasm, his obituary reads. Lindmark was due to become a father in June, and spent 11 years with his wife, Courtney, according to his obituary. Together, the couple adopted a dog, enjoyed trips to Maine and travelled the world. They shared 11 incredible years together, filled with adventures, lots of laughs and unconditional love, his obituary reads. In addition to his wife and unborn child, Lindmark leaves behind his parents, his brother, Ryan, his sister, Stacy, and many other relatives. His wake will be held at Sweeney Memorial Funeral Home on Concord Road in Billerica on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. In remembering Shaun, lets celebrate the life of a man who was the embodiment of kindness, hard work, and love, his obituary reads. His spirit, his joy, and his love for life and for Courtney will continue to inspire all who knew him. Shauns memory will forever be a guiding light for his family, friends, and his unborn child. Read more: Harvard faces backlash for choice in antisemitism task force leader So far, the GoFundMe campaign to benefit Lindmarks family has raised more than $100,000 of its $150,000 goal. You can donate to the campaign here. WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. Low-cost Breeze Airways will launch nonstop seasonal service from Bradley International Airport to Myrtle Beach and Greenville-Spartanburg international airports. Myrtle Beach flights begin May 2 and will operate on Thursdays and Sundays. Greenville-Spartanburg flights begin May 24, will operate on Mondays and Fridays. The list of nonstop destinations served by Breeze Airways from Bradley International Airport continues to grow offering travelers in our region more options at low-cost prices, said Kevin A. Dillon, Connecticut Airport Authority executive director. Myrtle Beach and Greenville-Spartanburg are great destinations to consider for spring and summer travel plans. Breeze already has 13 nonstop destinations from Bradley. The South Carolina destinations follow news of the airlines plans to launch additional seasonal, nonstop service in May from Bradley to Orlando and Cincinnati. Bradley reports more than 5 million traveler departures and arrivals through the first 11 months of 2023.Thats up about 8% from the same time period in 2022. A New Hampshire driver was flown to a hospital Monday morning after he was hit by a car in Haverhill following an initial crash with another car, according to police. Officers responded to the crashes at the intersection of Main Street and Talmuth Avenue a little after 7:35 a.m., Haverhill police wrote on social media. Their investigation into the crashes indicated that two cars had crashed, and that after the initial crash, one of the drivers had gotten out of his car and was then hit by a third car. The 60-year-old Derry man was seriously injured and was flown to a Boston-area hospital, police said. No charges had been filed in connection with the crash as of Monday afternoon, but state police are also investigating the crash. SPRINGFIELD Former Chicopee schools Superintendent Lynn Clark pleaded guilty today in federal court to lying to FBI agents investigating allegations of political extortion. Clark, 53, was arrested at her South Hadley home in 2022, charged with giving false statements amid a probe into nearly 100 threatening texts designed to drive a Chicopee police captain out of the running to become that citys new chief. BOSTON The Healey-Driscoll administration delivered $13 million in early-education access funding to 21 school districts across the state Monday, including four in the Pioneer Valley. Holyoke, Northampton, Springfield and Westfield public schools were among the districts that received a $2.3 million portion of the funding. Statewide, the money will support 2,456 slots for children across 164 classrooms. The purpose of the funding is to put the state on a path towards universal access to preschool. The funding was provided to the schools through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative to support their efforts to expand access to high quality preschool, a statement from the Department of Early Education and Care said. We delivered historic investments in early education and child care in our first budget, and Im thrilled to see that funding at work, expanding access to high-quality preschool, lowering costs for families and building a strong economy and livable communities, said Healey in a statement. The administration also announced that it would be giving $5 million in additional funding to new districts to apply to implement the initiative, specifically with a focus on the states Gateway Cities, which are midsize urban centers that lack the resources and capacity to rebuild and reposition, making it slow to draw new economy investment. There are 26 such cities in the state. Current grantees also can apply to expand the reach of their programs. The deadline to apply is Feb. 16. The initiative promotes readiness for kindergarten across the state, regardless of where the child is enrolled in preschool, works on meeting different students and their families where theyre at, promotes equitable access to special education to ensure inclusion of children with disabilities, and provides scholarships to families to enroll at no or a low cost. The expansion of the initiative is being funded through revenue generated by the Fair Share Amendment. Holyoke Public Schools received $428,000, Northampton Public Schools received $670,000, Springfield Public Schools received $406,000, and Westfield Public Schools received $750,000. A woman who died on Sunday after a shooting in Springfield has been identified by the Hampden County District Attorneys office. Isabel Alcaide, 19, of Springfield, was identified as the teen who was found with at least one gunshot wound inside a car in the city, the district attorney said. It was 9 a.m. on Jan. 21, when officers found Alcaide on Stevenson Street after receiving a call for immediate help, the department said. Stevenson Street is also listed as Stevenson Avenue on Google Maps, and is in a residential area of the city located about a half-mile down the road from the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on Boston Road. Alcaide had at least one gunshot wound, and the officers gave her first aid and she was brought to Baystate Medical Center, police said. She later died at the hospital, police said. Officers from the departments homicide unit, along with the Hampden County District Attorneys Office, are investigating the fatal incident, police said. Bulgaria is insisting on introducing tariffs and quotas on the import of Ukrainian agricultural products into the European Union, explaining its demand by saying that the lifting of restrictions on trade in these products has harmed local farmers, Euractiv.de reported. "The increase in exports from Ukraine is causing serious concern among producers [farmers], since they are not able to compete with the prices for Ukrainian products," the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture told the publication. The Ministry said that Bulgaria has significant capacity for the production of both refined and unrefined sunflower oil, as well as biodiesel fuel. Bulgarian producers in these sectors are among the largest in the EU. At the same time, Bulgaria does not produce enough sunflower for its production capacity and is heavily dependent on imports from Ukraine. The introduction of duties on Ukrainian sunflower and rapeseed would complicate the sale of Bulgarian products on the world market. When a ban on the import of a number of Ukrainian agricultural crops came into force last year, some production facilities closed, the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture said. As for the quality of Ukrainian raw materials, the ministry said that in 2023, Bulgarian health authorities inspected them and found them to be completely safe. In addition, sunflower from Ukraine has a higher average oil content than the crop grown in Bulgaria. To satisfy Bulgarian farmers and oil producers, as well as livestock farmers who rely on cheap imports, the Bulgarian government has proposed that the European Commission set quotas for duty-free imports. If they were to be exceeded, the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry would insist on paying customs duties on Ukrainian products. Bulgaria is convinced that the maximum volumes of Ukrainian agricultural products should "correspond to market logic and processing capacities, as well as provide greater clarity and confidence for both producers and processors." The ministry warns that the current situation could lead to a decline in domestic production, which "could affect the country's food security in the long term." "The increase in exports from Ukraine is a cause of serious concern for producers, since they cannot compete with prices for Ukrainian goods, which is a consequence of the application of different production standards," the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry said in a letter. The Bulgarian government is confident that the European Commission can take measures to protect the markets of EU member states neighboring Ukraine and allow them to use their export potential. One of these measures could be the introduction of tariff quotas on the most sensitive agricultural products as part of the negotiations on the extension of duty-free trade in agricultural products with Ukraine in the spring of 2024. "For products on which the re-introduction of tariff quotas is not possible, another solution to the problem of increasing imports from Ukraine should be found," the Bulgarian Agriculture Ministry said. As reported, last week, the agriculture ministers of Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, in a joint letter to the European Commission, demanded the introduction of import duties on Ukrainian grain due to dumping prices on it. The Newton teachers union could face up to $200,000 in fines if it continues striking over stalled contract negotiations this week, per a judges order. The Newton Teachers Association (NTA) already owes $25,000 because it chose to continue its strike Tuesday and keep Newton Public Schools closed for a third day in a row. The strike started Friday, Jan. 19. The union hopes the closure will pressure school and city officials to resolve sticking points in the contract negotiations, such as increased teacher pay and hiring more support staff. The two parties have been unable to agree on a new contract for over a year now, and the old one expired in August. The fines are a result of a hearing Monday during which Middlesex Superior Court Judge Christopher Barry-Smith held the union in contempt of a court order issued Friday that demanded that it end the strike and reopen the schools. In Massachusetts, it is illegal for public school teachers to collectively stop working. But in recent years, several teachers unions in municipalities such as Andover, Malden, Brookline, Woburn and Haverhill have voted to do so anyway. We knew when we took the vote to strike, there would be legal ramifications, including fines, NTA representative Ashley Raven said in a statement to MassLive Tuesday. We are committed and resolved as ever to secure a contract that allows educators to provide the students of Newton the education they need, and deserve, while also valuing, compensating, and respecting the incredible work, the educators of Newton do. Barry-Smiths order gives the union until 8 p.m. each day this week to call off the strike before fines against it double. The NTA incurred a $25,000 at 8 p.m. Monday. The fine increases to $50,000 if the union doesnt end the strike before 8 p.m. Tuesday. If the union doesnt end the strike by 8 p.m. Thursday, the fine will again increase to $200,000, according to the order. Should that happen, another Middlesex Superior Court hearing will be scheduled for noon Friday to discuss a more meaningful approach to ensuring compliance with the law. According to Raven, the union will pay any fines using a reserve of money it has collected from membership dues and donations from other unions and the community. Read more: Newton teachers union votes to go on strike starting Friday Raven said Tuesday that the union had submitted a contract proposal Monday, and it was expecting a response from school officials the next day. In a letter to the school community Tuesday, the Newton School Committee said city officials already agreed to give the district additional incremental funds back in December. This money will allow the district to add five social workers in the citys elementary schools, decrease high school STEM class sizes and offer teachers a competitive compensation package, the school committee said. However, if the district agrees to meet the unions demands, these improvements will not be possible, the school committee said. Additionally, it claims, the district would need to lay off about 60 educators within a year and 60 more within the next five. We need a contract that will allow the Newton Public Schools to provide the services our students require, the school committee wrote. The union and its members have said previously that they believe the city has more than enough money to meet the teachers demands, but that the district has been repeatedly underfunded under the leadership of Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. The 2-year-old daughter of a Patriots beat reporter from Massachusetts died on Sunday after her courageous battle with a cancer rarely found in children for the past year, according to her family. Hallie Kyed, of Franklin, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and underwent months of treatments last year with her father, Boston Herald Patriots reporter Douglas Kyed, and her mother, Jennifer Crosby-Kyed fighting alongside her every step of the way. The 2-year-old died at the hospital on Jan. 21, snuggled next to us her parents said, with paint on her hands and sparkles in her hair from doing crafts, her father wrote in the familys GoFundMe. The fundraiser had previously made Massachusetts top 10 list for 2023. Hallie Kyed was a spirited, feisty, spunky, beautiful baby and her parents watched their little girl fight the disease tirelessly Doug Kyed would share details on just how brave, strong, and resilient she was during her fight in his GoFundMe updates, which were sometimes as often as two posts a month. Read more: Top 10 GoFundMe fundraisers in Massachusetts for 2023 Through at least April and May 2023, Hallie Kyed underwent chemotherapy and other procedures at Boston Childrens Hospital; in July, her treatment intensified as the cancer had spread in June, her father shared. But as more tests came back clear, the little girl was able to finally have a bone marrow transplant in September 2023, her father shared. However, on Dec. 6, Doug Kyed said his daughter had relapsed, her AML returned just a month after shed been sent home. Hallie Kyed was back in the hospital and receiving more chemotherapy, her father shared. Hallie has beaten every single obstacle that AML has thrown her so far. This will absolutely be her toughest test, but if anyone can topple it, its our fierce little Hallie Bear, Doug Kyed had wrote in the Dec. 6, 2023 update. Read more: Fundraiser set up for Wilbraham cop injured in weekend shootout He added she was in good spirits and enjoying painting, collecting compliments on her princess dresses, FaceTiming with family + watching Elf. In Doug Kyeds final GoFundMe update to share news of his daughters death, he wrote, The world is a worse place without Hallie in it. The family had learned in the previous weeks that Hallies last round of chemo had not been effective and her AML had spread, her dad said. Despite attempts with a new trial drug, the little girls disease spread rapidly and couldnt be stopped, he said. She passed away comfortably and peacefully, snuggled next to us at Childrens Hospital, where the whole family stayed the past week to spend every minute with her, Doug Kyed wrote. We will never understand why or how something so horrible can happen. Her parents have been pouring over pictures and videos since she passed, and said she was such a special little person. Were so grateful we had her in our lives and got to love her and be her parents, her father wrote in the GoFundMe. She made everyone smile and we believe she touched everyone she ever met. She could make us laugh with a single word, a shift of an eyeball, a point of a finger. She was the girliest girl, of course always wearing princess dresses, her father wrote, adding how she loved to dramatically sing and dance to princess songs. Besides painting, the toddler loved LOL dolls, her pink Hallie blanket, her cat Rambe and puppies, her dad said. She had so much life in her little body, he said. Before she was diagnosed, she always woke up so excited for the day. Shed go straight to the closet and drawers to get herself ready, saying jacket, boots, hat, car, ready to go, he wrote, adding shed demanded to go on about 800 walks in her stroller in her final week. The 2-year-old loved her family immensely and had visits with them daily over the week until she passed, Doug Kyed said. She leaves behind her sister, two grandmothers, several aunts and uncles and cousins, her loved ones wrote in her obituary. A wake for Hallie Kyed will be held for friends and relatives of the family from 4-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, at the Charles F. Oteri and Son Franklin Funeral Home, at 33 Cottage St. in Franklin. Her funeral service and internment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be sent to The Jimmy Fund, where she received outpatient care, her loved ones wrote. A Worcester woman is facing charges after police say she broke into a Milford womans home with two men in the middle of the night and bit the womans lip, causing a deep facial laceration. Valdirene Da Cruz Santos is facing charges of mayhem, assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and breaking and entering into a building at night to commit a felony, Milford police said in a press release. Officers began investigating the incident after the victim went to the Milford Police Station around 3:15 a.m. Sunday morning following the attack, police said. The victim was soon taken to a hospital to be treated for her injury. Officers investigation indicated that Da Cruz Santos had bitten the victim after she broke into the victims home with two men and attacked her. She was soon arrested, and the two men involved will also be charged for the incident, police said. Police did not provide a motive for the attack. No further information has been released. Newton Public Schools canceled classes for a third day in a row on Tuesday as teachers in the district continued to strike over stalled contract negotiations. I understand how difficult this uncertainty is for our families and our students. We continue to hope for a quick resolution so that our students can return to our classrooms, Newton Public Schools Director of Communications Julie McDonough said in an email Monday night. The Newton Teachers Association and the Newton School Committee again failed to reach agreement on a new contract Monday night, the district said in an email. Negotiations have now been going on for over a year, and the unions old contract expired in August. The union said previously that the sticking points in the negotiations are over increased teacher pay and hiring more support staff and social workers, which it believes the city has more than enough money to fund. Its members have said they believe the school district has been repeatedly underfunded under the leadership of Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller. We understand that this is a disruption but we believe that a short term disruption in order to secure the long-term educational excellence as well as value and respect that the educators of Newton public schools need and deserve is worth it, union representative Ashley Raven said previously. Fuller said previously that she believes the district needs increased funding and that she has been working with district administrators to make this happen, but that she disagrees with the strike. It is illegal for teachers to walk off the job in Massachusetts, but in recent years, several teachers unions in municipalities such as Andover, Malden, Brookline, Woburn and Haverhill have done so anyway. Read more: Newton teachers union votes to go on strike starting Friday A Middlesex Superior Court judge granted an injunction against the union Friday, ordering them to return to work on Monday, but the union defied the order, opening up the possibility that it could face tens of thousands of dollars in fines. On Monday, a judge ruled that the union would be fined $25,000 if it continued the strike on Tuesday, and that fines would double each day the strike continues. While Newton Public Schools are closed, all school activities are cancelled, but the district is provided grab and go breakfast and lunch for its students, according to an email from the district. Students can also access medical supplies from the school if need be by contacting their principal. SPRINGFIELD Protesters gathered at the federal offices of the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts on Tuesday, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the Leahy Law to be enforced to cut off weapons shipments to Israel. Organizers held three simultaneous events at noon at acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levys offices in Boston, Worcester and Springfield. The Leahy Law is named after recently retired elder statesman U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, of Vermont. It prohibits the shipment of U.S. weapons to any military that is in gross violation of human rights. Sister Jane Morrissey, longtime educator and social justice advocate, speaks at the rally. (Don Treeger / The Republican) The Republican On Oct. 18, Josh Paul, State Department director of congressional and public affairs at its Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, resigned because he believed the Leahy Law and other federal laws were being violated by sending American weaponry to the IDF. I resigned from the State Department this October out of a concern that U.S. weapons were being provided into a context where we knew they would kill many thousands of civilians, Paul said in a statement. There are a number of U.S. laws that should restrict the transfer of arms in such circumstances, but which are not being properly applied in the case of Israel. The protest was organized and supported by the Leahy Fast for Palestine Committee, Massachusetts Peace Action, Jewish Voice for Peace Western Mass., Pax Christi Massachusetts, Demilitarize Western Mass., Anti-Imperialist Action Committee and Veterans for Peace. SPRINGFIELD The former state police trooper who filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police was found to have committed five department violations before his termination, the agency says. In his lawsuit, Kenny Rodriguez, who joined the Massachusetts State Police in 2019, claimed he was fired in 2022 after responding to a motor vehicle crash in 2021 in part because of his Hispanic background. He claims the department did not provide him with properly functioning body-worn and cruiser cameras. Following the accident, Rodriguez was investigated by the state police trial board, which found him guilty of four counts of violating state police rules of conduct during the traffic stop and one count of violating rules of conduct during an internal affairs investigation following the traffic stop, according to Dave Procopio, the director of communications for the state police. Procopio said it was Rodriguezs misconduct in his response to the traffic accident and later false statements, not his racial and ethnic background, that prompted his dishonorable discharge from the department. On Sept. 11, 2021, Rodriguez responded to a single-vehicle accident at the intersection of the Chestnut and Liberty streets in Springfield, where he spoke with Alexander Rivera, the driver of a vehicle that had crashed. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, Rivera was part of an ongoing operation with the Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team, CINRET, an undercover narcotics team. Riveras phone had been tapped for surveillance by the state police. He allegedly told someone on a phone call that he was all f---ed up, and that Rodriguez would cut him a break (for the accident), according to the lawsuit. Someone on the phone call with Rivera speculated that a Puerto Rican trooper was allegedly related to a gang member. Rodriguez claims in the lawsuit that this led the state police to investigate him for the traffic stop. State police counter that Rodriguez violated the departments rules of conduct as a result of his actions during the traffic stop. Procopio said Rodriguez was terminated in 2022 because he did not activate his body-worn camera to properly record all interactions with Rivera during the crash investigation. He did not document and log all of the interactions he had with Rivera, Procopio said, and he allowed Rivera to remove a Corona beer bottle from his vehicle while Rodriguez was investigating the crash. Procopio said Rodriguez also failed to conform to work standards by allowing Rivera to remove marijuana from his vehicle while he was investigating the crash. On March 1, 2022, during the departments internal affairs investigation, the state police said Rodriguez violated a fifth rule of conduct when he made untruthful statements to investigators about all questions directed and related to the accident. SPRINGFIELD A former state police officer claims he was wrongfully terminated due to his racial background. On Jan. 5, Kenny Rodriguez, who is Puerto Rican, and his attorney filed a lawsuit against the Massachusetts State Police alleging racial discrimination. Rodriguez did not have a disciplinary history in the two years he worked for the state police before a 2021 traffic stop incident that led to his termination, court documents show. Read more: State police say claims by terminated trooper Kenny Rodriguez unfounded In the summer of 2021, Rodriguez applied for a position in the state polices Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team, otherwise known as CINRET, an undercover narcotics team. He did not get the position, and the job went to a white, non-Hispanic male officer, court documents said. The department has rules mandating that all officers must use both body-worn cameras and cruiser-mounted cameras, but Rodriguezs legal complaint states that the state police routinely failed and neglected to provide Rodriguez with a cruiser containing a cruiser-mounted camera, and at all times, his cruiser lacked what the State Police regarded as essential equipment. Then came a September traffic stop when the officer interacted with a subject that the undercover narcotics unit was actively surveilling. Rodriguez was supplied with a body-worn camera, but his suit claims it was often malfunctioning. He alleges the department had not properly trained him on how to use his body-worn camera in the months leading up to the traffic stop. Rodriguez responded to a single-vehicle accident at the intersection of the Chestnut and Liberty streets in Springfield, where he spoke with Alexander Rivera, the driver of a vehicle that had crashed. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, Rivera, was part of an ongoing uncover operation with the CINRET team. Riveras phone had been tapped for surveillance by the state police. He allegedly told someone on a phone call that he was all f---ed up, and that Rodriguez would cut him a break (for the accident). Someone on the phone call with Rivera also speculated that a Puerto Rican trooper was allegedly related to a gang member, which led the state police to investigate Rodriguez for the traffic stop. This, the lawsuit claims, led the state police to an illegal and discriminatory decision to suspend and terminate him, despite not finding any wrongdoing with the incident, except that Rodriguezs body-worn camera was not on for the entire traffic stop. Rodriguez said he turned the camera off various times while waiting for a tow truck. Rodriguez believes his termination was due, in large part, to his Hispanic descent and claims that the state police have previously excused and permitted non-Hispanic troopers who have committed knowing, intentional, dishonest and repeated violations of criminal laws to remain as troopers, but terminated Rodriguez because of an alleged rules violation. The lawsuit alleges that the disciplinary records of 157 officers gathered over a five-year period found that the department allowed troopers engaged in a long-standing pattern and practice of overtime theft to return to work as state troopers. It claims that the vast majority of those who participated in the overtime theft were white, non-Hispanic troopers. The states Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, or POST Commission, released a publicly accessible database in August detailing complaints made against local and state-level police officers and the level of discipline they received from December 1984 through January 31, 2023. The Massachusetts State Police had the highest number of complaints out of any of the police departments in the state, with 493 complaints listed, the data showed. The commission is charged with providing greater oversight of police departments and their officers. Rodriguez is demanding a jury trial and wants to be reinstated with back pay, benefits and allowances. He is requesting emotional and punitive damages. Rodriguezs attorney, Timothy Ryan, could not be reached for comment Monday. If theres one thing that was clear headed into the final days of the New Hampshire primary campaign, its that Granite State Gov. Chris Sununu and former President Donald Trump wont be running the others respective fan clubs any time soon. Sununu, whos backing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley in the first-in-the nation contest, took to X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday to take a pop at Trump over his age. As shes barnstormed the state, Haley has repeatedly tried to position the race as a generational one between her and Trump. Trump drew first blood musing aloud on why Fox News kept featuring Sununu, whom he said dipped his toes into the 2024 waters, but never formally got in. To have this loser on so much really is bad TV, Trump said. I suppose its tough keeping up with the conversation given your advanced age. Maybe try subtitles next time. Thanks for watching. pic.twitter.com/hTET2s6z5d Chris Sununu (@ChrisSununu) January 23, 2024 Sununu shot back: I suppose its tough keeping up with the conversation given your advanced age. Maybe try subtitles next time. Thanks for watching. Trump held a 60%-38% lead over Haley on Tuesday in the final Suffolk University/NBC10 Boston/Boston Globe tracking poll of the primary campaign. The survey of 500 likely primary voters had a margin of error of 4.4%, according to NBC-10 in Boston. CONCORD, N.H. Carole Roberge is a Republican. Debbie Beaudoin is a Democrat. And over lunch at the Red Arrow Diner here on Monday, the two, sisters-in-law who dine together regularly, agree on this much: Both of them will be voting in Tuesdays nationally watched, high-stakes primary election. I think Nikki [Haley], Roberge, 71, a hairstylist from Concord said, leaving a sandwich untouched on her plate as she was asked which GOP candidate was getting her vote. I like some of what she has to say. And I hate [former President Donald] Trump. And we only have two choices. Beaudoin, a retired kindergarten teacher from Peterborough, N.H., plans to write in President Joe Bidens name during Tuesdays Democratic primary. The incumbent president took a pass on the primary in a squabble over an attempt to push South Carolina, which is more diverse than the overwhelmingly white Granite State, to the front of the 2024 primary calendar. Carole Roberge and Debbie Beaudoin have lunch inside the Red Arrow Diner in Concord, N.H., on Monday, Jan. 22, 2023 (MassLive photo by John L. Micek).John L. Micek His backers, who include Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, have been spearheading the write-in push. I do think his age is an issue, Beaudoin told MassLive, as she tucked into her hot turkey plate. But I dont think hes showing any sign of incompetence. Hes very competent. He listens to opinions of the experts in the field. The Red Arrow Diner, on the outskirts of the capital city, is a must-visit for candidates scouring the state for votes. Its website includes an extensive list of White House aspirants, from the well-known to the thoroughly obscure, who have campaigned at its four locations across New Hampshire. These are the kinds of voters that the Trump, Haley and Biden campaigns respectively want onside when the polls open early on Tuesday morning: Theyre engaged. Theyre knowledgeable. And theyre going to show up. But as important as they are, another group of voters may play an even more critical role on Tuesday. South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley makes the case for why New Hampshire voters should choose her over former President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary coming on Tuesday. Ryan Mancini/MassLive.Ryan Mancini The Independents As she waited for Haley to hit the stage at a VFW Hall in nearby Franklin, N.H., Paula Bundy of Chichester, N.H., said she planned to cast her vote for the former South Carolina governor. But Brady, whos spent years as an advocate for children with special needs, is no Republican. Shes an independent. And under New Hampshires election laws, theyre allowed to participate in the statewide plebiscite, and political analysts believe they could turn the course of the GOP race. And as a result, theyve been heavily courted. I think shes truthful about her policies. ... I just feel like shes a new, fresh voice for our country, Bundy told MassLive, adding that she plans to support U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., if Haley drops out of the race. As of late December, independent voters such as Bundy made up the largest share of New Hampshires electorate, accounting for 343,192 of the states 873,359 registered voters, according to the New Hampshire Secretary of States office. In New Hampshire, independent voters will be critical, Israel Balderas, an attorney who teaches First Amendment law at Elon University in Elon, N.C, told MassLive. Balderas, along with a colleague, and a group of Elon political science students, fanned out across New Hampshire in the run-up to Tuesdays primary to get a close-up look at the high-impact retail politics that can make or break a candidate here. One of the students, senior Tori Kelleher, of Charlotte, N.C., also is an independent. The Haley rally in Franklin, was the third campaign event shed seen during her tour of New Hampshire. While shes liberal-leaning, Kelleher said she didnt feel her interests were fully represented by the Democrats. If they show up on Tuesday, that huge constituency of independent voters could have a surprising impact in a state thats already known for its political surprises. While the current polling points to a likely Trump victory, if there is going to be a shock, it will come from New Hampshire voters, who can change their minds, Neil Levesque, the director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, at Saint Anselm College, in Manchester, N.H., said. I will never predict what theyre going to do, Levesque said during an interview with Fox News on Sunday. The Stakes As she surveys the Republican primary field, political consultant Zee Cohen-Sanchez said she believes Haley is playing a long game that will last far beyond New Hampshire or the 2024 Republican nominating derby. I dont think Haley was going in really thinking she was winning New Hampshire. I do think shell stay in until South Carolina because thats her state, Cohen-Sanchez, the executive director of Sole Strategies, a women-owned firm that focuses on electing Democrats, told MassLive in a phone interview. This is positioning for a 2028 race. There is clearly something going on behind the scenes. Cohen-Sanchez said she believes the Biden team made a mistake with its decision to stay off the Granite State primary ballot, effectively ceding the state to Phillips and the author Marianne Williamson, who are now headlining the partys ticket here. I do think it will affect turnout [on Tuesday], she told MassLive. A lot of Democratic voters are tuned out of the primary process, because we have no debates. There is nothing to indicate that there is a primary ... so the Democrats are skipping ahead to the convention at this point, so they can wrap it up. The crowd lines up early outside former President Donald Trump's rally in Rochester, N.H., on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024 (MassLive photo by John L. Micek).John L. Micek Rallying the Faithful As he waited in frigid temperatures on Sunday afternoon to get into Trumps capacity rally in Rochester, N.H., Ron Toth said he was all in for the former president even in the face of two impeachments, four criminal indictments, and a host of civil actions. I heard him at [the University of New Hampshire], it was a good speech, Toth, 62, who identified himself as self-employed, told MassLive. Toth said he was worried about the whole country and said its going to hell, and expressed concerns about war here or the United States funding wars across the globe. People arent going to put up with this (expletive) for much longer, he said. Immigration, the economy, everything this [Biden] administration has done. Its all unconstitutional, and people dont want it. Its turning people against each other, whole families. In Franklin, N.H. on Monday, Tom Murray, a registered Republican, said he planned to vote for Haley, explaining, its time for a change. But if Haley drops out, Murray, 53, a corrections officer, said hes not sure which candidate might get his vote instead. But he does know it wont be Trump. I dont like the direction that [hes] taken us, Murray said. He did all right the first time. But hes just got way too much going on. Mike Landry, also of Franklin, is a Haley supporter, but he would have no such misgivings about supporting Trump if Haley is forced to sideline her candidacy. Biden isnt anyone I want to deal with, Landry said. Hes an old-time Democrat from Tammany Hall days. While Haleys supporters cheered her on, especially after she dismissed a Trump-Biden rematch as more of the same, others simply came out to see what all the fuss was about. One young voter, who asked not to be named, said Haleys rally in Franklin was the first he had been to since one held by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during his White House run. Im just here, the voter said, participating in the process. With voters heading to the polls in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Nikki Haley is asking her supporters to take a deep breath as she commits to staying in the primary if she loses to former President Donald Trump The former South Carolina governors campaign released a statement echoing words she said at a rally in Franklin, N.H., on Monday, that its now a two-person race between her Trump. The political class and the media want to give Donald Trump a coronation, her campaign manager Betsy Ankney said in the statement. They say the race is over. They want to throw up their hands, after only 110,000 people have voted in a caucus in Iowa and say, well, I guess its Trump. That isnt how this works. The race for the presidency on the Republican partys side boiled down to Haley and Trump after Floridas Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out and endorsed Trump on Sunday. Besides long-shot Texas business owner Ryan Binkley, Haley hopes to beat Trump on Tuesday. The statement called Haley the last hope to get our party and our country back on track. It also looked ahead to Super Tuesday on March 5, in which the campaign is placing its bets to win the states with open or semi-open primaries. Until then, everyone should take a deep breath, the statement read. The campaign has not even begun in any of these states yet. No ads have been aired and candidates arent hustling on the ground. A month in politics is a lifetime. Were watching democracy in action. Were letting the people have a voice. Thats how this is supposed to work. Polling aggregated by FiveThirtyEight shows Haley at over 36%, almost 20 points behind Trump at almost 54%, as of Tuesday. A Washington Post/Monmouth University poll showed a similar set of polling, with Haley at 34% and Trump at 52%. While Haleys statement said she was also looking ahead at winning her home state, Trump pollsters Fabrizio, Lee and Associates show the former president polling at 68% while shes at 28% as of Jan. 18, according to FiveThirtyEight. But Haleys campaign said Congress, the press, and many of the weak-kneed fellas who ran for president are giving up and giving in we arent going anywhere. Do they want an 80-year-old man consumed by vendettas and confused by basic names and facts thats both Trump and Biden or do they want a new generation of leadership with the strength and competence to get the job done? the statement concluded. And most importantly DO REPUBLICANS WANT TO WIN? See yall in South Carolina. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on Monday on frozen Russian assets. "The meeting concerned Russian assets frozen in various jurisdictions that should be used for protection against Russian aggression," he said in a video message on Monday. "We are shoring up our position the position of justice," he said. Producer and star Margot Robbie, of Greta Gerwigs award-winning, acclaimed Barbie movie, and her stylist Andrew Mukamal, put together a coffee table book with the most iconic Barbie outfits. Mattel and Rizzoli New York have partnered together to create a new illustrated book, Barbie: The World Tour, which captures all the glamour and high style of the most popular doll in the world, Barbie. According to Mattel, Margot Robbie and her stylist Andrew Mukamal immersed themselves in some of Barbies most iconic outfits and curated vintage pieces, then approached designers, from Giorgio Armani to Donatella Versace, to create looks inspired by the doll-size originals. The Barbie press tour ended up being cut short, so many of these looks were not seen. These looks deserved to be seen so Margot and Andrew worked with renowned fashion photographer Craig McDean to shoot Robbie in the looks exactly as they were curated which include Schiaparelli in Los Angeles, Vivienne Westwood in London, vintage Chanel with matching Streamline luggage at the airport, and more. The book will be published on March 8, 2024, but is available for presale on Amazon now. It is priced at $49.50, available for Prime delivery on Amazon, and will be released on March, 19. Readers can shop for it here. Accompanying the photography are original Barbie dolls from the period, a treasure trove of rare materials from Mattels Barbie fashion archives, and the designers sketches and Polaroids from fittings, layered into evocative collages by art director Fabien Baron, according to Mattel. The book will also include text by Margot Robbie and Andrew Mukamal, as well as handwritten contributions from the designers behind the looks (from Olivier Rousteing and Michelle Ochs to Manolo Blahnik and Jeremy Scott). Mattel says the unique book blends the serious chic of high fashion with the serious fun of Barbie world which includes the dolls, the history, and the style that have captured imaginations for 65 years. There was a recent article about a hearing in front of the Joint Committee on Education, which I am a member of. I would like to clarify the point I was making during that hearing. After the back-and-forth with the sponsors of the bills, I decided that instead of asking further questions to others who testified in favor or against the bills I would provide my own testimony. This newspaper will not print a quote I used from one of the books that the bill is looking to allow in our schools, because of the graphic nature of the quote. But below is the rest of the testimony that I gave during the hearing on Jan. 10: I am testifying on my concerns about S. 2528 and H. 4229, An Act Regarding Free Expression. Nigerian Women in Public Relations, a social impact organisation has announced the theme for the 2024 edition of its Experiencing Public Relations Conference, scheduled for March 20, 2024. In its third edition, the 2024 conference is themed Quiet Wars: Leveraging Public Relations for Conflict Management. The Conference, designed for senior public office holders, experienced business professionals, as well as public relations and communication experts, is expected to host 1,000+ virtual delegates from 10+ countries and 500 in-person delegates in Lagos, Nigeria. According to a statement from the organisation, the theme was crafted to underscore the impact of the wars between nations in the Middle East and Europe, African countries now navigating the changes that come with military intervention in government via coups, democratic transitions through elections as well as changes in organisation and team leaderships. Speaking on this announcement, Public Relations Consultant and Founder of Nigerian Women in PR, Tolulope Olorundero emphasised the relevance and timeliness of the theme in todays global landscape. Tolulope stated that Wars will end on the table of dialogue; coups will give way to elections as leaders come together to negotiate and agree. Internal dissent as teams, departments, organisations and agencies experience a change in leadership at various levels will be drastically reduced, as leaders and executives adopt a transparent communication approach. The Experiencing Public Relations conference is a carefully curated business conference where public relations strategies are discussed from the perspective of both the clients and practitioners. The 2024 edition will feature a business panel where leading business executives will share their experience of how they have navigated conflicts in business using public relations strategies that delivered results. The Industry panel will host a selection of expert public relations professionals practising in Africa and Europe. Globally recognised for its distinctive approach to industry conversations, the Experiencing PR Conference continues to set the standard for promoting third-party validation of the practice of public relations. This distinction ensures that business leaders and public office holders attending the conference gain actionable insights and practical strategies from experienced professionals to enhance their businesses or organisations. Emphasising this commitment, Tolulope said further that the Conference will provide unique opportunities for attendees to learn from experienced business leaders who have successfully navigated different quiet wars. An international industry panel will explore new and progressive public relations and communication strategies. A fireside chat with a millennial who has strategically managed a public war will highlight the generational aspect of conflict resolution. During the 2024 Experiencing Public Relations Conference, Volume II of the Experiencing Public Relations Magazine will be launched, featuring expert articles from professionals globally. Experiencing Public Relations: 12 Women. 12 Countries the second edition of the organisations book which will feature the unique perspective of 12 Nigerian women practising in 12 countries around the world will also be launched. These publications are the organisations contribution to the body of knowledge in the global public relations industry, while providing a credible platform for PR professionals to demonstrate capacity, competence and relevance amongst their global peers. Local election candidate Paul Lawless has claimed that Minister for Integration, Roderic OGorman, is creating a new class of asylum millionaires. Aountus Paul Lawless has addressed the figures which were released by the Mail on Sunday, regarding the state's contracts for accommodating refugees and asylum seekers, calling them lucrative and staggering. It was reported that in the first six months of 2023 the state paid over 100 million to just five companies and over 1 million each to a further 184 companies. It was also found that in the same time period, taxpayers paid more than 650 million to private accommodation providers, who accommodated international protection applicants. Lawless compared the reports, saying the above findings are equivalent to delivering over 3,000 3-bed semi-detached homes, at a cost of circa 400,000. He accused Minister OGormans Department of assisting big business and speculators profiteering to the tune of tens of millions euros every year and is creating a new class of asylum millionaires. Mr Lawless said it is sad that a response of this scale is not being afforded to Irish citizens, and is concerned about the number of nursing homes which are under threat due to spiralling costs. There are currently over 1,200 people seeking international protection in Mayo, as well as almost 3,000 refugees from Ukraine living in state accommodation. Additionally, Mr Lawless said that a high number of people are denied planning permission from Mayo County Council to build. He added that the ever increasing rate of young people emigrating from Ireland to Australia, is due to the the cost of living, largely fueled by the housing crisis in terms of rents and affordable homes. The Aghamore-based school teacher said that the Government has failed to meet its own modest housing targets, and failed to meet their own obligations toward the elderly in nursing homes while they have gone above and beyond in housing refugees and asylum seekers. He called on the Government to apply fairness, common sense and consistency across the board. In the EU, there is a unanimous understanding among the member countries of the Community that support for Ukraine in its opposition to Russian aggression needs to be provided more and faster, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy Josep Borrell said. "The ministers agreed that this is not the moment to weaken our support to Ukraine. By the contrary: it is the moment to do more and faster, my preferred words: more and faster. With financial resources, with military equipment, by training soldiers, and all [that] Ukrainians need to defend [themselves]. We will continue working to make a predictable assistance," he said on Monday in Brussels at a press conference following a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council. According to Borrell, Ukraine "remains a top priority for us in front of the Russian continued aggression which is also a threat for the security in Europe." "As always, we had an update from [Ukrainian] Foreign Minister [Dmytro] Kuleba via video conference on the latest developments. To summarise, Russia has achieved virtually no progress on the battlefield, suffering a lot of casualties. Putin, ahead of his planned re-election in March you can guess about the results of this election continues attacking with drones and missiles. But Ukraine is also achieving important military successes, notably in the Black Sea, where the Russian fleet has been obliged to withdraw to the Eastern facade of Crimea in order to escape the Ukrainian missiles," he said. Belgian beer Stella Artois has decided that theft is an intriguing premise for a campaign. Created by VML Chile and David New York, the integrated campaign "Steal Artois" is promoting petty pilfering. The brand understands its glasses are taken from bars on occasion so it's decided to own the reality. Stella Artois doesn't judge its fans. Instead, it's launching the Steal Artois Collection: five exclusively designed garments, created to capture attention and store the occasional souvenir. "At Stella Artois we are innate admirers of beauty, and as such, we are aware that the beauty of our chalice has made it an iconic object of desire. While inconvenient, we understand that 'borrowing' is an acknowledgement of that, so we can only celebrate and recognize all these lovers of beauty who, like us, could not resist the temptation to enjoy a Stella served perfectly in a chalice at home," says Camila Plass, marketing manager of ABInBev. advertisement advertisement The campaign consists of digital, outdoor and print primarily in Latin America, but anyone in the world can apply for the garments. Enter to win at StealArtois.com. The apparel, geared to the light-fingered among us, has a sole purpose: enjoy the perfection of a Stella glass at home. "Each year, Stella Artois chalices mysteriously disappear from bars, an unacceptable yet somewhat understandable reality due to their beauty. It was an insight that inspired us to reflect it through outdoor and print pieces, along with parallel social media activations encouraging people to 'confess their crime' by sharing a pic of a chalice they have borrowed," said Andre Toledo, CCO David New York. David New York's work includes Burger King, Activision, Corona and Nike. VML Chile counts Coca-Cola, Hellman's and Augmental among its clients. Stella Artois is owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev. The number of victims of a missile attack in Kyiv has increased to 20 people, Mayor Vitali Klitschko has said. "As of this hour, as a result of the Russian missile attack, there are 20 casualties in the capital. Of these, 13 are hospitalized, including three children," he said on the Telegram channel on Tuesday morning. As Klitschko reported, "medics provided assistance to a 13-year-old boy and six adult victims on the spot. One woman was resuscitated. She is in serious condition in the intensive care unit, but is alive." Charter Communications has now followed up on its ground-breaking Walt Disney distribution agreement with a TelevisaUnivision deal -- a multi-year carriage deal that includes the Spanish-language legacy TV network groups streaming service ViX. The Charter Spectrum video distribution business will offer a new version of TelevisaUnivisions ViX streamer -- an ad-supported premium service called Premium with Ads, which will be available in the Spectrum TV Select or Mi Plan Latino packages. The deal also includes TelevisaUnivisions networks Univision, UniMas, Galavision, TL Novelas, TUDN, FOROtv, Bandamax, De Pelicula, De Pelicula Clasico, Telehit and Telehit Musica. Terms were not disclosed. advertisement advertisement This follows a similar multi-year deal that Charter made with Walt Disney in September 2023, where Disney agreed to let Charter package into its mostly linear TV network bundle, Disney streaming apps, including Disney+ Basic (its ad-supported streaming option, and, in the next several months, its ESPN+ streaming service. The Charter deal also includes Disney legacy TV broadcast and cable networks. Disney+ Basic will be included in the Spectrum TV Select Signature package -- Spectrums least expensive bundle -- at $59.99 a month. ESPN+ will also be included in this package. This Charter-Disney deal also includes future distribution of the entire ESPN cable network programming as a streaming app. by Wayne Friedman , January 23, 2024 After a flat year in global TV and movie content spend, production is estimated to see a slight increase of 2% this year to $247 billion, according to Ampere Analysis. The effects of last year's writers' and actors' strike activity were -- and will continue to be for the near term -- major factors in the production spending. It could have been worse, the reports' authors say: Despite production reaching a near-complete halt in the USA, global streaming services were able to weather the storm and continue a steady delivery of new original content in 2023 with the help of non-US productions. Looking at all streaming content -- original, sports, and library TV and movies -- Ampere expects overall spend to grow 7% to $46 billion in 2024. Original streaming content itself is also growing -- expected to rise 13% to $27 billion. Content for TV and movie original shows came from territories including Germany, India and South Korea. advertisement advertisement Looking at the U.S. market alone, theatrical and movie-studio content activity is projected to sink 14% his year -- due to the residual effect of the writers' and actors' strike actions in 2023. Another factor is studios' "ongoing focus on cost-efficiency in a cinema market that remains depressed post-COVID." For U.S. commercial TV broadcasters, the picture largely remains stagnant as they battle weaknesses in the TV advertising market. Olympic programming in 2024 and presidential political advertising will stem further declines in 2024. 1 of 10 Pankaj Tripathi/Instagram Journey through the heart of India's villages and explore the hidden culinary gems that will leave you spellbound with their unique flavors and traditional charm. 2 of 10 Pankaj Tripathi/Instagram 8 Forgotten Flavors from India's Rural Kitchens That Beat Fancy Restaurants Any Day Ditch the stuffy menus and Michelin stars, foodies! Buckle up for a flavor fiesta through India's forgotten villages, where spices dance in earthen pots and grandmas whip up magic with every pinch. Brace your taste buds for 8 dishes so good, they'll make fancy restaurants feel like cafeteria food! 3 of 10 Shudhahar Bamboo Shoot Curry (Northeast) Imagine crunchy whispers of bamboo mingling with tender meat, all bathed in a symphony of spices Northeast India's answer to haute cuisine. 4 of 10 iStock Bhutte Ka Kees (Madhya Pradesh) Picture sunshine on a plate grated corn dancing with spices, a Madhya Pradesh masterpiece that's pure summer on your tongue. 5 of 10 Sanjana Feasts Patra (Gujarat) Tender leaves cloaked in a tangy, spiced hug this Gujarati gem proves veggies can steal the show, no meat required. 6 of 10 Archana's Kitchen Chhena Poda (Odisha) Imagine sweet dreams made of cheese Odisha's caramelized cottage cheese masterpiece will have you singing hallelujah with every bite. 7 of 10 iStock Avial (Kerala) Dive into a Kerala kaleidoscope a rainbow of veggies simmering in coconut and yogurt, a symphony of flavor that'll leave you speechless (and possibly wanting seconds). 8 of 10 iStock Litti Chokha (Bihar) Forget fancy appetizers these smoky wheat balls from Bihar come with their own spicy entourage of mashed veggies. Warning: drool potential is high. 9 of 10 iStock Panta Bhat (West Bengal) Fermented rice, you say? Don't knock it till you try it! This Bengali classic is a probiotic party in your mouth, served with accompaniments that'll make you sing "Khichdi who?" As result of missile attacks on Kharkiv, four killed, over 40 injured prosecutor's office Law enforcement officers are documenting the consequences of missile strikes carried out by Russian occupation forces on Kharkiv at 04:00 and 07:00 on Tuesday. "At the moment, four deaths are known: two men and two women. At least 40 people are injured, among them three minor girls (11, 14, 17 years old) and a policeman," the press service of Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office said. In addition, a 15-year-old boy received cuts from glass fragments. He refused hospitalization. The strikes were carried out in Kyivsky and Saltivsky districts of the city. In both areas, significant destruction and damage to civil infrastructure was recorded (apartment and private residential buildings, a shopping center, a garage cooperative, cars, a fire department, a sanatorium boarding school building, as well as a gas pipeline, etc.) According to preliminary data, the enemy hit the city with Kh-32 and S-300 missiles. Pretrial investigations have been launched into violations of the laws and customs of war (Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Officials at MacDill Air Force Base say 121 potential graves from a historic Black cemetery were located on the installation during a two-year archaeological survey -- and it's likely that more could still be discovered. The Florida base confirmed in a statement late last week that it had located the unmarked Port Tampa Cemetery, which dates back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. "In 2022 and 2023, MacDill officials conducted a non-intrusive archaeological survey that identified multiple anomalies including 58 probable graves and 63 possible graves located in an area that had been previously identified as a possible location for an African American cemetery," the 6th Air Refueling Wing, which is based at MacDill, said in a statement. Read Next: Is the Marine Corps Becoming 'Animal House'? Second Lt. Laura Anderson, a public affairs officer with MacDill, told Military.com on Monday that they utilized radar, dogs and a variety of historic records to identify the possible grave sites. The finding of the dozens of possible grave sites is a major revelation and shows the length of the investigation and research taken on since 2019, when the Tampa Bay History Center notified Air Force officials that it was likely a cemetery was located on the grounds near the base's Tanker Way Gate. In 2021, a memorial plaque and a historical marker were placed at the base, and a service was held to commemorate the Black community members who were buried there. "The Port Tampa Cemetery was where many African American families of the area laid their loved ones to rest," the historic marker reads. "The segregation-era burial ground was in use by members of the community that did not have the means to use established formal cemeteries." The town of Port Tampa City dates back to 1885, and a 1935 Works Progress Administration Veterans Administration Graves Registration Book stated that a cemetery was on the east side of the city in the early part of the 20th century, according to the historical marker. "While the cemetery was not registered, secondary sources showed an unregistered cemetery existed until the 1930s, within the boundary of what is now MacDill Air Force Base," the marker reads. "Upon discovery of the registration book by the Tampa Bay History Center, the installation commander ordered a comprehensive study of the probable location to determine if human remains were present." MacDill, then an Army Air Base, was activated in 1941, according to the installation's website, and was focused on training soldiers to fly the B-17 Flying Fortress and B-26 Marauder. Yvette Lewis, president of the NAACP's Hillsborough County branch, told WFTS-TV, the local ABC news station, that the base should recognize the wrongs done to the community in the past. "No one is saying the current administration or the current people living had a hand in it, but they do have a hand in correcting the wrong," Lewis told WFTS-TV. "They do have a hand in having the conversation and talking about it and telling the story and making sure the story is told correct and properly. They do have a hand in memorializing it." Anderson told Military.com that more research and surveys will be conducted this year north of the base, and the results should be revealed in mid-2025. "MacDill officials will continue to work with the community to determine how best to document the history of the site and manage it in a manner that pays respect to the families and their loved ones buried there," the base said in a statement. Related: Base Neighborhood Named for Army Officer Changed Because of His 'Brutal Acts' Against Native Americans MEXICO CITY Mexico wants an urgent investigation into how U.S. military-grade weapons are increasingly being found in the hands of Mexican drug cartels, Mexico's top diplomat said Monday. Mexicos army is finding belt-fed machine guns, rocket launchers and grenades that are not sold for civilian use in the United States. The (Mexican) Defense Department has warned the United States about weapons entering Mexico that are for the exclusive use of the U.S. army, Foreign Relations Secretary Alicia Barcena said. It is very urgent that an investigation into this be carried out. The Mexican army said in June that it had seized 221 fully automatic machine guns, 56 grenade launchers and a dozen rocket launchers from drug cartels since late 2018. The military-grade U.S. weaponry which cartels have bragged about and openly displayed on social media poses a special challenge for Mexico's army, which along with police and the National Guard already faces cartels operating homemade armored vehicles and bomb-dropping drones. In June, Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval said five rocket launchers had been found in the possession of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, four were seized from the rival Sinaloa cartel and three more seized from other cartels. Sandoval did not specifically say the weapons were from U.S. military stockpiles. The U.S. government had no immediate response, though the U.S. ambassador to Mexico was expected to speak to the media later Monday. While the Mexican army and marines still have superior firepower, the drug cartels' weaponry often now outclasses other branches of Mexican law enforcement. Mexico has long had a problem with semi-automatic rifles that are permitted for civilian use in the United States being smuggled into Mexico, where only low-caliber firearms are permitted and strictly regulated. Mexico has launched legal actions against U.S. arms manufacturers and gun shops, arguing that they contribute to violence. Also Monday, describing talks last week with U.S. officials, Barcena said the United States is planning to announce sanctions against airlines and transportation companies that move migrants to South and Central America and through Mexico to the U.S. border. The United States said it was going to impose sanctions on South American and Central American companies that are transporting migrants irregularly, and they want us to do the same, Barcena said. The (Mexican) Interior Department is going to call on the bus and airline companies, but we don't want them (the United States) to act unilaterally. Mexico, meanwhile, wants changes made to the U.S. CBP One mobile application for asylum-seekers to make appointments. The app is designed only to work on telephones in northern Mexico, but Barcena said Mexico has asked that coverage be extended to allow appointments to be made from further south, to avoid a pileup of migrants rushing to Mexico's northern border cities. WASHINGTON The U.S. and British militaries bombed multiple sites used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities, several U.S. officials said. According to officials, the U.S. and U.K. used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing mission. The joint operation comes about 10 days after U.S. and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That what was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that several American and British raids targeted Yemens capital, Sanaa. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday. The latest barrage of allied attacks follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the militarys increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen. The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes havent deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality. For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the regions waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue. ___ Associated Press writers Jack Jeffery in London and Ahmed al-Haj in Sanaa contributed to this report. Lt. Col. Deborah Brown has spent her Army career offering spiritual guidance to service members. Now, she is trying to inspire others through her debut documentary. Roughly 150 people, dressed to the nines, gathered on Jan. 13 at the downtown Norfolk Waterside Marriott for the premiere of Pounders: We are who we are. The 40-minute documentary chronicles the lives of four individuals as they overcome the challenges of living with spinal cord injuries and pursue their passion of riding motorcycles. They are the epitome of resilient, Brown said. Brown, who lives in Williamsburg, wrote and produced the film through her business, DAT Gypsy Productions. She first envisioned the venture 30 years ago but it took a backseat to her military career. She has served the Army as a chaplain for 23 years. When asked about making a documentary now, she said it was all about the timing. And on a spiritual level, God said I could, Brown added. Brown brought this film to life with the help of her brother, Wendell Thompson, a Williamsburg resident who is living with a spinal cord injury. He is one of the four pounders featured in the documentary. Thompson, a 59-year-old Army veteran, was injured in 1985 in a service-related incident. He is paralyzed from the waist down, and recently had his left leg amputated at the knee. He is still an avid motorcycle rider. When we ride motorcycles, we pound the road, pound the highway, Thompson said. We are pounders despite being in wheelchairs. That is what this is about. Riding motorcycles, Thompson said, frees his mind and his body from the wheelchair and helps him overpower negative perceptions, emotional struggles and physical obstacles. I am not here to give up, he said. I am not about to. I never will. Marcus Claude, 42, is the youngest and most recent pounder. The Emporia resident was driving in February when he nodded off behind the wheel about a mile from his home. His vehicle collided with a tractor trailer. I spent all my life working, working, working and trying to save money, Claude said. But it was like God said, Hey man, I am going to put the brakes on you. Claude, a member of the National Guard, is going through the process of being medically discharged. He also served in the Army. He said since his crash, he has a new lease on life and has grown closer with his family. I lost the ability to run, jump and do all those things but on the flip side, I gained all these wonderful people in my life, Claude said. The documentary was filmed in Williamsburg and Emporia, as well as New York City and Detroit, from July to October. JaeTech Studios, based in Hampton, handled the cinematography. Other pounders featured are Mark James from New York City and Roosevelt Stevenson Jr. of Detroit. Brown hopes the four pounders stories and those of their caregivers will inspire others to overcome whatever challenges they face. While Brown is still actively serving the Army at Fort Eustis in Newport News, she plans to dedicate more time to DAT Gypsy Productions and is looking to explore more stories that capture the essence of resilience and celebrate the human spirit. It is about not quitting, Brown said. You cant quit because you are in pain. You cant quit because you had a stroke. You cant quit because we have a grip on you. We love you and we are going through it with you. Pounders: We are who we are can be streamed online at datgypsyproduction.com. 2024 The Virginian-Pilot. Visit pilotonline.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A female Army officer was fired from command of a unit based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord amid allegations of multiple sexual assaults against several male subordinates and a pattern of sexual harassment, according to a service spokesperson. Col. Meghann Sullivan served as commander of the 5th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade, at the base in Washington state. She was relieved of command Oct. 13, but this is the first time her firing has been reported. Military.com first reported on her suspension and the subsequent investigation into her conduct in April. That reporting was part of the publication's investigation into the 5th SFAB, which uncovered potentially systemic issues with counterproductive leadership and performance and morale struggles among its rank and file. Read Next: The Military Recruiting Outlook Is Grim Indeed. Loss of Public Confidence, Political Attacks and the Economy Are All Taking a Toll. The investigation into the 5th SFAB included reviewing an unredacted command climate survey in addition to hundreds of internal Army emails, voice recordings, videos and text messages. The brigade's commander, Col. Jonathan Chung, was later fired and left the service. Sullivan, who did not immediately return a request for comment, is still in the service and was reassigned to I Corps, based out of the same installation. She is seemingly not facing a court-martial, according to a Military.com review of the public-facing court docket. It was unclear whether she had hired an attorney. The former commander faced allegations of assaulting at least two male subordinates and harassing several others, with some of those incidents allegedly tied to alcohol abuse, according to one source with direct knowledge of the situation. One of those instances allegedly involved forcefully kissing one of the males, and grabbing another below the belt without his consent. Male victims account for 10% of sexual assault cases in the military, according to 2022 data from the Department of Defense, though male reporting of sexual assault is seen by the Pentagon as underreported due to societal stigma. Women make up 6% of sexual harassment offenders, which is also likely underreported, the bulk of those being junior enlisted. Women offenders who are also senior officers are so rare that they do not appear in most of the DoD's reporting on offender statistics. Meanwhile, senior male officers account for 8% of offenders. However, the DoD's data paints an incomplete picture of offender demographics. Some data on assaults and harassments does not meaningfully break down ranks or genders of offenders. Sullivan was the first woman to take command of an SFAB battalion. Those new units, created between 2017 and 2020, work with established foreign allied forces, assist in training, and develop ways the U.S. can partner with those forces. The unique units sport a brown beret and "advisor" tab. Each SFAB focuses on a specific region, with the 5th SFAB's area of responsibility being the Pacific. It partners with Australia, Japan, Mongolia and other nations that could be critical in a conflict with China. Related: Inside One of the Army's Most Chaotic Brigades As the U.S. military ramps up strikes on Houthi forces in Yemen and militant attacks on troops in Iraq and Syria balloon, Pentagon officials have offered a solid and unflinching answer to a basic question: Are we at war with Iranian-backed rebels? Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh offered a fairly simple "no" when asked the question by reporters Thursday. "We don't seek war. ... We are not at war with the Houthis," she added. The Pentagon press corps, seemingly perplexed, noted the increasing number of strikes against the rebel group and asked, "If this isn't war, what is war?" Despite the unequivocal assurances, the question of war comes amid growing signs that American forces in the region are certainly in combat and approaching a war-like state, drawing more and more skepticism from the press and critics alike. Read Next: Pentagon Weighs Extending USS Bataan and Marine Expeditionary Unit Deployment in Middle East Amid Turmoil But experts note that, while such assurances seem at odds with the military realities, they offer political expediency -- though at a cost to the American people and political discourse in the country. "I don't know that there's any purpose served by being too cute about the way you talk about it," Brad Martin, a former Navy captain turned senior researcher at Rand Corp., told Military.com on Friday. "It's definitely combat, and it is definitely something that could become a much larger combat. ... Whether or not it is at the level that we would call a war is sort of an academic distinction." Singh on Monday continued to rebut the idea that the U.S. is caught in a cycle of escalation and conflict -- "we don't see conflict" -- even after describing the latest missile barrage on Saturday from an Iranian-backed group against Al Asad Air Base in Iraq as "a larger- scale attack than we have seen before." The military's involvement in firing ordnance at Houthis and Houthi assets began months ago on Oct. 19, when the destroyer USS Carney shot down four missiles and 15 drones that, at the time, the press was told were bound for Israel. Meanwhile, just two days prior, a U.S. military outpost in Iraq took fire from attack drones and missiles. Since then, incidents in Yemen as well as Iraq and Syria have continued at an increasing pace. By early January, the head of the Navy's Central Command, Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, was telling reporters that U.S. ships had shot down 61 drones and missiles in the Red Sea. To date, there have also been 151 attacks on U.S. outposts in Iraq and neighboring Syria. More recently, the U.S., with help from the British, has begun an open-ended campaign of strikes against the Houthis that officials say is aimed at reducing their ability to launch missiles into the Red Sea. The campaign opened with a massive retaliatory strike on more than 60 targets in Yemen on Jan. 11. Another, similar large strike followed 11 days later. Adding to the intensity of the conflict is the fact that there is no denying that the attacks in Iraq and Syria are not only targeting American troops but have successfully caused injury. To date, there have been more than 70 injuries -- some were diagnosed as traumatic brain injuries and one injury was so serious that it left a soldier in a coma. At the same time, military officials have offered mixed messages about what is actually happening in the waters off Yemen. In talking with reporters in early January, Cooper said that there was "no specific information that any U.S. ship has been directly targeted." At the time, U.S. Central Command was also highlighting the idea that the launches were against merchant vessels by keeping a running tally of the number of Houthi attacks "on international shipping." While the message to the public has focused on framing the actions as a defensive, merchant-focused effort, the military seemed to tell its own forces a different story. On Dec. 11, Gen. Michael Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command, flew out to the Carney to present awards to 20 of its sailors for their actions in that first, Oct. 19, incident. The ships commander also received a Bronze Star. Despite the fact that in October, Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon's top spokesman, told reporters that the missiles were targeting Israel, not the Carney, a Navy spokesman was telling reporters that "the team defended the ship and their shipmates from a complex air attack, manifested in the form of multiple hostile air threats traversing the Red Sea." Then, in January, Cooper presented the Carney with a Combat Action Ribbon -- a prestigious combat award that the Navy has rarely bestowed on its ships. Navy officials have, so far, been unwilling to provide the citation behind the Combat Action Ribbon to Military.com, and they have yet to offer an explanation for why it cannot be made public. When Ryder was asked whether the award signified that Navy ships are considered in combat while conducting seemingly defensive operations in the Red Sea, he replied that "the admiral's actions speak for themselves in terms of recognizing the crew ... so let's leave it at that." As American retaliations gathered in frequency and force, the U.S. began acting more proactively, as well. Since the planned Jan. 11 strike in Yemen, U.S. forces in the area have carried out five preemptive retaliatory strikes, destroying Houthi missiles before they are able to be launched. U.S. Central Command also began to note that American forces are now determining that the missiles pose "a threat to merchant vessels and U.S. Navy ships in the region." The latest such strike occurred Saturday and appears to have brought the destroyed missile count to 24. President Joe Biden said last week that the U.S. military strikes would continue. Martin, the Rand senior researcher, noted that, despite the increased tempo and intensity of strikes on the part of America, the situation in the Middle East isn't a "war" in the academic sense of the term, which is sometimes defined as more than 1,000 battle casualties during an interaction between two sovereign nations. "If you apply that, then no, we're not at war. ... We're in something like a punitive action against a non-state actor," Martin said. Yet Jonathan Lord, a senior fellow and director of the Middle East security program at the Center for a New American Security think tank, told Military.com on Friday that thinking about the term in its political sense is more instructive. In the political realm, being at war would require authorization from Congress, according to the War Powers Resolution of 1973. The law was passed in the waning years of the Vietnam War -- over President Richard Nixon's veto -- as a way to check the president's power to commit U.S. troops to combat. One of the key provisions of the law mandates the president notify Congress within 48 hours of hostilities, and that sets off a 60-day count, at the end of which Congress has to authorize further military action. That request doesn't always go over well. Congress can be reluctant, and disagreement can derail such efforts. "The way presidents have kind of skirted that issue is that they simply re-notify every time forces enter into hostilities ... resetting the 60-day clock," Lord said. "More likely than not, every time U.S. forces engage the Houthis ... there will probably be a specific and separate notification of that event." "Has the executive branch basically found the cheat code to avoid [war]?" Lord asked, rhetorically. "It seems so." Lord noted that the Houthis and various Iranian-backed militias that the Pentagon says are behind the multitude of attacks also benefit from a lack of declared, recognized conflict. "All of Iran's proxies, and partners, have really attempted to slowly boil the frog in a way that prevents the U.S. or Israel from being backed into a corner or to have to make a dramatic choice," Lord said. The result is the current situation -- a kind of chess game in which each of the players is able to achieve some of their goals and please their respective constituencies while avoiding all-out conflict. But it also results in the ambiguous, vague language that everyday Americans struggle to parse and understand. "There's this slow, steady separation between civilian and military worlds that has benefited policymakers," Lord said. "If most Americans can't feel or identify the cost of being at war, they have a freer hand." But that freedom comes at a cost. Setting aside very high-minded ideas about an informed electorate and the health of public debate, the administration's effort to have the latest conflict in the Middle East play out without public debate or criticism can backfire on it. "When leaders aren't forthcoming and honest at the onset of what they think a conflict is going to be, ultimately, it constrains their ability to win ... when the public grows tired, or feels like they had a bait and switch, or simply don't understand the purpose of what we're doing," Lord said. Related: Airstrikes Pound Houthis in Yemen as US and UK Retaliate for Red Sea Attacks on Shipping President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said all developments on relations between government and business will be sent to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC). "Today, government officials met with representatives of Ukrainian business. The discussion was not an easy one. There are some serious issues. There are real difficulties. I have familiarized myself with the details and asked to do the necessary groundwork to ensure that all complications between government officials, business, and law enforcers are resolved," he said in a video address on Monday. According to Zelenskyy, "in times of war we all have to be united by one task the strength of Ukraine, the strength of our society and our economy." "All the developments will be presented at the National Security and Defense Council," he said. The sixth annual MLB Trade Rumors Top 50 Free Agents list is here! The entire list of available free agents can be found here, and you can filter by position and signing team with our free agent tracker here. This year, I'm excited to introduce a new contest that will allow you to test your free agent prediction abilities against those of the MLBTR writing team as well as other readers. After players start signing, we'll have a leaderboard showing the contestants with the best "batting averages" on their picks. Once everyone has signed, the winners will receive sweet prizes. Here are the top 50 free agents for which you'll be making predictions, along with my guesses. 1. Albert Pujols Cardinals. The Cubs, Blue Jays, Orioles, Mariners, Rangers, Marlins, Nationals, and Dodgers are other potential suitors, but a significant premium would be required to lure away the longtime Cardinal. $225-230MM over nine years seems a fair compromise for the Cardinals and their superstar first baseman. 2. Prince Fielder Mariners. Fielder has the same potential suitors as Pujols, with the Brewers also a possibility. The Scott Boras client is a tough free agent to place, as there are good reasons for every team to avoid a potential $150MM+ commitment. The Mariners and Cubs are the most likely matches for me. Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik drafted Fielder in '02 with the Brewers, and his team lacks a premium bat. 3. Jose Reyes Brewers. Reyes is another difficult top free agent to predict. The Nationals, Braves, Phillies, Giants, Pirates, Reds, Twins, Rays, and Cardinals could have a need at shortstop, but not all of those teams can or should spend $100MM+ on Reyes. The Mets will entertain re-signing Reyes, but the Brewers seem more likely to approach Ryan Braun's speculated $120MM price range. 4. C.J. Wilson Nationals. Wilson's poor postseason may have damaged his stock slightly, but in his defense he racked up 250 innings over 39 starts this season in total and started 37 games in 2010. $100MM is still possible for Wilson, though 78% of MLBTR readers think he'll fall short. Front-of-the-rotation starting pitching is a big need for many teams, including the Nationals, Marlins, Royals, Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, and Cubs. 5. Yu Darvish Blue Jays. Darvish is not technically a free agent, and in fact he hasn't even decided about being posted at this point. If he does come over from Japan, a $100MM commitment will likely be required. The Yankees, Red Sox, Rangers, Nationals, Mariners, and Royals could put in bids, and it wouldn't be surprising to see a few "mystery teams" enter the fray. 6. Edwin Jackson Marlins. Jackson, a Scott Boras client, could also make sense for the Nationals and several other teams looking for a 200-inning starter with upside. Since Jackson is only 28, Boras could seek a four-year deal. 7. Jimmy Rollins Phillies. Rollins probably won't find the five-year deal he seeks, but the Phillies have the need and the means to reach a new agreement with him. 8. Aramis Ramirez Orioles. Ramirez seeks a multiyear deal, and as the best available free agent third baseman he's justified. He could give the Orioles a powerful corner bat on a three-year deal. 9. Carlos Beltran Red Sox. Beltran is a tough player to place, if the Giants are unable to re-sign him. He's a 34-year-old Scott Boras client who's likely to seek at least three years despite significant injury concerns in 2009-10 and a disinterest in being a designated hitter. It'll take a team with a right field opening and a tolerance for risk. 10. Jonathan Papelbon Red Sox. I can picture the Red Sox going as high as three years and $39MM to retain Papelbon, though the closer will test the market. A half-dozen teams could seek closers this winter, but the list is short on big spenders and it's been a while since we've had a $40MM+ reliever. 11. Michael Cuddyer Twins. Cuddyer would fit with the Rockies, Red Sox, or Cubs, but he's spent his entire career with the Twins and may prefer to stay. 12. Mark Buehrle White Sox. Buehrle is another player who is difficult to picture with another club. The lefty finds the National League enticing, however, and he could join Ozzie Guillen in Miami since the Cardinals don't have an opening. 13. David Ortiz Blue Jays. Ortiz backed off from his comments about Red Sox drama, and there's a limited market for an expensive player with no ability to play defense. Still, he'd give Toronto's offense a nice boost without requiring more than a two-year deal. That might leave Edwin Encarnacion having to play a significant amount of first base, however. 14. Ryan Madson Phillies. If the Phillies don't re-sign Madson, and the Red Sox keep Papelbon, who would give Madson big money to close? As a Scott Boras client, Madson could seek a four-year deal with a salary approaching $10MM. 15. Hiroki Kuroda Dodgers. Kuroda doesn't want to play anywhere else, according to Dodgers GM Ned Colletti. 16. Carlos Pena Pirates. Pena is a nice fit for the Pirates on another one-year deal, assuming they don't re-sign Derrek Lee. 17. Francisco Rodriguez Marlins. K-Rod, a Scott Boras client, would like to return to the closing role on a three-year deal. The Marlins would have the opening and the money, if they non-tender Juan Carlos Oviedo. 18. Roy Oswalt Rangers. Oswalt could return to Texas for a winning team, and he'll require a much shorter commitment than C.J. Wilson. 19. Javier Vazquez Retirement. There's a strong sentiment that Vazquez will retire, but he'd be in demand if not after posting a 1.92 ERA and 6.05 K/BB ratio since mid-June. 20. Heath Bell Padres. Bell hopes and expects to return to the Padres, perhaps on the first multiyear deal of his career. 21. Coco Crisp Giants. Though he posted a low on-base percentage in 2011, Crisp could fill the Giants' need for a center fielder and leadoff man. 22. Hisashi Iwakuma Twins. The Twins bid on Iwakuma last year when he was posted, and this year they can simply sign him as a free agent. 23. Kelly Johnson Dodgers. Johnson could provide the Dodgers some offense from second base, though the Blue Jays and Tigers could also be in the mix. 24. Josh Willingham Reds. As one of few affordable right-handed power sources on the market, Willingham could fit with the Reds, Rockies, Indians, and others. 25. Paul Maholm Rockies. Though Maholm does not appear to be on the Rockies' radar at the moment, he's coming off a decent season and won't require a huge commitment. 26. Grady Sizemore Marlins. Sizemore is a classic risk/reward case, and the Marlins don't seem interested in playing it safe this winter. 27. Bartolo Colon Red Sox. Colon had an excellent comeback season, but he will still have a hard time finding a two-year deal. Perhaps he could take an incentive-based contract and remain in the AL East with the Red Sox. 28. Erik Bedard Blue Jays. If the Blue Jays hit on a wild card like Bedard and also land Darvish, they'd have a fearsome rotation. Bedard is a healthy free agent for the first time, and perhaps he'll lean toward his native Canada. 29. David DeJesus Cubs. DeJesus could be an asset for the Cubs at the outfield corners on a one-year deal. 30. Jason Kubel Dodgers. Kubel could improve the Dodgers' offense as their left fielder, unless they go with Jerry Sands at the position. 31. Ramon Hernandez Pirates. Hernandez would give the Pirates offense out of the catcher spot, though GM Neal Huntington may balk at giving up a second-round pick to sign him. 32. Jeff Francis Pirates. Francis is one of many starting pitchers who could add depth to the Pirates' rotation at a reasonable cost. 33. Chris Capuano Mariners. After subtracting Doug Fister this summer, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik seems likely to add a piece to his rotation. 34. Tsuyoshi Wada Orioles. Wada is expected to come to MLB as a free agent, though one question is his ability to handle a full rotation workload. 35. Clint Barmes Twins. Barmes provided good value this season, and the Twins have a clear middle-infield need. 36. Casey Kotchman Rays. Kotchman posted a fine 2011 season after signing a minor league deal, but his price should remain reasonable as teams wonder whether he can do it again. 37. Freddy Garcia Yankees. Even with Sabathia in the fold, the Yankees will need additional rotation depth. Another stint with Garcia makes sense if his price remains reasonable. 38. Aaron Hill Diamondbacks. Hill's stellar 142 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks this year provided hope he can bounce back in 2012. 39. Johnny Damon Orioles. Damon probably requires a designated hitter opening, yet his level of offense doesn't justify a full-time spot. He's a difficult free agent to place. 40. Aaron Harang Angels. Would Harang accept a below-market deal to stay close to home? 41. Jamey Carroll Tigers. The versatile Carroll fits at the top of the Tigers' order, playing mostly second base. 42. Rafael Furcal Cardinals. The Cardinals and Furcal are known to have mutual interest in a new deal; he showed promise in his Cards stint this year. 43. Juan Pierre Reds. Pierre will have to take a more reduced role next year, perhaps under Dusty Baker again. 44. Frank Francisco Mariners. Francisco was homer-prone this year, but he's still an asset in the late innings. 45. Jason Marquis Mets. Marquis may have to take a one-year deal with the Mets to realize his goal of playing in New York. 46. Joel Pineiro Cubs. Pineiro had great success in '09 in the NL Central, and could be a bargain if he rights the ship. 47. Jonathan Broxton Mets. Broxton had arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur and loose bodies from his elbow in September and expects to be ready for Spring Training. Though he may not be the Broxton of old, I expect incentive-laden offers to be plentiful. 48. Joe Nathan Twins. Nathan is excited about free agency, but after so many successful years closing for the Twins he may want to return to the role full-time in 2012. 49. Kerry Wood Cubs. It's Cubs or retirement for Wood, and there's no reason not to bring him back. 50. Bruce Chen Royals. As long as Chen's price tag doesn't get excessive, he's a good fit back with the Royals. SUNDAY: Perez passed his physical and the deal is now official, tweets Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. FRIDAY: The Diamondbacks have reached an agreement with left-hander Oliver Perez on a two-year, $4.25MM deal, pending physical. Perez, a client of Scott Boras, will earn $1.75MM for the coming year and $2.5MM in 2015. Perez, 32, has revitalized his career over the past two seasons as a reliever with the Mariners. He has tallied a 3.16 ERA with 10.7 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 31.8 percent ground-ball rate in 82 2/3 innings in that time. Opposing left-handers have batted .254/.346/.316 against him in that time, while righties have had a tougher time getting on base but slugged at a higher clip with a .237/.309/.411 batting line. Prior to the 2009 season, Perez famously signed an ill-fated three-year, $36MM contract to remain with the Mets coming off a pair of solid seasons in New York. He would go on to pitch just 112 1/3 innings over the life of that contract, yielding a 6.81 ERA with more walks (100) than strikeouts (99). He didn't pitch in the Major Leagues at all in 2011 before his resurgence with Seattle the following year. Left-handed relief was an area of need for the D'Backs throughout much of the 2013 campaign and was one of the factors that led Arizona GM Kevin Towers to make an intra-division trade that sent Ian Kennedy to the Padres in exchange for lefty Joe Thatcher, relief prospect Matt Stites and a compensation round B draft choice. However, Thatcher struggled mightily in Arizona, pitching to a 6.75 ERA in 9 1/3 innings for the Snakes. Towers has done quite a bit of wheeling and dealing in regards to his bullpen this season, as he dealt Heath Bell (and most of his salary) to the Rays in a three-team deal that also included the Reds and also flipped blocked third base prospect Matt Davidson to the White Sox for closer Addison Reed. Additionally, Arizona claimed lefty Santos Rodriguez off waivers from the White Sox and locked up right-handers Brad Ziegler and Josh Collmenter with a two-year contract extensions. Perez was the final unsigned left-handed reliever to have seen significant big league action in 2013. Peers such as Boone Logan, Javier Lopez, Matt Thornton, Scott Downs, Manny Parra and J.P. Howell also signed multi-year deals on the open market. The signing was first reported by Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (on Twitter), while Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports earlier reported that the two sides were closing in on a multi-year deal (Twitter links). Heyman was first to report that the deal was for two years. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 had the final financial terms (via Twitter), while MLBDailyDish.com's Chris Cotillo (via Twitter) and Heyman (via Twitter) reported developments in the price tag. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. 3:30pm: Cabreras incentives are tied to plate appearances, and max out with his 500th turn at the dish, Rich Dubroff of CSNBaltimore.com tweets. 8:17am: The Orioles on Wednesday announced that theyve added some infield insurance by agreeing to a one-year, Major League deal with former Padres shortstop Everth Cabrera. The Scott Boras client will reportedly earn $2.4MM and has the opportunity to earn as much as $600K more via incentives. That guarantee makes Cabrera the largest investment of the offseason for the Os. He comes in just ahead of those given to the teams two other major league signings this offseason: Delmon Young ($2.25MM) and Wesley Wright ($1.7MM). Cabrera, 28, was non-tendered by the Padres earlier in the offseason. He is coming off of an undeniably rough stretch in his personal and professional life. A 50-game PED suspension cut short an otherwise promising 2013 campaign, and Cabrera is still facing possible jail time relating to a charge for resisting arrest. And when he was on the field last year, Cabrera largely disappointed, hitting a meager .232/.272/.300 in his 391 plate appearances and seeing his stolen base tally drop to 18. Of course, those issues come with undeniable upside. Over the 2012-13 campaigns, the switch-hitter slashed .264/.339/.352 and swiped 84 bags in an even hundred attempts. With solid defense at short thrown into the mix, Cabrera has played at a 3+ WAR clip for the better part of a MLB season. As MLBTRs Steve Adams recently noted, one attractive aspect of Cabrera is the fact that he comes with team control for another year. That effectively amounts to a club option, with the value to be determined through the arbitration process. Speaking of options, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com notes on Twitter, Cabrera can be optioned for one more season. That is another nice bit of flexibility, especially for an Orioles club that makes heavy use of the shuttle between the bigs and Triple-A. Given that Baltimore has committed to J.J. Hardy for three more years, Cabrera would figure to provide competition at second base and another utility option. While Jonathan Schoop handled himself well at the position defensively, he struggled mightily at the plate. The two could be deployed in some kind of platoon capacity, of course, though Schoop bats from the right side and Cabrera has traditionally fared better against left-handed pitching. Baltimore also has used the left-handed-hitting Ryan Flaherty quite a bit over the past two years, but could find himself battling with Schoop for a roster spot. Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun first reported that the deal was close (Twitter links). He also tweeted the financial guarantee. Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that the deal had been finalized and that it included incentives, via Twitter. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. The White Sox have agreed to terms with outfielder Austin Jackson on a $5MM contract, Jon Heyman writes (all Twitter links). Jackson is a Scott Boras client. Heyman notes that Jackson could have signed with the Angels for more money, but preferred to stay in Chicago (where he played with the Cubs last season) and play center field, rather than left. Late last month, it was reported that Jackson had rejected an offer from the Angels in the $5MM-$6MM range. Jackson, 29, batted .267/.311/.385 in 527 plate appearances last season, spending most of the year with the Mariners before heading to the Cubs in a late-August deal. His hitting has, on the whole, been mildly disappointing the past two seasons, as he struggled to hit home runs in pitcher-friendly Seattle and has largely continued his career-long trend of being strikeout-prone. He has generally produced good value on the bases, however (despite stealing only 17 bases compared to ten times caught last year). Jackson is also fairly young and has maintained a reasonably high baseline level of performance, producing over 2 fWAR in five of his six seasons in the big leagues. Jackson played center in Seattle but spent most of his time in the corners after being traded. His defense has graded as about average in center field UZR rated him as 7.5 runs above average in center last season but was less favorable in the two years before that, while Defensive Runs Saved has marked him as about average in all of the last three seasons. He has rated as a better defender than incumbent White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton, who had a good year with the bat in 2015. Its possible Eaton could move to a corner, or maybe Jackson could take at bats in center when Eaton isnt playing and also play occasionally in a corner himself. Eaton is currently dealing with a shoulder issue, but via CSN Chicagos Dan Hayes (on Twitter), the White Sox do not seem overly concerned about Eatons health. It isnt surprising that the White Sox would be interested in Jackson, given their reported pursuits of outfielders like Dexter Fowler and Alex Gordon. Jacksons signing will likely cut into Avisail Garcias playing time, and though Jackson is far from a perfect player, he appears to be a significant upgrade (keeping in mind that Garcia is 24 and could improve). Garcia hit a disappointing .257/.309/.365 last season while struggling defensively in right. Jacksons presence strengthens a White Sox defense that rated as worst in the Majors last season, via Fangraphs. The Jackson deal continues a busy South Side offseason that has also included the additions of Todd Frazier, Brett Lawrie, Mat Latos, Alex Avila, Dioner Navarro and others, as the Sox have attempted to remake a roster that came up well short of expectations in a 76-win 2015 season. Jacksons $5MM price tag appears very reasonable for a player of his caliber. Before last offseason began, MLBTR projected that Jackson would receive more than twice that much, at $12MM for one year. Perhaps, though, the slow-developing outfield market influenced Jacksons payday. Last week, MLBTRs Steve Adams listed the White Sox as one of several teams that could have interest in Jackson. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. MONDAY: The deal is official, with the Padres announcing the signing of Hosmer as well as the key terms. SATURDAY: The Padres have agreed to sign first baseman Eric Hosmer, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The contract is an eight-year deal that includes an opt-out clause after the fifth season, according to MLB Networks Jon Morosi (via Twitter). The deal contains a full no-trade clause for the first three seasons and then limited no-trade protection afterwards, Bleacher Reports Scott Miller reports (Twitter links). Hosmer will be paid $20MM in each of the first five seasons and $13MM in the three remaining years, plus a $5MM signing bonus. The $144MM total figure represents the largest contract in the history of the Padres franchise. Hosmer is represented by the Boras Corporation. The agreement concludes a rather unusual trip through the open market for Hosmer, and he winds up on a team that nobody couldve predicted as a potential suitor last fall. With a rebuild underway and Wil Myers safely locked in at first base, the Padres didnt at all appear to fit as a landing spot for Hosmers services. Instead, San Diego rather quickly emerged as an interested party in Hosmer, as the team felt that his young age (he turned 28 last October) indicated that he could still be a productive cornerstone player when the Padres were again ready to contend. With Hosmer now signed, in fact, its possible that the Friars could push that contention timeline forward by at least one season. [Updated Padres depth chart at Roster Resource] Hosmer is the second major free agent first baseman to join a surprise team this winter, after Carlos Santanas deal with the Phillies. Both signings represent aggressive moves by rebuilding clubs, and while Philadelphia has been widely expected to kickstart their ride back into contention with a big splurge in the 2018-19 free agent market, the Padres were seen to be at least a couple of years away since most of the top names in their well-regarded farm system were still in the lower minors. General manager A.J. Preller is no stranger to aggressive moves, so it wouldnt be surprising if he tried to deal some of those young blue-chippers for players that could help the Padres as soon as 2019. The lackluster San Diego lineup has now added three notable veteran upgrades this offseason, though obviously Hosmer is a long-term asset in a way that Chase Headley and Freddy Galvis (potential trade chips and both signed through only 2018) are not. Myers will shift into a corner outfield spot, leaving Jose Pirela, Hunter Renfroe, Alex Dickerson, Cory Spangenberg, and Matt Szczur all battling for regular at-bats in the other corner position or in bench roles. The Padres could also look to deal from this surplus to add pitching depth in the rotation or bullpen. Hosmer entered free agency on the heels of a career year that saw him hit .318/.385/.498 (all career bests) with 25 homers and 98 runs scored over 671 plate appearances with the Royals last season, and he was also one of five players who appeared in all 162 of his teams games in 2017. As good as he was, however, Hosmer is still looking to string together consecutive quality seasons as a big leaguer he has alternated between strong years and replacement-level performances in each of the last six seasons. Hosmers grounder-heavy offensive attack seems to leave him prone to a wide variance in production, as he has been pretty average in the power and walks department. It has been theorized that Hosmers approach at the plate would differ if he left Kauffman Stadium, though moving to another pitcher-friendly stadium in Petco Park will make it interesting to see what adjustments, if any, Hosmer makes. These question marks surrounding Hosmers status as a top-tier player, plus the general chill surrounding the free agent class as a whole this offseason, may have contributed to a relative lack of teams in his market. With other possible first base-needy teams (i.e. the Red Sox, Mariners, Cardinals) turning to other lineup options, Hosmers market was seemingly limited to just the Padres and Royals. A Hosmer reunion also seemed somewhat curious for a K.C. team that appears to be entering a rebuild stage, though the Royals also valued Hosmers youth and potential as a long-term building block, particularly since he has already contributed to one World Series title and is hugely popular within both the Kansas City community and the Royals clubhouse. The Royals had reportedly offered Hosmer a seven-year deal in the nine-figure range, though the exact dollar figure wasnt quite certain. Instead, the Royals will now receive an extra pick after the first round of the June amateur draft as compensation for Hosmer (who rejected a qualifying offer) signing elsewhere for more than $50MM. Combined with their other compensation pick for Lorenzo Cains deal with the Brewers, plus their Competitive Balance Draft selection, the Royals currently have four of the top 40 picks in the draft, setting them up for a strong reload of their farm system. Another pick will be coming their way if Mike Moustakas signs elsewhere, as well. For the Padres, since they are revenue-sharing recipients and didnt exceed the luxury tax, theyll only have to surrender their third-highest draft pick as penalty for signing Hosmer. The Padres had reportedly issued a seven-year offer worth under $140MM to Hosmer, so it looks like the extra year and the extra bit of cash sealed the deal. Hosmer is guaranteed to make at least $105MM as a Padre, and hell have the option of testing the free agent market again after his age-32 season. MLBTR projected Hosmer for a six-year, $132MM deal this winter (ranking third on our list of the offseasons top 50 free agents), so Hosmers actual deal fell short in average annual value ($18MM per year to our $22MM per year) but contained more potential years and a larger overall dollar figure. If Hosmer does opt out, hell have earned an average of $21MM per season over the first five years. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images Russian missile attacks on populated areas of Ukraine are deliberate terror directed against the civilian population, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "The rescue operation continues after another attack against our cities and people deliberate terror against ordinary residential buildings in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Pavlohrad. Unfortunately, there are injured and dead," Zelenskyy said on the Telegram channel. He said that to date, 22 people are known to have been injured as a result of enemy shelling of Kyiv. In Kharkiv, due to a terrorist attack, according to preliminary data, five people were killed and 51 people, including four children, were injured. Some 27 people were rescued from the rubble. In Pavlohrad, Russian terror claimed the life of one person. "Our heroic rescuers, those who are always the first to arrive at sites of enemy shelling, despite all the difficulties, continue their very important work to save people. I thank all our defenders and protectors, workers and workers of all emergency services, all those whose hearts are simple feels that he needs to take care of others, he needs to help others when life depends on it," the president said. The Diamondbacks have signed right-handers Dylan File and Dakota Chalmers to minor league contracts, according to their Triple-A team in Reno. Chalmers will get an invite to big league Spring Training. File returns to affiliated ball after a brief stint in Korea. A 21st-round draftee by the Brewers in 2017, he secured a spot on the 40-man roster three years later. Elbow surgery limited him during the 2021 campaign and Milwaukee outrighted from the roster the following May without ever calling him to the majors. The 27-year-old signed with the KBOs Doosan Bears last winter but only made two starts. His season debut was delayed when he was hit with a comebacker in preseason play. Not long after making his return, he was diagnosed with elbow soreness (link via Jee-ho Yoo of Yonhap News). The Bears released him in June to sign left-hander Brandon Waddell. Chalmers, also 27, was a third-round pick by the As in 2015. Oakland traded him to the Twins for Fernando Rodney three years later. Like File, he was added to a 40-man roster (Minnesotas in 2019) to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft but never got to the big leagues. The Cubs nabbed Chalmers off waivers during the 2021 campaign but ran him through outright waivers shortly thereafter. The 63 righty has a 4.83 ERA while striking out just over a quarter of opponents across parts of seven seasons in the minors. Dear Annie: My parents divorced when I was only 6, and my father went on to have three more marriages, the last of which produced a daughter. Growing up, I felt the only time he had anything to do with my sister and me was if he needed something. He owned multiple businesses -- a hotel, a cafe, a bar, a gas station and a steakhouse -- and if he needed help running them during the summer when we were teenagers, he would reach out to us. But that was it. He saw two of my daughters once but never had the pleasure of meeting my third. When he was in the hospital, his wife reached out to me while I was in Europe. I made arrangements to use WhatsApp so we got to say our goodbyes, and I know this meant a lot to him but meant nothing to me except closure. He passed within hours of talking to me. I feel I took the high road and moved on a very long time ago. -- Took the High Road Dear High Road: The real person you took the high road for was yourself. You will never forget the forgiveness that you gave your father by taking his call. A job well done! Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. CLARKSTON, MI - Dave Matthews Band will return to Michigan in 2024 with one concert planned in the state. Their U.S. summer tour will head to Pine Knob Music Theatre on Wednesday, June 26. Tickets go on sale Friday, February 16 at 10 a.m. The tour kicks off on May 22nd in Tampa, Florida and will wrap up with three concerts at The Gorge in George, WA. The band is also partnering with Live Nations operated venues with the goal to divert at least 90% of fan-generated waste from landfills. Live Nation will provide zero waste green teams, zero waste stations, food donations, waste sorting, composting and the use of minimal single-use plastic. Dave Matthews Band also partners with The Nature Conservancys Plant a Billion Trees campaign. This year will bring the total to five million trees planted since DMB teamed up with TNC in 2020 to support reforestation. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND 2024 U.S. TOUR DATES: LANSING, MI The Michigan Department of Natural Resources finished its fish stocking efforts strong in 2023. Wildlife officials said they stocked Michigan waters with six different species totaling 1,076,204 fish and 14.5 tons at 103 locations throughout the state at the end of 2023. That came after the DNR announced it had stocked waters with more than 9 million fish as of September 2023. Most fish in Michigan are stocked in the spring. It was another outstanding fall fish stocking season that will provide enhanced fishing opportunities throughout Michigan, said Ed Eisch, assistant chief of the DNR Fisheries Division. When added to our successful spring and summer stocking efforts, that brings the total for 2023 to more than 10.4 million fish stocked in Michigans waters. Fall 2023 fish stocking consisted of six species: brook trout, coho salmon, lake trout, steelhead strain rainbow trout, walleye and muskellunge. The number and type of fish stocked vary by hatchery, as each facilitys ability to rear fish differs because of water supplies and temperature. In Michigan, there are six state and three cooperative hatcheries that work together to produce the species, strain and size of fish needed by fisheries managers. In general, fish are reared in Michigans state fish hatcheries anywhere from one month to one and a half years before they are stocked. Here is a closer look at where fish were raised and released: Marquette State Fish Hatchery in Marquette stocked 35,782 fall fingerling and adult brook that weighed a combined 3,876 pounds. These fish were stocked at 42 locations, both in the Upper and Lower peninsulas. Marquette also stocked 290 adult lake trout that weighed 1,800 pounds at three locations in the U.P. Platte River State Fish Hatchery in Traverse City stocked four locations, in both Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, with 416,474 coho salmon weighing 11,840 pounds. Thompson State Fish Hatchery in Manistique stocked three locations with 237,091 fall fingerling steelhead that weighed 2,375 pounds. Thompson also stocked 18,293 Great Lakes strain muskellunge that weighed 2,036 pounds at 11 locations in the Upper and Lower peninsulas. Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery west of Kalamazoo stocked six locations with 3,320 Great Lakes strain muskellunge fall fingerlings that weighed 476 pounds. Wolf Lake also stocked 344,860 fall fingerling steelhead weighing 5,355 pounds in four locations. Fisheries management units also stocked fall fingerling walleye last year: Editors Note: The Michigan Attorney Generals office previously said Allen worked for the Wayne County Clerks Office. This was incorrect and his job title has been corrected. WAYNE COUNTY, MI A former Michigan court employee has been charged with several crimes, including embezzling from a judge. Steven Allen, 42, of Detroit, was arraigned in the 36th District Court in Wayne County for forgery, using a computer to commit a crime and embezzling more than $60,000 from his employer, a sitting Circuit Court judge. He has also been charged with stealing or retaining without consent a financial transaction device, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced. Allen is accused of committing the crimes while employed as a judicial assistant serving a judge in the 3rd Circuit Court in Wayne County from 2018 to 2022. During these years it is alleged he illegally obtained an ATM card associated with the judges accounts, wrongfully made withdrawals and purchases, and forged checks presented to the victim to conceal his thefts. The victim became aware of the missing funds when they were notified of delinquent taxes on a secondary property, despite Allen presenting them with checks made to look like they were sent to satisfy the tax, Nessel said. Everyone should exercise extreme caution in who you permit to access your financial accounts, Nessel said in a statement. Even judges are not immune to theft, embezzlement and fraud perpetrated against them by those they trust the most. Truly anyone can fall victim to financial exploitation crimes. Allen has a probable cause conference on Jan. 29 and a preliminary examination has been scheduled for Feb. 5. PONTIAC, MI -- In a first-of-its-kind case, the parents of a Michigan school shooter are charged with manslaughter, blamed for murders committed by their son. Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and James Crumbley, 47, each face four counts of involuntary manslaughter, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison for the Nov. 30, 2021 deaths of Oxford High School students Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17. ANN ARBOR, MI - From condoms to medications, there are more health and wellness items available for University of Michigan students through a newly-installed vending machine. A machine placed on the fourth floor of the Michigan Union on the Ann Arbor campus in January offers medications, contraceptives and personal-care products. The health and wellness vending machines, the result of a university task force and input from student leaders, offer some items that people on campus may want to acquire discreetly, such as naloxone nasal spray for suspected opioid overdoses, university officials said. Other items include emergency contraception, condoms, lubricant, tampons, pregnancy tests, rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, cold or flu medication, pain relievers and other personal care products. We know people may seek some of these products while in a state of distress, so ensuring they can comfortably and quickly get the items is essential, said Susan Ernst, chief of gynecology and sexual health at University Health Service. Both naloxone and emergency contraception boxes have special QR codes connecting students or other customers to directions and other important resources for further support. The majority of items in the vending machine are expected to range in price from $1.50 to $5, said university spokeswoman Kim Broekhuizen. A two-pack of the COVID-19 tests are $10, as are the emergency contraceptive for pregnancy prevention, she added. The naloxone nasal spray is free. Aside from the machine on the Ann Arbor campus, there is a similar vending machine on the second floor of the Renick University Center on the Dearborn campus. A machine will be installed at the Flint campus Harding Mott University Center later in January, officials said. The motivation for the machines, officials said, comes from a university task force recommendation stemming from the U.S. Supreme Courts 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization. This is the case that overturned Roe v. Wade and the nationwide right to a legal abortion. These machines are an excellent example of health promotion in action, said Robert Ernst, the universitys chief health officer. By bringing these products into the campus environment, we are living up to our goal to be a health-promoting university. This is the initial phase of the vending machines implementation, Broekhuizen said, adding that the university will monitor which items sell the most to determine which to restock. More machines may be available on the Ann Arbor campus in the future, officials said. As machines are added, a list of locations will be available on the University Health Service website. If you would like more reporting like this delivered free to your inbox, click here and signup for our weekly newsletter: Michigan Schools. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - Township officials arent taking any chances when it comes to future mining operations after residents living near a gravel pit outside Ann Arbor saw their wells run dry. On Monday, Jan. 22, Ann Arbor Township leaders OKd a measure tightening their mining regulations, in an apparent response to the environmental headaches stemming from the Vella Pit mine on Earhart Road in 2023. The changes prohibit future mines from using dewatering operations, like the kind employed at the pit, which pumped millions of gallons of groundwater a day as part of aggregate extraction and processing. Officials will now only make exceptions for that kind of set-up after mines provide a comprehensive hydrogeologic study showing no adverse impacts will occur with a high degree of confidence. To get a township permit, those mines will also have to install monitoring wells and cease operations immediately if the dewatering negatively effects local water resources. Weve heard from the neighbors that there were significant problems with the way weve been doing things before and this really helps tighten things up, said township Trustee Rodney Smith on Monday, ahead of the unanimous vote to OK the changes. Read more: A new gravel mine operator moved in. Then, these Ann Arbor-area residents wells ran dry The vote comes months after the Vella Pit, run by operator Mid Michigan Materials since 2020, was hit by a lawsuit from Ann Arbor Township, accusing the mine of depriving residents of their water supply, destroying waterways and violating township rules. The township alleged the mine had claimed it would have zero impact on local water levels when it applied for its permit in 2020 and told the township it would use a closed-loop system, before employing an unauthorized water pumping and discharge operation unbeknownst to officials. In legal filings, the companies behind the mine denied the claims, explaining efforts to cover the cost of new wells for residents and get to the bottom of the problems. But a judge sided with the township and briefly ordered the Vella Pit to shut down in October. The mine is no longer using a dewatering process after a subsequent court order gave it a path to continue operating under certain conditions and with the monitoring of nearby wells. Since late 2023, water levels have risen in the pit at the mine and some nearby well levels have shown evidence of recovery, though a lack of existing data makes drawing conclusions from the figures difficult, according to documents posted on the township website. The Mid Michigan Materials' Vella Pit mine on Earhart Road in Ann Arbor Township as seen from the air on Jan. 4, 2024.Provided by Michael Watts On Monday, several township leaders said they believed they could continue to improve their regulations governing mineral extraction operations. This is step one, because we have a need to really make this dewatering issue very clear, said Trustee John Allison, who reported residents have suggested further changes after reviewing rules in effect in other townships. I think we need to be responsive to that because I think weve heard that over and over and over again in addition to the water issues, the trucking and the noise issues and all of that kind of stuff has been a significant thorn in the side of the neighbors, Smith added. The changes OKd Monday also add language to the mining ordinance clarifying that officials will evaluate impact to natural resources, like wetlands and waterways, when reviewing a mining application. Officials said the requirement was already stated elsewhere in township ordinances, but they wanted to add it for clarity. Other updates included in the amendment specifically state requirements under Michigan law that mining companies demonstrate there are valuable natural resources on their property and there is a need for them by the company or in the market served by the company to receive a permit. If the township finds those requirements havent been met or there is a very serious consequence that would result from the mining, it should not grant a permit, according to the new language. The ordinance amendment also requires companies to submit a comprehensive hydrogeologic study showing no negative effect to residential water supply wells and natural resources as part of the permitting process. The changes originated with the township planning commission, and a handful of residents weighed in before that body to support them, Allison said. I think universally there was appreciation from the public, he said. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page, the Ypsilanti-area news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. ANN ARBOR, MI - Rachel Lanthams idea of a great birthday gift has simply been spending time with her husband and eight children. She just likes quality time with the family, she said. On her birthday on Nov. 20, however, the Jackson woman received more than just family time. Lanthams gift was a new heart. Physicians at University of Michigan Health Frankel Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor performed the heart transplant that coincidentally happened on her 48th birthday. My mom was there, and she told me Rachel, its the day after your birthday. You got a new heart on your birthday, Lantham recalls after waking up from sedation after the surgery. I remember thinking wow! Lantham started feeling more fatigued than usual about 10 years ago when she was a Jackson Public Schools teacher. A former volleyball player and softball centerfielder in high school, she thought the issues could be chalked up to simply heartburn. Cardiologists at Henry Ford Allegiance Health told her it was cardiomyopathy, or a heart disorder where muscles have trouble pumping blood. It was later determined to be a genetic issue seen in members of her fathers side of the family, she said. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or ICD, was placed in her chest in 2012 to deliver electricity to maintain heart rhythm. In 2021, she said her symptoms worsened to the point where caring for her six children still at home was becoming untenable. This past October, I could no longer function with my family, she said. She was referred to the Ann Arbor hospital and, in October 2023, Lantham was placed on the heart transplant list as both sides of her heart and her kidneys were near failure. The doctor told me that once I started going into multi-organ failure then its a lot more difficult to recover from that, Lantham said. Its like a slippery slope. Lantham was hospitalized in November to be placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, to bypass her weakened heart with oxygenated blood to circulate through the rest of the body. At this point, pharmacologic support was not doing enough to help her heart, and we had to escalate to mechanical support, said Dr. Ashraf Abou el ela, a cardiothoracic transplant surgeon at the cardiovascular center. The extreme condition shot Lantham up the transplant list, allowing the hospital to conduct a relatively new transplant process called donation after circulatory death. The first transplant of this kind at the Ann Arbor hospital was in March 2023, officials said. This will allow more timely access to lifesaving donor hearts to our patients suffering from end-stage heart failure, said Dr. Jonathan Haft, surgical director of the adult heart transplant program at the Ann Arbor hospital. Lantham was put under sedation on Nov. 19, the night before her birthday. She woke up on Nov. 21 with a new heart. What a great birthday present, she said. There are 365 days, and to get that on my birthday is pretty incredible. Another perk is that Lantham was able to get that quality time with family that she really loves on her birthday, as her husband, two adult children and parents spent time with her in the recovery room. Quality time is my love language, she said. After about three weeks, Lantham was able to start recovering at home in Jackson and spend Christmas with her family. She is able to walk and climb stairs, and her goal down the line is to be able to complete hikes during trips to see her husbands family in West Virginia. Two years ago when I tried to do that, it nearly killed me, she said. I would love to be able to hike up the mountain and hike back in West Virginia with my family. The people Lantham thanked most for new heart and life are the doctors at University of Michigan Health. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about the staff at University of Michigan, she said. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI A Grand Rapids man was sentenced Monday to serve a minimum of 23 years in prison for shooting another man in 2020 and dumping his body along a roadside north of Sparta. Jaeloni Talton, 27, was sentenced Monday, Jan. 22, on charges of second-degree murder and felony firearm. Court records showed that Talton killed Tyrane Williams, 60, while the two were both inside Williams SUV in August 2020. The two men knew each other and were arguing inside the SUV, records show. Talton told police that he was in the drivers seat when Williams grabbed him by the back of his shirt. Talton told police he then grabbed a gun and shot Williams several times. He then dragged Williams out of the SUV and into some tall grass about six feet from a roadside north of Sparta. Williams initially was reported missing in mid-August. Soon after, his SUV was soon found burning on a Lansing-area highway in Eaton County. Police found a handgun and blood in the vehicle. After connecting Talton to Williams death, Kent County sheriffs deputies found and arrested him on Aug. 26, 2020. After admitting his involvement, Talton tried to take investigators to the body but he could not find it. Police then asked for the publics help and issued a press release about Williams being missing and likely the victim of homicide. A woman then called police, telling them she happened upon the SUV that night near Sparta. She asked a man if he was having car trouble and needed help, but he said no. She left the area. The woman told police she didnt know that a shooting had occurred. The woman was able to take police to the area of Ball Creek Road NW near Sparta Avenue, where police then located the body on Sept. 1, 2020. Mark Hunting, attorney for Talton, said Talton had no family or means of support when the killing happened. Its a shame. You have one life lost and another thats going to be in prison for a significant amount of time, he said. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. Body of another dead woman taken out from under house debris after morning shelling of Kharkiv Synehubov The death toll as a result of the morning rocket attacks on Kharkiv has increased to six people, said head of the Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov. "As a result of Russian strikes, another 21-year-old woman was killed. The body of the deceased is unblocked from under the rubble of the house by rescuers. In total, as a result of the morning shelling of Kharkiv, six people were killed," Synehubov wrote on the Telegram channel. Earlier it was reported that as a result of the strikes carried out on the city on the morning of January 23, five people were killed, 57 (including eight children) were injured. KALAMAZOO, MI -- Phoenix High School officials had forgotten to administer the M-STEP social studies and science tests as scheduled in 2022-23, which was part of a flurry of issues that led to the school allowing students to graduate who werent eligible. The misstep, in part, led to the school mistakenly allowing dozens of students to graduate last spring, despite not being eligible. The testing issue was revealed in documents obtained by MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette through a Freedom of Information Act request. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plans to announce the state will set aside nearly $1.4 billion in funding to build or rehabilitate housing throughout the state. The announcement will be part of the governors State of the State address Wednesday, according to Whitmers office. They said the funding would be enough to make nearly 10,000 housing units available, using a mix of federal funding and money set aside through prior legislation. The U.S. Supreme Court has denied a request to stay the ongoing redrawing of state House maps around Metro Detroit, ordered by a panel of federal judges that found Michigans Independent Redistricting Commission had violated the Voting Rights Act with the boundaries of 13 legislative districts. The commission continues to redraw the state House map, and held a sparsely attended public drawing session in Detroit Monday. Michigan visits perhaps the best environment in the Big Ten on Tuesday to face second-ranked Purdue. The Boilermakers are off to a great start after winning the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles last season. Watch the Michigan Wolverines on Peacock Visit MLives Betting Home for latest odds & sportsbook promos What to Know Michigan split a pair of home games last week, beating Ohio State before losing to Illinois on Thursday 88-73. Michigan trailed by just one at half but allowed 51 second-half points. Weve got to find our identity as individuals and as a team, sophomore center Tarris Reed Jr. said afterwards. He cited shot selection and defensive rebounding as areas in need of improvement. Correcting those things at Mackey Arena wont be easy. Purdue has lost just twice this season and hasnt lost at home since Feb. 25. Zach Edey was last seasons national Player of the Year and doesnt appear willing to relinquish that award this year. The Boilermakers had a perfect nonconference that included wins over Tennessee, Arizona, Marquette, Alabama, and Gonzaga, and trail only Wisconsin (6-1) in the Big Ten. Michigan and Purdue will meet again, in Ann Arbor, on Feb. 25. Game Information Who: Michigan Wolverines (7-11, 2-5) at No. 2 Purdue Boilermakers (17-2, 6-2) When: Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. ET Where: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette, Indiana) Point spread: Purdue -17.5 How to Watch Michigan vs. Purdue will air exclusively on Peacock, NBCs streaming service. Peacock is available for $5.99 a month, though college students can get it for $1.99 per month. Noah Eagle will call the game with former Purdue star Robbie Hummel as the analyst. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has signed a contract for the purchase of 155 mm ammunition worth $1.2 billion. The contract was signed at the headquarters of the organization on Tuesday in the presence of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg by Stacy Cummings, the General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). "We have just concluded contracts worth $1.2 billion to buy hundreds of thousands of rounds of 155-millimetre artillery ammunition. This demonstrates that NATO's tried and tested structure (NSPA) for joint procurement is delivering. Russias war in Ukraine has become a battle for ammunition so it is important that Allies refill their own stocks, as we continue to support Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. He noted that the Allies had already increased the production of ammunition, doing this both to partially replenish their stocks, as well as partially to ensure the continuation of supplies to Ukraine. "So this is an ongoing process almost daily, at least weekly, Allies are delivering weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. To increase production in the future, of course, enables us to continue to do so and that's why these contracts are so important," the Secretary General explained. Cummings reported that "the expected delivery time for orders placed today are within 24 to 36 months." To date, 26 representatives of the Ukrainian media are known to be in captivity of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech Yaroslav Yurchyshyn (Holos faction) said. "I have held a working meeting with Reporters Without Borders. We talked online, because the matter is very urgent. The key topic is the release of captured journalists. So far, it is known about 26 media workers captured by the Russians. And these are exclusively those who have not taken up arms, therefore they cannot be considered combatants, and therefore are protected by the Geneva Convention as a separate category of civilians. This is a big challenge for our committee. We are looking for the support of colleagues from abroad and are doing everything possible to free our people," the parliamentarian wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday. Yurchyshyn informed that together with Reporters Without Borders, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of speech plans to conduct a public campaign with an emphasis on international structures. "It is pleasant that colleagues know and accompany the cases of both Victoria Roschina from Ukrayinska Pravda [the journalist disappeared on August 3, 2023 from the temporarily occupied territory where she was reporting] and Dmytro Khyliuk from UNIAN [the agency's correspondent was abducted by Russians approximately on March 4, 2022 and, according to preliminary data, currently located in one of the colonies of Vladimir region of Russia]. We have separately focused on public journalists from Crimea," the head of the parliamentary committee said. At the same time, he stressed that Ukraine intends to release all captured media workers, using all means to do so. "We are working in this direction with the Coordination Headquarters on the treatment of prisoners of war. Regarding journalists, we have separate mechanisms that international law provides us. And we cannot, we have no right not to use them," Yurchyshyn added. Reporters Without Borders is an international nongovernmental human rights organization that protects freedom of speech around the world. The organization fights censorship and stands for the dismissal of journalists in custody related to their professional activities. The organization was founded in Paris in 1985. UNHCR helping with repairs of more than 27,500 houses in Ukraine since start of Russias full-scale invasion Today, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, together with the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, Kuninori Matsuda, and the Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine, Claudia Amaral, visited families and locations in Kyiv region to see the results of house repairs and new solutions implemented for people who have had their homes damaged or destroyed in the war. In close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and its regional and local authorities, UNHCR together with its partners has completed the repair of over 27,500 homes across the country since the massive escalation of the war in February 2022 and more repairs are finalized every week. Regions such as Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy have seen significant repairs and rehabilitations implemented by UNHCR, focusing primarily on repairs of private houses, but also multi-story apartment buildings where windows typically are replaced and upgraded, the press service of UNHCR reported. It is noted that in order to ensure that the repair support is tailored to the specific needs and situation of each family, UNHCR either engages Ukrainian contractors to do the repair works, provides construction materials or cash to cover repair costs and materials. The European Union and Japan are the three largest donors to UNHCRs response in Ukraine, enabling the Agency to support and assist the war-affected people in greatest need across the country. On January 23, the delegation visited Horenka and Irpin, accompanied by head of Kyiv Regional State Administration Ruslan Kravchenko. In addition to durable repairs of houses and multi-story buildings, UNHCR provides emergency shelter materials immediately after attacks. This has been the case following Russias recent attacks in Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, which the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has visited in recent days to see first-hand the ongoing destruction and the immediate humanitarian response provided through UNHCRs partners in close liaison with local authorities. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 271,684 people have received such emergency shelter kits, enabling them to quickly fix the immediate damage to their homes. UNHCR also contributes to state-led programme e-Vidnovlennia and mechanisms launched to support access to housing and compensation for people whose homes were destroyed, by sharing its comprehensive dataset on damage assessment and response (SIDAR) and providing legal advice to help people apply for compensations or restore vital property documents. This is part of the Ukraine is Home collaboration, launched by UNHCR and Ukraines Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development a year ago to strengthen the complementarity between humanitarian and government-led programmes. On January 18, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced that he was heading to Moldova and Ukraine. You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user. OK The UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced his visit to Irpin, where the restoration of houses destroyed due to the Russian aggression is taking place. 18 months after first visiting Irpin, amazing to see how quick and efficient has been the reconstruction of houses destroyed by Russian forces in 2022. Proud that UNHCR could provide support to oblast and city authorities in this effort, allowing many displaced to return home, he said on X. Earlier, Grandi announced a visit to Kharkiv and Kryvyi Rih. On Ukraines Unity Day we visited one of five underground schools set up in Kharkiv metro stations where children can learn in safety and warmth a sign of the huge disruptions which the war has brought to everybodys life, but also a strong symbol of Ukrainian resilience, he also said on X. On January 18, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi announced that he was heading to Moldova and Ukraine. Jinit Parmar is a correspondent based out of Mumbai covering the banking sector, fintechs, NBFCs, insurance and more, tweets @jinitparmar10 Dinesh Unnikrishnan is Editor-Banking & Finance at Moneycontrol. Dinesh heads the Banking and Finance Bureau at Moneycontrol. He also writes a weekly column, Banking Central, every Monday. January 23, 2024 / 05:36 PM IST - Telecom infrastructure providers are seeking availability of input tax credit on telecom towers, and have made a plea for an increase in tax depreciation rate and rationalisation of TDS provisions in their Budget wishlist. - The players under the aegis of Digital Infrastructure Providers' Association (DIPA) said measures to facilitate ease of doing business will increase investment and contribute to the industry's long-term growth. Preeti Kulkarni is a financial journalist with over 13 years of experience. Based in Mumbai, she covers the personal finance beat for Moneycontrol. She focusses primarily on insurance, banking, taxation and financial planning Today, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, together with the Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine, Kuninori Matsuda, and the Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine, Claudia Amaral, visited families and locations in Kyiv region to see the results of house repairs and new solutions implemented for people who have had their homes damaged or destroyed in the war. 23 Jan 2024 UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko Kyiv, Ukraine, 23 January With Russias full-scale war on Ukraine soon entering its third year, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, continues to prioritise its house repair programme, which enables people and families to remain in and rebuild their own homes, or return to these, after having lived in internal displacement or abroad as refugees due to Russias invasion. In close cooperation with the Government of Ukraine and its regional and local authorities, UNHCR together with its partners has completed the repair of over 27,500 homes across the country since the massive escalation of the war in February 2022 and more repairs are finalized every week. Regions such as Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy have seen significant repairs and rehabilitations implemented by UNHCR, focusing primarily on repairs of private houses, but also multi-story apartment buildings where windows typically are replaced and upgraded. In order to ensure that the repair support is tailored to the specific needs and situation of each family, UNHCR either engages Ukrainian contractors to do the repair works, provides construction materials or cash to cover repair costs and materials. The repairs vary from smaller repairs and specific areas such as fixing the roof, changing windows and doors, and adding insulation to protect from the cold, to much more substantial, heavy and extensive repair works on houses all in order to ensure that homes are inhabitable and can be kept warm during cold winter months. The repairs of private houses are ongoing with support from UNHCR on one of the most damaged streets in Irpin, Kyiv region. UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko Today, a high-level delegation with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, UNHCRs Regional Director for Europe, Philippe Leclerc, and UNHCRs Representative in Ukraine, Karolina Lindholm Billing, undertook a visit to Kyiv region. They were joined by the Ambassador of Japan, Kuninori Matsuda, and the Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine, Claudia Amaral together with the United States of America, the European Union and Japan are the three largest donors to UNHCRs response in Ukraine, enabling the Agency to support and assist the war-affected people in greatest need across the country. The delegation, accompanied by the Head of Kyiv oblast administration Ruslan Kravchenko, visited Horenka and Irpin. These areas were at the epicentre of hostilities at the start of Russias full-scale invasion, leaving behind immense destruction and damages to houses, apartments and social infrastructure. UNHCR therefore launched its house repair program in this region in July 2022. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, together with the Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine, Claudia Amaral, visited a family who was provided a prefabricated house in Horenka, Kyiv region. UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko The repair of homes not only restores physical structures but also plays a crucial role in peoples psychological recovery and in rebuilding the very fabric of communities torn apart by war. I was in Irpin a few months after these areas were retaken by the Government of Ukraine and was shocked by the scale of destruction I saw. Coming back to this place and seeing it being rebuilt and full of people gives me hope and shows how UNHCR contributes to peoples and communities determination to recover and rebuild. This would not be possible without the leadership of the Government, regional and local authorities, and the strong support from key partners and donors, which must continue, said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Kyiv region is one of the most affected by the full-scale Russian invasion. More than 28,000 sites were destroyed and damaged, the majority of them were residential buildings. As of today, we have already restored 16,500 objects. We are grateful to UNHCR and its partners, who from the first days joined the reconstruction of the region and provide assistance to people. Primarily, this includes the restoration of residential buildings. To date, almost 2,800 of them have already been repaired, work is ongoing at another 317 sites. Thanks to joint efforts, we are helping people to return to their homes, said Ruslan Kravchenko, the head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration. This unrelenting war has robbed millions of Ukrainians not only of their sense of security but also of the homes where their children grew up, where future plans were crafted, and where dreams were conceived and realised. The loss goes beyond the physical; it leaves profound emotional scars. Thats why it is critically important for the European Union to support efforts that allow as many Ukrainians affected by the war as possible to quickly return to their homes, restoring a sense of hope and confidence in a brighter tomorrow. We remain dedicated to this cause and, in collaboration with partners like UNHCR, exert every effort to reconstruct the homes of Ukraine, said Claudia Amaral, Head of EU Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine. Japan has been supporting Ukraine since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 through humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance. In particular, it will be necessary to prepare a place for people to return to and live in a safe and warm environment. Today, seeing with my own eyes and hearing directly from the people involved, I was reminded of the importance of prompt and effective housing and shelter assistance. We would like to continue to support Ukraine in cooperation with UNHCR, an important partner in assisting Ukraine through a human security approach, so that people can return to their hometowns and live and engage in economic activities there with peace of mind, noted Kuninori Matsuda, Ambassador of Japan to Ukraine. In addition to durable repairs of houses and multi-story buildings, UNHCR provides emergency shelter materials immediately after attacks. This has been the case following Russias recent attacks in Kharkiv, Kryvyi Rih and Odesa, which the UN High Commissioner for Refugees has visited in recent days to see first-hand the ongoing destruction and the immediate humanitarian response provided through UNHCRs partners in close liaison with local authorities. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 271,684 people have received such emergency shelter kits, enabling them to quickly fix the immediate damage to their homes. UNHCR also contributes to state-led programme eVidnovlennia and mechanisms launched to support access to housing and compensation for people whose homes were destroyed, by sharing its comprehensive dataset on damage assessment and response (SIDAR) and providing legal advice to help people apply for compensations or restore vital property documents. This is part of the Ukraine is Home collaboration, launched by UNHCR and Ukraines Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development a year ago to strengthen the complementarity between humanitarian and government-led programmes. Media contacts Elisabeth Arnsdorf Haslund, [email protected], +38 (095) 239 00 72 Iryna Tymchyshyn, [email protected], +38 (067) 983 84 02 Shubham Raj has six years of experience covering capital markets. He primarily writes on stocks with special focus on F&O and PMS-AIF industry. Consolidation is an important wealth-organising exercise that should be undertaken by senior citizens while they are alive. Ramalingam Gowda, aged 65 years, has built a three-decade-old engineering company in Mysuru. He has a son and a daughter. The son, who is the eldest, works in a software company in the US, and his daughter lives in India and assists Gowda in is business. Both his children have kids. His daughter has a daughter and son has two sons. All grandchildren are close to one another, and Gowda would like to see his grandsons carry on his Mehul R Thakkar is Special Correspondent, Moneycontrol, Indias leading financial news platform, based in Mumbai where he is focussed on covering the real estate sector. Danish Khan is looking after Telecoms and Consumer Technology domains. He previously worked with the Economic Times. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The recent global shocks and crises have particularly impacted the economies of low and middle-income countries. Recent studies on poverty trends have shown a worrisome situation. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a key factor in an unprecedented setback to global poverty reduction efforts, causing the most significant increase in poverty levels in the history of poverty monitoring. According to data from 2023, 1.1 billion out of 6.1 billion people in 110 countries are living in conditions of acute multidimensional poverty. In countries with middle-income levels, this negative trend affects 730 million people. Notably, among the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the top priority is the universal eradication of poverty in all its forms. It's essential to ensure social protection for vulnerable groups to effectively reduce poverty. Taking Azerbaijan as an example, the success formula for social policies implemented over the past 20 years is clear, ultimately enabling the country to triumph over poverty. Thus, Azerbaijan's poverty rate decreased from 44.7 percent in 2003 to 5.2 percent (by 8.6 times) in 2023. Meanwhile, the population living in poverty conditions decreased sevenfold, from 3.7 million people to 528,000 people. One of the central issues in President Ilham Aliyev's policy is the human factor. Any economic development that does not contribute to improving people's lives cannot achieve its goal. In this sense, improving social well-being and people's lives is one of the main goals of this policy. Significant steps are being taken to improve the living standards, whether through increasing wages, and pensions, or enhancing the social protection system for low-income families these are achievements of the social policy implemented in Azerbaijan. Over the past 20 years, social insurance payments have increased 18 times, from 376 million manat ($221 million) to 6.3 billion manat ($3.7 billion). Social expenditures have increased 19.3 times, from 678 million manat ($398.8 million) to 13.1 billion manat ($7.7 billion). During the above period, pensions for martyr families in Azerbaijan have increased from 100 manat ($59) in 2007 to 600 manat ($352.9) in 2023, marking a sixfold increase. The annual sum of pensions has increased from 194 million manat ($114 million) in 2003 to 5.7 billion manat ($3.3 billion) in 2023 (a 29.4 times increase). The average monthly pension has increased 18.2 times, from 24 manat ($14) in 2003 to 436 manat ($256) in 2023. The minimum monthly pension amount has increased 14 times over the past 20 years, from 20 manat ($11.7) to 280 manat ($164.7). The average monthly amount of targeted social assistance has increased from 37 manat ($21.7) in 2007 to 485 manat ($285.29) in 2023 (a 13 times increase). Certainly, further improvement in people's well-being goes beyond just increasing salaries, pensions, and allowances. One of the most crucial issues in this direction is ensuring employment for the population. Fortunately, unprecedented achievements in economic development in recent years have created conditions for the successful implementation of this goal. Azerbaijan is effectively solving unemployment issues, taking significant steps in this direction. Since 2004, due to the successful implementation of provisions outlined in adopted state programs related to the socio-economic development of the regions of Azerbaijan, sustainable development of the non-oil sector of the economy has been ensured. The volume and quality of the provision of communal services and social infrastructure in the regions have increased, large-scale projects in priority areas have been implemented, and investment direction has led to the opening of new enterprises and jobs. Over the past 20 years, the unemployment rate has decreased by 3.7 percentage points, from 9.2 percent to 5.5 percent (from 400,900 people to 286,400 people). More than 90 percent of new jobs are in the private sector, with a significant portion created in the non-oil sector. The predominant sectors include construction, manufacturing, processing industries, provision of services to the population, and other areas. The average nominal monthly salary has increased 12 times, from 76.8 manat ($45) from January through November 2003 to 923.1 manat ($543) for the same period in 2023. The minimum wage has increased 38 times, from nine manat ($5.29) in 2003 to 345 manat ($202.9) in 2023. The number of employment contracts has increased by 38.5 percent, from 1.3 million in 2017 to 1.8 million in 2023. Government programs aimed at socio-economic development in regions have played an unprecedented role in poverty reduction. Balanced regional development has led to the opening of numerous industrial, processing, and service enterprises not only in major cities but also in rural areas. The issue of employment for thousands of people has been addressed by revitalizing forgotten and degraded agricultural territories. Since 2004, tens of thousands of new enterprises have opened in the regions, creating millions of jobs. The recent-year initiatives, including the implementation of the self-employment program and the creation of government jobs, have also contributed to poverty reduction. Thus, people, with the assistance of the government, are establishing their own businesses. Employment has increased by 25 percent, from four million people in 2003 to five million people in 2023. The number of economically active population has grown by 20 percent, from 4.4 million people to 5.3 million people. The annual amount allocated for employment programs has increased from seven million manat ($4 million) in 2018 to 525 million manat ($308.8 million) by 2024 (a 75 times increase). To formulate a long-term state employment policy aimed at ensuring effective employment based on existing demographic trends and the country's economic priorities, the 'Employment Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2019-2030' was approved by the decree of President Ilham Aliyev on October 30, 2018. On October 2, 2023, President Ilham Aliyev, addressing the opening ceremony of the 74th International Astronautical Congress, noted that the fair distribution of national wealth today is seen by international experts and most importantly by the people of Azerbaijan. "One of the big challenges in the beginning of our independence was poverty, which was endemic. 20 years ago, the percentage of people living in poverty was close to 50. Now it is 5.5%, which actually demonstrates that natural resources, which we accumulated and which we brought to international market were properly managed. And the fair distribution of national wealth today is seen by international experts and most important by the people of Azerbaijan. So, all these actually demonstrate that the country is well-established. Political, economic and social stability is an important factor of our development, because it's clear that if situation is not stable and is not predictable, you cannot expect investors to come and to risk their capital," said the head of state. Azerbaijan's achievements in the social sphere are the result of comprehensive reforms and the implementation of a multi-level system of social support for vulnerable population groups. Of course, without a strong and sustainable economy, it's impossible to ensure an improvement in the standard of living and the welfare of the population. Thanks to a visionary and multifaceted economic policy, Azerbaijan is now at the center of regionally significant projects, thereby ensuring a flow of funds into the country. It's the fair and rational distribution of state funds today that has allowed Azerbaijan to achieve the highest results in the implementation of social policies, with a focus on the human factor. January 23, 2024 / 07:26 AM IST Aihik Sur covers tech policy, drones, space tech among other beats at Moneycontrol BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Azerbaijani delegation's credentials were not granted at the first meeting of the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which began today, Trend reports. The motion of German MP Frank Schwaben to refuse to approve the credentials of the Azerbaijani delegation was supported and sent to the Monitoring Committee for a decision. The Azerbaijani delegation attended today's discussions but had limited voting privileges. The main reason claimed was that the Azerbaijani side "did not authorize in 2023 a visit to the Lachin corridor and monitoring of the situation in Karabakh, as well as a meeting with Azerbaijani 'political prisoners'". The monitoring committee must make a decision within 24 hours. Although the German MP and his colleagues who backed this move attempted to explain the situation using human rights, it is evident that this has nothing to do with human rights. The incident is an attempt to exact retribution on Azerbaijan, which has regained its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The fact that after 30 years of discussions on various platforms, including at the level of PACE, and resolutions that remained only on paper, Azerbaijan independently ensured its territorial integrity and sovereignty did not sit well with many countries and international organizations, including the Council of Europe and PACE. They believe Baku should be penalized for actions taken against their will. However, they forget that for Azerbaijan, not only the loss of votes in PACE but also the structure itself is no longer important. Azerbaijan became a member of the Council of Europe in the hopes of finding a settlement to the Karabakh conflict. However, for many years, this structure has not taken any measures against the fact of Armenia's aggression against Azerbaijan and its occupation of the country's territories and has been content with only a few statements that have no legal weight. Even though PACE adopted several resolutions supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and calling on Armenia to leave the occupied territories, no steps were taken to implement them. PACE turned a blind eye to the fact that for many years one member country of this organization, Armenia, kept under occupation the territory of another member country, Azerbaijan, and did not even think about limiting the voting rights of the aggressor state. The Karabakh conflict has already been solved. Azerbaijan does not need the Council of Europe, which currently has no authority in Europe. Depending on the decision that PACE will take, an adequate step will be necessary. If PACE decides to refuse to confirm the powers of the Azerbaijani delegation and limit its voting rights, it will be advisable for the Azerbaijani delegation to stop its activity in this organization. In addition, the withdrawal of Azerbaijan from the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights may become relevant. Meanwhile, since Azerbaijan became a member of this organization in 2001, pro-Armenian and Islamophobic forces have constantly used this organization as a tool against Azerbaijan. Membership in this organization has given almost nothing to Azerbaijan. The CoE and PACE, as well as other Christian clubsthe European Union and the European Parliamenthave always demonstrated a biased, non-objective position towards Azerbaijan and Turkiye. The Council of Europe has turned into a camp of Islamophobic and Turkophobic representatives of various European countries who could not get into the European Parliament. The fact that German MP Frank Schwabe proposed sanctions against Azerbaijan is not accidental. The recent joint actions of France and Germany against Azerbaijan in Europe should not be overlooked. The fact that France, which has already brought its attitude towards Azerbaijan to the limit of hostility, in some cases tries to realize its desires through Germany to hide its main intention, is quite obvious. France, due to a series of foreign policy failures and a loss of influence, is once again covering itself with Germany. However, both the France-Germany tandem and other countries and international organizations should understand that it is inappropriate to talk to Azerbaijan in the language of threats. This will cause more harm to themselves. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel 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 Javier Blas is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering energy and commodities. He previously was commodities editor at the Financial Times and is the coauthor of "The World for Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earths Resources." 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 Tim Culpan is a technology columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. Based in Taipei, he writes about Asian and global businesses and trends. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication Marc Champion writes editorials on international affairs. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The tragedies caused by mine terror should be brought to the attention of the world community again, former Turkish military attache in Azerbaijan, reserve general Yucel Karauz, told Trend. He noted that Armenia refuses to provide detailed maps of minefields which is an international crime. "Despite the fact that the Second Karabakh War ended three years ago, Armenia continues to provide inaccurate mine maps. This constitutes a crime against humanity. All papers containing evidence have been filed to the International Court of Justice. The horrors caused by mine fear must be brought to the world's notice once more, and special emphasis must be placed on this issue. Armenia is a country that is entirely disconnected from worldwide humanistic and legal values," Karauz said. On January 21, Faig Abyshev, a resident of the Aghjabadi district born in 1980, was injured as a result of a mine explosion on Aghdam district. To note, since 2020, mine explosions have killed 342 people in Azerbaijan. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Francis Wilkinson is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US politics and policy. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. In today's edition of Moneycontrol Pro Panorama: More NBFC's piled in past three years, simultaneous polls may not be an unalloyed... Moneycontrol Pro Panorama | Markets need their Vitamin D too, as disclosures make them stronger The Niti Aayog published a research report, on January15, making important claims about Indias conquest of poverty. The paper says: *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Dinesh C Sharma is a science journalist and author based in New Delhi. Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of this publication. Sohil Sehran is a journalist with 10 years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital media. He covers politics and national affairs at Moneycontrol. He tweets @SohilSehran BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. There have always been and will be forces that do not absorb Azerbaijan's achievements, Azerbaijani Parliament MP Elshan Musayev told Trend. "However, these forces will never be able to throw a shadow over our freedom and development. Because we have such a leader as President Ilham Aliyev," he said. Musayev remarked that the liberation of the occupied territories had previously appeared to be an impossible dream "But President Ilham Aliyev has made this seemingly pipe dream a reality. Azerbaijan's sovereignty is fully secured. President Ilham Aliyev has given us the greatest joy in the world. There is little time left before the presidential election. The campaigning and propaganda stage has already begun, with candidates presenting their platforms, slogans, and ideas to voters. We, as a state and nation, have a huge opportunity. President Ilham Aliyev will always treat his people as the apple of his eye and will guide our country to great success and victory. We are lucky people, happy citizens, because we live and work in Azerbaijan, led by such a knowledgeable leader," the MP added. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. President Ilham Aliyev pays special attention and care to religious communities, Chairman of the Albanian-Udi Christian Religious Community of Azerbaijan Robert Mobili told Trend. "If we examine the changes and developments that have occurred in Azerbaijan over the last two decades, we will see a successful policy. These are all the advantages of President Ilham Aliyev," the community chairman said. He noted that, among other things, the annual material support provided by the state to religious communities in the country is clear proof of this. Mobili emphasized that during the Second Karabakh War, thanks to the Azerbaijani army under the command of President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, the lands of the country were liberated from Armenian occupation, including ancient Albanian temples. "We have been granted the opportunity to hold services in our churches and monasteries. During repeated trips to Karabakh, we observed the aftermath of Armenian damage of our religious monuments. Today, thanks to President Ilham Aliyev, the Albanian-Udi Christian religious community can perform divine rituals and religious ceremonies in their Karabakh churches," he said. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel MC Feed This content is authored by a 3rd party. The views expressed here do not represent the views of Moneycontrol.com. Moneycontrol.com disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Threatening remarks by European Commission Vice-President and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell are a stark example of double standards, said Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada, Trend reports. "We categorically reject the baseless charges made against Azerbaijan by Josep Borrell, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, during the press conference following the Foreign Affairs Council on January 22, 2024. The EU High Representative's apparent distortion of facts is an open contempt for Azerbaijan's legitimate interests, and such threatening rhetoric is a clear example of double standards that exacerbates Azerbaijan-EU ties," he said. Hajizada emphasized that, while fully distorting the thoughts of Azerbaijans President about the historical facts related to the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the High Representative is instigating militarization and aggressive policy towards Azerbaijan. "Notwithstanding the fact that the international community has failed to make any effort to persuade Armenia to act in line with the norms and principles of international law, Azerbaijan has always been committed to negotiations, peace, and stability with Armenia. Azerbaijans measures ending aggression and separatism pave the way for concluding a peace agreement with Armenia," the spokesperson said. Furthermore, according to Hajizada, the EU Representatives expressed solidarity with France about the expulsion of diplomats is tantamount to justifying the illegal actions of expelled French diplomats in Azerbaijan while being a clear intervention in the continuing legal investigation process. "Such a biased statement, while ignoring baseless measures against Azerbaijans diplomats in France, demonstrates how this institution is negatively affected by certain countries, which openly neglect all the rules and guidelines of diplomatic conduct and refuse to conduct an investigation into the case. Azerbaijan, besides being committed to its international obligations and international law, will resolutely prevent attempts to legitimize any claims and threatening language against its national interest," the MFA spokesperson added. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. European Union (EU) has adopted biased position towards Azerbaijan, said Western Azerbaijan Community, Trend reports. According to the community, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell continues to make slanderous statements against Azerbaijan. "It is regretful that the union's delegate, who has never mentioned Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijani lands in nearly thirty years, takes a biased attitude against Azerbaijan. In such conditions, the EU mediation mission in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process is rendered ineffective. The remark of a representative of an international organization claiming to contribute to the process as a mediator in a threatening manner toward one of the parties contradicts the nature of the "mediation" notion. This is intolerable. The Western Azerbaijan Community once again calls on the EU to stop making unjust and accusatory statements about Azerbaijan," the community's statement reads. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Lately, there has been a growing trend of anti-Azerbaijani rhetoric popping up on various European platforms. The recent winter session of the PACE, which took place yesterday, was no different. Take, for example, Frank Schwabe, Head of the German delegation to the PACE, who suggested stripping Azerbaijani delegates of their credentials. The reason, undoubtedly, revolves around the consistent narrative of "human rights violations in Karabakh". Specifically, the PACE was not pleased that they were not allowed into Karabakh last year for "monitoring the situation". The Monitoring Committee is supposed to decide within 24 hours. However, it is crystal clear that an anti-Azerbaijani decision will be pushed through in the PACE. Equally clear is the fact that MEP Schwabe is just a figurehead representing those truly driving this decision. According to the rules, at least 30 MPs should have voiced their support for the appeal in the hall. They did not bother tallying the votes, so glaringly obvious was the outcome. Azerbaijan joined the Council of Europe with the hope of getting a fair resolution to the occupation of its territories. However, over the years, the institution failed to take any decisive action against Armenia. PACE could not even muster a condemnation of Armenia, which completely disregarded its Resolution 2085 passed on January 26, 2016. This resolution explicitly called for the immediate withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the region and the halt of Armenia's authorities using water resources as a tool to benefit only one side of the conflict. Here's another example: Josep Borrell, Head of European Diplomacy. His mandate is about to wrap up soon. So, what has this supposed peace advocate between Baku and Yerevan actually accomplished? Well, nothing at all. Having long aligned himself with Armenian propaganda, Borrell is pulling out all the stops to undermine the peace process. Just yesterday, he came out saying that the EU is once again "worried about Azerbaijan making claims on Armenian territory" and urged a return to talks for normalizing relations. While Europe, especially Borrell, is using its platforms not to address real issues but for baseless statements, Azerbaijan and Armenia are actively taking tangible steps toward a peaceful agreement, exemplified by the recent military exchange. That is precisely why the Brussels format for negotiations is also a thing of the past. And, of course, at the heart of all this anti-Azerbaijani campaign is none other than France, once an active mediator between Baku and Yerevan. The recent phase in relations with Paris was marked by a scandal involving a French espionage group exposed in Baku, the expulsion of diplomats, and yet another pro-Armenian resolution. While France used to at least maintain a semblance of balance and adhere to a relatively even-handed approach toward both sides, now Paris openly supports the Armenian side not just in words, but also by actively arming the Armenian armed forces. All of this is simply an inability to stomach Azerbaijan's clear-cut triumph over injustice. Until 2020, Baku might have still expected some support from the European community, but the Second Karabakh War altered everything permanently. Now, Azerbaijan's territorial integrity stands sovereign, reclaimed lands are being cleared of mines, massive infrastructure projects are underway, and the economy is flourishing making everyone quite envious. Certainly, Europe, once content with a 30-year conflict in the South Caucasus, is now disgruntled because all their supposed pressure tactics on Baku have fallen flat. While anyone could easily sway Armenia, European partners are currently collaborating with Azerbaijan on its own terms. The geopolitical landscape has not only radically reshaped regional relationships but also global dynamics. The key takeaway is that the integrity and independence of Azerbaijan will never be disrupted again. Instead of pushing futile resolutions or, even worse, brandishing threats of economic consequences at Baku, it is high time for everyone to come to grips with the new realities forged by Azerbaijan. Reporter Andrew Roberto was raised his whole life on Saipan. He graduated from Saipan Southern High School, holds a degree from Northern Marianas College, and a BA in English from the University of Guam. He once worked for KUAM, UNO Magazine, and the Guam Daily Post. Pale' Eric Forbes answers questions at the Guam Department of Education CHamoru Studies and Special Projects Division book launch ceremony for "I Dikkiki' na Prinsipi" on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, in Tiyan. For women backing Haley, a sigh of relief at not voting for Trump Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump addresses a campaign rally at the Rochester Opera House on Jan. 21, 2024, in Rochester, New Hampshire. Trump is campaigning ahead of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation state primary on Tuesday. (Alex Wong/Getty Images/TNS) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. President Ilham Aliyev, with his profound knowledge, excellent state thinking, and flexible and effective management skills, is the person who most worthily represents the Azerbaijani nation and state in the international arena, Musa Gasimli, MP told Trend. President Ilham Aliyev has proved to the world the Azerbaijani nation's high intellectual level and culture through his statements at all events. Over the last two decades, Azerbaijanis have ensured that the country's national and state interests are best protected at international conferences addressed by President Ilham Aliyev. Gasimli noted that hosting multiple international summits in Azerbaijan is linked to faith, trust, and respect for President Ilham Aliyev. "This factor played a key role in the decision to hold COP29 in Baku,'' he said. Since the birth of society, people have always wanted to live in safe, stable conditions with a certain future. President Ilham Aliyev is the head of state who has built a stable and sustainably developing country and ensured a safe life for citizens. Azerbaijan is the safest country for comfortable and safe living in the world. The people of Azerbaijan do not want to return to the chaos and anarchy of the 1990s and will never allow such a thing. Thus, the citizens of the country will first of all vote for themselves, for their safe lives, and for stable, sustainable development," he noted. Gasimli mentioned that the voters will vote for the grandiose work done in the country for the last 20 years and for the innovations implemented in Azerbaijan by President Ilham Aliyev. "It is well known that not only the former separatist regime in Karabakh but also Armenia itself did not have an economy, human resources, financial resources, or military-industrial complex capable of occupying Azerbaijani territories. Armenia has never been able to compare itself with Azerbaijan in terms of state power. So the question arises: which country or countries occupied the territories of Azerbaijan? The answer to this question is obvious. If Azerbaijan had been left alone with Armenia, it could have liberated the occupied territories in a short period of time. However, the solution to the conflict for many years was linked to the policies of other states. President Ilham Aliyev, in the second Karabakh War, and as a result of anti-terrorist measures of local character, solved the problem of Karabakh once and for all in 2023. The problem of Karabakh, artificially created in 1923 on the territory of Azerbaijan, defeated the states pursuing the policy of double standards. Restoration works in the territories liberated from occupation, the commissioning of two airports in short terms, the construction of new cities, and the return of IDPs to their ancestral homeland testify to the power of the state under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev and the systematic fulfillment of each work. Thus, President Ilham Aliyev has solved the most important problem facing the Azerbaijani people since 1988: defeated and crushed aggressive Armenia, world Armenians, and their patrons; liberated the territories of Azerbaijan from enemy occupation; eradicated separatism; and established state sovereignty throughout the country. This is the first and only head of state who implemented the dreams of the nation, which seemed unfulfilled, and opened a new era of development," the MP said. The MP also noted that with the coming to power of President Ilham Aliyev, who won the elections in 2003, a new stage in the history of modern Azerbaijani statehood began. "This stage is characterized by several peculiarities. President Ilham Aliyev, whose main goal of policy is to improve the welfare of the people, has carried out broad reforms in all spheres of the country's life. New workplaces have been opened, and the poverty level has been reduced. Azerbaijan has turned from a country of the poor to a country of the well-to-do. Confidence in the future increased. Special attention was paid to the youth. Opportunities were created for those wishing to get an education. The number of study places was increased at the expense of the state budget. Education became accessible. State programs for studying at leading universities in foreign countries were adopted. Under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, the authority and influence of the Azerbaijani state in the international arena have increased, and the country has gained many friends. Twenty years of experience have shown that Azerbaijan is a state whose words are matched with deeds. The interests of Azerbaijan are above all for President Ilham Aliyev, who speaks only from the position of national-state interests for justice and fairness. He gives a worthy answer to the heads of state who crossed the "red line." Being a skilled connoisseur of world politics and international relations, President Ilham Aliyev has made a great contribution to the foreign policy of the Azerbaijani state, both from historical, theoretical, and practical points of view," the MP said. He also emphasized that the Republic of Azerbaijan has concentrated about 75 percent of the economy of the South Caucasus in its hands as a result of its right policy. "Steps were taken to put an end to the oil dependence of the economy; major projects were implemented. Azerbaijan has established a powerful army and a modern military-industrial complex capable of protecting the country from foreign military interference. Azerbaijan, which occupies a special place at international arms exhibitions, is a country that sells weapons. Wherever the head of state steps, this place turns into a paradise. Actually, during the years of his rule, President Ilham Aliyev has created a miracle and presented it to the world. This miracle is Azerbaijan," Gasimli concluded. . Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on the application of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan No. 1051-VIQ of December 8, 2023 "On approval, entry into force of the Competition Code and related legal regulation" and settlement of certain issues in this regard, Trend reports. The full decree is available at the link. Sacramento, CA Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (D-Jackson) has introduced Senate Bill 945 (The Wildfire Smoke and Health Outcomes Data Act) in response to the escalating challenges with the impacts of widespread wildfire smoke. The bill aims to enable state agencies to monitor air pollution, population exposure, and health outcomes related to wildfire smoke. This data will support future research efforts to comprehensively understand the detrimental effects of wildfire smoke on Californias environment and population, filling the current data gap. Senator Alvarado-Gil emphasized, Ensuring the well-being of our communities means understanding the true impact of wildfire smoke. Our bill aims to unveil the impacts on our population, emphasizing the urgent need to address forest health for a resilient and healthier California. Shannon Douglass, President of the California Farm Bureau, stressed the significance of the bill, stating, Farming and ranching communities have been directly affected by wildfire smoke. It is imperative that policymakers understand the impact on health outcomes across the states population, from respiratory illnesses to pregnancy complications. Calaveras County Sheriff patrol vehicle View Photo West Point, CA The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office has released details about what led to the shooting of 40-year-old Michael Powell during his standoff with deputies. We first reported on the January 19 incident here. The sheriffs offices in Calaveras and Amador counties were conducting a joint search warrant at a home in the 1000 block of Woodhouse Mine Road in response to Powells possession of firearms as a prohibited person and the unsafe discharge of those firearms in the area. Deputies surrounded the home and asked Powell to come out, but he refused to do so. The Calaveras Sheriffs Office reports that Powell then started firing several rounds from inside the home at deputies. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The Crisis Intervention Team with the sheriffs office then tried to de-escalate the situation, but Powell declined to cooperate. He also threatened, and declined intervention, from Behavioral Health specialists. After several hours of requesting that Powell exit, chemical agents were deployed into the home. Powell became erratic and exited the home and fired a weapon several times in the proximity of law enforcement personnel. In response to this, one deputy fired one or more rounds which struck Powell, effectively stopping the shooting. Deputies administered first aid until an ambulance arrived on the scene. Powell was transported to an out-of-county trauma center for treatment. The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office concludes, The continuing investigation into this incident is being conducted by the California Department of Justice, the Calaveras County District Attorneys Office, and the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office. We emphasize that this information is preliminary and part of an ongoing investigation. In accordance with department policy, the deputy involved has been placed on paid administrative leave. The Calaveras County Sheriffs Office is committed to transparency and will provide additional details as they become available. Tuolumne County Administration Building View Photo Update at 9:48 am: The Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors meeting will start at 10 am. Due to an elevator problem, the meeting is being moved to the Sonora City Council chambers at 94 North Washington Street. Original story posted at 8:48 am: Sonora, CA A problem with the elevator at the Tuolumne County Administration building has forced a delay of todays planned board of supervisors meeting. CAO Tracie Riggs relays that a technician is responding to investigate the issue. The meeting was scheduled to start at 9 am and it will be delayed until at least 10 oclock. An update will be provided by the county at that time as to whether the meeting can take place today. We will pass along more information as it becomes available. To read an earlier story previewing the meeting, click here. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev successfully defends the country's interests on the world stage, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for post-Soviet Studies of the National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ph.D. in History Stanislav Pritchin told Trend. "Azerbaijan stands out as one of the few post-Soviet states successfully pursuing a balanced and complex foreign policy. The country adeptly defends its interests, interacting with major global players. An example of the country's firm stance is Azerbaijan's resolute response to statements from representatives of the US State Department," he emphasized. According to Pritchin, this is a demonstrative precedent that shows Azerbaijan's ability to defend its position, sometimes through assertive statements. "Azerbaijan's steadfastness eventually compels the US to seek opportunities to restore contacts and reconsider its decisions, despite the global influence of this country," the expert said. Pritchin noted that Azerbaijan is conducting a highly balanced foreign policy. He added that due to this balanced approach, the country successfully maintains and develops strong relationships with key players in the region, as well as with Asian and European partners. The expert also emphasized the importance of active participation by Azerbaijani citizens in the upcoming presidential election. It's challenging to overestimate the significance of the upcoming election, as they will cover the entire territory of the country for the first time, concluded Pritchin. On December 7, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding an extraordinary presidential election in the country on February 7, 2024. The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC) on Dec. 19 approved the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), for participation in the extraordinary presidential election. Azerbaijan has registered seven candidates to run in the extraordinary presidential election. Azerbaijan's national flag carrier, AZAL, is launching a special discount campaign for several popular destinations in Europe. Don't miss out the opportunity to enjoy the offer and to explore Europe! As part of this offer, passengers can travel to Prague, London, Vienna, Berlin, Barcelona and Milan at more affordable prices. Discounted tickets can be purchased from January 23 to February 1, 2024. The promotion applies to the airline's flights from February 1 to April 17, 2024, excluding peak periods. The ticket prices for these destinations include airport taxes: en routes Baku-Vienna-Baku, Baku-Prague-Baku, Baku-Berlin-Baku, Baku-Milan-Baku 299. en route Baku-Barcelona-Baku 349. en route Baku-London-Baku: Gatwick Airport 359, Heathrow Airport 391. Please note that the number of discounted tickets is limited. Checked baggage is not included in the ticket price, but passengers are allowed to carry hand luggage weighing up to 10 kg. To purchase tickets, please visit the official website www.azal.az, use the renewed mobile app of the airline, or approach to the ticket offices or accredited agencies of Azerbaijan Airlines. Until now, Latin American nations had refused to play a direct role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, preferring to take a more neutral, hands-off approach. But that fragile unity has now been shattered. Just over a week ago, Ecuadors new President Daniel Noboa announced the signing of a security agreement with the United States. That agreement includes a key stipulation that the Ecuadorian military hands over all Russian-made weapons, military equipment and systems to US forces. In exchange, Ecuador will receive more modern US-made weapons, military equipment and defence systems, valued at $200 million, at some heretofore undisclosed time in the future. This is the exchange of Ukrainian and Russian scrap for 200 million dollars in modern equipment, Noboa said. That is something we will finalise at the end of this month. The scrap that Quito has agreed to deliver to the US includes six Russian Mil-Mi-171 helicopters and six 17-1V type helicopters; six Rostec (Splav) BM-21 multiple rocket launch systems; six Excalibur Army Spol RM-70; 34 KBP ZU-23-2 23152 millimetre short-range air defence systems; 10,000 Chinese Norinco Type-56 7.6239 millimetre rifles, ammunition, grenades, mortars and helmets, reports the Spanish language edition of Huffington Post. The latter were donated by China but never used by the Ecuadorian armed forces. Now they are being donated by Ecuador to Chinas biggest strategic rival, the US. For the moment, details are few and far between. Noboa did not specify under what terms the transfer of weapons will be executed, when the new US-made weapons and equipment will be delivered or for what purpose(s) the United States has requested Russian-made scrap. But its final destination will presumably be Ukraine. Unfriendly Step Russia, needless to say, is hardly thrilled with the new development. Vladimir Putins government pointed out, among other things, that the deal signed between the US and Ecuador is illegal since Russia explicitly prohibits the transfer of said weapons to third countries in the sales contracts of its weapons and defence systems. Russias Ambassador in Quito said on Jan 11: We are verifying that information [regarding the proposed deal between Ecuador and the US]. But we have conveyed to the Ecuadorian authorities Russias position that the Americans do not need that equipment, even more so when it is called scrap metal We warned the authorities that this (transfer) would be an unfriendly step. The agreement between the US and Ecuador comes in the wake of Noboas declaration of an internal armed conflict against Ecuadors drug cartels on January 9, following an explosion of gang-related violence across the country. That, in turn, came on the heels of a hush-hush agreement in October between Washington and Ecuadors then-outgoing scandal-tarnished President Guillermo Lasso to allow the entry of US troops onto Ecuadorian soil. Then, in December, as we reported here, the Noboa government quietly asked Washington to come up with a Plan Colombia-style initiative to combat the drug cartels. To round off the formalities, Noboa announced just four days ago his governments full support for Israel: As a nation we are not going to condemn Israels actions nor are we going to take a position like Brazil or Colombia. Both Brazil and Colombia have backed the South African ICJ case against Israel. For the moment, there are no signs of US troop deployments to the violence-plagued country. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby has categorically ruled out such a move. But US interest in the Andean country is certainly rising. Yesterday, Ecuador received a US delegation led by the Special Presidential Adviser for the Americas, Christopher Dodd, SOUTHCOM Commander Laura Richardson who first floated the idea publicly of LatAm nations swapping their Russian weaponry for US weaponry and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of Counternarcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Christopher Landberg. Of course, the impact Ecuadors arsenal of Russian-made weapons has on the Ukraine-Russia conflict will be practically zero. But the mere fact the Biden Administration is still requesting the weaponry at this late stage in proceedings speaks to the desperate shortages of weapons and other equipment Ukraine now faces, as many of its European allies have themselves run low on supplies. Washingtons request for Russian-made weaponry may also serve other ends, of course, including to reduce Russian arms sales and influence in Latin America with a veiw to supplanting those sales and influence. A Long Wait Ukraine has been waiting for this consignment for a long time. As readers may recall, just over a year ago Washington began pressuring governments in Latin America to donate or (in the words of the Commander of US Southern Command, General Laura Richardson) switch out Russian military equipment to Ukraine. EU governments and the Zelenksy regime also lobbied Latin American countries to provide weaponry, Russian made or otherwise. Germany even offered to pay Brazils government 25 million real (around $5 million) for a store of ammunition for its Leopard 1 tanks. As I noted at the time, such frantic calls for assistance were indicative of the serious resource constraints afflicting both Ukraine and the NATO alliance. Until Ukraines armed forces had enough Western-produced weapons to replenish their stocks, which has arguably never happened, and are well versed in how to use them, which takes a considerable time, its soldiers desperately needed ammunition for the Russian-manufactured arms they are more familiar with. But the calls were roundly rejected, with Brazils Lula saying: Brazil has no interest in passing on ammunition to be used in the war between Ukraine and Russia. Brazil is a country of peace. At this moment, we need to find those who want peace, a word that until now has been used very little. Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO for short) not only refused to send weapons to Ukraine; he lambasted Germanys government for its decision to send tanks to the war zone after weeks of resisting US, NATO and Ukrainian pressure. Colombias President Gustavo Petro explained in no uncertain terms why his government would not be sending Russian weapons to Ukraine: I told them that our constitution includes a commitment, in the international arena, to peace. And [those weapons] will stay as scrap metal in Colombia; we will not hand them over so that they can be taken to Ukraine to prolong a war. Even Argentinas weak President Alberto Fernandez declared during a press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz that neither Argentina nor anyone in Latin America is thinking of sending weapons to Ukraine. As it turns out, that probably wasnt true. In April last year, the Ecuadorian news magazine Vistazo reported that Ecuadors then-President Guillermo Lasso was considering donating a consignment of Soviet-made helicopters to the Ukrainian cause (translated by yours truly): The New York Times accessed reports labelled top secret indicating that Guillermo Lassos government was considering sending Soviet-designed helicopters to Ukraine a measure that was supported by the United States. However, the documents, signed in February 2023, do not clarify whether Ecuador fulfilled its intentions. For its part, Ecuadors Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied the allegations. In a statement, sent to the NYT, it stated that the donation of military goods and supplies is not mentioned in Ecuadorian legislation, so an operation of these characteristics would be impossible. According to the US newspaper, Ecuador planned to send its old MI-17 helicopters to Ukraine so that the United States could provide it with new aircraft. However, the leaks do not confirm whether US officials promised to replace the Ecuadorian planes if they were moved to Kiev, or even if the arrangement went ahead The leaked documents suggest that Ecuadors government was likely to donate the helicopters, but could also change their mind out of fear that Moscow would get angry and break off relations. In fact, that was the position of the Russian army should the arms transfer take place. A Little Gift for Zelensky from Milei Ecuador may not be the only Latin American country to send Russian-made arms to the Ukrainian cause. Even before coming to office, Argentinas President Elect Javier Milei and his soon-to-be Foreign Minister Diana Mondino proposed donating two Russian Mi-171E helicopters that Argentinas air force had been using for their Antarctic operations but have been grounded because maintenance scheduled in the country cannot take place, given the ongoing war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Moscow, again, was quick to lodge its objections. We are categorically against their transfer to Russias adversaries, said the Russian ambassador in Buenos Aires, Dmitri Feoktistov, arguing that this would violate Argentinas obligations under end-user guarantees. Even in Argentina, the decision was not without controversy given it essentially involved giving away patrimony belonging to the nation to a third country. So Milei and his Foreign Minister Diana Mondino came up with a new strategy: instead of giving away the helicopters, they would use them as a down payment on a small fleet of ancient F-16 fighter planes in questionable condition belonging to the Danish air force. For now, Russia seems to be willing to give the Milei government the benefit of the doubt. In late December, Ambassador Feoktistov said that Moscow expects Buenos Aries to refrain from sending further weaponry to Ukraine: The first contacts with the Argentine leaders, including the president, the vice president and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, show that, despite all the euphemism that surrounded the arrival to power of Mileis team, there are reasons to believe that friendly relations between our countries will be maintained despite the priorities that are publicly declared: the US, Israel and the West in general. Back in Ecuador, big question marks hang over when the US will actually deliver on its pledge to help modernise its military. Slovakias experience may offer a cautionary lesson. According to Slovakias new Defence Minister Robert Kalinak, the former Slovak government gave up its only S-300 air defence system to Ukraine, free of charge, in 2022. In 2023, it offered the Ukrainian armed forced 13 MiG-29 fighter jets. Western countries promised Slovakia a Patriot air defence system in exchange for the S-300s, as well as 700 million in financial compensation for the squadron of MiG jets. According to Kalinak, none of it has materialised. Even more important, Latin American nations had until now refused to play any direct role in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, preferring to take a more neutral, hands-off approach. That included Bolsonaros Brazil and other right-of-centre governments such as Paraguay and Uruguay. According to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, only Costa Rica has endorsed and is applying the US-EUs sanctions on Russia. Only one country Gabriel Borics Chile has so far invited Zelensky to address the national parliament. But times are changing. Even before taking office, Milei and Mondino offered to organise a peace conference for Zelensky and Ukraine the ultimate oxymoron in Argentina. Zelensky, of course, was at Mileis inauguration ceremony; it was his first trip to Latin America since the war began. So too was Noboa. It is hard to believe that just over six months ago, Latin American heads of state refused to be browbeaten by their European counterparts into inviting Zelensky to the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Summit. They also refused to sign off on the inclusion of a paragraph condemning Russias invasion of Ukraine in the summits final declaration. A number of CELAC members, including Brazil, Bolivia, Honduras, Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, pulled ranks, refusing to allow the conflict, which many Latin Americans see as far-removed, to dominate the proceedings. That fragile unity has now been shattered. Forgive me for giving such an important topic terse treatment. But despite all the hopium and now Biden Administration misdirection, there will not be a two-state solution in Israel. Israel has created facts on the ground that make it impossible, namely settler balkanization of the West Bank. And now a devastated Gaza, even assuming Palestinians survive in meaningful numbers, will require state support to rebuild. That state will be Israel, perhaps with some financial support from the US and EU. It is not hard to foresee that any of what is left of Gaza that is allotted to the Palestinians will be kept at the barely habitable level, so as to encourage them to expatriate. But back to the bigger picture. Some commentators point out that Israel never intended to end its occupation of Palestinian territory. For instance, from Aljazeera in 2017: Following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, a resolution called on Israel to give up the territories it occupied in exchange for a lasting peace with its neighbours. Israel defeated the armies of Egypt, Jordan and Syria, resulting in the Palestinian Naksa, or setback, in June 1967. In that year, Israel expelled some 430,000 Palestinians from their homes. The Naksa was perceived as an extension of the 1948 Nakba, or catastrophe, which accompanied the founding of the state of Israel. In a matter of six days, Israel seized the remainder of historic Palestine, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, as well as the Syrian Golan Heights and the Egyptian Sinai Peninsula. Later that year, Israel annexed East Jerusalem as well. Apart from the Sinai Peninsula, all the other territories remain occupied to this day. Under the sponsorship of the British ambassador to the UN at the time, Resolution 242 aimed to implement a just and lasting peace in the Middle East region However, the resolution was used by Israel to continue its occupation of the territories, as it also called for achieving a just settlement of the refugee problem while falling short of addressing the Palestinian peoples right to statehood, analysts note But in the US-based Journal of Palestine Studies, lawyer and Georgetown University professor Noura Erekat wrote that Israel has used Resolution 242 to justify the seizure of Palestinian land. When Israel declared its establishment in May 1948, it denied that Arab Palestinians had a similar right to statehood as the Jews because the Arab countries had rejected the Partition Plan, Erekat wrote, referencing UN Resolution 181. The final language of Resolution 242 did not correct the failure to realise Palestinian self-determination, referring merely to the refugee problem, she added. Following the 1967 war, Israel argued that given the sovereign void in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip the territories were neither occupied nor not occupied, Erekat said, noting that Israel used this argument to steadily grab Palestinian land without absorbing the Palestinians on the land. To simplify what could be a much longer account, the Oslo Accords, an attempt to bring about a two-state solution, failed due to the inability to resolve key points of difference. A recent (but pre-October 7) Aljazzera article contends the deal was a bust only from the Palestinian vantage: The second part of the accords were signed in 1995, with the aim of kick-starting talks with a two-state solution as the objective; specifically an independent Palestinian state through the establishment of an interim Palestinian government the Palestinian Authority (PA). The accords set the framework for Palestinian elections, and the PA was given a five-year lifespan. But the provisional government still exists today, plagued by allegations of corruption and police brutality. Despite being granted limited self-rule in parts of the West Bank, Israel has maintained military control over the entire area To Palestinian leaders, the accords were doomed to fail. Major sticking points were left unresolved at the time of the signing of the accords. These included concerns about territory, illegal Jewish settlements, the status of Jerusalem, Palestinian refugees and the right of return. Among other things, they also introduced the controversial security coordination between Israel and the PA. But to Israel, the accords were not a failure, Osamah Khalil, professor of US and Middle East history at Syracuse University, said. Israel had no intention of agreeing to the emergence of a viable, contiguous, and independent Palestinian state, Khalil told Al Jazeera. Israel was able to pursue its occupation and settlement policies with the political cover of endless negotiations, he said. Alaa Tartir, director of SIPRIs Middle East and North Africa Programme, agreed. He said the accords offered Israel an internationally sponsored framework to sustain its occupation and solidify its colonial control over Palestine and the Palestinian people over the past 30 years. Of course, deals are only as good as the parties who sign them. Yitzhak Rabin, who is often depicted as wanting to reach some sort of accommodation with the Palestinians, was assassinated in November 1995. In 1996, the normally Israel-protective Clinton Administration rebuked Israel for its settlements policy. From the Washington Post: President Clinton criticized Israel yesterday for creating an obstacle to peace with its new campaign to encourage Jewish settlement in the West Bank, and accused Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahus government of trying to unilaterally resolve an issue that Israel had earlier agreed to settle in talks with the Palestinians The criticism from Clinton known here and in the region as a steadfast backer of Israel came on the same day several former U.S. secretaries of state, national security advisers and Middle East negotiators, using considerably more blunt language, wrote Netanyahu that expanding the settlements would be strongly counterproductive and could halt progress made by the peace process over the last two decades. Asked if he considered new settlements an obstacle to peace, Clinton responded: Absolutely. In 2011, a different Clinton criticized the continued expansion of the settlements in harsher terms. From ABC: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Israeli settlements illegitimate shortly before the United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning continued Israeli settlement expansion as illegal. In an exclusive interview with This Week anchor Christiane Amanpour taped on Friday afternoon, Clinton said, I think it is absolutely clear to say, number one, that its been American policy for many years that settlements were illegitimate and it is the continuing goal and highest priority of the Obama administration to keep working toward a two-state solution with both Israelis and Palestinians. In December 2010, Clinton took a similarly harsh line against continued Israeli settlements. We do not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement activity, she said in a speech at the Brookings Institution. We believe their continued expansion is corrosive not only to peace efforts and two-state solution, but to Israels future itself. So why did the US veto a resolution that was in line with Clintons criticisms? The excuse from UN representative Susan Rice was that it could poison negotiations. But the real reason seems to be that Clinton was not driving this bus. In one of the recent Judge Napolitano shows (I cant recall if the interviewee was Alastair Crooke or Larry Johnson), the guest stated that Hillary Clinton, in a visit to Israel, told Netanyahu that the settlements had to stop, but when she got home, Joe Biden went to Obama to get her overruled. Now in the wake of October 7 and the unification of sentiment in Israel against Palestinians, a two-state solution is simply na ga happen. Having the US, Egypt, and Qatar talk up a peace scheme that includes a two-state solution as a major component is an insult to intelligence, like the Collective West coming up with Ukraine peace plans they dreamed up in a vacuum, with no consideration of what Russia would accept. But on top of that, even before October 7, the Palestinians had also soured on the idea. From The Strategist: On the Palestinian side, long before 7 October it was evident the paradigm of Palestinian politics had shifted. Support for a two-state approach has collapsed. Fatah, self-indulgent, corrupt and unwilling to do the hard yards of election campaigning, lost to Hamas in Gaza in 2006. It was crushed by Hamas when it attempted a coup in 2007. Meanwhile, Israeli intransigence; settler violence in the West Bank; the loss of political authority on the part of Mahmoud Abbas; the contempt of Palestinians for the role played by the PA in meeting Israels security demands and destructive military and settler incursions; US promotion of normalisation between Israel and Persian Gulf Arab states, without addressing the Palestinian issue as an essential part of that process; and the emergence of West Bank urban militant groups defying the PA all combined to deadly effect. And finally, let us turn to the ultimate obstacle, the fact on the ground of settler extreme balkanization of the West Bank. On top of settler occupation of much of the land, many of the roads are reserved for Israeli use, and Palestinians often have to take roundabout routes to get from Point A to B, as well as go through many checkpoints. The only way to create even some decent-sized chuck of contiguous Palestinian land would be through a reverse Nakba. And that simply will not occur. Alastair Crooke describes how Israel has chosen to keep the Palestinians in an ambiguous, but of course second-class, position (emphasis original): Even in 2008, Foreign Minister (and lawyer), Tzipi Livni, was spelling outwhy Israels only answer (to the issue of how to maintain Zionism) was to keep the States borders undefined whilst holding on to scarce water and land resources leaving Palestinians in a state of permanent uncertainty, dependent on Israeli goodwill. And I noted in a separate piece: Livni was saying that she wanted Israel to be a Zionist state based on the Law of Return and open to any Jew. However, to secure such a state in a country with very limited territory means that land and water must be kept under Jewish control, with differential rights for Jews and non-Jews rights that affect everything, from housing and access to land, to jobs, subsidies, marriages and migration. A two-state solution inherently therefore, did not solve the problem of how to maintain Zionism; rather, it compounded it. The inevitable demand for full equal rights for Palestinians would bring the end of Jewish special rights, and of Zionism itself, Livni argued a threat with which most Zionists concur. Sharons answer to this ultimate paradox, however, was different: Sharon had an alternative plan for managing a large non-Jewish out-group, physically present within a Zionist State of differentiated rights. Sharons alternative amounted to frustrating a two-state solution within fixed borders Sharon envisaged the depth of the West Bank in its entirety as one extensive, permeable and temporary frontier. This approach could thus disregard any thin-nibbed pencil line, drawn to denote some political border. This framework was intended to leave Palestinians in a state of permanent uncertainty, caught within a matrix of interlocking settlements, and subject to Israeli military intervention at Israels sole discretion. Crooke also developed these ideas in his Judge Napolitano interview on Monday. But he added some critical detail, particularly starting at 18:50: Where are the two states going to be? Continuing: According to the Security Council resolution, it [the Palestinian state] includes all the West Bank and Gaza. Well, what are you going to do about the West Bank? Ive already, you know that is peopled by nearly 800,000 settlers now who are armed and zealous, have absolutely no intention, whatever any government says, of abandoning. These are fanatics. Ive been to them. Ive spoken to them. They are really radical people. Even the Israeli Army, and look at the Israeli Army in the West Bank. Its basically a reservists army, but also it is a settler army. Most of these people, when I was in Israel, I saw the big transformation of the Israeli Army into becoming a settler army. It used to be managed and led by the kibbutznik, the people who lived in the kibbutz, but then it changed and the settlers took command over the main points of this army. So youre not going to be able to use the Israelis to remove them. Whos going to remove nearly a million Israelis from West Bank? Theres no discussion that is serious about these things. New fabulist sort of ideas that people are using just to manage the problem. We cant solve it so we come up and well say, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states will do this, and the other things when they know thats not going to work, its impossible to work. In other words, shorter Crooke is that failure to admit how intractable the Israel/Palestine problem is allows Israelis to continue to use ambiguity and misdirection to the disadvantage and now physical destruction of Palestine and its people. Temperatures plunged Saturday, Jan. 13, and snow fell heavy Sunday night. Nashville got above freezing just once over the following week a sunny Thursday afternoon before plunging back to single digits over the weekend. Metro canceled school for two days, then the whole week. As of publication, school is canceled through Monday, Jan. 22. Sledders packed the fairways at Shelby and McCabe. Prolonged cold and ice tested the citys shelter network, a broad coalition of institutions and people trying to help the growing population of people living outside. Im looking for my friend Ed, Claire Hennigan told the Scene outside Metros Extreme Cold Weather Overflow Shelter, where I had been turned away at the door after identifying myself as a reporter. Hennigan had a temporary housing option for Ed, but sometimes he could be hard to find. Im sorry they didnt let you in. Sometimes it just depends whos working security or at the door. Hennigan is an outreach worker at Open Table Nashville, an interfaith nonprofit working to alleviate homelessness in Nashville with direct service, advocacy and education. At its best, Nashvilles network of volunteers, nonprofits, houses of faith and city services work together to mitigate the immediate dangers of living outside and bring as many people as possible into stable housing. Last weeks weather also canceled four different Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council meetings. About midway through the winter, this group was already wrestling with differences in direction and methods specifically around the citys plans to address encamped communities. Just before snow hit, cold weather plans were unfinished but on track, represented by one ominous agenda item: Locate and address shelter capacity and challenges. Integrating the citys Extreme Cold Weather Overflow Shelter has been this winters priority (and challenge). The site, dubbed a near-term solution by Mayor Freddie OConnell, is intended as a last resort for existing spaces that hit capacity. Its the catchall for spaces like Room In The Inn and the Nashville Rescue Mission. Both come with restrictions and limits. The Nashville Rescue Mission focuses on housing women and families, sometimes for months at a time. Men get spots at Room In The Inn, which sends small groups to religious spaces for dinner and a bed each night. Sheltering from the cold at a West End church, a few of its beneficiaries praise RITIs professionalism and sense of welcome. Despite the uncertainty of RITIs lottery system, they say many of their friends have been able to get a bed every night through the cold stretch. Such exceptionally severe weather turned Metros overflow shelter on Brick Church Pike (formerly MNPS Baxter Alternative Learning Center) into an essential stopgap. Moving around the city without a car takes time and sometimes money; long journeys in the bitter cold carry physical risk. Metros 2023 Point-in-Time Count identified 2,129 people living in shelters, cars or outside. That number (up 11 percent from 2022) is considered a significant undercount by many in the citys homelessness network. Metro tells the Scene that the 2024 Point-in-Time count will take place on Thursday, Jan. 25. Freezing temperatures activated the citys overflow shelter on Jan. 14, bringing in 298 people, the lowest total of the week. On Thursday night, Metro opened an additional overflow site, pushing totals to their highest of the week at 422. The overflow shelter quickly became a refuge for hundreds of Nashvillians. Such demand pushed the city to not just offer a high-capacity shelter, but actually operate one. I saw it would be 2 degrees and thought Id try to go to the citys overflow shelter, says Jen Alexander, a writer for The Contributor who is currently unhoused. It was like a military installation. There were strict rules, and it got worse and worse in these shelter situations where someone rules over someone else, sometimes people get horrible. I just thought, Please, do better by us. Lengthy security checks caused crowds to form outside the doors, remembers Alexander. Individuals were required to stay in assigned rooms, she says, which changed regularly. Bathrooms lacked toilet paper, soap and hot water. I watched them physically drag two people out of there they told them never to come back, recalls Alexander, who compared the shelter to the Stanford prison experiment multiple times in our conversation. I just thought, This is horrible, and it was just going to get worse. They searched all your belongings each night. They said my nail clippers were a weapon, and took them. Harriet Wallace, spokesperson for Metros Office of Homeless Services, tells the Scene that the shelter dispenses soap and toilet paper in individual allotments. Wallace says everything went exceptionally well in the face of extreme cold and sudden high demand for shelter. +6 The Other Nashville, Part 2: The Organizations Working to Support Our Unhoused Community Talking to outreach specialists at nonprofits City Road Chapel, Open Table Nashville and The Beat about the citys housing crisis After a few nights at Metros overflow shelter, Alexander left for City Road Chapel United Methodist Church in Madison. Lead pastor Jay Voorhees had set up an impromptu shelter alongside The Beat, an outreach and advocacy nonprofit founded by Darrin Bradbury to address homelessness in Madison. Within the first day of the snowstorm, it became clear there were folks who werent going to other emergency shelter options the mission, RITI or the citys shelter for one reason or another, Voorhees tells the Scene Monday, as City Road has just finished its last night as a shelter. Folks come and go. A few were asked to leave because of behavior, but everything went relatively smoothly. I dont think we ever had to turn anyone away, although we were close to capacity. He estimates they served about 40 people total, with around 25 staying each night. We really dont have enough capacity to handle the emergency shelter needs, says Voorhees. Thats not to take away from anyone or any existing organizations. There are just limits to what we can do. While we wish we could stay open, we just cant. We did what we could. This story is a partnership between the Nashville Banner and the Nashville Scene. The Banner is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization focused on civic news. For more information, visit NashvilleBanner.com. A meeting of the Ad-Hoc East Bank Committee on Monday night offered the most detailed look yet at the future of the East Bank. At 550 acres, the East Bank is a massive developmental undertaking, expected to take decades to complete. Currently an underdeveloped sea of concrete centrally located between the Cumberland River and I-24, the land has been a sore spot in Nashville for years as development grows around it. Intertwined with the success of Mayor John Coopers Titans stadium deal last year was his administrations promise of an East Bank overhaul, turning it into Nashvilles new up-and-coming neighborhood, with a promise that it would not just be another tourist trap. The East Bank is home to 110 acres of Metro-owned land. Thirty acres of that land has been selected as an Initial Development Area near the new stadium. On the final day of Coopers administration, the protest period for a contract with The Fallon Company to be the master developer of the 30-acre IDA ended. That means that negotiations had to begin almost immediately after Mayor Freddie OConnell took office in September. In November, during the last meeting of the Ad-Hoc East Bank Committee, OConnells chief development officer Bob Mendes told the committee that negotiations with Fallon were just getting underway, as the new administration had spent its first months in office getting their ducks in a row. Two months later, the public has gotten its first look at how those negotiations are shaping up. The lawyer in me is making a giant disclaimer at the front end, said Mendes at the start of Mondays meeting. We are doing something that, at least in my time in Metro government, I havent seen done before. And that is were giving a snapshot in time in the middle of a negotiation. When I gave the mayor a similar presentation 10 days ago, many of these slides were different because the negotiation has moved forward over the last 10 days. While Mendes stressed that negotiations are still ongoing and nothing is final, he indicated that many of the most impactful aspects of the development were all but set in stone outside of hammering out the details. Here are some of the highlights of the snapshot of negotiations: +2 Stories to Watch in 2024: The Coming Development of Nashvilles East Bank With a new Titans stadium set to open in 2027, development will soon begin within the 338-acre plot Affordable Housing The lack of affordable housing is an ongoing crisis in Nashville, and advocates made it known that a lack of affordable housing on the East Bank would be unacceptable. Critics argued that such a centrally located plot of land would be a difficult spot for affordable housing when revenues are already such a problem. Metro is currently in discussion with Fallon to set certain minimums on the number of housing units they will require to be developed in the IDA. While Mendes stressed that the numbers could change, he said he believes they will accomplish the following as negotiations go forward. Of 1,550 total residential units, Mendes said the current breakdown would be: 855 market-rate units 600 affordable housing units split between two buildings that are 100% affordable housing 95 affordable housing units in market-rate buildings A minimum of five residential buildings Mendes said the administration has gone into negotiations focusing on creating a neighborhood feel. A part of that has been setting milestones in the timeline for when construction of a number of residential units will begin, milestones Mendes said he is confident they wont do worse than. Within two years of executing either the Master Development Agreement or the required rezoning, Fallon is expected to start construction on 300 residential units and one other building. Within six years, developers are expected to start a total of 700 residential units, and within 10 years that number will grow to 1,250. Additionally, Fallon has already agreed to have those affordable units locked in as affordable for the entirety of their 99-year ground lease, a massive win for affordable housing advocates. Tennessee Performing Arts Center Mendes revealed on Monday that Metro has a tentative agreement with TPAC, which has long been rumored to be in search of a new home on the East Bank, to relocate to a riverfront parcel on the southern side of the IDA. TPACs parcel will be excluded from the agreement with Fallon, as it will be negotiated directly between Metro and TPAC. The buildings design will be subject to approval by the Metro Planning Department. As a part of the agreement, TPAC will also invest in some of the surrounding infrastructure, including the re-landing of the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which will be structurally attached to TPAC and will extend beyond the space to deposit pedestrians almost directly next to the stadium. A presentation slide lays out early infrastructure projects that will need to take place in order for development to proceed. Total construction estimates take into account soft costs, contingencies and year of expenditure, providing a more accurate estimate. Infrastructure and Costs Metro will have to make some big upfront investments in the infrastructure of the East Bank, the full extent of which is not yet known. Aside from the infrastructure Metro itself has to pay for, Fallon, the Titans and TPAC will also be footing the bill for various infrastructure projects that will need to be completed for construction to move forward. As part of the Titans stadium financing deal made last year, Metro agreed to provide the Titans with 2,000 parking spaces for dedicated stadium usage. Metro also agreed that the Titans would receive all revenue produced by parking on an event day. The result is a $64 million parking garage that Metro will be responsible for constructing, accounting for about half of Metros infrastructure financial responsibilities in the IDA. Another heavy lift for Metro will be a brand-new sewer pump station. Building a neighborhood out of nothing brings with it the problem of increased sewage. Legislation for the construction of that sewer pump station has already been filed and passed through the Budget and Finance Committee just before Mondays meeting. The sewage pump station will cost a total of $32.5 million, but the Titans will pay for 20 percent of that to account for the amount of waste the stadium will create. Mendes believes the rest of the money will be recouped over time through taxes on developments that are served by the station. Zoning In order to do any of these things, the zoning code for the East Bank will have to change. Of course, zoning also offers Metro an opportunity to limit the ways the East Bank could be used, preventing the dreaded Lower Broadway II that many Nashvillians are worried about. Metros intention is to expand the downtown zoning code to the East Bank. The downtown code allows for strict control over how buildings are used and designed. The Metro Planning Department is proposing very specific land use requirements, which Metro Planning manager Joni Williams said will encourage a mixed-use urban neighborhood. Those conditions would include the prohibition of industrial uses, strict parking limits, the prohibition of short-term rentals and restrictions on the number and proximity of bars. Timeline The East Bank development in its entirety will take decades. Mendes said he expects the development of the 30-acre IDA alone to span up to three two-term mayoral administrations. Simply put, these negotiations are just the tip of the iceberg. Parcels A and B, on the northernmost portion of the IDA, are not even expected to be developed within the next 10 years. On the legislative end of things, Mendes said a master development agreement with Fallon a contract that would include details such as a timeline, what phases go first, a description of responsibilities, land usage, documents related to future lease agreements, and of course a price tag should hit the Metro Council floor by early March. The administrations hope is that it could then pass in April, kicking off the actual development process. From there, the development will essentially emerge outward from the stadium, beginning on the southern side, and working its way towards the river over time, providing a mixture of residential, retail and hotel usage. On Jan. 31, District 5 and 6 Metro Councilmembers Sean Parker and Clay Capp will hold a joint town hall meeting to discuss the East Bank. GENERAL Allied Defence Ministers will meet at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on 15 February 2024. The meeting will be chaired by the NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. The Secretary General will preview the Ministerial meeting with a press conference on 14 February at 11h00. The Secretary General will address the media after the Ministerial meeting. A separate meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, hosted by the United States, will take place at NATO HQ on 14 February. Further information about this meeting will be published at a later date here. For questions about this meeting, please contact the U.S. Mission to NATO Labanauskienei@state.gov. Ministerial accreditation, as well as annual accreditation, will give access to all events on 14-15 February. Accreditations for the meeting of NATO Ministers of Defence will be valid for the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting. PROGRAMME View the programme overview with links to media assets and the detailed media programme (pdf) of the meeting of NATO Defence Ministers. For information about individual Ministers' media programmes, please contact the national delegations. A list of delegation press officers is available from NATO Press & Media (press@hq.nato.int). MEDIA ACCREDITATION Media accreditation is now closed. Media accreditation is now closed. Journalists with 2024 annual accreditation do not need separate accreditation for this event. Media passes must be collected in person upon presentation of the confirmation email, as well as the documents used to apply for accreditation at the Main Entrance, NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Leopold III 1110 Brussels. You must bring the same ID document and the same press card or editor's letter that you used to apply for accreditation online, together with a printout of the confirmation email. Ministerial badges will be given out to media representatives at a counter specifically designated for the purpose (please use the "Groups entrance"). Media representatives with 2024 annual accreditation can access the premises / collect their new annual badge only at the main pass office (please use the "Visitors entrance"). Passes must be visible at all times. Please arrive early to clear security checks. Security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects. MEDIA ACCESS Accredited media representatives can work in the press area of NATO Headquarters on the day of the Ministerial meeting, and access all public areas. The opening hours of the press area will be communicated in the media programme. Accredited journalists can attend Ministers' doorsteps and the press conferences of the NATO Secretary General. These events will also be streamed live on the NATO website. National briefings will also take place at NATO Headquarters. Those are by invitation only. Please contact national delegations at NATO for details about their plans. POOLS A few elements of the Meeting of NATO Defence Ministers will be accessible only to a pool of visual journalists. Details on pooled events and distribution of pool cards will be available in the media programme, a few days before the event. If you accept a NATO pool position, you must share immediately all information and material collected while in the pool with any accredited media that requests it, at no charge and with no restriction on the use of the material for news purposes. Media organisations that want pooled images should first contact the wire service / photo agency of which they are a client. Media representatives and news organisations must identify that it is pooled material every time it is used. Pooled material can only be used for legitimate news purposes and cannot be sold. BROADCAST NATO will provide broadcast-quality video in real time on EBU World feed or to EBU News Exchange. NATO photographers and videographers will provide video clips and photos of all public events during the ministerial meeting. Photos can be downloaded from the NATO website. The video files will be available for free download from the NATO Multimedia Portal. The Secretary General's press conference and public remarks will be streamed live on the NATO website. MEDIA FACILITIES A press working area will be set up on the first floor of the Public Square at NATO HQ. Working spaces cannot be booked in advance and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Television and radio editing spaces will be available upon request by email to the NATO TV & Radio Unit (see contact details below). PARKING Media representatives can park in the Visitors' car park of the NATO HQ. Uplink vans can park in a special section of the car park upon request to the NATO TV & Radio Unit. For more information: For general queries Contact the NATO Press Office Accreditation natoaccreditations@hq.nato.int TV & Radio arrangements on site and via satellite broadcastoperations@hq.nato.int NATO Video on demand content@natomultimedia.tv The European Best Sniper Team Competition pits 45 teams of sharpshooters from many NATO Allies and partners against each other for seven days of gruelling and stressful tests of skill. In 2023, NATOs newest Ally Finland triumphed. For those familiar with Finnish history, this comes as no surprise. Latvian and German snipers conceal themselves with ghillie suits during the 2023 European Best Sniper Team Competition. Prepared in any scenario The sniper competition was over, but the Finns didnt yet know theyd won. Instead, the three-man sniper team stood at the end of a long line of rifles, coolly thumbing 7.62-millimetre bullets into magazines. The seven-day 2023 European Best Sniper Competition had pitted 45 sniper teams against each other in a series of challenges designed to test not just their accuracy, but their physical stamina, camouflage skills and their ability to think critically while on the move. One such scenario, dubbed 1917, simulated the rigours of the First World War by making the snipers crawl under barbed wire and fight through trenches clogged with military-grade tear gas. Another, Mogadishu, made snipers take long-distance shots from the bobbing deck of a Lakota scout helicopter before sprinting towards a simulated helicopter crash, where they needed to engage a series of targets at unknown distances. Participants proved that its not enough to be a good shot snipers need to be strong, smart and capable of pushing through fatigue. A Finnish Army sniper sends rounds downrange during the 2023 European Best Sniper Team Competition. The last day of the event was a "friendly shooting" a sort of field day for the 45 teams that participated in the competition. After seven days of high-stress shoots on land, in the water and from the unsteady deck of a helicopter, it was time to blow off a little steam. The crisp morning air at Hohenfels Training Area in southern Germany was split with the loud crack of long rifles and the stranger pfft of rifles equipped with silencers. The snipers strolled down the firing line, trying out the rifles used by their NATO Allies and partners. The more casual atmosphere at the end of the event let the competitors relax a little, allowing them to test each other's gear, share some stories and jokes about the previous week, and strengthen the international bonds that are a cornerstone of NATO. Forty-five teams of snipers from many NATO Allies and partners try each other's weapons during the 2023 European Best Sniper Team Competition. The legacy of Finnish sharpshooting Finnish snipers live in the long shadow of a short man. Ask any of them about Simo Hayha and youll get a knowing grin. Though slight in stature, the soldier known as the White Death was perhaps Finlands most lethal marksman during the Soviet invasion of 1939. An archival photo shows him standing in a white overcoat, smiling and squinting against the sun while holding a bolt-action rifle in mittened hands. While the Winter War ended in 1940 with parts of Finland annexed by the Soviet Union, the invaders suffered staggering casualties for every inch of territory gained. The Finns managed to build a diplomatic relationship with the Soviet Union in the decades following the war, but veterans like Simo Hayha never forgot how quickly their neighbour could turn on them. Simo Hayha stands with a rifle in the snow. (Photo: Finnish Military Archives) When Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland began to revisit its longstanding policy of neutrality. It had long been a NATO partner, participating in military exercises and in NATO-led missions, maintaining a warm and cooperative relationship with the Alliance. But partner countries, unlike NATO Allies, are not covered by NATO's Article 5 "all for one and one for all" security guarantee in case of an armed attack and Finland has a 1,340-km border with Russia. Finland applied for full NATO membership in May 2022, and in April 2023, they became NATOs 31st Ally. Ask the Finnish snipers how they feel about their new membership status, and theyll reply with characteristic deadpan: Its good. Snipers tend to be taciturn; Finnish snipers, doubly so. The Finnish Army sniper team strikes a pose after winning the 2023 European Best Sniper Team Competition. During the sniper competition, the Finns managed to preserve the legacy of their famous forebear. They started strong but fell back to 5th place after Special Operations snipers from Greece seized first place on day 2. They spent most of the competition lurking just short of the podium, swapping positions with snipers from the US Armys 101st Airborne Division, while the Greeks stayed on top. On the last day, though, the Finns scored top marks on an event that forced them to crowd onto a rubber raft and use the small boat as a transport and shooting platform. They racked up enough points to propel them to a deserved victory. It was a solid showing for NATOs newest member, and a performance that more than honours the countrys tradition of effective sharpshooting. Somewhere, perhaps, Simo Hayha was giving a mittened thumbs-up. At the invitation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the North Atlantic Council (NAC), chaired by NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, will visit Sarajevo on 1 and 2 February 2024. On 1 February 2024, the Deputy Secretary General and NATO Ambassadors will meet the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). A meeting of the NAC with the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and members of the Council will take place in the afternoon. The Deputy Secretary General and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of BiH, Mr Elmedin Konakovic, will deliver statements to the press after the meeting. On the same day, the NAC will meet with the Collegium of the Parliamentary Assembly. On 2 February 2024, the NATO Deputy Secretary and NATO Ambassadors will meet with representatives of a think tank and with students from the Universities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the afternoon, the Deputy Secretary General and NAC will discuss practical cooperation between NATO and Bosnia and Herzegovina with their counterparts, including during a visit to the Rajlovac military base. The Deputy Secretary General and NATO Ambassadors will also meet the Commander of the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, Brigadier General Pamela McGaha; the incoming Commander of the European Union Force in BiH, Major General Laszlo Sticz; the High Representative for BiH, Mr Christian Schmidt and representatives of the international community in BiH. Media advisory Thursday, 1 February 14:15 (CET) Public opening remarks by the NATO Deputy Secretary General and the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the North Atlantic Council meeting (BiH Parliamentary Assembly Building) 16:50 (CET) Joint press statements by the NATO Deputy Secretary General and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH Parliamentary Assembly Building) Media events will be streamed live on the NATO website. Video and photo coverage of the media events will be made available on the NATO website and upon request in broadcast quality. Media accreditation Prior accreditation for the mentioned above press events is required and must be requested to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina no later than Friday 26 January 2024 at 12:00 noon. For further details, please see the Call for accreditation here. For any media accreditation inquiries please contact mediji@mvp.gov.ba. NATO Press and Media section: Contact the NATO Press Office Follow us on X (formerly Twitter): @NATO, @Mircea_Geoana and @NATOPress BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. No decision, resolution, or statement can affect the will of the Azerbaijani people, Hijran Huseynova, chairwoman of the Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs of the Azerbaijani Parliament said during the meeting of the Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs, Trend reports. According to her, there is no reason to question the authority of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. "No decision, resolution, or declaration can sway the Azerbaijani people's will. We are an independent state that pursues an independent policy. This posture against Azerbaijan cannot be taken. The sooner these institutions recognize that they cannot communicate with Azerbaijan in the language of pressure, the better," she said. It should be noted that the first meeting of the PACE winter session, which began on January 22, discussed challenging the Azerbaijani delegation's authority. This motion by German MP Frank Schwabe was supported and forwarded to the Monitoring Committee for consideration. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani delegation participated in the January 22 meetings, but its voting rights were restricted. The main reason given was that the Azerbaijani side allegedly "did not allow a visit to the 'Lachin corridor' and monitoring of the situation in Karabakh, as well as a meeting with 'political prisoners' in 2023". Although the German MP and his colleagues who supported this initiative tried to explain the issue through human rights, it is clear that this has no connection whatsoever. The incident is an attempt at revenge against Azerbaijan, which has restored its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The fact that after 30 years of discussions held on various platforms, including at the level of PACE, and resolutions that remained only on paper, Azerbaijan independently ensured its territorial integrity and sovereignty was not to the liking of many countries and international organizations, including the Council of Europe and PACE. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Participating in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on Tuesday (23 January 2024), NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed Allies commitments to continue supporting Ukraine now and for the long term. The Secretary General stressed that Russias massive strikes highlight the urgent need to strengthen Ukraines air defences. Through the US-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Allies have already delivered a wide range of air defence systems to Ukraine, including Patriots, IRIS-T and NASAMS. In addition, under NATOs Comprehensive Assistance Package (CAP), the Alliance is supplying more winter equipment, demining equipment, and fuel to help Ukraine weather the difficult winter, said Mr Stoltenberg. The Secretary General outlined NATOs support to ramp up ammunition production, including the recent purchase of up to 1,000 Patriot interceptor missiles through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). Also today, Mr Stoltenberg announced that NATO has concluded contracts for the purchase of around 220,000 155-millimetre artillery shells worth 1.2 billion US dollars via the NSPA. This will replenish Allies stocks, as they continue to bolster Ukraines air defences. Mr Stoltenberg stressed that NATO is committed to providing long-term support to Ukraine. Allies agreed in Vilnius to expand NATOs CAP to a multi-year support programme to cover critical short-term needs and build long-term interoperability to help protect Ukraines people, critical infrastructure and military forces. Looking ahead, the Secretary General urged Allies and partners to continue providing Ukraine with the assistance it needs to prevail. He reiterated that NATO will continue to stand by Ukraine because it matters both for Ukraines security and for the Alliance. (As delivered) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: So good morning. I am pleased to be here today with the General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, Stacy Cummings welcome to you. The NSPA enables NATO Allies to acquire, operate, and maintain critical capabilities for our security. So Stacy, thank you for the critical work that you and the Agency do. We have just concluded contracts worth 1.2 billion US dollars to buy hundreds of thousands of rounds of 155-millimetre artillery ammunition. This demonstrates that NATOs tried and tested structure for joint procurement is delivering. Russias war in Ukraine has become a battle for ammunition so it is important that Allies refill their own stocks, as we continue to support Ukraine. The NATO Support and Procurement Agency enables Allies to pull together and pool their resources. To give them the weapons and ammunition we need to keep our countries safe. Since we agreed NATOs Defence Production Action Plan last July, the NSPA has agreed contracts worth around 10 billion US dollars. This includes around 4 billion dollars for howitzer shells, tank ammunition, anti-tank guided missiles and 155-millimetre ammunition, together with 5.5 billion dollars for Patriot interceptor missiles. This is a significant boost for our transatlantic defence industry, helping us to meet our own security needs while continuing to provide vital support for Ukraine. Today I will chair a meeting of the North Atlantic Council, focused on how we can further step up our industrial production. And NATO Defence Ministers will address this again when they meet next month. This week will also see the start of Exercise Steadfast Defender - the largest NATO exercise in decades with approximately 90,000 forces from all 31 Allies and Sweden. This Article 5 exercise is a clear demonstration of our transatlantic unity and strength and our determination to continue to do whatever is necessary to protect and defend each other. That includes making sure we have the right forces, capabilities and ammunition. So I welcome Allies commitment to make major new investments. Again, I want to thank Stacy and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency for everything they do to make this possible. Thank you. General Manager of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, Stacy Cummings: Thank you, Mr. Secretary General. It is important that we invest in robust supply chains capable of delivering against new and urgent requirements. Multi-year multinational contracts provide a clear demand signal to industry to do just that. This in turn creates incentives for investments in industrial production capacity. When working with NSPA, nations benefit from economies of scale through a proven turnkey solution. These new contracts are an excellent example of Allies working together to create long term assured demand and support NATO's goal to strengthen production capacity in Europe. This is what we do at NSPA. We are the lead organization for multinational acquisition, sustainment and support to NATO. Ultimately, through our collaborative efforts, we bolster NATO's deterrence and defence capabilities. We are paving the way for innovative approaches to replenish stocks of ammunition, weapon systems and equipment across the Alliance. On behalf of the entire NSPA team. I thank you and the nations for your continued trust. Q&A Acting NATO Spokesperson Dylan White: Thank you well go to questions. First from Deutsche Welle over here, please. Teri Schultz (Deutsche Welle): Hi, thank you to both of you. Mr. Secretary General, does this new acquisition which admittedly won't arrive for more than a year to the Allies that are purchasing this, do you think that will encourage more shipments of ammunition to Ukraine? And does that indicate that actually they do have more they could send? Even though they've mostly said that their cupboards are bare. And what do you think about primarily the Baltic states push to change the slogan well stand by Ukraine, as long as it takes to well give Ukraine whatever it takes. And also for NSPA, what do you think about the progress toward standardising 155 millimetre ammunition? People like CMC, Rob Bauer have called for it for a long time, the military would be more useful in joint acquisitions like this. Thank you. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: Increased production of ammunition is an absolute necessity to enable us to continue to provide support to Ukraine. Because so far we have dug into our stocks, but with the consumption of ammunition we see in Ukraine and the needs we see to continue to provide support to Ukraine, we need to ramp up production and that's exactly what the NATO allies are doing. We agreed on the Defence Production Action Plan last July. Since then NSPA has signed contracts worth 10 billion US dollars. So these are important building blocks, important steps, towards delivering more but also producing more and to ensure that we have the necessary production capacity Allies need to sign contracts with industry. We need to do more joint procurement as we do through the NSPA the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, and we need to adhere to NATO standards. Because adhering to standards ensures that we have are able to reduce costs, but also that we have ammunition and systems which are interoperable and interchangeable. So yes, this is important to defend our own territory, to build up our own stocks, but also to continue to support Ukraine. We will support Ukraine with the systems and the weapons and the ammunition they need to prevail as a sovereign independent country, because we cannot allow President Putin to win in Ukraine. That will be a tragedy for Ukrainians, and dangerous for all of us. NSPA General Manager Stacy Cummings: Thank you. Thank you for that question. The reason that we were able to put together this particular contract is because nations are using common and standard 155 ammunition, which allows them to work together to get economies of scale and send a very strong message to industry. As we look towards the weapons systems of tomorrow towards that next generation, this year, we've established an acquisition capability at NSPA. So that we have a focused effort on having a platform to allow nations to work together from the beginning of a lifecycle so that we don't have this issue of lack of standardisation in the future and we can buy systems as well as the ammunition that supports them together. So thanks for that question. Acting NATO Spokesperson Dylan White: Second and final question to Radio Free Europe, Ukrainian service. Olena Abramovych (Radio Free Europe): Thank you for giving me the floor. I have a question regarding when can this ammunition actually get to battlefields in Ukraine? I understand that NATO doesn't supply it directly, but on a bilateral basis, but if you look at this processes of production, etc, etc. when do you expect it - and maybe which percentage because nations have to replenish their stocks as well. And Secretary General you personally, do you believe that in the nearest future lets say in the next decade any Russian tanks can enter any European capital like in the Baltic states? Thank you. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: Russian forces? Olena Abramovych (Radio Free Europe): Russian tanks or forces. I mean, will this ammunition be used, actually, in European states? Thank you. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: So first of all, Allies have all stepped up production. So there is increased flow of ammunition to Allies. And they use that increased production to partly replenish their own stocks, but also partly to enable continued delivery to Ukraine. So this is an ongoing process almost daily, at least weekly, Allies are delivering weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. To increase production in the future, of course, enables us to continue to do so and that's why these contracts are so important. And maybe so, Stacy Cummings can say some more details about the exact timing but this is - for Allies - enabling them to protect themselves and continue to support Ukraine. Then we don't see any direct or imminent threat against any NATO Ally. And therefore, we, of course, monitor closely what Russia does, we have increased our vigilance, our presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, but the whole idea of that is to prevent an attack on a NATO Ally. So when the full-fledged invasion of Ukraine happened in February last year in 2022 - almost two years ago - then it was clear for NATO that we had two tasks. One was to support Ukraine and NATO Allies are giving Ukraine unprecedented support and I'm confident they will continue to do so. The other task was of course, to prevent this war from escalating to full scale war between Russia and NATO. And we did that by deploying more combat troops to the eastern part of the Alliance, by further increasing our defence investments, and also by exercising more. We will have the big exercise starting later this week, which will be the biggest exercise in decades for NATO, with 90,000 personnel participating. We do all of this to ensure that we have the readiness, the preparedness and the forces in place to remove any room for miscalculation or misunderstanding in Moscow about our readiness to protect every inch of NATO territory. And as long as we do that, there will be no attack against the NATO territory. NSPA General Manager Stacy Cummings: The ammunition support partnership recently celebrated its 30th year and we have been supporting Allies throughout the years with contracts like the one that we announced the award of today. So today's contract will enable the delivery of 155 rounds to nations and the expected delivery time for orders placed today are within 24 to 36 months. Acting NATO Spokesperson Dylan White: That concludes this press point. Thank you very much. Alec Baldwin indicted for involuntary manslaughter over fatal on-set shooting, could face up to 18 months in prison Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin has been indicted for involuntary manslaughter by a grand jury in New Mexico over the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie "Rust." On Oct. 21, 2021, during a rehearsal on the set of Rust, a western drama with a story conceived of by Baldwin and director Joel Souza, the actor was pointing his firearm at Hutchins when it went off, fatally striking her and wounding Souza. A grand jury in Santa Fe, New Mexico, indicted Baldwin for involuntary manslaughter on Friday, Jan. 20, months after prosecutors had earlier dismissed filing the same criminal charge against him. The specific charge against Baldwin is for involuntary manslaughter for negligent use of a firearm without due caution or circumspection. This is a fourth-degree felony that could land Baldwin a penalty of up to 18 months in prison if he is convicted. (Related: Alec Baldwin lectured public on COVID safety one week before killing woman with reckless behavior on set.) Since the shooting, the film has been completed with additional filming done in Montana. It is currently awaiting distribution. Baldwin proclaims innocence, will fight the charges Baldwin, who continues to insist that he did not pull the trigger but only pulled back the hammer of the gun when it was fired, has indicated that he and his legal team will be fighting the charges. "We look forward to our day in court," said Alex Spiro and Luke Nikas, the lawyers representing Baldwin. "It is unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution," said Nikas. "We will answer any charges in court." Special prosecutors back in April dismissed the possibility of filing an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin when they concluded that the firearm used in the shooting may have been a prop that was modified prior to the incident and malfunction. But in August, prosecutors reopened the investigation against Baldwin after a new forensic analysis of the weapon was completed. "Although Alec Baldwin repeatedly denies pulling the trigger, given the tests, findings and observations reported here, the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver," stated the report commissioned by the special prosecutors and written by experts in ballistics. Baldwin and his co-producers are also facing civil lawsuits seeking financial compensation, including from crewmembers who were working on "Rust," but judges have put these civil cases on hold while Baldwin's criminal case proceeds. Hutchins' widower, Matthew Hutchins, also filed a wrongful death lawsuit shortly after the shooting. This case was settled in October 2022. The settlement provided for insurance funds and a portion of the film's profits to benefit the couple's son, who was nine years old when his mother was killed. Furthermore, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor for "Rust," is set to go on trial in February for charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. Gutierrez-Reed pleaded not guilty to these charges last year. Prosecutors allege that Gutierrez-Reed acted recklessly when she handed Baldwin the loaded firearm on set. They accused her of failing to ensure that all the rounds in the supposed prop gun were dummies and alleged that Gutierrez-Reed was drinking on the evening before the fatal incident and may have even been hungover on the day of the shooting. The evidence tampering charge comes from the allegation that Gutierrez-Reed bribed another individual with a small bag of cocaine right after the police initially questioned her. Watch this report on Alec Baldwin's indictment over his fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins. This video is from the channel News and Current Events on Brighteon.com. More related stories: NOT YET OFF THE HOOK: Alec Baldwin could face charges again as second expert analysis concludes he pulled the trigger. Alec Baldwin responds after being charged with manslaughter in the on-set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. BREAKING: Alec Baldwin accidentally shoots and kills cinematographer (and wounds film director) with REAL, functioning gun, not "prop gun" as falsely reported by the fake news media. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com TheGuardian.com Variety.com Brighteon.com President of Canadian LGBT group arrested on PEDOPHILIA charges The president of an LGBT organization based in Canada's British Columbia province has been arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse North Peace Pride Society (NPPS) President Sean Gravells, a prominent LGBT activist, was arrested on Dec. 31, 2023. The charges against him include possession and distribution of child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors. All the alleged incidents happened in or around Fort St. John, located northeast of the provincial capital Vancouver. The activist allegedly committed the interference and sexual exploitation offenses on Dec. 29, 2023, per the Daily Caller. Two days later on Dec. 31, 2023, the 39-year-old Gravells committed the child pornography crimes and was arrested on the same day. Prior to his arrest, the activist had been president of the organization beginning in 2018. In a Jan. 5 statement posted on Facebook, the NPPS announced the termination of Gravells as the organization's head effective Jan. 3. The organization also denounced his crimes, clarifying that the NPPS "is not implicated in any charges" and that those "are isolated to the individual." "While some board members work directly with youth through library programs, this person was not among them. All board members involved in youth programs have undergone criminal record checks," the organization stated. "Moving forward, we remain dedicated to community safety. We are implementing measures, such as subjecting all board members to record checks, to uphold the highest standards." Great Game India pointed out that Gravells oversaw "teen pride nights" at the Fort St. John Library, which were hosted by the NPPS. The outlet also included a photograph of Gravells and other NPPS representatives presenting a CA$1,200 ($893.40) sponsorship check to the library for the purpose of funding youth events. Radical LGBT activists are actually GROOMERS in disguise "In the past year, a number of leftist activists have been detained or found guilty on charges of child sex abuse and pornography," according to Great Game India. The outlet cited the earlier arrest of Kendall Stephen, a male-to-female transgender LGBT activist, on Dec. 18 on child sexual abuse charges. The office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry confirmed the arrest, which happened three months after the Philadelphia Police Department's (PPD) Special Victims Unit received reports of abuse. (Related: Prominent Philadelphia LGBT activist ARRESTED for allegedly sexually assaulting 2 kids.) Following his arrest, Stephens was subsequently charged with two counts of rape, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of a minors and other related crimes. According to a Fox News report, the PPD's probe into Stephens began when the grandmother of one of his victims told police about the sexual assault. The abuse of the first victim happened on more than one occasion, starting when the boy was just eight years old. Meanwhile, the second victim was reportedly given "gifts out of nowhere" which his parents claim serve to "keep him quiet." Stephens also allegedly warned one of the victims that he would be put in jail if he told anyone about the encounter. "For many years, the LGBT community had excellent people who made a concerted effort to distance themselves from the stereotype that they prey on children. However, LGBT radicals are destroying any goodwill the community they may have accrued over the years, demonstrating these presumptions to be true," Great Game India concluded. "Their insistence on introducing sexualized concepts and imagery into schools and imposing [transgender] and gender-fluid ideologies have given rise to a legitimate public suspicion that the ultimate aim of the LGBT movement is not acceptance of diverse viewpoints, but rather the overt predatory grooming of the next generation." Watch this video explaining why LGBT Pride is a form of child abuse. This video is from the TheRealStephenHilton channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: LGBT advocates now routinely subjecting children to sexual abuse and "gender fluid" brainwashing in latest escalation of gender cultism. Gay former Democratic mayor sentenced to 150 years behind bars for 140+ counts of child pornography, but will only serve 30 years. Fairview Elementary School's 2020 Teacher of the Year arrested, charged with sex crimes. CA teacher nabbed for alleged sexual crimes against 7 students. Sources include: GreatGameIndia.com DailyCaller.com 6ABC.com MSN.com Brighteon.com Netanyahu REBUFFED: War cabinet minister says absolute defeat of Hamas is NOT REALISTIC Gadi Eisenkot, an Israeli war cabinet minister and former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said that achieving an "absolute defeat" of Hamas is not a realistic objective, offering a perspective that diverges from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's position. In a recent interview with Israel's Channel 12, Eisenkot argued that a more transparent assessment of the situation is needed, pointing out that the goals of the war in the Gaza Strip have not yet been fully achieved. The minister's remarks come amid an extended conflict, with Netanyahu expressing determination to secure a "complete victory" over Hamas in response to an October 7 attack. However, the Israeli government has faced criticism for not having a clear post-war plan for Gaza. Eisenkot's comments also shed light on internal differences within the Israeli leadership regarding the objectives and feasibility of the ongoing military campaign. He highlighted the need for a realistic evaluation of the situation and urged leaders to consider the next steps. Moreover, Eisenkot expressed his support for a diplomatic resolution, stating that returning Israeli hostages held by Hamas may require a deal. Intriguingly, Eisenkot disclosed that he and National Unity party leader Benny Gantz played a pivotal role in preventing a preemptive attack on Hezbollah. He suggested that their intervention averted a significant strategic mistake, underscoring the complexities of managing multiple fronts in the region. The interview revealed Eisenkot's skepticism about the Israeli leadership's transparency with the public, hinting at broader concerns about decision-making and accountability. He emphasized the importance of judging leaders based on their decisions and actions rather than blind trust. Netanyahu: No to Palestinian statehood In a recent post on social media, Netanyahu doubled down on his opposition to an independent Palestinian state, stating that full Israeli security control over the entire area west of the Jordan River is non-negotiable. (Related: Netanyahu: Israel to take over "security" in Gaza after the Israel-Hamas war.) "I will not compromise on full Israeli security control over the entire area in the west of Jordan and this is contrary to a Palestinian state," Netanyahu posted. This public reaffirmation of his position occurred a day after his conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden, who had offered unconditional support to Israel in its conflict with the Gaza Strip. Biden had expressed the possibility of a two-state solution during the call, suggesting that a non-militarized government could be a path forward. However, Netanyahu's office released a statement, indicating that the Israeli prime minister emphasized the need for Israel to retain security control over Gaza even after addressing the threat posed by Hamas. This condition contradicts the Palestinian demand for sovereignty. Netanyahu is currently facing internal pressures within his far-right ruling coalition, pushing for an escalation in the conflict with Gaza. The ongoing military operations have resulted in over 165 casualties in the past 24 hours, primarily affecting civilians, including women and children. The Israeli Prime Minister has consistently expressed his opposition to the idea of an independent Palestinian state. The U.K. labeled his opposition to Palestinian sovereignty as "disappointing," while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that the denial of the right to statehood for the Palestinian people is "unacceptable." The situation has escalated tensions in the region, with ongoing protests in Tel Aviv calling for new elections and expressing concerns about the safety of captives held by Hamas. Watch Israelis rallying in Tel Aviv against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Netanyahu says Israel will maintain "indefinite security control" over Gaza Palestinians will forever be held as POWs in a concentration camp. Netanyahus CORRUPTION trial resumes amid conflict in the Gaza Strip. Only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to remain prime minister after the war. Sources include: MiddleEastEye.net Brighteon.com New evidence strongly indicates that pipe bombs found on Jan. 6 were PLANTED by the FBI New evidence has come to light further proving that the pipe bombs found in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, were planted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The evidence, first highlighted by conservative political commentator Jack Posobiec, shows that the pipe bombs found in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021 by the FBI are "almost identical" to the dummy pipe bombs the bureau uses for training. (Related: Cover-up? Investigation into Jan. 6 "pipe bombs" planted outside RNC, DNC headquarters was half-hearted because FBI didn't want to find out the truth.) "Has anyone ever pointed out that the [Jan. 6] pipe bomb looks almost identical to the ones the FBI uses in training?" said Posobiec. Speaking on InfoWars, host Harrison Smith agreed with Posobiec's assessment, stating: "It is exactly, exactly what's used in FBI training materials. Same brand, same size. Everything is exactly the same." Smith further argued that the FBI has a long history of entrapping individuals by using informants to provide them with fake bombs. Has anyone ever pointed out that the J6 pipebomb looks almost identical to the ones the FBI uses in training? Look at the end cap and timer Sent in to Human Events from a source pic.twitter.com/TMY5mbB0Fu Jack Poso ?? (@JackPosobiec) January 18, 2024 FBI increases reward for information on J6 pipe bomb to $500,000 Two pipe bombs were found in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6. One was found outside the headquarters of the Republican National Committee while another was found outside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee. Both look identical, with wires rigged to a kitchen timer attached to the pipe shaft. Neither bomb detonated. To this day, the FBI has yet to find any information regarding the person who left the two pipe bombs. To help spur the investigation, on Jan. 5, the day before the second anniversary of the Capitol incident, federal investigators multiplied the reward for information about the suspect from $100,000 to $500,000. In a news release, the bureau noted that "many of the components used to build the pipe bombs were widely available for purchase in-store and online," including the 1x8-inch threaded galvanized pipes, the end caps, the kitchen timers, wires, metal clips and the homemade black powder found stuffed inside the two pipes. "In raising the reward for information about the pipe bomb suspect from $100,000 to as much as $500,000, the FBI and our partners are seeking to encourage the American public to take a fresh look at our Seeking Information website, which includes images and video of the suspect, the suspect's backpack, the suspect's shoes, the explosive devices and a map of the route the suspect walked the night the pipe bombs were placed," said the FBI in a press release. The FBI further noted that it has been working for nearly two years alongside members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia with little to show for it. The bureau said it has "conducted approximately 1,000 interviews, visited more than 1,200 residences and businesses, collected more than 39,000 video files and assessed nearly 500 tips." Learn more about the potentially illicit activities of the FBI at FBICorruption.news. Watch this clip from "The Glenn Beck Program" on BlazeTV as Glenn Beck discusses one important aspect of the Jan. 6 pipe bomb incident: The person who found the bomb outside the Democratic National Committee. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: 20 Combat-ready FBI agents raid a "J6 protester" who merely entered Capitol's open door. In order to prevent another January 6, FBI says Trump supporters must be treated like TERRORISTS. At least 200 undercover fed operatives set up Trump trap on January 6, House Rep reveals. The government red list just got a whole lot bigger as the "red pilled" have been added. How the Democratic Party faked an American insurrection. Sources include: InfoWars.com NBCNews.com Brighteon.com Ex-IRS consultant took job with intention of stealing Trumps tax returns: DOJ The Department of Justice told a sentencing judge on Wednesday that a former Internal Revenue Service (IRS) contractor took the job specifically to steal and leak President Donald Trumps tax returns. (Article by Caden Pearson republished from TheEpochTimes.com) Washington resident Charles Littlejohn pleaded guilty in October last year to one count of unauthorized disclosure of tax returns and return information after he was accused of stealing and leaking data associated with President Trump and other wealthy individuals. In a 15-page filing, prosecutors pushed for the maximum statutory sentence of five years in prison, arguing that Mr. Littlejohns betrayal of the public trust merits significant punishment. Mr. Littlejohn had access to vast amounts of unmasked taxpayer data when he worked for Booz Allen, a consulting firm working with public and private clients mostly on IRS contracts, between 2008 and 2013. After President Trump took office in 2017, Mr. Littlejohn sought to return to work for Booz Allen with the intention of accessing and disclosing the tax returns of the president, whom he viewed as dangerous and a threat to democracy, according to prosecutors. Mr. Littlejohn weaponized his access to unmasked taxpayer data to further his own personal, political agenda, believing that he was above the law, prosecutors said. This went on for more than two years, with multiple news organizations receiving unlawfully leaked private tax returns and other private financial information. Prosecutors did not name the news organizations that received the stolen tax returns in court records, but ProPublica and The New York Times published multiple articles reporting on the leaked documents. A free press and public engagement with the media are critical to any healthy democracy, but stealing and leaking private, personal tax information strips individuals of the legal protection of their most sensitive data, prosecutors said in the filing. Everyone is entitled to equal protection under the law, they continued. Prosecutors, pushing for the maximum sentence, argued that Mr. Littlejohn leaked the tax returns of over a thousand individuals, resulting in significant harm, including invasion of privacy and psychological distress. They charge that Mr. Littlejohns crime has undermined public faith and confidence in the IRS, an institution that is critical to the effective functioning of our government. Sophisticated Scheme Mr. Littlejohn received access to unmasked taxpayer data in February 2018, and by the end of the year, he had developed a sophisticated, detailed plan to secretly download President Trumps tax returns from a particular internal IRS database without detection, according to the filing. To avoid triggering scrutiny, Mr. Littlejohn searched for the presidents private data using more generalized parameters that would nevertheless collect the tax return and return information. To extract the data without detection, Mr. Littlejohn exploited a loophole in IRS protocols by uploading the stolen files to a private website he controlled. He then used a personal computer to download the files and made copies, which he stored on an Apple iPod that he had configured as a personal hard drive. Mr. Littlejohn shopped the tax returns around to a news outlet in May 2019, with one of the publications publishing more than 50 articles using the stolen data. In September 2020, The New York Times reported that it had obtained the 2016 and 2017 tax records of President Trump, who was in office at the time. In June 2021, ProPublica published the private tax return information of billionaires such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Michael Bloomberg, Warren Buffett, Peter Thiel, and others. Mr. Littlejohn allegedly also obstructed the investigation into his conduct by deleting and destroying evidence of his disclosures. It is not clear how officials were able to detect Mr. Littlejohns behavior. Booz Allens spokesperson told Fox News that the firm fully supports the investigation into Mr. Littlejohns actions. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the actions of this individual, who was active with the company years ago. We have zero tolerance for violations of the law and operate under the highest ethical and professional guidelines. We fully supported the U.S. government in its investigation into this matter, the spokesperson said. Read more at: TheEpochTimes.com Florida Surgeon General says DNA contaminants in COVID-19 vaccines are beyond the pale Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo made headlines earlier this month when he issued a statement calling for COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations to be stopped following the discovery of DNA contaminants in vials of the vaccines. The statement was issued in response to the reply he received to a letter he sent in December to the commissioner of the FDA, Dr. Robert Califf, and the director of the CDC, Dr. Mandy Cohen, asking whether any risk assessments have been conducted on the DNA in the vaccines integrating into human DNA. He highlighted specific concerns about the SV40 promoter/enhancer region in the Pfizer jab. He also inquired whether they have carried out risk assessments on the integration of DNA in reproductive cells. Although he did receive a response from a representative of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Dr. Peter Marks, he felt that they essentially brushed off his concerns. Moreover, they never mentioned any tests being conducted to assess whether DNA integration was occurring. Dr. Ladapo explains his concerns about mRNA jabs Dr. Ladapo recently appeared on Epoch TV's American Thought Leaders to explain the rationale behind his statement calling for the vaccines to be halted. He emphasized that there were already numerous safety concerns about mRNA vaccines, but the recent DNA contaminant discovery is beyond the pale. He explained to host Jan Jekielek that DNA is actually a common contaminant in biological products, noting: We can use DNA to produce different drugs like insulin, other biologicsand thats a wonderful innovation, and normally, that DNA doesnt pose a problem. Because human cells can resist the entrance of DNA, there is normally no risk of damage to the cells DNA integrity. However, mRNA vaccines are different because they use lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA directly into the cells. This means the DNA contaminants may also enter the cells, and some scientists are worried that this vaccine DNA could integrate with the human genome. Dr. Ladapo explained his frustration with the response officials gave him when he inquired about the testing for DNA integration: Their position is, oh, no, its fine. Everythings fine; safe and effective. Thats not only not good enough, but its completely unacceptable. SV40 promoter/enhancer DNA poses unknown risks While the mRNA vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna have been found to contain DNA contaminants, the Pfizer vaccines pose another serious concern in the form of simian vacuolating virus 40, or SV40 promoter/enhancer DNA. This is a virus that has been known to cause cancer in some animals, and while the SV40 promoter/enhancer in the jabs only contains a small portion of the DNA rather than the full virus or its protein, there are still concerns that it poses an additional risk. Dr. Ladapo reported that Dr. Marks said in his response that there were no SV40 proteins, but since his question was actually about the promoter/enhancer region and not the proteins, he believes he is simply trying to avoid answering the question. He also told Jekielek that DNA integration of reproductive cells is a real concern with these vaccines because biodistribution studies performed on rats have indicated that mRNA vaccines are capable of accumulating in reproductive organs. In his statement calling for a halt to COVID-19 vaccination using mRNA vaccines, Dr. Ladapo noted: DNA integration poses a unique and elevated risk to human health and to the integrity of the human genome, including the risk that DNA integrated into sperm or egg gametes could be passed onto offspring of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine recipients." He added: "If the risks of DNA integration have not been assessed for mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, these vaccines are not appropriate for use in human beings. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com FloridaHealth.gov Foreign entities now own 40 MILLION ACRES of U.S. agricultural land A new report has found that at least 40 million acres of farmland, pastures and forests in the United States are owned by foreign entities , including people from adversarial nations like China, Russia, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. This is according to the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) report, titled "Foreign Investments in U.S. Agricultural Land," which was focused on pointing out ways in which the federal government checks foreign investor farmland purchases are flawed and how "enhancing efforts to collect, track and share key information could better identify national security risks." (Related: America's second-largest foreign owner of land is a CHINESE BILLIONAIRE.) According to the GAO's report, foreign ownership of U.S. land increased tenfold between 2009 and 2016 during the administration of former President Barack Obama. Foreign land ownership in the U.S. has increased by another 40 percent since 2016. Many plots of land near sensitive military facilities are now owned by foreign entities whose ties or lack of ties to their respective nations' governments and militaries are not properly scrutinized by the federal government. What's worse is that the administration of President Joe Biden has failed to properly track the extent of foreign ownership of U.S. farmlands and does not appear to have any plan in place to begin tracking that data. Chinese entities own nearly 350,000 acres of American agricultural land The GAO's findings note that Chinese firms own around 346,915 acres of American agricultural land in 30 states as of December 2022. Some of these are small plots, like the one acre of land a Chinese firm owns in Kansas or the 19 acres and 20 acres Chinese firms own in Nebraska and New Jersey, respectively. However, in places like Texas and North Carolina, Chinese firms collectively own tens of thousands of acres of land. In Texas alone, Chinese entities own nearly 160,000 acres. In its report and investigation, the GAO pinned much of the blame on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for failing to consistently share timely data on foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land as the department is required to do by the 1978 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act. "This report confirmed one of our worst fears that not only is the USDA unable to answer the question of who owns what land and where, but that there is no plan by the department to internally reverse this dangerous flaw that affects our supply chain and economy," said Republican Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington, where China owns over 6,500 acres of land and where entities tied to Iran are also known to have procured agricultural land. "Food security is national security, and we cannot allow foreign adversaries to influence our food supply while we stick our heads in the sand," added Newhouse, who is currently planning to introduce measures to update the USDA's internal reporting and data management processes to allow Congress to identify which foreign entities own the over 40 million acres of U.S. farmland. Watch this video from GlennTV as he discusses how the world is taking over American land. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Illegal Alien Invasion: All the big U.S. land grabs by China and globalists may be for housing illegal immigrants. CCP TAKEOVER: Real estate mogul sold over 130,000 acres of Texas farmland to a Chinese billionaire and former PLA captain. Endangered freedom: Communist China is buying up American infrastructure, land and assets: Check out these examples. Compromised Biden admin refuses to address massive Chinese purchases of farmland, other property near U.S. military bases. National security, food supply at risk as foreign ownership of U.S. farmland continues to grow. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Asia.Nikkei.com GAO.gov [PDF] FoxNews.com Brighteon.com Are the globalists preparing us for another lab leak? Disease X has gotten a lot of attention the last few months, and with the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Disease X is getting more attention and more global dollars (Article by Noah republished from WLTReport.com) As the globalists start to plan for Disease X many of the trusted voices in the medical community are starting to ask out loud are they conditioning us for another lab leak? Replaying the COVID-19 Playbook In 2019, the voices that are warning us about Disease X warned us that we could see a global pandemic in the near future. In fact, they even identified the Coronavirus as the most likely culprit for a global pandemic. Almost like clockwork, the predictions of a possibly global pandemic in 2019 became a reality in 2020. Indeed, experts have pointed out that it is highly unlikely that the warnings about a possible pandemic followed so close in time to an actual pandemic outbreak was nothing more than a coincidence. In fact, according to John Leake, writing in Dr. Peter McCulloughs substack, asserts: The timeline and the documentary evidence clearly indicate that SARS-CoV-2 leaked or was deliberately released from a lab at the Wuhan Institute of Virology sometime in 2019. The documentary evidence further reveals that certain key players were aware that a SARS coronavirus, highly contagious to humans, was detected spreading in Wuhan in the fall of 2019. When Prediction is Really Pretext The reality is that all of the warnings about a potential pandemic before 2020 were big business for big pharma and the entire pharmaceutical industrial complex. Billions of dollars were spent preparing for a pandemic and many of those dollars were spent on dangerous experiments all in the name of pandemic preparedness. Of course, now we know that those same dangerous experiments, funded in the name of preparing us for a pandemic, are the experiments actually responsible for the pandemic itself. As Leake points out in Dr. McCulloughs Substack, That the entire prediction endeavor is based on a false pretext has done nothing to hinder the growth of a huge infectious disease prediction industry, with hundreds of millions of grant money thrown at it. Prediction is the pretext for performing dangerous gain-of-function work on animal viruses that are deemed the most likely to make the evolutionary jump from animal hosts to humans. They Wont Close the Dangerous Bio Labs The same dangerous labs responsible for the leak or the deliberate release of COVID-19 remain open for business today despite the urging of experts: Dr. Peter McCullough and I urge all prudent adults of the world to join together in demanding the closure of dangerous bio-labs. We cannot wait for the hypothetical, unknown pathogen that is now called Disease X to escape or be deliberately released from one of these labs. If this happen again, there will be grave consequences for the responsible parties. If World Leaders Wont Shut Down the Dangerous Bio Labs, How do we Stay Safe? So if world leaders wont act to shut down these dangerous bio labs, what can the average person do to stay safe? The solution is to be prepared. Thats where The Wellness Company comes in. The Wellness Company and its great doctors like Dr. Peter McCullough, Dr. Drew, Dr. Harvey Risch, and Dr. Jim Thorp are regularly in the media fighting against the broken medical establishment. Dr. Thorp, one of the nations leading critics of corrupt Big Pharma, believes that now more than ever people should be prepared for the next pandemic: Ive strongly recommended stockpiling critical medications including antibiotics since the turn of the century. This has been an incredible investment as many friends, family, and patients have benefited. Now, in the winter of 2023, this recommendation is even more crucial. The Wellness Company and their doctors are medical professionals that you can trust and their new medical emergency kits are the gold standard when it comes to keeping you safe and healthy. The ultimate safeguard for your health. Be ready for the next crisis. This medical emergency kit contains an assortment of life-saving medications including ivermectin, amoxicillin, and Z-pak. The Medical Emergency Kit includes a guidebook to aid in the safe use of these life-saving medications. This kit is prescription-only you cant find it in any store or pharmacy. Simply fill out a short questionnaire after purchase and a trusted Wellness Company doctor will confirm your suitability and issue your prescription Medical Emergency Kit. The Wellness Company Medical Emergency Kit includes: Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (generic Augmentin) 875/125 mg 28 tablets Azithromycin (generic Z-Pak) 250 mg 12 tablets Doxycycline Hyclate 100 mg 60 capsules Metronidazole (generic Flagyl) 500 mg 30 tablets Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (generic Bactrim) 800/160 mg 28 tablets Ivermectin 18mg 7 compounded capsules Fluconazole (generic Diflucan) 150 mg 2 tablets Ondansetron (generic Zofran) 4mg 6 tablets 1 Emergency Medication Guidebook written by the Chief Medical Board for safe use. What people are saying about the Medical Emergency Kit: Excellent Kit! This medical emergency kit is great. Having it just in case gives me peace of mind. Highly recommend. Thank you! Melinda C. Glad that I purchased your Medical Emergency Kit! Though I havent yet needed to use any of the medications that are in our kit, I am happy that I ordered it! One never knows when an emergency might occur, and I feel safer having your M.E.Kit at my disposal IF needed! Were so glad we ordered ours! Thank you for making it available! Susan M. Peace of mind. It is an amazing peace of mind to have this kit in case of emergencies and shortages. The Wellness Company did an excellent job of getting this to me in a timely manner and I and thankful to have it. Phyllis T. Hope I will never need it! Thank you for caring! Nice to have doctors who look out for us. Times are unpredictable nowadays, feels good to have something in the medicine cabinet in case of an emergency. Cat S. Great medical emergency kit. Kit came as advertised! Neat and orderly. The guide is great. Only plan on using it in an emergency during a difficult time. Confident it is what I was counting on. Fred D. Dont be caught unprepared for whatever the WEF has in mind. Dont be reliant on the broken and corrupt medical-industrial complex. Dont regret not acting today. (Note: The information provided is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or used as a substitute for professional healthcare guidance. It is your responsibility to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines regarding the purchase, possession, and use of prescription medications. Thank you for supporting businesses like the one presenting a sponsored message in this article and ordering through the links provided, which benefits WLTReport. We appreciate your support and the opportunity to keep you SAFE and HEALTY!) Heres more. INVESTIGATION: Can You OVERDOSE On Ivermectin? Sois Ivermectin DANGEROUS? Is it horse paste that could very well kill you? The Ivermectin Freak Out by our Government reminds me of the War on Drugs trying to convince you youd surely die from marijuana despite there never being a single confirmed case. Same goes for Ivermectin. They claimed it was horse dewormer that could put you in a coma or even kill you! How dangerous! Except.that wasnt true. Not even remotely. In fact, it is one of the safest and most effective medicines we have. What a combo, right? SAFE + EFFECTIVE. You usually get one but not both. IF YOU WANT TO PURCHASE SAFE AND LEGAL IVERMECTIN, KEEP READING BELOW! Watch this short clip from the Greg Hunter Show, posted to Rumble by The Vigilant Fox, where Dr. Pierre Kory makes it very clear how stunningly safe Ivermectin is: Safer that aspirin! VigilantNews had more (I put my favorite part in bold): But first, a quick look at his impressive credentials. Pr. Jacques Descotes, MD, PharmD, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Claude Bernard University of Lyon (France), [is] a world-known toxicologist with a 40-year track [record] as an independent consultant for the pharmaceutical industry as well as an advisor to regulatory bodies worldwide, BusinessWire wrote. In March 2021, he conducted a review of Ivermectins safety profile based on over 350 articles plus accessible web sources. Here are his conclusions: Ivermectin has been administered orally to hundreds of millions of people throughout the world in the past three decades. The assessment of reported adverse events temporally associated with Ivermectin exposure shows that Ivermectin-induced adverse effects have so far been infrequent and usually mild to moderate. It is noteworthy that no deaths have seemingly ever been reported after an accidental or suicidal overdose of Ivermectin. No greater toxicity of Ivermectin has been substantiated in elderly people despite repeated assertions that an ageing blood-brain barrier might lead to increased Ivermectin toxicity level. The positive clinical experience accumulated with Ivermectin administration led many medical experts to break away from early adamant contra-indications in pregnant women. Finally, several national pharmacovigilance networks around the world released information and opinions to ascertain Ivermectin safety in human subjects. So far, there are no critical safety limitations to Ivermectin prescription in current indications. I also want to point out that no severe adverse event has been reported in dozens of completed or ongoing studies involving thousands of participants worldwide to evaluate the efficacy of Ivermectin against COVID-19. Astonishing. So what would it take to overdose on Ivermectin? In order to overdose from Ivermectin, you have to take either a hundred or a thousand times the standard dose, declared Dr. Kory. And there have been accidental poisonings where people have taken large amounts. But you know what happens every time? When they take these massive amounts of Ivermectin, it tends to affect them neurologically. Theyll get confused. They might be stumbling uncoordinated. They go to the hospital, and theres no treatment required. But within days, the patients return to normal. So, theres been no life-ending injuries. No deaths reported with Ivermectin. So, that shows you why its one of the safest drugs in history, even at massive overdoses. LOL..100x and you MIGHT overdose? Wow. If you took 100x the normal glass of water, that too could kill you. Literally, thats true. No, Im serious.the normal glass of water is 8 ounces, right? 8 x 100 = 800 oz. What would happen if you drank 800 oz of water? It would be life-threatening, according to ChatGPT: Ok, soto recap: Ivermectin is SAFER than Aspirin and SAFER or on par with Water. AND effective. Incredible. The only thing it isnt? Profitable for BigPharma Ahhhh, now you see why they hated it so much. Safe and effective? NOT liked by the FDA: Have you figured out yet that Government is NOT here to protect you? The SEC The FDA Pick whatever agency you want they exist to protect Big Banks (SEC), BigPharma (FDA), and on and on and on. Now back to Dr. Kory, here is the full interview if you wanted to see it: Pretty powerful stuff! Want some? Keep reading: Need LEGAL and SAFE Ivermectin? Read This! We just reported yesterday that a new leaked report says airlines are looking to BRING BACK MASKS in October. Yes, really. I fully expect a new planned-demic will show up right in time for the 2024 election. Oh they might not call it COVID again and probably they wont. But I fully expect a new one to hit. And Im going to be prepared this time. Whether it comes in the form of a bioweapon or something much more mundane like a tick bite or a Bill Gates mosquito you and your family need to be prepared. Thats where The Wellness Company comes in. You know the Wellness Company and their great doctors like Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Jim Thorp are regularly in the media speaking out against the broken medical establishment. Dr. Thorp, one of the nations leading critics of the corrupting influence of big pharma, believes that now more than ever people should be prepared for the next pandemic. Ive strongly recommended stock piling critical medications including antibiotics since the turn of the century. This has been an incredible investment as many friends, family and patients have benefited. Now, in summer of 2023, this recommendation is even more crucial. Dr. Jim Thorp The Wellness Company and their doctors are medical professionals that you can trust and their new medical emergency kits are the gold standard when it comes to keeping you safe and healthy. Be ready for anything, this medical emergency kit contains an assortment of live-saving medications including ivermectin and Z-pak. The medical emergency kit provides a guidebook to aid in the safe use of all of these life-saving medications. From anthrax to tick bites to COVID and even to a bioweapon like the plague the Wellness Companys Medical Emergency kit is exactly what you need to have on hand to be prepared. Rest assured knowing that you have emergency antibiotics, antivirals and anti-parasitics on hand to help keep you and your family safe from whatever the globalists throw at us next! The Wellness Company Medical Emergency Kit includes: Amoxicillin-Clavulanate (generic Augmentin) 875/125 mg 28 tablets Azithromycin (generic Z-Pak) 250 mg 12 tablets Doxycycline Hyclate 100 mg 60 capsules Metronidazole (generic Flagyl) 500 mg 30 tablets Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (generic Bactrim) 800/160 mg 28 tablets Ivermectin 18mg 7 compounded capsules Fluconazole (generic Diflucan) 150 mg 2 tablets Ondansetron (generic Zofran) 4mg 6 tablets 1 virtual consult from a doctor you can trust 1 Emergency Medication Guidebook written by our Chief Medical Board for safe use. The Wellness Company Medical Emergency Kit treats: Anthrax Bacterial Vaginosis Bite Wounds Bronchitis Chlamydia Clostridioides difficile Colitis COVID 19 Gonorrhea Giardiasis Lice Nausea & Vomiting Pharyngitis Pinworms Plague (bioterror) Pneumonia Rickettsial Infections Scabies Shigella Infection Sinusitis Skin Infection Strep Throat Syphilis Tetanus Tick Exposure Tonsillitis Travelers Diarrhea Trichomoniasis Tularemia (bioterror) Urinary Tract Infection Vaginal Candidiasis Viral Upper Respiratory Infection Dont be caught unprepared. Dont be reliant on the broken and corrupt medical industrial complex. Dont regret not acting today. Read more at: WLTReport.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The action plan for declaring Azerbaijan's Shusha city as the "Cultural Capital of the Islamic World" for 2024 has been approved, Trend reports. The relevant decree was signed by Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov. According to the document, the Ministry of Culture of Azerbaijan will coordinate the implementation of the steps listed in the action plan approved by this decree. The operations indicated in the action plan approved by this decree will be funded using monies allocated from Azerbaijan's state budget for 2024 to the various executive bodies, as well as other legal sources. The Azerbaijani Cabinet of Ministers' Department of Humanitarian Affairs was tasked with overseeing the decree's implementation. This decree goes into effect on the day of its signature. On November 21, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on measures related to the declaration of Shusha city as the Cultural Capital of the Islamic World for 2024. The decree instructed the Cabinet of Ministers to develop and implement the above action plan. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Hospitals in Israel told to prepare for thousands of casualties, and other alarming developments with global implications The world is in a state of escalating chaos as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East; another new Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "variant" makes headlines; and Ecuador descends into a civil war, among other calamities. The latest news out of Israel is that hospitals in the northern portion of the Jewish state are being told to prepare for "thousands of casualties" following the assassination of the brother-in-law of the leader of Hezbollah. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) officials have ordered preparation for the expansion of fighting in the north near Lebanon after numerous Muslim leaders, including another from Hamas, were taken out by the Israeli military, which is sure to prompt retaliation. "Why would such an alert get issued now?" wonders Michael Snyder from The Economic Collapse Blog about this latest development in the Middle East. "Is something major about to happen?" Ziv Hospital in Safed and the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya have both begun preparations for a "desert island" situation. This means the medical facilities are preparing for days without access to working equipment, as well as needed medicines and food, the implication being that Hezbollah is about to launch a massive attack. "To me, it certainly sounds like Israeli authorities are anticipating that a full-blown regional war could soon break out, and that would have massive global ramifications," Snyder notes. Israeli media reports IDF ordered preparation for the expansion of the fighting in the north (Lebanon). Israeli Ministry of Health ordered the hospitals to be prepared to receive "thousands of casualties" in a short time. pic.twitter.com/hlESK3ViZE Clash Report (@clashreport) January 9, 2024 (Related: For "self-defense" purposes, Israel must invade and occupy southern Lebanon for the next 50 years, says former Israeli defense minister Avigdor Lieberman.) They're STILL pushing more COVID "variants" Another major development is an announcement out of communist China about a new "deadly variant" of the Chinese Virus that is 100 percent fatal in mice "due to infection of the brain." People's Liberation Army (PLA) scientist Yigang Tong published a paper about the variant, known as "pangolin" or "GX_P2V," that killed every hACE2 mouse evaluated. "SARS-CoV-2-related pangolin coronavirus GX_P2V(short_3UTR) can cause 100% mortality in human ACE2-transgenic mice, potentially attributable to late-stage brain infection," the paper reads. "This underscores a spillover risk of GX_P2V into humans and provides a unique model for understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-related viruses." This is concerning https://t.co/3mvu3irsKR Robert W Malone, MD (@RWMaloneMD) January 8, 2024 Peter Daszak from EcoHealth Alliance is also fearmongering about "a never-before-seen virus" with "almost" as much potential as the original COVID to infect humans is another manufactured "pestilence" soon on the way for the world? Then we have the ongoing civil unrest problems in Ecuador, which reports indicate have erupted into a nationwide "civil war" after masked thugs "stormed a television station in the port city of Guayaquil ... while taking prison guards hostage and murdering civilians." The masked men threatened presenters and workers with automatic weapons and explosives on live television as the sound of gunshots and terrified hostages begging for mercy were heard in the background. "... at this point, the tight grip that the U.S. and the EU once had on so much of the planet is starting to falter," notes Snyder about these rapidly escalating developments in Ecuador, the Middle East, and quite frankly all around the world in nearly every crevice of global affairs. "We really have entered a period of tremendous worldwide chaos, and I fully expect things to get even more wild during the months ahead." Interested in keeping up with the latest news about the ongoing transition from the "old" world order to a new one? Check out Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com NaturalNews.com bioRxiv.org Twitter.com DHS Secretary Mayorkas: Biden administration releasing over 85% of illegal immigrants directly into America Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has allegedly admitted to Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC), that the administration of President Joe Biden is releasing more than 85 percent of the illegal immigrants that have been apprehended in the United States. The initial report from Bill Melugin of Fox News was confirmed on Jan. 8 by the official X, formerly Twitter, account of the NBPC. Melugin reported that according to three Border Patrol sources who were in the room, "while meeting privately with agents in Eagle Pass, TX today, DHS Sec. Mayorkas admitted that the current release rate for migrants caught crossing the border illegally is 'above 85 percent.' Im awaiting comment from DHS." The NBPC reposted Melugin's post after giving unambiguous confirmation that the conversation did take place. The official NBPC X account replied that Melugin's sources are correct and that during this meeting, Judd told Mayorkas that "Americans have the right to know the facts about what's going on at the border." At that point, Mayorkas admitted that "over 85 percent" of the people illegally crossing the U.S. border are being released instead. (Related: Texas DPS spokesperson states the obvious: There are criminal networks operating in America that are involved in human smuggling.) According to a report, Mayorkas made this comment privately while meeting with Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass, Texas. The agents asked him about his comments with Bret Baier on "Special Report," addressing reports that over 70 percent of illegal immigrants are released. Mayorkas allegedly answered that it would not surprise him at all because he knew the data. He added that "when individuals are released, they are released into immigration enforcement proceedings. They are on alternatives to detention." Mayorkas also told the Border Patrol agents that "a record number of individuals" have returned or been removed, claiming that they are "enforcing the laws that Congress has passed." He also confirmed that the release rate was "above 85 percent." The report follows only days after it was announced that Mayorkas' impeachment proceedings from the House Homeland Security Committee have begun in earnest. The move comes as a direct contradiction to a statement given by Mayorkas to the press recently when he claimed that "the majority of all migrants encountered at the southwest border throughout this administration have been removed, returned or expelled. A majority of them." Mayorkas said the agency is doing everything it can, "within a broken system, to incentivize noncitizens to use lawful pathways, to impose consequences on those who do not, and to reduce irregular migration," while using the latest soft-language euphemism for the criminal act of illegally entering America. Biden administration claims it needs more funding and reform from Congress to address the migrant crisis Republicans have blamed the historic migrant crisis, which saw 302,000 migrant encounters at the border in December alone on Biden-era policies, including the releases of migrants into the interior, a process dubbed "catch-and-release." Additionally, they pointed to the broad use of parole, along with narrowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement and the stopping of wall construction. The Biden administration claims that it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide crisis and that it requires "more funding and comprehensive immigration reform" from Congress. The administration also claimed that it is expanding "lawful migration pathways" and increasing consequences for illegal entry, but that it won't be able to do enough because of a "broken" system. Mayorkas and other DHS officials have claimed that it has removed or returned more than 470,000 people since May, which is more than in the entirety of FY 2019. At a press availability, Mayorkas referenced the removals and returns, saying it is more than in any other five-month period in the last 10 years. The White House has also requested $14 billion in border funding from Congress as part of its emergency supplemental spending proposal. However, this is being held up as Republicans demand more restrictions on the release of migrants into the interior. Last week, Mayorkas said the broken system, not administration policy, was drawing migrants to the border. On the other hand, the Biden administration announced a lawsuit against the state of Texas after Gov. Greg Abbott signed a law that allows state and local law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants. According to the lawsuit, the law is unconstitutional and interferes with the federal government's authority on immigration matters. Visit InvasionUSA.news for more updates on illegal immigration in America. Watch this clip as Arizona Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani calls for Mayorkas' immediate impeachment. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Bone tests reveal 80% of minor migrants in France are actually ADULTS. Cover-up of tuberculosis outbreak at Cape Cod migrant encampment EXPOSED by local media. ICE data: Illegal immigrants have less than 5% chance of getting deported under current Biden administration policies. Sources include: LawEnforcementToday.com Twitter.com FoxNews.com Brighteon.com NATO holds massive military exercise to prepare for planned escalation of war with Russia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has announced its commencement of Steadfast Defender 2024, marking the alliance's most extensive military exercise in decades. The exercise, set to involve a massive 90,000 troops, aims to rigorously test the capabilities of NATO allies over months in the event of a conflict with a potential adversary, particularly emphasizing preparedness against Russia. Running until late May, this exercise is a comprehensive series of smaller drills conducted from North America to NATO's eastern flank, situated near the Russian border. What sets Steadfast Defender 2024 apart is its inclusive participation of units from all 31 NATO member countries, underlining the collective commitment to enhancing the alliance's military readiness. Even Sweden, a candidate member of NATO, is actively participating in this exercise, reinforcing the collaboration between NATO and its potential future members. The operational scope of this extensive exercise encompasses naval, aerial and ground components. It involves the deployment of 50 naval vessels, 80 aircraft and over 1,100 combat vehicles, creating a complex and dynamic scenario for the participating troops. The exercise surpasses the scale of any military drill conducted by NATO since the Cold War era, specifically eclipsing the 1988 Reforger drill in magnitude. (Related: Escalating tensions could spark Russia-NATO war at sea.) This move by NATO comes at a critical juncture, aligning with the ongoing geopolitical shifts in response to Russia's actions, particularly its war on Ukraine. The alliance led by the U.S. has taken measures to bolster its defenses on the eastern flank, deploying thousands of troops and devising extensive plans to safeguard against potential Russian aggression. Steadfast Defender 2024 is a tangible manifestation of these strategic realignments and represents NATO's commitment to ensuring the collective security of its member nations. Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of NATO's military committee, stressed that the unprecedented scale of this exercise is a demonstration of the alliance's new state of readiness. Acknowledging that the number of troops involved sets a record, Bauer underscored the significance of conducting an exercise of this magnitude across the Atlantic, from the United States to Europe. While expressing NATO's reluctance to seek conflict, Bauer issued a sobering reminder that preparedness is crucial. He urged civilian societies within NATO member countries to be better prepared for the potential of a future war, emphasizing the need to dispel the assumption that perpetual peace is assured. Bauer provided insights into the current military landscape, noting the degradation of Russia's land forces due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, he cautioned that Russia's navy and air force remain formidable, requiring continued vigilance from NATO. Despite the impact of Western sanctions on Russia's reconstitution efforts, he highlighted the Kremlin's ability to increase artillery and missile production. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine was also a focal point of Bauer's comments, where he reported a stable but intense front line. While acknowledging the devastating nature of Russia's recent attacks, he encouraged cautious optimism and urged the international community not to be overly pessimistic about Ukraine's prospects in the face of adversity. This nuanced perspective underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and emphasizes the need for sustained international support for Ukraine. Germany anticipates increased Russian troop presence in Belarus Recent revelations about classified plans indicate that the German government is anticipating a potential increase in Russian troop presence in Belarus and Kaliningrad, Russia's westernmost territory. This development raises concerns about heightened pressure on Poland's border, particularly in the strategically significant Suwa?ki Gap, which experts had previously identified as a potential vulnerability for NATO, allowing Russian forces to cut off the Baltics from Poland. In response to these strategic shifts, NATO has initiated robust measures to enhance security on its eastern flank, intensifying its presence in collaboration with Russia and Ukraine. This comprehensive build-up represents NATO's most significant mobilization since the Cold War, reflecting a proactive approach to counter potential threats. The ongoing military exercises serve as a deterrent against potential aggression from Russia. Watch this report about NATO mobilizing 90,000 troops to prepare against Russia. This video is from the RealNewsChannel.com channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Its never enough NATO chief wants MORE AID for Ukraine. Emergency alerts issued on NATO territory following Russian drone attacks. Emergency alerts issued on NATO territory following Russian drone attacks. Sources include: Barrons.com EuroNews.com Brighteon.com Martin from Armstrong Economic says THE FIX IS IN: Trump is going to PRISON (but can still win anyway) Though there is not yet any definitive proof to back his claims, Martin Armstrong of says that the fix is in as far as Donald Trump being imprisoned in the Washington, D.C., case. Despite being on track to win the Republican nomination, Trump will not be allowed to win the White House, Armstrong says. This is according to George Soros' son, who recently came out and said that the only way Trump will go away is if he is thrown in prison. Soros funded the case in Colorado that effectively kicked Trump off the ballot there, and more is on the way if Trump continues to pursue another round of the presidency. "This is a war for the very soul of the United States," Armstrong writes. "They have done everything they possibly can to stop Trump, for they KNOW he will do his best to prevent their agenda. Yet, unfortunately, the computer has warned that either side will NOT accept the 2024 election. They are outright pushing to put Trump in prison." (Related: If Trump does somehow make it back into the White House, he is promising to "never allow" a central bank digital currency [CBDC]." AG Merrick Garland calling for speedy D.C. trial to lock up Trump To keep the ball rolling on this front, Attorney General Merrick Garland is demanding that the D.C. trial be put on the fast track to prevent Trump from being a free man by the time election day arrives. Once enough Americans catch wind of what is going on, there is likely to be another American civil war, with Armstrong stating that the nation is approaching "the 19th cycle of 8.6," this being one of his computer calculations. "This only adds to the rising tensions, which will escalate into 2026," Armstrong writes. "These people are so desperate to impose their totalitarian state that they refuse to back off." "If they cannot imprison Trump, they will assassinate him. We are approaching the last 8.6 years in this 51.6-year cycle, and they will be the darkest days of our lives." Armstrong's biggest worry concerning all this is if the Supreme Court ultimately bends to this ongoing conspiracy to imprison Trump to keep him from serving another term as president, likening it to the Dread Scott decision when it tried to reduce the tension by claiming that blacks were not citizens of the United States, but rather property. "They thought they were cutting the baby in half to prevent a civil war," Armstrong says. "But that decision led the people to vote for Abraham Lincoln, who, by the way, was also taken off the ballot in several states." "If they buy this argument that Trump was acting as a candidate and NOT as President, then they probably will think that putting him in prison will lower the tensions. That will not end well for them or the nation." In Armstrong's view, the United States is already in the throes of World War III. Peace will not come, thanks to the actions of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, whom he says was selected to start WWIII. Because Trump would end the war in 24 hours or less, he cannot be allowed anywhere near the White House a second time. Trump would cut all funding to Ukraine and end the war immediately, effectively shutting down the globalist agenda in an instant. Armstrong also warns that the probability of another presidential election occurring in 2028 is very low. "I am NOT putting this out here as some Trump supporter," Armstrong says. "Personally, I cannot see how they can possibly allow him to win under ANY circumstances." The latest news about Trump's re-run for the presidency can be found at Trump.news. Sources for this article include: ArmstrongEconomics.com NaturalNews.com COVID vaccine injections can cause AUTISM, study finds New research out of Turkey has found that injecting mammals with Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "vaccines" causes autism while lowering neuronal counts in the brain. The peer-reviewed research, published in the Neurochemical Research journal, looked at the links between mRNA (modRNA) COVID shots and neurodevelopmental disorders. They focused specifically on autism, a common side effect of childhood vaccination. (Related: Back in 2022, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] finally admitted that the aluminum found in many childhood vaccines causes autism.) Using pregnant rats as their subjects, researchers injected Pfizer's mRNA injection during gestation, which had a "profound impact on key neurodevelopmental pathways." The female rats' male offspring exhibited "pronounced autism-like behaviors, characterized by a marked reduction in social interaction and repetitive patterns of behavior." "Furthermore, there was a substantial decrease in neuronal counts in critical brain regions, indicating potential neurodegeneration or altered neurodevelopment. Male rats also demonstrated impaired motor performance, evidenced by reduced coordination and agility." Males incur far more damage from COVID shots than females For their research, scientists assigned female rats to two groups: the first group receiving an intramuscular saline injection on the 13th day of gestation, and the second group receiving Pfizer injections that same day. Group 1 had seven female rats, and Group 2 had eight rats, totaling 15 rats. In the end, 41 offspring rats were born, 20 among the saline group and 21 among the "fully vaccinated." On day 50 after birth, the offspring were subjected to multiple behavioral tests, including: Open Field Test, which looks at offspring's general locomotor activity and anxiety Novelty-Induced Rearing Behavior, which evaluates offspring for exploratory behaviors Three-chamber Sociability and Social Novelty Test, which assesses offspring's sociability Rotarod Test, which looks at offspring's motor skills and endurance One thing that really stood out after this barrage of tests was the fact that a "significant difference" was observed between the male and female groups in terms of their motor coordination and balance. In short, the male offspring exhibited "more pronounced" impaired abilities. As for motor coordination and balance, there were no such sex-based differences observed between the vaccine and saline groups. In terms of sociability, male offspring in the vaccine group were observed to spend "significantly less time" with other rats considered to be "strangers" compared to the male offspring of the saline group. What these findings underscore, according to the researchers involved, is "the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in vaccine research and highlights the need for targeted studies to further explore the implications of these sex-specific effects." The study received funding from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, and the authors declared no conflicts of interest. Following the research, all the rats were euthanized and their brains extracted and subjected to biochemical and histological evaluations, the latter referring to the microscopic structure of organs, tissues and cells. Once again, the males from the jabbed group of rats showed "significantly decreased neuronal counts" in certain regions of the hippocampus, the part of the brain tasked with forming new memories, learning and emotions, compared to males from the saline group. The jabbed rats' Purkinje cell count in the cerebellum was also "significantly lower" than the saline group, Purkinje cells being a type of neuron located in the brain. As for BDNF levels, this being a protein that influences brain functions such as new neuronal growth, prevention of existing brain cells dying and cognitive functionality, both male and female offspring from the vaccine group showed "significantly decreased" levels compared to male and female offspring from the saline group. "The COVID-19 mRNA vaccine seems to induce autism-like behaviors in male rats, impacting the WNT and BDNF pathways in both genders," the study concludes. "This gender-specific outcome emphasizes questions on the vaccine's influence on brain function and structure." The latest news about the death-imposing effects of COVID "vaccination" can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com Springer.com NaturalNews.com DeSantis withdraws from presidential race, endorses DONALD TRUMP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has withdrawn from the race to become the Republican presidential nominee, and has backed former President Donald Trump The governor formally announced the suspension of his campaign in a Jan. 21 video posted on X. "Following our second place finish in Iowa, we've prayed and deliberated on the path forward. If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome more campaign stops, more interviews I would do it," he said. "It's clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Trump another chance. I can't ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don't have a clear path to victory." DeSantis acknowledged his disagreements with Trump, especially on issues such as the handling of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the former president's "elevation of [Dr.] Anthony Fauci." Despite this, he believes it is "clear" that the real estate mogul-turned-president "is superior to" incumbent President Joe Biden a Democrat. DeSantis also mentioned that Trump's presidency was obstructed "by relentless resistance" and the Democrats use "lawfare to this day to attack him." Trump won the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15, taking 51 percent of the votes. DeSantis landed second with 21 percent, while former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley took 19 percent. Following his withdrawal, "DeSantis will focus his energy on serving as Florida's governor," LifeSiteNews said. The chief executive of the Sunshine State then took a jab at the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, the only remaining contender for the GOP nomination. "[Trump] has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear: A repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Haley represents," he said. Meanwhile, Trump weighed in on his rival's decision to withdraw on the same day. "I was honored that he endorsed me this quickly. It's not easy; he fought hard," he told Fox News on Jan. 21. According to Trump, he believes his policies are "very similar" to those of the Florida governor, such as border security and tax cuts. Rivals past and present endorsing Trump Trump's appeal among voters, which was further galvanized by the indictments against him brought by four Democratic prosecutors, has prompted endorsement by his rivals past and present. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who garnered 7.7 percent of votes in the Iowa caucuses, formally endorsed Trump after withdrawing from the race. "I think it is true that we did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight. As of this moment, we are going to suspend this presidential campaign. There is no path for me to be the next president, absent things we don't want to see in this country," Ramaswamy told supporters on Jan. 15 after his loss at the caucuses. "And earlier tonight, I called Trump to tell him that I congratulate him on his victory. Going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency." (Related: Vivek Ramaswamy drops out of Republican primary race, endorses Donald Trump.) Even Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), who faced off with Trump during the 2016 primaries, endorsed the former president. He issued this endorsement following the caucuses, pointing out that his former rival's victory in the Hawkeye State "was across the board." "I believe this race is over, so I am proud to endorse Trump for President of the United States. I look forward to supporting him enthusiastically because I think it's time for the GOP to unite [and] to come together," he told Sean Hannity of Fox News. "We've [got to] beat Biden [and] this disastrous cultural Marxist agenda in the White House." Head over to Trump.news for more stories about the former president. Watch this Fox News report about Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropping out of the GOP presidential race and endorsing Trump. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: VICTORY: Trump takes Iowa in historic caucus win. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz endorses DONALD TRUMP for president. Vivek Ramaswamy campaigns for Donald Trump after dropping out of the presidential race. Rhode Island Black Lives Matter leader ENDORSES TRUMP, accuses Dems of being RACISTS. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com MSN.com ThePostMillennial.com Brighteon.com Grocery stores are LEAVING crime-ridden U.S. cities in droves, creating food deserts Times are getting so tough for many Americans that crime rates are through the roof, not to mention the politically motivated riots stemming from false flag incidents like George Floyd that continue to fuel rampant lawlessness. Consequently, America's inner cities are becoming "food deserts" as retailers hightail it out of them to protect their bottom line. Take Boston, for instance. In the past several months, pharmacy chain Walgreens shut down four stores, prompting area residents and local officials to express "outrage" because they say companies like Walgreens have a civic duty to stay and service communities in need. All across Massachusetts, in fact, retailers are closing up shop as they collectively lose $2 billion per year to theft. The situation is much the same in San Francisco where some neighborhoods now lack a single grocery store. Area residents, if they want to eat, are having to travel great distances to other neighborhoods in order to buy food for their families. In some cases, stores are trying to hide the reason why they are leaving. One excuse is that they are fleeing in order to "improve" the area by opening up land for new developments, but this is clearly not the case when simply looking at current trends. (Related: Speaking of food deserts, Ukraine's farming sector, widely considered to be the "breadbasket of Europe," will not recover from the war for at least 20 years, according to a recent study.) FBI data tweaking hides true crime rates in U.S. cities Looking at the official crime data, it might not seem as though crime rates are anything other than ordinary. This is due to data tweaking that was implemented during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) "pandemic" that effectively hides true crime rates until 2024 or even 2025. Each U.S. city can still voluntarily report its true crime rates if it so chooses, but at least 30 percent of U.S. cities are opting for the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) data tweaking loophole, including San Francisco, which is choosing to hide its complete crime statistics until 2025. When the true numbers remain hidden, it becomes easy for a city to claim that everything is a-okay. It is also easy to hide true crime rates when a city stops enforcing its laws, leading to fewer arrests and the appearance of improved safety. In San Francisco, for instance, the police department's closure rate on cases remains dismally low due to the city district attorney's choice to prosecute fewer cases. For every 100 suspects arrested in San Francisco, as few as three are charged and as few as one ends up getting convicted. Before being recalled on July 8, 2022, San Francisco's DA was Chesa Boudin, a George Soros-backed radical. Soros-backed radicals also work as district attorneys in other U.S. cities, including in Albuquerque, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Orlando, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, San Antonio and three urban counties in northern Virginia around Washington, D.C. Massachusetts also has a Soros-backed federal prosecutor named Rachael Rollins who was ultimately forced to resign after the Department of Justice's (DoJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Office of Special Counsel released a series of damning reports outlining her serious ethical lapses and partisan political activity. In his book Discrimination and Disparities (2018), economist and philosopher Thomas Sowell tells the story of his brother confronting individuals who were looting and committing acts of arson. Sowell's brother asked them simply, and in illustration of a major point of this article: "Where are you going to shop after you burn the store down?" The latest news about the current trajectory of the United States can be found at Collapse.news. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com UN official: Israel-Palestine war brings FAMINE at incredible speed, leaving hundreds of thousands starving in Gaza According to Martin Griffiths, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, the Israel-Palestine war in Gaza has brought famine with "such incredible speed." Griffiths said that a "great majority" of 400,000 Gazans characterized by UN agencies as at risk of starving are already living in famine conditions. He also lamented that the famine was an "extraordinary and wholly unwelcome aspect of the Gazan war." Griffiths lamented that the ongoing war has brought famine with incredible speed "to the front of the lines." Those caught in the crossfire are suffering because while some want to help, aid has been trickling very slowly into Gaza from two border crossings in the south. Agencies have also warned that it is only a fraction of what the people need. Early in January, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Israel had denied critical supplies from entering northern Gaza. However, Israel countered by accusing the UN Palestine Refugee Agency (UNRWA) of not doing enough and "stalling" the progress. Griffiths said that it is still difficult to provide humanitarian aid to the 300,000 Gazans who remain in the northern part of the Strip, where much of the fighting is ongoing. He explained that it's not just a matter of the number of trucks that can get in. Griffiths also brought up many roadblocks stopping aid, such as unreliable "deconfliction of access routes" and civilians having to move from one place of insecurity to another. He warned that if people cannot rely on deconfliction of access routes and if hospitals keep getting attacked, humanitarian aid deliveries will continue to be a challenge. (Related: Israel weaponizes food supply as almost 600,000 people go hungry in Gaza.) The Gaza Health Ministry reported that more than 24,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 60,000 others injured since Oct. 7. On the other hand, the UN has reported that almost 90 percent of Gazas pre-war population has been displaced due to Israel's persistent bombing, which has caused widespread devastation and forcing Gazan civilians to live with the threat of imminent death either by airstrike, starvation or disease. Griffiths said that the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave could create "generational hatred." He added that the UN worries for the security of both Israel and Gaza. Desperate people in Gaza "screaming from hunger" On Jan. 14, UN agencies issued a joint appeal for greater aid access to Gaza, saying that "a fundamental step change in the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza is urgently needed." The heads of the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization have said that getting enough supplies into and across Gaza depends on several factors, such as the opening of new entry routes, more trucks being allowed through border checks every day, fewer restrictions on the movement of humanitarian workers and guarantees of safety for all those accessing and distributing aid. Cindy McCain, WFP head, lamented that people in Gaza are at risk of dying of hunger when they are only miles from trucks transporting food. She added that every hour lost puts many innocent lives at risk. McCain added that famine can be prevented, but only if those giving and distributing aid can quickly deliver sufficient supplies and have safe access to people in need. Back in December, the WFP warned that the "catastrophic hunger crisis" in Gaza, which already threatens to overwhelm the population, will only get worse as the war continues. Salwa Tibi, a 53-year-old aid worker and mother of four in Gaza, recently told reporters that her children are "screaming all day from hunger." As heavy rains, winds and cooler temperatures descend on Gaza from November to February, aid workers and civilians trying to survive constant bombings said that they are suffering from harsh living conditions, insufficient access to warm clothing and outbreaks of disease in overpopulated makeshift shelters. Food, fuel and water remain scarce, and the price of what little supplies remain are increasing. Shadi Bleha, a 20-year-old student who was displaced from northern Gaza to Rafah near the border with Egypt, said that adults ration their meals so that children do not go hungry. Bleha, who eats one meal a day, has seen many people starving. Ongoing conflict has left lives "hanging in the balance" The Integrated Food Security and Nutrition Phase Classification (IPC) has reported that the entire population of Gaza, which includes at least 2.2 million people, is facing high levels of acute food insecurity or worse. At least one in four households is facing catastrophic conditions. The IPC added that it is the highest share of people facing high levels of acute food insecurity the initiative has ever classified for any given area or country. Catherine Russell, UNICEF executive director, said that children at high risk of dying from malnutrition and disease require immediate medical treatment, clean water and sanitation services. Unfortunately, the conditions on the ground do not allow aid workers to safely reach children and families in need. According to UNICEF, Gazas 350,000 children under the age of five are especially vulnerable. The agency warned that in the coming weeks, child wasting, which is the most life-threatening form of malnutrition in children, could affect at least 10,000 children. Russell said that some of the material aid workers "desperately need to repair and increase water supply" are still restricted from entering Gaza. She added that the situation must soon be resolved because the lives of children and their families are hanging in the balance. However, the agencies echoed Griffiths warning that humanitarian aid alone cannot fight the worsening hunger among Gazas population. Phillipe Lazzarini, Commissioner General for the UNRWA, warned that commercial supplies are essential to allow the markets and private sector to re-open and provide an alternative to food accessibility to those in Gaza. Visit Starvation.news for more stories about famine caused by wars and other global conflicts. Watch the video below for more on the Gaza humanitarian crisis and the risk of famine. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Israel reportedly in talks with African nations to receive Palestinians from Gaza in exchange for aid. GENOCIDE by STARVATION: Israels bombing operations have exhausted the food supply in Gaza. LIES: U.S. asserts no genocide was committed in Gaza amid violent Israeli military campaign. Sources include: GobalResearch.ca Edition.CNN.com Brighteon.com THE PRECIOUS ONES: Maine builds palace-like apartments for ILLEGALS using taxpayer money amid rising homelessness The Daily Mail recently reported that a city in Democratic-run Maine has spent $3.5 million of taxpayer money on "palace-like" apartments with balconies for illegals while hundreds of U.S.-born residents struggle to pay rent and suffer eviction. Despite its distance and chilly climate, Portland, Maine, codified its status as a "sanctuary city" under a 2017 ordinance. Since January 2023, more than 900 illegals have arrived in this small city and reportedly 80 more each week, with most, if not all, of the migrants in dire need of housing assistance. The steady influx had forced officials to place them in about a dozen local hotels, school gymnasiums and in Portland's large Exposition Center. The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) reported: "Costs have skyrocketed such that the citys social services budget has increased $43 million over last year with the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) picking up part of the tab. Local officials had warned that $43 million was not enough and had suggested a whopping 15 percent increase in local property taxes to pay the bills." Moreover, the non-partisan, public-interest organization said about 6,000 of Lewiston's 36,000 residents (nearly 17 percent) are African refugees and asylum seekers. Lewiston, which is about 40 miles north of Portland, is Maine's second-largest city. Portland, on the other hand, has over 10,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Migrants kept coming and Portland had started housing them in the first 24 apartments in a recently finished three-story clapboard block on the edge of the leafy coastal town of Brunswick about 30 miles north of the city. The Daily Mail reported that the competition for the apartments was fierce as the application list was capped at 250 only. Fortunate migrants have been allocated two-year stints living in "rent-free" homes and have started moving into 24 one- and two-bedroom apartments, Maine officials said. The Housing Authority said these migrants were expected to eventually get permission to work and start earning to pay their way. The state has also reportedly allocated $100,000 to help dozens of Brunswick migrants process their asylum applications and secure work permits and a bus service is in the works to help the migrants get into town. "What a slap in the face for Maine's taxpayers and the homeless and all American citizens, in fact," an outraged critic posted on X. Other social media users who have reacted angrily to these revelations suggested that Maine residents should "quit paying taxes or voting for the Dem politicians who green-lighted the scheme." Homelessness on the rise in Maine As of Jan. 24, 2023, the Maine State Housing Authoritys 2023 Point in Time (PIT) count reported that 4,258 people experienced homelessness in Pine Tree State. (Related: There are now more illegal immigrants than homeless people housed in New York Citys shelters.) This number was based on information from emergency shelters and other service providers collected through the states Homeless Management Information System, (HMIS). Paper survey forms were used to collect data on those who were unsheltered on the night of Jan. 24, 2023, including information from non-HMIS participating shelters or programs. A mobile app (for the first time in 2023) was also used by volunteers in the field and outreach staff at encampments. (Related: Homeless population in Los Angeles grew 10% despite city spending millions to fight the problem.) As was done in 2022, the sheltered homeless people count included 2,124 people staying in hotels funded by General Assistance and Emergency Rental Assistance and 791 individuals in Transitional Housing reported to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Last December alone, more than 10,000 arrests for illegally crossing the southern border had been reported per day over several days with more people said to be fleeing political chaos in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. On Jan. 6, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released more than 2.3 million migrants into the country "a measure of last resort when agents dont have the holding capacity or personnel to process migrants using standard procedures." The figures, published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had shown the extent to which CBP officials have been overwhelmed by the sheer volume of migrants crossing the southern border. "I know the data. And I will tell you that when individuals are released, they are released into immigration enforcement proceedings. They are on alternatives to detention. And we have returned or removed a record number of individuals. We are enforcing the laws that Congress has passed," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorjas said. But it takes too long to deport people, he added and urged Congress to boost the agencys funding. "It is precisely why we have said since day one of this administration that the immigration system that is so fundamentally broken needs to be fixed." Watch the following video about homeless camps becoming an enormous weight in cities in the United States. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Mayor of sanctuary city New York angry as HALF the hotel rooms fill up with illegal aliens. ABSURD: Biden administration asks for $3.3B to fund more housing for illegal migrants. 4.9 Million illegal aliens blew past the US border in the 18 months since Biden was installed in office. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk FairUS.org MaineHousing.org FoxNews.com Brighteon.com Polish socialist deputy justice minister announces amendments to penal code targeting so-called hate speech Poland's newly elected deputy justice minister has announced an upcoming amendment to the penal code to address instances of so-called hate speech directed at certain social categories like gender identity, sexual orientation, age and disability. In a recent interview on Polish-language media, Deputy Minister Krzysztof Smiszek of the socialist New Left party, who is himself gay, described a "fairly simple" legislative process that has allowed the new government to work on new "hate speech" regulation, which will be finalized by the end of February following inter-ministerial consultations in the Sejm, the Polish parliament. (Related: Michigan House of Representatives passes bill that makes misgendering a HATE CRIME.) Smiszek stated that the amendments would align with existing laws in most other European Union member states. The penalty range for hate speech based on sexual orientation and gender will be consistent with those regulating hate speech based on race and ethnicity. These amendments are being passed as part of the requirements in the agreement signed by the Civic Coalition, New Left and Third Way, the three parties that form the governing coalition in the Sejm. The agreement explicitly states a commitment to equality, asserting that sexual orientation and gender should not be grounds for discrimination. The agreement further outlines a priority to combat so-called hate speech and actions. "We are all equal, and sexual orientation and gender cannot be a reason for discrimination. The fight against hate speech and acts will be our priority. We will amend the penal code so that hate speech based on sexual orientation and gender will be prosecuted ex officio," the announcement read. Opposition politicians warned the public over proposed "hate speech" penalties According to a November 2023 report from Do Rzeczy, members of the conservative political party the Confederation Liberty and Independence, including elected officials Konrad Berkowicz, Michal Wawer and Roman Fritz, came out against strengthening legal penalties for so-called hate speech. They warned that such measures would stifle freedom of speech and lead to Poland turning into a dystopia. Berkowicz drew parallels between the current political climate in Poland and George Orwell's classic dystopian novel "1984." He emphasized the danger of introducing a concept akin to "thoughtcrime," where expressing views contrary to the ruling ideology could result in criminal prosecution. "Poland is becoming more dangerous than before. Unfortunately, this is no longer futurology because it is becoming Polish reality," warned Berkowicz. He criticized the ambiguous nature of "hate speech," arguing that the Polish language tradition does not recognize such a term and questioned who would define it. "In practice, this means nothing more than criminal prosecution for expressing views that are inconsistent with a specific ideology that is close to the new coalition that will probably rule soon," added Berkowicz. "This is obvious censorship, an obvious attack on freedom of speech and obvious, creeping totalism. This is so obvious that even former activists of the new coalition parties are outraged by it and say that there is no such thing as 'hate speech.'" Fritz, the treasurer of the Confederation and an activist for the National Movement, cited examples from Western countries where similar regulations were in force. He expressed concern that these measures aimed to train Poles not to voice their true opinions, creating an atmosphere of self-censorship. "The world has turned upside down. These absurdities are being smuggled into the penal code. I appeal to every sensible Pole to look at this from a distance and say: maybe enough of all this, let's deal with the problems that Poland is struggling with," urged Fritz. The Confederation politicians concluded the conference by reiterating their unwavering opposition to any encroachment on freedom of speech and calling for a reevaluation of the proposed regulations, emphasizing the importance of addressing the pressing issues facing the country instead. Transhumanism.news has more stories about the promotion of the transhumanist agenda. Watch this video about a similar proposal in California that seeks to punish parents who misgender their children. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Americans repeatedly warned not to mislabel transgenders but most transgenders actually WANT to CONFUSE people about their gender, especially binaries. PURE EVIL: Leading US medical institutions are deliberately confusing toddlers and converting them into transgenders. EU trying to force all member states, including resisters Hungary and Poland, to accept same-sex marriage. PRONOUNS PUKED: California court strikes down law that punishes the misgendering of LGBT. Ireland passes controversial hate speech law: Those caught misgendering someone will face five years in prison. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com DoRzeczy.pl 1 DoRzeczy.pl 2 Brighteon.com BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Another provocation of Baroness Cox and the Armenian Diaspora has been prevented in London, Trend reports. The Azerbaijani community operating in the UK has prevented another provocation by the Armenian Diaspora and its patrons. Chairwoman of the Azerbaijanis Society of Britain Farida Panahova informed that in the famous Carlton Club, located in the center of London, it was planned to hold an event on the theme "Armenia: ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh", which was to be held on February 5, 2024. The event was to be organized by the pro-Armenian, anti-Turkish, and anti-Islam Baroness Caroline Cox, with the support of Lord de Molay and Armenian Ambassador Varuzhan Nersesyan. Upon hearing about it, the Azerbaijani Society of Britain sent a public letter of protest to the management of the Carlton Club on behalf of the Azerbaijani community of the country. The copy of the letter was addressed to British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, members of Parliament, members of the House of Lords - Lord Evans, Lord Ahmad, Lord Kilclooney, Lord Sarfraz and Baroness Manzila Paul Uddin, Minister for Europe and North America Leo Docherty, head of the Special Committee of the British Foreign Office Alicia Kearns, the leadership of the organization "Voice of Conservatives". It was drawn to attention that holding an unjustified event in a historical place caused deep concern in the Azerbaijani community. It was stressed that at a time when Azerbaijan and Armenia are close to signing a peace treaty, the organization of such an event undermines the prospects of peace between the two countries, which is completely contrary to the UK's peace-supporting position and the country's foreign policy. The accusations of "ethnic cleansing" by Azerbaijan are completely unfounded, that the UN and International Committee of the Red Cross fact-finding missions have not found or documented any facts regarding any damage to civilian infrastructure in Karabakh or that the Azerbaijani authorities have forcibly relocated Armenian civilians. In addition, it was stressed that it is surprising that the Armenian Ambassador to the UK is among the organizers of the meeting who oppose the policies of his country's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. As a result of continuing to make unfounded accusations in the absence of any evidence, it was noted that an undesirable situation could arise. The Chair of the Society, recalling the example of Queen Mary University last year, called on the Carlton Club management to cancel the prejudicial event. An official letter dated January 22, 2024, addressed to Farida Panahova, Chairman of the Azerbaijanis Society of Great Britain, on behalf of Simon Robinson, the club's secretary, confirmed that this meeting would not take place at the club. "This is another victory of our Diaspora in the UK over the Armenian Diaspora and pro-Armenian forces," Farida Panahova emphasized. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Donald Trump Jr. says Tucker Carlson would be a good VICE PRESIDENT for his dad Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of former President Donald Trump, said former Fox News host Tucker Carlson could make a good running mate for his father The younger Trump expressed this possibility during an appearance on "Wake Up America" on Newsmax, where he shared this with the networks' Rob Finnerty. He highlighted the close relationship between Carlson and the elder Trump, particularly their shared stance on ending so-called "never-ending wars." "That clearly would be on the table, right? I would love to see that happen," Donald Jr. said. "That would certainly be a contender. I mean, they're very friendly I think they agree on virtually all of these things." Finnerty also touched on other potential running mates for the former president. "You're never going to rule out someone that is a leading contender," the younger Trump said when Finnerty brought up Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The governor, who landed second place at the Iowa caucuses, withdrew from the race and threw his support behind the elder Trump. The Newsmax anchor also proposed former Housing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson as a potential vice president. While Donald Jr. praised Carson as "a great American" who is "steadfast and loyal," he argued that the former secretary "is almost too nice for politics." Meanwhile, Carlson the founder of the eponymous Tucker Carlson Network downplayed the idea of him running for public office, much more the second-highest position in the land. "[It's] kind of hard to envision." The 54-year-old Carlson hosted a primetime show on Fox News for almost seven years, before his unexplained termination in April 2023. His firing came just days after the network agreed to pay $787 million to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems. The complaint arose from the alleged "spread of lies" about the 2020 presidential election, which Carlson denounced in his program. Elder Trump remains silent on his potential running mate The elder Trump holds a significant polling edge over former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, the last competitor standing in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Other rivals such as DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have conceded, throwing their support behind the former president. Though he faces legal peril in a series of indictments in federal and state courts including for his role in attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election the former president remains the odds-on favorite for the nomination. In turn, the prospect of whom Trump may pick as a potential running mate has generated substantial interest and speculation. The elder Trump has previously remarked that he would consider Carlson for the job. This time, however, he appears to be singing a different tune. When pressed if he would be open to mending fences with any of his erstwhile rivals, he pointed to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie but said he "doesn't see" any partnership. Days before the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses that he won, the elder Trump said he has made up his mind about his potential running mate in case he wins. However, he has remained silent over this matter. "Well, I can't tell you that really," the former president responded to members of the media during an Iowa town hall meeting. "I mean, I know who it's going to be." (Related: Trump 100% confident HE WILL WIN against Biden in the 2024 presidential election.) The former president's campaign team sought to quickly downplay his remark. One campaign adviser told NBC News that "nothing is finalized" with regard to the elder Trump's vice presidential pick. "He'll announce his final pick when he's ready to," they said. Head over to Trump.news for more stories about the former president ahead of the 2024 elections. Watch this InfoWars clip that discusses the elder Trump possibly picking mixed martial arts fighter Sean Strickland as his running mate. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: VICTORY: Trump takes Iowa in historic caucus win. Tucker Carlson launches new STREAMING PLATFORM to combat MSM propaganda. Polling indicates Trump's nomination by the Republican National Convention is ALL BUT GUARANTEED. Fox News settles defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems as conservatives continue to suffer from other media outlets. Sources include: YourNews.com TheHill.com Brighteon.com The president of the National Border Patrol Council said the only way to bring down illegal immigration is through the re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States. In a Jan. 20 interview on Fox News, Brandon Judd remained skeptical about the effectiveness of diplomatic talks with Mexican officials. He argued that President Joe Biden could immediately address the issue with policy changes but did not. We know that we can control everything that happens here; if President Biden were seriously concerned about this issue, all he would have to do is give us policy. He doesnt have to have Congress give us laws. Yes, it would be nice to have those laws because thats a long-term fix, but President Biden could fix this immediately with policy. We saw that with President Trump. It was brilliant what he did to drop illegal immigration to 45-year lows. Biden could do the exact same thing, he said. In turn, Judd claimed that the return of Trump to power would scare Mexican cartels due to the success of his border policies during his tenure. "The only thing that is going to drive these numbers down is if the cartels recognize that President Trump is going to be very, very bad for them. This is a business [for the cartels]. They recognize that they have to generate a profit. Do they scale back, trying to make this less of an issue for President Biden going into 2024? Or do they just continue saying, 'Hey, its a foregone conclusion Trump is going to win, lets generate as much profit as we can right now?' "Its all up to the cartels. The Mexican government is not going to do anything. They have no incentive to do anything right now because of the amount of money that goes into their economy based upon illegal immigration and drug smuggling," Judd said. Biden always knew U.S. borders are not safe and secure In a meeting with mayors at the White House on Jan. 19, Biden admitted to a reporter that the southern border is not safe and secure for the past decade. "No, it's not. I havent believed that for the last 10 years, and I've said it for the last 10 years. Give me the money," Biden answered. However, Republicans have been critical of Biden's policies, attributing the surge in illegal border crossings to his current approach. These Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have called for a reinstatement of the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy, an end to "catch-and-release" tactics and reforms in asylum and parole procedures. The crisis at our southern border has deteriorated to such an extent that significant action can wait no longer. It must start now, and it must start with you, Johnson wrote in a Dec. 21 letter, urging President Biden to take action on the border crisis. Even Judd backed the Republicans despite praising the president for acknowledging the problem. He disagreed with Biden on his focus on money. He voiced concern that illegal border crossings are expected to increase in the coming months and believes Trump is the only effective way to stop it. Meanwhile, in September 2023, Trump vowed to implement "the largest domestic deportation operation in American history" if he would be re-elected as president. (Related: Trump vows to implement the largest domestic deportation operation in American history if re-elected as president in 2024.) "Upon my inauguration, I will immediately terminate every Open Borders policy of the Biden administration. Following the Eisenhower Model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American History. I'll also invoke immediately the Alien Enemies Act to remove all known or suspected gang members," Trump vowed during his campaign speech in Iowa. Read more news about the ongoing migration crisis at OpenBorders.news. Ancient zombie viruses buried in melting Arctic permafrost might spark a new pandemic if unleashed by climate change, scientists warn. Methuselah Bacteria Melting sea ice offers up maritime and economic options, including mining deep into the permafrost that covers a fifth of the northern hemisphere, primarily in Canada, Siberia, and Alaska, as a result of global warming. However, scientists are apparently planning an Arctic monitoring network to detect any early occurrences of an illness caused by ancient viruses, often known as Methuselah microorganisms. Researchers have already detected strains of these Methuselah bacteria, known as zombie viruses, raising concerns that a new global medical emergency could be caused-not by a newly discovered ailment but by aa disease from the distant past. As a result, scientists have begun developing an Arctic monitoring network to detect early symptoms of an illness caused by ancient microorganisms. Furthermore, it would provide quarantine and skilled medical treatment to affected people in order to limit an outbreak and prevent them from leaving the region. "We don't know what viruses are lying out there in the permafrost but I think there is a real risk that there might be one capable of triggering a disease outbreak - say of an ancient form of polio. We have to assume that something like this could happen," said virologist Marion Koopmans of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam. Geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie of Aix-Marseille University led a team of scientists in 2014 who discovered living viruses in Siberia and demonstrated their ability to infect single-cell organisms despite being frozen in permafrost for thousands of years. Further research, published last year, confirmed the existence of multiple different virus strains from seven separate Siberian locales, all of which could infect cultured cells. One virus specimen was 48,500 years old. Read Also: Gut Bacteria Can Activate Dormant, 'Zombie' Viruses from Other Microbes: New Study Melting Of Arctic Sea Ice Permafrost covers one-fifth of the northern hemisphere and is made up of soil that has been preserved at temperatures below zero for long periods. Scientists revealed that certain layers had been frozen for hundreds of thousands of years. But the world's permafrost is shifting. The upper layers of the planet's largest reserves, located in Canada, Siberia, and Alaska, are melting as climate change has a disproportionate impact on the Arctic. Meteorologists say the region is warming at a rate many times faster than the global average. However, thawing permafrost directly does not offer the most urgent harm. The consequence of global warming is the melting of Arctic sea ice. This allows for increased shipping, traffic, and industrial development in Siberia. Huge mining operations are being planned, and they will drive vast tunnels into the deep permafrost to recover oil and minerals. Scientists estimate that the deepest depths of permafrost may contain viruses that are up to a million years old, making them far older than our own species, which is thought to have evolved some 300,000 years ago. "Our immune systems may have never been in contact with some of those microbes, and that is another worry. The scenario of an unknown virus once infecting a Neanderthal coming back at us, although unlikely, has become a real possibility," said Claverie. Related Article: Zombie Virus Frozen in Woolly Mammoth Remains Feared to Leak from Russian Lab Sea otter recovery along the coast of California has been linked with the propagation of kelp forests in the waters of the Golden State. This is according to a new study led by the non-profit public aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. Researchers found that the recovery of the southern sea otter population prevented a century-old California kelp forest decline, which helped preserve ecosystems. Kelp forests are mostly found along the west coast of North America and it consists of the large brown algae called "kelp" that can grow in dense groups like a forest on land, according to the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These algae live in relatively cool temperatures and shallow waters close to the shore, where sea otters can also be found. The new research paper identified several environmental stressors, including extreme ocean warming, responsible for the destruction and retreat of California kelp forests, which also serve as ecosystems for marine animals. However, scientists have long confirmed that these underwater forests are vulnerable to climate change, whether driven by natural factors or human activities. What is a Kelp Forest? A kelp forest is a haven for a diversity of plants and animals, including birds and mammals such as seals, sea lions, whales, great blue herons, and shore birds, according to the National Ocean Service. As a natural food source and shelter for thousands of species, kelp forests can grow up to 18 inches per day and even tower above the ocean floor. Although kelp forests serve as large, natural structures beneath the sea surface, they are susceptible to the impacts of the current climate crisis and rise of global sea temperatures caused by global warming. Due to this vulnerability, kelp forests such as those off the coast of California have witness significant decline since the early 1900s. Also Read: 5 Disturbing Facts About Sea Otters: They're Not as Cuddly as They Seem California Kelp Forest Decline In the new study published in the journal PLOS Climate on January 18, scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium observed significant California kelp forest decline or regional kelp canopy changes from 1910 to 2016. As an exception, the central coast saw a significant increase in kelp forest canopy since it is the only region of California where southern sea otters survived after being hunted nearly to the brink of extinction for their fur in the 1800s. Now, the researchers confirmed in their study that kelp forests can even more endure climate change in areas where sea otters have reoccupied the California coastline over the past century. In general, sea otter recovery has contributed in preventing the century-old California kelp forest decline. The findings are important since it can guide conservation efforts and policies towards the protection of kelp forests. Furthermore, the Monterey Bay Aquarium study also sheds light to the possibility that the environmental repercussions for California kelp forests are also the same for other areas where these underwater towers grow across the Eastern Pacific Coast. Related Article: Sea Otter Pup Stranded in Alaska Gets a New Home in Chicago At least eight people died from a devastating landslide in southwest China. Rescuers were immediately deployed to search for missing people buried in the landslide. Rescuers struggled against frigid temperatures to save trapped residents. Dozens are reportedly missing in southwest China. According to recent reports, the landslide impacted villages in the southwest city of Zhaotong and the mountain village of Liangshui in Yunnan province. Southwest China Landslide Update Over 500 people were evacuated from the landslide. However, at least 18 homes were destroyed and buried by landslides. Rescue operations became harder due to the slippery gray rubble and extreme cold. In addition, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that local officials should be on high alert for potential accidents. The impacted areas are known to be prone to unstable soil, causing landslides. Based on the initial report, at least 47 people are missing and buried from the tragic landslide. Images showed homes covered in rock and snow after collapsing. China is no stranger to extreme weather events, from storms, drought and landslides. In mountainous areas, the risk of landslides is high due to weather events. Also Read: Top Most Disastrous Weather Events of Nature World News 2023 Landslide Preparedness: How Can People Stay Safe? Landslides can happen at any time due to earthquakes and heavy rain. The aftermath can be widespread, impacting nearby communities. As a result, authorities should always monitor the unstable soil near cities to provide early warning signs for flash floods or landslides. In addition, emergency response and planning will help families and homes from landslides and extreme weather events. According to reports, there are areas prone to landslides, including the following: Top or base of steep slope Areas with a history of landslide Hillsides or mountainous areas Homeowners should stay aware of warning signs of potential landslides. It can mitigate widespread loss of life and injuries. Here are some of the warning signs: Unstable soil New cracks in grounds or pavements Leaning power lines, fences and trees Increase in creek water levels Rumbling sounds or cracking trees or foundations In addition, homeowners should also assess their properties if they live in landslide-prone areas. Staying alert will be helpful to reduce injuries and fatalities, especially during severe weather conditions. After landslides, people should watch out for hazardous materials and debris flow. It is best to return after the announcements from local authorities, particularly keeping away from slide areas. If you or your family members are injured, immediately go to a nearby clinic. Homeowners should inform their family members of their situation, and inform authorities of missing people. Related Article: Deadly Landslide in Colombia: At Least 37 Killed After Large Land Fell From Mountain For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News To protect dolphins, France has issued a temporary ban on nearly all commercial fishing in the Bay of Biscay. It will begin on January 22 and last until February 20, affecting fishing grounds off the country's Atlantic coast. The ban off the western coast, the first since the end of WWII, applies to both French and international anglers in boats longer than 26 feet. Thousands Of Dolphins Died Following an increase in dolphin deaths along France's Atlantic coast, environmental campaigners have called for their protection. Dolphins can become trapped in fishing boat gear such as nets, ropes, and lines. Smaller species frequently die instantly, according to the International Whaling Commission, since they cannot reach the surface to breathe. Larger animals may escape, but they are frequently abandoned with fishing equipment attached, resulting in years of dragging heavy ropes, buoys, or nets, according to the commission. According to CIEM, a scientific organization that monitors North Atlantic ecosystems, approximately 9,000 animals perish in the region each year as a result of being ensnared in nets due to accidental capture. For years, environmentalists have pushed for enhanced protection for marine animals following a surge in mortality off the Atlantic Coast. The ban came as the neighboring Spanish region of Catalonia declared it would pay young people to become fishermen in an effort to save the sector from extinction. The plan would provide fishing boat owners with apprentices whose salaries would be fully funded by the public purse. In 2003, there were 1,358 fishing boats registered in the region's ports. There are now 616, and the number of active fishermen has dropped from 5,579 to 2,398 over the last two decades. Read Also: Turkish Fishermen Blamed by Scientists for Killing Bottlenose Dolphins on Aegean Sea Absurd Move Local fishermen call the prohibition "absurd" and expect financial losses, although the government has offered compensation. Minister of Ecological Transition Christophe Bechu said that up to 75% of revenue losses would be reimbursed and refunded "as soon as possible." The month-long restriction will affect approximately 450 French vessels, thereby halting fishing from Finistere, in the extreme west of Brittany, to the Spanish border until February 20. The prohibition was initially imposed by the country's highest administrative court, the Council of State. The French government expanded the prohibition to include all ships, regardless of origin, and promised to help fishermen and fishmongers. Frederic Toulliou, head of the UMF, a fish wholesalers union, said that the restriction would result in "8,000 fewer tons of seafood products and a 60 million loss in sales for the fish trade," which is already affected by Brexit. Raymond Millet, a fisherman from La Rochelle on the west coast with 40 years of experience, stated that vessels nine to eleven meters long "are not the kind of boats that fish for dolphins." Others argue that the compensation given by authorities would be insufficient to offset losses. The French fishing industry organization CNPMEM accused 'extreme NGOs' and argued that dolphins are 'not endangered'. Philippe Garcia, the head of the marine conservation group Defense des Milieux Aquatiques, urged fishermen to comply with the regulations. He stressed that if the fishermen do not cooperate, it is detrimental for them because additional deaths of marine species would add ammunition to the environmentalists' case. Related Article: Dolphin Deaths Increase in France, Activists Call Halting of Atlantic Fishing Right whale calves have been observed engaging in the behavior called "allosuckle" which means they steal milk from whales that are not their own mothers, according to a new study led by researchers from the University of Western Australia. The study is reportedly based on southern right whale calves across the southern hemisphere migrating between feeding grounds between seasons. While it is evident that allosuckling provides a calf with extra milk and nourishment compared with only relying on its mother, it also impacts the latter's own offspring which can be deprived of the limited mammalian substance. Based on research, breast milk from mammal mothers is an essential source of nutrients and sustenance for babies or calves across the class Mammalia. The mammal milk-stealing behavior has also been recorded in other marine and land mammals, including seals, deer, reindeers, and giraffes. However, there is no previous quantifiable data about this bizarre behavior in large whales, according to the new research paper by the University of Western Australia. Right Whale Calves Steal Milk The study entitled 'Allosuckling in southern right whale calves' was published in the journal Mammalian Biology on January 18, where University of Western Australia researchers confirmed the behavior of suckling of milk from a non-biological mother. Although this occurs in some species of mammals, it has not yet been quantified in baleen whale calves before. Due to this lack of data, the Australian university's research team examined allosuckling among the species southern right whales (Eubalaena australis), which has been listed as an 'Endangered Species' under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. This designation is due to the relative low numbers of the E. australis from its estimated historical abundance. As of September 2023, scientists estimate that there are around 5,000 southern right whales remaining in the world, according to Australia Government's NSW Environment and Heritage. Also Read: Dolphin Mothers Pass On Harmful Pollutants to Their Calves Through Milk, Study Shows Right Whale Allosuckling Behavior To quantify the breast milk-suckling southern whale calves, authors of the 2024 study conducted unmanned aerial vehicle that follows mother-calf pairs and video recorded all interactions among pairs. During these interactions, allosuckling occurred in seven interactions, while filial nursing transpired in 11 interactions. The selected samples taken in a small area in the waters of Australia do not represent the whole narrative of allosuckling among the southern right whales across the southern hemisphere. However, the researchers emphasize that at least it is "important to understand the frequency of allosuckling." This perspective is also based on the premise that whale mothers also take time to replenish their milk and energy. Right whales are also found in the northern hemisphere, whose members are called the North Atlantic right whale. These northern whales are also a critically endangered species that can be found off the Atlantic coast of Canada and the United States, according to the National Ocean Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Related Article: Humans Need 'Stronger' Breast-Milk Than Most Mammals As reported by the Liberty Times on January 20, 2024, Taiwan is in the process of establishing a Sea Control Missile Command for its Navy, set to be launched later this year. This development comes in response to the increased production and phased delivery of Hsiung Feng II, Hsiung Feng III, and extended-range Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link A Taiwanese Navy warship fires an anti-ship missile during the annual missile firing training in 2022. (Picture source: Taiwan MoD) The command's location will be in western Taiwan and will play a crucial role in managing and coordinating Taiwan's missile assets. This decision is prompted by Taiwan's recent procurement of 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense System Launcher Transporter Units and 400 Harpoon missiles from the United States. These acquisitions have emphasized the need for a dedicated command structure to oversee these missile systems effectively. Originally, the command headquarters was intended to serve both as an administrative center and a storage site for the anti-ship missiles. However, the proposed location of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile Command Headquarters in Yunlin's Huwei Township sparked debates during the Taiwanese election period. Some local residents raised concerns about its potential vulnerability as a wartime target due to the presence of anti-ship missile storage facilities. As a result, officials have chosen to simplify the mission of the headquarters. Vice Premier of the Executive Yuan, Cheng Wen-tsang, disclosed during an event in late November 2023 that, following extensive consultations with top government officials and national security agencies, the command headquarters and dormitories would no longer house missile storage or Harpoon missiles. This shift aims to promote development in the Huwei Special Zone while addressing local concerns. Military officials have confirmed that the command headquarters will remain in Yunlin's Huwei Township as originally planned. However, its primary role will be administrative, with a focus on housing administrative facilities and barracks. Anti-ship missiles, on the other hand, will be stored in a separate and secure location outside the headquarters. A military source has highlighted that the new missile units, whether designated for anti-ship or anti-aircraft roles, will predominantly rely on mobile missile launcher vehicles deployed on tactical positions based on readiness and defense missions. This change marks a departure from the previous practice of traditional fixed missile deployment, offering greater flexibility in responding to wartime defense missions. The current naval anti-ship missile unit, known as the "Haifeng Brigade" or "Sea Edge Brigade," has traditionally operated as a fixed missile deployment unit. However, in recent years, there has been a notable expansion of mobile missile launch vehicle units within the brigade. Presently, the Haifeng Brigade comprises 6 fixed deployment squadrons, 4 mobile deployment squadrons, and 1 support squadron, with its headquarters located at the Taichung Qing Shui camp. To accommodate the growing mobile deployment squadrons, the Navy quietly established the Sea Edge Second Brigade last year, and the formation of the Sea Edge Third Brigade is anticipated in the first half of this year, reflecting Taiwan's ongoing efforts to enhance its maritime defense capabilities. New Zealand has announced the deployment of a team of six highly trained individuals from its Defence Force to the Middle East to enhance maritime security in the Red Sea, according to a report by the New Zealand Herald. This decision was unveiled by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon during his first post-Cabinet press conference of the year on January 23. Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link Royal New Zealand Navy Anzac-class frigate HMNZS Te Kaha (F77) (Picture source: U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Holly Herline) The primary mission of New Zealand's Navy team in the Red Sea is to conduct precision targeting by gathering intelligence information. It is emphasized that their role is not to directly engage in any conflicts. Prime Minister Luxon stated, "Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing. This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand's long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home." Luxon further explained that the Defence Force team will contribute to the collective self-defense of ships in the Middle East, in accordance with international law, working from operational headquarters in the region and other locations. He reassured that NZDF personnel will not be entering Yemen and that this deployment is part of New Zealand's ongoing commitment to maritime security in the Middle East, which dates back to 2013. Foreign Minister Winston Peters also noted that the international coalition is conducting joint strikes against Houthi military targets that have been involved in attacking commercial and naval vessels. New Zealand has previously expressed support for the strikes led by the US and UK. The deployment is mandated to conclude no later than July 31. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The customs post "Red Bridge," located on the Azerbaijani-Georgian border, has 220 cars waiting to leave the country, Trend reports, referring to the Azerbaijani Land Transport Agency. According to the information, 118 trucks are waiting for departure at Astara customs post, 47 at Bilasuvar, 26 at Mazimgara, 3 at Khanoba, and 38 at Samur customs post. The agency continues to inform carriers about the number of trucks waiting to leave at customs checkpoints, the report says. Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. An explosion has occurred at the plant of the Ministry of Defense Industry of Azerbaijan in Shirvan, the Shirvan City Prosecutor's Office told Trend. The Prosecutor's Office is investigating the incident. Around 15:00 (GMT +4), information was received by the Shirvan City Prosecutor's Office about an explosion at the "Shirvan Plant Araz" enterprise, owned by the Ministry of Defense Industry. The preliminary investigation found that Elchin Babayev, born in 1992, Ismayil Muradov, born in 2001, and Muhammad Imanov, born in 1999, sustained various injuries. The prosecutorial authorities are inspecting the scene and carrying out other necessary procedural actions. It's presumed that the incident occurred in one of the plant's workshops due to the detonation of a 120 mm projectile struck by a hammer. Additional information will be provided upon availability. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. An explosion at the "Shirvan Plant Araz" enterprise, owned by the Ministry of Defense Industry, in Shirvan city, occurred in one of the plant's workshops, presumably due to the detonation of a 120-mm projectile struck by a hammer, the Shirvan City Prosecutor's Office told Trend. As a result of the incident, Elchin Babayev, born in 1992, Ismayil Muradov, born in 2001, and Muhammad Imanov, born in 1999, sustained various injuries. The prosecutorial authorities are inspecting the scene and carrying out other necessary procedural actions. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel "I shouldnt be but I am always amazed when someone writes a letter to the editor saying climate change is not so bad, when in reality our changing climate is likely one of the biggest, if not the biggest, issues humanity has ever faced," writes Don Wuebbles, the Harry E. Preble Emeritus Professor at the University of Illinois. Download Now The News-Gazette mobile app brings you the latest local breaking news, updates, and more. Read the News-Gazette on your mobile device just as it appears in print. His addiction to crack cocaine has been at the heart of at least five Champaign County convictions between 2004 and 2011. And by his own admission, its again at play in the latest and most serious crime hes ever been accused of. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Three men injured in the explosion at the Araz factory in Shirvan city have been hospitalized with various injuries in the emergency department of the Central Hospital of Shirvan city, the Administration of the Regional Medical Divisions (TABIB) told Trend. The wounded, born in 1992, was hospitalized with a bruise and laceration of the left hand; the injured, born in 2001, with an open cut in the forehead area; and the injured, born in 1999, with "barotrauma". All three are receiving the appropriate medical attention Will be updated "Malls, like humans, seem to have a life cycle. Tuscola has been very fortunate that our malls life has been almost 30 years," Mike Carroll writes with the city's outlet mall seemingly on its last leg. A new research perspective was published in Oncotarget's Volume 15 on January 16, 2024, entitled, "Bone marrow adipocytes provide early sign for progression from MGUS to multiple myeloma." Multiple Myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematological malignancy and is characterized by clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. In spite of recent advances in the field of MM, the disease has remained incurable. MM is preceded by a premalignant state known as monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), with a risk of progression to MM of 1% per year. Establishing a scalable approach that refines the identification of MGUS patients at high risk of progression to MM can transform the clinical management of the disease, improve the patient's quality of life, and will have significant socioeconomic implications. In this new perspective, researchers Bilal M. El-Masri, Benedeta Leka, Fatima Mustapha, Michael Tveden Gundesen, Maja Hinge, Thomas Lund, Thomas L. Andersen, Marta Diaz-delCastillo, and Abbas Jafari from the Danish Spatial Imaging Consortium, University of Southern Denmark, University of Copenhagen, University of Aarhus, Odense University Hospital, and Lillebaelt Hospital provide evidence that changes in the bone marrow adipose tissue (BMAT) provide an early sign for progression from MGUS to MM. "We employed AI-assisted histological analysis of unstained bone marrow biopsies from MGUS subjects with or without progression to MM within 10 years (n = 24, n = 17 respectively)." Although the BMAT fraction was not different between the two groups, bone marrow adipocyte (BMAd) density was decreased in MGUS patients who developed MM, compared to non-progressing MGUS patients. Importantly, the distribution profile for BMAd size and roundness was significantly different between the two groups, indicating a shift toward increased BMAd size and roundness in MGUS patients who developed MM. These early changes in the BMAT could serve as valuable early indicators for the transition from MGUS to MM, potentially enabling timely interventions and personalized treatment strategies. "[...] the AI-based approach for histological characterization of unstained bone marrow biopsies is cost-effective and fast, rendering its clinical implementation feasible." Nonfunctional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, while rare, are primarily treated through surgery. The presence or absence of lymph node metastasis considerably influences the selection of surgical and other treatment approaches. Particularly controversial is the necessity of surgery for tumors smaller than 2 cm as current clinical guidelines provide no clear consensus. Existing methods for preoperative diagnosis of lymph node metastasis are inadequate. To address the aforementioned challenge, the Tsukuba team has created a predictive model by integrating radiomics features extracted from CT and MRI images using artificial intelligence deep-learning techniques. This model has demonstrated an 89% success rate in predicting lymph node metastasis, a rate that rises to 91% when the model is validated with data from an external hospital. Furthermore, the performance of the model remains consistent, irrespective of the tumor size being larger or smaller than 2 cm. In conclusion, the model can help predict lymph node metastasis. Moreover, the model equips surgeons with a crucial tool for selecting the most appropriate surgical procedures and treatment strategies, potentially transforming patient outcomes in the challenging medical field. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP22K20814; the Rare Tumor Research Special Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82141104) and Clinical Research Special Project of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (202340123). Researchers from two Lithuanian universities have developed a patient-safe monitoring technology to identify and manage individual factors provoking atrial fibrillation. The technology is a result of successful collaboration of Kaunas University of Technology Biomedical Engineering Institute (KTU BMEI) and Vilnius University (VU) Santaros Clinics. Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), diagnosed in 33 million people worldwide. Due to a rapidly aging population, it is estimated that the prevalence of this condition will increase two-fold in the coming decades. It is therefore important to diagnose and treat atrial fibrillation in time, as it can eventually lead to serious complications such as stroke. The disease usually starts with self-terminating so-called "paroxysmal episodes", which, if recognized in time, can be treated by non-medication means. Smart bracelet for heart rhythm monitoring already developed These episodes may be different for each patient: for some, they may last for a short period of time and recur infrequently, for others the episodes can be longer and more frequent. Untreated atrial fibrillation eventually develops into persistent condition, which is more complicated to treat. For more than 10 years, the researchers at KTU BMEI have been working in the field of atrial fibrillation monitoring technology development, and the result of their efforts are globally new technological solutions. We are focusing on developing technologies, which are needed for the public and contemporary medicine. For example, due to the prevalence of this condition, every person older than 65 should be checked for atrial fibrillation. Non-invasive, compact wearable devices is an attractive solution for monitoring the health status of such high-risk groups." Vaidotas Marozas, the Director of KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute (BEI) Several years ago, KTU researchers developed a smart bracelet with an algorithm that can identify atrial fibrillation. This bracelet has been used together with other devices in the TriggersAF project funded by the EU Structural Funds. A link between atrial fibrillation and insomnia observed The aim of the project is to develop and test methods that allow patients to identify their individual arrhythmia triggers. From the scientific literature it is known that for some patients, atrial fibrillation episodes can be provoked by certain modifiable factors such as alcohol, increased physical activity, stress, sleep disturbances. Identifying and avoiding individual factors would help determine nonpharmaceutical intervention methods to arrhythmia management. As the project addresses a clinical problem, it was important to have on board clinicians with clinical experience who deal with atrial fibrillation every day. One of them is Justinas Bacevicius, a cardiologist at VU Santaros Clinic. "Although we see a wide variety of atrial fibrillation patients in our hospital, two types can be distinguished. First group include older, overweight, diabetic, hypertensive patients or those having sleep apnoea. The second group are the complete opposite - often they are young, professional sportspersons, businesspeople or performers who are experiencing a lot of stress," says Bacevicius. He says that the data from the patients suggests a link between the onset of arrhythmia and sleep disorders. Interestingly, even in patients who are not diagnosed with sleep apnoea, a correlation between snoring during sleep and the onset of atrial fibrillation in the morning or later in the day has been identified. A unique databased developed There were no objective methods to identify the individual factors influencing the arrhythmia in patients. KTU BMEI researchers in collaboration with cardiologists from VU Santara Clinic and their long-term partner Leif Sornmo from Lund University in Sweden have proposed one. It assumes that arrhythmia parameters, such as the relative duration of an episode, increase after an arrhythmia-provoking factor. "The essence of our proposed approach is that the patient uses a wearable bio signal-recording device for a set monitoring period, e.g. two weeks, and enters potential triggers for atrial fibrillation into a mobile app. For the next two weeks, the patient avoids the identified potential triggers and the relation is assessed by an equation proposed by KTU BMEI researcher Dr Andrius Petrenas. If a correlation between the influencing factor and the occurrence of arrhythmia is detected, the patient is advised to avoid the specific identified factor," explains Vilma Plusciauskaite, a PhD student at KTU and a junior researcher of the project. The project's database is the first of its kind in the world: in includes the recorded patients' physiological signals, such as electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram, and potential arrhythmia provoking factors entered in a patient's mobile app. The database collected by the researchers allowed them to test the developed method and identify arrhythmia-provoking factors in individual patients. The project leader, Prof Marozas, is delighted with the success of the project, which will allow further development of the technology. "The database generated by the project is a unique result. We have managed to interest an international consortium funded by the European Metrology Association in this data. This consortium has invited us to join their new project as a partner and we will continue our work," says Marozas, the Head of KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute. Patient-friendly solutions are key The lack of technology to individually identify arrhythmia provoking factors is probably also due to the fact that the monitoring of potential factors has been inconvenient for the patient, for example, the patient is burdened with various sensors and other methods of observation. Or, they may be asked to fill in numerous questionnaires to identify the factors, which are inherently subject to recall bias, where the patient simply forgets about a potential arrhythmia provoking factor or is reluctant to acknowledge the presence of certain factors, e.g. alcohol consumption. "Certain influencing factors for arrhythmia, such as increased exercise, stress or sleep disturbances, can be identified from physiological signals by the dedicated algorithms. However, other influencing factors, such as alcohol consumption, are difficult to identify in the signals, so it is best if the patient has the opportunity to indicate when he or she consumed alcohol," says Plusciauskaite. The proposed technology does not force the patient to wear uncomfortable sensors - a smart bracelet, which has already become an essential accessory for many, is enough. The potential arrhythmia triggers are entered by the patient on the mobile app, in the provided smartphone. It is hoped that in the future, identifying these arrhythmia triggers will only require a smart bracelet incorporating complementary sensors and signal processing algorithm. Every year, wildfires across the western U.S. and Canada send plumes of smoke into the sky. When that smoke blows into southwestern Idahos Treasure Valley, it blankets Boise-area residents in dirty air. They include seniors living in long-term care facilities, many of whom are considered an at-risk population for smoke exposure because of respiratory or cardiac diseases. An astonishing amount of smoke gets inside these facilities, said Luke Montrose, an environmental toxicologist and researcher at Colorado State University. Data from monitors Montrose installed in four Idaho long-term care facilities in 2020 showed that large amounts of smoke pollution recorded outside during wildfire season seeped into the facilities. One building let in 50% of the particulate matter outside; another, 100%. In some cases, Montrose said, it was no better to be inside than to be outside during those smoke events. That's why Montrose has spent the past few years installing more monitors in care facilities across Idaho and Montana. The study is expanding into Colorado this summer. Understanding and addressing how wildfire smoke affects indoor air quality could help better treat the roughly 1.4 million seniors who live in more than 15,500 Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes nationwide and nearly a million more who live in assisted living facilities. It may be a game-changer for quality of care, said Robert Vande Merwe, executive director of the Idaho Health Care Association. Vande Merwe helped persuade facilities to join Montroses study. Although residents of the western U.S. have lived with smoky summers for decades, the fallout from wildfires is becoming a nationwide issue. Smoke from blazes in eastern Canada barreled into the densely populated Northeast and Midwest last June, making the skies above Toronto, New York, Chicago, and much of the Atlantic Coast glow an eerie orange. More than 120 million people were under air quality alerts. As wildfires increase in size, intensity, and duration, fueled by a combination of climate change and forest mismanagement, the smoke they generate will likely affect more people. "We're going to see more and more smoke events that reach further across the U.S. and across the world," said Savannah D'Evelyn, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Washington who studies wildfire smoke and its effects on health. She was not involved in Montrose's study. Air pollution from wildfire smoke a brew of pollutants, water vapor, and fine debris is a growing public health problem. Tiny particles known as PM 2.5 are small enough to embed deep into people's lungs and, sometimes, infiltrate their bloodstream. Research has shown PM 2.5 can cause asthma and respiratory inflammation or jeopardize lung function, and the particles have been tied to some cancers. They are especially dangerous for children and people with preexisting heart or lung conditions including seniors, the focus of Montrose's work. I think honing in on this particular community that is really quite impacted by smoke exposure on the health side of things is really great, DEvelyn said. Its a gap that needs to be addressed. For years, public health officials have told people to go inside on bad air quality days, even though, without testing and filtration, indoor air quality often isnt much better than what's outside. Although skilled nursing facilities follow numerous federal regulations to participate in the Medicaid and Medicare programs covering anything from building safety features, like fire sprinklers, to residents rights indoor air quality isn't addressed. "There really aren't any regulatory standards for indoor air quality, broadly, in any country that I'm aware of," said Katherine Pruitt, national senior director for policy at the American Lung Association. Without the few indoor air quality monitors in the study, long-term care facility managers or operators might check their local air quality index, or AQI, on their smartphones weather app or by watching the news. But air quality monitors dont always provide accurate information about the air outside, let alone inside a building. Rural areas are particularly underserved by air quality monitors. According to Montrose, 25% to 30% of skilled nursing facilities in the Mountain West are more than 30 miles from a regulatory-grade monitor. Indoor air quality monitoring is rare outside of studies like Montrose's. Thats why Montrose is on a quest to get more air quality monitors placed inside facilities. In 2019, he contacted more than 80 Boise-area nursing and assisted living facilities to gauge interest and concern about wildfire smoke. In 2020, he collected data from indoor and outdoor air quality monitors at four nursing homes two in the Boise area, others in northern and eastern Idaho. The monitors recorded particulate air pollution inside one facility nearly 17 times what's considered healthy. In 2021, data collected from six facilities from July to October four in Idaho and two in the Missoula, Montana, area also showed that in some buildings indoor and outdoor air quality were almost identical on smoky days. Montrose repeated the monitoring at four other southern Idaho facilities last summer. The monitors fed real-time data to a dashboard that people running the nursing homes could see and respond to. Protecting seniors from wildfire smoke is an important piece of wildfire preparedness, yet Montrose acknowledged that conducting research in nursing homes and care facilities has challenges. Unique ethical considerations arise with dementia or Alzheimers patients, who cant give informed consent. Staff turnover makes it hard for researchers like Montrose to establish relationships with facility operators, and asking overburdened nurses or employees to do extra work, like understand and check air quality monitors, can be a nonstarter. Still, Montrose said, people living in long-term care facilities are particularly vulnerable. If we can protect them, theres great benefit to our communities, he said. Some facilities in Idaho have made changes because of the research. Those include a pre-fire season facility checklist to make sure filtering systems are in good shape and that doors and windows are properly sealed. They also share the areas AQI as part of their daily morning safety meetings. Mark Troen, regional maintenance director for 10 Edgewood Healthcare facilities in the Boise area, four of which had monitors last summer, laid out a litany of things he does when the indoor air quality rises past healthy levels: changing air filters to a higher level that traps more particulates, turning off outdoor air intake, and alerting staff to keep doors and windows closed. Anything I can do to keep the residents safe, Im all for, Troen said. Clinical staff members also have identified which residents have respiratory problems or are immunocompromised. In an intense smoke event, those people may get portable air filtration in their rooms for extra protection. Troen plans to install air quality monitors from his own budget once the studys monitors need to be replaced due to age. To actually see in real time what your indoor air quality is is huge, he said. It helps us mitigate some of those problems, rather than waiting until its bad. Anyone can take steps to improve the air theyre breathing during wildfire season. Its pretty easy to clean indoor air, DEvelyn said. HEPA air filters are the gold standard but can cost upward of $100; creating a box fan filter is a cheaper alternative. According to DEvelyn, making even one room in a building a clean air space can make a difference during a wildfire. The American Lung Associations Pruitt said starting policy conversations about regulating indoor air quality faces many barriers, including perceptions of federal overreach. In the absence of federal regulations, Pruitt believes, the most effective actions would likely come from state or local building codes and ventilation standards. "Policymakers should be looking at the steps that need to be taken to protect people from exposure to hazardous levels of smoke or other outdoor pollutants," she said. Montrose is recruiting more nursing homes to install air quality monitors this summer, including additional facilities in Idaho, Colorado, and Montana. Vande Merwe, of the Idaho Health Care Association, said other places in the region like his hometown, Salt Lake City, which is situated where smoke and other pollutants accumulate should take note. Breathing in the best possible air could make a big difference for residents' health and quality of life as they age, he said. Budget 2024 Expectations: With Budget 2024 coming up soon, the Indian real estate sector is buzzing with expectations. Its important to note that Februarys budget will likely be an interim budget due to upcoming elections. While major policy changes might be limited, they can still set the tone for the full budget presented by the next government. Also Read: Budget 2024 Expectations: Affordability Top Priority For Real Estate, Know Key Demands Remember, these are just some of the expectations. The actual measures announced in the budget could be different. Regardless, the real estate sector remains hopeful for favourable policies that stimulate growth and benefit both developers and homebuyers. Heres a breakdown of some key expectations: Home Loan Cap From Rs 2 lakhs To Rs 5 lakhs Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan, director group promoters office, MD & CEO, Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate (SPRE) said as we approach 2024, the real estate sector is at a crucial point, anticipating opportunities beyond conventional boundaries. With signs of pre-pandemic stability, the industry is poised for sustained growth. While acknowledging the governments efforts, we propose targeted measures in the upcoming Union Budget to unlock the sectors full potential. We urge the government to consider our primary request, which is a significant increase in the home loan cap from Rs 2 lakhs to Rs 5 lakhs annually. This would not only incentivise homebuyers but also boost industry revenue, Gopalakrishnan added. Capital Gains Tax Gopalakrishnan also advocated for a reduction in long-term capital gains tax, waiving notional rent on second properties, and aligning the income tax rate with corporate rates at around 25 per cent. To revive the sector, the government should focus on affordable housing. We propose to reduce GST rates and interest subventions for affordable housing. Single window clearance for the sector has been pending for a long time. We hope to see it granted in this years budget, Gopalakrishnan urged. Industry Status Gopalakrishnan also demanded the industry-wide call for granting industry status to the residential sector, aligning with the governments vision of housing for all. Section 80C Limit Gopalakrishnan also highlighted supportive measures, including NAREDCOs appeal for a Rs 50,000 crore fund, which will also align with the governments vision of housing for all and could significantly fortify the sectors trajectory. The budget is a chance to redefine affordability as the diverse locations demand different price caps instead of uniformity. Recognising changing investment dynamics, we suggest expanding Section 80C limits for millennials and Gen-Z homebuyers, Gopalakrishnan said. GST, ITC & CLSS Scheme Pradeep Aggarwal, founder and chairman, Signature Global (India), also emphasised the long-overdue grant of industry status to the real estate sector. Urging the extension of Infrastructure status to affordable housing, we advocate for a solution where the sector receives input tax credit benefits and reduced GST rates on construction materials reduced to single digits, Aggarwal urged. Aggarwal also underlined the need for the government to institute a Single Window Clearance system for expeditious project execution. Furthermore,he added that the government should relaunch the CLSS scheme, expanding affordable housing criteria to Rs 75 lakhs and increasing the carpet area to 90 square metres. These strategic measures are envisioned to fortify the real estate sector and contribute significantly to the nations economic resurgence. Artificial Intelligence Adoption Sanjeev Bhandari, founder & CEO, AirBrick Infra, said, We look forward to policies that propel digital transformation and artificial intelligence adoption. Anticipating increased budgetary allocations for skilling programs, the industry expects a focus on developing a robust talent pool. Additionally, incentives for businesses investing in AI research and development, coupled with measures to ensure ethical AI practices, are eagerly awaited. A balanced approach to regulation, fostering innovation while addressing potential risks, is paramount. The industry hopes the budget will reflect a commitment to positioning the nation as a global leader in the responsible and beneficial application of transformative technologies. Energy Efficient Sector Sourabh Bansal, co-founder & MD, Magicrete, said, Our expectations align with the urgent need for sustainability and energy efficiency. The construction sectors impact on global carbon emissions underscores the necessity for transformative measures. We advocate for the introduction of financial incentives and subsidies, such as reduced GST rates, tax credits, or grants, to encourage the production and utilisation of green building materials. The governments commitment to reducing emissions intensity aligns with our plea for substantial investments in research and development for sustainable technologies in construction. Budget 2024 Date: The Union Budget 2024, which will be an interim budget, is set to be presented on Thursday, February 1, 2024. A pro-vice chancellor of Jadavpur University was injured as he was caught in a scuffle between ABVP members and security guards of the varsity on Monday, after the authorities stopped live-streaming of the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Ayodhya inside the campus. Around 50 members of the RSS student wing were present when the programme was telecast live. They got infuriated as it was stopped and they started chanting Jai Shri Ram slogans, an official said. Pro-VC Amitabha Dutta asked the students to keep quiet but they refused and in the melee, he and a security guard suffered minor injuries. When contacted, Dutta did not want to speak on the issue. Students Federation of India (SFI), one of the majority student unions in the university, staged a protest rally and held a seminar where speakers denounced any attempt to change history and divide society by the fascist regime. A university official said the institute has nothing to do with any programme held by any group if that does not affect peace on the campus or violates the academic ambience. The semester exams took place smoothly. We cant comment on any programme held by any student outfit, he said. The All Bengal University Teachers Association (ABUTA) in a letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Education Minister Bratya Basu, and Governor CV Ananda Bose voiced concern on attempts to hold religious activities on the campus which violates the secular spirit and has no relation with education and public interest. ABUTA spokesperson in JU Goutam Maity said it was heartening the way JU stakeholders foiled the attempts by fascist forces to foment trouble on the campus. The Common Entrance Exam for Design (CEED) 2024 and Undergraduate Common Entrance Exam for Design (UCEED) 2024 answer keys have been released by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Candidates are allowed to raise objections to the answer key till January 25, up to 5 pm. Candidates who took the exams can check the answer keys by visiting the respective official websites ceed.iitb.ac.in, and uceed.iitb.ac.in. Based on the objections raised, the final answer keys will be released on January 31. Following this, the CEED 2024 results will be announced on March 6, while the UCEED 2024 results will be declared on March 8. The exams were held on January 21, Sunday, from 9 am to 12 pm. CEED, UCEED 2024: How to Check Answer Key Step 1- Visit the official websites of UCEED or CEED. Step 2 On the homepage, click on the answer key link. Step 3 The answer key will open in a PDF format. Step 4 Download and save the form for further use. CEED, UCEED 2024: How to Raise Objection to Answer Key Candidates who want to raise an objection to the answer key may do so by clicking on the question number they wish to challenge. They must also provide substantial documents to support their challenge and pay the objection fees. Candidates shortlisted in CEED can get admission into Master of Design (MDes) and PhD programmes in design and those selected for UCEED can get admission to the bachelors courses in design. The UCEED and CEED 2024 exams comprise two parts (Part A and B). Part A will be administered via a computer-based test and will involve three sections such as numerical answer type (NAT) questions, multiple select questions (MSQ), and multiple-choice questions (MCQ). IIT Bombay had earlier said that the question papers in the exams are drafted in a way to test students for open, creative, and inquisitive disposition, ability to think critically, and capacity to comprehend and communicate. The Rangavati Centre of Excellence in Cultural and Sustainable Management at the Indian Institute of Management-Sambalpur (IIM-S) was officially opened on January 22 during the 9th PAN IIM World Management Conference (WMC) by Union Minister for Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship Dharmendra Pradhan. Pradhan said at the centres unveiling on the first day of the PAN IIM World Management Conference that it will serve as a focal point for maintaining Odishas unique cultural heritage, culinary traditions, dance forms and music. The primary focus of the centre will be on research in art, literature, culture, and history of western Odisha with special emphasis on textiles, he added. Ratnesh Jha, executive director of the UN Global Compact, SN Tripathi, DG of IIPA in New Delhi, and Romal Shetty, CEO of Deloitte, graced the inaugural ceremony. At the event, IIM Jammu director BS Sahay, IIM Kashipur director Kulbhushan Balooni, IIM Nagpur director Bhimaraya Metri, and IIM Trichy director Pawan Kumar Singh were also present. In addition to highlighting the 3Ds disruptionsDigitalization, Decarbonisation, and Democratisation of businessProf Mahadeo Jaiswal, the director of IIM-S, stressed Indias ability to lead the world in digital disruptions by mentioning programmes like UIDAI and UPI. The Rangavati Centre will have an open theatre to showcase the vibrant art and culture of the region. This endeavour underscores our commitment to forge a significant bond with the local community, highlighting the significance of embracing and commemorating regional development and diversity, Jaiswal added. The conference, which ends on January 23, will be attended by directors of 21 IIMs. Participants from a number of IIMs, IITs, NITs, and other management institutes in India and outside are anticipated to attend the event. During the conference, almost one thousand research papers will be presented. Entrepreneurial Innovation and Digital Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth is the theme for this years PAN IIM World Management Conference. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the World Bank (WB) discussed investment projects, CBA Governor Taleh Kazimov wrote on X, Trend reports. "Today, we met with the World Bank delegation at the Central Bank. We addressed the World Bank's present activities in Azerbaijan, ongoing efforts to build the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) (2025-2028), strategic directions covered by the CPF, investment projects, and shared views on development priorities and plans. Furthermore, we addressed collaboration opportunities between the Central Bank and the WB, as well as ongoing technical assistance programs," Kazimov said. Last year, the CBA governor and WB Vice President Antonella Bassani twice held discussions on preparations for the Country Partnership Framework Program (2024-2028), as well as financing of new investment projects. For more than 30 years, Azerbaijan and the World Bank have worked together. Since 1995, the group has provided more than $500 million in support of 56 private sector development projects, resulting in the creation of around 4,000 jobs. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Israeli army on Tuesday said 24 soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its war in Gaza against Hamas since October last year. Twenty-four soldiers were killed on Monday, with army spokesman Daniel Hagari saying 21 of them were reservists slain when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up. At least 217 soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began in late October, including three killed in a separate event Monday, according to the military. What Led to the Deaths? The Israeli military said 21 Israeli soldiers were killed during fighting in southern Gaza. Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said a tank protecting Israeli troops was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), killing two soldiers in the tank. Simultaneously, the blast triggered the explosives, causing both two-story buildings to collapse on the soldiers inside, killing the forces in or near the buildings. The buildings probably exploded because of the mines that our forces laid there, in preparation to demolish them and the infrastructure around, Hagari said, according to CNN. However, the Israeli military said it is still not clear what caused the building explosion. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said the deaths of the soldiers represented one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war. Israel believes Hamas commanders may be hiding in vast tunnel complexes beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the groups top leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, whose location is unknown. Hamas leaders are also believed to be using hostages as human shields, further complicating any rescue efforts. Focus on Khan Younis Recently, the Israeli militarys main focus has been in southern Gaza, with intense fighting in the city of Khan Younis. The IDF said Tuesday that the city is now surrounded, while the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says nearly 200 people have been killed in the past day. The Israeli military said that the city of Khan Younis has now been surrounded, while the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry says nearly 200 people have been killed in the past day. Deadly Fighting in The Center And South Hamas is believed to have suffered heavy losses but has continued to put up stiff resistance in the face of one of the deadliest air and ground offensives in recent history. Militants are still battling Israeli forces across the territory and launching rockets into Israel. Pressure For A Cease-Fire The growing death toll and dire humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure on Israel to scale back the offensive and agree to a path for the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The United States, which has provided crucial military aid for the offensive, has joined those calls. But Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since Oct. 7 and whose governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties, has rebuffed both demands. Instead, he has said Israel will need to expand operations and eventually take over the Gaza side of the border with Egypt an area where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who have fled from other areas are packed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters and sprawling tent camps. That drew an angry protest from Egypts government, which rejected Israeli allegations that Hamas smuggles in weapons across the heavily guarded frontier. (With inputs from agencies) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced the Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana, a government scheme under which one crore households will get rooftop solar power systems. I have taken my first decision after returning from Ayodhya that our government will launch Pradhan Mantri Suryoday Yojna with the aim to install rooftop solar systems in one crore houses, PM Modi said on X. What is the Pradhan Mantri Suryodaya Yojana? Pradhanmantri Suryodaya Yojana has been launched with the target of installing rooftop solar on 1 crore houses. The scheme will not only reduce the electricity bill of the poor and middle class, but will also make India self-reliant in the energy sector. - pic.twitter.com/GAzFYP1bjV Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 22, 2024 However, no information on a timeline has been given for such installations. The Prime Minister shared photographs of his meeting with officials from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy including the Union Minister RK Singh and Secretary Bhupinder Bhalla. As of July, 2023, only 2.2 GW worth of rooftop installations have been installed in Indian homes, a report in The Hindu said citing information presented to the Lok Sabha. Why Did PM Modi Announce This Scheme? India is the worlds third-largest producer of electricity having a total installed capacity of 356 GW. Of this, around 64 percent comes from thermal energy (54.60 percent from coal, 7 percent from gas and 0.2 percent from diesel), 2 percent from nuclear power, 13 percent from large hydro, and 21.8 percent from renewables (wind, solar, biomass, waste-to-energy). The government is planning to change the trend, with plans to achieve a total of 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, with at least 280 GW of it coming from solar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the country has set its target of producing 50% of its energy needs through non-fossil fuels by the end of this decade. The government also intends to grow EV sales in India to capture the markets of 30 per cent of private cars, 70 per cent of commercial vehicles and 80 per cent of two- and three-wheelers by 2030. PM Modi also announced at COP26 that India would become carbon neutral by 2070. Previous Solar Schemes In 2014, the government launched the Rooftop Solar Programme to expand the rooftop solar installed capacity in the residential sector by providing Central Financial Assistance and incentives to distribution companies. The programme aims to increase rooftop solar installed capacity to 40 GW by 2026 and is currently in its second phase, according to The Indian Express. Indias Push for Green Energy India, with a population of over 1.4 billion, is on the frontline of climate change mitigation. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), India will have to expand its power system in the next two decades in order to meet the growing energy demands and has to tackle toxic air quality in big cities at the same time. Indias green energy ambitions are an aspirational target to show the world that we are moving in the right direction. As of June 2023, India has increased its installed renewable energy capacity to 176.49 GW compared to 115.94 GW in March, 2018. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Parakram Diwas celebrations at the Red Fort in New Delhi on Tuesday evening to mark the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Subhas Chandra Bose. As a part of the celebrations, PM Modi will also launch Bharat Parv, which will be held between January 23 and January 31, to showcase the countrys rich diversity with Republic Day tableaux and cultural exhibits. Greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas. Today on his Jayanti, we honour the life and courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His unwavering dedication to our nations freedom continues to inspire, the Prime Minister said in a post on X. What is Parakram Diwas? Parakram Diwas has been celebrated annually since 2021, honouring Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and to inspire people of the country, especially the youth, to act with fortitude in the face of adversity as Netaji did, and to infuse in them a spirit of patriotic fervour. The inaugural event was celebrated at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata. Greetings to the people of India on Parakram Diwas. Today on his Jayanti, we honour the life and courage of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. His unwavering dedication to our nation's freedom continues to inspire. pic.twitter.com/OZP6cJBgeC Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2024 Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose was born in Cuttack (present-day Odisha) on January 23 to Janakinath Bose and Prabhavati Dutt. In a notification, Union Culture Ministry said the government had decided to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary year starting from January 23, 2021 in a befitting manner at national and international level. The decision was also made to commemorate Netaji Subash Chandra Boses 124th birth anniversary and pay tribute to his relentless pursuit of Indias freedom struggle. Parakram Diwas, which translates to Day of Valor or Day of Courage, holds significant importance in honouring Netajis legacy and inspiring generations to come. In 2022, a hologram statue of Netaji was unveiled at India Gate and in 2023, 21 largest unnamed islands of Andaman & Nicobar Islands were named after the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees and a model of National Memorial dedicated to Netaji which was supposed to be built on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, was unveiled. What to Expect This Year? During Parakram Diwas 2024 programme, PM Modi will digitally launch Bharat Parv, being organized by the Ministry of Tourism to showcase the nations diversity with Republic Day Tableaux and cultural exhibits. The nine-day event features 26 Ministries and departments highlighting citizen centric initiatives, Vocal for Local, and diverse tourist attractions. Platform for people worldwide to engage, reflect, and celebrate the resurgent spirit of the nation, this event will take place in the Ram Leela maidan and Madhav das park, in front of Red Fort. The activities will delve into the profound legacy of Netaji, as Bose was known, and the Azad Hind Fauj. Why Red Fort Has Been Chosen? The Red Fort played a crucial role in the saga of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and the Azad Hind Fauj. A museum within the Red Fort is dedicated to preserving and honouring the legacy of Bose and INA, which was also inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in 2019 on Netajis birthday. The names of Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Colonel Shahnawaz Khan, are etched in history as key figures in the Red Fort Trials. Their commitment to Indias freedom struggle led to the infamous Red Fort barracks case, a landmark trial that showcased the unwavering resolve of the Azad Hind Fauj. The Pran Prathistha ceremony at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya yesterday was a massive crowd-puller, with hundreds of devotees thronging the compound Tuesday morning to have the Darshan of Lord Ram Lalla. The Ayodhya administration had to suspend the Darshan until 2 pm in order to contain the crowd as more than 1.5 lakhs devotees reached the temple on the first day, said Gaurav Dayal, Ayodhya Divisional Commissioner. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust issued Darshan timings, and advisory for devotees in order to avoid chaos. Devotees will be allowed to see the idol of Ram Lalla from 7 am to 11.30 am, and 2 pm to 7 pm. The temple will be closed for Darshan from 1 pm to 3 pm daily. As per the guidelines set by the Trust, fruits and milk can be offered to the idol of Lord Ram. The attire of Ram Lalla will vary throughout the week; white on Monday, red on Tuesday, green on Wednesday, yellow on Thursday, pale yellow on Friday, blue on Saturday, and pink on Sunday. On special occasions, they will be adorned in yellow attire. Notably, the temple remains open daily for the Darshan. Day 1 Scene People started pouring in at 3 am on Tuesday, not only from within Ayodhya, but from the neighbouring districts such as Lucknow, Barabanki, Gonda, Bahraich, Unnao and Gorakhpur to catch the glimpse of Ram Lalla. Around 7 am, as the gates of the temple opened, a chaotic situation prevailed, said Rajesh Pandey, a local who reached Ayodhya to see the temple. Barricading was in place to manage the crowd on Tuesday morning. Special crowd management system was put in place. We have formed a special holding area and are releasing the crowd in a controlled manner in order to avoid any chaos at the Ram Temple, said Gaurav Dayal, divisional commissioner, Ayodhya. Inspector General of Police (IG), Ayodhya Praveen Kumar said newly deployed UP Special Forces and other security personnel have been given special instructions to manage the crowd. Our responsibility is to manage the crowd but at the same time we have to be the police as well. The security forces have been strictly told not to be harsh with the devotees and ensure strict management of the crowd, Kumar told News18. In a tragic incident, three railway staffers working on tracks died on the spot after a local train ran over them near Mumbai. The accident took place between Vasai Road and Naigaon on the UP slow line while they were fixing a signalling issue. They had gone to fix some signalling point that failed on Monday evening. The deceased have been identified as chief signalling inspector in Bhayander, Vasu Mitra; electrical signalling maintainer, Somnath Uttam Lambutre and helper Sachin Wankhade, the Western Railways informed in a statement. All of the deceased were from the signalling department of the Mumbai division. The incident occurred at 8.55 pm on Monday between Vasai Road and Naigaon stations when the local was going towards Churchgate, an official of the Government Railway Police (GRP) was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Following the incident, the Western Railway ordered an inquiry into the incident. Meanwhile, the authorities have paid Rs 55,000 each to the family members of the three deceased as immediate relief. The Assam cabinet has decided that it will visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya on February 22. The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Monday. Cabinet extended its heartfelt gratitude to Honble Prime Minister and greetings to the people of India on the auspicious occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla at Ayodhya. The entire Cabinet will pay a solemn visit to Ayodhya on 22 February 2024 for darshan of Ram Lalla, said a post, shared by Sarma on X. The state cabinet also decided to provide land rights to indigenous families across ten districts of the state. Land rights will be given to landless indigenous families in Sonitpur, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Nagaon, Biswanath, Kamrup (Metropolitan), Kamrup, Bongaigaon, Goalpara and Dhubri districts under Mission Basundhara 2.0, the chief minister posted on X. Of these families, 84 per cent belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and More Other Backward Classes, he said. To curb question paper leaks, The Assam Public Examination (Measures for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment) Bill, 2024, was approved by the cabinet. It will be placed before the assembly in the budget session that will begin on February 5. The cabinet also approved setting up a new state university, named Swahid Kanaklata Baruah University at Gohpur, with the draft bill to be placed before the assembly in the next session. The cabinet also approved the release of Rs 400 crore as the second installment to Bodoland Territorial Council for 2023-24 for all-round development of the areas under it. For the seamless promotion of assistant professors of the provincialised colleges, it allowed the extension of the date for the submission of required papers by recommended candidates. The perennial traffic congestion at Dhaula Kuan has been a bother for union minister Nitin Gadkari. Whenever he travels to and from the Delhi airport, he highlights this issue. Talking on similar lines on Tuesday, the minister made a pitch for a ropeway transport system between Delhi and Gurugram up to Manesar to ease the journey for those travelling on the route. Speaking at the Ropeway Expo held at Yashobhoomi Convention Center in Delhis Dwarka locality, the minister of road transport and highways said that while so far ropeways have been used for religious tourism in India, it may be time to explore the mode for urban mass rapid transit as well. Rope trick Gadkari said that the Dhaula Kuan road was designed for only 50,000 passenger car units (PCUs) but it has to deal with 2 lakh PCUs. There is huge traffic in Dhaula Kuan. If we have something that is above the ground then it will ease the traffic on the ground along with checking pollution and helping the people. It will be on a single pillar and take up much less spaceThe ropeway can take 10,000 people per hour, he said while addressing the Expo. The minister went on to say that the cost of building the Metro is Rs 350 crore per kilometre. And in our country, it is not possible to have a Metro everywhere, he said. Later, speaking to News18, Gadkari said that this was just one idea that he shared. He added that the plan is just in his mind and there is nothing on paper yet. I wish that there should be one. It is an idea that is there but nothing on paper has been done so far, he said. Speaking to News18, a ministry official said that they may consider having ropeway connectivity between Hauz Khas in Delhi and Manesar in Haryana. The minister has pitched for it; we will see if we can work on it. All great projects were ideas only at some point of time. This is also the same, said the official. Dhaula Kuan conundrum Those who travel between Delhi airport and the city are aware of the perennial traffic congestion at Dhaula Kuan around the police station there. Gadkari, an MP from Nagpur in Maharashtra and a union minister, travels frequently in and out of Delhi. His complaints about the traffic on this stretch date back to 2014-15. In 2015, he sanctioned a study to find the reasons behind the problem plaguing several parts of the national capital after he was impacted by the jam at Dhaula Kuan. I bang my headas I get stuck quite often at Dhaula Kuan in south-west Delhi for 40-45 minutes while coming from or going to the airport, Gadkari had said in the Lok Sabha. In 2017, he laid the foundation stone of a Rs 270-crore project to make the stretch between Dhaula Kuan and Indira Gandhi International Airport signal-free. The project was completed in 2019. But even after all these efforts, the jams have continued to haunt the minister. I know and travel in Delhi very little. But the stretch around Dhaula Kuan is the part that gives me the most pain whenever I come from the airport. Even yesterday, I was stuck there, he once said. The new idol Ram Lalla, consecrated at the gram Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, will be known as Balak Ram as it depicts the deity as a five-year-old boy in a standing posture. The 51-inch statue of the deity was consecrated on Monday in a grand ceremony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said it marked the advent of a new era. The idol of Lord Ram, whose consecration was done on January 22, has been named as Balak Ram. The reason for naming the idol of Lord Ram as Balak Ram is that he resembles a child, whose age is five years, news agency PTI reported quoting Arun Dixit, a priest associated with the consecration ceremony. The Varanasi-based priest, who has conducted nearly 50-60 consecrations, said, Of all the consecrations (I have) performed so far, this is the most alaukik (divine) and sarvoch (supreme) for me. Dixit, who had the first glimpse of the idol on January 18, said, The first time I saw the idol, I was thrilled and tears started rolling down my face. I cannot explain the feeling I experienced then. Meanwhile, the old idol of Ram Lalla, which was earlier kept in a makeshift shrine, has also been placed in front of the new idol. All About New Idol Of Ram Lalla In Ayodya The azure-coloured idol, crafted by sculptor Arun Yogiraj, is hewn from a three-billion-year-old Krishna Shile (black schist) rock, extracted from Gujjegowdanapura in Jayapura Hobli, HD Kote Taluk of Mysuru. It is a fine-to-medium-grained, sky-blue metamorphic rock, generally called soapstone because of its smooth surface texture and is ideal for sculptors to carve idols. The Krishna Shile was found while levelling the agricultural land of Ramdas (78) and a local contractor, who assessed the quality of the stone, drew the attention of the temple trustees in Ayodhya through his contacts. Yogiraj, who has received effusive praise for his work, said, I have always felt that Lord Ram has been shielding me and my family from all the bad times and I strongly believe that it was Him who chose me for the auspicious task. I spent sleepless nights working on the idol with precision but it was all worth it. I feel I am the luckiest person on Earth and today is the best day of my life. I learnt the art of sculpting from my father. He would have been very proud to see my idol here today, he added. According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra, the ornaments for the idol have been prepared after extensive research and study of texts such as the Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmiki Ramayana, Ramcharitmanas and the Alavandar Stotram. The idol is adorned in Banarasi fabric, featuring a yellow dhoti and a red pataka or angavastram. The angavastram are embellished in pure gold zari and threads, featuring auspicious Vaishnav symbols shankh, padma, chakra and mayur. While the ornaments have been crafted by Ankur Anands Lucknow-based Harsahaimal Shiamlal Jewellers, the garments were created by Delhi-based textile designer Manish Tripathi, who worked from Ayodhya Dham for the project. Rama Lalla idols for the grand temple were made by three sculptors Ganesh Bhatt, Yogiraj and Satyanarayan Pandey. The temple trust said that of the three, one would be placed in the sanctum sanctorum while the other two kept in other parts of the mandir. In a developing maritime situation, the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of a Chinese research vessel XIANG YANG HONG 03 heading towards Male, the capital of Maldives. The ship is similar to the one that operated near Sri Lanka and against which India had expressed objections. Defense sources confirmed to CNN-News18 that the Indian Navy is well aware of the vessels presence and has been monitoring its movement. As of now, no instances of the ship undertaking any type of research activities within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) have been reported, sources said. The Chinese vessel is expected to reach the Maldives within a couple of weeks. Last year, the Sri Lankan government granted a Chinese vessel two days to conduct marine research off the islands west coast under supervision. The islands decision on the Chinese research ship Shi Yan 6 was allowed to work for 48 hours amid concerns that it could be a spy ship. Earlier, Sri Lanka had allowed the vessel to enter the main port of Colombo only for replenishments over concerns that the craft could be used to spy against them. In the past as well, India has had raised concerns about Chinas increasing presence in the Indian Ocean and its influence in Sri Lanka, which is strategically placed halfway along the key east-west international shipping routes. Another Chinese research vessel, Yuan Wang 5, which specialised in spacecraft tracking, visited Sri Lanka in 2022. It docked in Hambantota, a port in Sri Lankas south under a 99-year lease to the Chinese company after Colombo failed to service a USD 1.4 billion loan taken for the project. China owns 52 percent of Sri Lankas bilateral debt, and Beijings approval is crucial for any efforts by Colombo to restructure its outstanding loans. INDIAN NAVY ENHANCES MARITIME SECURITY Just earlier this month, the Indian Navy deployed over ten warships in a bid to intensify its maritime presence in the region starting from the north and central Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Aden to deter any piracy attempts and drone strikes. The deployment of the warships also came with the presence of Marine Commandos (MARCOS). Officials had noted that the Indian Navy is the resident power of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and will do whatever it can to safeguard the national interest of India and make the region free, fair, and open for global trade. Last year, amid the escalating threat of piracy and drone attacks on commercial ships, the Navy had already deployed INS Kochi, INS Kolkata, INS Mormugao along with INS Chennai and multi-role frigates INS Talwar and INS Tarkash. Dornier and helicopters were also deployed for maritime surveillance and security purposes. The Indian Navy has been constantly working in close coordination with the Coast Guard to ensure effective surveillance of the Indian EEZ. Uttar Pradesh has successfully implemented a network of 100,000 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras as part of the Smart City Mission. The initiative, spearheaded by the Urban Development Department in collaboration with the Home Department, focuses particularly on safety of women, children and the elderly. The effort is part of enhancing the overall infrastructure and security apparatus of the state. As per the state government, all 100,000 CCTV cameras have been strategically installed across 17 municipal corporations and Gautam Buddha Nagar and integrated into the comprehensive Safe City Project. This deployment will ensure round-the-clock surveillance, providing a robust security net for the citizens of Uttar Pradesh. As per the government, the implementation of this extensive CCTV network not only acts as a deterrent to potential criminal activities, but also provides a sense of security for women, children and the elderly. Amrit Abhijat, Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department, emphasized the significance of the Safe City project within the broader framework of the Smart City Mission. He stated that beyond the infrastructural improvements, the initiative is a testament to the states commitment to safeguarding its residents. He also expressed confidence that the Safe City project would play a pivotal role in establishing Uttar Pradesh as the safest state in the country. The heart of this security network lies in the Smart Citys Integrated Command and Control Center and Integrated Traffic Management System. All 100,000 cameras are centrally monitored, enabling real-time responses to incidents. It was said that this centralised approach enhances the efficiency of the security systems across cities, ensuring swift action and improved overall safety. The timing of this initiative takes on particular importance with the recent influx of thousands of devotees to Ayodhya following the historic Pran Pratishtha ceremony on January 22. It was stated that the Safe City project has been instrumental in guaranteeing a secure and pleasant experience for these devotees, demonstrating a broader commitment to the safety and well-being of citizens throughout the state. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) has fined non-commercial organizations (NCOs) City Finance LLC and Ideal Kredit, as well as Embafinans CJSC and their officials a total of 66,500 manats ($39,000), Trend reports via CBA. Citing the CBA, the financial sanction was given under Article 598.1.2 of the Code of Administrative Misdemeanors in connection with a violation of legislation aimed at combatting money laundering and terrorism funding during a comprehensive inspection undertaken by the structure. According to the CBA, Khatai District Court fined "City Finance" LLC 20,000 manat ($11,700) and its executive officer 2,000 manat ($1,175), Narimanov District Court fined "Ideal Kredit" LLC 20,000 manat ($11,700) and its executive officer 2,500 manat ($1,469), and Yasamal District Court fined "Embafinans" CJSC 20,000 manat ($11,700) and its executive officer 2,000 manat ($1,175). Stay up to date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel KERALA LOTTERY STHREE SAKTHI SS-399 RESULT ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Sthree Sakthi Lottery SS-399 lucky draw for Tuesday, January 23. Check the district-wise full list of winning numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Result Today LIVE: Sthree Sakthi SS-400 WINNERS for January 30, 2024; First Prize Rs 75 Lakh! FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR STHREE SAKTHI SS-399 LOTTERY WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE WORTH RS 8,000 ARE SA 637137 SB 637137 SC 637137 SD 637137 SE 637137 SF 637137 SG 637137 SH 637137 SJ 637137 SL 637137 SM 637137 WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE WORTH RS 75 LAKH IS SK 637137 (KOLLAM) Agent Name: SAHEER S Agency No: Q 2218 WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE WORTH RS 10 LAKH IS SB 203459 (KOLLAM) Agent Name: J K ENTERPRISES Agency No: Q 3518 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE WORTH RS 5,000 ARE 1130 1178 1572 2213 2324 3196 3361 3603 3634 3914 5340 5396 5630 7451 7534 7868 8279 9948 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE WORTH RS 2,000 ARE 0238 2964 3032 3510 4766 6013 6805 7108 7853 8093 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE WORTH RS 1,000 ARE 0573 1292 2289 2639 2680 2825 3446 4427 4618 5058 5368 5721 6035 6073 6459 6808 7562 8698 8928 9404 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE WORTH RS 500 ARE 0082 0575 0579 0620 1073 1303 1315 1379 1388 1678 1775 2049 2573 3066 3289 3329 3338 3396 3538 3691 4009 4215 4309 4380 4876 5029 5697 5814 5835 5863 6149 6176 6269 6289 6564 6616 6864 7013 7052 7245 7273 7307 7832 7967 8695 8731 8943 8947 8973 9283 9302 9886 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE WORTH RS 200 ARE 0063 0177 0346 0363 0674 0741 1280 1592 2090 2218 2613 3163 3422 3582 4043 4518 4592 4620 4916 4944 5031 5220 5239 5435 5664 6070 6141 6296 7031 7300 7392 7529 7552 7713 8026 8258 8422 8626 8645 9083 9121 9268 9580 9735 9861 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 8TH PRIZE WORTH RS 100 ARE 0161 0245 0306 0411 0440 0445 0523 0580 0592 0705 0759 0797 0878 0936 0946 1070 1156 1240 1259 1268 1294 1339 1372 1681 1704 1787 1893 2135 2139 2151 2179 2188 2202 2239 2247 2259 2349 2371 2456 2516 2525 2543 2585 2781 2942 3051 3308 3405 3411 3414 3430 3442 3458 3758 3921 3986 4028 4270 4277 4329 4360 4375 4444 4543 4607 4802 4812 4892 4987 5014 5056 5078 5128 5148 5162 5165 5277 5286 5676 5960 6116 6159 6357 6391 6470 6523 6577 6599 6689 6827 6968 6998 7042 7053 7163 7235 7303 7337 7472 7477 7496 7680 7960 7981 8001 8185 8212 8277 8322 8546 8559 8583 8643 8805 8874 8960 8970 9003 9027 9161 9173 9231 9480 9596 9806 9960 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT: STHREE SAKTHI SS-399 PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 75 lakh 2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakh 3rd Prize: Rs. 5,000 4th Prize: Rs. 2,000 5th Prize: Rs. 1,000 6th Prize: Rs. 500 7th Prize: Rs. 200 8th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 HOW TO VERIFY KERALA STHREE SAKTHI SS-399 LOTTERY RESULTS? To verify their ticket numbers and authenticate the Sthree Sakthi SS-399 lottery results, individuals have the option to either visit the official website of the Kerala Lottery Department at www.keralalottery.info or personally go to the designated location. HOW TO COLLECT YOUR PRIZE MONEY? To determine if they have won, individuals can check their ticket numbers in the Kerala Government Gazette against the announced winning numbers. Prize eligibility is confirmed if their numbers match. Winners must claim their prize within 30 days of the results announcement by visiting the Kerala lottery office in Thiruvananthapuram. For the verification process, they need to present the winning ticket along with appropriate identification. Xmas New Year Bumper BR-95 Lucky Draw Tomorrow on Jan 24; First Prize Rs 20 Crore The Kerala State Lottery Department will hold Xmas New Year Bumper BR-95 lucky draw on 24 January 2024. The winner of the first prize will get Rs 20 crore. You can try your luck by purchasing ticket worth just Rs 400 from an authorised agent in stae state. The tickets will be available in 10 series XA, XB, XC, XD, XE, XG, XH, XJ, XK, XL. Xmas New Year Bumper BR-95 Lottery Prize Structure Illegal constructions were demolished using bulldozers in Mumbais adjacent Mira Road area on Tuesday, where the situation has been tense since Sunday following the clash between two communities after a procession was taken out to mark the opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Heavy security has been deployed in the Naya Nagar area of Mira Road, with Mumbai Police, Palghar Police, Thane Rural Police, RAF (Rapid Action Force), MSF (Maharashtra Security Force) and state reserve police force (SRPF) patrolling the area. As per sources, properties related to the accused, involved in clashes over the last two days, are being demolished. 13 Arrested, Over 20 Properties Demolished Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said 13 persons were arrested for an alleged assault on a group taking out a vehicle rally in Mira Bhayander area adjoining Mumbai on the eve of the Ram Temple idol consecration in Ayodhya. All unauthorised properties, places related to the accused, will be demolished. Five JCBs were called in. Three of them were used. A total of 20-22 illegal structures were demolished. These were roadside structures on footpaths. Some were make-shift food stalls. Demolition drive has stopped for the day, said sources. What Happened In Mira Road The violence broke out in the Naya Nagar area on Sunday when several cars and bikes, carrying saffron flags with Jai Shri Ram written on them, were attacked with stones. The clash between members of two communities took place during a vehicle rally in the Naya Nagar area at around 10:30 pm on Sunday in which 10-12 participants in three cars and an equal number of vehicles were shouting slogans praising Lord Ram. However, when some of them burst firecrackers, a group of people came out of their houses and thrashed those taking part in the rally with sticks and also attacked their vehicles, he said. The police intervened quickly and the attackers were dispersed, following which an FIR was registered at Naya Nagar police against the attackers under Indian Penal Code section 307 (attempt to murder) and other offences. However, in the second incident of violence in Thane district in less than 24 hours on Monday, another procession that was taken out in the Naya Nagar police station limits, on the occasion of the Ram temple idol consecration in Ayodhya, was again pelted with stones by miscreants. An unspecified number of processionists and policemen providing security to the march were injured in the stone attack in the Mira Road area. Videos of the incidents from Sunday evening and Monday afternoon also went viral on social media. After the incident, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis asserted there would be zero tolerance against anyone who tried to disturb the law and order situation in the state and they would be punished severely. At least six of the 14 persons aboard a Myanmar military aircraft were injured after it skidded off the runway at Mizorams Lengpui airport on Tuesday. The aircraft was sent to bring back the soldiers who had taken refuge in the northeastern state amid rebel group troubles in their nation. Mizorams Director General of Police (DGP) said that the injured persons have been admitted to the Lengpui hospital for treatment. #WATCH | Mizoram: Six people were injured after a plane from the Burmese Army crashed at Lengpui airport. 14 people were on board with the pilot. The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital: Mizoram DGP pic.twitter.com/aVscbDDoY4 ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 Lengpuis table top runway famous for being a challenging landing area led to this incident. India on Monday sent back 184 Myanmarese soldiers, who last week fled to Mizoram amid gunfights with an ethnic rebel group, to their own country. Confirming this, an Assam Rifles official said that a total 276 Myanmarese soldiers had entered the northeastern state last week. The soldiers were flown from the Lengpui airport, in Myanmar air force planes, to Sittwe in the state of Rakhine. The remaining 92 soldiers were meant to be repatriated on Tuesday. On January 17, the Myanmarese soldiers entered the Bandukbanga village, at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction, in Mizorams southernmost district of Lawngtlai with arms and ammunition. Following this, they approached the Assam Rifles. The soldiers had to escape from their country after their camp was taken over by Arakan Army fighters. An official said that these soldiers were then taken to an Assam Rifles camp nearby at Parva and later most of them were shifted to Lunglei. They were under the supervision of the Assam Rifles since then, the official added. The soldiers were brought to Aizawl over the weekend so that they could be sent back to Myanmar. Their group, consisting of 36 officers and 240 lower-rank personnel, is headed by a colonel, officials noted. So far, as many as 635 Myanmarese soldiers have fled to Mizoram after their camps were overrun and captured by ethnic rebel groups and pro-democratic forces. Of the count, 359 soldiers have been already sent back to their country, officials said. In November last year, 104 Myanmarese Army personnel were to Manipurs Moreh town from different places in Mizoram through Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters, and then repatriated. Mizoram shares a 510 kilometer-long border with Myanmar. (With PTI inputs) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday shared glimpses of the much-celebrated Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Lalla and said that the memories of the temple inauguration will remain in the memories of all Indians for years to come. Taking to his X handle, PM Modi shared a video that wholesomely describes the emotions of each and every Indian who watched the consecration of Ram Lallas idol at the newly-constructed temple in Ayodhya, whether in person or via LIVE telecast. The tears in the eyes of the spectators watching PM Modi walk through the compound of Ram Mandir ahead of the Pran Prathishtha ceremony perfectly narrated the emotions of the 140 crore Indians. What we saw in Ayodhya yesterday, 22nd January, will be etched in our memories for years to come, PM Modi said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). What we saw in Ayodhya yesterday, 22nd January, will be etched in our memories for years to come. pic.twitter.com/8SXnFGnyWg Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2024 With the visuals of the ceremony taking place inside the temple, PM Modi can be heard saying, Sadiyon ki pratiksha ke baad, Ram aa gaye (After years of wait, Lord Ram has finally arrived) Donning a golden kurta and a cream-coloured dhoti, Prime Minister Modi led the rituals of the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ayodhya Ram temple on Monday, January 22. Lakhs of people watched the LIVE telecast of the ceremony. PMs Ram Temple Post on Instagram Crosses 1 Cr Likes On Instagram, PM Modis post on the Ram Temple crossed the momentous figure of 1 crore likes. Ayodhya Ram Temple Opens for Public Today A day after India celebrated the much-awaited Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya, the Ram Janmabhoomi temple opened for the public for darshan from Tuesday, January 23. The gates will remain open to the public from 7 am to 11:30 am and then again from 2 pm to 7 pm. As per the visuals shared by news agency ANI, a large number of devotees were seen waiting for Ram Lallas darshan outside the temple earlier in the morning on Tuesday, the first day after the Pran Pratishtha. The devotees have gathered since 3 am in the morning to offer prayers and have darshan of Ram Lalla. #WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: Devotees gather in large numbers at Shri Ram temple on the first day after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony pic.twitter.com/EGo9yr9sXS ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 The Ram Lalla idol was unveiled by PM Modi on Monday, in the presence of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat and nd Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Chat groups on messaging apps that had been dormant for the past year have been reactivated by terror outfits to spread inciting messages and threats on the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, top intelligence sources told News18. The frequency of such chatter on messaging platforms increased closer to the Pran Pratishtha or consecration ceremony of the temple on January 22, they added. The call to prepare for 2024 by leaders of terror groups has set off alarm bells within central intelligence and monitoring agencies, with a top official saying latest analysis has revealed a concerning surge in activities across various messaging mobile applications, particularly among old groups that had been relatively inactive for the past year. Suddenly, these groups are reinvigorated, spreading multiple messages inciting violence and framing the construction of Ram Mandir as a declaration of war, the official told News18. Sources said that the most active groups are flooded with messages from Farhatullah Ghori, a declared terrorist with involvement in cases related to the 2002 Akshardham Temple terror attack. Ghori is a key member of proscribed terrorist organizations, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. Currently in Pakistan, Ghori operates on platforms such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and YouTube, using them to radicalise the youth. In October 2020, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs designated him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Last year, the Special Cell arrested one of his suspected handlers in the national capital. Sources in the security grid said various groups with close to 100-200 members, previously dormant, are now actively sending messages on the Ram Mandir. These messages, originating from leaders of terror groups, are of highly sensitive nature, official said. A central cyber agency reportedly conducted an analysis, revealing the resurgence of several groups, and subsequently shared the findings with different agencies for appropriate action. Cognizant of the fact that Ghoris influence extends beyond messaging as he plays a pivotal role in instigating violence and promoting extremist ideologies, intelligence agencies have shared inputs and are coordinating with other agencies to avert any attacks, officials said. The idol of the new Ram Lalla was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, a landmark event led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who also gave a clarion call to go beyond the grand mandirs construction to build the foundation of a strong, capable and divine India of the next 1,000 years. The family members of a schoolboy, who died at a city hospital days after allegedly being thrashed by his seniors, said that the 12-year-old boy wanted to become a fighter pilot. The incident happened at a government school in north Delhis Shastri Nagar area on January 11. The boy succumbed at a hospital on January 20. The post-mortem was conducted on Tuesday. The Delhi government, in a statement said, their heart goes out to the bereaving family who lost their child in a tragic incident. The childs family has demanded stringent action against the accused. Vinod Sharma, the victims grandfather, said, My grandchilds dream was to become a fighter pilot, but our dreams are now shattered. We got his body on Tuesday evening after the post-mortem and we are returning to our home after his cremation. He further said that the family members, including the childs father, had visited the government school more than three times and the school principal assured them of action in the matter. We send our children to school to become good human beings. It was the responsibility of the school teachers and principal to take care of our child, Sharma said. Police said they are waiting for the post-mortem reports to know the actual reason behind the childs death after that they will lodge an FIR. The post-mortem has been conducted and the body was handed over to the family. Legal action would be taken as per the report findings, a senior police officer said. The victims father, Rahul Sharma had said that his son was assaulted by his seniors in the school and he received injuries on his leg. On January 11, when my son, a student of Class VI, returned home from the government school, he was limping and was in extreme pain. I asked him about the matter, but he did not utter anything, Sharma had told PTI over the phone. According to him, the child was taken to a hospital where he was given some medicines and asked to rest for a few days. But his health deteriorated and then the family members took him to another hospital in Rohini where he died on January 20. The victims mother appealed to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to take strict action against the accused. I ask CM Kejriwal to give my son back, whom I had admitted in a government school by trusting you.. I still dont know what happened to my son as there are no CCTV cameras in the school, the mother told PTI Videos. The Delhi government, in the statement, said, The alleged incident took place outside of the schools premises, as parents sought the CCTV footage that has been ascertained. A prompt inquiry has been ordered already in the matter soliciting a report from the committee within two days and a formal report from the head of the school is to be submitted by Tuesday. The Delhi government is actively taking essential measures, including counselling students, to foster a positive state of mind and prevent any potential unforeseen incidents, it said. A Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) in Madhya Pradesh was suspended after two men were beaten up on a road allegedly in his presence for overtaking his vehicle in Umaria district. MP Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday ordered the suspension of the Bandhavgarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) saying such behaviour with the common man in the state will not be tolerated. CM Yadav took to microblogging site X and wrote, I have directed to suspend the Bandhavgarh SDM following the incident of beating of two youths surfaced. It is an unfortunate incident. There is a government of good governance in the state. Such behaviour with the common man in the state will not be tolerated. Quoting officials, a PTI report said police have registered a case against Bandhavgarh SDM Amit Singh, tehsildar Vinod Kumar, SDMs driver Narendra Das Panika and tehsildars assistant Sandeep Singh in connection with the incident that took place on the outskirts of Umaria town on Monday evening. A video of the incident purportedly showing two men being beaten up in the presence of the SDM surfaced on social media. The video showed the men surrounded by a group of people including the SDM and being beaten up with sticks. One of the victims, Prakash Dahiya, who sustained injuries on his head and elsewhere, claimed in his complaint that people sitting in the vehicle with SDM written on it got out and thrashed him and another occupant Shivam Yadav for overtaking. The SDM earlier denied that the two men were assaulted in his presence, claiming that one of them was driving the car recklessly and was about to hit his official vehicle. He said that his driver somehow avoided a collision between the two vehicles. Amit Singh further denied the involvement of people travelling in his car in the attack on the duo. Civil Line police post in-charge Amar Singh said the accused were booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 294 (obscene act in a public place), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention). (With PTI inputs) Your house is a reflection of your style and individuality, not merely a place to live. The realm of home decor is like a blank canvas just ready to be painted with creativity and innovation. In the ever-evolving world of home decor, ceramics have become a classic and sophisticated option that combines luxury and dining delight. Delve into the contemporary shifts within the ceramic industry as Deepak Agarwal, Director, Clay Craft unveils the latest trends: Wabi Sabi: Embracing Imperfection Wabi Sabi, the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection, has become a prevailing trend in the world of ceramics. This aesthetic and philosophical concept appreciates the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and simplicity. Influencing various art forms, including traditional Japanese tea ceremonies, pottery, and design, the trend has now penetrated the likings of Indian consumers as well. The asymmetry in the shapes and the subtle color variations within the set contribute to its imperfect charm. This imperfection is not seen as a flaw but rather as a unique and beautiful characteristic, that adds depth and authenticity to the dining table. Color Blocking: Vibrant and Striking Color blocking is a design trend that involves pairing solid blocks of contrasting colors to create a vibrant and striking visual impact. The trend that has transcended fashion into the realm of home decor is beautifully captured in Clay Crafts Vibes Casserole Set. The use of color blocking in ceramic tableware aligns with contemporary design trends. It appeals to individuals who appreciate modern aesthetics and want their table settings to reflect a sense of vibrancy and energy. Pastels: Soft Elegance for Every Occasion Soft pastels continue to dominate the design landscape, bringing an air of tranquility and elegance to any setting. Pastels are known for their gentle and understated charm. When incorporated into tableware, they bring a sense of subtle elegance to the dining table. Clay Crafts Urmi Royal Velvet Dinner Set, exemplifies this trend with its delicate pastel shades. The set beautifully embraces the popularity of pastel shades, featuring soft pinks, blues, greens, and yellows that collectively create an atmosphere of delicacy and refinement. The gentle tones evoke a sense of nostalgia, adding a touch of warmth and charm to the table. This makes the dinner set an excellent option for those looking to create a vintage-inspired theme, where the soft pastels seamlessly blend with the nostalgic ambiance. Bold Borders: Framing Culinary Masterpieces Whether you are presenting a delectable entree or a delightful dessert, Bold Borders serves as the ideal canvas for displaying your culinary creations. Against its crisp white backdrop, your dishes truly come to life, framed by charming outlines that gracefully dance along the edges. These organic white plates not only stack with ease but also impart a playful touch to your dining experience through their subtle yet impactful outline design. Gingham: Classic Patterns for Modern Times In the ever-evolving world of design, the timeless charm of gingham patterns has resurfaced as a popular trend in ceramic tableware, seamlessly bridging the gap between classic aesthetics and contemporary tastes. Gingham, with its distinctive crisscross pattern, traditionally associated with rustic and nostalgic themes, has found a renewed place in modern table settings, bringing a touch of familiarity and warmth to the dining experience. Clay Crafts Director Hilton Coffee Tea Mugs with their charming plaid pattern, add a touch of nostalgia to your beverage enjoyment. These mugs seamlessly blend the classic with the contemporary, offering a perfect balance of tradition and modernity. Personalization: A Touch of Uniqueness Personalized ceramic tableware with engraved messages, significant dates, or even family crests adds a thoughtful touch, making them ideal for special occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, or housewarmings. The trend taps into the emotional connection individuals have with their tableware, turning everyday items into cherished keepsakes. From bold borders to charming patterns, each piece is not just a functional item but also a statement of contemporary elegance. Embark on a journey where form meets function, and trends are transformed into timeless treasures. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is all set to begin working on a one-of-a kind love story. Buzz is that the filmmaker is all set to reunite with Alia Bhatt as well as Ranbir Kapoor for his next film. Reportedly, Vicky Kaushal is also in talks for the same project. Its an original love story, and not, Inshallah. A source close to the production house informed Pinkvilla that both Ranbir and Alia heard the narration and loved the story. Alia has in fact signed the dotted lines, and Ranbir is yet to finalize the same. To set things straight, its an original love story and not, inshallah. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has been very keen to take a step back from the period dramas intense tone. He has been looking to make a love story, and this subject has been at the back of his mind for a while now. SLB feels this is the best time to make a love story and is very excited to tap this genre, the source shared. The source further added, Both Ranbir and Alia heard the narration and loved what they heard. While Alia has already signed the dotted lines, the talks with Ranbir are in the advanced stages. On a closing note, the source added, Vicky is of course excited to come on board SLBs film and is figuring out his dates for the later part of the year. Once the dates are sorted, he will sign the dotted lines. Vicky has loved the subject. Bhansali, who was keen on starting work on his ambitious musical drama Baiju Bawra with Ranveer and Alia, will now be reviewing the project later. Reportedly, he is refining the script. SLB is currently shooting for his upcoming series Heera Mandi, which is centered on the courtesans in Indias pre-Independence era. Aditi Rao Hydari, Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Richa Chadha, Sharmin Segal, and Sanjeeda Sheikh feature in the historical drama series, which transports audiences to a time when courtesans reigned as monarchs. Through the stories of courtesans and their clients set against the turbulent backdrop of the Indian Independence struggle in the 1940s, the series investigates the cultural reality of the namesake area of Heera Mandi. Through his last film, Gangubai Kathiawadi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali woke up audiences throughout the world. The movie spent weeks at the top of the global Netflix rankings. Millions of people praised Alia Bhatts acting. Fans from the Middle East, South Korea, Thailand, Japan, and Indonesia all praised the movie. Fans started emulating Alias appearance in the film. Arun Govil, who is known for playing the iconic role of Lord Ram in the iconic television series Ramayan, has expressed disappointment after attending the grand inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. Despite being a guest at the historic event, Arun Govil revealed that he did not have the opportunity to have a darshan at the newly constructed temple. As reported by Bharat 24, Arun was asked about his reaction to the Ram Mandir and the actor said, Sapna toh bhaiya poora ho gaya par mujhe darshan nahi hue. Main kuch nahi keh sakta iss samay (The dream has been fulfilled but I did not get to do darshan. I cant say anything at the moment), he said. Apart from him, many other celebrities were seen attending the event. Photos and videos are going viral from the event on social media. As per Indian Express, after Ramayan, he found it difficult to get versatile roles as an actor. He was seen playing mythological roles in Luv Kush, Vishwamitra and Jai Veer Hanuman. In an interview, he confessed to having a challenging time securing lead roles in movies because of his portrayal of Lord Ram in Ramayan. He said that the response he got from Ramanand Sagars serial led to both good and bad things for him. According to him, he got a lot of respect and honour, but it distanced him from commercial movies. Filmmakers would tell him that the image of Lord Ram was so strong that they had to ponder upon what role to offer him. On January 25, 1987, Ramanand Sagars Ramayan was aired on television across India and took the nation by storm. This was before the cable TVs entry in the market, so Ramayan was telecast on Doordarshan. It is to date one of the most revered series that left the viewers glued to their TV on Sundays. The show was headlined by Arun Govil and Dipika Chikhlia, who essayed the role of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita respectively. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Criteria will be established regarding agreements which may lead to restriction of competition in Azerbaijan, Trend reports. The issue was reflected in the decree, signed today by President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, on the application of the law On approval and entry into force of the Competition Code and related legal regulation, and addressing some relevant matters. The Cabinet of Ministers, within a six-month period, must approve, in agreement with the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, legal acts relating to criteria regarding the mentioned agreements. Deepika Padukone and Hrithik Roshan are gearing up for their upcoming film, Fighter. The much-anticipated flick has generated a lot of hype ever since it was announced. Siddharth Anand and his team are working tirelessly to promote the film. As part of their promotional campaign, Hrithik Roshan and his co-star in the film Anil Kapoor visited the Pune Air Force station and honoured the real-life heroes. A paparazzi handle took to Instagram to share a few photos of Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor during their recent visit to the Pune Air Force Station. The first shot shows both actors crouching down with large smiles on their faces, posing alongside Air Force officers at the base. The second photo shows Hrithik posing next to an aeroplane. There are also photos of youngsters posing with special messages they wrote to real-life heroes. Along with the pictures, the paparazzi page wrote, Hrithik Roshan and Anil Kapoor visited Pune Air Force Station to hand over 15 lakh messages collected from citizens across the nation, expressing gratitude to our brave Air Warriors! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Manav Manglani (@manav.manglani) As part of their promotional campaign called #ThankYouFighter, the team of Fighter film reportedly collected messages from people all over the country appreciating our nations heroes and honouring the spirit and valour of the Indian Air Force. The team received 2.5 lakh handmade #ThankYouFighter letters from students. Meanwhile, the advance booking for Fighter started recently, and the early predictions are quite positive. Siddharth Anands aerial action film features a star-studded cast led by Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone, as well as Anil Kapoor and Karan Singh Grover. Deepika plays Squadron Leader Minal Rathore, also known as Minni in the Air Dragons squad while Hrithik plays Squadron Leader Shamsher Pathania, or Patty. Anil Kapoor plays Group Captain Rakesh Jai Singh, aka Rocky while Karan Singh Grover plays Squadron Leader Sartaj Gill, also known as Taj. The film features Rishabh Sawhney as the tough antagonist. This will be Hrithik and Deepikas first collaboration, where they will carry out adventurous missions and conduct daring acrobatic stunts. The film promises to deliver a powerful action spectacle unlike anything seen on the big screen before. Fighter, directed by Siddharth Anand and produced by Viacom18 Studios in collaboration with Marflix Pictures, exemplifies cinematic experience. The flick hits theatres on January 25, 2024. While the nation rejoiced in the historic Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday, Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff uniquely marked the occasion. The actors, who are currently engrossed in the shooting of their upcoming film Bade Miyan Chote Miyan in Jordan, found a special moment to express their devotion. A video circulating on the internet captures the vibrant celebration on the sets of the film, where the entire cast and crew joined in chanting Jai Shri Ram with unparalleled enthusiasm. In the video, both Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff can be seen at the forefront, jumping together with folded hands, radiating the energy of the auspicious day. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kuldeep Shashi (@kuldeepshashi) Earlier, Akshay Kumar took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message with his fans. Joined by co-star Tiger Shroff, the duo conveyed their greetings with folded hands, expressing the significance of the day for devotees of Lord Ram. Akshay Kumar mentioned in the video, From both our sides, we would like to wish you all on this auspicious day. Jai Shri Ram. Today is an incredibly significant day for devotees of Lord Ram worldwide. After the anticipation of hundreds of years, the day has finally arrived when Ram Lalla is coming to his magnificent home in Ayodhya. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) In the caption, Akshay wrote, Many best wishes to all of you on the auspicious day of Shri Rams Pran Pratishtha. Jai Shri Ram. Several Bollywood celebrities were present in Ayodhya to celebrate the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony on Monday. The star-studded guest list included Kangana Ranaut, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Madhuri Dixit, and Rohit Shetty, among others. Bade Miyan Chote Miyan is an upcoming action thriller directed and written by Ali Abbas Zafar. The storyline follows two individuals, Bade Miyan and Chote Miyan, who possess different personalities. Despite their contrasting traits and unique approaches, they work together to bring wrongdoers to justice and save the day. The film features Akshay Kumar and Tiger Shroff in lead roles, supported by a talented cast including Prithviraj Sukumaran, Sonakshi Sinha, Manushi Chhillar, and Alaya F. Originally slated for a December 2023 release, the movie is now scheduled to hit theaters on Eid 2024. Kangana Ranauts upcoming film Emergency has finally got a new release date. The actress took to her social media handles to announce the new release date of the film on Tuesday, January 23. Sharing a new poster of herself as Indira Gandhi, Kangana revealed that the film is now scheduled to be released on June 14, 2024. Although the films release was postponed to avoid clashes, the new release date now clashes with Kartik Aaryans Chandu Champion. Taking to her Instagram handle, Kangana wrote, Unlock the story behind Indias darkest hour. Announcing #Emergency on 14th June 2024. Witness history comes alive as the most feared & fiercest Prime Minister #IndiraGandhi thunders into cinemas #Emergency in cinemas on 14th June 2024. Kangana has not only essayed the lead but has also directed the film. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kangana Ranaut (@kanganaranaut) The film was earlier supposed to be released in November last year. However, Kangana then announced, Dear friends, I have an important announcement to make, Emergency movie is the culmination of my entire lifes learnings and earnings as an artist. Emergency is not just a film for me, its a test of my worth and character as an individual. The tremendous response that our teaser and other units got from everyone encouraged us all. My heart is full of gratitude and wherever I go people ask me about Emergencys release date. We have announced Emergency release date as 24th November 2023 but because of all the changes in my back-to-back releasing films calendar and over-packed last quarter of 2024, we have decided to shift Emergency to next year (2024). A new release date will be announced soon, please bear with us, your anticipation, curiosity and excitement for the film means a lot Yours truly Kangana Ranaut, she added. The film revolves around the life of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had imposed the Emergency in the country in 1975. It also stars Anupam Kher in the role of opposition leader J P Narayan, Shreyas Talpade as former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Milind Soman as Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. Munnibai Kushwaha, a plum seller in Vidisha, donated Rs 100, while Wasim Rizvi, former chairman of UP Shia Central Waqf Board contributed a sum of Rs 51,000 towards the construction of Shri Ram temple at Ayodhya. The celebration around the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22, 2024, cannot be dismissed merely as a political gimmick but reflects the sentiments of the Bharatvasis across caste, class, gender, and religion as seen in the most successful crowdfunding project. A recent book on Ayodhya and Ram Mandir captures the journey of the Ayodhya movement by associating the reconstruction of temples as a mark of national pride and preservation of cultural heritage. The oft-quoted chaupai of Ramcharitmanas, Hari Anant, Hari Katha Ananta is how the book on Ayodhya by Swadesh Singh begins and aptly describes the umpteen narratives on the theme that has emerged in the public discourse of recent. Ayodhya Ram Mandir: Bharats Quest for Ram-Rajya (2024, Rupa) is an insightful work endowed with literary, archaeological and historical information running through five chapters. Author Swadesh Singh presents the book as an account of the new Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple movement in Ayodhya and the beliefs, practices and legends associated with it. In the first chapter, the author meticulously describes the legends and history associated with Ayodhya and Shri Ram. The chapter also describes the narratives associated with Ayodhya through Jain literature and Buddhist Jataka tales. Highlighting the transcendental influence of Lord Ram in the cultural and religious domain in South Asia, Southeast Asia and Caribbean countries, Singh cites the example of the Chakri Dynasty of Thailand which adopted the title/name Rama for its succeeding kings. Its not just in India that we have Ramayana written in several languages/versions such as in Odia by Sarla Das and Kambar Ramayan in Tamil but countries across India also boast of several versions of Ramayana. The book notes that Reamker (Cambodia), Kakawin Ramayan (Indonesia), Phra Lak Phra Lam (Laos), and Hikayat Seri Rome (Malaysia) as some of the popular versions of Ramayana in non-Indian languages, serving cultural, socio-educational purposes in these countries. This reiterates the universal significance of the teachings of Ramayana across cultural and national boundaries. The strength of the book is the detailed accounts through facts, figures and testimonies to trace the journey of the 500-year-long Ayodhya movement. The segment that caught my attention in the book (chapter 2) was the various sources which prove that a mosque was built on the remains of a demolished temple in Ayodhya at the given site. These not only include sources like Tulsidas Dohashtaka, but also works in Persian and Urdu like Tarikh-i-Awadh, Diya-i-Akhtar, and Afzal-ut-Tawarikh. Other significant sources include the reports of British archaeologist Alexander Cunningham in 1862-63 and the Gazetteer of the province of Oudh prepared by W.C. Benett in 1878 which found that many columns of the temple were used in the construction of Babri masjid. Those interested in the legal dimension of the Ayodhya movement and the court cases may look up chapters 2 and 3. Chapter 3 specifically documents the sequence of events that culminated in the historic 2019 Supreme Court judgement that gave a go-ahead to the construction of the temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya. Chapters 4 and 5 capture the developments that followed the 2019 judgement leading to the beginning of the construction of the Ram Temple and the grand transformation of Ayodhya in the process. The fifth/last chapter envisions the efforts to bring Ayodhya on the tourist map through cultural and infrastructural innovations. This chapter, titled Echoes of Treta in Ayodhya, takes us on a virtual tour of the historical and cultural sites of Ayodhya including Buddhist and Jain architecture, reading which one will be compelled to go on a spiritual journey of the historic city/birth place of Ram Lalla. As a concluding remark, the author views the construction of the Ram temple (the second homecoming of Lord Ram) not just as a symbol of the resurgence of Sanatana Dharma but also as a mark of national and civilisational rejuvenation to carry forth the universal message of Lord Ram transcending religions. The author celebrates the absence of bloodshed following the 2019 Supreme Court judgement on Ayodhya as a mark of the success of democratic, constitutional methods to resolve disputes as well as a testimony to the atmosphere of peace and mutual respect in the country. The book weaves the 500-year-long story of the Ayodhya movement seamlessly to build a strong case for the ongoing euphoria around the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The author teaches Political Science at Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi. She has done her PhD on Political dynasties in electoral politics from the Centre for Political Studies, JNU. She has written extensively on socio-political issues for print media, academic journals and online platforms. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. The moment of Ram Lallas pran pratishtha on January 22, 2024, could have gone two ways. First, the usual way as any other high-profile event in January. There are several such events throughout the year and, more so, in January National Youth Day (January 12), Parakram Diwas (January 23) and Republic Day (January 26), to name just a few. This approach was the relatively simpler option. The second way was significantly much tougher unite the entire country. Across classes, from those living in penthouses to people living in tents; across regions, castes, demography; generate a unique and unparallelled festive celebration across the country; ignite a sense of civilisational fulfilment in the entire population. Despite best intentions, it could all have gone the first way. But, we know that what panned out is not just the second way but a phenomenon that none could have imagined. How did this happen? The main reasons behind this are the sadhana and tapasya of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ground mobilisation of the RSS. First consider what the prime minister has done since the beginning of this month. From bhajans to 11-day anushthan It all started innocuously, or so it would seem on January 3 with Prime Minister Modi posting a Ram bhajan. And then he also posted on January 4 and 5, and then again and again. This one simple act was a catalyst that broke the self-restraint of Ram bhakts, mentally ingrained through decades or even centuries of conditioning. It was no longer uncool to proudly proclaim our reverence for the maryada purushottam in the lingua franca of the masses. The bhajans and songs that the PM posted soon became a national rage, igniting a chain of all forms of digital adoption. New bhajans were written and shared, old ones started topping national charts and, in a matter of days, the airways were echoing with Ram aayenge. Then came PM Modis 11-day special anushthan that began on January 12 from the Panchavati dham in the holy city of Nashik. The yama-niyama that he committed to in the run-up to the pran pratishtha entailed strict adherence to moral and ethical conduct. At 73 years of age, with hectic duties of the office of the PM, that Modi would choose to uphold the mandate of the scriptures, galvanised the entire nation from sages to gurus and from ordinary people to celebrities in blessing him in his yug anushthan. He not only gave up grain for 11 days, but slept on the floor and observed the entirety of the yama-niyama mandate. And, with the beginning of the yama-niyama came the 11-day crisscross across our sacred geography. Uniting all our people, even with their differing traditions, worship methods, languages, local culture, practices into one common, unbroken chain of the oldest continuously living human civilisation. The ambition of this endeavour was audacious. On January 12, Modi was in Kala Ram Mandir in Panchavati. It is believed that this temple is located at the same spot where Ram stayed with Sita and Laxman. He offered prayers at the temple and listened to the Bhavartha Ramayana written in Marathi. It is from this place that Modi also started the cleaning drive in temples across the country. On January 14, an auspicious day across India, Modi undertook gau puja at his residence in Delhi. Revered by Hindus since time immemorial, Gaumta along with Ram have been accepted as foundational to Sanatan Dharma. From our sacred texts to Mahatma Gandhi, all have averred to this faith and belief. The same day, he also took part in Pongal celebrations. On January 16, Modi visited Lepakshi temple in Andhra Pradesh. Located near the well-known spiritual town of Puttaparthi in Anantapur district, this village is famous for the temple constructed for Veerabhadra, the fiery incarnation of Shiva and the divine bird Jatayu. Lepakshi, which means Rise, oh bird in Telugu, is intricately connected with Ramayana. It is believed that it is at this place, Ram and Laxman met the grievously injured Jatayu and gave agni to its mortal remains. In this temple, Modi chanted bhajans and heard verses from the Ranganatha Ramayana, the Telugu rendition of the Ramayana. Modi later performed aarti and puja at the Veerabhadra temple, followed by a puja to Durga and Shiva in the temple premises. Later, a TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) team of Carnatic music artistes rendered Ram bhajans while artistes from Nimmalakunta in Dharmavaram mandal of Satya Sai district performed a puppet show on the Ramayana. On January 17, Modi was first in Guruvayur temple in Kerala. Dedicated to Guruvayurappan, a form of Vishnu, but locally more popularly as Krishna. Ram is known to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu. This is one of the holiest temples for devotees from the southern states. Modi prayed at this temple, observing all the formalities, including wearing the prescribed vastram of mundu and veshti. At the temple, he performed a thulabharam (an offering) with lotus buds. On the same day, Modi also visited the Thriprayar Shree Ramaswami temple in Keralas Thrissur district. The temple is called Dakshin Ayodhya. Devotees believe that Karimpuzha, on whose banks this temple is located, is the Sarayu river that flowed through Ayodhya in the Treta Yuga. Ram is believed to have renounced his life here by entering the waters of Karimpuzha and devotees believe that it is the same as Sarayu; poet-saint Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan is believed to have stayed in the premises of this temple while composing his epic Adhyatma Ramayana. The Thriprayar temple is one of the four in the Nalambala Darshanam (four-temple pilgrimage), where devotees go on a pilgrimage to four temples devoted to Ram, Lakshman, Shatrughan and Bharat during the month of Karkidakam, also known as month of Ramayana. Apart from offering prayers as per all rituals and practices, Modi, in the one hour he spent at the temple, attended a Vedic chanting session of children and various bhajans in Malayalam. He also took part in the meenoottu ritual (offering food to fish). On January 18, Modi released a series of commemorative postage stamps dedicated to the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir in Ayodhya and an album featuring stamps from around the world in honour of Ram. The intricate design of the stamps captures the essence of the temple, with six distinct components: the Ram temple itself, the timeless choupai Mangal Bhavan Amangal Hari, a radiant depiction of the sun, the sacred Sarayu river, and sculptures found in and around the temple. On January 20, he visited two temples and holy places innately connected with Ram. First, he visited the Ranganathaswamy temple at Srirangam in Tamil Nadus Tiruchirappalli. It is believed that at this exact place Vibhishana placed the family deity of Ram in a reclining posture, which is also worshipped to this day. Modi was the first prime minister to visit the place. On his arrival, Modi was accorded a ceremonial purna kumbha welcome amid Vedic chanting. Honouring our great traditions, the PM listened to the recitation of verses of the Kamba Ramayanam by scholars at the temple. In fact, he sat at Kamba Ramayana Mandapam, believed to be the very place where Kamba first sang the Tamil rendition of the epic Ramayana. Modi also spent some heartwarming moments with the resident temple elephant Andal, who not only blessed the prime minister but also showcased his musical skills by expertly playing the harmonica. During his visit, vastram and clothes were presented to Modi, a traditional way of a temple acknowledging a devotees devoutness. On behalf of the presiding deity, the priests at the ancient temple presented him with a special gift basket to be taken to Ram in Ayodhya. The basket comprised different local handlooms and fabrics. On the same day, Modi visited the Ramanathaswamy temple in Rameswaram. It is here that Ram is believed to have installed the main lingam of Shiva. It is one of the four dhams in Sanatan Dharma and also one among the 12 jyotirlingas. There are 22 kunds in this temple indicating 22 arrows in Rams quiver. Bathing in these is part of the ritual and Modi did exactly that. One by one, he went to each kund and took the holy bath, starting with Samudra Snanam at Agni Tirtham and Modi, like every other devotee, also started his journey by taking a bath in the Bay of Bengal. Later, he took part in Shri Ramayana Paryanam, listening to eight different traditional mandalis reciting Ramkatha (recounting the episode of Rams return to Ayodhya) in Sanskrit, Awadhi, Kashmiri, Gurmukhi, Assamese, Bengali, Maithili and Gujarati. Finally, on January 21, Modi visited two places: first, Arichal Munai near Dhanushkodi in Tamil Nadu. This is the exact place from where the Ram Setu was built. As the prime minister said in his speech after the pran pratishtha in Ayodhya, it is building this bridge that heralded the change of an era and the beginning of a new one. Modi paid floral tributes at the spot and performed pranayama. Later, on the same day, the PM visited Kothandarama Swamy temple in Dhanushkodi. It is believed that at this place, Vibhishana first met Ram and asked for refuge. It is also the place where he was crowned the king of Lanka. Modi prayed at the temple and took blessings. This was Modis tapasya before he could gather enough blessings or punyaya to be able to perform the pran prathistha on January 22. Ground mobilisation by RSS At the same time, the ground force of crores of selfless volunteers of the RSS were visiting homes distributing the holy akshat a simple act that electrified the whole nation. People touched the feet of the volunteers who came with the akshat, others cried, and still others mobilised their entire societies in festive brilliance to mark the act of receiving the akshat. There was no class or caste barrier, neither did anyone ask nor offer to tell their social status. All that mattered was the pious act of taking and giving the akshat. Had January 22 been just another event, no matter how grand, the fervour we have today would not have happened. It would have been like an important milestone, but one among many. One that comes every few years and passes. But, this is where the genius of PM Modi lies. In seizing the moment, his tapasya and sadhana, the entire of January and the humongous mobilisation by the RSS gave us the civilisational moment that we all dreamt of. The inner satisfaction we are feeling today, at having a moment befitting the enormity of the occasion, is in equal measure the result of the yagna of both the society and the leadership. The Bhartiya society, at large, is on the verge of rediscovering its original moorings. This rediscovery is destined to ignite the revival of a glorious phase in our civilisational history. Some argue that this moment has come after five centuries. True, but there is another truth. Our generation is lucky to have exactly the same feeling that people in Treta Yuga would have felt after Rams return. Each generation with every passing year, has only celebrated Diwali. It is only us, in this generation of 2024, who are blessed enough to have the same sense of fulfilment that the residents of Ayodhya felt multiple millennia ago. It then behooves us to utilise this opportunity to unitedly work for a multiple millennia of Bharats pre-eminence, just as it happened the last time Ram returned. (The writer is the founding CEO of BlueKraft Digital Foundation. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views) The BJPs nationwide celebration of the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya faced criticism from the ruling Left and opposition Congress in Kerala on Monday, with both parties slamming the saffron party for allegedly turning the religious ceremony into a state-sponsored event. While the Left in Kerala criticised the government role in the event and said that the line demarcating religion and state was getting thinner and thinner, the Congress accused the BJP-ruled Centre of combining religion and politics for electoral gains. Meanwhile, celebrations were held in temples connected with Ramayana across the southern state. Encouraged by the extensive public participation in the ceremony across the state, Prakash Javadekar, the senior BJP leader and partys Kerala in-charge, expressed satisfaction at the significant involvement of major organizations such as SNDP Yogam, representing the numerically strong Ezhava community, and the Nair Service Society (NSS), representing the influential Nair community in the programme. The Nair organisation said it was of the view that people of any faith can participate in the consecration ceremony. The NSS, in a statement, also said that it celebrated the occasion by lighting a lamp, offering flowers to a picture of Lord Ram and chanting the name of the deity. It further said that celebrations were organised at various places in the southern state under the leadership of Hindu organizations. The NSS had also said, about a couple of weeks ago, that boycotting the consecration ceremony on political grounds was irreverence towards God. Earlier in the day, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the consecration of the Ram Temple, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a message said that a time has come when the inauguration of a religious place of worship in the country was being celebrated as a state event. This is a major departure from the times when our constitutional office bearers have been cautioned from taking part in religious events, as it would cast aspersions on our credentials as a secular state, he said. The CM also said Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had often opined that Indian secularism means the separation of religion and state. We even have a strong tradition of maintaining that separation. However, of late, the line that demarcates religion and state seems to be getting thinner and thinner, he said. Subsequently, Congressman and Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan said that conflating faith with politics to target electoral gain was to question the very essence of the Constitution and the democracy. He contended that the Sangh Parivar has no directional politics to speak of. Satheesan also said that their Ram was the one in the words uttered by Mahatma Gandhi when he was assassinated. Hymns, verses and songs about Lord Ram reverberated in temples, including the Triprayar Sree Ramaswamy temple in Thrissur district that was visited by Modi recently, across the state on the occasion of Ram Temple consecration at Ayodhya. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan offered prayers at the Ramadevi Temple in Vazhuthacaud in the state capital, while BJP state president K Surendran paid tribute at the Sree Ramaswamy Temple at Ramapuram in Kottayam district. The BJP-led NDA celebrated the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya with grand festivities in Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency, represented by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Javadekar, along with NDA state convenor Thushar Vellappally and their workers, watched the live telecast of the ceremony from the Lord Ganesh temple at Sultan Bathery in the hill district. Vellappally, the NDA candidate in Wayanad during the 2019 election, is the vice president of SNDP Yogam and the chief of the Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), an ally of the BJP in Kerala. His father, Vellappally Natesan, is the general secretary of SNDP Yogam. Javadekar claimed that the increased participation of people in Wayanad was a response to Gandhi and his party, who declined the invitation to the Ayodhya ceremony. Rahul Gandhis party leaders rejected the invitation, but the people of his constituency visited temples to watch the live ceremony of the Ram Temple consecration, he told PTI. Karpoori Thakur, the late former Bihar chief minister and socialist leader, will be awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously, in time for his 100th birth anniversary celebrations, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday. ALSO READ | Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur To Be Awarded Bharat Ratna Posthumously Thakur, popularly known as Jan Nayak, served as chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. He died on February 17, 1988. According to the government, this award is not only a recognition of Shri Thakurs past achievements but also serves as an inspiration for future generations. It is a reminder of the values that Shri Thakur stood for simplicity, inclusiveness, and the tireless pursuit of social justice. - pic.twitter.com/hRkhAjfNH3 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 23, 2024 Heres all you need to know about the leader: Karpoori Thakur was born in 1924 in one of the most backward sections of society the Nai Samaj in Samastipur District of Bihar. A hard core activist, he left his college to join the Quit India Movement and even spent two-and-half-years in prison during the freedom struggle. He was later arrested for participating in strikes for employees and labourers in 1960 and 1970. As Socialist Party candidate, Thakur first became a member of the Bihar Assembly in 1952 from Tajpur. He served as a minister and Deputy CM before becoming the first non-Congress socialist Chief Minister of Bihar in 1970. After the Janata Party came to power, Thakur became the Chief Minister of Bihar for the second time. Among the reforms he brought about were prohibition of alcohol. As the education minister, he removed English as the compulsory subject for matriculation. During his tenure as the CM, Thakur introduced the Karpoori Thakur formula for reservation for backward classes in government jobs. He brought into effect 26% reservation for backward classes in Bihar, a move that paved the way for the Mandal Commission recommendations in the 1990s. Thakur is considered a mentor to prominent Bihari leaders namely Lalu Prasad Yadav, Ram Vilas Paswan, Devendra Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar. AN INSPIRATION The government release said Thakurs commitment to affirmative action gave representation and opportunities to the poor, oppressed, exploited and deprived sections of the country. His policies and reforms were pioneering in bringing about significant changes in the lives of many, especially in the fields of education, employment and farmer welfare. By honouring Shri Thakur, the government recognizes his role as a symbol of democracy and social justice. The government also acknowledges his deep impact as a motivating figure for the marginalised sections of society. His life and work embody the spirit of the Indian Constitution, which advocates for equality, fraternity, and justice for all. With PTI Inputs Amid the internal strife between the INDIA bloc parties, Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee proposed a new idea of regional leaders heading the fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party in specific regions. The TMC supremo suggested that Congress independently contest 300 Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming general elections. She also took a dig at Communist Party of India (Marxist) of trying to control the Opposition blocs agenda, accentuating that no one confronts the saffron party as directly as Banerjee does. Addressing an all-faith harmony rally in Kolkata, Banerjee said, I insist that particular regions should be left to regional parties. They (Congress) can fight on 300 (Lok Sabha) seats alone, and I will help them. I will not contest those seats. But, they are adamant about doing what they want. Her confidence is the resultant of a recent internal party meeting which led her to assert that TMC can contest all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal alone if it is not given due importance. Without mentioning Congress, Banerjee took dig at the party for the delay in seat-sharing discussions. The Bengal chief minister said, I have the power to take on the BJP and fight against it. But, some people dont want to listen to us about seat-sharing. If you dont want to fight the BJP, then at least dont give away seats to it. She also slammed the Left front led by CPI(M) and said that she refrains from accepting their attempts to control the INDIA bloc meetings. I suggested the name INDIA during a meeting of the opposition bloc. But whenever I attend the coalitions meetings, I find the Left trying to gain control. This is not acceptable. I cannot agree with those with whom I had fought for 34 years, she said. She said that even after such insults she compromises and attends the INDIA bloc meetings. MAMATAS DIG AT CONGRESS After criticising the Congress party for the delayed seat-sharing talks, Banerjee, while apparently referring to Rahul Gandhi being stopped from visiting a temple in Assam, said Just going to the temple isnt enough. Emphasising on her long-standing opposition against BJP, Banerjee said, How many politicians today took on the BJP head-on? Somebody went to one temple and thought it was sufficient, but it was not. I am the only one who visited the temple, gurudwara, church, and mosque. When the Babri Masjid issue (demolition) happened, and violence was taking place, I was on the streets. REACTIONS FROM CONGRESS, CPI(M) Congress: Reacting to the TMC supremos remarks, Congress Bengal president Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said, She is totally trying to play double standard. She understands the hawa and changes according to it. She wants to benefit BJP and TMC. This is her bahana (excuse), she wants to divide vote between Modi and Didi (Mamata Banerjee), he said. Chowdhury had even said that Congress cannot comment on the whims and fancies of the TMC leadership, adding that they can do whatever they feel like. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressing a press conference on Tuesday said, We have good relations with Mamata, yes sometimes there are statements and counter statements, but this is not going to disrupt anything. One side there is Narendra Modi and RSS and the other is INDIA bloc, Gandhi said. CPI(M): Meanwhile, CPI(M) central committee member, Sujan Chakraborty dismissed the allegations about his party trying to control the INDIA bloc meetings agenda. CPI(M) West Bengal secretary Mohammed Salim told News18 that the TMC supremo has always gone with communal side. He also said that she should ease down on the counter temple narrative, saying that there is no requirement to go to mandir, masjid. Referring to her remarks about seat-sharing, Salim said that INDIA bloc is not seat-sharing electoral alliance, citing that various states have different equations. He said that Banerjee started off as a camp against CPI(M), adding that she does not intend on demolishing BJP or Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). From one day she wanted to protect PM, Salim said. He claimed that Banerjee is setting up a counter narrative, that she does not have politics or ideology and which is why she cannot challenge BJP. BJP is her natural ally, all of her frustration is coming out, Salim said while taking a dig at the TMC chief. He also clarified that CPI(M)s equation with the Congress does not depend on TMC. We have got invitation from Rahul Gandhi to join the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, he said. Salim added that his party had support in Assam and will have it in Bengal as well. We will be with those people who will be against BJP and TMC here (Bengal), Salim said. (With PTI inputs) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi instigated a crowd to target security personnel and warned him of arrest after this summers national elections a fresh escalation that comes in the backdrop of a series of allegations and counter-allegations between the rival leaders over a politically sensitive rally. Our security personnel serve the people, and not any royal family, Sarma said on X (formerly Twitter), a reference to the Gandhi family. His post had an accompanying video of Gandhi and another Congress leader purportedly provoking a crowd. , , , pic.twitter.com/MqW1vyo73V Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2024 Separately, Sarma said Gandhi will be arrested after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections for instigating violence and disobedience in Guwahati, where Congress supporters squared off with the police and removed security barricades on Tuesday. His comments came just hours after Sarma shared he had instructed the police to initiate action against Gandhi who, for his part, accused the Assam government of thwarting his rally. Tensions flared on Tuesday after Congress workers jostled with the police and accused the state machinery of not allowing their rally to enter Guwahati on flimsy grounds. The Assam Police had given permission to the Congresss flagship Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra spearheaded by Gandhi on a highway circling the city, but did not allow the rally to enter the inner arterial roads fearing traffic snarls on a weekday. Dramatic footage of Tuesdays scuffle was beamed on TV channels and all over the social media. Gandhi took the opportunity to launch an attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led governments at the Centre and in Assam, accusing Sarma of posing hurdles to his campaign and calling him corrupt. He addressed a crowd from the roof of his vehicle on the Assam-Meghalaya border, exhorting Congress workers to realise their strength and warning students that they are being turned into slaves. Later, at a press conference, Gandhi said the obstacles faced by his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra were a blessing in disguise and, in fact, was giving publicity to the Congress rally. We dont get intimidatedWe are not afraid of them, Gandhi said in Guwahati, adding that the rally had become the main issue in Assam. Our message of justice is going to every village, he added, and called Sarma one of the most corrupt chief ministers in the country. Gandhi also alleged that people were complaining to him about price rise, unemployment and corruption everywhere he went. Last week too, Gandhi had launched a similar attack on Sarma. In his comeback, the Chief Minister had termed the Gandhi family the most corrupt one in the country. #WATCH | Assam: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, "The chief minister of the state is one of the most corrupt chief ministers in the country. Whenever I move to the state people tell me- that massive unemployment, massive corruption, massive price rise, farmers are struggling & pic.twitter.com/is6zMEQge5 ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 GP Singh, the Assam Director General Of Police, shared on X that trouble started on Tuesday after participants of the road event insisted on changing the route that would have thrown city life out of gear and also jeopardise the security of a Z+ category protectee (Rahul Gandhi). The Congress event was to travel from Meghalaya towards Kamrup through Guwahati and permission was given to use one one of the two major roads there, the post said. Reference events related to road event of Indian National Congress on Jan 23rd 2024 at Guwahati 1. The road event was to travel from Meghalaya towards Kamrup through Guwahati 2. There are two major roads and permission was given to use one of these after deliberation with DGP Assam (@DGPAssamPolice) January 23, 2024 After being advised to stick to the original plan, the participants of road event, at the instigation of senior leaders tried to force their way by changing the route, breaking down some of the barricades causing injury to some policemen and general public, the post said. It added that the Guwahati Police used persuasion to turn the event back to allotted route. The DGP also vowed appropriate lawful action against leaders and participants who instigated, led and participated in unlawful activities. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi presided over the pran prathista of Ram Lalla at the new Ram temple in Ayodhya, senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Tuesday stoked a controversy by saying he had doubts whether PM Modi actually fasted for 11 days before the ceremony. If he hasnt, then the entire Sanctum Santorum (or the garbh griha) has been made apavithra (impure). On January 12, the prime minister began his observing all rituals and niyams of an 11-day Anushthan (ritual) ahead of the pran pratishtha on January 22. As part of the Anushthan, PM Modi observed a limited fast one meal a day since January 12. From January 19, he only ate fruits during the day and fasted on the day of the Pran Pratishtha. As part of his anushthan, PM Modi also visited various temples associated with Lord Ram from north to south across the country before the consecration ceremony. Former Union Minister Veerappa Moily raised doubts on whether PM Modi fasted for 11 days before and stressed that he had spoken to doctors and they said it was not possible. The Congress leader went on to say if PM Modi didnt actually observe the fast and went inside the Sanctum Santorum and performed the pooja, then the whole place would become impure and wouldnt have the same kind of energy. ALSO READ: Visiting Ram Temples, Strict Routine, Fasting: Heres How PM Modi Observing Anusthan Ahead of Pran Pratishtha PM Modi presided over the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla inside the Sanctum Sanctorum which took place amidst chants of mantras during the 84-second-long Abhijeet muhurta on January 22 in the presence of thousands of VIP invitees. The new Ram temple was opened to the general public on Tuesday. Over 3 lakh devotees have already visited the complex for darshan amidst tight security. The timings for darshan are 7 am to 11.30 am and 2 pm to 7 pm. The temple will be closed for Darshan from 1 pm to 3 pm daily. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Maharashtra is a crucial state after Uttar Pradesh as it holds 48 seats. The Mahayuti government in the state, under the leadership of CM Eknath Shinde, aims to win 45 seats. After establishing a strong hold in the Hindi belt, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is confident that they have the support of the people and a chance to retain power for the third time under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. ALSO READ | There Will Be Political Earthquake in Maharashtra After Lok Sabha Polls: CM Shinde In the last elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won 41 seats. After the split in the Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Shinde and Ajit Pawar factions of the two parties have joined the Mahayuti government. This government will contest the elections under the leadership of Shinde, but all know that the BJP will have the last word. The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) claims that they have reached the last round of talks of seat sharing, while there are no such meetings regularly taking place in the Mahayuti between the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP (Ajit Pawar). ON GROUND The Lok Sabha elections will not be a cakewalk for the BJP in Maharashtra. On the one side, the BJP wants to have the lions share in the number of seats, while on the other, the Shinde-led Sena wants to contest at least 23-25 seats, as it will be an issue of prestige for them to create space in the minds of Marathi people as the Shiv Sena of Balasaheb Thackeray. The NCP faction, which joined the Mahayuti last year with nine cabinet berths, wants to win more seats in the state to reduce the sympathy towards the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the party. THE 2019 FORMULAE In 2019, the BJP had contested 25 seats and won 23, with a voting percentage of approximately 27.84. The Shiv Sena had contested 23 seats and won 18, with a voting percentage of 23.05. The NCP had contested 19 seats and won 4, with a voting percentage of 15.66. ALSO READ | Rebels with A Cause: Can Eknath Shinde And Ajit Pawar Help BJP Clear 2024 Maha Maths Test? Still, Ajit Pawar was brought into this alliance as the BJP central leadership thinks that Shinde, despite getting the party symbol and name, has not been able to generate enough traction to reduce the Uddhav Thackeray sympathy wave in rural areas. With the help of the NCP, the BJP wants to win maximum seats in rural areas, especially in Western Maharashtra. Despite this clarity, the seat-sharing talks are yet to be finalised. Ajit Pawar, during the two-day convention of his party in December, said that his faction will contest all four seats won by the NCP in 2019 Satara, Shirur, Baramati and Raigad. He further said they will be asking for some more seats where they have strong candidates and have a chance of winning. Sources in the party said that the NCP intends to contest at least 12 seats. The Shiv Sena, which had contested 23 seats, is also looking to contest between 23-25 seats. BJPs BIG PLANS The BJP may, however, not allow such big ambitions of its alliance partners. The BJP has set a target of 45+, for which they want to contest maximum seats," a source in the party said, adding, They have been working on the election strategy for the past two years. They have created over 90,000 booth heads, and Panna Pramukhs have been appointed and given responsibilities." The party has also listed new faces who they feel have a winning factor, as winnability will be the main factor in Maharashtra. So no one should be surprised if old faces get replaced. The same source also said that according to the internal party discussion, the party may increase its seat quota compared to the last election, as they believe the situation is in favour of the BJP. ALSO READ | Wish I Had Lived In Such A House: PM Modi Turns Emotional in Maharashtra Rally, Pitches For LS Polls To appeal to the voters, PM Modi made a quick visit to different parts of the state in the past two weeks. On January 10, he visited Nashik, Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and inaugurated big-ticket infrastructure projects, along with laying the foundation stone of other small projects. Just a few days ago, he came to Solapur district to hand over the keys of homes made under the affordable housing scheme of the Centre. This indicates how important Maharashtra is to the BJP. In such a scenario, the BJP will not give away its alliance partners the seats they desire. Instead, the BJP will keep a maximum of 30-35 seats and later ask alliance partners to distribute the remaining seats equally by including smaller parties like the Republican Party of India (Athavle) and others. The ruling YSRCP Lok Sabha member L Sri Krishna Devarayalu on Tuesday resigned from the party as well as the Parliament. He represented Narasaraopeta constituency in Andhra Pradesh. I have resigned from the YSRCP and Lok Sabha also, Devarayalu told PTI. The time has come to put an end to months-long drama over the partys plans to change his constituency, he said adding that the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP was planning to shift him to a different constituency, but he didnt want to move from Narasaraopeta. The 40-year-old politician noted that the drama has been going on for the past six months within the party but came to light only recently. They were dilly-dallying I wanted to put an end to this whole drama. He, however, maintained that he had neither thought about his next move nor any political party had reached out to him yet. Devarayalus resignation comes close on the heels of Machilipatnam YSRCP MP Balashowry Vallabhaneni and others quitting the party. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Speaker Tammineni Sitaram accepted the resignation of TDP leader and Visakhapatnam North MLA G Srinivasa Rao, three years after he tendered it. Rao resigned in February, 2021, protesting the central governments decision to disinvest Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Ltd (Vizag Steel Plant). Minister of State for Electrics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar inaugurated Synopsys Chip Design Centre at DLF Tech Park in Noida on January 23, in a sign of Indias growing influence and capabilities in the global semiconductor industry. Chandrasekhar expressed confidence in Indias innovation and growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Later he said: It is absolutely thrilling to witness where India is heading in the semiconductor space. The coming decade will see innovation-driven performance in our devices, products, and systems. Furthermore, the minister highlighted how the pace and velocity of innovation at companies like Synopsys will be instrumental in shaping the future of technology, aligning with Indias vision for technological excellence and growth. In his conversation with Dr Aart de Geus, the founder of Synopsys, the Minister discussed the Indian governments strategy for the semiconductor sector, highlighting its dual emphasis on research and production. He reaffirmed the governments commitment to developing skills and expressed confidence in Indias innate talent for electronics and semiconductors, saying the country wants to lead in chips, devices and product architecture. In semiconductor manufacturing, we are making significant progress. On the design and startup ecosystem fronts, we have made a lot of progress. Having spent some time in the semiconductor ecosystem myself, what I have witnessed in the last 10 years is very different from before, and it is truly inspiring. From a government perspective, we believe we have a promising runway for growth in terms of talent, investment, and capabilities. Therefore, we view such partnerships as the glue and building blocks of our ambitions, he noted. MoS @Rajeev_GoI inaugurated the Synopsys Design Centre in Noida, where he shared with the team how the pace & velocity of innovation at companies like @Synopsys will play a significant role in shaping the future of tech. #IndiaTechade #ViksitBharat #DigitalIndia pic.twitter.com/ldr8rYsJtq Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) January 23, 2024 WHY IT MATTERS As the world recognizes that 20% of the worlds combined pool of VLSI engineers and chip designers are from India, the establishment of Synopsys Chip Design Centre in Noida reinforces the nations position in fostering a robust ecosystem for fabless chip design and innovation. California-based Synopsys, a key player in the electronic design automation (EDA) sector, contributes significantly to the industry with a diverse portfolio spanning from silicon to software, amassing a remarkable $5.9 billion in revenue. Renowned for its expertise in EDA tools and Interface, Foundation, & Physical IPs, Synopsys holds a formidable position in the global semiconductor landscape. It is important to note that companies like Synopsys play a crucial role in the chip design process, acting as the behind-the-scenes heroes that equip chipmakers with the tools and technology needed to bring their designs to life. The company commenced its offshore Research and Development (R&D) centre in Bangalore in 1995 and later expanded its presence by incorporating a field organization in later years. Currently, including Noida, the company maintains its presence in Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi. As per the US company, Synopsys actively engages in research, design, and development activities, contributing to the creation of pivotal technologies and products that empower a smart, secure-everything approach in the global electronics market. During the event, Geus said: In the remarkable journey of Indias technological advancement, Synopsys has played a significant role, aligning seamlessly with the nations ambitions. In many ways, our growth has run parallel with Indias progress. With a third of our workforce based in India, we have invested significantly, exemplified by the Noida centera beacon of excellence that required substantial investments and the acquisition of eight startups. This facility, a true Center of Excellence, serves as a cohesive hub. As we reflect on this partnership, its not merely a collaboration; its a shared home where ambitions and innovations thrive. India, now in its exciting phase of semiconductors and electronics, finds a perfect ally in Synopsys, marking the beginning of an even more promising chapter in technology and growth, he added. However, the success of the new Noida centre hosting 1650 engineers can inspire other companies to set up similar facilities in India, further propelling the talent pool. Additionally, the presence of such centres further strengthens Indias position in the global semiconductor value chain. Motorola is taking its own time to offer Android 14 update for its existing devices but finally there is some news about which devices will get the version. It is sad to see brands not heavily invested in software updates, which explains the reason to wait till 2024 before you can even talk about Android 14 roll out for users who have bought your products. The brand has foldables in the lineup which definitely deserves greater attention but when you consider the likes of Samsung and OnePlus have already pushed their final versions, Motorola is lagging way behind in this regard. This report talks about the Motorola phones that will get updated sometime in 2024. Motorola Phones To Get Android 14 Update Motorola Razr 40 Ultra Motorola Razr 40 Motorola Razr 2022 Motorola Edge+ (2023) Motorola Edge (2023) Motorola Edge (2022) Motorola Edge+ 5G UW 2022 Motorola Edge 40 Pro Motorola Edge 40 Neo Motorola Edge 40 Motorola Edge 30 Ultra Motorola Edge 30 Pro Motorola Edge 30 Neo Motorola Edge 30 Fusion Motorola Edge 30 Moto G (2023) Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) Moto G Stylus (2023) Moto G Power 5G Moto G84 Moto G54 Moto G73 Moto G53 Moto G23 Moto G14 The list is quite expansive with 25 devices mentioned, which is a good thing and shows the company is keen to upgrade most of its devices. Having said that, Motorola has not shared a release timeline and just mentioned the devices that will be upgraded to Android 14. So, it is likely that by the time Motorola does offer the public update, we might start hearing about Android 15 from Google. Most of these phones are available in India, including the Razr Ultra models, so people should probably wait for more news from the company and hopefully it will be soon. Cybersecurity experts have discovered a massive quantity of exposed records in an unsecured database, the owner of which is not easily identifiable. According to a report by Cybernews, this data breach, referred to as MOABMother of All Breaches, consists of privately sold databases, reindexed leaks, and breaches. The size of the database is estimated to be approximately 12TBcontaining roughly 26 billion records. However, the identity of the owner owning the aforementioned database remains uncertain. It is unclear whether the owner is a malicious actor, a data broker, or an individual working with substantial amounts of data. The dataset is extremely dangerous as threat actors could leverage the aggregated data for a wide range of attacks, including identity theft, sophisticated phishing schemes, targeted cyberattacks, and unauthorized access to personal and sensitive accounts, the researchers were quoted as saying by Cybernews. It is also important to note that this database doesnt necessarily contain any new data; instead, it is said to be made up of a compilation of data from multiple breaches. Whats The Worrying Bit Here? The report says theres a good chance that many of those 26 billion records are probably duplicates. But even if they are, the leaked data has a lot more than just passwords and usernames. In fact, most of the data is sensitive stuff that could be really valuable to bad actors. That being said, the most critical and arguably most concerning aspect lies in the potential for malicious actors to somehow obtain this data, thereby enabling them to carry out a series of credential-surfing attacks using the billions of usernames and passwords that are contained within. If users use the same passwords for their Netflix account as they do for their Gmail account, attackers can use this to pivot towards other, more sensitive accounts. Apart from that, users whose data has been included in the supermassive MOAB may become victims of spear-phishing attacks or receive high levels of spam emails, the researchers added. Leaked Data Allegedly Includes Records From These Tech Giants Based on the report, Tencent takes the top spot with 1.5 billion leaked records in its name, followed by Weibo, MySpace, and Twitter (X), with 504 million, 360 million, and 281 million records, respectively. Others, including LinkedIn, Zynga, NetEase, Adobe, and Canva, are also allegedly present in the database. Further, it is also said to contain records of multiple governments in the US, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, the Philippines, and other nations. Minutes before take-off, on a New York-bound Virgin Atlantic flight, a passenger spotted missing screws on the planes wing. This prompted the cancellation of Flight VS127. British traveller Phil Hardy, 41, observed four absent fasteners on the wing during a safety briefing at Manchester Airport in the United Kingdom on January 15, as reported by The New York Post. The moment Phil Hardy noticed the missing screws, he alerted the cabin crew. After notifying the flight attendant, the issue was brought to the pilots attention, and engineers were promptly called out to examine the Virgin Atlantic aircraft before its scheduled take-off to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. Upon being asked about the incident, the British man told the Kennedy News agency, Im a good flyer, but my partner was not loving the information I was telling her and starting to panic, and I was trying to put her mind at rest as much as I could. I thought it was best to mention it to a flight attendant to be on the safe side. Hardy said that the airline staff and the engineer repeatedly reassured him that there was nothing wrong with the wing. However, he remained anxious and his fear was heightened recalling the recent ordeal in which an Alaska Airlines plane lost its door plug and a chunk of its fuselage flew off mid-flight. He further told the media outlet that at one point, the engineers removed one of the screws from a different hole and tried to fix it in one of the missing holes, but it wouldnt go in. A spokesperson with Virgin Atlantic told Fox Business that the flight was ultimately cancelled to provide time for precautionary additional engineering maintenance checks, which allowed our team the maximum time to complete their inspections. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority and this was not compromised at any point. We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft is now back in service. Passengers were rebooked onto alternative flights to the Big Apple, the Virgin representative said in the statement. We would like to apologize to our customers for the delay to their journeys, the representatives concluded. Hardy and his partner were able to fly out the next morning, but the delay cost them two days of their holiday. Hardy claims that the entire ordeal has left them with a sour taste in his mouth. The four missing fasteners did not impact the load capability of the wing, the structural integrity of the wing, or the aircrafts ability to operate safely, said an Airbus Local Chief Wing Engineer for A330 to The Mirror. Parminder Singh, the former executive of tech giant Google and micro blogging platform X, recently shared a comical incident that unfolded during his time at the Google office in Beijing. The story revolves around an amusing mix-up involving a popular Indian snack, kurkure, and a rather unexpected Chinese delicacy. In a tweet on his X profile, Singh narrated the incident, explaining how he found himself in culinary confusion at the Google cafeteria. Spotting what he believed to be a plate of familiar fried kurkures, he indulged in a generous portion of the snack without a second thought. However, the twist came when his colleague noticed his choice of snack and commented on it. Singh recalls the exchange, Wow, I didnt know you were a fan of these. To which he confidently replied, Yes, of course. I grew up eating something similar as a snack in India. The unexpected revelation followed, with his colleague expressing surprise, Really? Are duck tongues common in India? Realising the mix-up, Singh humorously shared that he now exercises caution before indulging in kurkures. He confessed to having mistaken the crispy-coated delicacy for duck tongues. He added, Now, whenever I see a plate of kurkures, I double-check to make sure its not Chinese tongue-di kabab! I was in the cafeteria at Googles Beijing office when I spotted a large plate of what looked like fried kurkures. I helped myself with a generous portion.A colleague commented, Wow, I didnt know you were a fan of these.Yes, of course. I grew up eating something similar Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) January 21, 2024 In a subsequent update, Singh clarified his adventurous palate, stating, Just for the record, Im happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure! Just for the record, Im happily adventurous with my food. I have eaten everything from snakes to insects, and of course duck tongues! But when I expect kurkure, I want kurkure! Parminder Singh (@parrysingh) January 22, 2024 The post quickly gained traction, garnering 1,59,500 views and sparking a lively conversation in the comments section. Political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla shared his enthusiasm, stating, I love it its actually yummy and addictive. I love it its actually yummy and addictive Tehseen Poonawalla Official (@tehseenp) January 21, 2024 Others joined in with their own amusing anecdotes of culinary mix-ups. A user once shared a story about her experience in Kuala Lumpur where she filled her plate with a dish resembling sev-bhajia. She mentioned that she found the scent a bit unusual. Upon closer inspection, she noticed that every strand of sev had a pair of tiny eyes. It turned out to be a type of deep-fried, minuscule fish. I filled my plate with something looking like sev-bhajia in Kuala Lumpur. I found the smell a bit strange. When looked closely, every strand of sev had a pair of tiniest eyes. It was some kind of deep-fried minuscule fish! Anubha Sinha (@AnubhaPrasad) January 21, 2024 Another recounted a similar experience, saying, Sir it happened to me also .. in 2012 I went to Hangzhou and thought of buying some chips (because I thought every chip is made of potato ) .. I bought 5-6 packets but later on, I realised they were made of octopus and duck. Sir it happened with me also .. in 2012 i went to Hangzhou and thought of buying some chips ( coz i thought every chips is made of potato ) .. i bought 5-6 packets but later on i realise they were made of octopus and duck Even Cheese is made from animal skin .. ABC (@varungosai52403) January 21, 2024 A user added to the amusing tales, saying, I had a Colombian colleague offer me some chocolate-covered snacks once and they turned out to be ants covered in chocolate. I didnt mind the taste though, they were crunchy. I had a Colombian colleague offer me some chocolate covered snacks once and they turned out to ants covered in chocolate. I didnt mind the taste though, they were crunchy. Harman Dhillon (@MajhaBeats) January 21, 2024 The remaining participants in the comments section appeared to share in the amusement, expressing hearty laughter at the shared anecdotes. A man travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru recently got the opportunity to exchange some thoughts with Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy during the journey. Despite his notable stature, Narayana Murthy often prefers to travel in economy class. During his Bengaluru-bound flight, he shared the economy seats with a budding entrepreneur named Naren Krishna. Undoubtedly captivated by this unexpected encounter, the man expressed his excitement and gratitude in a detailed post on LinkedIn. According to Naren Krishna, it seemed quite unbelievable to him when he first discovered Narayana Murthy seated just next to him in economy class. But he was more stunned by the humility of the 77-year-old. The sheer disbelief of sharing an economy seat with a visionary of his stature lingered throughout the journey. What blew me away was how down-to-earth and approachable he was," Krishna wrote on LinkedIn. While the entire journey took only a few hours, Krishna spent the time discussing several important topics with Murthy and the conversation helped boost his knowledge about different fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the role of the youth in shaping the Indian economy in recent times. The duo further spoke about some initial challenges of a start-up including dealing with stress and navigating through failures while building a company." In a bid to highlight the early struggle, Murthy explained the journey of founding Infosys to Krishna, putting stress on the importance of detachment from results." He recounted instances from Infosys journey when, despite putting in relentless efforts, big contracts didnt materialise, while unexpected deals surprisingly fell into place. The key takeaway for me in this discussion was the quote he mentioned from Louis Pasteur, Chance favours the prepared mind," Krishna added in the post. Before they parted ways, Narayana Murthy also shared some insights about the transformative impact of AI on industries like autonomous vehicles and precision surgery." The billionaire reckons AI will exponentially boost human productivity by 10-100x in various sectors" in the coming few years. Before signing off, Krishna said that he would carry the memory of this meeting for a long time. Plastic surgeries are becoming increasingly commonplace among people, aimed at enhancing various features of the face or body. While celebrities were once the primary recipients of such procedures, they are now gaining popularity among the general public. The surge in plastic surgery has been met with both celebration and criticism, a trend exacerbated by the pervasive influence of social media, which has heightened societal insecurities about physical appearance. A recent peculiar case in the UK has drawn attention to the evolving dynamics of plastic surgery rituals. In this instance, a woman named Sophie, residing in the UK, decided to bid farewell to her old nose in a unique and somewhat theatrical manner. Sophie organised a funeral for her nose before undergoing rhinoplasty, an event that garnered considerable interest. Although no physical burial took place, the ceremony invited attendees to mourn the impending loss of Sophies nose, with guests donning black attire to express their sorrow. Notably, the funeral was not devoid of a celebratory atmosphere. Attendees participated in the formalities of the faux funeral and subsequently indulged in a lively party. According to a friend, the gathering at Sophies Nose funeral was a blend of homage and festivity. Attendees paid tribute by consuming cake, obtaining prints of Sophies prominent nose, and donning masks resembling the soon-to-be-altered feature. The event was characterised by laughter, games, and inebriation, creating a spirited atmosphere. A proper speech was delivered, ensuring that Sophies nose received a fitting farewell. Following the unconventional funeral-cum-party, Sophie embarked on a journey to Turkey to undergo the planned rhinoplasty procedure. The details of this unique event gained traction on social media after one of Sophies friends uploaded a short clip, along with a comprehensive story in the caption on TikTok. The post has garnered approximately 66 lakh views, underscoring the fascination and curiosity surrounding the novel approach to bidding adieu to a facial feature. This case serves as a vivid example of the evolving attitudes toward plastic surgery and the personalised rituals individuals adopt to navigate these transformative experiences. Elon Musk on Sunday said it is absurd to note that India does not have a permanent seat in the UN Security Council . The billionaire who owns social media site X, Tesla and SpaceX said that the UN bodies need a revision and said it is absurd that despite being the most populous country India is not given a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 21, 2024 At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd. Africa collectively should also have a permanent seat imo, Musk said in a social media post on site X, which he owns. Musk was responding to a post made by venture capitalist and author Michael Eisenberg who was responding to a post made by UN chief Antonio Guterres who called for a revision of the UN bodies to ensure they reflect the realities of today. Elon Musks call for revision has been put forward by Indian officials on the global stage on several occasions. Union minister for external affairs S Jaishankar has kept on pushing for reforms since assuming his role at several international forums and lamented that those in power are not ready to share or give up their power. Elon Musk, too, this week in his post pointed out that those with excess power dont want to give it up. Old Club Union minister S Jaishankar in December 2023 said the UN Security Council is like an old club while addressing the attendees at an event in Bengaluru. (The) Security Council is like an old club, where there are set members who dont want to let go of the grip. They want to keep control over the club. Not very keen to admit more members, not keen to have their practices questioned, S Jaishankar said. Jaishankar at another event in December in Thiruvananthapuram said nations will be forced to look for other solutions if the UN does not undergo reforms. What would happen if they do not reform? People will find solutions outside. And this is a message the UN has to understand. Resistance to reform will eventually its a bit like survival of the fittest become anachronistic and therefore develop the danger of heading towards, not extinction, but a little bit of irrelevance, Jaishankar said. The external affairs minister questioned the exclusion of the African Union and Latin American countries along with India on many occasions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Iran intends to sign free trade agreements with four countries, the head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran (TPOI), Mehdi Zeighami said, Trend reports. He spoke at a conference in Tehran on January 23, where he announced the 6th Iran Export Potentials Exhibition (Iran Expo 2024). Zeighami said that Iran is planning to sign free trade agreements with Syria, Venezuela, Pakistan, and one Eastern European country. He also said that Iran is seeking preferential trade agreements with Indonesia and some East Asian countries. The chairman expressed his hope that the Iranian parliament would ratify the free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) within six months. The mentioned agreement was signed in St. Petersburg, Russia, on December 25, 2023, and requires the approval of six countries (Iran and the EAEU members). The trade turnover between Iran and the EAEU would reach $18$20 billion within 5-7 years after the implementation of the free trade agreement. Zeighami said that Iran Expo 2024, which will be held in Tehran from April 27 to May 1, is expected to increase Irans annual exports by at least 2 billion euros. He said that Irans goal is to add 1 billion euros to its exports every year by holding this exhibition. --- Follow the author on X (Twitter):@BaghishovElnur Donald Trump was set to hold a final rally Monday in New Hampshire on the eve of the primary where polls show him likely to trounce the sole remaining challenger, Nikki Haley, for the Republican presidential nomination. Trump spent the first part of the day in New York where hed been planning to attend his sexual assault defamation trial part of a strategy of embracing the scandal swirling around him. However, with one juror reporting sickness, the trial was postponed to Wednesday. The New Hampshire primary is seen as the last, best chance for Haley to stop Trump. Despite being twice impeached as president and now facing four criminal cases, he has succeeded in imposing his far-right brand on the entire Republican Party. A new Washington Post/Monmouth poll Monday showed Trump, 77, backed by 52 percent in New Hampshire to Haleys 34 percent. I feel like (Trumps) the only man who can bring unity back to this country, who can make the corrupt politicians answer for their crimes, said entrepreneur Denyne Sanville, 59, at a campaign event in Hollis, New Hampshire. I want to see my children and grandchildren grow up in a country thats free and have the opportunity that I had. I believe hes the man that can help us do that. Haley, a former South Carolina governor who at 52 is 25 years Trumps junior, is the sole challenger after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis dropped out over the weekend. But unless she pulls off a political miracle, Trump is seen as likely to repeat his domination in the first contest in Iowa, then cruise through the remaining primaries to become the nominee to face President Joe Biden in November. He was due to hold one of his signature Make America Great Again rallies in Laconia at 9:00 pm (0200 GMT). The plan to begin the day by attending the defamation trial and possibly taking the witness stand highlighted Trumps strategy of attempting to transform his legal morass into a political grandstand. That message resonates with Republican right-wingers, who are key to winning the party nomination. The postponed New York civil trial features E. Jean Carroll, a successful writer, seeking more than $10 million in damages for defamation by Trump, whom another New York civil jury found liable for sexual assault against her. Trump separately faces serious criminal prosecutions, including over his alleged attempt to overthrow the results of the 2020 election which he lost to Biden. Haley attacks Trump Haley, who served as UN ambassador under Trump, has turned on her old boss sharply in recent days, pointing to a series of bizarre stumbles during his speeches as a sign he is losing mental competence. Hes just not at the same level he was at 2016. I think were seeing some of that decline, she told CBS. She also hopes to benefit from large numbers of less-partisan voters in New Hampshire, rather than the heavily conservative Republican base in Iowa. But with DeSantis out and endorsing Trump, the march of the scandal-plagued businessman looks increasingly unstoppable. Big Polls out of New Hampshire. Birdbrain is way down, I am way up, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform using an insult for Haley. As Trump builds momentum, Democratic incumbent Biden will hold a rally in Virginia on primary day and is expected to push abortion rights, which his party hopes will be a significant vote-winner. If Haley over-performs Tuesday, that could see her regain buzz in time for the primary in her home state of South Carolina, in late February. Trump, however, may well be on his way to something of a coronation by then, with Super Tuesday on March 5. With 874 delegates on the table, it can get a candidate 75 percent towards the nomination. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell on Tuesday said that Israel cannot be allowed to unilaterally block the creation of a Palestinian state after the war in Gaza. One thing is clear Israel cannot have the veto right to the self-determination of the Palestinian people, Borrell told a Brussels press conference with his Egyptian counterpart. The United Nations recognises and has recognised many times the self-determination right of the Palestinian people. Nobody can veto it. The comments come after Borrell on Monday chaired talks between the EUs 27 foreign ministers and the top diplomats from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and key Arab states. Borrell has floated a roadmap involving an international conference on a two-state solution and has said peace needs to be imposed on Israel. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said there is an international consensus on the necessity of resolving the conflict on the basis of a two state solution. It is time to implement it and the international community has the means, has the resources, has the mechanisms to do so, he said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drawn condemnation from the United Nations and defied key backer the United States by rejecting calls for a Palestinian state. Israel insists it is focused on its military operation in Gaza aimed at destroying Islamist movement Hamas and freeing hostages captured in the October 7 attack. The Gaza war broke out with Hamass unprecedented October 7 attacks, which resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israels relentless offensive in response has killed at least 25,490 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory. The Hamas attack also saw about 250 hostages seized, and Israel says around 132 remain in Gaza. That number includes at least 28 dead hostages, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Shoukry warned that displacement of Gazas population from the territory will occur if adequate humanitarian assistance is not allowed in. Making the conditions in Gaza unliveable in itself will induce displacements, he warned. Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday talked about the effects of globalisation in todays changing world. Stating that globalisation today has designated currency, trade and tourism as weapons, Jaishankar said it is being weaponised in various ways by dominant players. The Union Minister on Sunday arrived in the Nigerian capital Abuja from Lagos after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda. Addressing the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs in Lagos, Jaishankar said, Today, the currency is a weapon, trade is a weapon, tourism is a weapon. They may be dominant as producers, they may be dominant as consumers and often, with very little hesitation, leverage their market shares on the global system for their particular national purpose. We know that this is a world order that was devised in 1945 when the members of the United Nations were about 25 percent of what they are today. This world order continues obstinately because those who are in the driving seat dont want to create more seats for other people to be at that engine, he added. The Union minister further observed that the world order, which was at its natural diversity, was distorted by Western domination. The world was diverse and it was distorted by the period of Western domination and in a post-Colonial world today, restoring that natural diversity is actually a collective objective. Now what are the challenges to that process one, of course, is while many of us attained independence, we have all built our Nations and societies, said Jaishankar. Jaishankar Stresses on Mutual Cooperation Emphasing on the long and and nurturing diplomatic relations between India and Nigeria, Jaishankar on Monday said the two nations have agreed to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, energy, mobility and a slew of other sectors. The development came after Jaishankar co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting between India and Nigeria at Abuja along with his counterpart Yusuf Tuggar. The two leaders also discussed opportunities in the sectors of power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture and security between the two countries. Jaishankar further recalled the presence of Nigeria President Tinubu during the G20 summit held in New Delhi in September 2023 and said, I think many of you know that today the term strategic partnership is laden with a lot of meaning, with a lot of content and with a lot of promise. So, when we look ahead at what is the working of the Joint Commission, I think we will be guided very much by it. Terming Nigeria as an important business partner of India, Jaishankar said, We have about 130 Indian companies that have really put their economic future, struck roots in this country, to a point where they have actually become one of the largest employers in this country. (With agency inputs) Israel proposed to Hamas a two month pause in Gaza war through Qatari and Egyptian mediators in exchange of all remaining hostages held in Gaza, news agency Axios reported citing Israeli officials familiar with the developments. 2023 Israel-Hamas War: Full Coverage The proposal is a part of a multi-phase deal but does not include any agreement to end the war. If agreed upon by both parties, it will be the longest period of ceasefire that Israel has offered Hamas since the start of the war. American officials said that such an agreement is the only path that can lead to a ceasefire in Gaza. The war cabinet earlier this month approved the new plan, the news outlet said. The Israeli officials said they are cautiously optimistic that the deal will be agreed upon and are awaiting a response from Hamas. What Does The Deal Entail The Israeli deal proposed to Hamas calls for the release of all remaining hostages who are alive and the return of the bodies of dead hostages in several phases. In the first phase, women, men over the age of 60 years old and hostages who are in critical medical condition will be released. More than 130 hostages are still being held in Gaza and Israeli officials believe a dozen or so hostages died on October 7 or in the following weeks. In the second phase, female soldiers, men under the age of 60 years old who are not soldiers, Israeli male soldiers and the bodies of hostages will be released. Israel and Hamas will also discuss how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each Israeli hostage in each category. Another set of discussions will take place regarding the names of those prisoners. Israeli officials said the overall period of pause for the completion of the release of all hostages in the different phases could take up to two months. Next Phase of War Israel also proposed that it will redeploy Israeli Defense Forces in such a manner that some would be moved out of main population centres in the blockaded coastal enclave to allow citizens to gradually return to Gaza City and northern Gaza as the deal is being implemented. Israel, however, clarified that they are not ending the war. They, however, admitted that IDF operations in Gaza would be significantly smaller in scope and intensity if the deal is implemented. Israel under a new, broader ceasefire agreement has proposed that a senior Hamas leader can leave Gaza, news broadcaster CNN reported citing people familiar with the developments. This aspect of the ceasefire proposal appears to be going against what Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu aimed for when he ordered the launch of the retaliatory strikes and a ground siege of Gaza. Netanyahu promised to ensure that Hamas is not left with any means to launch attacks like it did on October 7 and is destroyed completely. The broadcasters report pointed out that Israel failed to capture or kill any of Hamass most senior leaders in Gaza. It also said that around 70% of Hamas fighting force remains intact. It cited Israels own estimates. The report also said that if Hamas leaders are taken out of Gaza then it could weaken the groups grip on the war-torn coastal enclave and also allow Israel to keep tracking down high-value targets abroad. Israel has carried out strikes in Beirut, killing a top Hamas commander earlier this month. Hamas officials are known to live in Doha, Qatar and the Lebanese capital Beirut among other places outside Gaza Strip. The broadcaster in its report said that the proposal may not be accepted by Hamas. The plans have been discussed earlier in December in Warsaw by Israels intelligence chief, Mossad Director David Barnea and this month in Doha with US secretary of state Antony Blinken, the broadcaster said, citing people familiar with the developments. Two-Months Ceasefire A separate report by news outlet Axios which also cited Israeli officials said that Israel is planning to propose Hamas through Qatari and Egyptian mediators a two-month ceasefire plan where both sides will exchange hostages and prisoners. More than 130 hostages are still being held in Gaza and Israeli officials believe a dozen or so hostages died on October 7 or in the following weeks. In the first phase, women, men over the age of 60 years old and hostages who are in critical medical condition will be released. In the second phase, female soldiers, men under the age of 60 years old who are not soldiers, Israeli male soldiers and the bodies of hostages will be released. Israel and Hamas will also discuss how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each Israeli hostage in each category. The Maldives has confirmed that the Chinese research vessel Xian Yang Hong 03 is set to arrive in Male on January 30. The Foreign Ministry of the island nation, however, said that the vessel would not conduct research in Maldivian territory. Chinas Xiang Yang Hong 3, which has been reportedly turned down port entry by Sri Lanka, is due to call at Male in early February, according to ship monitoring website MarineTraffic. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to inform that a diplomatic request was made by the Government of China to the Government of Maldives, for the necessary clearances to make a port call, for rotation of personnel and replenishment. The vessel would not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters, the Ministry said in a statement. The statement came after reports accused China of using the ship for surveillance at a time when the new Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu is deepening the ties with Beijing, distancing from New Delhi. The Maldives Foreign Ministry said the vessel would stop only for a port call, for rotation of personnel and replenishment. It further said that Maldives has always welcomed vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes. Such port calls not only enhance bilateral ties between the Maldives and partner countries, but also demonstrate the centuries-old tradition of welcoming vessels from friendly countries, it added. Relations between traditional friends New Delhi and Male have soured since President Muizzu took office in November riding an India Out campaign. Both New Delhi and Beijing vie for influence on the tiny Indian Ocean nation but the new government in Male is pivoting towards China and has asked India to withdraw its nearly 80 troops stationed there. The Chinese vessel is en route to Male, open source intelligence researcher Damien Symon wrote on social media platform X, saying Xiang Yang Hong 03 is entering the Indian Ocean Region, displaying its destination as Male, the vessel is expected to run an ocean survey operation in the Indian Ocean Region raising concern in India. An Indian military official confirmed Symons finding and said they are monitoring its movement. New Delhi has in the past flagged similar visits by other Chinese research vessels with its other littoral neighbour Sri Lanka, which has denied permission for such vessels to dock on its ports since 2022. In 2019, India expelled another Chinese research vessel from its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) after it entered without permission. A senior Indian security official said Chinas research vessels are dual use which means the information gathered by them can be used for both civilian and military purposes, including the deployment of submarines. Earlier this month, state-affiliated Chinese media warned against calling its maritime research in the Indian Ocean Region a threat, after an American think tank said Chinas navy could leverage the insights gained from these missions for deployment of naval forces. Vietnam and Indonesia have previously claimed that similar Chinese research vessels had entered their EEZ. (With Inputs from AFP and Reuters) A father killed his son after the pair disagreed about which political party flag to display in the lead-up to Pakistans general election, police said. The argument broke out when the son, who recently returned from working in Qatar, hoisted the flag of former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party at the family home on the outskirts of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The father prohibited his son from hoisting the PTI flag at home, but the son refused to take it down and abandon PTI, said district police official Naseer Farid. The argument escalated, and in a fit of anger, the father fired a pistol at his 31-year-old son, before fleeing the house. The son died on the way to the hospital. Police are searching for the father, who was affiliated with the nationalist Awami National Party and had previously displayed their flag. Elections which are scheduled for February 8 are often marred with violence in Pakistan, with candidates targeted by Islamist bombings and gun attacks. In the first week of February some 5,000 paramilitary Frontier Constabulary (FC) forces will deploy to the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, commander Moazzam Jah Ansari told AFP. The US Supreme Court voted Monday to let the Biden administration remove concertina wire border barriers that Texas erected to fight illegal immigration from Mexico a hot button issue in this election year. The barriers are the brainchild of Texas governor Greg Abbott, an outspoken supporter of former president Donald Trump, who is making immigration one of the key tools of his bid to retake the White House in November. Abbott has accused Biden of deliberate inaction as record numbers of Central Americans and people of other nationalities have streamed across the US-Mexico border in recent months. In December a federal appeals court barred the Biden government from removing the concertina wire barrier from the banks of the Rio Grande near the town of Eagle Pass, except in case of medical emergency. This month the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to remove this injunction in an emergency application while the court considers the full merits of the case. The court voted 5-4 Monday, including the support of chief justice John Roberts, to side with the Biden administration. Neither side gave reasons for their vote, which is common when the court decides on emergency petitions. Abbott has made national headlines by bussing immigrants to cities seen as traditionally liberal, such as New York, as part of his campaign to draw attention to what he calls Bidens failed border policy. The Texas National Guard seized control January 11 of a park in Eagle Pass that lies along the Rio Grande, a move that heightened tensions with the Biden administration. The Justice Department has accused the governor of preventing federal border agents from doing their job by denying them access to the border, even in the event of emergency, along a 2.3 mile (3.7 kilometre) stretch of the river. But Texas authorities refute this allegation. Romeo Nance, who is suspected of killing eight people in suburban Chicago, fatally shot himself after a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials, police officials said on Monday (local time). Chicagos Joliet police officials said that US Marshals near Natalia, Texas located Romeo Nance and after a confrontation with them he shot himself. Texass Medina County Sheriffs Office in a Facebook post announced that they received a call about a person suspected in the Chicago killings heading into the county on Interstate 35. A standoff occurred between Nance and cops from multiple agencies at a gas station, where Nance shot himself, the sheriffs office told the Associated Press. Who Is Romeo Nance The 23-year-old man is suspected of shooting and killing eight people at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. His manhunt concerned citizens in Joliet as police earlier said he was still on the loose. Cops in Will County in Illinois and the city of Joliet previously said they did not know why Nance killed the victims but highlighted that he knew them. The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) fugitive task force was assisting the local police in the search for Nance. The cops found the victims on Sunday and Monday at three separate residences. They earlier sent out a warning on Joliet citys social media channels saying that Nance should be considered armed and dangerous. One of the people killed was found Sunday in a home in Will County. Seven others were found Monday at two homes on the same block in Joliet, located about 9.6 kilometres northwest of the scene police discovered first. Authorities said they also believe another shooting in Joliet that wounded a man on Sunday is connected to the string of violence but would not discuss their evidence. Ive been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Evans said during a news conference outside the Joliet homes Monday evening, according to a report by the Associated Press. Police earlier in a Facebook post said they were probing the deaths of multiple people found dead and shared Nances photo and images of a vehicle. The vehicle was identified as a red Toyota Camry. The car was seen at the scenes of two separate shootings Sunday afternoon. This is way too close to home. I keep looking out the window and double checking my doors. Its super scary, Teresa Smart, one of the neighbours, told the news agency. She lives a block away from where seven of the victims were found. Smart said she is worried that she and her family were not able to sleep on Monday night. Cops said they do not have any idea regarding how long the people inside the houses were dead and said autopsies are pending. Hong Kong: New visa rules for Eswatini set From January 30, nationals of the Kingdom of Eswatini, including those who remain on the airside in transit, will require a visa to enter Hong Kong for all purposes, the Immigration Department announced today. At present, nationals of the Kingdom of Eswatini may visit Hong Kong visa-free for a stay of up to 90 days. The department said Hong Kongs visa policy is subject to constant review, and changes will be introduced if circumstances so warrant, with a view to ensuring a proper balance between facilitating the entry of genuine visitors and safeguarding the integrity of immigration control. Apart from pointing out that Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passport holders currently require a visa to visit the Kingdom of Eswatini, the department reminded such passport holders to keep abreast of the latest visa regulations before visiting the country in Southern Africa. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) has transported around 10 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Italy in 2023, Trend reports via the TAP AG consortium. From 2026 we will be able to supply 1.2 billion cubic meters more per year, reads a message from the consortium. TAP transports natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea to Europe. The 878 km long pipeline connects with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border in Kipoi, crosses Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy. TAP facilitates gas supplies to South Eastern European countries through existing and prospective interconnectors. TAP is connected to Interconnector Greece Bulgaria (IGB) which started its commercial operations in October 2022, providing Caspian gas to Bulgaria, enhancing security of energy supplies in one more European country. TAPs exits in Greece and Albania, together with the landfall in Italy provide multiple opportunities for further transport of gas from Azerbaijan to the wider European markets. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Romania's ROMGAZ, the third-largest producer in Europe, has joined the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP), Trend reports via the company. Razvan Popescu, the CEO of ROMGAZ, will represent the company as a Member Representative to the IOGP. With a 40 percent share of Romania's total natural gas consumption, ROMGAZ is listed on the Bucharest Stock Exchange, and its GDRs are traded on the London Stock Exchange. The Romanian State holds a majority 70 percent stake as the primary shareholder. Boasting over a century of experience since its establishment in 1909, ROMGAZ specializes in gas exploration and production. The company is dedicated to geological exploration to uncover new gas reserves, methane production from its portfolio of reservoirs, and natural gas storage in underground facilities. The IOGP serves as the global voice for the upstream oil and gas industry, with its members operating worldwide and contributing to 40 percent of the global oil and gas production. The organization is committed to promoting excellence in safe, efficient, and sustainable energy supply. Additionally, the IOGP collaborates with policymakers to establish a framework facilitating increased investments by its members in the European Union's transition toward climate neutrality by 2050. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn Traffic in Manila ahead of Coldplay's concert in the northern suburbs of the Philippines capital was so bad that frontman Chris Martin sang an impromptu song about itbut it wasn't a problem for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The president, his wife, and their entourage arrived at the Friday concert by helicopter, leading to a backlash on social media, the BBC reports. Critics accused the president of wasting public resources and failing to deal with the country's transportation issues. Major General Nelson Morales, head of the Presidential Security Command, said that it was a security issue and that the agency took "decisive action" to bring Marcos to the concert safely. Morales said the Philippine Arena experienced "an unprecedented influx of 40,000 individuals eagerly attending a concert, resulting in unforeseen traffic complications." The venue is the world's largest indoor arena, with a seating capacity of 55,000. It has hosted numerous large concerts so it's not clear why the influx was seen as "unprecedented"or why the traffic was "unforeseen." Concertgoer Nick Villavecer tells NBC News that he left home in a carpool with other fans seven hours before the concert started. "What he showed was a stark contrast to what many ordinary Filipino concertgoers had to go through," Villavecer says of Marcos. In a post on X, Villavecer shared video of Martin's song about "insane" Manila traffic. "If you wanna drive somewhere then I'm warning you. A 2-mile drive will take a week or two," Martin sang. "If you wanna get back home in time for your bath, well, I'd allow yourself about a year and a half." The country's Department of Transport said Friday that it is working on infrastructure projects to deal with "worsening traffic in highly urbanized areas," CNN reports. (More Philippines stories.) Norman Jewison, the acclaimed and versatile Canadian-born director whose Hollywood films included Doris Day comedies, Moonstruck, and social dramas such as the Oscar-winning In the Heat of the Night, has died at age 97. His publicist said Jewison, a three-time Oscar nominee who in 1999 received an Academy Award for lifetime achievement, died peacefully Saturday but provided no other details. Throughout his career, Jewison combined light entertainment with topical films that appealed to him on a personal level. As Jewison was ending his military service in the Canadian navy during World War II, he hitchhiked through the American South and had a close-up view of Jim Crow segregation. In his autobiography This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me, he noted that racism and injustice became his most common themes. "Every time a film deals with racism, many Americans feel uncomfortable," he wrote. "Yet it has to be confronted. We have to deal with prejudice and injustice or we will never understand what is good and evil, right and wrong; we need to feel how 'the other' feels." He drew upon his experiences for 1967's In the Heat of the Night, starring Rod Steiger as a white, racist small-town sheriff and Sidney Poitier as a Black detective from Philadelphia trying to help solve a murder; the two eventually form a working relationship. James Baldwin condemned the film's "appalling distance from reality," and thought the director trapped in a fantasy of racial harmony that would only heighten "Black rage and despair." But critics including the New York Times' Bosley Crowther found the movie powerful and inspiring. He also received Oscar nominations for Fiddler on the Roof and Moonstruck, the romantic comedy for which Cher won an Academy Award for best actress. He worked on the Cold War spoof The Russian Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, the Steve McQueen thriller The Thomas Crown Affair, and a pair of movies featuring Denzel Washington: the racial drama A Soldier's Story and The Hurricane, starring Washington as wrongly imprisoned boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. Five Jewison films received best Oscar nominations, per the AP. When he wasn't working, he lived on a 200-acre farm in Ontario, where he raised horses and cattle and produced maple syrup. He founded the Canadian Film Centre in 1988 and for years hosted barbecues during the Toronto Film Festival. story continues below The Toronto-born Jewison began acting at age 6 before Masonic lodge gatherings. After graduating from Victoria College, he went to work for the BBC in London, then returned to Canada and directed programs for the CBC. His work brought offers from Hollywood, and he quickly earned a reputation as a director of TV musicals. Jewison shifted to feature films in 1963. The director's light touch prompted Universal to assign him to a series of comedies. Wearying of such scripts, Jewison used a loophole in his contract to move to MGM for The Cincinnati Kid. "I never really became as much a part of the establishment as I wanted to be," he told the Hollywood Reporter in 2011, adding, "I never felt totally acceptedbut maybe that's good." (More obituary stories.) The US and British militaries bombed eight locations they said are used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities. According to officials, warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets were used to take out Houthi missile storage sites and launchers. Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance, the AP reports. In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities. The statement added that "our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats." The joint operation comes about 10 days after US and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first US military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. The Houthis' media office said in an online statement that raids targeted Yemen's capital, Sanaa. Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told the AP that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An AP journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above Sanaa overnight Monday. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Biden spoke earlier Monday. Sunak's office said the two leaders agreed to take "as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities." (More Houthis stories.) Two motorists were killed and tens of thousands of people were left without electricity Monday after a winter storm lashed Britain and Ireland with heavy rain and wind gusts that topped 100mph. In County Antrim in Northern Ireland, three trees were blown down at Dark Hedges, a roadway lined with majestic beeches that became a popular tourist destination after being featured as Kingsroad in Game of Thrones. The trees are said to be about 250 years old and are approaching the end of their typical lifespan. Several have been toppled by other storms, the AP reports. "This is another blow to the Dark Hedges," said Mervyn Storey, chair of the Dark Hedges Preservation Trust. "In fact, one of the trees that was healthy has been blown down. It is very sad." The storm littered roads and railways with downed trees that created deadly hazards and blocked travel, disrupting morning commutes. Hundreds of trains were canceled. On Sunday night, an 84-year-old male passenger in a car in Scotland and a van driver in his 60s in Northern Ireland were killed when their vehicles struck toppled trees. The UK's Met Office weather service had issued an unusual wind warning for the whole country before Storm Isha, which peaked overnight after exceeding forecasts for 90mph gusts. The Tay Road Bridge, a 1.4-mile span over the River Tay estuary in Scotland, recorded a 107mph gust, it announced on social media. A 99mph gust was recorded at Brizlee Wood radar station in northeastern England, the weather service said. In North Yorkshire in northern England, firefighters rescued several people trapped in flooded vehicles. Ireland and the UK have been hammered since fall by gusty, wet storms that have knocked out power and caused flooding along river valleys. To protect the Dark Hedges, traffic was prohibited on part of the road in 2017, but Storey said more needs to be done, per the BBC. Crews worked to clear the site on Monday. "Because there has been snow and rain before, the ground around the base of the trees is sodden; when the wind comes they just move," he said, per the Independent. (More winter storms stories.) Under the darkness of night, in the roiling high seas off the coast of Somalia, members of the US Navy's SEAL Team 3 began to climb aboard an unflagged ship that was carrying illicit Iranian-made weapons to Yemen. As Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram began climbing the ladder onto the boat, he slipped, falling into a gap the waves had created between the vessel and the SEALs' combatant craft. As he went under, Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers jumped into the gap to try to save him, according to US officials familiar with the incident. It was an instinctive act, honed by years of trainingone teammate going to another's aid. But weighed down by their body armor, weapons, and heavy gear, the two SEALs plunged into the depths of the Arabian Sea and died , said anonymous officials of the Jan. 11 raid, per the AP . The 11-day search and rescue mission to locate the two SEALs was called off on Sunday and became a recovery effort. And on Monday, the Navy released their names, after their families were notified. "Chris and Gage selflessly served their country with unwavering professionalism and exceptional capabilities," said Capt. Blake Chaney, commander of Naval Special Warfare Group 1, which oversees SEAL Team 3. "This loss is devastating for NSW, our families, the special operations community, and across the nation." The US Navy's 5th Fleet is conducting an investigation into the incident. That probe is expected to examine whether the SEALs were properly equipped and trained for the mission, whether procedures were followed, and any decisions regarding the timing and approval of the raid, including the weather and state of the seas. According to officials, the commandos launched from the USS Lewis B. Puller, a mobile sea base, and they were backed up by drones and helicopters. They loaded onto small special-operations combat craft driven by naval special warfare crew to get to the boat. It was the type of boarding for which SEALs train routinely, and illegal weapons moving from Iran to Yemen-based Houthis have been a persistent concern, particularly as the rebels continue to target commercial vessels in the region. Chambers, 37, of Maryland, enlisted in the Navy in 2012 and graduated from SEAL training in 2014. His awards include the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat "C" and three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals. Ingram, 27, of Texas, enlisted in 2019 and graduated from SEAL training in 2021. More here. (More Navy SEALs stories.) The Doomsday Clock will remain this year exactly where it was in 202390 seconds until midnight, its historic high. And the group behind the annual gauge of world annihilation says it's not a cause for celebration that the clock did not tick even closer: "Make no mistake: resetting the clock at 90 seconds to midnight is not an indication that the world is stable," says Rachel Bronson, CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. "Quite the opposite. It's urgent for governments and communities around the world to act. And the Bulletin remains hopefuland inspiredin seeing the younger generations leading the charge." Hot spots: The group ticked off a number of dangerous factors, including the continued war in Ukraine, the Hamas raid and the subsequent Israeli bombardment, record-hot temperatures, and worries that artificial intelligence could spin out of control, per CBS News. The group ticked off a number of dangerous factors, including the continued war in Ukraine, the Hamas raid and the subsequent Israeli bombardment, record-hot temperatures, and worries that artificial intelligence could spin out of control, per CBS News. Perspective: The group created the clock in 1947, per CNN, and it was originally set at 7 minutes until midnight. In some years, it has moved backward. (More Doomsday Clock stories.) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. bp as operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field development project, commenced a new 4-dimensional (4D) high-definition ocean bottom node seismic program on the ACG field on 20 January, Trend reports via the company. Reportedly, this is the largest-ever seismic acquisition commitment made by bp globally by all its aspects area size, cost and program duration. The program, which will focus on ACGs Balakhany and Fasila reservoirs, will cover an area of 740 square kilometres under source and 507 square kilometres under receivers, with a total cost of around $370 million and a duration of five years (2024-2028). Planning for this extended program started early last year. The plan is to conduct five monitors over five years, utilizing ocean bottom nodes, one dual source vessel - the Murovdag, and one node vessel the Guba, said the company. The program will be implemented by the Caspian Geo LLC. ACG is a super-giant field and to date more than 4.3 billion barrels (581 million tonnes) of oil have been produced from the field. The oil is exported to world markets, primarily via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Western Route Export pipelines. Till the end of the third quarter of 2023, total investments of more than $43 billion have been made into the development of the ACG field. ACG currently has nine offshore platforms seven production platforms and two process, gas compression, water injection and utilities platforms. The platforms export oil and gas to the Sangachal terminal, one of the worlds largest oil and gas terminals, onshore near Baku. Follow the author on X: @Lyaman_Zeyn By RNZ The government is showing "all the traits of typical white supremacists" in the way it's rolling back Maori policies, Te Pati Maori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer says. She is accusing the National-led government of losing control of its coalition partners and allowing "a backpedalling" of its commitment to te reo Maori. "So you take the language away from Indigenous people." In a statement, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Ngarewa-Packer's characterisation of the government was "ridiculous, baseless and we absolutely reject it". "The rhetoric is also divisive and unhelpful. The coalition is absolutely focused on improving outcomes for all New Zealanders, Maori and non-Maori, after six years in which the country has gone backwards," he said. Finance Minister Nicola Willis told RNZ's First Up today it was clear the Treaty of Waitangi established a foundational relationship between the Crown and iwi. She said the government was committed to progressing results for Maori and the relationship that the Treaty of Waitangi promised. Ngarewa-Packer also made her comments today - the first of three days of celebrations at Ratana with church leaders, iwi leaders and politicians converging on the small Rangitikei village. Days after the Kiingitanga's historic nationwide hui, Maori leaders have marked it as a chance to continue the conversations started on Saturday. Ngarewa-Packer told Morning Report it was an important time for Maori to be unified in the face of a government that was "anti-Maori and displaying all the traits of typical white supremacists". The government had also walked away from Maori-designed solutions for health, she said - a reference to the abolition of the Maori Health Authority. While it had given assurances that there would still be healthcare provisions for Maori, she was among Maori experiencing the impact of the "uncertainty" on what the government's policies would be. Maori did not want to be used as "kickboards", she said. If the government was committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, why was it being put up for debate and being used for leverage, she said. Asked again about her "white supremacist" views, she said there shouldn't be any surprise at her comments. "The reality is we have an anti-Maori government with coalition partners that are using every power so that not only they know what's better for us, they know how to design Te Tiriti better for us..." She said the government had got into power by leveraging off some of what had been fought for 40 to 50 years, such as the Maori Health Authority and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. While Maori Ministers such as Tama Potaka and Dr Shane Reti would say they were representing Maori interests in a different way, Ngarewa-Packer countered that 10,000 people at the weekend opposed their views. The new government's policies meant that Maori ability to thrive and to protect things such as the language were now being threatened, she said. "I'm sad to say that is how we feel with this [sic] anti-Maori policies and legislations that have been enacted under urgency to hold us back." "There has been heavy rain overnight and it's just in the easing phase now," MetService duty forecaster Heath Gullery told RNZ. "So, looking at the radar, most of the heavy rain is up in the ranges and that's set to ease in the next few hours. "Rivers and streams will still be running high for most of the morning so just be aware if you're out and about and be careful." Showers and possible thunderstorms could develop in the region on Saturday morning, MetService said. By midday, those showers should become isolated and clear later in the afternoon. Attention now turned to the North Island's East Coast, where heavy rain and thunderstorm warnings were in place for Gisborne and Hawke's Bay. "Computer models have the sub-tropical low passing over the northeast of the North Island [on Monday], while a trough moves onto southern New Zealand from the southwest," MetService's severe weather outlook said. "There is moderate confidence that rainfall amounts will reach warning criteria about Bay of Plenty and Gisborne/Tairawhiti, plus the Westland and Grey Districts, and low confidence warnable amounts of rain will fall about Coromandel Peninsula and Hawke's Bay. "Also, there is low confidence that east to southeast winds will reach severe gale about exposed parts of Gisborne/Tairawhiti and the Wairoa District." A severe thunderstorm watch for Hawke's Bay was valid from 3pm until at least 11pm on Saturday, while the heavy rain warning for Gisborne commenced at 6pm on Sunday through to at least 9am on Monday. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Labour Fund (Tamkeen) announced the renewal of its ongoing collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS), which is aimed at furthering support for the Cloud Innovation Center (CIC) at the University of Bahrain and Bahrain Polytechnic. This collaboration, now in its fourth year, is dedicated to bolstering students' digital proficiency, expediting Bahrain's digital transformation, and addressing challenges faced by some organizations within the public sector. As a leading global tech institution, AWS brings invaluable practical expertise, diverse services, and access to cutting-edge technologies, enriching the CIC initiative. Tamkeen's support encompasses the cost of training, including consultancy services focused on cloud innovations and the creation of prototypes. The initiative is designed to equip students with essential digital skills through comprehensive training. Over the past years, the Cloud Innovation Centers supported over 100 students in their endeavors to develop innovative solutions through intensive practical training with AWS experts. This resulted in 34 prototypes developed as proposals for a number of public sector organizations. The challenges that were addressed include the labor-intensive and time-consuming manual procedures for monitoring and documenting the water temperature in fish farms, which were carried out based on the knowledge and expertise of the employees rather than a scientific base. In addition to developing solutions aimed at farmers to support them with monitoring crops and detecting pests and diseases in real-time, enabling the farmers to make quick and informed decisions. Tamkeen Executive Director of Programs and Partnership Development, Ali Hasan said, This initiative aligns with Tamkeen's mission to develop the skills of Bahraini talent, ensuring their readiness for the labor market and bolstering their competitiveness, both locally and internationally, therefore enhancing their position as employees of choice in the labor market. He added: The Cloud Innovation Centers play a pivotal role in cultivating a robust pool of skilled Bahrainis, in addition to serving as advanced platforms focused on tackling challenges encountered by the public sector, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations. By facilitating collaboration among relevant authorities and empowering local talent with cloud computing expertise, these centers help bring about innovative solutions that transform challenges into rewarding job opportunities of high quality and impact." Cloud computing plays a pivotal educational role by providing students invaluable opportunities to refine their skills for future employment. It fosters a collaborative learning environment and a deep understanding of cutting-edge technologies. Recognizing cloud computing as a distinct competitive advantage for students in the jobs market is increasingly crucial due to its role in honing adaptability and problem-solving skills, both vital aspects of success in today's tech-driven world. The information and communication technology (ICT) sector made a significant contribution of 6.8% to Bahrains real GDP in 2022, marking a consistent upward trajectory. Notably, there has been a surge in the demand for cloud services in Bahrain, driven by companies migrating their ICT infrastructures to the cloud. This trend presents opportunities for firms to offer cloud storage services, software, and other cloud-based solutions. This initiative is aligned with Tamkeens 2024 strategic priorities, which are focused on economic impact and the private sector under three pillars: increasing economic participation through new employment opportunities for new entrants, expanding career development opportunities available to the Bahraini workforce, and further developing the private sector by supporting enterprises and boosting productivity and the adoption of technology. Hermeus completed testing of their full system hypersonic ground Mk0 test plane. It is a complete system made in 6 months and tested in 37 days. The fully-integrated vehicle, Quarterhorse Mk 0 is a non-flying prototype acted as a dynamic iron bird for the company by validating all major aircraft subsystems in a real-world environment. It has been one year since the Hermeus had a ground test of their Chimera engine transitioning from turbojet to ramjet power. They need to build the successive airframes to hold their engines to reach hypersonic speeds. Hermeus is a new defense company but they have a multi-year Defense Intelligence Unit contract that will fund them through the financial valley of death. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) contract is to mature Hermeus hypersonic aircraft subsystem and mission system technology. Hermeus will utilize its commercial high-speed flight test prototype, Quarterhorse, to support technical maturation and risk reduction for future hypersonic aircraft. The contract is part of DIUs Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) initiative, which aims to utilize commercial flight test capabilities to expand the Department of Defenses high-speed flight test capacity. The multi-year award will feature Hermeus iterative approach to technology maturation and aircraft development. Through this contract, Hermeus will demonstrate key enabling technologies for hypersonic aircraft in relevant environments preparing them for introduction into future programs. These technologies include propulsion and propulsion integration; thermal management; power generation; and hypersonic mission system capabilities. This effort will transition the worlds fastest aircraft to an operational flight test capability for hypersonic capability experimentation, and validation. Hermeus aims to develop hypersonic aircraft quickly and cost-effectively by integrating hardware-rich, iterative development with modern computing and autonomy. This approach has been validated through design, build, and test of the companys first combined turbojet-ramjet engine and is now being scaled through its first flight vehicle program, Quarterhorse. Hermeus is also developing Darkhorse an uncrewed hypersonic aircraft designed to deliver unique asymmetric capabilities to the warfighter. NASA tells Blue Origin and SpaceX to start detailed designing of cargo versions of their human lunar landers. NASA always had the option to get cargo versions of the lunar landers in the original contracts. NASA is now exercising those options to get cargo landers designs to an approved preliminary design review. The actual sizes of the SpaceX and Blue Origin lunar landers are in the image below. The preliminary design requirements include delivering 12 to 15 metric tons to the lunar surface. The cargo lunar landers will be very similar to the human crewed lunar landers. The European Space Agency is designing Argonaut, a cargo lander that ESA is proposing to offer for future Artemis missions. Argonaut, as currently designed, would carry about two metric tons of cargo, far less than what NASA is proposing with the cargo HLS variants. NASA selected the two companies, along with three others, in the second round of the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program in November 2019. SpaceX offered Starship, which the company said at the time could deliver up to 100 metric tons to the lunar surface, while Blue Origin offered its original cargo version of its Blue Moon lander, capable of taking several metric tons to the moon. Chinese analysts want to understand why Russian weapons are doing so badly in the war in Ukraine. 70% of Chinas modern airplanes are licensed copies, unlicensed copies or variants of the SU-27. 20% are inferior planes that are not even as good as the Russian copies. The Ukraine War has been an actual real world test or most of the modern planes, missiles, drones that the world has. The only systems that have not been tested or used are the stealth fighters. Russia has some SU57 stealth fighters but has not used them other than a few safe uses from long-range. The other lessons are which tactics are ineffective and which tactics are more effective. There is also the need for a lot more drones for front line troops. Drones have become an absolute necessity on the front lines. There is a need for a lot more ammunition and overall training. There will need to be a lot more training on the effective tactics. China also wants to look at the Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missile getting shot down. The Kinzhal and Chinas hypersonic weapons (YJ-21 and DF-17) are similar technology. They are hypersonic warheads on a regular rocket booster. The Kinzhal had about 6 shot down in one day. The Kinzhal cost Russia about $10 million each to make. The YJ-21 is a shorter range navy variant of the DF-17. The YJ-21 costs about $8 million each. The DF-17 costs about $107 million each. Russia had about 6 Kinzhal missiles shot down in 1 day in the war. Normal supersonic missiles are about $1-2 million. The point of spending more money for a faster missile is so it can with near certainty penetrate defenses. A military could always just buy 10 or 100 cheaper missiles to overwhelm air defenses. You dont want to go too cheap where the missiles are not reliable like a Scud missile. You want to spend enough to get good cost benefit on reliable destruction. The Russian S-400 air defense system was supposed to be a scary system able to defend against the US air force and missiles. The S-400s have been defeated and destroyed with a few waves of cheap drones and cheap missiles. China bought a lot of expensive S-400 air defense systems. The US and the rest of world may not have the exact same Russian equipment but all of the worlds military have to update and change procurement to reflect what is being learned in Ukraine. Russia has lost about 20% of its Su-34 fleet, with a starting total of only 121 aircraft. Four Su-34 planes were shot down in only 2 days in December, 2023. Chinese analysis identifies two reasons for these heavy losses. 1. The Russian Aerospace Force, which inherited the air combat theories of the Soviet Air Force, habitually allows existing combat aircraft to take on the tasks of both air defense suppression and electronic warfare. 2. Russian militarys did not buy enough precision guided stand-off munitions. They cannot keep their planes safer by being further away. Roughly 20% of the PLAAF and PLANAFs combat aircraft are old second-generation fighters of limited combat value against peer opponents, save perhaps in swarming attacks. Another 30% include strategic bombers and more capable but dated third-generation designs. Finally, 50% percent are fourth-generation fighters that can theoretically hold their own against peers like the F-15 and F-16. China has about 126 actual Russian planes in the Su-27 family (SU27, SU30, SU35). The J-11 and J-16 are copies of the SU-27 Russian planes, that are getting shotdown by ground to air missiles in Ukraine. The J-11 was a licensed copy of the SU-27. The J-10 is a copy of the Israeli Lavi from Israeli designs. The Lavi was based on the design of the French Dassault Mirage. The J-10s haver had several deadly accidents possibly related to difficulties in the fly-by-wire system. 22% of Chinas 2500 combat aircraft are J-10. The J-7 is an older and even more outdated plane makes up 20% of the fleet of 2500. Chinas J-20 now makes up about 8% of Chinas 2500 combat jets. This is stealth plane copied from stolen F-22 and F-35 information. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 23. The 8th meeting of the Working Group on the Development of the Digital Economy was held in Turkmenistan in an online format, Trend reports. According to the Turkmen Sea and River Routes (Turkmendenizderyayollary) Agency, the issues of further implementation of the e-Government system and improvement of the unified portal of public services were on the agenda. During the meeting, the parties discussed measures designed to accelerate the digital transformation of the country, and noted the close cooperation with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the implementation of the tasks set. At the same time, the meeting discussed the progress of work on the creation of an interdepartmental electronic document management system and a unified register of public services. Representatives of various ministries and departments took part in the meeting, shared their experiences and outlined plans for further digitalization of their institutions. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is actively focusing its efforts on the development of the information technology sector, striving for a modern digital society. Public investments in the infrastructure of high-tech projects, expanding access to broadband Internet, and initiatives to develop digital skills among the population contribute to the growth of the IT industry in the country. Stay up to date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Senator representing the FCT, Ireti Kingibe, has said there is a need for a more structured approach to community policing if the insecurity in the nations capital can be checked. She gave the suggestion during an appearance on a Channels Television programme, Sunday Politics. Speaking on the botched CCTV Camera contract totalling $470m in the FCT, Kingibe revealed that the Chinese government did its bit in installation but the Nigerian government did not make any provisions to operate the cameras. She assured that the National Assembly would soon get to the root of the matter. Senator Kingibe, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, also suggested closer monitoring of the borders of the FCT, believing that there was much criminal activity at the communities bordering other states. She said a combination of community and regular policing, holds the key to solving FCTs security challenges. The Supreme Court has finally released the Certified True Copy, CTC, of its December judgment on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. The apex court also promised to transmit Kanus case file to the Federal High Court in Abuja. This was disclosed by Kanus Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor via a post on X. He wrote: Today, the Supreme Court released the CTC of its judgment in Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Nnamdi Kanu. The Court also promised to transmit the case file to the Federal High Court by tomorrow. Sooner than later, we shall lock horns at the Federal High Court to #FreeMNK. In December 2023, the Supreme Court dismissed an appeal to release Kanu. The apex court also upturned the judgment of an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja that discharged and acquitted Kanu of all terrorism charges. In its judgment, the Supreme Court ordered a transfer of Kanus case back to the Federal High Court in Abuja to continue his trial. The court, however, faulted the Nigerian Government over the extraordinary rendition Kanu was subjected to from Kenya in June 2021. Following the delay, there has been pressure from Kanus lawyers and IPOB for the release of the Certified True Copy and transfer of the case file to the subordinate court. A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, has set agenda for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the proposed visit of the United States Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken. Blinken is billed to meet Tinubu and Ivory Coast President, Alassane Ouattara on Tuesday in a bid to forge a united front with key African democracies. In Abidjan, Blinken will meet Ouattara, a veteran leader, who has won US praise for strengthening democracy, before heading to Abuja to see Nigerian Tinubu. Writing on X, Sani, who represented Kaduna Central District in the 8th National Assembly, listed five areas Tinubu should focus on when meeting with the American politician. When the US Secretary of State, Blinken visits Nigeria, our President should use the opportunity to tell him the following truths; that Nigeria is unambiguously opposed to the Israeli genocidal activities in Gaza and we want an immediate ceasefire and end to the occupation of the land of Palestine. That the US should end all arms restrictions against our country and support our war against bandits, terrorists and kidnappers. That the US should end all sanctions against Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and other West African countries and support ECOWAS peaceful efforts to democratic transitions. That the US should pay reparations to Nigeria and other African and Caribbean countries for their centuries of Trans-Atlantic slave trade and exploitation. Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke has reaffirmed that President Bola Tinubu can never support looting of public assets. He spoke in response to the allegations by the Osun All Progressives Congress, APC, with regards to the recently issued White Paper. APC leaders in the state had called on President Bola Tinubu and security agencies to help save the state from the anarchist hold of Governor Adeleke and his ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Recall that the Osun State Government, on January, 18, 2024, issued a White Paper on traditional rulers and also for the retrieval of public assets allegedly carted away by political appointees under the Adegboyega Oyetola administration. According to Governor Adeleke in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the President has always commended him for clearing the mess he met in Osun, while also emphasizing that President Tinubu abhors looting of public assets. I have interacted with President Tinubu a lot of times, and I know he appreciates my effort in cleaning the many messes I encountered in Osun. From the actions of the President, he has shown he is a man of due process and, as such, will never support looting of public assets. Its now unfortunate that Osun APC is showing acts that are contrary to the Presidents style of governance Moreso, at the inception of our government, I set up an Asset Recovery Committee, with most of those with government properties alerted to the need to return them. It is now the report of the committee Im acting on as demanded by the good people of the state. Governor Adeleke, while asserting that he has been governing the state without any partisan affiliation, disclosed that he has not dragged any political adversary to the anti-graft agencies even when there were clear reasons to do so. While urging the appointees of the previous administration in the state to return all government properties in their care, Adeleke warned that his administration would leave no stone unturned to recover all looted government properties. A former presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has revealed why the late Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, had issues with him till death. Adesina disclosed that he endured a strained relationship with Kyari from the onset of his appointment. He noted that the late Chief of Staff refused to grant him unhindered access to the President, despite Buharis directive to that effect. In his book, Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023), Adesina claimed that Kyari deliberately prevented Buhari from funding the operations of the presidential media office for five years. Adesina said in the book, In June 2015, I had done a memo to the President, recommending some people to be taken on as staff in the Media Department. They had gone through the campaign and struggles with us and pedestaled themselves as dyed-in-the-wool Buharists. They were from different parts of the country. I explained that much to Mr. President the day I took the memo to him. He thanked me and said he would pass it to the SGF (Secretary to Government of the Federation) when he appointed one, so it would be on record. Fair enough. When a COS (Chief of Staff) and SGF were appointed, the President directed the memo to the COS. Also in order. But Malam Kyari just sat on it for the next one year. He did not say anything on it. Eventually, my colleague, Garba Shehu, went to see him. And he confessed to Shehu that he shunned the memo because I had taken it directly to the President. But the June date on it was clear. He had not even been appointed then. The second had to do with funding of the Media Department. There was no budget line, and funds were usually provided by the Office of the NSA, as needs arose. I had consulted with two of my predecessors, Dr. Reuben Abati, and Ima Niboro, who had briefed me. Media and publicity is not cheap, not anywhere in the world, but it would amaze you that we operated for five years without a dime. After the NSA was appointed, I went to meet and brief him about how publicity was usually funded from his office. It was a Friday, and he promised that anything that would make me and the man we had come to serve succeed, he would do. Exactly a week later, after the Jumat service, the NSA walked into my office, with his two hands in the air. I asked what the matter was. He told me he had received a memo from the President, directing that nothing, absolutely nothing, must be funded from his office, except security. In the light of that, the promise he had made me was no longer tenable. I thanked him and said I would meet the President. And I did. That very night, in the house. I remember that it was only myself and General Dambazau that were waiting to see him. He is a senior friend, and I told him the purpose of my visit. He was quite surprised that over three months media and publicity was not being funded yet. He asked how we were doing it, and I said myself and Shehu were using goodwill. When I met the President and told him of my encounter with the NSA, he confirmed that he gave the directive, and explained why. He quoted Buhari as saying, A lot was done through the Office of the NSA, and there were no records. I do not want that. We will institute a probe into the activities of the office (it was eventually done), and you will see what happened there. I dont want the media funded from there again. Meet the Chief of Staff and let him design how we would be funding media. Adesina narrates further: The next day, I went to see the COS in the office. I had just started talking, when he impatiently started to say: No, no, no. Media is not funded from here. Media is not funded from here. He would not even give me a chance to talk. And lest I appear as someone just after funding, for what I would gain, I left his office and never went back to the President. For the first five years, the media did not receive one naira, till the SGF, Boss Mustapha, heard about it and designed a budget line from his office. It was not up to what was required, but it was better than nothing. Third encounter. A retired General, someone well respected in the country, had wanted to see the President. Many times, he applied through the office of COS, which is the proper channel. He never got feedback. So he phoned and asked me to intervene since the issue he wanted to discuss was quite serious. I went to the President, and mentioned the General, and why he needed to come see him. The President just said: Tell SCOP to schedule him for 8:00 pm tomorrow in the house. I passed on the word and left for my office. I had not been seated for five minutes when my intercom rang. It was the COS who wanted me to come to his office. He started screaming as I entered: Why did you get an appointment for Gen..? Why did you? You always go behind me to relate with the President. You have to stop it. Remember the Presidents instructions to me the day I resumed work: Do not let anybody stop you from seeing me. Anytime you need to see me, just come. I never abused that rain check but went to see the President only when it was totally necessary, throughout the eight years. And he was always gracious to me. But apparently, it became an issue with Malam Abba, so we were not quite chummy, but we were also not enemies. Two people were charged with endangering the welfare of a child on Sunday after police responded to a home for a wellness check and found it to be in deplorable condition, the Cape May Prosecutors Office said. Kevin Storms, 35, and Wanda Storms, 64, of Woodbine, were charged with a second-degree crime of child endangerment after state police responded to their home, authorities said on Tuesday. New Jersey State Troopers from the Woodbine barracks were dispatched to a home on Marcellaro Road Sunday to check on the residents, the prosecutors office said. Troopers found a juvenile child at the home, which police said was in a state of extreme disrepair. Both Kevin and Wanda Storms were processed and released with summonses with court dates. Attorney information was not immediately available. The prosecutors office did not immediately respond to questions asking whether the child was harmed and where the child is now. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information relating to the investigation to contact the special victims unit of the prosecutors office at 609-465-1135. Anonymous tips can also be sent through the prosecutors offices website. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X An argument over cleaning a dog crate inside a Cumberland County home led to a 51-year-old man being shot to death over the weekend, ccording to an affidavit of probable cause. Jahlyll Lawrence, 18, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Joe Williams at a home both shared in Upper Deerfield Township. He also faces weapons offenses and is in Cumberland County jail. Circumstances regarding their relationship remained unclear on Tuesday. The pair were arguing over the crate before Williams began strangling Lawrence, according to an affidavit of probable cause, which described a witness account. Lawrence then shot Williams. New Jersey State Police, who patrol Upper Deerfield Township, were called to the residence on Quail Ridge Road early Saturday morning after Williams was shot, the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office said Monday. Troopers provided first aid Williams and arrested Lawrence, who directed police to a revolver, according to the affidavit. Williams was taken to Inspira Medical Center Bridgeton where he later died of a single gunshot wound to his chest. A body camera worn by State Police showed Lawrence told his mother, who was at the house when State Police were there, that he was hurt that I had to do it. Lawrence told State Police he got the gun about two weeks prior to the shooting. Prosecutors said Monday an investigation was ongoing. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. An 18-year-old from Cumberland County was arrested following the shooting death of a man at a home on early Saturday morning. Jahlyll Lawrence has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Joe Williams, who was discovered shot to death at a home in Upper Deerfield Township, the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office said Monday. State troopers arrested Lawrence on the same day as the homicide, police said. He was booked into Cumberland County jail on Sunday, according to inmate records. Lawrence is also charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Attorney information for Lawrence was not immediately available on Monday. State troopers, who patrol Upper Deerfield Township, were called to a residence on Quail Ridge Road on Saturday morning after Williams was shot. Williams later died of his injuries, police said. Lawrence and Williams reside at the same home, but the circumstances surrounding their relationship were unclear on Monday. An investigation into the deadly shooting remains ongoing. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the state police Bridgeton station at 856-451-0101. Anonymous tips can also be provided to the prosecutors office. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, January 23. Turkiye has proposed to hold the 8th ECOSA Summit of Turkic-speaking states in Kazakhstan, Trend reports. This was stated during a meeting between the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Turkiye Ebubekir Gizligider, and the Vice Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, Abulkhair Tamabek. In this regard, Abulkhair Tamabek noted that the ministry is considering the issue of holding the summit together with the international exhibitions KazAgro and KazFarm. In addition, the Turkish side asked to present candidates from Kazakhstan for inclusion in the ECOSA advisory body, which includes representatives of Turkic-speaking countries. The vice minister promised that the ministry would deal with this issue. In addition, the parties discussed cooperation and joint projects between Turkiye and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, the volume of trade turnover between Kazakhstan and Turkiye amounted to $5.54 billion from January through November 2023, which is almost 6 percent less than in the same period last year ($5.89 billion). UPDATE: Student charged with bringing gun to high school, cops say -- A handgun found at a Catholic high school in Union County during school hours on Monday was brought into the building by a student, church officials said. Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains had students shelter-in-place for approximately three hours Monday morning as local police conducted a search that led to the discovery of a concealed firearm that had been brought to school by a student, Maria Margiotta, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Newark, said Tuesday. There were no active threats or harm to the school during the incident, and no active threat remains, Margiotta said. Nonetheless, the incident is deeply concerning to the entire school community, she said. Officials with the archdiocese, which oversees the Catholic high school, did not say what prompted the police search of the school or where the gun was found. They also did not comment on whether the unidentified student was disciplined or will face charges. Police in Scotch Plains are investigating the incident. The department did not immediately respond Tuesday to requests for comment. Counselors are available at the high school for students or staff who may need extra support, the archdiocese said in a statement. The safety of our students and staff will always be our top priority. The school routinely implements security drills to practice safety procedures for responding to emergencies, as per state guidance. Students also are urged to speak up if they see or hear anything that could represent a potential school safety concern, the archdioceses statement said. Union Catholic High School has approximately 740 students in grades 9 to 12, according to U.S. News and World Report. Tuition for the 2023-2024 school year is $20,700, according to the schools website. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. NJ Advance Media staff writer Nicolas Fernandes contributed to this report. Jackie Roman may be reached at jroman@njadvancemedia.com. Children gathered in the greenery of Sussex and Passaic counties more than 80 years ago to frolic at summer camp. In ever-increasing numbers, the nations youth has been going away to camp, a 1930s newsreel proclaimed. This year has seen more boys and girls at camp than ever before. An ironworkers injury at a Downtown Jersey City high-rise construction project in 2017 left him unable to work. Living off a monthly $2,688 workers compensation check, he and his wife filed for bankruptcy two years later. But Donald Hoilands financial outlook took a meteoric upturn when a Hudson County jury awarded him $5.3 million in compensatory damages, his attorney, Gerald Clark of the Clark Law Firm, said this week. Hoiland was injured Nov. 2, 2017, at the 235 Grand St. construction site while working for the projects general contractor, AJD Construction Co., according to court documents. Two years later Hoiland filed the lawsuit against AJD, the developer and other companies working on the $289 million project, dubbed 235 Grand, at the site of the former Hudson County Boys and Girls Club. Hoiland and his wife filed for bankruptcy the same year. According to court documents, Hoiland had earned nearly $75,000 as an ironworker in 2017. We are pleased with the result obtained, which is rather modest given the trial proofs, Clark said in a statement. The insurance company and the lawyers they hired to represent the defendant fought us tooth and nail during the five years of this litigation and through trial where they seemingly objected to everything. This drove up our costs and time commitment in the case, but neither our firm nor our client would break. Our faith in the system was reaffirmed by a jury that was able to see through the defense trial tactics and render adequate justice. The verdict was first reported by New Jersey Law Journal. According to the lawsuit and court documents, Hoiland was walking on the access road at the construction site to show a driver where to stage a delivery of rebar when he stumbled over a chunk of concrete that was protruding from the ground and fell awkwardly, injuring his back. Hoiland was taken to a local hospital, where he remained for several days. Hoilands attorney argued at trial that it had been alleged that in order to maximize profits, AJD had the prior demolished building used as fill on the site, leaving large chunks of concrete, wood, and glass strewn about the site, including on the job access road. Clark says AJD received several complaints in the prior weeks about the poor condition of the road from the demolished building material causing workers to trip. Clark said AJD ignored the complaints and refused to have the road graded out to save about $2,000. Hoiland sustained severe herniated discs in his lower back at two levels in the fall and eventually had decompression surgery in March 2018. Several more surgeries, including a spinal fusion with implanted hardware, followed and Hoiland had a permanent spinal cord stimulator implanted in his spine to help alleviate the pain, Clark said. A jury of four men and four women rendered a compensatory verdict on Sept. 25, finding AJD Construction 80% at fault for the incident. The jury also ascribed 20% comparative negligence against the plaintiff. The jury awarded $462,370 for past medical expenses, $61,139 for future medical expenses, $180,950 for past lost wages, $885,709 for future lost wages and more than $2.6 million for past and future pain, suffering, disability and loss of enjoyment of life. The jury also awarded $528,000 for the spousal loss claim to Hoilands wife. The jury declined to assess punitive damages against the defendant. Im glad we were able to obtain a jury verdict to compensate Don for everything he and his family have suffered and will continue to suffer, said Lazaro Berenguer, co-counsel for Hoiland. The state has appointed a financial watchdog at the cash-strapped CarePoint Health System as the nonprofit that operates three hospitals in Hudson County struggles to pay its bill and has reduced employee hours. The naming of Robert Iannaccone, a longtime hospital executive, as the state Department of Healths choice to be the financial monitor for Bayonne Medical Center, Hoboken University Medical Center and Christ Hospital in Jersey City coincides with the announcement that the CarePoint hospitals will join Hudson Regional Hospital (HRH) in the new Hudson Health Systems. Iannaccone was most recently the executive vice president of University Hospital in Newark. As a financial monitor, Iannaccone has the power to both attend and vote at hospital board meetings and other meetings related to its finances and is responsible for reporting back to the state health commissioner and board of trustees. The Burlington County man who authorities say had four pipe bombs in a duffel bag in his car last year will be tried in federal court, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced Tuesday. Jeremy Giliberti, 52, of Mount Laurel, is charged with one count of possessing destructive devices. He appeared in federal court in Trenton Tuesday, where his lawyer consented for him to remain in custody pending trial. Gilibertis been jailed in Mercer County since July of 2023, when two Hamilton police officers pulled him over on South Broad Street near an Interstate 295 underpass and eventually found the bombs in the bag. Police initially charged him with a similar, state crime for possessing the devices. At the time, Hamilton police did not say why they suspect Giliberti had the devices. The federal case documents include more details about Gilibertis interaction with police, and the bombs themselves, but also do not mention any alleged motives. The documents describe two inquisitive Hamilton cops pulling over Gilibertis Honda for not having a front license plate and making an unsafe lane change, shortly before 11 a.m. on July 26. As Giliberti searched for proof of insurance on his phone he did not have the card he and the officers chatted, and the officers found his remarks odd, his demeanor suspicious, his speech rambling and flashing a nervous smile, the documents say. He said hed just been to the dentist in Bristol, Pennsylvania, across the river, and showed off bloody gauze form his mouth, and a medical receipt. He said he was on his way home, but wanted to stop in Hamilton for pizza. But officers saw a pizza box on the front passenger seat. At first, federal officials say, the officers suspected Giliberti had drugs in the car and asked him to get out. Theres nothing in the vehicle thats not supposed to be? an officer asked Giliberti, to which he responded no and shook his head negatively. Do you mind if I check? the officer said, and Giliberti responded, I dont care, and held his hands up which the police took a signal to search the car. They found the bombs in the bag on the front passenger-side floor. The officers arrested Giliberti and read him his Miranda rights. Giliberti then volunteered that he had built the items, but authorities allege he downplayed their status, calling them quarter sticks and fireworks. Hamilton police said in July 2023 that they obtained a search warrant for Gilibertis home, where they found an additional device. The federal charges do not mention anything about his home. Two of the bombs were metal pipes, about 5 inches long and over an inch in diameter, packed with small BBs and pellets and a perchlorate explosive mixture. The other two were similar, but the tubes were cardboard. Each had a functional pyrotechnic fuse, the court documents say. Each qualifies as a destructive device under federal law, the documents say. Gilibertis lawyer did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. A Trenton man was arrested after authorities discovered he shared over 1,000 images of child sexual abuse, authorities said Tuesday. Police arrested Mouhamadou Ndiour, 19, after a search warrant was executed at his home on Thursday, the Mercer County Prosecutors Office said. Detectives seized multiple pieces of evidence in their search. Ndiour is charged with two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, authorities said. He faces a potential maximum sentence of 30 years in state prison if convicted. Attorney information for Ndiour was not available on Tuesday. Mercer County authorities were led to Ndiour through a report by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that tied him to the explicit material. Prosecutors are asking the courts to order him to remain in jail before trial. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. The mayor of a borough in Middlesex County is accused in a lawsuit filed last week of telling police officers she wanted a man removed from the municipal building because he is Black and she and her staff didnt feel safe. The incident occurred over several days in April 2022 at the Spotswood Municipal Building, according to the lawsuit. The resident says he was approached multiple times by a clearly aggravated Mayor Jackie Palmer, according to the suit, filed Jan. 15 in Superior Court of Middlesex County. The elephant in the room is that he is f------ Black and this is not a diverse town, lets be honest, Palmer said in video recorded on police body-worn cameras, according to the lawsuit. I dont need BLM and the KKK fighting on our front steps over this, she said in front of police administrators, according to the suit. The alleged incident is recounted in a lawsuit filed on behalf of Richard Sasso Jr., a senior police patrolman who is suing the borough claiming that Palmer refuses to promote him because she blames him and other officers for her husband losing his police officer job, among other accusations. Sasso is suing over an alleged extremely hostile and harmful work environment, claiming he was retaliated against for whistleblower activities and that Palmer repeatedly oversteps her authority as mayor. Borough attorney Victoria Flynn said neither she nor Palmer would comment on the case due to active litigation. The alleged interaction with Palmer was reported to police on April 25, 2022, when the Black resident arrived at the Spotswood Police Department to complain the mayor had accosted him three days earlier. He advised that he was the only Black person in the building at that time, and he was approached multiple times, by Palmer, the suit says. He advised that he did not see J. Palmer approach any other people in the municipal building on this date. The police sergeant who took the mans complaint assigned Sasso to investigate, according to the suit. The investigation occurred before Sasso filed a notice of intent to sue the borough. Sasso states in the lawsuit he reviewed the municipal buildings security cameras and observed Palmer being extremely antagonistic and stating that the resident had to listen to her because she is the mayor, the suit says. On April 28, 2022, the Black resident returned to the municipal building and began recording so as to document any wrongdoing, the suit says. A short time later, Spotswood police received a call from borough employees. Certain borough employees asked for police escorts to their offices, as they felt unsafe, the suit says. Throughout this time, the resident did nothing inappropriate and was not threatening in any manner. Attorneys for the borough asked a judge last week to seal or redact most of the lawsuit, including the alleged racist incident, claiming the matter was the subject of a confidential internal affairs investigation that was sustained. Sassos attorneys responded in a 13-page court filing that Sasso is not a member of the departments internal affairs unit and does not have access to confidential information. Defendants assertion that certain information contained within Sassos complaint must be sealed or redacted ... is nothing other than nonsensical and a clear attempt to further secrete barefaced governmental misconduct from the public, Sassos attorney, Patrick Toscano, wrote in his response. A hearing on the motion to seal the lawsuit was held Friday and will be decided on Feb. 2. NJ Advance Media obtained a copy of the lawsuit before the motion was filed. When Palmer ordered police officers to remove the man from the building, the officers contacted the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office to confirm removing the man would be a civil rights violation, the suit says. When the officers told Palmer the man could not be removed unless a criminal act had been committed, she became hostile, according to the suit. Let me just be clear that if we call downstairs, I expect someone f------ here. I cannot and will not tolerate anybody feeling unsafe here, Palmer allegedly said, according to the suit. Palmer said that perhaps the man had not taken his meds, might have take a knife from somewhere and might be waiting for her to come out of her office to use the bathroom, the suit alleges. I get f------ shanked because he decided he wanted to wait to see me, Palmer allegedly said to the officers, according to the lawsuit. Some of Palmers alleged comments were captured on officers body-worn cameras and police forwarded the videos to the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office for review, the lawsuit says. Sasso, 35, claims in court papers the mayor blames him for the resignation of her husband, who left his job as a police officer during an internal affairs investigation several years ago. The current lawsuit alleges that Palmer blames Sasso and other officers for not defending her husband, who was under investigation for disclosing internal police matters to his wife, according to court papers. Sasso also claims he has not been able to get promoted due to a long history of favoritism within the borough. When it comes to the promotional process in the borough of Spotswood, there has been a history of political involvement from elected officials to cherry pick their choice for promotion, Sasso stated in the notice of claim filed several months ago. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Charles Osgood, the longtime anchor of CBS Sunday Morning and a host of a radio program on the news network, died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey, the network announced. The cause of death was dementia, the network said. He was 91. Presidents Day 2024, the next federal holiday on the calendar, will be observed this year on Monday, Feb. 19. The federal government, however, officially calls the holiday Washingtons Birthday, which is Feb. 22. The 145-year-old national holiday originated as a birthday tribute to George Washington, the first president of the United States, before moving to the third Monday of February starting in 1971. While no longer observed on Washingtons birthday, the holidays name though commonly referred to as Presidents Day remains unchanged from when it was established in 1879. Separate from the federal designation, it is observed in varying ways by approximately two dozen states, including New Jersey, where Presidents Day is among the 13 paid holidays granted to state employees. New Jersey has many noteworthy connections to Washington. Washington organized his 1776 Christmas night crossing of the Delaware River on what is now known as Washington Crossing State Park. The park has been the location for numerous tributes of Washington and his birthday. Contrary to popular belief, neither Congress nor the President has ever stipulated that the name of the holiday observed as Washingtons Birthday be changed to Presidents Day, the U.S. Census Bureau noted in 2023. That wasnt for lack of trying by some. When the holidays timing was being debated in the late 1960s, one of the bills sponsors U.S. Sen. George Smathers of Florida, a New Jersey native, said in a hearing that he would prefer renaming it Presidents Day to honor not only our first President but all of our Presidents, according to the American Presidency Project. Presidents Day observed day During the 1967-68 Congressional debates on the date, Tennessee U.S. Rep. Dan Kuykendall, a Republican, said that the shift to the third Monday in February instead of Washingtons actual birthday would undermine the holidays original purpose. If we do this, ten years from now our schoolchildren will not know what February 22 means. They will not know or care when George Washington was born. They will know that in the middle of February they will have a three-day weekend for some reason. This will come, Kuykendall said, as documented by the American Presidency Project. How is the date for Presidents Day determined? Washingtons birthday, February 22, was celebrated, albeit informally, for decades following his death in 1799. It wasnt until 1879 that his birthday became a federal holiday. More than nine decades later, the holiday underwent a significant scheduling shift. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act moved Washingtons Birthday exclusively to the third Monday of February starting in 1971, ensuring thee-day weekends for many workers. The act also moved Memorial Day to a Monday, Veterans Day to a Monday that holiday reverted to Nov. 11 in 1978 and established Columbus Day as a national holiday, also on a Monday. This will mean a great deal to our families and our children. It will enable families who live some distance apart to spend more time together. Americans will be able to travel farther and see more of this beautiful land of ours. They will be able to participate in a wider range of recreational and cultural activities, said President Lyndon Johnson upon signing the bill into law. While President Lincolns birthday, Feb. 12, was never a federal holiday, some states ended up merging it with the Monday-specific Washingtons Birthday, resulting in the commemoration often being equally associated with Lincoln. The position of the holiday between the birthdays of Washington and Abraham Lincoln gave rise to the popular name of Presidents Day, notes the National Archives. Presidents Day names in states Presidents Day and Washingtons Birthday get more complicated on the state level. Alabama, for example, calls it George Washington, Thomas Jeffersons Birthday, which omits even an indirect reference to Lincoln. Washington does not share the spotlight in Virginia, his home state. There, it is called, George Washington Day. New York is among the states with separate holidays, one week apart, for Lincoln and Washington. Illinois, the 16th presidents home state, does the same. The U.S. Census Bureau, in describing the holiday last year, pointed out that Presidents Day will never be celebrated on Washingtons actual birthday, as the third Monday in February cannot fall any later than February 21. When is the next federal holiday in 2024? The next federal holiday in 2024 is Memorial, celebrated this year on Monday, May 27. It will be the fourth of the 11 federal holidays on this years calendar and followed weeks later by Juneteenth on Wednesday, June 19, 2024. After this year, Presidents Day will be on Monday, February 15, in 2025, and Monday, February 16, in 2026. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust. Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. For Shana Manradge, giving up on her dream to open a market where people in her Paterson community, a known food desert, can buy fresh, healthy and affordable foods is not an option. Especially because for a year and half before this past July, when city health officials shut down the grocery shop she operated out of her garage, she was living that dream. But when theres a challenge, she says, you just roll with it. When theres obstacles, you dont give up, you pivot, she says confidently. And thats what Im doing. The store will open again. Itll simply look a little different. This time, itll be on wheels. A woman was arrested late last year after she was accused of trying to kill a 3-year-old child in Somerset County, authorities announced Monday. The woman, Alfonsina Anguita, 21, of Manville, is a relative of the child but Somerset County Prosecutors Office Chief Frank Roman told NJ Advance Media he could disclose their exact relationship. Detectives were called to a local hospital on Dec. 12, 2023 for a report of a child with signs of physical abuse and strangulation, the office said in a statement. A medical examination revealed patterns and marks indicative of child abuse and evidence that it allegedly occurred while the child was under the care of Anguita in Manville, the office said. As a result, she was arrested in Somerville on Dec. 21 and charged with attempted murder and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. She was lodged in the Somerset County Jail after her arrest, though it was not immediately clear if she was still incarcerated. Investigators asked anyone with information to contact the offices special victims unit at 908-231-7100 or the Manville Police Department at 908-725-1900. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a voluntary subscription. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A 70-year-old man was in critical condition Tuesday, a day after he was shot along with two dogs inside a home in Sussex County, authorities said. Troopers responded to a report of a shooting shortly before 5 p.m. Monday at a single-family home on County Road 628 in Wantage Township, according to Sgt. Charles Marchan of the New Jersey State Police. Inside, troopers found the victim had been shot multiple times. He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. Two deceased dogs were also located with gunshot wounds, Marchan said in an email. It was not immediately clear Tuesday whether the dogs belonged to the man. Marchan said troopers arrested Daniel Simpson, 34, of Wantage Township. A gun was also recovered, Marchan said. Simpson was charged with attempted murder, along with two weapons offenses. No motive was given for the shootings and State Police did not disclose the relationship between Simpson and the victim. This is an active investigation and there is no additional information available, Marchan said. Simpson was in custody on Tuesday pending a court appearance. Attorney information was not listed in online records. Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. A student accused of bringing a gun into a Catholic high school in Union County was arrested on Monday night, authorities said. The handgun was found at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains on Monday morning, prompting a shelter-in-place as police searched the school and investigated the incident. The juvenile student, whose name has not been released, is suspected to be the one responsible for bringing the firearm into the school, Scotch Plains Police said. The student was arrested around 8 p.m. on Monday and faces charges of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a defaced firearm and possession of a firearm in an educational institution, officials said. An employee found the weapon on school grounds about 10:45 a.m. on Monday. The school was then placed on lockdown until 2:40 p.m. as multiple area law enforcement agencies conducted an investigation. Two area public school districts, Scotch-Plains Fanwood and Westfield, also called for a shelter-in-place on Monday. There were no indications of threats to the school and the building was deemed safe, authorities said. A spokesperson for Union Catholic did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier in the day Tuesday, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Newark called the incident, deeply concerning to the entire school community. As of Tuesday evening, it was not clear whether the suspect had been released or was still in custody. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicolas Fernandes may be reached at nfernandes@njadvancemedia.com. Six-day (Tuesday through Sunday) print subscribers of the Watertown Daily Times are eligible for full access to NNY360, the NNY360 mobile app, and the Watertown Daily Times e-edition, all at no additional cost. If you have an existing six-day print subscription to the Watertown Daily Times, please make sure your email address on file matches your NNY360 account email. You can sign up or manage your print subscription using the options below. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 23. Kyrgyzstan will host the Digital Kyrgyzstan International PLUS-Forum, on February 28, 2024, Trend reports. As stated on the event's website, the forum's agenda covers a wide range of themes linked to the execution of the "Digital Kyrgyzstan" idea. This involves the ongoing incorporation of innovative technologies into government structures, banking, fintech, and the retail sectors. The event will bring together regulators, banks, fintech businesses, retail, and business solution providers to discuss digital transformation. The forum covers various topics such as Kyrgyzstan's digital society, payment transformation, government administration, Islamic financing, cryptocurrency, instant payment systems, cyber threats, and cybersecurity. Over 800 people will attend, including top management and industry specialists. Last years Boheme parade in the Marigny and Bywater was among the most alluring, transporting experiences in all of Carnival 2023. And this years procession, starting at 7 p.m. Friday and threading its way through Faubourg Marigny and the French Quarter, promises to be every bit as extraordinary. The incomparable Big Freedia, queen diva of New Orleans bounce music, will rule the procession, riding in a giant bottle of absinthe, the legendary liqueur favored by fin de siecle Parisian painters, poets and other arty types. Krewe Boheme has anointed Freedia as this years Supreme Green Fairy, a personification of absinthes reputed hallucinatory effects. The theme of the approximately 1,000-member 2024 parade is Absinthe Minded. Chances are, the political discourse is going to get hot and nasty. No, were not talking about the presidential campaign; were talking about the annual Krewe du Vieux satirical parade that will roll through the French Quarter at 6:30 p.m. Saturday (Jan. 27). In the era of sensitivity and decorum, KDV is your rude and unrepentant alternative. Krewe du Vieux is like the kings jester; its in the business of toying with taboos. The small marching club with its miniature mule-pulled floats, makes other topical parades seem totally tame by comparison. For those of us with questionable taste, its a beloved part of the early Carnival season. In addition to comically criticizing politicians and lampooning popular topics, KDV is renowned for its papier-mache renditions of human reproductive organs. Ask yourself, why do you see so few detailed photos of the Krewe du Vieux parade? The local governments and other organizations are all members of the Mississippi Sound Coalition. "The Mississippi Sound, our way of life, really, and our whole economy are in grave danger," said Gerald Blessey, manager of the coalition and former mayor of Biloxi, at a Monday morning news conference announcing the suit. "The Bonnet Carre Spillway is killing our dolphins and other marine life. Scientists have referred to the bottlenose dolphin as a sentinel of the health of the whole marine ecosystem. So the dolphins are telling us something. We must listen to the dolphins." The suit also asked the court to require the Corps to get such permits for any future openings. The spillway was opened twice in 2019 to prevent the Mississippi River from overtopping levees as it flowed through New Orleans. Even with the two openings, water levels along the levees in the city reached as high as 20 feet at times, while floodwalls protected the city from water levels of 25 feet. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 23. Kyrgyzstan and the World Bank (WB) have discussed the financing of several projects in the country, including the Kambarata-1 hydropower plant (HPP) construction, Trend reports. According to the press service of Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Economy, Minister of Finance Almaz Baketaev held discussions with the World Bank's Regional Director for Central Asia, Tatiana Proskuryakova. The minister expressed gratitude to the WB for its support in the socio-economic development of Kyrgyzstan and touched upon new agreements for financing projects aimed at improving irrigation and promoting renewable energy in the country. It was noted that the Kambarata-1 HPP project's total cost is $80.2 million. It will focus on increasing hydropower production in Kyrgyzstan and integrating renewable energy sources by strengthening the transmission system in the country. Baketaev underscored that the country is currently planning to build new reservoirs, concreting and mechanization of cleaning systems for off-farm canals, and rehabilitation and restoration of on-farm irrigation systems. He mentioned that in 2024, the focus across the country will be on making irrigation better and building water management facilities. According to Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Energy, the Kambarata-1 HPP is one of the largest hydropower projects in Central Asia. It will be located on the Naryn river. The HPP is designed to have a capacity of 1,860 MW and a reservoir volume of 5.4 billion cubic meters, with an expected annual electricity generation of 5.6 billion kWh. In November 2023, Kyrgyzstan signed an agreement with the World Bank for technical assistance amounting to $5 million to update the feasibility study of the Kambarata-1 HPP. Collin Sims, left, and Vincent Wynne, right, are vying for the northshore District Attorney's post in a special election on March 23, 2024. The election is to fill the remainder of the term of DA Warren Montgomery, who died in November 2023. (Staff photos by Grant Therkildsen and Scott Threlkeld) Dogs Trust Ilfracombe is reaching out to the community as Wulf, a spirited one-year-old Collie Crossbreed, continues his search for a permanent, loving home. Having spent an incredible 324 days under the care of the charity, the charity hopes that Wulf will soon find a new home. Arriving at Dogs Trust in March 2023, Wulf faced the challenges of adapting to indoor living after never having experienced it before. Classified as an 'underdog' due to his extended stay, Wulf's story is an appeal for a patient and understanding home with adult adopters willing to invest time and love into his continued growth. Dogs Trust, the UKs largest dog welfare charity, remains committed to the well-being of dogs and strives towards a world where every dog experiences a happy life, free from unnecessary destruction. Described as a lively, bouncy companion, that charity said Wulf thrives on treats and the company of his human friends. Despite initial shyness, he quickly is able to form a bond and enjoys engaging in playful activities such as ball games and tugs. Wulf, while still mastering the art of fetch, is ready to bring joy and affection to a family that gives him a chance. Elise Watson, Centre Manager at Dogs Trust Ilfracombe, has shared insight into Wulf's progress, stating, "Wulf is a lovely dog who, after a difficult start to life, has come on leaps and bounds. He is doing really well with his basic training and has now learnt 'sit,' 'wait,' and 'paw'." Highlighting Wulf's need for a supportive family, Elise added, "Wulfs new family will need to invest time and love into him, to help him build confidence as he adapts and learns about the world, but once settled, he will pay you back with years of love and affection - if you give him a chance!" Prospective adopters are encouraged to have someone at home with Wulf initially, gradually building up his comfort with alone time. As a social dog, Wulf prefers to be the only dog in the home, relishing in treats and luxuries. Dog social during walks, he appreciates the company of other canine friends but may need quiet walks initially to avoid feeling overwhelmed in busy areas. For those interested in offering Wulf a forever home, more information can be found here. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 23. The Turkish-Kyrgyz business forum is set to take place in Turkiye's Ankara on February 9, 2024, Trend reports. According to the National Investment Agency under the President of Kyrgyzstan, the event will be part of the 11th session of the Turkish-Kyrgyz Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation. It will be chaired by the Chairman of Kyrgyzstans Cabinet of Ministers, Akylbek Japarov, and the Vice President of Turkiye, Cevdet Yilmaz. The forum anticipates the participation of over 300 representatives from major business communities in Kyrgyzstan and Turkiye. The meeting aims to foster business relationships between entrepreneurs from Kyrgyzstan and Turkiye, with a focus on further implementing joint investment projects, establishing joint ventures, and promoting the export of products from both countries. After a one year hiatus, local nonprofit Citizens4Community (C4C) is partnering with community volunteers to bring back the Sisters Banner Project to honor local graduating high school seniors. For a few weeks in late spring, Sisters' downtown lamp posts will be adorned with over 100 custom banners each featuring a student due to graduate from Sisters High School and other local institutions. The project will put Sisters' hometown and academic pride on full display for both residents and the thousands of travelers who pass through town each day. To make the project a reality, C4C has launched a fundraising campaign, hoping to raise $3,500 from the community to cover project costs. Individuals and businesses can make a tax-deductible donation by visiting http://www.citizens4community.com/banners. "The Banner Project was initially launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when in-person graduation festivities weren't feasible," explained Kellen Klein, C4C's executive director. "The banners were a way to ensure that local graduates still felt celebrated and seen by their community." The project was led by C4C for two years before being handed over to Sisters School District for the Class of 2022. When the banners did not return last year, C4C received numerous inquiries about the project's status. "It quickly became clear how much the banners had meant to local students, families, and the broader community," said Klein. Last fall, parent volunteers Jamie Vohs and Angie Bagg reached out to Klein, curious to see if there might be a way to bring back the project. The three immediately got to work exploring the feasibility of a revitalization in time to celebrate the Class of 2024. The Banner Project is now on track for a spring 2024 launch. Banners will be hung along Cascade, Main, and Hood avenues from late April through early May, and then taken to Sisters High School for further display in the cafeteria for the final weeks of the school year. At graduation, each senior will receive their banner as a keepsake, symbolizing the community's pride in their achievements. The project is not exclusive to students attending Sisters High School, though. Local graduating seniors who are homeschooled or attend other institutions are also invited to participate, and can do so by emailing C4C at [email protected]. Klein emphasized that each student's banner location will be randomly chosen. "We understand some lamp post locations might be more appealing than others, but we are committed to making this an equitable process," he said. "Following installation, we'll inform each student of their banner's location so that they and their families can easily find it downtown." In addition to lead volunteers Vohs and Bagg, the Banner Project is benefiting from partnerships with several community members and organizations. SHS Art Teacher Bethany Gunnarson is handling banner production using the art program's in-house printer; SHS Yearbook Advisor Susie Seaney is ensuring that each senior has a quality photo for their banner; Explore Sisters is coordinating the timeline of the public banner showcase; and the City of Sisters Public Works staff will lead banner installation and take-down. C4C hopes to garner even broader community support through its fundraising campaign. If the organization surpasses its $3,500 goal, any surplus funds will be directed toward future youth-oriented initiatives in Sisters Country. "This project is a testament to our strong community spirit in Sisters Country," said Klein. "We invite everyone to join us in supporting our students. The success of this project relies on the generosity of the community, and every contribution, no matter the size, makes a meaningful impact." Tax-deductible donations can be made online at citizens4community.com/banners, or by mailing a check to P.O. Box 2193, Sisters, OR 97759 (please write "Banner Project" on the memo line). The City of Sisters is getting work underway to figure out how to accommodate future growth. The City has put out a request for proposal (RFP) seeking a professional consulting firm with experience in Oregon comprehensive land use planning to coordinate and lead the Citys proposed Urban Growth Boundary Amendment (UGB Amendment). Population projections from Portland State University say that the population inside the city limits will hit 7,108 in 2043 - more than double the current population of 3,475. Sisters currently does not have room to accommodate that kind of population. Sisters Community Development Director Scott Woodford told The Nugget last November that the State of Oregon requires action from cities to accommodate future growth. Typically, that is extension of the UGB, Woodford said. Woodford says the City would need to bring in 206 to 256 acres to accommodate need for housing and commercial lands. The land-use system is designed to contain urban sprawl but the State wants to see housing built to alleviate a crisis in affordability across the state. A long-standing City of Sisters ordinance requires a vote of the citizens in order to annex any development into the City. However, the State passed a statute in 2015 that essentially overrides such local requirements, and means the City must approve an annexation as long as it conforms to land use requirements. The project scope and objective for the RFP is for a land use planning consultant to assist the City in preparing and managing, in coordination with City staff, an application for the UGB amendment, including all appropriate amendments to Citys Comprehensive Plan, for consideration by City and Deschutes County and ultimately acknowledgment by the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development. It is anticipated that the project should be finally complete by December 31, 2025. All correspondence regarding the RFP must be submitted in writing to Scott Woodford, community development director, at [email protected]. Imagine To the Editor: Well, here we are again. Another election year which is quickly ramping up with both sides of the isle pointing fingers, laying blame and generating biased statements that oftentimes seem to lack the truth. Then there is the media. Conservative and liberal outlets alike appear hell-bent on creating and fostering a deeper level of divisiveness and animosity within our society. Based on a number of opinions posted lately in The Nugget it appears these factors have made it increasingly more difficult to maintain civility and respect for those whose opinions differ from our own. Personally, I believe that those of us that have the privilege of living in a small community like Sisters Country have a deeper level of respect and appreciation for our friends, neighbors and community members. Is it possible for us as a community to refrain from spewing our political opinions and bias with the intent to influence others? Rather, respect others enough that you allow them to formulate their own unbiased opinions even if they may differ from your own. Additionally can we then respect their views as we avoid judgement, condemnation, or disdain? Imagine if you will the level of civility and respect possible within our community if we can just allow a little of John Lennons Imagine into our lives this election cycle. Tom Braun Thank you to Sisters Ranger District To the Editor: I want to give a big shout out to law enforcement with the Sisters Ranger District. She stopped to help when I was stuck in the snow and was just so pleasant. While it was snowing! Needless to say I am not used to driving in the snow to begin with. Her act of kindness is so much appreciated by myself and my husband. And now I have learned how not to drive in the snow. Thank you! Linda Levinson Free Palestine To the Editor: I feel that the history of Israel has been misconstrued, as has much of the crisis in Gaza. The land that is known as Palestine became modern day Israel after the British Balfour Declaration, which said that it intended to create a national home for Jews. Zionists then volunteered to help the British conquer Palestine. The British had already betrayed their promise of Arab independence after the revolt against Ottoman Turks. This colonization was supercharged by the influx of European Jews escaping the Holocaust. And in the face of resistance by the Palestinian people (of whom there are Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike), the British and Zionists engaged in the first Nakba in 1948. The Nakba, or catastrophe, was the forced removal and dispossession of the native Palestinian people. There were massacres, towns were destroyed and/or repopulated with Jewish settlers, and even today Palestinians are not allowed to return to their homes or the homes of their family. It is racist, settler colonialism that says almost anyone of Jewish descent can move to Israel, its even encouraged and sponsored. Yet people who were forced out of their homes and moved into ever shrinking and fenced off spaces cannot rightfully return. This violence, the dispossession of people based on ethnicity, race, and religion, the Zionism itself is not true Judaism. Activists like Rabbi Dovid Weiss or Israeli historian Avi Shlaim are great resources who talk about the conditions in Israel/Palestine and the hypocrisy of Jewish Zionism. Israel dresses itself in the trappings of Judaism and yet goes against all of its principles and even harms Jewish people themselves. It is against G-d, morality, and humanity. Free Palestine! Micaela Verbitsky Silver thaw To the Editor: This morning I watched my first silver thaw. It was one of the most awesome natural spectacles I've ever seen. We have had nearly two weeks of cold and snow with all the snow topped by days of freezing rain glazing all the snow and everything outside. This morning at 9 a.m., new rain started to fall. The temp was still 27 degrees but the rain was warm enough to not freeze. As the rain fell, a small glint of sun shone through a tiny section of clouds. Suddenly the snow turned silver and the sun made it sparkle. It looked like silver glitter had been tossed out on all of the snow as far as I could see. The beauty lasted about five minutes and then the shadows were gray and the glitter had all been washed away. I've never seen it before and I hope to never see it again because it required massive amounts of rain freezing and glazing the snow to make it happen. But it was awesome to see it once. Jean Nave Dangerous Democrats To the Editor: In response to the letter, Do nothing Republicans (The Nugget, January 17): What has the Democrat party (there is no Democratic party) accomplished in the past and what besides Socialism do they plan for the future? They formed and supported the Ku Klux Klan. They tried to keep blacks and Catholics from owning firearms. They implemented Jim Crow laws to prohibit white Americans from engaging in financial, property or marital transactions with disfavored groups, plus even eliminating most occasions for proximity. They did not want blacks and women to be able to vote. They did not support desegregation. They supported the Occupy Wall Street movement and they are behind ANTIFA. They have totally wrecked our energy independence. They want to remove the dams (no more clean, cheap, and renewable electricity and no more flood control). They opened the borders (give the illegals free medical, housing, education, drivers licenses, and dont hold them accountable for their crimes). They are letting the Communist Chinese buy our farmlands and forests with no oversight or plan for the future. Thomas Nitcher About 10 years ago I was on an extended stay at a Eugene hotel. My mornings began with a walk to Starbucks. Along the way I passed a woman in her 60s bedding in a small alcove; we made eye contact and warmly greeted each other. On my second morning we introduced ourselves and shared conversation. On morning three we were on a first name basis, on my fourth morning I was driving back to Sisters when I decided to turn around and say goodbye. Towards the end of our farewell I handed her money, she pushed back and insisted she wouldnt accept. I confirmed to her that the money was a gift of friendship. After careful consideration she honored my wishes. We hugged. This woman forever changed my trajectory. Her dignity in the face of need was inspiring. Having a safe, warm place to call home would be a big step towards a better life. Thus, as we developed our McKenzie Meadow Village land, we agreed to deliver one affordable home for each 10 built. The high point of my development career was working with Hayden Homes team at First Story meeting potential recipients. As a member of the interview team, I had the honor of calling a family struggling with the uncertainty of the rental market and informing them that Hayden Homes would soon be building them a permanent residence. Today they are homeowners. When we use the word homeless to label a person it shows our lack of awareness. We fail to understand the harsh realities and diverse challenges that they navigate each day. Hidden Homelessness includes those that are couch-surfing with friends and family. If their welcome wears out they will immediately be homeless. Transitional Homelessness is the most common, made up of individuals who have lost employment without a safety net of family; they are generally younger and are in need of temporary shelter. Episodic Homelessness is a person experiencing three periods of homelessness in a year. Without community intervention and support their problems will become more severe. Chronic Homelessness is someone who has been continuously homeless for a year or more. Nearly one quarter of our homeless population suffer from chronic homelessness, they tend to be older, may have complex health issues, addiction, mental illness, or other disabilities. Imagine for a minute what its like to be chronically homeless. You experience contempt, you feel the fear and anger of a community, and you know that many just want you to go away, another town, another state. You are rarely given eye contact, youre labeled a nuisance, and, worse, you are ignored. Every day you grapple with the legacy of your childhood and the mistakes you have made. Your home is a tent; you burn wood to keep you and your faithful dog warm. To survive freezing you climb inside three nested sleeping bags. Safety and basic hygiene are a constant struggle. Oregon has the highest population of unsheltered youth in our nation. These children experience social isolation leading to low levels of self-esteem. They have a higher likelihood of domestic abuse; they struggle with sleep and suffer anxiety and mental health issues. Ultimately without intervention the majority of these kids will turn to alcohol and drugs. They will become another link in the chain of systemic poverty. Thanks to the love and support of our parents, my wife Zoe and I became homeowners at an early age. The sanctity of home enhanced our ability to survive the early years of marriage and ultimately thrive. My throw the rope back across the fence is a commitment to accelerate the delivery of innovative housing solutions in Sisters. In addition, I will do my best to focus state and federal funding on long-term sustainable solutions that serve all communities of our great state. Equally important, I will offer a hand to any community group or organization that commits to train a skilled volunteer corps. As a community we need to offer a helping hand to those suffering chronic homelessness. The way we attend the dignity of others will determine the future of Sisters. Pierogi Fest in Whiting is the first festival from Northwest Indiana to be featured on the cover of the Indiana Festival Guide, a widely distributed tourist brochure. The statewide booklet is a staple at rest stops, museums, hotels and tourist attractions across the Hoosier State. A half million copies of the 116-page publication are distributed at 1,200 locations across Indiana. We are proud to earn the distinction of the front cover," said Tom Dabertin, chairman and co-founder of Pierogi Fest. "Pierogi Fest has won a number of accolades as one of the best festivals in the nation; the front cover is a confirmation of the hard work that more than 600 volunteers undertake annually to make it a success." The Indiana Festival Guide is distributed across all 92 counties in Indiana, from Lake Michigan to the Ohio River and from Terre Haute to Richmond. It tells people about festivals, fairs, gatherings and special events like the 500 Festival, the Parke County Covered Bridge Festival, the Fort Wayne Water Lantern Festival and the Lotus Music and Art Festival in Bloomington. This is the first time a festival in Northwest Indiana has ever been featured on the front cover," said Heather Becerra, chief marketing officer of the South Shore CVA and associate board member of the Indiana State Festivals Association. "Each year an event from a different region of the state is showcased. The covers have already been approved through 2030. The next opportunity for a Northern Indiana festival to be featured wont be until 2036. This is a great opportunity to highlight one of the most unique festivals in all the Midwest. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Pierogi Fest will take place from July 26 to July 28 this year. More than 75 food booths will serve pierogi, halupki, buttered noodles, Polish sausage and 1,200 other menu items along 119th Street in downtown Whiting. It kicks off with the polka parade featuring Mr. Pierogi, the buscias and the Precision Lawnmower Drill Team. The weekend-long festival features seven live entertainment stages, two beer gardens and 55 arts and crafts vendors. A copy of the Indiana Festival Guide is available at 7770 Corinne Drive in Hammond For more information, visit www.indianafestivals.org. Interpreting the complex system of permits and standards that regulate the Region's many industries can be a daunting task. Youve got to be an environmental scientist or an engineer to respond to these permits," Gary resident Doreen Carey said during an October panel held at Indiana University Northwest. Though he may not be an engineer, attorney Mike Zoeller has been helping Lake County community groups parse dense environmental permits for over a year. Now Zoeller is working with the Conservation Law Center, which operates out of Indiana University's Maurer School of Law, to establish an Environmental Legal Aid Program that will provide free legal services to residents of Gary, Hammond, Whiting and East Chicago all cities that have been overburdened with pollution for decades. "These are the areas that have the most intense industrial activity and also the greatest percentage of minorities. These are also the communities that have the least access to the resources needed to understand and address their environmental concerns," Zoeller explained. Northern Lake County is "also just a phenomenal environment. Its just a remarkable piece of earth ... its been pretty much ravaged for over century, but the natures still there." In October 2022, Zoeller, who previously worked for the U.S. Department of Justice, was hired by the Environmental Law and Policy Center to lead the newly-created "Northwest Indiana Air, Parks and Water Protector Project." In this role, Zoeller represented Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, or GARD, when the group petitioned against an air permit issued to Fulcrum Bioenergy, a waste-to-jet-fuel facility planned for the Buffington Harbor area of Gary. GARD was represented by Zoeller and Kim Ferraro, a senior attorney of the Conservation Law Center. It is next to impossible for community groups to challenge environmental decisions that impact their health and environment without additional expertise to help navigate the scientific and legal complexities involved, Carey, who is also the president of GARD, said in a recent news release. Mike and Kim were instrumental in getting our concerns heard by local industry and government agencies. Zoeller said GARD is currently waiting for the Indiana Office of Environmental Adjudication to reach a final decision in the case. The ELPC's Northwest Indiana Protector Project will continue with Associate Attorney Ellis Walton; Zoeller said he expects to partner with the ELPC through his new role. The Conservation Law Center's, or CLC's, free legal aid program hopes to help residents overcome the systemic barriers that have led to environmental injustices. Zoeller said the legal aid program will tackle a wide-range of issues everything from industrial air permit renewals to illegal dumping. Im looking to provide some street-level advocacy for just regular residents," Zoeller said. The legal aid program use a "community lawyering" model which works to empower citizen-driven advocacy. Zoeller will help residents access and interpret permitting materials, will negotiate with local industry and, when necessary, will take issues to court. This summer the CLC will host community listening sessions in each of the four cities. Over the next few months, Zoeller will meet with activists, community groups, faith-based organizations and local elected officials to determine what the highest-priority issues are. To contact Zoeller, email mjzoelle@iu.edu. PHOTOS: Professors sample road dust in Gary ST. JOHN Chuck Pullen, chair of the Libertarian Party of Lake County, has been named vice president of the St. John Economic Development Committee. Pullen has served multiple stints as chair Lake County Libertarian Party. He resigned as chairman in October 2019 after he received public criticism for using the term "gang bangers" to describe two Black Hammond Common Council candidates. Pullen, of St. John, wrote in a public exchange on Facebook that "you got the gang bangers taking over the council," following the departure of eight-term Councilman Bob Markovich, who is white. Current Councilwoman Katrina Alexander, who is Black, defeated Markovich during the 2019 Democratic primary election. Current Councilman Barry Tyler Jr., who is Black, also joined the council in 2019. Pullen said he meant to write "gang banger," instead of "gang bangers," since he only intended for his remark to refer to Tyler and not Alexander. Pullen claimed he'd seen Facebook postings suggesting Tyler "had previous gang ties and things like that." Tyler has no criminal record and said he's never been affiliated with any gangs. At the time, the Lake County Democratic and Republican party chairs publicly condemned Pullen's comments. Pullen's appointment to the St. John Economic Development Committee was part of the new St. John Town Council decision to replace a large number of board and commission members. "Thank you to all of my fellow LPIN members for your advice, your training seminars, and encouraging fellow Libertarians to be active in our local communities," Pullen said in a Monday news release. "My goals are simple: to apply Libertarian principles to all of my decisions, and to maintain limited government and maximum freedom." The St. John Economic Development Committee advises the Town Council on new economic development ideas and potential projects. The Committee's next meeting is scheduled for Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. "Chuck's years of service and activism in Lake County have earned him the respect of the local leaders and this appointment," Libertarian Party of Indiana chair Evan McMahon said in the news release. "Our values of limited government and promoting individual freedom often resonate with people in their communities." PHOTOS: St. John photographer documents the town The question of whether adult Hoosiers still are permitted to carry a handgun in public after being formally accused of a felony crime but not yet convicted likely will not be answered by the Indiana Supreme Court any time soon. Records show the state's high court recently agreed to postpone briefing and argument in a Lake County case addressing that issue while the U.S. Supreme Court prepares a nationwide ruling in a similar gun rights case out of Texas. The Texas case, argued at the nation's high court Nov. 9, centers on a federal law prohibiting individuals under a domestic violence restraining order from possessing firearms. But the outcome depending on how the nine Supreme Court justices rule sometime before the end of June potentially could invalidate numerous federal and state laws limiting or prohibiting gun possession by individuals who have not been convicted of a felony. That may include a 2022 Indiana law barring individuals accused of a felony, whether by indictment or information, from carrying a handgun in public, even as nearly all other law-abiding Hoosiers now may do so without shouldering the burden of obtaining a handgun carry permit from the state police. Lake Superior Judge John Sedia last year concluded the indictment provision of House Enrolled Act 1296 (2022) violates both the U.S. and Indiana constitutions by infringing the gun rights of individuals who have not yet been convicted of a crime. Specifically, Sedia said the statute enacted by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb is inconsistent with the historical tradition of gun regulation in the nation and the state that focuses on prohibiting access to firearms to specific individuals in specific situations who pose potential danger to law-abiding citizens. Records show Sedia postponed enforcement of his ruling pending mandatory review by the Indiana Supreme Court, whose five justices assess all trial court rulings that find an Indiana statute unconstitutional. The law was challenged by Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez Jr. who was indicted in January 2022 on a felony charge of resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor reckless driving. As a result, the sheriff has been prohibited from carrying a handgun in public since July 1, 2022, when the indictment provision of Indiana's permitless carry law took effect. Though Martinez still can carry in public a long gun or rifle, including the AR-15 and other rifles previously classified as assault weapons, with few restrictions. Martinez's trial is set to begin Feb. 12. He automatically will lose his elected office if he's convicted of a felony, but the trial outcome may also eliminate the need for the Indiana Supreme Court to address the issue because, whether found guilty or not guilty, Martinez no longer will be under indictment. Records show the request for a delay at the Indiana Supreme Court was filed by the office of Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, which defends the validity of Indiana laws. Martinez's team opposed the postponement, according to court records. Gallery: Get to know these new Indiana laws that took effect July 1 AirTags Alcohol permits Animal facilities 'Now here is the rest of the story' as Paul Harvey would say Book bans Bullying Charter schools Child molesting Childrens hospitals Domestic violence Drinking water Electric/hybrid vehicles Encroachment FAFSA Financial literacy Firefighting equipment Food and beverage tax Gender-affirming care Gary schools Gasoline tax Human trafficking Illiana Expressway Inmate gender Insurance fund Juror pay Juveniles Lake County convention center Lake County recorder Landlords Little Calumet River Lost farmland Machine guns Mail-in ballots Mental health Military bases Military pay Pension investments Public health School board elections Service animals Sex education SNAP assistance Speed cameras State comptroller Storage units Tax sales Taxpayer receipt Teachers unions Throwing stars Transit Development District 21st Century Scholars Valparaiso lawsuit Xylazine Members of the Indiana Senate welcomed Gary Mayor Eddie Melton back Monday to the marble-walled Statehouse chamber where he began his career as an elected official more than seven years ago. Melton did not know last April when he walked out of the Senate following adjournment of the 2023 General Assembly that he never would return because he'd be elected mayor of his hometown and have to resign from the Senate to take his new office Jan. 1. As a result, Melton did not receive the traditional Senate "retirement" ceremony. His former colleagues made it up to him by reminiscing alongside Melton about his time among them and sharing their hopes for his success in returning the Steel City to its former glory. "Eddie Melton is a good person and I am so glad he has been willing to stand up and take on the challenge of revitalizing Gary, Indiana," said state Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso, a Gary native. "He is giving the citizens of Gary hope. That is going to change what is going on in that city." Prior to his resignation, Melton was the No. 2 Democrat in the Republican-dominated chamber and a persistent advocate for the needs of Gary and Northwest Indiana as a member of the State Budget Committee. Nevertheless, senators on both sides of the aisle were quick to describe Melton as a respectful gentleman of integrity willing to work with anyone to try to make a difference. "You are the embodiment of a public servant," said state Sen. Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington. State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart, who was elected earlier this month to take Melton's Senate District 3 seat, acknowledged he has big shoes to fill, just as Melton had big shoes to fill in 2016 when he was elected to succeed former state Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary. "If I can do half as well as this gentleman has done here, I would be thrilled," Vinzant said. In particular, Melton was praised for his efforts on the exhausting Senate Education Committee, including his work implementing a state-managed restructuring of Gary's public schools that, while often unpopular at home, has put the district back on solid financial footing. "He genuinely cared about the kids and about education," said state Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg. "I wish you well as mayor, but you'll always be Senator Melton to me." Leising wasn't alone in sending Melton, and his wife, Crystal, good wishes as the new mayor undertakes an ambitious 100-day agenda and works to implement a residential, commercial, industrial, transportation and economic renaissance in Gary. "You just continue to be yourself and you're going to do great things there," said state Sen. Ron Alting, R-Lafayette. Senate Republican Leader Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, also reminded Melton the Senate is eager to partner with him and the city of Gary to help transform what once was Northwest Indiana's most populous city. Melton said afterward it was a "bittersweet moment" when he realized the state senator chapter of his life now truly is over. But he's also ready to lead his new team in shifting the narrative on Gary. "We are the city that helped build this nation," Melton said. "And Gary will be a player in helping to take Indiana to the next level." Meet the 2024 Northwest Indiana legislative delegation State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland State Sen. Lonnie Randolph, D-East Chicago State Sen. Dave Vinzant, D-Hobart State Sen. Rodney Pol Jr. State Sen. Ed Charbonneau, R-Valparaiso State Sen. Rick Niemeyer, R-Lowell State Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores State Rep. Carolyn Jackson, D-Hammond State Rep. Earl Harris Jr., D-East Chicago State Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso State Rep. Pat Boy, D-Michigan City State Rep. Chuck Moseley, D-Portage State Rep. Mike Aylesworth, R-Hebron State Rep. Mike Andrade, D-Munster State Rep. Vernon Smith, D-Gary State Rep. Hal Slager, R-Schererville State Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer State Rep. Julie Olthoff, R-Crown Point State Rep. Jim Pressel, R-Rolling Prairie There is perhaps no Zoom meeting less satisfying than one scheduled on a cold weekday morning to talk about food specifically, the food that one ought to eat in Paris. We couldnt gather in a great restaurant, for the people assembled were chefs and writers spread across continents, some racing from their kitchens, others dialing in after dropping off their children. The frenetic life wed all once known was, in many senses, back. And so was the Paris culinary scene, driven by that thrilling hunt for places both new and old, French and not, an obsession among natives and tourists alike. As with a similar list we made for New York and as part of our ongoing T 25 series, which has surfaced significant and memorable travel destinations, buildings, interiors, art, fashion and books we wanted to name the essential Parisian dishes to eat right now. With both visitors and residents in mind, Id assembled a panel of experts who either work in the city, are from there or spend lots of time in town, including the pastry chef Dominique Ansel; the cookbook author Dorie Greenspan; Moko Hirayama and Omar Koreitem, the couple who run the restaurants Mokonuts and Mokoloco in the 11th Arrondissement; and Marie-Aude Rose, the French chef of New Yorks La Mercerie (who is also, as might be expected, involved in several businesses throughout America and France overseen by her husband, the chef Daniel Rose). Id asked each of them to nominate 10 or so candidates ahead of time, which ranged from entire meals at gastronomic temples to pastries and street-food staples theyd happened upon on their blocks; the goal was to include classically rich options as well as newer, more internationally inflected choices. And nothing could be nominated from any of our panelists establishments (although there would have been many worthy contenders). Surprisingly, or perhaps not, no one chose a baguette or a croissant. On these longer lists, there were just two overlaps: ice cream by Jessica Yang, a rising chef who co-owns a cave a vin called Folderol, and Ispahan macarons by Pierre Herme, the grand-pere of contemporary French desserts. We quickly advanced those and some other sweets to the next round, then spent hours that day, and in a few follow-up calls, discussing everything else we felt merited inclusion: bistro fare, as well as its 21st-century permutations; genteel seafood; haute patisserie; European favorites, particularly from Italy, that have recently crossed borders; and other items influenced and made by the immigrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East who make Paris what it is today. The final list, which appears in unranked alphabetical order below and covers most arrondissements, isnt what we expected, nor is it like the myriad Parisian food rankings weve all encountered before. Theres nothing from impossible to reserve (and impossibly expensive) prix fixe stalwarts, but there is the best fried chicken youll find outside of the Philippines. Naturally, a few popular wine bars and bistronomy spots made the cut, although mostly for modernizing things like chou farci and steak au poivre. But this list, like all lists, is subjective: It reflects the palates and sensibilities of our panelists on a few gray January mornings. Above all, it speaks to the fact that great food particularly in Paris, particularly right now looks forward and backward at once: Thats what makes eating there (and debating where to eat there) so deliciously freewheeling. Kurt Soller ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 23. The Ministry of Industry and Construction Production of Turkmenistan plans to expand its capacities through the construction of a new ferroalloy production plant, Trend reports. The ministry is currently looking for a contractor to develop a feasibility study for the construction of a ferroalloy production plant in the country. To do this, the ministry will accept written proposals from interested companies until February 20 of this year, after which it is planned to finalize the contract with the contractor. It is assumed that the new plant will produce such popular materials as ferrosilicon, silicon carbide and technical silicon, which play an important role in the development of science, technology and industry. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is actively building new enterprises, which stimulates the dynamic development of the industry in the country. The introduction of modern technologies and innovative approaches into production processes helps to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of enterprises. Around twilight on Thursday, Los Angeles Times journalists gathered at Flora, a rooftop bar not far from the papers headquarters, to toast their departing editor, Kevin Merida. As reporters and editors sipped cocktails under a darkening sky, the talk was focused on why Mr. Merida, the papers editor for nearly three years, had decided to suddenly leave and about the prospect of deep layoffs discussed in emergency meetings earlier that day, according to four attendees. In the days since, internal negotiations between the company and the employee union have included talk of about 100 job cuts, or about 20 percent of the newsroom, according to two of the people, who also have knowledge about the discussions. It has put journalists at The Times at odds with their owner, the biotechnology billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. Those relations reached a nadir on Friday when employees walked off the job, in the newsrooms first union-organized work stoppage in the 142-year history of the newspaper. The tensions escalated even further on Monday, after several of the states congressional representatives sent Dr. Soon-Shiong a letter raising concerns about the scope of the cuts and employees received a note informing them that two other senior editors had departed. A Bronx lawyer and his son were arrested on Monday and charged with orchestrating a seven-year immigration scheme that defrauded hundreds of immigrants and caused some of them to be deported, federal prosecutors said. The lawyer, Kofi Amankwaa, 69, and his son, Kofi Amankwaa Jr., 37, advised clients seeking green cards to sign petitions under the Violence Against Women Act, which enables undocumented immigrants who are victims of abuse to gain lawful permanent residence in the United States, prosecutors said. The petitions falsely claimed that the clients were being abused by their children, who were American citizens. The abuse claims were then used as reason for requesting permission for the clients to travel abroad, which, when granted, was used to help them apply for green cards, according to a complaint filed by the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, who brought the charges. The Amankwaas either knew the clients had not been abused or never asked whether they had been, the U.S. attorney, Damian Williams, said in a news release. The applications for legal residency were often found to be fraudulent and denied, and some of the Amankwaas clients were deported. Their services cost as much as $6,000, plus administrative fees, the complaint said. Nine Democratic governors have joined together to urge the Biden administration and congressional leaders to address what they call a humanitarian crisis created by the surge of migrants seeking refuge in the United States. The governors, led by Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, asked in a letter to the White House and Congress for a serious commitment to overhauling the immigration system that would include federal coordination on a strategy to relieve pressure on the southern and northern borders, as well as for more funds for states. It is clear our national immigration system is outdated and unprepared to respond to this unprecedented global migration, reads the letter, which is signed by Ms. Hochul and the governors of Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, New Mexico, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Maryland. Last year, President Biden proposed a $106 billion package that included aid to states and localities as well as more funding for border security and deportations, along with aid to Ukraine. But like so many other immigration-related proposals of the past, his effort failed to garner the bipartisan support necessary to pass a divided Congress. It wouldnt be the Monday morning of Paris couture week unless Schiaparelli used its runway show to produce a viral internet moment. Last year, Kylie Jenner took her place in the front row wearing a giant hyper-realistic lion head attached to her chest. People went nuts because they thought it was real taxidermy and promoted trophy hunting. It wasnt, obviously. It was made from sculpted foam, wool and faux fur. This year, the spotlight didnt belong to a celebrity, even though Zendaya did turn up with blunt bangs (gasp) and Jennifer Lopez, gearing up to promote her new film This Is Me: Now A Love Story, arrived with a new hairdo of her own. It was a wet look bob, if youre wondering, which she wore with Schiaparelli sunglasses that had sculpted gold eyebrows and lenses of opaque precious stone. (Fashion cant always be fabulous and practical.) A former U.S. Army soldier who was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of an Iraqi civilian in 2004 was charged on Monday with assaulting police officers with a baton during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Justice Department announced. The former soldier, Edward Richmond Jr., 40, of Geismar, La., who was arrested on Monday in Baton Rouge, faces several federal charges, including civil disorder; entering and remaining in a restricted area with a deadly or dangerous weapon; and assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers, prosecutors said. A spokesman for the U.S. Army, Bryce S. Dubee, confirmed that Mr. Richmond had been convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 2004, the same year he was deployed to Iraq. Mr. Richmond, who was in the Army from 2002 to 2008, was sentenced in military court to a reduction in rank to private, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, three years confinement and a dishonorable discharge, Mr. Dubee said. He was released from prison on parole in 2006 with almost a year remaining on his original sentence, according to The Associated Press. Dexter Scott King, who as one of four children of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. worked closely with but also frequently fought against his siblings and the civil rights community over his fathers legacy, died on Monday at his home in Malibu, Calif. He was 62. The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change in Atlanta said the cause was prostate cancer. Mr. King was the longtime chairman of the King Center, an institution established by his mother, Coretta Scott King, in 1968 to advance the vision of her husband. He was also the president of the King Estate, which managed licensing of his fathers image and likeness. Both positions put him at the center of a shifting, byzantine web of alliances and conflicts with his siblings in particular his brother, Martin Luther King III, and his younger sister, Bernice King and with his fathers former allies. Lawsuits and public clashes were common as they jostled to shape and control the King legacy. Mr. King was 7 years old when his father was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968. He and his brother, who was 10, were sitting on the floor at home in Atlanta watching TV when a news bulletin reporting the shooting interrupted their show. The suspect in the fatal shooting of eight people in Joliet, Ill., fatally shot himself Monday evening after an hours-long manhunt and confrontation with law enforcement in South Texas, the authorities said. The suspect, Romeo Nance, 23, was found at about 8:30 p.m. by U.S. Marshals near Natalia, 30 miles southwest of San Antonio, the Joliet Police Department said in a statement posted to social media. The authorities believe Mr. Nance took his own life with a handgun, the department said. The manhunt for Mr. Nance began Monday, after the authorities discovered seven of the bodies two in one home, and five in another on the same block on the east side of Joliet, a city about 35 miles southwest of Chicago, they said. Mr. Nance was also suspected in a fatal shooting on Sunday afternoon about four miles southeast, the authorities said. The police were notified of the seven bodies by the Will County Sheriffs Office just after 12 p.m. Monday, Chief William Evans of the Joliet Police Department said at a news conference on Monday evening. The motive for the killings was unclear, but the police believe that Mr. Nance knew the victims, who appeared to have been related to one another, Chief Evans said. A bipartisan group of senators has agreed on a compromise to crack down on the surge of migrants across the United States border with Mexico, including reducing the number who are allowed to live and work in the country temporarily, but a final deal depends on resolving critical funding disputes. Much of the recent haggling over the emerging agreement and a point of contention for its critics has been about how to limit the number of people who are granted parole, a status that allows migrants without visas to live and work in the United States temporarily. Drawing broader support for the plan in the Senate would clear away the biggest obstacle to congressional approval of tens of billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine for its war against Russian aggression, which Republicans have said they will block absent a deal to clamp down at the border. The G.O.P. considers parole a dangerous loophole that fuels illegal immigration and must be tightly closed. To many Democrats, it is a crucial tool that allows the administration to treat desperate migrants humanely, which must be preserved, particularly for vulnerable populations fleeing failing states and war. Bridging the gap will likely hinge on the two sides agreeing on how much federal money to spend to try to decrease net immigration numbers, and persuading Republicans that the deals measures will be effective. On Monday, Senate leaders warned that getting a final deal depended on resolving those remaining differences. Donald J. Trump plumbed new depths of degradation in his savage takedown of Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a yearlong campaign of emasculation and humiliation that helped force one of the partys rising stars out of the presidential race after just one contest and left him to pick up the pieces of his political future. In front of enormous rally audiences, Mr. Trump painted Mr. DeSantis as a submissive sniveler, insisting that he had cried and begged on his knees for an endorsement in the 2018 Florida governors race. In a series of sexually charged attacks, Mr. Trump suggested without a shred of proof that Mr. DeSantis wore high heels, that he might be gay and that perhaps he was a pedophile. He promised that intense national scrutiny would leave Mr. DeSantis whining for mommy. Mr. DeSantis shied from fighting back, which only inflicted more pain on his campaign. The governor had portrayed himself as one of the Republican Partys fiercest political brawlers, but he pulled his punches in the most important race of his life. If you want to understand the New Hampshire primary, stand at the corner of West Broadway and Valley Street in Derry, N.H. There are two huge yard signs one for Nikki Haley and one for Donald Trump on adjacent houses. Perhaps a neighbor-on-neighbor feud? Not exactly: When my colleague Michael Bender headed there recently, neighbors told him that the pro-Haley house had been vacant for years, and that political campaigns often planted their signs there. And the pro-Trump house was actually owned by an absentee landlord who lives in Florida. It felt like one big metaphor for this campaign. The race looks like a real contest, with yard signs and all the usual campaign events. Yet when you dig a little deeper, theres far less going on than it may seem. While former President Donald J. Trump enlists several former rivals to help him deliver a closing argument to New Hampshire primary voters, Nikki Haley, his last remaining Republican opponent, has approached a different kind of bench: Judge Judy. Televisions best known judge, whose real name is Judith Sheindlin, waded into the race on Sunday when she campaigned for Ms. Haley at rally in Exeter, N.H., albeit minus her trademark gavel and robe. It was a rare foray into presidential politics for Ms. Sheindlin, who told CNN on Sunday that Ms. Haley had made a strong impression on her. She pointed out that she was not supporting Ms. Haley, the former South Carolina governor and Mr. Trumps ambassador to the United Nations, simply because she was a woman. Former President Donald J. Trump has received a flood of endorsements in the final countdown to New Hampshires primary, as his allies argue that the 2024 Republican nominating contest is all but over. After Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida backed Mr. Trump in his announcement Sunday that he was quitting the race, a number of his former supporters, including Representative Bob Good of Virginia and Ashley Moody, the Florida attorney general, followed suit. Representative Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, the only member of its congressional delegation who had not yet endorsed, also backed Mr. Trump making him the seventh of the states eight Republican members of Congress to do so. Only one, Representative Ralph Norman, has backed Nikki Haley, the states former governor and Mr. Trumps last remaining rival. Additional endorsements for Mr. Trump poured in on Monday from Republicans from statehouses to Congress. In Georgia, the agriculture commissioner and almost half of its Republican State Senate delegation announced their endorsements of Mr. Trump on Monday, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. European foreign ministers pressed their Israeli counterpart on Monday to agree to the creation of a Palestinian state, in a meeting that left European diplomats bewildered about postwar Israeli plans for the Gaza Strip and reinforced the deep disconnect between Israel and much of the world. The two sides appeared to be having two different conversations. Josep Borrell Fontelles, the European Unions top diplomat, said after the meeting in Brussels that European nations were resolute that sustainable, lasting peace must include Palestinian statehood, an option that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has doubled down on opposing in recent days. Israels foreign minister, Yisrael Katz, presented to the Europeans a plan involving an artificial island off Gazas coast a plan that did not address the future governance of the territory, according to officials in the meeting. While the diplomats talked past each other, heavy fighting intensified in southern Gaza on Monday, with medical personnel reporting major exchanges of gunfire and a surge of Israeli tanks and troops into areas around hospitals. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Gazan Health Ministry said many people had been killed or wounded on Monday in Khan Younis, southern Gazas largest city, without providing specific counts. Nahed Abu Taaema, the director of surgery at Nasser Hospital, the areas largest hospital, told Al Jazeera in a televised interview that it had received 100 wounded people and 50 bodies. Khan Younis is very dangerous now, Nebal Farsakh, a spokeswoman for the Red Crescent, said in an interview. The whole district of Khan Younis is essentially besieged. Fighting intensified in southern Gaza on Monday, with medical personnel reporting heavy exchanges of gunfire and a surge of Israeli tanks and troops into areas around hospitals. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Gazan health ministry said many people had been killed and wounded in the city of Khan Younis on Monday, without providing specific counts. Nahed Abu Taaema, the director of surgery at Nasser Hospital, the largest hospital in southern Gaza, told Al Jazeera in a televised interview that it had received 100 wounded people and 50 bodies. Naseem Hasan, an ambulance officer at Nasser, said in an interview that tanks were about 100 meters south of the hospital and can target anyone. He said one ambulance carrying a person who had been shot in the head was not able to reach Nasser this morning and had to go to a hospital in Rafah a journey that took three hours. In a statement, the Red Crescent said the presence of Israeli troops near Al-Amal Hospital, which it operates, meant that its ambulances could not reach the injured in Khan Younis. It said that anyone attempting to move around the area was coming under fire. Khan Younis is very dangerous now, Nebal Farsakh, a spokeswoman for the Red Crescent, said in an interview. The whole district of Khan Younis is essentially besieged. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. DeSantis Is History Days after finishing 30 points behind Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida bowed out of the presidential race on Sunday. Yeah, DeSantis knew it was time to go four months after the rest of us did, Jimmy Fallon joked on Monday. Since China reopened its borders in 2023 after three years of Covid isolation, domestic travel has thrived and high-speed rail has grown increasingly popular. But international trips in and out of the country are lagging, and flight capacity is still just two-thirds of prepandemic levels. The economic stakes are high. Before the pandemic, Chinese travelers were the worlds biggest spenders, accounting for 20 percent of global tourism spending, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization. In the past year, the Chinese authorities have tried to spur more inbound travel. Among the changes: China has waived travel visas or agreed to extend the length of visa-free travel for visitors from eight countries, including Germany and France. The main factor holding back international travel by Chinese will continue to be Chinas economy. Growth has bounced back from the pandemic, but the weight of a severe real estate downturn has dampened consumer spending and confidence inside China. And global geopolitical tensions remain a wild card. China is engaged in trade disputes with the United States and Europe, home to many major multinational companies. As they think twice about their business in China, travel suffers. In early January in San Antonio, dozens of Ph.D. economists packed into a small windowless room in the recesses of a Grand Hyatt to hear brand-new research on the hottest topic of their annual conference: how climate change is affecting everything. The papers in this session focused on the impact of natural disasters on mortgage risk, railway safety and even payday loans. Some attendees had to stand in the back, as the seats had already been filled. It wasnt an anomaly. Nearly every block of time at the Allied Social Science Associations conference a gathering of dozens of economics-adjacent academic organizations recognized by the American Economic Association had multiple climate-related presentations to choose from, and most appeared similarly popular. For those who have long focused on environmental issues, the proliferation of climate-related papers was a welcome development. Its so nice to not be the crazy people in the room with the last session, said Avis Devine, an associate professor of real estate finance and sustainability at York University in Toronto, emerging after a lively discussion. Charles Osgood, a newscaster who told unconventional stories on the radio in unconventional ways sometimes with rhyme, sometimes with humor, often with both died on Tuesday at his home in Saddle River, N.J. He was 91. The cause was dementia, CBS News reported, quoting his family. Mr. Osgood became a familiar face on television as the host of CBS Sunday Morning from 1994 to 2016. But his passion was the medium he had grown up listening to in the 1930s and 40s, so much so that he closed his TV broadcasts by saying, See you on the radio an oxymoron, to be sure, but one masked by the cleverness that his audiences had come to expect. He also used the phrase as the title of a book. On television, he was known for his trademark bow ties; on the radio, it was for his distinctive voice, most familiar from his short Osgood File segments on CBS Radio. It was not booming like Paul Harveys, deeply authoritative like Edward R. Murrows or telegraph-staccato like Walter Winchells. Some listeners compared the way Mr. Osgood sounded to the jerky rhythms of Rod Serling, the host and creator of The Twilight Zone. When I caught up with Jane Goodall in 2019, she was calling on consumers and businesses to make responsible choices and protect the natural world. Now she is telling people something much more simple: vote. The celebrated primatologist thinks governments around the globe are not working hard enough to combat climate change. And in a year when more than 40 countries including the United States, India and South Africa will be electing their leaders, Goodall is telling anyone who will listen that the health of Earth itself is on the ballot. Half of the population of the planet is going to be voting, she said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. This year could be the most consequential voting year in terms of the fate of our planet. As my colleague Manuela Andreoni wrote last week, the leaders elected this year will face consequential choices on energy policy, deforestation and emissions reductions. In the United States, Republicans are planning to undo environmental regulations if former president Donald J. Trump wins re-election. In Mexico, the favorite to win the presidency in June is Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist who is now mayor of Mexico City and has vowed to take action to reduce emissions. If you ever order sopa, or soup, in Paraguay, dont expect to be served a steaming bowl of broth. What youll get instead is a dense and cheesy hunk of cornbread. This bread, also known as sopa Paraguaya, is one of the countrys most popular dishes. Cornmeal, onion, cheese, milk and eggs are mixed together to make a custardy cornbread, with a texture similar to bread pudding, that is commonly served alongside grilled meats. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 23. Turkmenistan and Japanese companies discussed consolidating the dynamics of bilateral cooperation and defining its new prospects, Trend reports. These issues were discussed during the meeting of the Turkmen delegation headed by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rashid Meredov, with representatives of the Japanese business community. During the meeting, the Turkmen side noted the progressive development of cooperation between the countries in the fields of energy, mining, chemical industry, and transport. Special importance was attached to the meeting of the Chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov with Japanese businessmen in 2022, where specific proposals were made to expand the partnership. The negotiations discussed projects in the fields of exporting high-tech products, green energy, and attracting investments from Japanese companies in the infrastructure of Turkmenistan. Furthermore, the parties discussed the prospects of creating joint ventures and involving small and medium-sized businesses in the implementation of common projects. Japanese companies showed great interest in cooperation in the field of infrastructure and energy transition in Turkmenistan, and after the main negotiations, bilateral meetings of members of the Turkmen delegation with representatives of major Japanese corporations took place. Meanwhile, the delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov is on a working visit to Japan on January 2223, 2024. During the visit, meetings were planned in the government, parliament, relevant ministries, and departments with the leadership of financial and export credit agencies and leading Japanese companies. Stay up to date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Aissam Dam, an 11-year-old boy, grew up in a world of profound silence. He was born deaf and had never heard anything. While living in a poor community in Morocco, he expressed himself with a sign language he invented and had no schooling. Last year, after moving to Spain, his family took him to a hearing specialist, who made a surprising suggestion: Aissam might be eligible for a clinical trial using gene therapy. On Oct. 4, Aissam was treated at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, becoming the first person to get gene therapy in the United States for congenital deafness. The goal was to provide him with hearing, but the researchers had no idea if the treatment would work or, if it did, how much he would hear. The treatment was a success, introducing a child who had known nothing of sound to a new world. Theres no sound I dont like, Aissam said, with the help of interpreters during an interview last week. Theyre all good. While hundreds of millions of people in the world live with hearing loss that is defined as disabling, Aissam is among those whose deafness is congenital. His is an extremely rare form, caused by a mutation in a single gene, otoferlin. Otoferlin deafness affects about 200,000 people worldwide. The goal of the gene therapy is to replace the mutated otoferlin gene in patients ears with a functional gene. It was 3:30 a.m. in New Zealand, where the actress Danielle Brooks was filming a Minecraft movie. But she was wide awake. Im alive and I am an Oscar nominee today, she said on a video call minutes after the nominations were announced. I dont think Ill be able to go back to sleep. Brooks, a past Emmy nominee, Tony nominee and Grammy winner who broke out in Orange Is the New Black, is nominated for her supporting actress work in the movie musical The Color Purple. Hers is the films sole nomination. She plays Sofia, an outspoken woman who knows her own worth and insists on her own autonomy, qualities that make her a target of racialized violence. She first played the part on Broadway in 2015, in a defiant, exuberant turn that The New York Times likened to a homemade steamroller. Her film work is perhaps even more irresistible. Swathed in zebra-print sleepwear, Brooks, 34, discussed, with occasional tears, the joy of the nomination, the differences between theater and film and how she learned to say Hell, No, in her own life. These are edited excerpts from the conversation. Inside New Yorks majestic City Hall, the first-floor rotunda has served as a Switzerland of sorts neutral ground amid the perennial battles between the mayors office and the City Council, which share the building. But on Tuesday, the office of Mayor Eric Adams made an incursion. As the Council speaker was about to begin a news conference with faith leaders on a matter upsetting to the mayor, his deputy chief of staff suddenly appeared in the rotunda, along with an aide wheeling a hand truck. Menashe Shapiro, the deputy chief of staff, ordered several reporters seated there for the news conference to stand. He was taking their chairs away. To close observers of the administration, Mr. Shapiros actions seemed familiar, an outgrowth of how the mayor treats people or things he does not like. In this case, it was the subject of the news conference: the Council speaker, Adrienne Adams, announcing her intention to override the mayors veto of two criminal justice bills that he asserts would jeopardize public safety if they became law. The initial search of Senator Robert Menendezs home occurred on a Thursday morning in June 2022 while the U.S. Senate was in session. It was among five searches of Mr. Menendezs property and electronic devices that judges approved between January 2022 and September 2023 during a federal investigation into the senator, a Democrat from New Jersey, who at the time was chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, according to a new legal filing. Information and items collected during the searches later factored heavily in a September indictment in which federal prosecutors charged Mr. Menendez with accepting cash, gold and a luxury car in exchange for political favors. But late Monday, Mr. Menendezs lawyers argued that much of what was seized during what they called exploratory rummaging should be tossed out. The warrants, they said, were issued by magistrate judges duped by prosecutors who actively distorted the evidence. A man from upstate New York was found guilty on Tuesday of second-degree murder for fatally shooting a young woman who was riding in a car that had mistakenly driven up his driveway. On the night of April 15, 2023, the defendant, Kevin Monahan, fired two shots with a 20-gauge shotgun, one of which struck a car carrying Kaylin Gillis, 20, who was hit in the neck and died soon after. Ms. Gillis and a group of six friends had been trying to find a friends house for a Saturday night party when they drove up Mr. Monahans half-mile-long driveway in the rural town of Hebron, N.Y., about 55 miles north of Albany. During the two-week trial, Mr. Monahan, 66, testified that the fatal shot was an accident, with the gun spontaneously firing after he tripped on his porch. He said he had initially fired a warning shot after seeing a caravan of two cars and a motorcycle arrive at his house at night. He was described by his lawyers as an old man who had been asleep and had been terrified that a group of marauders had come to attack him and his wife, Jinx, who was hiding inside, also armed with a gun. Despite the early enthusiasm for his policies and political persona in various corners of the conservative media, it was easy to see from the start that Ron DeSantis would not and clearly does not have the juice to defeat or supplant Donald Trump in a Republican presidential primary. Part of this was the Florida governors soft skills or rather lack thereof. He is not a people person. He does not excel at the task of retail politics. He is not, to put it gently, strong on the stump, and he has a bad habit of speaking in the esoteric and jargon-filled language of online conservatives. Consider his first major performance in Iowa last year, in front of an audience of likely Republican caucusgoers. We say very clearly in the state of Florida that we will fight the woke in the Legislature, DeSantis said, as he tried to rouse the crowd to applause. We will fight the woke in education, we will fight the woke in the businesses, we will never ever surrender to the woke mob. Our state is where woke goes to die. There is a relatively small group of people for whom this is a resonant message. For everyone else, it is basically static. It doesnt speak to the animating concerns of the blue-collar voters who will make or break a campaign in the Republican primary. DeSantiss inability to create a compelling message, however, might not have been fatal to his campaign if he had been able to distance or distinguish himself from Trump in any meaningful way. The opportunities were there. DeSantis could have used the criminal indictments against the former president to make the practical case that Trump would not win if he was in jail. In a year with so much political and legal tension, law enforcement is seeing a disturbing trend: targeting public officials with swatting, or false emergency calls intended to draw a heavily armed police response. This conduct isnt a harmless prank; its a symptom of a deeper disorder in American politics. Recent incidents involving officials who have taken stands seen as hostile to Donald Trump and bomb threats in multiple state capitols are signs of a troubling escalation in political violence. These hoaxes pose real dangers. Sending armed police officers to someones home on the ruse that violence is occurring there risks tragic outcomes, including fatalities, as we saw in Kansas in 2017, when swatting led to a police officer shooting an unarmed man. In addition, swatting diverts law enforcement resources from real emergencies. But more insidiously, these tactics are tools of intimidation, designed to silence voices in the political process. The frequency and visibility of these incidents suggest that swatting and political violence require prosecutors to prioritize their efforts to stop it. Recent targets of swatting include Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, who is presiding over the federal election interference case and whom Mr. Trump has accused of election interference; the special counsel Jack Smith, whom Mr. Trump has called deranged and a thug; and Gabriel Sterling, a Republican election official in Georgia who rejected Mr. Trumps claims of fraud in the 2020 election. Justice Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over Mr. Trumps New York civil fraud trial, received a bomb threat at his home on the day of closing arguments. Maines secretary of state, Shenna Bellows, became a victim of swatting shortly after she removed Mr. Trump from the presidential ballot in her state under the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment. She rightly sees these acts as attempts to chill efforts to enforce the law, calling the incident at her home designed to scare not only me but also others into silence, to send a message. Public officials are human. Threats and the specter of violence can get into their heads. The possibility that a loved one might be unnerved, injured or worse as a result of ones official duties isnt easily shrugged off for most of us. The husband of Michigans governor, Gretchen Whitmer, retired from his dental practice about eight years earlier than planned because of threats he received at his office. The risks can go beyond words. A federal judge in New Jersey suffered the loss of her 20-year-old son in 2020 when a gunman, apparently dressed as a delivery driver, came to her home looking for her and killed her son instead. We cannot forget that threats can escalate into violence. Fear of placing family members in harms way can make public officials shrink from making unpopular decisions and can even cause some good people to avoid serving altogether. Two prominent real estate agents have started a new trade association in a direct swipe at the embattled National Association of Realtors. Founded more than 100 years ago, the group known as N.A.R. has long held sway over the American real estate industry, collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in annual dues from its 1.5 million members. It owns the trademark to the word Realtor. But in recent years, the organization has been saddled with a barrage of antitrust lawsuits and sexual harassment allegations. Over the past several months, multiple top leaders have stepped down, stoking concerns in the industry that the organization is on the edge of implosion. Jason Haber, a New York agent with Compass, and Mauricio Umansky, the Los Angeles-based celebrity agent and founder of the luxury brokerage the Agency, told The New York Times that their new group, the American Real Estate Association, could be an alternative. They are expected to announce their plan for AREA on Wednesday at Inman Connect New York, a real estate conference sponsored by Inman, the real estate news site. N.A.R. did not respond to a request for comment. The Amazon valley looked like so many others, with a muddy river snaking through dense forest, except that this one had earthen mounds rising at clear right angles and ditches carving long straight lines through the soil. In this rainforest, archaeologists say, lay the bones of sprawling ancient cities: earthworks that were once roads, canals, plazas and platforms for homes where thousands of people had lived for centuries, long before Europeans ever tried to chart South America. The cluster of interconnected cities was only recently mapped in the Upano Valley of eastern Ecuador, a research team reported this month in the journal Science, working off decades of research and laser-mapping technology that has helped to revolutionize archaeology. With the technology, called lidar, researchers were able to pierce the forest cover and map the ground below it, documenting five major settlements and 10 secondary sites across more than 115 square miles. When Augustin Lignier, a professional photographer in Paris, was in graduate school, he began to ponder the point of picture-taking in the modern world: Why did so many of us feel compelled to photograph our lives and share those images online? It was not a novel question, but it led Mr. Lignier to a surprising place, and before long he found himself building what was, in essence, a photo booth for rats. He took inspiration from B.F. Skinner, the famous behaviorist who had devised a test chamber to study learning in rats. The Skinner box, as it became known, dispensed food pellets when rats pushed a designated lever. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 23. Turkmenistan and Japan discussed the organization of the first summit of 'Central Asia+Japan' heads of state of the dialogue, Trend reports. These issues were discussed during a meeting between Secretary General of the Cabinet of Ministers of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, who arrived in Tokyo at the head of a delegation within the framework of a working visit. Expressing his opinion on this issue, Rashid Meredov stressed that the Turkmen side supports the holding of this high-level forum. At the same time, during the meeting, the parties discussed topical issues of bilateral cooperation and exchanged views on the current state and prospects for the development of cooperation in priority areas. The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan noted the active development of cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japan in the political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres, while stressing that the basis for effective cooperation is regular political dialogue at the highest and highest levels. Furthermore, the parties paid special attention to the progressive development of trade and economic ties, which are becoming stable and long-term. Meanwhile, the delegation of Turkmenistan headed by Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov is on a working visit to Japan on January 2223, 2024. During the visit, meetings were planned in the government, parliament, relevant ministries, and departments with the leadership of financial and export credit agencies and leading Japanese companies. Stay up to date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel It is possible that the most dazzling couture show in Paris this week is not actually taking place on a runway at all, but in an entirely different sort of setting. Possible that said couture show is not an invitation-only affair with gold ballroom chairs and the latest celebrity du jour, but rather one open to the public. And certain that it is less about nostalgia for a past when couture was defined by the whispering of silk satin ball gowns, and more about a dream of the future. The show in question? Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses, a one-woman exhibition that opened at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in late November and scheduled to run through April 28. Five years in the making, Sculpting the Senses crystallizes why Ms. van Herpen, 39, is the youngest female designer to be granted a solo show at the museum in its 140 years of existence. And why, more than a decade after being invited to join the ranks of Pariss couturiers, Ms. van Herpen has also been made a Chevalier des Arts et Lettres, an honor presented by the French Ministry of Culture. She has managed to create a unique world, somewhere between fairy tale and science fiction, said Christine Macel, director of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. In my opinion, she is unique and essential. Brigette Romanek, 48, interior designer: The Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman Jr. (1897) In an era when women didnt have full control over their lives, Edith Wharton found her voice through writing but also through decorating her home. I first encountered this book which is hailed as the first modern design book at the very beginning of my career, when I was still learning the craft. In it, Wharton outlines both the major historical design traditions and the then-new approaches to walls, doors, windows, ceilings, floors, fireplaces and open spaces, documenting a level of ornamentation thats unfortunately been somewhat lost to history. The book is illustrated with mostly black-and-white photographs of European design from the 16th through 18th centuries; some much later printings include color photos. But what resonated with me are Whartons words. The supreme excellence is simplicity, she wrote. Her advice holds true to this day. A pastor in Denver who said that God told him to sell cryptocurrency that could not be cashed is facing civil charges, along with his wife, for marketing a digital coin that prosecutors said was practically worthless and using the proceeds to support a lavish lifestyle. The pastor, Eligio Regalado, and his wife, Kaitlyn Regalado, were charged on Thursday in a civil complaint filed in Denver District Court by the Colorado Attorney Generals Office, the Colorado Division of Securities said in a statement. The agency said that the couple created, marketed and sold a cryptocurrency that they called INDXcoin through a cryptocurrency exchange, which they also ran. Prosecutors said that the couple, who had no experience in cryptocurrency exchanges, marketed the INDXcoin to Christians in Denver, and raised nearly $3.2 million from more than 300 people who bought it from June 2022 to April 2023. Mr. Regalado and his wife then used the money for themselves, the Colorado Division of Securities said. Mr. Regalado and Ms. Regalado did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. It was unclear whether they had a lawyer. Frequently left home alone, Ethan Crumbley texted his mother in March 2021 that he had seen a demon in their house, one that hurled dishes across the kitchen. Days later, his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, discussed how their teenage son was worked up and agitated, weighing whether to give him Xanax. The next November, James Crumbley, ignoring what seemed like warning signs that Ethan had mental health issues, bought his son a semiautomatic handgun. Ethan, then 15, used the gun to kill four students at Oxford High School, the worst school shooting in Michigan history. On Tuesday, jury selection began in the trial of Jennifer Crumbley, 45, charged with involuntary manslaughter for the deaths new territory when it comes to prosecuting school shootings. James Crumbley, 47, faces a separate trial, scheduled for March, also on involuntary manslaughter charges related to the killings. As jury selection was getting underway, lawyers for Jennifer Crumbley and her son sparred over whether he should testify at her trial. The attorneys for Ethan, now 17, emailed a letter stating that they had advised him to not waive his privilege or confidentiality for the trial. That means his testimony and confidential communication, like conversations with his psychiatrists, would be prohibited. It was Nov. 17, 2022, and Kenneth Smith was lying on a gurney inside Alabamas execution chamber, his arms and legs strapped down as he waited to be put to death. Mr. Smith, who had been on death row for more than a quarter-century after being convicted of murdering a woman, recalled thanking God for his final week alive and thinking of his family. At the time, the state was using the same method of execution that has been used in the vast majority of modern U.S. executions: lethal injection. And like many other states, Alabama had problems. That night, a team of people tried and repeatedly failed to insert an intravenous line into Mr. Smiths arms and hands and, eventually, a vein near his heart. The jabbing stopped according to his lawyers, who recounted in court documents Mr. Smiths experiences that night when prison officials decided that they might not have time to carry out the execution before the death warrant expired at midnight. Now, more than a year later, Alabama is preparing once again this week to execute Mr. Smith, this time employing a method that has never been used in a U.S. execution: nitrogen hypoxia. Under this method, which has been used in assisted suicides in Europe, Mr. Smith will be fitted with a mask and administered a flow of nitrogen gas, effectively depriving him of oxygen until he dies. The execution, scheduled for Thursday evening, is the latest turn in the fraught battle over executions in the U.S., where a growing number of states are banning the death penalty; those that retain the punishment are finding it difficult to carry out. Pressure from activist and medical groups has made it challenging for prison officials to procure lethal drugs, and a series of executions in the last two years were plagued by trouble finding veins. Alabama is one of several states that are looking at alternatives, including nitrogen hypoxia, and some states have recently authorized the use of a firing squad. Cydney Mizell, an aid worker teaching English in southern Afghanistan, vanished in 2008, abducted after being driven off the side of a road and presumed dead for 15 years. Members of her family, left with few other details of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance, wondered whether they would ever learn her fate. Jan Mizell, her younger sister, said she would tell people: Somebody over there knows what happened to my sister. Theyre just not talking. But about a year ago, Ms. Mizell, 64, who lives south of Seattle, received news from the F.B.I.: Agents had collected small bone fragments belonging to Cydney in Afghanistan and would try to bring back all of her remains. New Hampshire voters head to the polls on Tuesday for the first presidential primary of the 2024 nomination cycle, in a state that has been known to throw curveballs at overwhelming favorites. The withdrawal of Gov. Ron DeSantis from the Republican race on Sunday effectively left what had recently been a crowded field of candidates down to two: former President Donald J. Trump, and former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina. The national Democratic Party, pushed by President Biden, had wanted New Hampshire Democrats to break tradition and move their primary to the end of February. New Hampshire refused, leaving the presidents supporters to mount a write-in campaign for the absent Mr. Biden against Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, the self-help author Marianne Williamson and 19 other Democrats whose names are on the ballot. The full federal appeals court in Washington on Tuesday rejected former President Donald J. Trumps bid to lift a gag order imposed on him in the criminal case in which he stands accused of trying to subvert the results of the 2020 election. The terse ruling, issued on behalf of the 11 judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, leaves Mr. Trump with only the option of appealing to the Supreme Court if he wants to keep fighting the gag order, which restricts his ability to publicly criticize certain people involved in the legal proceeding. D. John Sauer, a lawyer for Mr. Trump who has been handling appeals, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Peter Carr, a spokesman for Jack Smith, the special counsel overseeing the federal prosecution of Mr. Trump, declined to comment. The dispute is one of the extraordinary legal fights spinning off from the cases against Mr. Trump. It has pitted the First Amendment rights of a former president and the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination against fears that his hostile rhetoric targeting people involved in the matter could spur supporters to acts of violence. The very first results in the New Hampshire primary became available within minutes of midnight on Tuesday. But beyond Dixville Notch, where polling opened at midnight for the small towns six registered voters and closed soon afterward, voting locations in most of the rest of the state will be open until 7 p.m. Eastern time. Initial results will most likely become available soon after that. David Scanlan, the secretary of state, said he expected that most votes would be counted on Tuesday night. News media outlets are likely to call the race before all ballots are counted, whenever a winner becomes apparent. The Associated Press does not expect to make a call before 8 p.m., when the last polls close. But in 2016, its call in the Republican primaries came right at 8 p.m. Steven Valdez thought he recognized the woman in the Medellin park. Chatting, the two realized they had matched on the dating platform Tinder. They exchanged numbers and made plans. On their date last spring, he said the woman suggested that he try a typical Colombian dish a creamy soup called ajiaco. She carried it from a restaurant counter to their table. He had two spoonfuls, Mr. Valdez, 31, said. And thats the last thing I remember. Like scores of visitors to the Colombian city last year, Mr. Valdez, a travel blogger, said he was told at the hospital that he had ingested a powerful, potentially fatal cocktail of sedatives, including a drug called scopolamine. Scopolamine makes its victims black out, and experts say it can also make them unusually open to suggestion including agreeing to hand over a wallet or reveal passwords. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan and Turkiye discussed the implementation of a high-tech agricultural project, Trend reports. Governor of Uzbekistan's Sirdarya region, Akmaljon Mahmudaliyev met with the board chairman of the Turkish Minessi company, Yasin Kaplan, to discuss the project. The proposed complex includes four blocks, each of which is designed to grow different types of agricultural products, such as strawberries, vegetables, fruits, fruit tree seedlings, as well as flowers and flower seedlings. In each block, it is planned to organize sites for the processing, sorting, and packaging of products. The total cost of the project is estimated at $500 million. Up to 750 people will be permanently employed at the enterprise. The complex will use modern energy- and water-saving technologies, as well as receive electricity from photopanels and wind generators. It is planned to build a 10 MW power plant in the future. Minessi intends to export the enterprise's products to Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The Uzbek side expressed its full support for this project. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan and Turkiye stated earlier this month their intention to raise trade turnover to $5 billion. As of now, nearly 1,800 Turkish-invested companies are operating successfully in Uzbekistan. The latest data shows that, during the first four months of 2023, the bilateral trade between the two countries reached little over $1 billion. A car plowed into a barrier set up by protesting French farmers early on Tuesday, killing a woman and her daughter and injuring her husband, as France faced growing rural fury at perceived overregulation and increased diesel fuel prices. The new government headed by Gabriel Attal, the 34-year-old prime minister, faced its first crisis with barricades spreading across highways throughout the southwest of the country. The protests mirrored similar demonstrations in Germany, driven by a sense of marginalization among farmers that the extreme right has been quick to exploit. This is the France of the forgotten, Jordan Bardella, the president of the anti-immigrant National Rally party, said during a visit to the Bordeaux region on Saturday. The fight for agriculture is also the fight against rural effacement, the cry of a French people who do not want to die. Sweden on Monday cleared a final hurdle to joining NATO when the Hungarian Parliament voted to ratify its membership, underscoring how two years of full-scale war in Ukraine have reshaped the military alliance. A dispute between the two countries had made Budapest the last holdout in formally endorsing Stockholms NATO bid, but Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary said that trust had been restored with Sweden, clearing the way for the vote. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia had cited NATOs eastward spread as a reason for invading Ukraine, but the conflict has galvanized the alliance, returning it to its Cold War roots as a war-fighting organization. Swedish accession, however, would come at a critical time for the alliance and for Ukraine, where Russian forces are on the offensive. Military aid to Ukraine from the United States, the biggest overall donor, remains stalled in Congress, where it is embroiled in American election politics. Russia launched a combination of cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukrainian cities on Tuesday in a large volley that killed at least 19 people and injured another 120, according to local authorities. The assault added to concerns about the state of Ukraines air defenses as Russian barrages continue on its largest cities. Ukraines air force said that 41 missiles had entered the countrys airspace early Tuesday. The Ukrainian authorities provide details of cruise missiles in flight, and residents can track them for about an hour as they fly from Russia. The ballistic missiles, which travel much faster, struck in Kyiv on Tuesday just as the cruise missiles arrived. Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesman, said in a telephone interview that the military had intercepted only about half of the total barrage, and just five of the 24 ballistic missiles. That was a lower success rate for Ukraine than achieved against earlier bombardments, because ballistic missiles, which are harder to intercept, made up a higher proportion of Tuesdays volley, he said. Most of missiles were ballistic, and our air force cant down them all, Mr. Ihnat said. In Kyiv, the capital, at least one missile appeared to detonate at ground level, residents said, although it was unclear whether it had evaded Ukraines air defenses or whether the warhead fell and blew up after the missile was destroyed in the air. Turkeys Parliament voted on Tuesday to allow Sweden to join NATO, putting the Nordic country one step closer to entering the military alliance and easing a diplomatic stalemate that has clouded Turkeys relations with the United States and hampered Western efforts to isolate Russia over its war in Ukraine. The measure passed after a vote of 287 to 55, with four abstentions in the 600-member body. It will go into effect once it is published in the countrys official gazette, usually a swift formality. That would make Hungary the only NATO member that has not approved Swedens accession, depriving the alliance of the unanimity required to add a new member. The bills passage is a big moment for NATO, paving the way for expanding its deterrence against Russia at a time when some of its members are struggling to provide Ukraine with enough arms to roll back Russias invasion. NATOs secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, said in a statement late Tuesday that he welcomed the news from Turkey, according to Reuters. But, he said, I also count on Hungary to complete its national ratification as soon as possible. The Iranian authorities hanged a 23-year-old man early Tuesday, the latest in a string of executions linked to the large-scale protests that shook the country in the fall of 2022. The man, Mohammad Ghobadlou, who worked in a barbershop, was accused of killing a police officer by running over him with his car. His execution, several months after the last hanging of a protester, illustrated how the government is continuing to crack down on dissent in the wake of that monthslong uprising against the Islamic Republic. They are killing us one by one, the actor Ashkan Khatibi wrote on social media in a post that included a picture of Mr. Ghobadlous father, a disabled veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, wrapped in a blanket in front of the prison, north of Tehran, where his son was held. The protests were set off by the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in September 2022 while she was in the custody of the morality police, accused of violating Irans hijab law. The months of demonstrations that followed in cities across the country broadened to include demands for social freedom and political change. Israels military said on Tuesday that it had encircled the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, part of a push that has resulted in intense fighting and bombardments in an area packed with civilians who have fled their homes in other parts of the territory. The Israeli military described the area as a significant stronghold of Hamass Khan Younis brigade and said that it had killed dozens of Hamas fighters over the previous 24 hours. The militarys claims could not be independently verified. Israeli forces targeted terrorist cells carrying R.P.G.s near the troops, those launching anti-tank missiles, and terror operatives who had rigged compounds with explosives, the military said in a statement, referring to rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Ready-to-launch rockets, military compounds, shafts, and numerous weapons were located during the activity, the military added. The fighting has involved heavy exchanges of gunfire and a surge of Israeli tanks and troops into areas around the citys hospitals. Displaced civilians in the area say they have no safe place to go. Eman Jawad, who is sheltering in an industrial zone in Khan Younis, said that Israeli forces surrounded her shelter on Sunday night and heavy clashes broke out with Hamas fighters. She said the fighting was so close that several tents housing displaced people went up in flames. We are trapped, Ms. Jawad said in a voice message on Monday. There are snipers on the streets and we are not allowed to leave the industrial zone. Carleton English Prosek Partners hires Carleton English, who was most recently a financial markets and asset management reporter at Barrons, as an SVP. At Barrons, English was also an on-air panelist for the publications broadcast program, Barrons Roundtable. Before joining Barrons in 2019, English was a reporter for platforms including The Information, the New York Post and The Street. She joins the firm in New York before relocating to Proseks London office in the spring, where she will provide strategic counsel across the US and UK markets. Carleton has been recognized as one of the great talents in journalism by our firm and our clients alike, and I am confident that her expertise and diverse background in the industry will be an asset in providing our clients with best-in-class communications counsel, said Prosek founder and managing partner Jen Prosek. Alexis Murray-Merriman GO PR, which works with clients in the travel industry, names Alexis Murray-Merriman as VP and head of its Los Angeles office. Murray-Merriman joins GO PR from Hawkins International, a FINN Partners Company, where she was a VP, working with brands including Soho House North America and Turtle Island Fiji. She has also worked at NJFPR, Clarity and Sitrick and Company. In her new post, Murray-Merriman will service high-level client needs across the agencys global portfolio and help to develop the bi-coastal agency team. Alexis has worked at top agencies in New York City and Los Angeles and has ideated and implemented strategies for some of the most notable hospitality brands, said GO PR founder and CEO Gizen Ozcelik. Lyndsey Newnam G&S Business Communications promotes Lyndsey Newnam to senior vice president. Newnam, who has been with the agency since 2006, was most recently a VP. In addition to managing key agency accounts, she led the creation and launch of G&Ss landscape & outdoor living market segment in 2023. Newnam will now join the G&S executive steering committee, which plays a crucial role in shaping the agencys future direction. She has been instrumental in generating exceptional results for key clients and growing our relationships with them as well as driving innovation and growth for the agency across a range of industries, said G&S principal and president Brian Hall. An Offaly artist has been appointed as artistic director of a major midlands festival. Longford County Council recently announced the appointment of a new Artistic Director for Longford Lights 2024 as preparation is finalised in advance of the February festival. Birr-based Caroline Conway, who was a lead artist in the 2023 festival, takes the helm for the 2024 event which will take place over three evenings in Connolly Barracks, Longford from February 23 - 25. She is a self-described visual arts maker with an interest in creating and showing work out with the traditional gallery, with a particular focus on light, optical devises and visual trickery. Involving over 400 members of local communities as well as offering employment opportunities to many artists, Longford Lights is a partnership between Longford County Council and Mide Arts Group with funding support from Arts Council, Creative Ireland, and Failte Ireland. In 2023, over 11,000 spectators came through the gates of Connolly Barracks to witness the special spectacle. This year, the inimitable artistic expression of Artistic Director Caroline Conway will be on view again. Longford Lights 2024 will comprise a series of indoor and outdoor illumination-based art installations centred on the theme of Belonging. The festival will include several performances and displays over the weekend involving prominent national and international artists and groups. Offaly County Council gave the green light for the construction of a new Library and Arts base in Edenderry during its January monthly meeting. Cllr Noel Cribbin said it was a great day for Edenderry and the new library will be a fantastic facility. Cllr Cribbin said he was very impressed with the design of the proposed building. I wouldn't be surprised if it wins awards, the design is that good. This will be a major boost for Edenderry. You know, we don't even have a hotel. We used to, many years ago. In terms of morale, this new library and arts base will be a big shot in the arm. Cllr Cribbin praised the Town Regeneration Officer for Offaly Co Co Olwen Cummins for her hard work on the project. This is a very positive day for Edenderry, Offaly and the young people of the area. This wonderful facility will be used by many thousands over the coming years, he remarked. I am very proud to propose that this project, in its Part 8 phase, goes ahead today. Cllr John Foley seconded. Cllr Foley said a lot of hard work had been invested in the project by the Council executive and the councillors over the last five years. The Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney said several years of work have gone into getting the project to this stage. The project will enhance what is effectively a derelict site on JKL Street. We look forward to turning the sod on the project in the near future. In her official Part 8 report on the project the Chief Executive outlined the nature and extent of the proposed development and its principal features. The report said the location is the former Tesco Site, 33-34 JKL Street. The report gave the following description of the site: The site for the new community library and arts base is a long North to South plot of the former Tesco supermarket, located on the south side of JKL Street, immediately to the east of the AIB bank building, which is a Protected Structure. The former Tesco supermarket has now been demolished leaving an empty site. The site is partly bounded by a property at no. 35 JKL Street which is a protected structure. To the north east of the site is the detached and prominent Town Hall, (the former Market House), a Protected Structure which is surrounded on 4 sides by largely intact street terraces. Further to the west, on the same side of the street as the AIB bank, is the Bank of Ireland building, also a Protected Structure. The development will consist of the construction of a new two storey Community Library and Arts Base, adjacent to the AIB bank, no.32 JKL St. (a Protected Structure), of 1,803sqm which includes; Adult, Teen and Children's Library, Multipurpose Space and Artists Studios as well as ancillary support spaces such as library meeting rooms, wet workshop etc. The proposed development is consistent with the policies and objectives of the Edenderry Local Area Plan 2023-2029, as follows: Progress the development of a new modern Community Library and facility at JKL Street Edenderry in line with the National Library Capital Programme and Offaly Libraries Interim Development Plan 2022 2023 and to provide enhanced access to services for the public, including, flexible spaces for meeting and learning, expanded digital services and access during unstaffed times using smart technology and use as a multipurpose space for creative artists in the visual, performing and digital arts. Facilitate the development of a cultural strategy that seeks to capitalise on the cultural opportunities in the town that can be developed and promoted for the local economic benefit of the town and to contribute positively to the local community and ensure activity during the day and into the evening. Interestingly, her report said the archaeological test excavations at the proposed development at 32-34 JKL St revealed traces of occupation that relate to the early modern period (1700 onwards). It is recommended that all groundworks associated with the proposed development be monitored by a suitably qualified archaeologist and that the surviving remains of any 18th century features including those identified during test trenching be fully investigated and recorded. With regards to the remains of any 19th Century buildings; these should be cleaned back by mechanical excavator with a flat bladed bucket under archaeological supervision. The walls or wall-footings should be photographed and recorded using GPS in order to ensure that there is a full record of the building footprint and layout to supplement and enhance the existing record from historic mapping and surviving architectural drawings. It is considered that the proposed development is in keeping with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area. It is recommended to the Elected Members that the proposed development should be proceeded with in accordance with the plans and particulars placed on public display from the 18th October to 30th November 2023.s A doctor has called out the healthcare system after a patient with obesity was told the waiting list for service was six years. Laura Durcan, a rheumatologist at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, shared a letter someone suffering from obesity received from the HSE. This is really an awful thing to do to someone who is suffering from severe obesity and needs help, she said on X, formerly known as Twitter. She added: This is not what happens for private patients. The letter from the HSEs Central Referral Office read: I wish to infirm you that you have been placed on our waiting list for this clinic. The waiting list for this speciality is currently 6 years. The doctor also pointed out that she was not blaming the medical professionals, but the system. "This is political. I am highlighting because the patients don't feel that they can for lots of reasons. I hope you guys get the resources/ help you need," she said in another tweet. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 23. Uzbekistan's first seminar on cooperation in trade, economy, culture, and tourism in 2024, organized by the Embassy of Uzbekistan in China and the Chamber of Commerce of Xinjiang and Tianjin, was successfully held on January 21 in Urumqi (Xinjiang), Trend reports. The annual conference of the Xinjiang and Tianjin Chamber of Commerce was also held on the same day. The event was attended by more than 500 people, including Uzbek Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Heritage Jamshid Abdusalomov, Governor of Tashkent Zoir Mirzayev, Mayor of Samarkand Fazliddin Umarov, and governors and deputy governors of 12 provinces of Uzbekistan. From the Chinese side, business delegations, heads of the commerce department of the autonomous region, industry and trade associations, representatives of the Department of Culture and Tourism, and other relevant authorities of Urumqi, as well as representatives of various trade associations and enterprises in trade, culture, and tourism, participated. "The relations between Uzbekistan and China have been positively developing since the times of the ancient Silk Road. And in recent years, relations between the two countries have become increasingly close. Last May, the two heads of state met in Xi'an and put forward a number of initiatives that provided more opportunities, including business opportunities, for the people of the two countries. The relationship between the two countries will continue to develop further," Zoir Mirzaev said. Local businessmen in Xinjiang highly assess the prospects of future cooperation between China and Uzbekistan. Thus, the Chairman of the Board of Xinjiang Marjiang Trading Company said that, with the support of the Xinjiang-Tianjin Chamber of Commerce, they are actively cooperating with the Uzbek side to agree on localization of production in Uzbekistan and hope that their products will be recognized by Uzbek consumers. Meanwhile, the president of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev will pay a visit to China on January 2325. He will also visit one of China's regions and meet with the heads of leading Chinese companies as well as banking and financial institutions. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke in favor of a prompt ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and expressed their concerns over the tense situation in the Red Sea during the meeting on the UN sidelines, the Russian Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports. "The sides had a substantial exchange of opinion on the ongoing Middle East agenda," the Ministry said. "The foreign ministers spoke in favor of a prompt ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and providing humanitarian assistance to the residents of the enclave. The sides stated their shared concerns over the tense situation in the Red Sea, which has sharply degraded due to the reckless force actions of the US and a number of joined states against Yemen." The two ministers discussed a wide array of bilateral agenda issues with an emphasis on the implementation of the agreements, achieved at the highest-level, including the December 7, 2023, meeting of presidents of Russia and Iran. "The sides underscored the mutual readiness for further deepening of the mutually beneficial practical cooperation in all priority areas," the Ministry underscored. Press Release January 23, 2024 O/S DELA ROSA: AYUDA SCAM IN DAVAO DEL NORTE AND DAVAO DE ORO SENATOR RONALD "BATO" DELA ROSA COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC ORDER AND DANGEROUS DRUGS PSR 873 - AYUDA SCAM IN DAVAO DEL NORTE AND DAVAO DE ORO JANUARY 23, 2024 OPENING STATEMENT I have never been mum about the fact that I hail from the Davao region. In fact, I am proud of it. After all, to say that Davao is blessed with so much is an understatement. I daresay it is a region that is home not only to natural resources, but also to courageous trailblazers, who have devoted their whole lives to public service and love of country, with no less than the Former President Rodrigo Duterte topping the list in my book. Kung kaya sa tingin ko, hindi lamang sa Davao City applicable ang slogan na "Davao: Life is here." Applicable din ito sa buong Davao Region. Kung kaya noong nabalitaan ko ang tungkol sa ayuda scheme na nagmukhang ayuda scam, napakahirap tanggapin, lalong-lalo na para sa akin. Late last year, my office received a letter from Governor Jubahib. He was requesting for an investigation. According to him, he discovered that there were over 60 individuals from Davao del Norte and seven from Davao de Oro who had been allegedly victimized by a scheme they infamously called as the "Ayuda Scam." There were serious allegations narrating how beneficiaries who were supposed to receive the expected assistance of P5,000.00 received the meager amount of P1,000.00. Further, the governor described how the perpetrators led the victims to a separate room where their money would be "forcibly taken" from them, and how they went home with only P1,000.00 in their pocket. In light of these allegations and the sheer weight of the possible corruption that underpins them, we admit that this is a major concern that our government should deeply look into. We should ask: Why would we even let it happen? How could we let them happen? Is it also happening in other regions? Bumaba ang poverty incidence sa bansa mula sa 23.7% to 22.4% noong first semester ng 2023 ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority. Pababa man ang bilang ng mga naghihirap sa bansa, mayroon pa ring 25.24 million Pilipino na nangangailangan ng mga financial assistance o ayuda mula sa gobyerno. Kung pati ang nakalaang tulong na galing sa gobyerno ay ipagkait sa kanila, kung pati ang tulong na ito ay nanakawin sa kanila, ano na lang ang matitira para sa kanila? Worse, what dignity do these perpetrators have left, especially as public servants, if they had the audacity to take from those who have little, those who have practically nothing? While the national government is doing its best to do everything in its power to extend help to the less fortunate, it seems that there are enterprising persons who are stealing even the meager help given to those who need it the most. Today, we are present in this hearing to do all that we can, in aid of legislation, to get to the bottom of this issue. Mainly, we are here to know the following: 1. whether there is indeed a scam, a scheme, or an illegal mechanism in the distribution of financial assistance implemented by DSWD and other government agencies in the Davao Region or any other region in the Philippines; and 2. whether our government agencies are capable of, or if their efforts are adequate in preventing such schemes. Lastly, we seek the policy recommendations from our resource persons present today and to ensure that there will be no "Ayuda Scam" or any other similar fraudulent mechanisms that would tend to disrupt the peace and order of our communities. Thank you. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. A member of the Iranian Parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi expressed optimism about the possibility of reviving the JCPOA, the deal on Irans nuclear program that has been in limbo since the US pulled out of it, Trend reports. Rahimi Jahanabadi claimed that the US left the JCPOA in 2018 to gain more concessions from Iran. However, this move backfired, as it led to Iran reducing the International Atomic Energy Agencys access to its nuclear sites, installing new and more centrifuges, and increasing its uranium enrichment to 60 percent. He argued that the USs recent admission that leaving the JCPOA was a mistake was not helpful. On January 17, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken acknowledged that the USs withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 was a big blunder. I think the USs withdrawal from the JCPOA hurts them more than us. Anyway, the deal can be salvaged if there is a new opportunity for dialogue and a rational interpretation of the JCPOA. This agreement was a significant achievement for Iran. Even though it was not perfect for the Western countries and the US, it was the best possible outcome at that time (2015), he said. Irans nuclear program was the subject of the JCPOA, a deal signed by Iran and the P5+1 group (US, Russia, China, UK, France, and Germany) in 2015 that came into force on January 16, 2016. However, on May 8, 2018, the US withdrew from the JCPOA and imposed new sanctions on Iran as of November 2018, affecting its oil exports and freezing its assets abroad. More than 700 banks, companies, and individuals were also targeted by the sanctions. In late 2020, the Iranian parliament decided to implement a strategic plan to tackle the sanctions, citing the non-implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) signed between Iran and six countries and the imposition of sanctions on Iran. According to the decision of the Iranian parliament, as of February 23, Iran suspended the implementation of additional steps and an additional protocol provided for in the nuclear deal. As a result, the control mechanism of the IAEA decreased by 2030 percent. Iran has been trying to resume talks with the other parties on its nuclear issue and revive the JCPOA. The main goals of Iran are to end the sanctions imposed by the US and Western countries, access funds frozen abroad, and resume its crude oil exports. Iran claims that its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, but the IAEA has reported that Iran has increased its highly enriched uranium by 27 percent in the last three months and now has 4,745 kilograms of enriched uranium. This is 15 times more than the amount allowed for Iran in the JCPOA. --- Follow the author on X (Twitter):@BaghishovElnur BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Armenia may have supplied a large number of weapons to Iran, which, in turn, ended up in the hands of Hamas and other terrorist organizations, writes Sarah Miller in its article for EU Reporter. The author reminded that, strangely, the Armenian military has somehow misplaced some 17,000 assault rifles. According to Vahe Ghazaryan, Armenian Minister of Internal Affairs, this quantity of assault weapons is unaccounted for from the armories. "It is difficult to comprehend this number - 17,000. Just imagine this is enough weapons to arm three and a half infantry brigades! The whole Armenian military is 65 thousand strong - so the missing weapons would be enough for a quarter of its personnel. If they are properly packed, it will be over 1400 pretty large and heavy boxes (of 12 rifles each), which would take more than 10 military trucks to move," says the article. She noted that Ghazaryan himself noted that the weapons went missing after the Second Karabakh War. So, they were not lost during the war, or captured by Azerbaijani troops - the assault rifles went missing after the conflict. "Where are these weapons now? They definitely did not leave Armenia through Turkish, Georgian or Azerbaijani borders. There is only one neighboring country, which is very interested in purchasing weaponry anywhere on the planet Iran. As the backbone supporter of various terrorist organizations, Tehran regularly supplies them with light and heavy armament. The Russian-produced assault rifles have an added value. They are actually untraceable. Iran produces its own analogs of Kalashnikov the KLF or KLS rifles. But they are easily identifiable by slight design differences, overall low quality, manufacture markings, and the fire selector markings on the weapons. Supplying Russian-manufactured weapons to Houthis, Hezbollah or HAMAS is preferable nobody knows where they came from exactly, as the Russian markings may be found in many places. Armenia, being today an important part of an Iranian-Russian axis, due to Yerevan's eager assistance in circumventing sanctions, is a likely place to get such weapons. Just imagine that missing from the Armenian military stockpiles since 2020 Kalashnikovs might have reached Hamas, and may have been used in the October 7 massacre in Israel," Sarah Miller explains. REMINDER: [Day 110 of the ongoing and now accelerating genocide] Israel is still killing 200-300 civilians daily in Gaza (half of them children) and injures twice as many daily. People injured have very little medical care and die regularly of infested wounds or get their limbs amputated with kitchen knives without anesthesia (1100 children had their limbs amputated as such). Casualties (injured and killed) are now 3.2% of the 2.3 million population (equivalent to 11.2 million US victims). Israel continues to deny humanitarian aid (food, water medicines including anesthesia) with Egypt's collusion. Famine is spreading especially among the 400-500,000 civilians left in North Gaza (but also in other regions of Gaza). Deaths are thus accelerating. Diseases (Hepatitis A, Leishmania, intestinal and skin disorders) are spreading with no treatments. Israel rendered most of the hospitals and clinics inoperational. Kidney dialysis patients, cancer patients, and other patients are dying as there are no treatments. Winter storm arrived today and 1.9 million people have no shelter. 110 journalists were killed and over 250 injured. This is about 15-20% of all Journalists in Gaza, higher than population rate so it is intentional targeting to suppress truth coming out. Israeli occupation forces also killed academics and doctors and destroyed hundreds of mosques, 3 churches, six cemeteries, universities and hospitals. The intention is to reduce Gaza strip to rubble (70% of all building are already damaged). We will not forgive or forget the complicity many and silence of many people. We are grateful to those who act. Our own work of building continues: Last week we had lecture on environmental impact of war and two papers on the same subjects submitted and accepted. This week we have three talks related to war's impact on health, agriculture, education. We also engage in field work, in cultivation of lands and minds. We engage in education (e.g. my master students) conservation (e.g. animal rehabilitation, direct conservation efforts) and community service (support for farmers and marginalized communities). Please look for our (palestinenature.org) detailed annual report coming out next week). Netanyahu and Kahanist allies wage psy-war to sacrifice captives for conquest of Gaza: Uncaptured Media obtains an exclusive recording exposing Netanyahu and his Kahanist collaborators' plot to sacrifice hostages and demoralize their families' efforts to pressure for an exchange deal Click Here. The view of Islamic Resistance Forces on 7 October and the before and after events. Whether you/we agree with them or don't, it is important to read to understand their view titled "Our Narraive: Operation Al-Aqsa Flood". English Click Here Arabic Click Here. 77 groups support legal proceedings against Biden Click Here Israel arrested thousands of people and its already flawed "legal system" has become even more racist and genocidal. Before 7 October, innocent Palestinians were (enmeshed) in a rigged legal system. After 7 October it became a fascist system where prisoners are abused, denied even the family visits that were limited before, denied even formality of trials and having representation. Like the killing of tens of thousamds of civilians for revenge and genocide and ethnic cleansing, the situation for prisoners is horrific and so far many died under torture Click Here Press Release: a Palestinian-led initiative warns public officials in Europe of intention to prosecute over complicity in Israel's crimes in Gaza. Click Here Human Rights Watch. Why Does Israel Have So Many Palestinians in Detention and Available to Swap? Click Here The Spectacular Failure of the Zionist Project Click Here Stay Human and keep Palestine alive Mazin Qumsiyeh A bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home Professor, Founder, and (volunteer) Director Palestine Museum of Natural History, Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability, Bethlehem University Occupied Palestine http://qumsiyeh.org http://palestinenature.org facebook pages: Personal Click Here; Institute https://www.facebook.com/PIBS.PMNH The United Airlines CEO says he is disappointed in ongoing manufacturing problems at Boeing that have led to the grounding of dozens of United jetliners, and the airline will consider alternatives to buying a future, larger version of the Boeing 737 Max. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said Tuesday that Boeing needs real action to restore its previous reputation for quality. Kirbys comments came one day after United disclosed that it expects to lose money in the first three months of this year because of the grounding of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jets. United has 79 of those planes, which federal regulators grounded more than two weeks ago after a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines Max 9 in midflight, leaving a gaping hole in the plane. Investigators are probing whether bolts that help hold the panel in place were missing or broke off. Kirby said on CNBC that he believes that the Max 9s could be cleared to fly again soon, but Im disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing. At times over the past few years, manufacturing flaws have held up deliveries of Max jets and a larger Boeing plane, the 787. Last year, United received 24 fewer Boeing aircraft than it expected. United has a standing order for Max 10 jets, a larger version of the Max line. However, that model and a smaller one, the Max 7, are years behind schedule for being certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. The grounding of the Max 9 jets is likely to further complicate Boeings drive to get the new models approved. Kirby said the Max 10 is at least five years behind schedule and could be pushed further into the future. I think this is the straw the Max 9 grounding is probably the straw that broke the camels back for us, he told CNBC. Were going to at least build a plan that doesnt have the Max 10 in it. Kirby wasnt specific about what planes the airline could acquire instead of the Max 10, but he noted that there is only one other global manufacturer of such large planes Boeings European rival Airbus. Doing without the Max 10 probably means United wont grow as fast as it had hoped, Kirby added. -- The Associated Press The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted $200 million toward a Columbia River Gorge bridge project, covering more than one-third of the cost to rebuild the bridge. The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge received a federal grant toward replacing the 100-year-old span, which is named for the Oregon and Washington towns it connects. The bridge is expected to cost $520 million. Including the $200 million grant announced this week, the federal government has committed $213.6 million to the project. Oregon and Washington are each expected to contribute another $125 million. The Hood River-White Salmon Bridge Replacement project reports that so far, Washington has committed $80 million and Oregon has committed $25 million. The project team will pay for the rest with bonds, borrowing against future tolls. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, said in a news release that without major renovations, the bridge would have to close to truck traffic in 2030 and to all traffic in 2040. The bridge carries cars between Oregon and Washington, but is also must be tall enough to accommodate barges traveling under it, carrying wheat, barley, timber and petroleum products. A news release from Cantwells office said the proposed new bridge would have wider travel lanes and would allow cars to travel twice as fast as on the current bridge up to 45 mph. It would also be built to withstand earthquakes, and increase the passage space under the bridge for barges. And it would include a path for bicyclists and pedestrians, which the current bridge does not have. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, who along with Cantwell advocated for the grant funding, said the funding was an important step toward building a new bridge. The current bridge cannot safely support traffic between Washington and Oregon, so its a really big deal that this grant will help move the bridge replacement along, Murray said in a news release. Jayati Ramakrishnan; jramakrishnan@oregonian.com Two children, ages 9 and 11, are safe after their father left their car running in North Portland with the kids inside and a woman hopped into the sedan, sped off and eventually without the children launched police on a chase across the Oregon-Washington border. The kids managed to escape when the alleged thief stopped at a light in Northwest Portland about 10 minutes after the initial abduction. A 33-year-old Portland woman is facing a possible kidnapping charge after allegedly stealing a car in North Portland with two children inside and leading police on a chase across the Oregon-Washington border. The two children, ages 9 and 11, jumped out of the car when Iosha Dashae Millage stopped at a red light in Northwest Portland, about 10 minutes after she allegedly stole the car they were in. The childrens father told investigators he had left his car idling with his children inside as picked up his third child at preschool in North Portland when a woman jumped into the drivers seat and sped off shortly before 3 p.m., police said. Portland metro area high schools are adjusting their schedules for administering final exams after last weeks snow and ice storms shuttered schools for days. Meanwhile, a few Portland-area communities are preparing for closures through mid-February as their schools are repaired from water damage. For passengers on the Alaska Airlines plane that made headlines around the world after a panel blew off mid-flight, the ordeal probably doesnt seem very funny. But that hasnt stopped late-night hosts from making jokes about it. The latest example comes courtesy of Saturday Night Live, and its Jan. 20 episode. In a parody ad for Alaska Airlines, guest host Jacob Elordi and SNL cast members played Alaska staffers smilingly assuring consumers that, in the wake of the mid-air episode, the company has made some safety upgrades. You know those bolts that, like, hold the plane together? Elordi said. Were gonna go ahead and tighten some of those. In addition, Elordi said, to make everyone feel safe, Alaska has hired Chesley Sully Sullenberger -- of the 2009 Miracle on the Hudson plane landing -- out of retirement. Cast member Heidi Gardner cheerfully announced the new Alaska Airlines slogan as, You didnt die, and you got a cool story. At the end of the parody ad, SNL cast member Kenan Thompson did a callback reference to another frightening Alaska flight incident that, like the panel flying off the plane, has an Oregon connection. Were the same airline where a pilot tried to turn off the engine mid-flight while on mushrooms, Thompson said. And now were so proud to say thats our second-worst flight. Related: See the lights of Portland from through hole in Alaska Airlines plane in new video The parody ad refers to what happened on Jan. 5, when a door plug on a Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off, which, as The Oregonian/OregonLive reported, depressurized the cabin, filled it with cold air, left a hole the size of the missing 2-by-4-foot panel, and forced the plane to return to Portland International Airport, to make an emergency landing. The other incident, in October 2023, involved an off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot who allegedly tried to disable the engines of a Horizon Air plane, which, as The Oregonian/OregonLive reported, had to be diverted to Portland International Airport for an emergency landing. Alaska Airlines owns Horizon Air. The off-duty pilot later told investigators that he had taken magic mushrooms 48 hours earlier, was grieving the death of a friend, and hadnt slept in two days. (Want to catch up? Saturday Night Live streams on Fubo, which offers a free trial; and on Peacock.) Kristi Turnquist 503-221-8227; kturnquist@oregonian.com; @Kristiturnquist Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Armenia and Azerbaijan have direct communication line, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said at a press conference, Trend reports. We mentioned that there is a direct communication line between the administrations of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan. A similar channel exists between the foreign ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as other departments, he noted. Earlier, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan - Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told Berliner Zeitung newspaper that the work on the text of the peace treaty is being carried out directly between Baku and Yerevan. He pointed out that each format has its advantages, and it would not be correct to compare their effectiveness. At various stages, different formats have allowed us to move forward, and we are grateful to all the mediators who have been involved. The venue is not important for us. Most important is the outcome. We are for result-oriented negotiations. In principle, we are not against honest facilitation, but our preference is direct talks, added Hajiyev. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Hiking boots and flannel shirts often define Yachats chic, but one sophisticated lady declined to take that trend sitting down. Joni Bicksler held court on the wooden bench outside the local Post Office every day for years, glammed up with thigh-high boots, oversized sweaters and fabulous scarves. Rain or shine, and always fashionably color coordinated, she showed up to sip coffee and chat with a stream of friends and strangers. When she was finished, Bicksler would leave her bench to lunch with pal Wendy Snidow, get ice cream at Toppers and then walk back to her Yachats River Road home near downtown. Now, after a dedication of the refurbished bench Saturday, the bench is more hers than ever. Feisty, Fashionable, Fun In loving memory of Joni Bicksler, 1935-2023 declares a plaque on the vivid blue bench. Over a dozen well-wishers turned out in wet, windy weather to honor their late friend and neighbor. Bicksler died last summer at age 88, inspiring her fans and friends to do more than merely remember her. Elaine Watkins launched a fundraising campaign to mount a plaque on the bench. Watkins and her partner, Kevin Maas, painted the bench blue, added a couple of coats of polyurethane, artist Lori Stevens added a visual flair and the final product had its runway moment Saturday. To Joni! declared Watkins to the group gathered for the ceremony, raising aloft the same type of to-go coffee cup always seen in Bickslers manicured hands. She was loving so friendly, remembered Snidow, who knew Bicksler for 30 years. Stevens, who was among the dedication group, painted the colorful tiles on the benchs back. They echo the roof of the home Bicksler shared with her husband, Burd, who died in 2014. Joni Bicksler celebrated her 86th birthday in Yachats, where she lived for 33 years.Cheryl Romano/YachatsNews Joni and Burd Bickslers former home on Yachats River Road is noticeable for its colorful roof tiles.Cheryl Romano/YachatsNews Elaine Watkins, Kevin Maas and Lori Stevens of Yachats did the sanding, painting and recreating colorful roof tiles on the Post Office bench honoring Joni Bicksler.Cheryl Romano/YachatsNews Firebrand to a pussycat In the couples early years in Yachats, Watkins recalls that they loved a good fight, often appearing at City Council meetings to speak up about the issues of the day. After Burd died, though, Joni went from being a firebrand to a pussycat, she said. Snidow recalled that the Christmas decorations inside the house at the time of the husbands death stayed in place: She never touched them. It was after her husbands death that the Yachats resident of 33 years started a regular routine. She walked into town every day, buying a coffee, banana and muffin at C&K Market, then taking up her post on the Post Office bench. Everyone loved to talk with her while she sat on the bench, said Watkins. Bicksler had a good support network, Watkins said. She attended Yachats Baptist Church and Pastor James Sanders and his wife, Elaine, and some church members were part of that network. Maas helped with home repairs, and Snidow, in addition to lunching with Bicksler, also took her friend shopping every week for years. Bicksler developed Alzheimers disease toward the end of her life, and moved to Newport Beach, Calif., in 2021 to be near her son. That move also returned her to the town where she ran a womens fashion boutique, and honed the style that she brought to the Oregon coast. A key legislative committee charged with addressing Measure 110 shortcomings on Tuesday made it official: Democratic lawmakers announced they would press ahead with a proposal to make minor drug possession a crime again. The plan would mean the end of Oregons first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization policy, which voters passed in 2020 by a wide margin after supporters made a successful pitch that Measure 110 would provide a more humane public health approach to drug addiction. Washington state lawmakers considered a proposal Monday to prohibit police from hog-tying suspects, nearly four years after Manuel Ellis, a 33-year-old Black man, died facedown with his hands and feet cuffed together behind him in a case that became a touchstone for racial justice demonstrators in the Pacific Northwest. The restraint technique has long drawn concern due to the risk of suffocation, and while many cities and counties have banned the practice, it remains in use in others. House Democrats nominated Rep. Julie Fahey of Eugene to succeed Rep. Dan Rayfield as the next Oregon House speaker during a closed-door caucus meeting Monday night, the caucus announced in a press release. Rayfield, a Democrat from Corvallis, will stay on as House speaker through the five-week short session that begins Feb. 5, meaning that Fahey wont ascend to the speaker role until at least March. Even so, Democrats opted to vote for a new speaker during an evening meeting in Salem on Monday, settling on their succession plan ahead of the short session. Portland authorities estimate that damages will run into the tens of thousands of dollars in the suspected arson that scorched multiple heavy construction vehicles at the site of a planned mass outdoor homeless shelter in North Portland earlier this month. At least one person appears to have intentionally set fires under a forklift, bulldozer and excavator owned by the Bureau of Environmental Services during the early morning of Jan. 7 at a vacant lot near the Columbia Slough, according to police and City Hall officials. Portland will start Tuesday with showery bands of rain moving in through the noon hour. By the afternoon, showers dissipate, and skies begin to clear. The National Weather Service says Tuesdays showers should end by lunch, and skies may even gradually clear offering some sun breaks during the afternoon. Most of the metro area should be dry by the evening commute. The high temp should reach near 50 degrees. A new system moving into the region will bring steady rain to the Portland/Vancouver areas Wednesday. Rain may ease to showers by the afternoon. The high is expected to reach about 52 degrees. Snow levels that started the day around 3,500 feet will rise to 5,500 by Wednesday afternoon leading to just wet roads across the Cascade passes. Portland will see anywhere from a quarter to a half inch of rain from this front. The Coast Range and coastal areas could pick up an inch. Thursday will be another wet day with off-and-on showers through dinner time. The high temp will reach about 50 degrees. The next system will bring a warm front across the Pacific Northwest late Thursday and into Friday. Extended forecasts are showing rain through Friday and a high of about 45. Saturday looks damp as well. But there are signs Sunday and Monday will be dry to close out the weekend and start next week. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. Foreign Ministry of France forbids the country's Ambassador to Niger Sylvain Itte from releasing a book describing President Emmanuel Macron's fiasco in Africa, sparking a new scandal, Trend reports. As French media said, Itte has been in Paris since late December because, as a result of Macron's policies, Niger severed all ties with his country, and the embassy itself was closed. The diplomat wrote a book about events in Niger, but the Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry Ann-Marie Descotes sent a threatening letter to the ambassador. Thus, Macron, in a country that calls itself the "cradle of democracy", is openly attempting, at the state level, to suppress any statements about his fiasco in Africa. Certainly, in the future someone will also write about France's fiasco in the South Caucasus. In late July 2023, a group of military personnel from the presidential guard in Niger staged a mutiny and declared the removal of President Mohamed Bazoum from power. To govern the country, the National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland was formed, led by the commander of the guard Abdurahman Tchiani. One of the decisions of the new authorities was the denunciation of agreements with France regarding the deployment of a military contingent in Niger to combat extremist groups. France began withdrawing its troops from the African country on October 10. At that time, there were about 1,400 French military personnel in Niger. On December 4, Niger annulled its military cooperation with the European Union, withdrawing its permission for the deployment of the mission in Niamey. Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The Libyan Prime Minister of the government of national unity, Abdulhamid al Dbaiba, has reaffirmed his government's commitment to end the transitional phases via elections based on fair electoral laws Juba, South Sudan (PANA) - South Sudan has vehemently denied claims that its military is involved in smuggling fuel and other essential items to Sudans Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Photo: (Photo : Streeter Lecka /Getty Images) 225 North Carolina teachers repay mistaken bonus credited by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) due to a payroll error. The school, CMS, acknowledges the mishap when they mistakenly credited the bonuses to the current teachers instead of going to an allotted incentive to new teachers. CMS also apologizes to its educators, and to compensate for the disturbance, the institution is crafting a repayment plan that is feasible for them. This incident has highlighted the challenges of managing large-scale education budgets and the impacts of such errors on educators' lives. North Carolina Teachers To Repay Mistaken Bonus The North Carolina teachers, employed by CMS, experienced a mix-up in their compensation that few would expect. On January 12, these teachers found themselves the unexpected recipients of a $1,250 bonus on their payroll. However, this sum was meant as an incentive for newly hired teachers to address critical teaching vacancies and was inadvertently distributed to these existing staff members. The collective overpayment amounted to approximately $281,250, a substantial figure for any school district. Upon discovering the $281K payroll error, CMS acted swiftly. The error was identified on January 17, and the affected teachers were notified by the next day. Charlotte-Mecklenburg School officials presented the teachers with two options for repaying the mistaken bonus: a lump sum deduction from their February paycheck or a spread-out repayment over three months. This approach aimed to offer flexibility while rectifying the financial mistake. It turns out that in the $281K payroll error, the $200 monthly retention bonus for other teachers was accidentally processed along with the recruitment bonuses. The institution only discovered the mistake on January 17 and immediately informed the affected educators about the situation via email. In North Carolina, Charlotte-Mecklenburg School is one of the largest school districts and has more than 141,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Read Also: Biden's Fast-Tracked Student Loan Forgiveness: Key Details Revealed Repayment Support for North Carolina Teacher Affected The repayment request, though necessary from an administrative standpoint, posed a sudden financial challenge for the North Carolina teachers involved. Recognizing the potential stress and inconvenience caused, CMS expressed its commitment to work closely with the impacted teachers. The district, which oversees a large and diverse educational community, reiterated its appreciation for the hard work and dedication of its staff, emphasizing that the error did not reflect on the teachers' professional performance or their value to the district. This incident serves as a critical lesson in the complexities of school district financial management. While Charlotte-Mecklenburg School's prompt response and transparent communication have been commendable, the situation underscores the importance of meticulous financial oversight in large educational systems. As CMS moves forward, this $281K payroll error will undoubtedly inform future practices and safeguards to prevent similar occurrences, ensuring that the focus remains on providing quality education to the over 141,000 students in its care. For the North Carolina teachers affected, the situation, while challenging, has brought to light the supportive community within CMS and the district's willingness to address and rectify mistakes swiftly. As they repay the mistaken bonus, these educators continue their vital work, shaping the minds of future generations in one of the state's largest school districts. Related Article: Kyte Baby in Hot Water Over Refusing Maternity Leave to NICU Mom BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. The foreign ministers of the CIS countries will discuss foreign policy interaction, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev told reporters, Trend reports. The meeting will consider the draft agenda for the upcoming meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers, which will be held on April 12 in Minsk, Lebedev said. According to him, the draft includes 10 issues related to cooperation in the political and humanitarian spheres, and some organizational issues. The participants will also discuss the intensification of foreign policy interaction, added the official. The latest meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers was held in Bishkek in October 2023. Stay up-to-date with more news at Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost. If you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Spencer Kraus, Martin Tanner, Hales Swift, and Brent Schmidt came together for the 7 January 2024 episode of the Interpreter Radio Show, which focused on Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson 5 and on evidences for the Book of Mormon. Their conversation is now archived, freed from commercial interruptions, and made available for your listening pleasure. The New Testament in Context portion of the 7 January 2024 show, for Come, Follow Me Book of Mormon lesson 5, will also be posted separately on Tuesday, 23 January 2024. The Interpreter Radio Show can be heard each week on Sunday evenings from 7 to 9 PM (MDT), on K-TALK, AM 1640. Or you can listen to it live on the Internet at ktalkmedia.com. I recently re-read C. S. Lewiss famous book Mere Christianity on the flight over to London and Cairo. It has been a fair while since Ive read that particular volume, and here are a couple of the many passages that struck me. I supply no page references both because there are multiple editions and because I read it on my iPad: I have been asked to tell you what Christians believe, and I am going to begin by telling you one thing that Christians do not need to believe. If you are a Christian you do not have to believe that all the other religions are simply wrong all through. If you are an atheist you do have to believe that the main point in all the religions of the whole world is simply one huge mistake. If you are a Christian, you are free to think that all those religions, even the queerest ones, contain at least some hint of the truth. When I was an atheist I had to try to persuade myself that most of the human race have always been wrong about the question that mattered to them most; when I became a Christian I was able to take a more liberal view. But, of course, being a Christian does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong.. As in arithmetic there is only one right answer to a sum, and all other answers are wrong; but some of the wrong answers are much nearer being right than others. The first big division of humanity is into the majority, who believe in some kind of God or gods, and the minority who do not. On this point, Christianity lines up with the majority lines up with ancient Greeks and Romans, modern savages, Stoics, Platonists, Hindus, Mohammedans [sic], etc., against the modern Western European materialists. (C. S. Lewis, The Rival Conceptions of God, in Mere Christianity) When Lewis comes to the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity in the latter portion of Mere Christianity, he loses me. He strikes me, there, as much less lucid and definitely less persuasive. I think that that is the fault of his subject matter, orthodox Trinitarianism, rather than his own. The doctrine is, in my judgment, unavoidably and necessarily incoherent. But his discussion of the Trinity is probably the reason why Ive gone so long since last reading the book. On the other hand, the earlier portions of Mere Christianity seem to me, at places, nothing short of brilliant. Our friends at Interpreters sister organizations are doing very interesting things these days. I highlight two recent video examples here: I have myself long had a particular interest in the subject of Asherah and the Book of Mormon, and I have published on it. Discover compelling evidence for the divinity of the Book of Mormon in A Marvelous Work. In this premiere episode, Scott Christopher provides a glimpse into the topics hell explore as he travels the world in search of evidence for the Book of Mormon. Here for your enjoyment are some really beautiful photographs, including interior photographs, of the newly dedicated Orem Utah Temple, which is conveniently located just a few minutes from my home: https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/orem-utah-temple/photographs/ I was surprised to see this article, written by Brian T. Allen, appear just the other day in National Review: What Is Utah? It wasnt quite as positive and enthusiastically favorable as I would have preferred, but it was far better than such articles typically are. If any of you can access it, please let me know what you think. And this Deseret News article, authored by Hanna Seariac, might interest you: From fry sauce to social mobility, heres a closer look at what Gov. Cox says makes Utah weird: In the State of the State address, Utahs governor spoke about both silly and serious things that make the Beehive State unique. Even apart from religion, Im a fan of regional differences and dislike the standardization of America. I want Portland to remain weird, and New Orleans to continue to be whatever New Orleans is. I like local restaurants with local foods and specialties. I dont want everything to be flattened out and made uniform. But there is no question that there is a religion-related subtheme here, and that all three of the items mentioned immediately above were located in the general vicinity of the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File. Lucas Banzoli is a very active Brazilian anti-Catholic polemicist, who holds to basically a Seventh-day Adventist theology, whereby there is no such thing as a soul that consciously exists outside of a body, and no hell (soul sleep and annihilationism). He has a Masters degree in theology, a degree and postgraduate work in history, a license in letters, and is a history teacher, author of 27 self-published books, as well as blogmaster for six blogs. He has many videos on YouTube. This is my 67th refutation of Banzolis writings. From 25 May until 12 November 2022 he wrote not one single word in reply, claiming that my articles were without exception poor, superficial and weak and that only a severely cognitively impaired person would take them seriously. Nevertheless, he found them so entertaining that after almost six months of inaction he resolved to make a point of rebutting them one by one; this effort being his new favorite sport. But apparently he changed his mind again, since he has replied to me only 16 times (the last one dated 2-20-23). Google Translate is utilized to render Lucas Portugese into English. His words will be in blue. ***** I received notice that someone made a comment in a Banzoli thread underneath one of his last replies to me. One of his followers (anonymous, of course), wrote on 1-20-24: Luke, I was recently accused of heresy by a person who came to me with the following quote from Luther: Whoever does not believe as I do is destined for hell. My doctrine and Gods doctrine are the same. My judgment is the judgment of God. I couldnt respond because I couldnt even find where this citizen got that line from; I think it came from the head of some priest out there. Anyway, I would like to know if it is true (I highly doubt it) and where it came from. [Portugese: Lucas, recentemente fui acusada de heresia por uma pessoa que me veio com a seguinte citacao de Lutero: Quem nao cre como eu e destinado ao inferno. Minha doutrina e a doutrina de Deus sao a mesma. Meu juizo e o juizo de Deus. Nao consegui rebater pois nao pude nem encontrar de onde esse cidadao tirou essa fala; acho que foi da cabeca de algum padre por ai. Enfim, gostaria de saber se ela e verdadeira mesmo (duvido muito) e de onde saiu.] And this was Banzolis reply (1-22-24): I asked three AIs (Chat GPT, Bard and Copilot) about the veracity of this quote and all three said the quote is false. On Google, this quote only exists on Catholic blogs, so it must be false. In any case, regarding Catholic accusations against Luther, I recommend the table at the end of the article below, with an index of refutations to the papist slanders against Luther: [then he linked to articles from James Swan, the Great Luther Defender, whom I have refuted innumerable times since 2003: see his entry on my Anti-Catholicism page] [Portugese: Eu perguntei sobre a veracidade dessa citacao a tres IA (Chat GPT, Bard e Copilot) e os tres disseram que a citacao e falsa. No Google essa citacao so existe em blogs catolicos, entao deve ser falsa mesmo. De todo modo, sobre acusacoes catolicas contra Lutero eu recomendo a tabela presente ao final do artigo abaixo, com um indice de refutacoes as calunias papistas contra Lutero:] Now I shall document that all three sentences were indeed written by Martin Luther, and that the quotation is absolutely authentic (the portion in question is highlighted in green and bolded, and similarly outrageous statements highlighted in purple and bolded): I now let you know that from now on I shall no longer do you the honor of allowing you or even an angel from heaven to judge my teaching or to examine it. For there has been enough foolish humility now for the third time at Worms, and it has not helped. Instead, I shall let myself be heard and, as St. Peter teaches, give an explanation and defense of my teaching to all the world I Pet. 3:15. I shall not have it judged by any man, not even by any angel. For since I am certain of it, I shall be your judge and even the angels judge through this teaching (as St. Paul says [I Cor. 6:3 ]) so that whoever does not accept my teaching may not be saved for it is Gods and not mine. Therefore, my judgment is also not mine but Gods. (Against the Spiritual Estate of the Pope and the Bishops Falsely So-Called [July 1522]. From: Luthers Works, edited by Jaroslav Pelikan [vols. 1-30] and Helmut T. Lehmann [vols. 31-55], St. Louis: Concordia Pub. House [vols. 1-30]; Philadelphia: Fortress Press [vols. 31-55], 1955. This work is from Vol. 39: Church and Ministry I [edited by J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald, and H. T. Lehmann]; pages 239-299; translated by Eric W. and Ruth C. Gritsch; citation above from pp. 248-249) This is, of course, the standard edition of Luthers writings in English, and of impeccable authority. If this is not an authentic Luther quotation, then nothing is. I have the entire 55-volume set in hardcover on a shelf in my living room. If Banzoli wishes to challenge the citation (which would be foolish, but what else is new from him?), I would note that his hero James Swan cited the same words from the same source in a long article about it (dated 9-14-11). As always, he put his usual ultra-biased slant on it and made out that its perfectly fine and dandy that Luther wrote this and Catholics are unregenerate dumbbells, etc. ad nauseam. Its all in the noble cause against Rome, you see, so anything goes. One can also observe a snippet online of the very citation in question from Google Books. Seeing is believing! What is great fun and hilarious, however (who said apologetics was boring and humorless!?), is how Banzolis lackey casually assumes that Luther couldnt possibly have expressed such sentiments. He pretended that they werent from Luther at all (even putting Luther in quotation marks, as if the whole thing were entirely imaginary). He opined and pontificated that it came from the head of some priest and highly doubt[s] that it is true. Is this not delightfully and deliciously entertaining? I love it! Even funnier (and highly revealing) is Banzolis response (the big expert). Not realizing that there are always various translations from works 500 years old, originally in Latin or German, and translated many times, he does a stupid AI search (probably lasting a minute) and concludes that the quote only exists on Catholic blogs, so it must be false. Then he strongly insinuates that it is but one of many false Catholic accusations and papist slanders against Luther. He cites James Swan for a catalogue of these things, but the ultimate irony and belly laugh in all this is that Swan himself (hardly a Catholic blog) verifies that Luther did write these words, and he cites them at length. The undeniable conclusion that we must necessarily arrive at is that as a result of this farce is that Lucas Banzoli was 1) blissfully ignorant, 2) ultra-biased and prejudiced against Catholics, and 3) unable to properly run down a purported citation (now proven to be authentic) of Martin Luther. Its pathetic and pitiful; a disgrace, coming from someone with his education (Masters degree in theology, a degree and postgraduate work in history!). I, on the other hand, knew of this quotation at least twenty years ago, and possibly over thirty years ago, because the first thing I did as a Catholic convert was extensive research on Martin Luther from a Catholic perspective (an other side view that Protestants like I used to be , virtually never see). My own article that I grabbed the above lengthy quotation from was originally uploaded on 13 November 2002. The last revision was made on 18 June 2006, so even if the quotation in question was added in its current form then, I have had it online on my blog, including extensive context, for at least seventeen years. Banzoli should have come to me for the answer . . . But now he has embarrassed himself for the 59th time. Live and learn, huh? But one must be willing to learn. * *** * Practical Matters: Perhaps some of my 4,500+ free online articles (the most comprehensive one-stop Catholic apologetics site) or fifty-five books have helped you (by Gods grace) to decide to become Catholic or to return to the Church, or better understand some doctrines and why we believe them. Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. Im always in need of more funds: especially monthly support. The laborer is worthy of his wages (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a full-time Catholic apologist, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog. PayPal donations are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Heres also a second page to get to PayPal. Youll see the term Catholic Used Book Service, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing (including Zelle), see my page: About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong / Donation Information. Thanks a million from the bottom of my heart! * *** Photo credit: Portrait of Martin Luther (1528), by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons] Summary: Brazilian anti-Catholic polemicist Lucas Banzoli stated that a quotation from Luther was false & a papist slander. I proved its authenticity from a standard source. I struggled for a long time with Mandaic fonts not working on my PC. Mandaic characters have been added to Unicode and there are free fonts available, but at some point they stopped working. I realized that this was not an issue for everyone when someone Tweeted at me in Mandaic, and when I looked at the tweet on my phone it displayed correctly. Yet when I went to reply on my PC I did not see Mandaic characters. Usually what displays are rectangles, all identical. I was able to find out from discussion online that this issue is caused by a Microsoft update to Chrome, but did not find a solution for a long time until I happened across a fix, which I want to share since I know I am connected with many of the people who are likely to want to type things in Mandaic, Syriac, archaic or Qumran-style Hebrew, and a variety of other ancient language scripts. The solution did not make all the fonts in question work perfectly. At least one of them, Mandaic Noto Sans, did not connect the letters via ligatures the way it should. Even then, however, the fix did get the individual characters to display correctly in Word. The workaround is surprisingly simple. Windows calls on the Desktop before Chrome loads, and so if you put a file on the Desktop that has some of these extended characters in its file name, that somehow prevents whatever Chrome does from interfering with the function of these fonts and preventing the characters from displaying. I now have a text file on my work and home PC Desktops that will stay there for the foreseeable future. If I try to copy and paste text in Mandaic Noto Sans it still does not appear on my PC as it should. Below is the Mandaic word for life copied from elsewhere. I saw rectangles. Do you? As I worked on this post I found something out that has resolved this issue (on which I will say more momentarily). In Word, if I paste in these rectangles and then select them and manually change the font to Mandaic Noto Sans, then the characters display correctly. There is an online virtual keyboard for typing Mandaic, and if I use it on that site the text displays there correctly. Yet when I copy and paste it, I saw rectangles again. So too if I copy the rectangles from somewhere online where Mandaic appears, such as Wikipedia, on that site I see rectangles but I can copy and paste them into Word, selecting Merge Formatting, the text displays correctly in Word (but still with space between letters that should be joined). Separate correct characters would be better than identical rectangles, even if it is less than perfect. As I was writing this, I wondered if there was some way to change fonts in Chrome that might make a difference. I found a page explaining how to change fonts in Chrome, and changed the default font to Noto Sans Mandaic. The text now displays correctly in Chrome! Alas, when I copy and paste it into Word, it still shows letters separated by a space that should be connected. But the places above where I said there were rectangles I can now see Mandaic. This font is not the only option. There is a free font that used to be available online called Zazai, and it requires that I switch to Arabic keyboard for it to work. That font works differently than the Unicode Noto Sans Mandaic. Instead it substitutes Mandaic characters in place of Arabic ones. As a result, if you do not have the font installed, youll see Arabic characters instead of Mandaic ones or rectangles. If I copy and paste the same word for life here typed with the Zazai font, unless you have that font installed youll see Arabic characters. Interestingly, even in Microsoft Words navigation bar it shows Arabic characters even though they display correctly in the text of the manuscript itself. Zazai would not have been my preferred font to use in the book, since there are a couple of characters whose form is rather unlike the written script and so may not be immediately obvious to a reader who hasnt encountered this font before. Once you get used to it, it is quite nice, I think. Im glad that Eerdmans is happy to incorporate Mandaic text (with transliteration for those who dont know the language) in those few places where reference is made to particular words, especially as they relate to other languages. Often one will find Greek, Syriac, and Aramaic with the relevant scripts yet if Mandaic is referred to it will only be transliterated. It is time for Mandaic to be treated in the same way other ancient languages are. Theres a parallel with the marginalization of Mandaean sources in the study of ancient religion in general and ancient Judaism and Christianity more specifically. I hope that my book will convince scholars that these sources really are important and relevant and deserving of your attention. (For anyone who is wondering, Mandaean names are given in English or rather Latin characters without other scripts in most instances in my book, unless the discussion pertains to a linguistic matter.) Im curious how many other academics have experienced the same problem. If you have, perhaps you have found another solution or workaround besides this one? If you have been frustrated by this issue, I hope that this fix/workaround helps you. Let me know! If you have not experienced this issue and yet read the post anyway, thank you, and let me ask a favor. Where I pasted in Mandaic text, what do you see on your computer or device? Feel free to share a screenshot of what displays in a comment on this post. Stakeholders in education have called for a withdrawal of licence and outright dismissal of teachers who collude with students to cheat during examinations. They also called for the decoupling of teachers from the conduct of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the deployment of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras at examination centres. The over 50 education stakeholders also called for strengthened external supervision of the WASSCE, including the use of religious bodies and civil society organisations (CSOs). All persons cited by WAEC for illegal activities around WASSCE 2023 should be prosecuted with outcomes published, the stakeholders recommended after a forum to review the education sector. Support The support of the Office of the Attorney-General and the Ghana Police Service is crucial to achieving successful WASSCE 2023 prosecutions, they added. Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST) and over 50 civil society stakeholders in education participated in the annual education sector review forum to evaluate the performance of the education sector for 2023 and recommend priority strategies for this year. As well as the need for Exam-Labs. The stakeholders expressed concern about the escalation in examination room collusion as expressed by WAEC during the WASSCE 2023, adding that: While we acknowledge the gains made by the Ministry of Education in curbing question leakages by involving the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) in providing security for the printing of questions, we lament the weak and ineffective prosecution of suspects and sanctions for teachers and other public officers found to have colluded with candidates. Colleges On the status of colleges of education (CoEs), the CSOs said they were fast becoming a museum of abandoned projects and that the most recent addition to a tall list of abandoned projects was the 300-bed hostels which the government promised to complete in August 2023 in all 45 colleges at the cost of GH480 million. By the end of 2023, the civil society stakeholders said work was ongoing in only three colleges, with the remaining stalled due to the lack of funding. The lack of funds, they said, continued to stall infrastructural projects in the colleges to accommodate the four-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) students. That had led to the imposition of admission quotas in the colleges, reducing intake by over 6,000 students, the stakeholders added. This is an unfortunate case of unprioritised spending, especially when the government has over the last seven years invested about GH1 billion in teacher trainees allowance amid a student loan scheme for tertiary students. Stakeholders call on the government to complete all stalled infrastructure projects in CoEs and remove the 30 per cent admission cuts before the 2024/25 academic year. The government must encourage CoE students to access student loans to free resources for infrastructural development in the colleges, they said. On the Ghana Teacher Licensure, they said it was an important quality assurance intervention in 2023, ensuring that only highly qualified Ghanaians entered the classroom to teach and called for its further improvement. WASSCE The CSOs said as of 2022, only 39 per cent of WASSCE candidates were progressing to the tertiary level in the ensuing academic year, suggesting that up to 250,000 secondary school graduates did not make it to tertiary institutions annually. They said while that was consistent with historical trends, the 50 per cent increase in second cycle enrolment because of the Free SHS policy made the situation dire, with negative consequences for youth unemployment. Ahead of the elections in 2024, they said political parties should align their manifestos to the Education Strategic Plan 2018-2030 to ensure continuity towards achieving the education and other Sustainable Development Goals. In 2024, civil society stakeholders renew their commitment to continue working with the government to support the implementation of plans and policies in the education sector while demanding accountability for policy implementation and outcomes. Stakeholders must encourage the Ministry of Education to deepen civil society engagement on policies and their outcomes, the CSOs said. Textbooks The supply of about 65 per cent of textbooks to primary schools, the stakeholders said, was welcome and that in 2024 efforts must be made by the Ministry of Education to procure and distribute the remaining 35 per cent of core textbooks required in primary schools. Junior high schools have been without textbooks since the new curriculum was introduced in 2021. Efforts must be made by the Ministry of Education to provide textbooks for junior high schools in 2024. The full budgetary allocation to the Capitation Grant for 2024, the coalition said, was welcome news after years of under-funding. However, it said weak accountability systems at the school level could pose a threat to spending efficiency. The Ghana Education Service should increase school-level accountability in the management of the Capitation Grant. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance must make efforts to disburse the Grant fully and timely, they recommended. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Newage Agric Solutions Limited has organized a Green Field Day for beneficiary youth farmers under the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme. The event, held at the Weta Irrigation Scheme in the Ketu North Municipality, exposed patrons to the vegetative stage of the rice crop, enabling the beneficiary farmers the opportunity to observe the growth of the rice plant within the vegetative phase as well to reinforce their learning. It exposed the women and youth to the adopted technologies while emphasizing the practical aspect of the inculcating Good Agricultural Practices in their operations. The Green Field Day served as a platform to celebrate the accomplishments of the HAPPY Project so far, and recognized the remarkable efforts of young farmers who have been beneficiaries of the initiative. The project, designed to empower and uplift youth in the agricultural sector, is expected to play an instrumental role in enhancing productivity and prosperity within Ghana's agricultural landscape. Under the guidance of Newage Agric Solutions Limited, the event provided an opportunity for young farmers to showcase their innovative farming practices, share success stories, and exchange ideas. It featured informative demonstrations and engaging discussions aimed at fostering knowledge-sharing and collaborative growth among the participants. Speaking at the Green Field Day, Dr. Eugene Zori, a Project Coordinator of Newage Agric Solutions Limited, expressed his delight for the tremendous progress made by the young farmers. He emphasised the importance of sustainable farming practices and the significant role played by the HAPPY Project in creating a thriving agricultural ecosystem in Ghana. I am incredibly happy with the progress made so far under the HAPPY project. Agric is a business and it is time we see it as such. But it is a business that players need to collaborate with one another. It is the reason why this HAPPY project is such an incredible opportunity to create a thriving agricultural ecosystem in Ghana, he remarked. Agri-Impact Limited, served as the Project Management Unit (PMU), playing a pivotal role in coordinating the consortium-managed initiative. The event also served as a platform for stakeholders, including Lovelace Kudoto, the Ketu North Municipal Director of Agriculture; William Kota, Research Agonomist - Crop Reserch Institute; as well as staff of Newage Agric Solutions to witness, at firsthand, the positive impact of the HAPPY Project. Their presence demonstrated their commitment to supporting the transformation and growth of Ghana's agricultural sector. As the HAPPY Programme continues to expand its reach and impact, it is expected to further strengthen the rice, soybean, tomato, and poultry value chains in Ghana, ensuring sustainable growth and prosperity for all stakeholders involved. About Newage Agric Solutions Limited Newage Agric Solutions Limited is a leading agricultural solutions provider, committed to revolutionising the farming landscape in Ghana. With a focus on innovative technologies, sustainable practices, and capacity building, the company aims to enhance agricultural productivity and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the country. Newage is an implementing partner of the HAPPY Programme About the HAPPY Project The Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme is a co-created, consortium-managed initiative aimed at transforming the rice, soybean, tomato, and poultry value chains in Ghana. Led by Agri-Impact Limited as the Project Management Unit (PMU), the HAPPY Programme empowers youth farmers through capacity building, technology adoption, and market access, fostering sustainable growth and prosperity in the agricultural sector. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Dr Oduro Osae, has urged the citizenry to change their attitudes towards local government elections since they reside in a local government area. He explained that it is the local government that determines the kinds of structures that should be put in the communities, works on roads, security and we must show keen interest in the system to accelerate growth and development, he stressed. If you are not interested in your local government and are interested in only the national government you are doing a great disservice to yourself, he lamented and expressed disappointment over low turnout at just ended district level elections, there are four people who are important in democracy and development, which are unit committee member, assembly member, Member of Parliament and the president. If we are not interested in getting good leaders to represent us in the four categories, development will delay, we must be interested, it is not just enough to vote for assembly and unit committee members, but after we voted, hold them accountable and make sure they deliver, let us appreciate we voted for them, will be watching their activities closely and ensure they bring growth and development to the citizenry. We should also be interested in what assemblies do, because they collect our moneys in form of taxes meant for developing our areas, be active citizens and not passive citizen, Once elected, if any assembly member is seen not to perform to the satisfaction of his or her people, they can recall him or her, through petitioning the Electoral Commissioner who will arrange for new assembly member, technically, assembly members do not have common funds to carry out developmental projects, but they lobby and facilitate development, people should not have higher expectations assembly member can construct a school. All assembly members are resourced with motor bikes to serve their communities and attend meetings while sitting and transport allowances are given to them when they attend assembly meetings, Dr Osae indicated. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 At least 15 shops, close to Kasoa Datus School Complex in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region, were razed down by fire. According to reports, the Saturday afternoon fire burnt shops and its contents running into millions of cedis into ashes. TV repair shops, decoration shops, provision stores, and carpentry shops were destroyed by the fire. In an interview with Adom News, ADO1 Charles Nyameyire in charge of operations at the Buduburam Ghana National Fire Service station,who confirmed the incident, said the cause of the fire was unknown He stated that firefighters from the station received a distress call around 1:06 pm and they arrived at the scene at about 1:15 pm. ADO1 Nyameyire said the fire was intense, but the firefighters managed to preventthe fire from spreading to other shops. The victims have appealed to the government and well-meaning individuals to come to their aid. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 erratic supply of water in Accra is due to the increased population size, the Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Dr Clifford Braimah, has said. Residents in various parts of Accra have been complaining about water supply inconsistencies from the GWCL in recent times. Responding to the issue in a radio interview on Accra-based Citi FM on Monday [January 22, 2024), the GWCL boss said his outfit had to upgrade its machinery to keep up with the increase in demand for water by Accra residents. However, Dr Braimah lamented that lack of the required capital had become a major setback in the companys plans to set up a new production site to augment the existing facilities. "Already in Accra, the volume of water we produce, the population has outgrown it, and we are looking at putting up a new system at Kpong to boost our production but resource constraint has been the problem, Since 2017, 2018, we have been working and we have not settled on finances, he said. He further explained that since there was already a limited volume flowing into their system, some households would have to suffer a shortage in order to facilitate distribution in accordance to demand adding that, but you cannot give everybody at the same time, otherwise some will not get. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. US and UK forces carried out strikes at several Houthi targets in Yemen, Trend reports. According to the officials, the US and the UK used naval-based Tomahawk missiles and jet planes to destroy Houthi warehouses and missile launchers. This is the second time that the two allies carry out coordinated strikes at Houthi targets, the report points out. According to Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera, US and UK armed forces attacked the Al-Daylami Houthi military base in Sana, as well as other facilities in Taiz, Hajjah, Al Hudaydah and Al Bayda provinces. An unnamed Houthi representative told Al Jazeera that these strikes have become the most massive since January 12, when the US and the UK attacked Yemeni territory for the first time. According to Al Hadath, the allies carried out at least 35 strikes at Houthi targets. Three high-ranking Houthi representatives were killed in the attack, Al Hadath sources said. Following the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis warned that they would launch strikes on Israeli territory while barring ships associated with the Jewish state from passing through the waters of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait until Tel Aviv ceased its military operation against Palestinian radical group Hamas in the embattled enclave. According to the US Defense Departments Central Commands (CENTCOM) estimates, the Yemeni rebel group has attacked more than 20 vessels and civilian ships in the Red Sea since mid-November. On January 12, US and British aircraft, ships and submarines for the first time attacked targets belonging to the Ansar Allah movement in a number of Yemeni cities, including Sanaa and Hodeidah. US President Joe Biden claimed that the attack came in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The US administration said that the strikes targeted the launch sites of rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as radar stations belonging to the Houthi rebels. Since then, the United States has been regularly striking Houthi missile launchers in Yemen. Following the January 12 operation, the United Kingdom said it was not planning to deliver more strikes. The Graphic Communications Group Ltd (GCGL) and the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) have agreed to collaborate to push the youth development agenda and also encourage healthy lifestyles across the country. The collaboration is focused on intensifying behavioural change communication to ensure that the country achieves the key indicators of sexual reproductive health and rights. This came to light when the leadership of the PPAG paid a courtesy call on the management of the GCGL in Accra. The visit was for the PPAG to express its appreciation to the GCGL and to discuss the associations priorities for this year with the groups management. Discussion The discussion also centred on how the two entities could work together to promote reproductive health, particularly among the youth. The members of the PPAG, led by the Executive Director, Abena Adubea Amoah, consisted of the Board Chairman, Gideon T.Y. Leckson-Leckey; the National President of the Youth Action Movement, Alin Iddrisu, and the Head of Governance Office, Theophilla Gavor. They were received by the Director, Marketing of the GCGL, Franklin Sowa; Editor, Graphic, Theophilus Yartey; Advert Sales Manager, George Danso, and Editor of the Junior Graphic, Hannah Acheampong Amoah. Brand repositioning The Board Chairman of the PPAG stated that the PPAGs visibility and vibrancy were partly due to the volunteering work some of the staff of the GCCL did for the association. Where we are now and the visibility that we have is all through the work that we had with some volunteers who were with the GCGL back then. They wrote a lot of impactful stories that gave us a lot of exposure. When we started repositioning the brand, Graphic has always been on our side and helping us with some of the stories out there, Mr Leckson-Leckey said. He said the association recognised the GCGL as a partner that could help to reposition its brand to a stage where it could not be ignored when it came to issues of sexual reproductive health. He said the GCGL served as a medium through which the association could send messages to the public. Sometimes, people say they do not hear from us anymore; we are still out there, but the vehicle to help us reach out to people is the challenge, but with Graphic and its expertise in communication, we are looking at how best we can get that kind of support in terms of our branding and also our communication approach, Mr Leckson-Leckey stated. Operations The Executive Director of the PPAG, who gave a brief background about the association and its operations over the years, stated that the association used to be a household name a few years ago; but currently, it had been on the low side due to challenges that had to do with funding. Also, she said it was because the association had changed focus in terms of its target. Since the beginning of the year 2000, she said the association had shifted its focus from couples and family planning services to sexual reproductive health and rights. In terms of target also, she said they were focusing more on young people. For the country to reach its demographic dividend, Mrs Amoah said the PPAG had to change its focus to ensure that young people had access to information and services that would enable them to live healthy lifestyles and contribute their quota in terms of the development of the nation. As a result of that, she said it had strongly partnered young people and had set up a Youth Action Movement to beef up its volunteer force and to provide training and information to them. Meaningful partnerships Mr Sowa indicated that the business of GCGL was to professionally drive content and it did that through relevant channels that were segmented in various demographics. So you are at the right place and I can assure you that the capacity here meets the expectations you have. In terms of your target, which is a younger population, it is so exciting to us because our business is also interested in consistently evolving to respond to the needs of the market and we are also working seriously to grow a new base of our readers, he said. As a business, he said, one of its strategic pillars was to develop meaningful partnerships. In the spirit of partnership and active collaboration, he said GCGL was a partner the PPAG could trust. We have what it takes to do what you want, and you just need to re-look at your focus and directions in terms of your budgetary allocations so that you can have proper value for money. You are home and this is where you have to be, 2024 is a crucial year for the nation and a healthy lifestyle is key because when you are healthy you think properly and you do the right thing, Mr Sowa said. Source: graphiconline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A security man with Delta Service Security has been arrested in Twifo Praso in the Central Region for sending a teenage boy into the emergency room. The suspect, Joseph Najok Kenwab is in trouble for slashing the thigh of Ebenezer Awuku with a cutlass. According to Auntie Esi who is the mother of the victim, her 17-year-old son and his friends were harvesting plantain leaves on a farm near Topp Oil Palm Plantation when security men angrily confronted them. During the confrontation, there was a scuffle leading to security officer Joseph Najok Kenwab bringing out a cutlass and slashing the thigh of the victim. The teenage boy was subsequently rushed to the Twifo Praso Government Hospital in the Twifo Atti-Morkwa District where he is currently battling for his life. According to the security officer, the teenage boys had no business being on the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation which has been marked as a security zone. The suspect, Joseph Najok Kenwab also sustained minor injuries on his back and below his left knee during the altercation He reported himself to the police after the incident where he was arrested. He admitted to slashing the thigh of Ebenezer Awuku, arguing that he did so to free himself during the brawl with the teenager and his friends on the plantation. The Police are now investigating the matter and have already visited the Twifo Praso Government Hospital to have a conversation with the teenage victim. He has been directed to report to the Police Station once he is discharged from the hospital. Source: Modern Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President, John Dramani Mahama has said he is saddened by the recent shooting incidents in Bawku in the Upper East Region. Reports have confirmed that three men have died as a result of the shootings. In a statement by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), he said the killing of three men is disturbing. I am deeply saddened and disturbed by recent developments in the Bawku municipality and the killing of three men, as confirmed by soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces, John Dramani Mahama bemoaned. In his statement, the former President admonished the military to partner with the Police Service in working to provide security and safety for the people in Bawku and its environs. While I recognise that our security services face the difficult task of securing peace in the Bawku area, the military must work hand in hand with the police to provide safety and security in the Bawku municipality and across the nation. As a former Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I urge the military personnel to remember their duty to protect the people and uphold the peace, John Dramani Mahama stressed. Read the full statement below: I am deeply saddened and disturbed by recent developments in the Bawku municipality and the killing of three men, as confirmed by soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces. While I recognise that our security services face the difficult task of securing peace in the Bawku area, the military must work hand in hand with the police to provide safety and security in the Bawku municipality and across the nation. As a former Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I urge the military personnel to remember their duty to protect the people and uphold the peace. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this difficult time, even as I call upon the people of Bawku to endeavour to promote and consolidate peace to enable the positive development of the municipality of Bawku. Let us all work together to ensure justice is served and peace is restored in Bawku. Source: Modern Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates in the Bosomtwe Constituency on Saturday unanimously approved Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwums bid to represent them in Parliament for the third time. Through a popular acclamation during the extraordinary delegates conference, more than one thousand delegates shouted yes to his candidature. The event was supervised by the Bosomtwe District Officer of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Ernestina Owusu-Banahene, was held at Jachie, in the Ashanti Region. All 1027 delegates present at the function as well as other members of the party got up shouting All of us! All of us, No challenger, No challenger, when the EC Officer asked if any delegate was in support of the MP. Ghana, 3 other countries to benefit from $450m WB credit facility for pro-poor policiesSeptember 26, 2022 When there was no delegate to oppose the choice, the EC Officer officially announced Dr Adutwum as the Parliamentary candidate of the NPP in the upcoming 2024 general election to be held on December 7. The acclamation was held because Dr Adutwum was the sole candidate who successfully filed to contest as the NPPs Parliamentary candidate for the constituency after the close of the stipulated period by the EC. Dr Adutwum, addressing the gathering, lauded the delegates for the trust they had reposed in him by electing him for the third time to contest as a Parliamentary candidate. He praised the leadership of the party in the constituency and all supporters of the party for their support and promised to work very hard to raise the flag of Bosomtwe high. Dr Adutwum assured the party of his commitment to continue working very hard towards developing the constituency and the rest of the country. Again, he assured them of efforts being made to complete ongoing projects like roads and schools infrastructure among others. I want to assure you that every community in the constituency will have its fair share of the national cake, you should be patient and keep supporting me and the party to win the 2024 election. he said. The Ashanti Regional Secretary of NPP, Adom Appiah, who represented the National Executives of the party at the function eulogised the people of Bosomtwe for the unity of purpose and the peace prevailing in the party over the years. He urged members of the party in the constituency to remain focused and work hard towards victory for the party during the December general election. Source: The Ghanaian Times 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 Council of Zongo Chiefs of Ghana say they are praying fervently for flagbearer of the New patriotic Party, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Energy Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh to be sworn in as President and Vice President respectively on 7th January, 2025. At a Special Quran Recitation & Prayers to Allah for the New Patriotic Partys victory in the 2024 general elections on Friday, 19th January, 2024 at Kantudu behind the Kumasi Central Mosque held after Magrib prayers, the Zongo Chiefs prayed for Dr. Bawumia to select the Energy Minister and MP for Manhyia South as his Running Mate into the upcoming general elections. Speaking on behalf of the prayer congregation after the Quran recitation, Chief of Frafra and President of Council of Zongo Chiefs, Alhaji Musah stated they were praying for Dr. Bawumia and Dr. Prempeh because they have what it takes to lead Ghana to the next level. It is our wish that Dr. Bawumia will be sworn in as President come 7th January, 2025 with Dr. NAPO as his Vice President. I know that our toil tonight in this recitation will not be in vain, Alhaji Musah said. He continued; We pray that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumias best choice for the Running Mate will be our own brother, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. May Allah not let our toil be in vain. The Zongo Chiefs further expressed optimism and faith in Allah that, as they have prayed, God will answer through Dr. Bawumia to make Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh his Running Mate in order for Allahs will for Ghana to prevail. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A staunch member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has revealed that his passion for Ghana led him to sacrifice a high-paying job at an international organization to serve the country at a much lower salary. Speaking in an interview on TV3's Hot Issues program on Sunday, January 21, Spio-Garbrah opened up about taking a huge pay cut to accept a ministerial role in Ghana. At the time, he was earning $10,000 per month in his role at the Africa Development Bank but agreed to a monthly salary of just $500 as a government minister. "Will you accept to leave a $10,000 salary at Africa Development Bank to take a $500 a month as a minister? There have been opportunities I have lost because of my passion and dedication to my country and continent, Spio-Garbrah said. He was appointed Minister for Trade and Industry from 2014 to 2017 in the Mahama administration. He was formerly the Minister of Communications, Minister of Education and Acting Minister of Mines & Energy in the Rawlings administration. Spio-Garbrah again previously served as Ghana's ambassador to the United States and Mexico. Source: Modern Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Henry Kwabena Kokofu has slammed Ex-President John Dramani Mahama over his comments about the 2023 WASSCE which saw a massive number of students pass the exams. The former president discounted the performance of the students, attributing it to examination cheating, as he argued that some of the invigilators relaxed on their duties to allow the teachers to aid the students in answering the questions. "In many places, they let the children cheat. You go to places, and the teachers are conniving with the students to cheat. The effect will be seen later," John Mahama is quoted. But the EPA boss finds Mahama's assertions to be the highest form of insult to teachers in the country. Chronicling events that have transformed Ghana's education system from independence until the Akufo-Addo administration, which has provided free SHS to alleviate the plight of parents and students, Mr. Kokofu noted that Mahama has denigrated the efforts of teachers who toil to see their students pass the exams. "Despite all these efforts and challenges, if the teachers have patiently managed the schoolchildren and the students have passed their exams, don't they deserve commendation? Do we have to disgrace or denigrate them?", he lambasted the NDC flagbearer, John Mahama. Henry Kokofu implored students and teaching staff to massively vote against Mr. Mahama during the presidential elections on December 7, exclaiming his words had betrayed his conscience about them. "NPP under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has empowered you," he admonished the teachers and students while speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Three-time gospel artiste of the year, Diana Hamilton is once again set to hold her super-anointed annual music programme dubbed "Experience With Diana Hamilton". The songstress, who has over the years serenaded gospel music lovers, Ghanaians and music lovers all over the world with her hit singles, has announced this year's experience to be held in Accra and Kumasi in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions respectively. Diana Hamilton is out with a new release titled "The Doing of the Lord" which features Nigeria's gospel music star, Mercy Chinwo. The song currently has 1 million views in just 7 days after release; more of this song and others will be performed on the night of experience. Experience With Diana Hamilton will come off in Accra on February 18 at the ICGC Christ Temple, East Teshie, at 4 pm prompt. The Kumasi version will also be held on February 25 at the Church of Pentecost auditorium at Bantama at the same time. Tickets are selling between 100 and 400 cedis for the Accra event and in Kumasi, between GHC 70 and GHC 300; dial *725*8080# to purchase your ticket(s). Don't miss this spiritual sandwich of music and fun! Come and experience God!! Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video CARLISLE For more than a minute on Saturday, Jan. 13, neighbors watched Carlisle police officers engage in a kind of controlled pursuit of Nathaniel Liberator, as he walked determinedly away from them and across a couple of backyards and open lots. All of which made what happened next a brief spasm of violence during which Liberator and two officers went to the ground, and that ended with a sharp report of gunfire all the more jarring to two witnesses to the shooting who shared their accounts with PennLive Monday. One of the stars of the film Home Alone was reported to have been hospitalized and in critical condition earlier this week. Devin Ratray was reported to have been hospitalized for heart issues and and sent to an intensive care unit on Jan. 22, according to Yahoo News. Ratray is best known for playing Buzz McCallister, the older brother of main character Kevin, in Home Alone and Home Alone 2. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 23. It's that time again the year of the presidential and congressional elections in the United States. The race for votes is heating up, but let's shift our focus away from the candidates for a moment. The Armenian lobby is actively making its mark on the election process in a rather unconventional manner. Enter the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and their freshly revealed Armenian-American Swing State Project. So, what is ANCA's deal? The organization maps out the number of Armenians living in each state on an interactive map, throwing in whether it is a red or a blue state. They even mark those swing states. Essentially, ANCA is putting the votes of the Armenian community up for grabs. While California, the primary Armenian hub in the US, is a no-brainer, in states like Michigan or Arizona the swing states - ANCA gives both Democrats and Republicans a shot, saying, "Let's cast our votes, as long as there's demand". They've even come up with a slogan "The coin of the American realm - above and beyond all else: VOTES". It seems like playing with votes has become a well-established strategy for the Armenian lobby - at least for this year. Just recently, a bunch of congressmen from states with a predominantly Armenian population signed another anti-Azerbaijani document. It's all falling into place. But is this strategy actually paying off? Vivek Ramaswamy, a heavily pro-Armenian presidential candidate, has already dropped out of the race, for example. Armenians might be overplaying their hand with these compromised politicians. And California, for instance, will stay a Democratic state even without Armenian votes. Is all this effort really worth it? Certainly, politicians will stop at nothing for those sought-after positions. A new Vivek will emerge for the Armenians, belting out the same old tune about the persecution of Armenians worldwide. All that's left to do is sit back and watch. By Mary Ann Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Chomping away on tasty morsels of squid and cucumber, six rescued sea turtles are busy getting better at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. The zoo in Highland Park is one of 15 facilities caring for sea turtles in a rescue and rehab program headed by the New England Aquarium in Boston. The program enlists the help of hundreds of volunteers and staff who rescue the turtles that wash up in Cape Cod Bay every fall and early winter. This season, the National Marine Fisheries Service program treated 394 turtles at the Sea Turtle Hospital in Quincy, Mass. The New England program works with a volunteer rescue team from Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary that picks up cold-stunned turtles on the beach in Cape Cod Bay and elsewhere. The five endangered green sea turtles and two critically endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtles that arrived at the Pittsburgh Zoo in mid-December were malnourished; many were suffering from pneumonia. They received health checkups, treatment and have been eating and swimming in tanks. The public can see them through a window outside of the aquarium. One turtle with a shell fracture is kept in its own tank. Its fracture was likely caused by it tumbling in the surf, said Pittsburgh Zoo aquarist Jen Dancico, who coordinates the zoos Sea Turtle Second Chance program. It is healing up nicely but it cant compete with the other turtles for small pieces of food, she said. Feeding them is like a kindergarten playground. They are all going for the food. One green sea turtle died of pneumonia last week, Dancico said. The survival rate of the rescued turtles after initial triage ranges between 70% and 80%, said Adam Kennedy, director of rescue and rehabilitation at the New England program. The Pittsburgh Zoo has partnered with multiple turtle rescues over the years and started working with the New England program about eight years ago, said Dancico. Temporary paint on the turtles shells bear identification numbers and they are microchipped. Some have nicknames. Turtle number 87 is known as Travis Kelce, who wears the same number for the Kansas City Chiefs. Zoo staff named turtle number 89 Taylor Swift for the Pennsylvania-born pop star who is Kelces girlfriend. Once the turtles health issues are clear, the zoo will hold them for a month to be sure of no lingering issues. Then staff at NOAA Fisheries will decide when to release them, likely sometime in February and March. So far, the Pittsburgh Zoos program has treated and released 91 turtles back in the wild, said spokeswoman Alex Cauley. Hundreds of volunteers and paid staff at multiple institutions work in concert to save the endangered sea turtles, Kennedy said. More: Will bigger be better for Harrisburg areas main animal shelter? Well soon find out Giant trolls will stomp into Pa. zoo with a message Man who fell through thin ice saved by state police and his own dog in dramatic rescue By Kate Brumback and Alanna Durkin Richer, The Associated Press MARIETTA, Ga. A judge on Monday ordered court records to be made public in the divorce involving a special prosecutor hired in the election case against Donald Trump and others and accused of having an affair with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The newly unsealed court records, however, didnt include any references to the affair allegations that have roiled the case that charges Trump and 18 allies of working to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The judge ordered the unsealing of the divorce case involving special prosecutor Nathan Wade after a request brought by a defense attorney who alleges an inappropriate relationship between Willis and Wade. The judge also put off a final decision on whether Willis will have to sit for questioning in the divorce case, but delayed her deposition that had been scheduled for Tuesday. Willis has defended her hiring of Wade, who has little prosecutorial experience and has not directly denied a romantic relationship. She has accused Wades estranged wife of trying to obstruct her criminal election interference case against Trump and others by seeking to question her in the couples divorce proceedings. The affair allegations threaten to taint the prosecution, with the Republican primary front-runner and others seizing on the claims to attack the case and Wades qualifications as a prosecutor. Trump has pleaded not guilty, denied any wrongdoing and called the charges politically motivated. Willis was served with the subpoena to sit for a deposition in the divorce case the day that defense attorney Ashleigh Merchant, who represents former Trump campaign staffer and onetime White House aide Michael Roman, filed a motion earlier this month alleging the romantic relationship between Willis and Wade. Special prosecutor Nathan Wade speaks during a motions hearing for former President Donald Trump's election interference case, Friday, Jan. 12, 2024 in Atlanta. (Elijah Nouvelage/The Washington Post via AP, Pool)AP Documents filed in court show Wade bought plane tickets in Willis name, and Joycelyn Wades lawyer has argued there appears to be no reasonable explanation for their travels apart from a romantic relationship. Joycelyns Wades lawyer, Andrea Dyer Hastings, told the judge on Monday that they believe Willis has some unique personal knowledge related to the divorce case and should be subject to questioning. Shes trying to hide under the shield of her position, Hastings said of Willis. Cinque Axam, a lawyer for Willis, said the issue before the court is how to divide the marital assets, and the determination of how that should be done has nothing to do with Willis, who doesnt share any accounts with Nathan Wade and doesnt determine how he spends money. During a brief hearing in the Cobb County Superior Court, Judge Henry Thompson said he cant rule on whether Willis should have to sit for a deposition in the divorce case until after Wade himself is questioned later this month. In ruling that court documents in the divorce case must be made public, he said a previous judge improperly ordered the case to be sealed without holding a hearing. Joycelyn Wades lawyer wrote in court papers filed Friday that Nathan Wade has taken trips to San Francisco and Napa Valley, Florida, Belize, Panama and Australia and has taken Caribbean cruises since filing for divorce and that Willis was an intended travel partner for at least some of these trips as indicated by flights he purchased for her to accompany him. The filing includes credit card statements that show Nathan Wade after he had been hired as special prosecutor bought plane tickets in October 2022 for him and Willis to travel to Miami and bought tickets in April to San Francisco in their names. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis speaks during a worship service at the Big Bethel AME Church, where she was invited as a guest speaker on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, in Atlanta. The service celebrated Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. at the historic Black church. (Miguel Martinez/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP)AP Its one of four cases Trump is facing as he vies to return to the White House. Prosecutors are using a statute normally associated with mobsters to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a criminal enterprise to keep him in power. Four people have already pleaded guilty in the Georgia election case after reaching deals with prosecutors. The remaining 15, including Trump and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, have pleaded not guilty. Richer reported from Boston. By KATHLEEN FOODY and TODD RICHMOND, The Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) A man suspected of shooting and killing eight people in suburban Chicago fatally shot himself after a confrontation with law enforcement officials 1,200 miles away in Texas, police said late Monday. Police in Joliet, Illinois, said on Facebook that at about 8:30 p.m. Central time 23-year-old Romeo Nance was located by U.S. marshals near Natalia, Texas, and that Nance shot himself after a confrontation. The Medina County Sheriffs Office in Texas said on Facebook that the agency received a call about a person suspected in the Chicago killings heading into the county on Interstate 35. A standoff then occurred between Nance and police from multiple agencies at a gas station, where Nance shot himself, the sheriffs office said. Nance is suspected of fatally shooting eight people at three locations in the Chicago suburbs, sparking a search that left neighbors on edge earlier Monday as police warned he was still on the loose and should be considered armed and dangerous. Police work a scene, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Joliet, Ill., after multiple people were shot and killed over two days at three locations in the Chicago suburbs. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP)AP Police in Will County in Illinois and Joliet previously said they did not know of a motive for the killings, but said Nance knew the victims. The FBIs fugitive task force had been assisting local police in the search for the suspect, Joliet Police Chief William Evans said. The victims were found Sunday and Monday at three separate residences, authorities told reporters at a news conference earlier Monday evening. One of the people killed was found Sunday in a home in Will County. Seven others were found Monday at two homes on the same block in Joliet, about about 6 miles northwest of the scene police discovered first. Authorities said they also believe Nance was connected to another shooting in Joliet that wounded a man on Sunday but would not discuss their evidence. Ive been a policeman 29 years and this is probably the worst crime scene Ive ever been associated with, Evans said during a news conference outside the Joliet homes Monday evening. Will County Chief Deputy Dan Jungles said during the Monday news conference that deputies had been staking out one of the houses since Sunday evening in case Nance, the suspect in the first fatal shooting they discovered, returned to them. Nances last known address was one of the homes, police said. When no one showed, deputies finally went to the door of one of the houses. No one answered so they crossed the street to the other house, which they knew was linked to the first house and found the first bodies. Five bodies were found in one house and two bodies were found in the other. Jungles said he didnt have any indication yet of how long the people in the houses had been dead. He said that autopsies were pending. Evans said the victims found Monday in the houses were family members. Asked if the victims were members of the suspects family, Jungles said he couldnt comment except to say that the suspect knew them. By Chris Reber, LNP, Lancaster, Pa. (TNS) A Lancaster County-bound flight that landed on a public road near Dulles International Airport on Friday reportedly lost power during takeoff, according to video from the scene of the emergency landing. The video posted by Fox 5 Washington DC on Monday shows a Southern Airways Express crew member, identified by Fox 5 as the planes co-pilot, saying that the loss of power left the aircraft unable to make it back to the airport and forced the crew to land on a nearby road. The video was taken along Loudoun County Parkway, the road where the plane landed, about 1.5 miles from the Washington, D.C.-area airport. I dont know, we started losing power and we went to turn back to the runway and there was no making it. We lost power, the co-pilot said in the video. Southern Airways Express Flight 246 made an emergency landing on the southbound lanes of Loudoun County Parkway around 12:50 p.m. Friday, shortly after takeoff. Crew members told the Dulles tower after landing that the plane was carrying five passengers and a full 1,100-pound load of fuel, according to audio archived by LiveATC.net. Virginia State Police said the passengers included four adults and a 15-year-old, but did not say whether they were Lancaster County residents. They identified the pilot as 27-year-old Ahmed Awais, of Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration released an initial report on the crash on Monday, which said the Cessna C208 Caravan plane with five passengers and two crew on board made an emergency landing on a road in Chantilly, Virginia, after takeoff. The report confirmed the plane had minor damage, and no one on board was injured. The investigation into the crash is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board, with assistance from the FAA. The safety boards preliminary report on the crash is expected in approximately two weeks. The plane was able to be towed to Dulles Airport, where the safety board will further examine it for its investigation. A Southern Airways Express spokesperson said Monday that the airline would not be making further comment on the crash at this time, citing the safety boards investigation. Stan Little, the airlines CEO, released a statement Friday night. We are relieved to report there were no injuries, and all passengers are safe and sound. We are thankful to our pilots, who did exactly what they were trained to do to put the safety of our passengers first. We are working closely with the authorities to thoroughly investigate the situation, and we will take all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of our passengers and our fleet, Little said. The commuter airline began flying from Lancaster Airport to Dulles International Airport in 2021, according to LNP LancasterOnline archives. Florida-based Southern had offered commercial service at Lancaster Airport since 2013, when it was founded. It originally offered flights to Dulles but dropped them in 2014 when it switched to Baltimore. At the time, officials said the move back to Dulles reflects the airlines desire to fly to an airport with more connecting flights for passengers. Southern Airways Express is based in Palm Beach, Florida, and serves 40 U.S. cities, according to its website. (c)2024 LNP (Lancaster, Pa.) Visit LNP (Lancaster, Pa.) at lancasteronline.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. Sen. John Fetterman went on CNN Friday and said that he does not understand the criticism from progressives angry over his support for Israel and securing the southern border. Noting that Fetterman has a high approval rating from Democratic voters in Pennsylvania, 76% in a recent Quinnipiac University poll, The Lead host Jake Tapper asked Fetterman about the social media blowback from progressives who have said they feel betrayed by his stances on the two issues. Rick Harrison spoke out Monday, just days after the death of his son, Adam Harrison, who was just 39. And what he had to say had folks on social media talking. Thats because the Pawn Stars star released a statement via a family representative that had some on X, formerly Twitter, saying that President Joe Biden was to blame for the death. Yes, I can confirm that Adam died of a fentanyl overdose, Harrison said. The fentanyl crisis in this country must be taken more seriously. It seems it is just flowing over the borders and there is nothing being done about it. We must do better. Folks pounced. BREAKING: Pawn Stars Rick Harrison said his son died from a fentanyl overdose, Ryan Fournier, a political commentator with more than a million followers on X, formerly Twitter, posted. Blames Bidens open border policies as a reason. There were plenty who had took it a step further and even accused Biden of having blood on his hands. Others had a more grounded discussion. Pawn Stars Rick Harrison said his son died from a fentanyl overdose. He blames Biden's open border policies as a reason. Fair or too far? GreatAmericanMail (@mail_american) January 23, 2024 Pawn Stars Rick Harrison said his son died from a fentanyl overdose, the GreatAmericanMail account posted on X. He blames Bidens open border policies as a reason. Fair or too far? Fair, one person responded. In 2017 70K died, another person responded. Was that Trumps fault? Whoever is to blame, there is a fentanyl crisis. Per the Los Angeles Times, deaths from drug overdoses surpassed 112,000 for the first time in the nations history, in 2023. UPDATE: Police said Taylor Steen has been found dead. Pennsylvania State Police in Chambersburg are looking for a 28-year-old missing woman they say might be at special risk of harm or injury. Taylor Steen, of Chambersburg, was last seen in the area of Streamside Drive in Franklin County at 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 19. Steen is 5 feet, 2 inches, weighs 140 pounds, has blonde and black hair, and blue eyes. Police said she could be wearing a black knit hat with maroon-colored fleece jacket, black boots, and blue jeans. Anyone with information on Steen is asked to contact police by calling 911 or calling state police in Chambersburg at 717-264-5161. Ron DeSantis ended his presidential campaign and endorsed Donald Trump on Sunday. He turned around and took a swipe at the former president on social media on Monday. How so? Floridas governor reposted on X, formerly Twitter, a POLITICO story about some Florida Republicans who were trying to saddle the states taxpayers with Trumps legal bills, and weighed in. But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen DeSantis wrote. It does seem a bit insane to ask the states taxpayers Republicans, Democrats and everyone else to foot the bill for Trump. But this is a real thing in The Sunshine State at the moment. Per the report, Sen. Ileana Garcia, a Republican from Miami, was pushing a bill for the next legislative session that will provide Trump with as much as $5 million for his legal fees. Jimmy Patronis, Floridas Republican chief financial officer, was also on board with the idea. DeSantis post on X, according to POLITICO, came just hours before Garcia withdrew the bill. The report said it was never clear if the legislation was destined to go very far. Patronis reportedly argued that the bill, which would benefit Trump now but would cover any Floridian who might run for president in the future, could benefit DeSantis if he makes another run at it. But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen https://t.co/kkc2yyqVK0 Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 23, 2024 It was bashed by Nikki Fried, the chair of Floridas Democratic Party. Senator Garcias victim-card bill is a disgrace and should inflame any Floridian who care about where their tax dollars are going, she said. While it seems to make sense that even not all Republicans might want their money going to a candidates legal defense Trump this year and anyone beyond there were plenty of folks upset with DeSantis post. This is why no one likes you, one person responded. Here comes Alpha Male Ron DeSantis, fresh off losing, looking to make sure he never wins again, another person responded. There were plenty more posts like that, but there were also many thanking DeSantis highlighting the common sense in not having everyone pay the legal bills. Thank you, one person wrote. This is not the taxpayers responsibility. Trumps a billionaire, another person responded with applause emojis. He can pay his own legal bills. WILLIAMSPORT The woman who along with a co-worker was fatally shot this month in Williamsport alleged in an application for a protection from abuse order (PFA) that the man she had been living with threatened to kill her. Alisha Charee Seese, 37, also claimed Troy Bennett Bailey, 57, had physically abused her and at least two of her four children. The allegations are contained in the document that led to Lycoming County Judge William P. Carlucci on Dec. 15 issuing a protection order by agreement without admission. Famous Ukrainian actor Andrii Isaenko recalled a conflict on the set with a Russian actor that happened long before the full-scale invasion. The star of the movie Cyborgs and the TV series Dr. Baby Dust assured that he did not quarrel with his Russian colleagues if they behaved normally, but in case of "unmanly" behavior, he boldly defended his interests. ADVERTISIMENT This is what happened the time Isayenko did not restrain his own fists. However, as always, the Russian was the first to attack. Although he pretended to be just playing a role. The Honored Artist of Ukraine shared the details in an interview with UNIAN. "I quarreled only when they behaved unmanly. Once we had a fight scene with a Russian actor. We rehearsed it with him, and everything seemed to go well. But during the filming, he hit me three times in the middle of the head. The first time he said it was unintentional. The second time, I didn't understand what was happening, but I tried to talk to him again. He said dismissively: "Yes, let's do it already". After the third time, I also "accidentally" hit him in the face. And that was it, the conflict was over," the movie star said. ADVERTISIMENT Isaenko did not name the name of the colleague who had to be "accidentally" put in his place by a punch. The actor also commented on the well-known fact that for a long time in independent Ukraine, the filmography was mixed with Russian, meaning that many projects were filmed in co-production. The main roles in this case always went to Russians, while Ukrainian actors were content with secondary characters. According to Isaenko, this was always very unpleasant, but he is glad that the situation has finally changed. "The directors were not only more favorable to them, but rather more accustomed to them. Producers told them who to work with. Until 2014, Ukrainian actors played only in the background. Why? It's simple. The customer of the series is from Russia, the money is Russian... It is profitable for the channel to shoot a project either in half with someone else or at its own expense, but then sell the product to Russia. And to get it bought in Russia, they had to hire their media actor. Then the cast was 50-50, and later Ukraine started to shoot exclusively its own content," the actor commented. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! People enter the public coroner's inquest in Melfort, Sask. on Wednesday, January 17, 2024. The province is expected to provide information about how it responded to a mass stabbing on a Saskatchewan First Nation as a coroners inquest enters its second week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Liam Richards Actress Daryna Fedyna, the youngest star of the TV series "Catching Kaidash", showed photos from a new photo shoot. The girl posed in front of the camera in a bold image. ADVERTISIMENT Fedina shared the black and white photos on her Instagram page. For them, the actress put on a white shirt backwards, barely covering her body. The star's face shows naturalness and sensuality. As you know, the youngest star of The Kaidashy was only 17 years old at the time of filming. After the end of the project, she returned from Kyiv, where she studied at Karpenko Kary University, to her native Lviv and now works in the theater. As soon as Catching Kaidash was released, Fedina faced a wave of hate, as her character, a young girl named Melashka, evoked conflicting feelings among Ukrainians. ADVERTISIMENT With the full-scale invasion, the celebrity began to actively support volunteers and post information about collections for the military. Because of the war, the actress archived all her photos, but later returned them to the page. Only verified information is available on theOBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Muehloecker Takes Down PokerStars' First $5,200 Mystery Bounty Event ($114K) January 23, 2024 Matthew Pitt Senior Editor PokerStars launched its first mystery bounty tournaments during the recent New Year Series, changing the $109 Sunday Million into this exciting format. The switch proved popular, with 16,234 entrants creating a $1,623,400 prize pool. PokerStars decided to up the ante during the New Year Series Afterparty, running a $5,200 buy-in mystery bounty event guaranteeing $1 million. Including re-entries, 171 high rollers bought into the $5,200 Mystery Bounty Main Event resulting in a $145,000 overlay, which was quite surprising considering how well the New Year Series. The top 20 finishers helped themselves to some of the $500,000 regular prize pool. Players like PokerStars' Parker "tonkaaaa" Talbot, Christoph "26071985" Vogelsang, and Talal "raidalot" Shakerchi were among the in the money finishers. NYS Afterparty: $5,200 NLHE 8-Max Mystery Bounty Main Event Rank Player Country Prize 1 Thomas "WushuTM" Muehloecker Austria $86,186 2 Ilya "Leqenden" Anatsky Belarus $70,091 3 Oledjan Thailand $57,001 4 Pablo "pabritz" Brito Silva Brazil $46,356 5 Pedro "PaDiLhA SP" Padilha Brazil $37,699 6 Aliaksandr "Alexgirs" Hirs Poland $30,659 7 Rodrigo "SELOUAN1991" Selouan Brazil $24,933 8 AcidVaule Belarus $20,277 9 Leonard "Grozzorg" Maue Austria $16,490 Austrian star Leonard "Grozzorg" Maue was the first of the nine finalists to find himself void of chips. Maue's ninth-place finish came with a $16,490 reward. Belarusian "AcidVaule" was the next to fall ($20,277), and they were joined on the sidelines by Rodrigo "SELOUAN1991" Selouan ($24,933) and Aliaksandr "Alexgirs" Hirs ($30,659). The final five became four and then three after the untimely demise of two Brazilian grinders. First, Pedro "PaDiLhA SP" Padilha bowed out in fifth ($37,699) then Pablo "pabritz" Brito Silva ran out of steam in fourth place ($46,356). Save the Date: Sunday Million 18th Anniversary Comes With $8m GTD When is it? The $5,200 PokerStars Mystery Bounty Main Event progressed to its heads-up stage following the exit of Thailand's "Oledjan," a finish worth $57,001. That elimination left Thomas "WushuTM" Muehloecker in a one-on-one clash with the Belarusian legend Ilya "leqenden" Anatsky. Either of the heads-up players would have made a worthy champion, but only one man would be able to claim that title. It was Muehloecker who came out of the final battle unscathed and with the $86,186 top prize in tow. Add $27,777 worth of mystery bounties to that score, and Muehloecker banked an impressive $113,963 for his victory. Anatsky reeled in $70,091. Only the champion's bounty haul is made publicly available at present Two other big mystery bounty tournaments ran alongside the $5,200 edition. The $1,050 version drew in a crowd of 949 players who fought it out for the lion's share of the $1 million prize pool. Latvia's "xpronto" finished top of the tree, resulting in a $70,279 prize landing in their PokerStars account. The Latvian eliminated 10 opponents on their way to victory and double-digits worth of mystery bounties totaled $11,648, meaning they took home $81,927. A $109 buy-in mystery bounty drew in 5,685 entrants, who created a guarantee-busting $1,337,000 prize pool. Including the 11 mystery bounties they won, "$oloBlanco" walked away with $70,205 and the title of champion. $12.5 Million Carnival Series Features Mystery Bounty Main Events The wait for the next big money mystery bounty tournaments at PokerStars won't be long because the Carnival Series Main Events are played to this exciting format. A trio of No-Limit Hold'em mystery bounty events take place on February 4, coming with buy-ins of $11, $109, and $1,050, and guaranteed prize pools worth $250,000, $1 million, and $750,000 respectively. Pot-Limit Omaha players can get in on the mystery bounty hype train, too. PLO players have a $215 buy-in, $100,000 guaranteed Carnival Series Mystery Bounty Main Event to get their teeth into on February 4. Sharelines How did the first big buy-in mystery bounty tournaments fare at PokerStars? Find out at PokerNews. The New Hampshire attorney general has opened an investigation into deep fake robocalls that feature Bidens voice telling Democrats not to vote. The attorney generals office said in a statement: The Attorney Generals Office has received complaints regarding a recorded message encouraging voters not to vote in the January 23, 2024, New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election. The message, which was sent on January 21, 2024, stated your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday. Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications. To get more stories like this, subscribe to our newsletter The Daily. The message appears to have been spoofed to falsely show that it had been sent by the treasurer of a political committee that has been supporting the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary write-in efforts for President Biden. The messages content directed recipients who wished to be removed from a calling list to call the number belonging to this person. These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election and to suppress New Hampshire voters. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. Voting in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election does not preclude a voter from additionally voting in the November General Election. Recipients of this message are additionally encouraged to send an e-mail to the Department of Justice Election Law Unit (electionlaw@doj.nh.gov) identifying (1) the date and time they received the call or message; (2) the origin of the call or message; (3) the content of the call or message; and (4) any other relevant information. The Election Law Units investigation is ongoing. Are Republicans Trying To Suppress Biden Votes In New Hampshire? The odds are good that this operation is being carried out by Trump supporters, who are trying to embarrass President Biden and make him look weak with a poor showing as a write-in candidate in the New Hampshire Democratic primary The other possibility is that MAGA is trying to stop Democrats from crossing over and voting for Nikki Haley. If anyone supporting Trump is doing this out of fear of Haley, then Trump is a much weaker candidate than imagined. . Biden is a write-in candidate because New Hampshire is holding its primary in violation of the DNC rules. South Carolina is officially recognized first Democratic contest, but after getting bumped New Hampshire decided to hold its primary anyway. Biden has abided by the official calendar and did not formally register as a candidate, which is why he is a write-in. The voter suppression effort reeks of Trump. Imagine the humiliation that Trump will feel if Biden gets more votes as a write-in candidate in the Democratic primary than Trump gets as a candidate on the ballot in the Republican primary. MAGA is so scared of President Biden that they are likely behind an effort to make sure that Democrats dont turn out and vote for Biden or Nikki Haley. A Special Message From PoliticusUSA If you are in a position to donate purely to help us keep the doors open on PoliticusUSA during what is a critical election year, please do so here. We have been honored to be able to put your interests first for 14 years as we only answer to our readers and we will not compromise on that fundamental, core PoliticusUSA value. The Aiken City Council could soon consider an agreement with the Aiken Corporation to build and operate a mixed-use building downtown next month, City Manager Stuart Bedenbaugh said Monday evening. "At some point, we will need to have in front of council we believe it will be next month, in February an agreement relating to some of the items that relate to the city and the Aiken Corporation and the lot," Bedenbaugh said. Bedenbaugh implied the agreement with the Aiken Corporation would be similar to the agreement between the city and the Aiken Corporation for construction of the Amentum building. In that agreement, the city funded construction and managed the money and the Aiken Corporation managed the construction. Once the building was opened, the city executed a long-term lease with the Aiken Corporation which then leased space in the building to what's now called Amentum. The Savannah River National Laboratory is a potential tenant in the mixed-use building. The national lab received permission from the Department of Energy to begin negotiating a lease for space in the building in December, Bedenbaugh said Monday evening. Several members of the city council have long touted the benefits of having the national lab leasing space downtown. Those benefits include more people to shop and eat which helps small businesses and adds tax revenue to the city's coffers. The Aiken Corporation has already taken some steps forward on the project even though it does not have an agreement with the city or the national lab. The First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska told us how her husband, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has changed in the face of a full-scale war. The chosen one of the Ukrainian leader admitted that his character has become stronger and more resilient in the workplace, but in the family circle, her beloved is more sensitive than ever. ADVERTISIMENT Nowadays, any mention of his son and daughter, whom Volodymyr Zelenskyy has hardly seen for about two years, can bring out the emotions of the President of Ukraine. Olena Zelenska spoke about this in an interview published on the YouTube channel of the Presidential Office. In response to a question about internal changes in her husband, the First Lady admitted that in recent years, he had become more stubborn, focused, and resilient. "In personal issues, it seems to me that he has become perhaps more sentimental about some simple things... He can now be amused by any little thing related to children: sending a photo of his son or telling him what his daughter said. And it touches him very emotionally now. He has never been so sensitive before," Olena Zelenska said. ADVERTISIMENT She believes that the reason for this emotionality lies in the lack of normal communication with her daughter Oleksandra and son Kyrylo. When the leader of Ukraine now talks to children or hears about them, he appreciates these moments more, Olena Zelenska believes. She suggested that in the future, the man's character will be the same as it was before. "I hope this is temporary. I just have a huge hope that this will all end. I need it, as do all Ukrainians," the first lady concluded. Only verified information on our Telegram OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Instead, the plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the city's actions unlawful and order that those actions cannot be repeated on future projects. The plaintiffs also argue even if the case is moot, the court shouldn't dismiss the request for a declaratory judgment so as to avail itself of the opportunity to establish future guidance. The appeal follows several pieces of bad news in the project including Hyman's orders and Judge William Keesley's order for a hearing on a motion he previously denied asking to dismiss the Design Review Board from the case. The plaintiffs filed the lawsuit July 5, 2022. They asked the court for an order declaring the city, the Design Review Board and the AMDC violated the South Carolina Community Development Law and state laws regarding planning. The plaintiffs also asked for an order declaring the city, the Design Review Board and the AMDC violated the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act. Project Pascalis was a $75 million plus development effort focused on the city's downtown. Plans called for the demolition of the Hotel Aiken and the Beckman Building and their replacement by a modern hotel. The buildings from Bee Lane to Newberry Street and from Richland Avenue to Newberry Hall were to be demolished and replaced with an apartment complex and parking deck. The city's old Municipal Building was to become a conference center. The next step for the appeal is for the Court of Appeals to accept or decline to hear the appeal. If the court accepts the appeal, it will set conditions for the appeal to be argued. If the court does not accept the appeal, the plaintiffs could appeal that decision to the South Carolina Supreme Court. Acting Superintendent Anita Huggins could soon be offered a three-year contract to lead the Charleston County School District in an official capacity a move that blindsided nearly half of the school board. Late on Jan. 22, the school board voted 5-4 to have the district's attorney negotiate a contract with Huggins to make her the permanent superintendent. The vote came after nearly two hours of discussions in a closed-door executive session. The vote also followed a public debate that devolved into shouting as some board members accused one another of racism and manipulation, called one another "gross," and said the meeting was sad for the district. The four board members who voted against the hire said they were told during personal conversations with people from the five-member majority that the plan was to give Huggins a letter of agreement and make her interim superintendent. They clarified that their issue was not with Huggins or her brief performance as acting superintendent but with other board members trying to give her the position without an interview or evaluation. "There are nine members of this board, and four of us were blindsided by the decision to convert Huggins into superintendent with the excuse the community loves her," said board member Courtney Waters. Huggins still has to accept the offer to become superintendent. This is the latest turmoil that has gripped the sharply divided board. Last fall, the five-member majority voted to place then-Superintendent Eric Gallien on suspension following an employee complaint that he had created a hostile work environment by attempting to restructure her job responsibilities within the same department. The same group of board members also declined to offer a permanent contract to then-interim Chief Academic Officer Michelle Simmons, which Gallien wanted, and overhauled the Health Advisory Committee that determines the district health and sexual education curriculum. COLUMBIA South Carolina State University students will soon be able to enjoy the amenities of a newly renovated student center and if university leaders get their way, eventually a new library, gym, convocation center, dorms and academic buildings. The state's only public historically Black university is envisioning these wide-ranging, planned and proposed renovations to an aging campus will keep students coming through the doors and give them a place to sleep and study, as the school continues to grow back from the enrollment struggles that helped oust its former president. But such work would prove expensive, to the combined tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, putting university leaders' wish list partly in the hands of a state Legislature they hope is starting to make up for what the federal government has described as decades of underfunding. "Because of the number of applications we've received, we could grow our enrollment to 5,000, 6,000 students tomorrow," spokesman Sam Watson said. "But we don't have the infrastructure to get back there." Key parts of S.C. State's campus have seen better days. The basement of Whitaker Library floods, one of 11 buildings on campus that must be sandbagged before heavy rain. The top eight floors of the Truth Hall dorms don't have a sprinkler system, making them uninhabitable because Orangeburg's firetruck ladders don't reach high enough. Its convocation center doesn't have an elevator, a clear issue for those with mobility issues. Parts of the current student center go unused for lack of maintenance. And the campus doesn't have a health and wellness center. GREENVILLE Simpsonville native Danielle Brooks, who rose to fame in "Orange is the New Black," received an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for her powerful performance in "The Color Purple." It's the first Oscar nomination for the 34-year-old who played Sofia in the recent film adaption of the blockbuster musical. The musical is based on the 1982 novel "The Color Purple," written by Alice Walker. "My heart is so full from Academy's recognition for my work as Sofia," Brooks wrote in a statement to The Post and Courier. "It's one thing to dream of this occasion but to have it actually happen is mind-blowing." Brooks grew up in Simpsonville, where she got her start in local church plays. She went on to attend the South Carolina Governor's School and the prestigious New York City arts college, The Juilliard School. She received her breakout role in 2013 as Tasha "Tastyee" Jefferson in "Orange is the New Black," a show about a women's prison in upstate New York. Brooks' character quickly became a fan favorite, even though she originally was slated only to appear in a few episodes. While filming "Orange is the New Black," she first starred as the strong, defiant Sofia in the Broadway version of "The Color Purple" in 2015, a role that earned her a Tony Award nomination. Brooks continued the role of Sofia in the 2023 movie musical of "The Color Purple," produced by Oprah Winfrey. Winfrey played Sofia in the first movie adaption in 1985, which was directed by Steven Spielberg. The story follows a Black woman, Celie, in rural Georgia over four decades as she perseveres through years of emotional and physical abuse. Brooks' Oscar nomination, the only one from "The Color Purple," joins a quickly growing list of awards for her role as Sofia, including a BAFTA and another nomination for a Golden Globe. ANDERSON An Anderson School District 5 teacher was arrested after deputies said she broke her mandatory reporting obligation when she didn't report a young girl was inappropriately touched several times in the classroom. Dana Elizabeth Bowen, 57, of Anderson, was charged with two counts of failure to report child abuse or neglect, according to an Anderson County Sheriff's Office news release. Deputies say Bowen taught students with mental disabilities at New Prospect Elementary School and didn't report several situations where a young girl was touched inappropriately by another young student, according to the news release. Sign up for updates! Get the latest Greenville news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! Between September and November, the young girl was touched inappropriately and once again in January. After the mother contacted the school, deputies became involved because Bowen is a mandatory reporter and had not alerted the school of the incident. Bowen had explained to the young girl's mother over the phone what unfolded, according to the news release. Several types of professions, including teachers, are considered mandated reporters in South Carolina. By law, mandated reporters must report suspected child abuse or neglect to county law enforcement or the department of social services, according to the South Carolina Department of Education. After deputies informed the school district that Bowen was under investigation, the district placed her on administrative leave, as is policy in situations like this, district spokesperson Kyle Newton told The Post and Courier. Bowen resigned from the district shortly thereafter and turned herself in to deputies in mid-January, the sheriff's office said. She was released on a $3,000 cash bond and is awaiting trial, according to court records. On March 5, special agents with the South Carolina Department of Social Services, Office of Inspector General, arrested a Dorchester County woman in connection with fraudulently receiving $9,584 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Read moreDSS charges Dorchester County woman with food stamp fraud Fresh off his March 16 sheriff candidacy filing in North Charleston, Councilmember Carl Ritchie stated his designs on increasing services to the unincorporated areas of Charleston County if he gets voted into office in November. Read moreAspiring sheriff calls for more cops, coverage MYRTLE BEACH A Pageland man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for his role in a 2020 shooting in Myrtle Beach. Anthony Griffin, 20, pleaded guilty in February 2022 to aggravated assault and battery. Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Culbertson sentenced him on Jan. 23. Griffin will need to serve at least 85 percent of his sentence. He had no prior criminal history at the time of the offense but has since pleaded guilty to unrelated charges in North Carolina, according to prosecutors. The Myrtle Beach Police Department, especially Chris White, the lead investigator, did an outstanding job with this investigation, said Mary-Ellen Walter, who prosecuted the case for the 15th Circuit Solicitor's Office. Griffin was one of seven people arrested in connection with the shooting, which happened along Ocean Boulevard on May 17, 2020. All seven defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced, and a bench warrant has been issued for an eighth defendant, according to prosecutors. The shooting started when two rival groups from the Chesterfield County area encountered each other on opposite sides of the street. They started firing through traffic. The shots struck an employee at a nearby shop. That employee has since recovered, according to prosecutors. Others sentenced for their roles in the shooting included: Dennis Stewart, 22, of Cheraw, who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery on Sept. 7, 2022. Stewart, who had no prior criminal record, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Antonio Brown Jr., 22, of Cheraw, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Dewan Cole, 21, of Cheraw, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Quandre Tyson, 23, of Pageland, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery and drug charges and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Also, Jaden Satterfield, 18, of Charlotte pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and battery and was sentenced to six years in prison under the Youthful Offender Act, according to prosecutors. Perhaps one of the most iconic buildings in Charleston and certainly on St. Patricks Day is Hibernian Hall. What better time to reflect on one of the citys oldest, most prestigious organizations? Read moreDo You Know Your Lowcountry? Hibernian Hall Press Release January 23, 2024 Senate adopts resolution commending DLSU The Senate adopted on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 a resolution commending the De La Salle University (DLSU) for its research partnership agreement with the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II). The Senate unanimously adopted Senate Resolution No. 819 introduced by Senators Sonny Angara, Pia S. Cayetano, Francis "Chiz" Escudero, Win Gatchalian, and Majority Leader Joel Villanueva. The EDCOM II and DLSU have formally ratified their research collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement made and executed on June 14, 2023. The EDCOM II is mandated by Republic Act 11899 to implement a "comprehensive national assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector for the purpose of recommending transformative, concrete and targeted reforms in the sector with the end in view of making the Philippines globally competitive in both education and labor markets" in the next three years, from 2023 to 2025. The DLSU, consistent with its vision-mission to be a leading learner-centered and research-university and its core values of faith, service, and communion, had conveyed its intention to support the mandate and objectives of EDCOM II. The DLSU undertakes to conduct the following activities under the agreement: a) Submit research inputs for EDCOM II b) Submit concept notes/research proposals from researcher fellows that will be vetted by the EDCOM II Advisory Council and Technical Secretariat and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies c) Organize and set-up Research Teams to produce research that directly responds to the policy questions of EDCOM II and d) Produce Policy Papers that EDCOM II and DLSU shall co-publish to inform policy directions of the EDCOM. The DLSU, in addition to the responsibilities enumerated above and other commitments as found in the Memorandum of Agreement, obligates itself to solely cover all the costs in relation to the project. According to the resolution, the obligations set forth in the Memorandum of Agreement will be instrumental in assisting EDCOM II in its objectives to institutionalize reforms that would not only aim to address the existing issues in the country's education sector, but would also contribute to the development of an education system that is at par with global standards and more attuned to the needs of the present times. The Central City Clinical Hospital of the Ivano-Frankivsk City Council treated actress and TV presenter Olha Sumska, who returned from a vacation in Austria. The People's Artist of Ukraine turned to doctors with a complaint of abdominal pain. ADVERTISIMENT The star admitted that she was not provided with the necessary treatment abroad, although the Ukrainian's tests were poor. This was written on the Facebook page of the Central City Clinical Hospital. Reportedly, the artist had acute abdominal pain with dyspeptic disorders and severe intoxication. "I did not receive proper medical care, despite the fact that my tests showed that I needed serious therapy. The drips I was given did not help, and the treatment I received did not alleviate my condition. I decided to return to Ukraine, despite the fact that it was risky, because the journey lasted 18 hours," the actress said. ADVERTISIMENT Despite her fears, the actress safely crossed the Ukrainian border and was relieved to be back in her native land. Her friends advised her to go to Frankivsk doctors. "They had previously been treated in this hospital, so they knew that I would receive highly qualified medical care here. Our doctors are the best, most experienced and most humane. I am grateful to the hospital staff," emphasized Olha Sumska. After intensive care and treatment at the Central City Clinical Hospital, Olha Sumska's condition has improved significantly. The actress has already been discharged from the hospital and is going on tour, the medical center said. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Charleston County launched a website, listing potential road projects that could be paid for by an extension of the half-cent transportation sales tax. The county could propose extending the tax on the Nov. 5 ballot to raise $5.4 billion. If voters agree to keep the tax in place, the funds would go toward infrastructure projects, namely the extension of the Mark Clark Expressway, which would link the West Ashley end of Interstate 526 to the James Island Connector by running four lanes across a corner of Johns Island and part of James Island. The county has listed more than 20 other projects that could be funded by income generated from an extended half-cent tax. The Mark Clark Extension is the only one labeled as a priority project, and would consume more than a third of the money. Johns Island Two improvement projects are proposed for Johns Island: capacity enhancements on the western portion of Maybank Highway between Bohicket Road and River Road, and on the eastern portion of Maybank Highway between River Road and the Stono River Bridge. The project for the western portion would cost $126 million, while the eastern portion would cost $51.55 million. James Island On James Island, two proposed road-improvement projects are on the list. Harbor View Road would get capacity enhancements from the James Island Connector to North Shore Drive, while Folly Road would get bicycle/pedestrian accommodations installed between George Griffith Boulevard and Sol Legare Road. The Harbor View Road project would cost $110 million, and the Folly Road project would cost $30.5 million. Mount Pleasant Five projects are proposed in Mount Pleasant. The group behind the redevelopment of Union Pier would like to hear from the public about what it wants and doesn't want on the nearly 70-acre waterfront property along the Cooper River. A pair of workshops, free and open to the public, are planned this week as part of an ongoing effort to gather feedback. Those who attend will hear from the design team about what the team already has learned about the site and what challenges it faces in developing it. The meetings will be 4-7 p.m. Jan. 24 in the Camden Room at the Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting St., and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 25 at the Arthur W. Christopher Community Center, 265 Fishburne St. The old shipping terminal, now a cruise ship hub, is one of downtown Charlestons most valuable pieces of property, estimated to fetch about $400 million from a buyer. The South Carolina Ports Authority, which owns the property, had hoped to sell most of the property by the end of 2023, but initial redevelopment plans fell apart last summer, prompting port officials to start over. In June, the College of Charlestons Joseph P. Riley Center for Livable Communities assumed control of the planning process following criticism over the lack of community input ahead of those earlier, failed plans. Ali Moriarty, assistant director of the Riley Center, said the primary purpose of these workshops is to "create with community members a set of guiding principles that will inform the future of the site." She said the design team, which includes Sasaki, the lead design consultant for the project; Nelson Byrd Woltz; and James Lima Planning + Development, will be at the meeting "without pre-determined land uses and plans for the site." When I was in third grade, my teacher had a vegetable tasting day for us. We each brought in a vegetable from home and shared it with our classmates. I remember coming home, excited, and announcing to my mother that I had fallen in love with rutabaga. After a startled moment or two, she sm Read moreStevens: For the love of rutabaga and our children If youre convinced theres no difference between Donald Trump and Nikki Haley and the world will end if Joe Biden doesnt get reelected, go read something else. Were not talking to you. But if you believe as we do that the crucial choice is not who is in the White House instead of Mr. Trump but simply that Mr. Trump does not return to the White House, you need to understand that you have two opportunities to keep that from happening. If you want to ensure that Mr. Biden doesn't remain in the White House, you need to understand that the same is true for you. And you need to understand that neither is guaranteed to succeed. So whether you're a die-hard Republican or a huge Biden fan, it could be a critical mistake to ignore the first of those opportunities. Of course the second opportunity comes in November. Assuming Ms. Haley remains in the race after Tuesdays New Hampshire primary Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the race Sunday the first opportunity comes in next months South Carolina Republican primary. And with early voting now open for South Carolinas Democratic presidential primary, the first opportunity to blow it comes now, when you choose which if either primary to participate in. We dont register by party in South Carolina, where state law wisely allows registered voters to participate in either partys primary but only one primary. So anyone who votes in this months Democratic primary is disqualified from voting in next months Republican primary. There will be plenty of die-hard Democrats the ones who stopped reading after the first paragraph to ensure Mr. Biden prevails over opponents who are even more of a long-shot than Ms. Haley. But for Ms. Haley to have a shot, she needs the support of more than just the half of self-proclaimed Republicans who want a candidate other than Mr. Trump. She needs the support of some Democrats who believe it's more important to stop Mr. Trump than to keep Mr. Biden in office. More importantly, because of the numbers involved, she needs the support of all those people who vote Republican in November but dont vote in the Republican primary that decides which Republican theyll be supporting in November. FLORENCE Michael Eastridge's daughter Oaklynn is home, walking and talking following a Jan. 5 dog attack in Florence County. Oaklynn Eastridge, 14-months old, was hospitalized and in a coma for nearly five days. She had multiple surgeries, including one to repair a hole in her neck before she was released from the hospital last week. The toddler was attacked by eight dogs off Twin Church Road in Florence County. The dogs were confirmed to be mixed-breeds during a Jan. 16 hearing. During the hearing, the judge said the dogs would be housed in a shelter but could be destroyed if they are deemed dangerous. Eastridge and Oaklynns mother were both in the hospital with her, only leaving the room when X-rays needed to be taken. Michael Eastridge would leave to get food for them. The three are staying at Eastridges stepmothers home. He returned to work Jan. 23, albeit with fewer hours to make room for future doctors appointments. My minds in a million places, trying to get her doctors appointments and trying to make sure shes OK and have what she needs, Eastridge said. Eastridge was worried about his daughter's ability to walk when she was taken to the hospital. When she was released, he and her mother took Oaklynn to the playroom in McLeod Regional Medical Center, where the child had been hospitalized. Eastridge said she was clingy and didnt want to walk at first when they got to the room. I was sitting down and my ex-girlfriend took her there to play, and my ex-girlfriend hollered my name and I walked over there and the baby was just walking, Eastridge said. CONCORD, N.H. The first of New Hampshires GOP primary voters have spoken at least six of them in the tiny town of Dixville Notch and theyve all decisively chosen former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as the Republican nominee. Dixville Notch, a tiny resort community 115 miles north of the state capital of Concord and 14 miles from the Canadian border, has been casting its votes at midnight since 1960. In New Hampshire, each municipality largely sets when its polls will open and close. Most municipalities opened polls around 7 a.m. This year, there were six voters in Dixville Notch, two undeclared voters and four registered Republicans. All six voted for Haley. "A great start to a great day in New Hampshire, Haley said in a statement. Thank you Dixville Notch!" Haley is counting on a strong finish in New Hampshire to give her campaign a boost of momentum going into her home state of South Carolina. The campaign became a two-person race between Haley and frontrunner Donald Trump after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out Jan. 21. Polls suggest Haley will do well among independent voters, who can vote in the GOP primary under New Hampshire rules, and college graduates, but shes still running well behind Trump in nearly every poll. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe/NBC-10 poll released Jan. 23 showed Trump romping to victory with 60 percent support compared to Haley at 38 percent, a significantly widened lead for the former president since DeSantis dropped out. SPARTANBURG When Olivia Skelton opened Purple Sunrise Spa, she didn't know what to expect being a first-time business owner. The Cowpens resident had worked for a spa in Greenville and in retail. By the time she turned 24, she decided to pursue her dreams and open her own business catering to women's health and wellbeing. In July 2021, Purple Sunrise Spa opened at 210 Westgate Mall Drive. "I just didn't want to work any corporate jobs anymore," she said. "I just wanted to do something more. I started with no clients and now have over 1,000. I love the people we get here. We created a place where women feel safe, confident and beautiful here." Skelton's family relocated to South Carolina from Michigan when she was 12 after her dad got a job in the state. She's grown to love the city but still misses the snowy winters in Michigan. Her focus is centered on expanding her business, which now has three employees. She spent six months prior to opening renovating the building when it had no power. She built a following during the process by promoting her endeavor on social media. It paid off with her business fully booked with appointments during the first few months. "The business is still growing, and I hope to have my own building eventually," Skelton said. "We are looking to hire two more employees." When she opened, Skelton said she wasn't sure about herself. However, her confidence has grown with support from her clients. Kara Lee of Spartanburg is a Purple Sunrise Spa client and supports the owner's business. "Olivia is a huge inspiration to everyone around her and the environment she has created for her clients," Lee said. "This spa is like no others. Olivia makes every single human feel welcomed, relaxed and it's so different than any other spas I've been to." Nicole Gantz is among the massage therapists who work at the spa. She has been a massage therapist for two years. Each of the massage rooms are decorated with different themes. The Mrs. World 2023 pageant was held in Las Vegas, USA, where 38 participants from different countries competed for the coveted crown. The prestigious title was won by Julia Caroline, a German representative with a doctorate in medicine who uses unique therapeutic approaches for children and veterans. However, some of the participante who did not win were definitely remembered by the audience for their impressive stories. ADVERTISIMENT Among the participants were, in particular, a mother of eight who gave birth to her eighth child a week before the competition, a woman who lost 68 kilograms, and many other beauties whose stories really do not leave you indifferent. OBOZ.UA will tell some of them. Mrs. America Hannah Ballerina Throughout the entire preparation for Mrs. World, the American woman carried her eighth child under her heart! The mother of many children gave birth 8 days before the start of the contest. She not only competed on a level playing field with all the other contestants but also demonstrated remarkable physical fitness, which shocked the audience. At the time of the pageant finale, Hannah's newborn daughter was only 12 days old, and she was with her mother almost all the time, even when she was having her hair and makeup done. ADVERTISIMENT Mrs. America Regina Stock Another U.S. representative who won the main crown in her state, learned about a 14-centimeter kidney tumor shortly before the competition. After successfully fighting a rare type of cancer, the woman not only survived but became a real warrior. Having won this battle 2 months ago, Regina Stock decided to take part in Mrs. World in order not only to represent her country with dignity but also to raise public awareness of oncology and kidney cancer in particular. ADVERTISIMENT For many women with cancer, Regina has become an example of strength of spirit. She said that her main mission at the pageant and in life in general is to inspire and motivate people not to give up even when it seems that death itself has knocked on your door. Mrs. Jamaica Shoshana DeAnn This year's Mrs. World included another woman who faced a terrible disease: Shoshana DeAnn from Jamaica. The doctor has scars from a fierce battle with breast cancer. The beauty was diagnosed at the age of 36. She underwent a 2-year surgical odyssey with bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. Constant complications led to 4 surgeries, and now she is undergoing a 5-year course of antihormonal treatment for hormone-positive cancer. To keep her hope for motherhood alive, IVF became a poignant chapter in her story. Despite the setbacks, including a recent miscarriage, she is not giving up. ADVERTISIMENT Inspired by her own experience, Shoshana advocates for breast cancer awareness, and has even started her own charity. Mrs. Jamaica financially helps other women who need more than a mammogram for their screenings. Mrs. Cuba Jennifer Stanga A Cuban woman has become one of the symbols of motivation and strength of spirit in this year's contest. The woman decided to change her life once and for all by getting rid of unwanted pounds, and she succeeded. At the beginning of her transformational journey, Jennifer Stanga weighed 144 kilograms. She felt heavy all the time, and once, flying back from her cousin's funeral, she had to buy two seats on the plane. It was then that the beauty realized she wanted to change something about herself. In addition, Jennifer felt that she finally wanted to become a healthy and happy mom. ADVERTISIMENT Proper nutrition, regular workouts, and the help of qualified doctors, including psychologists who helped her delve into the psychological roots of her overeating, did the trick. Stanga said goodbye to 68 kilograms, and now she weights 76 kg. The story of Mrs. Cuba resonates with many, encouraging millions of women to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Jennifer Stanga, a beacon of transformation and self-love, proves that change is possible when a person dares to believe. ADVERTISIMENT Mrs. Ukraine Olena Yelizarova Ukraine's representative at the competition cannot be ignored either. Olena Yelizarova is a businesswoman, mother of many children and wife of a National Guard officer. Together with her military husband, she is raising three sons and a daughter. Her children are her inspiration. Thanks to them, she wrote a children's fairy tale and a lullaby, which was even recognized at the Global Music Awards in the category of Best Song for Children. Ukrainian women are heroines who serve as inspiration for the whole world. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 22:15:45 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1077 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Originally published on bloomberg.com A shifting narrativeFor the last fifty years, the narrative told to high schoolers and college students across America has remained unchanged. "We were telling college-bound students to just get into college and everything is going to be fine," attests founder and CEO of Basta, Sheila Sarem. However, this simple equation falls short when applied to first-generation college students with limited social capital and access to professional networks. Herein lies the systemic problem that changemakers like Basta and Bloomberg have set their sights on.Basta's model is addressing that gap. "A college degree on its own does not necessarily lead to a great first job," Sarem says. "I thought if we could create a space for employers to actually think about how to hire differently, we could really change the face of workforce leadership." From the beginning, Bloomberg has been a foundational partner in achieving this vision, opening pathways for first-generation students of color to join the ranks at Bloomberg and other Top 100 companies. Since 2016, 200+ Bloomberg employees have contributed over 400 volunteer hours and worked with 200 Basta fellows. And perhaps more notably, Bloomberg has hired over 50 Basta fellows into full-time roles across diverse sectors and teams. In honor of National Mentorship Month, we celebrate this long-running partnership by highlighting some of the successes we've achieved together.The path to knowledgeIn eight years, Basta's vision has flourished: 81% of fellows secure full-time jobs with an average salary of $62,700. What's behind this success? The Basta Fellows themselves, of course, and the extraordinary dedication of partner companies and their employees. "Companies like Bloomberg are a bit of a unicorn," Sarem attests. "The willingness to think differently about hiring, the willingness to tap multiple channels for great talent." When ambition meets innovation, great things happen: enter the Bloomberg Mentorship program. "Every three months, we bring together a set of Bloomberg employees into one-on-one mentoring relationships with Basta fellows," explains Sarem. Malia Simonds from Bloomberg's Corporate Philanthropy team, whose belief in the partnership runs deep, is heading up the Bloomberg-Basta partnership. Simonds shares, "Bloomberg is committed to opening doors for students who have traditionally been underrepresented in fields where we have expertise. Those fields include technology, finance, business, and data. When we find a great partner like Basta, we love to support them in multiple ways - bringing together funders, corporations, and alumni of the program. We've hired people from Basta who have come through the program and are now mentoring fellows." A pay-it-forward mentality is the norm rather than the exception when it comes to the mentorship program. One such Basta alum-turned-Bloomberg mentor is Lynn Fernandez-Ponce, a first-generation student whose parents immigrated from Mexico. Now a Fixed Income Specialist at Bloomberg, she confesses, "As a first-gen student it was very difficult to have an insight on how to set my career forward and plan for it. I was pretty much on my own. And that's where Basta filled this gap the partnership between Basta and Bloomberg has really changed my life." Takes twoA successful mentorship relies heavily on the experience and empathy of the mentor. Take, for example, Basta mentee/mentor pair Bradley Belliard, Basta Fellow, and his mentor, Mary Abelack, Bloomberg employee and also a first-gen college graduate. "When I initially met Mary, I was definitely nervous and wanted her to see me as someone who took this seriously and was really passionate about what I do," says Belliard. Well, his hopes were most certainly realized. When speaking about him, Abelack gives glowing reviews: "I was really impressed by how confident he was." Successful mentorship is also fundamental to career development. Abelack explains, "I decided to become a mentor because I had also been a first-gen college grad and I feel like the first ten years of my career were not going anywhere. I felt like I could alleviate that for someone." So, how exactly does a mentor go about helping pave a path for a mentee such as Belliard? To Abelack, that means "giving him access to the network I've built here at Bloomberg," providing a glimpse of the interview process and giving resume feedback tailored to the position he was interviewing for - perfectly embodying Basta's mission.The generosity of his mentor has not been lost on Belliard. "Our time together was pretty crucial to my success in the past year or so," he says. "She gave me the confidence and the knowledge to go out there and get what I want, which was this job." Regarding networking, Belliard can pencil in at least one first-gen superfan and advocate to his rolodex, Abelack.Senior level supportGlobal Head of Bloomberg Marketing & Strategy, Brandon Harris, serves as Bloomberg's representative on Basta's board of directors. He is emblematic of what works in this partnership - through his board participation - he keeps one foot firmly planted in each organization and provides unique counsel on how to continue optimizing the partnership. "I decided to join the board of Basta because it really fit all the categories I was looking for in a non-profit board opportunity. The fact that Basta focuses on first-generation students was, I think, the most compelling part for me," he says. "We take for granted the fact that we have a parent, a sibling, a cousin, a relative that can give us insights. Some people don't have that [they] are the very first person to go to college." Basta's shared NYC roots with Bloomberg certainly help. "Basta started in our own backyard," he adds. "And we've been proud to grow with them and grow beyond NYC, giving opportunities to students across the United States." Join a community of first-generation college students and receive the support and guidance to land a job in the field of your choice. Click here to learn more about Basta and their fellowship program.Bloomberg's Corporate Philanthropy program invests in a global network of nonprofit partners providing education and workforce development opportunities for individuals from historically underserved communities. Learn more about our global efforts to make careers in finance and tech more accessible and inclusive. For more information on Bloomberg careers, click here.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Bloomberg on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: BloombergWebsite: PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 01:10:48 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 424 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ADM Investors with Substantial Losses Encouraged to Contact Hagens Berman, National Trial Attorneys: Firm Investigating Possible Securities Law ViolationsSAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 22, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE:ADM) investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now.Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/admContact An Attorney Now: ADM@ hbsslaw.com844-916-0895 Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) Investigation:"We are investigating the propriety of Archer Daniels' past financial reporting," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the firm's investigation.On Jan. 21, 2024, Archer Daniels announced that it had placed CFO Vikram Luther on leave effective immediately. The company said that Luther's "leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for ADM and the Board's Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to ADM's Nutrition segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions." Archer Daniels also revealed that its investigation was initiated in response to its receipt of a voluntary document request by the SEC.The company further stated that it is delaying its Q4 and FY 2023 earnings release and withdrew its outlook for the Nutrition segment.This news sent the price of Archer Daniels shares crashing as much as $14.46 (or about 21%) lower during intraday trading on Jan. 22, 2024.If you invested in Archer Daniels and have substantial 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 Archer Daniels investigation, read more Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding Archer Daniels 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 ADM@ 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 PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 16:16:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 516 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / When it comes to business financing,Groves Capitalstands out as the best company offering tailored financial solutions to ambitious entrepreneurs. Led by the dynamic duo ofChris GrovesandAleyna Groves , this San Diego, California-based family-owned residential and commercial lending company exemplifies the transformative impact of entrepreneurship.Known for their diverse services, excellent customer service, and quick turnaround, Groves Capital has become a trusted name in the industry. Their mission is unique: to empower businesses by offering them a wide range of financial services tailored to their specific needs.The company's offerings span a wide range of services, including business expansion funds, infrastructure development loans, land acquisition assistance, apartment loans, quick collateral loans, flexible financing, short-term loans, cannabis business loans, medical building financing, and real estate development support.A standout feature of Groves Capital is their offering of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, a service that consolidates debt and facilitates growth. The company places great importance on transparent communication, fostering an environment of trust in the financial landscape.With an extensive network at their disposal, Groves Capital offers customized solutions for working capital, inventory financing, debt refinancing, property acquisition, and more. Their commitment to customized financial solutions and equipment financing underscores their dedication to their clients' success.Groves Capital's continued growth, bolstered by strategic partnerships and government approvals, points to a promising future. Positioned as a reliable ally for entrepreneurs and business owners, Groves Capital emerges as a trusted partner for financial success. The collaboration with Glenn Stearns of Kind Lending ensures competitive pricing but also presents a range of distinctive product options.Groves Capital's focus on virtual operations, the creation of partner opportunities, and the introduction of innovative lending options exemplify their commitment to staying ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving financial landscape.Groves Capital, the fastest-growing mortgage company in the U.S., is in all 50 states. The company leverages technology to create a more efficient, real-time environment. In 2023, amid economic uncertainties and possible signs of recession, Groves Capital was ahead of the trend. While many large companies were downsizing, they were expanding, launching new product lines, and growing steadily.Groves Capital's success can be attributed to several factors, not the least of which is transparency, which is not just a value, but a guiding principle of their client relationship strategy, as well as an impressive ability to adapt to situations and take advantage of downturns.Beyond just lending, Groves Capital is committed to ensuring that clients are fully informed about all facets of their financial decisions. This dedication to transparent communication cementsGroves Capital 's position as a trusted partner throughout the business journey.About Groves CapitalGroves Capital is a San Diego, California-based company offering tailored financial solutions to ambitious entrepreneurs. This family-owned residential and commercial lending company exemplifies the transformative impact of entrepreneurship. Groves Capital is known for their diverse services, excellent customer service, and quick turnaround, Groves Capital's mission is unique: to empower businesses by offering them a wide range of financial services tailored to their specific needs.Contact:Paula Henderson561-768-4444 phendersonnews@ gmail.com SOURCE: Groves Capital PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:40:41 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 962 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Highlights:Smart Sensor Wearables Redefining Data Capture and Analysis Proprietary & Patented Neural Network Technology Allowing Life Sciences Researchers to harness rich, previously inaccessible dataVICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / AI/ML Innovations Inc. (CSE:AIML)(OTCQB:AIMLF)(FWB:42FB), a leading company committed to acquiring and advancing Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technologies that address urgent societal needs, is pleased to report that it has received the following press release from its majority-owned subsidiary, Health Gauge Inc.:Health Gauge Inc. proudly announces the launch of its innovative product, "The Pulse Whisperer" for Biometric Raw Signal Data. The Pulse Whisperer is a powerful tool designed for use by Life Science Researchers, providing them with unprecedented access to the raw biometric signals captured from smart sensor wearables, as well as the ability to utilize the raw data to help improve health outcomes through Health Gauge's unique and comprehensive suite of products. In a significant departure from conventional wearables like Apple Watches and FitBits, The Pulse Whisperer product suite encompasses Health Gauge's Smart Sensor Wearables, Device Firmware, SDK & APIs, and licensed access to Health Gauge's Proprietary and Patented Neural Network technology, all coupled with Health Gauge's scalable Biometric Platform for Life Sciences. Researchers can now harness rich, previously inaccessible data, opening new frontiers in health research.Paul Duffy, CEO of AI/ML Innovations Inc., expressed enthusiasm, "The Pulse Whisperer marks an important moment in health tech innovation. By providing researchers with unparalleled access to raw biometric signals, we empower them to delve deeper into the intricacies of human health. This aligns with our mission at AI/ML Innovations Inc. to advance technologies that address urgent societal needs". Mr. Duffy continued, "Feedback indicates that there is widespread need within the medical community for a product suite such as The Pulse Whisperer. We anticipate that early adopters to this product suite will include Life Sciences and Medical Researchers, Educational and Academic Research communities, Healthcare Technology Developers, Data Scientists in Healthcare, Biomedical Engineers, Pharmaceutical Companies and Government and Health Policy Makers." Real-Time Monitoring[1]: "With the competitive Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) market anticipated to grow to a global value of $187bn by 2028, the widespread adoption of interconnected devices and wearables that collect biometric data seems assured. Smartwatches and fitness trackers are just the first waves of technologies that are able to provide biometric research professionals with the ability to continuously monitor trial participants' vital signs, sleep patterns, and physical activity. The data science applications of the IoMT and real-time monitoring are immense. Large-scale data collection will allow researchers to aggregate and parse through vast amounts of biometric information, creating opportunities to improve healthcare outcomes and service provision across entire populations and the identification of disease patterns and trends that can be quickly responded to before they are spread too widely." (Source: Warman O'Brien 10:08:23)Bruce Matichuk, Co-founder and CTO of Health Gauge Inc., added, "The Pulse Whisperer reflects our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in health technology. It's not just a product; it's a gateway to a new era of understanding and leveraging biometric data for transformative research." About Health Gauge https://www.healthgauge.com/ Health Gauge, a majority-owned subsidiary of AI/ML Innovations Inc., is at the forefront of revolutionizing healthcare through the power of Health Intelligence. With a commitment to leveraging technology for human well-being, Health Gauge provides cutting-edge solutions for personalized health insights.About AI/ML Innovations Inc. https://aiml-innovations.com/ AI/ML Innovations Inc. has realigned its business operations to capitalize on the burgeoning fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), with an initial investment focus on emerging digital health and wellbeing companies that leverage AI, ML, cloud computing and digital platforms to drive transformative healthcare management solutions and precision support delivery across the health continuum. Through strategic partnerships with Health Gauge (95.2% owned by AIML), Tech2Heal (up to 22% ownership rights, with 12.44% currently owned by AIML), AI Rx Inc. (70% owned by AIML) and other planned accretive investments, the Company continues to capitalize on expanding growth areas, to the benefit of all the Company's stakeholders. AI/ML's shares are traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol "AIML", the OTCQB Venture Market under "AIMLF", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under "42FB".On behalf of the Board of DirectorsTim Daniels, Executive ChairmanFor more information about AI/ML Innovations:For detailed information please see AI/ML's website or the Company's filed documents at www.sedarplus.ca For further information, contact: Blake Fallis at (778) 405-0882 or info@ aiml-innovations.com Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.For AI/ML Innovations InvestorsCertain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, AI/ML Innovations' expectations concerning management's plans, objectives, and strategies, including strategies for defending the Company's intellectual property. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. AI/ML Innovations Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events, or circumstances or otherwise except as expressly required by applicable securities law. Further information regarding the uncertainties and PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 17:00:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 499 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 PHOENIX, AZ / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 /Altitude Water, a U.S.-based leader in Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs), and New Use Energy Solutions (NUE), a Phoenix-based expert in mobile solar technologies, have joined forces to deliver innovative solar-plus-water generation systems. These systems are designed to ensure sustainable electricity and clean drinking water in any location, particularly beneficial for areas impacted by disasters or situated remotely.SunCase 3651 Rugged 3600W/ 5120Wh unit with a built-in inverter/charger capable of accepting up to 1700W/170V DC of PV input. Includes 1650W of built-in AC charging standard.Jeffrey Szur, COO of Altitude Water, said, "Since entering the water space 14 years ago, it has always been Altitude's goal to utilize solar power to provide a quiet, clean, fume-free, low-carbon emissions solution to meet the growing needs for clean water in communities affected by disasters or in remote locations." The partnership between Altitude Water and NUE is grounded in their extensive experience in enhancing community resilience around the world, including the U.S. Gulf Coast, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Maui.Their collaboration was sparked through their involvement with FootprintProject.org during a project in Maui. Will Heegaard, Operations Director of Footprint Project, states, "In October 2023, we began looking for sustainable solutions to the Louisiana saltwater intrusion disaster and found Altitude Water. A week later, our paths crossed in Maui. Private-public partnerships are essential to build back greener and connecting these two innovative emerging-growth technology companies just made sense." This alliance brings together Altitude's advanced AWGs and NUE's versatile solar and battery solutions, offering a resilient and sustainable alternative to traditional power and water sources. Their systems are already operational in areas requiring disaster relief and military and government support, and in the live events and film production sectors.Paul Shmotolokha, CEO of New Use Energy, said, "We are thrilled to be working with Altitude Water to connect renewable energy with water generation. Changes in technology and reduced material costs are enabling the change from reliance on gas generators to solar- and battery-powered water creation anytime, anywhere. Jeff and his team have a long history working with NGOs after disasters and disaster response is in NUE's DNA, so we are a great fit." Recently, Altitude Water updated its website to feature a solar generator by New Use Energy bundled with Altitude's T-12 unit, enhancing the reliability of water supply.The team is focusing on developing mobile disaster relief solutions. Jeff Szur concludes, "We were ahead of our time 14 years ago when we just focused on building the best AWG on the market. Today, with bottled water now the #1 beverage sold in the world, but with our aquifers being contaminated, our solution couldn't be timelier to avert another environmental catastrophe with so much plastic waste proliferating and choking our eco-system. I truly believe we have an amazing partnership to avert a catastrophe." Contact Information:Paul ShmotolokhaCEOpaul.shmotolokha@newuseenergy.com +1 (202) 285-3371SOURCE: New Use EnergyView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:50:19 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 676 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Las Vegas SandsLas Vegas SandsWith a capacity-building investment from Sands Cares, the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) has created a series of events, awareness programs and engagement initiatives to increase access to medical and social services among Southern Nevada's diverse Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.Announced in mid-2023, the latest round of Sands Cares funding for ACDC continued support for the Healthy Asians and Pacific Islanders (HAPI) Medical Center and the API Language Link, which provide critical in-language health and social services to the Southern Nevada AAPI community.Since that time, ACDC has used the Sands Cares investment to create a series of community health and wellness events to boost awareness of the medical center's services and drive visits. ACDC co-hosted more than 40 events that delivered health screenings, wellness information and 2,000 vaccines to 1,500 clients.The nonprofit planned events at venues trusted by the Southern Nevada AAPI community, including grocery stores, the Uu Dam Pagoda Vietnamese Temple, Northern Nevada Muslim Community Center and the Martin Luther King Jr. Senior Center. Medical center staff and care providers communicated with attendees in their preferred languages to explain services available to them.According to ACDC, health and wellness events at these locations have been a successful strategy, driving more than 250 patients in 2023 to seek care at the HAPI Medical Center - in the language with which they feel most comfortable.ACDC also has pursued expansion of its API Language Link with Sands Cares funding. In 2021, Sands enabled ACDC to launch the language service, which connects Southern Nevada AAPI community members to a variety of social services. With Sands Cares' most recent investment, ACDC has expanded the language link to include nine language specialists who can provide support in 10 languages.The API Language Link connects community members to health care services at the HAPI Medical Center and ACDC's other direct service locations, including a culturally sensitive food distribution warehouse in Las Vegas and a second community resource center in Reno, Nevada.ACDC followed a strategy similar to the health and wellness community engagement series to expand its food outreach efforts by planning a series of pop-up events in trusted places where the organization provided food staples and supplies. Venues included the Buddhaya Nandharam Temple, the Wat Buddhica Khmer Temple, the Diwali Food Distribution and a partnership with the Filipino American Educators of Nevada (FAME) for a holiday food distribution event.API Language Link staff were on site at the pop-up events to educate about the array of services ACDC offers. Through the food outreach series, the nonprofit provided nearly 2,500 families and nearly 6,000 individuals with food supplies."Sands Cares has made it possible for us to pursue a robust slate of events in the places where our community members feel most comfortable so we can further establish the HAPI Medical Center and the API Language Link as trusted resources for our communities," Vida Lin, founder and president of ACDC, said. "We are grateful that Sands understands the need for in-language services to increase access to critical resources. The Sands Cares support we received has helped ensure we reach as many people as possible with the broad array of services we provide." ACDC's mission is to improve the overall well-being of AAPI communities through initiatives spanning food assistance, voter registration, health insurance support, pathways to citizenship and health care. Since 2021, Sands has provided $425,000 to support this mission through the HAPI Medical Center and API Language Link.The company's partnership with ACDC is representative of Sands Cares' focus on providing hardship relief and enabling underserved groups, including diverse communities, to overcome barriers and gain access to critical and empowering services.To learn more about Sands' community engagement initiatives, read the company's latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/2022-environmental-social-and-governance-report/ ACDC language staff assisting community members at community outreach events View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Las Vegas Sands on 3 blmedia.com . Contact Info: Spokesperson: Las Vegas SandsWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/las-vegas-sands Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Las Vegas Sands PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 22:01:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 471 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / In an era dominated by digital transactions, Y.I Escrow, a prominent Australian funds management business, is taking pioneering steps to enhance the security and integrity of escrow transactions. As the leading independent provider of Responsible Entity, Trustee, Corporate Trust, Custody, Fund Administration, and Registry Services, Y.I Escrow is committed to ensuring a safer and more reliable environment for its clients.Y.I Escrow: A Trusted Name in Funds Management Y.I Escrow has carved a niche as a leading independent Australian funds management business, specializing in responsible entity, trustee, corporate trustee, custodian services, and fund administration services. With a focus on professional fiduciary and administration services, the company operates multiple licensed entities to act as responsible entities and trustees for both registered and unregistered managed investment schemes.Comprehensive Fiduciary Solutions As a testament to its commitment to comprehensive fiduciary solutions, Y.I Escrow's subsidiaries are uniquely positioned to cater to the diverse needs of investment managers. The company offers a complete outsourcing solution or personalized and cost-effective single services. Whether dealing with boutique fund managers or established global players, Y.I Escrow's team possesses the practical expertise to provide services that align with the client's strategic objectives.Aiden Hamilton on Fortifying Escrow Transactions Aiden Hamilton, Compliance Officer at Y.I Escrow shares insights into the company's latest initiative to fortify escrow transactions: "In the ever-evolving landscape of online transactions, the security of escrow processes is paramount. Y.I Escrow recognizes the importance of staying ahead of modern-day threats and has implemented cutting-edge security measures to ensure a secure and reliable escrow experience for our clients." Addressing Modern-Day Threats Y.I Escrow has bolstered its security measures to counteract modern-day threats effectively. The company now employs robust encryption protocols, multi-factor authentication, and continuous monitoring of transaction activities. These enhancements are designed to mitigate risks associated with cyber threats, including phishing, identity theft, and other malicious activities.Clientele and Global Reach Y.I Escrow's clientele includes Australian and global listed companies, sovereign wealth funds, banks, insurance companies, pension funds, private equity firms, and boutique managers. The company's commitment to excellence has positioned it as a trusted partner for entities seeking reliable and secure funds management services.About Y.I Escrow: Y.I Escrow is Australia's leading independent funds management business, offering Responsible Entity, Trustee, Corporate Trust, Custody, Fund Administration, and Registry Services. With a focus on security, transparency, and efficiency, Y.I Escrow serves a diverse clientele, including global entities, as a trusted partner in funds management.For further information on Y.I Escrow's comprehensive services and enhanced security measures, please visit https://yiescrow.com /.Contact detailsWebsite link: https://yiescrow.com/ Name of company: Y.I Escrow Contact person: Aiden Hamilton (Compliance officer) Country: Australia City: Sydney Email:compliance@ yiescrow.com SOURCE: Y.I Escrow PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 22:15:48 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 308 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 DERBY, VT / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / On January 17, 2024, the Board of Directors of Community National Bank (OTCQX:CMTV) (the Bank), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Bancorp. (the Company), appointed Christopher L. Caldwell, age 58, to the position of President of the Bank, effective immediately. Kathryn M. Austin, who previously held the combined titles of Bank President and Chief Executive Officer, will continue to serve as the Bank's Chief Executive Officer. No changes were made to the Company's officers.As previously reported, Mr. Caldwell, who currently serves as the Company's Vice President, was appointed to Boards of Directors of the Company and the Bank, effective January 1, 2024. Mr. Caldwell joined the Bank in April 2021 as Senior Vice President and Senior Lender and was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer in July of that year. He brings 30 years of community banking and leadership experience to his new position as Bank President.Mr. Caldwell's appointment follows the Bank's leadership succession planning process in preparation for the planned retirement of Ms. Austin. Ms. Austin will retain her positions as Chief Executive Officer of the Bank and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company until her retirement at year-end 2024. She has been employed with the Bank for over 40 years and has served as chief executive of both the Bank and the Company since 2017, as a director of the Company since 2013 and as a director of the Bank since 2012.Community National Bank is an independent bank that has been serving its communities since 1851. CNB has offices located in Derby, Barre, Barton, Derby Line, Enosburg Falls, Island Pond, Lyndonville, Montpelier, Morrisville, Newport, St. Johnsbury and Troy and Loan Production Offices in Burlington and Lebanon, NH. For more information about CNB please visit communitynationalbank.com For more information contact:Tracy D. Roberts VP & Marketing Director 802-487-3512 troberts@ communitynationalbank.com SOURCE: Community Bancorp. Inc Vermont Corrupt official Roman Hrynkevych, who had been hiding from the State Bureau of Investigation in Odesa for several days, was found and detained allegedly while trying to cross the border. In court, he gave comments to journalists, where he laughed ironically when asked about his ex-girlfriend, Sonya Moroziuk, to whom he gave two incredibly expensive gifts. These were a Graff engagement ring worth over $50,000 and a Cartier necklace worth over $14,000. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, the artist stated that she "remains Sonya Moroziuk" and breaks off relations with the son of Lviv businessman and corrupt official Ihor Hrynkevych, who profited from the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Probably, this event "hurt" Roman's feelings, so he hated his ex-wife, which was clearly visible from his sarcastic smile while commenting in court. During his testimony, Roman Hrynkevych said that before the investigation began, he had traveled abroad 11 times on business for his charity foundation Hope.UA. At the same time, the reporters asked him to comment on the photos of Sonia Morozyuk from abroad, who probably accompanied his "beloved". Roman refused to answer. ADVERTISIMENT "You know, I don't want to comment on personal issues with the girl. I don't want to comment on anything related to her. I have personal reasons for this," he replied. Sophia probably "pissed off" the Hrynkevych family a lot. However, she herself also fell under the culture of abolition. Her work was massively removed from the murals. The wall with Morozyuk's graffiti on Andriyivskyy Descent has already been painted gray. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:01:28 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 551 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Outstanding remote service and support technology emphasize remarkable augmented reality and digital twin use casesPLANO, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 /CareAR, a Xerox company and Service Experience Management (SXM) market leader, announced that Keypoint Intelligence named CareAR a Buyers Lab (BLI) 2024 Pick Award winner for the Platform for Outstanding Remote Service & Support Technology. CareAR Instruct achieved a Platinum rating, and CareAR Assist achieved a Gold rating in Keypoint Intelligence testing.CareAR Instruct Step-by-Step Guidance Uses digital twin and AI with augmented reality to verify each action.Keypoint evaluates vendors based on product performance, value, and additional attributes to expand use cases using CareAR's AR and digital twin capabilities. CareAR Instruct fundamentally impacts self-solve and training for field technicians, manufacturers, and customers.The award recognizes CareAR Instruct as an augmented reality platform revolutionizing how technical issues are identified and resolved. The platform was highly rated for its immersive knowledge transfer experiences, administrative security, and value in reducing operational costs.The platform provides an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface for creating self-guided experiences. It also offers natural language search, comprehensive device support, and a streamlined experience. Through CareAR Instruct Experience Builder, users can easily create and publish instructive content, ranging from simple 2D to interactive 3D digital twins. CareAR Assist empowers remote visual AR assistance and offers guidance for field and customer service operations, reducing the need for on-site visits and improving sustainability."CareAR digital twin and augmented reality self-solve, and remote assist are transforming field service and contact center organizations with immersive knowledge transfer that innovatively resolve issues and enhance customer and employee experience," said CareAR's President, Kirk Pothos.About CareARCareAR, A Xerox company, is a leading SXM company. CareAR makes expertise accessible instantly through remote, live visual augmented reality [AR] and AI interactions, instructions, and insights as part of a seamless digital workflow. CareAR bridges the skills gap, accelerating knowledge transfer and improving operational efficiency. It sets a new benchmark in the SXM category by enhancing customer outcomes and safety. For more information, visit carear.com About Keypoint IntelligenceFor over 60 years, clients in the digital imaging industry have relied on Keypoint Intelligence for independent hands-on testing, lab data, and extensive market research to drive their product and sales success. Keypoint Intelligence has been recognized as the industry's most trusted resource for unbiased information, analysis, and awards due to decades of analyst experience. Customers have harnessed this mission-critical knowledge for strategic decision-making, daily sales enablement, and operational excellence to improve business goals and increase bottom lines. Keypoint Intelligence continues to evolve with a central focus on clients as the industry changes by expanding offerings and updating methods while intimately understanding and serving manufacturers', channels', and their customers' transformation in the digital printing and imaging sector.About BLI Smart Workplace Software Pick AwardsBuyers Lab Smart Workplace Software Picks are distinguished in the industry due to their hard-earned awards based on rigorous testing. The evaluation includes key attributes like features, usability, and value. Each product that passes its Keypoint Intelligence lab test earns a Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Bronze rating, with the best performers qualifying as Pick contenders.Media Contact:Steve Chirokas, CareAR, +1-781-929-0015, steve.chirokas@carear.com Contact InformationSteve ChirokasDirector, Product Marketingsteve.chirokas@carear.com 7819290015SOURCE: CareAR, A Xerox CompanyView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:32:47 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 519 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / National plaintiffs law firm Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP encourages investors in ChargePoint Holdings, Inc. ("ChargePoint" or the "Company") (NYSE:CHPT) who suffered losses from purchasing or otherwise acquiring the securities of ChargePoint between June 1, 2023 and November 16, 2023 to contact us immediately regarding a pending securities fraud class action against ChargePoint. The deadline to apply to be lead plaintiff is January 29, 2024.Class Period: June 1, 2023 - November 16, 2023Lead Plaintiff Motion Deadline: January 29, 2024Case information: lieffcabraser.com/securities/chargepoint Contact us: Email or text investorinfo@ lchb.com or call 1-800-541-7358ChargePoint is an electric vehicle infrastructure company. Its core business involves providing networked solutions for charging electric vehicles, including the ChargePoint cloud subscription platform and charging hardware.The action alleges ChargePoint made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that it was experiencing elevated component costs and supply overruns for first generation direct current ("DC") charging products and, as a result, the Company's business and prospects were much worse than defendants claimed.On September 6, 2023, after the market closed, ChargePoint reported its second quarter fiscal year 2024 financial results, including an "$28.0 million, or 19 percentage point, inventory impairment charge." The Company stated the "inventory impairment charge was taken to address legacy supply chain-related costs and supply overruns on a particular DC product." As a result, ChargePoint reported a second quarter generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") gross margin of 1%, down from 17% in the prior year's same quarter. On this news, the Company's share price declined $0.77 per share, or 11%, from its closing price of $7.06 on September 6, 2023, to close at $6.29 per share on September 7, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.Then, on November 16, 2023, after the market closed, ChargePoint released preliminary financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, which included an "additional non-cash inventory impairment charge" in the amount of $42 million "related to product transitions and to better align inventory with current demand." As a result, the Company expected to report "GAAP gross margin of negative 23% to negative 21%." ChargePoint also reported revenue had fallen to "$108 million to $113 million, as compared to $150 to $165 million as previously expected." Moreover, the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer were both replaced, effective immediately. On this news, the ChargePoint's share price declined $1.11 per share, or 35%, from its closing price of $3.13 on November 16, 2023, to close at $2.02 per share on November 17, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.About Lieff CabraserLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP, with over 120 attorneys in offices in San Francisco, New York, Nashville, and Munich, Germany, is an internationally recognized law firm committed to advancing the rights of investors and promoting corporate responsibility. Recognized as a "Plaintiffs' Powerhouse" by Law360, Lieff Cabraser has litigated some of the most important civil cases in the United States, and has assisted clients in recovering over $129 billion in verdicts and settlements. For over 50 years, Lieff Cabraser has remained committed to ensuring access to justice for all.Source/ContactSharon LeeLieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP415 956-1000 slee@ lchb.com SOURCE: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:16:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 873 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 By Kelly PetrichNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Cisco Systems Inc.Cisco was honored last year to win the top spot on People's 2023 List of Companies That Care, and a key factor was our employee culture of giving back.We've been on a multi-year journey to engage our employees for positive impact at scale. Four years in, the results surprised even us. Not only did we see significant increases in donations and volunteerism to our global communities, but tangible benefits back to Cisco."We learned from Cisco's own business transformation to make giving back a habit." Leveraging Business Transformation for Employee GivingIt all started with an audacious goal around 2016 to engage 80% of our employees in giving back annually by the year 2020. We diligently adopted best practices in the field such as offering year-round donation matching, raised annual match amounts to $25,000 per employee, and offered 40 hours of volunteer time off per year. These were an excellent foundation and edged our engagement up to 50%. Good, but not enough.The breakthrough came when we shifted to learn from Cisco's own business transformation and re-design around the question: How do we make giving back a habit? We landed on these design principles:Center on inclusion and make it simple for nonparticipants to take their first give back action. For example, we provided new hires with $15 donation credits to direct to their preferred charity on their first day at Cisco.Leverage digitization to engage at scale. From virtual volunteerism to Webex chatbots that encouraged people to donate, we deployed digital features to keep it top of mind, make it easy to get started, and keep coming back.Follow the data. In near real time, we tested new programs and approaches, tweaked campaigns and communications, and monitored adoption rates all to help us get the best fit for and connection with our people.We continued to iterate through 2019, and that year we hit our goal with 81% employee participation. Since then, we haven't looked back. We have been sustaining these rates, including an increase to 85% participation in fiscal year 2023.Hitting our goal felt like a feat unto itself, but what came out of it was even better-increased social impact and substantial business value. Let's look at the numbers.Leveraging Employee Giving for Social ImpactNot surprisingly, engaging at scale grew our employee volunteerism and giving exponentially. From 2016 to 2020 when we first hit 80%, we saw a 176% increase in volunteer hours and a 150% increase in employee donations and matching.And each year that we've hit 80%, we have sustained record levels of contributions, providing a total of $130 million to over 7,000 nonprofits over the past four years. When you look closely at the nearly one million actions taken over these years, you see meaningful stories of change, like:400 employees and friends hiking the Camino de Santiago trail in Spain to raise funds for global cancer charities Six Cisco engineers designing and installing a network for homeless shelters in San Jose, California, so residents can access information and resources for a better life Cisco employee Daniel volunteers every week to take live calls with the Trevor Project to support LGBTQ+ youth experiencing crisis Leveraging Social Impact for Business ValueCisco's purpose is to Power an Inclusive Future for All, and at the heart of this is the belief that doing good for the world is good for business-and we have the data to prove that it is.With the help of Cisco's Research and Intelligence team, we conducted a longitudinal study to explore the relationship between giving back at Cisco and individual, leader, and team performance data. We examined the first three years of Cisco's 80% engagement data-who gave back, what they did, and how frequently-against performance data to analyze business factors like attrition, promotion, bonuses, and recognition.The results were eye-opening. Compared to employees who did not take any community impact action, those who took at least one per year stayed longer at Cisco, had higher bonuses, had higher odds of promotion, and received more recognition from others.The same held true for specific subgroups like teams, leaders, and new hires. For example, when a team collectively engaged in giving back, the whole team had higher rates of promotion and higher recognition.Particularly compelling was that when leaders engaged in giving back, their team was more likely to give back as well. Such leaders had 20% lower attrition rates for their teams than their non-engaged counterparts.Doing Good for the World is Good for BusinessWhen we put these elements together-social impact and business value-this is the foundation for building a purpose-driven employee culture. Our journey has helped us demonstrate that making a positive impact to our world also makes an incredibly positive impact for Cisco.And like any good story, the end is just the beginning. While we continue to engage at scale, we also invite our broader ecosystem of business partners, customers, and suppliers to join us. Check out our Partnering for Purpose blog stories for examples and contact us to share your story.View original content here.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Cisco Systems Inc. on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: Cisco Systems Inc.Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/cisco-systems-incEmail: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Cisco Systems Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:31:58 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 304 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Core State Holdings, Corp., a leading innovator in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency solutions, today announced the launch of its pioneering cryptocurrency Crowdfunding module on PTPShopy. This new feature offers entrepreneurs, non-profits, charities, influencers, and creators a dynamic platform for fundraising using cryptocurrency, marking a significant advancement in digital commerce.Similar to Buy Me a Coffee' and Patreon', the PTPShopy Crowdfunding module reforms the way projects and ideas are funded. It provides a user-friendly and secure environment for businesses and individuals to raise necessary funds via direct Crowdfunding and Donation-Based Crowdfunding. With its global reach and crypto-friendly nature, the module ensures that projects can connect with supporters worldwide.Key features of the module include effortless fundraising, a cryptocurrency payment gateway for secure transactions, and customizable campaign options. It also boasts real-time analytics, allowing campaigners to track the progress and adjust strategies accordingly."PTPShopy's Crowdfunding module is designed to empower businesses and creators," said Daniel Cheine, Founder and Director of Business Development at Core State Holdings, Corp. "We are excited to offer a tool that not only simplifies the fundraising process but also expands the possibilities for global support through cryptocurrency." The launch of this module aligns with Core State Holdings, Corp.'s mission to innovate and expand the accessibility of blockchain technologies. It paves the way for a new era of community-driven support and project financing.For more information about the PTPShopy Crowdfunding module and to start your campaign, visit PTPShopy Crowdfunding.About Core State Holdings, Corp.Core State Holdings, Corp., based in Ontario, Canada, is a software development company specializing in blockchain services and products since 2017. With a focus on innovation and accessibility, Core State Holdings, Corp. is committed to advancing the global mass adoption of cryptocurrencies.CONTACT:ocheine@ cannasos.com SOURCE: Core State Holdings, Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:01:54 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 543 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Dollar General Corporation ("Dollar General" or "the Company") (NYSE:DG) and certain of its officers.Class Definition:This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Dollar General securities between May 28, 2020 and August 30, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/dg Case Details:The Complaint alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Dollar General stores were chronically understaffed and suffering from logistical and inventory management problems which left stores with tens of millions of dollars' worth of outdated and unwanted inventory, mispriced goods, and lost and damaged items; (ii) large backlogs of unsellable merchandise had built up at Dollar General's stores, which inventory had not been timely written down due to understaffing and Dollar General's failure to manage its inventory; (iii) the allotment of employee hours per store per week imposed by Dollar General management placed employees in virtually impossible situations where assigned tasks, including those necessary to effective store operations, could not be completed within the allotted time; (iv) Dollar General was systematically overcharging customers for items upon checkout above the listed price in violation of state laws, including state law violations identified by state regulators in Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio; (v) Dollar General's reported revenue and earnings during the Class Period were artificially inflated by defendants' over-pricing scheme; (vi) Dollar General's failure to manage store inventories and accurately price items upon checkout risked the loss of customers, lower sales, adverse regulatory actions, and reputational fallout; and (vii) Dollar General was not on track to achieve its guidance during the Class Period and such guidance lacked a reasonable factual basis.What's Next?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/dg or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Law Clerk and Client Relations Manager, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Dollar General you have until January 26, 2024, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.Contact:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Yael Nathanson332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 04:51:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 432 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / January 22, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 26, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in securities class action lawsuits against Dollar General Corporation (NYSE:DG), if they purchased the Company's securities between May 28, 2020 and August 31, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). These actions are pending in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Dollar General and would like to discuss your legal rights and how the case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-dg/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byJanuary 26, 2024 .About the LawsuitDollar General and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On August 31, 2023, the Company announced its 2Q 2023 financial results, disclosing among other things, cuts to its FY23 sales and profit outlook, decreases in operating profits of 24.2% and EPS of 28.5%, and that it "expect[ed] an incremental operating profit headwind of up to $170 million in the second half of 2023," consisting of $95 million for markdowns on existing inventory and $75 million on increased store personnel to support inventory and pricing control measures.On this news, the price of Dollar General's shares plummeted $19.16 per share, or 12%, on August 31, 2023, on unusually high trading volume of more than 19 million shares.The case is Washtenaw County Employees' Retirement System v. Dollar General Corporation, et al., 23-cv-01250. A subsequent case expanded the class period, Edmonds v. Dollar General Corporation, et al., 23-cv-01259.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:31:56 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 452 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Equum Medical announces an initiative with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), addressing the pressing healthcare challenges faced by underserved populations in rural Mississippi through innovative telehealth solutions. This initiative marks a significant effort toward healthcare accessibility and quality for all by coupling the pillars of telehealth: people, process and technology.A significant portion of Mississippi's population resides in rural and remote areas, where healthcare access remains a persistent challenge. The Delta Region, in particular, faces economic and infrastructure disparities, resulting in limited access to quality healthcare services. Rural hospitals in these areas often struggle with limited financial resources, severe physician shortages and restricted access to specialized care. UMMC has emerged as a pioneering institution in the field of telehealth, aiming to address the critical healthcare challenges faced by the rural population in Mississippi, particularly in the Delta Region. In 2017 UMMC was recognized as one of only two federally designated Centers of Excellence in Telehealth, and with this designation, UMMC is tasked by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to explore innovative ways to advance telemedicine practice.Telehealth has emerged as a transformative approach to bridge the healthcare gap in rural areas. By utilizing technology, telehealth enables healthcare professionals to reach patients remotely, providing consultations, diagnoses and treatment recommendations. For a market like Mississippi, ensuring adequate provider availability is a specific requirement to support telehealth program services and scale. Enter Equum Medical and Dynamic Virtual Resourcing; dynamic resourcing involves the real-time allocation of healthcare professionals and resources based on patient needs, demand fluctuations and service availability.Equum Medical CEO Dr. Corey Scurlock expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying, "Equum Medical is proud to work with the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the effort to transform rural healthcare. We have a shared vision of leveraging technology to overcome barriers to healthcare access." The initiative is expected to not only provide essential high-acuity care services to underserved populations but also serve as a reference tool for others seeking to replicate the model of comprehensive telehealth integration and dynamic resource allocation.About Equum MedicalEquum Medical is a nationally recognized, tech-enabled clinical services company that provides the people and processes that ensure investments in telehealth technology succeed in transforming inpatient care. Equum's clinical services platform focuses on the acute care population spanning ED, ICU, nursing, sitter and telemetry services solutions. For 2024, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has designated Equum Medical as its exclusive Health Information Technology Coalition Partner and Equum Medical continues to be a partner and Gold member of the NRHA. Learn more here at www.equummedical.com ContactKarsten Russell-WoodChief Marketing Officer, Equum Medical karsten.russell-wood@equummedical.com SOURCE: Equum Medical PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:01:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 550 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Brand Recognized on Prestigious Franchise List Based on Franchisee Satisfaction and named in Entrepreneur Top 500 for the 11 th consecutive yearST. LOUIS, MO / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / MassageLuXe , a rapidly expanding massage and spa franchise that sets the industry standard for membership-based massage and facial services, is proud to announce several significant achievements that underscore its position as a leader in the wellness industry.For the 11th consecutive year, MassageLuXe has been included in the prestigiousEntrepreneur Franchise 500list, a testament to its sustained growth and excellence in franchising. This recognition is a clear indicator of the brand's robust business model and its appeal to potential franchisees.A stellar rating based on franchisee satisfaction secured the brand a spot on the Franchise Business Review list ofTop 200 franchises . Not only was MassageLuXe the only massage/spa brand to be named on this list, but the brand stood out among all franchise opportunities by posting a weighted score of 81, well above the Franchise Business Review Benchmark of 69.MassageLuXe's commitment to innovation and excellence garnered the brand two major industry honors for its custom point-of-sales software. Franchise Business Review named MassageLuXe aTop Innovative Franchise Brandand awarded First Place in Innovation Awards for Use of Technology byFranchise Updatemagazine. Both awards highlight the brand's forward-thinking approach to leveraging technology for business growth and customer satisfaction."Happy and successful franchisees are the greatest indicator of our brand's success. Being named as one of the top brands for franchisee satisfaction by Franchise Business Review is a testament to our commitment to excellence for our franchisees," said Mark Otter, President and CEO of MassageLuXe. "This, along with being named to the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list for 11 years, is a significant achievement for us. We're proud of our team's hard work and dedication, which have been instrumental in our success and growth." 2023 marked a year of remarkable growth for MassageLuXe. The brand opened 11 new spa locations. Building on this momentum, the brand plans to open 25 new locations in 2024. This expansion is particularly noteworthy as MassageLuXe is on track to surpass 100 locations in the first half of 2024."We are excited about hitting the 100 locations mark this year. Only 16% of franchises in the United States reach that milestone, and we are so proud to become part of this elite group," said Kristen Pechacek, Chief Growth Officer for the brand. Pechacek added, "This significant achievement demonstrates the strength and scalability of the MassageLuXe franchise model and provides an attractive opportunity for those looking to invest in a proven franchise model in the thriving wellness industry." To learn more about the brand or to discover franchising opportunities with MassageLuXe, visit https://massageluxe.com/franchise-opportunities/ MEDIA CONTACT:Nancy Bostrom nbostrom@919 marketing.com (919) 459 - 8163About MassageLuXeFounded in 2008 in St. Louis, Missouri, MassageLuXe is a fast-growing franchise-based spa company with a mission to provide an unparalleled experience that supports and encourages health, well-being, and quality of life. MassageLuXe delivers the highest quality massage, facial, and waxing services in a comfortable, relaxing, and luxurious environment.Massage is a service that improves health, promotes relaxation and overall well-being for the consumer, and has been practiced throughout the world for thousands of years. MassageLuXe currently has more than 86 locations across 22 states and is planning to expand to 250 locations in the next three years.SOURCE: MassageLuXe PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 04:51:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 439 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / January 22, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until January 26, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Fisker Inc. (NYSE:FSR), if they purchased or otherwise acquired the Company's securities between August 4, 2023 and November 20, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.What You May DoIf you purchased securities of Fisker and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-fsr/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byJanuary 26, 2024 .About the LawsuitFisker and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On November 13, 2023, the Company announced its 3Q 2023 financial results, disclosing among other things, a loss of $91.0 million and a $0.27 loss per share, a cut to its production forecast for the year, and also that it would be unable to timely file its Quarterly Report for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 due to material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting. On this news, the price of Fisker's shares plummeted by $0.77, or 18.7%, to close at $3.34 per share on November 14, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.Then, on November 20, 2023, the Company disclosed the departure of its chief accounting officer, recently hired on November 6, 2023. On this news, the price of Fisker's shares plummeted by $0.35, or 15%, to close at $2.00 per share on November 21, 2023, on unusually heavy trading volume.The case is Zahabi v. Fisker Inc., et al., 23-cv-09976.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit www.ksfcounsel.com Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partnerlewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:51:33 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 775 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / For the past 30 years, Pilar Fernandez has navigated living with metastatic breast cancer. And while she's faced a series of related health challenges, it hasn't slowed her down.Instead, Pilar's experience and desire to help others motivated her to co-found the Metastatic Breast Cancer Association (AECMM) in her home country of Spain. With 2,000 members from a dozen different countries, the organization seeks to empower people with a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and help them share their stories.It was through this work that Pilar and AECMM were pitched an innovative idea: to use artificial intelligence to share the experiences of women living with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).Using AI to Raise mTNBC Awareness The first iteration of this partnership was christened Paintings of Hope. Through a collaboration with Gilead, the AECMM found three women through their network to share oral accounts of living with mTNBC. Those interviews were converted into sound waves, and an AI robot used the sound files to create nine unique paintings that depict the emotional weight of living with this diagnosis."We were very surprised from the beginning to see the paintings made with AI, and how they captured three situations: the diagnosis, with dark colors, the acceptance and the future," Pilar says. "It is a very innovative way to give visibility to the disease." The three women who participated were awed by the outcome. "It was a mixture of amazement at how accurate artificial intelligence could be, and excitement at seeing the art created from their story," explains Pilar. "We had never seen anything like it - nothing that transforms the emotions of the patients onto a painting." The project's avant-garde concept was recognized with numerous honors, including a Clio Award, and was empowering for those who participated. "It's their own story that they are sharing with us," Pilar says.From Paintings to Portraits: Personalizing Stories of Hope Paintings of Hope, which included the images and information on the women's experiences, were displayed in hospitals around Spain and are estimated to have been seen by more than 50,000 healthcare professionals. The work was also shown to government officials when it was displayed in the entrance to the Spanish Parliament in late 2022. After its success, Gilead and AECMM teamed up for one more project, which was launched late last fall. Portraits of Hope takes an even more personal approach, with the AI machines set aside in favor of several well-known Spanish artists.The goal was to feature the same three women from Paintings of Hope in Portraits of Hope. But in the months between projects, one of the women - a woman from Malaga named Angela - passed away. This was hard for Pilar. "Angela's story is unique because her son is autistic and the responsibility of caring for him made her struggle with her situation," she says. "So soon after her death, once we started to think about the second phase of the project, we contacted her husband to see if he would like to take her place, so that we continue to feel Angela's presence." He picked up the rest of the story, sitting in for her in the second series.This time, the process was different. While the AI machines had simply processed the data from interviews into art, the artists themselves bring their reactions into these new pieces. As the women told their stories, the artists wore a device around their chests that allowed them to hear their subjects' heartbeats. The resulting works of art are now being exhibited in different hospitals across Spain.Both projects are part of Gilead's efforts to spotlight the voices of people living with cancer. As for Pilar, she hopes the art shows will help raise awareness about mTNBC and the need for early diagnostics and more research. It's a personal journey for her; in the years since she and four other people founded AECMM, she's the last one still living.It's in the other women's memory, she says, that she continues this work.Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.Originally published by Gilead SciencesView additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gilead Sciences on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: Gilead SciencesWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gilead-sciences Email: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: Gilead Sciences Roman Hrynkevych , a person involved in a corruption scandal, appeared in Kyiv's Pechersk District Court wearing Louis Vuitton sneakers that cost almost 1,000 euros. Wearing the branded shoes, he listened to his pre-trial restraint - detention until March 17 - and talked to journalists. ADVERTISIMENT It was impossible to hide from the prying eyes of netizens that the director of the charity wears items from a luxury fashion house. By the way, this particular brand has repeatedly been involved in pro-Russian scandals since the start of the full-scale war. The defendant was wearing black sneakers with a recognizable logo, the price of which on the website is 870 euros (almost 36 thousand hryvnias). It is worth adding that another screenshot with the aforementioned shoes is also circulating online, where its price reaches 1600 dollars (60 thousand hryvnias). On the American website, the price of the same sneakers is 1100 dollars (more than 41 thousand hryvnias), while on the British website they can be found for the cheapest price - 815 euros. Prices are as of January 23. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, Hrynkevych was detained in Odesa on January 22 in the morning, where he was allegedly hiding from law enforcement. The defendant in the case stated that he did not know that he was wanted because his phones had been seized. As for the Louis Vuitton brand, it has repeatedly been the subject of loud controversy due to its clumsy advertising campaign, where it used the symbols "V" and "Z". The brand itself did not confirm the allegations. ADVERTISIMENT Later, however, an equally strange advertisement appeared on its page, again featuring the letter "V," red, white, and blue. It would seem that this is just the French tricolor and one of the main letters in the company's name, but Russians saw a completely different meaning in this, and the company did not contradict them. Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that it is not the first time that Ukrainians pay attention to shoes worn by scandalous and prominent personalities. For example, in 2022, users noticed that the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not indulge in luxury and wore $50 sneakers. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 08:00:40 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 971 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Garfield Update - Bonanza Silver & Uranium TargetSignificant Porphyry & Epithermal Potential Confirmed; Bonanza Silver Grade Returned; Uranium TargetLONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Golden Metal Resources plc ('Golden Metal' or the 'Company') (LON:GMET)(OTCQB:GMTLF), a strategic development and mineral exploration company focused on Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce an exploration update at the Company's 100% owned Garfield project located within the prolific Walker Lane Mineral Belt in Nevada, USA ("Garfield" or the "Project").The update follows on from the recent high-grade gold-silver-copper bedrock discovery made at Garfield which returned results up to 22.7g/t gold ("Au"), which the Company announced on 09 January 20241.HIGHLIGHTSDetailed analysis of the geological mapping and rock sampling analytical results received to date now completed.Magnetic Bullseye anomaly (often associated with intrusive porphyry centres) identified at the Project's High-Grade Zone.Now postulated that epithermal mineralisation overprints earlier porphyry mineralising event, increasing the overall prospectivity and most importantly the gold-silver potential of the 4km2 mineralised area.Bonanza silver (Ag) grades confirmed at Pamlico Gold Zone up to 1,225g/t Ag (incl. 18.35g/t Au & 1.89% copper). Uranium target identified near High-Grade Zone overlapping magnetic bullseye (see Figure 1 below).Oliver Friesen, CEO of Golden Metal, commented:"The results announced today are highly significant as we have gone from high-grade copper-gold-silver results achieved over a large footprint to now multiple overlapping geological datasets which strongly confirm the presence of a significant porphyry style system driving mineralisation across the Project."We also believe the provenance of the high gold and silver mineralisation looks to be related to overprinting epithermal style mineralisation, which is not typical of porphyry style systems and materially increases the overall prospectivity of the Project by greatly improving the gold-silver potential."The typical next stage when exploring for porphyry deposits is to search for a geophysical anomaly which could represent a porphyry centre at depth. To our excitement, this was identified by a third party survey and is located within the High-Grade Zone, which happens to be broadly overlapping the uranium target identified during the same exploration programme."With these transformational latest results in hand, the Company is quickly moving towards determining optimal next exploration steps to continue to drive this very exciting Project forward." FURTHER INFORMATIONDetailed analysis of recently collected rock sample geochemical assay data shows that mineralisation has strong porphyry/intrusion related geochemical association (e.g. with silver, bismuth, gold).Importantly, higher-grade gold-silver mineralisation now shown to have epithermal deposit geochemical signatures - representing a new deposit style not yet recognised at Garfield. It is postulated that epithermal gold-silver mineralisation locally overprints the original porphyry system within Garfield leading to very high gold-silver grades not typically associated with porphyry systems.The Company recently became aware that a uranium focused exploration company, conducted an unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV") magnetic and radiometric survey and ground spectrometer prospecting over part of the southern portion of the Garfield Project 3. Significantly, these results highlighted a strong radiometric as well as magnetic bullseye geophysical anomaly within the High-Grade Zone.Magnetic bullseyes are often associated with intrusive porphyry centres. Additionally, based on the full suite of results obtained by Kraken, a uranium target which also falls within Garfield was identified - near the southern edge of the High-Grade Zone as highlighted in Figure 1 below.Nevada State geological maps highlight two at surface intrusive units mapped as quartz monzonites to granodiorite, which are typical rock assemblages associated with porphyry deposits including the nearby Pumpkin Hollow Copper Mine owned by Nevada Copper (385.7Mst at 0.47% copper ("Cu"), 0.05g/t Au, 1.6g/t silver ("Ag"))2. These two mapped units crosscut both the High-Grade and Pamlico Au Zones. These mapped units are corroborated by field notes taken during the recently completed campaign which confirm many of the samples obtained were described as various granitoid (intrusive) rocks.High-grade copper-gold-silver mineralisation has now been defined over a circa 4km2 area, within the 100% Golden Metal owned project claim footprint with confirmed strong associations to both porphyry (intrusive), epithermal and related-skarn mineral deposits.In addition, final overlimit silver assay results from ALS USA Inc laboratory (using aqua regia assay method Ag-OG46) have now been received with results returning up to bonanza grade silver (1,225g/t Ag). The complete gold-silver-copper results achieved at the 'Pamlico Gold Zone' are outlined below and point to a very exciting newly staked target area for the Company:SampleGold Assay GradeSilver Assay GradeCopper Assay Grade72333618.35 g/t1,225 g/t1.89%7233377.5 g/t47.5 g/t0.42%7233389.97 g/t105 g/t0.28%72333922.7 g/t81 g/t0.24%7233404.98 g/t66.6 g/t0.74%MEDIAFigure 1 - Garfield Project showing the location of USGS mapped intrusive units which cross-cut both the High-Grade and Pamlico Au Zones. The uranium target recently identified is also shown in yellow and will be investigated during subsequent exploration campaigns.PROPERTY OWNERSHIPGolden Metal holds a 100% interest in the Garfield Project through its wholly-owned Nevada operating company, Golden Metal Resources LLC. A 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty ("NSR Royalty") Interest, of which 1% can be bought back at any time for US$1,000,000, is payable to Sunrise Resources plc (LON:SRES). The NSR Royalty covers the original Garfield Project claims as well as a 1 mile radius outside of those claims which covers roughly half of the current 'High-Grade Zone' footprint. The Pamlico Au Zone is entirely royalty free.COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENTThe technical information contained in this disclosure has been read and approved by Mr Nick O'Reilly (MSc, DIC, MIMMM, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist and acts as the Competent Person under the AIM Rules - Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr O'Reilly is a Principal consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which has been retained by Golden Metal Resources plc to provide technical support.REFERENCES1 Company announcement PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 16:15:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 502 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Elevator World, the premier elevator industry publication, announced the winners of its Project of the Year industry recognition awards. Hill Hiker, Inc. is proud to win the Inclined Lifts Award. Celebrating innovation and persistence.ORONO, MN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / In a monumental achievement, Hill Hiker, Inc. proudly announces its consecutive win of the prestigiousElevator World's Project of the Year Award for the second year running, solidifying its pioneering status in the industry. The award-winning project,"KSA Expo 2020 Pavilion,"is a testament to innovation, resilience, and unparalleled engineering prowess.The KSA Expo 2020 Pavilion in Saudi Arabia Hill Hiker, Inc. inspires innovation in its award-winning project, "KSA Expo 2020 Pavilion." Crafting Excellence Amidst Unconventionality The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's visionary pavilion at Expo 2020 defied architectural norms with a cantilevered marvel rising six stories at a daring 24-degree angle. Traditional elevators proved impractical, requiring a groundbreaking solution. Hill Hiker, Inc. answered the challenge, designing and installing two custom-inclined elevators that transformed this architectural marvel into an unparalleled opportunity.Confronting Challenges with Creativity Space limitations posed formidable hurdles, demanding inventive solutions. Hill Hiker, Inc. engineered end-loading inclined elevator cars, integrating architectural glass and minimal framing to seamlessly merge with the pavilion's exhibit, ensuring an uninterrupted experience for visitors.Navigating strict safety codes and regulations was another frontier. Hill Hiker, Inc. innovated with a reel system interfacing with custom-built rollers - solving the friction dilemma and ensuring compliance, despite the challenges posed by hardwired power requirements.Amidst the unparalleled challenges, the global pandemic disrupted operations. The team showed remarkable adaptability, maneuvering installations via remote communications and navigating travel restrictions with unwavering determination.The Climax of Innovation: Recognition and Triumph The completion of the KSA Pavilion project in August 2021 marked a triumph. Thorough inspection under the stringent ASME Code validated the elevators' safety and functionality. Facilitating over 4.6 million guests, the inclined elevators earned acclaim, bagging the UAE Innovation Award for "Best Innovation that Drives Mobility." This recognition celebrates collaborative effort. The synergy between Hill Hiker, VAA, TK Elevator, and others surmounted challenges, paving the way for an exceptional feat in inclined elevators.Conclusion: Elevating Standards, Defying Limits Hill Hiker, Inc.'s consecutive win of Elevator World's Project of the Year Award for "KSA Expo 2020 Pavilion" signifies an unwavering commitment to innovation, resilience, and excellence. This remarkable journey sets a new benchmark in elevator engineering, showcasing the transformative power of determination and innovation. The legacy of this project extends beyond recognition; it's a tribute to human ingenuity, perseverance, and the spirit that defies limitations.Founded in 1997 by Bill and Laurel MacLachlan, Hill Hiker, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative inclined elevators, specializing in pushing the boundaries of elevator engineering to redefine possibilities in architectural design.Find out more about Hill Hiker, Inc. by visiting our website athillhiker.com #HillHikerInc #InclinedfortheFuture #ElevatorEngineeringExcellenceContact Information:Duncan MacLachlanConstruction Manager | Marketing Manager | Service Specialistduncan@ hillhiker.com 952-476-2422Related FilesPOY-2024-winner copy.png SOURCE: Hill Hiker, Inc.View the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:51:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1099 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / BloombergDonnel Baird, Founder & CEO of BlocPowerOriginally published on bloomberg.com "I one hundred percent believe that the solutions to the climate crisis are inextricably woven with solutions to wealth equality," says Donnel Baird, the founder and CEO of BlocPower. The startup, which was founded in 2014, sources and implements sustainable building upgrades. But simply greening buildings is just the beginning of that work.In the eight years since its inception, BlocPower has produced a dizzying number of large-scale initiatives across the country: In 2022, the company partnered with the City of Ithaca, New York to retrofit its entire building stock by 2030, the first electrification initiative of its kind in the United States. That same year, it announced a plan to bring a similar program to Menlo Park, California, and has since launched decarbonization efforts in Denver, Oakland, San Jose, and other cities. Most recently, through a new partnership with the New York City Mayor's Office, BlocPower will train 3,000 workers for jobs in the local green economy. The startup has also recently expanded an AI-powered program to assist urban planners in their own sustainability initiatives, drawing on large swaths of data to model every building in the United States.BlocPower's work is deeply rooted in Baird's own background, first as a resident of a dilapidated Brooklyn building and later as an organizer working towards decarbonization and sustainable job growth. "Setting a vision, organizing resources and people, and navigating obstacles were all core skills we develop as community organizers," Baird says.Baird joined Caroline Hyde, co-host of "Bloomberg Technology" on Bloomberg Television, at Bloomberg's Global Headquarters in New York City on Thursday, September 28, 2023 for a conversation as part of the Cornell Tech @ Bloomberg Speaker Series. He shared lessons learned from his years as an organizer, how a mid-pandemic pivot saved his business, and why he thinks "AI for the sake of AI is not enough." An intimate knowledge of unsustainable housingA child of Guyanese immigrants, Baird grew up in what he characterizes as a neglected building in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The heat and hot water almost never worked, he says, and his parents worked nights. When he was a child, Baird was taught to heat the apartment using the oven. But his parents always reminded him to keep a window open to prevent CO2 poisoning. Later, as a climate activist, he'd walk his old neighborhood in the dead of winter and see entire apartment buildings with their windows open. "We're just burning fossil fuels," he says, "and we're paying for those fossil fuels, and the energy is just floating out the window." Following his graduation from Duke University, Baird returned to Brooklyn and spent four years as a community organizer, eventually working with the Obama administration's Department of Energy to hire young people from low-income areas like Brownsville to help make their neighborhood buildings greener. "We wanted to invest government money to create a freestanding green building industry in America, but we couldn't quite get it to work," he says. After a few years, Baird decided to reach those goals another way, and enrolled in Columbia Business School.BlocPower was founded during Baird's last semester at Columbia. "Wealthy buildings and low-income buildings burn the most fossil fuels per square foot," he says. "We figured as a new startup, our niche was going to be to focus on the financially underserved communities." Bringing "bleeding-edge hardware" to existing projects"I was really surprised to see how many skills from political organizing and community organizing applied to being a founder," says Baird, who considers his relationship with other founders as crucial as the ones he has with investors.When Baird spoke to Hyde, he'd just gotten off the plane from New Orleans, where BlocPower had signed a software contract with the city to figure out how to green the city's buildings and plan towards climate resilience. The city is also running out of clean water. BlocPower is sourcing solar photovoltaic technology to power the process of capturing air to turn it into clean water. "We're a platform that brings innovative, bleeding edge hardware into existing buildings and existing infrastructure projects," he says.In the first few years of BlocPower's operations, the company greened around 670 apartment buildings in Brooklyn. Large luxury apartment buildings burn a lot of energy, according to the founder, but low income developments are also particularly inefficient: "They're old and leaky," he says. "They're neglected because the folks who live there can't afford to do sustainability upgrades or even basic maintenance. You may have multiple families crammed into one apartment. You may have people who are unemployed and are at home all day using energy." Despite these early projects, BlocPower was running out of money in early 2020 - a particularly bad time to run low on funds, as the pandemic shut down most of the country. "But whether or not the company survives, you need to remain focused on the fact that there's a global pandemic, and people are dying left and right," Baird says. "So what are the ways that you can be of service?"As it turned out, the clean energy hardware BlocPower installed across New York was easy to rig into a series of data streams. The company connected a number of its buildings to the internet, allowing 10,000 people across the Bronx to access an essential utility for work and school."Out of that work," says Baird, "some of our VCs called us and said they wanted to offer us a term sheet to do our Series A. So we lived to fight another day." And so BlocBower did. The company subsequently announced a second fundraising round of $150 million in March of 2023, bringing the total capital the firm has raised to over $250 million.An AI model to democratize green engineering solutionsBlocPower recently bought and assembled a dataset that covers every building in the United States, creating a digital model of all 125 million buildings. The team then ran those models through an open source thermodynamic energy program from the Department of Energy. This software tool allows BlocPower to predict what kinds of green improvements will be most effective and financially viable, as well as how those improvements might impact pollution and energy bill reductions. Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez donated $5 million in Amazon stock to help develop this platform.On top of this work, th PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 04:51:26 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 393 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW ORLEANS, LA / ACCESSWIRE / January 22, 2024 / Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC ("KSF") and KSF partner, former Attorney General of Louisiana, Charles C. Foti, Jr., remind investors that they have until February 20, 2024to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:INSP), if they purchased the Company's shares between May 3, 2023 and November 7, 2023, inclusive (the "Class Period"). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.What You May DoIf you purchased shares of Inspire and would like to discuss your legal rights and how this case might affect you and your right to recover for your economic loss, you may, without obligation or cost to you, contact KSF Managing Partner Lewis Kahn toll-free at 1-877-515-1850 or via email ( lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com) , or visit https://www.ksfcounsel.com/cases/nyse-insp/ to learn more. If you wish to serve as a lead plaintiff in this class action, you must petition the Court byFebruary 20, 2024 .About the LawsuitInspire Medical and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.On November 7, 2023, post-market, the Company disclosed disappointing financial results for 3Q 2023, including "a decline in prior authorization submissions for patients seeking Inspire therapy," as well as problems with its highly touted "Acceleration Program" requiring "some corrective action." On this news, shares of Inspire Medical plummeted 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.The case is City of Hollywood Firefighters' Pension Fund v. Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., No. 23-cv-03884.About Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCKSF, whose partners include former Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr., is one of the nation's premier boutique securities litigation law firms. KSF serves a variety of clients - including public institutional investors, hedge funds, money managers and retail investors - in seeking recoveries for investment losses emanating from corporate fraud or malfeasance by publicly traded companies. KSF has offices in New York, California, Louisiana and New Jersey.To learn more about KSF, you may visit http://ksfcounsel.com/ Contact:Kahn Swick & Foti, LLCLewis Kahn, Managing Partner lewis.kahn@ksfcounsel.com 1-877-515-18501100 Poydras St., Suite 960New Orleans, LA 70163SOURCE: Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 13:30:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 613 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SANTA MONICA, CA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Kinder Ready , a leading advocate for early childhood education, is proud to announce the launch of an innovative Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) program designed to equip preschool children-six year olds with essential skills to navigate emotional milestones in today's ever-changing global community.Amidst the challenges faced by children, families, and the education community, Kinder Ready recognizes the critical need for fostering social and emotional development in early learners. The newly developed SEL program incorporates evidence-based strategies to enhance cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, attention control, working memory, emotional knowledge and expression, and more.At Kinder Ready, we believe that investing in the social and emotional well-being of our preschool populations is a cornerstone for building a positive future. The SEL program is not just a curriculum; it's a holistic approach to mental health, promoting inclusivity, gender sensitivity, and age-specific strategies tailored for children preschool to six years old.Key Features of the Kinder Ready SEL Program:Holistic approach addressing specific needs of preschoolers. Inclusive, gender-sensitive, and age-specific interventions. Rubric tracking system (1-4) for measuring developmental social and emotional skills. Brain research-backed activities to promote cognitive flexibility, response inhibition, attention control, and more.The SEL program emphasizes the importance of tracking and measuring progress through classroom observations, anecdotal records, and parent surveys. By implementing intentional SEL-based programs, Kinder Ready aims to reverse the effects of stress or emotional needs.As part of the commitment to creating safer and more secure school communities, Kinder Ready is determined to address the root causes of violence by expanding expertise in mental health and social-emotional learning for youth.SEL Day at a Glance:Empathy interviews Morning meeting with greetings and sharing time Activities, sorts, and discussions on kindness Read-alouds on emotions Peace place/calm-down corner for stress relief Brain breaks with dance parties and yoga Various interactive activities promoting SEL skillsIncorporating findings from brain research, Cognitive Flexibility component is designed to aid young learners in adapting their behavior and thought processes across various environments. This encompasses adjusting to new classrooms, environments, or changes within the home, as well as being open to meeting new peers. This skill involves seamlessly transitioning from the "big picture" to "smaller details" and vice versa.Moreover, Cognitive Flexibility fosters the ability to regulate stress, exhibit empathy towards others, and embrace novel experiences. To further support this, Kinder Ready implements assigned play groups and learning groups on occasion, strategically grouping children by color or number to facilitate interactions and help them adapt to new peers they may not typically engage with. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a well-rounded foundation for young learners, equipping them with the skills needed to navigate the complexities of their social, academic, and home environments.Kinder Ready believes that SEL is the pathway to positive learning outcomes, providing children with the tools to discuss their feelings, exhibit prosocial behaviors, and develop conflict resolution skills.Consequently, supporting parents and the community, Kinder Ready offers home extension handouts and parenting groups to share strategies for nurturing children socially and emotionally.About the Company - Kinder Ready:Kinder Ready is a dedicated advocate for early childhood education, committed to providing innovative programs and resources to support the social and emotional development of preschool children. With a vision for a safer and more secure school community, Kinder Ready focuses on empowering children, families, and educators with the tools they need for a positive future.For further information on Kinder Ready's SEL program, visit the following link: https://www.kinderready.com/ Media Details:Company Name: Kinder ReadyCompany's Website: https://www.kinderready.com/Contact Person Name: Elizabeth FraleyLocation: 1112 Montana Ave., Santa Monica CA 90403SOURCE: Kinder Ready PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 21:00:36 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 486 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The cannabis-themed restaurant and bar eagerly anticipates its opening and can't wait to light the joint up and be the undisputed local hangout for curing cottonmouth and the munchies.NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Motivated duo Scott and Dawn Atkins are true supporters of the brand. They are elated to become Cheba's newest owners and stoked to bring the "Toasted" sub and bar concept to a location that holds such a special place in their hearts.Despite Nashville being the partners' first shop opening, their association within the Chebaverse has been in the works for quite some time. First appearing on Cheba Hut's radar for their superb beer tap installation services, a friendship blossomed into a beneficial industry connection and the new joint is a direct result.Not only will this new Tennessee location be serving up a variety of dank subs, fluffy pretzel nugs, and gooey krispy treats that can cure any level of the munchies, but also, for the 21 and up homies, they'll be slinging some delicious wine and local brews from their bar that will obliterate any presence of cottonmouth.As Tennessee locals, Scott and Dawn understand the shop must reflect the out-of-this-world vibes of Cheba Hut and pair it with the rich history and personality of the city. One way they have expressed this is by implementing a galactic gallery of sorts, featuring famous landmarks and notable celebrities in outer space onto their center mural. Something you'll have to see to believe.Finley, Cheba Hut's staple mural artist, had done an impeccable job of fusing these two visions into an amazing work of art for all of Music City to enjoy.Seth Larsen, Chief Relations Officer for Cheba Hut, explains, "Music, art, hospitality, fantastic food and drink are what Cheba Hut and Nashville are built on and the mural inside the shop is one of my personal favorites to date." Get ready, Nashville-Donelson! The sub and bar concept's newest joint is ready to rock and roll into your city. Larsen continues, "Nashville has deserved a Cheba Hut of its own for a long time and we are stoked to now serve the fine folks of Music City for years to come." The shop, located at 329 Donelson Pike Nashville, TN 37214, opens its doors on Monday, 1/29. The brand is stoked to bring over 30 signature "toasted" subs, an array of delicious munchie treats, and cottonmouth cures for all ages (beer and wine for the 21+ homies) to the Nashville area.Mark your calendars, grab your best buds (pun intended), and celebrate the shop and its crew! For more information about opening day and upcoming events, check out @chebahut_nashvilledonelson.Contact InformationMel BanisterMarketing Managermel@ chebahut.com Related FilesFor Immediate Release Nashville will soon have its very own Cheba Hut Toasted Subs Location! .pdfSOURCE: Cheba Hut "Toasted" SubsView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 19:15:21 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 452 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 OTC availability as an erectile dysfunction treatment medication furthers interest in a topical alternative to Viagra and Cialis.VICTORIA, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Few, if any, new OTC medications have arrived on the market and generated as much interest as Eroxon has for men with erectile dysfunction. Eroxon has a different mechanism of action from oral ED drugs: it is a gel that is applied topically onto the skin. It is now available from Canada Drugs Direct and other Canadian online pharmacies that dispense medication for less.Canada Drugs Direct logo The buzz about Eroxon is that it is applied topically and works quickly, with claims that it will take effect within 10 minutes of application for most men. Eroxon, a topical gel, uses an evaporative effect to increase nitric oxide production, thereby enhancing the relaxation of smooth muscle tissue.Another aspect of Eroxon's growing appeal is that it can be purchased without a prescription due to being an over-the-counter (OTC) medication. In June of last year, the US FDA approved Eroxon. Men who find it effective may opt to continue using Eroxon instead of oral ED medications. For these individuals, ordering it in bulk from an online pharmacy might be a practical option.Another aspect of Eroxon's growing appeal is that it can be purchased without a prescription. Being an over-the-counter (OTC) medication means it is increasingly accessible, and a growing number of men are inquiring whether they can obtain Eroxon at pharmacies or drugstores near their homes. In June of last year, the US FDA approved Eroxon. Men who find it effective may opt to continue using Eroxon instead of oral ED medications. For these individuals, ordering it in bulk from an online pharmacy might be a practical option.The trend of US residents ordering medications from Canada to save money is not new. It is highly likely that the lower prices of Eroxon at Canadian online pharmacies will lead men to order Eroxon from Canada for the same reason. Men seeking an ED treatment that is readily accessible, and in non-pill form, can obtain Eroxon from Canada Drugs Direct.About the CompanyCanada Drugs Direct, a Canadian online pharmacy, is recommended for Americans looking to save money on medications by shopping at a Canadian pharmacy. Canada Drugs Direct sources medications in a manner that ensures competitive pricing on Canadian prescription drugs. Like any American pharmacy, all orders require a prescription and are dispensed by a licensed pharmacist. Save on prescription medications ordered online from Canada.Contact Canada Drugs Direct:info@ canadadrugsdirect.com Toll Free: 1-888-904-8467Contact InformationMarketing TeamMarketing Teammarketing@ canadadrugsdirect.com +1(888) 904-8467SOURCE: Canada Drugs DirectView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 13:30:21 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 412 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Irving Resources Inc. (CSE:IRV)(OTCQX:IRVRF) ("Irving" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Newmont Exploration Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newmont Corporation (collectively, "Newmont"), has designated the Yamagano and Noto properties (collectively, the "Property"), the exploration work on which has been funded under alliances formed by the Company with Newmont[1] and with Sumitomo Corporation ("Sumitomo")[2], for joint venture.The parties will use commercially reasonable best efforts to enter into a joint venture agreement or similar governing agreement within 90 days which is expected to include an exploration program up to an initial US$5 million. Initially, Property interests will be split 60% to Newmont, 27.5% to Irving, and 12.5% to Sumitomo if Sumitomo elects to participate, and Irving will be the initial joint venture manager. Irving and Sumitomo will have a one-time right to elect to maintain their respective interest in the Property by contributing their respective share of Property expenditures. If such right is not exercised, the relevant party's interest will be subject to dilution.About Irving Resources Inc.:Irving is a junior exploration company with a focus on gold in Japan. Irving resulted from completion of a plan of arrangement involving Irving, Gold Canyon Resources Inc. and First Mining Finance Corp.Additional information can be found on the Company's website: www.IRVresources.com Akiko Levinson,President, CEO & DirectorFor further information, please contact:Tel: (604) 682-3234Toll free: 1 (888) 242-3234Fax: (604) 971-0209info@ IRVresources.com Forward-looking informationSome statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation including, without limitation, statements as to planned exploration activities and the completion of a joint venture agreement or similar governing agreement within 90 days. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, customary risks of the mineral resource exploration industry, the availability to Irving of sufficient cash to fund any planned drilling and other exploration activities, as well as the performance of services by third parties.THE CSE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS RELEASE[1] Refer to the Company's news release dated April 23, 2019.[2] Refer to the Company's news release dated June 26, 2020.SOURCE: Irving Resources Inc PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 15:01:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 392 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CONSHOHOCKEN, PA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / NextEvo Naturals ("NextEvo" or the "Company"), a premium supplement brand focused on revolutionizing the delivery of nutritional compounds, today announced the newly improved berry flavor in their Caliper Berry Swiftstick.NextEvo Naturals Caliper Berry Swiftsticks Each Caliper Berry Swiftstick delivers a perfectly precise 20mg of CBD with a newly improved, delicious berry flavor that will have you feeling like a kid again. Need an afternoon boost but tired of late-day caffeine keeping you up at night? Caliper Swiftsticks are the answer. Just sprinkle it on your tongue and let it dissolve.These delightful sweet treats can be kept in the kitchen, handbag, pocket, or suitcase; no measuring, no mess. As always, our products contain 0.0% THC and are GMO-free and vegan.The water-soluble CBD powder used in our Berry Swiftsticks also features our proprietary Smartsorb delivery technology, proven to increase the bioavailability of CBD so that more gets into your system, starting in as little as 10 minutes. Ultimately, this allows four times the amount of CBD to be delivered to your body, versus other brands who typically use an oil-based CBD resulting in very poor absorption.To purchase NextEvo's Caliper Berry Swiftsticks, please visit https://nextevo.com/products/berry-swiftstick About NextEvo NaturalsNextEvo Naturals is a premium supplement brand that has found a new way to revolutionize the delivery of cannabidiol (CBD) and other nutritional compounds by creating formulations that increase the compound's potential benefits and consumer value. Led by medical professionals and former scientists from large reputable companies such as Johnson & Johnson, GlaxoSmithKline, and Schiff Nutrition, NextEvo Naturals aims to bridge the gap between the current low-quality CBD offerings on the market and the future of CBD supplements with proprietary technology and evidence-based data.Stay up-to-date with NextEvo at https://nextevo.com/ as well as on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DISCLOSUREThese statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.LEGAL DISCLOSURENextEvo Naturals does not sell or distribute any products that are in violation of the United States Controlled Substances Act.Contact InformationKatie HannaContent Managerkhanna@ nextevo.com 561-685-9613Lindsey VanderMaas SobrinskiDirector of Ecommerce and Marketinglsobrinski@ nextevo.com 484-336-7013SOURCE: NextEvo NaturalsView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 19:00:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 594 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 /NFG Sarl ("NFG"), a global diversified private investment holding company announced today that its subsidiary, NFG Partners SA ("NFG Partners") has entered into an agreement to acquire a minority equity stake in Zodiac Partners Ltd. ("Zodiac"), a United Kingdom based securities broker and wealth manager. This strategic investment marks a significant milestone for both companies and sets the stage for a synergistic partnership that will enrich their product offerings and elevate the overall client experience.The collaboration aims to take advantage of the recent financial services trade deal between Switzerland and the UK. By leveraging their combined, services, expertise, and market insights, the two firms aim to create a strategic alliance that will redefine the landscape of wealth management for their respective clients.Zodiac, founded in 2017 by Christopher Panayiotou and Wayne Davis CFA, specializes in providing trading, pension fund management and institutional dealing creating a one stop investment house for the professional investor.NFG Partners is a Geneva-based asset and wealth management firm regulated by FINMA servicing corporate, family offices, UNWI and institutional clients including its parent, NFG.The agreement allows NFG Partners to increase its equity stake over time subject to regulatory approvals. As part of the agreement, in addition to providing working and expansion capital, Mr. Zameer Manji, Managing Director of NFG Partners, shall join the board of Zodiac Partners and a new Chief Legal Officer and Chief Operating Officer have been identified, and shall be appointed following regulatory approval, further strengthening the Zodiac team, from a legal, compliance and operational perspective.Mr. Manji expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "This strategic investment aligns perfectly with our vision for growth and commitment to delivering exceptional value to our clients. We are excited about the opportunities that this partnership brings and believe that it will further strengthen our position in the wealth management industry." Mr. Wayne Davis, Co-Founder of Zodiac, added, "We are pleased to welcome NFG Partners SA as a strategic investor. This tie-up in particular enhances our discretionary management offering, benefitting from their systematic investment approach. By joining forces, we are well-positioned to offer an even more comprehensive suite of services to our clients." The conclusion of the overall transaction is subject to FCA regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.About NFG SarlNFG Sarl, is a global diversified private investment holding firm which operates across multiple business units including insurance, reinsurance, insurance services, specialty risk and finance, asset management, energy, infrastructure, trade finance and banking with operations located throughout Europe, United States, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. For more information, please visit our website at: www.nfgsarl.ch About NFG Partners SANFG Partners SA is a Geneva based wealth and asset management firm providing bespoke discretionary and non-discretionary portfolio management and advisory services to a global client base including family offices, companies, institutions, and UNWI. NFG Partners is regulated by the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA). For more information, please visit our website at: www.nfgpartners.ch About Zodiac Partners Ltd.Zodiac Partners Ltd is a UK-based securities broker and wealth manager dedicated to providing tailored financial solutions and personalised services to its clients. With a reputation for excellence and a client-centric approach, Zodiac is poised for sustained growth and innovation in the wealth management and CFD industry. Zodiac is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority FRN 806702. For more information, please visit our website at: www.zodiacpartners.co.uk Contact:NAME: Charlotte GreenEMAIL: charlotte@ newpointeurope.com NFG Sarl +44 (0) 203 983 3304SOURCE: Newpoint Financial Group On Tuesday, January 23, the aggressor country of the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on the Kyiv region. Air defense forces repelled the enemy attack, but unfortunately, missile fragments damaged residential buildings, cars, and institutions, and there were injuries. ADVERTISIMENT This was announced by the head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration Ruslan Kravchenko, the press service reports. Residents of the region were once again urged not to ignore the danger reports. "The region repelled another massive enemy attack. This morning the region was attacked with missiles. According to preliminary information, there were no hits to residential, civilian or critical infrastructure. We are grateful to our air defense forces for reliably protecting the Ukrainian sky. Unfortunately, there are victims and missile fragments falling in the communities of the region," said Kravchenko. According to preliminary information, as of 8:30 a.m., three people were injured as a result of the fall of Russian missile fragments. They are currently receiving first aid. In several communities, 3 multi-storey buildings, private houses and outbuildings, 10 cars, a cafe were damaged, and a fire in a parking lot near one of the residential complexes is being extinguished. ADVERTISIMENT "All operational services are working on the ground. More detailed information about the damage and victims will be available later. We are working. We are eliminating the consequences of the attack. Everyone will receive the necessary assistance," Kravchenko summarized. As reported by OBOZ.UA, on Tuesday, January 23, the terrorist country of the Russian Federation launched a missile attack on Kyiv. As a result of the attack, buildings in several districts of the capital were damaged, a woman was killed, and a child was among the injured. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 18:00:42 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 391 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Financial and Organizational Growth Leader Vijay Raghavan Joins the CompanySEATTLE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / NLM Photonics, a semiconductor company leveraging its hybrid electro-optic modulation technology to transmit more data with less power, welcomes aboard Vijay Raghavan as Chief Financial Officer.Vijay Raghavan, CFO at NLM Photonics Vijay Raghavan headshot"After a few years' stint in bio-pharma, I am excited to be back in tech. What place can be better than photonics, where so much is going on. I met with Lewis (CSO) and Gerard (CEO) a couple of months ago, and I got really excited about some of the critical stuff that NLM is working on, which made me jump back into tech. My decade or so working for Cray and the knowledge I acquired in large-scale computing has made me passionate about this space," says Raghavan.Raghavan is a finance and accounting professional with progressive experience spanning over 30 years working for startups and medium/large-scale global organizations (public and private). He has held key financial executive positions in global conglomerates such as AGC Biologics (as its CFO), Cray Inc., Microsoft, and Fila, focusing on organizational growth. Raghavan is enthusiastic about leveraging his experiences in technology, healthcare, REIT, and education to help entrepreneurs scale their ideas to meaningful businesses. He is also passionate about DEI and has worked across teams to build company equity and inclusion through events."We are very excited and very grateful to welcome Vijay as our new CFO. NLM is at a critical growth inflection point right now, and the addition of a seasoned CFO like Vijay couldn't come at a better time," says Gerard Zytnicki, NLM's CEO.In his personal life, Raghavan is dedicated to community service, including leadership positions at Hopelink and the Indian Association of Western Washington Senior Center, and as a financial advisory committee member of his local school district. He earned a Master of Commerce, Accounting, and Banking from the University of Madras in India and an M.B.A. in finance from the University of Hartford.About NLM PhotonicsNLM Photonics is based in Seattle and develops cutting-edge photonics solutions for transforming networking, computing, and sensing alongside our global partners. Follow us at nlmphotonics.com and on LinkedIn @nlm-photonics.Contact InformationErica McGillivrayCommunications Directorericamc@ nlmphotonics.com SOURCE: NLM PhotonicsView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:02:34 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 672 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Polaris Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX:PIF) ("Polaris" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it will be holding its Earnings Conference Call and Webcast to report its Q4 and annual 2023 Earnings Results on Thursday, February 22nd, 2024, at 10:00 am EST.To listen to the call, please dial Toll Free 888-506-0062 or International Toll-Free Number 973-528-00-11 entry code 429883.or URL: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2773/47795 A digital recording of the earnings call will be available for replay two hours after the call's completion.Replay Call Information: Toronto: 1 877-481-4010, Passcode: 47795 International (toll-free): 1 919-882-2331, Passcode: 47795 Encore Replay Expiration Date: March 07, 2024About Polaris Renewable Energy Inc.Polaris Renewable Energy Inc. is a Canadian publicly traded company engaged in the development, construction, acquisition, and operation of renewable energy projects in Latin America.The Company's operations are in 5 Latin American countries and include a geothermal plant (~72 MW), 4 run-of-river hydroelectric plants (~33 MW), and 3 solar (photovoltaic) projects now in operation (~35 MW).For more information, contact:Investor RelationsPolaris Renewable Energy Inc.Phone: +1 647-245-7199 Email: info@ PolarisREI.com Cautionary StatementsThis press release contains certain "forward-looking information" which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to future events or future performance, management's expectations regarding the ability of the Company to continue to pay dividends in the future.Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to management. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "predicts", "intends", "targets", "aims", "anticipates" or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases or may be identified by statements to the effect that certain actions "may", "could", "should", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. A number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors may cause the actual results or performance to materially differ from any future results or performance expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the inability of the Company to pay or increase dividends which may be affected by such factors as general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; the actual results of current geothermal, solar and hydro energy production, development and/or exploration activities and the accuracy of probability simulations prepared to predict prospective geothermal resources; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; possible variations of production rates; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the geothermal and hydro power industries; political instability or insurrection or war; labor force availability and turnover; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities, or in the commencement of operations; the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern and general economic conditions, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Information Form. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers of this press release should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.Although the forward-looking information contained in this press release is based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The information in this press release, including such forward-looking information, is made as of the date of this press release and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, Polaris assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances.SOURCE: Polaris Renewable Energy Inc. PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 16:30:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 488 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 With their current database solution losing its primary support, Small Sums looked for a system that was able to give them more, while providing unparalleled support and knowledge of the non-profit sector.SAINT PAUL, MN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Small Sums is a Minnesota-based, 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides the support workers need to "say yes to the job", and the resources to move them toward long-term stability. They believe employment is a key factor in helping individuals experiencing homelessness become housed. Their mission is to outfit individuals experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, with the work gear, tools, training, and transportation they need to start a new job.Small Sums Helps Workers Small Sums had been utilizing a custom Access database that was meeting their fundamental needs. However, with a key support agent retiring, they were looking for a system that would support them in the long-term, give staff easier access by being cloud-based, and give them new functionality to improve workflows. Following a robust vetting process, NewOrg Management System was selected as the system of choice. Guided by NewOrg's implementation team, the set-up process was clear, easy to follow, and efficient. Some of the benefits attained include the following."As a small non-profit organization, our employees wear many hats. NewOrg provides an intuitive system that makes it easy for everyone to enter and retrieve good data. We are thrilled with their communication and look forward to a long-term partnership." Andrea Kish-Bailey, Executive Director, Small Sums- Online worker intake process that feeds into the database, with employment verification document upload capability.- Internal HIPAA compliant messaging center to share confidential information with staff prior to appointments.- The ability to track inventory of items given to workers.- Clear, easy to follow processes that are backed up with a simple screenshot manual.- HIPAA compliant electronic signature for consents. Avoiding paying 3rd party signature tools.- Grant reporting results based on set time periods are available at a touch of a button using NewOrg's Dashboard functionality.- NewOrg implementation staff were able to offer data management suggestions that were not previously thought of, based on their wealth of non-profit experience.About NewOrg Management System, Inc. - www.neworg.com NewOrg is a leading software developer providing a cloud-based data management platform for nonprofits and local government/social agencies, with more than 50,000 users in the US & Canada since 2006. Celebrating 15 years providing complete, 100% customized data management for nonprofit organizations and affiliates, NewOrg's integrated software and service approach ensures that our partners improve efficiency, transparency, and sustainability.About Small Sums - www.smallsums.org Small Sums is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that outfits individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability with the required work items needed to start a new job.Contact InformationJohn BakerPartner Relationsjbaker@ neworg.com 866-843-2835 ext. 1Andrea Kish-BaileyExecutive Directorandreakb@ smallsums.org (651) 242-9441SOURCE: NewOrg Management SystemView the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:01:48 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1026 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ST. JOHN'S, NL / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Sokoman Minerals Corp. (TSXV:SIC)(OTCQB:SICNF) ("Sokoman" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing exploration at its flagship Moosehead Gold Project. The highlight is the drilling results at the recently discovered 552 Zone, located 400 m to the east of the Eastern Trend, in the central portion of the property. Since receiving the stream crossing permit on November 28, an additional six holes (890 m) have been completed with five intersecting the zone and the sixth collaring in an extensive fault zone (believed to be the Cape Ray - Valentine Lake shear zone), which was terminated after cutting 75 m of intensely deformed volcanic and intrusive units.The 552 drilling has defined a continuous, two- to five-metre-wide zone of quartz veining/quartz breccia, in variably deformed sedimentary units. Three holes intersected white quartz veins with specks of visible gold (MH-23-572, 574, and 575). The quartz veining is locally vuggy (epizonal type), located in a west-northwest trending, 50- to 70-degree northeast dipping structure. The veins carry trace to 5% sulphide minerals including boulangerite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite, the mineral assemblage common to most gold zones on the property. Drill hole MH-23-557, the fourth hole of the initial four holes on the 552 Zone (MH-23-552, 553, 556, 557 - see news release dated November 2, 2023), intersected the zone giving 1.04 g/t Au over 3.65 m (see table below). Assays remain pending for holes MH-23-568 to 577 (ten holes), which includes all the recent holes at the 552 Zone (MH-23-572 to 577).Other completed holes on the property include:Three reconnaissance holes (MH-23-564, 566, 567) were drilled in the southern portion of the property, testing magnetic features believed to represent favourable structures. None of the holes intersected significant mineralization. Three reconnaissance holes (MH-23-558, 559, 563) were drilled testing Alpha IP targets located to the east of North Pond. All holes intersected unmineralized structures. Three holes (MH-23-565, 568, 569) were drilled adjacent to hole MH-96-05, drilled by Royal Oak Mines in 1996, which returned 259 g/t Au from a 10 cm quartz vein. MH-23-565 and 569 did not intersect significant mineralization, while MH-23-568 intersected a shear structure with pyritic quartz. Results are pending for MH-23-568 and 569. Two holes (MH-23-570, 571) were drilled to test quartz veining in drill hole MH-19-103, where two specks of visible gold were reported in 2019. Weakly mineralized quartz veining with trace to 2% disseminated pyrite, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite was intersected. Two holes drilled to the northeast of North Pond testing a possible East-West structure defined by magnetics did not intersect significant mineralization. Table 1 - Assay Results*Core length - true widths are estimated to be approximately half the core length MH-23-574 featuring 552 Zone veining - 5.00 g/t Au over 2.10 m (64.55-66.65 m)Timothy Froude, P. Geo., President, and CEO states; "The 552 Zone is extremely significant as it represents an entirely new gold-bearing structure on the Moosehead property. We are already seeing signs of potentially high-grade mineralization with three of the five most recent holes carrying visible gold all within 50 m of surface. Of significance, is the presence of mineralized float located near the 552 Zone that returned 10.3 g/t Au and is believed to be derived from the 552 Zone. The 552 Zone is 400 m to the east of the main Eastern Trend, and it remains open. The closest mineralization is at the 253 Zone located 150 m north of 552, which is poorly understood and requires additional drilling, and which may represent a parallel zone. Drilling planned to test the down-plunge extent of the 552 Zone in 2024 should also intersect any parallel structures, including extensions to the 253 Zone where previous drilling returned 1.56 g/t Au over 1.60 m. We look forward to testing the 552 Zone in Q1 2024 as any structure with gold has the potential for high-grade gold values as we have seen in every zone on the property. Phase 6 drilling completed now sits at 101,519 m including 20,519 m in 70 holes in 2023. A proposed 2,500 m winter program will commence in about two to three weeks and will focus on the 552 Zone where we are starting to see improved grades and some visible gold." QP This news release has been reviewed and approved by Timothy Froude, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 and President and CEO of Sokoman Minerals Corp.Analytical Techniques / QA/QC Samples, including duplicates, blanks, and standards, were submitted to Eastern Analytical Ltd. in Springdale, Newfoundland for gold analysis. All core samples submitted for assay were saw cut by Sokoman personnel with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference. Samples were delivered in sealed bags directly to the lab by Sokoman personnel. Eastern Analytical Ltd. is an accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Samples with visible gold were submitted for total pulp metallics and gravimetric finish. All other samples were analyzed by standard fire assay methods. Total pulp metallic analysis includes: the whole sample is crushed to -10 mesh; and then pulverized to 95% -150 mesh. The total sample is weighed and screened to 150 mesh; the +150-mesh fraction is fire-assayed for Au, and a 30 g subsample of the -150-mesh fraction is fire-assayed for Au; with a calculated weighted average of total Au in the sample reported as well. One blank and one industry-approved standard for every twenty samples submitted is included in the sample stream. Random duplicates of selected samples are analyzed in addition to the in-house standard and duplicate policies of Eastern Analytical Ltd. All reported assays are uncut.About Sokoman Minerals Corp. Sokoman Minerals Corp. is a discovery-oriented company with projects in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company's primary focus is its portfolio of gold projects; the 100% flagship, advanced-stage Moosehead, as well as the Crippleback Lake; and East Alder (optioned to Canterra Minerals Corporation) along the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt, and the district-scale Fleur de Lys project near Baie Verte in northwestern Newfoundland, that is targeting Dalradian-type orogenic gold mineralization similar to the Curraghinalt and Cavanacaw deposits in Northern Ireland. The Company also recently entered into a strategic alliance with Benton Resources Inc. through three, large-scale, joint-venture properties including Grey River, Golden Hope, and Kepenkeck in Newfoundland. Sokoman now controls, indepe PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 16:15:43 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 393 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / FedEx CorporationFedEx is a proud supporter of several community events throughout the U.S. every January to celebrate the life, leadership, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK).From packaging meals to sponsoring free admission days at several civil and human rights focused museums, hundreds of team members unite to strengthen communities and embrace our company's commitment to people of all cultures, experiences, and backgrounds. These are the communities FedEx team members not only serve, but live in.2024 HighlightsRise Against Hunger On January 15, 2024, over 500 volunteers packed more than 147,000 meals across seven cities in collaboration with Rise Against Hunger, a nonprofit growing a global movement to end hunger. And 2024 marked a milestone - year 10 of stepping up to fight hunger in cities including: Atlanta, GA; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; Newark, NJ; Orlando, FL; Pittsburgh, PA; and Washington, D.C.Free Museum Days Since 2018, FedEx has removed the financial barrier for hundreds of thousands of visitors seeking to attend select civil rights museums on MLK Day or over the entire holiday weekend. Over MLK weekend through January 15 thousands of visitors in Jackson, MS; Birmingham, AL; and Atlanta, GA experienced critical moments from the civil rights movement firsthand during FedEx free admission days.FedEx provides vital support to additional museums chronicling key episodes of the American Civil Rights movement, which supports our diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment to advance inclusion. This support includes: the National Museum of African American History and Culture (Washington, D.C.), the MLK Memorial (Washington, D.C.), and the Equal Justice Initiative (Montgomery, AL).Critical weather conditions in Memphis, TN impacted annual MLK Day volunteer activities at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and Rise Against Hunger events.Days of Service With Memphis, TN being FedEx headquarters and the city where Dr. King's life ended, FedEx collaborated with Leadership Memphis and Volunteer Memphis over the entire MLK weekend to host important volunteer work throughout the Mid-South. FedEx served as presenting sponsor of this 5-day service event that reached more than 1,800 families.Learn more about how FedEx is creating opportunities and delivering impact for people around the world at fedexcares.com View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from FedEx Corporation on 3 blmedia.com Contact Info: Spokesperson: FedEx CorporationWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/fedex-corporationEmail: info@3 blmedia.com SOURCE: FedEx Corporation PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 14:37:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 394 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 SUZHOU, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Suzhou Pinyu Precision Mechanical Co., Ltd., parent company of SOTSU, welcomed Michael Locher-Tjoa, COO of SAP Greater China on January 11, 2024. Mr. Locher-Tjoa met with Pinyu and SOTSU CEO Jerry Ruxun Dong while also touring Pinyu and SOTSU's manufacturing, design, engineering, assembly and operation facilities. Jerry introduced Pinyu and SOTSU's vision to Michael: "We create innovative products that help people travel lighter, move faster and learn easier. We want to build 'Made-in-China' into 'Designed-in-China' and ' Innovated-in-China.'" Jerry Ruxun Dong, CEO of Pinyu and SOTSU, shaking hands with Michael Locher-Tjoa, Chief Business Officer of SAP Greater ChinaPinyu recently launched SOTSU, the maker of SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16, the world's first even-bezel portable monitor, a premium portable monitor that is made with aerospace grade aluminum parts with a 270-degree pivot, comes with a SD slot and a detachable base stand along with two-way passthrough daisy chain charging capabilities. SOTSU is also the creator of SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game (TCG), the world's first popular manufacturing business TCG which combines real world manufacturing and business concepts creating a one-of-a-kind TCG, collector's item and an educational tool."We do not stop at good enough, we benchmark ourselves against the very best in the world because we control the entire product cycle, from a blank piece of paper to scaled production and final assembly. SAP is the world's best ERP system. As we move forward with our digital transformation, we can count on SAP to be with us every step of the way. Putting it simply, SAP cares about its customers," says Jerry Ruxun Dong.For additional information, please contact Pr@ Pinyu.co Website: www.pinyu.co; Contact InformationSOTSU Brandpr@ pinyu.co Related ImagesJerry Ruxun Dong, CEO of Pinyu and SOTSU, shaking hands with Michael Locher-Tjoa, Chief Business Officer of SAP Greater China SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16 SOTSU Portable FlipAction Monitor 16, the world's first even-bezel portable monitor, a premium portable monitor that comes in three colorways: Universe Black, Granite Gray and Arctic Blue. SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game SOTSU First Edition Trading Card Game, the world's first popular manufacturing business TCG which combines real world manufacturing and business concepts creating a one-of-a-kind TCG, collector's item and an educational tool. SOURCE: Suzhou Pinyu Precision Mechanical Co., Ltd.View the original press release on newswire.com PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 19:01:04 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 809 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TCN Partners with Integreon for first use case - speed and ease for the M&A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) negotiation processATLANTA, GA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / - The Contract Network (TCN), an AI-powered contract collaboration platform, announced the launch of its private markets solution, focused on bringing private companies, investors and their advisors together more efficiently. Formed by the former CTO of Blackstone and the former President of global contract analytics leader Seal Software (now part of DocuSign), TCN uses generative AI, automation and market data to "cut through the noise" of contract negotiations and accelerate the deal making process for all parties involved.TCN has partnered withIntegreon , a worldwide provider of tech-enabled legal, creative and business outsourced solutions, to launch its first private markets use case - the negotiation of non-disclosure agreements for M&A transactions. Investment banks serving the middle market community negotiate thousands of NDAs every month, often with the same private equity firms. While the agreements typically change from deal to deal, the substantive negotiation points do not.Through the deployment of generative AI at scale and the analysis of the negotiation of thousands of NDA data points, TCN and Integreon have developed a groundbreaking approach that enables all parties to an M&A NDA negotiation to quickly come to an agreement that meets their standards, while minimizing the amount of negotiation time required. The solution is available through Integreon as a managed service and focuses on automating learnings from one negotiation to the next, incorporating market insights for the benefit of both parties, and rewarding speed and frictionless transactions."The private markets community is disproportionately mired in contract negotiation. It's Groundhog Day. We work on the same agreements and issues every day, and nothing changes," said Bill Murphy, co-founder of TCN and former CTO of Blackstone. "No one wins when business slows down and no one wants to waste time and money. That's why I believe TCN is going to have a massive impact for everyone involved." "Current providers of middle-market M&A support are typically compensated by repetitively negotiating nearly identical agreements and issues for every project. While these providers have reduced the costs of NDA negotiations when compared to a law firm, no one has fundamentally transformed the process to create a fast and frictionless kick-off of an M&A transaction. The Integreon offering with The Contract Network solves this once and for all to the benefit of all stakeholders," said Gabriel Buigas, Executive Vice President for Contracts and Compliance Solutions at Integreon."NDAs are the entry point for every middle market M&A transaction, and that entry should be quick and seamless. But that's not the reality," said Jim Wagner, co-founder and CEO of TCN. "With the ready availability of generative AI and our purpose-built platform, we're prepared to eliminate the need for outdated and inefficient negotiations. We view NDAs as the first step in the process of improving private markets transactions as a whole. We look forward to working with every key stakeholder in the market to transform these outdated agreement processes." The Contract Network and Integreon will formally introduce their solution, including a generative AI-powered study on the predictability of M&A NDA negotiations, in New York the week of January 29, 2024. For more information, register for an in-person session or early access onThe Contract Network website .About The Contract NetworkThe Contract Network is a legal technology company that has built the world's first AI-powered collaborative contracting platform. The Contract Network works to foster transparency and better outcomes by providing all parties to an agreement a first-class and neutral platform to radically accelerate their negotiations and to collaboratively manage their contract compliance.For those eager to be at the forefront of this revolution in contract collaboration, The Contract Network is now accepting applications for early access. Visit The Contract Network website torequest early accessor schedule a demo.About IntegreonFor 25 years, Integreon has been the trusted, global provider of legal, creative and business outsourced services to corporations and law firms seeking to expand their capabilities and transform their performance. The company's 3,500+ professionals provide round-the-clock support across a range of managed services-from legal and compliance to creative design, content delivery and administrative support-via our global delivery centers on three continents. The company is recognized for technology innovation, including industry-first applications of AI-enabled solutions. Integreon is deeply committed to client success, consistently delivering innovative, tech-enabled solutions that improve agility and efficiency to drive business performance. Integreon is owned by EagleTree Capital, a leading New York-based, middle-market private equity firm with over $5 billion of assets under management.For more information about Integreon's range of services, email info@ integreon.com , visit www.integreon.com and follow Integreon at LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.Contact:Lucy Fry relations@ thecontractnetwork.com SOURCE: The Contract Network PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 12:25:18 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1022 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Tsodilo Resources Limited ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") (TSX-V:TSD)(OTCQB:TSDRF)(FSE:TZO) announces that it has today filed an Interlocutory Application in the High Court, Republic of Botswana for an order in the following terms:Calling upon the First Respondent, Minister of Minerals and Energy, to show cause why he ought not to be held in contempt of Court by reason of his failure to comply with the judgment of this Court dated 15 December 2023 (see, Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - News Releases), in particular that he failed:1. to renew, within 14 days of the judgment, the Applicant's license (020/2018); and1.2. to align the effective dates of contiguous licenses PL 021-024/2018 with that of the renewed license.2. Declaring that the First Respondent is found to be in contempt of the judgment of this court as handed down on 15 December 2023;3. Imposing a fine on the First Respondent, such as this Court may deem appropriate for every day that the judgment remains unsatisfied;4. Imposing a period of imprisonment, such as this Court may deem appropriate, on the First Respondent, suspended on conditions deemed appropriate by this Court;5. For avoidance of doubt, it is hereby clarified that the licenses to be issued by the First Respondent shall be the first two-year renewal across all licenses effective from 01April 2024;6. Directing the Respondents to bear the costs of this application on the attorney and own client scale; and7. Granting the Applicant further and/or alternative relief.The purpose of this application is to compel compliance with the judgment granted by this Honourable Court on 15 December 2023.Today's application as well as the Court's decision of December 15, 2023, are available on the Company's litigation landing page(s): Botswana Litigation for litigation documents and Tsodilo Resources Ltd. - MMGE for related documents."We believe that the matter will be resolved in short order, and we can resume the evaluation and development of the XIF project", commented Mr. Bruchs, Tsodilo's Chairman and CEO.XAUDUM IRON FORMATION (XIF)About the XIF ProjectThe project is located in the North-West District of Botswana and extends for a known length of some 40 kilometers. The XIF is proximate to the Namibian border and lies twenty-two (22) miles from the town of Divundu in Namibia. The Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (previously known as the Trans-Caprivi) line linking Zambia and Namibia is planned to pass through Divundu, providing access to Walvis Bay, Namibia's deep-sea port. The project is also located within forty-three (43) miles of the proposed Mucusso line to Angola's Namibe Port. Preliminary work on the XIF project has defined a CIM compliant Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 441 million tonnes (Mt) with an average grade of 29.4% Fe, 41.0% SiO2, 6.1% Al2O3 and 0.3% P for the Block 1 magnetite XIF. Block 1 is a fraction of the potential XIF magnetite resource. An extrapolated exploration target has defined the XIF to be in the order of 5 to 7 billion tonnes at 15 - 40% Fe. This exploration target was generated by inversion modelling of ground magnetic geophysical data which was compared and moderated to volumes from drilling data within Block 1 and its potential quantity and grade is conceptual in nature. To date, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource other than in Block 1 and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource. See,Press Release of 6/02/2014on the Company's website for further details. Metallurgical magnetic separation results (Davis Tube Recovery) show that an average concentrate of 67.2% Fe, 4.2% SiO2, 0.5% Al2O3, 0.07% P is obtained at P80 grind size of 80 microns, although higher grades are possible at finer P80's. See,Press Release of 12/17/2013on the Company's website. Further exploration will be focused on Block 2a where the Company expects an increase in the resource. Additional informational of the project can be found on the Company's website at https://tsodiloresources.com/s/Metals.asp.html and further technical information can be found in a report prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd. for Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Ltd. titled "Mineral Resource Estimate for the Xaudum Iron Project (Block 1), Republic of Botswana" with an effective date of August 29, 2014, and filed on SEDAR under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . About Tsodilo Resources LimitedTsodilo Resources Limited is an international resource exploration company engaged in the search for economic metal and diamond deposits at its Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") and Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. ("Bosoto) projects in Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of five metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba and Bosoto projects. Overall supervision of the Company's exploration program is the responsibility of McDonald Kahari (Pr. Sci. Nat.) a "qualified person" as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Kahari.FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:James M. BruchsChairman and Chief Executive OfficerJBruchs@ TsodiloResources.com Head OfficeTelephone +1 416 572 2033Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369WebsiteThis press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events, or developments that the Company believes, expects, or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward- looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or PR-Inside.com: 2024-01-23 17:01:05 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 452 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ViviHealth, a pioneer in substance abuse remote monitoring solutions, is thrilled to announce a partnership with Fitbit focusing on predictive and prescriptive analytics, aimed at transforming behavioral health centers and offering structured support to individuals seeking recovery solutions.DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / In a world where substance abuse and addiction issues demand proactive intervention, ViviHealth's mission is to provide advanced tools for predictive monitoring and personalized support. This partnership with Fitbit accelerates the integration of advanced monitoring into the recovery process, offering structured support and personalized insights for individuals striving for recovery. ViviHealth will harness Fitbit's expertise in wearable technology by integrating individuals' biometric data and leveraging Fitbit's devices to help individuals establish and maintain healthy behaviors surrounding activity, sleep, nutrition and mindfulness. "This partnership is a game-changer for those in recovery and the behavioral health centers supporting them," said Clay Tramel, Founder of ViviHealth.ViviHealth Logo LogoLisa Marks, CEO of ViviHealth, stated, "With Fitbit, we are reshaping the landscape of substance abuse remote monitoring by providing actionable insights and tailored solutions." The synergy between ViviHealth and Fitbit will deliver innovative remote monitoring solutions that include predictive analytics for relapse risk assessment and prescriptive analytics for individualized recovery plans. This suite of tools, enhanced by biometric data integrated from Fitbit, empowers individuals on their recovery journey and equips behavioral health centers with actionable data for more effective care."Current estimates suggest that the relapse rate post residential SUD treatment is approximately 20% at one year. We also have hundreds of scientific studies that have consistently shown approximately 80% success rate with intensive monitoring post-treatment. The program that ViviHealth and Fitbit have created is not just a good idea. It is ludicrous that the field has not yet taken this step. I wholeheartedly endorse ViviHealth's program and their mission," said Jared P. Dempsey, Ph.D., Executive Director & Chief Scientist, Trac9.com As ViviHealth advances toward a future where recovery is more attainable, the partnership with Fitbit is a pivotal step in their mission to empower individuals in recovery and revolutionize the behavioral health field. For media inquiries and more information, please contact:Leah Dempsey hello@ vivihealth.com 833-866-8484About ViviHealth: ViviHealth is a leading provider of substance abuse remote monitoring solutions, leveraging predictive and prescriptive analytics to support individuals in recovery and enhance the effectiveness of behavioral health centers. Their mission is to make structured recovery support more accessible and personalized.Website: https://www.vivihealth.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/ViviHealthCares?s=20 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553316524528 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vivihealth/ Contact InformationLeah DempseyMarketing Directorleah@ vivihealth.com 8338668484Lisa MarksCEOlisamarks@ vivihealth.com 8338668484SOURCE: ViviHealthView the original press release on newswire.com Following the inauguration for a second term of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Angola, seeking to shore up regional diplomacy critical to easing tensions in eastern Congo. The visit holds the promise of strengthening US-DRC relations and addressing critical concerns in the region, with a spotlight on Angolas pivotal role in mitigating tensions in the eastern DRC. Angola has played a really important role in trying to address and reduce the tensions in the eastern Congo, said State Departments Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Molly Phee ahead of Mr Blinkens trip. Speaking in Washington on Thursday, Ms Phee shed light on the significant role Angola has played in addressing and reducing tensions in the eastern Congo. Reflecting on recent developments, she highlighted a diplomatic mission to Kinshasa and Kigali, expressing concern about the spike in tensions between the Rwandans and the Congolese. The diplomatic efforts, including weekly check-ins, were instrumental in ensuring that the withdrawal of the East African Community Regional troop presence did not disrupt the DRCs elections. Yet last month, the DRC pulled off relatively peaceful electionsthanks in no small part to unsung efforts by Angola to calm inflamed relations between Kinshasa and Kigali, believed to back opposing armed groups. Specifically, Angolan leadership of the so-called Luanda peace process over the past two years helped avoid potential bloodshed around the recent vote, Ms Phee explained. Both Congolese parties and nervous US officials feared overt external interference. READ ALSO: Now with Mr Tshisekedis position strengthened, Mr Blinken will meet Angolan foreign minister Tete Antonio and President Joao Lourenco to discuss ensuring local dialogues can bear fruit. Ms Phee says Washington aims to complement what we have invested in and what [Angolas] invested inincluding sending its forces as part of a regional coalition, now withdrawnso lasting solutions may emerge to end Congos long-running misery. With Luanda proving its mettle as a quiet crisis manager, and Kinshasa and Kigali showing willingness to talk, Mr Blinkens visit signals Washington believes peace however fragile may no longer be fleeting. To the swearing into office of President Felix Tshisekedi, President Joseph Biden sent a high-ranking delegation. The US team was led by International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Scott Nathan, signalling Washingtons desire to expand its strategic partnership with Kinshasa. The American delegation included US Ambassador to the DRC Lucy Tamlyn, top diplomats and development officials. The appointment of senior-level individuals who are overseeing Africa policy, and are leaders of major development agencies, underscores Washingtons commitment to expanding strategic ties with the Congolese people. While lacking the economic brand of influence of China, now the DRCs largest trading partner, Washington wields unrivalled political influence.. Pearl Matibe is a Washington, DC-based White House Correspondent, and media commentator with expertise in US foreign policy and international security. You may follow her on Twitter: @PearlMatibe Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Australian boxer Jai Opetaia (24-0, 19 KOs) has left the training camp of Tyson Fury (34-0-1, 24 KOs), whom he helped prepare for a fight against Oleksandr Usyk (21-0, 14 KOs). The 28-year-old Sydney native managed to spar five rounds with the Gypsy King, as the Briton is known. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by talkSport. Opetaia was considered the perfect partner for Tyson during the training camp, but he quickly left Saudi Arabia and returned home. This was due to the lack of sparring with fighters who box in the left-hand stance. At the same time, according to the source, some experts claim that Opetaia knocked Fury out, which is the real reason for the Australian's departure. "Jai Opetaia recently returned from Saudi Arabia, where he sparred and trained with Tyson Fury. It was a fantastic, competitive rounds and an incredible experience for Jai. However, any talk of either boxer being sent to the canvas is not true," commented the boxer's promoter. ADVERTISIMENT Earlier, former world champion Anthony Joshua (27-3, 24 KOs) gave his unequivocal forecast for the fight between Oleksandr and Tyson, and explained why our compatriot will win. He also admitted that he would like Fury to win. And Saudi Arabia made a loud statement about the confrontation between the Ukrainian and the British on February 17. A month before the fight, Riyadh unveiled a special belt that would be awarded to the winner of the confrontation. Its appearance caused outrage among fans. ADVERTISIMENT In addition, the names of the boxers who are helping Oleksandr prepare for the fight against Tyson have become known. Before that, OBOZ.UA told readers about the connections between the British and Ukraine. In his turn, Usyk showed a video of his impressive preparation for the fight, which captivated the fans. And former welterweight world champion Shawn Porter expressed confidence that the battle between the Ukrainian and the British will not take place on February 17. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA previously reported, a scandalous detail of the Usyk-Fury show related to Russia has also become known. The promoter Eddie Hearn wished our compatriot a defeat. And bookmakers stopped considering Tyson the favorite of the confrontation. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! Cameroon launched the worlds first routine vaccine programme against malaria on Monday. It is one of 20 African countries planning to introduce the drug this year, according to global vaccine alliance Gavi. Here are some key facts. The RTS,S malaria vaccine, developed by British pharmaceutical GSK opens new lab and sold under the brand name Mosquirix, was backed by the World Health Organisation in July 2022. It underwent trials in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi. It acts against P. falciparum, the deadliest strain of malaria spread by anopheles mosquitoes, and the most common in Africa. The vaccine is designed to be administered to young children in four doses from around five months of age. The vaccine has been in the making for nearly 40 years. It was first created in 1987, according to GSK. The drugmaker received funding to develop the RTS,S-based vaccine for young children in 2001, it said. In July 2023, 18 million doses of RTS,S available for 20232025 were allocated to 12 countries, prioritising those doses for where the risk of malaria illness and death among children are highest, until vaccine supply increases to fully meet demand. The vaccines effectiveness is relatively low. GSK in 2015 published results of a large-scale clinical trial showing it reduced the risk of severe malaria by around 30 per cent. However, some researchers say it could be higher if given just ahead of the malaria season. The fact that it must be administered across at least four doses has raised concerns about the logistics of fully inoculating children in remote areas. READ ALSO: More than 30 African countries have expressed interest in introducing the vaccine. The WHO estimates that 40-60 million doses will be required each year by 2026, rising to 80-100 million by 2030. Demand for the shot is likely to far outstrip supply for several years, but the anticipated roll-out of a second vaccine should ease these supply pressures. The R21 vaccine, developed by Oxford University, could be launched in May or June, according to Gavi. It was pre-qualified by the WHO in December, a key regulatory step. (Reuters/NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police have arrested two suspects involved in an alleged plot to assassinate the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Aondona Dajoh. The suspects include the chairman of a local government area in Benue State. The Force Public Relations Officer, Oluwamuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this in a statement on Monday. According to the statement, the chairman allegedly contacted an assassin to kill the speaker but the police got the information and quickly took action before the plan would be executed. Preliminary investigations exposed that the Local Government Chairman allegedly contracted a militia with the sinister intention of eliminating the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Aondona Hycenth Dajoh. The operatives of the Force Intelligence Department Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) swiftly swung into action upon receiving credible intelligence regarding the planned assassination, Mr Adejobi said. READ ALSO: He further stated that the suspects have been detained in the custody of the police and are cooperating with investigations which are still ongoing. Both suspects are currently in police custody and are actively cooperating with investigators in the ongoing inquiry. The Nigeria Police Force remains resolute in its commitment to upholding the safety and security of citizens and public officials, he said. Mr Adejobi promised that the suspect would be prosecuted. The arrested suspects will face the full weight of the law, and the Nigeria Police Force reassures the public of its unwavering commitment to maintaining law and order, and prevention of crimes at all levels, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal Government is committed to providing comprehensive rehabilitation for the four girls rescued from the Al-Kadriyar family after enduring two weeks in the kidnappers den. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, made this known on Monday after a visit to the rescued girls at a facility where they are undergoing medical treatment. The ministry will closely monitor their recovery and will be there for them immediately they leave this facility and commence full rehabilitation which includes engagement of a psychologist. This is due to the trauma they must have been through during the period in the kidnappers custody, she said. She solicited that the girls be moved from their present school to another safer environment, while another should undergo her National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) at the ministry. While commending the army, police and other security agencies for their collaboration in the release of the girls, she expressed concern over incessant cases of kidnapping. President Bola Tinubu is deeply worried about this trend of kidnapping and is working assiduously towards addressing the situation. After this visit, I will update the President and First Lady about the condition of these girls she added. The minister presented food beverages, soap, noodles and sanitary items to the girls as part of the preparatory plans towards their rehabilitation after leaving the facility. Also speaking, Al-Kadriyar Monsoor, father of the girls, expressed appreciation to the government and security agencies for their efforts. READ ALSO: Mr Monsoor urged the federal government to ensure a stronger synergy among the various security agencies as part of measures to improve the nations security architecture. He also harped on the need for robust machinery to be put in place at the grassroots through coordinated community-based intelligence sharing to make the work easier for security agencies. Bwari is bordered by four states; Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna. This makes the area porous to any form of invasion, government should improve on community-based intelligence and communication to make lives safer at the grass root level of our country, he said. The girls were abducted within their residence at the Zuma 1 area of Bwari Area Council on 2nd Jan. However, the failure of the family to meet their demand within a deadline issued by the kidnappers led to the killing of one of the daughters, Nabeeha. According to police sources, they were rescued by the FCT Anti-Kidnapping squad in a concerted effort with troops of the Nigerian Army around the Kajuru forest in Kaduna state on Saturday. (NAN) www.nannews.ng Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A PDP governorship aspirant in Ogun State during the 2023 general elections, Segun Sowunmi, has sued the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for its failure to convene a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting. The 97th NEC, the partys highest decision-making body, was convened by the suspended National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, on 8 September 2022. The case was filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. Respondents in the case (FHC/ABJ/CS/T024) include the PDP, acting national chairman; Iliya Damagum, national secretary; Samuel Anyanwu, National Organising Secretary; Umar Bature, National Auditor; Okechukwu Daniel, National Treasurer; Ahmed Yayari, and National Youth Leader; Muhammed Kadade. The lawsuit addressed these individuals in their roles within the PDP and on behalf of the National Executive Committee/National Working Committee. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was also listed as a respondent in the suit. Rationale Mr Sowunmi, represented by a legal team of 13 lawyers led by Anderson Asemota, asserted in the legal document, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, that the partys officers have failed in their accountability to members. The politician claimed that the partys leadership, under Mr Damagum, has refused to conduct mandatory quarterly meetings since the last elections. The PDP chieftain emphasised that over a year and three months have passed since the last NEC meeting was held, highlighting a lapse since the removal of the previous chairman, Iyoricha Ayu. READ ALSO: The legal document underscored the significance of the NEC meeting as a platform for party officials to present quarterly reports on financial matters, including income and expenditures. It also highlights the absence of such reports after the presidential and national assembly elections in February 2023, as well as the state gubernatorial elections in March 2023. Mr Sowunmi contended that his attempts to prompt the party officers to convene a NEC meeting went unanswered, despite impending elections in Ondo and Edo states, requiring thorough preparation and planning. Beyond election preparations, Mr Sowunmi lamented the postponement of discussions on critical issues pending a NEC meeting. Mr Showunmi, one of Atiku Abubakars spokespersons in the 2019 election, highlighted the NECs responsibility for setting a date for the partys convention, the highest decision-making body. He argued that refusing to hold the NEC meeting violated the partys constitution. The statement reads in part, That all efforts to the defendant to call or cause to be called and hold a meeting of the National Executive Committee have proved abortive, as the defendant has woefully refused and or neglected to respond to my entreaties viva voce and repeated demand for the NEC meeting, as well as a letter written by my solicitors to that regards. Mr Sowunmis legal demand includes a court order compelling the partys officials to convene the National Executive Committee meeting and a restraining order preventing the party and INEC from further delays. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Adamawa Police Command has shortlisted 29,843 candidates in the police constable recruitment exercise. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Suleiman Nguroje, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Yola. He said that some 4,000 applicants had been screened during the physical and credential screening exercise expected to end on 29 January. According to him, the exercise is being conducted without fear, molestation or intimidation, adding that the Command ensured equity and fairness in the process. Mr Nguroje commended the conduct of the prospective recruits for their loyalty and adherence to the stipulated guidelines. They proved to be punctual in spite of the pressing demands and the rigours of the exercise, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A widow in Anambra State, who was banished for allegedly being a witch, has been reunited with her community. The woman, Nneka Uzor, a 54-year-old mother of two, was banished by her three brothers from Umunankwo Community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the south-east state on 30 April 2023. PREMIUM TIMES, last year, reported how the widow was spotted in a video clip being led out of the Umunankwo by the community members who hurled abuses at her while two masquerades flogged her. In the clip, the people, who were heard accusing Mrs Uzor of poisoning the communitys food and refusing to go for appeasement, led the woman to a road junction where they pronounced her banished from the community. At the time they pronounced her banished, the widow had collapsed in the middle of a road, apparently due to fatigue. The three brothers Lazarus Uzor, Anozie Uzor and Valentine Okwuosa were later arrested and arraigned before the Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Court in Awka. The arrest and arraignment of the suspects were facilitated by the Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare in the state, Ify Obinabo, who promised to ensure that the woman was reunited with the community. Reunion Mrs Uzor, the banished widow, has been reconciled to the villagers and brought back to the community, according to a statement on Monday by Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, a media aide to the commissioner. Ms Ikeanyionwu said the reconciliation took place at the palace of the traditional ruler of Umunankwo, Fidelis Nsofor. She said the commissioner, heads of men and women groups in the community, community leaders and the suspects, among others, attended the event. The statement indicated that following the traditional rulers directive, community members gathered at the junction, where they had earlier banished the widow, to bring her back. Masquerades also accompanied her back to the community. The statement added that when the widow was brought back, traditional rites were performed to purify her and make her fit to participate in the communitys activities. The monarch would later declare as illegal the banishment of anyone in the community. The suspects, consequently, apologised for their actions, according to the statement. It is unclear, for now, if the case at the court against the suspects would be withdrawn after the apology. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The federal government is committed to providing comprehensive rehabilitation for the four girls rescued from the Al-Kadriyar family after enduring two weeks in the kidnappers den. Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, made this known on Monday after a visit to the rescued girls at a facility where they are undergoing medical treatment. The ministry will closely monitor their recovery and will be there for them immediately they leave this facility and commence full rehabilitation which includes engagement of a psychologist. This is due to the trauma they must have been through during the period in the kidnappers custody, she said. She solicited that the girls be moved from their present school to another safer environment, while another should undergo her National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) at the ministry. While commending the army, police and other security agencies for their collaboration in the release of the girls, she expressed concern over incessant cases of kidnapping. President Bola Tinubu is deeply worried about this trend of kidnapping and is working assiduously towards addressing the situation. After this visit, I will update the president and first lady about the condition of these girls she added. The minister presented food beverages, soap, noodles and sanitary items to the girls as part of the preparatory plans towards their rehabilitation after leaving the facility. Also speaking, Mr Al-Kadriyar Monsoor, father of the girls, expressed appreciation to the government and security agencies for their efforts. Mr Monsoor urged the federal government to ensure a stronger synergy among the various security agencies as part of measures to improve the nations security architecture. He also harped on the need for robust machinery to be put in place at the grassroots through coordinated community-based intelligence sharing to make the work easier for security agencies. Bwari is bordered by four states; Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna. This makes the area porous to any form of invasion. Government should improve on community-based intelligence and communication to make lives safer at the grassroots level of our country, he said. It will be recalled that the girls were abducted within their residence at the Zuma 1 area of Bwari Area Council on 2 January. However, the failure of the family to meet their demand within a deadline issued by the kidnappers led to the killing of one of the girls, Nabeeha. According to police sources, they were rescued by the FCT Anti-Kidnapping squad in a concerted effort with troops of the Nigerian Army around the Kajuru forest in Kaduna State on Saturday. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Commissioner of Police in Edo State, Funsho Adegboye, has described as worrisome the spate of proliferation of firearms and cult attacks in the state. Mr Adegboye, while responding to a question on the incessant cult attacks in Benin on Tuesday, however, assured that the police would fish out the perpetrators of the act. We are equally worried by the spate of proliferation of firearms in this state. However, I can assure you that wherever they are, either they keep them at home or hide them anywhere, we shall fish them out. They shall face the full wrath of the law. The issue of cultism is worrisome too. The authorities of the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police and his management team are equally worried. Members of the public of this civilised state are equally worried. We want to assure members of the public, starting from the governor of Edo State; we have gotten assurances from him and the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun. Godwin Obaseki has given us a kind of umbrella backing that whoever we get, not minding where he or she belongs to, that the person should be arrested and we should follow the processes of the law, he said. Mr Adegboye assured the people of the state that Edo would soon become a no-go area for cultists. He, however, appealed to parents and guardians to warn their children and wards against any social vice that could affect the peace of the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that more than 30 people have reportedly been killed from December 2023 to date in a series of cult attacks in the state. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, on Tuesday, welcomed the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken and intends to hold bilateral talks on security cooperation among others. In a statement, the S.A. Media and Communications Strategy to the minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, said Mr Tuggar received the high-ranking diplomat at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, also accompanied the minister to receive the US Secretary of State. Mr Tuggar later held talks with Mr Blinken with a focus on deepening democracy in the West African subregion, strengthening trade relations and security cooperation. The minister has also planned to use the opportunity to urge the US and the wider international community to give serious consideration to multilateral reforms, particularly that of democratizing the United Nations Security Council. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Tuggar at the just concluded World Economic Forum (WEF) said there was a need to democratise the United Nations (UN) security council because it is clumsy and not working. He said the values of democracy such as the rule of law should be replicated in the worlds highest decision organs. What we have to do is collectively practice what we preach. The values that we uphold democracy, rule of law need to be practised, and we need to see them being practised in the very decision-making bodies or entities for the planet. So, to begin with, the UN Security Council needs to be democratized. Clearly, it is not fit for purpose. We should do away with the veto powers on the UN Security Council; clearly, its clumsy and not working. Again, when you look at the global security architecture, it is impacted by such undemocratic entities that influence decisions. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A wine dealer has suggested how Nigerian consumers can detect fake drinks in the market. Nestor Udoh, who runs a wine shop in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, told PREMIUM TIMES in an interview on Friday in Uyo that the barcode in every drink provides a unique way to find out if a drink is original or fake. You see this barcode, Mr Udoh said while pointing to a barcode on a bottle of wine he picked up near his table, in the wine shop. If you scan this barcode with a barcode scanner it will bring out information such as the name of the company which produced the drink, the whole process, and other relevant information about the drink. But if you scan a fake one, it will not bring out anything. Barcode, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is a machine-readable code in the form of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines of varying widths, printed on a commodity and used especially for stock control. Mr Udoh said most Nigerian consumers are not aware of the importance of barcodes on products. Besides scanning the barcode, Mr Udoh said his shop carries out two other steps to check if a wine is original or not. I still call in NAFDAC for them to come and check the drinks. You know NAFDAC has a way of tasting to know if a product is fake or not. Of course, when I started, I spotted a few fake ones, possibly someone sneaked them into it (consignment) when they were loading them (at the supply point). The people that are supplying us, I sent out a message a long time ago, if I spot any fake drink from your consignment I will not buy from you again. So, when they are packaging our products, they make sure fake ones dont enter. I also bring in people for wine tasting if a company is introducing a new product and we want to stock it in our shop. You see, when you are tasting for a fake wine, you do it in all ramifications. Even the taste of a wine can tell you if its fake or not, he said. Mr Udoh is a retired medical doctor. He is also a retired permanent secretary in the Akwa Ibom civil service as well as an author of a non-fiction, Civil War Child. Why I ventured into wine business PREMIUM TIMES asked him about what prompted him to go into the wine business. A lot of people think I am just selling wine to make money. No, it is not true, Mr Udoh said. One day I visited my friend at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, and I discovered that the number of people that were cueing for renal dialysis was high. So, I asked him why the number wasnt this much when we were much younger, and what exactly was happening. He told me it had to do with the fake things in the market, the fake food, and the fake drinks that are damaging peoples kidneys. I am a consultant on public health. So, I said let me do something that can give people an alternative to fake, that it could be another way of practising preventive medicine. Alcohol is not a good thing to take, but it is worse when you go and take fake alcohol. Those who produce fake drinks, most often use methanol which is used to produce methylated spirit of which they write on the body that its for external use only. They go for methanol because its cheaper than ethanol which is used in producing drinks. Methanol is very toxic, it damages the kidney. I did a sensitisation on radio on why people should be careful about what they were drinking before I ventured into starting a wine shop, he said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On the morning of January 23, Russian forces launched a massive missile attack on Ukraine. Residential buildings in Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, as well as critical infrastructure in Sumy region, were hit. ADVERTISIMENT According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the residential high-rise buildings were "military-industrial complex facilities that produce missiles and components for them." The ministry, headed by Sergei Shoigu, also boasted of "achieving the goal of the strike," which killed civilians and injured dozens of civilians. "This morning, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike with long-range precision weapons of air and ground-based systems against the facilities of the military-industrial complex of Ukraine that produce missiles and components for them, ammunition, and explosives," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a so-called "summary." ADVERTISIMENT As a result of the aggressor state's terrorist attack on peaceful Ukrainian cities, residential buildings were destroyed and damaged, and social and critical infrastructure facilities were destroyed. Five civilians were killed and dozens were injured. As follows from the Russian Ministry of Defense's "report", this is exactly what they expected: the "defense ministry" is completely satisfied with the consequences of the attack. "The purpose of the strike was achieved. All the designated targets have been hit," Shoigu's department boasted. The chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Musa Aliyu, has said that the commission would not fight corruption in the country according to law. Mr Aliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the pledge during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the Civil Society Legislative Centre (CISLAC) at the ICPC headquarters in Abuja on Monday. The newly-appointed ICPC chair said his agency would continue to live above board and run a responsible organisation that would work within the confines of the law to tackle corruption in Nigeria. As the chairman of ICPC, I have told Nigerians that we are going to work within the confines of the law. And, also in accordance with the national best practices to ensure that we tackle this challenge of corruption in this country. We are determined to ensure that we promote good ethical justice and also run a responsible organisation that is efficient in its targets and responsibility. READ ALSO: We will continue to sustain that reputation and integrity which ICPC is known for and we are not going to tolerate any corruption within the commission. Whatever we are going to do, we will ensure that we do it logically, he said. The ICPC boss also harped on the role of civil society organisations like CISLAC in the fight against corruption, saying they had been keeping agencies like ICPC on its toes through constant demands for transparency and accountability. He promised that ICPC will continue to sustain its collaborative efforts with CSOs through many of its initiatives which include Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiatives (CEPTI), System Studies and Review and others. Earlier, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Auwal Rafsanjani, said the visit was to reignite the partnership that exists between the centre and ICPC. According to Rafsanjani, CISLAC will continue to partner with ICPC, to support the good work that you are doing and support your leadership to ensure that we minimise the cost of corruption in Nigeria. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print As part of measures to tackle rising insecurity in Jalingo, the state capital, Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba on Monday announced a restriction of the operation of tricycles from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mr Kefas also announced a ban on the use of all types of motorcycles, including power bikes, in the state capital. Tricycles are the most common means of transportation in the state, especially in the Jalingo metropolis. However, robbery with tricycles at night has become commonplace within Jalingo. A few weeks ago, a civil servant, Lawen Bazing, was gruesomely murdered by suspected robbers in Jalingo. The deceased boarded a commercial tricycle from the Mile Six area to a popular night club, De Crux Nite Club, about 300 meters away from where he was killed. His assailants stabbed and robbed Mr Bazing before dumping his body in a drainage channel. Defaulters will be arrested and tried by the mobile court and the motorcycles and tricycles will be confiscated and destroyed, the governor said, according to a statement by Agbu Koku, the secretary of the governments security committee. The measure is as a result of the sudden spike in the activities of criminals in Jalingo, it added. It also disclosed that the state deputy governor, Aminu Alkali, on behalf of the governor, inaugurated a task force to enforce the order. The committee has the Commissioner of Police Joseph Eribo as the chairman, with the Federal Road Safety (FRSC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Taraba Marshal, and the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to serve as members while the Secretary, Home Affairs and Special Services Department will serve as its secretary. Residents and operators lament But many residents of Jalingo have criticised the development, saying it would cause further hardship to the people. A resident, Chibuike Linus, told PREMIUM TIMES that the decision would affect residents because Keke (tricycle) is the only means of transportation in Jalingo. Many business owners, especially those who operate at night, like hotel owners, beer parlor owners, provision shop owners and food vendors will feel the pain. Also those who arrived at night from long journeys will be affected as the only means of transportation in Jalingo is the Keke, Mr Linus said. He said the government should have prepared other means of transportation, like taxis, before taking the decision. Many people who do business at night and travelers rely on Keke due to lack of vehicles. What do you expect such stranded people to do? I think the government should reconsider this restriction particularly at this critical moment, another resident, Aminu Sule, said. Simply because some people are using tricycles to perpetuate crime should not be an excuse to restrict the operation of KeKe as they are also using other vehicles for crime, Mr Sule said. A Keke operator, Stephen Danjuma, who said he is a civil servant, said he took to the trade due to the bad economic situation. I dont think its the right thing to do because some of us cannot meet up our means with the little salary we are receiving, we depend on riding Keke at night to meet up. It will affect a lot of people including the passengers. The government should change the decision. Isa Saleh, a Keke operator in his late 20s, said, I have been riding keke for two years now, so the thing will affect both the operators and the passengers because we get more money in the night by carrying passengers who like night outings and travelers that arrive late. However, a woman, Hanatu Luka, applauded the governors decision. Apart from the security aspect, our husbands will be coming home early. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Supreme Court has finally released the certified true copies of its judgment on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Aloy Ejimakor, special counsel to the IPOB leader, announced this in a post on his X handle on Monday. The Supreme Court had, on 15 December 2023, ordered a continuation of Mr Kanus trial on terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja. But several weeks later, the court failed to transmit the file to the lower court despite issuing the order. Mr Kanu had repeatedly condemned the failure of the Supreme Court to transmit the file, with his lawyer arguing that the action of the court was in violation of the Nigerian constitution which provided for the transmission of such files within seven days. File now released Today, the Supreme Court released the certified true copies of its judgment in Federal Republic of Nigeria versus Nnamdi Kanu, Mr Ejimakor, the special counsel to the IPOB leader, announced on the microblogging platform on Monday. The lawyer said the court also promised to transmit the case file to the Federal High Court Abuja on Tuesday (today). Sooner than later, we shall lock horns at the Federal High Court to free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, he stated. Background Mr Kanu, the IPOB leader, was first arrested in 2015 under the administration of the then President Muhammadu Buhari. The Court of Appeal, Abuja, on 13 October 2022, held that the IPOB leader was extra-ordinarily renditioned to Nigeria and that the action was a flagrant violation of the countrys extradition treaty and also a breach of his fundamental human rights. The court, therefore, struck out the terrorism charges filed against Mr Kanu by the Nigerian government and ordered his release from the facility of the State Security Service. But the government refused to release the IPOB leader, insisting that he (Kanu) could be unavailable in subsequent court proceedings if released and that his release would cause insecurity in the South-east, where he comes from. The government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, later appealed the court ruling and subsequently obtained an order staying the execution of the court judgment at the Supreme Court. Delivering judgment on the appeal on 15 December, the Supreme Court reversed the acquittal granted to Mr Kanu by the lower court and consequently ordered continuation of his trial at the Federal High Court Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print An aggrieved customer has sued the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) at the Kogi State High Court in Lokoja, demanding N50 million in general damages over alleged wrong billing. The claimant, Ugochukwu Orakwue, a resident of Kogi State, in the suit filed before the judge, Nicodemus Auwalu, alleged that the AEDC deliberately refused to read his Postpaid Metre for billing him, and instead, imposes outrageous estimated bills on him. Mr Orakwue prayed the court to restrain the defendant from further issuing him electricity bills based on estimation, but based on the actual reading of his postpaid meter. He prayed the court to declare that the defendants act of issuing him electricity bills based on estimation instead of based on the actual meter reading of his postpaid electricity meter contravenes the regulations of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, and therefore illegal, null and void. His other prayers include: A declaration that all the electricity bills issued to the claimant by the AEDC based on estimation starting from the bill of 19 Oct. 19, 2015, being exercise or action founded on illegality are null, void and of no legal effect or consequence. A declaration that AEDCs action of concealing the information of the claimants status as a metered customer by the wilful refusal to insert his meter number in his electricity bills contravenes the NERCs regulation and therefore illegal, null and void. A declaration that the defendants act of disconnecting the claimants electricity supply for nonpayment in less than ten (10) days of the bill date, without issuing a disconnection notice to the claimants even when the complaint filed by him against the bills remains unresolved and contravened the NERCs regulations and therefore illegal, null and void. A declaration that the claimant is entitled to be refunded the sum of N25,000 and Three Thousand Naria (N3,000) reconnection fee coercively collected from him by the defendant on July 28, 2023, before the reconnection of his electricity supply illegally or unlawfully disconnected by the defendant. Mr Orakwue also prayed for an order compelling the defendant to refund to him the sum of N28,000 being the amount coercively collected from him by the defendant on the 28 July 2023 before the reconnection of his electricity supply. He prayed for the payment of the sum of N30 million to him being exemplary/ punitive damages for the defendants punishable conduct. The claimant also prayed for the sum of N20 million being general damages for the wrongs the defendant caused the claimant. When the case came up for hearing on Tuesday, the AEDCs counsel, G.D. Dubai, told the court that the defendant was in discussion with the claimant to settle out of court. My Lord, we have commenced discussion with the claimant and most of the issues raised have been forwarded to the management at the Headquarters in Abuja for approval. READ ALSO: Why theres power outage in Abuja AEDC We shall be asking for a date to report back to your Lordship the outcome of our out-of-court settlement, Mr Dubai pleaded. Mr Orakwue, who has no counsel representing him, did not oppose the application but confirmed it as the true position of things. The judge then adjourned the case until 22 February for a report of settlement and/or continuation of hearing. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Ogun State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, impeached its speaker, Olakunle Oluomo over what it described as gross misconduct. Mr Oluomo, a member representing Ifo Constituency 1, was impeached by 18 of the 26 lawmakers during a plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Bolanle Ajayi. Oludaisi Elemide, who represents Odeda Constituency in the Assembly, was elected as the new speaker. The events at the Assembly complex were carried out amid heavy presence of security operatives, including the Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Adegoke Adeyanju, member representing Yewa North 1, moved the motion for the speakers impeachment. The motion was seconded by Ademola Adeniran who represents Sagamu 11. Addressing journalists after his election as the new speaker, Mr Elemide told residents of the state to expect the best from him. We are law abiding legislators. We want the world to know that there has been a change in leadership. 18 members signed for me to be the speaker. People should remain calm. We are in custody of all the authority of the House, he said. Mr Elemide dispelled the news making the rounds that Governor Dapo Abiodun is behind the impeachment. He also assured the governor of the support of the new leadership. Also speaking after the impeachment, another member, Damilola Soneye, who represents Obafemi Owode, noted that the office of the speaker should always be first among equals. The speaker was impeached due to gross misconduct, bordering on high handedness, lack of focus and transparency, arrogance and poor leadership style, financial misappropriation and inciting members against themselves, he said. It was learnt that the Clerk and the Deputy Clerk of the House, Deji Adeyemo and Funmilayo Adeyemi were also at the plenary. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Nigerias Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, on Monday, said the ministry will do everything possible within the ambit of the law to facilitate the full implementation of the presidential directive on the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as it affects tertiary institutions in the country. This assurance was contained in a press statement issued by the ministry and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong. According to the statement, the minister made the pledge during a meeting with the leadership of the Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education in Nigeria. The meeting held in Abuja, Nigerias Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Mr Mamman promised a consistent and positive interface with the committee to ensure industrial peace and harmony in the nations colleges of education. Seeking collaboration Also speaking, the Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, admonished the positive attitude of the leadership of the colleges of education. He added that the ministry will reciprocate the gesture to ensure a harmonious working relationship. The leadership of the colleges of education and relevant stakeholders to close ranks with the ministry to ensure improved enrollment of students into the colleges to guarantee a steady supply of qualified teachers at the Basic level of our Educational system. ALSO READ: Nigerian govt removes tertiary institutions from IPPIS He added that the ministry will continue to work hard to create incentives for teachers as well as mobilise enrollment into the colleges of education. The statement also revealed that the chairman of the Committee of Provosts of Colleges of Education Nationwide, Faruk Haruna, and the Chairman of the Committee of Provosts of Federal Colleges of Education, Ali Adamu, were unanimous in appealing to the ministers to facilitate the implementation of the presidential directive to take the institutions out of IPPIS. IPPIS The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), launched in 2006, is a government initiative aimed at streamlining payroll for government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). It was extended to universities and colleges which was rejected by the workers unions and sparked outrage among lecturers and administrators due to delays in salary payments and discrepancies in deductions. However, PREMIUM TIMES reported in December 2023 that tertiary institutions including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education have been exempted from the platform by the Nigerian government. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Three police officers in Rivers State who were allegedly involved in extortion of $3,000 from two travellers in Abia State are to face orderly room trial. The police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed this on Monday in Port Harcourt, while parading the three officers, Punch newspaper reported. Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, identified the officers as two assistant superintendents of police Doubara Edonyabo and Talent Mungo, and an inspector Odey Michael. She said the action was part of the internal disciplinary measures taken against the officers for their involvement in unlawful activities. Extortion A human rights activist in Delta State, Harrison Gwamnishu, last Friday, made a post on X, via his handle, @HarrisonBbi18, where he accused the officers of arresting a man and extorting $3,000 from him before dumping him in Port Harcourt. The police officers attached to Rivers State command left Port Harcourt to Aba, Abia State, arrested the man, took him to Rivers State, Bayelsa State and entered Ughelli, Delta State. After paying 3000 USDT, they moved him back to Port Harcourt and dumped him. Let it be on record that the commissioner of police in Rivers State, is aware of this kidnapping by men under his supervision, he wrote in X. A few hours later, Mrs Iringe-Koko in her terse reaction to the post on X said The police officers have been identified and arrested while the investigation is in progress. She assured last Friday that the outcome of the police investigation would be made public. Mrs Iringe-Koko, in a statement on Monday, said the $3000, an amount equivalent to N4.2 million had been recovered from the officers and returned to the victims on 18 January. The victims were arrested in Abia State, taken to Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states respectively for alleged fraud by a yet-to-be-seen complainant, she said without disclosing the identities of the victims, their offence and why they were taken to the three states. Following a comprehensive inquiry, it has been established that the actions of the officers in question were in clear violation of the law and the ethical standards expected of members of the Nigeria Police Force. As a result, appropriate disciplinary measures are being taken to address this grave misconduct. She said the two assistant superintendents of police have been issued with official queries, while the inspector has been slated for an orderly room trial. According to her, the errant officers were paraded publicly for transparency, professionalism and accountability and to show that their behaviour was unacceptable and did not represent the values and principles of the police. We deeply regret the negative impact that such misconduct may have on the reputation of the Rivers State Command and the Nigeria Police Force in general. The Inspector General of Police has consistently articulated a zero-tolerance stance against corruption and misconduct within the Force, and this incident does not reflect the aspirations of the Nigeria Police Force as a whole. Mrs Iringe-Koko urged the public to continue to have faith in the police, as they strive to maintain the trust and confidence of the citizens they swore to serve. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu is meeting with American Secretary of State Antony Blinken who is on a tour of African nations. Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar received Mr Blinken at the forecourt of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Mr Blinken is to hold bilateral talks with the Nigerian delegation headed by President Tinubu. Nigeria is the third country he is visiting on his Africa tour aimed at building better bilateral relations and partnership with the African Continent. On arrival in Abuja, he was received by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Mr Tuggar. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Blinken begins his fourth African trip this week, with visits to Cabo Verde, Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, and Angola. Key priorities of the visit include bolstering security partnerships and enhancing health, and economic development in the region. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubu has assured traditional rulers in the South-south geopolitical zone that his administration is committed to addressing their concerns over development and environmental degradation. The president gave the assurance on Tuesday at the State House during a meeting with the South-south Monarchs Forum, led by Felix Mujakperuo, a retired major general, who is the chairman of the Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers, and vice-chairman of the South-south Monarchs Forum. The president told the royal fathers that his administration is diligently working, both domestically and internationally, to strengthen Nigerias durability and approach to climate change, environmental restoration, and infrastructure development, all while ensuring security and stability in the region. Commending the monarchs for their understanding approach to his administrations ongoing economic reforms, particularly the removal of the fuel subsidy, President Tinubu promised that Nigerians would soon enjoy the benefits of these tough, yet necessary decisions. We are working to revive the economy from the damage of several years. We seek your support, prayers, and understanding, and I am glad that the vice chairman of the forum served in an organisation where we need intelligence to operate. You (the traditional institution) will be the source of the intelligence we need for the holistic development of our country, and anytime you need to tell us something, do not hesitate to reach out to this office. I will take on all of your concerns, and I will address each of them one by one. We cannot underestimate your contributions to the peace and stability of this country. Continue to uphold us in your prayers and in talking to our youth to keep faith with the country because light is already visible at the end of the tunnel, the president said. In his remarks, Mr Mujakperuo appealed to President Tinubu to follow up on all developmental efforts in the region to be sure that progress is tangible to the people. Mr. President, you know the problems of our region as an expert with experience in the energy industry. We see you working hard to solve our problems, and we are comforted that you have pledged to take on our concerns and bring a final solution to them, he said. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) January 23, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that a member of the House of Representatives, Nicholas Mutu, has a case to answer over in a N320 million money laundering case. The trial judge, Folashade Giwa-Ogunbanjo, on Monday, dismissed the no-case submission filed by the defendant after the prosecution closed its case with four witnesses. The judge fixed 21 February for him to open his defence, according to a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday EFCC had charged Mr Mutu alongside Airworld Technologies Ltd and Oyien Homes, with 13 counts of money laundering and gratification to the tune of N320 million. They allegedly committed the offences between August 2014 and August 2016. Read EFCCs full statement below: N320m Money Laundering Charge: You Have a Case to Answer- Court Tells Reps Justice F. Giwa Ogunbanjo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, January 22, 2024, told a member of the House of Representatives, Nicholas Mutu that he has a case to answer in an alleged N320 million money laundering case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mutu alongside Airworld Technologies Ltd and Oyien Homes, were dragged before the court by the EFCC on an amended 13-count charge bordering on money laundering and gratification to the tune of N320m between August 2014 and August 2016. He was arraigned before the court while he was serving as the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. The prosecution, at the last adjourned date, closed its case after presenting four witnesses, while the defence made a no-case submission. Justice Ogunbanjo while ruling on the no-case submission on Monday, January 22, 2024, told the defendant to enter his defence, ruling that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against Mutu. The EFCC counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, in his objection to the no case submission by the defence, argued that the money paid to the defendants by Starline Consultancy, a contractor to NDDC, was gratification. Iheanacho further told the court that Mutu used his official position, as the chairman of the House Committee on NDDC, to influence the payment of money paid by the NDDC contractors, using Airworld Technologies Ltd. After ruling that Mutu had a case to answer, Justice Ogunbanjo adjourned the case till February 21 and 22, 2024. Dele Oyewale Head, Media & Publicity January 23, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The European Union is close to a common political decision on the assets of the aggressor country Russia frozen in the West. Options for using the proceeds of Russian assets have been discussed by EU foreign ministers, and discussions will continue at the ambassadorial level. ADVERTISIMENT This was announced on January 22 by EU High Representative Josep Borrell. He touched upon this topic at a press conference in Brussels (Belgium). The event was broadcast by the European External Action Service on X (Twitter). "On the blocked Russian assets. I think we can say that we have political agreement to complete this work on the basis of the proposals we presented in December, with a focus on accruals. At this time, we are talking about accruals, about interest income, and I am convinced that this will be finalized soon," Borrell said. The diplomat did not specify what timeframe this might be. At the same time, he claims that "the deal is getting closer". ADVERTISIMENT "A very strong push for these decisions should be made before the next meeting of the [EU] Foreign Affairs Council," the head of European diplomacy added. The meeting he was referring to is scheduled for February 19, 2024. As OBOZ.UA previously reported: - Earlier, US Special Representative for Ukraine's Economic Recovery Penny Pritzker explained that the process of confiscating Russian assets would require a collective decision by all countries that have frozen Russian funds in their financial institutions. It will take time, so we should not expect it to happen quickly. - The International Monetary Fund has stated that decisions to confiscate Russian assets should be made by the relevant authorities in the countries where they are located. The IMF will monitor developments to assess the impact on the international financial system. ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! President Bola Tinubu says his administration will continue to provide the needed interventions in the oil and gas industry in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). Speaking when he received a delegation from the Chevron Corporation, led by Clay Neff, president of Chevron International Exploration and Production, on Tuesday in Abuja, President Tinubu said Nigeria would strengthen its long-standing partnership with the multinational company in line with the evolving dynamics in the oil and gas industry. The president welcomed Chevrons commitment to build on its investments in shallow and deep water operations in Nigeria, noting the companys ongoing $1.4 billion drilling project with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). He also commended Chevron for its dedication to reducing its carbon footprint in the country. You must see the PIA as a legacy law. We assure you of quick interventions and turnaround on any issue you may have in your operations in our country. Nigeria is proud of the 60-year partnership with Chevron, and we believe this partnership will be strengthened to add mutually beneficial value for the benefit of your shareholders as well as the living standards and economic opportunities of our population, President Tinubu said. In his remarks, Mr Neff pledged that the company would continue to operate in full adherence to the highest standards, even as it meets its investment commitments in Nigeria. He highlighted the companys contributions to domestic gas supply, noting the delivery of 25 per cent gas through a joint venture with NNPC Limited. He also said Chevron was scaling up its investments in the country with its recent efforts in a new phase of development to include: the conversion, under the Petroleum Industry Act, of all the NNPCL/Chevron Nigeria Limited Joint Venture (JV) Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) and Agbami OML 127 to Petroleum Mining Leases and Petroleum Prospecting Licences (PPLs); entry into OPL 215 block to boost deep-water development opportunities; signing of 20-year renewal of three deepwater leases; commencement of seismic data acquisition in several deepwater leases; commencement of life extension work on the Agbami project, and, in partnership with NNPCL, securing of $1.4 billion financing to fund the NNPCL/CNL JV infill drilling programme between 2022 to 2026, which includes the drilling of 37 wells in the shallow offshore and onshore Escravos area and associated facilities. Mr Neff further informed President Tinubu that Chevrons average annual tax and royalty remittances over the past three years had reached $3.4 billion. The bold steps you have taken since you assumed office are quite impressive. We are encouraged by our partnership of over 60 years, and we look forward, God willing, to continue that partnership for many decades to come. We are also looking at other opportunities as well while operating with the best environmental practices. We will continue to grow our traditional oil and gas business because we know the countries where we operate are in need of those products, and the world needs those products, he said. Ajuri Ngelale Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity) January 23, 2024 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The United Nations has urged the Nigerian government to abolish the death penalty. Currently, Nigerias correctional centres have 3,413 inmates on death row, Abubakar Umar, spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Services, said last December. Member States of the global body called for an immediate moratorium on the death penalty pending its abolition from Nigerias criminal justice system. The calls were made on Tuesday at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Nigeria in Geneva, Switzerland. Nigerias delegation led by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, is currently in Geneva for the UPR, which happens every four to five years. The UPR is a unique mechanism of the Human Rights Council that calls for each UN Member State to undergo a peer review of its human rights records every 4.5 years. While presenting Nigerias report of its human rights efforts, Mr Fagbemi reeled out a plethora of laws and policies enacted by the government to curb rights abuses. Nigeria has enacted several legislations such as the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (2015), the Child Rights Act, and Anti-Torture Act amongst others to safeguard the rights of Nigerians, the justice minister said, while being flanked by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jeddy-Agba. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter was at the UN House in Abuja on Tuesday and monitored the Geneva proceedings of Nigerias presentation of its human rights status to the UN Human Rights Council. Nigerias human rights report The Attorney General said Nigerias quest for an improved human rights record led to the strengthening of public institutions to ensure accountability in the event of violations. Mr Fagbemi explained that the country had taken steps to promote and protect the enjoyment of fundamental human rights of Nigerians. Nigeria remains committed to the promotion of the rule of law and obedience to court decisions. Nigeria has designated the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as the independent Nationa Preventive Mechanism against torture, the AGF said. He added that the Child Rights Act is now domesticated across the 36 states of Nigeria, while the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act is already adopted in many States across the country. Speaking further on other areas of rights enforcement, the minister noted that the government set up investigative panels following protests over police brutality in Nigeria in 2020, with outcomes of the probe leading to payment of compensations to victims of violations. On the Nigerian delegation are Wale Fapohunda, a former Attorney-General of Ekiti State; Olumide Osoba, a member of the House of Representatives and Chairman, House Committee on Justice; Abdulrahman Yukubu, a director at the National Human Rights Commission; and the Solicitor-General of the Federation, Ms Jeddy-Agba. They took turns to present Nigerias report of its implementation of human rights mechanisms, which were previously recommended by the UN Human Rights Council. Nigeria was last reviewed by the 193-member body in 2018 when it made far-reaching recommendations aimed at bolstering the countrys human rights status. However, the Nigerian governments claims of its accomplishments in the protection and promotion of Nigerians rights are at variance with practical issues in the country. Angela Uzoma-Nwandu, the country director of Avocats Sans Frontieres (ASF) in Nigeria, said Policies and legislation are as good as their implementation. Ms Uzoma-Nwandu added policy implementation would guarantee the realisation of human rights in Nigeria. She noted that it was time for Nigeria to abrogate the death penalty because it violates the right to life. Issues of arbitrary arrests and detention, press freedom, torture, shrinking of civic space and religious intolerance continue to plague Nigerians. For instance, Deborah Samuel, an undergraduate was gruesomely murdered in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria in 2022. The government promised to bring the perpetrators of the dastardly act to justice, but it reneged on it. Sexual and Gender-Based Violence incidents are rampant with many perpetrators going scot-free. Last November, Amnesty International urged President Bola Tinubu to make human rights protection its priority by ensuring that every Nigerians rights are protected and that perpetrators of rights breaches do not go unpunished. It accused President Tinubu of failing in his responsibility to uphold the rights of Nigerians owing to widespread violent crimes and poverty. Ghana, Togo, US, Canada others urge Nigeria on rights protection In their separate review of Nigerias human rights records, West African countries like Ghana, Togo, and Gabon urged the government to end the death penalty and tackle gender-based violence. Other African countries in their broad assessment of various rights issues, recommended the strengthening of public institutions to deliver on qualitative healthcare and education for Nigerians. The United States and Canada expressed their concerns about Nigerias human rights conditions, calling for the full implementation of recommendations by the EndSARS panels. They said the Nigerian government must prioritise the prosecution and punishment of law enforcement officers indicted for rights breaches. They also urged Nigeria to decriminalise same-sex marriage. The offence carries a 14-year jail term. But in his response to the issue of LGBTQ, the justice minister said Nigerias laws are a reflection of the countrys cultural background. Speaking further, Mr Fagbemi said Nigeria had begun commuting the death penalty to life imprisonment in line with the correctional services law. Nigeria last had its death sentence execution in 2016 in Edo State, South-south Nigeria. Adwoa Kufuor, senior human rights adviser at the UN in Abuja, told PREMIUM TIMES that the global body would collaborate with the Nigerian government in meeting its obligations in terms of human rights protection. Ms Kufuor itemised key thematic rights issues upon which Nigeria was reviewed including the death penalty, womens empowerment, SGVB, qualitative education, universal health coverage, and rights of the aged, among others. The ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, was at the UN House in Abuja, from where he watched the Geneva proceedings on Nigeria. He noted the observations and recommendations of UN Member States to Nigeria on LGBTQS and social protection. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In Nigeria, what used to be a platform for healthy banter and exchange of ideas, particularly X, has degenerated to a platform for spreading hate and ethnic dog whistling. Charlatans and ethnic entrepreneurs who before now had no audience, have suddenly gained traction, amassed huge following and become the leading voices in a senseless battle for ethnic supremacy. The result is heightened polarisation and mutual distrust among citizens of various ethnic groups. Although Nigeria has a long history of ethnic and religious polarisation, the 2023 general elections triggered the rise of a new set of ethnic nationalists who are now radicalising an entire generation. Sadly, these dangerous folks have discovered an effective means of propagating their agenda, spreading propaganda, and fuelling extremism, as a means to retaining political power and plundering state resources. The tool utilised is social media. What they do not realise, or perhaps choose to ignore, is that their exploitation of social media is accelerating the potential for violent conflict. In 2012, a group of Buddhist ultranationalists, led by deeply polarising figures like Ashin Wirathu, a monk, took to Facebook to target Muslims throughout Myanmar. They used social media to spread misinformation and fake news that blamed Muslims for violence and all sorts of criminality. In many instances, they described Muslims as invaders of their region who posed a threat to the Buddhist majority. Expectedly, violence broke out within months of this vicious campaign, leading to the killing of several Muslims, with at least 8,000 of them displaced. By January 2018, at least 24,000 Rohingya Muslims had been killed and 18,000 of their women and children brutally raped. Barbra Walter, a professor of Political Science explained how societies fracture, how social media amplifies the schism, and how such fractures lead to violence. For a society to fracture along identity lines, she argued, you need mouthpieces, people who are willing to make discriminatory appeals and pursue discriminatory policies in the name of a particular group. Harnessing the power of the media which they often control, they work to convince citizens that they are under threat from an out group and must band together to counter the threat. This feeling of being threatened creates a we versus them mentality that radicalises moderates to take extreme positions and make violent confrontation against an outgroup permissible. Once a group is made to believe that it is superior, the tendency to view others as expendables, or as canon fodders necessary to maintain its status becomes a reasonable consideration. While this phenomenon is driven my reckless politicians who promote identity politics at the expense of ideas and principles, this piece seeks to focus on how social media is an accelerant and why the misguided activities on these platforms would inadvertently lead to violent conflict. In Nigeria, what used to be a platform for healthy banter and exchange of ideas, X (former Twitter), has degenerated to a platform for spreading hate and ethnic dog whistling. Charlatans and ethnic entrepreneurs who before now had no audience, have suddenly gained traction, amassed huge following and become the leading voices in a senseless battle for ethnic supremacy. The result is heightened polarisation and mutual distrust among citizens of various ethnic groups. If this pattern is left unchecked, violent confrontation will become inevitable. While this phenomenon is driven my reckless politicians who promote identity politics at the expense of ideas and principles, this piece seeks to focus on how social media is an accelerant and why the misguided activities on these platforms would inadvertently lead to violent conflict. It will also appear that those in authority are ignorant of the dangers posed by the activities of these ethnic nationalists on social media and the need to act urgently. Why Is Social Media Dangerous? Barbra Walter also notes that As social media penetrated countries and gained a large share of peoples attention, a clear pattern emerged; ethnic factions grew, social divisions widened, resentment at immigrants increased, and violence began to increase. Hence, she concluded that open unregulated social media platforms turned out to be the perfect catalysts for the conditions that lead to war. The business model of social media platforms is to keep audiences hooked and engaged for long spells of time. However, various studies by researchers have revealed that what people like the most is fear over calm, and outrage over empathy. People are far more likely to get reactions for their posts by being provocative than by being sensitive. Which is why every now and then, we see people make provocative posts on their pages and when you check their histories, youd notice that they once were on the opposite side of that incendiary view. Such individuals learnt quickly that it is far easier to go viral by offending peoples sensibilities than by showing empathy. In other words, what keeps people engaged, as Professor Barbra concludes, is exactly the information that leads them towards anger, resentment, and violence. More importantly, it is imperative to consider legislation that makes it unlawful for any person to publish or share contents that portrays criminality, depravity, or the lack of virtue of a group of citizens, of any tribe or religion that exposes them to ridicule or contempt. Avoiding Conflict To avoid full-blown conflicts, the most aggressive and brazen voices on social media must be drowned out. We risk the rise of extremists groups and the worst of ethnic nationalism if we allow these peddlers of hate and misinformation unfettered reach on the internet. Without further delay, the government should enlist the support of social media companies to go beyond sharing community notes on misleading posts, to the outright deactivation of accounts that spread hate and bigotry. More importantly, it is imperative to consider legislation that makes it unlawful for any person to publish or share contents that portrays criminality, depravity, or the lack of virtue of a group of citizens, of any tribe or religion that exposes them to ridicule or contempt. Finally, we must encourage the politics of ideas and not of identity. Those who seek to occupy public offices must be made to campaign on their value propositions and not the basis of the ethnic groups that they represent. Ayodele Adio, a political and communications strategist, is national publicity secretary of Youth Party. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called for stringent laws to check crimes in the territory. Mr Wike, who made the call while addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, complained that the penalty in the current law was not enough to discourage criminality. He said that currently, criminals were vandalising solar-powered street lights in the FCT, adding, however, that the penalty when caught is N30,000. He pointed out that if a vandal is arrested and the court asks him to pay only N30,000 as punishment, the culprit would pay and go back to commit the same offence. What I am saying is that legislation should be put in place where it will no longer be easy for criminals to operate. If you are caught and the penalty is heavy, it gives you an option not to either participate in crime or pay a heavy penalty when caught. If for example you are caught and the penalty is N10 million, how many people can afford to pay N10 million for just one solar panel? So, that will be a deterrent. READ ALSO: This is why the legislators need to amend the laws and not to give a loophole where criminals will capitalise on and continue to perpetuate crime, he said. The minister urged Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the FCT in the Senate, to consider initiating a review of existing laws that were put in place to fight crime in the FCT to make the punishments stiffer. According to him, such a move will complement the efforts of the security agencies by ensuring that whoever is caught committing any form of crime pays dearly for his or her actions. He assured FCT residents that the government was not sleeping but working day and night with security agencies to address the security challenges affecting some parts of the city. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The FCT Administration has announced plans to strengthen collaboration with the territorys four neighbouring states to tackle cross border crimes. The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday. Mr Wike noted that the FCTA cannot curb insecurity in the territory without the collaboration of the neighbouring states. He identified the states as Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Kaduna, stressing that criminals from Niger and Kaduna constitute the major challenge to the FCT. He said that on his assumption of duty as the FCT minister, he was informed about the efforts of the FCTA with the neighbouring state to form a security coalition. He explained that the coalition was to serve as a platform to support one another to reduce the level of insecurity. He, however, pointed out that election petitions in the courts did not allow the coalition to come into fruition. Series of election petitions took the governors time, but now that most of the petitions have been settled, we will be having our first meeting next week. FCT will host the four states to fully implement the cooperation. If we dont do that, it is going to be difficult. We need the support of Nasarawa state, Kogi state; we need the support of Niger state and Kaduna state. We need to work majorly with Kaduna state and Niger. There is no day or week you will not hear that bandits attacked residents in Niger, bandits struck in Kaduna, and when that happens, where do they go to? They go to the forest bordering FCT and the neighbouring states, he said. The minister said that although security personnel have tried within their capacity, to from time to time, comb the forest, they could not be stationed there on a permanent basis due to insufficient resources. He said whenever the security personnel withdraw from the forest, the bandits come out of hiding to kidnap innocent citizens for ransom. He said that the security collaboration would only work if states peculiarities were considered, adding that the security alliance would strongly consider what would work. We will look at what will work between FCT and Kogi, we will look at what will work with Niger and of course Kaduna state. Are we going to form a joint security outfit? Or just sharing intelligence? It will also mean that not only FCT will be providing the needed logistics support and all that, but also the affected states to fight crime. We will not just come together to have a meeting, no, there must be practical steps taken to reduce crime, he said. The minister expressed optimism that insecurity would soon be a thing of the past following the current security operations and the support from the Area Councils. We will continue to do the best that we can because there is no way we can eliminate criminality totally; it is not possible. What is important is to make sure we proactively take steps such that when crime occurs, we can either arrest the criminals or protect our people from them, Mr Wike said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the massive missile attack against Ukraine by the Russian Federation on January 23. He stated that it was deliberate terror against ordinary residential buildings in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Pavlohrad. ADVERTISIMENT In his Telegram, the Head of State noted that rescue operations are ongoing. He expressed gratitude to everyone who is doing their very important work to save people. "As of now, we know about 22 people who suffered as a result of the enemy shelling of Kyiv. In Kharkiv, according to preliminary data, five people were killed and 51 people, including four children, were injured in the terrorist attack. Twenty-seven people were rescued from the rubble," the Head of State noted. The President also said that Putin's terrorists had killed one person in Pavlohrad, Dnipro region. The Ukrainian leader expressed his condolences to the families of the victims. Zelenskyy praised Ukrainian rescuers who continue to do their job and save lives in any situation. "I am grateful to all our defenders, employees of all emergency services, and all those whose hearts simply feel that we need to take care of others and that we need to help others when lives depend on it," the president emphasized. ADVERTISIMENT As a reminder, on January 23, Russia attacked Ukraine with more than 10 missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft. The enemy also launched ballistic missiles. The explosions occurred in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Pavlohrad, Dnipro region. In the capital, cars and apartments were burning, and in Kharkiv, the enemy destroyed the entrance of a high-rise building. There are reports of dead and wounded in all three cities. CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Aequum Capital is pleased to announce it recently closed $7,100,000 in credit facilities to support Kepler Capital's acquisition of a dominant regional heavy-duty commercial vehicle towing company. The credit facilities include a working capital revolver, cash flow based term loan, and delayed draw term loan to support future growth. Kepler Capital is a unique private equity firm focused on acquiring exceptional small businesses throughout North America. Kepler partners with existing ownership and management teams to help them achieve personal and business goals. Aequum Capital Financial is a specialty finance lender providing senior asset-backed and cash flow debt facilities of up to $20 million to small and medium-sized businesses throughout the U.S. For more information, please go to https://aequumcapital.com or contact Eric Weisheit at [email protected]. For inquiries to Kepler Capital please go to https://keplercapital.ca or contact Edric Low at [email protected]. SOURCE Aequum Capital Financial LLC NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rowley Law PLLC is investigating potential securities law violations by NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE: NS) and its board of directors concerning the proposed acquisition of the company by Sunoco LP (NYSE: SUN). Unitholders will receive 0.400 Sunoco common units for each NuStar Energy common unit that they hold. The transaction is valued at approximately $7.3 billion and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024. If you are a unitholder of NuStar Energy L.P. and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, please visit us at: http://www.rowleylawpllc.com/investigation/ns/. You may also contact Shane Rowley, Esq. at Rowley Law PLLC, 50 Main Street Suite 1000, White Plains, NY 10606, by email at [email protected] , or by telephone at 914-400-1920 or 844-400-4643 (toll-free). Rowley Law PLLC represents shareholders nationwide in class actions and derivative lawsuits in complex corporate litigation. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.rowleylawpllc.com . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. SOURCE Rowley Law PLLC LAVAL, QC, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. ("Couche-Tard" or the "Corporation") (TSX: ATD) announced today that it has priced Cdn.$500 million aggregate principal amount of 4.603% Series 8 Senior Unsecured Notes due January 25, 2029 (the "Notes"), in a private offering in all of the provinces of Canada (the "Offering"). The Offering is expected to close on or about January 25, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Couche-Tard intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to partially repay outstanding indebtedness under credit facilities made available to Couche-Tard, which indebtedness was used to fund a portion of the purchase price of the acquisition of certain European retail assets from TotalEnergies. The Notes are being offered through an agency syndicate consisting of National Bank Financial Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc., Barclays Capital Canada Inc., BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., BNP Paribas (Canada) Securities Inc., BofA Securities, Goldman Sachs Canada Inc., HSBC Securities (Canada) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Canada Inc., MUFG Securities (Canada), Ltd., Rabo Securities Canada, Inc., SMBC Nikko Securities Canada, Ltd., TD Securities Inc., and Wells Fargo Securities Canada, Ltd. The Notes will be direct unsecured obligations of Couche-Tard and will rank pari passu with all other current and future senior unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Couche-Tard and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by certain of Couche-Tard's whollyowned subsidiaries who are guarantors under Couche-Tard's senior credit facilities. The Notes have been assigned a rating of "BBB+" by Standard & Poor's and "Baa1" by Moody's. The Notes have not been and will not be qualified for sale to the public under applicable securities laws in Canada and, accordingly, any offer and sale of the Notes in Canada will be made on a basis which is exempt from the prospectus requirements of such securities laws. The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction, and may not be offered or sold in the United States. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, nor shall there be any sales of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. Couche-Tard is a global leader in convenience and mobility, operating in 29 countries and territories, with more than 16,700 stores, of which almost 13,100 offer road transportation fuel. With its well-known Couche-Tard and Circle K banners, it is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in the United States and it is a leader in the convenience store industry and road transportation fuel retail in Canada, Scandinavia, the Baltics, as well as in Ireland. It also has an important presence in Poland and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of People's Republic of China and has recently expanded to Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. More than 150,000 people are employed throughout its network. For more information on Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., or to consult its audited annual Consolidated Financial Statements, unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, please visit: https://corpo.couche-tard.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute forward looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation, including those with respect to the potential transaction. Positive or negative verbs such as "believe", "can", "shall", "intend", "expect", "estimate", "assume" and other related expressions are used to identify such statements. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Couche-Tard and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties outside of Couche-Tard's control. Couche-Tard would like to point out that, by their very nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties such that its results, or the measures it adopts, could differ materially from those indicated in or underlying these statements, or could have an impact on the degree of realization of a particular projection. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Couche-Tard disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking information in this release is based on information available as of the date of the release. SOURCE Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. DALLAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alpine Power Systems is excited to announce that they have completed a move to a new, larger, 30,000 square-foot facility located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan area. This major milestone falls on the company's 20th anniversary of operating within the state of Texas. Alpine's New Dallas Office. The move to this new facility was predicated on keeping up with current and future growth of their Motive Power, Telecom, and Critical Power divisions. In addition to investments in a new facility, Alpine has hired additional sales and operational personnel to help support their expansion within the Dallas-Fort Worth marketplace. Alpine provides solutions throughout all of Texas, including the major metropolitan areas of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Corpus Christi, and El Paso. Sean Davis, Alpine's Executive Vice President of Sales says: "We have been investing in this market for over two decades. The "metroplex" population of Dallas and nearby Fort Worth is expected to exceed 8 million very soon. With this area's population growing at triple the national rate, (the fastest pace among America's biggest cities) and its economy following suit, (increasing by 46% in the last decade) we are reaffirming our commitment to Texas. This expansion will allow us more capacity to serve the market better. Our team is the best in class and reaches from coast to coast and the great lakes to the gulf." Jon Centella, Alpine's Vice President of Critical Power & Telecom Sales says: "Requiring a facility of this size is evidence of our success in the market and our ownership's willingness to invest in our people and processes. These investments are necessary to support current demand within all our divisions but also allows us to plan for the future. Texas will certainly be a BIG part of that future and we couldn't be more excited to further invest in the Lone Star State." Adam Cecil, Alpine's Vice President of Motive Power Sales says: "We would like to thank our loyal and growing customer base; they are the key to our success in DFW. Our expansion certainly shows our commitment to this very important and dynamic market. We will continue to grow our team to provide the robust support needed to satisfy customers and build partnerships." Alpine Power Systems will be hosting a formal grand opening and open house for customers and partners to attend in Spring 2024. This event will not only showcase their state-of-the-art 30,000 square-foot premises but also serve as a celebration of their long-lasting relationships and continued growth in the Texas region. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to engage with Alpine team members, explore innovative solutions across their divisions, and witness firsthand the advanced technologies and processes that drive their success. The date of the event and additional information will be released within the coming months. About Alpine Power Systems Alpine Power Systems, established in 1963, is an independent B2B global solution provider specializing in motive power, telecom, cable, and critical power solutions. Alpine has expanded its operations to become one of the largest independent organizations in their industry. Alpine is a dynamic and growing company supplying numerous Fortune 1000 Companies. Alpine Power Systems is ISO 9001:2015 Quality, 14001:2015 Environmental, and ISO 45001:2018 Health & Safety Certified. Related Links Homepage: https://alpinepowersystems.com About Us: https://alpinepowersystems.com/about-us/ Dallas Facility: https://alpinepowersystems.com/about-us/locations/dallas/ SOURCE Alpine Power Systems - Franchise Development Agreements with New and Existing Business Owners Propel Expansion Throughout North America for Leading Senior Services Franchise - ROSEVILLE, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Always Best Care Senior Services announced today that it signed 11 franchise development agreements with new and existing franchise owners in the last two quarters of 2023. This momentum capped off a year that included acquisitions and expansions in multiple states such as Texas, North Carolina, Utah and Massachusetts, as well as new locations opening in Chicago, Orlando, Florida, and Calgary, Alberta. One of the leading senior care franchise systems in the United States, Always Best Care has capitalized on its recent back-to-back years of double-digit sales growth and the success of current franchise owners who are reinvesting in the brand opportunity by expanding their territories. "Always Best Care is known for our Continuum of Care, which allows franchise owners to build multiple streams of revenue by offering in-home care, senior living referral services, home health care, veterans care, and special services. These areas continue to increase along with the senior population, which predominantly wants to be able to age in place instead of being relocated to a nursing home," said Jake Brown, President & CEO of Always Best Care. "Our portfolio of technology and special care services, combined with the support of our trusted caregivers who employ these tools and resources around the clock, have fueled the company's growth and success throughout 2023 and into the new year." New franchisees signed in the second half of 2023 include: Tunisha and Meyahnwi Che in Cypress, Texas Owen Fregene, Gladys and Igho Muwhen in Edmonton, Alberta Jeremy Ming in Shalimar, Florida in Shalimar, Sheena Wallace in Corona, California Always Best Care local owners signing agreements to expand their territories include: Carlos Camacho serving new territory in Las Cruces, New Mexico Keith Carter expanding in Shreveport, Louisiana , and signing for new territory in Marshall, Texas expanding in , and signing for new territory in Shawn Cothran serving a new territory in Wilmington, North Carolina Robin Henoch expanding in Rockville, Maryland Pam Puorro expanding her Ohio territory territory Kandace Stroo opening a new Louisiana territory in Alexandria opening a new territory in Eiso Wortelboer expanding into three new territories, with the first in Irvine, California Franchise opportunities are available in many new territories for individuals interested in leveraging Always Best Care's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas. Markets open for development include key cities in Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Indiana, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Southern California, Oregon and Washington state. For more information on available territories and franchising with Always Best Care, contact Sean Hart at [email protected], call 916-545-2786 or visit https://alwaysbestcare.com/franchising/. Always Best Care is one of the nation's leading providers of non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services, with skilled home health care in limited markets. The company delivers its services through an international network of more than 225 independently owned and operated franchise territories throughout the United States and Canada. By working with case managers, social workers, discharge planners, doctors, and families, Always Best Care franchise owners provide affordable, comprehensive solutions that can be specifically matched to meet a client's particular physical or social needs. About Always Best Care Founded in 1996, Always Best Care Senior Services is based on the belief that having the right people for the right level of care means peace of mind for the client and family. Always Best Care has been assisting seniors with a wide range of conditions and personal needs for over 28 years and currently provides thousands of hours of care every year. Franchise opportunities are available to individuals interested in leveraging the company's clear strategy and proven track record for delivering affordable, dependable service to seniors in their local areas. Always Best Care also offers exclusive programs such as Always in Touch, Balance Tracking System, remote patient monitoring and a 24/7 AI Virtual Care. For more information regarding Always Best Care's solutions, visit www.alwaysbestcare.com. CONTACT: Nicole Hunnicutt Fish Consulting 404-558-4108 [email protected] SOURCE Always Best Care ZURICH, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amcor plc (NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC) will announce its Half Year 2024 results for the six months ended 31 December 2023 after the US market closes on Tuesday 6 February 2024. A conference call and webcast to discuss the results will be held at 5.30pm US Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday 6 February 2024 / 9.30am Australian Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday 7 February 2024. For those wishing to participate in the call please see dial-in details below: USA & Canada 646 307 1963 (local) 800 715 9871 (toll-free) Australia 02 9133 7103 (local) 1800 519 630 (toll-free) United Kingdom 020 3433 3846 (local) 0800 358 0970 (toll-free) Singapore +65 3159 5133 (local) Hong Kong +852 3002 3410 (local) All other countries: +1 646 307 1963 (not a toll-free number) Conference ID 2761023 Access to the webcast and supporting materials will be available via the Investors section of Amcor's website (www.amcor.com/investors). A webcast replay will be available at the conclusion of the call. NDS For further information please contact: Investors: Tracey Whitehead Global Head of Investor Relations Amcor +61 3 9226 9028 [email protected] Damien Bird Vice President Investor Relations Amcor +61 3 9226 9070 [email protected] Damon Wright Vice President Investor Relations Amcor + 1 224 313 7141 / +1 949 202 9682 [email protected] Media Europe Ernesto Duran Head of Global Communications Amcor +41 78 698 69 40 [email protected] Media Australia James Strong Citadel-MAGNUS +61 448 881 174 [email protected] Media North America Julie Liedtke Director, Media Relations Amcor +1 847 204 2319 julie.liedtke@amcor.com About Amcor Amcor is a global leader in developing and producing responsible packaging solutions for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home and personal-care, and other products. Amcor works with leading companies around the world to protect their products, differentiate brands, and improve supply chains through a range of flexible and rigid packaging, specialty cartons, closures, and services. The company is focused on making packaging that is increasingly light-weighted, recyclable and reusable, and made using an increasing amount of recycled content. In fiscal year 2023, around 41,000 Amcor people generated US$14.7 billion in annual sales from operations that span 218 locations in 41 countries. NYSE: AMCR; ASX: AMC www.amcor.com I LinkedIn I Facebook I Twitter I YouTube SOURCE Amcor Board-certified dermatologist's tips ROSEMONT, Ill. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Rashes take many forms, may spread across the body, and affect people of all ages. To the untrained eye, rashes may look alike, and while some are treatable with over-the-counter medications, other rashes can be a sign of a more serious condition. "It is important to watch your symptoms closely at the onset of a new rash," said Mallory Abate, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Baton Rouge, La. "Making note of any changes or new developments are instrumental to determining the severity of the medical condition and if immediate assistance is needed." Rashes take many forms, may spread across the body, and affect people of all ages. Post this It's easy for germs to enter a rash and cause an infection. Signs your rash is infected might include pus, yellow or golden crusts, pain, swelling, warmth, or an unpleasant smell. The skin around an infection might look red, purple, or brown, you might feel very hot or cold, have swollen lymph nodes, or a fever. In recognition of National Healthy Skin Month this November, Dr. Abate and the AAD recommend people with rashes follow these tips to know when to seek medical attention: A rash over most of your body. A rash that blisters or turns into open sores or raw skin. Fever or illness with a rash. A rash that spreads rapidly. A painful rash. A rash involving the eyes, lips, mouth, or genital skin. If you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or your eyes or lips swell up, emergency medical care may be necessary and should be sought immediately. "If you have a rash and your symptoms are not improving, make an appointment to see a board-certified dermatologist," Dr. Abate said. These tips are demonstrated in "Signs your rash needs medical attention," a video posted to the AAD website and YouTube channel . This video is part of the AAD's "Your Dermatologist Knows" series, which offers tips people can use to properly care for their skin, hair, and nails. To find a board-certified dermatologist in your area, visit aad.org/findaderm . More Information Rash 101 in Adults: When to Seek Medical Treatment Rashes AAD B-Roll Library About the AAD Headquartered in Rosemont, Ill., the American Academy of Dermatology, founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential and most representative of all dermatologic associations. With a membership of more than 20,800 physicians worldwide, the AAD is committed to advancing the diagnosis and medical, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of the skin, hair, and nails; advocating high standards in clinical practice, education and research in dermatology; and supporting and enhancing patient care because skin, hair, and nail conditions can have a serious impact on your health and well-being. For more information, contact the AAD at (888) 462-DERM (3376) or aad.org. Follow @AADskin on Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest and YouTube and @AADskin1 on Instagram. SOURCE American Academy of Dermatology WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Global Strategies LLC (AGS), a leading international advisory and consulting firm, announced that former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is joining the firm as non-executive Vice Chairman. Morrison served as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. As a founding member of the Quad Leaders Dialogue and one of the chief architects of the AUKUS defense agreement, Morrison brings extraordinary experience at the highest levels of international affairs and defense policy. Prime Minister Morrison also played a central role in the establishment of the first ever Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and ASEAN. For his leadership in addressing global challenges and his exceptional dedication to the U.S. Australian alliance, Morrison was made a Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit by President Trump in December 2020. "Prime Minister Scott Morrison is widely regarded as one of the most consequential world leaders of the last decade, presiding over unprecedented changes to Australia's foreign and defense policies," said Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien (ret.), Chairman of AGS. "As American Global Strategies' non-Executive Vice Chairman, Prime Minister Morrison will bring high-level relationships and unique geopolitical insights to our clients." Mr Morrison said "I'm looking forward to working once again with Ambassador O'Brien and the whole AGS team, especially here in the Indo-Pacific. Robert and I enjoyed a great working relationship when I was Prime Minister. Together we can draw on our combined networks and experience in the region to help clients navigate a highly dynamic geopolitical landscape that presents risks and opportunities." "And it's not just in the defense and security space. Supply chains, technological change, resource security, energy transition and new types of partnerships between the private and public sectors are all impacted by the world becoming an ever more complicated place. There's a lot to unpack here and I'm pleased to be teaming up with people at AGS who know what they're talking about and know what to do about it." AGS delivers unparalleled expertise for its clients by assessing the global political environment and devising strategies to navigate international and domestic challenges. Founded by former U.S. National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien and former National Security Council Chief of Staff Alexander B. Gray, the firm has assembled a leading team of experts with experience at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. Contact: [email protected] SOURCE American Global Strategies On January 23, Russian occupation forces shelled Kherson region and the regional center. One person died and three people were wounded as a result of the hostile attacks. ADVERTISIMENT A 52-year-old man was injured as a result of an enemy attack in the central district of Kherson. This was reported by the Kherson Regional State Administration. As a result of the incident, the man sustained an explosive injury, a head injury and eye injuries. The victim was transported to a medical facility. Doctors are providing him with the necessary assistance. Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of Kherson Regional Military Administration, also showed the consequences of the attack on an apartment building in the Dniprovsky district of Kherson. "This apartment building in the Dniprovsky district of Kherson became a target for Russian terrorists. Residents recall with horror how their homes were directly hit by Russian artillery. It was a miracle that no one was injured. The house was damaged. The specialists of our emergency service are repairing it right now. They have been working at the place of arrival since the morning," Prokudin said. ADVERTISIMENT Later, the head of the Kherson regional military administration said that during the attack the Russian army killed a resident of Korabelny district of Kherson. "A 70-year-old man was fatally wounded near the entrance to his house. Our condolences to the family of the deceased," the statement said. In addition, a 74-year-old woman was injured as a result of Russian strikes on Kindiyka. Also, the Kherson Military District reported an attack by an occupier's drone on Beryslav. A 47-year-old man was injured as a result of the attack. He was taken to the hospital with an explosive injury and a head wound. The victim is receiving medical care. ADVERTISIMENT As reported by OBOZ.UA, the aggressor country Russia launched 41 different types of air defense systems at Ukraine on the morning of January 23. Air defense forces destroyed 21 enemy missiles. Also on January 23, explosions were heard in Kharkiv during a massive attack by the occupiers. Children were injured as a result of a missile strike on the region. In addition, a gas pipeline was damaged. In one of the districts, Russian terrorists destroyed a children's sanatorium school. The entrance of an apartment building was completely destroyed. Rescuers are working at the scene of the attack. Earlier it was reported that in the morning of January 23, explosions were heard in Kyiv. Air defense forces were operating during a large-scale air raid. Later it became known about a fire in the Sviatoshynskyi district. ADVERTISIMENT LAS VEGAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) (the "Company") today announced that its operating partnership, American Homes 4 Rent, L.P. (the "Operating Partnership"), has priced an offering of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 5.500% Senior Notes due 2034 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be issued at 99.893% of par value with a coupon of 5.500% per annum. Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on February 1 and August 1of each year, commencing August 1, 2024. The Notes will mature on February 1, 2034. The offering is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close on or about January 30, 2024. The Operating Partnership intends to allocate an amount equal to the net proceeds from the offering to finance and/or refinance, in whole or in part, new or existing Eligible Projects (as defined in the prospectus supplement for the offering). Pending full allocation of an amount equal to the net proceeds from the offering to finance and/or refinance, in whole or in part, new or existing Eligible Projects, the Operating Partnership intends to use the net proceeds from the offering for the repayment of outstanding indebtedness, which may include the repayment or voluntary prepayment of all or a portion of the outstanding 2014-SFR2 asset-backed securitization notes and the 2014-SFR3 asset-backed securitization notes, and/or temporarily invest the net proceeds in accordance with the Company's cash investment policy. The Company's inaugural green bond issuance highlights its focus on energy efficient and sustainable construction practices as it contributes much needed inventory to the country's under-supplied housing landscape. Wells Fargo Securities, BofA Securities and J.P. Morgan are acting as joint book-running managers and representatives of the underwriters for the offering, and PNC Capital Markets LLC, Raymond James, Mizuho, Morgan Stanley and Scotiabank are acting as book-running managers for the offering. BMO Capital Markets, US Bancorp, Citigroup, Regions Securities LLC, Ramirez & Co., Inc. and RBC Capital Markets are acting as co-managers for the offering. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any offer or sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification thereof under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and only by means of a prospectus and prospectus supplement. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the offering and the final prospectus supplement, when available, may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or from Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attn: WFS Customer Service, 608 2nd Avenue South, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, at 800-645-3751 or email: [email protected]; BofA Securities, Inc., 201 North Tryon Street, NC1-022-02-25, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department, by telephone at 1-800-294-1322 or by email at [email protected]; and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attn: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, or by telephone at 1-866-803-9204. About AMH AMH (NYSE: AMH) is a leading large-scale integrated owner, operator and developer of single-family rental homes. We are an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing and managing homes as rental properties. Our goal is to simplify the experience of leasing a home and deliver peace of mind to households across the country. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that relate to beliefs, expectations or intentions and similar statements concerning matters that are not of historical fact and are generally accompanied by words such as "estimate," "project," "predict," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "potential," "plan," "goal," "outlook," "guidance" or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Examples of forward-looking statements contained in this press release include, among others, the Operating Partnership's ability to complete the offering and the intended use of net proceeds. The Operating Partnership has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations and assumptions about future events. While the Operating Partnership's management considers these expectations and assumptions to be reasonable, they are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks, contingencies and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Operating Partnership's control and could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company or the Operating Partnership undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to conform to actual results or changes in their expectations, unless required by applicable law. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the Company in general, see the Company's and the Operating Partnership's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, and in the Company's and the Operating Partnership's subsequent filings with the SEC. AMH Contacts: Trent Frager Media Relations Phone: (855) 774-4663 Email: [email protected] Nicholas Fromm Investor Relations Phone: (855) 794-2447 Email: [email protected] SOURCE AMH Commercial Cleaning Leader Ranked #51 Overall POMPANO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Anago Cleaning Systems kicks off 2024, placing #51 in Entrepreneur's 45th annual Franchise 500 list, the world's first, best, and most comprehensive franchise ranking. The annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 is a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry. This is the publication's most prestigious ranking, recognizing the top 500 franchises that continue to evolve and maintain relevance with the latest trends while reporting the most significant growth. "Anago Cleaning Systems is once again proud to be recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for the quality and continued franchise growth of our innovative franchise model," said Adam Povlitz, CEO & President of Anago Cleaning Systems. "The commercial cleaning industry, and Anago specifically, continues to be called upon as a frontline operational necessity while establishing new benchmarks and processes for our franchisees and clients across the U.S. and Canada. "Anago is a pioneer of the Master Franchise model, which allows successful professionals to operate their own extensive region of franchises while allowing small businesses to invest in their success," said Povlitz. "Both levels simply focus on running their business while we provide marketing technologies, sales support, and critical tools to grow. We expect continued growth and expansion in 2024 and beyond as an industry." Anago Cleaning Systems backed by decades of brand power and reputational integrity ranks yearly as it demonstrates financial strength and stability for potential franchisees. "Anago Cleaning Systems is once again proud to be recognized by Entrepreneur Magazine for the quality and continued franchise growth of our innovative franchise model," said Adam Povlitz, CEO & President of Anago Cleaning Systems. "The commercial cleaning industry, and Anago specifically, continues to be called upon as a frontline operational necessity while establishing new benchmarks and processes for our franchisees and clients across the U.S. and Canada. We're proud that our brand and franchise system continues to be a focal point for community entrepreneurs to proudly engage with local businesses and keep them operationally clean and disinfected." Anago Cleaning Systems relies on the brand's core values to navigate the changing landscape and apply strategies to foster continued growth while implementing new and innovative technologies at every opportunity. "Anago is a pioneer of the Master Franchise model, which allows successful professionals to operate their own extensive region of franchises while allowing small businesses to invest in their success," said Povlitz. "Both levels simply focus on running their business while we provide marketing technologies, sales support, and critical tools to grow. We expect continued growth and expansion in 2024 and beyond as an industry." Because of this strong business ethic, Anago is consistently recognized within Entrepreneur's suite of ranking systems, earning top positions throughout the past several years and in all the magazine's main ranking systems. These include Fastest Growing Franchise, Top-Ranked Franchises under $50K, Top Home-Based Franchise, and Top Global Franchise. Anago Cleaning Systems' continued inclusion within these rankings demonstrates the brand's rising popularity with franchisees and clients. "Every brand on the Franchise 500 has its own unique story, but they all collectively make the same statement: Franchising is strong and resilient, is full of innovation and opportunity, and provides a powerful entrepreneurial path for many people," says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine. "Our 45th annual ranking is full of companies with fresh ideas, exciting business models, cultural sway, and the kind of business sophistication that will define the next 45 years and beyond." In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's ranking formula also continues to evolve. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranked order. For over 45 years, the Franchise 500 has become a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Anago's position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity. To view Anago Cleaning Systems in the full ranking, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500 or pick up a copy of the January/February 2024 issue of Entrepreneur on newsstands now. About Anago Cleaning Systems Anago Cleaning Systems is an international commercial cleaning franchise brand. Utilizing the Master Franchise System, Anago supports over 45 Master Franchisees and over 1,800 Unit Franchisees. Founded in 1989, Anago has set the worldwide standard in business support and structure for local and regional companies to provide unparalleled cleaning services to businesses of all types. For further information, visit AnagoMasters.com. Press Contact: Perry Athanason/TopFireMedia/[email protected]/917.319.2126 SOURCE Anago Cleaning Systems DALLAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ananta Islam is appointed as new CEO and Region President Americas of Korber Business Area Supply Chain located in Dallas, Texas as of January 1, 2024. Islam will strengthen Korber's ambitious North America growth strategy for the mail and parcel business and ensure that the Business Area continues to expand its positioning for market leadership. Ananta Islam, CEO and Region President Americas of Korber Business Area Supply Chain Prior to joining Korber, Ananta Islam held various senior leadership roles in North America. Beginning his career as a project engineer at Teledyne Energy Systems, Islam went on to join GEA in 2006, where he served in various sales leadership roles for the Process Engineering Division in Columbia, Maryland, eventually working his way up to President of the Food Solutions Division in Frisco, Texas. Islam holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Loyola University Maryland, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland. "We are excited that Ananta Islam is joining our leadership team. With his leadership experience and broad sales expertise in various industries, he together with his team will strengthen our positioning and growth in the North American market," says Thomas Amend, CEO, Korber Parcel Logistics, Europe. Dirk Hejnal, CEO, Korber Business Area Supply Chain comments: "On behalf of the BA Extended Executive Board, join me in welcoming Ananta and wishing him the best of luck and success in his new role." About Krber Group Krber is a leading international technology group headquartered in Hamburg, Germany with over 12,000 employees all over the world in four business areas: Digital, Pharma, Supply Chain, and Technologies. Krber Supply Chain offers a broad range of best-in-class supply chain solutions to fit a company's size, business strategy, and appetite for growth. From software to automation, voice and robotics, to material handling and system integration, Krber is your one stop shop to meet all of your supply chain needs. To learn more about Krber, visit Koerber-supplychain.com. To apply for a position at Krber, visit Koerber-supplychain.com/careers. Press Contact: Hanna Nayak, Marketing Communications Manager, Krber Supply Chain North America, (972) 310-1166, [email protected]. SOURCE Korber Exceptional youth program leaders in Texas and New Hampshire selected from a national slate of nominees WESTWOOD, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arly , a youth programming solution, today announced the winners of the 2023 Arly Impact Awards. Academy Site Director of the YMCA of Greater Nashua, Merrimack Branch in Merrimack, N.H., Angelique 'Angel' Demanche, was recognized as the Arly Rising Star Impact Award recipient and Yesenia Gonzales, 21st Century District Director of Jubilee Academies in Brownsville, Texas, was recognized as the Arly Educator of the Year Impact Award. Awards were distributed during surprise, local presentations and included students, colleagues, family and community members to celebrate this special achievement. Arly Educator of the Year Impact Award (Left to Right): Tom Kroger (Jubilee), Dr. Atikah Shemshack (Jubilee), Dr. Lauren Sanchez Gilbert, Ed.D (Arly), Yesenia Gonzalez, (Arly Impact Educator of the Year), Sandra Gonzalez (Jubilee), Alicia Bolt (Jubilee), Dr. Kevin Phillips, (Jubilee) Arly Rising Star Impact Award (Left to Right): Dr. Lauren Sanchez Gilbert, Ed.D (Arly), Angel Demanche (Arly Impact Rising Star) and Joe Manzoli (YMCA of Greater Nashua) Arly was developed by BellXcel , a national leader dedicated to empowering providers of youth programs with solutions that help children reach their full potential. The Arly Impact Awards honor individuals making an extraordinary impact on the children in their community. The Rising Star award recognizes an emerging leader in youth programming and Educator of the Year celebrates an educator, leader or staff member who goes above and beyond to make sure the children, their coworkers and community thrive. "Access to high-quality experiences beyond the school day is vital to elevating the potential of every child. I was delighted to personally present Arly Impact Awards to both Angel and Yesenia and celebrate the inspiring effect they've had on their respective programs," said Lauren Sanchez Gilbert, Ed.D., CEO of BellXcel. "We honor their commitment to ensuring the children in their communities are supported with enriching opportunities that light the way to brighter futures and bigger dreams." Angel Demanche is highly celebrated by her colleagues as someone who can instill a love of learning in children. "It takes humility and compassion to impart knowledge and ignite a love for learning in children and educators, and Angel possesses both," said YMCA of Greater Nashua Executive Director of Education Carlisa Choate. Yesenia Gonzales is touted as a problem solver who never lets obstacles get in her way. "Yesenia operates with integrity and always wants to do the best work in the right way," said RGV Associate Superintendent Sandra Gonzales. "When she messes up, she dusts herself off and focuses on how she can do better the next day." About Arly by BellXcel Arly is a comprehensive youth programming solution developed by leading, national nonprofit BellXcel, that provides a pathway for rapid scale and drives better outcomes. As BellXcel seeks to address the urgent need for quality, affordable youth program opportunities, Arly empowers providers with tools and resources that increase efficiency and improve operations, so they can focus on what really matterselevating the potential of the children they serve. For more information, visit arly.com . About the YMCA of Greater Nashua The Y is one of the nation's leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA of Greater Nashua facilities, located in both Nashua and Merrimack, engage 39,000+ men, women and children annually regardless of age, income or background to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. For more information visit, www.nmymca.org . About Jubilee Academies Jubilee Academies is an open-enrollment charter school based in San Antonio, Texas, with over 20 years of providing quality education to our community. The district enrolls students from Pre-(K)4 through 12th grade. There are 12 campuses currently serving communities throughout Texas, including San Antonio, Austin, Kingsville, and the Rio Grande Valley. Each campus provides a safe and structured environment focused on leadership, academics, and a balance of mind and body for lifetime success. For more information, visit www.jubileeacademies.org . Media Contact Elle Welch [email protected] 423-605-5553 SOURCE Arly STOCKHOLM, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- ASSA ABLOY has signed an agreement to acquire Amecor (Pty) Ltd, a South African manufacturer of security communication equipment in the South African security market. "I am very pleased to welcome Amecor into the ASSA ABLOY Group. This constitutes a next step in our strategy to further strengthen our position in this important market," says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. "The Amecor team has a 30-year history in the South African security sector with a suite of reliable and leading products in the alarm segment. Amecor will reinforce our long-term commitment to the South African and Sub-Saharan markets and there are numerous synergies with our electronic security solutions business, that will add great benefit to our customers," says Neil Vann, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of EMEIA Division. Amecor was established in 1994 and has some 120 employees. The main office and factory are located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Sales for 2022 amounted to about MZAR 270 (approx. MSEK 170) with a strong EBIT-margin. The acquisition will be accretive to EPS from the start. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2024. For more information, please contact: Nico Delvaux, President and CEO, tel. no: +46 8 506 485 82 Erik Pieder, CFO and Executive Vice President, tel. no: +46 8 506 485 72 Bjorn Tibell, Head of Investor Relations, tel. no: +46 70 275 67 68, e-mail: [email protected] About ASSA ABLOY The ASSA ABLOY Group is the global leader in access solutions. The Group operates worldwide with 52,000 employees and sales of SEK 121 billion. The Group has leading positions in areas such as efficient door openings, trusted identities and entrance automation. ASSA ABLOY's innovations enable safe, secure and convenient access to physical and digital places. Every day, we help billions of people experience a more open world. The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/7333/3913599/2555324.pdf Press release (PDF) https://news.cision.com/assa-abloy/i/logo-on-facade2,c3259682 logo on facade2 SOURCE ASSA ABLOY DUQM, Sultanate of Oman, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Operations have begun at the all-new Asyad Container Terminal in Duqm, the latest in a string of expansion activities from Asyad Ports to meet the needs of the global maritime industry. Part of Asyad Group, Asyad Ports launched the new container terminal in collaboration with Port of Duqm and the Special Economic Zone at Duqm to offer more integrated logistics solutions and proactively respond to new trends in global trade and handling. This is part of a broader goal for Asyad Ports to increase the competitiveness of its services and the throughput of its ports. Located at Duqm port on Oman's South-East coast, the container terminal is strategically positioned to serve as a gateway for international shipping routes, offering market players an ideal terminal for imports, exports and transshipment overlooking vital global trade lanes directly connected to Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Asyad Container Terminal in Duqm "The new container terminal at Duqm Port advances vital supply chain solutions for Oman and the global shipping sector," said Dr. Ahmed Al Abri, CEO of Asyad Ports. "This project is a reflection of our expertise, technical capabilities and strong confidence granted to us from our global customers to operate commercial ports and terminals, facilitating crucial growth strategies for the world." Technically-advanced, Asyad Container Terminal is equipped with four remotely operated 65-ton twin lift STS cranes and twelve 50-ton RTG cranes. In addition to their 71-meter outreach and 18-meter backreach, the cranes are fitted with a host of fifth-gen technologies, including optic fiber data transfer systems for remote operation and smart driving systems. The terminal also boasts a cutting-edge yard control system and an automatic landing system designed to improve overall handling and productivity. With a quay length of over 1,000 meters, and a yard storage capacity of 26,000 TEU and over 600 reefer containers, the terminal also consists of three berths capable of berthing and handling three ships at a time. The container terminal will boost fast shipping routes to major global markets by leveraging the integrated logistics solutions, supported by an interconnected network of Oman's world-class seaports. Its facilities and deep-water berths can accommodate the latest generation of mega-container vessels, facilitating smoother and more cost-effective cargo movements. With value-added services including import discharging, export loading, transshipment handling, and container stuffing/unstuffing enhancing connectivity and reducing transit times for cargo destined for various parts of the world, the terminal is expected to attract a surge in international trade. Under the Asyad Group umbrella, the terminal benefits from the full power of an integrated logistics ecosystem that includes Asyad Shipping, with its diverse and robust fleet, and Asyad Logistics, ensure seamless connectivity to all Omani governorates and key consumer hubs. This heralds profound implications for global trade corridors. ABOUT ASYAD GROUP Asyad Group is Oman's global integrated logistics service provider. The Group comprises three deep ports, two free zones and an economic zone supported by Oman's five airports, and a world-class road network. In addition, Asyad operates full maritime services with one of the largest drydock in the Middle East and a diversified fleet of more than 80 vessels, supported by a sea transport network that connects Oman to key ports across the region and the globe. Asyad offers integrated logistics services to meet market needs and support Oman's economy. This allows optimal use of its diverse and powerful support assets, including its renowned Asyad Express service that spans from the 3,000m2 world-class fulfilment center to the last mile delivery, serving finance, e-commerce, manufacturing, and other businesses. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324788/Asyad_Container_Terminal_in_Duqm.jpg SOURCE Asyad Group KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) in the Haslam College of Business will host the latest iteration of its Franchise Certification program from March 4 through May 7. Seating for the $1,500 program is limited, so early enrollment is recommended. Haslam's Franchising Certification: The First Step to Success Haslam will host the Franchise Certification program from March 4 - May 7. Seating is limited, so register soon. Post this In Haslam College of Business will host the latest iteration of its Franchise Certification program from March 4 through May 7. Early enrollment is recommended. In just eight weeks, students will learn the basic components of the franchising business, including: how franchising differs from other businesses, how to write a business plan and obtain funding, how to build a franchise by recruiting, hiring and retaining employees, how to lead by modeling the qualities of a successful franchise leader, how to manage and measure operational components of franchising, and how to implement successful practices to ensure continued growth. The highly applicable offering dives into how franchising works, so participants can both decide if franchising is right for them and move ahead if it proves to be a good fit. Students learn best practices for operating a franchise business and get insider perspectives from industry professionals while networking with like-minded entrepreneurial contacts. Ultimately, the program conveys to students the latitude that comes from working for yourself while drawing on the support, expertise and built-in recognition of an existing brand. The program faculty themselves are successful franchisers. Shelly Sun (HCB, '92), a program donor, epitomizes this success. Sun is the founder and CEO of BrightStar Care, a home healthcare franchise dedicated to providing both medical and non-medical assistance for families and individuals. Since Sun founded the company in 2002, BrightStar Care has grown to more than 365 locations represented by 200 small businesses and reached $639 million in revenue in 2021. It is consistently included in Forbes' Top Ten Franchises under $150,000 initial investment. Sun helped launch Haslam's Franchise Certification program both because of her regard for her alma mater and because she believes introducing aspiring entrepreneurs to the advantages of franchising can help them build economic prosperity. "Franchising is such a great way for someone who might be thinking about starting a business to do so with a little bit more of a safety net," Sun says. "Marketing, developing a website, creating a brand and collateral materials and a sales process all of those things take time, and they take money. Being able to hitch your wagon to a successful brand is what franchising has been for me. I feel that franchising is a safer journey for being an entrepreneur than going about it all on your own. Enabling more entrepreneurs across our country is how we'll continue to create wealth and chop away at economic disparity." A Program for Entrepreneurs of All Backgrounds Individuals seeking more independence in their careers, veterans transitioning from the military, members of groups underrepresented in traditional business and self-starters looking to channel their energies into a new enterprise will benefit from the program. Sun says when franchising is mentioned, most people's minds immediately leap to establishments like McDonald's, but this type of business encompasses much more. "There are so many sectors of the economy that franchising touches," she explains. "How great would it be to see more individuals become entrepreneurs and make an impact on their own local economies? Ideally, I think we reach those in the economy that may not otherwise have seen franchising." Essential Franchise Instruction In just eight weeks, students will learn the basic components of the franchising business, including: How franchising differs from other businesses How to write a business plan and obtain funding How to build a franchise by recruiting, hiring and retaining employees How to lead by modeling the qualities of a successful franchise leader How to manage and measure operational components of franchising How to implement successful practices to ensure continued growth Students also will benefit from 360-degree support by networking with fellow entrepreneurs in their cohort and extending their network through a national board of professional advisors. Cordell Riley, a franchising expert with nearly 30 years of experience, teaches the Franchise Certification program. His goal is to help create entrepreneurs that will leverage the American entrepreneurial spirit to make a difference in their communities. "We want to show the next generation of entrepreneurs how they can be in business for themselves, but not by themselves," he said. To become a franchiser or franchisee and build your own business as your own boss while being part of something bigger, enroll in the Franchise Certification program today. SOURCE University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Haslam College of Business TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BroadcastMed, the leading healthcare information marketplace that provides trusted clinical content, powerful engagement, and industry insights to healthcare professionals (HCPs), medical institutions and manufacturers, service providers, and pharmaceutical companies, is thrilled to announce the evolution of its Vision portfolio. PentaVision, powered by BroadcastMed, released a new digital platform designed to elevate the user experience for healthcare and optical professionals. Driven by many of the industry's leading Optometry and Ophthalmology publications, the platform leverages an intricate network that spans across their entire suite of Vision brands. BroadcastMed Launches New Platform for Vision Portfolio of Products Post this PentaVision, powered by BroadcastMed, provides a comprehensive suite of publications tailored for eye care professionals, spanning ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmic professionals. Producing the most respected and read media brands globally, PentaVision's content is designed to engage vision care providers and enable improved dialogue, connectivity and patient outcomes in the healthcare community. PentaVision, powered by BroadcastMed, provides a comprehensive suite of publications tailored for eye care professionals, spanning ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians, and ophthalmic professionals. Producing the most respected and read media brands globally, PentaVision's content is designed to engage vision care providers and enable improved dialogue, connectivity and patient outcomes in the healthcare community. The architecture was designed to provide HCPs with vibrant, interactive content within personalized user experiences. Real-time industry data has been optimized, ensuring that HCPs remain informed of the latest developments, trends, and breakthroughs in the field. With a user-centric design, the platform enables HCPs to navigate effortlessly, thereby saving time and enhancing efficiency in accessing the most pertinent and valuable content. This dedication to convenience fosters continuous learning, collaboration, and professional growth. "We are delighted about the positive impact this enhanced network will have on our partners' ability to connect with HCPs in a meaningful way," said Lee Schweizer, Chief Digital Officer, BroadcastMed. "With optimized architecture for improved search visibility, a network-buying approach for advertisers, and plans for dynamic content in 2024, we're excited to offer enhanced benefits for both advertisers and healthcare providers." "The new Retinal Physician website offers faster navigation, improved content, and a streamlined interface. I think the changes will be appreciated by everyone!" said Peter K. Kaiser, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology, Chaney Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmology Research. BroadcastMed, together with 424 Capital, a growth capital partner, acquired PentaVision in August of 2022 to expand its healthcare audience and secure high-quality content across 11 brands in vision care. PentaVision's media brands are among the most respected and read brands globally, and include Contact Lens Spectrum, Corneal Physician, Eyecare Business, Glaucoma Physician, New Retinal Physician, Optometric Management, Ophthalmology Management, Ophthalmic Professional, Presbyopia Physician, and Retinal Physician. Underlining its commitment to evolving content distribution, expanding multichannel reach, fostering engaging live events and streaming experiences, and providing insightful data to HCPs and supporting organizations, BroadcastMed is dedicated to advancing the field of healthcare. Explore the revamped experience at https://www.pentavisionmedia.com/. About BroadcastMed BroadcastMed is the leading healthcare information marketplace that provides trusted clinical content, powerful engagement and industry insights to healthcare professionals, medical institutions and manufacturers, service providers and pharmaceutical companies. The company's integrated platform of digital, event, and publication solutions helps drive better dialogue, connectivity, and outcomes for the healthcare community. For more information, please visit BroadcastMed.com. SOURCE BroadcastMed DUBAI, UAE, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Bybit , the world's third largest crypto exchange by volume, is thrilled to announce the launch of the second generation of its innovative ByBUIDLERs Program. Building on the resounding success of its original program, Bybit aims to transform more individuals into influential content creators and community influencers in the dynamic world of cryptocurrency. Bybits ByBUIDLERs Program: Shaping the Next Wave of Crypto Influencers Launched in May 2023, the first edition of the ByBUIDLERs Program brought together 60 enthusiastic individuals from Vietnam, Africa, Indonesia, Poland, and Nigeria. Their collective efforts resulted in a significant increase in Bybit's social media engagement, with a total impression count reaching 500,000. Generation 2 of the ByBUIDLERs program brings exciting improvements, including an expanded outreach to Europe and Australia, comprehensive training for participant development, and a new points system to recognize and reward the remarkable contributions of ByBUIDLERs. Participants in the new generation will engage in diverse roles, including business development, moderation, event organizing, content creation, and marketing. Their contributions will earn points, with impressive rewards awaiting those who accumulate enough. The rewards range from exclusive merchandise and private event invitations to substantial bonuses. "The ByBUIDLERs Program exemplifies our commitment to nurturing talent and fostering a vibrant community in the crypto space," said Ben Zhou, co-founder and CEO of Bybit. "As #TheCryptoArk, we are dedicated to guiding newcomers to help shape the future of digital finance." Bybit's ByBUIDLERs Program is more than just a talent development initiative; it's a gateway for passionate individuals to make a significant impact in the ever-evolving crypto landscape, learn more here . #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk About Bybit Bybit is a top-three cryptocurrency exchange by volume with 20 million users established in 2018. It offers a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One's reigning Constructors' and Drivers' champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team. For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press . For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] For more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.com For updates, please follow: Bybit's Communities and Social Media Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X (Twitter) | Youtube SOURCE Bybit The CAR-T cell therapy market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, driven by the increasing incidence of cancer and the growing demand for personalized cancer treatments. The market offers several opportunities for growth, including the development of novel CAR-T cell therapies, the expansion of the therapy to other types of cancer, and the increasing adoption of CAR-T cell therapy in emerging markets. LAS VEGAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Insights report includes a comprehensive understanding of current treatment practices, emerging CAR T-cell therapies, market share of individual therapies, and current and forecasted market size from 2019 to 2032, segmented into 7MM [the United States, the EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan]. Key Takeaways from the CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Report According to DelveInsight's analysis, the market size for CAR T-cell therapy across the 7MM is expected to grow with a significant CAGR by 2032. Leading CAR T-cell therapy companies such as CytoAgents, Inc., Genentech, Inc., Incyte Corporation, Caribou Biosciences, Inc., Chimeric Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics, Kyverna Therapeutics, iCell Gene Therapeutics, Synthekine, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, SecuraBio, ImmPACT Bio, A2 Biotherapeutics Inc., Gracell Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Wugen, Inc., Sana Biotechnology, Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc, Vor Biopharma, CARsgen Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Autolus Limited, Arcellx, Inc., Kite, Novartis, Lyell Immunopharma, Inc., ImmPACT Bio, Tmunity Therapeutics, Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., Precigen, Inc, AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., 2seventy bio, Takeda, Cartesian Therapeutics, Cabaletta Bio, Legend Biotech USA Inc, Miltenyi Biomedicine GmbH, Beam Therapeutics Inc. , and others are developing novel CAR T-cell therapies that can be available in the CAR T-cell therapy market in the coming years. , and others are developing novel CAR T-cell therapies that can be available in the CAR T-cell therapy market in the coming years. The promising CAR T-cell therapies in the pipeline include CTO1681 10, Cevostamab, Itacitinib, CB-012, CHM-1101, ALLO-605, KYV-101, CD4CAR, SYNCAR-001, JNJ-90009530, Duvelisib, IMPT-514, A2B694, GC012F, WU-CART-007, SC291, ONCT-808, VCAR33, CT041, AUTO1, CART-ddBCMA, PHE885, LYL797, IMPT-314, GPC2, P-MUC1C-ALLO1, PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T cells, AIC100, SC-DARIC33, TAK-981, Descartes 08, DSG3-CAART, LB1908, MB-CART2019.1, BEAM-201 , and others. and others. Among all the CAR-T therapies used in the treatment of DLBCL, YESCARTA demonstrated excellent results. Therefore, it will be interesting to know the highest peak share generator in other CAR-T-cell therapies, including KYMRIAH and BREYANZI . Currently, YESCARTA captured the highest patient share among all CAR-T therapies. demonstrated excellent results. Therefore, it will be interesting to know the highest peak share generator in other CAR-T-cell therapies, including . Currently, YESCARTA captured the highest patient share among all CAR-T therapies. Clinical studies have shown that CAR-T therapy can achieve high response rates, with some studies reporting response rates of up to 80% in patients with multiple myeloma. CAR-T therapy has the potential to induce long-term remission in some patients with multiple myeloma, which may translate into improved overall survival. in patients with multiple myeloma. CAR-T therapy has the potential to induce long-term remission in some patients with multiple myeloma, which may translate into improved overall survival. CAR-T therapy holds great promise for the treatment of MCL, and ongoing clinical studies are exploring its potential in this patient population. However, more research is needed to fully understand its long-term safety and efficacy. Discover which therapies are expected to grab the major CAR T-cell therapy market share @ CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Report CAR T-Cell Therapy Overview CAR T-cells are formed by merging a chosen single-chain variable fragment from a particular monoclonal antibody with one or more intracellular signaling domains of T-cell receptors. Essentially, a CAR integrates antigen-binding elements, typically a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) sourced from antibody variable domains, with signaling domains from the TCR chain and supplementary costimulatory domains derived from receptors like CD28, OX40, and CD137. From the inception of CARs in 1989, CAR T-cells have undergone categorization into four generations based on their intracellular domain structure. The first generation involved the incorporation of the (zeta) chain from the complex TCR/CD3 (CD3). Second-generation CARs are distinguished by a dual signaling mechanism for T-cell activation. This involves triggering one signal through antigen recognition and another through a co-stimulatory molecule, like CD28/B7, which facilitates IL-2 synthesis to ensure full T-cell activation and prevent apoptosis. CAR T-Cell Therapy Epidemiology Segmentation The CAR T-cell therapy epidemiology section provides insights into the historical and current CAR T-cell therapy patient pool and forecasted trends for the 7MM. It helps recognize the causes of current and forecasted patient trends by exploring numerous studies and views of key opinion leaders. The CAR T-cell therapy market report proffers epidemiological analysis for the study period 20192032 in the 7MM segmented into: Total Incident Cases of Selected Cancer Indications Line-wise Treated Cases of Selected Cancer Indications CAR T-Cell Therapy Treatment Market CAR T-cell therapy has undergone swift advancements in cancer treatment, with the US FDA approving six therapies since 2017. These treatments are authorized for addressing blood cancers such as lymphomas, certain types of leukemia, and, most recently, multiple myeloma. The initial approval, KYMRIAH in August 2017, targeted ALL. Presently, CAR T-cell therapies are tailored to the unique characteristics of each patient. YESCARTA (axicabtagene ciloleucel) is a genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy with CD19-directed action. It is designated for the treatment of adult patients experiencing relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma after undergoing two or more rounds of systemic therapy. This includes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified, primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and DLBCL originating from follicular lymphoma. The FDA initially approved YESCARTA on October 18, 2017, followed by approval from the EMA on August 23, 2018. Following the YESCARTA approval in DLBCL in 2017, the US FDA authorized KYMRIAH (tisagenlecleucel) in May 2018 for treating adult patients with R/R large B-cell lymphoma who had undergone two or more lines of systemic therapy. This encompassed DLBCL, high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and DLBCL resulting from follicular lymphoma. Subsequently, in February 2021, Bristol Myers Squibb disclosed that the US FDA had endorsed BREYANZI (lisocabtagene maraleucel) for adult patients with R/R large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL). This marked the third CAR T-cell therapy approved for DLBCL. Since November 2023, only two CAR T-cell therapies have gained approval in the field of multiple myeloma. The first FDA-approved CAR T cell therapy for adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have undergone at least four prior lines of therapy, involving specific medications, was ABECMA (idecabtagene vicleucel), a joint venture by Bristol Myers Squibb and bluebird bio, sanctioned in 2021. Subsequently, in February 2022, the FDA approved CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel) developed by Janssen/Legend Biotech. To know more about CAR T-cell therapy, visit @ CAR T-Cell Therapies Pipeline CAR T-Cell Therapies and Key Companies CTO1681 10: CytoAgents, Inc. Cevostamab: Genentech, Inc. Itacitinib: Incyte Corporation CB-012: Caribou Biosciences, Inc. CHM-1101: Chimeric Therapeutics ALLO-605: Allogene Therapeutics KYV-101: Kyverna Therapeutics CD4CAR: iCell Gene Therapeutics SYNCAR-001: Synthekine JNJ-90009530: Janssen Research & Development, LLC Duvelisib: SecuraBio IMPT-514: ImmPACT Bio A2B694: A2 Biotherapeutics Inc. GC012F: Gracell Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. WU-CART-007: Wugen, Inc. SC291: Sana Biotechnology ONCT-808: Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc VCAR33: Vor Biopharma CT041: CARsgen Therapeutics Co., Ltd. AUTO1: Autolus Limited CART-ddBCMA: Arcellx, Inc./Kite PHE885: Novartis LYL797: Lyell Immunopharma, Inc. IMPT-314: ImmPACT Bio GPC2: Tmunity Therapeutics P-MUC1C-ALLO1: Poseida Therapeutics, Inc. PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T cells: Precigen, Inc AIC100: AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc. SC-DARIC33: 2seventy bio TAK-981: Takeda Descartes 08: Cartesian Therapeutics DSG3-CAART: Cabaletta Bio LB1908: Legend Biotech USA Inc Inc MB-CART2019.1: Miltenyi Biomedicine GmbH BEAM-201: Beam Therapeutics Inc. Learn more about the FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies @ CAR T-Cell Therapy Treatment Drugs CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Dynamics The dynamics of the CAR T-cell therapy market are expected to change in the coming years. CAR-T therapy holds great promise for treating various types of cancer, as ongoing clinical studies investigate its potential. Numerous companies are actively developing allogeneic CAR-Ts and bi-specific CAR-Ts specifically for DLBCL, multiple myeloma, and other forms of cancer. Furthermore, many potential therapies are being investigated for the treatment of various cancers, and it is safe to predict that the treatment space will significantly impact the CAR T-cell therapy market during the forecast period. Moreover, the anticipated introduction of emerging therapies with improved efficacy and a further improvement in the diagnosis rate are expected to drive the growth of the CAR T-cell therapy market in the 7MM. However several factors may impede the growth of the CAR T-cell therapy market. The growth of the CAR T-cell therapy medicine market has been impeded due to a shortage of trained professionals to administer the treatment in certain developing and underdeveloped countries. Additionally, the high cost of the therapy has also acted as a hindrance to the CAR T-cell therapy market's expansion. Moreover, CAR T-cell therapy treatment poses a significant economic burden and disrupts patients' overall well-being and QOL. Furthermore, the CAR T-cell therapy market growth may be offset by failures and discontinuation of emerging therapies, unaffordable pricing, market access and reimbursement issues, and a shortage of healthcare specialists. In addition, the undiagnosed, unreported cases and the unawareness about the disease may also impact the CAR T-cell therapy market growth. CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Report Metrics Details Study Period 20192032 Coverage 7MM [the United States, the EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom, and Japan]. Key CAR T-Cell Therapy Companies CytoAgents, Inc., Genentech, Inc., Incyte Corporation, Caribou Biosciences, Inc., Chimeric Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics, Kyverna Therapeutics, iCell Gene Therapeutics, Synthekine, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, SecuraBio, ImmPACT Bio, A2 Biotherapeutics Inc., Gracell Biopharmaceuticals, Inc., Wugen, Inc., Sana Biotechnology, Oncternal Therapeutics, Inc, Vor Biopharma, CARsgen Therapeutics Co., Ltd., Autolus Limited, Arcellx, Inc., Kite, Novartis, Lyell Immunopharma, Inc., ImmPACT Bio, Tmunity Therapeutics, Poseida Therapeutics, Inc., Precigen, Inc, AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., 2seventy bio, Takeda, Cartesian Therapeutics, Cabaletta Bio, Legend Biotech USA Inc, Miltenyi Biomedicine GmbH, Beam Therapeutics Inc., and others Key Pipeline CAR T-Cell Therapies CTO1681 10, Cevostamab, Itacitinib, CB-012, CHM-1101, ALLO-605, KYV-101, CD4CAR, SYNCAR-001, JNJ-90009530, Duvelisib, IMPT-514, A2B694, GC012F, WU-CART-007, SC291, ONCT-808, VCAR33, CT041, AUTO1, CART-ddBCMA, PHE885, LYL797, IMPT-314, GPC2, P-MUC1C-ALLO1, PRGN-3005 UltraCAR-T cells, AIC100, SC-DARIC33, TAK-981, Descartes 08, DSG3-CAART, LB1908, MB-CART2019.1, BEAM-201, and others Scope of the CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Report Therapeutic Assessment: CAR T-Cell Therapy current marketed and emerging therapies CAR T-Cell Therapy current marketed and emerging therapies CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Dynamics: Key Market Forecast Assumptions of Emerging CAR T-Cell Therapy Drugs and Market Outlook Key Market Forecast Assumptions of Emerging CAR T-Cell Therapy Drugs and Market Outlook Competitive Intelligence Analysis: SWOT analysis and Market entry strategies SWOT analysis and Market entry strategies Unmet Needs, KOL's views, Analyst's views, CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Access and Reimbursement Discover more about CAR T-cell therapy drugs in development @ CAR T-Cell Therapy Clinical Trials Table of Contents 1. CAR T-Cell Therapy Key Insights 2. CAR T-Cell Therapy Report Introduction 3. CAR T-Cell Therapy Overview at a Glance 4. CAR T-Cell Therapy Executive Summary 5 CAR T-Cell Therapy Key Events 6 Epidemiology and Market Forecast Methodology 6. Disease Background and Overview 7. CAR T-Cell Therapy Treatment and Management 8. CAR T-Cell Therapy Guidelines 9. CAR T-Cell Therapy Epidemiology and Patient Population 10. Patient Journey 11. Key Endpoints in CAR T-Cell Therapy 12. CAR T-Cell Therapy Marketed Drugs 13. CAR T-Cell Therapy Emerging Drugs 14. 7MM CAR T-Cell Therapy Market Analysis 15. Market Access and Reimbursement 16. KOL Views 17. Unmet Needs 18. SWOT Analysis 19. Appendix 20. DelveInsight Capabilities 21. Disclaimer 22. About DelveInsight Related Reports CAR T-Cell Therapy Competitive Landscape CAR T-cell Therapy Competitive Landscape 2023 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline and current landscape, pipeline and marketed drug profiles, and the key CAR T-cell therapy companies, including Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, JW Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Innovent Biologics, Sorrento Therapeutics, Cartesian Therapeutics, CASI Pharmaceuticals, Juventas Cell Therapy, Novartis, Poseida Therapeutics,Shanghai Unicar-Therapy Bio-medicine Technology, Sinobioway Cell Therapy Co., Ltd., Tessa Therapeutics, Wuhan Bio-Raid Biotechnology, Miltenyi Biomedicine, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Autolus Limited, Beijing Immunochina Medical Science and Technology, Carsgen Therapeutics, Cellular Biomedicine Group, Chongqing Precision Biotech, Eureka Therapeutics, Formula Pharmaceuticals, Guangzhou Bio-gene Technology, Hebei Senlang Biotechnology, Mustang Bio, MolMed, Aurora BioPharma, Atara Biotherapeutics, Autolus, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Kecellitics Biotech Company Ltd, Yake Biotechnology, Minerva Biotechnologies, Allogene Therapeutics, PersonGen BioTherapeutics (Suzhou), Precision BioSciences, Pregene (ShenZhen) Biotechnology Company, Shanghai GeneChem, Shanghai Longyao Biotechnology, Shenzhen BinDeBio, among others. CAR T-Cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma Market CAR T-Cell Therapy for Multiple Myeloma Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma companies, including Cartesian Therapeutics, Arcellx, Novartis, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CARsgen Therapeutics, Poseida Therapeutics, Juno Therapeutics, CRISPR Therapeutics, bluebird bio, Cellectis SA, Caribou Biosciences, Luminary Therapeutics, Celyad Oncology, Allogene Therapeutics, Gadeta, Nanjing IASO Biotherapeutics, among others. CAR T-Cell Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Market CAR T-Cell Therapy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast 2032 report deliver an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key CAR T-cell therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia companies, including Autolus, Pepromene Bio, Actinium Pharmaceuticals, among others. CAR T-Cell Therapy for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Market CAR T-Cell Therapy for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast 2032 report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key CAR T-cell therapy for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma companies, including Juno Therapeutics, Allogene Therapeutics, Caribou Biosciences, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve. Contact Us Shruti Thakur [email protected] +91-9650213330 www.delveinsight.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP Senator Mark Villar Joins 125th Anniversary Celebration of First Philippine Republic Senator Mark Villar joins the celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the First Philippine Republic in Malolos, Bulacan. He joined President Bongbong Marcos, Senate President Migz Zubiri, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and other public officials in the ceremony. "The commemoration of the first Philippine Republic resonates with our consistent pursuit of peace and understanding among and in between our fellow Filipinos and other nations," Senator Mark said. "Today's celebration marks a significant milestone in Philippine history as it manifests the lasting impact of our forefathers' vigor and strength in fighting for our independence and freedom," Senator Mark added. The first Philippine Republic is also famously known as the Malolos Republic. This government was established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on 21 January 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan, replacing the revolutionary government formed by President Emilio Aguinaldo. It was dissolved by the capture of President Aguinaldo by the American forces during the Philippine-American War on 23 March 1901 in Palanan, Isabela. "The Malolos Republic is concrete evidence and proof of the Filipinos' courageousness amid the jarring colonizing system of Spanish colonizers who tried to shatter our nationalism," Senator Mark exclaimed. "Today, we are reminded of the efforts of our ancestors in fighting for their rights. As we face multiple challenges for the nation, makakaasa po ang ating mga kapwa Pilipino na gagawin natin ang lahat upang masigurado that your rights remain protected as we collectively progress towards a sustainable future," Senator Mark further said. Members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine undergo regular training to ensure they are always ready to meet the enemy. Our defenders are improving their skills and improving their morale and physical condition. ADVERTISIMENT Ukrainian marines are no exception. Footage of their training was posted on the Facebook page of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the Public Relations Service of the 35th Separate Marine Brigade named after Rear Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradsky. The photo shows how one of the brigade's units was trained. The marines trained in conditions close to those in the field. They practiced moving a boat on water, moving with weapons in low visibility conditions, and shooting. ADVERTISIMENT The soldiers also trained to help their wounded comrades and evacuate them from the battlefield. "The more training, the better the results!" the post reads. ADVERTISIMENT As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, about 50 psychological obstacle courses have been built in the Northern Operational Zone for our military to keep them on alert. Such trainings make it possible not only to harden the soldiers physically but also morally. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! The most comprehensive Samsung Galaxy accessory lineup from CASETiFY to date combines functionality with superb design LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Minutes after the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event, global tech accessory brand CASETiFY has launched its newest lineup of tech accessories for Samsung Galaxy S24 Series. This is the most comprehensive launch that CASETiFY has ever put together for the Android ecosystem, featuring novel offerings such as a CES award-winning Impact Ring Stand Case where the camera ring doubles as a built-in kickstand, a Mirror Case for all expected S24 Series models, and a Snappy Magnetic Ring that can enable the use of magnetic accessories for compatible non-magnetic cases and devices. High-Resolution Images are HERE Standing out from the rest, the Impact Ring Stand Case is a 3X Military Grade Standard option featuring a unique camera ring able to be unfolded and lifted up for up to 150 degrees to act as a built-in kickstand. Having won 4 media awards at CES 2024, the case can withstand single drops of at least 6.6ft (2m), and is powered by layers of the proprietary EcoShock shock-absorbing material. It will retail for USD$80 and will be available for all expected Samsung Galaxy S24 devices. The same is true for the all-time best seller Impact Case, which not only has endless customization options but also reliable protection capabilities, offering 8.2 ft. (2.5m) drop protection and 4x Military Grade Standard (STD-810G). Pricing will start at USD$70 at casetify.com & Amazon and will be available in Clear/Black, Matte Black, and Deep Purple. Another novelty option is the Mirror Case for expected Galaxy S24 devices. The electroplate-coated polycarbonate structure provides a mirror effect that adds an extra layer of functionality to the product by letting users see themselves reflected on the surface. It supports wireless charging and also incorporates a strap hole to fit phone charms. The Mirror Case for expected Galaxy S24 devices will be available at casetify.com & Amazon for a starting price of USD$70. The Clear Case for the S24 Series stands out for its material, optimized to prevent yellowing and providing long lasting clarity. It comes equipped with an UV Defender technology, tested against UV light and staining liquids such as mustard, red wine & coffee. It provides the strongest protection against discoloring in the market, a common problem amongst clear case owners. Beyond UV Defender, it also has a Scratch-Resistant finish. In terms of protection, it comes with 1x MIL-STD-810G standard and is able to withstand drops of up to 6.6ft (2m). It supports wireless charging. The Clear Case for Samsung Galaxy S24 Series will be available at casetify.com & Amazon for a starting price of USD$75. The CASETiFY Snappy Magnetic Ring, compatible with a wide range of Apple and Android devices, is able to add magnetic capabilities to devices or phone cases that don't come with it out of the box. Retailing at a starting price of USD$15 at casetify.com & Amazon , the compact & 1.2mm slim ring provides a strong magnetic attachment. It also retails with an easy to use applicator to perfectly align the ring to the phone case in 2 easy steps. About CASETiFY CASETiFY is a global tech and lifestyle brand with double headquarters in LA and Hong Kong, known as the home to the first and largest platform for customized tech accessories. Created with the highest-quality materials and most cutting-edge designs, CASETiFY's products empower self-expression by turning your personal electronics into highly designed, stylishly slim, drop-proof accessories. Known for tapping top artists, big celebrities and creatives for its Co-Lab program, CASETiFY gives brands and individuals the opportunity to share their unique visions with the world. With 30+ retail shops, CASETiFY Studio provides a one-stop, visual retail experience where customers can customize their accessories on the spot. For more information on CASETiFY, its stores, partners and products, please visit www.CASETiFY.com. SOURCE CASETiFY CHONGQING, China, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As an indispensable part of Chinese culture, the Spring Festival embodies the spirit of reunion and a promising future. Last year, the United Nations marked the Spring Festival as an official UN holiday. This recognition has extended the appeal of the Chinese-style reunion well beyond China, inviting people worldwide to partake in a unique and vibrant celebration of the Spring Festival. AEON Supermarket in Malaysia, where Chinese flavors such as MEIJIAN Green Plum Liqueur are popular Drinking Chinese Green Plum Liqueur and experiencing the Spring Festival reunion "The Spring Festival holds significance not only for China but also for the global community". This year, the Spring Festival celebration started early in countries such as the United States, France, Singapore, and Malaysia. The streets are alive with New Year parades featuring dragon and lion dances, and the crafting of Spring Festival couplets. Leading supermarkets have also introduced Chinese New Year products. Alongside traditional items like red envelopes, couplets, and lanterns, there's a growing trend for traditional Chinese pastries and the sought-after Meijian green plum liqueur. Recently, many have opted to start their Spring Festival reunions early, sharing New Year's Eve dinners with Chinese friends, relishing Chinese delicacies and sipping on Chinese plum liqueur, particularly Meijian green plum liqueur. Jie, a Chinese expatriate in France for four years, this year he's already made plans for a Spring Festival's Eve dinner with friends. "On last Spring Festival's Eve, we brought over some sausages, preserved meat, and Meijian green plum liqueur straight from China. They were a big hit, especially the plum liqueur, which has a similar vibe to red wine but packs its own unique flavor. Recently, I noticed that French supermarkets stock a wide array of such goodies. I bought some smoky flavor green plum liqueur, planning to give them a taste of something new this New Year's Eve. After all, diving into delicious food and liqueur is the only way to properly ring in the Spring Festival." The Spring Festival stands as a universal cultural symbol for Chinese people worldwide, and Meijian green plum liqueur is gaining popularity as the preferred choice for reunion gatherings among Chinese communities worldwide. The broad appreciation for Chinese cuisine, fine liqueur, and cultural traditions mirrors the diverse and inclusive values championed by the United Nations, fostering meaningful cross-cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations around the world. SOURCE MEIJIAN WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CFP Board today announced the release of the draft framework of its Client Impact Study, the first peer-reviewed academic research study to track and report on the actual impact of holistic financial planning on clients. Initiated by CFP Board in April 2022, this multi-year longitudinal study will track and measure both financial and non-financial aspects of a diverse and representative sample of U.S. households. The study aims to empirically evaluate the benefits of financial planning and the services provided by CFP professionals compared to those offered by professionals who do not hold CFP certification and do-it-yourself approaches. "Americans turn to CFP professionals for holistic competent and ethical financial planning," said CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE. "This study will help us quantify the impact financial planning has on clients and society, and we look forward to receiving feedback on the study's proposed framework." To conduct the study, CFP Board's Managing Director of Research, Kevin Roth, Ph.D., is collaborating closely with a team of respected researchers, including Stuart Heckman, Ph.D., CFP, Texas Tech University; Emily Koochel, Ph.D., AFC, CFT-I, eMoney; and Sonya Lutter, Ph.D., CFP, LMFT, Texas Tech University. Research Team Stuart J. Heckman, Ph.D., CFP is an Associate Professor of Practice and Ph.D. Program Director at Texas Tech University. Dr. Heckman has served as the Academic Editor of the Journal of Financial Planning and serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Financial Services Review and Financial Planning Review. His research focuses on professional financial planning and decision-making, especially among young adults. Dr. Heckman holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Family Resource Management from The Ohio State University and a B.S. in Personal Financial Planning from Kansas State University. Emily Koochel, Ph.D., AFC, CFT-I, BFA, leads eMoney Advisor's Financial Wellness team, where she focuses on innovative wellness research and education in her role as Manager of Financial Wellness. Dr. Koochel also serves as Adjunct Faculty at New York University in the Financial Planning M.S. program offered by the NYU School of Professional Studies Division of Programs in Business. She serves as a subject matter expert on understanding the effect of financial behaviors and decision-making on personal and financial wellness, reviewing and authoring peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and contributing to public scholarship. Most notably, she was a co-contributor to CFP Board's book, The Psychology of Financial Planning. Dr. Koochel holds a Ph.D. in Applied Family Science from Kansas State University, an M.S. in Financial Planning from Texas Tech University and the Certified Financial Therapist I designation. She is also an Accredited Financial Counselor and Behavioral Financial Advisor. Sonya Lutter, Ph.D., CFP serves as the inaugural Director of Financial Health and Wellness with Texas Tech University's School of Financial Planning, where she leads curriculum and continuing education opportunities in financial psychology, financial therapy and financial behavior. Dr. Lutter also owns ENLITE, where she helps bridge the gap between mental health and financial planning. Her developmental work in financial therapy is summarized in Financial Therapy: Theory, Research, and Practice with her co-editors. She is also the author of A Couples Guide to Love & Money: 15 Exercises to Strengthen Your Relationship, and she served on the editorial advisory board that produced CFP Board's newest book, The Psychology of Financial Planning. Dr. Lutter holds a Ph.D. in Financial Planning from Texas Tech University and an M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Kansas State University, and she is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Webinar: Client Impact Research Update CFP Board will host a webinar on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 1:00 pm ET, in which the research team will introduce this study and discuss the framework that will be used to evaluate client outcomes. Participants will have the opportunity to ask the research team questions and provide input about the study. Summary Read a summary of the research team's work to define "Consumer Financial Wellness" and create a framework for its measurement, as shared at CFP Board's 2023 Academic Research Colloquium. READ CONSUMER FINANCIAL WELLNESS: A DEFINITION AND FRAMEWORK Submit Comments CFP Board values your feedback. Please share your comments and suggestions about the Client Impact Study. SUBMIT COMMENTS ABOUT CFP BOARD CFP Board is the professional body for personal financial planners in the U.S. CFP Board consists of two affiliated organizations focused on advancing the financial planning profession for the public's benefit. CFP Board of Standards sets and upholds standards for financial planning and administers the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER certification widely recognized by the public, advisors and firms as the standard for financial planners so that the public has access to the benefits of competent and ethical financial planning. CFP certification is held by nearly 100,000 people in the U.S. CFP Board Center for Financial Planning addresses diversity and workforce development challenges and conducts and publishes research that adds to the financial planning profession's body of knowledge. SOURCE CFP Board CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Purpose Summit will celebrate its 5th Anniversary in Charlotte, North Carolina, this spring. The Purpose Summit is a three-day transformative leadership experience that brings hundreds of leaders from around the world together who are committed to creating great workplaces where both individual and organizational purpose thrive. The Purpose Summit started in Detroit, Michigan, in 2019 out of a repurposed historic school building and grew rapidly, making its way to The University of Notre Dame, where it has been hosted for the past two years. The Purpose Summit, a global gathering of leaders, will be held in Charlotte, NC April 29th - May 1st at multiple locations including The NASCAR Hall of Fame, and The Revelry at Camp North End. Speakers from Purpose Summit 2023 held at The University of Notre Dame last year, included business leaders and thought leaders from around the world on a shared mission to make business a force for good. Purpose Summit 2024 will take place April 29th-May 1st at multiple locations in Charlotte. General sessions will be held at The Revelry in Camp North End, along with breakout sessions and workshops to be held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the Terrace at Cedar Hill. Preferred hotels for out-of-town attendees include Le Meridien Charlotte and the Sheraton Charlotte. The agenda for The Purpose Summit includes a variety of insightful and inspirational sessions for leaders of both public and private companies, as well as dedicated sessions for non-profit and faith-driven leaders, all who share a common mission of building better leaders and better organizations, and ultimately, a better world together. The program will also feature The Purpose Leadership Awards, which recognizes organizations who champion what it looks like to lead with purpose, by prioritizing and investing in the growth of their people, to help them become who they were created to be, both personally and professionally. "Five years ago, when we started this journey, we knew that the currency of the workplace was rapidly shifting, that while compensation will always matter, finding purpose in our work matters now more than it ever has before. Our greatest responsibility as leaders is who we help others become, both at work and at home. It is for this reason that leaders from around the world are gathering in Charlotte," said Davin Salvagno, Cofounder & Executive Producer of The Purpose Summit. "Imagine a place where you go to work every day, you contribute to something greater than yourself, you learn something new, you feel safe and are protected by a compelling set of values and you go home happy. We have an opportunity to change the world together," said Garry Ridge, Chairman Emeritus of the WD-40 Company. Garry, who served as CEO of the WD-40 Company for 25 years, is one of several well-known speakers and authors who will be returning to The Purpose Summit this year, along with Davin Salvagno, Kurt David, Jon Gordon, Dr. Amber Selking, Ron Carucci, Nick Craig, as well many new faces to the program this year. A full list of speakers, and the three-day agenda, can be viewed at ThePurposeSummit.com. The capacity for the event is 1000 attendees, with many expected from across the globe, and several local organizations like Coca-Cola Consolidated and Ashley licensee Broad River Retail, sending dozens of their leaders to attend. Other sponsors and organizations participating in the summit include Thrivent, Lippert, Diamond C, WD-40 Company, TRP, EMCO, C12 Business Forums, ForCLT, CBMC, Corporate Chaplains, VAUSA, PurposePoint, Inspired Purpose Partners, Beds For Kids, The Charlotte Business Journal, and many more to be named. Tickets for the event range from $775 - $1275 with group pricing available for organizations. Early bird tickets can be purchased through January 31st. For group rates and sponsorship information, please contact [email protected] Media Contact: Lisa Oprita [email protected] 586-215-5400 SOURCE The Purpose Summit Global AEC firm promotes Kenney and Lachapelle to leadership roles in critical life science, food and beverage markets KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CRB, a leading global provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting services to the life sciences and food and beverage industries, today announced the promotions of Lindsay Kenney and Daniel Lachapelle to Regional Vice President roles with the company. Kenney and Lachapelle will oversee operations in the Midwest and Northeast, respectively. Daniel Lachapelle, CRB's Regional Vice President, Northeast Lindsay Kenney, CRB's Regional Vice President, Midwest The promotions advance CRB's commitment to successful client outcomes in these critical regions, where thriving biopharma and F&B communities, research institutions and top industry talent are advancing health care solutions and speeding life-saving vaccines, therapies and food innovation to consumers. Kenney will lead the company's Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, and Omaha offices. Before her promotion, Kenney was the Midwest Region's Senior Director of Design Operations, part of more than 20 years of experience in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Kenney, who holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Washington University, joined CRB as a process engineer in 2002 and steadily built a resume of high-impact life sciences facility projects across the United States and Europe. Her exceptional project experience and strong leadership skills make her the perfect candidate to lead the Midwest, home to a large and diverse client set across the biopharma and animal health spaces. Lachapelle will oversee CRB's offices in Boston, Bridgewater, N.J., Philadelphia, Rockville, Md., and Toronto. With more than 30 years of global biopharma experience, including a tenure as CEO of the Life Sciences & Chemicals Division of M+W Group, Daniel brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his new role, whose Northeast focus places CRB at the center of one of the world's most dynamic and competitive life sciences clusters. Lachapelle joined CRB in 2018 and previously led the company's Canada operations. He holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a certificate in advanced management from McGill University in Montreal. He also completed the Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy program at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Kenney and Lachapelle will report to Chief Operating Officer Sam Kitchell. Both RVPs carry deep experience ranging from small- and medium-sized project management to large-scale integrated project delivery credentials that will position their regional teams to succeed and propel the company's performance in their markets, Kitchell said. "Adding Lindsay and Daniel to our roster of regional leaders completes a team that is uniquely positioned to build on CRB's successes and lead our growth," Kitchell said. "Both have demonstrated exceptional dedication and expertise throughout their careers at CRB, and their rich understanding of our business and strong leadership skills will drive career growth for CRB employees and remarkable experiences for our clients." About CRB: CRB is a leading provider of sustainable engineering, architecture, construction and consulting solutions to the global life sciences and advanced technology industries. Our more than 1,300 employees provide world-class solutions that drive success and positive change for our clients, our people and our communities. CRB is a privately held company with a rich history of serving clients throughout the world, consistently striving for the highest standard of technical knowledge, creativity and execution. MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION: Chris Clark: 816-200-5234 SOURCE CRB Group Inc. ALPHARETTA, Ga., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DataScan, a leading provider of innovative financial solutions designed for commercial lenders, proudly announces the appointment of a distinguished group to its Board of Directors. This strategic move exemplifies DataScan's unwavering dedication to a robust growth strategy, aligning with top leaders within their respective industries, thereby furnishing DataScan with an unparalleled competitive edge. The recently appointed board members bring abundant experience and expertise spanning automotive, technology, and financial services, reinforcing and elevating DataScan's commitment to excellence. Doug Betts | President, Automotive Division at J.D. Power Doug is the President of the Automotive Division at J.D. Power and leads the strategy and operations for J.D. Power's entire automotive division across the Americas, Europe, and Asia Pacific. With a background at Apple, Inc., FCAChrysler Automobiles, Nissan Motor Corp, and Toyota Motor Manufacturing, he provides valuable insights into the automotive industry. He holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. Ron Frey | Founder, RL Frey, Inc. For over three decades, Ron has been an innovator and leader in the automotive industry. With a rich history as an entrepreneur who has served in key leadership roles, including Chief Strategy Officer with AutoNation and Global Chief Strategy Officer for CDK Global, he is now an industry advisor and strategist specializing in innovation and technology. Ron is a respected thought leader on the evolution taking place in the automotive industry. In his role as a director, he brings with him a wealth of operational experience, deep industry intelligence, and an inspired vision for the future. Jennifer Baker | CTO, Synovus Bank Jennifer has been an integral part of Synovus Bank since 2015, ascending to Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in 2020. Leveraging over two decades of experience as a Strategic Financial Services Executive, she brings a sophisticated skill set to the board. In addition to her CTO responsibilities, Jennifer holds a variety of positions, including President for Synovus Women In Technology (WIT), and within Atlanta Fintech forums and associations. DataScan CEO Brian Koprowski expressed his excitement about the new appointments, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome these exceptional leaders to DataScan's Board of Directors. Their diverse expertise and industry knowledge will not only strengthen our leadership team but also reinforce our dedication to delivering industry-leading products and services. Their guidance will be instrumental as we navigate the exciting opportunities and challenges ahead." Doug, Ron, and Jennifer join DataScan at an exciting juncture, and their insights will be invaluable as DataScan continues to expand its horizons. DataScan looks forward to the board's contributions as they collectively help drive DataScan to new heights, setting new standards of excellence in the commercial lending industry. About DataScan DataScan is a leader in providing banks and financial institutions with a holistic approach to wholesale portfolio and inventory risk management. DataScan's solutions suite allows lenders to create transparency and improve efficiencies while mitigating risk. With over 30 years of experience, DataScan's expertise can revolutionize your business's wholesale loan ecosystem. For media inquiries, please contact: Lisa Mallean Senior Marketing Manager DataScan [email protected] 678.230.0384 SOURCE DataScan ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DCS Corporation is pleased to announce the promotion of Bill Protzman to President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 1, 2024. DCS President and COO Bill Protzman In this new role, Bill will oversee the execution of customer initiatives and sustain a robust operating organization. Other key duties include financial management, making profit-oriented bid decisions, and driving strategic growth through sector and department targets. Bill will also support business development and annual budgeting. He will chair the Quality Council, emphasizing compliance and process improvement. Since joining DCS as a software engineer in 1993, Bill has held every successive management position in the company rising from Branch Manager to Department and ultimately Division Manager. In December 2014, he was promoted to Executive Vice President to head the Army and Marine Corps Sector. During his tenure, Bill has been instrumental in expanding DCS's Army business portfolio. This included securing five successive recompetes for the flagship DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) Technical Engineering Services contract, as well as expansion into areas such as GVSC Ground Vehicle Simulation Laboratory, GVSC Ground Vehicle Survivability and Protection, TACOM PEO GCS Ops Support, PM PNT, PM Soldier Survivability, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center, and the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory Human Research Engineering Directorate. "As Bill moves into this critical role, he assumes expanded responsibility for DCS's financial objectives and strategic direction," said Jim Benbow, DCS CEO. "Bill skillfully led our Army and Marine Corps Sector through a prolonged period of expansion and growth. I am confident that our culture of employee empowerment and unyielding dedication to customer success will continue to thrive under Bill's direction." Bill replaces outgoing COO Larry Egbert who stepped down from the role after 10 years with DCS. About DCS An employee-owned company, DCS offers advanced technology, engineering, and management solutions to Government agencies in the security sector. The transformative ideas, commitment to quality, and entrepreneurial spirit that characterize our employee-owners allow us to ensure the success of each customer's mission and actively contribute to the well-being of the Nation. For more information, please visit: https://www.dcscorp.com. Contact: DCS Media, [email protected], 571-227-6000 SOURCE DCS Corporation DiMe is partnering with PHTI, ZS, and other leading organizations to develop and launch core components of integrated evidence plans for digital health products BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) announced it's partnering with Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI), ZS Associates , and other leading industry organizations to define how Integrated Evidence Plans (IEP) can be developed, optimized, and used to support the regulatory and commercial success of digital health products (DHPs) on an accelerated timeline. The goal is to streamline the pathways to successful commercialization of high-value, evidence-based DHPs, addressing the top priority reported by industry leaders in DiMe's recent Digital Health Industry Regulatory Needs Assessment : to align best practices between regulatory requirements and decision-making with downstream payers and purchasers. In today's rapidly evolving and maturing business landscape, addressing the challenges that arise from a lack of evidence for DHPs is crucial. This latest project from DiMe will address these obstacles to help streamline the path to broad adoption of evidence-based digital health technologies, build confidence with digital health purchasing organizations, and optimize health outcomes for the greatest number of patients all while advancing innovation in the digital health landscape. The project team comprised of experts from across DHP development, regulation, reimbursement, and commercial strategy; U.S. payers; purchasers; policymakers; clinicians; and patient groups will develop open access, interactive resources for DHP developers. DiMe is collaborating with organizations such as PHTI and ZS, and is joined by Alliance of Community Health Plans (ACHP), Altoida, American College of Cardiology (ACC), Astellas Rx+, Brown-Lifespan Center for Digital Health, Consumer Technology Association (CTA), Feel Therapeutics, Galen Growth, Genentech - a member of the Roche Group, Google, Lunit, Inc., Lura Health, Mika Health, Neuralight, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Point32Health, ScreenPoint Medical, Takeda, Tufts Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health, University of Michigan WIRED-L Center, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Verily to advance this work. "Developers have been very successful at securing FDA acceptance and market access opportunities for their digital health products (DHPs). However, the needs of downstream decision-makers remain opaque. Consequently, early and considerable investments in evidence generation for DHPs have become excessively tailored to meet the needs of regulators, resulting in missed opportunities for designing more efficient and effective studies that generate the necessary evidence for all decision-makers including regulators, payers, purchasers, and end users of these products," said Jennifer Goldsack, DiMe CEO. "To avoid future collapses and closures and to ensure that innovative DHPs that improve patient care are broadly adopted, DiMe is convening industry experts to advance the use of integrated evidence plans that optimize evidence generation plans for both regulatory and commercial success." Resources developed by DiMe will assist digital health companies in clearly defining the full suite of evidence needed for the various decision-makers along the path to market, including regulators, investors, payers, healthcare systems, and patients. The resources will also help developers dramatically reduce the cost and timelines of evidence generation by articulating what evidence is needed and outlining evidence-collection strategies that minimize the burden of collection, essentially integrating the needs of various stakeholders into a single, fit-for-purpose strategy. "We are pleased to support DiMe in helping developers generate better evidence to increase purchaser confidence in adopting new, high-value technologies," said Meg Barron, Managing Director, Engagement and Outreach, PHTI. "PHTI is focused on independent evaluations of healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs. Patients need and deserve effective new solutions to help improve health outcomes, increase affordability, and expand access to care." "At ZS, we're focused on accelerating the future of healthcare that uses digital medicine products in conjunction with intelligent care pathways, analytics, and evidence generation to drive meaningful adoption and transformation," said Ahmed Albaiti Principal, Practice Lead, Digital & Connected Health, ZS. "Working collaboratively and pre-competitively with a broad group of stakeholders is critical to advance health products and paradigms that are trusted by patients, clinicians, and payers alike. We're excited to work with DiMe and leverage our extensive insights on this important effort." The resources developed will be created over the next year. This work builds on DiMe's successful U.S. Digital Health Regulatory Pathways for DHPs and Evidence DEFINED framework to advance the use of IEPs for developing DHPs. Sign up for DiMe's newsletter here to stay up-to-date on this project and ongoing regulatory work and projects. About the Digital Medicine Society: DiMe is a global non-profit and the professional home for all members of the digital medicine community. Together, we tackle the toughest digital medicine challenges, develop clinical-quality resources on a technology timeline, and deliver these actionable resources to the field via open-source channels and educational programs. About the Peterson Health Technology Institute: The Peterson Health Technology Institute (PHTI) provides independent evaluations of innovative healthcare technologies to improve health and lower costs. Through its rigorous, evidence-based research, PHTI analyzes the clinical benefits and economic impact of digital health solutions, as well as their effects on health equity, privacy, and security. These evaluations inform decisions for providers, patients, payers, and investors, accelerating the adoption of high-value technology in healthcare. PHTI was founded in 2023 by the Peterson Center on Healthcare. For more information, please visit PHTI.com . About ZS: ZS is a management consulting and technology firm focused on transforming global healthcare and beyond. We leverage our leading-edge analytics, plus the power of data, science and tech products, to help our clients make more intelligent decisions, deliver innovative solutions and improve outcomes for all. Founded in 1983, ZS has more than 13,000 employees in 35 offices worldwide. To learn more, visit www.zs.com or follow us on LinkedIn. Media Contact: Carla English, [email protected] SOURCE Digital Medicine Society (DiMe) Largest and fastest-growing dog daycare provider opened 43 new locations and collected multiple accolades, including a new high on the Franchise Times Fast & Serious List PHOENIX, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dogtopia, the nation's largest and fastest-growing dog wellness franchise, is celebrating another year of unparalleled success and 70 new licenses awarded. With many accomplishments achieved, including the opening of its 250th daycare and recognition from respected media outlets and organizations like Franchise Times, Dogtopia remains a top franchise brand in the booming pet services industry. Dogtopia is proud to share the many milestones it hit in 2023, most notably the opening of 43 new daycares for the year, bringing the total number of open locations to 266 and 500+ licenses awarded across North America. The company has plans to open 45 more daycares in 2024 and leverage the latest technology to launch a comprehensive, science-backed wellness program to help dogs live long, healthy, happy lives. To help fuel that growth in 2024, Dogtopia has expanded its executive team to include Keith Ungerer as Chief Financial Officer, John Mansfield as VP of Operations and Revenue and Sumaya Shakir as VP of Information Technology. Ungerer has more than 35 years of experience in senior Finance/Accounting roles, most recently working with a Levine Leichtman Capital Partners portfolio company. Mansfield spent the last four years at Chemical Guys leading growth efforts across their omnichannel retail, franchising, and service channels and was at Porsche Lifestyle Group, PIRCH, El Pollo Loco and Oakley in senior retail leadership roles. Prior to joining Dogtopia, Shakir was the Head of Data & Analytics and Enterprise Application Integrations at GE and brings more than 20 years of global experience in business strategy and enterprise technologies to the team. Capping off a banner 2023 and commencing an even better 2024, Dogtopia has yet again been placed on the Franchise Times Fast & Serious 2024 List in spot No. 13a sizable leap for the brand from last year's placement of No. 39. The list spotlights 40 of the smartest-growing franchise brands over the course of the past year. The brands ranked have shown the most systemwide sales growth and unit growth, along with other impressive growth points. This is Dogtopia's third appearance on the Fast & Serious List. Another major accomplishment to note is Dogtopia's recognition as Best in Category in the pet services sector on Franchise Business Review's list of the Top Franchises for 2024. Dogtopia was among more than 375 franchise brands that participated in Franchise Business Review's research. The brand's franchisees were surveyed on their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systemsmeaning Dogtopia has done an exceptional job over this past year in all areas of franchising. "At Dogtopia, we are committed to continuously redefining the dog daycare industry with an absolute obsession for the long-term care of the dog we are a parent's true care partner," said Dogtopia's CEO Neil Gill. "We have maintained our growth and success by being totally committed to our Noble Cause of enhancing both dog and parent wellness and longevity. With more than five million dog experiences last year alone, it's clear our parents trust that our commitment to their dogs is genuine, as each year continues to be more successful than the last. We have a lot of exciting initiatives in store for 2024 and are eager to share this with our dogs and their families." More than just daycare, boarding, and spa services, Dogtopia is the trusted dog wellness expert dedicated to enhancing the lives of dogs and their families. Dogtopia's services and products are rooted in science, validated by data, and delivered with love. With guidance from an environmental biologist, veterinarian, and credentialed dog trainer, Dogtopia continues to set the industry standard for dog wellness and daycare to help dogs live long, healthy, happy lives. For more information about Dogtopia or to find a location near you, visit www.dogtopia.com. About Dogtopia: Founded in 2002, Dogtopia is an early pioneer and innovator in the dog daycare industry, offering an experience focused on wellness, quality of care, safety, and transparency in the market. The ultimate destination for improving the physical and mental wellbeing of dogs and pet parents, Dogtopia helps our furry friends live long, healthy, and happy lives with services that holistically address canine wellness. Pet parents have the assurance of leaving their beloved furry family members in the hands of trained professionals in an environment created with the safety of dogs in mind, including spacious playrooms assigned by size and play style, comfortable rubber flooring to reduce the impact on joints and paws, and webcams for pet parents to check in on their pups. For more information, visit www.dogtopia.com. Media Contact: Ali Molina, Fishman Public Relations, 847-987-2199, amolina@fishmanpr.com SOURCE Dogtopia The Russian occupiers do not take their fallen comrades from the battlefield - the bodies of the aggressor country's military lie in the open air for a long time. All this time, the killed soldiers are considered missing, some of them remain in this status forever. ADVERTISIMENT This became known from a telephone conversation between the Russian invader and his wife, intercepted by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine. The occupier told her about the realities of the Russian army. "There are 60 people lying near the LDT (long-term defensive point - Ed.) - they have not been pulled out yet. They will not be pulled out. The reconnaissance was crawling - the sensors are on the move, triggered, f*cking beeping. So there are 60 people missing, in short," he said. The occupier said that a Ukrainian machine gunner "put down" a company and a half of Russians who were sent to storm a neighboring long-term defensive point already controlled by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Later, instead of these liquidated occupiers, prisoners and surviving stormtroopers were thrown to the front line and allowed to drink alcohol. ADVERTISIMENT These drunken invaders not only commit war crimes, killing and raping civilian Ukrainians, but also beat their fellow soldiers and loot. The invader also complained that they have several people in their headquarters who, for money, provide the Ukrainian Armed Forces with all the data of the Russian army, including information about when Russian assaults will take place. The occupiers still cannot figure out who is behind this. As OBOZ.UA previously reported, the wife of the Russian invader complained about the drunkenness of the aggressor country's army personnel. According to her, the Russian military at the front "drink like c*cks". ADVERTISIMENT Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Encore Fiduciary, formerly known as Euclid Fiduciary, a division of Specialty Program Group LLC (SPG), is pleased to announce the release of a valuable resource and risk management tool for large defined contribution plan fiduciaries: The Encore Fiduciary Large-Plan Recordkeeping Benchmark Survey. Authored by Daniel Aronowitz, President of Encore Fiduciary, this study accompanied by a detailed whitepaper, offers a comprehensive benchmark of the recordkeeping fees paid by sponsors of large defined contribution benefit plans. This survey, which draws on data from over 2,500 large plans with assets exceeding $100 million, and over 1,000 participants for the years 2020, 2021, and 2022, seeks to provide clarity and understanding in the complex landscape of recordkeeping fees. It's a valuable tool for plan sponsors, enabling them to make informed decisions and understand the appropriate costs associated with recordkeeping services. Daniel Aronowitz, President of Encore Fiduciary, emphasizes the importance of this study: "Our survey offers an unprecedented level of insight and perspective in an area that has been a source of litigation risk for many plan sponsors. Our objective was to empower plan sponsors with the knowledge to make better fiduciary decisions and navigate the often-challenging terrain of fiduciary responsibilities. We also wanted to lower litigation risk for plan sponsors by providing a reliable benchmark that validates the cost of plan administration and recordkeeping for large defined contribution plans." The survey is more than just a response to the wave of fiduciary imprudence lawsuits seen in recent years. The Encore recordkeeping benchmark provides concrete, reliable data for plans fiduciaries to understand what similarly sized plans are paying for recordkeeping services. This allows plans sponsors to meet fiduciary obligations to act in the best interests of their plans participants. "This recordkeeping survey is a testament to Encore Fiduciary's commitment to serving as thought leaders and advocates in the fiduciary space. We are not just providing data; we are offering insights and guidance to help plan sponsors safeguard their interests and those of their participants, said Christopher Treanor, President and CEO of SPG. Download Encore Fiduciary's Benchmark Survey. To learn more about Encore Fiduciary visit encorefiduciary.com. Euclid Fiduciary Rebranded to Encore Fiduciary Euclid Fiduciary is pleased to announce a significant milestone: the company is now rebranded as Encore Fiduciary. This rebranding is more than just a change in name; it represents an evolution in the company's vision and commitment in the fiduciary management sector. Encore's new identity is not only a symbol of change but also a testament to growth and expansion, a result of the partnership with Specialty Program Group (SPG). With the support of SPG, Encore is poised to scale new heights in capabilities and reach. This strategic alliance with SPG provides Encore with a range of resources and opportunities, enabling it to expand its services and market influence. While embracing this new chapter, Encore Fiduciary assures its clients and partners that its core values and dedication to providing expert solutions will remain unchanged. The transition to Encore brings with it a reinforcement of these values, now coupled with greater opportunities for innovation and service excellence. The rebranding reflects a commitment to maintain the essence of what has always defined the company, while opening new avenues for growth and success. To learn more about this exciting rebranding visit encorefiduciary.com/euclid-is-now-encore/ About Specialty Program Group Specialty Program Group LLC (SPG) is a leading specialty platform headquartered in Chicago, IL, with a diverse portfolio of specialty insurance operations spanning underwriting management, digital solutions, wholesale and specialty retail brokerage, and insurance services. SPG has a track record of scaling industry leading businesses by providing access to business resources, technology and process efficiency, capital and investment, deep carrier relationships, and a broad distribution network. Visit specialtyprogramgroup.com to learn more about how SPG can help you scale your specialty business. About Encore Fiduciary Encore Fiduciary, the new identity of Euclid Fiduciary is a division of Specialty Program Group that serves as a leading provider of fiduciary liability insurance for America's employee benefit plan sponsors and fiduciaries. The Encore Fiduciary team is known for its fiduciary expertise, thought leadership, and advocacy for America's plan sponsors. For more information contact Daniel Aronowitz at [email protected] or John O'Brien at [email protected] . CONTACT: SPG Media: Christopher Lamitola Phone: 908-790-6749 [email protected] Encore Fiduciary: John O'Brien Phone: 571.730.4810 [email protected] SOURCE Specialty Program Group CHICAGO , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The market for enterprise asset management (EAM) will grow as a result of closer integration with cutting-edge technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things. This will improve cybersecurity and enable more sophisticated predictive maintenance as well as sustainable asset management techniques. A wider use of EAM across industries, a rising emphasis on collaborative ecosystems and industry standards for interoperability, cloud-based solutions, mobile applications for field operations, and an emphasis on user-friendly interfaces are anticipated. The Enterprise Asset Management Market is expected to grow from USD 4.7 billion in 2023 to USD 7.6 billion by 2028 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.8% during the forecast period, according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets. Browse in-depth TOC on "Enterprise Asset Management Market" 264 - Tables 51 - Figures 230 - Pages Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=54576143 Scope of Report Report Metrics Details Market Size Available for Years 2018-2028 Base Year Considered 2022 Forecast Period 2023-2028 Forecast Units Value (USD Million/Billion) Segments Covered Offering, Application, Deployment Model, Organization Size, and Vertical Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America Companies Covered IBM (US), SAP (Germany), Oracle (US), Hexagon (Sweden), IFS (Sweden), Hitachi Energy (Switzerland), IFS Intelligent Process Solutions (Germany), Accruent (US), AVEVA (UK), Aptean (US), eMaint (US), CGI (Canada), UpKeep (US), RFgen Software (US), AssetWorks (US), Ramco Systems (India), and others By offering, the solutions segment will hold a larger market size during the forecast period. Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions are comprehensive software systems designed to manage and optimize the entire lifecycle of an organization's physical assets. These solutions offer a robust framework for asset tracking, maintenance planning, and performance optimization. Core functionalities of EAM systems typically include a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), which enables organizations to schedule and track maintenance activities, reducing downtime and extending asset lifespan. For instance, Sund & Baelt partnered with IBM to develop an AI-driven IoT solution named IBM Maximo for Civil Infrastructure. This innovative system utilizes sensors and algorithms to extend the operational life of aging infrastructure, including bridges, tunnels, highways, and railways. Through the automation of inspection processes, the company aims to boost productivity by 14-25% and achieve a significant reduction of over 30% in time-to-repair for these critical assets. Asset performance management (APM) is another integral component, focusing on monitoring and enhancing the reliability and efficiency of assets. EAM solutions often incorporate predictive maintenance capabilities, leveraging data analytics and IoT sensors to anticipate equipment failures before they occur, minimizing unplanned downtime and reducing maintenance costs. Request Sample Pages@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=54576143 By Application, the facility management segment holds the second-largest market share during the forecast period. Facility management software supports companies in optimizing the human and material resources required for facility maintenance. This type of software is used by maintenance teams in industries such as construction, real estate, retail, and manufacturing. Companies use facility management software to maintain buildings, properties, plants, warehouses, or infrastructure; this software allows companies to ensure the safety and well-being of their tenants and employees while monitoring maintenance activities and productivity. By Region, Asia Pacific will grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. The Asia Pacific (APAC) region is witnessing a significant uptick in the adoption of Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) solutions, propelled by substantial IT investments, widespread cloud adoption, and robust economic growth. Organizations across diverse sectors in APAC recognize the pivotal role of EAM in optimizing asset lifecycle management and operational efficiency. The region's strong economic growth, particularly in manufacturing, utilities, and infrastructure, translates to a growing dependence on high-value assets; this, in turn, fuels the demand for sophisticated EAM tools to ensure optimal asset performance and uptime, maximizing returns on investment. In addition, China, with its burgeoning IoT landscape and ambitious infrastructure plans, is predicted to host over 7.7 billion connected devices by 2030, driving EAM demand. Likewise, India's rapid manufacturing expansion and focus on smart cities act as potent catalysts. Thus, Asia Pacific is at the forefront of the EAM revolution, with its tech-savvy businesses recognizing the immense value these solutions offer in propelling them towards operational excellence and sustainable growth. Top Key Companies in Enterprise Asset Management Market: Some of the key players operating in the Enterprise Asset Management Market are IBM (US), SAP (Germany), Oracle (US), Hexagon (Sweden), IFS (Sweden), Hitachi Energy (Switzerland), IFS Intelligent Process Solutions (Germany), Accruent (US), AVEVA (UK), Aptean (US), eMaint (US), CGI (Canada), UpKeep (US), RFgen Software (US), AssetWorks (US), and Ramco Systems (India). Recent Developments: In June 2023 , American racing team AJ Foyt Racing announced a multi-year partnership with IFS to utilize IFS Ultimo's asset management solution for parts management, lifting, and maintenance. , American racing team AJ Foyt Racing announced a multi-year partnership with IFS to utilize IFS Ultimo's asset management solution for parts management, lifting, and maintenance. In October 2022 , Hexagon expanded its customer base in Asia Pacific through organic growth and partnerships to optimize digital asset management with the help of HxGN EAM. , Hexagon expanded its customer base in through organic growth and partnerships to optimize digital asset management with the help of HxGN EAM. In October 2022 , Oracle introduced a new asset-based service solution for Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite. It would help businesses predict and prevent asset downtime by reducing costs, optimizing service efficiency, and enhancing the overall customer experience. , Oracle introduced a new asset-based service solution for Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications Suite. It would help businesses predict and prevent asset downtime by reducing costs, optimizing service efficiency, and enhancing the overall customer experience. In September 2022 , Hitachi Energy announced that Energinet accelerated its digital transformation by utilizing the Lumada APM solution. The collaboration between the companies would support TSO in better assessing the grid reinvestments needed to achieve their 2030 carbon neutrality goals. , Hitachi Energy announced that Energinet accelerated its digital transformation by utilizing the Lumada APM solution. The collaboration between the companies would support TSO in better assessing the grid reinvestments needed to achieve their 2030 carbon neutrality goals. In January 2021 , IBM collaborated with Atos to accelerate digital transformation in enterprises with AI and RedHat Open Shift technologies. The collaboration offers asset life cycle management solutions, asset monitoring and MRO optimization solutions, SMART waste/energy monitoring and optimization solutions, and packaging, transportation, and logistics optimization solutions to end users. Inquire Before Buying@ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=54576143 Enterprise Asset Management Market Advantages: EAM solutions facilitate the optimisation of an organization's asset lifespan, encompassing asset procurement, installation, maintenance, repairs, and final disposal. This results in a longer-lasting asset and a lower overall cost of ownership. Access to the location, state, and status of assets is possible in real time using EAM systems. Organisations can more easily track asset utilisation, availability, and performance thanks to these improved tracking capabilities. EAM solutions use predictive maintenance algorithms and data analytics to enable proactive maintenance planning. This reduces unwanted downtime and increases asset longevity by helping organisations schedule maintenance tasks more effectively. Systems for Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) enhance operational efficiency by optimising asset-related workflows and processes. This results in increased productivity overall and includes better scheduling, resource allocation, and work order management. EAM solutions serve as a single source of truth for all pertinent data by centralising asset data and documentation. By doing this, errors are decreased, data accuracy is increased, and stakeholders are guaranteed access to current asset information. Field personnel and maintenance teams may access vital asset information, update records, and finish work orders while on the go thanks to EAM systems' frequent mobile access features. This results in enhanced teamwork and quicker reaction times. Report Objectives To define, describe, and forecast the Enterprise Asset Management Market based on offerings, applications, deployment models, organization sizes, industry verticals, and regions To forecast the market size of the five major regional segments: North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , Middle East & Africa , and Latin America , , , & , and To strategically analyze the market subsegments concerning individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the total market To provide detailed information related to the significant factors influencing the growth of the market (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges) To strategically analyze the macro and micromarkets1 concerning growth trends, prospects, and their contributions to the overall market To analyze the industry trends, patents and innovations, and pricing data related to the Enterprise Asset Management Market. To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for major players. To profile the key players in the market and comprehensively analyze their market share/ranking and core competencies across segments and subsegments. To track and analyze the competitive developments, such as mergers and acquisitions, product developments, and partnerships and collaborations in the market. Browse Adjacent Markets: Software and Services Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: IT Service Management (ITSM) Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Video Analytics Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Tax Management Market - Global Forecast to 2027 RegTech Market - Global Forecast to 2026 Software Asset Management Market - Global Forecast to 2026 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. 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Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/enterprise-asset-management-market.asp Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Content Source: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/PressReleases/enterprise-asset-management.asp Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Eventus, a leading provider of comprehensive, at-scale trade surveillance software, today announced robust global growth in 2023 and a strong outlook for 2024 as the firm aims to redefine trade surveillance with client-driven solutions and customizable technology. CEO Travis Schwab reflected on the company's strategic growth and client-focused initiatives in 2023, emphasizing the team's dedication to enhancing client experiences through flexibility, automation, efficiency and expertise. He said: "After year over year of triple-digit growth, we took a moment in 2023 to reflect on our expanding client base and challenge ourselves on how we can ensure we meet their future needs. Our focus was on refining our offerings and enhancing our capabilities. This proactive approach, coupled with our commitment to flexibility and efficiency, is why clients consistently choose Eventus over traditional providers." The firm signed three tier-1 global banks in 2023 that will be using its Validus trade surveillance platform for multiple asset classes and use cases. Eventus also built further on its dominant position in the futures markets. The company experienced notable diversification in its global client base in 2023, with almost 50% of revenue originating from outside the U.S., indicating strong growth in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. The APAC growth was reflected in Eventus' strategic expansion in Tokyo and major new clients in Japan and Australia. The firm's Algo Monitoring application, tailored to meet the requirements of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) II and its Regulatory Technical Standard (RTS) 6, has been an important growth driver in the EMEA region, Schwab said. The firm covers all asset classes and financial market client types, including exchanges and trading venues. Despite industry challenges in the digital assets sector in early 2023, Eventus continued to see robust demand for Validus. Schwab said: "Our digital asset clients are at the forefront of the industry, particularly with the launch of margined futures and spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2024. Eventus is uniquely positioned to support our clients' growth as they incorporate these offerings into their platforms and expand their businesses to multiple asset classes." Schwab said Eventus remains true to its founding principle that compliance software should be adaptable and user-centric. "In 2023, our Product team focused on equipping Validus with advanced tools to ensure it continues to provide the flexibility and scalability needed as our clients and their needs grow." Joe Schifano, Global Head of Regulatory Affairs, commented on the industry's shift away from stagnant legacy systems. "Surveillance leaders are increasingly frustrated with the lack of innovation in their legacy systems. We anticipate a conservative yet significant revolution in surveillance techniques, moving away from the outdated 'one-size-fits-all' mantra. It's not working." In the fall of 2023, Eventus released a new user interface, enhancing clients' ability to gain faster surveillance insights and streamline their management processes. The engineering team is also developing a cutting-edge streaming platform to handle high-throughput data streams, facilitating real-time and batch processing scenarios, while offering high performant, reliable and fault-tolerant data ingestion and storage. The in-memory processing will allow clients to perform faster data analytics and computation, providing the ability to make data-driven decisions. Martina Rejsjo, Director of Product Strategy, said: "Our latest architecture is designed for rapid evolution with new features like cross-product capability, dynamic parameterization and behavioral analysis, and it also enables our Services team to efficiently create tailored solutions by asset class and jurisdiction in line with our clients' specific needs." Jeff Bell, President and COO, highlighted the unique value of Eventus' Services team. "Our commitment to providing precisely the level of service each client requires sets us apart. In 2023, we added our Regulatory Solutions team, comprising in-house experts from top-tier banks and exchanges, to develop custom procedures and reports as well as build automations, ensuring our clients stay ahead of risks and seize new business opportunities." Looking forward, Eventus will continue leveraging development efforts and strategic partnerships. In addition to continued focus on its core trade surveillance and algo monitoring offerings, it plans to explore avenues of growth in areas such as transaction monitoring, additional fixed income coverage and expanded use of AI technologies. "Validus will remain a product designed by practitioners and shaped by our clients, for the most effective and accurate risk mitigation," Schwab said. Other Eventus achievements in 2023 included earning a System and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 Type 2 certification demonstrating the suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of its controls. In addition, Eventus has now captured nearly 40 global and regional awards and honors since 2018, adding seven in 2023 alone. About Eventus Eventus provides state-of-the-art, at-scale trade surveillance software across all lines of defense. Its powerful, award-winning Validus platform is easy to deploy, customize and operate across equities, options, futures, foreign exchange (FX), fixed income and digital asset markets. Validus is proven in the most complex, high-volume, and real time environments of Eventus' rapidly growing client base, including tier-1 banks, broker-dealers, futures commission merchants (FCMs), proprietary trading groups, market centers, buy-side institutions, energy and commodity trading firms, and regulators. Clients rely on the platform, coupled with the firm's responsive support and product development, to overcome its most pressing trade surveillance regulatory challenges. For more, visit www.eventus.com . SOURCE Eventus CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald Hopkins LLC, a business advocacy and advisory firm, is thrilled to announce the addition of Megan Juel as Counsel in the Business Department and as a part of the firm's Executive Compensation and Governance Practice Group. Megan Juel joins McDonald Hopkins LLC "We continue to be a destination firm for attorneys looking to grow their careers as we consistently add new faces and highly sought after legal talent," said Jim Stief, co-president of McDonald Hopkins. "Our executive compensation team is unmatched in not only its quality of services offered to our clients but now, with Megan on board, the number of professionals, too." Juel represents senior executives, public and private companies, and compensation committees in the negotiation, design, and implementation of employment, severance and change-in-control arrangements, and equity and other incentive compensation plans and arrangements. She is the latest addition to the Executive Compensation and Governance Practice Group, led by Benjamin Panter, who is renowned in his field of law. "Megan is a great addition to bolster the strength of our team," said Panter. "We work hard at being the most sought after advisors in our field and we are committed to the continued success and growth of our team. Megan represents that commitment as we continue to expand the services we offer to our clients." Juel regularly plays an active role in corporate transactions, representing management teams, buyers, and sellers in connection with the compensation-related aspects of mergers and acquisitions, financings, and public offerings, including pre-signing negotiations, executive and equity compensation and post-closing employee integration matters. She also provides counsel on associated tax (including Sections 409A and 280G), accounting and securities law implications, as well as related federal and state labor and employment laws. Prior to joining McDonald Hopkins, she was an attorney at two Am Law 100 global law firms, practicing in their respective ERISA and executive compensation groups. Most recently, Juel advised venture-backed start-up companies, middle-market businesses and family offices on employee benefits compliance and compensation plan design while serving as senior counsel at a nationally-ranked law firm headquartered in the Midwest. Juel earned her J.D., cum laude, from Northwestern University School of Law and her B.A., cum laude with academic distinction in her major, from Yale University. She is based out of McDonald Hopkins' Chicago office. About McDonald Hopkins Founded in 1930, McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with locations in Baltimore/Annapolis, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, and West Palm Beach. With more than 50 service and industry teams, the firm has the expertise and knowledge to meet the growing number of legal and business challenges our clients face. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit mcdonaldhopkins.com . CONTACT: Cynthia Stewart McDonald Hopkins LLC 600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Phone: 216.348.5733 Email: [email protected] SOURCE McDonald Hopkins LLC 2024 Adventures Feature Extraordinary Line-Up of Expert-Led Itineraries Around the World NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Exodus Adventure Travels , the international award-winning leader in adventure travel, today announced its new 2024 RCGS Quests trips , a series of expert-led tours developed in partnership with the Royal Canadian Geographical Society . These limited edition, small group trips are what travel legends are made of adventures that are designed to offer travelers unparalleled opportunities to explore some of the planet's most awe-inspiring destinations and led by noted hosts in their respective fields. This year's line-up features such noted hosts as World Elephant Day co-founder, Patricia Sims; bestselling author, Robin Esrock; Indigenous education advocate, Charlene Bearhead, and others. "We are honored to partner with The Royal Canadian Geographical Society on these highly anticipated adventures," said Sam Seward, President at Exodus Adventure Travels. "This is our third year operating our RCGS Quests program, with continued demand to explore further and experience more, pushing these trips to new heights and featuring another stellar line-up of hosts to add even more depth to each itinerary." Exodus' 2024 RCGS Quests Series features the following six adventures: RCGS: Highlights of the Amalfi Coast with Scott Forsyth Discover the land of la dolce vita for a wondrous week on the Amalfi Coast led by an expert local guide and hosted by professional photographer and fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Scott Forsyth. Explore one of Europe's most dramatic stretches of coastline and be spellbound by this land's natural beauty and cultural treasures. The Host: Scott Forsyth is an award-winning photographer who specializes in Canadian landscapes. Devoted to exploring Canada from the Atlantic to the Pacific and Arctic Ocean coastlines, Scott is a Fellow of both the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Explorer's Club and is Canadian Geographic's Photographer-In-Residence. Eight-day itinerary priced from $2,240 USD. Departing April 6, 2024 RCGS: Classic Kenya 4WD Safari with Patricia Sims No country, perhaps, is more synonymous with a classic African safari than Kenya. Step into scenes from 'Out of Africa' as you explore Kenya's best safari sites led by an expert local safari guide and hosted by award-winning Canadian filmmaker, Royal Canadian Geographical Society fellow and World Elephant Day co-founder, Patricia Sims. The Host: Patricia Sims is the co-founder of the annual World Elephant Day (Aug. 12), a global awareness campaign that brings attention to the critical threats facing elephants. From swimming with wild dolphins and whales in oceans around the world to getting up close and personal with monkeys in the jungles of Borneo and elephants of Thailand, Patricia is also an award-winning filmmaker who always has a passionate eye on conservation. Patricia is a Fellow International of The Explorers Club and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Seven-day itinerary priced from US$4,649 Departing August 10, 2024 RCGS: A Week in Jordan with Sarah Legault Explore the wondrous historical and archaeological highlights of Jordan on this week-long adventure. From the incredible history of the Wadi Rum Desert to strolling through ancient Roman cities and floating in the Dead Sea, this Jordanian adventure contains all the highlights of this fascinating country. It is led by an expert local guide and hosted by Vice President of Philanthropy for the RCGS, Sarah Legault. The Host: Sarah Legault has been the head of advancement at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society since 2018 and has worked at charitable organizations throughout her career. Her vast understanding of the Society, Canadian Geographic and all associated programs is extraordinary. As the current Vice President of Philanthropy and Fellow of the RCGS, Sarah's mission-aligned values of environment, people, culture, and geographical literacy support engaging and forward-thinking initiatives which she always is keen to share and discuss. Seven-day itinerary priced from US$2,550 Departing October 19, 2024 RCGS: Rome, Assisi & Magical Umbria Premium Adventure with Robin Esrock Explore Rome and Assisi's historic landmarks and classical ruins. Walk through Italy's unspoiled countryside staying in a picturesque four-star resort in the hills of Umbria, led by an expert local guide and hosted by bestselling author, TV host, public speaker and Royal Canadian Geographical Society Fellow Robin Esrock. The Host: Dubbed "King of the Bucket List" by Travel + Leisure, Robin Esrock's success as a global adventurer, travel writer, bestselling author and international TV personality started with a one-year solo round-the-world backpacking adventure to 24 countries. During this year, Robin uploaded weekly reports, photography, videos, reviews, and interviews with every person he met. In doing so, he ushered in a new era of multi-platform, switched-on wired-in travel journalism, leading to adventures beyond his wildest dreams. Robin's stories have been published in noted publications worldwide, including National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Reader's Digest, and more. Eight-day itinerary priced from US$4,050 Departing October 19, 2024 RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead Follow in the footsteps of the ancient pharaohs and ride the sands of time back thousands of years on this classic Egypt Nile cruise led by an expert local guide and hosted by Indigenous education advocate, author, Vice President of Learning and Reconciliation at Canadian Geographic, and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Charlene Bearhead. With ancient tombs and mysteries around every bend, unrivaled legacy and mind-blowing history await. The Host: Charlene Bearhead is an Indigenous education advocate and author with over 30 years of regional, national and international experience. Previously Charlene served as education days coordinator for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, education coordinator for the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, education advisor for the Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, a member of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights Indigenous Education working group, and the first education lead for both the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation at the University of Manitoba and the Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre at UBC. She is also the co-author of the children's book series Siha Tooskin Knows. Eight-day itinerary priced from US$2,380 Departing November 16, 2024 RCGS: Highlights of Vietnam with Lynn Moorman Discover the complex culture and history of Vietnam on this intoxicating exploration of Vietnamese life highlighted by superb landscapes and amazing cuisine. Led by an expert local guide and hosted by Lynn Moorman, a lifelong geographer with a love for exploring remote landscapes and environments. The Host: Lynn Moorman is a prominent geographer and a professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Mount Royal University, in Calgary, Canada. Lynn's teaching and research interests lie at the intersection of geography, learning sciences and applied visualization technologies, including virtual and augmented reality. Her work has taken her to the highlands of northern Vietnam, to map agricultural productivity, to the frozen Arctic Ocean where she works with Inuit in Canadian Arctic communities to use near-real time satellite imagery to keep ice travel safe. Lynn is a Fellow, former Board member and current Chair of the Research Committee of the RCGS. 10-day itinerary priced from US$2,170 Departing November 17, 2024 For more information about Exodus' many adventures and sustainable travel initiatives, please visit ExodusTravels.com/us . Tour images and leader headshots are available for download. About Exodus Adventure Travels For 50 years Exodus Adventure Travels has been the leader in active adventures and is known for "improving life through travel." Exodus Travels is a winner of the National Geographic Traveler Reader Awards and is a recipient of the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Award, Wanderlust Magazine's Best Tour Leader of the Year, USA Today's Readers' Choice Award, and the British Travel Awards. Exodus Adventure Travels provides unforgettable journeys and expert insights through more than 500 active adventures to Europe and 100 other countries. Award-winning trips across seven continents include active adventures to the majestic peaks of Kilimanjaro, the ancient wonders of Machu Picchu, the breathtaking beauty of Italy's Amalfi Coast, and other memorable destinations. Committed to providing travelers with unique, authentic, and responsible experiences in all the above destinations, and across its entire portfolio, Exodus' expert guides and carefully crafted itineraries ensure deeper connections to people and place. With an unwavering commitment to sustainability, Exodus Adventure Travels is a certified B Corporation (B Corp), further demonstrating its commitment to improve life through travel, dedicated to creating incredible, responsibly run adventures, and understands the importance of regenerative travel. Exodus Adventure Travels is part of Travelopia, the world's largest collection of experiential travel brands. Travelopia's 26 award-winning travel brands lead the way in creating unique experiences for guests around the world. To learn more about Exodus Adventure Travels and the company's award-winning adventures visit ExodusTravels.com, or follow the company on social @ExodusTravels. SOURCE Exodus Adventure Travels PreveCol, a blood test for oncological diagnosis, has obtained US recognition for its efficacy in detecting precancerous lesions compared to existing alternatives in the United States . . Amadix becomes the first European company to announce this recognition for early detection of colorectal cancer. MADRID, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amadix, a Spanish biotech company, announced today that PreveCol, its colorectal cancer screening blood test, has received Breakthrough Device Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). With this milestone, Amadix becomes the first European company to announce this recognition for early detection of colorectal cancer. PreveCol has demonstrated to have the potential to offer a great significant benefit to patients and has proven to have better diagnostic efficacy than currently approved colorectal cancer screening tests in the US. FDA's Breakthrough Devices Program is intended to provide patients and health care providers with timely access to novel medical devices by expediting the assessment and premarket approval process. The Breakthrough Devices Program reflects the FDAs commitment to device innovation leading to more effective treatment or diagnosis of life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating human diseases. "To gain this recognition from the FDA is an important milestone for our company. It motivates us to continue working to bring PreveCol to American patients as soon as possible. We will continue preventing the onset of colorectal cancer and the complications derived from the current treatments.", said Rocio Arroyo, Amadix CEO. About PreveCol PreveCol is aimed at the early detection of biomarkers in blood associated with colorectal neoplasia. The Spanish test is indicated to screen adults of either sex, 45 years or older, without apparent symptoms. A positive result may indicate the presence of colorectal cancer and/or Advanced Precancerous Lesions and should be followed by diagnostic colonoscopy. More information About Amadix AMADIX is a leading molecular diagnostics company focused on liquid biopsy, developing innovative diagnostic tests for early cancer detection in blood. The mission of the company is extending peoples lives, developing disruptive technologies to detect the tumor years in advance before the symptoms appear. https://amadix.com/ CONTACT Agathe Cortes Communication Director [email protected] +34 663 07 09 28 SOURCE Amadix No. 1 Flooring Franchise Announces Record-Breaking Development Year with Biggest Unit-Add in Brand History ATLANTA, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Floor Coverings International (FCI), the No. 1 flooring franchise in North America, known for its locally owned Mobile Flooring Showrooms and knowledgeable teams of trusted professionals, heads into 2024 on the coattails of its strongest franchise development year in the company's 36-year history. The fast-growing legacy brand awarded 95 franchise agreements covering over 160 territories in 2023. Over the next twelve months, FCI plans to eclipse its development numbers in 2023 with a goal to award over 200 territories to 100 new franchisees. A 50% increase in units added in 2023 compared to 2022 defines FCI's record-setting year of franchise development as company leadership builds on this momentum, aiming to have 300 operating franchises by year-end. Alongside this impressive development, is strong performance. The brand's 250-plus franchises experienced a growing AUV, thanks to a prioritization on providing innovative, personalized, high-quality support. According to FCI's 2023 Franchise Disclosure Document, the Top 50% of franchises generated $1,800,000 Average Unit Volume for 2022*. To support brand awareness across local and national markets, FCI has invested millions of dollars into a national advertising fund, brand refresh, and new website. Additionally, FCI has established 30 marketing co-ops, encouraging individual franchisees to collaborate with and learn from one another to support their businesses. These investments to bolster brand awareness reflect FCI's commitment to support franchise owners as individual entrepreneurs while having the backing of a highly-regarded industry giant. "Over the last year, Floor Coverings International has welcomed incredible new franchisees into our portfolio," said Tom Wood, President & CEO of FCI. "As we transition into a new era of growth, our mission to deliver best-in-class service remains unwavering, especially as we make major investments in educational programs for current and incoming franchise owners. Whether helping our top-performing franchisees hit $10 million in sales or supporting first-time business owners, our team looks forward to supporting our franchise owners through another year we anticipate to be filled with milestone achievements." The success of the brand has not gone unnoticed as FCI was recently named to Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, yet again earning the No. 1 spot in the flooring category. Additionally, FCI was named 2023 Franchisor of the Year by the Franchise Broker Association, Franchise Brand of The Year by The Perfect Franchise, and named a Master Closer and recipient of the Consultants Choice Award by FranChoice. Key to achieving these prestigious recognitions is FCI's outstanding performance in unit growth, financial strength and stability, and overall brand power. "A huge growth year isn't possible without amazing people," said Albert Hermans, Vice President of Franchise Development at FCI. "Our existing franchisees set an inspiring example for future franchise owners by exemplifying what successful business ownership can look like. Our development team continues to do a tremendous job to identify the right types of individuals to join our brand so we can strategically grow our footprint across the country. " Since its launch in 1988, FCI has become a recognized market leader by building a robust network of more than 250 franchises across the country, serving more than 400,000 happy customers, and is showing no signs of slowing down. With the $48 billion flooring industry expected to rise, FCI is poised to continue its market leadership and growth. Challenging brick-and-mortar concepts, FCI has revolutionized the flooring industry by bringing the shopping experience directly to customers' homes. The Mobile Flooring Showrooms are equipped with thousands of samples, allowing customers to visualize different flooring materials and designs in their own living spaces. Whether customers are looking for hardwood, carpet, tile, vinyl, or any other flooring option, FCI offers a comprehensive range of products from leading manufacturers. Partnerships with renowned suppliers ensure that customers have access to top-notch materials that are durable, stylish, and meet their specific requirements. Design Associates provide guidance and expertise, helping customers make informed decisions that align with their specific needs and preferences. By combining cutting-edge technology with personalized service, FCI has transformed the way customers shop for flooring and has set new industry standards prioritizing customization and accessibility. With hundreds of prime territories available, FCI is actively seeking growth-minded individuals who are involved in their community, boast leadership skills, and are eager to explore the world of franchising. When franchisees invest with FCI, they're investing in an organization with a strong culture, solid systems, and a proven business model backed with 30-plus years of experience in providing exceptional customer service. For more information about the franchise opportunity, please visit https://flooring-franchise.com/ or call 833-432-4669. About Floor Coverings International Floor Coverings International is the #1 Mobile Flooring franchise in North America. Utilizing a unique in-home experience, the mobile showroom comes directly to the customer's door with more than 3,000 flooring choices. Floor Coverings International has 250-plus locations throughout the U.S. and Canada with plenty of opportunity for continued expansion. For franchise information, please visit https://flooring-franchise.com/ and to find your closest location go to www.floorcoveringsinternational.com. Media Contact: Kelly Hammond, [email protected] SOURCE Floor Coverings International Number of scholarships across Canada and the US increasing to 355 TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Foresters Financial (Foresters), the purpose-driven life insurer that partners with its members to help them do more of the good they want to do, announced that it has launched the 2024-2025 academic year Competitive Scholarship1 applications for its members and their families. Eligible new applicants and returning candidates applying for a Competitive Scholarship can submit applications as of December 4, 2023, through March 1, 2024. Learn more by visiting the Competitive Scholarship landing page on Foresters.com. Foresters Competitive Scholarship benefit2 is designed to recognize success in the classroom with a special emphasis on community service. For the 2024 academic year, the amount of the annual competitive award remains at $2,500 in local currency, with an increased number of 355 awards up from 300 in 2023 in total provided for successful new applicants and returning candidates throughout Canada and the U.S. Since 2012, Foresters has awarded over 9,000 tuition scholarships internationally, an investment of more than $18.4 million USD/$24.5 million CAD. To be eligible for consideration, applicants need to be 24 years old or younger and either a current Foresters member themselves or have a parent, legal guardian, grandparent, or spouse who is a member3. For new applicants, a minimum GPA (3.2/80%), 200 volunteer hours within the 24 months up to the deadline, and enrollment in a minimum two-year, full time undergraduate program at a recognized school in Canada or the US are required to apply. For returning applicants, a minimum GPA (3.0/75%), 50 hours of volunteer hours within 12 months up to the deadline, and enrollment in full-time studies in the academic year they are applying as a returning applicant in Canada or the US, are required to apply. Meeting or exceeding these requirements does not guarantee that an applicant will be chosen as a scholarship recipient. Foresters Financial President and CEO Matt Berman said, "We are delighted to continue rewarding students who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their education and community, and to extend opportunities to an increased number of recipients. Embracing all forms of volunteer work for local and community causes, our objective is to empower these students to pursue their ambitions and inspire them to positively impact and uplift the lives of others." To ensure complete impartiality in the selection, the process is managed by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), which appoints a Selection Committee composed of international university and college representatives. The decision is based on Community Service (including recommendation letter and an essay) and Grades - with a 65%/35% weighting for those two elements. Applicants apply via the ISTS portal, with an easy-to-reference checklist and Live Chat feature with a Foresters customer service representative, available to support the process. Applicants will be notified of their award status by May 15, 2024. If selected for a scholarship, recipients must accept or decline the scholarship by the deadline indicated on the acceptance form. If that deadline is missed, recipients risk forfeiting their scholarship. Scholarship funds are issued by August 31, 2024. Please find a list of the 2023 recipients at this link. About Foresters Financial Financial security and living your purpose Foresters Financial has helped people protect their family's financial future for 150 years. But we've also gone beyond that, giving our members opportunities to do more for their health, communities and the causes they care about most. Foresters is an intrinsically purpose-driven organization working to enrich family and community well-being. Alongside offering life insurance in the US and Canada and life insurance and savings solutions in the UK, Foresters partners with members to help them do more of the good they want to do. We've been a dedicated group of community builders since 1874 and today, sustainability, environmental consciousness and social responsibility are central to delivering our purpose. That commitment has continually led us to provide meaningful lifelong benefits5 to our members, like Foresters Care grants that bring communities together, Competitive Scholarships6 to help create a brighter future for young leaders and others that support a world where more good happens. Together, we're making a difference while inspiring others and new generations to give back. Foresters Financial is the trade name for The Independent Order of Foresters, the oldest non-denominational fraternal benefit society. For 23 straight years, The Independent Order of Foresters has received an "A" (Excellent) rating from A.M. Best.7 ________________________ 1.The Competitive Scholarship benefit is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). Eligible members, their spouse, dependent children, and grandchildren may apply subject to the eligibility criteria. 2. Foresters Financial member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific eligibility requirements, definitions, and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice or are no longer available. 3. For the purpose of determining eligibility, a "certificate" includes a certificate, policy or annuity issued by The Independent Order of Foresters, or a certificate, policy or annuity issued by Foresters Life Insurance Company on or after April 2, 2008, except that it does not include Foresters Life funeral annuity certificates or creditors' group insurance certificates. 4. Foresters Go is provided by The Independent Order of Foresters and is operated by dacadoo AG. 5. Foresters Financial member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific eligibility requirements, definitions, and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice or are no longer available. 6. The Competitive Scholarship benefit is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS). 7. The A.M. Best rating assigned on August 17, 2023, reflects the overall strength and claims-paying ability of The Independent Order of Foresters (IOF) but does not apply to the performance of any non-IOF issued products. An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by. A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ and A+ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings. See ambest.com for our latest rating. Foresters Financial, Foresters, Helping Is Who We Are, Foresters Care, Foresters Moments, Foresters Renew, Foresters Go and the Foresters Go logo are trade names and/or trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries. SOURCE The Independent Order of Foresters BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fort Point Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm, announced that it has acquired Ice House America, LLC ("Ice House America", "IHA" or the "Company"), the largest automated retail ice and water platform in the United States, from existing investor Ulysses Management LLC ("Ulysses"). Headquartered in Moultrie, GA, IHA owns and operates a fleet of automated ice and water vending units located primarily across the Southern United States, designs, manufactures and sells ice and water vending units to both independent owner-operators and national accounts, and provides critical maintenance services and software to support its customers. IHA's hyperlocal ice production technology is "fundamentally disrupting the $4 billion retail packaged ice industry." Post this Ice House America "We are excited to partner with Troy Doom and the rest of the IHA team to support the Company's next phase of growth," said Christina Pai, Partner at Fort Point Capital. "IHA's disruptive business model and compelling value proposition has firmly established the Company as a market leader in a remarkably stable and expanding end market." "We are thrilled to partner with the Fort Point Capital team and thank Ulysses for their support throughout our partnership," stated Troy Doom, CEO of Ice House America. "This investment comes at an exciting time for IHA we see a tremendous runway to continue growing our Company-owned fleet, expanding our sales breadth and capabilities and investing in our aftermarket and software capabilities. Importantly, we're excited to continue driving our longstanding commitment to leveraging superior technology to offer fresh, affordable and safe ice and water in the kindest way possible for the planet." "We have been extremely impressed by IHA's track record of growth and technological innovation," said Michael Brofft, Principal at Fort Point Capital. "The Company's hyperlocal ice production technology is fundamentally disrupting the $4 billion retail packaged ice industry and we look forward to supporting the Company's continued growth during our partnership." "We feel a deep sense of pride for the many accomplishments of the IHA management team over our long ownership period, and have great confidence in its continued future growth and success under Troy's leadership," said Paul Barnett, Senior Managing Director at Ulysses Management. "We are delighted to remain a minority investor alongside Fort Point in support of the next chapter of IHA's future" Barings provided debt financing for the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis and RSM advised Fort Point Capital, while IHA was advised by FIDUS Partners, Robinson Bradshaw and Forvis. About Ice House America: Founded in 2003, Ice House America is the largest ice and water platform in the United States. The Company has assembled and sold over 4,000 ice vending machines to independent owner-operators and national accounts throughout the U.S., and operates a Company-owned fleet of ice vending units, primarily in the Southern U.S. The Company provides critical aftermarket parts, service and refurb services as well as proprietary software to its customer base, which includes its mobile app Ice2U. To learn more, please visit https://www.icehouseamerica.com/ About Fort Point Capital: Fort Point Capital, a Boston-based private equity firm, employs a management-led, growth-oriented approach to private equity investing. Since its inception in 2011, Fort Point has partnered with founders and management teams to accelerate growth, expand service offerings, access new markets, and support follow-on acquisitions. With a portfolio that reflects over 50 acquisitions, Fort Point Capital continues to deliver enduring value to its partners, employees, and shareholders. Currently, the firm is investing from FPC Small Cap Fund III. To learn more, please visit https://fortpointcapital.com/ About Ulysses Management: Ulysses Management is a New York City-based diversified investment firm in operation for over 25 years, with over $1 billion in capital under management. Ulysses is the successor firm to Odyssey Partners, LP, the pioneering hedge fund founded in 1982 by Jack Nash and Leon Levy. Through its thematic and long-term business building approach, Ulysses primarily makes control investments in growing middle market companies across a variety of industries To learn more, please visit http://www.ulyssesmgmt.com SOURCE Fort Point Capital International Christian Relief Organization Providing Life-Saving Medical Support, Trauma Supplies, and Food Relief to War-torn Israel BOONE, N.C., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse, dedicated 14 new ambulances in Israel, which are being provided to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national ambulance and emergency services agency. "I believe in this organization. You risk your life to save life, and I felt that these ambulances needed to be replaced immediately," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "We pray that these ambulances will bring comfort to the people of Israel, knowing that someone can respond to any crisis, so we thank God and we thank God for MDA." During the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, 14 ambulances were destroyed, and since the war began, 19 medics have been tragically killed. Samaritan's Purse replaced 14 ambulances today and in the coming months will expand Magen David Adom's fleet by providing seven additional armored ambulances. "These are not just vehicles, but a symbol of life, courage and hope," said Ophir Levy, father of 19-year-old Lior Levy, who was killed by Hamas. "Every time an ambulance goes on a mission, it will be like Lior and her friends are still helping and saving lives." The inscription of her name, along with the names of the other fallen medics, were unveiled for their families to see on the ambulances for the first time today, along with accompanying Bible verses. A crowd of hundreds of people attended the moving ceremony at the National Library in Jerusalem where Yaakov Blitshtein, the director-general of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, and Magen David Adom Director-General Eli Bin spoke to grieving family members. "There are no words that can comfort you or express our deep sorrow for the loss," said Eli Bin, who leads Magen David Adom. "At a time when countries and international organizations chose to look away and ignore the horrors experienced by the people of Israel, Samaritan's Purse acted in accordance with the divine and moral commandment and reached out." "At a time when the Israeli people and Jews around the world are feeling alone, this donation is so meaningful," said Catherine L. Reed, CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom, MDA's U.S.-based marketing and development arm. "It's a testament to the fact that amid all the protests and the increase in anti-Semitism, the people of Israel and the worldwide Jewish community have friends they can count on." On Tuesday, Franklin Graham announced that Samaritan's Purse will continue to assist MDA by working with local municipalities to provide new ambulance stations in some communities that are constantly at risk. In addition to supporting emergency medical services, Samaritan's Purse has provided 18,500 food boxes, nearly 4,000 hot meals, and more than 18,000 food vouchers to families in need. The N.C.-based organization also provided 1,000 Advanced Trauma Life Support kits to help the country's emergency responders in their work to save lives. A Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team deployed to Israel soon after the war broke out and is continuing to support local municipalities and church partners to meet the emergency needs of suffering civilians. Photos and Broadcast-quality b-roll available here. About Samaritan's Purse Based in Boone, North Carolina, Samaritan's Purse responds to physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations especially in locations where few others are working. Led by President and CEO Franklin Graham, Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org. About Magen David Adom MDA is Israel's emergency services system. A leader in mass-casualty response and in EMS technology, Magen David Adom treats and transports nearly 1 million people to hospitals every year; collects, safety tests, and distributes nearly all the blood to Israel's hospitals; and, through its affiliation with the Red Cross movement, responds to disasters around the world. For more information, visit SavingLivesInIsrael.org. SOURCE Samaritan's Purse Front Signs presents the most significant corporate branding trends they've embraced in 2023. The company describes the efficient branding capabilities and the skyrocketing popularity of these modern projects based on their own experience. BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- It's time to take a look back at the top-notch trends of corporate branding design that emerged in 2023 and which show no sign of disappearing this year. Front Signs reveals corporate branding sign trends with incomparable qualities and features that have a distinctive impact on companies in the current market. Large Creative Wall Posters Corporate branding design trends Large wall posters are considered go-to solutions for indoor and outdoor advertising campaigns. This was perfectly evident in 2023. These displays usually include vivid graphics and drastic color contrasts to pique the audience's curiosity. Impactful wall posters showcase brand messages in clear, large fonts which are easily noticed. Such distinguishable wall displays are a popular choice for many famous companies, organizations and institutions. Intricate-Designed Monumental Displays Monumental constructions are among the most potent displays for outdoor advertising. Based on our insights of 2023, these long-lasting projects have become the top pick of major companies across all industries. Monumental displays are increasingly in-demand thanks to their complex designs and 3D elements which come in soothing or fruitful colors. Another great advantage they offer is their placement and three-dimensional qualities. Conveniently set up on sidewalks by roadways, these large constructions attract passersby from every angle. Fashionable Illuminated Solutions Effective business marketing techniques in 2023 showed that luminous displays are the beacons of modern branding. The significance of these promotional tools is undeniable, especially in urban areas. The competition for consumer attention is hectic here. It's where the first impression counts. Trendy illuminated displays come in various types and designs. From marquee displays to full-lit and backlit projects with warm and cool lighting, they turn any business into a focal point in the neighborhood. Front Signs is a leading sign making company based in Burbank, California offering an exhaustive list of signage products and sign-crafting services. Established in 2016, the company has created top-grade projects for world-renowned brands. Front Signs has collaborated with 50,000 businesses all over the United States. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Front Signs NEENAH, Wis., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Galloway Company, the largest producer of cream liqueur bases in the U.S., is excited to announce an expansion of its distribution network to reach craft distillers across the United States from Ultra Pure's newly constructed Louisville, Kentucky facility. The facility features a dedicated cold storage logistics center for shipping creams as of January 22nd, 2024. This expansion comes in the 8th year of the strategic partnership between Galloway Company and Ultra Pure, the largest bulk alcohol supplier in the US. From a single tote of cream to full trucks, this partnership allows us to reach partners at any stage of their business Post this Ultra Pure's new tank facility in Louisville Kentucky The alliance between industry leaders aims to remove barriers to entry in the cream liqueur segment and enable a more efficient route to market. Ultra Pure's new cold storage facility and centrally located distribution hub in Louisville are key to maintaining top product quality and enabling short lead times. "Our growing collaboration with Ultra Pure signifies a pivotal step towards extending our legacy of providing high-quality cream liqueurs to the craft distillery market," said Mark Gottsacker, Director of Beverage Sales. "From a single tote to full trucks, this partnership allows us to reach partners at any stage of their business, making adding creams to product lines easier than ever." Niels van der Kloot, President of Ultra Pure, expressed his enthusiasm about the alliance, stating, "We are thrilled to join forces with the Galloway Company, known for its commitment to quality and innovation. This collaboration aligns seamlessly with our vision of delivering unparalleled products to our clientele while solidifying our position as a leader in the distribution of premium spirits." This expanded distribution network reinforces the longstanding commitment to excellence that Ultra Pure and Galloway Company share. Galloway Company's wealth of experience in crafting premium cream liqueurs, partnered with Ultra Pure's distribution experience, ensures that its products maintain their exceptional quality as they reach a wider array of craft distilleries across the nation. To ensure customer success, Galloway Company offers fully dedicated R&D support, regulatory guidance, tailored co-packing partnerships, and scalable growth strategy. For more information, reach out to Galloway Company at www.gallowaycompany.com/contact/. About Galloway Company: Based in Neenah, Wisconsin, Galloway Company is the number one distilled spirits and wine-based cream liqueur base supplier in the United States. For four generations of family ownership, Galloway continues to lead the dairy industry with an unwavering commitment to quality and innovation. Galloway is also an industry-leading producer of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and dairy beverage bases. Classic Mix Partners, a subsidiary of Galloway Company, is the largest manufacturer of frozen dairy dessert mixes in Wisconsin and supplies customers across the country. Visit gallowaycompany.com for more information on our complete line of innovative dairy products, mixes, and bases. Check out Galloway Company on Insight Magazine's cover story: https://www.insightonbusiness.com/archives/cover-story-cr-me-de-la-cr-me/article_3d7951dd-2a2b-5027-a536-5d2b35598634.html About Ultra Pure: Established in 2006, Ultra Pure is situated in Darien, Connecticut and has established itself as the foremost supplier of bulk alcohol in the United States. The company specializes in providing premium quality bulk ethanol and high proof spirits catering to diverse applications and industries. The assortment of products offered by Ultra Pure encompasses Grain Neutral Spirits, aged and Unaged Bourbon and Whiskies, Organic Alcohols, Rum, non-GMO Sugar Cane Alcohol, and all specialty denatured Alcohols. Ultra Pure caters to a wide range of clients, including the craft distillery, food, and flavor industries. Ultra Pure LLC and Sasma BV are part of Sasma Holding BV. Additional information is available at (203) 662-9761 or through our website: https://bulkalcohol.com Check out The Ultra Pure Corporate video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io1IAvHVQ_M Check out the NPR planet Money Episode 826 "The Vodka Proof" https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/02/23/588346329/episode-826-the-vodka-proof SOURCE Galloway Company SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Mobility Solutions (GMS) has announced the hire of Gina Garcia-Crittenden as the new Director of Business Development. In her new role, Gina will oversee the eastern part of the United States, assisting potential clients in relocation cost evaluations and working with worldwide partners to provide the best relocation services possible. Global Mobility Solutions Before joining GMS, Gina worked in various roles with significant relocation management companies throughout her career. She brings nearly three decades of experience to the award-winning GMS team. Apart from relocation management, Gina is the author of multiple books and has appeared in some movies. According to GMS' EVP, John Fernandez, "GMS is delighted to be adding an individual with the skill, knowledge, and personality needed to successfully enhance our team's chances of providing the best relocation services in the industry. We fully expect Gina will be an asset to GMS and our clients." Gina Garcia-Crittenden will be reaching out to constituents soon, and she can be contacted at [email protected] Media contact: Matt Esaena [email protected] 6024890499 SOURCE Global Mobility Solutions DUBLIN, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market 2023 - 2030 by Types, Applications - Partner & Customer Ecosystem Competitive Index & Regional Footprints" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market size is estimated to grow from USD 17.6 Billion in 2022 to reach USD 83.7 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 21.7% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2030. The Adoption of Cloud Based Solution Is Drive the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market Growth As businesses migrate their operations to cloud-based ecosystems, as it offers a number of benefits, such as scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. A growing number of companies are adopting cloud computing including SMEs and Large scale companies, which will lead to an increase in demand for cloud computing management and optimisation solutions. Cloud computing environments are becoming increasingly complex, as businesses adopt a variety of cloud services from different providers. This complexity can make it difficult for businesses to manage their cloud costs and performance. Cloud computing management and optimization solutions can help businesses to simplify their cloud environments and optimize their costs and performance. Cloud computing can be a cost-effective way for businesses to IT resources. However, businesses can still incur significant costs if they do not manage their cloud usage effectively. Cloud computing management and optimization solutions can help businesses to track their cloud usage and identify opportunities to optimize their costs. The cloud computing industry is constantly evolving, with the emergence of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. These new technologies can be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of cloud computing management and optimization solutions. The IT and Telecommunications industries hold the highest market share in the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market The IT and Telecommunications industries hold the highest market share in the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market in 2022, due to their intrinsic reliance on advanced technology solutions and their pivotal role in driving digital transformation across various sectors. In the IT industry, cloud computing has become a cornerstone for delivering software, platforms, and infrastructure services, enabling organizations to enhance agility, scalability, and operational efficiency. As IT companies transition their operations to the cloud, the need for effective management and optimization of cloud resources becomes paramount to ensure optimal performance, cost control, and resource allocation. Cloud management and optimization solutions enable IT enterprises to streamline provisioning, monitor workloads, automate processes, and maintain stringent security protocols. Furthermore, the Telecommunications sector has embraced cloud computing to modernize and expand its network infrastructure, offer innovative communication services, and adapt to the demands of an interconnected world. Cloud-based solutions empower telecom companies to efficiently manage network resources, deliver seamless customer experiences, and explore new revenue streams. In this context, cloud computing management and optimization are essential for maintaining network reliability, ensuring data privacy, and dynamically scaling resources to meet fluctuating demand. The complex and dynamic nature of both IT and Telecommunications operations necessitates sophisticated tools and strategies for cloud resource management, making these industries prime contributors to the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market Regional Insight: North America dominated the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market during the forecast period. North America dominated the Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market during the forecast period. Cloud computing has been continuously adopted by the United States and Canada, which are at the forefront of technological development, which helps strengthen North America's remarkable position as market leader. The strong presence of major companies like Adobe, Salesforce, Oracle, AWS, Google, and IBM inside the region's wide geography provides a foundation for this rise. With their cutting-edge solutions, these major players make a significant impact on adoption and innovation. The region's commitment to technical advancement also serves as another indication of its dominance. Continuous improvements in a number of technologies are transforming the cloud computing industry, and North America is recognized as a hub for important developments. As a result, organizations and enterprises in North America are pushed to the forefront of cloud optimization and administration, utilizing the full range of technologies and expertise provided by both local and international industry experts. Strong vendor presence, widespread acceptance, and constant technological innovation place North America in the lead for snatching the highest market share during the forecast period. Major Classifications are as follows: Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, Type of Solutions Cloud Management Platforms (CMPs) Cost Optimization Tools Performance Monitoring and Optimization Solutions Security and Compliance Management Tools Multi-Cloud Management Solutions Automation and Orchestration Tools Capacity Planning Solutions Migration and Integration Services Analytics and Reporting Tools Consulting and Professional Services Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Deployment Models Public Cloud Private Cloud Hybrid Cloud Multi-Cloud Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Organization Size Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) Large Enterprises Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Cloud Service Models Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS) Software as a Service (SaaS) Function as a Service (FaaS) Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Technologies Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for Cloud Management Containerization and Micro services Management Server less Computing Optimization Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Industries Healthcare Financial Services IT and Telecommunications Manufacturing Retail Government and Public Sector Energy and Utilities Education Others Cloud Computing Management and Optimization Market, By Geography North America US Canada Latin America Brazil Mexico Argentina Rest of Latin America Europe UK Germany France Italy Spain Russia Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Rest of Asia Pacific Rest of the World Middle East UAE Saudi Arabia Israel Africa South Africa Rest of Africa Companies Mentioned VMware Microsoft Azure Amazon Web Services (AWS) Google Cloud Platform (GCP) IBM Cloud RightScale (Flexera) Turbonomic CloudCheckr Apptio Cloudability LogicMonitor Scalr Flexera CloudBolt Densify CLOUDSME CloudZero Kumolus For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/bx3846 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Base Metals Directory 2024" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Detailed company information for 3,000+ miners, producers and traders of aluminum, copper, lead, nickel, tin, and zinc markets. Global Base Metals Directory contains detailed and up-to-date company information for 3,000+ miners, producers, and traders of Aluminium, downstream Aluminium, Copper, Lead, Nickel, Tin and Zinc markets. Wherever you sit in the base metals supply chain, this directory is an essential business too! The Global Base Metals Directory has been completely re-researched. Each company, old and new, has been contacted individually to ensure the information contained in the new edition is accurate and up-to-date. Contact and Company Information Company profiles include: Core data: Full contact details, year established, number of employees, exports markets, end-user industries, and accreditations Products: Capacity and output numbers Facilities: Mines (ores/minerals mined, reserves, output) and plants (equipment type and technology supplier, size and capacity) Expansion plans: New mines, new plants, and modernization projects covered Finance data: Ownership details, Revenue, and Net Profit You will be able to: Search for companies by metal, region, location, company type, job title or type of equipment. Export your results to Excel. Save time and reduce your costs. Identify new sales opportunities in minutes Plan your business trips Create high quality, accurate and targeted prospect lists Improve targeted spending of your sales budget. This is the ultimate resource to all the players in the base metals markets. For more information about this directory visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/kamwcb About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Product (Valves, Glaucoma Drainage Implant), Surgery Method, End-use, Region, and Segment Forecast 2024-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) devices market size is anticipated to reach USD 781.2 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 5.36% from 2024 to 2030. The substantial factors propelling market growth include increasing awareness about minimally invasive surgery, technological advancements, the expanding geriatric population, and the continuous development of healthcare infrastructure. An increasing number of medical device manufacturers are placing their focus on research and product development to introduce innovative products with greater precision and the potential to improve surgical outcomes. For instance, in August 2022, Glaukos received FDA clearance for the iStent infinite Trabecular Micro-Bypass System. The iStent Infinite is designed for use as a standalone procedure to lower elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma that remains uncontrolled despite previous medical and surgical treatments. The development of new procedures, such as minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), creates new opportunities in the market. Healthcare professionals increasingly prefer minimally invasive surgeries since they offer advantages such as smaller incisions, rapid wound healing, reduced pain, and smaller or no surgical scars. Smaller incisions & lower scope of complications can significantly reduce the overall surgery cost. According to the National Library of Medicine (NCBI), approximately 40,000 MIGS surgical procedures were performed in patients diagnosed with glaucoma in 2018. This minimally invasive surgery can reduce hospital stays, lowering the chance of patients contracting hospital-acquired infections. Shorter hospital stays also enable patients to return to their normal lives quicker. The growing geriatric population, which is more susceptible to developing glaucoma, is expected to significantly contribute to the growth of the minimally invasive glaucoma surgery devices market. For instance, according to a Statistics Canada report, in 2022, about 7.32 million people, accounting for 18.8% of the general population, were aged 65 and above in Canada. As the elderly population continues to expand, there is a higher prevalence of age-related eye conditions, with glaucoma being one of the most common. Furthermore, the rising incidence of diabetes globally is expanding the population of individuals with glaucoma. Diabetes is a widely recognized risk factor for the onset and advancement of glaucoma. For instance, according to the international diabetes federation, in 2021 there were about 366 million adults with diabetes the number is further estimated to reach 783 million by 2045. Thus, the aforementioned factors contribute to the market growth. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market Report Highlights Based on product, the glaucoma drainage implant segment dominated the market with a revenue share of over 33.18% in 2023. Moreover, the stent segment is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period Based on surgery method, the trabecular meshwork bypass segment held the largest market share in 2023. The Schlemm's canal implants segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period Based on end-use, the hospitals segment captured most of the market share in 2023. Patient safety and surgical success are given top priority at hospitals, thus boosting segment growth North America dominated the market with a revenue share of above 35% in 2023 Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary Chapter 3. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market Variables, Trends, & Scope 3.1. Market Lineage Outlook 3.1.1. Parent Market Outlook 3.1.2. Ancillary Market Outlook 3.2. Market Dynamics 3.2.1. Market Driver Analysis 3.2.1.1. Rising geriatric population and prevalence of diabetes 3.2.1.2. Growing awareness regarding minimally invasive surgery method 3.2.1.3. Technological advancements 3.2.2. Market Restraint Analysis 3.2.2.1. Availability of alternative treatment methods 3.2.3. Market Opportunity Analysis 3.2.4. Market Challenge Analysis 3.3. Needle Holders Market Analysis Tools 3.3.1. Industry Analysis - Porter's 3.3.2. PESTEL Analysis Chapter 4. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Product Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1. Segment Dashboard 4.2. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Product Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030 4.3. Valves 4.4. Glaucoma drainage implant 4.5. Glaucoma tube shunts 4.6. Stents 4.7. Others Chapter 5. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Surgery Method Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1. Segment Dashboard 5.2. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Surgery Method Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030 5.3. Trabecular meshwork bypass 5.4. Suprachoroidal space implants 5.5. Subconjunctival space implants 5.6. Schlemm's canal implants 5.7. Gonioscopy-assisted transluminal trabeculectomy 5.8. Endocyclophotocoagulation Chapter 6. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: End-use Estimates & Trend Analysis 6.1. Segment Dashboard 6.2. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: End-use Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030 6.3. Hospitals 6.4. Ophthalmic clinics 6.5. Others Chapter 7. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis 7.1. Regional Outlook 7.2. Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery (MIGS) Devices Market: Regional Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2023 & 2030 Chapter 8. Competitive Landscape 8.1. Key Company Profiles Glaukos Johnson & Johnson Vision AbbVie Corza Ophthalmology Carl Zeiss Meditec Katalyst Surgical Lumenis Ziemer Ophthalmic Systems Iridex. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/jpfdmp About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets BEIJING, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The year 2023 has been a busy one for China in terms of its interactions with the rest of the world. Its foreign relations always have a profound impact on its economy, strategy and people's livelihoods. Global Times, in collaboration with China's universities and think tanks, is now releasing a series of country reports. The aim of these reports is to enhance understanding of relevant countries, provide a framework for dealing with China's relations with these countries, and grasp the trajectory of these relations. In the second report of the series, we focus on Uzbekistan, a country located in Central Asia. Uzbekistan is China's comprehensive strategic partner. Since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office, Uzbekistan has attached great importance to its relationship with China, actively participating in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In the future, the two countries should consolidate the existing achievements and continue to promote the steady progress of the China-Uzbekistan relationship, advancing the high-quality development of the BRI. Successful accomplishments Political mutual trust between China and Uzbekistan has reached a new level. In 2013, China proposed the initiative to build the "Silk Road Economic Belt," which was highly praised by Uzbekistan as a significant measure to revive the ancient Silk Road. In May 2017, President Mirziyoyev made his first state visit to China after taking office. In April 2021, President Xi Jinping said during a phone call with President Mirziyoyev that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to upgrade the scale, quality and level of China-Uzbekistan cooperation, and synergize the BRI and the plan to build a "New Uzbekistan." In February 2022, President Mirziyoyev was invited to visit China to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. In September 2022, President Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan and attended the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand. In May 2023, President Mirziyoyev attended the China-Central Asia Summit during a state visit to China. In October, President Mirziyoyev visited China again to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The pragmatic China-Uzbekistan cooperation has also achieved new breakthroughs. Currently, China is Uzbekistan's largest source of imports and trading partner, and the second-largest destination for exports. Road connectivity is a key focus of China-Uzbekistan cooperation, effectively promoting Uzbekistan's transformation from a "landlocked country" to a "land-linked country." The Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Uzbekistan and Central Asia built by Chinese enterprises, has been successfully completed. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan transport corridor becomes an international transportation artery that spans mountains. The four routes of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline all pass through Uzbekistan, setting a benchmark for friendly cooperation between neighboring countries. Additionally, cultural exchanges between China and Uzbekistan are bursting with new vitality. Frequent exchanges have taken place between universities, think tanks, media outlets, as well as arts, archaeology and healthcare sectors of the two countries. Agreement and memoranda of understanding have been signed in the field of tourism cooperation. With Uzbekistan implementing a 10-day visa-free policy for tourists from China, tourism cooperation between China and Uzbekistan is poised for further expansion in scale. Uzbekistan has attached great importance to its relationship with China and actively participated in the BRI. The BRI meets the common needs of both China and Uzbekistan. Uzbek experts have a positive and objective attitude toward the BRI and agree that the attitude of Central Asian countries toward the BRI has changed from cautious observation to active participation. They believe that the overall characteristic of the BRI is common development and mutual benefit. Uzbekistan considers participation in the BRI as an important external driving force for its economic development and proposes new cooperation demands. It hopes to become a trans-Eurasian logistics and transportation hub, and aims to attract Chinese funds and technologies to vigorously develop its industry. Moreover, it seeks to expand its exports of goods to China, promote the tourism industry, as well as expand scientific, educational, and cultural exchanges with China. Deepening cooperation China has clearly stated its support for Uzbekistan in maintaining sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and China firmly opposes any forces interfering in Uzbekistan's internal affairs under any condition. Both countries are at a critical stage of reform and development, with China comprehensively promoting the Chinese path to modernization and Uzbekistan striving for building a "New Uzbekistan." Both countries are facing the test of international changes, therefore they should deepen all-round cooperation, build a community of shared future between China and Uzbekistan, and create a better future together. We should take advantage of Uzbekistan's geographical advantage of bordering all other Central Asian countries to build China-Central Asia industrial clusters. By leveraging manufacturing advantages, we can establish upstream, midstream and downstream clusters, achieving regionalization of the entire production chain. It is necessary to promote the formation of clusters consisting of similar products and enterprises to enhance industrial resilience and ensure overall stable development. We should attach great importance to cultivating new forms of economic and trade cooperation through digital empowerment, and gradually promote the digital signatures, automatic registration and green customs clearance to enhance trade facilitation. We should also pay attention to the market value of the cyberspace and promote the combination of cross-border e-commerce and market networks. Moreover, we need to develop the "Internet Plus" model to promote the integration of virtual markets and the real economy. Considering the simplistic commodity structure in bilateral trade, we should take advantage of Uzbekistan's desire to expand exports, continue to optimize the structure of commodity trade, continuously expand new cooperation areas, import more high-quality Uzbek products and achieve diversified development. We should give full play to our comparative advantages and expand economic and trade cooperation with Uzbekistan. We can also focus on strengthening cooperation in new energy, innovation, tourism and other fields, and encourage Chinese enterprises to further explore the Uzbekistan tourism market. It is vital to continue to accelerate the construction of transportation and information infrastructure and promote interconnection. China should speed up the trilateral railway cooperation project with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to fully tap into the regional transportation potential and leverage the advantages of transit transportation. In terms of strengthening people-to-people cooperation and promoting cultural exchanges, we should continue to effectively run institutions such as China research centers and Confucius Institutes, and speed up the construction of cultural centers and Luban workshops. Encouraging China's Double First-Class Universities to actively cooperate with universities in Uzbekistan and explore cooperation models such as opening branch campuses and joint training projects in Uzbekistan is essential. Additionally, we should strengthen high-quality think tank exchanges, focusing on topics such as bilateral relations, regional security, pragmatic cooperation, national governance and inclusive development. We should fully utilize Xinjiang's role as a bridgehead in carrying out cooperation with Central Asia. Promoting the implementation of the visa-free policy and inter-regional tourism cooperation as well as continuing cooperation in the field of health are also important. In terms of enhancement of exchanges in modernization construction and poverty alleviation, we should share China's experience in reform and opening-up with Uzbekistan. We can organize training for Uzbek officials to conduct on-site research and study the path, key difficulties and solutions of China's reform and opening-up. At the same time, Chinese experts can be sent to Uzbekistan to provide consultation on Uzbekistan's participation in the BRI to boost its national economy. Uzbekistan can learn from China's experience and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China on poverty alleviation, especially when it comes to attracting, utilizing and retaining foreign investment. It is important to strengthen cooperation on multilateral platforms and in the security field to contribute to maintaining regional stability and security. We should strengthen the security cooperation of the SCO. The focus should be on preventing non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, separatism and extremism. The SCO needs to explore the establishment of mechanisms to deal with domestic turmoil in member states, conflicts in the region, and the spillover of risks from neighboring countries. This includes strengthening security coordination and cooperation among member states, observer states, and dialogue partners, as well as formulating mechanisms to coordinate differences and contradictions among member states. Such mechanisms can also help prevent the escalation of conflicts among member states and avoid endangering the development of other member states and the SCO. Outlook for 2024 2023 is a landmark year in the history of the development of China-Uzbekistan relations. The close high-level interaction between the two countries reflects the high level and particularity of bilateral relations, highlighting the distinctive features of mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, helping each other in times of trouble, mutual benefit and win-win results. In 2024, the two sides will step up the implementation of the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit and multiple bilateral cooperation documents signed in 2023 on digital economy, sub-national cooperation, infrastructure, and so on. The two countries will further align development strategies, deepen the integration of economic interests, take the opportunity of the BRI entering a new stage of high-quality development, implement the mid- to long-term cooperation plan for China-Uzbekistan trade and investment, and deepen cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, investment, finance, interconnection, agriculture, energy and green development. The two countries should give full play to the complementary advantages of industries, promote trade, optimize trade structure, and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains. They should further strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, drug control, combating transnational organized crime, cyber and biosecurity and jointly maintain a safe and stable development environment. They are expected to collaborate closely within multilateral mechanisms such as the UN and the SCO to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice. Xu Changzhi and Su Chang are research fellows at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Chen Dongjie is deputy director of the Central Asia Research Institute at Shaanxi Normal University. SOURCE Global Times SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Grace Cathedral will be naming Louise Gregory as its new Chief Development Officer. Gregory will work closely with the Grace Cathedral Dean, the Board of Trustees, and cathedral leadership to expand and diversify its funding base and meet annual and long-term budget needs to support its mission, programs, and strategic priorities. Gregory is a CFRE (certified fundraising executive). Gregory's team oversees annual and planned giving, major gifts, and the Carnivale gala. Grace Cathedral Names Louise Gregory, Chief Development Officer For 175 years, Grace Cathedral has served the people of San Francisco and the Episcopal Diocese of California. It is a house of prayer for all people a place of inclusive community and spiritual practice, social justice work, music and the arts, yoga, and more. "We are delighted to welcome Louise to Grace Cathedral as our new Chief Development Officer. Louise is a seasoned professional who has led successful campaigns with several organizations. She is known for her warm relationships with colleagues and donors. I am confident that she will be a wonderful partner for me and the other Trustees who do so much to raise the funds that make it possible for Grace Cathedral to advance our mission of reimagining church with courage, joy, and wonder," said the Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean of Grace Cathedral. "I am very excited to assume the role of chief philanthropy officer for Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. It is an honor to lead fundraising for this historic sacred space. I look forward to getting to know the staff, congregation and supporters who will partner with me in achieving wonderful goals," said Louise Gregory. A San Francisco resident since 1988, Gregory has held Executive and Leadership positions in major cultural organizations throughout her career, including UC Berkeley Library, Berkeley Art Museum, Pacific Film Archive, the Exploratorium, and the California Academy of Sciences. Gregory received a BA from Hollins University, and an MA in Museum Studies from San Francisco State University. She received her Certificate of Fundraising from the Indiana University Center for Philanthropy. A practitioner of Japanese ikebana for more than 35 years, Gregory grew up in the Episcopal Church, and her uncle is a retired priest. About Grace Cathedral Grace Cathedral is an Episcopal church in the heart of San Francisco and the third-largest Episcopal cathedral in the United States. For one hundred and seventy-five years, Grace Cathedral has been a house of prayer for all people. It serves the community and its congregation with a deep commitment to social justice, community outreach, expansive musical performances, the arts, and wellness programs. Its GraceArts membership program is designed for the broader community to engage more deeply with the cathedral's artistic and cultural offerings. As the cathedral church of the Episcopal Diocese of California and the seat of its bishop, Grace's mission is to reimagine church through courage, joy, and wonder. For more information, visit www.gracecathedral.org . Contacts: Eva Woo Slavitt [email protected] 925.876.9435 SOURCE Grace Cathedral DENVER, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Granicus, the leading provider of government experience cloud technologies and services, today announced Jordan Copland has joined the company as the Chief Financial Officer, adding a prominent leader in finance and software operations to the company's executive team. Copland brings extensive financial leadership experience with high-growth, private equity-backed software companies. Most recently Copland served as CFO and Executive Vice President of Finance and Operations at Clearlake-held symplr Software, where he helped create a platform leader in healthcare operations solutions, leading the acquisition and integration of 10 companies over four years. Prior to symplr, he held similar roles supporting industry-leading software companies including Quorum software and Omnitracs. Jordan also served as Vice President of Finance and Planning at Disney Consumer Products, and as EVP and CFO at GSI Commerce. He earned a BA and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. "I couldn't be happier to join Granicus during this incredibly exciting phase of the company's journey," said Copland. "The Granicus team has built a lasting, trusted brand in government technology by delivering powerful cloud platform solutions that dramatically improve government and constituent experiences. I am energized to help support the company's critical mission and contribute to the next phase of growth." Copland's addition to the executive leadership team demonstrates the company's dedication to supporting the complex transition of government agencies to cloud solutions that deliver better digital experiences, more cost effectively. As an accomplished CFO with a proven record of financial and operational success in complex, transitioning industries, Copland's creative, solution-oriented approach complements the company's global business strategy. "Jordan brings an exceptional level of talent and experience guiding software businesses and customers through important moments of evolution and growth," said Mark Hynes, Granicus CEO. "I am thrilled to have Jordan join the Granicus executive team and excited for the inevitable contributions that will come from his unique insights." About Granicus Granicus is the global leader in customer engagement and experience technology and services for the public sector. Now powering almost 30 billion digital interactions globally each year and connecting over 500,000 government professionals with 300 million opt-in subscribers, Granicus is proud to serve as a critical strategic partner to governments as they work to deliver equitable and secure government experiences. With comprehensive cloud-based solutions for communications, government website design, meeting and agenda management software, records management, and digital services, Granicus empowers stronger relationships between government and constituents across the U.S., U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. By simplifying interactions and communicating critical information, Granicus brings governments closer to the people they servedriving meaningful change for communities around the globe. SOURCE Granicus NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City personal injury law firm Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP fights for those who have suffered fractures and other injuries due to slip and falls on snow and ice. The firm strives to obtain compensation for those injured due to these snow and ice falls when those responsible for snow and ice removal on public sidewalks fail to live up to their responsibilities or perform snow and ice removal negligently. Each winter New York City receives significant snowfall, often followed by several days of extreme temperatures well below freezing. Bart Pittari, a partner at Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP, states "When the ice starts to melt after a snowfall, many owners think they can get away by letting nature do their shoveling. The challenge is that when it gets cold at night, that water could freeze, going from snow to much more dangerous ice. Ignoring snow on areas of your property that you know people walk on is negligence." In a recently filed lawsuit by Greenstein & Milbauer, in the Supreme Court Queens County Index Number: 721795/2023, the Plaintiff seeks compensation for a fractured right ankle requiring surgery. There, the Plaintiff claims her injuries occurred due to a slip and fall on ice that remained on a sidewalk in front of the building where she lived. It further contended that she was caused to slip and fall on snow and/or ice that had been allowed to accumulate and remain upon the premises because of the negligence of the Defendant. Finally, the lawsuit claims that the building owners were responsible for clearing the public sidewalk and knew of the dangerous conditions that caused Plaintiff's accident. In New York, building owners are responsible for taking reasonable measures to remedy snow and ice conditions that are caused by inclement weather. These reasonable measures include clearing snow, salting public sidewalks, and providing warnings, according to the American Bar Association. This responsibility begins after a snowstorm has finished; however, once a snowstorm has ended, an owner must remedy the conditions within a reasonable period. In New York City, this requires that those responsible for clearing snow and ice within four hours of the cessation of a storm. However, once a property owner has undertaken snow removal operations, they must complete the process without negligence. Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP maintains offices in New York City, Harlem, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, and Staten Island, as well as Westchester & and Nassau Counties. If you or a loved one has suffered injury due to a slip and fall on snow and ice., don't be a victim twice, call 1-800-VICTIM2 (1-800-842-8462) for a confidential and informed consultation. The call and consultation are free, of course. Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP represents their clients on a contingency basis. Related Links www.nyclawfirm.com/ For any questions or comments, please contact: Rob Greenstein 1-800-VICTIM2 (1-800-842-8462) [email protected] SOURCE Greenstein & Milbauer, LLP CINCINNATI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermal Technology Distribution Solutions ("TTDS"), a platform for the distribution of industrial temperature management and related products, today announced it has acquired Proheat Inc., a distributor of heaters, sensors, controls, and comprehensive technical support to manufacturers. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Based in La Grange, KY, Proheat's experienced management team, including President and CEO Steven W. Button, will remain with the company and maintain a significant equity stake. Mr. Button commented, "We are honored to be a core early member of the TTDS platform as it rapidly scales. We appreciate the financial and operational support from TTDS and Gryphon Investors and look forward to a productive partnership that upholds the quality and service our suppliers and customers have come to expect." This is the second investment for TTDS, established in September 2023 by middle-market private equity firm Gryphon Investors through Gryphon's Heritage Fund, the firm's small-cap fund strategy. TTDS's initial investment was Big Chief, Inc., a leading distributor of electric process heating and temperature control products for the industrial market. Jeff Collier, CEO of TTDS, said, "We are excited to welcome Steven and Proheat to TTDS. They are an important addition to our growing team of leading distributors of thermal management solutions. Proheat enhances our ability to be a value-added partner to suppliers, while increasing the breadth of products and services for our customers." "We partner with outstanding companies who offer high quality solutions that meet the unique challenges of our customers," said Jeff Pembroke, Operating Partner of Gryphon's Heritage Fund. "In this highly fragmented market, we are actively pursuing multiple organic and acquisition opportunities that leverage Gryphon's proven experience with value-added distribution businesses." Gryphon was advised by legal counsel Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP served as legal counsel to Proheat. About Thermal Technology Distribution Solutions TTDS was established in 2023 by Gryphon Investors, a leading middle-market private equity firm, as a platform for the distribution of industrial temperature management and related products, including electric process heating, sensors, and controls. TTDS is the parent company of Big Chief Inc. and Proheat. About Gryphon Investors Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading middle-market private equity firm focused on profitably-growing and competitively-advantaged companies in the Business Services, Consumer, Healthcare, Industrial Growth, and Software sectors. With approximately $9 billion of assets under management, Gryphon prioritizes investments in which it can form strong partnerships with founders, owners, and executives to accelerate the building of leading companies and generate enduring value through its integrated deal and operations business model. Gryphon's highly-differentiated model integrates its well-proven Operations Resources Group, which is led by full-time, Gryphon senior operating executives with general management, human capital acquisition and development, treasury, finance, and accounting expertises. Gryphon's three core investment strategies include its Flagship, Heritage, and Junior Capital strategies, each with dedicated funds of capital. The Flagship and Heritage strategies target equity investments of $50 million to $350 million per portfolio company. The Junior Capital strategy targets investments in junior securities of credit facilities, arranged by leading middle-market lenders, in both Gryphon-controlled companies, as well as in other private equity-backed companies operating in Gryphon's targeted investment sectors. Contact : Lambert Caroline Luz 203-570-6462 [email protected] or Jennifer Hurson 845-507-0571 [email protected] SOURCE Gryphon Investors In a landmark whistleblower case in Minnesota, a highly regarded former radiologist attains justice following wrongful termination for bringing safety concerns to light MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A board-certified radiologist, senior shareholder, and employee of Consulting Radiologist Limited (CRL) was awarded $4.6 million in damages by a Hennepin County jury for being wrongfully terminated under Minnesota's whistleblower protection law. Halunen Law of Minneapolis, Minnesota, represented the plaintiff in this landmark trial. CRL contracts to provide services to Allina Health, including Abbott Northwestern, in the Twin Cities metro area. After nearly 20 years with CRL as a board-certified radiologist, and senior shareholder, the plaintiff was deeply invested in CRL's future success. As such, in good faith, he brought forth patient safety concerns to the company's leadership. When the CRL board repeatedly failed to act, the plaintiff warned that if the unsafe and unethical practices continued, he would have no choice but to report his concerns to Allina Health, the parent company of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Days after affirming his commitment to share his concerns with Allina Health, he was subsequently terminated by the CRL Board of Directors. As a result of his termination, the plaintiff lost his radiologist position and his livelihood. The two-week-long trial and deliberation resulted in a jury verdict, finding the plaintiff was terminated in violation of the Minnesota Whistleblower Act. The jury awarded him damages for past and future wage loss and emotional distress, totaling $4,587,602. Attorney Pamela Johnson, one of Halunen Law's senior trial attorneys representing the plaintiff, commented: "Today we sent a message. This jury understood the serious nature of Defendant CRL's conduct and held it accountable in a big way. This is one of the largest whistleblower verdicts ever in Minnesota. It should be a warning to all Minnesota employers that if you retaliate against employees who stand up to expose safety concerns, you will be held accountable." About Halunen Law: With offices in Minneapolis and Chicago, Halunen Law offers experienced legal representation to employees and whistleblowers nationwide. Halunen Law has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs' law firm with a laser focus on achieving justice and meaningful results for its clients. More information at halunenlaw.com . For further information contact: Carol Schuler, Schuler Publicity 612-281-7030 | [email protected] SOURCE Halunen Law NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The HD map for autonomous vehicles market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 31.48% between 2022 and 2027. The size is forecast to increase by USD 5.38 billion, according to Technavio. The rising adoption of cloud-based HD maps is notably driving growth. Automotive OEMs increasingly adopt cloud-based platforms to reduce capital expenditure and accelerate product launches. Cloud platforms facilitate digital services like telematics in modern vehicles, enabling rapid development and management of new services for connected vehicles. Cloud mapping technology integration further enhances the deployment of autonomous vehicles, improving performance and scalability. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global HD Map for Autonomous Vehicles Market 2023-2027 Request a Sample Report with a full Table of Contents and Figures Company Landscape - The global HD map for autonomous vehicles is fragmented, with the presence of several global as well as regional companies. A few prominent companies that offer HD map for autonomous vehicles are Baidu Inc., CE Info Systems Ltd., Civil Maps, Dynamic Map Platform Co. Ltd., Esri Global Inc., GeoJunxion BV, HERE Global BV, Intel Corp., Mapbox Inc., Momenta Group, NavInfo Co. Ltd., Navmii Publishing Ltd., NVIDIA Corp., RMSI Pvt. Ltd., The Sanborn Map Co. Inc., TomTom NV, Toyota Motor Corp., Voxelmaps, Wipro Ltd., and ZENRIN CO., LTD. and others Company Offerings - Momenta Group - The company offers HD maps for autonomous vehicles such as the L3 freeway ramp-to-ramp solutions and L4 full autonomy driving solutions. The company offers HD maps for autonomous vehicles such as the L3 freeway ramp-to-ramp solutions and L4 full autonomy driving solutions. For details on the company and its offerings Request a Sample Report with a full Table of Contents and Figures Growth in connected infrastructure is the primary trend. The high cost associated with technology is the major challenge impeding growth. Driver, Trend & Challenges are the factor of dynamics that states about consequences & sustainability of the businesses, find some insights from a free sample report! By geography, the global HD map for autonomous vehicles market is segmented into North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America. The report provides actionable insights and estimates the contribution of all regions to the growth. North America is estimated to contribute 41% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. North America, an early adopter of automotive technologies, leads in autonomous vehicle testing with over 1,400 tested in 2019. In 2022, Argo AI tested driverless vehicles in Miami and Austin . Regulatory support enhances the favorable testing environment, crucial for autonomous vehicle development in North America . Technavio has segmented based on Solution (Cloud-based and Embedded) and Vehicle Type (Passenger and Commercial). The growth of the cloud-based segment will be significant during the forecast period. The development of autonomous vehicles relies on crucial cloud-based HD maps, leveraging their high definition for precise navigation. The cloud-based nature enhances accessibility and ease of updates, contributing to the positive trajectory of this segment in the forecast period. Download a Free Sample Report What are the key data covered in this HD Map For Autonomous Vehicles Market report? CAGR of the market during the forecast period Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the HD Map For Autonomous Vehicles Market between 2023 and 2027 Precise estimation of the HD Map For Autonomous Vehicles market size and its contribution to the market in focus on the parent market Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior Growth of the HD Map For Autonomous Vehicles industry across North America , Europe , APAC, Middle East and Africa , and South America , , APAC, and , and A thorough analysis of the competitive landscape and detailed information about companies Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of HD Map For Autonomous Vehicles Market companies Technavio's SUBSCRIPTION platform Major Applications Cloud-based HD maps significantly enhance the navigation capabilities of autonomous vehicles, leveraging mapping technology, geographic information systems (GIS), LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), sensor fusion, 3D mapping, real-time data, machine learning, computer vision, radar systems, GPS (Global Positioning System), V2X communication (Vehicle-to-Everything), edge computing, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), road infrastructure, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM), data annotation, map updating, localization, precision mapping, object recognition, and cloud computing. Key industry players increasingly favor cloud-based solutions, anticipating their leading role in the future of autonomous vehicle technology, as they enable effective maneuvering in unfamiliar or challenging terrains. Related Reports The Global Autonomous Vehicles Market is projected to reach a value of USD 397.56 billion in 2027 with a CAGR of 38.45% between 2022 and 2027. The Autonomous Vehicle Development Platform Market Size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 30.94% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 82,788.43 million. ToC: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market Sizing Historic Sizes Five Forces Analysis Segmentation by Solution Segmentation by Vehicle Type Segmentation by Geography Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Drivers, Challenges, & Trends Company Landscape Company Analysis Appendix About US Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential areas and assess their competitive positions within changing scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com SOURCE Technavio EFFINGHAM, Ill., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Heartland Dental, the nation's leading dental support organization (DSO), is pleased to announce the immediate appointment of Tamra Kempf as Senior Vice President and permanent General Counsel. Kempf, previously serving as interim General Counsel, now officially joins the senior leadership team under the guidance of Pat Bauer, President and CEO. Heartland Dental Names Tamra Kempf as General Counsel Bauer expressed confidence in Kempf's capabilities, stating, "Tamra's demonstrated legal, business, and governance expertise, particularly in her role as interim General Counsel, underscores her unique qualifications for this leadership position. Her instrumental role in advancing Heartland Dental supports our position as a top-performing DSO, and our supported doctors and team members will undoubtedly benefit from her valuable insights and leadership." Tamra Kempf has been an integral leader within Heartland Dental's Legal team since joining as Senior Corporate Counsel in 2016. Progressing to VP, Deputy General Counsel in 2018, she focused on litigation management, contract review, and affiliation legal support. Over the years, Kempf has played a pivotal role in expanding the Legal department and providing strategic leadership to protect and advance the company's legal interests. In her new role as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Kempf will join the Heartland Dental Senior Leadership Team, leading the Legal, Compliance, and Government Affairs teams. "Heartland Dental is at an inflection point in its pursuit of excellence as a top performing DSO, and our talented and dedicated legal, compliance, and government affairs teams will play an ever-important role in supporting high-quality outcomes," said Kempf. "I look forward to contributing to the company's continued success." Kempf brings a wealth of expertise. Before joining Heartland Dental, she served as Chief Legal Counsel and Associate General Counsel at the American Dental Association. Prior roles include partnerships at Bell, Boyd, & Lloyd and Peterson & Ross, and a staff attorney at the Federal Trade Commission. Kempf holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Knox College, a master's degree in economics from the University of Miami Herbert Business School, and a juris doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law. About Heartland Dental Heartland Dental is the nation's largest dental support organization providing non-clinical, administrative support services. What started from the entrepreneurial spirit of Rick Workman, DMD, with his single dental practice, has evolved into affiliating with over 2,800 doctors in over 1,700 locations across 38 states and the District of Columbia. The company is majority owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. For additional information, please visit heartland.com . Media Contact Jessica Thompson, Vice President of Communications [email protected] SOURCE Heartland Dental WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Heffernan Insurance Brokers, one of the largest full-service, independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States, has acquired Achieve Alpha Insurance located in Bellevue, Washington. Gary Franke, President of Achieve Alpha Insurance, and his three team members have joined Heffernan Insurance Brokers' small business division, HeffDirect, effective December 31, 2023. Founded in 2008, Achieve Alpha Insurance helps customers in Washington navigate the state's Individual Health market and Medicare to find the best solution for them and their families. The team also works with a variety of high-quality carriers to offer additional products such as life insurance, disability insurance, and long-term-care insurance. Achieve Alpha Insurance will contribute to HeffDirect's continued growth in the Individual Health and Medicare markets as Gary and his team look to expand in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. "I'm excited to join a great company and able to be a strategic resource in helping individuals get the best insurance for their needs in Washington State," said Gary Franke, now a Vice President of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. "We are thrilled to welcome Gary Franke and the team at Achieve Alpha Insurance to our small business division, HeffDirect. Their extensive expertise in navigating the Individual Health and Medicare markets, combined with their commitment to delivering exceptional customer service, align with our mission to provide comprehensive and tailored insurance solutions to our clients," said F. Michael Heffernan, President, and CEO of Heffernan Insurance Brokers. "This acquisition not only enhances our capabilities in the Washington market but also signifies our dedication to continued growth and expansion nationally." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Helfer & Associates served as advisor to Achieve Alpha Insurance. As part of the next phase of Heffernan's growth strategy, we are interested in collaborating with privately held independent brokers across the United States. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Matt McKenna, Director of Corporate Development, at 925-746-7962 or [email protected]. About Heffernan Insurance Brokers Heffernan Insurance Brokers, founded in 1988, is one of the largest independent insurance brokerage firms in the United States providing comprehensive business insurance, personal insurance, employee benefits and financial services solutions to a wide range of businesses and individuals. Headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif., Heffernan has a nationwide presence specializing in customized solutions to serve its clients' different needs in virtually every industry. Heffernan has been named on the insurance industry's 'Best Agency to Work For' list, and consistently named a 'Top Corporate Philanthropist'. For more information, visit www.heffins.com. License #0564249 SOURCE Heffernan Insurance Brokers Hiperbaric and the University of Burgos, Spain conducted a study assessing the effects of HPP (6000 bar, 3 min) on inoculated pathogens and the quality of cold brew coffee. HPP achieved over 6-log reduction in inoculated pathogens (E. coli, L. monocytogenes, S. enterica), ensuring safety over 90 days of refrigerated storage. Without HPP, pathogens persisted for at least 60 days. HPP preserved quality attributes like color, overall freshness, physicochemical parameters (pH, acidity, TDS) and bioactive compounds over the 90 day storage. MIAMI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hiperbaric, the global leader in High Pressure Processing (HPP) technology, published the results of a comprehensive study demonstrating the effectiveness of HPP for cold brew coffee. Conducted in partnership with the University of Burgos Spain, the study confirms HPP achieves substantial reductions in pathogenic bacteria while maintaining the fresh flavor and quality that consumers desire in cold brew coffee. The cold brew was made from a commercial blend of medium-roasted Arabica and Robusta ground coffee. Samples were inoculated with high levels (7.0-7.4 log CFU/ml) of three major foodborne pathogens: E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella and subjected to high-pressure processing at 6,000 bar for 3 minutes, representative of commercial HPP treatment. HPP achieved a greater than 6-log pathogen reduction below detection limits, with no regrowth detected throughout the 90-day refrigerated storage - proving HPP an effective kill step for enhancing safety of ready-to-drink cold brew coffee. Beyond food safety, the study demonstrated HPP causes minimal changes to cold brew coffee's prized smooth flavor, subtle acidity and overall quality. Key attributes like color, bioactive compounds, dissolved solids, pH and antioxidant activity were unchanged by HPP and remained stable during more than three months refrigeration. "HPP's ability to deliver unprecedented reductions in pathogens while protecting delicate flavors makes it an ideal pasteurization technology for today's cold brew coffee market," said Dr. Carole Tonello-Samson, VP of Business Development, Hiperbaric. Dr. Mario Gonzalez, HPP Food Applications Specialist, Hiperbaric, added, "Our latest findings provide definitive validation of HPP for enhancing the safety and quality consumers now expect from their favorite cold coffee drinks." The full study is published in the journal Foods, titled, "High Pressure Processing (HPP) for Cold Brew Coffee: Safety & Quality Assessment Under Refrigerated and Ambient Storage" For more on using HPP to ensure safety, maintain quality and extend shelf life across a range of beverage categories, visit ww.hiperbaric.com. About Hiperbaric Hiperbaric is the world's leading supplier of high pressure processing (HPP) equipment for the food industry. Since its inception in 1999, Hiperbaric has designed, developed, produced and marketed the best high pressure processing equipment internationally. The company is recognized for its reliability, customer support, teamwork and continuous effort in R&D. Hundreds of companies worldwide use Hiperbaric equipment for the processing of juices and beverages, meat, fish and shellfish, fruits and vegetables, dairy and prepared dishes. A highly versatile technology, HPP can be applied to a wide range of foods. With world headquarters in Spain, the company also has an office in Miami to serve its North American market. For more information, visit: www.hiperbaric.com Contact: Anthony Zapata Hiperbaric [email protected] (305) 607-4538 SOURCE Hiperbaric BATESVILLE, Ind., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hillenbrand, Inc. (NYSE: HI) will hold a conference call and simultaneous webcast Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. ET. Its leaders will discuss the results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2024, which ended December 31, 2023. The live webcast, including a slide presentation, will be available at http://ir.hillenbrand.com under the "News & Events" tab and will be archived on the company's investor relations website through Tuesday, March 5, 2024. To access the conference call, listeners in the United States and Canada may dial +1 (877) 407-8012, and international callers may dial +1 (412) 902-1013. Please use conference call ID number 13743648. A replay of the call will be available until midnight ET, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, by dialing +1 (877) 660-6853 toll free in the United States and Canada or +1 (201) 612-7415 internationally and using the conference ID number 13743648. Hillenbrand will issue a press release reporting its results after the market closes on Monday, February 5, 2024. The full text of the release and financials will be available at http://ir.hillenbrand.com. About Hillenbrand Hillenbrand (NYSE: HI) is a global industrial company that provides highly-engineered, mission-critical processing equipment and solutions to customers in over 100 countries around the world. Our portfolio is composed of leading industrial brands that serve large, attractive end markets, including durable plastics, food, and recycling. Guided by our Purpose Shape What Matters For Tomorrow we pursue excellence, collaboration, and innovation to consistently shape solutions that best serve our associates, customers, communities, and other stakeholders. To learn more, visit: www.Hillenbrand.com. SOURCE Hillenbrand, Inc. Experienced health care leader will build on leadership legacy and unique strengths of Holland Hospital to further advance health services to the lakeshore region HOLLAND, Mich., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland Hospital today announces the appointment of Patti VanDort as its new CEO, effective Jan. 29. VanDort brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, operational excellence, and a strong commitment to patient-centered care to the Holland community. This announcement marks the final phase of the organization's succession plan, which began in April 2022. With a career spanning over 37 years with progressive leadership experience, VanDort most recently served as Holland Hospital President since April 2022. For over three decades, VanDort has demonstrated the ability to successfully lead organizational change and a complex growth strategy in the health care sector. Joining the executive team in 2001 as Vice President for Nursing and Chief Nurse Officer, VanDort advanced in 2018 to Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, and most recently served as Holland Hospital's President. In addition to VanDort's appointment, Mark Pawlak was named President, also effective Jan. 29. Pawlak has held leadership positions in health care since 1991, joining Holland Hospital in 1998. Most recently Pawlak served on the administrative team as Executive Vice President following numerous leadership appointments, including Senior Vice President and Vice President of Ancillary Services. "I am honored to steer the organization through this new era while ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality and compassionate care to our patients," VanDort said. "Together with our exceptional team of skilled providers and dedicated staff, both Mark and I look forward to continuing to grow and advance our efforts to improve the health of the communities we serve." VanDort and Pawlak have led Holland Hospital's clinical programs over many years, achieving award-winning performance and consistent national recognition, including being the only hospital in West Michigan to receive the five-star CMS rating since 2016. Under their leadership Holland Hospital has performed among the top 10% of hospitals in value-based care, earning the Outstanding Patient Experience Award 15 years in a row, and being rated among the top hospitals in the nation for quality in areas such as surgical care, joint replacement and orthopedics. "We are fortunate to have two individuals of Patti and Mark's caliber within the Holland Hospital team who are ready to lead the organization forward. Both are well poised to uphold our strategy and continue delivering on our commitment to the lakeshore community and beyond," said outgoing CEO Dale M. Sowders. "The Board of Directors and I have full confidence that their expertise and visionary leadership will be a major asset in guiding the hospital to continuous growth." About Holland Hospital Holland Hospital, located in Holland, MI, is a nationally recognized leader in quality and value with advanced technology and extraordinary patient satisfaction. The independent hospital offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient services, multiple convenient locations and ready access to primary care physicians and experienced specialists. The hospital is also among just 14% of hospitals in the nation to earn the top CMS 5-Star rating and one of the few to consistently achieve the top rating since it was introduced in 2008. Holland Hospital's workplace culture has made it one of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in West Michigan. For over a century, the hospital's mission has been to continually improve the health of the communities we serve in the spirit of hope, compassion, respect and dignity. For more information, visit hollandhospital.org. CONTACT Jessica Meldrum [email protected] SOURCE Holland Hospital TROY, Mich., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Global Services Inc., a leading provider of innovative IT and Business Process Services, is proud to announce a significant milestone in its commitment to foster growth and collaboration in the IT industry. HTC Global Services Inc. has officially entered into a Mentor-Protege Agreement with Pallas Infotech LLC, a certified Woman-Owned and Minority-Owned IT services startup headquartered in Houston, TX. The Mentor-Protege Program, administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), is designed to encourage mentor-protege relationships between large and small businesses. This partnership allows HTC Global Services Inc. to share its wealth of industry expertise and resources with Pallas Infotech LLC, helping it to navigate the complexities of Federal Contracting involving IT Services. Ms. Vicki Hickman, Executive Vice President (Public Sector) of HTC Global Services Inc., expressed her enthusiasm about this collaboration, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome Pallas Infotech LLC as our protege under the SBA's Mentor-Protege Program. This partnership aligns perfectly with our commitment to foster innovation, diversity, and excellence in the IT industry. We look forward to working closely with Pallas Infotech LLC and supporting their growth journey." Dr Christina Remediakis, CEO of Pallas Infotech LLC, shared her excitement, saying, "Joining forces with HTC Global Services Inc. is a significant milestone for Pallas Infotech LLC. This mentorship will provide us with invaluable insights, resources, and opportunities to expand our capabilities and offerings. We are grateful for the trust HTC Global Services Inc. has placed in us and look forward to a fruitful collaboration." About HTC Global Services Inc HTC Global Services is a leading global provider of innovative IT and Business Process Services and Solutions. Established in 1990 with headquarters in Troy, Michigan, USA, HTC combines its extensive technical and domain expertise along with its business partner approach to enable clients to realize business transformation and maximize business returns. www.htcinc.com About Pallas Infotech LLC Pallas Infotech LLC is a Houston, TX-based, US Small Business delivering a range of AI-infused IT services remotely & and at onsite locations across the US to Commercial, Federal/State, and Local Govt clientele. As a Certified Women-Owned & HUB Small Business, it is committed to providing cost-effective, scalable, efficient, and flexible IT solutions. We take pride in our inclusive workplace where our employees innovate regardless of their diverse backgrounds. https://www.pallasinfo.tech/ SOURCE HTC GLOBAL SERVICES TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The FDIC's Supervision Appeals Review Committee (SARC) has reversed the Atlanta Regional Office's conclusion that a Florida community bank violated Regulation O, governing loans to insiders. The SARC determined that the Regional Office was wrong when it found that the bank's Chairman of the Board was serving as an executive officer. Despite the board annually adopting a resolution excluding the Chairman from such classification, the examiners determined that his service on the Board's Loan and Investment Committees made him an executive officer. Igler & Pearlman successfully argued that the FDIC relied on incorrect readings of previous FDIC guidance, Florida law, and the plain language of Regulation O. "We are grateful that the SARC approached our client's appeal with an open mind and was willing to correct FDIC examiners when they attempted to overreach," said Richard Pearlman, lead lawyer on the appeal. He continued, "We are pleased to have helped our client achieve the right result. When confronted with incorrect or improper exam findings, banks should consider using the FDIC's internal appeals process. This decision shows that it can work in their favor." The SARC's full decision can be found at https://www.fdic.gov/resources/regulations/appeals-of-material-supervisory-determination/appeals/sarc202301.pdf The law firm of Igler & Pearlman regularly represents banks, thrifts, and credit unions in matters before the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Reserve Banks, the National Credit Union Administration, and state regulatory agencies. SOURCE Igler and Pearlman, PA After over 20 years with Pfizer and Abbott, Dr. Bykoriz is joining a quest for Treating Diseases of Aging and Treating Aging as Disease MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Immorta Bio, Inc. announced today that Vlad Bykoriz, MD, PhD, has joined the company's management team. Together with other executives, Dr. Bykoriz will be defining the products pipeline and their development strategies. He will be building Immorta Bio preclinical and clinical capabilities, ensuring adherence to ethical guidelines and regulatory compliance, and ultimately helping to bring Immorta Bio innovative therapies to patients. Dr. Vlad Bykoriz "The closer we are moving on the path toward filing our first IND, the more important the role of CMO at our company," stated Dr. Boris Reznik, Chairman and CEO of Immorta Bio. "We are extremely excited about finding such a strong CMO as Dr. Vlad Bykoriz. Equally important is that, in addition to his professional and managerial skills, Vlad fits into the Immorta Bio organization and culture perfectly." Dr. Vlad Bykoriz received his MD degree from Kiev Medical University and his PhD from the Kiev Institute of Cardiology. After moving to Canada, he joined Boehringer Ingelheim as a Medical Director. After four years in Canada, he moved to the USA and had a progressively rising career at Abbott and later at Pfizer as a Medical Executive and Risk Management Lead. "After spending over 25 years in all areas of Medical Affairs at Big Pharma, I had been looking for an opportunity to join a biotech startup," said Dr. Vlad Bykoriz. "Immorta Bio is an exciting startup, but it is also an inspiring team of industry-leading entrepreneurs at the forefront of stem cell research. They are all captivated by one goal: building stem cell platforms not only to treat multiple diseases of aging but also aging itself. For me, it is like a dream come true." About Immorta Bio: Immorta Bio is a biotechnology company developing efficient and practical personalized stem cell platforms aimed at Treating Diseases of Aging and Treating Aging as Disease. Our objective is to rejuvenate the old and damaged organs to the healthy state, achieving, what we call, Stem Cell Revivify. By solving the problem of diseases of aging, we can potentially dramatically increase our patients' longevity. Our initial therapeutic focus is on Hepatic and Ischemic Diseases and Multiorgan Failure. For more information, please visit the Immorta Bio website at https://www.immortabio.com or find them on X at https://twitter.com/ImmortaBio. Media Contacts: Dr. Boris Reznik Immorta Bio https://www.immortabio.com +1 305-632-2939 @immortabio SOURCE Immorta Bio, Inc. HAYDEN, Idaho, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- One month after the successful reintroduction of gray wolves by Colorado Parks and Wildlife into Grand County, Colorado, the process behind the historic achievement is now being showcased. Impact Dog Crates , a premier pet safety brand, is proud to highlight how its pioneering crates played a crucial role in safeguarding the wolves throughout their transit journey, underscoring the company's dedication to animal welfare and protection. Colorado Parks and Wildlife released five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County, Colorado on Monday, December 18, 2023. Pictured is wolf 2302-OR. Following their capture in Oregon, the ten wolves were promptly secured in the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crates, providing a safe environment as they embarked on their journey to the release site. Prioritizing the physical safety and well-being of the animals, they were carefully transported by plane to Colorado and then transferred to the final release site via vehicle, remaining securely enclosed in their Impact High Anxiety Dog Crates. Constructed from heavy-duty aluminum, the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crates were instrumental in ensuring the overall success of releasing the wolves into Colorado. These innovative dog crates are unparalleled for pet protection, designed specifically to secure highly anxious or destructive animals of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. "We take immense pride in having played a part in this historic wolf reintroduction project," said Hunter Bailey, CEO of Impact Dog Crates. "As a pet brand, our foremost commitment is to prioritize the welfare of all animals. As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to continuing to deliver pet safety products of the highest quality." This successful inaugural release represents a significant milestone in Colorado Parks and Wildlife's ongoing efforts to restore the region's wolf population, with additional wolf releases slated for 2024 and beyond. Monitored closely through state-of-the-art GPS technology, the reintroduced wolves have quickly adapted and begun thriving in their new habitat, maintaining excellent health throughout the process. "I was very impressed with the quality of the Impact High Anxiety Dog Crates that we used to transport wolves from the source site to Colorado for our wolf restoration effort," said Eric Odell, Wolf Conservation Program Manager at Colorado Parks and Wildlife. "When undertaking any wildlife restoration effort, animal safety is a top concern. The crates were well constructed and provided a very safe and secure way to hold and transport the wolves." Stay updated on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife's wolf reintroduction efforts at https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/Wolves-Stay-Informed.aspx . To learn more about Impact Dog Crates, visit https://www.impactdogcrates.com/ . About Impact Dog Crates Founded in Northern Idaho in 2012, Impact Dog Crates is a family-owned pet company producing the highest-quality aluminum dog crates and accessories, putting pet safety first. Through years of product innovation, and with a team of talented engineers behind every model, Impact Dog Crates has become the most trusted brand by dog owners worldwide for airline travel, vehicle transport, escape-artist pups, and at-home use. For more information, visit www.impactdogcrates.com . Media Contact: Kendall Wolford Kendall.wolford@impactdogcrates.com SOURCE Impact Dog Crates The implantable drug delivery devices market is experiencing significant growth due to various factors. These include the increasing popularity of minimally invasive medical procedures, a rising incidence of chronic diseases and other health threats, higher government funding, growing awareness among individuals about implantable drug delivery devices, a surge in demand for contraceptives coupled with escalating healthcare expenses, greater patient compliance with implantable drug delivery devices, a growing elderly population vulnerable to chronic ailments, and the continuous introduction and approval of new products worldwide. All these factors collectively contribute to the overall expansion of the implantable drug delivery devices market. LAS VEGAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market analysis, individual leading implantable drug delivery devices companies' market shares, challenges, implantable drug delivery devices market drivers, barriers, trends, and key market implantable drug delivery devices companies in the market. Key Takeaways from the Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Report As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is anticipated to dominate the global implantable drug delivery devices market during the forecast period. is anticipated to dominate the global implantable drug delivery devices market during the forecast period. Notable implantable drug delivery devices companies such as Delpor, Inc., Medtronic, ABBVIE INC., Boston Scientific Corporation, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Alcon, BIOTRONIK, Terumo Corporation, Bayer AG, Teleflex Incorporated, Abbott, Merck & Co., Inc., ORGANON, Flowonix Medical, Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG, and several others, are currently operating in the implantable drug delivery devices market. and several others, are currently operating in the implantable drug delivery devices market. In August 2022 , Baxter International received 510(k) clearance from the United States FDA for its new Novum IQ syringe infusion pump with Dose IQ safety software, representing Baxter's latest developments for infusion therapy. received 510(k) clearance from the United States FDA for its new Novum IQ syringe infusion pump with Dose IQ safety software, representing Baxter's latest developments for infusion therapy. In August 2022 , Medtronic launched the drug-eluting coronary stent, the Onyx Frontier drug-eluting stent (DES), following CE Mark's approval. The Onyx Frontier DES offers an innovative delivery system and builds upon the acute performance and clinical data from the Resolute Onyx drug-eluting stent. To read more about the latest highlights related to the implantable drug delivery devices market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Report Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Overview Implantable drug delivery devices represent a groundbreaking advancement in the field of medical technology, offering a sophisticated and targeted approach to administering medications. These devices are designed to be implanted directly into the patient's body, providing a controlled and sustained release of therapeutic substances over an extended period. This innovative technology not only enhances the effectiveness of treatments but also minimizes potential side effects associated with conventional delivery methods. Implantable drug delivery devices can be tailored to release medications at a predetermined rate, ensuring a steady concentration of the drug in the bloodstream. Commonly used in the treatment of chronic conditions such as diabetes, pain management, and hormonal disorders, these devices contribute to improved patient compliance and overall well-being. As research and development in the field continue to evolve, implantable drug delivery devices hold the promise of revolutionizing medical care by offering precise, personalized, and efficient therapeutic solutions. Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Insights In 2022, North America led the implantable drug delivery devices market, encompassing the largest market share. This dominance is attributed to various factors, including the escalating prevalence of chronic diseases, a growing elderly population susceptible to such conditions, rapid adoption of cutting-edge technologies, increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures, a surge in the introduction of advanced products by industry players, a robust presence of key market participants, high disposable income, and heightened awareness regarding sustained and controlled drug delivery systems. The implantable drug delivery devices market in North America is expected to further flourish with recent product approvals by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), reinforcing the significance of implantable drug delivery devices in the region. To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the implantable drug delivery devices market, get a snapshot of the Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Outlook Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Dynamics The implantable drug delivery devices market is characterized by dynamic forces driven by advancements in medical technology, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and the growing demand for targeted and sustained drug delivery. The constant pursuit of enhanced patient outcomes and the need for efficient and personalized treatment options have fueled innovation in implantable drug delivery systems. The implantable drug delivery devices market dynamics are shaped by ongoing research and development activities, resulting in the introduction of novel devices with improved functionality and biocompatibility. Additionally, the increasing geriatric population and the associated rise in age-related conditions contribute to the expanding implantable drug delivery devices market scope. Regulatory support and a favorable reimbursement landscape further propel the growth of the implantable drug delivery devices market. However, challenges such as the high cost of implantable devices, concerns about their long-term safety, and the need for skilled healthcare professionals for device management pose hurdles to widespread adoption. Overall, the implantable drug delivery devices market is marked by a delicate balance between innovation and overcoming barriers to entry, with a trajectory driven by evolving healthcare needs and technological breakthroughs. Get a sneak peek at the implantable drug delivery devices market dynamics @ Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Dynamics Analysis Report Metrics Details Coverage Global Study Period 20202028 Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market CAGR ~6% Key Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Companies Delpor, Inc., Medtronic, ABBVIE INC., Boston Scientific Corporation, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Alcon, BIOTRONIK, Terumo Corporation, Bayer AG, Teleflex Incorporated, Abbott, Merck & Co., Inc., ORGANON, Flowonix Medical, Inc., Fresenius Kabi AG, among others Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Assessment Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Segmentation Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Segmentation By Product: Drug Infusion Pumps, Intraocular Drug Delivery Devices, Contraceptive Drug Delivery Devices, Implantable Stents, and Others Drug Infusion Pumps, Intraocular Drug Delivery Devices, Contraceptive Drug Delivery Devices, Implantable Stents, and Others Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Segmentation By Type: Biodegradable Implants and Non-Biodegradable Implants Biodegradable Implants and Non-Biodegradable Implants Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Segmentation By Application: Oncology, Cardiology, Gynecology, Auto-Immune Diseases, and Others Oncology, Cardiology, Gynecology, Auto-Immune Diseases, and Others Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Segmentation By Geography : North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and Rest of World : , , , and Rest of World Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOL's Views, Analyst's View Which MedTech key players in the implantable drug delivery devices market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @ Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Companies Table of Contents 1 Report Introduction 2 Executive summary 3 Regulatory and Patent Analysis 4 Key Factors Analysis 5 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 6 COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market 7 Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Layout 8 Global Company Share Analysis Key 3-5 Companies 9 Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Company and Product Profiles 10 Project Approach 11 About DelveInsight Interested in knowing the implantable drug delivery devices market by 2028? Click to get a snapshot of the Implantable Drug Delivery Devices Market Trends Related Reports Novel Drug Delivery Devices Market Novel Drug Delivery Devices Market Insight, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast 2028 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key novel drug delivery devices companies, including Acrux Limited, Lavipharm, Lead Chemicals Co. Inc., Luye Pharma Group, among others. Injectable Drug Delivery Devices Market Injectable Drug Delivery Devices Market Insight, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast 2028 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key injectable drug delivery devices companies, including Eli Lilly and Company, Biocon, Becton, Dickinson & Company, West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Antares Pharma, AbbVie Inc., Pfizer Inc., Mylan N.V., Vetter Pharma-Fertigung GmbH & Co.KG, Emperra GmbH, Gerresheimer AG, SCHOTT AG, Terumo Corporation, among others. Drug Infusion Systems Market Drug Infusion Systems Market Insight, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast 2028 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key drug infusion systems companies, including B. Braun Melsungen AG, Medtronic, BD, PROMECON GmbH, arcomed ag, Fresenius Kabi AG, Microport Scientific Corporation, Teleflex Incorporated., Smiths Medical, Baxter, Ivenix Inc, Terumo Corporation, Insulet Corporation., FLOWONIX MEDICAL INC, Intera Oncology, among others. Transdermal Drug Delivery Devices Market Transdermal Drug Delivery Devices Market Insight, Competitive Landscape, and Market Forecast 2028 report delivers an in-depth understanding of market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key transdermal drug delivery devices companies, including Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical, Mylan, UCB SA, Novartis, GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim, Johnson & Johnson, Endo International, Purdue Pharma, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., Acrux Limited, Lavipharm, Lead Chemicals Co. Inc., Luye Pharma Group, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant, and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Contact Us Shruti Thakur [email protected] +91-9650213330 https://www.delveinsight.com/medical-devices Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082265/DelveInsight_Logo.jpg SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP Shears returned to his role on Dec. 1; Gillespie started his new role on Dec. 1; Alford-Windfield started his new role on Jan. 16; Frank, McNeil, and Whitley will begin their new roles on Feb. 1. President Thompson fondly describes himself and the character of his administrative team as servant leaders. He expressed his excitement to continue to grow his team through these first critical appointments. "I've had the pleasure to observe and work with these talented individuals during various seasons of my career, and I am excited about the professional acumen and tenacity they will bring to their respective roles," said Thompson. "Jackson State University is tasked with cultivating our scholars into leaders who will impact our global society. Their success begins with the work of our talented faculty, staff, and administrators. Combined with the knowledge and passion of my existing cabinet members, this is the genesis of an incredible dream team to execute a strong pathway to success for JSU's future." New Appointments: Kylon Alford-Windfield, Vice President of Enrollment Management As VP of Enrollment Management, Kylon Alford-Windfield provides leadership and support in advancing the overall enrollment goals of the university and overseeing the departments of admission, financial aid, and recruiting. Alford-Windfield comes to the University from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where he served as vice president for enrollment management. Under his guidance, the institution experienced a notable increase in enrollment, showcasing his strategic approach and deep understanding of the intricacies of enrollment management. His professional journey includes key roles at Rust College, where he began his higher education career as an admissions counselor and recruiter; and Mississippi Valley State University, where he served as an admission counselor/recruiter and was promoted to director of alumni relations and later executive director of enrollment management. A native of Jackson, Miss., Alford-Windfield received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Mississippi Valley State University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the executive Ph.D. program in urban higher education at Jackson State University. He is a dedicated member of the National Advisory Committee for the College Board's annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Conference, where he actively contributes to the broader dialogue shaping the future of education. Alla Jeanae Frank, Special Assistant to the President and Chief Transformation Officer As Special Assistant to the President and Chief Transformation Officer, Alla Jeanae Frank is responsible for providing strategic leadership and support for the President's initiatives and priorities, working closely with other senior administrators and promoting the administration of university programming, policies, and procedures. Frank returns to Jackson State University after serving as the assistant commissioner of operations for the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). She was responsible for agency-wide administrative, strategic planning and overseeing campus operations, including Information Technology, Human Resources, Facilities and Construction Management, Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS) and other agency support offices. Previously, Frank worked as assistant director of Auxiliary Enterprises at JSU, with purview over campus-wide services, including dining services, college bookstore, postal services, on and off-campus vending, as well as creative and leadership direction for business marketing campaigns, human capital development projects, and brand initiatives. She also spearheaded various economic development, environmental management, and exercise programs, such as the Jackson State University COVID-19 Campus Reopening Task Force and the Annual Sweetness 5k Run/Walk. A proud native of Memphis, Tenn., Frank earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Mississippi and a master's degree in public policy and administration with a concentration in environmental management planning and policy from Jackson State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the executive Ph.D. program in urban higher education at Jackson State University. An advocate for community outreach and advancing sustainability, she currently serves as vice president on the Board of Directors for the National Environmental Outreach, Inc. (NEO). Van Gillespie, J.D., Chief of Staff As Chief of Staff, Van Gillespie, J.D. is responsible for providing strategic leadership and support for the president's initiatives and priorities, serving as the lead support person in the day-to-day operation of the President's Office. Gillespie joined Jackson State University after serving for more than 20 years in various roles at the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). He worked within the Attorney General's Office at the Executive Office of the Board of Trustees of IHL for over 11 years. During that time, he served as legal counsel to the Board of Trustees, the Commissioner of Higher Education, Alcorn State University, Delta State University, and Mississippi Valley State University. In 2010, he was hired by the Board of Trustees to serve as the assistant commissioner of Legal Affairs and as general counsel to the Board of Trustees. Most recently, he served as the senior associate commissioner of Legal Affairs and Risk Management. Gillespie's 25+ year higher education career includes work on university and university system legal, finance, real estate and facilities, academic affairs, student affairs, communications, risk management and legislative issues. Gillespie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He resides in Brandon, Miss. with his wife of 26 years, Angie, and their two daughters, Mary Beth and Emma Cate. ConSandra McNeil, Ph.D., Interim VP of Research and Economic Development As Interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development, ConSandra McNeil, Ph.D. oversees Research, Sponsored Programs, Research Compliance, Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Federal Relations and JSU Global. McNeil is an action-oriented researcher, grant writer and scholar whose work brings together scholarship, engagement, and community. Most recently, she served Jackson State University as assistant provost, focusing on research engagement; activity director of the Institute for Social Justice & Race Relations; and professor of sociology. From 2018-2020, she served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow with the National Science Foundation. As part of her fellowship, McNeil worked with a team on evaluating NSF Sexual Harassment Term and Condition, Office of Diversity and Inclusion. She also has experience in policy oversight and implementation, compliance with laws and regulations that govern federal-sector EEO and civil rights in the grantee community. McNeil has received numerous awards and accolades for her academic and community outreach accomplishments, including the IHL Diversity Leadership Award in 2021. She was selected to participate in the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Leadership Institute at Wellesley College. McNeil earned her master's degree in sociology, alcohol and drug studies from Jackson State University and a graduate certificate in homeland security-disaster management from Texas A&M University. She received her doctoral degree in sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mitchell Shears, Ed.D., Executive Director of Title III As Executive Director of Title III, Mitchell Shears, Ed.D., serves as the chief liaison to the University leadership, the University community, and the United States Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. He oversees Title III federal funds granted to JSU through the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act Program, and Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) Programs. Shears joined Jackson State University in 2017 and has served as associate vice president for Student Success since 2019. Shears brings over 24 years of experience as a K-12 and community college academician and successful grant writer, totaling over $44 million in competitive grants. At JSU, he spearheaded the return of TRIO programs to JSU with 16 competitively funded programs the most in the state and most on an HBCU campus. He has served on the National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators, Inc. Executive Board and serves as the co-chair of the Annual Technical Assistance Workshop. He also serves as president of the Mississippi Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MAEOPP), which helps to provide support and professional development to programs that broaden accessibility and education opportunities to income- challenged, first-generation, and students with disabilities. Shears graduated from Alcorn State University, where he received his bachelor's degree in mass communications and master's degree in education. He earned his specialist and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Mississippi College. Onetta Starling Whitley , J.D., General Counsel As General Counsel, Onetta Starling Whitley manages the efficient operation of the Division of General Counsel and serves as the University's lead inhouse attorney. Whitley formerly served as deputy attorney general for the State of Mississippi, where she was the first woman and second African American to hold the position. She served as deputy for Attorneys General Mike Moore and Jim Hood. In addition to being a member of the management team, she served as chief of the office's State Government Licensing and Regulatory Division providing legal representation, including but not limited to, general counsel and advice, representing agency staff in administrative hearings related to licensure, employee discipline and equal opportunity employment compliance. After retiring from state service in 2020, Whitley joined the W T Consultants governmental relations team advocating for the legislative and governmental interests of a variety of government, nonprofit and corporate clients as a registered lobbyist. Whitley received her bachelor's degree in political science from Tougaloo College and her Juris Doctor degree from Mississippi College School of Law. Whitley says that above all, her best job is being "MeMaw" to Lela, Caleb and Allen. SOURCE Jackson State University New Crime Thriller Based on Experiences in the 1970s as a Teamster in a Notorious Local Novelist Jim Fusilli returns with THE PRICE YOU PAY, available now from Down & Out Books. NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A crime thriller, coming-of-age story and a family saga, THE PRICE YOU PAY is set in the mid-1970s in crumbling Jersey City, where violence and coercion reign. Young Mickey Wright is thrust into a world controlled by a powerful Teamster local. The man who put him in jeopardy: his father, a renegade policeman well-known to Jersey City's politicians and drug dealers. When a Black trucker is murdered, Mickey must choose between loyalty to his father or to values he shares with Debbie Olsen, the love of his young life who is the daughter of a stable, solidly middle-class family. THE PRICE YOU PAY by Jim Fusilli Author Jim Fusilli The question of whether Mickey can stand tall, break free and live a worthy life of his choosing is answered in a final, shocking confrontation. In college, Fusilli was a member of Teamsters Local 560 whose president, Anthony Provenzano, a capo in the Genovese crime family, was convicted of racketeering, extortion and murder. Fusilli uses the local's criminality and the shady political machine as a springboard for his vividly told fiction that's by turns terrifying and tender. THE PRICE YOU PAY is Fusilli's tenth novel, but his first available in print in bookstores as well as via online retailers in 15 years. In the interim, Fusilli published four novels with Thomas & Mercer and with Audible, including NARROWS GATE "ranked among the half-dozen most memorable novels about the Mob" by Mystery Scene magazine and its sequel THE MAYOR OF POLK STREET. Well known as the Wall Street Journal's Rock & Pop Critic, Fusilli is the author of the "Pet Sounds" entry in Bloomsbury's 33 1/3 series. In 2023, he edited BRUTAL & STRANGE: STORIES INSPIRED BY THE SONGS OF ELVIS COSTELLO. Said author and screenwriter Peter Blauner, "THE PRICE YOU PAY is everything you want crime fiction to be: taut, seriously suspenseful, closely observed, wry, and knowing about the way the real world works." Added Meg Gardiner, "With THE PRICE YOU PAY, Fusilli gives us a tough and heartfelt coming of age crime storygritty, suspenseful, involving. The characters pop and ache and burn." THE PRICE YOU PAY is available everywhere books are sold. Visit jimfusilli.com for additional information. Contact: Erin Mitchell 7272786442 371770@email4pr.com SOURCE Jim Fusilli (Yvonne Christy recently named Director of Research for the Triangle office) RALEIGH-DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham, the second largest CRE brokerage company in the Triangle, proudly announces the hiring of Ted Boyd as its President. Boyd will begin his new role on February 1, 2024, marking a strategic move to continue the firm's growth in the Raleigh-Durham area and develop future markets across North Carolina. Boyd's background in economic development in Cary and Charlotte will play a crucial role in advancing the growth of Lee & Associates. "Ted Boyd's impressive track record in economic development and his deep local roots make him the ideal candidate to lead Lee & Associates," said CEO and Principal of Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham, Moss Withers. "His vision for the company aligns perfectly with our mission to support economic growth in the region and state." Boyd, originally from Conway, South Carolina, has resided in Cary, North Carolina for the past decade. His experience includes leading the Town of Cary's first Office of Economic Development, focusing on projects such as Downtown Revitalization and the Eastern Cary Gateway redevelopment, in line with the 2040 Imagine Cary Community Plan. Before his time in Cary, Boyd contributed to the growth and redevelopment of the Uptown and South End districts in Charlotte while working for Charlotte Center City Partners. "It's impossible to overstate Ted Boyd's critical role in the successful evolution of Downtown Cary," said Cary Town Manager and CEO Sean R. Stegall. "Ted turns opportunity into reality through his unique blending of vision with practicality, of collaboration with independence. Ted's most important contribution is building and maintaining authentic relationships - a gift I have personally benefited from as his colleague. We couldn't be prouder of Ted, and we're grateful that his next chapter will continue to be written here in Cary, NC." In addition to Boyd's new role, Lee & Associates welcomes Yvonne Christy as its Director of Research. A seasoned senior real estate professional with over a decade of comprehensive experience in research, marketing, brokerage support, and customer service, Christy brings a wealth of expertise to the team. In her role as Director of Research, her proficiency in data collection and analysis will further enhance the company's ability to provide valuable market insights to clients throughout the state. "Lee & Associates is poised to strengthen its position as a trusted real estate partner in North Carolina," added Withers. "Ted's market knowledge and Yvonne's research analysis expertise will be instrumental to support economic growth in the Triangle and across the state." Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham remains steadfast in upholding its core values of integrity, client satisfaction, and innovation. While undergoing strategic changes to drive growth in the Raleigh-Durham area, they look forward to keeping a keen eye on the horizon for future potential growth. For media inquiries or further information, please contact [email protected]. About Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham: Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham is a leading real estate brokerage, management, and appraisal services firm dedicated to providing exceptional real estate services in the Raleigh-Durham area and beyond. Established in 2018, Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham has grown its service platform to include reach in the Triangle, Triad, and Coastal areas of North Carolina. With 30 brokers and a Top 10 Lee & Associates Property Management team, they provide superior market intelligence in office, industrial, retail, investment, and appraisal to meet the specialized needs of their clients. For more information and the latest news from Lee & Associates, visit https://www.lee-associates.com/raleigh/ SOURCE Lee & Associates Raleigh-Durham LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Cynthia Mitchell Heard, President & CEO of the Los Angeles Urban League, (LAUL) and the LAUL Board of Directors, is pleased to announce the appointment of David P. Anderson, MSSE as its new Chief Operating Officer effective immediately. In this key leadership position, Mr. Anderson will play a pivotal role in LAUL's strategic direction and operational management. With a background in youth workforce development and public-private partnerships, he brings a wealth of experience that will contribute to LAUL's continued growth and success. LOS ANGELES URBAN LEAGUE APPOINTS DAVID P. ANDERSON, MSSE AS ITS NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER. Commenting on the appointment, Cynthia Mitchell Heard said, "We are delighted that David P. Anderson has joined the Los Angeles Urban League team. His commitment to systemic change is inspiring. He will play an important role in ushering in a new era for the Los Angeles Urban League as we build for tomorrow." Prior to her appointment to the President and CEO position, Miss Heard was the Chief Operating Officer. "I am honored to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Urban League and continue their rich legacy of advocacy and advancement for all people in underserved communities so they may achieve success and fulfillment in their professional and personal lives," said David P. Anderson, Chief Operating Officer of LAUL. "Growing up in Los Angeles, I've had the honor and privilege to engage with thought leaders of our community from different races, cultures, and religions: this is the diverse identity of Los Angeles. These dynamic and inspiring change makers are with me now and motivate me daily in all that I do." David P. Anderson has a proven history of over 20 years in education and philanthropy. He developed a keen understanding of the fundraising and non-profit industries while supporting the advancement of over 100,000 students through afterschool programs in 293 schools across six (6) school districts. Anderson's prior experience includes serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of LA's BEST where he oversaw afterschool experiential learning to 197 Los Angeles Unified School District schools. Born and raised in Los Angeles, David attended Santa Monica College and later transferred to the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. He went on to achieve a Master of Science in Social Entrepreneurship degree from the USC Marshall School of Business, where he was awarded Social Entrepreneur of the Year. "David impressed us with his depth, professionalism and commitment to spreading opportunities to Black and other underserved communities in Los Angeles," said Elliot Hinds, Chairman of the Los Angeles Urban League. "I think he will be a great fit to propel the LA Urban League forward and to work with our new CEO Cynthia Heard to guide our strategic planning process and its implementation." Mr. Anderson's passion and purpose to create change by raising the trajectory of the community align with the Los Angeles Urban League, a premier civil rights organization, move into its second century of service to the underserved community in Los Angeles. About The Los Angeles Urban League The mission of the Los Angeles Urban League, which is an affiliate of the National Urban League, is to help African Americans and others in underserved communities achieve their highest true social parity, economic self-reliance, power, and civil rights. The League promotes economic empowerment through education and job training, housing and community development, workforce development, entrepreneurship, health, and quality of life. CONTACT: Ron Carter (323) 864-7092 [email protected] Rona Menashe (310) 246-4600 [email protected] SOURCE Los Angeles Urban League PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WHO: The Chris Long Foundation, Chickie's and Pete's, and Yards Brewing Co. WHAT: Launch event for Game Day Standard, a re-branded Philly Standard beer, in a partnership aimed at supporting educational equity in Philadelphia through the Chris Long Foundation's EdZone initiative. The event will feature appearances by Chris Long, two-time Super Bowl Champion and former Philadelphia Eagles defensive end, alongside representatives from Yards Brewing Co. and Chickie's & Pete's. WHEN: Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024, from 5:30-7:30 PM WHERE: Chickie's and Pete's South Philly location 1526 Packer Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19145 WHY: To celebrate the collaboration between the Chris Long Foundation, Chickie's and Pete's, and Yards Brewing Co. in support of the Foundation's EdZone initiative, aimed at expanding educational equity in Philadelphia. A portion of the proceeds from Game Day Standard sales will directly support the essential needs program of EdZone in Philadelphia. ADDITIONAL DETAILS: The launch promises a delightful mix of fun and philanthropy. Game Day Standard will subsequently be available at all full-service Chickie's & Pete's locations. This event not only symbolizes a shared commitment to the community but also provides a tangible way for Philadelphians to contribute to this cause. SOURCE Chickies & Petes Americans trust nurses most despite drop in overall professional trust across categories, according to 2024 Gallup survey CANTON, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid a healthcare crisis that has seen hospital executives closing essential services and refusing to address patient safety and inadequate staffing problems, Americans find nurses to be the most trusted profession and business executives to be among the least, according to an annual Gallup survey released January 22. Nurses are viewed as having "very high" or "high" ethical and honesty standards by 78% of the public, 13 points higher than any other profession even as the Gallup poll this year saw an overall decline in trust among most professions surveyed. Only 12% of Americans said they trusted business executives, down from 20% in 2019. "With our healthcare system in crisis, Americans turn to nurses for the truth," said Katie Murphy, a practicing ICU nurse, and President of the Massachusetts Nurses Association. "Nurses remain the most trusted because as patient safety and essential services come under threat from profit-seeking executives, nurses relentlessly stand up for their patients and profession." Even as nurses remain the nation's most trusted and ethical profession for 22 straight years, they face enormous challenges. According to the 2023 State of Nursing in Massachusetts survey, more than 8 in 10 registered nurses said the quality of patient care in hospitals had gotten significantly worse over the previous two years as they described being emotionally exhausted, increasingly disengaged and more likely to leave the profession or reduce their hours. 71% of nurses said in the 2023 MNA survey that their biggest obstacle to care is understaffing/having too many patients. As many nurses plan to leave the field within two years because of understaffing and burnout as retirement (40% retirement, 20% overworked/understaffed and 19% burnout/exhaustion/stress). Among nurses already not working in a hospital who used to work in a hospital, 18% left because of understaffing (the most common reason) and 15% because of work hours/schedule. Newer nurses are disproportionately feeling the impact of the healthcare crisis. Sixty-three percent of nurses with 0 to 5 years of experience say understaffing is their biggest obstacle to providing quality care, compared to 56% of all nurses. Of those nurses planning to leave the field within two years, 67% of newer nurses say they will find work outside of healthcare, compared to 31% of all nurses. In overwhelming numbers, nurses support a legislative solution that would develop a statewide maximum limit on the number of patients a registered nurse at Massachusetts hospitals can be assigned at one time. Seventy-six percent of all nurses said they strongly support this safe patient limits bill, and 12% somewhat support it. Nearly every nurse (97%) surveyed with 0-5 years of experience said they "strongly support" the legislation. hospitals can be assigned at one time. Gallup notes that since nurses were added to the survey in 1999, they have topped the list of most trusted professions every year except in 2001, when firefighters were recognized shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks for their heroism and bravery. MassNurses.org Facebook.com/MassNurses Twitter.com/MassNurses Instagram.com/MassNurses Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 23,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public. SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association Agreement promotes delivery of safe, reliable & affordable power to West Virginia customers FAIRMONT, W.Va., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mon Power and Potomac Edison, subsidiaries of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), have filed a settlement agreement with the West Virginia Public Service Commission (PSC) that would resolve its base rate review proceeding and support the companies' continued focus on delivering safe, reliable and affordable power. Parties to the rate review settlement include staff of the Public Service Commission of West Virginia, the Consumer Advocate Division of the Commission, the West Virginia Energy Users Group, Longview Power, LLC, West Virginia Citizen Action Group, Solar United Neighbors and Energy Efficient West Virginia. Jim Myers, President of FirstEnergy's West Virginia Operations: "We're pleased to have reached an agreement that supports our important investments that strengthen the energy grid, funds reliability programs targeting rural communities and offers additional assistance to our customers facing financial hardship. We consistently explore avenues for settling cases to streamline processes and minimize expenses for the state and stakeholders." Mon Power and Potomac Edison have grown significantly in the nine years since their last base rate review, now serving approximately 550,000 customers in West Virginia 25,000 more than it did in 2014. In that time, the companies collectively invested more than $1 billion to enhance and maintain the distribution, transmission and generation systems. If approved by the PSC, the $105 million rate adjustment agreement supports: Investments that have helped create a more reliable and resilient electric system for FirstEnergy's customers in West Virginia. An Infrastructure Investment Pilot Program to enhance reliability in rural areas by funding specific, targeted projects such as the construction of lines that provide alternative sources of power from different circuits. The launch of an Energy Assistance Outreach Team to enhance the company's ongoing efforts to increase awareness, education and participation in energy assistance programs available to eligible, low-income customers, as well as financial assistance for health and safety improvements. Recovery of costs incurred by Mon Power and Potomac Edison from the impact of major storms. Depreciation rate changes to cover h costs associated with distribution and transmission facilities and Mon Power's West Virginia generating plants. Depreciation rates were last updated in May 2007. generating plants. Depreciation rates were last updated in May 2007. Recommendations made in the performance management audit completed at the end of 2023. The agreement filed on January 23 will be considered by the Commission. If the settlement is approved, the monthly bill for an average residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt hours per month would increase by 8% or $9.94 beginning March 27, 2024. The settlement agreement also requests that the Commission decide on a revision to the companies' Net Energy Metering Rider that would adjust the amount customers are credited for the energy they generate. Rising energy costs may cause concern for customers. To help them manage their bills, Mon Power and Potomac Edison offer budget plans, special payment plans and access to energy assistance programs. To apply or learn more about other utility bill assistance programs, customers are encouraged to visit firstenergycorp.com/billassist or contact customer service at 1-800-686-0022 (Mon Power) and 1-800-686-0011 (Potomac Edison). Investor Note: For additional information on the filing, visit the new IR - Regulatory Corner in the "Investor Materials" section of the FirstEnergy website at https://investors.firstenergycorp. com . Mon Power serves about 395,000 customers in 34 West Virginia counties. Follow Mon Power at mon-power.com , on X, formerly known as Twitter, @MonPowerWV , and on Facebook at facebook.com/MonPowerWV . Potomac Edison serves about 285,000 customers in seven counties in Maryland and 155,000 customers in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. Follow Potomac Edison at potomacedison.com , on X @PotomacEdison and on Facebook at facebook.com/PotomacEdison . FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at firstenergycorp.com and on X, @firstenergycorp . SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp. As global venture funding for early-stage startups decreases , the investment landscape is uniquely positioned for capital deployment towards future market leaders. Born out of Xerox Ventures with a track record of success, Myriad brings decades of investment, strategy and operational expertise, and a deep corporate and investor network supporting world-class entrepreneurs shaping the future of business solutions. "Enhanced by our strategic network, our returns-driven investment model is poised to significantly impact the early-startup landscape. We are dedicated to helping founders pioneer the next generation of business solutions in areas including AI, B2B software and clean tech," said Chris Fisher, Co-Founder of Myriad. "Through our extensive network of corporate partners, including our Advisory Council and venture capital co-investor network, we create a mutually-beneficial cycle of value and access that yields real returns for our strategic and financial partners and portfolio companies alike." Founded by Chris Fisher, the former senior vice president and chief strategy officer of Xerox Corporation and former founder and managing partner of Xerox Ventures, together with former Xerox Ventures executives Tim Chiang and Dean Mai, Myriad intelligently employs its network of industry partners and portfolio companies to enhance the broader ecosystem. The firm guides relevant companies to its strategic and financial partners, investing in only the highest-quality businesses that meet its criteria for long-term and enduring value creation. "As Xerox advances its Reinvention, our partnership with Myriad will help us source best-in-class technology solutions we can integrate into our commercial offerings and utilize to increase the productivity and efficiency of our organization," said Xerox's Chief Transformation and Administrative Officer, Louie Pastor. "Xerox is proud to back Chris and the Myriad team, and we look forward to leveraging the Xerox and Myriad partnership to generate returns and create value." Myriad's Advisory Council, featuring corporate partners Xerox and HCLTech, serves as a proving ground, fostering the development of new business models and go-to-market strategies, while offering a significant advantage to Myriad, co-investors and portfolio companies seeking market validation. "Myriad Ventures is our trusted partner, helping to support LinkSquares' go-to-market strategy and execution," said Vishal Sunak, CEO and co-founder of LinkSquares. "The team's insights and robust partnership ecosystem, particularly with technology and business leaders like Xerox, contribute to the sustained success of our advanced AI technology in revolutionizing business processes. We look forward to strengthening our collaboration as we continue to enhance LinkSquares' legal technology capabilities and offerings." "The Myriad team has been a key player in propelling Seurat's growth and success for years," said James DeMuth, CEO of Seurat Technologies. "Their unwavering support and expansive network has been instrumental in realizing our vision to revolutionize manufacturing powered by 100% green energy. Myriad's extensive expertise and unmatched corporate partnership network are invaluable as we transition from prototype to full-scale production. Our shared commitment to decarbonizing manufacturing underpins this partnership, and we look forward to continuing to work with Myriad to turn this vision into a reality." Myriad's Fund I has already backed 14 AI, clean tech and B2B software companies, including Seurat Technologies , which garnered substantial follow-on funding from industry leaders like Nvidia and Honda. Other notable investments include LinkSquares , Anvilogic and Mojave Energy Systems . The fund's guiding philosophy is driven by the team's success at Xerox Ventures and deeply rooted in a steadfast commitment to achieving sustained financial returns. For more information, visit www.myriadventures.com You can access the media kit here . Xerox is a trademark of Xerox Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. About Myriad Venture Partners Myriad Venture Partners is an early-stage venture firm focused on shaping the next generation of business solutions. Rooted in the success of Xerox Ventures, and backed by a proven track record, Myriad brings decades of expertise and a robust corporate and financial partnership network to support world-class entrepreneurs. The firm is passionately dedicated to investing in AI, clean technology and B2B software businesses. SOURCE Myriad Venture Partners WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign, media accreditation is open for Intuitive Machines' first robotic flight to the Moon's surface. The robotic deliveries will transport agency science and technology demonstrations to the Moon for the benefit of all. The Nova-C lunar lander is seen in the high bay of Intuitive Machines Headquarters in Houston, before it shipped to NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for integration with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket for launch, as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. Credit: Intuitive Machines The Intuitive Machines Nova-C lander carrying NASA science and commercial payloads will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Liftoff is targeted for a multi-day launch window, which opens no earlier than mid-February, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Among the NASA items on its lander, the Intuitive Machines mission will carry instruments focusing on plume-surface interactions, space weather/lunar surface interactions, radio astronomy, precision landing technologies, and a communication and navigation node for future autonomous navigation technologies. A successful landing will help support the CLPS model for commercial payload deliveries to the lunar surface. As the anchor customer of CLPS, NASA is investing in lower-cost methods of Moon deliveries and aims to be one of many customers. Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at NASA Kennedy. Media who are U.S. citizens interested in attending in person must apply for credentials no later than 12 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 29, by emailing [email protected]. In May 2019, NASA awarded a task order for the delivery to Intuitive Machines. Through Artemis, commercial robotic deliveries will perform science experiments, test technologies, and demonstrate capabilities to help NASA explore the Moon in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, in preparation for future missions to Mars. NASA is working with several U.S. companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through the agency's CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on delivery task orders. A task order award includes payload integration and operations, as well as launching from Earth and landing on the surface of the Moon. NASA's CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum contract value of $2.6 billion through 2028. For more information about the agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, see: https://www.nasa.gov/clps SOURCE NASA DUBLIN, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Neuromod Devices Ltd., developer of the first and only FDA approved bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, has announced reorganisation of the company's finance responsibilities within its Senior Management Team. The reorganisation sees Chief Financial Officer, Derek Madden assume the role of Vice President of Finance and Corporate Governance. Neuromod's current Chief of Strategy & Corporate Development, Florian Elsaesser, will succeed Mr. Madden as the company's new Chief Financial Officer. Neuromod was granted FDA approval for its first-of-a-kind tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, in 2023, which saw the technology company successfully launch in the United States of America resulting in exponential commercial growth. The commercial growth combined with the company's continuous expansion of US and European availability of Lenire, as well as an increase in corporate finance activity, prompted the organisation to ensure its financial organisation is best resourced and structured for continued growth. The reorganisation combines the strengths, skills, and experience of Mr. Elsaesser and Mr. Madden as Neuromod Devices enters a critical growth phase. "The reorganisation ensures Mr. Elsaesser's previous experience is fully utilised to deliver on our corporate development plans, which in turn, empowers Mr. Madden to focus his considerable expertise leading a medical device manufacturer on maintaining Neuromod's financial operational excellence as we continue our global expansion." Dr. Ross O'Neill, Neuromod Devices Founding CEO. Florian Elsaesser gained extensive experience at a private equity-backed hearing instrument company as CFO of International Sales at Siemens Audiology Group, which was acquired from Siemens by EQT VI for 2.15bn. His appointment as Neuromod's CFO allows the company to leverage his knowledge and provide dedicated resource to deliver on its strategic corporate development plan. Derek Madden, Neuromod's CFO for over a decade, has led the organisation through significant commercial growth and financing milestones including a 30 million Series B extension in 2023 which included the participation of the European Investment Bank. Madden's appointment as Vice President of Finance and Corporate Governance ensures that Neuromod will continue to support its commercial success in 2024 and beyond through the continued development of the financial operations required of a rapidly growing company. Neuromod Devices' bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, is the first device of its kind to receive FDA approval and CE-mark certification. Lenire has one of the largest evidence bases in existence for a tinnitus treatment device, having been proven safe and effective in three large-scale clinical trials that involved over 600 patients.1,2,3 About Neuromod Devices Founded in 2010, Neuromod Devices is a global medical technology company with offices in Ireland and USA. Neuromod specialises in the design and development of neuromodulation technologies to address the clinical needs of underserved patient populations who live with chronic and debilitating conditions. The lead application of Neuromod's technology is in the field of tinnitus, where Neuromod has completed extensive clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of its non-invasive neuromodulation platform in this common disorder. For more information visit www.neuromoddevices.com . About Lenire Lenire is the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device granted approval by the US FDA after being shown to soothe and relieve tinnitus in large-scale clinical trials. Lenire has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in Europe and has received a De Novo Approval Grant by the US FDA. Further details about Lenire including a list of providers can be found at www.lenire.com . References SOURCE Neuromod Devices 78th Oscar nomination for an NFB film1st for director Nisha Pahuja MONTREAL, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Nisha Pahuja's Notice Pictures/National Film Board of Canada (NFB) co-production To Kill a Tiger has been nominated for the Oscar for Documentary Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards. Quotes "I am beyond thrilled that To Kill a Tiger has been nominated for an Academy Award. This is an extraordinary honour for the creative team behind this eight-year journey, and it's a testament to the tireless group of women working outside the normal ecosystem to ensure this story is seen and does what it needs to in the world. We're here, at this moment, because a farmer in India, his wife and their 13-year-old daughter had the courage to demand her human rights. We are grateful to the National Film Board of Canada, our executive producers and everyone on the team for their support. It is our hope and intent that this film will encourage other survivors to seek justice, and that men stand with us in our fight for gender equality." Nisha Pahuja "Congratulations to Nisha Pahuja and her entire production team on a powerful film that follows the unprecedented journey of Ranjit and his courageous daughter as they fight for justice. Today's nomination is a tribute to them as well as to Nisha's dedication and vision as a talented filmmaker. As co-producer, the National Film Board of Canada is proud to have helped bring this moving work of non-fiction storytelling to the screen, and to share it with audiences across Canada and around the world." Suzanne Guevremont, Government Film Commissioner and NFB Chairperson About the film In To Kill a Tiger, Ranjit, a farmer in Jharkhand, India, takes on the fight of his life when he demands justice for his 13-year-old daughter, the survivor of sexual assault. In India, where a rape is reported every 20 minutes and conviction rates are less than 30 percent, Ranjit's decision to support his daughter is virtually unheard of, and his journey unprecedented. The nomination is the latest honour for To Kill a Tiger, which to date has received over 20 Canadian and international awards. About the nomination NFB films have now received 78 nominations, more than any other film organization based outside of Hollywood. NFB productions and co-productions have won the big prize on 11 occasions. The NFB also received a 1988 Honorary Academy Award for overall excellence in cinema. The 96th Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood and will be televised live on ABC and in more than 200 territories worldwide. For more information, visit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/oscars. Where to watch To Kill a Tiger To Kill a Tiger is now streaming free of charge in Canada at nfb.ca and via the NFB app, available on smart TVs and mobile devices. Quick facts To Kill a Tiger by Nisha Pahuja (127 min) Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/to-kill-a-tiger In a small Indian village, Ranjit wakes up to find that his 13-year-old daughter has not returned from a family wedding. A few hours later, she's found stumbling home. After being abducted into the woods, she was sexually assaulted by three men. Ranjit goes to the police, and the men are arrested. But Ranjit's relief is short-lived, as the villagers and their leaders launch a sustained campaign to force the family to drop the charges . . To Kill a Tiger charts the emotional journey of an ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances a father whose love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will reverberate for years to come . charts the emotional journey of an ordinary man a father whose love for his daughter forces a social reckoning that will . Producers: Cornelia Principe and Nisha Pahuja (Notice Pictures) ; David Oppenheim (NFB) and ; Executive producers: Andy Cohen , Anita Lee (NFB), Atul Gawande , Andrew Dragoumis , Dev Patel, Mindy Kaling , Shivani Rawat , Rupi Kaur , Anita Bhatia , Niraj Bhatia , Deepa Mehta , Samarth Sahni , S. Mona Sinha (Equality Now), Mala Gaonkar (Surgo Foundation), Priya Doraswamy , Jason Loftus, Geeta Sondhi, Cornelia Principe Awards include: Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary, Best Editing in a Feature Length Documentary and Best Original Music in a Feature Length Documentary, Canadian Screen Awards; Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF); International Film Festival (TIFF); Best Documentary Award, Palm Springs International Film Festival; International Film Festival; Canada's Top Ten, TIFF; Top Ten, TIFF; Allan King Award for Excellence in Documentary, Directors Guild of Canada ; Award for Excellence in Documentary, Directors Guild of ; Beyond the Screen Award, Docaviv; Special Jury Award and Michael Sullivan Award for Documentary Journalism, Salem Film Fest, Massachusetts . About the director Nisha Pahuja is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker based in Toronto . Her latest film, To Kill a Tiger, had its world premiere at TIFF, where it won the Amplify Voices Award for Best Canadian Feature Film. Since then, it's won over 20 awards, including Best Documentary Feature at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and three Canadian Screen Awards. The film grew out of a long career of addressing various human rights issues, notably violence against women in India . In 2015, Pahuja won an Amnesty International Media Award for Canadian journalism after making a short film about the Delhi bus gang rape for Global News. Her other past credits include the multi-award-winning The World Before Her (2012; Best Documentary Feature, Jury Award winner, Tribeca Film Festival; Best Canadian Documentary, Hot Docs; TIFF's Canada's Top Ten; Best Documentary nominee, Canadian Screen Awards), the series Diamond Road (2008; Gemini Award for Best Documentary Series) and the NFB documentary Bollywood Bound (2002; Gemini Award nominee). Stay Connected Online Screening Room: NFB.ca NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo Curator's perspective | Director's notes About the NFB SOURCE National Film Board of Canada ATLANTA, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) donated $18.2 million across its 22-state network in 2023. That is double the contributions made in the prior year, benefitting communities, first responders, and safety initiatives. The year was one of growth for Norfolk Southern's Corporate Giving initiative, including the launch of new grant programs. "Our Corporate Giving program reflects our enduring commitment to building stronger, safer, and more vibrant communities across our network," said Nabanita Nag, Executive Vice President Corporate Affairs & Chief Legal Officer for Norfolk Southern. "The increased contributions in 2023 underscore our focus on making a positive and lasting impact where it matters most, affirming our dedication as a catalyst for meaningful change in our communities." Norfolk Southern's Corporate Giving program focuses on fostering safe and sustainable operations, developing local workforces, and building strong, thriving communities. Key highlights of Norfolk Southern's 2023 Corporate Giving include: Total Donations: Norfolk Southern's philanthropic efforts exceeded $18 million , reinforcing the company's dedication to community engagement and support. Norfolk Southern's philanthropic efforts exceeded , reinforcing the company's dedication to community engagement and support. New Grant Programs: The introduction of new grant programs focused on communities and safety, with nearly $5 million awarded in the first year. Thriving Communities Grant Program: This new program, contributed approximately $2.5 million to help foster thriving and resilient communities. Safety First Grant Program: This new program awarded approximately $2.4 million to organizations and initiatives prioritizing safety and first responders. The introduction of new grant programs focused on communities and safety, with nearly awarded in the first year. Homelessness Grants: Directed $600,000 in grants toward organizations across its 22-state network to support outreach and support of the homeless. Directed in grants toward organizations across its 22-state network to support outreach and support of the homeless. Thoroughbred Scholars Program: Over $500,000 awarded in scholarship funds to promote educational opportunities. Over awarded in scholarship funds to promote educational opportunities. Hampton Roads Commitment: Continuing a commitment made in 2021, $1 million was awarded to 74 Hampton Roads, Virginia nonprofits, furthering the goal of providing $5 million to the community over five years. In addition to doubling its contributions in 2023, Norfolk Southern in June launched a new internal giving program, the Thoroughbred Giving Portal, through which employees logged nearly 6,800 hours of community service. For more information about Norfolk Southern's Corporate Giving program, to apply for grants, and discover more about its community initiatives, visit here. For information on Norfolk Southern's community giving and support in East Palestine, visit www.nsmakingitright.com. About Norfolk Southern Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com. SOURCE Norfolk Southern Corporation GOTHENBURG, Sweden, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The shareholders of Concordia Maritime AB (publ), 556068-5819, are hereby invited to the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held on Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 1.00 p.m. CET at Mannheimer Swartling Advokatbyra's offices at Jarnvagen 1 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Right to participate and registration A person who wishes to attend the meeting must be recorded as a shareholder in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB on the record date Wednesday, 14 February 2024 , in the share register kept by Euroclear Sweden AB on the record date Wednesday, , give notice of participation in the Extraordinary General Meeting no later than Friday, 16 February 2024 . Notification of participation at the Extraordinary General Meeting can be made by post to Setterwalls Advokatbyra AB, Attn: Anna af Petersens, P.O. Box 1050, 101 39 Stockholm, Sweden or by email to [email protected] . The notification must state name, social security- or company registration number, address, telephone number and the number of possible advisors (maximum two). If shareholders are represented by proxy, a written and dated power of attorney signed by the shareholder must be attached to the notification and presented at the meeting. If the shareholder is a legal entity, a registration certificate or other authorization document must be attached. Form of proxy is available at the company's head office and on the company's website, www.concordiamaritime.com. Nominee-registered shares In order to be entitled to participate in the Extraordinary General Meeting, shareholders who have registered their shares in the name of a nominee must, in addition to giving notice of participation in the meeting, request that their shares be registered in their own name so that the shareholder is entered into the share register on Wednesday, 14 February 2024. This registration may be temporary (so-called voting right registration) and is requested with the nominee in accordance with the nominee's procedures and in advance as determined by the nominee. Voting right registrations completed no later than Friday, 16 February 2024, are considered when preparing the share register. Items and proposed agenda Opening of the meeting. Election of Chairman of the meeting. Election of person to verify the minutes. Preparation and approval of the voting list. Approval of the agenda. Consideration if the Extraordinary General Meeting has been duly convened. Resolution regarding the number of members and deputy members of the Board of Directors. Resolution regarding the remuneration to the Board of Directors. Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board. Closing of the meeting. Resolution regarding the number of members and deputy members of the Board of Directors (item 7) The shareholder Stena Sessan AB, representing approximately 93 per cent of the shares and 96 per cent of the votes in Concordia Maritime AB, proposes that the number of Board members elected by the shareholders shall be three and that no deputies shall be appointed. Resolution regarding the remuneration to the Board of Directors (item 8) Stena Sessan AB proposes that the remuneration of SEK 400,000 to the Chairman of the Board, resolved upon by the Annual General Meeting on 4 May 2023, shall continue to apply and that no remuneration shall be paid to the other proposed Board members. The remuneration of SEK 300,000 to the other Board members elected by the shareholders, that was resolved upon by the Annual General Meeting on 4 May 2023, shall be paid pro rata in relation to the duration of each resigning Board member's directorship. Election of members of the Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board (item 9) Stena Sessan AB proposes that the Board of Directors, for the period until the next Annual General Meeting, shall consist of the current Chairman of the Board Stefan Brocker, born 1966, as well as Monalotte Theorell Christofferson, born 1969, CFO at Stena Sessan AB, and Fredrik Konopik, born 1985, Investment Director at Stena Sessan AB. Stefan Brocker is proposed to be re-elected as Chairman of the Board. Shares and votes The total number of shares in the company amounts to 47,729,798 shares, whereof 4,000,000 Series A shares and 43,729,798 Series B shares, representing a total of 83,729,798 votes. The company does not hold any of its own shares. Information at the meeting The Board of Directors and the CEO shall, if requested by a shareholder and if the Board considers that it will not cause significant damage to the company, provide information on circumstances that could affect the assessment of a matter on the agenda and the company's relations with another group company. Processing of personal data For information on how your personal data is processed, see https://www.euroclear.com/dam/ESw/Legal/Privacy-notice-bolagsstammor-engelska.pdf. Gothenburg in January, 2024 Concordia Maritime AB (publ) Board of Directors For more information, please contact: Erik Lewenhaupt CEO, Concordia Maritime AB +46 704 855 188 [email protected] The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/1948/3914118/2557927.pdf Concordia Maritime - Press release - Notice - 20240123 (PDF) SOURCE Concordia Maritime DUBLIN, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Optical Transceiver Market 2023 - 2030 by Fiber Type, Connector, Distance, Protocol, Form Factor, Data Rate, Wavelength, Application, and Global Growth Driver - Partner & Customer Ecosystem Competive Index & Regional Footprints" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global Optical Transceiver Market is poised for remarkable growth, with predictions estimating an increase from USD 10.2 Billion in 2022 to an impressive USD 31.4 Billion by 2030. This burgeoning progress reflects a healthy CAGR of 15.3% from 2023 to 2030. Several key drivers underpin this market expansion, including the imperative for compact and energy-efficient transceivers, which has gained significant impetus due to the industry's demand for streamlined, high-performance data transmission solutions. Increase in the need for compact and energy-efficient transceivers driving the global market growth The market is witnessing an escalating demand for economical transceivers due to their energy-efficient attributes, especially in telecom and data center applications. Advancements in technology have led to the development of compact form factors such as the CFP module, further propelling market growth. The industry requires optical transceivers that can handle increased port density and efficient power utilization, thus favoring the low-cost transceiver segment. Energy-efficient solutions like those offered by industry players, for example, budget-friendly SFF optical transceiver modules for data centers, support the continued market expansion. Research and development efforts are intensifying to meet the diverse requirements of metro networks, data center interconnects, and long-haul scenarios, ensuring compatibility with complex network infrastructures. The Surge in Demand for High-Speed Data Transmission in India Catalyzes Market Growth With the impending rollout of 5G networks, India foresees a significant rise in demand for optical transceivers. Governmental strategies to enhance fiber optic network capabilities further aggravate this requirement, pushing towards higher data speeds and greater bandwidth capabilities. The trend towards digitalization accentuates the need for rapid data transmission, with optical transceivers being critical for the burgeoning digital infrastructure. Robotic Automation in North America Spurs Optical Transceiver Adoption North America's intensified adoption of robotic automation in various industries is contributing positively to the Optical Transceiver Market growth. Transceivers that facilitate 50-100 Gbps data rates dominate, owing to their ability to support high-speed data transmission, aligning with emerging technologies such as 5G, IoT, and AI. Their cost-effectiveness and reliability further endorse their dominance in the marketplace. Insightful Segmentation and Regional Analysis of Optical Transceiver Market The market report offers an exhaustive analysis of the industry, segmenting the market by form factor, data rate, wavelength, fiber type, distance, protocol, application, and geography. Key market segments include: SFP+, SFP28, CFP, CFP2, CFP4, XFP, QSFP, QSFP+, QSFP-DD, and QSFP28 form factors Data rates ranging from Less Than 10 Gbps to More Than 100 Gbps Wavelength bands of 850 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm Single mode and Multimode fiber types SC, LC, MPO, and RJ-45 connectors Distances from Less Than 1 Km to More Than 100 Km Key protocols such as Ethernet, Fiber Channel, and CWDM/DWDM Applications across Telecommunication, Data Centers, and Enterprises Companies Mentioned Eoptolink (China) Lumentum (US) Broadcom (US) NEC ( Japan ) ) II- VI (US) Accelink (China) Sumitomo Electric industries ( Japan ) ) Smartoptics ( Norway ) ) Infinera (US) Fujitsu optical Components ( Japan ) ) Hisense Broadband (China) Huawei (China) Innolight (China) Solid Optics (US) Ciena (US) Mellanox (US) FOCI ( Taiwan ) ) Applied Optoelectronics (US) Amphenol (US) Perle Systems ( Canada ) ) Intel (US) Source Photonics (US) NeoPhotonics (US) Cisco (US) For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xnq7cf About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Particles for Humanity has assembled an advisory board of global leaders to guide the company as it approaches commercialization of its lead product, PFH-VAP, and as it expands its research and development pipeline to include new applications for PFH-VAP. The four-person advisory board brings significant experience in the fields of malnutrition, food fortification, global health, entrepreneurship, and African markets, which will strengthen the company's strategic plans. Members of the Advisory Board bring a diverse skill set from long careers working throughout Africa, Asia, and more. Advisory Board members include: Kul Chandra Gautam is the former Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations. Over three decades, he served with UNICEF in leadership positions in New York, Haiti, and throughout Asia. He has extensive experience in international diplomacy, development cooperation, and humanitarian assistance. He is the former Chair of Nutrition International (previously Micronutrient Initiative), and a former board member at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and the Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI). Currently, Gautam serves on the boards and advisory committees of several organizations dealing with poverty reduction, inter-faith cooperation, global health, education, and women's and children's rights. M.G. Venkatesh Mannar's leadership on iodization and multiple fortification of salt has been scaled to benefit billions worldwide. He is the former President of Nutrition International (previously the Micronutrient Initiative), where he directed work on cost-effective and sustainable solutions to address micronutrient deficiencies. Mannar focuses on food fortification, vitamin A supplementation, and scaling biofortified foods. He has co-authored over 100 articles in leading nutrition journals and is the co-editor of 'Food Fortification in a Globalized World'. Mannar is an Adjunct Professor at the Centre for Global Engineering at the University of Toronto. Mannar was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada, one of the country's greatest civilian honors, for his leadership in the global fight against micronutrient deficiency. Uwa Osa-Oboh is the Head, Corporate Development at Capital Alliance Nigeria, a member of the African Capital Alliance (ACA) group, an investment management firm working across Africa. Throughout her career, she has worked as a lawyer, banker, and management consultant. Formerly, she was CEO of ReStraL, a research, strategy and leadership-development consulting firm working with corporations and government agencies. Osa-Oboh is on the board of the Africa Venture Philanthropy Alliance; the Impact Investors Foundation of Nigeria; and the African Leadership Initiative West Africa (ALI-WA). She is also a fellow of ALI-WA, an offshoot of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Adedotun Sulaiman has served on or chaired many boards, including Absa (formerly Barclays) Nigeria, SecureID Ltd, Interswitch Ltd, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Sundry Foods Limited, and Parthian Partners Limited. The Nigeria government appointed him as Chairman of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, where he oversaw the development of the Nigerian Code of Corporate Governance in 2018. He had a long career at Accenture Nigeria, retiring as Chairman and Country Managing Director. He is active in venture capital investing, acting as an adviser to promising young entrepreneurs. He is a Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) of Nigeria, a national honor awarded to individuals who have shown remarkable service and commitment to Nigeria. "It is a privilege to welcome these brilliant individuals onto the Particles for Humanity Advisory Board. We look forward to learning from them and being inspired by their passion for helping the communities and countries we hope to serve with PFH-VAP," said Sherri C. Oberg, CEO of Particles for Humanity. PFH-VAP is a more stable form of vitamin A currently in development for use in large scale food fortification, an intervention that can combat many types of malnutrition including vitamin A deficiency. In hot and humid conditions, like those found in many parts of Africa, vitamin A is unstable and much of it is lost before reaching consumers. PFH-VAP is 4x as stable as a leading commercial vitamin A when tested in bouillon in these conditions. Adding PFH-VAP into foods could help get more vitamin A to the 19 million pregnant women and 190 million preschool age children who suffer from vitamin A deficiency globally. Particles for Humanity transforms early-stage medical technology into products for people living in low and lower-middle income countries. It is developing a portfolio of products with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mulago Foundation, and King Philanthropies. Its rigorous product development process is based on end-user input and is focused on financially sustainable product opportunities. Visit www.particlesfh.com or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Particles for Humanity TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Pineapple Financial Inc. (NYSE American: PAPL), a tech-focused mortgage brokerage with an integrated network of partner brokerages and agents across Canada, today announced the launch of its custom eSignature and advertising banner management software designed to enhance lead conversion and drive customer acquisition, unlocking new mortgage opportunities for its brokers. Pineapple Financial Inc. | Listed NYSE American: PAPL (CNW Group/Pineapple Financial Inc.) "Our focus is on building cutting-edge technology that helps our brokers thrive in an ever-evolving landscape, driving continuous revenue," said Pineapple President and COO Kendall Marin. "With our new eSignature and ad banner component, we help our brokers cost-effectively strengthen their brand, build trust, drive leads, engage on social media, and generate revenue." Building on that trust, the banners increase the broker's marketing value and drive conversions by advertising special offers, showcasing testimonials, promoting new content and events or directly setting up appointment bookings. This feature is particularly impactful for brand recognition and lead generation, as according to a Wisestamp survey,* email signature marketing created an average of 22% more clicks, 32% more email replies, 10% more social media reach and 15% more leads. Beyond revenue generation, the software also serves as a broker retention strategy. "Email signature companies charge for this functionality, but we offer it to our brokers for free. Eliminating third-party sources also translates to cost savings for both the brokers and the business," added Christa Mitchell, CSO of Pineapple. Direct integration within the Pineapple Core system creates a seamless and hassle-free experience for mortgage brokers. With the eSignature and banner updating automatically across all cloud-based applications and their custom broker website in real-time, the process becomes efficient and eliminates the complexities associated with coding. Additionally, the eSignature and ad banner can be integrated into other applications such as Outlook or MacMail, creating a consistent and cohesive brand identity. The software also exemplifies Pineapple's commitment to data management and compliance with optional centralized control over the type of banner information displayed for brokerage owners and security protocols aligned with industry regulations. Shubha Dasgupta, CEO of Pineapple, noted, "We understand just how important the first impression is when building trust with consumers, and we couldn't ignore the revenue potential that a professional email signature could bring for our agents. With eye-catching visuals and a compelling call to action, our mortgage brokers can make a lasting impression that exudes professionalism and builds credibility for strong customer relationships." About Pineapple Financial: Pineapple is an award-winning fintech and leading Canadian mortgage brokerage network, focusing on both the long-term success of agents and brokers, as well as the overall experience of homeowners. With approximately 700 brokers within the network, Pineapple creates cutting-edge cloud-based tools and AI-driven systems to enable its brokers to help Canadians realize their dream of owning a home. Pineapple is active within the community and is proud to sponsor charities across Canada to improve the lives of fellow Canadians. Follow us on social media: Instagram: @pineapplemortgage @empoweredbypineapple Facebook: Pineapple Mortgage LinkedIn: Pineapple Mortgage Safe Harbor Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations that arise after the date hereof, except as may be required by law. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company's registration statement and other filings with the SEC. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. Related Links: https://gopineapple.com http://empoweredbypineapple.com *Source: Danielle Zunenshine. (2022, December, 17). Email Signature marketing 101: build your brand & get leads, Wisestamp. URL: https://www.wisestamp.com/blog/email-signature-marketing/ SOURCE Pineapple Financial Inc. TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Game-based learning leader Prodigy Education ('Prodigy') is delighted to announce the appointment of Sarah Welch as Chief Marketing Officer to further accelerate the growth of the company's award-winning EdTech products, Prodigy Math and Prodigy English . Sarah Welch has been appointed Chief Marketing Officer at Prodigy Education (CNW Group/Prodigy Education Inc.) Sarah joins Prodigy's Executive Team and will be responsible for defining and executing best-in-class marketing strategies spanning user acquisition, customer marketing, and brand & creative to increase awareness, adoption, and retention of the company's fun and engaging learning platforms. Sarah brings more than 20 years of experience leading marketing teams to build emerging web brands into category leaders. "I'm so excited to have Sarah join our team in support of our mission of helping every student in the world love learning," said Prodigy Co-Founder and Co-CEO Rohan Mahimker. "Sarah has spent over 20 years building and leading high performance marketing teams across multiple industries. Her experience scaling startups like TripAdvisor and CarGurus into globally recognized and beloved brands makes her the perfect fit to bring Prodigy's benefits to millions more students, teachers, and parents." "I'm thrilled to join Prodigy to help accelerate their progress towards their missionwho wouldn't be excited about helping kids love to learn?" said Sarah. "Prodigy has already established incredible momentum, with more than a quarter of 1st to 8th grade students in the US public school system playing Prodigy every yearall while practicing standards-aligned math and English. Prodigy has created a proven formula in harnessing video games to drive student motivation, providing teachers and parents with a powerful and cost-effective supplementary tool. I'm excited to be a part of Prodigy's next chapter of growth. Building brands and strong teams is what I love to do, and I can't imagine a more impactful place to do that than Prodigy." Prodigy Math, a research-based, standards-aligned math practice tool for 1st to 8th grades, is used by almost one million teachers in classrooms every year and was named Adaptive Learning Solution Provider of the Year 2023 and listed in the 2023 GSV EdTech 150: The Most Transformational Growth Companies in Digital Learning. Students explore different worlds across Prodigy Island, going on quests, meeting magical characters, and rescuing and collecting pets, all while practicing math skills. Aligned to Common Core reading, language and writing standards for 1st to 6th grades, Prodigy English is a sandbox-style game which allows students to practice English skills while building their own online worlds, collecting supplies, and exploring with friends. About Prodigy Education Prodigy Education is a global leader in game-based learning. Our mission is to help every student in the world love learning, motivating millions worldwide via fun, secure and accessible curriculum-aligned gameplay experiences. At Prodigy Education, we believe maximizing student motivation helps develop a lifetime love of learning. Prodigy's approach to fun, game-based learning means kids no longer have to choose between homework and playtime. Visit www.prodigygame.com to learn more. SOURCE Prodigy Education Inc. European Country is the 20th to Turn Black and Gold as the UNBrokerage Rapidly Expands Around the World LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Realty ONE Group International, a modern, purpose-driven lifestyle brand and ONE of the fastest-growing franchises in the world, is kicking off the new year with even more exciting international expansion and growth. Greece becomes the 20th country in just 20 months to join the UNBrokerage who is rapidly painting the globe gold. Odysseus Demetriades is the new franchisor for Greece and will convert his current real estate office to Realty ONE Group, while leading the charge to open new, UNTraditional and dynamic locations, infused with the vibrant brand, throughout the southern European country. "Odysseus has the passion to further fuel the expansion of our popular lifestyle brand in Europe and to bring the excitement of our COOLTURE (cool + culture) to the real estate market in Greece," said Kuba Jewgieniew , CEO and Founder of Realty ONE Group International which has been named a Top Global Franchisor by Entrepreneur . "We share Odysseus' same aspiration - to enable real estate professionals in Greece to achieve greater success faster while building a better life and a lasting legacy." Demetriades is a former board member of Ikea, one of the most innovative franchises in the world, and has 25 years of real estate and insurance experience, as well as a number of real estate and insurance affiliations and certifications. "Realty ONE Group, a rapidly growing force in real estate, is set to revolutionize the Greek market," said Demetriades. "Expect an impactful partnership creating value through a network of offices and ambitious real estate professionals. The era of the UNbrokerage has arrived in Greece!" Realty ONE Group International claimed the No. 1 spot for real estate franchisors for the third year in a row on Entrepreneur's highly competitive 2024 Franchise 500 list. The only modern, lifestyle brand in the industry now has more than 19,000 real estate professionals in more than 400 locations in 49 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and 20 more countries and territories. Learn more at www.OwnAOne.com . About Realty ONE Group International Realty ONE Group International is one of the fastest growing, modern, purpose-driven lifestyle brands in real estate whose ONE Purpose is to open doors across the globe ONE home, ONE dream, ONE life at a time. The organization has rapidly grown to more than 19,000 real estate professionals in over 400 locations across 20 countries and territories because of its proven business model, full-service brokerages, dynamic COOLTURE, superior business coaching through ONE University, outstanding support and its proprietary technology, zONE. Realty ONE Group has been named the number ONE real estate brand by Entrepreneur Magazine for three consecutive years and continues to surge ahead, opening doors, not only for its clients but for real estate professionals and franchise owners. To learn more, visit www.RealtyONEGroup.com . SOURCE Realty ONE Group WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Firearm violence is largely covered in the media as a crime issue focused on individual shooting events. But experts assert that reframing firearms violence as a broader public health issue is crucial to finding policy and community solutions aimed at preventing deaths and injury from guns. Join the National Press Club Journalism Institute at 11:30 am ET on Friday, Feb. 9, for a conversation among experts and journalists on where to find the best data and research on firearms and gun deaths for your reporting. Registration is open and free. In this 75-minute webinar, we'll explore the gaps, go-to resources, and facts and myths about firearms and firearms ownership. Participants will also learn: The differences among firearms violence, such as what is a mass casualty event versus a mass shooting Where to find new research on firearms violence How news coverage of firearms violence impacts victims and frontline health workers How to move thinking of firearms violence as "the crime beat" to more nuanced coverage across beat Speakers include: Dr. Jessica Beard , director of research, The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting , director of research, The Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting Abene Clayton , reporter on the Guns and Lies in America project, The Guardian , reporter on the Guns and Lies in America project, The Guardian Jennifer Mascia , senior news writer and founding staffer, The Trace , senior news writer and founding staffer, The Trace Moderator: Kaitlin Washburn , health beat leader for firearm violence and trauma, Association of Health Care Journalists; reporter, Chicago Sun-Times About the National Press Club Journalism Institute The National Press Club Journalism Institute promotes an engaged global citizenry through an independent and free press, and equips journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire a more representative democracy. As the non-profit affiliate of the National Press Club, the Institute powers journalism in the public interest. The Institute depends on grants, foundation funds, and contributions from individuals like you. Your donation today allows the Institute to offer the majority of its programming at no cost. Contact: Beth Francesco, executive director, [email protected] SOURCE National Press Club Journalism Institute Propelling Lifesaving Measures with User-friendly Innovations in 2024 SHANGHAI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the New Year unfolds, Rhino Rescue, a global innovator in premier first-aid supplies, would like to take a moment to reflect upon and celebrate its remarkable achievements of 2023. With an astounding 580% increase in sales on its standalone website, the brand has truly soared to new heights. Building upon this success, Rhino Rescue is proud to proudly announce its ambitious goals for the year ahead, setting the stage for an exhilarating journey throughout 2024. Rhino Rescue Courdura Mini IFAK "We are incredibly proud of the achievements we have made over the past year. Our team's dedication and hard work have boosted us to new heights, and we are confident in our ability to continue this upward trajectory. As we look back on 2023, we are filled with gratitude for the milestones we have reached and the lessons we have learned. Now, with renewed enthusiasm, we eagerly embrace the opportunities that lie ahead in 2024.", said Jenny Lee, CEO of Rhino Rescue. Flashback to 2023: Celebrating Milestones and Achievements in Rhino Rescue's Journey Global Footprint: With first-aid products sold in 96 countries worldwide, Rhino Rescue has successfully expanded its market reach, making a global impact. The humanitarian efforts of the company have been nothing short of exceptional, having helped save over 100,000 lives. This achievement is a testament to the dedication and effectiveness of Rhino Rescue's products. International Partnerships: Rhino Rescue has forged significant collaborations with over 150 organizations. Partnerships with entities such as Nanoq Guide Services & Survival Training in the USA, Medicina Tactica Colombia, Jednostka Strzelecka 3102 GRYF in Poland, BOSPOLAND, and BEAR-N Academy in France have further enhanced Rhino Rescue's capabilities and expertise. Evolving Products: To continually innovate and meet the evolving needs of its customers, Rhino Rescue has introduced approximately 50 new product packages. These impressive additions include two trauma kits: Cordura mini IFAK, CMS mini IFAK, and some medical supplies, such as pneumothorax access kits, Chitosan-based products, twin-pack chest seals, and quick-response compressed gauze. This product update showcases Rhino Rescue's commitment to staying at the forefront of life-saving technology and providing the best solutions for emergency situations. Soaring Sales: Rhino Rescue has seen a surge in its market performance, with the company's website witnessing a 580% boost in sales. Furthermore, sales on Amazon have risen by 173%, indicating the growing demand for Rhino Rescue's life-saving solutions. Johanna Decker, an EMT/Paramedic from Germany who is also a loyal customer of Rhino Rescue, has transformed her passion for wildlife conservation into a lifelong mission of rhino conservation. Johanna's encounters with orphaned rhinos and witnessing their suffering and resilience have fueled her determination to raise awareness about the poaching crisis and support rhino conservation efforts. She volunteers in a rhino orphanage, where she realizes the importance of equipping wildlife heroes with essential medical supplies. "I was very grateful when I received the Rhino Rescue products and brought them to Namibia. I know that the guys in the APU are now optimally equipped for emergencies and that gives me a very good feeling. This is a great help for rhino conservation. I hope they never need to use it, but when are they ready for it? It will help a lot.", said Decker. Embracing 2024: Empowering the Future of Rhino Rescue with Enhanced Products for Increased Life-Saving Efficiency Rhino Rescue is gearing up for a promising 2024, with plans to launch five new products, including two patented outdoor first aid kits. The company is also set to showcase at six industry events, notably Arab Health 2024 in late January. These strategic moves are expected to bolster Rhino Rescue's growth and reinforce its standing as a key player in the industry. Media Enquiry: E-mail[email protected] SOURCE Rhino Rescue MIDDLETON, Wisc., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Saco Foods, LLC., a branded, niche market-leading food products company, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Solo Foods, LLC. The acquisition adds another market-leading specialty baking ingredient brand to the Saco family of brands. Saco acquired Solo from Chicago-based custom food ingredient manufacturer, Sokol & Company. Shannon Pimmel, formerly Sokol & Company's National Sales Manager, has joined Saco to grow the Solo brand under Saco's ownership. Saco Foods acquires Solo Foods. Founded in 1925, Solo brings a 100-year legacy of time-honored specialty baking ingredient products to the Saco portfolio. Solo's products include cake & pastry fruit fillings, almond paste, and marzipan, which are primarily sold in the center-store baking aisle in traditional supermarkets and mass retailers in the U.S. This strategic move marks a significant step forward for Saco Foods, solidifying their commitment to excellence and providing high quality food products. This acquisition brings together two industry leaders combining Saco Foods fresh, innovative approach and expertise with Solo Foods rich heritage. "I am thrilled to bring this honored, legacy brand into our family of unique products. Solo's products are a perfect tuck-in to the Saco Pantry's center-store baking line," commented Tom Walzer, Saco Foods' CEO. "We look forward to combining the resources of Saco's best-in-class shared services platform, along with cross-selling opportunities for Solo's products in eCommerce and traditional retail, to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities for the combined portfolio of brands." Solo Foods National Sales Manager, Shannon Pimmel commented, "After six years with the brand, I'm excited for the next phase of Solo. The brand is important to so many families and I'm happy to know that Solo will be entering this next stage with a company that values its legacy and history. This acquisition allows Sokol to stay connected to the brand after 100 years of producing Solo Cake & Pastry Fillings while continuing to do what they do bestproviding quality and dependable manufacturing. Saco will bring new energy and resources to the Solo brand and provide the opportunity to reach new bakers, bringing with it over a century of baking experience and tradition." Saco's acquisition of Solo will be seamless to our combined customer base, as there is significant customer overlap between the combined companies and each company has a long-term focus on, and significant retail placement in, the center-store baking aisle. Customers can anticipate the positive impact of this acquisition through an enriched product portfolio and a continued commitment to high quality products. About Saco Foods: Saco Foods, founded in 1973 and headquartered in Middleton, WI, is a leading specialty consumer packaged goods company selling primarily through supermarkets, mass retailers and ecommerce channels in the U.S. Saco Foods has a portfolio of leading shelf stable brands including Saco Pantry, Dolci Frutta, California Sun Dry, Hoosier Hill Farm and recently acquired Solo Foods. Saco is recognized for its commitment to quality and unique, innovative products, which has helped the company establish consistent, long-term shelf placement with its top customers. Learn more at www.sacofoods.com About Solo Foods: Solo Foods, founded in 1925, is a manufacturer of specialty baking ingredient products. Makers of cake & pastry fillings, marzipan and almond paste, with an old world charm. Solo Foods was created to purvey the highest quality baking ingredients around. The company's dedication to high quality and flavorful ingredients has earned it a strong reputation among bakers for generations. If you would like more information, please contact Shannon Pimmel at 630-818-6665 / [email protected]. SOURCE Saco Foods Guests can enjoy exclusive in-app and in-restaurant offers for longer this year FRANKLIN, Tenn., Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nothing says love like Heart Shaped Biscuits, at least according to Hardee's, who is bringing the fan favorite back just in time for Valentine's Day. Hardee's will offer their iconic, Made from Scratch Buttermilk Biscuits in the shape of a heart on all breakfast sandwiches Feb. 1-14. Guests and teams are rejoicing, as previously, heart shaped biscuits were only offered during Valentine's week. Heart Shaped Biscuits available Feb. 1-14 "At Hardee's, our food is our love language. That's why we continue to put so much care and craftsmanship into our made-from-scratch biscuits, hand-breaded chicken, and incredible Angus burgers," said Regina Schneider, Senior Vice President of Marketing of Hardee's. "There's no better articulation of this love than our heart-shaped biscuits to celebrate Valentine's Day a seasonal twist on our iconic breakfast items. We love seeing how this returning favorite brightens our guests' days and encourages them to spread the love with family and friends." Our biscuit bakers are the perfect example of the love and joy we hope our biscuits offer our guests. Every day, our bakers come in at 4 a.m. to craft the buttery, flakey biscuits to perfection. Now, the visual representation of that love returns with our classic Heart Shaped Biscuits, available for purchase in-store and on the app. From Feb. 1-14, My Rewards Members receive a BOGO Biscuit offer to use in the app that can be mix and matched between the Super Bacon Biscuit, Super Sausage Biscuit, Monster Biscuit and Loaded Omelet Biscuit to share with your special valentine. My Rewards Members can redeem this offer once per day, every single day from Feb. 114 at participating restaurants. Be sure to join My Rewards to access this offer and stay up to date with other exclusive offers. Hardee's Heart Shaped Biscuits are the perfect way to enjoy food made with love to celebrate the love you have in your life. For more news, follow Hardee's on social media, and for promotions, download Hardee's app and join the My Rewards loyalty program. My Rewards Loyalty Program: Join here Twitter: @hardees Instagram: @hardees TikTok: @hardees Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hardees About Hardee's Home of Goodness in The Making, Hardee's is known for wholesome, hand-crafted menu items such as Made from Scratch Biscuits, Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders and charbroiled 100 percent Angus Beef burgers. Together with its Franchisees, Hardee's operates more than 1,600 restaurants across the U.S. and has a presence in 13 countries worldwide. Hardee's has been bringing people together with classic flavors and hometown pride for more than 60 years. For more information about Hardee's, please visit www.hardees.com. About CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc., a privately held company based in Franklin, Tennessee, runs and operates Carl's Jr. and Hardee's restaurants, two beloved brands, known for premium and innovative menu items such as iconic charbroiled burgers, Made from Scratch Biscuits and Hand-Breaded Chicken Tenders. With both a U.S. and international footprint, Carl's Jr. Restaurants LLC and Hardee's Restaurants LLC have over 3,800 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 44 states and more than 35 international markets and U.S. territories. For more information about CKE, please visit www.ckr.com or its brand sites at www.carlsjr.com and www.hardees.com. SOURCE CKE Restaurants Holdings, Inc. Leading beverage brand expands its product line by introducing three new sour fruity flavors that offer consumers a unique flavor-overloaded experience CLEARWATER, Fla., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jordan's Skinny Mixes , the leading brand for zero-calorie and zero-sugar syrups, is excited to announce the launch of its new Sours Collection. The new collection features Sour Green Apple (Dragon), Sour Watermelon (Love Potion), and Sour Blue Raspberry (Genie). These new and unique syrups add a sour, fruity, and fun twist to the best-selling Fantasy Collection. One sip of these delicious beverages made with the new sour products will take the palate from savory to puckering, sour to sweet, and back again in moments. Skinny Mixes Sour Mixes Collection These whimsical additions promise to add an extra layer of magic to the best-selling Fantasy Collection, offering consumers a unique and enjoyable taste experience. From the zesty kick of Sour Green Apple to the playful notes of Love Potion, the Sours Collection is set to redefine the beverage landscape. Jordan Engelhardt, founder of Skinny Mixes, states, "We are excited to expand into a new flavor portfolio and reach a younger demographic with this sour line that brings a tangy and fun twist to our beloved Fantasy lineup of syrups. Creating new and innovative products is always exciting, and we look forward to seeing how our consumers react and utilize this new line. Since the viral WaterTok, this line was created in order to let your creative juices flow!" Skinny Mixes products are available at www.SkinnyMixes.com and Amazon.com and at over 15,000 retailers across the US, Canada, and Europe. Images of the Sours Collection can be found HERE and are available for online orders. About Jordan's Skinny Mixes: Skinny Mixes empowers people to make healthy choices full of flavor and fun, from coffee to cocktails and everything in between. Skinny Mixes is the leading manufacturer of low-calorie cocktail mixes, zero-sugar coffee & fruit syrups, sauce toppings, on-the-go flavor bursts, and many other specialty beverage items and gift sets. Skinny Mixes features best-selling flavors like Salted Caramel and Vanilla, fruity flavors like its viral Mermaid flavor burst, and their fall fan favorite, Pumpkin Spice. Skinny Mixes are proudly produced in the USA and are Gluten Free & Kosher. Skinny Mixes can be found in over 15,000 specialty, grocery and mass retail locations across the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe. For more information, please visit skinnymixes.com and follow on social media @SkinnyMixes Instagram , Tiktok , and Facebook . Contact: Tiffany Cummins Talent Resources 925-212-4200 [email protected] SOURCE Skinny Mixes SOFIA, Bulgaria, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SoftGroup, the best-in-class end-to-end traceability technology provider in the CEE region, today announced the launching of SATT PLATFORM, the new advanced Track & Trace brand line built on well-established Microsoft Azure technology. Developing the future-ready traceability service SATT PLATFORM, SoftGroup continues to go straight forward in amplifying innovative Track and Trace products to enable global regulatory compliance and overall pharma supply chain transparency. SATT PLATFORM is a comprehensive SaaS solution that offers end-to-end traceability and compliance to pharmaceutical companies while leveraging state-of-the-art cloud infrastructure design. The solution covers the Track and Trace vertical from Level 2 to Level 5, enabling the seamless integration of pharmaceutical serialization and aggregation into production processes, significantly reducing supply chain complexity, and ensuring full compliance across both mature and emerging track and trace regulatory environments. The SATT PLATFORM, Serialization, Aggregation, and Track & Trace (SATT) Platform for pharmaceutical companies, enables the enhancement of: Serialization and aggregation data management through exceptional flexibility and customization capacity Supply chain visibility and transparency with effortless integration of third-party systems Global regulatory compliance with EMVO, DSCSA, Tatmeen, ASL BELGISI, IS MPT, , ANVISA & NMPA Harnessing the Microsoft Azure technology, SATT PLATFORM applies incentives to the whole Track and Trace process, developing functionalities on the subsequent level. Such as exceptional reliability, performance metrics, scalability on demand, data backup and disaster recovery capabilities, secure identity, access management, and many more mission-critical features for pharmaceutical companies. Being an endorsed partner of Microsoft, SoftGroup successfully published the SATT PLATFORM as a transactable solution in Microsoft Azure Marketplace. Hosted on Azure, SATT PLATFORM`s efficient and cost-effective business model enables pharmaceutical companies (MAHs, manufacturers, CMOs, parallel distributors, 3PLs, and multinational pharmaceutical organizations) to streamline their processes by providing rapid deployment, advanced insights, and automatic updates. The data storage is secured by European Data Centers, supported by 24-7 European Support Center. More information and requests: [email protected] About SoftGroup SoftGroup is a software company that provides end-to-end traceability technology to the pharmaceutical industry worldwide, covering all levels of the Track & Trace process. SoftGroup is a Certified Gateway Provider and Trusted partner of the EMVO and BgMVO, as well as a certified partner of GS1. Additionally, the company is an accredited solution provider and integrator of CRPT system, Asl Belgisi, Tatmeen, IS MPT and . Global Provider Signs Long-Term Agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for CASGEVY KAISERAUGST, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Solvias, a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics, announced today that it will perform analytical release testing services on the world's first CRISPR/Cas9 genome-edited cell therapy. The company has signed a long-term agreement with Vertex Pharmaceuticals for CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel or exa-cel) which received U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD) in patients 12 years and older with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises. Archie Cullen, CEO of Solvias, commenting on the collaboration between Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Solvias regarding CASGEVY Solvias and Vertex Pharmaceuticals have worked together for several years to develop and validate test methods that are critical for the final release of patients' own edited cells, so that they can be delivered back to patients. The companies' collaboration included establishing the testing methods that will be scaled for commercializing CASGEVY. Solvias also has invested significantly in preparing one of its global facilities to support the commercial release work for this transformative therapy. Archie Cullen, Chief Executive Officer, Solvias, stated: "Solvias is honored to be playing a critical role in delivering this breakthrough therapy to patients. Our decades of experience offering comprehensive GMP analytical services uniquely positions us to partner with companies in bringing their therapies to market. This collaboration highlights our deep scientific knowledge and creative solutions serving to advance even the most cutting-edge therapies." In addition to gaining FDA approval, CASGEVY recently received a positive opinion from the European Medicines Agency's (EMA's) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use for conditional approval of the treatment of severe SCD and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT). About Solvias Solvias is a global provider of chemistry, manufacturing, and control (CMC) analytics to the pharmaceutical, biotech, material science, and cosmetic industries. Its team of scientists and regulatory experts have years of experience in small molecules, biologics, and cell and gene therapies. The company offers comprehensive solutions from raw materials to drug products to final release testing, as well as API development and manufacturing for small molecules. Headquartered near Basel, Switzerland, Solvias operates five facilities to the highest standards and in accordance with ISO, GMP, GLP and FDA regulations. For more information, visit solvias.com. SOURCE Solvias INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spot, a leading third-party logistics provider, marks a significant milestone in its 15-year journey, proudly unveiling its redesigned website and groundbreaking technology platform, MySpot - redefining the logistics experience. Spot's new website, www.spotinc.com, was thoughtfully designed with logistics experts in mind and offers an intuitive, user-friendly experience. It features seamless navigation, tailored content, and dynamic tools to help logistics professionals find, move, and track freight with greater efficiency. Spot, marks a significant milestone in its 15-year journey, unveiling its new website and technology platform, MySpot. Post this Andrew Elsener, Co-founder of Spot With the website's launch, Spot also unveiled MySpot, a proprietary technology platform created to better enable shippers, carriers, and drivers to get their jobs done. Red Technologies, a subsidiary of Spot, has spearheaded the development of this advanced technology, delivering a full suite of tools for stakeholders within the logistics ecosystem. "Our 15th anniversary is the perfect occasion to introduce these transformative initiatives," says Andrew Elsener, Co-founder of Spot. "The new website reflects our commitment to providing seamless user experiences, while MySpot embodies our dedication to driving innovation and revolutionizing the logistics landscape. We are confident that these advancements will enhance our customers' experience and propel Spot to even greater heights in the years to come." The website includes features designed explicitly with Spot's customers in mind, such as tools to automate services. Now, with the click of a button, users can book loads directly from the website and request quotes, streamlining the logistics process and empowering businesses to make faster decisions. Elsener continued, "Our customers are always top of mind, and we're excited to provide them with a better online experience and additional service offerings. Our goal is to help overcome challenges and to aid in navigating the complexities of the supply chain. We feel this new website is designed to do just that, and to help our customers succeed in the ever-changing logistics industry." Spot partnered with Caldwell VanRiper (CVR), a full-service advertising and marketing agency in Indianapolis, to redesign its website, update its branding, implement automation, and focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to drive organic growth. Founded in 1910, CVR is one of the Midwest's longest running and most respected advertising agencies. Its expertise in website design, branding, automation, and SEO was instrumental in creating a new website that is visually appealing, user-friendly, and that will help Spot achieve its business goals. "We are excited to partner with Spot to enhance its brand and website experience to match the company's sophistication and explosive growth it has experienced recently," said Kevin Flynn, CVR's President. "There are not too many companies that live their brand mission every day and develop such a strong company culture like Spot has done in the last few years." Founded in 2009 by Andrew Elsener and Andy Schenck, Spot has experienced continuous growth each year. In 2021, it saw record-breaking success with over $710 million in gross revenue. That pattern of success continued into 2022 with nearly $1 billion in gross revenue. The company has more than 500 employees across its locations in Indianapolis, Indiana, Charlotte, North Carolina, Tempe, Arizona, Tampa, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois. Visit Spot's new website today at www.spotinc.com to learn more about its innovative logistics solutions and MySpot technology. About Spot As a leading leading third-party logistics provider in North America, Spot is built on relationships, combining 24/7 support with proven, passionate, and dedicated team of logistics professionals. Spot provides custom, tailored logistics solutions for shipping challenges through relentless effort, industry knowledge, and advanced technologies. Established in 2009 with the vision that there is a better way to move freight, Spot has more than 500 employees across it U.S. locations in Indianapolis, Indiana, Charlotte, North Carolina, Tampa, Florida, Tempe, Arizona, and Chicago, Illinois. For more information, visit Spot's website at spotinc.com and follow Spot on social media: Facebook (Spot), Twitter (SpotFreight), LinkedIn (Spot Freight), Instagram (spotfreight), and TikTok (spotfreight). SOURCE Spot Freight Laurel Burton to lead the multidisciplinary creative shop amid record new business streak as CEO NEW YORK and PORTLAND, Ore., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Instrument, a multidisciplinary creative shop that redefines brands and experiences, has appointed Laurel Burton as CEO and unveiled a new roster of executive leaders to support the next chapter of growth for its business. The promotions elevate six indispensable leaders who will collaborate to lead a three-year transformation for Instrument that supports client growth, fuels innovation, and fosters connection across its talent. Instrument won over 50 new accounts in 2023, a company record. Post this With the appointments, Instrument celebrates its first all-female C-Suite leadership team. Pictured: Tessa Baston (Chief People Officer), Laurel Burton (CEO), Coryna Sorin (Chief Operating Officer), Nishat Akhtar (Chief Creative Officer) Laurel Burton will lead Instrument as CEO. Leon Anderson has been promoted to President of the agency. "We're taking bold steps in 2024 to reshape our business for our clients and our talent as we grow Instrument into a world-class network where creativity knows no bounds," said Laurel Burton, CEO, Instrument. Those appointments include: With the appointments, Instrument celebrates its first all-female C-Suite leadership team, building on the company's recognition as one of the most innovative companies and best workplaces for women and diverse innovators, as acknowledged by Fast Company in 2022 and 2023. "Our newly-appointed all-female C-Suite team exemplifies our commitment to rewriting the narrative of creative and technology leadership in our industry," added Leon Anderson, President, Instrument. 2023 saw Instrument activate a new brand and positioning that unified its award-winning product, engineering, digital design, and brand marketing capabilities. Clients resonated; Instrument won over 50 new accounts in 2023, a company record, and expanded its remit with long-term brand and technology partners. Notable client wins include Instacart, Uber, and Pinterest, and expanded partnerships with AWS, Grammarly, and Microsoft. As it embarks on its next chapter, Instrument will grow its innovation capabilities with an expanded team led by Mike Creighton, Executive Director, Innovation. This team will partner across the organization to weave emerging technology through client solutions and internal operations, devise new solutions and agency intellectual property, and steer Instrument's overall approach to artificial intelligence. To inquire about partnering with Instrument, please contact [email protected]. About Instrument Instrument is a multidisciplinary creative company that redefines brands and experiences, with offices in Portland, Oregon, Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles, California. We are a dynamic group of creative technologists and storytellers that use the power of design and technology to co-create groundbreaking work with our clients. We connect brands like never beforehelping organizations reimagine the most valuable pieces of their digital ecosystem. With deep talent in the areas of Strategy, Design, Development and Content Creation, we build modern experiences for ambitious brands. About Stagwell Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. PR Contact: Brandon Dixon [email protected] SOURCE Stagwell Inc. DUBLIN, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Surgical Adhesion Barriers Pipeline Report including Stages of Development, Segments, Region and Countries, Regulatory Path and Key Companies, 2023 Update" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Medical Devices sector report provides comprehensive information about the Surgical Adhesion Barriers pipeline products with comparative analysis of the products at various stages of development and information about the clinical trials which are in progress. Adhesions are bands of scar-like tissue that forms abnormal fibrous connections joining tissue surfaces in abnormal locations. In general, any type of transperitoneal operation can lead to the formation of adhesions ranging from minimal scarring of serosal surface to firm agglutination of nearly all structures. Report Scope Extensive coverage of the Surgical Adhesion Barriers under development The report reviews details of major pipeline products which includes, product description, licensing and collaboration details and other developmental activities The report reviews the major players involved in the development of Surgical Adhesion Barriers and list all their pipeline projects The coverage of pipeline products based on various stages of development ranging from Early Development to Approved / Issued stage The report provides key clinical trial data of ongoing trials specific to pipeline products Recent developments in the segment / industry The report enables you to: Formulate significant competitor information, analysis, and insights to improve R&D strategies Identify emerging players with potentially strong product portfolio and create effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage Identify and understand important and diverse types of Surgical Adhesion Barriers under development Develop market-entry and market expansion strategies Plan mergers and acquisitions effectively by identifying major players with the most promising pipeline In-depth analysis of the product's current stage of development, territory and estimated launch date Key Topics Covered: 1 Table of Contents 1.1 List of Tables 1.2 List of Figures 2 Introduction 2.1 Surgical Adhesion Barriers Overview 3 Products under Development 3.1 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 3.2 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Segment 3.3 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Territory 3.4 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Regulatory Path 3.5 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Estimated Approval Date 3.6 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Ongoing Clinical Trials 4 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products under Development by Companies 4.1 Surgical Adhesion Barriers Companies - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 4.2 Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development 5 Surgical Adhesion Barriers Companies and Product Overview 6 Surgical Adhesion Barriers- Recent Developments 6.1 Jul 21, 2023: Seikagaku Announces Favorable Results From A Pivotal Study for Si-449, an Adhesion Barrier 6.2 Jun 28, 2023: Medline Announces Leadership Transition Naming New CEO and President & COO 6.3 May 17, 2023: S2Medical AB (publ) signs a distribution agreement for the Iranian market 6.4 Apr 13, 2023: S2Medical AB (publ) signs a distributor agreement in the United Arab Emirates and delivers a record order of the skin substitute Epiprotect worth about SEK 2 million List of Tables Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Segment Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Territory Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Regulatory Path Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Estimated Approval Date Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Ongoing Clinical Trials Surgical Adhesion Barriers Companies - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development Glossary List of Figures Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Stage of Development Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Segment Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Territory Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Regulatory Path Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Pipeline Products by Estimated Approval Date Surgical Adhesion Barriers - Ongoing Clinical Trials A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes Actamax Surgical Materials LLC Alafair Biosciences Inc Anika Therapeutics Inc ARC Medical Devices Inc Baxter International Inc BioActive Polymers in Lund AB Dalim Tissen Co Ltd Duke University FzioMed Inc Genzyme Corp HydroGlaze BV Innocoll Technologies Ltd (Inactive) Jinwoo Bio Co Ltd Kytogenics Pharmaceuticals Inc Leader Biomedical Europe BV Luna Innovations Inc Magen OrthoMed Ltd Maxigen Biotech Inc Medisse BV (Inactive) MLM Biologics Inc PolyNovo Biomaterials Pty Ltd Rutgers The State University of New Jersey Seikagaku Corp Sporogenics Pte Ltd Stony Brook University Toray Medical Co Ltd Tribos LLC TYBR Health Inc University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dg9tga About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg SOURCE Research and Markets REDWOOD CITY, Calif. and WALTHAM, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Synthego, a leading provider of genome engineering solutions, and SeQure Dx, a company focused on off-target analysis for preclinical and clinical gene modification customers, have announced a strategic partnership to provide CRISPR-based therapeutics developers with comprehensive off-target editing analytical services that include best-in-class technology and turn-key end-to-end development solutions. This partnership furthers Synthego's mission to empower therapeutics developers by offering access to a comprehensive solution for every phase of CRISPR-based therapeutic development and connects SeQure Dx's portfolio of off-target technologies with Synthego's unique continuum of synthetic RUO-to-GMP guide RNAs, industry-leading regulatory expertise for CRISPR-based therapeutics, and extensive commercial infrastructure. The pairing of these capabilities ensures that more gene editing companies will have access to gold-standard assays to safely develop potentially life-saving therapeutics. The cornerstone of SeQure's platform highlighted in this new offering is the ONE-seq assay, a technology developed by Keith Joung and his lab at Massachusetts General Hospital. Through this unique partnership, therapeutic developers can achieve a more streamlined and efficient therapeutic development process, working with a single provider for both their synthetic gRNA solutions and off-target analyses, reducing the risk of errors and delays and providing the most comprehensive off-target identification solution available. "We are excited to partner with SeQure Dx to provide our customers with a comprehensive solution for their CRISPR-based therapeutic development needs," says Eleanor Kolossovski, Synthego Vice President of Commercial. "This partnership aligns with our mission to empower researchers and developers with the tools and resources they need to bring safe and efficacious therapies to patients." SeQure Dx's ONE-seq technology is the most sensitive and the only universal off-target nomination method available that can account for the impacts of genetic variability at scale. Access to this unique capability ensures that investigators can have a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of off-target effects, informing internal strategic pipeline decisions, reducing regulatory risk, and improving the overall safety of their therapeutic products. "SeQure's best-in-class off-target nomination assays and confirmation platforms will seamlessly complement Synthego's end-to-end CRISPR-based portfolio of products and services," says SeQure Dx founder Keith Joung. "This partnership should provide CRISPR-focused therapeutics developers with access to an all-in-one solution for their preclinical and clinical needs." Regulatory agencies consider off-target analysis critical for developing therapeutic products, making this partnership a valuable asset for researchers and developers. Synthego has supported 16 IND submissions, of which 8 have been approved by the FDA, underscoring Synthego's commitment to understanding, interpreting, and addressing the evolving regulatory guidelines for CRISPR therapeutics developers during and after the IND submission process. With Synthego and SeQure Dx's combined expertise and resources, therapeutic developers can have greater confidence in the safety and efficacy of their CRISPR-based therapies throughout development. For more information on Synthego and SeQure Dx's partnership and offerings, please visit Synthego.com/off-target-editing-analysis . About Synthego: Synthego is a pioneering provider of genome engineering solutions, offering a comprehensive suite of products and services to accelerate CRISPR-based cell and gene therapy development. With a commitment to empowering researchers and innovators, Synthego's cutting-edge technologies and expertise drive progress from preclinical to clinical application. To learn more, visit synthego.com . About SeQure Dx: SeQure Dx is a genomics intelligence company dedicated to the advancement of gene editing and cell therapies from discovery to patient. SeQure's initial preclinical platforms for the biopharma industry, NoteSeQ and ScopeSeQ, comprise a suite of proprietary, best-in-class diagnostic assays and bioinformatic analytics that span the spectrum of off-target nomination and confirmation. The NoteSeQ and ScopeSeQ platforms comprehensively solve our partners' preclinical off-target evaluation needs, including guide selection and IND submissions. SeQure Dx's goal is to help ensure that gene editing and cell therapies are developed for all patients who would benefit from this next generation of life-saving technologies. For more information, please visit sequre-dx.com . SOURCE Synthego Junior Senator is Unwavering Ally for Wisconsin's Working Families MILWAUKEE, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Joint Council 39 today announced that it is endorsing Tammy Baldwin for her re-election bid to the U.S. Senate. Baldwin is running for a third term to represent the perennial battleground state. "Senator Baldwin has been a strong, consistent champion for issues important to Teamster families," said Bill Carroll, Teamsters Joint Council 39 President. "We're proud to support this re-election campaign, and we'll be doing everything in our power to turn out tens of thousands of Wisconsin workers for her on election day." Baldwin's work on behalf of Wisconsin's middle class includes advocacy for key Teamster priorities on Capitol Hill, such as the PRO Act and pension relief. She has also been a leader on antitrust reform most recently, Baldwin joined a bipartisan group of Senators in demanding Amazon provide information about its unethical and potentially unlawful business practices. Last year Senator Baldwin demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate the 2018 Energizer-Spectrum merger after Energizer outsourced more than 600 good-paying Teamster jobs overseas and to a nonunion facility out of state. "Energizer is shipping Wisconsin jobs overseas, jacking up prices for consumers, and it's just plain wrong," Baldwin said. "Our families deserve answers." Teamsters Joint Council 39 represents more than 18,000 workers at four local unions throughout Wisconsin. Contact: Matt McQuaid (202) 624-6877 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 39 Company Honoured for Excellence in Legal Technology and eDiscovery SYDNEY and NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- TransPerfect Legal, a global provider of eDiscovery and litigation support solutions, has received Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer's 2023 Service Provider Award within the legal technology and eDiscovery category for the second consecutive year. Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer's Service Provider Awards spotlight legal providers that are delivering the industry's most effective and transformative solutions across legal technology, legal services, litigation support and consulting, recruiting, staffing and outsourcing, and ADR and mediation. TransPerfect's first Australian office opened in Sydney in 2007, with a dedicated TransPerfect Legal support team, servers, and forensic lab added in 2019. In response to the office's rapid growth and the high demand for TransPerfect services in Australia, the company later added a Melbourne office. TransPerfect Legal was also named Australasian Legal Service Provider of the Year by Australasian Lawyer, and honoured as a 5 Star Service Provider by Australasian Lawyer in 2022. TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe commented, "We are proud to be recognised by Australasian Lawyer and NZ Lawyer. Credit for this award goes to our team of eDiscovery professionals and their unwavering commitment to our clients." About TransPerfect Legal TransPerfect Legal is a global leader in legal technology and support. Founded in 1992, TransPerfect Legal has offices in 120+ cities across six continents and offers a suite of services and technologies to Am Law 200 and Global 100 law firms as well as corporate legal departments. Solutions include forensic technology and consulting, e-discovery and early data assessment, managed review and legal staffing, language services, deposition and trial support, and paper discovery and production, all offered alongside the Reef Technology ecosystem, TransPerfect Legal's suite of proprietary applications that address the needs of legal and regulatory practitioners around the world. www.transperfectlegal.com. About TransPerfect TransPerfect is the world's largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business. From offices in more than 100 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 200+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 6,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect's GlobalLink technology to simplify the management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit our website at www.transperfect.com SOURCE TransPerfect Legal OXFORD, England, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- School Refusal in the UK has become a huge problem, one which schools and the Government are working hard to address. Adam Caller, founder of private tutoring company, Tutors International, today released a comment on the effectiveness of many schools' proposed solutions - and how some parents are turning to private home-schooling instead. A child's refusal to go to school due to anxiety has become the number one issue for parents and carers seeking advice, according to children's charity, Action for Children. Tutors International issues comment on school refusal as a consequence of COVID Adam Caller, Founder and CEO of prestigious private tutoring company, Tutors International , comments: "During lockdown, children who hated school, who were bullied or lonely or struggling with lessons, suddenly found themselves at home 24 hours a day. They felt safer and happier and when lockdown was over, they didn't want to go back to school - and who can blame them?" Some 1.7% of all pupils are severely persistent absent compared with less than 1% pre-pandemic, while the overall absence rate has risen to 7.6%, up from around 4%5% before the pandemic. A pupil is classified as a persistent absentee if they miss 10% or more of their schooling and as a severely persistent absentee if they miss 50% or more. ( Source ) This escalation highlights the challenges families face, including difficulties in accessing specialist support and a lack of clear guidance on how to address the issue. Caller further commented: "Some schools claim that hybrid education - a mix of in-school online teaching - are all that's needed to get school refusers back into school, but in reality it's much more complex than that. Every child's case is different, and the reasons for refusing school are myriad. It therefore follows that offering more school - whether physical or virtual - is not going to be the right solution for everyone." The pandemic led some parents to reevaluate their educational choices, weighing the financial costs against the educational experience offered by different types of schools. Some moved their children from state to private schools, while others opted for full-time home tuition. The interest in private tutoring continues well after the end of the pandemic. Tutors International saw a rise in enquiries about full-time tuition after Covid-19, which Caller attributes to the benefits that lockdown presented to both children and their parents. "Children said they were happier at home, they didn't like all the travel to and from school, the boring assemblies, queuing in the canteen, noisy lessons, miserable teachers, unwelcome peer pressure They wanted more of the things they enjoyed: more time with friends, more time playing sports, more of the lessons that interest them, and the teachers they connect with." Parents enjoyed spending more time with their children, and they can see the opportunities for more travel, the flexibility of home tuition, and the emotional and academic support a private tutor can offer children who may have neurodiversity, behavioural or learning difficulties, mental health issues, or were being bullied - or indeed one of the many other reasons for school refusal. Caller notes that Tutors International has had several clients whose children are labelled 'school refusers', and that private tutoring has been able to support those individuals with a personalised, empathetic education. Getting the student back on their academic track - and perhaps, with the confidence and emotional tools to return to their previous school - is a goal for some families. For others, providing a broad education without pressure, focusing on specific interests or hobbies, or simply providing a mentor to guide a child through a difficult adolescence, is the primary aim of home tutoring. Images Tutors International logo Article image About Tutors International Tutors International provides full-time private tuition, part-time tuition, one-to-one online tuition, and live-in home-schooling, supporting all academic stages, subjects, and international curricula. Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller, Tutors International provides high net worth families with a bespoke private tuition service. Tutors International recruits and employs qualified teachers with verified qualifications, impeccable employment records, and security screening clearance. Our tutors are highly committed, trustworthy, and motivated, enabling students to achieve their aspirations. Contact +44 (0)20 3637 3337 [email protected] Tutors International Prama House 267 Banbury Road Summertown, Oxford OX2 7HT England Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324688/school_refusal_image.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/699064/4420793/Tutors_International_Logo.jpg SOURCE Tutors International Conducted By the Claims Conference, The Demographic Study Identifies Jewish Holocaust Survivors In More Than 90 Countries; 49 Percent Reside In Israel, 18 Percent Reside In North America. NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) released the Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors, a demographic study on Jewish Holocaust survivors living around the world. The study reveals approximately 245,000 Holocaust survivors are still living across more than 90 countries. Gideon Taylor, President of the Claims Conference, said, "The data we have amassed, not only tells us how many and where survivors are, it clearly indicates that most survivors are at a period of life where their need for care and services is growing. Now is the time to double down on our attention on this waning population. Now is when they need us the most." Since its founding in 1951, the Claims Conference has been dedicated to securing a measure of justice for Jewish survivors of the Holocaust. As a result of ongoing negotiations with the German government, the Claims Conference has achieved and administers several compensation programs that provide direct payments to survivors globally, provides grants to over 300 social service agencies worldwide and ensures survivors receive much-needed services such as home care, food, medicine, transportation and socialization. The facilitation of these programs, funding and services has led to a global compilation of information on Jewish Holocaust survivors. This information, while not the only resource, served as a foundation of the Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors. The report summarizes data on the demographic composition of Jewish Holocaust survivors worldwide, outlining country of birth as well as current country of residence, age, sex and what percentage of survivors are receiving various compensations and services. Greg Schneider, Executive Vice President of the Claims Conference, said, "The numbers in this report are interesting, but it is also important to look past the numbers to see the individuals they represent. These are Jews who were born into a world that wanted to see them murdered. They endured the atrocities of the Holocaust in their youth and were forced to rebuild an entire life out of the ashes of the camps and ghettos that ended their families and communities. The data forces us to accept the reality that Holocaust survivors won't be with us forever, indeed, we have already lost most survivors." The Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors identifies survivors living in more than 90 countries. Nearly half (49 percent) of all Jewish Holocaust survivors live in Israel, with an additional 18 percent in North America and 18 percent in Western Europe. At the time of publication, the median age of survivors is 86; ages range from 77 years to over 100, with birthdates reaching back as far as 1912. Holocaust survivor, Reha Bennicasa, daughter of Rose Girone, the oldest living Holocaust survivor known to the Claims Conference said, "As a survivor and daughter of a survivor, I cannot stress enough how important it is to share our testimonies. Personally, I am pleased that my mother has reached 112 years of age, and to learn that she is the oldest Holocaust survivor. My Mother and I survived German and then Japanese oppression. Her strength throughout this horror and in all other facets of her life are amazing. She is a wonderful example to me and, hopefully, to the world. Given the declining survivor population and the rise in antisemitism, we need to encourage the world to learn about our collective history so that the Holocaust will never happen again." Sergio DellaPergola, Professor Emeritus and former Chairman, Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Harman Institute of Contemporary Jewry, said, "The demographic report published by the Claims Conference with the number of remaining living survivors is an important contribution in our obligation to the living witnesses that deserve any support they need in their remaining years." Dani Dayan, Yad Vashem Chairman said, "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Claims Conference for compiling this crucial report about Holocaust survivors today. This demographic study is a warning to me, highlighting the current demographic state of Holocaust survivors globally. It underlines the urgency of our work to continue gathering and researching the testimonies and names of these remarkable individuals before the survivor generation disappears. May their presence continue to strengthen our resolve to shape a better future." In terms of compensation and services, nearly half (40 percent) of Holocaust survivors worldwide all of whom receive, have received or qualify for Holocaust-related compensation are provided social welfare services that are subsidized by the Claims Conference. About 17 percent of these survivors receive Claims Conference's Article 2 and Central and Eastern European Fund (CEEF) programs established to provide monthly "pension" payments for survivors who were incarcerated in camps, ghettos or who lived in hiding or under false identity and nearly two-thirds (62 percent) have received at least one payment under the Hardship Fund Supplemental Payment program, a payment for survivors who do not receive a monthly pension payment through one of the other programs. Michael Berenbaum, Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at American Jewish University, said, "This clear and comprehensive report highlights important data analysis across many disparate compensation and social welfare programs as only the Claims Conference can do. It also demonstrates that even as the number of survivors decreases day by day, the needs of those who are still alive only increases. At the same time, it illustrates that we have many countries with only a handful of these extraordinary individuals still gracing our world, underscoring the urgency of learning from their survival and resilience. This is it, this is our last chance to recognize them, to celebrate them and to learn from them. We should all be asking ourselves what we are doing to make that happen before it is too late." Key Findings Claims Conference Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors key findings include: There are an estimated 245,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors globally, living across more than 90 countries. Nearly half (49 percent) of all survivors reside in Israel ; 18 percent reside in Western Europe and 18 percent reside in North America , with 16 percent of all survivors worldwide residing in the United States . Approximately 12 percent reside in countries of the former Soviet Union (FSU). ; 18 percent reside in and 18 percent reside in , with 16 percent of all survivors worldwide residing in . Approximately 12 percent reside in countries of the former (FSU). The median age of Jewish Holocaust survivors is 86. The population of survivors at the time of this report ranges in age from 77 to over 100 years of age and are born between the years of 1912 and 1946. The majority of Jewish Holocaust survivors (95 percent) are "child survivors" who were born between 1928 and 1946. 20 percent of Jewish Holocaust survivors are over the age of 90. This is a period of life characterized by an increased need for care and services. The majority of Jewish Holocaust survivors are female (61 percent) as only 39 percent of the population are male. Nearly 40 percent of survivors receive monthly payments through Claims Conference programs negotiated with Germany , while the remaining population are eligible for one-time or annual payments. , while the remaining population are eligible for one-time or annual payments. Forty percent of survivors are currently receiving or have received in the past year social welfare services provided by over 300 agencies that receive grants administered by the Claims Conference. Services include homecare, food, medicine, transportation socialization and other services specific to the individual needs of survivors. In addition to the Global Demographic Report on Jewish Holocaust Survivors, the Claims Conference has also released a New York demographic report. Both the global report and the New York specific report can be seen here: www.Claimscon.org/demographics. Media Contact: Noel Kepler [email protected] SOURCE Claims Conference ROSEMONT, Ill., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --(AANA) In honor of National CRNA Week (Jan. 21-27, 2024), U.S. Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and Dave Joyce (R-OH) again introduced a bipartisan House Resolution on the House floor, "Recognizing the roles and the contributions of America's Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists" (CRNAs) and their critical role in providing quality healthcare to the public and our nation's armed forces, for more than 150 years. National CRNA Week is an opportunity for the healthcare community and the greater public alike to reflect on the vital work and unique expertise of CRNAs and future CRNAsresidents enrolled in nurse anesthesiology programs--while recognizing the power and resilience of the profession. This year's theme "Trusted Anesthesia Experts," acknowledges the rich history of CRNAs as part of the nation's most trusted professions according to Gallup. Nurses have topped Gallup's Honesty and Ethics list for 20 consecutive years and the CRNA profession is ranked in the top 25 of the 2024 U.S. News & World Report's Best Jobs report. National studies confirm that CRNAs are integral to high-value anesthesia care delivery where quality and safety are emphasized. Nurse anesthesiologists' skill and accuracy ensure that patients undergo surgery safely, comfortably, and without unnecessary pain. "Today, nearly 61,000 CRNAs deliver anesthesia to millions of patients, in traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, pain management facilities, and in our nation's military service," said AANA President Dru Riddle, PhD, DNP, CRNA, FAAN. "We are appreciative of the recognition the House of Representatives' resolution brings to the profession and for all CRNAs who work tirelessly to provide the highest levels of patient safety in anesthesia care for our communities." The congressional resolution also highlighted the role CRNAs play in rural healthcare, where they are often the only anesthesia provider at a facility. "CRNAs are the primary providers of anesthesia care in rural America, enabling health care facilities in these medically underserved areas to offer obstetrical, surgical, trauma stabilization, and pain management services for millions of underserved and at-risk people." "We are proud of the role all nurses and CRNAs play in keeping and maintaining that trust with our patients and whether they are in our rural or underserved areas, our urban hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers, patients remain our top priority," said Riddle. "As members of one of America's most trusted professions, CRNAs have always served on the front lines of patient care from the beginning, and we continue to answer the call to help keep patients healthy and safe." SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The lithium-sulfur battery market size is expected to grow by USD 1.76 billion from 2022 to 2027, according to Technavio. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will progress at a CAGR of 33.06% during the forecast period. Europe is projected to contribute 43% to the global Lithium-Sulfur Battery Market's growth. North America, especially the United States, emerges as another promising region with significant growth potential. The increased utilization of drones, electric vehicles (EVs), and hybrids, coupled with a growing interest in renewable energy, fuels this expansion. The US, a major contributor to North America's Li-S battery market revenue, experiences high drone and EV adoption, necessitating batteries with extended runtime. This dynamic fuels the rising adoption of Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) batteries in North America, emphasizing their pivotal role in the region's evolving energy landscape. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Lithium-Sulfur Battery Market 2023-2027 To find a preview of the market overviews, market drivers, opportunities, and potentials request a free sample report The lithium-sulfur battery market is fragmented due to the presence of many global and regional players. The market comprises category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified vendors. The global off-grid lithium-sulfur battery market is expected to grow rapidly during the forecast period due to the Harmful usage of lead batteries leads to higher adoption of Li-S batteries. Hence, the competition among companies is expected to intensify during the forecast. The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market companies. Bettergy Corp., CIC energiGUNE, Gelion Technologies Pty Ltd., Giner Inc., Guang Dong Fullriver Industry Co. Ltd., Ilika PLC, Iolitec Ionic Liquids Technologies GmbH, LG Chem Ltd., Li-S Energy Ltd., Lyten Inc., Merck KGaA, NexTech Batteries, Poly Plus Battery Co., Rechargion Energy Pvt. Ltd., Shenzhen Uscender Industrial Co. Ltd., Sion Power Corp., Solid State PLC, TRU Group Inc., VTC Power Co. Ltd., and Zeta Energy LLC Bettergy Corp. - The company offers lithium-sulfur batteries with flexible ion conductive membranes. Purchase this report and get access to the library of similar reports at any time from any device and anywhere- BUY NOW By Type The Lithium-Sulfur Battery Market's high energy density segment is poised for substantial growth, driven by its pivotal role in electric vehicles (EVs) and grid storage applications. Batteries with higher energy density offer extended runtimes and reduced footprints, crucial for enhancing the driving range of EVs and enabling cost-effective grid energy storage. Particularly preferred in EVs, high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries are expected to dominate the market. With applications spanning Grid Storage, Large-scale energy storage, Portable Power for mobile applications, Aerospace Applications, High-energy requirements, and Battery Management Systems for performance optimization, the market is fostering technological breakthroughs while adhering to quality standards in the global market during the forecast period. It is estimated that the Electric Vehicles (EVs) will be a major potential application for Lithium Sulfur Battery. is poised for substantial growth, driven by its pivotal role in electric vehicles (EVs) and grid storage applications. Batteries with higher energy density offer extended runtimes and reduced footprints, crucial for enhancing the driving range of EVs and enabling cost-effective grid energy storage. Particularly preferred in EVs, high-energy-density lithium-sulfur batteries are expected to dominate the market. With applications spanning Grid Storage, Large-scale energy storage, Portable Power for mobile applications, Aerospace Applications, High-energy requirements, and Battery Management Systems for performance optimization, the market is fostering technological breakthroughs while adhering to quality standards in the global market during the forecast period. It is estimated that the Electric Vehicles (EVs) will be a major potential application for Lithium Sulfur Battery. End-user segment is categorized as (aviation, automotive, and others) To know additional highlights and key points on various market segments and their impact in coming years, Get a FREE Sample Report. Imperative Insights on the following aspects: What was the size of the global lithium-sulfur battery market by value? What will be the size of the global lithium-sulfur battery market in 2027? How has the industry performed over the last 5 years? What factors are affecting the strength of competition in the global lithium-sulfur battery market? What main segments make up the global lithium-sulfur battery market? Technological Challenges Energy Density stands out as a key performance metric for lithium sulphur battery, offering the potential for higher storage capacity. Additionally, Cycle Life serves as a vital indicator of battery longevity. Challenges, including the Sulfur Shuttle Effect, are being addressed through cathode modifications and improved electrolytes. The ongoing evolution of Lithium-Sulfur cells signifies a promising shift towards enhanced energy storage, with researchers and industry players actively engaged in advancing this technology for widespread adoption. Related Reports: The aviation battery market size is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.26% between 2022 and 2027. The market size is forecast to increase by USD 317.81 million. The train battery market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.45% between 2022 and 2027. The size of the market is forecast to increase by USD 179.11 million. ToC: Executive Summary Market Landscape Market Sizing Historic Market Sizes Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation by Type Market Segmentation by End-user Market Segmentation by Geography Customer Landscape Geographic Landscape Drivers, Challenges, & Trends Company Landscape Company Analysis Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provide actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com SOURCE Technavio COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vesper Bio ApS ("Vesper" or "the Company"), a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology, today announces that the Company has been awarded a grant (MJFF-024128) worth c.US$873,000 by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) to assess sortilin inhibition in Parkinson's disease. The project will commence in January 2024 and is led by principal investigators Louise Klem (Senior Research Scientist) and Anders Nykjr (CSO and Founder). The grant was awarded under the MJFF's Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program (Pre-Clinical). The program seeks to advance preclinical testing of promising therapeutic developments that address unmet medical needs in people with Parkinson's disease. The program is set up to fund therapeutic development with a clear focus to prevent, stop, or delay disease progression or to reduce the challenges of daily symptoms. Vesper is currently expediting the development of VES001 for FTD(GRN) through ongoing Phase I studies that will include a Phase Ib Proof-of Concept in GRN mutation carriers in advance of potentially registrational Phase II/III trials, and for Phase I readiness of VES002, a treatment focused on a second central nervous system indication. Anders Nykjaer, MD, PhD Chief Scientific Officer of Vesper Bio, commented, "Vesper has developed orally administered, small molecule, sortilin inhibitors that elevate central progranulin levels and these hold promise for treating certain CNS diseases, including Parkinson's disease. This grant by The Michael J. Fox Foundation's Parkinson's Disease Therapeutics Pipeline Program will support our research as we look to further demonstrate the efficacy of this novel therapy against this terrible disease." Jessica Tome Garcia, PhD, Associate Director, Translational Research at MJFF, said, "MJFF greatly values research into the biological underpinnings of Parkinson's disease and leveraging that insight for new treatment ideas. We are proud to fund the work of researchers at Vesper Bio as they investigate new ways to fulfil the unmet needs of people with Parkinson's." About Vesper Bio Vesper is a clinical stage biotech and world leader in sortilin receptor biology. Its lead program uses a sortilin inhibitor to rebalance levels of progranulin in patients where the sortilin receptor would otherwise reduce circulating and extracellular progranulin, contributing to disease. Progranulin is a protein that the body uses to regulate cell growth, survival, repair and avoid inflammation. Low progranulin levels are believed to be a factor in cell dysfunction and damage in a range of indications across neurology. By normalizing progranulin levels, Vesper believes its compounds will have a disease modifying effect, protecting and preserving the remaining cells. Its lead compound, VES001, is a patient friendly, first-in-class, brain penetrant, oral treatment which targets progranulin deficiency, a major underlying cause of Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). As an orally delivered small molecule, VES001 is able to cross the blood brain barrier and is an ideal dosing method among these patients due to their rapidly declining mental state. For further information please visit, https://www.vesperbio.com/. SOURCE Vesper Bio DETROIT, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wayne County Community College District Chancellor Dr. Curtis L. Ivery has been appointed Chairperson of the Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) Board. Ivery was appointed to the seven-member independent board by Wayne County Executive Warren Evans in 2020. The WCAA is tasked with the strategic operation and management of the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Willow Run Airport. Detroit Metro Airport routinely ranks as one of the busiest and most popular airports in the world, ranking first in customer in customer satisfaction in North America by J.D. Power and Associates, and garnering the Air Transport Research Society's Airport Efficiency Excellence Award. Together, Detroit Metro Airport and Willow Run Airport represent one of the world's leading air transportation hubs, logging more than 800 flights a day to more than 125 nonstop destinations across three continents and providing $10.2 billion in annual economic impact, and supporting more than 86,000 jobs across Michigan. "I am honored by this appointment and the opportunity to work with my board colleagues to advance one of the most important transportation hubs in the world," said Ivery. "Detroit Metro and Willow Run are vital pieces of the economic engine that drive our region forward. It is truly exciting to champion that movement and help our region thrive now and into the future." As Chancellor of WCCCD, Ivery directs the largest urban/suburban multi-campus community college district in Michigan, and is a recognized national thought leader on early education and equity, workforce development, and leadership. Ivery led the transformation of WCCCD into a thriving, six-campus dynamic college district with more than 60,000 credit and non-credit students annually. Ivery also led the way in workforce development efforts throughout the county, creating more than 500 academic and career degree and certificate programs to help create a highly skilled workforce in southeast Michigan. He serves on numerous local, state, and national organizations and boards, including the prestigious American Association of Community Colleges and the Commission on Economic and Workforce Development. He has received many awards and honors, most recently the inaugural CEO of the Year Award from the American Association of Community Colleges, the Leadership Excellence Award for Diversity and Inclusion from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and the prestigious Trumpet Award for Education. In December 2023, Ivery was awarded the Alumni of the Year award from the University of Arkansas recognizing his extraordinary professional and personal achievements in education and health care. Ivery served as the first African American appointed by President Bill Clinton to the Governor's Cabinet in the state of Arkansas as the Commissioner for the Department of Health and Human Services. About Wayne County Community College District WCCCD, one of the largest urban-suburban community colleges in Michigan, is a multi-campus district with six campus locations and educational centers, including the Mary Ellen Stempfle University Center, the Heinz C. Prechter Educational and Performing Arts Center, the Michigan Institute for Public Safety Education (MIPSE), the Curtis L. Ivery Health and Wellness Education Center and the Outdoor Careers Training Center. The District serves students across 32 cities and townships, and more than 500 square miles. WCCCD is committed to the continued development of innovative programs, workforce transformation, hosting community-based training sessions, and improving student facilities and services. www.wcccd.edu. SOURCE Wayne County Community College District HOUSTON, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- WhiteWater Express opened 4 locations in November and December, closing out 2023 with 106 sites in 6 states and 12 MSAs. Each new location celebrated with FREE washes and exclusive membership specials to welcome the community to the wash during the grand opening. 9235 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77063 77063 3220 Navarre Avenue, Oregon, OH 43616 43616 1378 W 1st Street, Springfield, OH 45504 45504 5762 W. Central Avenue, Toledo, OH 43615 "Thanks to the hard-work and dedication of our entire team, we surpassed 100 locations in 2023, a major milestone for the company and something we are incredibly proud to celebrate. Our commitment to customers, employees, and the communities we serve is stronger than ever and we look forward to 2024," said Steve Mathis, co-founder and CEO of WhiteWater Express. All WhiteWater locations feature signature wash services, unlimited monthly plans, and complimentary customer amenities with every wash. WhiteWater also began offering Fleet packages in 2023 as well as online sales for both individual washes and plans. "As our company continues to expand, I am thrilled to see our teams coming together across the Midwest and Southwest to deliver the best possible car wash experience for our customers. We will exceed our 2023 growth in 2024, all while maintaining focus our leadership culture and dedication to the business," said Clayton Clark, co-founder and COO of WhiteWater Express. WhiteWater is actively pursuing its growth strategy in both existing and new markets. For any inquiries, please contact Henry Shine, Chief Financial Officer, at [email protected] or (260) 437-5930. SOURCE WhiteWater Express Car Wash Digital operations platform delivers superior brand experiences and powerful operational gains across the B2B and B2C Commerce ecosystem LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marello , the leading Digital Operations Platform (DOP) provider, today announced the launch of Marello 5.0, a landmark upgrade to the company's pioneering enterprise-grade omnichannel commerce technology. With robust omnichannel sales orchestration, ecosystem connectivity, and workflow automation, Marello 5.0 empowers retailers to deliver exceptional brand experiences seamlessly across all touchpoints including in-store, online, mobile, marketplace and emerging commerce channels via a single centralized control hub. By deploying Marello 5.0 as their unified omnichannel command center, retailers can seamlessly manage customer engagement, order management, inventory, and more, to deliver superior brand experiences and operational excellence. With powerful new omnichannel integrations and workflow automations, Marello 5.0 empowers merchants to meet customers where they are, activating new commerce channels and optimizing their end-to-end retail operations. Marello's AI capabilities also turn fragmented omnichannel data into a rich source of business intelligence, with unified shopper profiles to help retailers deliver consistently compelling brand experiences across multiple customer touchpoints. "With Marello 5.0, we're opening a new chapter for omnichannel commerce, and changing the way retailers approach digital transformation," said Falco van der Maden, CEO of Marello. "In today's complex retail environment, businesses can't afford to settle for siloed data and sluggish or disconnected workflows. Marello 5.0 gives brands access to a new world of connected omnichannel commerce, with the interoperability, insight, and intelligence that retailers need to streamline their operations and delight their customers." Key innovations introduced in Marello 5.0 include: Marello POS+ , which natively integrates in-store management capabilities into the broader unified commerce ecosystems to elevate all facets of store performance. Designed to meet real-world retail needs, Marello POS+ supports buyer authentication, inventory look-up, cart management, scan-to-cart, payment processing, receipt printing, and CRM data sync. The result: powerful operational improvements and a seamless brand experience, with optimal planning, merchandising, and engagement across all customer touchpoints. which natively integrates in-store management capabilities into the broader unified commerce ecosystems to elevate all facets of store performance. Designed to meet real-world retail needs, Marello POS+ supports buyer authentication, inventory look-up, cart management, scan-to-cart, payment processing, receipt printing, and CRM data sync. The result: powerful operational improvements and a seamless brand experience, with optimal planning, merchandising, and engagement across all customer touchpoints. Marello Connect, an integration hub enabling simplified, standards-based connectivity across critical customer-facing and back-office systems using modern API, file, and message-based interchange options. With out-of-the-box adaptors allowing rapid connection to leading eCommerce platforms, POS and store systems, Order Management Systems (OMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), ERPs, and CRMs, retailers can defragment their retail operations to unlock powerful insights and strategic opportunities across the entire retail value chain. an integration hub enabling simplified, standards-based connectivity across critical customer-facing and back-office systems using modern API, file, and message-based interchange options. With out-of-the-box adaptors allowing rapid connection to leading eCommerce platforms, POS and store systems, Order Management Systems (OMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), ERPs, and CRMs, retailers can defragment their retail operations to unlock powerful insights and strategic opportunities across the entire retail value chain. Intelligent workflow automation, with an advanced workflow engine to streamline complex omnichannel business processes. New features include Order Ownership, which enables orders to be assigned to specific teams for SLA and issue management, and Order on Demand, which provides end-to-end automation from procurement right through to final delivery. A new Webhooks feature also enables continuous real-time data synchronization across integrated systems. Together, these features enable brands to act with agility and intelligence to provide better customer experiences across their omnichannel operations. Marello 5.0 also enables powerful connections to other ecommerce platforms and solutions, enabling brands to leverage best-in-class technologies to optimize their offerings and drive results for their customers. "Our partnership with Marello is strong and long-lasting. With mutual customers, we've seen firsthand the immense value they bring," said Yoav Kutner, CEO of Oro, Inc. "Marello's unified platforms empower merchants to manage omnichannel commerce effortlessly, delivering a superior brand experience via a centralized admin interface." "Implementing Marello enabled full control over our omnichannel operations and inventory across all locations," said Carolien Kok, Operational Manager at Zonnebrillen.com / Designsunglasses.com. "Marello's efficiency in managing operations is vital, especially given our seasonal sales, peaks, and returns. Smooth operations are crucial to exceed customer expectations." About Marello Marello provides the digital platform for unified commerce. The Marello Digital Operations Platform seamlessly integrates siloed omnichannel environments, providing the interoperability, insight, and automation enterprises need to deliver seamless brand experiences. Market leaders like Dynamite Clothing, Koiping Sports, and The Toy Chest leverage Marello to drive higher revenue, deeper loyalty, and greater efficiency across complex omnichannel operations encompassing stores, eCommerce, marketplaces, mobile apps, and emerging commerce channels. SOURCE Marello Professional development, inspiring role models and intentional networking mark 35 years of the organization's non-profit work of advancing women leaders. DALLAS, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF), the premier non-profit organization for professional development for women building careers in the foodservice industry and a partner to companies accelerating women's advancement, will hold its 2024 Leadership Conference March 25-27 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel Dallas. This event draws talented and ambitious leaders ready to take their careers to the next level. 2024 WFF Leadership Conference Limitless Together Conference Illustration This year marks the 35th anniversary of WFF's founding and celebrates the organization's impact in Changing the Face of Leadership in the foodservice industry. The conference theme of LIMITLESS Together reflects the powerful synergy between WFF, the industry and women leaders in driving that change. Participants experience targeted professional development, influential networking opportunities, access to inspiring role models and a range of wellness and personal development sessions to help them thrive professionally and personally. "The WFF Leadership Conference is a wonderful opportunity for women, as well as men, in the foodservice industry to learn and grow professionally and personally," said Sarah King, WFF Board Chair and Chief People & Diversity Officer, Darden Restaurants. WFF has been a supportive community for me and many other women looking to advance in their careers. The organization taps into research on obstacles to women's advancement, helps women build professional competencies and the skills to surmount those obstacles, and engages industry executives in developing a road map to advance women leaders. I am honored to chair the board of this impactful organization during this milestone year." WFF President & CEO, Therese Gearhart, adds that "WFF also provides a powerful community that supports women leaders throughout the year with live virtual and in-person events, expert speakers and industry role models, and self-paced learning modules to address specific areas of interest and development." "In person or virtually, Conference is a capstone experience that attendees often describe as 'life changing,'" Gearhart notes. "Learning, growth, and connection doesn't end with the last keynote speaker or educational session. Attendees receive a complimentary WFF membership with year-long access to our members-only portal, WFF Connect, a robust schedule of learning opportunities, a community of women leaders, and even the conference sessions in their leadership track, and those a level above, on demand." Keynote 2024 conference speakers include: Luvvie Ajayi Jones is a four-time New York Times best-selling author including the critically acclaimed Rising Troublemaker and Professional Troublemaker. She is an entrepreneur, podcaster, storyteller and speaker whose influential digital presence and thought leadership on culture, business and leadership has been featured in Forbes , Fortune , Fast Company , ELLE , Essence and on National Public Radio (NPR). Her TED talk, Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable has more than eight million views. Session sponsored by PepsiCo. is a four-time best-selling author including the critically acclaimed and She is an entrepreneur, podcaster, storyteller and speaker whose influential digital presence and thought leadership on culture, business and leadership has been featured in , , , , and on (NPR). Her TED talk, has more than eight million views. Session sponsored by PepsiCo. Katty Kay is an award-winning BBC journalist who has lived and worked in the Middle East , South Africa , Japan , Europe and the U.S. and brings a global perspective to her reporting on world affairs, her own podcast series, a weekly column, and guest spots on Morning Joe on MSNBC. She is co-author of four New York Times best-selling books on self-assurance in women and girls including the #1 rated The Confidence Code that has inspired women and girls to see confidence as key to success and a personal choice. Session sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. is an award-winning BBC journalist who has lived and worked in the , , , and the U.S. and brings a global perspective to her reporting on world affairs, her own podcast series, a weekly column, and guest spots on Morning Joe on MSNBC. She is co-author of four best-selling books on self-assurance in women and girls including the #1 rated that has inspired women and girls to see confidence as key to success and a personal choice. Session sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company. Cassandra Worthy is the dynamic founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm Global, a boutique consulting firm with clients across the Fortune 500. She brings the pragmatic mindset of her background as a chemical engineer, insights from 15 years as a leader in the consumer package goods industry, and infectious energy to her life-changing consulting and workshops. Her goal is helping individuals and organizations embrace change and use it to drive unexpected growth and exceptional performance. Session sponsored by Sysco Corporation. is the dynamic founder and CEO of Change Enthusiasm Global, a boutique consulting firm with clients across the Fortune 500. She brings the pragmatic mindset of her background as a chemical engineer, insights from 15 years as a leader in the consumer package goods industry, and infectious energy to her life-changing consulting and workshops. Her goal is helping individuals and organizations embrace change and use it to drive unexpected growth and exceptional performance. Session sponsored by Sysco Corporation. Jay Shetty spent several transformative years as a Hindu monk before sharing his insights about a purpose-driven life with millions of people around the world. His book Think Like a Monk soared to the top of the New York Times and UK Sunday Times best-seller lists and was ranked by Apple Books as the Best Audio Book of the Year. His podcast, On Purpose with Jay Shetty , receives more than 35 million monthly downloads and his videos have been viewed more than 10 billion times across social media. Shetty strives to make ancient wisdom relatable, practical and accessible to all. Session sponsored by Nestle Professional. The WFF Leadership Conference is the place where emerging female leaders to executives come together to connect, grow, and get inspired. To learn more and register for the conference, please visit our website: wff.org. ABOUT WOMEN'S FOODSERVICE FORUM: Women's Foodservice Forum (WFF) is the Food Industry's thought leader on gender equity. WFF provides the research, insights and best practice solutions that enable food companies to address the pressing need for talent, drive better consumer insights and increase business performance by realizing the full potential of women leaders. Working since 1989 to provide the tools and resources to help women build leadership competencies that enhance career advancement, WFF also partners with the Food Industry to create work environments where women thrive, and organizations reap the rewards of a gender-diverse workforce. For more information, visit our website: wff.org. SOURCE Womens Foodservice Forum (WFF) Company accelerates growth ahead of expected industry consolidation NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Yieldstreet, a leading private market investing platform, today announced it has completed its acquisition of Cadre, an online, real-estate-focused investment platform that serves institutional and high net worth investors. The transaction was first announced on November 30, 2023. The acquisition cements Yieldstreet's leadership in the private market investing platform space and welcomes Cadre's premier institutional clients, unique investment platform and thousands of high net worth investors. With a collective Investment Value of more than $9.7 billion1 across both platforms, investors have allocated $5.3 billion2 and received $3.1 billion3 in returns to date. "We are thrilled to finalize this first-of-its-kind transaction in the alternative investment sector and welcome Cadre's exceptional investors, team and partners to the Yieldstreet family," said Michael Weisz, CEO and Founder of Yieldstreet. "By executing the inaugural consolidation of leading platforms in our industry, we have solidified our leadership in this space and accelerated our growth trajectory. As we look to 2024 and beyond, we are excited to offer investors additional institutional-quality investments, enhanced liquidity through a secondary market and new ways to invest in private markets." Ryan Williams will continue to lead Cadre as CEO, in addition to serving as Global Head of Institutional Partnerships & Clients. Cadre CIO Dan Rosenbloom and the full Cadre investments group also joined Yieldstreet. Industry veteran Mike Fascitelli will serve as the Cadre Global Chairman of Real Estate and continues to head Cadre's Investment Committee. "Joining forces with Yieldstreet marks an exciting milestone in Cadre's journey. At the heart of this collaboration is our shared vision increasing access to alternative investments. Cadre's innovative leadership in the real estate sector and Yieldstreet's unparalleled slate of investment offerings and asset classes positions us to revolutionize the private market investing experience for both institutional and individual investors," said Williams. "I'm looking forward to expanding our reach and deepening investor relationships as we integrate with Yieldstreet." Cadre's investors include Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures, Cordoba Advisory Partners and Andreessen Horowitz. Its institutional client list will accelerate distribution to the institutional channel and bolster Yieldstreet's existing resources. The acquisition solidifies Yieldstreet's position as the leading private market investing platform with Cadre's roster of institutional-quality real estate investments. Investors will have access to the industry's broadest range of private market asset classes and a comprehensive investor experience from tax advantaged accounts and managed portfolios, to proprietary secondary market capabilities and more all on one unified platform. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to Yieldstreet and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP served as legal counsel to Cadre. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. About Yieldstreet With more than 500,000 members, Yieldstreet is a leading private market investing platform, helping investors diversify their portfolios with alternative assets spanning real estate, private credit, legal finance, art and more. The platform is differentiated by its ten asset classes, institutional due diligence standards, strong track record, and commitment to a seamless investor experience. Press Contacts: Zoey Gottlieb / Clare Burrows Prosek Partners [email protected] _________________________________ 1 Investment Value equals the combined capitalized transaction value in real estate equity plus committed amounts across all other investments since inception in 2014 and 2015, respectively. 2 Represents assets invested on each of Cadre and Yieldstreet platforms by investors, since inception in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Based on unaudited internal calculations, subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future results. 3 Represents total interest and principal returned to investors on each of Cadre and Yieldstreet platforms since inception in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Based on unaudited internal calculations, subject to change. Past performance is not indicative of future results. SOURCE Yieldstreet In partnership with AltaMed Health Services, Youth Champions has served more than 1,000 students in underserved communities and distributed $328,500 to students through a paid personal development internship and college scholarships. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Youth Champions, the paid personal development internship for high school students, announces its transition to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, marking a significant milestone in its mission to empower underserved youth. Founded in 2017, Youth Champions has served more than 1,000 high school students from 61 high schools, and distributed $328,500 through paid internships and college scholarships. Since its inception, Youth Champions has operated under the umbrella of AltaMed Health Services, a trusted community health organization in Southern California. AltaMed has served as an incubator for the program by providing backend support, student recruitment and program management. The decision to establish Youth Champions as an independent entity stems from the desire to provide even greater support to students beyond the Southern California community. Serving approximately 250 students annually, the program's comprehensive curriculum covers "adulting" topics including financial literacy, problem-solving, leadership, good habits and personal responsibility, through 24 virtual workshops and six exploratory field trips. "Becoming an independent nonprofit allows us to expand our programs and services to the unique needs of the high school students we serve. Our program is growing and thriving, and we are moving closer to our goal of national expansion," said Jack Cline, co-founder of Youth Champions. While Youth Champions charts its independent course, AltaMed remains a close partner. Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services, praised Youth Champions' growth, emphasizing the alignment with AltaMed's commitment to community well-being. Youth Champions proudly introduces its inaugural Board of Directors, a diverse group of accomplished professionals who bring expertise in finance, entrepreneurship, workforce development and nonprofit management: Jack Cline Jr. , co-founder of Youth Champions and president of Lee & Associates, Downtown Los Angeles co-founder of Youth Champions and president of Lee & Associates, Cambria Cline, co-founder of Youth Champions co-founder of Youth Champions Vera Campbell , founder of Vera R. Campbell Foundation and former president of KWDZ Manufacturing, LLC founder of Vera R. Campbell Foundation and former president of KWDZ Manufacturing, LLC Jacky Dilfer , executive director of Business Finance Capital executive director of Business Finance Capital Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Michael Dolphin , former division chief, Los Angeles Ventura Workforce Services Division of the State of California's Employment Development Department former division chief, Ventura Workforce Services Division of the Employment Development Department Richard Gomez , CEO of Total Corporate Solutions , CEO of Total Corporate Solutions Bob Smiland, former CEO of Inner-City Arts and entrepreneur former CEO of Inner-City Arts and entrepreneur Heriberto Gonzalez , alumni representative of Youth Champions, student at USC Visit www.youth-champions.org or contact [email protected] for more information or to get involved. About Youth Champions: Youth Champions, established in 2017, is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved high school students in Los Angeles with essential life skills through a paid personal development internship. Having served more than 1,000 students from 61 high schools, Youth Champions is committed to fostering a responsible, capable, and empowered generation to achieve all of their goals. SOURCE Youth Champions Trusted Vehicle Appearance and Protection Service Franchise Adds Locations in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania TROY, Mich., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ziebart, the worldwide leader in premium automotive appearance and protection services, has propelled its way into the new year announcing three new deals to expand its services to new markets across the country. The 65-year-old company will soon be assisting vehicle owners in Washington, PA, Ruskin, FL, as well as in Phoenix, AZ, tightening its grip as the leader in rustproofing and auto detailing services. The Washington, PA location is being opened by the entrepreneurial brother duo Nick and Mark Lambie, who have previously opened a Ziebart location in their hometown of Morgantown, WV. Nick Lambie, a former U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant, first opened the Morgantown store with his brother in 2019. Following their success at home, the two are expanding their services an hour north on I-79 to Washington to service an entire new market's worth of vehicles with their expertise. "This is an exciting opportunity for us and for Ziebart overall. The average household in Washington has two cars, which is above the national average, and we know people want to take care of them the right way, so we're here to help," said Nick Lambie. "My brother and I are thrilled to expand our family business into a new community that will benefit from the trusted services we provide." In Florida, Ziebart's new shop in Ruskin marks a milestone as the brand breaks into the Tampa market for the first time. Set to introduce Ziebart's services to the Ruskin community are local entrepreneurs and couple Raymond and Wysteria Austin. Wysteria is a nurse and Raymond is a veteran in the automotive industry, spending time with GMC before deciding to own a business together to help care for vehicles in their community. The Phoenix location will also mark the first Ziebart store in the Valley of the Sun. At the helm of the deal is the veteran franchising group, DEF Protect Corp., who aim to protect vehicles from the harsh sun and desert wind that puts vehicles at risk for shorter lifespans in Arizona. Thomas A. Wolfe, President and CEO of Ziebart International Corporation, said these new deals are important pieces to help the brand expand its footprint domestically. Between multi-unit franchisee operators for Ziebart and first-time business owners, Wolfe trusts the brand will find success in these populous markets. "As demand for automotive aftercare services continues to skyrocket, Ziebart will continue to award agreements to those looking to add our 65-year-old expertise to liven the vehicles in these distinct communities," Wolfe said. "We're thrilled to continue to bring more communities complete vehicle protection solutions from coast to coast and beyond." For more information on Ziebart's franchising opportunities, visit ziebart.com/franchise-opportunities. About Ziebart Founded in 1959, Ziebart International Corporation is the worldwide leader in premium automotive appearance and protection services that extend the life of vehicles. Ziebart operates over 400 locations, with 1,300 service centers, in 37 countries. Ziebart continues to grow and offers domestic and international franchising opportunities, a best-in-class investment for qualified prospects. For more information about Ziebart including franchise opportunities, please visit www.ziebart.com . SOURCE Ziebart SHANGHAI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On 23 January 2024, ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK:2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company"), a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China, held its National Network Conference at its headquarters in Shanghai. The conference aimed to fully implement the spirit of the 2024 National Postal Management Work Conference by the State Post Bureau. During the conference, the Company summarized and reviewed its achievements in 2023, outlined key work tasks for 2024, unified thinking, strengthened confidence, and clarified goals, developing a joint force to promote the high-quality development of ZTO's network. The chairman, Meisong LAI, pointed out in the work report that in 2023, ZTO achieved parcel volume of 30.2 billion, representing a year-on-year growth of 23.8%. The Company achieved a market share of 22.9%, further widening its lead. ZTO has consistently adhered to its strategic goal of balanced development, with emphasis on long-term growth and focus on its own strengths and steady progress. As a result, the Company has achieved excellent results in "stable business growth and improved quality and efficiency". The conference also outlined the overall work approach and key tasks for the Company in 2024. It is emphasized that the Company should comprehensively implement the spirit of the National Postal Management Work Conference, integrate "development" and "security", and promote the realization of various work objectives in a down-to-earth manner, with key focus on "prioritizing safety, enhancing capabilities, strengthening services, improving efficiency, ensuring transparency, activating potential, promoting collaboration, implementing plans, strengthening last-mile delivery, and building a strong team". Chairman Meisong LAI emphasized that the Chinese express delivery market has good size, potential and prospect, and ZTO should boast its five advantages in scale, cost, foundation, brand and network. In light of the ongoing industry transformation from high-volume development to high-quality development, from single express delivery to integrated logistics, and from traditional factor-driven to innovation-driven, ZTO should aim to excel in the three growth curves, namely, strengthening its core business, expanding its ecology and building its channels. The whole ZTO network should strengthen its belief in development, enhance its self-confidence in progress and boost its determination to implement plans and enable all the business participants including outlets and couriers on the ZTO platform to have a greater sense of gain, belonging and happiness. About ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO and SEHK:2057) ("ZTO" or the "Company") is a leading and fast-growing express delivery company in China. ZTO provides express delivery service as well as other value-added logistics services through its extensive and reliable nationwide network coverage in China. ZTO operates a highly scalable network partner model, which the Company believes is best suited to support the significant growth of e-commerce in China. The Company leverages its network partners to provide pickup and last-mile delivery services, while controlling the mission-critical line-haul transportation and sorting network within the express delivery service value chain. For more information, please visit http://zto.investorroom.com. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward-looking" statements pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "aims," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "likely to," and other similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts, including but not limited to statements about ZTO's beliefs, plans, and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in ZTO's filings with the SEC and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and ZTO does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +86 21 5980 4508 SOURCE ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. LOHNE, Germany, and NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- zvoove, the leading software provider for the temporary staffing and cleaning industries in Europe, is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Planbition, a highly flexible workforce management solution. This strategic move further solidifies zvoove's commitment to offering cutting-edge and innovative solutions to the temporary staffing industry. Planbition is the leading, cloud-based workforce management solution in the Netherlands, serving customers such as YoungCapital, Olympia, Timing, Actief Werkt!, and Adecco worldwide. For many Fortune 500 companies, as well as smaller corporates, Planbition is the core platform for managing both their internal and external workforce. Customers use Planbition for planning and scheduling, time registration, as well as employee and customer self-service. The software seamlessly connects with any other ERP, payroll, and invoice platforms via standard APIs and interfaces. By integrating Planbition into its solution portfolio, zvoove strengthens its existing end-to-end software platforms, providing customers with additional competitive advantages by streamlining and digitizing processes in planning and scheduling their internal and external workforce. With Pivoton, HelloFlex, RecruitNow, and now Planbition, zvoove has established the unrivaled number one front-to-back offering for the Dutch temp staffing industry. zvoove CEO, Oliver Muhr, expresses his enthusiasm for the acquisition, stating, "We are thrilled to welcome Planbition to zvoove. Planbition's industry-leading solution, marquee customer base, and its focus on customer success align perfectly with our mission to provide cutting-edge end-to-end solutions to the temp staffing industry. With this acquisition, we will ultimately be able to offer all of our zvoove customers the leading workforce management and planning solution in all countries where zvoove operates." Planbition's founder, Albert Schlangen, also shares his excitement about joining forces with zvoove, saying, "We are super excited to become part of zvoove. This transaction will enable us to expand our reach and ensure that our leading workforce management solution is utilized to its full potential worldwide. We look forward to contributing to zvoove's continued success in the temp staffing market and are excited to join zvoove's club of entrepreneurs with its cutting-edge solutions." Paul van den Bosch, CEO of Pivoton, adds: "We have been working with Albert and his team for a long time to serve mutual customers, and Planbition is at the core of their operations. Adding Planbition to our offering in the Dutch market fulfills another important step in our mission to provide the leading end-to-end proposition to temp staffing agencies in the Netherlands." Planbition has customers across 16 countries, and the acquisition will additionally see Planbition's product portfolio being offered in all European markets. SOURCE zvoove Group GmbH Mohamed Muizzu attends the oath-taking ceremony at the Republic Square in Male, Maldives, Nov. 17, 2023. (People's Majlis/Handout via Xinhua) "China is and will continue to be a key partner in the social and economic development of the Maldives." MALE, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has said he intends to promote economic, trade, tourism, investment and cultural cooperation with China during his state visit to the country starting on Monday. "China is and will continue to be a key partner in the social and economic development of the Maldives," the Maldivian president told Xinhua in a written interview before leaving for China. He added that the Maldives-China relationship is based on mutual respect, mutual trust and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, which are key international principles on which the global economic and political order is built and sustained. With the trip being his first visit to China as the president, Muizzu said he expects a renewed investment in the relationship, a renewed hope in the partnership, and a renewed and reinvigorated collaboration in the joint pursuit of improving the welfare of both peoples. Aerial photo taken on Sept. 1, 2019 shows the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge in Maldives. (Photo by Wang Mingliang/Xinhua) "Trade between our countries is growing rapidly. We wish to expand and accelerate it further," said the Maldivian president, adding that tourist arrivals from China are on a rapid upward trend following the resumption of outward travel from China. Muizzu said Belt and Road projects are vital to transforming his country's economic development. The president noted that the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge has connected separate landmasses and also people, allowing for expanded economic activities. 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 Kiev, Jan 23 : Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky here discussed defence aid and bilateral cooperation with visiting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Presidential press service reported. After the meeting, Zelensky described the negotiations as "very productive". "There is a new form of our cooperation, which is aimed at a larger scale of arms purchases for Ukrainian needs: the Polish loan for Ukraine," Zelensky said on Monday. He added that the prospects for future joint arms production were discussed at the talks, Xinhua news agency reported. They also discussed the situation on their joint border, energy sector cooperation and investment collaboration. Tusk arrived in Kiev earlier on Monday. Tel Aviv, Jan 23 : The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced the death of three of its officers as fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas terrorists intensified in the Khan Younis region of southern Gaza, an IDF official said. The deceased are identified as Major David Nati Alfasi, 27, a deputy battalion commander from Beersheba, Major Ilay Levy, 24, a company commander from Tel Aviv, and Captain Eyal Mevorach Twito, 22, a platoon commander from Beit Gamliel. IDF in a statement said that the three soldiers were killed in an RPG attack on the building where they were present. Palestinian health authorities said that at least 50 Palestinians were killed in the fighting at the Khan Younis area. As fighting intensified in Khan Younis area, people are evacuating in large numbers from the place and moving down south into Rafah, the southernmost city of Gaza. More than two million people are reportedly now in Rafah area following displacement due to heavy Israeli bombings. The IDF has also said that it knows about the large civilian presence in the area and that its action against the Hamas terrorists will be keeping this factor in mind. The Israel Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, had said on Sunday that IDF would intensify its attack on Khan Younis area where the two topmost military leaders of Hamas -- Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar -- are reportedly hiding surrounded by Israeli hostages. Four of a family die after inhaling 'angithi' smoke in Delhi. Image Source: IANS News Kanpur, Jan 23 : An elderly couple and their son died after they inhaled smoke from a makeshift fireplace in their home in the Juhi locality of Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur. The police said that the cause of death was asphyxiation. Puran Chand Sharma, 80, his wife Mithlesh Sharma, 78, and their son Narendra Sharma, 52, died in their sleep after they left the fire burning throughout the night. They were discovered motionless in the morning on Monday after which family members rushed them to a hospital where they were declared dead on arrival. Two others who were also in the room, Nimisha, 20, and Dhruv, 18, were also hospitalised. The elderly couple's younger son Sudhir said the condition of Nimisha and Dhruv was stable. "The fire was left burning at the insistence of parents who needed its warmth due to the cold," he said. DCP South Ravindra Kumar said a forensic team was examining the incident site. Lucknow, Jan 23 : All private, Anglo-Indian, and missionary schools in Lucknow will remain closed on Tuesday as a mark of respect to noted educationist and founder of the City Montessori chain of schools, Jagdish Gandhi, who is no more. Gandhi had been struggling with health issues for the last 25 days and was in the intensive care unit where he breathed his last on Monday. He was 88. "This is an immense loss. The condolences of the people associated with the education world are with the bereaved family," said president of the Unaided Private School Association Anil Agarwal, announcing closure of all schools. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also condoled the death of Gandhi and prayed for peace to the departed soul. Apart from being a renowned educationist running the largest chain of schools, Gandhi was also a former president of Lucknow University Studentsa University (1958-59), served as an independent member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Sikandra Rao constituency from 1969 to 1974 and served as a prominent leader of Baha'i community. He is survived by his wife Bharti Gandhi and four children Nita Gandhi Forouhi, Geeta Gandhi Kingdon, Sunita Gandhi and Vinay Gandhi. Born on November 10, 1936, in Barsauli Village, Sikandra Rao, Aligarh, his father Phool Chand Agarwal was a Lekhpal and his mother Bansmati Devi was a homemaker. Moved by the death of Mahatma Gandhi, a young Jagdish Agarwal decided to change his name to Jagdish Gandhi and follow the path of the father of the nation throughout his life. He did his schooling in Aligarh and Mathura and completed his B.Com from Lucknow University in 1959. The same year, he opened the City Montessori School at Station Road with just five students. Gradually, the school went on to become an institution with maximum number of branches. With 22,612 pupils, the school made its way into the Guinness Book of World Records as the worldas largest school in 1999. Presently, the school has 21 branches and nearly 62,000 students. It has also won 'distinctive school' award by the 2002 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education in recognition of its efforts to promote universal values of education for peace and tolerance. Toronto, Jan 23 : The Canadian government has announced a two-year cap on new study permits for international students, which is expected to result in approximately 3,60,000 approved study permits this year -- a 35 per cent reduction from 2023. Asserting that international students enrich their communities, Immigration Minister Marc Miller made the announcement on Monday as the government faced backlash after their growing influx in recent years exacerbated the country's housing crisis. "I announced a two-year cap on new study permits starting in 2024. This is expected to result in approx 360,000 approved study permits this year, and will be allocated to provinces and territories to distribute among their DLIs (Designated learning institutions)," Miller wrote on X. The development came as the number of international students in Canada crossed one million mark, with Indians leading the pack, accounting for 215,190 out of the 579,075 permits issued till November 2023. Miller stated that to ensure the integrity of the programme and uphold the academic experience, Canada will continue to implement reforms, and the number of permits to be issued in 2025 will be reassessed at the end of this year. Miller said that by imposing the cap, the government is taking action against some small private colleges taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses and charging high tuition fees. The minister further said that from September, Canada will no longer issue post-graduate work permits (PGWPs) to students studying under curriculum licensing arrangements. "These programmes are notorious for lacking oversight and do not provide the quality academic experience that Canada is renowned for," Miller said. In the coming weeks, the country will no longer issue work permits to spouses of international students, apart from those in master's and doctoral programmes, the minister added. Earlier, it was announced that from this year, students will have to show at least in their CA$20,635 account on top of their one-year tuition fees, and if they bring one family member, they will need to show an additional CA$4,000. To get a study visa to Canada, a student currently needs to show $10,000 in his or her account to cover the initial cost of living. International students contribute about CA$22 billion ($16.4 billion) annually to the Canadian economy. TikTok plans to ban links to e-commerce websites such as Amazon: Report. Image Source: IANS News San Francisco, Jan 23 : Chinese short-video making app TikTok has joined the Big Tech layoffs, asking a certain number of employees to go to reduce costs. The job cuts happened mostly in the sales and advertising division, according to a company spokesperson. The affected employees worked in Los Angeles, New York, Austin and some at global locations, reports NPR, which said 60 employees were being asked to go. However, other reports mentioned "at least" 100 workers were laid off at TikTok. TikTok was set to organise a town-hall meeting in the wake of the layoff announcement, the report mentioned. TikTok has about 7,000 employees in the US, and has more than 150 million active users in the country. The move follows a string of job cuts from other tech companies this year, including Google, Amazon, Unity, and Discord. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has reportedly warned employees to brace themselves for more job cuts this year. YouTube is also reportedly laying off at least 100 employees from its creator management and operations teams. Nearly 62 tech companies have laid off more than 10,000 employees this year. Tech companies, including startups, around the world fired more than 425,000 employees in 2022 and 2023, with more than 36,000 employees being sacked in India in the same time frame. Why Iran is feeling 'victorious' on its entry in the BRICS. Image Source: IANS News Tehran, Jan 23 : Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi will visit Ankara on Wednesday for eighth meeting of Iran-Turkiye Supreme Council of Economic Cooperation, the state-media reported. Raisi, accompanied by a high-ranking political and economic delegation, will be visiting Ankara at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported. Both the leaders are scheduled to hold a joint press conference. During his visit, President Raisi is also scheduled to visit Turkish businessmen and Iranian expatriates. Akshay Oberoi: Deepika is one of the most thorough professionals. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actor Akshay Oberoi, who is set to feature alongside Deepika Padukone in 'Fighter' after 'Piku', has expressed his admiration for the star's professionalism. Akshay said: "Working with Deepika Padukone is always a pleasure. She is one of the most thorough professionals I have ever had the opportunity to collaborate with." "From our time on 'Piku' to now in 'Fighter,' nothing has changed. Her commitment to her craft and the collaborative spirit she brings to the set is truly commendable," shared Akshay. Directed by Siddharth Anand, 'Fighter' features an ensemble cast, including Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, and Karan Singh Grover, alongside Akshay and Deepika. The film is a gripping tale of Airforce pilots and is slated for release on January 25, promising an exhilarating cinematic experience. 'Fighter' brings together a stellar lineup of actors portraying Airforce pilots, adding a dynamic layer to the narrative. Akshay expressed excitement about the project, stating: "Being a part of 'Fighter' has been an incredible journey. Working alongside such talented individuals, including Hrithik Roshan, Anil Kapoor, Karan Singh Grover, and of course, Deepika Padukone, has been a privilege. "Siddharth Anand has crafted an engaging storyline that I believe will resonate with audiences." New Delhi, Jan 23 : Artificial intelligence (AI) is here and when it comes to devices around us, the role of this new technology to boost productivity, creativity and overall daily-life experiences is now being explored by various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). For the record, Samsung has taken a leap with its new 'Galaxy AI phones'. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) Artificial intelligence (AI) is here and when it comes to devices around us, the role of this new technology to boost productivity, creativity and overall daily-life experiences is now being explored by various original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). For the record, Samsung has taken a leap with its new aGalaxy AI phonesa. From breaking language barriers with AI-driven text and call translations to maximising creativity with its aProVisual Enginea that comes with AI-powered tools for images, the new Galaxy S24 Ultra has gone beyond incremental changes we have been witnessing in premium smartphones lately. With the gesture-driven aCircle to Searcha feature with Google, the company has transformed the way online searches for shopping, travel and other tasks are done. It is heartening to see that the Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 6.8-inch flatter display has turned its focus back on the phoneas most fundamental role: communication. With the aLive Translatea feature, you can chat with another student or colleague from abroad without any language concern. You can book an Uber or a dinner reservation at your favourite restaurant while on vacation in another country where language can be a problem. The aLive Translatea is a two-way, real-time voice and text translations of phone calls within the native app. No third-party apps are required, and on-device AI keeps conversations completely private, according to Samsung. Galaxy S24 series marks a milestone in the history of search as the first phone to debut intuitive, gesture-driven aCircle to Searcha with Google. With a long press on the home button, you can circle, highlight, scribble on or tap anything on Galaxy S24 Ultraas screen to see helpful, high-quality search results. If you see a friend wearing a stunning jacket, you can just focus on the jacket, use the aCircle to Searcha feature and the AI-driven search will offer multiple options when to buy that jacket from online, without having to leave the app. Depending on your location, for certain searches, generative AI-powered overviews can provide helpful information and context pulled together from across the web, and you can ask more complex and nuanced questions. With the aInterpretera feature, live conversations can be instantly translated on a split-screen view so people standing opposite each other can read a text transcription of what the other person has said. The feature even works without cellular data or Wi-Fi. For messages and other apps, the aChat Assista feature can help perfect conversational tones to ensure communication sounds as it was intended: like a polite message to a coworker or a short and catchy phrase for a social media caption. AI built into Samsung Keyboard can also translate messages in real time in 13 languages. The Indian organisations will also get a big boost with aNote Assista in Samsung Notes, featuring AI-generated summaries, template creation that streamlines notes with pre-made formats and cover creation to make notes easy to spot with a brief preview. For voice recordings, when there are multiple speakers, the aTranscript Assista feature uses AI and speech-to-text technology to transcribe, summarise and even translate recordings. The Galaxy S24 Ultra is equipped with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform. The device offers superior usability and faster and smoother gameplay, alongside the Ray tracing module for a more immersive gaming experience. Galaxy S24 Ultra design utilised titanium for the first time for a premium feel and enhanced durability. The thinnest model yet, the device features a flat front edge display compatible with the S Pen and a more vivid and durable screen with even bezels. Now comes to the camera. The aProVisual Enginea is a comprehensive suite of AI-powered tools that transforms image capturing abilities and maximises creative freedom, taking care of shaky, pixelated images taken from far away. Galaxy S24 Ultraas Quad Tele System, with new 5x optical zoom lens, works with the 50MP sensor to enable optical-quality performance at zoom levels from 2x, 3x, 5x to 10x10 magnification, thanks to Adaptive Pixel Sensor. Images also show crystal clear results at 100x with enhanced digital zoom. With upgraded Nightography capabilities, you will find that photos and videos shot on Galaxy S24 Ultraas Space Zoom are brilliant in any condition, even when zoomed in. You will also be able to capture more light in dim conditions with Galaxy S24 Ultraas larger pixel size, now 1.4 micrometre, which is 60 per cent bigger compared to S23 Ultra. Blur is reduced on Galaxy S24 Ultra with wider optical image stabiliser (OIS) angles and enhanced hand-shake compensation. When recording videos, both front and rear cameras are equipped with aDedicated ISP Blocka for noise reduction. To give you even more creative freedom, aGenerative Edita can fill in parts of an image background with generative AI. When a picture is crooked, AI will fill in the borders. When an object needs to be slightly moved to be in the perfect position, AI will let you adjust the position of the subject and generate a perfectly blended background in its original spot. For gamers, Galaxy S24 Ultra offers an optimal thermal control system with a 1.9 times larger vapour chamber, improving device surface temperature. The Corning Gorilla Armor display is optically enhanced and demonstrates superior durability against damage caused by everyday scratches. In India, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra in Titanium Gray, Titanium Violet and Titanium Black colours starts from Rs 129,999 (12GB+256GB variant). The 12GB+512GB variant costs Rs 139,999 and 12GB+1TB model of Galaxy S24 Ultra will come at Rs 159,999. In India, customers pre-booking Galaxy S24 Ultra get benefits worth Rs 22,000 and the effective price can go pretty low with device upgrade and other offers. Conclusion: In a saturated smartphone market, Galaxy S24 Ultra promises fresh air, with practical, real-life use cases of AI that will make your life easy. Remember: The primary use of a smartphone is to communicate and Galaxy S24 Ultra does exactly that with the help of AI, in a much smarter way. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Two men were arrested from Jharkhand for duping several people on pretext of customer care services by running advertisements on Google, a Delhi Police official said on Tuesday. The fraudsters were identified as Mustaqeem Ansari (31), and Md. Rizwan Ansari (26) -- both residents of Deoghar district, Jharkhand. According to police, an FIR was registered last year on August 9 after Rajana Kaul, a resident of Vasant Kunj, alleged that she searched the customer care number of Punjab National Bank on Google and she called on the alleged mobile number mentioned on the website. "The alleged person advised her to download Rust Desk App and took access of her phone and account related information. Later, a total amount of Rs 5,45,000 was debited from her Canara bank account," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest), Rohit Meena. During investigation, beneficiary details of alleged transactions were sought from the concerned banks and analysed. "On analysis, it was found that the cheated money from all beneficiary bank accounts was withdrawn from the ATMs in Deoghar. A total money trail of Rs 15 lakhs was found in alleged bank accounts and on checking on NCRP, total eight complaints were found linked to alleged calling number," said the DCP. On the basis of technical surveillance, Mustaqeem and Rizwan were arrested from Deoghar. "Mustaqeem and Rizwan came in contact with one fraudster Md. Irfan Ansari and started cyber fraud on the pretext of customer care services by running ads on Google. They purchased bank accounts from different states and withdrew the cheated amount from ATMs in Deoghar, Jharkhand," said the DCP. Mumbai, Jan 23 : The newly wed couple of Bollywood -- Randeep Hooda and Lin Laishram, who attended the pran pratishtha ceremony of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, have shared glimpses from the occasion, smiling joyfully for the cameras. Randeep and Lin were also seen sharing a selfie with Bollywood's one of the most beautiful actress Madhuri Dixit and her husband Shriram Madhav Nene. In the photos, the lovebirds can be seen dressed in beautiful ethnic attires. The 'Sarbjit' fame actor opted for a silver kurta, and a multi-coloured shawl to beat the cold. His wife Lin looked gorgeous in a red saree with golden motifs on it, and carried a matching shawl. Lin, who is known for her work in 'Jaane Jaan' tied her hair in a bun, opted for green accessories, red lips, matching bindi, and sindoor. She completed the outfit with a small clutch. The couple can be seen posing against the backdrop of the Ram Temple, and are all smiles for the cameras. The string of photos features a selfie with Madhuri and her husband. Madhuri is wearing a yellow saree, with golden blouse. She kept her makeup minimal, and opted for jhumkas. The other photos shows different glimpses of the Ram Temple. The post had a tune of the track 'Ram Siya Ram'. It was captioned as: "Ram Lalla aa gaye hain". Randeep and Lin got married in a traditional Meitei ceremony in the presence of family members and a few friends on November 29, 2023 in Imphal, Manipur. Meanwhile, on the professional front, Randeep next has 'Swatantrya Veer Savarkar', and 'Unfair & Lovely' in the pipeline. Lin next has 'Bun Tikki' in her kitty. London, Jan 23 : Premier League leaders Liverpool have confirmed that Mohamed Salah's hamstring injury suffered at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is more serious than first thought, with the player's agent saying the Egyptian could be ruled out for "21-28 days". The forward sustained an injury during the first half of his nation's group-stage fixture against Ghana last Thursday at the Africa Cup of Nations and was initially ruled out for just two games. But Salah will now return to Liverpool on Wednesday to begin an intensive rehabilitation programme with Liverpoolas medical team on the muscle injury he sustained last week, a statement on the club website said. "The injury, which is worse than first feared, forced the forward from the field in the first half of the Africa Cup of Nations fixture with Ghana and an agreement has been reached with the Egyptian FA for Salah to undergo treatment in Liverpool," it added. Earlier, Salah's agent Ramy Abbas Issa posted in a statement on social media that his client was set to be out of action for up to four weeks. "Mohammedas injury is more serious than first thought and he will be out for 21-28 days, and not 2 games. His best chance at participating in the current AFCON is by undergoing intensive rehabilitation in the UK and rejoining the team as soon as he is fit," Abbas wrote in X post. The statement further read: "Salah will immediately begin work with the clubas medical staff upon his return to Merseyside with a view to being back in action as soon as possible for club and country, giving him the best chance to return to compete at AFCON if Egypt, who qualified for the knockout stage with a 2-2 draw against Cape Verde tonight, continue to advance in the tournament." New Delhi, Jan 23 : The recently concluded Uttarakhand Global Investors Summit held in Dehradun saw major companies like ITC, Adani Group, JSW, Patanjali and Emaar India announce strategic investment proposals. In line with this, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had urged ITC, one of Indiaas top business conglomerates, to explore investment opportunities in Uttarakhand. However, according to media reports, Uttarakhand may have to stave off competition from Telangana for the paper and pulp project. Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is reportedly wooing ITC to invest in Telangana instead of Uttarakhand by taking over the struggling Kamalapuram Pulp Mill, currently owned by Ballarpur Industries Limited. The Telangana government is also reportedly offering an extremely attractive package to ensure a viable project to revive the Ballarpur Mill as the newly elected government seeks to boost employment opportunities in Telangana. ITC officials remain tight-lipped about the situation and have not shared any information related to the project. ITCas proposal has progressed to the Chief Secretaryas office and State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited. Multiple rounds of negotiations have already taken place between the officials of both parties. Concerned authorities are actively evaluating the projectas viability to ensure its sustainability. ITC is the countryas leading player in the segment. Its Bhadrachalam facility is today the largest integrated pulp and paper plant in the country. It commenced operations in 1979 with a capacity of 0.4 lakh Metric Ton (MT) per annum and today manufactures 8 lakh MT per annum of paper & paperboard and 6 lakh MT per annum of pulp. The plant employs more than 6000 (direct + indirect) people and supports further indirect employment of around 5000 through 25 ancillary MSMEs/transporters in the area. It has transformed the socio-economic scenario of the region. ITC's investment in establishing a paper unit in Uttarakhand is poised to serve as a catalyst for significant socio-economic development in the region. The infusion of financial resources and technological expertise by ITC into this venture is anticipated to create a ripple effect across various sectors, fostering job creation, skill development and economic empowerment for the local population. The ITC project is also likely to create a robust ecosystem, engaging local suppliers, businesses and communities. Moreover, ITC's commitment to sustainable practices and adherence to global standards will likely set a benchmark for environmentally responsible industrial operations in Uttarakhand. Mumbai, Jan 23 : In the latest episode of 'Bigg Boss 17', Vicky Jain was seen telling Ankita Lokhande, he will make up with her and went down on his knees to apologise to his wife amid the media interaction in the house. Vicky and Ankita were asked if they plan to seek couple therapy post the show. He even said: "Therapy yehin hain, I am going to just say sorry to her. I am sorry Manku, please forgive me for my mistakes." "I would like to mention one thing that when you are locked inside the house for so many days, you don't realise your mistakes. In the outside world also only we two stay together with each other and there is no one to make us realise our fights. This is the first time in 100 days that so many people are telling me the same thing and asking me the same question, which makes me realise that I was doing a few things which I shouldn't have done." "I am not that person and I have stood by Ankita everywhere with a proud feeling of being her husband." "I am so thankful that I am on this show only because of her." Amaravati, Jan 23 : In another jolt to Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) ahead of forthcoming elections, Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu on Tuesday resigned from the party as well as the MP post. Amaravati, Jan 23 (IANS) In another jolt to Andhra Pradeshas ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) ahead of forthcoming elections, Narasaraopet MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu on Tuesday resigned from the party as well as the MP post. He announced that he has resigned from the primary membership of the party and from Lok Sabha membership in view of the recent developments in the party. Devarayalu said a situation of uncertainty had set in into YSRCP and clarified that he was not responsible for the same. He also noted that the party was mulling to field some other leader as the candidate in the forthcoming elections. Recalling that he was elected with a huge majority in the previous election, he claimed that he did his best for the development of the constituency. He is the third MP of the ruling party to announce exit in the last 15 days. He is likely to join the Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Earlier, Kurnool MP Sanjeev Kumar and Machilipatnam MP Vallabhaneni Balashowry had quit the party. Balashowry has announced his decision to join Jana Sena Party of actor politician Pawan Kalyan. The changes made by YSRCP president and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to the in-charges of Parliament and Assembly constituencies have triggered a spate of resignations from the ruling party. Simultaneous elections to Andhra Pradesh Assembly and Lok Sabha are likely to be held in April-May. In 2019, YSRCP had bagged 151 seats in the 175-member Assembly and won 22 out of 25 Lok Sabha seats. Seoul, Jan 23 : At least 227 stores have been gutted after a fire broke out in in a traditional market in South Korea's Seocheon county, local media reported. The blaze, which broke out at 11:08 p.m. on Monday, was put out at 7:55 a.m this morning, by pressing 361 firefighters and 45 fire engines into service, The Korea Times reported quoting Yonhap news agency. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Melbourne, Jan 23 : Coco Gauff survived a rollercoaster 7-6(8-6), 6-7(3-7), 6-2 battle against Marta Kostyuk to sail through to the semifinals of the Australian Open for the first time in her career on Tuesday. By defeating her Ukrainian foe, Gauff, is now two wins away from becoming the first player since Naomi Osaka to win the US Open-Australian Open double. Despite struggling on serve and with her forehand, Gauff saved two set points as she clawed her way back from a 1-5 deficit in the opening set. The 19-year-old American served for the match a 5-3 in the second but was foiled as her determined opponent slammed a pair of backhand winners en route to recapturing the break. But she regrouped with a strong start in the third set and hardly looked back to eventually take victory in 3 hours and 8 minutes in warm conditions at Rod Laver Arena. Kostyuk, the world No.37, produced 39 winners to Gauffas 17, but was weighed down by 56 unforced errors. The world No.4, who defended the ASB Classic title in Auckland earlier this month, is on a 10-0 unbeaten streak in 2024. Overall, Gauff is through to the third Grand Slam semifinal of her career, and they've come at three different majors. She's 2-0 in her previous two, having reached the final at Roland Garros in 2022 before winning the US Open last year. The one missing from her set is Wimbledon, where she famously reached the fourth round on her debut as a 15-year-old in 2019. Kolkata, Jan 23 : Before the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, the higher authorities of Kolkata Police have transferred as many as 55 inspector-level officers at one go. Among those 55 officers, 45 have been posted as officer-in-charge of different police stations under different divisions of the city police, according to a notification on Tuesday morning. Simultaneously, the West Bengal Police too have announced a massive overhaul in the base-level officers in the ranks of sub-inspectors. As many as 297 officers in the rank of sub-inspectors have been transferred from the different police stations under the jurisdiction of different police authorities to those under the different police commiserates in the state. An official from the state police directorate said that this was the biggest transfer of officers in the ranks of inspectors and sub-inspectors in the recent past. Although officially the state government is describing the transfer as route one, sources in the state administration said most of them had been in their earlier postings for a period of three years or more. "If the state government had not transferred them, the Election Commission of India would have ordered their transfer before the Lok Sabha polls. As per norms before any Lok Sabha or state Assembly election, any government official serving in a chair for a period of three years or more has to be transferred," a state government official explained. In the recent past, Rajeev Kumar was appointed as the acting director general of the state police following the retirement of his predecessor Manoj Malviya. It followed the transfer of some key Indian Police Service (IPS) officers both in West Bengal Police as well as in Kolkata Police New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought Delhi Police's reply on appeals by four men, convicted in the 2008 murder case of TV journalist Soumya Vishwanathan, challenging a trial court's order holding them guilty and sentencing them to life imprisonment. The Saket court had, in November, sentenced Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Baljeet Malik, and Ajay Kumar, convicted to life imprisonment, while the fifth convict, Ajay Sethi, was sentenced to three years imprisonment. Last week, Malik and Shukla had filed appeals through advocate Amit Kumar against the trial courtas October 18, 2023, judgement convicting them and November 25, 2023 sentencing. They had also sought suspension of sentence during the pendency of appeals. On Tuesday, the court also asked the authorities to file a reply to the convictsa interim application seeking suspension of their sentence, and posted it for hearing on February 12. Recently, the high court had also rejected the parole plea of Kapoor. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma had dismissed the plea considering Kapoor's extensive criminal record, the severity of the offences, and his conduct within the jail premises. Kapoor had sought parole for four weeks, citing family ties and a knee surgery. The court, however, said that he failed to provide any supporting documents for the surgery claim and noted his habitual offender status, being involved in about 20 criminal cases from 2002 to 2010. While convicting the accused, the court had said that the offence does not fall in the category of "rarest of rare" cases, and had refused to grant the request for the death penalty. Kapoor, Shukla, Kumar, and Malik were convicted under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) provisions and Sethi for receiving stolen property. The police had attributed the motive for her killing to robbery, and had invoked the stringent MCOCA against the accused. On September 30, 2008, Vishwanathan was shot dead on the Nelson Mandela Marg while returning home from work in her car. Malik, Kapoor, and Shukla were previously convicted in the 2009 killing of IT executive Jigisha Ghosh. For Ghosh's murder, the trial court sentenced Kapoor and Shukla to death and awarded a life term to Malik. Subsequently, in the following year, the high court commuted the death sentences of Kapoor and Shukla to life imprisonment while upholding Malik's life term in the Ghosh murder case. London, Jan 23 : A warming Earth and increase in human activity like shipping, mining may soon release ancient zombie viruses trapped in permafrost in Siberia, triggering a new pandemic, warns a study. Known for years as 'Methuselah microbes', the viruses have stayed dormant in permafrost for tens of thousands of years, but carry the risk of propagating and spreading diseases. With 2023 being the warmest year on record, the risk of permafrost thawing and eventually releasing the zombie viruses is higher than ever, said researchers from the Aix-Marseille University in the south of France. "At the moment, analyses of pandemic threats focus on diseases that might emerge in southern regions and then spread north," said geneticist Jean-Michel Claverie, a geneticist from the varsity, was quoted as saying to the Guardian. "By contrast, little attention has been given to an outbreak that might emerge in the far north and then travel south -- and that is an oversight, I believe. There are viruses up there that have the potential to infect humans and start a new disease outbreak." Agreeing to this, virologist Marion Koopmans of the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam said: "We don't know what viruses are lying out there in the permafrost but I think there is a real risk that there might be one capable of triggering a disease outbreak -- say of an ancient form of polio". "We have to assume that something like this could happen," she was quoted as saying. Permafrost covers a fifth of the northern hemisphere and is made up of soil that has been kept at temperatures below zero for long periods. Some layers have remained frozen for hundreds of thousands of years, scientists have discovered. "The crucial point about permafrost is that it is cold, dark and lacks oxygen, which is perfect for preserving biological material," Claverie was quoted as saying to the Observer. He said that the disappearance of Arctic sea ice, caused by global warming, posed a massive risk to human health. "That is allowing increases in shipping, traffic and industrial development in Siberia. Huge mining operations are being planned, and are going to drive vast holes into the deep permafrost to extract oil and ores. "Those operations will release vast amounts of pathogens that still thrive there. Miners will walk in and breathe the viruses. The effects could be calamitous,' he told the newspaper. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reports that the Arctic's average temperature has already risen at a rate three times higher than the global average, and is the region with the highest rate of average temperature change. Last year, scientists from Russia, Germany and France identified six ancient diseases trapped in permafrost that had the potential to wreak untold havoc on the world. (Do not release) IANS PREMIUM: CURTAIN RAISER 2024 - AI IS HERE TO STAY Firms must balance tech and trust to unlock productivity with GenAI. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Jan 23 : About seven out of 10 CEOs globally are planning to invest in generative artificial intelligence (genAI) this year, a new report said on Tuesday. According to the global software-as-a-service (SaaS) company Netcore Cloud, genAI emerges as a top investment priority, with CEOs foreseeing a tangible payoff within the upcoming three to five years. The report also suggested that consumer preferences are strongly inclined toward short-form video content, and convenient and instant transactions. With 90 per cent of consumers convinced by videos in their product decisions, industry leaders are embracing influencer marketing, leveraging short videos to shine a spotlight on their product line, according to the report. About 89 per cent of consumers revealed that viewing a video has tipped the scales when deciding on a product or service. Moreover, the report noted that users actively explore brands and products on Instagram, making it the platform's second most engaging activity, captivating 62.2 per cent of its users. Similarly, on TikTok, 65 per cent of users rely on online reviews and creator recommendations for informed online purchase decisions. "As we step into a future dominated by AI and automation, understanding these trends is crucial for any marketer looking to make a substantial impact," said Mahesh Narayanan, Chief Marketing Growth Officer at Netcore Cloud. Further, the report mentioned that as user preferences for different channels gain importance, companies embracing robust omnichannel engagement stand to earn up to a 9.5 per cent annual revenue surge. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Veteran Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who recently attended the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of the Ram Mandir, shared pictures from his holy visit on social media. On Tuesday, the senior actor took to his X and shared an array of pictures from the temple premises in Ayodhya. Big B was accompanied by his son and actor Abhishek Bachchan. In one of the pictures, he can be seen standing with folded hands in front of the Ram Lalla idol. He sported a white kurta-pyjama with a shawl wrapped around him. The actor also shared the photos on his blog where he wrote, "A day filled with the relevance of divine spirit... back from the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at Ayodhya... the glory the celebration and the belief of faith... immersed in the reckoning of the TEMPLE at shri Ram's birth... not much can be said beyond this... for faith does not possess description. Can you?" Many stars, including Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Katrina Kaif, Vicky Kaushal and Kangana Ranaut attended the grand temple inauguration. The construction work of the temple is almost complete, several photos from the temple venue have already begun going viral. Meanwhile, on the work front, Big B is gearing up for his pan-India release 'Kalki 2898 AD'. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written a letter to state's Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, asking him to organise an essay competition for students on the rise of fascist forces in the country and the solutions proposed by Mahatma Gandhi. Siddaramaiah has proposed holding the essay competition for students from class 6 upwards, including students in college, post-graduation, and research fellows. Excluding class 10 and 12 students who will be preparing for board exams, he has suggested the topic, 'The concerns of the 21st century and solutions given by Gandhian thoughts'. In a detailed letter, the CM stated, "Seven and a half decades have passed since the killing of Rashtrapita Mahatma Gandhi. Throughout his life, Gandhi Ji practised and preached peace, non-violence, truthfulness, decentralisation, social justice, and other pro-humane stands. He also propagated the inevitability of maintaining diversity and inclusivity. The great personality was killed in a conspiracy. "Even after the killing of Mahatma Gandhi, the nation has, by and large, been practising his principles. But recently, forces that propagate violence and hatred, stress centralisation over decentralisation, and snatch the rights of oppressed groups -- Dalits, women, tribals, farmers, labourers, and youth -- are becoming active. Forces that did not participate at all in the freedom movement and stood against Mahatma Gandhi Ji are trying to come to the forefront," Siddaramaiah said. "Stephen Hawking and other scientists have raised concerns about the elimination of human beings from the planet in the backdrop of environmental crises, artificial intelligence, and the mind-set of enjoying violence. At the same time, languages spoken by a large number of people are swallowing the smaller ones. It is an established fact that if any society is losing its language, it is losing its existence," Karnataka CM stated. "However, Gandhian thoughts have solutions for most issues. In this backdrop, if an essay writing competition on the subject 'The concerns of the 21st Century and solutions given by Gandhian thoughts' is held, it will help students to learn about Gandhi Ji. The competition could be held for students in government, aided, and private schools, colleges, and universities," Siddaramaiah said in the letter. "Action can be taken to give suitable rewards to winners, and participants could be given certificates. I request you to formulate a proper plan for execution in this regard and take necessary action to organise the essay competition by the end of this month," the letter concludes. The development is likely to trigger a debate in Karnataka. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actress Sushmita Sen, who is awaiting the release of the upcoming season of her streaming crime-thriller series 'Aarya', has shared that her titular role in the series gave her a sense of power when she couldn't pick herself up. The International Emmy nominated series follows the journey of its titular character, who is an independent woman putting all her might to protect her family. She joins a mafia gang in order to get revenge for her husband's murder. The trailer of the upcoming season was unveiled on Tuesday, and it shows the narrative getting more intense. It opens with Aarya attempting a suicide with a gun to her head. Talking about her character of Aarya and it has proven to be her strength, Sushmita said: "It all started when Aarya's family was shredded into pieces. Despite the messes and the misses, she rose to become the fearless sherni of the business but now it's beyond just playing a part in this game, it is justice. Despite whatever destiny holds for Aarya Sareen as she makes her fearless attack." The actress further mentioned, "Being Aarya Sareen on screen gave me a sense of power during times when I could not pick myself up. She gave me a new ground to explore as an actor and tune-in my emotional sensibilities and now that she gives her all and sacrifices everything for her family, it all feels more than personal. Aarya's on-screen family is today my off-screen family and will continue to be. This trailer of 'Aarya Antim Vaar' is just a peek into the showdown that Aarya is going to witness and how she meets her destiny with a bang." Creator Ram Madhvani said: " 'Aarya' has been a reflection of the impact the fearless women in my life have had on me. When we first sketched out the character, it was just an idea of a fiery woman taking on the world and owning her choices that were made for her, but Sushmita Sen came onboard and made that figment of our idea into a person who has been loved and appreciated so much in the past years". He added, "As we all prepare for Aarya's antim vaar where all the odds are against her, trying to take her down, I'd like to lay it out to the audience that be ready as all hell is going to break loose and they will witness a ghayal sherni in action like never before. She will do anything to protect her family and will pay the price for it. This is an emotional season, all about sacrifice". Created and co-directed by the ace filmmaker Ram Madhvani and co-produced by Amita Madhavni, Ram Madhvani, Ram Madhvani Films and Endemol Shine India, 'Aarya Antim Vaar' also stars Ila Arun, Sikandar Kher, Indraneil Sengupta, Vikas Kumar, Maya Sarao, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Shweta Pasricha, Viren Vazirani, Pratyaksh Panwar, Aarushi Bajaj, Bhupendra Jadawat and Vishwajeet Pradhan. The upcoming season of 'Aarya' will drop on February 9 on Disney+ Hotstar. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actor Boman Irani, who is known for 'Munna Bhai' franchise, '3 Idiots', 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', and others, will be conferred with a special honour by the British Parliament for his contributions to Indian cinema. The actor has also been invited as a featured speaker at Oxford University and The London School of Economics. Boman will be travelling to London on January 24 with his family for the events. On January 25, he will deliver speeches at the aforementioned venues. With this memorable achievement, Boman has now joined the ranks of esteemed speakers at Oxford, following in the footsteps of Shah Rukh Khan and Shashi Tharoor. Boman expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and honour, as he said: "It's truly humbling to represent India on such esteemed global platforms and receive this recognition. Especially as my family will be present with me to witness this gratifying moment." He added, "I look forward to sharing my life experiences and the wisdom gained throughout my two-decade career with other bright minds there. Taking a piece of India with me, I'm truly grateful for this opportunity." Boman was recently seen in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Dunki' which released last month. The film touches upon the subject of illegal immigration. The two have earlier worked in films like 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Happy New Year'. Bhopal, Jan 23 : In a disturbing incident that went viral on social media on Monday, two youths were beaten up in the presence of Bandhavgarh Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), Amit Singh, in Madhya Pradesh. The SDM was suspended by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday over the assault on the two men. According to reports the SDM allegedly ordered and oversaw the assault on the two young men for overtaking his vehicle. As per information, the incident occurred in Umaria District and the matter came to light after the video of the brutal assault surfaced on social media on Monday. The incident sparked a controversy and questions were raised asking if senior government officials have been given a free hand to punish people. Senior advocate and Congress Rajya Sabha MP, Vivek Tankha expressed his dismay saying, aWhat kind of government arrogance and hooliganism is this in MP? Should the state be known for such incidents?" Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday condemned the incident and ordered the suspension of Bandhavgarh SDM Amit Singh and two more officials who were with him at that time. "The incident of the assault on two youths by Bandhavgarh SDM is unfortunate. Instructions have been given to suspend the SDM. There is a good governance government in Madhya Pradesh. This kind of inhuman treatment of common people will not be tolerated at all in the state," the Chief Minister said on Tuesday. The SDM in question provided a different version of the events. He denied that the two men were assaulted under his watch and claims that one of them was driving recklessly and nearly collided with his official vehicle. However, the victims, Prakash Dahiya and Shivam Yadav, both residents of Bharola Village, assert that they were attacked by individuals who emerged from the SDM's official vehicle. Police have registered a case on the basis of the statements of the victims admitted to hospital and have assured that legal action would be taken against those responsible for the assault. Investigations are underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events and identify the perpetrators, a senior police officer said. San Francisco, Jan 23 : While researchers around the world expect job losses due to artificial intelligence (AI) soon, a new study has said that AI might not take as many jobs as expected. A recent study conducted by MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) investigated whether AI could perform tasks more efficiently than humans and whether it was cost-effective for businesses to replace human labour with AI. The study took into consideration the broader implications of AI implementation in the labour market. The researchers found computer vision AI can currently automate tasks that makeup 1.6 per cent of worker wages in the US economy, excluding agriculture. However, only 23 per cent of those wages, equivalent to 0.4 per cent of the entire economy, would be cheaper for companies to automate instead of hiring human workers at current costs. "We find that at today's costs US businesses would choose not to automate most vision tasks that have "AI Exposure," and that only 23 per cent of worker wages being paid for vision tasks would be attractive to automate," the authors said. "Overall, our findings suggest that AI job displacement will be substantial, but also gradual -- and therefore there is room for (government) policy and retraining to mitigate unemployment impacts," they added. The study included examples of "vision tasks" that AI could achieve including analysing images from hospital diagnostic equipment or examining trays to ensure they contain the correct items. Researchers surveyed employees to determine the share of their tasks that could be accomplished by computer vision. They subsequently developed models to assess cost-effectiveness. They discovered that using AI visual detection to replace workers would rarely be worthwhile. "We find that the median employee works in a firm where close to none of the vision tasks are cost-effective to automate. Even a firm with 5,000 employees, i.e., larger than 99.9 per cent of firms in the US, could only cost-effectively automate less than one-tenth of their existing vision labour at the current cost structure," the researchers stated. The study acknowledged that the cost of AI will decrease over time, but the authors don't think it will do so as quickly as some have suggested. They also predicted that it would take some time for AI to have a major impact on these kinds of professions. Mumbai, Jan 23 : The pilot episode of the business reality show 'Shark Tank India' season three saw the innovative pitches by Adil Qadri's 'attar' business, sustainable 'Honest Home Company', and skincare brand 'Conscious Chemist'. Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) The pilot episode of the business reality show aShark Tank Indiaa season three saw the innovative pitches by Adil Qadrias aattara business, sustainable aHonest Home Companya, and skincare brand aConscious Chemista. The self-made entrepreneur Adil Qadri has introduced the Sharks to a desi way of using attars. Despite failing school in fourth grade due to asthma, Adil's business has processed a whopping 10 lakh orders, averaging 3000 per day. From a software repairer to an SEO expert, he's now the face of a brand that's putting Bilimora on the map. Indeed, Adil proceeded to establish a business, defying the odds posed by his asthma. His brand aADILQADRIa introduced the Sharks a new way of using attars, emphasising long-lasting effects and premium packaging. He sealed the deal with shark Vineeta Singh, co-founder and CEO of SUGAR Cosmetics at Rs 1 crore for one per cent equity, with a royalty of one per cent of net revenue until the shark gets the investment back. The aHonest Home Companya is a passionate group of change makers committed to providing innovative solutions that simplify sustainable and eco-friendly choices for everyone. In the face of undeniable climate change, recognising the urgency to make significant changes today is crucial to avoid leaving a legacy of ecological disaster for future generations. Their mission goes beyond awareness, as they strive to make sustainable choices accessible, practical, and budget-friendly. By offering healthier alternatives, Honest Home Company unites individuals dedicated to reducing waste, lowering their ecological footprint, and contributing to a waste-free future. Joining this journey of making eco-friendly choices in the new normal and saving the planet, is shark Amit Jain CEO and co-founder of CarDekho Group a" InsuranceDekho.com. They closed the deal at Rs one crore for three per cent with 1.5 crore royalty. In a skincare industry saturated with buzzwords like anaturala, aeco-friendlya, and achemical-freea, aConscious Chemista, a skincare brand founded in 2019, emerges as a game-changer, challenging misconceptions underpinning these terms. Robin Gupta and Prakher Mathur, comprising the core team of this Gurgaon-based brand, are on a journey to revolutionise skincare in India with a commitment to science-backed solutions for various skin concerns. The brandas tagline, aIntelligent Beautya, underlines its ethos, embracing the ideology of aChemicals Achche Haia and aLife is Chemistrya. While the pitch struck a chord with the sharks, however the founders walked out of the tank without a deal. aShark Tank India 3a is streaming on Sony LIV. Panaji, Jan 23 : The Scheduled Tribe Community in Goa has threatened to take out a protest march on February 5 if the BJP government does not fulfill their long-pending demand of political reservation. Joao Fernandes, President of Mission Political Reservation for Scheduled Tribes (MPRST) on Tuesday during a press conference alleged that the BJP government was taking them for granted. The Goa Assembly session is scheduled from February 2 to 9. "Many a times we pleaded to the state and central government to pass our demand for political reservation. But they failed to give us our rights mentioned in the constitution," he said. He said that though Goa legislative Assembly had unanimously adopted a private member resolution in July 2023, moved by ST leader MLA Dr. Ganesh Gaonkar, recommending the government to make provision for political reservation in the Goa Legislative Assembly for the Scheduled Tribes of the State, the government was not taking efforts to take 'all party delegation' to the Centre on the issue. "Hence we have decided to stage a morcha at the Legislative Assembly on February 5, if it fails to fulfill our demand in the next 12 days. It will be a peaceful morcha. I request the government not to force us to hit the roads to pass this demand," Fernandes said, adding that the government should not take their 'curses'. Spokesperson Govind Shirodkar said that this government is not serious about their demand and it is taking them for granted. "Chief Minister had assured to take an all-party delegation to meet Home Minister Amit Shah. But nothing has happened so far," Shirodkar said. "Our demand is that the government should issue notification before the Lok Sabha election takes place," Shirodkar said. In the past ST community took out rallies and tried to draw the attention of the government for political reservation. According to them, there are around 1.30 lakh ST voters in Goa and hence, they should be given political reservation. In May 2023, the ST community members held a meeting at Lohia Maidan in Margao and resolved to boycott the Lok Sabha election in 2024 if their demand for political reservation was not conceded by the government. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : A 12-year-old boy disappeared after leaving his tuition centre, in the limits of Whitefield Police Station in Bengaluru. Parinav, studying in Class 6 in Den Academy School of Gunjur locality went missing in Bengaluru on Sunday. According to police, Parinav had gone out with his father Sukhesh for tuition at about 12.15 pm on Sunday and never returned home. Parinavas father had dropped him off at the tuition centre in the afternoon but Sukhesh got delayed in picking his son up after class. When he reached the tuition centre he found that the boy had left the place. Preliminary investigations based on CCTV footage collected by the police have shown that the boy had walked to Marathahalli locality from the tuition centre and boarded a BMTC bus from there. However, he never reached his home. The parents have lodged a complaint with the Whitefield Police and launched a search operation for the missing boy. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Spotted at the recently Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony were a bevy of Bollywood stars. Keeping up with the sentiments of the occasion the celebrities chose to dress in their ethnic best and some even took it a notch or two higher to have religious motifs sewn into their attire. Actors Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani, Rohit Shetty attended the event. Here's what they wore. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANSlife) Spotted at the recently Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya, attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony were a bevy of Bollywood stars. Keeping up with the sentiments of the occasion the celebrities chose to dress in their ethnic best and some even took it a notch or two higher to have religious motifs sewn into their attire. Actors Madhuri Dixit Nene, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina Kaif, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani, Rohit Shetty attended the event. Here's what they wore. Amitabh Bachchan Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan heading to the airport wearing a white kurta-pyjama, a bandh and a shawl, which he teamed with a pair of sneakers. Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt Ranbir went with a white dhoti-kurta, really imbibing the vibe teamed with a cream-coloured Pashmina shawl, brown slippers. Alia chose a turquoise saree which distinctively featured a Ramayana-themed border adorned with embroidered images of Lord Ram, Lord Hanuman, and the Ram Setu.She wore her hair in a bun, applied minimal makeup, accessorised the ensemble with bold earrings, and left her neck bare. Rohit Shetty Rohit Shetty dressed in a white kurta-pajama and a gray jacket. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal Gilded in gold Katrina Kaif touched all the style notes, while her beau Vicky Kaushal, accessorised his cream-coloured sherwani with a man bun. Ayushmann Khurrana Ayushmann Khurrana looked dapper in a kurta pyjama paired with a printed Nehru jacket. Kangana Ranaut Kangana is not one for minimal or understated, sticking to her signature style she was seen wearing a white embroidered saree with an orange blouse featuring Lord Krishna motif holding a garland to welcome Lord Rama and a pink shawl in a photo app. Madhuri Dixit and Dr. Shriram Nene Madhuri Dixit looked resplendent in a yellow saree with golden shimmery borderwork complemented her ensemble with bold gold jewellery and a bindi. Her husband D.r Shriram Nene was seen in a red kurta paired with cream-coloured Patiala pants. (Photo source: instagram) IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in --IANS os/ lh New Delhi, Jan 23 : Infogain, a Silicon Valley-headquartered leader in human-centred digital platforms and software engineering services, on Tuesday announced the appointment of Dinesh Venugopal as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective February 8. Venugopal will take over from Ayan Mukerji, who joined Infogain in 2018 as Chief Operating Officer before becoming Chief Executive Officer in 2021. aLeading Infogain has been an extraordinary journey, and I extend my gratitude to Apax and the Infogain Board for this incredible opportunity," Mukerji said in a statement. "Dinesh comes with a proven track record and is the perfect choice to steer Infogain into its next growth chapter," he added. Before Infogain, Venugopal was the CEO of PK, an experience engineering company, before its acquisition by Concentrix, where he became the President of Concentrix Catalyst. He also spent over a decade at Mphasis, serving in various roles, including President of Direct & Digital. "Infogainas platform growth story over the last few years has been remarkable. Iam delighted to join at an exciting time as Infogain positions its customers to succeed in the race for digital dominance," Venugopal said. Infogain engineer business outcomes for Fortune 500 companies and digital natives in the technology, healthcare, insurance, travel, telecom, and retail/CPG industries. Sidharth Malhotra: Like people in uniform because my grandfather comes from the army. Image Source: IANS News Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actor Sidharth Malhotra, who has donned the uniform in the award-winning film 'Shershaah', 'Mission Majnu' and 'Indian Police Force', says he likes people in uniform because his grandfather comes from the army. Mumbai, Jan 23 (IANS) Actor Sidharth Malhotra, who has donned the uniform in the award-winning film aShershaaha, aMission Majnua and aIndian Police Forcea, says he likes people in uniform because his grandfather comes from the army. The actor created a stir when the announcement of his joining Rohit Shetty's cop universe with aIndian Police Forcea. Now that the film has been released, Kabir Malik has been universally liked by the masses. Talking about his connection with men in uniform and his thoughts, the actor recently shared: "I personally like people in uniform because even my grandfather comes from the army. This is my second time wearing a uniform, first, it was with the army and now Indian police force. Loving it, enjoying it, enjoying that personality and demeanour." Adding another celebrated performance to his versatile filmography, Sidharth has once again set a higher benchmark and increased anticipation for his upcoming theatrical release, Yodha, where the actor will be seen portraying the role of a brave man from the Indian defense services. New Zealand to send defence team to Red Sea to protect shipping. Image Source: IANS News Wellington, Jan 23 : New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Tuesday said that his government will be sending a small defence team to the Middle East to safeguard Red Sea shipping, the media reported. The country will be deploying a six-member New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) team to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea to ensure global trade, Prime Minister Luxon said, Xinhua news agency reported. "This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand's long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home," Luxon said. Almost 15 per cent of global trade goes through the Red Sea, and the Houthi attacks are driving costs higher for exporters and causing delays to shipments, he said. Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilising, he said, adding the deployed team will contribute to the collective self-defense of ships in the Middle East. No NZDF personnel or ship will enter Yemen, said the prime minister, adding it is part of a continuous New Zealand defence contribution to maritime security in the Middle East since 2013. Since January 12, acting unilaterally or in concert with its allies and partners, the US military has launched eight rounds of strikes against Houthi targets. Commenting on these attacks, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said "these efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely," adding New Zealand cares deeply about regional security because its economic and strategic interests depend on it. New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said the Houthi attacks showed a disregard for international law, peace and stability, and the coalition response is an inevitable consequence of their actions. However, the opposition Green Party said New Zealand's deployment to the Red Sea is to "further inflame tensions in the Middle East." The deployment is to conclude no later than July 31. Srinagar, Jan 23 : It started as a small public outreach initiative by J&K DGP R.R. Swain and within less than three months, this grievance redressal programme has been the most effective redressal initiative. Most genuine grievances, including police related issues, cheating and fraud cases, lack of reach to the top police officials and also other issues of the general public and the police parivar (family) are being so promptly addressed that resembles the proverbial Alladin's lamp. A widow approached the police chief during grievance redressal programme complaining of having been duped of Rs 8.60 lakh on the pretext of getting her a government plot of land. R.R.Swain made a promise that looked like a very tall claim to those who overheard the woman being assured. "You will get your money back in ten days", the police chief told the woman. The woman had been cheated of her husband's terminal benefits some seven years back. In less than 10 days she got her money back while those who had duped her are being separately dealt with. In another incident, the wife of a policeman complained that her husband had been given a posting far away from his home and he had not been transferred back to Valley for many years. Justice was given to the family as their breadwinner came back to the Valley after many years. These are just two examples of the magic wand that R.R. Swain has been used to address the problems of those who had no takers for decades. People have been thronging these grievance redressal programmes like ducks taking to water. The DGP has also moved out of the capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu to address the grievances of those who might not be able to reach the capital cities. His last grievance redressal programme was in the border district of Kupwara and on Tuesday he is scheduled to hold the same programme in south Kashmir Awantipora town. How can a top police officer, whose hands are full of issues like maintaining law & order, curbing militancy and maintaining the morale and discipline of such a large police force as the UT, spare time listening patiently to people's grievances and ensuring to get them the much awaited redressal? Those working with him and those getting redressal of their grievances say, "His honesty, selfless commitment to duty and single-minded approach to take the people along are the driving engines of his initiative". The immense fund of energy displayed by R.R. Swain stands out to prove the age-old belief that honesty is a powerhouse that generates tireless energy for those doing their duty to the country. As is widely now known in the J&K Police department, the "DGP develops a serious allergy when he comes across a corrupt policeman". Visakhapatnam, Jan 23 : Dalit leaders who met Janipalli Srinivas alias Kodi Kathi Srinu said that he is continuing his indefinite fast in Visakhapatnam Central Jail demanding justice while his condition has started to deteriorate. Srinu is accused in a knife attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Leaders of a Dalit group met Srinu in jail in the presence of his lawyer on Monday and claimed that a jail official and another prisoner were carrying him in their hands. Dalit Vedika leader Boosi Venkat Rao voiced concern over the health of Srinu as jail authorities are not even issuing health bulletin. The Dalit leaders also alleged that there is pressure on Srinu to end the hunger strike and claimed that his life is in danger. Demanding the jail authorities to release the health bulletin, Srinuas lawyer Abdus Saleem has approached the District Legal Service Authority. The Dalit man is said to be on fast, since January 18, demanding bail or trial. Srinu, a worker at a food joint at the Visakhapatnam airport, had attacked Jagan Mohan Reddy, then leader of opposition, on October 25, 2018 at the airport with a knife, injuring him on the shoulder. The security personnel had overpowered Srinu. As he had used a knife normally used in cockfights, he came to be called aKodi Kathi (rooster knife) Srinu. He has since been languishing in jail but for a brief period when he was out on bail. As Jagan Mohan Reddy, who became the chief minister in 2019, has been avoiding attending the trial court to depose before the judge, the trial could not start. Srinuas family has been demanding that either he be released on bail or put to trial. His mother J. Savitri and brother J. Subba Raju also sat on indefinite fast in Vijayawada from January 18. As their condition deteriorated, the police forcibly shifted them to a hospital on January 21. On the request of leaders of opposition parties, who assured full support to the family, they called off the fast. The attack on Jagan Mohan Reddy a few months before the 2019 elections had created a political sensation. The TDP government had handed over the case to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the state police but Jagan Mohan Reddy had refused to record his statement saying he had no trust in agencies controlled by the state government. Suspecting a conspiracy by the TDP, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had moved the state high court, seeking a probe by a central agency into the case. Based on the court direction, the Centre handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which registered the case on January 1, 2019. Srinu was granted bail by the NIA Court Vijayawada on 23 May, 2019, and released on 25 May. However, the bail was cancelled on August 16 the same year after the NIA approached the state high court. After nearly four years of investigation, the NIA informed the court on 13 April, 2023, that there was no conspiracy behind the attack. However, Jaganas legal team claimed that there was indeed a conspiracy to eliminate him, as the accused had worked under a TDP leader. The NIA Court Vijayawada dismissed Jaganas appeal on 25 July, 2023. However, the order was challenged in the high court and has since been pending. Srinivasas bail plea, too, has been pending before the high court. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Hollywood actor Alicia Silverstone teamed up with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India to provide delicious vegan desi food to HIV-positive orphans and children with learning disabilities. "I love children! And sharing yummy vegan food with them is the perfect way to showcase how rich and flavourful meals are when we leave animals in peace," said Alicia. These youngsters enjoyed the tasty lunches after taking a tour to meet rescued cows, goats, sheep, camels, and other animals at Animal Rahat's beautiful sanctuaries in Gundlupet, Ranapur, and Sangli. The animals were rescued from various hardships, including being used for gruelling labour or in circuses, or were slated to be sacrificed, would have been abandoned by dairies, or faced other horrific fates. The actress added: "A vegan of many years who has raised her strapping son, Bear, vegan." "India is such a magical place, and I'm happy to help PETA India celebrate Republic Day with Animal Rahat by treating children to a visit they'll never forget and a healthy and delicious vegan meal that saves lives." Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actress Ananya Panday, who has been receiving a lot of positive response to her work in the recently released streaming film 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan', walked the ramp at the ongoing Paris Fashion Week. The actress turned showstopper for designer Rahul Mishra at the Paris Haute Couture Week 2024. She became the youngest Bollywood actor to walk the ramp. However, it was her attire that left people talking on the internet. Ananya wore a butterfly-inspired black mini dress. She also carried a giant sieve decorated with butterfly motifs. The sieve was seemingly attached to the dress underneath. She rounded up her look with a sleek hair bun and black high heels. The actress took to her Instagram stories and posted a video from the show. Ananya wrote in the caption, "Walking for @rahulmishra_7 at Paris Couture week". Rahul's collection is titled 'Superheroes' and is inspired by insects and snakes. The Internet had a field day reacting to the outfit sported by the actress on the ramp. One user wrote in the comment section, "Ananya in Paris couture week so proud of her". Another commented, "Fashion inspired from Urfi". A third user wrote, "As a model, she is fantastic". Another user wrote, "Is this a new Uorfi?" Meanwhile, on the work front, the actress will be next seen in a cyber-thriller tentatively titled 'Control', directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. She also has 'Call My Bae' and Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Shankara' in the pipeline. Tel Aviv, Jan 23 : At least 21 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza while fighting Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday. Addressing a press briefing, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said soldiers were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings when militants launched a rocket-propelled grenade at a nearby tank on Monday, triggering a premature explosion that resulted in the collapse of the buildings while the soldiers were either inside or nearby, Xinhua news agency reported. Offering condolences to the families of the soldiers who died, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on X: " I wish to strengthen the dear families of our heroic warriors who fell on the battlefield. I know that for these families, their lives will be changed forever. Prime Minister Netanyahu said the millitary has launched an investigation into the incident. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actress Hansika Motwani, who will be soon seen in a one-shot Telugu film '105 Minutes' has opened up on working in such a unique cinematic narrative, saying she loves challenges and wanted to do something different. The entire movie unfolds seamlessly in a single, uninterrupted shot, pushing the boundaries of filmmaking. Hansika, who is known for her work in 'Koi... Mil Gaya' takes on the challenge of a one-shot film, revealing her versatility and superb acting abilities. This experimental film takes place in real time, drawing viewers into a suspenseful horror story that lasts for 105 minutes without a single cut. Talking about the same, Hansika said: "I have never done something like that, like a single shot. We do have a few here and there, stitches in the film. Um, but yes, the longest takes. The whole idea of, you know, doing a single shot film?" "It's very difficult because there's literally one side, there is wind, then another side there is fire, and the other side there's rain and there's so much to coordinate, but I love challenges and I wanted to do something different, so I did it," she added. Meanwhile, on the work front she was last seen in Telugu thriller film 'My Name Is Shruthi'. She also has 'Rowdy Baby', 'Guardian', 'Man', and web series 'Nasha' in the pipeline. New Delhi: YSR Telangana Party founder YS Sharmila with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leaders Rahul Gandhi and KC Venugopal after joining the Congress. Image Source: IANS News Visakhapatnam, Jan 23 : Andhra Pradesh Congress Chief Y. S. Sharmila on Tuesday alleged that the Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government has become a puppet in the hands of the BJP. A day after assuming office as Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president, she launched a fresh attack on the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government headed by her brother, saying its functioning is not in alignment with the ideals of their father Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR). She said that YSR, throughout his life, was strongly opposed to the BJP. She said it was unfortunate that the political parties in Andhra Pradesh have become tools in the hands of BJP. "The government is in the hands of a party which does not have a single MLA," she said. Sharmila was addressing a meeting at Ichapuram in Srikakulam district after visiting the place where YSR had completed his padyatra 'Praja Prasthanam' in 2003. She recalled that schemes like Arogyasri and free electricity were born out of this padyatra as he closely observed peoples' hardships. Sharmila said that she had come amidst them to continue YSR's struggle and will stand by them. She claimed that she was beginning her journey for the betterment of people of Andhra Pradesh from the same place where YSR had concluded his historic 'padyatra'. She said YSR and Congress were the support for each other. "Some people are saying that Congress insulted YSR. There is no truth in this. The party high command still respects him. Sonia Gandhi personally told me this," she said. Sharmila slammed Jagan government over failure to get special category status for the state. She asked what happened to his promise that if YSRCP gets 25 MP seats, he will bring the special status. Claiming that Congress is the only party which thinks about the state and the people, she said Rahul Gandhi has already given the word that if Congress is voted to power the first decision will be to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Earlier, Sharmila travelled in an APSRTC bus from Palasa to Ichapuram and interacted with few women passengers to know their problems. Talking to media persons, she responded to the challenge by YSRCP leader Y. V. Subba Reddy that he will show the development that took place under YSRCP rule. "Let him fix the date and time. I am ready to see the development," she said. The APCC chief said Subba Reddy also did not like her addressing the Chief Minister as Jagan Reddy. She said she was ready to call Jagan Mohan Reddy as 'Jagan Anna garu'. New York, Jan 23 : An Indian-origin Sikh couple has been convicted in the US for forcing a relative to work at their store for long hours, subjecting him to physical abuse and threats for years and confiscating his immigration documents. Harmanpreet Singh, 30, and Kulbir Kaur, 43, from Richmond, Virginia, enticed the victim -- then a minor -- to travel to the United States with false promises of helping him enrol in a school. After he arrived in the US, they took the victim's immigration documents and immediately put him to work, a Department of Justice release stated on Monday. On three different occasions, they threatened the victim -- Singh's cousin -- with a revolver for trying to take a day off and for trying to leave. Following a two-week-long trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on Friday convicted the couple of committing forced labour, harbouring for financial gain, and document servitude in connection with their operation of a gas station and convenience store in North Chesterfield. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that, between March 2018 and May 2021, the couple forced the victim to provide labour and services at their store, including working as the cashier, preparing food, cleaning, and managing store records. Singh and Kaur used various coercive means, including confiscating the victim's immigration documents and subjecting him to physical abuse, threats of force, and other serious harm and, at times, degrading living conditions to compel him to work extensive hours for minimal pay. "These defendants engaged in an egregious bait-and-switch, luring the victim with false promises of an education in the United States and instead subjecting him to gruelling hours, degrading living conditions, and a litany of mental and physical abuse," said US Attorney Jessica D Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia. The jury heard that the victim was left at the store to sleep in a back office for days at a time on multiple occasions. The couple limited his access to food, refused to provide medical care or education, and used surveillance equipment to monitor the victim -- both at the store and in their home. In addition, they refused his requests to return to India and made him overstay his visa. The evidence further showed that Singh pulled the victim's hair, slapped and kicked him when he requested his immigration documents back, and tried to leave. "The defendants exploited the victim's trust and his desire to attend school in the United States, and then inflicted physical and mental abuse against him, all so they could keep him working for their profit," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Human trafficking is a disgraceful and unacceptable crime, and this verdict should send the very clear message that the Justice Department will investigate and vigorously prosecute these cases to hold human traffickers accountable and bring justice to their victims." Singh and Kaur face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and mandatory restitution for the forced labour charge. The couple's sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 8, and a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering US Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There was an deliberate attempt to remove Netaji from history: Bengal Governor. Image Source: IANS News Kolkata, Jan 23 : West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose on Tuesday said that there has been a deliberate attempt in the past to remove the contributions and the role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in India's freedom movement. "I am saying as responsible Governor that in the past there was a definite and deliberate attempt to remove Netaji's role in the freedom movement from the pages of history," the Governor said on the occasion of the 127th birth anniversary of the legendary Indian freedom fighter. He said that even the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had acknowledged the requirement to project Netaji in the right perspective of history. "It is the responsibility of every Indian citizen to ensure that Netaji gets his deserved place in history," the Governor said while paying homage to Netaji at a function in Raj Bhavan premises. He also announced the decision of naming the main portico of the Raj Bhavan after Netaji. He also announced that a spate research team will be constituted by his office whose task will be to undertake an extensive research on the life and contributions of Netaji. "The said team will be constituted with acclaimed librarians attached with different state-run and private libraries," the Governor said. He said that lectures and seminars will be conducted from time-to-time so that the life and contributions of Netaji can be portrayed in the right perspective. New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed till further orders the decision of the Gujarat High Court sentencing four police officials to a 14-day jail term and imposing a fine of Rs 2,000 each for their involvement in flogging of several men belonging to a particular community. Hearing an appeal filed by the convicted officials, a Bench presided over by Justice BR Gavai of the apex court extended the stay already put by the High Court on the execution of the sentence. In its October 2023 order, the High Court had convicted the four officials in contempt for breaching the Supreme Court guidelines on arrest as outlined in the DK Basu case. However, it had suspended the execution of the sentence for three months to allow the convicted police officials to file an appeal. A Division Bench of Justices AS Supehia and Gita Gopi of the HC denounced the act as "inhuman" and a stark violation of human rights. The case stems from an incident on October 3, 2022, where a sizable crowd allegedly disrupted a religious event at Undhela Village of Kheda District. Subsequent to this, videos emerged showcasing police officers publicly flogging several men, an act that drew widespread condemnation. Five victims, alleging excessive police force and illegal detention, petitioned the Gujarat High Court, referencing a landmark Supreme Court judgment that outlines guidelines for police conduct during arrests and detentions. They further sought compensation for the infringement of their rights. 48 killed in Russian missile strike in eastern Ukraine, says Zelensky. Image Source: IANS News Kiev, Jan 23 : At least five people were killed in Russia's strikes on Ukraine's Kharkiv and Kiev, local authorities said. Regional Military Administration head Oleh Syniehubov Russia struck the Kyivskyi and Saltivskyi districts of Kharkiv with Kh-22 missiles in which four people were killed, Ukrianska Pravda reported. He said the Russian missile strike destroyed an apartment block. "People are under the rubble. Rescuers and other emergency services are working at the scene," he added. According to a local power operator, Kharkivoblenergo, energy companies are already working to restore electricity supply to the residential quarters. In Kiev, one person was killed and four others injured. At least eight explosions were reported in Kharkiv. However, the Russian military said that it does not target civilians when it hit objects in Ukraine. Chennai, Jan 23 : Tamil Nadu Police has constituted three special teams to arrest the son and daughter-in-law of DMK MLA, I. Karunanithi, in connection with an abuse case filed by their domestic help. The 18-year-old Dalit girl had recently lodged a complaint with the police that she was physically assaulted continously by the MLAas son, Andro Mathivannan and daughter-in-law Marlina. The complaint was registered with the Neelankarai all-women police station. The state secretary of Tamil Nadu BJP, Vinoj P. Selvam, has already registered a complaint with the National Commission of Human Rights (NHRC) that even after lodging complaint with the Tamil Nadu Police, no action including arrest of the MLAas son and daughter-in-law was taken. Neelankarai Sub-Inspector of Police told IANS that the police have booked the MLAas son and daughter-in-law under five sections including SC/ST Act. Police sources said that the couple is likey to surrender before the Saidapet court and all necessary measures have been taken to arrest them before they surrender. Tamil Nadu government has drawn flak for not arresting the MLAas kin and hence to save face, the police have constituted three special teams to aprehend them. It may be noted that the MLAas daughter-in-law had, according to the Dalit domestic help, while physically assaulting her told her that they were very powerful and that no one will touch them. The girl has also raised this point in her complaint. With the 2024 general elections approaching fast, the DMK will be in pressure to arrest the MLAas son amd daughter-in-law in a bid to project themselves as champions for protecting the under-privileged. Los Angeles, Jan 23 : Actress Dakota Johnson has told people to "leave her alone" over the idea she sleeps for 14 hours every night. The 34-year-old actress caused a stir last month when she told the Wall Street Journal she could "easily" sleep for such a long amount of time, but now she's insisted she doesn't "demand" it after her comments were misinterpreted, reports 'Female First UK'. Appearing on 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon', she said: "I didn't even say that like that!" When the late night host asked if she "likes to sleep 14 hours," she responded: "No. I said that I could easily sleep 14 hours. But I don't like to demand it. I'm not a monster." As per 'Female First UK', after Jimmy noted that plenty of outlets picked up the story which sparked a debate on the right amount of sleep, Dakota jokingly argued her case. She laughed: "Why is sleep bad? Like, why? Leave me alone. I'm just asleep. I don't have to take anything to sleep like that either, I can just sleep like that. I think if I took like an Ambien, I think I'd wake up next year." Last month, she told the WSJ that sleep is her "number one priority", while meditation helps her cope with anxiety. She explained: "I don't have a regular [wake-up] time. It depends on what's happening in my life. "If I'm not working, if I have a day off on a Monday, then I will sleep as long as I can. Sleep is my number one priority in life." Dakota, who is currently promoting upcoming superhero movie 'Madame Web', told the outlet that she needs at least 10 hours of kip a night to function. She added: "I'm not functional if I get less than 10. I can easily go 14 hours." New Delhi, Jan 23 : Online food delivery platform Swiggy is expected to double the platform fee on food orders from Rs 5 to Rs 10 in the coming month, a media report said on Tuesday. With this move, the company looks to reduce losses ahead of the launch of its IPO (initial public offering), which will take later this year, reports Moneycontrol. Swiggy has begun indicating a possible increase in platform fees on its app by targeting a "small group" of users. This comes after a similar action taken in April last year when the company introduced a nominal fee of Rs 2 for a few customers, which was later extended to all customers. Presently, the platform fee is set at Rs 5. The company said the platform fee of Rs 10 is one of the many experiments it continues to perform, the report noted. "Swiggy has not changed its platform fee, and has no plans for a significant increase in the near term. We're always running small experiments to better understand the consumeras choices," a company spokesperson was quoted as saying. "This was one such experiment, and we may or may not scale it up in the future if it doesn't meet our goal of serving our users in the best way possible," it added. Meanwhile, Swiggy's co-founder and CEO Sriharsha Majety has said that all preparations are underway for its mega Initial Public Offering (IPO), via which it is likely to raise $1 billion later this year. "We've been preparing for our IPO. We've added independent directors to the board and there are all kinds of preparations that are on," Majety told Moneycontrol. For its IPO process, the company is likely to have picked seven investment banks, including Kotak Mahindra Capital, Citi and JPMorgan, Bofa Securities, and Jefferies, among others. --IANS shs/vd Mumbai, Jan 23 : Shiv Sena spokesperson Krishna Hegde on Tuesday urged the Mumbai Police to move the courts and secure the release of the frozen funds belonging to the investors who were allegedly cheated by a scamster couple arrested on December 30. The scamsters a" Ashesh Shailesh Mehta and his wife Shivangi Lad-Mehta, wanted in multiple states a" were nabbed by the Mumbai Police Economic Offences Wing (EOW) from Surat and brought to Mumbai for probe. After the Mehta couple went amissinga in June 2023, the EOW had ordered freezing of around Rs 170 crore in the bank accounts belonging to Bliss Consultants Trading Co. Ltd. and Zerodha Trading, which is said to be a part of the over Rs 1,000 crore cheated from gullible investors from all over India. Hegde said that after the EOW gets court's permission, the funds as well as the proceeds of the properties that are attached, can be distributed among the investors who had lost money in the scams allegedly perpetrated by the Mehtas. Among the victims of the Mehta scams were many senior citizens, pensioners, single-parents and small investors, who were left high and dry after the Mehtas duped them of their hard-earned monies, Hegde said. It maybe recalled that after a hot pursuit of six months, the Mumbai Police finally caught up with the Mehta couple in Surat, and nabbed them for the alleged scam of over Rs 1,000 crore. They were remanded to police custody pending further investigations. The case first started around June 2023 with the Madhya Pradesh Police, but seemed to have lost steam, till Hegde raised the issue with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who ordered a detailed police probe into the matter in July. An FIR was lodged on June 26, later transferred to the EOW, with 151 complainants, alleging that over 6,000 investors from the country were cheated of their monies by the Mehtas. In early December, the Punjab and Gujarat Police had arrested Ashesh Mehtaas father, Shailesh Mehta, 71, from Ahmedabad. The Mehta couple had faced Look Out Circulars issued by the Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh Police, while the Gujarat and Punjab Police also wanted their custody to probe complaints in their respective states. The lid blew off the scam after suspicious withdrawals-transfers of huge amounts of around Rs 174 crore to multiple accounts of the scamster couple's associates or other entities, all of which are being probed. The police in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh, stumbled onto the scam during a probe into a narcotics case there linked to the Mehta couple, as other frauds of money-laundering, illegal ponzi schemes, gypping investors and common masses tumbled out, estimated to be of over Rs 1,000 crore. In September, Mumbai Police froze five prime residential properties in Kandivali, Goregaon and Santacruz, 11 bank accounts of the missing couple and their companies, worth a total of around Rs 175 crore. Teams from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab Police had done multiple rounds of the flat in Goregaon East where the Mehta couple was last seen six months ago, but had returned empty-handed. The low-profile Mehtas allegedly plotted the entire mega-scam, but their luck ended when a suspected drug-peddler, Nissar Zubair Khan of Mira Road (Thane), was arrested by Madhya Pradesh Police with a packet of Mephedrone worth Rs 17 lakh in early-June. However, the Mehtas' lawyers have consistently claimed that their clients were being framed in the case though they were cooperative with the investigators. Bhubaneswar, Jan 23 : The Congress party on Tuesday revoked the suspension of three senior leaders including Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim and former MLA Chiranjib Biswal. Similarly, the suspension of former Legislator Krushna Chandra Sagaria has also been revoked by the party. Speaking to media persons, Congress Odisha incharge Ajoy Kumar said that the suspension order against Moquim, Biswal and Sagaria had been withdrawn following their letters to the party President in this regard. He also urged others who had left the Congress to rejoin the party. Kumar stated that the party is ready to welcome them if they show interest in joining it. Earlier, Biswal and Moquim had met Kumar at the state guest house on Monday and held discussions. The decision regarding the revocation of suspension was finalised during the meeting. Later, Kumar had remarked that the Congress is in the DNA of the veteran leaders Moquim and Biswal. He stated that all misunderstandings between the party and the duo have been cleared. "I have been saying from the beginning I have neither done anything wrong, nor caused any harm to the party, and am sure that the party will realise this one day. I was confident about returning to the Congress," said Moquim following the declaration. Moquim thanked the Congress for the revocation and said that he was a disciplined worker of the party. Moquim and ex-MLA Biswal were suspended from the party by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on July 15 last year over involvement in anti-party activities. Similarly, the party had expelled ex-MLA Sagaria and former Union Minister Srikant Jena from the primary membership of the party in January 2019. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Online travel company MakeMyTrip on Tuesday announced its highest-ever quarterly gross bookings in the third quarter (Q3) of FY24, with net profit reaching $24.2 million, from 0.2 million in the same quarter in last fiscal year. Gross bookings grew by 21.7 per cent (year-on-year) to $2,088.3 million in Q3 FY24 from $1,738.2 million in Q3 FY23. EBITDA grew by 105.6 per cent (YoY) to $29.4 million in Q3 FY24 compared to $14.3 million in Q3 FY23, said the company in a statement. "During this seasonally strong quarter, we witnessed robust demand for leisure travel across all domestic and international destinations leading to the highest-ever quarterly gross bookings, revenue, and profit for the Group," said Rajesh Magow, Group Chief Executive Officer, MakeMyTrip. "From a consumer perspective, the growing disposable incomes of the middle class in India are expected to continue driving India's travel and hospitality growth in the coming years. We remain committed to excellence and innovation, aiming to meet and exceed the diverse travel aspirations of the Indian consumers," he added. Adjusted operating profit registered growth of 69.5 per cent (YoY) and reached $33.4 million in Q3 FY24 compared to $19.7 million in Q3 FY23. The online travel company saw a 1,806 per cent increase in searches for Ayodhya on the platform since the announcement of the inauguration. The company recorded a 97 per cent growth in searches for spiritual destinations in the last two years. Aizawl, Jan 23 : At least eight crew members of a Myanmar Air Force aircraft were injured after the plane skidded off the tabletop runway of the Lengpui airport in here on Tuesday, officials said. The aircraft had come to Lengpui airport to take back the remaining 92 Myanmar soldiers to their country. Officials said that out of the 14 people who were on board the medium size aircraft along with the pilot, eight were injured. The injured were immediately rushed to Lengpui hospital and subsequently they were discharged. Due to the faulty landing and the overshoot from the runway, the plane was partially damaged. Mizoram disaster management officials, along with the district administration and police officials, rushed to the Lengpui airport, 30 km from Aizawl, and rescued the injured crew. Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered a probe into the accident in the Mizoram government-run airport. After the accident, all Lengpui airport-bound flights were either cancelled or diverted. Normal flight operations would resume on Wednesday, officials said. According to officials, as many as 184 of the 276 Myanmarese soldiers, who fled to Mizoram on January 17 after their camps were captured by armed pro-democracy ethnic groups, were flown back home on a Myanmar military aircraft on Monday. "A Myanmar Air Force transport plane from Mandalay (Myanmar) landed at Lengpui airport on Monday and evacuated 184 Myanmar soldiers to Sittwe (Akyab) in two sorties. Before the departure of the Myanmarese soldiers, the Indian authorities have completed all necessary formalities," a senior official told IANS. The remaining 92 Myanmar soldiers were supposed to be airlifted on Tuesday. The 276 Myanmar Army personnel took refuge in Mizoram's Lawngtlai district on January 17 after their camps were captured by the Arakan Army militants. The Myanmar soldiers, with their arms and ammunition, reached Bandukbanga village, situated on the Mizoram-Myanmar-Bangladesh border trijunction, in Lawngtlai and were taken to Assam Rifles' Parva camp in the district. Necessary medical support was also given to the soldiers, the official said. With the latest influx, the number of soldiers who fled Myanmar since November 13 last year and reached India's Mizoram, has touched 636. --IANS sc/vd Dakshina Kannada, : Jan 23 (IANS) Dakshina Kannada District authorities have issued an order of externment to Avinash Purusharakatte of the Hindu Jagaran Vedike on Tuesday for disrupting law and order and directed him to appear before a court. The notice has been issued in the backdrop of Avinash Purusharakatteas involvement in various activities and protests which affected law and order in the communally-sensitive region. The notice has been issued from the Uppinangady Rural police station and Avinash Purusharakatte has been directed to appear before the court of the Puttur Assistant Commissioner on Wednesday with regard to the order of externment. The notice has warned that in case if he doesnat appear before the court, he will be externed to Bidar District from Dakshina Kannada district. Avinash Purusharakatte is a resident of Purusharakatte near Narimogaru Village. He has asked to be present in connection with externment order issued under the 55 (A) and (B) of the Karnataka Police Act a" 1963. The authorities have claimed that the action has been taken in connection with maintenance of law and order. Hyderabad, Jan 23 : The Congress Government in Telangana will start implementing from February its guarantee scheme of 200 units free electricity every month for Below Poverty Line (BPL) households, said state Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Tuesday. The announcement comes amid growing criticism from main Opposition party Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) over the delay by the ruling party in implementing its six guarantees. BRS Working President, KT Rama Rao had appealed to the people on January 20 not to pay the electricity bills until free electricity was provided to BPL households as promised by the Congress party in the Assembly elections. The BRS leader had even asked people to send their current bills to Sonia Gandhias house as Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had said during the election campaign that the Congress leader would pay the current bills after Congress came to power. The Manifesto Committee of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) held a meeting in Hyderabad to review implementation of the promises. AICC incharge Deepa Dasmunshi and All India Professionalsa Congress Chairman Praveen Chakravarty and other leaders attended the meeting. After the meeting, Minister for Roads and Buildings, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said the Telangana Government will implement all the poll promises. He announced that free power up to 200 units will be implemented from February. The minister reiterated that the six guarantees will be implemented in 100 days. He alleged that the state is in a financial mess due to the mismanagement by the previous KCR-led BRS Government and this had led to some delay in implementation of the guarantees. Responding to the criticism by BRS leaders, he reminded them that right from unemployment allowance to two bedroom houses, the BRS failed to fulfil all promises it had made to the people. He alleged that the BRS was trying to provoke people and said if the Congress had provoked people like them, the BRS leaders would have been forced to flee their farm houses. Minister for Information Technology and Industries and Chairman of the Manifesto Committee, Sridhar Babu said the Congress party gave people the best manifesto before elections and the six guarantees given in the manifesto were immediately implemented after coming to power. He pointed out that the Congress Government had already provided free travel facility to women in TSRTC buses and increased the coverage under Arogyasri scheme from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh. Stating that people reposed faith in the Congress party, he reiterated that the Telangana Government will implement all the promises. Sridhar Babu said that the Opposition parties were acting in haste to criticise the government. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, said on Tuesday that the government has identified more than 200 projects at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore to be taken up in the next five years under the National Ropeways Development Programme, 'Parvatmala Pariyojana'. Addressing the 'Ropeway: Symposium-Cum-Exhibition' here, the minister said, "Our foremost priority should be to make ropeways economically viable by bringing down the overall project cost and encourage public private partnership to develop the ropeway network in the country." He said apart from facilitating tourism in the hilly areas, ropeways offer huge potential in urban public transport as well. The focus should be on developing indigenous and cost-efficient solutions without compromising safety. The highlights of the day were the award of two ropeway projects -- Bijli Mahadev Ropeway Project in Himachal Pradesh, and Dhosi Hill Ropeway Project in Haryana. An MoU was also signed at the event by NHLML and IIT Roorkee for creating a centre of excellence for ropeways and other innovative alternative mobility systems. Gadkari said the priority is to bring standardisation of existing policies and codes and transform the ropeway industry by encouraging the manufacturing of ropeway components under the 'Make in India' initiative. The minister said 60 per cent construction support is provided under Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) for ropeways as compared to 40 per cent support provided under National Highways to attract more private players for development of ropeways under 'Parvatmala Pariyojana'. The objective of the symposium-cum-exhibition is to enable industry collaborations between various Indian and global manufacturers, technology providers, concessionaires and infrastructure developers. The event also provided a common platform for industry deliberation to promote 'Make in India' and develop a roadmap for localisation of ropeway components. Various panel discussions with industry experts were also held on building safer and affordable ropeway systems, while improving ropeway industry landscape and enhancing public private partnerships in India. A session on promoting wayside amenities to improve public convenience was also held. In addition, the exhibition demonstrated state-of-art ropeway technologies by Indian and global ropeway equipment manufacturers in the aerial mobility ecosystem. The day long event provided key insights and helped identify areas for development of policies to promote indigenous manufacturing and enhance capacity and capability of ropeway technology. The symposium also underlined the pivotal role ropeways will play in the growth of Indian economy by enabling development of safer, cost-effective and sustainable mode of transportation under the National Ropeways Development Programme. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Edtech major Byju's is reportedly seeking new funding at around $2 billion valuation, down from its top valuation of $22 billion in early 2022. New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) Edtech major Byjuas is reportedly seeking new funding at around $2 billion valuation, down from its top valuation of $22 billion in early 2022. The company, which announced its audited FY22 financial results on Tuesday after a long gap, aims to raise $100-$200 million via a rights issue, reports TechCrunch, citing people familiar with the matter. Byju Raveendran, Co-founder and CEO of the edtech major, is likely to invest in the new funding, the report mentioned. Byjuas did not immediately comment on the report. Byjuas was in advanced stages to raise about $1 billion last year, but the talks failed. The company then raised around $150 million. Last year, Byju's was mulling to sell at least two of its subsidiaries, Epic and Great Learning, to raise between $800 million and $1 billion, amid reports that the company has formulated a proposal to repay its outstanding $1.2 billion Term Loan B (TLB). Byjuas was geared up to go public in early 2022 via a SPAC deal that would have valued it at around $40 billion. The edtech major Byjuas on Tuesday announced its audited FY22 financial results after much delay, registering operating revenue of Rs 5,014 crore while losses surged to Rs 8,370 crore in FY22 from Rs 4,599 crore in the earlier fiscal year. The US-based investment firm BlackRock recently cut the value of its holding in Byju's, reducing the edtech major's valuation to a mere $1 billion from $22 billion in early 2022. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Classmate, India's leading notebook brand, on Tuesday organised the annual Classmate All Rounder (CAR) National Grand Finale in Delhi. Bringing alive the government's New Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Classmate All Rounder was conceived and designed as a multi-skill inter-school challenge and a credible accreditation platform for holistic skill development of students. Joseph Emmanuel, Director of Academics, CBSE, graced the event as the chief guest. Saina Nehwal, Swanand Kirkire and Sangeeta Phogat also participated in the event. Classmate Allrounder aims to nurture students toward versatile skill development beyond academics. The CAR Platform serves as a nurturing ground for school students to showcase multiple skills including general knowledge, writing, physical fitness, group discussion, public speaking, creativity and performing arts. Speaking about CAR and the National Finale, Vikas Gupta, Chief Executive, Education and Stationary Products Business Division, ITC Ltd. congratulated the winners of the CAR Challenge. With a focus on these new ways of learning and recognising students for their all-round accomplishments, along with rewarding schools that prioritize holistic development, Classmate All Rounder strives to establish an ecosystem where holistic development takes precedence," he said. He said that Classmate is dedicated to playing a key role in bringing the vision of the National Education Policy to fruition and fostering the comprehensive growth of students across India. He said that Classmate brings to life it's motto of enjoy learning and growth of students. "Entire range of other offerings, like Origami notebooks that encourage creativity and critical thinking, augmented reality notebooks educating students on important STEM concepts in an engaging immersive format, the Interaktiv Artscape, to let students unleash the true artist in them, and the new Myclassmate app, providing engaging games for skill development & capability-building," he said. New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Delhi High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the changes made by the Central government in the eligibility criteria for the appointment of Directors to the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). The PIL was filed by Firoz Ahmad, arguing that the amendments restricted people from applying for the post and that terms like "PhD degree from a distinguished institution" were vague. Previously, the criteria required candidates to be a "distinguished academic with a PhD or equivalent." The changes, brought to the Indian Institutes of Management Rules, 2018, specify that a prospective candidate for the position of IIM Director must have a first-class degree at both the Bachelor's and Master's levels, along with a PhD or an equivalent qualification from a reputed institute. The petitioner also claimed that the changes violated the Bhargava committee report on the governance of IIMs, which recommended broad-based criteria for director appointments to rule out political factors. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora rejected the PIL, saying that mediocrity cannot be supported in institutions like IIMs. The court stated that the additional conditions of having a first-class degree at both levels would attract the best talent and reduce the possibility of political factors influencing appointments. The order said that the petitioner failed to demonstrate how the changes were discriminatory to any class, creed, or caste. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actress Aishwarya Khare has expressed her views on the National Girl Child Day, reminiscing about the days when she decided to move to Mumbai along with her sisters to achieve their dreams. The 'National Girl Child Day' is celebrated on January 24, to spread public awareness about inequities that girls face in Indian society. Talking about the same, Aishwarya, who essays the role of Lakshmi in 'Bhagya Lakshmi' said: "Coming from a family that has three daughters, I know how difficult it has been for us to achieve our dreams and work towards our goals in life because of society. But, I will be forever thankful to my parents for always supporting us in every way possible to achieve our dreams." "I believe that every girl deserves the chance to pursue her goals and reach her full potential. When I decided to move to Mumbai along with my two younger sisters, it was my parents who believed in us. Today wherever I am, it is only because of my parents who supported me in making these tough decisions in life." Aishwarya said: "I moved to Mumbai and became an actress, my sister is in Canada, working towards her career. Even in todayas day, some people do not allow their daughters to study, or encourage them in achieving their dreams, which is not right. "So, on this day let us remember the importance of giving girls equal rights and opportunities to succeed. Let us empower them with education and support so that they can become the strong, confident leaders of tomorrow." 'Bhagya Lakshmi' airs on Zee TV. --IANS sp/dan Mumbai, Jan. 23 : Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Tuesday directed the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to secure areas in Mumbai suburbs which are at risk of potential landslides/hillslides. There are several disaster-prone areas in Chembur, Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Powai and other suburbs for which the BMC should immediately construct protective walls for the safety of citizens living in the vicinity, he said, while chairing a meeting of the Relief & Rehabilitation Ministry along with top officers where he took a review of the situation in such risk-prone zones in the countryas commercial capital. Earlier, the IIT-Bombay has conducted a survey of all such dangerous spots in Mumbai suburbs for the state Disaster Management Department and a list has been prepared by the authorities. "Many citizens live in such dangerous places. It is necessary to take priority measures to avoid accidents, loss of life and money in such dangerous places. For this, the BMC should prioritise the construction of protective walls and other necessary measures in these areas," said Ajit Pawar. The Deputy CM also directed the officials concerned that as soon as the disaster relief funds are received from the Centre, the expenses must be reimbursed to the BMC. Present at the meeting were top officers including Additional Chief Secretary, Housing Valsa Nair, Additional Commissioner of Mumbai Municipal Corporation Ashwini Bhide (via videolink), Principal Secretary, Planning, Saurabh Vijay, Finance Secretary Shaila A., Disaster Management Department Director A B. Dhulaj and others. Chikkballapur : Congress' Lok Sabha candidate from Chikkballapur Veerappa Moily, who was defeated by BJP's B.N. Bache Gowda, leaves from an election counting center during counting of votes cast for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in Karnataka's Chikkb. Image Source: IANS News Chikkaballapur, : Jan 23 (IANS) Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily has stirred a controversy by raising doubts on whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had fasted for 11 days in the run-up to the inauguration of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya. Speaking to reporters in Chikkaballapur, Moily stated that if one fasts and drinks just tender coconut water, one will collapse in two days. "I have been told that if an 11-day fast is observed it is impossible to be alive. As per the opinion of doctors it is impossible to do, if a person drinks just tender coconut water. PM Modi claimed that he was fasting and visited many places during this time. Narendra Modi didn't look like he was fasting," Moily opined. "I have discussed fasting with a doctor. If one fasts for 11 days, it is not possible to be alive. If it happens it would be a miracle. It is doubtful that fasting was observed. If PM Modi had gone to the sanctum sanctorum without observing fasting, the place will lose sanctity," Moily maintained. Modi undertook fasting from January 12 to take part in the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple on January 22 and he ended the fast after the priests inside the sanctum sanctorum offered him 'prasad'. Reacting strongly to the statement, Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader, R Ashoka, stated on Tuesday in Bengaluru that the Congress leaders were abusing Modi as he hailed from a backward community. "Is this your secularism, socialism, social justice? Is this the respect you give to the Constitution of Babasaheb Ambedkar?" Ashoka questioned. "Former Union Minister Veerappa Moily should issue a public apology immediately. Otherwise, KPCC President, DK Shivakumar must expel him from the party," he demanded. Bhopal, Jan 23 : A lawyer allegedly hurled a shoe targeting the judge inside a courtroom in Madhya Pradesh's Agar district. The judge, however, escaped by bending down in time. The incident took place at a court in Agar district on Monday when the judge was hearing a case, the police said. Meanwhile, the two advocates representing the two different parties got involved in a heated argument, which the judge objected to. This enraged advocate Nitin Atal, who was already engaged in a verbal argument with his opponent, who all of a sudden took out his shoe and threw it towards the judge. The judge, however, bent down in time to save himself. The judge later informed the local police about the incident and a case has been registered against Nitin Atal. "The accused has been booked under Sections 332, 353 , 294 and 504 of the IPC," a police officer said. The accused layer, however, is yet to get arrested. The police said a search operation has been initiated to nab the accused. Agar District Collector and SP had reached to court upon knowing the incident. Nitin Atal, who practises at the Agar and Shajapur district court, had reportedly indulged in fights with layers and judges earlier too. Sources aware of the matter told IANS that Nitin, who is connected to politicians, often misbehaved with court employees. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) recorded a steep 35 percent growth in passenger traffic in 2023 over the previous year, officials said here on Tuesday. Last year, the CSMIA notched a total of 51.58 million passengers, comprising more than 25.4 million arrivals and over 26.1 million departures from here. Simultaneously, it catered to a stupendous 334,391 air traffic movements - a 20 per cent increase compared with 277,052 recorded in 2022 - comprising both domestic and international flights. In 2023, the highest passenger traffic movement for a single day in a month was seen on November 25 with 167,132 passengers travelling through the airport, including 120,000 domestic and over 46,000 international fliers. On November 11, the CSMIA achieved its highest-ever single-day ATM with a total of 1,032 flights. The next month, December, 4.89 million passengers passed through the CSMIA, a growth of 13 per cent compared with 4.34 million fliers in December 2022. Overall in 2023, the CSMIA said it achieved a 110 per cent recovery in passenger traffic compared to the pre-pandemic era. Last year, New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai remained the top domestic destinations while Dubai, London and Abu Dhabi were the most preferred international destinations for air travellers. Among the airlines, IndiGo, Vistara, and Air India led the domestic market share and the international front was dominated by IndiGo, Air India, and Emirates. In 2023, CSMIA expanded its international connectivity to destinations like New York, Lagos, Jakarta, Entebbe, Melbourne and frequency additions to destinations such as Bangkok, Frankfurt, London, Doha, Mauritius and many more along with Azerbaijan Airlines (Baku) and Air Canada (Toronto). The Middle East dominated with a strong 35 per cent share, followed closely by Australasia at 23 per cent, Europe at 19 per cent, North America 15 per cent, and Africa contributed 8 per cent. Last year, the CSMIA also took major initiatives like successfully concluding its re-carpeting project for Runway 14/32 to enhance operations; introducing 'Taxiway Z' to slash the entry-exit time taken by aircraft and lowering carbon emissions; commissioning a specialized Disabled Aircraft Recovery Kit (DARK), the first airport in Asia to possess this facility with High-Pressure lifting bags; and introducing an advanced Parking Guidance System at Terminal 2. Toronto, Jan 23 : Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre has blamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for making a 'mess' of the country's immigration system, just as Ottawa moved to cap new study permits for international students starting this year. The nation, under Trudeau's leadership, opened its doors to immigrants to replace aging workers and plug labour shortages post Covid, bumping up the country's population. However, the number boom ended up putting a strain on the country's resources, leading to a severe housing shortage, which pushed up rents and the cost of living across the country. "We had the most successful immigration system in the history of the world here in Canada... And along came Justin Trudeau and through his total incompetence and irresponsibility... destroyed that common sense consensus on immigration," Poilievre said in an interview with Canadian media outlet True North on Monday. The number of international students in Canada crossed the one million mark recently and more than 60,000 of them became permanent residents of the country in 2023, as per the latest immigration data. The nation accepted about 455,000 new permanent residents in the 12-month period to October 1 while bringing in more than 800,000 non-permanent residents, including temporary workers, students, and refugees. The Conservative Party boss said that immigrants, international students, and temporary foreign workers are not to be blamed for Trudeau's "incompetence". "He (Trudeau) is the one that caused this mess. He is the one that brought hundreds of thousands of people here without homes, to cram 16 or 17 into a one-bedroom apartment or basement. He is the one that granted the work for the study permits. That is a federal responsibility... So let's not blame the students," the opposition leader said. "Let's blame the one man who is responsible for this disaster. And that is our incompetent Prime Minister. Can you think of anything he hasn't screwed up? We have never had the division and the chaos in our immigration system before Justin Trudeau, which proves once again he is not worth the cost. He is not worth the country we know and love." Poilievre, who is trying to take down Trudeau, told Financial Post that if elected, he would link Canadaas immigration levels to the number of homes being built. Apart from the Conservative leader, New Democratic Party's Jenny Kwan slammed Trudeau for "mismanagement", warning that the new cap "might punish talented students who seek to build a better life". Apart from the housing crisis concerns, the federal government has been under increasing pressure to cap the number of international students, amid reports that some are not here to attend school. An analysis by Statistics Canada in November found that around 19 per cent of international students with study permits did not have a record of studying at a college or university here, a Globe and Mail report said. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that by imposing the cap, the government is taking action against some small private colleges taking advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses and charging high tuition fees. --IANS mi/vd Kolkata, Jan 23 : Following the January 5 attack on ED and CAPF officials at Sandeshkhali in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district, the officials of the different central investigating agencies probing the various scams in the state will get additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel for their security during future raid and search operations. Sources said a proposal has been cleared by the Union Home Ministry to allot one additional company of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for the security of central probe agency officials. Currently, a total of two companies of CAPF are allotted for this purpose. For the time being, sources added, the third company will mainly be kept in reserve. However, sources said that when on a single day, the number of simultaneous raids by the central agencies will be more, the personnel from the reserve company will be included in the escorting team. This is to ensure that not a single team of central agency officials goes for raid and search operations without adequate security cover of CAPF personnel. Already since the attack on January 5, the escorting CAPF personnel have started taking extra precautions while accompanying the central officials. They are going to raid spots with the protection of metal helmets and cane-shields. Besides carrying automatic firearms, as they used to before, they are now also carrying charge-batons and teargas shells that might come handy to disperse a mob or gathering near the raid spots. Meanwhile, even after 18 days since the attack took place, Trinamool Congress leader and the accused mastermind behind the January 5 incident, Sheikh Shahjahan, is still absconding. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has already issued a lookout notice against him in anticipation that he might escape to Bangladesh, whose international borders with India are quite close to the place where the attack took place. Melbourne, Jan 23 : Jannik Sinner on Tuesday secured a spot in the semifinals of the Australian Open by defeating Andrey Rublev in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-3, here at the Rod Laver Arena. The Italian rising star has now advanced to the final four without dropping a set in the tournament. Sinner's victory was particularly highlighted by his resilience in the second-set tiebreak. Trailing 1-5, he mounted an impressive comeback, winning six consecutive points to claim the tiebreak 7-5. This pivotal moment proved crucial in preventing Rublev from leveling the contest and showcased Sinner's mental fortitude on the big stage. The 20-year-old Italian will now face the formidable challenge of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Djokovic, the top seed and 10-time champion, endured a tough battle earlier in the day against Taylor Fritz, eventually securing a four-set victory to reach his 11th Australian Open semifinal. For Andrey Rublev, it marks another missed opportunity in his quest to reach the last four at a Grand Slam event. The 26-year-old Russian has now faced defeat in all 10 of his Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances. New Delhi, Jan 23 : Chairpersons of around 250 beneficiary Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) and their spouses from 24 states and two UTs will witness the Republic Day Parade 2024 at Kartavyapath as 'Special Guest' of the Government of India. The officials said that the Ministry of Cooperation, in coordination with the Ministry of Defence, is hosting the special guests. The Ministry of Cooperation said that it has taken more than 54 initiatives in a short span of time. "Computerisation of PACS project is one of the major initiatives of the Ministry under which 63,000 PACS are being computerised with the total financial outlay of Rs 2,516 crores," the ministry said. It said that around 12,000 PACS have been computerised and already on-boarded on ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software developed by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). The ministry said that during their stay in New Delhi, they will interact with the Minister of State for Cooperation B. L. Verma, followed by dinner on January 25. "After the Republic Day Parade, they will participate in 'Bharat Parva' on January 26 evening," the ministry said. It said that it is committed to ensuring a memorable experience for the 'Special Guests' during their stay in New Delhi and also showcasing the success of the computerisation of PACS project. Mumbai, Jan 23 : Actor Boman Irani, who is known for 'Munna Bhai' franchise, '3 Idiots', 'Khosla Ka Ghosla' and others, has been invited as the speaker at Oxford University, the London School of Economics (LSE), the British Parliament and the Indian High Commission. The actor will head to London on January 24 with his family for four major events as a speaker. Announcing the same on social media, Boman Irani revealed that he will be taking centre stage and will be speaking at aforementioned events. Expressing his gratitude for the opportunity Boman Irani said: "It's truly humbling to represent India on such esteemed global platforms and receive this recognition. I look forward to sharing my life experiences and the wisdom gained throughout my two-decade career with other bright minds there. Taking a piece of India with me, I'm truly grateful for this opportunity." Boman Irani was recently seen in the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer 'Dunki' which released last month. The film touches upon the subject of illegal immigration. The two have earlier worked in films like 'Main Hoon Na' and 'Happy New Year'. Mumbai, Jan 23 : The documentary film 'To Kill a Tiger', directed by Indian-born Canadian filmmaker Nisha Pahuja, has been nominated for the upcoming edition of the Oscar awards. The film has been nominated in the Documentary Feature Film category. The fellow nominees are 'Bobi Wine: The People's President', 'The Eternal Memory', 'Four Daughters',and '20 Days in Mariupol'. 'To Kill a Tiger' follows the story of a family in Jharkhand, India, who are campaigning for justice after their teenage daughter was brutally raped. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2022. It had its American premiere at the Lighthouse International Film Festival in June 2023. The film's official website states about the story, "Ranjit goes to the police, and the men are arrested. But Ranjit's relief is short-lived, as the villagers and their leaders launch a sustained campaign to force the family to drop the charges. A cinematic documentary, 'To Kill a Tiger' follows Ranjit's uphill battle to find justice for his child". The film is produced by Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim. The 2024 Oscars will be held on Sunday, March 10 at 4:00 pm (Pacific Standard Time) at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles. It will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Kolkata, Jan 23 : Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday gave a clear signal to the party leadership that Anubrata Mondal, who is currently in judicial custody at Dellhi's Tihar Jail in connection with the multi-crore cattle smuggling case, should be given his due respect in the party once he is released. The Chief Minister reportedly gave this message at the partyas organisation meeting pertaining to Birbhum district, where Mondal was Trinamool Congressas district chief for over a decade. This was confirmed by actress-turned-politician and three-time Lok Sabha member from Birbhum constituency in the same district Satabdi Roy after emerging from the meeting. "The Chief Minister insisted that no one should forget the contributions of Anubrata Mondal for the party. She has also expressed hope that he might be released from prison soon and once that happens he will be given the due respect in the party. The Chief Minister also said that the organizational network developed by him in the district should never be forgotten," Roy said. Political observers feel that through this message, the Trinamool has indirectly tried to send a note of caution against the growing infighting within the party that started since the time Mondal was arrested in August 2022 by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the cattle smuggling case. In fact, party insiders said, Banerjee also reconstituted the core committee of the party in Birbhum district, including mainly the confidants of Mondal. Kajal Sheikh, a prominent anti-Mondal face in the party in Birbhum, has been dropped. Jaipur, Jan 23 : Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Tuesday inspected the arrangements in wake of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron. PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Jaipur on January 25. The Chief Minister also visited the route from the airport to the walled city from where PM Modi is likely to hold a roadshow with France President from Sanganeri Gate to Jantar Mantar. He also visited Jantar Mantar, Amer Mahal and gave necessary directions to the officials. The officials are making all the arrangements in the city regarding maintain law and order and traffic management in view of the VIP movement. Hyderabad, Jan 23 : Four MLAs of the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Tuesday called on Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. According to the Chief Ministeras Office, the BRS MLAs paid a courtesy call. Sunitha Laxma Reddy (Narsapur), K. Prabhakar Reddy (Dubbaka), G. Mahipal Reddy ( Patancheru), and Manik Rao (Zaheerabad ) met the Chief Minister at his residence. Meanwhile, Revanth Reddy, who is also the President of state Congress unit, along with Working President Mahesh Kumar Goud reviewed the arrangements for a meeting of booth-level agents of the party to be held at L. B. Stadium on January 25. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge will address the meeting. Kharge will give directions to booth level agents with regard to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. He will make important suggestions to convey to people the steps taken for implementation of the promises made in Assembly elections. Revanth Reddy has asked the party cadres to attend the meeting in large numbers, noting that booth level agents worked actively in Assembly elections and played an active role in the party's victory. --IANS ms/vd New Delhi, Jan 23 : The Delhi government informed the Delhi High Court on Tuesday that the Online Single Window System (OSWS) portal for processing the payment of professional fees to empanelled lawyers will be operational within two weeks. The assurance came in response to a petition contending the prolonged non-payment of professional fees or retainership fee bills of empanelled lawyers. The court directed the Delhi Law Minister to expedite the decision on the revision of fees for professionals appointed as standing counsel and address the issue of the cap on the number of appearances. The Central government has also been asked to provide instructions on the matter. The petitioner, advocate Piyush Gupta, sought the court's intervention to compel authorities to clear the outstanding bills of government counsel engaged with the Delhi government, the Centre, and municipal bodies. The court had previously directed the clearance of pending bills in August 2020, but the petitioner claimed that despite various representations, the bills remained unresolved. The matter has been listed for further hearing on April 8. New Delhi: The Government of India has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna posthumously on the beacon of social justice to Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Jan 23 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed his happiness over the decision to confer the Bharat Ratna posthumously to the pioneer of social justice and former Chief Minister of Bihar, Karpoori Thakur (Jan 24, 1924 to Feb 17, 1988). Modi said that on the occasion of Karpoori Thakur's birth centenary, this decision will make the countrymen proud. His unwavering commitment and visionary leadership for the upliftment of the backward and the deprived has left an indelible mark on the socio-political scenario of India, the Prime Minister said. Earlier, a statement issued by the President's Secretariat said, "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously)." January 24 is the birth anniversary of late Karpoori Thakur. The Central government is going to organise a big programme at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary on Wednesday, in which Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will be present. Karpoori Thakur served two terms as the Chief Minister of Bihar, first from December 1970 to June 1971, and then from June 1977 to April 1979. He was popularly known as 'Jan Nayak'. Chennai, Jan 23 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will soon release a state policy for women after it got Cabinet nod. A meeting of the Cabinet on Tuesday approved the stateas new policy for women. It may be noted that the state government had approved a draft of the policy in December 2021. A state-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary and comprising district-level committees headed by district collectors will monitor the implementation of the New State Policy for Women. State Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment, P. Geetha Jeevan, said the new policy is aimed at holistic development of women by empowering them through education, economic independence and sharing of power. The minister said the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment department will also monitor the implementation of the policy. Geetha Jeevan said that changes were incorporated into the draft policy based on feedback from the civil society. The minister said that the state has formulated the new policy 23 years after the national-level policy was released in 2001. She said that Tamil Nadu had conceived and implemented many women empowerment schemes like the Kalaignar Magalir Urimai Thittam scheme under which an estimated 1.06 crore women recognised as the heads of families will be provided a monthly grant of Rs 1,000. The minister also said that the state government is providing free bus travel for women under the Vidiyal Payana Thittam scheme, adding that the state government is in the process of constructing working womenas hostels in many districts. She also said that her ministry is collecting information on the number of women beneficiaries in the various schemes implemented by the state government. Patna, Jan 23 : A planned protest by a group of rural doctors near Bihar Chief Minister's residence on Tuesday was dispersed by police. The registered medical practitioners in rural areas were demanding that the Bihar government regularise their services and also wanted a fixed salary as well. Around 100 rural doctors reached the JD-U office with the demands but found no one paid them any attention and then moved towards the Chief Minister's residence. They were carrying bottles of petrol to self-immolate themselves in front of the Chief Minister's residence if their demands were not be met. In view of this, a large number of police personnel present at the spot stopped them, snatched the bottles of petrol, and carried out a baton charge to disperse them. "We have detained 14 rural doctors and kept them in the Sachivalaya police station. We are learning their demands and will inform the competent authority about the same," a Patna police spokesperson said. Bengaluru, Jan 23 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday hit out at the BJP for disrupting the 'Nyay Yatra' of Congress in Assam. Addressing protest organised by the Congress to condemn attack of BJP workers on Rahul Gandhias Nyay Yatra in Assam, he said: "The BJP goons are holding mantrakshate (prasad) in one hand and a lathi in the other. The Congress is not threatened by these goons. "The yatra has been stopped in Assam for the last two days. It is not allowed to enter Guwahati. This makes us wonder if the Constitutional democracy is alive or not in this country. We strongly condemn this action by the BJP." "Rahul Gandhi has taken up the Nyay Yatra to unite people against injustice. The BJP is shaken by this yatra and hence it is trying to disrupt it at any cost," he said. Shivakumar said that thousands of Congress leaders have sacrificed their lives for peace and unity of this country, and Rahul Gandhi has been a witness to the killings of his grandmother, uncle and father. "Has any leader from the BJP sacrificed anything for the country? This is the reason he has taken up this yatra. Only Congress can do this," he said. Thanking the party workers for gathering for the protest at a short notice, he said: "We will not budge to any conspiracies and threats of BJP. Our fight for the unity, integrity and peace of the nation." Shivakumar also said that a new date for the postponed party workers convention, earlier scheduled for January 21, will be announced soon. "Congress President (Mallikarjuna Kharge) is coming to Karnataka for the Republic Day, we will discuss with him and announce a new date soon. "The Lok Sabha elections are fast approaching. All of you need to do party work. We have to ensure victory for the party in all the four constituencies of Bengaluru city. Booth level work needs to be done by us. There will be BBMP elections after the general elections. The party will give you opportunities based on your organisational skills," he said. Asked about a statement by Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara that he was not consulted, he said: "The guidelines were prepared after consultations with everyone. The appointments to Boards and Corporations will take place according to those guidelines." Qatar launches new peace initiatives, claims to have ears of Israel and Hamas. Image Source: IANS News Abu Dhabi, Jan 23 : Qatar, the chief negotiator in the Israel-Hamas war, has said it is getting replies from both Israel and the Hamas as it engages in serious discussions with them to find a new solution to end the war that includes a two-state formula. The war has so far killed over 20,000 Palestinians and 2,000 Israeli soldiers in a span of over 100 days. Qatar said it's engaged in "serious discussions" with Israel and Hamas and is receiving "constant replies" from both sides. But statements made by Israeli officials "lead to a harder mediation process", Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, said in a news conference on Tuesday. "Obviously, when one side says they don't accept the two state-solution and that they won't stop this war eventually... it leads to a harder mediation process," Al-Ansari pointed out. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected global calls, including from the US, for Palestinian sovereignty following talks with US President Joe Biden about Gaza's future, suggesting Israel's security needs would be incompatible with Palestinian statehood. Communication breakdown and the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza has impacted the talks from yielding results, media reports said. But mediation is in full swing with Qatar exchanging ideas between both sides, Al-Ansari said. "Our negotiators are working around the clock to exchange these ideas, a lot of these media reports are either missing elements or completely false," he said in response to news reports that Israel offered a two-month ceasefire to Hamas as part of a prospective hostage deal. Meanwhile, the situation around the Khan Younis hospitals is deteriorating amid intense shelling, the United Nations said. The UN says that the situation at hospitals in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza has deteriorated as Israeli military operations in the area have expanded, CNN reported from Gaza. "Reportedly, Israeli forces struck the vicinity of Al-Amal hospital and the ambulance headquarters, as intense fighting continued in the area, including dozens of casualties," the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday, adding that it estimated that "13,000 displaced people who have taken shelter in Al Amal Hospital and the PRCS [Palestinian Red Crescent Society] headquarters were unable to leave". OCHA cited humanitarian partners as saying that people in the vicinity and in the Al Kheir area east of Al Mawasi had lost access to the health facility, reports said. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that it had surrounded Khan Younis and instructed civilians to leave several districts and move towards the coast, which it described was "safer". Roads leading to Al-Amal hospital were closed due to ongoing shooting by IDF in Khan Younis, the PRCS said on Tuesday. Separately, the UN relief agency in Gaza said that one of its shelters in the Khan Younis area had been hit. At least six displaced people were killed and many more injured during intense fighting around the shelter. Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues," the agency's director, Phillipe Lazzarini, said on X. Meanwhile, the UK and the US are set to announce new sanctions on Houthis after more strikes in Yemen. The two countries will announce the new sanctions on Houthis "in the coming days", UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday. "We're going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthis' financial resources, where they are used to fund these attacks [on commercial ships in the Red Sea]," Sunak told the House of Commons. "We are working closely with the United States on this and plan to announce new sanctions measures in the coming days," he said. The news comes atop another US and UK airstrike on Houthi targets in Yemen, which Sunak said were "limited to carefully selected targets, with maximum caretaking to protect civilian lives". He also stressed that the strikes were "fully in line with international law, in self-defence, and in response to a persistent threat". Sunak said the sanctions are part of a wider UK response to the Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea. The UK will continue to deliver humanitarian aid to Yemen and help negotiate peace in the country, Sunak said on Tuesday. "We're going to use the most effective means at our disposal to cut off the Houthis' financial resources, where they are used to fund these attacks [on commercial ships in the Red Sea]," Sunak told the House of Commons. Diya Kumari meets UNGA President, says India is now the voice of Global South. Image Source: IANS News Jaipur, Jan 23 : Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Diya Kumari, on Tuesday met Dennis Francis, President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at the City Palace here. India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj (IFS), and United Nations Resident Coordinator, Shombi Sharp, were also present on the occasion. Diya Kumari later said that during the discussions on various international and contemporary issues, the UNGA President praised India's foreign policy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He highlighted the G-20 Summit chaired by India, India's help to many countries during the Covid-19 pandemic, and raising voice against the ongoing wars around the world. The Deputy CM said the entire world is impressed by the efforts being made by the Prime Minister for the overall development of the Global South. The Prime Minister also gave the slogan of 'One World, One Family, One Future' in the spirit of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' at the G-20 conference and is trying to unite the world through the International Solar Alliance. Diya Kumari also talked about the heritage conservation in detail on the occasion. Dennis Francis is on a five-day visit to India. Imphal, Jan 23 : The transgender community in Manipur has raised strong objections to the inclusion of only 239 of its members in the state's final electoral rolls, asserting that this figure significantly underrepresents their actual population. Santa Khurai, a trans activist and secretary of the All Manipur Nupi Manbi (trans-women) Association (AMANA), emphasised that the adult trans population in the state already exceeds 4,000. The final electoral rolls, released on Monday by Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Pradeep Kumar Jha, reported that out of the total of 20,26,623 electors, including 10,46,706 females, only 239 individuals identified as third gender or transgender. Expressing disbelief at the "remarkably" low figure, Khurai, also a researcher and writer, said: "We are stunned to see the terribly small number of just 239 third-gender voters in the final electoral rolls." An official of the state Election Commission acknowledged the challenge of identifying the third gender for inclusion in the rolls but affirmed that corrective measures could be taken to rectify the gender status. In 2020, during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, AMANA conducted a survey, distributing support materials to trans community members and identifying 4000 adult members. The AMANA Secretary acknowledged the likelihood that this figure is an underestimate due to many individuals avoiding participation out of fear of social stigma. To rectify this discrepancy, AMANA plans to engage with the election officials to ensure a more accurate representation of the transgender community in the electoral rolls. Khurai pointed out that the failure to involve transgender individuals in the survey and the reluctance of parents to disclose the identities of their trans children could be contributing factors to the "faulty figure". The AMANA Secretary, who addressed the 48th United Nations Human Rights Council Session in 2021, highlighted the importance of addressing issues faced by the LGBTIQ+ community, extending from democratic access to safe water and sanitation. Patna, Jan 23 : A team of the Bihar's Labour Department freed 4 child labourers from a bakery facility in Munger on Tuesday. A fine of Rs 80,000 was also slapped on the owner of the bakery. Munger's Labour Enforcement Officer Kumar Raman, along with a team of his department and local police, conducted the raid on the bakery facility located at Kamargama village in Tarapur sub-division in the district. "We have freed 4 child labourers from the bakery facility in Tarapur sub-division on Tuesday and sent them to the child welfare home in the district. They are from Jharkhandas Deoghar district. We have information of child labourers working in the facility and we had warned the owner of the bakery. Still, he has ignored our warning. "Hence, we have conducted the raid on the bakery and released the child labourers and also imposed a fine of Rs 80,000 on him," Raman said. Hyderabad, Jan 23 : England's uncapped spinner Shoaib Bashir has returned to the UK in order to sort out the visa delay preventing him from joining the national squad for the upcoming Test series in India. The 20-year-old, of Pakistani descent, was initially left behind in Abu Dhabi while the rest of the team traveled to India on Sunday, awaiting resolution to the bureaucratic hurdle. Despite being a surprise inclusion in the England Test squad after only six first-class matches, Bashir's journey to India has hit a snag due to the yet-to-be-issued visa. The Somerset off-spinner is now expected to miss the first Test in Hyderabad, scheduled to commence on Thursday. Expressing his frustration, England captain Ben Stokes remarked, "I find it particularly frustrating. We announced the squad in mid-December, and now Bash finds himself without a visa to get here. I am more frustrated for him. I didn't want this type of situation to be his first experience of what it's like to be in the England Test team. I feel for him." The British government has responded to the situation, with a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stating, "We expect India to treat British citizens fairly at all times in its visa processes." The issues faced by British citizens with Pakistani heritage have been previously raised with the Indian High Commissioner in London. In Bashir's absence, England is considering fielding all three available frontline spinners on the expected dry surface in Hyderabad. Fit-again Jack Leach could be joined by leg-spinner Ahmed and uncapped Lancashire left-armer Tom Hartley. The team's composition will depend on whether England opts for two seamers, with Leach likely supported by one of Hartley and Ahmed, alongside pace bowlers James Anderson and Mark Wood. Stokes confirmed that Ben Foakes will return behind the stumps, with Jonny Bairstow playing as a specialist batter following Harry Brook's departure from the tour for personal reasons. New Delhi, Jan 24 : Civil servants of six different African countries are being trained in India, learning leadership and governance related skills in a Mussoorie institute. New Delhi, Jan 24 (IANS) Civil servants of six different African countries are being trained in India, learning leadership and governance related skills in a Mussoorie institute. The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), an apex-level autonomous institution under the Union Ministry of Personnel, commenced a two-week Advanced Leadership Development Programme on Public Policy and Governance. This programme is for civil servants from the African region and 36 senior officers from six countries, namely Eritrea, Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Gambia, and Eswatini are attending it, an official said. NCGG Director General and Secretary, DARPG, V. Srinivas, emphasised India's commitment to digital transformation, and highlighted the role of technology in bringing citizens closer to the government. Course Coordinator and Associate Professor at NCGG, Dr. A.P Singh said that the programme includes sessions on governance paradigms, digital technology in housing, Aadhar for good governance, land records modernisation, transparency in government procurement, rural property survey programmes, public-private partnerships, effective office administration, climate change policies, sustainable development goals, agriculture in India, public policy perspectives, and India-Africa relation along with institutional visit to PM Sangrahalaya, the DMRC, AIIMS, and the Taj Mahal. Srinivas said that India's policy maxim of aMaximum Governance, Minimum Government" has focused on digital empowerment of citizens and digital transformation of institutions to bring citizens and government closer using technology, and the focus is on effective grievance redressal using CPGRAMS, secretariat reforms focused on e-services, and improving service delivery through integrated service portals. The Capacity Building Programme seeks to present Indiaas strides in technology, zero tolerance to corruption, and ethics in governance to the delegates in addition to the focus on land reforms. Gambia's Deputy High Commissioner Lamin E Singhateh expressed gratitude for the knowledge-sharing collaboration between his country, India, and the NCGG. He also emphasised the importance of continuous learning for professional and personal growth in today's world. --IANS gcb/vd Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Sally Rooney and Richard Osman were among the winners at this year's U.K.'s Nielsen BookData Bestseller Awards, which returned as a live event this year on January 23. The awards ceremony, run in partnership with BolognaBookPlus, took place at the Ham Yard Hotel in London. The awards celebrate titles that passed sales landmarks in print in 2023: 250,000 copies (Silver), 500,000 copies (Gold), and a million copies (Platinum), while authors achieving lifetime sales of more than five million copies are awarded Author Platinum Awards. Overall, Nielsen reported that 199 million print books were sold in the U.K. in 2023, with a value of 1.83 billion ($2.32 billon), with the book industry supporting over 70,000 direct jobs and generating over 7 billion ($8.8 billion) of revenue. Print books accounted for about seven in every 10 sales. In his opening remarks, Andre Breedt, managing director of Nielsen Book, celebrated the resilience of the UK book industry. These awards, he said, are special because they celebrate success based on the ultimate measure, sales. Jacks Thomas of BolognaBookPlus added: Writing is hardwriting bestsellers is even harder. The first winner of the evening was the author who held the much-coveted number one spot at Christmas: G.T. Karber for Murdle, published by Souvenir Press. Beamed in from abroad, Karber thanked Nielsen for their precious medals. Miriam Margolyes had also recorded a message of thanks, for her Gold Award for This Much Is True. I'm in Italy, she revealed, so that's another reason to be jealous. Half a million people have read my book! I just can't believe it. Platinum Awardwinning author Richard Osman, who did not attend in person, announced remotely what a huge fan he was of Nielsen's data, adding: This award [for The Bullet that Missed] is extraordinary and wonderful, and Im going to cherish it. Colleen Hoover also beamed in to receive a Gold Award for It Starts with Us and a Platinum Award for It Ends with Us. Faber had a trio of authors on this years Bestseller Award list: Sally Rooney, awarded Gold for Beautiful World and Conservations with Friends and Platinum for Normal People; Kazuo Ishiguro with Gold for Klara and the Sun; and Claire Keegan winning Silver for Small Things Like These. Their awards were collected on their behalf by Faber editors Alex Bowler and Angus Cargill. Having previously won an Author Platinum Award, Peter James was there in person to collect four Silver Awards for his Brighton-based police thrillers starring Superintendent Roy Grace. Im glad Ive been doing some strength work in the gym, he quipped as he accepted the framed certifications for selling over a quarter of million copies of Left you Dead, Find them Dead, Dead at First Sight, and Dead if you Dont. Elif Shafak accepted a Silver Award for selling over 250,000 copies of Island of the Missing Trees, a love story set on the divided island of Cyprus. When I started writing this book, she said, and I realized that there was going to be a tree at the center of the book, and that this tree was going to talk, I was terrified. It was a risk. But I kept hearing the voice of the tree inside my head and my heart, so this Nielsen award is an indication that the voice of this tree was heard by many others too. Alexander Potter, author of 12 novels that have been translated into more than 25 languages, was delighted with her award for her novel Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up: Ive been writing for 25 years, and this is the first award Ive ever got, she said, so Im over the moon. Sally Page was there to collect a Gold Award for selling half a million copies of The Keeper of Stories, a debut novel that came out when she was just 60so its never too late, she declared. The Thakrar brothers, Shamil and Kavi, collected a Silver Award for the cookbook Dishoom: From Bombay with Love, with Khorsandi taking the opportunity to recommend one of her favorite restaurants in the world, the Britannia in Mumbai. We feel like interlopers here because were not literary, admitted Thakrar. We cant even cook, were just restaurateursand like Richard Osman says, we love your data. Axel Scheffler collected a Platinum Award for The Highway Rat, another collaboration with Julia Donaldson. An award for a baddiethats unusual, he said, adding: Im obviously only half of the team. I dont do words, thats Julias job, so I just want to say thank you to everyone involved. Other authors there in person were Stacey Ellis, picking up a Silver Award for selling a quarter of a million copies of The Familiars; T.M. Logan, whose The Holiday has now sold half a million copies; Miranda Cowley Heller, who received a Gold Award for The Paper Palace; and Susan Lewis, receiving an Author Platinum Award for sales of over five million copies of her books. Despite writing gazillions of words, Lewis was, she admitted, now lost for them. The final presentation of the evening was an Author Platinum Award for Victoria Hislop for selling over five million books. As she was currently in Greece launching her new novel The Figurine, her husband, Ian Hislop, was there to accept the award on her behalf. Much of her success was, he claimed, due to her extraordinary husbandthough he admitted to feeling rather like the Duke of Edinburgh now, trudging along behind his much more famous wife. During the ceremony, Nielsen also revealed various regional trends. Britney Spears memoir The Woman in Me was more popular in the northeast than anywhere else in the U.K. Readers in the Midlands made up the largest market share outside London for graphic novels, and buyers in southern parts of the U.K. were more likely to spend money on cookbooks than in the north. The Reverend Richard Coless The Murder Before Evensong was favored by readers in the southwest, Pinch of Nom Enjoy by Kate and Kay Allinson was most loved in Yorkshire, and Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients Mediterranean sold best in the south. The following are all the evenings winners: Platinum (1 million copies sold) It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover Normal People by Sally Rooney The Bullet That Missed by Richard Osman The Highway Rat by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler Gold (half a million copies sold) Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro The Holiday by T.M. Logan The Keeper of Stories by Sally Page This Much Is True by Miriam Margolyes The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller Silver (quarter of a million copies) Confessions of a Forty-Something F**k Up by Alexandra Potter Dead at First Sight by Peter James Dead if You Don't by Peter James Find Them Dead by Peter James Left You Dead by Peter James Dishoom: From Bombay with Love by Shamil Thakrar Murdle by G.T. Karber Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan The Familiars by Stacey Halls The Island of Missing Trees by Elif Shafak Author Platinum (5 million sales in total) Susan Lewis Victoria Hislop A version of this story originally ran in BookBrunch in the U.K. This article uses the U.K. sales data and publishers for the winning books. At the invitation of Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya Musalia Mudavadi will pay an official visit to China from January 24 to 26. CCTV: We noted that the 19th Non-Aligned Movement Summit and the Third South Summit were held in Uganda a few days ago. Vice Premier of the State Council Liu Guozhong attended the summits. During the summits, representatives from many countries spoke highly of the Global Development Initiative and called on members of the Non-Aligned Movement to enhance solidarity and cooperation in international affairs and safeguard multilateralism and the common interests of Global South countries. Can you share more about Vice Premier Lius visit? Wang Wenbin: From January 19 to 21, President Xi Jinpings Special Representative, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Liu Guozhong attended the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and the Third South Summit in Kampala, Uganda and delivered remarks. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong noted that the NAM, born at the climax of the national liberation movements in Asia, Africa and Latin America, has effectively advanced the cause of world peace and human progress. It is important that it remains committed to its strength of character in defending independence and opposing power politics, carries forward the spirit of seeking common ground while shelving differences and peaceful coexistence, takes on the common mission of seeking strength through solidarity and striving for common development, and champions the values of equality, fairness and justice. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong pointed out that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the G77. Over the past six decades, Global South countries have found a right path of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit, solidarity and mutual help. Independence is the defining political feature of Global South countries; seeking strength through solidarity is their proud tradition; development and revitalization are their historical mission; and fairness and justice are their common aspirations. At the moment, amid transformations of the world unseen in a century, Global South countries are faced with a complex international environment. We need to continue our endeavour under the new circumstances to explore the path to modernization, promote higher-level South-South cooperation, actively take part in the reform of the global governance system, and deepen the global partnership for development that is united, equal, balanced and beneficial to all. Vice Premier Liu Guozhong stressed that China has invariably stood in solidarity with fellow developing countries through thick and thin. We are ready to work with other developing countries, under the guidance of building a community with a shared future for mankind, to implement the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, uphold the common values of mankind, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and bring the world to a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress. As the biggest developing country, a partner of the NAM and a member of the Global South, China will always stand on the side of fellow developing countries, especially medium-sized and smaller countries, and contribute to the common development of the Global South. Xinhua News Agency: Today, Chinas State Council Information Office released a white paper titled Chinas Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism. Can you share more information? Wang Wenbin: China has long faced the threat of terrorism and suffered from its scourge. Over the years, China has taken stock of the underlying dynamics, characteristics and practices of its own counterterrorism efforts and drawn on the useful experience of other countries. By doing so, China has adopted a counterterrorism approach rooted in Chinas realities and built on a sound legal footing, which has helped keep the nation, the public and peoples lives and property secure and contributed to global and regional security and stability. The white paper you mentioned outlines Chinas legal framework and measures for counterterrorism in a comprehensive and systematic way, including the criteria for illegal and criminal terrorist activities and principles for their punishment, and the legal provisions and principles for the system on standardizing the exercise of power and protecting human rights in fighting terrorism. This reflects the value and basic principle of both effectively preventing and punishing terrorist activities, and earnestly respecting and protecting human rights, which shows the compatibility between the guiding principles for Chinas rule of law and international counterterrorism principles. Terrorism is humanitys common enemy, which seriously threatens international peace and security. China stands ready to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism with all countries, work together to combat all forms of terrorism, actively participate in the global governance on counterterrorism, draw on each others experience and engage in exchanges and cooperation on the basis of equality and respect, so as to promote healthy global counterterrorism endeavors and safeguard international and regional peace and stability. Reuters: Geneva-based diplomats said that China is lobbying diplomats from other countries in Geneva to praise its human rights record. Whats Chinas comment? Wang Wenbin: The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is an important platform under the UN framework for countries to carry out equal-footed, candid exchanges and constructive dialogue and cooperation on human rights issues. China holds a people-centered human rights philosophy and believes that a happy life for the people is the most important human right. We have found a path toward better human rights that follows the trend of the times and fits our national realities. We have made historic progress in our human rights cause and the people are enjoying a greater sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security. The Chinese government attaches high importance to this round of UPR and will participate in the review with an open, candid attitude and communicate with all parties for mutual learning and joint progress. We hope that all parties will follow the UPR mechanisms principle of being constructive and non-politicized in their participation of the review. On your question, I want to stress that China always undergoes the UPR in strict accordance with the rules and procedures of the UN Human Rights Council. News 1 Korea: The UK has provided satellite photographs of North Korean cargo shipments to Russia to a panel of UN experts as part of an attempt to trigger an official investigation into arms deals in violation of international sanctions. The photographs show three Russian ships load containers at North Koreas revived Najin port before transiting to Russian ports in the far east. Whats your comment? And today South Korea said the giant panda Fu Bao, the first ever panda cub born in the country, will return to China in April. Whats your comment? Wang Wenbin: On your first question, I do not know about what you mentioned. And on your second question, Fu Bao has been much adored by the ROK public since her birth and played a positive role in thickening the bond and friendship between Chinese and the people of the ROK. The giant panda Fu Bao will be 4 years old this year, and she will return to China in accordance with relevant bilateral cooperation agreement and customary practice. CGTN: Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministries yesterday said in a joint statement that ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by January 26 and that Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian will visit Pakistan upon invitation on January 29. Whats Chinas comment? Wang Wenbin: China welcomes the good progress that Iran and Pakistan have made in repairing their ties and supports them in further enhancing mutual trust and deepening cooperation through friendly consultation. We stand ready to work with Iran and Pakistan to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and safeguard regional peace, stability and development. The shocking scenes of college students, faculty, and staff defending Hamass October 7th massacre of Israeli civilians as a legitimate act of resistance have rightly been called antisemitism. Our fathers antisemitism was the centuries-old hatred of Jews just because they were Jews, different in their beliefs and customs. But this new form of antisemitism is different, and there are reasons why were seeing it revealed on our college campuses today. Its an antisemitism based on an ideology of the oppressed versus the oppressors, which is also being used against people of other races and ethnicities. Because Israel is seen as strong it is viewed as the oppressor, and Hamas, because it is weaker, is seen as the oppressed. As two Americans (one Jewish, the other Christian) who are deeply concerned about the future of our country, along with our cherished institutions of higher education, this ideological antisemitism has implications for America as a whole. The antisemitic outbursts at our nations colleges and universities are the canary in the coal mine, a warning sign of how this radical worldview regards America, and the West more broadly. In his book Defending Identity, the legendary Soviet dissident, human rights activist, and Israeli politician Natan Sharansky wrote, Anti-Semitism has had a unique and astounding staying power, metamorphosing from one epoch to another, one period to another, emerging in different forms to influence different places with different cultural lives. He concluded by noting, In each case anti-Semitism has been directed against that conception of identity, of how people defined who and what they are. How right Sharansky was. Look at America today, torn apart over which identity group is the most oppressed. But the American motto is E pluribus Unum out of many, one. Instead of bringing us together, this ideological view of the oppressed against the oppressors is tearing our nation apart. A recent Harvard-Harris poll showed that two-thirds of voters between the ages of 18 and 24 agree that Jews as a class are oppressors and should be treated as oppressors. This demonstrates the extent to which this extreme worldview has taken hold in our country. These young people have just recently been through our educational system, which has played a key role in shaping how they think. We see a strong connection between the ideological capture of K-12 and higher education and the decline in teaching our nations founding principles and history in a non-ideological way. American civics and history, rightly taught, is a powerful tool for fighting all isms, including antisemitism. As America approaches its 250th anniversary a growing number of organizations, including the Jack Miller Center and the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, are stepping forward to put a greater emphasis on quality, non-ideological civics and history education. We are seeing some successes with rapidly growing programs that give high school social studies teachers more content through lectures and seminars, as well as the recent launch of civics institutes at a number of public universities, from the University of Floridas Hamilton Center to the University of Texass new Civitas Institute, among others. Civics education rightly understood counters this new form of antisemitism, and all identitarian philosophies, as it promotes an American unum through a non-ideological (yet still critical) teaching of the American project. Sharansky thoughtfully surmised that, at its root, this is a battle over identity who we are as American citizens and the future of the American experiment. He wrote in the aforementioned book that a society without a strong identity is also a society imperiled. The free worlds shield against its enemies is its own identity, vigorously asserted and framed by a commitment to a democratic life. The anti-Israel, antisemitic demonstrations on college campuses and in the streets of our cities should be a wake-up call for all Americans. This ideological concept of oppressed versus oppressors that underlies these protests, which brokers no disagreement, is being used against Americas very principles and ideals. Only through a civics education that encourages debate, even as it celebrates the country grounded in the freedom to do so, can we win this battle. In speeches given to rapt audiences over the decades, Cato Institute distinguished senior fellow Jose Pinera has talked about the exciting implications of his time as Minister of Labor and Social Security in Chile. Pinera was the architect of the countrys transition to a private pension system, from which the countrys citizens emerged as owners of their private pension accounts. Most uplifting in Pineras talks are his stories of subsequent conversations with the countrys citizens. Not infrequently theyll show him the booklets they proudly keep on their person, and that indicate their equity in Chiles future, and for that matter, the worlds. To say that this ownership transformed the people is an understatement. The simple truth is that when youre an equity participant in the private economy, your views about economic policy evolve in a positive way. This is something to think about with The Vanguard Group, State Street, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and other providers of investment products to the retail investor well in mind. Most readers need no introduction to entities like Vanguard. It has long made saving and investing simple for Americans with Index funds that have made it possible for Americans to quite literally own the future of the United States. Which is really something. While there are all sorts of ways to invest, and all sorts of reasons to invest in different ways, the genius of Index funds is that they free the saver from having to divine whats ahead, and what presently unknown companies will define whats ahead. With cap-weighted Index funds, savers dont have to worry. Instead, they can rest easy that theyll always and everywhere attain exposure to market leaders through funds designed to expose them to those leaders. This growing exposure looms large in regularly expressed optimism in write-ups that more than a few view as Pollyannish. People ask how I can be so optimistic based on whats happening in the world, based on what theyre teaching tomorrows leaders about the world in school, and all sorts of other problems that should have me glum. Sure, but consider whats happening with savers. More and more they own whats ahead. And they do because they want returns on whats ahead. Since they do, fears of creeping socialism, communism, and all sorts of other isms dont worry me. As ownership of the commercial future grows, so grows a global bulwark against beliefs and policies that run counter to progress. Consider Vanguard alone. While most known for matching U.S. savers with a broad array of investment options, Vanguard increasingly has a global footprint. Stop and think about what that means with Pinera well in mind. About this, domestic readers dont need to be reminded of the genius of compound returns any more than they need to be told about Charles Schwab, T. Rowe Price, and any other large provider of investment options to the retail investor. These things we know. When youre part of the richest country in the world, financial intermediaries find you. The above truth has happily made U.S. equity markets incredibly powerful. And thats a good thing. As a Wall Street Journal opinion piece observed several years ago, the U.S. stock market is the most powerful force in the world, more powerful than any nuclear weapon. What this means is that politicians stateside can only go so far before markets discipline them. Of course, what makes the markets so powerful is broad ownership of them by the electorate. Its worth thinking about as Vanguard, Edward Jones, BlackRock and others take their products and services global. The more that they do, the more that global markets act as a bulwark against creeping statism in the way that they do stateside. Its a big positive, and its something to keep in mind as American pundits in particular aim to find fault with these massive asset managers. More on the presumed faults in the future, but for now its useful to stop and cheer just how much money the biggest of the big retail investors have under management. Its a hugely bullish sign that whatever the popular ideologies or investment styles at the moment, the overarching notion that powers all asset managers is returns. So long as thats the case, readers can be optimistic that global savings in pursuit of returns exist as protection from any faddish notions that could potentially bring us harm. Property details: 1.25 ACRES IN DELANDVOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDANEAR DAYTONA PARK ESTATES! High bid wins! Cash sale! ABOUT THE PROPERTY:Parcel Number: 710501050180 - Lot 18Off Hwy I-4 in University HighlandsUtilities - Not to lotTaxes: Approx $50/yearHOA: NoneDocument Fee $299 Payment/Terms: Payment accepted via Zelle, Venmo, cashiers check, or wire transfer. We do not take Paypal, as they will no longer allow real estate transaction payments thru them. Payment must be made by the winning bidder within 48 hours o... 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Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Florida Type: Beach/Ocean Number of Bedrooms: 1 Number of Bathrooms: 1 City: Grand Cayman State/Province: Florida Location: 331**, Miami, Florida You will be redirected to eBay Nearby Florida TLC / Reality TV World By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 01/22/2024 ADVERTISEMENT SOPHIE and ROBERT ADVERTISEMENT NIKKI and JUSTIN ADVERTISEMENT ASHLEY and MANUEL GINO and JASMINE ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT CLAYTON and ANALI ADVERTISEMENT SAM and CITRA ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. featured Sophie admitting there was only a 50/50 chance she'd marry Robert, Jasmine exploding on Gino, Sam telling Citra's father he may have to go to prison, Justin trying to assert dominance over Nikki, and Clayton deciding his mother must move out to save his private relationship with Anali during Sunday night's Season 10 broadcast on TLC.'s tenth season stars returning cast members Gino, a 52-year-old from Michigan, and Jasmine, a 36-year-old from Panama.The season also stars Sophie, a 23-year-old from the United Kingdom, and Robert, a 32-year-old from California; Manuel, a 34-year-old from Ecuador, and Ashley, a 31-year-old from New York; Justin, a 36-year-old from Moldova, and Nikki, a 47-year-old from New Jersey.In addition, features Nick, a 30-year-old from Australia, and Devin, a 23-year-old from Arkansas; Anali, a 26-year-old from Peru, and Clayton, a 29-year-old from Kentucky; and Citra, a 26-year-old from Indonesia, and Sam, a 30-year-old from Missouri.features Americans who have fallen in love with foreigners bringing their fiances to the United States on K-1 visas.However, once the couple is in America together, the American must marry their overseas partner within the 90-day period allowed by the visa or the foreigner has to return to his or her home country."These long-distance, international couples go the distance as they navigate cultural differences, discover surprising personality traits, and process lingering tensions brought on by doubtful friends and families," TLC teased of the new season.Below is what happened on Episode 14 of 's tenth season.Sophie's mother Claire warned Sophie that she was going to lose her mind in her relationship with Robert. She predicted that Sophie would become depressed and lose her "sparkle" as well as her voice and her dreams.Claire explained how Robert wasn't a bad or evil guy; however, she believed that Robert's self-esteem was on the floor and so he'd make Sophie feel bad since he didn't feel good about himself.Sophie just needed some time to think about whether she wanted to follow through with marrying Robert, whom Claire thought had "anger issues." Sophie was also excited to stay in a nice hotel room for a night or so.Rob sent Sophie a picture of a car and said that's something they could buy together, and Claire claimed that Robert was trying to brainwash her and do some damage control. Sophie could tell Rob's way of reaching out to her was trying to apologize and move on from their altercation."I want Rob to apologize, and if he doesn't apologize, that's going to bother me because it kind of shows he doesn't care about other people's feelings and he doesn't take accountability... and I don't think I want to marry someone like that," Sophie explained to the cameras.Sophie admitted there was probably a 50/50 chance she was going to tie the knot with Rob.Sophie confessed that "things weren't looking good" for them and Claire opened her eyes and made her realize some hard truths and facts about her tumultuous relationship with Rob.With 20 days to go until the wedding, Sophie and Rob were spending the night apart to cool down. Sophie was going to wait for Rob to reach out to her, and Claire said she was proud and wanted her daughter to stay strong."There's definitely doubts in my mind about whether this wedding is going to happen," Sophie noted to the cameras.Meanwhile, Rob thought his argument with Sophie was "ridiculous," and he decided to go do some laundry and meet up with a couple of his pals. Rob explained how things hadn't been going smoothly with Sophie and her mother was very opinionated.Claire told Rob that he wasn't a real man, and that really hurt him. Rob wished Sophie had his back in the situation instead of helping to point out his flaws.On a scale from 1-10, Robert thought the chance of him and Sophie getting married was only a four. Rob's friends didn't see the wedding happening -- or the wedding happening and Rob being miserable in the marriage with Sophie in it for the wrong reasons. The men predicted Rob's relationship was going to end in divorce.Justin acknowledged that he had upset Nikki by mentioning how he'd love to have a threesome with another woman, and so he took her horseback riding to try to make her happy and have a little fun.But during the car ride over to the farm, Justin claimed that Nikki was acting selfishly and only thought about herself. Nikki totally disagreed with that assessment, but Justin was apparently trying to be more assertive and domineering by taking control."If I take control of the masculine part of our relationship, I think we'll be in balance again," Justin explained to the cameras.Justin told Nikki that she'd have to make some changes and focus on their relationship, but Nikki complained about how she wasn't the only person who needed to change in order to make things work.Justin apparently wanted his partner to cook and clean for him in Moldova, but Nikki expressed in a confessional how she couldn't be the woman that Justin apparently wanted.Nikki was feeling "drained," but she asked Justin to try to enjoy the horseback riding and maintain a positive attitude. Nikki didn't want to sit and fester over drama when good times were to be had. Nikki also only had a few days left in Moldova.Following their activity, Justin and Nikki both agreed they had doubts about their relationship working out. Justin said he didn't want to hurt Nikki and he hoped she still loved him, without judgement."I'm always going to love you. I loved you when I first met you and I loved you when I left you the first time. I always thought about you. We both don't deserve this fighting. I love you and I want to be with you," Nikki shared."Me too," Justin responded."Let's enjoy our engagement celebration tomorrow," Nikki concluded.Nikki had no intention of walking away from her man because she thought he was her "perfect match" and "soul mate," even though they had a lot more to learn about each other. She didn't think she could do better than him and vice versa.Ashley surprised Manuel with a trip to Niagara Falls, and he was blown away by the beauty of that "wonderful place." He said he'd be willing to kiss Ashley's feet for taking him there.Ashley asked Manuel if he could adapt to life in Rochester, and Manuel said they could work together and progress. However, Manuel still had a problem with Ashley spending and "wasting" too much money.Manuel wanted Ashley to save her money, and she snapped at him for not saving any cash before his trip to the United States. Once again, the pair started bickering, and Ashley couldn't believe the topic of money was going to ruin one of their incredible adventures."He's having another b-tch fit. We're going in circles," Ashley lamented to the cameras.Manuel asked Ashley to stop talking about money, but she pointed out how he had brought the subject up. (t seemed the couple was never going to see eye to eye on Ashley's spending habits.Ashley didn't want to fight over stupid things, and so she assured Manuel that she'd always have his back and he could trust her. Ashley suggested that she'd always have Manuel's best interest at heart, and he apparently felt the same way.Ashley and Manuel then sailed close to the waterfall in a boat, and Manuel thought being sprayed with water was awesome. Ashley called it a beautiful experience, and there was even a double rainbow."This is exactly what we needed right now because we've been under so much stress!" Ashley said, adding how the water was wiping away their bad energy and bad vibes.Manuel then shouted loudly, "We're getting married!"Ashley concluded, "Let's have a wedding!"Gino and Jasmine were shown making dinner together, and Gino wasn't in a good mood after hearing Jasmine had borrowed money -- $2,000 -- from her ex-boyfriend, Dane, to get her butt implants.Gino said Dane was going to expect something from Jasmine, but she insisted that he gave out charity all the time and wouldn't expect a thing from her.Jasmine admitted she was still talking to Dane because he's her friend and a good person, but that angered Gino as well.Gino claimed this was no different from him contacting his ex, but Jasmine disagreed because Gino's ex had allegedly sent her school naked photos of her, which ultimately got her fired from her job. Jasmine alleged that this woman also sent these naked photos of her to bloggers.Gino asked Jasmine if she had provoked his ex to make her behave that way, and that comment completely set Jasmine off. Jasmine said the woman had slammed her physical appearance and made fun of her. Jasmine suddenly started screaming, with a knife in her hand, and she called Gino "stupid."Jasmine was so angry that she told Gino she wished she had "f-cked Dane" during her last night in Panama."I wish I could f-ck my ex because they were great -- they were a lot better than you," Gino countered."You're trash," Jasmine yelled. "I'm not going to get married to this f-cking idiot!"Jasmine ran upstairs in Gino's home and cried, and she started packing her belongings. Jasmine lamented about how Gino's ex had humiliated her and it was awful of Gino to accuse her of having provoked the woman into doing something so terrible.Gino felt bad his ex had done those things to Jasmine, and so he allowed her some space and time to just cool down and collect her thoughts.After about a half hour, Gino approached Jasmine and apologized. He knew he had brought up a sensitive subject and that Jasmine had been through a lot.Gino asked Jasmine to end her relationship with Dane since he wasn't allowed to speak to his exes. Jasmine didn't think she had done anything wrong, but at the same time, she thought Gino was right and that he should remain her priority as her future husband.Jasmine proceeded to leave Dane a voicemail, sharing how she was about to get married. She thanked Dane for being an amazing human being and friend, but then she said they could no longer communicate because she wanted to make Gino feel happy and secure in their marriage.Jasmine wished Dane a nice life, and she and Gino decided to "act like two adults" and keep their exes in the past."Our exes are dead to us! They died!" Jasmine concluded."Yes!" Gino celebrated.With 10 days to go until Clayton and Anali's wedding, the couple was back home with Clayton's mother, Violet.Violet thought Anali should be speaking more English and cooking more American food for her fiance. Clayton's mother also wanted Anali to do more dishes.Clayton thought Violet was being passive aggressive with Anali, which he didn't like or appreciate, especially since Anali couldn't pick up on her clues or tones due to their language barrier.Violet wanted to see Anali ask her son what he'd enjoy eating -- and then make it for him.Clayton was feeling a little stressed out, and so he asked his mom not to take jabs or digs at Anali. Clayton thought Violet was also being a little insecure and defensive.Violet worried that her son was going to kick her out of his house, but Clayton assured her that wasn't his motive behind their difficult conversation. Clayton said his mother tended to take things too personally."My mom needs to get her own place. Now that her being in the house is affecting mine and Anali's private relationship, I'm hoping that she'll do it as soon as possible," Clayton explained in a confessional.Clayton and Anali then bickered over their wedding planning and how Anali wanted more details set in stone. But Clayton was waiting to hear from Brandi on what she was able to accomplish.While Anali's English wasn't good, she could hear Clayton and his mother talking about her in the other room. She felt "tense" and "uncomfortable" in the house. Clayton explained to Anali that if she worked on her English, she could make more calls when planning their wedding.Instead of celebrating their love, the pair was arguing, and Clayton claimed Anali had the tendency to gaslight him and make him feel like things were his fault.Clayton and Anali then met up with Brandi, who couldn't find a llama or alpaca for the wedding. She wanted Clayton to do some of the work since it was his wedding, and she seemed annoyed about her long list of tasks to do.Clayton didn't even have a wedding officiant, and Brandi said there was no way she was going to volunteer for that position. Brandi admitted she was stressed out, and then Anali asked Brandi if she had prepared anything for the bachelorette party.Brandi suggested how she could have people over her house to have snacks, watch movies and have a fire out back. Brandi, however, was just playing it cool and had hired a stripper for the fun occasion.Sam took Citra, her sisters, and her father Herman to his house, where he planned to cook them some good American food.Sam was nervous because he wanted to impress Herman, and he hoped they were one step closer to getting married and getting their "naughty business" on.Citra's family joined Sam and his father Brian for a meal of fried chicken and potatoes, and Citra's father didn't think there was much flavor in the food.Brian announced to the table how he was happy about her marrying his son, adding, "I always sort of felt like Sam isn't responsible at times. But over these past couple of years, he's changed quite a bit... Now Sam, at 30, is finally happening, and I'm really happy for him.""It takes the right woman to get there," Sam added.Sam felt Brian had thrown him under the bus by talking about how he wasn't mature and had "f-cked up" in the past.Sam was also surprised to hear that one marijuana joint could send you to prison for five to 10 years in Indonesia. He feared telling his soon-to-be father-in-law that he may have to go to prison for not attending the diversion program.After the family meal, Citra asked Sam to tell her father about the diversion program and what happened. Sam explained to Herman that he cared about his daughter and nothing was more important to him than keeping their new family intact.Sam shared how he had gotten in trouble for having his medicine on him with an expired prescription.Sam therefore had a prescription bottle without his name on it, but the medicine helped him to stay clean and sober amid his recovery from addiction.Sam told Herman that he had failed to file the diversion-program documents in time and so he may be facing some jail time in the near future, possibly six months to a year since it's a felony charge.Herman asked Sam how he'd take care of Citra if he's in jail, and Herman was upset, disappointed and worried. Herman even said he wasn't afraid to call off the wedding in order to save and protect his daughter.Sam's trial was coming up, and Herman, a police officer, told Sam that if he did illegal drugs, he'd never let him marry Citra.Sam said that was crystal clear, adding, "The only thing I'm addicted to is marrying your daughter, and I don't want any kind of bad life."Sam hated giving this bad news to Herman and seeing the disappointment in his eyes. Sam hoped to turn things around, and he planned to remain optimistic, but he was very nervous about how Herman was going to react.Want more spoilers or couples updates? Click here to visit our homepage! Byju's plans to raise funds at a lower valuation of $7-8 billion as the embattled edtech major looks to shore up its financials with adequate liquidity, a senior company executive said on Tuesday. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Banking on overall "improved performance", Think and Learn, the parent of Byju's, is hopeful of a higher valuation ahead of its rights issue being planned in February to raise funds. Byju's India chief financial officer Nitin Golani said the company is in need of funds and plans to raise it at a lower valuation to make the offer lucrative for investors as well as ensure adequate liquidity support for the edtech firm. He said Aakash was acquired when revenue was around Rs 1,000 crore and now it is a Rs 2,700 crore company, which at bare minimum gained valuation of $2 billion from one billion. Golani said that Byju's acquired Great Learning for $600 million when the company's revenue was only Rs 400 crore and now the same company has revenue in the range of Rs 900-Rs 1,000 crore, which led to a significant rise in its valuation. "Our core business revenue has also increased significantly. There are several brands within the company that have seen an increase in valuation. "If you combine the valuation of all the businesses, it will be worth a bare minimum of around $7-8 billion," Golani said. The company has now institutionalised to organise weekly meetings with investors, take their feedback and execute it, he noted. "The company's shareholders are watching the business closely and they understand the company's worth. "If they are offered an attractive valuation in the range of $3-4 billion then a lot of investors, who are financial investors, will take up this lucrative offer, invest in the company and provide liquidity support to the company," Golani said. Recently, an early investor in Byju's Blackrock lowered the valuation of Byju's to less than $1 billion compared to the peak valuation of $22 billion at which the company had raised funds in March 2022. Dutch venture capital Prosus has lowered the valuation of Byju's to less than $3 billion. Golani said the company has no control over the way shareholders mark the valuation of the company. "Valuation of the company by shareholders is not in my control. "We have not put any number on the table for rights issues. "We are negotiating with investors. The rights issue is a market discovery process. "It will be discovered in a month or so. We are planning it in February," Golani said. Byju's on Tuesday filed results after a delay of about 22 months in which it reported a widening of operational loss to Rs 6,679 crore in FY22, mainly due to losses incurred by subsidiaries White Hat Jr and Osmo. The company posted an operational loss (EBITDA) of Rs 4,143 crore in FY 2021, the company said in a regulatory filing. Its revenue more than doubled to Rs 5,298.43 crore in FY22 from Rs 2,428.39 crore in FY21. "Underperforming assets were primarily White Hat Jr (WHJ) and OSMO (Tangible Play), which amounted to 45 per cent of the losses at around Rs 3,800 crore," Byju's said. Excluding WHJ and Palo Alto-based edtech startup OSMO, Byju's recorded three-fold growth year-on-year in its total income in FY22. Byju's subsidiaries Aakash and Great Learning grew 40 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively, immediately after the acquisition. Aakash revenue increased by 40 per cent to Rs 1,491 crore in FY22 from Rs 1,065 crore in FY21. Great Learning posted an 80 per cent rise in revenue to Rs 628 crore in FY22 against Rs 354 crore in the preceding fiscal. Golani said Byju's has done 13 acquisitions in the last two years out of which two have not given returns as per expectation, which is WHJ and OSMO. He said that the performance of the company in terms of revenue and EBITDA has consistently improved in FY23 and FY24 without mentioning any specific financial details. The company, however, has missed its target timeline to achieve profitability. Byju's auditor observed that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the company's ability to continue as a going concern due to continuing net losses from operations and accumulated losses, in addition to the uncertainty related to the outcome of the litigation and its financial impact thereon in respect of the $1.2 billion Term Loan B facility (TLB Loan) availed by Byju's Alpha Inc. However, based on a legal opinion, the management has shared its view that it is unlikely that the TLB loan will be required to be paid in the foreseeable future. Golani said that Byju's has significantly curtailed spending made in WHJ and OSMO. "Our marketing spend in these businesses is zero. Everything that is coming into the company is through organic routes. "I do not want to continue running that business which is not economically viable at the scale where it is operating. "I want to bring it down to a scale, where it is economically viable to have a sort of self-sustainable business," Golani said. He said that the employee cost has been significantly optimised and most of the restructuring exercise within Byju's group was at these two entities. "My immediate mandate is to prepare results for FY23 and then complete financial result of FY24 after the fiscal year ends in March 2024," Golani said. The effort is on to file results for FY23 before the proposed rights issue, he added. The Red Sea strait is vital for 30 per cent of global container traffic and 12 per cent of global trade. Photograph: Ralph Orlowski/Reuters Growing attacks on commercial shipping vessels travelling through the lower Red Sea have resulted in a combined impact of higher freight costs, insurance premiums and longer transit times, the commerce department said on Monday, cautioning that it can make imported goods significantly more expensive. However, as of now, container availability has not been seen as an issue as adequate empties are available. The Red Sea strait is vital for 30 per cent of global container traffic and 12 per cent of global trade. The cost of freight and insurance has risen due to ships being compelled to avoid the Red Sea region and take a longer route around the Cape of Good Hope due to persistent attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea region. Additional secretary L Satya Srinivas told reporters that 95 per cent of vessels have rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope, adding 4,000 to 6,000 nautical miles and 14 to 20 days to journey. 80 per cent of India's merchandise trade with Europe passes via the Red Sea. Major shipping lines have stopped or temporarily halted Red Sea operations, including Maersk, MSC, Hapag Lloyd, Srinivas said. Exporters are also holding back their consignments due to high freight and surcharges. The sailing of most of the ships has been impacted and generally postponed by 2-3 weeks as the incoming ships, with longer routes, are delayed, he said, adding that shipping costs are rising owing to growing freight rates. That apart, an inter-ministerial consultation, with top officials from the ministry of external affairs, defence, shipping, commerce and finance met on Wednesday to strategise measures to tackle the impact on trade due to the ongoing Red Sea crisis. Earlier this month, commerce secretary Sunil Barthwal chaired a meeting with exporters and stakeholders concerned to understand the challenges faced by the trade due to the crisis. According to the initial assessment, conducted by a New Delhi-based think tank Research and Information System for Developing Countries, India may see a $30 billion impact on its total exports due to the crisis. Last year, India exported goods worth $451 billion. The Department of Commerce is computing official estimates on the impact of the Red Sea crisis on Indian exports and is expected to share data on the estimated impact next week. The rulers of the day need to be sensitive and involved in managing the identities of sacred spaces and the ongoing dialogues about the past in diverse societies, suggests Colonel Nikhil Apte (retd). IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi leads the rituals during the pran pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, January 22, 2024. Photograph: Kind courtesy Prime Minister Narendra Modi/Twitter 'If you think that religion and politics aren't connected, then you don't understand either --Mahatma Gandhi History repeats itself. May not be in exact terms but it almost always does. As India woke up to a new dawn and the consecration (pran pratishtha) of the Ram Lalla idol at a newly built temple in Ayodhya, one wonders if there is an historical parallel to this event. Has an event such as this happened before, where a religious site usurped by the invaders is reclaimed by the original believers after hundreds of years? Have religious sites of great importance been repurposed and changed allegiances through the change of political fortunes? Ram Janmabhoomi The Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site lies in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya is considered by Hindus as the birthplace of Lord Ram, a revered deity in Hinduism. Babur, a descendant of Timur on his father's side and Genghis Khan on his mother's side, successfully invaded India in 1526. He started the Mughal dynasty in India and ruled from Delhi. During his rule, he destroyed the temple at the birthplace of Lord Ram, and built a mosque atop this temple. This mosque was name after him as the Babri Masjid. The 20th century saw a series of legal battles and protests, ultimately culminating in the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, by a mob of Hindu activists. The aftermath of the incident has continued to shape Indian politics and society, with the dispute ultimately reaching resolution through a Supreme Court verdict in 2019. The court ordered the construction of a Hindu temple at the disputed site while allocating an alternative piece of land for the construction of a mosque. On Monday, the prime minister of India consecrated the idol of Ram Lalla in the newly built temple bringing closure to an episode which has spanned almost 500 years. Cathedral of Cordoba in Spain The history of the site where the Cathedral of Cordoba stands is a subject of historical debate, and different narratives exist. After the successful Muslim conquest of Spain, the mosque of Cordoba was built in the 8th century by the Umayyad Caliphate. Before the Umayyad Caliphate constructed the mosque, the Visigothic Christian rulers had a church on the same site dedicated to Saint Vincent. The Visigothic Church may itself have been built on the site of a Roman temple. After the Muslim forces captured Cordoba in 711, the church was converted to a mosque. The construction of the mosque incorporated elements from a pre-existing Visigothic church. Following the Christian reconquest of Spain, the mosque was converted into a cathedral in the 13th century. The integration of Christian elements into the existing Islamic structure led to the creation of a unique blend of architectural styles, known as the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. Despite this synthesis, controversies exist over the years regarding the rightful ownership and use of the site. The dual identity of the Cathedral of Cordoba continues to be a topic of discussion, raising questions about the preservation of cultural heritage and the representation of religious diversity in contemporary Spain. The Hagia Sophia in Turkey The Hagia Sophia, originally known as the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Ayasofya in Turkish), is a historic architectural marvel located in Istanbul, Turkey. Its history spans over a millennium, and it has served various religious purposes over the centuries. The Hagia Sophia was commissioned by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I and inaugurated in December, 537 AD. It was itself built on the site of two earlier churches. For nearly 1,000 years, the Hagia Sophia served as the principal cathedral of the Eastern Orthodox Church and was considered the center of Orthodox Christianity. In 1453, the Ottoman Empire, under Sultan Mehmed II, conquered Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), marking the end of the Byzantine Empire. The Hagia Sophia was then converted into a mosque. The Ottomans made several architectural alterations, including the addition of minarets, removal of Christian iconography, and the installation of Islamic features. After the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, President Kemal Ataturk moved the nation towards secularization. In 1935, the Turkish government, transformed the Hagia Sophia into a museum as part of broader efforts to secularise Turkey. Then, much recently, in July, 2020, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree converting the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. Following the conversion, the Hagia Sophia reopened as a mosque, allowing Muslim worshipers to use the space for prayers. IMAGE: Modi lights the Ram Jyoti at his residence in Delhi to mark the pran pratishtha of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. Photograph: Press Information Bureau Epilogue In all three cases, the conversion and reconversion of religious sites reflect the influence of different religious communities and rulers over time. The transitions often mirror the changing political and religious landscapes in the respective regions. Irrespective of the forms of government, political factors played a significant role in the conversion and reconversion of these sites. Whether during the Mughal rule in India, the Reconquista in Spain, or the secularization efforts in Turkey, political decisions have shaped the destiny of these sacred spaces. The political flavour of prevailing times dictated the appropriation of the religious sites. Whether it was the fervour of an all conquering religion, the advent of leftist ideology in the early 20th century or the indigenous rightist political tilt in present times, political actors have always used religion to align their politics to the people they represent. The controversies surrounding the conversion and reconversion of religious sites underscore the challenges of preserving cultural heritage and accommodating diverse historical narratives. The delicate balance between respecting the heritage of multiple communities and avoiding religious or cultural exclusion remains a key challenge. The conversion and reconversion of religious sites are intricate processes shaped by a myriad of historical, political, and cultural factors. The rulers of the day need to be sensitive and involved in managing the identities of sacred spaces and the ongoing dialogues about the past in diverse societies. Colonel Nikhil Apte left the Indian Army in December 2019 after 20 years service. While in service besides unit command and other instructional appointments, he has been a staff officer in the Military Operations Directorate on the AF-Pak desk. His last assignment was as a faculty at Staff College, Wellington. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com 'We are very close to become a theocratic State where Hinduism is the official religion of the government.' IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi performs the rituals at the pran pratishta ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, January 22, 2024. Photograph: Press Information Bureau The consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on Monday, January 22, 2024, was a historic moment in Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi's political career. Many believe India will never be the same country post January 22 as a programme conducted on such a grand scale is the last nail in the coffin of India's secular State. It is the first time in India where the head of government in a secular State addressed a gathering from a temple after inaugurating a religious structure which was built on the debris of another structure of another faith. So what does it mean for India's secularism and its future? More importantly, what about Indian Muslims? How do they perceive their future in this new India? Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com asked Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, author of The RSS: Icons of the Indian Right and Narendra Modi: The Man, The Times for his observations of Monday's ceremony and its possible consequences for the Republic. Was what we saw in Ayodhya on Monday the Bhakti moment of the Hindu faith or the Shakti moment? You are right, this was the Shakti moment of Hindu society. It was a triumphalist ceremony headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The entire programme was choreographed in a manner to ensure the uniqueness of power projected by Modi himself. The political choreography was such that it became an occasion of heaping praises on one person, so in a way it was his crowning ceremony amidst the arrival of the deity. The celebrities who had gathered were virtually courtiers for the king. Prime Minister Modi said Lord Ram will now awaken India's consciousness. What did he mean by that? Evoking Lord Ram has led to Hindu anger and diluting the tolerance of Hindu society. I only hope he is not trying to raise passions further. Even when he said Lord Ram is not Agni, but urja (energy) we do not know if this is sheer rhetoric or a message to supporters. That the temple was inaugurated before it was completed indicates that the eyes were on elections. With developments in Varanasi and Mathura, one does not know if the fire-energy analogy is genuinely heartfelt. This was essentially a political ceremony in the garb of a religious event before the Ram temple is completely built. We do not know if they are going in for an encore or replay. Is it going to be Ayodhya 2.0 in Varanasi? Those are questions which are extremely worrisome. Plus the entire approach of reducing India into a monist culture. A single culture, while we have a plural culture. Unity in Diversity is not a mere slogan, but has been a way of life for millions of people for decades. They have reduced everything to one nation, one people, one religion, one attire, one God, even food. Monday's event completely blurs the separation of line between religion and politics. This is the first time in my 40 years of journalism that a temple has been used to make a political speech. Modi was addressing the crowd from a temple. But he was saying the Ram Mandir is meant for peace and prosperity. You cannot talk of peace and put things in conflict in Varanasi and Mathura and so many places of worship across the country. If I am not mistaken, the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) has said it will not participate actively in the Mathura and Varanasi temple movements. They have said it, but when people who are part of their political network commit acts they do not act. Yesterday, a lawyer said he has a list of 16 mosques which were built by destroying temples. He is a responsible member of the Sangh Parivar's legal strategy. When he says they have to demolish 16 mosques, then it means it is the organisational position. If it is not, then the RSS should have immediately denied his statement. (RSS Sarsanghchalak) Mohan Bhagwat has not said anything about this statement though he did say we do not need to dig up every mosque. What political benefit will accrue to Modi after the consecration of the Ram temple? They will try to increase their seats in places where they got a fair amount of votes last time. The BJP has nearly reached a point of saturation in large parts of the Hindutva belt, which is north, central and western India. They had made some inroads into West Bengal, Assam and Odisha, which we have to see how much of it the BJP will retain. We will also have to see what they will retain in Karnataka. If Modi's number slides below 303 which he won in 2019, then it will be very difficult for him to pursue the hard nose Hindutva politics that he has been pursuing between 2019 and 2024. It will be a huge loss of face if the BJP's seats are reduced. And if it increases, then we have to closely look at the changes and direction that would take place in India. IMAGE: Modi in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya, January 22, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo Some people say Monday is the fall of India as a secular nation. On August 5, 2020 when the foundation ceremony of the temple was done or even on May 28, 2023 when a new Parliament was inaugurated, Modi performed all religious rituals as Yajman (someone who conducts religious rituals). He was invited to do so because he is the prime minister of India. It also meant that the prime minister of India has become the high priest of Hinduism. We are very close to become a theocratic State where Hinduism is the official religion of the government. The question then arises where does it leave the religious minorities, the Muslims and Christians in India? The Supreme Court of India clearly said in its Babri Masjid judgment that land for the mosque has to be given to Muslims in Ayodhya, but they gave the mosque land technically far away from Ayodhya. What has been done to facilitate building a mosque by the Government of India? Not a single brick has been laid of the Babri Masjid. At any future point of time, if the Babri Masjid is ever built -- which I have my doubts as there will be some problem or other -- but if ever it is built, will the Government of India facilitate the inaugural ceremony of the Babri Masjid the way it facilitated the Ram Mandir's inauguration in Ayodhya? Will a future prime minister of India participate in the inauguration ceremony of the Babri Masjid if invited by their trust? These are all very important questions. Modi said we are not lightning a fire but reimagining a new India that is Bhavya Bharat (Grand India). It is a rhetorical speech because ultimately what is the deciding factor is what happens in your neighbourhood. Right now, in my neighbourhood it is Diwali night minus the fire cracker ban. What do you think is the future of Indian Muslims? At the moment I know Muslims are feeling very alienated. They are extremely fearful. I am aware that they have tried to stay close to their loved ones fearing something may happen. They have sent messages to one another stating do not travel in trains or bus. If you are driving, then ensure do not drive alone. Do not dress up where you will be easily made out that you are a Muslim. Wear religion neutral attire. Those are the messages being passed from one person to another (in the Muslim community). This is not good. They have no option but to invisibilise themselves. What is the fear they have if Modi comes to power again? It is very difficult to say, but the BJP has to realise that social strife is not good for India's economy. If you continue to alienate people and make people fearful, you never know where a spark gets ignited for whatever reason. It can start anywhere when two hotheads argue. You never know who throws the first stone. You need not be organised to throw the first stone or be a part of a conspiracy to do so. What has happened in Ayodhya on Monday increases the political risk of investing in India. You mentioned that Modi's speech is rhetorical but many people say Modi's secularism is misunderstood. He too said this on Monday, that secularism was misunderstood. This is an old game that they play. We are secular and others are pseudo secular. This is the same argument started by L K Advani decades ago. They just want to say they are secular, but everyone knows what the principles of secularism are that they adhere to. China has assured Islamabad of its support in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity even while welcoming on Tuesday the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Islamabad after their recent air strikes against each other. Photograph: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters As China's Foreign Minister Sun Weidong visited Pakistan on a mediation mission, a statement from Foreign Ministry on Monday said it is maintaining close contacts with Pakistan and Iran to 'bridge their differences'. China on January 18 offered to play a 'constructive role' to ease tension between Pakistan and Iran following their missile strikes against each other and asked the two countries to 'exercise restraint and calmness and avoid escalation'. Earlier on January 18, Pakistan conducted 'precision military strikes' against what it called 'terrorist hideouts' in Iran's Siestan-Balochistan province that killed nine people. The attack was seen as retaliation to Iranian missile and drone attacks on January 16 which targeted two bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish al-Adl in Pakistan's unruly Balochistan province. Commenting on China's mediation efforts to dial down Iran-Pakistan tensions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a media briefing in Beijing on Tuesday that 'China welcomes the good progress that Iran and Pakistan have made in repairing their ties and supports them in further enhancing mutual trust and deepening cooperation through friendly consultation'. China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners, Sun was quoted as saying by the Chinese Foreign Ministry about his meeting with Pakistan's President Arif Ali on Monday. Sun is a former Ambassador to Pakistan and India both. China appreciates Pakistan's firm adherence to the one-China principle and 'supports Pakistan in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity', as well as its unity, stability, development and prosperity, Sun told Alvi. He also said, China is willing to work with Pakistan to follow through on the important common understandings reached between the leaders of the two countries, deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and 'accelerate the building of a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era'. Sun held talks with a host of Pakistan officials including the Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir during which too he assured China's support to Pakistan in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also took part in the key meeting of $60 billion CPEC over which India protested as it is being laid through the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). Wang Wenbin reiterated its stand on mediation and said in response to a question: "We stand ready to work with Iran and Pakistan to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and safeguard regional peace, stability and development." Iran and Pakistan have mutually agreed that the ambassadors of both the countries may return to their respective posts by January 26. Following the air strikes against each other, the two countries had expelled the others' envoys. The attacks had put China in a piquant situation as Pakistan is an all-weather ally, while Iran is warming up to Beijing in recent years enabling China to expand its influence in the West Asia region. China also imports a considerable amount of oil from Iran. Meanwhile, Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in a phone call with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani asked him to dial down tensions while Sun visited Islamabad from January 20 to 22. China is also concerned over Iran's missile strikes in Balochistan where most of its investments are located especially, the Gwadar port, the starting point of the CPEC project that connects to China's Xinjiang province. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he does not get 'intimidated' and fights for truth even if the world stands against it, remarks that come amid repeated confrontations between his party and the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam during the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra'. IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi waves to supporters during the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', in Guwahati, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo Gandhi also said he was happy and wanted the BJP to disrupt the yatra as it was helping it in getting publicity. The remarks by Gandhi, who once again accused Sarma of being 'one of the most corrupt chief ministers' in the country, came after the Assam chief minister said he has instructed the Director General of Police (DGP) to register a case against Gandhi for 'provoking the crowd' to break barricades, and called their actions 'Naxalite tactics'. The Rahul Gandhi-led yatra was stopped from entering Guwahati, triggering protests from Congress workers who broke barricades and raised slogans. Gandhi also claimed that he was 'not allowed' to interact with students of a private university in Meghalaya as part of the 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' at the 'instructions' of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "The BJP had the experience of the earlier yatra, it started from Kanyakumari and they maintained that it would not have any impact. Slowly its impact started being felt and a crescendo was formed in Jammu and Kashmir. Now their thinking is to disrupt it first. The problem for them (BJP) is that by disrupting the yatra, they end up helping it," he said at a press conference in Hajo. "So frankly, I want them to disrupt the yatra, stop me from going into colleges. They stopped us from going into a college, we spoke to students outside, and it was seen by the whole country. So I am happy, do it (disrupt the yatra) as much as you (BJP) want, we are enjoying it. It is for our benefit," Gandhi said. Asked about the hindrances and alleged violence against the yatra, Gandhi said at the presser, "I would not call it violence. He (pointing to the state Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah) got slightly hurt. We are tough people. We can take all this." On the BJP workers disrupting the yatra, Gandhi said they don't try to attack and even if they do, it does not affect him. "I don't get scared of these things. I don't get intimidated. Abuse me, disturb me, or target me, I don't get intimidated. I fight for my truth and even if the whole world stands on the other side, it does not matter to me. Once I make up my mind and fight for my ideology, I do not get intimidated," the former Congress chief asserted. The Congress is benefiting from what the Assam Chief Minister and the Union Home Minister are doing and the yatra has become the main issue in Assam, Gandhi said. "As far as stopping me from visiting a temple, university and also preventing the 'padyatra' here is concerned, it is their style, it is part of intimidation tactics; we don't get intimidated by these people, we are not scared of them," the Congress leader said. Elaborating on BJP workers lining up to protest against the yatra, Gandhi claimed that they were holding party flags in one hand and with the other they were waving at him. "What kind of protest is this? Mr Himanta thinks it is a protest, it is no protest that is taking place, they are lining up to shout slogans, we are perfectly happy for them to line up there," he said. Gandhi said, "There is a clear problem in the state...The chief minister of the state is one of the most corrupt chief ministers in the country. Wherever I move in the state, people tell me -- that there is massive unemployment, massive corruption, massive price rise, farmers are struggling and no youth can get a job in this state. These are the issues we are raising." He said the yatra is about five pillars of justice that will give strength to the country -- participation, justice for youth, labourers, women and farmers. The Congress party will put forward its programme for the five pillars of justice over the next one or one-and-a-half month, he said. Asked about the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and how he would counter the wave it has generated in the country, Gandhi said, "It is nothing like that, that there is a wave...this is the BJP's political programme and Narendra Modi ji did a function and a show there, it's good, but we have told you, we have clarity about our programme which is about five justices to strengthen the country." Talking about the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), Gandhi said on one side, there is Narendra Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and on the other is the INDIA bloc, which is an ideology and has 60 per cent of the country's votes. Twenty-one Israeli soldiers were killed on Monday in the Gaza Strip, in the deadliest attack on Israel's forces since the October 7 Hamas carnage. IMAGE: Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in this handout picture released January 23, 2024. Photograph: Israel Defense Forces/Handout/Reuters The blast occurred when Israeli reservists were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings in central Gaza when a Hamas militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby. T he blast triggered the explosives, causing both two-story buildings to collapse on the soldiers inside. "As far as we know, at around 4 p.m., an RPG was fired by terrorists at a tank securing the forces, and simultaneously, an explosion occurred at two two-story buildings. The buildings collapsed due to this explosion, while most of the forces were inside and near them," said IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. Simultaneously, another Palestinian terrorist emerged who emerged from a tunnel shaft undetected fired a rocket propelled grenade at a tank which was securing the compound. Military search and rescue teams rushed to the scene worked through the night looking for survivors. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the soldiers but vowed to press ahead with the offensive until "absolute victory" over Hamas. "Yesterday we experienced one of the most difficult days since the outbreak of the war," he said. "I would like to stand by the dear families of our heroic fighters who fell on the battlefield. I know that for these families, their lives will change forever." Netanyahu said that he mourns for "our heroic fallen soldiers" and that he embraces the families in their "hour of sorrow and we all pray for the well-being of those who were wounded." He also stated that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) opened an inquiry into the tragedy. "We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to safeguard the lives of our fighters," said Netanyahu. "On behalf of our heroes, for our very lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory," he declared. He has also promised to return over 100 hostages held captive in Gaza. But Israelis are increasingly divided on the question of whether it's possible to do either, and large numbers of Israeli casualties have pressured Israel's government to halt past military operations. Meanwhile, a senior Egyptian official said that Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which the hostages would be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. Chosen for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna a day ahead of his birth anniversary, Karpoori Thakur has been the veritable 'Jan Nayak' or people's hero of politics in Bihar, whose legacy parties cutting across ideologies seek to claim. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pays tribute to former State Chief Minister Jannayak Karpoori Thakur on his birth anniversary, in Patna on January 24, 2023. Photograph: ANI Photo The announcement by the Centre has been greeted by a moving tribute from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and an expression of gratitude from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar whose Janata Dal-United has planned a big rally to mark the birth anniversary on Wednesday. Born in 1924 in a village in Samastipur district which has since been re-named after him, Thakur, who had two short-lived tenures as the chief minister, began his political activism as a young student during the Quit India which caused him to spend several months in jail. "His term in power may not have lasted for long. But, in those days, the rise to the highest seat of power was no mean feat for a person coming from a poor family and the extremely backward and numerically small caste Nai (barber)," says veteran socialist leader and Rashtriya Janata Dal national vice-president Shivanand Tiwary, whose late father Ramanand Tiwary had been one of the comrades in arms of Thakur. Although Thakur initially took up a teacher's job in a village school, he had always been interested in politics and showed promise when he emerged victorious in the first state assembly election held in 1952, from Tajpur constituency, as a candidate of the Socialist Party, in times characterized by hegemony of the Congress. Tiwary said, "Karpoori Thakur had been close to Jayaprakash Narayan, though later he also grew close to Ram Manohar Lohia. His leadership qualities were such that despite being from a so-called lower caste, he was respected by those hailing from the upper castes." The socialist leader rose to prominence in 1967, when the state saw its first non-Congress government headed by Mahamaya Prasad Sinha. Thakur, who became the deputy chief minister, also held the education portfolio, and is often remembered for doing away with English as a compulsory subject in schools. "It was a very bold step. In a state like Bihar, proficiency in English did not come easy for a majority of students, more so for those coming from underprivileged backgrounds. Thakur had the sagacity to recognise this and the guts to make a move, which others would emulate in different parts of the country," said Tiwary. Thakur, whom incumbent Nitish Kumar and former chief minister Lalu Prasad call their mentor, had his own first brush with the highest seat of power in 1970, which lasted less than a year. Five years later, he returned as the chief minister upon formation of a government by the Janata Party, a motley group of outfits opposed to the Congress, which also ousted the party from power at the Centre, riding the public anger against the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. Tiwary said, "It is true that Thakur never enjoyed a full five-year term in power. The total duration of his two tenures as Chief Minister would come to less than three years. But his achievements have been far bigger than the statistical figure suggests." It was during Thakur's reign that the Mungerilal Commission's recommendations were implemented, introducing quotas for backward classes. The Most Backward Classes, now popular in political lexicon as 'ati-pichhda', were recognised as a distinct category during his time, Tiwary pointed out. The RJD leader, who has also been with Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United in the past, underscores that the ban on alcohol, which the current Chief Minister counts on as one of his major achievements 'was first experimented with in Bihar during Karpoori Thakur's rule'. Unsurprisingly, therefore, a Bharat Ratna for Thakur has been a long-standing demand of Nitish Kumar and he expressed a sense of fulfilment in the statement he gave upon receiving the news. Thakur breathed his last in 1988 and although his son Ram Nath Thakur is a Rajya Sabha MP from the JD-U headed by Kumar, the late leader is always remembered as someone untouched by the venality and nepotism many of his political disciples are accused of. Kumar shares power with RJD president Lalu Prasad, who had succeeded Thakur as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar assembly upon his death, which paved the way for his own rise to the top. Both parties hope to cash in on the recent hike in quotas for deprived castes that followed a comprehensive caste survey and parallel functions scheduled on Wednesday to mark Thakur's birth anniversary are expected to see posturing on these lines. However, with the Centre agreeing to bestow the honour, the BJP, too is likely to aggressively pose as the real champion of the backward classes. "It took Narendra Modi, a son of an ati-pichhda, to give Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. Nitish and Lalu, despite having enjoyed clout with many central governments of the past, could never make it possible," said senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre's decision to confer Bharat Ratna on his political mentor Karpoori Thakur. IMAGE: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addresses during the 97th birth anniversary function of Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, at the JD-U office in Patna on January 24, 2021. Photograph: ANI Photo The Janata Dal-United president expressed delight that the announcement came on the eve of the former chief minister's 100th birth anniversary. It will send a positive message among the deprived sections, including Dalits and backward classes, he asserted. "I have been demanding Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur for long. I am delighted by the announcement. It brings to fruition a long-standing demand of the Janata Dal-United," said Kumar, whose party has on Wednesday planned a big rally here on the birth centenary. The chief minister added: "I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this decision." Kumar has always been a huge admirer of Thakur and makes it a point to visit the late leader's ancestral village, re-named 'Karpoori Gram', on his every birth anniversary. Kumar's close aide Sanjay Kumar Jha, the state's Minister for Information and Public Relations Department, also came out with a post on X, highlighting the number of times the JD-U supremo had earlier raised the demand for 'Bharat Ratna'. 'The Honourable Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had written to the Centre, requesting Bharat Ratna for Karpoori Thakur, in 2007, 2017, 2018, 2019 and again in 2021,' Jha said. Kumar has been the chief minister of Bihar since 2005, except for a period of eight months in 2014-15. The longest-serving CM of the state snapped his ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party less than two years ago. The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra was stopped from entering Guwahati on Tuesday, triggering protests from Congress workers who broke barricades and raised slogans. The police had to use force to stop the Congress supporters from moving forward. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said earlier that the Yatra would not be allowed to enter Guwahati in order to avoid traffic jams. Large crowds had gathered at the Guwahati Chowk in Khanapara and welcomed Gandhi with slogans and drum beats. "We have won as we have broken the barricades," AICC in-charge for Assam Jitendra Singh said. The Yatra, which entered Meghalaya on Monday, returned to Assam for its last leg and will travel through the outskirts of the state's largest city Guwahati. The Yatra would be in Assam till Thursday. WATCH: Congress workers clash with Guwahati cops after Rahul Gandhis yatra denied entry Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi claimed that he was "prevented" from interacting with students of a private university in Meghalaya as part of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at the "instructions" of the Union Home minister. The directive to the varsity authorities was conveyed by the Union minister through the Assam chief minister's office, he claimed. "I wanted to come to your university and address you, listen to you. But what happened is that the Home minister of India called up the Chief Minister of Assam and the CMO called up the leadership of the university and said that Rahul Gandhi must not be allowed to speak to the students," Gandhi said, addressing students and others from atop his Yatra bus in the Assam-Meghalaya border. Gandhi was scheduled to hold separate interactions with students, civil society members and party leaders at the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, (USTM) in Meghalaya's Ri Bhoi district, bordering Assam, on Tuesday morning. The programmes at the private varsity were announced by the Congress on Monday afternoon but were re-scheduled to a hotel, also in Ri Bhoi district, later after the university withdrew the permission. "It is not important if Rahul Gandhi comes or not. What is important is that you are allowed to listen to anybody you want. You must be allowed to live the life as you want and not as somebody else wants," he said. "They want to turn you into slaves but I know that nobody, no power in the universe can do it," Gandhi asserted, while attacking the BJP. He also maintained that "this is happening not only in Assam but in every school, college, university of India", where the students are "being not allowed to have their own imagination". IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi leads rituals at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya. Photograph: ANI Photo The so-called 'liberation' of Ram's birthplace in Ayodhya has undeniably contributed to the political ascendancy of the Bharatiya Janata Party although the strategies, campaigns, and popular mobilisation for the movement were orchestrated by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad. The demand for a temple dedicated to Ram propelled the BJP to a dominant position in the north, particularly Uttar Pradesh, the west, and Karnataka in the south. The Ayodhya assembly seat, the epicentre of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri mosque dispute in the Avadh region, has been held by the BJP since 1993, with an interruption in 2012 when it was taken by the Samajwadi Party. Even the pro-Bahujan Samaj Party wave of 2007 didn't disrupt the BJP's hold on Ayodhya. The current MLA, Ved Prakash Gupta, is a former BSP member. The Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, which includes Ayodhya among its five assembly seats, has been less predictable. In 1989, as the temple issue gained traction, it was won by Mitrasen Yadav of the Communist Party of India. This victory was achieved through a broad understanding among non-Congress parties, including the BJP, to defeat the Congress. In 1991 and 1996, when Hindu sentiment for the temple peaked and later merged with then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's charisma and popularity, the seat was won by the BJP's Vinay Katiyar, a leading figure in the movement. In 1998 and 2004, Mitrasen Yadav won the seat, first as an SP and then as a BSP candidate. In 2009, Faizabad was won by Nirmal Khatri of the Congress, but in 2014, it returned to the BJP. Lalu Singh, a six-time MLA from Ayodhya, was declared elected that year and in 2019. "When the whole country converges in Ayodhya, naturally it will dominate the (Lok Sabha) polls," says Katiyar. IMAGE: Modi at the pran pratistha ceremony. Photograph: ANI Photo Since 1991, the BJP has evolved beyond being a one-issue party focused on Ayodhya, but party sources suggest that the upcoming elections will likely revolve around the renewed enthusiasm for the temple unless another theme with religious and nationalist undertones emerges. After 1992, when the Babri mosque was demolished, the issue's trajectory was uneven. While there was an undertow of Hindutva in the BJP's election campaigns with the constant promise of building a 'grand' temple if voted to power, even in UP, the issue never resonated strongly. If the 2014 parliamentary poll and the subsequent contests marked a turning point for the BJP after a long period out of power, the comeback had more to do with projecting Modi's persona and politics and crafting smart caste alliances than the temple. When asked how Ayodhya would play out four months from now, UP BJP Spokesperson Harish Chandra Shrivastava began by saying: "It's a matter of devotion for the Ram bhakts like the Kumbh Mela. Political affiliations are different. We will see bhakts coming from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu to worship Ram, but they won't necessarily vote the BJP." He then got to the heart of the matter. "The Opposition has politicised the matter by rejecting the invites for the ceremony. People have observed closely, and there will be a counter-reaction in the polls. Those who raised the matter and worked hard for the temple will naturally get the credit and that is us, from the BJP." IMAGE: Modi breaks his fast after the pran pratishtha ceremony at the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayodhya. Photograph: ANI Photo Brijesh Singh, a transporter from Faizabad and former district functionary of the Congress who defected to the BJP in 1990, proclaimed: "The glory of Ram is beyond comparison. All, including Dalits and backward castes, will vote for the BJP, with the exception of a few scattered Yadavs. Despite the Congress' Sonia Gandhi declining the invitation, I predict a significant turnout from Congress members for the consecration." Nirmal Khatri, twice elected from Faizabad as MP on a Congress ticket, confirmed his non-participation, stating: "This is mere tamasha. The temple construction is incomplete, yet the BJP is proceeding due to the impending elections. Our central leadership decided against attending this political event, and I abide by that decision." Khatri criticised the decision of UP Congress leaders to bathe in the Sarayu and visit the Ram temple on January 15. "This is wrong because they have violated the central command's line." SP chief Akhilesh Yadav also declined the invitation, declaring, 'Our deities are the PDA: pichhade (backward castes), Dalits, and alpasankhyak (minorities).' In response, VHP Working President Alok Kumar retorted: 'Perhaps his conscience is haunted by the events of 1990.' This was a reference to the order given by Akhilesh's father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, for police to open fire on kar sevaks when they first stormed the heavily barricaded mosque that year. Sunil Rohta, spokesperson for the Rashtriya Lok Dal and an SP ally, defended his leader Chaudhary Jayant Singh's decision: "We will visit the temple, but we refuse to attend a BJP-hosted event designed solely for political gain." That was the Opposition's only defence -- a matter of faith has been completely "politicised" by the BJP. Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com The Supreme Court on Tuesday admonished the Gujarat Police over its officials publicly flogging five people belonging to the Muslim community at a village in Kheda district in 2022, asking angrily from where did they draw the authority to tie people to poles and beat them up. Photograph: ANI Photo A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Sandeep Mehta was hearing an appeal by four police personnel -- inspector A V Parmar, sub-inspector D B Kumavat, head constable K L Dabhi and constable R R Dabhi -- against the October 19, 2023 order of the Gujarat high court by which they were sentenced to 14-day simple imprisonment for committing contempt of court for violating the apex court's guidelines about detaining and interrogating suspects. "(Do) you have an authority under law to tie people to a pole and beat them? Go and enjoy the custody," a furious Justice Gavai said during the hearing. Severely reprimanding the officials, Justice Mehta said, "What kind of atrocities are these? Tying the people to a pole, beating them in public view and taking videos. Then you want this court to intervene." Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for the officials, said they were already facing criminal prosecution, departmental proceedings and an inquiry by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). "The question here is the high court's jurisdiction to proceed against them in contempt proceedings," Dave said, adding no offence of wilful disobedience was made out against them in terms of the apex court's 1996 verdict in the D K Basu case where it had issued guidelines for making arrest, and detention and interrogation of suspects. He submitted the question right now was not about the culpability of these officials but the contempt jurisdiction of the high court. "Was there any wilful disobedience of this court's verdict? This is the question for which the answer has to be found. Were the policemen aware of the verdict?" he said. Justice Gavai shot back, saying ignorance of law is not a valid defence. "Every police officer ought to know what is the law laid down in DK Basu. As students of law, we have been hearing and reading about the D K Basu verdict," Justice Gavai said. Dave, however, asserted the accused policemen cannot be prosecuted for the offence under contempt jurisdiction of the high court. Justice Gavai then wanted to know about the status of a private complaint lodged against the accused policemen. Senior advocate I H Syed, appearing for the complainant, said it was pending. "Contempt charges were independent and irrespective of departmental proceedings and criminal prosecution. They are simply saying it's not wilful disobedience. Beyond that, they have no case," Syed said. Justice Gavai said since it is an appeal, the court will have to hear the matter. Dave sought stay of the high court order sentencing them to 14-day imprisonment, saying otherwise the appeal will become infructuous. Justice Gavai castgated the officials, saying derisively, "Go and enjoy the custody. You will be a guest of your own officers. They will provide you special treatment." Dave persisted with his prayer for stay and said even the high court had stayed the operation of its order by three months. Justice Gavai acceeded to his request and ordered a stay on the sentence. On October 19, 2023, the high court, while holding the four policemen guilty of contempt of court, ordered them to spend 14 days in jail as punishment. It had directed these policemen to remain present before the judicial registrar of the court within 10 days of receiving the order so they can be sent to an appropriate jail. It had, however, stayed the sentence for three months to enable them to appeal the judgement. Earlier, the chief judicial magistrate concerned had identified these policemen after a probe into the alleged incident the videos of which had gone viral. The CJM had also submitted a report to the high court. The high court had held them guilty of contempt for alleged violation of the Supreme Court guidelines issued in the case of D K Basu versus State of West Bengal. The comprehensive guidelines spoke about the way police should conduct themselves while arresting a suspect, detaining and interrogating them, and the kind of treatment they should get in custody, among others. Five Muslims were allegedly beaten up with batons by the accused policemen, who tied them to a pole. The five were among the 13 people picked up for their alleged involvement in throwing stones at a garba event in Undhela village of Kheda district during the Navratri festival in October, 2022. Some villagers and police personnel were reportedly injured. Later, the five accused, including the main complainant Jahirmiya Malek, had approached the high court claiming police officials committed contempt of court by flouting the Supreme Court's guidelines. A total of 13 policemen were named as accused in the case initially. However, the CJM's report specified the role of only four of them after an inquiry. January 22, 2024 has passed into history. Scenes from a day of religious fervour in many parts of India. IMAGE: A sadhu dances on a roadside in Ayodhya. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: Devotees pray as they watch a live screening of the opening of the Ram temple at a PVR cinema hall in New Delhi. Photograph: Sahiba Chawdhary/Reuters IMAGE: Bharatiya Janata Party supporters celebrate as they watch a live stream of the consecration of the Ram temple outside the BJP headquarters in Mumbai. Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters IMAGE: Devotees sit in front of pictures of deities as they wait for the pran prathishtha to commence. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: A devotee prays before taking a dip in the waters of the Sarayu river before the inauguration. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: A Rapid Action Force trooper guards a street in Ayodhya during the inauguration of the Ram temple. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: Police officers patrol the Sarayu river before the inauguration. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: A Muslim cleric and a Hindu priest arrive to attend the inauguration. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: Police officers ask a pilgrim to leave the area of the Ram temple before its inauguration. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: A devotee walks past RAF members standing guard on the street in Ayodhya. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: A devotee walks alongside police officers on the street. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters IMAGE: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and 5T Chairman V K Pandian watch the live telecast of the Ram Mandir pran pratishtha ceremony in Bhubaneswar. Photograph: ANI Photo IMAGE: Former Chief Justice of India Justice U U Lalit and Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman, Bharti Enterprises, in Ayodhya. Photograph: ANI Photo Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff.com Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com Trinamool Congress on Tuesday said it is not participating in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Assam, a few hours after its state unit chief said TMC workers and leaders supported the east-west Congress rally. IMAGE: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. Photograph: ANI Photo A senior TMC leader said that seat-sharing talks need to be concluded first. The yatra will be heading to West Bengal after Assam and is likely to reach Cooch Behar on January 25 via Dubri in Assam. On Tuesday, some people carrying Trinamool Congress flags were seen participating in the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, with Assam unit chief Ripun Bora confirming that the party members took part in the yatra in a post on X. Bora later deleted his post that also carried pictures of TMC workers in the yatra. A senior party leader later said the TMC did not officially participate in the Congress' Rahul Gandhi-led yatra, though some workers might have joined in their personal capacity. The TMC leader stressed that the seat-sharing talks remain a priority, and needs to be addressed first. Assam Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Ripun Bora had earlier in the day posted on X about the party's participation in the yatra with pictures of TMC workers holding party flags welcoming Gandhi. 'Large number of @AITC4Assam leaders & workers welcomed Rahul Gandhi at Guwahati & joined the #BharatJodoNyayYatra,' Bora had said in the post that he later deleted. Bora is a former state Congress chief and a former Rajya Sabha MP who had switched sides to join the TMC. The 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' will enter West Bengal on Thursday. Seat-sharing talks in West Bengal hit an impasse after the TMC offered two seats to the Congress, which the party said was too few. Congress Working Committee member and MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday said that every 'Ram bhakt' was not a Bharatiya Janata party supporter and he saw no reason why he or the grand old party should relinquish Lord Ram to the saffron party. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, said that there were many, including him, who are devotees of Lord Ram and if in future they go to the temple in Ayodhya it would be to express their devotion and not hurt anyone. He said that secularism does not mean absence of religion, it means "pluralism" -- everyone can profess the religion of their choice. Tharoor was speaking to reporters at the Government Law College in Thiruvananthapuram following a protest by the Students Federation of India (SFI) activists and fraternity members against him over his Lord Ram-related post on social media platform X. The protestors called him "shameless", shouted slogans against him and also carried banners and placards one of which said -- 'Shashi Tharoor you are a disgrace to a democratic secular state.' The Congress MP had posted a picture of the Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya along with a message in Hindi -- 'Siyavar Ram ki jai'. Tharoor said the message he intended to send out through his post was his devotion to Ram and also the avoidance of Sita when hailing Ram. "Therefore, there is no need to make it into such a big issue," he said. Tharoor, who was invited to the college for an event by the Kerala Students Union (KSU), further said, "I do not see why I have to give up to the BJP a God I believe in and pray to every day? "The BJP may want all Ram bhakts to vote for them. But is every Ram bhakt a BJP supporter? That is the question. In my opinion, they are not. I also ask why should the Congress relinquish Ram to the BJP? We can also accept and pray to God, we too have religion." Tharoor further said that no one in the party was opposing the Ram temple, "we were only opposed to the event." "If I go to a temple, it is to pray and not for political reasons. Someday I will go to Ayodhya, but it will be on my terms," he said. He also said that he had in the past too stated that while every Hindu may desire a Ram temple at Ayodhya, "I have always maintained that there was no need to demolish a mosque to build it." The temple, you realise, is true to hype and is stunning in its beauty. A marvel in white, it's simply eye-catching, and every inch a temple for the new India, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy/Rediff.com after a visit to the new shrine. Photographs: Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com. There hasn't been so much interest in a temple or deity as there has been over the freshly-minted Ram temple in Ayodhya and its presiding deity. That's because of the veil of secrecy -- at least near secrecy -- over both. Some leaks have managed to find their way to the media, but there has been little information on the shrine till Monday, day of the pran pratishtha. On Monday, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi consecrated the idol in the new temple, the Uttar Pradesh government decided to take a media party for a dekko before the temple opened its doors for public darshan from Tuesday onwards. By the time the decision reached the implementation level and journalists could be ferried to the temple it was almost 8 pm. The temple, you realise, is true to hype and is stunning in its beauty. A marvel in white, it's simply eye-catching, and every inch a temple for the new India. Information about the temple has been in the public domain for a while now. It is well known the temple complex spans 70 acres, the building is a ground plus two storeys tall, no iron or steel has been used in its construction, is built in the traditional Nagara style of architecture, etc. Still, to see the structure before you, is a sensory experience. As you enter the temple complex, you are walking on marble floor that is cool on the feet -- especially in winter. But your mind goes back to numerous temples where one's feet face an agonising time in the summer heat. Temples, you realise, are loath to provide for a cool carpet underfoot, or aerate the floor constantly so that the feet don't suffer during circumambulation. Monday, when we visited, was only for the media and special invitees (not the VIPs from the morning ceremony), and the beautifully designed temple was simply overrun -- there is no other way to put it -- as television camera crews jostled for space with what seemed like local leaders, political workers and such. Even policemen on bandobast duty were not immune to the mobile camera craze that mandates recording everything for posterity. The main circular area of the temple ahead of the sanctum is designed in such a way that the crowds that have come for darshan will all wait there -- patiently, it is expected -- as the garb-griha's door opens, aarti is performed, etc. But Indians are not known for their composure in temples. Most temples have overcome this problem by restricting the number of people who can have darshan at one time, and using barricades, etc. How exactly the Ram temple plans to regulate the crowds at the last step is unknown. On Monday evening there was no crowd management when the media was taken there; one hopes the temple management has a plan in mind that doesn't rob the devotee of his divine experience while at the same time ensuring the place doesn't resemble a rugby scrimmage. Since the Ram temple hopes to bring in devotees by the thousands every day, some of the best practices can be adopted from other popular temples. The hugely popular Tirupati, for instance, uses the e-darshan system effectively to manage crowds -- and fails once in a while when the intake of devotees is beyond what the system can handle. Crowd management is very crucial, as when the doors open to the sanctum sanctorum and Ram Lalla comes into view, is a moment of magic, one that could turn atheists into believers. Such a powerful moment should not be marred by poor devotee experience. Sculptor Arun Yogiraj has fully captured the innocence of the child Ram so wonderfully with his idol, something one was sceptical about given the statue's size of 51 inches. Some minor portions of the temple are still to be completed, and it's not just the first and second floors. The flooring at a few places is still being done, you realise, as you hop on makeshift layers to make it in. Was there a toilet in the complex? If so, one missed it, as one missed any provision for the wheelchair-bound. Perhaps because it was day one and things were yet to be finalised, visitors' shoes were seen kept haphazardly and anywhere, spoiling the beauty of the temple. Hopefully by the temple opens for public darshan, there is a system in place to ensure shoes are kept neat, and safe. At least one person complained of someone walking away with his expensive pair of shoes! A laser light and sound show came on in the evening, lending the temple an ethereal feel. Overall, the Ram temple lives up to the hype over it, and you come out feeling very impressed. The prince of Ayodhya has returned from exile to a spanking new palace. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Mainly cloudy. A few peeks of sunshine possible. High 43F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. A few flurries are possible. Low 29F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. A proposed US$1.7 billion canal linking Cambodias southern coast with its section of the Mekong River could include funding from China and would allow shipments and security patrols on the major waterway to bypass Vietnam, several analysts have told Radio Free Asia. Prime Minister Hun Manet spoke about the 180 km-long (110 miles) project last month, denying reports that the government is planning to take a loan from Beijing to fund construction, which is slated to begin later this year and could take four years to complete. It will become a lifeline for our own nation and people, and will eventually improve our economic growth and distribution, Hun Manet said at an inauguration ceremony for an unrelated project on Dec. 27. An artists rendering shows a section of the planned Funan-Techo Canal in Cambodia. (Image from Facebook/Cambodia Ministry of Public Works and Transport video) The canal would begin south of Phnom Penh, cross over the Tonle Bassac and continue to the Gulf of Thailand coast in Kep province. It would impact some 1.6 million Cambodians, according to a government report. The project is being called the Funan-Techo Canal, and is partly named after Hun Sen, who ruled Cambodia since 1985 before stepping down in August. Techo references an ancient Khmer warrior and is one of Hun Sens leadership honorifics. Funan harkens back to an ancient regional empire that ruled over the Mekong Delta from the first to fifth centuries. The empire featured a canal system that linked the Mekong River to the Gulf of Thailand during a period when the shoreline was farther north. Environmental impact The Cambodian government approved the canal, formally known as the Tonle Bassac Navigation and Logistics System, in May. The canal could seriously change the environment and ecology of the lower Mekong River, according to Brian Eyler, Southeast Asia program director at the Washington-based Stimson Center, whose Mekong Dam Monitor records river levels, reservoir volume and precipitation across the river basin. Two visiting Chinese warships dock at Cambodias Ream Naval Base near Sihanoukville, Dec. 3, 2023. (Cambodias Defense Minister Tea Seihas Facebook page/AFP) The Cambodian government report said the project would require the building of three waterway dams, 11 bridges, a 208-kilometer sidewalk and other infrastructure. It will be as wide as 100 meters (328 feet) and 80 meters (262 feet) deep in places. It could also provide a route for Chinese security interests to travel up to Phnom Penh from the Gulf of Thailand and Cambodias Ream Naval Base, where China has funded the construction of a deep-draft pier that can accommodate aircraft carriers, he said. Two Chinese warships led a training program for the Cambodian Navy at the base in Sihanoukville province last month, satellite imagery shows. The base is about 100 km (60 miles) from Kep. Im sure were not talking about aircraft carriers, Eyler said. But the kind of joint patrol boats that we see on the upper Mekong coming out of China could easily move through that canal. The canal would cut transport costs from US$223 per container to US$170 while expanding agricultural development, creating jobs at the Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh ports and encouraging city development and urbanization, the report said. Cambodia has already begun work on expanding the port at Sihanoukville, the Khmer Times reported. Two boats pass under the Japanese bridge in Phnom Penh during a race during the Water Festival on Nov. 5, 2014. Cambodias annual Water Festival coincides with the reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap. (Luc Forsyth/Getty Images) During an official visit to Beijing in October, Hun Manet signed an agreement for the state-owned China Bridge and Road Corporation to conduct a feasibility study on the canal project. Samdech Techo already emphasized that this project is not something we would use credit from other countries, Hun Manet said at the Dec. 27 inauguration ceremony, referring to his father. A company that invests in this project will be responsible for seeking loan for spending on the overall construction. He did not comment on whether a Chinese company would be awarded the project. Vietnam is legitimately alarmed China and Cambodia have seen a rapid development of their relationship in recent years, with Beijing providing Phnom Penh with much needed financial assistance. Chinese police and security forces already have a presence in Cambodia as they help address the issue of criminality among Chinese nationals in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Eyler said. He pointed to last months Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Forum in Beijing also attended by Laos and Myanmar where the main discussion about the Mekong River was about joint security operations. So there is a motivation and an interest there to deepen the security presence. Is that something that could draw in other forms of waterborne security presence into Cambodia? he asked. This is something that should concern Vietnam. Should concern Thailand. It should concern the region. The canal would also allow Cambodia to be less dependent on Vietnamese ports, said Sophal Ear, an associate professor of global political economy at Arizona State University. An artists rendering shows a section of the planned Funan-Techo Canal in Cambodia. (Image from Facebook/Cambodia Ministry of Public Works and Transport video) As a way of protecting its interests, Vietnam could bring up the project as a transboundary water issue at the Mekong River Commission, an inter-government agency that works with regional governments to manage river resources, or the International Court of Justice, he said. Vietnam is legitimately alarmed, though I cant imagine the Mekong ecosystem is their primary concern, Ear said. The canal could affect the famous Tonle Sap reversal a natural process that sustains Cambodias fisheries and Vietnams Mekong Delta agriculture, according to Pham Phan Long, president of the U.S.-based Viet Ecology Foundation. Earlier in December, Hun Manet reassured his Vietnamese counterpart during a two-day official visit to Hanoi that the project wouldnt have any negative impacts on the flow of the Mekong or other rivers, said Jean-Francois Tan, a delegate minister to Prime Minister Hun Manet in charge of foreign affairs and international cooperation. Cambodia has presented the results of a number of studies showing that there are no environmental impacts, Tan told reporters on Dec. 13. Vietnamese officials appeared to accept the prime ministers explanation, CPP spokesman Sok Ey San told RFA. We do not hear any more complaints from Vietnam so far after the official explanation by the prime minister during his visit, he said. The ruling party, as well as the government, will go ahead with the plan. It is built within Cambodia sovereignty. Dual use Many Vietnamese government officials and experts are studying whether the canal could be used by militaries, a Vietnam-based expert who wished to remain anonymous told RFA. In other infrastructure projects around the world, China has ensured that ports and other facilities are dual use or available for civilian and military interests, the expert said. Military vessels could travel up the canal and then down the Mekong to the Vietnamese border close to Ho Chi Minh City, he said. Asked whether the project will be constructed by a Chinese company, Sok Ey San said the government will decide after feasibility studies are completed. Cambodia could seek the involvement of companies based in Japan or elsewhere to avoid any reliance on China that could affect Cambodia sovereignty, Finland-based political commentator Kim Sok said. It is necessary that Cambodia builds the Funan canal. But the most important thing is that Cambodia should use its own money in building it, he said, referring to concerns that Chinas Belt and Road Initiative is a debt trap for poorer countries. RFA asked the Vietnamese and Chinese embassies in Phnom Penh for comment on the canal project but did not receive any response. Wesley Holzer, the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, told RFA that the United States is deeply invested in the conservation of the Mekong River and improving the lives of the millions of Cambodians and Southeast Asians who rely on the rivers natural resources. RFA was unable to reach Cambodian government spokesman Pen Bona for comment about the canal project. Tan also could not be reached. Translated by Sovannarith Keo. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. RFA Vietnamese contributed to this report. Cambodians remember the fifth anniversary of the death of labor leader Chea Vichea in Phnom Penh on Jan. 22, 2009. Vichea, who headed the countrys largest labor union, was gunned down at a Phnom Penh newsstand in January 2004. Twenty years after he was gunned down while reading a newspaper, Cambodian labor leader Chea Vichea was remembered on Monday by union members, family members, NGO officials and opposition politicians. The outspoken critic of Prime Minister Hun Sens government was shot on Jan. 22, 2004, by an unknown assailant. As president of the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia, Chea Vichea had worked to organize garment factory workers during the industrys early years in the country. Two men were arrested within days of the murder with each handed 20-year jail sentences in a 2005 trial decried by rights groups as unjust. The men, Sok Sam Oeun and Born Samnang, maintained they had been framed by police, and were finally acquitted in 2013 by Cambodias Supreme Court, which ruled they had been wrongfully convicted. Born Samnang, left, and Sok Sam Oeun, convicted for the 2004 murder of a prominent labor leader Chea Vichea, are escorted by a prison guard to the supreme court in Phnom Penh on Sept. 25, 2013, to be acquitted after being seen by rights groups as scapegoats. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP) A special commission set up by Hun Sen in 2015 to find the real killers and accomplices has produced no results. The government says the case remains under investigation. Union leader and opposition activist Rong Chhun remembered Chea Vicheas work to protect the rights and interests of the workers. Twenty years later, we continue to search for the real killer and those behind the killings to bring them to justice, he said at the commemoration ceremony. Chea Vicheas younger brother, Chea Mony, said on Monday that the family still hopes authorities will find and arrest the gunman and anyone else involved. No need to hide, he said. There are enough witnesses to show to the government. But does the government have the will and intention to arrest the murderer? Chea Mony, the brother of the late former labor leader Chea Vichea, speaks at the 12th anniversary of Chea Vicheas death in Phnom Penh on Jan. 22, 2016. Families and unionists are still demanding justice for Vichea, who was gunned down in broad daylight 20 years ago. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP) A genuine investigation and prosecution in the case could go a long way in countering Cambodias culture of impunity, according to Khun Tharo, the labor program manager for Center for Alliance of Labor and Human Rights. He also pointed to the 2012 shooting death of environmentalist Chut Wutty and the 2016 killing of political commentator Kem Ley. Chut Wutty was killed while investigating illegal logging in southern Cambodias Koh Kong province. Kem Ley was gunned down days after he publicly criticized Hun Sen and his family for abuse of power and unexplained wealth. Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. The dissident 'paid a heavy price' for surviving the 1989 Tiananmen massacre and bearing witness to it. Qi Zhiyong, who lost a leg after being shot by troops during the military crackdown on the 1989 Tiananmen democracy protests has died. This image is from an April 17, 2009 interview. Chinese pro-democracy campaigner Qi Zhiyong, whose legs were amputated after he was shot during the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, has died after a lifetime of disability, sickness and activism, fellow activists told Radio Free Asia. He was 67. Qi was taken to a Beijing hospital after being taken ill during a family meal "some time ago," fellow dissident Jiang Lijun said. "He felt unwell after having an alcoholic drink and was taken to hospital, but they were unable to save him." Australia-based dissident Sun Liyong said he had been unable to find out further details from Qi's family, who are under huge pressure from the authorities not to speak out. "His wife doesn't want any contact with the outside world, because then the police would come to their home and threaten them," Sun said. "According to my understanding, his family members are afraid, and want to keep things low-key." Sun said Qi had been suffering from kidney failure caused by uremia, in the later stages of diabetes, and had been going for four hours' dialysis every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the time of his death. He had also been diagnosed with liver cancer. Shot in both legs Qi had spent most of his life as a double amputee after losing both legs due to gunshot injuries sustained during the 1989 Tiananmen massacre, in which the People's Liberation Army killed hundreds, possibly thousands of civilians, putting a bloody end to weeks of protests on Tiananmen Square. "At 1.20 a.m. on June 4, 1989, I was shot in both legs at the same time in Xirongxian Hutong, Xidan," Qi once said in a video statement about his injuries. "When I think back to June 4, 1989, it's not just my injuries that cause me pain -- the emotional pain is much worse," he said in the video clip, while battling sickness, disability and constant harassment by the authorities. Chinese dissident Qi Zhiyong, wearing a T-shirt with an image of fellow dissidents Hu Jia with his wife Zeng Jinyan and their baby, is taken away by police in Beijing March 26, 2009. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP) At the time of his shooting, Qi was 33 years old and employed as a painter at the Beijing No. 6 Municipal Construction company. His disability left him to eke out a meager living on subsistence payments supplemented by income as a street hawker. Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia said Qi was his best friend and had served as a living witness to the June 4 massacre throughout his life, paying a heavy price in the process. "Brother Qi was left disabled by June 4. He embodied historical evidence and was a witness to the massacre by the authorities," Hu said. "The price he paid was second only to that paid by the students and citizens who died in Beijing." "He was the only person disabled [in the crackdown] who persisted in speaking out for more than 30 years." Last May, the Tiananmen Mothers, a group representing victims of the June 4 massacre that ended weeks of pro-democracy protests in 1989 President Xi Jinping to take responsibility for the actions of the government ahead of the 34th anniversary of the bloodshed. Dwindling numbers Authorities in China typically place dozens of pro-democracy activists and dissidents under house arrest or other forms of restriction ahead of the politically sensitive date, while members of the Tiananmen Mothers victims group are taken to make offerings to their loved ones under police escort. Meanwhile, the number of living relatives of people killed in the bloodshed -- ordered by then-supreme leader Deng Xiaoping -- dwindles every year, as the group continues to call on Beijing to make public details of the massacre and its victims, to pursue those responsible, and to award compensation to victims' families. Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia, in this undated image, describes Qi Zhiyong as a living witness to the June 4th incident. (Hu Jia) Hu said many of Qi's later health problems stemmed from his 1989 injuries. "If he had not been shot that night more than 30 years ago, he wouldn't have suffered from severe bleeding, amputation or hepatitis," Hu said. "I personally think that he might not have suffered from uremia or the like." "He should still be alive ... if he had lived life day by day, working in a factory, he would still be alive today," he said. "He could have had a well-off, even middle-class life. He probably wouldn't have gotten divorced from his ex-wife." Hu described Qi as "like a charging warrior" despite having only stumps where his legs should be. He said Qi had longed in his later years to join his daughter Qi Ji in the United States, but wasn't allowed to leave China, partly due to the United States. "They implemented a travel ban and other controls, and the United States didn't grant him a visa," Hu said. "All Brother Qi ever wanted was to see change in our country -- it was very simple." Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster. Experts polled by a U.S. think tank said the Chinese military was still capable of isolating the island. Soldiers stand on the deck of a Chinese warship as it sails during a military drill near Fuzhou, Fujian Province, near the Taiwan-controlled Matsu Islands that are close to the Chinese coast, China, April 8, 2023. China is unlikely to invade Taiwan in the next five years, a survey released this week showed. But Beijing is capable of executing a law enforcement-led quarantine and a Peoples Liberation Army (PLA)-led blockade of Taiwan, according to experts who took part in a survey by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) released on Monday. A quarantine to substantially reduce trade into, and communications with, Taiwan would put significant pressure on the island and could serve as the prelude to a blockade by the PLA or a full-on amphibious invasion, said the experts. The new poll Surveying the Experts: U.S. and Taiwan Views on Chinas Approach to Taiwan was released by the CSISs China Power Project just after Taiwan elected its new president, Lai Ching-te. It was conducted from Nov. 28 to Dec. 15, 2023 before the presidential poll with the participation of 87 experts, 52 from the U.S. and 35 from Taiwan, all leading academics or former officials. Invasion unlikely Responding experts said that in the next five years, if China seeks to coerce Taiwan, Beijings most likely course of action would be a law enforcement-led quarantine of Taiwan. But if Chinas goal is to force immediate unification of Taiwan, a PLA-led highly kinetic joint blockade is the most likely scenario, according to 80% of respondents. Without U.S. intervention, most experts did not believe Taiwan could resist a blockade for more than three months. Just 26% of U.S. respondents and 17% of Taiwanese respondents agreed that China has the military capability to effectively launch an amphibious invasion of Taiwan within the next five years. The rest had much lower confidence in Chinas ability as such invasion would require a much larger commitment of military forces than a quarantine or blockade, and the operations involved would be significantly more complicated. Soldiers at the 2nd Battalion of the Taiwanese army's 58th Artillery Command conduct an exercise in Jan. 2024. (Taiwans Ministry of National Defense) Taiwanese experts seemed to have a lower perception of the China threat compared to U.S. experts only 51% of them believed that China could sustain a high-intensity conflict for more than a year versus 71% of American respondents. Among U.S. experts, 44% believed China would be willing to detonate nuclear weapons against U.S. or coalition forces during a Taiwan conflict, but only 11% of Taiwanese experts thought the same. U.S. support While virtually all U.S. respondents were confident that their country would intervene militarily in the case of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, 9% of Taiwanese respondents said they were not confident. And 11% of Taiwanese experts were not confident that the U.S. would intervene if China conducted a joint sea and air blockade of Taiwan. Some 63% of U.S. experts believed that America would step in against a quarantine of Taiwan, but only 40% of their Taiwanese peers thought so. The surveys authors explained that these lower levels of confidence stemmed from various factors, the first of which was that U.S. support for Taiwan is conditional. The goal of U.S. policy toward Taiwan has long been to avoid moves by either side of the Taiwan Strait to unilaterally shift the status quo, they said, and if Taiwans actions precipitate a conflict, the United States may be disinclined to intervene. The second factor lies in Chinas campaign of misinformation and disinformation in Taiwan about U.S. willingness to support Taipei. These efforts are aimed at causing the Taiwan public to lose hope and feel that unification is their only option, the survey authors said. Beijing, on the other hand, has little doubt that Washington would defend Taiwan, they added. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn. Because 160 countries signed up, each only had 45 seconds to speak about Chinas human rights record. Tibetan and Uyghur activists protest outside the UN offices in Geneva during the review of China's rights record by the United Nations Human Rights Council, Jan. 23, 2024. A five-yearly review of Chinas human rights record at U.N. offices in Geneva descended into a speed-reading contest on Tuesday after an unusually high number of countries registered in a limited schedule to offer their views on a country that has been accused of genocide. With 160 countries signing up to offer their criticism or praise of Chinas rights record, each was allotted just 45 seconds in the approximately three-hour session. Beijing, meanwhile, was afforded a full hour to defend its record since its last universal periodic review, or UPR in U.N. speak, in 2018. Prior to the review, diplomats speaking to Reuters said Chinas delegation in Geneva had been lobbying non-Western countries to praise its human rights efforts during the session. In his opening remarks, Chen Xu, Chinas ambassador to the U.N. offices in Geneva, said that Beijing upholds respect for and protection of human rights as a task of importance in state governance and had lifted 100 million people out of poverty over the past decade. We embarked on a path of human rights development in keeping with the trend of the times, and appropriate to China's national conditions and scored historic achievements in this process, Chen said. A happier life for people is the ultimate human right, he said. China sees people's aspiration for a better life as the focus of these efforts. It was the first review of Chinas record since the then-top U.N. rights official, Michelle Bachelet, in 2022 issued a damning report that accused China of possible crimes against humanity for its forced-assimilation policies against the Uyghur ethnic minority in the Xinjiang region. But Chinas diplomats in Geneva ignored those claims Tuesday. Elevator pitches With so many countries sign-up to speak, there was little time for each to review Chinas human rights record in much depth, and many of the diplomats who did speak used their time to praise Beijings record. Ethiopia, for instance, said it applauds China for improving the criminal litigation system rigorously in order to make the judicial procedures of human rights in a more orderly way, and recommended that Beijing strive to carry out publicity and education on the rule of law. Gabon welcomed Chinas work to promote child protection through improvements to the law and said that its recommendation was for Beijing to continue to promote the rights of women and children. Uyghur and Tibetan activists protest outside the UN offices in Geneva, Jan. 23, 2024. (Hebibulla Halik for RFA) In contrast, many Western countries were critical in their 45-second reviews, but were still measured given the format of the review process, which requires countries to offer constructive criticism. The United Kingdom called on China to cease the persecution and arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Tibetans, and allow genuine freedom of religion or belief and cultural expression without fear of surveillance, torture, forced labour, or sexual violence. Canadas U.N. ambassador in Geneva, Leslie Norton, said China should allow the United Nations unfettered access to the country to review the rights situation there, and recommended that Beijing end its forced assimilation programs targeted at Tibetans and Uyghurs. End all coercive measures imposed on Uyghurs, Tibetans and other ethnic minorities including forced labor, coercive labor transfer, forced sterilizations and mandatory residential schools, Norton said. Finlands U.N. ambassador in Geneva, Heidi Schroderus-Fox, called on China to protect the rights of the Uyghurs and to invite the [U.N.] Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to visit China, including Xinjiang, which Beijing has so far not allowed. Israel, too, called for China to improve the human rights situation in Xinjiang, while Turkey recommended China improve overall conditions of all components of its population, including the Uyghur Turks, with full respect of their distinct identity, religion, and language. Long list The most scathing review was offered by the United States, which in 2021 accused Beijing of genocide over its treatment of Uyghurs. Speaking in a rapid-fire succession of sentences reminiscent of a patter song, the U.S. representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Michele Taylor, fit whole paragraphs listing human rights abuses committed by Chinas government into her 45-second slot. We recommend that China release all arbitrarily detained individuals, cease harassment, surveillance and threats against individuals abroad and in China, including Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong, cease discrimination against individuals, culture, language, religion or belief and forcible assimilation policies, including boarding schools in Tibet and Xinjiang, and torture, unjust residential detention and persecution throughout China, and forced labor, marriage, birth control, sterilization, abortion and family separation in Xinjiang, Taylor said. Without taking a breath, Taylor then called on China to repeal vague national security, counterespionage, counterterrorism and sedition laws, including the National Security Law in Hong Kong, and repressive measures against women, LGBTQI+ persons, laborers and migrant workers, including in Hong Kong and Macau, permit the U.N. unhindered and meaningful access particularly in Xinjiang and Tibet. We condemn the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and transnational repression to silence individuals abroad, she concluded, taking her first breathe before adding: Thank you. Uyghur activists set up a display of people who have suffered at Chinas hands, outside the UN offices in Geneva during the review of China's rights record by the United Nations Human Rights Council, Jan. 22, 2024. ( Hebibulla Halik for RFA) Human rights activists who gathered in Geneva blasted China for undermining a key global rights process, but said that Beijings efforts did show how much it cared about the outcome. It seems as though some of those questions could have been drafted by the Chinese government, Kai Muller, the head of U.N. advocacy for the International Campaign for Tibet, told Radio Free Asia. Chinas investment into this U.N. process is quite stunning and tremendous and, at the same time, indeed worrisome. Edited by Malcolm Foster. The government has offered forgiveness to teens whose mothers report on their anti-socialist actions. North Korea is asking mothers to snitch on their kids who steal government property and watch illegal media, promising forgiveness if they report their actions to authorities, residents in the country told Radio Free Asia. The request came during the countrys national meeting for mothers, held from Dec. 3-5, the fifth ever meeting of its kind and first in 11 years. Speakers at the meeting emphasized that mothers must strengthen family education and do their part to eradicate anti-socialist elements. In January, people who attended the national meeting were obliged to provide lectures organized by the Socialist Womens Union of Korea, the countrys premier womens organization. The message of forgiveness was relayed to the mothers during these lectures, sources said. In the city of Anju in the western province of South Pyongan, attendees to the lecture were surprised that it was an ordinary woman who spoke to them rather than an official, a resident there told RFA Korean. This is the first time that an ordinary member of the Womens Union gave a lecture, she said, adding that the speaker told them the usual messages of respecting their husbands and having lots of children. The lecturer said that it is important for mothers to educate their children to eliminate anti-socialism, she said. If their children have committed a crime, such as watching South Korean movies or stealing state property, mothers should voluntarily report it to the judicial authorities and receive forgiveness. Serious crime Stealing from government supplies and watching illegal media are serious crimes in North Korea, with violators punished harshly, sometimes even with public executions. Last year RFA reported that parents would take the rap if their kids were caught watching foreign media, but now authorities appear to be asking moms to tell on their kids. At the lecture held in Tongrim county, in the northwestern province of North Pyongan, the speaker took it a step further, saying that mothers should police how their kids dress and forbid them from dancing in a certain way, a resident there told RFA. The lecturer said that educating our children is important to eliminate the trends of unusual clothing and dancing that has recently appeared among young people, she said. If mothers voluntarily reported their children who took drugs at home, indulged in exotic cultures, or committed social crimes, the authorities would take responsibility, educate them, and not charge them with any crime. But many in attendance were not buying it. Women responded to the lecture about reporting their children to the judicial authorities with astonishment, she said, saying mothers are now being used as a means of controlling young people. Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong. The move is expected to aid Washingtons new supply chain initiatives that require less of China. The flags of the United Kingdom and South Korea wave outside the presidential airplane at Cornwall Airport Newquay for the G7 summit in Carbis Bay, Cornwall, Britain, June 11, 2021. South Korea and the United Kingdom have initiated their Free Trade Agreement renegotiations, aimed at better encompassing the latest bilateral advancements in chips and supply chain cooperation. The effort to enhance cooperation in areas such as semiconductor production and future industries adds weight to U.S. President Joe Bidens strategy to create an alternative global supply chain that knits democratic nations closer together while requiring less of Chinas input. Delegations comprising approximately 50 representatives from each side began their three-day FTA renegotiations in Seoul Tuesday, South Koreas Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy said in a statement. Seoul and London are set to discuss ways to upgrade their existing agreement, as well as reflect new trade norms in the deal, including digitalization, supply chains, clean energy and bioeconomy, according to the ministry. The talks will solidify the development of a comprehensive and forward-looking strategic trade relationship by exploring the incorporation of new trade norms in various fields, the ministry added. The existing deal, signed in 2019 and came into effect in Jan. 2021, was the first FTA the UK signed with an Asian country as it faced Brexit. The agreement, however, primarily focused on market access for goods and services, neglecting the latest global trade norms amid growing economic-security concerns, particularly in areas such as digital trade and supply chains. South Koreas trade minister Jeong In-gyo said during the negotiations in Seoul that the two nations must work together in response to both domestic and international uncertainties. The global trade order is undergoing rapid changes, with the spread of protectionism worldwide and the swift restructuring of global supply chains, Jeong said. Cutting dependence on Chinese components and resources is seen as a derisking exercise for businesses, given that Beijing has intertwined politics with economics and imposed measures on countries that make political decisions contrary to its interests. The latest development follows the agreements made between South Koreas President Yoon Suk Yeol and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the summit in London in November, where the two vowed to further strengthen their economic and technological cooperation, from semiconductors to space technology. At that time, the two nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a stable supply chain for the future, while also pledging to cooperate in artificial intelligence, digital technology, nuclear and space technology, biotechnology, quantum technologies, and renewable energy. South Korea has recently been actively involved in talks with other democratic nations, including the U.S., U.K., Netherlands, Indonesia, India and Japan, a move designed to diversify key resource supply chains to reduce dependence on specific countries. There has been growing fear in Seoul over the possibility of China using its dominant control of essential resources, such as rare earth materials, as a means of strategic influence in international politics. Such a concern is particularly relevant given the potential impact on crucial South Korean industries like semiconductors and electric vehicles, which could lead to significant economic disruption. Earlier this month, South Korea also reorganized its National Security Office to prioritize economic security, reflecting a growing global trend where countries are combining their economic and political tactics to optimize their diplomatic interests. Edited by Taejun Kang and Mike Firn. Government officials say the companies often violate contracts while residents say there are too few local benefits. A mining operation in Laos Xaysomboun province is seen near a village in this undated photo. Laos government will begin fining foreign mining companies as National Assembly members and other government officials question whether the countrys hundreds of projects to dig up gold, copper and potash are beneficial for the countrys economy and environment. Companies will be fined up to 2 billion kip (US$97,000) for not complying with contracts, rules and laws on excavating and processing minerals, according to a decree issued by Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on Wednesday. Companies that illegally trade and transport minerals will be fined up to one billion kip (US$48,480), the prime minister said. The penalties will take effect on April 1. Over the last 20 years, the Lao government has given the green light to 1,143 mining projects and 1,336 mineral processing projects covering more than 72,370 square km (27,942 square miles) more than 3 percent of the countrys total surface area. Most of the recently approved projects were for Chinese investors, according to the Lao Ministry of Planning and Investment. Some of the larger operations have prompted complaints that not enough local workers are hired, and that local residents are often left without farmland or drinkable water. In June, National Assembly lawmaker Hongkham Xayakhom urged the government to reconsider its policy of allowing so much mining. The economic and financial conditions of our country have not improved, she said at an Assembly meeting. Most people are still struggling and our debt is still high. Lost more than we gained A Lao Ministry of Industry and Trade official echoed that sentiment in an interview with Radio Free Asia in September. We lost more than we gained from these mining projects, he said. Theyve had a dire impact on the environment. The government wants to stop, but in practice thats hard to do. Lao authorities conducted an inspection of all mining operations late last year and found that some companies began operations without doing proper feasibility studies or environmental impact assessments, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade official. Many companies intentionally reported a lower concentration of minerals to the government than the actual content because they wanted to pay less tax, he said. Companies have been found to illegally release chemicals into waterways, have encroached on state land and have sent heavier than allowed trucks out on roads, an official of the Energy and Mines Department of Xaysomboun province, north of Vientiane, told RFA last week. In Oudomxay province in northern Laos, officials in 2021 shut down seven mining projects and two mineral processing plants belonging to Chinese investors that didnt comply with contracts and laws, according to a provincial Department of Energy and Mines official. Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy told lawmakers in June that the national government has suspended many new mining projects that benefit less and are not worth the loss of our natural resources. Translated by Max Avary. Edited by Matt Reed and Malcolm Foster. Eight crew members on board were injured in the accident, a refugee in Mizoram said. A junta plane skidded off the runway at Lengpui airport near Aizawl, Mizoram state, India on Jan. 23, 2024. A junta plane repatriating regime soldiers to Myanmar crashed in India on Tuesday, injuring at least eight of the crew onboard, refugees in Mizoram state told Radio Free Asia. The soldiers initially fled to Mizoram to escape fighting with the Arakan Army in Myanmar's western Rakhine state, Indian outlets reported. When the plane landed at Lengpui airport near the city of Aizawl, it skidded off the runway. The injured are being treated at a hospital in Aizawl, said one refugee in the city who wished to remain anonymous for security reasons. Its known that there were 13 people on the plane. Eight people were injured, their heads and legs were broken, he told RFA. I heard that they have been sent to the hospital in Aizawl in three vehicles. Other accounts said as many as 12 onboard were injured. RFA called junta spokesperson Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for more information about the crash, but calls went unanswered Tuesday. The plane was tasked with returning 184 junta soldiers who fled to Mizorams Lawngtlai district, added one outlet citing officers from Indias Assam Rifles. A total of 276 Myanmar soldiers fled battles in Rakhine last week, according to Reuters, citing an unnamed Indian military source. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the junta administration reached an agreement to bring them back in two trips. They are being sent back to Rakhines Sittwe city, according to India-based news reports. On Jan. 14, the Arakan Army announced it had captured Paletwa, a strategic border town, and six junta military camps bordering Mizoram. According to Indian border officials, 635 junta soldiers have fled into Mizoram state during clashes with ethnic armed groups and their joint forces since the ceasefire between the junta and Arakan Army ended in November 2023. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn. The military arrested him in November and he was found a week later with missing teeth and multiple stab wounds. A funeral is held for the Venerable Vayama, the head of monastery in Htan Pin Kone village, Madaya township of Myanmars Mandalay region, Jan. 20, 2024. (Citizen journalist) A senior Myanmar Buddhist monk who survived torture while in military custody in November has died from his wounds, Radio Free Asia has learned. The Venerable Vayama, 70, who was the head of the monastery in Htan Pin Kone village in the central Mandalay regions Madaya township and the secretary of the township Sangha council, passed away last Thursday in a hospital where he was being treated for his wounds. He was arrested at the monastery on Nov. 12 and found a week later on the side of a creek in a village seven miles (11.2 kilometers) away with multiple stab wounds in his belly and neck. Several of his teeth had been extracted, a resident of Htan Pin Kone told RFA. The senior monk was taken away for investigation of a complaint, the resident said. His car, bank books, checks and money were also confiscated. The resident said that when the villagers found his body they took him to Mandalay Hospital. He undertook medical treatments for two months and died at the hospital. Though it is unclear why the monk was arrested, residents said he was accused of supporting the local peoples defense force, or PDFs, groups of militia that sprung up to resist junta rule after the February 2021 coup. The residents said that he had never supported any PDF, however. RFA attempted to contact Thein Htay, the spokesperson for the junta authorities in the Mandalay region, but he was not available. Torturing an elderly monk was a brutal act by the military, the Venerable Min Thonnya, a monk who is opposed to the junta, told RFA. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Eugene Whong. An artillery strike in response to the attack forced more than 1,000 civilians to flee their homes. The Myanmar militarys Danyawaddy Naval Base near Thit Poke Taung village in Kyaukphyu township, Rakhine state, seen here in Jan. 26, 2023, has been attacked for a second time. Myanmars ethnic Arakan Army carried out a rocket attack on a naval base in Rakhine states Kyaukphyu township, prompting a military artillery strike in response, causing more than 1,000 civilians to flee their homes, residents said Monday. The attack, which took place at around 6 p.m. on Sunday, was the second this month on the Danyawaddy base, which lies adjacent to a Chinese-led deep sea project in a special economic zone for which Beijing had requested heightened security. The Arakan Army, or AA, fired short-range rockets at the installation, according to a resident of Poke Taung village, near where the base is situated in Kyaukphyu. The rockets dropped into the targeted area, although the details of attack remain unclear, said the resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing security concerns. It was not a ground battle. The details of the attack on Sunday have not been disclosed, and neither the military nor the AA have issued a statement. Pro-military groups wrote on the Telegram social media platform that the AA fired three short-range rockets at the naval base on Jan. 22, but none of them caused damage and the explosion areas are being cleared. Artillery attacks from junta vessels in the Thanzit River in response to the attack forced more than 1,000 people to flee their homes in Si Maw, Shauk Chaung, and Saing Chon villages, residents told RFA. The incident follows a Jan. 8 attack on the same base, part of the Kyaukphyu deep sea port complex and in a special economic zone that is currently being developed by China. The project was approved in 2023 by the junta and attempts to recruit locals for work have been met with controversy and distrust. Fighting in Rakhine in December has already stalled progress on both the port and railroad, locals told RFA, and the junta and Beijing signed an addendum on Dec. 26 to speed up implementation of the project. Attack may delay project The latest attack could add further delays to the project, said a resident of Kyuakphyu, who also declined to be named citing fear of reprisal. The resident went on to say that the rebel army is now in control of some of the special economic zone and that China will need to discuss plans to continue the project with the AA. Attempts by RFA to contact the Chinese embassy in Yangon by email and junta Deputy Information Minister Major General Zaw Min Tun by telephone for comment on the attacks went unanswered Monday. Arakan Army forces have seized the base of Artillery Battalion No. 377 of the Myanmar junta military in Kyauktaw township, Rakhine state, Jan. 14, 2024. (AA Info Desk) Another resident of Kyuakphyu told RFA that clashes are likely to increase in the township, and inhabitants of its urban areas have fled their homes in fear of arrest by the junta. We are concerned because the military has blocked both roads and waterways in Kyaukphyu, he said. They also arrested business owners and some others, so many have left their homes. Two months of conflict between the military and the AA has seen clashes escalate in Rakhines Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Pauktaw, and Rathedaung townships. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. A Tibetan Buddhist monk jailed in 2021 is serving a three-year prison sentence for leading prayer ceremonies during the COVID-19 lockdown and refusing to hoist the Chinese flag at his monastery, three sources told Radio Free Asia. Lobsang Tashi, 43, the former chant master of Kirti Monastery in Ngaba county in southwest Chinas Sichuan province, was also sentenced for making offerings on behalf of those who died during the pandemic to Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and the India-based abbot of his monastery, said the sources, who asked not to be named for safety reasons. Chinese authorities arrested Tashi on June 10, 2021 and detained him for a few months, during which a secret trial was held, the sources told RFA. One of the sources is from inside Tibet and the remaining two, who now live outside China, were formerly based in Ngaba. The exact date of the secret trial or its venue could not be ascertained, the sources said. Chinese authorities consider it illegal for Tibetans to make prayer offerings to the Dalai Lama or even to keep images of the spiritual leader, who fled to India about 65 years ago and has been living in Dharamsala, India, ever since. Beijing considers him a separatist seeking to destroy Chinas sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet. However, the Dalai Lama advocates a Middle Way approach that accepts Tibets status as a part of China but urges greater cultural and religious freedoms. Tashi, who is from Ngaba and was most recently the monastic administrative head of the Dharma center at Kirti Monastery, is serving his sentence in Menyang Prison near Sichuans Chengdu city, the sources said. He is expected to be released later this year, they added. Lobsang Tashi appears in an undated photo in which the faces of other monks were obscured to protect their privacy. (Citizen journalist) Tashi joined Kirti Monastery when he was a boy and eventually assumed the duties of a chant master. He also served in monastic administrative roles and as a monk vocalist. In 2021, Chinese authorities arrested two Tibetan Buddhist monks from Kirti along with the sister of one of the monks for allegedly sending money for prayer offerings to the Dalai Lama and the head of the monastery based in Dharamsala. One of the monks, Sonam Gyatso, was freed in June 2023 after serving a two-year sentence, and returned to Kirti in poor health because of torture and maltreatment in prison, people in Tibet with knowledge of situation told RFA at the time. The second monk, Rachung Gendrun, is still serving a 3.5-year prison term after being sentenced in July 2022. He had also vocally opposed the Chinese governments patriotic education campaign in which Chinese and trusted Tibetan officials forced Buddhist monks and nuns to accept the concept of the unity of China and Tibet, sources said at the time. Chinese authorities maintain a tight grip on Tibet and on Tibetan-populated regions of western China, restricting Tibetans political activities and peaceful expression of cultural and religious identity, and subjecting them to imprisonment, torture and extrajudicial killings. Translated by Tenzin Pema for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Joshua Lipes. A total of 100 people were convicted in the 4-day trial, criticized as hasty and artificial by lawyers inside the country. Nearly 100 people belonging to ethnic minority groups went on trial in Vietnam's Dak Lak province on Nov. 16, 2023, accused of 'terrorism'following gun attacks that killed nine in the country's Central Highlands. After a four-day trial, 10 defendants were sentenced to life in prison on terrorism charges for attacks on two Peoples Commune headquarters in Vietnams Central Highlands last June, state media, defendants and their families said. A total of 100 individuals were tried in the case, which lawyers in the country criticized as a hasty show trial. The remaining 90 were handed prison sentences ranging from three-and-a-half years to 20 years, mostly on terrorism-related charges, Vietnamese state media said. The armed attacks on the offices in Ea Ktur and Ea Tieu communes of Dak Lak province left nine people dead, including four policemen, two commune officials and three local residents. One lawyer said it was impossible to convict 100 defendants over just four days. Everything has been predetermined before the official sentencing, said Vietnamese lawyer Dang Dinh Manh, who was not involved in the case. The court's trial, the prosecutor's arguments, and the lawyer's defense [were] all just done in an artificial and sketchy way to quickly end the trial. It is unclear how many defense lawyers participated in the trial, and whether they were hired by the defendants families or appointed by the court. A relative of one of the defendants told RFA that the family could not visit their detained loved one or hire a lawyer. The convictions appeared to be based on confessions. State media reported that the defendants confessed that they were lured, incited and forced to attack by counter-revolutionary groups abroad, including those in the United States and Thailand. Alleged U.S.-based masterminds At the start of the trial, authorities said all the participants were members of a U.S.-based organization that ordered them to infiltrate Vietnam and carry out the attack. Several of those convicted were American citizens, sentenced in absentia because they are outside Vietnam. One, named Y Sol Nie, who lives in the United States, was accused of commanding, leading, manipulating and directing the attacks, and given a life sentence. Another, Y Mut Mlo, said to be a mastermind behind the attacks, was sentenced to 11 years. The area where the attacks took place is home to about 30 indigenous tribes who have a long history of conflict with the Vietnamese majority, and claim they have been discriminated against. They are often referred to as Montagnards, a term coined by French colonialists to describe the tribes who live in the Central Highlands, many of whom are Christians, but Vietnam has rejected use of the term. Alur Y Min, a pastor and ethnic Ede who has been living in Thailand since 2017, told RFA last week that said the Vietnamese government had been using the police and military to oppress Montagnards for decades by taking their land and denying them freedom of religion. While 93 of the defendants are from ethnic minorities, Vietnamese authorities have denied that ethnic discrimination, injustice and poverty were behind the attack. Yet during a meeting of the governments Judicial Committee in September to discuss the attacks, Deputy Minister of Public Security Tran Quoc To was quoted by state media as saying that the root causes of the shootings were the socio-economic problems of the Montagnards in the region the gap between rich and poor; land management; building the political system, and finally, some other issues on security and social order management at the grassroots administration. The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said in an email to RFA that it called on Vietnam to ensure that the trial took place fairly, transparently and according to legal procedures. Mostly terrorism charges Among those in court, 53 were convicted of terrorism aimed at opposing the peoples government, and 45 were convicted of terrorism. One person was charged with organizing others to leave or enter the country illegally, and one was charged with concealing crimes. Y Quynh Bdap, one of six defendants convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison, told RFA that the Vietnamese government intentionally and wrongly implicated him because it wants to destroy his human rights organization. They didnt produce any evidence but accused me of that, said the cofounder of Montagnards Stand for Justice, an organization that advocates for the religious freedom of ethnic minorities in the Central Highlands. The court convicted Y Quyhn Bdap in absentia, though he has denied participating in the attack. I am in no way related to that armed group, he said. It is absurd for the Vietnamese government to make such accusations! Another lawyer who wasnt involved in the case, Dang Dinh Manh, said he believes that the lawyers and legal assistants involved in the trial did not fulfill their responsibilities. Based on information reported by the state-owned press, I even think they sold out their client[s] with such an irresponsible defense, he said. I believe that it is impossible for all 100 Montagnard compatriots brought to court to be guilty. Translated by Mai Tran for RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Nguyen Nhu Phuong said he was attacked for complaining to the warden. Vietnamese prisoner of conscience Nguyen Nhu Phuong has claimed he was beaten by detention center guards after getting in a row with the warden over a missing gift from his family, his mother told Radio Free Asia this week. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha said the family went to a detention center in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province in November, bringing two shirts for her son. Phuong didnt receive the shirts even though they were listed on his receipt record. When he complained to the warden, Phuong said he was sworn at and beaten by several guards until he coughed blood. Phuong was convicted of propaganda against the state" in 2022. He was transferred this month to Xuyen Moc prison to serve out the sentence, along with one for possessing and using drugs. On Jan. 5, his mother visited her son and heard about the incident with the warden. [A guard] took a mineral water bottle and hit him in the face. Two or three [guards] rushed in, beat him and then locked him in a single room, she told RFA Vietnamese on Monday. Phuong was then told to write a report stating that his family did not send him the shirts. When he refused, he told his mother, a group of policemen attacked him. When Phuong returned to the cell, he was coughing up blood, and told his mother he still has shoulder pains. The prison also punished Phuong by refusing a family visit last December. Phuongs mother called the detention center and spoke to an officer named Nhat. She said Nhat admitted the incident happened, but said it was because Phuong "spoke insolently." On Jan. 8, Ha went to the provincial police detention center where a supervisor named Luan apologized to her family and asked her not to make a big deal of the case. RFA phoned the officer called Nhat but no one answered. The reporter also sent an email to Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial police asking for information about the alleged beating but had not received a reply by time of publication. Phuong, 33, was a member of the No-U Saigon group, a group in Ho Chi Minh City that opposes Chinas nine dash or "cow tongue line that demarcates Beijings disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea. While studying in Japan he protested against Vietnamese laws that opponents said favored foreign companies in Special Economic Zones and cracked down on freedom of the internet. On Aug. 30, 2022, he was arrested and detained for "possession and use of drugs." He was then investigated on charges of "propaganda against the state" under Article 117 of the Penal Code for posts on Facebook. On Dec. 26, 2022, Phuong was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of probation. In March last year, he was sentenced to a further 15 months in prison on drug-related charges that his family said were fabricated. Phuong appealed saying he hadnt signed statements used as evidence against him but the court upheld his sentence. Translated by RFA Vietnamese. Edited by Mike Firn and Elaine Chan. Vladimir Putin has claimed a fifth presidential term with a landslide victory in a tightly controlled election that has been condemned by the West as neither free nor fair as the Russian leader seeks to prove overwhelming popular support for his full-scale invasion of Ukraine and increasingly repressive policies. With 99.75 percent of ballots counted, Putin won another six-year term with a post-Soviet record of 87.29 percent of the vote, the Central Elections Committee (TsIK) said on March 18, adding that turnout was also at a "record" level, with 77.44 percent of eligible voters casting ballots. The 71-year old Putin -- who has ruled as either president or prime minister since 2000 -- is now set to surpass Soviet dictator Josef Stalins nearly 30-year reign to become the longest-serving Russian leader in more than two centuries. "This election has been based on repression and intimidation," the European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told journalists in Brussels on March 18 as the bloc's foreign ministers gathered to discuss the election, among other issues. The March 15-17 vote is the first for Putin since he launched his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that has killed tens of thousands of Russians and led to a clear break in relations with the West. In holding what has widely been viewed as faux elections, Putin wants to show that he has the nations full support, experts said. The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located. Moscow illegally annexed the regions since launching the invasion, though it remains unclear how much of the territory it controls. The Kremlin's goal "is to get as many people as possible to sign off on Russia's war against Ukraine. The idea is to get millions of Russian citizens to retroactively approve the decision Putin single-handedly made two years ago," Maksim Trudolyubov, a senior fellow at the Kennan Institute, wrote in a note ahead of the vote. In remarks shortly after he was declared the winner, Putin said the election showed that the nation was "one team." But Western leaders condemned the vote, with the White House National Security Council spokesperson saying they "are obviously not free nor fair given how Mr. Putin has imprisoned political opponents and prevented others from running against him." British Foreign Secretary David Cameron said "this is not what free and fair elections look like," adding in his message on X, formerly Twitter, that illegal elections have also been held on occupied Ukrainian territory. The French Foreign Ministry said Putin's reelection came amid a wave of repression against civil society. It also praised in a statement the courage of "the many Russian citizens who peacefully protested against this attack on their fundamental political rights." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Putin has become "sick with power" and he is just "simulating" elections. "This imitation of 'elections' has no legitimacy and cannot have any. This person must end up in the dock in The Hague [at the International UN Tribunal for War Crimes]," Zelenskiy said on X. Putin's allies were quick to heap praise on the Russian leader for his election success. China, one of Russia's most importants allies, congratulated Putin, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian saying President Xi Jinping and the Russian leader "will continue to maintain close exchanges, lead the two countries to continue to uphold long-standing good-neighborly friendship, deepen comprehensive strategic coordination." Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called Putin's victory "decisive," the state news agency IRNA reported. WATCH: Leading psychiatrists discuss how excessive power can impact brain functioning and what the impulse for total control reveals about the mind and personality traits of authority figures. Putin was opposed by three relatively unknown, Kremlin-friendly politicians whose campaign was barely noticeable. The main intrigue was whether Russians would heed opposition calls to gather at polling stations at noon on March 17 to silently protest against Putins rule. Russian media had reported in the months leading up to the election that the Kremlin was determined to engineer a victory for Putin that would surpass the 2018 results, when he won 77.5 percent of the vote with a turnout of 67.5 percent. The Kremlin banned anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin from the ballot after tens of thousands of voters lined up in the cold to support his candidacy. Nadezhdin threatened to undermine the narrative of overwhelming support for Putin and his war, experts said. Independent election observers were barred from working at this years presidential election for the first time in post-Soviet history, experts said. Russian elections have been notorious for ballot stuffing and other irregularities. The vote was also held in Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine, where hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers are located. The United States called the elections neither fair nor free. 'Noon Against Putin' With options to express resistance severely limited by the lack of competition and repressive laws, opposition leaders called on voters opposed to Putin to gather near polls at noon to show the Kremlin and the country that they were still a force. Russia's opposition movement suffered a serious blow last month when Aleksei Navalny, Putins fiercest and most popular critic, died in unclear circumstances in a maximum-security prison in the Arctic where he was serving a 19-year sentence on charges of extremism widely seen as politically motivated. Long lines formed at polling stations across Russia's 11 time zones at the designated time for the "Noon Against Putin" protest, including in Novosibirsk, Chita, Yekaterinburg, Perm, and Moscow among other Russian cities. "We're not really expecting anything, but I'd somehow like to make a record of this election for myself, tick the box for myself, so, when talking about it later, I could say that I didn't just sit at home, but came and tried to do something," said one Russian who came to vote at noon. "The action has achieved its goals," Ivan Zhdanov, the head the Anti-Corruption Foundation formerly headed by Navalny, said in a YouTube video. "The action has shown that there is another Russia, there are people who stand against Putin." The Moscow prosecutor's office had earlier warned of criminal prosecution against those who interfered with the vote, a step it said was necessary due to social-media posts "containing calls for an unlimited number of people to simultaneously arrive to participate in uncoordinated mass public events at polling stations in Moscow [at noon on March 17] in order to violate electoral legislation." Lawyer Valeria Vetoshkina, who has left the country, told Current Time that if people do not bring posters and do not announce why they came to the polling station at that hour, it would be hard for the authorities to legitimately declare it a "violation." But she warned that there were "some basic safety rules that you can follow if you're worried. The first is not to discuss why you came, just to vote. And secondly, it is better to come without any visual means of agitation: without posters, flags, and so on." Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia's Central Election Commission (TsIK), on March 16 said there had been 20 cases of people attempting to destroy voting sheets by pouring liquids into ballot boxes and eight incidents of people trying to destroy ballots by setting them on fire or by using smoke bombs. Russians living abroad also took part in the "Noon Against Putin" campaign, with hundreds of people lining up at 12 p.m. outside the Russian embassies in Sidney, Tokyo, Phuket, Dubai, Istanbul, Berlin, Paris, and Yerevan among other capitals. "It's not an election. It's just a fake. And so we're here to show that not Russians elect the current leader of Russia, that we [are] against him very severely, and that lots of people had to flee their country to be free," said Anna, a Russian citizen living in Berlin and who gathered outside the embassy in the German capital. Putin was challenged by Liberal Democratic Party leader Leonid Slutsky, State Duma deputy speaker Vladislav Davankov of the New People party, and State Duma lawmaker Nikolai Kharitonov of the Communist Party, none of whom opposed the war. The Russian leader had the full resources of the state behind him, including the media, police, state-owned companies, and election officials. Dozens of Russian missiles rained down on civilian areas of Kharkiv and Kyiv early on January 23, killing at least seven and injuring more than 50 people while destroying buildings. Ukrainian air-defense officials said many of the missiles fired were shot down. The attacks add to Russia's continuing focus on hitting Ukrainian cities from a distance. ST. PETERSBURG, Russia -- It was a small protest and a short one. When it was over, long-stemmed carnations left by participants lay on the stone surrounding the eternal flame memorial in St. Petersburg, along with a white ribbon bearing an inscription: "It is time to bring the mobilized soldiers home." The January 20 gathering brought a couple dozen women to the monument on the city's Field of Mars, a few of them with small children in tow. Some, covering their faces, held signs with messages such as "Women for Life: 15 Months Without Leave. Without Their Families." It was organized by The Way Home, a Telegram channel uniting relatives of Russian men who were called up to fight in Russia's invasion of Ukraine -- a grassroots effort to bring them home from a war that, in addition to killing and wounding hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian troops and civilians, has left more than 300,000 Russian troops dead or wounded, according to Western estimates. The channel, which has nearly 40,000 subscribers, has called for such demonstrations, at which the women wear white head scarves, around the country every Saturday for the foreseeable future. "We don't intend to stop," read the group's call for the protests. "We, the relatives of the mobilized and those who are not indifferent to our misfortune, will go and place flowers on eternal flames. These flowers do not just symbolize our problem. We would like to be joined by widows, no matter how hard that is for them. Together we are prepared to honor the memory of your slain relatives and to share your loss. No one should remain alone with their misfortune and our grief should not remain a secret." During the first weekly protests, on January 6, small groups gathered in at least 14 cities, including Moscow and St. Petersburg. Nearly two years after Russia unleashed its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the end of the war is not in sight. And the growing discontent of the relatives of mobilized soldiers -- many of whom support the war itself, if not the way Russian soldiers have been treated -- is threatening to disrupt domestic politics ahead of the March election in which authoritarian President Vladimir Putin, 71, is set to secure a fifth term. It runs counter to the Kremlin's narrative of a country enthusiastically united behind the man who has held the reins of power as president or prime minister for a quarter-century. "The president will be reelected because we do not have honest elections," one woman at the St. Petersburg protest, who asked that her identity be withheld out of fear of persecution for speaking out, told RFE/RL's North.Realities. "Wars end through peace talks. Any war just benefits the rich, while ordinary people, draped in flags, fill the cemeteries." From Camouflage Nets To Protest The woman's husband was mobilized in September 2022, days after Putin announced a call-up in the wake of successful Ukrainian efforts to push back against the Russian invasion. "My husband is in the artillery now," she said. "He doesn't tell me anything specific because he doesn't want me to worry. If he thinks it is better that I don't know, then so be it." In the early days after her husband was mobilized, the woman joined the wives, partners, and mothers of other soldiers gathering humanitarian aid and weaving camouflage nets for use on the front lines. But as the months dragged on and the recruiters' promises that her husband would return after six months proved empty, she became anxious. That's when she found The Way Home on Telegram and began walking the path from chatting with like-minded women online to meeting up with them to lay flowers at the eternal flame. She said she stopped communicating with the women who are still making camouflage nets. "There are mothers who say their son should be there because they have to defend their homeland," she said. "Even the old women who need someone to care for them speak about 'defending.' They might be able to pull their sons out of the trenches because of their illnesses, but they remain convinced that they have to be at the front." In recent months, the rhetoric on The Way Home channel has changed noticeably. At first, the group stressed that its members were not against the war but were only asking that their relatives be rotated out and others sent to relieve them. Now, however, The Way Home is calling for an end to the war. In their notice for the January 20 protests, they called for "all those who are not thrilled about the war" to join them. "At one point you bravely protested to try to stop the war," the announcement said. "Now we are asking you to protest with us." The announcement also invited representatives of families that have not been directly affected by the war to join them. "Don't believe the fairy tales you see on television," it told them. "We have long known they aren't true." Although the Russian government does not release casualty figures from the war, journalists from Mediazona and the BBC have reported that they have identified at least 42,284 Russian combatants who have been killed, including at least 5,089 mobilized soldiers and 7,810 convicts who were released from prison to fight. Western intelligence agencies have estimated that more than 300,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded since the start of the full-scale invasion. 'You Don't Get Out Alive' Another woman at the January 16 protest in St. Petersburg said her 25-year-old son was serving as an infantryman in Ukraine, although his military service had been with an engineering unit. He has been in Ukraine since the spring of 2023 without a single leave. Her son, she said, is currently in the hospital, having lost the little finger on his left hand. When she visited him there recently, she added, he told her little about what he'd seen. "He doesn't tell me how bad it has been," she said. "He doesn't tell me he wants to get out because he knows that where he has been fighting, you don't get out alive." At that point, the woman in St. Petersburg said, she joined The Way Home. "It is a group without leaders," she explained. "There are various people there -- some active, some passive. We try to rouse the more passive ones. Everything is decided collectively. Sometimes we argue, sometimes we curse one another." The Way Home protest in St. Petersburg on January 13 was canceled, as local activists instead went to a presidential campaign event in support of anti-war liberal and former parliament deputy Boris Nadezhdin. Both women from the St. Petersburg protest told RFE/RL they have no illusions about the March presidential election. After the vote, they said, Putin will have a free hand, and Russia's manpower problem in Ukraine will likely be even more acute. Written by RFE/RL's Robert Coalson based on reporting by RFE/RL's North.Realities. This story is based in part on reporting by correspondents on the ground in Russia. Their names are being withheld for their protection. In the winter of 1924, inhabitants of a small village near Tehran looked up as a metal-bodied airplane swooped in to land, bumped along a field, then collapsed in a cloud of dust after its landing gear broke. The pilot of the plane was Swiss aviator Walter Mittelholzer, who had received an invitation from the Persian government to deliver a new Junkers aircraft to the country, which would be renamed Iran in 1935. Kaspar Surber, a Swiss journalist who wrote a book on Mittelholzer, told RFE/RL the aviator was chosen for the flight to Persia in part to "popularize flying" through aerial images he would take there. Mittelholzer was famous at the time for becoming the first person to extensively photograph Switzerland's mountains from an airplane. In the 1920s, Surber says there was something of a "race" between German and British aviation companies to begin air services in Persia, making Mittelholzer's photography skills a key promotional advantage. A Swiss newspaper wrote of the aviator, "The Swiss people know what to expect from their Mr. Mittelholzer, who can not only pilot a plane across unknown countries but also photograph and film in flight." After their ignominious landing 40 kilometers outside of Tehran, Mittelholzer and mechanic Ernst Bissegger had a tense confrontation with villagers before help eventually arrived from the Persian capital and their aircraft was repaired. Mittelholzer and Bissegger's flight of more than 3,000 kilometers from Switzerland to Persia included a standoff with Turkish authorities who confiscated their plane, troubles with poor-quality gasoline purchased in Baghdad, and erroneous maps that forced them into the ill-fated landing during which their plane's landing gear collapsed. Mittelholzers initial impressions of the territory of Persia from above were of "areas that lie desolate and empty and wander past the observing eye for hours. Huge alluvial fans, piles of rubble, and deltas of saline rivers [that] characterize the country." Isolated settlements occasionally came into view as the pair flew over Persian territory. "Here and there a green patch shines," Mittelholzer wrote, "a space in the center of which features residents' mud huts rising on narrow and winding streets. Silver bands mark the irrigation channels at the edges of the gardens." Mittelholzer seized the opportunity to photograph Persia extensively from above in photographs that are now held by the ETH Zurich library. The Swiss aviator and photographer also made use of his camera on the ground to capture a country on the cusp of dramatic change under Reza Shah Pahlavi, a ruler who would become known as Persia's "modernizing strongman." At the time of Mittelholzer's visit to Persia, the country was without major rail or road networks, and camel caravans were still in use as a means of foreign trade, making air transport an enticing possibility for the country's rulers. With the aviation industry still in its infancy in Persia, Mittelholzer and Bissegger had the sky virtually to themselves as they swept low over urban centers to snap images that would soon stun European audiences. Mittelholzer predicted that aerial photography would play a significant role in documentary imagery of the future. "Another hitherto unseen world opens up before us. It is as if the Earth has thereby gained a new face, and man a new, unflawed eye," he wrote in 1928. After spending several weeks inside Iran, the two Swiss aviators eventually made the long trek back to Central Europe by car. Mittelholzer would later co-found a company that became Swissair, Switzerland's national carrier until 2002. He died in a mountaineering accident in 1937 aged 43. In a newspaper obituary, a friend noted that Mittelholzer's death in the mountains that he loved, and that had sparked his extraordinary career, had a certain tragic poetry: "They have embraced him 0n his last wanderings and claimed him, and perhaps he would not have wished for a better end, but alas it came all too soon, there was so much more for him to do." Dilrabo says she agreed to get married at the age of 16 to escape the dire life she faced after her father died and mother remarried, leaving her at a state boarding school for underprivileged children. "My marriage only lasted two yearsduring which I faced abuse at the hands of my husband. Now, my young son and I have nowhere to live," said the 23-year-old Dushanbe resident, who requested that her family name not be published. Dilrabo says her life "may have been different" if she hadn't ended her studies after the seventh grade and gotten married. "I could be working now, earning a living," Dilrabo told RFE/RL. "Instead, I am left to deal with this hardship." Dilrabo didn't say whether her marriage -- and the subsequent divorce -- were officially registered or if she just had an Islamic marriage, or "nikah." In 2010, the Muslim-majority Central Asian country raised the minimum age for marriage from 17 to 18. Authorities said the move was to protect women's rights and ensure their well-being. The government also warned religious figures not to conduct a "nikah" to anyone below 18. Tajiks, however, can still marry at 17 with a court's permission. Official statistics show that underage marriages with court permission have rising steadily in Tajikistan in recent years. More than 4,000 people married at the age of 17 with a court's approval in Tajikistan in 2022, according to Tajik human rights ombudsman Suhaili Qodiri. The number marks a significant rise from 2018 when registry offices recorded some 2,500 underage marriages. "These figures are far too high," Qodiri said. "Marriage should not be allowed before the age of 18. We need to eventually amend the law." The law doesn't say under what circumstances courts can grant the right to marry at 17. The ombudsman says such ambiguity in the family code has paved the way for many to legally marry one year earlier. Women's rights activists claim that some Tajik parents take advantage of the loophole in the law to push their daughters into marriage. The majority of those who married at 17 years are women, as most families in the conservative society prefer to have their daughters marry early. In one opinion poll in Tajikistan taken in 2021, 53 percent of 1,500 heads of households surveyed said the best age for women to get married is 19-20 and 24 for men. Asked why men marry later than women, most respondents said they believe men must get a university education before being wed. Unhappy Ending Experts and women's rights groups say women who marry early often end up with mental and physical problems. They say 17-year-old girls are not ready to start a married life in which they must care for their husband, children, and do the household chores at their in-laws' home as Tajik tradition dictates. It is also not uncommon in Tajik families for in-laws to be deeply involved in a son's marriage. "A woman once sought advice from our organization about marrying off her 17-year-old daughter. I explained to her that her daughter is still a child and is not ready for marriage -- that it will not work," said Shohsanam Qaraboeva of the women's rights group Ghamkhori. The woman nonetheless decided to go ahead with the wedding, Qaraboeva said. But the marriage ended in divorce 18 months later and the teenage bride is now a single mother at 19 years of age, Qaraboeva said. "The woman came back to our office to say, 'You were right,'" Qaraboeva said. "The young bride's in-laws complained that she was not 'ready for married life' and that she 'wouldn't even wake up early [to do housework],' for example." Although court permission to marry at 17 must be based on a request by the potential bride or groom, it is widely believed such applications are often submitted under pressure from their families. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by Sarvinozi Ruhullo, Shahloi Abdulloh, and Barot Yusufi of RFE/RL's Tajik Service WASHINGTON -- Ever since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, starting Europe's biggest war in generations, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has been scrambling to unite the world against Moscow's aggression, highlighting its attacks on civilians and evidence of war crimes. Two years later, that job is getting a lot tougher -- and not just because people around the world, including in the United States, are losing interest in the war. Israel's pummeling military response to the deadly October 7 attack by Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, has outraged governments and populaces in the Global South that the United States has been trying to woo. The U.S. response to ally Israel's bombing of civilian infrastructure in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis it has exacerbated for the Palestinian population has been more muted than its criticism of Russia's attacks -- and those nations have taken notice, accusing Washington of applying a double standard. "Global North countries are suddenly quiet as they watch humanitarian violations. Where's all the lectures they often give about human rights? Doesn't Palestine have the same rights as the rest of us?" Retno Marsudi, the foreign minister of Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation by population, told a press conference on January 8. For decades, critics have accused the United States of upholding what is often called the "rules-based international order" when it suits its needs and ignoring it when it doesn't. The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq in defiance of a UN vote may be the most explicit example this century. Losing Leverage That criticism has potentially become more consequential today as China and Russia seek to reshape the geopolitical world and undermine U.S. influence while increasing their own clout -- and, in Russia's case, attempting to alter the map by attacking Ukraine and occupying its territory. Beijing and Moscow are seizing on such perceived double standards to pull the countries of the Global South into their corner. "The U.S. doesn't have the same leverage that it used to," Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow at the New York-based Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) and professor of international affairs at Georgetown University, told RFE/RL, pointing to China's growing role on the world stage. The United States has struggled to get countries in the Global South to go along with its sanctions against Russia over Moscow's war on Ukraine. Many also refused to support the U.S. designation of Beijing's persecution of Muslim Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region as genocide. Russian and Chinese officials and state media have used the U.S. response to Israel's bombing to discredit Washington's criticism of own their countries' policies and actions. "Western politicians who didn't throw away any opportunity to accuse other countries of committing genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity suddenly don't know how to describe the slaughtering of thousands of innocent civilians despite the tragedy being played out in front of media cameras," said an October 27 article in China Daily, the Chinese Communist Party's English-language propaganda outlet. Israel has been besieging Gaza since Hamas forces invaded Israel on October 7, killing some 1,200 people, mainly civilians, in the deadliest attack on the Jewish state since its creation in 1948. More than 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to the Health Ministry in Gaza. In the face of criticism over its approach to the Israel-Hamas war, the Biden administration has staunchly defended Israel's right to self-defense. Though it has urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to change tactics and protect civilians and is leading international efforts to find a way to end the war, it has largely refrained from harsh public criticism and continued to supply weapons to Israel. Biden has also suggested that the U.S. approaches on Russia's war against Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war are consistent, saying in a national address in October that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hamas "represent different threats" but "both want to completely annihilate a neighboring democracy -- completely annihilate it." Western officials have also pointed out disparities between the two wars, including a major difference: Ukraine did not attack Russia. 'Enduring Consequences For Ukraine' But for many people around the world, there is little difference between the Russian bombing of Ukrainian cities and Israel's bombing of Gaza. "With every civilian casualty from an Israeli airstrike, the West's arguments in defense of a rules-based order ring hollower in the global South," Mark Leonard, director of the European Council on Foreign Relations, wrote in the U.S. magazine Foreign Affairs this month. "This could have enduring consequences for Ukraine, which derives the legitimacy for its struggle from the order-breaking nature of Russia's aggression." Kupchan said there is more sympathy with the Palestinian cause than for Ukraine in the Global South, especially in the Middle East, and a broad perception that Israel's retaliation for the October 7 attack is causing too much death. "And the U.S. -- as Israel's most visible backer -- ends up paying a reputational price. It's guilt by association," he said. Moscow and Beijing's message that the West is simply trying to preserve its hegemony plays well in the Global South, Kupchan added. "There is a lot of talk in Washington about the rules-based order, and at times China and Russia try to turn that talk against the United States and say, 'Well, what about Gaza? Where is the rules-based order right now?'" he told RFE/RL. Court Change The United States also faced accusations of double standards in late July, a few months before Hamas invaded Israel, when Biden ordered his administration to start sharing evidence of suspected Russian war crimes in Ukraine with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It was a major shift: In part because of fears that cooperation with the court could open the door to politicized prosecution of U.S. troops abroad, the United States has historically opposed the ICC extending its jurisdiction over nationals of countries that -- like itself -- are not members of the court. In 2021, the United States opposed an ICC investigation into Israelis for their alleged crimes in Palestine on the grounds that Israel is not an ICC member. But Russia isn't either. The change in tack "certainly undermines the credibility of the U.S. to speak out and to consider itself a promoter of justice and accountability for serious international crime," Elizabeth Evanson, international justice director at Human Rights Watch, told RFE/RL. "It risks exacerbating perception problems of whether the international system is working on behalf of everyone fully," she said. Not Alone Even before the Israel-Hamas war, there was already plenty of talk about selective international justice, Evanson said. The outpouring of international support for an ICC investigation into alleged Russian atrocities led people to ask, "If this kind of response can happen here, why are we not seeing it in other places?" she said. While its diverse approaches to Russia and Israel are drawing particular attention to the United States, many other countries -- including those of the Global South -- also face accusations of hypocrisy in international affairs. Indonesia has been at the forefront of criticism leveled at Israel for its bombing of Palestinian civilians but has remained quiet about China's detainment of hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The same goes for South Africa. It has brought a genocide suit against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) but has kept silent about China's abuse of Uyghurs. It has abstained on UN resolutions condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine. South Africa and Indonesia have at least one thing in common: Both have China as their largest trading partner. And China, the world's second-largest economy after the United States, has not been shy about using its economic might to punish countries that publicly condemn its actions. The Global South's frustration with the West and the world order had been growing for years, Bruce Jones, an analyst at the Brookings Institution in Washington, told RFE/RL. The West failed to meet its climate investment goals in the Global South or equitably distribute vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Its uneven response to the war in Ukraine compared with horrific wars in Africa further underscored to the Global South that the world order wasn't working for them, he said. In the eyes of many in the Global South, "none of this seems to resonate" with the United States and Europe, Jones said. "The United States tends to look at these countries primarily in traditional bilateral terms and not to think much about how they perceived the international order writ large," he said. Kupchan said the United States will simply have to face the consequences of its policies on attitudes around the world while the two wars continue. "The big policy question is what we do when the dust settles," Kupchan told RFE/RL. "How do we up our game and enhance our appeal in the Global South?" It will start with listening more closely to their concerns, he said. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev is in Beijing to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a high-profile state visit intended to lay the groundwork for strong ties between the two countries. In an article signed by Mirziyoev that appeared in Chinese state media ahead of the trip, the Uzbek leader praised Chinas model of economic development and said relations between the two countries are experiencing new historical heights that will allow him to use the January 23-25 trip to develop a new long-term agenda for the two countries that will last for decades. "Every time I visit China, I sincerely admire the scale of the reforms taking place here, the accomplishments, creative strength, diligence, and talent of the Chinese people who are confidently pursuing the path of modernization to realize their centuries-old dream, the article said. The state visit comes following the first in-person China-Central Asia leaders summit in May where China inked several agreements to deepen its economic and security links with the region. In Beijing, Mirziyoev is looking to build upon those deals as well as a comprehensive strategic-partnership agreement signed in 2022. While meeting with Xi and other top-level Chinese officials, the Uzbek delegation will look to court investment and agree with their counterparts on how to bring many previously signed deals to fruition, from developing green energy projects to cooperation in science and boosting tourism between China and Uzbekistan. This is less about concrete outcomes and more about setting a road map for the future, Niva Yau, a fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, told RFE/RL. China has committed to investments and projects and this high-level visit is [about] how to achieve them and to search for new areas to cooperate together. Evolving Ties The visit takes place against the backdrop of several major developments that have changed the political environment at home and abroad for Uzbekistans relationship with China. Russias 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine has boosted Chinas standing as a reliable political and economic force for the countries of Central Asia as Moscow -- the regions traditional dominant partner -- has grappled with financial and geopolitical fallout from the conflict. After a decade of infrastructure investments around the globe through Beijings multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China wants to use the project to invest in new sectors and become a more strategic lender after facing criticism for a lack of transparency in BRI loans as it now grapples with a slowing domestic economy. Facing such headwinds, China is looking to make the BRI smaller and greener through more risk-averse loans and investments in renewables, and Yau said this could factor into the results from Mirziyoevs visit. China, she notes, has been investing heavily in environmental and scientific research and monitoring, with several notable investments in Central Asia. Tajikistan, which neighbors Uzbekistan to the southeast and shares a border with China, opened a Chinese observation station on Lake Sarez in 2021, reportedly for environmental research and international disaster reduction and prevention, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. In July 2023, Chinese researchers also unveiled a new super observation post for climate and environmental monitoring in Shahritus, near the meeting point of China's borders with Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. The stations have scientific and technological applications, but observers note the installations are part of a broad network of similar stations across BRI countries in South and Central Asia that could have dual applications for security and surveillance. Beijing has also looked to expand the list of countries cooperating with its space program, reaching an agreement with Turkmenistan in 2023. While traditional Chinese investments in Central Asia are still in play, such as a proposed natural gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China and a railway connecting China to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, their futures are uncertain. Yau said Beijing is looking to bring these new areas of investment and industry that it has expanded elsewhere in the world to Central Asia, and Uzbekistan, with a population of some 35 million, is an attractive partner. One particular sector of interest is renewable energy and opening up new markets for Chinese electric vehicles. China has been positioning itself as a market leader around the world for years and, in December, Chinas Henan Suda signed a deal with the Uzbek Energy Ministry to build some 50,000 charging stations for electric vehicles around the country by 2033. These are areas where China is becoming a global leader and it wants to bring them to Central Asia, Yau said. New President, New Era While events like the war in Ukraine have affected the relative appeal of Beijing and Moscow as partners for Central Asia, Mirziyoevs high-profile visit is the product of years of warming ties between China and Uzbekistan, says Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Carnegie Russia-Eurasia Center in Berlin. This direction towards China has been Mirziyoevs priority from the beginning, he told RFE/RL. Mirziyoev is very interested in China and often quotes [former Chinese leader] Deng Xiaoping in his speeches; and he clearly sees the country as an example for how to develop economically. Chinas experience combating top-level corruption under Xi and its efforts to lift millions out of poverty, Umarov says, have been a particular focus for the Uzbek leader since he came to power in 2016 following the death of Islam Karimov, the countrys first ruler after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. China has become a source of knowledge in a way for Mirziyoev, Umarov said. Given that Uzbekistan is a personalistic regime, how he sees China matters a lot. Uzbekistan followed a far more isolationist foreign policy under Karimov that was suspicious of outside influence. China was still an important partner, with Chinese leader Hu Jintao inviting Karimov to Beijing for a visit in 2005 less than two weeks after the bloody crackdown against protesters in the northeastern Uzbek city of Andijon, though the relationship was limited. Under the hard-line Karimov regime, Chinese companies and capital in many sectors of the economy were restricted. That changed following Karimovs death, which brought Mirziyoev to power. As the new Uzbek president has opened up his countrys economy, China has been both a reliable source of investment and a valuable ally that has helped Mirziyoev build his legitimacy at home and abroad. As Umarov notes, Chinas own model of opening its economy while retaining tight political control is one that looks increasingly appealing to Mirziyoev. This is very relevant to him as he tries to build his own political regime based on Karimov's heritage, Umarov said. He knows that he needs to adapt to the world and learn from similar regimes about how to navigate the complex realities of today. Kenneth Fox A number of hospitals are experiencing very high levels of activity this week due to ongoing high illness rates related to winter viruses. As of 8am on Tuesday there were 483 patients on trolleys (366 in Emergency Departments and 117 on wards). At midnight, there were 371 people awaiting discharge. While many hospitals have coped very well with the very high recent prevalence of winter viruses, hospitals under considerable pressure today include Cork University Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital, UH Limerick, Galway University Hospital and Letterkenny University Hospital. The latest information suggests that influenza levels seem to have peaked. However, there will be ongoing high levels of health service activity arising from winter viruses for a number of weeks. The HSE is urging the public to consider all available care options, including injury units, their GP, and local pharmacy if they have a minor ailment. Injury units are designed to treat injuries that are unlikely to need hospital admission and can to treat someone with a non-life threatening injury like a sprain, broken bone or a minor cut or burn. Treatment such as x-rays, plaster casts and wound care are also available in an injury unit. Attending the ED with a minor injury will result in a longer waiting time to be seen as we prioritise patient urgent and emergency cases. You do not need an appointment for an injury unit and there is no charge if you have a GP referral letter or are a medical card holder. Damien McCallion, chief operations officer for the HSE said: There is significant pressure on our EDs at the moment with increased presentations. "Whilst we ask the public to seek alternative services for non-urgent care, we want to reassure them that anyone who is seriously injured or ill, or worried their life may be at risk, should to go to the emergency department without delay. By attending the GP, pharmacy or injury unit if you can, you will help alleviate pressure in the ED, which will help us get patients out of the ED and on to wards." Consider yourself a foodie fanatic? Want to have your say on what new Irish products get stocked on ALDI shelves? If so, ALDI has the job for you! As part of this years Grow with ALDI programme, ALDI is inviting customers to apply to be a judge and food tester extraordinaire for a day. ALDI will be picking a winner from every county in Ireland to join the consumer panel. Each winner will be welcomed to ALDIs Head Office in County Kildare on February 8th for the judging day. There they will join a team of ALDI buyers to have their say on which Irish products should be stocked in ALDI stores nationwide as part of this years Grow with ALDI programme. So, what is the Grow with ALDI programme? Its a supplier development programme, helping innovative small to medium sized businesses build their brand and take the next step on their entrepreneurial journey. Undertaken in partnership with Bord Bia, it champions Irish and gives ALDI customers the opportunity to support native small businesses at great value price points. Think you have what it takes to represent your county on the judging panel? To be in with a chance of taking part, simply email growjudge@aldi.ie with the following information: * Your full name * Tell about your love of food * Tell what makes you a good candidate for the job * Your address and your ability to travel to Kildare on February 8th. Closing date for entries is January 26th. The winner will be notified by February 2nd. Make sure you arrive with an empty stomach! Further information and terms and conditions can be found atwww.aldi.ie/terms-and-conditions. Bozeman Young farmers, ranchers, and people involved in all aspects of agriculture will want to attend the Montana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference Feb. 9-11 at the Northern Hotel in downtown Billings. Organized by the MFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, the conference is a one-of-a-kind event allowing Montanas young farmers and ranchers to assemble and participate in a top-notch agenda including relevant keynote speakers, breakout sessions, agricultural industry tours and more. Attendees are also offered numerous opportunities to network with peers and leaders of Montanas agricultural organizations and businesses. The event kicks off Friday, Feb. 9, with dinner and bingo and a packed schedule Saturday morning with keynote speaker Lance Pekus talk, Roping Resilience: The Cowboy Ninjas Journey to Overcoming Obstacles & Nurturing Wellness. Workshops cover the gamut including precision agriculture, cow nutrition, investing and financial planning, mental health, and carbon markets. Popular lunch speaker, Bruce Vincent, will share his thoughts on building a vision for the future that inspires hope. Afternoon tour choices include low-stress cattle handling that pays or a visit to Swanky Roots and Yellowstone Valley Food Hub. The evening wraps up with dinner followed by dancing to Stolen Roan at the Pub Station. Sunday mornings breakfast speaker is energetic and creative, Sarah Calhoun, creator of the Red Ants Pants clothing line and Red Ants Pants music festival, talking about Present Day Pioneering. There are two early bird registrations offered on or before Jan. 26: Collegiate registration is $50; YF&R registration is $75. All registrations after Jan. 26 are $100. Visit mfbf.org to register. To make hotel reservations call the Northern Hotel at 406-867-6767 by Jan. 19 and request the YF&R room block for the special conference rate of $124 (single)/$144 (double) + tax. For additional information about the conference or the YF&R program, contact Sue Ann Streufert, 406-587-3153, [email protected]. Many experienced the widespread issues with breed back this fall. Hannah Speer, Northern Ag Research Center Animal Science assistant professor, Havre, MT, will be in Sidney on Tuesday, Jan. 30 at 5:30 p.m. upstairs at the Meadowlark Public House to discuss Feeding Fertility: Understanding the Relationship Between Nutrition and Reproduction. Speer will be discussing body conditioning scoring (BCS) and how it relates to postpartum interval, pregnancy rates, and important times to think about evaluating BCS throughout the year and when/how to add condition to cows/heifers. She will also discuss nutritional factors that can affect reproduction and feeding strategies to help producers set their herd up for reproductive success. Dr. Speer is a native of western Kansas and recently graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with her PhD in ruminant nutrition. Her research focus there was on cow/calf nutrition and management within systems limited in perennial forage grazing. She evaluated alternative management strategies for systems where perennial forage grazing was limited or not feasible, and also focused heavily on the vitamin A needs of gestating beef cows fed stored forages for extended periods of time. She began her new role as Animal Science assistant professor at the Northern Ag Research Center, Havre, at the beginning of January, and looks forward to conducting research that is important to the producers of Montana. Please plan to join us on Jan. 30 upstairs at the Meadowlark. Helena The Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for over $3 million in federal funding available through the Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program. The purpose of the SCBG program is to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Montana. Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, peas, lentils, dried fruits, as well as horticulture, nursery crops, and floriculture. State and/or local organizations, government entities, producer associations, academia, community-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, and other specialty crop stakeholders are eligible to apply either as single entities or in combined efforts. Eligible projects include improving efficiency and sustainability of specialty crop industries, research, education, developing new and improved varieties, improving the capacity of the distribution chain, enhancing food safety, pest, and disease control. For a complete list of guidelines and eligibility requirements, please visit agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrants. Grant proposals are due to the Montana Department of Agriculture by 5 p.m. March 8, 2024. Technical assistance calls will be held on Jan. 31, 2024, 1 p.m. and Feb. 28, 2024, 10 a.m. For more information, please visit agr.mt.gov/SpecialtyCropBlockGrants or email [email protected]. The Montana Department of Agriculture is serving Montana Agriculture and growing prosperity under the Big Sky. For more information on department programs and services, visit agr.mt.gov. The North Dakota 4-H Foundation recently elected new officers. They are: Becky Peterson, chair, Mandan Jennifer Hauge, vice chair of ends development and evaluation, Leith Alana Sears, vice chair of policy monitoring, Wheatland Vicki Monsen, vice chair of board fundraising and community outreach, Watford City Julie Hassebroek, vice chair of financial management and treasurer, Cogswell Deb Clarys, past chair, Center Aidan Sears, 4-H Ambassadors representative, Wheatland The North Dakota 4-H Foundation raises funds to support 4-H youth programs across the state. An additional 15 4-H supporters and North Dakota State University Extension staff serve on the foundation's board. "One of my favorite ads is the National 4-H ad, 'You're going to need us,' which expresses that 4-H is growing the next generation of leaders," said Peterson, Farm Credit Services of Mandan marketing and services director. "Nothing prepares our youth for careers and leadership like 4-H does, but they can't do it alone. They need the North Dakota 4-H Foundation to help fund the programs that develop those leadership and communication skills. My passion for this organization is driven by the proven leadership results and our team of board members who help reach our foundation goals." To support North Dakota 4-H programs, donate at https://bit.ly/DonateND4-H or contact Chloe Drummond, the foundation's board coordinator and relationship specialist, at 701-231-8569 or [email protected]. The program will feature the latest information on variety selection, pest and weed management, and fertilization strategies for wheat. North Dakota State University has set the 2024 Best of the Best in Wheat Research and Marketing meeting in western North Dakota for Jan. 31 at the Grand Hotel, Minot. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. CST and includes sessions on wheat variety selection, in-season nitrogen application for increased quality in durum, a scab fungicide update, current insect pest issues in wheat, wheat fertility recommendations, herbicide resistant weed update, and a market outlook. The program will end at 3:30 p.m. "We're excited to bring producers this program which includes the latest information on variety selection, pest and weed management, and fertilization strategies in their wheat crop," says Clair Keene, NDSU Extension small grain and corn agronomist. "We also have break out sessions on weed identification, herbicide injury symptoms, and insect pest defoliators, which will allow attendees to interact with presenters in a smaller group." Brian Jenks, North Central Research Extension Center weed scientist, Minot, will discuss herbicide resistance issues in common grass weeds and kochia. "We're seeing an increase in the occurrence of green foxtail and wild oat populations that are resistant to Group 1 and 2 herbicides," says Jenks. "Unfortunately, we're also finding some populations with resistance to both modes of action. We'll also talk about kochia and what we are now seeing in regards to Group 14 (PPO inhibitor) resistance. We've been dealing with resistance to Groups 2, 4, and 9 in kochia for some time, but the developing resistance to Group 14 is going to change how we handle this weed." The final speaker on the agenda is Frayne Olson, Extension crops marketing specialist who will provide insight into current global and domestic factors influencing grain prices. "We have a lot of big-picture things happening right now," says Olson. "It's always important for growers to understand what is driving the markets and things to consider as they put together their marketing plan for the up-coming year." Certified Crop Advisor Continuing Education Units (CEU's) will be offered in the following categories: 0.5 nutrient management, 2.0 pest management, 1.0 crop management, and 1.0 professional development. The Best of the Best meeting is free to attend but registration is highly encouraged to help with lunch planning. Registration is available at: https://www.ndwheat.com/events/2024BestoftheBestMeetings/. This event is sponsored by the North Dakota Wheat Commission and North Dakota Grain Growers Association. NDSUs soybean and dry bean variety guides help farmers make crop variety selection decisions. Farmers and crop advisers needing crop variety information to make decisions for the 2024 crop season now have available the North Dakota State University Extension 2023 soybean and dry bean variety guides. These publications can be accessed online at ndsu.ag/varietytrials23. Printed copies are available at NDSU Extension County offices and Research Extension Centers. Crop variety selection is one of the most important crop management decisions to be made to optimize seed yield and quality, according to Greg Endres, NDSU Extension agronomist and lead author of the two variety guides. Endres encourages farmers to spend adequate time doing their homework to select the very best variety choices for their fields. NDSU crop breeders, research agronomists and numerous support staff have devoted substantial resources to generate this data to aid in making decisions regarding variety use. The soybean 2023 variety trial results and selection guide contain 33 tables of agronomic, and seed yield and quality data from 28 NDSU research sites across the state. The trial tables are identified based on the general categories of herbicide-resistant or conventional. The guide also provides an overview on soybean variety selection (besides seed yield), including plant maturity, tolerance to iron-deficiency chlorosis, resistance to disease, including phytophthora root and stem rot and soybean cyst nematode, and herbicide-resistance traits. In addition, a table in the guide lists the 26 seed companies that submitted varieties for NDSU testing and their websites to allow you to obtain details on their respective varieties. The new dry bean variety trial results and selection guide provides the opportunity to view 20 variety trial tables from eight North Dakota and Minnesota research sites. The bulk of data is associated with performance of pinto bean varieties, but variety data is also available from black, navy, great northern, pink, small red and cranberry market classes. Besides an expansion of the number of data tables in this years guide, a table has been added that indicates pinto bean direct-harvest ratings. In addition, the number of varieties listed and their sources (origin or owner) has increased compared to previous issues of the guide. Dr. Sam Funk, NDSU Williston Research Extension Center director, will welcome guests to the 71st Annual Wheat Show along with Brian Kaae, Wheat Show treasurer, at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. Funk, who began his appointment on Dec. 18, 2023, is looking forward to introducing himself to area farmers, ranchers and the business community. Funk is an expert in farm and ranch management, agricultural policy and evaluation of on-farm technology adoption. "He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in production economics to the center," says Greg Lardy, NDSU Agricultural Affairs vice president. "He is a recognized expert in farm and ranch management, agricultural policy and evaluation of on-farm technology adoption." Prior to joining NDSU, Funk has served in significant roles with the United Soybean Board, Rabobank and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation. He looks forward to joining NDSU to continue bringing research-based information to northwest North Dakota and the broader region. "I am excited about the mission we have to continue to expand opportunities for farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders in northwestern North Dakota and beyond," says Funk. "The Williston Research Extension Center combines the efforts of outstanding researchers and staff while serving as a hub for Extension programs." The center will continue its role in improving crop varieties available to match cropping systems in the region. Foundation seedstock production and germplasm evaluation and improvement will remain key functions of the center. "Collaborating with farmers, ranchers and stakeholders to address needs with applied research and economics is a professional calling," adds Funk. "I look forward to working with my colleagues to develop Extension content with effective solutions." The 71st Annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Grand Hotel in Williston. Williston will be hosting the 71st National Hard Spring Wheat Show, where Tim Sullivan will share the Who, What, When, Where, and How vision for Farm Rescue. He will show a family case video testimonial to display to attendees what he and his organization achieve for the families they assist and the impact on their communities. After he speaks, there will be time for questions and discussion. The 71st Annual National Hard Spring Wheat Show begins at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1, at the Grand Hotel in Williston. Sullivan, Farm Rescue executive director, of a volunteer operated nonprofit organization based south of Fargo. He coordinates volunteers and equipment sponsors to help provide planting, haying, harvest, commodity/hay hauling, and livestock feeding in times of crisis, free of charge. Whether it is because of injury, illness, or natural disaster, Farm Rescue, originally founded by Bill Gross, is struggling farm and ranch families. Started in 2005, in its first year it assisted 10 families with the help of John Deere. Since then, they have assisted over 1000 families, with 3000 volunteers having served over 19 years. Currently, their roster of over 600 men and women, ages 18-85, hail from all 50 states and Canada to share their helping hands and servant hearts with farm and ranch families unknown to them. A North Dakota native, born on a small grain and livestock farm close to Oakes, ND, Sullivan farmed with his family and then attended Moorhead State University. A business and marketing career may have taken him out of state but has now come full circle with him and his family calling southwest North Dakota home. Tim Sullivan will be talking about Farm Rescue at 12:45 p.m. The Richland County Health Departments Drug Free Communities (DFC) program is holding an art contest for all school age youth in Richland County, K-12th grade, including homeschool students. The theme is from this school years Red Ribbon Week, Be Kind to your Mind. Live Drug Free. The art needs to illustrate, interpret, and emphasize this theme. There are only three easy rules to comply: Only original work will be accepted. Include the theme Be Kind to your mind. Live Drug Free in 2024 Be Creative! Have fun with the design. We want to see the creative talents of our Richland County youth! Be sure to include your name, age, the school you are representing and a parent or guardian contact information with your submitted artwork. If you are a homeschooled child simply write homeschooled. All completed projects must be submitted by Feb. 28, 2024, to the front office of your local school, or dropped off or mail to: Richland County Health Department, c/o Drug Free Communities, 1201 W. Holly St, Suite #1, Sidney, MT 59270 Grand Prize: Winning artwork will be printed on a banner and shared with all of Richland County.. Runners Up: One winner from each school will have their art printed and displayed on a banner unique for your school, including your school logo. The DFCs program goals are to establish and strengthen youth collaboration with community leaders, businesses, and government representatives to support the efforts of a community coalition working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The most prevalent substances abused by our youth in Richland County are marijuana, alcohol, and vaping. All three of these substances are not only illegal for our youth but are unsafe for their brain development, mental health, and overall wellbeing. The greatest influences in the fight against substance use among youth are the youth. Youth have the knowledge and power to make a difference amongst their peers. They are the strength for each other to say no, but also the encouragement and support needed for their friends to stop. Entry forms are available at all county schools and at the Richland County Health Department. This is brought to you by Richland County Health Department Drug Free Communities and the Richland County Partnership for Promise. For more information about this project please call Stephanie Reynolds at the Richland County Health Department, 406.433.2207 or email at [email protected]> The Sidney Chamber of Commerce and Richland Economic Development Corporation held their joint annual meeting at the Sidney Yellowstone Mercantile on Jan. 18. The well attended event was the first time the organizations held a joint annual meeting. The Sidney High School band provided music during the New Business Showcase before the meeting. Businesses in the showcase included Wrangler Electric, Sunrise City Coffee Co., Lovegren Tree Service, Messer Heating and Cooling, ElectricLand, Les Schwab, Crooked Creek Farms, South of the Border Street Food, Bargain Garage, Pivotal Services and Angela Miller Media & Marketing. The special guest for the event was Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. Gianforte gave a brief speech and answered a few questions for the attendees. Also, a letter was read on behalf of Senator Daines and HD35 Representative Brandon Ler provided a legislative update from the 2024 Business Days at the Capital. February 2024 marks Sidney Tendokan Taekwondos 40th Anniversary. Back in 1984, some instructors came from Williston to Sidney to teach the martial arts and the school has been here ever since. Over its 40 years of existence, Sidney Tendokan Taekwondo has been blessed to have various attentive instructors. Paul Speck and Patsy Harlan were the first two. They came to bring the martial art to eastern Montana. Mike Berg, Sidney Tendokan Taekwondos current owner, joined the school in 1984. He had started to learn Taekwondo in 1977 under Moo Yung Yun, while living in Fargo. He moved to Sidney in 1981 before he attained a black belt. In 1986, he finally earned it. Now, Berg is a 7th Dan. Jerrold Baxter, a 3rd Dan instructor who has been helping Berg at the school since 2013, started learning taekwondo in 1986 at the age of eight, while in 3rd grade. Baxter was not able to earn one before graduating high school. He had earned a high brown before he finished college and returned to Sidney where he earned his black belt in 2014. Both Berg and Baxter have successfully competed for years before beginning to teach at Sidney Tendokan and have gone to numerous nationals. Gary Tescher was a 5th Dan who helped Berg and Baxtor for several years with testing, judging, and tournaments. For the past two years he has not been able to attend for medical reasons. During its 40 years, the instructors have graduated at least 1,200 students to yellow belt, the second belt in the student program, and over 100 different students to black belt. The black belt, or 1st Dan, is the highest belt color a student can achieve but they can continue on to higher degrees of black belt. Berg used to teach Judo as a separate class but it is a very physical technique and he had to stop because of the toll it was taking on his body. He has not stopped completely and mixes some of the techniques in with the taekwondo. Sidney Tendo continues to be successful on the national scene, medaling students at the national level in four out of the last five years and even having one student crowned National Champion. Every couple of years or so they will have students willing and able to go to competitions, but they mostly do duels since 2020. Sidney Tendokan Taekwondo is tentatively planning to host a competition on Feb. 10 in celebration of their anniversary. For more information visit Sidney Tendokan Taekwondo on Facebook. The third week of January 2024 was a little scary for parents, school staff, and students of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Threats were emailed and called into many different schools on more than one day, but they all seemed to be pranks, but law enforcement still responded. According to a post on their Facebook page, at about 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17, Savage School, along with several other school districts across Montana, received an email stating that bombs had been placed in school locations throughout the state. The school was thoroughly searched by law enforcement and cleared. In a post on the Fairview Schools Districts 13 & 3 Facebook page, they were assured that the Fairview schools were not the target. In a post on Sidney Public School Districts Facebook page, a letter by Brent Sukut, Sidney Public Schools superintendent, said when they received the threatening emails, they were immediately reported. It was determined that the emails were essentially spam and there was no threat. In North Dakota, according to a press release on the Watford City Police Department Facebook page, Thursday, Jan. 18 at about 1:17 p.m. they received a call from a staff member of Badlands Elementary that they had gotten a call that there was an unknown individual standing outside of the school building with a firearm. The police and sheriff departments sent officers to the school. All McKenzie County School buildings were put in lockdown almost immediately after the call. While the officers were still in the process of securing the building they received a call from North Dakota State Radio that multiple schools across the state of North Dakota had received the same call. After a little more investigation, it was found that the call was a hoax and all schools were released from lockdown. According to Alexander Public School Facebook page they had not received a call. Making threats to schools is against the law. In the state of Montana, according to the state legal code website, leg.mt.gov, it could land a prankster in the state prison for up to 10 years or with a hefty fine of up to $50K. In North Dakota, according to the states legal code website, http://www.ndlegis.gov, the prankster could be imprisoned for up to five years or fined up to $10K. Canada Immigration, Student Visa for Indian students news Indian students constitute the largest group of international students in Canada. Canada Immigration, Student Visa News: To reduce the impact of international students on housing and address the issues related to institutional practices, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller recently announced a 2-year cap on student visas. Reportedly, this move aims to restrict the number of student visas granted and target institutions that exhibit unpleasant practices. As per the report, the Canadian government has set a goal of approving 360,000 undergraduate study permits this year, reducing the numbers by 35% from the figures in 2023. Advertisement For the year 2024, the federal government is setting a goal of approving 360,000 undergraduate study permits, marking a 35% reduction from the figures in 2023. This development may affect Indian students. Notably, Indian students constitute the largest group of international students in Canada. As per the CBC News, more than 300,000 Indian students went to Canada in 2023. According to the new system, the provinces and territories will be allocated a share of the total permits based on population, leading to a substantial downfall in regions where international student population growth is deemed unsustainable. The restriction will remain in effect for 2 years, with a reassessment planned for 2025. Advertisement Immigration Minister Miller also expressed concerns about certain private institutions taking advantage of international students. He cited several issues such as under-resourced campuses, lack of student support, high tuition fees, and a significant increase in international student intake. He stated, "It's unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking support for students and charging high tuition fees all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students." (For more news apart from Canada Immigration, and Student Visa News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) The US and UK have carried out a second joint operation against Houthis in Yemen in response to their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. US, UK forces have carried out a second joint air strike against targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen used by the rebel militants to attack commercial vessels in Red Sea. The Pentagon said precision strikes hit eight Houthi targets in Yemen, including a Houthi underground storage site and locations linked with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities. The militaries of the United States and United Kingdom were provided support by Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands, these nations said in a joint statement. The latest round of joint military operation destroyed missiles, unmanned aerial systems, and weapons storage areas, a Senior U.S. Defense Official said at a Pentagon news conference. "We conducted the strikes with Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles, or TLAMs, and manned aircraft from the United States Navy and the UK Armed Forces. Precision-guided munitions were used to destroy the targets and also to minimize collateral damage," he told reporters. The Houthis have conducted more than thirty attacks on international and commercial vessels since mid-November. The Houthis have vowed to retaliate for the attacks. Since Israel's offensive in Gaza, there have been dozens of attacks on international shipping by the rebel movement, which controls much of Yemen. These assaults, notably the unprecedented use of anti-ship ballistic missiles, have significantly disrupted the free flow of commerce and navigational rights in one of the world's most vital waterways. The Red Sea is an artery for nearly 15 percent of global seaborne trade, including eight percent of the world's grain trade, 12 percent of seaborne-traded oil, and eight percent of global liquefied natural gas. The Houthis have seized a Japan-owned vessel with a multinational crew, attacked a Norwegian tanker transporting vegetable oil with missiles, and targeted a New York-bound vessel carrying 16.1 million gallons of U.S.-owned jet fuel. U.S. military and merchant vessels have faced persistent threats from Houthi missiles and UAVs. Notable incidents include a January 14th attack on the USS Laboon and a barrage of nearly two dozen munitions on January 9th targeting U.S. Navy and U.S.-flagged merchant vessels. The risky situation in the trade route has forced more than 14 shipping companies to suspend Red Sea operations, severely impacting global commerce and the economies of Egypt and Jordan. In response, President Joe Biden has directed the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, to execute precise strikes against select Houthi targets in Yemen. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News From January 16 to 19, 2024, a delegation from Shandong Police Academy visited Sierra Leone. accompanied by Ambassador Wang Qing attended the meeting between the delegation and Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police Mr. William Sellu and Minister of Internal Affairs Mr. David Taluva. Ambassador Wang said that the current cooperation between China and Sierra Leone in various fields has a good momentum, and in recent years the police exchanges and cooperation between the two countries have been close, and fruitful results have been achieved in police capacity building training program, etc. He hoped that the delegation's visit could promote the exchanges and training of police personnel of the two countries to achieve greater development. The delegation introduced the development history of the academy and the situation of international police training, and expressed their willingness to further explore the practical cooperation in related fields with the Sierra Leone police, and make positive contributions to deepening the police exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. The Sierra Leonean side welcomed the visit of the delegation of Shandong Police Academy, expressed gratitude the Chinese side for its long-term support in police training, law enforcement equipment assistance and other aspects, and willingness to further enrich the content of practical cooperation with the Chinese side. The delegation also visited the Sierra Leone Criminal Investigation Department, Peacekeeping and Law Enforcement Academy, Freetown Police Department and other organizations. In August 2023, India became the fourth nation to land on the moon with Chandrayaan-3. The Vikram lander, carrying the Pragyan rover, collected Moon data, including moonquakes. Despite a shutdown in September, NASA finds the defunct lander intriguing. Before the mission, NASA attached a small mirror, a retroreflector, to the lander. This 2-inch-wide device, made of quartz-corner-cube prisms, reflects lasers to orbiting spacecraft. Recently, NASA achieved a groundbreaking laser bounce off the "Oreo-sized" mirror on India's lunar lander. This maneuver, a first, has potential applications for future high-precision moon landings. LRO Laser 'Pings' Indian Moon Lander Repeatedly attempting to bounce lasers off the Vikram lander's retroreflector, NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) faced challenges after the lander went offline. Despite eight unsuccessful tries, the breakthrough occurred on December 12, 2023, when LRO, the only laser-armed spacecraft orbiting the Moon, successfully pinged the array from a distance of 62 miles. This achievement serves as a crucial proof-of-concept for NASA, particularly as the agency plans to incorporate more retroreflectors in future lunar missions, including the upcoming Artemis missions. Xiaoli Sun, a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center leading the mission, emphasized the demonstrated capability to locate the retroreflector on the Moon's surface from lunar orbit. The next step involves refining the technique for routine use in missions utilizing retroreflectors. This is not the first instance of bouncing lasers off the Moon, previous successes involved Earth-fired lasers reflecting off panels from the Apollo missions. These reflections have contributed to ongoing lunar research, revealing the Moon's gradual movement away from Earth at a rate of about 1.5 inches (3.8 centimeters) per year. LRO encountered difficulties in achieving laser reflections off the Vikram lander due to its original design for surface mapping, not precise maneuvers. Operating 13 years beyond its initial mission parameters, the spacecraft was designed to map the lunar surface by firing spaced bursts of thin laser lines toward the moon. The wide spacing of these lines presented challenges in accurately targeting the small retroreflector on the Vikram lander. READ ALSO: India's Vikram Lander Safely Touches Down at Moon's South Pole, Prevents Rover From Falling Into a Hole NASA's Retroreflectors: Revolutionizing Lunar Navigation and Exploration NASA's innovative retroreflectors are designed for practical applications, aiding unmanned spacecraft in precise moon landings. These devices enable measurements of the spacecraft's distance from the lunar surface by calculating the time taken for lasers to bounce back. This technology is crucial for future lunar bases, facilitating landings near existing objects and enabling astronaut missions in complete darkness on the moon's far side. Similar to precision markers aiding spacecraft docking at the International Space Station, these retroreflectors enhance navigation and positioning. Future spacecraft targeting these retroreflectors will employ more precise lasers, increasing accuracy, and firing them from closer distances. NASA aims to expand retroreflector deployment on the moon for further experiments, though recent setbacks, including the Peregrine lunar lander's burn-up and SLIM lander issues, have posed challenges. Despite these setbacks, NASA anticipates additional opportunities for experimentation, especially with the delayed Artemis missions scheduled for 2026. More so, the space agency is committed to deploying more retroreflectors on the moon for further experimentation. RELATED ARTICLE: After 50 Years, Earth Receives Laser Signals From the Moon Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times. Why preschoolers living with autism benefit from early education Beijing is considering a possible rescue package to help bolster China's struggling stock markets, it was reported on Tuesday. According to Bloomberg, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, Chinese authorities are considering using around Y2trn (220bn) to buy stocks in order to stabilise markets. The money would primarily come from offshore accounts of state-owned companies. It follows a report by state TV on Monday, which said the cabinet planned to take "forceful and effective measures" to stabilise markets and boost confidence. The report cited a meeting chaired by premier Li Qiang. Chinas markets have been hit hard by the countrys slowing economy, the crisis in the property sector and ongoing geopolitical tensions. Last year, Shanghais blue chip CSI 300 Index lost 11% and Hong Kongs Hang Seng Index 14%, making it one of the worst performing benchmark indices across all large markets. Investors looked to broadly welcome the potential intervention, with the Hang Seng closing up 2.6% on Tuesday, although the CSI 300 was largely flat. London is capturing an ever-bigger share of the UKs record service sector exports and government action is needed to ensure other big cities keep pace with the capital, a report says. The Resolution Foundation said London accounted for almost half of the UKs service sector exports, with its share of the total rising from 38% to 46% between 2016 and 2021. Guardian More than 2 million people across the UK will be cut off from their gas and electricity this winter because they cannot afford to top up their prepayment meters, according to Citizens Advice. The charity said it had made the estimate for what is expected to be its busiest winter ever for helping people who cannot afford to top up, after last year 1.7 million people were disconnected at least once a month. About 800,000 people went more than 24 hours without gas and electricity, unable to make a hot meal or take a warm shower, because they could not afford to top up. Guardian The leader of the Abu Dhabi-backed bid for The Telegraph has attended a Conservative networking lunch alongside the Prime Minister and the Culture Secretary, as they prepare to decide whether the takeover can go ahead. Jeff Zucker, the head of RedBird IMI and former CNN chief, was among guests at the Conservative Friends of Israels annual business lunch at the InterContinental Park Lane in London. Telegraph Vertical Aerospace, the electric flying taxi business, has been handed $50 million by its founder to keep it airborne. Stephen Fitzpatrick, the Northern Irish entrepreneur who is behind the household supplier Ovo Energy, will inject $25 million of equity capital in the first instance at $10 a share, with a further $25 million by the end of July at an undetermined price. This will be reduced if the company secures equity funding from alternative sources. The Times A start-up that can clone peoples voices has been valued at more than $1 billion in its latest funding round, with investment from Silicon Valley stalwarts including Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital. ElevenLabs uses artificial intelligence to convert written words into speech that sounds as if it is being read by real voices and renders human intonation and inflections with unrivalled fidelity, according to the business. The Times Lockton, a privately owned insurance brokerage based in the United States, has revealed its expansion into the Indian market. The company has appointed Sandeep Dadia as the Chief Executive for India and a member of Lockton Asia's leadership team. Dadia's primary responsibilities include spearheading Lockton's growth initiatives, formulating risk solutions strategies for clients, and emphasizing the recruitment of top-tier talent in India. His overarching goal is to position Lockton as one of the premier international brokers in the country, leveraging the firm's global expertise and local insights, all while maintaining an impressive 97 percent client retention rate. With over two decades of experience in the insurance sector, Dadia possesses a wealth of knowledge. Throughout his career, he has successfully spearheaded the establishment of four startups and has assumed leadership roles at prominent organizations such as Enam Insurance Brokers and TTK Healthcare Services, and, in his most recent position, served as the CEO at Aditya Birla Insurance Brokers. We are excited to have Sandeep lead the organization in India, bringing his expertise and knowledge of the insurance sector. This strategic entry into India creates an opportunity for Lockton to continue to build its established network in the region", Warren Merritt, Asia CEO, said in a statement. Locktons largest investment in the Asia region reflects our dedication to fostering economic growth and creating new opportunities for the local community", the statement further added Entering its fourth edition, the Bengaluru GAFX B2B forum stands as a testament to the states commitment to fostering innovation and technology within the Animation, VFX, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) domain. This pivotal interaction is planned as part of the larger Bengaluru GAFX 2024 - a flagship event of the Indian AVGC industry, supported by the Government of Karnataka. This AVGC B2B forum has emerged, over the years, as a dynamic and successful community event, where creativity seamlessly intertwines with commerce. The Bengaluru GAFX B2B has evolved into a unique platform, connecting IP owners, developers, content creators, technology specialists, production houses and AVGC studios. Fueled by the mission to promote local and national storytellers and intellectual property (IP), and drive innovation in the AVGC-XR sector, this two-day event serves as a unique marketplace bringing the world to our doorstep and enabling the developers to meet a selection of the global who's who actively seeking to develop and produce fresh AVGC content. It brings together under one roof, international & national studios, producers, broadcasters, distributors, and investors for captivating pitches in gaming, film, animation, AR/VR, and comics. Various trade associations from across the country, led by ABAI, have collaborated to propel Bengaluru GAFX 2024, furthering the importance of the GAFX platform environment as a unifying force that encourages cross-border synergy and alliance on a national scale. The Bengaluru GAFX B2B aims to stand as the IP epicenter, where transformative deals are initiated and concluded. Nestled in Bengaluru, Karnataka, this creative exchange aspires to be the go-to market' for local storytellers and IP creators. The goal is to ensure that locally crafted narratives and co-production opportunities can see life at a faster rate. For buyers, Bengaluru GAFX B2B offers a gateway to explore diverse creative content and engage in cross-border collaborations with skilled creators and studios, across games and animation, enriching the global creative landscape. Co-productions will find the new financing opportunities in India a welcome feature. Shri Priyank Kharge, Hon'ble Minister for Electronics, Information Technology & Biotechnology and Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, Govt. of Karnataka, expressed his vision as regards this AVGC-B2B, "The Bengaluru GAFX B2B Forum underscores Karnataka's commitment to accelerating innovation and nurturing local talent in the AVGC-XR sector. As we mark the fourth edition of this event, it exemplifies our dedication to continuing the position of Karnataka as a countrys #1 global hub for creativity and technological advancement in visual arts and sciences. In recognizing the intrinsic link between technology and creativity, the state government envisions Bengaluru GAFX B2B to be the catalyst and enabler to bridge these opportunities. By providing a platform for local talent to showcase their wherewithal on an international stage, we aim to position Karnataka as the leader in IP creation in the Indian AVGC-XR industry". Reflecting on the success of previous B2B forums, Shri Biren Ghose, President of ABAI & Country Head, Technicolor India, emphasized the significance of business development through original IP. Describing the B2B Summit as a marketplace event, Ghose outlined the charter of the association by saying, "We have a proven dynamic of facilitating the interaction between the global community of buyers from across sectors and geography and local Indian domestic studios & talent. This platform provides vital face-to-face connectivity, spurring Indian creators and studios to greater heights of ideation leading to commissioning, acquiring and co-producing content. Business development through original IP is the key to future value creation and scaling the original content ecosystem". In its fourth edition, the Bengaluru GAFX and the B2B Forum continue to shape the future of the AVGC-XR industry, creating a platform that facilitates collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of ideas on a global scale. Drawing on the longstanding diplomatic ties between India and Nigeria, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized that the two nations have mutually agreed to enhance collaboration in various sectors, including people-to-people exchanges, energy, and mobility. Co-chairing the 6th Joint Commission Meeting in Abuja with his counterpart Yusuf Tuggar, Jaishankar also delved into potential opportunities in areas such as power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture, and security between the two countries. Co-chaired the 6th Joint Commission Meeting along with FM @YusufTuggar. Noted the expansion of our economic cooperation, especially trade and investment. Discussed new opportunities in energy, power, renewables, transport, healthcare, fintech, agriculture and security", Jaishankar said in a post on X. After attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda, he traveled from Lagos to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, arriving there on Sunday. Jaishankar reminisced about the participation of Nigerian President Tinubu in the G20 summit hosted in New Delhi in September 2023. "I think many of you know that today the term strategic partnership is laden with a lot of meaning, with a lot of content and with a lot of promise. So, when we look ahead at what is the working of the Joint Commission, I think we will be guided very much by that", Jaishankar, who is on his first visit to Nigeria, said. Terming Nigeria as an important business partner of India, Jaishankar said, We have about 130 Indian companies that have really put their economic future, struck roots in this country, to a point where they have actually become one of the largest employers in this country". Addressing a joint press conference with his Nigerian counterpart, Jaishankar said: Our effort today is at a time when technology is changing, economics is changing, world politics is changing; how do we build a relationship which is in tune with the needs of the future for two democratic countries with an inclusive socio-economic outlook". One of the agreements we signed was on solar energy. We will see cooperation on green and clean growth. Secondly, Nigeria and India both face health challenges. How do we make medicines and health facilities affordable and accessible", he said, adding, There will be new things happening in the relationship. They will take into account new technologies and new capabilities between our two countries. Its a very forward-looking relationship that we envisage". Before the Joint Commission meeting, Jaishankar addressed two business forum meetings, addressed a Nigerian think tank, met with the Indian community and unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi. Glad to address the India-Nigeria Business Forum organized by CII and NICCI. Underlined that deepening our economic partnership is key to the expansion of our ties. Encouraged businesses to enhance their networking, identify regulatory and policy impediments and utilize opportunities", Jaishankar posted on X after the address. After meeting with the diaspora, he posted on X: Visited the Indian High Commission in Abuja. Unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi and planted a sapling in the High Commission premises. Thank members of the Indian community for joining on the occasion". For the first time, India's stock market has surpassed Hong Kong's, marking another achievement for the South Asian nation. The combined value of shares listed on Indian exchanges reached $4.33 trillion as of Monday's closing, surpassing Hong Kong's $4.29 trillion, according to compiled data. This positions India as the world's fourth-largest equity market. India achieved the milestone of crossing $4 trillion in stock market capitalization on December 5, with nearly half of this growth occurring in the past four years. The country's growth prospects and policy reforms have contributed to making it an attractive destination for investors. The surge in Indian equities can be attributed to a swiftly expanding retail investor community and robust corporate earnings. As the world's most populous nation, India has emerged as a viable alternative to China, drawing new investments from both global investors and companies. This is due to its stable political environment and a consumption-driven economy that continues to be one of the fastest-growing among major nations. India has all the right ingredients in place to set the growth momentum further", said Ashish Gupta, chief investment officer at Axis Mutual Fund in Mumbai. The relentless rally in Indian stocks has coincided with a historic slump in Hong Kong, where some of Chinas most influential and innovative firms are listed. Beijings stringent anti-COVID-19 curbs, regulatory crackdowns on corporations, a property-sector crisis and geopolitical tensions with the West have all combined to erode Chinas appeal as the worlds growth engine. They have also triggered an equities rout thats now reaching epic proportions, with the total market value of Chinese and Hong Kong stocks having tumbled by more than $6 trillion since their peaks in 2021. New listings have dried up in Hong Kong, with the Asian financial hub losing its status as one of the worlds busiest venues for initial public offerings. However, some strategists expect a turnaround. UBS Group AG sees Chinese stocks outperforming Indian peers in 2024 as battered valuations in the former suggest significant upside potential once sentiment turns, while the latter is at fairly extreme levels", according to a November report. Bernstein expects the Chinese market to recover and recommends taking profits on Indian stocks, which it sees as expensive, according to a note earlier this month. The negativity surrounding China and Hong Kong has intensified in the new year due to the absence of significant economic stimulus measures. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index, which reflects Chinese shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange, has already declined by approximately 13%, following a record four-year losing streak in 2023. The index is approaching its lowest point in nearly two decades, contrasting with India's stock benchmarks, which are currently hovering close to record highs. NASA scientists have characterized the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, set for launch this year, as an "exceptional collaboration" between the United States and India. Researchers from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) presented lectures on the NISAR mission at the Global Science Festival Kerala (GSFK) held at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park in Thonnakkal. These talks were part of a series organized by the US Consulate General Chennai, which has collaborated with the Kerala Government to organize a U.S. pavilion at GSFK. NISAR is perfect for making reliable measurements for a broad range of applications, from forest management to flood mapping and monitoring, NASA/JPL Project Scientist Paul A. Rosen said. This is a truly enabling partnership between the United States and India, and it is an honour to be a part of it", he said. He noted that NISAR is the largest space collaboration between NASA and ISRO so far. Within the U.S. Pavilion, attendees have the opportunity to engage with displays and access in-demand educational materials. The pavilion features exhibits focusing on the environment, space sciences, and extraterrestrial intelligence, in collaboration with esteemed partners such as NASA and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Labs, according to a statement. Edtech startup Eruditus, based in Singapore and backed by SoftBank, is considering a return to India and aims to be listed on either the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) or the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in the coming years. In the process, Eruditus is in talks with two of the big four firms - Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PwC. This decision aligns with the interest of existing investors SoftBank and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, who are looking to invest around $70 million in a secondary sale at a valuation of approximately $2.5 billion, representing a 20% discount from Eruditus' previous valuation of $3.2 billion. Eruditus plans to secure an additional $70 million in a primary funding round, aiming for total funding between $140 million and $150 million, in addition to a secondary sale. Established in 2010 by Ashwin Damera and Chaitanya Kalipatnapu, Eruditus collaborates with renowned global business schools for executive education programs and provides courses from Indian institutions like IIT Kozhikode, IIM Lucknow, and BML Munjal University. Eruditus opting to return its base to India aligns with a broader trend observed among Indian unicorns contemplating a 'reverse flip' to list on Indian stock exchanges. LivSpace, another Indian unicorn, has signaled its intention to shift its base from Singapore to India and plans to be listed on Indian stock exchanges by 2025. This shift is part of a larger movement, with various startups like Pine Labs, Udaan, Meesho, Groww, and Razorpay expressing interest in relocating to India. This strategic change reflects a paradigm shift as Indian startups, which initially moved abroad for foreign funding and tax advantages, are now considering returning to India due to the government's efforts to enhance the business environment and facilitate ease of doing business. The Indian envoy underscores the significance of the India-US relationship, emphasizing its importance for global well-being and highlighting the cooperation between the two nations. The ongoing Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, emphasized the critical significance of the US-India relationship during his address to a group of Indian Americans in the US. Sandhu, who set to retire from the Indian Foreign Service after a distinguished 35-year career, urged the Indian American community to play a proactive role in maintaining and strengthening ties between the two nations Sandhu stressed to the audience that the bilateral relationship between the US and India is significant for the two countries and for global well-being. He urged the community to ensure that the second generation of Indian Americans remains connected to their roots in India, encouraging frequent visits to the country. Reassuring the assembly, it was emphasized that any apprehensions regarding the safety of their children traveling to India would be taken care of, ensuring a foolproof experience with embassy and consulate backing. Emphasis was placed on the advantageous prospects for the second generation, underscoring that individuals with familiarity with India could be in high demand for international companies looking to establish a presence in the country. The ambassador expressed optimism about the future growth of the US-India relationship, citing areas such as affordable healthcare, energy, technology, startups, innovation, and emerging technologies. Sandhu emphasized that the collaboration between the two nations will expand significantly in the coming years. During his tenure, Sandhu played a crucial role in establishing the Indian Consulate in Seattle, the sixth consulate in the US after New York, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, and San Francisco. He announced that two more Indian consulates are slated to open in the US soon, underlining the continued growth of diplomatic ties. Sandhu acknowledged the instrumental role of the Indian American community in fostering relations between the two countries. He highlighted the influence of individual associations and groups within the community in promoting connections between India and the US. The ambassador disclosed involvement with 44 governors and numerous mayors across various US states, acknowledging the decentralized authority at state and city levels. Sandhu emphasized the critical role the Indian American community plays in facilitating business and diplomatic interactions at these levels, stating that their involvement is essential. Sandhu, a seasoned Indian Foreign Service officer, received accolades from the Indian American community for his leadership and contributions to the US-India relationship. His legacy is acknowledged for impacting various aspects of bilateral cooperation, setting the stage for continued collaboration between the two nations. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York City public schools will teach students about antisemitism, Islamophobia and other forms of hate as the war between Israel and Hamas persists. The city Department of Education (DOE) is implementing a comprehensive plan to address these issues and reinforce its commitment to safe schools by creating a safe, supportive and respectful learning environment for all students. The plan was made in response to recent incidents of hate across the country and in public schools, which New York City Schools Chancellor David C. Banks said are not only alarming, but go against the very values we stand for. The last known set of remains connected to the Green River Killer belongs to an Everett teenager who was identified as a victim in 1988, officials have confirmed. Officials have identified the last known remains connected to the Green River Killer as belonging to Tammie Liles. (Courtesy King County Sheriff's Office/TNS)TNS The remains, known as Bones 20, were identified as 16-year-old Tammie Liles, the King County Sheriffs Office said Monday. Several of her bones and some teeth were found in South King County in 2003 after Gary Ridgway led investigators to the site. Officials also found partial remains in 1985 in Tigard, Oregon, and identified them as Liles through dental records. Ridgway was convicted of murdering 49 women and teenage girls, including Liles, between the early 1980s and late 1990s. Joes Crab Shack ended 2023 with an abrupt closure in New Jersey. The chain of seafood restaurants shuttered its Clifton location on Dec. 31. It was located at 405 Allwood Rd. in The Promenade Shops at Clifton. Due to a natural lease expiration, Joes Crab Shack Clifton restaurant closed on December 31, 2023, Terry Turney, COO of Joes Crab Shack, told NJ Advance Media. We value our employees and their dedication to the company and are working to relocate them to our nearby sister properties. We thank the community for the many years of support. Chatter in a private Facebook group is how NJ Advance Media first heard about the closure. The Clifton restaurant had been facing financial challenges since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Owners of the location filed a lawsuit against the shopping complexs ownership group back in 2020. Joes Crab Shacks lone New Jersey restaurant is located in Deptford. The seafood chain is popular for its seafood offerings. The menu consists of seafood platters, pasta, lobster, crab legs, shrimp, fish, steak and po boy sandwiches. Joes Crab Shack operates 30 locations nationwide. Christopher Burch can be reached at cburch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SwishBurch. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips/ UPDATE: The woman was found Monday by police, Patersons mayor said. The family of a Passaic County woman has asked the public to help find her, nearly a week after she went missing after reporting to police she was being followed. She was last seen between 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. on Jan. 16 as she left Paterson City Hall on Market Street, according to her father. Her car was found abandoned about a block from the Paterson Police Department on Broadway, where she had gone earlier in the day to report someone was following her, the womans family said. In between the police department and city hall visits, security cameras picked her up standing outside Passaic County Community College, where she once attended but was no longer enrolled. She was wearing Uggs. There was snow on the ground, and it snowed again on Friday, her father told NJ Advance Media on Monday. Shes without her car, her cellphone goes straight to voicemail, shes not answering texts, and she hasnt used her debit card since that day. It doesnt make much sense, her father said. Her family said her debit card was last used to withdraw $20 from a Bank of America on Main Street in Paterson at about 4 p.m. on the day she went missing. Her father said he has since sent her money via Zelle, but the cash has not been withdrawn from he account. The family said theyve been working with Paterson police to obtain security video of the woman in the hours before she went missing. Were worried. Our minds our going nonstop, her father said. She has brown hair, brown eyes, is 5-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs about 125 pounds. She has nose piercings, a rose tattoo on her left hand, and a mole on the tip of her nose. Her family said she is a self-employed cosmetologist specializing in lashes. She is a graduate of Parisian Beauty Academy in Hackensack, they said. Anyone with information is asked to call Paterson police at 973-321-1123. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Medical debt is a leading cause of bankruptcy in the U.S., and Mayor Eric Adams announced Monday that his administration would be doing something about it. A new program will invest $18 million in the next three years to relieve more than $2 billion in medical debt for up to half a million New Yorkers, according to Adams office. Getting health care shouldnt be a burden that weighs on New Yorkers and their families, the mayor said. Since day one, our administration has been driven by the clear mission of supporting working-class New Yorkers and todays investment that will provide $2 billion in medical debt relief is another major step in delivering on that vision. The city-funded program will be run through RIP Medical Debt, a non-profit organization based in Long Island City, with the organization purchasing bundled medical debt portfolios from providers, like hospitals and commercial debt buyers, before wiping out that debt. Beneficiaries of the program will then be notified that their debt has been bought by a third party and erased, with no strings attached, according to the mayors office. Eligible participants will either have annual household income at or below 400% of the federal poverty line, $124,800 for a family of four, or have medical debt equal to 5% or more of their annual household income. RIP Medical Debt and the Mayors Fund to Advance New York City, a city-controlled non-profit, will also partner to raise additional funding over the next three years. New Yorkers interested in helping relieve medical debt can donate online. Michael Dowling president and CEO of Northwell Health, which controls Staten Island University Hospital applauded the mayors effort. We applaud Mayor Adams for this tremendous effort to relieve medical debt for so many New Yorkers who deserve continued access to the care they need, he said. As New Yorks largest health care provider, we remain committed to providing quality care to all patients in need, regardless of their ability to pay. For more than a decade, we have offered financial assistance to patients based on incomes 500% above the federal poverty level, and we will continue to support any measure that helps us do more. We stand with the city in raising the health of all New Yorkers and keeping health care affordable for all. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. When Staten Island-born Hayley Bond, 19, registered to be in database of the NMDP, formerly the National Marrow Donor Program and Be The Match, little did she know she would literally be a match and save a life. A sophomore at Binghamton University majoring in Biology, Bond is an active member of the schools Biology Club, which recently partnered with NMDP to swab college students across in the U.S. to find potential bone marrow matches for blood cancer patients, like leukemia and lymphoma. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Nearly $5 billion in student loan debt has been forgiven for 75,000 borrowers in the United States, many of whom work in public service careers, according to a recent announcement. Of the 75,000 borrowers approved for relief, nearly 44,000 of them are teachers, nurses, firefighters and other individuals who earned forgiveness after 10 years of public service with close to 30,000 making payments for at least 20 years but never got the relief they earned through income-driven repayment plans. The announcement comes as the White House works to help student loan borrowers, such as increasing Pell Grants to help families who earn less than $60,000 a year, fixing the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program so borrowers who go into public service get the debt relief theyre entitled to under the law, and creating the SAVE plan. The federal government will begin to cancel debts starting next month under the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan. First announced last year, the SAVE plan is the most affordable repayment plan ever created, according to the White House. The income-driven plan cuts monthly payments in half for federal undergraduate loans in good standing, saving the average borrower more than $1,000 annually in payments, with some lower-income borrowers not having to make any monthly payments at all. It was initially slated to begin on July 1 but cancellations will now start in February, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Borrowers enrolled in SAVE who are eligible for early forgiveness will have their debt canceled immediately starting next month, with no action on their part. The agency is also urging borrowers not currently enrolled in SAVE to sign up, as they may benefit from this shortened repayment period. Those who are eligible for forgiveness are borrowers enrolled in SAVE who have made at least 10 years of monthly payments and originally took out $12,000 or less for undergraduate or graduate postsecondary studies. For every $1,000 borrowed above $12,000, a borrower can receive forgiveness after an additional year of payments. That means a borrower who originally borrowed less than $21,000 will be eligible for forgiveness faster than the 20-year timeline for undergraduate borrowers on SAVE, according to the department. Borrowers can go to studentaid.gov to apply. IN CLASS: This feature is part of an ongoing education column highlighting the various activities that engage school communities. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island high school student recently won a local competition for the creation of an app that encourages residents to help their home borough. Marta Bekirman, of New Dorp High School, is the winner of the 2023 Congressional App Challenge for New Yorks 11th Congressional District, Rep. Nicole Malliotakis announced last month. Bekirman developed the Helping Staten Island app, which was coded using Java, that allows users to locate different volunteering opportunities, both virtual and in-person, throughout Staten Island, and track volunteering hours. I was proud to congratulate Marta for winning our offices Congressional App Challenge two years in a row, said Malliotakis (R-Staten Island/South Brooklyn). Helping Staten Island would be a fantastic resource for students looking to get involved in our community, track volunteer hours and find ways to give back. When young people volunteer in their communities, they develop essential life skills and a sense of social responsibility that encourages them to be more civically engaged. Marta is extremely creative, and Im proud to recognize her talent along with her efforts to make Staten Island a better place to live, work and recreate. Martas app will be displayed in the Capitol, on House.gov and on the Congressional App Challenges website for one year. I was not able to access many volunteering opportunities on Staten Island, so I wanted to create a resource that anyone could use to locate volunteering opportunities, Marta said. The intended audience is students or people on Staten Island who want to help the community become a better place for volunteering. The second-place winner is Tobias Lin, of Coney Island Prep High School, who created Pick Up Share, an app that assists busy parents who need someone to drive their children to and from school. The app also includes a database of community-trusted after-school programs and a page where families can donate old uniforms. The Congressional App Challenge is an annual nationwide competition sponsored by the Internet Education Foundation to inspire students to explore STEM, coding and computer science through hands-on practice. SCHOLARSHIP OPEN College students can apply for a scholarship to help pay for school, while also getting the opportunity for a paid internship. Charter Communications Inc. has opened applications for Spectrum Scholars, the companys annual scholarship program for underrepresented college students with financial need. Each of the rising college juniors selected for the 2024-2025 program will receive a $20,000 scholarship, will be paired with a Charter mentor and will be given the opportunity for a paid internship with the company. Eligible students can apply for the program at https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/SpectrumScholarsApp2024. Spectrum Scholars allows us to support rising professionals through financial and career development support, underscoring our commitment to investing in a skilled and diverse workforce that can best serve the needs of our customers, said Paul Marchand, executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Charter. Attracting, developing and retaining employees is key to Charters continued success, and this effort begins with entry level roles. Now in its fourth year, Charter has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships through Spectrum Scholars. Each of the students selected for the 2024-2025 class of Spectrum Scholars will also have the opportunity to complete the two-year professional development program, designed to introduce them to new career paths and expand their networks with the potential for full-time employment with Charter post-graduation. Students also get unique access to networking and professional development opportunities including the Scholars Summit, a three-day event hosted at Charters corporate headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut. The deadline for applications is March 1. Winners will be announced in May, and scholarships will be awarded in August. SEND US YOUR STORIES Do you have a story idea for the In Class education column? Email education reporter Annalise Knudson at aknudson@siadvance.com. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per month Premium Includes: Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. The ability to download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. The ability to clip & download articles or images to share with others. Access to the last 90 days of e-Editions with search, downloading and clipping options. Unlimited access to our award-winning online content Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community San Mateo, CA (94402) Today Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 68F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Enough to be influential, but not so much that I cant be overturned. Unless that is the case, I would prefer to build products outside of Tesla. Musk owns 13 per cent of Teslas common stock, worth nearly $US90 billion. He also owns a huge swag of options granted to him in his last, controversial, $US60 billion compensation deal in 2018 (a deal being challenged by shareholders in the courts on the premise that he had too much influence over its design). If those options were exercised, he would control 21 per cent of Tesla. He could have owned significantly more stock the issue of effective control probably wouldnt have been an issue, if indeed, given Musks centrality to the company, it could ever be an issue had he not sold $US39 billion of his shares to pay some taxes and fund his $US44 billion takeover of Twitter, a deal that has cost him the best part of $US30 billion. Chinas BYD overtook Tesla as the worlds largest seller of EVs in the December quarter. Credit: AP The tweet (or whatever we now call tweets on X) has been interpreted as a Musk ultimatum: either the board gives him another of the worlds most generous compensation deals (as the last one has been described) or hell develop the AI and robotics technologies that are regarded as keys to Teslas future outside the company. Tesla is unlike any conventional automaker and is valued in a different stratosphere because it is valued as a technology company rather than as a vehicle manufacturer. Without the prospect of continually improving AI and robotics and a future as a fully autonomous vehicle producer, Tesla would be just like any other carmaker and valued like them. Thats why the implicit threat in his tweet is so potent. The combination of the falling away of demand in the final quarter of last year and Musks provocative tweet have hurt the Tesla share price. Last year was a very good one for the big tech stocks which were collectively up about 85 per cent for the year. Tesla lagged other members of the Magnificent Seven, as the biggest of the tech companies have been dubbed, with a still-impressive gain of nearly 60 per cent. While the US sharemarket generally has lost momentum in the first few weeks of this year, the mega techs (including Tesla) are still up about 3.5 per cent year-to-date. Tesla shares, however, have fallen 16 per cent since the start of the year. Thats a loss of $US125 billion of its market capitalisation. Its share price of $US208.80 compares with its recent peak of $US291 last July and the staggering $US407 the shares traded at in late 2021. Tesla chair Robyn Denholm and the rest of the companys board are feeling the pressure from Elon Musk. Credit: James Brickwood Assuming the Tesla board, chaired by Australian Robyn Denholm, can induce Musk to maintain Teslas core technology development in-house, the future of Tesla and its EV competitors isnt quite as cloudless as once seemed likely as the world scrambled towards net-zero carbon emissions, a target heavy reliant on EVs. Tesla might be far more valuable than its competitors (BYD has a market cap of only about $US75 billion) but Chinese EV manufacturers, led by BYD and aided by state subsidies, have already ended Teslas dominance of the vast market in China and, with an ever-increasing range of traditional automakers that have developed EVs, are steadily eroding its lead in Western markets. That intensifying competition is occurring as issues with build quality, range and the dearth of ubiquitous charging infrastructure are slowing the growth of the market. The price war in the sector and the EV manufacturers efforts to drive volumes by significantly dropping their prices arent helping. Hertz recently announced it would offload 20,000 of its EVs, mainly Teslas and some Polestars, citing tumbling resale values and high repair costs. Private Tesla owners would also be experiencing a similar fall in the resale value of their vehicles. In Europe, the European Commission has launched an inquiry into the state subsidies Chinese-based manufacturers receive, which could have adverse implications for BYD and other Chinese brands and Teslas big Chinese production platform. Tesla is unlike any conventional automaker and is valued in a different stratosphere because it is valued as a technology company rather than as a vehicle manufacturer. Chinese manufacturers have, so far, been unable to enter the US market because of the steep tariffs they face, although there are signs that they are preparing to circumvent the tariffs by establishing facilities in Mexico. Tesla is also experiencing rising labour costs, as well as having to re-route its shipments of EVs and components to Europe because of the conflict in the Middle East. Most of the issues the company confronts (other than those associated with its eccentric chief executive) are industry-wide. Loading All the major EV companies experienced similar softening of demand and prices that are declining faster than the cost of their raw materials (although the recent savage slump in lithium prices will help). This period might just be a bump in the road in an otherwise glittering path towards an EV-dominated future in which Teslas tech leadership and Musks entrepreneurialism gives it a sufficient edge to validate its dizzy price-earnings multiples and the extraordinary gulf between its value and that of any of its EV competitors. President Xi Jinping declared that the plane carries the will of the state, the dream of the nation and the hope of the people, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. He has also said China wont be considered a true power until it has developed its own airliner. But despite the regime ploughing tens of billions of dollars into the project, and extensive collaboration with Western aerospace companies, orders of the C919 plane have not yet met Beijings expectations. Outside of China, the C919 was initially greeted with extreme scepticism bordering on ridicule at times. Experts pointed to the massive challenges in building a commercial plane from scratch. They scoffed at the idea that Comac would ever get approval for the C919 from regulators in Europe or the US, meaning it would struggle to be anything more than a local supplier, or a fringe player at best. In the unlikely event that it is given the green light, the idea that airlines outside of the country would consider buying planes assembled in China, never mind succeed in persuading their customers to board one, seemed even more far-fetched. Loading China was accused of lacking the technical nous. Some questioned whether the technology deployed in the C919 was in danger of being obsolete before the plane was even airborne because of the long delays in bringing it to market. The vast sums of money needed to get it off the ground were seen as an insurmountable hurdle too. The C919 can never be a successful commercial initiative, Scott Kennedy at The Centre for Strategic and International Studies, says. The Washington-based think tank spent several years scrutinising the programme, and concluded that Comac was an aerospace minor-leaguer. Comac is not in the same league as the worlds top commercial aircraft manufacturers, it said. Could Boeings latest mishap improve the C919s fortunes and clear Beijings plans for take-off? Opinion was already shifting in some quarters before Alaska Airline flight 1282 from Portland International, Oregon, was forced into an emergency landing. Until recently, Shukor Yusof of Endau Analytics, a Singapore-based aviation consultancy, was one of the doubters. He thought few airlines outside of mainland China would be able to get over the stigma of buying a commercial jet that was assembled in the country. Chinese President Xi Jinping has said China wont be considered a true power until it has developed its own airliner. Credit: Bloomberg Comacs failure to sufficiently distinguish its planes, and the length of time it is likely to take for overseas regulators to certify them, would put off buyers, he believed. But Yusof has been quickly won over as the C919 has zipped off the production line and Comacs order book has steadily climbed, including outside of China. I still think the Made in China label comes with a bit of stigma but its becoming less so a lot of the smaller airlines throughout the world, especially in South-East Asia, have indicated they are more than willing to try out this aircraft, he says. Orders like the one China Eastern lodged for 100 C919s at a cost of $US10 billion are taken for granted because of pressure from Beijing to support the national cause. But in December Comac received its first overseas purchase. Bruneis GallopAir has agreed a $US2 billion deal to buy 30 planes, including 15 of the C919. There is interest from Indonesia and Tibet Air too. Yusof expects other countries in Asia, Africa and possibly eastern Europe to follow suit, as the business rationale becomes harder to ignore. For one thing, the C919 is readily available. You could get one tomorrow, he says. By contrast, the waiting time for a Boeing or Airbus plane is years. The C919 is also much cheaper. Theyre [Comac] willing to bend over backwards and offload the aircraft at a significant discount, Yusof says. Were talking about a 15 per cent to 20 per cent saving. Theyre not in it to make money. This is a national project. Competing with the 737 is a gargantuan undertaking. The best-selling commercial airliner ever, it is operated by more than 5000 airlines in almost 200 countries. At any given moment, there could be more than 1000 in the sky. Ultimately, the success of the C919 may be determined by Boeings capacity for self-harm more than anything else. Growing dismay at the US giants increasingly chequered track record may persuade some airlines to take a punt on the C919. Patience with the $US235 billion American aviation behemoth was already wearing thin after the prolonged grounding of the 737 Max led to a huge order backlog just as the airline industry was poised to rebound from the pandemic. Yusof says people who have long respected and admired Boeing are losing faith. Among them is Ryanairs Michael OLeary, who has previously told Boeing to get its shit together. Last week, he expressed concern about ongoing delivery delays and the impact that could have on Ryanairs bottom line over the busy summer months. Ultimately, the success of the C919 may be determined by Boeings capacity for self-harm more than anything else. Ronald Epstein, an analyst at Bank of America, warns of delays to Max 9 deliveries, the newer Max 7s and Max 10s, as investigators scrutinise Boeings sprawling fleet again. Others think Beijings desire to compete with Boeing and Airbus has been overstated. Loading Civil aviation is a huge growth driver for China, and they are totally reliant on the West for this, one senior industry executive says. Its about satiating Chinese domestic demand, not creating a market wildly focused on export. Its about having independence. Regardless of the true motive, Boeings woes may just play into Comacs hands as the C919 takes to the skies. Telegraph, London A triple threat might sound like something to be avoided. But in the arts world, its an admiring description of a performer who can sing, dance and act. When it comes to Emerald Fennell, the appropriate description would be quadruple threat, although theres no singing or dancing involved. At least, not yet. Given the talent thats already evident from the writer, producer, director and actor, it seems anythings possible. Her acting CV includes the flame-haired nurse Patsy in five seasons of Call the Midwife (full series available on Stan and Britbox) and Camilla Parker Bowles in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown (Netflix). In the Barbie movie (available to rent or buy on various services), shes the pregnant Midge. Emerald Fennell, writer-director of Promising Young Woman, at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Credit: AP Fennell was also the showrunner on the second season of Killing Eve (full series on Stan). It wasnt the witty espionage thrillers strongest, although Phoebe Waller-Bridge and the phenomenon that she created in the premiere season wouldve been a tough act to follow. And, as it seems that Fennell is nothing if not versatile: shes also written an as-yet-unproduced screenplay for the DC Comics superhero franchise about the magician Zatanna, young-adult horror novels and the book for Andrew Lloyd Webbers musical, Cinderella. As the only female employee, I became the womenswear buyer by default. My stock uniform was Hot Tuna pants, Golden Breed T-shirt, a windcheater made from old chenille bedspreads, or a multi-colour Jakpak from Bali. Here, I learnt to bluff my way through the merits of ONeill versus Ripcurl wetsuits, and did a convincing spiel on twin fin versus thruster surfboards. But when it came to skateboard decks, trucks, wheels and hardware, I was out of my depth. The fact that the store was in Melbournes CBD and nowhere near a beach was no deterrent; I would be surrounded by surf clothes, surf magazines, spunky customers and as much Spiritual Sky perfume oil as I could bear. Loading Despite being a sales assistant, I didnt actually do much assisting. My favourite spot was sitting behind the cash register, so much so that the manager, Pete, would exclaim tell me to get up lest I get bed sores. Id do an exaggerated shoulder slump walk to watch the changing-rooms. Theft was common, usually discovered only when we found a coat hanger sans garment. Once, after a girl exited the change room leaving the tell-tale hanger behind, I followed her out the door, chasing her down the street. When I finally caught up with her and told her I knew she had a stolen windcheater under her jumper, she snarled whatcha gonna do about it, moll? She had a point. As it turned out, I could do nothing and so returned to the store empty-handed. On the upside, the job provided the beneficial boost for my love life Id been hoping for. From meeting surfers straight from the pages of Tracks magazine to a dubious date with a touring American motocross champion (and Bobby G from Bucks Fizz asking me out for tea), there was plenty of adventure. Then, there was the Victorian skateboard champion that I was totally smitten with who always seemed to be on crutches whenever he came into the store. One scorching hot day, there was a commotion outside, and we walked out to see an enormous red wave rolling down Bourke Street, swallowing whole buildings in its wake. We had no idea what it was, and there was panic on the faces of people who began coming into the shop seeking shelter. We closed the door, watching day turn to night. Turning on the radio, we discovered it was a massive dust storm carrying red earth all the way from the Mallee, a dramatic consequence of drought. The Florentine Codex, written nearly 500 years ago, continues to reveal hidden secrets and share knowledge about the Indigenous peoples who experienced the fall of Tenochtitlan in the 16th century. It is widely regarded as the most reliable source on Mexica culture, the Aztec empire and the arrival of Spanish conquistadors in what is now Mexico. Previously untranslated Nahuatl texts could potentially reshape the narrative of the Spanish conquest, offering intriguing insights into historical events and perhaps prompting a reevaluation of certain episodes. A team of 68 researchers, scientists and linguists spent seven years digitizing and translating the nearly 2,500 pages of a manuscript into modern Spanish, English and Nahuatl. Now available online, the project showcases the original Spanish and Nahuatl text, along with over 2,000 hand-painted illustrations. Funded by the Los Angeles-based Getty Research Institute in collaboration with the Laurentian Medici Library in Florence (Italy), the Florentine Codex is considered the most important manuscript of the 16th century and a significant Indigenous encyclopedia of its time, according to project leader and Mesoamerica expert Kim Richter. Illustration of a man making crafts with feathers; from Book 9 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT The Florentine Codex is a 16th-century ethnographic research study in Mesoamerica by Bernardino de Sahagun, a Spanish Franciscan friar who dedicated most of his life to documenting the Indigenous peoples of Mexico. Indigenous elders, Nahua philologists, scribes and artists called tlacuilos collaborated with the friar to write and illustrate the 12 books (in three volumes) that make up the Florentine Codex. Some of Sahaguns collaborators include Antonio Valeriano, Alonso Vegerano, Marco Jacobita, Agustin de la Fuente and Pedro de Sanbuenaventura, trilingual students from the Colegio de la Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco (modern-day Mexico City). After its completion, the manuscript was sent to Europe and eventually ended up in the Medici family library in Florence, hence its name. The Florentine Codex has been available on the World Digital Library since 2012, but could only be understood by people with extensive knowledge of 16th-century Nahuatl and Spanish. The manuscript spent centuries in oblivion, despite being a bilingual primary document of unique significance. Written in parallel columns of Nahuatl and Spanish, most of the initial focus was on translation of the Spanish portions of the text. Books 1 to 11 still need to be translated from Nahuatl, a project that began at UNAM [National Autonomous University of Mexico] and is still ongoing, said Richter. Berenice Alcantara and Federico Navarrete are now translating Book 12, although I would have loved a Nahuatl translation of all the books. Richter believes Sahagun based some of his work on the five letters that Hernan Cortes wrote to Spains King Charles V to report on the conquest of Mexico. She says a comprehensive understanding of all three accounts (Spanish, Nahuatl and the illustrations) is necessary to fully comprehend the old codex because the narratives of the conquerors and the conquered are often quite different. The Nahuatl and Spanish texts dont say completely different things, but the way they present that history is very different. Richter noted that in Book 12, which focuses on the conquest, the Spanish text is written in spare and factual prose. For instance, it provides a short description of how Montezumas surrendered without much resistance. The Nahuatl text describes how the capture of Moctezuma, Itzcuauhtzin and the other Aztec leaders was quite violent. It suggests that they were imprisoned and killed by the Spanish, said Richter. The Nahuatl text actually tells the story of that invasion and war in a more poetic way. It doesnt mention the Indigenous Spanish allies, but rather focuses on how the Tlaxcalans were betrayed. One of the illustrations shows the Spanish throwing Moctezumas body into the water, a detail that caught the attention of the research team. In book 12, all the images are black and white. However, the artists used a hint of color to highlight certain images and capture the readers attention. They subtly addressed certain passages, like Moctezumas death, with caution due to Spanish rule. However, their intention to recount that historical event is evident, explains Richter. Lunar eclipse, from Book 7 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Healer treats people suffering from smallpox in 1520, from Book 12 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Butterfly fish and a jaguar fish, from Book 11 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Tzilcatzin, a heroic Tlatelolcan warrior, throws stones at the invading Spaniards, from Book 12 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Hummingbirds, from Book 11 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Dancers and musician playing the huehuetl, a vertical drum, from Book 9 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT The research team also attempted to identify all the contributors to the codex apart from Sahagun. The texts originated from many conversations between Sahagun and Indigenous elders that were documented by his Indigenous students, notes Diana Magaloni, director of the Ancient Americas Art Program at the Los Angeles Museum of Art. We have identified the distinct styles of all the Indigenous artists and scribes, said Richter. Sahagun doesnt provide the names of all artists, and only mentions three scribes. But we now know there were nine scribes, and some could both write and illustrate. The research team identified 22 different artists who created the illustrations. All of the Indigenous scribes and illustrators were young monks attending the Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco school. Many of them were children of the Nahuatl elite and received a humanistic education influenced by the new trends in Europe, said Richter. Educated at the University of Salamanca in Spain, Friar Bernardino de Sahagun was charged with training future Franciscans who would master Nahuatl and evangelize in that language. That kind of thinking changed by the end of the 16th century. Books in Nahuatl were no longer produced because Spanish institutions realized they couldnt control the narrative. The Getty Research Institute's Florentine Codex team at the Royal Academy of History in Madrid. From left, Rebecca Dufendach, Kevin Terraciano, Kim Richter and Lisa Sousa; 2018. Jeanette Favrot Peterson Experts believe that the authors of the Florentine Codex likely contributed to other historical accounts, such as The Annals of Tlatelolco and the Aubin Codex. Aubin mentions and depicts Antonio Valeriano, one of Sahaguns collaborators, said Richter. He was one of the most knowledgeable scholars of that time. Like modern encyclopedias, the Aubin Codex covers various topics, including some beyond Mexica society, from the perspective of Tlatelolco, the town where it was written. The significance of the Florentine Codex today The influence of the Florentine Codex on modern-day Mexico remains significant. However, the historical narrative taught in classrooms often depicts Indigenous peoples as a relic of the past, stereotyping them as naive, feeble and childlike individuals easily conquered by the Spaniards, or as treacherous, violent and malevolent people who collaborated with the Spaniards and betrayed their own. At a 2019 conference in Zacatecas (Mexico) scholar Eduardo de la Cruz explored these two stereotypes of Mexicos Indigenous peoples. De la Cruz translated some of the classic Nahuatl text in the Florentine Codex to a modern form of the language spoken in the Huasteca region. He shared them with secondary school students from El Tecomate, Veracruz, who were exposed to a different version of the Spanish conquest for the first time. They were impressed that the Mexicas fought and defended their empire up until [Aztec ruler] Cuauhtemoc was defeated, said De la Cruz. Despite the fact that this historical account has been around for five centuries, they were never taught about it in school. The government lacks didactic materials on the Spanish conquest that highlight Indigenous resistance. Despite this, Indigenous peoples persist today, fighting for their rights and promoting their language and cultural wealth, said De la Cruz, who emphasizes the importance of ensuring that such documents are publicly accessible. Especially for communities that have a connection to this history. Its a debt that we still owe to the Nahuas and their language, said Richter. De la Cruz goes a bit further. Changing the way younger generations perceive Indigenous peoples helps them connect with their ancestors and take pride in their Indigenous roots, rather than feeling ashamed of them. And if they show interest in learning, writing, and speaking Nahuatl, the language will thrive and evolve, just like Spanish and English do. The Etzalcualiztli Festival in honor of Chalchiuhtlicue, the Mexica goddess of water, from Book 1 of the Florentine Codex. Courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition. When the inquest came around, it was revealed that Lanfranchis girlfriend at the time, Sallie-Anne Huckstepp said, He had $10,000, he also did not have a weapon, he was not going to confront somebody of the likes of Roger Rogerson. And Roger tried to say he pulled a gun and thats why I shot him in rapid fire but as I said [there was a] six-second delay. And it was interesting that at the inquest that they were not satisfied that Roger shot [Lanfranchi] while trying to preserve his own safety. They did not come to that conclusion. It was in the line of duty, but they werent convinced that Lanfranchi had fired. A gun was never found, the $10,000 was never found, but interestingly two women who gave evidence about Rogerson and Neddy Smith, both died. One of them was Sallie-Anne Huckstepp. Shed gone on 60 Minutes, shed gone on A Current Affair, she was saying there is something really corrupt in NSW Police. So she was a danger to them and her body was found in a pond in Centennial Park in early 1986. But the other person Lyn Woodward, who was giving similar evidence to Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, she disappeared while giving evidence and was never seen again. No one ever knows what happened to her, but its widely believed that Rogerson organised to have her killed. While he got away with the Lanfranchi shooting, it was such big publicity at the time that somebody could be shot dead in basically inner-city Sydney that the spotlight was now on just the darker sides of Roger Rogerson. This was 1981. So in 1984, Michael Drury, an undercover detective, is in his own home in Chatswood, hes 31 years old. Hes got two little kids, hes feeding one of the kids in a high chair, and hes shot twice in the chest. He thinks hes going to die and gives a dying deposition to say I, as an undercover cop was going to be one of the chief witnesses against a Melbourne major drug dealer, Alan Williams. Roger Rogerson, one of my police colleagues, offered me a bribe to somehow lose the evidence or not give evidence against Alan Williams. Former police officer Michael Drury, who survived an attempt on his life. Credit: James Brickwood And as it turned out, Rogerson was charged both with the bribe and with the attempted murder of Michael Drury. And he was acquitted of both. And the most astonishing thing about this was that even the drug dealer, Alan Williams, gave evidence that yes, we organised for a $50,000 payment to be made to notorious hitman, Chris Flannery, to do away with Michael Drury and Roger Rogerson was involved, and he got off. Funnily enough, the person who supposedly pulled the trigger, Chris Flannery, he disappears as well. Hes a notorious hitman, known as Rent-a-Kill. And guess what? His body has never been found either. And as Neddy Smith was later to tell police, Roger actually said to me, Come on, mate. Chris was becoming a problem to us all. He had to go. Loading These were the things he was doing while he was still in the police force. Id love it if you could take me back, if you can, a bit by telling me who was Roger Rogerson. I mean, before he joined the police force in 1958, he had just turned 17. Do we know anything about his life before then? He grew up in Bankstown in Sydneys south-western suburbs, and then he went to Homebush High School. His parents had emigrated from the UK. His father, Owen Rogerson was a boilermaker and his mother Mabel did home duties. He graduated from Homebush High School. [He lived] a fairly quiet life, he married a woman called Joy and they had two daughters. (He later married Annie Melocco.) We fast-forward now to 1986 so hes been in the force for almost 30 years. And they finally drum him out on numerous misconduct charges, hes already been acquitted of bribery, suspected of murder. But all they could come up with to get him out of the force, was six of nine misconduct charges were found against him. Loading But it was after he left the police force that he actually went to jail. And we were mentioning earlier about him being acquitted of the bribery charge against Michael Drury. Now, obviously this took Rogerson by surprise because he knew he had done it and I think he was expecting that he was going to go to jail for this. So he was overheard talking to his wife and others about the secret bank accounts he had set up in false names, in preparation for him going to jail. So he actually went to jail for that. And he did two stints for that same crime because he was initially sentenced and then he got out on appeal, lost the appeal, and went back to jail. And then we fast forward to 2006 when hes again, back in jail and this time, hes caught lying to the police integrity commission over dealings with a contractor at Liverpool Council, whose nickname, according to Roger, was Mr 10 Per Cent, because you had to pay him 10 per cent of your contract in order to get the contract. Kate, I really want to turn to why it took so long for Roger Rogerson to actually be convicted of any crime, to be sent to jail when there were allegations against him, and so much testimony against him for so long that he had actually been guilty of heinous crimes, including murder. Why did it take so long for him to be held to account? Someone was telling me the other day that their father got a call from Roger Rogerson, and the father had been a witness to a robbery. Imagine getting a call from Roger Rogerson and saying, You go to the police, you open your mouth, and you know what will happen? So did the man talk? No, he didnt. So I think the thing is that the legend of Roger Rogerson and the danger he posed did actually make people think twice about crossing him. But it was interesting that modern technology finally caught up with him because in 2014 this is just the most extraordinary thing Rogerson is 73, hes got a dodgy hip, he walks with a cane and yet, he gets arrested for the murder of a 20-year-old aspiring drug dealer Jamie Gao; Jamie is murdered in a warehouse in Sydney. Murdered: Jamie Gao. Credit: Facebook And just to be clear, thats because this footage of Jamie Gao it was caught on CCTV. Yes, exactly. And also mobile phones, you can track where people went, you can look at conversations. In the days when Rogerson was at his peak murdering spree, there werent such things. People couldnt bug your house, they couldnt go to your WhatsApp messages. They couldnt do even traffic [cameras] or the CCTV footage in shops, at lights. Its very hard to get away with things. I want to go back a bit youve mentioned that Roger Rogerson was a terrifying individual, and therefore he successfully intimidated people, so they wouldnt give testimony against him. But of course, there were all these examples where Sallie-Anne Huckstepp and other people actually did give testimony or did speak out against him, and they might have disappeared. So I wanted to know how that reflects on the police force. What does that suggest about the police force that he was palling around with hitmen, unsupervised, no one above him seemed to have [any idea], they werent worried? It was often joked that Rogerson was the best that money could buy. And I think it was one of those things that NSW Police were absolutely notoriously corrupt. And the Victorian Police loathe to have anything to do with the NSW Police because their witnesses would be murdered or would disappear. It wasnt until the Wood Royal Commission in the 1990s and the Wood Royal Commission was into police corruption that this was exposed in all its ugly, ugly ugliness. Rogerson in 1982. Credit: Sydney Morning Herald Is there an argument to be made that Roger Rogerson was actually a product of his environment, that he didnt enter the police force at 17 aiming to be as corrupt as possible and just go about murdering people for his own financial gain? But actually, that he was mentored by this culture that was so corrupt, and that he joined it? I think yes, and no. I think it was a corrupt culture. Especially in the police at that time, it was basically might is right. We know that x is a heroin dealer, we know hes done a lot of bad things. So were just gonna plant a gun on him. Were gonna plant some drugs on him. Were going to make up his statement and this was what was called verballing. Which was, the person said, yeah, fair cop, gov. Yep, I did it. Yep. Yep, I did all this. Funnily enough, they usually didnt sign these statements. But this was a culture of anything goes. It was like, we have to do bad things in order to catch bad people. But it completely got out of control. So initially, the motive behind it, do you think there was some good to it? It was what they called noble cause corruption. So were corrupt, but theres a noble cause behind it. Loading I wanted to ask you about your personal perspective on Roger Rogerson. Because you actually had a run-in with him. He, I believe, attempted to sue you for defamation. So can you please tell me about that, and what sort of insights you personally gained into his personality? He could, from all accounts, be quite charming. I, of course, never saw that side of him. And he did threaten to sue me for defamation not for all the things that Id written about him suggesting that he was a murderer. He took offence that I had said in an article that he was pals with another crook cop, whose name was Craig McDonald, but Craigs nickname was Snidely Whiplash after the baddie in Dudley Do-Right cartoons. Of all the things that he took offence at that anyway, he didnt go ahead with that. But after another article that I wrote, he did get a message to me that he and his associate at the time wanted me to know that if I was a man, they would have broken my jaw by now. So thanks, Roger. So very kind of you. Roger Rogerson is escorted out of court during his trial for murder in 2016. Credit: Daniel Munoz/Fairfax Media There are numerous unexplained disappearances that are linked to Roger Rogerson, and he was either listed as a person of interest or even a suspect. So with his death, does this mean that these are likely to never be explained? I think that they are likely never to be explained. I understand that before he suffered the brain aneurysm, Roger was frail and ill and was in the hospital wing at Long Bay Jail, and that police had tried to appeal to his better side saying, Could you tell us what really happened in these cases, it would be really helpful to the families to know what went on and no joy there. You mentioned what the NSW Police culture was in the 70s and 80s and perhaps even a bit beyond. But what about now the culture of the police force now? Could we ever get a cop as corrupt as Roger Rogerson? Yes. I think that you could only because history throws up these narcissistic psychopaths every now and then. I just think it would be harder to get away with the level of corruption were talking about multiple murders here. Were talking about letting people commit robberies, deal heroin, all those kinds of things. I just think that modern-day technology makes it harder to get away with those things. Parents who send their children to private schools in Sydneys inner west, east and south have been hit with the sharpest rises in fees this year, an analysis of tuition costs at almost 200 NSW schools has shown. NSW is home to nine of the 10 most expensive schools in Australia, with the median fee at non-government schools in Sydneys east rising to $42,000, more than seven times the median fee at schools in the citys west and south-west. Education finance firm Edstart said its analysis highlighted a clear geographic divide in average school fee hikes between Sydneys eastern and western suburbs. Parents at schools in the east, inner west, north and south will pay almost 9 per cent more on average for tuition this year, while families in the west, south-west and north-west will pay about 5.6 per cent more. Update: Both boys have now been found. One of two teenage boys from Nepal who disappeared while on a school trip to Sydney has been found more than 500 kilometres away on the NSW North Coast. The two 14-year-olds, cousins Saurab Pun and Mabindra Pun, were on the same school trip but went missing at different times. Saurab Pun, 14, went missing from Sydney Airport. He has been found in Coffs Harbour. Credit: NSW Police Mabindra was last seen at Rawson Place near the Haymarket light rail stop at noon on Sunday. He was last seen wearing a navy T-shirt with black pants and was described as being of Indian sub-continental appearance, about 140 centimetres tall with black hair and brown eyes. Hundreds of people in the Brisbane suburb of Camp Hill were left without power and air-conditioning during Mondays hot night. But Energy Minister Mick de Brenni has emphasised the outage was not because of a lack of supply or the state of the electricity distribution network. The outages in Camp Hill which affected 450 people earlier in the week have nothing to do with the age of the poles or wires in that street, the minister told journalists on Wednesday. Instead, de Brenni said, it was likely that unforeseen home renovations, new pools and additional air-conditioning added to the level of pressure applied to the system because of the heatwave. Energex engineers were investigating the issue and they have worked hard to rebalance that load, he said. A hospital engineer and university maintenance manager have been separately accused by Western Australias Corruption and Crime Commission of serious misconduct. The CCC, in a report tabled in parliament on Tuesday, alleged Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital bioelectronics engineer Suresh Kumar, 43, funnelled more than $280,000 from the health service by setting up a fake supplier and signing off on false invoices for work never completed. Suresh Kumar set up a fake supplier and invoiced Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for work that was never completed. Credit: Getty Images/CCC Kumar was one of 20 staff at the hospital responsible for the repair and maintenance of medical devices and equipment vital for patient safety. The report found that between March 2022 and August 2023, while working as a team leader and at times acting supervisor, Kumar registered a business name called Metaphor Medtronix Solutions in his wifes name and added it to the hospitals electronic database (eMED) as a supplier. WAs police force no longer has concerns regarding any potentially injured child in Inglewood after what was potentially a hoax or false alarm emergency call. They issued a statement on Tuesday asking for the publics help after a mystery child was reported injured outside a Perth school about 5am. They asked for information or dash-cam vision regarding any people or cars observed in the vicinity of Inglewood Primary School around that time. St John WA were called in relation to a child being injured outside the school, on Normanby Road, Inglewood, however when police and St John WA personnel attended the scene, no one was located, a spokesman had said. Around 10am they asked that reporting on the matter cease, without offering further explanation. The Albanese governments naming of a Russian individual as the person responsible for the 2022 Medibank Private hack, which led to the private health details of 9.7 million Australians being published on the dark web, is a belated but welcome development in combating the rampant increase in cybercrime. Russian cybercriminal Aleksandr Ermakov is the first to be subjected to Australias new autonomous cyber sanctions international powers. A travel ban has been imposed on his movement outside Russia, and targeted financial sanctions make it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment and heavy fines, to provide assets to Ermakov, or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. Russian Aleksandr Ermakov has been named by the Albanese government as the person responsible for the 2022 Medibank hack that compromised the information of more than 4 million Australians. Credit: Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said Australia had seen the consequences of cyberattacks across the country in recent years hard on the heels of the Medibank hack, scammers attacked Optus to steal tens of thousands of dollars from peoples bank accounts. There is an enormously powerful effect which can be brought to bear in holding cybercriminals to account, and the sanctions that are put in place on Aleksandr Ermakov today and publicly naming him will have an enormous impact on his activities and send a very strong message to cybercriminals around the world that we mean business, Marles said. A few weeks later I turned up at the airline check-in desk in Seattle for a flight to Vancouver and discovered I should have spent $8 for a Canadian eTA. Really? Id already been to Canada twice in recent months and nobody asked for an eTA on those trips. Thats because I arrived by land, different rules applied by flying there. Fortunately, I was flying Alaska Airlines, regularly my favourite airline, and the women at the check-in desk did the job for me, took my passport and credit card, put through an online application and, amazingly, the Canadian approval came back as I stood there. OK, it was a slow day at check-in, but my admiration for Alaska Airlines certainly jumped up a notch. I checked in at my Moscow hotel, dropped my bag in my room, had a quick glance at the dangers & annoyances checklist and 10 minutes later experienced one. Im using an underpass to cross under a busy street and as I ascend the steps on the other side a well-dressed gentleman, clearly in a hurry, brushes past me and drops something on the steps. Dont fall for the folded notes scam. Credit: iStock What do you, the helpful visitor, do? You shout to him that hes dropped something and reach down to pick it up for him, right? But just as my fingers are about to touch the dropped item I realise what it is a wad of banknotes my hand snaps back and I step right over it. If Id fallen into the trap the next thing is the dropper would have turned back to me and his accomplice oh there he is, lurking at the top of the steps would soon be backing up his claim that Id only returned half of the rouble stack. Things would soon have got sticky. With our children in the back seat, were in a rent-a-car driving from Nairobi in Kenya. At a traffic light in a small town a young boy pops up at my window to report something has gone badly wrong with my car, theres oil spilling out from the back wheel. Oh dear, Ive blown a wheel-bearing oil seal on the back axle. Fortunately theres a garage just around the corner where we can leave the car, grab a coffee or some lunch and theyll sort it out for us. Half an hour later we would have had a new oil seal fitted only $100 and all would be well. The reality? Theres no oil seal failure, the small boys accomplice has tossed a cup of oil on to the rear wheel. Fixing it is just a matter of washing the oil off. All exactly as predicted in the Kenya guides Dangers & Annoyances section. Oil leak in Kenya? Look a little closer. Credit: iStock Of course so many suggestions are simply good sense. Dont drink the water if youre not sure its OK, although in fact water is rarely as horror-story deadly as the worst horror stories would insist. Be a little suspicious if you wouldnt do it at home, then definitely dont do it when youre in a new place. Its amazing how many people think only Australian beaches suffer from rips. And yes, people do get gifted with spiked drinks or food by unexpectedly friendly strangers. Take some simple precautions split your money and credit cards up, if something gets stolen hopefully youll still have back-up. Make a copy of important documents like your passport, you can email it to yourself and in an emergency it will be sitting waiting in your inbox. The Australian government representative in Bali once told me how much trouble it saved for them and for the unlucky tourist when they had taken that simple precaution. But dont be too suspicious about the outside world. Im regularly reminded that people are people everywhere and generally theyre good. You really havent travelled until youve got your own tale of experiencing the kindness of strangers. A few years ago, at a hotel just outside Ubud, Bali, I arrived back from dinner and discovered Id lost my phone. Falling back on the standard wheres my phone routine of calling myself provided no response. But 20 minutes later a taxi driver turned up at the hotel reception with my phone, hed heard it ringing from the floor of his car and thought: careless tourist. Loading My favourite Lonely Planet happy-ending story came from a young woman on a train in India. Shed taken the precaution of locking her backpack to the luggage rack, so it was securely padlocked down as the train unexpectedly pulled away, leaving her behind on a back-blocks village station platform. Disaster, everything was gone and there wasnt another train until the next day. The village stationmaster took her in, a message was sent down the line to the next station, she was fed and looked after and quickly became the most exciting event the small village had enjoyed for years. The next day the entire village turned out to wave her goodbye and, sure enough, at the next stop another stationmaster was on the platform ready to hand her bag over. It was absolutely the best day of my entire visit to India. Heres a question: how do you mark Australia Day if you dont want to celebrate it? Is there a way to acknowledge that the day is taking place, and maybe even do something that connects you with Australia and all thats good about it, even on a date associated with much thats not? A lot of us have become increasingly uncomfortable with Australia Day in the past decade or so. I dont know of any other country that celebrates itself on the date colonising powers arrived and began the genocide of the local Indigenous population. Im sure it seems a bit off, to say the least, to people overseas when they discover that. Exploring the mangroves of Tropical North Queensland with Juan Walker. Credit: Tourism and Events Queensland But anyway, I wont spend too much time ploughing into the varied reasons Australia Day held on the date Captain Arthur Phillip raised the Union Jack in Sydney Cove and declared sovereignty over half of a land deemed terra nullius, or nobodys land is becoming less a unified national celebration and more a point of disagreement and discomfort. Lets talk about what you can do on Friday instead of a traditional celebration. Monday, January 22, 2024 at 10:24PM by Nathaniel R "Once Upon a Studio" brings decades of Disney together We love animation but we know we give it short shrift here at the site. So lets rectify that, at least in miniature during this final quiet moment before the official Oscar nominations. I've recently seen all but one of the finalists for Animated Shorts (the missing piece: I'm Hip by two-time Oscar nominee John Musker). Though no one asked, I've ranked them in ascending order of preference after the jump. It's worth mentioning that to get to the finals you've already bested nearly 100 other contenders so the overall quality is high. I say that so you aren't offended if #14 is your favourite, which it very well might be! Each person's personal rank would surely vary. Okay, now on to the nostalgia exercizes, sentimental messages, surreal head trips, disturbing images, and slapstick antics... 14 ONCE UPON A STUDIO Dan Abrams and Trent Correy, 9 minutes This promo reel takes its coming to life once humans arent looking cues from Toy Story and Night at the Museum and other members of that subgenre. Hundreds of Disney characters from the early mascots (Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etcetera) to brand new (Asha from Wish and Mirabel from Encanto) pop out of framed photos to come together for a family portrait at Disney Studios. A few hijinx ensue. The animation was surely difficult mixing the eras of 2D and 3D styles but essentially it's a commercial for Disney+; this isn't the Cleo awards, it's the Oscars! Still if nostalgia is strong it could place. It was the most popular short on Letterboxd this year for example! 13 BOOM Gabriel Augerai, Romain Augier, Charles Di Cicco (France), 5 minutes In this short, squawking birds panic when their volcanic island begins to erupt. Two of the birds attempt to save their four eggs but theyre mighty dumb birds! It might be unfair to compare this to the superb Oscar-winning Pixar short For the Birds (2000) but the laughs just arent huge. Wisely Boom doesnt overstay its welcome. All in all, an amusing trifle. 12 DOG APARTMENT Pritt Tender (Estonia) 14 minutes In this unsettling but sort of cute (?) stop motion nightmare, a ballet dancer lives in a hateful apartment that, you guessed it, is dog-like. He leaves (presumably each day) to find sausage links for the ravenous barking sink in his dingy studio. Filled with morbid and amusingly strange sights, it leaves an aftertaste of despair and perversity; it left me thinking about how much money I've paid in rent at horrible apartments while living in the big city. 11 27 It's difficult to imagine Academy voters nominating this one. That said it is authentically felt and would feel right at home in a collection of "adult-oriented" animated shorts. We need more animation for adults to remind people that animation isn't a genre but a medium. In the short an unemployed young woman keeps getting into trouble with her family and the police and smokes, dances, or masturbates away her frustration with her aimless life. 10 and 09 WAR IS OVER! PETE Bret Brook Parker (US), 7 minutes The animation in War is Over is beautiful and you'll tense up every time a bomb goes off mid-air near an adorable messenger pigeon who is carrying chess moves between soldiers on opposite sides of the war. Meanwhile Pete is about a little kid who was designated female at birth but prefers to be called Pete. He meets some resistance but also finds some allies when he tries to play with the boys Little League team. Its a sweet short about gender identity. Both of these shorts seem competitive for nominations. They're beautifully animated if not particularly challenging; it's easy to imagine voters falling for their anti-war and pro-tolerance messages. "Pachyderme" "A Kind of Testament" 08 and 07 PACHYDERME A KIND OF TESTAMENT On the more challenging front, we have these two expressive but sometimes opaque shorts. They couldn't be more different in temperament. Pachyderme, is a richly colored painterly short about a quiet traumatized girl visiting her grandparents. It approaches its mysteries like emotional shadows. Meanwhile the more extroverted A Kind of Testament is a purposefully perplexing confessional about a woman who discovers animated shorts of herself online made by an older animator who shares her name. It's like watching a lucid dream unfold, intermittently amusing and scary but above all else bizarre. Sometimes its both at once as when the older woman argues obtusely with the younger woman about her fashion choices while the younger woman is panicking about her dying dog. 06 LETTER TO A PIG Tal Kantor (Israel) 17 minutes We've all experienced the grandeur of the renaissance of black and white live-action cinema. Turns out it's also strikingly effective in short form. In this haunting short, a Holocaust survivor visits a classroom to talk about the pig that he feels saved his life while he was hiding from Nazis. At first this confession makes the uncomfortable students giggle and "oink" but soon at least a few of them are very caught in the story. The inky images fade in and out of clarity -- color sometimes intrudes -- as if the man's real memory's and the chidren's imagination are wary neighbors that don't know what to make of each other. My only hesitation is that the meaning and emotions fade in and out of clarity, too. Why does the student react this way? Why does her fantasy become violent, turning on the pig, only to soften again? * If I had a ballot... barring the possibility that I'm Hip is super (again, it's the only one I missed) these are the ones I'd probably have voted for. 05 OUR UNIFORM Yegane Moghaddam (Iran) 7 minutes Our Uniform feels almost giddy in its construction as an Iranian girl speaks about her old school uniforms while the animation plays out on fabric sometimes in very clever ways. It's imaginative and cute and the perfect length for what it's doing which is not without substance. Trivia: It's the first time an Iranian production has ever made the finals in this category. 04 NINETY-FIVE SENSES Jared Hess and Jerusha Hess (US) 13 minutes I thought I'd hate this one but.... surprise! In this unexpectedly moving short an old man and prisoner (voiced by Tim Blake Nelson) reflects on his life while talking about sight, touch, smell, taste, and sounds. As someone who was never particularly into the Hess brand -- Napoleon Dynamite, Nacho Libre etc -- this was shockingly enjoyable. The amusing riffs didn't feel easy, trite, or forced and the cumulative emotional affect was fluid and welcome. I hope it's nominated! 03 WILD SUMMON Karni Arieli and Saul Freed (UK) 14 minutes Technically this could double for a Documentary Short contender (though it's not in that category). This treacherous and riveting nature essay charts the life course of a female wild salmon from her birth in a pebble nest to her return to the same river -- the same exact spot even -- to lay her own eggs and die. The memorable narration comes from Marianne Faithfull but the master stroke is portraying the salmon in "human" form. That makes the fates of almost all of the wild fish as nerve-jangling as a well executed horror thriller. 02 EEVA Luija Mrzijak and Morten Tsinakov (Estonia) 16 minutes I'll admit when I screened this one I was grumpy ("oh great another wordless 'surreal' comedy") but it won me over fully from its singularity to its cryptic happenings and truly memorable style. It revolves around a woman attending a funeral but what she's feeling is fluid and elusive -- nothing? too much? all things in the wrong order? Her feelings are also dangerous as she reeks havoc on everything in her path. Expertly paced, its a dizzyingly escalation for the entire running time one of those rare shorts that gets better every minute. It's images and recurring visual motifs (a woodpecker, a naked man, a fire) are still coming back to me days later. 01 SMOKE Rita Basulto (Mexico) 12 minutes A visually thrilling, even astounding short about one young boy and his mother in a concentration camp during the Holocaust. Its stop motion mix of three dimensional puppets and two dimensional cut-outs -- and the way they reflect both point of view and focus -- feels purposeful and potent. Guillermo del Toro is a fan and so are we! My Oscar predictions were... But it's always difficult to guess what lands in the short categories! Smoke (Humo) I'm Hip Letter to a Pig War is Over! Wild Summon alt. Once Upon a Studio and Our Uniform The largest weekly list of musical hits in Spanish has arrived in the United States. LOS40 USA aims to provide the best content from Latino artists to U.S. listeners, who will join the more than 50 million listeners that the leading Spanish-language music network already has around the world. Interviews, videos, podcasts and trends about reggaeton, pop, trap and regional Mexican music can now be heard on 20 stations spread across 12 states and via live streaming on the LOS40 USA website. The presentation of the musical hit list comes after Latin music experienced 33% growth in the United States in 2022, according to a report from the music reporting company Luminate Midyear. The president of Prisa Media, Carlos Nunez, has rated the brands debut in the U.S. as a success. The listening data demonstrates the great expansion that [Latin American music] is having in the North American country. And not only because of the younger generations, but because of the enormous penetration that it has had in recent years in the general audience. In a country where the Latino population already exceeds 62 million inhabitants almost two out of every 10 people living in the United States are of Hispanic origin it was only a matter of time before the best hit list in Spanish would become available. LOS40 USA will be able to create audiovisual content in the country with the greatest musical production on the planet. As a global reference brand, leader in all the countries where it is present, LOS40 also had to be in the main market in the world, said Nunez. The Colombian announcer Riva, already known for her work in LOS40 in Mexico and Colombia, will be in charge of giving a voice to the new list of hits in the United States. I am super happy to welcome you to LOS40 USA. No matter where you are, in LOS40 you will find the most important content from 40 to 1, with all the hits for our Hispanic community, the radio host said. I was in my home country of Israel during the horrors of October 7. A terrifying week later, I packed my bags, and returned to my second home in Australia. Here, I found a Jewish community largely unwilling to march for a ceasefire and an immediate end to the atrocities of the war. Many found the pro-Palestine protests repulsive, while others saw them as antisemitic. But is the call for a ceasefire truly objectionable? Unless motivated by tribalism and survival instinct, I believe most Australian Jews should welcome it. Ethically, the killing of more than 25,000 Palestinians, at least 9000 of them children according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, is hard, if not impossible, to justify. Pro-Palestinian supporters march during a rally in Melbourne on November 26. Credit: Luis Ascui Even the biggest defenders of Israel must acknowledge the mounting civilian death toll is itself becoming a threat to Israeli security and prosperity. It alienates Israel from its most loyal ally, the United States, and throws to waste years of diplomacy with the world at large. This diplomatic crisis is already becoming apparent in the recent court case introduced by South Africa against Israel to the International Court of Justice, and last months overwhelmingly positive UN vote on a ceasefire in Gaza. Another strategic reason for Jews and Israelis to oppose the war is the rise of public support for Hamas in Gaza over the past few months. Where polls and surveys before October 7 showed a nation alienated from its government, the war has united almost three-quarters of Palestinian people behind Hamas, as they deal with mass displacement and continuous air strikes. Israel should be concerned about the effects of these conditions on the radicalisation of a new generation of young Palestinians, who could be susceptible to Hamas ideologies. Gaza/Jerusalem: Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Israels worst day of losses in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday, as its forces encircled southern Gazas main city, trapping Palestinian residents trying to flee. Israel said the aims of its war against the Hamas movement that runs Gaza were unchanged and that efforts were being made to bring about the release of more than 100 Israeli hostages. Family and friends mourn as they walk behind the coffin during the funeral of a soldier killed in a battle in south Gaza. Credit: Getty Images An Israeli military spokesperson said Palestinian RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) fire was the likely cause of a blast that collapsed two buildings killing the group of Israeli soldiers. A militant squad surprised the force with RPG fire. The first rocket hit one of the buildings in which explosives had been laid out. The hit apparently led to the explosion that caused the collapse of the building and the building next to it, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. SIMPSON BAY:--- The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) orchestrated an enlightening two-day affair at the Simpson Bay Resort from January 19th to 20th, hosting the 2024 Tourism Symposium. Distinguished by the presence of key stakeholders, the symposium unfolded under the compelling theme of "Cultural Tourism: Promoting St. Maartens intangible cultural assets through the art of Storytelling." Esteemed attendees included Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Silveria E. Jacobs, Member of Parliament Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Secretary-General from the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Miguel de Weever, Director of Tourism May-Ling Chun, civil servants of the Ministry of TEATT, STB Public Relations and Marketing agencies, activity providers, tour operators, Port St. Maarten, Princess Juliana International Airport, hotels, airlines, local restaurants, and real estate firms. The symposium commenced with a captivating keynote address by Ms. Clara Reyes, Head of the Department of Culture, emphasizing the paramount importance of directly engaging with the "St. Maarten story" as narrated by local artists. Subsequent presentations by STBs Public Relations and Marketing agencies, including IMBRACE Group representative of the Caribbean Market, USP Marketing representative of the European Market, VOX International representative of the Canadian Market, Diamond & Co representative of the American Market, and Big Idea Advertising responsible for the social media, digital marketing and branding, underscored the strategic efforts to promote the destination across diverse markets for the upcoming year. Director of Tourism, May-Ling Chun, articulated the significance of cultural tourism, stating, Our common objective is to ensure that St. Maarten is not just placed on the map but thrives by immersing visitors in our culture, history, people, stories, and experiences. Cultural tourism is the gateway to increasing our market share and solidifying our position as a premier destination. The second day of the symposium witnessed stakeholders engaging in scheduled one-on-one meetings with STBs Public Relations and Marketing agencies. These sessions provided a unique opportunity for collaboration, fostering dialogue on innovative strategies to collectively promote and elevate the allure of St. Maarten in the global tourism landscape. The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau extends its deepest gratitude to all participants for their invaluable contributions. Together, we embark on a journey to weave the rich tapestry of St. Maarten's cultural narrative into the fabric of global tourism, promising a future where the destination stands tall as a beacon of cultural richness and unparalleled experiences, concluded Director Chun. WILLEMSTAD:--- After being stationed almost for two years in Curacao, the unmanned aircraft MQ-9 will depart this month to Rumania, for the defense of the NATO Eastern Flank. The aircraft will be deployed to gather intelligence along the eastern border of the treaty area. On Friday, January 12th, 2024 the MQ-9 flew her last flight for Defence in the Caribbean Region. The choice for Curacao as the home base was inspired by the favorable weather conditions and airspace availability. Three of the four aircraft were stationed at Curacao. Initially aimed at training and preparing Air Force personnel, the unmanned aircraft was later also used to provide local assistance and counter-drug operations. More than 2800 flight hours were made. Despite the departure of the MQ-9, Defence will remain active in the Dutch Caribbean Region in the air space with the maritime patrol plane DASH-8 of the Coastguard Dutch Caribbean Region. The first time was in 2011, in a public bathroom near the Occupy Wall Street camp. Did you see what Naomi Klein said? one woman asked another, outraged by Kleins alleged criticism of that days demonstration. Klein, who heard them behind the door of one of the stalls and had not said anything about the protest, corrected them as she left: I think you are talking about Naomi Wolf. At the time, the mixup still made some sense. Both were called Naomi and both were left-wing writers of books about big ideas feminism, in the case of Wolf, the author of the successful The Beauty Myth, and the dangers of globalization, in the case of Klein. And they were both Jewish women with long dark hair. Even their partners had the same name: Avram. But later, Wolf slipped into the abyss of conspiracy theories. She became an anti-vaxxer, an election denier and began appearing on the program of Steve Bannon, the ideologue of Trumpism and leader of The Movement, a right-wing populist group with international influence. Like Lewis Carrolls Alice, she fell down the rabbit hole. The mixing up of Klein and Wolf became more than a mere nuisance, going so far as to inspire a poem that went viral: If the Naomi be Klein / youre doing just fine / If the Naomi be Wolf / Oh, buddy. Ooooof. So Klein, 53, decided during the Covid-19 pandemic that she should write react to The Other Naomi. She wrote a book, Doppelganger a word that comes from the German for double (Doppel) and walker (Ganger). Its considered a certain archetype of literature, and not just in fantasy fiction. For Freud, dopplegangers represent instances of the uncanny, that class of the terrifying which leads back to something long known to us, once very familar. Thanks to her successful books No Logo (1999), a manifesto against corporate globalization, and The Shock Doctrine (2007), about Milton Friedman and his recipes for disaster (capitalism), Klein became one of the most influential voices of the alter-globalization generation at the turn of the century. This generation took to the streets of Seattle, Genoa and Porto Alegre, and did so again a decade later, camping out in squares from Madrid to New York. The following decade, Klein became a climate change activist, fighting the denialism threatening the children of those earlier protesters and writing two books on the subject: This Changes Everything and On Fire. Doppelganger is a different kind of book. Its a personal and intellectual memoir of the pandemic, a cultural history of the idea of the double (from Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde to Vertigo and Philip Roths masterful novel Operation Shylock) and a treatise on misinformation and how the internet encourages us to create clones of ourselves to feed our personal brand. Its about seeing how people you thought you knew get radically transformed after wandering into the darkest corners of social media. And its about being left speechless in the face of conspiracy theories. The result is a brilliant artifact about the world we live in, where reality is diffused and there is ample fertilizer for extremism. The book does not hold back when it comes to criticizing left-wing smugness and the us versus them rhetoric. The real Naomi Klein was last Thursday, shortly after dawn, waiting in the picturesque port of Sechelt for the arrival of the only passenger on the scheduled seaplane that covers the route from Vancouver. The interview was scheduled to take place at the university of the Canadian city, where she teaches a course on climate justice, but the meeting had to be rescheduled due to a snow storm. Klein moved from the United States with her husband and child to this remote corner of Canadas southern Pacific coast during the pandemic to be nearer to her parents. It was then that she began to become obsessed with her double, and to take writing classes. Doppelganger, she explained, while driving her 4x4 down snowy roads, came out of a desire to write in a different style. I was feeling bored with traditional nonfiction, and hopeless about what it can accomplish. I just couldnt fathom writing another book that was about the fact weve got five more years to respond to the climate emergency. Question. From the creator of slogans such as no logo and disaster capitalism, now comes mirror world. How do you define the concept? Answer. It has to do with the doppelganger effect. We have created a sort of partition in society, a dividing line between us and them. The mirror world is not only where Bannon and Wolf live with their conspiracy theories, it is also a dynamic between liberal centrism and the alt-right. They are like parallel realities, with parallel social media, editorials, networks and discussions. They mirror each other, but dont intersect. Q. Like two-way mirrors in police station to see without being seen? A. In a way. Bannon and his people are very much looking at the left, studying who theyre abandoning and what arguments should be absorbed into their political project. I think Georgia Meloni does the same thing in Italy. Q. Or the far-right party Vox, in Spain. A. They are all part of Bannons international network. Having been part of the anti-globalization movement, its interesting to me how certain ideas of ours have been absorbed into this new iteration of the extreme right, and twisted. They talk about the globalists, banks and tech companies as enemies, but it isnt anti-corporate critique. Their target is the migrants, the vulnerable. They absorb the power of an argument that has been abandoned by the center and the left and absorb it to benefit the fascist agenda. Bannon interests me as a symptom of a seismic change on the right of which Trump is a part. He is the brains of an international operation, he has surpassed the parochial American left. They dont know how to look beyond the border. Theres something very terrifying when you realize that Bannon is more internationalist than MSNBC. The writer Naomi Klein, in Vancouver, in an image from July 2023. Grant Harder Q. I suppose we all know someone who fell down the rabbit hole and was unrecognizable when they came back, filled with conspiracy theories. A. There is a certain smug assumption on the left when it resorts to that image. They say: No, we have not fallen down the rabbit hole, reality is on our side, we are engaged with the truth, with science. Ultimately, it is a distraction to think that you are on the right side of the mirror. That is why I also talk in the book about the shadowlands, which none of us can bear to look at, but which show that we live in a world based on exploitation, pollution and colonialism, and that no one is innocent. In the days of No logo, it was about drawing attention to something unnoticed. Now we know our complicity. We can no longer pretend that we dont have all the information. Q. And whatever happened to reality? A. I find what is reality a funny question. I asked it to Anishinaabe writer Jesse Wente. He told me: Reality is a mountain. Maybe we need to go back to basics, because Im not sure Canada is real anymore or that money is real. I dont know what reality is, but I know that mountains are real. Q. In your research, you traveled to the catacombs of the internet. You write: Conspiracy theorists get the facts wrong, but often get the feelings right. Did you understand why people end up sucked into the hole? Were you tempted to let yourself fall? A. Conspiracy theories satisfy the impulse to understand, even if the reasons are incoherent. Its natural for people to look for answers. I look for them myself, I draw maps to explain the world based on systems like capitalism or colonialism, because those systems explain it much better than a conspiracy that says that the Jews, the Chinese or the members of the Bilderberg Group met in Davos to engineer a pandemic to enrich pharmaceutical companies. I wish it were Bill Gates fault: it would be easier to solve the problems by getting rid of him. The more you study capitalism, the more resistant you become to conspiracies. The only way to counter conspiracy culture is to acknowledge that people have good reason to be suspicious and feel betrayed. They need a scapegoat, and thats dangerous. In moments of great brokenness, whether its the 1930s or now, people are going to look for explanations for how things got this bad. If they dont get an analysis that provides an opportunity for people to come together and change that system, then they will turn on each other to find it. Very dangerous things will happen. And I think were very much on that cusp right now. Q. When someone like Wolf goes to the other side... are they looking to recover what they lost on this one? John Milton said: Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven. A. There is something perverse about constantly knowing what works about what you sell. We are all waiting for that immediate feedback on social networks. In Wolfs case, I think the opprobrium she was subjected to after the publication of her 2019 book [Outrages, in which she misinterpreted files on alleged executions for sodomy in Victorian England] was essential. It was very clear that she was never going to have another book to sell in traditional channels. But the truth is that she has written two more, plus one jointly with Bannon. Maybe you didnt find out, because it happened in the mirror world. I dont think, however, that she does it for money. She has to believe that shes doing it because shes right. I think people are capable of incredible delusions. Q. How did Wolf react to Doppelgangers publication? A. She blamed it on a conspiracy to destroy her reputation, as if she hadnt destroyed it herself. The conspiracy is as follows: my husband [filmmaker and journalist Avi Lewis, who ran for federal elections in Canada in 2021] works for pharmaceutical companies, when in fact he has only spoken at events to expand universal health coverage in Canada, which is not exactly what pharmaceutical companies want. She also discovered that my father-in-law was the U.N. ambassador for AIDS in Africa. That apparently makes him also an agent for pharmaceutical companies. They both put me up to write this book, and take her down. I dont pay much attention to her, although her husband worries me more: he has more weapons. Q. Do you think it is a good idea to ban people from social media or does this makes them stronger? Wolfs intro on X is deplatformed eight times; still right. A. Theres no such thing as deplatforming. We do not have the power to expel them from all the networks that exist. The right has gotten very good at using it as a badge of honor. Q. In your book, you define social media as a crowded and filthy global toilet. In the case of Twitter, the toilet is also owned by Elon Musk. A. Since he took over, its much worse. Part of the problem is that we have stopped trusting the media. The more we rely on these corporate-driven platforms for information, the worse it will get. Q. It seems that some young people sees the extreme right as exciting, while the left is boring and prudish. Like someone who enjoys a cutting Ricky Gervais routine more than politically correct jokes. A. It is true, and it is dangerous. It has to do with the censorious passion of the left, its policing of speech and the casual cruelty it displays when someone steps out of line. We could talk about cancel culture, if it werent such a loaded concept. To me, theres no doubt that there is bullying, which tends to push anyone who steps out of line. Im not the only person on the left who is concerned about this. These young people may find the left stifling, a place where a mistake can make your friends turn against you, and they may believe that on the right, its possible to disagree, even if thats not true. There is policing on both sides of the mirror, but I think the right takes better advantage of that strategy to rally people to its cause. I wish the left thought more about how to increase our ranks instead of how to purge them. That is part of the problem at universities, where it has become normal to cancel speeches of people you disagree with. Speech about Palestine is now being severely constrained. We are figthing the battle for free speech with one hand tied behind our back because the same people who are saying dont censor speech about Palestine tried to get [Canadian conservative thinker] Jordan Peterson canceled a few months ago. All it takes is for someone to say I feel unsafe for something to no longer be said. This politics of difference is being used to silent chants like From the river to the sea or the display of Palestinian flags on campuses. Q. Seen in perspective, the beginning of the pandemic was an illusion for those who believed that we were going to come out of it better off. Meanwhile, on the other side of the mirror, people were being loaded with hatred for masks and vaccines. All in all, we came out worse off. A. There was some beauty, and at the same time it revealed our contradictions: we applauded the workers, but we hoarded toilet paper. The problem with capitalism is that it keeps us in a state of panic, scarcity and insecurity, and encourages our selfishness. Thats why I believe in working to change that system. There is no future if we maintain the status quo. Things will have to change, and they are changing. Unlike my previous books, Doppelganger is not so clear about the enemy; it could be me. It is more intimate. It is about a menace that is just as or more serious than any of my other books or all of them combined. Q. The pandemic was the definitive shock, and, at the same time, the moment when the extreme right appropriated your theories of the shock doctrine to affirm that, as in Chile in the 1970s or after Hurricane Katrina, the powers that be were taking advantage of our fears to introduce far-reaching changes? A. It was a sort of out-of-body experience. But the shock doctrine continues. In Mileis Argentina or after the Maui fires this summer, which were used to fatten the real estate market. And it is happening before our eyes in Israel. Q. Is genocide being committed in Gaza, as South Africa is arguing before the International Court of Justice? A. I think that theres a very strong case. The biggest argument is those Israeli officials talking publicly about depopulating Gaza and the need to resettle hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of Palestinians. If thats not ethnic cleansing, I dont know what is. What Israel is doing is the clearest and most violent example of the shock doctrine that I could have imagined: we have a far-right government with explicit plans and hopes to depopulate the West Bank and specifically Gaza, which has always has been the greatest demographic threat to the idea of a Jewish majority. They immediately used October 7 to push through their most radical dreams and ambitions. That doesnt mean that it was a conspiracy, but rather an opportunity for a group of extremely opportunistic people. And yes, I do believe it fits the definition of genocide and Geneva Convention. Q. In Doppelganger, you talk about your visit to Gaza, in which you were harassed by the Israeli army. Were you surprised by the October 7 attack? A. Everyone was surprised, including Netanyahu. Because I had been there and know the architecture [of the occupation], I understood why people saw it as a prison break. Of course, I was horrified to see the extent of the Hamas massacre. As someone who has been part of Palestinian solidarity movements for a long time, I know how important it is for Palestine that international law means something. That is what the South Africa case is about. Those conventions are only as strong as the moral force behind them. Thats why I was also concerned in those days to see some people on the left being very casual about [Israels] violations of international law. I wrote about that got attacked for it. It was not the first time, but this was the first time I was attacked by the left. Q. Is antisemitism on the rise in North America? A. All hate speech is on the rise. The right uses real antisemitism as a weapon, to justify itself. I hear older Jewish people who are convinced that they have the mob at their gates. So they cant put out their menorah during Hanukkah, or they cant have their mezuzah on their door. I think theyre being made afraid by organizations that are using that fear, the trauma, to just to make them just stand with Israel no matter what. Q. Trump achieved a landslide victory in Iowa, at the start of the primaries. Is there anything that could stand in his way to the White House? A. Honestly, Joe Biden stepping down. He has so enraged young voters by supporting Israels genocide in Gaza that I doubt he can win. Not to mention the Arab voters in key states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. Q. Rereading No logo, there are ideas that now sound naive. Not so much because of the book, but rather because of the brutal evolution of turbocapitalism. You wrote about the power of brands, but you didnt predict that we would all become one. A. It was clear then that it was going to be happening for celebrities, and I talk in the book about Michael Jordan, or Oprah [Winfrey]. So it seemed laughable to think that we could all cultivate our brand. How? Putting ads in the local newspaper? There was no Instagram or TikTok. And look at us now: I dont know anyone who doesnt feel destroyed by what they have to do to feed their online image. This is having a profound impact on our understanding of what life is, on what friendships are for. Q. What was impossible to foresee is the rise of brand-driven movies, from Air to Tetris, and that one of them, Barbie, would lead an apparently profound cultural debate on feminism. A. Barbie is like a sugar high. We all like it when its happening. But then you feel bad about it, embarrassed. You have a Barbie hangover. All those movies that Mattel plans to release ... remind me of artificial intelligence, another expression of our era of doppelgangers: its a mirroring and mimicry machine. It just remixes culture and it can feel innovative, but its not. Translated by Avik Jain Chatlani. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange FTX, arrives at a courthouse in New York, U.S., August 11, 2023. A federal appeals court has ordered the appointment of an independent examiner in the bankruptcy case of FTX amid concerns about widespread fraud preceding the collapse of the multibillion-dollar cryptocurrency exchange. A three-judge panel in Philadelphia issued the ruling Friday in an appeal filed by the U.S. bankruptcy trustee, who serves as a government watchdog in Chapter 11 reorganizations. Lawyers for the trustee had argued that FTXs financial affairs and business operations, including allegations of unprecedented fraud leading to its collapse, should be reviewed by a disinterested person, not left to an internal investigation. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge John Dorsey denied the trustees request last February. He agreed with FTX and its official committee of unsecured creditors that an examiners work would be too costly and would duplicate investigations already under way by FTXs new leadership, the creditors committee and several federal agencies. Dorsey also expressed confidence in John Ray III, who was appointed by FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried as the companys new CEO on the same day the company sought bankruptcy protection. Bankman-Fried is awaiting sentencing in March after being convicted in November on wire-fraud and conspiracy charges. Several other former FTX executives have pleaded guilty to similar charges. Prosecutors said Bankman-Fried siphoned billions of dollars from customer accounts at FTX into his cryptocurrency hedge fund, Alameda Research. The appeals court reversed Dorseys ruling, agreeing with the trustee that the bankruptcy code mandates the appointment of an examiner. Sometimes highly complex cases give rise to straightforward issues on appeal, Judge Luis Felipe Restrepo wrote for the panel. Such is the case here. Restrepo also noted that an examiner is required to make his or her findings public, whereas a debtor or creditors committee conducting an internal investigation has no such obligation. The collapse of FTX caused catastrophic losses for its worldwide investors but also raised implications for the evolving and volatile cryptocurrency industry, the judge wrote, noting that further scrutiny of FTX could alert potential investors to undisclosed credit risks in other cryptocurrency companies. In addition to providing much-needed elucidation, the investigation and examiners report ensure that the bankruptcy court will have the opportunity to consider the greater public interest when approving the FTX Groups reorganization plan, he added. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition It has been a huge honour to have played a part in delivering such a special addition to the London landscape. While there have been many challenges along the way these have been more than eclipsed by the many remarkable highlights such as bringing the iconic Grade II* listed building back to life after a thorough restoration and collaborating with Transport for London to deliver the first extension to the London Underground in 25 years. Text in which the author defends ideas and reaches conclusions based on his / her interpretation of facts and data A new drug called kush is wreaking havoc in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone, where it is estimated to kill around a dozen people each week and hospitalize thousands. The drug, taken mostly by men aged 18 to 25, causes people to fall asleep while walking, to fall over, to bang their heads against hard surfaces and to walk into moving traffic. Kush should not be confused with the drug of the same name found in the U.S., which is a mixture of an ever-changing host of chemicals sprayed on plant matter and smoked. Kush in Sierra Leone is quite different; it is a mixture of cannabis, fentanyl, tramadol, formaldehyde and according to some ground down humans bones. It is mixed by local criminal gangs, but the constituent drugs have international sources, facilitated no doubt by the internet and digital communications. While cannabis is widely grown in Sierra Leone, the fentanyl is thought to originate in clandestine laboratories in China, where the drug is manufactured illegally and shipped to West Africa. Tramadol has a similar source, namely illegal laboratories across Asia. Formaldehyde, which can cause hallucinations, is also reported in this mixture. As for ground human bones, there is no definitive answer about whether or not they are indeed found in the drug, where such bones would come from, or why they might be incorporated into the drug. Some people say that grave robbers provide the bones, but there is no direct evidence of this. But why would bones be incorporated into the drug? Some suggest that the sulfur content of the bones causes a high. Another reason might be the drug content of the bones themselves, if the deceased was a fentanyl or tramadol user. However, both are unlikely. Sulfur levels in bones are not high. Smoking sulfur would result in highly toxic sulfur dioxide being produced and inhaled. Any drug content in bones is orders of magnitude less than that required to cause a physiological effect. Where is the drug found? The drug is reported in both Guinea and Liberia, which share porous land borders with Sierra Leone, making drug trafficking easy. Kush costs around five leones (less than a quarter of a U.S. dollar) per joint, which may be used by two or three people, with up to 40 joints being consumed in a day. This represents a massive spend on drugs and illustrates the addictive nature of the mixture, in a country where the annual income per capita is around $630. The effects of the drug vary and depend on the user and the drug content. Cannabis causes a wide variety of effects, which include euphoria, relaxation and an altered state of consciousness. Fentanyl, an extremely potent opioid, produces euphoria and confusion and causes sleepiness among a wide range of other side effects. Similarly, tramadol, which is also an opioid but less potent than fentanyl (100 mg tramadol has the same effect as 10 mg morphine) results in users becoming sleepy and spaced out disconnected from things happening around them. The danger of the drug is twofold: the risk of self-injury to the drug taker and the highly addictive nature of the drug itself. A further problem is the need to finance the next dose, often achieved through prostitution or criminal activity. Joining the ranks of existing polydrugs Kush is another example of polydrug mixtures of which forensic scientists are becoming increasingly aware. Another tobacco and cannabis-based drug, nyaope, otherwise known as whoonga, is found in South Africa. In this case, the tobacco and cannabis are mixed with heroin and antiretroviral drugs used to treat AIDS, some of which are hallucinogenic. A further polydrug, white pipe, a mixture of methaqualone (Mandrax), cannabis and tobacco, is smoked in Southern Africa. These drugs are inexpensive and provide an escape from unemployment, the drudgery of poverty, sexual and physical abuse, and the effect, in some cases, especially in West Africa, from having been a child soldier. So what can be done about these drugs? The effectiveness of legislation alone is questionable, and many of those who attend the very limited rehabilitation centers return to drug use. Perhaps what is required is an integrated forensic healthcare system where legislative control is backed up by properly resourced rehabilitation centers coupled with a public health and employment program. What changes are made in response to this epidemic remains to be seen. Michael Cole is a Professor of Forensic Science at Anglia Ruskin University (U.K.). This article was originally published in The Conversation. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Do you think its worth doing that not just to protect those jobs for a period of years into the future, but to invest into your transition to lower carbon steel? I think that is a smart bet on our future. This is the last bastion of the South Wales industry. If we lose that, the devastation caused will be massive, not just for the local community but for further afield as well. Farian went on to have success with R&B group Milli Vanilli, who released Girl You Know Its True and Girl Im Gonna Miss You, and American pop band No Mercy, who had success with Where Do You Go, When I Die and Please Dont Go. She said the review found that there had been no threat made and there was no immediate risk of his possession of the bladed article and added that the review found that there was no act or omission that was contributory to Toms death. In a lengthy statement posted on X the force said on Monday: We know everyones local social media groups go wild shouting helicopter when we are around. We also understand you all want to know what we are up to. But Mr Double added: Regrettably many parents now find themselves having to home educate their children, not because thats what they believe is right for their children but because they feel forced into that situation because they cant find the right school environment and support available for their children, who may have particular challenges whether that is autism or perhaps a mental health condition. She said lessons would be learned from the pandemic and Scotland is the only part of the UK to have its own separate inquiry in addition to the UK-wide one. Sir Jeffrey must secure the backing of his party officers, and it is understood several of them believe the Governments offer does not go far enough to warrant the party dropping its blockade on Stormont. Mr Shapps said: Dangerous Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea have continued to threaten the lives of sailors and disrupt shipping at an intolerable cost to the global economy. Along with our US partners, we have conducted a further round of strikes in self-defence. Voters in those three areas will get to choose their next region-wide mayor, as will those living in other large areas of England such as the West Midlands, while there will be contests for a trio of brand new mayoral posts in the East Midlands, the North East and North Yorkshire. Mexico can sue gun manufacturers in the United States. This was the decision reached on Monday by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, which ruled in favor of the Mexican government and revived the $10 billion lawsuit the latter had brought against some of the most important names in the American arms industry. The case will now return to a Massachusetts court, the same one that threw out the lawsuit in September 2022, to be reviewed again. Great news, celebrated Alicia Barcena, Mexicos Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The main obstacle facing the Mexican cause is the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), a law passed during the George W. Bush administration that shields the arms industry from lawsuits arising from misuse of their products. That legal shield and the immunity it provides to gun manufacturers was the argument used to originally dismiss the case in a Massachusetts court. But now, a Boston-based federal appeals court has decided that the lawsuit filed by Mexican authorities against six manufacturers and one distributor plausibly alleges a type of claim that is statutorily exempt from the PLCAAs general prohibition. Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's former secretary of foreign affairs, shows a map on the impact of illegal weapons in Mexico, in 2019. ERIC BARADAT (AFP) Therefore, we reverse the ruling issued by the District Court that PLCAA prevents Mexico from presenting its claim and we request that the judicial process be resumed, reads the ruling, to which EL PAIS has had access. The decision by the three-judge panel is historic, as it is the first time that a U.S. appeals court makes such a decision since the law protecting gun makers went into effect in 2005. It is a great step forward in holding the gun industry accountable for its contribution to armed violence and to stop the flow of weapons trafficked to the cartels, said Jonathan Lowy, one of the lawyers representing the Government of Mexico, in a statement. The list of companies sued by Mexico includes Smith & Wesson, Barrett, Beretta, Glock and Ruger, producers of the most popular weapons among the Mexican cartels. The Mexican government accuses them of negligent business practices, claiming that they have deliberately marketed and produced designs meant to be attractive to criminal groups, and benefited from illegal trafficking. While drugs flow from south to north, the guns move in the opposite direction. The companies targeted by the lawsuit produce 68% of the hundreds of thousands of guns that enter Mexico illegally each year. The case against gun manufacturers was forged during Marcelo Ebrards tenure as Mexicos Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The goal was to make these companies answer for the wave of violence plaguing the Latin American country. The lawsuit dates back to August 2021 and was originally filed against 11 companies. The Mexican government has had to overcome several legal obstacles along the way, such as proving that it has the legal standing to bring the case in the United States or that the claims can be judged by a U.S. court, despite the fact that their implications affect Mexico. Mexican authorities are seeking damages to be defined by the court, but which could reach 2% of Mexicos GDP, diplomatic sources told this newspaper more than two years ago. Its a big step, said Ebrard, who left his post in June to seek the presidential candidacy of Morena, Mexicos ruling party. Barcena, his successor, on Monday urged U.S. authorities to further investigate the trafficking into Mexico of weapons meant for exclusive use by the U.S. army. The issue has become a recurring topic at the bilateral negotiating table and in diplomatic meetings between the two countries, including the ministerial meeting that both governments held last week in Washington. On the legal front, the battle now returns to Massachusetts, in a process that is expected to last several years. The events of October 7, perpetrated by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are also war crimes and they must be held accountable. As horrific as these attacks were, they cannot be used as justification for the actions of Israel towards the civilians of Gaza. Typhoons have a 36ft (11m) wingspan, about the same size as the length of a double decker bus, can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 almost twice the speed of sound and have a maximum altitude of 55,000ft. It is vital the people at the heart of this issue take the lead in shaping how we can improve cyber security in every part of our economy, which is why we want to see industry and business professionals from all walks coming forward to share their views Minister for AI Viscount Camrose However, one of the women involved hit back at the piano blogger, accusing him of provoking them by referring to them as Japanese instead of Chinese, playing a discriminatory song and constantly telling them: We live in Britain, not in China. It was one of a number of flights sent on massive detours after pilots struggled to land in the UK on Sunday, as the nation was battered by winds as high as 99mph, with Scotland worst affected. The former UN ambassador also told reporters: "We can either do the whole thing that we've always done and live in that chaos world that we've had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people." When no one showed, deputies finally went to the door of one of the houses. No one answered so they crossed the street to the other house, which they knew was linked to the first house and found the first bodies. Five bodies were found in one house and two bodies were found in the other. "The ministry would like to emphasise the necessity of informing all officials and workers who hold American and British citizenship of their preparation to leave the country within a maximum period of 30 days from the date of this determination so they will be ready to leave immediately upon the expiration of the period referred to, and the ministry will be sure to inform you via a ministerial letter 24 hours before departure. At least four others are believed to have been handed the death penalty while 15 more are at risk of being subjected to it. When one thinks of Africa, images of deserts, sand dunes and mile upon mile without a speck of shade may come to mind. However, in El Oasis de Valsequillo (Puebla, Mexico) a different African landscape unfolds. A tropical savanna climate with distinct seasons and a dense jungle awaits, ready to challenge adventurous explorers. Looking at photographs of this place, its easy to mistake it for Sudan or the Congo. Discovering a tranquil oasis-like haven is no simple task it often involves venturing to distant lands. But Carlos Camacho Espiritu knew about such a place near his Puebla birthplace. He bought the land and created a 500-acre (200-hectare) space called Africam (not a typo) Safari to provide a safe haven for wild animals. Founded in 1972, Africam Safari is not just a renowned zoo and nature preserve, but also the first safari park in Latin America. It houses nearly 2,000 animals, such as lions, bison, giraffes, lemurs and elephants. The newest resident of this incredible sanctuary is Benito, the giraffe from the northern border city of Ciudad Juarez. Carlos Camacho, known to many as El Capitan, was born into extreme poverty in the city of Acatzingo (Puebla). At the age of 16, he traveled to the United States in search of the American dream but was immediately deported. He then settled in Monterrey (northeastern Mexico) and became a radio announcer. After saving some money, he made another attempt to emigrate north and successfully arrived in Los Angeles. Camacho soon got a job at a local radio station with a program for the citys large Latin American community that was relegated to the pre-dawn hours. After many years living in the U.S., Camacho became a naturalized citizen. Later, he founded Mayo drug laboratories, now known as Laboratorios Camacho, with the aim of serving his fellow Mexicans. An eland antelope at the Africam Safari park in Tecali de Herrera (Puebla, Mexico). Diego Simon Sanchez (Cuartoscuro) Camacho enlisted in the U.S. Army as an aviator, reached the rank of captain, and fought in the Vietnam War. My dad was many things, said his daughter Amy in a 2018 interview. Film producer, actor and entrepreneur who owned pharmacies. But his masterwork is Africam Safari. Carlos Camacho married Louise Wardle, an American woman he met through correspondence. Wardle was learning Spanish and wanted to hear native speakers to improve her pronunciation. At the time, Camacho had the only radio program for Mexican migrants in the United States. Wardle fell in love with his voice and they exchanged letters for a year. Eventually, she visited him at the radio station in Los Angeles, and they married two years later. The couple had eight children, two of whom, Amy and Frank, took over the park after both parents had passed away. In 1976, Captain Camacho was attacked by a tiger named Dientes (Fangs, in English) when some tourists ignored the rules and got out of their vehicle. Camacho jumped out to help them, but was attacked by Dientes. Although the wounds didnt kill Camacho, inadequate medical care led to septicemia (blood poisoning) and he died five days later. His widow, Louise, took over the management of the park, but she died from a brain tumor four years later. The 17-year-old Amy was left to carry on her fathers legacy. Workers prepare Benito's crate for his trip south to Africam Safari park; Ciudad Juarez; January 21, 2023. JOSE LUIS GONZALEZ (Reuters) Amy Camacho served as the CEO of Africam Safari for 40 years. She briefly worked in government (2011-2012) as the Secretary of Environmental Sustainability under former Puebla governor Rafael Moreno Valle, and passed away in 2020 from a stroke. Her brother Frank currently serves as the CEO of the safari zoo. Previously, he was president of the International Elephant Foundation, and currently serves as vice president of the Latin American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (ALPZA). Frank Camacho is overseeing the relocation of Benito, Mexicos most famous giraffe. The 1,200-mile (1,900-kilometer) journey from Ciudad Juarez to Africam Safari should take 40-50 hours. This is not Camachos first time managing the transfer of large, wild animals. In 2016, he relocated two female rhinos, Chacha 1 and Chacha 2, to the Ukumari ecotourism and wildlife park in Colombia. He also oversaw the transfer of three African elephants, Maggi, Kim and Pirinolo, the latter being a five-ton specimen from Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobars Hacienda Napoles to Ukumari Park. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition In life, you can lose so much. Money, time, shame and credibility, but one of the most unexpected, which makes it no less tragic, is scent. A few months ago, this happened to men all over the world, when the Old Spice company decided to cease commercial sales of one of its oldest products, Old Spice Eau de Toilette Original. The cologne, which appeared in its original version in 1938, had lent its signature combination of spice and wood to the scent (and by extension, personality) of several generations. It was used by men as varied as Elvis Presley and Woody Allen, back when the world of mens perfume was limited to a handful of products immune to the passage of time. It was one of those brands that we associate with what could be called dad smell: an enduring fragrance that accompanies a man throughout his life, becoming part of his personality, passed from one generation to the next, meaning that sometimes, it was also a granddads smell. One of these men who was left suddenly mourning his aroma is journalist Fernando Palmero. Like others, his relationship had its roots in his childhood. Its the cologne my father used. When I started shaving, he used to shave with Old Spice products, and I also started using it, he recalls. For Palmero, the importance of a perfume lies not in itself, but rather in how it adapts to you. The same cologne on another body, on another person with different physical characteristics, smells different. I had found in it that point, in which I didnt just feel comfortable with how it felt on me, but also in how it was received by others. People like how that cologne suited me. The death of a classic Why stop marketing a product that still had fans all over the world? Cristina Garcia, business leader of the personal care division of Procter and Gamble, which owns Old Spice, explains: We removed it from the catalog a few months ago because we saw that in Spain and Europe, it was no longer very relevant. We are a brand who makes deodorants, shower products, that is what we are focusing on and what we are strong in. Basically, it was no longer a priority. That being said, the brand is aware that the cologne still had its loyalists. We have an aftershave that smells the same, and we know that some people use it as a cologne. They pour it into their hand and apply it to their neck. An Old Spice worker poses at one of the companys locations in Northumberland, England, in 1990. Mirrorpix (Getty Images) For Palmero, this convenient solution does not make up for the demise of the cologne. Im literally on the hunt for new scents, for new colognes that remind me of that one, he says. What I liked about it was that mix of wood and cinnamon. Im finding things that remind me of cinnamon, and others of wood, but I havent found any that combines those two scents. Inevitably, this loss is also influenced by changes in the tastes of the current public. There is a younger public to whom colognes like this one smell a little bit old-fashioned, so to speak, Garcia says. People are now turning to other kinds of more youthful scents, or even using deodorant as a cologne. The rise, fall and nostalgia for the dad cologne The description of the original Old Spice cologne speaks of top notes of nutmeg, lemon and orange, heart notes (those perceived a few minutes after applying that are the most long-lasting in a perfume) of cinnamon and carnation, with cedar and vanilla in the base notes. Wood and citruses have traditionally been the primary trends of mens perfumery, says Daniel Figuero, author of the Spanish language essay Contraperfume (Editorial Superflua), in which he explores both the evolution of perfumery and the way in which a scent is associated with memory and the construction of identity. They are fragrances that are either very close to cologne, which is a classic formula that has been used since the mid-19th century, and is very fresh, with the typical clean scent related to citrus, or very woody. Up until recently, those were the only options that the industry offered for men. In general, male clientele is much more loyal to a fragrance, I dont know if thats due to comfort, laziness or simply because once he comes to identify with a scent, its very difficult for him to change. That happens with these classic fragrances that we are talking about, says Figuero. Drawing a parallel with fashion, some men wear what they already know works. For the office, for example, they always opt for blues or browns. Its more or less the same with fragrances. They look for one that works every day and they stick with it. Isaiah Mustafa, a model known as the Old Spice man," during one of the companys promotional events in 2013 in London. Dave J Hogan That classicism in perfume, which is associated with a masculine image, remained nearly unchanged for decades. You have to keep in mind that, at the time, there werent many choices, Priscilla Presley pointed out at an event with fans of her former husband, Elvis Presley, when someone asked about his favorite scent. Colognes like Brut and Aqua Velva were also ubiquitous in bathrooms, and were almost always associated with the ritual of shaving, the final step in that process. Although not a particularly well-known fragrance, Fahrenheit has a very loyal clientele. Variations were launched, like Fahrenheit Cologne and Fahrenheit Parfum, but no matter what, the original Eau de Toilette was still in demand out of pure loyalty, says Figuero. That consistency in mens perfume began to change between the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the aughts. I dont know exactly which was first, but I do remember that Opium, for example, came out with an eau de parfum version. The change in concentration of a fragrance was already one step, because the eau de parfum is usually marketed to women. Also, they started to enter into the amber family, to leave out a little bit of wood or to mix them, to introduce some floral Another precursor was CK One, a teen classic from Calvin Klein. In Spain, it continues to be a bestseller. It was the beginning of unisex minimalism, with no distinctions between mens and womens versions, and it inherited a bit of the idea of the classic citrus cologne, but with a touch of marine, with a different touch. Then [Giorgio Armanis] Acqua di Gio came out, and that began to open the door to experimentation a bit more. Actor Terry Crews celebrates the 80th anniversary of the Old Spice brand with the modern-day aesthetic of the company: a masculinity that is a bit less paternal. Ilya S. Savenok (Getty Images) Still, these trends have not managed to put an end to classic colognes, at least not all of them. Associated with memory and the construction of a personality, scent is a bit more complicated than swapping out sneakers for heels. Thats how EL PAIS web editor Guillermo Alonso sees it, speaking about his fascination with less-sophisticated colognes. I love those sporty, fresh, inexpensive perfumes that are always in a tarnished, half-hidden section of drugstores, he says. I guess they remind you of your adolescence. If your adolescence was wonderful, they take you to a safe, better place. But if it was a torment, they often remind you of the smell of that friend who made you feel safe, or the person you had a crush on. There is an erotic charge to it, although in reality all perfume ads have that charge. That doesnt mean you have to buy them or wear them all your life, but sometimes I go to those sections, smell those affordable colognes and just remember for a little while. Then I go back to my formal, functional adult perfume with cardamom and chili pepper and a woody base. This is a personal point of view, but I think that its one that is very common: fragrance is another form of self-expression, says Figuero. Its not that it becomes your personality, but it is an expression of personality, just like the clothes you choose, which send a message to the people around you. But also, fragrance has a very powerful emotional component, because it is closely associated with emotions and memory. In fact, the part of the brain that processes odors is practically in the same area as that which processes memory. Associating your family, your father or your grandfather with a specific fragrance is very common. Whether you dare to wear that same scent yourself is another matter. It stands to reason that wearing the perfume your father once wore can be comparable, Figuero continues, to wearing a watch or jacket that we have inherited from him, which is something Im noticing that the younger generations do a lot. Nowadays, you see a lot of young guys wearing very old jackets from the 80s. In a way, wearing a fragrance today that is considered traditional, I think, can be a subversive gesture. A way of saying, I can wear this and give it a new vision, maybe one that is more ironic, or perhaps more modern, than it was originally. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition It is still Romania's position that it is mandatory that the derogation from some good agricultural and environmental conditions (GAECs) be extended, Romania's Minister of Agriculture Florin Barbu told a meeting on Tuesday of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council ( AGRIFISH), adding that Romanian farmers need real support, "not additional obstacles to obtaining production." He added that, if help is not won, "we can all leave the positions we hold," the message also being addressed to the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski. "Mr Commissioner, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that six months have passed since we requested a response from the European Commission. The response did not come, despite a positive vote expressed by 15 member states. The dissatisfaction of our farmers is real and it is already manifesting itself in the streets, throughout the European Union. If we do not understand that our farmers need real support, not additional obstacles to obtaining production, we can all leave the positions we hold. Including you, Mr Commissioner!" On Monday, Barbu told farmers in Targu-Mures that he will publicly demand the resignation of the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, during the AGRIFISH meeting for dismissing the vote of 15 member states on derogation from GAEC 7 on crop rotation GAEC 8 on maintenance of non-productive areas. In his remarks in Brussels, Barbu also requested increased flexibility in the adaptation/modification of the CAP strategic plans to account for the challenges that farmers are currently facing and the identification of all support elements to boost the economic development of farmers in order to face a fundamental challenge that rural areas in Romania are also facing. He also said that securing the supply of food and raw materials by EU farmers in a manner proportional to obtaining a decent income is dependent on several factors, namely streamlining the legislative framework for predictability and including real support measures for farmers and for all players in the agri-food chain while facilitating resilience of the system in order to guarantee the food security of the EU and beyond. Barbu also said out that new methods must be sought to counteract the effects of crises, such as the one generated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, that do not have a negative impact on European farmers, and the identification of solutions that allow the member states to reach environmental targets without imposing the reduction of the areas intended for agricultural production under GAEC 8 and thus not endangering the food security of the EU and the economic security of farmers. Romania has talked about the derogations since the summer of 2023, and later 15 other EU member states (Poland, France, Slovakia, Latvia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Italy, Malta, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Estonia, Sweden, Hungary and the Czech Republic) voiced support for their application. The Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation (AAC) asked the Romanian government on Sunday to do everything possible to convince the European Commission and member states to support trade measures for agricultural products from Ukraine and granting exemption in 2024 GAEC 7 and 8. Energy Minister Sebastian-Ioan Burduja and Transgaz Director General Ion Sterian signed financing contracts worth 93.58 million euros for the construction of the Black Sea - Podisor and Ghercesti - Jitaru natural gas transmission pipelines. "In the current geopolitical context, it is vital that projects to strengthen the natural gas transport infrastructure (hydrogen ready) obtain the funding allocated to Romania. I have said since taking office that I have three priorities: investments, investments, investments. These contracts financed from the Modernisation Fund are another step towards achieving the priorities I have set out. The financing contracts signed today (Tuesday - editor's note) are essential for the future transport of natural gas from Neptun Deep, which will give Romania not only the status of energy independence, but also that of the main natural gas producer in the EU. I will support Transgaz also from now on in its efforts to obtain non-reimbursable financing and other types of financing for the investment projects that the company is considering," said Burduja. According to a press release of the Ministry of Energy, on the basis of the EC Decision No C(2023) 3643 final of 30.05.2023, financing from the Modernisation Fund was granted for the two projects for a total non-reimbursable amount of 93,582,770 euros. The amount of 85.544 million euros was allocated for the construction of the Black Sea - Podisor natural gas transmission pipeline and 8.038 million euros for the Ghercesti - Jitaru natural gas transmission pipeline, including electricity supply, cathodic protection and fibre optics. The benefits of financing and carrying out these investment projects are: ensuring energy security at European and national level by strengthening the natural gas transmission infrastructure, providing additional volumes of transmission and diversifying energy sources by taking natural gas from the Black Sea basin extraction area; the supply of natural gas to the administrative-territorial units along the route that the new infrastructure crosses, implicitly increasing the standard of living of Romanians; support for the economic environment, by creating the necessary infrastructure for the development of new capacities for the production of electricity from natural gas, an aspect that generates both new jobs and economic development at national and regional level. Health Minister Alexandru Rafila on Tuesday said that meeting the criteria for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) membership this year is a priority for the Health Ministry. "Meeting the accession criteria this year is a priority of the Health Ministry and refers primarily to access to good quality health services, which is conditional on the continuation of investments started through the PNRR, digitisation and development of human resources in healthcare," the health minister said. Alexandru Rafila is attending the OECD Health Ministerial Meeting, gathering health ministers from OECD member and candidate countries. According to the Health Ministry, the meeting with the Director of the Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Directorate Stefano Scarpetta included the calendar of negotiations and progress made by Romania in the health sector. "The progress made by Romania in the last two years was appreciated by Mr. Stefano Scarpetta, who encouraged the Romanian authorities to continue the reform and investment programme in the health sector," said the source. Household and business deposits up 3.3 pct month-on-month in December 2023 The deposits of non-government resident customers were 3.3 percent up in December 2023 from the previous month, to RON 573.951 billion; compared to December 2022, the advance was 11.8 percent (4.3 percent in real terms), the National Bank of Romania (BNR) informs in a release on Tuesday. RON-denominated deposits of residents, accounting for 70 percent of the total deposits of non-government customers, increased 4.8 percent from November 2023, to RON 401.755 billion. Year-over-year, the increase was 18.9 percent (11.5 percent in real terms). RON-denominated household deposits inched up 3.8 percent to RON 218.296 billion from November 2023, and were by 22.4 percent higher (14.8 percent in real terms) on a YoY basis. RON-denominated deposits of other sectors (non-financial corporations and non-monetary financial institutions) advanced 6 percent to RON 183.459 billion compared to the previous month, and were 14.9 percent higher (7.8 percent in real terms) from the year-ago level. Forex-denominated deposits of residents expressed in RON (at 30 percent of the total deposits of non-government customers) dipped 0.1 percent from the previous month to RON 172.195 billion (the evolution was similar when expressed in EUR). Romania will remain a "strong voice" in support of the adoption of new solutions to strengthen the internal security of the European Union, including by strengthening the space of free movement, said president Klaus Iohannis, on Tuesday, at Cotroceni Palace, during the annual meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Romania. "We will remain a strong voice in support of the adoption of new solutions aimed at strengthening the internal security of the Union, including by strengthening the space of free movement. I express my hope that Romania will soon be able to increase its contribution as a Schengen member state, including by joining the land borders, a first positive step being the decision to apply the Schengen acquis in Romania and Bulgaria with the air and sea borders starting from March of this year," said Iohannis, agerpres reports. He said that our country will continue to take action aimed at strengthening the common European project and its profile within the European Union."We must continue to work to build together a united and cohesive Europe, which seeks equitable solutions, in a spirit of solidarity and respect. In order to achieve this objective, Romania will be actively involved in the European dialogue regarding the shaping of the future Strategic Agenda and will remain an energetic supporter of the enlargement process, including through the prism of its strategic valences," president Iohannis added. Mayor Nicusor Dan: There is a possibility that I will be candidate of the right-wing for City Hall The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, declared on Monday evening for the private broadcaster Digi24 that he believes that he could be the candidate of the Right for the Capital City Hall and mentioned that he is having discussions in this regard with Save Romania Union (USR), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the People's Movement Party (PMP), the Forta Dreptei and REPER. "I believe that this possibility exists, if we go back four years ago, it seemed impossible and yet there was the wisdom of the right-wing parties to have unique candidates for the seven (one for the Bucharest City Hall, 6 for the six sectors, ed. n.) mayors in Bucharest. (...) I am in discussions, obviously, with all right-wing parties (...) all right-wing parties meaning USR, PNL, PMP, Forta Dreptei, REPER, in my opinion," said Nicusor Dan. He thinks that, given that there are more elections in 2024, the calculations are more "complicated" than four years ago. "The parties are in a period where they are conducting polls, weighing different strategies, it will probably take some time until we have a definitive announcement of candidates for the Bucharest mayors (...) The polls I have seen (...) say (...) that if the right has two candidates, the PSD (Social Democratic Party, ed. n.) candidate wins, if the right has one candidate, the right candidate wins," Nicusor Dan pointed out. At the same time, he stated that it is not a good idea to merge the local elections with the first round of the presidential elections, because the messages are different. "The residents of a village, a city, a municipality have problems that they must address to the mayor and the candidates for the mayor's office. The first round of the presidential elections refers to national topics, to matters that also belong to the sphere of Romania's external relations, so, they are different topics. (...) I don't believe in this scenario in which the two elections will be merged," added Nicusor Dan. Romania's agriculture minister has failed to reach the "discussion table" in Brussels with the demands of the Romanian farmers, MEP Dacian Ciolos said on Tuesday. "After yesterday asking for resignations in the European Commission, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu came to Brussels at the expense of the citizens, but today he failed to reach the table of discussions with the other ministers of the council with the demands of the Romanian farmers. Let Mr Ciolacu and Mr Barbu explain what the agriculture minister said in Brussels and what reactions he had from the other ministers at the council table. Let them explain to us who else Minister Barbu met on the sidelines of the council meeting and how he intends to solve the problems raised by Romanian farmers," Ciolos is quoted as saying in a press statement. He added that, before looking for the data with the amounts for farmers, he proposes to Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu "to call his revolutionary minister of agriculture and clarify these things with him. In a discussion with farmers in Targu Mures on Monday, Barbu announced that he will demand the resignation of the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski at a meeting of the European ministers of agriculture on Tuesday. "Romania put through the Council of Ministers the derogations from GAEC [good agricultural and environmental condition] 7 and 8 of the European Union Regulation. The support we had from the 15 states, including Germany and France, regarding the derogations from GAEC 7 and 8 and the non-compliance with the 70%vote given in the Council of Ministers will make me tomorrow, at the council of ministers (...)in my capacity as a minister, to publicly ask the commissioner to resign because he does not respect a vote of 15 states. I'm telling you, I'm going with this mandate at the Council of Ministers, tomorrow, if we fail to solve the GAEC 7 and 8 derogation problem, because one thing wasn't understood and I tried to explain it to the commissioner and to everyone that we are not asking for anything. We are at a time of war, we, five states, are affected, by the conflict that was caused by Russia against Ukraine," said Barbu. Romania - UK Bilateral Forum this March, welcomed by president Iohannis, ambassador Portman At the receiving ceremony of the UK ambassador, Giles Portman, presenting his letters of credence, president Iohannis welcomed Romania's hosting, in 2024, of the second edition of the Romania - United Kingdom Bilateral Forum, following the inaugural event held in London on March 23, 2023, told Agerpres. The president appreciated the excellent bilateral Strategic Partnership relationship and the close Romanian-British cooperation, based on in-depth ties at the political, economic, civil society and community levels, as well as the cooperation within the Strategic Partnership between the two states, renewed last year. The two officials evoked the important role of His Majesty King Charles III in the development of bilateral relations. Klaus Iohannis emphasized the importance of developing cooperation with the United Kingdom in all fields, including the economy, security and defense, the interaction of the two states within NATO being exemplary. "In the current difficult context, marked by Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East, the cooperation and coordination of the two states are all the more important in terms of efforts to create a safer international environment," the Presidential Administration points out, indicating that ambassador Portman addressed, on this occasion, special thanks for the support provided by Romania to Ukraine. During the discussion, interest was also expressed in the development of Romanian-British relations through better use of the existing significant economic and sectoral potential, both from the perspective of increasing trade and mutual investments, as well as the development of interpersonal relations. Thus, the important role played in the development of bilateral ties by the Romanian community in the United Kingdom, which amounts to approximately 1.2 million people, was highlighted. Ambassador Giles Portman emphasized the importance of cooperation in the security field considering the current security context on NATO's Eastern Flank and recalled the fact that British aircraft will resume Air Police missions in Romania from the spring of this year. He also emphasized the very good cooperation that Romania and the United Kingdom have in the field of law enforcement. The British ambassador said that a priority of his mandate will be the promotion of British investments in Romania. President Klaus Iohannis received, on Monday evening, at the Cotroceni presidential Palace, for the presentation of the letters of credence, the ambassadors of Brazil - Ricardo Guerra Araujo, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Giles Portman, of Albania, Enkeleda Merkuri - of Greece, Evangelia Grammatika, Armenia - Tigran Galstyan, Azerbaijan - Gudsi Dursun oglu Osmanov, Tunisia - Sami Nagga and Japan - Takashi Katae. Scheduled events for January 23 PRESIDENCY: - Annual meeting with the heads of diplomatic missions accredited in Romania, with a speech by president Klaus Iohannis DIPLOMACY: - Foreign Affairs minister Luminita Odobescu receives Moldova's government Deputy PM, minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration Nicu Popescu ECONOMY: - Monetary indicators on December 2023, released by central bank - Value of assets of mandatory and optional private pension funds, 11 months into 2023 CULTURE: - Culture minister Raluca Turcan attends official opening of Iasi Natural History Museum, alongside Senate president, Liberal leader Nicolae Ciuca Without a Palestinian state, there will be no peace or security. The arrival point of the peace process initiated in Madrid (1991) and Oslo (1993) left the door open to a final resolution that could involve the creation of a Palestinian state coexisting with Israel. With the efforts of three decades definitively ruined by Hamas atrocious attack on October 7 on Israeli territory, and by Israels disproportionate and indiscriminate military response in Gaza, a formula is now gaining traction that implies the temporal inversion of the terms and which is gaining broad international consensus, including from the United States. This formula converts the recognition of the Palestinian state into the premise for peace, rather than its consequence. It is this view that is contemplated in the plan presented yesterday by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, to the foreign ministers of the 27 member states. The implicit purpose is to momentarily contribute to putting maximum pressure on Israel to exit Gaza instead of prolonging the war and increasing the toll of deaths, injuries and destruction to the point of putting at risk the future of the Strip as a habitat for the Palestinians. Hence Borrells harsh and direct questions to Benjamin Netanyahu in the face of his repeated refusal to accept the two states: What other solutions do you have in mind? Force all Palestinians to leave? Kill them off? The European Union seeks an end to the war and is willing, if necessary, to participate in the international imposition of the terms of the agreements that the parties involved have never been able to deliver on. The new peace plan must be comprehensive and include all aspects of the conflict, instead of following the gradualist method that characterized the previous ones. It is about guaranteeing security for the entire region, for Israel and for Palestine, instead of leaving gaps conducive to the breakdown of the process. As it gets underway, the EU proposes to end the war, alleviate the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, avoid regional escalation, obtain the release of the hostages, strengthen the Palestinian Authority and begin the recovery and reconstruction of Gaza and the communities of southern Israel attacked by Hamas. Hence the meeting prior to the Foreign Affairs Council with the corresponding Arab ministers and with the Israeli and Palestinian ministers. The European plan includes holding an international conference as soon as possible Madrid and Brussels are being nominated as the venue not to open up a process without deadlines but to culminate it with a Palestinian state within a year. The road will not be easy. From the outset, the blunt blockade of the Palestinian state by the current Israeli government is nothing new, and it stands in open dispute with the White House for the same reason; it is also under domestic pressure from the relatives of the hostages, discouraged by a strategy that prioritizes war over the liberation of kidnapped individuals and which has so far achieved such terrible results. On the other hand, and despite Borrells efforts, the EU still does not have a single voice regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The demand of countries such as Spain or Belgium for an immediate ceasefire is in contrast with the reluctance of others such as Germany or Austria. Meanwhile, France and Italy have joined the criticism of the growing number of Palestinian civilian deaths. It is, however, to be celebrated that, despite their discrepancies, the Twenty-Seven agree that lasting peace requires a two-state solution. Cristian Ghinea, coordinator of the Department of Public Policies of the Save Romania Union (USR), has submitted a complaint to the Bucharest Court of Appeal against the way in which chief prosecutor of the National Anti-Corruption Directorate (DNA) Marius Voineag, "chose to grant protection to Lucian Bode, through an illegal investigation in the case of a rigged purchase by which they bought 300 BMWs at the Ministry of Home Affairs from a company known to have connections with President Klaus Iohannis," USR informs. Ghinea filed the complaint against Ordinance 2792/C/2023 that ordered to reject as inadmissible the complaint against the classification solution of October 16, 2023 in File 376/P/2022 of the Section for combating crimes related to corruption within DNA, whereby requests the admission of the complaint, the abolition of the challenged solutions and sending of the case to the prosecutor for the reopening of the file, and a referral to the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), as the conditions for this are met by the applicable community and national legislation. Ghinea also notified the Court of Justice of the European Union in this case for a preliminary decision, addressing two questions. The first asks for clarification if, under the EU Treaty, the DNA carried out an investigation illegally, in violation of the community provisions in cases of fraud with European funds. The second one aims to clarify whether or not after the opening of this file through DNA's self-referral and the subsequent invocation of Cristian Ghinea's lack of procedural capacity, the prosecutor Marius Voineag wanted, in fact, to close the subject In the same notification, Ghinea showed that in the auction file for BMW vehicles, DNA did not have the legal right to carry out any activity, as the decision-making competence rests exclusively with the EPPO; even less to order a classification solution by reference to crimes other than those that concern the financial interests of the Union, given that previously a referral was made to the EPPO. ST. LOUIS Call Menya Rui the small restaurant with a mighty reach. The Lindenwood Park ramen shop ranks No. 2 on Yelps list of the top 100 restaurants nationwide for 2024. The new honor follows chef and owner Steven Pursley being named in September one of Food & Wine magazines Best New Chefs in the country. To create its list, Yelp said the restaurant-rating apps data-science team analyzed user submissions to determine the top restaurants by ratings, number of reviews, and volume of submissions, and finalized the rankings with the expertise of (Yelps) community managers. Menya Rui finished behind only Tumerico, a vegetarian Mexican restaurant in Tucson, Arizona, in Yelp's list of 100 U.S. restaurants. It is the only St. Louis restaurant on the list. Pursley debuted Menya Rui in April 2022 at 3453 Hampton Avenue. The restaurant features a compact menu of different ramen styles including mazemen, brothless ramen, and tuskemen, dipping ramen, as well as pork and chicken shoyu ramen and housemade noodles. Prior to opening Menya Rui, Pursley had worked for three years in ramen restaurants in Japan. First-time visitors should note that Menya Rui does not take reservations and customers usually line up outside the front door. Joe Holleman Political correspondent/columnist Follow Joe Holleman 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 When it comes to electric vehicles, you can put U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley in the not-a-fan category. Last week, Missouris senior GOP senator grilled a top Biden administration official about tax subsidies going to foreign countries to produce electric vehicles and related components. Hawley noted that the White House now mandates that two-thirds of our new vehicle sales, just in the next eight years ... be electric vehicles. Your policies are driving us and our supply chains straight into the hands of (China), our greatest geo-strategic enemy, Hawley said Thursday to David M. Turk, deputy secretary of the Department of Energy. Hawley, who now opposes anti-union right-to-work laws and showed up in Wentzville this summer to support a United Auto Workers strike, said the White House policy is harmful to American workers. Turk replied that the government is just beginning to put programs into place like the tax-incentive program that will help Wieland Rolled products in East Alton expand its facility to produce batteries and using the tools that Congress gave us, to diversify our supply chain. Turk said he is confident that the U.S. can be smart working together to make sure weve got jobs for folks high-quality, high-paying jobs. Hawley maintained that current efforts are not satisfactory, and again referred to UAW workers in Wentzville. I dont want those workers to lose their jobs (just to) have another couple of hundred jobs created in some other state, co-owned by a foreign country and making half the wages, Hawley said. Tony Messenger Metro columnist Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today ST. LOUIS Southwest Airlines vs. John Gaal was never a fair fight. In one corner was a behemoth corporation focused on profit margins. In the other corner was a man possessed to do right, haunted by the death of his son. Id put my money on Gaal every time. In December, he won. Regular readers will remember that I wrote about Gaal and his wife, Mary, last year after they helped save a mans life on a Southwest Airlines flight. The couple carries Narcan with them. Thats the prescription nose spray that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. Its carried by police and firefighters, and it is increasingly found in public places like libraries. Gaal, with the help of a doctor on the Southwest flight, administered the Narcan to a man who was suffering from an overdose. Stepping in to help save a total stranger is a tribute to John Jr., Gaal says, referring to his son, who committed suicide after a battle with mental health issues brought on by concussions. After his sons death, Gaal advocated to get rid of the stigma attached to mental health issues and opioid abuse in the construction industry, where he worked most of his life. While I cant fix the past, I can damn sure positively impact the future, he says. Mary, while doing ministry for the homeless, has administered the drug on St. Louis streets to people suffering an overdose. Narcan works. Thats why Gaal was upset that Southwest was one of the only major airlines to not include it in flight medical kits. He was also upset that the Federal Aviation Administration didnt require Narcan. So he started writing letters to Southwests CEO and to members of the U.S. House and Senate. And to me. Gaals movement grew. He appeared on other local media outlets. An attorney in Illinois, Sam Cahnman, started advocating with folks in politics. Last week, Gaal sent me and Cahnman an article from the Wall Street Journal. It was about airline medical kits needing to include EpiPen injectors, which counteract allergic reactions. Buried in the story was a paragraph that said Southwest Airlines had begun to retrofit its medical kits with Narcan. Indeed, its true, a Southwest spokesman told me last week. The project started in December and by the end of 2024, every Southwest Airlines flight should carry Narcan. With customer safety and comfort at front of mind, Southwest is enhancing its onboard emergency medical kits above and beyond current FAA requirements, the spokesman said in an email. The new kits, which are being installed throughout our fleet over the course of 2024, feature an auto-injector dosage of epinephrine, as well as doses of naloxone (Narcan) nasal spray and ondansetron (Zofran) tablets. Both Gaal and Cahnman applaud the change. But theyre not about to stop. I think it is a disgrace that in todays world, too often, we have to shame people and firms into doing the right thing, Gaal says. I realize progress is often made in small steps. But Mary, my wife, wonders if Southwest Airlines is taking the extra step and training their cabin crews in how to administer the Narcan. He points out that it takes less than 30 minutes to learn how to administer Narcan. Cahnman is still pushing Congress to pass a bill requiring Narcan to be carried on all airline flights. He recently met with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., to encourage him to get behind legislation that has been filed. Fentanyl is the deadliest drug the world has ever seen, Cahnman says. We have to do everything we can to attack this epidemic. But the first step is to keep knowing and unknowing Fentanyl users alive. Update: Jordan Fowle surrendered to authorities on Tuesday afternoon. Read the latest coverage here. JEFFERSON COUNTY A former Town and Country police sergeant is considered a fugitive after deputies have tried for days to arrest him on nine charges of child sex abuse. The former officer, Jordan Fowle, had not been arrested as of Tuesday afternoon. At this point, we would absolutely call him a fugitive, Grant Bissell, Jefferson County Sheriffs Office spokesman, said Monday evening. His attorney is obviously aware of the warrants. It seems as though hes trying to avoid being arrested. Fowle, 57, is accused of sexually abusing two teenagers over the past 11 years in Jefferson County. He was charged last week with child sexual abuse, sodomy and seven counts of child molestation. The retired sergeant strongly denies these allegations, his attorney, Richard Lozano, said on Saturday. In an unusual move, Lozano has already filed a motion to reduce his bond when he is in custody. Lozano told the Post-Dispatch on Monday that Fowle "will be in custody" before his Jan. 29 bond reduction hearing but did not answer questions about where Fowle was in the meantime. Police have tried several times to arrest Fowle, including at his House Springs home, since the charges were filed Jan. 16, Bissell said. A judge issued Fowle's arrest warrant and denied him bond last week when the charges were filed. Still, Lozano got a bond reduction hearing scheduled for Jan. 29 even though his client was not in custody. "I can tell you from my perspective as a public information person, I've never had to deal with a situation quite like this," he said. Lozano wrote in that bond motion that Fowle is not a flight risk because he is a lifelong resident of the community. He lives in House Springs with his wife, and they own multiple houses in Eureka. Town and Country police Chief Daniel Wilkey said in a statement Saturday that he has no reason at the present time to believe any alleged incidents occurred while Jordan Fowle was on duty, or otherwise acting in the official capacity of a Town and Country police officer. Fowle was hired in 1995 and retired Dec. 15, Wilkey said. Fowle made almost $102,000 in 2022 with the department, which employs about 30 officers, according to the Post-Dispatchs salary database. ST. LOUIS Police on Monday identified the man who was killed when his car ran a stop sign and struck a semi-truck Thursday afternoon at South Second and Sidney streets. Police said the car was speeding eastbound on South Second Street when it ran the stop sign. The driver, 35-year-old Brant Renfro, was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said. The truck driver was injured but was in stable condition, police said. The crash took place at about 2:50 p.m. in the city's Kosciusko neighborhood. CLAYTON The chair of the St. Louis County Council is working on a bill that seeks to give the council control over all public safety functions in the county, including in municipalities. Chair Shalonda Webb, a Democrat from unincorporated North County, didnt respond to questions on Monday. But she sent a request to the county counselors office last week asking it to prepare legislation for a public vote to give the council power over any and all public safety functions and services throughout the entire County, including within incorporated municipalities. Her note said the purpose was to provide uniform public safety countywide. As a charter amendment, such a bill would require a vote of St. Louis County residents. The proposal set off alarm bells in municipalities on Monday after the Municipal League of Metro St. Louis emailed it out to muni officials. I dont know what her intent is, but given the way that was written, the league and our members would not be in support of it, said Pat Kelly, the leagues executive director. I dont think we want the county to have policy and procedural control over our municipal police departments. Webbs motivation, however, could be simpler. Since at least September, she has worked on a gun control law to crack down on the open carry of firearms. It passed the council in October but only in unincorporated county; Webb was frustrated it didnt reach into the countys 87 municipalities. At the time, Webb wanted municipalities to pass their own versions so the rule would be consistent throughout the county. Municipal officials on Monday said the last time the county tried to grab more control over their police departments was during the Better Together debacle in 2019, when city and county officials looked to combine all of the countys municipalities into one giant metropolitan city. Better Together would be the worst-case scenario, Kelly said. Chesterfield Mayor Bob Nation also recalled Better Together and said he didnt think Webbs idea would hold up in court. And Webster Groves Mayor Laura Arnold said the proposal came as a surprise. We are definitely in favor of regional cooperation, but this seems like a whole unilateral move, Arnold said. They really need to consult with municipalities before even considering how things would go forward. Berkeley City Manager Nathan Mai-Lombardo said municipalities need more authority, not less. What would be more palatable to municipalities or residents would be to further empower them to handle their own affairs, Mai-Lombardo said, not to do a giant power grab. Its not clear when the bill might be introduced. It can take weeks to prepare legislation. Former Councilman Tim Fitch, who also served in the county police department for more than 30 years, said municipalities may contract with the county for police services. Fenton does that, for instance. But otherwise, municipal police departments typically operate independently. If its the way it sounds and St. Louis County could take over all of the enforcement mechanisms of the municipalities, I think its dead on arrival, said Fitch, a Republican. It just depends where she wants to go with it. When he was on the council, Fitch unsuccessfully tried to pass a plan where county police could enforce county laws on MetroLink trains. The light rail line runs through multiple municipalities and poses a headache for officers trying to police it. But the idea never got off the ground because of municipal opposition, he said. The pushback I got from munis was: Well, how far does this go? Since you can enforce on MetroLink, does that mean you can now come out and enforce county ordinance everywhere? Fitch said. The county gun reform law passed last fall requires a concealed carry license to openly carry a gun in unincorporated county. It effectively blocks teenagers from openly carrying because minors cant get a concealed carry license. Seeing young people openly carry guns has stricken fear into North County communities, Webb said at the time. The law requires anyone openly carrying a gun to provide a valid government-issued concealed carry license if a police officer demands it. Anyone older than 18 who violates the rule could face a fine up to $500 or jail time up to a year, or both. Children could face a fine up to $500, community service or both. To get a concealed carry license in Missouri, applicants must be at least 19 years old and have taken a safety class, among other requirements. The law was based on a similar law pushed by St. Louis Alderwoman Cara Spencer and signed by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones in August. Councilmembers reached Monday about Webbs new proposal didnt know any details, they said. Doug Moore, spokesperson for County Executive Sam Page, said Pages office looks forward to reviewing the proposed legislation. The soonest a question could appear on the ballot would be Aug. 6, said Rick Stream, a county elections director. JEFFERSON CITY A public spat between two of Missouris top Republicans spilled into a second day Tuesday as Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft defended his office against a stinging report issued by Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. Ashcroft, who is seeking the GOP nomination for governor, said an audit of his office released Monday focusing on ballot security was false and misleading and may have been the product of a political campaign against him. These are political opinions. This is not good government to have politics in official reports, Ashcroft told reporters gathered in his office near the Capitol. Fitzpatrick, at a press conference later Tuesday, said the auditing process used by his staff was typical and not an attack. There is no good benefit to get in a fight with the Secretary of States office, Fitzpatrick said. At issue are findings outlined in an audit that blasted Ashcroft for withdrawing from a national system designed to improve the accuracy of voting rolls last year. Fitzpatrick said Ashcrofts March 2023 decision to leave the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, will cause local election authorities to have less information to identify and correct inaccurate voter records because the office did not have a plan to replace the benefits received from membership in the coalition. Ashcroft denied the accusations, saying planning and follow-up did occur, ensuring that the states county clerks have other options to ensure voting rolls are clean. It took us about a year to make that decision because we wanted to make sure Missouri elections continue to be the gold standard, Ashcroft said. The auditor is incorrect. In addition to criticisms over withdrawing from ERIC, the audit found that Ashcrofts office refused to provide information on the offices implementation of a new law to perform cyber security reviews of Missouris 116 local election authorities. Ashcroft said his office could not turn over documents because of agreements made with a vast majority of election authorities that prohibited the release of information. He said Fitzpatrick should have taken the matter before a judge if he wanted a resolution. It is ridiculous to say our office didnt follow the law, Ashcroft said. Fitzpatrick said a decision was made to move forward without court intervention because of cost and time concerns. This work was done how it was supposed to be done, Fitzpatrick said. In addition, Ashcroft said the law cited by Fitzpatrick wasnt fully in effect during the audit period. Ashcroft told reporters that the culprit for the report may not be Fitzpatrick, but a former Secretary of State employee who now works as the auditors chief of staff. Ill tell you this: Its understandable why the people of this country and the people of Missouri can think that theres a deep state when things like this happen, Ashcroft said. I dont know how much the state auditor had to do with this. Reasonably we could expect that this was done by bureaucrats in his office. Asked if the former staffer, Brandon Alexander, had an ax to grind, Ashcroft would not elaborate. I would just say he is no longer here. We wish him the best of luck where he is, he said. Fitzpatrick said he reviews and approves all audits that are released by his office. I put my name on it, he said. This is not a personal issue. Alexander was a legislative aide in the House before Ashcroft tapped him as an elections director. Alexander worked for Fitzpatrick when he became treasurer and then moved to the auditors office last year when Fitzpatrick was elected to the post. Ashcroft is vying for the GOP nomination against Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring. Democrats seeking the top post include House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and southwest Missouri businessman Mike Hamra. ST. LOUIS Fourty-one percent of flights departing and 35 percent of arrivals at St. Louis Lambert International Airport were canceled for Monday, according to FlightAware, which tracks flight data. Nearly 90 departing flights and more than 70 arriving flights were axed, according to the site. Many other flights were delayed. Lambert has its own tracker, but FlightAware is often more up to date. Freezing rain and ice brought the airport to a halt overnight. All three runways were iced over and closed as of 5 a.m. Monday. One was reopened about 8 a.m., said airport spokesman Roger Lotz. By 2 p.m., the two others were open. The wave of early cancellations Monday left would-be travelers who made it to the airport for morning flights waiting for rebooked evening trips. Many spent the day in terminal restaurants and bars, or hunkered down with their luggage and snoozing on floors and in chairs. Linda Bowe's 70th birthday trip to the Dominican Republic was already two years late because of the pandemic, and the icy storm added another day's wait on Monday. She and friend Debbie Calcara were among a group of would-be travelers booked on a 9 a.m. direct charter flight through a travel agency. Calcara did laps around the terminal and they both napped to pass the time. Jackie Brewer, of Lake Saint Louis, said roads were dicey Monday morning. "We drove in, but we had to do it carefully," she said. "You couldn't do more than 40 miles per hour." The passengers were booked on a Monday evening commercial flight to the Dominican Republic, through Orlando, Florida, with a 10-hour layover. For passenger Lacey Fowler, what was supposed to be a trip of a few hours turned into a full day. Her flight from Pittsburgh arrived in St. Louis on Sunday evening, but the connection to Oklahoma City was canceled. She spent the next roughly 24 hours in the airport, parked on a chair, sleeping and waiting for her rebooked flight Monday evening. JEFFERSON CITY Missouris Republican auditor criticized Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft Monday for withdrawing from a national system designed to improve the accuracy of voting rolls last year. In a scathing report, Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said his fellow Republicans March 2023 decision to leave the Electronic Registration Information Center will cause local election authorities to have less information to identify and correct inaccurate voter records because the office did not have a plan to replace the benefits received from membership in the coalition. I can respect why Secretary Ashcroft felt it was necessary to end the relationship with ERIC, but that doesnt negate the responsibility to have a plan to replace that data so the office has a reliable way to ensure we dont have dead voters registered in Missouri as we enter a major election year, Fitzpatrick wrote. Ashcroft, who is running for the GOP nomination for governor, alleged that the system, commonly called ERIC, had refused to require member states to participate in multistate efforts to address voter fraud and had focused on adding names to voter rolls by requiring solicitations to individuals who had already had the opportunity to register, among other complaints. The move came as former President Donald Trump urged state election officials like Ashcroft to pull out of ERIC, calling the organization on social media a terrible Voter Registration System that pumps the rolls for Democrats and does nothing to clean them up. It is a fools game for Republicans. The criticism by Fitzpatrick of another Republican statewide officeholder comes after he and Ashcroft tangled in court over a ballot initiative in 2022. Fitzpatrick, a former member of the House and former state treasurer, alleged Ashcroft had crossed a line in using his powers to write the ballot language affecting the operation of the treasurers office. Ashcroft is vying for the GOP nomination against Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring. Democrats seeking the top post include House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, D-Springfield, and southwest Missouri businessman Mike Hamra. The latest report says county clerks and election authorities across the state urged Ashcroft to join ERIC in 2017 to improve the efficiency and quality of voter registration list maintenance. But as the auditors office attempted to evaluate the office, secretary of states office officials refused to provide key reports, forcing the auditor to obtain the information directly from ERIC, Fitzpatrick said. The data shows during the five years the state was a member, the secretary of state and local election authorities were provided information on over 770,000 potentially duplicate voter registration records and over 21,000 deceased voter registration records. Election administrators in Missouris largest election jurisdiction, St. Louis County, used ERIC reports to remove thousands of dead voters from their voter rolls alone, the audit said. Fitzpatrick said Ashcroft did not fully evaluate the benefits received from ERIC prior to terminating the membership. Since the departure, county clerks have publicly stated their list maintenance efforts will be less efficient and more tedious as they will have to rely on other methods to ensure the accuracy of their voter rolls. Public trust in the electoral process is the cornerstone of our democratic institutions, Fitzpatrick said. In addition to criticisms over withdrawing from ERIC, the audit found that Ashcrofts office refused to provide information on the offices implementation of a new law to perform cyber security reviews of Missouris 116 local election authorities. Because the secretary of state refused to cooperate, audit staff were unable to obtain sufficient evidence to evaluate the steps taken by the office to comply with the new state law. The law clearly provides our audit staff with the authority to receive and review this information, and its disappointing the Secretary of States Office stood in the way of our efforts to perform a thorough analysis of how the new cyber security reviews have been implemented, Fitzpatrick said. Going forward I hope the office, and all governmental entities, will follow the law and respect the duty we have to provide taxpayers with a better understanding of how government is operating and that their tax dollars are being used efficiently, he added. Ashcroft, who has met with national figures who have peddled conspiracy theories about election fraud in the wake of Trumps 2020 loss, said in a response to the audit that local election officials have other means available to maintain voter records. He added that there is some overall value in being a member of ERIC, but that its value was less than expected. Ashcroft also said releasing information to the auditor could have caused great harm to the states election system and that the secretary of states office had not violated any law. Former Harvard President Claudine Gay speaks during a hearing of the House Committee on Education on Capitol Hill, Dec. 5, 2023 in Washington. Harvard University has shed fresh light on the ongoing investigation into plagiarism accusations against former president Claudine Gay, including that an independent body recommended a broader review after substantiating some of the complaints. In a letter Friday to a congressional committee, Harvard said it learned of the plagiarism allegations against its first Black female president on Oct. 24 from a New York Post reporter. The school reached out to several authors whom Gay is accused of plagiarizing and none objected to her language, it said. Harvard then appointed the independent body, which focused on two of Gays articles published in 2012 and 2017. It concluded they are both sophisticated and original, and found virtually no evidence of intentional claiming of findings that were not her own. The panel, however, concluded that nine of 25 allegations found by the Post were of principal concern and featured paraphrased or reproduced the language of others without quotation marks and without sufficient and clear crediting of sources. It also found one instance where fragments of duplicative language and paraphrasing by Gay could be interpreted as her taking credit for another academics work, though there isnt any evidence that was her aim. It also found that a third paper, written by Gay during her first year in graduate school, contained identical language to that previously published by others. Those findings prompted a broader review of her work by a Harvard subcommittee, which eventually led Gay to make corrections to the 2012 article as well as a 2001 article that surfaced in the broader review. The subcommittee presented its findings Dec. 9 to the Harvard Corporation, Harvards governing board, concluding that Gays conduct was not reckless nor intentional and, therefore, did not constitute research misconduct. Gays academic career first came under the scrutiny following her congressional testimony about antisemitism on campus. Gay, Liz Magill of the University of Pennsylvania and MITs president, Sally Kornbluth, came under criticism for their lawyerly answers to New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, who asked whether calling for the genocide of Jews would violate the colleges codes of conduct. The three presidents had been called before the Republican-led House Committee on Education and the Workforce to answer accusations that universities were failing to protect Jewish students amid rising fears of antisemitism worldwide and the fallout from Israels intensifying war in Gaza. Gay said it depended on the context, adding that when speech crosses into conduct, that violates our policies. The answer faced swift backlash from Republican and some Democratic lawmakers, as well as the White House. The House committee announced days later that it would investigate the policies and disciplinary procedures at Harvard, MIT and Penn. The corporation initially rallied behind Gay, saying a review of her scholarly work turned up a few instances of inadequate citation but no evidence of research misconduct. The allegations of plagiarism continued to surface through December and Gay resigned this month. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition ST. LOUIS The storm that froze much of the Midwest also shut down the St. Louis region on Monday, as hours of freezing rain turned roads into a slippery mess and led to the closure of government offices, schools and businesses. Metro suspended bus routes due to treacherous road conditions. At one point, about 90 outgoing flights had been canceled at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Still, authorities urged drivers to stay home, and they did: Highways were largely empty, even during the morning commute. By days end, the Missouri Highway Patrol had handled no fatal crashes or even accidents with serious injuries in the St. Louis area. A lot of folks listened to our warnings and didnt get out, or they delayed their morning commute, said patrol spokesperson Cpl. Dallas Thompson. With the amount of ice we had, thats really great news. City fire officials said most of the calls they received Monday morning were for people who had fallen after slipping on icy walkways. At Lambert, freezing rain brought the airport to a halt overnight. By Monday morning, runways were closed and numerous flights canceled or delayed. Runways later reopened, but some were still stranded for the day. A wave of early cancellations The storm left morning air travelers rebooked on evening trips. Many spent the day in terminal restaurants and bars or hunkered down with their luggage and snoozing on floors and in chairs. Linda Bowes 70th birthday trip to the Dominican Republic was already two years late because of the pandemic, and the storm added another days wait on Monday. She and friend Debbie Calcara were among a group of would-be travelers booked on a 9 a.m. direct charter flight through a travel agency. Calcara did laps around the terminal, and they both napped to pass the time. Jackie Brewer, of Lake Saint Louis, said roads were dicey getting to the airport. We drove in, but we had to do it carefully, she said. You couldnt do more than 40 mph. The passengers were booked on a Monday evening commercial flight to the Dominican Republic, through Orlando, Florida, with a 10-hour layover. Many schools closed on Monday. So did the Gateway Arch. St. Louis and St. Louis County closed government offices Monday; some city staff were asked to work remotely. City and county courts shuttered. Those summoned for jury duty Monday were told to come Tuesday instead. The University of Missouri St. Louis, St. Louis University and Washington Universitys Danforth Campus all switched to online classes for the day. Any faculty and staff who could work remotely were asked to do so. St. Lukes Hospital closed four urgent care locations for the day in Arnold, Chesterfield, Des Peres and Ladue. The General Motors plant in Wentzville canceled one shift, according to the union. And businesses across the region shut down for the day or closed early. Kris Kleindienst, owner of Left Bank Books, rescheduled an author event and closed her Central West End bookstore at 4 p.m., four hours early. Its less likely people come out when there are treacherous roads, Kleindienst said. We want to keep everyone safe. Still, she said, with the weather uncertain, she opted to open Monday morning. I personally think its better to keep running your business instead of, every time its icky, to quit, she said. After COVID-19, all of us in retail business are very anxious to be open when we can, even if its less than comfortable. How we eat is based on being able to sell what we sell, Kleindienst said. So youre going to try and do that as best you can. An early, slippery start to the day The freezing rain started around 2 a.m. Monday, when it was about 31 degrees, according to readings taken at Lambert by the National Weather Service. Brad Charboneau, a meteorologist there, said the amount of ice varied throughout the metro area, anywhere from a few hundredths of an inch all the way up to close to a quarter of an inch. The nearly quarter-inch amounts were reported around the St. Peters-Cottleville border in St. Charles County and north of Winfield in Lincoln County, he said. Generally speaking, a quarter-inch is kind of a threshold where we start to see damage to infrastructure such as downed tree limbs, he said. Looking ahead, the area forecast through Wednesday night called for gradually warming temperatures and a better than even chance of rain. As far as the freezing rain goes, weve wrapped that up at this point, Charboneau said late Monday afternoon. The low Monday night was predicted to be 33 degrees. The Tuesday forecast called for a high of 43 and low of 40, with daytime rain chances pegged at 20% but increasing to 80% Tuesday night. On Wednesday, the high is expected to be 53 and low 44, with a 60% to 70% chance of rain. Annika Merrilees, Christian Gooden and Hannah Wyman of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report. Submit your video Have video of icy conditions? 1. Please stay safe and stay off the roads if you're able. 2. Use this link to send us the video. JERUSALEM Palestinian militants carried out the deadliest single attack on Israeli forces in Gaza since the Hamas raid that triggered the war, killing 21 soldiers, the military said Tuesday, a significant setback that could add to mounting calls for a cease-fire. Hours later, the military announced that ground forces had encircled the southern city of Khan Younis, Gazas second largest, and thick, black smoke could be seen rising over the city as thousands of Palestinians fled south. Witnesses said Israeli tanks and troops had also moved into Muwasi, a nearby coastal area that the military had previously declared a safe zone for Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the Israeli soldiers, who died when the blast from a rocket-propelled grenade triggered explosives they were laying to blow up buildings. But he vowed to press ahead until absolute victory, including crushing Hamas and freeing more than 100 Israeli hostages still held by the militants. Israelis are increasingly questioning whether its possible to achieve those war aims. In the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attack, outraged Israelis set aside long simmering political differences and rallied behind the war. More than 100 days later, divisions are re-emerging, and anger is growing over Netanyahus conduct of the war. Families of the hostages have called for Israel to reach a deal with Hamas, saying time is running out to bring their relatives home alive. A senior Egyptian official said Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which the hostages would be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. The official, who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hamas rejected the proposal and insists no more hostages will be released until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from Gaza. Israels government declined to comment on the talks. Egypt and Qatar which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas were developing a multistage proposal to try to bridge the gaps, the official said. One of the hardest days for Israel Israeli reservists were preparing explosives Monday to demolish two buildings outside central Gazas Maghazi refugee camp, near the Israeli border, when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby. The blast triggered the explosives, collapsing both two-story buildings onto the soldiers. Israeli media said the troops were working to create an informal buffer zone, about a kilometer wide (0.6 miles) along the border to prevent militants from attacking Israeli communities near Gaza. Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said the mission was to clear buildings to create the conditions" that would allow the residents of the south to return to their homes. The United States has said it would oppose any attempt by Israel to shrink Gazas territory. Throughout the war, Israeli troops have used controlled detonations to destroy structures that the military says hide Hamas tunnels or have been used by militants as firing positions one reason for the massive destruction wreaked by the ground offensive. Blasts have destroyed entire city blocks, apartment complexes, government buildings and universities, fueling Palestinians fears that the territory will left unlivable. At least 217 soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began in late October, including three killed in a separate event Monday, according to the military. Netanyahu acknowledged on social media that it was one of the hardest days of the war but vowed to keep up the offensive. We are in the middle of a war that is more than justified. In this war, we are making big achievements, like the encircling of Khan Younis, and there are also very heavy losses, he later said in a video statement. Israel launched its offensive after Hamas crossed the border Oct. 7, killing over 1,200 people and abducting some 250 others. More than 100 were released in November during a weeklong cease-fire. The offensive has caused widespread death and destruction, killing at least 25,490 people the majority women and children and wounding another 63,354, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. An estimated 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes in a humanitarian crisis that has left one-quarter of the population facing starvation. Troops in the safe zone With fighting raging in neighboring Khan Younis city, witnesses said that in the past few days Israeli troops and tanks had entered parts of Muwasi. Previously, the military had told Palestinians to take refuge in the tiny rural area on the Mediterranean coast, saying it would be spared military operations. On Monday, troops stormed Al-Khair Hospital inside the zone and struck the nearby Al-Aqsa University where displaced people were sheltering, according to health officials. The advance sent families who had fled to the area from fighting elsewhere fleeing once more, said one witness, Aseel al-Muqayed. One main street had been very crowded with displaced people, you could hardly find a place without a tent. Now the area is almost empty, she said, adding that she had seen tanks now stationed nearby. The 21-year-old al-Muqayed has already been displaced multiple times since her family evacuated from northern Gaza. They moved repeatedly, fleeing bombardment her younger brother and a cousin were killed in a strike that hit one of their refuges and eventually ended up in Khan Younis. She came to Muwasi several days ago, learning there was electricity there to charge her mothers phone, and now was afraid to move. For two nights, we have not been able to sleep as the sounds of tanks, gunfire and explosions are very close, she said. Inside Khan Younis, heavy fighting raged around the two main hospitals. Shelling hit the fourth floor of Al-Amal Hospital, where a shell hit the fourth floor, killing one person and wounding 10 others, according to Raed al-Nems, a spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent rescue service which runs the facility. Shelling on Monday also hit a U.N. school in the city sheltering displaced people, killing at least six people, according to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA. Israels offensive has focused for weeks on Khan Younis and several urban refugee camps in central Gaza, after the military claimed to have largely defeated Hamas in the north. Israel believes Hamas commanders may be hiding in tunnels beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the groups top leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, whose location is unknown. Pressure for a cease-fire The growing death toll and dire humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure on Israel to scale back the offensive and agree to a path for the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The United States, which has provided crucial military aid for the offensive, has joined those calls. But Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since Oct. 7 and whose governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties, has rebuffed both demands. Instead, he has said Israel will need to expand operations and eventually take over the Gaza side of the border with Egypt an area where some 1 million Palestinians are packed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters and sprawling tent camps. That drew an angry protest from Egypts government, which rejected Israeli allegations that Hamas smuggles in weapons across the heavily guarded frontier. Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypts State Information Service, said Monday that any Israeli move to occupy the border area would lead to a serious threat to relations between the two countries, which signed a landmark peace treaty over four decades ago. Egypt is also deeply concerned about any potential influx of Palestinian refugees into its Sinai Peninsula. Magdy reported from Cairo and Jobain from Rafah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Updated at 12 p.m. Recent letters to the editor have discussed Jewish views concerning abortion. As an Orthodox rabbi, I'd like to address a statement that misconstrued the Orthodox Jewish perspective on the topic. Judaism cherishes the life of an unborn child, yet prioritizes that of the mother in a tragic case of conflict. Jewish Law requires termination of pregnancy in order to save her life, even if the child cannot survive the procedure. It is unfortunate that pro-life is often equated with complete opposition to abortion under all circumstances. To those adhering to the Biblical (Torah) perspective, providing an exception when the mothers life is endangered is not a political concession but a moral ideal. It must also be noted that the Orthodox/Biblical Jewish position is sharply at odds with the view that abortion should be a choice." The life of every child including that of a child not yet born is of infinite value And it behooves not simply Jews but society as a whole to cherish and protect the lives of the unborn. Rabbi Ze'ev Smason Olivette This calls for a new level of transnational cooperation. To limit risks for human societies and secure critical Earth system functions they propose a new framework of planetary commons to guide governance of the planet. Stability and wealth of nations and our civilisation depends on the stability of critical Earth system functions that operate beyond national borders. At the same time, human activities push harder and harder on the planetary boundaries of these pivotal systems. From the Amazon rainforest to the Greenland ice masses, there are rising risks of triggering irreversible and unmanageable shifts in Earth system functioning. As these shifts affect people across the globe, we argue that tipping elements should be considered as planetary commons the world is entrusted with, and consequently in need of collective governance, explains Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and professor in sustainability science at the Centre. The publication is the result of an almost two-year-long research process involving 22 leading international researchers. Legal, political and Earth system scientists make their case by building on the well-known idea of the global commons. They then expand it significantly to design more effective legal responses to better govern biophysical systems that regulate planetary resilience beyond and across national boundaries, such as natural carbon sinks and the major forest systems. January 23, 2024: Nigeria is the largest country in sub-Sahara Desert in terms of area and population, with 225 million people. Population was only 120 million in 2000. The economy has grown even faster, with per-person GDP reaching $4,000 by 2024.While that is high for Africa, nearly half the population lives in poverty, barely getting by. One reason for this is the low literacy rate of 62 percent. That explains the high unemployment rate of over 30 percent. Endemic corruption means the national police is not only ineffective but part of the problem. Criminal activity is widespread and often intense. Currently there has been a sharp increase in kidnapping for ransom. If you are wealthy, you can hire expensive, but effective, mercenaries to recover a kidnapping victim alive. Paying the ransom encourages the kidnappers to come after more members of your family. Hiring the mercenaries encourages the kidnappers to go after more vulnerable victims. All this is a lot different from the situation 14 years ago. Since 2020 the Islamic terrorism groups faded away while tribal violence became responsible for most casualties. The Islamic terror groups main activity was staying alive, and they did so via banditry. Back in 2004, Islamic terrorist violence in the northeast appeared and created some lasting problems. There are still millions of refugees plus substantial economic damage in the northeastern Borno State, where it all began. There seems to be no end in sight because of the local corruption, but more competent leadership in some units of the security forces reduced the violence. All this was caused by a local group of Taliban wannabes calling themselves Boko Haram. Their activity in the capital of Borno State grew for a decade until in 2014 it seemed unstoppable. It took over a year for the government to finally muster sufficient military strength to cripple but not destroy Boko Haram. This did not get much media attention outside Africa, even though in 2014 Boko Haram killed more people than ISIL did in Syria and Iraq. The main reason for Boko Haram gains in 2014 and 2015 was corruption in the army, which severely crippled effective counterterror efforts. By itself Boko Haram was too small to have much impact on a national scale but the inability to deal with this problem put a spotlight on the corruption that has hobbled all progress in Nigeria for decades. A new president was elected in 2023 and made considerable progress in changing the corruption. This included problems with tribal feuds and growing unrest throughout the country. This has been especially bad down south in the Niger River Delta oil producing region. Violence against oil facilities continues, in part because local politicians and business leaders were part of the oil theft business. Northern Moslems want more control over the federal government and the oil money. In northern and central Nigeria, you have increasing violence as nomadic Moslem herders move south and clash with largely Christian farmers over land use and water supplies. For the last few years these tribal feuds have killed more people than Boko Haram. The situation is still capable of sliding into regional civil wars, over money and political power. Corruption and ethnic/tribal/religious rivalries threaten to trigger, at worse, another civil war and, at least, more street violence and public anger. Nigerias northern, landlocked neighbor, Niger recently suffered a military coup. The Nigerian military government is seeking Russian mercenaries to help deal with continued resistance from the population in the capital Niamey. Russia agreed to send troops. With enough Russian soldiers with threats around from the growing number of Islamic terror groups in the country. Russian troops could provide security for the capital and allow life in the capital region to return to normal. The major Islamic terrorist threats are out in the countryside and moving toward the capital. Currently some of these Islamic terror groups are within 40 kilometers of the capital. Russia is willing to send troops and more weapons for the Niger military. Russian mercenaries can take over security in the capital and allow Niger army troops to go out into the countryside, where Niger military knows the territory and speaks the local languages, to deal with the Islamic terrorists. Russia can provide more weapons for the Niger military and the civilian militias Niger wants to organize and arm to defend towns and villages in areas where the Islamic terrorists are approaching. Russia expects this will assure that Russian companies will get contracts to develop natural resources in Niger. This includes Russian firms carrying out major construction, including building a nuclear power plant. There is a potential problem within the military government, where some officers oppose heavy Russian involvement. If this causes a split in the military government the situation will worsen. Things can always get worse. MINNEAPOLIS, MN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Centra Companies, a prominent name in the construction and real estate development sector, is pleased to announce the launch of its new venture, Centra Capital Partners. This new branch of the company signifies Centra Companies' ongoing commitment to growth and diversification within the real estate market. Centra Capital Partners is designed to provide equity capital opportunities in individual real estate projects, initially focusing on residential housing in the Minneapolis area. The company plans to gradually expand these activities to different real estate sectors throughout the United States. The inaugural fund for Centra Capital Partners is set to open on February 1st, marking a significant step in broadening Centra Companies' investment portfolio. In a strategic move, Centra Companies has appointed Jon Rawlings as the Vice President of Capital Growth and Innovation for Centra Capital Partners. Rawlings' extensive background includes a successful tenure at Sunfish, a fintech startup, and notable fundraising achievements at the University of Southern California, having raised funds in support of capital improvements and scholarships. He holds an MBA from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in Psychology from the University of California, Irvine, skills that are well-suited for his new role in leading Centra Capital Partners. Dale Wills, the Founder of Centra Companies, expressed confidence in Rawlings' appointment, noting that "Jon's diverse experience and proven abilities in strategic planning and fundraising are ideal for steering Centra Capital Partners towards success." Centra Capital Partners is dedicated to offering investors unique opportunities to engage with the vibrant and evolving real estate market. This initiative underscores Centra Companies' dedication to innovation and excellence in the realms of real estate and investment. **About Centra Companies** Founded in 2011, Centra Companies has established itself as a leader in construction and real estate development. With its headquarters in Minneapolis and additional offices in Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, the company has expanded its services to include diverse real estate projects and financial markets. Centra Companies is known for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and community development. Contact Information Dale Wills [email protected] (763) 230-4001 SOURCE: Centra Capital Partners View the original press release on newswire.com. NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Equum Medical announces an initiative with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC), addressing the pressing healthcare challenges faced by underserved populations in rural Mississippi through innovative telehealth solutions. This initiative marks a significant effort toward healthcare accessibility and quality for all by coupling the pillars of telehealth: people, process and technology. A significant portion of Mississippi's population resides in rural and remote areas, where healthcare access remains a persistent challenge. The Delta Region, in particular, faces economic and infrastructure disparities, resulting in limited access to quality healthcare services. Rural hospitals in these areas often struggle with limited financial resources, severe physician shortages and restricted access to specialized care. UMMC has emerged as a pioneering institution in the field of telehealth, aiming to address the critical healthcare challenges faced by the rural population in Mississippi, particularly in the Delta Region. In 2017 UMMC was recognized as one of only two federally designated Centers of Excellence in Telehealth, and with this designation, UMMC is tasked by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to explore innovative ways to advance telemedicine practice. Telehealth has emerged as a transformative approach to bridge the healthcare gap in rural areas. By utilizing technology, telehealth enables healthcare professionals to reach patients remotely, providing consultations, diagnoses and treatment recommendations. For a market like Mississippi, ensuring adequate provider availability is a specific requirement to support telehealth program services and scale. Enter Equum Medical and Dynamic Virtual Resourcing; dynamic resourcing involves the real-time allocation of healthcare professionals and resources based on patient needs, demand fluctuations and service availability. Equum Medical CEO Dr. Corey Scurlock expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, saying, "Equum Medical is proud to work with the University of Mississippi Medical Center in the effort to transform rural healthcare. We have a shared vision of leveraging technology to overcome barriers to healthcare access." The initiative is expected to not only provide essential high-acuity care services to underserved populations but also serve as a reference tool for others seeking to replicate the model of comprehensive telehealth integration and dynamic resource allocation. About Equum Medical Equum Medical is a nationally recognized, tech-enabled clinical services company that provides the people and processes that ensure investments in telehealth technology succeed in transforming inpatient care. Equum's clinical services platform focuses on the acute care population spanning ED, ICU, nursing, sitter and telemetry services solutions. For 2024, the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) has designated Equum Medical as its exclusive Health Information Technology Coalition Partner and Equum Medical continues to be a partner and Gold member of the NRHA. Learn more here at www.equummedical.com. Contact Karsten Russell-Wood Chief Marketing Officer, Equum Medical [email protected] SOURCE: Equum Medical View the original press release on accesswire.com NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / For the past 30 years, Pilar Fernandez has navigated living with metastatic breast cancer. And while she's faced a series of related health challenges, it hasn't slowed her down. Instead, Pilar's experience and desire to help others motivated her to co-found the Metastatic Breast Cancer Association (AECMM) in her home country of Spain. With 2,000 members from a dozen different countries, the organization seeks to empower people with a metastatic breast cancer diagnosis and help them share their stories. It was through this work that Pilar and AECMM were pitched an innovative idea: to use artificial intelligence to share the experiences of women living with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). Using AI to Raise mTNBC Awareness The first iteration of this partnership was christened Paintings of Hope. Through a collaboration with Gilead, the AECMM found three women through their network to share oral accounts of living with mTNBC. Those interviews were converted into sound waves, and an AI robot used the sound files to create nine unique paintings that depict the emotional weight of living with this diagnosis. "We were very surprised from the beginning to see the paintings made with AI, and how they captured three situations: the diagnosis, with dark colors, the acceptance and the future," Pilar says. "It is a very innovative way to give visibility to the disease." The three women who participated were awed by the outcome. "It was a mixture of amazement at how accurate artificial intelligence could be, and excitement at seeing the art created from their story," explains Pilar. "We had never seen anything like it - nothing that transforms the emotions of the patients onto a painting." The project's avant-garde concept was recognized with numerous honors, including a Clio Award, and was empowering for those who participated. "It's their own story that they are sharing with us," Pilar says. From Paintings to Portraits: Personalizing Stories of Hope Paintings of Hope, which included the images and information on the women's experiences, were displayed in hospitals around Spain and are estimated to have been seen by more than 50,000 healthcare professionals. The work was also shown to government officials when it was displayed in the entrance to the Spanish Parliament in late 2022. After its success, Gilead and AECMM teamed up for one more project, which was launched late last fall. Portraits of Hope takes an even more personal approach, with the AI machines set aside in favor of several well-known Spanish artists. The goal was to feature the same three women from Paintings of Hope in Portraits of Hope. But in the months between projects, one of the women - a woman from Mlaga named Angela - passed away. This was hard for Pilar. "Angela's story is unique because her son is autistic and the responsibility of caring for him made her struggle with her situation," she says. "So soon after her death, once we started to think about the second phase of the project, we contacted her husband to see if he would like to take her place, so that we continue to feel Angela's presence." He picked up the rest of the story, sitting in for her in the second series. This time, the process was different. While the AI machines had simply processed the data from interviews into art, the artists themselves bring their reactions into these new pieces. As the women told their stories, the artists wore a device around their chests that allowed them to hear their subjects' heartbeats. The resulting works of art are now being exhibited in different hospitals across Spain. Both projects are part of Gilead's efforts to spotlight the voices of people living with cancer. As for Pilar, she hopes the art shows will help raise awareness about mTNBC and the need for early diagnostics and more research. It's a personal journey for her; in the years since she and four other people founded AECMM, she's the last one still living. It's in the other women's memory, she says, that she continues this work. Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California. Originally published by Gilead Sciences View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Gilead Sciences on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Gilead Sciences Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/gilead-sciences Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Gilead Sciences View the original press release on accesswire.com Garfield Update - Bonanza Silver & Uranium Target Significant Porphyry & Epithermal Potential Confirmed; Bonanza Silver Grade Returned; Uranium Target LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Golden Metal Resources plc ('Golden Metal' or the 'Company') (LON:GMET)(OTCQB: GMTLF), a strategic development and mineral exploration company focused on Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce an exploration update at the Company's 100% owned Garfield project located within the prolific Walker Lane Mineral Belt in Nevada, USA ("Garfield" or the "Project"). The update follows on from the recent high-grade gold-silver-copper bedrock discovery made at Garfield which returned results up to 22.7g/t gold ("Au"), which the Company announced on 09 January 20241. HIGHLIGHTS Detailed analysis of the geological mapping and rock sampling analytical results received to date now completed. Magnetic Bullseye anomaly (often associated with intrusive porphyry centres) identified at the Project's High-Grade Zone. Now postulated that epithermal mineralisation overprints earlier porphyry mineralising event, increasing the overall prospectivity and most importantly the gold-silver potential of the 4km 2 mineralised area. Bonanza silver (Ag) grades confirmed at Pamlico Gold Zone up to 1,225g/t Ag (incl. 18.35g/t Au & 1.89% copper). Uranium target identified near High-Grade Zone overlapping magnetic bullseye (see Figure 1 below). Oliver Friesen, CEO of Golden Metal, commented: "The results announced today are highly significant as we have gone from high-grade copper-gold-silver results achieved over a large footprint to now multiple overlapping geological datasets which strongly confirm the presence of a significant porphyry style system driving mineralisation across the Project. "We also believe the provenance of the high gold and silver mineralisation looks to be related to overprinting epithermal style mineralisation, which is not typical of porphyry style systems and materially increases the overall prospectivity of the Project by greatly improving the gold-silver potential. "The typical next stage when exploring for porphyry deposits is to search for a geophysical anomaly which could represent a porphyry centre at depth. To our excitement, this was identified by a third party survey and is located within the High-Grade Zone, which happens to be broadly overlapping the uranium target identified during the same exploration programme. "With these transformational latest results in hand, the Company is quickly moving towards determining optimal next exploration steps to continue to drive this very exciting Project forward." FURTHER INFORMATION Detailed analysis of recently collected rock sample geochemical assay data shows that mineralisation has strong porphyry/intrusion related geochemical association (e.g. with silver, bismuth, gold). Importantly, higher-grade gold-silver mineralisation now shown to have epithermal deposit geochemical signatures - representing a new deposit style not yet recognised at Garfield. It is postulated that epithermal gold-silver mineralisation locally overprints the original porphyry system within Garfield leading to very high gold-silver grades not typically associated with porphyry systems. The Company recently became aware that a uranium focused exploration company, conducted an unmanned aerial vehicle ("UAV") magnetic and radiometric survey and ground spectrometer prospecting over part of the southern portion of the Garfield Project 3. Significantly, these results highlighted a strong radiometric as well as magnetic bullseye geophysical anomaly within the High-Grade Zone. Magnetic bullseyes are often associated with intrusive porphyry centres. Additionally, based on the full suite of results obtained by Kraken, a uranium target which also falls within Garfield was identified - near the southern edge of the High-Grade Zone as highlighted in Figure 1 below. Nevada State geological maps highlight two at surface intrusive units mapped as quartz monzonites to granodiorite, which are typical rock assemblages associated with porphyry deposits including the nearby Pumpkin Hollow Copper Mine owned by Nevada Copper (385.7Mst at 0.47% copper ("Cu"), 0.05g/t Au, 1.6g/t silver ("Ag"))2. These two mapped units crosscut both the High-Grade and Pamlico Au Zones. These mapped units are corroborated by field notes taken during the recently completed campaign which confirm many of the samples obtained were described as various granitoid (intrusive) rocks. High-grade copper-gold-silver mineralisation has now been defined over a circa 4km2 area, within the 100% Golden Metal owned project claim footprint with confirmed strong associations to both porphyry (intrusive), epithermal and related-skarn mineral deposits. In addition, final overlimit silver assay results from ALS USA Inc laboratory (using aqua regia assay method Ag-OG46) have now been received with results returning up to bonanza grade silver (1,225g/t Ag). The complete gold-silver-copper results achieved at the 'Pamlico Gold Zone' are outlined below and point to a very exciting newly staked target area for the Company: Sample Gold Assay Grade Silver Assay Grade Copper Assay Grade 723336 18.35 g/t 1,225 g/t 1.89% 723337 7.5 g/t 47.5 g/t 0.42% 723338 9.97 g/t 105 g/t 0.28% 723339 22.7 g/t 81 g/t 0.24% 723340 4.98 g/t 66.6 g/t 0.74% MEDIA Figure 1 - Garfield Project showing the location of USGS mapped intrusive units which cross-cut both the High-Grade and Pamlico Au Zones. The uranium target recently identified is also shown in yellow and will be investigated during subsequent exploration campaigns. PROPERTY OWNERSHIP Golden Metal holds a 100% interest in the Garfield Project through its wholly-owned Nevada operating company, Golden Metal Resources LLC. A 2% Net Smelter Return Royalty ("NSR Royalty") Interest, of which 1% can be bought back at any time for US$1,000,000, is payable to Sunrise Resources plc (LON:SRES). The NSR Royalty covers the original Garfield Project claims as well as a 1 mile radius outside of those claims which covers roughly half of the current 'High-Grade Zone' footprint. The Pamlico Au Zone is entirely royalty free. COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT The technical information contained in this disclosure has been read and approved by Mr Nick O'Reilly (MSc, DIC, MIMMM, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist and acts as the Competent Person under the AIM Rules - Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr O'Reilly is a Principal consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which has been retained by Golden Metal Resources plc to provide technical support. REFERENCES 1 Company announcement, 'Garfield Project Bedrock Discovery' dated 09 January 2024. https://www.londonstockexchange.com/news-article/GMET/garfield-project-bedrock-discovery/16280300 2 https://nevadacopper.com/projects/reserves/ 3 https://krakenenergycorp.com/news/2023/kraken-energy-identifies-multiple-additional-priority-drill-targets-garfield-hills/ This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 (which forms part of domestic UK law pursuant to the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018). Forward Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of regulatory and other third party consents and approvals, uncertainties regarding the Company's or any third party's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein as a result of numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. For further information visit www.goldenmetalresources.com or contact the following: Golden Metal Resources plc Oliver Friesen (CEO) Tel: +44 (0) 20 7583 8304 Cairn Financial Advisers LLP Nominated Adviser Sandy Jamieson/Jo Turner/Louise O'Driscoll Tel: +44 20 7213 0880 First Equity Limited Broker Jonathan Brown/Jason Robertson Tel: +44 20 7374 2212 THE PROJECTS Pilot Mountain Project The Pilot Mountain project is an advanced exploration and mineral resource definition stage project located in Mineral County in western Nevada. The project covers an area of 14.80 km2 (3,656.1 acres) and is located 200km southeast of Reno and 18km east of Mina, Nevada. It is well situated for the supply of power, water and skilled labour and proximity to transport infrastructure in Mineral County and is centred around four existing mineral deposits: Garnet; Good Hope; Gunmetal and Desert Scheelite, all of which possess significant skarn-style tungsten-copper-silver-zinc mineralisation. The Pilot Mountain project consists of 176 active lode mining claims and 4 filed mill site claims. The four mill site claims filed at the former Dunham mill site have secure access to groundwater supply sufficient for the proposed project. Garfield Project The Garfield Project is an exciting copper-gold-silver prospect consisting of 65 lode mining claims covering 5.4 km2 (1,338 acres) located in Mineral County, Nevada, approximately 14km due east of the town of Hawthorne and 120km due west-northwest of Tonopah. Exploration to date has included detailed geochemical sampling and follow up analysis which highlighted the presence of both porphyry and skarn-type mineralisation and alteration at the 'High-Grade Zone'. Further to this, mapping, prospecting and rock sampling was recently completed with results confirming presence of high-grade copper, silver and gold mineralisation as well as leading to the bedrock discovery of the Pamlico Au Zone with individual rock samples up to 18.35g/t Au, 1,225g/t Ag & 1.89% Cu. Following this, geochemical analysis of the full suite of data confirmed the strong presence of porphyry style mineralisation across the Project, as well as potentially overprinting epithermal style mineralisation leading to increased gold-silver prospectivity. Kibby Basin Lithium Project The Kibby Basin Project covers two claim packages which are prospective for lithium brine mineralisation. The southern claim package is less than 250m from a 2022 drillhole which returned a significant interval (169m) of lithium brine mineralisation which was determined to be open in all directions. The Project is less than 5km to the southeast of the Company's flagship Pilot Mountain Project. Golconda Summit Project Golden Metal is the operator of the Golconda Summit project, which is held under an earn-in right to acquire up to 100 per cent. of the project from the mineral claim owner pursuant to an option agreement. The Golconda Summit project is an exploration stage gold and silver project located in Humboldt County and situated at the confluence of the Getchell and Battle Mountain - Eureka metallogenic trends, and consists of 44 lode mining claims, covering a total area of approximately 3.22 km2 (795.4 acres) located approximately 27km east of Winnemucca. Stonewall Project The Stonewall project is an exploration stage gold-silver property prospective for epithermal gold-silver mineralisation. The property consists of 19 lode mining claims covering 1.59 km2 (392.5 acres) located on the northern flank of Stonewall Mountain, on the western edge of the Nellis Airforce Range Restricted Access Area, in Nye County, Nevada, approximately 24km south-east of the historic gold mining town of Goldfield and 60km due south of Tonopah. This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [email protected] or visit www.rns.com. SOURCE: Golden Metal Resources PLC View the original press release on accesswire.com In the new political journalism classic What It Takes, Richard Ben Cramer follows the performances of six candidates in the 1988 U.S. primary election, asking the question: What kind of faith would cause, say, a dozen of these habitual winners to bend their lives and the lives of those dear to them to one hugely public roll of the dice in which all but one would fail? One might ask that question of Ron DeSantis. On Sunday, he conceded defeat and decided to drop out of the race for the Republican nomination after last weeks fiasco in the Iowa caucuses and a strategy riddled with miscalculations. He was dealt a good hand: he had won a resounding victory in his re-election as governor of Florida, in the same contest in which Donald Trump took a good beating. At last, the Republicans seemed ready to lift the state of exception imposed by Trump on the party since 2016, and DeSantis, a serial winner, seemed the ideal candidate to give the former president one last push out the door. The media repeated it so often and insistently and the Republican establishment wanted it so badly that DeSantis thought it was a done deal. A little more than a year later, he has joined the long list of those who underestimated Trump, whose candidacy he endorsed on Sunday in a video announcing the end of his campaign; released two days before the second Republican primary in New Hampshire. DeSantis was giving Trump his endorsement, he said, because he believes the ex-president is superior to current incumbent Joe Biden, and that the United States cannot go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear. DeSantis failed to add that he has made this decision despite the fact that Trump has been insulting and ridiculing him since he launched his bid for the White House. The Florida governor presented himself to voters as a version of Trump without the drama and surprises the ex-president seems so comfortable with. But he did not count on the fact that the latters troubles with justice including pending dates for four criminal cases for a total of 91 crimes were going to make him even more popular among the conservative electorate. DeSantis cant be blamed for that: Trump is an exceptional case in the history of American politics for many reasons, but above all because, in his eight years on the scene, he has gone through situations (the attack on the Capitol, two impeachments and countless accusations in the courts) that would have ended anyone elses career, but only seem to make him stronger. In the postmortem of DeSantiss failed candidacy, some say that DeSantis took too long to jump into the race for the Republican nomination. Instead of doing so after the November 2022 elections (after which Trump, getting a head start an art he has mastered like no one else immediately announced his intention to return to the White House), DeSantis spent half a year dithering, instead of jumping into the ring when his main opponent was lying on the mat. When he finally did, a disastrous launch on Twitter served as an ominous preamble to a poorly managed campaign. DeSantis waited too long to fight with the former president and was weighed down by his robotic lack of charisma and his inability to engage in the art of retail politics: contact with voters, kissing babies, shaking hands with people, all of those things that require a talent that DeSantis clearly lacks. The governor thought that he wouldnt need it. He had his impressive resume (Navy veteran and graduate of Harvard and Yale universities); his reputation as an impeccable family man, without a hint of the kind of scandals that have plagued Trump since before he decided to run in 2015; and his long list of his accomplishments in Florida, which he never tired of presenting as the land of the free where woke (progressivism) goes to die. But in the latter, instead of coming up short, DeSantis went too far: he pushed through all the tough measures he had promised in his re-election campaign, but he did so when the whole country was already looking at Tallahassee, the state capital, trying to figure out what it would be like to have DeSantis in the White House. What they saw was a tough-on-abortion politician, who wanted to set a six-week limit on pregnancy terminations, when most women dont even know they are pregnant. In addition, they saw a far-right zealot on education, and someone obsessed with restricting LGBTQ rights and attacking immigrants. These measures do not travel well to more moderate parts of the country, as evidenced by Republican defeats where womens reproductive freedom has been put to a popular vote. Having chased away the sympathy of moderate voters, DeSantis ran a megalomaniacal campaign based on the enormous fundraising he got at the beginning, which then slowed down, so much so that he was forced to fire half of his staff in the summer. Nor did he know how to win over the establishment of his party. In that respect, he was being consistent: as a congressman in Washington, between 2013 and 2018, he did not leave much of a mark, but it was clear that he wanted nothing to do with the old guard. Thus, he participated in founding the most hardline wing of the Republican Party, the so-called Freedom Caucus, which brings together parliamentarians, extremists and eccentrics. His failure to offer an alternative that would bring together those who yearn for a future of American conservatism without Trump was key to the rise of the rival who ended up finishing him off, Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and ambassador to the U.N. during Trumps time in the White House. In a conservative state like Iowa, where DeSantis spent tens of millions of dollars, Haley came close to beating him; even worse, the Florida governor failed to win any of the 99 counties that he visited in search of every last vote. In New Hampshire, a much more hostile place for a conservative like DeSantis, Haleys strong support was a given. The strategy, sometimes known as Trumpism without Trump, supposed that Republican voters were ready to move on from Mr. Trump personally, even though they supported his views on the issues, writes polling guru Nate Cohn in his newsletter for The New York Times. Needless to say, that proved to be wrong. At the same time, his consistently conservative views on the issues alienated moderates and culminated in the rise of Nikki Haley. One of the doubts DeSantis had when it came time to run was whether it would be better to wait for the 2028 election. In politics, timing is key. And this years elections are a real anomaly; all signs point to another Biden-Trump showdown the first time an incumbent has faced off against a former president. DeSantis supporters are confident that he will have better luck the next time around. Ultimately, Ben Cramers book shows that anything is possible. Of the six candidates he followed in that election, which George Bush Sr. won, were Bob Dole, who was the Republican challenger who lost to Bill Clinton in 1996, as well as a senator from Delaware named Joe Biden, who took 32 more years to have what it takes to be president of the United States. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition CLEVELAND, OH / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / KeyBank (NYSE: KEY) announced placement of $50 million in deposits with six Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs), including four Black-owned banks or managed banks and two banks serving Alaskan Native and Native American communities. As a founding member of the Economic Opportunity Coalition, KeyBank is pioneering the support of placing deposits with urban and rural community lending institutions to further enhance their ability to serve historically under-resourced communities. This effort is one of many that symbolizes KeyBank's larger purpose: to help clients and communities thrive. Today's announcement includes our support in the following institutions: Adelphi Bank - Columbus, OH Carver Federal Savings - Harlem, NY First Independence Bank - Detroit, MI Legacy Bank - Murrieta, CA OneUnited Bank - Boston, MA Native American Bank - Denver, CO "Our country's CDFIs and MDIs are vital to providing economic opportunity in underserved and low-income communities," said Chris Gorman, Chairman and CEO of KeyBank. "Our support of the CDFIs and MDIs is part of our ongoing commitment to address social justice and racial equity in the communities we so proudly serve." "KeyBank's acknowledgment of Legacy Bank's social mission within Native American communities is sincerely appreciated. Inclusion as a Native American bank among other CDFI and MDI institutions in their $50 million deposit commitment exemplifies KeyBank's commitment to fostering a more inclusive financial landscape", said James D. Hicken, President & CEO of Legacy Bank. "Together, we can amplify our impact, broaden financial access, and enhance the quality of life in urban and rural areas alike. We value KeyBank's shared vision and collaborative spirit in making a lasting difference for low-income and underserved communities." "KeyBank is demonstrating what a more inclusive financial services industry looks like by fulfilling their overall $50 million commitment towards various Minority Depository Institutions in America," said Kenneth Kelly, Chairman & CEO of First Independence Bank. "This support allows various MDIs to continue their concerted effort to expand their reach and expand relationships into partnerships within our industry. I am elated that KeyBank shares the same vision that all leaders can better impact communities we serve when we collaborate to broaden the financial quality of life for all." This support for Community Development Financial Institutions and Minority Depository Institutions are just the latest testament to KeyBank's enduring commitment to economic inclusion. In 2022, KeyBank extended financing to 10 additional CDFIs, including loan funds, affordable housing lenders, and small business loan providers that included $67 million of debt financing and approximately $6.5 million of equity financing. Prior to 2022, KeyBank deployed $93 million to CDFIs, including Cleveland Development Partnership, Impact Capital, and Rocky Mountain Reinvestment Corporation. About KeyCorp KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $188 billion at September 30, 2023. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: KeyBank Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank Email: [email protected] SOURCE: KeyBank View the original press release on accesswire.com The cannabis-themed restaurant and bar eagerly anticipates its opening and can't wait to light the joint up and be the undisputed local hangout for curing cottonmouth and the munchies. NASHVILLE, TN / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Motivated duo Scott and Dawn Atkins are true supporters of the brand. They are elated to become Cheba's newest owners and stoked to bring the "Toasted" sub and bar concept to a location that holds such a special place in their hearts. Despite Nashville being the partners' first shop opening, their association within the Chebaverse has been in the works for quite some time. First appearing on Cheba Hut's radar for their superb beer tap installation services, a friendship blossomed into a beneficial industry connection and the new joint is a direct result. Not only will this new Tennessee location be serving up a variety of dank subs, fluffy pretzel nugs, and gooey krispy treats that can cure any level of the munchies, but also, for the 21 and up homies, they'll be slinging some delicious wine and local brews from their bar that will obliterate any presence of cottonmouth. As Tennessee locals, Scott and Dawn understand the shop must reflect the out-of-this-world vibes of Cheba Hut and pair it with the rich history and personality of the city. One way they have expressed this is by implementing a galactic gallery of sorts, featuring famous landmarks and notable celebrities in outer space onto their center mural. Something you'll have to see to believe. Finley, Cheba Hut's staple mural artist, had done an impeccable job of fusing these two visions into an amazing work of art for all of Music City to enjoy. Seth Larsen, Chief Relations Officer for Cheba Hut, explains, "Music, art, hospitality, fantastic food and drink are what Cheba Hut and Nashville are built on and the mural inside the shop is one of my personal favorites to date." Get ready, Nashville-Donelson! The sub and bar concept's newest joint is ready to rock and roll into your city. Larsen continues, "Nashville has deserved a Cheba Hut of its own for a long time and we are stoked to now serve the fine folks of Music City for years to come." The shop, located at 329 Donelson Pike Nashville, TN 37214, opens its doors on Monday, 1/29. The brand is stoked to bring over 30 signature "toasted" subs, an array of delicious munchie treats, and cottonmouth cures for all ages (beer and wine for the 21+ homies) to the Nashville area. Mark your calendars, grab your best buds (pun intended), and celebrate the shop and its crew! For more information about opening day and upcoming events, check out @chebahut_nashvilledonelson. Contact Information Mel Banister Marketing Manager [email protected] Related Files For Immediate Release Nashville will soon have its very own Cheba Hut Toasted Subs Location! .pdf SOURCE: Cheba Hut "Toasted" Subs View the original press release on newswire.com. PLEASANT GROVE, UT / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / NLC Insurance announces the continued expansion of the IMGING property inspection data platform by Loveland Innovations to enhance customer experience during property claims. By incorporating IMGING's inspection and property data analytical tools, adjusters work claims faster and more accurately, improving the overall claims experience. Loveland Innovations Logo Now in year three of this partnership, NLC is expanding usage to their entire claims organization, providing NLC property claims adjusters with IMGING's AI-powered inspection platform. By centralizing property inspection data in one platform, NLC will gain further efficiency and consistency in claims management. "Our goal is to continually improve the quality and speed of our claims handling to deliver an excellent experience for our customers," said Richard Lord, VP of Claims at NLC Insurance Companies. "IMGING helps us do that. Performing inspections safely, measuring roofs, and managing property data are simple, fast, and accurate in the IMGING platform. This removes manual tasks from our adjusters' workload, allowing them to handle more claims while staying laser-focused on the customer experience." "NLC's reputation of providing a supportive, personal, and local insurance is evident in their commitment to ever improving the claims management process," said Jim Loveland, Founder and CEO of Loveland Innovations. "Their focus on providing an excellent customer experience makes it a pleasure to work together." Loveland Innovations' IMGING, is an AI-powered property data and inspection platform that serves as a centralized hub of analysis and capture for all claims data. It automates and makes consistent data capture easy with patented technology, provides precise 3-D models and measurements, organizes photos to custom specifications in the cloud, uses automated artificial intelligence to identify potential damage for adjuster review, and makes reporting, sharing, and collaboration simple. About NLC Insurance Founded in 1840 in Norwich, Connecticut, NLC Insurance has over 190 years of insurance expertise, serving most New England states with a focus on homeowners, auto, dwelling fire, and commercial policies. We work with 300+ independent agencies and are proud members of industry associations, including the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America. NLC's enduring legacy and dedication ensure reliable insurance for years to come. About Loveland Innovations Loveland Innovations is the maker of IMGING, the leading platform for property inspections and analytics. With IMGING, inspection professionals use smartphones and automated drones to digitize a property or structure, and analyze it with the help of deep learning and computer vision, giving them the clarity to act quickly and confidently. Contact Information: Ethan Kirk AVP Marketing [email protected] 385-498-0800 SOURCE: Loveland Innovations Inc. View the original press release on newswire.com. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / North Shore Uranium Ltd. (TSXV:NSU) ("North Shore" or the "Company") announces that its board of directors (the "Board") has adopted an advance notice policy (the "Policy") which includes, among other things, a provision that requires advance notice be given to the Company in circumstances where nominations of persons for election to the Board are made by shareholders of the Company other than pursuant to: (i) a requisition of a meeting made pursuant to the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the "Act"); or (ii) a shareholder proposal made pursuant to the provisions of the Act. Additionally, the Policy sets a deadline by which holders of record of common shares of North Shore must submit director nominations to the Company prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders, sets forth the information that a shareholder must include in the notice to the Company, and establishes the form in which the shareholder must submit the notice for that notice to be in proper written form. In the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, notice to the Company must be made not less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty-five (65) days prior to the date of the annual meeting. However, in the event that the annual meeting is to be held on a date that is less than forty (40) days after the date on which the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice may be made not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following such public announcement. In the case of a special meeting of shareholders (which is not also an annual meeting) notice to the Company must be made not later than the close of business on the fifteenth (15th) day following the day on which the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting was made. North Shore will, at its next annual and special meeting to be held in 2024, seek shareholder approval to adopt the Policy. The full text of the Policy is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About North Shore Uranium The near-term business objectives of North Shore Uranium are to become a major force in the exploration for economic uranium deposits at the eastern margin of Saskatchewan's Athabasca Basin, a tier-one jurisdiction for discovering new mineable high-grade uranium deposits. The Company will work to achieve those objectives by conducting exploration programs on its two properties, the Falcon Property and the West Bear Property, and evaluating opportunities to increase its portfolio of properties in the region. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Brooke Clements, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information: Please contact: Brooke Clements, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director Telephone: 604.536.2711 Email: [email protected] www.northshoreuranium.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: North Shore Uranium Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com ST. JOHN'S, NL / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2024 / Sokoman Minerals Corp. (TSXV:SIC)(OTCQB:SICNF) ("Sokoman" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on the ongoing exploration at its flagship Moosehead Gold Project. The highlight is the drilling results at the recently discovered 552 Zone, located 400 m to the east of the Eastern Trend, in the central portion of the property. Since receiving the stream crossing permit on November 28, an additional six holes (890 m) have been completed with five intersecting the zone and the sixth collaring in an extensive fault zone (believed to be the Cape Ray - Valentine Lake shear zone), which was terminated after cutting 75 m of intensely deformed volcanic and intrusive units. The 552 drilling has defined a continuous, two- to five-metre-wide zone of quartz veining/quartz breccia, in variably deformed sedimentary units. Three holes intersected white quartz veins with specks of visible gold (MH-23-572, 574, and 575). The quartz veining is locally vuggy (epizonal type), located in a west-northwest trending, 50- to 70-degree northeast dipping structure. The veins carry trace to 5% sulphide minerals including boulangerite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, and arsenopyrite, the mineral assemblage common to most gold zones on the property. Drill hole MH-23-557, the fourth hole of the initial four holes on the 552 Zone (MH-23-552, 553, 556, 557 - see news release dated November 2, 2023), intersected the zone giving 1.04 g/t Au over 3.65 m (see table below). Assays remain pending for holes MH-23-568 to 577 (ten holes), which includes all the recent holes at the 552 Zone (MH-23-572 to 577). Other completed holes on the property include: Three reconnaissance holes (MH-23-564, 566, 567) were drilled in the southern portion of the property, testing magnetic features believed to represent favourable structures. None of the holes intersected significant mineralization. Three reconnaissance holes (MH-23-558, 559, 563) were drilled testing Alpha IP targets located to the east of North Pond. All holes intersected unmineralized structures. Three holes (MH-23-565, 568, 569) were drilled adjacent to hole MH-96-05, drilled by Royal Oak Mines in 1996, which returned 259 g/t Au from a 10 cm quartz vein. MH-23-565 and 569 did not intersect significant mineralization, while MH-23-568 intersected a shear structure with pyritic quartz. Results are pending for MH-23-568 and 569. Two holes (MH-23-570, 571) were drilled to test quartz veining in drill hole MH-19-103, where two specks of visible gold were reported in 2019. Weakly mineralized quartz veining with trace to 2% disseminated pyrite, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite was intersected. Two holes drilled to the northeast of North Pond testing a possible East-West structure defined by magnetics did not intersect significant mineralization. Table 1 - Assay Results *Core length - true widths are estimated to be approximately half the core length MH-23-574 featuring 552 Zone veining - 5.00 g/t Au over 2.10 m (64.55-66.65 m) Timothy Froude, P. Geo., President, and CEO states; "The 552 Zone is extremely significant as it represents an entirely new gold-bearing structure on the Moosehead property. We are already seeing signs of potentially high-grade mineralization with three of the five most recent holes carrying visible gold all within 50 m of surface. Of significance, is the presence of mineralized float located near the 552 Zone that returned 10.3 g/t Au and is believed to be derived from the 552 Zone. The 552 Zone is 400 m to the east of the main Eastern Trend, and it remains open. The closest mineralization is at the 253 Zone located 150 m north of 552, which is poorly understood and requires additional drilling, and which may represent a parallel zone. Drilling planned to test the down-plunge extent of the 552 Zone in 2024 should also intersect any parallel structures, including extensions to the 253 Zone where previous drilling returned 1.56 g/t Au over 1.60 m. We look forward to testing the 552 Zone in Q1 2024 as any structure with gold has the potential for high-grade gold values as we have seen in every zone on the property. Phase 6 drilling completed now sits at 101,519 m including 20,519 m in 70 holes in 2023. A proposed 2,500 m winter program will commence in about two to three weeks and will focus on the 552 Zone where we are starting to see improved grades and some visible gold." QP This news release has been reviewed and approved by Timothy Froude, P.Geo., a "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 and President and CEO of Sokoman Minerals Corp. Analytical Techniques / QA/QC Samples, including duplicates, blanks, and standards, were submitted to Eastern Analytical Ltd. in Springdale, Newfoundland for gold analysis. All core samples submitted for assay were saw cut by Sokoman personnel with one-half submitted for assay and one-half retained for reference. Samples were delivered in sealed bags directly to the lab by Sokoman personnel. Eastern Analytical Ltd. is an accredited assay lab that conforms to the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. Samples with visible gold were submitted for total pulp metallics and gravimetric finish. All other samples were analyzed by standard fire assay methods. Total pulp metallic analysis includes: the whole sample is crushed to -10 mesh; and then pulverized to 95% -150 mesh. The total sample is weighed and screened to 150 mesh; the +150-mesh fraction is fire-assayed for Au, and a 30 g subsample of the -150-mesh fraction is fire-assayed for Au; with a calculated weighted average of total Au in the sample reported as well. One blank and one industry-approved standard for every twenty samples submitted is included in the sample stream. Random duplicates of selected samples are analyzed in addition to the in-house standard and duplicate policies of Eastern Analytical Ltd. All reported assays are uncut. About Sokoman Minerals Corp. Sokoman Minerals Corp. is a discovery-oriented company with projects in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Company's primary focus is its portfolio of gold projects; the 100% flagship, advanced-stage Moosehead, as well as the Crippleback Lake; and East Alder (optioned to Canterra Minerals Corporation) along the Central Newfoundland Gold Belt, and the district-scale Fleur de Lys project near Baie Verte in northwestern Newfoundland, that is targeting Dalradian-type orogenic gold mineralization similar to the Curraghinalt and Cavanacaw deposits in Northern Ireland. The Company also recently entered into a strategic alliance with Benton Resources Inc. through three, large-scale, joint-venture properties including Grey River, Golden Hope, and Kepenkeck in Newfoundland. Sokoman now controls, independently and through the Benton alliance, over 150,000 hectares (>6,000 claims - 1500 sq. km), making it one of the largest landholders in Newfoundland, in Canada's newest and rapidly emerging gold districts. In October 2023, Sokoman and Benton completed an agreement with Piedmont Lithium Inc., a major developer of lithium projects and processing plants in the USA, and exactly the right partner to have to advance the lithium project. The agreement provides for Piedmont to earn up to 62.5% of the Killick Lithium Project (formerly Golden Hope project) by funding up to $12 million in exploration expenses and issuing $10 million common shares in three stages. The Killick Lithium Project has been transferred to Killick Lithium Inc. (Killick), a 100%-owned subsidiary of Vinland Lithium Inc. (Vinland). Newly created Vinland has received $2 million in financing from Piedmont for a 19.9% interest, with the balance of ownership between Sokoman and Benton. Sokoman and Benton will continue to operate the exploration efforts at Killick through the earn-in stages. Sokoman and Benton will retain a royalty of 2% NSR on future production. Piedmont will have exclusive marketing rights for the promotion and sale of any lithium products produced from the Project on a life-of-mine basis, and the right of first refusal on 100% offtake rights to the lithium concentrates. The Company also retains a 1% NSR interest in an early-stage antimony/gold project (Startrek) in Newfoundland, optioned to Thunder Gold Corp (formerly White Metal Resources Inc.), and in Labrador, the Company has a 100% interest in the Iron Horse (Fe) project which has Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) potential. Mineralization hosted on adjacent and/or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's property. The Company would like to thank the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador for past financial support of the Moosehead and Fleur de Lys gold projects through the Junior Exploration Assistance Program. For more information, please contact: Timothy Froude, P.Geo., President & CEO T: 709-765-1726 E: [email protected] Cathy Hume, VP Corporate Development, Director T: 416-868-1079 x 251 E: [email protected] Website: www.sokomanmineralscorp.com Twitter: @SokomanMinerals Facebook: @SokomanMinerals LinkedIn: @SokomanMineralsCorp 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. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of the Corporation should be considered highly speculative. Except for historical information contained herein, this news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially. Sokoman Minerals Corp. will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Sokoman Minerals Corp. SOURCE: Sokoman Minerals Corp. View the original press release on accesswire.com (Updated - January 23, 2024 8:45 AM EST) Chinese authorities are exploring introducing a set of measures to stabilize the declining stock market, as earlier attempts to restore investor confidence proved inadequate, prompting Premier Li Qiang to call for decisive actions. In a bid to mobilize approximately 2 trillion yuan ($278 billion), mainly sourced from offshore accounts of Chinese state-owned enterprises, policymakers are considering the launch of a stabilization fund, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. This fund would be utilized to purchase shares onshore through the Hong Kong exchange link. Moreover, they have designated at least 300 billion yuan from local funds for investment in onshore shares through entities like China Securities Finance Corp. or Central Huijin Investment Ltd. The urgency behind these deliberations reflects the critical need to address the recent selloff, which pushed the benchmark CSI 300 Index to a five-year low. Recognizing the importance of calming retail investors, many affected by the prolonged property downturn, authorities view market stability as crucial for maintaining social harmony. The proposed state-backed stabilization fund, initially considered in October, faces skepticism from some investors due to uncertainties surrounding its effectiveness, given the mixed outcomes of Beijing's previous rescue efforts. The Chinese economy grapples with challenges such as the property crisis, waning consumer sentiment, declining foreign investment, and reduced confidence among local businesses due to years of unpredictable policymaking, putting pressure on both economic and market fronts. Morgan Stanley equity strategist Laura Wang said the package "could help boost both market sentiment and liquidity, if confirmed to be true." "The reported size is larger both absolutely and relative to market daily turnover, vs. the 2015 A-share rescue effort. We think coordinated macro stimulus actions are necessary for a sustainable recovery," Wang added. By Vahid Karaahmetovic TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Japan Prize Foundation announced the winners of the 2024 Japan prize at 1PM today, 23 January, 2024. Prof. Sir Brian J. Hoskins (UK) and Prof. John Michael Wallace (USA) are co-winners of the Japan Prize in the fields of Resources, Energy, the Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and Prof. Ronald M. Evans (USA) has been awarded the Japan Prize in the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. For this years Japan Prize, Prof. Hoskins and Prof. Wallace are being recognized for their distinguished contributions to Establishment of a scientific foundation for understanding and predicting extreme weather events, and Prof. Evans is being recognized for his Discovery of the nuclear hormone receptor family and its application to drug development. For the 2024 Japan Prize, the Foundation asked approximately 15,500 prominent scientists and engineers from around the world to nominate researchers working in this years fields. We received 130 nominations for the fields of Resources, Energy, Environment, and Social Infrastructure, and 198 nominations for the fields of Medical Science and Pharmaceutical Science. This years winners were selected from that total of 328 candidates. About the Japan Prize The establishment of the Japan Prize in 1981 was motivated by the Japanese government's desire to create an internationally recognized award that would contribute to scientific and technological development around the world. With the support of numerous donations, the Japan Prize Foundation received endorsement from the Cabinet Office in 1983. The Japan Prize is awarded to scientists and engineers from around the world, who have made creative and dramatic achievements that help progress their fields and contribute significantly to realizing peace and prosperity for all humanity. Researchers in all fields of science and technology are eligible for the award, with two fields selected each year in consideration of current trends in scientific and technological development. In principle, one individual in each field is recognized with the award, and receives a certificate, a medal, and a monetary prize. Each Award Ceremony is attended by the current Emperor and Empress, heads of the three branches of government and other related officials, and representatives from various other elements of society. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240112035071/en/ Kiyoshi OGURA Press Officer The Japan Prize Foundation Public Relations ARK Mori Building, East Wing 35th Floor 1-12-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-6035, Japan Tel: 81-3-5545-0551 Fax: 81-3-5545-0554 E-Mail [email protected] Source: The Japan Prize Foundation Veteran technology executive Allegra Driscoll joins Bread Financial as Executive Vice President and CTO Driscoll brings 20+ years leading tech strategy and implementation at top global financial service companies with a proven track record of driving business outcomes and leading large-scale transformation and innovation initiatives COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Bread Financial (NYSE: BFH), a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, flexible payment, lending and saving solutions, today announced that Allegra Driscoll has been named executive vice president and chief technology officer. Ms. Driscoll joins Bread Financial from American Express, where she most recently served as SVP, Chief Information Officer of the Global Commercial Services Unit. We are thrilled to welcome Allegra to our organization and executive leadership team, said Ralph Andretta, president and chief executive officer at Bread Financial. Allegras proven track record as an innovative and visionary leader combined with her deep understanding of financial services will be invaluable as we continue our tech innovation and modernization. Her collaborative style will be instrumental as she partners with leaders across the organization to ensure technology is a driver of business objectives and that enterprise IT risk management, governance and oversight remain a top priority. Driscoll started her career as a developer at Goldman Sachs, before quickly moving into leadership positions focused on designing and optimizing sales technology. After nine years at Goldman, she moved to Credit Suisse, spending nine years in senior leadership roles across both product and engineering functions building out technology for multiple business lines. Driscoll then joined American Express in 2020, where she held multiple CIO roles and led strategy and transformation initiatives across the company. In the organizations she led, she prioritized professional development and focused on building collaborative teams, and cultivating a high-performing, inclusive culture. I am honored to join Bread Financial at such an exciting time in the companys evolution, said Driscoll. The companys commitment to its associates and building a strong workplace culture align with my own values and leadership style. I look forward to getting to know the leadership team and IT organization, and working together to advance enterprise technology priorities that create value for our brand partners and enable overall business success. About Bread Financial Bread FinancialTM (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company providing simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions. The company creates opportunities for its customers and partners through digitally enabled choices that offer ease, empowerment, financial flexibility and exceptional customer experiences. Driven by a digital-first approach, data insights and white-label technology, Bread Financial delivers growth for its partners through a comprehensive suite of payment solutions that includes private label and co-brand credit cards and Bread Pay buy now, pay later products. Bread Financial also offers direct-to-consumer products that give customers more access, choice and freedom through its branded Bread CashbackTM American Express Credit Card and Bread SavingsTM products. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Bread Financial is powered by its 7,500+ global associates and is committed to sustainable business practices. To learn more about Bread Financial, visit breadfinancial.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123145126/en/ Rachel Stultz Media [email protected] Source: Bread Financial SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE: DEI), a real estate investment trust (REIT), announced today the tax treatment of its 2023 common stock dividends as described below. Shareholders are encouraged to consult with their personal tax advisors as to their specific tax treatment of Douglas Emmett dividends. Record Date Paid Date Dividend Per Share Ordinary Income Capital Gain Return of Capital Amount Qualifying as a Section 199A Dividend 12/30/22 01/18/23 $0.19 $0.0380 $0.00 $0.1520 $0.0380 03/31/23 04/14/23 $0.19 $0.0380 $0.00 $0.1520 $0.0380 06/30/23 07/18/23 $0.19 $0.0380 $0.00 $0.1520 $0.0380 09/29/23 10/17/23 $0.19 $0.0380 $0.00 $0.1520 $0.0380 Total: $0.76 $0.1520 $0.00 $0.6080 $0.1520 As noted above, the common stock dividend paid on January 18, 2023, with a record date of December 30, 2022, has been allocated entirely to 2023. The common stock dividend of $0.19 per share that was paid on January 17, 2024, with a record date of December 29, 2023, will be allocated entirely to 2024. About Douglas Emmett, Inc. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities. For more information about Douglas Emmett, please visit our website at www.douglasemmett.com. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the historical facts, the statements in this press release regarding Douglas Emmetts business activities are forward-looking statements based on the beliefs of, assumptions made by, and information currently available to us about known and unknown risks, trends, uncertainties and factors that are beyond our control or ability to predict. Although we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, they are not guarantees of future performance and some will inevitably prove to be incorrect. As a result, our actual future results can be expected to differ from our expectations, and those differences may be material. Accordingly, investors should use caution in relying on forward-looking statements to anticipate future results or trends. For a discussion of some of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see Risk Factors in our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122669382/en/ Stuart McElhinney, Vice President Investor Relations 310.255.7751 [email protected] Source: Douglas Emmett, Inc. Google's proposed solution in response to the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) falls short of meeting the essential requirement to treat rival services and products on an equal footing with its own. eDreams ODIGEO urges Google to uphold compliance with DMA by March 7th, thereby addressing the enduring and longstanding disadvantages imposed on competing platforms. BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- eDreams ODIGEO (hereinafter, the Company), the worlds largest travel subscription platform and one of Europes largest e-commerce businesses, today firmly rejects the solution recently proposed and progressively rolled out by Google in response to the new European Unions Digital Markets Act (DMA). Coming into force on March 7th, 2024, the regulation is designed to put an end to persistent unfair practices in the digital ecosystem and address the practices of digital gatekeepers in the online marketplace. A key anticipated outcome is that Google ceases the enduring self-preferencing of its services on its search engine, thereby eliminating longstanding disadvantages imposed on competitors and allowing for fairer competition and more equitable access by consumers to a diversity of products. However, the proposed solution by Google does not fulfil these objectives. It continues to raise substantial competitive concerns within the travel retailing industry, particularly by perpetuating long-standing self-favouring practices that actively encourage consumers to remain within Googles ecosystem. While acknowledging the proactive measures taken by the European Commission to uphold a fair digital ecosystem in Europe, as outlined in the Digital Markets Act, eDreams ODIGEO emphasises that designated gatekeepers must strictly adhere to the established principles and expresses disappointment in noting that, based on the information available as of today, a significant player like Google falls well below the mark in complying with the comprehensive objectives outlined in the DMA. eDreams ODIGEO awaits the European Commissions decisive action in ensuring compliance with the DMA. Dana Dunne, Chief Executive Officer at eDreams ODIGEO said: The enforcement of the DMA provides a significant opportunity to address the persistent imbalance that has existed for years in the European digital landscape, creating a chance for a fairer and more equitable digital ecosystem. We appreciate the European Commission's dedicated efforts to foster fairer competition within the European digital landscape. The significance of cultivating a competitive and transparent marketplace cannot be emphasised enough, given its direct impact on providing consumers with a diverse array of choices. Beyond the immediate consumer benefits, a fairer digital environment will reinforce a thriving and innovative tech ecosystem in Europe. This sets the stage for European tech powerhouses to continue to innovate and compete on a level playing field, overcoming long standing obstacles in a marketplace with significantly enhanced fairness compared to the existing scenario. We urge continued vigilance and decisive action to ensure a marketplace that fosters healthier competition and fuels continued innovation for the benefit of all. Furthermore, despite the European Commission's guidance urging gatekeepers to engage with third parties and end users before the compliance deadline, ensuring that their proposed solutions align with the intended purpose and foster desired competitive outcomes, eDreams ODIGEO regrets that such consultations have not resulted at this stage in a solution that complies with DMA. Concerns about the current state of compliance just 44 days before the entry into force of the DMA are shared by thousands of businesses across Europe1. eDreams ODIGEO has joined a large coalition of organisations from different sectors in calling on gatekeepers to engage in constructive dialogue and achieve full compliance with DMA obligations by March 7th. About eDreams ODIGEO eDreams ODIGEO is the worlds leading travel subscription platform and one of the largest e-commerce businesses in Europe. Under its four renowned online travel agency brands eDreams, GO Voyages, Opodo, Travellink, and the metasearch engine Liligo it serves more than 20 million customers per year across 44 markets. Listed on the Spanish Stock Market, eDreams ODIGEO works with nearly 700 airlines. The business conceptualised Prime, the first subscription product in the travel sector which has topped 5.2 million members since launching in 2017. The brand offers the best quality products in regular flights, low-cost airlines, hotels, dynamic packages, car rental and travel insurance to make travel easier, more accessible, and better value for consumers across the globe. 1tps://eutraveltech.eu/eu-travel-tech-joins-thousands-of-organisations-calling-on-gatekeepers-to-ensure-full-compliance-with-the-dma-obligations-by-march-7th/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123139971/en/ [email protected] +(44) 07879086840 Source: eDreams ODIGEO Nigar Hasanova Azerbaijan will participate in the international tourism exhibition Fieren Messe 2024 which will be held in Vienna, the capital of Austria, on March 14-17, and Moscow International Travel & Tourism (MITT), which will be held in Moscow, the capital of Russia, on March 19-21, Azernews reports, citing the State Tourism Agency. According to the Agency, visitors to Fueren Messe 2024 will get travel advice and a variety of leisure options, including exclusive vacations and opportunities to plan their next adventure. The event will be held at the Messe Wien exhibition center. The 30th edition of the MITT exhibition is the leading international travel and tourism exhibition in the CIS region. It should be noted that in JanuaryNovember 2023, 1,893,000 tourists from 186 countries traveled to Azerbaijan, 29.8% more than in the same period the previous year, according to the State Statistical Committee. Some 30.5% of tourists came from Russia, 18.1% from Turkiye, 7.9% from Iran, 5.3% from India, 4.9% from Georgia, 4% from Saudi Arabia, 2.8% from Kazakhstan, 2.6% from Pakistan, 1.9% from Uzbekistan, 1.8% from the United Arab Emirates, 1.5% each from Israel and Ukraine, 1.4% from Kuwait, 1.3% from Belarus, 1.2% from each of Turkmenistan and China, 1.1% from Great Britain, and 11% from other countries. 70.1% of them were men, and 29.9% were women. Banners explaining how to vote for Joe Biden, even if he does not appear on the ballot, at a campaign event in Concord (New Hampshire). Social media has revolutionized political communication, for better and for worse. Fake news and misinformation has been spreading online at lightening speed and has already interfered in several elections. With recent tech advances and artificial intelligences ability to create deepfakes and realistically impersonate people, there is even greater danger today. These threats were made evident in New Hampshire, which will hold presidential primaries on Tuesday. The states Attorney Generals Office announced on Monday that it is investigating complaints that a robocall used AI to mimic U.S. President Joe Biden in a bid to disrupt Tuesdays vote. According to a statement from the Attorney Generals Office, the robocall was made on January 21, 2024, and encouraged people not to vote. Your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday, it said. Although the voice in the call sounded like Biden, the Attorney General Office suspects that it was generated with AI. According to the statement, the message also appears to have been spoofed to falsely show that it had been sent by the treasurer of a political committee that has been supporting the write-in efforts for President Biden at the New Hampshire Democratic primary. Biden will not appear on the official ballots due to a disagreement over the Democrat Partys primary calendar, which meant he did not register in time. Despite this, voters can vote for Biden on Tuesday by writing his name by hand in the blank box on the ballot. The presidents supporters have been mobilizing to send this message to voters. The fact that Biden has been left on the ballot has provided fertile ground for these unknown calls that discouraged people from voting. These messages appear to be an unlawful attempt to disrupt the New Hampshire presidential primary election and to suppress New Hampshire voters, said the statement from the Attorney Generals Office. New Hampshire voters should disregard the content of this message entirely. Voting in the New Hampshire presidential primary election does not preclude a voter from additionally voting in the November general election, it added. The Attorney Generals Office announced that the Department of Justice Election Law Unit has launched an investigation. Anyone who received the call or message are encouraged to email the department (electionlaw@doj.nh.gov) identifying the date and time they received the call or message; its origin, its content and any other relevant information. Although Biden is not on the ballot, all polls indicate that he will be the clear winner. There is uncertainty, however, about how the write-in vote situation may affect the results. Polling in second place is Congressman Dean Phillips, but he is trailing by a huge distance. A close result would be a blow for the president. In New Hampshire, the Democratic and Republican primaries are held simultaneously. More attention is on the Republican primaries, which following the withdrawal of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have become are a two-way race between Nikki Haley and Donald Trump. If Trump wins in the state, his nomination is likely to be a foregone conclusion. In the Democratic primaries, Biden does not have any major rival. Whats more, the Democratic Party will not, in principle, award any delegates to the winners of this Tuesdays elections due to the aforementioned disagreement over the primary calendar. In the New Hampshire primary, independent voters are also allowed to vote in the Republican and Democratic primaries. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition EDX closed series B funding round co-led by Pantera Capital and Sequoia Capital to fuel international expansion. Launched new clearinghouse to provide members with the most competitive and capital efficient market through a streamlined settlement process. Members traded more than $1.4 billion in notional volume in December 23 and Clearinghouse has cleared more than $3.1 billion of transactions since launch in October. HOBOKEN, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EDX Markets (EDX), a leading digital asset marketplace designed to meet the needs of both crypto-native firms and the world's largest financial institutions, today announced the successful launch of its digital asset clearinghouse, EDX Clearing, and the completion of its Series B investment round, with new investor Pantera Capital co-leading with founding investor Sequoia Capital. EDX Clearing (EDXC) revolutionizes EDXs marketplace and is the newest advancement in the markets for digital assets. With the launch of EDXC, members benefit from a competitive non-custodial market without the need for bilateral trading agreements. All trades matched on EDXs market settle through EDXC in a single net settlement process, increasing operational efficiency and reducing the upfront capital required to trade. EDXC significantly reduces credit risk for its members by functioning as a central counterparty. The launch of EDX Clearing comes as the company closed its Series B funding round that welcomed Pantera Capital as an equity investor, and included original founding consortium members Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, Virtu Financial, and Sequoia Capital. Other investors in EDX include Charles Schwab, DV Crypto, GSR Markets LTD, GTS, HRT Technology, Miami International Holdings and Paradigm. The new funding will support EDX as it continues to develop its technology and will fund EDXs global expansion. EDX Clearing is a major differentiator for EDX as it streamlines settlement while reducing counterparty risk and capital requirements for our members. Clearing has already delivered significant value to our members who have traded $3.1 billion in notional since its launch. We expect the impact to increase moving forward, positioning us to capitalize on this new wave of institutional growth accelerated by the recent approval of spot BTC ETFs in the U.S, said Jamil Nazarali, CEO of EDX. Further, Panteras investment in EDX demonstrates the success of our model and ability to attract quality investors to EDX. We are thrilled to have Pantera back EDX on our mission to be the most competitive, transparent, trusted, and efficient digital asset market. "Institutional crypto investors care more than ever about counterparty risk management," said Paul Veradittakit, managing partner at Pantera Capital. "Globally we're seeing institutions gravitate towards non-custodial marketplaces. With its capitally efficient product, best in class risk management, and backing from global financial heavyweights, EDX is primed to usher in a new era of institutional crypto trading. There is no better team to serve institutional clients, so we know the future of institutional crypto trading is in great hands with Jamil and his team at EDX. About EDX EDX Markets is a new digital asset marketplace designed to meet the needs of both crypto native firms and the worlds largest financial institutions. EDX enables safer, faster, and more efficient trading of digital assets, leveraging best practices from traditional financial markets on a purpose-built crypto platform. EDX launched trading in June 2023 and is backed by a consortium of major financial institutions, including Citadel Securities, Fidelity Digital AssetsSM, Virtu Financial and Charles Schwab, as well as Sequoia, Pantera, Paradigm, and others. For more information, please visit EDXMarkets.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240121452770/en/ Press EDX Markets [email protected] Source: EDX Markets COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Freedom Space Technologies, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATLAS Space Operations, today announced its first contract win in a joint effort with OMNI Federal to support the modernization activity known as Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution System (FORGE) Command and Control (C2) for the Space Systems Command/Space Sensing Directorate (SSC/SN). The intent of FORGE C2 is to provide an operational system that will transition the capabilities of legacy and future assets to a Missile Warning ground baseline owned and maintained by Space Systems Command, without degrading existing operational capabilities. This effort is focused on transitioning the C2 capabilities to include: Telemetry, Tracking and Commanding (TT&C) Mission Management (MM) Flight Dynamics (FD) Orbital Services (OS) Ground Control/Ground Resource Management (GRM) Phase I of the contract began in late 2023 and will continue for a 16-month period of performance. Freedom Space will deliver software solutions for FORGE C2 that build upon ATLAS Space Operations revolutionary Freedom software platform and will bridge the architecture of the governments existing systems with a new prototype that is being developed. Freedom Space is thrilled to receive its inaugural contract to support the Space Force in bringing ground station capabilities into modern architecture. Being positioned in Colorado Springs allows us to be closer to our government customers, and our excitement to support Space Force is immeasurable, shares Freedom Space President, T.I. Weintraub. Our team has supported several civil government missions, including Air Force, NASA, and NOAA. By harnessing the excellence of ATLAS Space Operations, were pivoting our expertise to assist the Space Force to address emerging threats and new mission requirements. Omni Federal is very pleased to have Freedom Space on our Team Voltron for the FORGE C2 effort. Freedom Space brings a wealth of knowledge about cloud-based satellite ground stations, dynamic enterprise level satellite scheduling, and experienced military space professionals. Omni Federal is revolutionizing DoD systems with our innovative, culture-first approach to teaming and Freedom Space embraces the same approach, said Nate Moser, Director of Space Programs at Omni Federal. About Freedom Space Technologies Established in 2023, Freedom Space Technologies, dba Freedom Space, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ATLAS Space Operations, the leading Ground Software as a Service (GSaaS) provider. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, CO, Freedom Space is purpose-built to address the unique requirements of the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) by contributing to the advancement of National Security Space capabilities. As a trusted mission partner, Freedom Space plays a vital role in enabling these organizations to achieve their strategic objectives and ensuring continued mission success. Learn more at freedom.space. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123291500/en/ Daniel Carey Marketing Director, ATLAS Space Operations +1 (231) 598-6814 ext 105 [email protected] Source: Freedom Space Technologies DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Generational Equity, a leading mergers and acquisitions advisor for privately held businesses, is pleased to announce the sale of its client Powerlink Electric, Inc. to PirTano Construction (a portfolio company of Rising Point Capital). The transaction closed November 17, 2023. Founded in 2006 by Doug Pantle and Steve Lipinski, Powerlink Electric (Powerlink), is a full-service electrical and telecommunications contractor based in Vernon Hills, Illinois with an outstanding reputation in its regional marketplace and is well known for the reliability and quality of its service. Powerlink primarily focuses on commercial and industrial projects and operates in Northeastern Illinois and surrounding areas. Powerlink will continue to operate under the current leadership as a wholly owned subsidiary of PirTano. Mike Piraino, President of PirTano, said, The acquisition of Powerlink, which will operate as a new electrical division in our company, brings us additional service offerings and bench strength of employees. We look forward to continuing to support our customers while capitalizing on additional opportunities. Rising Point Capital (RPC), commented on the transaction, Doug and Steve have built a tremendous reputation in its marketplace. We are very excited to partner with them to help accelerate their growth and with leading a new division at PirTano. Generational Equity Executive Managing Director of M&A Central Region, Michael Goss, Stephen Dinehart, a Generational Group Authorized Affiliate, with support from Vice President, M&A, Lance Thomasson successfully closed the deal. About PirTano Construction Company, Inc. Located in Addison, Illinois, PirTano is a multi-dimensional construction company that was founded by Mike Piraino, Joe Pantano, and Jack Horn in 1982. Now spanning more than four decades, PirTano has thoughtfully expanded its services from the early days as an Underground Utility Contractor; installing sewer and water systems and installing coax cable throughout the Chicagoland area into three areas of business, but also as an impressive Contractor for both public and private customers. In addition, PirTano has provided an array of infrastructure and land development services and has expanded as a Communications Contractor, adapting to the ever-evolving communications business. As a communications contractor they provide services such as fiber projects, fiber splicing, directional boring services, underground and aerial construction and ultimately entering the Contract Communication Installation business. This brings Internet, CATV and telephone into the homes of thousands upon thousands of customers throughout Chicagoland, other areas of Illinois and Indiana areas. For more information, please visit www.pirtano.com. About Rising Point Capital Rising Point Capital (RPC) is a Chicago-based private investment firm that provides partnership and capital to transform and grow businesses. RPC primarily invests in business and consumer services companies in the lower middle market. RPC is growth-focused, and its primary goal is to build great businesses. They help develop data-centric strategic plans to drive organic and acquisition-based growth and obtains the optimal capital structure to support that growth. For additional information, please visit www.risingpointcapital.com. About Generational Equity Generational Equity, Generational Capital Markets (member FINRA/SIPC), Generational Wealth Advisors, Generational Consulting Group, and DealForce are part of the Generational Group, which is headquartered in Dallas and is one of the leading M&A advisory firms in North America. With more than 350 professionals located throughout 16 offices in North America, the companies help business owners release the wealth of their business by providing growth consulting, merger, acquisition, and wealth management services. The Generational suite of advisory services includes strategic growth consulting, exit planning education, business valuation, value enhancement strategies, M&A services, digital services, and wealth management. The M&A Advisor named Generational Equity Investment Banking Firm of the Year three years in a row, Valuation Firm of the Year, and North American Investment Bank of the Year in 2022 as well as Consulting Firm of the Year twice. The Global M&A Network named Generational USA Investment Bank of the Year in 2023. For more information visit https://www.genequityco.com/ or the Generational Equity press room. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123221406/en/ Carl Doerksen 972-342-0968 [email protected] Source: Generational Equity Succeeds Alan May, HPE's first CPO who helped shape talent strategy and award-winning culture In this article: Major rose through HPE leadership ranks in employment law and HR to become member of executive team, reporting to CEO Antonio Neri May to remain with HPE to support the organizational integration of Juniper Networks, which HPE intends to acquire HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) today named Kristin Major as executive vice president and chief people officer (CPO), effective February 1, 2024, reporting to president and chief executive officer Antonio Neri. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123406490/en/ Kristin Major (Photo: Business Wire) Major has been with HPE since 2011, most recently serving as senior vice president of human resources (HR) and chief talent officer. Over the course of her career with HPE, Major has led HR for HPE GreenLake, HPE Aruba Networking, the HPE Transformation Office, and HPEs chief technology officer. Prior to joining the HR function, Major was the chief employment counsel for the company for eight years as part of the Operations, Legal, and Administrative Affairs organization. Having worked in several different parts of the business over the last 12 years, Kristin has strong relationships and a deep understanding of the needs and opportunities across the enterprise, said Neri. Our team members love her, and she shares my passion for culture and creating an environment where our team members can thrive. This really is my dream job. I love this company and I care deeply about our team members and about making their lives better both professionally and personally, said Major. My top priority is building high-performance teams and cultivating and supporting highly engaged leaders who enable team members to take on new challenges, learn, and grow in a healthy, inclusive environment. Before joining HPE, Major was a labor and employment counsel at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in Palo Alto, California. Major holds a law degree from Georgetown University and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Arizona. Major succeeds Alan May, who held the CPO role since joining the company in 2015. During his tenure, May transformed HPEs Human Resource function to foster innovation, raise the bar on talent, increase diversity, introduce industry-leading benefits, and advance culture and business results. He played an instrumental role in the 2015 formation of HPE in its separation from HP, and guided many subsequent transformation efforts, spin-offs and acquisitions. May will remain with HPE to support the organizational integration of Juniper Networks, which HPE announced earlier this month it intends to acquire. Alan has been a trusted partner to me since I assumed the role of CEO in 2018, helping to advance our strategic priorities around culture, innovation, and transformation. Together we have made HPE a fantastic place to work that cultivates extraordinary leaders like Kristin, said Neri. Alan will play a critical role in the expected integration of Juniper to successfully onboard our new team members into the HPE family while strengthening our culture and future. About Hewlett Packard Enterprise Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and intelligent technology solutions as a service. With offerings spanning Cloud Services, Compute, High Performance Computing & AI, Intelligent Edge, Software, and Storage, HPE provides a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, helping customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company and its consolidated subsidiaries (Hewlett Packard Enterprise) may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. The words believe, expect, anticipate, intend, will, "may," and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any projections of executive performance, financial performance, plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations or performance, and the ability to successfully close the acquisition of and integrate Juniper Networks, Inc. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include those that are described in HPEs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, and that are otherwise described or updated from time to time in Hewlett Packard Enterprises Securities and Exchange Commission reports. Hewlett Packard Enterprise assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123406490/en/ Media: Adam Bauer [email protected] Source: Hewlett Packard Enterprise NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBRA assigns preliminary ratings to four classes of notes issued by Mercury Financial Credit Card Master Trust, Series 2024-1 (MFCCMT 2024-1), a credit card asset-backed securitization issued out of the Mercury Financial Credit Card Master Trust (Master Trust). Mercury Financial LLC (the Company) is a consumer finance company founded in 2013 that provides services to support the Mercury Financial Program, its general-purpose credit card program under the Mastercard and Visa brands. These services include marketing, underwriting, and servicing credit card accounts. The notes of MFCCMT 2024-1 will be collateralized and repaid by a portfolio of revolving general-purpose credit card accounts in the Master Trust (Trust Portfolio) for which the Series 2024-1 Notes are allocated a percentage interest in the Trust Portfolio. The accounts were originated through the Mercury Financial Program and the Legacy Accounts acquired from a Delaware banking corporation. MFCCMT 2024-1 will include a 24-month revolving period where no principal payments will be made on the notes unless an Early Amortization Event occurs. Receivables in the Trust Portfolio are generated by accounts owned by First Bank & Trust. Wilmington Trust, National Association will be the backup servicer. MFCCMT 2024-1 represents the Companys ninth securitization issued from the Master Trust. The Company has also previously issued four private securitizations issued from discrete trusts that have subsequently been repaid. KBRA applied its Global Credit Card ABS Rating Methodology as well as its Global Structured Finance Counterparty Methodology and ESG Global Rating Methodology as part of its analysis of the transactions underlying collateral pool and the proposed capital structure. KBRA considered its operational review of Mercury Financial as well as periodic update calls with the Company. Operative agreements and legal opinions for the transaction will be reviewed prior to closing. To access ratings and relevant documents, click here. Click here to view the report. Related Publications Disclosures Further information on key credit considerations, sensitivity analyses that consider what factors can affect these credit ratings and how they could lead to an upgrade or a downgrade, and ESG factors (where they are a key driver behind the change to the credit rating or rating outlook) can be found in the full rating report referenced above. A description of all substantially material sources that were used to prepare the credit rating and information on the methodology(ies) (inclusive of any material models and sensitivity analyses of the relevant key rating assumptions, as applicable) used in determining the credit rating is available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) located here. Information on the meaning of each rating category can be located here. Further disclosures relating to this rating action are available in the Information Disclosure Form(s) referenced above. Additional information regarding KBRA policies, methodologies, rating scales and disclosures are available at www.kbra.com. About KBRA Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC (KBRA) is a full-service credit rating agency registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as an NRSRO. Kroll Bond Rating Agency Europe Limited is registered as a CRA with the European Securities and Markets Authority. Kroll Bond Rating Agency UK Limited is registered as a CRA with the UK Financial Conduct Authority. In addition, KBRA is designated as a designated rating organization by the Ontario Securities Commission for issuers of asset-backed securities to file a short form prospectus or shelf prospectus. KBRA is also recognized by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners as a Credit Rating Provider. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123110903/en/ Analytical Contacts Hollie Reddington, Senior Director (Lead Analyst) +1 646-731-3375 [email protected] Rahel Avigdor, Managing Director (Rating Committee Chair) +1 646-731-1203 [email protected] Jaykumar Shiyani, Senior Analyst +1 646-731-1362 [email protected] Business Development Contact Arielle Smelkinson, Senior Director +1 646-731-2369 [email protected] Source: Kroll Bond Rating Agency, LLC Merger of KCP Advisory Group and Altman and Company BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KCP Advisory Group, the restructuring and financial consulting organization that offers creative solutions nationally, announces its merger with Altman and Company LLC. The merger of KCP Advisory Group and Altman and Company creates a national consulting firm providing a wide range of services including: crisis and turnaround management, financial advisory, performance improvement, interim management, lender portfolio management advisory, forensic accounting and litigation support. Altman and Company, founded by Jonathan S. Altman in 1976, and KCP Advisory Group founded in 2008 have both provided services on a national scale with both privately owned and publicly held clientele. The professionals of Altman and Company will join key offices of KCP in Boston and New York and strengthen the presence between those locations in the Connecticut market. Jacen Dinoff, Chief Executive Officer of KCP, stated "We have had the opportunity to work with the Altman and Company team on several matters over the years. They are a highly experienced team of professionals that deliver to their clients and the combination of our teams further strengthens our capabilities to enable us to provide fully integrated and enhanced solutions to our clients. Gordon Lewis, Managing Partner for Altman and Company indicated We have been presented numerous opportunities in the last few years for merger/acquisition. Merging with the KCP team was the right decision for us considering the synergies between the teams and the new opportunities and capabilities that we will be able to offer our clients. KCP has built a great team we are proud to join our firms together. The combined business will initially operate as KCP-Altman Advisory Group. About Altman and Company Altman and Company LLC has been providing turnaround, restructuring and crisis management services for approximately 50 years providing customized, cost effective, and comprehensive financial consulting services. Working closely with management as well as counsel and stakeholders, Altman and Company greatly enhances the potential for a satisfactory solution. The Altman approach mandates realism in management decisions combined with immediate response to a fast changing business environment. About KCP Advisory Group KCP renders services spanning a range of advisory roles from consulting to interim leadership. By recognizing the uniqueness of each engagement, KCP ensures the needs of the situation are met and minimizes the cost of valuable solutions by working in small, specialized expert teams. This format provides the experience of a wide range of businesses and industries to assist a client whether they are healthy, challenged, or distressed and whether the challenges include performance improvement or financial advisory services, or turnaround and restructuring. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123130169/en/ [email protected] (781) 313-8123 Source: KCP Advisory Group HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A keynote conversation between Bermudas Premier David Burt and Marc Grandisson, CEO, Arch Capital Group Ltd. (Arch) will kick off the 2024 Bermuda Risk Summit, presented by the Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA), in partnership with the Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR) and EY. In 2021, Arch celebrated its 20th anniversary as a Bermuda domiciled company, and in 2022, was added to the Standard & Poors 500 Index, joining a select group of other global Property & Casualty and Reinsurance companies listed on the exchange. Premier Burt said, I look forward to representing the Government of Bermuda and taking part in my third annual Bermuda Risk Summit keynote. The Government is proud to support this important event, which highlights Bermudas position as the worlds risk capital. It is an opportunity to engage with industry leaders and for potential new market entrants to experience our globally significant risk market first-hand on our shores, which will help them truly appreciate what makes Bermuda a unique risk and insurance solutions domicile. Mr. Grandisson said, I am looking forward to discussing Bermudas successes and opportunities with Premier Burt on March 13. One of Bermudas core strengths is how government and the private sector work together to solve critical issues, and I thank the BDA and its partners ABIR and EY, for facilitating what I expect to be a fruitful conversation. Other panels being held on the opening day include Putting Capital to Work: A View From the Top, Market View: Global Regulators, A Climate Conversation, and Florida Reforms: Transformation or Illusion. A full agenda for the Bermuda Risk Summit, being held at the Hamilton Princess & Beach Club from March 13-15, 2024, is available online. Potential delegates are encouraged to register prior to March 1, the end of our price discount period. In addition to innovative content, registration includes C-suite networking opportunities each day, including an opening reception sponsored by SS&C Technologies, and a Friday networking happy hour, sponsored by BermudAir. We also encourage attendees to take advantage of the BDA Connect app and book 1-on-1 networking meetings directly with other delegates. For the best experience, download BDA Connect on your phone via the App Store, or Google Play. The BDA thanks our headline partners ABIR and EY and are pleased to report that AM Best, and SS&C Technologies, Inc. are gold sponsors, Kirkland & Ellis and KBRA are silver sponsors, Demotech, Docosoft, KPMG and Teneo are bronze sponsors, and Aon, Rein4ce and Walkers are supporting sponsors. Our airline partner is BermudAir and our media partners are The Insurer, Insurance Insider, Bermuda:Re+ILS and Insurtech Insights. Other sponsorship opportunities are still available. Click here and e-mail [email protected] if you wish to participate. We strongly encourage our overseas delegates to click here before February 13 to reserve hotel rooms online or call 1-441-295-3000, or the Global Reservations Centre on 1-800-441-1414, with the booking code: Bermuda Risk Summit to take advantage of our preferred rate. All registered delegates will also qualify to receive 20% off flights on our official airline partner BermudAir, which flies to Bermuda from Westchester, NY, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Boston, Mass. The immediate economic impact of the 2023 Bermuda Risk Summit, which had a total of 450 attendees (over 150 from overseas) including lodging, transportation, food and beverage, retail and recreation was estimated at $1.8 million, and supported 266 jobs. Far more significant were the long-term economic benefits brought about by the approximately 100+ additional visitors who flew to Bermuda for business meetings during the week of the summit. Organising the BDAs signature events aligns with the Local and International Business Retention and Business Attraction and Investment Promotion strategic priorities outlined in Bermudas Economic Development Strategy. CONNECTING BUSINESS The BDA encourages direct investment and helps companies start up, re-locate, or expand their operations in our premier jurisdiction. An independent, public-private partnership, we connect you to industry professionals, regulatory officials, and key contacts in the Bermuda government to assist domicile decisions. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123780510/en/ Stuart Roberts, Director of Marketing & Communications [email protected] | +1 441 292 7774 Source: Bermuda Business Development Agency SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kontron, a leading global provider of IoT/Embedded Computer Technology (ECT), today announced a collaboration with Truminds Software Systems and Napatech to optimize energy-efficient private wireless networks using Kontron edge servers and Truminds TruCore (5G Core Network Technology Solution) optimized for Napatechs SmartNIC for User Plane Function (UPF) offload. Truminds will be showcasing this joint solution in their booth #5H24 at MWC in Barcelona from February 26th through February 29th, 2024. Enterprises in manufacturing/industrial, broadcasting, retail, mining, and healthcare are adopting private 5G wireless networks for reliability and guaranteed coverage. Truminds, a renowned name in specialized engineering solutions, enhances both cost-performance and energy efficiency using Kontron servers designed for edge deployments. Kontrons ME1310 multi-access edge server, powered by Intel Xeon D-2700 processors, addresses the challenges of private networks with its rugged, power-efficient design. The deployment includes Smart Network Interface Cards (SmartNICs) from Napatech which offload and accelerate the compute-intensive User Plane Function (UPF) using Truminds TruCore. Napatechs SmartNIC solution delivers industry-leading UPF performance, significantly increasing the number of users or devices per server compared to traditional pure software implementations, while minimizing overall costs and improving packet core energy efficiency. Truminds TruCore is an industry-proven Release 17 compliant 5G packet core technology solution that offers cloud-native 5G packet core functions including UPF, SMF, AMF, AUSF, UDM and UDSF among others. The joint solution implements a port-to-port hair-pinned architecture, ensuring maximum system performance and optimized server CPU utilization. "The combination of Truminds proven 5G core network technology solution, Kontrons mature server technology and Napatechs innovative SmartNIC cards creates powerful, cost and energy efficient Private 5G Core Network solutions," said Rakesh Vij, CEO of Truminds Software Systems. Our core network technology solution has been chosen by several leading OEM vendors across the globe. This collaboration further cements our leadership in providing world-class 5G solutions. Through our partner ecosystem, Napatech ensures that our SmartNIC-based UPF offload solution is available to service providers and enterprises via products provided by industry-leading software vendors and server OEMs, said Charlie Ashton, Senior Director of Business Development, Napatech. We are delighted to be collaborating with both Kontron and Truminds to deliver industry-leading subscriber capacity and energy efficiency for private wireless networks. Our ME1310 multi-access edge server is the ideal platform for hosting reliable, energy efficient private wireless networks, said Charles Fambrough, Director of Global Sales for Connectivity/Telco/Media Platforms, Kontron. Our collaboration with Napatech allows us to extend the functionality of this server and offer a version that optimizes the performance of business-critical application solutions like Truminds TruCore. In summary, the joint solution from Truminds, Kontron, and Napatech, available now, delivers an end-to-end packet core that optimizes private cellular network infrastructure for critical sectors like healthcare, government offices, utilities, and airports. Kontron Telecommunications products are available directly from Kontron. For more information on Kontron Telecommunication solutions, please contact [email protected]. Further Information: A photograph in high resolution is provided here: https://profil-marketing.cloud/index.php/s/qzbAi7sQ6eRtaN3 For more information, please visit: https://www.kontron.com/en/industries/communications-connectivity Follow Kontron: Kontron on Twitter Kontron on LinkedIn News about Kontron can also be found in the official Kontron blog About Kontron Kontron is a global leader in IoT/Embedded Computing Technology (ECT) and offers individual solutions in the areas of Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 through a combined portfolio of hardware, software and services. With its standard and customized products based on highly reliable state-of-the-art technologies, Kontron provides secure and innovative applications for a wide variety of industries. As a result, customers benefit from accelerated time-to-market, lower total cost of ownership, extended product lifecycles and the best fully integrated applications. For more information, please visit: www.kontron.com About Truminds Truminds Software Systems is a Global Engineering Solutions company that provides Product Engineering Services & Licensable Technology Solutions across various industries and domains enabling the Digital and Connected world utilizing the latest cutting-edge technologies. Truminds has offices in USA: San Diego, Greater Boston and in India: Gurgaon, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. For more information, visit us at www.truminds.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About Napatech Napatech is the leading supplier of SmartNIC solutions used in cloud, enterprise, and telecom datacenters. Through commercial-grade software suites integrated with high-performance hardware, Napatech accelerates network infrastructure, security and storage workloads to deliver best-in-class system-level performance while maximizing the availability of server compute resources for applications and services. For more information, visit www.napatech.com. All rights reserved. Kontron is a trademark or registered trademark of Kontron Europe GmbH. All other brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks or copyrights by their respective owners and are recognized. All data is for information purposes only and not guaranteed for legal purposes. Subject to change without notice. Information in this press release has been carefully checked and is believed to be accurate; however, no responsibility is assumed for inaccuracies. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123340646/en/ Global Alexandra Kentros Kontron AG Tel: +49 151 151 9388 149 [email protected] EMEA Jan Lauer Profil Marketing OHG Tel: +49 531 387 33-18 [email protected] Source: Kontron NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP (Labaton) announces that, on January 22, 2024, it filed a securities class action lawsuit (the Complaint) on behalf of its client West Virginia Laborers Pension Trust Fund (West Virginia Laborers) against The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (Estee or the Company) (NYSE: EL) and certain Estee officers (collectively, Defendants). The action, which is captioned West Virginia Laborers Pension Trust Fund v. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., No. 24-cv-00468 (S.D.N.Y. Jan. 22, 2024) asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder, on behalf of all persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Estee common stock between February 3, 2022 and October 31, 2023, inclusive (the Class Period). The Complaint expands upon the related action against Estee captioned McAlice v. The Estee Lauder Companies Inc., No. 23-cv-10669 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 7, 2023) (the First Complaint) by extending the initial class period of August 18, 2022 to May 2, 2023 in the First Complaint to an expanded Class Period of February 3, 2022 to October 31, 2023 in the newly filed Complaint. Pursuant to the notice published on December 7, 2023, in connection with the filing of the First Complaint, as required by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, investors wishing to serve as Lead Plaintiff in these related securities actions pending against Defendants are required to file a motion for appointment as Lead Plaintiff by no later than February 5, 2024. Defendant Estee is a leading manufacturer and seller of luxury cosmetics, skincare products, and other related goods. Asian markets, such as China and Korea, are critical for the Companys sales growth. In particular, travel retail, which includes duty-free stores found in airports, cruise ships, and the like, is an important sales area for Estee in its Asian markets. For years, Estees business in Asia has been reliant on a specialized reselling industry which is prevalent in China and Korea. The new Complaint expands on the fraud claims in the First Complaint. Specifically, the Complaint alleges that during the Class Period, Defendants misled investors by touting Estees revenue growth and issuing favorable financial guidance while failing to disclose that: (1) Estees revenue growth prior to the Class Period was largely driven by purchases made by resellers; (2) stricter regulations on resellers were causing them to purchase fewer Estee products, which was resulting in elevated inventories throughout the supply chain and a sales slowdown for the Company; and (3) these elevated inventory levels were forcing Estee to discount its products in an attempt to reduce inventory, leading to lower revenues and profit margins. The truth began to emerge through a series of disclosures in late 2022 and 2023. As Estees product sales to resellers slowed down, inventory piled up forcing the Company to repeatedly lower its revenue forecasts which partially exposed the Companys supply chain and inventory issues to investors. The full truth about Estees issues was revealed on November 1, 2023, when Estee lowered its financial outlook citing a slower pace of recovery in net sales and profit margins. On this news, the price of Estee common stock declined $24.36, or nearly 19 percent, to close at $104.51 on November 1, 2023. If you purchased or acquired Estee 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. Lead Plaintiff motion papers must be filed no later than February 5, 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 this 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 retain counsel of your choice to represent you in this action. If you would like to consider serving as Lead Plaintiff or have any questions about this lawsuit, you may contact Francis P. McConville, Esq. of Labaton Keller Sucharow, at (212) 907-0650, or via email at [email protected]. You can view a copy of the Complaint online here. Plaintiff West Virginia Laborers is represented by Labaton Keller Sucharow, which represents many of the largest pension funds in the United States and internationally with combined assets under management of more than $3 trillion. Labaton Keller Sucharows litigation reputation is built on its half-century of securities litigation experience, more than seventy full-time attorneys, and in-house team of investigators, financial analysts, and forensic accountants. Labaton Keller Sucharow has been recognized for its excellence by the courts and peers, and it is consistently ranked in leading industry publications. Offices are located in New York, NY, Wilmington, DE, and Washington, D.C. More information about Labaton Keller Sucharow is available at www.labaton.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122273058/en/ Francis P. McConville, Esq. Labaton Keller Sucharow (212) 907-0650 [email protected] Source: Labaton Keller Sucharow LLP Newly formed Tesson Roofing subsidiary in Arizona to focus on drastically cutting indoor temperatures for owners of large-roof commercial and industrial structures. PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To combat high indoor temperatures in record-breaking Arizona heat, NanoTech Materials, Inc., a leading provider of climate-resilient materials, today announced a joint campaign with Cool Roof Coating Systems, LLC. in the Grand Canyon State. A subsidiary of Tesson Roofing, Cool Roof Coating Systems will provide expert installation of NanoTech Cool Roof Coat to bring a durable and low-maintenance heat-resistant coating to roof restoration customers in Arizona. As a powerful alternative to capital-intensive roof replacement, NanoTech Cool Roof Coat is a highly durable elastic, polymeric roof remediation solution with unprecedented heat-rejection technology that delivers significant year-over-year savings in operating costs. Roof restoration with NanoTech Cool Roof Coat is available nationwide through certified installers. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123160529/en/ NanoTech Cool Roof Coat redefines building heat-rejection performance by adding unusually low conductivity to high emissivity and reflectivity to keep rooftop heat out. As time and dirt accumulation degrade the effectiveness of conventional cool roof products, NanoTech Cool Roof Coat keeps rejecting heat, especially as the ambient temperature rises. Built on the heat-rejection properties of the NanoTech Insulative Ceramic Particle, this Cool Roof Coat product cuts indoor temperatures by 25-30F, slashing carbon emissions by 76 tons yearly in a 25,000 sq ft building. NanoTech Cool Roof Coat provides waterproofing and resistance to hail and wind, delivering up to 96% cool roof performance after ten years. "Put simply, the heat-rejection performance of NanoTech Cool Roof Coat is so compelling that Tesson decided to form an Arizona-based company to tackle one of the hottest markets in the U.S. directly," said Brett Tesson, President at Cool Roof Coating Systems. "During my two decades in the roofing industry, NanoTech Cool Roof Coat is by far the most game-changing product for the roof restoration business because it allows us to coat, waterproof and protect, while adding unprecedented savings in HVAC cooling for our customers. While its great to work outdoors in Arizona at this time of year, I cant wait until summer for our customers to call asking about where the blistering heat inside their buildings went." Cool Roof Coating Systems, a subsidiary of Tesson Roofing & Exteriors, LLC, is on a mission to lead the way in sustainable roofing solutions by transforming traditional roofs into energy-efficient and environmentally responsible surfaces. The company works to enhance the longevity of structures while significantly reducing energy consumption and carbon footprints to create a cooler, greener future. With a parent company which has served thousands of customers nationwide, the Cool Roof Coating Systems team is equipped with the knowledge and experience to create a substantial impact in the mission it shares with NanoTech Materials. Through this collaboration, the companies aim to reduce carbon emissions by transforming traditional roofs into environmentally responsible and energy-efficient surfaces, contributing to a greener future, one roof at a time. "NanoTech products are designed to provide extraordinary heat rejection, and the team at Tesson is among the very best in the roof restoration market, which made a joint initiative in the extreme heat and intense Arizona sun a natural fit," said Mike Francis, CEO and Founder at NanoTech Materials, Inc. "As a direct-to-installer product, we rely on collaboration with highly qualified contractors. I am delighted at the founding of Cool Roof Coating Systems to bring a new level of sustainability to Arizona. Our vision at NanoTech is to transform sustainability in the built environment, starting with one of the biggest energy drains and sources of carbon emissions, one roof at a time." NanoTech Cool Roof Coat redefines building heat-rejection efficiency through the action of the NanoTech Insulative Ceramic Particle, which in its undiluted state has a lower conductivity (k) than aerogels and can withstand temperatures up to 1800C. With perfect emissivity, the NanoTech ICP absorbs heat nearly as effectively as a perfect black body. The NanoTech ICP is integrated with base matrix carriers like building materials, coatings, and substrates, giving those materials unprecedented heat conservation, rejection, or containment properties. To learn more about NanoTech Cool Roof Coat, please visit our website. To find out how Cool Roof Coating Systems can keep the heat out of your buildings in Arizona, please schedule an appointment. Meet the NanoTech team at the 2024 International Roofing Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada, from February 6-8, 2024, in booth 4446. About NanoTech Materials, Inc NanoTech Materials, Inc. has revolutionized the science of heat control by integrating its novel Insulative Ceramic Particle into common building materials, coatings, and substrates, giving them uncommon heat conservation, rejection, or containment properties. Built on a proven innovation in the hard sciences, the Company is positioned at the intersection of high-impact sustainability, simplicity, and unprecedented value. The Companys first-to-market product, NanoTech Cool Roof Coat, is an ISO 9001-certified cool-roof coat that has redefined building thermal efficiency by adding unusually low conductivity to high emissivity and reflectivity to keep rooftop heat out. Even as soiling and latent heat transfer undermine conventional cool roof systems, NanoTech delivers a step-function decrease in the energy required to cool structures and an equally drastic reduction in carbon emissions and building operating costs for up to 10 years. NanoTech products include heat-rejecting roof coatings for buildings and automotive applications, heat-containment fireproofing paint to protect critical infrastructure from wildfires, and specialized ceramics to control extreme heat in industrial applications. Discover what is possible with NanoTech when you can control for heat in the built environment by visiting www.nanotechmaterials.com or calling (888) 296-6266. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123160529/en/ Technica Communications Caitlan Caviness [email protected] Source: NanoTech Materials, Inc. Catchpoint and Google's Continuous Collaboration on Internet Performance Monitoring Enables Superior Cloud Observability NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Catchpoint, The Internet Resilience Company, today unveiled the "Test Suite for Google Cloud," a tool designed to ease the end-to-end monitoring of Google Cloud services from different customer-chosen endpoints including customer premises, other public clouds and Internet endpoints. This suite is specifically developed to streamline the configuration and management of cloud service tests, thereby providing immediate benefits in operational performance and user experience. This suite is specifically developed to streamline the configuration and management of cloud service tests, thereby providing immediate benefits in operational performance and user experience. The Test Suite is part of Catchpoints Internet Performance Monitoring (IPM) platform, a new generation of solutions that provides deep visibility into every aspect of the Internet that impacts your business and revenue. It is like Application Performance Management (APM), but not for your app stack for your Internet Stack. The Test Suite for Google Cloud empowers IT teams to rapidly deploy multiple tests for Google Cloud services, utilizing Google Clouds and Catchpoints best practices for prompt issue detection and troubleshooting. Its design focuses on minimizing complexity and time investment for effective Google Cloud service monitoring, making it particularly user-friendly for newcomers. Our collaboration with Google Cloud is fundamentally about simplifying and enhancing the network performance monitoring experience for businesses leveraging Google Cloud services. The Test Suite for Google Cloud is a direct response to this need, facilitating more efficient implementation and streamlining the monitoring process for Google Cloud services, said Mehdi Daoudi, CEO and co-founder of Catchpoint. In an era where cloud computing is crucial for business efficiency, ensuring optimal performance, resilience, and user experience through sophisticated and precise monitoring is paramount. Our ongoing partnership with Google Cloud promises to yield further innovative solutions in this domain. This initiative is a part of Catchpoints integration into the Google Cloud network observability partner ecosystem. We believe that a robust Google Cloud network observability partner ecosystem not only provides choice but also enables you to leverage your current observability solutions, workflows, and skills to effectively monitor your Google Cloud workloads, tailored to your specific needs, including hybrid and multi-cloud deployments, said Raj Gulani, Director of Product Management for Network Experiences at Google Cloud. The Test Suite includes pre-set test templates for key Google Cloud services such as BigQuery, Spanner, Cloud Storage, and Compute Engine. These templates are easily customizable, allowing users to quickly adapt tests to their specific requirements, which is particularly beneficial for businesses needing swift deployment and monitoring of their cloud services. For more information about the Test Suite for Google Cloud and its benefits for businesses, visit Catchpoint. About Catchpoint Catchpoint is the Internet Resilience Company. Trusted by leading online retailers, Global2000 companies, CDNs, cloud service providers, and various service providers, Catchpoint is dedicated to increasing resilience by catching issues in the Internet stack before they impact businesses. The Catchpoint platform offers a comprehensive suite of monitoring solutions, including synthetics, RUM, performance optimization, and advanced analytics, all supported by high-fidelity data and flexible visualizations. Leveraging thousands of global vantage points across wireless networks, BGP, backbone, last mile, endpoint, enterprise, ISPs, and more, Catchpoint provides unparalleled observability into factors affecting customer experiences, workforce efficiency, network performance, websites, applications, and APIs. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123462469/en/ Emily Fang, Greenough [email protected] Source: Catchpoint HAMILTON, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- January 23, 2024-- Seadrill Limited ("Seadrill" or the "Company") (NYSE & OSE: SDRL) announces today that, in accordance with its bye-laws, the Board has confirmed the date of the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in respect of the 2024 calendar year. The 2024 Annual General Meeting shall be held in Bermuda on April 17, 2024. A copy of the Notice of Annual General Meeting and Proxy Statement will be distributed closer to the meeting date. About Seadrill Seadrill is a leading offshore drilling contractor utilizing advanced technology to unlock oil and gas resources for clients across harsh and benign locations around the globe. Seadrills high-quality, technologically-advanced fleet spans all asset classes allowing its experienced crews to conduct operations across geographies, from shallow to ultra-deepwater environments. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123978823/en/ Benjamin Wiseman Corporate Finance Manager & Investor Relations T: +44 786 713 9312 E: [email protected] Source: Seadrill Limited A pioneer in online broker reviewing and a trusted source of unbiased stock trading research, StockBrokers.com is proud to announce the results of its 2024 Annual Awards. ROYAL OAK, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- StockBrokers.com, a leading publisher of in-depth brokerage reviews and guides, is proud to announce the winners of the StockBrokers.com 2024 Annual Awards. The Annual Awards represent the culmination of StockBrokers.coms proprietary research, analysis and data collection. Based on in-depth testing, they recognize demonstrated excellence in categories considered important to investors, traders, and consumers. Sam Levine, CFA, CMT, a veteran investor with over 30 years of experience as a portfolio manager, investment strategist and writer, serves as lead writer for online broker reviews. The Annual Awards allow Reink Media Group to really champion the interests of individual investors, as well as encourage innovation among online brokerages, Levine said. Were proud to identify the best of the best in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry. Winning the top prize for 2024, #1 Overall Broker, is industry leader Fidelity Investments, clinching a three-year streak in the top spot. Several new awards for 2024 recognize evolutions in the industry, including #1 Broker for Bond Trading, going to Interactive Brokers. Full results can be found on the StockBrokers.com Annual Awards page. Visit our site to learn about the StockBrokers.com team and how we test, and check out our online broker reviews and our popular guides to stock trading. About StockBrokers.com Founded in 2009, StockBrokers.com provides unbiased broker reviews and expert insights into investing for American consumers, whether youre just beginning your investing journey or are a veteran trader. One of the first publications in the U.S. to review online brokerages, StockBrokers.com has become a trusted resource for millions of visitors and has developed proprietary tools and ratings to make it easier to find, compare and choose a broker. About Reink Media Group Reink Media Group, LLC (RMG) is a privately held Michigan-based company founded in February 2009, with a mission to provide financial education and advice that puts people first before profits. RMG properties include investor.com, StockBrokers.com and ForexBrokers.com, among others. RMG and each of its domains are B Corp certified. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123293994/en/ Reink Media Group (reinkmedia.com) Molly Rossow Global Director of Marketing, Partner [email protected] Source: StockBrokers.com MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TARA Mind, a public benefit corporation focused on creating access to safe and effective ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) as a covered benefit for employees, announced today that the Company has raised $8 million, led by Satori Neuro. Additional investors participating in the oversubscribed round were Echo Investment Capital, Crumpton Ventures, Empath Ventures, and Blake Mykoskie: Founder of TOMS. Founded in 2022 by Marcus Capone, a Veteran Navy SEAL turned Entrepreneur after experiencing the life-changing benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy, TARA Mind is advancing its mission to provide safe, effective, and affordable access to life-changing mental health therapies through its collaborative care platform and structured real world evidence dataset. The Company has developed a first of its kind mental health collaborative care platform, recognized for being clinician-guided, data-driven and evidence-based, to help the millions of individuals struggling with mental health disorders that have not been clinically responsive to traditional mental health therapies. Many of these individuals represent the highest risk/highest cost segment of the workforce. Through its provider collaborative care platform, TARA Mind is able to administer highly effective, clinician-guided personalized mental health treatments and incorporate them into todays employer funded benefit plans. Self-funded employers who offer TARA Minds benefit can expect to realize favorable ROI results within the first year. Employer savings are derived from reduced medical costs, reduced absenteeism, and improved workforce productivity. Marcus Capone, CEO of TARA Mind, stated, As a Navy SEAL, I was fortunate to not face affordability or access challenges to available treatments for my deteriorating mental health. My personal challenge was that the current traditional treatment protocols were simply not helping. I had to independently seek alternative treatments, which ultimately saved my life and family. At TARA Mind, our mission is to offer a solution that eliminates the existing barriers to life changing therapeutics that millions of American families struggling with depression face daily. We are dedicated to paying forward the lessons learned and fostering a culture of support and well-being. Our first mover advantage in the employer benefit space, coupled with our collaborative care platform and structured dataset, provides us with a unique opportunity to play a key role in advancing affordable access to life-changing therapies for millions of individuals struggling with treatment resistant depression. We are proud to partner with TARA Mind, not only through our strategic investment, but also through our shared dedication to creating a meaningful impact in the area of mental health, said Dr. Amy Kruse, Chief Investment Officer for Satori Neuro. TARA Mind's mission to expand access to groundbreaking mental health therapeutics aligns closely with our purpose: to create, fund, and inspire businesses that elevate humanity. Dr. Amy Kruse will be joining the TARA Mind Board of Directors who, together with the Scientific Advisory Board, are collectively dedicated to helping raise the standard of mental healthcare nationwide. About TARA Mind TARA Mind was founded in 2022 by investment and incubation firm Red Cell Partners led by Grant Verstandig (TARA Mind Co-founder) and Dr. Yisroel Brumer. TARA Mind is a Public Benefit Corporation founded in 2022 to expand safe, affordable, and effective access to emerging mental health therapies. Learn more at www.taramind.com and follow us on social media (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123070594/en/ Fern Deininger [email protected] Source: TARA Mind Trust in creators surges more than 20%, redefining the consumer purchase journey DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- LTK, the platform that powers Creator Commerce, today released its Creator Journey 2024 Shopping Trends report, showcasing the impact creators have on consumer behavior and how they are reshaping the traditional consumer purchase journey. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123591589/en/ LTK, the platform that powers Creator Commerce, today released its Creator Journey 2024 Shopping Trends report, showcasing the impact creators have on consumer behavior and how they are reshaping the traditional consumer purchase journey. (Photo: Business Wire) As marketers recognize the profound impact creators have, spending on creator marketing is expected to reach over $35B in 2024. Consumers now rely on creators from discovery to purchase to loyalty and retention as trust in creators soared by 21% from last year. Across all generations, creators now rank as the No. 1 trusted source over social media ads and celebrities, with Gen Z three times more likely to say they trust creators over ads. Rise of Creator Trust Transforms Consumer Journey With creators serving as trusted advisors across all generations, creators have evolved from mere product endorsers to influencing the entire consumer journey. Among Gen Z and Millennials, 66% actively shop and make purchases through creators, and 56% of the wider population now buy from creators, marking a 64% increase from the previous year. On the LTK platform alone, creators are driving more than $4.1B in sales annually - a figure that continues to rise each year. While creator-guided shopping has become the new norm, creators arent just influencing purchase decisions; creators are now integral to a brand's overall full funnel marketing strategy. Consumers are interacting with creators and their content now more than ever. A staggering 69% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials report a higher likelihood of exploring brands or products after engaging with creator content, finding it more inspirational than direct brand content. Thats why 92% of brands are increasing their investment in influencer marketing this year. Brands are leveraging creators to support multiple strategies, including increasing repeat purchases and basket, brand and product recognition, expanding consideration to new audiences, loyalty and retention. The Increased Value of Creator Content The importance and value of creator content have skyrocketed, making creator marketing a top investment growth channel for brands, alongside connected TV advertising. This rise is largely attributed to creators' powerful storytelling abilities, especially through video content. Video content on the LTK platform drives over 2X clicks per post compared to static content, and creator video posts on LTK grew 4X from 2021 to 2023. The general population watched creator video content 30% more than the previous year and nearly 75% watch creator videos because of the creators ability to authentically and meaningfully convey the product and brand value through their personal everyday life stories. In turn, consumers express a desire to engage with creator content beyond just social media. 34% of consumers said they want to see creator content on TV, followed by in-store and display ads. This report underscores the pivotal role creators will continue to play in shaping consumer behavior across all generations - creating a new consumer journey. Creators have become a valuable asset for brands - influencing every phase from sparking inspiration to guiding purchase decisions and fostering brand loyalty, said Rodney Mason, Vice President and Head of Marketing, Brand Platform at LTK. For LTKs full Creator Journey 2024 Shopping Trends Report , please visit https://company.shopltk.com/ltk-2024-shopper-study. The report summarizes key findings related to LTKs national shopper study conducted in December 2023 with 1,104 participants and LTKs brand study in collaboration with Northwestern Universitys Retail Analytics Council conducted in August 2023 among 164 marketing decision makers that have invested in creator marketing in the last 12 months. About LTK As the inventor of Creator Commerce, LTK is the trusted and effective platform for creators and their businesses by powering and monetizing the connection between content and commerce. Founded in 2011 by Amber and Baxter Box, the LTK mission is to empower creators to be as economically successful as possible. Premium lifestyle creators in 150+ countries drive more than $4 billion in annual retail sales through the LTK platform. Today, 40 million consumers turn to LTK Creators in the LTK shopping platform each month to find inspiration and instantly shop the styles recommended by their favorite creators. And, more than 7,000 brands partner with LTK to gain access to its global creator network for content that converts against performance-driven, cross-channel KPIs. LTK is headquartered in Dallas, TX and currently operates on five continents. To download the LTK shopping app, search for LTK in the App Store or Google Play. For the latest updates from LTK, follow Shop.LTK. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123591589/en/ [email protected] Source: LTK VICTORIA, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Graduate Research Assistants officially launched the public phase of their campaign to form a union today with a clear message: working conditions need to change at the University of Victoria (UVic). Graduate research assistants are an integral part of UVic, says Nell Perry a graduate research assistant and a member organizer with the campaign. We perform critical research that is a significant factor in UVics positive reputation, but many researchers have concerns with their working conditions and currently they have to deal with those issues by themselves. Currently each individual worker negotiates their own contract with their supervisor and, according to Perry, this system has caused widespread inequity amongst workers. Other concerns raised by workers include low wages, unclear expectations for wage payment and funding, inconsistent hiring processes, and no standardized process to deal with workplace concerns. CUPE 4163 President Greg Melnechuk says that with other GRAs organizing across the province, and country, now seemed like the ideal time to work with GRAs at UVic to form a union. Recently weve seen graduate research assistants at both Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia run successful organizing campaigns, and we want to build on that momentum here at UVic. Currently researchers have limited say in their working conditions and we want to change that by helping researchers successfully join CUPE 4163, says Melnechuk. The organizing committee provides more detail about the organizing drive on its website, https://organizeuvic.cupe.ca. CUPE is Canadas largest and fastest-growing union, with more than 740,000 members, including more than 70,000 workers in the post-secondary sector. CUPE Local 4163 represents more than 1500 members who work at the University of Victoria including Teaching Assistants, Lab Instructors, Help Desk workers, Academic Assistants, Second Language Instructors in the English Language Centre and French Language Programme, Residence Life student workers, and Cultural Assistants as well as Sessional Lecturers, and Music Performance Instructors. cope491 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123228204/en/ Kathryn Davies, CUPE Communications Representative 250-886-6502 or [email protected] Source: Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) GOLDEN, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Vescent and the Danish National Metrology Institute (DFM) announce a highly accurate user-configurable optical clock assembled entirely from their commercially available components achieving 200 femtoseconds (0.0000000000002 s) timing instabilities at one second and sub nanosecond holdover at one day. Using Vescents commercially available, market-leading optical frequency comb (OFC), the FFC-100, to down-convert the clock cycle to the RF and the wavelength-stabilized output of the DFM Stabiaser 1542 as the clock laser, this powerful combination of components (including the Vescent SLICE-FPGA-II) yields a Box to Clock in less than 30 minutes (including warm-up time for all three devices), which customers can purchase today in North America for an introductory price of US$199,500 with a current lead-time of 6 to 12 weeks. Vescent is the exclusive Distributor for the DFM Stabiaser 1542 in the US and Canada. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122716582/en/ Vescent FFC-100 and SLICE FPGA II with the DFM Stabiaser 1542 (Photo: Vescent) Microwave atomic clocks based on hydrogen, cesium, and rubidium sources have been around for decades and have had tremendous impact on the economy and national security. For example, a recent Study on the Economic Benefits of GPS commissioned by National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), estimates that GPS generated $1.4 trillion in U.S. economic benefits since the system became available in the 1980s. This great success is also a vulnerability. GPS can be jammed, spoofed, and even disabled. The solution exists in next-generation clocks, so-called "optical clocks," that have shown unprecedented timing performance in laboratory environments. Until now, optical clocks, which reference a quantum transition at optical, rather than RF, frequencies, have been confined to custom-built laboratories. The combination of commercially available optical frequency combs from Vescent and the Stabiaser from DFM present, for the first time, manufacture-ready optical clock solutions. This technology will provide a backup to GPS, enable improved RADAR and imaging systems, data center synchronization, quantum computing, quantum networking, securing financial markets, high-speed trading, and aid national security. There is an unmet need for quantum-stabilized references in the optical domain, said Michael Kjr, CEO of DFM. Partnering with DFM, a metrology leader, is a perfect fit for Vescent, given our NIST-Boulder and JILA (at the University of Colorado) heritage and commercialization track record, said Scott Davis, CEO of Vescent. The design and performance of this optical clock will be highlighted at the upcoming Precise Time and Time Interval Conference (PTTI) in Long Beach, California, in the Advanced and Future Clocks session on January 25th, 2024. For additional technical information, you can download our white paper. About DFM DFM is a world-leading national metrology institute (NMI). It provides a wide range of services and products to private and public companies and authorities in areas related to metrology and accreditation. Primary activities include the construction and maintenance of the Danish metrological infrastructure and providing leading edge optical frequency standards. To find out more, visit dfm.dk. About Vescent Vescent is leading and enabling the commercialization of Quantum Technologies in the lab and in the field. It has been providing frequency Combs, Lasers, and Controls to 100s of customers on the front lines of scaling the commercial quantum ecosystem throughout the world with low-SWaP, ruggedness, and IP. Vescent is based in Golden, CO, and is working to overcome the challenges of enabling Quantum 2.0 as it scales out. To find out more, visit vescent.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240122716582/en/ [email protected] Source: Vescent SUNNYVALE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Zultys, a premier provider of omnichannel, unified communications, hosted business phone services, and premise-based communications systems, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Jon Leighton as the new area sales director for the Eastern United States and Canada. Jon joins Zultys from Avaya with an impressive track record in enterprise sales and a wealth of experience in unified communications. Hes set to spearhead business development initiatives and drive sales strategies that will elevate Zultys presence in the Eastern market. John Osgood, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Zultys, expressed enthusiasm about the new addition to the leadership team. With Jons extensive experience in fostering strategic partnerships with technology associations, service brokers, and distributors, we are confident in his ability to lead our Eastern-based sales managers and contribute to our shared success with partners. Were making sure that we have the best team of seasoned experts working together to support our partners so we can help take their businesses to a whole new level. We are delighted to welcome Jon to our ever-growing Zultys family. Jon is equally excited about his new role, stating, I am honored to join Zultys and contribute to its ongoing success. I chose Zultys because of its focus on providing a communications platform with more advanced capabilities for businesses of all sizes. Zultys continues to invest heavily in research and development and provides industry-leading support and superior service to all their customers. I look forward to leveraging my experience in the channel to collaborate with our talented team to accelerate sales growth, build strong relationships with partners, and explore new avenues for expansion. Jon brings a unique blend of leadership, innovation, and proven ability as a tenured sales director to meet the needs of partners and help them expand their book of business. His strategic vision and dynamic approach align with Zultys commitment to delivering a seamless, all-in-one unified communications and integrated contact center experience and building lasting partner and lifelong customer relationships. For more information about Zultys and to connect with our dedicated sales team, please visit our website or refer to the Zultys regional map for contact details. About Zultys Zultys delivers an easy-to-use, secure, and reliable platform designed to streamline all forms of communications and increase productivity for businesses of all sizes. Please visit www.zultys.com for more information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123495404/en/ For media inquiries, please contact: Jenny Matkovich VP of Marketing and Communications Zultys P: 213-316-9966 [email protected] Source: Zultys FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows a crude oil tanker at an oil terminal off Waidiao island in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, China January 4, 2023. China Daily via REUTERS/File Photo By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices settled lower on Tuesday as traders focused on rebounding crude output in parts of the U.S., along with rising supply in Libya and Norway, rather than risks to supply posed by conflict in Europe and the Middle East. Brent crude settled at $79.55 a barrel, losing 51 cents, or 0.6%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude settled at $74.37 a barrel, shedding 39 cents, or 0.5%. In North Dakota, the third-largest oil-producing U.S. state, some oil output came back online after shutting because of extreme cold, the state's pipeline authority said. However, output was still down as much as 300,000 bpd. Persistent weakness in U.S. gasoline demand has also hit oil prices, said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC. While U.S. crude stocks dropped by 6.67 million barrels last week, gasoline inventories jumped by 7.2 million barrels, according to market sources citing American Petroleum Institute figures. Official U.S. government data is due on Wednesday. Rising production elsewhere further pressured prices. Norway's crude production rose to 1.85 million barrels per day (bpd) in December, up from 1.81 million bpd the previous month and beating analysts' forecasts of 1.81 million bpd, according to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD). In Libya, production at the 300,000 bpd Sharara oilfield restarted on Jan. 21 after the end of protests that had halted output since early this month. Geopolitical uncertainty limited losses. "You've got the geopolitical pressures that aren't enough to really rally the oil market, but they're enough to keep the market from bottoming out of the range," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho Bank. Crude prices rose by around 2% on Monday after a Ukrainian drone strike on Novatek's Ust-Luga Baltic fuel export terminal near Russia's second city St Petersburg raised supply concerns. In the Middle East, tensions rose after U.S. and British forces carried out a second joint round of strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. (Additional reporting by Robert Harvey and Noah Browning in London, and Emily Chow and Trixie Yapp in Singapore; Editing by Kevin Liffey, David Gregorio, Christina Fincher and Deepa Babington) Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) today announced that Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) continued to demonstrate long-term survival results in the Phase 3 CheckMate -214 trial, reducing the risk of death by 28% in patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) vs. sunitinib after eight years, regardless of International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk group. Patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy maintained superior survival and more durable response benefits compared to those who received sunitinib in both patients with intermediate- and poor-risk prognostic factors and across all randomized patients. These data will be presented in an oral presentation (Abstract #363) during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2024 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium from January 25-27, 2024. Among intermediate- and poor-risk patients (n=847), Opdivo plus Yervoy (n=425) maintained efficacy after eight years (99.1 months median), with improvements seen in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR) over sunitinib: OS: Median OS was 46.7 months for intermediate- and poor-risk patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy vs. 26.0 months with sunitinib (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.69; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.59 to 0.81). The 90-month landmark OS rates were 32.9% vs. 22.0%, respectively. plus vs. 26.0 months with sunitinib (Hazard Ratio [HR] 0.69; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.59 to 0.81). The 90-month landmark OS rates were 32.9% vs. 22.0%, respectively. DOR: Median DOR was 82.8 months for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to 19.8 months with sunitinib. plus compared to 19.8 months with sunitinib. PFS: Median PFS by independent radiology review committee (IRRC) was 12.4 months with Opdivo plus Yervoy vs. 8.5 months with sunitinib (HR 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.87), tripling the 90-month landmark PFS rate at 25.4% vs. 8.5%, respectively. plus vs. 8.5 months with sunitinib (HR 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61 to 0.87), tripling the 90-month landmark PFS rate at 25.4% vs. 8.5%, respectively. ORR: ORR benefits were maintained with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to sunitinib (42% vs. 27%). In addition, four times more patients treated with the combination achieved complete responses (CR) than with sunitinib (12% vs. 3%). Additionally, in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population (n=1,096), Opdivo plus Yervoy (n=550) demonstrated long-term benefits across endpoints: OS: Among all randomized patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy , median OS was 52.7 months vs. 37.8 months with sunitinib (HR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.62 to 0.83). plus , median OS was 52.7 months vs. 37.8 months with sunitinib (HR 0.72; 95% CI: 0.62 to 0.83). DOR: For patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy , median DOR was 76.2 months compared to 25.1 months with sunitinib. plus , median DOR was 76.2 months compared to 25.1 months with sunitinib. PFS: Median PFS by IRRC was 12.4 months with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 12.3 months with sunitinib (HR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.03) plus and 12.3 months with sunitinib (HR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.75 to 1.03) ORR: ORR was better with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to sunitinib (39% vs. 33%), and four times more patients treated with the combination achieved CR (12% vs. 3%). It is incredible to see that after eight years in the CheckMate -214 trial, which represents the longest reported follow up of any Phase 3 trial of a checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma, the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab continues to provide superior survival and durable responses for these patients, said Nizar Tannir, M.D., F.A.C.P., professor, Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Not only are we seeing sustained benefits over sunitinib in the primary endpoint population of intermediate- and poor-risk patients, but also within the key secondary endpoint intent-to-treat population, which goes to show that this dual immunotherapy combination can potentially help patients achieve positive long-term outcomes, regardless of IMDC risk. The safety profile of Opdivo plus Yervoy was manageable using established treatment algorithms, and no new safety signals emerged with extended follow-up. The updated data from CheckMate -214 with Opdivo plus Yervoy in advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma to be presented at ASCO GU speak to our long-standing leadership with immunotherapy not only in genitourinary cancers, but across multiple tumor types. These extended results further exemplify to the scientific community the potential that we have long recognized for immunotherapy to transform treatment paradigms in oncology, said Dana Walker, M.D., M.S.C.E., vice president, global program lead, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers, Bristol Myers Squibb. We are proud to see the eight-year results, the longest survival benefit vs. sunitinib seen in any Phase 3 trial in this patient population, point toward sustained overall survival with this first-line dual immunotherapy approach and reinforce its role as the current standard of care in this setting. Bristol Myers Squibb thanks the patients and investigators involved in the CheckMate -214 clinical trial. KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 20:08 | World, All, Japan Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ordered government agencies not to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in its investigation into the deadly war on drugs during the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte. "I do not recognize the jurisdiction of ICC in the Philippines. I consider it as a threat to our sovereignty," Marcos told reporters days after Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said ICC investigators will not be barred from the country as long as they follow domestic legal procedures. "The Philippine government will not lift a finger to help any investigation that the ICC conducts," said Marcos, the successor of Duterte whose flagship anti-narcotics campaign left thousands of suspected drug dealers or users dead under dubious circumstances. The Philippines has not been a member of the ICC since March 2019 after Duterte, who was in power between June 2016 and June 2022, initiated its withdrawal a year earlier. But the ICC insists it retains jurisdiction over crimes committed in the Philippines while it was a member from November 2011. Marcos said any government agency contacted by the ICC should not provide any reply. The ICC Office of the Prosecutor said Monday it cannot confirm or deny whether its investigators had already visited the Philippines to gather evidence of the alleged extrajudicial killings of the suspected drug dealers or users, in order to protect the confidentiality of their work. But the office "will seek to engage and establish a dialogue with all relevant stakeholders, including the Philippine government and civil society" during its probe, it said in an email to Kyodo News. The Hague-based court authorized the office of the prosecutor last year to proceed with its investigation into alleged crimes against humanity in connection with the drug war killings. Related coverage: Philippines to OK ICC drug war probe in country if legal process met Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the Company), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, today announced that it has signed, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, a Memorandum of Agreement to sell to an unaffiliated third party, the 2006-built vessel Artemis, with delivery to the buyer latest by March 8, 2024, for a sale price of US$12.99 million before commissions. Upon completion of the aforementioned sale, Diana Shipping Inc.s fleet will consist of 39 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 9 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 6 Panamax and 9 Ultramax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Companys fleet, including the m/v Artemis, is approximately 4.5 million dwt with a weighted average age of 10.59 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Companys website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Companys website does not constitute a part of this press release. Electric automaker, Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR) revealed Tuesday that the company expects to sell the remaining inventory of nearly 5,000 vehicles manufactured last year by the end of the first quarter as the companys newly introduced dealer-partner model has already attracted attention. Over 100 potential dealers in the United States, Canada, and Europe have expressed interest in collaborating with Fisker, the EV company said. Despite producing over 10,000 vehicles in 2023, the EV startup faced logistical challenges, resulting in the delivery of approximately 4,700 units of the Ocean sport utility vehicle. Fisker expects to generate significant cash in the first quarter of 2024 by selling last year's manufactured vehicles, which will boost working capital. Earlier this month the company announced that they would expand the companys sales network by adding dealerships alongside its direct-to-customer model. Fisker will meet with potential dealers at its headquarters in Manhattan Beach and attend the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show in early February. Fisker's shares rose 17% on Monday after signing agreements allowing the use of intellectual property for strategic collaborations with an investor. Fisker added that the company has also reduced its overall debt by $185.5 million to $324.5 million through conversions by a convertible notes holder. Shares of FSR are up 12.37% in pre-market trading Tuesday morning. By Michael Elkins | [email protected] IGC Pharma, Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) provides details on its drug candidate TGR-63, which targets amyloid-beta plaque and can potentially improve Alzheimer's disease treatment in a significant manner. A key pathological marker of Alzheimers disease is the formation of abnormal clusters of protein fragments called amyloid-beta (A) that deposit as A plaque between neurons in the brain and contribute to cognitive decline and memory loss. The two drugs approved by the FDA, Aducanumab and Lecanemab, aim to clear A plaque from the brain as part of a therapeutic approach focused on modifying the course of the disease. TGR-63 is a patent pending molecule designed to disrupt the structure of A plaque aggregation by disrupting intermolecular interactions and destabilizing their assembly. Studies in Alzheimers cell line have confirmed TGR-63's potency in alleviating A plaque burden. As a result, large clusters of plaque fail to form, potentially stifling the progression of Alzheimer's Disease. TGR-63s potential as an Alzheimers therapeutic was further corroborated in a genetically modified mouse model mimicking Alzheimers amyloid pathology. In that trial, the group treated with TGR-63, compared to the vehicle-treated group, showed a 78% and 85% reduction in the cortical and hippocampal amyloid load, respectively, reaffirming its potential to thwart the progression of Alzheimers disease. Notably, based on our research, we believe that TGR-63 exhibits excellent biocompatibility and the capacity to penetrate the bloodbrain barrier. IGC Pharma hopes to progress TGR-63 into human trials. Ram Mukunda, CEO of IGC Pharma, highlights the significance of TGR-63, saying, "The FDA's recent approval of innovative drugs like Aducanumab and Lecanemab underscores the profound impact of targeting plaque formation in Alzheimer's. TGR-63 aligns with this visionary approach, rekindling hope, and tangible progress in our fight against this neurodegenerative disease. TGR-63 is a potential Alzheimers drug in the standard preclinical methodologies, first in Alzheimers cell lines, then in amyloid animal models, and finally with its ability to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. The Company is currently advancing IGC-AD1, a CB1 receptor partial agonist, through a Phase 2b trial aimed at alleviating agitation in dementia due to Alzheimers Disease. This trial spans twelve sites across the U.S. and Canada, with data milestones based on patient recruitment efficiency anticipated in the second half of 2024. Successful readout of data from the trial can potentially generate significant value for the Company and, with further confirmations, address a profound unmet need, alleviating caregiver distress, reducing medication dependency, and curbing hospital admissions. Akouos, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), today announced positive initial clinical results from the Phase 1/2 AK-OTOF-101 study, which demonstrated pharmacologic hearing restoration within 30 days of AK-OTOF administration in the first participant, an individual with a decade-plus history of profound hearing loss. Results, including initial data from a second participant to receive AK-OTOF, will be presented during the Late Breaking Presidential Symposium at the 2024 Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) MidWinter Meeting. Details of the presentation are listed below: Title: Clinical development of AK-OTOF gene therapy for OTOF-mediated hearing loss Session: Late Breaking Presidential Symposium Date/Time: Saturday, February 3, 10:00 a.m. PT Location: Anaheim Marriott, Anaheim, California The first participant to receive AK-OTOF in the study, an 11-year-old at the time of AK-OTOF administration with profound hearing loss from birth, experienced restored hearing within 30 days of AK-OTOF administration. In this individual, hearing was restored across all tested frequencies, achieving thresholds of 65 to 20 dB HL, and within the normal hearing range at some frequencies at the Day 30 visit. Both the surgical administration procedure and the investigational therapy were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported. "Gene therapy for hearing loss is something physicians and scientists around the world have been working toward for over 20 years," said Professor John Germiller , M.D., Ph.D., attending surgeon and Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and a principal investigator of the AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial who administered AK-OTOF to this participant. "These initial results show that it may restore hearing better than many thought possible." In the AK-OTOF-101 trial, eligible participants receive a single, unilateral intracochlear administration of AK-OTOF, with hearing restoration assessed by behavioral audiometry and auditory brainstem response (ABR), a clinically accepted and objective measure of hearing sensitivity. Participants in cohort 1 receive AK-OTOF at a dose of 4.1E11 total vector genomes. "Children with OTOF-mediated hearing loss are often born with profound hearing loss, yet only a small fraction have undergone genetic testing to receive a definitive diagnosis," said Dr. Oliver Haag , pediatric otolaryngologist, Head of Otolaryngology at Sant Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona , and an investigator in Akouos's AK-OTOF-NHS-002 Natural History Study in which the first individual to receive AK-OTOF was participating. "The AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial and AK-OTOF-NHS-002 Natural History Study demonstrate the power of international collaboration in the development of new medicines for rare genetic conditions. It is gratifying to see this collaborative effort provide benefit to the first participant to receive AK-OTOF." Hearing loss is the most common sensory condition, and with no approved pharmacologic treatments to restore hearing, represents a significant area of unmet need in medicine. Millions of individuals worldwide have disabling hearing loss because one of their genes generates an incorrect or incomplete version of a protein the ear requires for hearing. In many of these cases including for some of the estimated 200,000 individuals worldwide who live with OTOF-mediated hearing loss delivering a healthy version of the gene to a target cell within the inner ear has the potential to restore auditory function and enable high-acuity physiologic hearing. OTOF-mediated hearing loss is the first monogenic form of hearing loss to be investigated as part of a gene therapy clinical trial. "We are grateful to the participants, their families, the investigators and other collaborators who are working together with us on this pioneering trial," said Emmanuel Simons , Ph.D., M.B.A., CEO of Akouos and SVP, Gene Therapy at Lilly. "These initial results highlight the potential impact genetic medicines could have on individuals with OTOF-mediated hearing loss and reinforce our mission to make healthy hearing available to all." AK-OTOF has been granted Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the FDA and has received a positive opinion on orphan drug designation by the EMA Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products. Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE: TDY), today unveiled its new long-range cooled thermal sniper sight, the ThermoSight HISS-HD, at this weeks annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas. The lightweight, high-performance thermal weapon sight allows precision shooters to detect, identify and engage targets more than 2,200 meters away with unparalleled accuracy. Designed for seamless integration, the HISS-HD clip-on thermal weapon sight easily mounts on any MIL-STD-1913 rail interface in front of an existing scope. HISS-HD can interface with various day scopes and weapon platforms, offering long-range optics and a high-definition display that delivers exceptionally clear imagery for snipers and machine gun crews. The new ThermoSight HISS-HD is the unmatched choice for precision shooters looking for a versatile, lightweight thermal sight that increases their range and accuracy, said Rob Tarantino, vice president of Surveillance Strategy and Development at Teledyne FLIR Defense. With HISS-HD, weve leveraged our world-class thermal imagining technology to provide marksmen with a superior tool to identify and engage targets anywhere, in any environment. HISS-HD is an ideal option for long range snipers and missions involving reconnaissance, force protection, surveillance, and forward observation. With the added flexibility of an optional remote-control pendant, the HISS-HD enhances shooting stability, reduces revealing movements, and is configured for remote observation. This unique combination of stand-off range and long-range target engagement empowers shooters with unrivaled overmatch capability in any operational scenario. Visit Teledyne FLIR at SHOT Show from January 23-26 at booth #20619 to see the ThermoSight HISS-HD and more of the companys latest defense technology solutions. An Ericsson sign is seen at the third China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, China November 5, 2020. REUTERS/Aly Song By Supantha Mukherjee and Olivier Sorgho STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Ericsson said it expects further decline in 5G gear demand from mobile operators this year including in key growth market India, after beating fourth-quarter operating profit expectations on Tuesday helped by software sales. Telecoms equipment suppliers are expecting a challenging 2024 as 5G equipment sales - a key source of revenue - are slowing in North America, while India, a high growth market, is also set for a slowdown. "We expect the current market uncertainties to prevail into 2024 with a further decline of the RAN (Radio Access Network) market outside China as our customers remain cautious and the investment pace is normalising in India," CEO Borje Ekholm said in a statement. After a few years of high demand for 5G equipment, buying by telecom providers slowed last year, prompting firms such as Ericsson and Nokia to lay off thousands of employees to save costs. The company could look at further cost cuts this year and that could potentially include layoffs, Chief Financial Officer Carl Mellander said in an interview. He added the company has not yet identified a specific number of headcount or billions set to be taken out. Operating profit (EBIT) excluding restructuring charges fell to 7.37 billion crowns from 8.08 billion a year earlier, but topped the 6.92 billion expected by analysts in an LSEG poll, while net sales fell 16% in the quarter and missed estimates. Ericsson's shares were down 0.3% as of 1004 GMT after falling as much as 4.2% following the results. Jefferies analysts acknowledged the sales "weakness" as operators spend less, but underlined a "healthy improvement" in margins, adding they expect profitability to continue improving with cost cuts. Ericsson's EBIT margin excluding restructuring charges rose to 10.3% from 9.4%, mostly due to higher-margin software sales and lower sales of 5G equipment in lower-margin markets such as India. Ericsson should start seeing a boost in the second half of 2024 from its $14 billion deal with AT&T, which it won over rival Nokia and which involves building a telecoms network with a new cost-cutting technology called Open-RAN. "There is a land-grab right now in Open-RAN...but it is a nascent technology, yet to be proven," Analyst Paolo Pescatore at PP Foresight told Reuters. He added Ericsson's results were "disappointing" and that "lots of work needs to be done to get Ericsson back on track". The company on Tuesday also appointed Lars Sandstrom as chief financial officer, replacing long-time company veteran Carl Mellander. ($1 = 10.4295 Swedish crowns) (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee and Olivier Sorgho; editing by Terje Solsvik and Jason Neely) FILE PHOTO: The Verizon logo is seen on the 375 Pearl Street building in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 22, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo By Samrhitha A and Harshita Mary Varghese (Reuters) -Verizon Communications forecast annual profit above estimates on Tuesday after strong demand for its wireless plans and Black Friday promotions helped the U.S. carrier post its highest quarterly subscriber additions in nearly two years. Shares of the New York-based telecom firm rose nearly 6%, as the company's consumer business also added subscribers after three straight quarters of declines. Verizon - whose services typically cost more than rivals - has seen strong adoption for its flexible "myPlan", which has notched 13.1 million subscribers since its launch in May 2023. To make the plan more attractive, the company is also offering subscriptions to Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery's Max streaming service in some bundles. Verizon said it was expecting adjusted profit in 2024 to be between $4.50 and $4.70 per share, the midpoint of which was higher than the estimates of $4.59, according to LSEG data. Its quarterly results also benefited from promotions for the Black Friday shopping event and the release of the iPhone 15 series, which drove up smartphone upgrade activity. The company added net 449,000 monthly bill-paying wireless phone subscribers in the last three months of 2023, blowing past estimates of 223,800 additions, according to Factset. Its consumer business reported 318,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net additions in the quarter. "Continued growth within its fixed wireless customer base and a rebound in consumer retail postpaid plans are signs the company is still able to compete and win in what is a saturated market environment," Third Bridge analyst Jamie Lumley said. The subscriber growth and price hikes implemented over the course of last year helped Verizon post revenue of $35.1 billion, which topped estimates of $34.64 billion, per LSEG data. Finance chief Anthony Skiadas said on a post-earnings call that the company took "additional targeted pricing actions" in the current quarter, which could pressure the postpaid phone churn in its consumer business. Verizon posted an adjusted profit of $1.08 per share, slightly above estimates of $1.07. But it slipped to a net loss as it took a $5.8 billion writedown after cutting the value of its declining wireline business, among other charges. (Reporting by Samrhitha Arunasalam and Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) FILE PHOTO: A sign stands in the entrance of the main opposition camp against the Dakota Access oil pipeline near Cannon Ball, North Dakota, U.S., February 22, 2017. REUTERS/Terray Sylvester By Arathy Somasekhar and Georgina McCartney HOUSTON (Reuters) - Energy Transfer does not expect the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to shut down the Dakota Access oil pipeline (DAPL) after a long-pending environmental review of a section that runs under a lake and is opposed by nearby Native American tribes, Executive Chair Kelcy Warren said on Tuesday. A U.S. court in 2022 ordered the federal government to undertake a more intensive environmental impact statement (EIS) of the 1,100-mile (1,800-km) long crude pipeline's route, the latest saga in a lengthy court battle between the tribes and pipeline operator Energy Transfer. In a draft statement in September, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers did not select a preferred alternative of five options, including abandoning or rerouting the pipeline around Lake Oahe, a federally protected reservoir. It will make its selection only after public and agency comments were received and a final version prepared, the draft report said. "We're not affected by (the EIS study)," Warren said, while speaking at the Argus Americas Crude Summit in Houston. "They're certainly not going to shut us down." A final EIS will be complete in late 2024, Steven Wolf, a spokesperson for the Army Corps, told Reuters on Tuesday. The pipeline, which began operating in 2016, can transport up to 750,000 barrels per day, or 60%, of crude from North Dakota, the third largest U.S. oil producing state to Illinois. An easement was previously granted for the pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe and the pipeline has continued to operate while the review is being carried out. The tribes have opposed the pipeline, saying they draw water from the lake for various purposes, including drinking, and consider the waters of the Missouri River to be sacred. Their lawyers have said the tribes are worried about a potential oil spill. (Reporting by Arathy Somasekhar and Georgina McCartney in Houston; Editing by Mark Porter, Marguerita Choy and Stephanie Kelly) Southwest Airlines planes sit idle on the tarmac at Chicago Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. April 18, 2023. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska/File Photo (Reuters) -Southwest Airlines flight attendants voted to approve a strike against the carrier, the Transport Workers Union of America Local 556 union said on Tuesday. Over 98% of the members voted in favor, marking the first time in the union's history that flight attendants authorized a strike against the company. Southwest flight attendants have been demanding higher pay and a better work-life balance in their new contracts. Unions across the aerospace, construction, airline and rail industries have also pushed for higher wages and other benefits in a tight labor market over the past two years. The announcement comes on the heels of the carrier and its pilots approving a new labor agreement, which will offer about a 50% pay raise over a five-year period. (Reporting by Nathan Gomes in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri) KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 22:57 | All, Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida vowed on Tuesday to reshape Japan's Liberal Democratic Party by moving away from its reliance on factions amid a political funds scandal that has engulfed some of the intraparty groups. The LDP has come under intense scrutiny over the scandal, with allegations that some of its factions failed to report revenue from fundraising parties over many years. Speaking after a party reform panel released an interim report, Kishida said he wants to see the LDP "totally break away" from being dominated by factions. The fundraising scandal has rocked the party and led to a sharp decline in approval ratings for Kishida's Cabinet. But the interim report stopped short of proposing the disbandment of factions, instead allowing them to continue as "policy groups." The panel proposed introducing a system enabling the party to request a faction to disband or suspend activities if it is found violating the political funds control law. But Katsuya Okada, secretary general of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, criticized the proposed reforms as being "half-baked," with the LDP merely putting on a show to dodge a bullet. As part of efforts to address the issue of money and politics, the LDP should put an end to political fundraising parties, which have come to be associated with slush funds amid the latest money scandal, according to the report. The LDP is also urged to eliminate what have traditionally been major functions of factions, such as recommending their members for government and party posts, according to the report. Factions have served mainly to help lawmakers secure campaigning funds and ministerial posts. The panel also recommended that the party toughen its penalties on lawmakers in the event of arrest or indictment for violating the political funds control law, and politicians face party punishment even if their accountants are arrested or indicted. On Friday, prosecutors indicted a number of accountants and lawmakers from some LDP factions, including Kishida's group, on suspicion of violating the law. However, executives of the groups did not face criminal charges due to a lack of evidence, despite mounting criticism surrounding the scandal. Kishida, who heads the panel, launched it earlier this month to establish rules for enhancing the transparency of funds raised by LDP factions. The LDP, which has been in power for most of the period since its launch in 1955, is scheduled to formally endorse the report later this week. Some factions within the LDP, including the largest one formerly headed by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and a group that Kishida led until December, have decided to dissolve following the scandal. Related coverage: LDP panel to seek faction disbandment in event of funds law violation Aso to keep faction as Japan ruling party grilled over funds scandal Prosecutors indict several LDP faction members over funds scandal NEW YORK, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C., a nationally recognized stockholder rights law firm, is investigating potential claims against Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM or the Company) (NYSE: ADM) on behalf of ADM stockholders. Our investigation concerns whether ADM has violated the federal securities laws and/or engaged in other unlawful business practices. Click here to participate in the action. On January 21, 2024, the Company disclosed that the ADM Board of Directors decided to place the Companys Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, Vikram Luthar, on administrative leave effective immediately. The Company further disclosed that Mr. Luthars leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for ADM and the Boards Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to ADMs Nutrition reporting segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions. If you purchased or otherwise acquired ADM 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], by 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 and California. 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: Bragar Eagel & Squire, P.C. Brandon Walker, Esq. Marion Passmore, Esq. (212) 355-4648 [email protected] www.bespc.com All amounts expressed in US dollars LUSAKA, Zambia, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Barrick Gold Corporation (NYSE: GOLD)(TSX:ABX) The Lumwana copper mines Super Pit expansion project has been accelerated with first production now scheduled for 2028, Barrick president and chief executive Mark Bristow advised Zambian president Hakainde Hichilema at their meeting here today. The project will transform Lumwana into one of the worlds major copper mines, with projected annual production of around 240,000 tonnes per year over a +30-year life1. It is a key component of the Zambian governments drive to revive the countrys copper industry over the next 10 years. The estimated cost of the project is almost $2 billion and construction is scheduled to start towards the end of this year. Since Barrick refocused its strategy in 2019, Lumwana, the once struggling mine, has been restructured and re-engineered into a significant contributor to Barricks expanding copper portfolio. The ramp-up of the reopened Malundwe pit and completion of the transition to owner mining supported the achievement of its production guidance for 2023. Since 2019, Lumwana has contributed almost $3 billion to the Zambian economy in the form of royalties, taxes, salaries and the procurement of goods and services from local businesses. Local procurement of $472 million in 2023 made up more than 81% of total spend for Lumwana. Barrick has also launched a Business Accelerator Program designed to build the business capacity of the Zambian contractors in its supply chain, equipping them to grow and diversify their enterprises and remain sustainable beyond Lumwanas life of mine. In line with Barricks partnership philosophy, our REDD+ initiative will uplift our host communities through conservation of the natural forest surrounding the mine. Resources have already been allocated and engagement with the communities is underway. We are in discussion with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment to facilitate the required licensing and our partnership with local government, Bristow said. Barrick enquiries Zambia Country Manager Anthony Malenga +260 977 730 513 Investor and media relations Kathy du Plessis +44 20 7557 7738 Email: [email protected] Website: www.barrick.com Endnote 1 Indicative copper production profile from Lumwana, which is conceptual in nature. Subject to change following completion of the pre-feasibility study. Technical Information The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Richard Peattie, MPhil, FAusIMM, Mineral Resources Manager: Africa & Middle East; and Simon Bottoms, CGeol, MGeol, FGS, FAusIMM, in his capacity as Mineral Resource Management and Evaluation Executive both Qualified Persons as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information Certain information contained in this press release, including any information as to our strategy, projects, plans or future financial or operating performance, constitutes forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. The words transform, expand, target, expect growth, on track, scheduled and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements including, without limitation, with respect to: planned capital expenditures and the anticipated benefits from the Lumwana Super Pit expansion project, including the expected timing of construction and first production, estimated annual production and potential life of mine extensions; Lumwanas potential transformation into a world-class copper mine; Barricks copper portfolio; Barricks partnership with Zambia and Lumwanas contributions to the Zambian economy; Barricks commitment to local procurement and creating long-term value for its host communities in Zambia including through the Business Accelerator Program; Barricks sustainability strategy; and Barricks future investments in community projects and contributions to the Zambian economy, including through its REDD+ initiative. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions including material estimates and assumptions related to the factors set forth below that, while considered reasonable by the Company as at the date of this press release in light of managements experience and perception of current conditions and expected developments, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements and information. Such factors include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the spot and forward price of gold, copper, or certain other commodities (such as silver, diesel fuel, natural gas, and electricity); the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls or regulations and/ or changes in the administration of laws, policies and practices; expropriation or nationalization of property and political or economic developments in Zambia and other jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates do or may carry on business in the future; changes in mineral production performance, exploitation, and exploration successes; the possibility that future exploration results will not be consistent with the Companys expectations; disruption of supply routes which may cause delays in construction and mining activities, including disruptions in the supply of key mining inputs due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia; risk of loss due to acts of war, terrorism, sabotage and civil disturbances; failure to comply with environmental and health and safety laws and regulations; timing of receipt of, or failure to comply with, necessary permits and approvals; uncertainty whether some or all of Barricks targeted investments and projects will meet the Companys capital allocation objectives and internal hurdle rate; damage to the Companys reputation due to the actual or perceived occurrence of any number of events, including negative publicity with respect to the Companys handling of environmental matters or dealings with community groups, whether true or not; risks associated with new diseases, epidemics and pandemics, including the effects and potential effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic; litigation and legal and administrative proceedings; employee relations including loss of key employees; increased costs and physical and transition risks related to climate change, including extreme weather events, resource shortages, emerging policies and increased regulations related to greenhouse gas emission levels, energy efficiency and reporting of risks; and availability and increased costs associated with mining inputs and labor. In addition, there are risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining, including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations, pressures, cave-ins, flooding and gold bullion, copper cathode or gold or copper concentrate losses (and the risk of inadequate insurance, or inability to obtain insurance, to cover these risks). Many of these uncertainties and contingencies can affect our actual results and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, us. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Specific reference is made to the most recent Form 40-F/Annual Information Form on file with the SEC and Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities for a more detailed discussion of some of the factors underlying forward-looking statements and the risks that may affect Barricks ability to achieve the expectations set forth in the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Barrick disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. BOSTON, Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Berman Tabacco, a national law firm representing investors, is investigating potential securities law violations by Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM or the Company) (NYSE: ADM). About the Investigation On January 22, 2024, ADM filed a Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission disclosing that the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board) has appointed Ismael Roig to serve as the Companys Interim Chief Financial Officer. The appointment follows the decision of the Board on January 19, 2024 to place Vikram Luthar, the Companys Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President, on administrative leave, effective immediately. According to the Form 8-K, Mr. Luthars leave is pending an ongoing investigation being conducted by outside counsel for the Company and the Boards Audit Committee regarding certain accounting practices and procedures with respect to the Companys Nutrition reporting segment, including as related to certain intersegment transactions. Contact If you have information concerning this investigation, please contact us here: Contact | Berman Tabacco. About Berman Tabacco Since 1982, our firm has prosecuted hundreds of securities and antitrust complex cases. The firm and its attorneys have been recognized for their work on behalf of plaintiffs, including by Chambers USA, Benchmark Litigation, which has ranked the firm as Highly Recommended and a Top Ten Plaintiffs, The Legal 500, U.S. News & World Report-Best Lawyers, The Daily Journal, Lawdragon, Who's Who Legal, and Super Lawyers. The firm has offices in Boston, Massachusetts and San Francisco, California. This notice may constitute attorney advertising. Contact: Berman Tabacco One Liberty Square Boston, Massachusetts Email: [email protected] Toronto and Montreal, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a highly competitive global advertising market, one of Canadas youngest independently owned agencies has been named to the list of the best places to work in North America. Broken Heart Love Affair, founded in 2020 at the start of the pandemic by five highly decorated industry veterans, has been named one of the Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024, an annual ranking of companies based on factors ranging from pay and benefits to corporate culture and leadership. The results were announced on January 22 at AdAge.com. The 2024 Best Places to Work winners demonstrate the value of giving employees competitive pay and benefits and designing optimal workplace practices to ensure great talent can do its best work, said Dan Peres, president and editor-in-chief of Ad Age. Companies will face more challenges in the new year against an uncertain economy, but winning workplaces know that taking care of employees drives business success. It is really impressive and exciting for a young agency like Broken Heart Love Affair to break into this ranking, added Bradley Johnson, Director of Data Analytics, Ad Age. We are honoured to be in such great company on this prestigious list. While we say we are in the advertising business, the fact is, we are in the people business. Broken Heart Love Affair was intentionally built to bring the love back for brands, and for agency talent so they can once again love what they do, said Beverley Hammond, Founding Partner and Chief Business Officer at the Toronto and Montreal based agency. According to Joline Matika, Lead People & Culture at Broken Heart Love Affair, for us bringing the love back isnt about free booze or a ping-pong table. People love what they do when they get the opportunity to do great work, are inspired by those around them, and have a true sense of belonging. So, from our talent scouting, onboarding, growth & development, retention, committee and community initiatives and policies, we anchor everything we do in a culture of love and the leadership team is committed to building on this culture every day. Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024 honours 50 companies around North America that did a standout job over the past year as the ad business met with the challenges of an unsettled economy, changing media market and a continued tight talent pool. The winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees. Ad Age produced Best Places to Work 2024 in partnership with Best Companies Group, a research firm specializing in identifying and recognizing great places to work. The competition was open to agencies, ad tech firms, data and research firms, brand or corporate marketing departments or groups and in-house agencies of marketers. Ad Ages scoring system factors in employee responses on topics including pay and benefits and seven other core focus areas (75% of the score) and a companys policies and practices on areas including pay and benefits, work/life balance, recruitment, training and development (25% of the score). -30- About Ad Age Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. About Broken Heart Love Affair Named Canadas small Agency of the Year 2023, and Ad Age Silver Newcomer Agency 2022, Broken Heart Love Affair is a global brand agency based in Canada and the partnership of industry veterans Jason Chaney, Carlos Moreno, Denise Rossetto, Todd Mackie, and Beverley Hammond. BHLA is focused on gathering the most decorated talent on a mission to bring back the love for brands, clients, and agency talent. The agencys roster of category-leading client partners includes Burger King, Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO), Destination Ontario (DO), GoRVing, GreenShield, Kruger Products, Lactalis, Levelwear, The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (PMCF), Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Simplii Financial, Toys R Us, World Vision and more. Nadine Lamanna Broken Heart Love Affair 647-458-8174 [email protected] Source: Broken Heart Love Affair NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, continues to investigate potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of British American Tobacco p.l.c. (NYSE: BTI) resulting from allegations that British American Tobacco may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased British American Tobacco securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=20894 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On December 6, 2023, British American Tobacco posted an announcement on its website which stated, in pertinent part, in 2023, we will take an accounting non-cash adjusting impairment charge of around 25bn. This accounting adjustment mainly relates to some of our acquired U.S. combustibles brands, as we now assess their carrying value and useful economic lives over an estimated period of 30 years. On this news, the price of the British American Tobaccos American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) fell by $2.68 per ADR, or 8.49%, to close at $31.54 on December 6, 2023. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. 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. 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 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.rosenlegal.com PITTSBURGH, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Coherent Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a leading provider of test and measurement instruments for optical communications, today announced the introduction of new members of the WaveShaper family, extending the performance and the wavelength range of these instruments. The transmission spectrum in optical communications over transport networks continues to broaden to accommodate the growing demand for bandwidth. The new WaveShaper instruments from Coherent are capable of testing optical components and networking systems in the U- and Super C-bands. We continue to expand the capabilities of our WaveShaper platform in response to strong customer demand, said Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi, Chief Marketing Officer. These instruments offer a powerful combination of functionality, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, empowering researchers and engineers in optical communications to push the technology boundaries, now including in the new cutting-edge U-band. The WaveShaper 1000A and 4000A are programmable optical processors operating in the U-band of optical communications. They support generation of arbitrary filter shapes in attenuation and phase over a large wavelength range that extends beyond 1650 nm. These instruments are used in forward-looking lab environments to support research on wide-band multi-wavelength transmission experiments for future high-capacity optical networks. The WaveShaper 500B is a programmable optical filter that can generate arbitrary filter shapes in attenuation over the Super C-band from 1523.53 nm to 1573.301 nm. This instrument supports development and production of components and systems for the upcoming optical multi-wavelength communication systems operating in the Super-C Band. The new WaveShaper instruments are available now and have begun shipping. Coherent will demonstrate its optical test instruments at Photonics West 2024 in San Francisco, Jan. 30 to Feb. 1, Booth #4805. About Coherent Coherent empowers market innovators to define the future through breakthrough technologies, from materials to systems. We deliver innovations that resonate with our customers in diversified applications for the industrial, communications, electronics, and instrumentation markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, Coherent has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. For more information, please visit us at coherent.com. Contact Mark Lourie Vice President, Corporate Communications [email protected] A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c2c9cf1c-3e37-42de-b28c-6075b0dbaf37 SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced the launch of a new $1 million Tribal Nations Program that provides critically necessary infrastructure funding grants to increase the supply of affordable housing for Native American communities. Native American communities are experiencing an acute housing crisis, much of which is because of a lack of dedicated resources and necessary infrastructure to apply for grants and funding, said Teresa Bryce Bazemore, president and CEO of FHLBank San Francisco. Solving the affordable housing crisis in our country is core to our mission and central to everything we do as an organization. Developing an infrastructure for tribal organizations to successfully access available development resources is a critical step for increasing the supply of affordable housing for Native American communities in our district. We are proud to be able to support this collaborative effort to help these communities have a brighter future. For this initiative, the California Coalition for Rural Housing will partner with the Arizona Housing Coalition, the Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority and Pala Housing Resource Center in California, and with the Nevada Housing Coalition to deliver resources to meet the infrastructure development goals of the Tribal Nations Program. Tribal Nations face chronic underdevelopment and poor housing conditions, the legacy of hundreds of years of persecution, discrimination, and displacement, said Dr. Robert Wiener, Executive Director of the California Coalition for Rural Housing (CCRH). This grant will enable CCRH and our partners in Arizona, Nevada, and California to build the capacity of Tribes to access and optimize state housing and community development resources to improve the living conditions of Tribal members on Tribal land. Grant dollars from the Tribal Nations Program will be allocated based on the percentage of Native American population across the Banks three-state district of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Funding will support capacity building efforts and delivery of technical assistance designed to help tribal organizations submit competitive applications for funding from the Banks Affordable Housing Program (AHP), as well as for Low Income Housing Tax Credits and other federal, state, and local housing and community programs. Native Americans have historically been excluded from State funded housing programs and other resources, said Annalee Trujillo, Executive Director of Pala Housing Resource Center. Our Tribal people and communities experience a higher rate of homelessness and sub-standard living conditions with limited affordable housing opportunities. The Tribal Nations Program will enable us to provide capacity building, identify new funding sources and other housing related services that will allow our communities to thrive, while honoring our way of life, sovereignty and culture. Together with our partners, we can effectively create a foundation for safer communities and housing opportunities. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), approximately 15% of Native populations live with overcrowding, compared with the national average of 2%. Emphasizing the need for more affordable housing, HUD research estimates 68,000 additional units are needed to replace severely inadequate units and eliminate overcrowding on Native American Tribal lands. This $1 million Tribal Nations Program builds on FHLBank San Franciscos ongoing support for affordable housing and economic development projects benefiting Native American communities, including, to date, over $20 million in grants from AHP projects that have created more than 1,600 affordable housing units for tribal communities and more than $1.1 million in AHEAD grants awarded to 32 economic development projects. The Tribal Nations Program is also an important component of an initiative to voluntarily increase FHLBank San Franciscos annual commitment to community programs. In 2023, the Banks board of directors voted to allocate up to an additional 5% of the Banks annual net income for funding economic development and housing grant programs that enrich peoples lives and revitalize communities. Additional programs implemented or enhanced in 2023 include a Middle-Income Downpayment Assistance pilot program, the Banks annual AHEAD economic development program, and the Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program, which supports the work of Housing Counseling Agencies in underserved communities of color. For more information about the Tribal Nations Program and other community programs, visit the Banks website at fhlbsf.com. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutionscommercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutionshelp finance affordable housing projects, propel homeownership, drive economic growth, and revitalize whole neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient and changing lives for the better. Source: Federal Home Loan Bank Of San Francisco HEPHAISTOS-Pharma secures a 2 million seed round with xista science ventures, Foundation Fournier-Majoie and Noshaq 1st institutional round for HEPHAISTOS-Pharma, getting on track to bring its lead product ONCO-Boost to the clinic. ONCO-Boost is a novel class of TLR4 immunostimulants that turn cold tumors into hot ones, increasing the efficacy of other therapies, notably immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Orsay, France, January 23rd, 2024. HEPHAISTOS-Pharma, a biotechnology company developing next generation immunotherapies against cancer, today announced that it has raised a 2 million seed round to finance GMP transfer and advance its lead candidate towards the clinic. The round was co-led by xista science ventures and the Foundation Fournier-Majoie, with the participation of Noshaq. The Foundation is very pleased to be part of HEPHAISTOS-Pharma thanks to this financing round. The valuable and dedicated team developed a promising TLR4 compound that will be used systemically which will bring to the oncologists a best-in-class product for their cancer patients. We are eager to help the company bring to the clinic this innovative program. said Jerome Majoie, CEO and Chairman at Fournier- Majoie Foundation. We are very proud to be joined by institutional investors said Frederic CAROFF, CEO, and co-founder of HEPHAISTOS-Pharma. They bring the necessary funds to match our non-dilutive financing, but also the expertise and network that will help structure the company. They will play a critical role in the success of HEPHAISTOS as we move our platform to the clinic. We are also thankful to our historical investors and new business angels from Angels Sante, who joined the round. The proceeds from this financing round will enable HEPHAISTOS to industrialize its manufacturing process and prepare for the clinical phases, with the goal of advancing its lead candidate, ONCO-Boost, into clinical development for the treatment of solid tumors with high unmet medical needs, in particular sarcoma. Ingrid Kelly, Partner at xista science ventures, commented that HEPHAISTOS has an impressive set of preclinical data, showing the high potential of their TLR4 agonist ONCO-Boost to tackle solid tumors, particularly in combination with immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors. The proceeds will also be used to open a new subsidiary in Liege, Wallonia. The objective will be to leverage local state-of -the-art facilities and expertise to explore additional applications and strengthen HEPHAISTOS pipeline. We are delighted to attract HEPHAISTOS to develop part of its activities in our vibrant local ecosystem. In the midst of a challenging market landscape, Noshaq remains a magnet for innovative companies with a disruptive approach and high-level management said Eric Brandt, Investment Manager at NOSHAQ. Attachment Source: Hephaistos Pharma Dallas Twp., PA, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For over 20 years, Misericordia Universitys Mission, Ministry, and Service office traveled to Jamaica for a service trip with staff and students. This year they embarked on their trip during winter break from January 3rd to the 10th. The week-long service trip took six Misericordia students and two staff members through Jamaica, volunteering with the Diocese of Mandeville. During the trip, the students and staff worked with a variety of groups, including Gift of Hope of the Mustard Seed Communities in Spur Tree, Missionaries of the Poor in Golden Springs, Annunciation Early Childhood Institution in Hayes, and St. Philomena Basic School in Portland Cottage, and Missionaries of Charity in Balaclava. Sophomore Biology and Chemistry Major Victoria Pellew spoke highly of the service trip. She said, "This experience was life-changing for me. I was able to connect with new people, help others, and learn about the hardships Jamaicans go through every day." Pellew and the others on the trip participated in an array of services, including assisting in the building of a home and visiting with the elderly, children and disabled. Olivia Spencer, a Junior Occupational Therapy Major, also had a great experience with this service trip. She said, "My overall experience from this trip was amazing. Not only did I have tons of fun, but I experienced so many new things and got a taste of reality in Jamaica. I was able to interact with some of the happiest people and see some things that really changed my perspectives." Lindsey Riddell, Assistant Director of Mission, Ministry and Service Office, mentioned how these service trips changed the lives of the students that attended. "I really value this specific group of student volunteers, as they were not only fully present to the people of Jamaica they were serving but also so supportive of each other. Many of them witnessed a new type of poverty during this trip, which resulted in self-reflection and a deeper understanding of global citizenship." Attachment Kaitlin Hall Misericordia University 5706746365 [email protected] Source: Misericordia University Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The New Civil Liberties Alliance has filed a brief for the Respondent in Garland v. Cargill, calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to determine that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives unilateral bump-stock ban conflicts with the federal statute defining machineguns. ATFs regulatory ban, which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit shot down early last year, reversed the agencys own long-standing recognition that bump-stock-equipped firearms are not illegal machine guns. NCLA eagerly anticipates presenting oral argument to the Justices in Garland v. Cargill on February 28, definitively vindicating our client Michael Cargill and hundreds of thousands of other Americans. Former Texas Solicitor-General Jonathan Mitchell led the briefs drafting and will present argument on Mr. Cargills behalf next month. ATF issued a Final Rule in 2018 defining semi-automatic firearms equipped with bump stocks as machineguns, which federal law prohibits. The rule required Mr. Cargill, a Texas gun shop owner and Army veteranand every other bump-stock owner nationwideto either destroy or turn in their legally purchased devices. In January 2023, the en banc Fifth Circuit ruled in Cargill v. Garland that banning bump stocks requires an act of Congress, a major victory for NCLA. The ruling that bump stocks are not machine guns agrees with a subsequent decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and an earlier one from the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, but it conflicts with Tenth Circuit and D.C. Circuit decisions rejecting challenges to ATFs Final Rule. The Constitution provides that only Congress may enact new criminal laws. Congress adopted a statute banning machineguns in 1986 that did not cover bump stocks. ATF is not authorized to draft regulations expanding the reach of criminal laws beyond the scope of what Congress prohibited, so NCLA urges the Supreme Court to resolve this issue and safeguard Americans rights against administrative agency power grabs. After it hears oral argument next month, NCLA is confident the Court will interpret the statute correctly and set aside ATFs rule. NCLA is a premier defender of Americans civil liberties against violations by the Administrative State. Just last week, oral arguments were presented to the Supreme Court in NCLAs Relentless Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce case challenging the Chevron doctrine and an unconstitutional rule requiring fishermen to pay for at-sea government monitors on their fishing boats. This spring, the Court will hear oral arguments over the Fifth Circuits affirmance of a preliminary injunction in NCLAs Murthy v. Missouri case that would bar federal agency officials from coercing or significantly encouraging social media platforms to censor constitutionally protected speech. NCLA released the following statements: This case is not about guns rights; its about the rule of law. Whether citizens should be permitted to own bump stocks is a decision for Congress, not an administrative agency. Richard Samp, Senior Litigation Counsel, NCLA The governments effort to convert legal bump stocks and their law-abiding owners into unlawful machine guns owned by felons is frightening. The Supreme Court should set aside this rule that misconstrues the 1986 law banning machine guns and reverses ATFs 15-plus year position allowing non-mechanical bump stocks. If federal agencies can create new criminal liability by reinterpreting old statutes, then ordinary citizens are at grave risk. Mark Chenoweth, President and Chief Legal Officer, NCLA For more information visit the case page here. ABOUT NCLA NCLA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights group founded by prominent legal scholar Philip Hamburger to protect constitutional freedoms from violations by the Administrative State. NCLAs public-interest litigation and other pro bono advocacy strive to tame the unlawful power of state and federal agencies and to foster a new civil liberties movement that will help restore Americans fundamental rights. ### Ruslan Moldovanov New Civil Liberties Alliance 202-869-5237 [email protected] Source: New Civil Liberties Alliance KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 20:15 | All, World Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday the United States is likely to continue its financial and military support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion if former Republican President Donald Trump returns to the White House. Pompeo said in a speech in Tokyo that he had "never seen" Washington "walk away" from its allies and partners during Trump's presidency from 2017 to 2021, despite views that his former boss would cut or stop aid for Kyiv if he returns to power after the presidential election in November. Admitting that members of the Republican Party have "many different political views," he said they have always understood the U.S. role in the world and its responsibilities. Prospects are growing that incumbent Democrat President Joe Biden and Trump will face off at the Nov. 5 election in a rematch of the 2020 race, with the latter dominating the Iowa Republican caucuses last week for the party's presidential nomination. Pompeo served as the U.S. Secretary of State for almost three years from 2018 under the administration of Trump, who had called on security allies to take on more of the financial burden of supporting U.S. forces during his tenure, and recently said he would solve the Russia-Ukraine war quickly. Pompeo also said Trump, who "doesn't like war," would "give the American people and the world the best opportunity" to go back to "a more peaceful place and a more prosperous world" and to good relations with friendly nations if he becomes president again. The "structural ideas" of Trump's first term, such as bringing down the bilateral trade deficit with China by imposing tariffs and demanding NATO members pay a "fair share" of security assistance, would be "unlikely to change," he added. Meanwhile, Pompeo expressed support for some of Biden's policies on Asia, citing the strengthened trilateral partnership with Japan and South Korea, and the emphasis on the Quad four-way security framework with Japan, Australia and India. Related coverage: DeSantis exits 2024 U.S. presidential race, endorses Trump Trump handily wins 1st Republican presidential nomination contest FOCUS: Some hints on Trump's popularity collected in Iowa The Tejon Ranch Commerce Center continues its rapid growth as construction begins on a new distribution facility for the worlds largest food and beverage company TEJON RANCH, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tejon Ranch Co. (NYSE: TRC) announced today that construction is underway on a new distribution center for Nestle USA, Inc., (Nestle) the worlds largest food and beverage company with a robust U.S. footprint. The new multi-story building, which will be more than 700,000 square feet, will be located on an approximate 58-acre parcel of land on the east side of Tejon Ranch Commerce Center (TRCC). Nestle USAs new, fully automated facility will serve its ambient portfolio and will be built with flexibility to support future growth and expansion plans. Though no official opening date has been announced, Nestle is targeting 2025 for initial completion of construction and 2026 for commencement of operations. Nestle is building a supply chain thats fit for the future and able to drive long-term value for our business, said Pete Spanos, Chief Supply Chain Officer of Nestle North America. Tejon Ranch is the ideal location for us to build our next-generation distribution center due to its central location that gives us an efficient route to market on the West Coast. Given the breadth of Nestle in the U.S. market, its decision to operate from the Tejon Ranch Commerce Centeras have other major companies like IKEA, Dollar General, Famous Footwear, Caterpillar, Camping World and LOrealconfirms TRCCs status as an established world-class commercial/industrial center, said Derek C. Abbott, Tejon Ranch Co.s Executive Vice President of Real Estate. More than 8 million square feet of commercial and industrial space at TRCC has already been absorbed, approximately 40% of the thriving developments 20 million square feet of entitled space. In the last 24 months alone, there have been transactions involving four building sites at TRCC representing more than 2.5 million square feet of industrial space either under construction or completed. Nestles construction of this new facility builds on the velocity enjoyed at TRCC with nearly a million square feet of additional industrial development recently completed, Abbott continued. The activity is due to many factors, including TRCCs high-quality workforce, its strategic location in the middle of California just north of the LA basin, a business-friendly local government offering a county-wide incentive program, a foreign trade zone designation for company financial benefits, and its significant on-site amenities. Even with all the space weve built, there are still significant opportunities to develop new buildings at TRCC to meet the strong demand we are seeing for warehouse, distribution, and advanced manufacturing facilities. The Tejon Ranch Commerce Center continues to be a driver of economic growth in Kern County and the surrounding region. To date, more than five thousand jobs have been created and hundreds of millions of dollars invested in this gateway between southern and northern California. JLLs Mac Hewett, Mike McCrary and Brent Weirick represented Tejon Ranch Co. in the 58-acre land sale transaction. About Tejon Ranch Commerce Center The Tejon Ranch Commerce Center is located at the junction of Interstate 5 and Highway 99, approximately 40 minutes north of Santa Clarita. The 1,450-acre industrial/commercial complex is fully entitled and is already home to major industrial operations for Camping World, Caterpillar, Dollar General, Famous Footwear, IKEA, SalonCentric, LOreal USAs professional salon distribution company, TransformCO, and a state-of-the-art, sustainable automated manufacturing facility for Plant Prefab, an award-winning custom builder of high-quality multifamily and single-family housing. About Tejon Ranch Co. Tejon Ranch Co. (NYSE: TRC) is a growth-oriented, fully diversified real estate development and agribusiness company whose principal asset is its 270,000-acre land holding located approximately 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Bakersfield. Tejon Ranch Co. is positioned for growth with its fully operational commercial/industrial real estate development and three master-planned residential communities on the horizon. MEDIA CONTACT: Tejon Ranch Co. Rae Pardini Matson Media Relations 559.351.9958 [email protected] Nestle USA, Inc. Lauren Rubbo External Communications Manager 484.947.1089 [email protected] Pace Center for Girls provides girls and young women with their full academic school day and comprehensive wrap around mental health services with counselors and therapists trained in trauma-informed practices. Jacksonville, Fl., Jan. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pace Center for Girls (Pace), a nationally recognized model that provides education, counseling, training and advocacy for girls and young women, hosted its annual Pace Day at the Capitol event on January 16-17, 2024. More than 100 Pace girls from across the state met with members of the Florida House, Florida Senate and other elected officials and leaders to share the impact of Paces model. When we provide the support girls need, they achieve success in all areas of their lives, leading to positive outcomes for themselves, their families and their communities, said Mary Marx, President and CEO of Pace Center for Girls. Pace Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for girls to participate in the legislative process, by testifying before committees, engaging in a mock debate, and by advocating with their individual legislators. During two days of meetings, training and programs, girls learned about policymaking, ways to effectively advocate for themselves, and participated in a mock Senate session. Girls heard from Adrienne Johnston, President and CEO of Career Source Florida, Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Eric Hall, Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and Sen. Jennifer Bradley, Chair of Criminal Justice Appropriations. A panel including members of the Pace Board of Trustees focused on Women in Politics and outlined the panelists path to their current role in politics and encouraged Pace girls to set goals and consider multiple career paths. The panel included Brittany Perkins Castillo, Chair of Paces Board of Trustees and Chief Executive Officer of AshBritt, Marva Johnson, Vice Chair of Paces Board of Trustees and Group Vice President, State Government Affairs for Charter Communications, Stephanie Smith, Vice President, State and Regional Affairs, TECO, and was moderated by Tracy Mayernick, of The Mayernick Group. I learned a lot about myself at Pace Day at the Capitol. I grew the confidence to stand up in front of my peers and tell my story, said Annabel, a freshman at Pace. All the legislators made me feel comfortable. I know Im part of a larger community and can share my experiences to create a positive impact for future generations. Im proud of myself. Paces work has positively impacted the lives of more than 40,000 girls and over the past decade has contributed to a more than 60% decrease in the number of girls that are referred to Floridas juvenile justice system. Eight out of 10 girls that attend Pace graduate from high school, pursue higher education or secure employment after the program. Pace Day at the Capitol was made possible thanks to a community of support who believe in the great in every girl, including Capital City Consulting, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, AmTrust Insurance, Charter Communications, The Mayernick Group and the Florida Lottery. About Pace Center for Girls Founded in 1985, Pace provides free year-round middle and high school academics, case management, counseling, and life skills development in a safe and supportive environment that recognizes and deals with past trauma and builds upon girls individual strengths. Dedicated to meeting the social, emotional, and education needs of girls, Pace has a successful and proven program model that has changed the life trajectory of more than 40,000 girls and is recognized as one of the nations leading advocates for girls in need. For more information on Pace Center for Girls, visit www.pacecenter.org. Attachments CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peer To Peer Network (OTC PINK: PTOP) ("PTOP") announced the release of the annual Letter to Shareholder provided by Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. Dear Shareholders, I am pleased to address you as we reflect on the remarkable journey of Peer To Peer Network (PTOP) in the past year and look forward to an exciting future in 2024. The year 2023 was marked by significant achievements and milestones for our company. We successfully navigated challenges and capitalized on opportunities, positioning PTOP for maximum success in the year 2024. We raised One hundred fifty thousand dollars in just 7 days from our last shareholder conference call. An additional fifty thousand in following days, so that we could line up many of our strategic objectives to come to fruition in 2024 and position us as leader in the ever-evolving landscape of the digital business card industry & peer-to-peer networks. I want to express my gratitude to each and every shareholder for your continued trust and support. Financial Performance: A Solid Foundation In the fiscal year 2023, PTOP demonstrated robust performance, by eliminating debt, continuing to pursue the new MOBICARD 1.5 mobile applications and exceeding expectations for resources before the end of the year. Our strategic initiatives and operational efficiency measures have strengthened our financial foundation, providing us with the necessary resources to drive innovation and pursue multiple growth avenues. Explosive Growth on the Horizon As we embark on the journey into 2024, I am thrilled to share our optimistic outlook for the future. We anticipate explosive growth in the stock price of PTOP, driven by several key factors: Innovative Technological Advancements: Our commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements positions PTOP to harness the power of emerging trends. We are investing heavily in cutting-edge technologies, ensuring that our peer-to-peer network becomes the preferred choice for users and businesses alike. We anticipate our new MOBICARD 1.5 mobile applications to be released in the 1st quarter of 2024. Funding: We are pursuing initiatives intended to drive the future funding of the company in order to develop our financial needs in 2024. We completed a round of preferred shares that has positioned us to hit many of the bells and whistles I desired for the first half of this year. We anticipate raising up to an additional $5 million over the course of the year 2024, in order to further propel our growth. Strategic Partnerships: In 2024, PTOP will forge strategic partnerships that will open new doors of opportunity. These collaborations will enhance our market presence, drive customer acquisition, and contribute to the overall growth of the company. I am excited to debut some of the deals in the pipeline that will be announced in due time. Public Relations: Hiring of a Public Relations (PR) firm was a strategic decision aiming to enhance PTOPs public image & public presence, manage communication effectively, and navigate the complexities of media relations. PTOP believes that our PR firm will bring a wealth of expertise in crafting compelling narratives, building brand awareness, and maintaining positive relationships with various stakeholders (Namely new shareholders to come). PTOPs PR firm has commenced activation and has been paid for the entire year of 2024. We are excited for the range of services, including media outreach, crisis management, and event planning to help 2024 be the biggest year of growth for PTOP. By enlisting the services of the PR firm, PTOP can benefit from professional guidance in shaping our public perception, addressing challenges, and seizing opportunities for positive exposure. The collaboration with our new PR firm will ultimately contribute to a stronger and more favorable presence in the public eye, more exposure/ higher visibility in the public eye, fostering credibility and trust among target audiences including new shareholders, existing shareholders, our app users, and the general public overall. Global Expansion: PTOP is well-positioned to capitalize on the anticipated demand for peer-to-peer networks globally. We are actively exploring expansion opportunities in key markets, in order to broaden our user base and revenue streams. Ecosystem Development: We are committed to creating a robust ecosystem around PTOP, offering a diverse range of services and products that cater to the evolving needs of our users. This approach will not only drive user engagement but also contribute to revenue diversification. PTOP will be looking to bring back MOBICOIN and have developed new ways to utilize the reward token. Commitment to Shareholder Value Our primary focus remains on delivering long-term value to our shareholders. We are confident that the strategic initiatives outlined above will result in sustained growth and increased shareholder value. As we look ahead, I want to reiterate our dedication to transparency, accountability, and open communication. We will keep you informed about our progress and milestones achieved, as we navigate the exciting opportunities that 2024 holds for PTOP. In conclusion, I am incredibly optimistic about the future of Peer To Peer Network. Our collective efforts, combined with the dynamic landscape of the new digital business card industry, position us for unprecedented growth. 2024 will be by far the best year for the company since I have been CEO. Thank you for your unwavering support, and I am excited to share the success of PTOP with you in the coming year. I want to also welcome the newest future MOBICARD user Justin Glenn Sodaitis born 1-7-2024 at 7:35pm. My 2nd son was born a healthy 8 pounds. His Big brother JJ has welcomed him into the family really nicely! As my family expands so should the MOBICARD user family! Sincerely, Joshua Sodaitis Chairman & Chief Executive Officer Peer To Peer Network Stock Symbol: PTOP Contact Info: Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & CEO MobiCard, Inc. 45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Investor Relations Phone#: 1-617-481-1971 Email: [email protected] Investor website: www.ptopnetwork.com Safe Harbor Statement: This release may include forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company intends all forward-looking statements to be covered by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on and reflect our current expectations, estimates, assumptions and/or projections, our perception of historical trends and current conditions, as well as other factors that we believe are appropriate and reasonable under the circumstances. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include those set forth in our reports at OTC Markets. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Welcome the newest future MOBICARD user Justin Glenn Sodaitis Justin Glenn Sodaitis JJ welcome Justin Justin's Big brother JJ Source: Peer to Peer Network Perth, Jan. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DECEMBER 2023 QUARTER REPORT Perseus Mining produces 528,486 oz gold at US$984/oz AISC in CY 2023 PERTH, Western Australia/ January 24, 2024/Perseus Mining Limited (Perseus or the Company) (TSX & ASX: PRU) reports on its activities for the three months period ended December 31, 2023 (the Quarter). Key operating indicators and highlights for the December 2023 quarter include: PERFORMANCE INDICATOR UNIT DECEMBER 2023 QUARTER DECEMBER 2023 HALF YEAR CALENDAR YEAR 2023 Gold recovered Ounces 128,773 261,577 528,486 Gold poured Ounces 128,339 261,055 529,152 Production Cost US$/ounce 862 833 826 All-In Site Cost (AISC) US$/ounce 1,023 979 984 Gold sales Ounces 135,137 251,091 526,734 Average sales price US$/ounce 1,963 1,951 1,913 Notional Cashflow US$ million 122 254 492 Gold production of 128,773 ounces in the December 2023 quarter, giving December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year production of 261,577 ounces and 528,486 ounces, respectively. December 2023 quarter weighted average AISC of US$1,023 per ounce resulting in December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year AISC of US$979 per ounce and US$984 per ounce, respectively. Gold production in the December Half Year and 2023 Calendar Year both in the upper half of guided production ranges while AISC was below the bottom end of guided cost ranges in the same periods. Quarterly gold sales increased to 135,137 ounces; average quarterly gold sale price increased to US$1,963 per ounce. Average quarterly cash margin of US$940 per ounce of gold resulted in notional operating cashflow of US$122 million in the quarter and US$492 million for the 2023 calendar year, US$90 million or 22% more than 2022 Calendar Year. Strong operating performance expected to continue in the June 2024 Half Year. Gold production guided at 226,000 to 254,000 ounces at AISC of US$1,180 to US$1,340 per ounce for the period, which would result in 491,000 to 517,000 ounces at an AISC of US$1,000 to US$1,100 per ounce for the Financial Year ending 30 June 2024. Organic growth activities included completion of a DFS for the CMA Underground development at Yaoure as well as various brownfields exploration programmes to expand Mineral Resources inventories at our operating mines. Available cash and bullion balance of US$642 million, as well as US$60 million of listed securities at quarter-end. Zero debt and US$300 million of undrawn debt capacity available. Group 12-month rolling average TRIFR at 0.89, down from 1.07 in the September 2023 quarter. Group Gold Production and Cost Market Guidance Table 10: Production and Cost Guidance PARAMETER UNITS DECEMBER 2023 HALF YEAR (ACTUAL) JUNE 2024 HALF YEARFORECAST 2024 FINANCIAL YEAR FORECAST Yaoure Gold Mine Production Ounces 134,379 100,000 to 113,000 235,000 to 247,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 805 $1,150 to $1,300 $900 to $1,000 Sissingue Gold Mine Production Ounces 28,551 36,000 to 41,000 65,000 to 69,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,719 $1,450 to $1,650 $1,400 to $1,500 Edikan Gold Mine Production Ounces 98,647 90,000 to 100,000 191,000 to 201,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 1,003 $1,100 to $1,250 $1,000 to $1,100 PERSEUS GROUP Production Ounces 261,577 226,000 to 254,000 491,000 to 517,000 All-in Site Cost USD per ounce 979 $1,180 to $1,340 $1,000 to $1,100 COMPETENT PERSON STATEMENT All production targets referred to in this release are underpinned by estimated Ore Reserves which have been prepared by competent persons in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code. Edikan The information in this release that relates to the Open Pit and Underground Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Edikan was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves released on 24 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Edikan Gold Mine, Ghana dated 7 April 2022 continue to apply. Sissingue, Fimbiasso and Bagoe The information in this release that relates to the Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at the Sissingue complex was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining updates Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves released on 24 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Sissingue Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 29 May 2015 continue to apply. Yaoure The information in this release that relates to the Open Pit and Underground Mineral Resources and Ore Reserve at Yaoure was updated by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Mining announces Open Pit and Underground Ore Reserve update at Yaoure released on 23 August 2023. The Company confirms that all material assumptions underpinning those estimates and the production targets, or the forecast financial information derived therefrom, in that market release continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company further confirms that material assumptions underpinning the estimates of Ore Reserves described in Technical Report Yaoure Gold Project, Cote dIvoire dated 19 December 2023 continue to apply. Meyas Sand Gold Project The information in this report that relates to the mineral resources and probable reserves of the Meyas Sand Gold Project was first reported by the Company in a market announcement Perseus Enters Into Agreement to Acquire Orca Gold Inc. released on 28 February 2022. The Company confirms it is not in possession of any new information or data relating to those estimates that materially impacts of the reliability of the estimate of the Companys ability to verify the estimate as a mineral resource or ore reserve in accordance with Appendix 5A (JORC Code) and the information in that original market release continues to apply and have not materially changed. These estimates are prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 standards and have not been reported in accordance with the JORC Code. A competent person has not done sufficient work to classify the resource in accordance with the JORC Code and it is uncertain that following evaluation and/or further exploration work that the estimate will be able to be reported as a mineral resource or ore reserve in accordance with the JORC Code. This release and all technical information regarding Orcas NI 43-101 have been reviewed and approved by Adrian Ralph, a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION: This report contains forward-looking information which 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 of the Company believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the date that such statements are made, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made by the Company regarding, among other things: the price of gold, continuing commercial production at the Yaoure Gold Mine, the Edikan Gold Mine and the Sissingue Gold Mine without any major disruption, the receipt of required governmental approvals, the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all factors and assumptions which may have been used by the Company. Although management believes that the assumptions made by the Company and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the actual market price of gold, the actual results of current exploration, the actual results of future exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be evaluated, as well as those factors disclosed in the Company's publicly filed documents. The Company believes that the assumptions and expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the Companys ability to carry on its exploration and development activities, the timely receipt of required approvals, the price of gold, the ability of the Company to operate in a safe, efficient and effective manner and the ability of the Company to obtain financing as and when required and on reasonable terms. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Perseus does not undertake to update forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. ASX/TSX CODE: PRUCAPITAL STRUCTURE:Ordinary shares: 1,373,563,956Performance rights: 10,382,896REGISTERED OFFICE:Level 2437 Roberts RoadSubiaco WA 6008Telephone: +61 8 6144 1700Email: [email protected] www.perseusmining.com DIRECTORS:Mr Jeff QuartermaineExecutive Chairman & CEOMs Amber BanfieldNon-Executive Director Ms Elissa CorneliusNon-Executive DirectorMr Dan LougherNon-Executive DirectorMr John McGloinNon-Executive DirectorMr David RansomNon-Executive Director CONTACTS:Jeff QuartermaineExecutive Chairman & CEO [email protected] Nathan RyanCorporate Relations+61 420 582 887 [email protected] Attachment Source: Perseus Mining Limited WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for Americas more than 33 million small businesses in President Bidens Cabinet, kicked off Americas Seed Fund Week with remarks highlighting the upcoming 2024 Seed Fund Road Tour as well as the critical role small businesses play in expanding technological innovation across the nation. Americas Seed Fund Week is a virtual three-day event series from Jan. 23-25 and will be followed by Americas Seed Fund Road Tour, traveling to 16 states and territories later in the year. These events connect innovators and entrepreneurs working on advanced technology to the countrys largest source of early-stage technology funding opportunities, Americas Seed Fund. Fostering innovation and increasing our nation's global competitiveness while promoting small business growth are crucial pillars of the Biden-Harris Administration's Investing in America agenda. America relies on ingenuity to develop critical technologies and create the industries of the future, and we need all great ideas and inventions to propel our global leadership. This is a remarkable time to start up in this country under the Biden-Harris Administration, we are Investing in America, research and development, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and more, said Administrator Guzman in her remarks. President Biden believes that America is about possibilities. And he's fighting to ensure American ingenuity and innovation can power our economy and our nation forward. 2024 Americas Seed Fund Week Highlights Connect with federal agency representatives during Meet the Program Director Sessions organized by technology areas, including artificial intelligence, health, energy, earth, climate, weather, cybersecurity, and space. during Meet the Program Director Sessions organized by technology areas, including artificial intelligence, health, energy, earth, climate, weather, cybersecurity, and space. Network nationwide with for introductions and conversations. with for introductions and conversations. Meet the 2024 Road Tour in-person state hosts. America's Seed Fund Week is the virtual kickoff of SBA's 2024 Road Tours. There will be four in-person tours beginning in February. Meet the hosts and learn more about the regional stop nearest to you. America's Seed Fund Week is the virtual kickoff of SBA's 2024 Road Tours. There will be four in-person tours beginning in February. Meet the hosts and learn more about the regional stop nearest to you. Learn SBIR/STTR basics with SBA Core Content. Americas Seed Fund Week is free and open to the public. Interested individuals may get event information and register to view the main stage events by visiting: www.americasseedfund.us/america-s-seed-fund-week. The main stage will be recorded for all three days and available on the SBAs YouTube channel for viewing after the event. Americas Seed Fund Road Tour is a national outreach effort that conveys the technology funding opportunities provided through Americas Seed Fund, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This year, each in-person Road Tour stop is hosted by SBAs Federal And State Technology (FAST) Partners, who serve as navigators for Americas Seed Fund in their regions. Americas Seed Fund Road Tour plays an important role in educating and encouraging entrepreneurs, many of whom are historically underrepresented in Americas innovation economy, to access federal resources available through the SBIR/STTR programs and support the mission of scientific excellence and technological innovation to build a thriving and secure American economy, said Associate Administrator for Investment and Innovation Bailey DeVries. Americas Seed Fund Week will feature virtual panels, presentations, and breakout sessions that bring together program participants with federal agency SBIR/STTR program managers and resource providers to help navigate the funding opportunities through Americas Seed Fund. 2024 In-Person Road Tour Schedule 2024 Road Tour Coastal Feb. 7 - Orlando, Florida| Host: Florida High Tech Corridor Feb. 9 - San Juan, PR | Host: Puerto Rico Small Business, Technology and Development Centers 2024 Road Tour South April 2 Little Rock, Arkansas | Host: Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center April 3 Jackson, Mississippi | Host: Innovate Mississippi, Jackson State University and The University of Southern Mississippi April 4 Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Host: Louisiana Technology Transfer Office April 5 Houston, Texas | Host: University of Texas at San Antonio Texas South-West SBDC Technology Commercialization Center 2024 Road Tour Southeast May 13 Columbia, South Carolina | Host: University of South Carolina May 14 Atlanta, Georgia | Host: Innovation Gateway-University of Georgia, Center for Black Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Center at Morehouse May 15 Knoxville, Tennessee | Host: Launch Tennessee May 16 Lexington, Kentucky | Host: Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation May 17 Huntington, West Virginia | Host: TechConnect West Virginia and Marshall University 2024 Road Tour Great Lakes July 15 - East Lansing, Michigan | Host: BBC Entrepreneurial Training & Consultings Michigan Catalyst Advantage Network July 16 - Indianapolis, Indiana | Host: Indiana Economic Development Corporation July 17 - Champaign-Urbana, Illinois | Host: Research Park at the University of Illinois July 18 - Madison, Wisconsin | Host: Center for Technology Commercialization July 19 - Minneapolis, Minnesota | Host: MNSBIR, Inc. For details on each tour and stops, please visit www.americasseedfund.us/road-tour. ### About Americas Seed FundKnown as Americas Seed Fund, the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs serve as a springboard for providing over $4 billion in non-dilutive funding in the form of contracts and grants to early-stage startups and innovative small businesses each year, science and technology-focused entrepreneurs advance groundbreaking ideas from the research & development to commercialization. The SBA is committed to building a thriving innovation ecosystem and Americas Seed Fund Week 2024 will set the stage for an inclusive learning experience, welcoming attendees to deepen their understanding of the program and its competitive funding opportunities. About SBA Office of Investment and InnovationThe U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) leads programs that provide the high-growth small business community with access to two things: financial capital and R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations. Our work is underpinned by public-private partnerships that help small businesses on their trajectory from idea to IPO. Learn more at sba.gov. About the U.S. Small Business AdministrationThe U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. Learn more at sba.gov. Christine Saah Nazer U.S. Small Business Administration [email protected] Source: U.S. Small Business Administration Despite stringent regulations and calls for security by design, organizations are still failing to equip teams with the knowledge to secure code. Pittsburgh, PA, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, best-in-class application security education company, Security Journey releases a new study on the state of secure coding training. The study, which consists of data primarily from the Ponemon Institute and includes findings from over 600 IT Security Professionals, reveals that organizations are still prioritizing speed to market over security. In fact, only 20 percent of respondents were confident in their ability to detect a vulnerability before an application is released, over 60 percent struggle to remediate vulnerabilities effectively, and 50 percent fail to test the security of their applications after they have been released. Attackers are ready and waiting for these vulnerabilities to be released into the wild, according to a study conducted by Qualys, 25 percent of vulnerabilities were exploited on the day of their publication, and 75 percent of vulnerabilities were exploited within 19 days (approximately three weeks). This indicates that securing an application later in its development lifecycle, especially post-release, is a significant risk to an organization's security posture. 47 percent of organizations are blaming these challenges of remediating vulnerabilities in production on a lack of qualified personnel. Long term software security is failing The survey reveals a reactive approach when it comes to security education programs, with 68 percent of respondents only undertaking secure coding training because of a compliance need or in response to an exploit. These statistics indicate that from proper detection to effective remediation, organizations are relying heavily on tools to catch vulnerabilities and are overburdening their security workforce, rather than investing in long-term, human intervention at the development stage. The study also uncovers a patching crisis: In the 12 months prior to the study, 54 percent of respondents suffered a security incident due to an unpatched vulnerability; 51 percent experienced more than 8 incidents Only 11 percent of organizations believe they patch vulnerabilities effectively in a timely manner and 55 percent blame misalignment between development, security, and compliance teams for delays in vulnerability patching We are seeing a perfect storm of application security risk that will likely drive regulators to become more stringent. said Joe Ferrera, CEO of Security Journey. He continues While organizations are turning to AppSec tools and AI to secure their outputs, these tools only act as a safety net and knowledgeable human intervention is needed to prevent and remediate insecure code from the outset. Organizations need to prioritize education programs that are expertly curated, tailored to roles, and continuously reinforced to ensure knowledge retention. Complacency towards security training Secure coding education is the key to unlocking more sustainable security practices within application development. And yet, the prevalence, frequency, and quality of secure coding training programs is far below where the industry needs it to be: 48 percent report only training annually, bi-annually or when an incident occurs, and of those organizations that undertake secure coding training, over 50 percent have programs that are not customized to users needs 50 percent of those that do provide training have no form of assessment to measure knowledge gain Only 36 percent of organizations have their developers learn to write secure code Just one fifth (21 percent) of organizations educate developers on vulnerability remediation Less than half (43 percent) have invested money in expertly training their organization with a third party These statistics reveal a concerning level of complacency in how organizations are approaching security training for their development teams. Checking the box for compliance is easy but it doesnt build a secure culture or educate teams on handling a broader landscape of threats. Larry Ponemon, Chairman and Founder of the Ponemon Institute, commented The current application security landscape is deeply concerning and its clear from this research that secure coding education is not yet up to scratch in most organizations. While it is positive to see many organizations doing training, it is worrying that this appears to be done with the intent to comply with regulations rather than develop secure code, and that the focus still remains on speed to market rather than instilling a secure culture around application development. The full report can be found here. To learn how to enhance your organization's software security posture, please visit securityjourney.com. About Security Journey Security Journey helps enterprises reduce vulnerabilities with application security education for developers and all individuals involved in creating software. Development teams are empowered through practical, skill-oriented secure coding training that easily satisfies compliance needs and goes beyond that to build a security-first development culture. Over 450 companies around the world are teaching their teams how to build safer software using Security Journey. //ENDS// Attachments MOUNT PROSPECT, IL, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has joined Pulse by NABP, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacys (NABPs) new digital platform that will bring visibility to the drug supply chain and protect patients from counterfeit or substandard prescription medications. VHA will utilize Pulse to assist with Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) compliance and to help ensure that their prescription medication suppliers are appropriately licensed. The DSCSA is a federal law that was enacted in 2013 to improve the safety of the pharmaceutical supply chain and prevent counterfeit drugs from entering the market. The law requires all members of the pharmaceutical supply chain to ensure they are doing business with trading partners that are authorized in accordance with federal law. To that end, VHA will require all current and future vendors (trading partners) that provide prescription products within the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system to register with Pulse by NABP. As a public service, NABP is providing free registration on the Pulse platform for any member of the prescription drug supply chain. Pulse will help ensure that only legitimate and authorized trading partners are able to provide medications to our nations veterans. VHA is committed to protecting the health and safety of our nations veterans, said the leadership of the VHA Pharmacy Benefits Management. Requiring our vendors to register in Pulse will provide the VA with additional tools to help us to ensure that the medications our veterans receive are safe and authentic. We are grateful that NABP is providing free registration for all members of the supply chain. We are pleased to welcome VHA to Pulse, said Lemrey Al Carter, PharmD, MS, RPh, executive director/secretary of NABP. VHAs participation in Pulse will help to strengthen the security of the pharmaceutical supply chain and protect our nations veterans from counterfeit drugs. Learn more about Pulse and DSCSA compliance at https://pulse.pharmacy. About NABP NABP is the independent, international, and impartial 501(c)(3) nonprofit Association that assists its state member boards and jurisdictions for the purpose of protecting the public health. NABP was established in 1904 to assist the state boards of pharmacy in creating uniform education and licensure standards. Today, we help support patient and prescription drug safety through examinations that assess pharmacist competency, pharmacist licensure transfer and verification services, and various pharmacy accreditation and inspection programs. About the Veterans Health Administration The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States. VHA provides care to over 9 million veterans each year at over 1,200 facilities across the country. VHA is committed to providing veterans with high-quality, compassionate healthcare. - 30 - GREENSBORO, N.C., Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Volvo Trucks North America has launched a completely reimagined Volvo VNL to set new industry standards in heavy-duty trucking. The all-new Volvo VNL features the next generation of enhancements to improve total customer value, driver productivity, safety, and sustainability. The new Volvo VNL features striking aerodynamics and is engineered to achieve a fuel efficiency improvement of up to 10%. The new Volvo VNL is designed to meet the challenges and demands of the North American market and transform the driving experience. Sales will begin in the coming months with production at the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia. The all-new Volvo VNL was designed to change everything. However, change doesnt only come with a redesigned truck this product introduction is the start of a new era for Volvo Trucks, our customers, and their drivers a quantum leap forward, said Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America. We started this project with a blank sheet of paper and thoroughly analyzed the trends and transformations that will impact the industry and our customers needs, including the sustainability and transportation demands of the future. When we launched the first generation of the Volvo VN in 1996, its unconventional aerodynamic body style set a new standard for the North American trucking industry. We did the unthinkable in 2007 when we introduced the I-Shift in North America and spurred the industrys transition toward automated manual transmissions. As we bring the all-new Volvo VNL to market, we are excited to once again introduce innovations that will shape the future of the transportation industry for years to come. The new Volvo VNL will be the platform for all upcoming technologies, including future transportation solutions of battery-electric, fuel cell and internal combustion engines running on renewable fuels including hydrogen. The first 24-volt electrical infrastructure in the North American trucking industry and active safety features that are introduced in this new generation of Volvo trucks will be the standard for the future commercialization of fully autonomous trucks. The new Volvo VNL is integral to Volvo Trucks vision towards zero emissions and zero accidents. With a focus on how Volvo Trucks can generate the most value for customers, their drivers, and society at large, the new Volvo VNL takes the commercial freight transport industry to the next level by working relentlessly on improvements in five key areasFuel Efficiency, Safety, Driver Productivity, Connected Services, and Uptime. Transforming Truck Fuel Efficiency with Redefined Aerodynamics & Driveline EnhancementsAerodynamic resistance has a major impact on the fuel efficiency of a truck. The streamlined and more angular, wedge-shaped cab design of the new Volvo VNL, featuring a dramatically redesigned windshield, is a key factor in achieving up to 10% improvement in fuel efficiency. Additional aerodynamic gains were created from the integration of the curved and bonded windshield, tighter clearances around turbulent air areas like wheel openings, the bumper and the hood, chassis fairings and promoting a tighter trailer gap. These designs, all key components of the aerodynamic gains, were developed and tested in parallel with Volvo Trucks SuperTruck 2. Volvo Trucks engineers also made significant improvements to the already class-leading powertrain offering. The new Volvo VNL is powered by the latest generation D13 engine that delivers improved fuel efficiency, performance, and durability. The D13 engine is available in four horsepower ratings, ranging from 405-500hp and three torque ratings from 1,750-1,950 lb-ft of torque. These different power options are designed to suit different applications and incorporate the improved and optimized I-Shift transmission, which features up to 30% faster shift speeds. When combined with the I-Torque powertrain solution, the D13 can deliver even greater fuel savings, best-in-class versatility, and drivability. Comprehensive Approach to Elevating Safety FeaturesSafety is in Volvo Trucks DNA, and the engineers focused on new and improved proprietary active and passive safety features to continue the company's journey towards zero accidents. A variety of class-leading active safety systems are offered with the new Volvo VNL, including Volvo Active Driver Assist Plus with Pilot Assist which provides active lane centering. Volvo Active Driver Assist Plus is powered by Volvo Dynamic Steering which improves maneuvering at all speeds, including more controlled backing, increases stability at all road speeds, and adapts and corrects for crosswinds, highway crowning, soft shoulders, or emergency situations like tire failure. The new pedestrian detection feature alerts the driver when a pedestrian or bicyclist may be in their path or blind spots and will activate frontal automatic emergency braking for objects directly in the path of travel. Class-leading passive safety systems offered in the new Volvo VNL include the bonded and wrapped windshield providing panoramic views. This not only improves aerodynamics for the Volvo VNL, but it also improves visibility for drivers, bolstering safety and reducing wind noise in the cab. The cab of the new Volvo VNL is designed according to Volvo Trucks leading crash test standards and will offer a side-curtain airbag, with options for driver-only or driver and passenger airbags, a North American industry first. Cabs are constructed of high-strength steel to deflect the energy of a crash to reduce the chance of injury. Additionally, Volvo Trucks flared frame rails allow the powertrain to drop down below the cab to protect the driver. E-Call, an innovative new safety feature, connects the driver to emergency services where cellular connectivity is available and provides precise location details. This occurs automatically in the event of a rollover crash or airbag deployment. Redefining Comfort and Efficiency with a Driver-Centric DesignThe new Volvo VNL is designed with the driver in mind to optimize comfort, efficiency, and safety when working, living, and resting. A new, optional air suspension system, GRAS (Global Rear Air Suspension), uses dual leveling rods to reduce roll and pitch angles, improve lateral stability, and minimize road shocks, maintaining a constant ride height. The GRAS system offers superior ride quality, stability, and handling for the new Volvo VNL. The GRAS and the supporting Volvo Smart Suspension software work seamlessly with the Volvo Dynamic Steering system to provide precise steering control and reduce driver fatigue regardless of load, terrain, road condition and varying engine torque levels. GRAS with Volvo Smart Suspension is designed to make deliveries easier as drivers are provided with three different settings to adjust the suspension for different loading and unloading conditions. The new Volvo VNL features Volvo Trucks most efficient idle management tool to help reduce or eliminate engine idling when the vehicle is stopped or parked. The new ultra-quiet, proprietary, integrated Volvo Parking Cooler is a climate-control option that utilizes the onboard 24-volt battery system to power the cabs HVAC when parked, reducing emissions, engine wear, and fuel costs. The Volvo Parking Cooler enhances the resting experience by eliminating noise and vibration from idling. For drivers parked in areas where idling is prohibited, the integrated Volvo Parking Cooler maintains a comfortable climate to maximize driver health, safety, and well-being. Volvo Trucks evaluated every detail of the driver experience, from selecting materials that provide a premium look and feel, to redefining cab lighting and optimizing storage to create a home away from home experience for drivers. The new Volvo VNL features newly introduced or dramatically improved amenities, including an optional folding bunk to allow easy access to the dinette space, a singular multi-functional control panel in the back of the cab, upgraded insulation for climate control and noise reduction, a larger refrigerator, and enough power options to support any device. Seamless Connectivity with Integrated Digital SolutionsThe integrated Volvo Connect, an all-in-one fleet management portal, houses all of Volvo Trucks digital services under one platform, including vehicle data insights, diagnostics, remote programming, fuel economy reports, safety reports, and location services. A complimentary, 24-month Volvo Connect subscription comes standard with all new Volvo trucks. With the new Volvo MyTruck app, drivers can stay in touch with their truck by seeing their estimated remaining fuel range, DEF levels, and coolant levels as well as receiving notifications about potential issues such as light malfunctions, low washer fluid levels and other important items so they can address them at rest breaks or in their pre-trip inspection. Additionally, with the MyTruck app, drivers can schedule specific days and times to start the climate control to have the cabin climate reach their preferred temperature before arriving to their truck to start their workday. Proactive Approach to Maximizing Uptime and EfficiencyThe Blue Service Contract, an optional, comprehensive dealer managed service plan, leverages Volvos connected services to boost uptime and efficiency. By utilizing Volvos connected services, dealers have real-time data when maintenance is due and diagnostic information for any detected fault codes. This enables the customer to schedule service in advance and have dealers perform remote programming updates to maintain the health of the truck and prevent unplanned downtime. During dealer afterhours, Volvo Trucks Uptime Center continues to remotely monitor the truck and will alert plan subscribers if any critical issues arise. Volvo Trucks North Americas new 24-volt electrical architecture, the first in North America, helps to minimize battery and electrical failures and improve serviceability when it comes to pinpointing and repairing electrical issues. A new linear exhaust aftertreatment system will be easier to service and deliver better DEF treatment for an even cleaner system. Industry-First Option Packaging is Introduced in North AmericaVolvo Trucks has transformed the specing process for the new Volvo VNL series by introducing packaging options for powertrain and safety, an industry first that simplifies and optimizes the configuration and ordering process and streamlines the assembly operations. Customers can choose the optimal powertrain package for their application duty cycle and fuel efficiency goals by selecting from three powertrain packages that feature the Volvo D13 engine with five different horsepower and torque ratings available. Additionally, customers can select from several safety packages to ensure that their truck is equipped with the appropriate technology to meet their fleet safety goals of protecting their drivers, those around their trucks, and the assets they are hauling. Bundling the proper safety features promotes Volvos goal of zero accidents. The all-new Volvo VNL is conveniently packaged into four exterior and interior trim levels Core, Edge, Edge Black and Ultimate with six cab configurations, each designed to fit customers preference, brand identity, and operational use. New Volvo VNL Available with Six Cab Configurations: VNL 300 Day Cab VNL 440 42-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper VNL 640 62-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper VNL 660 62-inch Full-Height Sleeper VNL 840 74-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper VNL 860 74-inch Full-Height Sleeper New Configurator Tool Helps Customers Explore and Design the Ideal TruckTo explore the new Volvo VNL features and trim levels in an interactive way, Volvo Trucks has developed a new state-of-the-art online Volvo VNL configurator. The configurator provides detailed information on the features and benefits of each trim level and cab option, as well as a 360-degree view of the truck interior and exterior. Dealers Prepared to Guide Customers on Transition to New Volvo VNLTraining will be available to dealer sales staff to enable them to consult with customers on the ideal Volvo VNL configuration for their respective transport applications. Dealers service representatives have access to extensive competency development, with e-learning and in-person instructor-led courses from Volvo Academy, to be fully trained to support the new Volvo VNL when trucks start to arrive at dealerships. Progressive solutions are needed to help tackle the challenges of the transportation industry, including the need for increased productivity and efficiency while also reducing emissions. Companies must prioritize driver retention and well-being with driver-friendly features and advanced technologies, providing an exceptional driving experience that is key for fleets to attract and retain drivers, said Voorhoeve. With an interior and exterior design that stops you in your tracks, every innovation introduced in the all-new Volvo VNL was made with the goal to make a drivers job a little easier and safer and provide a new level of customer value. As we completely reimagined the Volvo VNL, we looked at the future of transportation and saw an opportunity to set new industry standards and sustainably shape the world we want to move. To learn more about Volvo Trucks North America and the all-new Volvo VNL, visit the company website. For further information, please contact: Kyle ZimmermanPublic Relations Manager, Volvo Trucks North America[email protected](704) 677-9757 Volvo Trucks North America, headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, is one of the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturers in North America. Its Uptime Services commitment is delivered by a network of nearly 400 authorized dealers across North America and the 24/7 Volvo Trucks Uptime Center. Every Volvo truck is assembled in the Volvo Trucks New River Valley manufacturing facility in Dublin, Virginia, which meets the internationally recognized ISO 9001 standard for quality, 14001 standard for environmental care and holds a dual ISO 50001/Superior Energy Performance certification at the platinum level, indicating a sustained excellence in energy management. Volvo Trucks North America provides complete transport solutions for its customers, offering a full range of diesel, alternative-fuel and all-electric vehicles, and is part of the Volvo Trucks global organization. Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,300 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the globe. In 2022 approximately 145,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care. CAPTION: Volvo Trucks North America completely redesigned the new Volvo VNL, filling the all-new model with hundreds of next-generation features that will empower fleets to improve safety, productivity, profitability, and sustainability like never before. CAPTION: The all-new Volvo VNL is conveniently packaged into four exterior and interior trim levels with six cab configurations, each designed to fit customers preference, brand identity, and operational use. CAPTION: The new Volvo VNL is designed with the driver in mind to optimize comfort, efficiency, and safety when working, living, and resting. Volvo Trucks evaluated every detail of the driver experience, from selecting materials that provide a premium look and feel, to redefining cab lighting and optimizing storage to create a home away from home experience for drivers. Photos accompanying this announcement is available at:https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fadc135-d93b-4c95-bc05-43587c581435https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92da0600-7d75-4af9-a83d-9f9419d557adhttps://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ff0dd18c-948c-47b2-b695-ee8a49f32fa2 Volvo VNL Volvo Trucks North America completely redesigned the new Volvo VNL, filling the all-new model with hundreds of next-generation features that will empower fleets to improve safety, productivity, profitability, and sustainability like never before. Volvo VNL The all-new Volvo VNL is conveniently packaged into four exterior and interior trim levels with six cab configurations, each designed to fit customers preference, brand identity, and operational use. Volvo VNL The new Volvo VNL is designed with the driver in mind to optimize comfort, efficiency, and safety when working, living, and resting. Volvo Trucks evaluated every detail of the driver experience, from selecting materials that provide a premium look and feel, to redefining cab lighting and optimizing storage to create a home away from home experience for drivers. Source: Volvo Trucks North America PRESS RELEASE Wolters Kluwer introduces API-enabled integration between CCH SureTax and SAP Document and Reporting ComplianceMultinational companies can now further streamline tax reporting and compliance with first-of-its-kind functionality that provides access to indirect U.S. sales-and-use taxes data, within SAP S/4HANA New York January 23, 2024 Wolters Kluwer today announced that multinational companies that use the SAP Document and Reporting Compliance solution can now manage their U.S. local and state indirect tax filing obligations within SAP S/4HANA. This new functionality is made possible thanks to a new, native integration between the SAP Document and Reporting Compliance solution and the Wolters Kluwer CCH SureTax solution. SAP Document and Reporting Compliance helps enable companies to transform, standardize and harmonize processes, globally, so they can more efficiently comply with local tax mandates, worldwide. Currently, the solution serves 58 countries for statutory reporting and electronic invoicing, addressing more than 450 regulations and helping enterprises leverage localized business processes for operational efficiency and seamless compliance. However, until now, users of SAP Document and Reporting Compliance have needed to utilize a separate solution, outside of SAP S/4HANA, to automate the way they visualize, report and comply with constantly changing U.S. indirect tax rules, which vary at the state, local municipality and county levels. This new, native integration will change that, by incorporating the features and functionality of the Wolters Kluwer CCH SureTax solution into the SAP Document and Reporting Compliance solution. Wolters Kluwer is one of the world's largest providers of digital knowledge solutions and cloud software for tax, finance, accounting and legal professionals, worldwide. The companys CCH SureTax solution removes unnecessary risk from sales-and-use tax matters, by helping businesses accurately calculate, collect, and remit U.S. local and state taxes to correct authorities. Because U.S. local and state tax rates and rules vary widely, by location, and frequently change, Wolters Kluwer's extensive team of experienced tax experts continually update the CCH SureTax calculation engine to reflect the most precise indirect tax data. Elvira Wallis, Senior Vice President & Global Head of Globalization Services, SAP, said:Integrating with SAP Document and Reporting Compliance, CCH SureTax can help tax professionals drive global indirect tax compliance within one solution - taking advantage of capabilities to automate and standardize processes worldwide while increasing traceability to business transactions in SAP S/4HANA Cloud. Ralf Gartner, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Corporate Performance Management Solutions at Wolters Kluwer, said: This new, native integration between SAP Document and Reporting Compliance and CCH SureTax will be a tax reporting and compliance game-changer for the thousands of multinational companies that currently do business in the U.S., or plan to expand into U.S. markets. Now, for the first time, multinational companies can automate their U.S. state and local tax reporting, just like they automate their tax reporting for other countries, all within the unified user experience of SAP S/4HANA Cloud. To learn more, visit CCH SureTax for SAP Document & Reporting Compliance. The integration is the latest evolution of Wolters Kluwers relationship with SAP, which builds on its previous participation in SAPs technology adoption program. ### About Wolters Kluwer Wolters Kluwer (EURONEXT: WKL) is a global leader in information, software, and services for professionals in Health, Tax and Accounting, Financial Corporate Compliance, Legal & Regulatory, and Corporate Performance & ESG. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with specialized technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2022 annual revenues of 5.5 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 20,900 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.wolterskluwer.com, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Facebook, and YouTube. Media Contact Paul LyonSenior Director, External CommunicationsGlobal Branding & CommunicationsWolters KluwerOffice: +44 20 3197 6586[email protected] SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyright for additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Attachment Source: Wolters Kluwer N.V. Sekur Private Data (CSE: SKUR) (OTCQB: SWISF) (FRA: GDT0), a cybersecurity and internet privacy provider of Swiss-hosted solutions for secure and private communications, recently launched its SekurRelay Enterprise Email Solution. This new addition to Sekurs existing suite of products allows corporate executives and management to split their company email domain in two without migrating the entire company of employees eliminating a huge roadblock to mass adoption of SekurMail by large corporations and government entities With SekurRelay, employees can continue using their current provider and email addresses, while company executives and managers can enjoy the benefits of SekurMail with their existing email addresses. This Inbound Relay effectively addresses a significant challenge, as many larger enterprises have hesitated to migrate thousands of employee emails due to the associated complexities and expenses. With SekurRelay, companies of all sizes can safeguard the emails of C-level and management personnel from business email compromise (BEC) attacks, all while allowing other employees to stay on their current email hosting providers, a recent article reads. We are excited to provide SekurRelay to our customers as it provides protection from BEC attacks to C-level executives and managers who traditionally send highly sensitive emails inside and outside of their organizations, Alain Ghiai, CEO of Sekur Private Data, is quoted as saying. To view the full article, visit https://ibn.fm/aplWt About Sekur Private Data Ltd. Sekur Private Data is a cybersecurity and internet privacy provider of Swiss-hosted solutions for secure and private communications. The company distributes a suite of encrypted e-mails, secure messengers and secure communication tools. Sekur Private Data sells its products through its own website, www.Sekur.com, approved distributors and telecommunications companies. The company serves consumers, businesses and governments worldwide. NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to SWISF are available in the companys newsroom at https://ibn.fm/SWISF About TechMediaWire TechMediaWire (TMW) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on pioneering public and private companies driving the future of technology. It is one of 60+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, TMW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists, and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in todays market, TMW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. TMW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge. To receive SMS alerts from TechMediaWire, text TECH to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only) For more information, please visit https://www.TechMediaWire.com Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the TechMediaWire website applicable to all content provided by TMW, wherever published or re-published: https://www.TechMediaWire.com/Disclaimer TechMediaWire Los Angeles, CA www.TechMediaWire.com 310.299.1717 Office [email protected] TechMediaWire is powered by IBN KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 13:57 | All, Japan An airport in central Japan damaged by a powerful earthquake on New Year's Day will resume services for commercial flights later this week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday. All Nippon Airways said it will restart services connecting Tokyo's Haneda airport and Noto airport in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast on Saturday. During a meeting of the disaster response task force, Kishida said the government will compile a relief package on Thursday, vowing to "incorporate as many policies as possible from the viewpoint of sufferers." Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the top government spokesman, told a news conference later Tuesday that the relief measures will likely include support for the tourism industry to mitigate the impact of a spate of travel cancellations to the Hokuriku region covering Ishikawa Prefecture. ANA will operate temporary round-trip flights between Tokyo and Wajima three days a week until the end of February for those wanting to help with relief efforts in the quake-hit region. Before the disaster, it was offering two round-trip flights every day. To avoid a blizzard forecast in the region over the next few days, ANA has decided to operate the first flight on Saturday. Kishida also instructed government officials to organize relief operations involving volunteer workers as local governments were reluctant to accept them due partly to infrastructure disruptions immediately after the quake, which claimed the lives of more than 230. More than 15,000 residents are still taking shelter as of Monday in Ishikawa, and the prefectural government said it expects to secure enough temporary housing to accommodate them by the end of March, including public housing offered by local governments outside the prefecture. Related coverage: Taiwan raises over $17 million donation for Japan quake More students in quake-hit central Japan evacuate to continue studies Social media firms bolster monitoring of Japan quake misinformation Georgia's First Charter School for Girls Joins Student Leadership Network's Nationwide Community of Public Girls' Schools Atlanta, Georgia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Ivy Preparatory Academy is thrilled to announce its affiliation with the Young Women's Leadership Network (YWLN), a national network of public girls' schools powered byStudent Leadership Network. As Georgia's first public charter school for girls, Ivy Prep is committed to providing a quality education for its scholars and developing female leaders who manifest change for the world. Affiliation with YWLN will provide the school's educators and leadership team with a range of services and opportunities, including participation in professional learning communities, school wellness support, and on-site professional development focused specifically on strategies for teaching and supporting girls. Affiliation enables Ivy Prep to tailor YWLN's Whole Girl Education Framework pedagogy to meet the unique needs of its elementary and middle school students. Laura Rebell Gross, Senior Managing Director of Girls' Education at Student Leadership Network, explains the significance of this collaboration, "We are thrilled to welcome Ivy Prep into our national affiliate network. We often see that the existing ambition and talent in a school can be enhanced and more fully realized when resources are applied to provide intentional support of leadership teams, educators, and students of all levels. YWLN provides a scale of services and learnings from a national network of girls' schools, with services tailored to the unique needs of Ivy Prep." Dr. Charcia Nichols, Executive Director of Ivy Prep, expresses her excitement about the school's affiliation with YWLN. "Working with the Student Leadership Network team over the past year has been empowering. They listened to our needs and provided the infrastructure and bandwidth to guide our ideas into actionable changes in our school. We are inspired to be part of this network of national girls schools to grow our impact together." Through this partnership, Ivy Prep Academy and Young Women's Leadership Network are united in their dedication to empowering young girls and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed. Together, they will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of scholars and their families, equalizing education for students to achieve success and fulfill their dreams. Educators and leaders from Student Leadership Network and Ivy Prep, from left: Drew Higginbotham, Laticia Sharp, Dr. Charcia Nichols, Rashida Heslop To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9557/194764_563f4bbef4d5b9a4_001full.jpg About Student Leadership Network For over 25 years, Student Leadership Network has supported young people growing up in diverse underserved communities to gain access to higher education, helping them fulfill their dreams. The organization impacts students at over 30 New York public schools and 18 girls' affiliate and partner schools across the country, with students graduating college at nearly four times the rate of their national peers. SL Network supports over 37,000 students nationally every year through its three pillar programs: The Young Women's Leadership Schools (TYWLS) is a high performing network of six girls' public schools in New York City. CollegeBound Initiative (CBI) is a comprehensive college access and success program for young women and men in New York State. Young Women's Leadership Network (YWLN) is a national network of girls' schools sharing the TYWLS model. Contact: Jheramis A.H. Collado Director of Marketing and Communications [email protected] Phone: 646-677-8322 Visit us on social media: Twitter LinkedIn Instagram To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/194764 The state-of-the-art dental office is ready to foster excellent oral health and create beautiful smiles. Arvada, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Arvada Dental Center & Implants, a trusted dental office in Arvada, is pleased to share that it has moved to a spacious new location and offers plenty of parking for their patients. The new office is just one mile north of the current location, near Walgreens and Dollar Tree. In fact, this space used to be the Colorado Coins & Comics store, which has now been transformed into a state-of-the-art dental office. This clinic has the best cosmetic dentist in Arvada, offering a wide range of services, including porcelain veneers, CEREC dental crowns & bridges, teeth whitening, Invisalign & Six Month Smiles, and a total smile makeover. Arvada Dental Center & Implants The clinic also offers the best dental implants in Arvada and Denver. Their transformative implant dentistry services aim to help patients restore their teeth and smiles. All-on-4 dental implants are suggested for individuals who are missing multiple teeth and want to replace them. They are also for patients looking for a better and healthier alternative to dentures. The All-on-4 dental implants in Denver metro give patients an amazing opportunity to gain their confidence and smile back. The implants are fused directly to the jawbone. The implants keep the bone from moving and maintain optimum health in the jaw. So those looking for dental implants in Denver, look no further, as this clinic offers the best implants. The cosmetic dentist in Arvada also offers one-visit crowns. Thanks to the advanced dental technology that the clinic invests in from time to time, Dr. Bennett can assess and place the crown in just one visit. For individuals looking for an efficient fix for their problems with natural teeth, this clinic has the best dentist in Arvada who can easily fix any dental issues. Arvada Dental Center & Implants The cosmetic dentist in Arvada also specializes in IV sedation. Dr. Gregory Bennett is board-certified to administer IV sedation. This helps ease dental anxiety in patients, who could also experience pain-free procedures. Both the current and new facilities feature top-of-the-line machinery and technology that allow the clinics to diagnose and treat complete dental problems. The dentists in Arvada are responsible for many gorgeous smiles. All of this is possible only with the latest tech, artistic skill, and surgical precision of the doctors. Dr. Bennett integrates modern techniques, including full-arch and full-mouth restorative, oral surgery, cosmetic dentistry, implant dentistry, and lab portions of implantology. To learn more, visit https://arvadadentalcenter.com/. About Arvada Dental Center & Implants Arvada Dental Center & Implants is an advanced dental clinic in Arvada, CO. The state-of-the-art clinic offers a comprehensive range of dental services, including general dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and preventive dentistry for the entire family. The clinic specializes in dental implants in Arvada, CEREC same-day crowns, Invisalign, dentures, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry, and dental surgery. ### Media Contact Arvada Dental Center & Implants Address: 6695 Wadsworth Blvd, Arvada, CO 80003 Phone: (303) 421-7611 Website: https://arvadadentalcenter.com/ Video: https://youtu.be/xHgvadoXQKs Source: 38 Digital Market News To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195398 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - David H. Brett, President & CEO, EnGold Mines Ltd., (TSXV: EGM) ("EnGold" or the "Company") reports a number of updates with respect to the Company's 100% owned Lac La Hache Copper Gold Project in the Cariboo region of BC's southern interior (the "Property"). EnGold Granted 5-Year Exploration Permit for Lac La Hache In the spring of 2023, the Company applied for and received in June a Multi-Year, Area-Based exploration permit from the government of BC enabling EnGold to continue exploring the Property. The five-year permit allows EnGold to proceed with extensive new drilling and other exploration activities until 2028. "EnGold would like to acknowledge the support of local First Nations and the diligent efforts of government experts in the permitting process," said EnGold President & CEO David H. Brett. "EnGold's track record of early and proactive engagement with local communities, as well as a history of environmental responsibility, will hopefully serve the Company well as we move the Lac La Hache Project forward." Tam Property Option Amendment As announced on February 19, 2020, the Company entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Tam Property (the "Agreement"), a block of claims near EnGold's Aurizon South Gold Deposit, adjoining the Lac La Hache Project to the southeast. The Tam Property hosts a number of prospective targets lying on-trend with the main 7- km exploration corridor that hosts the Spout, G1, Aurizon & Ann North zones. The vendor of the Tam Property and the Company have amended the Agreement, subject to the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange, as follows: The term of the option has been extended from 48 months to 60 months. The original payments of cash and shares have been replaced with the following: 300,000 shares of EnGold forthwith upon TSX Venture Exchange acceptance. On or before February 12th, 2025 400,000 shares of EnGold and $25,000 cash. Exploration Priorities As announced March 6, 2023, data analysis firm ALS GoldSpot delivered to EnGold the results of their extensive information compilation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence research on prior Lac La Hache exploration work. These results included multiple high priority targets both near existing mineral deposits and new areas outside EnGold's concentrated work zones. Of note, the ALS GoldSpot work identified a large area east of the Spout Copper Magnetite Deposit with potential near surface mineralization similar to the "Spout South" mineralized zone. EnGold's permitted work includes a series of shallow drill holes with setups located on existing logging roads. "We are anxious to restart our drilling campaign at Lac La Hache," said EnGold VP of Exploration Rob Shives. "We have been less active in the field due to challenging market conditions for juniors, but we are confident that our compelling project will attract new funding to continue moving this exciting project forward." About EnGold EnGold is a Vancouver-based copper, gold, silver, and magnetite exploration company focused solely on its 100% owned Lac La Hache property in the Cariboo region of BC which hosts the Spout Copper Deposit, the Aurizon Gold Deposit, and the G1 Copper Deposit and other targets within a large porphyry mineralizing system. With world-class infrastructure at its doorstep, Lac La Hache is a great location to be exploring. EnGold Mines Ltd. David Brett President & CEO For further info contact David Brett, 604-682-2421 or [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195349 Santa Monica, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Grow Credit, the financial inclusion platform behind the Grow API and its innovative payment, retention, and turndown product suites, announces an expanded banking relationship with Wells Fargo to receive depository and treasury services across operations, from collection and disbursement accounts to fund transfers. Grow Credit Expands Banking Relationship with Wells Fargo To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8846/194930_423c161684a4b885_001full.jpg The announcement comes on the heels of Grow recently announcing its Series A round led by USAA and launching its innovating API, enabling fintechs and financial institutions to extend a financial inclusion product to consumers that leverages subscriptions and cell phone payments to build credit with a selection of free, secured and unsecured memberships. Joe Bayen, CEO at Grow Credit, states, "We are actively scaling our business operations and needed to work with a robust financial institution that could support our growth. We've had a long-standing relationship with Wells Fargo. However, we did not realize they were nimble enough to support a fast-scaling startup. We were pleasantly surprised by their responsiveness and the speed of their onboarding process." Grow Credit's need for scalability was further highlighted by its recent integration announcement with Beem, a startup counting over two million users, and other fast-rising startups, including leading debit card for gamers Ugami and AI credit care app Dovly. Dave Stolpe, Wells Fargo Southern California Tech Banking Leader, added, "Financial inclusion is an important area of focus at Wells Fargo. Grow Credit has been a financial inclusion pioneer over the past five years, helping democratize access to credit for minorities, underserved, and low-income communities nationwide. We are excited to support their efforts by deploying the banking and treasury services they need to scale their financial inclusion operations further." Grow's award-winning platform, previously featured in the coveted Forbes Fintech 50, is poised to make additional major announcements throughout 2024 as more financial institutions, insurance carriers, fintechs, and subscription businesses rapidly embrace Grow API's innovative payment, retention, and turndown solutions. About Grow Credit Grow Credit's innovative credit-building service lowers the barrier of entry for millions of Americans who need to establish and build credit. Combining a small-dollar loan with a virtual debit Mastercard, the service manages subscription payments, such as Netflix, and reports loan balances to the credit bureaus. The Mastercard is issued through Sutton Bank and is exclusively designed to pay subscription payments and cell phone bills. Grow Credit is based in Santa Monica and was founded in 2018 by financial industry veterans. The company is also proud to be recognized as one of the top 30 fintech apps on the App Store. For more information, visit GrowCredit.com. About Wells Fargo Technology Banking As part of Wells Fargo Commercial Banking, our specialized Technology Banking Group delivers a complete range of capital, advisory, risk management, and operating solutions tailored to scale through all stages of a company's life cycle. The group supports a growing portfolio of clients in the fintech, software, hardware, internet and digital, and sustainable technology sectors across the U.S. The depth and breadth of industry knowledge and experience allows the specialized group to provide strategic and balanced guidance in addition to operational and capital support. To learn more, please visit Technology Wells Fargo Commercial. MEDIA CONTACT Contact Person: Kat Schoberle Company: Grow Credit Email: [email protected] Website: https://growapi.growcredit.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/194930 Voting must be submitted by no later than 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver Time) on Thursday, January 25, 2024 The Disinterested Members of the Board of Directors of Kaizen Discovery Inc. unanimously recommend that securityholders vote FOR the Arrangement Resolution For any questions, please contact Kaizen's strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Laurel Hill Advisory Group, toll free at 1-877-452-7184 (+1-416-304-0211 outside North America) or by email at [email protected]. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Kaizen Discovery Inc. (TSXV: KZD) (otherwise "Kaizen" or "the Company"), is pleased to announce that leading independent proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ("ISS") and Glass Lewis & Co. LLC ("Glass Lewis") have each recommended that Kaizen securityholders ("Kaizen Securityholders") vote "FOR" Kaizen's proposed plan of arrangement ("Arrangement") with Ivanhoe Electric Inc. ("IE") at the upcoming special meeting of Kaizen Securityholders (the "Special Meeting") to be held on Monday, January 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver Time). Voting is easy and important - Vote FOR the Arrangement TODAY! Under the terms of the Arrangement, if the Arrangement becomes effective, each holder of Kaizen shares will receive one (1) common share of IE for one hundred and twenty-seven (127) Kaizen shares held. Proxy Cut-off and Meeting Details The board of directors of Kaizen recommends that Kaizen Securityholders vote FOR the Arrangement and encourages them to do so by no later than 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver Time) on Thursday, January 25, 2024, being the proxy cut-off time for voting for the Special Meeting. The Special Meeting will be held in person at the offices of Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP at suite 2200, HSBC Building, 885 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6C 3E8, and virtually via live audio webcast, available online using the Computershare meeting platform at http://meetnow.global/M64W5AV on January 29, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). Benefits of the Arrangement include: Opportunity for Kaizen shareholders to participate in the potential future increase in value of IE, which will include Kaizen's project, due to IE's strong expertise in the mining space coupled with its use of technology and financial capacity. Increased liquidity for Kaizen shareholders due to the liquidity of the IE shares compared to the Kaizen shares. Implied premium of 11.38% to the closing price of the Kaizen shares on December 1, 2023. Avoids highly-dilutive equity financings that are expected to be required if Kaizen were to pursue a "go-alone" strategy. Ability to participate in the business of IE post-closing. Questions & Voting Kaizen is pleased to announce that it has engaged proxy solicitation agent Laurel Hill Advisory Group ("Laurel Hill") in connection with the solicitation of proxies from the Company's securityholders for the Special Meeting. Kaizen has agreed to pay Laurel Hill an aggregate fee of $30,000 for these services and certain out-of-pocket expenses. If you have questions about the meeting matters or require voting assistance, please contact Laurel Hill: Laurel Hill Advisory Group North American Toll Free: 1-877-452-7184 (1-416-304-0211 outside North America) Email: [email protected] Additional Information Full details of the Arrangement are set out in the management information circular filed by Kaizen under its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. All Company Securityholders are urged to read the management information circular as it contains additional important information concerning the Arrangement. About Kaizen Kaizen is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company with exploration projects in Peru. More information on Kaizen is available at www.kaizendiscovery.com. ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY Terry Krepiakevich, Chairman of the Special Committee Information contact Ran Li +1-604-689-8765 [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195257 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2024) - Neotech Metals Corp. (CSE: NTMC) (OTCQB: NTMFF) (FSE: V690) ("Neotech" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the development of its Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") strategy aligned with its ambitious exploration program at the Company's flagship TREO Property. "As we gear up our exploration efforts at the TREO and Thor Properties, it is imperative that we do so with a keen eye on sustainability, community engagement, and corporate responsibility," stated Reagan Glazier, CEO and Director of Neotech Metals. "Our ESG strategy is not just a commitment on paper; it's a fundamental approach to how we operate. We are dedicated to ensuring our growth is responsible, aligning with environmental protection, enhancing community well-being, and adhering to ethical governance." Environmental Stewardship At the heart of Neotech's ESG strategy is an unwavering commitment to minimizing environmental impacts. By harnessing cutting-edge technology and industry best practices, the Company is dedicated to reducing emissions and optimizing resource use. Regular environmental assessments and strict adherence to sustainable standards are cornerstones of Neotech's operational ethos. Social Engagement Neotech is deeply committed to fostering positive relationships with local communities. This commitment involves generating meaningful employment opportunities and supporting community development initiatives, particularly in the areas surrounding the TREO Property, including Prince George and Bear Lake. "We aim to be more than just a business operating in these areas; we want to be a proactive and supportive member of these communities," Glazier emphasized. Ethical Governance Integrity, transparency, and accountability form the pillars of Neotech's corporate governance. By maintaining rigorous compliance with legal and regulatory standards, the Company upholds the highest levels of business ethics. Moving forward, Neotech Metals Corp. remains dedicated to advancing its exploration activities at the TREO Property while ensuring that every step taken is in harmony with ESG commitments. "Our goal is to unlock the potential of the TREO and Thor Properties in a way that benefits not only our Company and shareholders but also the environment and the communities we operate in," concluded Glazier. Neotech Metals Exploration Focus Neotech Metals Corp. is actively enhancing its understanding of the TREO and Thor Properties through a sequential and multi-phase exploration initiative. Looking ahead, Neotech is set to broaden its exploration endeavors on both projects. This includes planned airborne-geophysical (radiometric and magnetic) work, additional geological and geochemical mapping/sampling, and drilling, all aimed at further validating the property's potential. Thor Sampling and Surveying Program: Located 35km from the Mountain Pass Deposit; a comprehensive study, review and confirmation of historical workings. Located 35km from the Mountain Pass Deposit; a comprehensive study, review and confirmation of historical workings. TREO Summer Program: Pending permits, an upcoming exploration program consisting of geophysical, geological sampling/mapping and drilling to commence. Pending permits, an upcoming exploration program consisting of geophysical, geological sampling/mapping and drilling to commence. Additional Project Scoping: Comprehensive evaluation of target and project generation both on and off current mineral claims is underway. Marketing Agreement Extension Neotech Metals also announces that it has entered into an agreement with Financial Star News Inc. ("FSN") (address: 701 West Georgia Street, #1500, Vancouver, B.C. V7Y 1C6, e-mail [email protected]) for the provision of marketing services for up to six months commencing on January 17, 2024, provided that the term of the marketing services may be extended or shortened at the discretion of the Company depending on, amongst other factors, the efficacy of the marketing services. The services to be provided by FSN shall include the creation of campaigns, ad groups, text ads, display ads, detailed keyword research, setup and managing remarketing campaigns, optimizing keyword options, coordinating online advertisers and marketers, corresponding to online marketing targets, creating landing pages for ad campaigns and generally bringing attention to the business of the Company. The promotional activity undertaken by FSN will occur on a www.thefinancialstar.com landing page and via Google ads and native advertising. The Company will pay a fee of USD $500,000 (plus GST) for the continuation of the marketing services. The Company will not issue any securities to FSN as compensation for its marketing services. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, FSN (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Ike Osmani, P.Geo., a consultant of the Company, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standard of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Neotech Metals Corp. The Company is a mineral exploration company based in Vancouver, B.C., which owns 38 rare earth mineral claims comprising the TREO Property, located in Northern British Columbia. Canada. The Company also holds options on the EBB nickel-cobalt property in British Columbia, Canada and 22 mining claims comprising the Thor REE Project, an early-stage exploration property in the eastern Mojave Desert Region, approximately 119 kilometers south of Las Vegas. For More Information please contact: Reagan Glazier, Chief Executive Officer E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 604-832-5609 Forward Looking Statements Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward looking information in this news release includes statements relating to its properties, including in relation to future exploration plans in respect thereof. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "will", "will be" or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different, including, but not limited to, having obtained all necessary regulatory approvals and access to key consultants and personnel in order to conduct the planned work initiatives. Although management of the Company have 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. The Company will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws. The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195192 Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2024) - OBSIDIAN ENERGY LTD. (TSX: OBE) (NYSE American: OBE) ("Obsidian Energy", the "Company", "we", "us" or "our") announces that we expect to release our 2024 capital and operating budget and associated guidance (the "Release") before North American markets open on January 25, 2024. In conjunction with the Release, our President and CEO, Mr. Stephen Loukas and other members of management will host a webcast presentation online at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (11:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) (the "Presentation"). The Presentation will be broadcast live on the Internet and may be accessed either through our website or directly at the webcast portal. Those who wish to listen to the Presentation via phone should connect five to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time through the following numbers: Canada / USA: 1-800-319-4610 (toll-free) Toronto: 1-416-915-3239 Calgary: 1-403-351-0324 A question-and-answer session will be held following the Presentation. If you wish to submit a question to the Company, participants can do so ahead of time after registering on the webcast portal on the Internet or by emailing questions to [email protected]. The Presentation will be available following the webcast on our website. ADDITIONAL READER ADVISORIES FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of applicable securities legislation. The use of any of the words "expect", "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "objective", "ongoing", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe", "plans", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information concerning: the expected date for the Release and Presentation. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Obsidian Energy. Although Obsidian Energy believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because Obsidian Energy can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. By its nature, such forward-looking statements and information are subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause the actual results and expectations to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in commodity prices, changes in industry regulations and political landscape both domestically and abroad, and financial market volatility. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such forward-looking statements and information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on such forward-looking statements and information. Obsidian Energy gives no assurance that any of the events anticipated will transpire or occur, or, if any of them do, what benefits Obsidian Energy will derive from them. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information contained herein. Readers should also carefully consider the matters discussed that could affect Obsidian Energy, or its operations or financial results in Obsidian Energy's Annual Information Form (see "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" therein) for the year ended December 31, 2022, which is available on the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca), EDGAR website (www.sec.gov) or Obsidian Energy's website. Obsidian Energy shares are listed on both the Toronto Stock Exchange in Canada and the NYSE American exchange in the United States under the symbol "OBE". CONTACT OBSIDIAN ENERGY Suite 200, 207 - 9th Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T2P 1K3 Phone: 403-777-2500 Toll Free: 1-866-693-2707 Website: www.obsidianenergy.com; Investor Relations: Toll Free: 1-888-770-2633 E-mail: [email protected] To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195219 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2024) - Pasofino Gold Limited (TSXV: VEIN) (OTCQB: EFRGF) (FSE: N07A) ("Pasofino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of up to 6,291,000 units of the Company (each, a "Unit") at C$0.50 (or US$0.37) per Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$3,145,500 (US$2,330,000) (the "Offering"). Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a "Unit Share") and half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a "Warrant Share") at a price of C$0.65 for a period of 18 months following the issue date of the Units. As disclosed in the Company's January 4, 2024 and January 11, 2024 press releases, Hummingbird Resources plc (AIM: HUM) ("HB PLC") a shareholder (51%) and control person of the Company has dedicated US$2 million of the proceeds of its recent fund raise to invest in Pasofino. Accordingly, HB PLC has expressed an interest in subscribing for 5,400,000 Units. As previously disclosed in the Company's January 17, 2022 press release, Esan Eczacibasi Endustriyel Hammaddeler Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim ^irketi ("ESAN"), a shareholder (10%) and insider of the Company, has the right, but not the obligation, to subscribe under any private placement or prospectus offering of the Company in such amount as would permit ESAN to maintain its shareholding interest in the Company. Accordingly, ESAN has expressed its interest in subscribing for 891,000 Units. Following completion of the Offering, ESAN would own 10% of the issued and outstanding shares of Pasofino and HB PLC would own 53% of the issued and outstanding shares. The Offering is expected to close in January 2024 and is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, the conditional listing approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the applicable securities regulatory authorities. The securities issued under the Offering will be subject to a hold period in Canada expiring four months and one day from the closing date of the Offering. The securities offered have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company in connection with advancement of the Dugbe Gold Project and working capital. The funds will be used to optimise the 2022 Definitive Feasibility Study through FY-2024 and further progress the Project. Several opportunities to maximise the value of Dugbe and reduce the overall project capex profile have been identified, including the optimisation of power usage, improvements to the metallurgical recovery rates and additional exploration activities. ABOUT THE DUGBE GOLD PROJECT The 2,302 km2 Dugbe Gold Project is in southern Liberia and situated within the southwestern corner of the Birimian Supergroup which is host to most West African gold deposits. To date, two deposits have been identified on the Dugbe Gold Project: Dugbe F and Tuzon discovered by Hummingbird entities in 2009 and 2011, respectively. The deposits are located within 4 km of the Dugbe Shear Zone which is thought to have played a role in large scale gold mineralization in the area. The TSX Venture Exchange has not approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. Related Party Transaction Each of HB PLC and ESAN are insiders of Pasofino and are participating in thee Offering. The Offering is therefore a "Related Party Transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). The Company relied upon the exemptions from the minority shareholder approval and valuation requirements set out in Sections 5.7(1)(a) and 5.5(a), respectively, of MI 61-101. The Offering including the subscriptions of HB PLC and ESAN, was approved unanimously by the directors of the Company. ABOUT PASOFINO GOLD LTD. Pasofino Gold Ltd. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (VEIN). Pasofino, through its wholly owned subsidiary, owns 100% of the Dugbe Gold Project (prior to the issuance of the Government of Liberia's 10% carried interest). For further information, please visit www.pasofinogold.com or contact: Lincoln Greenidge, CFO T: 416 451 0049 E: [email protected] CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains "forward-looking statements" that are based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterised by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "seek", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the ability to raise the funds to finance its ongoing business activities including the acquisition of mineral projects and the exploration and development of its projects. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to, the ability to successfully complete the Offering, the ability to obtain all requisite regulatory approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange, the ability to apply the proceeds as intended, the results of business operation, the results of exploration activities; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms and those risk factors outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis as filed on SEDAR. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195207 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 22, 2024) - QYOU Media Inc. (TSXV: QYOU) ("QYOU" or the "Company") announces that is has filed an amended and restated offering document (the "Offering Document") related to the Company's non-brokered private placement of up to 22,500,000 units of the Company ("Units") at a price of $0.07 per Unit (the "Offering"), for aggregate gross proceeds of up to approximately $1,575,000, as previously announced on January 16, 2024. Each Unit will be composed of one (1) common share in the capital of the Company (a "Share") and one (1) common share purchase warrant of the Company (a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one (1) additional Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.10 per Warrant Share for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the closing date of the Offering, subject to an accelerated expiry date at the option of the Company in the event that the ten (10) day volume weighted average trading price of the Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") for any ten (10) consecutive trading days is $0.25 or more. The Offering is being completed pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption (LIFE) under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions and therefore the securities issued in the Offering will not be subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Offering Document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.com and at www.qyoumedia.com. Prospective investors should read this Offering Document before making an investment decision. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to build out its Maxamtech and QGamesMela gaming business, and for general working capital purposes, all as more particularly set forth in the Offering Document. The Company may compensate certain finders with a cash commission of up to 7.5% of the aggregate gross proceeds of the Offering and issue finders warrants equal to up to 7.5% of the total number of Units subscribed for under the Offering. The finders warrants, to the extent they are issued, will entitle the holder to acquire one (1) Unit, comprised of one (1) Share and one (1) Warrant, at a price of $0.07 per Unit for a period of 24 months. The Offering is expected to close on or about January 24, 2024 and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSXV. The securities issued pursuant to the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. persons absent registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an exemption therefrom. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About QYOU Media One of the fastest growing creator-media companies, QYOU Media operates in India and the United States producing, distributing and monetizing content created by social media influencers and digital content stars. In India, under our flagship brand, The Q and on connected TV, via channels Q Kahaniyan, Q GameX, Q Comedistaan & Sadhguru TV, we curate, produce and distribute premium content across television networks, VOD and OTT platforms, mobile phones, smart TV's and app-based platforms. In addition, QYOU has numerous additional content destinations, apps and gaming platforms engaging over 125 million Indian households weekly. Our influencer marketing company, Chtrbox, has been a pioneer in India's creator economy, leveraging data to connect brands to the right social media influencers. QGamesMela is a recently launched casual gaming business leveraging access to the large audience enjoyed by Q India products. In the United States, we power major film studios, game publishers and brands to create content and market via creators and influencers. Founded and created by industry veterans from Lionsgate, MTV, Disney and Sony, QYOU Media's millennial and Gen Z-focused content reaches more than one billion consumers around the world every month. Experience our work at www.qyoumedia.com. Investor Relations Contact: Dave Gentry RedChip Companies Inc. 1-800-RED-CHIP (733-2447) Or 407-491-4498 [email protected] Source: QYOU Media Inc. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-Looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "will", "estimates", "believes", "intends", "expects" and similar expressions which are intended to identify forward-looking statements. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Offering, the receipt of necessary approvals for the Offering, the expected closing date of the Offering and the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-Looking statements are inherently uncertain, and the actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, assumptions and expectations, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Additional risks and uncertainties regarding QYOU are described in its publicly-available disclosure documents, filed by QYOU on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.com) except as updated herein. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, as such information, although considered reasonable by the respective management of the Company at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release, and are expressly qualified by the foregoing cautionary statement. Except as expressly required by securities law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195255 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Renegade Gold Inc. (TSXV: RAGE) (OTCQX: TGLDF) (FSE: 070) ("Renegade" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a multi-drill exploration campaign has commenced at its Red Lake Gold Project. The program will total 10,000 meters, utilizing two drills to test extensional targets at the advanced Newman Todd Deposit and high-priority regional targets at the Confederation property. Program Highlights High-grade Extensional Targets at Newman Todd Deposit. Previous programs have focused on widespread, near surface mineralization. Recent modelling suggests multiple high-grade zones with expansion potential along strike and at depth. Drilling for the current program will target high-grade zones. High-Priority Regional Targets at Confederation Property. Multiple new targets to be tested at the Confederation Project including Fly Moth, Panama and Fredart prospect areas. About Renegade Gold Inc. Renegade Gold Inc. is a growth focused company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties located in the Red Lake Mining District of Northern Ontario. As part of its regional-scale consolidation strategy, the Company has assembled one of the largest prospective land packages in and around the Red Lake mining district in proximity to major mines and deposits, as well as along the Confederation Lake and Birch-Uchi greenstone belts. The recent completion of the acquisition of Pacton Gold Inc. extends the Company's ownership in Red Lake to over 89,600 hectares of prospective and diversified exploration properties with significant potential for gold and critical minerals on trend with the major structures hosting known gold occurrences in the Red Lake mining district today. The Company also holds a portfolio of prospective projects in Western Australia. For further information, please contact: Renegade Gold Inc. Nav Dhaliwal President, CEO and Director [email protected] Tel: 604-678-5308 Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (collectively, "Forward-Looking Information") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words "anticipate," "significant," "expect," "may," "will" and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify Forward-Looking Information. Forward-Looking Information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied by the forward-looking information. In preparing the Forward-Looking Information in this press release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and all requisite information will be available in a timely manner. Factors that may cause actual results to vary materially include, but are not limited to, inaccurate assumptions concerning the exploration for and development of mineral deposits, currency fluctuations, unanticipated operational or technical difficulties, risks related to unforeseen delays; general economic, market or business conditions, regulatory changes; timeliness of regulatory approvals, the risks of obtaining necessary licenses and permits, changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets and the inability to raise additional financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this Forward-Looking Information. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update this Forward-Looking Information after the date of this release or to revise such information to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195205 KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 18:55 | Sports, All, Japan Promotion-chasing sekiwake Kotonowaka claimed the outright lead Tuesday, the 10th day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament, moving ahead of his five closest rivals by a single win. Kotonowaka (9-1) cruised in his highly-anticipated bout against top-tier makuuchi-division debutant and fellow joint overnight leader Onosato (8-2), helped by the No. 15 maegashira's tepid opening charge and failure to make use of his big frame at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. A powerful drive from Kotonowaka met little resistance in a force-out win as the sekiwake inched toward ozeki promotion. The usual ozeki-promotion benchmark is 33 wins over three tournaments in the three "sanyaku" ranks below yokozuna. Kotonowaka, who won nine in September and 11 in July, faces a tough battle since he has yet to face any opponents ranked higher than him. Ozeki Kirishima (8-2), who is vying for promotion to yokozuna, overcame dogged attacks from another joint overnight leader, No. 14 Onosho (8-2), to stay in the title race. Onosho had the better of the opening clash and probed Kirishima with low powerful drives, but Kirishima withstood the pressure from the former komusubi before eventually dodging his body at the edge and slapping his fellow title hopeful down. Yokozuna Terunofuji (8-2) floored No. 6 Kinbozan (5-5) with an overarm throw after quickly getting a left-handed belt hold against the wrestler from Kazakhstan, claiming a winning record on his return after missing all of the last two tournaments with lower back trouble. Ozeki Hoshoryu (8-2) also remained one win off the lead with a win over Daieisho (6-4). Hoshoryu found himself backpedalling but grabbed a right overarm hold just in the nick of time, swung the sekiwake around, and pushed him across the ring and out. Sanyaku debutant komusubi Ura (2-8) was condemned to a losing record with a loss to livewire No. 2 Midorifuji (3-7). Related coverage: Sumo: Top-division debutant Onosato stays among leaders on Day 9 Sumo: Asanoyama loses sole lead, Kirishima suffers upset on Day 8 Sumo: Asanoyama keeps sole lead, Shodai upsets Terunofuji on Day 7 Drill Highlights include: 4.0m at 0.47% copper and 71m at 0.15% copper, including 4.7m at 0.26% copper, 6.0m at 0.37% copper, and 24.5m at 0.21% copper Trench Highlights include: 7.8m grading 2.37 g/t gold, including 1.0m grading 12.3 g/t gold Second Drill Rig Mobilized to Project Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2024) - Velocity Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: VLC) (OTCQB: VLCJF) ("Velocity" or the "Company") announces receipt of drill results from the Iglika copper-gold property ("Iglika" or the "Property"), located in southeast Bulgaria. Exploration is ongoing and a second drill rig has been mobilized to the Property. The drill program is fully funded by Dundee Precious Metals Inc. ("DPM"). Drilling Highlights Drill hole IDD-006 (Figure 1) intercepted 4.0m (from 99.5m depth) grading 0.47% copper, including 1.0m grading 1.77% copper. This is underlain by 70.9m (from 430.0m depth) grading 0.15% copper, including 24.5m grading 0.21% copper and 6.0m at 0.37% copper (Figure 2, Table 1). In detail copper mineralization is hosted in a potassic-altered diorite porphyry with a moderate quartz-sericite-pyrite overprint. In cross-section the mineralized zone is located at the transition from a magnetic high to magnetic low (Figure 2). Drill hole IDD-006 result is viewed as geologically significant due to the presence of consistent copper mineralization over >70m, and also because the drill hole intersected multiple phases of diorite porphyry intrusion, which appears to correlate well with the geophysical magnetic modeling. Drill hole IDD-007, located 1 km east of IDD-006 (Figure 1) is completed but geochemical assay results are pending. The drill hole intersected 266m (from 522.3m) of very intense phyllic alteration (quartz-sericite-pyrite+/-chalcopyrite) of volcaniclastic and volcanic rocks. The pyrite content is estimated at up to 10% and coincides with a geophysical chargeability high (Induced Polarization) anomaly, again providing confidence that blind geophysical targets across the Iglika property define priority drill targets. Phase II drilling commenced in November 2023 and is planned at approximately 7,000m to test 13 drill targets (Figure 1), with 1,735m drilled in 2 drill holes in Q4 2023. The remaining c. 5,000m is scheduled to be completed in Q1 2024. A second drill rig was mobilised to the project in early January 2024. The drilling campaign is simultaneously focused on testing geochemical and geophysical targets as well as establishing geological stratigraphy on the property. Figure 1.Geology map of the Iglika Property showing location of completed and planned drill holes. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4368/195259_adca188ca4796b3e_002full.jpg Figure 2.Cross-section showing Drill Hole IDD-006 and 3D magnetic susceptibility model as background. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4368/195259_adca188ca4796b3e_003full.jpg Table 1. Drill Results from Drill Hole IDD-006 Drill hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Copper (%)* IDD-006 99.5 103.5 4.0 0.47 IDD-006 430.0 500.9 70.9 0.15 incl. 447.4 452.1 4.7 0.26 incl. 464.7 470.7 6.0 0.37 incl. 476.4 500.9 24.5 0.21 * Triger value 0.1% Cu, mean composite 0.2% Cu, minimum consequetive length of waste 3.0m and no top cut value. True thickness of mineralization is unknown and reported as drill core length. Trenching Highlights Mapping and rock chip sampling in the area of 4G target returned up to 4.6 g/t gold which was followed up with channel sampling (Figure 1 and Figure 3). A total of 12 channel samples (including one field duplicate) returned grades greater than 0.1 g/t gold, with best interval of 7.8 m grading 2.37 g/t gold, including 1.0m grading 12.3 g/t gold. Mineralization is hosted within an intense quartz stockwork in sub-cropping andesitic volcanics and volcanoclastic rocks. Gold mineralisation remains open and drill testing is planned in Q1 2024. Figure 3. G4 target; subcroping mineralised andesitic volcanics - 7.8 m at 2.37 g/t gold To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4368/195259_adca188ca4796b3e_004full.jpg About Iglika The 97km2 property has potential for multiple mineral deposit types including copper porphyry, copper skarn, and epithermal gold. Surface exploration completed at the Property to date includes approximately 717 rock samples, 2,750 soil samples, 2,300 multi-horizon soil samples, 600-line km of magnetic data, 110-line km of induced polarization, and 15,000 radiometric measurements. This work, together with extensive mapping and prospecting, has identified multiple target areas for drill testing. Quality Assurance / Quality Control The work programs in Bulgaria are designed and supervised by Daniel Marinov, MAIG RPGeo, the Company's Vice President Operations who is responsible for all aspects of the work, including the quality control/quality assurance program. On-site personnel at the project rigorously collect and track samples which are then security sealed and shipped to ALS Global laboratory in Romania (soil samples) or SGS Mineral Services laboratory in Bor, Serbia (drill core), for sample preparation and subsequent analysis. Drill core samples are prepared and analyzed by fire assay using a 30-gram charge and multi-element analysis with four acid digestion using an Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometer in compliance with industry standards at SGS Mineral Services laboratory. Soil samples are prepared in compliance with industry standards at ALS' Romanian laboratory then a sample split of the milled material (pulp) is shipped to ALS' Irish laboratory for Trace Detection Limit method for a gold plus multi-element package by aqua regia digestion for acid extractable gold - 25g. Field duplicate samples, blanks and independent controlled reference material (standards) are added to every batch. Geophysical surveys are carried out by geophysical consultants using up-to-date technologies, with the results checked by a third-party independent geophysicist for quality control. Raw geophysical data is processed and corrected, and the results are interpreted by 2 independent groups of geophysicists under the direction of Company staff. Qualified Person The technical content of this release has been approved for disclosure by Daniel Marinov, RPGeo, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101 and the Company's Vice President Operations. Mr. Marinov is not independent of the Company as he is a director, officer, shareholder, and holds incentive stock options. About Velocity Minerals Ltd. Velocity is a precious metals and copper explorer focused in Eastern Europe. In Bulgaria, Velocity has a 70% interest in the Tintyava property, which includes the prefeasibility-stage Rozino deposit. Velocity also has a 70% interest in the Momchil property (which includes the Obichnik project), a 70% interest in the Nadezhda property (which includes the Makedontsi project), and a 70% interest in the Dangovo property (which is contiguous with the Makedontsi project). The Company holds a 100% interest in the Iglika copper-gold exploration property and recently entered into an option agreement with DPM who have an option to earn a 75% interest in the property. The Company has also entered into agreements to acquire a 75% interest in the Zlatusha copper-gold exploration property. On Behalf of the Board of Directors "Keith Henderson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Keith Henderson Phone: +1-604-484-1233 E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.velocityminerals.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements regarding the exercise of the Option by DPM, the entering into of the Definitive Agreement, the formation of the JV, and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Often, but not always, forward looking information can be identified by words such as "pro forma", "plans", "expects", "may", "will", "should", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", "believes", "potential" or variations of such words including negative variations thereof, and phrases that refer to certain actions, events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Property in a timely manner, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development, construction and continued operation of the Property, and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which 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. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development and mine development activities at the Property, estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, requirements for additional capital, future prices of precious metals and copper, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, possible variations in ore grade or recovery rates, possible failures of plants, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays or the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required, including TSX Venture Exchange acceptance, financing or other planned activities, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, currency fluctuations, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage and the timing and possible outcome of pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, risks related to joint venture operations, and risks related to the integration of acquisitions, as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual management's discussion and analysis and other filings of the Company with the Canadian Securities Authorities, copies of which can be found under the Company's profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Except as otherwise required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking information in this news release or incorporated by reference herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/195259 Dave Calhoun, CEO of Boeing, speaks on stage during the delivery of the final 747 jet at their plant in Everett, Washington, U.S. January 31, 2023. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo (Reuters) - Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will be on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators in the aftermath of the 737 MAX 9 grounding following the mid-air emergency landing of a new Alaska Airlines jet, sources told Reuters. Calhoun is set to meet with Senators Ted Cruz, a Republican, and Mark Warner, a Democrat, among others. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese) DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, Jan 23, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - - Crypto Oasis, Crypto Valley, the DLT Science Foundation and Inacta Ventures Join Forces in a Groundbreaking Initiative.Crypto Oasis, Crypto Valley, the DLT Science Foundation, and Inacta Ventures united to unveil the Global Protocol Report at The Hub of Casper Labs in Davos on the 17th of January 2024. It is an exhaustive examination of DLT (Distributed Ledger Technology) protocols that intends to empower decision-makers and policymakers with invaluable insights and data points, enabling them to plot their course in the burgeoning WEB3 space confidently. Highlights: The report has unprecedented transparency and clarity, granular insights, and an evolving analysis of DLT protocol attributes. It will help industry experts and novices gain foundational knowledge on DLT concepts, WEB3 ecosystem infrastructure, the evolution of the Blockchain landscape, and the role of capital, talent, infrastructure, and regulations in WEB3 innovation. The Global Protocol Report introduces a comprehensive framework for assessing the maturity of DLT protocols, facilitating informed decision-making with concise protocol fact sheets. The report also reveals Switzerland's dominance with 68.58% of the share of market cap of top protocols per country, followed by Singapore at 13.93%. The Global Protocol Report boasts some illustrious partners such as Coindesk Indices, Dialectic, DFINITY, Hedera, and Sui. Unveiling the Inaugural Global Protocol Report A Comprehensive Analysis of Blockchain Protocols The report's primary objective is to offer a nuanced understanding of prominent DLT protocols, exploring their strengths, weaknesses, and unique value propositions. The report has unparalleled depth and will delve into the foundational concepts of Distributed Ledger Technology. The subsequent sections delve into critical components of successful innovation, including the role of capital, infrastructure, and talent in advancing DLT protocols. The report also addresses the intricate landscape of valuations and funding in the Blockchain sphere, focusing on critical aspects, including market cap distributions, revealing Switzerland's dominance with 68.58% of the share of the market cap of top protocols per country, followed by Singapore at 13.93%. In terms of numbers, 20 of the leading DLT protocols are based out of Switzerland, just one short of the 21 based out of the USA. Switzerland's leadership in the Crypto landscape is grounded in its renowned financial industry, known for security, neutrality, and privacy. This magnetism for digital asset holders has redefined the country as a centre for Crypto finance and decentralized technologies. Ralf Glabischnig, Co-Founder of Crypto Oasis, highlighted the regulatory challenges in the Blockchain landscape, noting the significant variations globally. He emphasised Switzerland's stability and leadership in the Blockchain domain, stating, "In the report we have explored the jurisdictions shaping the WEB3 landscape, analysing regulatory frameworks, infrastructure elements, and other factors influencing their favorability. It's challenging how regulations can vary so greatly depending on where you are in the world, involving different regions, legal jurisdictions, and governing bodies. Switzerland, being a prominent player in Blockchain, stands as a pillar of stability and one of the most popular jurisdictions for DLT protocols. The Global Protocol Report also details valuation models and funding mechanisms so stakeholders can make informed choices and contribute to a thriving ecosystem." Glabischnig acknowledged that the European Union's introduction of the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) is a notable step towards creating a cohesive framework, potentially serving as a blueprint globally. Such a regulatory landscape underscores the importance of understanding and navigating diverse legal frameworks, making the Global Protocol Report an invaluable resource. The report delves beyond the Blockchain trilemma, i.e., the scalability, security, and decentralization trade-offs, shedding light on the emergence of side chains and second-layer solutions. This exploration unlocks new avenues for optimizing performance and maximizing user experience. The Global Protocol Report marks a significant milestone in Blockchain research because it provides a comprehensive assessment framework for assessing the maturity of DLT protocols. This framework will allow readers to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of each of the selected protocols, facilitating comparison and identification of potential areas for improvement. Commenting on the protocol maturity framework, Daniel Rutishauser, Partner, Head WEB3 Venture Building, Inacta Ventures said, "In our daily work, we are using our assessment framework to select the protocol that best fits the requirements for a WEB3 solution. In this report, for the first time, we give some insights into it as guidance for others to successfully build WEB3 solutions. The Global Protocol Report is a game-changer for understanding DLTs. This is a data-driven roadmap with a clear framework for assessing protocol maturity that will empower decision-makers and policymakers in the intricate world of Blockchain technology. By shedding light on the technical complexities and financial dynamics of DLT protocols, the report paves the way for a more informed and responsible WEB3 future." Each of the selected Blockchain protocols has been researched and graded on various attributes, including governance, performance efficiency, reliability, security, maintainability, usability, and adoption. The fact sheets for each protocol in the second part of the report include facts and figures such as the consensus mechanisms, transaction speeds, Tokenomics, etc. "The Global Protocol Report is a critical resource to understand the Blockchain landscape, offering a unique lens on the evolution of DLT protocols. It not only tracks the advancements in Blockchain technology but also provides a framework for assessing protocol maturity. Our collaboration in this report underlines the DLT Science Foundation's dedication to fostering informed decision-making in the Blockchain arena, especially as we navigate the complexities of scalability, security, and decentralisation. This report is an essential guide for anyone committed to understanding and shaping the future of WEB3," said Paolo Tasca, Co-Founder and Chairman of the DLT Science Foundation. A unique aspect of the Global Protocol Report is its commitment to being an evolving and dynamic resource. Regular updates will incorporate new trends and developments, allowing for a time series analysis and showcasing major shifts in the protocol landscape over time. This ensures users have access to a resource that remains current, providing a valuable lens for assessing the evolving maturity and potential of individual protocols. "We are excited to be included in the first edition of the Global Protocol Report, providing digital asset market intelligence through meticulously crafted research," said Alan Campbell, President of CoinDesk Indices. As a firm dedicated to rigorous research and thoughtfully constructed indices, we are pleased to partner with Crypto Oasis and Inacta Ventures as they further the global Crypto economy through education. The Global Protocol Report stands as a beacon of clarity in the ever-shifting landscape of WEB3. This essential resource promises to fuel the development of a more robust and thriving DLT ecosystem. The Global Protocol Report is an invitation to explore, understand, and shape a future powered by distributed ledger technology. Download the Global Protocol Report today and embark on your own journey of discovery within the ever-evolving Blockchain landscape.You can download the report at https://cryptooasis.ae/globalprotocolreport2024/ About Crypto Oasis The Crypto Oasis is a Middle East-focused Blockchain ecosystem supported by initiators of the Crypto Valley Switzerland. The core elements needed for its development are Talent, Capital, and Infrastructure. The Ecosystem's stakeholders include Investors & Collectors, Start-Ups & Projects, Corporates, Education & Research Institutions, Service Providers, and Government Entities & Associations. Crypto Oasis is the leading Blockchain ecosystem in the world. Today it is the fastest growing, with more than 1,800 organisations in the UAE alone. www.Cryptooasis.ae About Crypto Valley The Crypto Valley Association is a Swiss-based independent with the mission of building the world's leading Blockchain and Cryptographic technologies ecosystem. The CVA is powered by its eleven Working Groups and by its driven members. The main purpose of the Association is fostering collaboration, driving adoption of digital assets and connecting startups, established enterprises through networking, research, policy recommendations, and its yearly flagship conference - the Crypto Valley Conference. Learn more through https://members.Cryptovalley.swiss/ About Distributed Ledger Technology Science Foundation DLT Science Foundation is an international nonprofit organisation committed to help create a more equitable society - one that fully utilises DLT, Blockchain and related WEB3 technologies by fostering an open, sustainable innovation ecosystem of leaders, science fellows and developers. About Inacta Ventures As a network enabler and execution company, we are dedicated to connecting startups and corporates in the WEB3 space. With a strong and proven network of partners and advisors, we offer a comprehensive range of services to help our clients navigate the complex world of Blockchain and WEB3. Our services include advisory, venture building, smart capital and community building. With our ecosystem, we offer a range of high-quality services to help our clients achieve their goals and succeed in the WEB3 space. Let us help you turn your WEB3 idea into reality.https://inacta-ventures.com/ About CoinDesk Indices CoinDesk Indices (CDI), a subsidiary of CoinDesk, has been the leading provider of digital asset indices by AUM since 2014. CDI is driven by research and a desire to educate the marketplace and empower investors. CoinDesk is the most trusted media, events, indices and data company for the global Crypto economy. For more information contact: Faisal Zaidi Crypto Oasis [email protected] +971 55 200 0840 Copyright 2024 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. OnePlus doubles-down on performance, delivering the ultimate 2024 flagship smartphone at a competitive price point DALLAS , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading technology brand OnePlus today unveiled the OnePlus 12R at its Smooth Beyond Belief launch event in New Delhi . Combining the best parts of the OnePlus 12 with the focused performance-led ethos of the OnePlus R Series, the OnePlus 12R is the first R Series device to launch in the United States and Canada . The OnePlus 12R will go on sale starting February 13 at USD$499.99 / CAD$669.99 . "Our community in India loves the OnePlus R Series; I can't wait for them to get their hands on the OnePlus 12R and see what our latest performance-focused flagship can do," said Kinder Liu , OnePlus President and COO. "I'm truly thrilled we can bring the OnePlus 12R to users in North America and Europe , too. Everything we do is driven by our users, and I know our global community will be excited to try the OnePlus 12R as well." The OnePlus 12R is designed to be the ultimate place to play games in 2024. It is one of two flagship devices released this year the other being the OnePlus 12. These devices have been a decade in the making and gives users an opportunity to pick what's important for them on their next smartphone. Those looking for the best all-around smartphone can pick the stunning OnePlus 12, while those looking to focus on the best performance possible for high-end games and multi-tasking can opt for the OnePlus 12R. Performance-led powerhouse The core of every OnePlus smartphone is its fast and smooth software, and the OnePlus 12R stays true to this belief with the all-new Trinity Engine. The Trinity Engine uses six OnePlus-developed technologies to deliver enhanced performance across the phone's processor, memory, and storage -- it makes the OnePlus 12R a gaming and multi-tasking monster. This unbeatable software is combined with powerful hardware including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, an octa-core 4 nanometer processor tuned to give the best performance possible. Additionally, it can be configured with up to 16GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256GB UFS 4.0 storage. The most advanced display ever on a OnePlus phone The front of the OnePlus 12R is equipped with a beautiful 6'.78" AMOLED 120Hz screen, which combines upgraded brightness and color levels with enhanced responsiveness. That's due to the new LTPO 4.0 technology inside the screen, which enables the OnePlus 12R to change its refresh rate quicker and smarter than ever, helping prolong battery life while still giving better performance. LTPO technology works by recognizing what your phone is doing and adapting the screen to give the best experience. For example, when a user scrolls through photos in their gallery, it's important their phone screen is using a fast 120Hz refresh rate to look as smooth as possible. However, when a phone is displaying a still image, scrolling slowly, or playing a 60Hz movie, 120Hz refresh rate isn't necessary and drains battery life. The LTPO 4.0 technology detects the best refresh rate for the situation and switches to it faster than any other phone helping preserve battery life. As well as being the most advanced display ever, it's also got everything you'd expect from a OnePlus screen. It has a 2780 x 1264 resolution and 450 pixels per inch with an A+ DisplayMate rating during testing it set or matched 18 separate DisplayMate records. It also supports Dolby Vision, HDR 10+, and 10-bit color. The OnePlus 12R's screen boasts 4500 nits peak brightness and 1600 nits global maximum brightness, spread across 8192 separate levels, and comes protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. The OnePlus 12R is one of the first phones ever to use its CPU to detect wetness and react accordingly to avoid mistouches or delayed reactions. Best ever cooling, best ever battery Behind the screen sits the most advanced cooling system OnePlus has ever made, the Cryo-Velocity Cooling System. This system is made up of two vapor chambers: one large and one small. The small chamber absorbs heat directly from its source, such as the chipset, and evenly distributes the heat across the small chamber. The larger vapor chamber then absorbs the heat from the smaller chamber and lets it dissipate rapidly and cool down into liquid. Together these vapor chambers have a total area of 9140mm2, more than 76% bigger than the system inside the OnePlus 11R. It's also been constructed using a new type of graphite with over 1700W/mK thermal conductivity. The OnePlus 12R also takes the prize for the largest ever battery to be fitted to a OnePlus phone, weighing in at 5,500mAh. When it comes time to charge the phone, the 80W SUPERVOOC charger brings the OnePlus 12R from 1-100% in just 31 minutes. The OnePlus 12R also features the SUPERVOOC S Charging Management Chip; it helps keep the battery in top condition for longer. The SUPERVOOC S Chip kicks in when a user is charging and playing a demanding game at the same time, making sure there's no disruption to powering up the battery while working in the background to optimize charging. Meanwhile the proprietary Battery Health Engine technology inside the OnePlus 12R ensures users get a longer battery lifespan than on any competing device. In fact, OnePlus 12R lasts up to 1600 cycles more than four years of charging and fully discharging the battery every single day. A super snappy camera At the heart of the OnePlus 12R's camera is the Sony IMX890 50-megapixel sensor. This sensor is widely regarded as the most consistent and high-performance sensor on the market. When coupled with proprietary OnePlus photography algorithms, users can take great photos at any time. The OnePlus 12R also features a range of secondary camera lenses including a 112-degree ultrawide camera, a macro camera and a 16-megapixel front-facing camera perfect for those moments where nothing beats a super wide shot or a super close shot. A beautiful and hardened body All these advancements come packed inside a stunning and strong body. Available in either Cool Blue or Iron Gray colorways, the OnePlus 12R is protected with more aluminum than ever in its solid metal frame. OnePlus 12R in Cool Blue features a glossy finish with a light, fresh appearance, while the Iron Gray OnePlus 12R has a matte feel to give a sophisticated and strong look. Both colorways feature an IP64 rating and the newly repositioned OnePlus Alert Slider. By switching the legendary slider to the left side of the phone instead of the traditional right side, OnePlus was able to change the position of the antennas, helping to increase performance when the phone is held in a landscape orientation perfect for mobile gaming while still making sure the Alert Slider remains easy to reach. Pricing and availability The OnePlus 12R will be on sale in the United States and Canada beginning February 13 , starting at USD$499.99 / CAD$669.99 . The OnePlus 12R will be available on OnePlus.com, Amazon, and Best Buy. OnePlus is also offering a unique trade-in deal for the OnePlus 12R if purchased via OnePlus.com, consumers can get an additional $100 off by trading in ANY phone in ANY condition. Model Name RAM ROM Color Price Sales Channel OnePlus 12R 8GB 128 GB Iron Gray Starting at USD $499.99 / CAD$669.99 OnePlus.com, Amazon, and Best Buy (US & Canada ) OnePlus 12R 16GB 256GB Iron Gray & Cool Blue Starting at USD $599.99 / CAD$799.99 OnePlus.com, Amazon, and Best Buy (US & Canada ) For more information on OnePlus 12R, visit www.oneplus.com/oneplus-12r . About OnePlus OnePlus is a global mobile technology brand challenging conventional concepts of technology. Created around the "Never Settle" mantra, OnePlus creates exquisitely designed devices with premium build quality and high-performance hardware. OnePlus thrives on cultivating strong bonds and growing together with its community of users and fans. For more information, please visit OnePlus.com or follow us on: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oneplus_usa Facebook - https://facebook.com/oneplus Twitter - https://twitter.com/OnePlus_USA Tik Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@oneplus_usa View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/a-new-challenger-approaches-oneplus-12r-comes-to-the-us-and-canada-302041492.html SOURCE OnePlus Women-Owned, Women-Run Luxurious New Facility Led By Aesthetic Specialist Reva Sumner Will Be Preeminent Destination For MedSpa and IV Hydration LAS VEGAS , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- "Ageless Las Vegas," a women-owned and women-led luxury destination that will serve as the exclusive IV therapy and hydration services partner for Caesars Resorts has opened next to the exclusive Agustus Tower inside Caesars Palace . Presented in a vibrant and welcoming style developed specifically for "Ageless Las Vegas" by a renowned Hollywood set designer, The new medical spa will be a luxurious and much-needed respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. It is presented in a vibrant and welcoming style developed specifically for "Ageless Las Vegas" by Emmy Award-winning Hollywood Art Director Scott Storey , who has gained national acclaim for his extensive work on award shows, live events, and game, talk, music and reality shows. Reva Sumner , a Las Vegas fixture for more than 25 years and a nurse in the city for more than four decades will serve as the "Ageless Las Vegas" brand ambassador. One of the first aesthetic nurses in Las Vegas , Ms. Sumner will guide the growth of the new operation, teaching medical professionals the myriad techniques that have been so instrumental in her well-documented success. "We've envisioned 'Ageless Las Vegas' as the ultimate med spa experience for a clientele that expects the very finest in IV, hydration and other exceptional treatment options," said COO Rio Alabastro . "To accomplish this, we're fortunate to be led by Reva Sumner , an expert in these treatments and a fixture in the Las Vegas health and wellness community." Working with Ms. Sumner to lead "Ageless Las Vegas" med spa operations will be world class clinical director Zarah Gaerlan , APRN a Nurse Practitioner Aesthetic Master Injector and instructor in of one of Nevada's preeminent aesthetic medicine schools specializing in injectables and laser treatments. Utilizing new technologies and aesthetic methods to rejuvenate a client's appearance, "Ageless Las Vegas" will offer guests an unparalleled selection of treatment options, injectables, face contouring and facials. The "Ageless Las Vegas" IV hydration process allows clients to select a treatment that best addresses their symptoms, working the medical team to customize the ideal experience. Treatments offered by "Ageless Las Vegas" will deliver fluid, nutrients, and medication directly into the bloodstream. This can help with nausea, pain and other symptoms associated with food poisoning, migraines, hangovers and other ailments. It also boosts vitamin and mineral levels that support overall body wellness. Integrated into the "Ageless Las Vegas" experience will be an operational relationship with Hairdreams Salon by Michael Boychuck , the city's only Intercoiffure salon. Owned and operated by internationally acclaimed "colorist to the stars" Michael Boychuck , Hairdreams Salon has earned "Top 100 Salon" honors by Elle Magazine and "Best Salons in Las Vegas " accolades by Travel + Leisure. "Following our grand opening at Caesars Palace , our goal is to open additional locations with Caesars along 'The Strip,' stated Partner GianCarlo Alabastro , an entrepreneur, and marketing technologies expert. "Extensive research has shown us the profound demand for aesthetic services as well as IVs. We look forward to growing this brand in the years ahead." For more information, please visit www.agelesslasvegas.com, call 702.903.3333, or email [email protected]. Media Contact: Jeff Perlman 818.317.3070 371826@email4pr.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ageless-las-vegas-to-open-at-caesars-palace-302041504.html SOURCE Ageless Las Vegas WASHINGTON , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, American Global Strategies LLC (AGS), a leading international advisory and consulting firm, announced that former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is joining the firm as non-executive Vice Chairman. Morrison served as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia from 2018 to 2022. As a founding member of the Quad Leaders Dialogue and one of the chief architects of the AUKUS defense agreement, Morrison brings extraordinary experience at the highest levels of international affairs and defense policy. Prime Minister Morrison also played a central role in the establishment of the first ever Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Australia and ASEAN. For his leadership in addressing global challenges and his exceptional dedication to the U.S. Australian alliance, Morrison was made a Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit by President Trump in December 2020 . "Prime Minister Scott Morrison is widely regarded as one of the most consequential world leaders of the last decade, presiding over unprecedented changes to Australia's foreign and defense policies," said Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien (ret.), Chairman of AGS. "As American Global Strategies' non-Executive Vice Chairman, Prime Minister Morrison will bring high-level relationships and unique geopolitical insights to our clients." Mr Morrison said "I'm looking forward to working once again with Ambassador O'Brien and the whole AGS team, especially here in the Indo-Pacific. Robert and I enjoyed a great working relationship when I was Prime Minister. Together we can draw on our combined networks and experience in the region to help clients navigate a highly dynamic geopolitical landscape that presents risks and opportunities." "And it's not just in the defense and security space. Supply chains, technological change, resource security, energy transition and new types of partnerships between the private and public sectors are all impacted by the world becoming an ever more complicated place. There's a lot to unpack here and I'm pleased to be teaming up with people at AGS who know what they're talking about and know what to do about it." AGS delivers unparalleled expertise for its clients by assessing the global political environment and devising strategies to navigate international and domestic challenges. Founded by former U.S. National Security Advisor Ambassador Robert C. O'Brien and former National Security Council Chief of Staff Alexander B. Gray , the firm has assembled a leading team of experts with experience at the White House, State Department, and Pentagon. Contact: [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-global-strategies-announces-former-australian-prime-minister-scott-morrison-as-non-executive-vice-chairman-302042200.html SOURCE American Global Strategies Emphasizing travel as a form of radical self care, Jelani Travel, a leading travel company providing curated and meaningful experiences for travelers, celebrates its 10-year anniversary this month. WASHINGTON , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As Jelani Travel marks its 10th year of operation, the company has curated over 600 travel experiences, visited 108 countries, explored 6 continents, and ventured into 35 states. The celebration reflects a decade of commitment to fostering cultural understanding and social impact. Since its inception, the woman and veteran owned company has been dedicated to reimagining Africa for people of African descent, leading epic journeys to many countries and leaving an indelible mark. Brands such as Google, Mailchimp, Lyft, Uber, and more have charted unique speaking and travel experiences for their workforce, curated by Founder and CEO, Ashley N. Company. Jelani Travel stands out as the ultimate vacation with a purpose, emphasizing self-care, service, culture, and adventure. "I've traveled three continents with Jelani Travel and every destination has been amazing but my experience being able to travel throughout Africa has been life changing. I find myself feeling refreshed, more creative, and more present each time I return from a trip and use it as a staple in my annual self care regime," stated traveler and executive leader, Meagan Lemelle . Participants engage in service activities while experiencing trips in ways previously unimaginable. The company works in tandem with the nonprofit organization Jelani Gives, aiming to empower the next generation by providing educational and cultural opportunities to Black children. The organization envisions a world where Black American youth have access to culturally competent learning experiences that expand their understanding of history and develop their leadership capacity. Ms. Company is the driving force behind these initiatives, stemming from a remarkable journey that led her to master a foreign language and make a bold departure from her corporate career at a Fortune 50 company. Company has a deep passion for educating others on the power of soul deepening and radical self care. She sees travel as the ultimate outlet to experience freedom and a sense of belonging. Those burnt out from work and life are offered a bonding and heart opening moment with Company and others. Company's purpose lies in helping others live a more authentic life filled with connection and adventure. With 108 countries visited, an Amazon best selling activity book, "Travel-ish" and 10 years dedicated to cultural immersion and service trips, Company has become a sought-after keynote speaker, captivating audiences with talks on solo travel, women in entrepreneurship, social impact, and cultural identity. "Travel is freedom personified. Intentional travel liberates us because it heals layers within us that we may not even know need attention. I know this is true because travel saved my life. As I reflect on the last decade, what I know for sure is that the transformative power of travel has left a profoundly positive impact on my clients and community," stated Company. As part of our 10-year celebration, we invite you to feature Ashley N. Company on your show. With her wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and cultural exchange, Ashley is available for insightful discussions on topics ranging from solo travel to social impact. For interview requests, please contact: Phoenix Affect PR at [email protected] Join us in celebrating a decade of Jelani Travel's impactful journey, empowering travelers and communities around the world. About Jelani Travel Jelani Travel is a woman and veteran owned travel company dedicated to providing curated experiences for Black travelers, reimagining Africa , and fostering cultural understanding. Learn more at https://gojelanitravel.com/. About Jelani Gives Jelani Gives is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Ashley N. Company, committed to empowering underserved youth through cultural exploration and educational opportunities. Explore more at https://jelanigives.org/. Press Contact: Phoenix Jackson 281-790-8102 https://phoenixaffect.com/ View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ashley-n-company-ceo-of-jelani-travel-celebrates-10-years-of-creating-over-600-global-travel-experiences-to-108-countries-302042477.html SOURCE Jelani Travel KNOXVILLE, Tenn. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 's Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) in the Haslam College of Business will host the latest iteration of its Franchise Certification program from March 4 through May 7 . Seating for the $1,500 program is limited, so early enrollment is recommended. Haslam will host the Franchise Certification program from March 4 - May 7 . Seating is limited, so register soon. Haslam's Franchising Certification: The First Step to Success The highly applicable offering dives into how franchising works, so participants can both decide if franchising is right for them and move ahead if it proves to be a good fit. Students learn best practices for operating a franchise business and get insider perspectives from industry professionals while networking with like-minded entrepreneurial contacts. Ultimately, the program conveys to students the latitude that comes from working for yourself while drawing on the support, expertise and built-in recognition of an existing brand. The program faculty themselves are successful franchisers. Shelly Sun (HCB, '92), a program donor, epitomizes this success. Sun is the founder and CEO of BrightStar Care, a home healthcare franchise dedicated to providing both medical and non-medical assistance for families and individuals. Since Sun founded the company in 2002, BrightStar Care has grown to more than 365 locations represented by 200 small businesses and reached $639 million in revenue in 2021. It is consistently included in Forbes' Top Ten Franchises under $150,000 initial investment. Sun helped launch Haslam's Franchise Certification program both because of her regard for her alma mater and because she believes introducing aspiring entrepreneurs to the advantages of franchising can help them build economic prosperity. "Franchising is such a great way for someone who might be thinking about starting a business to do so with a little bit more of a safety net," Sun says. "Marketing, developing a website, creating a brand and collateral materials and a sales process all of those things take time, and they take money. Being able to hitch your wagon to a successful brand is what franchising has been for me. I feel that franchising is a safer journey for being an entrepreneur than going about it all on your own. Enabling more entrepreneurs across our country is how we'll continue to create wealth and chop away at economic disparity." A Program for Entrepreneurs of All Backgrounds Individuals seeking more independence in their careers, veterans transitioning from the military, members of groups underrepresented in traditional business and self-starters looking to channel their energies into a new enterprise will benefit from the program. Sun says when franchising is mentioned, most people's minds immediately leap to establishments like McDonald's, but this type of business encompasses much more. "There are so many sectors of the economy that franchising touches," she explains. "How great would it be to see more individuals become entrepreneurs and make an impact on their own local economies? Ideally, I think we reach those in the economy that may not otherwise have seen franchising." Essential Franchise Instruction In just eight weeks, students will learn the basic components of the franchising business, including: How franchising differs from other businesses How to write a business plan and obtain funding How to build a franchise by recruiting, hiring and retaining employees How to lead by modeling the qualities of a successful franchise leader How to manage and measure operational components of franchising How to implement successful practices to ensure continued growth Students also will benefit from 360-degree support by networking with fellow entrepreneurs in their cohort and extending their network through a national board of professional advisors. Cordell Riley , a franchising expert with nearly 30 years of experience, teaches the Franchise Certification program. His goal is to help create entrepreneurs that will leverage the American entrepreneurial spirit to make a difference in their communities. "We want to show the next generation of entrepreneurs how they can be in business for themselves, but not by themselves," he said. To become a franchiser or franchisee and build your own business as your own boss while being part of something bigger, enroll in the Franchise Certification program today. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/be-in-business-for-yourself-not-by-yourself-with-ut-haslam-franchise-certification-302042400.html Founded in Columbus, Ohio in 1949 and Known For Its Patented Heating Element, BriskHeat Has Evolved to Serve Customers Across Industries Worldwide, Providing Flexible Surface and Immersion Heating Products, Controllers, and Insulators COLUMBUS, Ohio , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- BriskHeat, a leading provider of flexible surface and immersion heating products, controllers, and insulators, is celebrating its 75th anniversary. Founded in 1949 in Columbus, Ohio , where the company's headquarters remain, BriskHeat has grown to include a global sales network and multiple manufacturing facilities. "The entire BriskHeat team is celebrating this major milestone," said Mike Thompson , President & CEO, BriskHeat. "It's no small feat for a company to reach its 75th anniversary. We pay tribute to all our customers over the years and our staff members who've given their all to make BriskHeat a leader in the industrial heating space." In 2018, BriskHeat became part of NIBE Industrier AB, a global group of manufacturing companies with more than 15,000 employees. BriskHeat serves brands across industries, including semiconductor, aviation, aerospace, construction, food processing, laboratory and medical science, marine, mining, oil and gas, plastics, and more. Highlights of the company's evolution include expanding manufacturing and production to Vietnam and Costa Rica ; opening sales offices in Europe , Taiwan , and China ; and releasing innovative new products such as the LYNX temperature control system, ACR hot bonder, vacuum tables, and other out-of-autoclave composite curing equipment. BriskHeat's Long History Began in 1949 Founded in 1949 by retired Major General Earnest Briscoe , BriskHeat started as the Briscoe Manufacturing Company. It made airplane wing de-icers for the military, as well as its now famous multi-stranded and serpentine wound knitted and braided heating element. With its superior durability, flexibility, and temperature uniformity, this heating element is still used in most of the company's products today. Other milestones in BriskHeat's history include: In 1952, BriskHeat moved to Gibbard Avenue in Columbus, Ohio , which served as its primary manufacturing location and corporate headquarters for 64 years until 2016, when it moved to its current location in east Columbus . moved to in , which served as its primary manufacturing location and corporate headquarters for 64 years until 2016, when it moved to its current location in east . Over the years, the company expanded its product lines to include the first cloth heating jacket introduced in 1950 and silicone rubber extruded heating tapes and blankets in 1957. From the 1950s through 1981, products were sold under the name "Briskeat." In 1984, the company officially changed its name to BriskHeat . . BriskHeat received a patent for its grounded heating element in 1999. received a patent for its grounded heating element in 1999. The 1990s saw the rapid rise of semiconductors. With this came the increased need for BriskHeat cloth heating jackets to prevent build-up in gas lines, exhaust lines, and forelines. cloth heating jackets to prevent build-up in gas lines, exhaust lines, and forelines. The early 2000s saw the introduction of multiple new products, including IBC/tote tank heaters, gas cylinder heaters, and HSTAT silicone heat tapes In 2008, BriskHeat began taking orders online. That same year, it opened a second cloth production facility in Columbus, Ohio , to help support the rapid increase in demand for cloth heating jackets. began taking orders online. That same year, it opened a second cloth production facility in , to help support the rapid increase in demand for cloth heating jackets. In 2010, BriskHeat opened its Vietnam production facility. opened its production facility. NIBE Industrier AB acquired BriskHeat in 2018. acquired in 2018. 2023 saw BriskHeat open its Costa Rica production facility. open its production facility. In 2023, Mike Thompson became the President & CEO of BriskHeat upon the retirement of Domenic Federico , who served in the role for 22 years. "As for what the next 75 years will hold, our vision is for BriskHeat to be the world's top, one-stop source for all surface heating solutions, temperature controls, and insulating needs," said Thompson. "With our dedicated staff and loyal customers, we look forward to a bright future." About BriskHeat Since 1949, BriskHeat has provided a full range of surface and immersion heating solutions used for freeze protection, condensation prevention, flow/viscosity control, vacuum bake-out, composite curing, and temperature process control. BriskHeat's primary manufacturing facilities and headquarters are in Columbus, Ohio . BriskHeat has a worldwide sales network, including sales offices in Taiwan , China , and Germany , as well as manufacturing facilities in Vietnam . In 2017, BriskHeat was named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in America. In 2018, BriskHeat became part of NIBE Industrier AB, a global group of manufacturing companies with over 15,000 employees worldwide. Follow BriskHeat on YouTube /BriskHeat, on Facebook /BriskHeatCorp, or on LinkedIn /company/BriskHeat-corporation. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/briskheat-celebrates-75-years-in-the-industrial-heating-industry-302042563.html SOURCE Briskheat WASHINGTON , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Calibre CPA Group, a prominent accounting firm known for its exceptional financial services and dedication to client satisfaction, is excited to announce the appointment of James E. Gomes as its new Managing Partner, effective January 1, 2024 . James brings to this role over 25 years of invaluable experience and leadership within the firm. His appointment is a natural progression in his career, reflecting his expertise and alignment with the firm's core values and strategic goals. In his new role, James will oversee the operations and strategic direction of the firm. He will focus on supporting partners and staff, and ensuring clients continue to receive the highest standard of service. Jim Kokolas , who has successfully led the firm to numerous achievements throughout his tenure, will assume the role of Co-Managing Partner to facilitate a seamless transition. Jim's leadership has been instrumental in the firm's growth and success. He will remain actively involved in the management committee and will work closely with James in the foreseeable future. "James brings a wealth of experience, knowledge, and leadership that will continue to steer our firm towards new heights. Reflecting on my time as Managing Partner, I am proud of the milestones we have achieved and the robust foundation we have built," said Jim Kokolas , Co-Managing Partner, Calibre CPA Group. "I am also pleased to continue serving as Co-Managing Partner during a transition period, and to continue serving on the firm's Management Committee while working closely with James in the coming years. This collaborative approach ensures a seamless succession and the continued excellence our clients expect from us. Together, we are committed to upholding the legacy of our firm and driving growth and opportunities for the future." "I am honored to take on the role of Managing Partner at Calibre. Having been part of this incredible team for over 25 years, I have witnessed firsthand the remarkable evolution of our firm," said James E. Gomes , Managing Partner, Calibre CPA Group. "As I step into this new role, I am committed to building on the strong foundation Jim Kokolas has established, fostering a culture of excellence, and leading our firm towards a future filled with innovation and success. I appreciate the trust placed in me, and I look forward to continue delivering high-quality service to our clients." The team at Calibre expresses its gratitude to Jim Kokolas for his exceptional leadership and looks forward to the firm's continued prosperity under the guidance of James Gomes . Calibre CPA Group, PLLC, is a full-service accounting and advisory firm focused on helping tax-exempt organizations and business enterprises nationwide make a difference through proactive and value-added accounting, audit, taxation, forensic and risk advisory, and payroll compliance services. With offices in metropolitan Washington, DC , Chicago, IL , New York, NY , and Los Angeles, CA , they work hand-in-hand with associations and other not-for-profits, labor unions, employee benefit plans and business enterprises to help them stay ahead of financial developments and guide them through the complex mine field of accounting and reporting regulations. Calibre CPA Group has consecutively been named to the Washington Business Journal's Largest Accounting Firms in Greater D.C. list, has been consecutively named by Accounting Today as a Regional Leader in the Capital Region , and made the Forbes 2021, 2022, & 2023 America's Best Tax and Accounting Firms List. For more information visit calibrecpa.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. Nadine M. DiStefano 716.440.4152 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/calibre-cpa-group-pllc-announces-leadership-transition-to-new-managing-partner-james-e-gomes-302041031.html SOURCE Calibre CPA Group KYODO NEWS - Jan 23, 2024 - 21:12 | World, All, Japan China has asked Japan to provide visa exemptions for Chinese nationals who hold diplomatic and official passports, an arrangement Tokyo currently offers to dozens of countries on a reciprocal basis, sources familiar with the bilateral relationship said Tuesday. Beijing has made the request as a condition to revive its pre-COVID unilateral practice of exempting visa requirements for Japanese short-term visitors, they said. The latest move was believed to be a concession as China had previously demanded equal visa-free treatment from Japan for Chinese short-term visitors. Between 2003 and 2020, China allowed Japanese nationals to visit the country visa-free for up to 15 days, while Japan requires all Chinese visitors to obtain visas regardless of length of stay. Tokyo asks Chinese visa applicants to prove certain income levels as it remains cautious that a visa exemption could lead to an increase in the number of Chinese overstaying their visas and undermine the public interest. A senior Communist Party official told the Japanese side earlier this month in the Chinese capital that despite the unilateral visa exemption Beijing had implemented for all Japanese nationals before the pandemic, Tokyo did not even provide preferential treatment to diplomatic and official passport holders. Adding China to the list of countries whose senior officials and diplomats enjoy Japan's visa-free arrangement is "an option" for Tokyo, the Communist Party official said, urging the neighboring country to "make efforts" to realize that, according to the sources. However, a Japanese government source said it is "not easy" to fulfill China's request, given caution among conservatives. At the same time, the Communist Party official also said Beijing welcomes many Japanese visitors, indicating China's willingness to resume the visa-free scheme for short-term stayers if conditions are met, the sources added. Many Japanese companies operating in China have called for the resumption of the measure. Japan currently gives visa-free treatment for diplomatic and official passport holders -- either or both -- to some 60 countries. At present, Tokyo exempts visas for short-term visitors from 70 countries and regions, including South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, the United States, Britain and Brazil. After abandoning its stringent antivirus measures in January 2023, China resumed unilateral visa-free arrangements for short-term visitors from Brunei and Singapore last July. In December, China and Singapore said they plan to implement mutual visa exemption arrangements in early 2024. Also in December, Beijing implemented a visa-free entry policy for nationals of France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Spain staying in China for up to 15 days, with the measure taken on a trial basis until November 2024. Last week, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said during his European tour that Beijing will also unilaterally include Ireland and Switzerland in its visa-free policy. Related coverage: Record 87% of Japanese "do not feel friendly" toward China: survey China's Japan seafood imports sink 40% over treated radioactive water Foreign visitors to Japan in 2023 jump over sixfold to 25.07 mil. PHILADELPHIA , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is proud to announce the initial results of an experimental gene therapy treatment of a patient with hereditary hearing loss in the United States . Findings to date indicate that the treatment was successful. While the gene involved is quite rare, the milestone represents a breakthrough in the treatment of patients around the world with hearing loss caused by dozens of different genetic mutations and marks another innovative move for gene and cell therapy in a new area of medicine. "Gene therapy for hearing loss is something that we physicians and scientists in the world of hearing loss have been working toward for over 20 years, and it is finally here," said John A. Germiller , MD, PhD, an attending surgeon and Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at CHOP, and Associate Professor at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. "While the gene therapy we performed in our patient was to correct an abnormality in one, very rare gene, these studies may open the door for future use for some of the over 150 other genes that cause childhood hearing loss." An eleven-year-old born with otoferlin gene (OTOF)-mediated hearing loss was the first patient to receive this gene therapy in the study. On October 4, 2023 , the patient underwent a surgical procedure at CHOP where the gene therapy was placed into the inner ear using a device called an endoscope that allows the eardrum to be partially lifted, allowing an investigational medical device to be transiently inserted into the "round window," a tiny entry point into the cochlea. A single, small dose of a gene therapy (AK-OTOF) containing copies of the normal OTOF gene was then delivered directly to the inner ear. This delivery method represents the first time a gene therapy has been used as a potential treatment for hereditary hearing loss in the United States . The patient was born profoundly deaf in both ears. Now, almost four months since receiving the investigational gene therapy in one ear, the patient's hearing has improved enough that he now has only mild to moderate hearing loss in the ear that was treated. The patient is literally hearing sound for the first time in his life. He can hear his father's voice, the sound of a car passing by and even the scissors clipping his hair. While hearing loss can be caused by a variety of factors, like illness, injury, aging, exposure to loud noises or malformations of the inner ear, it can also be caused by a variety of genetic mutations. To date, more than 150 different genes have been implicated in hearing loss, and about 1 in 500 newborns are affected by some form of genetic hearing loss. Gene therapy for children with OTOF-mediated hearing loss has been designed to restore hearing by delivering copies of normal OTOF genes into the inner ear. With normal OTOF genes, the sensory cells will be able to function so they can respond to sound and activate the auditory nerve to send impulses to the brain. Functioning OTOF genes are encased in a viral vector, a modified form of a non-disease-causing virus, which allows them to be delivered into cells of the cochlea in the inner ear. The vector solution is directly injected into the internal fluid of the cochlea during the procedure. CHOP is one of several clinical trial sites in the world participating in the AK-OTOF-101 clinical trial, sponsored by Akouos, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company. This research trial is being conducted in collaboration with the Clinical In Vivo Gene Therapy group at CHOP, a multidisciplinary team of experts committed to advancing transformative human therapies and building upon CHOP's legacy as a leader in breakthrough gene therapy. Dr. Germiller developed a cutting edge, minimally invasive, endoscopic round window surgical approach at CHOP 10 years ago for infants and toddlers undergoing a different diagnostic procedure on the cochlea's round window. The delivery approach that is used for this gene therapy procedure, developed by Akouos and enabled by an investigational delivery device being developed in parallel with the gene therapy, leverages this earlier work. "As more patients at different ages are treated with this gene therapy, researchers will learn more about the degree to which hearing is improved and whether that level of hearing can be sustained over many years," Germiller said. "What we have learned from following this patient's progress will help direct our efforts toward helping as many patients as we can." To learn more about this clinical trial, visit: https://www.otofclinicaltrial.com/ak-otof-101-study. About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: A non-profit, charitable organization, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, the hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. The institution has a well-established history of providing advanced pediatric care close to home through its CHOP Care Network, which includes more than 50 primary care practices, specialty care and surgical centers, urgent care centers, and community hospital alliances throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey , as well as the Middleman Family Pavilion and its dedicated pediatric emergency department in King of Prussia . In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit https://www.chop.edu. Contact: Natalie Solimeo Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (856) 261-8090 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/childrens-hospital-of-philadelphia-performs-first-in-us-gene-therapy-procedure-to-treat-genetic-hearing-loss-302042233.html SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Investment proceeds will fund a distribution to existing equity holders. BLAINE, Minn. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CPM Holdings, Inc. ("CPM" or the "Company"), a leading global supplier of engineered process equipment for animal feed, oilseed processing, extrusion, and thermal processing markets, today announced a $400 million strategic equity investment from Koch Equity Development LLC ("KED"), the principal investing and acquisition arm of Koch Industries, Inc. The proceeds of the investment will fund a distribution to the Company's existing equity holders. Affiliates of American Securities LLC, a leading U.S. private equity firm and the current controlling shareholder of CPM, will continue to own a majority of the Company alongside KED and the Company's management team. "CPM has remained a market leader after so many years because of its ability to be nimble, meeting the current needs of its customers while also seeing around corners to introduce new solutions," said Dave Webster , CEO of CPM. "We believe this new investment is a vote of confidence in the strategic plan we have been executing alongside American Securities and will be a powerful growth accelerant." "The CPM management team, in partnership with American Securities, has done a tremendous job growing CPM over the past five years," said Mike Harris , a Managing Director of Koch Equity Development. "We are excited to partner with the current owners as the Company continues to innovate and deliver value for its customers." "KED seeks to invest with like-minded partners and in best-in-class businesses that create superior value for customers. CPM fits this mold, and we look forward to supporting the Company as it continues to invest in new products and capabilities," added Mitchell Hanson , a Director of Koch Equity Development. "CPM is synonymous with high-quality, versatile equipment across a broad range of industries," said Michael Sand , a Managing Director of American Securities. "We are proud of our partnership with the talented CPM team, and we are grateful for the support and confidence of Mike and the broader Koch team as we continue to pursue new opportunities for the Company." "CPM management's passion and ingenuity have enabled the Company to maintain its position as an industry leader more than a century after its founding," added Michael Fisch , Founder and CEO of American Securities. "CPM's mission is to improve everyday life for people across the globe, and we are committed as ever to advancing this goal." Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC served as financial advisor to CPM. Guggenheim Securities, LLC served as financial advisor to KED. Jones Day and Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP acted as legal counsel to KED and to American Securities, respectively. About Koch Equity Development LLC (KED) Koch Equity Development is the principal investment and acquisition arm of Koch Industries, Inc. ("KII"), one of the largest privately held businesses in America. Since 2012, KED has deployed more than $35 billion in equity investments and acquisitions. With revenue as high as $125 billion , KII and Koch companies have 120,000 global employees operating in more than 60 countries. About CPM Holdings, Inc. CPM Holdings, Inc. (CPM) is a diversified leading global supplier of process equipment and engineered technologies that sustainably feed, fuel, and build a better world. With its growing family of 17 market-leading product brands, CPM serves a variety of industries including animal feed, consumer food, green energy, advanced materials and sustainable packaging. Founded in 1883, CPM has 1,700 employees across 36 facilities on 4 continents with presence in 150+ countries. From the foods you eat to the fuels you require, CPM plays an important role in making the world more efficient and more sustainable. For more information, visit OneCPM.com. About American Securities Based in New York with an office in Shanghai , American Securities is a leading U.S. private equity firm that invests in market-leading North American companies with annual revenues generally ranging from $200 million to $2 billion . American Securities and its affiliates have more than $27 billion under management. For more information, visit www.american-securities.com. Contact Information For American Securities [email protected] For KED [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cpm-holdings-announces-400-million-investment-from-koch-equity-development-302042249.html SOURCE CPM As demand for more connected and meaningful travel experiences builds, travelers can seize the incredible value of booking future travel with EF Go Ahead at today's prices BOSTON , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As guided group travel continues to soar in popularity, EF Go Ahead Tours (GAT) , a premier provider of culturally immersive and education-based group tours, responds as the first operator to open bookings to all of its tour destinations through 2026. It is the largest and most diverse collection of itineraries to open 35 months in advance. By offering such generous lead time, travelers will realize incredible value by booking future travel at today's prices. And for ultimate flexibility, EF Go Ahead offers a $99 down AutoPay with payments in manageable monthly installments, one of the few credit and interest-free payment plans in today's economy. 2023 was an extraordinary year for guided group travel, with all indicators pointing to even stronger future demand through 2025. Based on sales in the last quarter, EF Go Ahead has seen bookings into late 2025 increase by almost 30% compared to 2024 bookings in the same time period last year. Lead time isn't the only benefit at EF Go Ahead Tours. The company is also expanding its tour offerings in Asia , Africa , Latin America and Europe , focusing on less-traveled, expertly-vetted gems aimed at embedding travelers into local culture, gastronomy, and traditions. "It's not just where people want to go, it's how they want to travel that defines the future of our industry," says Heidi Durflinger , President, EF Go Ahead Tours. "People want connection and meaning, so they are choosing guided group travel for these transformative moments. By launching more departure dates than ever before to all of our destinations through 2026 (at 2024 prices), we are enabling travelers to plan for the experiences they desire at a tremendous value." EF Go Ahead data supports emerging trends for 2024 travel and beyond: Travelers Are Going Guided for Planning-Intensive Destinations: Based on EF Go Ahead Tours' recent ( November 2023 ) bookings, trips to both Asia and Africa two highly desired but not easily accessed destinationswere up 70% in sales compared to November 2022 . Looking at the first half of 2024, Thailand and Japan departures are both up 57% compared to the same time in 2023, further underscoring travelers want to access these destinations in a guided group experience. Highlights of Southern Thailand : Bangkok , Phuket & Krabi and Highlights of Vietnam : Hanoi , Ha Long Bay & Ho Chi Minh City are two new ways to see Asia through 2026. Based on EF Go Ahead Tours' recent ( ) bookings, trips to both and two highly desired but not easily accessed destinationswere up 70% in sales compared to . Looking at the first half of 2024, and departures are both up 57% compared to the same time in 2023, further underscoring travelers want to access these destinations in a guided group experience. and are two new ways to see through 2026. More Meaningful, Deeper Dives into Culture, Food, and History are on the Rise: In the last few months, bookings for longer tours continue to see a big increase compared to the same time last year, with a 110% increase in tours lasting more than 16 days. Itineraries with a longer "Grand Tour'' lens showcase the many advantages of modern group travel with 12+ days of travel. While these tours are increasingly popular in Asia , Grand Tour of Costa Rica : From the Caribbean to the Pacific is an exciting new itinerary that strikes the perfect balance of gastronomy and adventure and The Greek Ionian Islands: Kefalonia & Corfu with Nafplio & the Athens Riviera Extension offers an insider's look at the less traveled parts of the Greek Isles. In the last few months, bookings for longer tours continue to see a big increase compared to the same time last year, with a 110% increase in tours lasting more than 16 days. Itineraries with a longer "Grand Tour'' lens showcase the many advantages of modern group travel with 12+ days of travel. While these tours are increasingly popular in , is an exciting new itinerary that strikes the perfect balance of gastronomy and adventure and offers an insider's look at the less traveled parts of the Greek Isles. More Opportunities to Connect Through Travel Drives Social Tourism & Solo Tours: The end of 2023 saw a soaring rate of 380% more solo travelers embarking on solo-only group tours than the previous fall. EF Go Ahead continues to strengthen its commitment to the "travel solo, but never alone" style bringing its unparalleled collection of solo-only tours up to 18 offerings in 2023. The end of 2023 saw a soaring rate of 380% more solo travelers embarking on solo-only group tours than the previous fall. EF Go Ahead continues to strengthen its commitment to the "travel solo, but never alone" style bringing its unparalleled up to 18 offerings in 2023. "Peak Season" is Now All Seasons: While "hot" seasons like summer will always be popular in Europe , other seasons are growing at a rapid rateeven to destinations like Italy ! "Shoulder Season" and off-seasonOct-Apriloffers less crowds and temperate weather with more access to local charm. In Oct-Dec. of 2023, EF Go Ahead Tours departed 30% more travelers to Italy than during the same period for 2022. Future shoulder season travel to other parts of the world like Asia , Australia , Latin America & Africa are also on the rise. Value Oriented: All Reward, No Risk. Booking future trips with EF Go Ahead is a win-win. Travelers lock in today's costs for future travel and through EF Go Ahead's AutoPay , travelers benefit from one of the few credit and interest-free payment plans available in the current economy. Flexible, fee-free options allow changes to dates and destinations up to the Tour Finalization Date. Travelers can visit www.goaheadtours.com for more information and to see all available trips. Check out some of the amazing destinations on EF Go Ahead Tours' Instagram and Facebook . About EF Go Ahead Tours EF Go Ahead Tours offers more than 175 guided trips across six continents. Each carefully planned, expertly led tour makes it easy for curious travelers of all ages to get to the heart of a destination. With a maximum group size well below the industry average, each trip has the perfect balance of planned sightseeing and free time to explore. EF Go Ahead Tours is a part of EF Education First, the world's largest international education company that was founded in 1965. With a mission of opening the world through education, EF Education First has 612 offices and schools in 50 countries. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ef-go-ahead-tours-opens-bookings-through-2026-on-all-guided-group-itineraries-offering-travelers-unprecedented-lead-time-to-plan-and-budget-for-future-travel-302042140.html SOURCE EF Go Ahead Tours Company advancing novel live tumor imaging diagnostic platform MADISON, Wis. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Elephas Biosciences Corporation (Elephas), a private company, announced today that it has raised $55 million in Series C funding. Venture Investors Health Fund and State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) led the round. Continuing investments were made by Northpond Ventures, ARCH Ventures, Sands Capital, Moore Strategic Ventures, Tao Invest, and WARF Ventures. With this $55 million Series C funding, this brings the total raised by Elephas to $116.5 million . Elephas is developing an oncology imaging diagnostics platform to predict response to immunotherapy using the latest advances in metabolic imaging. The platform utilizes live patient biopsies with intact native tumor architecture and treats them with potential therapies to predict response to treatment. The basis of the platform is to visualize immune cell activity including T cell activation and cytotoxic mediated killing. Read more about the latest scientific data presented by Elephas at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) meeting in November 2023 here. Elephas is conducting observational clinical trials to demonstrate that a patient's clinical response to immunotherapy is correlated to the response data obtained by the Elephas platform, adding confidence the data generated from the platform can be used to predict response. The company also launched their biopharma services offering in 2023, partnering with biopharma companies to accelerate immunotherapy drug development using the Elephas platform. Oncology drugs remain the largest pharmaceutical therapeutic area, with immunotherapies emerging in the last decade as powerful tools in the fight against cancer. However, despite the significant increase in the number of available immunotherapies, only 1 in 3 patients receiving immunotherapy frontline obtain a response and many who may respond are not eligible for therapy due to a lack of accurate predictive biomarkers. "We remain intensely focused on our mission to improve care for cancer patients," stated Maneesh Arora , founder and CEO of Elephas. "Supported by world class venture firms we are committed to building a platform that can help guide clinicians and enhance access to life-changing immunotherapies." "The Elephas platform holds immense promise to address a critical unmet need in predicting response to immunotherapy," Venture Investors Health Fund's Paul Weiss , added. "We are excited to work side by side with the company to pioneer a new diagnostic era for immunotherapy that will improve both access to therapy and outcomes for patients." XMS Capital Partners acted as financial advisor to the company. About Elephas Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, with the number of patients projected to triple by 2060. Despite a significant increase in the number of available immunotherapies, only 1 in 3 patients receiving immunotherapy frontline obtain a response and many who may respond are not eligible for therapy due to lack of accurate predictive biomarkers. With the mission to tackle the massive oncology dilemma, Elephas is developing an ex-vivo platform to assess how live patient biopsies respond to immunotherapies. Our unique approach maintains the native 3-dimensional cellular architecture and micro-environment of the tumor, enabling rapid real-time characterization of live tumor response to immunotherapies using the latest advances in metabolic imaging. To learn more, visit us at www.elephas.com and follow us on LinkedIn. About Venture Investors Health Fund Venture Investors is a premier provider of venture capital funding and company building expertise to early-stage healthcare companies. With a Midwest focus and national reach, they have a track record of working with passionate entrepreneurs to advance solutions to the market that address the world's biggest health challenges. Venture Investors is focused on investment opportunities in healthcare, principally those emerging from ecosystems surrounding major research universities in the Midwest. Formed in 1982, Venture Investors has offices strategically located next to the country's second and sixth largest research institutions in Ann Arbor, Michigan , and Madison, Wisconsin . For more information, please visit https://ventureinvestors.com. About State of Wisconsin Investment Board The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), created in 1951, is an independent state agency responsible for managing the assets of the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS), the State Investment Fund (SIF), and other state trust funds. As of December 31, 2023 , SWIB managed $155 billion of total assets, 85% representing WRS assets. SWIB's strong management of the trust funds has helped WRS remain one of the only fully funded U.S. public pension plans. SWIB provides a strong, steady economic pillar for the state of Wisconsin by growing the trust funds under its management, managing risk, and optimizing costs over the long term. About ARCH Venture Partners ARCH Venture Partners invests in life science and advanced technology companies and is one of the world's leading early-stage venture firms. The firm is a recognized leader in commercializing technologies developed at academic institutions, corporate research groups and national laboratories. ARCH invests primarily in companies it co-founds with leading scientists and entrepreneurs, bringing innovations in life sciences and physical sciences to market. For more information visit www.archventure.com. About Northpond Ventures Northpond Ventures is a multi-billion dollar science-driven venture capital firm based in Cambridge, MA ; San Francisco, CA ; and Bethesda, MD. Northpond has been named one of the three most active lead biotech investors in 2021 by Crunchbase, and the most active lead investor in life science solutions and molecular diagnostics by Silicon Valley Bank. It is particularly engaged in the research ecosystem, having founded a bioengineering laboratory at Harvard, and sponsored a prize for women entrepreneurs at MIT. It has led over 50 financings over the past several years, with a high percentage having an academic origin. Learn more at npv.vc. About Moore Strategic Ventures Moore Strategic Ventures, LLC is the privately held investment company for Louis M. Bacon , Founder and CEO of Moore Capital Management, LP. About Tao Capital Partners Tao Capital Partners is a family office that invests in technology, alternative energy and transportation, healthcare, education, sustainable food & agriculture, consumer, and real estate businesses that have a positive impact. Tao is an active investor with the ability to support companies through various stages of their life-cycle. About Sands Capital Sands Capital is an active, long-term investor in leading innovative businesses globally. Our approach combines analytical rigor and creative thinking to identify high-quality growth businesses that are creating the future. Through an integrated investment platform spanning venture capital, growth equity and public equity, we provide growth capital solutions to institutions and fund sponsors in more than 40 countries. About WARF Ventures WARF Ventures actively invests in startups with University of Wisconsin-Madison technology and has done so over two decades. WARF Ventures is part of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) which helps steward the cycle of research, discovery, commercialization, and investment for the university. WARF manages more than 2,000 patents and an investment portfolio as it funds university research, obtains patents for campus discoveries and licenses inventions to industry. For more information, visit warf.org and view WARF's Cycle of Innovation. Contact: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/elephas-announces-55-million-in-series-c-funding-302038724.html SOURCE Elephas BOSTON , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Fort Point Capital, a Boston -based private equity firm, announced that it has acquired Ice House America, LLC ("Ice House America", "IHA" or the "Company"), the largest automated retail ice and water platform in the United States , from existing investor Ulysses Management LLC ("Ulysses"). Headquartered in Moultrie, GA , IHA owns and operates a fleet of automated ice and water vending units located primarily across the Southern United States , designs, manufactures and sells ice and water vending units to both independent owner-operators and national accounts, and provides critical maintenance services and software to support its customers. IHA's hyperlocal ice production technology is "fundamentally disrupting the $4 billion retail packaged ice industry." "We are excited to partner with Troy Doom and the rest of the IHA team to support the Company's next phase of growth," said Christina Pai , Partner at Fort Point Capital. "IHA's disruptive business model and compelling value proposition has firmly established the Company as a market leader in a remarkably stable and expanding end market." "We are thrilled to partner with the Fort Point Capital team and thank Ulysses for their support throughout our partnership," stated Troy Doom , CEO of Ice House America. "This investment comes at an exciting time for IHA we see a tremendous runway to continue growing our Company-owned fleet, expanding our sales breadth and capabilities and investing in our aftermarket and software capabilities. Importantly, we're excited to continue driving our longstanding commitment to leveraging superior technology to offer fresh, affordable and safe ice and water in the kindest way possible for the planet." "We have been extremely impressed by IHA's track record of growth and technological innovation," said Michael Brofft , Principal at Fort Point Capital. "The Company's hyperlocal ice production technology is fundamentally disrupting the $4 billion retail packaged ice industry and we look forward to supporting the Company's continued growth during our partnership." "We feel a deep sense of pride for the many accomplishments of the IHA management team over our long ownership period, and have great confidence in its continued future growth and success under Troy's leadership," said Paul Barnett , Senior Managing Director at Ulysses Management. "We are delighted to remain a minority investor alongside Fort Point in support of the next chapter of IHA's future" Barings provided debt financing for the transaction. Kirkland & Ellis and RSM advised Fort Point Capital, while IHA was advised by FIDUS Partners, Robinson Bradshaw and Forvis. About Ice House America: Founded in 2003, Ice House America is the largest ice and water platform in the United States . The Company has assembled and sold over 4,000 ice vending machines to independent owner-operators and national accounts throughout the U.S. , and operates a Company-owned fleet of ice vending units, primarily in the Southern U.S. The Company provides critical aftermarket parts, service and refurb services as well as proprietary software to its customer base, which includes its mobile app Ice2U. To learn more, please visit https://www.icehouseamerica.com/ About Fort Point Capital: Fort Point Capital, a Boston -based private equity firm, employs a management-led, growth-oriented approach to private equity investing. Since its inception in 2011, Fort Point has partnered with founders and management teams to accelerate growth, expand service offerings, access new markets, and support follow-on acquisitions. With a portfolio that reflects over 50 acquisitions, Fort Point Capital continues to deliver enduring value to its partners, employees, and shareholders. Currently, the firm is investing from FPC Small Cap Fund III. To learn more, please visit https://fortpointcapital.com/ About Ulysses Management: Ulysses Management is a New York City -based diversified investment firm in operation for over 25 years, with over $1 billion in capital under management. Ulysses is the successor firm to Odyssey Partners, LP, the pioneering hedge fund founded in 1982 by Jack Nash and Leon Levy . Through its thematic and long-term business building approach, Ulysses primarily makes control investments in growing middle market companies across a variety of industries To learn more, please visit http://www.ulyssesmgmt.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fort-point-capital-invests-in-ice-house-america-302042346.html SOURCE Fort Point Capital International Christian Relief Organization Providing Life-Saving Medical Support, Trauma Supplies, and Food Relief to War-torn Israel BOONE, N.C. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Franklin Graham , president of Samaritan's Purse, dedicated 14 new ambulances in Israel , which are being provided to Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national ambulance and emergency services agency. "I believe in this organization. You risk your life to save life, and I felt that these ambulances needed to be replaced immediately," said Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. "We pray that these ambulances will bring comfort to the people of Israel , knowing that someone can respond to any crisis, so we thank God and we thank God for MDA." During the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, 14 ambulances were destroyed, and since the war began, 19 medics have been tragically killed. Samaritan's Purse replaced 14 ambulances today and in the coming months will expand Magen David Adom's fleet by providing seven additional armored ambulances. "These are not just vehicles, but a symbol of life, courage and hope," said Ophir Levy , father of 19-year-old Lior Levy , who was killed by Hamas. "Every time an ambulance goes on a mission, it will be like Lior and her friends are still helping and saving lives." The inscription of her name, along with the names of the other fallen medics, were unveiled for their families to see on the ambulances for the first time today, along with accompanying Bible verses. A crowd of hundreds of people attended the moving ceremony at the National Library in Jerusalem where Yaakov Blitshtein , the director-general of Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion , and Magen David Adom Director-General Eli Bin spoke to grieving family members. "There are no words that can comfort you or express our deep sorrow for the loss," said Eli Bin , who leads Magen David Adom. "At a time when countries and international organizations chose to look away and ignore the horrors experienced by the people of Israel , Samaritan's Purse acted in accordance with the divine and moral commandment and reached out." "At a time when the Israeli people and Jews around the world are feeling alone, this donation is so meaningful," said Catherine L. Reed , CEO of American Friends of Magen David Adom, MDA's U.S. -based marketing and development arm. "It's a testament to the fact that amid all the protests and the increase in anti-Semitism, the people of Israel and the worldwide Jewish community have friends they can count on." On Tuesday, Franklin Graham announced that Samaritan's Purse will continue to assist MDA by working with local municipalities to provide new ambulance stations in some communities that are constantly at risk. In addition to supporting emergency medical services, Samaritan's Purse has provided 18,500 food boxes, nearly 4,000 hot meals, and more than 18,000 food vouchers to families in need. The N.C.-based organization also provided 1,000 Advanced Trauma Life Support kits to help the country's emergency responders in their work to save lives. A Samaritan's Purse Disaster Assistance Response Team deployed to Israel soon after the war broke out and is continuing to support local municipalities and church partners to meet the emergency needs of suffering civilians. Photos and Broadcast-quality b-roll available here. About Samaritan's Purse Based in Boone, North Carolina , Samaritan's Purse responds to physical and spiritual needs of individuals in crisis situations especially in locations where few others are working. Led by President and CEO Franklin Graham , Samaritan's Purse works in more than 100 countries to provide aid to victims of war, disease, disaster, poverty, famine and persecution. For more information, visit SamaritansPurse.org. About Magen David Adom MDA is Israel's emergency services system. A leader in mass-casualty response and in EMS technology, Magen David Adom treats and transports nearly 1 million people to hospitals every year; collects, safety tests, and distributes nearly all the blood to Israel's hospitals; and, through its affiliation with the Red Cross movement, responds to disasters around the world. For more information, visit SavingLivesInIsrael.org. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/franklin-graham-and-samaritans-purse-dedicated-14-ambulances-to-fallen-medics-in-israel-today-302042519.html SOURCE Samaritan's Purse BEIJING , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The year 2023 has been a busy one for China in terms of its interactions with the rest of the world. Its foreign relations always have a profound impact on its economy, strategy and people's livelihoods. Global Times, in collaboration with China's universities and think tanks, is now releasing a series of country reports. The aim of these reports is to enhance understanding of relevant countries, provide a framework for dealing with China's relations with these countries, and grasp the trajectory of these relations. In the second report of the series, we focus on Uzbekistan, a country located in Central Asia . Uzbekistan is China's comprehensive strategic partner. Since President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took office, Uzbekistan has attached great importance to its relationship with China , actively participating in the China -proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In the future, the two countries should consolidate the existing achievements and continue to promote the steady progress of the China - Uzbekistan relationship, advancing the high-quality development of the BRI. Successful accomplishments Political mutual trust between China and Uzbekistan has reached a new level. In 2013, China proposed the initiative to build the "Silk Road Economic Belt," which was highly praised by Uzbekistan as a significant measure to revive the ancient Silk Road . In May 2017 , President Mirziyoyev made his first state visit to China after taking office. In April 2021 , President Xi Jinping said during a phone call with President Mirziyoyev that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to upgrade the scale, quality and level of China - Uzbekistan cooperation, and synergize the BRI and the plan to build a "New Uzbekistan." In February 2022 , President Mirziyoyev was invited to visit China to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. In September 2022 , President Xi paid a state visit to Uzbekistan and attended the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Samarkand. In May 2023 , President Mirziyoyev attended the China-Central Asia Summit during a state visit to China . In October, President Mirziyoyev visited China again to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The pragmatic China-Uzbekistan cooperation has also achieved new breakthroughs. Currently, China is Uzbekistan's largest source of imports and trading partner, and the second-largest destination for exports. Road connectivity is a key focus of China - Uzbekistan cooperation, effectively promoting Uzbekistan's transformation from a "landlocked country" to a "land-linked country." The Angren-Pap railway line, the longest tunnel in Uzbekistan and Central Asia built by Chinese enterprises, has been successfully completed. The China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan transport corridor becomes an international transportation artery that spans mountains. The four routes of the China - Central Asia natural gas pipeline all pass through Uzbekistan , setting a benchmark for friendly cooperation between neighboring countries. Additionally, cultural exchanges between China and Uzbekistan are bursting with new vitality. Frequent exchanges have taken place between universities, think tanks, media outlets, as well as arts, archaeology and healthcare sectors of the two countries. Agreement and memoranda of understanding have been signed in the field of tourism cooperation. With Uzbekistan implementing a 10-day visa-free policy for tourists from China , tourism cooperation between China and Uzbekistan is poised for further expansion in scale. Uzbekistan has attached great importance to its relationship with China and actively participated in the BRI. The BRI meets the common needs of both China and Uzbekistan . Uzbek experts have a positive and objective attitude toward the BRI and agree that the attitude of Central Asian countries toward the BRI has changed from cautious observation to active participation. They believe that the overall characteristic of the BRI is common development and mutual benefit. Uzbekistan considers participation in the BRI as an important external driving force for its economic development and proposes new cooperation demands. It hopes to become a trans-Eurasian logistics and transportation hub, and aims to attract Chinese funds and technologies to vigorously develop its industry. Moreover, it seeks to expand its exports of goods to China , promote the tourism industry, as well as expand scientific, educational, and cultural exchanges with China. Deepening cooperation China has clearly stated its support for Uzbekistan in maintaining sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and China firmly opposes any forces interfering in Uzbekistan's internal affairs under any condition. Both countries are at a critical stage of reform and development, with China comprehensively promoting the Chinese path to modernization and Uzbekistan striving for building a "New Uzbekistan." Both countries are facing the test of international changes, therefore they should deepen all-round cooperation, build a community of shared future between China and Uzbekistan , and create a better future together. We should take advantage of Uzbekistan's geographical advantage of bordering all other Central Asian countries to build China - Central Asia industrial clusters. By leveraging manufacturing advantages, we can establish upstream, midstream and downstream clusters, achieving regionalization of the entire production chain. It is necessary to promote the formation of clusters consisting of similar products and enterprises to enhance industrial resilience and ensure overall stable development. We should attach great importance to cultivating new forms of economic and trade cooperation through digital empowerment, and gradually promote the digital signatures, automatic registration and green customs clearance to enhance trade facilitation. We should also pay attention to the market value of the cyberspace and promote the combination of cross-border e-commerce and market networks. Moreover, we need to develop the "Internet Plus" model to promote the integration of virtual markets and the real economy. Considering the simplistic commodity structure in bilateral trade, we should take advantage of Uzbekistan's desire to expand exports, continue to optimize the structure of commodity trade, continuously expand new cooperation areas, import more high-quality Uzbek products and achieve diversified development. We should give full play to our comparative advantages and expand economic and trade cooperation with Uzbekistan . We can also focus on strengthening cooperation in new energy, innovation, tourism and other fields, and encourage Chinese enterprises to further explore the Uzbekistan tourism market. It is vital to continue to accelerate the construction of transportation and information infrastructure and promote interconnection. China should speed up the trilateral railway cooperation project with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to fully tap into the regional transportation potential and leverage the advantages of transit transportation. In terms of strengthening people-to-people cooperation and promoting cultural exchanges, we should continue to effectively run institutions such as China research centers and Confucius Institutes, and speed up the construction of cultural centers and Luban workshops. Encouraging China's Double First-Class Universities to actively cooperate with universities in Uzbekistan and explore cooperation models such as opening branch campuses and joint training projects in Uzbekistan is essential. Additionally, we should strengthen high-quality think tank exchanges, focusing on topics such as bilateral relations, regional security, pragmatic cooperation, national governance and inclusive development. We should fully utilize Xinjiang's role as a bridgehead in carrying out cooperation with Central Asia . Promoting the implementation of the visa-free policy and inter-regional tourism cooperation as well as continuing cooperation in the field of health are also important. In terms of enhancement of exchanges in modernization construction and poverty alleviation, we should share China's experience in reform and opening-up with Uzbekistan . We can organize training for Uzbek officials to conduct on-site research and study the path, key difficulties and solutions of China's reform and opening-up. At the same time, Chinese experts can be sent to Uzbekistan to provide consultation on Uzbekistan's participation in the BRI to boost its national economy. Uzbekistan can learn from China's experience and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China on poverty alleviation, especially when it comes to attracting, utilizing and retaining foreign investment. It is important to strengthen cooperation on multilateral platforms and in the security field to contribute to maintaining regional stability and security. We should strengthen the security cooperation of the SCO. The focus should be on preventing non-traditional security threats such as terrorism, separatism and extremism. The SCO needs to explore the establishment of mechanisms to deal with domestic turmoil in member states, conflicts in the region, and the spillover of risks from neighboring countries. This includes strengthening security coordination and cooperation among member states, observer states, and dialogue partners, as well as formulating mechanisms to coordinate differences and contradictions among member states. Such mechanisms can also help prevent the escalation of conflicts among member states and avoid endangering the development of other member states and the SCO. Outlook for 2024 2023 is a landmark year in the history of the development of China - Uzbekistan relations. The close high-level interaction between the two countries reflects the high level and particularity of bilateral relations, highlighting the distinctive features of mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, helping each other in times of trouble, mutual benefit and win-win results. In 2024, the two sides will step up the implementation of the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit and multiple bilateral cooperation documents signed in 2023 on digital economy, sub-national cooperation, infrastructure, and so on. The two countries will further align development strategies, deepen the integration of economic interests, take the opportunity of the BRI entering a new stage of high-quality development, implement the mid- to long-term cooperation plan for China - Uzbekistan trade and investment, and deepen cooperation in various fields such as economy, trade, investment, finance, interconnection, agriculture, energy and green development. The two countries should give full play to the complementary advantages of industries, promote trade, optimize trade structure, and maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains. They should further strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, drug control, combating transnational organized crime, cyber and biosecurity and jointly maintain a safe and stable development environment. They are expected to collaborate closely within multilateral mechanisms such as the UN and the SCO to safeguard the common interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice. Xu Changzhi and Su Chang are research fellows at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Chen Dongjie is deputy director of the Central Asia Research Institute at Shaanxi Normal University. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-uzbekistan-seeking-new-path-to-progress-and-prosperity-with-china-302041724.html SOURCE Global Times In a landmark whistleblower case in Minnesota , a highly regarded former radiologist attains justice following wrongful termination for bringing safety concerns to light MINNEAPOLIS , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- A board-certified radiologist, senior shareholder, and employee of Consulting Radiologist Limited (CRL) was awarded $4.6 million in damages by a Hennepin County jury for being wrongfully terminated under Minnesota's whistleblower protection law. Halunen Law of Minneapolis, Minnesota , represented the plaintiff in this landmark trial. CRL contracts to provide services to Allina Health, including Abbott Northwestern, in the Twin Cities metro area. After nearly 20 years with CRL as a board-certified radiologist, and senior shareholder, the plaintiff was deeply invested in CRL's future success. As such, in good faith, he brought forth patient safety concerns to the company's leadership. When the CRL board repeatedly failed to act, the plaintiff warned that if the unsafe and unethical practices continued, he would have no choice but to report his concerns to Allina Health, the parent company of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Days after affirming his commitment to share his concerns with Allina Health, he was subsequently terminated by the CRL Board of Directors. As a result of his termination, the plaintiff lost his radiologist position and his livelihood. The two-week-long trial and deliberation resulted in a jury verdict, finding the plaintiff was terminated in violation of the Minnesota Whistleblower Act. The jury awarded him damages for past and future wage loss and emotional distress, totaling $4,587,602 . Attorney Pamela Johnson , one of Halunen Law's senior trial attorneys representing the plaintiff, commented: "Today we sent a message. This jury understood the serious nature of Defendant CRL's conduct and held it accountable in a big way. This is one of the largest whistleblower verdicts ever in Minnesota . It should be a warning to all Minnesota employers that if you retaliate against employees who stand up to expose safety concerns, you will be held accountable." About Halunen Law: With offices in Minneapolis and Chicago , Halunen Law offers experienced legal representation to employees and whistleblowers nationwide. Halunen Law has achieved a reputation as a fearless, tenacious, and successful plaintiffs' law firm with a laser focus on achieving justice and meaningful results for its clients. More information at halunenlaw.com . For further information contact: Carol Schuler , Schuler Publicity 612-281-7030 | [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/halunen-law-wins-4-6-million-verdict-on-behalf-of-client-in-whistleblower-case-302041470.html SOURCE Halunen Law Bids Due February 6, 2024 , Auction to Be Held February 8, 2024 NEW YORK , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Streambank is offering for sale 50 Class A voting shares in TelUSA Holdings, LLC, which owns 100% of the membership interests in ILEC Telephone USA of Wisconsin, LLC ("TelUSA Wisconsin"), a telecommunications ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier). Bids are due on or before February 6, 2024 , at 12:00 p.m. CT , and an auction will be conducted on February 8, 2024 , at 1:00 p.m. CT . The shares are being offered as part of a sale pursuant to Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code. Hilco Streambank Senior Vice President Richelle Kalnit remarked, "TelUSA Wisconsin operating as CenturyLink is a well-established telecom provider in Wisconsin , delivering services to approximately 32,000 access lines and 18,000 broadband customers." Kalnit continued, "This is an opportunity to expand geographically for those already in the telecom space." Interested parties should click here for additional information or contact Hilco Streambank directly. The assets will be sold free and clear of the secured lender's lien and any subordinate security interests in the assets. The assets are being sold without recourse to the secured party and its attorneys, agents, or representatives. The secured party does not claim title to the assets being sold hereunder and disclaims any warranty of title, possession, and the like in the sale. The sale is subject to definitive documentation. About Hilco Streambank: Hilco Streambank is a market-leading advisory firm specializing in intellectual property advisory services and valuation. Having completed numerous transactions, including sales in publicly reported transactions, private transactions, and online sales through IPv4.Global, Hilco Streambank has established itself as the premier intermediary in the consumer brand, internet, and telecom communities. Hilco Streambank is part of Northbrook, Illinois -based Hilco Global, the world's leading authority on maximizing the value of business assets by delivering valuation, monetization, and advisory solutions to an international marketplace. Hilco Global operates more than twenty specialized business units offering services that include asset valuation and appraisal, retail and industrial inventory acquisition and disposition, real estate, and strategic capital equity investments. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hilco-streambank-seeks-offers-for-assets-related-to-telecom-ilec-incumbent-local-exchange-carrier-302041663.html SOURCE Hilco Streambank Experienced health care leader will build on leadership legacy and unique strengths of Holland Hospital to further advance health services to the lakeshore region HOLLAND, Mich., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland Hospital today announces the appointment of Patti VanDort as its new CEO, effective Jan. 29 . VanDort brings a wealth of experience in strategic planning, operational excellence, and a strong commitment to patient-centered care to the Holland community. This announcement marks the final phase of the organization's succession plan, which began in April 2022 . With a career spanning over 37 years with progressive leadership experience, VanDort most recently served as Holland Hospital President since April 2022 . For over three decades, VanDort has demonstrated the ability to successfully lead organizational change and a complex growth strategy in the health care sector. Joining the executive team in 2001 as Vice President for Nursing and Chief Nurse Officer , VanDort advanced in 2018 to Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, and most recently served as Holland Hospital's President. In addition to VanDort's appointment, Mark Pawlak was named President, also effective Jan. 29 . Pawlak has held leadership positions in health care since 1991, joining Holland Hospital in 1998. Most recently Pawlak served on the administrative team as Executive Vice President following numerous leadership appointments, including Senior Vice President and Vice President of Ancillary Services. "I am honored to steer the organization through this new era while ensuring we continue to deliver high-quality and compassionate care to our patients," VanDort said. "Together with our exceptional team of skilled providers and dedicated staff, both Mark and I look forward to continuing to grow and advance our efforts to improve the health of the communities we serve." VanDort and Pawlak have led Holland Hospital's clinical programs over many years, achieving award-winning performance and consistent national recognition, including being the only hospital in West Michigan to receive the five-star CMS rating since 2016. Under their leadership Holland Hospital has performed among the top 10% of hospitals in value-based care, earning the Outstanding Patient Experience Award 15 years in a row, and being rated among the top hospitals in the nation for quality in areas such as surgical care, joint replacement and orthopedics. "We are fortunate to have two individuals of Patti and Mark's caliber within the Holland Hospital team who are ready to lead the organization forward. Both are well poised to uphold our strategy and continue delivering on our commitment to the lakeshore community and beyond," said outgoing CEO Dale M. Sowders. "The Board of Directors and I have full confidence that their expertise and visionary leadership will be a major asset in guiding the hospital to continuous growth." About Holland Hospital Holland Hospital, located in Holland, MI , is a nationally recognized leader in quality and value with advanced technology and extraordinary patient satisfaction. The independent hospital offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient services, multiple convenient locations and ready access to primary care physicians and experienced specialists. The hospital is also among just 14% of hospitals in the nation to earn the top CMS 5-Star rating and one of the few to consistently achieve the top rating since it was introduced in 2008. Holland Hospital's workplace culture has made it one of the Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in West Michigan . For over a century, the hospital's mission has been to continually improve the health of the communities we serve in the spirit of hope, compassion, respect and dignity. For more information, visit hollandhospital.org. CONTACT Jessica Meldrum [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-hospital-announces-appointment-of-seasoned-health-care-executive-patti-vandort-to-ceo-302042049.html SOURCE Holland Hospital A Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket carrying five satellites blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Jan. 23, 2024. China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. (Photo by Wang Heng/Xinhua) JIUQUAN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. A Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket carrying five satellites blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Jan. 23, 2024. China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. (Photo by Wang Haixia/Xinhua) A Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket carrying five satellites blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Jan. 23, 2024. China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. (Photo by Wang Fei/Xinhua) A Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket carrying five satellites blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Jan. 23, 2024. China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. (Photo by Wang Haixia/Xinhua) A Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket carrying five satellites blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Jan. 23, 2024. China on Tuesday launched the Lijian-1 Y3 carrier rocket with five satellites onboard. The rocket blasted off at 12:03 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, and sent a group of satellites into the planned orbits. This launch marks the third flight mission of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket series. (Photo by Wang Fei/Xinhua) MADISON, Wis. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Inner Haven Wellness , an eating disorder treatment provider in Wisconsin , is proud to announce new in-network contracts with Evernorth, and its parent company, Cigna, as well as Optum, and its parent company, United Healthcare. The new in-network status demonstrates Inner Haven Wellness's commitment to broadening access to high-quality eating disorder treatment for individuals seeking recovery. Lee Neagle , M.A., LPC, Executive Director of Inner Haven Wellness , said, "Our mission is to ensure that individuals with eating disorders receive the best care possible. Our contracts with Cigna and United Healthcare allow us to deliver treatment to more individuals suffering with an eating disorder." Margherita Mascolo , MD, CEDS-S, Chief Medical Officer of Inner Haven Wellness , emphasized the significance of these contracts, saying, "Quality eating disorder treatment services are crucial for those in need. In expanding our network, we can now offer effective, evidence-based care to more Wisconsin residents seeking support on their recovery journey." Inner Haven Wellness operates an Intensive Outpatient Program and a Partial Hospitalization Program for adults suffering with eating disorders in Madison, Wisconsin . In addition to Cigna and United Healthcare, the program is an in-network provider with several other insurance companies, including Carelon, Common Ground, Dean Health Plan, Mercy Care, Network Health, Tricare East, Trilogy, WPS, and Quartz. Neagle added, "The addition of these major insurance providers reinforces our commitment to making quality eating disorder treatment accessible to our local community. Our goal is to be a collaborative partner with other local treatment professionals, and now, with Cigna and United Healthcare on board, we can partner with more treatment providers when they have clients in need of higher-level care." ABOUT INNER HAVEN WELLNESS Inner Haven Wellness is an eating disorder treatment provider that offers partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programming for adults in Madison, Wisconsin . Drawing from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Inner Haven Wellness places significant emphasis on skill development and practice to empower individuals on their recovery journey. The program's flexibility allows clients to access treatment that suits their unique circumstances and needs. For media inquiries, contact Lee Neagle at [email protected]. To learn more about the dedicated team of clinicians at Inner Haven Wellness , please visit innerhavenwellness.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inner-haven-wellness-increases-in-network-coverage-to-united-healthcare-and-cigna-expanding-access-to-eating-disorder-treatment-services-in-wisconsin-302041435.html Enhanced Online Shopping Experience for J+ BOOSTER 2 on jplusbooster.com ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- J+ Americas Inc. continues to redefine the future of electric mobility by providing cutting-edge charging solutions such as the groundbreaking J+ BOOSTER 2. The extremely robust and highly flexible portable charger for electric vehicles (EVs) sets new benchmarks in terms of convenience and durability. The U.S. subsidiary of a Swiss-based pioneer and market leader in portable EV chargers, J+ Americas today announced the launch of a newly revamped eCommerce website jplusbooster.com, on the Shopify platform. "J+ Americas is committed to providing our customers with an exceptional online shopping experience. We have implemented a series of updates aimed at making the purchasing process more seamless, more informative, and rewarding for our valued customers. These enhancements reflect our commitment to providing not only top-quality products but also a convenient, reliable and secure journey for every shopper", Michael Vifquain , E-Commerce Manager at J+ Americas . To celebrate this with its customers J+ Americas is offering a 10% discount on all orders from January 22 to February 15, 2024 , with the code "BOOST2024". In addition, during this limited time promotion, shipping is free for orders over $50 . Key Features of the Enhanced Online Shopping Experience: Optimized Navigation: Improved navigation functions ensure a more intuitive product search process, streamlining the shopping journey for an enhanced user experience. Comprehensive Product Descriptions: Detailed information on each product, its features and benefits for a more informed buying decision. Highlighted Customer Reviews: Customer reviews are prominently displayed to demonstrate the exceptional product quality and satisfaction experienced by others. Consistent Branding and Messaging: Enhanced graphics and visual elements provide a visually coherent experience and ensure consistent branding and messaging across various marketplaces. Multiple Payment Options: Added convenience through expanded payment options including Shop Pay by Shopify, Paypal, GPay by Google and Venmo providing a secure and flexible payment process. About J+ Americas J+ Americas Inc., headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida , is a subsidiary of a leading globally active Swiss manufacturer of charging solutions for electric vehicles. The company operates in the United States , Canada , and Mexico . J+ Americas is present on the North American market with the J+ BOOSTER 2, the universal charger for electric cars. The Swiss engineered device charges with up to 40 amps and has a variety of adapter plugs with automatic power detection for virtually all conventional power outlets. It is characterized by comprehensive safety features, such as the active temperature monitoring J+ CELSIUS in household adapter plugs. Its body is military-grade aluminum for extreme ruggedness. With the J+ BOOSTER 2, J+ Americas offers a portable charger for the North American market that is also particularly suitable as a wall charging station. Further information about the company, its products and solutions can be found on www.jplusamericas.com and on www.jplusbooster.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). Media Note: Images library is available here. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/j-americas-launches-newly-revamped-ecommerce-website-302042103.html SOURCE J+ Americas Inc. JACKSON, Miss. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jackson State University (JSU) President Marcus L. Thompson , Ph.D., has announced six top appointments to his cabinet and senior leadership team: Kylon Alford-Windfield , Vice President of Enrollment Management; Alla Jeanae Frank , Special Assistant to the President and Chief Transformation Officer; Van Gillespie , J.D., Chief of Staff; Onetta Starling Whitley , J.D., General Counsel; ConSandra McNeil , Ph.D., Interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development; and Mitchell Shears , Ed.D., returns to the role of Executive Director of Title III. Shears returned to his role on Dec. 1; Gillespie started his new role on Dec. 1 ; Alford-Windfield started his new role on Jan. 16 ; Frank, McNeil, and Whitley will begin their new roles on Feb. 1 . President Thompson fondly describes himself and the character of his administrative team as servant leaders. He expressed his excitement to continue to grow his team through these first critical appointments. "I've had the pleasure to observe and work with these talented individuals during various seasons of my career, and I am excited about the professional acumen and tenacity they will bring to their respective roles," said Thompson. "Jackson State University is tasked with cultivating our scholars into leaders who will impact our global society. Their success begins with the work of our talented faculty, staff, and administrators. Combined with the knowledge and passion of my existing cabinet members, this is the genesis of an incredible dream team to execute a strong pathway to success for JSU's future." New Appointments: Kylon Alford-Windfield , Vice President of Enrollment Management As VP of Enrollment Management, Kylon Alford-Windfield provides leadership and support in advancing the overall enrollment goals of the university and overseeing the departments of admission, financial aid, and recruiting. Alford-Windfield comes to the University from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama , where he served as vice president for enrollment management. Under his guidance, the institution experienced a notable increase in enrollment, showcasing his strategic approach and deep understanding of the intricacies of enrollment management. His professional journey includes key roles at Rust College, where he began his higher education career as an admissions counselor and recruiter; and Mississippi Valley State University, where he served as an admission counselor/recruiter and was promoted to director of alumni relations and later executive director of enrollment management. A native of Jackson , Miss., Alford-Windfield received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Mississippi Valley State University. He is currently a doctoral candidate in the executive Ph.D. program in urban higher education at Jackson State University. He is a dedicated member of the National Advisory Committee for the College Board's annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities Conference, where he actively contributes to the broader dialogue shaping the future of education. Alla Jeanae Frank , Special Assistant to the President and Chief Transformation Officer As Special Assistant to the President and Chief Transformation Officer, Alla Jeanae Frank is responsible for providing strategic leadership and support for the President's initiatives and priorities, working closely with other senior administrators and promoting the administration of university programming, policies, and procedures. Frank returns to Jackson State University after serving as the assistant commissioner of operations for the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). She was responsible for agency-wide administrative, strategic planning and overseeing campus operations, including Information Technology, Human Resources, Facilities and Construction Management, Mississippi Automated Resource Information System (MARIS) and other agency support offices. Previously, Frank worked as assistant director of Auxiliary Enterprises at JSU, with purview over campus-wide services, including dining services, college bookstore, postal services, on and off-campus vending, as well as creative and leadership direction for business marketing campaigns, human capital development projects, and brand initiatives. She also spearheaded various economic development, environmental management, and exercise programs, such as the Jackson State University COVID-19 Campus Reopening Task Force and the Annual Sweetness 5k Run/Walk. A proud native of Memphis, Tenn., Frank earned a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Mississippi and a master's degree in public policy and administration with a concentration in environmental management planning and policy from Jackson State University. She is currently a doctoral candidate in the executive Ph.D. program in urban higher education at Jackson State University. An advocate for community outreach and advancing sustainability, she currently serves as vice president on the Board of Directors for the National Environmental Outreach, Inc. (NEO). Van Gillespie, J.D., Chief of Staff As Chief of Staff, Van Gillespie , J.D. is responsible for providing strategic leadership and support for the president's initiatives and priorities, serving as the lead support person in the day-to-day operation of the President's Office. Gillespie joined Jackson State University after serving for more than 20 years in various roles at the State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). He worked within the Attorney General's Office at the Executive Office of the Board of Trustees of IHL for over 11 years. During that time, he served as legal counsel to the Board of Trustees, the Commissioner of Higher Education, Alcorn State University, Delta State University, and Mississippi Valley State University. In 2010, he was hired by the Board of Trustees to serve as the assistant commissioner of Legal Affairs and as general counsel to the Board of Trustees. Most recently, he served as the senior associate commissioner of Legal Affairs and Risk Management. Gillespie's 25+ year higher education career includes work on university and university system legal, finance, real estate and facilities, academic affairs, student affairs, communications, risk management and legislative issues. Gillespie graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science degree. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Mississippi School of Law. He resides in Brandon, Miss. with his wife of 26 years, Angie, and their two daughters, Mary Beth and Emma Cate . ConSandra McNeil , Ph.D., Interim VP of Research and Economic Development As Interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development, ConSandra McNeil , Ph.D. oversees Research, Sponsored Programs, Research Compliance, Technology Transfer and Commercialization, Federal Relations and JSU Global. McNeil is an action-oriented researcher, grant writer and scholar whose work brings together scholarship, engagement, and community. Most recently, she served Jackson State University as assistant provost, focusing on research engagement; activity director of the Institute for Social Justice & Race Relations; and professor of sociology. From 2018-2020, she served as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow with the National Science Foundation. As part of her fellowship, McNeil worked with a team on evaluating NSF Sexual Harassment Term and Condition, Office of Diversity and Inclusion. She also has experience in policy oversight and implementation, compliance with laws and regulations that govern federal-sector EEO and civil rights in the grantee community. McNeil has received numerous awards and accolades for her academic and community outreach accomplishments, including the IHL Diversity Leadership Award in 2021. She was selected to participate in the Higher Education Resource Services (HERS) Leadership Institute at Wellesley College. McNeil earned her master's degree in sociology, alcohol and drug studies from Jackson State University and a graduate certificate in homeland security-disaster management from Texas A&M University. She received her doctoral degree in sociology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Mitchell Shears , Ed.D., Executive Director of Title III As Executive Director of Title III, Mitchell Shears , Ed.D., serves as the chief liaison to the University leadership, the University community, and the United States Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. He oversees Title III federal funds granted to JSU through the Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program, Fostering Undergraduate Talent by Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act Program, and Strengthening Historically Black Graduate Institutions (HBGI) Programs. Shears joined Jackson State University in 2017 and has served as associate vice president for Student Success since 2019. Shears brings over 24 years of experience as a K-12 and community college academician and successful grant writer, totaling over $44 million in competitive grants. At JSU, he spearheaded the return of TRIO programs to JSU with 16 competitively funded programs the most in the state and most on an HBCU campus. He has served on the National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators, Inc. Executive Board and serves as the co-chair of the Annual Technical Assistance Workshop. He also serves as president of the Mississippi Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel (MAEOPP), which helps to provide support and professional development to programs that broaden accessibility and education opportunities to income- challenged, first-generation, and students with disabilities. Shears graduated from Alcorn State University, where he received his bachelor's degree in mass communications and master's degree in education. He earned his specialist and doctorate degrees in educational leadership from Mississippi College. Onetta Starling Whitley , J.D., General Counsel As General Counsel, Onetta Starling Whitley manages the efficient operation of the Division of General Counsel and serves as the University's lead inhouse attorney. Whitley formerly served as deputy attorney general for the State of Mississippi , where she was the first woman and second African American to hold the position. She served as deputy for Attorneys General Mike Moore and Jim Hood . In addition to being a member of the management team, she served as chief of the office's State Government Licensing and Regulatory Division providing legal representation, including but not limited to, general counsel and advice, representing agency staff in administrative hearings related to licensure, employee discipline and equal opportunity employment compliance. After retiring from state service in 2020, Whitley joined the W T Consultants governmental relations team advocating for the legislative and governmental interests of a variety of government, nonprofit and corporate clients as a registered lobbyist. Whitley received her bachelor's degree in political science from Tougaloo College and her Juris Doctor degree from Mississippi College School of Law. Whitley says that above all, her best job is being "MeMaw" to Lela, Caleb and Allen. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jackson-state-university-president-marcus-thompson-adds-key-hires-to-his-administration-302042072.html SOURCE Jackson State University TAIPEI , Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NEXCOM, a leading global supplier of network appliances, excitedly reveals its participation in MWC 2024 Barcelona, under Taiwan Pavilion supported by the Industrial Development Bureau, MOEA, Taiwan . For the second year in a row, NEXCOM invites industry professionals to visit booth 5A61 (Hall 5) to learn about the future of 5G networks and see a live demo of NEXCOM FWA over 5G uCPE solutions. NEXCOM will showcase its latest groundbreaking technologies for building a full-scale 5G infrastructure. The comprehensive product portfolio spans from compact 5G uCPE boxes deployed at the Edge to the core network, where high-performance servers efficiently handle the processing and storage of substantial data volumes. The four key product lines will be shown at display: 5G uCPE Solution for SD-WAN & FWA Applications - cross-platform solutions for powerful connectivity and real-time data processing. - cross-platform solutions for powerful connectivity and real-time data processing. OT Security Solutions for Industry 4.0 - fanless rugged DIN rail boxes for harsh industrial environments and mission-oriented applications. - fanless rugged DIN rail boxes for harsh industrial environments and mission-oriented applications. Distributed Unit for Optimized Network Efficiency - a selection of rackmounts for reduced latency, dynamic resource allocation, and network capacity at the network Edge. - a selection of rackmounts for reduced latency, dynamic resource allocation, and network capacity at the network Edge. Centralized Unit for Core Network Operations - high-performance appliances for handling Big Data and heavy workloads. NEXCOM provides turnkey network solutions inclusive of verified software packages from eco-system partners. Additionally, white box hardware options are available for companies equipped with their own software capabilities. Visit the NEXCOM booth to unlock the potential of such cutting-edge technologies as the groundbreaking integration of AI in 5G applications, diverse grades of 5G uCPE, each tailored to distinct needs, and uncover the nuances of different 5G connectivity options, including Sub-6 and mmWave. Event Details Date: Mon, Feb 26, 2024 Thu, Feb 29, 2024 Venue: Fira Gran Via , Barcelona , Booth: Hall 5, Booth 5A61 ( Taiwan Pavilion ) About NEXCOM Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan , NEXCOM integrates its diverse capabilities and operates six global businesses, including the Network and Communication Solutions (NCS) unit. NCS focuses on the latest network technology and helps to build reliable network infrastructure, by delivering professional design and manufacturing services for customers all over the world. NCS's network application platform is widely adopted in Cyber Security Appliance, Load Balancer, uCPE, SD-WAN, SASE, Edge Computing, Storage, NVR, and other network applications for businesses of all sizes. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/join-nexcom-for-a-journey-into-5g-innovation-at-mwc-barcelona-2024-302040465.html SOURCE NEXCOM International Co., Ltd. SAVANNAH, Ga. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LandrumHR announced today the expansion and strengthening of its service area footprint with new operations in the Georgia market. With this expansion, LandrumHR brings Georgia businesses long-standing human resources expertise and the full suite of HR services that come along with a PEO relationship. LandrumHR helps companies attract and retain talent, strengthen their culture, and enable their growth by offering Fortune 500-level employee benefits, payroll and tax compliance support, HR expertise, and workers' compensation services. "We have been looking forward to becoming part of the Georgia business landscape for quite a while. Seeing it come to fruition with the investments we're making here has been a great experience," said Britt Landrum , III, CEO of LandrumHR. "We're looking forward to building new relationships and offering our more than five decades of HR experience to help businesses in this community grow," Landrum added. LandrumHR's arrival in Georgia brings companies an invaluable HR resource for navigating employment law compliance issues and dealing with infinite HR administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on growing their businesses. About LandrumHR LandrumHR is a full-service human resources company that has been providing organizations with exceptional HR and workforce solutions for over 50 years. LandrumHR provides employee benefits, payroll and tax compliance support, HR expertise, and workers' compensation through its PEO. The company also provides specialized recruiting services through two of its trusted brands. hrQ is an HR search firm that specializes in filling HR roles, while Ceres Talent is a marketing staffing agency that focuses on providing stellar marketing talent to organizations. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/landrumhr-expands-into-georgia-offering-peo-services-302042207.html SOURCE LandrumHR FREMONT, Calif. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Leopard Imaging Inc. (Leopard Imaging), a global leader in camera design and manufacturing, is proud to announce that it will be hosting the 2024 IEEE P2020 Annual Meeting at its headquarters in Fremont, California January 25th to 26th . The IEEE P2020 is a standards development working group within the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standards Association (SA), specifically focused on addressing the unique challenges of imaging standards for automotive cameras. Formed in 2016, the IEEE P2020 working group identified a significant gap in existing imaging standards for automotive applications. With the increasing integration of cameras into modern vehicles, often serving as crucial components for safety systems, a consistent approach to measuring image quality became imperative. Although various standards such as EMVA1288, ISO12233, ISO15739, ISO18844, and IEEE 1858 exist, they were found to be insufficient to address the distinct challenges posed by automotive imaging. The IEEE P2020's primary goal is to publish an international standard that defines a relevant set of methods and metrics for assessing automotive image quality. This standard aims to ensure consistency across the industry and create reference points for cross-industry collaboration. Key milestones achieved by the IEEE P2020 working group include the publication of a whitepaper in 2018, providing an initial gap analysis of existing metrics and standards, leading to a draft made available in 2022. In this year's annual meeting, participants will talk about the unique challenges of automotive imaging industries, such as scenarios that involve both human viewing and machine vision, uncontrolled environments, illumination challenges, and a wide temperature range (-40 85C) etc. Founded in 2008, Leopard Imaging has supported thousands of well-known companies in advanced imaging solutions with its experienced engineering teams, high quality manufacturing capabilities both "Made in U.S.A." and offshore, and quality management certifications such as IATF16949 for automotive industry, and AS9100D for aerospace industry. "Leopard Imaging is honored to host the 2024 IEEE P2020 Annual Meeting in our Fremont headquarters, bringing together experts, industry leaders, and innovators to address and advance the standards for automotive imaging," says Leon Luo , co-founder and CTO of Leopard Imaging. "The collaboration within this working group is crucial to fostering innovation, ensuring safety, and promoting a consistent approach to measuring image quality in the ever-evolving automotive industry." For more information about Leopard Imaging and the IEEE P2020 Annual Meeting, please contact [email protected] About Leopard Imaging Inc. Leopard Imaging is a global leader providing high definition embedded cameras and AI-based imaging solutionsfocusing on core technologies that improve image processing in automotive vehicles, aerospace vehicles, drones, IoT, and robotics. An OEM and ODM services provider, Leopard Imaging is equipped with high-quality manufacturing capabilities both "Made in U.S.A." and offshore, and quality management certifications such as IATF16949 for the automotive industry, and AS9100D for the aerospace industry. Press Contact Cathy Zhao marketing@leopardimaging.com +1 408-263-0988 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leopard-imaging-to-host-2024-ieee-p2020-annual-meeting-at-its-headquarters-in-fremont-california-302041921.html SOURCE Leopard Imaging Inc. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-IL) joined Nexamp at their Chicago office to highlight the company's recent growth powered by Illinois' climate leadership BOSTON , Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Nexamp, the nation's largest community solar provider, announced today that its office in Chicago, Illinois , will serve as the company's second national headquarters. By 2026, Nexamp expects to add an additional 50 team members in Chicago , building on the company's commitment to the Midwest. This expansion is part of more than $2 billion in planned investments in Illinois through its existing projects and development pipeline. Nexamp hosted Governor JB Pritzker in announcing it has chosen Chicago as the site of its second national headquarters Governor JB Pritzker and Congressman Davis joined Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai in a conversation with customers, community solar landowners, and Nexamp team members, showcasing the Prairie State and the impacts of Pritzker's landmark Clean Energy Jobs Act as evidence that thoughtful, ambitious policy can deliver on its immense promise of job creation and a just energy transition. "We began our work in Illinois in 2018 in response to the Future Energy Jobs Act, which created the state's first community solar program and sought to accelerate Illinois' decarbonization efforts," said Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai . "Thanks to Governor Pritzker's leadership in securing the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, Illinois is our fastest growing market. But the state is far more than just an attractive market for solar generationfor Nexamp, it's a state which shares our vision of a cleaner, more equitable energy future powered by a diverse, equitable, and skilled workforce. As we sought a location for a second headquarters, Illinois was the natural choice because of our mutual interest in seeing clean energy work forand do right byeveryone." " Illinois' commitment to sustainable energy wouldn't be possible without innovative companies like Nexampand their decision to open a Chicago headquarters underscores the role Illinois is playing in the national solar conversation," said Governor JB Pritzker. "As solar energy companies like Nexamp expand throughout the Midwest, we see a ripple effect of job creation and skills-building that, just like clean energy itself, will benefit communities and generations for years to come." "I welcome Nexamp's headquarters to Chicago ," said Rep. Danny K. Davis . "Choosing Chicago reflects the leadership of Governor Pritzker and Illinois on clean energy and skilled job creation. I worked with Nexamp and other green stakeholders to enact a new federal enhanced tax credit to bring economic and environmental benefits of solar energy to low-income individuals and communities. I am proud that this federal credit, together with Illinois' historic investment in clean energy, will put money in the pockets of low-income Chicagoans by reducing their electricity costs while making the air they breathe safer and growing the number of good-paying green jobs in Illinois ." Nexamp's first Chicago office opened in 2019 with five team members and has grown to 80 team members in just five short years. Nexamp builds, owns, and operates community solar and storage projects that feed renewable energy to the power grid. The company has roughly 75 projects in operation or under development in Illinois that will create nearly 4,000 jobs and generate close to 300 MW of energy, which is enough to offset the power needs of 50,000 average households. To build on this record of job creation and support skills training throughout Chicago , Nexamp will now partner with City Colleges of Chicago to develop a fellowship program that helps create a robust employment pipeline for local students that are interested in pursuing a career in the solar industry. Additionally, Nexamp is working with Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) job training organizations to ensure that Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs) are prioritized for new Nexamp jobs as they become available. As part of its collaboration with FEJA organizations, Nexamp has developed new construction management roles that will only be offered to EEP candidates living in the greater Chicago area, helping to bring workers from all backgrounds into the solar industry. These efforts will ensure that Nexamp meets Illinois' Minimum Equity Standard, which continues to play an important role in ongoing implementation of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act of 2021. About Nexamp Nexamp is transforming the new energy economy with proven solar and storage solutions, and inviting individuals, communities, and businesses to take part in the benefits. Our end-to-end capabilitiesincluding project development and acquisition, design, construction, and operationsposition Nexamp as a just and equitable market leader. By building integrated clean energy products, we ensure that both savings and job opportunities reach everyday Americans. With more than 1 GW of renewable energy-generating assets currently in operation or under construction, we're building a cleaner and more resilient future. Visit us at www.nexamp.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/nexamp-announces-second-headquarters-in-chicago-as-it-expands-community-solar-across-illinois-and-the-midwest-302041071.html SOURCE Nexamp COPENHAGEN, Denmark and SINGAPORE , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Holdings today announced its investment in Medi Assist, India's largest health benefits' administrator. The investment marks Novo Holdings Asia Investments' fourth investment in HealthTech, a sector subject to robust growth across the APAC region, and the fifth investment in India . Medi Assist opened its Initial Public Offering (IPO) for public subscription on January 15th and was subsequently listed on the two main stock exchanges in India the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE) on January 23rd . Prior to the listing, Novo Holdings had acquired 6% of the pre-offer share capital. With its advanced tech platform, Medi Assist serves as a one-stop intermediary for insurance companies, government insurance schemes, healthcare providers and insured members. As the largest third-party health benefits' administrator in India , both by revenue and premiums under management, Medi Assist has an extensive pan- India network comprising more than 18,000 hospitals across 1,069 cities, and collaborations with 36 insurers in India and globally. In financial year 2023, Medi Assist supported the settlement of over 5 million insurance claims. Dr. Amit Kakar , Managing Partner and Head, Novo Holdings Asia Investments, said: "We are delighted to announce our investment in Medi Assist. The Company is an industry leader that has demonstrated above-market growth, and this trajectory is expected to accelerate on the back of structural tailwinds, especially as the number of Indian lives covered under insurance is expected to double over the next five years. Medi Assist's extensive network and scale enable cost savings for payors and policyholders alike, which could have a positive effect on health outcomes across the country. Further, I am pleased to join a like-minded investor base, capable of supporting Medi Assist on its ongoing journey." Navjeewan J. Khosla, Partner, Novo Holdings Asia Investments, added: "Medi Assist has created an advanced tech platform that has greatly enhanced its operational efficiency. Through continued strategic investments in automation, the Company has notably expedited claims processing while driving an uptick in the number of claims processed non-manually. This focus on efficiency and quality has been instrumental in forging enduring partnerships with a wide array of hospitals and insurance companies in India . Furthermore, the Company's adept leadership has been a key factor in establishing its position at the forefront of India's health insurance industry." About Medi Assist Medi Assist, a leading third-party health benefits administrator in India , connects insurance companies, policyholders, healthcare providers, and public health scheme beneficiaries. The organisation boasts a scalable, technology-enabled infrastructure designed for the health insurance ecosystem. Medi Assist maintains significant relationships with insurance companies and a broad network of healthcare providers across India . The Company's reach extends to 18,754 hospitals in 1,069 cities and towns in India , and globally through its UK subsidiary, Mayfair We Care. Its infrastructure supports stakeholders such as insurance companies and hospitals with scalable, secure, and user-friendly systems, offering comprehensive healthcare solutions. About Novo Holdings A/S Novo Holdings is a holding and investment company that is responsible for managing the assets and the wealth of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The purpose of Novo Holdings is to improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet by generating attractive long-term returns on the assets of the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Novo Holdings is the controlling shareholder of Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S and manages an investment portfolio with a long-term return perspective. In addition to managing a broad portfolio of equities, bonds, real estate, infrastructure and private equity assets, Novo Holdings is a world-leading life sciences investor. Through its Seeds, Venture, Growth, and Principal Investments teams, Novo Holdings invests in life science companies at all stages of development. As of year-end 2022, Novo Holdings had total assets of EUR 108 billion . www.novoholdings.dk About the Novo Nordisk Foundation Established in Denmark in 1924, the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the planet. The Foundation's mission is to progress research and innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions to support a green transformation of society. www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/novo-holdings-announces-pre-ipo-investment-in-medi-assist-the-top-health-benefits-administrator-in-india-302041794.html SOURCE Novo Holdings College Board's BigFuture Shares Information About the Reach and Impact of Career and College Search Tools that Help Students Prepare for Their Futures NEW YORK , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Background: Imagine how overwhelming it can feel for students to figure out what comes next after high school. Every student should be able to access the tools and resources they need to unlock their future. That's where BigFuture comes in. BigFuture provides free college and career tools to help students choose the best option for them. Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9123954-college-board-bigfuture-provides-free-college-and-career-tools/ Students want to pursue opportunities after high school that will lead to a fulfilling career, but their options for "what's next" are often limited to careers they've been exposed to in their family, community, or in school. At a time when 57% of high school graduates are starting in a two-year degree and training program, or joining the workforce directly, rather than enrolling in four-year programs, only 20% of students have heard a lot about non-4-year options. The best way to help all students find and select the best pathway for them is to allow them to explore all their options in one place. BigFuture allows for easier navigation through all options available to students, including but not limited to four-year degrees. Students can explore careers, plan for college, and pay for college with actionable tools that are personalized to them. With the new FAFSA having opened in December, students and families have more questions about financial aid. Every student is unique and so is their path to future success. When students know about the range of postsecondary pathways available, they can better understand how those align with their goals, interests, and academic achievements, and make the best decision for their future. We want to help students and families see career success as the destination and education as the pathway to achieve it. MORE ABOUT AUTUMN CAVINESS : Autumn Caviness is a proud graduate of The University of Texas at Austin, where she received her PhD in Journalism and Master of Arts in Radio-Television-Film. Autumn also holds an MA and a BA in Communication from Texas A&M University. A self-proclaimed 90s R&B aficionado, Autumn is passionate about helping students discover and honor the college and career melody that resonates within their hearts and their minds. Her story includes a phenomenal chapter at Austin's only HBCU and first institution of higher learning, Huston-Tillotson University (HT) where she served as a Communication Professor, Director of the Center for Academic Excellence, Special Assistant to the President, and Director of Marketing and Public Relations. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parents-help-your-students-start-planning-for-life-after-high-school-with-free-college-and-career-tools-302042473.html SOURCE College Board Hearing restoration was observed within 30 days of a single administration of AK-OTOF in the initial AK-OTOF-101 study participant, the first to receive gene therapy in the United States for a genetic form of hearing loss AK-OTOF is a gene therapy being developed for the treatment of sensorineural hearing loss due to mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF) INDIANAPOLIS , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Akouos, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), today announced positive initial clinical results from the Phase 1/2 AK-OTOF-101 study, which demonstrated pharmacologic hearing restoration within 30 days of AK-OTOF administration in the first participant, an individual with a decade-plus history of profound hearing loss. Results, including initial data from a second participant to receive AK-OTOF, will be presented during the Late Breaking Presidential Symposium at the 2024 Association for Research in Otolaryngology (ARO) MidWinter Meeting. Details of the presentation are listed below: Title: Clinical development of AK-OTOF gene therapy for OTOF-mediated hearing loss Session: Late Breaking Presidential Symposium Date/Time: Saturday, February 3, 10:00 a.m. PT Location: Anaheim Marriott, Anaheim, California The first participant to receive AK-OTOF in the study, an 11-year-old at the time of AK-OTOF administration with profound hearing loss from birth, experienced restored hearing within 30 days of AK-OTOF administration. In this individual, hearing was restored across all tested frequencies, achieving thresholds of 65 to 20 dB HL, and within the normal hearing range at some frequencies at the Day 30 visit. Both the surgical administration procedure and the investigational therapy were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported. "Gene therapy for hearing loss is something physicians and scientists around the world have been working toward for over 20 years," said Professor John Germiller , M.D., Ph.D., attending surgeon and Director of Clinical Research in the Division of Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and a principal investigator of the AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial who administered AK-OTOF to this participant. "These initial results show that it may restore hearing better than many thought possible." In the AK-OTOF-101 trial, eligible participants receive a single, unilateral intracochlear administration of AK-OTOF, with hearing restoration assessed by behavioral audiometry and auditory brainstem response (ABR), a clinically accepted and objective measure of hearing sensitivity. Participants in cohort 1 receive AK-OTOF at a dose of 4.1E11 total vector genomes. "Children with OTOF-mediated hearing loss are often born with profound hearing loss, yet only a small fraction have undergone genetic testing to receive a definitive diagnosis," said Dr. Oliver Haag , pediatric otolaryngologist, Head of Otolaryngology at Sant Joan de Deu Hospital in Barcelona , and an investigator in Akouos's AK-OTOF-NHS-002 Natural History Study in which the first individual to receive AK-OTOF was participating. "The AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial and AK-OTOF-NHS-002 Natural History Study demonstrate the power of international collaboration in the development of new medicines for rare genetic conditions. It is gratifying to see this collaborative effort provide benefit to the first participant to receive AK-OTOF." Hearing loss is the most common sensory condition, and with no approved pharmacologic treatments to restore hearing, represents a significant area of unmet need in medicine. Millions of individuals worldwide have disabling hearing loss because one of their genes generates an incorrect or incomplete version of a protein the ear requires for hearing. In many of these cases including for some of the estimated 200,000 individuals worldwide who live with OTOF-mediated hearing loss delivering a healthy version of the gene to a target cell within the inner ear has the potential to restore auditory function and enable high-acuity physiologic hearing. OTOF-mediated hearing loss is the first monogenic form of hearing loss to be investigated as part of a gene therapy clinical trial. "We are grateful to the participants, their families, the investigators and other collaborators who are working together with us on this pioneering trial," said Emmanuel Simons , Ph.D., M.B.A., CEO of Akouos and SVP, Gene Therapy at Lilly. "These initial results highlight the potential impact genetic medicines could have on individuals with OTOF-mediated hearing loss and reinforce our mission to make healthy hearing available to all." AK-OTOF has been granted Orphan Drug Designation and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the FDA and has received a positive opinion on orphan drug designation by the EMA Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products. About AK-OTOF and the AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial AK-OTOF (AAVAnc80-hOTOF) is a dual adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-based gene therapy designed to restore auditory function by gene transfer and durable expression of normal, functional otoferlin protein to the inner hair cells of the cochlea. AK-OTOF utilizes AAVAnc80, a capsid with high transduction efficiency for inner hair cells, together with a strong ubiquitous promoter to achieve expression of otoferlin, observed only in the target inner hair cells, at levels that have the potential to restore high acuity physiologic hearing. The Akouos delivery device, being developed in parallel specifically for intracochlear administration, enables a minimally invasive surgical approach to deliver AK-OTOF throughout the cochlea. The AK-OTOF-101 Clinical Trial (NCT05821959) is a Phase 1/2 trial that is assessing the safety, tolerability, and bioactivity of escalating doses of AK-OTOF delivered via the Akouos delivery device. More information about the trial can be found at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05821959. About the OTOF-mediated Hearing Loss Natural History Study The AK-OTOF-NHS-002 Natural History Study (NCT05572073) is designed to characterize the natural history of OTOF-mediated hearing loss, including progression of physiologic responses and audiologic outcomes over time, potential genotype-phenotype relationships, and longitudinal assessment of clinical outcomes. More information about the study can be found at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05572073. About Lilly Lilly unites caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help more than 51 million people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges, redefining diabetes care, treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects, advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease, providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders, and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. C-LLY Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements (as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) about AK-OTOF as a potential treatment for sensorineural hearing loss due to mutations in the otoferlin gene (OTOF) and reflects Lilly's current beliefs and expectations. However, as with any pharmaceutical product, there are substantial risks and uncertainties in the process of drug research, development, and commercialization. Among other things, there is no guarantee that planned or ongoing studies will be completed as planned, that future study results will be consistent with study results to date, or that AK-OTOF will receive regulatory approvals, or be commercially successful. For further discussion of risks and uncertainties relevant to Lilly's business that could cause actual results to differ from Lilly's expectations, see Lilly's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Lilly undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements to reflect events after the date of this release. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/positive-phase-12-clinical-trial-data-for-an-investigational-gene-therapy-for-genetic-hearing-loss-to-be-presented-at-the-association-for-research-in-otolaryngology-2024-midwinter-meeting-302042082.html SOURCE Eli Lilly and Company HAIKOU, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Hainan, China's southernmost province, saw its GDP grow by 9.2 percent in 2023 as booming tourism turbocharged economic recovery, according to Hainan governor Liu Xiaoming. The tropical island province is eyeing GDP growth of around 8 percent for 2024, Liu said while delivering a government work report at the annual session of the Hainan Provincial People's Congress. According to the work report, Hainan's 2023 GDP growth of 9.2 percent ranked second in China. Its value-added industrial output climbed 18.5 percent in 2023 and its value-added services output grew 10.3 percent, with both of those figures ranking first in the country. The revival of tourism, in particular, has lent impetus to Hainan's economic rebound. The province, which is known for its scenic beaches and offshore duty-free stores, last year reported a 49.9 percent increase in tourist arrivals and a 71.9 percent rise in tourism revenues, according to Liu. More than 90 million tourists visited Hainan last year, pushing its tourism revenue up to about 181.3 billion yuan (about 25.5 billion U.S. dollars), the provincial government said earlier this month. The work report suggests that this year, Hainan aims to increase its tourist arrivals and tourism revenues by 10 percent and 14 percent, respectively, while nurturing new productive forces in fields such as the seed industry and aerospace. In June 2020, China released a master plan to build the whole of Hainan Island into a globally influential and high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. TORONTO , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Power Nickel Inc. (TSXV: PNPN) (OTCQB: PNPNF) (Frankfurt: IVV) ("Power Nickel" or the "Company") announces that, further to the Company's news release dated November 29, 2023 , it has filed a technical report in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects in respect of its mineral resource estimate for the "NISK" Nickel Sulphide project (the "Amended Technical Report") located in Quebec . No material changes were made to the resource estimate announced in the Company's news release dated November 29, 2023 . The Mineral Resource Estimate presented herein in Table 1 is either constrained within a pit shell developed from a pit optimization analysis or presented as underground mineral resources using an appropriate cut-off grade and reasonable potential mining shapes which include must-take material. Table 1 - 2023 Nisk Project Mineral Resource Estimate at a cut-off grade of 0.20% NiEq for the open pit potential and 0.55% NiEq for the underground portion. Potential Mining Method In- Situ Grade Calculated Class Tonnage Ni Co Cu Pd NiEq t % % % g/t % Indicated Open Pit 519,000 0.63 0.04 0.30 0.56 0.84 Underground 4,910,000 0.78 0.05 0.42 0.78 1.07 Inferred Underground 1,787,000 0.98 0.06 0.45 1.11 1.35 Potential Mining Method In-Situ Material Content Calculated Class Tonnage Ni Co Cu Pd NiEq t t t t t t Indicated Open Pit 519,000 3,300 200 1,600 9,400 4,400 Underground 4,910,000 38,300 2,400 20,500 123,100 52,300 Inferred Underground 1,787,000 17,500 1,100 8,100 64,000 24,100 Notes to Table 1: 1. The independent qualified persons for the 2023 MRE, as defined by National Instrument ("NI") 43-101 guidelines, are Pierre-Luc Richard , P.Geo . of PLR Resources. Jeffrey Cassoff , P.Eng . of BBA is the independent qualified person for the Pit shell analysis and cut-off grade calculations. Gordon Marrs , P.Eng . of XPS is the independent qualified person for Metallurgy and Smelter Costs. The effective date of the 2023 MRE is November 26, 2023 . 2. These mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred Mineral Resources in this MRE are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred Mineral Resources as Indicated or Measured; however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. 3. Mineral resources are presented as undiluted and in-situ for an open-pit and underground scenario and are considered to have reasonable prospects for economic extraction. Reasonable potential mining shapes were modeled, and must-takes were included. The constraining pit shell was developed using overall pit slopes of 45 degrees in bedrock and 25 degrees in overburden. Mineral resources show sufficient continuity and isolated blocks were discarded. 4. The MRE was prepared using Leapfrog Edge version 2023.2.0 and is based on 117 surface drillholes and 3,835 samples, of which 96 drillholes were intercepting in the Nisk Main Zone . The cut-off date for the drillhole database was November 26, 2023 with hole PN-23-036 being the last hole being included. 5. The MRE encompasses one mineralized zone defined by a constraining solid with a minimum true thickness of 2.0 m. A value of zero grade was applied where core has not been assayed. 6. High-grade capping was done on the composited assay data. Capping grades are as follow: 2% for Nickel, 1.5% for Copper, 0.15% for Cobalt, 1.2 g/t for Platinum, and 3 g/t for Palladium. 7. Density values were calculated for the Main Zone from the density of the host rock, adjusted by the amount of Nickel as determined by metal assays. A formula was calculated and validated using a database of measured densities. Country rock density vary from 2.70 g/cm3 to 2.85 g/cm3. The Main Zone density vary from 2.63 g/cm3 to 3.96 g/cm3. 8. Grade model mineral resource estimation was calculated from drillhole data using an Ordinary Kriging interpolation method in sub-block model using blocks measuring 5 m x 5 m x 5 m in size. 9. Nickel equivalency grade was calculated using metal prices (see below), metallurgical recoveries, smelter payables and charges. Metallurgical recoveries are 70% for Nickel, 44% for Copper, 79% for Cobalt, and 67% for Palladium. Payables are 73% for Nickel, 69% for Copper, 27% for Cobalt, and 78% for Palladium. NiEq = Ni grade + (0.2359 x Cu grade) + (0.9388 x Co grade) + (0.1810 x Pd grade) 10. The estimate is reported using a NiEq cut-off grade of 0.20% for open-pit mineral resources and 0.55% for underground mineral resources. The cut-off grade was calculated using the following parameters (amongst others): Nickel price: USD10.00 /lb; Copper price: USD4.00 /lb; Cobalt price: USD22.50 /lb; Palladium price: USD1,215.00 /oz; CAD:USD exchange rate = 1.30. The cut-off grade will be re-evaluated in light of future prevailing market conditions and costs. The pit shell optimization used the same parameters. 11. The pit shell includes 3.6M tonnes of overburden and waste rock resulting in a strip ratio of 7:1. 12. The MRE presented herein is categorized as Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources. The Inferred Mineral Resource category is constrained to areas where drill spacing is less than 150 metres and the Indicated Mineral Resource category is constrained to areas where drill spacing is less than 80 metres. In both cases, reasonable geological and grade continuity were also a criteria during the classification process. 13. Calculations used metric units (metre, tonne). Metal contents are presented in percent, tonnes, or ounces. Metric tonnages were rounded and any discrepancies in total amounts are due to rounding errors. 14. CIM definitions and guidelines for Mineral Resource Estimates have been followed. 15. The QP is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, sociopolitical or marketing issues, or any other relevant issues that could materially affect this MRE. 16. The QP is not aware of any known environmental, permitting, legal, title-related, taxation, sociopolitical or marketing issues, or any other relevant issues that could materially affect this MRE. Table 2 below shows the sensitivity of the block model to grade cut-off. The reader is cautioned that the numbers presented in the following tables should not be misconstrued with a mineral resource statement. Table 2 - 2023 Nisk Project Mineral Resource Estimate Sensitivity of the block model at various cut-off grades. Potential Mining Method Cut-off Grade In- Situ Grade Calculated Class NiEq Tonnage Ni Co Cu Pd NiEq % t % % % g/t % Indicated Open Pit 0.10 522,000 0.63 0.04 0.30 0.56 0.84 0.15 521,000 0.63 0.04 0.30 0.56 0.84 0.20 519,000 0.63 0.04 0.30 0.56 0.84 0.25 514,000 0.63 0.04 0.30 0.57 0.84 0.30 509,000 0.64 0.04 0.30 0.57 0.85 Indicated Underground 0.35 5,211,000 0.76 0.05 0.40 0.75 1.03 0.45 5,076,000 0.77 0.05 0.41 0.77 1.05 0.55 4,910,000 0.78 0.05 0.42 0.78 1.07 0.65 4,667,000 0.80 0.05 0.43 0.80 1.09 0.75 4,327,000 0.83 0.05 0.44 0.83 1.13 Inferred Underground 0.35 1,842,000 0.96 0.06 0.44 1.09 1.32 0.45 1,808,000 0.97 0.06 0.45 1.11 1.34 0.55 1,787,000 0.98 0.06 0.45 1.11 1.35 0.65 1,744,000 0.99 0.06 0.46 1.13 1.37 0.75 1,667,000 1.01 0.07 0.47 1.16 1.40 "Our updated NI 43-101 technical report is an excellent start and major first step to showing the significant commercial potential of Nisk. We believe this Mineral Resource Estimate establishes us as one of the world's best nickel investment opportunities. We are as we speak drilling at Nisk looking to advance both Nisk Main, where this resource is located, and to test the four large Ambient Noise Tomography targets we have identified with our work with Fleet Space Technologies. We believe 2024 will be an exciting year for Power Nickel", stated Power Nickel CEO Terry Lynch . The Amended Technical Report is dated effective January 19, 2024 , with an issue date of January 19, 2024 , and is titled "Amended and Updated NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Nisk Project, Eeyou Istchee James Bay Territory, Quebec ". The Amended Technical Report was prepared for the Company by Duncan Studd , P.Geo ., M.Sc ., of GeoVector Management Inc., Pierre Luc Richard , P.Geo , M.Sc ., of PLR Resources Inc., Gordon Marrs , P.Eng ., of XPS | Expert Process Solutions, and Jeffrey Cassoff , P.Eng ., of BBA Inc. The Amended Technical Report updates the Company's technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Mineral Resource Estimate for the Nisk Project, Eeyou Istchee James Bay territory, Quebec " dated effective May 17, 2022 with an issue date of August 29, 2022 (the "2022 Technical Report") and addresses comments raised by staff of the British Columbia Securities Commission (the "BCSC") in connection with the BCSC's review of the 2022 Technical Report, and that the disclosure in the 2022 Technical Report could not be relied upon (as stated in the Company's October 6, 2022 news release) until supported by an updated technical report containing compliant disclosure. In particular, the Amended Technical Report includes updates to satisfy the requirement for metallurgical analysis and a new site visit to the Nisk Project by an author of the Amended Technical Report, and includes results from the Company's 2022 and 2023 drill programs completed subsequent to the effective date of the 2022 Report. The Amended Technical Report replaces the 2022 Technical Report in its entirety. Qualified Person Kenneth Williamson , Geo, M.Sc ., VP Exploration at Power Nickel, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. About Power Nickel Inc. Power Nickel is a Canadian junior exploration company focusing on high-potential copper, gold and battery metal prospects in Canada and Chile . On February 1, 2021 Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) completed the acquisition of its option to acquire up to 80% of the Nisk project from Critical Elements Lithium Corp. (CRE:TSXV) The NISK property comprises a large land position (20 kilometres of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts. Power Nickel, formerly Chilean Metals is focused on confirming and expanding its current high-grade nickel-copper PGE mineralization historical resource by preparing a new Mineral Resource Estimate in accordance with NI 43-101, identifying additional high-grade mineralization, and developing a process to potentially produce nickel sulphates responsibly for batteries to be used in the electric vehicles industry. Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) announced on June 8 th, 2021 that an agreement has been made to complete the 100% acquisition of its Golden Ivan project in the heart of the Golden Triangle . The Golden Triangle has reported mineral resources (past production and current resources) in total of 67 million ounces of gold, 569 million ounces of silver and 27 billion pounds of copper. This property hosts two known mineral showings (gold ore and magee), and a portion of the past-producing Silverado mine, which was reportedly exploited between 1921 and 1939. These mineral showings are described to be Polymetallic veins that contain quantities of silver, lead, zinc, plus/minus gold, and plus/minus copper. Power Nickel is 100-per-cent owner of five properties comprising over 50,000 acres strategically located in the prolific iron-oxide-copper-gold belt of northern Chile . It also owns a 3-per-cent NSR royalty interest on any future production from the Copaquire copper-molybdenum deposit, recently sold to a subsidiary of Teck resources Inc. Under the terms of the sale agreement, Teck has the right to acquire one-third of the 3-per-cent NSR for $3-million at any time. The Copaquire property borders Teck's producing Quebrada Blanca copper mine in Chile 's first region. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor it's Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This message contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" concerning the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "indicates," "opportunity," "possible" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, among others, the timing for the Company to close the private placement or the second Nisk option or risk that such transactions do not close at all; raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward; to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing; to explore and develop its projects; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associates with mineral exploration and mining operations; future prices of nickel and other metals; changes in general economic conditions; accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates; the potential for new discoveries; the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if accepted, to obtain such licenses and approvals in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for the applicable project; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/power-nickel-announces-filing-of-amended-technical-report-302042538.html SOURCE Power Nickel Inc. BROOKLYN PARK, Minn., Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PrairieCare, one of the nation's most innovative, fastest-growing psychiatric health systems, has joined a premier group of healthcare organizations to receive Pathway to Excellence designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). PrairieCare is currently the only organization in Minnesota to achieve this distinction. The Pathway designation is a global credential that highlights PrairieCare's commitment to creating a healthy work environment where nurses feel empowered and valued. The designation illustrates that PrairieCare's nurses are an integral part of the healthcare team, with a voice in policy and practice. Pathway nurses are engaged, resulting in higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover, improved safety, and better patient outcomes. "We are beyond thrilled to achieve Pathway designation," said PrairieCare CEO Todd Archbold , LSW, MBA. "Our nursing leadership team dedicated extraordinary effort to this remarkable and prestigious achievement. The designation is a testament to our focus on quality, safety, development, well-being, and inclusion of our nurses in the decision-making process." The designation applies to all of PrairieCare's outstanding nursing team throughout its hospital, partial hospitalization programs (PHPs), and clinics. As a Pathway organization, PrairieCare leads the effort to enhance quality of care, patient and nursing safety, and the future of healthcare delivery. Since joining Newport Healthcare in 2022, PrairieCare has continued to strengthen its trajectory of excellence by increasing patient experience scores, earning Great Place to Work certification, and now demonstrating this ongoing commitment to team members and patients through Pathway designation. "We are so proud of our incredible nursing team and the collaborative, positive work environment they've helped to create," said PrairieCare Chief Nursing Officer Mandy Dageford, MSN, RN-BC, CENP. "Nearly 95% of our nurses agreed or strongly agreed to every question in the survey, reflecting our shared commitment to their well-being and a culture of sustained excellence." Dageford adds, "As a Pathway-designated organization, our nurses embody the highest standards in nursing practice, which ultimately means better outcomes for our patients." For more information on the Pathway to Excellence recognition program, visit ANCC's website at https://www.nursingworld.org/pathway. Visit Prairie-Care.com to learn more about treatment programs, schedule a free assessment, or view career opportunities. About PrairieCare PrairieCare, a division of Newport Healthcare, is one of the nation's most innovative, fastest-growing psychiatric health systems, offering psychiatric services for all ages, including free mental health screenings, clinic services, intensive outpatient programs (IOP), partial hospital programs (PHP), residential services, and an inpatient psychiatric hospital. PrairieCare is based in Minnesota , with nine locations across the Twin Cities metro area, Mankato and Rochester . For more information about services offered, visit prairie-care.com. CONTACT: 5W Public Relations, [email protected], 212-999-5585 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prairiecare-becomes-only-organization-in-minnesota-to-hold-ancc-pathway-to-excellence-designation-highlighting-its-commitment-to-nurses-well-being-and-a-positive-work-environment-302041876.html SOURCE PrairieCare Amir Husain , founder, remains on as a member of the Board of Directors AUSTIN, Texas , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SparkCognition, a global leader in B2B artificial intelligence (AI) software solutions, today announced the appointment of Pervinder Johar as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective February 26, 2024 . Pervinder will take over the reins from founder Amir Husain , who will continue to share his vision and experience as a member of the Board of Directors. "I am delighted to welcome Pervinder Johar as our new CEO. His exceptional vision, passion, and proven track record in scaling technology businesses uniquely position him to lead our company into a prosperous future," said Amir Husain . "Pervinder's commitment to innovation, coupled with his focus on customer satisfaction, will undoubtedly accelerate our growth and enhance our market leadership." Bringing over three decades of expertise in AI, machine learning, SaaS, robotics process automation, manufacturing, and supply chain management, Pervinder has proven himself a distinguished leader in the technology sector. He joins SparkCognition from Blume Global, part of WiseTech Global, where as CEO, he revolutionized logistics by integrating a networked ecosystem that optimally balanced visibility with execution. Prior to Blume Global, Pervinder held senior executive positions at Hewlett Packard, EdgeVerve, Steelwedge Software, CCC Information Services, and Manhattan Associates. He currently serves as the Chair, Board of Advisors, of 25m Supply Chain, and is a member of the Forbes Technology Council. "I'm incredibly excited to be joining SparkCognition, a company that stands at the cutting edge of AI innovation and next-generation technologies," said Pervinder Johar . "I extend my heartfelt thanks to Amir for his visionary leadership and foundational work in building this outstanding business. I am eager and humbled to build upon this legacy and guide SparkCognition to new and even more remarkable achievements." Under Amir's leadership, SparkCognition has experienced extraordinary growth, establishing a prestigious customer base, accruing an expansive IP portfolio, expanding its global footprint, and executing successful mergers and acquisitions. This period saw transformative initiatives, including a joint venture with Boeing, breakthroughs in generative AI with Shell for offshore exploration, and the launch of a first-of-its-kind R&D Center, Hyperwerx, bringing together the physical and digital worlds. "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to thank Amir for his extraordinary leadership and service in making SparkCognition a globally recognized AI industry leader," said Lord John Browne , Chairman of SparkCognition Board of Directors. "I'm enthusiastic in welcoming Pervinder to SparkCognition and look forward to working closely with him on this next chapter of growth." About SparkCognition SparkCognition's award-winning AI solutions allow organizations to predict future outcomes, prescribe the next best actions, and help ensure worker safety. We partner with the world's industry leaders to analyze, optimize, and learn from all types of data, augment human intelligence, drive profitable growth, and achieve operational excellence. Our patented AI technologies, including machine learning, deep neural networks, natural language processing, and computer vision, lead the industry in innovation and accelerate digital transformation. Our solutions allow organizations to solve critical problemsprevent unexpected downtime, maximize asset performance, deliver net-zero initiatives, and eliminate accidents, all while avoiding zero-day "cyberattacks. To learn more about how SparkCognition's AI solutions can unlock the power of your data, visit www.sparkcognition.com . Media Contact: Media Contact for SparkCognition, Patti Hill , [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sparkcognition-appoints-pervinder-johar-as-ceo-302041279.html SOURCE SparkCognition NEPTUNE, N.J. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectrotel, Inc., a next-generation aggregator and leading integrated communication services provider, today announced the appointment of Maria Diaz-Trujillo to Channel Director, Mountain West and Charles Bates to Channel Manager, South Central Region . Charles Bates joins Spectrotel, bringing with him 19 years of experience in the telecom industry, with 16 years focused on the channel. He has a proven track record of success in previous roles, including being named the Intelisys Channel Manager of the Year for the Southwest in 2018 and recipient of multiple President Club awards at his previous employers. He is passionate about technology and telecommunications, and he enjoys building long-term relationships with his agents and coworkers in the channel. "Spectrotel's ability to deliver outstanding experience to its partners and mutual customers is paramount. Over the past 27 years, they have built a stellar reputation around delivering nothing less than the best," said Bates. "I firmly believe the true differentiators of any technology provider are those who recognize how critical the customer experience is to our partners and Spectrotel leads the way, I am proud and honored to be part of this incredible team." Maria Diaz-Trujillo also joins Spectrotel from Comcast Business, bringing along with her over 25 years of invaluable experience in Telecom, primarily in channel Sales roles. She has a distinguished career marked by numerous achievements, including 3-time presidents club winner across multiple territories and being recognized as the #1 channel manager for 2 consecutive years. "Spectrotel's reputation for delivering the highest possible service to their partners and customers and their ability to provide cutting-edge, crafted solutions is what drew me to the organization," said Diaz-Trujillo. "Technology is evolving at a rapid pace; partners and customers are looking for a trusted advisor. Spectrotel is uniquely positioned to help partners identify and package solutions that meet the ever-changing technological demands of today and tomorrowI look forward to being part of their continued success!" "Spectrotel is confident that both Charles and Maria will be valuable assets to not only Spectrotel, but our customers and partners," said Gabe Sette SVP of Sales/Marketing at Spectrotel. "Both Charles and Maria have established an outstanding reputation in the partner community. This along with their wealth of knowledge and expertise in the industry made them a perfect fit for Spectrotel's comprehensive suite of services and overall mission to delivering human-crafted, enterprise-optimized solutions. We are excited to have them on board!" About Spectrotel As the Next Generation Aggregator, Spectrotel is uniquely positioned to address the IT challenges of today and tomorrow. Leveraging their expansive relationships with best-in-class technology providers, with their thorough approach to understanding customer-specific organizational requirements, Spectrotel delivers comprehensive solutions to minimize risk, optimize resources and technology, and modernize the enterprise. For more information, visit www.spectrotel.com or follow us on LinkedIn. Contact: Terri Vaccarino Vice President, Marketing & Product Spectrotel, Inc. [email protected] +1.732.345.7917 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spectrotel-continues-to-invest-in-hiring-top-talent-to-grow-and-support-its-partner-program-302042508.html SOURCE Spectrotel, Inc. INDIANAPOLIS , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Spot, a leading third-party logistics provider, marks a significant milestone in its 15-year journey, proudly unveiling its redesigned website and groundbreaking technology platform, MySpot - redefining the logistics experience. Spot, marks a significant milestone in its 15-year journey, unveiling its new website and technology platform, MySpot. Spot's new website, www.spotinc.com, was thoughtfully designed with logistics experts in mind and offers an intuitive, user-friendly experience. It features seamless navigation, tailored content, and dynamic tools to help logistics professionals find, move, and track freight with greater efficiency. With the website's launch, Spot also unveiled MySpot, a proprietary technology platform created to better enable shippers, carriers, and drivers to get their jobs done. Red Technologies, a subsidiary of Spot, has spearheaded the development of this advanced technology, delivering a full suite of tools for stakeholders within the logistics ecosystem. "Our 15th anniversary is the perfect occasion to introduce these transformative initiatives," says Andrew Elsener , Co-founder of Spot. "The new website reflects our commitment to providing seamless user experiences, while MySpot embodies our dedication to driving innovation and revolutionizing the logistics landscape. We are confident that these advancements will enhance our customers' experience and propel Spot to even greater heights in the years to come." The website includes features designed explicitly with Spot's customers in mind, such as tools to automate services. Now, with the click of a button, users can book loads directly from the website and request quotes, streamlining the logistics process and empowering businesses to make faster decisions. Elsener continued, "Our customers are always top of mind, and we're excited to provide them with a better online experience and additional service offerings. Our goal is to help overcome challenges and to aid in navigating the complexities of the supply chain. We feel this new website is designed to do just that, and to help our customers succeed in the ever-changing logistics industry." Spot partnered with Caldwell VanRiper (CVR), a full-service advertising and marketing agency in Indianapolis , to redesign its website, update its branding, implement automation, and focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to drive organic growth. Founded in 1910, CVR is one of the Midwest's longest running and most respected advertising agencies. Its expertise in website design, branding, automation, and SEO was instrumental in creating a new website that is visually appealing, user-friendly, and that will help Spot achieve its business goals. "We are excited to partner with Spot to enhance its brand and website experience to match the company's sophistication and explosive growth it has experienced recently," said Kevin Flynn , CVR's President. "There are not too many companies that live their brand mission every day and develop such a strong company culture like Spot has done in the last few years." Founded in 2009 by Andrew Elsener and Andy Schenck , Spot has experienced continuous growth each year. In 2021, it saw record-breaking success with over $710 million in gross revenue. That pattern of success continued into 2022 with nearly $1 billion in gross revenue. The company has more than 500 employees across its locations in Indianapolis, Indiana , Charlotte, North Carolina , Tempe, Arizona , Tampa, Florida , and Chicago , Illinois. Visit Spot's new website today at www.spotinc.com to learn more about its innovative logistics solutions and MySpot technology. About Spot As a leading leading third-party logistics provider in North America , Spot is built on relationships, combining 24/7 support with proven, passionate, and dedicated team of logistics professionals. Spot provides custom, tailored logistics solutions for shipping challenges through relentless effort, industry knowledge, and advanced technologies. Established in 2009 with the vision that there is a better way to move freight, Spot has more than 500 employees across it U.S. locations in Indianapolis, Indiana , Charlotte, North Carolina , Tampa, Florida , Tempe, Arizona , and Chicago, Illinois . For more information, visit Spot's website at spotinc.com and follow Spot on social media: Facebook (Spot), Twitter (SpotFreight), LinkedIn (Spot Freight), Instagram (spotfreight), and TikTok (spotfreight). View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spot-celebrates-15-years-with-launch-of-innovative-website-and-myspot-technology-platform-302042328.html SOURCE Spot Freight Laurel Burton to lead the multidisciplinary creative shop amid record new business streak as CEO NEW YORK and PORTLAND, Ore. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Instrument, a multidisciplinary creative shop that redefines brands and experiences, has appointed Laurel Burton as CEO and unveiled a new roster of executive leaders to support the next chapter of growth for its business. The promotions elevate six indispensable leaders who will collaborate to lead a three-year transformation for Instrument that supports client growth, fuels innovation, and fosters connection across its talent. Instrument won over 50 new accounts in 2023, a company record. "We're taking bold steps in 2024 to reshape our business for our clients and our talent as we grow Instrument into a world-class network where creativity knows no bounds," said Laurel Burton , CEO, Instrument. Those appointments include: With the appointments, Instrument celebrates its first all-female C-Suite leadership team, building on the company's recognition as one of the most innovative companies and best workplaces for women and diverse innovators, as acknowledged by Fast Company in 2022 and 2023. "Our newly-appointed all-female C-Suite team exemplifies our commitment to rewriting the narrative of creative and technology leadership in our industry," added Leon Anderson , President, Instrument. 2023 saw Instrument activate a new brand and positioning that unified its award-winning product, engineering, digital design, and brand marketing capabilities. Clients resonated; Instrument won over 50 new accounts in 2023, a company record, and expanded its remit with long-term brand and technology partners. Notable client wins include Instacart, Uber, and Pinterest, and expanded partnerships with AWS, Grammarly, and Microsoft. As it embarks on its next chapter, Instrument will grow its innovation capabilities with an expanded team led by Mike Creighton , Executive Director, Innovation. This team will partner across the organization to weave emerging technology through client solutions and internal operations, devise new solutions and agency intellectual property, and steer Instrument's overall approach to artificial intelligence. To inquire about partnering with Instrument, please contact [email protected]. About Instrument Instrument is a multidisciplinary creative company that redefines brands and experiences, with offices in Portland, Oregon , Brooklyn, New York , and Los Angeles, California . We are a dynamic group of creative technologists and storytellers that use the power of design and technology to co-create groundbreaking work with our clients. We connect brands like never beforehelping organizations reimagine the most valuable pieces of their digital ecosystem. With deep talent in the areas of Strategy, Design, Development and Content Creation, we build modern experiences for ambitious brands. About Stagwell Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing. Led by entrepreneurs, our 13,000+ specialists in 34+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com. PR Contact: Brandon Dixon [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stagwells-stgw-instrument-charts-next-chapter-of-growth-with-ceo-executive-leadership-appointments-302041915.html SOURCE Stagwell Inc. The new early warning system alerts homeowners, tenants and commercial property managers to signs of a water leak, helping to prevent damage before it occurs SMYRNA, Ga. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- StreamLabs, Inc., a Chubb company that offers smart water monitoring, leak detection and water shut-off devices and systems, has launched Scout. The new point-of-leak sensor is distinguished by its small size and contemporary design, DIY setup and ability to be used independently or as part of a StreamLabs leak detection system. Scout alerts homeowners, tenants, or commercial property managers in real-time to the presence of water, and also sends alerts for fluctuating temperature and humidity levels that may indicate a leak or the risk of frozen pipes. Scout is self-installed in minutes, with no pipe-cutting required and is compatible with the StreamLabs' Control, which can automatically turn off water if a leak or freeze conditions are detected. "Water damage is the number one source of non-weather-related property damage, which includes plumbing system failures, burst pipes or leaking appliances," said Hemant Sarma , Senior Vice President, Head of Internet of Things (IoT) at Chubb. "Scout makes water leak detection easy with early warnings to potential problems, providing peace-of-mind." In addition to an audible alarm, Scout sends real-time alerts via Wi-Fi to the StreamLabs mobile app and the StreamLabs Concierge web app, providing the opportunity to take action and prevent what otherwise could have resulted in major damage if undetected. "At Chubb, we work closely with our clients to assess the risk of water damage to their properties, and strongly recommend the use of water leak detection technology to address inevitable gaps, and StreamLabs is at the forefront of that conversation," said Ana Robic , Division President, Chubb North America Personal Risk Services. "The new Scout sensor adds more leak detection options for our clients, helping to detect minor issues before they become major problems." A network of Scouts can be placed in basements, laundry rooms, behind toilets, under sinks or near water heaters for early leak detection, as well as placed next to sump pumps or in air conditioning condensate pans to alert you to pooling or dripping water. Scout sensors are also a great solution for condos where automatic water shut-off devices may not be an option. The new Scout, available in one, three or five packs, can be purchased on www.streamlabswater.com and qualifies for a premium credit on many carriers' insurance policies. Detecting and preventing water leaks is a primary focus for Chubb's world-class risk engineers. Today, the company is using StreamLabs products to help protect properties with billions of dollars in aggregate value. With active, real-time monitoring, Chubb is helping property owners avoid water damage, providing real value beyond a claim payment. "For Chubb it's about avoiding the disruption and real cost to our client that comes with getting damaged assets repaired or replaced," said Sarma. As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), StreamLabs fuses leading IoT technology with Chubb's deep risk engineering expertise and insurance claims insights, helping consumers and plumbing professionals predict and prevent water damage before it occurs. About Chubb Chubb is a world leader in insurance. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich , New York , London , Paris and other locations, and employs approximately 40,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: www.chubb.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/streamlabs-expands-product-suite-with-scout-a-new-smart-water-sensor-302041675.html SOURCE Chubb Junior Senator is Unwavering Ally for Wisconsin's Working Families MILWAUKEE , Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters Joint Council 39 today announced that it is endorsing Tammy Baldwin for her re-election bid to the U.S. Senate. Baldwin is running for a third term to represent the perennial battleground state. " Senator Baldwin has been a strong, consistent champion for issues important to Teamster families," said Bill Carroll , Teamsters Joint Council 39 President. "We're proud to support this re-election campaign, and we'll be doing everything in our power to turn out tens of thousands of Wisconsin workers for her on election day ." Baldwin's work on behalf of Wisconsin's middle class includes advocacy for key Teamster priorities on Capitol Hill, such as the PRO Act and pension relief. She has also been a leader on antitrust reform most recently, Baldwin joined a bipartisan group of Senators in demanding Amazon provide information about its unethical and potentially unlawful business practices. Last year Senator Baldwin demanded that the Federal Trade Commission investigate the 2018 Energizer-Spectrum merger after Energizer outsourced more than 600 good-paying Teamster jobs overseas and to a nonunion facility out of state. "Energizer is shipping Wisconsin jobs overseas, jacking up prices for consumers, and it's just plain wrong," Baldwin said. "Our families deserve answers." Teamsters Joint Council 39 represents more than 18,000 workers at four local unions throughout Wisconsin . Contact: Matt McQuaid (202) 624-6877 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teamsters-joint-council-39-endorses-senator-tammy-baldwin-for-re-election-302041268.html SOURCE Teamsters Joint Council 39 Viscient has leveraged model to develop novel MASH therapies SAN DIEGO , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viscient Biosciences ("Viscient") today announced that its scientists, along with collaborators from University of California, San Diego, Sanford-Burnham-Prebys medical research institute, and Salk Institute, have published the first demonstration of a liver fibrosis phenotype in a 3D human tissue model of MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis) demonstrating strong comparability to the native disease by multiple measures. Key features of MASH are conserved in the tissue and allow for superior disease understanding, drug discovery and development. MASH is the new clinical term introduced in 2023 to replace NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). "These tissues display all of the characteristics of MASH," said Dr. David Brenner , a leader in liver disease research. The corresponding author on the work is David Brenner , M.D., world-renowned liver biologist, former Dean of the School of Medicine at UCSD, and current president and CEO of Sanford Burnham Prebys . "These tissues display all of the characteristics of MASH, including fibrosis, without any additional disease inducing agents," said Dr. Brenner , a longtime leader in liver disease research. The new paper in The American Journal of Pathology, entitled "Role of Hepatic Stellate and Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells in a Human Primary Cell Three-Dimensional Model of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis", has published online and will be published in the print edition cover dated March, 2024. Co-author Jeffrey N. Miner Ph.D. , cofounder and CSO of Viscient Biosciences underscored the importance of being able to produce a high fidelity in vitro human primary cell model of MASH. "This approach utilizes the patient's own diseased cells, allowing them to generate the disease within the bioprinted tissue. We specifically exclude agents that artificially induce disease," he said. "We believe this advance enhances the translation of our results to human clinical trials and drug discovery." Viscient previously announced that it identified the world's first drug candidate discovered primarily using the 3D bioprinted tissue models of disease described in this manuscript which are highly relevant to MASH disease. MASH is a growing epidemic disease that is believed to affect more than 10% of the US population. MASH can often lead to hepatocellular carcinoma or liver failure. Due to the devastating effects of MASH on patients and its wide prevalence, analysis have projected future pharma industry revenues for treatments in the tens of billions of dollars per year. Viscient's lead compound is an oral small molecule designed to hit a novel target identified in 3D tissue models of disease. The lead compound's clear reduction of fibrosis in Viscient's MASH models is promising because Viscient's 3D models of MASH have shown extremely high correlation with clinical results in patients. The model demonstrates fibrosis reduction for known clinically active compounds, while revealing lack of fibrosis reduction for many compounds that failed in Phase 2 or Phase 3 for MASH. As the new publication demonstrates, this is likely due to the excellent replication of MASH characteristics, comprising key biochemical, histopathological, and transcriptional features of diseased human liver. Viscient Biosciences believes that we can develop compounds with a significantly higher rate of success in clinical trials, and lower drug development costs per approved drug, with 3D human models that truly demonstrate fidelity to the disease in humans. "The current work with Dr. Brenner's team in The American Journal of Pathology represents leading edge work with a primary diseased cell model, and an unparalleled proof set demonstrating the characteristics of disease," said Keith Murphy , Viscient CEO, "We anticipate that the drugs we are already developing from this model, the opportunities coming next, and the disease insights we have gained, will allow us to benefit patients strongly with therapies that succeed at a high rate in clinical trials." Viscient and its collaborators are leading the world in creation of 3D human cellular models with high clinical relevance, and in demonstrating the application of these models to impact drug development at every stage. About Viscient Biosciences Viscient Biosciences is an early-stage biotechnology company that is developing novel therapies for MASH and other liver diseases. Its lead compound, built to a novel target discovered in proprietary 3D models of human liver disease, is expected to enter the clinic in the next 12 months. These models exhibit high fidelity to clinical MASH disease and can faithfully reproduce clinical data on efficacy for drugs. Utilizing these 3D human tissues as dynamic models of healthy and diseased human biology for drug development, the company identifies opportunities both for novel therapeutic development and the in-licensing or acquisition of existing drugs when the insights show existing drug benefit in a new disease. About Sanford Burnham Prebys Sanford Burnham Prebys is an independent biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding basic human biology and disease and advancing scientific discoveries to profoundly impact human health. Our track record of pioneering research spans more than 47 years and has produced breakthroughs in cancer, neuroscience, immunology and children's diseases and is anchored by our NCI-designated cancer center. Sanford Burnham Prebys' drug discovery center and global partnerships propel our prototype drugs and therapeutic strategies toward improving human health. A deep culture of collaboration and commitment to educate the next generation of scientists unites Sanford Burnham Prebys researchers, partners and philanthropists in a shared mission to improve human health. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trailblazing-work-with-3d-human-liver-models-yields-accurate-mash-formerly-nash-phenotype-302041953.html SOURCE Viscient Bio, Inc. OXFORD, England , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- School Refusal in the UK has become a huge problem, one which schools and the Government are working hard to address. Adam Caller , founder of private tutoring company, Tutors International, today released a comment on the effectiveness of many schools' proposed solutions - and how some parents are turning to private home-schooling instead. A child's refusal to go to school due to anxiety has become the number one issue for parents and carers seeking advice, according to children's charity, Action for Children. Adam Caller , Founder and CEO of prestigious private tutoring company, Tutors International , comments: "During lockdown, children who hated school, who were bullied or lonely or struggling with lessons, suddenly found themselves at home 24 hours a day. They felt safer and happier and when lockdown was over, they didn't want to go back to school - and who can blame them?" Some 1.7% of all pupils are severely persistent absent compared with less than 1% pre-pandemic, while the overall absence rate has risen to 7.6%, up from around 4%5% before the pandemic. A pupil is classified as a persistent absentee if they miss 10% or more of their schooling and as a severely persistent absentee if they miss 50% or more. ( Source ) This escalation highlights the challenges families face, including difficulties in accessing specialist support and a lack of clear guidance on how to address the issue. Caller further commented: "Some schools claim that hybrid education - a mix of in-school online teaching - are all that's needed to get school refusers back into school, but in reality it's much more complex than that. Every child's case is different, and the reasons for refusing school are myriad. It therefore follows that offering more school - whether physical or virtual - is not going to be the right solution for everyone." The pandemic led some parents to reevaluate their educational choices, weighing the financial costs against the educational experience offered by different types of schools. Some moved their children from state to private schools, while others opted for full-time home tuition. The interest in private tutoring continues well after the end of the pandemic. Tutors International saw a rise in enquiries about full-time tuition after Covid-19, which Caller attributes to the benefits that lockdown presented to both children and their parents. "Children said they were happier at home, they didn't like all the travel to and from school, the boring assemblies, queuing in the canteen, noisy lessons, miserable teachers, unwelcome peer pressure They wanted more of the things they enjoyed: more time with friends, more time playing sports, more of the lessons that interest them, and the teachers they connect with." Parents enjoyed spending more time with their children, and they can see the opportunities for more travel, the flexibility of home tuition, and the emotional and academic support a private tutor can offer children who may have neurodiversity, behavioural or learning difficulties, mental health issues, or were being bullied - or indeed one of the many other reasons for school refusal. Caller notes that Tutors International has had several clients whose children are labelled 'school refusers', and that private tutoring has been able to support those individuals with a personalised, empathetic education. Getting the student back on their academic track - and perhaps, with the confidence and emotional tools to return to their previous school - is a goal for some families. For others, providing a broad education without pressure, focusing on specific interests or hobbies, or simply providing a mentor to guide a child through a difficult adolescence, is the primary aim of home tutoring. Images Tutors International logo logo Article image About Tutors International Tutors International provides full-time private tuition, part-time tuition, one-to-one online tuition, and live-in home-schooling, supporting all academic stages, subjects, and international curricula. Founded in 1999 by Adam Caller , Tutors International provides high net worth families with a bespoke private tuition service. Tutors International recruits and employs qualified teachers with verified qualifications, impeccable employment records, and security screening clearance. Our tutors are highly committed, trustworthy, and motivated, enabling students to achieve their aspirations. Contact +44 (0)20 3637 3337 [email protected] Tutors International Prama House 267 Banbury Road Summertown, Oxford OX2 7HT England Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2324688/school_refusal_image.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/699064/4420793/Tutors_International_Logo.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tutors-international-issues-comment-on-school-refusal-as-a-consequence-of-covid-302042044.html SOURCE Tutors International Hong Kong: Flower replanting applications open Schools, environmental groups and non-governmental organisations are invited to apply for this year's Flower Replanting Scheme of the Hong Kong Flower Show by February 19. After each year's flower show, showground flowers suitable for replanting are sent to Leisure & Cultural Services Department parks for replanting. The flower replanting scheme has been running since 2014, to encourage replanting in the community and raise environmental awareness among the public. This year's flower show will be held from March 15 to 24 at Victoria Park, featuring the colourful angelonia as the theme flower. Click here to apply for the scheme. This story has been published on: 2024-01-23. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Laman Ismayilova With his feature films and documentaries, outstanding film director Rasim Ojagov wrote bright pages in the chronicle of Azerbaijani cinematography. A young talent who is seriously involved in photography got the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of the film crew who came to Shaki. The cinema world attracted him so much that the young photographer decided to deeply study and master this art. Despite his parents' disapproval, Rasim Ojagov attended the Film Institute in Moscow. In 19511956, he studied at the Camera Operator Faculty of VGIK. He continued his education at the Azerbaijan Theatrical Institute. Having started his career in 1956 as a director of photography at the AzerbaijanFilm film studio, Rasim Ojagov worked here in various positions. Rasim Ojagov made his debut as a film director with the film "Her great heart". He was considered a professional at describing psychological scenes. This film is about the lives of Sumgayit metallurgists. The mental sufferings of the workers are described in this film. Throughout his life, the outstanding film director produced around 11 multi-reel films, including "Her great heart," "Tahmina," "Why are you silent?" "In one southern city," "The first day of life," "Behind the closed door," "Temple of Air," and other cinematic works. Eighteen years have passed since the death of the People's Artist of Azerbaijan, Rasim Ojagov, and if he had lived, he would have celebrated his 90th birthday. The Ankara National Library has hosted a commemorative event dedicated to the Azerbaijani film director. Organized by the International Organization of Turkic Culture (TURKSOY), the event featured an exhibition of photographs reflecting the life and work of the film director. Head of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Ministry's Department of Libraries and Publications, Taner Beyo?lu, spoke about Rasim Ojagov's multifaceted professional activities. He emphasised that it was a great honour for him to personally meet the film director. Other speakers noted that Rasim Ojagov's films, beloved by millions of viewers, were awarded almost all the awards of the former Soviet Union. He was the only Azerbaijani director to be awarded the USSR State Prize for his film "Interrogation". R. Ojagov also received the State Prize of the Azerbaijan SSR for the film "Birthday". Next, a short film about the People's Artist Rasim Ojagov was presented to the audience. People's Artist Fakhraddin Manafov and Turkish actress Meral Konrat, who played the roles of the main characters in the film "Tahmina," shared their memories of the acclaimed film director. In conclusion, the film "Tahmina" was screened as part of the event. "Tahmina" is a 1993 Azerbaijani romantic drama. The screenplay was written by Anar Rzayev based on his novel "The Sixth Floor of a Five-Storey Building" (197478). Directed by Rasim Ojagov, this film depicts the love affair between Zaur, a man from an affluent family, and Tahmina, a divorced woman doing her best to survive in a conservative society. The film is considered to be one of the best Azerbaijani movies produced in the 1990s. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The anti-smuggling department of China Customs in 2023 led a nationwide crackdown that led to the filing and investigation of nearly 5,000 various offenses and criminal cases, the Ministry of Public Security said on Tuesday. Anti-smuggling police opened investigations into more than 2,000 cases of smuggling involving duty-free sales on the island of Hainan, with the value of these cases amounting to 2 billion yuan (about 281 million U.S. dollars), the ministry said. In 2023, police also intensified a crackdown on the smuggling of agricultural products such as frozen foods, tobacco, fruit, sugar and grains. More than 860 cases were filed and investigated in the course of this crackdown, according to the ministry. Throughout the year, anti-smuggling forces within China Customs maintained high pressure on tax-related smuggling activities and strengthened their cooperation with tax authorities. HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. , Jan. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Vistex announced today the unexpected passing of Vistex Founder, CEO and Chief Architect Sanjay Shah . Sanjay Shah and Raju Datla , President of Vistex, were seriously injured in a tragic accident that occurred at a company event on January 18, 2024 . Vistex confirms that Sanjay Shah has passed, and Raju Datla remains in hospital. The company's heartfelt thoughts and condolences are with Sanjay's family and all those who knew Sanjay in both professional and personal capacities. Sanjay Shah was an extraordinary leader whose presence permeated the working life of every associate and colleague at Vistex. His leadership and presence were truly unique; Sanjay will be sorely missed by all. At this time, our focus is on mourning Sanjay. Further communication will be provided after the official mourning period is over. About Sanjay Shah Sanjay Shah's bootstrap story began when he left Mumbai, India to attend Lehigh University's business school, where he earned his MBA in 1989 at the age of 21. He held positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers and General Motors before moving to Germany to work for software giant SAP. After departing from SAP, he founded Vistex, and over two and a half decades, Vistex has expanded operations globally and broadened its portfolio across 15 industries. As a self-made entrepreneur, Shah had a deep-felt desire to give back. As part of Vistex's corporate social responsibility initiatives, Shah formed the Vistex Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofits focusing on health, education, and basic needs programming, as well as Vistex Endeavor, an employee-focused charity encouraging company-wide volunteerism. An impassioned lifelong learner, Shah donated $5 million to Lehigh University to establish the Vistex Institute for Executive Learning and Research. In 2020, the Vistex Hospital was opened in Bihar, India , serving the community with primary and secondary care; and in recent years, the hospital was recognized as a national model Covid-19 facility. About Vistex Vistex solutions help businesses take control of their mission-critical processes. With a multitude of programs covering pricing, trade, royalties and incentives, it can be complicated to see where all the money is flowing, let alone how much difference it makes to the topline and the bottomline. With Vistex, business stakeholders can see the numbers, see what really works, and see what to do next so they can make sure every dollar spent or earned is really driving growth, and not just additional costs. The world's leading enterprises across a spectrum of industries rely on Vistex every day to propel their businesses. Visit www.vistex.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/vistex-mourns-the-passing-of-vistex-founder-ceo-and-chief-architect-sanjay-shah-302041267.html SOURCE VISTEX, INC. EL SEGUNDO, Calif. , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wpromote has been named one of the top three digital agencies in Ad Age Best Places to Work 2024 , an annual ranking of companies that lead the pack in factors ranging from pay and benefits to corporate culture and leadership. 2024 is Wpromote's seventh year on Ad Age Best Places to Work, which honors 50 companies that did a standout job over the past year as challenges hit the ad industry, including an unsettled economy, changing media market, and tight talent pool. Megan Swisher Fanning, Wpromote's Chief People Officer , emphasized that "Our people are our most valuable asset as an organization. When they feel supported and taken care of, we can fully unlock their unique perspectives and deliver for our clients. Change is a constant in marketing, and I couldn't be prouder of what we bring to the table. We make sure our people have the tools and resources to push past the status quo, take risks, and embrace innovative thinking so our clients and our business can evolve and win. Their direct feedback earned us this award, and their continued feedback is critical to our future growth." The winners reflect the highest overall numerical scores based on an analysis of questionnaires submitted by employers and survey responses from their employees. Wpromote's workplace excellence is fueled by its Challenger Culture, which empowers employees to challenge conventional thinking and accelerate growth for clients by prioritizing learning and development, recognizing employee contributions, and promoting from within. The agency takes an employee-led approach, leveraging multiple feedback mechanisms to facilitate two-way conversations that inform many of the agency's most important policies, including best-in-industry parental leave, remote-first flexible work options, and unlimited PTO. "The 2024 Best Places to Work winners demonstrate the value of giving employees competitive pay and benefits and designing optimal workplace practices to ensure great talent can do its best work," said Dan Peres , president and editor-in-chief of Ad Age. "Companies will face more challenges in the new year against an uncertain economy, but winning workplaces know that taking care of employees drives business success." About Wpromote Wpromote is an independent marketing agency that drives next-level growth by challenging conventional thinking. We deliver immediate impact and accelerate outcomes for clients like Intuit QuickBooks, Peacock, Spanx, TransUnion, and Whirlpool. Our agile decision-making and unique approach to media and marketing is powered by our Challenger culture, deep business intelligence, and predictive Polaris platform. For proof of performance, visit https://www.wpromote.com . Contact: Marcy Stelle , [email protected] About Ad Age Created in 1930 to cover a burgeoning industry with objectivity, accuracy and fairness, Ad Age continues to be powered by award-winning journalism. Today, Ad Age is a global media brand focusing on curated creativity, data and analysis, people and culture, and innovation and forecasting. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wpromote-is-a-top-three-digital-agency-on-ad-ages-best-places-to-work-302042089.html SOURCE Wpromote In partnership with AltaMed Health Services, Youth Champions has served more than 1,000 students in underserved communities and distributed $328,500 to students through a paid personal development internship and college scholarships. LOS ANGELES , Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Youth Champions, the paid personal development internship for high school students, announces its transition to an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, marking a significant milestone in its mission to empower underserved youth. Founded in 2017, Youth Champions has served more than 1,000 high school students from 61 high schools, and distributed $328,500 through paid internships and college scholarships. Since its inception, Youth Champions has operated under the umbrella of AltaMed Health Services, a trusted community health organization in Southern California . AltaMed has served as an incubator for the program by providing backend support, student recruitment and program management. The decision to establish Youth Champions as an independent entity stems from the desire to provide even greater support to students beyond the Southern California community. Serving approximately 250 students annually, the program's comprehensive curriculum covers "adulting" topics including financial literacy, problem-solving, leadership, good habits and personal responsibility, through 24 virtual workshops and six exploratory field trips. "Becoming an independent nonprofit allows us to expand our programs and services to the unique needs of the high school students we serve. Our program is growing and thriving, and we are moving closer to our goal of national expansion," said Jack Cline , co-founder of Youth Champions. While Youth Champions charts its independent course, AltaMed remains a close partner. Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services, praised Youth Champions' growth, emphasizing the alignment with AltaMed's commitment to community well-being. Youth Champions proudly introduces its inaugural Board of Directors, a diverse group of accomplished professionals who bring expertise in finance, entrepreneurship, workforce development and nonprofit management: Jack Cline Jr ., co-founder of Youth Champions and president of Lee & Associates , Downtown Los Angeles co-founder of Youth Champions and president of , Cambria Cline , co-founder of Youth Champions co-founder of Youth Champions Vera Campbell , founder of Vera R. Campbell Foundation and former president of KWDZ Manufacturing, LLC founder of and former president of Jacky Dilfer , executive director of Business Finance Capital executive director of Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services president and CEO of Michael Dolphin , former division chief, Los Angeles Ventura Workforce Services Division of the State of California's Employment Development Department former division chief, Ventura Workforce Services Division of the Richard Gomez , CEO of Total Corporate Solutions , CEO of Total Corporate Solutions Bob Smiland, former CEO of Inner-City Arts and entrepreneur former CEO of Inner-City Arts and entrepreneur Heriberto Gonzalez , alumni representative of Youth Champions, student at USC Visit www.youth-champions.org or contact [email protected] for more information or to get involved. About Youth Champions: Youth Champions, established in 2017, is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved high school students in Los Angeles with essential life skills through a paid personal development internship. Having served more than 1,000 students from 61 high schools, Youth Champions is committed to fostering a responsible, capable, and empowered generation to achieve all of their goals. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/youth-champions-becomes-independent-nonprofit-unveils-impressive-board-of-directors-302040981.html SOURCE Youth Champions View of SAS Airbus A321 and A320neo aircraft at Kastrup Airport parked on the tarmac, after pilots of Scandinavian Airlines went on strike, in Kastrup, Denmark July 4, 2022. TT News Agency/Johan Nilsson via REUTERS/File Photo (Reuters) -Scandinavian airline SAS forecast on Tuesday its revenue to exceed 48 billion Swedish crowns ($4.57 billion) in 2024, and expects to emerge from an amended Chapter 11 plan of reorganization by the end of the first half. The carrier said in a statement it would file the amended Chapter 11 plan with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to include its final and updated projections. SAS, Scandinavia's biggest carrier, had filed for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. in mid-2022 after years of struggling with high costs coupled with low demand brought on by the pandemic. The company expects its net debt to range between 36 billion and 39 billion Swedish crowns prior to emergence from the Chapter 11 process, and between 22 billion and 24 billion Swedish crowns after the process. SAS reiterated that there will be no value for its existing shareholders and all of its common shares and listed commercial hybrid bonds will be cancelled, redeemed and delisted, in connection with emergence from the Chapter 11 process. Last November, long-struggling SAS received U.S. bankruptcy court approval for 13.2 billion Swedish crowns investment agreement with a consortium of Castlelake, Air France-KLM, Lind Invest and the Danish state. During the same month, the company won approval from EU competition authorities for its 833-million-euro ($904.39 million) recapitalisation by Denmark and Sweden. ($1 = 10.4926 Swedish crowns) ($1 = 0.9211 euros) (Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri, Shilpi Majumdar and Sherry Jacob-Phillips) FILE PHOTO: The Apple logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, U.S., October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Sega/File Photo By Sam Tobin LONDON (Reuters) - Apple on Tuesday asked a London tribunal to throw out a mass lawsuit valued at around $1 billion brought on behalf of more than 1,500 app developers over its App Store fees. The case, worth up to 785 million pounds ($998 million) and one of several faced by the tech giant in the United Kingdom, alleges Apple charged third-party developers unfair commissions of up to 30% on purchases of apps or other content. Sean Ennis, a competition law professor and a former economist at the OECD, is spearheading the case which was filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) last year. His lawyers say Apple has abused its dominant position in the market for the distribution of apps on its devices and are seeking damages for UK-based developers. Apple, however, says 85% of developers on its App Store do not pay any commission at all and is asking the CAT to throw out the case which its lawyers argue is "unsustainable". Its lawyer Daniel Piccinin said developers cannot have a claim in the UK unless they were charged on purchases made through the UK App Store. That would only apply to a very small minority of the claimants, the company says. But Ennis' lawyer Paul Stanley said in court filings that Apple "has come to the UK to offer services to UK businesses on a UK market and has abused its position by overcharging them". This means UK law applies to the entire case and it can continue, he argued. Apple is already facing a mass lawsuit over App Store commissions, which is being brought on behalf of around 20 million UK users and was given the go-ahead in 2022. The company is also facing a separate case over allegedly defective iPhone batteries on behalf of around 24 million iPhone users, which was certified last year. Apple is fighting both cases, which are not expected to come to trial before 2025. ($1 = 0.7865 pounds) (Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Mark Potter) By Renju Jose SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia, the United States and Britain on Tuesday imposed cyber sanctions on a Russian man for his role in the breach at insurer Medibank, one of the country's biggest data thefts which impacted about 10 million customers. Reports of cybercrime in Australia have spiked over recent years with several companies disclosing hacks, prompting the government last year to overhaul its cyber security rules and to set up an agency to help coordinate responses. Targeted financial sanctions and a travel ban have been imposed on Russian citizen Aleksandr Ermakov after Australian authorities linked him to the breach at Medibank, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said during a press briefing. "These people are cowards and they're scumbags. They hide behind technology and today, the Australian government is saying that when we put our minds to it, we'll unveil who you are, and we'll make sure you are accountable," O'Neil said. This is the first time Australia has used its cyber sanctions framework since legislating it in 2021. The sanction makes it a criminal offence, punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fines, to provide Ermakov with any assets, including cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. The sanctions may not result in the arrest of the hacker or deter others from targeting Australian assets but the government's move "is a step in the right direction," said Nigel Phair, cybersecurity professor at the Monash University. "It puts sand in the gears of the cyber criminals by degrading their efforts to work with others in future criminal pursuits," Phair said. The U.S. Treasury Department on Tuesday said in a statement that Washington and Britain also imposed sanctions on Ermakov because of the risk he poses. The U.S. action freezes his U.S. assets and generally bars Americans from dealing with him. "Todays trilateral action with Australia and the United Kingdom, the first such coordinated action, underscores our collective resolve to hold these criminals to account," Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Brian Nelson, said. Medibank in 2022 disclosed that a hacker stole the personal information of 9.7 million current and former customers, and released the data on the dark web. A government report in November said state-sponsored cyber groups and hackers had stepped up assaults on Australia's critical infrastructure, businesses and homes, with one attack every six minutes likely occurring on Australian assets. Hackers in November hit DP World Australia, one of the country's largest ports operators, forcing it to suspend operations for three days. Victoria state authorities early this month disclosed court recordings database was breached, impacting recordings and transcription services. (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Stephen Coates and Bernadette Baum) A burned tuck sits in front of burned homes in a mobile home park that was destroyed by wildfire in Phoenix, Oregon, U.S. September 20, 2020. REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo By Clark Mindock (Reuters) -An Oregon state jury on Tuesday ordered PacifiCorp, an Oregon electric utility owned by billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, to pay at least $62 million to nine homeowners whose properties were damaged by wildfires that devastated the state in 2020. Jurors in Portland, where PacifiCorp is based, awarded the homeowners nearly $6.3 million in total to compensate them for the property damage and other economic losses and $56 million for things like emotional distress, pain and suffering following a trial that started Jan. 9 in Multnomah County Circuit Court, which Reuters viewed via the Courtroom View Network. The trial was the first of at least two scheduled this year to serve as test cases to determine how much PacifiCorp owes Oregon residents whose homes were ravaged by a series of fires that torched parts of the state over Labor Day weekend in 2020, causing nearly $1.9 billion in property damage and other harms, according to a state estimate. The company could face billions in liability to compensate approximately 5,000 homeowners and business owners who filed a class action against the company in 2020, claiming that the fires damaged approximately 2,400 properties. A PacifiCorp spokesperson said in a statement that the company intends to appeal the verdict, but that the company has settled separate claims related to the fires and will continue to settle other "reasonable" claims as well. Matthew Preusch, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, called the verdict an "important step" toward recouping as much compensation as possible for fire victims. A separate jury in June had already determined PacifiCorp was liable for the fires, finding the company was grossly negligent when it failed to shut down power lines that sparked during high winds and set off fires across the state. That trial involved 17 people whose homes or properties were damaged by the fires, but the liability findings apply to all the plaintiffs in the class action. It also set punitive damages, which are damages reserved for defendants whose behavior is deemed to be particularly egregious, at 25% of compensatory damages. That finding also applies to all of the plaintiffs, which should boost the overall recovery for the plaintiffs in Tuesday's case. The company is appealing the earlier verdicts. The company has defended its fire prevention efforts, saying power shutoffs were not necessary based on what it knew. It has also said the plaintiffs did not establish that its equipment was to blame for the wildfires. During the trial this month, a 12-person jury heard from several victims whose homes were destroyed. One victim in his late 60s said he and his wife were forced to jump from a 30-foot cliff into a river below, cat in hand, to escape the flames from the Santiam Canyon fire, which formed from the merger of multiple fires east of Oregon's capital Salem. Other victims described walls of flames dozens of feet high from that fire and others including the Echo Mountain fire in Lincoln County and the South Obenchain fire in Jackson County. Attorneys for the plaintiffs had asked the jury for at least $5 million in damages for pain and suffering and other non-economic harms for each plaintiff, in addition to the costs associated with damaged property. A lawyer for PacifiCorp had said the company supported fully paying victims for damaged property, but suggested that awards of $2 million or less per plaintiff would be enough to compensate them for non-economic harms. Wildfires throughout Oregon in 2020 burned approximately 1,900 square miles (1.22 million acres), destroying an estimated 5,000 or more structures and killing at least nine people. (Reporting by Clark Mindock, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Chizu Nomiyama and Daniel Wallis) U.S. President Joe Biden joins striking members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) on the picket line outside the GM's Willow Run Distribution Center, in Belleville, Wayne County, Michigan, U.S., September 26, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will speak to United Auto Workers members on Wednesday at a legislative conference in Washington, the union said Tuesday, as he looks to win support from autoworkers before the 2024 presidential election. UAW President Shawn Fain declined to comment Monday on reports the union may endorse Biden's re-election bid this week. Fain sharply criticized former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, telling Reuters the Republican "is pretty much contrary to everything we stand for." Winning the support of auto workers could be crucial in the November presidential election in battleground states like Michigan. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment. The White House and Biden campaign did not comment on Biden's planned remarks. Biden, a Democrat, strongly backs the UAW's efforts to unionize carmakers Tesla, Toyota and other automakers, and joined UAW workers on the picket line in Michigan during the strikes against targeted Detroit Three automakers facilities. Trump did not visit UAW picket lines but spoke in Michigan at a non-union auto supplier in September, saying then "it doesnt make a damn bit of difference what you get because in two years you're all going to be out of business." The UAW won record-setting contracts including a 25% increase in base wages with General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. Fain has praised Biden administration officials for helping win those contracts and ensure battery plant workers get higher wages. In May, Fain said the union was not ready to endorse Biden for a second four-year term, citing concerns about EV policies. Trump has criticized Fain and the Biden administration's EV policies, saying they threaten autoworkers' jobs, while the Biden administration has touted more than $150 billion in new planned electric vehicle and battery plant investments. The UAW and major automakers have urged the Environmental Protection Agency to soften proposed 2032 vehicle emissions regulations that would result in 67% of new vehicles being EVs. Fain told Reuters Monday the union has been "very vocal" about its views on the regulations. "They know where we stand," Fain said. The EPA sent the plan to the White House last week for review. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Deepa Babington) An aerial view of the engines and fuselage of an unpainted Boeing 737 MAX airplane parked in storage at King County International Airport-Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington, U.S, June 1, 2022. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing will hold a quality stand down Thursday at the Seattle-area location where it makes 737 aircraft, pausing production and delivery operations for a day, the company announced on Tuesday. During the stand down, employees will attend quality workshops and "pause, evaluate what we're doing, how we're doing it and make recommendations for improvement," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Stan Deal. The first stand down will occur at the Renton, Washington-area factory where the 737 is built. All other Boeing commercial production facilities and fabrication sites will have stand downs over the next few weeks, Boeing said. Boeing announced it would hold sessions with workers on Jan. 16 as part of a larger list of actions it is taking after the grounding of a portion of the 737 MAX 9 fleet earlier this month following a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. (Reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed) Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks during a breakfast and press conference with foreign correspondents, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil October 27, 2023. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino/File Photo BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Tuesday vowed a federal response after a conflict between Indigenous people and farmers over land in southern Bahia led to the shooting death of a tribal leader. The incident underlines years of tensions between Brazil's Indigenous peoples and agricultural settlers over land rights. Former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro supported farmers' rights, but Lula has backed Indigenous claims as part of his broader pledge to preserve the environment. "The Pataxo people can be sure that federal government will help resolve this situation," Lula said in a radio interview. About 200 land owners gathered in pickups at a farm outside the town of Potiragua on Sunday to evict an Indigenous community and recover the land claimed by the Pataxo tribe. The attack resulted in the fatal shooting of Maria Fatima de Andrade, a leader known as Nega Pataxo, while another leader was wounded by gunshots and taken to hospital, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples said. Bahia police on Monday arrested two farmers on charges of homicide and attempted homicide. "This attack on the Caramuru Indigenous territory is unacceptable," said Sonia Guajajara, who was appointed last year by Lula to head the newly-created ministry and be the first Indigenous person in Brazil to be a cabinet minister. Police said they arrested a Pataxo man for possession of a homemade firearm, while a farmer was wounded in the arm by an arrow. Clashes over farmland claimed by Brazilian Indigenous groups as their ancestral lands have become violent as Brazil's farm belt has expanded towards the Amazon. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by David Gregorio) by Xinhua writers Cheng Lu, Zhao Yeping and Yuan Rui HAIKOU, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- In the hush of the night, a blaze of brilliance pierced the darkness, its fiery ascent thundering through the clouds. On the sandy beaches, rooftops and balconies of high-rise residential buildings in Longlou, a quaint township in southern China, all eyes turned skyward, as the resounding rumble of the carrier rocket and the thunderous roar of the crowd swept over this town located in Wenchang City in the island province of Hainan. WHERE DREAMS TAKE FLIGHT Last week, the launch of the Long March-7 Y8 rocket, carrying the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, not only illuminated the night sky but also breathed life into Longlou, where the launchpad is located. Every time a launch is scheduled, throngs of tourists embark on a journey. They fly to the provincial capital Haikou before transferring to a high-speed train bound for Wenchang and conclude the trip with a short drive of over 20 km to reach Longlou. Then, the streets here buzz with activity, with vehicles flooding in and hotels fully booked. For 29-year-old Zhang Zuoxing, an avid astrophotographer from Guangdong Province in south China, witnessing a rocket launch is not just a visual feast; it's a multisensory experience that evokes a sense of wonder and awe. "The rocket ascended quietly. It was a few seconds later that I heard the roaring noise. Despite the continuous cheers and screams around me, those few seconds made me feel as if I were in a vacuum. It was almost like a dream," Zhang said, recalling his first-ever experience of witnessing a rocket launch in 2020. Driven by a desire to share this profound experience with more people, Zhang and his friends founded the youth travel organization "Walking at 20" in 2020. Since its inception, he has visited Wenchang 13 times to watch rocket launches. This time, Zhang was accompanied by 16 fellow travelers and they watched the Long March-7 Y8 rocket from a quiet beach. "They were very excited, and many of them had already booked the next trip with me," he said. He has led over 300 individuals spanning various age groups to witness rocket launches. Seasonal rocket enthusiasts are driven by different motivations, Zhang said, noting that some are fueled by curiosity while others by a thirst for knowledge. "Rocket chasing" has become an addictive pursuit for Tang Muzhi, a sophomore student studying material science at Northwest Minzu University. The recent launch of the Tianzhou-7 cargo spacecraft marked his third visit to Wenchang, with his initial experience dating back to July 2022, when he witnessed the launch of Wentian, the first lab module of China's space station. "Seeing the massive object ascend into the sky transformed textbook descriptions into a tangible reality. At that moment, I truly understood the nation's rapid development and felt as if I was becoming a part of the current of the times," Tang said. "I will never forget that big day." Wang Jianjun, a 70-year-old tourist, makes sure to bring his grandson to the launch site for every rocket launch. "I aim to plant the seed of space dreams in my grandson's heart. Experiencing the space launch firsthand will undoubtedly leave a more profound impression than any words I could convey to him," he said. WHAT'S BEHIND THE FRENZY China has notched up an impressive series of achievements in the space industry, with important launches including the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System satellites, Chang'e lunar probes, and the Tianwen-1 Mars probe. Before it became a part of the tourist circuit, Longlou Township was relatively obscure to the outside world, with the locals mainly engaged in agriculture and fisheries. The turning point came in 2016 with the opening of the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site, China's first open coastal space launch facility. Since then, Longlou has been transformed into a vibrant hub for space enthusiasts. Rocket launches have also brought fortune to locals. In the past two years alone, the town, home to 27,000 permanent residents, has received over 1.5 million visitors. Leveraging the space launch center and coastal tourism resources, businesses have mushroomed across Longlou. The count of hotels and bed-and-breakfast (B&B) establishments surged from five to over 50, while shops multiplied from 230 to more than 900, said Ye Sheng, deputy Party secretary of Longlou. Last year, Zhu Ying, who runs a local B&B, invested an additional 4 million yuan (about 556,600 U.S. dollars) to renovate 14 rooms. "Many important launch missions will be carried out in Longlou in the future, which will drive the demand for accommodation and travel services," Zhu said. Xue Ce, manager of a hotel in Longlou, sustains his livelihood from the accommodation business as well by providing tourists with rooftop viewing spots. His account on Xiaohongshu, China's lifestyle-focused social media platform, has garnered thousands of followers, attesting to the growing interest in the town's burgeoning space-related tourism. "Whenever the launch dates are announced, my rooms quickly get fully booked," Xue said, adding that several guests have now become his good friends. As space tourism gains momentum, big companies are tapping into the market. According to Yang Tianliang, chairman of Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Co., Ltd., there's tremendous potential in offering space tourism services to ordinary people. To seize this opportunity, the company launched Hainan's first commercial aerospace tourism route last year, allowing visitors to explore the province's commercial space launch site, currently under construction. Having witnessed more than 10 rocket launches himself, Zhang Zuoxing said though the initial excitement has waned, he has found a new passion in capturing the expressions of people with his camera as they watch the launch. His lens weaves stories of a blend of joy, surprise and awe of the space enthusiasts. The spectacle of a rocket launch carries with it the ultimate goal of exploring deep space and unraveling the mysteries of the universe. This endeavor also reflects the dream of the Chinese people. "The Chinese people's aspiration and exploration of the universe resemble a 'Long March,'" he said. "I am committed to helping more travelers relish the beauty of rocket launches." SANTIAGO (Reuters) -Chilean retailer Falabella plans to invest $508 million in 2024, with more than half the sum destined for store openings and remodeling, and other expenditures for e-commerce and digital banking and logistics, the firm said on Tuesday. The planned spending for this year will mark a 24% drop from the year before, the company noted in a statement. The lower spending is part of Falabella's goal to strengthen its finances, according to interim CEO Alejandro Gonzalez. The plan targets investments "for better profitability," he said in the statement. The cuts do "not come as a surprise," analysts at J.P. Morgan said in a note, adding "the lower investments reflect (the) company's rhetoric of efficiency and savings in light of its challenging leverage situation." Fitch Ratings said in November it expected Falabella's leverage to remain above 6x in 2024 and reach low 5x in 2025 as it downgraded the firm's debt to junk status. In a bid to deleverage, Falabella has said it will sell off assets, mainly real estate, for $800 million to $1 billion. This year, the retailer will spend $270 million on store openings and renovations, with $113 million going to expanding stores in Chile, Peru, Mexico and Colombia. Specifically, Falabella will open two new IKEA stores in Colombia, as well as another five home-improvement stores, two supermarkets and one department store across its markets, it added. Another $200 million will go to strengthening e-commerce technology in the Andes, and improving its digital banking services. Falabella will also spend $38 million on logistics, specifically targeting inventory management, it said. (Reporting by Fabian Cambero; Additional reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Michael Perry) By Julia Payne and Jan Strupczewski BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is unlikely to confiscate Russian central bank assets frozen in Europe, despite G7 plans to discuss the legality of such a move at a meeting in February, senior EU officials said. The EU, United States, Japan and Canada froze some $300 billion of Russian central bank assets in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. Some $200 billion of that is held in Europe, mainly in the Belgian clearing house Euroclear. The discussion comes as U.S. President Joe Biden faces Republican opposition to his request for another $61 billion in aid to Ukraine. The EU is also struggling to agree on a 50 billion euro ($54.36 billion) aid package for Ukraine until 2027 because of opposition from Hungary, whose Prime Minister Viktor Orban has close ties with Moscow. Confiscating the Russian assets and handing them over to Kyiv would ease the pressure on the West to finance Ukraine's war effort, but European officials dismiss it as too legally risky. "Confiscation of the capital of the Russian assets is not going to happen. There is no agreement on this among EU member states," one senior official with insight into talks on the matter said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. In an interview with Reuters, Luxembourg Foreign Minster Xavier Bettel said he was "very cautious" about seizing the assets. "Imagine if we decide politically to give billions to Ukraine. And in six months we have a judicial decision saying we are not allowed to give it to them. Who will pay will then?," Bettel said. IMPACT ON EURO European officials are concerned not only with the legality of such an unprecedented confiscation of sovereign assets, but also with the potential consequences for the euro currency; investors might pull out of euro assets out of concern their money might one day be seized too. In addition, Moscow has pledged it would retaliate by confiscating Western assets in Russia, which some reports put at $288 billion. Belgian Finance Minister Vincent van Peteghem, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU until July, is very reticent on the possibility of confiscating the Russian assets. "We need to be very prudent with that proposition. I think that it's important that what can come on the table should be legally sound and we should avoid any impact on financial stability," he told reporters on Tuesday. Belgium's Euroclear has "substantial" amounts of assets in Russia, officials said, which could be seized by Moscow in what could pose a financial stability risk to the clearing house, with major repercussions. "The EU cannot bail out Euroclear," another senior official said. "Euroclear manages trillions and its bankruptcy would be far more than the budget of the EU. We have to balance risk and profit," the official said. Instead of confiscating the Russian assets, EU governments are likely to back a European Commission proposal from December to take over the only the profits generated by the assets, leaving the principal untouched. This could generate an estimated 15-17 billion euros over four years that could be transferred to Ukraine, officials said. ($1 = 0.9199 euros) (Additionl reporting by Gabriela Baczynska; Reporting by Jan Strupczewski and Julia Payne; Editing by Christina Fincher) PARIS (Reuters) -The European Union Aviation Safety Agency said on Tuesday it had adopted a U.S. safety alert calling for checks on some Boeing 737-900ER jets. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday recommended that operators of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft, the vast majority of which are flown in the United States, visually inspect mid-exit door plugs to ensure they are properly secured. The move came after the FAA grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes following a mid-air blowout of a door plug on an eight-week old Alaska Airlines jet. The 737-900ER is not part of the newer MAX fleet but has a similar door plug design. An EASA spokesperson said five 737-900ERs with the relevant component are operated in Europe, and are covered by the call for inspections, including two with Czech airline SmartWings. (Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Christina Fincher) FILE PHOTO: The tail of Boeing's new 737 MAX-9 (L) is pictured next to an older model under construction at their production facility in Renton, Washington, U.S., February 13, 2017. Picture taken February 13, 2017. REUTERS/Jason Redmond/File Photo By Valerie Insinna and David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing issued a bulletin to its suppliers late last week that laid out practices to ensure bolts are properly torqued after multiple airlines reported loose hardware during inspections of the grounded 737 MAX 9, according to a memo seen by Reuters. The U.S. planemaker said that it is "imperative" that suppliers meet quality requirements, according to a Jan. 17 memo seen by Reuters, issued weeks after an accident when a panel ripped off of a 737 MAX 9 jet while in mid-air. "Ensure that work instructions are mistake-proof and quality is continuously monitored - particularly torquing requirements," it states. The bulletin suggests suppliers document torque requirements on work instructions, require mechanics to record how much torque is applied when fastening components, and ensure tools are properly calibrated to ensure bolts are properly tightened. Boeing declined to comment. The updated guidance follows the Jan. 5 accident when an Alaska Airlines flight had to conduct an emergency landing after the panel, called a door plug, was blown off. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded 171 MAX 9 planes with the door panel configuration. The National Transportation Safety Board has not yet determined whether the four bolts that attach the door plug to the fuselage were ever installed on the Alaska Airlines plane, but it is also too early to say missing or loose bolts were the root cause of the accident, NTSB head Jennifer Homendy told reporters Thursday. Spirit AeroSystems makes and installs the door plug. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in an NBC News interview that aired Tuesday that the airline found some loose bolts on many MAX 9s during inspections. "My demand on Boeing is, what are they going to do to improve their quality programs in house?" Minicucci said. United Airlines, which has also found loose parts on MAX 9s, on Monday reported a wider-than-expected loss in the quarter through March due to the grounding of the MAX 9. Boeing has not changed its 737 supplier master schedule in the wake of the accident, the company said in a separate Jan. 22 email to suppliers seen by Reuters. The schedule, which lays out the expectation for when suppliers should be at a given production rate, calls for a production rate 42 of its 737s per month starting in February 2024. Boeing's actual production rate can differ from the master schedule for various reasons. The company is expected to update investors on its production plans when it reports results on Jan. 31, amid speculation from Wall Street that the need for greater checks would slow down the ramp up. Suppliers should "continue to perform to your established requirements from Boeing," the memo said. Boeing continues to work with the FAA to unground the aircraft and is "taking immediate actions to strengthen quality across the 737 production system." FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told Reuters on Jan. 12 it was "pretty clear" the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 cabin blowout was a manufacturing issue, not a design problem. Whitaker noted MAX 9 issues that the MAX 9 has about 500,000 parts - and it is critical to ensure all bolts are properly tightened. "We're certainly not looking at every part, but so you have to have a quality control system that does that ... and (is) robust enough to see if something is not properly assembled." (Reporting by Valerie Insinna and David ShepardsonEditing by Nick Zieminski and Lisa Shumaker) Israeli soldiers operate in the Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in this handout picture released on January 21, 2024. Israel Defense Forces/Handout via REUTERS/ File photo By Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi, Ahmed Mohamed Hassan and Dan Williams DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israel and Hamas broadly agree in principle that an exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners could take place during a month-long ceasefire, but the framework plan is being held up by the two sides' differences over how to bring a permanent end to the Gaza war, three sources said. Intense mediation efforts led by Qatar, Washington and Egypt in recent weeks have focused on a phased approach to release different categories of Israeli hostages - starting with civilians and ending with soldiers - in return for a break in hostilities, the release of Palestinian prisoners and more aid to Gaza. The latest round of shuttle diplomacy started on Dec. 28 and has narrowed disagreements about the length of an initial ceasefire to around 30 days, after Hamas had first proposed a pause of several months, said one of the sources, an official briefed on the negotiations. However, Hamas has since refused to move forward with the plans until the future conditions of a permanent ceasefire are agreed, according to six sources. Most of the sources consulted for this story requested anonymity in order to speak freely about sensitive matters. While Israel has sought to negotiate one stage at a time, Hamas is seeking "a package deal" that agrees a permanent ceasefire before hostages are released during the initial phase, said one of the sources, a Palestinian official close to the mediation efforts. Israel and Hamas are speaking through the mediators, not talking directly. A White House spokesman said on Tuesday U.S. Middle East envoy Brett McGurk was in the region - for the second time in a week - for discussions about releasing hostages and that Washington would support a longer "humanitarian pause". The U.S. State Department and White House, Qatar's foreign ministry and Egypt's State Information Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Two Egyptian security sources said that there was work underway to convince Hamas to accept a one-month truce to be followed by a permanent ceasefire. However, Hamas is requesting guarantees that the second phase of the deal would be carried out, in order to agree to the initial truce, the sources said. The sources did not provide details of what such guarantees might consist of. Asked about the negotiations, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters on Monday the organization was open to discussing ideas but that no deal was yet in place. "We are open to all initiatives and proposals, but any agreement must be based on ending the aggression and the occupation's complete pullout from Gaza Strip," said Abu Zuhri. One offer by Israel is to end the war if Hamas removes six senior leaders from Gaza, said a seventh source, a senior Hamas official. However, Hamas "absolutely" rejected the proposal, he said. The source said the list included the masterminds of Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Yahya Sinwar and Mohamed al-Deif, who are Israel's top targets to kill or capture in the war and are thought to be hiding deep within Hamas' extensive network of tunnels beneath Gaza. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm this proposal with Israeli sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office declined a request for comment about the proposal or the broader negotiations. According to recordings leaked to Israel's N12 news network, Netanyahu said such a "surrender and exile" scenario was being discussed in early January. NETANYAHU UNDER PRESSURE Almost four months after the Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people, Israel's offensive in Gaza has yet to eliminate Hamas' senior leadership or its capacity to fight, despite razing much of the coastal enclave and killing more than 25,000 Palestinians. Netanyahu reiterated this week that only "total victory" over Hamas would bring an end to the war, but he is under increasing pressure to reach a deal, including from members of his war cabinet and the families of around 130 hostages who remain in captivity since the Hamas incursion. Israel's military on Monday suffered the highest daily death toll of its Gaza offensive with 24 fatalities, including 21 in a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack in central Gaza and three elsewhere. Five of the sources said Israel had refused to discuss any end to the war that did not include Hamas being dismantled. They did not specify if exiling the leadership would meet that bar. Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy said at a press conference on Tuesday that efforts were ongoing to secure the hostages' release. He said Israel would not agree to a ceasefire deal that leaves Hamas in power in the enclave. Qatar and Washington were instrumental in negotiating a week-long truce in November that led to the release of more than 100 hostages and around 240 Palestinian prisoners. Starting on Dec. 28, Qatar's negotiators sent the framework of a new agreement to Hamas and Israel, asking both sides to indicate what they were prepared to agree to, the official briefed on the negotiations said. When the two sides responded earlier this month, Hamas sought a truce that would last several months, while Israel wanted all the hostages freed in weeks, the official said. Over the past few weeks, U.S. and Qatari mediators have drawn the two sides closer to agreeing the 30-day process, which would include the release of all hostages, entry of more aid to Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners, the official said. Despite the difficulty of bridging the gap in positions, one of the sources, briefed on the discussions, described the talks as intensive and said a deal could be agreed "at any minute." U.S. DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS Washington is ratcheting up diplomatic pressure to end the violence. Earlier in January, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken shuttled between Arab states and Israel on a frenetic tour aimed at finding a way forward from the bloodshed. However, Hamas is seeking guarantees that Israel will not restart the conflict, a U.S. source briefed on the matter and the Palestinian official said. Hamas wants the United States, Egypt and Qatar to guarantee the implementation, and is concerned that Netanyahu's government would resume fighting once Hamas frees civilian hostages, even if Israeli soldiers remain captive, the Palestinian official said. During this round, Hamas had sought the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israel's prisons, including those that participated in the Oct. 7 attacks, the U.S. source said. The official briefed on the talks said Hamas had since softened that demand, which would likely be vehemently opposed by Israel. Hamas believes that before seriously talking about a long-term ceasefire, Israel wants to conclude its operations in Khan Younis, the southern city in Gaza that has seen the most intense offensive and fighting in recent weeks, the Palestinian official said. Reuters could not immediately establish the status of discussions about whether Israel's troops and armour would remain in Gaza during any prolonged ceasefire. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Mohamed Ahmed Hassan in Cairo, Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Additional reporting by Michael Georgy, Maayan Lubell, Jonathan Landay and Simon Lewis; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Daniel Flynn) FILE PHOTO:Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 19, 2024. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hedge funds bought more U.S. stocks than they sold last week for the first time in ten weeks, adding $554 million to their portfolios, Bank of America said in a note about its clients' flows. The hedge funds' net purchases occurred in a week when the S&P 500 index posted a record high close on Friday for the first time in two years, amid a rally in chipmakers and mega-cap technology stocks. Still, hedge funds are net sellers of roughly $2 billion in shares on a year-to-date basis, BofA said. Last week, hedge funds bought mainly exchange-traded funds (ETFs), adding over $200 million of those securities, and large-cap companies. Energy and healthcare were the two top sectors for hedge funds' acquisitions last week. Overall, BofA said it saw the biggest inflow into U.S. equities since mid-December when all of its clients, including hedge funds, institutional and retail investors, and companies, were factored in. (Reporting by Carolina Mandl, in New York; Editing by Paul Simao) DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran executed on Tuesday a man charged with killing a police officer and injuring five others after running them over with a car during a nationwide protest movement in 2022, the judiciary's Mizan news agency said. The Sept. 2022 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish-Iranian woman arrested for allegedly flouting the Islamic Republic's mandatory dress code, sparked months of anti-government protest in the biggest show of opposition to the authorities in years. "After being upheld by the Supreme Court, the death penalty against defendant Mohammad Ghobadlou has been implemented early this morning," Mizan said. In addition to the death sentence for murder, Ghobadlou also received a death sentence for "corruption on earth". However, rights group Amnesty International said Ghobadlou's right to a fair trial was violated and his bipolar condition was not taken into consideration by Iran's judicial system. "Ghobadlou received two death sentences after grossly unfair sham trials marred by torture-tainted 'confessions' and failure to order rigorous mental health assessments despite his mental disability," Amnesty said. Iran's Mizan said claims of mental disability were wrong as the defendant had allegedly rejected them during his trial. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) FILE PHOTO: Logitech keyboards are seen in the computer shop in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 20, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/File Photo ZURICH (Reuters) -Logitech International's profit margins will be hit by higher transport costs due to the Red Sea crisis, the computer peripheral maker's CEO said on Tuesday. The maker of computer keyboards, mice, speakers and webcams is among the first companies to warn of a margin hit from attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen. The attacks are forcing shipping companies to avoid the Red Sea, a shipping route vital to East-West trade. "It's taking us about 30 days longer to get product from Asia into Europe so that will have an effect in the quarters ahead," Hanneke Faber told Reuters in an interview after Logitech posted its third quarter earnings earlier on Tuesday. Logitech expected an impact of around 100 basis points on its profit margin from the extra transportation costs, Faber said. "You have to pay for 30 days more for stuff to be on the ship and there's a little bit of inventory impact, so it's more costly," Faber said. Logitech would also use more air freight to get around bottlenecks, she added, although it would not make a "radical shift" from the Swiss-American company's normal arrangements. Still, the executive, who took charge at Logitech in December after a stint leading Unilever's nutrition business, said the crisis was not as severe as some feared. "Some people are like oh my gosh this is worse than COVID, but that really is not the case for us," Faber said. "It mostly affects Europe, and Europe is not our entire business - it's about 30%. Secondly during COVID there was no capacity, but now there is shipping capacity to help mitigate some of the impact." (Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and Tomasz Janowski) FILE PHOTO: Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attends a meeting of the National Industrial Development Council (CNDI) at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil January 22, 2024. REUTERS/Adriano Machado/File Photo BRASILIA (Reuters) - President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's popularity remains high one year into his third non-consecutive term leading Brazil, with more than half of Brazilians approving of his performance, according to a poll on Tuesday. His government's approval rating also increased with 42.7% of those polled viewing it as great or good, compared to 40.6% in the previous survey by pollster MDA in September. Those who consider Lula's administration as bad or terrible increased marginally to 27.9% from 27.2 four months ago, it showed. The rating of the leftist president's performance edged up to 55.2% from 54.9% in September, while disapproval also rose slightly to 39.6 from 39.0%, the MDA poll commissioned by the transport sector lobby CNT. But Lula faces challenging months ahead if he wants to keep up his popularity as Brazil prepares for mayoral elections in November, with the economy and public security on most voters' minds, the poll indicated. Nearly half of Brazilians (49%) fear their incomes will decline in the next six months rather than increase (36%), though they expect the job market to improve. Lula gets his best approval ratings among lower-income Brazilians and in poorer northeastern Brazil, his political bastion. He does badly among higher income groups and evangelical Christian voters, MDA said. "After the first year of the Lula government, expectations for the coming months remain positive, especially on topics that are priorities for the population, such as the economy, health and education," said MDA director Marcelo Souza. But he said Lula needs to pay attention to public safety, amid rising violent crime in Brazilian cities, as he gets the worst reviews for this. MDA polled 2,002 people in person between Jan. 18-21 and the poll has a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Steven Grattan and Susan Fenton) FILE PHOTO: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu attend a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China January 10, 2024. cnsphoto via REUTERS/File Photo COLOMBO (Reuters) - A Chinese research vessel on its way to the Maldives will not conduct any research while in the archipelago's waters in the Indian Ocean, the Maldivian foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The Chinese vessel Xiang Yang Hong 03, which is en route to the Maldives, will only make a port call "for rotation of personnel and replenishment" while in its waters, the ministry said in a statement. Such vessels are not officially military ships but India and other countries worry about the military use of their oceanographic research. Its presence is likely to raise concern in New Delhi, which has previously viewed such vessels close to its shores as problematic. "The Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes," the foreign ministry said. Permission to allow the ship to dock could further vex the ties between traditional friends New Delhi and Male, which have soured since President Mohamed Muizzu took office in November promoting an 'India Out' campaign. Both New Delhi and Beijing vie for influence on the tiny Indian Ocean nation but the new government in Male is pivoting towards China and has asked India to withdraw its nearly 80 troops stationed there. New Delhi has in the past flagged similar visits by other Chinese research vessels with its neighbour Sri Lanka, which has denied permission for such vessels to dock at its ports since 2022. Chinese state media has said research by such vessels should not be called threatening. (Reporting by Uditha Jayasinghe; Editing by Angus MacSwan) BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China welcomes the positive progress on the restoration of relations between Iran and Pakistan, and supports the two sides in continuing to enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation through friendly consultation, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. In response to a related query, spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily news briefing that China is willing to further strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Iran and Pakistan to jointly safeguard regional peace, stability and development. Iran and Pakistan have mutually agreed that the ambassadors of both countries may return to their respective posts by Jan. 26. The decision was made following a telephone conversation between the foreign ministers of both countries. FILE PHOTO: Mifepristone, the first medication in a medical abortion, is prepared for a patient at Alamo Women's Clinic in Carbondale, Illinois, U.S., April 20, 2023. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo By Andrew Chung (Reuters) -A 2023 judicial decision that would curb access to the abortion pill threatens to disrupt the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and harm the American healthcare system, President Joe Biden's administration told the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, urging the justices to reverse the ruling. The Justice Department filed a written brief outlining its main arguments to preserve broad access to the pill, called mifepristone, in its appeal of an August decision by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that barred telemedicine prescriptions and shipments by mail of the drug. The justices decided in December to hear the mifepristone case but have not yet announced the date for oral arguments. The pill's manufacturer, Danco Laboratories, also filed a written brief on Tuesday in its appeal of the 5th Circuit ruling, similarly raising concerns about undermining FDA authority. The Justice Department said in its filing that the 5th Circuit's decision represented the first time any court has second-guessed the FDA's expertise on safety to restrict access to an approved drug. The 5th Circuit's ruling "threatens profound harms to the government, the healthcare system, patients and the public" and would "upend the regulatory regime for mifepristone," with disruptive consequences for the FDA, the pill's manufacturers and women who need access to the drug, the administration added. Mifepristone is taken with another drug called misoprostol to perform medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of all U.S. abortions. The legal challenge to the pill was brought in Texas by anti-abortion groups and doctors. The 5th Circuit's decision is currently on hold pending the outcome of the Supreme Court appeal. The Supreme Court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, ended its recognition of a constitutional right to abortion in 2022 in a ruling overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent. The mifepristone case could jeopardize the authority of the FDA, the federal agency that signs off on the safety of food products, drugs and medical devices. Danco's brief said the 5th Circuit's decision "threatens to destabilize the pharmaceutical industry, which relies both on FDA's ability to make predictive judgments and on courts not second-guessing those scientific judgments." The FDA, which gave regulatory approval to mifepristone in 2000, has called the drug safe and effective as demonstrated over its decades of use by millions of American women, with adverse effects on them exceedingly rare. The Supreme Court's eventual ruling in the case is expected by the end of June - in the middle of a presidential race in which Biden, a Democrat, is campaigning for re-election. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have taken aim at Republicans and former U.S. President Donald Trump for curbs on abortion rights, a galvanizing issue for Democrats that they hope will boost enthusiasm among their base, attract independent voters and increase turnout in November's U.S. election. Women in America face a new "cruel reality" because of laws restricting abortion, Biden said on Monday, the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abortion nationwide until it was overturned by the Supreme Court. Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Biden, appointed three members of the court, all of whom voted to overturn Roe. Besides medication abortion, mifepristone has other uses including management of miscarriages. Anti-abortion groups led by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine and four anti-abortion doctors sued the FDA in 2022. The challengers, represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative religious rights group, contend that the FDA has harmed women's health by illegally removing safeguards on what they call a dangerous drug. The 5th Circuit's decision rolled back FDA actions that had made the drug easier to access in recent years, including a 2021 action during the Biden administration allowing the pill to be prescribed remotely and sent by mail, instead of requiring an in-person doctor visit, and a 2016 action under Democratic former President Barack Obama to allow mifepristone to be used to 10 weeks of pregnancy, up from seven. Since the 2022 Supreme Court decision, at least 14 U.S. states have put in place outright abortion bans while many others prohibit abortion after a certain duration of pregnancy. (Reporting by Andrew Chung in New York; Editing by Will Dunham) FILE PHOTO: Former drug company executive Martin Shkreli arrives at U.S. District Court for the third day of jury deliberations in his securities fraud trial in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., August 2, 2017. REUTERS/Amr Alfiky/File Photo By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) -Martin Shkreli, known for once hiking the price of a life-saving drug more than 4,000%, cannot return to the pharmaceutical industry after a federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld his lifetime ban. A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan said a lower court judge acted properly in imposing the ban and ordering Shkreli to repay $64.6 million because of his antitrust violations. The case had been brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by New York, California, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Shkreli, 40, became notorious and gained the sobriquet "Pharma Bro" when, as chief executive of Turing Pharmaceuticals in 2015, he raised the price of the newly-acquired antiparasitic drug Daraprim overnight to $750 per tablet from $17.50. He later served more than four years in prison following his 2017 conviction for defrauding investors in two hedge funds and scheming to defraud investors in another drugmaker. In imposing Shkreli's ban in January 2022, U.S. District Judge Denise Cote cited his "particularly heartless and coercive" tactics in monopolizing Daraprim and keeping generic rivals off the market. Daraprim is used to treat toxoplasmosis, including in AIDS patients. The appeals court rejected Shkreli's arguments that Cote's injunction was overbroad, and unconstitutionally chilled his free speech by preventing him even from using social media to discuss the pharmaceutical industry. "Given Shkreli's pattern of past misconduct, the obvious likelihood of its recurrence, and the life-threatening nature of its results, we are persuaded that the district court's determination as to the proper scope of the injunction was well within its discretion," the court said. Shkreli's lawyer Kimo Peluso said the sanctions "go well beyond established legal limits," and a further appeal was possible. He also said the appeals court suggested during oral argument that Shkreli might ask Cote to modify or clarify her injunction. Henry Liu, director of the FTC bureau of competition, said the decision is "a win for consumers seeking affordable, lifesaving medication," and shows how corporate executives can be personally liable for anticompetitive conduct. Since his May 2022 release from prison, Shkreli has worked as a software developer and as a consultant for a law office. The case is Federal Trade Commission et al v. Shkreli, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-728. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Daniel Wallis) Microsoft Edge app is seen on the smartphone placed on the keyboard in this illustration taken, July 26, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration (Reuters) - Microsoft's search engine Bing, brower Edge and advertising services are likely to be out of the purview of Europe's Digital Markets Act (DMA), Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. European watchdogs concluded that the products are not dominant enough to be regulated as part of a five-month-long investigation into the market that is set to end in February, the report said. This comes as a respite days after EU antitrust regulators said that Microsoft's financial backing for ChatGPT-maker OpenAI may be subject to European Union merger rules. The company, however, is expected to announce steps to comply with the DMA regulation that hits products such as the Windows operating system and professional network platform, LinkedIn. Under the act, which all big tech firms must comply with by March 7, companies are obligated to treat their own services and products like they do rivals. (Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur) FILE PHOTO: A female migrant is led by a Spanish female soldier as she is deported to Morocco after she crossed the border swimming from Morocco to Spain, at El Tarajal beach, after thousands of migrants swam across this border during last days, in Ceuta, RABAT (Reuters) - Morocco stopped 75,184 people from illegally migrating to Europe in 2023, up 6% compared to a year earlier, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. The figures reflected "the resilience of border and coast surveillance apparatus," the ministry said in response to Reuters emailed questions. Morocco and Spain have strengthened their cooperation in addressing illegal migration, since they patched up a separate diplomatic feud in 2022. The North African country has for long been a major launch pad for African migrants aiming to reach Europe through the Mediterranean, the Atlantic or by jumping the fence surrounding the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Last year, there were six group attempts to cross into Ceuta and Melilla, involving more than 1,400 migrants, down 62% compared to 2022, the ministry said. In 2022, Morocco said 23 migrants died during an attempted mass crossing into Melilla, in an incident that outraged rights groups. Tighter surveillance of Morocco's northern borders is prompting an increasing number of migrants to try the riskier and longer Atlantic route to the Canary Islands, said Ousman Ba, a Senegalese national who runs a migrant community charity in Nador, near Melilla. The Moroccan navy rescued 16,818 people at sea in 2023, up 35% compared to a year earlier, the interior ministry said.Morocco has also busted 419 migrant trafficking networks, up 44% from a year earlier, it said. (Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi; Editing by Tomasz Janowski) By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI (Reuters) -At least eight people were injured after a Myanmar military aircraft that was supposed to fly back dozens of soldiers fleeing conflict at home overshot the runway of an airport in northeastern India on Tuesday, officials said. The injured were among 14 people on board the aircraft that was heading to Mizoram state's Lengpui Airport to take home the soldiers who had entered India last week, Indian police and military officials said. Footage from local media showed the plane's cracked fuselage resting in a bushy area near the airport. Nearly 700 Myanmar soldiers have crossed into northeast India in the past two months after anti-junta groups in Myanmar, backed by a pro-democracy parallel government, seized control of several military posts and towns near its borders. Indian authorities have been sending back the troops within days of them crossing over. An Indian military source said 276 Myanmar troops entered India last week after intense fighting close to the border, out of which 184 returned home on Monday. Since a coup in Myanmar in 2021, hundreds of civilians and troops have fled to Indian states where communities between the two countries share ethnic and familial ties. This has worried New Delhi because of risks of tensions spreading to India. Visiting India's northeastern region on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said the government would fence the entire 1,600 (1,000 mile)-long border with Myanmar. India is also considering ending the free movement of people between the two countries, he said. (Writing by Bansari Mayur Kamdar; editing by Miral Fahmy) Scott Stuber attends a premiere for the film "Luther: The Fallen Sun", in London, Britain, March 1, 2023. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo By Dawn Chmielewski (Reuters) -Netflix said on Monday that Scott Stuber, head of films, will leave the streaming service pioneer in March to start his own media company. No replacement was identified. Stuber, who joined the company in 2017 to expand its slate of original films, was named the chairman of Netflix Film in January 2023. The former Universal Studios executive used his ties to the creative community to forge relationships with such top filmmakers as Alfonso Cuaron, Spike Lee, Greta Gerwig, Rian Johnson, Jane Campion and Martin Scorsese. Under his leadership, Netflix become the studio most nominated for Academy Awards for three consecutive years, from 2020 through 2022, and garnered eight best picture nominations, including "The Irishman," "Roma" and "The Power of the Dog." Stuber guided Netflix to place big bets on its talent, committing $450 million to secure two "Knives Out" sequels from Johnson and a reported $200 million on the action film "The Gray Man," from the Russo Bros. Stuber's new venture will also produce projects for Netflix, according to a Bloomberg News report. "I hope to find new ways to continue to work together," said Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria. Netflix is scheduled to report fourth-quarter results after the bell on Tuesday. (Reporting by Yuvraj Malik in Bengaluru and Dawn Chmielewski in Los Angeles; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila and Cynthia Osterman) AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch crime watchdog on Tuesday said it had arrested three people suspected of circumventing sanctions on Russia by being part of an international smuggling network. It said two men, aged 56 and 57, from Diemen and The Hague respectively, and a 54-year-old woman from The Hague were arrested on suspicion of illegally exporting technological and laboratory equipment which could be used for military purposes. Such exports are illegal under European Union sanctions imposed after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine The authorities said they uncovered an international network centred around a Dutch-registered trading company. The company bought equipment in Europe and transported it to Russia via other countries in eastern Europe, investigators said. The operation was supported by European prosecuting authority Eurojust with suspects questioned in Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Canada, the authorities said. (Reporting by Piotr Lipinski and Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by GV De Clercq and Christina Fincher) AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters and robot hand are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration By Josh Smith and Hyunsu Yim SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea is developing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning for everything from how to respond to COVID-19 and safeguard nuclear reactors to wargaming simulations and government surveillance, according to a new study. International sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons program may have hindered North Korea's attempts to secure AI hardware, but it appears to be pursuing the latest technology, wrote study author Hyuk Kim of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) in California. "North Koreas recent endeavours in AI/ML development signify a strategic investment to bolster its digital economy," Kim wrote in the report, which cited open-source information including state media and journals and was published on Tuesday by the 38 North project. Some of North Korea's AI researchers have collaborated with foreign scholars, including in China, the report found. Seoul's spy agency said on Wednesday it has detected signs that North Korean hackers had used generative AI to search for targets and seek technologies needed for hacking, though it appears they have yet to use it in actual cyberattacks. The National Intelligence Service said it was closely monitoring the situation. North Korea established the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute in 2013 and in recent years several companies have promoted commercial products featuring AI, the report said. Communications technology is heavily restricted and monitored in the authoritarian North. During the COVID-19 pandemic North Korea used AI to create a model for evaluating proper mask usage and prioritising clinical symptom indicators of infection, Kim said in the report. North Korean scientists have also published research into using AI for maintaining the safety of nuclear reactors, the report added. The U.N. nuclear watchdog and independent experts said last month that a new reactor at North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear complex appears to be operating for the first time, which would mean another potential source of plutonium for nuclear weapons. The AI development presents many challenges, Kim wrote. "For instance, North Koreas pursuit of a wargaming simulation program using (machine learning) reveals intentions to better comprehend operational environments against potential adversaries," he wrote. "Furthermore, North Koreas ongoing collaborations with foreign scholars pose concerns for the sanctions regime." (Reporting by Josh Smith; editing by Miral Fahmy) FILE PHOTO: Director Christopher Nolan, cast members Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt pose during a photocall before the premiere of the film "Oppenheimer" at the Grand Rex in Paris, France, July 11, 2023. REUTERS/Sarah Meysso By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) - "Oppenheimer," the epic film about the World War Two race to build the first atomic bomb, landed a leading 13 Oscar nominations on Tuesday and cemented its role as frontrunner for the prestigious best picture trophy. The three-hour drama directed by Christopher Nolan outpaced gothic comedy "Poor Things," another best picture contender that scored 11 nominations for the film industry's highest honors. Both movies will compete with feminist doll adventure "Barbie," Leonard Bernstein biopic "Maestro," and Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon," about the 1920s murders of members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, among others. Nolan, a best director nominee, said it was "a real thrill" to see "Oppenheimer" pile up so many nominations. "I think it's a great year for movies, and it's a real honor to be included," he said in an interview. One of Hollywood's most acclaimed filmmakers, Nolan has never had a film win best picture at the Academy Awards. "Oppenheimer" is considered the favorite for the top prize this year, based on early awards season wins and polling of experts by the Gold Derby website. The movie was distributed by Comcast Corp's Universal Pictures. The remaining best picture nominees were "American Fiction," "The Holdovers," "Past Lives," "The Zone of Interest" and French film "Anatomy of a Fall." "Barbie," last year's highest-grossing movie, received eight nominations, including supporting actress for America Ferrera - who gave a memorable monologue about the challenges of womanhood - and supporting actor for Ryan Gosling. Voters passed over lead actress Margot Robbie and director Greta Gerwig. "Oppenheimer" secured a lead actor nomination for Cillian Murphy, who played scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, and for supporting cast Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr. With "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in the mix, the Oscars telecast on March 10 will showcase two big-screen blockbusters. The films collected nearly $2.4 billion combined in a summer box office battle dubbed "Barbenheimer." FIRST-TIME NOMINEES Ten of the 20 acting contenders were first-time nominees. Among them were Native American "Killers of the Flower Moon" star Lily Gladstone, and Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown for "American Fiction," the story of a Black writer fed up with book publishers pushing stereotypes. Wright said he did not watch the nominations live. "I did not want to have to break a screen," he joked. "So, I just let it all happen." Colman Domingo, nominated for playing gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin in "Rustin," did tune in. "I listened, watched my husband listen to my name being called, and then I watched him lay down on the floor and start crying," Domingo said. "And then, of course, I picked him up and we both had a little cry together." In a surprise, voters snubbed "Flower Moon" actor and past Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio. Fellow Oscar winner Robert De Niro received a supporting actor nomination for the movie. Emma Stone nabbed a best actress nod for her role in "Poor Things" as Bella, a woman who goes on a journey of self-discovery after being raised from the dead. "I am forever thankful for the opportunity to play Bella and see the world through her eyes," said Stone, another previous Oscar winner, who was also nominated for best picture as a "Poor Things" producer. Winners of the gold Oscar statuettes will be chosen by the roughly 11,000 actors, producers, directors and film craftspeople who make up the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The organization added more women and people of color to its ranks after the #OscarsSoWhite uproars of 2015 and 2016, and it increased membership from outside the United States. This year, votes came in from a record 93 countries. Late-night talk show's Jimmy Kimmel will for the fourth time host the Oscars ceremony, which will be broadcast live on Walt Disney's ABC. For best original song, Gosling's lament "I'm Just Ken" will compete with Billie Eilish's "What Was I Made For?," also from "Barbie." (Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Alicia C. Powell in New York; Editing by Mary Milliken and Jonathan Oatis) JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Hamas on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a rocket attack that killed 21 Israeli soldiers in the Gaza Strip. Israel earlier blamed unidentified Palestinian militants for the rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack on Monday, which was the deadliest day to date for the Israeli military in its campaign in Gaza. "Watch the execution by Al-Qassam Brigades fighters of a compound operation against the enemy soldiers and vehicles east of the Al-Maghazi refugee camp," Hamas said in a message released to media, accompanying a video of the attack. Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv that the militants' rockets hit a building where Israeli forces had laid explosives. The strike caused that building and one next to it to collapse, he said. Most of the soldiers died there while two who were securing the area in a tank were killed by a second rocket, Hagari said, citing an initial inquiry. The military was still studying the incident, Hagari said. Over the past 24 hours, Israeli forces killed more than 100 militants in western Khan Younis in southern Gaza, he added. (Reporting by Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Nidal al Mughrabi in Doha; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Rosalba O'Brien) VIENTIANE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Tourism Forum 2024 (ATF) takes place in Lao capital Vientiane from Jan. 22 to 27. Themed "Quality and Responsible Tourism -- Sustaining ASEAN Future," the forum aims to strengthen collaboration in further improving ASEAN tourism products to attract more international tourists. It also hopes to contribute more to community and to sustainability of tourism within the region, Lao News Agency (KPL) reported on Tuesday. At the same time, Laos has officially launched its tourism promotion campaign "Visit Laos Year 2024," expecting to attract international visitors to the country. The Lao government expects to attract at least 2.7 million foreign tourists in 2024, generating about 401 million U.S. dollars in revenue. Foreign tourist arrivals are forecast to reach 2.9 million and generate an income of 434 million dollars in 2025. To fulfil the expectations, the Lao government is putting every efforts including infrastructure enhancement, tourism products diversification and service quality elevation. In 2024, Laos will host a series of significant events, including the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, and other ASEAN-related meetings. The country anticipates these events will further elevate its status as a prime tourist destination, drawing in more visitors and fostering international collaborations, said the report. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspects the Royal Malay Regiment guard of honour during a state welcome ceremony at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia July 26, 2023. Fazry Ismail/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he does not endorse Taiwan independence and reiterated his country was committed to its One-China policy, a response to China's outrage over recent remarks in congratulating Taiwan's election winner. Marcos said in an interview with GMA News TV aired on Tuesday that his congratulatory comment to Lai Ching-te earlier this month, where he referred to him as president, was a "common courtesy". "The One-China policy remains in place. We have adhered to the One-China policy strictly and conscientiously since we adopted (it)," Marcos said. "We are not endorsing Taiwanese independence. Taiwan is a province of China." The congratulatory message, however, drew a sharp rebuke from China, with its foreign ministry spokesperson telling Marcos last week to "read more books to properly understand the ins and outs of the Taiwan issue". That prompted a fierce response from the Philippines defence minister, who criticised the Chinese official for "low and gutter-level talk". Marcos in the interview added he was for peace and "does not want conflict" in the region. The Philippines and China have been at loggerheads this past year, coinciding with Marcos making overtures to defence ally the United States, including widening base access to the U.S. military. China has seen that as a provocation and part of a challenge by Washington to its Taiwan policy. The Philippines and Taiwan have unofficial ties as both maintain an "economic and cultural office" in Taipei and Manila serving as a de facto embassy. (Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty) Polish President Andrzej Duda gives a statement to media about the pardon of the jailed former ministers, former Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik, in Warsaw, Poland, January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki WARSAW (Reuters) - Polish President Andrzej Duda on Tuesday pardoned two members of the former government, who were then released from prison at his urging, in line with demands from the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party that lost power last month. Former interior minister Mariusz Kaminski and his deputy Maciej Wasik were released after 9 p.m. local time. They were jailed this month after being sentenced for abuse of power in their previous roles. Both men went on hunger strike, claiming to be "political prisoners", and their jailing triggered large protests by tens of thousands of PiS supporters. Duda, a PiS ally, had pardoned both politicians after they were first sentenced in 2015 but Poland's Supreme Court deemed his move invalid, saying a presidential pardon could not be granted before a final ruling in the case was issued. The two men then served in the nationalist PiS government but the Supreme Court said last year the case should be reopened. They were sentenced to two years in prison in December, when a new centrist coalition took power in Poland. Within days of their imprisonment, Duda announced that he had started the process of pardoning them for a second time. "For me, they have always been pardoned, but taking into account the social unrest, I decided to initiate the (new) pardon proceedings," Duda said in a statement. "I appeal to the justice minister for the immediate release of both gentlemen from prison." Earlier on Tuesday, Justice Minister Adam Bodnar, who is also the prosecutor general, said the two men should not be pardoned but his opinion is not binding the president. New Prime Minister Donald Tusk has vowed to undo some PiS policies and to punish officials accused of wrongdoing during their time in office. Tusk says he wants to bring Poland back into line with European Union democratic standards after eight years of PiS rule that featured regular clashes with Brussels over judicial, media and other reforms. (Reporting by Marek Strzelecki, Pawel Florkiewicz and Anna Koper; Editing by Gareth Jones and Richard Chang) A smartphone with a displayed Qualcomm logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo (Reuters) - Chip designer Qualcomm said on Tuesday that finance chief Akash Palkhiwala's role will be expanded to include responsibilities of the Chief Operating Officer position. Company veteran Palkhiwala's appointment will be effective immediately and will now also oversee the global go-to-market organization and operations, as well as information technology. Palkhiwala joined Qualcomm in 2001 and has held various positions in the San Diego, California-based company. Chips designed by Qualcomm are widely used in smartphones and virtual reality headsets, among other devices made by companies such as Samsung Electronics and Alphabet's Google. (Reporting by Priyanka.G in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid) By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) - At least 569 Rohingya were reported to have died or gone missing while trying to flee Myanmar or Bangladesh in 2023, the highest toll since 2014, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday, calling for urgent action to protect the ethnic minority group. The deaths or disappearances occurred during attempted crossings of the Andaman Sea or Bay of Bengal by nearly 4,500 Rohingya, the UNHCR said in a statement. "The number reported missing or dead is the highest since 2014, when the total reached 730," it said. Survivors have shared horrifying accounts of abuse and exploitation during the journey, including gender-based violence, the UNHCR statement said. "The majority of those attempting these journeys were children and women some 66 % of those embarking on these deadly journeys. The refugees have been departing from Bangladesh and, to a lesser extent, Myanmar." Over one million Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar live in bamboo-and-plastic camps in the Bangladeshi border district of Cox's Bazar, most after fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar in 2017. Myanmar has been under military rule since a 2021 coup and the junta have shown little inclination to take back any Rohingya, who have long been regarded as foreign interlopers in Myanmar, denied citizenship and subjected to abuse. But with prospects in the camps bleak and little hope of returning to Myanmar or being resettled, many are driven to take to boats in pursuit of new lives further afield. In a single incident in November 2023, the UNHCR statement said, some 200 Rohingya lost their lives when their boat was reported to have sunk in the Andaman Sea. The UNHCR called on regional coastal authorities to take urgent action to prevent future tragedies. It said more and more desperate people were dying under the watch of numerous coastal states in the absence of timely rescue and disembarkations at the nearest place of safety. "Saving lives and rescuing those in distress at sea is a humanitarian imperative and a longstanding duty under international maritime law," the UNHCR said. (Reporting by Ruma Paul; editing by Mark Heinrich) A bomb squad member works next to a part of a missile after a Russian missile attack, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 23, 2024. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia launched missile strikes on Ukraine's military production facilities and successfully hit all intended targets, the Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. The strikes were carried out with air- and land-based missiles against enterprises producing missiles, explosives and ammunition, the Defence Ministry said in a statement that Reuters could not independently verify. Ukrainian officials said earlier that Russia unleashed a mass air strike on Ukraine on Tuesday, killing at least four people and wounding more than 60 others. They said the early-morning missile attack mostly targeted the country's two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Mark Trevelyan) Romeo Nance, sought by the Joliet Police Department as a suspect in the shooting deaths of seven people in two homes, poses in an undated photograph released by investigators in Joliet, Illinois, U.S. Joliet Police Department/Handout via REUTERS By Steve Gorman and Daniel Trotta (Reuters) -A man suspected of shooting eight people to death and wounding another in suburban Chicago has turned up dead hundreds of miles away in Texas, where he apparently took his own life after an encounter with law enforcement there, police said on Monday. The death of 23-year-old Romeo Nance near the town of Natalia, Texas, about 35 miles (56 km) southwest of San Antonio, ended a manhunt that began with the slaying of one man and the wounding of another in two Chicago-area shootings on Sunday, police said. The search for a suspect in Sunday's gun violence led police to the discovery of two more crime scenes on Monday in the city of Joliet, Illinois, where seven members of one family were found shot to death in two houses across the street from each other. There was no immediate word on a possible motive for the shootings, but police in Joliet, a town about 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Chicago, said investigators believed Nance knew the seven people slain at the two dwellings there. "I've been a policeman 29 years. This is probably the worst crime scene I've ever been associated with," Joliet Police Chief William Evans said about two hours before the search for the suspect had ended. The Joliet Police Department said it learned Monday night that U.S. marshals had located Nance about 1,200 miles (1,930 km) away in south-central Texas near Natalia, "at which time it is believed that Nance took his own life with a handgun following a confrontation with Texas law enforcement officials." No further details were provided, and the circumstances and sequence of events surrounding the killings in Illinois likewise remained sketchy on Monday night. Authorities said the first person killed in the spate of gun violence was a man found shot dead on Sunday afternoon in Joliet Township, identified as a 28-year-old immigrant from Nigeria who has been living in the U.S. for about three years. An investigation of that shooting led deputies to an overnight stakeout in search of Nance, the registered owner of the suspected getaway vehicle, at his last known address in the nearby city of Joliet. Officers eventually made entry into Nance's residence and a second home across the street after finding blood outside one of the two dwellings. They found five people dead of gunshot wounds inside one home and two inside the other, police said, bringing the total death toll at the three homicide scenes to eight. A ninth person, a 42-year-old man, was left wounded from yet another "random" shooting on Sunday in Joliet that authorities said was linked to Nance's vehicle but who was not otherwise connected to the other victims. (Writing and reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California, and Maria Ponnezhath in Bangalore; Editing by Sandra Maler, Miral Fahmy and Michael Perry) FILE PHOTO: Pedestrians wait to cross a road at a junction near a giant display of stock indexes in Shanghai, China August 3, 2022. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo By Li Gu and Vidya Ranganathan SHANGHAI/SINGAPORE (Reuters) -China's plunging stock market is leading to losses on billions of dollars worth of derivatives linked to the country's equity indexes, forcing a vicious cycle of selling in stocks and futures contracts as market participants manage their risks. Stock markets in Hong Kong and in mainland China [.SS] plunged on Monday, extending a long spell of weakness driven by an exit of foreign investors alarmed by China's wobbly economy and a lack of stimulus measures. Share prices stabilised somewhat on Tuesday after authorities announced plans to support the market, but analysts were hesitant to cheer. The small-cap CSI1000 index has traded below the 5,000 level this week, after a 6% plunge on Monday to its lowest level in nearly four years. Market participants said the drop triggered "knock-in" levels on "snowball" products, also known as "auto-callables" in some markets, leading to forced selling of stock futures contracts which further pressured the market. "There is a wave of retail structured products termed snowballs that are reaching their knock-in levels, i.e. where they stop out," said Jon Withaar, who manages an Asia special situations hedge fund at Pictet Asset Management. The spike in futures trading volumes showed these products had been hedged via stock futures, he said. "Snowballs" are derivatives in which investors receive a bond-like coupon if the underlying assets, such as the CSI500 and CSI1000 indexes, do not hit a pre-determined "knock-in" level. They were popular among investors until recently, when such knock-ins started happening more often as indexes fell. Analysts at UBS estimate the outstanding notional amount in such products is around $50 billion and that roughly 40% of knock-ins have likely been hit. Brokerage China International Capital Corp (CICC) estimated the average knock-in levels for many snowball products tied to the CSI500 and CSI1000 are at 4,865 and 4,997, close to where the indexes are. Analysts at Bank of America said the snowball effect was one of the reasons for the stock market drop, and a drag on the already weak stock market. The bank estimates a further 6% to 7% decline in the CSI500 or CSI1000 indexes will trigger another round of knock-ins. One retail investor Mr Shi, who asked to be identified only by his last name, said he invested one million yuan ($139,466) in snowballs tied to CSI1000 index and discovered his products had hit the knock-in level on Monday. When he bought the two-year products in early 2023, he was expecting to earn a return of at least 8%. But now, unless the index rises above the 7,000-level within a year -- implying a 40% rise from current levels -- he will earn no coupon and also lose some of his principal. Meanwhile, as knock-in levels are being hit, brokers are selling stock index futures to hedge their exposures. Futures contracts on CSI1000 due in Sept 2024 fell by the daily maximum limit of 10% on Monday to levels 8% below where the index was trading. Futures contracts tied to CSI1000 due in February saw turnover spike to 93 billion yuan on Monday. That compares to an average of daily turnover of 13 billion yuan in the past month. Zhou Zhiyang, a fund manager at Jiahe Private Fund Management, said the divergence between futures prices and spot prices was drawing in arbitrageurs, seeking to profit by selling spot markets and buying futures contracts. Snowball products are similar to the index-linked products sold in the 2008 financial crisis, with investors betting that U.S. equities would not fall more than 25% or 30%, David Huang, senior investment strategist at AllianceBernstein, said at a press briefing last Friday. "And it turned out, what you think wouldn't happen, ended up happening. This also shows that A-shares may indeed be on their last round of falls," Huang said, suggesting that the related selling could signal share prices may be nearing a bottom. ($1 = 7.1702 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Li Gu in Shanghai and Vidya Ranganathan in Singapore; Additional reporting by Summer Zhen in Hong Kong and Ankur Banerjee in Singapore; Editing by Kim Coghill) MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's high court on Tuesday ordered that a 17-year-old student suspected of having links to the militant Islamic State group and of planning to attack his high school be held on remand at a youth detention centre for at least six months. The student, a Syrian national, was arrested early on Monday in the southern town of Montellano near Seville, and has been charged with belonging to a terrorist organisation and possessing explosives. Jose Luis de Castro, the judge in charge of the court's section for minors, said in his order that "these felonies of enormous gravity" justified the pre-trial detention. There is "solid evidence" that the suspect obtained various substances used for homemade explosives, as well as manuals for their manufacture, the judge said, adding that the suspect had also pledged loyalty to Islamic State on social media. The suspect had been living with his mother and 10-year-old sister in Montellano, a town of 7,000 people, for two years. All three have refugee status, according to Montellano's mayor, Curro Gil. The judge said the youth was "highly radicalised, obsessed with all things military, has camouflage clothing and is tremendously homophobic and antisemitic". A police spokesperson declined to comment on the case, citing the fact that the suspect was underage. Newspaper El Mundo on Tuesday cited police sources saying they were certain an attack on the suspect's high school was imminent, which prompted his arrest. While already under police surveillance on Sunday, the suspect went to an empty field where detonations were heard, the judge said, suggesting he was testing explosives. According to state news agency EFE, several parents decided to keep their children from the school on Monday after the suspect sent a message to some of his classmates via WhatsApp reading: "Tomorrow's the big day." (Reporting by David Latona; Editing by Charlie Devereux and Gareth Jones) STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Five people on Tuesday illegally entered the premises of Iran's embassy on the outskirts of Stockholm during a protest, Swedish police said in a statement. The people were later removed from the area. It was not immediately clear whether any of the five had entered the embassy building itself, a police spokesperson told news agency TT. Stockholm and Teheran are involved in a growing diplomatic row over several Swedish citizens held in custody in Iran. Iran has meanwhile accused a Swedish court of unjustly sentencing a former Iranian official to life in prison over a mass execution of political prisoners in the 1980s. (Reporting by Anna Ringstrom and Terje Solsvik; editing by Alexandra Hudson) Lai Ching-te, Taiwan's vice president and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) presidential candidate interacts with supporters during an election campaign event in Taipei, Taiwan December 7, 2023. REUTERS/Ann Wang/ File photo By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives Taiwan Caucus, Republican Representative Mario Diaz Balart and Democratic Representative Ami Bera, have arrived in Taipei, their offices said on Tuesday, in a show of support after the island's election. The two members of Congress plan to engage with senior officials and business leaders during their visit. "The aim of the trip is to reaffirm U.S. support for Taiwan following their successful democratic elections, express solidarity in their shared commitment to democratic values, and explore opportunities to further strengthen the robust economic and defense relationship between the United States and Taiwan," their offices said in a statement. Lai Ching-te from Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the Jan. 13 presidential election and will take office on May 20. China, which has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control, has criticized several countries for congratulating Lai on his election victory, saying they should not interfere in China's affairs. China views visits by U.S. officials to Taiwan as sending an encouraging signal to the pro-independence camp on the island. Taiwan's government says Beijing has no right to speak for the island's people or represent them on the world stage. The United States is Taiwan's most important international backer, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, and a major arms supplier to Taipei. Lai says he does not seek to change the status quo across the Taiwan Strait, sticking by long-standing policy of neither seeking independence nor union with China and that only Taiwan's people can decide their future. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sandra Maler) BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon has benefited tremendously from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and should continue to promote cooperation with China in various fields, a Lebanese expert has said. "Many promising opportunities can be worked on jointly between China and Lebanon. China can help Lebanon in many fields and sectors that could benefit both sides," said Waref Kumayha, president of the Silk Road Institute for Studies and Research, during a seminar held on Monday by the League of Academics in the North. The seminar, held in Tripoli, Lebanon's northern city, discussed the importance of the BRI and how Lebanon and other countries have benefited from the initiative. Kumayha, also president of the Lebanese-Chinese Dialogue Road Association, said China has actively participated since 2006 in peacekeeping operations in southern Lebanon, sending batches of peacekeeping forces and completing many tasks such as mine clearance, construction, maintenance, and medical assistance. On the trade front, the Chinese embassy in Lebanon has helped the Lebanese business communities to actively participate in trade exchange platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE), the China Import and Export Fair, and the China-Arab States Expo, to expand their exports. In addition, the Chinese government has funded the construction of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music with a donation of 62 million U.S. dollars, the expert noted. Recently, Chinese Ambassador to Lebanon, Qian Minjian, announced that China will donate solar panels to Lebanon's telecommunications centers, which is expected to cover around 358 centers of state-owned telecom operator, Ogero, Kumayha said. Internationally, Kumayha said the major international economic corridors built by China have benefited several countries by contributing to their economic growth, creating new jobs, and training local talents. LONDON (Reuters) -Britain said in a joint statement on Tuesday that 24 countries, including the United States, Germany and Australia, conducted additional strikes on Monday against eight targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. "In response to continued illegal and reckless Houthi attacks against vessels transiting the Red Sea and surrounding waterways, the armed forces of the United States and United Kingdom, with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, conducted additional strikes against eight targets in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen," a joint statement issued by the British prime minister's office said. "These strikes were designed to disrupt and degrade the capability of the Houthis to continue their attacks on global trade and innocent mariners from around the world, while avoiding escalation." Ambassadors to Yemen from the five countries that are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council - Russia, China, France, United Kingdom and the U.S. will meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Yemen, Russia's TASS state news agency reported. "Despite the complexity of the situation in the world, we continue to exchange views within the framework of regular meetings of the 'five' ambassadors to Yemen ... the next such meeting will take place on January 24," Russia's Charge d'Affaires in Yemen Evgeny Kudrov told TASS in an interview. (Reporting by Farouq Suleiman; Aditional reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne;Editing by Leslie Adler and Stephen Coates) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends a press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria Yusuf Tuggar at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Nigeria, January 23, 2024. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via REUTERS ABUJA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday said the United States is determined to remain a strong security partner for Nigeria, whose military is backed by the U.S., Britain and other allies in a long war against Islamist insurgents. Blinken also discussed challenges to democracy and security in the region during his meeting on Tuesday with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in a visit that comes after last year's coup in neighboring Niger, one of a series of coups or attempted power grabs over the past few years in West and Central Africa. "The United States is determined to be and remain a strong security partner for Nigeria," Blinken told reporters. Blinken added that he discussed how it is vitally important there be a focus on ensuring civilians are protected and humanitarian considerations. Observers have noted a pattern of deadly aerial assaults by the Nigerian military that have killed civilians, which was the subject of a Reuters special report last year. The U.S. faced a setback in its fight against militants in the Sahel when military officers toppled Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum, a key ally, in July last year. The coup in Niger was one of a series of military takeovers or attempted power grabs that occurred in West and Central Africa over the past three years. The instability has raised concern, particularly as juntas have cut ties with traditional Western allies such as the European Union and France, which withdrew thousands of troops from the Sahel last year. Blinken, speaking in Abuja as part of a four-nation tour of Africa taking him to Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Angola from Jan. 21-26, also said repatriation of capital and corruption were among challenges that need to be tackled for companies to invest in Nigeria. Africa's biggest economy has about $7 billion in forex forwards that have matured, a major concern for investors as foreign currency shortages continue to weigh down the naira currency, despite assurances by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to clear the backlog. So far, about $2 billion of the backlog across sectors such as manufacturing, aviation, and petroleum have been paid, CBN spokesperson Hakama Sidi Ali said in a statement. (Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha and Felix Onuah in Abuja and Daphne Psaledakis, Humeyra Pamuk, Simon Lewis and Ismail Shakil in Washington; Editing by Mark Porter and Daniel Wallis) Emily and Carlos Penalosa wait on the riverbank with their children after wading across the Rio Grande River and then passing through a gap in the concertina wire barrier onto U.S. soil into Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S., December 23, 2023. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/F By Ted Hesson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday issued a subpoena that orders President Joe Biden's health secretary to provide records related to the handling of unaccompanied migrant children with suspected criminal ties. House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan sent the subpoena to Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the committee said in a press release. Jordan asked Becerra to provide information about the care and custody of unaccompanied migrant children encountered at the U.S.-Mexico border who have suspected gang ties or are sponsored by U.S. residents who have criminal convictions. An HHS spokesperson said the department had been working on the request and that the subpoena was "entirely without basis." "Unfortunately, these actions by the committee fail to solve the important and urgent issue of ensuring a safe and humane immigration system," the spokesperson said. "HHS will continue to operate in good faith." Republicans blame the Biden administration for record numbers of migrants who are caught trying to cross the border illegally. They say the Democratic president should not have reversed restrictive policies of Republican former President Donald Trump. Biden officials counter that migration is a hemispheric challenge and say they have sought to create a more orderly and humane system. Biden is seeking a second term in the Nov. 5 presidential election and Trump is the leading candidate for his party's nomination. Congress remains divided on immigration policy despite an ongoing effort in the Senate to strike a deal that would pair U.S. border security reforms with military aid for Ukraine's war against Russia. The Republican-led Judiciary Committee has highlighted the case of an unaccompanied minor from El Salvador with suspected gang ties who was charged with the 2022 sexual assault and murder of a 20-year-old Maryland woman. Still, there is no evidence of widespread criminality among unaccompanied children. A 2020 study found that immigrants in the country illegally were significantly less likely to commit felony crimes than native-born Americans and legal immigrants. Other studies have reached similar conclusions. In the subpoena to Becerra, Jordan said the committee had requested information related to unaccompanied migrant children since June 2023 but that the response had been "woefully inadequate." The subpoena demands that HHS disclose whether it refers unaccompanied children with suspected gang ties to the U.S. Department of Justice and calls for the department to reveal the number of "serious incident reports" filed at HHS-funded shelters in cases involving sexual assault, violence, drug use or gang activity. The subpoena also requests the number of approved or denied U.S. sponsor applications by people with convictions for child abuse, child pornography, domestic abuse and murder. Of the more than 6 million migrant arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border during Biden's presidency, 7% were of unaccompanied children. (Reporting by Ted Hesson in Washington; Editing by Andy Sullivan, Lisa Shumaker and Matthew Lewis) By Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Timour Azhari WASHINGTON/BAGHDAD (Reuters) -The United States carried out strikes in Iraq against three facilities linked to Iran-backed militia on Tuesday, the Pentagon said, after a weekend attack on an Iraqi air base that wounded U.S. forces. U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria have been attacked about 150 times by Iran-aligned militants since the Israel-Gaza war started in October, creating pressure on President Joe Biden to respond militarily, despite political sensitivities in Baghdad. On Saturday, four U.S. personnel suffered traumatic brain injuries after Iraq's Ain al-Asad air base was hit by multiple ballistic missiles and rockets fired by Iranian-backed militants from inside Iraq. "U.S. military forces conducted necessary and proportionate strikes on three facilities used by the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group and other Iran-affiliated groups in Iraq," U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement. "These precision strikes are in direct response to a series of escalatory attacks against U.S. and Coalition personnel in Iraq and Syria by Iranian-sponsored militias," Austin added. U.S. Central Command, which carries out operations in the Middle East, said the strikes targeted Kataib Hezbollah "headquarters, storage, and training locations for rocket, missile" and drone capabilities. In Iraq, a medical source and a militant source said the U.S. strikes killed at least two militants and that four other people were wounded. Kataib Hezbollah military spokesperson Jaafar al-Husseini said in a post on X that the group would continue to target "enemy bases" until the end of Israel's seige in Gaza and singled out U.S. support for Israel's campaign. The attacks against the United States are seen as retaliation for its support of Israel in its war against Iran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas. The war in Gaza has been spreading, with U.S. forces hitting Houthi targets who have launched attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. has 900 troops in Syria and 2,500 in Iraq, advising and assisting local forces to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large parts of both countries before being defeated. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office announced moves to evict U.S. forces following a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad earlier this month that was condemned by the government. The Pentagon said that strike killed a militia leader responsible for recent attacks on U.S. personnel. Sudani has limited control over some Iran-backed factions, whose support he needed to win power a year ago and who now form a powerful bloc in his governing coalition. The Pentagon has said it has not been formally notified of any plans to end the U.S. troop presence in the country, and says its troops are deployed to Iraq at the invitation of the government in Baghdad. Following the U.S. strike, Abo Alaa al-Walai, a militia commander sanctioned by the U.S. last year for involvement in attacks on U.S. forces, said Iran-backed Iraqi militias operating under the banner of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq should expand operations by "enforcing a blockade on Zionist maritime navigation in the Mediterranean Sea." (Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Deepa Babington, Stephen Coates and Daniel Wallis) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Britain carried out an additional round of strikes on Monday against Yemen's Houthis over their targeting of Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said, targeting an underground storage site, missiles and other Houthi military capabilities. The Pentagon detailed the eight new strikes in a joint statement with Britain, as well as from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands, which supported the latest military action, the statement said. "These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Houthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners," the statement said. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Chris Reese) FILE PHOTO: A general view of a Vatican court during a hearing of the trial of two Italian priests, one charged with raping an altar boy in a youth seminary and the other of abetting and cover up, in this still image taken from video, at the Vatican, Octo VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - A Vatican appeals court on Tuesday convicted a priest of sexually abusing a fellow student while they were both attending a school for papal altar boys. Partially overturning a first instance ruling from 2021, judges sentenced Father Gabriele Martinelli to two and a half years' imprisonment, according to a copy of their ruling. The original trial, which began four years ago, was the first in the Vatican concerning sexual abuse that occurred on Vatican territory. Martinelli was found guilty of corrupting a minor and fined 1,000 euros ($1,083) in relation to events that took place during 2008-2009. There was no immediate comment from the priest. Martinelli was put on trial for having forced a person known only as L.G. to have sex over a longer 2007-2012 period, while both were enrolled at the Saint Pius X Pre-Seminary. The institution, formerly based inside the Vatican, houses altar boys who serve Mass in St. Peter's, including for the pope, and are thinking of becoming priests. In the first instance ruling, the former rector of the pre-seminary, Father Enrico Radice, was cleared of covering up the abuse due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. Both Martinelli and Radice consistently denied wrongdoing and accused L.G. of having a personal vendetta against them. Martinelli was ordained after attending the pre-seminary. In the wake of the scandal that engulfed the institution, Pope Francis decided in 2021 to relocate it outside Vatican walls. ($1 = 0.9234 euros) (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Christina Fincher) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Vietnam's ambassador to the United States on Tuesday urged Washington to end its "non-market economy" label on Hanoi, warning that maintaining the resulting punitive duties on Vietnamese goods is bad for increasingly close bilateral ties. Last year, the U.S. Commerce Department said it was reviewing Vietnam's non-market economy status after Hanoi argued that it should be removed from the list applied in anti-dumping cases given economic reforms of recent years. The non-market economy label, also applied to China and Russia due to heavy state involvement in their economies, among others, allows the U.S. to impose significantly higher anti-dumping duties on imports from designated countries by relying on third-country proxy pricing. Under U.S. law, the review, launched on Oct. 24, must be completed within 270 days, around mid-July. "Of course, we want Vietnam to be removed from the U.S. list of non-market-economy countries," Ambassador Nguyen Quoc Dzung told the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington-based think tank, saying that Vietnam no longer deserved a status that applied to only 12 countries in the world. "Can you imagine, with what we've done, what we've been trying for, and look at the relationship between our two countries, is it acceptable that Vietnam is among the 12 countries ... the worst countries in the world?" "So it's not acceptable," Dzung said. "So I think if the DOC turned down that, I think it would be very, very bad for the two countries." Last year the U.S. and Vietnam elevated ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during a visit to Hanoi by President Joe Biden. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also last year urged U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen for an end to the label. Dzung said Vietnam sought more U.S. investment to enhance its position in global high-tech supply chains and to meet carbon-emissions commitments. "We want to have more favorable and open markets for both countries, goods and services," he said, adding, "Of course, less cases of investigations." Dzung said Hanoi hoped the U.S.-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework would one day include market access, which is sought by Asian countries. He also said Vietnam wanted more U.S. help in dealing with unexploded ordnance that is a legacy of the Vietnam War. "What we have done is great, but still we have to do a lot more," he said. "We have to speed up, and we need more funds." Dzung was asked about the 2024 U.S. presidential election, in which former President Donald Trump, whose administration had threatened to impose tariffs on Vietnamese goods over currency manipulation allegations, is the Republican frontrunner. He said there was strong bipartisan support for the partnership. "Enthusiasms may vary from time to time, depending on the circumstances. The developments of the times, in each country," he said. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom Editing by Leslie Adler) The logo of Vivendi is pictured at the main entrance of the entertainment-to-telecoms conglomerate headquarters in Paris, France, April 22, 2021. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo By Elvira Pollina MILAN (Reuters) - Vivendi, Telecom Italia's (TIM) top investor, is asking the EU antitrust regulator to look into the role played by the Italian Treasury in a planned buyout of the former phone monopoly's network assets, the company said in a letter. TIM agreed in November to sell its prized landline grid to U.S. fund KKR in a landmark deal, worth up to 22 billion euros ($23.8 billion), aimed at slashing TIM's debt and staff. In the Jan. 18 letter to the EU Directorate General for Competition, seen by Reuters on Tuesday, Vivendi called on the European Commission to pay "attention to the role and involvement of the Ministry of Economy in the concentration". "Despite the relevance of the Treasury involvement in the transaction for the Commission's competition assessment, Vivendi is concerned ... that the notification may fail to properly disclose it or may downplay it," the letter said. The deal is supported by the Italian government, which authorised the Treasury to take a stake of up to 20% in the network company as part of an agreement with KKR. Italian state lender CDP, which is controlled by the Treasury, is also TIM's second largest investor. A Vivendi spokesperson declined to comment on the letter but reiterated that the company will appeal to all venues to assert its rights and its role as the largest shareholder. Vivendi has challenged the deal in an Italian court in December. TIM, KKR and the Treasury declined to comment. The EU Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment. TIM expects to finalise the deal, which requires EU antitrust approval, by the middle of the year. KKR plans to notify the European Union's antitrust authorities by the end of January of its plans to buy Telecom Italia's network assets, sources told Reuters earlier this month. Vivendi has been seeking a higher price for the asset, and has questioned the sustainability of the business left behind. ($1 = 0.9233 euros) (Reporting by Elvira Pollina and Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Keith Weir and Richard Chang) Excerpt of the resolutions approved at the October 30, 2023 meeting of the Boards of Sit Mid Cap Growth Fund, Inc., Sit Large Cap Growth Fund, Inc., Sit U.S. Government Securities Fund, Inc., Sit Mutual Funds, Inc., and Sit Mutual Funds II, Inc. (collectively, the Sit Mutual Funds, or the Funds). Sit Mutual Funds Approval of Joint Fidelity Bond WHEREAS, Rule 17g-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, provides, among other things, that: (1) registered investment companies shall provide fidelity coverage against larceny and embezzlement covering each officer and employee of the investment company who has access to its securities or funds, (2) said coverage shall not be terminated or modified except after written notice has been given to the affected parties and to the Securities and Exchange Commission not less than sixty days prior to the effective date of termination or modification, (3) such coverage shall be in an amount deemed reasonable by a majority of the Board of Directors of the investment company who are not interested persons of the investment company, (4) such Directors shall give consideration to all factors including, but not limited to, the value of the aggregate assets of the registered management investment company to which any covered person may have access, the type and terms of the arrangement made for the custody and safekeeping of such assets, and the nature of the securities in the companys portfolio, provided that the minimum coverage required by subsection (d) of Rule 17g-1 is obtained, (5) this determination by the disinterested Directors be made not less than once every twelve months and (6) copies of such resolutions, true copies of any fidelity coverage and certain other documents be filed within certain specified notification periods with the Securities and Exchange Commission; and WHEREAS, Rule 17g-1(f) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 provides that each registered management investment company named as an insured in a joint fidelity bond shall enter into an agreement with all other named insureds providing that in the event recovery is received under the bond as a result of a loss, the registered management investment company shall receive an equitable and proportionate share of the recovery, but at least equal to the amount it would have received had it provided and maintained a single fidelity bond with the minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-1(d) under the Act, and each Fund has entered into such an agreement; now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that the Boards of Directors of the Funds, including a majority of the Directors who are not interested persons of the Funds, having given consideration to the factors listed in the previous paragraph, hereby re-approve the fidelity bond coverage included in the Investment Company Bond number #FS585-87-71 issued by Great American Insurance Group provided such coverage is in an amount equal to at least the minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-1(d)(1) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that appropriate officers of the Funds are hereby authorized and directed to execute all appropriate documents, and to give all appropriate notices of such coverage to appropriate representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission, to the securities commission in Minnesota and to such other persons as may be interested in said coverage. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Boards of Directors of each Fund, including a majority of the Directors who are not interested persons of such Fund, hereby approve the portion of the premium paid or to be paid by such Fund, having taken into consideration all relevant facts including, but not limited to, the number of the other Funds named as insured, the nature of the business activities of such other parties, the amount of the joint insured bond, and the amount of the premium for such bond, the ratable allocation of the premium among all parties named as insureds, and the extent to which the share of the premium allocated to such Fund is less than the premium such Fund would have had to pay if it had provided and maintained a single insured bond. Fidelity Bond Agreement THIS AGREEMENT, made this 25th day of October, 2010 by and between the following registered investment companies: Sit Mid Cap Growth Fund, Inc. Sit Large Cap Growth Fund, Inc. Sit U.S. Government Securities Fund, Inc. Sit Mutual Funds, Inc. Sit Mutual Funds II, Inc. (each individually the Fund and collectively the Funds) and each of the entities set forth on the signature page hereto (collectively the Other Insureds) WHEREAS, the Funds and the Other Insureds are named as the insureds in a joint fidelity bond (the Fidelity Bond) provided and maintained pursuant to Rule 17g-l(b)(3) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the Act); WHEREAS, Rule 17g-l(f) under the Act provides that each registered management investment company named as an insured in a joint fidelity bond shall enter into an agreement with all of the other named insureds providing that in the event recovery is received under the bond as a result of a loss, as referred to elsewhere in Rule 17g-l(f), sustained by the registered management investment company and one or more other named insureds, the registered management investment company shall receive an equitable and proportionate share of the recovery, but at least equal to the amount it would have received had it provided and maintained a single fidelity bond with the minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-l(d) under the Act. WITNESSETH: In the event recovery is received under the Fidelity Bond as a result of a loss sustained by a Fund or Funds, each Fund or Funds shall receive an equitable and proportionate share of the recovery, but at least equal to the amount which each would have received had it provided and maintained a single fidelity bond with the minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-l(d) under the Act. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written SIT MID CAP GROWTH FUND, INC. SIT LARGE CAP GROWTH FUND, INC. SIT U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES FUND, INC. SIT MUTUAL FUNDS, INC. SIT MUTUAL FUNDS II, INC. By: /s/ Paul E. Rasmussen Paul E. Rasmussen, Vice President SIA SECURITIES CORP. By: /s/ Paul E. Rasmussen Paul E. Rasmussen, President 1 R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 75 10 (Ed. 11/16) INVESTMENT COMPANY BOND GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY (A Stock Insurance Company, Herein Called the Underwriter) DECLARATIONS Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 Item 1. Name of Insured (herein called Insured): Sit Mutual Funds Principal Address: 80 South Eighth Street, Suite 3300 Minneapolis, MN 55402 Item 2. Bond Period: from 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 to 11/01/2024 12:01 a.m. the effective date of the termination or cancellation of this Bond, standard time at the Principal Address as to each of said dates. Item 3. Limit of Liability - Subject to Sections 9, 10 and 12 hereof, Amount applicable to Limit of Liability Deductible Insuring Agreement (A)-Fidelity $ 15,000,000 $ 0 Insuring Agreement (B)-On Premises $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (C)-In Transit $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (D)-Forgery or Alteration $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (E)-Securities $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (F)-Counterfeit Currency $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (G)-Stop Payment $ 100,000 $ 5,000 Insuring Agreement (H)-Uncollectible Items of Deposit $ 100,000 $ 5,000 Insuring Agreement (I)-Audit Expense $ 100,000 $ 5,000 Insuring Agreement (J)-Telefacsimile Transmissions $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (K)-Unauthorized Signatures $ 100,000 $ 5,000 Optional Insuring Agreements and Coverages Insuring Agreement (L)-Computer Systems $ 15,000,000 $ 250,000 Insuring Agreement (M)-Automated Phone Systems $ Not Covered $ N/A Insuring Agreement (N)-Fraudulent Transfer Instructions $ Not Covered $ N/A FI 75 10 (Ed. 11/16) (Page 1 of 2) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 If Not Covered is inserted above opposite any specified Insuring Agreement or Coverage, such Insuring Agreement or Coverage and any other reference thereto in this Bond shall be deemed to be deleted therefrom. Item 4. Offices or Premises Covered-Offices acquired or established subsequent to the effective date of this Bond are covered according to the terms of General Agreement A. All the Insureds offices or premises in existence at the time this Bond becomes effective are covered under this Bond except the offices or premises located as follows: N/A Item 5. The liability of the Underwriter is subject to the terms of the following Riders attached hereto: See Form FI8801 Item 6. The Insured by the acceptance of this Bond gives to the Underwriter terminating or cancelling prior Bond(s) or Policy(ies) No.(s) FS 5858771 13 such termination or cancellation to be effective as of the time this Bond becomes effective. FI 75 10 (Ed. 11/16) (Page 2 of 2) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) INVESTMENT COMPANY BOND The Underwriter, in consideration of an agreed premium, and subject to the Declarations made a part hereof, the General Agreements, Conditions and Limitations and other terms of this Bond, agrees with the Insured, in accordance with Insuring Agreements hereof to which an amount of insurance is applicable as set forth in Item 3 of the Declarations and with respect to loss sustained by the Insured at any time but discovered during the Bond period, to indemnify and hold harmless the Insured for: INSURING AGREEMENTS FIDELITY (A) Loss resulting from any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement committed by an Employee, committed anywhere and whether committed alone or in collusion with others, including loss of Property resulting from such acts of an Employee, which Property is held by the Insured for any purpose or in any capacity and whether so held gratuitously or not and whether or not the Insured is liable therefor. Dishonest or fraudulent act(s) as used in this Insuring Agreement shall mean only dishonest or fraudulent act(s) committed by such Employee with the manifest intent: (a) to cause the Insured to sustain such loss; and (b) to obtain financial benefit for the Employee, or for any other person or organization intended by the Employee to receive such benefit, other than salaries, commissions, fees, bonuses, promotions, awards, profit sharing, pensions or other employee benefits earned in the normal course of employment. ON PREMISES (B) Loss of Property (occurring with or without negligence or violence) through robbery, burglary, Larceny, theft, holdup, or other fraudulent means, misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, damage thereto or destruction thereof, abstraction or removal from the possession, custody or control of the Insured, and loss of subscription, conversion, redemption or deposit privileges through the misplacement or loss of Property, while the Property is (or is supposed or believed by the Insured to be) lodged or deposited within any offices or premises located anywhere, except in an office listed in Item 4 of the Declarations or amendment thereof or in the mail or with a carrier for hire other than an armored motor vehicle company, for the purpose of transportation. Offices and Equipment (1) Loss of or damage to furnishings, fixtures, stationary, supplies or equipment, within any of the Insureds offices covered under this Bond caused by Larceny or theft in, or by burglary, robbery or hold-up of such office, or attempt thereat, or by vandalism or malicious mischief; or (2) loss through damage to any such office by Larceny or theft in, or by burglary, robbery or hold-up of such office or attempt thereat. IN TRANSIT (C) Loss of Property (occurring with or without negligence or violence) through robbery, Larceny, theft, hold-up, misplacement, mysterious unexplainable disappearance, being lost or otherwise made away with, damage thereto or destruction thereof, and loss of subscription, conversion, redemption or deposit privileges through the misplacement or loss of Property, while the Property is in transit anywhere in the custody of any person or persons acting as messenger, except while in the mail or with a carrier for hire, other than an armored motor vehicle company, for the purpose of transportation, such transit to begin immediately upon receipt of such Property by the transporting person or persons, and to end immediately upon delivery thereof at destination. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FORGERY OR ALTERATION (D) Loss through FORGERY or ALTERATION of, on or in any bills of exchange, checks, drafts, acceptances, certificates of deposit, promissory notes, or other written promises, orders or directions to pay sums certain in money due bills, money orders, warrants, orders upon public treasuries, letters of credit, written instructions, advices or applications directed to the Insured, authorizing or acknowledging the transfer, payment, delivery or receipt of funds or Property, which instructions or advices or applications purport to have been signed or endorsed by any customer of the Insured, shareholder or subscriber to shares, whether certificated or uncertificated, of any Investment Company or by any financial or banking institution or stock-broker but which instructions, advices or applications either bear the forged signature or Endorsement or have been altered without the knowledge and consent of such customer, shareholder or subscriber to shares, whether certificated or uncertificated, of an Investment Company, financial or banking institution or stockbroker, withdrawal orders or receipts for the withdrawal of funds or Property, or receipts or certificates of deposit for Property and bearing the name of the Insured as issuer, or of another Investment Company for which the Insured acts as agent, excluding, however, any loss covered under Insuring Agreement (F) hereof whether or not coverage for Insuring Agreement (F) is provided for in the Declarations of this Bond. Any check or draft (a) made payable to a fictitious payee and endorsed in the name of such fictitious payee or (b) procured in a transaction with the maker or drawer thereof or with one acting as an agent of such maker or drawer or anyone impersonating another and made or drawn payable to the one so impersonated and endorsed by anyone other than the one impersonated, shall be deemed to be forged as to such Endorsement. Mechanically reproduced facsimile signatures are treated the same as handwritten signatures. SECURITIES (E) Loss sustained by the Insured, including loss sustained by reason of a violation of the constitution, by-laws, rules or regulations of any Self Regulatory Organization of which the Insured is a member or which would have been imposed upon the Insured by the constitution, by-laws, rules or regulations of any Self Regulatory Organization if the Insured had been a member thereof, (1) through the Insureds having, in good faith and in the course of business, whether for its own account or for the account of others, in any representative, fiduciary, agency or any other capacity, either gratuitously or otherwise, purchased or otherwise acquired, accepted or received, or sold or delivered, or given any value, extended any credit or assumed any liability, on the faith of, or otherwise acted upon, any securities, documents or other written instruments which prove to have been (a) counterfeited, or (b) forged as to the signature of any maker, drawer, issuer, endorser, assignor, lessee, transfer agent or registrar, acceptor, surety or guarantor or as to the signature of any person signing in any other capacity, or (c) raised or otherwise altered, or lost, or stolen, or (2) through the Insureds having, in good faith and in the course of business, guaranteed in writing or witnessed any signatures whether for valuable consideration or not and whether or not such guaranteeing or witnessing is ultra vires the Insured, upon any transfers, assignments, bills of sale, powers of attorney, guarantees, Endorsements or other obligations upon or in connection with any securities, documents or other written instruments and which pass or purport to pass title to such securities, documents or other written instruments; EXCLUDING, losses caused by FORGERY or ALTERATION of, on or in those instruments covered under Insuring Agreement (D) hereof. Securities, documents or other written instruments shall be deemed to mean original (including original counterparts) negotiable or non-negotiable agreements which in and of themselves represent an equitable interest, ownership, or debt, including an assignment thereof which instruments are in the ordinary course of business, transferable by delivery of such agreements with any necessary Endorsement or assignment. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 2 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 The word counterfeited as used in this Insuring Agreement shall be deemed to mean any security, document or other written instrument which is intended to deceive and to be taken for an original. Mechanically reproduced facsimile signatures are treated the same as handwritten signatures. COUNTERFEIT CURRENCY (F) Loss through the receipt by the Insured, in good faith, of any counterfeited money orders or altered paper currencies or coin of the United States of America or Canada issued or purporting to have been issued by the United States of America or Canada or issued pursuant to a United States of America or Canadian statute for use as currency. STOP PAYMENT (G) Loss against any and all sums which the Insured shall become obligated to pay by reason of the Liability imposed upon the Insured by law for damages: For having either complied with or failed to comply with any written notice of any customer, shareholder or subscriber of the Insured or any Authorized Representative of such customer, shareholder or subscriber to stop payment of any check or draft made or drawn by such customer, shareholder or subscriber or any Authorized Representative of such customer, shareholder or subscriber, or For having refused to pay any check or draft made or drawn by any customer, shareholder or subscriber of the Insured, or any Authorized Representative of such customer, shareholder or Subscriber. UNCOLLECTIBLE ITEMS OF DEPOSIT (H) Loss resulting from payments of dividends or fund shares, or withdrawals permitted from any customers, shareholders or subscribers account based upon Uncollectible items of Deposit of a customer, shareholder or subscriber credited by the Insured or the Insureds agent to such customers, shareholders or subscribers Mutual Fund Account: or loss resulting from any item of Deposit processed through an Automated Clearing House which is reversed by the customer, shareholder or subscriber and deemed uncollectible by the Insured. Loss includes dividends and interest accrued not to exceed 15% of the Uncollectible items which are deposited. This Insuring Agreement applies to all Mutual Funds with exchange privileges if all Fund(s) in the exchange program are insured by a Great American Insurance Company of Cincinnati, OH for Uncollectible Items of Deposit. Regardless of the number of transactions between Fund(s) the minimum number of days of deposit within the Fund(s) before withdrawal as declared in the Fund(s) prospectus shall begin from the date a deposit was first credited to any Insured Fund(s). AUDIT EXPENSE (I) Expense incurred by the Insured for that part of the costs of audits or examinations required by any governmental regulatory authority to be conducted either by such authority or by an independent accountant by reason of the discovery of loss sustained by the Insured through any dishonest or fradulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement of any of the Employees. The total liability of the Underwriter for such expense by reason of such acts of any Employee or in which such Employee is concerned or implicated or with respect to any one audit or examination is limited to the amount stated opposite Audit Expense in Item 3 of the Declarations; it being understood, however, that such expense shall be deemed to be a loss sustained by the Insured through any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement of one or more of the Employees and the liability under this paragraph shall be in addition to the Limit of Liability stated in Insuring Agreement (A) in Item 3 of the Declarations. TELEFACSIMILE TRANSMISSIONS (J) Loss resulting by reason of the Insured having transferred, paid or delivered any funds or Property, established any credit, debited any account, or given any value relying on any fraudulent instructions sent by a customer or financial institution by Telefacsimile Transmission directed to the Insured, authorizing or acknowledging the transfer, payment, or delivery of funds or property, the establishment of a credit, debiting of any account, or the giving of value by the Insured, but only if such telefacsimile instructions: FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 3 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (1) bear a valid test key exchanged between the Insured and a customer or another financial institution with authority to use such test key for Telefacsimile instructions in the ordinary course of business, but which test key has been wrongfully obtained by a person who was not authorized to initiate, make, validate or authenticate a test key arrangement; and (2) fraudulently purport to have been sent by such customer or financial institution, but which telefacsimile instructions are transmitted without the knowledge or consent of such customer or financial institution by a person other than such customer or financial institution and which bear a forged signature. Telefacsimile means a system of transmitting written documents by electronic signals over telephone lines to equipment maintained by the Insured within its communication room for the purposes of reproducing a copy of said document. It does not mean electronic communication sent by Telex, TWC, or electronic mail, or Automated Clearing House. UNAUTHORIZED SIGNATURES (K) Loss resulting directly from the Insured having accepted, paid or cashed any check or withdrawal order, draft, made or drawn on a customers account which bears the signature or Endorsement of one other than a person whose name and signature is on the application on file with the Insured as a signatory on such account. It shall be a condition precedent to the Insureds right to recovery under this Insuring Agreement that the Insured shall have on file signatures of all persons who are authorized signatories on such account. GENERAL AGREEMENTS (A) ADDITIONAL OFFICES OR EMPLOYEES-CONSOLIDATION OR MERGER-NOTICE (1) If the Insured shall, while this Bond is in force, establish any additional office or offices, such office or offices shall be automatically covered hereunder from the dates of their establishment, respectively. No notice to the Underwriter of an increase during any premium period in the number of offices or in the number of Employees at any of the offices covered hereunder need be given and no additional premium need be paid for the remainder of such premium period. (2) If an Investment Company, named as Insured herein, shall, while this Bond is in force, merge or consolidate with, or purchase the assets of another institution, coverage for such acquisition shall apply automatically from the date of acquisition. The Insured shall notify the Underwriter of such acquisition within 60 days of said date, and an additional premium shall be computed only if such acquisition involves additional offices or employees. WARRANTY (B) No statement made by or on behalf of the Insured, whether contained in the application or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a warranty of anything except that it is true to the best of the knowledge and belief of the person making the statement. COURT COSTS AND ATTORNEYS FEES (Applicable to all Insuring Agreements or Coverages now or hereafter forming part of this Bond) (C) The Underwriter will indemnify the Insured against court costs and reasonable attorneys fees incurred and paid by the Insured in defense, whether or not successful, whether or not fully litigated on the merits and whether or not settled of any suit or legal proceeding brought against the Insured to enforce the lnsureds liability or alleged liability on account of any loss, claim or damage which, if established against the Insured, would constitute a loss sustained by the Insured covered under the terms of this Bond provided, however, that with respect to Insuring Agreement (A) this indemnity shall apply only in the event that FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 4 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (1) an Employee admits to being guilty of any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement; or (2) an Employee is adjudicated to be guilty of any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement; (3) in the absence of (1) or (2) above an arbitration panel agrees, after a review of an agreed statement of facts, that an Employee would be found guilty of dishonesty if such Employee were prosecuted. The Insured shall promptly give notice to the Underwriter of any such suit or legal proceeding and at the request of the Underwriter shall furnish it with copies of all pleadings and other papers therein. At the Underwriters election the Insured shall permit the Underwriter to conduct the defense of such suit or legal proceeding, in the Insureds name, through attorneys of the Underwriters selec- tion. In such event, the Insured shall give all reasonable information and assistance which the Underwriter shall deem necessary to the proper defense of such suit or legal proceeding. If the Insureds liability or alleged liability is greater than the amount recoverable under this Bond, or if a Deductible Amount is applicable, the liability of the Underwriter under this General Agreement is limited to that percentage of litigation expense determined by pro ration of the Bond limit of liability to the amount claimed, after the application of any deductible. This litigation expense will be in addition to the Limit of Liability for the applicable Insuring Agreement. FORMER EMPLOYEE (D) Acts of Employee, as defined in this Bond, are covered under Insuring Agreement (A) only while the Employee is in the Insureds employ. Should loss involving a former Employee of the Insured be discovered subsequent to the termination of employment, coverage would still apply under Insuring Agreement (A) if the direct proximate cause of the loss occurred while the former Employee performed duties within the scope of his/her employment. THE FOREGOING INSURING AGREEMENTS AND GENERAL AGREEMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS: SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS The following terms, as used in this Bond, shall have the respective meanings stated in this Section: (a) Employee means: (1) any of the Insureds officers, partners, or employees, and (2) any of the officers or employees of any predecessor of the Insured whose principal assets are acquired by the Insured by consolidation or merger with, or purchase of assets of capital stock of such predecessor, and (3) attorneys retained by the Insured to perform legal services for the Insured and the employees of such attorneys while such attorneys or the employees of such attorneys are performing such services for the Insured, and (4) guest students pursuing their studies or duties in any of the Insureds offices, and (5) directors or trustees of the Insured, the investment advisor, underwriter (distributor), transfer agent, or shareholder accounting record keeper, or administrator authorized by written agreement to keep financial and/or other required records, but only while performing acts coming within the scope of the usual duties of an officer or employee or while acting as a member of any committee duly elected or appointed to examine or audit or have custody of or access to the Property of the Insured, and FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 5 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (6) any individual or individuals assigned to perform the usual duties of an employee within the premises of the Insured by contract, or by any agency furnishing temporary personnel on a contingent or part-time basis, and (7) each natural person, partnership or corporation authorized by written agreement with the Insured to perform services as electronic data processor of checks or other accounting records of the Insured, but excluding any such processor who acts as transfer agent or in any other agency capacity in issuing checks, drafts or securities for the Insured, unless included under Sub-section (9) hereof, and (8) those persons so designated in section 15, Central Handling of Securities, and (9) any officer, partner or Employee of (a) an investment advisor, (b) an underwriter (distributor), (c) a transfer agent or shareholder accounting record-keeper, or (d) an administrator authorized by written agreement to keep financial and/or other required records, for an Investment Company, named as Insured while performing acts coming within the scope of the usual duties of an officer or Employee of any Investment Company named as Insured herein, or while acting as a member of any committee duly elected or appointed to examine or audit or have custody of or access to the Property of any such Investment Company provided that only Employees or partners of a transfer agent, shareholder accounting record-keeper or administrator which is an affiliated person as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, of an Investment Company named as Insured, or is an affiliated person of the adviser, underwriter or administrator of such Investment Company, and which is not a bank, shall be included within the definition of Employee. Each employer of temporary personnel or processors as set forth in Sub-Sections (6) and (7) of Section 1 (a) and their partners, officers and employees shall collectively be deemed to be one person for all the purposes of this Bond, excepting, however, the last paragraph of Section 13. Brokers, or other agents under contract or representatives of the same general character shall not be considered Employees. (b) Property means money (i.e. currency, coin, bank notes, Federal Reserve notes), postage and revenue stamps, U.S. Savings Stamps, bullion, precious metals of all kinds and in any form and articles made therefrom, jewelry, watches, necklaces, bracelets, gems, precious and semi-precious stones, Bonds, securities, evidences of debts, debentures, scrip, certificates, interim receipts, warrants, rights, puts, calls, straddles, spreads, transfers, coupons, drafts, bills of exchange, acceptances, notes, checks, withdrawal orders, money orders, warehouse receipts, bills of lading, conditional sales contracts, abstracts of title, insurance Policies, deeds, mortgages under real estate and/or chattels and upon interests therein, and assignments of such Policies, mortgages and instruments, and other valuable papers, including books of account and other records used by the Insured in the conduct of its business, and all other instruments similar to or in the nature of the foregoing including Electronic Representations of such Instruments enumerated above (but excluding all data processing records) in which the Insured has an interest or in which the Insured acquired or should have acquired an interest by reason of a predecessors declared financial condition at the time of the Insureds consolidation or merge with, or purchase of the principal assets of, such predecessor or which are held by the Insured for any purpose or in any capacity and whether so held by the Insured for any purpose or in any capacity and whether so held gratuitously or not and whether or not the Insured is liable therefor. (c) Forgery means the signing of the name of another with the intent to deceive; it does not include the signing of ones own name with or without authority, in any capacity, or for any purpose. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 6 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (d) Larceny and Embezzlement as it applies to any named Insured means those acts as set forth in Section 37 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. (e) Items of Deposit means any one or more checks and drafts. SECTION 2. EXCLUSIONS THIS BOND DOES NOT COVER: (a) loss effected directly or indirectly by means of forgery or alteration of, on or in any instrument, except when covered by Insuring Agreement (A), (D), (E) or (F). (b) loss due to riot or civil commotion outside the United States of America and Canada; or loss due to military, naval or usurped power, war or insurrection unless such loss occurs in transit in the circumstances recited in Insuring Agreement (C) and unless, when such transit was initiated, there was no knowledge of such riot, civil commotion, military, naval or usurped power, war or insurrection on the part of any person acting for the Insured in initiating such transit. (c) loss, in time of peace or war, directly or indirectly caused by or resulting from the effects of nuclear fission or fusion or radioactivity; provided, however, that this paragraph shall not apply to loss resulting from industrial uses of nuclear energy. (d) loss resulting from any wrongful act or acts of any person who is a member of the Board of Directors of the Insured or a member of any equivalent body by whatsoever name known unless such person is also an Employee or an elected official, partial owner or partner of the Insured in some other capacity, nor, in any event, loss resulting from the act or acts of any person while acting in the capacity of a member of such Board or equivalent body. (e) loss resulting from the complete or partial nonpayment of, or default upon, any loan or transaction in the nature of, or amounting to, a loan made by or obtained from the Insured or any of its partners, directors or Employees, whether authorized or unauthorized and whether procured in good faith or through trick, artifice, fraud or false pretenses, unless such loss is covered under Insuring Agreement (A), (E) or (F). (f) loss resulting from any violation by the Insured or by any Employee (1) of law regulating (a) the issuance, purchase or sale of securities, (b) securities transactions upon Security Exchanges or over the counter market, (c) Investment Companies, or (d) Investment Advisors, or (2) of any rule or regulation made pursuant to any such law. unless such loss, in the absence of such laws, rules or regulations, would be covered under Insuring Agreements (A) or (E). (g) loss of Property or loss of privileges through the misplacement or loss of Property as set forth in Insuring Agreement (C) or (D) while the Property is in the custody of any armored motor vehicle company, unless such loss shall be in excess of the amount recovered or received by the Insured under (a) the Insureds contract with said armored motor vehicle company, (b) insurance carried by said armored motor vehicle company for the benefit of users of its service, and (c) all other insurance and indemnity in force in whatsoever form carried by or for the benefit of users of said armored motor vehicle companys service, and then this Bond shall cover only such excess. (h) potential income, including but not limited to interest and dividends, not realized by the Insured because of a loss covered under this Bond, except as included under Insuring Agreement (I). (i) all damages of any type for which the Insured is legally liable, except direct compensatory damages arising from a loss covered under this Bond. (j) loss through the surrender of Property away from an office of the Insured as a result of a threat (1) to do bodily harm to any person, except loss of Property in transit in the custody of any person acting as messenger provided that when such transit was initiated there was no knowledge by the Insured of any such threat, or FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 7 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (2) to do damage to the premises or Property of the Insured, except when covered under Insuring Agreement (A). (k) all costs, fees and other expenses incurred by the Insured in establishing the existence of or amount of loss covered under this Bond unless such indemnity is provided for under Insuring Agreement (I). (l) loss resulting from payments made or withdrawals from the account of a customer of the Insured, shareholder or subscriber to shares involving funds erroneously credited to such account, unless such payments are made to or withdrawn by such depositor or representative of such person, who is within the premises of the drawee bank of the Insured or within the office of the Insured at the time of such payment or withdrawal or unless such payment is covered under Insuring Agreement (A). (m) any loss resulting from Uncollectible Items of Deposit which are drawn from a financial institution outside the fifty states of the United States of America, District of Columbia, and territories and possessions of the United States of America, and Canada. SECTION 3. ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS This Bond does not afford coverage in favor of any Employers of temporary personnel or of processors as set forth in sub-sections (6) and (7) of Section 1(a) of this Bond, as aforesaid, and upon payment to the insured by the Underwriter on account of any loss through dishonest or fraudulent act(s) including Larceny or Embezzlement committed by any of the partners, officers or employees of such Employers, whether acting alone or in collusion with others, an assignment of such of the Insureds rights and causes of action as it may have against such Employers by reason of such acts so committed shall, to the extent of such payment, be given by the Insured to the Underwriter, and the Insured shall execute all papers necessary to secure to the Underwriter the rights herein provided for. SECTION 4. LOSS-NOTICE-PROOF-LEGAL PROCEEDINGS This Bond is for the use and benefit only of the Insured named in the Declarations and the Underwriter shall not be liable hereunder for loss sustained by anyone other than the Insured unless the Insured, in its sole discretion and at its option, shall include such loss in the Insureds proof of loss. At the earliest practicable moment after discovery of any loss hereunder the Insured shall give the Underwriter written notice thereof and shall also within six months after such discovery furnish to the Underwriter affirmative proof of loss with full particulars. If claim is made under this Bond for loss of securities or shares, the Underwriter shall not be liable unless each of such securities or shares is identified in such proof of loss by a certificate or Bond number or, where such securities or shares are uncertificated, by such identification means as agreed to by the Underwriter. The Underwriter shall have thirty days after notice and proof of loss within which to investigate the claim, and this shall apply not-withstanding the loss is made up wholly or in part of securities of which duplicates may be obtained. Legal proceedings for recovery of any loss hereunder shall not be brought prior to the expiration of sixty days after such proof of loss is filed with the Underwriter nor after the expiration of twenty-four months from the discovery of such loss, except that any action or proceeding to recover hereunder on account of any judgment against the Insured in any suit mentioned in General Agreement C or to recover attorneys fees paid in any such suit, shall be begun within twenty-four months from the date upon which the judgment in such suit shall become final. If any limitation embodied in this Bond is prohibited by any law controlling the construction hereof, such limitation shall be deemed to be amended so as to be equal to the minimum period of limitation permitted by such law. Discovery occurs when the Insured (a) becomes aware of facts, or (b) receives written notice of an actual or potential claim by a third party which alleges that the Insured is liable under circumstance which would cause a reasonable person to assume that a loss covered by the Bond has been or will be incurred even though the exact amount or details of loss may not be then known. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 8 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 SECTION 5. VALUATION OF PROPERTY The value of any Property, except books of accounts or other records used by the Insured in the conduct of its business, for the loss of which a claim shall be made hereunder, shall be determined by the average market value of such Property on the business day next preceding the discovery of such loss; provided, however, that the value of any Property replaced by the Insured prior to the payment of claim therefor shall be the actual market value at the time of replacement; and further provided that in case of a loss or misplacement of interim certificates, warrants, rights, or other securities, the production which is necessary to the exercise of subscription, conversion, redemption or deposit privileges, the value thereof shall be the market value of such privileges immediately preceding the expiration thereof if said loss or misplacement is not discovered until after their expiration. If no market price is quoted for such Property or for such privileges, the value shall be fixed by agreement between the parties or by arbitration. In case of any loss or damage to Property consisting of books of accounts or other records used by the Insured in the conduct of its business, the Underwriter shall be liable under this Bond only if such books or records are actually reproduced and then for not more than the cost of blank books, blank pages or other materials plus the cost of labor for the actual transcription or copying of data which shall have been furnished by the Insured in order to reproduce such books and other records. SECTION 6. VALUATION OF PREMISES AND FURNISHINGS In case of damage to any office of the Insured, or loss of or damage to the furnishings, fixtures, stationary, supplies, equipment, safes or vaults therin, the Underwriter shall not be liable for more than the actual cash value thereof, or for more than the actual cost of their replacement or repair. The Underwriter may, at its election, pay such actual cash value or make such replacement or repair. If the Underwriter and the Insured cannot agree upon such cash value or such cost or replacement or repair, such shall be determined by arbitration. SECTION 7. LOST SECURITIES If the Insured shall sustain a loss of securities the total value of which is in excess of the limit stated in Item 3 of the Declarations of this Bond, the liability of the Underwriter shall be limited to payment for, or duplication of, securities having value equal to the limit stated in Item 3 of the Declarations of this Bond. If the Underwriter shall make payment to the Insured for any loss of securities, the Insured shall thereupon assign to the Underwriter all of the Insureds rights, title and interests in and to said securities. With respect to securities the value of which do not exceed the Deductible Amount (at the time of the discovery of the loss) and for which the Underwriter may at its sole discretion and option and at the request of the Insured issue a Lost Instrument Bond or Bonds to effect replacement thereof, the Insured will pay the usual premium charged therefor and will indemnify the Underwriter against all loss or expense that the Underwriter may sustain because of the issuance of such Lost Instrument Bond or Bonds. With respect to securities the value of which exceeds the Deductible Amount (at the time of discovery of the loss) and for which the Underwriter may issue or arrange for the issuance of a Lost Instrument Bond or Bonds to effect replacement thereof, the Insured agrees that it will pay as premium therefor a proportion of the usual premium charged therefor, said proportion being equal to the percentage that the Deductible Amount bears to the value of the securities upon discovery of the loss, and that it will indemnify the issuer of said Lost Instrument Bond or Bonds against all loss and expense that is not recoverable from the Underwriter under the terms and conditions of this INVESTMENT COMPANY BOND subject to the Limit of Liability hereunder. SECTION 8. SALVAGE In case of recovery, whether made by the Insured or by the Underwriter, on account of any loss in excess of the Limit of Liability hereunder plus the Deductible Amount applicable to such loss from any source other than suretyship, insurance, reinsurance, security or indemnity taken by or for the benefit of the Underwriter, the net amount of such recovery, less the actual costs and expenses of making same, shall be applied to reimburse the Insured in full for the excess portion of such loss, and the remainder, if any, shall be paid first in reimbursement of the Underwriter and thereafter in reimbursement of the Insured for that part of such loss within the Deductible Amount. The Insured shall execute all necessary papers to secure to the Underwriter the rights provided for herein. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 9 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 SECTION 9. NON-REDUCTION AND NON-ACCUMULATION OF LIABILITY AND TOTAL LIABILITY At all times prior to termination hereof this Bond shall continue in force for the limit stated in the applicable sections of Item 3 of the Declarations of this Bond notwithstanding any previous loss for which the Underwriter may have paid or be liable to pay hereunder; PROVIDED, however, that regardless of the number of years this Bond shall continue in force and the number of premiums which shall be payable or paid, the liability of the Underwriter under this Bond with respect to all loss resulting form (a) any one act of burglary, robbery or hold-up, or attempt thereat, in which no Partner or Employee is concerned or implicated shall be deemed to be one loss, or (b) any one unintentional or negligent act on the part of any one person resulting in damage to or destruction or misplacement of Property, shall be deemed to be one loss, or (c) all wrongful acts, other than those specified in (a) above, of any one person shall be deemed to be one loss, or (d) all wrongful acts, other than those specified in (a) above, of one or more persons (which dishonest act(s) or act(s) of Larceny or Embezzlement include, but are not limited to, the failure of an Employee to report such acts of others) whose dishonest act or acts intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly, directly or indirectly, aid or aids in any way, or permits the continuation of, the dishonest act or acts of any other person or persons shall be deemed to be one loss with the act or acts of the persons aided, or (e) any one casualty or event other than those specified in (a), (b), (c) or (d) preceding, shall be deemed to be one loss, and shall be limited to the applicable Limit of Liability stated in Item 3 of the Declarations of this Bond irrespective of the total amount of such loss or losses and shall not be cumulative in amounts from year to year or from period to period. Sub-section (c) is not applicable to any situation to which the language of sub-section (d) applies. SECTION 10. LIMIT OF LIABILITY With respect to any loss set forth in the PROVIDED clause of Section 9 of this Bond which is recoverable or recovered in whole or in part under any other Bonds or Policies issued by the Underwriter to the Insured or to any predecessor in interest of the Insured and terminated or cancelled or allowed to expire and in which the period for discovery has not expired at the time any such loss thereunder is discovered, the total liability of the Underwriter under this Bond and under other Bonds or Policies shall not exceed, in the aggregate, the amount carried hereunder on such loss or the amount available to the Insured under such other Bonds, or Policies, as limited by the terms and conditions thereof, for any such loss if the latter amount be the larger. SECTION 11. OTHER INSURANCE If the Insured shall hold, as indemnity against any loss covered hereunder, any valid and enforceable insurance or suretyship, the Underwriter shall be liable hereunder only for such amount of such loss which is in excess of the amount of such other insurance or suretyship, not exceeding, however, the Limit of Liability of this Bond applicable to such loss. SECTION 12. DEDUCTIBLE The Underwriter shall not be liable under any of the Insuring Agreements of this Bond on account of loss as specified, respectively, in sub-sections (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) of Section 9, Non-Reduction And Nonaccumulation Of Liability And Total Liability, unless the amount of such loss, after deducting the net amount of all reimbursement and/or recovery obtained or made by the insured, other than from any Bond or Policy of insurance issued by an insurance company and covering such loss, or by the Underwriter on account thereof prior to payment by the Underwriter of such loss, shall exceed the Deductible Amount set forth in Item 3 of the Declarations hereof (herein called Deductible Amount) and then for such excess only, but in no event for more than the applicable Limit of Liability stated in Item 3 of the Declarations. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 10 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 The Insured will bear, in addition to the Deductible Amount, premiums on Lost Instrument Bonds as set forth in Section 7. There shall be no deductible applicable to any loss under Insuring Agreement A sustained by any Investment Company named as Insured herein. SECTION 13. TERMINATION The Underwriter may terminate this Bond as an entirety by furnishing written notice specifying the termination date which cannot be prior to 90 days after the receipt of such written notice by each Investment Company named as Insured and the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. The Insured may terminate this Bond as an entirety by furnishing written notice to the Underwriter. When the Insured cancels, the Insured shall furnish written notice to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. prior to 90 days before the effective date of the termination. The Underwriter shall notify all other Investment Companies named as Insured of the receipt of such termination notice and the termination cannot be effective prior to 90 days after receipt of written notice by all other Investment Companies. Premiums are earned until the termination date as set forth herein. This Bond will terminate as to any one Insured, (other than a registered management investment company), immediately upon taking over of such Insured by a receiver or other liquidator or by State or Federal officials, or immediately upon the filing of a petition under any State or Federal statute relative to bankruptcy or reorganization of the Insured, or assignment for the benefit of creditors of the Insured, or immediately upon such Insured ceasing to exist, whether through merger into another entity, or by disposition of all of its assets. This Bond will terminate as to any registered management investment company upon the expiration of 90 days after written notice has been given to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. The Underwriter shall refund the unearned premium computed as short rates in accordance with the standard short rate cancellation tables if ter- minated by the Insured or pro rata if terminated for any other reason. This Bond shall terminate (a) as to any Employee as soon as any partner, officer or supervisory Employee of the Insured, who is not in collusion with such Employee, shall learn of any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement on the part of such Employee without prejudice to the loss of any Property then in transit in the custody of such Employee and upon the expiration of ninety (90) days after written notice has been given to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. (See Section 16(d)) and to the Insured Investment Company, or (b) as to any Employee 90 days after receipt by each Insured and by the Securities and Exchange Commission of a written notice from the Underwriter of its desire to terminate this Bond as to such Employee, or (c) as to any person, who is a partner, officer or employee of any Electronic Data Processor covered under this Bond, from and after the time that the Insured or any partner or officer thereof not in collusion with such person shall have knowledge of information that such person has committed any dishonest or fraudulent act(s), including Larceny or Embezzlement in the service of the Insured or otherwise, whether such act be committed before or after the time this Bond is effective. SECTION 14. RIGHTS AFTER TERMINATION OR CANCELLATION At any time prior to the termination or cancellation of this Bond as an entirety, whether by the Insured or the Underwriter, the Insured may give to the Underwriter notice that it desires under this Bond an additional period of 12 months within which to discover loss sustained by the Insured prior to the effective date of such termination or cancellation and shall pay an additional premium therefor. Upon receipt of such notice from the Insured, the Underwriter shall give its written consent thereto: provided, however, that such additional period of time shall terminate immediately; FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 11 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 (a) on the effective date of any other insurance obtained by the Insured, its successor in business or any other party, replacing in whole or in part the insurance afforded by this Bond, whether or not such other insurance provides coverage for loss sustained prior to its effective date, or (b) upon takeover of the Insureds business by any State or Federal official or agency, or by any receiver or liquidator, acting or appointed for this purpose without the necessity of the Underwriter giving notice of such termination. In the event that such additional period of time is terminated, as provided above, the Underwriter shall refund any unearned premium. The right to purchase such additional period for the discovery of loss may not be exercised by any State or Federal official or agency, or by any receiver or liquidator, acting or appointed to take over the Insureds business for the operation or for the liquidation thereof or for any other purpose. SECTION 15. CENTRAL HANDLING OF SECURITIES Securities included in the systems for the central handling of securities established and maintained by Depository Trust Company, Midwest Depository Trust Company, Pacific Securities Depository Trust Company, and Philadelphia Depository Trust Company, hereinafter called Corporations, to the extent of the Insureds interest therein as effective by the making of appropriate entries on the books and records of such Corporations shall be deemed to be Property. The words Employee and Employees shall be deemed to include the officers, partners, clerks and other employees of the New York Stock Exchange, Boston Stock Exchange, Midwest Stock Exchange, Pacific Stock Exchange and Philadelphia Stock Exchange, hereinafter called Exchanges, and of the above named Corporations, and of any nominee in whose name is registered any security included within the systems for the central handling of securities established and maintained by such Corporations, and any employee of any recognized service company, while such officers, partners, clerks and other employees and employees of service companies perform services for such Corporations in the operation of such systems. For the purpose of the above definition a recognized service company shall be any company providing clerks or other personnel to said Exchanges or Corporation on a contract basis. The Underwriter shall not be liable on account of any loss(es) in connection with the central handling of securities within the systems established and maintained by such Corporations, unless such loss(es) shall be in excess of the amount(s) recoverable or recovered under any Bond or Policy if insurance indemnifying such Corporations, against such loss(es), and then the Underwriter shall be liable hereunder only for the Insureds share of such excess loss(es), but in no event for more than the Limit of Liability applicable hereunder. For the purpose of determining the Insureds share of excess loss(es) it shall be deemed that the Insured has an interest in any certificate representing any security included within such systems equivalent to the interest the Insured then has in all certificates representing the same security included within such systems and that such Corporation shall use their best judgment in apportioning the amount(s) recoverable or recovered under any Bond or Policy of insurance indemnifying such Corporations against such loss(es) in connection with the central handling of securities within such systems among all those having an interest as recorded by appropriate entries in the books and records of such Corporations in Property involved in such loss(es) on the basis that each such interest shall share in the amount(s) so recoverable or recovered in the ratio that the value of each such interest bears to the total value of all such interests and that the Insureds share of such excess loss(es) shall be the amount of the Insureds interest in such Property in excess of the amount(s) so apportioned to the Insured by such Corporations. This Bond does not afford coverage in favor of such Corporations or Exchanges or any nominee in whose name is registered any security included within the systems for the central handling of securities established and maintained by such Corporations, and upon payment to the Insured by the Underwriter on account of any loss(es) within the systems, an assignment of such of the Insureds rights and causes of action as it may have against such Corporations or Exchanges shall to the extent of such payment, be given by the Insured to the Underwriter, and the Insured shall execute all papers necessary to secure to the Underwriter the rights provided for herein. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 12 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 SECTION 16. ADDITIONAL COMPANIES INCLUDED AS INSURED If more than one corporation, co-partnership or person or any combination of them be included as the Insured herein: (a) the total liability of the Underwriter hereunder for loss or losses sustained by any one or more or all of them shall not exceed the limit for which the Underwriter would be liable hereunder if all such loss were sustained by any one of them. (b) the one first named herein shall be deemed authorized to make, adjust and receive and enforce payment of all claims hereunder and shall be deemed to be the agent of the others for such purposes and for the giving or receiving of any notice required or permitted to be given by the terms hereof, provided that the Underwriter shall furnish each named Investment Company with a copy of the Bond and with any amendment thereto, together with a copy of each formal filing of the settlement of each such claim prior to the execution of such settlement, (c) the Underwriter shall not be responsible for the proper application of any payment made hereunder to said first named Insured, (d) knowledge possessed or discovery made by any partner, officer or supervisory Employee of any Insured shall for the purpose of Section 4 and Section 13 of this Bond constitute knowledge or discovery by all the Insured, and (e) if the first named Insured ceases for any reason to be covered under this Bond, then the Insured next named shall thereafter be considered as the first named Insured for the purposes of this Bond. SECTION 17. NOTICE AND CHANGE OF CONTROL Upon the Insureds obtaining knowledge of a transfer of its outstanding voting securities which results in a change in control (as set forth in Section 2(a) (9) of the Investment Company Act of 1940) of the Insured, the Insured shall within thirty (30) days of such knowledge give written notice to the Underwriter setting forth: (a) the names of the transferors and transferees (or the names of the beneficial owners if the voting securities are requested in another name), and (b) the total number of voting securities owned by the transferors and the transferees (or the beneficial owners), both immediately before and after the transfer, and (c) the total number of outstanding voting securities. As used in this section, control means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or Policies of the Insured. Failure to give the required notice shall result in termination of coverage of this Bond, effective upon the date of stock transfer for any loss in which any transferee is concerned or implicated. Such notice is not required to be given in the case of an Insured which is an Investment Company. SECTION 18. CHANGE OR MODIFICATION This Bond or any instrument amending or effecting same may not be changed or modified orally. No changes in or modification thereof shall be effective unless made by written Endorsement issued to form a part hereof over the signature of the Underwriters Authorized Representative. When a Bond covers only one Investment Company no change or modification which would adversely affect the rights of the Investment Company shall be effective prior to 60 days after written notification has been furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. by the Insured or by the Underwriter. If more than one Investment Company is named as the Insured herein, the Underwriter shall give written notice to each Investment Company and to the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. not less than 60 days prior to the effective date of any change or modification which would adversely affect the rights of such Investment Company. FI 75 11 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 13 of 13) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 88 01 (Ed. 10 11) FORMS AND RIDERS SCHEDULE It is hereby understood and agreed the following forms and riders are attached to and are a part of this bond: Form No. / Edition Date Added * or Date Deleted Form Description Rider No. (if applicable) FI7510 11-16 Investment Company Bond Dec Page FI7511 08-15 Investment Company Bond Insuring Agreements FI7344 08-15 General Rider - Virtual or Online Peer to Peer Medium of Exchange Rider 1 FI7344 08-15 General Rider - Non-Cumulative Rider 2 FI7344 08-15 General Rider - Exclude All Non-Fungible Tokens 3 FI7343 08-15 Joint Insured List 4 FI7506 08-15 Insuring Agreement (L) Computer Systems 5 IL7324 07-21 Global Sanction Endorsement FI7341 04-17 In-Witness Clause * If not at inception FI 88 01 (Ed. 10/11) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) RIDER NO. 1 Virtual or Online Peer to Peer Medium of Exchange Rider To be attached to and form part of Investment Company Bond Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 In favor of Sit Mutual Funds This Rider amends the section entitled Exclusions: This bond does not cover: 1. Loss of virtual or on-line peer to peer mediums of exchange. 2. Nothing herein contained shall be held to vary, alter, waive or extend any of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements or limitations of the above mentioned Bond other than as stated herein. 3. This Rider shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 standard time. FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) RIDER NO. 2 Non-Cumulative Rider To be attached to and form part of Investment Company Bond Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 In favor of Sit Mutual Funds It is agreed that: 1. In the event of a loss covered under this Bond and also covered under the following Policy(ies)/Bond(s) issued by GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE COMPANY: INSURED: INSURED/FIDUCIARY: INSURED: Sit Investment Associates, Inc. Sit Investment Associates, Inc. Sit Investment Associates, Inc. POLICY NUMBER: POLICY NUMBER: POLICY NUMBER: SAA 2064464 FS 5858770 FS E163356 POLICYPERIOD: POLICY PERIOD: POLICY PERIOD: 11/01/2023 - 11/01/2024 11/01/2023 - 11/01/2024 11/01/2023- 11/01/2024 LIMIT OF LIABILITY: LIMIT OF LIABILITY: LIMIT OF LIABILITY: $10,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000 It is agreed that the Single Loss Limit of Liability and Aggregate Limit of Liability under this Bond shall be reduced by any payment under the above listed Policy(ies)/Bond(s) and only the remainder, if any, shall be applicable to such loss hereunder. The Underwriters combined maximum Aggregate Limit of Liability under this Bond and the other Policy(ies)/Bond(s) for such loss shall not exceed $15,000,000. 2. Nothing herein contained shall be held to vary, alter, waive or extend any of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements or limitations of the above mentioned Bond other than as stated herein. 3. This Rider shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 standard time. FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) RIDER NO. 3 Exclude All Non-Fungible Tokens To be attached to and form part of Investment Company Bond Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 In favor of Sit Mutual Funds This Rider amends Section 2. Exclusions to include the following: 1. It is agreed that this Policy does not afford coverage under any of the Insuring Agreements for any loss, damage, claim, occurrence, or suit arising out of, in whole or in part, or in any way related to, any Non-Fungible Token. All coverage for Non-Fungible Tokens is excluded from all Insuring Agreements. 2. Section 1.Definitions is amended to include: Non-Fungible Token, also known as NFT, means any unique digital identifier connected to any digital ledger technology which may be used to certify authenticity or ownership of anything, including but not limited to any digital, tangible, or intangible item, but cannot be substituted or exchanged for any similar item. However, the definition of Non-Fungible Token does not mean or include Cryptocurrency. The title and any headings in this endorsement are solely for your convenience and form no part of the terms and conditions of coverage. 3. Nothing herein contained shall be held to vary, alter, waive or extend any of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements or limitations of the above mentioned Bond other than as stated herein. 4. This Rider shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 standard time. FI 73 44 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 73 43 (Ed. 08/15) RIDER NO. 4 JOINT INSURED LIST To be attached to and form part of INVESTMENT COMPANY BOND, Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 In favor of Sit Mutual Funds It is agreed that: 1. At the request of the Insured, the Underwriter adds to the list of Insured under the attached bond the following: Sit Mid Cap Growth Fund, Inc. Sit Large Cap Growth Fund, Inc. Sit U.S. Government Securities Fund, Inc. Sit Mutual Funds, Inc. Sit International Growth Fund (series A) Sit Balanced Fund (series B) Sit Developing Markets Growth Fund (series C) Sit Small Cap Growth Fund (series D) Sit Dividend Growth Fund (series G) Sit Global Dividend Growth Fund (series H) Sit Small Cap Dividend Growth Fund (series I) Sit ESG Growth Fund (series J) Sit Mutual Funds II, Inc. Sit Tax-Free Income Fund (series A) Sit Minnesota Tax-Free Income Fund (series B) Sit Quality Income Fund (series E) 2. Nothing herein contained shall be held to vary, alter, waive, or extend any of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements, or limitations of the above mentioned bond other than as stated herein. 3. This Rider shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 standard time. FI 73 43 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 75 06 (Ed. 08/15) RIDER NO. 5 INSURING AGREEMENT (L) COMPUTER SYSTEMS To be attached to and form part of INVESTMENT COMPANY BOND, Bond No. FS 5858771 14 00 In favor of Sit Mutual Funds It is agreed that: 1. The attached bond is hereby amended by adding to it an additional Insuring Agreement as follows: INSURING AGREEMENT (L) - COMPUTER SYSTEMS Loss resulting directly from a fraudulent (1) entry of data into, or (2) change of data elements or programs within a Computer System; provided that fraudulent entry or change causes (a) Property to be transferred paid or delivered, (b) an account of the Insured, or of its customer, to be added, deleted, debited or credited, or (c) an unauthorized account or a fictitious account to be debited or credited; (3) voice instructions or advices having been transmitted to the Insured or its agent(s) by telephone; and provided further, the fraudulent entry or change is made or caused by an individual acting with the manifest intent to: (a) cause the Insured or its agent(s) to sustain a loss, and (b) obtain financial benefit for that individual or for other persons intended by that individual to receive a financial benefit, (c) and further provided such voice instructions or advices: (i) were made by a person who purported to represent an individual authorized to make such voice instructions or advices; and (ii) were electronically recorded by the Insured or its agent(s). (4) It shall be a condition to recovery under the Computer Systems Rider that the Insured or its agent(s) shall to the best of their ability electronically record all voice instructions or advices received over the telephone. The Insured or its agent(s) warrant that they shall make their best efforts to maintain the electronic recording system on a continuous basis. Nothing, however, in this Rider shall bar the Insured from recovery where no recording is available because of mechanical failure of the device used in making such recording, or because of failure of the media used to record a conversation from any cause, or error or omission of any Employee(s) or agent(s) of the Insured. FI 75 06 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 1 of 3) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 SCHEDULE OF SYSTEMS Any System Utilized by the Insured 2. As used in this Rider, Computer System means: (a) computers with related peripheral components, including storage components, wherever located, (b) systems and applications software, (c) terminal devices, (d) related communication networks or customer communication systems, and (e) related Electronic Funds Transfer Systems, by which data are electronically collected, transmitted, processed, stored, and retrieved. 3. In addition to the Exclusions in the attached bond, the following Exclusions are applicable to this Insuring Agreement: (a) loss resulting directly or indirectly from the theft of confidential information, material or data: and (b) loss resulting directly or indirectly from entries or changes made by an individual authorized to have access to a Computer System who acts in good faith on instructions, unless such instructions are given to that individual by a software contractor (or by a partner, officer or employee thereof) authorized by the Insured to design, develop, prepare, supply service, write or implement programs for the Insureds Computer System. 4. The following portions of the attached bond are not applicable to this Rider: (a) the initial paragraph of the bond preceding the Insuring Agreements which reads ...at any time but discovered during the Bond Period. (b) Conditions and Limitations - Section 9. Non-Reduction and Non-Accumulation of Liability and Total Liability (c) Conditions and Limitations - Section 10. Limit of Liability 5. The coverage afforded by this Rider applies only to loss discovered by the Insured during the period this Rider is in force. 6. All loss or series of losses involving the fraudulent activity of one individual, or involving fraudulent activity in which one individual is implicated, whether or not that individual is specifically identified, shall be treated as one loss. A series of losses involving unidentified individuals but arising from the same method of operation may be deemed by the Underwriter to involve the same individual and in that event shall be treated as one loss. 7. The Limit of Liability for the coverage provided by this Rider shall be $ 15,000,000. 8. The Underwriter shall be liable hereunder for the amount by which one loss shall be in excess of $ 250,000. (herein called the Deductible Amount) but not in excess of the Limit of Liability stated above. FI 75 06 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 2 of 3) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 9. If any loss is covered under this Insuring Agreement and any other Insuring Agreement or Coverage, the maximum amount payable for such loss shall not exceed the largest amount available under any one Insuring Agreement or Coverage. 10. Coverage under this Rider shall terminate upon termination or cancellation of the bond to which this Rider is attached. Coverage under this Rider may also be terminated or cancelled without canceling the bond as an entirety: (a) 90 days after receipt by the Insured of written notice from the Underwriter of its desire to terminate or cancel coverage under this Rider, or (b) immediately upon receipt by the Underwriter of a written request from the Insured to terminate or cancel coverage under this Rider. The Underwriter shall refund to the Insured the unearned premium for this coverage under this Rider. The refund shall be computed at short rates if this Rider is terminated or cancelled or reduces by notice from, or at the insistence of the Insured. 11. Conditions and Limitations - Section 4. Loss-Notice-Proof-Legal Proceedings is amended by adding the following sentence: Proof of loss resulting from Voice Instructions or advices covered under this bond shall include Electronic Recording of such Voice Instructions of advices. 12. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, coverage afforded by this Rider is not designed to provide protection against loss covered under a separate Electronic and Computer Crime Policy by whatever title assigned or by whatever Underwriter written. Any loss which is covered under such separate policy is excluded from coverage under this bond; and the Insured agrees to make claim for such loss under its separate policy. 13. Nothing herein contained shall be held to vary, alter, waive, or extend any of the terms, conditions, provisions, agreements, or limitations of the above mentioned bond other than as stated herein. 14. This Rider shall become effective as of 12:01 a.m. on 11/01/2023 standard time. FI 75 06 (Ed. 08/15) (Page 3 of 3) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 IL 73 24 (Ed. 07/21) THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES YOUR POLICY. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. GLOBAL SANCTION ENDORSEMENT Notwithstanding any other provision of this Policy, this insurance cannot provide coverage and the Insurer shall not be liable to pay any claim or provide any benefit under this Policy to the extent that the provision of such coverage or benefit, or the payment of such claim, would violate, conflict with, or expose the Insurer to any sanction, prohibition or restriction under United Nations resolutions or any applicable economic or financial sanctions or other trade laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, of the United States of America, European Union, United Kingdom, or Canada. IL 73 24 (Ed. 07/21) (Page 1 of 1) R * B0 * 11/14/2023 * FS 5858771 14 00 Great American Insurance Company 018253 FI 73 41 (Ed. 04/17) In Witness Clause In Witness Whereof, we have caused this Financial Institution Bond to be executed and attested, and, if required by state law, this Financial Institution Bond shall not be valid unless countersigned by our authorized representative. PRESIDENT SECRETARY 0000045012 false 0000045012 2024-01-23 2024-01-23 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): HALLIBURTON COMPANY (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 001-03492 75-2677995 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.) 3000 North Sam Houston Parkway East, Houston, Texas 77032 (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrants telephone number, including area code: ( 281 ) 871-2699 Not Applicable (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of each class Trading Symbol Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, par value $2.50 per share HAL New York Stock Exchange Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition On January 23, 2024, Halliburton Company (the Company) issued a press release announcing its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 and providing access information for an investor conference call to discuss those results. The scheduled conference call was previously announced on December 8, 2023. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is hereby incorporated by reference into this Item 2.02. The press release will be published on the Companys website at www.halliburton.com . The Companys press release announcing its results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023 and information to be discussed on the conference call contain certain non-GAAP financial measures (as defined under the Securities and Exchange Commissions Regulation G). Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a companys performance, financial position, or cash flows that either excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. The Company has provided reconciliations within the press release of the non-GAAP measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information included in this Current Report under Item 2.02 and in the press release as Exhibit 99.1 is deemed to be furnished and shall not be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act), or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act), or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure On January 23, 2024, the Company issued a press release announcing its results for the quarter ended December 31, 2023. A copy of the press release is set forth in Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information included in this Current Report under Item 7.01 and in the press release as Exhibit 99.1 is deemed to be furnished and shall not be deemed filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits In accordance with General Instruction B.2 of Form 8-K, the information set forth in the attached Exhibit 99.1 is deemed to be furnished and shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act. (d) Exhibits 104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. HALLIBURTON COMPANY Date: January 23, 2024 By: /s/ Charles E. Geer, Jr. Charles E. Geer, Jr. Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS EX-99.1 EARNINGS RELEASE XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION SCHEMA DOCUMENT XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE DOCUMENT XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION PRESENTATION LINKBASE DOCUMENT IDEA: R1.htm IDEA: hal-20240123_htm.xml IDEA: Financial_Report.xlsx IDEA: FilingSummary.xml IDEA: MetaLinks.json BUDAPEST, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Hungary will not participate in arms shipments to Ukraine, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Monday. However, it will not stand in the way of other European Union (EU) member states doing so. "The (Hungarian) government is unwilling to bear any financial burden" of arms shipments, Szijjarto said at a press conference in Brussels during the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. Szijjarto also criticized a new proposal by the European External Action Service (EEAS), aimed at setting up a five-billion-euro (5.4 billion U.S. dollars) framework within the European Peace Facility (EPF) for military aid to Ukraine. Szijjarto said that while in his opinion "it is completely unacceptable for Hungary to give further momentum to arms shipments," he also respects the sovereignty of other EU members. With regard to sanctions against Russia, he said that "this strategy has failed, there is no battlefield solution" to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. (1 euro = 1.09 U.S. dollar) New York Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton salutes Maj. Gen. Denise Donnell after receiving the Legion of Merit at Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y., Jan. 6, 2024. Former 105th Airlift Wing commander Charlton has accepted a position with the National Guard Bureau as director of operations for the Air National Guard in Washington. (Mary Schwarzler/U.S. Air National Guard) (Tribune News Service) New York Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton II is now serving as the director of operations for the Air National Guard in Washington, D.C. In that role he will be responsible for managing resources to support the operations of the Air National Guards 90 wings located across the country. Charlton, a command pilot and combat veteran who began his career as an enlisted airman, was most recently the commander of the 105th Airlift Wing, based at Stewart Air National Guard base in Newburgh, N.Y. Prior to that he had served as the commander of the 107th Attack Squadron, located at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station. He also served with the 174th Attack Wing at Hancock Field Air National Guard base when the unit flew F-16 fighters and then transitioned to the MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft. Charlton turned over command of the 105th Airlift Wing to Col. Ryan Dannemann during a Jan. 6 ceremony at Stewart Air National Guard base. New York Air National Guard Brig. Gen. Gary Charlton speaks at a change of command ceremony Jan. 6, 2024, at Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y. U.S. Air National Guard Col. Ryan Dannemann assumed command of the 105th Airlift Wing from Charlton during the ceremony. (Mary Schwarzler/U.S. Air National Guard) Charlton enlisted in the New York Air National Guard in May 1990 and served as a fuel systems technician. He graduated from Columbia College in 1995 earning a bachelor of arts degree in psychology. He earned his officers commission in 2000 and attended undergraduate pilot training in 2001. Charlton is also a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. Charlton completed initial F-16 qualification training in 2002 and served as an F-16C pilot flying with the 138th Fighter Squadron, at Hancock Field. He has held the positions of flight, detachment, and squadron commander of the 138th Fighter Squadron; as well as 107th Operations Group commander and 107th Attack Wing vice commander. A combat veteran, Charlton has served on seven combat deployments, three while enlisted. These included Operations Desert Shield and Storm, and Northern Watch, and four additional deployments flying F-16C combat missions in Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. He has more than 3,200 flying hours in the T-37, T-38A, T-38C, F-16C/D, MQ-1 Reaper and MQ-9 Predator, and the C-17 Globemaster III. Charltons awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal, the Aerial Achievement Medal, the Meritorious Unit Award, the National Defense Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Air Force Overseas Ribbon, and the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon. 2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit syracuse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Black Hawk helicopter mechanics are among the soldiers eligible for up to a $5,000 bonus for extending their tours in South Korea by one year. (Travis Mueller/U.S. Army) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea Eighth Army troops in jobs on a critical shortage list may earn up to $5,000 for extending their tours in South Korea for another year. Career specialties on the critical list are eligible for that incentive; jobs deemed understrength could be offered $3,600, Eighth Army assistant chief of staff Col. R. Arron Lummer said by email Tuesday. The critical list includes fire control specialists, rocket system crew members, Black Hawk helicopter mechanics, information technology specialists, satellite communication systems operators, military working dog handlers, preventive medicine specialists, wheeled vehicle mechanics, culinary specialists and AH-64E Apache helicopter pilots. Understrength jobs include combat engineers, joint fire support specialists, air defense enhanced early warning system operators, air traffic controllers, cavalry scouts and utilities equipment repairers. The bonuses are dispersed to eligible soldiers in a lump sum on the first day of their extended yearlong tour in South Korea. The incentive program is part of Eighth Armys annual funding request to the Department of the Army, Lummer said. The program gives commanders a financial incentive tool to increase unit readiness and team cohesion, he said. The lists of undermanned jobs are reviewed monthly and are changed depending on impacts to mission readiness, Lummer said. Most soldiers are eligible for the $3,600 bonus and we encourage anyone interested to talk to their command team and unit personnel office so they can choose the best option to remain on an assignment of purpose here in South Korea, Lummer said. Soldiers may receive the incentive pay twice; however, they may be eligible for other bonuses if they wish to extend, such as an in-place consecutive overseas tour or a foreign service tour extension bonus. Soldiers who are accompanied by their families in South Korea typically serve two-year tours; unaccompanied soldiers serve one year. Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, most of them at Camp Humphreys, about 40 miles south of Seoul. The U.S. Army health center at Caserma Ederle in Italy has begun a walk-in clinic for respiratory care and restarted a maternity care class, among other recent additions. (Stars and Stripes) AVIANO, Italy The Army clinic at Vicenzas Caserma Ederle is adding health services and a new center that will provide help with insurance and benefits. Through March 8, people seeking acute respiratory care can be seen on a walk-in basis, according to an Army statement. They also will receive treatment plans and, if necessary, authorization notes for the children once theyre cleared to return to school. The walk-in service will be available from 8-10 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Walk-in patients also can get a COVID-19 shot. On Thursdays between 8 and 11 a.m., the Pfizer vaccine will be accessible for eligible beneficiaries 6 months of age and older, the statement said. Meanwhile, an orientation program for expectant mothers is resuming after it was shut down during the coronavirus pandemic. The program addresses topics such as nutrition and postpartum care from 8:30 to 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. The Army in Italy closed its maternity ward in 2014 and Aviano Air Base ended those services in 2017. Most women affiliated with the U.S. military in Vicenza use San Bartolo Hospital for obstetrics. In the near future, the clinic plans to establish a patient service center, which the Army says will allow for improved access to beneficiary counselors, patient advocates and a Tricare representative, among others. Ideally, the center will be established by the end of February, clinic commander Col. Michele Kehrle said in the statement. She said the goal is for it to be running well in advance of the summer, which is the height of the moving season for military personnel and their families. Navy Special Warfare Operator 1st Class Christopher J. Chambers, left, and Navy Special Warfare Operator 2nd Class Nathan Gage Ingram. (U.S. Navy) This story has been corrected Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram were the Navy SEALs who went missing in rough seas during a nighttime ship-boarding mission in the Arabian Sea, the service said Monday. Chris and Gage selflessly served their country with unwavering professionalism and exceptional capabilities, Capt. Blake L. Chaney, commander of the Naval Special Warfare Group 1, said in a statement. This loss is devastating for NSW, our families, the special operations community, and across the nation. During the Jan. 11 mission off the coast of Somalia that resulted in the seizure of Iranian-made missile parts bound for militants in Yemen, the two sailors went missing overboard. Commandos launched from the USS Lewis B. Puller, a mobile sea base, backed up by drones and helicopters. They loaded onto small special operations combat craft driven by naval special warfare crew to get to the boat. It was the type of boarding for which SEALs train routinely, The Associated Press reported. Rescue crews searched for 10 days before U.S. Central Command announced Sunday that they were now declared dead. The Navy on Monday identified Chambers and Ingram as the two SEALs. Chambers, 37, was a Navy special warfare operator first class from Maryland who enlisted in the Navy in 2012 and graduated from SEAL training in 2014. His awards include the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal with Combat C and three Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals. Ingram, 27, was a Navy special warfare operator second class from Texas who enlisted in 2019 and graduated from SEAL training in 2021. The Navys 5th Fleet is investigating the incident. That probe is expected to examine whether the SEALs were properly equipped and trained for the mission, whether procedures were followed, and any decisions regarding the timing and approval of the raid, including the weather and the state of the seas. The seizure came as the interdiction of weapons to Yemen takes on new urgency. The Yemen-based Houthi rebels have been conducting a campaign of missile and drone attacks against commercial and Navy ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden over Israels war on Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. U.S. retaliatory strikes have so far not deterred their assaults. President Joe Biden released a statement mourning the loss of Chambers and Ingram. These SEALs represented the very best of our country, pledging their lives to protect their fellow Americans. Our hearts go out to the family members, loved ones, friends, and shipmates who are grieving for these two brave Americans, Biden said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee, center, U.S. 6th Fleet commander, reviews a chart aboard the Italian navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour in the Adriatic Sea on Feb. 24, 2023. (Mariano Lopez/U.S. Navy) NAPLES, Italy U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and 6th Fleet are separating after 19 years as a single command, a move that comes as the service adapts to growing demands that include missile defense in the Baltics and carrier operations in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The change creates two distinct staffs and realigns each commands organizational chart with the services traditional structure, Capt. Clayton Doss, a spokesman for NAVEUR-AF and 6th Fleet, said Tuesday in a statement following a Stars and Stripes query. The decision was made to better posture for day-to-day operations and future crises, said Doss, who noted both staffs would continue to work together as changes are made. It wasnt immediately clear how far NAVEUR-AF and 6th Fleet were in the separation process, which streamlines the chain of command and clarifies focus areas for working groups and departments. The statement did not discuss how commanding or supervisory openings created by the split would be filled. USS Mount Whitney, the U.S. 6th Fleet flagship, sails the Mediterranean Sea on Aug. 14, 2023. The U.S. 6th Fleet and U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa commands are being separated by the Navy, officials said this week. (Jacob Mattingly/U.S. Navy) But some of those changes, underway since late last year, already are visible at Naval Support Activity Naples, where the commands are headquartered. Signs at the base were altered last month to reflect separate positions for some assignments previously held by a single commanding officer. The war in Ukraine, Russian threats in the Baltic Sea and the effects of the Israel-Hamas war in the eastern Mediterranean have brought greater focus on the European theater than at any time since the Cold War. More U.S. ships, aircraft and tens of thousands of additional personnel have arrived in Europe during the past two years. The commands also partner with African nations to combat extremist militants and protect sea lanes. The Navy has kept a nearly continuous aircraft carrier strike group or amphibious assault group presence in the NAVEUR-AF/6th Fleet area of responsibility for the last two years. The addition of Finland to NATO and the pending accession of Sweden also have increased naval operations in the north. Meanwhile, there are now four Navy destroyers homeported at Naval Station Rota in Spain. A fifth destroyer, USS Oscar Austin, will join them in the late summer. Adm. Stuart Munsch, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa, boards the destroyer USS Bulkeley for a ship tour in Santa Maria, Cape Verde, March 21, 2023. U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and U.S. 6th Fleet are separating staffs after 19 years of being a joint command. (Zac Shea/U.S. Navy) When the commands merged in 2005, the service was focused on efficiency as it conducted and supported Middle East operations, said Bryan Clark, director of the Hudson Institutes Center for Defense Concepts and Technology. Now, there is an increased demand on 6th Fleet as an operational command that it didnt used to have, said Clark, noting that 20 years ago there wasnt a continuous presence of naval forces in the fleets area of responsibility. NAVEUR-AF is engaged in U.S. European Commands support of NATO, which includes Navy missile defense sites in Poland and Romania. Meanwhile, missions to the south are expanding. The expeditionary sea base USS Hershel Woody Williams, homeported at Souda Bay on the island of Crete in Greece, operates extensively in Africa. Sixth Fleet is busy at sea. NAVEUR is busy ashore, Clark said. The Navy is well-served separating these two out again to reflect the reality that the European theater has suddenly become much more active than it was. Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis was convicted in October 2021 by a three-judge panel in Shizuoka District Court of negligent driving causing the deaths of two people and injuring a third in May 2021. (U.S. Navy) A Navy officer convicted of a fatal traffic collision in Japan two years ago will not be promoted, despite outcries from his family and supporters. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has denied Lt. Ridge Alkonis a promotion to lieutenant commander, according to a statement emailed to Stars and Stripes on Tuesday by the Navy Office of Information. I reached this decision after a complete review of the facts and circumstances surrounding his case, to include forwarding this matter to a Special Selection Review Board, Del Toro said in the statement. He said he takes seriously his responsibility to ensure fair and equal consideration of every personnel matter under my purview. Alkonis was transferred to U.S. custody in December and freed on Jan. 12 by an order from the U.S. Parole Commission. In similar cases, the convicted service member is typically, but not always, discharged from the service, according to legal experts who spoke with Stars and Stripes. Conviction for any criminal offense is normally career ending; conviction for criminal homicide would almost certainly have that impact for any officer, even though the deaths were unintended, Geoffrey Corn, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and Texas Tech University law professor, said by email Monday. A Japanese court convicted Alkonis of negligent driving causing the deaths of two Japanese citizens and injuries to a third in Fujinomiya, Japan, on May 29, 2021. Alkonis blacked out behind the wheel following a family trip to Mount Fuji. The car veered into a restaurant parking lot, striking vehicles and pedestrians and causing the deaths of a woman, 85, and her son-in-law, 54. In court, Alkonis expressed remorse and said mountain sickness caused him to pass out, a defense rejected twice by Japanese courts. He served less than half of the three-year sentence handed him in October 2021. Any officer that holds onto their career after a similar conviction would not be selected for promotion, said Todd Huntley, director of Georgetown Universitys National Security Law Program and a retired Navy judge advocate. Instead, they would likely be forced out by a board of inquiry or after reaching the maximum years at their rank, he said by email Monday. During Alkonis incarceration, his supporters mounted a vigorous campaign demanding his release, saying the Navy lieutenant was the victim of Japanese injustice. His wife, Brittany Alkonis, and U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, appealed online, in Congress and to President Joe Biden directly to pressure Japan to release the imprisoned officer or transfer him to U.S. custody. Lee in the Senate successfully won the officer his pay and benefits while incarcerated. Brittany Alkonis remained persistent, making her husbands case on network news and demonstrating outside the White House to keep his case alive. To all military spouses, your military members career will be affected by everything you do and say, she wrote Jan. 20 on X, formerly Twitter. #LtRidgeAlkonis is being punished for MY advocacy and nothing more. Prior to the fatal crash, the Navy had selected Alkonis for promotion, according to supporter Andrew Eubanks. He posted portions of Navy records on X that he said support Alkonis bid for promotion but declined to provide full copies to Stars and Stripes. Del Toro and Rear Adm. Carl Lahti, the head of U.S. Naval Forces Japan, abused their power and punished Alkonis for unwanted social media attention, Eubanks wrote in a Jan. 20 post on X. Aside from his conviction, Alkonis also caused diplomatic fallout between the U.S. and Japan, said Brenner Fissell, a law professor at Villanova University and former appellate defense counsel at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. Even in the U.S., it is really hard to imagine any officer being retained after being convicted of any homicide offense, he said by email Monday. Remember that service members are routinely discharged for minor drug offenses. Three al-Shabab fighters died in American airstrikes in Somalia on Jan. 21, 2024, U.S. Africa Command said in a statement Tuesday. (AFRICOM) U.S. airstrikes killed three Islamic militants in Somalia, U.S. Africa Command said Tuesday, marking the first such attacks in 2024. The strikes involved two separate engagements Sunday against al-Shabab terrorists in a remote area about 20 miles northeast of Kismayo, a southern coastal city, AFRICOM said in a statement. The operation was done at the request of the Somali government. The command said it assessed that no civilians were killed. AFRICOM described the attack as a collective self-defense airstrike. For years, the U.S. has provided security assistance to Somalia. In addition to airstrikes against al-Shabab, U.S. special operators train Somali ground forces. Although Somalia has been at war with al-Shabab for about two decades, the al-Qaida-aligned terrorist group has shown resilience. AFRICOM called al-Shabab the largest and most active al-Qaida network in the world. The group has proved both its will and capability to attack U.S. forces and threaten U.S. security interests, AFRICOM said. Still, al-Shababs attacks are mainly focused inside Somalia, and the group hasnt demonstrated the ability to strike far outside the countrys borders. Cmdr. Gregory Hall, surgical planner on the USNS Mercy, and Dr. Rooney Jagilly, chief of surgery and acting CEO of the National Referral Hospital in Honiara, Solomon Islands, stand beside a laparoscopy tower donated by the U.S. Defense Department during the Pacific Partnership mission in early December 2023. (Justin Ontiveros/US. Navy) The U.S. Defense Department has donated a half-million dollars of surplus high-end surgical equipment to the Solomon Islands, an archipelagic nation of almost 1,000 islands in Oceania. Personnel from the hospital ship USNS Mercy presented the equipment during a two-week portion of the Navys Pacific Partnership mission to the nation late last year, the Navy said in a news release Thursday. The surplus equipment was provided by the Defense Logistics Agency, according to the release. DLA transfers millions of dollars of surplus Defense Department goods and equipment each year as humanitarian assistance. The equipment is expected to improve health care for citizens living across scores of islands in the country, but the donation also contributes to Americas soft power in the region. The U.S. and China are engaged in a diplomatic rivalry over the Solomon Islands, with the two global superpowers eager to have the Oceania nation within their sphere of influence. The U.S. liberated the Solomon Islands from the Japanese during World War II. More than 7,000 Marines died during the seven-month Battle of Guadalcanal. U.S. and Australian officials were stunned when Solomon Islands announced in early 2022 that it was entering into a security agreement with China, opening the possibility that Beijing could use the nation to bolster its military presence in the region. The donated surgical equipment and instruments will be used to perform minimally invasive surgery across a wide range of surgical specialties such as orthopedics, pulmonology and gastroenterology, Cmdr. Gregory Hall, Mercys surgical planner, said in the news release. The main items donated were two separate towers that hold the equipment necessary to visualize and power the minimally invasive instruments, he said. The nations most pressing equipment needs had been identified during a previous humanitarian mission to the Solomon Islands, Hall said. The tower consists of items such as video monitors, image processors and the scope power units, he said. The secondary items were the multitude of sets that contain the specialty equipment to actually perform the minimally invasive procedures, Hall said. This consists of cameras, the scopes themselves and other minimally invasive surgical equipment. The medical equipment not only expands the capabilities of local surgeons, but it offers increased opportunities for medical personnel visiting from partner nations to perform advanced procedures that would have otherwise been unfeasible, the Navy said. Pacific Partnership brings nations together to prepare in calm to respond in crisis, Capt. Brian Quin, mission commander of Pacific Partnership that donated the equipment, said in the news release. The donation will have a lasting impact on the National Referral Hospital and its personnel while demonstrating Americas continued partnership with the people of the Solomon Islands, he said. The headquarters of Bank Rossii, Russias central bank, in Moscow, Russia, on Feb. 23, 2022. (Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg) The European Union is progressing with plans to apply a windfall tax to the profits generated by frozen Russian central bank assets, while opting not to seize the immobilized money outright. EU foreign ministers gave their political blessing to the windfall tax on Monday and it will be discussed by the blocs ambassadors later this week, according to people familiar with the matter. Ukraines allies broadly agree that Russia needs to pay for the damage its war has caused. The EU, Group of Seven nations and Australia have frozen about 260 billion ($283 billion) in Russian Central Bank assets in the form of securities and cash, with more than two thirds of that immobilized in the EU. The majority of the EU-based assets are held by the clearing house Euroclear, where they earned about 3 billion last year. The EUs foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, told reporters on Monday that progress was made on the windfall tax during a meeting of the blocs foreign ministers, and that discussions will continue. I am convinced that we can move forward with this file, Belgian Finance Minister Vincent Van Peteghem, whose country currently holds the rotating presidency of the EU, told Bloomberg TV in an interview. A group of countries including Germany have made clear they are against seizing the Russian assets themselves over legal concerns, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity. A spokesperson from the German Foreign Ministry didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Belgiums Van Peteghem sees this option in a critical light as well. I am a little bit more reluctant, because I think we need a global level playing field and we also need to be sure that is legally sound and it cannot impact the financial stability of systemic institutions such as Euroclear, he said. The EUs foreign affairs service proposed a multi-step process last year that would initially identify the relevant assets and set out actions that the central securities depositories holding those funds would need to take before next steps are put forward. Those steps would outline how a windfall tax is applied to the profits generated by the frozen assets and the proceeds transferred to the EUs budget to use for Ukraine. Expenses and national taxes would be deducted before the proceeds are transferred, Bloomberg previously reported. The US has recently signaled that it could be open to seizing the assets outright. But even the lesser step of taxing profits has progressed slowly in the EU as several member states and the European Central Bank are worried about the potential impact the move could have on the euros stability. Separately, the debate over aid for Ukraine has hit a critical juncture, with questions arising over the war-torn countrys immediate needs. About $100 billion in aid remains stalled by political processes in Washington and Brussels. With assistance from Lyubov Pronina, Maria Tadeo and Jorge Valero. TOKYO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two people were sent to hospital on Tuesday afternoon following an explosion near the area where a Shinkansen bullet train was halted in Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, local media reported. Local authorities are checking whether the blast was related to work on restoring bullet train services between Tokyo and stations in eastern and central Japan that were suspended earlier due to a power outage, Kyodo News said, citing investigative sources. A total of three Shinkansen lines were brought to a halt from around 10:00 a.m. local time between Tokyo to Sendai, Tokyo to Niigata, and Tokyo to Nagano, according to the operator East Japan Railway Company. The company said that an overhead electrical wire was found hanging down over the Shinkansen tracks in one location in Saitama, impeding the train services. Workers have been sent to the site for inspections, but operations are unlikely to resume anytime soon, the company added. Stacy Cummings, the general manager of NATO's Support and Procurement Agency, and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg sign an agreement Jan. 23, 2024, in Brussels for the purchase of 155 mm artillery ammunition. (NATO) NATO signed a $1.2 billion contract Tuesday for about 220,000 artillery rounds, a move that comes as allies work to replenish stockpiles depleted by Western military support for Ukraine. The deal, organized with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, involves 155 mm rounds that can be used by a wide range of weapons systems. Russias war in Ukraine has become a battle for ammunition, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said during a news conference at his Brussels headquarters. So it is important allies refill their own stocks as we continue to support Ukraine. Stacy Cummings, general manager of the procurement agency, said the contract will deliver the rounds within about 30 months. Artillery ammunition in storage at Blue Grass Army Depot in Lexington, Ky., on Sept. 8, 2022. NATO leaders have agreed to a $1.2 billion contract for hundreds of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish alliance stockpiles. (Dori Whipple/U.S. Army) The war has tested the limits of Western militaries, which have been pouring arms and ammunition into Ukraine to help it fight off Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion nearly two years ago. Military officials inside NATO, including Dutch Adm. Rob Bauer, have warned that allies are looking at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to ammunition. In recent months, the alliance has taken steps to ramp up production. Since July, NATO has done about $10 billion in contracts involving everything from howitzers and guided missiles to Patriot interceptors. Also on Tuesday, Stoltenberg was slated to lead a meeting of NATOs North Atlantic Council, the organizations highest decision-making body. The focus will be on how to further boost industrial production, he said. Charles Osgood, anchor of CBS Sunday Morning, poses for a portrait on the set in New York on March 28, 1999. Osgood, who anchored the popular news magazine for more than two decades, was host of the long-running radio program The Osgood File and was referred to as CBS News poet-in-residence, has died. He was 91. (Suzanne Plunkett/AP) (Tribune News Service) Charles Osgood, the bow-tie-wearing former host of CBS Sunday Morning and a fixture for decades on network radio, died Tuesday at his home in New Jersey, CBS News reported. He was 91. Osgood had been suffering from dementia, according to a CBS News representative. Osgood was a weekend companion for millions of viewers during his 22-year run as host of CBS Sunday Morning, the admired news magazine known for its elegantly written in-depth stories and occasional high-minded subject matter. Osgood took over the job from Charles Kuralt in 1994 and remained its host until October 2016, when he was well into his 80s. He was succeeded by Jane Pauley. The stature and popularity of Sunday Morning grew under Osgood. Osgood was long the signature voice of the CBS Radio Network. His morning newscasts and regular commentary feature called The Osgood File were carried on stations across the country including KNX in Los Angeles from 1971 to 2017. He also wrote and hosted a weekend series called Newsmark. Though Osgood became a TV star on CBS Sunday Morning, he never left radio and always expressed his preference for it. His television sign-off was, See you on the radio, which also was the title of one his books. Television is wonderful and I dont mean to take anything away from it, but the fact is that a TV picture is very literally what you see is what you get, Osgood said in a 1991 interview. You bring your own experience and emotions to radio that you dont to television. I do think that radio is more visual. Its a paradox but its true. At the height of his radio career, Osgood was reaching more than 11 million listeners a week. His popularity as a national radio news personality was rivaled only by ABCs Paul Harvey, who died in 2009. Osgoods warm, avuncular delivery was so distinctive, and in demand from radio advertisers, that the network allowed him to read commercial copy, exempting him from a company policy that prohibited such a practice for journalists. Occasionally, he delivered commentaries written in whimsical verse and became known as CBS poet in residence. Osgoods popularity on the radio side led to TV assignments in the 1980s. He was anchor of the CBS Morning News and the Sunday edition of the CBS Evening News, before taking over for Kuralt on CBS Sunday Morning. Born Charles Osgood Wood III on Jan. 8, 1933, in the Bronx, N.Y., he grew up in Baltimore. His radio career began when he attended Fordham University where he worked at the schools radio station. He later joined classical music radio station WGMS in Washington, D.C., where at one time he was assigned to do a program that was piped into Dwight D. Eisenhowers hospital room where the president was recovering from a heart attack. Osgoods knowledge of classical music helped him land a job as announcer for the United States Army Band when he entered the military. I ran into a guy while I was having dinner with a friend of mine and he was dressed in a white uniform, Osgood told The Times in 1991. He was the announcer for the United States Army Band. I asked him when he was getting out and he said within the next few weeks, so the next morning I was parked out at the commanding officers office. He was impressed with the fact I could pronounce Rimsky-Korsakov. Thats how I got the job. In early 1963, Osgood moved to Hartford, Conn., where he became general manager of WHCT-TV, an early subscription television channel owned by RKO General. A precursor to cable, the service used a technology called Phonevision to deliver first-run movies and live sporting events through phone lines and a decoder installed in the home. Later that year, he joined ABC News as a writer for a radio news series called Flair Reports, and covered live events for the network. He began going by Charles Osgood on the air because ABC already employed an announcer named Charles Woods. In 1967, Osgood joined CBS Radio in New York where he was part of the launch of the divisions all-news station, WCBS, better known as Newsradio 880. He joined the network four years later. Osgood was a musician who played the piano and banjo. He once purchased a Steinway piano from Columbia Records that had been used by Rudolf Serkin and Glenn Gould. Osgood performed on his programs and occasionally at live concerts with orchestras such as the Boston Pops. He is a co-writer of Gallant Men, a song that became an unlikely top 40 hit for Everett McKinley Dirksen, a Republican U.S. senator from Illinois, in 1967. It won a Grammy Award for best spoken word, documentary or drama recording. Osgood authored several books including Nothing Could Be Finer Than a Crisis in the Morning, and Theres Nothing I Wouldnt Do If You Would Be My POSSLQ, both collections of his radio commentaries. He performed as the narrator in Horton Hears a Who!, the 2008 animated film based on the Dr. Seuss book. Osgood is survived by his wife, Jean Crafton, whom he married in 1973, and five children: Kathleen, Winston, Anne Elizabeth, Emily Jean and Jamie. 2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Harry Turner also lit and threw fireworks at gardai from the house, causing officers to call for assistance. A man who attacked his girlfriend when she refused to drive him to pick up drugs has been jailed for three years. Harry Turner (26) also caused trouble for the gardai when they arrived at the scene after his mother alerted them to the incident. He lit and threw fireworks at gardai from the house, causing officers to call for assistance. Turner of Coolmine Lodge, Grove Road, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm, production of a knife and letting off fireworks on October 10, 2020. Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, told Judge Martin Nolan that the case needed to be considered under the Domestic Violence Act 2018 as the woman and Turner were in a relationship at the time. The court heard that Turner was living with the woman at the time. She had previously asked him to leave because of his addiction issues but he was back in her home that night. A dispute arose between the couple, after they spent the evening drinking together, when the woman decided she wanted to go to bed and Turner said he wanted to get a bag of cocaine. He kept pestering the woman for her phone and ultimately used her phone to set up a deal. The woman refused to drive him or provide him with money for the deal and Turner became aggressive. She texted a friend of Turners telling him that she was concerned about his behaviour and the friend said he would contact Turners mother. The woman told Turner that his friend and his mother were on their way and Turner retrieved a knife from the kitchen threatening to butcher his friend. He also threatened to smash the womans phone and iPad when she refused to give him the passcode. Turner then locked himself and the woman out of the house and refused to let her back in. She ran off to try and find his mother and friend but he caught up with her and dragged her back to the house by the hair. She screamed out for help asking for someone to call the gardai. Turner continued to drag the woman bashing her head against the side of her car and then pinning her against it, demanding that she drive him to collect the drugs. He then opened up the house and dragged her in by the hair where he again pushed her. She tried to run for the front door but he grabbed her again and threw her against the stairs. Turners mother then arrived at the house. She was banging on the doors and windows but Turner refused to let the woman out. His mother then called the gardai. The gardai arrived at the scene but Turner caused difficulty and threw the fireworks at him. He ultimately surrendered himself and walked out peacefully. Mr Nolan confirmed that there was no victim impact statement before the court. He said Turner was arrested but was considered unfit to be interviewed for six hours because of his level of intoxication. John Moher BL, defending, said his client had difficulties with drink and drugs. He asked the court to accept that the production of the knife was in relation to threatening the friend who was expected to arrive and was not used during the assault. Judge Nolan said Turner wanted drugs and when the woman wouldnt co-operate, he became irate and assaulted her. It was a litany of bad and violent behaviour, the judge said before he accepted that Turner was under the influence of intoxicants and has since indicated his remorse through his plea of guilty. He said it must have been a very frightening situation for the woman before he jailed Turner for three years. Nathan Bissett (28) broke the window during a street dispute with two other people Nathan Bissett (28) was ordered to pay 500 compensation for the damage A father-of-three smashed the National Lottery office window with a kick before hurling abuse at investigating gardai. Nathan Bissett (28) broke the window during a street dispute with two other people, a court heard. Judge Cephas Power adjourned the case and said he would leave him without a criminal record if he paid 500 compensation for the damage. Bissett, of Herbert Hill, Dundrum pleaded guilty to criminal damage, failing to follow garda directions and threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour. Dublin District Court heard the incident happened on Abbey Street at 8.10pm on September 20, 2022. Gardai came across two men and a woman in a dispute outside the National Lottery building. One of them, the accused, smashed the window and when gardai approached him and tried to calm him down, he became verbally abusive. He was directed to leave the area, refused to do so and was arrested. On viewing CCTV footage, gardai saw Bissett walking up to the window and kicking it, causing it to smash. He had no previous convictions. The accuseds alcohol consumption had got out of control and he was abusing it at the time of the incident, his solicitor Daniel Hanahoe said. He had been an apprentice scaffolder previously and hoped to get back to work. Judge Power said he would apply the Probation Act if the compensation was paid. If the victims did not want to accept it, it could be donated to charity, he said. Mr Ward is charged with possession of an AR-15 rifle and reckless discharge of a firearm at an address at Ratoath Drive, Finglas, on or about January 1, 2022. Two brothers awaiting trial on firearms charges and for discharging a "military grade" semi-automatic rifle in a residential area in Dublin have initiated fresh applications for bail in the High Court. Glen Ward (30) from Finglas, Dublin, and his brother Eric O'Driscoll (22) also from Finglas, were denied bail last week following a lengthy application, opposed by gardai, at Cloverhill District Court. Following that ruling, they lodged fresh applications which came before the High Court in Cloverhill today. The matter was listed before Mr Justice Tony Hunt, and their bail hearing was adjourned until next week. Mr Ward is charged with possession of an AR-15 rifle and reckless discharge of a firearm at an address at Ratoath Drive, Finglas, on or about January 1, 2022. Mr O'Driscoll was charged with reckless discharge of a firearm at the same address on the same date. He is also accused of possession of an AR-15, as well as an Ingram sub-machine gun and ammunition, at another address at Ratoath Drive on February 10, 2022. At last weeks district court bail hearing, Detective Sergeant Niall Murray objected, citing the seriousness of the case. He alleged that on February 10, 2022, gardai searched a house in Ratoath Drive as part of a large operation targeting feuding gangs. Detective Sergeant Murray alleged they recovered a "military grade" AR-15, an Ingram sub-machine, 320 rounds of various ammunition and three magazines for a Uzi sub-machine gun. It was alleged that the defendants had access to the house from another property in the locality and had control of the weapons. He stressed that the homeowners were law-abiding people and not suspected of any involvement. On June 20, 2022, it was alleged the defendants were fired at while travelling in a taxi and that they fled, but Mr O'Driscoll left his phone in the cab. Gardai recovered it and allegedly found two videos. It was claimed the first showed Mr Ward discharging a firearm, and the second showed Mr O'Driscoll letting off three shots. The bail hearing was told that garda ballistics experts examined the footage and believed the weapon was an AR-15 consistent with the seized rifle, which had clearly distinguishing marks. The detective sergeant maintained the footage, which was not played during the bail hearing, also showed Mr O'Driscoll handling firearms, including two AR-15s and an Ingram, and a large quantity of ammunition in plastic bags, which were "clearly visible" in the high-quality video. The bail hearing was also told that Mr O'Driscoll's phone Google history searched for "how to wash out gunshot residue from clothing" and searches about AR-15s. The detective sergeant agreed with defence counsel Keith Spencer, instructed by solicitor Niall O'Connor, that there was no forensic evidence. He also accepted that there were no witnesses of them going in and out of the house. The defence said they "intend to fight fully" the charges. The brothers have deferred legal aid applications until they can furnish the court with statements of their means. Gardai have to obtain directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions. MANILA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines on Tuesday launched a four-year plan to boost the halal industry, hoping to turn the country into a leading halal hub in the Asia-Pacific region by 2028. Philippine Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the Philippine Halal Industry Development Strategic Plan "aspires to establish the Philippines as a customer-focused, collaborative, comprehensive, and competitive halal gateway and destination in the Asia-Pacific." The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it targets to increase Philippine-made halal-certified products and services to 6,000 by 2028 from the current 3,000. The trajectory builds on the increasing number of Muslim Filipinos, tourists, Islamic exporters and bankers, halal investors, and health-conscious consumers, the department said. The DTI said the country's halal tourism drive is "gaining momentum," with 289 halal-certified or Muslim-friendly accommodation establishments nationwide and 237 halal-certified or Muslim-friendly accommodation establishment restaurants nationwide. The department said the halal industry is "one of the most promising industries" in the global market, estimated to reach a staggering 7.7 trillion U.S. dollars in market value by 2025, up from 3.2 trillion dollars in 2015. CAB seizes house from serial burglar who paid cash for 165k bungalow Patrick Wall switched his surname to Connors after overstaying his visa in the US A key member of Irelands most prolific burglary gang has been forced to hand over a house bought with his ill-gotten gains. Patrick Wall had bought the semi-detached bungalow for 166,500 in cash despite not having had any income to explain his wealth. A close associate of infamous burglar Edward The Bullet Connors, Wall is suspected of carrying out dozens of break-ins all over Ireland. The Bullet, a cousin of slain mobster Fat Andy Connors, is one of the countrys most prolific burglars and has amassed dozens of convictions over the years. Bullet Connors Known as the Pale Miley Gang, the group was the top target in a garda effort to shut down robbery gangs under Operation Fiacla launched ten years ago. They were notorious for using high-speed cars to carry out raids and to outpace pursuing patrol cars. Despite being arrested with The Bullet 28 times, Wall was convicted of just five break-ins during his criminal career. But a Criminal Assets Bureau case last year revealed how Wall and the gang operated across the four provinces and created terror in rural Ireland. Wall and his wife Tina, who was also named in the CAB action, settled the case last December. CAB had targeted a property in Newbridge and a site in Crumlin. It was detailed how Wall has 39 criminal convictions, including eight which resulted in a prison sentence. Wall was jailed for 10 months in 2011 after a high-speed chase in Donegal in which the suspects abandoned a car at Ballyshannon and one man swam across a river into Northern Ireland while the others fled into fields. Wall was arrested the next day and given 10 months in prison for two burglaries in the county, ending a spate of robberies in the north-west of the country. He was linked to 29 burglaries in Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal from July until his arrest in September that year. In his affidavit to the court, a garda said the burglaries makes it clear that members of the investigation team believe him to be part of a prolific burglary gang that terrorised certain parts of rural Ireland during this period. The CAB investigation also uncovered how a vulnerable elderly man paid 3,400 into Walls bank account in 2015. This cash was part of the money used to buy the house in Newbridge in 2016. When officers went to find out why the man had done so, his niece told them he had been the victim of a fraud, according to CAB. The man, who was in his 80s at the time, paid money to people who had called to his house saying money was owed for work on his house. He gave them 120,000 in total between 2015 and 2018 until the gardai were alerted. It was also found that both Patrick Wall and Tina Wall were awarded insurance compensation payouts totalling 70,000 between them from traffic accidents between 2006 and 2019. From June 2018 to June 2019 the couple lived in the United States, overstaying their tourist visas, according to the CAB case, and continued to illegally claim child benefit payments. They were paid rent of between 1,200 and 1,400 a month for the Newbridge property, lodged 33,881 from a US bank into an Irish account and had 50,000 in their account on their return from the US. During the search of their own residence in Tallaght in 2021, officers found the couple had gone through the process of changing their names by deed poll to Patrick and Tina Connors. They told officers they had done so because of a falling out with the Wall family from Carlow and wanted to distance themselves from them. An investigating officer said US immigration officials confirmed the couple had overstayed their visa and were no longer allowed to enter America. This explains the change of name by deed poll undertaken by both respondents. During the same search Tina Wall was found to have concealed 2,300 in her underwear which it was claimed was from the sale of three dogs. In evidence, the Bureaus Chief Officer, Michael Gubbins, stated that Patrick Wall is involved in serious criminality and has a history of committing burglaries and of criminal associations with individuals who are also known to be serial burglars. Gary Bairds plea to manslaughter has not been accepted by the prosecution A Belfast man accused of murdering his wife with a hammer claimed voices in his head told him to do it, a jury heard on Monday. Gary Alexander Baird (63) has denied murdering his wife Susan in their Windermere Road home on August 16, 2020, but has pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter. This plea to manslaughter has not been accepted by the prosecution and a murder trial commenced at Belfast Crown Court on Monday. A jury consisting of five men and seven women was addressed by Crown prosecutor Richard Weir KC and was told that the crux of the case concerns Baird's mental state at the time of the killing. Mrs Baird, a mother-of-four, was 60 when she died and worked as an administrator at Orangefield Presbyterian Church. Telling the jury this case was "undoubtedly a tragedy", the senior prosecutor revealed that at 4.51pm on Sunday August 16, 2020 Baird called 999 and said "I've just murdered my wife." He told the operator he had hit her with a hammer and when asked if she was dead, Baird replied "I think so." Police attended the house at Four Winds promptly and after entering via an unlocked front door, they observed a heavily-bloodstained Baird sitting in the kitchen with a wound to his head. They then discovered Mrs Baird who was lying slumped on a sofa in a small room off the kitchen. Mr Weir told the jury: "She had severe head injuries and displayed no signs of life." Paramedics also arrived at the scene and after observing the nature and extent of Mrs Baird's head wounds, it was noted at 5.08pm that her injuries were 'incompatible with life.' Life was formally pronounced extinct at 8.55pm and she was later identified from her dental records. A post-mortem examination conducted two days after her death confirmed that Mrs Baird died of multiple blows to the head. Baird was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murdering his wife and at that point he made no reply. Due to his head wound, he was also treated by paramedics and when asked how he was injured, Baird said "I did this to myself." He was also asked by the paramedic if he intended to kill himself to which he replied "the voices in my head told me to do it" and said he had used a hammer. Baird was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he was treated for a head wound. During a mental health assessment conducted on August 26, 2020 Baird said that on the day of the killing, he had had a 'tiff' with his wife. He said he'd been doing a bit of DIY around the house, which is why he had the hammer, and said he then heard a voice telling him 'this is your time, this is your opportunity.' Baird said he then attacked his wife with the hammer and claimed he had been hearing voices 'since June'. When asked about his self-inflicted head wound, Baird told medics he hit himself to "share" the pain. He also apologised and said he wished he could turn the clock back. Mr Weir revealed the accused was then transferred to the acute mental health inpatient unit in the City Hospital where he stayed for a period before being deemed mentally and physically fit for interview. This took place in January 2021 when Baird made no reply to any questions put to him by police. Concluding his opening, Mr Weir told the jury: "The issue of diminished responsibility will be raised by the defence in this case. "That is a special defence which applies only in murder cases. "At its heart lies the issue of the accused's mental state at the time of the killing. That is a matter for expert evidence - evidence from psychiatrists ... and you will hear that at a later stage in this trial." Trial judge Mr Justice McFarland then addressed the jury and before being dismissed for the day, the 12 members were told not to speak to anyone about the case or conduct any online research. Gardai were tipped off to a drug exchange taking place at Woodlawn Lane in Knocklyon A man from County Wicklow who was caught with over 700,000 worth of drugs as well as 30,000 in cash that was the proceeds of crime has been jailed for eight years. Killian McCabe (27) of Woodlands Park, Arklow, Co Wicklow, was caught by gardai with 718,240 worth of cannabis, cannabis resin, cocaine, amphetamine and heroin in two vans in Knocklyon, Dublin, on November 20, 2022. His co-accused, Charlene Murphy (33), was found with 87,240 worth of cannabis resin in her car shortly after McCabe handed over the drugs to her that evening, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday. A further 4,480 worth of cocaine was found in her home at St Jarlath's Road, Cabra, Dublin after gardai searched it. Murphy pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs for sale or supply and was jailed for two years. Detective Garda Ivor Scully told Aideen Collard BL, prosecuting, that gardai were tipped off to a drug exchange taking place at Woodlawn Lane in Knocklyon on the evening in question. Murphy and McCabe were observed and arrested a short time later. A large quantity of drugs were found in a secret compartment in McCabe's van, while more drugs were found in a second van parked nearby. A total of 30,800 cash was also seized by gardai. McCabe pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs for sale or supply and the proceeds of crime. He has 43 previous convictions. Mark Lynam SC, defending him, said McCabe has an intellectual disability and attended a special school as a child. He started using drugs from a young age and developed an addiction. At the time of the offence, he had a drug debt and was transporting the drugs in order to help pay it off. McCabe is currently serving a sentence for arson, which is due to expire in April 2026. Glenn Lynch BL, defending Murphy, said she is a single mother of a teenage child and she spent three years in emergency accommodation after becoming homeless., where she started to abuse drugs. Her parents were in court to support her. She has 25 previous convictions, all for road traffic offences. She has a good work history and has suffered with mental health issues since her arrest. She is now drug-free. Sentencing the pair, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that McCabe was not a high ranking person in terms of the drugs operation and that he was a holder or transporter. He sentenced him to eight years in prison, starting from today's date. Judge Nolan accepted Murphy was attempting to pay off a 17,000 drug debt at the time of the offence, but he said she had carried out the crime when she was a mature person who should have known better. He jailed her for two years. Nigel Kennedy (29) allegedly put shop workers in fear when he took sleeping tablets and cash in a knifepoint robbery A man accused of robbing a pharmacy was allegedly found with a picture of the stolen goods on a Whatsapp message on his phone, which read: Just done a chemist. Nigel Kennedy (29) allegedly put shop workers in fear when he took sleeping tablets and cash in a knifepoint robbery in south Dublin and was later seen getting on a bus near the scene. Judge Alan Mitchell refused to grant him bail and remanded him in custody. Mr Kennedy, a father-of-one with an address at Mackintosh Park, Pottery Road, Dun Laoghaire is charged with robbery at Sheanes pharmacy on Foxrock Avenue, Foxrock. He is also charged with attempted robbery at Clonkeen service station on Clonkeen Road, Blackrock, on the same day, last November 21. Mr Kennedy has been in custody on remand since he was arrested in December, before applying for bail at Cloverhill District Court. Objecting to bail, the prosecuting garda told Judge Mitchell it was alleged the accused entered the pharmacy where he forced a female staff member at knifepoint into a confined area. He aggressively demanded that she empty the till and he went behind the counter, where he continued to wield the knife and took around 300 from the open till. It was alleged he also went to the dispensary area and aggressively demanded another staff member tell him where the sleeping tablets were, before taking several trays of pills. Both workers were put in fear, the garda said. According to gardai, CCTV footage showed the accused getting on a 46A Dublin Bus three minutes after the robbery. It was further alleged that gardai found on his phone a Whatsapp message that had been sent with a picture of the stolen items clearly on display and the text just done a chemist. At the service station, it was alleged he produced a knife and again told a female staff member to empty a till. Gardai said the pharmacy robbery was done in broad daylight while young children were being collected from a nearby primary school. It was alleged the accused showed zero consideration for this. Mr Kennedy was presumed innocent and would be in custody for some time if refused bail, his lawyer said. He could live at his fathers address and abide by conditions including staying away from the alleged victims if granted bail. He could also sign on at a garda station and keep a curfew. He had a labouring job available through an uncle. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher was giving evidence today in the trial of Michael Crotty, who is accused of facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan in 2016 by buying a mobile phone top-up for Sean McGovern. Sean McGovern, one of the men injured during the attack at the Regency Hotel in 2016, has been named in the Special Criminal Court as a significant figure in a leadership role in the Kinahan organised crime group. The non-jury court today heard sworn testimony on the command structure and activities of the Kinahan cartel, as well as evidence that 33 people linked to the organisation who were "going to be involved in violence and murder" have been arrested by investigating gardai. Detective Superintendent David Gallagher was giving evidence today in the trial of Michael Crotty, who is accused of facilitating the murder of Noel Kirwan in 2016 by buying a mobile phone top-up for Sean McGovern. Mr Kirwan, an innocent man who had no involvement in criminality, was shot dead because members of the Kinahan organisation mistakenly thought that he was connected to the Hutch organisation. The Hutch gang carried out the Regency attack in which another senior member of the Kinahan cartel, David Byrne, was shot dead. Noel 'Duck Egg' Kirwan In his opening speech before the court last week, Dominic McGinn SC, for the prosecution, alleged that Mr Crotty purchased the mobile phone credit at a Spar shop in Naas, Co Kildare, on December 21, 2016 on behalf of Mr McGovern. Mr McGinn said he will call evidence to show that Mr Crotty had known Mr McGovern for a number of years and that he made the purchase knowing that it would be used, or being reckless as to whether it would be used, in the commission of a serious crime. Mr Crotty (40), of Sli Aonghusa, Aras na Ri, Cashel, Co Tipperary has pleaded not guilty to the single charge. Det Supt Gallagher today told Mr McGinn of his experience as a garda for many years investigating serious crime and organised criminal groups. Following the Regency attack in March 2016 he was tasked with investigating the activities of the Kinahan and Hutch organisations who were involved in a "murderous feud" from 2015 to 2018, he said. Since 2015, Supt Gallagher said he has been personally involved in prosecuting those in leadership roles within those organisations and members or associates and others who enhanced the criminal activities of the organisations. He said that he led at least eight investigations which resulted in interventions where there was an imminent threat to the lives of persons who were to be attacked using firearms by members of the Kinahan organisation. He has also been involved in investigations into drug trafficking and firearms offences, he said. As a result of operations in which he was involved, he said 33 people had been arrested in situations where they were "going to be involved in violence and the murder of persons in the other criminal organisation". Those 33 people were arrested and prosecuted for offences including conspiracy to murder, directing the Kinahan criminal organisation, drug trafficking, firearms offences and money laundering, he told the court. He added: "All of this combined has given me a unique insight into the roles, activities and criminality of the organisation as a whole as well as individuals within that organisation." The detective said the core function of the Kinahan group is "driven by monetary gain with drug trafficking as the primary source of income". They are involved at an international level to import the drugs and in distribution at street level. They enforce their control "by violence, using firearms and murder," he said. They also engage in money laundering to launder the proceeds of their crimes. He described the organisation as complex and well organised. Some of his knowledge comes from phone calls, audio recordings, the seizure of mobile phones and other electronic devices and messages exchanged on encrypted platforms which were accessed in recent years by international policing partners including Europol. Information has also come from law agencies in north and south American and Dubai that have "provided me with meaningful insight into the organisation". He explained that the cartel is hierarchical in nature with a command structure. Around its core activities it has a structure of sub-cells with various responsibilities for drug distribution and money laundering. Within those sub-cells, he said there is a further hierarchy but not everyone who is involved is a member of the organisation. Some people take on roles for monetary gain while others do it because of family or friendship links. The senior leadership, he said, is now based in Dubai with other cells in mainland Europe and South America while some cells remain in Ireland. Due to disruption and prosecution of persons in the organisation, the level of violence has fallen "dramatically" since 2018, he said, but the organisation still exists. In 2016, when the Regency attack happened, followed by Mr Kirwan's murder, the senior leadership was based in Malaga in Spain with some senior figures based in Ireland. The move to Dubai happened around 2017, he said, when "increased collaboration with the Spanish authorities was taking place". He said that the murder of Mr Kirwan was committed as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud as retaliation by the Kinahans arising out of the Regency attack and other incidents in 2014 and 2015. "Mr Kirwan was murdered for reasons known to senior people in the Kinahan organisation. A number of peripheral people were targeted as well as central persons at that time," he said. The "kernel of the feud", he said, commenced in Spain in 2015 with the murder of Gary Hutch but, the detective added: "I could go back further if you want a history lesson." Following the Regency attack, he said there was a "very significant escalation in murders, attempted murders and shootings across the city." The shooting of Mr Kirwan, he said, was part of this series of murders. Using his operational experience and knowledge of the criminal organisation, Supt Gallagher said he is satisfied to offer the opinion to the court under the Criminal Justice Act 2006 as evidence of the existence of the Kinahan organised crime group. He agreed that Sean McGovern is connected to that organisation and added: "He is a significant figure within the organisation in a leadership role and is currently based in Dubai." Under cross-examination, Det Supt Gallagher agreed with Mr Crotty's defence counsel Padraig Dwyer SC that prior to the investigation into Mr Kirwan's murder, Mr Crotty was not on his "radar" and was "not a name that had cropped up" during his investigations into organised crime. Mr Crotty denies the charge that between October 20, 2016 and December 22, 2016, within the State and with knowledge of the existence of a criminal organisation did participate in, or contribute by activity, or by being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission by a criminal organisation or any of its members of a serious offence: to wit the murder of Christopher (aka Noel) Kirwan, contrary to Section 72 of the Criminal justice Act. His trial is continuing before Ms Justice Caroline Biggs, Judge Sarah Berkeley and Judge Grainne Malone. The grieving victim got on the tram shortly after learning of the death and was beaten over the head with a glass bottle and kneed and kicked in the face A young woman has received a six-month suspended sentence for a harrowing attack on a woman subjected to fat shaming on the Luas just after her father died. The grieving victim got on the tram shortly after learning of the death and was beaten over her head with a glass bottle and kneed and kicked in the face after taunts from teenagers. One of the attackers, a girl then aged 16, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Childrens Court to assault causing harm to the passenger on May 22, 2022. Her case resumed yesterday when a victim impact statement was furnished to Judge Paul Kelly, which he described as harrowing. It mentioned how she had lost her father just hours before the shocking attack, which the judge said left her with significant trauma. Defence counsel Doireann McDonagh pleaded for leniency, saying the girl was reserved and shy, but the judge remarked that the teen wasnt on the day of the incident. Counsel said the accused had consumed too much alcohol at the time. The barrister confirmed that her client had seen the impact statement and photos of the injured victim, which left her horrified. Counsel said the teen had never been in custody before and had the potential to turn her life around. The court heard she was carrying out community service imposed for an earlier offence and was taking part in a training course, after which the accused said she wanted to get work. Judge Kelly was furnished with probation reports on her and said it was a close call as he imposed a six-month sentence, which he suspended on condition she did not re-offend in the next year. Furthermore, he said she must remain on Probation Service supervision, engage in victim-focused work and alcohol abuse counselling and continue in education or training. Earlier, Garda Darragh Cashe told Judge Kelly that he met the victim at Dawson Street soon after the incident, and she informed him how she had been attacked on the tram while travelling northbound. The court heard that three youths, two female and one male, were fat-shaming her before there was a physical altercation. Garda Cashe said that one girl, yet to be identified, struck the womans head with a glass bottle, and the defendant also attacked her. The injured party was hit a number of times by the defendant, kneed, kicked once in the face and kicked at least another two times, Garda Cashe said. The accused, now 18, had one prior assault conviction. The male travelling with them on the Luas did not get involved in the attack. The 17-year-old Dublin boy can't be named for legal reasons A teenager who used a vice grip in a frenzied manner during a shocking and unprovoked assault on a student travelling on a Luas has been detained for 28 months. The 17-year-old Dublin boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, was sent forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on signed pleas from the District Court after pleading guilty to one count of assault causing harm and one count of production of a vice grip on December 5, 2022 on a Luas. He also pleaded guilty to one count of assault causing harm on January 17, 2023. Both incidents took place in Dublin. The court previously heard that the accused was part of two separate groups which carried out unprovoked assaults on two students. Imposing sentence yesterday, Judge Elma Sheahan described CCTV footage of the unprovoked attacks on the two victims as disturbing, upsetting and appalling. She said the CCTV from the Luas showed a group of young males throwing around their collective weight and in the course of the incident, assaulting two individuals who were sitting alone with no back-up, adding that the definition of cowardice appears apt. She said the use of a vice grips during this incident by the accused is shocking and the CCTV footage is uncomfortable to watch. She said the defendant's role was significant and he used the vice grip in a frenzied manner. Judge Sheahan noted the effects of unprovoked violence on society and said the courts must try to deal with the sense of fear that may be felt by people using public transport or on the streets in the presence of large groups of young people. She said the aggravating factors include the level of violence used in both incidents, the use of a vice grip, and the unprovoked repeated nature of offending. Judge Sheahan said she took the mitigation into account including his lack of previous convictions, his age, expressions of remorse, the contents of reports submitted to the court and the support of his family. Judge Sheahan imposed a detention term of 28 months. She said the court viewed this order as a means to provide him with access to the supports available from the Probation Service and expressed the hope that he would avail of all appropriate services offered to him in the future. At a previous sentence date, the investigating garda told Jane McCudden BL, prosecuting, that the first incident took place on the red line Luas. The victim was travelling home from college when a group of teenagers, including the accused, got onto the tram at the Belgard stop. Some of the teenagers took a bottle from a man sleeping behind the victim, then threw it at this man. After this, one of the group asked the victim what he was looking at. The garda said the victim was sitting opposite the group of males and they seemed to take exception to this. The victim was struck on the mouth, which caused damage to a tooth. More teenagers, including the defendant, started to hit and punch the victim, who tried to cover his head to protect himself. The accused also had a vice grip in his pocket which he used to strike the victim three or four times. CCTV of the assault was played to the court. The garda said the accused was the lead aggressor during the main assault on the victim. A number of passengers intervened to stop the attack. After the assault, the victim felt blood on his nose. He also sustained swelling to his face and bruising. Photos were handed to the court along with a letter from the victim's dentist. The accused was arrested, but nothing of evidential value was obtained during interview. In a victim impact statement read to the court, this victim said that after the assault he was very afraid of large crowds and of using the Luas as he no longer felt safe. He said his studies were affected and he faced additional costs as he started to drive to college. The garda agreed with Sarah Jane O'Callaghan BL, defending, that her client entered an early guilty plea and was respectful in his interactions with gardai. He also accepted that the teenager has a supportive family. It was agreed that the accused did not cause the injury to the victim's tooth. Ms O'Callaghan put it to the witness that her client was initially sitting in a different part of the tram before he got involved by following the group in a ferocious assault. The level of aggression was shocking, Ms O'Callaghan said. The garda replied he could have stayed where he was in another carriage. In relation to the second incident, the victim left his apartment at 8.30pm on January 17, 2023 and was crossing the road when he saw a group of young people running after him. The victim started to run, but the group caught up with him and started to kick and punch him. The victim fell to the group and the assault continued. The teenager was part of the group of five males who attacked the man. He struck the victim at least three times with his foot. The victim lost consciousness during the assault and sustained a large gash to his head, which required six staples and a minor fracture to his cheek. He spent eight days in hospital. Photos of his injuries were handed to the court. CCTV was played to the court, during which the teenager and others involved could be seen laughing after the assault. The accused was identified from the CCTV and while he initially denied any involvement, he later accepted responsibility and showed remorse. The garda agreed with defence counsel that both offences were similar. He accepted that the teenager showed remorse when interviewed and that a psychological report states the accused displayed shame and victim empathy. It was also agreed that another male encouraged the assault on the victim. In his victim impact statement, the second victim said he is now nervous walking near large crowds. He said he came to Ireland to study and work and did not initially contact family abroad as he did not want them to see his injuries. Ms O'Callaghan said her client's role was significant in the first assault, but he was not the initial aggressor. Another male was also inciting the assault of the second victim, however her client accepts his involvement in both assaults. She said the teenager has autism and ADHD. A psychological report was handed to the court. Her client has engaged with relevant services and has distanced himself from the negative peer group. She said her client is quite introverted and quiet when not in the company of peers, but is psychologically vulnerable and easily led by others. His family are extremely supportive of him and were present in court. He has built up a drugs debt due to his use of cannabis and his family are concerned about pressure from third parties in relation to this debt, which they intend to repay. Ms O'Callaghan said the teenager has faced a number of challenges in his life, including the death of his father when he was younger, which has had a destabilising impact on him. Defence counsel outlined the contents of a Probation Report to the court. She said her client had displayed remorse in his interactions with the probation officer. She noted that the probation officer recommends multi-agency supports for the teenager including the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. She said her client has lost hope and accepts that he is facing a period of detention. She asked the court to consider all available options when finalising this case. "The message is clear if you ignore and betray us Irish people. You are putting yourself and your business and premises at risk. Wexford gardai have been made aware of a veiled threat made against one of Irelands biggest haulage firms, hours after a major fire ripped through an industrial estate which is home to their Welsh offices. Nolan Transport was on the receiving end of a veiled threat from an anti-immigrant Facebook page following the fire on Friday night. A 25-year-old man was arrested in the UK following the blaze, which originated in the neighbouring Owens Group warehouse in the Bridgend Industrial Estate in Wales. It is understood that the fire spread to neighbouring properties, including Nolan Transport, with the Owens Group offering sincere apologies for all of our fellow businesses in the immediate area who have been impacted by this unfortunate incident. Many posting on social media over the weekend mistakenly believed that it was Nolan Transports premises in Wexford that was the epicentre of the blaze, with one particular threatening and baseless post from an anti-migrant page the subject of a complaint to gardai. Read more Man (30) seriously injured after car crashes into wall in Co Wexford "Nolan Transport Wexford bussing fakeugees (sic) around Ireland against our wishes, the sinister post read. "The message is clear if you ignore and betray us Irish people. You are putting yourself and your business and premises at risk. When it was pointed out that the location of the fire was in Wales, the poster went on to update. "Wales has taken in too many too," the updated post said. People are out protesting on their streets over there too with regards their safety and the sky high amount of fakeugees. The page then went on to post a YouTube link to the song Disco Inferno by The Trammps with the caption Burn baby burn" and a series of laughing emojis. When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Nolan Transport said: Someone is after getting the wrong end of the stick. It wasnt our premises at all. The spokesperson declined to comment further in relation to any damage that may have been caused to their premises. Suitably concerned with a rise of far-right rhetoric online and a number of high-profile incidents which have seen properties set alight around the country in recent times, Wexford Sinn Fein councillor Tom Forde has personally raised the content of this particular post with An Garda Siochana. "Its unacceptable for any individual or group to be inciting violence against any business or person, he said. In my view it's a threat anyway and its incitement. "I do not believe for one minute that any Wexford person would believe in putting the lives or property of a good local employer at risk in this manner. "Many people have differences of opinion with Government policy and the way to challenge that is to use your voice in protest and use your vote, not to hide behind a page and to threaten others. Cllr Forde conceded that it can be hard for gardai to establish the individuals behind these anonymous Facebook pages, but stressed the importance of taking action against accounts that incite violence. "I think this type of thing needs to be taken seriously, Cllr Forde concluded. Ashling (23) was murdered as she exercised on the banks of the Grand Canal at Cappincur outside Tullamore, Co Offaly on January 12, 2022. The third annual Ashling Murphy memorial walk in New York City took place yesterday Some 200 people gathered in New York City on Sunday to honour the memory of murdered schoolteacher Ashling Murphy two years after her death. Ashling (23) was murdered as she exercised on the banks of the Grand Canal at Cappincur outside Tullamore, Co Offaly, on January 12, 2022. Jozef Puska (33) was sentenced to life in prison in November after being found guilty of her murder. A number of walks and charity events have been organised in Ireland and afar this month by the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund and external groups to mark the second anniversary of her death. The Irish diaspora in New York continued their now annual walk in memory of Ashling yesterday afternoon, with participants meeting up at the Central Park Boat House before walking a 5km loop together in the chilly 4C air. The group posed for photos together, holding up a jersey with Ashlings camogie number, 23, that read: Ni bheidh a leitheid ann aris (it will never be the same again), Ashling Murphy. A suggested donation of $20 to the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund was recommended by organisers, with 100pc of proceeds going to the charity. It was established in her name in January last year for the further enhancement, development and the advancements of traditional Irish arts, culture and heritage for young people. This is achieved through the provisions of education, tuition, facilities and equipment, all framed by Ashlings love of teaching, music, and sport. Speaking at the event, organiser Amy Brett said: Its freezing which stands to say a lot. Ashling lost her life two years ago and I dont think anyone doesnt think of her when theyre out for a run. What were about to do is what she went out to do. Its so great to see that she is honored in such a lovely way. Her family said to give their thanks and the Ashling Murphy Memorial Fund, where all the donations are going, expressed their thanks. Ashlings life was celebrated at her second anniversary mass in St Brigids Church, Mountbolus earlier this month. Durrow National School, where Ashling taught, also held a school mass, while a commemorative walk took place in her hometown of Tullamore, retracing her final steps along the canal where she tragically lost her life. Sherry (26) was killed in the horror gun attack in Brownes Steakhouse, which was followed by the death of his victim A seventh person has been arrested by gardai investigating the death of a gunman in a restaurant in Blanchardstown on Christmas Eve. Tristan Sherry (26) was killed in the horror gun attack in Brownes Steakhouse, which was followed by the death of his victim. Gardai said that as part of an ongoing investigation into the serious incident at a premises on Main Street in Blanchardstown, on December 24, they had arrested a man earlier this morning. The male is currently detained at a Garda Station in the DMR under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, gardai said. This is the seventh individual to be arrested as part of this investigation. Sherry was killed after opening fire with a high-velocity gun inside the steakhouse. Jason Hennessy Snr (48) was shot by Sherry in the neck and upper body while having a meal with family and friends. He was rushed to hospital, but his condition deteriorated, and he passed away on January 4 as a result of his injuries. Jason Hennessy Snr Sherry was confronted at the scene and disarmed before being killed and a number of people are currently before the courts in relation to his death. Last week, a teenager who had become the sixth person arrested by gardai in connection with the probe into Sherrys death was charged and later appeared in court. On Saturday around 15 to 20 mourners, which included Hennessy Snrs sons, Jason and Devon, led the funeral procession from the murdered mans home to St Patricks Church in Corduff. Behind them, Hennessy Snrs Incredible Hulk wrapped casket was transported to the church on the back of one of his Hulk Recovery towing trucks. His funeral saw gardai enact a major security operation over fears the funeral cortege or church could be targeted by the rival gang. Checks were carried out both inside the church and at the exits ahead of the ceremony. Three busloads of public order gardai provided back-up to uniformed and plainclothes officers, while more than a dozen mobile units from Armed Support patrolled the roads around the church. A number of gardai present used discreet hand-held cameras as an intelligence-gathering tool aimed at collating the members of the gang with whom Jason Hennessy Snr had been associated. After the casket of Hennessy Snr was carried inside the church, mourners heard Hennessy Snrs action on Christmas Eve night in Brownes steakhouse had elevated him to the status of a true hero. The 48-year-old, who was well known to gardai and faced a money-laundering trial next year, had sustained his fatal gunshot injuries as he sought to disarm killer Tristan Sherry. Hennessy Snr was not believed to have been the intended target of the gun attack that night, with sources saying its more likely Sherry had intended to kill a younger, more volatile criminal linked to the deceased. During the funeral ceremony, a close pal of Hennessy Snr who introduced himself as Graham described his murdered friend as a truly exceptional man. Hennessy Snr was taken to Glasnevin Cemetery for cremation following the service. He died in hospital on January 4th, more than a week after he was shot in the neck during the shocking incident at Brownes Steakhouse in west Dublin on Christmas Eve. The 48-year-old was enjoying a meal with family when gunman Tristan Sherry opened fire. Sherry was ultimately overpowered and killed inside the restaurant with his weapon being taken from the scene. The funeral of Sherry occurred without incident in Finglas last Tuesday. Floral tributes including a balaclava and pliers were seen being brought into the church ahead of his funeral as armed gardai kept a discreet eye on proceedings. Local sources fear the bitter feud between associates of the late Hennessy and Sherry will lead to more shootings and a renewed cycle of violence now that their funerals have taken place. KUNMING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- After a landslide that struck a mountainous village in southwest China's Yunnan Province on Monday, China has been racing against time for rescue and disaster relief work. The landslide occurred in Liangshui Village in the city of Zhaotong at about 6 a.m. on Monday, with 47 people reported missing. As of 10 p.m. Monday, 11 people were found dead, according to the local disaster relief headquarters. Preliminary investigation by an expert group determined that the disaster resulted from a collapse in the steep cliff area atop the slope, said Wu Junyao, director of the natural resources and planning bureau of Zhaotong. The collapsed mass measured approximately 100 meters in width, 60 meters in height, with an average thickness of around 6 meters, he said. More than 1,000 rescue workers equipped with 45 rescue dogs and 120 vehicles, including excavators, loaders and transport vehicles, are carrying out search and rescue work at the site. Situated in a cold mountainous region where snow persists for days, the rescue site remains covered in thick snow. Through a comparative analysis of images before and after the disaster, the fire rescue force has efficiently outlined the primary search area, determining the number and locations of buried houses. "According to the arrangements of shifts by the headquarters, the search and rescue efforts persist through the night," said firefighter Li Shenglong. Li Yongchao, a 44-year-old villager from Liangshui Village, was awakened by a loud noise early Monday morning and soon he knew the accident happened. Upon discovering that his relative had lost contact, he hurried to the vicinity of the disaster site. "Around 6:50 a.m., more than 10 firefighters arrived at the rescue scene. Despite the thick snow, they immediately initiated the rescue efforts." Following the disaster, local authorities are also providing assistance to those affected, ensuring proper support and settlement measures are in place. Now, a total of 213 residents have been evacuated to safer locations. More than 200 tents, 400 quilts, 600 cotton coats and 14 sets of emergency lighting equipment have also been provided. Numerous residents from nearby villages also rushed to the scene to provide support. Hong Jie, a 38-year-old resident of Linkou Village, engaged in delivering relief supplies. "Our village is nearby. By 7 a.m., over 20 volunteers had arrived. Our main focus is on distributing supplies, cooking, and delivering food to those in need," Hong said. Grace OMalley-Kumar (19) and history student Barnaby Webber (19) were stabbed to death as they walked home The parents of Grace O'Malley-Kumar at the University of Nottingham vigil. Photo: PA Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates, who were killed in the Nottingham attacks A triple-killer responsible for the stabbings which killed two students and a school caretaker has had his pleas of guilty to manslaughter accepted. The plea was accepted on the grounds of diminished responsibility due to serious mental illness, a judge has been told. Grace OMalley-Kumar (19), who came from a well-known Irish medical family, and history student Barnaby Webber (19) were stabbed to death as they walked home following a night out. Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates, who were killed in the Nottingham attacks The knifeman apparently attacked another victim, school caretaker Ian Coates, before stealing his van which ploughed into three other people leaving them injured. Graces mother, Sinead OMalley, is an anaesthetist based in London, and her grandfather, Professor Kevin OMalley, is the former chief of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday that the families of university students Barnaby Webber and Grace OMalley-Kumar, both 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, had been consulted before deciding to accept the pleas entered by Valdo Calocane, 32. The parents of Grace O'Malley-Kumar at the University of Nottingham vigil. Photo: PA Calocane, who answered to the name Adam Mendes in court, will no longer face a murder trial after admitting the manslaughter charges during a previous hearing. He also admitted attempting to murder three pedestrians who were hit by a van in the city centre, which he had stolen from Mr Coates on June 13 last year. More follows on this breaking news story The scam, the NBC10 has reported, involves fake websites, reviews and companies that has tricked dozens of victims around the Boston area A man who had more than $70,000 in cash and stolen jewelry in his vehicle when he was pulled over by cops in Boston is believed to be part of an a "Irish Traveler" scam targeting victims in Massachusetts. Quincy Police said that an officer stopped the Irish national who was driving a Land Rover Defender last Saturday morning after he made an illegal turn while pulling out of a local Holiday Inn Express hotel. The man, who was not identified, had been driving without a license, police said. Officers who searched the SUV say they found more than $70,000 in US and foreign currency and suspected stolen jewelry Among the jewelry found in the driver's SUV after the traffic stop were four class rings from different graduations, including Piedmont and Woonsocket high schools, from the 1960s, West Point, from the 1970s, and Texas A&M, from the 1990s. While the driver, who wasn't identified beyond being Irish, is only facing car-related charges, including driving without a license and a driving violation, Quincy police said they have notified the US Department of Homeland Security. NBC10 investigators have revealed how law enforcement has issued warnings to homeowners about a transnational criminal organization, known as Irish Travelers, that's operating a sophisticated contracting scam around Massachusetts. The scam, the NBC10 has reported, involves fake websites, reviews and companies that has tricked dozens of victims around the Boston area, some of whom have lost tens of thousands of dollars. Quincy Police said there have been an increase in incidents in Massachusetts where suspects show up at homes unsolicited saying they have leftover building materials. They then continue to find more things they claim need to be repaired in your home. "It is important for victims of these type of sophisticated scams to report these crimes as it allows our detectives to investigate and coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in the area since these crimes are a regional issue," Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy said in a statement Monday. The man was issued a summons to appear in Quincy District Court for motor vehicle offenses. Last year, we reported how police in Massachusetts in the US had issued similar warnings to homeowners about scammers operating there after customers were conned out of tens of thousands of dollars by an Irishman. Lydia Cox told NBC Boston that her family is out $6,000 and will likely have to shell out another $50,000 for repairs after an Irishman, who they hired to replace their stairs, damaged their homes foundations, and ran off with the money. When we look back there were red flags and should have been obvious, said Lydias husband Daniel. Their website looks really great. All their reviews were really great, said Lydia. Lydia called the company and a man calling himself Joseph Connors answered and showed up the next day quoting $13,000 to take out their stairs and replace them while demanding $6,000 upfront. After tearing out the stairs Connors came out to Lydia and said there was damage to the foundation which would cost $100,000 for him to repair. He kept pulling me outside and showing me all this damage with our foundation and that our foundation was basically falling apart, said Lydia. You could see that there were stones falling from our foundation. And if you know nothing about foundations, that can be very scary. After Connors quoted $100,000 to repair the foundation Daniel called a structural engineer to get a second opinion. So what these guys had done was dig underneath those loose stones. And then, of course, they fell out. There's nothing to hold them in, said Daniel. They told Connors to come back to finish the project, but police were waiting for him. The guy had a warrant out for his arrest. The license plate on the truck was revoked. The registration on the truck didn't exist. The license plate on the trailer went to somebody else. None of the things that they had were real, said Daniel. He was taken to court for failure to appear for driving an unregistered vehicle but was later released. The website of Connors company subsequently vanished and so did he. A warrant was issued for his arrest on charges of fraud, defacing/damaging property, and conspiracy at the Coxs house. A police report said Connors had no identification on him other than a picture of an Irish driving licence on his phone. Numerous other residents said they had similar experiences with Connors who is now a fugitive from justice. The new company blends practical, efficient and playful with the Atto3 BYDs Atto3 will get you very close to the claimed 420km range and for a price that is easy on the pocket While attention moves to the Dolphin and the utterly sexy Seal, theres a chance that the original BYD car may get forgotten. And with several more models still to come there is a major threat to the OG of the BYD world. Well, its the OG in Ireland but as the constant ads on the radio keep reminding us this is the biggest car company weve never heard of. And if the Dublin taxi scene is anything to go by, the Atto 3 is a godsend. Officially, BYD sold 506 cars in Ireland in 2023. Which is seriously impressive considering the first car landed here in April and they didnt start their advertising campaign until the end of June ahead of the 231-reg release. The other new-to-Ireland brand, GWM, launched the Ora Funky Cat two months earlier and only sold 32 cars last year. So, for context, BYDs achievement with this incredible car is really impressive. And now that the Dolphin and Seal are on sale, the Chinese company is only going to increase market share; certainly among EV owners. BYDs Atto3 will get you very close to the claimed 420km range But this is all about the Atto 3. Because just before Christmas I had it for the second time in 2023. On this occasion it was for a four-day test and this time I made sure to put it through its paces. My gra for the plucky car only grew throughout the few days as more and more features became second nature. It is an utterly fun, easy and brilliant drive and despite the colour being a bit bland for me on the second test drive it took nothing away from my (and any passenger for that matter) enjoyment. This is a medium-sized electric crossover which is smaller than an ID.4 or bZ4X, but bigger than an MG4 or ID.3. Its a small bit taller than the Megane E-Tech and Peugeot e-2008. So, it has officially disrupted a claustrophobic segment jam-packed with big names and brands. The one thing that the Chinese super brand has going for it is that it manufacturers its own batteries, motors, electronics, software and even chips, meaning there are no third-party supplier issues. And after more than two decades in the business they have made all their mistakes in the home market, flushed them out and now we are in the privileged position to be receiving highly-advanced, fun, safe, good-looking cars that are priced below the traditional brands causing a massive stir in the motor business here. The interior of BYDs Atto3 It may not be the best looking car on Irish roads but it fits in nicely without being crazy for new EV buyers. Thankfully, the designers saved all of their creative juices for the interior. Bright colours, bold designs, unusual angles, tactile controls, ergonomic steering wheel and a drive mode shift control that looks like it was lifted right out of a fighter jet. The gigantic infotainment touchscreen rotates from portrait mode to landscape mode, which after a week driving around in it didnt get any less exciting for me or my kids. Each door has three elastic strings that double up as a storage unit and a makeshift guitar, which again, surprisingly didnt grow old. It is playful yet practical and will appeal to the driver as much as the passenger. The range of 420km after a full charge is a very real range. Unlike so many car companies who seemingly inflate their WLTP ranges or calculate it while driving in desert-like temperatures on a straight road at less than 20km/h, this Atto 3 will get you very close to the full 420km. It drives very smoothly and has a lot of firepower under your right foot if you want it (200bhp), yet it feels pretty light compared to its rivals. You will be glad to know that every version of this beauty gets a full driver-assist suite, which includes a really good 360-degree parking camera system. And we havent even got to the best bit yet. Starting from 37,128 and the top spec doesnt go much higher. Basically all you have to do is pick your paint job and I would recommend something bright like their blue to make sure that everyone sees you in it. That is because as more and more people learn about it, more and more people are going to buy it. I dont say this very often but I would buy this in the morning. Five fire engines rushed to the scene at Airways Industrial Estate this morning, including a turntable ladder Dublin Fire Brigade are at the scene Locals living near an an industrial estate in Santry, Dublin have been told to close all windows as Dublin Fire Brigade battles a huge blaze that broke out in the early hours of this morning. Five fire engines rushed to the scene at Airways Industrial Estate this morning, including a turntable ladder. No injuries have been reported, however, locals have been urged to take precautions due to smoke drifting across the area. We need your consent to load this Social Media content. We use a number of different Social Media outlets to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review your details and accept them to load the content In a post on X, Dublin Fire Brigade advised local residents to close all windows and doors as a precaution if they smell smoke. Five fire engines are on scene at the blaze in Airways Industrial Estate. "Local residents are being advised to close their windows." A garda spokesman confirmed that they attended the scene of the fire that occurred at the industrial premises in Santry this morning at approximately 4am. No injuries have been reported at this time, the statement added The scene has been preserved. I made the assumption that I had won 500 which I was thrilled with because I said to myself, thatll be great for paying off a few bills in January The winner saw the celebration picture but didn't realise it was them who had won A Lotto winner of a 1m jackpot has revealed how they had thought they had won just 500 until they checked their ticket. The lucky player left Lotto HQ this week with a cheque worth 1,000,500, ending the search for Dublins newest millionaire who had bought the winning ticket before Christmas. They had scooped the life-changing amount in the special Lotto Plus Raffle event held on Saturday, December 23 after purchasing their winning ticket at the Applegreen Roundtower service station in Lusk. Even though they checked their ticket on Christmas Day, they had no idea just how much their ticket was worth until last week. "I made the assumption that I had won 500 which I was thrilled with because I said to myself, thatll be great for paying off a few bills in January, the winner told radio station Dublin Q102. I saw the message to contact the National Lottery when I checked the ticket at Christmas and saw that I had the Raffle number. "I decided to go and actually claim the prize last week but when I did, it wouldnt go through the terminal. They then rang the Lotto claims department who took their details and said they would call them back. "After a few minutes, I got the call and the person on the phone asked me if I was sitting down and said that I had won 1 million, the big winner revealed. "I was in the shop at the time trying to pick up a few bits so I didnt know what to say or how to react. The Lotto Plus Raffle winner saw the celebratory store photo recently but never released it was them that the National Lottery was urging to come forward. Its funny because I saw the photo with the champagne at the store and I never even put two and two together that the winner could have been me. "You never think youll win a prize like that so it just went over my head. "It really is like a layer upon layer of luck with this one though which is the mad thing. "I know that the day I won was a special Raffle event and the only reason there was 1 million even in that draw was because a Monaghan player never claimed their prize. "It took that winner not coming forward to me having the winning Raffle number and then to have my exact Raffle ticket picked out again for the extra prize. Taken together this offers additional arguments for work to improve the condition of Oliver Bond House Older residents of the troubled Oliver Bond House flats in Dublin 8 will pass away from conditions in the complex, locals have claimed. It follows the publication of a new study from Trinity College that revealed how residents of one of the oldest and largest complexes in Dublin City are twice as likely to have respiratory illnesses such as asthma than their neighbours. A local GP practice that serves residents of the flats and people living in the adjacent area, found that Oliver Bond House residents were 1.9 times as likely to have evidence for asthma in their medical records as other patients in the same practice". "There is evidence from published literature that poor housing conditions can contribute to poor respiratory health, and that interventions can reduce this effect, the report reveals. Taken together this offers additional arguments for work to improve the condition of Oliver Bond House. A previous study found 82 per cent of residents reported issues with mould and damp, 74% have drafts or poor insulation and cant keep their homes warm, while over 30% have water coming into their flat. While there are plans to regenerate the 1930s complex, locals say the estimated 20-year timeframe before the project is completed is too long. Gayle Cullen, Chairperson of the Oliver Bond Residents Group, told 98FM: "We know that regeneration cant happen overnight but we just cant be asked to wait another 20 years for it to be completed while an entire generation will are forced to live in dire, unsafe conditions that have a negative impact on their health. Many older residents will pass away in these conditions." Last October, a judge ruled that mother and her two children had been living in a flat in the complex that was unfit for human habitation. And this time last year, the Dail has heard how living conditions in the council-owned flats in Dublins inner city are disgracefully damp and mouldy, with rat infestations and sewage problems, People Before Profit TD Brid Smith said after a recent visit to the Emmet building and the Oliver Bond flats in Dublin 8, hundreds of families are living in dangerous conditions which are causing health issues in children. To say that people are living in disgracefully damp and mouldy conditions is probably an understatement, said Ms Smith. The TD said there has been a high level of absenteeism in schools in the area due to respiratory conditions caused by mould and dampness. They need ventilation, new windows, most of these flats still have single glazed windows and they need a retrofitting programme, she said. The cornsnake was found slithering around Kilkenny City near Nowlan Park The National Reptile Zoo want to reunite the snake with it's owner. Photo: The National Reptile Zoo A snake that escaped its owner in Co Kilkenny has been found and dropped off at the National Reptile Zoo which is based in Kilkenny City. A search is now under way to locate the owner of the cornsnake that was found during the very cold weather and reunite them with their pet. He was found at Nowlan Park near the hurling stadium in Kilkenny City, Zoo Director, James Hennessy said. "We got a call to say a snake had been found in the area and we asked for a few photographs of the snake first so we could check if it was venomous. "But the guy just turned up at the door of the reptile zoo about 30 minutes later with the snake in a bag. We have had venomous snakes dropped off to us in the past, so sometimes picking it up and catching it can be dangerous in case it is venomous. Luckily the snake was not a dangerous breed and was a common cornsnake. "It was a cornsnake which is a North American breed and quite a common pet, explained James. "The snake is a striped cornsnake that is just under 3ft long. Its not a rare snake, cornsnakes are bred in lots of different patterns for the pet trade, so this snake has a very specific colour and pattern. It is hard to guess the age of the snake but Im guessing it is at least two years old. James added the owner of the snake must be living in Kilkenny City, near to where the snake was found as they dont tend to travel far. "The snakes will travel maybe 500 metres to a kilometre, so the snake is probably from around the area it was found. The Cornsnake is a common breed for a pet snake. Photo: The National Reptile Zoo The cornsnake was lucky to be rescued as the cold weather meant it would not have lasted long fending for itself. "It was found when it got to around minus six degrees during that really, really bad spell of cold weather. I dont think it had been outside for long because if it was exposed long term to that temperature, it would have died for sure. "But the cornsnake is a North American species so they do get colder winters than us, but they do need to find a frost-free place to hibernate so it definitely should not have been out in the open in those temperatures because it definitely would have died. Although this little snake was not dangerous, James would advise anyone who comes across a snake to make sure they know the breed of the snake before trying to catch it. "If you are not familiar with what species the snake is definitely try take a picture of the snake first and give us a call. If you could cover it with a bucket or something like that in the short term that would be a good idea. "But 99.9% of the time the snake is going to be a completely harmless species, but there has been cases where we have dealt with venomous snakes that have turned up so you are better off being extra careful. Ian Bailey entangled himself in lies and contradictions Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud arrives at a Paris courthouse on May 27, 2019, to attend the trial of Ian Bailey Ian Bailey at his house outside Schull in Co Cork in 2019. Photo: Mark Condren Sophie Toscan du Plantiers body was found outside her holiday home in Toormore, Goleen, Co Cork, on December 23, 1996 The campaign group that secured the French prosecution of Ian Bailey (66) for the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier (39) today vowed to continue their campaign to secure justice for the mother-of-one despite his death last Sunday. ASSOPH, the Association for the Truth about the Murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, today vowed that they will continue to campaign amid hope that "new elements" will finally reveal the precise circumstances of the death of the French film executive in the early hours of December 23 1996. In a statement today, ASSOPH claimed that Mr Bailey had "taunted" the police over the past three decades - and claimed that the Irish judicial authorities never wanted to extradite him to France despite three attempts to do so since 2010. "On January 21, 2024, Ian Bailey passed away, 27 years after the horrific murder committed in Ireland against Sophie Toscan du Plantier, born Bouniol," they said. "The Paris Criminal Court sentenced him in absentia on May 31, 2019, to 25 years in prison for murder. "Despite this trial and Frances repeated requests for his extradition, Ian Bailey remained free, never facing charges from the Irish justice system. "Throughout these years, Ian Bailey refused to answer the questions of French investigators, entangling himself in lies and contradictions. Provoking and taunting the police, the judiciary, and the media, Ian Bailey always avoided telling the truth about this murder, of which, beyond any reasonable doubt, he knew every detail. "Irish judicial authorities never wanted to charge him or extradite him to France, in disregard of European commitments based on the principle of mutual trust between States, which Ireland signed and ratified." Ian Bailey dies after suffering suspected heart attack "With Baileys death, Sophies family and our association will never be able to obtain a confession from Ian Bailey." "We continue our efforts for truth and justice. An investigation is underway in Ireland, and we are confident that the discovery of new elements, the hearing of new witnesses, and the revelation of possible complicity will enable Irish police to close the case, 27 years after the murder." Mr Bailey collapsed and died from a suspected heart attack on Barrack Street in Bantry at lunchtime last Sunday. He had suffered a number of heart attacks late last year but was too ill to undergo planned bypass and stent surgery. Despite desperate attempts to aid him at the scene, he was pronounced dead before he could be rushed to Bantry General Hospital (BGH). Details of his funeral arrangements have yet to be confirmed. Mr Bailey, who was born in Manchester, was arrested twice by Gardai in 1997 and 1998 for questioning in respect of Sophie's murder. He was released without charge on both occasions and vehemently protested his innocence. Mr Bailey later sued eight Irish and British newspapers for libel after claiming he was branded as the murderer. He also took an action - which he lost - against the State for wrongful arrest. After an eight year French investigation, he was prosecuted for Sophie's murder at a Paris trial in May 2019 and convicted of her murder. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison - but had to be tried in absentia after he refused to attend the French hearing which he dismissed as "a show trial" and "a mockery of justice." The French failed on three separate occasions since 2010 to have Mr Bailey extradited to France. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) studied the Garda case file but ruled out any charges in 2000/2001 citing lack of evidence. Pierre-Louis Baudey-Vignaud arrives at a Paris courthouse on May 27, 2019, to attend the trial of Ian Bailey A Garda cold case review is currently underway and will continue despite Mr Bailey's death. The Garda investigation into Sophie's death has been open and active over the past 27 years. Also speaking today, the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier said they will follow up on the criminal investigation against Ian Bailey despite his passing, the family lawyer said. A Paris lawyer Alain Spilliaert acting for the family of Sophie Toscan du Plantier spoke about the familys reaction to Ian Baileys death. While speaking to RTE Radio Ones Morning Ireland, he said: What we understand on a legal point of view, Bailey was sentenced in absentia by the Criminal Court of Paris a few years ago. In Ireland, he was considered to be the prime suspect. If the prime suspect in a criminal investigation dies, then the criminal investigation continues. So this is how it is, so we will follow this up, he added. Sophie Toscan du Plantier (Family Handout/PA) When asked whether knowing a charge could have been brought against Mr Bailey despite he will not stand in Court would give solace to the family, the lawyer said the family was fighting for justice and the complete truth. If you get the complete truth, it's already very, very important for the family, he said. He confirmed the family has been satisfied with two Garda teams of very high professional level Garda members who were working on the case. We were satisfied with that, we were expecting that in due course Ian Bailey would be questioned by the guards, and unfortunately, Bailey died on Sunday, so this won't be possible. The family and the association is keen to continue their efforts for justice for them, for Sophie, and also for Ireland, and for the people of West Cork, this wonderful region of West Cork, he added. To understand the feeling of the family, everybody's asked to take into consideration the fact that this murder happened 25 years ago. And as everybody knows, this family is watching an image of dignity and courage, which is quite incredible, in their quest for justice, he added. David was one of those people that lit up a room and made you look forward to your day, no matter how daunting the work Tributes have been pouring in for a young Laois man who died in New Zealand as his funeral details were announced. A death notice on rip.ie reveal that David McDonald, of Derrydavy, Mountmellick, died peacefully on January 9, surrounded by his loving family in the care of the nurses and doctors in Auckland City Hospital. His remains have been brought back to Ireland where he will repose in his home on Wednesday, January 24 and Thursday 25 from 2pm with recital of the rosary at 8pm. Removal will take place on Friday 26 at 10.15am to St Josephs Church, Mountmellick via The Rock and arriving for 11am Requiem Mass, followed by cremation at 2pm in Newlands Cross Crematorium, Dublin. Anyone who wishes to attend the crematorium is more than welcome, the notice states. It also adds that David is sadly missed by his loving partner Flavio Villani and his devastated parents Peter and Elsie. Adored by his sisters Anna, Lizzie and Orla. His beloved nephews Billy and Jack and niece Lucy. Sadly missed by his brothers-in-law John Ryan, John Kirwan and Gary Guilfoyle, his aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, neighbours and vast circle of friends. The condolences section of the page is filled with messages of sympathy to the McDonald family on the sad passing of David. One reads: Deepest sympathy to Flavio, Peter, Elsie, Anna, Lizzie, Orla and all the extended family on the sad passing of David, a wonderful young man. My thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Another person has offered, sincere condolences to Flavio, Peter, Elsie, Anna, Lizzie, Orla and all the McDonald family on the very sad passing of David. Thinking of you all at this most difficult time. To Anna and all the McDonald family, another reads, I am very, very sorry to hear the sad news of your dearly beloved son, and to Anna, your dearly beloved brother. I am so sorry Anna, for your loss, my deepest condolences and sympathy. Thoughts and prayers are with you at this very sad time. Another person has written how David, was one of those people that lit up a room and made you look forward to your day, no matter how daunting the work. I cant imagine how hard it must be to move forward without him in your life, they add. He was an absolute sweetheart. One writer said their hearts are broken for the immense loss of your golden boy David. Todays memorial was a testament to the wonderful man that David was, the message adds. We have many fond memories of David down through the years. We are thinking of you all. May he rest in peace. So sorry to hear of the passing of your beloved David, one other person has written. Reading the condolences, he was a very kind and thoughtful person who was loved by many. May his gentle soul rest in eternal peace. Sources say the well-known leader has been left devastated and living on his wits after the murder last week of Kevin Conway in west Belfast. Police and forensic officers at the at the west Belfast scene of the brutal murder of drug Lurgan dealer Kevin Conway. Three weeks before the murder of Loyalist Malcolm McKeown, two would be killers wearing pig face masks tried to take him out at his Warringstown home. Kevin Conway was killed in Rossnareen Park in the Greenan area of west Belfast. The 26-year-old was on bail after being charged with the January 2023 murder of Mr Shane Whitla, a shooting linked to an organised crime gang known as the Firm. Would-be killers wearing pig masks, and thought to be members of The Firm crime gang, call to Malcolm McKeowns home, and (inset) Kevin Conway The once-notorious leader of drug gang The Firm has turned into a blubbering mess and walked away from drugs in fear for his life. Sources in Lurgan one of the few remaining strongholds of the cross-community drug gang say the well-known leader has been left devastated and living on his wits after the murder of Kevin Conway in west Belfast. He is also facing serious criminal sanctions linked to the drug gang and, combined with the hassle hes received after the murder of Shane Whitla last year, his life has been made a misery, say sources. Police have so far refused to state who they believe was behind the murder of Conway, but it seems the hit was almost certainly carried out by an elusive professional killer who already has at least seven murders on his rap sheet. Its believed the killer used a silencer as even neighbours didnt hear the shots. Last week, the shattered window of Conways ground-floor flat had yet to be repaired. Sources said it was not shattered by a bullet, but had been broken for some time before the murder. Police and forensic officers at the at the west Belfast scene of the brutal murder of drug Lurgan dealer Kevin Conway. There have been several reports of who ordered the murder, from fed-up dissident republicans to members of his own gang who feared he was about to turn tout and rat them out. What is clear is the murder has sent shockwaves through the gang and shocked its former boss. We can reveal that the Lurgan leader a close relative of a former Provo from north Armagh is claiming hes out of the crime business. Last week, we outlined how 26-year-old Conway had remained close friends with members of The Firm. He had spent the day before he was shot dead at a gym with the once-feared Firm leader. But the father of two was gunned down in a hail of bullets in his Belfast home where he was bailed to live while he awaited trial for the murder of father-of-four Whitla who was murdered by The Firm. Shane Whitla aged 39 who was murdered in Lurgan.Pic Pacemaker Hes telling everyone hes given up selling drugs for good, said a well-placed source about the former Firm boss. Since the Whitla murder and all the deaths linked to The Firm collecting drug debts, he has been harassed every day on the street. When people stop him, he comes close to tears, telling them hes got nothing to do with The Firm anymore. Everyone knows who he is and his head is wrecked it looks like he thought he could be the big man but when things got sticky, he couldnt take the pressure. His nerves are shot to pieces. The murder of Conway has just made him even worse. His lifestyle would confirm it he dresses like sh*t, drives a second-hand car and shops in Lidl, said a source. He used to live in a seven-bedroom house but hes all washed up now and he tells everyone that. Hes living in a two-up-two-down house in Armagh and driving a 10-year-old car. Theres a few people who have their tails up now that The Firm seem weak. These people have pulled him about all The Firm stuff. He nearly breaks down crying every time and says its nothing to do with him. If hes making a fortune from drugs hes certainly doing a good job of hiding it because he looks a complete mess, a broken man. The Sunday World can reveal another senior member of The Firm in Lurgan also broke down when he heard about the murder of Conway, who seemingly remained close with many figures in the gang. The members of The Firm from around Lurgan and Portadown were out in force at his funeral to show their respects, said a source. The usual bravado of them is gone and it has been a major shock to the system. I do know, however, that they are chasing people for debts, in a very panicked fashion. That would indicate they arent buying the rumours that republicans were involved rather the much bigger crime gang they are indebted to. If they believed Direct Action Against Drugs (DAAD) were behind the attack, theyd not be so keen knocking on doors in places like Kilwilkie and Mournview looking for their drug debt paid. It is claimed that The Firm have already murdered Whitla as well as crime boss Malcolm McKeown. Kevin Conway They are still considered a dangerous and powerful gang, though their strength has been restricted to the Craigavon area. They have come under pressure from other gangs, including one reportedly run by shotgun killer Davy Conway, whose gang is selling huge amounts of cocaine in Portadown. By selling drugs in Portadown, they are in direct competition with The Firm. Police cracked down on The Firm after the Whitla murder, leading to the discovery of a significant weapons and drugs stash on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown. Among the items discovered were nine suspected firearms, several Samurai swords, 15,000 of cash, half a kilo of cocaine and dozens of cannabis plants. The Firm blamed the Conway crew for tipping off cops about that particular haul, it has been claimed. Davy Conway (51) served a life sentence for the 1997 shotgun murder of his pregnant teenage ex-girlfriend Belinda Hart. He also has further convictions, including for dealing heroin. Police arrested a 37-year-old man earlier this week in connection with the murder of Kevin Conway, but he was released on bail to allow for further inquiries. A 20,000 reward from charity Crimestoppers has been offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction for those responsible. An Auxerre fan poses with a performer dressed up as god of fortune outside the Abbe Deschamps Stadium of Auxerre club before a French Ligue 1 match between Auxerre and Montpellier as part of the Day of China activites to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in Auxerre, France, Jan. 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Gao Jing) Mutual understanding between peoples is the cornerstone of this enduring friendship, and here are three China stories shared by the French. PARIS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Mutual understanding between peoples is the cornerstone of this enduring friendship, and here are three China stories shared by the French. AN UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTER Sonia Bressler is a writer. After obtaining her philosophy doctorate in 2005, she felt a bit lost in her life. "Like any young doctor, I was a little lost. My academic research was complete, yet thousands of questions remained unanswered," she said. The young epistemologist ultimately decided to break with all "certainties" and she gazed at the map: Paris, Moscow... Beijing! This is how her China story unfolded. In Moscow, Bressler boarded a train alone and headed to Beijing. She rarely ate during the journey. "One Russian borscht is enough to last three days," she said. Sharing the cabin were two Chinese women. "One day, they gave me a beautiful tomato, beckoned me to sit with them and eat," Bressler said, fondly remembering this gesture of friendship, and they became travel companions for a while. In Harbin, the two Chinese women "disappeared in the vapors from the dumpling vendors on the quay, and they opened the doors of their culture to me," said Bressler. After her first trip to China, "China has been in my heart," Bressler said. She returned to China several times to travel. Today, as a member of the editorial board of the Dialogue Chine-France, a French magazine, she said that France and China need to find more common ground and that more dialogue is needed between the two countries. A PASSION FOR PANDAS Jerome Pouille, who works for the French Ministry of Ecology, is a big fan of giant pandas. "It all started in childhood when my parents gave me a stuffed panda," he said. Pouille fell in love with the toy as he walked past a toy store, and having a plush panda was his Christmas wish. As he grew older, Pouille began collecting "everything to do with pandas." At 17, he saw a real panda for the first time. It was Yen Yen. In 1973, China had offered two pandas, Yen Yen and Li Li, to the people of France. Unfortunately, Li Li died of a tumor the following year. Aware of Yen Yen's old age and fearing he might not have another opportunity to see the panda, Pouille persuaded his family to embark on a 400 km journey to Vincennes Zoo in Paris. In 2002, in the early days of the Internet, Pouille set up a panda information website (panda.fr), which has accumulated over 1 million views. In 2012, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China launched a competition for a panda ambassador, or "Pambassador." Pouille and two others won the title among over 1 million applicants from around the world. He believes this was partly due to his experience in creating and managing the website. Pouille's passion for pandas sparked his interest in China; he had spent a significant amount in China. "The Chinese always opened their arms to me," said Pouille. Pouille once traveled in Sichuan's Baoxing County, where giant pandas were first discovered, with his interpreter and driver. All three were hungry on the way, but there were no restaurants. Finally, a local lady welcomed them, preparing a yak hot pot that turned out to be "really good." Baoxing holds historical significance as the "scientific discovery" site of pandas, where French missionary Armand David first recorded the existence of the animal in 1869. "The ties that bind France and China around the panda go back much further than you might imagine," said Pouille, calling the pandas "an ambassador of Franco-Chinese friendship." Chinese and French musicians participate in a concert to celebrate the Chinese New Year at the China Cultural Center in Paris, France, Jan. 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Tang Ji) REDISCOVERING CHINA Norbert Rouland, a professor at the Faculty of Law of Aix-Marseille University, first visited China in 1997. Invited to Hong Kong and then to the Chinese mainland, his brief stays made him realize that China knows the West much better than the West knows China. Rouland said that many French news reports on China are biased and inaccurate. He pointed out that while French media criticize China's surveillance cameras, labeling them as a "privacy violation," they overlook the positive impact on public safety in China and the increasing installation of surveillance cameras on the streets of France. Last autumn, Rouland revisited China. A month of re-discovery gave him a sense of the country's rich culture and significant technological advances. In Shanghai, he enjoyed Kunqu, a kind of centuries-old Chinese opera, and while on a visit to a traditional Miao ethnic village in Guizhou, he rode in a hyper-modern Chinese electric vehicle that was "powerful and comfortable." Rouland has already planned to return to China in 2024. As an anthropologist, he champions a peaceful coexistence of different cultures. He believes that when the West sees China more objectively, they could see the potential for mutual inspiration. He often encourages people around him to find out more about China and, if possible, to go and "see for themselves." The Irish actor was originally supposed to have a cameo in the Greta Gerwig flick. Saoirse Ronan has revealed that she was supposed to play an unusual role in the Barbie movie. The Irish actor was originally supposed to have a cameo in the Greta Gerwig flick, which hit cinemas last July, alongside her Little Women co-star Timothee Chalamet. However, due to scheduling conflicts, neither were able to make it to set and couldnt film their scenes. In a new interview with Variety, Saoirse spilled the beans about what role she was supposed to take on, revealing that she almost starred alongside Kate McKinnon as a weird Barbie. I dont know what he [Timothee] was going to be, but I was definitely going to be a Weird Barbie, she explained. I dont know how to take that. I would have been with Kate McKinnon, so that would have been nice. I had a scene but didnt ever get to do it, and it wasnt in the movie. When asked about the contents of the scene, she said: I cant even remember now, but it was weird. I think Id be the strange girl who talked to herself and always had her pet dog with her and always talked to the dog and wouldnt look at anyone. When the Barbie movie was released, director Greta Gerwig admitted that she had approached Ronan and Timothee Chalamet to make specialty cameos in the film after working with the pair in 2017s Lady Bird and Little Women in 2019. Both of them couldnt do it, and I was so annoyed. But I love them so much, she told Cinemablend at the time. Wonka star Chalamet previously speculated about what his cameo wouldve been during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in December, suggesting that he wouldve been one of the rejected Kens or Barbies in 2023's highest-grossing film. Infrastructure New Zealand is pushing for water infrastructure to be taken off the financial books of councils. The industry group urges the government to provide clarity around its water reform programme and the replacement for the Three Waters legislation as soon as possible. They have also today released a policy position on water infrastructure and services calling for budget separations of local councils and any future water entities. Infrastructure New Zealand advocacy and strategy lead Martina Moroney says maintaining the status quo can't continue. "If the current situation is left to continue, New Zealanders will face significant social, economic and environmental costs along with ongoing risks to public health." Moroney says financial independence from councils will allow them to borrow to fund significant backlogs in asset renewal and replacement. She says in the meantime, it's likely that central government will need to consider credit wrapping council water services and providing bridging funding until the new entities were established and self-sufficient. Infrastructure NZ is also recommending volumetric water charges be explored so that, like other utilities such as telecommunications and electricity, consumer demand can be better managed and a direct service-related revenue stream created. -RNZ. SPCA is calling on animal lovers whove been thinking about adopting to take advantage of the charitys half-price adoption campaign starting this weekend. From January 27 until February 4, anyone looking to adopt an animal whether it be a cat, dog, rabbit, guinea pig, or even a goat, horse or pig can welcome their new companion for half the usual fee. SPCA hopes the incentive will encourage more adoptions at a time when many of SPCAs Centres are nearing capacity, as the charity faces a slow-down in adoptions and a busy kitten season. Nationwide, SPCA currently has more than 4000 animals in its care, including 940 that are available for adoption. SPCA General Manager Animal Services Dr Corey Regnerus-Kell says the campaign is the perfect opportunity for those who want a companion animal in their life. We have thousands of animals in our care and hundreds that are currently waiting to find their forever home. We hope that by offering adoptions at half the usual fee, we can encourage people whove been thinking about it for some time to take that step, says Dr Regnerus-Kell. Our goal is to get as many of these wonderful, deserving animals into homes as possible so they can live the lives they deserve. SPCAs adoption fees are already great value for money, covering just a portion of the actual cost of desexing, vaccinating, worming and flea treatments, and caring for each animal. However, the charity hopes that by discounting the cost for the week-long campaign, it can help get more animals into permanent homes. Over the last year weve seen a slow-down in adoptions, which means animals are staying in our care longer than usual. This has a significant impact on our Centres capacity limits currently. We hope that by finding permanent homes for the animals that are ready, we can free up some more capacity in our Centres for others that desperately need our help every day. Every animal in our care deserves a loving forever home, and we want more than anything to help them find this. If youre thinking about adopting a rescue animal, please do it it will be one of the best decisions you ever make. For those who arent in a position to make the long-term commitment of owning an animal, the charity is also in need of new foster volunteers to offer a temporary home to animals in need, especially kittens at this time of year. Fostering is an incredibly rewarding experience that not only benefits sick and injured animals by giving them a safe and comfortable space to recover, but it means volunteers can reap all the benefits of having a companion animal without the long-term commitment. Its free to foster and SPCA provides all food, bedding, toys and veterinary treatment. People looking to adopt a pet can browse available animals on SPCAs website before making an appointment with their local Centre. Keen foster volunteers can sign up to foster via SPCAs website. About SPCA SPCA is the voice for neglected, abandoned or abused animals of New Zealand. With 28 Centres nationwide, we are the countrys biggest animal charity. Our mission is to improve the welfare of all animals in New Zealand. We work to achieve our mission in a number of ways from nationwide desexing initiatives to reduce the number of unwanted pets, to working with schools to educate the next generation of animal owners. We also uphold the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and prosecute where necessary. SPCA is the only charity in New Zealand entrusted to do this vital work. This coming weekends 61st annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville will perhaps be more significant than ever before, with a separate international competition also sharing the programme. An announcement was made last month that the 2024 Honda New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville will also host the inaugural FIM Oceania Women's MX Cup, an event-within-an-event that will throw an extra spotlight on the elite females of the sport. With sponsorship from Fox Racing New Zealand, as the teams naming rights sponsor, along with support from Un4Seen decals, a six-rider New Zealand Womens Motocross Team was quickly assembled to go head-to-head with the best half dozen female racers from Australia. Its a competition that, like any Trans-Tasman sporting clash, is sure to get the patriotic mostly-Kiwi crowd at Woodville all fired up. Unfortunately, Waipukuraus Aimee Thomsen and the rider originally designated as the teams reserve, Maungaturotos Meg Patton, are now injured and they join other potential first-choice candidates Roma Edwards (Motueka) and Aime Roberts (Hamilton) on the sidelines. But fear not, because New Zealand has an extremely capable ring-in with Rotoruas Letitia Alabaster prepared to step forward and this, ironically, may even serve to strengthen New Zealands bid. Alabaster was the top female performer at the big post-Christmas Whakatane Summercross event just four weeks ago. The new line-up for Team New Zealand will therefore now comprise Alabaster, Raetihis Karaitiana Horne, Opunakes Taylar Rampton, Morrinsvilles Breanna Rodgers, Palmerston Norths Hannah Powell, Waipukuraus Aimee Thomsen and Rotoruas Melissa Patterson. Otagos four-time and current womens motocross world champion Courtney Duncan is unable to compete in the FIM Oceania Women's MX Cup, but she will be attending the event at Woodville as a mentor to the New Zealand squad. With less than a week until the FIM Oceania Womens MX Cup, we are certainly looking forward to taking on the Aussies at Woodville, says New Zealand team manager Ray Broad. With injuries to Aimee Thompson and Meg Paton, Letitia Alabaster has been brought into the team. Off the back of her win at Summercross, she adds another dimension to the team. We have a great mix of talented youth, with Karaitiana Horne and Breanna Rodgers, and the experience offered by Taylar Rampton, local rider Hannah Powell and Melissa Patterson. The FOX NZ Womens MX Team is ready for the Aussies. I am sure they will do New Zealand proud. We offer a massive thank you to MNZ and FIM Oceania for supporting this event and for providing this opportunity for our riders. Also, thank you to FOX New Zealand and Un4seen Decals for all their support of the team. This is going to be a fantastic day and we hope everyone gets behind our girls. -Andy McGechan/www.BikesportNZ.com Enquiries are ongoing to locate two vehicles involved in a crash on Upper Ohauiti Road in Tauranga. At around 5.30am two vehicles fled when approached by a police vehicle, colliding with the police vehicle in the process and rendering it undrivable, says a police spokesperson. Police have confirmed that no injuries have been reported in the incident. Enquiries are ongoing. There are no expected delays, according to Google Maps. At the scene? Phone 0800SUNLIVE or email newsroom@thesun.co.nz Paid parking signs have been popping up around Tauranga despite the council pausing plans to extend parking charges. On Monday, contractors installed signs for paid parking on Taurangas city fringe. Around 22 signs were erected on Monmouth St, Anson St, McLean St and The Strand at a cost of $4600. This is despite Tauranga City Council delaying plans to extend the paid parking from Third Avenue up to Arundel Street, and from McLean Street up to Monmouth Street. The charges were meant to come into force on February 26, but a decision to delay them was made at a meeting in November. Commission chair Anne Tolley said there was a huge amount of community concern about the parking. The commission wasn't convinced of a case for extending the paid parking in the CBD when there was still a lot of parks available, said Tolley. Normally you put paid parking in when you're trying to manage [spaces] and get turnover. We've got good turnover in the centre of the city, so there's no need to try and extend that at this stage. Council parking strategy manager Reece Wilkinson says the job for erecting the signs was logged in early October before the commission postponed the extension. It has slipped through the system and the signs are being removed today. The cost of the installation is included in the councils general maintenance work but worked out to be around $4600, including GST, he says. Wilkinson says the council would know the exact number of signs incorrectly installed by the end of the day when removal was complete. The commission will be reviewing the parking strategy in March. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Waikato Police investigating the homicide of John Isaac are appealing for sightings of the victim or unusual activity around the Waikato River. Fifty-two-year-old John Isaac of Hamilton was located deceased in the Waikato River by members of the public on Thursday, January 18. Police subsequently launched a homicide investigation following a post mortem examination. To protect the investigation at this early stage, police are not in a position to elaborate further on the cause of death, says Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Patterson. "Police are continuing to piece together Mr Isaacs movements in the days and hours leading up to his death and are appealing to anyone who may have seen or interacted with Mr Isaac in the days prior to Thursday, January 18. "Mr Isaac is believed to have been travelling around the Hamilton area where he resides and was last seen wearing black cargo pants and a green pattern camouflage t-shirt." Ross says the investigation team would also like to hear from anyone who saw any unusual activity near the Waikato River at any of the bridges between Hamilton and Ngaruawahia on the afternoon of Thursday, January 18. He says anyone who was out on the river or its pathways and banks and may have been recording recreational activities or taken photos or video on their phones is asked to please contact the inquiry team. Anyone with information is asked to call 105, or make a report online at 105.police.govt.nz, clicking Update Report. Please reference the file number 240119/8775. Information can also be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 0800 555 111. "This is an incredibly distressing time for Mr Isaacs whanau who are being supported by NZ Police and Victim Support. "The public can also expect to see an increased police presence along the Waikato River area while inquiries are conducted in the next few days." Eugenio Cabezas Frigiliana Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 11:24 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Miradas de Frigiliana (Views of Frigiliana) is a new exhibition that looks back over the last five decades of life in the Axarquia village, on the eastern side of Malaga province. It documents the changes the village has witnessed and the people that have lived there. The exhibition includes 53 snapshots from the Nerja Museum's collection. The images belonged to the photographers Paco Garcia and Pepe Pascual, who died in May 2012. The exhibition, organised by the Oleo Frigiliana association, is open until the end of January 2024 in Sala Placituela, located at 80 Calle Real; the former town hall building. Frigiliana is considered one of the prettiest villages in Andalucia. Its privileged location, in the foothills of the Sierra Almijara mountains and just a stone's throw from the popular coastal resort of Nerja, make it a magnet for tourists. According to the town hall 'padron', or census register, the village is home to just over 3,300 inhabitants, although there are many more unregistered foreign residents. The light of Andalucia Its historic quarter known as 'Barribarto' is one of the places that attracts most visitors thanks to its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses which are adorned with flowers and colourful flower pots. The area dates back to Spains Islamic period and Frigiliana's tourist slogan describes the village as the 'light of Andalucia'. Although Frigiliana has seen big changes over the decades it still retains many of its original features, especially in the aforementioned 'Barribarto' area. Traditions and popular festivals are other aspects of village life that have hardly changed over the years: Holy Week, the May crosses, the San Antonio pilgrimage and the feria (fair) in June are some of the most popular annual events. Pepe Pascual was a correspondent for SUR for several decades and his family are in the process of handing over more material to the museum, including notes, books, manuscripts and photos. Last summer, local photographer Jorge Urbano gave the museum a bag of Pascual's negatives dating back to 1987 and 1988. Paco Garcia with relatives of the late Pepe Pascual at the opening earlier this month. SUR With this exhibition, the Oleo Frigiliana association continues with its extensive programme of activities to promote and highlight local culture and ethnography, with special emphasis on traditional agriculture linked to vineyards and olives. The collective was created as a result of attempts to reopen the local agricultural cooperative, which closed its doors in 2022 following an agreement by the members. Several members of the organisation have taken legal action to try to reverse the decision, with the aim of reopening the mill. The exhibition can be visited from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 2pm. The Nerja Museum has stressed that this exhibition is one of the many projects planned by the Cueva de Nerja Foundation in different areas designed to promote culture and historical heritage". Matias Stuber Malaga Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 10:31 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Lemons were given away to passersby for free in Malaga city's Plaza de la Marina as numerous farmers from around the province gathered in the prime location to protest their perilous economic situation. The reason? The prices they receive are vastly lower than what the consumer pays in the supermarkets. A kilo of lemons costs around two euros in supermarkets. What farmers receive at source, at the moment, is around 20 cents. Its a disaster said Alfonso Ramirez, who has an eight-hectare lemon farm. Ramirez is 53 years old and lives in Alhaurin de la Torre. He is one of the many professional farmers who grow citrus fruit in the Guadalhorce Valley. In the present circumstances, it is more profitable for him to let the lemons rot on the tree than to harvest them. And that is exactly what is happening. Twelve cents per kilo "They have just told me that they are paying me 4,000 euros for the 50,000 kilos I have harvested. If I do the maths, they barely pay me twelve cents per kilo," Ramirez said. "I would rather give the lemons away than be robbed," he said indignantly. When asked who is taking the margins, this farmer replied: "Distributors and supermarkets. They are speculating with our work. They are making money and we farmers don't even have enough to eat." The distribution chain, from the moment the produce is harvested until it ends up on the shelves, is plagued by "profiteers". Food chain law not working Francisco Moscoso, the secretary general of the Union of Small Farmers (UPA) in Malaga, railed against the situation which he considers unsustainable. "It costs the farmer 35 cents to produce a kilo of lemons and they are paying him less than 20 cents. It is not acceptable that the consumer is paying the price in large supermarkets at two euros or more. Here, the food chain law is not working". Guadalhorce Valley fruit growers give away their lemons to highlight the sector's plight. Nito Salas In theory, the food chain law, approved by the government in 2021, regulates the process of food formation to guarantee the farmer a fair price, which at no time can be below production costs. In practice, however, the law is not being applied. Moscoso lambasted the government, the Andalusian regional government and the European Union. The current agricultural policies, he said, are endangering the viability of the agricultural sector. For example, lemons from the Guadalhorce Valley have to compete with lemons from South Africa. "How is it possible to pay these prices to local producers while at the same time allowing supermarkets to fill up with lemons from South Africa?," Moscoso said. He stressed that consumers should look at the origin of the products they consume. 'Become more like the French' Juan Antonio Siles, UPA's head of communications, said that in recent years the demands made on farmers have increased more and more, due to the demands made by the European Union. These demands are leading to an increase in production costs. "Lemons are the perfect example. Here, a day's work to pick lemons costs farmers around 70 euros. We all want our people to earn more and be able to live in dignity, but then don't allow lemons to come in from South Africa, where the daily wage is five euros, Siles said. For now, the farmers' protests will remain symbolic actions such as the one that took place last Thursday in Plaza de la Marina. There were no roadblocks or hints of any violent protests. But, Siles noted, If it goes on like this, maybe it's time to become a little more like the French. Pilar Martinez Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 15:43 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Malaga city and the Costa del Sol were consolidated in 2023 as tourism destinations with high hotel profitability. In the latest report of the Alliance for Tourist Excellence (Exceltur), in which it takes stock of the tourism sector in Spain during the past year, it highlighted Malaga as the fourth-placed Spanish urban destination in which hotels register the most income per room, 108 euros, just behind of Palma, which ranks third with 108.40 euros. Barcelona leads with 135.10 euros, followed by San Sebastian, with 123.20. Exceltur pointed out that these four cities distance themselves from the rest and demonstrate the ability to generate sustained attractions over time through the combination of urban regeneration and investment in accommodation proposals, cultural, commercial, gastronomic and event centres. At the end of last year the Costa del Sol closed the top ten vacation destinations in Spain with the highest hotel profitability. The list is led by Ibiza and Formentera, with 145.20 euros, followed by the coast of Barcelona, Menorca, the coast of Guipuzkoa, and the Canary Island destinations, after an excellent last quarter of the year, followed by Mallorca, with 102.20 euros, and the Costa del Sol, with 102. The challenges of the industry will be discussed at todays Tourist Leadership Forum that precedes the opening of the International Tourism Fair (Fitur) on Wednesday. The Exceltur report detailed that the holiday destinations of European and national demand that reveal the best expectations are the eastern costas, which expect a 12.1% increase in sales, and the Costa del Sol, with an increase of 8.5%. The report highlighted that tourism was the main driver of economic growth in Spain during the past year, with tourism gross domestic product (GDP) rising by 13.1% in this period, which represents 70.8% of the GDP growth of the Spanish economy in 2023, estimated by the Bank of Spain at 2.4% more. This growth created 95,224 more jobs than in 2022 while the wages of its workers rose by 4.4%, the highest rise of all sectors of the Spanish economy. With this, the creation of tourist employment represents 17% of the total number of jobs generated in Spain in 2023. Exceltur forecasts a new rise in tourism GDP in Spain this year to exceed, for the first time, 200 billion euros, which would mean an increase of 8.6% over current price levels in 2023, raising its share of GDP to 13.4% of the total Spanish economy. "If this forecast is fulfilled, tourism would contribute 41.4% of the expected real growth of the Spanish economy in 2024, thanks to an increase of 4.6%, well above the 1.6% foreseen by the Bank of Spain, in its last data of December 2023, the Exceltur report stated. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Commission Alexei Overchuk, Azernews reports. During the meeting, the sides noted that the year 2023 was successful in terms of results related to the economic cooperation between the two countries. They recalled the contacts held between the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia as part of the informal meeting of the CIS heads of state in Saint Petersburg in last December. Emphasizing a broad agenda of the economic cooperation, the parties pointed out the plans for new areas in this field. They evaluated the growth of the trade turnover by 17.5 percent, as well as the continuous growth of cargo and transit transportation as a good indicator of cooperation between the two countries. The sides emphasized the importance of signing the roadmap on the development of key areas of Azerbaijani-Russian cooperation for the years 2024-2026. They expressed hope that Alexei Overchuk's visit would contribute to expanding relations between the two countries. During the meeting, the two also exchanged views on issues related to transport and logistics, and promotion of the North-South Transport Corridor. ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- In the first 11 months of last year, the trade volume between Russia and India increased 1.9 times year on year, reaching a record high of 59.7 billion U.S. dollars, RIA Novosti news agency reported on Monday, citing data from the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Indian exports to Russia increased more than 1.4 times to 3.7 billion dollars, with medicines and steel products being the main export goods. Russian exports to India grew 1.9 times to 56 billion dollars, mainly oil and petroleum products. The United States remained India's main trading partner. Trade volume between the two countries fell by 8 percent to 109.8 billion dollars in the same period. Cristina Vallejo Malaga Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 14:42 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram The number of property sales and purchases has fallen for yet another month. In the latest data for November 2023, some 2,827 real estate transactions were carried out in Malaga province, including the Costa del Sol, which represents a drop of 15.43%. This is a fall identical to that suffered in Spain as a whole: the 46,888 operations in the month across the country are 15.12% below the 55,245 of a year earlier. And at the same time there is a fall off in construction in Andalucia: the 9,857 sales and purchases of this year in the region are 15.36% below the figure for the same month of 2022. One element that stands out when contrasting the figures for Malaga with those for Andalucia is that the province accounts for 28% of all transactions taking place in the region. Almost one out of every three homes sold in the region is in Malaga. But how do the figures compare with other provinces in the Andalusian region? Cordoba and Seville suffered a greater year-on-year decline than Malaga, with the number of transactions falling by 23% and 20% in November, respectively. A similar situation occurred in Cadiz, which recorded a fall of 18%. In contrast, the falls in Huelva and Jaen were limited to 4% and 6%, respectively. And there is another comparison that is also interesting. Despite the double-digit decline in real estate sales and purchases, these are still occurring at higher figures than those in the pre-pandemic years. The 2,827 transactions carried out in the province in November 2023 are below the 3,343 transactions of the same month in 2022 and are also less than the 3,221 of the same dates in 2021. But the latest figures released on Friday 19 January by Spain's INE national statistics institute are above the 2,422 transactions of the same month in 2019 and the 2,571 of 2018. In fact, to find higher levels of activity with the exception of the two years that followed the pandemic one has to go back to 2007, when in November there were more than 3,100 transactions. This may explain the fact that, according to the real estate portal Idealista, Malaga has set record levels in the sale prices of used housing, with the price per square metre standing at 2,668 euros (after an increase of more than 14% year-on-year), which is above the average levels for the country (2,042 euros per square metre). In the eastern part of Malaga city, the price per square metre is more than 3,700 euros and in the city centre it exceeds 3,500 euros. Also, between January and November last year, Malaga witnessed the signing of 32,115 real estate transactions, 17.75% less than in the same period of 2022, when these exceeded 39,000. But in the first eleven months of 2019 the number of sales and purchases was limited to 27,710 and in 2018 there were 30,472. In fact, the figures for 2023 (up to November) already exceed those recorded for the whole of 2019 (29,852) and are very close to those for the whole of 2018 (32,636). At the national level, something similar is happening. The Idealista spokesperson Francisco Inareta said: "The INE data continues to show a drop in the number of transactions, a trend that has continued throughout the year. Even so, the falls are not a disaster for the market, as they seem to be more related to the reduction in the supply available for sale than to a severe drop in demand. It is very likely that the next closing data for 2023 will bring the volume of transactions to just under 600,000 units and will be the second highest volume of sales since the bursting of the 2008 bubble, behind only 2022". If we return to the monthly data, we can see that if Malaga has kept pace with the evolution of Spain as a whole in the overall figures, it has also done so across different housing segments: the fall in sales of new homes both in the country and in the province is 11%, while the drop in transactions of used flats is 16% in both areas. In Malaga in November 2023, 562 new homes were sold, down from 634 a year earlier; as for second-hand flats, the number of transactions was 2,265, compared to 2,709 in November 2022. Ignacio Lillo Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 14:10 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram As long as there is water somewhere along the Costa del Sol and in Malaga's Guadalhorce river, it will soon be possible to easily transport it to where it is most needed. This is the principal purpose of the Rojas pumping station improvement works, whose main objective is to increase the interconnection capacity between Malaga city and the western Costa del Sol, by implementing a new drive system. The works will cost just over a million euro and be completed within a maximum period of six months after, in early January, the Junta approved the proposal put forward by the companies Guadalsur and Padelsa. This project will improve infrastructure built during the great drought of 1995, in order to facilitate the distribution of water resources in both directions. Currently, the situation is that the western Costa del Sol, with the La Concepcion reservoir at just 22% of its capacity, needs a water transfer from Malaga city to the coast. Malaga city in turn is mainly supplied by the Guadalhorce-Guadalteba system. One main purpose of the project here is to control river flood surges which can impact the city. For this, it is necessary to renovate the existing Rojas infrastructure at Churriana, which is almost 30 years old and its pumps are obsolete. The new planned pumping system, with five motors, will allow the transfer of up to 500 litres per second, more than double the current capacity. A pressing element is to be able to transfer water from the north (passing through the city) to the east; but the plant will be prepared so that, when necessary, a reverse transfer can be made: from La Concepcion and the desalination plant in Marbella, to Malaga, and from there, to the Axarquia. The network will be regulated by a modern telematic system which will manage both networks, as explained by Alvaro Real, director of hydraulic infrastructures of the Junta de Andalucia, during the laying of a foundation stone at the pumping station. The event was attended by the regional minister of water, Carmen Crespo; and the councillor for environmental sustainability of Malaga city hall, Penelope Gomez, among other authorities. 'Water highway' The 'water highway' project, with an increased transfer of up to 12 cubic hectometres of water per year, aims to provide supply guarantees to more than 600,000 people in Malaga. This action will directly impact Benahavis, Benalmadena, Casares, Estepona, Fuengirola, Manilva, Marbella, Mijas and Torremolinos, as well as Malaga city and, indirectly, the stricken Axarquia region. Crespo said she regretted that this project had not been implemented in previous years. The regional minister of water said that this work is "a milestone for Malaga" because it "closes the circle" from the northern area of San Roque, in Cadiz, and the Campo de Gibraltar, to connect with the Axarquia. "This means that we will have the capacity to inject water into one area from another, and that, in this time of drought, is essential." Drought Decree Crespo said that the work in Cadiz will be ready in spring, and soon after that the Rojas station, which is already connected to the San Roque station, will be complete. The Juntas fourth Drought Decree will involve investments valued at 200 million euros, a large part of which will go to Malaga province Crespo said, because, unfortunately, it is at the epicentre; but also, fortunately, because these are infrastructures that will remain for future generations. Crespo also called for government funding for pipe laying. As for the Marbella desalination plant, run by the state, the capacity increase, to 12 hectometres, is nearing completion. But the new Decree foresees an increase to 20 hectometres which, Crespo said, is an urgent need for this summer. Crespo also called for funding for the missing eight hectometres from the government, or for the central administration to carry out the necessary works. Portable desalination plants The regional minister of water said that the rest of the planned measures will be focused on the reactivation of disused wells, along with the installation of portable desalination plants to achieve an annual increase of up to 70 hectometres. Speaking at the laying of the foundation stone, the councillor for environmental sustainability of Malaga city hall, Penelope Gomez, said that it is time to work together with the Junta and work fast. Before us we have the best example, because with this pumping station, the Junta is counting on the help of Malaga city and the municipalities of the Costa del Sol, without doubts and without conflicts. This teamwork is what we need from society as a whole, because we are in an emergency situation. Chus Heredia Malaga Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 17:42 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram On Monday this week, Spain's national government, in a parliamentary response made public by political party Sumar, deflated the hopes of those who hoped the cabinet would knock back the Qatari hotel tower project in Malaga Port that was recently approved by the city hall. Its processing and approval has been carried out by the competent Administration in urban planning, in this case, Malaga city council, indicated the parliamentary response, dated 9 January. At this point, the government is limited to arguing that it will follow the pertinent administrative procedure and in accordance with the Ports Law, to make it's decision. Another point on which the government declared itself is related to the port's historical heritage. The only building that could be affected is La Farola lighthouse. The government, in July 2023, said that the lighthouses cadastral plot is protected as a site of cultural interest. IU Andalusian leader Toni Valero said: We are working to avoid the attack on the landscape that the city council wants with the construction of a skyscraper in the port of Malaga. Clearly, the construction of the skyscraper only responds to the speculative interests of the Qatari investment fund that is behind this operation and that is sponsored by the Popular Party. This skyscraper would not respond to the general interest at all, so the change in the use of port land for this speculative operation should not be approved by the government, Valero said. Processing In November, the city council definitively approved the planning application with the sole votes of the Partido Popular. The PP challenged the opposition parties to stop the project in the central government procedures. This put an end to an urban planning process that has gone on for five years in the municipal phase (since June 2018) and for seven since it was presented and the procedures started by the Port Authority of the city at the request of the Qatari investment fund Al Alfia and the Hesperia hotel chain, which will be responsible for the planned luxury hotel and conference centre, if these finally get the go ahead. What has been completed is the municipal processing phase, which actually means that a building with the characteristics of the planned one can be built on the esplanade of the Levante dock (with a height of up to 150 metres, although the Qatari proposal reaches 116 metres), or another initiative, and for the Special Plan to have been changed, which until now did not allow such a level of construction. Now, this administrative file will return to the Port Authority of Malaga, which will have to process it before the State Ports, and this, in turn, will submit it to Spain's Ministry of Transport. If necessary, this will be the body that will inform the Cabinet for its final approval. Pilar Martinez Malaga Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 11:12 | Updated 11:28h. Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Malaga city is on a mission to attract more luxury tourists when it attends the International Tourism Fair (Fitur), which begins on Wednesday 24 January in Madrid. The delegation, headed by the mayor Francisco de la Torre, will today participate at the general assembly of the Spanish Luxury Association, in addition to attending the Exceltur Tourist Leadership Forum and the AVE Cities Network assembly. Malaga city hall said: Malaga goes to Fitur with the aim of publicising and strengthening some of the sectors with the most potential, such as premium and luxury tourism, food and wine tourism, and conference tourism which is capable of proposing great genuine experiences, through exclusive tourist products. At this years Fitur Malaga does not have its own exhibition stand but rather an integrated workspace in the Andalucia one, from where it intends to stake a position in emerging markets targeting wealthy tourists. The agenda, which includes 80 professional appointments, includes meetings with travel companies, tour operators who specialise in luxury segments and events and conferences, or in markets of special interest to the destination such as Asia, America, and the Middle East. Maintaining contacts with the Spanish, European, North American, and Asian tourist offices, and with event companies related to shows, fashion and lifestyle, complete the agenda. Related news Tourism This is what Andalucia's ground-breaking 3.3-million-euro investment at major international tourism fair will look like Pilar Martinez Francisco de la Torre defended the citys integration in the Andalusian exhibition stand. "We are delighted with this global presentation of the region, in which Malaga will have its space and place to show all the features that will be new in 2024. Fitur is always an opportunity to reinforce the city's presence in national and international tourism. We are going with the best intention of making the Andalusian stand and the projection of the capital of the Costa del Sol [Malaga city] a success. The mayor added that the high occupancy witnessed in the citys hotels is a good indicator that this sector is well established. At the exhibition stand the city's tourism department will host almost thirty presentations including an informative breakfast with Turespana and the Spanish tourist offices. Among these presentations, the Sustainable Tourism Plan of Malaga city stands out, which will take place on Thursday. Related news Tourism 'Shout my name': This is the video for the Costa del Sol's brand new tourism campaign Pilar Martinez The capital of the Costa del Sol goes to Fitur one of the three most important tourism fairs in the world having exceeded three million overnight stays in the first eleven months of 2023. The council's tourism department highlights the fact that the average stay throughout the month of 2023 has not dropped below two days, the average is currently 2.19. And in months like August, this indicator has shot up to 2.52 days, a rate that is exceeded in some international markets, such as the Netherlands, with 2.76 days; Germany, with 2.7; and the United Kingdom, with 2.58 in the month of November. Juan Cano Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 18:35 | Updated 19:05h. Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram One of the alleged main organisers of the illegal street races in Malaga has been identified by the city's Local Police. Officers of the Investigation and Protection Group (GIP), who specialise in the investigation of social media have accused the 19-year-old male of a serious violation of the public safety law. Cyber experts, both from the GIP and from the Accident and Attested Investigation Group (GIAA) of the Malaga force, have spent years collecting videos uploaded to social networks, whose viewing and study has led to a multitude of investigations for crimes against road safety that have led to firm convictions in many cases. In one investigation, GIP agents managed to fully identify the main organiser of a group from an instant messaging application with almost 1,000 members in which these street races were organised. The modus operandi of the organiser consisted of sending the locations in the group just moments before the illegal activity. The group also allowed members to relocate and resume activity in the event of a police patrol showing up. According to the Local Police, the young man carried out surveys of the members of the group for the location and choice of locations. He was the sole administrator of the group. At the street races, several accidents have already been reported in addition to reckless manoeuvres that endanger drivers, other road users, and the spectators that gather to watch the souped-up cars without any protective barriers. The police investigation discovered that the dangerous events were held not only in different parts of Malaga city, but also in Alhaurin de la Torre, Cartama, and Benalmadena. Local Police concluded that hundreds of people attended these meetings which took place without authorisation on public roads, in violation of the public safety laws. Such serious road safety offences can be sanctioned with a fine of 30,001 to 600,000 euros. Cristina Vallejo Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 17:07 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram Malaga city is well known to be the economic capital of Andalucia. Now data shows that this claim extends to the whole province, which includes the Costa del Sol. Figures from the Ministry of Finance of all municipal budgets in Spain for 2022 (and previous years) shows that Malaga's local council investments exceed those of the rest of Andalucia's provinces in very important areas, particularly those of Seville which has 1.95 million inhabitants, compared to Malaga provinces 1.71 million. In 2022 local councils in Malaga province budgeted 301.5 million euros for investments. This figure is practically a third of the investments made by Andalusian town councils last year, which amounted to 1.06 billion euros. Malagas investment is more than 40% higher than that made in Seville, which was 213.35 million euros. The third place in the ranking is occupied by Almeria: the municipalities of this province committed themselves to investments amounting to 103.65 million euros. There are very different evaluations among entrepreneurs. Natalia Sanchez, executive vice president and general secretary of the Malaga Confederation of Entrepreneurs (CEM), said that the numbers reflect that municipal administrations are aware of the importance of investments to improve the competitiveness and productivity of the local economy. Sanchez also highlighted that this makes the province attractive and it receives outside investment and talent. Jose Carlos Escribano, new president of the Malaga Chamber of Commerce, also celebrated the figures and said Malaga must have a significant investment in infrastructure. It is essential to maintain leadership, he warned. Other business sources are somewhat less accommodating. They claim that Malagas investment is not appreciated as it is not visible, for several reasons: to begin with, the province has more complex infrastructures than the rest of the region; and, the needs are much greater than those that are covered; also, as well as being a province with very large towns it has an increasing population, compared to a large part of the rest of Andalucia, which in some other provinces experiences a population loss. The large volume of resources that local administrations pour into Malaga, therefore, in the opinion of these sources, is diluted. The treasury report details that that practically a third of the investments budgeted in Malaga in the last year just over 90 million euros were dedicated to replacing infrastructures and goods, but this is exceeded by the sum of new investments both in infrastructure and in the operational operation of services (50 and 72 million euros, respectively). Seville beats Malaga in one area, that is in investments in heritage assets, where the 6.85 million euros from Malaga pales next to the 33.15 million euros spent in Seville. In any case, as a whole, the Malaga municipalities number more investors than those of the rest of Andalucia. And this does not happen only in this data from 2022. It has been recurrently like this for at least the last ten years, according to data from the Treasury. These also highlight other issues. For example, that the weight of Malaga's real investments in Andalucia as a whole has grown over the years: if in 2013 the 135.67 million euros budgeted in real investments in the municipalities of the province accounted for 22.6% of the 600.76 million of Andalucia as a whole, in 2022 it has scored maximums, representing Malaga more than 28.3% of the total. Malaga also stands out in the growth rate of investments, with an allocation 122% higher (that is, more than than that of a decade earlier. Malaga and Seville are the two provinces that stand out for the evolution of the volume of their investments. Malaga municipalities also transfer the most resources to public entities and commercial companies and make loans to both public and private sector players. Irene Quirante Malaga Tuesday, 23 January 2024, 15:30 Compartir Copiar enlace WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Telegram A Costa del Sol-based gang, which was highly specialised in stealing drugs in transit from other organisations, known as 'vuelcos' (overturns) in the jargon of the drug trade, has been smashed by police. The National Police and Guardia Civil have arrested six people for allegedly belonging to this criminal network. In order to carry out their hits, they used a strategy which included posing as members of the security forces and installing GPS tracking devices in the vehicles that other gangs were going to use to move the merchandise around. In this way, they could follow them discreetly until, at some point on a motorway, they would 'sandwich' the driver of the drug-running vehicle between several high-end cars before makng off with the drugs haul. Shot fired The investigation was opened after a lorry and its refrigerated trailer were attacked at a service area in La Safour (Valencia), on the AP7. The lorry was supposedly carrying a load of fruit and vegetables when it was hijacked by seven people in five vehicles, who obstructed any possible escape route for the lorry driver. The gang members then got out of their cars and took control of the lorry, allegedly even firing a shot inside the cab in view of the victim's opposition. The driver, who was assaulted by the attackers, was forced into one of the perpetrators' vehicles. He was later released in an open field, but without a mobile phone, wallet or documents. However, the man managed to call the Guardia Civil for help. Following initial enquiries, the stolen goods were located and, as a result of a thorough technical inspection, it was found that the haul was not the declared load, but that the vehicle had a double bottom containing a large quantity of narcotic substance, specifically hashish. 'Rollover' When it was established that it was a 'rollover', the officers investigated the case until they were able to identify the alleged members of the gang. Apparently, those arrested would use high-end vehicles with false number plates and used a high degree of violence, including the use of firearms to carry out the robbery. Once the vehicle was stolen, it was taken to a secluded place in order to make off with the drugs hidden inside. The investigators also found that, on other occasions, the suspects aslo posed as police officers to commit the criminal acts. Operation Oconer-Sorry resulted in the arrest of six people, aged between 33 and 48, of Spanish and Moroccan nationality, for the crimes of robbery with violence and intimidation using a firearm, illegal possession of weapons, illegal detention, vehicle theft, drug trafficking, falsification of documents and membership or integration in a criminal organisation. A court in Fuengirola ordered the imprisonment of one of them. In addition, six searches were carried out (five in homes and one in a garage) in Mijas, where an electric pistol, a short firearm and another automatic with an ammunition magazine and erased serial number, eighteen 9mm projectiles, tracking devices, frequency inhibitors, GPS signal detectors, National Police and Civil Guard clothing, police documents, a drone, some 6,000 euros in cash, three vehicles and a motorbike were seized. As a result of the operation, the criminal group based on the Costa del Sol has been dismantled, which was dedicated to drug trafficking, operating both in the Levante area and in the south of Spain. GUANGZHOU, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2.53 million new energy vehicles (NEV) were manufactured in south China's Guangdong Province in 2023, the provincial governor Wang Weizhong said Tuesday. This means that one out of every four NEVs in the country is produced in Guangdong, said Wang as he delivered the government work report at the annual session of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress. Guangdong's automotive manufacturing industry is expected to achieve operational income exceeding 1.35 trillion yuan (189.2 billion U.S. dollars), with NEV production accounting for more than half of total vehicle production in Guangdong by 2025, according to a provincial plan. As the leading automobile production province in the country, Guangdong hosts a multitude of electric vehicle manufacturers, including BYD and XPeng. Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. Oswego, N.Y. -- A Central New York construction company repaired a popular Oswego bookstore just hours after a vehicle crashed into it, damaging the storefront Sunday, police said. The construction company Bruce Construction at 596 Middle Rd patched up the Rivers End Bookstore at 19 W. Bridge St. after vehicle drove into the building, damaging the store. Dave Matthews Band is returning to Upstate New York on its 2024 tour dates. DMB will perform two nights at the Broadview Stage at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga Springs on Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6. No opening act has been named for either show; both will begin at 7:30 p.m. Syracuse, N.Y. Its been two years since Gov. Kathy Hochul vowed to address the housing crisis with more than $25 billion in state funding. This year, she has proposed additional funds for municipalities that embrace residential development. She wants to renew a tax break for private developers in New York City. But here in Central New York, Hochul has not taken what appears to be one of the simplest first steps: Fix up a 199-unit, high-rise apartment building in Syracuse that is owned by the state and has been vacant for 13 years. Rome, N.Y. A man, woman and two young children were all injured in a crash early today when the driver tried to avoid a deer that ran into a road near Rome, deputies said. The vehicle went off the road, hit a tree and caught fire, but the man driving was able to get himself and everyone out of the burning car, Oneida County Sheriffs Office Sgt. Thomas J. Pietruch, Jr. said in a news release. 2022 was an average year for deer hunters according to the National Deer Associations latest Deer Report, which compiles data for the 2022-23 hunting season from 37 major deer states in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast. According to the report, 10 million hunters hit the deer woods in 2022-23, spending nearly 120 million days afield. Altogether they harvested nearly six million whitetail, by far the most popular game animal in the U.S. Antlered buck harvest Total buck harvest in the U.S. was 2,958,432 deer, the fourth highest amount in the past 10 seasons. Overall, Texas shot the most bucks (377,394). Pennsylvania takes the top spot for most bucks harvested per square mile (3.7), more than doubling the national average of 1.7 bucks psm. New York harvested 116,425 bucks (2.5 psm), a five percent increase over 2021. Hunters are taking far fewer yearling bucks than in past decades. In 2022, the national average of the antlered buck harvest that was 1 years old was 26%, tying the lowest national percentage ever recorded, compared to a whopping 62% in 1989. Hunters are clearly reaping the benefits of more naturally balanced age structures in herds across the whitetails range, NDA Chief Conservation Officer Kip Adams wrote in the report. Of New Yorks antlered harvest, 36% was 1 years old; 41% were 2 years old; and 23% were 3 years old. The Northeast had the highest harvest of yearling bucks (38%) taken compared to other regions. New Yorks antlerless harvest was 2.4 per square mile in 2022-23, a 15% increase over 2021.SYR Antlerless harvest Hunters in the big three regions harvested 3,001,563 antlerless deer in 2022, marking only the second time the antlerless harvest has topped three million since 2013. The Northeast saw the biggest increase in antlerless harvest (12%), with Delaware taking the most (6.4 psm), followed by Pennsylvania (5.8 psm) and Maryland (4.6 psm). New Yorks antlerless harvest was 2.4 psm, representing a 15% increase over 2021. Reduced antlerless harvests are necessary in areas where deer herds are balanced, the report states, but very few states should be harvesting more antlered bucks than antlerless deer on a regular basis. Stephen Moser, of Greece, N.Y., shot this 10-point, 180-pound buck in Franklinville in Cattaraugus County on opening day 2020, using a muzzleloader. Deer harvest by weapon type Muzzleloader hunters took 9% of the total deer harvest, bow/crossbow hunters took 25%, and firearm (rifle/shotgun) hunters took 66% in 2022-23. In the Northeast, bow hunters averaged the highest percentage of the harvest (33%), led by New Jersey bow hunters who accounted for 64% of that states harvest. Muzzleloader hunters took 15% of the Northeast total, the highest amount in all regions. Rhode Island topped the list with 42% of deer taken by smoke poles. Surprisingly, firearm hunters in the Northeast shot just over half of the deer (51%). In the Southeast, that number is 77%. And Wyoming claims the highest percentage taken by firearms hunters (94%). Jeremy Williams, of Lounsberry, shot this trophy buck on opening day of 2023 gun season in Tioga County. The buck, which Butler nicknamed Big Poppa, scored 175 6/8 according to Boone and Crockett Club criteria.Jeremy Williams Hunter success The Southeast region had the most successful hunters, with 56% taking home a deer in 2022-23, including 71% of hunters in South Carolina. The Northeast lagged behind with 33% of hunters getting a deer. Only 30% of New York hunters bagged a whitetail, but pour one out for hunters in New Hampshire, who came in last with 18%. The Southeast also led the country with 26% of hunters shooting two or more deer, followed by the Midwest (14%) and Northeast (11%). Only 8% of New York hunters put more than one deer in the freezer. NDAs Kip Adams says many hunters wrongly believe that multiple, or even unlimited, deer bag limits contribute to overharvesting of deer. The reality is only a small percentage of hunters actually fill multiple tags, Adams wrote in the report. For example, a license in Georgia allows two bucks and ten antlerless deer, but nearly half of Georgias hunters do not harvest a single whitetail. In fact, since 2011 the percentage of successful hunters declined across all regions by 7%, with the Northeast experiencing the largest drop. Likewise, the national average for hunters harvesting two or more deer decreased from 21% to 17% in that same time period. 43 states allow trail cameras on private land; 39 states allow them on public land. Other NDA 2022-23 Deer Report Highlights: 17 states open deer season early enough to allow for the harvest of velvet bucks 43 states allow trail cameras on private land; 39 states allow them on public land 42 states allow cellular cameras on private land; 37 states do so on public land 33 states allow supplemental feeding in some places; 22 states allow baiting 19 states publicly support the use of non-lead ammunition; only seven states have educational programs promoting that use 30 states have Learn to Hunt programs; 23 states have adult-mentored programs NDAs report is packed with loads of additional data and analysis important to deer hunters, from the latest information on diseases impacting deer herds in each state, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, to the use of drones (legal in 18 states, but not New York). Sign up for the CNY Outdoors Newsletter Enter your email address to get weekly updates on CNY outdoors news delivered to your inbox: READ MORE Upstate NY hunter finally bags Big Poppa, a trophy buck he tracked for two years - newyorkupstate.com Two Upstate NY poachers busted after using fake social media profiles to target big deer - newyorkupstate.com Baldwinsville hunter feels bad about taking her boyfriends buck - newyorkupstate.com Upstate NY hunters show off opening day bucks - newyorkupstate.com DEC encourages hunters to take more antlerless deer when big game season opens this weekend in NY - newyorkupstate.com Steve Featherstone covers the outdoors for The Post Standard, syracuse.com and NYUP.com. Contact him at sfeatherstone@syracuse.com or on Twitter @featheroutdoors. You can also follow along with all of our outdoors content at newyorkupstate.com/outdoors/ or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/upstatenyoutdoors. Malone, N.Y. A worker was killed in a chairlift accident last week at a ski resort in the Adirondacks. Richard P. Finch was on ski patrol shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday at Titus Mountain Family Ski Center on Johnson Road in Malone when he was involved in a chairlift accident, the New York State Police said in a news release. Finch, of Malone, died at the scene. He was 68 years old. Troopers said Finch was killed in an unintentional accident but released no other details. The incident remains under investigation. State police were assisted by Malone EMS and Titus Mountain Ski Patrol. Finch was a husband, father and grandfather, according to his obituary. He worked in emergency medicine and loved to ride his motorcycle, go camping and spend time with his family. Man, do we miss him already, Finchs family wrote in his obituary. Pakistani children sing songs "Happy New Year" and "Long Live Pakistan-China Friendship" in two languages at a Chinese Lunar New Year gala in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Jan. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) by Raheela Nazir, Jiang Chao ISLAMABAD, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- As the mercury falls to single digits in Pakistan's federal capital, Islamabad, making the weather chilly and foggy on Sunday, a hotel hall decorated with traditional Chinese red lanterns was a source of warmth and coziness for people gathered to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. Buzzing with slogans of "Long Live Pakistan-China Friendship," the hall was filled with people from both Pakistan and China, including teachers, students, and volunteers. During the event, a dazzling array of performances, including traditional dances, sitcoms, and Kung Fu, by Pakistani and Chinese children, filled the hearts of the audience with joy, peace, and harmony. The gala was kicked off by a classical dance, "Flying Swallow," performed by Chinese girl Liu Huijun. "The flying swallows symbolize the return of spring to the earth. I hope to bring New Year blessings to Pakistani friends through this dance," she said. Donning a glittery golden gown, Sidra Sajjad, an 8-year-old student and dance performer, was all smiles when she was inquired about her dress and performance during the event. Pakistani children dance at a Chinese Lunar New Year gala in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Jan. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) "Today I am wearing my best golden gown to perform a song that highlights the strong and sweet friendship between Pakistan and China ... My Chinese friends have also performed, and the traditional dresses they were wearing truly enticed me," Sajjad told Xinhua. Sobia Adnan, director of Islamabad China-Pakistan Youth One Heart Step and Cure Home (ICOSH), a China-funded orphanage in Islamabad, where the majority of Pakistani children who joined the gala came from, said that the Chinese New Year celebrations light up the faces of orphans as they are relishing moments of joy and happiness together with their Chinese friends. "Both cultures of Pakistan and China are humane and beautiful ... The gala can prove that we are the one and forever friends. We are thankful to the Chinese people for being a ray of hope for these underprivileged children in Pakistan," she said. Shifa Butt, who instructs Pakistani children to perform a dance called "Mother," said that the gratitude expressed by this dance is similar to the Chinese filial piety culture and that both countries' cultures promote positive values. The dance performed by Pakistani children also moved a Chinese boy, Ma Yusheng, who performed a so-called "Kemusan" dance, the latest internet hit in China, translated as "Subject Three" dance, pushing the gala to a new high. "I have been rehearsing hard for several days, just hoping to bring you joy today, and my performance is not bad!" he said. Chinese children perform a sitcom during a Chinese Lunar New Year gala in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan, Jan. 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Ahmad Kamal) Speaking to Xinhua on the occasion, Asma Munir Salman, a school leader of Great Maple School, Rawalpindi, said that attending such cultural events has always been exciting and exhilarating. "Both countries' children used music and art to demonstrate the concepts of cultural mutual learning, peace and inclusiveness, which set a good example for the world today ... We are very happy to be here at this event and we all know that culture, music, and arts have no boundaries and borders," she said. In her school, Salman said many Pakistani students are learning Chinese language, culture and Chinese martial arts, adding that the way children are accepting each other's cultures is heartening as it fosters global understanding and promotes peaceful relations among nations. Talking to Xinhua, Ma Bin, president of the China-Pak Educational Cultural Institute (CPECI), who organized the event, said the purpose of the party is to let children from both countries share the joy and peace of the Chinese New Year. "Chinese cultural thought has always advocated cultural equality and inclusiveness. We hope that children from both countries can appreciate each other's culture through mutual exchanges and artistic performances," he said. The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A total of 3,740 sets of relief supplies have been allocated to the quake-hit areas in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) said Tuesday. The RCSC-supplied relief materials included cotton camps, cotton quilts, outdoor jackets and folding beds, the RCSC said in a press statement. The RCSC Xinjiang Branch has sent its staff to take part in the ongoing rescue and relief operation in the quake-hit areas, the statement added. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture of Xinjiang at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday. What just happened? Apple has paid a $13.65 million fine to the Russian government after a Moscow court found the company guilty of abusing its dominant market position through the iOS App Store. Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) ruled in November that Apple had prohibited app developers from informing users that they have the option to pay for their purchases outside of its store. The FAS imposed a fine of almost 1.2 billion roubles (around $13.65 million) on Apple in January. The company paid the money on January 19, which the FAS says will go directly to the Russian budget at a time when the government is raising funds to support the war in Ukraine. This isn't the first time Apple has boosted Russia's coffers since the war began in early 2022. The FAS said Apple paid a 906 million rouble ($12.12 million) fine in February 2022 over an antitrust case that alleged Apple abused its dominant position by distributing apps through its own iOS operating system, giving it a competitive advantage. Apple said it "respectfully disagreed" with that ruling. The Financial Times writes that in order to pay the fines imposed by Russia's government, US companies must first seek permission from the US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, the agency that enforces trade controls. Apple was one of the many Western companies to halt product sales in Russia following the country's invasion of Ukraine, but the App Store and some subscription services remain active. This is despite Ukraine's government urging Tim Cook to block the App Store in Russia. It's also possible for Russians to buy iPhones at a marked up price that have been imported from other countries, though the government has banned its employees from using them. Apple had the third-largest share of phone sales in Russia before the invasion Russia has also been handing out modest fines to Western companies for not storing their data locally. Airbnb, Pinterest, and Twitch were fined 2 million roubles ($38,113) each, with UPS receiving a 1 million rouble ($19,057) fine in June 2022. One of the biggest issues Russia has had with tech firms since the start of the war is their hosting of what it deems to be "fake" content relating to the invasion. Reddit, Apple, and Wikipedia have been fined over this charge. Apple and the US Treasury have not commented on the former's latest Russian fine. It's unclear if Apple intends to let Russian iOS app developers link to alternative payment methods, as it has done in the US. In brief: Predatory loan apps, which use sensitive information taken from users' phones to extort them when they can't pay their high-interest loans, were banned by Google last year. But that hasn't stopped tens of thousands of people across the world from downloading them via the Play Store. Google banned personal loans with an Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of 36 percent or higher back in October 2019. Predatory loan apps that collect personal data from devices to blackmail borrowers were explicitly banned last year. Enforcing Google's policy is proving difficult, especially in Latin American countries and locations such as India. Rest of World highlights the story of Ana Mariela Macias Gonzalez, a 31-year-old state employee from Puebla, Mexico. She downloaded several predatory apps from the Play Store, including one called JoyCredito. It led to her debt increasing from 1,000 pesos ($60) to almost 60,000 ($3,500) in less than six months. Gonzalez started receiving tens of intimidating calls and texts every day from debt collectors sent by the predatory apps. Some included altered photos of her and implications she was a prostitute. Her entire contacts list also received the messages. Consumer watchdog group Mexico City's Citizen Council for Safety and Justice says there have been 135 reports filed to local authorities regarding JoyCredito's fraud and extortion tactics; yet the app is still available to download from the Play Store. Rest of World looked at 15 apps on the Play Store that violates Google's terms and conditions. Twelve of them explicitly ask for access to either the camera roll or contacts in the Google Play store's terms of service. Two others specified full access only in external documents, and one other gave no data access information. There are also cases where the apps collect SMS and SMS log data. The publication writes that even before the loans are due, many of these apps threaten users by promising to send deepfaked pornographic or incriminating images to family and friends if the repayments are not maintained. There are also stories of users being extorted just for downloading the apps and not completing the loan application forms. Gonzalez says her full name, phone number, bank account, and official ID were shared between predatory loan apps, some of which deposited loan money in her bank without her ever applying to the companies. Google says it is investigating the matter and collaborating with Mexican authorities in the ongoing investigations. But the incidents have led to questions about whether Google is even reviewing apps' terms and services. Forward-looking: Researchers from Tsinghua University in Beijing have developed a flexible type of memory in liquid form, no less that could eventually lead to pliable robots, more versatile implantable electronics, or even full-on brain-machine interfaces. The memory device, tentatively known as FlexRAM, utilizes a gallium-based liquid metal to perform traditional read and write processes. When a low voltage is applied to the liquid metal droplets, which are encapsulated in a stretchable biopolymer called Ecoflex, they oxidize to represent the state of "1" or "on." Conversely, reversing the polarity brings the liquid metal back to a low-resistance state; "0" or "off." A 3D printer was used to make the Ecoflex molds, in which the liquid metal and a solution of polyvinyl acetate hydrogel was added. The hydrogel additive helps enhance the mechanical properties of the FlexRAM, and also prevents solution leakage. To demonstrate their prototype, the team used a computer to precisely supply voltage to a series of eight FlexRAM devices and encoded one byte of data onto the storage medium. They used pulse-width modulation to go from a digital to an analog signal. It worked, and was stable enough to be repeated more than 3,500 times. FlexRAM is volatile, meaning it only retains data while power is supplied - under most situations, that is. Interestingly enough, FlexRAM running in low- or zero-oxygen environments can retain data for a limited time even when power is cut. In testing, data could be retained for 43,300 seconds (or 12 hours) in such habitats. Jing Liu, a professor at the department of biomedical engineering at Tsinghua University, told IEEE Spectrum that their breakthrough fundamentally changes traditional notions of flexible memory. What's more, the conceivable size scale of FlexRAM devices can vary greatly. Each liquid metal memory droplet, for example, can range from millimeter to nanoscale. The smaller the droplet size, Liu said, the more sensitive the memory response. The researchers' full study has been published in the journal Advanced Materials. Image credit: Google DeepMind Forward-looking: Laser weapons have steadily progressed in recent years, with the US successfully testing an aerial defense system that is theoretically more cost-effective than using physical ammunition. The UK has now achieved a similar milestone, suggesting that lasers could potentially replace missiles in certain situations. The UK has successfully tested a laser weapon that is highly accurate and cost-effective. Using an intense beam of light, the 50kW turret-mounted DragonFire weapon can cut through targets or cause explosions if a warhead is targeted. The exact range is classified, but it can strike any visible target at the speed of light with accuracy comparable to hitting a quarter from half a mile away. The most significant advantage of laser weapons is cost. The all-electric system requires no physical ammunition, explosives, or propellant, and can theoretically fire an infinite number of shots as long as energy is available. Firing DragonFire for 10 seconds costs as much as running a standard heater for an hour, with each blast costing about $13 at most. By comparison, the US Navy is currently firing missiles costing up to $2.1 million each to shoot down Houthi drones in the Red Sea. The recent DragonFire trial marks the latest development in a 100 million program involving the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, the UK Ministry of Defence, and private companies MBDA, Leonardo, and QinetiQ. Although the army and the Royal Navy currently have no concrete plans to deploy lasers, both could potentially use them for air defense. Earlier tests validated DragonFire's ability to track moving air and sea targets. In 2022, the US Navy tested a similar system called Layered Laser Defense (LLD), successfully downing drones and indicating its capability against subsonic cruise missiles. Firing LLD costs around $1 per shot and can also disable sensors. However, deploying lasers presents challenges and trade-offs. Finding space and energy to install them on existing vessels is a primary obstacle. The weapons are also sensitive to environmental conditions like fog, and missiles remain more effective at hitting targets beyond visual range. Additionally, a laser requires a few seconds of sustained fire to destroy a target. Despite these challenges, these once-fictional weapons could play a significant role in the future. Elon Musk, accused of allowing antisemitic content on his social media platform, X, made a significant visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp on Monday. Prior to attending the European Jewish Association's antisemitism conference in Krakow, Musk made an unexpected visit. The billionaire, who acquired the platform in 2022, has faced allegations from prominent organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League, for allegedly tolerating antisemitic messages on X, as reported by AP News. In November, Elon Musk stirred controversy by responding to a user's claim about Jewish attitudes towards white people on X, stating, "You have said the actual truth." The White House condemned his post, leading to subsequent apologies. Following the incident, major brands, including Disney and IBM, halted advertising on X after Media Matters reported ads appearing alongside pro-Nazi and white nationalist content. In response, X sued Media Matters for faking a report to harm the platform and drive away sponsors. Elon Musk visited Auschwitz-Birkenau with Daily Wire podcaster Ben Shapiro. Barbed wire surrounds wooden barracks, a gas chamber, and a memorial to Nazi victims in Oswiecim, Poland. The BBC reported that in a private tour with EJA Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Ben Shapiro, and Holocaust survivor Gidon Lev, the tech mogul laid a wreath at the wall of death to honor Holocaust victims before a memorial service on Tuesday, Jan. 23. Musk Pledges To Address Antisemitism His visit to Auschwitz coincides with International Holocaust Remembrance Day on Jan. 27. In August last year, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum reprimanded X for its Holocaust denial post, underscoring the significance of moderation in fighting antisemitism. Elon Musk, in his defense, affirmed his commitment to addressing online hate during a discussion with Rabbi Margolin, highlighting his pro-Semitic life story. At the Krakow conference, Elon Musk discussed online antisemitism with Ben Shapiro. Read Also: TikTok's Growth Slows Down in 2023 Amid Concerns Over TikTok Shop Amid backlash, Elon Musk threatened legal action against the Anti-Defamation League over claims of increased problematic speech on X. Concurrently, X is pursuing legal action against non-profit Media Matters, alleging the manipulation of data to tarnish the platform's image with antisemitic posts next to advertising. Elon Musk's visit to Auschwitz underscores his engagement in addressing the ongoing challenges of antisemitism, both online and globally. During World War II, the Nazis and their collaborators perpetrated the murder of over 1.1 million individuals at Auschwitz. The majority of the victims were Jewish, with others comprising Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, and diverse groups. The Holocaust, claiming the lives of approximately 6 million European Jews, unfolded within this tragic context. Upon the camp's liberation by Soviet forces, around 7,000 survivors were discovered, per ABC News. One Billion Humanoid Robots by 2040 Meanwhile, Elon Musk endorsed a tech leader's prediction of one billion humanoid robots on Earth by the 2040s and a hundred billion, mainly alien, robots in the solar system by the 2060s. Responding on X, formerly Twitter, Musk agreed with David Holz, founder of AI research lab Midjourney. The tech billionaire remarked, "Probably something like that, provided the foundations of civilization are stable," as reported by Fox News. Notably, Elon Musk's company, Tesla, has unveiled a humanoid robot prototype, indicating Musk's potential involvement in achieving the ambitious prediction within the next two decades. Related Article: Meta's AI Ambitions: Mark Zuckerberg Faces Criticism Over Plans to Develop Advanced AI with Open-Source Accessibility 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A new disinformation campaign launched by unknown individuals or groups used President Joe Biden's voice via a robocall campaign to tell New Hampshire voters to "save" their votes this Tuesday. In this new campaign, the New Hampshire Attorney General's office claimed that this recorded message was fake, generated to urge people to give up their right of suffrage. Currently, this Biden robocall campaign is under investigation by the Attorney General's office, as it disrupted the election process in the state. POTUS Biden Robocall Tells Voters Not to Vote in New Hampshire Reports now claim that there has been a widespread campaign that took advantage of robocalls to deliver a message, and it used POTUS Joe Biden's voice, deepfaked to tell recipients to "save" their votes in New Hampshire. This is amidst the upcoming New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election, also inciting a message that claims voting this Tuesday "only enables Republicans." The deepfaked robocall used President Biden's voice to advise people not to vote today and "save" it for November, the schedule of the US general election. It remains unknown how many people in New Hampshire received the robocall. Read Also: Deepfake Porn Rise to Top of Search Results from Google, Bing-Here's How to Submit a Report Attorney General Says it's Fake, Investigates the Incident New Hampshire's Office of the Attorney General also disputed the robocall campaign, calling it a voter suppression campaign, also claiming that this is fake. "Although the voice in the robocall sounds like the voice of President Biden, this message appears to be artificially generated based on initial indications," said in its news release. Moreover, it said that the robocall's caller ID was also spoofed by the people responsible for it to show that it came from the "treasurer of a political committee that has been supporting the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary write-in efforts for President Biden." The Attorney General's office claimed that the Election Law Unit is investigating this robocall campaign to spread the deepfaked message and misinformation. Robocalls, Deepfake, and AI in the 2024 Elections There were massive concerns raised by officials, experts, and politicians that may be significantly widespread online in the coming 2024 US Presidential elections, especially with the abundance of tools and services that help make it. The availability and accessibility of many generative AI tools are now the focus amidst the era of misinformation to create deepfake campaigns that may compromise election integrity. Last year, the Federal Election Commission looked into evaluating the regulations to impose regarding AI-powered political campaigns amidst this time of developments and improvements in generative AI. Recently, the use of any generative AI content or creations using the tech for political campaigns was banned, particularly with the use of ChatGPT. Massive robocalling campaigns were also foiled by the likes of the FCC, but the initial campaigns by unknown groups behind them did not center on spreading fake news on elections. This recent incident that used President Biden's voice for the misinformation campaign may have disrupted the New Hampshire Presidential Primary Election, but let it be clear that it is fake and investigations are now underway to find out who was behind it. Related Article: OpenAI Election Misinformation Policy Aims to Combats AI Deepfake, Impersonation, and MORE 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Meta reportedly announces more user choices across its platforms, such as Instagram and Facebook, in compliance with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA). Headlining the updates are more choices within Facebook and Instagram's information and account integration. As per Meta, the updates available for users in the EU, as well as countries within the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland, will support the option for users to either keep their connections active between Facebook and Instagram accounts through 'Accounts Center', thus allowing their information to be shared between their accounts, or handle their Facebook and Instagram accounts independently to stop their data from being transferred between accounts. (Photo : FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) A photograph taken during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 18, 2024, shows the logo of Meta, the US company that owns and operates Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. Reuters states that these features come amidst the EU's DMA, which requires tech firms to treat their services and goods the same as they do competitors', which Meta and all other Big Tech businesses must abide by by March 7. Aside from Facebook and Instagram's integration, Meta also announced various new options within Facebook's Messenger, Marketplace, Gaming, and Advertisements. Read Also: Apple Sideloading for iOS Apps Coming to EU Users Only, Under DMA Fewer Facebook Information Integration Users of Facebook Messenger will reportedly have the option to establish a new, standalone Messenger account or to keep using Facebook Messenger in conjunction with their Facebook account. The main features of Messenger, including audio, video, and private messaging, are stated to be still available to anyone who chooses to register for a new account without using their Facebook credentials. Users of Facebook Marketplace will soon also have the option of whether or not their Facebook information could be used during the Marketplace experience. The existing Marketplace experience will continue to be available to those who use their Facebook information. The primary distinction is that contact between buyers and sellers will now occur via email rather than Facebook Messenger for those who want not to utilize their Facebook identity for Marketplace activities. Nevertheless, users can still browse listings and purchase and sell goods. Facebook Gaming, on the other hand, will allow players to have the option to select between using their Facebook information or opt not to during their gaming sessions. Features like multiplayer gaming, in-game purchases, and customized game recommendations are available to Facebook game players who utilize their friend list. Some single-player games are available to those who do not want to have their Facebook login information used for Facebook games. Meta's announcement also states that users in the EU, EEA, and Switzerland can use Facebook and Instagram for free with advertisements or subscribe to remove them. People's information will not be utilized for ads if they subscribe to avoid viewing them, an option that became available last November 2023. Meta's Response According to Forbes, Tim Lamb, director of competition and regulatory at Meta, praised the new choices and said that, in addition to these new options, users of Facebook and Instagram will "benefit" from the extensive array of existing tools that Meta has developed to give people control over the information they share and how Meta handles their data. These updates reportedly come after a similar one from Google earlier this month, which stated that customers can limit data sharing between services, including Google Maps, YouTube, Search, and Chrome. Both situations have changed as a result of the DMA. EU's DMA reportedly named six businesses "gatekeepers" last September, including Meta and Alphabet, Google's parent company. Related Article: Big Tech Companies Like Meta, Microsoft Are Not Respecting New EU Competition Rules, Rivals Claim 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The US Postal Service has introduced two new Priority Mail stamps featuring captivating images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope as it celebrated the groundbreaking telescope's monumental contributions to space exploration. The stamps were officially issued on January 22, each portraying distinct celestial wonders captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) during its ongoing scientific mission, which commenced in 2022. "NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is the perfect intersection of science, engineering, and art as it reveals the greatest secrets of our cosmos through the beautiful images it captures," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "With these stamps, people across the country can have their own snapshot of Webb's captivating images - and the incredible science they represent - at their fingertips, and know that they, too, are part of this groundbreaking new era in astronomy," she added. US Postal Service Features Images From NASA's James Webb Space Telescope One of the stamps showcases the "Pillars of Creation," an iconic celestial formation captured by the telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). This instrument, developed and overseen through launch by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, provided a stunning view of the Pillars of Creation within the Eagle Nebula, situated 6,500 light-years away. The image displays towering pillars enveloped in gas and dust, concealing the gradual formation of stars over extended periods. Designed by Greg Breeding, an art director for the U.S. Postal Service, the Pillars of Creation stamp offers a visual treat that features an image sourced from a collaboration between NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and the Space Telescope Science Institute. This stamp adds to the collection of captivating visuals associated with the James Webb Space Telescope. Read Also: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Signs of Possible Aurorae in Extremely Cold Brown Dwarf Cosmic Cliffs The second stamp, designated as a Priority Mail Express stamp, showcases the "Cosmic Cliffs" in the Carina Nebula, located approximately 7,600 light-years away. This image was captured by the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the James Webb Space Telescope. The scene reveals emerging stellar nurseries and individual stars, providing a glimpse into the intricate processes of star formation. The full-color image, unveiled in July 2022, marked one of the initial displays of the JWST's ability to peer through cosmic dust, offering new insights into the formation of stars. Issuing these stamps is a testament to the interdisciplinary nature of the JWST mission, blending science, engineering, and art. In emphasizing the significance of these stamps, Fox said they allow people across the country to have a tangible representation of Webb's captivating images and the groundbreaking science they embody. The stamps follow a Forever stamp released by the US Postal Service in 2022, featuring a digital illustration of the JWST against a starry backdrop. Collectively, these stamps serve as a visual tribute to the JWST's monumental achievements, showcasing its ability to unveil the mysteries of distant galaxies, stars, and black holes, provide insights into the early universe, and deliver detailed observations of planets beyond our solar system. Related Article: New Computer Simulation Sheds Light on Early Galaxy Formation Aligned With NASA James Webb's Observations 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chinese space scientists are gearing up for groundbreaking lunar missions, focusing on exploring water ice in the moon's south pole shadow pit. China Daily reports that the ambitious Chang'e 7 mission, outlined in a recent paper by researchers from the National Space Science Center under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, promises a multifaceted investigation into lunar mysteries. Scheduled for launch around 2026, Chang'e 7 follows the upcoming Chang'e 6 mission set to collect samples from the moon's far side in the first half of 2024. The scientific goals of Chang'e 7 extend beyond lunar soil, delving into the moon's internal structure, magnetic fields, and the enigmatic landscapes of the lunar south pole. The mission also aims to conduct Lunar-Earth Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) experiments. Scientific Targets and Payloads The same report tells us that the mission's scientific targets include the detection of water ice and volatile components in lunar soil, providing invaluable insights into the moon's composition. The Chang'e 7 mission will be equipped with a formidable array of 18 payloads distributed across its detection platforms. A relay satellite named Queqiao-2, set to launch in the first half of this year, will carry the Lunar Orbit VLBI Experiment (LOVEX), the Grid-based Energetic Neural Atom Imager (GENA), and the Extreme Ultraviolet Camera (EUC). These instruments will contribute to a comprehensive examination of the lunar environment, enhancing our understanding of the moon's features and resources. Read Also: Hassell Studio's Hexapods Shows Plans Toward Permanent Human Settlement On the Moon Main Probe Components and Objectives The main probe of Chang'e 7 comprises an orbiter, a lander, a rover, and a mini-flying probe. The lander is poised to touch down on a crater's illuminated rim near the lunar south pole, accompanied by the rover and mini-flying probe. This strategic landing site promises optimal conditions for scientific exploration. An impressive array of scientific instruments, including cameras, radars, mineral and water analyzers, spectrometers, magnetometers, a seismograph, and a volatiles detector, will be installed on the main probe. These instruments will play a pivotal role in achieving the mission's overarching objectives, investigating the moon's formation and evolution, the space environment, and the potential utilization of in-situ resources. Putting Astronauts on the Moon Beyond the immediate scientific objectives, the Chang'e 7 mission has broader implications. It is designed to investigate the moon's formation and evolution, study the space environment, and explore the potential for in-situ resource utilization. This multifaceted approach lays the groundwork for establishing a long-term lunar research station, reflecting China's commitment to sustained lunar exploration. In a broader context, China's ambitions extend to manned lunar missions before 2030. China's space agency officials have outlined plans for a "short stay on the lunar surface and human-robotic joint exploration." With its reservoirs of water ice, the moon's south pole holds promise as a destination for future lunar expeditions. Furthermore, China's space station, Tiangong, completed in November 2022, is set for expansion. The addition of a fourth module, to be launched at an appropriate time, underscores China's commitment to advancing scientific experiments and improving living conditions for the crew. Despite these impressive plans, China expressed its willingness to collaborate with international partners. However, the extent of this collaboration, especially with the United States, remains uncertain. Stay posted here at Tech Times. Related Article: Space Company Nears Launch of Kinetic-2, China's Massive Reusable Liquid Rocket 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China carries out counterterrorism work in accordance with the law, and has heightened the people's sense of security, defended national security, and contributed to regional and global security and stability, said a white paper issued by China's State Council Information Office Tuesday. According to the white paper titled "China's Legal Framework and Measures for Counterterrorism," China actively promotes improved terrorism prevention standards in key sectors and localities, formulates or revises counterterrorism contingency plans, and encourages and supports counterterrorism-related scientific research and technological innovation. Apart from specialized efforts, China also relies on the public in working to counter terrorism. It conducts extensive public education, with its counterterrorism capacity constantly improving, according to the white paper. China has continued to take tough action against violent terrorism, effectively safeguarding national security and social stability, and markedly improving people's sense of security, said the document. While striking hard at unlawful and criminal terrorist activities, China attaches greater importance to the education and rehabilitation of victims of extremist teachings who have committed only minor offenses, said the document. Relevant government departments, women's associations and other social organizations, religious groups, schools, and families collaborate to offer targeted intervention measures, in order to protect them from further harmful impact, it said. It added that China has joined 12 global counterterrorism conventions and facilitated the formulation of documents such as the Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States Agreement on Border Defense Cooperation, playing an important role in maintaining international and regional security and stability. The French data privacy watchdog, CNIL, has released its findings regarding the monitoring of employees by Amazon France Logistique. According to CNIL, the company implemented a surveillance system that involved the use of scanners to monitor employee work. These scanners would notify management if employees were inactive for more than 10 minutes or if they handled packages too slowly or quickly. France 24 reported that the watchdog highlighted the use of "stow machine guns" to monitor the speed of article scanning was one particular surveillance technique that if an article was scanned in less than 1.25 seconds, it would be flagged as being too fast. CNIL also found that employees were constantly under pressure and had to regularly justify their absences. Even the time between entering the warehouse and starting work was monitored. Monitoring System Violates EU Regulations The watchdog pointed out that this monitoring system goes against the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which requires corporations to acquire permission before using personal data. The agency said that staff were not notified about the monitoring and that the data was kept for 31 days. These results led CNIL to penalize Amazon France Logistique for 32 million ($34.7 million). This penalty represents around 3% of the company's 2021 sales of 1.1 billion ($1.19 billion), with a net profit of 58.9 million ($63.8 million). The fine was "nearly unprecedented" and close to the maximum of four percent of income, according to the CNIL. In 2019, CNIL investigated the monitoring system after media reports and employee concerns. Amazon France Logistique's response to the fine and CNIL's privacy concerns are unknown. Read Also: TikTok's Growth Slows Down in 2023 Amid Concerns Over TikTok Shop Amazon's Response to CNIL's Move Amazon's comment on CNIL's sanction expressed notable disagreement with its findings. The corporation may challenge the measure. The e-commerce giant's first point is that other logistics companies employ linked warehouse management systems. They claim that this system is beneficial for load balancing between multiple warehouses and teams, ensuring efficient and timely order processing during peak order periods, per TechCrunch. Regarding the "stow machine gun" indicator, Amazon explains that it was implemented to allow workers to inspect products before storage, ensuring that they are not damaged. However, in response to the CNIL's concerns, Amazon has decided to disable this indicator in their system. In regards to the "idle time" metric, Amazon has agreed to make changes. They will extend the threshold limit, triggering the indicator after 30 minutes of inactivity instead of the previous 10 minutes. This adjustment aims to address the CNIL's concerns and provide a more reasonable timeframe for employee breaks and other necessary activities. "Warehouse management systems are industry standard and are necessary for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficiency of operations and to track the storage of inventory and processing of packages on time and in line with customer expectations," Amazon said in the statement, as quoted by CNBC in a report. Overall, Amazon maintains that its surveillance system is not only common in the logistics industry but also serves important purposes such as load balancing and product inspection. They are committed to addressing the CNIL's concerns and making necessary adjustments to ensure compliance with privacy regulations. Related Article: Amazon's AWS Set to Invest $15.24 Billion for Cloud Computing Expansion in Japan 2024 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs A business manager suspected of having ordered the attack on an elected official from Saint-Denis Tigrane Seydoux, the Frenchman behind the fashionable Italians in Madrid in which you always have to visit the bathroom Energy transition: The experts say so, the Court of Auditors says so International newspapers: Gaza is bringing Washington back to the region, and Netanyahu may lose his position Annoyed by a kissing couple: woman attacks the person sitting next to her on the train A member of the Fatwa Council in Britain calls on Western Muslims to adhere to their religion and identity Death and stuff, the worst series of the week: the copy of a copy of a copy of Agatha Christie Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" La Fievre with Ana Girardot and Nina Meurisse: what is the new event series from Canal+ worth? 9th day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament New entrant with only one winner Takafuji 9 consecutive wins IN PICTURES - Football: discover the new Blues jerseys for Euro 2024 and the Olympics For the fifth time in a row: Medvedev lost again to Alcaraz in the Masters final in Indian Wells Badminton Akane Yamaguchi "Shidamatsu" pair and others are guaranteed to participate in the Paris Olympics Rugby: here is the program of the French XV for the rest of 2024 Jean-Marie Rouart, the writer-academician, looks back on December 19, 1964, the entry of Jean Moulin into the Pantheon The first batch of imported exhibits of the 135th Canton Fair entered the country smoothly Yen exchange rate: The yen depreciates to the low 149 yen level to the dollar, due to speculation regarding monetary policy. Daihatsu's name announced by the FTC: ``We were waiting, but we will set up a forum for discussions.'' La Unio denounces the second detection of Moroccan strawberries with hepatitis A in nine days Without unnecessary risks: the ruble has risen in price on the Moscow Exchange following the results of the presidential elections in Russia The "wave of rework" after the Spring Festival has driven the rental market in Guangzhou to heat up rapidly In the first two months, the total foreign trade import and export value of Kashgar, Xinjiang increased by 90% year-on-year. Putin expressed gratitude for conducting the election campaign according to the law It warms the heart: the president of Puy du Fou reacts to the prize for best show in the world Operational-tactical aviation and artillery: the Russian Armed Forces struck the site of a meeting of the command staff of the SBU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine The Court describes the role of Puigdemont's right-hand man as "essential" and endorses the Tsunami investigation Italy: the four Egyptians accused of the murder of Giulio Regeni will be tried in absentia The UN Secretary General called the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki a massacre, without mentioning the guilt of the United States Civil servants will have the salary increase after Easter and before the Budgets are approved Niger: what follow-up after the denunciation of the military agreement between Niamey and Washington? TikTok is at the heart of the US election season Putin: all traitors fighting against Russia will be identified by name and they will not be given peace Urgent | Al Jazeera obtains exclusive photos showing the Qassam tracking the movements of officer in the Shaldag unit, Yitzhar Hoffman, before he was killed by a snipers bullet. Operation seduction of the head of Chinese diplomacy in New Zealand and Australia Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant First detection of object that may contain nuclear fuel debris on water Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you In light of the confrontation with Israel... where has the Hezbollah-Free Patriotic Movement alliance reached? 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. They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs A business manager suspected of having ordered the attack on an elected official from Saint-Denis Tigrane Seydoux, the Frenchman behind the fashionable Italians in Madrid in which you always have to visit the bathroom Energy transition: The experts say so, the Court of Auditors says so International newspapers: Gaza is bringing Washington back to the region, and Netanyahu may lose his position Annoyed by a kissing couple: woman attacks the person sitting next to her on the train A member of the Fatwa Council in Britain calls on Western Muslims to adhere to their religion and identity Death and stuff, the worst series of the week: the copy of a copy of a copy of Agatha Christie Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" La Fievre with Ana Girardot and Nina Meurisse: what is the new event series from Canal+ worth? Ines Reg criticized for her attitude in Dancing with the Stars: the comedian breaks the silence 9th day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament New entrant with only one winner Takafuji 9 consecutive wins IN PICTURES - Football: discover the new Blues jerseys for Euro 2024 and the Olympics For the fifth time in a row: Medvedev lost again to Alcaraz in the Masters final in Indian Wells Badminton Akane Yamaguchi "Shidamatsu" pair and others are guaranteed to participate in the Paris Olympics Rugby: here is the program of the French XV for the rest of 2024 Jean-Marie Rouart, the writer-academician, looks back on December 19, 1964, the entry of Jean Moulin into the Pantheon The first batch of imported exhibits of the 135th Canton Fair entered the country smoothly Yen exchange rate: The yen depreciates to the low 149 yen level to the dollar, due to speculation regarding monetary policy. Daihatsu's name announced by the FTC: ``We were waiting, but we will set up a forum for discussions.'' La Unio denounces the second detection of Moroccan strawberries with hepatitis A in nine days Without unnecessary risks: the ruble has risen in price on the Moscow Exchange following the results of the presidential elections in Russia The "wave of rework" after the Spring Festival has driven the rental market in Guangzhou to heat up rapidly In the first two months, the total foreign trade import and export value of Kashgar, Xinjiang increased by 90% year-on-year. Putin expressed gratitude for conducting the election campaign according to the law It warms the heart: the president of Puy du Fou reacts to the prize for best show in the world Operational-tactical aviation and artillery: the Russian Armed Forces struck the site of a meeting of the command staff of the SBU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine The Court describes the role of Puigdemont's right-hand man as "essential" and endorses the Tsunami investigation Italy: the four Egyptians accused of the murder of Giulio Regeni will be tried in absentia The UN Secretary General called the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki a massacre, without mentioning the guilt of the United States According to the UN, Gaza is threatened with imminent famine, Israel is refusing UNRWA chief entry Civil servants will have the salary increase after Easter and before the Budgets are approved Niger: what follow-up after the denunciation of the military agreement between Niamey and Washington? TikTok is at the heart of the US election season Putin: all traitors fighting against Russia will be identified by name and they will not be given peace Urgent | Al Jazeera obtains exclusive photos showing the Qassam tracking the movements of officer in the Shaldag unit, Yitzhar Hoffman, before he was killed by a snipers bullet. Operation seduction of the head of Chinese diplomacy in New Zealand and Australia Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant First detection of object that may contain nuclear fuel debris on water Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you In light of the confrontation with Israel... where has the Hezbollah-Free Patriotic Movement alliance reached? 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. VIENTIANE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The 59th meeting of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) was held in Lao capital Vientiane on Tuesday to discuss the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025. The meeting was chaired by Khom Douangchantha, director general of the Tourism Marketing Department under the Lao Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism, Lao People's Army News reported on Tuesday. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Khom noted that ASEAN highly values the implementation of the tourism programs and activities under the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, which have significantly contributed to the development and expansion of the tourism sector in ASEAN countries. The 59th NTOs will discuss and update on the implementation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan 2016-2025, related tourism decisions of the 42nd and 43rd ASEAN Summits, and other issues associated with international partners, according to the report. They simply had nowhere to evolve: a Russian paleontologist on the progress of scientific ideas about dinosaurs A business manager suspected of having ordered the attack on an elected official from Saint-Denis Tigrane Seydoux, the Frenchman behind the fashionable Italians in Madrid in which you always have to visit the bathroom Energy transition: The experts say so, the Court of Auditors says so International newspapers: Gaza is bringing Washington back to the region, and Netanyahu may lose his position Annoyed by a kissing couple: woman attacks the person sitting next to her on the train A member of the Fatwa Council in Britain calls on Western Muslims to adhere to their religion and identity Death and stuff, the worst series of the week: the copy of a copy of a copy of Agatha Christie Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" Alaska Airlines passenger about hole in plane wall: "I kept staring into the hole and hoping it wouldn't tear any further" La Fievre with Ana Girardot and Nina Meurisse: what is the new event series from Canal+ worth? 9th day of the Grand Sumo Spring Tournament New entrant with only one winner Takafuji 9 consecutive wins IN PICTURES - Football: discover the new Blues jerseys for Euro 2024 and the Olympics For the fifth time in a row: Medvedev lost again to Alcaraz in the Masters final in Indian Wells Badminton Akane Yamaguchi "Shidamatsu" pair and others are guaranteed to participate in the Paris Olympics Rugby: here is the program of the French XV for the rest of 2024 Jean-Marie Rouart, the writer-academician, looks back on December 19, 1964, the entry of Jean Moulin into the Pantheon The first batch of imported exhibits of the 135th Canton Fair entered the country smoothly Yen exchange rate: The yen depreciates to the low 149 yen level to the dollar, due to speculation regarding monetary policy. Daihatsu's name announced by the FTC: ``We were waiting, but we will set up a forum for discussions.'' La Unio denounces the second detection of Moroccan strawberries with hepatitis A in nine days Without unnecessary risks: the ruble has risen in price on the Moscow Exchange following the results of the presidential elections in Russia The "wave of rework" after the Spring Festival has driven the rental market in Guangzhou to heat up rapidly In the first two months, the total foreign trade import and export value of Kashgar, Xinjiang increased by 90% year-on-year. Putin expressed gratitude for conducting the election campaign according to the law It warms the heart: the president of Puy du Fou reacts to the prize for best show in the world Operational-tactical aviation and artillery: the Russian Armed Forces struck the site of a meeting of the command staff of the SBU and the Armed Forces of Ukraine The Court describes the role of Puigdemont's right-hand man as "essential" and endorses the Tsunami investigation Italy: the four Egyptians accused of the murder of Giulio Regeni will be tried in absentia The UN Secretary General called the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki a massacre, without mentioning the guilt of the United States According to the UN, Gaza is threatened with imminent famine, Israel is refusing UNRWA chief entry Civil servants will have the salary increase after Easter and before the Budgets are approved Niger: what follow-up after the denunciation of the military agreement between Niamey and Washington? TikTok is at the heart of the US election season Putin: all traitors fighting against Russia will be identified by name and they will not be given peace Urgent | Al Jazeera obtains exclusive photos showing the Qassam tracking the movements of officer in the Shaldag unit, Yitzhar Hoffman, before he was killed by a snipers bullet. Operation seduction of the head of Chinese diplomacy in New Zealand and Australia Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant First detection of object that may contain nuclear fuel debris on water Defeat in the FA Cup: Klopp breaks off interview I have no nerves for you In light of the confrontation with Israel... where has the Hezbollah-Free Patriotic Movement alliance reached? 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. DAMASCUS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday expressed its regret over a series of airstrikes carried out by the Jordanian Air Force within its borders recently. In a statement, the ministry said it regretted the strikes, which targeted villages in the southern countryside of southern Sweida province, resulting in the deaths of ten civilians, including children and women. It stressed that there is no justification for such operations within its sovereign territory. The statement said Syria had sent messages to Jordan, proposing practical steps to control the borders and expressed its willingness to collaborate with Jordan. However, such messages were ignored, with no response or acknowledgment received from the Jordanian side, said the statement. Syria's complaint came in light of intensified Jordanian cross-border operations and airstrikes against drug traffickers in Sweida. The operation aims to crack down on drug trafficking networks and prevent drug smuggling from the Syrian countryside into Jordan and the Gulf States. HOUSTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday granted an emergency request filed by the Joe Biden administration, giving the green light for federal agents to cutting through or removing the razor wire which had been installed by Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border. In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court issued the brief order, with Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joining the court's three liberal members to form a majority. Texas filed the lawsuit in October after border patrol agents cut through some of the razor wire the state set up near the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, claiming federal agents had trespassed and damaged state property and thwarted the state's efforts to block "aliens illegally entering Texas." In response, the Biden administration argued in the request that the wire prevented agents from reaching migrants who had crossed the border and entered the United States. No reasons have been given in the Supreme Court's order. A report from The New York Times said it is typical when the justices act on emergency applications. The case is one of the legal battles over state rights on border security between Texas and the Biden administration. Republican Texas Governor Gregg Abbott has repeatedly slammed President Joe Biden over the tide of migrants crossing from Mexico. Brisbane is bracing itself for torrential rain, while authorities have warned of life-threatening flash flooding, with Tropical Cyclone Kirrily expected to develop off the Queensland coast. The Bureau of Meteorology was predicting the cyclone would form later on Wednesday and cross the coast on Thursday night between Cardwell and Bowen as a category 2. It was then expected to track inland and south as a tropical low, bringing heavy to intense rain to parts of central, western and southern Queensland. Heavy rain was expected to lash Brisbane on the weekend, although forecasts have been downgraded to up to 30 millimetres on each day of the weekend. An elderly woman facing trial accused of poisoning two dogs with drug-laced bones allegedly told a neighbour of her intention to harm the animals, a Perth court has heard. Golden Bay woman Frances Blum has been hit with four charges, including two counts of animal cruelty and destruction of property, following the death of Belgian Malinois, Kyra and Kaiser, in the front yard of their Kenwick home in August 2022. Burgess told the court Blum shared the threat with her during a conversation eight months before the incident. Credit: Elliahn Blenkinsop Police prosecutors claim the 80-year-old fed the two dogs bones laced with Strychnine about 4am on August 3, 2022, killing them within less than an hour. Owner Sandra Baraiolo, a registered dog breeder, discovered the animals and unknown sources of meat in the area which were later tested and found to contain poison. MALE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A delegation of the Communist Party of China (CPC) visited the Maldives from Jan. 21 to Jan. 23, during which the two sides agreed to deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields. The delegation, led by Sun Haiyan, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met with President of the Maldives Mohamed Muizzu, who is also the leader of the Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) and the People's National Congress (PNC) coalition, Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Aslam, Minister of Foreign Affairs Moosa Zameer, and leaders of main political parties. The Chinese delegation also communicated with a Maldives-China parliament friendship group and media representatives, and attended an event on people-to-people exchanges. The two sides pledged to implement the important consensus of leaders of the two countries and jointly promote the building of a China-Maldives community with a shared future. Voters face dual byelections early this year in a test of the Albanese government after former prime minister Scott Morrison announced he would quit politics for the corporate sphere. Ending nearly two years of speculation about his future since the Coalitions crushing 2022 election defeat, the member for Cook, who led Australia through the COVID-19 pandemic, announced on Tuesday afternoon he would vacate the backbench for private work relating to global security. Former prime minister Scott Morrison says now is the time to move on. Credit: Rhett Wyman After having served in the parliament for more than 16 years, including almost four years as prime minister during a very challenging time for our country, now is the time to move on and enable a new member to be elected who can bring fresh energy and a long-term commitment to serving our local community in this role, Morrison said in one of two written statements released on Tuesday. My family have sacrificed a great deal to support my service to our country and local community as a member of parliament, minister and prime minister. I am grateful for their support, but the time has come for me to return to private life and support my family to pursue their goals and for us to spend more time together as a family. Labors plan to woo Brisbane voters with half-price bus tickets has not gone down well with south-east Queenslands top public transport boffin, who called it a nuts vote grab that would have a negative impact on service delivery. Lord mayoral candidate Tracey Price announced the $110 million commitment for 50 per cent fare discounts on all zone one and two fares in Brisbane on Tuesday. Council opposition leader Jared Cassidy with Labor lord mayoral candidate Tracey Price. Were hoping that all the people across Brisbane will benefit, so from Bracken Ridge out to Wynnum, out to The Gap, everyone will benefit as a result of being able to jump on a bus for half the price, Price said. But what if a commuter had the option of either catching a bus or a train? Concord, New Hampshire: Donald Trump has defeated former UN ambassador Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire Republican primary, a resounding victory that places him one step closer to returning to the White House. A week after he dominated the Iowa caucuses, Trump has beaten his last remaining rival in a move that many political experts believe all but guarantees he will secure the Republican presidential nomination. Donald Trump takes a photo with a supporter at a campaign stop in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Credit: AP The victory is a significant blow for 52-year-old Haley, a two-term former South Carolina governor who had pitched herself as a new generation conservative leader who could put an end to the chaos of the past few years. But in a speech after the result, she declared that she would continue to fight Trump in other primaries starting with her home state next month and noting that most Americans do not want a rematch between Biden and Trump. Our country is in a real mess and the question is whos going to fix it? Haley said at her campaign watch party in Concord, New Hampshires capital. Loading With Donald Trump, you have one bout of chaos after another. This court case; that controversy; this Tweet; that senior moment. You cant fix Joe Bidens chaos with Republican chaos. The result cements Trumps control over the party, despite having 91 criminal charges against him. He will now move on to the Nevada primaries, which he is set to win, and then to South Carolina in late February, where he is currently ahead in the polls. Read North America correspondent Farrah Tomazins full report here. Washington: The United States is out of money for Ukraine, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that the government in Kyiv needs to fend off Russias invasion. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin at the Ukraine Defence Contact Group. Credit: AP With the aid caught up in domestic politics, the Biden administration came empty-handed for the first time as host of the monthly meeting of about 50 nations that coordinate support for Ukraine. The group was established by Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in April 2022. While waiting for Congress to approve more money for Ukraines fight, Washington will look to allies to keep bridging the gap. Rescuers carry out rescue operation after Russia's missile strikes in Kiev, Ukraine, Jan. 23, 2024. At least five people were killed and 40 others injured in Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. (Photo by Roman Petushkov/Xinhua) KIEV, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed and 40 others injured in Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. Three people were killed in the eastern city of Kharkiv, where missiles hit two apartment buildings, one person was killed in the town of Pavlohrad in central Ukraine, and another one in Kiev, Klymenko said. In Kiev, 18 people were wounded, with 13 hospitalized, following the attacks that resulted in fires and damage across three districts, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia used 41 missiles in the attack, including 15 cruise missiles and 12 ballistic missiles. The air defense downed all cruise missiles, five ballistic missiles and a guided aviation missile, it said. The aerial strikes marked the fourth massive Russian attack on Ukraine in less than a month. This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2024 shows a building damaged in Russia's missile strikes in Kiev, Ukraine. At least five people were killed and 40 others injured in Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. (Photo by Roman Petushkov/Xinhua) Deminers work after Russia's missile strikes in Kiev, Ukraine, Jan. 23, 2023. At least five people were killed and 40 others injured in Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. (Photo by Roman Petushkov/Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2024 shows a building damaged in Russia's missile strikes in Kiev, Ukraine. At least five people were killed and 40 others injured in Russia's missile strikes across Ukraine on Tuesday morning, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said on Telegram. (Photo by Roman Petushkov/Xinhua) Abbas Ganbay The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has circulated a report on the results of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Uganda, Azernews reports. Azerbaijan was represented at the summit by a delegation headed by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Secretary General of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation Patricia Scotland, as well as other officials, attended and addressed the event as special guests. The event was attended by high-ranking officials from about 120 member or observer states of the Non-Aligned Movement, as well as international organisations. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis, Secretary General of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation Patricia Scotland, as well as other officials, attended and addressed the event as special guests. The event also featured a speech by a representative of the Youth Organisation of the Non-Aligned Movement, headquartered in Azerbaijan, from Uganda. Then a speech was delivered by Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on the results of Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Movement. Representatives of the Movement's member states and international organisations, including the President of the 78th session of the UN General Assembly and Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations Organisation, who participated in the event, expressed their approval of Azerbaijan's successful four-year chairmanship of the Organisation, thanked the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the framework of the event, the outcome document of the 19th NAM Summit was adopted. The document reflects a number of important provisions for Azerbaijan. In particular, in the final document, the Heads of State and Government of the Movement's member countries, expressing solidarity with the rehabilitation, reconstruction and reintegration activities carried out by Azerbaijan in the conflict-affected territories, drew attention to the problem of unexploded ammunition and mines in these territories and called for international assistance. The document noted the convening of the UN General Assembly Special Session on Combating the COVID-19 pandemic, convened at the initiative of President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Azerbaijan as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement, and stressed that the promotion of timely and universal access to vaccines has created opportunities for new cooperation within the Movement. The participating countries unanimously welcomed Azerbaijan's election as the organiser of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In the Summit Outcome Document, the work done by Azerbaijan during its chairmanship in the field of institutionalisation of the Non-Aligned Movement, in particular, the activities of the Youth Organisation and the Parliamentary Network of the structure, were supported. As a result of relevant actions taken during Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the Movement, the only African country that was not a NAM member, South Sudan, joined the Movement during the Summit, and the number of participating states reached 121. Within the framework of the meeting, Azerbaijan handed over the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement to Uganda. It was noted that the country will continue its efforts aimed at the development of the movement, and in particular, it will continue to contribute to its activities within the framework of the NAM Chairmanship Troika. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, attends a conference for heads of united front work departments across China in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called for efforts to pool strength for Chinese modernization and harness the potent role of the united front as a powerful tool. Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, made the remarks at a conference for heads of united front work departments across China held Tuesday in Beijing. Fully acknowledging the accomplishments in the united front work over the past year, Wang said that 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and is a crucial year for achieving the goals and tasks outlined in the 14th Five-Year Plan. Wang stressed the importance of upholding, developing and improving China's new model of political party system, fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and remaining committed to the principle that religions in China must be Chinese in orientation. He highlighted efforts to implement policies for the governance of Xinjiang and Xizang in the new era, encourage intellectuals who are not CPC members and people belonging to new social groups to play their roles, and improve the work to better rally people in the private sector, people in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as overseas Chinese. It is crucial to ensure that the overall leadership of the CPC, particularly the centralized, unified leadership of the CPC Central Committee, is enhanced across all aspects and at every stage of united front work. The conference was presided over by Shi Taifeng, a CPC Central Committee Political Bureau member and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. JERUSALEM/BEIRUT, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli army said on Tuesday that two rockets fired by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon hit an air force base in northern Israel, causing light damage to infrastructure. In a statement earlier in the morning, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a rocket barrage fired from Lebanon at an air control base of the Israeli Air Force, located in Miron in the Upper Galilee. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a press statement that a total of 12 rockets were fired by Hezbollah. Israel's Aerial Defense Array intercepted four, six landed in an empty field, and two struck the airbase, causing "minor damage." The Air Force's "detection capabilities were not damaged during the attack," the army said, adding that "the details of the incident are under review." Israel's national emergency service Magen David Adom reported no injuries from the attack. The attack is the second on the air base this month. The first one was on Jan. 6, in what Hezbollah said was "a response to Israel's assassination of the deputy head of the Hamas political bureau Saleh al-Arouri," in the southern suburb of Beirut on Jan. 2. Lebanese military sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua that Israeli warplanes and drones carried out seven air strikes on several areas in southern Lebanon, and Israeli artillery fired more than 50 shells on more than 13 Lebanese border towns and villages. The Lebanon-Israel border witnessed increased tension since Oct. 8 after 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. Copenhagen's Ruby owners launch distillery and debut akvavit Adeline and Rasmus Shepherd-Lomborg, owners of Copenhagen-based bar Ruby, have announced the launch of Mlkevejen Distillery and its debut akvavit, Fury. The new distillery has opened in rslev, a municipality south of Copenhagen, and has an event space for 150 guests and a cafe gift shop. The distillerys first release is Fury, an akvavit intended to celebrate and modernise the traditional Danish spirit. Akvavit is a protected drinks category, and therefore must be at least 37.5% alcohol and be made from a base of dill or caraway. Mlkevejens Fury has roots in the traditional with a caraway base, but adds tropical flavours of pineapple, coconut, ginger, lime, fennel and lemongrass. The distillery recommends serving its akvavit paired with tonic, in cocktails, or served cold by itself. Ruby is now serving Fury in a new cocktail on its menu. Opened in 2007, Rubys menu is based around locally-sourced ingredients and changes regularly, following micro-seasons. 23 January 2024 - Lucy Schofield Share this story KAMPALA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of developing countries gathered in the Ugandan capital of Kampala over the past week, reaching a consensus to promote South-South cooperation to enhance their capability of pursuing sustainable development, seek strength from unity and increase the role of the Global South in international affairs. High-level representatives of more than 100 countries and heads of United Nations agencies attended the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) that concluded on Saturday and the 3rd South Summit of the Group of 77 (G77) that wrapped up on Monday. Participants said they are optimistic about the future of the Global South in world affairs, gearing up to influence the outcomes of the UN Summit of the Future scheduled for September in New York. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the September summit as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action, recommit to fundamental principles, and further develop the frameworks of multilateralism so they are fit for the future. In the outcome documents of the two summits, the countries of the Global South said they hope to play an influential role in shifting the balance of the geopolitical landscape from conflict, confrontation and mistrust to diplomacy, dialogue, peace and understanding. NAM countries, in their declaration over the weekend, said they would positively contribute to the summit to enhance cooperation on critical challenges and address gaps in global governance. Developing nations stressed that there is a need to reform the multilateral global governance architecture, including the United Nations and the international financial system. This reform would make the institutions fit for purpose, democratic, equitable, representative and responsive to the current global realities and the needs and aspirations of the Global South, according to the NAM Kampala Declaration. They said the current violation of international laws and UN resolutions on the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, coupled with the unfair treatment of developing countries facing debt distress amid a slow-growing global economy, are the key issues that have revitalized the call for a reformed global system. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who is also the chairperson of the NAM Summit, said the forum should be used to exercise considerable influence, particularly at the UN, for an effective transformative process. "In the negotiations for the Pact of the Future, the outcome document of the upcoming UN Summit of the Future, we should clearly define priorities that favor developing countries by maintaining unity, solidarity, and collective coordination among member states," Museveni said. Dennis Francis, president of the UN General Assembly, said addressing the current global challenges requires creativity and consensus-building to fashion effective solutions. Francis said the current crises, ranging from the Ukraine-Russia, Israel-Palestine and those in Africa, raise questions about the relevance and value of the UN in terms of its ability to resolve global issues. He argued that the Summit of the Future will offer a historic opportunity to forge a new global consensus to transform the multilateral system to deliver better impact for people. The Global South, according to Secretary-General Guterres, bears the responsibility of changing the form of the global system, noting that those who currently benefit from it are unlikely to lead its reform. "We have a chance to cultivate a just, peaceful, and prosperous future, where no one is left behind. But for that, a lot needs to be changed and reformed. Together, let's unite and fight to make that a reality," Guterres told the 3rd South Summit on Sunday. He urged the international community to reform and revitalize multilateralism so that it works for everyone, everywhere, and meets the challenges of today. "We rely on the G77 plus China to make the Summit of the Future a success. To seize this opportunity and to find common solutions. The summit will consider deep reforms of the international financial architecture," the UN top envoy said. As a proud Cantabrian myself, I can't help but cringe a bit at these results. I mean, sure, we're known for our honest opinions, but this is a bit much. Do we really need to be making a fuss about every little thing? ADVENT OF NEW ERA AYODHYA : Today, our Ram has arrived. After a long wait for ages, our Ram has arrived. Our Ram Lalla will no longer live in a tent. Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple - PM Modi Ceremony took place in the presence of UP Governor Anandiben Patel, CM Yogi Adityanath, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Pran pratishtha took place during the 84-second Abhijeet muhurta. PM Modi showers flower petals on workers in Ayodhya. PRIME Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday the consecration of Ram Lallas idol in Ayodhya marks the advent of a new era and gave a call to people to go beyond the Ram temples construction to build the foundation of a strong, grand and divine India of the next 1,000 years. After participating in the idols Pran Pratishtha, Modi in his speech also turned to critics of the Ram temple movement and asked them to reconsider their view that its construction would set off a fire in the country, asserting that Ram isnot fire but energy,not dispute but solution. In his address to a large number of invitees, including seers, leading figures from different fields and those part of the decades-long agitation for building the temple, he said that the momentous occasion is not merely about triumph but also humility and underscores Indian societys maturity in resolving historical disputes. Ram is not fire but energy, Ram is not dispute but solution, Ram is not merely ours but of everyone and Ram is not only the present but also eternal, he said, adding that the temple is also a symbol of peace, patience, harmony and amity in Indian society. Ram defines the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam (the world is a family), Modi said. The PM performed a series of rituals in the grabhagriha the sanctum sanctorum -- with the pran pratishtha taking place during the 84-second Abhijeet muhurta. At the end, the Prime Minister prostrated himself before the 51-inch idol that depicts the child Ram. The ceremony took place in the presence of Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday showered flower petals on the workers who were a part of the construction team at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.The Prime Minister alsos prinkled flowers on the idol of Jatayu at the Ram Temple premises and also offered prayers toLord Shiva in Ayodhya Dham. Army helicopters showered flower petals on the newly-constructed Janmabhoomi temple as the pran pratishtha ceremony took place.And celebrations broke out in parts of this Uttar Pradesh temple town with people singing and dancing. Senior BJP leaders includingparty chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah watched the live streaming of the consecration ceremony. Most Opposition leaders invited to the event skipped the ceremony,accusing his Government of makingita politicalexercisewith an eye on the coming Lok Sabha polls. With his speech beingheardacrossthecountry, he sought to strike an emotional chord with the masses sayingourRamhas arrived after wait, patience and sacrifices of centuries. Our Ram Lalla will no longerlive in atent.Our Ram Lalla will stay in a magnificent temple,Modisaidinhis 36-minute speech. He urged everyone to do their bitin building a strong, capable, grand and divine India, sayingtheyshouldnot miss out at a time when the country is passing through a positive and constructive period. There is not aniota of space foranydespondency,hesaid. India will be guided by traditions,her it age and modernity to reach its goals,he said. Withthetemplebeingbuilt and divine powers witnessing the occasio, he asked peopletotakea pledgeinthe current time of immense positive energy to build a strong and capable India of the next 1000 years after the temple has been built. Ayodhya is asking us all, every devotee of Ram, every Indian as to the next course of action as the grand temple of Shri Ram has been built.What next?We have to from today, from this sacred moment lay the foundation of India of the next 1,000 years. Going beyond the temples construction, we all Indian stake a pledge to build a strong, capable, grand and divine India, he said. The Ramtemple,the Prime Minister said, will be a witness to Indias rise and dawn of a developed and magnificent India. January 22,2024, is not merely adate but marks the advent of a new era, he added. He said he would seek forgiveness from Lord Ram as the deity had to endurea wait of centuries and his existence was questioned even after theoriginal copy of the independent Indias Constitution carried his illustration. There must be some shortcomings in us, he said before thanking the Supreme Court for doing justice and paving the way for the temples construction at the once-disputed site by law. 13 detained for clash near Mumbai: Fadnavis MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said 13 persons were detained for an alleged assault on a group of persons taking out a vehicle rally in Mira Bhayander area adjoining Mumbai on the eve of the Ram Temple idol consecration in Ayodhya. The clash between members of two communities took place during a vehicle rally in Naya Nagar area at around 10:30 pm on Sunday in which 10-12 participants in three cars and an equal number of vehicles were shouting slogans praising Lord Ram, a police official said. However, when some of them burst firecrackers, a group of people came out of their houses and thrashed those taking part in the rally with sticks and also attacked their vehicles, he said. The police intervened quickly and the attackers were dispersed. The area saw heavy police deployment to maintain law and order and to prevent any further flare-up. A company of the Riot Control Police (RCP) is also at the site, the official said. An FIR was registered at Naya Nagar police against the attackers under Indian Penal Code section 307 (attempt to murder) and other offences, he added. In a social media post on Monday, Fadnavis said, I have taken all the details from the local police yesterday itself as I was in touch with the police commissioner till 3.30 am. I have given orders to take strict action against the miscreants. So far, 13 accused persons have been detained. The process of identifying more people who were involved in it with the help of CCTV footage is going on. Anyone trying to disrupt law and order in the State will not be tolerated, Fadnavis added. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Meanwhile MLA Pratap Sarnaik of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena met Mira Bhayander Vasai Virar (MBVV) police commissioner Madhukar Pandey on Monday and sought the setting up of a special investigation team (SIT). Sarnaik said the Shiv Sena would hold a protest on January 25 if those involved in the attack on the processionists are not arrested immediately. Irans Hardline Position By JAMES M DORSEY A RECENT Lebanese public opinion poll suggests there may be limits to Iran-backed Shiite militia Hezbollahs restraint in confronting Israel. It also suggests why Iran feels emboldened by escalating tensions in the Middle East. The poll results are significant with Hezbollah and Israel engaged in tit-for-tat cross border attacks that both parties have sought to contain but could spin out of control at any moment. Hezbollah has wanted to contain the hostilities because a majority of Lebanese oppose their country becoming embroiled in a war, particularly with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu warning that Israel could turn Beirut into another Gaza. In the final analysis, the poll, conducted in late November and early December by The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, suggested that public support for Iranian-backed militants was on the rise. The poll further indicated that the majority of Lebanese opposed to increased military engagement in support of Gaza is fragile. Various factors could upset the apple cart. These include an unintended escalation of the border hostilities sparked by a large number of civilian casualties, repeated Israeli targeted killings on Lebanese soil of prominent Hezbollah and Hamas figures, a potential International Court of Justice ruling asserting that Israels military campaign in Gaza risks genocide in a case submitted by South Africa, and the fallout of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the creation of an independent Palestinian state and insisting that Israel would maintain control of territory conquered in the 1967 Middle East war. Netanyahus public rejection of a Palestinian state fit a long-standing pattern of Middle Eastern politics in which hardliners on both sides of various divides reinforce one another. That may be only the icing on Netanyahus cake. He did not say anything he had not suggested over the years, which puts the emphasis on the timing of the prime ministers comments. His reiterated rejection of a Palestinian state was designed to pacify his ultra-nationalist and ultra-conservative coalition partners as well as stymie US efforts to persuade Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic relations with Israel that emphasise a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The United States needs regionalization for Arab buy-in to post-war arrangements in Gaza and the West Bank which is unlikely to be forthcoming without the prospect of a credible peace process. Speaking at the Davos forum, Israeli President Isaac Herzog described relations with Saudi Arabia as a gamechanger and a key to ending the Gaza war. However, that remains a pipedream with the current Israeli Government. Moreover, the problem is that a new Israeli Government may not have the sharp edges of Mr. Netanyahus ultra-nationalists and ultra-conservatives but may be equally unwilling to make the kind of concessions required for a credible peace process. Former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the United States and Britain Turki al Faisal, who is believed to be close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, appeared to echo that sentiment and take it a step further. Responding to Netanyahus rejection, US President Joe Biden, wittingly or unwittingly, noted that a two-state solution means different things to different people. The President suggested a two-state solution could involve a demilitarised Palestinian state that would be more palatable for Israeli hardliners. That has long been Israels often unspoken definition across the countrys political spectrum with few exceptions, reinforced by Hamas October 7 attack in which 1,100 people, mostly civilians were killed. The problem is that Israeli security concerns about Palestinians are a mirror-image of Palestinian security concerns about Israel after more than half a century of occupation and the current Gaza carnage, likely making demilitarization a non-starter for Palestinians. For his part, Netanyahu feels emboldened by Bidens poor polling in an election year, solid Republican support for Israel, and his past ability to counter a US President domestically in the United States. At the same time, Netanyahu bolstered with his comments the credibility of Irans opposition to Arab states normalizing relations with Israel. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei cautioned days before Hamas October 7 attack on Israel that normalisation of relations with Israel amounted to gambling that was doomed to failure. He warned that countries establishing relations with the Jewish state would be in harms way. Events since October 7 have reinforced Irans sense that the winds of Middle Eastern geopolitics are blowing in its favour. Israels conduct in the Gaza war has drawn criticism from much of the international community, except for the United States and several European countries. A potential international court ruling would deepen the dent in Israels moral standing inflicted by the war. In addition, Irans non-state allies complicate affairs for Israel and the United States. More than three months into the war, Israel has yet to achieve its goals of destroying Hamas and liberating the remaining 139 Hamas-held hostages abducted during the October 7 fighting, including the bodies of those since killed in Gaza. While not directly involving Iranian non-state allies, mounting tensions on the West Bank where Israeli raids and clashes with Palestinian fighters threaten to mushroom into an insurgency, strengthen Irans hardline position. Maharani Prafulla Kumari of Bastar By Dr Abhinav Mishra Maharani Prafulla Kumari of Bastar stands out as a symbol of resilience and progressive governance. Her story is a blend of traditional royalty and modern leadership, marking her as a unique and significant figure in Indian history. Born to Maharaja Rudra Pratap Deo and Kusum Lata Devi, she inherited a legacy of honour and responsibility. Prafulla Kumari ascended the throne as a minor after her fathers untimely demise, backed by the overwhelming support of the local populace and the reluctant approval of the British government. She reigned as the Rani regnant of Bastar from 1922 to 1936, a title that denoted not just ceremonial significance, but actual sovereign power. Affectionately called Babi Dhani by the people of Bastar, she held a special place in the hearts of her subjects. Her reign marked a historic milestone for the Bastar dynasty, which before her had never bestowed the titles of Maharaja or Maharani in a hereditary manner. She married Prince Prafulla Chandra Bhanjdeo of Mayurbhanj (Orissa), with whom she had children, including Princess Kamla Devi and Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo. Maharani Prafulla Kumari was not only a ruler but also a visionary who embarked on numerous visits to major Indian cities, notably meeting the Viceroy of India in 1935 a first for a ruler of Bastar. Fluent in English and embodying the essence of an educated Indian woman, Maharani Prafulla Kumari balanced her rich cultural heritage with a modern outlook. Her governance was characterised by a commitment to education, particularly for women and children, and saw the construction of roads, libraries, hospitals, and the restoration of temples. Her dedication to infrastructural development is commemorated by the Maharani hospital at Jagdalpur, constructed in 1937, an airstrip established in 1941, and a bridge built over the river Indravati. Beyond politics, Maharani Prafulla Kumari was a patron of the arts and a cultural icon, preserving Bastars unique heritage and promoting its rich traditions. Her passion for cultural preservation helped sustain traditional arts like Dhokra metal casting and the famous Bastar Dussehra festival. Her life, however, was marked by challenges. She fell victim to British conspiracies and tragically passed away during a medical operation in London in 1936. After her death, her husband stood firm against British pressures to merge Bastar with Hyderabad, emphasizing his role as a son-in-law to Bastar, not its ruler. Prafulla Kumaris legacy continued through her son, Pravir Chandra Bhanj Deo, who was formally crowned in London and later in Jagdalpur. Her reign coincided with Indias struggle for independence, and she navigated this period with empathy for the Indian independence movement and astute political engagement with the British. Maharani Prafulla Kumari was a remarkable ruler whose life and legacy continue to inspire. Her story is a testament to progressive leadership and the indomitable spirit of a woman who rose to the challenges of her time, leaving an indelible mark on the history of Bastar. Her contributions to her state, her astute political sense, and her role as a custodian of cultural heritage make her a figure of immense historical importance, a beacon of enlightened leadership whose impact on the socio-political fabric of Bastar remains profound and inspiring. Police nab man within hours, accused of killing wife doubting illicit relationship Staff Reporter Barela police have successfully apprehended the accused of killing his wife within some hours of the incident was reported, on Monday. Man killed his wife over the doubt of her illicit relation with another man by sledging her neck with sickle. The arrested has been identified as Sushil alias Narad Kushwaha (40), resident of Panagar. SHO of Barela police station, Jitendra Patkar informed that, on Monday, they received information from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College and Hospital about death of a woman. Receiving the information, police reached the hospital where a boy named Ritesh Kushwaha (24), resident of Kashi Mehgavan village informed that he is working as farmer. His sister Ranu Kushwaha married with Sushil Kushwaha alias Narad 15-years back and they always visited his house in regular intervals. On January 20 evening, his sister Ranu along with brother-in-law, Sushil and children reached his house and he along with his another brother-in-law Omkar and father Ramgopal were mixing manure at open space of the house and his mother went for some work. Ranu and Sushil were working inside the kitchen when they heard screaming of his sister Ranu. They rushed inside the house and witnessed that Sushil Kushwaha sledged the neck of sister Ranu with a sickle and she was bleeding profusely. They tried to catch Sushil but he managed to escape from the spot from backside door of the house. They rushed Ranu at Medical Hospital where she succumbed to her grave injury undergoing treatment at the hospital. He informed that Sushil Kushwaha killed his sister on a doubt of her illicit relation with another person. Acting on the complaint, Barela police registered a case under Section 302 of IPC and started a search for the accused. Continuing a thorough search, police team succeeded in apprehending the accused Sushil Kushwaha alias Narad at Sakshi Dhaba on highway road. Pran Prathishta: Devotion, prayers, praise echo through Sanskardhani Staff Reporter The long-awaited moment of 500 years for the Sanatan Dharma has finally arrived. The grand temple of Lord Rama in Ayodhya has been built and consecration of Ramlala in the sanctum sanctorum performed during the auspicious Abhijit Muhurat, on Monday. Not only the nation but the entire world is witnessing the grandeur of Lord Ram in Ayodhya. Similarly, the abode of sage Jabali and the cultural capital of the State; Jabalpur is also filled with the divine presence of Lord Ram. From Gaurighat temple of Lord Rama to the Hanuman temple in Shupatal, a series of religious events took place in various small and big temples and significant locations. The streets, neighborhoods and homes in the city are also hosting programs related to the consecration of Lord Rama, resonating with chants of glory to Lord Ram. In the morning, while conch shells resounded at 21 important squares of the city, distribution of Prasad and sweets took place. The Sundarkand and Hanuman Chalisa were recited collectively and people also took part in distribution of Ram Bhog. Special events were organized in the Sarafa Bazaar of the city. Rangolis were made, thousands of lamps were lit and hundreds of kilograms of sweets were offered. Fireworks illuminated the sky for hours. The melodious tunes of the Ramayana were sung and Ram bhajans were performed at many places. The banks of Narmada River were adorned like a bride and thousands of lamps illuminated the night. Bhandara and Langars were organized at every nook and corner of the city. The people Sanskardhani started their day by visiting temples and commencing their prayers, which continued until late at night. All religious, social and political organizations celebrated the consecration of Lord Ram with great enthusiasm and religious fervor. The people lit lamps and illuminated their homes, celebrating the festival of lights, Deepotsa at night. The consecration of Ramlala in Ayodhya was a historic event that was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Jabalpur. The city was decorated with lights and people from all walks of life gathered to celebrate the occasion. The event was a symbol of hope and unity for people and it is sure to be remembered for generations to come. SAMRASTA SEVA SANGATHAN: To mark the auspicious occasion of consecration of new idol of Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya, Samarasta Seva Sangathan organized a grand programme at Malviya Chowk. During the event, musical rendition of Sundar Kand, accompanied by the melodious tunes of band, recitation of hymns in praise of Lord Ram and distribution of Ram Bhog was done. President, Sandeep Jain while expressing happiness said we are all fortunate that after a wait of 500 years, Lord Shri Ram has been enshrined in his grand temple, setting a remarkable example of harmony for the entire world. He said Shri Ram has led society forward, embracing every section and established the reign of Ram Rajya. Jain highlighted that on the auspicious occasion of consecration, when the entire nation is immersed in the spirit of Ram, Samarasta Seva Sangathan has organized a musical event of collective recitation of the Sundar Kand in Sanskardhani. Likewise, international Shyam Band performed enchanting tunes and captivated the audience. Sangathan members also celebrated the auspicious occasion with fireworks, adding excitement to the atmosphere. Live telecast of consecration ceremony in Ayodhya was also displayed on big screens. Ram Rajya coming: Bhagwat AYODHYA : RASHTRIYA Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Monday said, Ram Rajya is coming and everyone in the country should shun disputes and stay united. The Prime Minister alone did taap (penance), and now, we all have to do that, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief said, addressing a gathering of thousands after the ceremony. With Ram Lallas consecration in Ayodhya, Indias selfpride has returned, Bhagwat said, adding, And todays programme has become a symbol of a new India that will stand up and provide help to the entire world. Bhagwat said Ram Lalla has returned home after 500 years because of the penance of alot of people and I salute their hard work and sacrifices. But why did he (Ram) leave? He left because there were disputes (kalah) in Ayodhya. Ram Rajya is coming and we have to shun all disputes and stop fighting among ourselves over petty issues. We will have to shun ego and stay united,hesaid. Knowing that there is Ram everywhere,we have to coordinate among ourselves. To stay together is the first true practice of religion, he added. Compassion is the second step, Bhagwat said, asking people to keep the minimum of what they earn for themselves and give the remaining back to charity. This is the meaning of compassion.You should keep your desires under check. While government schemes are providing relief to the poor,we also must bind society as everyone is our brother. Wherever you see sorrow and pain, serve there, he said. He further asked people nottobe greedy andlead a disciplined life. We have to work together to make our country a world leader, he said. RANONG, Thailand, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Thai government will continue to seek foreign investors and public support for a landbridge project linking the Pacific and Indian Ocean, a government spokesperson said on Tuesday. "After thoroughly researching pertinent data, we are currently working on ensuring understanding for both potential investors and the involved public, inviting investors to participate in and manage the project," government spokesperson Chai Wacharonke told a press briefing after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin in the southern Ranong province. The landbridge project, which was approved by Srettha's government in principle last year, will encompass the building of deep-sea ports at Ranong province on Thailand's Andaman coast and at Chumphon province on the Gulf of Thailand, in an effort to enhance connectivity and provide an economic boost for the country. Roughly 90 km apart, the two ports will operate under a "one port, two sides" concept, supported by a freeway and dual-track railway lines to connect the ports with each other and with the country's national network. The estimated total cost amounts to 1 trillion baht (28 billion U.S. dollars), according to the Thai government. Srettha led his cabinet to visit the proposed project site on Monday. He said on social media that the project presents a huge opportunity for the Thai people. He promised that the government would conduct a thorough study. This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2024 shows a view of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday. Israeli tanks surrounded the city's Al-Amal Hospital, imposing a siege, while troops stormed another one, the Al-Khair Hospital, arresting medical staff. In a statement, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) expressed deep concern over the safety of its teams "trapped inside" the Al-Amal Hospital. The PRCS also reported an unspecified number of casualties among displaced people due to Israeli bombings at shelter centers. At least 50 Palestinians were killed, and 100 others injured in the strikes on Khan Younis over the past day, the Gaza-based Health Ministry Spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra told Al Jazeera TV news. Many others are feared to be trapped under the rubble, unable to be reached by rescue teams. At least 25,295 Palestinians, mostly women, children, and the elderly, have been killed by the Israeli strikes on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, the Gaza-based Health Ministry updated Monday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that it launched "a combined attack" of four brigades on western Khan Younis, adding that the forces were closing in on the city's refugee camp. "The divisional attack will continue for several more days," IDF said, adding it "will include raids and other military operations to dismantle the military infrastructure of Hamas in the region." At nightfall, the army announced in a statement that three officers from the Paratroopers Brigade were killed, including a deputy battalion commander, a company commander, and a platoon commander. According to official Israeli figures, a total of 198 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the country waged a war against Hamas, following the Hamas-led assault on southern Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed and more than 200 were taken as hostages to Gaza. In Jerusalem, dozens of supporters and relatives of hostages barged into a meeting at the Israeli parliament, demanding more action to free captives from Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that Israel has been discussing a new ceasefire deal with Qatari mediators. The proposal includes the release of civilian hostages in exchange for "a significant" period of ceasefire and the release of additional Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, reported Kan, citing Israeli officials. Hamas, which demands an end to the Gaza conflict in exchange for the release of more Israeli hostages, has yet to respond to the proposal. People leave their home in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 23, 2024. Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) Military vehicles are pictured in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Jan. 23, 2024. Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 23, 2024 shows a view of the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Israeli forces have intensified their assault on the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, storming medical centers and killing dozens of Palestinians, in their fiercest fighting in the area thus far, Israeli and Palestinian sources said on Monday (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua) CAIRO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Egypt rejected on Monday the allegations made by Israel regarding the smuggling of weapons, ammunition, and explosives into the Gaza Strip from Egyptian territory. In a statement, Chairman of Egypt's State Information Service Diaa Rashwan refuted the recent statements by Israeli officials regarding "the smuggling of weapons, explosives, ammunition, and their components into Gaza from the Egyptian territory through several methods, including tunnels on both sides of the borders." Rashwan said a 5-km-long buffer zone was built along the border with Gaza, and more than 1,500 tunnels, which made Egypt suffer a lot during fierce confrontations with terrorist groups in Sinai from 2013 to 2020, had been destroyed. The official dismissed claims of smuggling through aid trucks at the Rafah crossing as "empty and ridiculous," emphasizing that these trucks undergo inspection by Israeli authorities before entering Gaza. He said Israel continues "marketing these lies" in a bid to provide legitimacy for its attempt to occupy the "Philadelphia Corridor," the border area between Gaza and Egypt, which violates the security agreements and protocols signed between it and Egypt. Rashwan warned that any Israeli move in this direction would lead to a serious threat to Egypt-Israel relations. Egypt, which signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979, has for years been a key regional peacemaker in the decades-long Palestinian-Israeli conflict. CHICAGO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, 55 U.S. students and their teachers from the Niles North High School in the northern suburbs of Chicago came to the Chinese Consulate General in Chicago on Friday for an in-person experience of Chinese tradition and culture, and celebration of the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Despite the chilly weather outside, the hall of the consulate general, decorated with Chinese knots and firecracker pendants, was full of warmth. After watching erhu, guzheng and martial arts performances, students gave their Chinese New Year greetings by reciting a self-edited "Wish You All a Happy New Year" and singing "Gong Xi Gong Xi." Students tried their hands on Chinese movable-type printing -- the world's earliest printing arts; and on musical instruments such as erhu and guzheng, Chinese yo-yo, and writing the Chinese character "happiness." Every student received a blank face mask, on which they were supposed to paint Beijing Opera facial makeup. Nevertheless, amid laughter, many of them ended up with either a Zorro mask or a Hello Kitty face. Stefan Kant was a 9th grader. Doing projects on different architecture and natural landscape of China triggered his interest in China, and he chose to study Chinese a year ago. "I just studied the Great Wall of China for my social studies assignment this year ... I'm really hoping and planning to (go to China) later on in life," Kant told Xinhua. Eleventh-grader Gilberto Ortiz, speaking Spanish and a little French, said that "I want to try something that is very different." "I know it's (China) a very big country ... It would be amazing for me to travel over there," Ortiz said. "I chose to learn Chinese because I really want to learn more about the culture and just exposed myself to other cultures that are different from where I live," 9th-grader Kara Sung told Xinhua, adding China is a "beautiful country with a lot of cultural traditions." Niles Township High Schools, including Niles North High School and Niles West High School, started its Chinese language program in 2007, according to Todd Bowen, director of world languages at Niles North and Niles West high schools. "Students have the opportunity to study all 4 years." There are 182 students in the two schools who are now learning Chinese. Bowen has been to China once, spending 10 days in Beijing and traveling around in Hunan Province. "It changes all the way that you think about things," Bowen said. Limin Dove, a Chinese teacher at the high school, echoed Bowen's words. Niles Township High Schools became sister schools with the Fuzhou No. 1 Middle School in China's southeastern Fujian Province in 2019. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the two schools had to interact online. "I hope one day I can bring my students to see what China is, not what they read about in books and watch on TVs," Dove said. China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years, Chinese Consul General in Chicago Zhao Jian said. He welcomed the students to visit China through the program. WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden in a statement on Monday mourned the loss of two U.S. Navy SEALs, who were confirmed dead the previous day after missing for days in an operation in waters near East Africa to seize Iranian weapons. Biden said in the statement that he and his wife, Jill Biden, "are mourning the tragic deaths of two of America's finest-Navy SEALs who were lost at sea while executing a mission off the coast of East Africa last week." The two Navy SEALs' deaths were confirmed Sunday by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which said in a press release that after 10 days of "exhaustive search," the service members "have not been located and their status has been changed to deceased." The two Navy SEALs were reported missing while taking part in a Jan. 11 operation by the U.S. military off the coast of Somalia to seize what it said were Iranian weapon parts on a dhow. The U.S. military claimed that the dhow was carrying "ballistic missile and cruise missiles components" to be supplied to the Houthi militant group in Yemen, who would then use them to attack international commercial vessels transiting through the Red Sea. The dhow was ultimately sunk by U.S. Navy forces, with its 14 crewmembers awaiting a disposition, CENTCOM said in an earlier release. BUENOS AIRES, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Argentine President Javier Milei on Monday criticized the organizers of a general strike planned for Wednesday, saying they aim to keep the country "in backwardness, in the past and in decadence." Argentina's General Confederation of Labor (CGT), along with other social organizations, called for the strike to protest a series of regulations Milei has proposed to deregulate the economy and rein in public spending. Labor unions, the Peronist party that governed the country between 2019 and 2023, and other sectors of the population are pushing back against the measures, with successive pot-banging demonstrations expressing their rejection. Defending his policy, Milei has said there are "two Argentinas," local media reported Monday, citing state news agency Telam. Part of the country "wants to remain in backwardness, in the past and in decadence," while his administration seeks to adopt "another model" that will place Argentina on "the path to being developed," Milei said. A range of labor unions are taking part in the general strike, including transport, construction and public-sector workers, with protesters marching to Congress to make their demands. However, public transit is set to operate until 7:00 p.m. local time to allow protesters to get to where they need to go. The government, meanwhile, has said it will deduct the day's wages from public-sector employees who miss work to take part in the strike. AMMAN, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Experts are calling for a surge in international aid to support Jordan's 1.3 million Syrian refugees after a key funding plan fell short of the country's needs. The Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan, unveiled last week, allocated 974 million U.S. dollars for Jordan in 2024. It registered a 10 percent increase from 2023, but still less than half the required, Jordanian political analyst Raed Omari told Xinhua on Monday. The plan, which is a platform for humanitarian and development partners to respond to the Syrian crisis and is co-led by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN Development Program, covers Turkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. According to its latest announcement, the plan indicated that funding has been declining, placing an increased burden on countries to provide quality services and maintain social stability. Omari, also a senior political editor at the Jordan Press Foundation, noted that the reduction in Western donations has led to a decline in funding from host countries for refugees. "This decline is expected to persist, considering it poses a threat to the national economy and imposes an additional burden on the public treasury," he said while calling for increased aid and emphasizing the need to coordinate with the Arab League to find a solution. He said Jordan also needs to coordinate with neighboring countries hosting Syrian refugees, especially Lebanon and Turkiye, to urge the international community and its relief institutions to bear their humanitarian and ethical responsibilities in supporting the Syrian refugees. Meanwhile, Amjad Jalal, an Amman-based economic analyst, said the international community has lost its "moral and humanitarian compass" in addressing the Syrian refugee crisis and providing necessary support to host countries. He explained that the crisis has deepened Jordan's economic problems, contributing to a rise in public debt, and increased pressure on infrastructure and services. Jalal urged the international community to fulfill its commitments while calling for more Jordanian diplomatic efforts to alert the world to the severity of the crisis. Official figures indicate that approximately 1.3 million Syrian refugees are living in Jordan, with around 650,000 registered with the UNHCR. Abbas Ganbay "During a press conference on 2 January on the conclusions of the Council on Foreign Relations, we strongly reject the unfounded claims against Azerbaijan by the High Representative of the European Union (EU) for International Relations and Security Policy, Vice-President of the EU," these views were included in the statement of Ayhan Hajizadeh, Head of the Press Service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, regarding J.Borrell's claims, Azernews reports. Ayhan Hajizadeh regarding the claims of J.Borrell.Hajizadeh noted that the obvious distortion of facts by the EU high representative is a disregard for the legitimate interests of Azerbaijan, and such threatening rhetoric is a vivid example of double standards, which further aggravate Azerbaijan-EU relations. "In addition to completely distorting the views of the President of Azerbaijan regarding historical facts concerning the territories of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the High Representative provokes militarisation and aggressive policy against Azerbaijan. Despite the fact that no efforts have been made by the international community to persuade Armenia to act in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, Azerbaijan has always been committed to negotiations, peace and stability with Armenia. The measures taken by Azerbaijan to stop aggression and separatism lay the foundation for a peace agreement with Armenia. Furthermore, the EU representative's expression of solidarity with France over the expulsion of diplomats from the country is an open interference in the ongoing judicial investigation process and amounts to justification of the illegal actions of French diplomats expelled from Azerbaijan. "Such a biased statement demonstrates how some states, which, in addition to ignoring unjustified measures against Azerbaijani diplomats in France, blatantly ignore all rules and guidelines of diplomatic behaviour and refuse to investigate the case, have a negative impact on this institution," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said. Aykhan Hajizadeh added that Azerbaijan, in addition to fidelity to its international obligations and international law, will resolutely prevent any claims against its national interests and attempts to legitimise threatening statements. Staff members of local power supply company set up lighting equipment at a temporary shelter in Akqi County, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). (Photo by Mansuer/Xinhua) URUMQI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. Preliminary report indicates that the epicenter was situated in a township in Wushi County within the mountainous border area between China and Kyrgyzstan. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. A local police station received a phone call at about 3:10 a.m. and was told that a child was buried. They rushed to save the child, who is now receiving medical treatment in a local hospital in stable condition. The mother of the child had scratches on her face. As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, the region had recorded 14 aftershocks with a magnitude of three or higher, with the strongest registering at 5.3 magnitude. The railway authorities promptly initiated an emergency response following the earthquake, halting passenger trains and checking railway tracks, bridges, signal equipment and other facilities in the affected areas. Services for 27 trains had been affected. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. The quakes were felt strongly in the Aksu area. A local resident surnamed Liu told Xinhua that many people rushed to open space for safety, in spite of around 10 degrees below zero in wee hours. The earthquake was also felt in various cities and prefectures across Xinjiang, including Urumqi, Hotan, and Kashgar. Residents in the regional capital Urumqi reported feeling the shaking even on the 17th floor. Cao Yanglong, on a business trip in Aksu, said that during the earthquake, he was staying on the 21st floor of a hotel. The intensity was so strong that he described feeling like he was "going to be shaken out of bed." Following the earthquake, the Wushi County fire and rescue brigade promptly dispatched an advance team of 10 people to the epicenter area. Also, the Aksu prefecture fire and rescue detachment mobilized 60 people to reach the epicenter. A total of 182 vehicles, 800 people, and 32 dogs have been put on stand-by, ready for the disaster relief mission, according to the Xinjiang regional fire and rescue department. So far, 1,000 tents, 5,000 cotton-padded coats, 10,000 quilts and mattresses, 5,000 foldable beds and 1,000 stoves have been sent to Wushi County. A staff member of local power supply company sets up lighting equipment at a temporary shelter in Akqi County, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). (Photo by Mansuer/Xinhua) (240123) -- WUSHI, Jan. 23, 2024 (Xinhua) -- Staff members of local power supply company patrol after an earthquake jolts Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). (Photo by Wang Hongxia/Xinhua) Rescuers set up tents in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Huang Zongxing/Xinhua) Rescuers search through a quake-affected area in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Wang Xudong/Xinhua) Rescuers set up tents in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Zhu Junzhi/Xinhua) Rescuers set up tents at a temporary relocation site in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Wang Xudong/Xinhua) Staff members of China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd. check railway tracks after an earthquake jolted Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua) Staff members of China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd. check a lighthouse after an earthquake jolted Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua) Rescuers set up tents in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Qi Huixin/Xinhua) Rescuers search through a quake-affected area in Yamansu Township, Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (Photo by Wang Xudong/Xinhua) Staff members of China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd. check signal equipment and other facilities after an earthquake jolted Wushi County of Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Jan. 23, 2024. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Wushi County in Aksu Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region at 2:09 a.m. Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC). The epicenter, with a depth of 22 km, was monitored at 41.26 degrees north latitude and 78.63 degrees east longitude, said the CENC. According to the Xinjiang Earthquake Agency, the epicenter is approximately 50 km from the county seat of Wushi, with five villages located within a 20-kilometer radius around the epicenter. Several residential houses and livestock sheds collapsed in the epicenter, with some herdsmen suffering minor injuries, according to local sources. Parts of the area had experienced temporary disruption of electricity supply shortly after the quake. But the supply had been gradually restored. (China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd./Handout via Xinhua) AMMAN, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Jordan on Tuesday said no real measures have been taken to neutralize the threat of smuggling weapons and drugs into Jordan from Syria, stressing the kingdom's readiness to coordinate with the Syrian government to stop smuggling operations on the border. Jordan's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Sufian Qudah said in a statement that "no real measures have been taken to neutralize this threat, and smuggling attempts have witnessed a dangerous increase," though Jordan has provided Syria with the information about the names of smugglers, the entities behind them, locations of drug manufacturing and storage, and smuggling routes. He added that the smuggling of drugs and weapons across the Syrian borders into Jordan poses a danger to Jordan's national security and has led to the deaths and injuries of several members of Jordan's armed forces, vowing to hold on in the confrontation with smuggling operations for their eradication, according to the statement. The spokesperson stressed Jordan's readiness to coordinate with the Syrian government to stop smuggling operations, and hold perpetrators and supporters accountable while also urging "practical, effective, and swift measures from Syria against them." Qudah also emphasized that Jordan, which hosts over 1.3 million Syrian refugees and provides them with security, safety, and decent living conditions, is keenly committed to the security of Syria and the well-being of its people. He added that Jordan continues its efforts to help end the Syrian crisis and reach a political solution that preserves Syria's security, unity, and sovereignty, and eliminates terrorism, chaos, and drug cartels to achieve all the aspirations of its people. This photo released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Jan. 23, 2024 shows Israeli troops conducting military operations in the southern Gaza Strip. (Xinhua) The risks of broader regional escalation are now becoming a reality, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday warned of the spillover risks of the war in Gaza. War and misery in Gaza are fueling turmoil far beyond, he told a high-level open debate of the Security Council on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question. "We are seeing dangerous developments across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, where tensions are off the charts, with a dramatic increase in casualties," he said. Dozens of Palestinians are being arrested daily. Over 6,000 Palestinians were detained since Oct. 7, with many subsequently released. Settler violence is also another major concern. The demolition and seizure of Palestinian-owned houses and other structures continues, he noted. The Palestinian economy is in crisis. Israel's withholding of a significant portion of Palestinian tax revenues, the continued prohibition on nearly all Palestinian workers entering Israel since Oct. 7, and severe movement and access restrictions across the West Bank are all contributing to soaring unemployment and poverty, he said. The risks of broader regional escalation are now becoming a reality, warned Guterres. Daily exchanges of fire across the Israeli-Lebanese border, including strikes on civilian areas, have killed six Israelis and 25 Lebanese civilians and driven tens of thousands from their homes on both sides, he said. "The risk of miscalculation is dangerously high. I urge all parties to refrain from aggressive rhetoric, and to immediately end activities that could further inflame tensions." Smoke rises after Israeli bombings in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Jan. 22, 2024. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) The situation in the Red Sea is also deeply worrying, said the UN chief. Houthi attacks are disrupting global trade. These have been followed by airstrikes by the United States and Britain on Houthi positions in Yemen, he noted. "De-escalation is essential, and all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels in the Red Sea must cease immediately." Also, there are almost daily attacks on facilities hosting U.S. and international coalition forces in Iraq and Syria. In response, the United States has launched airstrikes targeting individuals and groups suspected of these actions. And in Syria, airstrikes that Iran and Syria have attributed to Israel, have targeted officials of Hamas and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, he said. "I urge all parties to step back from the brink and to consider the horrendous human cost of a regional conflict." Beyond the need for immediate de-escalation, each situation demands the implementation of a clear political roadmap that would contribute to long-term regional stability, he said. In Syria, that is a UN-facilitated political solution in line with Security Council Resolution 2254 that meets the needs of all Syrians; on the Israeli-Lebanonese border, the need for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701; and in Yemen, the establishment of a UN roadmap to implement the commitments made by the parties and prepare for a Yemeni-owned, inclusive political process under UN auspices, said Guterres. Cedric Stout of Bridge City, one of the country's last survivors of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, died Wednesday at the age of 102. This past December, the U.S. Navy reported only 25 living survivors of the attack were left. The December 7, 1941, Japanese surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet in Hawaii was described by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as "a day that will live in infamy" when he asked Congress for a declaration of war. Stout had his 20th birthday a month before the attack, which killed 2,400 Americans and wounded nearly 1,200 more. He was the last person to escape from the U.S.S. Utah before it was hit with torpedo bombs. The bombs made the ship capsize and sink, drowning those left on board. Stout once recalled to The Record that he escaped machine gun fire from Japanese attack planes as he ran across the deck of the ship. He got off by going down on of the berthing ropes. The World War II veteran spent his adult life in Bridge City, where he and his first wife, Delma Marie Stout, raised nine children, who all attended Bridge City schools. He and his first wife were married for 55 years. He later married his second wife, Cherry, who survives him. They were married for 24 years. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, January 20, at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City. Visitation will start at noon at the funeral home. Stout grew up as the son of sharecroppers in rural Leonville, Louisiana, in the Bayou Teche region. His love of Cajun music lasted throughout his life. As a teenager in the Great Depression, he got a job with the federal Civilian Conservation Corps, which gave unemployed, unmarried men jobs on public projects. He worked on parks in Oregon. After serving in the CCC, he joined the Navy, which took him to his fateful assignment at Pearl Harbor. He told The Record he was often seasick, whether on deck or down below. Sometimes, he was so sick, he would go a week without eating. The seasickness, though, didn't stop him from spending World War II in the Navy fighting across the Pacific. He participated annually with a group of Southeast Texas Pearl Harbor survivors, who gathered each December 7. The gathering in 2001, 60 years after the attack, was the last because their numbers were dwindling. On his 100th birthday, the city of Bridge City honored him with the Key to the City and a special proclamation. AMI also revealed that Auckland sees the most stolen vehicles, with around a third of the countrys car thefts being reported in the City of Sails. Canterbury and Waikato are up next, with 17% and 12% of NZs, respectively. Heavy security bandobast ! Indifferent Delhi | This is for the first time that a cultural organisation, the Arambai Tenggol in this case, has summoned all Meitei MLAs to a meeting at the historic Kangla on January 24 and this again is the first time that Imphal has seen such a tight and heavy security bandobast in and around Kangla, at least in the last 20 years. The heavy security bandobast has to be seen beyond the annual beefed security exercise that one sees around Imphal whenever Republic Day comes around every year and is in line with the reality gripping Manipur since the evening of May 3, 2023. This is also perhaps the first time that a high level group of officials deputed by the Union Home Minister has arrived here with the primary objective of meeting the cultural organisation and in the process take a first hand account of what has been happening here since the past over 8 months. To The Sangai Express it was some sort of a first, a surprise to learn that the high level group of officials deputed by New Delhi lost no time in meeting leaders of Arambai Tenggol straight on their arrival at Imphal and a brief report of the meeting on January 22, was added even as the report on their arrival had been finalised ! As of today, that is the evening of January 23, no one seems to know how things will develop, but the air is thick with tension, with many raising the question of whether the MLAs will attend the meeting lined up at Kangla and what will happen on January 24. This is irrespective of whether the MLAs do turn up for the meeting or not. To many it could be a case of heads you win, tails I lose. Other than the brief points put up by Arambai Tenggol during the brief meeting on January 22, nothing is clear on how the Central team responded or how it will respond in the coming days, but it is significant to note that some points which have caught the popular imagination of Manipur were put up-National Register of Citizens with 1951 as the base year, delisting the Kukis from the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution of India, abrogate the Suspension of Operation pact with Kuki militants, deport Myanmarese refugees from the detention centres to Mizoram and replace the Assam Rifles with other Central forces. Nothing new in the demand put forth, one may say, but the significant point is, these demands have been aired to a team deputed by no one less than Union Home Minister Amit Shah and this is where the significance of the meeting lies. Manipur should be understood in the context of the reality here. Delhi should not forget that over 200 people on either side have been killed. Houses have been pulled down, damaged, burnt and levelled to the ground. Thousands are still living at relief centres while many are missing. Moreh, Churachandpur and Kangpokpi have been cleansed of all Meiteis and their properties levelled to the ground. Take the series of fresh offensives at Moreh and it is but natural for the people to question what the Government is doing. And the clash erupted more than 8 months back. Yet Delhi continues to remain mute, a silence more than bordering on indifference. It is this which is deeply disturbing to the people of Manipur and one wonders whether this reality would have sunk into the consciousness of the three men team from the Centre or not. That such a question should be raised now should tell the story of the sheer neglect and indifference to the human crisis besetting Manipur for the last more than 8 months. The indifference is what is hard to digest. This certainly is not what is expected from the Government at the Centre. Take up steps that would not compromise on the integrity of the country and Manipur and make this be known to everyone. Chief Minister N Biren has already spoken his mind out on the conduct of the Central security forces and this is a point which should also be relayed to the three visiting official team from New Delhi. For now Imphal looks like a besieged city and Delhi should acknowledge that it is their silence, bordering on indifference, which has led things to come to such a pass. NRFM calls general strike | IMPHAL, Jan 23 : The National Revolutionary Front Manipur (NRFM) has called a general strike across Manipur from 5 am to 5 pm on January 26. There is no problem in celebrating the Republic Day of India on January 26 in any part of its territory but celebrating the Indian Republic Day in Manipur has no meaning, according to a press release issued by NRFM information and publicity secretary Sanajaoba Meitei. Even though the Indian Constitution is 74 years old, it has not provided a single moment of peace to any community of Manipur. On the contrary, the people are being subjected to persistent oppression, it alleged. If the Government of India and the Government of Manipur can prove it to be wrong that Manipur became a republic on July 26, 1947, the NRFM will give up arms, it said. Manipur existed as an independent Nation for thousands of years before India took birth, it asserted. There is no guarantee that the Government of India would not use its Constitution to fragment Manipur, it warned. The general strike would not cover electricity, water supply, medical services and media, it added. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Dileita Mohamed Dileita, speaker of the National Assembly of Djibouti, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, held talks with Dileita Mohamed Dileita, speaker of the National Assembly of Djibouti, on Tuesday in Beijing. Zhao said that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Djibouti have deepened political mutual trust, steadily advanced practical cooperation and undertaken fruitful people-to-people exchanges. He said China is willing to work with Djibouti to push forward their strategic partnership, and has always viewed and developed its relations with Djibouti from a long-term and strategic perspective. China appreciates Djibouti for its valuable support on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and human rights. China will continue to support Djibouti in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and stability, in independently exploring a development path suited to its national conditions, and in playing a greater role in international and regional affairs, Zhao said. China is ready to deepen cooperation with the African nation under the Belt and Road Initiative and expand cooperation on ports, free trade parks, investment and infrastructure construction, Zhao said. He noted that China appreciates Djibouti's support for the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, and that China is ready to make new contributions to the construction of a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. Zhao said the NPC of China stands ready to work with the National Assembly of Djibouti to strengthen cooperation among legislative bodies, special committees and bilateral friendship groups, deepen the exchange of experience in legislation and supervision work, and promote cooperation on education, culture, health and local affairs. Dileita said that since the establishment of the Djibouti-China diplomatic ties 45 years ago, bilateral cooperation on politics, the economy, culture and people's livelihoods has yielded fruitful results. Djibouti has always adhered firmly to the one-China principle, and the Djiboutian National Assembly is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the NPC of China, share legislative experience, and make positive legislative contributions to promoting the in-depth development of bilateral relations, Dileita said. Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, holds talks with Dileita Mohamed Dileita, speaker of the National Assembly of Djibouti, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 23, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan) Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will set up a new unit to house its gas business and clean energy projects such as green hydrogen, as it looks to fast-track foray into new areas. In a stock exchange filing, the public sector firm said that last month it received approval of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas for the formation of a wholly-owned subsidiary company for gas business and clean energy projects. The proposed name of the company is ONGC Green Limited subject to approval of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India, the company said. Advertisement The company board at its meeting on Tuesday approved the formation of the wholly-owned subsidiary for green energy and gas business. It plans to spend Rs 1 lakh crore on installing 10 GW of renewable energy capacity, and setting up two million tonnes of green ammonia annual production capacity by 2035 as part of its decarbonisation strategy. ONGC said the wholly-owned subsidiary company will be for value-chains of energy business such as green hydrogen, hydrogen blending, renewable energy, biofuels/biogas business and LNG. The company also said in its filing that its board has accorded in-principle approval for formation of a joint venture company either directly or through an affiliate with NTPC Green Energy Ltd. The said joint venture company shall be engaged into the business of offshore wind energy and other renewal energy, it said. Notably, the state-owned company has a renewable portfolio of 176 MW comprising 153 MW wind power and 23 MW of solar. It is aiming to add 10 gigawatt of renewable power to its portfolio by 2040. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said by putting obstacles in the Bharat Jodo Nyay yatra, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is actually helping the yatra to gain publicity. The Chief Minister, by opposing us, unintentionally gave us publicity. Denying me entry to temples, colleges, and now a padyatra is reaching the people. They are questioning why Rahul Gandhi is not allowed, remarked Gandhi at a press meet on the outskirts of Guwahati. The comments came moments after Chief Minister Sarma accused him of using `Naxalite tactics . Advertisement The CM has directed Assam Director General of Police (DGP) GP Singh to initiate a criminal case against Gandhi following a clash between Congress supporters and the police in Guwahati on January 23. Accusing Chief Minister Sarma of being one of the most corrupt leaders in the country, Gandhi highlighted issues such as massive unemployment, corruption, and rising prices in the state. He argued that these problems negatively impact the lives of the people. Gandhi also criticised Sarmas attempts to dictate the language and tradition of Assam, stating, The language and tradition of Assam cannot be dictated by the Chief Minister alone. Speaking about the INDIA together alliance as the opposition to the RSS and BJP, Gandhi expressed frustration at being denied access to temples, colleges, and now a padyatra. He emphasised that such denials only serve to draw attention to the issues he is raising. Gandhi alleged that the BJP was fearful of the impact of his yatra, stating, If BJP attacks us, I dont get intimidated. This is my truth. We want them to disrupt the yatra to gain more publicity. Gandhi invited everyone to join the yatra. He stated that discussions were on for seat negotiations with TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and mentioned that details would be declared soon. The Assam government declined permission for Congress leader Rahul Gandhis Yatra to traverse through key roads in Guwahati as it re-entered Assam on Tuesday following its journey through Meghalaya. The decision follows a tense exchange between the Assam Chief Minister and Congress leaders, who accused him of impeding the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. The state administration argued that since it is a working day in Guwahati, allowing the yatra on major city roads could result in traffic congestion. Consequently, the rally has been directed to take the national highway route as it progresses towards lower Assam, specifically the National Highway 27 encircling the city. Advertisement This development follows a dramatic incident near the shrine of 15th-century social reformer Srimanta Sankardeva in Assam. Gandhi had planned to visit the birthplace of the Vaishnav saint near Guwahati yesterday. However, Chief Minister Sarma urged him not to visit the shrine before the Ram Mandir pran pratistha ceremony in Ayodhya. The shrines managing committee also declared that Gandhi would not be allowed to enter before 3 pm. Gandhi and his associates were halted on their way to the shrine, leading to a sit-in protest at the roadblock site. However, Party MP Gaurav Gogoi and Batadrava MLA Sibamoni Bora proceeded to the shrine and offered prayers. Later, speaking to the media, Gandhi expressed his belief in Sankardevas philosophy and emphasised the importance of bringing people together without spreading hatred. He lamented the denial of entry to the shrine and mentioned the selective restriction, stating,Gaurav Gogoi and all can go, but only Rahul Gandhi cannot go. I dont know, there may be some reason, but I will go to Batadrava when I get an opportunity. Subsequently, the Congress yatra has been prohibited from entering Guwahati through city roads and is now directed to take the National Highway 27, bypassing Guwahati. The Congress alleged that the Himanta Biswa Sarma government is intentionally obstructing the yatra, citing incidents of slogans raised by a group of workers during the yatra passage. The Opposition Congress staged a walkout in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly in protest against the new BJP governments decision to roll back the Rajiv Gandhi Yuva Mitra (RYM) scheme that resulted in the layoff of 5000 interns without notice soon after coming to power last month. During Zero Hour on Tuesday soon after the adjournment motion, Congress Harimohan Sharma and Rohit Bohra, and Bhartiya Adivasi Party MLA Rajkumar Rot, led by the Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully, protested against the move the BJP new government has taken. What intrigued them is that the first thing that the incumbent chief minister did within five days of coming to power was to withdraw the RYM scheme. Advertisement Demanding an explanation for the decision from the ruling party, the protesting legislators called for the restoration of the RYM scheme and reinstatement of the 5000 interns rendered jobless. Leader of the Opposition in the House Jully alleged that the BJP government terminated the scheme out of political vendetta as it is named after the late Rajiv Gandhi. The RYM interns were prevented from holding protest rallies across the state. They were evacuated from their sit-in venues by the police while. The police didnt spare even the women sitting on dharna with their children under the harsh winter cold, he said. Congress MLA Harimohan told the House that these interns were employed with due process through a proper channel including interviews. But the BJPs double-engine government rendered them unemployed in one stroke ignoring the promise it had made in its election manifesto of jobs to the states youth. As the Speaker took up the next matter, the Congress walked out of the House amidst a minor uproar. The RYM scheme was started in 2021-21 and interns were recruited by various departments on a salary of Rs 10,000 per month for two years. Earlier during Question Hour, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) MLA Hanuman Beniwal cornered the ruling party with a question, Why did the government not hand over the investigation into the paper-leak case to the CBI as was assured by the BJP in its election manifesto? Why was a special investigating team (SIT) constituted if not to buy the time? The House witnessed noisy scenes when the ruling and the Opposition MLAs hurled allegations and counter-allegations at each other on the paper leak cases in the competitive examinations during their respective regimes. In his reply, Minister for Medical and Health G S Kheenvsar told the House that 33 cases of paper leak were registered since 2014. Chargesheet was filed in all the 33 cases while one case was still pending. Congress MLA G S Dotasaras demand for a breakup of paper leak cases under the regimes Ashok Gehlot and Vijayraje Scindia Raje and the status of pending cases triggered another round of uproar when the Speaker called out the next questioner. MACAO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- News outlets reporting in Portuguese and English could maintain their bridging role and play up to their communication strengths in terms of language and culture, said Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Tuesday. Ho made the remarks at a lunch reception hosted for Portuguese and English language news organizations in Macao. He said the organizations reported extensively on Macao's new trends and developments, and that work has not only given the outside world a better understanding and more confidence in Macao's development but also raised its profile. The chief executive noted that over the past year, representatives of the news outlets had visited cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as Xizang. Their reports had presented to their readers firsthand accounts of the high-quality development going on in China, as well as long-standing Chinese cultural and social traditions, he added. Ho said he looked forward to the Portuguese and English language media reporting widely on celebratory events held in the new year. It was hoped that they could offer greater assistance in expanding overseas tourist markets, identifying business opportunities for key industries, and promoting the prospects of the cooperation zone in Hengqin and the Greater Bay Area. The SAR government would work together with the press to give a better understanding of the successful practice of the "one country, two systems" principle in Macao and the critical role that Macao plays as a platform connecting the motherland with Portuguese-speaking countries, while demonstrating Macao's characteristics of co-existence and mutual integration of diverse cultures, he said. Giving relief to state Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed that the BJP leader Surat Singh Negi be summoned for defaming the minister. The High Court ordered the parties to appear before the trial court on March 12. Surat Singh Negi had alleged in a press conference that Revenue m3inister Jagat Singh Negi had not toured Kinnaur district more than 50 times during two years and had withdrawn Transport Allowance (TA) of Rs 12.54 lakh. Advertisement He further said that the Minister toured every district in his capacity as Vice President of Forest Corporation and had drawn the TA of Rs 2 lakh. He alleged that the Minister indulged in corruption. Jagat Singh Negi filed a defamation complaint before a lower court but it dismissed it, stating that the opposition has a right to criticise the ruling party and that such criticism is essential for a vibrant democracy. Aggrieved by the order, the Minister approached the high court. While partly allowing his criminal revision petition, Justice Rakesh Kainthla commented, If any imputations of corruption are made against a person holding a high office, such a person has a right to approach the court under Section 500 of IPC (for defamation) besides suing for damages. The judgment in the case added, In the present case, the statement made by the accused-respondent (Surat Singh Negi) that the petitioner (Jagat Singh Negi) had withdrawn the excess amount can amount to criticism of the public official and exposure of his acts. However, to call a person corrupt lowers his estimation in the eyes of the public and is per se defamatory. On the trial court order, the High Court said, the learned trial court fell in error while holding that the accused (Surat Singh Negi) was justified in calling the petitioner (Jagat Singh Negi) corrupt, such a right cannot be given to anyone as long as the offence of defamation exists in the statute books. Calling a person corrupt is per se defamatory as it tends to lower the estimation of the person in the eyes of the public and cannot be justified by resorting to Article 19 of the Constitution of India. It added, The learned trial court was swayed by the promotion of healthy and vibrant democracy by the right of criticism. As already stated, there is a right to criticism but not a right to abuse and defame any person. Granting the right to abuse and defame a person will not make a democracy healthy and vibrant but will turn it into a mudslinging arena where the opposition and dissent will be crushed by abuses and slurs. The final Photo Electoral Rolls of all sixty Assembly constituencies of the state were published on Monday by the concerned Electoral Registration Officers (EROS), as per the schedule fixed by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Chief Election Officer, Pradeep Kumar Jha, IAS held a press conference at the Chief Electoral Office, Lamphelpat on Monday. Chief Election Officer, Pradeep Kumar Jha said, Final Photo Electoral Rolls have been published at the offices of the EROS and with all the Booth Level Officers (BLOS) and they may also visit the Chief Electoral Officer, Manipurs website https://eeomanipur.nic.in to inspect the Final Electoral Rolls-2024. Advertisement Pradeep Kumar Jha said that the electors and representatives of Political Parties may inspect and another copy in Pen-Drive will be made available free of cost to the recognised National and State Political Parties. The recognised State/National parties may depute one representative of their party, duly authorised to the CE0s office for this purpose. Any additional copy can be purchased at Rs 2 per page and Rs 1 per half page or part thereof. Interested parties may also purchase DVD-ROMS from the CEOs Office, Lamphelpat at Rs. 100 per DVD-ROM per Assembly Constituency, he said. Jha further said that one printed copy of the Final Electoral Rolls of each Assembly Constituency Draft Electoral Rolls was published on October 27, 2023. The Elector Population Ratio is recorded at 55.54 per cent as compared to 55.04 per cent in the draft rolls. The total number of Electors as per Final Electoral Rolls is 20,26,623 showing a net increase of 18,191 electors from the Draft Electoral Rolls, he said. As per the Final Electoral Rolls 2024, the Gender Ratio stands at 1068 as compared to 1066 in Draft Electoral Rolls published on October 27, 2023, he said. The total number of newly enrolled electors is 34,700 with 15,596 Males, 19,095 Females and 9 Third Genders. As many as 16,509 electors including 5280 expired electors have been deleted from the Electoral Rolls during the Revision Period. The total number of service electors enrolled in the Final Electoral Rolls is 21,832 with 97 inclusions and 38 deletions during the revision period, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday replied to President Droupadi Murmus letter on his participation in Ram Lallas Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya and said he had come back with an Ayodhya in his heart which can never separate from him. He said he was thankful to the President for her kind words which helped him in controlling his emotions and get ready for the task before him. Mr Modi said he had visited Ayodhya as a pilgrim. His mind was overwhelmed with thoughts at the holy place where faith and history had merged. Advertisement Being witness to such a historic occasion was a matter of good fortune and a big responsibility for him, the Prime Minister said. He said Mrs Murmu had mentioned his 11-day fasts for the consecration ceremony. The fact was that many great people had for centuries taken vows so that Ram Lalla could back get his abode of birth. Mr Modi said he was fortunate that he had performed the last of the fasts in the series and it was a deeply special moment for him. He said the moments which provided a live view of Ram Lalla to him and the 140 crore people of the country, along with an occasion to be face to face with him, were outstanding. He got these moments due to Lord Rams blessings and the good wishes of people of the country, for which he would ever remain grateful. Mr Modi said we not only worship Ram but also take inspiration from him in every part of our lives and social role. The Prime Minister said the President had mentioned the PM Janman scheme and its impact on the lives of the particularly vulnerable tribal people. None could appreciate these issues better than her, he said. The Indian culture had always taught people to take care of the most deprived sections of the society. The PM Janman scheme was bringing many changes in the lives of people. The Prime Minister said Lord Rams life and thoughts inspired taking care of the poor. It was Lord Ram only which had given inspiration for Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas (taking all along, develop together, get trust of all, and engage all in efforts). This was the resolution which had brought nearly 25 crore people out of poverty in the last 10 years, the Prime Minister said. The eternal thoughts of Lord Ram provide the basis for a glorious future of the country, he said. The power of these thoughts only will show the path for India to become developed in 2047, Mr Modi said. The divine temple of Lord Ram will inspire the country towards success and set new records of development, he said. The Prime Minister hoped the President would continue to share her thoughts to help the nation progress on the path of duty and development. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who is touring Assam as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, on Tuesday asserted that there is no Ram wave in the country. Speaking a day after the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Uttar Pradeshs Ayodhya, he claimed that the grand event was solely designed for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The entire pran pratishtha programme of the temple was designed for Narendra Modi, and for the upcoming (Lok Sabha) election, he told reporters here. Advertisement The Congress leader also talked about five pillars of justice which will empower the nation. Behind Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, there is a thought for justice which has five pillars: providing employment and justice to youths, participation of all, justice to women, justice to farmers, and justice to workers of the county. Taking all these issues into consideration, the party will forward a programme in the next one month. Earlier in the day, a clash broke out between police and Congress workers in Guwahati during the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. The party claimed it was denied permission to hold a roadshow or padayatra (foot march) in the main city by the state police. The Gandhi scion also highlighted the opposition faced from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, adding that despite the hurdles, including denials to visit temples, colleges, and padyatras, he saw the obstacles as inadvertently contributing to the cause by generating additional publicity. The Assam CM and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are inadvertently helping us. Whatever obstacles they create, our message of Nyay is reaching the people, he underlined. Gandhi also accused the Assam chief minister of being one of the most corrupt leaders in the country, and said the language and tradition of Assam cannot be dictated solely by Sarma. He said the Nyay Yatra is addressing issues such as systematic participation for OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis; womens injustice, and unemployment. In a broader political context, the former party chief positioned the INDIA alliance as an ideology combating the RSS, BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More than 200 projects at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh crore have been identified for the next five years under the National Ropeways Development Programme, Parvatmala Pariyojana, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday. Addressing a symposium-cum-exhibition on ropeways in New Delhi, he said, Our foremost priority should be to make ropeways economically viable by bringing down the overall project cost and encourage Public Private Partnership (PPP) to develop the ropeway network in the country. Mr Gadkari said apart from facilitating tourism in the hilly areas, the ropeway offers huge potential in the urban public transport as well. He said the focus should be on developing indigenous and cost-Efficient solutions without compromising safety. Advertisement The minister observed that ropeways hold immense potential to positively impact tourism and job creation in the country. The focus now is on time-bound, cost-efficient, qualitative and sustainable infrastructure development. He said the creation of World-Class infrastructure ensures Ease of Living for citizens and socio-economic development. Mr Gadkari said priority is to bring standardisation of existing policies and codes and transform the ropeway industry by encouraging the manufacturing of ropeway components under the Make in India initiative. The objective of the Symposium-cum-Exhibition was to enable industry collaborations among various Indian and global manufacturers, technology providers, concessionaires and infrastructure developers. The event also provided a common platform for industry deliberation to promote Make in India and develop a roadmap for localisation of ropeway components. A day after the grand consecration ceremony of Lord Ram in Ayodhya on Monday, a swarm of devotees is flooding the Ram Temple chanting slogans of Jai Shree Ram, Jai Sitaram. The doors of the temple were thrown open for the public on Tuesday. This has prompted certain national and international agencies to come up with reports suggesting a huge influx of tourists and devotees in Ayodhya in the near future which will play a vital role in the realisation of $1-trillion target of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Advertisement Larsen & Toubro, the company involved in the construction of the temple, claimed that the newly-constructed Ram temple would remain in existence for the next one thousand years because of the quality of construction and engineering and that its economic impact would be equally significant. Research conducted by SBI recently claims that owing to the Ram Temple and other tourism-centric initiatives, Uttar Pradesh is expected to have a tax collection of Rs 25,000 crore in 2024-25. It clearly states that Ayodhya would be the most important factor in this with tourists and devotees coming to the city not only from within the country but also from different parts of the world. It reveals further that with the growth in tourism, Uttar Pradesh will become richer by about 4 lakh crores this year. Foreign stock market research firm Jefferies claims Ayodhya would surpass Vatican City and Mecca in terms of the number of devotees visiting the place. Notably, Vatican City is the holiest place for Catholics, where millions of people come every year. Similarly, Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which is the major pilgrimage site for the Muslim community, sees millions of visitors annually. According to the report, Ayodhya is expected to attract around 5 crore devotees annually, making it a major tourism destination not only within Uttar Pradesh but also the entire country. Jefferies has also said that with the construction of the Ram Temple as well as the provision of various facilities, such as a new international airport, an advanced railway station, a township, road connectivity, and new hotels, Ayodhya is becoming a hot spot for tourism. This will further strengthen Uttar Pradeshs second place as a tourist destination on the map of India, it states. According to the report, along with the increase in the number of devotees, Ayodhya will also see a growth in its annual revenue. It mentions that Tirupati Balaji in Andhra Pradesh, which attracts 2.5 crore devotees every year, generates an annual revenue of Rs 1200 crore, whereas Vaishno Devi receives 80 lakh people annually and gets an annual revenue of Rs 500 crore. Similarly, in Agra, the Taj Mahal attracts 70 lakh visitors, generating annual revenue of Rs 100 crore, while Agra Fort sees 30 lakh visitors, contributing to annual revenue of Rs 27.5 crore. The report says that Mecca attracts 2 crore people annually, contributing to Saudi Arabias annual revenue of 12 billion dollars whereas the Vatican City, with 90 lakh visitors annually, generates an annual revenue of 315 million dollars. According to another estimate, more than one lakh devotees are expected to visit Ayodhya every day for the darshan of Lord Shri Ram. This number could soon reach three lakh devotees per day. If this happens, over 10 crore devotees may visit Ayodhya annually. If each devotee spends approximately Rs 2,500 during their visit, the local economy of Ayodhya alone would add up to Rs 25,000 crore. Notably, devotees traveling to Ayodhya are likely to visit other religious sites such as Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi and Banke Bihari Temple in Mathura. This would also positively impact the local economies of Varanasi and Mathura. In this way, the economy of Uttar Pradesh could receive an additional dose of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore directly each year. This direct boost could have a ripple effect on the local economy, potentially resulting in approximately five times the impact, ultimately contributing to Indias economic development. In addition, religious tourism creates new opportunities for employment in sectors such as transportation, hotels, and the production of local goods. This not only benefits the local economy, but also strengthens the overall economic development. Countries like Switzerland, Italy, France, America, UAE, etc. have achieved incomparable economic development based on tourism. Similarly, with the inauguration of the Lord Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya, India is poised to join these nations, and its economic development rate could surpass 10 per cent. The reports suggest that Ayodhya has the potential to change the destiny of Uttar Pradesh and the country. Notably, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have transformed the image of Ayodhya through comprehensive development. Over 15.29 crore voters will be eligible to cast their votes in Uttar Pradesh in the coming Lokb Ssbha elections in 80 parliamentary seats. The state electoral officer on Tuesday released the final voter list of UP. There is an increase of around 26 lakh voters during the revision that took place between October 27 and January 22. Advertisement There are now 1,62,012 polling booths in the state. These booths have been built in more than 92,000 polling stations. The total number of voters in UP has reached 152924062. Over 15.57 lakh new voters in the age group of 18 to 19 have been enrolled this time. A total of 5703304 new voters were enrolled the campaign, in which 2577967 were men, 3124901 women and 436 third gender. On the eve of his 100th birth anniversary, the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday announced former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur will be conferred Bharat Ratna, Indias highest civilian honour, posthumously. Following the announcement, PM Modi hailed him as a beacon of social justice and said that the award is testament to his efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality. Thakur is the 17 individual to have recieved the award posthumously and 49th overall. Before him, 48 people, including Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Sachin Tendulkar, and former president Pranab Mukharjee. Advertisement Who was Karpoori Thakur? Born in Pitaunjhia (now Karpuri Gram) village of Samastipur on January 24, 1924, Karpoori Thakur was a socialist leader, who served as the Bihars chief minister twice from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. Popularly known as Jan Nayak or peoples hero, Thakur was also a votary of Hindi language, and as the education minister of Bihar, he removed English as the compulsory subject for the matriculation curriculum. During his college days, he joined All India Students Federation (AISF) as a student activist. He left his college to take part in Mahatma Gandhis Quit India movement against the Britishers in 1942. He spent several months in jail during Indias freedom movement. After independence, Thakur joined the Socialist party and was elected as an MLA for the first time in 1952 from Bihars Tajpur constituency. He was jailed for leading P&T employees during the government employees strike in 1960. Ten years later, he sat on an indefinite hunger strike for the rights of labourers. Before becoming the first non-Congress socialist chief minister of Bihar, Thakur also served as the deputy CM of the state. In 1978, he implemented reservation for backward classes in government jobs and became one of the biggest champion of poor and marginalised people. Thakur was said to be the mentor of former several prominent leaders like RJD supremo Lalu Yadav, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, and LJP leader late Ramvilas Paswan. Satellites are integral to our life and civilisation. Without them, there would be no communication network or Global Positioning System (GPS). You wont be able to draw money from the ATM, operate your mobile or drive in unknown territory. If a country develops the capability to destroy another countrys satellites, it can bring the latters economy and life to a grinding halt without even firing a single shot at it. One doesnt even need to destroy all the satellites because satellites work in networks ~ a typical GPS has 24 satellites distributed evenly around earth to establish permanent coverage. Destroy one and the functionality of the entire system is severely affected. LEO is a potential space-choke point because being nearer to the earth, a satellite placed in LEO can offer higher resolution, and every country will target LEO to place military satellites that can offer resolution up to only six inches. Just like on the Earth, space also can become an arena for intense competition. Five points known as the Lagranges Points and denoted by L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 surround the Earth where the gravitational forces of the Sun and the Earth cancel each other out, giving stability to a spacecraft placed therein while requiring minimal energy to keep it there. L1 is 1.5 million km away from the Earth where India recently placed its spacecraft Aditya-L1. L2, where the giant James Webb Space Telescope was positioned last year, is directly behind the Earth in the line joining the Sun and the Earth. This is also where China has placed a satellite recently, allowing it to view the dark side of the moon where it is also contemplating to establish a military base. Others have not been used as yet, but all these points will become objects of intense competition for the strategic advantages they confer ~ they can act like car parks in space because of the stability of position that they offer at the minimal expense of fuel. In previous centuries, as Alfred Mahan has shown, dominance on Earth was decided by controlling the sea routes. Air power was added in the last century and in this century, it would likely be space power, for which the ability to place military assets in space ~ especially in the LEO ~will become the determining factor. LEO is also the area where any spacecraft travelling to the Moon and beyond can be refuelled and resupplied, and refuelling will be necessary if distant planets like Mars or asteroids are to be explored for energy and mineral resources. Hence whoever controls this corridor will become a gatekeeper to the outer space beyond, and can prevent a rival from refuelling within it. If the Earth wants to exploit space for energy, the need for which is already assuming significance in view of our poor achievement of the climate goals, it has to develop a vast array of solar reflectors to deflect solar energy upon the Earth for power generation; such an array will likely have to be placed on LEO. Advertisement LEO will also be the gateway to outer space to explore which spaceships would need refuelling; a nation that develops such facilities would easily control the spaceships of other nations going beyond LEO. In Halford Mackinders Heartland Theory (1904) of geopolitics, Heartland was the resource-rich areas of presentday Russia and Central Asias five Stans which were earlier part of the USSR. It stated that whoever controls East Europe controls the Heartland, and whoever controls the Heartland controls the world. Applying this theory to space, Professor Dolman Everett stated that whoever controls LEO controls the near-Earth space; whoever controls the nearEarth space controls the Terra, i.e., the area surrounding the Earth and determines the destiny of mankind. The idea that space is a global common is disappearing fast, requiring us to develop a new set of enforceable rules if we want to avoid the kind of conflicts in space that have characterised the geography of earth since the beginning of history. The OST and the Moon Agreement are now the relics of an older era; we now have another treaty ~ the Artemis Accords of 2020. Artemis, the twin sister of Apollo, is the Goddess of Moon in Greek mythology. The accord lays down the rules for activities on the Moon. Unlike the OST or the Moon agreement which are multilateral agreements, the Accords are a series of bilateral agreements authored by the USA, reflecting the US approach to space exploration and hence by joining the Accord members accept American leadership. More than 170 countries are yet to sign the Accord including India, while China and Russia were specifically excluded from its scope. The ambition is to build permanent structures on the Moon for human habitation by the early 2030s, to mine and exploit lunar resources, mainly helium-3 (He3), apart from silicon, titanium, aluminum and rare earth metals needed by every nation since these are vital for new technologies, especially He3, essential for nuclear fusion, which is expected to be the future energy source for humanity, but which is rarely available on earth. More than 99 per cent of the helium found on earth is He4, the common isotope of helium; only 0.0001 percent is He3. But on the Moon which lacks an atmosphere, billions of years of solar wind may have deposited millions of tons of He3 on its surface. He3 has little radioactivity; estimates show that 1 ton of He3 may give energy equivalent of 50 million barrels of crude oil which may be our ultimate solution to energy. Further, as first demonstrated by Indias Chandrayaan-I mission in 2008 and later confirmed by NASA in 2020, the Moon may have vast deposits of water too in the Aitken basin in its south pole, an area 2,500 km wide and 13 km deep ~ so deep that even sunlight may never reach the deepest parts where immense deposits of water may lie captive in ice crystals from which hydrogen and oxygen can be produced to make rocket fuel when the Moon becomes a stopover for deeper forays into space. Launching a rocket from the Moon requires a fraction of the energy it needs on earth on account of its low gravity. The Artemis accord states that mining of Moons resources does not constitute appropriation, while the country doing the mining does not own the territory being mined. This not only opens up new areas of conflict but it means those who cannot reach early will stand to lose access to the Moons resources, and that means the poorest nations. The loosely-worded Accord only says that a nation engaged in the Moon will notify their activities on the Moon. Suppose China arrives before the signatories? OST said the moon should be used only for peaceful purposes, that it is the province of all mankind. But there is no agreed definition of the term. Russia defines peaceful as being nonmilitary, while the US defines it as non-aggressive, thus permitting non-aggressive military activity like military communication. Under the US Congresss Wolf Amendment of 2011, NASA has been prevented from cooperating with China on space exploration. China is the only country operating its space Station Tiangong 3 as a sovereign nation. The ISS is a cooperative venture between the US, Russia, EU, Japan and Canada. The ISS is nearing the end of its life and is due for decommissioning in 2031, but Tiangong 3 will last till 2037. China and the USA will compete with each other as rivals not friends in the foreseeable future. Whether they cooperate in space will depend on how they do this on Earth. China does not recognise the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for maritime disputes and may reject the Artemis Accord of which it is not a part. In 2020, the Russian Space Agency has already termed the Accord as an invasion of the Moon which may turn into another Afghanistan or Iraq. The world badly needs another treaty ~ not simply for cooperation between nations but also for regulating the activities of private business corporations which are due to jump into the fray. Nations have already demonstrated their ability to use ASAT ~ anti-satellite weapons ~ to destroy their own satellites, and they can surely use them to destroy anothers. One such attempt by Russia in 2021 blew its satellite into more than 1500 pieces of wreckage some of which entered the orbit of the ISS almost threatening their crew of seven. Accidents may happen any time, but the consequences can be dangerous. This again raises the need to have an abiding law for all nations if space is not to be a lawless jungle of astro-politics. In 2019, India tested its own anti-satellite weapon and decided that it could not stand by while China and the other nations advanced in space. Indias space program has so far remained focused on civilian uses, but the military aspect cannot be ignored. The existing international treaties are clearly insufficient to restrict the use of space for military purposes, and all past efforts for disarmament of space through international consensus have yielded nothing. For enforcement of treaties, nations must first develop enough capability for deterrence, as in the case of nuclear weapons. India must also focus on developing space weapon systems and try catching up with China which is already far ahead of us in space technology. In that sense, the IAF has taken a step in the right direction. (The writer is a commentator, author and academic. Opinions expressed are personal) Addressing the media on Army Day, the army chief, General Manoj Pande, stated, the positivity and integration of Agniveers in units is happening well. There are few challenges in terms of training, most of which are at the tactical level, entailing tweaking of our policies, limiting training periods and harmonising firing standards between Agniveers and regular soldiers. It has become a norm for senior army officers to mention in every media interaction that the Agnipath programme, disputed by veterans, is beneficial, thereby defending a scheme which continues to face criticism. General Pande also refused to be drawn into controversy by commenting on statements on the subject, from the yet to be released book of his predecessor, General MM Naravane. Excerpts from the book by General Naravane discussing the origins of the Agnipath scheme, mention, When I had first sounded out the PM about the Tour of Duty scheme, it was more on the lines of a short-service option at the soldier level, similar to the Short Service Commission scheme for officers that was already in vogue. He added that the scheme once announced by the PMO resulted in the army being taken by surprise, but for the navy and air force, it came like a bolt from the blue. It was only the surprise aspect that General Pande countered in his press conference by stating, I just wish to reiterate here that the final framework (and) structure of the Agnipath scheme came about after a process of consultation and it took into account whatever issues we had to put across. Interestingly, General Naravane in an article published in The Hindu in November 2022, well after his retirement, had backed the Agnipath scheme to the hilt. He had commented, to say that the Agnipath scheme is tinkering with settled systems, or falling back on cliches such as if it isnt broke dont fix it, is self-defeating. He backed the concept of reduced training by mentioning, optimising the training duration is very much a possibility. Countering comments on whether Agniveers would be able to bond, he mentioned, If the supervisory staff in a unit is good, they would make Agniveers feel welcome, mould them and make them a part of the team. Advertisement Finally supporting the concept, he added, All new schemes have teething troubles and this one too will have its fair share of niggles. As and when these crop up, there will always be room for mid-course corrections. Even the Constitution of India has been amended 105 times. It requires collective resolve to make the Agnipath scheme a success. If the scheme was so beneficial to the armed forces, then it should have been praised rather than being negatively commented upon in his book, unless General Naravane had a change in perception in the past year. General Naravane has also mentioned in his book that the scheme was proposed by the army for itself, in which 75 per cent soldiers were to be retained and the balance released. However, the government implemented the opposite. The proposal of the army, forwarded to the government, was unknown to its sister services. This is not the first time that proposals forwarded by one service have surprised the other two. Admiral Arun Prakash discussing the importance of having an effective higher defence organization, in an article for the Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis, way back in 2007 mentions, The first information about the impending establishment of the new South-Western Army Command in early 2005, came to the navy and air force only from media reports. He adds, The navy and air force were also caught by surprise in end2005, to find that a Cadre Review (as a result of the Ajai Vikram Singh Report) had been implemented exclusively for the Indian Army. This led to them to push for the same for their own services. Possibly with a CDS in place such instances would no longer be the norm. General Naravane, in his article in The Hindu, defined the philosophy of the Agnipath Scheme by mentioning, (Indias) demographic point is a dividend only if it (Indias population) is disciplined and imbued with a nationalistic fervour. This is the underlying philosophy of the Agnipath scheme. If this was true then the scheme would never have been questioned by other services and veterans. At the end of the day, the navy and the air force had limited possibility of success in challenging the Agnipath scheme. It could only be partially tweaked. The air force and navy are high technology platform centric services for whom a rotatory Agniveer scheme is unsuitable. The only hope of technology intensive services remains that being an election year, levels of retention could be raised to 50 per cent, thereby providing continuity in handling critical equipment. It was the veteran community which periodically raised pitfalls of a scheme which could derail military preparedness as India continues to face hostile neighbours and tensions along its borders. To convince critics on the suitability of the scheme the MoD issued directions that the Agnipath concept be positively highlighted by senior officers in every interaction with veterans and the press. The non-recruitment of Gurkhas, due to unwillingness of the Nepal government, to adhere to the flawed terms and conditions of the scheme, will impact Indias goodwill in the country, benefitting China. Even within India, where government jobs are most sought after, the scheme would draw only those who have failed to gain employment in Central Armed Police Forces or under other state and central schemes. There has been regular mention of Agniveers likely becoming cannon fodder for global security companies and sucked into conflict zones. But the government is unwilling to bend. On ground, Agniveers have been inducted and are now part of units. The government has announced measures for their future employment. How effective will they be can only be gauged once the first batch finishes its mandatory service, a couple of years down the line. Ultimately, it is unlikely that the scheme would be reversed. Thus, as General Manoj Pande mentioned, From here on, we need to move forward. (The writer is a retired Major-General of the Indian Army.) People attend the funeral of an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) JERUSALEM, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. At a press briefing, IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari said 21 soldiers were killed in an explosion in central Gaza on Monday. They were preparing explosives to demolish two buildings when coming under a rocket-propelled grenade attack by the Palestinian militants, which triggered a premature explosion and resulted in the collapse of the buildings, with the soldiers either inside or nearby. In a statement, the army said the fatalities were reserve soldiers aged 22 to 37, adding three others were killed elsewhere also on Monday. On the army's worst one-day loss, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "While we bow our heads in memory of our fallen, we are not relenting, even for a moment, in striving for the goal that has no alternative -- achieving total victory." TV broadcasts on Israeli channels showed funerals, with coffins draped in the national flag, taking place across the country. Hundreds of the slain soldiers' relatives and friends attended the ceremonies, mourning and consoling each other in grief. IDF Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi made a televised statement after visiting the location of the explosion. "On this day, we feel the great and painful cost of war," he said. Halevi added that the troops fell during a mission to demolish buildings and vegetation, aiming to create a new "buffer zone" between the enclave and Israel that would "enable the safe return of the residents of southern Israel to their homes." Meanwhile, Israeli forces announced Tuesday morning in a statement that they "encircled" Khan Younis, and updated in a press statement on the evening that they had killed more than 100 Hamas militants in the west Khan Younis over the day. According to Israel's Ha'aretz newspaper, the troops besieged hospitals in the city and blocked evacuation routes to Gaza's southernmost Rafah city, where more than 50 percent of Gaza's 2.3 million population sought shelter from the relentless Israeli bombardments. At least 25,490 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli strikes on the enclave, according to the Gaza-based Health Ministry on Tuesday. Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that Hamas has rejected an Israeli proposal on a new deal that offered a two-month ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the release of all hostages held in Gaza and that Hamas leadership leaves Gaza. A woman mourns an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, during a funeral at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) People attend the funeral of an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) People mourn an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, during a funeral at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) People mourn an Israeli soldier killed in the Gaza Strip, during a funeral at a military cemetery in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 23, 2024. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that its troops have surrounded the main southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis after its 24 soldiers were killed in Gaza in the worst single-day toll on Monday. (Gideon Markowicz/JINI via Xinhua) As the political spotlight turns to New Hampshire for its first-in-the-nation primary, the battle for the soul of the Republican Party takes centre stage. Former President Donald Trumps bid for the GOP nomination faces a formidable test, with the former UN ambassador Nikki Haley emerging as the lone contender aiming to halt his relentless march. The Granite State, known for its independent streak and moderate political tradition, presents a unique challenge for Mr Trump, who, despite his record-setting performance in Iowa, faces scepticism from New Hampshire Republicans. Always resistant to Congressional candidates backed by the former President, the states more centrist electorate may be the battleground where the narrative of this primary season unfolds. Ms Haley, with the backing of popular Governor Chris Sununu, positions herself as the alternative to Mr Trumps dominance. She appeals to moderate voters and unaffiliated independents, hoping to exploit Mr Trumps vulnerabilities in a state that values political moderation. Her victory could inject a newfound competitiveness into a primary that, until now, seemed firmly in Mr Trumps grip. The key to this showdown lies in voter turnout. While Mr Trumps base appears unwavering, Ms Haleys strategy hinges on mobilising unaffiliated voters. New Hampshire law allows them to participate in either partys primary, offering an avenue for Ms Haley to broaden her support base. The projected recordhigh turnout in the Republican Primary, suggests a charged atmosphere, yet the question remains whether Ms Haley can sway enough unaffiliated voters to tip the scales in her favour. The disappearing act of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis adds an intriguing subplot. Once a front-runner, Mr DeSantis now concedes New Hampshire, redirecting his focus to South Carolina. The impact of his exit on Mr Trumps support is uncertain. Mr DeSantis supporters largely viewed Mr Trump favourably. As Mr DeSantis navigates the narrowing path to victory, his future in the 2024 race hangs in the balance. Advertisement Amid these dynamics, the issue of electability looms large. Publicly and privately, Democratic leaders express concern about Ms Haleys potential strength in a general election. Ms Haley contends that without Mr Trumps baggage, she offers a better chance against President Biden. However, convincing Republican voters that she is the more electable candidate becomes a formidable challenge, especially considering Mr Trumps hold on the partys base. Simultaneously, New Hampshire Democrats participate in their primary, though President Biden strategically avoids the state. While the outcome wont affect delegate counts, it serves as a barometer of Democratic sentiment, showcasing potential strengths and weaknesses. In this complex political landscape, the New Hampshire primary transcends mere party politics. The results will either solidify Mr Trumps inevitability or introduce a new chapter of competition. As voters head to the polls, the only certainty is the heightened stakes that make this primary a microcosm of the broader ideological struggle within the Republican Party. Ninety-one per cent of Sri Lankan children have received measles vaccines, a crucial step in combating a recent resurgence of the disease after eradication, Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana said. Addressing a press conference at the Presidential Media Centre, Pathirana on Monday outlined further health priorities for 2024, saying that disease prevention takes center stage, with plans to bolster primary healthcare services and improve efficiency for patients. The Minister said tackling non-communicable diseases remains a major challenge, as more than 20 per cent of Sri Lankans battle diabetes, and the country has high prevalence of high blood pressure, Xinhua news agency reported. Advertisement Amid a rapidly aging population, Sri Lanka is proactively addressing the rise of non-communicable diseases like memory impairment, eye diseases and bone diseases through dedicated programmes, Pathirana added. Dengue fever, another pressing concern, is being tackled with special efforts, seeking increased public collaboration alongside support from health and security departments, he said. Recognising the existing drug shortage, the government is actively importing essential medicines, with shortages gradually decreasing, according to the Minister. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called for reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying India not being part of it is absurd. The billionaire also batted for a UNSC seat for the African Union. At some point, there needs to be a revision of the UN bodies. Problem is that those with excess power dont want to give it up. India not having a permanent seat on the Security Council, despite being the most populous country on Earth, is absurd, Musk wrote on X. He further added that Africa collectively should also have a place at the UNSC table. Advertisement The all-powerful United Nations Security Council has only five permanent members China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. India has long been eyeing a permanent seat and all the members except for China support Indias bid. On several occassions China has used its veto power to block Indias inclusion as a permanent member of the the UNSC. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioned how UNSC can be a primary organ of a global body when the worlds largest democracy is not a permanent member of it. How can we talk of it as a primary organ of a global body, when entire continents of Africa and Latin America are ignored? How can it claim to speak for the world when its most populous country, and its largest democracy, is not a permanent member, the prime minister had said in July last year ahead of his France visit. In a development that is bound to raise the hackles of the Indian establishment, the Maldives on Wednesday confirmed that it has permitted a Chinese ship to make a port call in Male, but claimed that the vessel would not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters. Concerning the media reports regarding the port call of the Chinese Research Vessel XIANG YANG HONG 3 at Male, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to inform that a diplomatic request was made by the Government of China to the Government of Maldives, for the necessary clearances to make a port call, for rotation of personnel and replenishment. The vessel would not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters, a statement from the Maldivian Foreign Ministry said. The Chinese vessel is expected to arrive in Male in early February. Advertisement The statement said the Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for vessels of friendly countries, and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes. Such port calls not only enhance bilateral ties between the Maldives and its partner countries, but also demonstrate the centuries old tradition of the Maldivian people welcoming vessels from friendly countries, it added. The statement said the Maldives continues to uphold international best practices, and relevant international maritime law on all such cases. The development comes at a time when ties between India and the Maldives are far from normal with Maldives pro-China President Mohamed Muizzu asking India to withdraw its nearly 90 troops from the island by March 15. Mr Muizzu was recently in Beijing where he met Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders and discussed security and other major issues. India has invariably objected to Chinese vessels docking at ports in its neighbourhood. French President Emmanuel Macron, who is the special guest of Indias Republic Day ceremony, will visit Jaipurs iconic tourist places including Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, and Albert Hall along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 25 evening. Macron and Modi will have a guided tour of Jantar Mantar after formers reception at 1730, followed by a photo-op, visit and photo-op in front of Hawa Mahal, according to an official tentative itinerary released here tonight. At 1830 the Chief Guest will have Photo-Op in front of Albert Hall Museum. Advertisement Macron will have handicraft buying and payment through UPI. Both will enjoy vendor tea of cup and make UPI payment inside the walled city. Macron will be hosted a gala dinner at round table at Hotel Taj (Ram Bagh Palace). Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma today went with his entire top team of police and civil officers to inspect the places and directed them to take all measures to ensure a memorable visit for VVIPs. The French President might undertake a road show from Tripolia Gate to Sanganeri Gate during his sight seeing, the official sources indicated. Saint-Laurent, CA (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy with rain and snow showers. High 41F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Cloudy with showers of rain and wet snow this evening. Low 26F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precip 50%. Heather McGowan of North Attleboro, left, and Elly Dohreng of Attleboro were among the few hardy souls walking the track at Norton High School last June in the Greater Attleboro Relay for Life. Heavy rains drove many away. CAIRO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Direct flights between the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen and Egypt's capital Cairo were launched on Sunday, as a flight of China's Hainan Airlines, carrying 253 passengers, landed at Cairo International Airport. The round-trip service, operated by the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, is scheduled for every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. It's the first direct international airline route to an African destination launched by the carrier since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new route is expected to boost tourism and trade exchange between China and Egypt. A launch ceremony was held in Cairo late Sunday, attended by officials with the Egyptian Tourism Promotion Authority, Egypt's Civil Aviation Authority, and Cairo International Airport, as well as representatives from the Cairo office of Hainan Airlines. Tom Reilly is a retired Sun Chronicle editor and reporter who continues to write occasional news stories, columns and editorials for the newspaper. Reach him at treilly@thesunchronicle.com ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Ethiopian government said improvement activities are underway with a China-funded project to increase the amount of potable water supplied to neighboring Djibouti to 100,000 cubic meters per day. The Ethiopian Ministry of Water and Energy said Sunday the Ethiopia-Djibouti cross-border potable water project, currently generating 20,000 cubic meters per day, is undergoing improvement activities to boost supplies, state-run Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported Tuesday. The project, contracted by the Chinese company CGC Overseas Construction Group Co. Ltd (CGCOC), has been operating since 2017. It is regarded as one of Africa's largest cross-border water projects, covering 258 kilometers from underground wells dug in Ethiopia's Somali region to Djibouti city, the capital of the Red Sea nation. With an annual average of 200 millimeters of rainwater in most of its territory, Djibouti has always been in a chronic water stress situation. Job Title: Teaching Assistant (6 Job Placements) Organisation: Finn Church AID (FCA) Duty Station: Rwamwanja Refuguee Settlement, Uganda Reports to: Head Teachers About US: Finn Church Aid (FCA) is the largest Finnish international aid organization. We operate in 15 countries, where the needs are most dire. We work with the poorest people, regardless of their religious beliefs, ethnic background, or political convictions. Our work is based on rights, which means that our operations are guided by equality, non-discrimination, and responsibility. We operate in 13 countries, where the needs are most dire. We work with the poorest people, regardless of their religious beliefs, ethnic background, or political convictions. Finn Church Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance (ACT), an alliance of faith-based development and humanitarian aid organizations forming one of the worlds largest aid organizations. FCA Uganda is active in 13 districts and 7 refugee settlements FCA is a leading provider of access to education for refugees in Uganda at primary, secondary and tertiary levels. Finn Church Aid is a child safe organisation and ALL staff/teachers must behave appropriately towards children and never abuse the position of trust that comes with being a member of our organisation family(Every child matters). As Educationalists, we strive to keep our children safe and health from all forms of violence, outlawed corporal punishments,issues of child abuse and sexual exploitation of children and we appropriately respond to learner concerns(Every child matters) so our selection process reflects our commitment to the protection of Children from all forms of abuses. Job Summary: The Teaching Assistant will directly facilitate general learning processes both in & out of classrooms during learning hours in the primary school that you will be posted to, planning together with your colleagues deliver the lessons, carry out continuous assessment of learners and plan for remedial lessons when its required, report to the Head Teacher of the school as your immediate supervisor and participate in any education and community engagement aimed at promoting access to schools organized by the school, FCA and development partners. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Safeguard learners/students from any forms of abuse(bullying, name calling, humiliation, constant criticism, sexual abuse and exploitation, bad touches, use of shameful and bad language/statements, ignoring, scaring and isolating learners, kicking, punching, hitting etc which affects their learning. Identify signs of child abuse that could result into sudden change in behaviour, listen to them and support them to report such concerns to the school administration or safeguarding focal teachers in schools. Prepare the schemes of work and lesson plans in line with the approved curriculum on a termly and weekly basis respectively. Conduct lessons and remedial work according to the set timetable. Participate in setting, administering, and marking internal and external assessments and examinations. Carry out continuous assessment and evaluation of pupils performance. Develop and improve on learning aids/ material for teachers and learners use. Carry out child studies and keep a profile for each pupil in the class. Guide and counsel pupils on a range of challenges faced both at school and home. Participate in class and departmental meetings organised within and outside school. Serve as teacher on duty based on schedule and school arrangements. Lead pupil participation in co curricula activities and link the school to the community. Participate in Safeguarding trainings and activities, including compliance with the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policies in place. Promote learner descipline and compliance to school rules and regulations. Participate in the self-assessment and appraisal of the teaching Assistants. Professionally manage his/her classrooms to ensure learner participation for inclusive learning and teaching to enhance quality learning. Participating in community mobilization and sensitization activities aimed at increasing enrolment. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The ideal applicant must hold a Diploma from Congo/at least O level Certificate for Uganda (Teaching Assistants) Must be registered with Ministry of Education, Science and Sports. Three years of teaching experience in primary school. Must be a team player and able to work in multi-ethnic environment. Must be an innovative teacher, able to produce results amidst challenges. Must be able to listen and respect authority. Must be hard-working and disciplinarian with skills to control large classes. High integrity personnel to control the teaching materials available and demonstrate knowledge of teachers code of conduct. Willing to work within refugee community in promoting access to education. Basic understanding of refugee situation and able to live within the refugee communities. Experience in the field of disability inclusion and accessibility to services for persons with disabilities Disclaimer: FCA is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, gender, religion, age, political affiliation, citizenship, physical disabilities. NB: FCA does not charge any money at any stage of recruitment and does not act through recruitment agents. In case any one asks for a bribe in form of payment for job offers, kindly reach out to us through our Toll free numbers 0800200411, office contact +256 39 2177266 and on email; Complaints.Ugaco@kirkonulkomaanapu.fi Any form of Canvasing will lead to automatic disqualification. How to Apply: All Interested applicants should send a cover letter and a CV with at least three referees and a daytime telephone contact with copies of academic credentials (not more than 7 pages in one PDF format) mentioning the position tittle in the subject to ugaco.hr@kua.fi, addressed to: The HUMAN RESOURCE OFFICER, Finn Church Aid or hand deliver your application to FCA-Rwamwanja Offices or Kampala Uganda Office. NB: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Deadline: 2nd February 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Job Title: Communication Assistant (Fresher Job Opportunities) Organisation: Enabel Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: Enabel is the Belgian development agency. It implements the Belgian governmental cooperation. The agency also implements actions for other national and international donors. With its Belgian and international partners, Enabel provides solutions to address urgent global challenges: Climate Change, Urbanisation, Human Mobility, Peace and Security, Social and Economic Inequalities and Global Citizenship. With 1,800 staff, Enabel manages about 150 projects in twenty countries, in Belgium, Africa and the Middle East. Job Summary: Enabel in Uganda is seeking to recruit a dynamic and competent individual to fill the position of Communication Assistant based in Kampala with frequent travels to the Field. The Communication Assistant will support the implementation of the project communication plans with a focus on results and knowledge management. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Joining Enabel as a Communication Assistant, you will be directly reporting to the Country Communication Officer and you will perform the following key tasks; You support in conducting research including stakeholder analysis and needs assessment to facilitate the development of project communication and knowledge management Strategy. You support the implementation of project communication and knowledge management strategy. You Support the designing and production of communication materials. You support the organizing of high-level events with national and regional representatives from Embassies, Ministries, civil society, labour unions & development actors and private sector etc. You coordinate, support and facilitate the communication exchange and meetings between the project team and other stakeholders. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant must hold a bachelors degree in Mass Communications, Journalism or any other related field. Two years of proven and relevant experience in either communication or advocacy Excellent written and spoken English; expressing ideas and opinions clearly in a structured manner that appeals to the reader/listener. Multi-media knowledge and skills using web-based communication (content management systems for websites, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) & audio-visual media. Proven photography and video production skills Experience in community mobilisation preferably through social behaviour change communication. We offer you An exciting and varied learning experience in an international environment and warm team. A 12-month contract or you are included in the recruitment reserve for a period of 3 years. You are based in Kampala with frequent travel to the field A competitive salary package and in accordance with our salary scales, medical insurance and a 13th-month paid in December. Enabel is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in its workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, origin, age, religion, disability status or any other factor other than competence. How to Apply: All candidates should submit their applications online at the link below with an updated CV (maximum 3 pages) Click Here Deadline: 2nd February 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Job Title: National Project Officer IRFF Organisation: United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda About US: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations global development network. UNDP advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. The UNDP provides expert advice, training, grant support to developing countries including Uganda with increasing emphasis on assistance to the least developed countries. Job Summary: Overall, the Project Officer will be responsible for the implementation of the Inclusive Insurance, Risk Finance, DRR and Resilience portfolio in the Country office, by providing strategic guidance, orientation and coordination, technical support to government and non-state actors during implementation. The Project Officer will support and manage day-to-day implementation of IRFF activities according to the CPD programme areas, and engage in resource mobilization, development of knowledge products, and undertaking external engagement functions. Key Duties and Responsibilities: Project Planning and Management Support the identification, selection and supervision of national consultants and experts, in close collaboration with the IRFF Regional Technical Specialist and write/revise terms of reference for review by relevant the NCER Team Leader and IRFF team members; Under the close supervision of the NECER Team Leader and in consultation with the Global IRFF Team and supported by the Regional Specialists, elaborate/revise the work plan and budget and submit draft workplans/budgets timely for the bi-annual budget revision process (30 June and 31 December of each year); Organize all relevant project workshops in a consultative manner, involving a wide variety of Inclusive Risk finance stakeholders, including the government, private sector, NGOs, donors, and academia; Under the guidance of the NCER Team Leader and UNDP Country Office Senior Leadership, discuss with government partners and other key stakeholders the establishment of a national Steering Committee (or other relevant steering structures) and follow up on the formal establishment and regular convening of the Committee, undertake the same for any other proposed coordination mechanism, and write meeting reports to be shared with the IRFF global; Ensure a timely identification of risks in implementation at the national level and communication to the global IRFF team; Lead the implementation of all the activities related to smallholder farmer resilience through insurance in collaboration with the IRFF Technical team and local players; Organize monthly meetings with IRFF Regional Specialist and Technical team; Supervise the work of national experts and institutions to ensure outputs are delivered on time, within the set budget, and to high quality standards; facilitate, guide and monitor the work of the national IRFF team; Lead the technical implementation and management of ongoing projects, and other activities including research, organizing, and facilitating meetings, preparing technical documents, project briefs and managing the projects on a day-to-day basis; Responsible for the planning and implementation of relevant trainings and workshops in close cooperation with other partners; Provide leadership and oversight in project development and implementation, including financial accounting; Follow-up on project activities implemented under partner agreements, consultancies, or similar arrangements, and ensure their timely and quality delivery; Prepare and submit quality and timely Progress Reports (quarterly, and annual), annual work plans and budgets, procurement, and delivery enhancement plan for consideration and approval by the Project Steering Committees, and as required by donors and other partners as applicable; Lead the development of knowledge products, knowledge sharing platforms, communication, and visibility actions; Facilitate IRFF project audits and evaluations, production of documentation required by UNDP and Project Partners. Project Administration Timely and efficient projects administration according to plans and UNDP procedures: Prepares all payment requests, financial record-keeping and preparation of financial reports required in line with both the National Implementation and Direct Implementation financial rules and procedures; Maintains the budget and expenditure of projects within a portfolio, including formulation, revisions, and record keeping in Quantum, monthly status reports, and reporting and liaising with the UNDP on budget matters; Supports updated project information in Quantum; Supports project audit and facilitate access by auditors to project documentation, personnel, and institutions involved in the project; Supports organization of HACT assurance activities, including spot checks and programme visits; Regularly advises Implementing Partners or Responsible Partners on HACT related issues; Initiates procurement actions for ICs, goods, works and services according to procurement plans; Compiles supporting documents for procurement processes and ensures that supporting documents are complete; Creates e-requisitions in Quantum to initiate procurement processes, ensures the accuracy of the COA of the e-requisitions; Facilitates the periodic asset, inventory and supplies verification. Reporting/Communication/M&E Signal any delays in national deliverables compared to the workplan to the NCER Team Leader and Senior Management Team, and the Global IRFF Team; Lead project monitoring, reporting and evaluation at national and field implementation level; Draft monthly and quarterly reports for review by the NCER Team Leader and lead expert for submission to the global IRFF team; Update Country Risk Log and monitor UNDP SES Requirements; Prepare quarterly and Annual Progress Report; Develop workshop reports for the inception workshop and all technical workshops; Develop briefing notes, case studies, press releases, web articles and other media products as required; Assist with research and write and edit sections of technical reports as required; Review all national level deliverables to ensure quality and consistency with the IRFF methodology. Institutional Arrangement: The Project Officer will be supervised by the Team Leader Nature Climate Energy and Resilience at the UNDP Country Office Uganda under the guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative and overall leadership of the Resident Representative. The project Officer will have a secondary reporting line to IRFFs Regional Specialist. Throughout the project, collaboration, and coordination with the rest of the UNDP IRFF Central team and other teams will be required. Qualifications, Skills and Experience: The applicant for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) National Project Officer IRFF job must hold an advanced University degree (Masters degree or equivalent) in Climate Change, Development Finance, Economics, business administration, Development Management, Public Policy or related field is required A first-level university degree (Bachelors degree) in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree. Minimum 2 years (with a masters degree) or 4 years (with bachelors degree) of working experience in the implementation of projects relevant to insurance and risk finance, agricultural insurance, sustainable finance, climate change or financial inclusion is required; Experience in collaborating with international and national experts and institutions; Experience in working with a range of stakeholders including government, private sector, Civil Society organizations on sustainable energy and climate change related issues; Working with building community led microfinancing and access to credit platforms; Knowledge of insurance related to climate risks and vulnerabilities; Sound understanding of key software packages (MS Office); Demonstrated substantive experience in working with developing countries and undertaking policy and programmatic work in Climate change, Disaster risk management and inclusive financing; Experience and strong understanding of the links between risks, climate change and resilience strengthening; Experience in the area of insurance and risk financing, sustainable financing or financial inclusion; Experience in project cycle management (in particular project administration) in the public or private sector or international organizations; Prior experience with UNDP projects would be an asset; Work experience with an Enterprise Resource Planning software is desirable; Experience in UN organization is an asset; Ability and experience to work within a multidisciplinary and multicultural team. Language Requirement: Fluency in English (spoken and written) and local language is required. Competencies CORE Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination Cross Functional & Technical Competencies Digital and Innovation: Portfolio Design and Management Ability to identify leverage points in systems and design interventions that address them. The value of the interventions are determined not in isolation, but as part of the overall portfolio and their coherence: Ability to design processes that extract learning on an ongoing basis from existing portfolios, so that learning accrues over time and new options for action are continuously generated: Build a learning ecosystem around a complex development challenge: being able to mobilize a variety of stakeholders and help them learn and work together; Understand key principles of systems and complexity theory. Finance: Development Finance Expertise Ability to develop and work with innovative financing mechanisms and instruments, e.g social/development impact bonds, guarantees, climate finance. Business Direction and Strategy System Thinking Ability to conduct problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system. Business Direction and Strategy: Business Acumen Ability to understand and deal with a business situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Knowledge and understanding of the operational frameworks in the organization and ability to make good judgments and quick decisions within such frameworks. How to Apply: All suitably qualified and interested candidates who wish to join the United Nations should apply online at the link below Click Here Deadline: 7th February 2024 For more of the latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline Unveiling the Entrepreneurial Odyssey of Mr. K. V. Abdul Nazar, Chairman & Managing Director of the Akbar Group Way back in 1978, a spirited young man from Ponnani, Kerala accompanied a few friends to the city of hope then called Bombay (Mumbai). It was during a time when there were ships that would sail out of the Bombay harbour to the city of Dubai. He identified a crisis and was determined to find a solution. The young man was K.V Abdul Nazar. The crisis was the limited airline/travel services in then Bombay to Dubai. The solution was a 350-square-foot office in Janjikar Street, Bombay (now Mumbai) that was named Akbar Travels. Forty-six years hence, the same Akbar Travels stands as a giant in the travel and tourism industry, with branches in different parts of the world, including the US, Canada, the UK, Italy, the GCC region, Malaysia and lately ventured into Tanzania and Kenya. Akbar Group expands, exploring markets in Bangladesh, Philippines, and Australia ambitiously. Despite the humble beginning, Mr. KV Abdul Nazar today leads the Akbar Group empire, with an annual turnover of more than 2.4 billion USD which employees over 5000 people globally. To give you a little glimpse of his incredible journey, well need to rewind to the 1970s. Abdul Nazar came from a typical lower middle class family hailing from the Malabar region of Kerala. During this period, India was being reckoned as an emerging contributor of skilled/non-skilled workforce globally. But the 1970s saw a rapid rise in the number of Indians migrating to the Gulf after the famous oil boom.Bombay (now Mumbai) was the major link connecting the country to the Gulf. However, the airlines were limited, their seats were limited, and so were the resources that could ensure prompt and safe travel services. The entrepreneur within a span of a year saw an opportunity to serve a wide community of travellers and took it upon himself to cater to their requirements by starting his own travel agency. Even at a tender age with no external support or a mentor, Abdul Nazar was wise enough to understand that traveling isnt only about getting from Point A to Point B. It is an experience in itself, which must be hassle-free. His entrepreneurial vision had two main objectives. One, no client should have to worry about a thing except packing their bags and getting themselves to the airport/station on time. Two, a journey with Akbar Travels should leave a lasting impression on the clients for only the right reasons. Forty-six years hence, the foresight and diligence of the son of Karuppam Veetiyil Master has established a leading and trusted global travel company. A major reason for Mr. Nazars entrepreneurial success is that his ambitions werent fuelled by profits but by his compassion and to see that how could his venture add value to the travel landscape of India. It was his compassion towards the plight of travellers that made him want to create a company that would bring easy, accessible travel solutions to anyone who so desires. And this now resonates with his daughters Ms. Benazir Nazar the CEO of Akbar Holidays and Ms Ashiya Nazar the head of Akbar Travels Middle East. It was his concern that made him go beyond the world of business and realize that his hometown, Ponnani, desperately needed developments. As a quaint small town on the Malabar coast of Kerala, Ponnani was facing its realistic challenges of development, modernization and growth. With his vision and leadership, the Ponnani Benzy Polyclinic was founded, offering world-class medical services the community deserves. Along with this he opened petrol pumps, food and oil companies. Hilal Public School fostering holistic education, the agro venture producing versatile coconut derivatives and sustainable organic farming practices, ensuring quality and environmental stewardship and many such ventures which not only added to the development of Ponnani but also created employment for people of Kerala. After a span of 46 years, this Indian travel behemoth, the Akbar Group encompasses a diverse range of companies, each a leader in its domain. From the renowned and award winning online company akbartravels.com, the holiday giants curating the most affordable holidays - Akbar Holidays, Akbar Study Abroad catering to travel and education needs of millions of students to Akbar Corporate managing the travel needs of the various corporate powerhouses in India and abroad, Travocure the company acing in medical tourism, Benzy Infotech innovating cutting edge solutions in travel technology, Akbar Forex, Benzy Marine spearheading travel needs for global shipping companies, Benco Oil, Benzy Productions creating enriching Malayalam movies, Akbar Cabs, Akbar Academy of Airline Studies, Akbar Express Cargo Air and Road, and an array of other ventures, the group has consistently demonstrated innovation and reliability, earning a formidable reputation in the global business landscape. This endeavour is only one of the countless such endeavours to contribute toward his community and his countrya motto embodied by the entire Akbar Group family, and a legacy that will continue to live on for years to come. The tourism sector has been recovering, but the number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India is yet to touch pre-Covid level. (Note: FTA was 1.09 crore in 2019; 15.27 lakh in 2021; 61.91 lakh in 2022; and 31.33 lakh till April 2023). How can the sector record faster growth? It is true that the tourism industry still has not bounced back to its pre-COVID-19 progress. However, several factors could expedite both recovery and growth. We could begin by launching global marketing campaigns that highlight Indias unique culture, history, diversity, and heritage. Digital marketing platforms are brimming with potential in this regard, which should be harnessed to the fullest possible extent. In the course of this, we could reach out to other global travel agencies to develop lucrative partnerships where our travellers would receive the best end of the deal. This could be through better travel packages, discounts, and other encouraging incentives. We also see immense potential for developing public-private partnerships that facilitate leveraging resources, sharing expertise, and implementing strategies to boost the growth of tourism. In line with global trends, we also consider the promotion of sustainable tourism as a relatively underexplored space that could draw more travellers to India. With increasing awareness about the climate and environmental issues, focusing on eco-friendly tourism and creating environmentally conscious tourist packages/tourism options may prove effective. However, we also simultaneously require further enhancement of our tourism-related infrastructure like improved roadways, railways, and airports. Furthermore, efforts to increase financial incentives and support extended to tourism-associated businesses in the form of grants, subsidies, and job creation could also catapult the entire tourism sector to unimaginable heights. This could go hand-in-hand with cultivating a well-trained and hospitable workforce, which would ensure revisits by travellers and draw the attention of potential travellers. The Incredible India campaign launched in 2002 successfully established India as a prominent tourist destination. The Athithidevo Bhava campaign, launched in 2008, also helped India become a more tourist-friendly place. How have these campaigns influenced the evolution of tourism industry in India? Both the Incredible India(2002) and the Atithi Devo Bhavacampaigns (2008) significantly shaped the perception of India as a tourist-friendly travel destination. On the level of brand-building, these brilliantly showcased Indias hospitality and warmth as being inherent in our culture. Beginning from highlighting historical sites, vibrant festivals, diverse food culture, and myriad and distinct topography, both campaigns captured and presented the essence of India. On the level of influencing the evolution of tourism industry, the consequence of successfully drawing an increasing number of tourists meant accelerated tourism infrastructure development. More tourists also meant positive economic outcomes across various sectors, including hospitality, transportation, and local businesses. Not to forget the contribution toward Indias GDP and employment generation. As the tourism industry witnessed growth, it began embracing technology to reach global audiences (primarily through social media) and building resilient international partnerships. This also translated into keener observations, consistently keeping up with trends in tourism, understanding and engaging with potential travellers, and adopting new ideas like adventure tourism, wellness tourism, sustainable tourism, and so on. India has recorded steady economic and infrastructure growth in the past few years. The growth forecast for the next few years is also positive. How is the industry planning leverage these factors? The tourism industry aims to align itself with the positive economic trajectory through targeted measures. Infrastructural development is a priority. To leverage advancements in this regard, we urge for increased investment in transportation, accommodation, and amenities at key tourist destinations as well as improved land and air connectivity. We have also made commendable strides in digitalization. The tourism industry can leverage this through the development of interactive websites, engaging social media campaigns, and the incorporation of innovative ideas like virtual reality to showcase the richness of India. The economic developments would facilitate better and more strategic marketing initiatives focused on destination diversification and niche tourism development. The industry intends to promote India's cultural diversity, historical landmarks, and emerging urban destinations through targeted campaigns. Collaborations with global players, including airlines and hospitality brands, are already being explored to expand the reach and accessibility of Indian tourism. What is the vision for Akbar Travels in the ever-changing travel landscape? We seek to build a world where travel isn't just about visiting new places but also respecting one another and embracing differences. Through our wide range of travel services, we hope to facilitate important cultural exchanges that leave a positive impact on both the travellers and their travel destinations. A key aspect of this future is sustainability. We are increasingly committed to promoting eco-friendly travel and tourism practices, avoiding any adverse effects on the environment. This is especially where the previously highlighted responsible tourismcomes in. We are back again this week to bring you the list of new OTT releases you can binge on. Here is the list of movies and shows arriving on OTT platforms this week. 1. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Release date: January 23 Streaming platform: MAX A sequel to the 2018 Aquaman, 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' looks into Black Manta's revenge on Aquaman. Black Manta wields the Black Trident's power to unleash an ancient force on Atlantis. Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, to save the world from destruction. Jason Momoa plays the lead, with Patrick Wilson and Amber Heard. 2. Neru Release date: January 23 Streaming platform: Disney+Hotstar Following the massive success of Drishyam and its sequels, Jeethu Joseph's 'Neru' features Mohanlal in the lead role along with Priyamani and Anaswara Rajan. Set against the backdrop of the Indian legal system, Sara, a blind sculpture artist, seeks justice after a traumatic incident that takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The movie released in theatres on Dec 21, 2023. 3. Griselda Release date: January 25 Streaming platform: Netflix The People's Choice award winner Sofia Vergara plays the lead in 'Griselda,' portraying the infamous Colombian drug dealer. The real-life story revolves around Griselda who flees to Miami, with her three sons and a kilo of cocaine. The miniseries is directed by Andres Baiz and produced by Eric Newman and Sofia Vergara. 4. Sam Bahadur Release date: January 25 Streaming platform: Zee5 The 2023 film is based on the life of Sam Manekshaw, India's first field marshal. The film discusses the highs and lows of Sam Manekshaw's life. Vicky Kaushal essays the role of Sam Manekshaw, while Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Sheikh and Neeraj Kabi play other important characters. 'Sam Bahadur' received positive reviews after its theatrical release in December. 5. Animal Release date: January 26 Streaming platform: Netflix The controversial, 'Animal', directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, is all set for its OTT release. The movie looks at a complex relationship between a father and son portrayed by Ranbir Kapoor and Anil Kapoor. The son's love for his father knows no bounds. As their bond begins to fracture, a chain of extraordinary events unfolds causing the son to undergo a remarkable transformation consumed by a thirst for vengeance. A novel approach to studying the progression of tuberculosis (TB) from infection to disease can identify and treat people at increased risk of developing the disease that current methods of testing would not, according to a study published in The Lancet Microbe journal. Researchers at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC), UK, hope the findings could help with global efforts to reduce the spread of the disease. TB is a bacterial disease that causes significant lung damage and can, without treatment, be fatal. It is spread in aerosol by inhaling droplets containing the bacteria. Most people who become infected live with the infection and remain well. However, in a small proportion, the infection is not controlled and can progress to cause disease. Current tests of TB infection use either a skin test or a blood test, called an interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) to detect an immune response to the infection. However, these tests cannot distinguish between those that are at high or low risk of developing TB, said Pranabashis Haldar from the University of Leicester and a Principal Investigator at the NIHR Leicester BRC, where the research was carried out. An important research goal is to develop better tests that can identify the high-risk group so that we can provide more targeted treatment to prevent TB developing, Haldar said. The latest study used PET-CT, a highly sensitive form of imaging, as a novel way of looking at how the infection progresses, and to identify people at greater risk of developing the disease. This approach allowed the team to undertake a study evaluating a potential new blood test for identifying those at higher risk, without needing to recruit a large cohort, which can be challenging and very expensive. Twenty adults traced back to households of people being treated for tuberculosis disease at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust took part, the researchers said. Participants underwent chest radiography and an IGRA to screen for TB infection. The research team then used two new methods of monitoring the progression of the disease over the following year: PET-CT imaging tools and a new blood test. In PET-CT scans, patients are given fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a radiotracer which is similar to naturally occurring glucose (a type of sugar) that the body uses it in a similar way, Jee Whang Kim, a Clinical Research Fellow from the University of Leicester, who conducted the study said. By analysing the areas where the radiotracer is taken up, it's possible to identify areas in the body where something might be going on, Kim added. The researchers found that the radiotracer activity tended to be taken up around the lungs, or in lymph nodes around the lungs. They then performed a second PET-CT scan after 3 months to find out whether the infection was progressing or not. Where possible, they also took samples from the active sites to test for presence of the TB bacteria. The second novel test was looking for a new biomarker (a biological change) in the blood of patients with the infection. There is evidence of bacterial escape from where the primary infection occurs (the lungs) during progressive infection, and that escape might occur into the bloodstream, added Kim. In this study, the team used a novel bacteriophage-based assay called Actiphage. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacterial cells and they are highly specific; with each phage preying on a single type of bacteria. The Actiphage assay uses a bacteriophage that attacks live TB bacteria; releasing the bacterial DNA which can then be detected. Using this approach, it is possible to detect very low levels of bacterial DNA that cannot otherwise be detected using existing clinical tools. The 20 TB contacts were all asymptomatic with normal chest X-rays. They underwent a PET-CT baseline scan and, if it was positive and showed metabolic activity that could be sampled, they went on to have a bronchoscopy and sampling. If the baseline PET-CT scan did not show anything that could be sampled or if the sampling was negative for TB, they were monitored with a second PET-CT after three to four months. The researchers found a statistically significant association between a positive baseline Actiphage test and later being given treatment for high-risk features of TB infection. Overall, Actiphage results were positive in 12 (60 per cent) participants at baseline and positive in all six of the treated PET-CT- positive participants, they found. CAIRO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's digital exports increased by 26.5 percent to 6.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, up from 4.9 billion dollars in 2022, Egyptian Minister of Communications and Information Technology Amr Talaat said Monday. Talaat spoke to the Egyptian Senate about his ministry's efforts to develop the outsourcing industry, support the digital sector and increase the country's digital exports, according to a ministry statement. He said Egypt signed agreements with 74 international and local companies to hire 60,000 outsourcing specialists since November 2022. The minister also noted that the ministry has launched programs to boost the number of workers and independent professionals in the outsourcing industry to 550,000 so as to meet the goal of exporting digital services worth 9 billion dollars in 2026. Talaat said Egypt has a strategy to develop the outsourcing industry to attract major international companies to invest in Egypt, expand Egypt's digital exports, and create job opportunities for youth in the digital economy. Egypt launched a five-year strategy for the digital outsourcing industry in 2022 to turn the country into a reliable outsourcing destination and services hub. The local civic body on Tuesday used bulldozers to raze illegal structures and encroachments in Mumbai's Mira Road suburb which witnessed clashes between two communities two days ago. The Mira Bhaindar Municipal Corporations action came a day after Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict action against the rioters. A huge contingent of police personnel, including a Rapid Action Force (RAF) team, was deployed in the area to avoid any untoward incident. Police said 15 illegal structures in the area are being razed. Members of two communities clashed and pelted stones at each other during a rally organised in Naya Nagar on the eve of the consecration of Lord Ram's idol in the Ayodhya temple. "Anyone trying to disrupt law and order" in the state would be punished severely, Fadnavis said in a post on X. "Police have been instructed to take strict action against the accused. In this case, 13 accused have been detained so far and the process of identifying the other accused is underway by checking the CCTV footage. Anyone trying to disrupt law and order in Maharashtra will not be tolerated," he said. An official at the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police said the stone pelting was reported from Naya Nagar police station limits, where the group clash took place during a rally comprising cars and other vehicles and taken out on the eve of the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. Using bulldozers to demolish illegal structures was initiated by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh. Since then, several BJP-ruled states have followed this move against the accused in various cases even as the legality of such actions are being questioned by many. A military aircraft belonging to the Myanmar military veered off the runway at Mizoram's Lengpui Airport on Tuesday, injuring six people. The aircraft was said to be carrying Myanmar army personnel who were being repatriated after seeking refugee in India. According to Mizoram DGP, 14 people were on board the plane, including the pilot. The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital, reported ANI. #WATCH | Mizoram: Six people were injured after a plane from the Burmese Army crashed at Lengpui airport. 14 people were on board with the pilot. The injured were admitted to Lengpui Hospital: Mizoram DGP pic.twitter.com/aVscbDDoY4 ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 Footage from Mizoram showed the crashed plane near the airport. Lengpiu is said to have a challenging tabletop runway. More details are awaited. This comes as India sent 184 Myanmarese soldiers to their own country after they fled to Mizoram last week following gunfights with an ethnic insurgent group. As per an Assam Rifles official, as many as 276 Myanmarese soldiers had entered Mizoram last week. On Monday, over 184 were flown back on Myanmar Air Force planes from the Lengpui airport near Aizawl to Sittwe in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The plane that crashed on Tuesday is said to be carrying the remaining soldiers. After Arakan Army fighters, an armed ethnic group fighting as part of an alliance against the Myanmar military, outran their camps, a batch of Myanmarese soldiers entered Bandukbanga village, located at the India-Myanmar-Bangladesh trijunction, in southernmost Mizoram's Lawngtlai district with arms and ammunition on January 17. The soldiers were taken to the nearby Assam Rifles camp at Parva, and later the majority of them were shifted to Lunglei, the official said. They have been under the supervision of the Assam Rifles since then, the official told PTI. The group is headed by a colonel, and has 36 officers and 240 lower-rank personnel, officials said. So far, over 635 Myanmar soldiers have fled to Mizoram after their camps were overrun and captured by ethnic armed organisations. Of them, 359 soldiers have already been sent back to their country. Mizoram shares a 510-km-long border with Myanmar. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked police to register a case against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over clashes in Guwahati. Sarma charged that Gandhi provoked the crowd in Guwahati. Responding to a tweet by Indian Youth Congress National President Srinivas B.V. on the clashes, Sarma said, These are not part of Assamese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such 'naxalite tactics' are completely alien to our culture. I have instructed @DGPAssamPolice to register a case against your leader @RahulGandhi for provoking the crowd & use the footage you have posted on your handles as the evidence. Your unruly behaviour and violation of agreed guidelines have resulted in a massive traffic jam in Guwahati now. Congress workers and Assam police clashed in Guwahati as Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra re-entered Assam on Tuesday. Assam government has reportedly advised Rahul Gandhi to opt for the national highway instead of Guwahatis arterial roads to avoid traffic jams in the city. Reportedly, the clashes began after Rahul Gandhis bus turned towards the city after entering Guwahati. Congress workers clashed with police and tried to remove the barricades. However, the police had to lathi charge party workers to disperse them. According to reports, tension prevailed for about 30 minutes and the Yatra later took the highway route itself. Ever since the yatra began, Rahul Gandhi and Assam CM have engaged in a war of words, with the Assam government restricting permissions to the yatra. On Monday, Gandhi was stopped from visiting the birthplace of iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva and was asked to visit the temple after Ayodhya pran pratishtha. Congress accused the BJP government in the state of deliberately hindering the yatra. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday charged Assam Chief Minister Himant Biswa Sarma was the most corrupt in the country. He added the chief ministers actions have only benefited the yatra. Gandhi told presspersons, The chief minister of the state is one of the most corrupt chief ministers in the country. Gandhi said people in Assam complained to him about massive unemployment, massive corruption, massive price rise, farmers struggle and lack of job opportunities for youth. These are the issues we are raising and we are being very successful in it," Gandhi said. On restrictions faced by the Yatra in Assam, he said, What Assam CM is doing against the Yatra is actually helping it. We are getting the publicity that we may not have got otherwise. (Bharat Jodo Nyay) Yatra has become a main issue in Assam. Preventing from visiting the temple, college, it is their style. We are not intimidated by them, we are not afraid of them," Gandhi said. Gandhi said the yatra is about five pillars of justice that will give strength to the country -participation, justice for youth, labourers, women, and farmers. Asked about the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya and how he would counter the wave it has generated in the country, Gandhi said, "It is nothing like that, that there is a wave. I had said earlier also that this is the BJP's political programme and Narendra Modi ji did a function and a show there, it's good, but we have told you, we have clarity about our programme which is about five justices to strengthen the country. -with PTI inputs. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has alleged that Home Ministry and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Baswa Sarma intervened to deny permission for his interaction programme with students in Meghalaya. Gandhi, addressing from the Nyay Yatra bus in Guwahati, on Monday said, "I wanted to come to your university and talk to you, understand what you are facing and try and see in my own little way if I could have helped you. The Home Ministry of India called up the CM of Assam and the CM's office called up the leadership of your university and said that Rahul Gandhi must not be allowed to speak to the students of this university," ANI reported. He added, "It is not important if Rahul Gandhi comes or does not come. What is important is that you are allowed to listen to anybody you want to listen to. This is not only happening in Assam but in every single university, college or school in India." Gandhi said: "They want to turn you into slaves but I know that nobody, no power in the universe can do it." #WATCH | Guwahati, Assam: During Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says "I wanted to come to your university and talk to you, understand what you are facing and try and see in my own little way if I could have helped you. The Home Ministry of India called up the CM pic.twitter.com/Jc4uAlOXjx ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 i The Congress leader was scheduled to hold interactions with students, civil society members and party leaders at the University of Science and Technology in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya. Heavy security has been deployed in Assam as the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra will be re-entering Assam on Tuesday. The Assam government has advised Gandhi to use the national highway instead of arterial roads in Guwahati to avoid traffic snarls in the city. Ever since the yatra began, Rahul Gandhi and Assam CM have engaged in a war of words, with the Assam government restricting permissions to the yatra. On Monday, Gandhi was stopped from visiting the birthplace of iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva and was asked to visit the temple after Ayodhya pran pratishtha. The consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya concluded in a grand style on Monday. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath is learnt to have personally lauded the efforts of the district administration in pulling off a once-in-a-lifetime event in the countrys history. However, the job of the district authorities in Ayodhya is far from over. Although the focus now will shift to smoothly facilitate the inflow of pilgrims expected to rise exponentially in the coming days, one of the concerns with which the local bodies, do not want to take any chances, is the purity of river Saryu, on whose banks the temple is located and which holds immense traditional significance in the narrative of Ayodhya. The river, as believed, has been a silent witness to Lord Rams life including his exile from and return to Ayodhya. Originating in the lake Mansarovar in the Himalayas, the river flows over 1,000 kilometers before merging into Ganga in Bihars Saran district. Balkar Singh, project director, state project monitoring group, clean Ganga mission, Uttar Pradesh told THE WEEK, We expect a rise in number of pilgrims coming to Ayodhya and we are on alert. Various departments in the municipality will take initiatives and expedite activities to address the solid waste management and other challenges to keep the river clean. As far as pollution in the river is concerned, Singh, who is tasked with cleaning Ganga and its tributaries in UP, adds, the water in Saryu presently is clean. A 33 MLD STP in Faizabad is under construction which will take care, to a large extent, of the expected rise in sewage generation in Ayodhya and surrounding areas in coming months. The STP was scheduled to complete by December 2024, but in the light of the events and importance of the place we have decided to pre-pone the completion by March 2024 and I am hopeful that we will do it, Singh said. We will also be keeping a watch on the development of townships in Ayodhya in near future and take measures accordingly to make sure the wastewater generated from the towns does not go untreated into the river, he added. The under construction sewage treatment plant of 33 MLD (Million Litres per Day) in Faizabad STP, 6-kilometers upstream of Ayodhya, is in addition to the existing sewage treatment plants in Ayodhya run by the urban development department. The STP, once commissioned, will prevent 3.3 crore litre of wastewater going into the river per day. The treatment plant is part of the projects approved in the 38th executive meeting of national mission for clean Ganga held in March 2021, seven months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Ram temple. The rejuvenation of 5 water bodies (kunds) of Ramayana-era, taken up in the same meeting, was completed in 2023 apart from Ayodhya Arts Project that depicts the narration of the Ramayana through murals and wall art. Some of the murals can also be seen in pictures circulated after the Ayodhya consecration ceremony. Congress workers and Assam police clashed in Guwahati as Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra re-entered Assam on Tuesday. Assam government has reportedly advised Rahul Gandhi to opt for the national highway instead of Guwahatis arterial roads to avoid traffic jams in the city. The Yatra, which entered Meghalaya on Monday, returned to Assam for its last leg and will travel through the outskirts of the state's largest city Guwahati. The Yatra would be in Assam till Thursday. Assam government had advised Gandhi to opt National Highway 27 for his padayatra and skip the city roads to avoid traffic jams. #WATCH | A clash broke out between Police and Congress workers in Assam's Guwahati, during Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/WxitGxup3m ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 A large number of police personnel were deployed at Khanapara area, the entry point into Guwahati and barricades were set up to stop Congress workers from entering Guwahati city. Reportedly, the clashes began after Rahul Gandhis bus turned towards the city after entering Guwahati. Congress workers clashed with police and tried to remove the barricades. However, the police had to lathi charge party workers to disperse them. According to reports, tension prevailed for about 30 minutes and the Yatra later took the highway route itself. Addressing party cadres from the bus, Rahul Gandhi said, We have broken barricades but will not break law. Earlier today, permission was denied at the last minute for Rahul Gandhis interaction with students of a private university in Meghalaya. Gandhi has alleged that Home Ministry and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Baswa Sarma intervened to deny permission for his interaction programme with students in Meghalaya. Ever since the yatra began, Rahul Gandhi and Assam CM have engaged in a war of words, with the Assam government restricting permissions to the yatra. On Monday, Gandhi was stopped from visiting the birthplace of iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva and was asked to visit the temple after Ayodhya pran pratishtha. Congress accused the BJP government in the state of deliberately hindering the yatra. A day after the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla's idol at the new Ayodhya Ram Mandir, thousands of devotees thronged the iconic temple to offer prayers on Tuesday morning. #WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: Devotees gather in large numbers at Shri Ram temple on the first day after the Pran Pratishtha ceremony pic.twitter.com/EGo9yr9sXS ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the consecration on Monday, stating the event marks the "beginning of a new era." Footage from the temple town showed devotees gathering in large numbers since 3 a.m. on Tuesday to have darshan of Shri Ram Lalla on the first day since the grand temple was made open to the public. Anticipating the huge rush, a posse of police have been deployed to control the crowd. #WATCH | Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh: Security outside Shri Ram Temple to manage the crowd pic.twitter.com/KliJ9dYh2b ANI (@ANI) January 23, 2024 The temple was thrown open to the invitees on Monday as soon as Modi left the temple premises. Hundreds had rushed in creating complete chaos in the chamber before the 'garbhagriha'. While the list of invitees included about 8,000 names, the select list featured 506 A-listers, including prominent politicians, leading industrialists, top film stars, sportspersons, diplomats, judges and high priests. Thousands of people had started arriving in the town from several parts of the country to the temple town to be part of the occasion, though the main ceremony was only for the invitees. "Jai Shri Ram' slogans also rent the air. The Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir has been constructed in the traditional Nagara style. Its east-west length is 380 feet, width 250 feet and height 161 feet. It is supported by 392 pillars and has 44 doors. The pillars and walls showcase intricately sculpted depictions of Hindu deities. Two-time Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur, considered the fountainhead of OBC politics in Bihar, has been named for the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna posthumously, a Rashtrapati Bhawan communique said on Tuesday on the eve of his birth centenary. Thakur, who passed away in 1988, was the first non-Congress socialist leader who became chief minister twice -- first for seven months in December 1970 and later for two years in 1977. "The President has been pleased to award Bharat Ratna to Shri Karpoori Thakur (posthumously)," the communique said. Thakur, known affectionately as 'Jan Nayak' (people's leader), is the 49th recipient of the country's highest civilian award. The award was last conferred on late president Pranab Mukherjee in 2019. Born on January 24, 1924 in Nai samaj (barber society), Thakur is credited in Bihar politics for enforcing total prohibition of alcohol in 1970. The village where he was born in Samistupur district was renamed after him as Karpuri Gram. Thakur abandoned college education for the Indian freedom struggle and was arrested between 1942 and 1945 for participating in the Quit India Movement. He was inspired by heavyweights like Ram Manohar Lohia who spearheaded the socialist movement in post-Independent India. He was also close to Jayaprakash Narayan. Thakur's tenure as chief minister is best remembered for implementation of the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission, whereby quotas for backward classes were introduced in the state. This panel was a forerunner of the Mandal Commission. A highlight of the Mungeri Lal Commission was a separate sub-category called Most Backward Classes, which provided the template for the 'ati pichhda' plank built by Nitish Kumar years later. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said this recognition is a testament to the socialist leader's enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality. In a post on X, Modi said, "His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India's socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society." Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar hailed the announcement and said it was a "fulfilment of an age old demand" by his party JD(U) that will "send a positive message among deprived sections of the society". Officials said the Bharat Ratna is a significant recognition of a remarkable leader who was a stalwart of social justice and an inspiring figure in Indian politics. This award is a tribute to Thakur's lifelong dedication to the uplift of the underprivileged sections of society and his relentless fight for social justice. His simplicity in his personal conduct was highly inspiring and contribution to Indian politics has been monumental, the officials said. Being born in one of the most backward sections of society, Thakur was a remarkable leader whose political journey was marked by his unwavering commitment to the marginalised sections of society. He was a key figure in the struggle against social discrimination and inequality and his commitment to affirmative action gave representation and opportunities to the poor, oppressed, exploited and deprived sections of the country, the officials said. During his career, his policies and reforms were pioneering in bringing about significant changes in the lives of many, especially in the fields of education, employment and farmer welfare. By honouring Thakur, the government recognises his role as a symbol of democracy and social justice and also acknowledges his deep impact as a motivating figure for the marginalised sections of society, the officials said. His life and work embody the spirit of the Constitution, which advocates for equality, fraternity, and justice for all. The officials said the award is not only a recognition of Thakur's past achievements but also serves as an inspiration for future generations. "It is a reminder of the values that Thakur stood for - simplicity, inclusiveness, and the tireless pursuit of social justice," an official said. Thakur was first elected to Bihar assembly in 1952 where he continued until his death in 1988. The sun was setting when Dr Farhat Mantoo took her seat. She was calm, like the sea a stone's throw away from the makeshift venue she was addressing. But her words reminded us of a turbulent one, mighty assertive and far-reaching. After the moderator introduced her organisation 'Medecins Sans Frontieres' (MSF) to the soldout gathering, Mantoo was asked what makes the MSF team go to conflict zones across the world and to stages like those she was attending. ''We are here because we believe in the one thing that brings all of us together, said Mantoo at the Kerala Literature Festival 2024, in Kozhikode. We are here because of global humanity and the solidarity that we feel for human beings across the world. We don't know if our words make a difference, but we do know that our silence kills. For the unversed, the MSF - also known as Doctors Without Borders - is an international organisation that exists to ensure medical assistance to people affected by conflicts, epidemics, disasters and the like. Its contributions have been pivotal in sustaining medical care in Gaza following Israel's full scale invasion of the Strip and alleged reports of targeted attacks on medical facilities. Later that evening, after her session at the KLF 2024, Mantoo spoke to THE WEEK exclusively about the situation in Gaza, where shells and rocket launchers are asked not to spare either doctors or ambulances. Mutual grief was keeping Gazans together as the MSF's constant calls for a ceasefire continue to fall on deaf ears, said the executive director of MSF South Asia. Excerpts: Q/ Tell us about Gaza's ground reality. A/ At the end of the day, the fact of the matter is that there is no place safe in Gaza. The city is witnessing indiscriminate bombing. Nobody is safe and nobody is spared. This includes medical workers, health facilities and ambulances. On top of it, there is a communication blackout. So, it has been very difficult to get the injured and wounded to the hospital. From cars to donkey carts, the people of Gaza are using all possible means to bring the injured to the hospitals. At the same time, the hospitals are overflowing because these institutions are also being used as shelters by the local population who have nowhere else to go. Supplies including water, fuel and electricity are extremely limited due to the siege. These are the trying conditions under which our teams are working on the ground. So, there is a lot of humanity. A lot of helping each other is happening because people are left with themselves. There's nobody else to help. Q/ How are doctors working amid this constant bloodbath and threat to their own lives? Is there a support system in place for the medical professionals? A/ Since 2019, the MSF has had a mental health programme for the medical professionals of Gaza called "Help for Helpers." It was mainly aimed at supporting frontline workers to manage their day-to-day stress and trauma. If the doctors get to express themselves and build resilienc,e they get closer to normalcy. However, for the last three months, it has been all about survival. Imagine you have to go and look for water and bread for your family. There is no electricity. You leave your family in the evening and there is no guarantee you will see them again. Many of our staff have lost their family members and homes. WATCH THE WEEK's EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MSF'S DR FARHAT MANTOO HERE: They are forced to make very difficult choices - whether to stay back and treat the suffering masses when supplies are running low, or focus on moving their families to safety. Doctors face a moral dilemma because they have sworn an oath to stand by their patients. This adds a further layer of mental pressure on doctors. Surgeons on the ground have amputated patients without anaesthesia. This is what the medical teams are experiencing in Gaza and it is causing them moral distress. Q/ What happens when MSF comes across injured fighters from either side? A/ There is a no-gun policy across MSF facilities around the world. That means combatants should leave their weapons the moment they enter an MSF facility. It also goes back to our charter as an organisation that we do not discriminate based on caste, colour, creed, religion or any other denominator. Anyone coming into an MSF medical facility will be treated as a patient. Q/ Do the medical teams in Gaza have a direct communication channel with Hamas and IDF? A/ Our 52 years of existence means that we have developed expertise in working in conflict zones. Around the world, our teams talk to all parties involved in the conflict. We establish communication with the warring factions because we have to ask for safe access for our patients and frontline workers. Likewise, in Gaza, we are in touch with all the parties of conflict. We ask them to respect our humanitarian space and international humanitarian law - do not make health workers a target, and do not attack hospitals. Thus we want an immediate and sustained ceasefire. Only then, it is ensured that we get supplies and our workers are unharmed. Q/ Are your requests acknowledged in Gaza today? A/ In the current context of Gaza, we are, unfortunately, experiencing a disregard for humanitarian space. We have lost four of our health workers. Medical professionals have become both witnesses and victims of the situation in Gaza. On January 11, one of our staff members lost a five-year-old daughter. In December, when we were evacuating our medical staff from north to south, our convoy was attacked. All the vehicles were marked, declaring that they belonged to the MSF. Yet, we could not manage to pass through the checkpoint. We lost a staff member and a family member of another colleague in the incident. We have seen multiple times that there is very little or no respect (for us). According to WHO statistics, more than 300 health workers and health facilities have been attacked and targeted. Q/ Why is humanitarian aid reaching Gaza late? A/ For the last 16 years, Gaza has been under siege. There are three checkpoints to reach Gaza. Currently, the Rafah border is the only entry that is kept open. However, this checkpoint was not built for supply movement. This is a major reason for the slow movement of supplies. Then comes the war factor. Indiscriminate bombings have left roads and hospitals damaged. There is no fuel supply in Gaza either. So, we cannot use cars or LMVs to transport these supplies to locations they are meant for. And the last bit of it is that, irrespective of whatever we say, before October 7 the number of trucks that would pass into Gaza used to be over 2,000. Now (January 2024), we only have a handful of trucks when the needs have become immense. Q/ The deaths caused by blasts and fighting aside, how are doctors dealing with communicable diseases, pregnant women and terminally ill people in the Gaza Strip? A/ This needs the immediate attention of the world. Everybody is talking about the bloodshed and trauma in Gaza due to the war. But what happens to Gaza's cancer patients or TB patients or those in need of dialysis? What happens when there is no safe drinking water and people are forced to drink saline water? Where do pregnant women go to deliver their babies? What happens to sanitary hygiene? How will girls get sanitary napkins when they cannot even find water or bread? Women are approaching our clinics asking for family planning tablets just to delay periods because there is no water. They are being forced out of their homes and are living in these shelters sans sufficient showers. We are not simply looking at regular illnesses but possibilities of airborne and water-borne infections that we fear would be more lethal than the conflict itself. Q/ How can someone join MSF's cause? A/ MSF is not just an organisation of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. We also include financial and logistics professionals. We are always on the lookout for such profiles who can go and work with us in different locations. Dr Farhat Mantoo in conversation with The Week during KLF 2024 | Vishnudas K.S. To join us, visit the website msfsouthasia.org The hands that do that treatment for us are thoroughly scrutinised. So, our recruitment process is quite extensive in many cases. It takes between three to five months. Moroccan dancers perform with lion dance performers during a cultural event in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 22, 2024. A cultural event kicked off here on Monday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon. (Xinhua/Huo Jing) Kids interact with lion dance performers during a cultural event in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 22, 2024. A cultural event kicked off here on Monday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon. (Xinhua/Huo Jing) People enjoy lion dance performance during a cultural event in Rabat, Morocco, Jan. 22, 2024. A cultural event kicked off here on Monday to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year of the Dragon. (Xinhua/Huo Jing) At least six people were killed at UN-run shelters in Khan Younis after Israeli troops encircle the the southern Gaza Strip. UNRWA's General Commissioner Philippe Lazzarine posted on X saying, "Terrified staff, patients, and displaced people are now trapped inside the few remaining hospitals in Khan Younis as heavy fighting continues." He said the shelters were hit during Israel's military operation in the region. However, Israeli military said they were unaware of any such strikes. "I call on all parties to take every precaution to minimize harm and protect civilians, medical facilities and personnel and @UN premises in accordance with international law," he added. One of the largest @UNRWA shelters in Khan Younis (southern #Gaza) was hit during military operations yesterday. At least 6 displaced people were killed and many more injured during intense fighting around our the shelter. Terrified staff, patients and displaced people are now pic.twitter.com/tg6rOWQ6e2 Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) January 23, 2024 Meanwhile, reportedly, Hamas will not be accepting the latest Israel's offer for a ceasefire in Gaza lasting two months for exchange of hostages. According to UNRWA, 5,70,000 people in Gaza face "catastrophic" hunger. Intense fighting, access denials & restrictions + communications blackouts are hampering UNRWAs ability to safely & effectively deliver aid, said the agency. It was after the death of the 24 Israeli soldiers in Gaza that the troops encircled Khan Younis and intensified the attacks in the southern Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Palestinian death toll rose to 25,295, as per the Gaza Health Ministry. As Israel's war against Hamas enters its 109th day, Tel Aviv is said to have offered a fighting pause of two months in exchange for the release of all hostages. It, however, refused to accept Hamas's demand for Israel to end the war completely. The multi-phase deal proposal has been moved through Qatari and Egyptian mediators, US media Axios quoted two Israeli officials. The proposal was approved by the Israeli war cabinet 10 days ago and the parameters of a new proposal are different and "more forward-leaning" than previous Israeli proposals, that were rejected by Hamas," Axios added. As per the proposal, all remaining hostages who are alive will be returned. The bodies of dead hostages will also be released in several phases. The first phase would see the release of women, men over the age of 60 years old and hostages who are in critical medical condition, the officials said. The next phases would include the release of female soldiers, men under the age of 60 years who are not soldiers, Israeli male soldiers and the bodies of hostages. The deal also stipulates that Israel and Hamas agree in advance on how many Palestinian prisoners would be released for each Israeli hostage in each category. On the other hand, Israel would redeploy its troops so that some would be moved out of the main population centres in the enclave. This would enable a gradual return of Palestinian civilians to Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip. However, the Israeli officials said the proposal makes clear Israel will not agree to end the war and will not agree to release all 6,000 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons. However, they are ready to release a significant number of Palestinian prisoners if Hamas agrees to the offer. Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Forces suffered the biggest single loss of life since the war began after 21 soldiers died during fighting in southern Gaza on Monday. In a televised statement Tuesday, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said two buildings collapsed on the soldiers after being hit by an RPG during a military operation. All families have been notified but only 10 names have been released so far, he said. A probe has also been announced into the disaster. The military said 198 Israeli soldiers had died since operations in Gaza began. Maldives government on Tuesday confirmed the arrival of Chinese 'research vessel', Xian Yang Hong 03. The Male government had permitted the docking of the ship, equipped to carry reasearch and surveys. The Maldivian Foreign Ministry in a statement said a diplomatic request was made by the Chinese government for the necessary clearances to make a port call, for rotation of personnel and replenishment. The vessel, Xiang Yang Hong 3, will "not be conducting any research while in the Maldivian waters", read the statement. The statement further said that Maldives has always been a welcoming destination for "vessels of friendly countries," and continues to host both civilian and military vessels making port calls for peaceful purposes. "Such port calls not only enhance bilateral ties between the Maldives and its partner countries, but also demonstrate the centuries-old tradition of the Maldivian people welcoming vessels from friendly countries," it said. The Chinese ship is likely to dock at the Male port on February 8. However, the Chinese ship enroute through Indian Ocean has raised concerns. New Delhi is closely monitoring the movement of the vessel amid India-Maldives tensions. Reportedly, experts had raised concerns that the China ship conducting research on India waters may pose threat to its military. On Monday, open source intelligence researcher Damien Symon wrote on X, "Xiang Yang Hong 03 is entering the Indian Ocean Region, displaying its destination as Male, the vessel is expected to run an ocean survey operation in the Indian Ocean Region raising concern in India." According to Reuters, an Indian military official confirmed the findings as well. However, no formal statement was issued by India on the vessel's movement. Denying entry to the Chinese ship, Sri Lanka on January 5, said it has declared a moratorium on foreign research ships entering its waters for a year amid concerns from India over Chinese research vessels docking in its neighbourhood. Foreign Ministry spokesman Niluka Kadurugamuwa had said the moratorium relates to all countries and will allow local researchers to build capacity on a par with their foreign counterparts in joint research. The Maldives is India's key maritime neighbour in the IOR and occupies a special place in its initiatives like SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the Neighbourhood First Policy' of the Narendra Modi government. (With PTI inputs) Pakistan's former foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood said that the copy of the controversial cipher had not been returned to the foreign ministry until his retirement. He was recording his statement on Monday in the cipher case involving jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who also is a senior leader from his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). The cipher case pertains to a piece of paper, purported to be a diplomatic cable -- the cipher -- that Khan had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, and naming the US, had claimed that it was evidence' of an international conspiracy to topple his government. Khan and Qureshi, accused of mishandling it for political purposes, were indicted in December 2023 and both have pleaded not guilty. Along with Mahmood, former interior secretary Yousuf Naseem Khokhar and Islamabad Assistant Commissioner Irshad Awaid Bhatti recorded their statements in the case. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the Special Court conducted the hearing in the cipher case in the Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi. The New International reported on Tuesday that Sohail Mahmood said he retired in September 2022, and until then, the copy of the cipher had not been returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, Khan and the Adiala Jail superintendent engaged in a tiff in the courtroom at the end of hearing in the cipher case on Monday. Jail Superintendent Asad Warraich stopped Khan from talking to the media, saying the media came there to cover the hearing and not to touch political issues. We have the right; you can't stop. I refuse to listen to you and will talk to the media, Khan answered. The superintendent and DIG jails drove the media out of the courtroom. Leaving the courtroom, Khan said he was giving a message to all the party workers to come out on the streets next Sunday. Talking informally to the media in the courtroom, Khan said cases against former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif in the Supreme Court and High Courts had been closed and the election commission and the administration were helping him. Nawaz Sharif's son sold a house worth 18 billion Pakistani rupees. Where did all this money come from? They are certified money launderers. Democracy means freedom. All our struggle is for the supremacy of law but they' will never allow it, Khan added. Faced with a housing and employment crisis, Canada has announced that it was bringing in a two-year cap on international student permits with immediate effect. This would entail a decrease of 35% in student permits this year as compared to 2023. A statement from the immigration ministry said this would mean approximately 360,000 approved study permits in 2024. It added that the country would also stop giving work permits to some postgraduate students. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the federal government would work with the provinces, which oversee the educational system, to apply the cap. He said the main reason for the cap is to protect students who attend colleges, which are often private-public partnerships, that provide inadequate services at high costs, but also to ease pressure on housing and services. However, the caps will not affect existing study permit holders or those seeking permit renewals. Masters and doctoral degree pursuits are also exempt from these limitations. Miller had earlier stated that his government was mulling a cap on the number of international students, stating that the system has "gotten out of control." "Some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking support for students and charging high tuition fees, all the while significantly increasing their intake of international students," Miller told reporters on Monday. "This increase is also putting pressure on housing, healthcare and other services," he said, adding that fewer numbers would primarily help lower rent prices. His statement comes as the country faces a housing and employment crisis. Local media reports claim that the federal government was warned by public servants two years ago that its ambitious immigration targets could jeopardise housing affordability. "In Canada, population growth has exceeded the growth in available housing units," their report said. Besides housing and employment, the rapid population growth fueled by immigration has put pressure on services, like healthcare and education. Official data show there were more than 800,000 foreign students with active visas in 2022, up from 275,000 in 2012. The new move is likely to impact students from India, as a sizable chunk of students applying for study permits in Canada are from India. However, the number has come down drastically. Between July and October 2023, the Canadian government processed nearly 87,000 new study permit applications for Indian nationals though this is over 40 percent less than the same period in 2022. While the move could be welcomed by the local population, the cap could be detrimental for Ottawa as the money that comes in from students from abroad is crucial. "There's a real worry happening about the fact that international students who have basically been used as cash cows by our institution are funding many of the programs and services and education for local students because the university is basically at cost for local students," Delphine Robitaille, president of the University of Ottawa Students' Union, told Toronto-based CTV News. "International students pay the bulk of the tuition, so there is a very real worry about what's going to happen now." After a long delay, Turkey is set to approve Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday. Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan is set to vote on Sweden's application about 20 months after Stockholm asked to join NATO following Russia-Ukraine war. After Turkey's approval, Hungary would be the only nation remaining to approve Sweden's membership. Based on its actions, Hungary has said it believes NATO membership is "not a priority" for Sweden. It had pledged not to be the last ally to ratify Sweden's membership, but its parliament is in recess until around mid-February. Last year when Sweden and Finland asked to join NATO, Turkey raised objection over the two countries' protection of groups that Turkey deems as terrorists. Turkey had urged Stockholm to toughen its stance on local members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which the European Union and United States also deem a terrorist group. In response, Stockholm introduced a new anti-terrorism bill that makes being a member of a terrorist organisation illegal, reported Reuters. Sweden, Finland, Canada and the Netherlands also took steps to relax Turkey arms-export policies as well. Erdogan, who sent Sweden's bid to parliament in October, has linked Sweden's ratification to U.S. approval of sales of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Parliament's foreign affairs commission approved the Swedens bid last month, with Erdogan's ruling AK Party, nationalist allies MHP, and main opposition CHP backing it. While the Opposition nationalist and Islamist parties rejected the bid. In the latest Russian airstrikes, at least four people were killed and over 60 were injured in Ukraine. The strikes targeted mostly Kyiv and Kharkiv in the east on Tuesday. According to Ukrainian officials, Russia carried out massive airstrikes causing severe damage to lives and buildings. Governor Oleh Synehubov said three people were killed and 42 wounded in Kharkiv in strikes on apartment buildings. While one person was killed in the industrial city of Pavlohrad in the Dnipropetrovsk region. According to mayor Vitalii Klitschko, 20 people including three children were wounded in Kyiv. Several apartments and non-residential buildings had caught fire as well, said Klitschko. Russia had launched 41 missiles at Ukraine early on Tuesday and air defences destroyed 21 of them, the Ukrainian military said. The enemy launched a combined missile attack on Ukraine, using cruise, ballistic, air and anti-aircraft guided missiles...As a result of combat operations, the air force, in cooperation with the Air Defence Forces, destroyed 15 X-101/X-555/X-55 cruise missiles; 5 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 1 X-59 guided missile, Ukraine's air force said on Telegram. Reportedly, most of the casualties were in Kyiv's central Solomianskyi and western Sviatoshynskyi districts. Stressing on the need for more weapons, the head of the presidential administration, Andriy Yermak, said that "Kharkiv. We are not just a 'fortress'. We need weapons!" Last week, Ukraine had targeted Russia's largest oil terminal in St Petersburg. Energy company Novatek said they had to halt its operations after the fire. Jailed Alexei Navalny in solitary confinement Jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny has been placed in solitary confinement for 10 days in a prison above the Arctic circle for "incorrectly introducing himself" to a guard. According to his spokesperson, Kira Yarmysh, it was the 25th time Navalny had been placed in solitary confinement. Taking to X, Yarmysh said he had spent 283 days in such conditions. Navalny was sentenced to an additional 19 years in prison on top of 11-1/2 years he was already serving. He was found guilty of creating an extremist community, financing extremist activities among other crimes. The US and British militaries bombed multiple targets in eight locations used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities. According to officials, the US and UK used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites, drones and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance. In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats. Britain's Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities and would deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade. One senior US military official told reporters the strikes dropped between 25 and 30 munitions and hit multiple targets in each location, adding that the US observed good impacts and effects at all sites, including the destruction of more advanced weapons in the underground storage facility. The official said this is the first time such advanced weapons were targeted. The official also said fighter jets from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier conducted strikes, and other ships involved included the USS Gravely and USS Mason, both naval destroyers, and the USS Philippine Sea, a cruiser. The joint operation comes about 10 days after US and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. The Houthis' media office said in an online statement Monday that raids targeted Sanaa, Yemen's capital. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak's office said the two leaders agreed to take as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities. Bhubaneswar, Jan 23 (PTI) A joint delegation of a Japanese company and an Indian firm, which have signed an MoU to set up a Rs 59,000-crore plant in Odisha to produce green hydrogen and green ammonia, called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and apprised him of the progress made in the proposed project, officials said on Tuesday. ACME Clean Energy Limited has signed an MoU with Japanese firm IHI Corporation for the project. IHI Corporation is a Japanese engineering company that specialises in manufacturing heavy machinery, aerospace equipment, shipbuilding, green hydrogen, and its derivatives. A delegation from IHI Corporation led by its President & CEO Hiroshi Ide along with ACME Clean Energy Limited team headed by its Chairman Manoj Upadhyay met the chief minister and other senior officials here on Monday. Patnaik who had met IHI officers in April 2023 in Japan asked the delegation to expand green hydrogen and its derivatives footprint in the whole world, officials said. IHI Corporation and ACME inked the pact for collaboration opportunities across the green hydrogen and ammonia value chain, including production, handling, transportation, distribution, and power generation. The ACME Group is setting up a large-scale production facility of green hydrogen and green ammonia at the Gopalpur Industrial Park with an investment of Rs 58,905 crore and employment of 3,700 people. Upadhyay said, We are grateful to CM Naveen Patnaik, the Department of Industries, and other stakeholders for extending support to ACME Groups Green Hydrogen and Green Ammonia project in the state. Speaking during the occasion, the IHI president said that the company is committed to greening initiatives across the world and looks forward to making Odisha the Green Hydrogen Capital. BHUBANESHWAR, India, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mega Job Fair 2024 was successfully conducted in Phulbani for the youth of the Kandhamal parliamentary constituency. This is for the second time the Job Fair was organized by MP Kandhamal Dr. Achyuta Samanta with the support of KIIT, in association with the district administration. Around 13,500 youths got job offers during the job fair held at Kandhamal stadium on 21st January. Of the 13,500 youths, 3,500 were selected by companies operating in Odisha. As many as 10,000 job aspirants were chosen by firms operating across the country. More than 20,000 youths from Kandhamal parliamentary constituency participated in the fair. Youths from 12 blocks of Kandhamal, three each of Boudh and Nayagarh, and two blocks of Ganjam district participated. A record-breaking 120 companies from across Odisha and India joined, offering employment opportunities to over 20,000 youths from the parliamentary constituency. At least 40 companies from Odisha and over 80 firms and industrial houses from other states took part in the job fair. The salaries ranged from Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 35,000. The candidates covered a broad educational spectrum, from standard fifth to post-graduation, B. Tech, MBA, and Law graduates. "Bringing 120 companies to one of Odisha's smallest cities, ensuring hospitality and logistics, and managing the influx of 20,000 youths with transport and food arrangements were enormous tasks, all made possible by the incredible support of the Kandhamal district administration and KIIT's unyielding efforts, fulfilling the vision of Shri Naveen Patnaik, Hon'ble Chief Minister, Odisha towards empowering youth of the state through education and employment," said Dr. Achyuta Samanta, MP, Kandhamal. Dr. Samanta thanked the district administration for their support, the representatives of the 120 companies who travelled to Phulbani, and especially Mr. Lalit Gandhi, President of Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Agriculture, for their invaluable contributions. Among others, MLA, Baliguda and District Planning Board Chairman Chakramani Kanhar; MLA, Phulbani, Angad Kanhar; Rodan Mallick, Chairman, Special Development Council, Kandhamal; Nandini Mallick, Zilla Parisad President, Kandhamal; Collector Asish Iswar Patil; SP Suvendu Patra; Purusottama Mahapatra, Dist. Skill Development-cum-Employment Officer were present on the occasion. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2323469/JobFairPhulbani.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2234144/4508171/KIIT_Logo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR A total of 227 shops were destroyed as a result of a severe fire that broke out at a market selling mainly seafood in Socheon, South Korea, Azernews reports, citing South Korean media. The fire started at night on January 22, local time. Some 45 units of fire equipment and 361 firefighters arrived at the scene. Due to the strong wind, it took about 9 hours to extinguish the fire. No one was at the market since the incident occurred outside of business hours. Although there were no fatalities or injuries, the market was seriously affected. So, of the 292 stores on the market, 227 burned down. The cause of the fire is still unknown. Local authorities advised residents living near the market to leave their homes and stay away from the area due to the possibility of smoke poisoning. On January 23, South Korean President Yoon Seok-yel arrived at the scene. NEW DELHI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were injured Tuesday after a Myanmar military plane overshot the runway at an airport in India's northeastern state of Mizoram, police said. According to officials, there were 14 people onboard the plane at the time of the crash. Mizoram Police Chief Anil Shukla said the aircraft overshot the runway while landing and went into the bushes at around 10:30 a.m. local time, adding that the injured had been taken to the hospital. Twenty-three companies had signed up early for the seventh edition in Shanghai on Jan 9. Among them are big names such as PepsiCo, Tesla, 3M and Bayer. "The CIIE facilitates economic and trade cooperation, and has helped PepsiCo know the Chinese market better," said Daniel Shih, vice-president of corporate affairs, APAC and Greater China at PepsiCo. Highlights of the CIIE in the past six editions Over the past six years, companies from 173 countries and regions have made appearances in the CIIE and achieved tentative transactions worth $424.23 billion. Last year, six-time CIIE exhibitor Singapore Business Federation (SBF) led a delegation of over 500 senior business representatives from 56 Singaporean companies to search fresh market opportunities. "The CIIE remains an essential platform for Singaporean companies to grow their business in the Chinese market, particularly in high-growth areas such as digital innovation and sustainability," said Kok Ping Soon, CEO of the SBF. According to the Australian Trade and Investment Commission, CIIE 2023 had a record attendance of nearly 250 Australian exhibitors. "We're excited to meet Chinese customers and for all CIIE attendees to see the premium products we have to offer," said Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto, the first Fortune Global 500 company to make a 5-year commitment to the expo starting in 2024. The Country Exhibition allowed 72 countries and international organizations to showcase their scientific and technological achievements, culture and art. "Thanks to the CIIE, our products like black tea, chocolates and coconut oil are now popular in China, and many Sri Lankan farmers have improved their lives as a result," said six-time CIIE participant Giguruwa Gamage Sathyajith Prasada from Sri Lanka. A group of people posing for a photoDescription automatically generated High-profile government officials, Nobel Prize laureates, and senior executives of industrial pacesetters attended the sixth China International Import Expo, which was held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, 2023 Hongqiao International Economic Forum spotlights global issues This years Hongqiao Forum will feature more globally renowned speakers who will share their insights on key international issues. Subsequent seminars will be conducted to invite opinions and suggestions for the topics to be discussed during the seventh Hongqiao Forum. As a crucial part of the expo, the sixth Hongqiao International Economic Forum, also known as Hongqiao Forum, had a record attendance of over 8,000 participants and featured 22 sub-forums covering a range of subjects. High-profile government officials, Nobel Prize laureates, and senior executives of industrial pacesetters from across the world were invited to discuss global issues such as financial reform and innovation, digital governance, and green investment. "The Hongqiao Forum is showing increasingly extensive influence worldwide. We regard the forum as a premier platform to enhance global communication and promote sustainable development," said Wang Dawei, economics affairs officer at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. CIIE 2024 welcomes more participants The seventh CIIE will kick off another series of global roadshows from January 23 to 31 in Sri Lanka, Singapore and Australia, and more local firms are invited to participate in CIIE 2024 and embrace the vast Chinese market. To date, more than 300 companies have booked over 130,000 square meters of exhibition area for CIIE 2024, which will take place from November 5 to 10 in Shanghai. Grab your spot now at: https://www.ciie.org/exhibition/f/book/register?locale=en&from=press (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Mediawire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR Featuring in a creative campaign for the Sofy Anti-Bacteria range, Sara Ali Khan inspires girls to embrace periods fearlessly TVC Link: https://youtu.be/TnrFcNAFxK0 DELHI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sofy, the leading feminine hygiene brand by Unicharm, is delighted to on-board popular Bollywood celebrity Sara Ali Khan as its new brand ambassador. This partnership aims to resonate with the aspirations of GenZ girls who seek confidence, comfort, and worry-free periods in their fast-paced lives. Unicharm, a global leader in the field of hygiene products, stands at the forefront of innovation and quality, catering to diverse needs in the personal care category. As the driving force behind Sofy, Unicharm has continuously met the evolving demands of consumers, particularly in the realm of feminine hygiene. From manufacturing products for both period and non-period days, Sofy sells top-quality sanitary napkins, tampons and pantyliners all around the world. Sara Ali Khan, known for her dynamic presence and relatable persona, is all set to represent Sofy AntiBacteria range in a captivating new TVC. The commercial, showcasing a day in Sara's life, emphasizes her hectic routine, effortlessly balancing professional commitments and personal life. Sofy's long-hour leakage protection ensures that Sara can conquer each day without the concern of leakage, smell, or bacteria. Vijay Chaudhary, Managing Director, Unicharm, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "We are excited to have Sara Ali Khan as the face of our brand, empowering young girls to relentlessly pursue their dreams. At Unicharm, we have pioneered advancements in research and technology over years, positioning us as a trusted ally in promoting health and comfort in everyday life. The collaboration with Sara Ali Khan as the brand ambassador for Sofy further underlines Unicharm's dedication in meeting the hygiene needs of girls during periods by offering them the highest product standards. Sara Ali Khan shared her excitement about the partnership, stating, "In a world where every step counts, I believe in living life without compromises. Sofy supports my long day shoots, prevents leaks, and ensures hygiene throughout the day. Every girl deserves a partner that understands her dreams and supports her journey, and Sofy has always been my trusted partner. With this association, I take pride in endorsing a product that aligns with the aspirations of the youth today to embrace a lifestyle that's ambitious and fearless." The TVC spotlights on the unique features of Sofy AntiBacteria XL+, promising Deep Absorption, and extra protection from leakage and smell. The highly differentiated Sofy Antibacteria product ensures hygiene from bacterial infection due to an innovative antibacterial sheet. The +30% Deep Absorption Power prevents leakage while the infusion of natural herbs prevents smell while maintaining hygiene during periods. Sofy stands out as a reliable solution, offering the confidence and comfort that modern, active girls seek thus making it the ideal choice for staying worry-free and confident during their periods.As the brand says, "hum aage aage duniya peeche peeche," Sofy remains dedicated to supporting girls on their journey to greatness. Talking about the campaign Bhavana Dogra, Sr. VP & EBD, VML India said: "We are proud to have worked with team Sofy on their latest campaign with Sara Ali Khan. Sara represents the young girl of today who is confident, aspirational and can't let fear of periods come in the way of achieving her dreams. Sara Ali Khan delivers the brand message well and is someone the girls look upon." (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR NEW DELHI, Jan. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout January and February 2024, SI-UK India will hold 10 UK University Fairs across India, helping students capitalise on the UK study boom. The SI-UK UK University Fair is the starting point for international students wishing to study in the UK from September 2024 and offers a unique opportunity to meet universities, language schools and foundation providers face-to-face. Lakshmi Iyer, SI-UK India Managing Director, is looking forward to the prospect of welcoming so many students to the events: "As a new application period begins, there is enormous demand from students to learn more about studying in the UK from September 2024 and beyond. Each of our Fairs is a unique opportunity for aspiring students to speak to UK universities in a private one-to-one setting. We look forward to welcoming record numbers." University and Student Attendance Over 60 exhibitors are booked to attend, including top 10 UK universities such as Imperial College London, the University of Bath and Durham University, and other leading London institutions, including King's College London, Royal Holloway and City, University of London. What happens at the SI-UK University Fair? One-to-one interaction with university representatives about undergraduate, postgraduate, and foundation courses Selected universities make on-the-spot offers to students who impressed Free counselling sessions before and at the event to ensure students knew who to speak to on the day Free visa and English language advice January - February 2024 India UK University Fair Schedule Date City Venue Timing 24th January Delhi Shangri-La Eros Hotel, New Delhi 11-4 pm 30th January Kochi Marriott Hotel, Edappally, Kochi 11-4 pm 1 February Coimbatore Vivanta by Taj, Race Course Road, Coimbatore 11-4 pm 3 February Chennai Hyatt Regency, Anna Salai, Chennai 11-4 pm 3 February Ahmedabad Hyatt Ahmedabad 11-4 pm 4 February Bangalore Taj MG Road, Bengaluru 11-4 pm 8 February Kolkata The Park, Park Street, Kolkata 11-4 pm 9 February Indore Radisson Blu Hotel Indore 11-4 pm 10 February Mumbai St. Regis, Lower Parel, Mumbai 11-4 pm 11 February Pune O Hotel, Koregaon Park, Pune 11-4 pm SI-UK SI-UK provides free and independent advice to international students applying to study in the UK. We believe international students should have access to trusted, expert advice about UK universities and courses and be supported by professional and experienced advisers throughout their whole journey: from the first tentative enquiries, the application process, and right up to their arrival in the UK and throughout their life at university. UK University Fair in India Free entry for Indian students by registering online. https://www.studyin-uk.com/india/events/ For the latest news, follow SI-UK India on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. CONTACT: United Knowledge Education Consultants Pvt Ltd Suite 9-13, 1st Floor, Indra Palace, H Block Middle Circle, Connaught Place, Opposite H&M, New Delhi 110001 Delhi India T: +91-11-4202-8200 E: delhi@studyin-uk.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2162793/SIUKIndia_Logo.jpg (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with PRNewswire and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR PWR Bhopal, Jan 23 (PTI) Union Minister for Coal and Mines Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday said for the first time, the country's coal production is going to cross 1 billion tonne. India is going to stop the import of substitutable coal from next year, Joshi said at the second State Mining Ministers' Conference here. The union minister said there are going to be many difficulties in the coming days as the country will have to do gasification of coal. "Along with these things (difficulties), as far as coal is concerned, this time we are going to cross production of one billion tonnes. This is happening for the first time... I am assuring the country that we are going to stop the import of all substitutable coal from next year," Joshi said. According to him, like petroleum and natural gas, the mining ministry is also very important for the country's economy to grow and become the third largest in the world. Further, he said that the mining revenue of Odisha was Rs 5,000 crore in 2013-14 and after the auction was resumed in 2018, it went up to Rs 25,000 crore. When the Centre liberalised the policies and clearances, the revenue went up to Rs 49,000 crore in 2022-23, he added. Joshi also said that the prime minister told him to remember that it is a 'sin' to import minerals which are available in the country. Noting that the world order is changing, Joshi said, India will be at the forefront in the 21st century. The theme of the conference is 'Mining and Beyond', which had participants from prominent companies of mining, exploration, consultancies and startups. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also addressed the gathering. On the occasion, Madhya Pradesh was also given the 'Award of Appreciation' for securing first place in the mineral block auction in the country during 2022-23. Kolkata, Jan 23 (PTI) CESC Ltd, RP Sanjiv Goenka group's flagship company, is looking to acquire over 50,000 acres in Rajasthan and Gujarat to fuel its 3 GW hybrid renewable energy portfolio. The company is exploring possibilities to make substantial investments in renewable energy generation of up to 3 GW in a hybrid portfolio through its subsidiaries in more than one state in the country. The company's green ambition envisages a mix of solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects. "We are carrying out a study exploring increasing our renewable energy footprint and partially meeting renewables purchase obligations of our distribution business," a top company official told PTI. "About 250 acres in Bikaner is under physical possession. An application has been submitted for Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation registration and transmission connectivity. (We are) in advanced stages of acquisition for another 2,000 acres," the official said. An Expression of Interest (EoI) has been submitted to the Gujarat government for about 20,000 hectares (over 49,000 acres) to develop a solar-wind hybrid portfolio, he said. CESC Projects Ltd, a subsidiary of CESC Ltd, has recently emerged as the winning bidder for a green hydrogen production facility. The project, with a capacity of 10,500 MT per annum, falls under the "Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition" scheme by the Solar Energy Corporation of India. On a consolidated basis, CESC has five thermal power plants, one solar power unit, and six distribution licences. In the December quarter, CESC reported a 10 per cent decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 331 crore, compared to the corresponding period last year. The total revenue during the quarter was Rs 3,301 crore, 2 per cent higher than Rs 3,224 crore registered in FY23. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The government has increased import duty on gold and silver findings and coins to 15 per cent by imposing a 5 per cent Agriculture Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC). An AIDC of 4.35 per cent has also been levied on 'spent catalyst or ash containing precious metals', said a notification of the Central Board Of Indirect Taxes & Customs (CBIC). AIDC has been imposed in addition to the basic customs duty of 10 per cent with an aim to bring the incidence of import duty on precious metals at par with bullion. 'Gold or silver findings' means a small component such as hook, clasp, clamp, pin, catch, or screw back, used to hold the whole or a part of a piece of jewellery. The additional duty came into effect from January 22. In the 2021-22 Budget, the government had introduced AIDC cess on certain items to fund agricultural infrastructure. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) Edtech major Think and Learn, operating under brand BYJU'S, on Tuesday said its operational loss widened to Rs 6,679 crore in FY22, mainly due to losses incurred by subsidiaries White Hat Jr and Osmo. Think and Learn posted an operational loss (EBITDA) of Rs 4,143 crore in FY 2021, the company said in a regulatory filing. Its revenue more than doubled to Rs 5,298.43 crore in FY22 from Rs 2,428.39 crore in FY21. "Underperforming assets were primarily White Hat Jr (WHJ) and OSMO (Tangible Play), which amounts to 45 per cent of the losses at around Rs 3,800 crore," BYJU'S said. Excluding WHJ and Palo Alto-based edtech start-up OSMO, BYJU'S recorded three-fold growth year-on-year in its total income in FY22. BYJU'S subsidiaries Aakash and Great Learning grew 40 per cent and 77 per cent, respectively, immediately after the acquisition. Aakash revenue increased by 40 per cent to Rs 1,491 crore in FY22 from Rs 1,065 crore in FY21. Great Learning posted an 80 per cent rise in revenue to Rs 628 crore in FY22 against Rs 354 crore in the preceding fiscal. The auditor observed that a material uncertainty exists that may cast significant doubt on the companys ability to continue as a going concern due to continuing net losses from operations and accumulated losses, in addition to the uncertainty related to the outcome of the litigation and its financial impact thereon in respect of the USD 1.2 billion Term Loan B facility (TLB Loan) availed by BYJU'S Alpha Inc. However, based on a legal opinion, the management has shared its view that it is unlikely that the TLB loan will be required to be paid in the foreseeable future. "The management has undertaken various measures to improve its operating financial condition, (and) is also in the process of securing necessary funding arrangements and exploring a sale of assets as needed, and hence is confident regarding the future viability of the company," the auditor note said. Mumbai, Jan 23 (PTI) Actor Kangana Ranaut's latest movie Emergency will release in theatres on June 14, the makers announced on Tuesday. The movie, also written and directed by Ranaut, features the actor in the role of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. "'Emergency' is my most ambitious project and second directorial post-'Manikarnika', we have the best of Indian and international talent come together for this big budget, grand period drama," the actor said in a statement. The film was previously set to be released in theatres on November 24, 2023 but was postponed due to changes in Ranaut's schedule. Produced by Zee Studios and Manikarnika Films, "Emergency" is touted as a mega budget depiction of the most controversial spectacle in the history of Indian Democracy. "Standing at the core of this is one of the most sensational leaders of all time the first woman prime minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi," the official logline read. The film also features Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair and the late Satish Kaushik. Ritesh Shah, known for Pink, has penned the screenplay and dialogues of the movie. Washington, Jan 23 (AP) For the first time since Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin established the international group to support Ukraine in April 2022, the United States will host the monthly gathering of about 50 countries out of money, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that Ukraine needs to fend off Russia. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraine's fight, the US will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Tuesday's meeting will focus on longer-term needs, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters on Monday. Even though we aren't able to provide our security assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that, Singh said. The meeting will be virtual because Austin is still recuperating at home from complications of treatment for prostate cancer. The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on December 27, a USD 250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other high-demand items drawn from existing US1/23/2024 11:31:29 AM stockpiles. The US has not been able to provide additional munitions since then because the money for replenishing those stockpiles has run out and Congress has yet to approve more funds. More than USD 110 billion in aid for both Ukraine and Israel is stalled over disagreements between Congress and the White House over other policy priorities, including additional security for the US-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Russia has shown no willingness to end its conflict in Ukraine, and on Monday the United Nations ruled out any peace plan backed by Kyiv and the West. The US has provided Ukraine more than USD 44.2 billion in security assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022. About USD 23.6 billion of that was pulled from existing military stockpiles and almost USD 19 billion was sent in the form of longer-term military contracts, for items that will take months to procure. So even though funds have run out, some previously purchased weapons will continue to flow in. An additional USD 1.7 billion has been provided by the US State Department in the form of foreign military financing. The US and approximately 30 international partners are also continuing to train Ukrainian forces, and to date have trained a total of 118,000 Ukrainians at locations around the world, said Col. Marty O'Donnell, spokesman for US Army Europe and Africa. The United States has trained approximately 18,000 of those fighters, including approximately 16,300 soldiers in Germany. About 1,500 additional fighters are currently going through training. (AP) GRS GRS Colombo, Jan 23 (PTI) A group of Sri Lankan Tamil legislators has sought Indias intervention to ensure that Colombo fully implements the New Delhi-mooted 13th Amendment, which provides for the devolution of power to the minority community, a source here said on Tuesday. The group led by the veteran politician R Sampanthan met India's new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, on Monday, said the source from the Tamil National Alliance, which represents Sri Lanka's Tamil minority. The two-hour-long talks were centred on the 13A, which created the provincial councils system for the island nation's nine provinces. The Tamil parties pointed out the need for Indias intervention in the current Sri Lankan political context for the meaningful devolution of power, the source said. They also highlighted the issue of the Tamil political prisoners and the Tamil land grabbing by the state. India has been pressing Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment brought in after the Indo-Sri Lankan agreement of 1987. The 13A provides for the devolution of power to the Tamil community. The 13A became a part of Sri Lankas constitution in 1987 through the direct intervention of the then-Indian government led by prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as part of the Indo-Lanka Accord. President Ranil Wickremesinghe has held talks with Tamil political parties for the implementation of 13A without the police powers to the provinces. However, the proposal was shot down by the powerful Buddhist clergy, who have traditionally opposed any power-sharing proposals with the Tamil minority, claiming that the move could endanger the unitary state of Sri Lanka. Since the elimination of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the moderate Tamil leaders have called for a devolved solution within a united Sri Lanka. The LTTE, which fought for a Tamil homeland for nearly 30 years, had rejected the 13A. They fought the Indian Army deployed as part of the Indo-Lanka Accord until they were fully withdrawn in 1990. The current Tamil political parties are sceptical of the political will of the majority Sinhala to fully implement the 13A. The Tamils put forward their demand for autonomy since gaining independence from Britain in 1948, which, from the mid-70s, turned into a bloody armed conflict. Over the years, the Sri Lankan government has been aggressive against Tamilian groups following its war with LTTE, which collapsed in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. WELLINGTON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government decided on Tuesday to send a small defense team to the Middle East to safeguard Red Sea shipping, but the opposition party said the deployment will further inflame tensions in the region. New Zealand is deploying a six-member New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) team to uphold maritime security in the Red Sea to ensure global trade, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said after this year's first cabinet meeting. "This deployment, as part of an international coalition, is a continuation of New Zealand's long history of defending freedom of navigation both in the Middle East and closer to home," Luxon said. Almost 15 percent of global trade goes through the Red Sea, and the Houthi attacks are driving costs higher for exporters and causing delays to shipments, he said. Houthi attacks against commercial and naval shipping are illegal, unacceptable and profoundly destabilizing, he said, adding the deployed team will contribute to the collective self-defense of ships in the Middle East. No NZDF personnel or ship will enter Yemen, said the prime minister, adding it is part of a continuous New Zealand defense contribution to maritime security in the Middle East since 2013. Acting unilaterally or in concert with its allies and partners, the U.S. military has launched eight rounds of strikes against Houthi targets since Jan. 12. Commenting on these attacks, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said "these efforts support international security and the free flow of trade on which New Zealanders rely," adding New Zealand cares deeply about regional security because its economic and strategic interests depend on it. New Zealand Defense Minister Judith Collins said the Houthi attacks showed a disregard for international law, peace and stability, and the coalition response is an inevitable consequence of their actions. However, the opposition Green Party said New Zealand's deployment to the Red Sea is to "further inflame tensions in the Middle East." The deployment is to conclude no later than July 31. Beijing/Kunming, Jan 23 (PTI) The death toll from a landslide that struck southwest China's mountainous Yunnan province has climbed to 31, with scores of others still missing, local authorities said on Tuesday. Thirty-one people were confirmed dead after a landslide struck a village in Zhenxiong County, southwest China's Yunnan Province on Monday, state-run CGTN reported quoting local authorities. The landslide occurred in Liangshui village in Zhaotong city on Monday morning, trapping a total of 47 people. Situated in the cold mountainous region of the province, where snow persists for days, the rescue site remains covered in a thick layer of snow. More than 1,000 rescue workers equipped with 45 rescue dogs and 120 vehicles, including excavators, loaders and transport vehicles, were carrying out search and rescue work at the site. As many as 33 firefighting vehicles and 10 loading machines were also mobilised to search for the missing. The government has also deployed the military and militias for the rescue operation. A total of 104 militia members in Zhenxiong County were also mobilised. The Ministry of Emergency Management upgraded the emergency response level to the second-highest level from the Level-III emergency response for disaster relief activated by the Provincial Commission for Disaster Reduction immediately after the landslide. The ministry dispatched teams to the disaster-hit area to guide the rescue and relief work, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. The Chinese government has allocated funds totalling 50 million Yuan (about USD 7 million) to support disaster relief and emergency rescue work focusing on search and rescue, the relocation of affected people, secondary disaster detection, the repair of damaged homes, and other areas, the report said. Preliminary investigation by an expert group determined that the landslide was triggered by the collapse of a steep cliff-top area, said Wu Junyao, Director of the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of Zhaotong. The collapsed mass was approximately 100 metres wide and 60 metres tall, with an average thickness of around 6 metres, the report quoted him as saying. Following the disaster, local authorities are also assisting those affected, ensuring proper support and settlement measures are in place. Over 200 tents, 400 quilts, 600 cotton coats and 14 sets of emergency lighting equipment were provided to those affected. A total of 213 residents have also been evacuated to safer locations. The rescue officials outlined the primary search area through a comparative analysis of images before and after the disaster, determining the locations of the buried houses, the report said "According to the arrangements of shifts by the headquarters, the search and rescue efforts persist through the night," said firefighter Li Shenglong. Numerous residents from nearby villages also rushed to the scene to provide support, the report said. On Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered an all-out search and rescue of the people missing in the landslide. "[We should] promptly organise rescue teams, make all-out efforts to search for missing individuals, and minimise casualties to the greatest extent possible," Xi said. Washington, Jan 23 (AP) The US and British militaries bombed multiple targets in eight locations used by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen on Monday night, the second time the two allies have conducted coordinated retaliatory strikes on an array of the rebels' missile-launching capabilities. According to officials, the US and UK used warship- and submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles and fighter jets to take out Houthi missile storage sites, drones and launchers. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation, said Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands contributed to the mission, including with intelligence and surveillance. In a joint statement, the six allied nations said the strikes specifically targeted a Houthi underground storage site and locations associated with the Houthis' missile and air surveillance capabilities. They added, Our aim remains to de-escalate tensions and restore stability in the Red Sea, but let us reiterate our warning to Houthi leadership: we will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats. Britain's Ministry of Defense confirmed that four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets struck multiple targets at two military sites in the vicinity of Sanaa airfield with precision-guided bombs. The strikes, said Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, were aimed at degrading Houthi capabilities and would deal another blow to their limited stockpiles and ability to threaten global trade. One senior US military official told reporters the strikes dropped between 25 and 30 munitions and hit multiple targets in each location, adding that the US observed good impacts and effects at all sites, including the destruction of more advanced weapons in the underground storage facility. The official said this is the first time such advanced weapons were targeted. The official also said fighter jets from the USS Dwight D Eisenhower aircraft carrier conducted strikes, and other ships involved included the USS Gravely and USS Mason, both naval destroyers, and the USS Philippine Sea, a cruiser. The joint operation comes about 10 days after US and British warships and fighter jets struck more than 60 targets in 28 locations. That was the first U.S. military response to what has been a persistent campaign of Houthi drone and missile attacks on commercial ships since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October. The Houthis' media office said in an online statement Monday that raids targeted Sanaa, Yemen's capital. And Jamal Hassan, a resident from south Sanaa, told The Associated Press that two strikes landed near his home, setting off car alarms in the street. An Associated Press journalist in Sanaa also heard aircraft flying above the skies of Sanaa overnight Monday. Al-Masirah, a Houthi-run satellite news channel, said there were raids on three areas of Sanaa: al-Dailami Air Base just north of the capital, Sarif, northeast of the city center, and al-Hafa, which is south of Sanaa. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with President Joe Biden earlier Monday. Sunak's office said the two leaders agreed to take as needed, targeted military action to degrade Houthi capabilities. The latest barrage of allied attacks marks the eighth time the US has conducted strikes on Houthi sites since January 12. And it follows an almost-daily assault on Houthi missile launchers by U.S. fighter jets and ship-based Tomahawks over the past week. The rapid response missions, which officials said go after launchers that are armed and ready to fire, demonstrate the military's increasing ability to watch, detect and strike militant activities in Yemen. The chaotic wave of attacks and reprisals involving the United States, its allies and foes suggests that the retaliatory strikes haven't deterred the Houthis from their campaign against Red Sea shipping, and that the broader regional war that the U.S. has spent months trying to avoid is becoming closer to reality. For months, the Houthis have attacked ships in the region's waterways that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. They say their attacks aim to end the Israeli air-and-ground offensive in the Gaza Strip that was triggered by the Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 7 attack in southern Israel. But any such links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as the attacks continue. The US and allies warned of retaliation for weeks, and the White House and a host of partner nations issued a final warning on January 3 to the Houthis to cease the attacks or face potential military action. That threat, however, had little noticeable effect. The Houthis continued to attack ships in the region, including at times appearing to target US Navy and US-owned ships, in addition to the wide range of commercial vessels. Of the eight strike missions on Yemen this month, all but the two with Britain were conducted by the U.S. military alone. Five of the latest strikes were labeled self-defense to take out missiles ready to fire. The most recent, on Saturday, struck and destroyed a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed into the Gulf of Aden and was prepared to launch, according to Central Command. The Biden administration has also put the Houthis back on its list of specially designated global terrorists. The sanctions that come with the formal designation are meant to sever violent extremist groups from their sources of financing, while also allowing vital humanitarian aid to continue flowing to impoverished Yemenis. U.S. defense officials have said they believe the strikes have degraded the Houthis' weapons and strike capabilities. But Biden and others have acknowledged that the rebels are well-equipped by Iran and are likely to continue the attacks. The Houthis, meanwhile, have made it clear that they have no intention of scaling back their assault. In the wake of the first U.S. and British joint attack, Hussein al-Ezzi, a Houthi official in their Foreign Ministry, said, America and Britain will undoubtedly have to prepare to pay a heavy price and bear all the dire consequences of this blatant aggression. The continued harassment of the ships has driven the U.S. and international partners to take extraordinary steps to defend them through a joint mission named Operation Prosperity Guardian, in which they provide a protective umbrella for vessels traveling the critical waterway that runs from the Suez Canal down to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. About 400 commercial vessels transit the southern Red Sea at any given time. And the ongoing violence has prompted companies to reroute their ships, sending them around Africa through the Cape of Good Hope instead a much longer and less efficient passage. (AP) MNK MNK Washington, Jan 23 (AP) For the first time since Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established the international group to support Ukraine in April 2022, the United States will host the monthly gathering of about 50 countries out of money, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that Ukraine needs to fend off Russia's invasion. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraine's fight, the US will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Tuesday's meeting will focus on longer-term needs, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters. Even though we aren't able to provide our security assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that, Singh said. On Tuesday in Brussels, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced a new USD 1.2 billion joint contract to buy more than 2,22,000 rounds of 155 mm ammunition. The rounds are some of the most heavily used munitions in this conflict, and the contract will be used to backfill allies that have pushed their own reserves to Kyiv. While the conflict between Israel and Hamas has dominated headlines since October, Russia's bloody onslaught of Ukraine has continued. Russia on Tuesday launched a barrage of more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles into Ukraine's two biggest cities, damaging apartment buildings and killing at least five people. The assault came a day after Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv and its Western allies to end the almost two-year war. Ukraine's air defenses were able to intercept at least 21 of the missiles, however, the attacks injured at least 20 people in four districts of Kyiv, the capital. Additional air defense systems and munitions for them remain a top need of Ukraine, Singh said Monday. The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on December 27, a USD 250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other high-demand items drawn from existing US stockpiles. The US has not been able to provide additional munitions since then because the money for replenishing those stockpiles has run out and Congress has yet to approve more funds. More than USD 110 billion in aid for both Ukraine and Israel is stalled over disagreements between Congress and the White House over other policy priorities, including additional security for the US-Mexico border. The meeting will be virtual because Austin is still recuperating at home from complications of treatment for prostate cancer. The US has provided Ukraine more than USD 44.2 billion in security assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022. About USD 23.6 billion of that was pulled from existing military stockpiles and almost USD 19 billion was sent in the form of longer-term military contracts, for items that will take months to procure. So even though funds have run out, some previously purchased weapons will continue to flow in. An additional USD 1.7 billion has been provided by the US State Department in the form of foreign military financing. The US and approximately 30 international partners are also continuing to train Ukrainian forces, and to date have trained a total of 1,18,000 Ukrainians at locations around the world, said Col Marty O'Donnell, spokesman for US Army Europe and Africa. The United States has trained approximately 18,000 of those fighters, including approximately 16,300 soldiers in Germany. About 1,500 additional fighters are currently going through training. (AP) NPK NPK Manila (Philippines), Jan 23 (AP) A Filipino fishing boat captain protested on Tuesday the Chinese coast guard's aggression in the disputed South China Sea where he said Chinese officers drove him and his men away from a disputed shoal and ordered them to dump their catch back to sea. The face-to-face confrontation on January 12, which Filipino fisherman Joely Saligan and his men reported belatedly to Manila's coast guard after returning from the sea voyage, is testing efforts by China and Philippines to deescalate tensions in a potential Asian flashpoint. At a January 17 meeting in Shanghai, Beijing and Manila agreed to take steps to ease tensions after a year of high-seas territorial face offs between their ships in the sea passage, one of the world's busiest. The hostilities have sparked fears of a major armed conflict that could involve Washington, Manila's longtime treaty ally. The fishermen, led by Saligan, reported to the Philippine coast guard that Chinese coast guard personnel drove them away from the disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines on January 12 and ordered them to dump their catch of fish and seashells back to the sea. The confrontation happened on a coral outcrop, which juts out of the high seas like an islet at low tide. Saligan and his men took a dinghy from their mother boat and went to collect seashells and fish for food during their sea voyage. However, five Chinese coast guard personnel, three of them armed with steel batons, followed by boat, alighted on the islet and ordered the fishermen to leave. One Chinese officer tried to confiscate the cell phone of a Filipino fisherman, who resisted by pushing away the officer's hand. Both sides were documenting the confrontation either with video cameras or cell phones, Saligan said. "This is Philippine territory. Go away, Saligan said he told the Chinese coast guard personnel, who he said insisted that they leave the shoal immediately. The Chinese did not speak and used hand gestures, he said. They looked angry. They wanted us to return our catch to the sea, Saligan told a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, in Manila. That's inhuman because that was food which people should not be deprived of." Saligan said he decided to dump some of their seashells and fish back in the sea and returned by boat to his mother boat, the F/V Vhrayle, to prevent the dispute from escalating. Chinese officials did not immediately comment on Saligan's statements. In past disputes over the Scarborough Shoal, however, Beijing has asserted China's sovereignty and the right to defend the rich fishing atoll from encroachments. Philippine coast guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the written statements and video submitted by Saligan and his men have been validated as accurate by the coast guard. A report would be submitted to a multi-agency government group dealing with the long-simmering territorial disputes for possible actions, including the filing of a new diplomatic protest against China. "Those actions were really illegal and the harassment that they did to our Filipino fishermen were unacceptable, Tarriela said in a news briefing. The Philippine coast guard remained confident, however, that the agreement by China and the Philippines to lower tensions would have a positive impact and foster a peaceful resolution of the long-seething disputes, Tarriela said. Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships engaged in a series of alarmingly tense hostilities last year mostly off the Second Thomas Shoal, another hotly contested area in the South China Sea. The Philippine government repeatedly protested the Chinese coast guard's use of water cannon, a military-grade laser and dangerous blocking maneuvers that had caused minor collisions off the Philippine-occupied shoal. The United States has warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China has repeatedly warned of unspecified circumstances if the US and its allies continue to meddle in the disputes. (AP) NPK NPK Abuja (Nigeria), Jan 23 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said India is "betting on Africa's rise" and the rebalancing and the multipolarity of the world will not be complete until the continent takes its due place. Addressing the Nigeria-India Business Council (NIBC) here, the minister said the rebalancing and reordering of a new global order will only happen when the core of it is economic, which is the rise of Africa has to be the economic rise of Africa. "Now, that obviously presents choices, because it is very difficult to go up in the global order by being a market for others or just by being a provider of resources," he said. "Africa," Jaishankar said, "is rising, and India is betting on Africa's rise." India is betting on Africa's rise because, by any objective assessment, today there is "so much growing for Africa in terms of demography, in terms of resources, in terms of ambition, in terms of, increasingly, of policy alignments". That clearly potent, a very different, much more positive future in the very short term, he said. "We are betting on Africa because...we have a shared past, not always a happy history, not between us, but between us and some other people. But it is a history which has engendered an enormous solidarity. And that solidarity today makes me say very clearly that for us, when we speak about a changing global order...the reordering of the world, the rebalancing, the multipolarity of the world will not be complete until Africa takes its due place," Jaishankar said. He said digital public infrastructure, green and clean growth, water, agricultural sustainability and security, and blue economy are some of the areas where the partnership between India and Africa can grow. The minister, who arrived in Nigeria on Sunday after attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Uganda, concluded his two-nation tour with the address to the NIBC. He is the first foreign minister from India to visit Nigeria. Noting that there is about USD 13 to 15 billion worth of trade annually between India and Nigeria and New Delhi has committed nearly USD 30 billion investment in the country, Jaishankar said Nigeria is India's premier economic partner in Africa. "But having said that," he asserted, "I would also urge you not to be satisfied, to look at the potential...India's exports in the year that has just been completed was USD 766 billion...and I'm sure, you would surely like, (that) a larger part of that share to come to Nigeria." To build up the business relationship even more strongly, the governments of both the countries should find constructive and practical solutions to challenges related to banking, insurance, credit guarantees, flight connections, and trade settlements, Jaishankar said. Kathmandu, Jan 23 (PTI) Nepal foreign minister N P Saud has said that the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya is a "proud moment for all the followers of Sanatana Dharma" and Lord Ram and Mata Sita symbolise the profound cultural and civilisational linkages between India and the Himalayan nation. In a late night post on X on Monday, Saud said, Maryada Purushottam Sri Rama and Mata Sita, daughter of Nepal, were the epitomes of courage, sacrifice, justice and righteousness. "Jay Shree Ram! Inauguration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir by Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji and accomplishment of sacred Prana Pratishtha ceremony today is a proud moment for all the followers of Sanatan Dharma," he wrote, sharing a picture of the Ram Lalla idol. The new Ram Lalla idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on Monday, an event led by Prime Minister Modi who said it marked the advent of a new era. Lakhs of people across the globe watched the pran pratishtha ceremony on television at their homes and in neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the historic event. Saud said Lord Ram and Mata Sita symbolise "the profound cultural and civilisational linkage" between Nepal and India. "May their virtues and ideals continue to lead us to the service of humanity!," he said. Nepal's former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also congratulated Prime Minister Modi on the occasion. "Congratulations to Prime Minister @narendramodi Ji on the inauguration of Ayodhya Ram Mandir. The sacred Prana Pratishtha ceremony signifies a moment of pride for all followers of Sanatan Dharma. Jai Shree Ram!, he posted on X on Tuesday. Nepal's Janakpurdham, the birthplace of goddess Sita, on Monday, decked up for the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, with temple authorities decorating the Janaki temple with garlands and flowers. As many as 1.25 lakh earthen lamps were lit to celebrate the auspicious occasion of 'pran pratistha'. Hindus in Janakpurdham, who joined the celebrations with multiple cultural and religious festivities, wrote "Jai Siyaram" with flowers. Mata Sita's other name is Janaki, daughter of King Janak of Janakpur. It is 500 km east of Ayodhya and has been a symbol of the ancient bond shared by India and Nepal. Islamabad, Jan 23 (PTI) Pakistans former foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood said that the copy of the controversial cipher had not been returned to the foreign ministry until his retirement. He was recording his statement on Monday in the cipher case involving jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who also is a senior leader from his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI). The cipher case pertains to a piece of paper, purported to be a diplomatic cable -- the cipher -- that Khan had waved at a public rally on March 27, 2022, and naming the US, had claimed that it was evidence of an international conspiracy to topple his government. Khan and Qureshi, accused of mishandling it for political purposes, were indicted in December 2023 and both have pleaded not guilty. Along with Mahmood, former interior secretary Yousuf Naseem Khokhar and Islamabad Assistant Commissioner Irshad Awaid Bhatti recorded their statements in the case. Judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain of the Special Court conducted the hearing in the cipher case in the Adiala Jail of Rawalpindi. The New International reported on Tuesday that Sohail Mahmood said he retired in September 2022, and until then, the copy of the cipher had not been returned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, Khan and the Adiala Jail superintendent engaged in a tiff in the courtroom at the end of hearing in the cipher case on Monday. Jail Superintendent Asad Warraich stopped Khan from talking to the media, saying the media came there to cover the hearing and not to touch political issues. We have the right; you cant stop. I refuse to listen to you and will talk to the media, Khan answered. The superintendent and DIG jails drove the media out of the courtroom. Leaving the courtroom, Khan said he was giving a message to all the party workers to come out on the streets next Sunday. Talking informally to the media in the courtroom, Khan said cases against former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) head Nawaz Sharif in the Supreme Court and High Courts had been closed and the election commission and the administration were helping him. Nawaz Sharifs son sold a house worth 18 billion Pakistani rupees. Where did all this money come from? They are certified money launderers. Democracy means freedom. All our struggle is for the supremacy of law but they will never allow it, Khan added. Manila, Jan 23 (AP) A Filipino fishing boat captain protested on Tuesday the Chinese coast guard's aggression in the disputed South China Sea, where he asserted that Chinese officers drove him and his men away from a disputed shoal and ordered them to dump their catch in the sea. The face-to-face confrontation on January 12, which Joely Saligan and his men reported to Manila's coast guard after returning from the voyage, is testing efforts by China and the Philippines to deescalate tensions around a potential Asian flashpoint. At a January 17 meeting in Shanghai, Beijing and Manila agreed to take steps to ease tensions after a year of high-seas confrontations between their ships in one of the world's busiest seas. The hostilities have sparked fears of a major armed conflict that could involve Washington, Manila's longtime treaty ally. The fishermen, led by Saligan, reported to the Philippine coast guard that Chinese coast guard personnel drove them away from the disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines and ordered them to dump their catch of fish and seashells. The confrontation happened on a coral outcrop that juts out of the sea like an islet at low tide. Saligan and his men took a dinghy from their mother boat and went to collect seashells and fish for food. However, they said five Chinese coast guard personnel, three of them armed with steel batons, followed by boat, landed on the islet and ordered the fishermen to leave immediately. One Chinese officer tried to confiscate the cellphone of a Filipino fisherman, who pushed away the officer's hand. Both sides were documenting the confrontation with video cameras or cellphones, Saligan said. "This is Philippine territory. Go away, Saligan said he told the Chinese coast guard personnel. The Chinese did not speak and used hand gestures, he said. They looked angry. They wanted us to return our catch to the sea, Saligan told a group of journalists in Manila. That's inhuman because that was food which people should not be deprived of." Saligan said he decided to dump some of their seashells and fish in the sea and returned to his mother boat, the F/V Vhrayle, to prevent the dispute from escalating. Chinese officials did not immediately comment on Saligan's statements. In past disputes over the Scarborough Shoal, Beijing has asserted China's sovereignty and the right to defend the fishing atoll from encroachments. Philippine coast guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the written statements and video submitted by Saligan and his men have been validated as accurate by the coast guard. A report will be submitted to a multi-agency government group dealing with the territorial disputes for possible actions, including the filing of a new diplomatic protest against China. "Those actions were really illegal and the harassment that they did to our Filipino fishermen were unacceptable, Tarriela said in a briefing. The Philippine coast guard remained confident, however, that the agreement by China and the Philippines to lower tensions would have a positive impact and foster a peaceful resolution of the disputes, Tarriela said. Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships engaged in a series of alarmingly tense hostilities last year mostly off the Second Thomas Shoal, another hotly contested area in the South China Sea. The Philippine government protested the Chinese coast guard's use of water cannon, a military-grade laser and dangerous blocking maneuvers that had caused minor collisions off the Philippine-occupied shoal. The United States has warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea. China has repeatedly warned of unspecified circumstances if the US and its allies continue to meddle in the disputes. China took control of the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff between Chinese and Philippine ships, prompting Manila to bring the dispute to international arbitration. A United Nations-backed tribunal ruled in 2016 that China's expansive claims in the South China Sea on historical grounds were invalid and that Beijing had violated the right of Filipinos to fish in the shoal. China refused to participate in the arbitration, rejected its outcome and continues to defy it.(AP) RUP Ankara, Jan 23 (AP) Turkish legislators scheduled a long-delayed vote on Tuesday on Sweden's bid to join NATO, in a step that could remove a major hurdle for the previously nonaligned Nordic country's entry into the military alliance. Turkiye, a NATO member, has been dragging its feet on ratifying Sweden's accession for more than a year, accusing the country of being too lenient toward groups it regards as security threats. It has been seeking concessions from Sweden, including a tougher stance toward Kurdish militants and members of a network that Ankara blames for a failed coup in 2016. Turkiye has also been angered by a series of demonstrations by supporters of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party in Sweden as well as Quran-burning protests that roiled Muslim countries. Last month, parliament's foreign affairs committee gave its consent to Sweden's bid in the first stage of the legislative process, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent its accession protocol to lawmakers for approval. Erdogan's ruling party and its nationalist allies command a majority in parliament and the protocol was expected to be approved later on Tuesday. It will come into effect after its publication in the country's Official Gazette, which was expected to be swift. Turkiye's main opposition party also supports Sweden's membership in the alliance. Arguing in favour of Sweden's membership last month, Deputy Foreign Minister Burak Akcapar cited steps Sweden had taken to meet Turkish demands, including lifting restrictions on defense industry sales and amending anti-terrorism laws. Erdogan has linked ratification of Sweden's NATO membership to the US Congress' approval of a Turkish request to purchase 40 new F-16 fighter jets and kits to modernise Turkey's existing fleet. He has also urged Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey. Sweden and Finland abandoned their traditional positions of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO's security umbrella, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO's 31st member, after Turkey's parliament ratified the Nordic country's bid. Hungary has also stalled Sweden's bid, alleging that Swedish politicians have told blatant lies about the condition of Hungary's democracy. Hungary has said it would not be the last to approve accession, although it was not clear when the Hungarian parliament intends to hold a vote. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced Tuesday that he sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Sweden's accession into the NATO military alliance. NATO requires the unanimous approval of all existing members to expand, and Turkiye and Hungary were the only countries that have been holding out, frustrating other NATO allies who had been pressing for Sweden and Finland's swift accession. Sweden has pledged deeper cooperation with Turkey on counterterrorism and to support Turkey's ambition to revive its EU membership bid.(AP) RUP Sydney, Jan 23 (AP) A Russian national has been sanctioned by the US, UK and Australian governments for his role in a cyber attack that compromised the personal information of more than 10 million Australians. In October 2022, client data from Medibank, Australia's largest health insurer, was released by an extortionist, including details of HIV diagnoses and drug abuse treatments, after the company refused to pay a ransom for the personal records of current and former customers. On Tuesday, the US and the UK imposed sanctions and the Australian government imposed its cyber sanction powers for the first time against Aleksandr Ermakov after Australian Federal Police and intelligence agencies, with support from undisclosed global partners, made the link between the Russian citizen and the cyber attack. Ermakov did not immediately respond to an online request from The Associated Press seeking comment. Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the sanctions imposed are part of Australia's efforts to expose cyber criminals and debilitate groups engaging in cyber attacks. In our current strategic circumstances we continue to see governments, critical infrastructure, businesses and households in Australia targeted by malicious cyber actors," Marles said in a statement on Tuesday. We continue to work with our friends and partners around the world to ensure cyber criminals are held to account for their actions and we will relentlessly pursue activities which disrupt their capability to target Australians in the cyber space. The sanctions make it a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment, to provide assets to Ermakov or to use or deal with his assets, including through cryptocurrency wallets or ransomware payments. Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said the sanctions send a clear message to cyber criminals. There are costs and consequences for targeting Australia and targeting Australians, she said in a statement. US Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in a statement that "Russian cyber actors continue to wage disruptive ransomware attacks against the United States and allied countries, targeting our businesses, including critical infrastructure, to steal sensitive data." He said Tuesday's action "underscores our collective resolve to hold these criminals to account. (AP) RUP RUP YANGON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's central bank has been raising awareness to combat financial fraud through mobile payments in cooperation with relevant ministries and financial organizations, local media reported on Tuesday. According to the state-run daily The Mirror on Tuesday, an awareness talk on combating financial fraud through mobile payments took place in Nay Pyi Taw on Monday, attended by officials from the central bank, relevant ministries, private banks and financial organizations. Speaking at the event, Than Than Swe, governor of the Central Bank of Myanmar, said the central bank was working on establishing an action task force to prevent financial scams and to take quick action in response to reported fraud cases involving banks and mobile financial services. She also said the central bank was focused on ensuring widespread use of mobile financial services in accordance with laws and regulations, urging the public to protect themselves from fraud and cooperate with government departments. Deputy Prime Minister and Union Minister for Planning and Finance U Win Shein emphasized the necessity of understanding the security of the online system, especially with the growing usage of social media following the development of modern technology in the early 21st century. He also mentioned that Myanmar's State Administration Council already released the standard operating procedures for getting information and taking action to prevent and protect against financial frauds through telecommunication networks. According to media reports, a total of 482 online scam cases were reported in Myanmar between 2021 and 2024, and 23 Nigerian nationals, one Thai national and 59 Myanmar nationals were charged for the cases. Mumbai, Jan 23 (PTI) Activists of the Youth Congress on Tuesday staged a 'rail roko' agitation here to protest against the hiring of Talathis (village revenue officials), demanding the cancellation of results of the recruitment examination, an official from the Government Railway Police (GRP) said. Around 20 to 25 activists of the Youth Congress stopped a Borivali-bound train at Dadar station on the Western Railway around 3.15 pm, the official said. Personnel from the GRP and city police convinced the protestors and moved them from the tracks around 3.30 pm, he said. According to Western Railway sources, trains were delayed by a few minutes. The Congress has claimed that some candidates who appeared for the Talathi (village revenue official) recruitment examination in the state have received more marks than the maximum limit, which indicated rigging of the process and demanded cancellation of results. The state revenue department conducted the exam and lakhs of students appeared for it. Bhopal, Jan 23 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal of merger of the Medical Education department and the Public Health department. Currently, hospitals come under the purview of the Public Health department while medical colleges and associated facilities fall in the domain of the Medical Education department. The cabinet, at a meeting chaired by chief minister Mohan Yadav, approved the proposal to merge them into a `Public Health and Medical Education' department, an official release said. With the merger, medical colleges will be able to focus on critical and specialized treatments and medical education instead of routine medical services and it will become easier to affiliate district hospitals with medical colleges, it said. The cabinet, meanwhile, also approved a proposal to be sent to Parliament seeking amendments to the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. The proposed amendments include the removal of minor violations related to water pollution from the category of crime, the release said. The cabinet also approved amendments to Madhya Pradesh Ayurvigyan Vishwavidyalaya Adhiniyam, 2011. A proposal to set up Pradhanmantri College of Excellence colleges in all 55 districts under the National Education Policy and creation of 1845 academic and 387 non-academic posts at these institutes also got the cabinet's nod. Thane, Jan 23 (PTI) A 13-year-old girl was found murdered in an unoccupied room of a chawl, while the body of the alleged accused was found on the railway tracks in Maharashtra's Thane district, police said on Tuesday. The highly decomposed body of the girl was found in a chawl in Kalyan taluka on Sunday after some residents complained to the police about a foul smell emanating from the room, an official said. The Class 8 student was reported missing by her parents on January 13, and a case of kidnapping had been registered with the Kalyan police, he said. The girl's body bore burn wounds, and two mobile phones were recovered from the scene, the official said. A probe revealed that one of the mobile phones belonged to a 22-year-old man whose body was found on the railway tracks at Shahad by the Government Railway Police (GRP) on Monday, he said. It is suspected that the man, who hails from Jalna district, allegedly killed the girl and committed suicide on the railway track, the official said, adding that further probe is underway. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI) New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) Getting battle-ready for the 2024 general elections, the Congress will from Thursday start holding state-level workers' conventions where party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will preside over meetings of office bearers to energise organisational cadres. The first state-level workers' convention will be held on Thursday in Telangana where the Congress recently formed a government, ousting the K Chadrashekhar Rao government of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. The party will then hold the state-level workers' convention in Uttarakhand on January 28, in Odisha on January 29, in Delhi on February 3, in Kerala on February 4, in Himachal Pradesh on February 10, in Punjab on February 11, in Tamil Nadu on February 13 and in Jharkhand on February 15, according to AICC general secretary, organisation, KC Venugopal. During the conventions, Kharge will preside over meetings of office bearers from the booth to the state level and further "energise our dedicated cadre", Venugopal had said in a post earlier. "Right to the booth level, the Congress is all geared up for a blitzkrieg campaign!" he had said. The Congress' Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is also ongoing with preparations for the general elections being undertaken simultaneously. At a key party meeting earlier this month, Kharge had said that by working night and day, we will be able to provide an alternative government to the people after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Leave aside differences, do not indulge in nitpicking and do not raise internal issues in the media and work as a team to ensure Congress' victory," he had told the gathering. On January 4, senior Congress leaders from across the country discussed the party's strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and seat sharing with other parties besides preparations for the Bharat Nyay Yatra. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The National Medical Commission (NMC) has urged the states and UTs to do away with the seat leaving bond policy in medical colleges to create a supportive environment for students and help address their mental health concerns. The NMC's Anti Ragging Committee recently recommended that instead of imposing a heavy seat leaving bond, states may consider debarring students who wish to leave the seat from admission in their state the next one year. In a letter addressed to the Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education of all states and UTs, president of the Under Graduate Medical Education Board of the NMC, Dr Aruna V Vanikar said the Commission has received grievances pertaining to the "alarming levels of stress, anxiety, and depression" faced by medical students specially PG students across various institutions. These mental health challenges are primarily due to inability of the individual to acclimatise with a different environment prevailing within their new colleges/institutions as compared to the one in which they had grown up or completed under graduate education, Dr Vanikar said. "A noteworthy impediment hindering affected students from seeking relief is the imposition of a hefty seat leaving bond. Such exorbitant amounts not only exacerbate the financial strain on students but also act as a deterrent for seeking necessary mental health support from the family," Dr Vanikar said in the letter on January 19. The concept of seat leaving bond, a common practice for medical students specially PG students, was started with an aim of securing commitment, discourage abrupt resignations, address the issue of seat blocking and wastage of medical seats. However, in the last 10 years medical seats, including PG seats, have increased substantially and even remain vacant. "Therefore, the issue of seat being going waste is not of much significance in view of the increased number of medical seats. Another issue of seat blocking is valid till the counselling is going on and after the session has started and the last date of admission is over the negative effect of lower merit candidate being benefitted by leaving of the seat does not arise," Dr Vanikar stated. She also highlighted some case studies which she said underscores the challenges faced by students, particularly in terms of mental health issues and payment of seat leaving bonds. While some parents can support their wards by bearing financial constraints, the unlucky ones "may commit suicide in such mental health condition," she said. The elimination of seat leaving bonds is a strategic move to prioritise the well-being of resident doctors, empowering them to provide optimal patient care, the letter said. A supportive and stress-free work environment for resident doctors translates directly into improved healthcare outcomes, re-enforcing the symbiotic relationship between the well-being of medical professionals and the quality of patient care, it stated. Considering the gravity of the situation, the NMC's Anti Ragging Committee in its meeting held on January 9 decided to take action to address this pressing issue. The committee has recommended that state and UT governments should review the seat leaving policy in medical colleges/institutions and do away the same, Dr Vanikar stated. "The committee also recommends that instead of imposing heavy seat leaving bond, states may consider debarring the student from admission in their state for the next one year," she said. "On behalf of the NMC's Anti Ragging Committee, I am requesting you to kindly review the seat leaving bond policy in medical colleges in your state at your level and do away with the seat leaving bond. Your efforts in this regard will go a long way in creating a supportive and nurturing environment for medical students. This, in turn, will foster their mental health and enhance their overall well-being leading to a positive transformation in the medical education system," Dr Vanikar stated. The NMC has also sought an action taken report by state governments on the issue. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) With the government deciding to confer former Bihar chief minister Karpoori Thakur with the Bharat Ratna posthumously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said this prestigious recognition is a testament to the socialist leader's enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality. Thakur was born in 1924 in one of the most backward sections of society- the Nai Samaj (barber community). He was a leader whose political journey was marked by his unwavering commitment to the marginalised sections of society. The Rashtrapati Bhavan announced on Tuesday that Thakur will be awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously. Thakur, popularly known as 'jannayak', served as chief minister from December 1970 to June 1971 and from December 1977 to April 1979. He died on February 17, 1988. In a post on X, Modi said he is delighted that the government has decided to confer the Bharat Ratna on "the beacon of social justice, the great Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur" and that too at a time when his birth centenary is being marked. "This prestigious recognition is a testament to his enduring efforts as a champion for the marginalised and a stalwart of equality and empowerment," Modi said. "His unwavering commitment to uplift the downtrodden and his visionary leadership have left an indelible mark on India's socio-political fabric. This award not only honours his remarkable contributions but also inspires us to continue his mission of creating a more just and equitable society," the prime minister said. Thakur served as the chief minister of Bihar and was a key figure in the struggle against social discrimination and inequality. His commitment to affirmative action gave representation and opportunities to the poor, oppressed, exploited and deprived sections of the country. His policies and reforms were pioneering in bringing about significant changes in the lives of many, especially in the fields of education, employment and farmer welfare. By honouring Thakur, the government recognises his role as a symbol of democracy and social justice, officials said. The government also acknowledges his deep impact as a motivating figure for the marginalised sections of society. His life and work embody the spirit of the Indian Constitution, which advocates for equality, fraternity, and justice for all, they said. Jaipur, Jan 23 (PTI) The Education and Panchayati Raj departments of the Rajasthan government have been instructed to purchase only 'Swadeshi' products, Minister Madan Dilawar said on Tuesday. If it is necessary to purchase a product not manufactured in India, permission will have to be taken from Dilawar, who is the School Education and Panchayati Raj Minister. "I have given instructions to the Education Department and the Panchayati Raj Department that even the smallest of the items purchased by the two departments should be made in India," the minister told PTI. Orders have been issued to the two departments in this regard, the minister added. "Still, if there is a product which is not manufactured in India and it is very important to buy it, then permission at the ministerial level will be required," he said. Dilawar said he has always been a supporter of 'Swadeshi' products. "Products manufactured in our country offer huge benefits. Our people will get employment and the goods manufactured in India will be cheaper compared to foreign products," he said. Chandigarh, Jan 23 (PTI) Punjab's ruling AAP on Tuesday rubbished the claims of the SAD, which accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government of rejecting the premature release plea of Devinderpal Singh Bhullar, a convict in the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Malvinder Singh Kang called Shiromani Akali Dal leader (SAD) Bikram Singh Majithia's accusations as "lies". Bhullar was convicted in connection with the killing of nine people and injuring 31 others in the blast. Among those who survived the attack are former Youth Congress chief M S Bitta. Bhullar was awarded death penalty by a designated TADA court in August 2001 but his capital punishment was commuted to life sentence in 2014. The Centre had in September 2019 recommended special remission to eight Sikh prisoners, including Bhullar, to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. Majithia on Tuesday condemned the rejection of Bhullar's premature release plea allegedly by the Delhi government and demanded that the reasons for rejecting it be made public. Demanding justice for Bhullar, the SAD leader said the Punjabis have a right to know why the former's premature release plea had been kept pending for the last five years and why it had been rejected now. "This amounts to violating the human rights of Bhullar," he said. Kang, the chief spokesperson of AAP's Punjab unit, countered Majithia's accusations and lashed out at the SAD leader for telling "lies" on the issue of Bhullar's premature release. Rejecting Majithia's claims, he said there is a seven-member sentence review board (SRB) over Bhullar's release issue, adding among them are Delhi minister Kailash Gehlot while six belong to the BJP, an old ally of the SAD. Referring to the minutes of the board meeting, Kang claimed that it was only the Delhi minister, who supported Bhullar's premature release. All other six members voted against Bhullar's premature release, he said and pointed out that it was rejected with the majority of 6:1. The AAP leader said the police in Amritsar, which is Bhullar's home district, have given a no objection certificate to his premature release. His physical and mental health is not very good, he added. Kang further said the people of Punjab will never buy "lies" of Majithia. "They know the SAD's reality too well now. Everyone knows that Shiromani Akali Dal has never done anything for the 'panth', Sikhs and Punjab, they always do things for their personal interests. So, the SAD's attempt to gain sympathy here will fail miserably," he said. New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The Delhi Police probing the Parliament security beach case for more than 40 days on Tuesday said the six accused were "self-funded and self-motivated" to do "something big" for fame. The accused also assumed that they would be let off even if they were arrested, thinking they were not committing any "serious crime", they said. According to a senior police officer, the mastermind is suspected to be Manoranjan D, who had created a 'Bhagat Singh Fan Club' page on the social networking site Facebook and used it to motivate "like-minded" people to do "something big" for fame. "The accused were known to each other for the last four years but the plan to breach parliament was hatched a year ago," the officer said. However, not everyone in the fan club was on board with the idea of doing anything illegal like breaching parliament's security. As a result, several other members had left in the days leading to the December 13 incident, police said. "Since Manoranjan had access to the BJP MP in Mysore, he decided to barge into parliament and replicate freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's act which was done in the Delhi Assembly during British rule," another officer said. "They did not have enough money to hold in-person meetings, therefore they decided to remain in touch through social media and Signals app," the official said. "Because of the shortage of money, they stayed at Vicky Sharma's residence in Gurugram before committing the crime on December 13, 2023," he said. Vicky Sharma was also a part of the fan club on Facebook. He was released after being questioned by police. During investigations, Manoranjan and Sagar Sharma -- who jumped into the gallery of parliament -- told investigators that there were fewer security personnel at the new parliament building as compared to the old one. Manoranjan also told police that he carried out a reconnaissance of the old building during the monsoon session. In a major security breach on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament terror attack on December 13, Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D jumped into the Lok Sabha chamber from the public gallery during the Zero Hour, released yellow gas from canisters and shouted slogans before being overpowered by the MPs. Around the same time, two other accused -- Shinde and Azad -- also sprayed coloured gas from canisters while shouting "tanashahi nahi chalegi" outside the Parliament premises. The two others Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat had surrendered before the Delhi Police, a day after the incident. They had allegedly destroyed the mobile phones of self and other four accused in Rajasthan. All the six accused have been booked under the stringent UAPA and criminal conspiracy by the Delhi Police's anti-terror unit, Special Cell. Last, month the Delhi Police had conducted their polygraph, narco-analysis and brain mapping tests in Gujarat, to ascertain the exact reason of their act. The accused had that they they were upset over the issues of unemployment, the Manipur crisis and farmers' agitation. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- China-Cambodia economic and trade cooperation achieved fruitful results in 2023, thanks to the strategic guidance set out by the leaders of the two countries, a Chinese diplomat said on Monday. Zhong Jie, counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, said China and Cambodia, close neighbors with an iron-clad friendship, has stood the test of time and is brimming with vitality. "During the year (2023), the two countries had frequent high-level exchanges, charting the course for the future development of the bilateral relations," Zhong wrote in an article sent to Xinhua. She recalled that when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visited China last September, the two sides agreed to deepen strategic synergy between China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Cambodia's Pentagonal Strategy and focus on the "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework. "Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Cambodia economic and trade cooperation had been further upgraded with fruitful results in 2023," Zhong said. The envoy said that, with the dividends of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and the China-Cambodia Free Trade Agreement unleashed, China has remained Cambodia's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. Landmark BRI projects such as the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone (SSEZ), the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, and hydropower plants have greatly contributed to Cambodia's socioeconomic development and poverty alleviation, she said. The SSEZ has attracted enterprises from China, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia and other countries and regions, creating about 30,000 jobs for local people, Zhong said. Zhong noted that 2024 is the opening year for the implementation of the action plan on building a China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, as well as the China-Cambodia Year of People-to-People Exchanges. With joint efforts, the China-Cambodia "Diamond Hexagon" cooperation framework will continue to be strengthened, and new impetus will be injected into the China-Cambodia community with a shared future in the new era, thus bringing more benefits to the two countries and peoples, Zhong said. Chandigarh, Jan 23 (PTI) Haryana Police have strengthened security measures across the state in the run-up to Republic day. Police officers, including commissioners and district superintendents of police, have been directed to ensure elaborate security cover at all important venues for celebrations and flag-hoisting on Friday, officials said. Police personnel are keeping close vigil in sensitive locations to maintain law and order ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. Apart from conducting patrolling at vital points, special checking drives of trains and public transport is also being carried out. Haryana's Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur reviewed the law and order arrangements for the Republic Day. He held a meeting with SPs and other senior officers from the state through video conference on Tuesday. The meeting was also attended by Additional DGPs and Inspector Generals of police. He directed senior officers to personally visit different locations to brief the police force on security arrangements, and underlined the need for robust measures at all government and public places. Close vigil is being kept at busy markets, bus stands and railway stations. Hotels, guesthouses, parking lots and restaurants are also being checked, officials said. In addition to patrolling, arrangements for checking of vehicles, especially during the night, have also been beefed up, they said. Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya will unfurl the tricolour on Republic Day in Panipat while Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will unfurl the national flag in Karnal. Noida, Jan 23 (PTI) The Gautam Buddh Nagar police on Tuesday issued a traffic advisory, cautioning commuters of possible diversions on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway briefly on January 25. However, emergency vehicles will be exempted from any diversions, the police said. The traffic police have suggested alternative routes for commuters, including those going to Delhi, with the diversion being planned in view of an event in adjoining Bulandshahr district. According to officials, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit Bulandshahr on January 25 for a BJP programme, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also in attendance along with a host of state ministers and party leaders. "The general public is informed that on Thursday (January 25), the tour programme of a very distinguished dignitary is proposed in Bulandshahr district. In view of this, in case of any emergency in Commissionerate Gautam Buddh Nagar, traffic could be diverted on the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and the Yamuna Expressway for a short time," the police said in an advisory. Emergency vehicles will be allowed to pass safely during traffic diversion, the police said, and urged commuters to use alternative routes to avoid inconvenience. "In case of traffic inconvenience, commuters can contact the traffic helpline number 9971009001," the police said in the advisory. "The diversion on the two key expressways could be made only in case that is required. The diversions have been announced to make sure commuters opt for alternative routes and any inconvenience to them is avoided, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Kumar Yadav told PTI. According to the Thursday diversion plan, the traffic going from Chilla Red Light towards Greater Noida via the expressway will be diverted from Sector 14A flyover towards Sector 15 roundabout and it will be able to go towards the destination via DSC route. The traffic going from DND towards Greater Noida via expressway will be diverted towards Rajnigandha Chowk in Sector 16. This traffic will be able to go towards the destination via MP-01 route and DSC route, the advisory stated. Similarly, the traffic going from Kalindi border towards Greater Noida via expressway will be diverted towards Sector 37 from Mahamaya flyover. This traffic will be able to go towards the destination via MP-03 route and DSC route, it added. The traffic going from Sector 37 via expressway towards Greater Noida will be diverted to the double service road from Sector 44 roundabout. This traffic will be able to reach its destination via DSC route via double service road, it said. Those going from Greater Noida towards Noida via the expressway will be diverted from Charkha roundabout towards Sector 94. This traffic will be able to reach its destination via Mahamaya flyover via Sector 37. For commuters going from Kalindi Border to Dalit Prerna Sthal Parking Tiraha towards DND/Chilla, there will be diversion towards Sector 37 from Mahamaya Flyover. This traffic will be able to reach the destination via DSC route, MP-03 route from Sector 37. The traffic going from GIP Mall towards DND via Filmcity flyover will be diverted by U-turn below Filmcity flyover. This traffic will be able to go towards the destination through the DSC route and elevated route, according to the advisory. Those going towards Delhi via DND flyover from Rajnigandha side will be diverted from Rajnigandha Chowk. This traffic will be able to go towards the destination from New Ashok Nagar border via DSC route, it stated. Similarly, traffic going towards Delhi via Sector 14A flyover from Golchakkar Chowk Sector 15 will be diverted from Golchakkar Chowk. This traffic will be able to go towards the destination from New Ashok Nagar border via DSC route, it added. In Greater Noida, the traffic going from Zero Point via Yamuna Expressway will be diverted towards Pari Chowk. This traffic will be able to reach the destination via Kasna town, Sirsa, Eastern Peripheral Expressway. The traffic coming from Agra towards Noida will be able to get down towards Jewar town ahead of Jewar toll plaza and go towards the destination via Sabauta underpass via Khurja bypass via Jahangirpur, the advisory stated. Also, those going from Pari Chowk towards Noida via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway will be diverted from Pari Chowk towards Sujpur. This traffic will be able to reach its destination from Surajpur via Greater Noida West, it added. Kota (Rajasthan) Jan 23 (PTI) A government school teacher was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly molesting a girl student in Baran district, police said. The accused lecturer, who was absconding after a case was lodged against him for the January 12 incident, was produced in a court which sent him to judicial custody, an officer said. The traumatised victim, who is a student of Class 11, consumed pesticide after returning home on the day of the incident and was rushed to a hospital where the doctors saved her life, he said. After being discharged from hospital, she, accompanied by her parents, filed a complaint at the local police station and a case was lodged on January 15, investigating officer of the case DSP Omendra Singh Shekhawat said. The student alleged that the maths teacher forcibly embraced her and molested her when she was studying alone in the class on January 12, he said. On the report by the minor student, the police lodged a case under sections 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and 354 (assault or use of criminal force on any woman intending to outrage her modesty), and under the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act against the accused and began the investigation but the accused went absconding, the DSP said. Based on technical surveillance and inputs, the police team arrested the accused. Three Israelis were attacked in Leicester Square in the heart of London by antisemitic thugs, with police then telling the victims that they were too busy to bother with their near-lynching. Channel 12 reported that the incident began when the trio of Israelis including one who was born and raised in Britain were approached by several teens and asked whether they were Jewish. Upon hearing that they were, the teens began throwing glass bottles at them including one of the three who had ironically removed his yarmulka to avoid being identified as Jewish prior to the assault. The victims managed to flee to a side street and phone police, who made it clear that they couldnt care less. According to the report, police told the victims that they were too busy to respond and that the victims should just try to calm down. The attack in Leicester Square is part of a worrying trend of increasing antisemitic incidents in major cities around the world. In Britain alone, there has been a reported 2,039 antisemitic incidents in the two months following the attack. Similarly, Austria and the United States have witnessed increases of 300% and 388%, respectively, in reported antisemitic incidents. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) European Union foreign ministers argued Monday that the creation of a Palestinian state is the only credible way to achieve peace in the Middle East, and they expressed concern about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus clear rejection of the idea. The declarations of Benjamin Netanyahu are worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all, French Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne told reporters in Brussels, where the EU ministers met to discuss the war in Gaza. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz and Jordans foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, also were in Belgiums capital for the discussion. The issue of Gazas future also has set Israel in opposition to the United States and its Arab allies as they work to mediate an end to the fighting in the besieged Palestinian territory. The EU is the worlds top provider of aid to the Palestinians, but holds little leverage over Israel, despite being its biggest trading partner. The 27 member countries are also deeply divided in their approach. But as the death toll in Gaza mounts, so do calls for a halt to the fighting. Gaza is in a situation of extreme urgency. There is a risk of famine. There is a risk of epidemics. The violence must stop, said Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, whose country holds the EUs rotating presidency. We demand an immediate cease-fire, the release of the hostages, the respect of international law, (and) a return to the peace process, which must lead to the creation of two states living in peace side by side, Lahbib said, describing a two-state solution as the only way to establish peace in a durable way in the region. Israel appears far from achieving its goals of crushing Hamas and freeing the more than 100 remaining hostages. But Netanyahu rejects Palestinian statehood and appears to want open-ended military control over Gaza. The dispute over the territorys future coming as the war still rages with no end in sight pits the EU, the United States and their Arab allies against Israel and poses a major obstacle to any plans for postwar governance or reconstruction in Gaza. The EU invited the foreign ministers of Israel, the Palestinians, Egypt, Jordan and a representative of the Arab League to take part in Mondays talks. The ministers from Israel and the Palestinians were not due to meet each other. The European ministers want to hear what other plans Israel might have. Which are the other solutions they have in mind?, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who chaired the meeting, asked. To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill off them? Borrell condemned what he described as the atrocities committed by Hamas during its unprecedented Oct. 7 attacks in southern Israel. Referring to the Israeli military action, he said: They are seeding the hate for generations. Peace and stability cannot be built only by military means, he said. Spain has pushed for a peace conference to discuss what might happen once the fighting is over. A future meeting in Brussels is in the works, but the timing remains unclear. The plan has the backing of some EU member countries, but others say it can only happen with Israels support. If Israel is not (at) the table, there is no use to have peace conferences, Luxembourg Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel said. He said that after recent discussions with Israel officials, it was clear to him that the country wont be ready as long as it believes that Hamas still poses a danger. Arriving at the meeting, Israels Katz refused to respond when asked about the possibility of Palestinian statehood. Holding up pictures of Israeli hostages, Katz said he had come to seek support for Israels campaign to dismantle Hamas. We have to bring back our security. Our brave soldiers are fighting in very hard conditions, he told reporters. The Israeli governments aims, Katz said, are clear: to bring back our hostages and restore security for the citizens of Israel. With regional tensions flaring, the ministers also discussed a planned EU naval mission to help ensure maritime traffic security in the Red Sea, a major world trade route. Belgium has committed to send a frigate, and Germany could do the same. Italy also is willing to take part. For months, Yemens Houthi rebels have attacked ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden that they say are either linked to Israel or heading to Israeli ports. U.S. airstrikes have hit sites of the Iranian-backed Houthis seven times, according to U.S. officials, and U.K. forces participated in some of the strikes. (AP) The Federal Aviation Administration recommends that airlines inspect the door plugs on certain Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a similar panel during a flight this month. The FAA said door plugs on one older version of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are identical in design to those on the Max 9, and some airlines have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections. The FAA issued a safety alert late Sunday. As soon as possible, airlines should visually inspect four places where a bolt, nut and pin secure the door plug to the plane, the agency said. The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for extra doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the plane, they look like a regular window. The FAA said that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any known issues involving the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made only 145 flights. One of the two door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the plane in midflight on Jan. 5. Passengers and investigators have described a violent decompression as air rushed out of the pressured cabin at 16,000 feet over Oregon. The plane made an emergency landing with a hole in its side, and no serious injuries were reported. On a mostly full plane, no one was sitting in the two seats nearest the panel that blew out. The FAA has grounded all Max 9s with door plugs instead of regular doors in the back of the cabin. Alaska and United Airlines are the only U.S. carriers to use the plane. Besides grounding 171 Max 9 jets, the FAA is investigating quality-control measures at Boeing and its suppliers and has increased its oversight of the aircraft maker. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the Oregon incident. We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action, a Boeing spokeswoman said in a statement Monday. Boeing delivered about 500 737-900ERs between 2007 and 2019 mostly to three U.S. airlines and about 380 have door plugs instead of exits. Alaska said Monday that it began inspecting its 737-900ERs several days ago and has turned up no issues. The Seattle-based airline, which has canceled hundreds of flights because of the Max 9 grounding, said it expects no disruption from the inspections of its 737-900ERs. United said it began inspecting the earlier Boeing model last week and expects to finish the reviews this week with no disruptions for passengers. Delta Air Lines did not respond to a request for comment about its 737-900ERs. (AP) White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre straight up accused Peter Doocy of pro-Donald Trump bias in response to his question about President Joe Bidens acuity. WATCH: Foxs Peter Doocy spars with WH Press Sec: Why do you think it is that more and more people polled feel over time President Biden is getting less and less mentally sharp? WH PRESS SEC: Which poll is this? DOOCY: ABC has President Bidens rating for health since May down five points and for mental sharpness down four points. WH PRESS SEC: You know, I have to say thats a little confusing for me because if you look at what this President has done the last three years, historical pieces of legislation.. When it comes to the bi-partisan infrastructure deal, many presidents before, like your favorite President had said that.. you tease DOOCY: Whos my favorite President? WH PRESS SEC: Why dont you why dont we let the American people guess, but DOOCY: No, no, no, no. WH PRESS SEC: No, no, no. Let me finish. Let me finish. Let me finish. You asked me a question. Im gonna DOOCY: I dont understand what youre getting at. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban sent a letter to his Swedish counterpart, Ulf Kristersson, inviting him to Budapest to discuss Swedens accession into the NATO military alliance, Orban wrote Tuesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The invitation comes as Hungary and Turkey remain the only NATO members not to have ratified Swedens bid to join the alliance. Admission into NATO requires unanimity among all member countries, but more than a year of delays in Budapest and Ankara have frustrated other allies who want to expand the alliance amid Russias war in Ukraine. Orban, a right-wing populist who has been lukewarm in his support for neighboring Ukraine and maintained a friendly relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has long promised that Hungary would not be the last NATO member to ratify Swedens bid. Last month, the Turkish parliaments foreign affairs committee approved Swedens accession protocol, moving the Nordic country one step closer to joining the alliance. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted his opposition to Swedens membership last year in response to efforts by Stockholm to tackle supporters of Kurdish militants and other groups in Sweden that Ankara views as security threats. Erdogan has also openly linked Swedens NATO membership to Ankaras efforts to purchase U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets, and has called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes on Turkey. While Orban says his government supports Swedens admission into the alliance, he claims that lawmakers from his governing Fidesz party remain unconvinced because of what he called blatant lies by Swedish politicians about the condition of Hungarys democracy. Neither Orban nor his senior officials have indicated what kind of redress they require from Stockholm to allay their reservations over Sweden joining the military alliance. Sweden and Finland abandoned their decades-long neutrality and sought membership in NATO amid heightened security concerns following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland became NATOs 31st member last year after Hungary and Turkey were the last two countries to ratify its bid. Unless an emergency session of Hungarys parliament is called to debate the matter, its next scheduled assembly is expected on Feb. 26. (AP) by Rabbi Yair Hoffman If someone were keeping tabs on these things, it is perhaps the Parnassah Segulah that has gone most viral of all other Segulos. Numerous Torah internet sites link to the parsha of the Mahn and explain that one will become wealthier if we recite this section (Shmos 16:4 until the Omer is one tenth of an Aifah) on Tuesday of Parshas BShalach. It must be said twice in the Hebrew and once in the Targum. But where does this Segulah come from? Is there truly anything to it? Is it of recent origin or does it date back for many centuries? What is fascinating is that what is of recent origin is the Tuesday of Parshas bShalach aspect of it. The earlier sources recommended reciting it daily, and not just one day out of the year. Rabbeinu Bachya (Shmos 16:16) writes, it is a tradition in the hand of the sages that whoever recites the parsha of the Mahn each day is assured that he will not lose out in this world of his mezonos. ORIGINS The Tashbatz (Siman 184) actually cites the daily reading of it and its effect in the name of the Yerushalmi, and add the words, And I am the guarantor. The Tur (in OC Siman 1:5) also cites this tradition in the name of the Yerushalmi in Brachos. The Mishna Brurah (1:13) also cites this source. The problem is that it is not to be found in our version or any manuscript of the Yerushalmi. To add to the mystery, the Sefer HaManhig in hilchos Shabbos (44) cites the source as a Yerushalmi in Yuma. Yet it is not in our Yerushalmi Yuma either. The traditional answer that is often given when Rishonim refer to Yerushalmis that have disappeared is that the term is used loosely by the Rishon and that Yerushalmi often included Midrashim that were edited in Eretz Yisroel. This wont work here, because the Tur specifically refers to the Yerushalmi in Brachos. It must be then that the version of the Yerushalmi that the Tur had is lost. WHY THE MAHN? Why single out the miracle of the Mahn, more so than the other miracles we experienced? Rav Sadya Gaon in the introduction to his Emunos vDeyos explains that the Mahn was a miracle that was of a daily occurrence. The other miracles were more transient. Although not mentioned by Rav Sadya, even after the forty year sojourn in the desert, the Mahn played an important role. The container of the Mahn (Tzintzenes HaMahn)was placed alongside the Aron in both the Mishkan and the Beis HaMikdash until the days of Yoshiahu the King, one hundred years before the destruction of the First Beis HaMikdash. It served as a reminder then too. NOT FOUND IN SIDDURIM The Aruch haShulchan points out that in his time, the Parshas HaMan was not found in the siddurim, if it ever was. He explains its absence in the siddur as stemming from the fact that the Parsha mentions a number of times the embarrassing detail that Klal Yisroel nagged and complained, and it would be improper to permanently place that in our Siddurim. Nowadays, many of the siddurim have printed it, notwithstanding the Aruch haShulchans ethos on the issue. HOW IT WORKS How does it work? Many of the meforshim explain that it serves to entrench within our minds that our prnassah, our sustenance comes only from Hashem. It seems that the daily recital of the parsha of Mahn helps us eradicate within our minds and thoughts. The Mishna Brurah writes that it is not enough to merely say it. Its message must be fully imbibed within us. Others write that the principle behind how it works lies in the fact that reciting it will build up our Bitachon in Hashem (Minchas Asher, for example). While some would explain that these are both two sides of the same coin, it seems to this author that they are in fact two separable concepts. There seems to be a third method, taking a less mystical approach. The reading of the Parsha serves to calm a persons anxieties about struggling for Parnasah, and thus helps him focus better through the understanding that all is from Hashem. This seems to be the understanding of the Tzemach Tzeddek (Parshas HaMan, Shin 5644 referenced in index page 100). The Shaivet Mussar (Chapter 40) cites in the name of the Mekuballim that it should be recited, as mentioned earlier, shnayim mikra vechad Targum twice in the Hebrew and once in the Aramaic of Unkelus. The Noheg Tzon Yoseph (Siman 34), however, quotes the Shnayim Mikrah detail as having been first written by Rabbeinu Tam in his Sefer HaYashar. The Shlas father in his Yesh Nochlin also writes this. From the Shlas father, however, this is merely the ideal method to do so. From the Noheg Tzon Yoseph it seems that it will not be effective at all if not done shnayim Mikrah Echad Targum. THE VARIANT BLESSING What is also interesting is, thus far, our sources indicate that a person will simply not lose out or suffer a loss of Mezonos. In the Midrash Talpios (section on Havdallah) , however, it writes that the entire Parshas HaMahn is mesugal for success and wealth. The nature of the blessing is ratcheted up a bit. WHEN SHOULD IT BE SAID? Both the Beer Heitev and the Mishna Brurah indicate that it should be recited in the morning before the Korbanos are recited before Shacharis. The Otzros Chaim, however, cites the Rekanti in the name of the Zohar that it should be said after Shacharis, athough he does not actually source it. The most likely reference, however, is to the Zohar in Parshas Pinchas (226) dparnasa lo chazi lmishal elah basar tzlusah that requesting for ones parnassah is only viable after praying. Since the rulings of the standard halachic Poskim generally outweigh the rulings of the mekuballim, it would seem that it would be preferable to follow the Mishna Brurah, but, as always, each person should consult his own Rav or Posaik, of course. OTHER MINHAGIM The Mishmeres Shalom (14:2), a Sefer written in Yiddish, states that Rav Pinchas Mikoritz cited the minhag and also added that one should further say the thirteen ikkarim of the Rambam each morning too. THE TUESDAY OF BESHALACH MINHAG So when exactly did the newer custom of reciting it on one particular Tuesday in the year arise? And who was it that promulgated the new twist on the Minhag? Some trace it to Rav Menachem Mendel of Riminov (1745-1815), one of the five main disciples of the Rebbe Elimelech of Lisensk. Others trace it to Rav Shalom of Stropkov (1855-1940) (See Yisroel VHazmanim, Rav Dovid Rossov p. 291). It is clear, however, that Rav Shalom was quoting the Riminover and did not make it up himself. The original Sfer of the Riminover is not easily accessible as only the first volume is readily extant. IF ONES MINHAG IS NOT TO SAY IT Most people, of course, do not have the minhag to say it on this day, and some remain firm in this Minhag. Rav Ovadiah also writes that this is not their minhag. There is a fascinating Rabbeinu Yonah in his Shaarei Teshuva (3:17) where he writes that it is a Torah Mitzvah to remember the falling of the Mahn. That being the case, it doesnt hurt to recite it if it will help us focus on this Mitzvah. A CAVEAT FOR EVERYONE Rav Shmuel Hominer in his Chumash Eved HaMelech (Shmos page 42) brings out a fascinating and yet obvious point. When reciting the Parshas HaMahn one should take care NOT TO RECITE IT AS A SEGULAH. Why? So that he will not be serving Hashem al menas lekabel pras on condition of receiving reward. Lets not forget the yesodos of Yiddishkeit, the fundamentals of our serving Hashem as found in Pirkei Avos. The author can be reached at [email protected] TOKYO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Japan's main ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s faction previously led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida officially announced its dissolution on Tuesday amid an ongoing political funds scandal, local media reported. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the faction's chair, said in a message to the faction's extraordinary meeting earlier in the day that the breakup was intended to regain public trust in politics, Jiji Press said. Last week, the prime minister pledged to dissolve the faction Kochikai, the fourth-largest faction within the LDP, immediately after Tokyo prosecutors opened a criminal case against its former accountant. The accountant received a summary indictment for allegedly failing to declare around 30 million yen (about 203,000 U.S. dollars) over three years through 2020. Kishida stepped down from his position as chief of Kochikai in December 2023 when a political funds scandal rocked the ruling party following a criminal complaint alleging five LDP factions underreported their revenue from political fundraising parties, from which extra income may have been returned to some of their lawmakers as kickbacks. At the end of last year, in the wake of the unfolding scandal, over 10 senior officials or heavyweight lawmakers stepped down from their positions in Kishida's cabinet or in the LDP. JOIN THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO ALREADY ARE ALERTED OF BREAKING NEWS LIKE THIS IN LIVE TIME: YWN WHATSAPP STATUS UPDATES: CLICK HERE to join the YWN WhatsApp Status. YWN WHATSAPP GROUPS: CLICK HERE to be added to an official YWN WhatsApp Group. MAKE SURE TO CHECK THIS PAGE FREQUENTLY AS UPDATES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN LIVE TIME THERE IS NO NEED TO REFRESH THIS PAGE AS UPDATES WILL APPEAR AUTOMATICALLY (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Since October 7th, most businesses in Arab cities have suffered a significant decline in profits, and some are laying off employees or even closing, Ynet reported. Abu Gosh is an Arab town outside of Jerusalem that used to be popular with Jewish tourists. Since October 7th, the businesses and stores in the town are suffering from significant losses. In the last few months, sales have dropped by 90%, said restaurant owner Javad Ibrahim. We already closed the restaurant due to COVID and the losses were great, and today we are losing again because of the ongoing war. We even reduced the number of employees from 10 to only four and the income is still not enough for daily expenses. If it continues like this, the damage will be unbearable. The owner of Tik Tok tire shop in Kfar Qasim, Abed Issa, said. I had to reduce the number of employees. Our work decreased by almost 100% after Jews stopped coming to us at the beginning of the war. Since then, they started calling me and asking about the situation, and I told them that entering Kfar Qasim is not dangerous but there are still many who dont come. Issa added: If the situation continues as it is, there is a great danger to our livelihood. Arabs and Jews live together in this country and relations must be maintained. Jad Ziad, the owner of a car wash in Baqa al-Gharbia, said: Before the war, I used to come to Jewish cities on a daily basis and take peoples cars to be washed at my place and return them to their owners. Since the beginning of the war, they asked me not to come, maybe because I am an Arab. This sends a message as if the Arabs are enemies even though we live in coexistence and peace and dont want to hurt anyone. Ahmed Abu-Moh, a taxi driver in Baka, said: In general I was not exposed to any racist treatment during my work. However, he added: At the beginning of the war, a family from the Sharon region asked me to stop picking up their daughter with special needs to transport her to school. They told me that they want a Jewish driver after I worked with them honestly and respectfully for a year and a half. I dont deny that this war changed many things in our lives, but no matter what the circumstances, our relationships must not be harmed. E., the owner of a commercial center in the north, said: It isnt easy to work during a war. I closed the center because of a decrease in income. Every Thursday, hundreds of customers, Jews and Arabs, would come here to buy clothes, games, electrical goods, gifts, and more. Since the war, there has been an almost 80% drop in revenue, so we decided to simply close until it calms down. Israeli-Jews are not the only ones that changed their habits since the war. Some Arab-Israelis have stopped visiting Jewish areas. I used to travel a lot to visit Netanya, shop there, and eat, said Abdelrahim Masarwa, a resident of Taibeh. Since the beginning of the war, I wont go there because of the tense atmosphere. L. from Tira said that she often used to shop in Raanana and Kfar Saba, which are close to where she lives. Since the beginning of the war, I prefer to shop here in my community because I dont want any unpleasant encounters. I want to get back to normal, but apparently, it will take time. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met on Monday at the Prime Ministers Office in Jerusalem with representatives of the families of the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Some of the relatives held a protest outside the Knesset, demanding a hostage deal with Hamas as soon as possible. Contrary to what theyre saying, there is no genuine proposal from Hamas, Netanyahu said. Im saying this as clearly as I can because there are so many incorrect things that are surely tormenting you. On the other hand, we have our initiative and I will not go into detail. On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to start a gradual diplomatic process that will lead to the end of the war in Gaza. Senior officials involved in the talks said that Israel and Hamas are at least willing to take part in the talks. The mediators proposal involves a 90-day plan in which the fighting in Gaza will stop for an unspecified number of days, during which Hamas will release all the kidnapped Israeli civilians. At the same time, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, withdraw its forces from the Gaza Strip, allow freedom of action, stop drone surveillance, and double the amount of humanitarian aid to Gaza. In the second phase, Hamas will release female soldiers as well as return the bodies of Israelis it is holding, while Israel will release more Palestinian prisoners. In the third phase of the plan, Israeli soldiers will also be released as well as men of fighting age whom Hamas considers soldiers while Israel will redeploy its forces outside the Gaza Strip. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Billionaire Elon Musk, fresh off a scandal in which he appeared to endorse an antisemitic conspiracy theory on his platform X, visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland on Monday morning with conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and his son Techno Mechanicus, following a visit to southern Israel in November to see firsthand the atrocities Hamas carried out on October 7. Following his visit to Auschwitz, Musk participated in the European Jewish Association annual conference in Krakow. During the conference, which is running on Monday and Tuesday, Musk held a discussion with Ben Shapiro, during which they touched upon various contemporary topics pertaining to Jewish people worldwide. Musk said that he cant promise antisemitism will be cut to zero on X (formerly Twitter), but asserted that his platform has the least amount of antisemitism, adding that TikTok has like five times the amount of antisemitism. I grew up around a lot of Jewish people, I went to Hebrew preschool my name is pretty Jewish, he said at another point during the discussion. I went to Israel when I was 13 most of my friends are Jewish, sometimes I forget Am I Jewish?, Im Jew-ish, aspirationally Jewish. Touching on the Israel-Hamas conflict, Musk said: The indoctrination of hate into kids in Gaza has to stop indoctrination where kids are taught from as soon as they can understand language, their goal is to kill Israelis; if youre told that from when youre a toddler, youre going to believe it. He then gave three recommendations to ending the fighting between Israel and Palestinians for good. Getting rid of all Hamas fighters where reform is impossible is priority one, Musk said. Their only goal is to kill Israelis. They ought to be killed or imprisoned, because otherwise they will kill more Israelis. His second recommendation is to change the indoctrination in the schools so that Palestinian children are not taught to hate Jews. His third recommendation is to provide conspicuous acts of kindness to the people in Gaza. Its just that much harder to hate someone if you do nice things for them, he explained. Even if they try to bite your hand when you do it just keep doing it. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Israeli officials have proposed a temporary truce, lasting up to two months, in return for the liberation of all hostages held in Gaza, according to statements made on Monday. This comes after intense discussions regarding the conflict between Israel and Hamas, particularly focusing on the hostage situation. The plan, which received approval from Israels war cabinet and involves coordination with Qatari and Egyptian mediators, aims to secure the release of over 130 hostages held by Hamas, as per two Israeli officials involved in the negotiations who spoke to Axios. The initial phase of the hostage release would prioritize women, men over 60 years old, and those with critical health conditions or severe health issues. Subsequent stages of the plan would involve freeing hostages not connected to the Israel Defense Forces, followed by the release of Israeli soldiers and the remains of deceased hostages. In reciprocation, Israel would commit to releasing Palestinian prisoners, with further negotiations planned to determine which individuals would be released. Previous agreements facilitated by Qatar saw Israel agreeing to release three prisoners for every hostage freed. However, there are significant challenges to finalizing this deal. The proposed plan indicates that the ceasefire would be temporary, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrawing from major cities in the Gaza Strip to facilitate the return of Palestinians to their homes. The conflict would resume after the exchange is completed, as stated by Israeli officials. Hamas has maintained that hostages will not be released until the war is completely halted and the IDF withdraws from the Palestinian enclave. Additionally, the proposal does not entertain the possibility of releasing all Palestinian prisoners, a stipulation that Hamas leadership has deemed essential for any agreement. The suggested deal envisions a two-month period for the complete release of hostages, marking this as potentially the longest ceasefire in the conflict since a 10-day truce in November. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A senior Egyptian official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity that Hamas has rejected a proposal for a two-month cease-fire in which Hamas would release Israeli hostages in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Under the proposal, Yehya Sinwar and other top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. The official, who was not authorized to brief media said Hamas has rejected the proposal. The terror group is insisting on a permanent cease-fire before any further release of hostages. Israels leaders have thus far ruled that out. The official said Hamas leaders have also refused to leave Gaza and are demanding that Israel fully withdraw from the territory and allow Palestinians to return to their homes. The official said Egypt and Qatar, which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas, are developing a multi-stage proposal to try to bridge the gaps. The proposal would include ending the war, releasing the hostages and putting forth a vision for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israeli media have also reported on the diplomatic efforts, describing the same general outline of a potential agreement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office declined to comment on any possible talks, citing potential risks to the hostages. Qatari officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the proposal. White House senior adviser Brett McGurk is in the region this week to meet with Egyptian and Qatari officials to discuss hostage negotiations. The White House has also declined comment. In Washington, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said Monday that a temporary pause in fighting was critical to winning the release of more hostages. You cant enact safe passage for hostages out of a danger zone if people are shooting at each other, Kirby said. We dont support a general cease-fire, which is usually put in place in the expectation that youre going to end a conflict. (AP) Senior Egyptian official Diaa Rashwan, the chairman of Egypts State Information Service, said that any Israeli move to take control of the Philadelphi Corridor, the buffer strip between Gaza and Egypt, will endanger relations between the two countries. His remarks were made in the wake of recent statements by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that Israel must control the Philadelphi Corridor to thwart further arms smuggling operations to Gazan terror groups via the Egyptian-Gazan border. Rashwan asserted: Any Israeli move in this direction will lead to a serious threat to Israeli-Egyptian relations. He then accused Israel of telling falsehoods about weapons reaching Hamas via the Gazan-Egyptian border. Israels lies are intended to legitimize the occupation of the Philadelphi Corridor, contrary to international agreements. He dismissed claims that weapons and funds were smuggled to Hamas in Gaza via Egypt, including in trucks delivering humanitarian aid to the Strip. These are ridiculous accusations, he claimed. They do not serve Egypts efforts to resolve the crisis. Egypt destroyed over 1,500 tunnels and reinforced the 14-kilometer [almost nine miles] border fence with Gaza with a concrete wall. There are three checkpoints between Sinai and Palestinian Rafah so no smuggling is possible above or below ground. He also claimed that Egypt has full sovereignty over its land and has full control over its borders with the Gaza Strip and Israel. Israel militarily controls Gaza and imposes a siege on the Strip from three directions and yet accuses Egypt without any proof. Netanyahu said at a press conference ten days ago that the Philadelphi Corridor is one option for what I call a southern barrier. We will not end the war without closing this breach. Otherwise, we will eliminate Hamas, overrun Gaza, and then more weapons will enter through this southern breach. It is clear that it needs to be closed. There are several options and we have not yet made a decision. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Israeli officials informed Egypt that they are planning to carry out a military operation to take control of the border area between Egypt and Gaza. Subsequent media reports said that Egypt had refused to cooperate with Israel on the plan and would even view any steps in that direction as an act of war. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Smart meters continue to spread like a rash across the country as energy companies alert households to the advantages of knowing how much gas and electricity they use from day to day. Especially useful, they say, when family budgets are under pressure like never before. But the new-age meters, now in 60 per cent of homes, are not without their faults, and may not be as fail-proof as regulators and fervent smart-meter fans suggest. A Money Mail investigation found that many households with smart meters are experiencing problems with the devices. These include some truly disturbing issues for example, people being billed for energy used by properties hundreds of miles away, or meters going rogue, resulting in huge bills which customers then must fight to get cancelled. Dumb tech: Faulty smart meters have resulted in people being billed for energy used by properties hundreds of miles away Battles made worse by the woeful customer service at most energy suppliers. Late last year, Turner Prize-winning artist Sir Grayson Perry was suddenly hit with energy bills totalling 39,000, based on a smart meter installed at the country studio he rarely uses. Former BBC journalist Jon Sopel also received a five-figure monthly bill relating to a smart meter at his home. In Sir Graysons case, it was only after he took to social media that his energy provider took his complaint seriously. Other problems experienced by Money Mail readers include annoying glitches. These include smart meters going dumb and then not providing them with the near real-time energy usage data they were promised. In most cases, when households complain that their smart meters are no longer working, their providers are not interested in fixing the problem. This is a result of the suppliers fixation with hitting new installation targets set by energy regulator Ofgem. Targets that, if missed, result in fines. Late last year, six companies were fined a combined 10.8 million for missing 2022 Ofgem targets. Several experts say the introduction of smart meters, which began 12 years ago, has been badly managed. Gordon Hughes, a former senior adviser on energy and environmental policy at the World Bank, is a fan of smart meters in principle. But he believes that the computer systems required to support them are only as good as the quality of the data input. A failure to verify data properly, Mr Hughes says, was behind the billing errors experienced by Sir Grayson, Mr Sopel, and readers such as Jilly Bond (see below). He also believes that many of the smart meters already installed are not built to last, resulting in an accelerating rate of hardware failures (meters going dumb). As for Ofgem, he accuses it of introducing some stupid policies, resulting in energy suppliers having no incentive to fix dumb meters. Shock bills: Turner Prize-winning artist Sir Grayson Perry Mike Foster, chief executive of trade association the Energy and Utilities Alliance, agrees. He says the introduction of smart meters has been an abject failure. All consumers are paying for the installation of smart meters through their bills, he says (it is part of the standing charge). Suppliers have not generated the savings they thought they would as a result of failing to achieve a comprehensive roll out and most importantly, consumers have not benefited at all from lower bills that the smart-meter future was meant to achieve. Among the worst of many smart-meter problems Money Mail readers have reported, is the misbilling problems suffered by six flat owners at a Victorian property in Ealing, West London. They had an SSE smart meter installed early last year for the lighting of the propertys common areas stairs and exterior. Monthly bills used to work out at about 20, but when the smart meter was installed, they began to rise and rise, reaching a staggering 600 a month. It was only after they contacted SSE that they were told the reason why. The readings that SSE received from the smart meter were for a meter 270 miles away. In an email sent to one resident, SSE said: The [meter] reads were receiving remotely are for a meter up in Sunderland and the system that is used industry-wide to receive reads appears to be getting confused with that meter. SSE ended the email by saying it was unsure how the issue would be resolved. Jilly Bond, an actress and accomplished audio book narrator (she has recorded works such as Jilly Coopers Pandora and Helen Dunmores The Siege) owns a flat in the London house with husband Julian Gartside, a speech and language therapist. She says: We are constantly told that technology cannot go wrong, but as we have seen with the Post Office Horizon scandal, it can fail. Sadly, it is always private individuals who suffer while large institutions hold on to the money mistakenly taken from customers. Although the incorrect billing problem has now been resolved, the smart meter is no longer transmitting readings. Jilly and the other flat owners contacted the Energy Ombudsman, which looks into disputes between suppliers and customers. In most cases, when households complain that their smart meters are no longer working, their providers are not interested in fixing the problem Its data shows that smart meters are a constant source of complaints. It told Money Mail that meter mix-ups are an issue it regularly encounters especially on new build estates. In late November last year, the Ombudsman ordered SSE to refund the overpayments. Although it has so far made a three-figure refund, Jilly says it only accounts for half of the amount overcharged. SSE also applied a 75 goodwill credit to the account for the poor service it has given the flat owners. While SSE has confirmed that the smart meter was incorrectly linked to a supply elsewhere, it has yet to offer an explanation as to how this happened. Mr Hughes says the problem almost certainly resulted from the wrong smart meter identification being put into the system. Other readers have had issues with smart meters going rogue and producing inaccurate readings. One, who wishes to remain anonymous, says her smart meter has issued absurdly high readings since it was installed last year. At times, it has told her that her monthly consumption of electricity is equivalent to that used by two five-bedroom houses combined she lives in a one-bedroom flat. Every time she queries the readings, she is told that smart meters do not lie. She has resorted to switching off the smart function and submitting monthly manual readings instead. David Jarvis, a retired engineering consultant from Chester, is on his fifth smart meter in six years. Shock: Londoner Jilly Bond was billed for another property Most stopped being smart and went dumb, while one inflated his energy usage by 20 per cent, resulting in compensation from his energy supplier. He recently questioned the reliability of his gas smart meter, resulting in an independent inspection carried out by testing firm SGS. It said the meter was operating within permitted accuracy limits that is, plus or minus two or three per cent of actual usage. David accepted this, but was stunned to learn of such accuracy parameters. He says: I find it incredible that a measuring device used to generate readings which energy bills are based on may not be 100 per cent accurate after all. He adds: Maybe smart meters are not among the nations greatest miscarriages of justice the concept behind them is admirable. But the fact that they can give out inaccurate readings is rather alarming. Like David, many readers are angry that their smart meters no longer work, resulting in them having to take manual readings to receive accurate bills. Some 2.7 million smart meters are currently classed as dumb. It is not just that the meters stop being smart that is annoying it is the reluctance of energy providers to fix them. David Doig, a retired human resources analyst who lives near Edinburgh, is a fan of smart meters, but not when they fail to work. He had a new smart meter installed in May last year, measuring both gas and electricity usage. Although the electricity side worked from day one, it refused to give readings for the amount of gas used. British Gas, his energy supplier, initially told David that it would start working within a matter of days. Then he was promised that the problem would be resolved by September. Today, he is still waiting for his meter to be 100 per cent smart. Maybe British Gas should return to using meter readers and issue people like me with quarterly bills, quips David. British Gas insists that it has installed millions of smart meters without any problems. The meters gone dumb but my supplier just doesnt want to know It adds: If anyone has an issue, they can get in touch, and we will work to resolve it. Sometimes, we can fix it remotely, in some cases it may take a bit longer or require a visit from one of our engineers. We will always prioritise those who are vulnerable. Barry Gratwicke, who lives just outside Brighton in East Sussex, was among the first people to have a smart meter installed in his home. I wanted to do my bit for the country, the retired local government officer says. But the meters went dumb as soon as he decided to switch energy supplier to secure a better deal a fault common with most first-generation smart meters. Although he has tried to get a succession of energy providers to turn his meters smart again, none has stepped up to the mark. They dont want to know, he says. They bat the issue away. Caroline Abrahams, director at charity Age UK, says smart meters can provide a whole host of benefits for energy customers including the ability to keep track of energy usage. But equally, she says, they can cause a lot of problems, especially if after-care service is lacking. She adds: Energy suppliers must ensure they provide better installation support and fix smart meters swiftly in cases where they have stopped working. If an older person reports a billing mistake, it is crucial that suppliers quickly investigate and correct any anomalies. Gillian Cooper, director of energy at Citizens Advice agrees. She says: Things can sometimes go wrong and when they do, suppliers arent getting smart meters working again fast enough. If problems persist, then Ofgem must hold firms to account. Ofgem told Money Mail: When suppliers are at fault, we expect them to do everything in their power to fix them. Smart Energy GB is ambassador for smart meters. It said the network underpinning smart meters would keep evolving, supporting a smooth transition to the next generation of communications services for smart meters. The owner of Royal Mail rose for a second day amid hopes incoming proposals from the UKs postal watchdog could help alleviate pressure on the struggling business. Shares in International Distributions Services (IDS), which owns Royal Mail and overseas post firm GLS, gained 3 per cent, or 7.6p, to 261.9p. That followed a 3.4 per cent rise in the previous session. The mini-rally came ahead of the publication of an Ofcom review into options to reform the groups legal obligations for delivering letters, which is widely expected to appear today. Among the options looked into by Ofcom include the scrapping of Saturday letter deliveries which Royal Mail has repeatedly lobbied for but would be highly controversial. The company argues the system is not financially viable due to a sharp decline in the number of posted letters over the last decade. Ofcom review: Shares in International Distributions Services, which owns Royal Mail and overseas post firm GLS, gained 3%. That followed a 3.4% rise in the previous session But Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week said he would not countenance allowing letter deliveries to be reduced to five days a week from six. With the row rumbling on, some industry analysts warn scrapping the Saturday post would be the least bad option to avoid Royal Mail requiring taxpayer money to prop up its business. At some point, somethings got to give, said Gerald Khoo, analyst at broker Liberum. Other options that could be in the Ofcom document include relaxing delivery targets for first and second-class post as well as implementing alternate delivery days and allowing the firm to raise stamp prices. IDS shares have crept steadily higher this week as investors grow more optimistic that the regulator will propose options to reform the postal service in Royal Mails favour. But the stock remains well below the 330p a share float price in 2013 and the peak over 600p in 2018. Shares were still trading hands for over 580p in mid-2021. The FTSE 100 inched down 0.03 per cent, or 1.98 points, to 7485.73 and the FTSE 250 lost 0.44 per cent, or 83.02 points, to 18,992.62. Stock Watch - H&T Shares in H&T tumbled even though it expects to make record profits. The pawnbroker said it was on course to report its highest-ever profit following a robust final three months of 2023. But trading worsened in December as customers took a cautious approach to spending and opted to buy cheaper items. As a result, H&T expects its profits for 2023 to be around 10 per cent below the 29.9million analysts had forecast. Shares plunged 12.1 per cent, or 48p, to 350p. Asia-focused stocks rose amid reports that China could inject a major stimulus to help prop up its fragile equity market. Anglo American rose 2.2 per cent, or 38.4p, to 1789.6p, Standard Chartered added 4.3 per cent, or 25.2p, to 605.8p and Prudential was up 2.5 per cent, or 19.6p, or 816p. B&M is on the hunt for a chairman after Peter Bamford, who has been in the job since March 2018, said he plans to step down sometime this year. Shares in the discount retailer slipped 0.6 per cent, or 3p, to 521p. A downgrade from HSBC sent catering giant Compass Group into the red. The broker said it expects French food service company Sodexo to outperform the firm, which appears less bullish over improving its margins. On Monday, Compass Group agreed to buy Reading-based rival CH&Co for 475million. Shares fell 2.6 per cent, or 56p, to 2109p. Boohoo made gains after it announced its finance chief Shaun McCabe had stepped down with immediate effect. He will be replaced at the fast fashion chain by former Zoopla financial officer Stephen Morana next month. Shares rose 6.8 per cent, or 2.3p, to 36.28p. Heading in the other direction was Diversified Energy after it was attacked by a short-seller flagging concerns over its finances. Activist investor Snowcap Research claimed the US natural gas producer could be forced to cut its dividend due to a huge debt bill. Last month shares hit a record low after four US politicians wrote a letter warning the firms strategy risked undermining efforts to fight climate change. Shares slumped 12.2 per cent, or 117p, to 845p. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Military police in northwest Cambodia's Preah Vihear province have seized 1.02 tons of illicit drug smuggled from a neighboring country, a senior military police official said on Tuesday. Brigadier Geneal Kang Saokun, chief of the Preah Vihear Provincial Military Police, said the drug was found in an SUV car that had been abandoned in Chey Saen district on the night of Jan. 20. He said the suspects, who were transporting the drug across the border from a neighboring country, abandoned the car and fled into a nearby forest after they were spotted by provincial military police officers who patrolled the area. "A total of 1,020 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine was seized, and we are hunting for the suspect(s)," he told Xinhua. Cambodia has seen a spike in the number of people arrested for drug involvement despite a drop in the amount of narcotics seized in 2023, according to an Anti-Drug Police Department (ADP)'s report. The authorities had detained 19,940 drug-related suspects last year, up 35 percent from 14,784 a year earlier, the report said, adding that 499 of the detainees were foreigners of 17 nationalities. A total of 2.97 tons of all kinds of illicit drugs had been confiscated from the suspects' possession during the crackdowns from January to December 2023, the report said. The seized drugs included heroin, ecstasy, ketamine, nimetazepam, cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, methamphetamine pills, and cathinone, among others. The Southeast Asian country has no death sentence for illicit drug traffickers. Under its law, those found guilty of trafficking more than 80 grams of illicit drugs could be imprisoned for life. PARIS, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. Mutual understanding between peoples is the cornerstone of this enduring friendship, and here are three China stories shared by the French. AN UNFORGETTABLE ENCOUNTER Sonia Bressler is a writer. After obtaining her philosophy doctorate in 2005, she felt a bit lost in her life. "Like any young doctor, I was a little lost. My academic research was complete, yet thousands of questions remained unanswered," she said. The young epistemologist ultimately decided to break with all "certainties" and she gazed at the map: Paris, Moscow... Beijing! This is how her China story unfolded. In Moscow, Bressler boarded a train alone and headed to Beijing. She rarely ate during the journey. "One Russian borscht is enough to last three days," she said. Sharing the cabin were two Chinese women. "One day, they gave me a beautiful tomato, beckoned me to sit with them and eat," Bressler said, fondly remembering this gesture of friendship, and they became travel companions for a while. In Harbin, the two Chinese women "disappeared in the vapors from the dumpling vendors on the quay, and they opened the doors of their culture to me," said Bressler. After her first trip to China, "China has been in my heart," Bressler said. She returned to China several times to travel. Today, as a member of the editorial board of the Dialogue Chine-France, a French magazine, she said that France and China need to find more common ground and that more dialogue is needed between the two countries. A PASSION FOR PANDAS Jerome Pouille, who works for the French Ministry of Ecology, is a big fan of giant pandas. "It all started in childhood when my parents gave me a stuffed panda," he said. Pouille fell in love with the toy as he walked past a toy store, and having a plush panda was his Christmas wish. As he grew older, Pouille began collecting "everything to do with pandas." At 17, he saw a real panda for the first time. It was Yen Yen. In 1973, China had offered two pandas, Yen Yen and Li Li, to the people of France. Unfortunately, Li Li died of a tumor the following year. Aware of Yen Yen's old age and fearing he might not have another opportunity to see the panda, Pouille persuaded his family to embark on a 400 km journey to Vincennes Zoo in Paris. In 2002, in the early days of the Internet, Pouille set up a panda information website (panda.fr), which has accumulated over 1 million views. In 2012, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China launched a competition for a panda ambassador, or "Pambassador." Pouille and two others won the title among over 1 million applicants from around the world. He believes this was partly due to his experience in creating and managing the website. Pouille's passion for pandas sparked his interest in China; he had spent a significant amount in China. "The Chinese always opened their arms to me," said Pouille. Pouille once traveled in Sichuan's Baoxing County, where giant pandas were first discovered, with his interpreter and driver. All three were hungry on the way, but there were no restaurants. Finally, a local lady welcomed them, preparing a yak hot pot that turned out to be "really good." Baoxing holds historical significance as the "scientific discovery" site of pandas, where French missionary Armand David first recorded the existence of the animal in 1869. "The ties that bind France and China around the panda go back much further than you might imagine," said Pouille, calling the pandas "an ambassador of Franco-Chinese friendship." REDISCOVERING CHINA Norbert Rouland, a professor at the Faculty of Law of Aix-Marseille University, first visited China in 1997. Invited to Hong Kong and then to the Chinese mainland, his brief stays made him realize that China knows the West much better than the West knows China. Rouland said that many French news reports on China are biased and inaccurate. He pointed out that while French media criticize China's surveillance cameras, labeling them as a "privacy violation," they overlook the positive impact on public safety in China and the increasing installation of surveillance cameras on the streets of France. Last autumn, Rouland revisited China. A month of re-discovery gave him a sense of the country's rich culture and significant technological advances. In Shanghai, he enjoyed Kunqu, a kind of centuries-old Chinese opera, and while on a visit to a traditional Miao ethnic village in Guizhou, he rode in a hyper-modern Chinese electric vehicle that was "powerful and comfortable." Rouland has already planned to return to China in 2024. As an anthropologist, he champions a peaceful coexistence of different cultures. He believes that when the West sees China more objectively, they could see the potential for mutual inspiration. He often encourages people around him to find out more about China and, if possible, to go and "see for themselves." CHICAGO, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- A total of seven people were found shot to death by a gunman in two locations in the city of Joliet in the U.S. state of Illinois, local authorities said Monday. Description "Pricing can be the hardest part of running a business. Business owners often find themselves doubting the price tag, offering freebies or discounts, and undervaluing what they deliver. Our Panel of Specialists are going to discuss how to overcome that doubt and create certainty around your pricing. Topics include: -How do you properly price your product: tangible and intangible -How to value your brand and what offer -How to pitch your value, and not worry about being too pricey Hear from Chamber member panelists, Mark X. Cronin of John's Crazy Socks, Janet Rigney of Expressions Boutique & David Wilkes of Newsday Media Group as they discuss their pricing journey with their business." Subject: LongIsland.com - Your Name sent you Event details of "The Lodge Live After Dark at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park " Bapco Energies, the integrated energy company leading the energy transition in the Kingdom of Bahrain, has signed a strategic agreement with ACE Gallagher, a leading insurance company to establish and manage an Insurance Captive tailored for Bapco Energies. Bapco Energies sought proposals from five of the world's leading captive managers. After a rigorous selection process overseen by the Bahrain Tender Board, ACE Gallagher was appointed as the lead captive manager after securing the highest combined technical and commercial score. This agreement aligns with Bapco Energies centralisation efforts by consolidating the insurance portfolio across the Group. This strategic approach facilitates the adoption of a unified risk management strategy providing a foundation for long-term sustainability. Furthermore, it reinforces the Company's resilience, stability, and adaptability to evolving insurance-related needs. The insurance captive assumes particular significance amid the prevailing challenges in the insurance market, as it empowers Bapco Energies to assert greater control over its insurance portfolio, bolster its negotiating ability with commercial insurance markets, and optimise the overall insurance cost for the Group. The signing ceremony, held today at Bapco Energies HQ in Manama, Bahrain, saw senior representatives from both companies in attendance. The agreement was formalised between Mark Thomas, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bapco Energies, and Yolla El Khoury, CEO of ACE Gallagher Group. Thomas, commented: "We have seen a global surge in the use of captive insurers as a critical risk management tool amidst the challenges of an increasingly hardening insurance market exacerbated by higher rates. We expect this upward trajectory to persist throughout this decade. As such, we are delighted to have secured this strategic partnership with ACE Gallagher. Their expertise will be instrumental in strengthening our risk management framework and enhancing our overarching initiatives in centralisation and operational efficiency." El Khoury, said: We are thrilled to join forces with Bapco Energies as we provide expert guidance in the area of Captive Insurance. This strategic initiative not only demonstrates Bapco Energies unwavering confidence in their risk management practices but also paves the way for an enhanced risk profile. Our team of highly skilled professionals, drawn from both local and regional talent pools, is fully committed to delivering unparalleled advice that will elevate Bapco Energies risk management practices through innovative solutions like captive insurance. With utmost certainty, we anticipate achieving Bapco Energies goals of consolidating insurance policies, leveraging economies of scale, and generating revenue by retaining a portion of their risk. --OGN/TradeArabia News Service In this article, we discuss 11 best MLP dividend stocks to buy. You can skip our detailed analysis of the MLP dividend stocks and their performance over the years, and go directly to read 5 Best MLP Dividend Stocks To Buy. Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) are a type of business structure that combines the tax benefits of a partnership with the liquidity of publicly traded securities. MLPs are often involved in energy infrastructure, such as pipelines and storage facilities. The S&P MLP Index offers investors the opportunity to invest in the prominent partnerships listed on the NYSE and NASDAQ. This index encompasses both MLPs and publicly traded limited liability companies (LLCs) that share a comparable legal structure to MLPs, along with similar tax advantages. As of the beginning of 2024, the index has seen a 2.07% increase, demonstrating a closely competitive performance with the broader market, which has gained 2.27% year-to-date. Despite the broader challenges faced by equity markets in the third quarter of 2024, Energy MLP stocks demonstrated resilience and outperformed. The Alerian MLP Index showed a robust return of 9.89%, contrasting with the S&P 500 Index, which experienced a decline of 3.27%. This positive performance can be attributed to a combination of factors, including supply cuts from OPEC+ and reduced U.S. inventories, which led to an increase in oil prices. While higher oil prices contributed to concerns about inflation and interest rates, these conditions created a favorable environment for energy stocks. The strength in Energy MLP stocks not only marked a bright spot in a challenging quarter for equities but also showcased their ability to navigate and thrive amid market uncertainties. According to a Franklin Templeton report, the U.S. midstream sector is anticipated to have strong upside potential. This positive outlook is attributed to improving financial metrics and persistent low valuations, even in the face of robust performance observed in 2022 and up to the third quarter of 2023. Story continues MLP stocks are often renowned for their attractive dividend yields, making them popular among income-seeking investors. Returns from MLPs come from dividend yield, dividend growth, and changes in valuation. As of September 2023, MLP distribution yields stand at 8.08%, and there is a projected 3.70% growth in distributions over the next five years, as reported by a Boston-based firm, NWB Capital LLC. The report also mentioned that these two factors alone suggest a noticeable 11.78% annual rate of return expectation in the coming years. The firm anticipated that this almost 12% annual total return would likely be further boosted by a potential increase in valuation. This means that MLPs might trade at a higher value compared to their historical median valuation based on cash flow. This combination of attractive yields, distribution growth, and potential valuation expansion makes MLPs an appealing option for investors seeking both income and potential capital appreciation. Furthermore, the stability of cash flow plays a crucial role in sustaining substantial dividends, contributing to an increased total return, and reinforcing the defensive characteristics of midstream Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs). There has been a notable trend favoring dividend growth within the MLPs and midstream sector, underpinned by the generation of free cash flow. Currently, MLPs allocate approximately 50% of their distributable cash flow to dividends, according to NWB Capitals report. To put it differently, the distributable cash flow covers distributions by a factor of 2.0. This robust coverage stands in favorable contrast to the historically lower coverage, often less than 1.2 times, observed over an extended period. The improved coverage ratio signifies a more resilient and sustainable distribution model for MLPs and midstream entities. Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET), Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD), and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP) are some of the best MLP dividend stocks that are discussed among others in this article. 11 Best MLP Dividend Stocks To Buy Pixabay/Public Domain Our Methodology: For this list, we scanned Insider Monkeys database of 910 hedge funds for the third quarter of 2023 and picked companies that have adopted the MLP structure for their operations. MLPs are commonly found in the energy sector, particularly in midstream energy activities. From that list, we chose companies that pay dividends to shareholders and narrowed it down further to 11 companies that have stable dividend histories. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the number of hedge funds having stakes in them at the end of Q3. 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). Thats why we pay very close attention to this often-ignored indicator. 11. USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE:USAC) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 1 USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE:USAC) is a Texas-based MLP that is engaged in providing natural gas compression services to the energy industry in the US. In the third quarter of 2023, the company reported revenue of $217 million, which showed a 20.9% growth from the same period last year. Its operating cash flow for the quarter came in at over $50 million, up from $49.2 million in Q3 of 2022. USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE:USAC) has been making regular dividend payments to shareholders since 2015. It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share and has a dividend yield of 8.15%, as of January 22. Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET), Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD), and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP) are some other MLP dividend stocks popular among investors. At the end of Q3 2023, Citadel Investment Group was the only stakeholder of USA Compression Partners, LP (NYSE:USAC), owning 600 shares worth $14,316. 10. CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE:CAPL) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 1 CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE:CAPL) is an American MLP that is involved in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels and owns, leases and operates convenience stores. The company offers a quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share for a dividend yield of 8.98%, as recorded on January 22. It is among the best MLP dividend stocks on our list. In the third quarter of 2023, CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE:CAPL) reported a strong cash position. The company's distributable cash flow for the quarter came in at $31.4 million. The company ended the quarter with nearly $5.8 million available in cash and cash equivalents. Citadel Investment Group was the only stakeholder of CrossAmerica Partners LP (NYSE:CAPL) at the end of Q3 2023, as per Insider Monkey's database. The total value of these stakes is $658,140. 9. NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 2 NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS) is engaged in the transportation and storage of crude oil, refined products, and specialty liquids. As an MLP, the company has a unique corporate structure that allows it to combine the tax benefits of a limited partnership with the liquidity of publicly traded securities. It was a part of 2 hedge fund portfolios at the end of Q3 2023, up from 1 in the previous quarter, according to Insider Monkey's database. These stakes have a total value of over $5.2 million. NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS) generated $410.3 million in revenues in the third quarter of 2023, which beat analysts' estimates by $22.3 million. Its net income for the quarter came in at $51 million. NuStar Energy L.P. (NYSE:NS) currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.40 per share. With a dividend yield of 7.50%, NS is one of the best MLP dividend stocks on our list. 8. Sunoco LP (NYSE:SUN) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 2 An American MLP, Sunoco LP (NYSE:SUN) operates in the wholesale distribution and retail marketing of motor fuels. It also owns and operates convenience stores and gas stations. These retail locations often carry the Sunoco brand and offer various convenience store products in addition to motor fuels. Sunoco LP (NYSE:SUN) currently offers a quarterly dividend of $0.842 per share, having raised it by 2% in April 2023. The stock has a dividend yield of 5.91%, as recorded on January 22. It is one of the best MLP dividend stocks on our list as the company has been paying uninterrupted dividends to shareholders since 2012. As of the close of Q3 2023, 2 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Sunoco LP (NYSE:SUN), compared with 3 in the preceding quarter. These stakes have a collective value of nearly $3 million. 7. Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 5 Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) operates in the midstream sector, providing infrastructure and services to facilitate the movement of oil and natural gas from the production areas to end-users. The company generated strong cash in the third quarter of 2023. Its operating cash flow for the quarter came in at $394.8 million and its free cash flow stood at $200.4 million. On January 21, Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES) declared a quarterly dividend of $0.575 per share, which was consistent with its previous dividend. The company raised its dividends twice last year, which makes WES one of the best MLP dividend stocks on our list. The stock offers a dividend yield of 8.07%, as of January 22. Insider Monkey's database of Q3 2023 showed that 5 hedge funds owned stakes in Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:WES), compared with 6 in the previous quarter. These stakes are worth roughly $20 million in total. Among these hedge funds, Heronetta Management was the company's leading stakeholder in Q3. 6. Black Stone Minerals, L.P. (NYSE:BSM) Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 7 Texas-based MLP, Black Stone Minerals, L.P. (NYSE:BSM) is engaged in the ownership and management of mineral and royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties. The company has raised its dividends multiple times since the pandemic of 2020 and currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.475 per share. The stock has a dividend yield of 11.68%, as recorded on January 22. Its solid dividend history makes BSM one of the best MLP dividend stocks on our list. In addition to BSM, Energy Transfer LP (NYSE:ET), Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (NYSE:EPD), and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. (NYSE:BIP) offer reliable investment options from the MLP sector. As of the end of the September quarter of 2023, 7 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Black Stone Minerals, L.P. (NYSE:BSM), down slightly from 8 in the preceding quarter. These stakes have a consolidated value of over $18 million. Thomas Clay's Epacria Capital Partners was the largest stakeholder of the company in Q3. Click to continue reading and see 5 Best MLP Dividend Stocks To Buy. Suggested articles: Disclosure. None. 11 Best MLP Dividend Stocks To Buy is originally published on Insider Monkey. Over 20,000 Irish citizens were granted working holiday visas in Australia in the 12 months to June 2023. That's according to the Department of Home Affairs, which confirmed 21,029 Irish people applied for a Working Holiday visa during this time period, doubling on the previous year's numbers (10,077 applications). The figures place Ireland in the number three position behind France (26,504 applications) and the United Kingdom (37,669 applications). Over 17,000 of Ireland's applications were first Working Holiday visa applications, compared to approximately 7,500 the previous year, while 2,036 were for second Working Holiday visas, marking an increase of over 800% on the 12 months to June 2022 (225 applications). It paints a picture of Irish emigrants choosing to stay in Australia rather than return home to Ireland where the cost of living crisis is ongoing. However, applications for a Third Working Holiday visa are down by 87% (from 908 in the year to June 2022 to just 115 in the year to June 2023). According to a report published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in April 2023, 141,600 immigrants came to Ireland in the 12 months to the end of April 2023, marking a 16 year high. Of those immigrants, almost 30,000 were returning Irish citizens. However, over 64,000 people departed Ireland in the 12 months to April 2023 compared with 56,100 in the same period the previous year, making it one of the highest figures in recent years. Reacting to the news that over 21,000 Irish citizens have received Working Holiday visas in Australia over the past year, Irish TikTok user Kerry Fairy said, "First of all I think this is really sad that Irish people have to actually leave their country to have a good life. Second of all I think it's actually just embarrassing because the average salary in Ireland is closer to forty grand and to buy a house in Ireland is like quarter of a million. "There's no life there, it's actually making Irish people hate their own country. "We live to work, that's all we do. But in Australia, [it's] not only the weather, but the standard of living and wages compared to back home, that's why it's really scary because if you move here you will not want to go home." According to News.com.au, Brisbane scaffolder Joe Kelly also posted a TikTok video explaining why he left Ireland for greener pastures in Australia. He said, "I'm on double the wages I was on back home doing the exact same job and I was on a good wage back home. I have a house which is $350 a week rent. The quality of life is just better, I'm not going around depressed out of my head all day. "Ireland is just such a negative place at the minute, everything is so expensive, no one has anything for themselves, so for any young person that's thinking about moving away and to make a life for themselves, I highly recommend it. You won't get a chance like it back home. At least out here they give you a chance." Sinn Fein's Mairead Farrell recently brought up the ongoing exodus of Irish people in Dail Eireann this week (January 18 2024). Directing a question to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, Deputy Farrell asked: "What work is being undertaken by the Department to ensure that current students and apprentices are retained here? I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter." The Minister cited a Higher Education Authority (HEA) survey of 70,000 graduates in 2022, showing 83% were in employment and over 10% were engaging in further study. He said, "This shows that the overwhelming majority of graduates are choosing to stay in Ireland after graduation and to work and do further study here." In regards to apprentices, the Minister acknowledged data is currently not collected in relation to this area, but that Deputy Farrell "raised a valid point" which he will pursue. He said, "The sense we have from engagement is that the majority of apprentices stay with the employer they train with for a period after they are fully certified. That makes logical sense but we could do with more data in this area." Bringing up the recent data showing over 21,000 Irish citizens have received Working Holiday visas in Australia in the last year, Deputy Farrell said, "This will not come as a surprise to any of us because we see it in our friendship groups and neighbourhoods. With the number of people going to Australia, it feel like it did when I came out of college or did the leaving certificate in the 2008 period. "According to The Sunday Times, between July 2022 and July 2023, 21,525 holiday permits were granted. That makes us the largest recipient per capita of this kind of visa, ahead of Britain, France and Germany. We keep hearing that the economy is doing well but very clearly something is going wrong for young people here that they feel there is no alternative to going to Australia. "Of course, there will always be an element who want to go and travel, see the world and all that kind of thing, but when there is that level of an increase there is clearly something amiss." Minister Harris disagreed with this analysis, and cited revised CSO data which shows that although 30,000 people who came back to Ireland in the 12 months to April 2023 were returning Irish citizens, just over 30,000 Irish citizens left the country during that same time, leading to a net migration figure of almost zero. Deputy Farrell said, "The reality is 21,000 young people went to Australia last year, which is a massive increase from the previous year. Obviously there is something amiss here. We are not in the age group where our friends who had left are coming back or hoping to come back and are trying to raise a family. "Fundamentally, the housing crisis is having a severe impact on that. In recent years, I have been to countless weddings and a large number of those who got married some years ago are still living with their parents as a married couple because they have nowhere to go. They cannot get a mortgage if they have been abroad. They find it impossible to get a full-time permanent job. As a result, they cannot get a mortgage. They cannot get planning and they find the rents are very high. "The Minister and I can argue the point about the numbers. I do not have the figures in front of me. However, we do have the figure of 21,000 and we know that is a doubling. We need to look at why so many young people are leaving and we need to try to deal with that." Minister for Finance Michael McGrath has said he expects protections which would mean people will always be able to pay cash for goods and services deemed to be essential. It comes after the Cabinet approved the general scheme of the Access to Cash Bill which is designed to ensure continued availability of cash and ATMs in the State. The measures are designed to anchor access to ATMs at December 2022 levels, which was following the exit of KBC and Ulster Bank, and ensure that people do not experience financial exclusion. The Department of Finance also said that access to cash provides a safety net in the event of electronic banking or payments infrastructure being affected by outages or cyber-attacks. Speaking to reporters at the Department of Finance in Dublin, Mr McGrath said the bill comes out of the retail banking review that was completed in 2022. The Bill requires compliance with regional criteria that set the minimum numbers of ATMs per 100,000 people, and the proportion of people living within 10km of an ATM and a cash service point. The move to a more digitalised banking model, along with the costs involved in handling cash, have incentivised the traditional banks to move away from cash. That existing decline in the use of cash was accelerated during the pandemic. Mr McGrath said there would be even less availability of cash without the Government intervention and that would have resulted in the exclusion of people from functioning society. He said It is evident that were we to do nothing, access to cash would become more and more limited and that is not acceptable because many people do rely on it. The use it for their own budgeting, they use it for the purchase of essential goods and services. He added: Cash is here to stay. Mr McGrath said he accepted that there were costs for banks associated with maintaining cash services and ATMs but added: I do think for many people in their day-to-day life access to cash and the ability to use it is important and we need the banks to play a role in vindicating those rights. There will also be provisions for communities to apply to the Central Bank for an assessment if they feel that they are not adequately served by ATMs. Responsibility for compliance rests with the three main retail banks. If a retail bank does not comply with a direction from the Central Bank, it would become subject to potential administrative sanctions. In addition to protecting ATM availability, the Bill would give the Central Bank powers in relation to setting standards on matters such as maintenance and denomination stocking. Asked if small businesses would be forced to accept cash in the future, Mr McGrath said the Department had not come to a final view on the matter but added there will be changes under the national payment strategy. He said: We will have to make policy decisions. I would envisage that we would define certain essential goods and services where a right to pay with cash is appropriate. A consultation process on the national payment strategy ends February 14. In this article, we will be taking a look at the 15 countries with the best healthcare in Europe. If you are not interested in reading the details about the advanced European Healthcare, head straight to the 5 Countries With The Best Healthcare In Europe. Advancing Healthcare Excellence in Europe Europe is a global leader in healthcare, boasting some of the world's best healthcare systems. Countries like Switzerland, France, and Germany consistently secure top positions in healthcare quality rankings by the World Health Organization (WHO). The backbone of this excellence lies in a robust healthcare infrastructure characterized by high-quality medical services, cutting-edge technology, and an unwavering commitment to patient care. Financially, the publicly financed EU health market commands a volume of EUR 1 trillion, with cross-border medical services already contributing at least 1 percent (EUR 10 billion). The EU Commission estimates a future scenario where low-cost medical care in Europe becomes available at rates between 40 percent and 80 percent below current standards, emphasizing the significant economic impact of the European healthcare system and its potential for further growth and development. The healthcare landscape in Europe is not just about established systems; it's also witnessing a transformative phase. Pioneering models and innovative approaches are reshaping the industry, as seen in the projected substantial growth of the European point-of-care Diagnostics Market to $12.98 billion by 2030. Adopting advanced diagnostics, AI models for cancer detection, and the disruptive innovations driven by MedTech companies like Siemens Healthineers showcase Europe's commitment to pushing boundaries and achieving positive healthcare outcomes. Germany and France stand out as healthcare powerhouses in Europe, showcasing high healthcare expenditure relative to GDP. In 2020, Germany allocated 12.8% of its GDP, amounting to a substantial 432 billion ($471.08 billion), while France's healthcare expenditure reached 12.2%, totaling 281 billion ($306.9 billion). These nations invest significantly in healthcare and emphasize preventive measures, with Germany leading the EU Member States by spending 13.9 billion($15.1 billion) on preventative healthcare in 2020, the highest in the region, and France allocating 8.0 billion. Story continues The OECD Health Statistics reveal a trend among several high-income European countries, including Germany and France, allocating a substantial portion of their GDP to healthcare, which reflects the paramount importance placed on the healthcare sector. The Expat Insider Report 2023 further highlights Germany and France as top destinations for expats, including individuals from the US, UK, India, and Italy, with healthcare being a significant motivating factor for relocation. The medical scope in both countries is expansive, encompassing various treatments and procedures. Specialized oncology, cardiology, neurology, and orthopedics care are readily available. Revolutionizing European Healthcare: Telemedicine and Pharmaceutical Innovations Telemedicine has become a cornerstone of the European healthcare system, offering enhanced clinical outcomes, improved accessibility, and reduced workload for health workers. The European Commission's digital policies and funding programs have played a pivotal role in the widespread integration of telemedicine across the WHO European Region. The accelerated adoption of digital health technologies, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlights the significance of telemedicine. The telemedicine market is expected to reach $396.76 billion by 2027, demonstrating a solid compound annual growth rate of 25.8% from 2020 to 2027. DIGITALEUROPE reports that over 60% of European healthcare providers invested in telehealth initiatives in 2021, with plans for further investment in 2022. The European Union is actively involved in transformative efforts to digitize healthcare systems, focusing on electronic health record interoperability, remote patient monitoring, and data analytics. GE Healthcare Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: GEHC) has made notable strides in advancing European healthcare. The acquisition of Instrumentarium marked a significant move, establishing it as the European headquarters for GE's healthcare information technology business. GE Healthcare Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq:GEHC)'S philanthropic efforts are evident through substantial donations of medical equipment to European countries, such as the $1 million donation of ultrasound and monitoring equipment to Ukraine in 2022. GE Healthcare Technologies Inc, (Nasdaq:GEHC)'s commitment to research and development is reflected in its substantial investment, with R&D spending exceeding 6% of total revenues for the first nine months of 2023. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: DRREDDY) plays a crucial role in contributing to European healthcare by providing affordable and innovative medicines. As an integrated pharmaceutical company in Europe and other major markets, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE:DRREDDY) is dedicated to accelerating access to cost-effective and innovative medicines through its three businesses - Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients, Global Generics, and Proprietary Products. Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE:DRREDDY)'s collaborations with various organizations and utilization of technology underscore its commitment to enhancing healthcare accessibility and developing new healthcare applications in Europe. Together, these initiatives showcase the dynamic landscape of healthcare advancements and contributions from Europe's telemedicine and pharmaceutical sectors. 15 Countries With The Best Healthcare In Europe A close-up of a healthcare professional studying a computer screen with data while consulting with a patient. Our Methodology For our methodology, we have assessed and ranked European countries according to their healthcare performance using the Legatum Prosperity Index's health pillar. The rankings are determined by scores out of 100, reflecting the overall well-being of the population, access to essential health services, health outcomes, health system effectiveness, sickness, risk factors, and mortality rates. Here is our list of the 15 countries with the best healthcare in Europe. 15. Ireland LPI Health Score: 80 Ireland's healthcare system is dual, consisting of public and private options and stands among the European Countries with Best Healthcare for Expats. Regulated by the Health Service Executive (HSE), the public system had a 21 billion budget in 2022. Healthcare expenditure was 6.1% of GDP in 2021. Notable sectors in Ireland's healthcare market include diagnostics, imaging, cancer services, mental health, and more. The private health insurance market is robust, with multiple insurers. 14. Austria LPI Health Score: 80.2 Austria boasts one of Europe's top healthcare systems, with a population of 8.8 million and a GDP of USD $455.6 billion in 2017. Austria is known for its excellent healthcare system, spending 10.4% of its GDP on healthcare in 2019. Significant healthcare infrastructure and services investments include advanced medical technologies and high-quality pharmaceuticals. The market is driven by a growing elderly population and increased prevalence of infectious and chronic diseases. According to the OECD, the country prioritizes health determinants, contributing to overall population well-being and healthcare system effectiveness. 13. Malta LPI Health Score: 80.5 Malta has a well-developed healthcare system with public and private sectors. In 2017, spending per person was 2,732, 9.3% of GDP. The healthcare market features a split system, with state-funded public healthcare and private sector involvement in primary care. Healthcare funding includes taxes for the public system and significant private spending on outpatient services, primary care, and pharmaceuticals. Household out-of-pocket payments constituted over one-third of total healthcare expenditure in 2020. 12. France LPI Health Score: 80.5 France's premier healthcare system offers universal coverage, prioritizing prevention, health promotion, and patient empowerment and stands among the countries with the best healthcare in Europe. The robust health market focuses on digital health and consumer healthcare, with major players such as Elanco, GE Healthcare, and GlaxoSmithKline PLC. Statutory health insurance covers 83% of total health expenditure. Digital Health is expected to reach US$4.92 billion, and Consumer Healthcare US$5.34 billion by 2030. 11. Belgium LPI Health Score: 80.6 Belgium is renowned for its best healthcare system allocating approximately one-tenth of its GDP to health. The medical equipment and supplies market is estimated at $3.4 billion USD in 2022 and is expected to grow by 5.8% from 2021 to 2026. Healthcare spending in 2019 accounted for 10.66% of GDP, surpassing the EU average. The connected healthcare market is projected to reach $1078.57 million by 2030, featuring significant players like Agfa Healthcare and Medtronic. Belgium's healthcare system, primarily publicly funded and federally regulated, embraces continuous reform and innovation with a focus on incorporating technology. The primary healthcare companies contributing to this progress include Agfa Healthcare, Barco, BeWell Innovations, Oracle, Honeywell, and Medtronic. 10. Italy LPI Health Score: 80.9 Italy's well-developed healthcare system sees a high demand for medical equipment, driven by a robust infrastructure and high per capita income. Italy's healthcare market is set to grow in hospitals, digital health, and home healthcare and stands among the Countries With Better Healthcare Than The United States. The hospital market is projected to increase by 2.29% (2024-2028), reaching US$100.70 billion in 2028. The Digital Health market is expected to grow by 6.24% (2024-2028), earning US$4.37 billion in 2028. The home healthcare market, valued at $8.70 billion in 2022, is estimated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.43%. 9. Denmark LPI Health Score: 81.1 Denmark stands ninth among the countries with the best healthcare in Europe, with the government as the primary purchaser of healthcare equipment, covering 85% of total purchases. The medical technology market is estimated at USD 10 billion, growing at 4-6% annually. Public expenditures accounted for 84% of total health spending in 2016, representing 8.7% of GDP, as noted by CommonWealth Fund. The government allocated 5 billion Danish crowns ($739 million) to enhance the healthcare system, focusing on new treatments, cancer care, and addressing inequalities. Private healthcare, led by Aleris-Hamlet, is growing, and long-term care is included in total healthcare spending. With a population of 5.867 million and a GDP of $355.2 billion USD in 2021, Denmark's high-performing healthcare system faces primary care and prevention challenges. 8. Finland LPI Health Score: 81.2 Finland is renowned for its top-tier healthcare system, with health expenditure per capita in 2020 surpassing the EU average at 9.6% of GDP and out-of-pocket spending just over 16% of total health expenditure. In 2019, healthcare expenditures amounted to approximately $25.12 billion USD, and general government expenditure on healthcare increased to 19.4 billion euros in 2021. The system, designed for equal access and cost control, treats healthcare as a right for all residents, virtually free and financed by the state budget. However, sustaining this renowned system comes with relatively high taxes, with an average single Finn facing a net average tax rate of 30%. 7. Germany LPI Health Score: 81.4 Germany boasts one of Europe's premier healthcare systems, with the highest healthcare expenditure among EU Member States in 2020, valued at 432 billion ($471.08 billion). The substantial healthcare market exceeded EUR 457 billion ($480.04 billion) in 2021, growing 5.4% over the past five years. The system maintains almost universal health insurance coverage, with the majority enrolled in public plans and about ten percent opting for private providers. Public health insurance costs are income-based, ranging between 14.6%. Universal coverage, low cost-sharing, comprehensive benefits, patient choice, and private insurance options characterize the German healthcare system. 6. Luxembourg LPI Health Score: 81.6 Luxembourg, a country with one of the best healthcare systems in Europe, had the EU's highest healthcare expenditure per inhabitant in 2023 at 6,436, per OECD reports. The well-equipped health workforce received substantial allocations, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Financing involves a mix of government, NGOs, and private corporations, with 40% of public funding covered by the public. Click to see and continue reading the 5 Countries With The Best Healthcare In Europe. Suggested Articles: Disclosure. None: 15 Countries With The Best Healthcare In Europe is originally published on Insider Monkey. An industrial building situated at 530 and 601 Piquette St. in the city's Milwaukee Junction area in Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. The Fortescue project calls for renovating the building. Two foreign electric vehicle battery assembly and charging station firms plan to open locations in Detroit, potentially creating 600 or more jobs by the end of the decade. The firms, U.S. subsidiaries of Australia-based Fortescue Metals Group and Germany-based EcoG GmbH, each received approvals Tuesday for various incentives and inducements from the Michigan Strategic Fund in Lansing to come to Detroit. The Fortescue project calls for renovating a large 410,000-square-foot industrial building, situated at 530 and 601 Piquette St. in the city's Milwaukee Junction area, to create modern office and factory space for assembling components of EV batteries for autos and heavy industry. The large building at 530 and 601 Piquette Street in Detroit. The Piquette facility, currently vacant, will become Fortescue's U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Center. The company hopes to undertake interior renovations soon and start up its first battery assembly line in the building by March 2025, according to Judith Judson, CEO of Fortescue WAE. If all goes well, Fortescue anticipates creating 560 new, full-time-equivalent jobs at the Piquette facility by 2030. The Piquette building was originally two Fisher Body Automotive plants, and most recently was used by New Center Stamping for equipment storage. We considered almost 100 sites across the U.S. for this facility, and ultimately chose Michigan because of the excellent business advantages it offers," Judson told members of the Michigan Strategic Fund via ZOOM on Tuesday. An industrial building situated at 530 and 601 Piquette St. in the city's Milwaukee Junction area in Detroit on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. The Fortescue project calls for renovating the building. The company's $210 million figure for total anticipated investment includes $20 million for having purchased the Piquette site last year, $84 million in future building renovations and $106 million in new machinery and equipment. The Detroit News previously reported that developer Christos Moisides sold the Piquette building to the Fortescue subsidiary. More: 10 new Detroit developments to get excited about in 2024 Speaking to the strategic fund board, Judson cited Michigan's strong workforce as an attraction for the company, particularly the engineering and manufacturing talent "that's familiar with high volume production for automotive and transportation industries." Story continues She also cited the support Fortescue received from state and local officials. That support included the following incentives: A $9 million Michigan Business Development performance-based grant. A local Industrial Facilities tax abatement valued at $7.6 million. A local Brownfield tax capture valued at $4.2 million A state Brownfield tax capture valued at about $2.4 million. A 15-year exemption from personal property taxes valued at $1.3 million. Fortescue is an iron ore mining company in western Australia and the company got into EV batteries in recent years. While the company anticipates 560 jobs in Detroit by the end of the decade, officials didn't say Tuesday how many people it expects to be employing next year when the Piquette plant starts up. The company must create a minimum 420 jobs by February 2031 to keep the full incentives, or face clawbacks. We are really excited about the quality of these jobs and the companys interest in working with Detroit at Work our workforce development team in prioritizing the hiring of city of Detroit residents," David White, senior director of business development for the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., said. German firm at Book Depository Munich, Germany-based EcoG GmbH, which makes computer hardware and software for EV vehicle charging stations, plans to locate its new North American headquarters in the recently redeveloped Book Depository building in Corktown, now officially called the Newlab at Michigan Central Building. Michigan Central launches with Newlab opening in reimagined Book Depository, on left, in Detroit on Tuesday, April 24, 2023. An EcoG subsidiary anticipates creating up to 45 new high-paying jobs in Detroit over five years. The jobs are to be in research and development, marketing and administration and pay an average of $145,000 per year. EcoG is said to have also considered locating its North American headquarters in Atlanta or Cleveland before deciding on Detroit. EcoG says its charging stations had a 15% market share in the European Union as of 2022. The firm is opening a headquarters here to help expand its business into the U.S. market. It received approval Tuesday for a $1.5 million performance-based grant. The Newlab at Michigan Central Building opened last year and is home to about 80 different firms and 450 workers. Contact JC Reindl: 313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: 2 foreign EV battery firms could bring 600 jobs to Detroit If you got sick of all the artificial intelligence (AI) talk in 2023, you should know it probably won't lessen in 2024. With some saying AI and machine learning (ML) could be as transformational to business as the internet, it's best to roll with it. Especially because the International Monetary Fund (IMF) believes AI will impact 40% of jobs globally. AI/ML is an expansive area, so it may be tough to know where to start. Just a few examples of the technology include: Speech recognition (great for automobiles and drive-thru kiosks) Chatbots (terrific for online customer service and many other functions) Cybersecurity applications Virtual assistants Autonomous vehicles Factory robotics Medical research and diagnosis While the arena is massive, there are a few popular companies investors should know right off the bat. I'll start right at the top with heavyweights Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and then up-and-comers like Palantir (NYSE: PLTR) and UiPath (NYSE: PATH). Nvidia Nvidia is among the most important companies because of its high-powered, essential data center hardware and software. Without Nvidia's graphics processing units (GPUs) and other products, AI applications would be difficult to execute. This has brought the company incredible success, which the infographic below depicts. NVDA INFOGRAPHIC First, we can see that total revenue increased 205% year over year (YOY) to $18 billion in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 on the back of data center revenue, which increased 278% to $14.5 billion -- a ridiculous clip. Even more incredible, data center growth accelerated in Q3 of fiscal year 2024, eclipsing 171% in Q2. The next major takeaway is the company's operating income (center of the graphic). It soared 1,633% to $10.4 billion on a 57% margin. Nvidia's profits skyrocketed because demand was higher than supply. They cannot produce enough to satisfy their customers, so they have pricing power. Story continues Nvidia has some challenges, like U.S. restrictions on exports to China and competition working hard; however, Nvidia creates new chips that meet export requirements to China, and it has a significant head start on competitors like Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. Trading at 74 times earnings, the stock isn't cheap and likely won't be anytime soon. This drops to 46x on a forward basis (compared to Microsoft at 35x), which is more palatable. NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts. PE Ratio = price-to-earnings ratio. Wall Street has a history of underestimating Nvidia's future earnings. Still, be cautious at the current price or consider dollar-cost averaging. Alphabet In late 2022, Alphabet found itself caught flat-footed when OpenAI's ChatGPT hit the stage, and Microsoft invested billions to bring the generative AI tech to Bing. Suddenly, there was serious competition for Google Search -- Alphabet's gravy train that produced $127 billion in revenue through Q3 2023, 57% of the company's total sales. Luckily, Alphabet has studied AI for years and has many solutions that have come out or are coming soon. There is Bard, Alphabet's answer to ChatGPT. Alphabet recently upgraded Bard with its Gemini tech to enhance its performance. Google Search has new features that allow users to search with a picture, optimize translation services, and provide more relevant results. The company developed its own chip, the tensor processing unit (TPU), for generative AI applications. Perhaps the ChatGPT release was the kick in the pants Alphabet needed to get its AI program to the market. Alphabet's sales are up 7% YOY through Q3 2023 to $221 billion; however, growth accelerated to 11% in the last quarter. More impressively, cash from operations is up 22% this year, reaching $83 billion to show that Alphabet is still a cash-flow machine. The stock is fairly valued, trading close to its five-year average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27. Amazon Amazon is among the most exciting AI companies because it benefits from AI on multiple fronts. Generative AI software requires massive data processing, much of which runs through the cloud. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the world's largest provider of cloud services. Growth at AWS slowed in 2023 because companies cut their data usage budgets in anticipation of a recession, but AI and increased budgets could turn this around in 2024. The company also uses AI in digital advertising and logistics, and Amazon Bedrock provides foundational models for companies to tailor AI applications to their needs. While AWS growth slowed in 2023, areas like digital advertising thrived, and Amazon grew total revenue by 11% through Q3 2023 to $405 billion. Positive free cash flow and net income also returned after a difficult 2022. The stock trades well below its recent averages based on operating cash flow and sales, as shown below. AMZN PS Ratio data by YCharts. CFO = cash flow from operations. PS Ratio = price-to-sales ratio. The valuation and opportunity make Amazon stock an alluring buy. Palantir Palantir has been unapologetically hyping its AI prowess since before AI was the thing to be. The company helps governments and businesses manage, analyze, visualize, and act on data. It also provides a platform where clients can build and deploy applications, and its new Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP) software expands on this by using AI to enhance logical decision-making. Palantir is a critical partner in the defense industry and is making strides in the private sector. Last quarter, private sector sales increased 23% YOY to $251 million, while government sales grew 12% to $308 million. Palantir also achieved its fourth straight quarter of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) profits, has $3.3 billion in cash and investments, and has no long-term debt. It's no wonder it's a popular stock. Still, its 17% YOY growth last quarter may not justify its current valuation of 17x sales. UiPath UiPath is getting some well-deserved attention lately. The company is a leader in robotic process automation (RPA). RPA has many use cases that get to the heart of AI/ML: efficiency. For instance, picture a large company that receives hundreds of invoices daily through email. Instead of manually downloading and inputting them (as is the case now), RPA does this automatically with minimal human intervention. This is why UiPath reported $1.4 billion annual recurring revenue on 24% growth and over 10,800 customers last quarter. There is intense industry competition, namely from Microsoft, which gives investors pause. However, the company is on firm financial footing, reporting $1.75 billion in cash and investments with no long-term debt, and trades for just 10x sales. This makes UiPath a very compelling stock for growth-oriented investors. Many terrific companies are doing innovative things in AI. Of these popular companies, I think Amazon and UiPath are the most intriguing buys based on potential and valuation; however, each name has a lot to like. Should you invest $1,000 in Palantir Technologies right now? Before you buy stock in Palantir Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Palantir Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 16, 2024 John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Bradley Guichard has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Nvidia, and UiPath. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia, Palantir Technologies, and UiPath. The Motley Fool recommends Intel and recommends the following options: long January 2023 $57.50 calls on Intel, long January 2025 $45 calls on Intel, and short February 2024 $47 calls on Intel. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. AI Cheat Sheet: The 5 Most Popular Stock Picks (and Why) was originally published by The Motley Fool Amid the trend for clemency and "restorative" justice . . . This story stands out if only because members of law enforcement join the struggle . . . Check-it: Brian Dorsey, 51, is set to be executed in April in the 2006 killing of his cousin, Sarah Bonnie, and her husband, Ben Bonnie. He has been held in the Potosi Correctional Center for most of his sentence . . . 60 former and current Missouri Department of Corrections officers and prison staffers wrote a letter asking Republican Gov. Mike Parson to grant Dorsey clemency. We are part of the law enforcement community who believe in law and order, the group wrote in the letter. Generally, we believe in the use of capital punishment. But we are in agreement that the death penalty is not the appropriate punishment for Brian Dorsey. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . The CEO of Alaska Airlines said new, in-house inspections of the carrier's Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in the wake of a near-disaster earlier this month revealed that many of the aircraft were found to have loose bolts. In an exclusive interview with NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello, Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci discussed the findings of his company's inspections so far since the Jan. 5 incident, in which a panel on one of its Max 9 jets blew out midair on a flight carrying 177 people. Im more than frustrated and disappointed, he said. I am angry. This happened to Alaska Airlines. It happened to our guests and happened to our people. And my demand on Boeing is what are they going to do to improve their quality programs in-house. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci speaks in an exclusive interview with NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello. (NBC News) Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration ordered all Boeing Max 9 planes grounded and launched a safety investigation. The agency also announced an audit of Boeing's Max 9 production line and suppliers "to evaluate Boeings compliance with its approved quality procedures." It is also subjecting Boeing, as well as its third-party suppliers, to additional increased monitoring. The incident also prompted lawmakers to question whether Boeing's quality control systems are adequate. Given the previous tragic crashes of Boeing 737 Max aircraft, we are deeply concerned that the loose bolts represent a systemic issue with Boeings capabilities to manufacture safe airplanes, Sens. Ed Markey, J.D. Vance and Peter Welch wrote to Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun earlier this month. There is still no timetable for returning the Boeing-made planes to service because the FAA has not yet issued specific maintenance orders that are required for them to do so. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci speaks in an exclusive interview with NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello. (NBC News) As a result, Alaska Airlines, whose fleet had the highest percentage of Max 9 planes among any major carrier, has spent weeks canceling and rearranging its schedule, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling. Story continues Minicucci said the onus is now on Boeing to show how it will improve its quality control and prevent such incidents from unfolding in the future. But out of an abundance of caution, he said, Alaska Airlines is incorporating its own additional oversight on the production line at Boeing. "Were sending our audit people to audit their quality control systems and processes to make sure that every aircraft that comes off that production line, that comes to Alaska has the highest levels of excellence and quality," he said. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby said in a separate interview with CNBC on Wednesday that it is now contemplating a future for its fleet without the Boeing 737 Max 10, a newer version of the popular jet. Alaska CEO Ben Minicucci speaks in an exclusive interview with NBC News senior correspondent Tom Costello. (NBC News) United has also said that it found additional loose bolts on its Max 9 planes. Minicucci told NBC's Costello that while Alaska Airlines "was" planning to buy Max 10s, the company will now evaluate "what the best long-term strategic plan is for Alaska('s) fleet mix" once the craft is certified. "I think everythings open at this point ... for us," he said, confirming that Hawaiian Airlines, which Alaska Airlines is in the process of buying, uses planes produced by Boeing's rival, Airbus. "I think were going to do whats best for Alaska long term, in terms of fleet mix for us. It gives us optionality." In a statement to NBC News, Boeing said: We have let down our airline customers and are deeply sorry for the significant disruption to them, their employees and their passengers. We are taking action on a comprehensive plan to bring these airplanes safely back to service and to improve our quality and delivery performance. We will follow the lead of the FAA and support our customers every step of the way. Boeing has lost 19% of its market capitalization over the past month. Minicucci, who became president of Alaska Airlines in 2016 and began his career as an engineer, said he was "incredulous" that something like the incident earlier this month could even happen. "I knew that this was an issue out of the (Boeing) factory," he said. "There was no question in my mind." "And its clear to me that we received an airplane from Boeing with a faulty door. Now the NTSB investigation is going to figure out why that was a faulty door, whether it was bad installation, missing hardware, a manufacturing issue, but theres no doubt that Alaska received an airplane off the production line with a faulty door," Minicucci said, referring to the National Transportation Safety Board's probe. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Today's victory for local Democracy . . . A small smattering of voters will decide MILLIONS WORTH OF TAXES for generations. The upside: No tax increase and even more years of complaining about the bottom ranking Royals if/when this thing passes. And, of course, there's always the chance that voters might actually participate in local Democracy and push back against billionaires and their demands. Remember: Organizing opposition is a lot tougher than complaining online. Our big question . . . WILL SPRINGTIME VOTER TURNOUT FINALLY MATCH BITTER INTERNETS COMPLAINING?!?! The basics . . . "The Jackson County Legislature brushed aside White's veto of an ordinance to place the sales-tax question on April 2 ballot. by a 7-2 vote. Jeanie Lauer and Megan Marshall were the lone no votes." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Jackson County Legislature overrides White's veto, stadium sales-tax extension approved for April ballot Jackson County voters will decide in April whether to extend a 3/8-cent sales tax that helps fund the homes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals after the legislature overrode Frank White's veto. Stadium sales tax to appear on April ballot, legislators to override Frank White's veto Jackson County legislators Sean Smith and Jalen Anderson told KCTV5 on Monday morning that they have changed their stance. Jackson County Legislature approves putting stadium sales tax measure before voters in April The voters will decide. Context for our discussion . . . Not so long ago the most popular "adult" search term ranking in Missouri was "accidental creampie." This data-driven journalism signals to us that there's a great deal of hypocrisy when it comes to the online smut game. Whilst anti-pr0n legislation is trendy amongst moralizing politicos . . . Online stats show us that demand for nasty content in the Heartland is overwhelming . . . Even worse, politicos underestimate how easy tech can bypass all but the most draconian age-check software. For instance, most online content is sponsored by VPN companies that were built specifically for working around these kind of annoying security half-measures. Still . . . Whilst the advancement of these crackdowns is unlikely and, even worse, ineffective at accomplishing anything but restricting free speech . . . Here's a look at Missouri's move against pr0n in Jeff City: A trio of nearly-identical bills have been proposed by Republican state Reps. Brad Banderman of St. Clair, Sherri Gallick of Belton and Mike McGirl of Petosi targeting adult websites like Pornhub, YouPorn, xHamster, XVideos and others. Meanwhile, Democratic state Sen. Doug Beck of Affton introduced age verification legislation specifically dealing with online adult dating platforms. Originally, Beck filed an age verification bill targeting pornographic material, similar to the House proposals, but withdrew it, citing errors in the drafting process, according to a spokesperson for the Missouri Senate Democratic Caucus. A similar bill was proposed during the 2023 legislative session by Republican Sen. Rick Brattin of Harrisonville. He introduced the same bill again this year, targeting age verification through a different measure: regulating internet service providers. Brattins approach to restricting underage access would require an opt-in or opt-out for internet subscribers to enable top-level filters of sites that are viewed as obscene. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Air France, a major airline, will restart flights to Israel this week. The first flight from Paris to Tel Aviv is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 24. These flights will happen three times a week - on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Air France Resumes Flights to Israel The resuming comes after a break in flights to Israel by most European airlines. They had stopped flying there due to safety concerns following conflict in Gaza in October. The conflict was sparked by attacks from Hamas, a group recognized as a terrorist organization by many countries, according to Business Travel News Europe. Lufthansa Group's airlines already began flying to Israel again from Jan. 8. However, KLM, which is part of the same group as Air France, has not resumed its Amsterdam to Tel Aviv flights. Air France emphasizes that the safety of its passengers and crew is their top concern. The airline keeps a close watch on the political situation in areas where its planes fly. Other airlines, like Wizz Air, plan to restart their Israel routes soon. Wizz Air will fly from London and several European cities to Tel Aviv starting March 1. Meanwhile, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have cancelled their Tel Aviv flights until the end of March. Ryanair also won't fly to Tel Aviv from various European cities until then. Related Article: AirAsia Philippines Boosts Festival Tourism with Discounted Fares Starting at 68 Launches Non-Stop Flights Between Phoenix and Paris Air France is set to start direct flights between Phoenix and Paris. This new service, announced in Phoenix, is a significant development for the city's Sky Harbor International Airport. The flights will commence on May 23, just before the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, where Air France is the official airline. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego expressed excitement about this addition, highlighting its expected $30 million yearly economic boost for Phoenix. Arizona's Family reported that this route is especially noteworthy as the number of travelers flying from Phoenix to Paris has risen by nearly 40% since 2019. Prior to this, Paris was the largest European destination not directly served by flights from Phoenix. Air France's introduction of this route is part of a special celebration marking their 90th anniversary. Boaz Hulsman, an Air France-KLM North America executive, mentioned the significance of this year for the airline and their joy in finally establishing this connection. Gallego also noted the broader impact, welcoming visitors from Paris to Phoenix, known as the "Valley of the Sun." This new service will likely increase travel and cultural exchanges between the two cities. Sky Harbor, where Air France will be the 23rd operating airline, is a significant hub. Recently, it was named the top large U.S. airport by the Wall Street Journal. On an average day, the airport sees about 1,200 aircraft and over 130,000 passengers, contributing over $38 billion annually to the local economy. This new direct flight service by Air France is a milestone for the airline and a major boost for travel and economic ties between Phoenix and Paris. Read Also: Alaska Airlines Flight's Fuselage Incident Triggers Global Supply Chain Scrutiny Hyatt, a global hospitality leader, has recently launched its new brand platform, "Be More Here." This initiative, focusing on wellbeing and meaningful travel experiences, is designed to encourage guests to be fully present and enjoy their travels deeply. Hyatt's introduction of 'Be More Here' aligns with the latest updates to its World of Hyatt loyalty program, offering guests more rewards and experiences. Hyatt Introduces 'Be More Here' for Enhanced Travel and Wellbeing Hyatt's "Be More Here" platform aims to transform travel experiences, emphasizing being present and creating authentic connections. Laurie Blair, Vice President of Global Marketing at Hyatt, explains that this approach is a response to guests wanting more meaningful and mindful travel experiences. The "Be More Here" campaign will be promoted across Hyatt's social and digital channels, including advertisements in travel hubs and Hyatt properties worldwide, according to Breaking Travel News. The launch coincides with the Sundance Film Festival 2024, where Hyatt will collaborate with MasterClass for a special event. The platform includes several exciting features. Hyatt has partnered with MasterClass to provide in-room access to various educational and entertaining content across over 350 properties globally. Additionally, Hyatt has teamed up with Headspace, offering relaxing sounds and colored noise collections to help guests unwind and sleep better. Hyatt's "FIND Experiences," launched in 2022, now offers over 500 global experiences in 55 locations, focusing on personal wellbeing. These experiences range from cultural activities like canoe trips in Maui to practical skills like building a fire in the Berkshires. Related Article: Hotel Security Guard Accused of Watching Porn & Drinking on the Job Furthermore, the news source also stated that the World of Hyatt loyalty program has been expanded, allowing members more choices and rewards, including points for free nights, suite upgrades, and wellbeing experiences. Members can also share their benefits with loved ones through the Guest of Honor program. As part of its growth strategy, Hyatt is expanding its global collection with over 35 new luxury properties. The acquisition of Mr & Mrs Smith also broadens Hyatt's reach, offering access to boutique and luxury hotels in regions previously without Hyatt properties. This expansion reflects Hyatt's commitment to providing diverse and enriching travel experiences to its guests and members. Hyatt Launches New Secrets Tides Resort in Punta Cana Hyatt Hotels Corporation recently opened Secrets Tides Punta Cana, a new resort in the Dominican Republic. This adults-only resort is part of Hyatt's Inclusive Collection, adding to their growing Caribbean offerings. Hyatt now boasts 17 resorts in the region, with more expected by the end of 2024. Secrets Tides Punta Cana, located in Uvero Alto, features Dominican architecture and design. It provides a romantic setting with its palm-lined beach and clear Caribbean waters. The resort has 688 rooms, each with its own balcony or terrace. Guests can enjoy unlimited luxury, including 24-hour room service and premium amenities. Hyatt's new resort offers a variety of dining options. As mentioned in another report from Breaking Travel News, nine restaurants serve local and international dishes, and guests can also enjoy room service anytime. Private dinners at exclusive spots around the resort are available for a special treat. The resort includes three pools, two hot tubs, and a spa offering hydrotherapy and relaxing treatments. Guests can take advantage of a promotion saving up to 40% on stays through Dec. 20 if booked by March 26. Hyatt's expansion in the Dominican Republic emphasizes its commitment to providing luxurious vacation experiences. Read Also: Newest Trends and Latest Changes in the Hotel Industry: an Overview Bitcoin Bitcoin's price tumbled to its lowest level on Monday since the Securities and Exchange Commissions approval of spot bitcoin ETFs on Jan. 10. The largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization was recently trading below $40,000, a more than 4% drop over the past 24 hours and more than 14% since the SEC approved 11 spot BTC products, according to crypto data provider CoinGecko. Earlier Monday, BTC dropped to roughly $39,600, its lowest since since early December. This fall in value contrasted to predictions of crypto advocates who viewed spot ETF approvals as a pivotal development for bitcoin, solidifying its place as a large-scale traditional investment. Despite the cryptocurrency's falling price, newly-minted spot bitcoin ETFs pulled in $3.33 billion in their first five days of trading, as investors enthusiastically embraced the funds after more than a decade of approval delays from regulators concerned about cryptocurrencys vulnerability to fraud. At the same time, the funds largely declined in tandem with the price of bitcoin. Over the same period, broad market exchange traded funds such as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) jumped in price. At the same time, spot bitcoin ETFs have pulled in billions from investors: more than $3 billion as of Thursday, Jan. 18. Low Fees Low fees explain the draw from investors, with Bloomberg data revealing that the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) received $371 million from investors last Wednesday, closely followed by the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), witnessing a record $358 million inflows, the largest single-day amount since its inception last week. BlackRock and Fidelity together have garnered 68% of the total inflows into the nine new ETFs in the market, amounting to nearly $2 billion. Still, the launch of the investment vehicles appear in their early days to be a rousing success. The funds total market capitalization climbed to $3.25 billion, surpassing silver to become the second largest commodity ETF in the U.S. IBIT led the group, pulling in $1.23 billion since Jan. 11, while FBTC has grabbed $1.07 billion. The lowest fee spot bitcoin ETF, the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), brought in $393.8 million, the third-most. Permalink | Copyright 2024 etf.com. All rights reserved Russian war on Ukraine hampers Arctic change predictions Photo by Brian Sevald/UAF Toolik Field Station, operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Arctic Biology with support from the National Science Foundation, sits by Toolik Lake on Alaskas North Slope in September 2023. The station monitors changing environmental conditions year-round. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is biasing predictions of how the Arctic will respond to climate change, according to a team of international scientists, including one from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Their study, published Monday, January 22 in Nature Climate Change, compared the ability of Earth systems models to estimate the effects of climate change on eight essential ecological variables, with and without Russian research stations. By removing Russia from the picture, we're really diminishing our ability to understand and respond to Arctic change and its feedbacks on the rest of the world, said Syndonia Bret-Harte, a professor at UAFs Institute of Arctic Biology and co-author of the report. Over the long term, I think there are big hazards associated with this." Bret-Harte, who is the science director of UAFs Toolik Field Station in Arctic Alaska, and her collaborators found that excluding Russian stations from models increased the uncertainty in predictions for almost all of the environmental variables considered. In some cases, the changes were as large or larger than those projected from warming for the next 80 years. Notably, Siberias vast taiga forest is not represented, which makes the whole circumpolar region appear to be wetter and to have less plant biomass than it actually does. The Arctic isnt confined to a single country, Bret-Harte said. You cant necessarily predict exactly what the Arctic in Siberia is going to do by only looking at whats happening in Alaska. Being able to exchange information across international boundaries is really huge. Toolik Field Station is one of only two U.S. stations involved in the International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic, a network funded by the European Union known as Interact. Since 2001, the network has been working to improve representation of the whole Arctic in climate science through a consortium of terrestrial Arctic research stations. Almost 100 field stations, located across the U.S., Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia and Mongolia, coordinate research and monitoring activities to better understand Arctic change and its impact on local and global communities. Bret-Harte and Toolik joined Interact in the mid-2010s. Russias attack on Ukraine triggered the European Union to limit Interacts collaborations with Russian researchers and field stations. This has resulted in a gap in ground-based observations of Russian ecosystems. Since 2022, all 21 Russian stations within Interact have been dropped from its activities. Additionally, the Russian government blocked their scientists from sharing data with international collaborators. Because Russia makes up almost 50% of the Arctics total land area, this gap is significant. If we don't have a good idea of what's going on in half of the Arctic, it's hard to be confident about our predictions, Bret-Harte said. The scientific impacts extend beyond models, Bret-Harte said. Having the ability to form these collaborations and work together helps promote an understanding of science and also an understanding of people, she said. Its beneficial both in terms of giving us the best scientific picture that we can get and also in terms of forging connections in different areas of the world and in sharing perspectives. With over two decades spent fostering cooperation between Russia and other Arctic researchers, Bret-Harte said that she and her Interact partners remain hopeful that their scientific diplomacy will resume once again across the whole Arctic. But likely not without losing progress. The longer that the war goes on, the harder it's going to be to reestablish those connections once it ends, she said. ADDITIONAL CONTACT: Syndonia Bret-Harte, 907-474-5434 120-24 Udaku Special AJIRA ZA UHAKIKA NJE NJE, BONYEZA HAPA Diamond Platnumz was recently interviewed by journalists in Kenya before his performance at the Ngong Racecourse. He was asked about his children, and he said that they all live with their mothers. He also said that he spends time with them whenever he can. One journalist asked Diamond if he favors his youngest son, Naseeb Junior, over his other children. Diamond said that he treats all of his children equally, but he also admitted that he spends more time with Naseeb Junior because he is the youngest. Another journalist asked Diamond about his relationship with Zari Hassans boyfriend, Shakib Cham. Diamond said that he has a good relationship with Cham, and that they are both committed to being positive role models for their children. Finally, a journalist asked Diamond how he is able to maintain good relationships with his baby mamas, Zari Hassan and Tanasha Donna. Diamond said that it is important to dedicate time to his children, even when he is busy. Diamond Platnumz said that he loves all of his children equally and spends time with them whenever he can. He also has a good relationship with Zari Hassans boyfriend, Shakib Cham. He says that it is important to dedicate time to his children, even when he is busy. Slovakias Prime Minister Robert Fico should come to Kyiv if he believes there is no war in the Ukrainian capital to see the situation with his own eyes. Thats according to MEP Manfred Weber, President of the European Peoples Party, who spoke at a briefing in Kyiv. He should immediately come to Kyiv, Weber said, commenting on the statement by Slovakias PM, which he called simply disrespectful to the Ukrainian people. Sharing his personal experience of staying in the capital of a country at war, Weber recalled speaking with Ukrainians who would send their children to school, attaching badges to their clothes with their name, address, and other contact information in case something would happen. People are concerned. That is what I take away from here, Weber stressed. As reported earlier, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico claimed life in the Ukrainian capital was "absolutely normal", adding that there was no war in the city. You seriously think there is war in Kyiv? You are joking, please, I hope you're not being serious. Go there and you'll find out there is normal life in the city, absolutely normal life, Fico said. The statement came a day before his meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Shmyhal, and shortly after a number of Russian missiles hit Kyiv. | By Lorri Angelloz U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra led a discussion of the state of womens health care and reproductive rights at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) on Jan. 19 ahead of the 51st anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Courts landmark Roe v. Wade decision. Becerra was joined by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore in the back-and-forth discussion with UMB faculty and students, as well as UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and representatives from the Maryland Department of Health, University of Maryland Medical System, and Planned Parenthood. The open-dialogue conversation, initially scheduled as an in-person roundtable on UMBs campus, was moved online due to that days snowstorm. During the virtual meeting, participants spoke about their firsthand experience navigating reproductive health care in the wake of Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, University faculty and students, and representatives from the Maryland Department of Health, UMMS, and Planned Parenthood discuss womens health care and reproductive rights ahead of the Roe v. Wade anniversary. Were launching this tour around the anniversary of Roe because its so important to again emphasize what we had and what we need to get back and how we can do better, Becerra said in opening remarks. In welcoming the secretary and governor to the event, Jarrell pointed to the Universitys unique position in preparing health care providers for the region. This is not your usual university. We are a university very focused in health care training, discovery, and delivery in partnership with the University of Maryland Medical System, he said, adding that the University is home to 3,500 health care students and over 900 postgraduate residents. Jarrell also asked how participants in the conversation could support efforts to protect reproductive health care for women in Maryland and across the nation. Becerra said that testimony from health care professionals and medical students is essential to educating the public about the impact the Dobbs decision has had on reproductive health care access in all states. It is now to the point where a woman has to ask, What is my ZIP code? so she knows what her rights are. Thats a pretty devastating statement about the democracy in this country, he said. At the same time, we know that there are people making choices that are detrimental to their health or someone elses health simply because of what happened in the Dobbs decision. Moore spoke about steps taken by his administration to protect abortion access in the wake of Dobbs, including partnering with UMMS to purchase a stockpile of mifepristone, one of the medications prescribed for medical abortions. He vowed to continue to fight at the state level to protect those rights and expand access to reproductive health care. Maryland will continue to be a safe haven for abortion access as long as Im the governor, Moore said. We owe it to ourselves and to the people of our state, to the people of our country, to ensure that basic reproductive health care is a right and not a privilege. Some of the discussions most compelling testimony came from UMB faculty as well as current medical students. Jessica K. Lee, MD, assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM), and a primary care physician at UMMS, said in the immediate aftermath of the Dobbs decision, I had patients, Maryland patients, calling me saying, Is abortion still legal in Maryland? Because thats how confusing legislation is when these court rulings go out. People thought we were closed that day while we were still providing abortion care and reproductive care. She went on to say that the volume of out-of-state patients has increased since the decision, noting that the upsurge is due in part to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airports status as a Southwest Airlines hub. People find it cheaper to fly to us than to even drive to other states, she explained. So, we are really becoming a safe haven for patients in those other states that cannot seek care. Mary Jo Bondy, DHED, MHS, PA-C, faculty and program director of the Doctor of Medical Science program at the University of Maryland Graduate School, pointed to the importance of training funds allocated in Marylands Abortion Care Access Act, which expanded the scope of practice for certain health care providers and created the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program. She discussed UMBs commitment to interprofessional education and the benefits of team-based care delivery and said the approach to improve access to contraceptive and abortion care is being made through an abundance lens rather than a scarcity lens. We have over 4,000 PAs [physician assistants] in the state of Maryland and over 4,000 licensed family nurse practitioners who can come alongside our physician colleagues and really help extend access to care and do it safely and competently, Bondy said. Weve designed an opt- in fellowship program that will model team-based care. Itll be taught by multiple providers, and it will include didactic simulation and clinical training to upskill the current licensed workforce. Jackline Lasola and Haley Hauser, both students at UMSOM seeking obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) placements after their graduation in 2024, spoke about their experiences in the current environment as they prepare to become residents. Lasola noted she has met talented physicians in training around the country who identify strongly with communities that are restricted in the types of abortion services they provide, but added, They know that to train in that state would mean that theyre severely limiting their actual training. She said that while programs in restrictive states are trying to partner with states more open to abortion care, such approaches shortchange physicians in training. The reality of it is that if youre not able to practice the skills and that includes both the actual technical skills as well as the ability to counsel patients accurately in the moment of a clinical encounter youre not getting the training that you need in order to provide obstetric and gynecology care in a way that is equitable as well as comprehensive, Lasola said. Hauser emphasized the effect the Dobbs decision had on medical students interested in the OBGYN field. We go into medicine to help people, and throughout our training were constantly taught to do whats best for the patient at all costs, she explained, adding that abortion restrictions mean that physicians are being told from an outside source that they cant act in the patients best interest something that leads medical students to question how they would react to such circumstances as a future physician. I think it is impacting peoples decisions to go into OBGYN or not, which is devastating, Hauser said, though she added, But those of us that have chosen to go into OBGYN are even more excited to join the field and join the fight and continue to fight for our future patients and provide them that access that they deserve. Toward the discussions conclusion, Jarrell noted that UMMS has shifted from a fee-for-service model to a global-based budgeting model that rewards value-based care and population health. UMMS president and CEO Mohan Suntha, MD, MBA, who also took part in the event, spoke about the effect value-based medicine can have relative to womens health. When you think about womens reproductive health care rights, when you think about womens health care overall, and you put it within the context of this evolution that the state of Maryland is driving for the nation which is really a value-based health care model it really does drive investment in keeping communities healthy, he said. In addition to representatives from UMB and the states medical system, others attending the discussion included Maryland Secretary of Health Laura Herrera Scott, MD, MPH, and Kyle Bukowski, MD, FACOG, chief medical officer at Planned Parenthood of Maryland. In Moores closing remarks, he applauded all who recounted their experiences. These are some of the people that make us so proud to be Marylanders and make me incredibly proud to be the states governor, he said. We know that our ability to be able to protect reproductive rights it is going to be all hands on deck. Becerra added, At the end of the day, it is about control who controls your body and who controls your destiny. Because if you dont control your body, theres a very good chance that you dont get to control your destiny. | By Mary Therese Phelan The University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON) has been awarded a grant from the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation aimed at tackling systemic racial inequities in nursing education. The $7,500 grant, Eliminating Structural Racism in Nursing Academia: A Systems Change Approach to Anti-Racist Nursing Education, covers a three-year period. UMSON is one of only 12 nursing schools in the country to receive the grant. Yvette Conyers, DNP, RN, FNP-C, CTN-B, CFCN, CFCS, assistant professor and associate dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), said she is grateful UMSON was chosen. I was happy and thankful that we are going to be leading the efforts with the other 11 schools in this work and creating and sustaining that national presence, Conyers said. The nursing schools participating in the national project will form a learning collaborative to develop projects to address structural racism and promote anti-racist nursing educational environments at their respective institutions. The learning collaborative will meet monthly to report on the status of their projects as well as to learn from one another and receive feedback. Each school will develop and implement projects at their own institutions using the performance results from the American Association of Colleges of Nursings (AACN) Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMP) Survey. Last year, UMSON was selected to participate in Building a Culture of Belonging in Academic Nursing, a national initiative to foster inclusive learning environments in schools of nursing. Pilot schools in that program provided school-specific data to AACN and, in return, received LAMP survey action reports in areas such as: curriculum and pedagogy inclusion and belonging of students of color inclusion and belonging of faculty and staff of color academic culture/environment clinical environment This continues to show our commitment to EDI, but specifically this is about structural racism and nursing academia, Conyers said. This really allows us to have a little bit tougher conversations. UMSON is uniquely positioned to contribute to this work as an institution within the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB), which serves as Marylands public health, law, and human services university, Yolanda Ogbolu, PhD 11, MS 05, BSN 04, NNP, FNAP, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, wrote in a letter of support included in the grant application. UMB confers the majority of professional practice doctoral degrees awarded in Maryland; it is a thriving academic health center with an exceptional relationship with the neighboring University of Maryland Medical Center as well as with the other facilities in the University of Maryland Medical System, she stated. As such, the School of Nursing has access to a broad array of resources and collegial support that extends beyond our individual school. Also, due to UMBs commitment to interprofessional education, I anticipate that the experience and learning opportunities that UMSON would gain through this project would be of great interest to and have applicability to the other professional disciplines represented on our campus, extending its impact, Ogbolu wrote. UMSON has a longstanding commitment to EDI. Over the past decade, it has experienced tremendous growth in the diversity of its student population. In 2013, 37 percent of UMSON students identified as racially or ethnically diverse. By fall 2023, that number reached 60 percent. Ogbolu noted that faculty and staff have also become increasingly diverse; over a five-year period, beginning in 2018, faculty identifying as racially or ethnically diverse increased from 23 percent to 35 percent, and during the same period, the diversity of UMSON staff increased from 34 percent to 47 percent. The learning collaborative held an introductory meeting virtually in November and will meet in person at the AACN Diversity Symposium in February in New Orleans. The 12 schools chosen represent public and private universities and are from geographically diverse regions of the country. The projects two co-investigators are from the University of Cincinnati. In addition to UMSON, the learning collaborative comprises: Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston Jefferson University College of Nursing at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa University of Alabama at Birmingham University of New Mexico in Albuquerque University of South Florida in Tampa Washington State University Pullman Western Governors University in Salt Lake City Im excited to learn from them all, Conyers said. And to have them learn from us. We are not new to this. We are true to this. I am eager to share how we have been able to sustain and further the conversation. The University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD), in collaboration with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), is launching a pilot program this month to provide dental financial assistance to veterans diagnosed with blood cancers. LLS has funded a pilot program that will help UMSOD provide critical dental services to about 40 veterans over the next year. Veterans who are diagnosed with a blood cancer and require dental services either to begin cancer treatment or as a side effect of their treatment will be eligible for financial assistance to cover dental services ordered by a health care provider. Services covered include endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, and implants. I am glad that UMSOD will be able to provide these much-needed dental services to U.S. veterans particularly at a time when they already are dealing with other complex health issues, said Robert Windsor, DDS, FICD, FACD, director of UMSODs Clinical Operations in the Division of General Dentistry. Its care that veterans surely deserve and provides another way of acknowledging their service to the country. Nationwide, more than 1.6 million people are living with or in remission from blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, or myelodysplastic syndromes, according to LLS. Blood cancers affect the bone marrow, blood cells, lymph nodes, and other parts of the lymphatic system. During chemotherapy, oral infection can result in transient or sustained bacteremia that can result in sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection. Additionally, cancer patients who undergo treatment are at an elevated risk for dental complications that include sores in the mouth, bleeding, tooth decay, and gum disease. By partnering with the LLS, we will be able to provide critical dental care to patients before, during, and after cancer treatment as well as better prepare our graduates to help reduce the incidence and severity of adverse oral effects of cancer therapy, said Mark A. Reynolds, DDS, PhD, MA, UMSOD dean and professor. Veterans will be referred to UMSOD by LLS or health care providers. UMSOD predoctoral students will screen each patient and, under faculty guidance, prepare treatment plans and care. Patients also may be referred to UMSODs Advanced Specialty Resident Programs for more complex treatment. As part of this program, LLS also collaborates with three other dental schools at sites throughout the country: New York University, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Im grateful for the support from LLS of this important pilot program at UMSOD, Windsor said. It not only offers valuable and needed services to our veterans, but it also provides opportunities for our third- and fourth-year dental students to gain experience working with patients who have myriad and complex medical needs. For information, visit: www.lls.org/support-resources/financial-support/veteran-dental-financial-assistance WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Boeing will hold a quality stand down Thursday at the Seattle-area location where it makes 737 aircraft, pausing production and delivery operations for a day, the company announced on Tuesday. During the stand down, employees will attend quality workshops and "pause, evaluate what we're doing, how we're doing it and make recommendations for improvement," said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Stan Deal. The first stand down will occur at the Renton, Washington-area factory where the 737 is built. All other Boeing commercial production facilities and fabrication sites will have stand downs over the next few weeks, Boeing said. Boeing announced it would hold sessions with workers on Jan. 16 as part of a larger list of actions it is taking after the grounding of a portion of the 737 MAX 9 fleet earlier this month following a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines jet. (Reporting by Valerie Insinna; Editing by Chris Reese and Jamie Freed) Bristol Myers Squibb & Co (NYSE:BMY) announced that Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) combination continued to demonstrate long-term survival results in the Phase 3 CheckMate -214 trial. The Opdivo/Yervoy combo reduced the risk of death by 28% in patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) vs. Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) Sutent (sunitinib) after eight years, regardless of International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk group. The data will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2024 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium. Also Read: Bristol Myers Lead Cancer Immunotherapy Shows Progression-Free Survival Versus Chemo In Certain Type Of Colorectal Cancer. Among intermediate- and poor-risk patients (n=847), Opdivo plus Yervoy (n=425) maintained efficacy after eight years (99.1 months median), with improvements seen in overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR) and duration of response (DOR) over sunitinib: Median OS was 46.7 months for intermediate- and poor-risk patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy vs. 26.0 months with sunitinib. The 90-month landmark OS rates were 32.9% vs. 22.0%, respectively. Median DOR was 82.8 months for patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to 19.8 months with sunitinib. Median PFS was 12.4 months with Opdivo plus Yervoy vs. 8.5 months with sunitinib, tripling the 90-month landmark PFS rate at 25.4% vs. 8.5%, respectively. ORR benefits were maintained with Opdivo plus Yervoy compared to sunitinib (42% vs. 27%). In addition, four times more patients treated with the combination achieved complete responses (CR) than with sunitinib (12% vs. 3%). Additionally, in the intent-to-treat (ITT) population (n=1,096), Opdivo plus Yervoy (n=550) demonstrated long-term benefits across endpoints: Among all randomized patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy, the median OS was 52.7 months vs. 37.8 months with sunitinib. For patients treated with Opdivo plus Yervoy, the median DOR was 76.2 months compared to 25.1 months with sunitinib. Median PFS was 12.4 months with Opdivo plus Yervoy and 12.3 months with sunitinib. ORR was better with Opdivo plus Yervoy than sunitinib (39% vs. 33%), and four times more patients treated with the combination achieved CR (12% vs. 3%). Story continues Price Action: BMY shares are up 0.52% at $49.83 premarket on the last check Tuesday. Photo via Wikimedia Commons "ACTIVE INVESTORS' SECRET WEAPON" Supercharge Your Stock Market Game with the #1 "news & everything else" trading tool: Benzinga Pro - Click here to start Your 14-Day Trial Now! Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Bristol Myers Squibb's Combo Therapy Shows Sustained Benefits Over Pfizer's Cancer Drug In Kidney Cancer Patients After 8 Years Of Followup originally appeared on Benzinga.com 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Arab Financial Services (AFS), a leading digital payment solutions provider and fintech enabler, and global fintech provider Kiya.ai have teamed up to serve AFSs regional bank clients alongside financial institutions and neo banks. Through this partnership AFSs diverse products and solutions portfolio will be further enhanced with Kiya.ais deep domain expertise and new-age banking technologies which include Core Banking, Digital Banking, Internet Banking, electronic Customer Onboarding (eCO) and Trade Finance solutions. Samer Soliman, AFS Chief Executive Officer, said: AFS is honoured to lead the technological transformation in pioneering the expansion of technology within the financial sector. We are committed to supporting our many banking clients and partners and always keeping them ahead of the region's rapid digital progress. Our partnership with Kiya.ai adds value to AFSs diverse digital payments production and solution portfolio. Customer-centric solutions This further highlights our commitment to augmenting our bank clients' offerings, and expanding our spectrum of customer-centric solutions. This collaboration strengthens AFSs position as the leading provider of innovative digital payment solutions in the Middle East and Africa. Committed to delivering excellence and prioritising sustainable community impact, Kiya.ai stands at the forefront of innovation, specialising in serving financial institutions and governments across the globe. With meticulously designed solutions and services, the company consistently adapts to meet the evolving demands of its clients, ensuring its enduring role as a trusted contributor in shaping the digital future. Amit Sharma, President - Products, Kiya.ai, said: "This expands our addressable market and opens new opportunities for growth in the Middle East and Africa region. This strategic partnership is more than just a collaboration; it's a catalyst for growth, efficiency, and excellence. Our cutting-edge solutions and deep knowledge of global market practices & regulations coupled with expertise in modern architectures has enabled us to be the trusted partner for the regions prominent fintech enabler. New standards Together, we are poised to set new standards in the financial industry, leveraging our combined expertise to drive transformative change and propel the sector into a dynamic and technologically advanced era. The partnership between AFS and Kiya.ai represents a significant step forward in the advancement of financial technology in the Middle East and Africa. The collaboration is positioned to drive forward innovative customer-centric solutions, fostering inclusive financial services and reinventing the future of digital banking and finance in the region. The combined expertise and dedication of both leading organisations will help establish a comprehensive and accessible financial ecosystem for the benefit of businesses and consumers in the Mena region.--TradeArabia News Service Harvard University recently announced the formation of two task forces to address antisemitism and Islamophobia on campus. However, the appointment of Harvard Professor Derek Penslar as co-chair of the antisemitism task force has ignited a firestorm of controversy. Former Harvard President Larry Summers, along with other critics, has expressed concern about Penslar's suitability for this role. Larry Summers' Critique Larry Summers, who served as Harvard's president from 2001 to 2006, took to social media to condemn the university's leadership for appointing Penslar. Summers expressed a loss of confidence in the ability of Harvard's leadership to maintain an environment where Jews and Israelis can flourish. He pointed out that the previous antisemitism task force had been disbanded following the resignation of Rabbi David Wolpe, a respected member of the committee, who stepped down in protest last month. READ ALSO: Financial Challenges Hit London South Bank University As 16 Million In Unpaid Fees Written Off Penslar's Appointment and Controversial Positions The crux of the controversy lies in Professor Penslar's appointment as co-chair of the antisemitism task force. While acknowledging Penslar as a profound scholar of Zionism and a person of goodwill, Summers highlighted several positions taken by Penslar that, in his view, make him unsuitable for leading the task force. Penslar has been criticized for minimizing Harvard's antisemitism problem, rejecting the US government's definition of antisemitism, and making statements referring to Israel as an apartheid state. Public Positions and Critics' Concerns Critics point to Penslar's public positions, including his signing of an open letter stating that "Palestinians live under a regime of apartheid" and claiming that judicial overhauls in Israel aim to "ethnically cleanse" Palestinian territories. Summers and others argue that while these positions might be acceptable for a professor, they are problematic for the co-chair of an antisemitism task force. They believe that such a role requires an individual who does not hold controversial views on the matter. Call for Penslar's Resignation Summers, joined by other notable figures like billionaire Harvard alum Bill Ackman, has called on Penslar to step down as co-chair of the task force. Ackman, who has been critical of Harvard's handling of antisemitism, stated that the university continues on the path of darkness with Penslar's appointment. Harvard's Response In response to the criticism, Harvard issued a statement defending Professor Penslar. The university emphasized Penslar's reputation as a renowned scholar of modern Jewish and Israeli history and his commitment to tackling antisemitism. The statement also highlighted the task force's goal of undertaking broad consultation to identify the root causes of antisemitism on campus. Penslar's Defense and Support Penslar, in his own statement, expressed dedication to the education and well-being of Harvard students. He sees the task force as an opportunity to address antisemitism and subtle forms of social exclusion affecting Jewish students. Supporters, including the American Academy for Jewish Research, have come to Penslar's defense, praising his expertise and emphasizing the need for such knowledge in the current context. Division Among Harvard Community The controversy has exposed a division within the Harvard community, with conflicting opinions on Penslar's appointment. Harvard Government Professor Steven Levitsky defended Penslar and criticized Summers, highlighting that Summers' views do not represent the majority of Jews at Harvard. Harvard's decision to appoint Professor Derek Penslar as co-chair of the antisemitism task force has sparked a heated debate within the university community. While some argue that Penslar's expertise is crucial for addressing the issue, others, including Larry Summers, believe that his controversial positions make him unfit for the role. The controversy underscores the challenges universities face in navigating complex issues such as antisemitism and the importance of selecting leaders who can effectively address concerns while fostering an inclusive environment. RELATED ARTICLE: Ethical Dimensions In Academia: Mitigating Student Poaching Through Policies And Embracing Collegiality In a monumental move to address the burgeoning student loan crisis, the Biden administration recently unveiled a substantial relief package totaling $4.9 billion. This sweeping initiative aims to provide debt forgiveness for nearly 74,000 borrowers, offering a ray of hope amid the complex landscape of student loans. The relief measures are multifaceted, involving crucial fixes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and ongoing adjustments to income-driven repayment plans. As the administration strives to navigate the intricate web of student debt, the recent announcement marks a significant milestone in its commitment to easing the financial burdens on millions of Americans pursuing higher education. Debt Relief Details The $4.9 billion relief package is the latest effort by the Biden administration to tackle the persistent challenges within the student loan system. At the core of these measures are rectifications to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which has long been plagued by issues, and a dedicated approach to addressing the complexities of income-driven repayment plans. With this announcement, the total amount forgiven by the Biden administration surpasses an impressive $136.6 billion, benefiting over 3.7 million borrowers, as outlined in the Education Department's comprehensive news release. READ ALSO: Fully Funded Ph.D. Programs In Prestigious US Universities: A Gateway To Academic Excellence And Financial Support Targeted Beneficiaries President Biden emphasized the targeted nature of this debt relief, acknowledging that among the 74,000 borrowers granted reprieve, a substantial portion comprises professionals such as teachers, nurses, and firefighters. These individuals, who have dedicated a decade to public service, are now set to reap the rewards of their commitment through the PSLF program. Additionally, the relief extends to approximately 30,000 borrowers who, after enduring over two decades of repayment, finally receive the relief owed to them through income-driven repayment plans. Administration's Commitment Education Secretary Miguel Cardona underscored the administration's relentless efforts to dismantle the hurdles and rectify administrative inaccuracies that have hindered borrowers from accessing the promised relief. U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal echoed this commitment, emphasizing the Biden-Harris Administration's dedication to ensuring that every individual affected by the broken student loan system receives the support they need. President Biden's Statement In a poignant statement, President Biden acknowledged the profound impact of this relief on borrowers who meticulously planned their lives around promises of assistance with their loans. The President specifically recognized the dedication of teachers, nurses, firefighters, and other public servants who fulfilled a decade of service, now reaping the benefits of loan forgiveness. This acknowledgment not only underscores the administration's commitment to those in public service but also highlights the broader societal importance of easing the financial burdens on those who contribute significantly to their communities. Ongoing Challenges While celebrating this latest round of debt relief, officials acknowledged the persistent challenges within the student loan system. The administration remains focused on addressing systemic issues, streamlining processes, and ensuring that deserving borrowers do not face unnecessary barriers to relief. The complex interplay of regulations, administrative hurdles, and program intricacies continues to pose challenges, and the Biden administration is actively working to unravel these complexities. Education Secretary's Assurance Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed the administration's commitment to rectifying the broken student loan system. He reassured borrowers that the ongoing efforts aim to assist those who were promised support, meticulously planned their lives around such assurances, and diligently made payments over the years. Cardona's assurance reflects a proactive stance toward addressing the grievances of borrowers who have faced uncertainties and challenges in navigating the convoluted student loan landscape. The Biden administration's announcement of $4.9 billion in student loan relief marks a significant step toward alleviating the financial burden on thousands of borrowers. The targeted approach, addressing issues within the PSLF program and income-driven repayment plans, reflects a commitment to rectifying the flaws in the student loan system. As efforts continue, the administration remains resolute in its mission to provide relief to all those affected by the complexities of the current student loan landscape. The ongoing commitment to addressing challenges and streamlining processes signals a broader initiative to reshape the student loan landscape, fostering a more equitable and accessible higher education system for all. RELATED ARTICLE: What Borrowers Need To Know About Biden Administration Fast-Tracking Student Loan Forgiveness Idaho's innovative LAUNCH program, designed to address workforce needs and foster higher education opportunities, has exceeded expectations, drawing significant interest from students. The surge in applications highlights a growing demand for education and training essential for regional job markets and offers young individuals a chance to secure meaningful employment within the state. The LAUNCH Initiative Launched to benefit Idaho high school graduates and equivalent education program completers, the LAUNCH program extends grants covering up to 80 percent of tuition and fees or a maximum of $8,000. The initiative targets 76 eligible Idaho institutions, offering state-approved degree, certificate, and training programs aligned with high-demand careers. READ ALSO: Streamlining Access To Higher Education: One Million Applications Flood The "Better FAFSA" Unanticipated Interest When state lawmakers introduced the LAUNCH program last year, the Idaho Workforce Development Council (WDC), overseeing the initiative, projected approximately 7,500 applications. However, the response exceeded expectations, with around 12,600 individuals initiating or submitting applications by December 28. This substantial interest underscores the program's resonance and its potential impact on education accessibility. Governor's Pride and Challenge Idaho Governor Brad Little expressed immense pride in the robust response to the LAUNCH program, recognizing it as a unique opportunity to connect young Idahoans with education and training for successful careers. Despite the positive reception, the WDC faces the challenge of prioritizing scholarship recipients due to the overwhelming volume of applications. With $75 million allocated for the program, it is expected to fund between 9,000 and 10,000 scholarships. Statewide Commitment to Workforce Development The success of the LAUNCH program aligns with a broader national trend, as workforce development takes center stage in the policy priorities of state lawmakers and higher education leaders. A recent report from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association emphasized the emphasis on workforce development, reflecting the alignment of education with the needs of the job market. Former Governor's Aspirations:Idaho's commitment to workforce development dates back to former Governor Butch Otter's ambitious goal in 2010, aiming to increase the percentage of state residents ages 25 to 34 with a degree or certificate. Despite not achieving the 60 percent target by 2020, the state's current degree or certificate attainment rate stands at 51.8 percent. The LAUNCH program serves as a strategic intervention to bolster educational attainment and workforce readiness. National Landscape States like Indiana have witnessed success with similar initiatives, such as the Workforce Ready Grant program, demonstrating the positive impact of aligning education with workforce needs. These programs have contributed to increased college enrollments and completion rates, showcasing the efficacy of targeted scholarship initiatives. Anticipating More Programs Workforce development scholarships are gaining widespread support, and experts anticipate a surge in similar programs across states. While acknowledging the urgent need for funding, experts stress the importance of smart program design to ensure long-term success and avoid leading students into low-wage jobs. Critiques and Future Considerations While celebrating the LAUNCH program's success, some critics raise concerns about the potential of workforce development scholarships steering students toward low-paying jobs. The program's inclusion of positions like "office clerk" prompts discussions on the balance between meeting immediate job demands and ensuring sustainable, fulfilling careers. Looking Ahead As workforce development scholarships gain momentum, education policy experts encourage states to consider long-term implications and the evolving job market. Programs like LAUNCH should focus on supporting careers not only in the present but also five years down the road, fostering a holistic approach to education and workforce development. Idaho's LAUNCH program stands as a beacon of success in the realm of workforce development scholarships, showcasing the effectiveness of targeted initiatives in meeting the educational and employment needs of the state. As states nationwide prioritize workforce development, programs like LAUNCH offer valuable insights and opportunities for students, bridging the gap between education and meaningful, sustainable careers. RELATED ARTICLE: Revitalizing New York's Tuition Assistance Program: Legislators Call For Reforms To Aid Lower And Middle-Class Students Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Tuesday welcomed the reopening of the Torkham border for trade after successful Pak-Afghan talks and said that bilateral trade will be promoted after this important development PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Tuesday welcomed the reopening of the Torkham border for trade after successful Pak-Afghan talks and said that bilateral trade will be promoted after this important development. In a joint statement issued here, President SCCI Fuad Ishaq and senior vice President Sanaullah Khan and vice President, Ijaz Khan Afridi said the opening of the Torkham border will not only promote mutual trade but also address difficulties faced by the traders and exporters owing to the closure of the border since the last 10 days. The SCCI office bearers hoped the bilateral trade and export process would speed up after the reopening of Torkham border as a result of successful talks between Pak-Afghan governments and the administration. The SCCI chief said the reopening of Pak-Afghan border will enhance bilateral trade and facilitation would be available to the trading community. Faud Ishaq and his cabinet members thanked the Prime Minister, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Corps Commander Peshawar, IGFC, border management authorities, security forces, customs and relevant departments for resolving this important issue. APP/vak United States (US) Consul General to Lahore Kristin K. Hawkins inaugurated e-mobility Research and Development (R&D) center at the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering at the Lahore University of Management and Science here on Tuesday LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) United States (US) Consul General to Lahore Kristin K. Hawkins inaugurated e-mobility Research and Development (R&D) center at the Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering at the Lahore University of Management and Science here on Tuesday. The project has been jointly funded by the United States government and the LUMS and is established as part of the U.S.-Pakistan Green Alliance framework, a collaborative effort to address environmental challenges and promote sustainable development. The R&D center aims to help promote widespread use of electric vehicles in Pakistan by supporting advancements in locally designed electric vehicles, battery solutions, associated electronics, and technical standards. Todays event marks the latest milestone in a decades-long partnership between the United States and LUMS, U. S. Consul General in Lahore Kristin Hawkins said. Just as the United States supported LUMS during its founding, we are pleased to support LUMS as it takes on todays modern challenges and opportunities through innovative research and education efforts. Present at the event were representatives from LUMS, EV and battery manufacturing industry, and USAIDs Power Sector Improvement Activity. LUMS Provost Dr. Tariq Jadoon offered words of appreciation for the U.S. governments ongoing support toward achieving a clean, efficient, and reliable energy sector in Pakistan and for laying a strong foundation for sustainable and inclusive growth in partnership with the private sector in the country. (@Abdulla99267510) The caretaker federal minister says Ambassadors of Pakistan and Iran will resume work at their respective posts from 26th of this month. ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Jan 23rd, 2024) Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi has said that Iranian Foreign Minister will visit Pakistan on 29th of this month. In an interview with a private tv channel, he said that Ambassadors of Pakistan and Iran will resume work at their respective posts from 26th of this month. He said that bilateral relations with Iran are of great importance for Pakistan. Earlier, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi said that international observers and journalists will visit Pakistan to monitor and cover general elections to be held on the 8th of next month. He was addressing a news conference along with Secretary Information Shahera Shahid, Director General Radio Pakistan Saeed Ahmed Sheikh and Executive Director General External Publicity Wing Ambreen Jan in Islamabad today. Sharing details of the applications being processed, the Information Minister said that forty-nine visas have so far issued to the foreign journalists whilst thirty-two are under process. He said Pakistan's High Commission in India has also received twenty-four applications which are being processed. The Information Minister said that a total of one hundred and seventy-four applications from various foreign media outlets have been received. He mentioned that several international media outlets including CNN, BBC, DW and those of Japan have already presence in Pakistan and they will be covering the elections on National and Provincial Assemblies' seats. Murtaza Solangi said the applications submitted by the foreign observers are also being processed. He said twenty-five applications have been received from Britain, eight from Russia, thirteen from Japan, five from Canada, two from South Africa and five from Commonwealth. He said that international journalists and observers are being given permission letters for monitoring and coverage of the electoral process in three big cities of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. He, however said if a foreign journalist wants to visit any other city, his case will be processed on case- by-case basis. The Information Minister said local journalists are being provided with accreditation cards for coverage of the general elections. He said six thousand and sixty-five accreditation cards have so far been issued to the local journalists across the country. Giving a city wise break- up, Murtaza Solangi said twelve hundred cards have been issued in Lahore, one thousand four hundred seventy in Karachi, one thousand fifty in Peshawar, six hundred in Quetta, three hundred fifty five in Hyderabad, two hundred fifty in Faisalabad and two hundred ninety in Multan. Responding to a question, the Information Minister said it is the responsibility of the state to provide security to its citizens and we will also be providing security to the foreign journalists and observers. Executive Director General EP Wing Ambreen Jan, in her remarks, said we have received requests from fourteen countries for their journalists and observers to be allowed coverage of the elections. She said the Election Commission has also issued a code of conduct for the foreign journalists and observers. The Executive DG EP Wing said a media cell will be established at the office of Press Information Officer where all facilities will be provided to the foreign observers and journalists. She said a cell at EP Wing has also been established for the issuance of accreditation cards to the journalists. Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) welcomed opening of Torkham border for trade early morning on Tuesday after successful Pak-Afghan talks and said that bilateral trade will be promoted after this important move PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) welcomed opening of Torkham border for trade early morning on Tuesday after successful Pak-Afghan talks and said that bilateral trade will be promoted after this important move. In a joint statement issued here on Tuesday, Fuad Ishaq, president Sanaullah Khan, senior vice president and Ijaz Khan Afridi, vice president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the opening of Pak-Afghan Torkham will not only promote mutual trade but difficulties were faced by traders and exporters owing to closure of the border since last 10 days will be removed. The SCCI office bearers hoped bilateral trade and export process will be sped up after the opening of Torkham border as result of successful talks between Pak-Afghan governments and administration. It is noted to mention here that the Torkham border had remained closed since the last ten days. Fuad Ishaq was of the view that hundreds of trucks-loaded with goods, especially perishable items were damaging owing to being stranded at Torkham border, and caused huge financial losses to traders and exporters and also bilateral trade and export were also adversely affecting owing to the closure of the border. The SCCI chief said opening of Pak-Afghan border will enhance bilateral trade and facilitation would be available to the trading community. The chamber president Fuad Ishaq along with his cabinet members thanked the prime minister, chief minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Corps Commander Peshawar, IGFC, border management authorities, security forces, customs and other relevant departments, because this important issue was resolved by their proactive role. Guwahati, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) Twelve people were injured Tuesday when a Myanmar military plane overshot a runway while landing in India to collect soldiers who had fled armed insurgents fighting their country's junta. The Shaanxi Y-8 turboprop skidded off the tarmac shortly before midday at Lengpui, the main airport of India's Mizoram state. An Airport Authority of India (AAI) official at Lengpui told AFP that the flight was collecting 92 soldiers who had crossed into India from neighbouring Myanmar last week. Of the 12 injured, "four are stated to be serious," added the official, who requested anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. Footage of the crash's aftermath aired by local broadcasters showed the bent fuselage of the transport plane, which had cut a swath through tall grass after sliding down an embankment. The crash was caused by "sudden engine failure" while landing at the airport, Myanmar's junta said in a statement. It said eight crew members were injured and receiving medical treatment, without giving details. The flight was supposed to return the final contingent of 276 Myanmar troops who had crossed into India last week to escape an advance by armed insurgents. (@FahadShabbir) Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) By flashing a perfect smile, online beauty influencers have proven adept at convincing their young followers that they too can have blindingly white, perfectly aligned teeth for very little money, time or effort. But the teeth whitening or straightening products these influencers are promoting -- often via sponsored ads on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok -- can be dangerous if used incorrectly, dentists have warned. And some companies pushing these inexpensive, at-home products have fallen far short of their lofty promises. The US-based firm SmileDirectClub aggressively advertised online for its "clear aligners", which are plastic braces worn daily to straighten teeth. However, the firm filed for bankruptcy in December, leaving many customers in the lurch. Chantelle Jones, a 32-year-old Briton who paid the firm 1,800 ($2,300), only had her top teeth straightened and never received the bottom moulds. "I'm not sure if I'm going to get any money back," she told the BBC last month. The company has announced its "Lifetime Smile Guarantee" simply "no longer exists", advising customers to seek professional help. But because a dentist did not initiate the process, they would "have to start everything from scratch", French dental surgeon Genevieve Wagner told AFP. These types of products are not used solely for aesthetic purposes, said David Couchat of the French Federation of Orthodontics. "Aligning a few incisors can happen quickly but there is a lot of work to be done afterwards about how someone will use their jaws to chew," he said. (Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi an insider's guide to the emerging economic powerhouse, and the billionaires and businesses behind its rise, delivered weekly. Most Read from Bloomberg Byjus, once counted among the worlds most valuable startups, is seeking to raise funds at a discount of more than 90% from its previous round to alleviate its financial problems. The beleaguered Indian education provider is asking more than $100 million from existing investors through a fresh issuance of shares slated for next month, at a price that values the firm at less than $2 billion, people familiar with the matter said. Thats down from $22 billion at its previous round in late 2022. Eponymous founder Byju Raveendran will participate in the share sale to retain his stake in the company, the people said, asking not to be named as the information isnt public. The company, which has been battling a cash crunch for several months, will use the proceeds from the share sale slated for next month to pay off vendors and stabilize the business, they said. Raveendran has been pulling all stops in his fight to keep the company afloat and to ease its financial pressures. The firm is in the process of selling its US-based kids digital reading platform for about $400 million and is also locked in a legal battle with creditors over a missed interest payment on a $1.2 billion term loan. READ: Byjus Founder Pledges Homes to Raise Funds for Staff Salaries A spokesperson for the company declined to comment. On Tuesday, Byjus disclosed a loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of more than 66.8 billion rupees for the year to March 31, 2022. In its statement, following the much delayed results filing, the firm also emphasized that its auditors had found no evidence of fraud and signed off on its numbers. Story continues The company is focusing on rebuilding its core business and will double down on recent attempts to jump on to the next big bandwagon in education: generative artificial intelligence for so-called hyper-personalized learning, after the share sale, the people said. Backed by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, General Atlantic and Prosus NV, Byjus formally known as Think & Learn Pvt has raised billions of dollars to finance a global acquisition spree before it ran into a worldwide tech funding downturn. Several shareholders in the company are expected to participate in the share sale, the people said. (Updates with companys results in the sixth paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2024 Bloomberg L.P. (@ChaudhryMAli88) The health ministry in Gaza said Tuesday the Israeli army fired directly at a hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis, where civilians are caught amid heavy fighting Gaza Strip, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) The health ministry in Gaza said Tuesday the Israeli army fired directly at a hospital in the southern city of Khan Yunis, where civilians are caught amid heavy fighting. "Israeli tanks are firing heavily on the upper floors of the specialised surgery building and the emergency building of Nasser hospital, dozens expected wounded," a ministry statement said. The Israeli military did not immediately respond when asked by AFP about firing at the hospital. Khan Yunis has become the epicentre of fighting between Palestinian group and Israeli soldiers, who have pressed south over nearly three months of their ground offensive. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees said one of its Khan Yunis shelters for displaced people "was hit during military operations" on Monday. "At least six displaced people were killed and many more injured during intense fighting around our the shelter," UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini wrote Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter. As Israeli troops press on, more than a million people are now crammed into Rafah, south of Khan Yunis, which abuts the Egyptian frontier. The UN humanitarian agency described Tuesday the "indescribable pain" in Gaza where the death toll "climbs relentlessly". "In Khan Yunis, fighting escalates, destroying civilian areas and claiming lives. Attacks on health care continue to rise," OCHA wrote on X. At least 25,490 people have been killed during hostilities in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the latest toll from the Gaza's health ministry. (@FahadShabbir) Gaza Strip, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) The Israeli army said Tuesday 24 soldiers were killed in the biggest single-day losses since the start of its ground war in Gaza amid growing pressure on the government to find a way to end the conflict. The heavy clashes came as a White House official was due in the region for talks aimed at securing more hostage releases, and as US media reported a new Israeli proposal for a deal that would involve a two-month pause in fighting. Twenty-four soldiers were killed on Monday, with army spokesman Daniel Hagari saying 21 of them were reservists slain when rocket-propelled grenade fire hit a tank and two buildings they were trying to blow up. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the army had launched an investigation into the "disaster". More than 200 soldiers have been killed since Israel launched its ground operations in Gaza. "We must learn the necessary lessons and do everything to preserve the lives of our warriors," Netanyahu said. An analyst said the mounting Israeli toll would heap pressure on the government. "Everybody is mourning the soldiers this morning and I think people will demand clear answers about the purpose and the goal of this operation in Gaza," said Israela Oron of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The army said Tuesday its forces had "encircled" Khan Yunis, and "deepened" their operations in the densely populated city after killing dozens of militants over the past 24 hours. Witnesses said huge explosions shook Khan Yunis, southern Gaza's main city, as well as Deir al-Balah in north Gaza and Rafah in the south. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said its staff at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis felt the "ground shaking". "There is a sense of panic among staff, patients and displaced people sheltering inside the building," it said on social media platform X. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli forces had hit its headquarters in Khan Yunis "resulting in injuries among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises". (@FahadShabbir) Europe saw 30,000 measles cases last year, 30 times higher than for 2022, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday calling for an "urgent" vaccination campaign Copenhagen, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) Europe saw 30,000 measles cases last year, 30 times higher than for 2022, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday calling for an "urgent" vaccination campaign. "We have seen in the region not only a 30-fold increase in measles cases, but also nearly 21,000 hospitalisations and five measles-related deaths. This is concerning," said the organisation. The WHO Europe region counts 53 countries, including Russia and Central Asia. Forty of the countries registered measles cases in 2023, it said. Russia and Kazakhstan fared the worst, with 10,000 cases each. In Western Europe, Britain had the most cases with 183. Vaccination rates against the disease slipped during the Covid-19 pandemic and "urgent vaccination efforts are needed to halt transmission and prevent further spread". Some 1.8 million infants in the WHO's Europe region were not vaccinated against measles between 2020 and 2022. "It is vital that all countries are prepared to rapidly detect and timely respond to measles outbreaks, which could endanger progress towards measles elimination." Vaccination rates against measles have been dropping across the globe. In 2022, 83 percent of children received a first measles vaccine during their first year of life, up from 81-percent coverage in 2021, but down from 86 percent before the pandemic, WHO has said previously. In 2021, there were an estimated 128,000 measles deaths worldwide, mostly among under-vaccinated or unvaccinated children under five, it said. cbw/yad/tw (@ChaudhryMAli88) ANKARA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) Several people have been injured after homes collapsed due to a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that struck China's northwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region early Tuesday, state-run media reported. The quake's epicenter was at a depth of 22 kilometers (13 miles) in the mountainous border region of Wushi County. Tremors were felt across the region and in the neighboring countries of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Several dwellings and livestock sheds collapsed in areas near the epicenter, with some herders suffering minor injuries, Xinhua news reported. The region has so far recorded 14 aftershocks of magnitude 3 or higher, with the strongest registering at 5. 3 magnitude, according to the agency. Authorities also suspended rail services to check for damage along the tracks in the affected region. While the power supply had been disrupted temporarily in some parts of the region, it was gradually restored. The quakes were felt across Xinjiang, including Urumqi, Hotan, and Kashgar. Authorities dispatched a rescue team to Wushi county but no casualties have been reported from the affected areas so far, according to the report. Last month, a strong 6.2 magnitude earthquake hit Gansu and Qinghai provinces in China, with its epicenter in Cishan Bao'an Dongxiang and Salar Autonomous County, killed 149 people and damaging 14,000 houses. The United States and Britain launched a second round of joint military strikes on Yemen's Huthis on Tuesday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping, as the rebels vowed to hit back Sanaa, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2024) The United States and Britain launched a second round of joint military strikes on Yemen's Huthis on Tuesday over their attacks on Red Sea shipping, as the rebels vowed to hit back. The latest raids, heard by residents of the rebel-held capital Sanaa around midnight (2100 GMT), hit eight Huthi targets, a joint US-UK statement said, while the Huthis listed 18 strikes across their territory. US and British forces carried out a first wave of strikes against the rebel group earlier this month, and the United States launched further air raids against missiles that Washington said posed imminent threats to both civilian and military vessels. The latest US-UK strikes were against "eight Huthi targets in Yemen in response to the Huthis' continued attacks against international and commercial shipping as well as naval vessels transiting the Red Sea", they said in a joint statement with other countries that supported the military action. "These precision strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the capabilities that the Huthis use to threaten global trade and the lives of innocent mariners," the statement said. The US Central Command said in a separate statement that the targets of the strikes "included missile systems and launchers, air defence systems, radars and deeply buried weapons storage facilities". For anyone contemplating starting a small business, the thought alone can be daunting. However, advice and assistance are available. Steen Stovall and Deb Farris will discuss the basics of starting a business during a Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network workshop titled Start and Finance Your Own Business from 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Natrona County Library, located at 307 E. Second St. in Casper. The presentation will take place in the Crawford Room. To register, go here. Registration is free. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The first portion of the workshop will help potential new business owners explore the pros and cons of owning a business and evaluate the skills and knowledge necessary for success. Stovall and Farris will cover investigating the potential of business ideas; how small-business owners can identify their target markets; and identify free resources to assist small-business owners. The second part of the workshop will cover financing options from $500 to $5 million and where to access the capital needed to start or grow a business. Stovall is the Wyoming SBDC Network regional director for Converse, Natrona, Niobrara and Platte counties. He has been involved in the small-business and workforce development sectors for more than 25 years. A business veteran, he has co-founded companies in the oil, gas, retail and construction industries. He also has extensive instructional experience. Farris is deputy district director for the U.S. SBA. For more information, call Maureen Johnson, marketing, communication and database manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email mjohn125@uwyo.edu. A lot has happened in the two years since Tim Regan went home to persuade his wife to let him buy the shuttered Target store at Mondawmin Mall in West Baltimore for a million dollars. The redeveloped 127,000-square-foot building now houses TouchPoint Baltimore, the nonprofit that Regan CEO of the construction company Whiting-Turner founded with Exelon CEO Calvin Butler following the death of Freddie Gray from injuries suffered while in police custody and subsequent protests. Edenbridge PACE, a Washington, D.C.-based health care and support program designed to help seniors age in place, is also setting up an office in the former big-box store. And, according to a news release on Tuesday, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield one of the countrys largest nonprofit health care organizations plans to move into the development, which is called The Village at Mondawmin. CareFirst announced on Tuesday that it will be leasing about 20,000 square feet of space at The Village to provide workforce development training to community members, as well as other health equity projects. Lester Davis, chief of staff to the nonprofits CEO, estimated that the location would add about 100 jobs to the community, including positions on the companys sales, health access and finance teams. The project is multiple years in the making, Davis said, dating back to when the companys CEO, Brian Pieninck, met with community members to ask them about the areas most pressing needs. While Pieninck and his colleagues were expecting community members to point to problems with access to health care, they instead spoke about the paucity of good quality jobs in the area that were within walking distance. Opening a CareFirst location at The Village is the perfect match, Davis said. It will allow community members to walk to work, and allow the health care nonprofit to dip into the areas rich talent pool to fill open positions. He envisions that the project will help people living in the surrounding neighborhoods become healthier, considering that, he said, 80% of someones health is determined by their environment and circumstance, rather than any other factor. Story continues The first cohort of the nonprofits West Baltimore Workforce Development Program which it leads with Coppin State University and the Center for Urban Families just graduated last month, with students entering into careers in community health and sales, among other fields. Related Articles Moving forward, Regan said, TouchPoint Empowerment Center LLC the company he personally owns, which is leading the redevelopment efforts plans to bring a primary care medical office to The Village, as well as a child care center and retail outlets. Regan and his team are working closely with community leaders on the project, he said, and aim to help revitalize the neighborhoods surrounding the Mondawmin Mall. This is not for the faint of heart, Regan said of the project. When youre insisting on building something that is just beautiful and has appropriate amenities for what people in that community deserve, you have to break some old habits. Like, Oh, youre going to put something that nice in Mondawmin? Yes, I am, as a matter of fact. Yes, I am. Chinas human rights record was the focus of intense scrutiny Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights Council, where Beijing faced criticism from Western democratic societies over its treatment of Uyghurs, Tibetans and dissidents in Hong Kong. Tuesdays meeting marked the fourth time that Chinas rights record has been examined by the councils Universal Periodic Review procedure and the first time since former High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet issued a blistering report on Chinas treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Chinas western Xinjiang region. The report, which Bachelet released just minutes before she left her post as high commissioner on September 1, 2022, accuses China of having committed serious human rights violations against the Uyghurs that might amount to crimes against humanity, allegations that China rejected then and rejects now. We strive to deliver a better life for all people. China sees peoples aspirations for a better life as the focus of our efforts, said Chen Xu, Chinas permanent representative to the United Nations in Geneva and head of its 60-member delegation. No one is left out or left behind as China builds a modern socialist country in all respects. The people of all ethnic groups are equal and closely united like the seeds of the pomegranate working together for common prosperity and development and for a better life for all, he said. U.N. experts and human rights organizations accuse China of incarcerating more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in so-called vocational centers and of subjecting them to systematic, widespread abuse. Charges such as those were categorically denied by a member of Chinas delegation at the council hearing Tuesday: We respect and protect their human rights. We maintain Xinjiangs social stability. We guarantee their right to life. The official said, In Xinjiang, we combat terrorism according to the law. For seven years there have been no cases of violence and terror. The society enjoys stability and a good life. Chinas delegation also dismissed international criticism of the governments harsh crackdown on pro-democracy parties in Hong Kong since its takeover of the territory. Since the establishment of Hong Kongs special administrative region in 1997, the principle of one country, two systems has been the cornerstone of our prosperity and stability, said Chan Kwak-ki Eric, chief secretary for administration, Hong Kong. He accused pro-democracy forces of violent, chaotic behavior. With the implementation of the national security law, the days of social disturbance and fear are over. Stability as well as law and order has been restored and our city is back on track, he said. Since more than 160 countries signed up to speak at the UPR, each representative was limited to 45 seconds. This created a somewhat unsettling form of human rights speed-dating in which delegates rushed through their questions, concerns and recommendations. Many countries, among them several Muslim countries, went along with Chinas glowing account of its achievements and efforts to better promote and protect human rights at home. When it came time for them to speak, those friendly countries gave China an easy ride. They congratulated China on its accomplishments and offered recommendations on issues such as ways to pursue development prospects, preserve the cultural identities of minorities and promote cultural diversity. Western democracies, on the other hand, were forthright with their concerns, criticisms and demands that China change its ways. Simon Manley, the United Kingdoms ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, demanded that China cease persecution and arbitrary detention of Uyghurs and Tibetans and allow genuine freedom of religion or cultural expression without fear of surveillance, torture, forced labor or sexual violence. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Michele Taylor, raced through her intervention to get everything she had to say within the 45 seconds allotted to her. She called for the release of all arbitrarily detained individuals and called on China to cease harassment, surveillance and threats against individuals abroad and in China, including Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong. She demanded an end to torture, persecution throughout China, forced labor and marriage. She condemned the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, human rights abuses in Tibet, Inner Mongolia and across China. While delegates were verbally sparring with China and one another inside the council chamber, several human rights groups, including the Tibet Advocacy Coalition, the World Uyghur Congress and human rights defenders in Hong Kong were demonstrating against China outside the U.N. building. Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress who was present at the UPR, reprimanded Muslim countries who applauded Chinas development efforts without a mention of religious and cultural persecution of Uyghurs. The UPR was an opportunity for us to identify those with moral dignity and those who decide to look the other way in the face of genocide, he said. We know who those are. Abortion is on the ballot in 2024, the White House says, with Vice President Kamala on Monday launching a cross-country tour to equate the campaign of President Joe Biden with protection and expansion of reproductive rights as Republican candidates speak of possible federal abortion bans. On Monday the 51st anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling that federally protected the right to have an abortion Harris visited the battleground state of Wisconsin to highlight the Biden administrations support of full access to reproductive health care, including abortion. In America, freedom is not to be given, Harris said. It is not to be bestowed. It is ours by right. By right. And that includes the freedom to make decisions about ones own body. Not the government telling you what to do. Biden, a devoted lifelong Catholic, has expressed personal reservations about abortion. On Monday, however, he described the Supreme Courts 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and throw the matter to individual states as unfair. Since that court ruling, he noted, voters in different states have repeatedly voted to uphold abortion access. Voters have voted to protect reproductive rights, Biden said. We need these protections in every state, because for your family to have access to health care should not depend on your ZIP code. Followers of the current Republican presidential front-runner, Donald Trump, say Trump opposes abortion rights, but his position has varied and is unclear. His campaign website does not address the issue. A request for comment from Trumps campaign was not immediately returned. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from the Southern state of Louisiana, gave his opposition a personal spin at a recent anti-abortion rally in Washington, where he said he was the product of an unplanned teen pregnancy. "We're passing these bills and we're marching today because it takes a lot of work to convince people that every single human child, every unborn child, has a value that is too profound and precious to ignore, Johnson said. And we have every reason to be optimistic, my friends, that we can change public opinion." Anti-abortion-rights activists say theyre glad the Supreme Court put the decision back in states hands. But now, they must decide which national leader is going to move the issue forward. Activist Eric Scheidler, who joined the Washington march, said that Biden was too extreme in his support of abortion access but that none of the remaining Republicans fit his worldview. I also don't know if I trust Donald Trump, said Scheidler, who is executive director of the Illinois-based Pro-Life Action League. I mean, he gave us the Supreme Court justices that overturned Roe. Since the overturning of Roe, he has said some things critical of the pro-life movement and criticized [Governor Ron] DeSantis policy in Florida. I don't really know where Trump stands, because he seems to be talking out of both sides of his mouth on the issue. So I am reserving judgment on both Haley and Trump, because I've been concerned about where both of them stand. Abortion rights have won at the polls with voters in states from liberal California to conservative Kansas. The key swing state of Ohio was the latest, with a decisive 57% approving a constitutional amendment to ensure access to reproductive rights late last year. A giraffe named Benito started a 40-hour road trip Monday to leave behind the cold and loneliness of Mexico's northern border city of Ciudad Juarez to find warmth and maybe a mate in his new home 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) to the south. A campaign by animal rights activists won the 4-year-old giraffe a transfer to an animal park in Puebla state in central Mexico, where he will join a group of resident giraffes and enjoy a more suitable climate. It has been a long and lonesome road for Benito. Jealousy forced him to leave his home at a zoo in the Pacific coast state of Sinaloa; he was taken last year to a city-run park in Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas to lead a life alone. With temperatures in Ciudad Juarez reaching as low as 4 degrees C (39 degrees F) Monday, Benito set off in a crate strapped to the back of a flat-bed truck. He is a tall load, about 5 meters (more than 16 feet) high, and the roof of his crate can be lowered to pass under bridges. The animal's head sticks up through the top of the big wooden and metal box, but a frame allows a tarp to go over Benito and insulate him from the cold, wind and rain as well as from noise and the sight of landscape speeding by. Residents gathered to say goodbye late Sunday in Ciudad Juarez as a crane lifted the container holding the giraffe onto the truck in preparation for the journey. "We love you, Benito," some of them shouted. "We're a little sad that he's leaving. but it also gives us great pleasure ... The weather conditions are not suitable for him," said Flor Ortega, a 23-year-old who said she had spent her entire life visiting Modesto, another giraffe who was at the zoo for two decades before dying in 2022. Benito arrived last May. Benito is being transported across Mexico to Africam Safari park in central Puebla state where the low temperatures are about 20 degrees F warmer than in Ciudad Juarez. More importantly, Benito may finally find a mate: There will be three female giraffes at his new home. Environmental groups had voiced strong complaints about conditions faced by Benito at the city-run Central Park zoo in Ciudad Juarez, where weather in the summer is brutally hot and temperatures plunge during the winter. Benito originally came from a zoo in the much more temperate climate of Sinaloa, a state on Mexico's northern Pacific coast. Benito couldn't stay with the two other giraffes there because they were a couple, and zookeepers feared the male would become territorial and attack the younger Benito. So he was donated to Ciudad Juarez. In the summer there, he had little shade in his 0.2 hectare (half-acre) enclosure; photos showed him crouching to fit under a small, circular shade canopy in the summer. In the winter, ice sometimes formed in the enclosure's pond. There were few trees for him to munch on. At the Africam Safari park, the giraffes live in a much larger space that more closely resembles their natural habitat. Visitors travel through the park in all-terrain vehicles to observe animals as if they were on safari. The giraffe was allowed to become familiar with his transport container during the weekend, said Frank Carlos Camacho, the director of the Africam Safari park. In a video update posted Monday afternoon from the north-central state of Zacatecas, about 15 or 16 hours into the trip, Camacho said "Benito is doing very, very well." He said the truck had stopped for park personnel to check the cables holding the box, and to give Benito "some treats, a little sugar to give him energy." The voyage is going faster than originally predicted, in part because the truck carrying Benito doesn't need to go especially slow. Inside the container is straw, alfalfa, water and vegetables, and electronic equipment monitors the temperature and even allows technicians to talk to the animal. Outside, Benito is being escorted by a convoy of police, environmental officials and the National Guard. At his new home, it will be almost like life will begin again for him, Camacho said. "He's ready to be a giraffe," he said. "He will reproduce soon and contribute to the conservation of this wonderful species." U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday the United States is committed to growing its partnerships across the African continent and increasingly sees African countries leading on issues of global consequence. The United States is determined to be and remain a strong security partner for Nigeria, Blinken said in Abuja during a joint press conference with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. Before heading to Lagos late Tuesday, Blinken held talks with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and Tuggar in which they discussed regional security after several military coups in West Africa We very much appreciate Nigeria's leadership in ECOWAS to try to move to a return to the constitutional order and democracy in Niger after it's been disrupted, Blinken said, referring to the Economic Community of West African States. Nigeria is the largest country by population and economy in sub-Saharan Africa, and the dominant political, economic and military power in this regional bloc. The United States is the largest foreign investor in Nigeria and maintains a significant security partnership with Nigeria in its counterterrorism operations against Islamist insurgents in West Africa. Nigeria borders Niger, where the military ousted its elected leader, Mohamed Bazoum, in 2023, and subsequently scrapped defense agreements with France, its traditional security partner. Last week, junta-appointed Niger Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine visited Moscow, and the two governments agreed to enhance their defense partnership. As some countries have looked to various ways of providing security, including going to partners like the [Russian paramilitary] Wagner Group, what we've seen is actually the problem getting manifestly worse and worse and worse, Blinken said in Abuja. Ivory Coast Speaking to reporters alongside Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara after talks in Abidjan earlier on Tuesday, Blinken said the discussion included growing commercial ties to create jobs and growth in both the U.S. and Ivory Coast, as well as investing in public health initiatives and addressing regional security challenges. Blinken said the United States and Ivory Coast have a strong and growing bond. Blinkens visit to Ivory Coast is seen as reflecting U.S. interests in the countrys stability and its preparations for the 2025 presidential election. The U.S. and international community are concerned about stability in the Sahel sub-region of West Africa following coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger since 2020. Ivory Coast borders three countries that have experienced coups in recent years: Guinea in September 2021; Mali in August 2020 and May 2021; and Burkina Faso in January and September 2022. The United States announced $45 million in new funding to help Ivory Coast and its neighbors prevent conflict and promote stability amid regional threats. This contribution brings the total U.S. stability-focused assistance in Coastal West Africa to nearly $300 million since 2022. Cape Verde Blinkens fourth African trip began Monday in Cape Verde and is scheduled to close in Angola. State Department officials said key priorities included bolstering security partnerships and enhancing health and economic development in the region. In Cape Verde's capital, Praia, Blinken held talks Monday with Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva and visited the citys Porto da Praia, which received funding for modernization efforts from the U.S. governments Millennium Challenge Corporation. It is extraordinary that [Cape] Verde is the first country to complete two Millennium Challenge Corporation compacts, and now youre starting to build a third one, said Blinken. He also congratulated Cape Verdes malaria-free certification by the World Health Organization. Millennium Challenge Compacts are grant agreements designed to fund specific programs that support economic growth. Silva said Cape Verde shares values of democracy and good governance with the U.S. in its foreign policy. We strongly condemn Russias invasion of Ukraine. We condemned the terrorist act of Hamas in Israel. And we defend solutions that make the two states of Israel and Palestine viable, he said. We condemn coup detat and changes to constitutional term limits for presidents of the republic that have occurred in Africa. Cape Verde is a small island nation that has a large diaspora in the United States. The U.S. and Cape Verde signed a memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation in December 2022, focusing on maritime security. Angola and Luanda Process In a Monday call, Blinken spoke to recently re-elected Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi and discussed the concerns of election observers, as well as the need to enhance democratic confidence moving forward. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement they also discussed the crisis in eastern DRC and potential diplomatic solutions. Following a contentious December election, Tshisekedi sworn in Saturday for a second term pledged to unify the country and address conflicts in the east. The worsening conflicts in eastern Congo have prompted countries in the region to broker two peace initiatives: the so-called Luanda Process and the Nairobi Process, according to Molly Phee, assistant secretary of state for African affairs. Increasing tensions between Rwanda and the DRC have led to several alleged attacks by Congolese and Rwandan forces on each others territory. Blinken plans to hold talks on the Luanda Process, led by Angola, with that countrys President Joao Lourenco and Foreign Minister Tete Antonio. Last week, Blinken met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where he reiterated the need for all actors to take concrete steps to ease tensions. Avril Haines, director of U.S. national intelligence, traveled to Kinshasa and Kigali in November, meeting with leaders from the two countries to secure a commitment to de-escalate tensions in eastern DRC. We were able to institute a process of weekly check-ins that we undertook through the end of calendar year 2023, Phee told reporters during a Thursday briefing. France and Cambodia have signed a $235 million aid agreement for drinking water and energy infrastructure development, as well as vocational training. The deal is part of a move to boost bilateral relations between the two countries, which have maintained a postcolonial dialogue since Cambodia became independent in 1953. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace and announced the pact last week. It was the West Point graduates first official visit to a Western power since succeeding his father, Hun Sen, in August. Cambodia will always remember Frances role in contributing to national economic recovery and development through the French Development Agency, Hun Manet said at a press conference alongside Macron. I hope that my visit to France, especially with the president, will enable us to discuss the work that needs to further strengthen Cambodia-France relations, Hun Manet said Thursday. The meeting with Macron came just months after France joined other European Union countries in expressing concern about Julys election, in which Cambodias main opposition party was barred from participating. After Julys elections, in which the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party won all but five seats in parliament, France called for the release of jailed opposition politicians and respect for Cambodias democratic obligations under international pacts and domestic law. Former Prime Minister Hun Sen was the ruling partys prime minister candidate in the election but quickly stepped down to make way for his son in a long-planned succession. Hun Sen remains the president of the ruling party and is expected to be the president of the Senate after elections in late February. Hun Manets first trip after succeeding his father in August was to Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People. Cambodia has long supported China in return for receiving significant investments, loans and grants to build infrastructure, according to analysts. Cambodias democratic donors have largely set aside differences over political freedom and human rights to focus on areas of cooperation with the new government in Phnom Penh. During the visit, Macron reiterated Frances appreciation of Cambodia's position at the United Nations regarding Russias war against Ukraine, according to the joint statement. Cambodia has repeatedly voted with Ukraines supporters in condemning Russias invasion, in a rare break with China on the world stage. Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who is in exile in France, criticized Macron in a post on Facebook and an opinion article in The Geopolitics for legitimizing Hun Manets rule. Macron has clearly made the calculation that it is better to engage with dictators rather than deny them legitimacy, he wrote. There is no sign that Macron, along with some other Western leaders, fully understands the unseen impacts of affording high-profile acceptance and credibility to dictators such as Hun Manet, Sam Rainsy added. An official visit to a venue such as the Elysee is a major propaganda coup for any such regime. It gives an unequivocal message to the Cambodian regime and the Cambodian people that arrests of and violence against opposition supporters can continue. Sok Eysan, a spokesman for the ruling Cambodian People's Party, told VOA Khmer on Friday that the visit showed that the Cambodian government and its new prime minister were recognized by the worlds leaders and other officials. Before traveling to France, Manet also attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While there, he met with Samantha Power, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development. In a post on X, Power said they discussed opportunities to build a more productive relationship. Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch in Asia, criticized Power's approach: How about talking about human rights, Samantha? #Cambodia has descended into a single party dictatorship under the Hun family and you want a 'more productive' relationship? Aiya! How about some sanctions instead? Russia and Iran are employing their state media for propaganda that distorts the nature of Yemeni militant attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. The two allied states disinformation narratives are designed to whitewash actions by the Houthi rebels while falsely portraying the United States as the party responsible for escalating hostilities in the Red Sea. On January 17, the United States redesignated the Houthi rebels as a major terrorist group. On January 19, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia interviewed Mohammed al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Houthi rebels politburo. Al-Bukhiti claimed that the Houthis respect civilian vessels right to innocent passage and would only attack ships that were Israeli or in any way connected to Israel. He indicated that the U.S. and United Kingdom, which have retaliated against the Houthis for their strikes, would not be able to use one of the key trade arteries in the world. Concerning all other countries, including Russia and China, nothing is threatening their shipping in the region, he said. That is false. The Houthis have launched dozens of attacks on merchant and commercial vessels since November 19, 2023, to show solidarity with Palestine and opposition to Israel. Many ships attacked by the Houthis had neither links to Israel, the U.K., the U.S. nor were transiting to Israel. In any case, commercial ships are not legitimate military targets. Al-Bakhitis interview came a week after reports that the Houthis had, for the second time, mistakenly targeted a ship carrying Russian oil. The January 12 attack targeted the Panama-flagged Khalissa, a Seychelles-owned ship managed out of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The ship was carrying oil from the Russian port of Ust-Luga located near the Gulf of Finland. The British maritime security firm Ambrey surmised that the Khalissa was mistakenly attacked due to outdated information listing the ship as U.K.-affiliated. It was not the first time that the Houthis apparently misidentified a target due to incorrect or outdated information online. Last December 18, the Houthis struck the Norwegian-owned Swan Atlantic tanker. The ships owner, Inventor Chemical Tankers, said it was likely attacked because of information posted online by Marine Traffic, a vessel-tracking open-source website, incorrectly stating that an Israel-affiliated company managed the Swan Atlantic. In other cases, the Houthis attacked ships that they claimed were Israel-bound. On January 16, the Houthis attacked the Zografia, a Malta-flagged, Greek-owned bulk carrier. A Greek maritime affairs ministry source told Agence France-Presse that the ship was sailing from Vietnam to Israel. However, Vessel Finder, a ship-tracking website, indicated the Zografia was en route to Suez, Egypt, at the time of the attack, while Greeces Shipping and Island Policy Ministry said only that the ship was headed to the Suez Canal, according to The Associated Press. On January 2, the Houthis tried to attack the Maltese-flagged, French-owned CMA CGM Tage container ship. The Houthis claimed that the ship was sailing to Israel. However, CMA CGM told Reuters that the ship was headed for Egypt, not Israel. On December 16, the Houthis attacked the Liberian-flagged MSC Palatium III, which is owned by the Swiss-based MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. The same day, the Houthis attacked another Liberian-flagged vessel, the Al Jasrah, which is operated by Germany-based shipper Hapag Lloyd. MSC Palatium III listed Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as its destination, a claim supported by data from Marine Traffic, Reuters reported. MSC says another of its ships, the Liberian-flagged Alyana, which the Houthis threatened but did not attack on December 16, was also listed as heading to Jeddah. The Al Jasrah, crewed by Filipinos, was traveling from the Greek port of Piraeus to Singapore. On November 19, 2023, the Houthis hijacked the Bahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader commercial ship, taking at least 17 Filipino members of its crew hostage. The Galaxy Leader is operated by Nippon Yusen, a Japanese shipping company, and owned by the U.K.-registered firm Ray Car Carriers. However, Ray Car Carriers and the Galaxy Leader are owned by Tel Aviv-based Ray Shipping. As with the Galaxy Leader, many of the ships the Houthis have targeted have multinational crews with no links to Israel, the U.K. or Egypt. Some ships are even signaling that their crews are all Chinese to avoid attack. On December 3, Houthi rebels launched a barrage of drone and missile strikes on commercial ships in the Red Sea, hitting three vessels. That day, the Houthis hit the Unity Explorer, owned by U.K.-registered Unity Explorer LTD. Reports indicate that Unity Explorer LTDs director, David Ungar, has Israeli citizenship, although he is also a British national who resides in the United Kingdom. The Unity Explorer is a Bahama-flagged cargo carrier and thus subject to the laws and regulations of the Bahamas. The next ship hit was M/V Number 9 a Panama-flagged container ship owned by Number 9 Shipping Ltd., which is managed by Newcastle-upon-Tyne, U.K.-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement. While the Houthis are now including the U.K. on its list of legitimate targets, that was not the case at the time of those earlier attacks, which occurred well over a month before the U.K. and U.S. retaliated against the Houthis on January 11. The third ship hit on December 3, the AOM Sophie II, is a Japanese-owned bulk carrier that is registered in Panama and flies the Panamanian flag. That ship was traveling from Venezuela to China. China, which is friendly with Iran and has signaled support for the Palestinian cause, is trying to balance its political and commercial interests in the region. It has called for an end to "harassment of civilian vessels in the Red Sea. Israeli officials say Hamas is still holding 136 Israelis who were taken hostage Oct. 7, the start of the war in Gaza. Families of some of those hostages are in the United States to raise awareness about an issue they fear has been fading since the collapse of a November cease-fire. VOAs Natasha Mozgovaya has our story. Irans judiciary said Tuesday it carried out the death sentence of Mohammad Ghobadlou, who was accused of driving into a group of police officers, killing one and injuring five others. Authorities detained Ghobadlou amid the crackdown on protests that followed the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Ghobadlou was sentenced to death in November 2022. Amnesty International raised concerns about his prosecution and treatment in prison, saying it had information that he was repeatedly beaten and forced to confess. Clara Bunger, a member of Germanys parliament, told VOAs Persian service she was shocked to hear Iran was going ahead with the execution only months after a court agreed to review the case. Bunger said Germany should call on Iran to halt such executions and release the political prisoners it is holding. "I think it's definitely the right thing to do to call on Islamic Republic to end the executions because they are unlawful executions," Bunger said. "They are unlawful trials that are taking place, and those people that are political prisoners they should be freed and they should receive a fair trial in a system where the rule of law is the base for decisions, and this is not the case." People are walking past an electronic display board showing the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong, China, on January 22, 2024. Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto/Getty Images China's stock market lost more than $6 trillion in valuation from 2021 through last week. The shares recouped some losses Tuesday after a Bloomberg report that Beijing's mulling a market rescue package. The market is confused by Beijing's policy stance on the economy, per Nomura economists. A brutal downcycle in China's stock market has wiped out over $6 trillion in valuations since 2021 and policymakers in Beijing may be adding to the turmoil. Markets in China and Hong Kong extended declines on Monday and only managed to recoup some losses on Tuesday after Bloomberg reported that Beijing is considering a 2 trillion Chinese yuan, or $282 billion, package to stabilize the market. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index was 2.6% higher as of 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday after falling about 10% this year to date. Meanwhile, the CSI 300 which tracks 300 Shanghai and Shenzhen-listed stocks with the largest market capitalizations was 0.4% higher but still down 6% so far this year. Bloomberg's report, citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, came just a day after the People's Bank of China, or PBOC, kept benchmark lending rates unchanged. This disappointed investors who were hoping for a rate cut which would stimulate loans and investment in the broader economy. China's signals on the economy appear to be confounding investors and analysts. "There has been increasing confusion over Beijing's policy stance on the economy," wrote Nomura economists in a Monday note seen by Business Insider. After all, the country's largest state-owned banks slashed deposit rates in December, boosting expectations of a similar move by the central bank but that didn't happen, they added. "Top officials' comments suggest Beijing is reluctant to seek short-term growth at the cost of increasing long-term risks," they added, referring to official commitments to a more sustainable and stable economy after decades of breakneck growth prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Story continues However, China's economy is struggling to recover after the pandemic. It's facing significant headwinds from both a property crisis and a demographics problem marked by a record-low birthrate. The Asian nation's population contracted for the second straight year in 2023. As China's economy and markets both flounder, there are signs that President Xi Jinping's administration is dialing back on some overzealous measures to shore up confidence in the economy. In December, a document released after the annual Central Economic Work Conference suggested regrets over Beijing's fast and furious private-sector crackdown. In the same month, authorities went into damage-control mode after new draft rules regulating video gaming sparked an $80 billion market meltdown. While such back-and-forth policy adjustments aren't rare for China, a sustained loss in investor confidence is what the country doesn't need at this time. As Ji Min, a PBOC official wrote in a central bank publication this month, the market pays "close attention" to policy orientation and execution when expectations are weak, per South China Morning Post. While China's stock market is still in the dumps, some see opportunities ahead. "We maintain our long-term positive view as we see Chinese equity as a core component of a strategic asset allocation," expert at Amundi, Europe's largest asset manager, wrote in a Tuesday note, citing appealing valuations and attractive longer-term rewards. Read the original article on Business Insider Israel on Tuesday reported that 24 of its soldiers were killed in the Gaza Strip, one of the single worst days for Israeli forces since launching its campaign to eliminate the Hamas militant group. Israeli military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters 21 of the soldiers were preparing to demolish two buildings with explosives Monday when a militant fired a rocket at a tank nearby and the explosives in the buildings detonated, collapsing the structures onto the soldiers. The other three Israeli troops were killed in a separate attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the military opened "an inquiry into the tragedy." "Yesterday we experienced one of our most difficult days since the war erupted, Netanyahu said. "In the name of our heroes, for the sake of our lives, we will not stop fighting until absolute victory." Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant wrote early Tuesday on the X media platform that it was a "difficult and painful morning." "This war will determine the future of Israel for decades to come, and the fall of soldiers is a requirement to achieve the goals of the war," Gallant said. Meanwhile, in Washington, the White House announced that Brett McGurk, President Joe Bidens Middle East adviser, was in Egypt and would visit other countries to discuss "the potential for another hostage deal, which would require a humanitarian pause of some length." In late November, about 100 of the 240 hostages Hamas seized in the militants October 7 shock attack on Israel were released during a week-long cease-fire in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. But none of the estimated 130 or more remaining hostages in Gaza has been freed since then and authorities believe two dozen or so of them have since died or been killed. Israeli forces carried out intense bombing in southern Gaza Tuesday, while health officials accused Israel of attacking health facilities. The Palestinian Red Crescent said Israeli shelling struck the groups headquarters in Khan Younis, "coinciding with intense gunfire from Israeli drones, resulting in injuries among internally displaced individuals who sought safety on our premises." Israeli forces stormed a hospital and arrested medical staff in Khan Younis, Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf al Qidra told the Reuters news agency. Israel did not immediately comment on the situation, but in the past the Israeli military has accused Hamas of operating in and around hospitals, which Hamas denies. The United States on Monday called for Israel to protect civilians in hospitals. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that while Israel has a right to defend itself, "We expect them to do so in accordance with international law and to protect innocent people in hospitals, medical staff and patients as well, as much as possible." Israel vowed to destroy Hamas, which governs Gaza, after the militant group sent fighters rampaging into Israel in October, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli tallies. Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and others, also took the hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says at least 25,295 Palestinians have been killed in the war, many of them women and children. The ministry does not differentiate between the number of civilians and Hamas fighters who have been killed. The war has been devastating for Palestinian civilians, with the United Nations saying 85% of the population has been forced from their homes and a quarter of the people face starvation. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. A Canadian judge has ruled that the government's use of the Emergencies Act to quell weeks of protests by truckers and others angry over COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 was unreasonable and unconstitutional. As many as thousands of protesters clogged the streets of the capital of Ottawa and besieged Parliament Hill, demonstrating against vaccine mandates for truckers and other precautions and condemning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal government. The act allowed authorities to declare certain areas as no-go zones. It also allowed police to freeze truckers' personal and corporate bank accounts and compel tow truck companies to haul away vehicles. Members of the self-styled Freedom Convoy also blockaded U.S.-Canada border crossings in protest. Police arrested 11 people at the blockaded crossing at Coutts, Alberta, opposite Montana, after learning of a cache of guns and ammunition. In the decision released Tuesday, Federal Court Justice Richard Mosley said the invocation of the Emergencies Act led to the infringement of constitutional rights. "I conclude that there was no national emergency justifying the invocation of the Emergencies Act and the decision to do so was therefore unreasonable," Mosley wrote. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said the government will appeal. Freeland said it was a hard decision to invoke the act but called the protests a serious threat to public safety, national security and Canada's economic security. "I don't want to minimize the gravity of the actions we took. Neither do I want to minimize the gravity of the threats Canada faced," Freeland said. The Canadian Civil Liberties Association and several other groups and individuals argued in court that Ottawa ushered in the emergency measures without sound grounds. The government contended the steps it took were targeted, proportional, time-limited and compliant with Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. A public commission led by another judge previously concluded most of the emergency measures were appropriate. The protests were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers. They eventually encompassed fury over COVID-19 restrictions and dislike of Trudeau, reflecting the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger. The Freedom Convoy shook Canada's reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted economic trade. For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit was blocked. It sees more than 25% of trade between the countries. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of the Philippines says his government will not lift a finger to help the International Criminal Court in its probe of the country's brutal crackdown on illicit drugs. The court launched a formal investigation in 2021 into possible crimes against humanity carried out by Marcoss predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. At least 6,000 people on the archipelago were killed under Dutertes anti-narcotics campaign during his six-year tenure, which ended in 2022. Some human rights groups, however, say the real death toll could be as high as 30,000, including executions by vigilantes who, according to activists, often work closely with police. The ICC dropped its probe after Manila said it had launched its own investigation. But the court resumed its probe last year, expressing dissatisfaction with the Philippines investigation. The court rejected an appeal by Manila to reverse its decision. President Marcos told reporters Tuesday he does not recognize the ICCs jurisdiction, calling it a threat to our sovereignty. He said ICC investigators can enter the country as ordinary people but would receive no help from any government agency. Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the ICC in 2019 after the court launched a preliminary investigation into his crackdown. Ukrainian officials said Russia launched a barrage of missiles at Tuesday that killed at least seven people and wounded more than 60 others while damaging numerous residential buildings in Kyiv and Kharkiv. Ukraines air force said Ukrainian air defenses shot down 21 of 41 Russian missiles. The attacks mainly targeted the capital, Kyiv, as well as the city of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine. Oleh Synehubov, Kharkivs regional governor, said three people were killed and 42 wounded. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the Russian strikes damaged 30 apartment buildings. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the attacks hit several of the capitals districts, wounding at least 20 people. One person was also killed in the eastern city of Pavlohrad, in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Military aid The United States is convening the latest meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, bringing together partners to discuss support for Ukraines military even as U.S. President Joe Biden faces opposition from some Republicans in the U.S. Congress on a new aid package for Ukraine. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said that while the United States is committed to Ukraine, lawmakers need to pass more funding for Kyiv as it battles Russian forces. "Our partners, our allies continue to do that, despite the fact that we do not have a supplemental [funding bill] that's been passed by Congress," Singh told reporters. Biden has requested $61.4 billion in additional military funding for Ukraine as well as for replenishing U.S. stocks as Ukraine nears the two-year mark of its war with Russia. The funds sought for Ukraine are part of a supplemental funding request that also includes $14.3 billion for Israel and $13.6 billion for U.S. border protection. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will attend the meeting virtually from his house, as the defense chief continues to recover from complications of prostate cancer treatment that led to his secret hospitalization, the Pentagon said Monday. Lavrov at the U.N. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday attended a U.N. Security Council meeting on Ukraine in New York. At the meeting, requested by Russia, Lavrov focused on U.S. and European arms support to Ukraine, saying the aid was dragging out the conflict. He did not address Western accusations that Moscow has been procuring drones and missiles from Iran and North Korea. It is cynicism of the highest order to claim that legitimate and lawful support for Ukraines self-defense is prolonging Russias war of aggression, U.S. envoy Robert Wood told the council. More than 40 ambassadors joined Ukraines envoy in the reading of a public statement ahead of the meeting. The statement condemned Russias aggression and its procurement of weapons from Iran and North Korea which is a violation of several U.N. Security Council resolutions. The Russian Federations actions undermine the credibility of Security Council resolutions, undermine the global non-proliferation regime, exacerbate regional tensions, and endanger us all, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.N. Sergiy Kyslytsya read on behalf of the group. Asked by a reporter if Ukraine can win the war, Kyslytsya said, Ukraine will win this war. But not only Ukraine, but all the democratic world. Next month marks two years since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. VOAs U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report. Some material for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Former U.S. President Donald Trump and Nikki Haley, his one-time ambassador to the United Nations, are squaring off Tuesday in the first 2024 Republican presidential nominating primary election, in the northeastern state of New Hampshire. Trump holds a significant edge in polling heading into the contest and, with a decisive win, could all but wrap up the partys presidential nomination for the third straight election cycle. He would face Democratic President Joe Biden again in the national election on November 5. After a single term in the White House, Trump lost his reelection bid to Biden in 2020. But Haley, who finished a distant third to Trump in last weeks Republican caucuses in the midwestern farm state of Iowa, has new momentum in the New Hampshire contest. She is in the head-to-head match against Trump she had hoped for after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and others dropped out of the contest for the partys nomination for lack of voter support. Haley, 52, dashed from one campaign rally to another on Monday, contending that Trump at 77 has lost some of his mental sharpness and that he and the 81-year-old Biden are too old to lead the country in the four-year presidential term that starts in January 2025. Trump handily won in Iowa with more than half the vote, easily doubling the vote count of DeSantis and Haley. New Hampshire voters headed to polling places throughout the state, with polls not closing until the evening in most parts of the state. As is tradition, the tiny town of Dixville Notch voted just after midnight, with all six voters casting ballots for Haley. That result was not indicative of pre-voting opinion polls in New Hampshire, which showed Trump well ahead of Haley. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe/WBTS poll released Monday had Trump with 57% support compared with 38% for Haley. Surveys by other news outlets showed similar support for Trump. Haley said Monday during a final day of campaigning, This is a two-person race. She cast her candidacy as bringing new solutions in contrast to a potential second Trump term that would mean more of the same. We can either do the whole thing that weve always done and live in that chaos world that weve had, or we can go forward with no drama, no vendettas and some results for the American people, Haley told reporters. Trump, who has garnered endorsements from former competitors, including DeSantis and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, told his supporters the Republican Party is becoming more and more unified as he looked toward the potential of knocking Haley out of the race and facing Biden. I think one person will be gone probably tomorrow and the other one will be gone in November, Trump said. But now is the time for the Republican Party to come together. We have to unify. Even if Trump decisively wins the New Hampshire contest and becomes the partys de facto presidential nominee, he faces an unprecedented 91 criminal charges across four indictments, with one or more of the cases possibly going to trial in the coming months. Some of his voters, perhaps 15%, have told pollsters they will abandon him if he is convicted of any of the charges and not vote for him in November. Among the charges against Trump are allegations that he illegally tried to upend his 2020 loss to Biden to stay in power. To this day, he erroneously claims that he was cheated out of reelection by vote-counting fraud although no evidence of irregularities substantial enough to overturn the outcome has been uncovered. New Hampshire Democrats are also holding a primary election Tuesday, but Biden does not appear on their ballots. The Democratic Party hoped to move away from having New Hampshire hold the first primary election of the presidential race, preferring to put the southeastern state of South Carolina first this cycle. But New Hampshire Democrats say state laws require them to hold the first primary, so they are going forward with the vote. Those wishing to back Biden will have to write in his name. South Carolina helped revive Bidens 2020 campaign after a series of poor early performances, with national party officials then acceding to Bidens demand to officially hold the first Democratic primary there this time. The Democratic primary in South Carolina is on February 3, and the Republican primary is three weeks later. After the state-by-state voting contests are complete, Republicans will formally choose their presidential nominee at their national convention in July, while Democrats hold their national convention in August. Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. After more than a year of delays, the Turkish parliament is set to approve on Tuesday Swedens entry into NATO. The decision comes after the Turkish Foreign Affairs Commission approved the countrys bid for membership last month. In 2022, Sweden and Finland applied for NATO membership. And although Finland eventually joined the organization in April 2023, Turkey refused to ratify Sweden's bid, a decision that has frustrated its Western allies. Initially, Turkey refused to endorse Swedens membership under claims that the country protected members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is recognized as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the European Union and the United States. Sweden has since introduced an anti-terrorism bill that makes membership of a terrorist organization illegal. Furthermore, Sweden, Canada, Finland and the Netherlands have relaxed arms-export policies for Turkey. However, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has linked the upcoming ratification with the delayed U.S. approval of the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The White House backs the sale of these jets, but the timeline for congressional approval is not clear. Despite this barrier, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan this month that Turkey is likely to soon ratify Sweden's bid for membership, leaving Hungary as the next barrier to Sweden's entry to NATO. Despite Turkey's likely approval of Sweden's bid, Hungary has been delaying a decision on the country's membership. Hungary says Sweden has had an "openly hostile attitude" toward Budapest for years and is angry about Swedens criticism of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban over the perceived erosion of the rule of law. Orban denies any erosion. Orban's chief of staff, Gergely Gulyas, noted last Thursday a lack of "confidence-building steps" from Stockholm to improve relations with Budapest, which might aid in ratifying Swedens accession. Some material for this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. U.S. lawmakers said Tuesday a deal on border security in return for Republican votes to send nearly $60 billion in aid to Ukraine is nearing completion but likely will not be announced this week. "The whole world is watching and asking a simple question: Does the United States stand up for its friends?" Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, one of the lead negotiators on the deal, told reporters Tuesday. "Does the United States stand up for democracy? Does the United States stand up for the preservation of the post-World War II order? Or do we turn our back on our friends, on democracy and on international norms?" The White House's $106 billion national security supplemental request also includes funding for border security as well as nearly $14 billion in aid to Israel and funding for Taiwan to combat the threat posed by China. "This is a unique opportunity where divided government has given us an opportunity to get an outcome," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday. "Virtually all of my members have said to their constituents for a long time, 'We need to fix the border.' This administration is not going to do it unless we force him to." Biden asks for $60 billion The United States has dedicated more than $100 billion to arming and supporting Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, and President Joe Biden has asked Congress to approve another $60 billion. Republicans in Congress have become increasingly skeptical about the need to continue underwriting Ukraine's defense. The Pentagon announced on December 27 a new $250 million security assistance package for Ukraine that included additional munitions for surface-to-air missiles systems, artillery rounds and more air defense components. The Pentagon still has $4 billion available to provide Ukraine with military aid, but no funds are available to replenish the U.S. military's stockpiles. "We have heard reports from the Ukrainian government, from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and their general staff, that they are concerned, as they believe that units do not have the stocks and stores and ammunition that they require," said Celeste Wallander, assistant U.S. secretary of defense for international security affairs, on Tuesday. "And that is one of the reasons we have been focusing on the need to answer Congress's questions so that they are able to move forward with that decision to pass the supplemental." Republicans set conditions for approving aid Republicans in the Senate have conditioned approval of any additional money for Ukraine on the simultaneous strengthening of immigration rules aimed at reducing the number of people illegally entering the United States at its southern border and expelling some who are already in the country. According to multiple news organizations, an estimated 300,000 people crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in December 2023. That estimate marks the highest-ever recorded number of U.S.-Mexico border crossings. Even if an agreement passes in the Senate, it might not survive in the House, where Republicans hold a very narrow majority. A significant group of Republican House members oppose additional aid to Ukraine, and the party in early October voted out a speaker who partnered with Democrats to pass legislation. Earlier this month, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson led a delegation of 60 House Republicans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, Texas. "If President Biden wants a supplemental spending bill focused on national security, it better begin with defending America's national security," Johnson told reporters at a news conference on the border. Republicans have proposed their own legislation, H.R. 2, which would resume construction of a border wall as well as impose new restrictions on asylum-seekers. Carla Babb contributed to this report. The Ukrainian 80th Separate Galician Air Assault Brigade have been using Ukrainian equipment to take out Russian armored vehicles since the start of the war. Anna Kosstutschenko talked with some of the veteran fighters. (Camera and Produced by: Pavel Suhodolskiy) As Hong Kongs official legal year began Monday, the citys chief justice, Andrew Cheung, used the opportunity to stress how the judiciary takes its duty seriously. The courts will not blindly convict anyone and will respect fundamental rights in national security cases, Cheung said at the official ceremony, adding that the justice system will also not bow to pressure. "Threats of sanction or reprisal against judges for simply discharging their judicial duties are, therefore, repugnant to the rule of law and fundamentally objectionable, said Cheung. The chief justices comments come as U.N. experts have added their voices to those calling on Hong Kong to drop all charges against pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai. Lai is one month into his trial on charges of sedition and collusion with foreign forces, under Hong Kongs national security law. The 76-year-old publisher denies the charges, but if convicted could face life in prison. In a statement released Monday, four United Nations experts called for Hong Kong to drop the case against Lai. The British national, who founded the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has been in custody since his arrest in 2020. His news outlet later shuttered after the arrests of senior executives and freezing of assets. Prosecutors in the case have described Lai as a radical whom they say was at the center of conspiracies to collude with foreign forces and publish seditious material in Apple Daily. The prosecutors alleged that Lai used "the guise of fighting for freedom and democracy" to request that foreign countries, including the U.S., impose sanctions and other hostile activities against Hong Kong and China. Cited as evidence was a meeting between Lai and then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Washington in July 2019. The meeting included a discussion of an extradition bill that would have allowed people in Hong Kong to be sent to China to face trial. After mass protests, the proposed extradition bill was withdrawn. Prosecutors also cited 161 articles in Apple Daily as evidence of sedition and said Lai instructed Apple Daily to introduce English content to bolster support for Western governments sanctioning China and Hong Kong. Lai denies all charges. The case against Lai appears directly related to his criticism of the Chinese government and his support for democracy in Hong Kong, said the U.N. experts, who are part of the U.N. Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. The experts include Irene Khan, the special rapporteur on freedom of expression; Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, special rapporteur on the rights of freedom of peaceful assembly; Alice Jill Edwards, special rapporteur on torture; and Margaret Satterthwaite, special rapporteur on independence of judges and lawyers. The council reiterated its concerns about Hong Kongs national security law, which they said is not in line with international obligations. Lais trial is the second under the national security law after a case involving 47 pro-democracy activists who are awaiting a verdict, the U.N. said. We reiterate that national security legislation with criminal sanctions should never be misused against those exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association and of peaceful assembly, nor to deprive such persons of their personal liberty through arrest and detention, the U.N. experts said. Hong Kong has pushed back against criticism that the law is affecting press freedom; Hong Kong's former chief executive Carrie Lam previously said the Apple Daily case was about "a suspicious act of endangering national security," not media freedom. Lais case is seen by media freedom advocates as a test of Hong Kongs commitment to a free press. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, has identified China as a leading jailer of journalists, with 44 behind bars, and said Beijings influence is being seen in Hong Kong. What weve seen in recent years is that Hong Kong has followed Beijings very harsh national security law, to crack down on those seen as pro-democracy, including journalists speaking truth to power, said CPJ chief executive Jodie Ginsberg. Lais case is an incredibly powerful and important test of Hong Kongs commitment to a free press, Ginsberg said. Its really, really important that we see the international community speak out in support of Jimmy Lai, in support of a free press. U.S. and British officials have condemned the case against Lai. At least 15 witnesses are expected to be called at the trial, which is scheduled to last between eight and 10 weeks. Some information in this article came from Reuters. A U.S. appeals court on Monday revived a $10 billion lawsuit by Mexico seeking to hold American gun manufacturers responsible for facilitating the trafficking of weapons to drug cartels across the U.S.-Mexico border. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a lower-court judge's decision dismissing the case on the grounds that a U.S. law barred Mexico from suing Smith & Wesson Brands, Sturm, Ruger & Co. and others. That law, the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), provides the firearms industry broad protection from lawsuits over their products' misuse. Mexico's lawyers argued the law only bars lawsuits over injuries that occur in the U.S. and does not shield the seven manufacturers and one distributor it sued from liability over the trafficking of guns to Mexican criminals. U.S. Circuit Judge William Kayatta, writing for the three-judge panel, said that while the law can be applied to lawsuits by foreign governments, Mexico's lawsuit "plausibly alleges a type of claim that is statutorily exempt from the PLCAA's general prohibition." He said that was because the law was only designed to protect lawful firearms-related commerce, yet Mexico had accused the companies of aiding and abetting illegal gun sales by facilitating the trafficking of firearms into the country. Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Barcena called the ruling "great news" in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The country's U.S. lawyer, Steve Shadowen, called it "an important step forward in holding the gun industry accountable." "It should now be clear that those who contribute to gun violence must face legal consequences, regardless of borders," Shadowen said in a statement. Representatives for the gun makers did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Mexico says over 500,000 guns are trafficked annually from the U.S. into Mexico, of which more than 68% are made by the companies it sued, which also include Beretta USA, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Colt's Manufacturing Co and Glock Inc. In its August 2021 complaint, Mexico estimated that 2.2% of the nearly 40 million guns made annually in the U.S. are smuggled into Mexico, including as many as 597,000 guns made by the defendants. Mexico said the smuggling has been a key factor in its ranking third worldwide in the number of gun-related deaths. It also claimed to suffer many other harms, including declining investment and economic activity and a need to spend more on law enforcement and public safety. The companies deny wrongdoing. Their lawyers say Mexico's lawsuit is devoid of allegations the gun manufacturers' gun sales themselves did anything that would create an exception to PLCAA's broad protections. Chinese regulators have retracted a proposal to rein in spending on games, a reversal that comes after the original move battered stocks of the country's video gaming champions including Tencent Holdings and NetEase. In an unusual move, the National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), the regulator answering to China's propaganda department, removed the notice of the proposed regulation from its website on Tuesday. The draft rule, published in late December, was open for public feedback until January 22. The previous link to the draft regulation showed a "404" error code on Tuesday, which means the webpage is no longer available for the public to see. The error message on the NPPA website on Tuesday, indicating that the draft regulation has been removed. Photo: Handout Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The proposal, which required video game developers to implement measures to cap user spending in games and ban "excessive" rewards, caused a bloodbath among China's gaming stocks, wiping out at least US$80 billion of market value in Shanghai, Hong Kong and New York. While it is not uncommon for Chinese regulators to make amendments to published draft rules before finalising them, it is rare for one to completely drop a regulation. The NPPA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday. The move comes as the Chinese government is trying to shore up investor confidence in its capital markets. Tencent's share price gained 5 per cent in Hong Kong on Tuesday afternoon. After the initial stock rout, the NPPA attempted to quell market concerns, saying that the proposal was aimed at promoting "healthy development" of the gaming industry and that it would revise and improve the rules after "earnestly studying" public opinions. Shortly after the draft rule was unveiled, authorities also removed a key official involved in overseeing the country's video gaming market, the Post reported earlier, citing sources. Story continues Feng Shixin, a veteran official, relinquished his role as the publication bureau chief at the Communist Party's Central Propaganda Department, which manages the NPPA. While it is not known whether Feng's departure was directly related to the new gaming rule, one source told the Post at the time that it was a sign that China might walk back some of the proposed restrictions. Chinese regulators have been vowing to create a "transparent and stable" regulatory environment for the nation's internet companies, according to Luo Wen, head of the State Administration for Market Regulation, who made the remarks last April. Over the past year, China has sought to ease its crackdowns on video gaming and internet platforms by throwing more support behind the private sector to revive uneven economic growth. Chinese regulators approved a total of 105 new video games in December, the most in 17 months. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. U.S. and British warplanes, backed by surface ships and submarines, launched a series of strikes into Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen late Monday, aimed at further degrading the capabilities of Iranian-backed Houthi militants who have sought to carry out attacks against key shipping lanes in the Middle East. U.S. defense officials said the strikes hit multiple targets across eight locations, including an underground storage facility as well as missile launch sites and other locations linked to Houthi surveillance capabilities. The strike locations were intentionally selected to target weapons systems not to amass casualties, a senior military official told reporters. The official assessed the underground storage facility had more advanced conventional weaponry in it than sites hit in the first round of strikes on Jan. 11. These precision strikes ... are in response to a series of illegal, dangerous and destabilizing Houthi actions, the U.S. and Britain said in a statement, noting the latest strikes were carried out with the support of Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands. We will not hesitate to defend lives and the free flow of commerce in one of the world's most critical waterways in the face of continued threats, the statement added. The Red Sea route carries about 15% of the worlds maritime traffic. Major shipping companies have responded to the attacks by rerouting vessels on the longer and more expensive route around Africa. This is the eighth time U.S. military assets have struck Houthi targets in the past 10 days, but only the second time Washington has had help since Britain took part in the initial round of strikes earlier this month. A senior military official told reporters the strikes Monday had removed significant capability from the Houthis to launch attacks. A U.S. defense official directly attributed ... the decline in the number and the ferocity of the [Houthis] maritime attacks to the reduction in Houthi capability to carry out those attacks. That does not mean they have no more capability, but we definitely believe that has had an impact, another U.S. official said. Since mid-November, the Houthis have launched 33 attacks on international shipping lanes, according to the Pentagon. The Houthis say their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza under attack from Israel. Defense experts worry the United States is now fighting a regional war in the Middle East amid a sharp increase in attacks on American forces over the weekend. Pentagon deputy press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday there have been 151 attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since the October 7 Hamas terror attack against Israel, including a barrage of ballistic missiles fired at Ain al-Asad air base in western Iraq that constituted a larger-scale attack than we have seen before. Most of the missiles were shot down, Singh said, but those that landed on the base injured one Iraqi Security Forces member and caused traumatic brain injuries in two U.S. service members. The 151 attacks since October have injured at least 83 Americans in Iraq and Syria, a U.S. defense official said on Monday. All but two have returned to duty. We do not seek escalation. We dont want to see it escalate, Singh said Monday in response to a question from VOA. "If you're in a scrap with somebody and you can find a way to tie one or both of their hands behind their back, that's not escalating. That's de-escalating. That's taking ability away from the other party to inflict harm, John Kirby, National Security Council director of strategic communications, told reporters Monday at the White House. Critics like Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, say the U.S. militarys limited strikes against Iranian-backed targets across the Middle East amount to a shoulder shrug response to what he said was absolutely a low-level, and in some cases not-so-low-level regional war going on. Don't expect to have good policy coming out of Washington if we can't be objective and honest in assessing where we sit. Full points for not wanting a regional war and trying to avoid a regional war, but news flash, we appear to have one, Bowman told VOA. He added that as in any conflict, the adversary also gets a vote in whether the Middle East violence erupts into a war. Our adversary here is [the] Islamic Republic of Iran and its network of terror proxies, and they are repeatedly trying to kill Americans. And the only reason why we haven't had more American casualties [is] because we've taken measures to defend ourselves, and we've gotten lucky. And sooner or later, luck runs out, Bowman said. Most of the attacks against U.S. forces inside Syria and Iraq have been claimed by an umbrella group calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washingtons support for Israel in the war. Attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthi militia on ships in and around the Red Sea for the past several weeks have bogged down trade between Asia and Europe and created fears of a widening war in the Middle East. Many of the attacks by the Houthis have targeted ships that are not associated with Israel. Also on Monday, the U.S. sanctioned Iraqi airline Fly Baghdad and its CEO Basheer Abdulkadhim Alwan al-Shabbani, saying the airline provided assistance to Irans military wing and its proxy groups in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. Taboka Ncube/Tobias Mudzingwa A group of young entrepreneurs has launched Hozi Innovator, a United States Embassy-supported youth organization that empowers beneficiaries with various business skills. Hozi Innovator was recently awarded a grant by the U.S Embassy in Zimbabwe to implement a project titled Imparting entrepreneurial skills to underprivileged young people in urban and rural Zimbabwe. The organization held a training workshop in Harare on Tuesday designed to impart skills to local youth intending to launch businesses or develop their entreprises. Leslie Makwembere, one of the four Hozi Innovator founders, says they will train youths from all parts of the country. We came together and got a grant under the alumni engagement innovation fund. We planned for this event, this is the first of a series of trainings to empower young people with entrepreneurship skills. U.S Embassy in Zimbabwe Public Diplomacy Officer, Rebecca Archer-Knepper, says her country is committed to supporting young Zimbabweans in implementing what they learn during exchange programs in the U.S. We have thousands of alumni working in Zimbabwe creating really positive change in our communities and so we provide funding so they can take what they learnt in the US and apply it here in Zimbabwe, share it with other people and have a ripple effect. Many young Zimbabweans are forced to start their own businesses due to high unemployment rates. An architectural designer, Lenon Chihova, says trainings like the one organized by Hozi Innovator will help youths build sustainable businesses. Trainings like the one organized by Hozi Innovator will help them boost our businesses and give us the skills we need to succeed in business. Some of the youths who attended the launch in Harare said they need such training especially at a time when Zimbabwe is facing serious economic challenges. Chantel Chinhema from Harare's Southlea Park suburb, is bullish that having gone through today's entrepreneurs training, her business idea will flourish. The grant project will be implemented in Harare, Mutare, Gweru and Bulawayo targeting to train 240 underprivileged youths with the help of implementing partners, EduFri from Eswatini and Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa, U.S.A . Participants will have an opportunity to pitch their businesses for money and in the end get certificates of training from Hozi Innovator in conjunction with the Jacobson Institute. The curriculum introduces the concept of entrepreneurship, including identifying characteristics of an entrepreneur, evaluating opportunities, engaging in customer discovery, design thinking, feasibility, financing, and planning for success. RIA-Novosti press agency published photographs taken from the Facebook account of Alexis Drion, one of the casualties of the Russian bombing of Khirkov/Kharkov on January 17. The Russian Foreign Ministry continues to claim that the building targeted by the Russian strike was hosting foreign mercenaries, mainly French. On its side, the French Foreign Ministry denies just as vigorously the presence of French mercenaries embroiled in the conflict. Understandably, Russia is trying to present evidence that French soldiers were in Ukraine carrying out a mission, which would constitute an act of war. After publishing the names of 13 of the victims of the January 17 bombing, the agency dug deeper and stumbled upon a Facebook account created in December 2011. Though relatively inactive, an image can be spotted of the young man from 2013 in military uniform, at the age of 27. Various photos seem to link him to the Foreign Legion. In the latest pictures, we find him in Ukraine brandishing an insignia of France and the OUN, the militia of integral nationalists. Ye in a Burzum shirt, with (now former?) Burzum critic JPEGMAFIA. Photo: JPEGMAFIA via X Last week, rapper JPEGMAFIA posted a photo of himself on Instagram with the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Other than JPEGs own tormented relationship with Ye, metalheads were quick to point out that West was wearing a Burzum shirt. Because one way to make your lackluster apology to the Jewish community feel even more hollow is by having the face of an antisemitic murderer splashed across your chest. For those blessedly unaware of the reactionary ghouls lurking in heavy metals most rancid corners, Burzum is an infamous Norwegian black-metal band fronted by Varg Vikernes, a pagan neo-Nazi and convicted killer whose early artistic contributions to the genre have long been overshadowed by his virulently racist, antisemitic, white-supremacist views, which he shares freely via his blog. After serving nearly 15 years of a 21-year sentence for first-degree murder and arson, Vikernes was released from prison and moved to France, where he has devoted himself to releasing terrible ambient albums under the Burzum moniker and continuing to spread his hateful views. In 2014, he was arrested for inciting racial hatred against Jews and Muslims, and he counts Norwegian neo-Nazi mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik among his admirers. In short, hes a real piece of garbage, and Burzums legacy as a musical project is inextricable from his own as a racist hatemonger. (JPEGMAFIA had the right idea on his 2014 track ALL CAPS NO SPACES when he said, Heard you like Burzum / Bitch, not me! I heard you fucking metalheads looking for some beats / I wish Varg would come to Bmore, we gon see ) Given Yes own ugly history of antisemitism, its hard to chalk all this up to a new appreciation for black-and white graphic tees. Burzum is about as well-known as it is possible to be for a black-metal band, but you cant exactly buy one of their shirts in Walmart or in whatever high-end boutiques Ye patronizes. In order to acquire one, youd need to go out of your way to find it. Plus, in 2016, Ye appeared on Gucci Manes Pussy Print, which samples Burzums Rundgang um die transzendentale saule der singularitat (taken from 1996s Filosofem), so he certainly cant claim ignorance like other artists whove made similarly boneheaded sartorial moves. We can also add the cover of Vultures, Yes upcoming album with Ty Dolla $ign, to the rappers likely Burzum fandom. The artwork is unnervingly similar to that of Burzums 1992 self-titled album and is based on Paysage de tombes, a landscape painting by 19th-century German Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich, whose work was associated with nationalism and Nazism during the 1930s (Hitler was a fan). So why is Ye, a born-again Christian, so enamored with the work of a neo-Nazi church-burner whos been dropping the N-word in interviews since the 90s? And why is he so determined to let us know about it? Considering Kanyes growing list of antisemitic statements his DEATH CON 3 tweet, his I love Hitler moment, his decades-long fascination with Nazis the most obvious explanation is the most distasteful: that hes a genuine fan of everything Burzum represents. Meanwhile, Vikernes is not interested in linking with his new high-profile fan at all. When his followers on Twitter alerted him to the photo, he dismissed it with a cold I dont know her, typing, I know very little about him or what he says or does, and I kind of have very little incentive to find out. it is better to spend time on something more fruitful. If Ye is still planning that rumored 40-minute antisemitism-apology video, hes certainly picked a weird way to tease it. Photo: John Lamparski/WireImage After making her on-screen return with Falling for Christmas and a surprise cameo in a musical, Lindsay Lohan is coming for the Netflix seasonal movie crown. This year, shell be starring in two original holiday films from the streamer and zero Walmart commercials probably. Shes following in the footsteps of her Mean Girls co-star, Lacey Chabert, and starring in her second Christmas movie, Our Little Secret. Netflix describes the films plot as Two resentful exes are forced to spend Christmas under the same roof after discovering that their current partners are siblings. Starring Kristin Chenoweth, Ian Harding, Jon Rudnitsky, and Saturday Night Lives Chris Parnell and Tim Meadows, the movie doesnt have a release date but it is in production. Thankfully, were not going to have to wait until Christmas to see LiLo again. Irish Wish, a St. Patricks Day romantic comedy, comes out on March 15, 2024. Not to be confused with the DCOM The Luck of the Irish, despite both movies being Irish and wishfilled. Who knows, maybe Lohan is gonna get her wish through a gold coin. Photo: Zurich Avenue Hey everybody, Im gonna haul ass to Lollapalooza! Even now, 28 years later, those lines uttered by Grampa Abe Simpson as he revs up a motorcycle still constitute one of my favorite jokes on The Simpsons. Its such a perfect skewering of the old-person-does-thing genre of humor that was so prevalent back then and is still fairly common now. But then something like writer-director Josh Margolins Thelma comes along, about a 94-year-old woman who goes on a quest to locate the crooks who scammed her out of $10,000, and manages to be so charming and heartfelt that the laughs never feel lazy, cheap, or cruel. Its observations about the disconnect between its elderly protagonist and the society around her are surprisingly relatable. When we first meet Thelma Post (June Squibb), shes struggling with her computer, as her beloved layabout grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger) tries to help her. (How do I I need the Where is the Whats an inbox?) Thelma has been living alone ever since her beloved husband, Ted, passed away, and Daniel, it seems, is the only family member who has any time for her; hes also a little depressed in the wake of a bad breakup. So when Thelma receives an anxious phone call from a voice claiming to be her grandson, saying that hes in jail after hitting a pregnant woman with a car and needs $10,000 in cash sent by mail to his defense attorney, she buys it. Before she sends the money, Thelma calls her daughter, Gail (Parker Posey), Daniels mom. Getting no answer, she then calls Alan (Clark Gregg), his father. Neither parent responds in time, so off Thelma goes to the post office with the money. The world doesnt have time for her, but she has time for the world thats her weakness. The 94-year-old Squibb, a marvelous actor whos never really gotten a lead role like this, turns what is otherwise a pretty simple and cute set-up into something far more profound. That Thelma got scammed is further proof to Gail and Alan that it might be time for her to move into an old-age facility. Thus, Thelmas quest to find the people that did this to her becomes about more than righting a wrong or getting her money back; it becomes a way of proving to everyone (and herself) she still has agency in her life. That doesnt stop Margolin from riffing on spy movies and action flicks. One of Thelmas inspirations is the spectacle of Tom Cruise sprinting across the rooftops of London in Mission: Impossible Fallout. For her, he becomes a symbol of persistence and resilience in ones advancing years. Helping Thelma on her quest is Ben (Richard Roundtree), a friend who still grieves the loss of his wife, and who putters around on a fancy scooter that our heroine borrows. Casting the man who was Shaft as Ben makes fine use of his charisma, but it also gives Roundtree, in his final role, a lovely chance to show his range. The melancholy Bens desire to help Thelma comes from a need for purpose and companionship: He wants to feel useful, and he kind of likes her. But he also has his own demons hes trying to overcome. When his wife died after a bad fall, he couldnt hear her, and he blames himself for her loss. Thelma generates clever, inoffensive fun from assorted elderly challenges. Ben and Thelma use their digital hearing aids like earpieces in a caper flick: He helps her navigate a cluttered antique store strewn with lamps and Hummel figurines as if it were an elaborate laser-beam security system. A breathless and hilarious action scene (or, well, action scene) involves one person in a speeding car guiding another on how to close a pop-up ad as if it were a bomb that needs to be defused. All throughout, Margolin makes sure that these arent gags poking fun at old people for being out of touch: Often, Daniel and Thelma find themselves faced with similar challenges. At one point, she asks him what a computer is, pretending to be a clueless old person. Then, she smiles. I know what a computer is, she explains, but what is it really? How does it function? Daniel has no idea. The point is that Thelma might be confused, but deep down, so are we all. As the world spins ever forward, we all wind up out of touch with it soon enough. Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI), more commonly known as Supermicro, has likely made enormous profits for investors over the years. The producer of high-performance servers went public at $8 on March 29, 2007, and it now trades at about $423. A $20,000 investment in Supermicro stock at the time of its IPO would be worth $1.06 million today. The lion's share of those gains, however, occurred within the past couple of years. Supermicro's growth was driven by robust sales of its high-end servers, and those sales have accelerated as the artificial intelligence (AI) market expanded. Its close partnership with Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) also granted it access to the chipmaker's top-tier server GPUs before Supermicro's larger competitors, and the company carved out a high-growth niche in the saturated server market. Image source: Getty Images. But even after its massive rally in 2022 and 2023, Supermicro still has a modest enterprise value of $23 billion and looks reasonably valued at 21 times next year's expected earnings. So could this hot AI stock turn a fresh $20,000 investment into more than $1 million again? How fast is Supermicro growing? From its fiscal 2007 through its fiscal 2021 (which ended in June 2021), Supermicro's revenue grew at a compound annual rate of 16%. That fairly stable growth was driven by the expansion of the cloud, data center, edge computing, 5G, and AI markets. However, the development of new generative AI platforms lit a fire under Supermicro's business. The company's revenue surged by 46% in fiscal 2022 and 37% in fiscal 2023, and analysts expect 61% growth in fiscal 2024. From fiscal 2023 to fiscal 2026, analysts expect Supermicro's revenue to rise at a compound annual rate of 26%. That growth should be driven by three catalysts: its partnership with Nvidia, market share gains in AI servers, and the expansion of the generative AI market -- which Fortune Business Insights forecasts will grow at a compound annual rate of 48% from 2022 to 2030. Story continues The mathematical path to $1 million If Supermicro's valuations hold steady, the company would need to grow revenue at a compound annual rate of 17% for 25 years to turn a $20,000 investment into $1 million. That goal seems achievable relative to its past growth, but the company could face three major challenges. First, Supermicro still controls a much smaller slice of the pre-built server market than Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) or Dell (NYSE: DELL). Both of those larger competitors could strike back at Supermicro with new AI servers, sign similar deals with Nvidia, and lure away its potential customers with cheaper hardware. Second, the AI market could cool after the buying frenzy in AI chips and servers over the past two years. That would be bad news for Supermicro, which now generates about half of its revenue from its dedicated AI servers. If that core growth engine slows, its stock could be revalued to reflect a view of the company as a legacy server maker instead of a hot AI stock. HPE and Dell, which are both growing slower than Supermicro, trade at 8 and 12 times forward earnings, respectively. If investors decide that Supermicro belongs in the same basket as those two older server makers, its stock price could be cut in half. Lastly, we can expect that a few recessions will occur over the next 25 years. Large companies will inevitably rein in spending on big AI upgrades during those downturns -- and as the underdog, Supermicro could struggle more than HPE and Dell under those market conditions. It's a good long-term play on the AI market Supermicro should keep growing, but it's quickly becoming an all-in bet on the AI market. If the company can maintain its tight partnership with Nvidia and continue to grow its share of the nascent AI server market, then it could still be a millionaire-maker stock. But it could be a bumpy ride -- and investors should keep a close eye on Supermicro's competition and rising valuations. Should you invest $1,000 in Super Micro Computer right now? Before you buy stock in Super Micro Computer, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Super Micro Computer wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than tripled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of January 16, 2024 Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Super Micro Computer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Could Super Micro Computer Stock Help You Become a Millionaire? was originally published by The Motley Fool Matteo Garrone film in the running for an Oscar. The migration-themed Italian movie Io Capitano directed by Matteo Garrone is up for an Oscar for Best International Film, organisers announced on Tuesday. Based on the real-life story of the perilous journey of two young Senagalese men from Dakar to Italy, Garrone's film is up against four other Oscar hopefuls: Perfect Days (Japan), Society of the Snow (Spain), The Teachers Lounge (Germany) and The Zone of Interest (UK). Garrone's critically-acclaimed movie, which stars Moustapha Fall and Seydou Sarr, was recently nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Film - non-English language category but lost out to Anatomy of a Fall. The Rome director, 55, is celebrated for diverse films including Gomorrah (2008), Tale of Tales (2015), Dogman (2018) and Pinocchio (2019). Over the decades, Italian movies have won 11 Oscars, the most recent being Paolo Sorrentinos La grande bellezza (The Great Beauty) in 2013. The 2024 Oscars ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on 10 March. Cover photo: GIO_LE / Shutterstock.com More than 20 percent of female undergraduates at an array of prominent universities said this year that they were victims of sexual assault and misconduct, echoing findings elsewhere, according to one of the largest studies ever of college sexual violence. Fast, informative and written just for locals. Get The 7 DMV newsletter in your inbox every weekday morning. ArrowRight The survey from the Association of American Universities drew responses from 150,000 students at 27 schools, including most of the Ivy League. Armed with extensive data on the scope of the problem at their own campuses, leaders of big-name universities said they are mobilizing to confront sexual assault as never before. Yale University President Peter Salovey said he found extremely disturbing results indicating more than one-quarter of undergraduate women at the elite school in New Haven, Conn., were victims of sexual assault and misconduct. Advertisement The prevalence of such behavior runs counter to our most fundamental values, Salovey said. It threatens individual students, our learning environment and our sense of community. Other university leaders, speaking virtually in unison, said the results sounded an alarm that must be answered. Researchers acknowledged the possibility of an overstated victimization rate because there was evidence that hundreds of thousands of students who ignored the electronic questionnaire were less likely to have suffered an assault. But the results add to growing indications that sexual assault is disturbingly commonplace on college campuses, especially among undergraduates living on their own for the first time. Although colleges already are on high alert about the problem in part because of a White House task force formed last year to combat it the survey findings underscore the seriousness and breadth of sexual assaults effects and how difficult it will be to curb them. The AAU survey provides a wealth of insights about the prevalence of specific types of assault at a cross-section of public and private research universities. Among them was the stark finding that 11 percent of female undergraduates said they had experienced incidents of penetration or attempted penetration, half of them saying it happened by force. These incidents would fit the definition of rape or sodomy. Advertisement Others said they were victims of unwanted touching or kissing that could be defined as sexual battery. The leaders of our universities are deeply concerned about the impact of these issues on their students, Hunter R. Rawlings III, the AAUs president, said. Their participation in this and other climate surveys is an important part of their efforts to combat sexual assault. The AAUs findings are roughly consistent with a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation national poll, published in June, that found that 1 in 5 young women who attended a residential college during a four-year span said they were sexually assaulted. Other recent studies also have found similarly high victimization rates. But some Justice Department crime data show that women in college are less likely to be victims of rape or sexual assault than those who are not students. Advertisement Education Secretary Arne Duncan told The Post last week that the number of students who experience sexual assault is unacceptably high and that it has been for decades. Duncan said the nation must confront the widespread prevalence of sexual assault in college. It is shockingly bad, but it is the truth, Duncan said. We can either hide from that reality or not. KC Johnson, a Brooklyn College history professor who tracks college sexual assault and due-process issues, said he is skeptical of the findings. If you take this data literally, it would suggest a violent crime rate at most campuses higher than in any city in the country, he said. Which I think is somewhat dubious. Johnson said he was puzzled by survey results that showed many victims of forced, non-consensual penetration didnt consider the incident serious enough to report to authorities. Were talking about college students at elite institutions, he said. They understand what sexual assault is. Advertisement Participants in the AAU survey included a range of public and private schools, and the share of undergraduate women who said they had been sexually assaulted during their time on campus varied: It was 19 percent at the University of Texas at Austin, 24 percent at the University of Virginia, 26 percent at Harvard University, 28 percent at Yale and 30 percent at the University of Michigan. Share this article Share These deeply disturbing survey results must spur us to an even more intent focus on the problem of sexual assault, Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust said in a letter to the university community. That means not just how we talk to one another about it, not just what we say in official pronouncements, but how we actually treat one another and live our lives together. One sexual assault is too many, said University of Texas at Austin President Gregory L. Fenves. It is essential that we foster a campus that does not tolerate sexual assaults while strongly encouraging victims to come forward and report incidents. Advertisement Other participants were Dartmouth College (the only non-AAU member); the California Institute of Technology; Brown, Case Western Reserve, Columbia, Cornell, Iowa State, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue and Texas A&M universities; Washington University in St. Louis; and the universities of Arizona, Florida, Minnesota-Twin Cities, Missouri at Columbia, North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Southern California and Wisconsin at Madison. The only Ivy League school that did not participate was Princeton University. The survey, conducted by the social science firm Westat, asked about individual experiences with sexual assault as well as perceptions on campus about the issue. Nearly all students at the 27 schools were canvassed in April and May, with confidentiality guaranteed. Nineteen percent responded, a lower rate than the survey team had hoped to attain. Advertisement Among the key findings: Victimization rates varied widely from school to school. The share of undergraduate women who said they suffered sexual assault and misconduct ranged from 13 percent to 30 percent among the 27 schools. Overall it was 23 percent.Those at private universities were slightly more likely to be victims than those at public universities. Five percent of undergraduate men said they experienced sexual assault and misconduct, echoing a finding from the Post-Kaiser poll. Of students who said they were victims of physically forced penetration, or attempted penetration, about 25 percent said they told university authorities or law enforcement. Of those who said they were victims of physically forced sexual touching or kissing, 7 percent reported the incident. The dominant reason for why students who didnt tell authorities: They said it wasnt serious enough. That will stimulate a lot of discussion, said Bonnie Fisher, a professor at the University of Cincinnati and a Westat consultant. We as researchers dont know a lot about this it hasnt been measured in the past. Advertisement Sixty-three percent of all students said they believe a report of sexual assault or sexual misconduct would be taken seriously by campus officials. Fifty-six percent said it was very likely or extremely likely that the safety of those reporting sexual assault and misconduct would be protected by university officials. David Cantor, vice president of Westat, said the survey is one of the first of its kind to enable comparisons across institutions. He also said it is notable that the survey distinguishes between different types of attacks (penetration versus touching and kissing) and different situations (force versus incapacitation). Providing this level of detail is fairly unique among the campus climate surveys, he said. That was done mostly by the request of the universities, to try to differentiate between incidents clearly quite different in nature. Advertisement The survey also is one of the first to gauge incidents in the context of the standard known as affirmative consent, which calls for both people in a sexual encounter to communicate their active and ongoing agreement. California last year became the first state to enact a law requiring universities to include affirmative consent in student-conduct policies. Many schools nationwide have moved in that direction. The survey found that 11 percent of undergraduate women experienced penetration or oral sex without their active, ongoing voluntary agreement. This rate ranged from 5 percent to 21 percent among the 27 schools. Key Insights Significantly high institutional ownership implies Doric Nimrod Air Two's stock price is sensitive to their trading actions The top 4 shareholders own 52% of the company Ownership research, combined with past performance data can help provide a good understanding of opportunities in a stock Every investor in Doric Nimrod Air Two Limited (LON:DNA2) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 42% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn). 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 delve deeper into each type of owner of Doric Nimrod Air Two, beginning with the chart below. Check out our latest analysis for Doric Nimrod Air Two LSE:DNA2 Ownership Breakdown January 23rd 2024 What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Doric Nimrod Air Two? Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index. We can see that Doric Nimrod Air Two does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Doric Nimrod Air Two's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters. LSE:DNA2 Earnings and Revenue Growth January 23rd 2024 It looks like hedge funds own 28% of Doric Nimrod Air Two shares. That catches my attention because hedge funds sometimes try to influence management, or bring about changes that will create near term value for shareholders. Elliott Management Corporation is currently the largest shareholder, with 16% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 13% and 13%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Story continues To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 4 shareholders control more than half of the company which implies that this group has considerable sway over the company's decision-making. Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. As far as we can tell there isn't analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar. Insider Ownership Of Doric Nimrod Air Two While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Doric Nimrod Air Two Limited. It seems the board members have no more than UK182k worth of shares in the UK143m company. Many investors in smaller companies prefer to see the board more heavily invested. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling. General Public Ownership The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 17% stake in Doric Nimrod Air Two. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies. Next Steps: It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Doric Nimrod Air Two better, we need to consider many other factors. I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph. Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies. 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. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert C. Bundt was waiting for his ride home outside the Pentagon that November evening when he heard yelling and saw the man on fire. He couldnt see the mans face, because his whole body was wrapped in flames, and he didnt hear anything, other than the people who were hollering at the man to drop the baby he was carrying. Bundt, then 30, tore off his uniform coat and rushed at the blazing man to try to smother the flames. An Army officer joined him. They didnt have much luck. Bundt recalled that it took the fire department to put him out. Afterward, Bundt stood by, his hands and neck scorched. A bystander was holding the chubby baby, which was dressed in blue, kerosene-soaked overalls, but uninjured. Firefighters were spraying the incinerated body. It was Nov. 2, 1965, and Bundt, now 80, had witnessed the self-immolation of Quaker antiwar pacifist Norman R. Morrison, who had just carried out one of the most horrific public protests of the era of the Vietnam War. Advertisement Scarcely remembered now, Morrisons suicide 50 years ago Monday was front-page news at the time, across a country that was increasingly torn by protests over the war. Morrison had set himself ablaze 40 feet from the Pentagon office window of then-Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara, one of the chief organizers of the U.S. involvement in the war. Years later, a contrite McNamara wrote that Morrisons death was a tragedy for me and the country. By the close of 1965, about 2,300 Americans had been killed in Vietnam, well short of the 58,000 who would eventually die there, according to the National Archives. But Vietnamese people had perished in untold numbers, the bombing of North Vietnam was underway and antiwar furor was growing. Draft cards were burned. Student protests were spreading. In March 1965, an 82-year-old Detroit pacifist set fire to herself to protest the global arms race and U.S. foreign policy. Advertisement Eight months later, on the morning before his death, Morrison asked his wife, Anne: What can we do that we havent done? It was then that this intense, impatient, devout man received the sudden inspiration that he must destroy his life publicly to protest the war in Vietnam. He succeeded, and struck a chord in some. But he also broke his wifes heart, shattered his young family and left it with wounds that went unhealed for decades. Please dont condemn me, he wrote to his wife in a letter she received the day after he killed himself. For weeks . . . I have been praying only that I be shown what I must do. This morning with no warning I was shown. Morrison, 31, had brought his 11-month-old daughter, Emily, with him, for reasons that remain murky to this day. Back in Baltimore, Anne and their other children, Ben, 6, and Christina, 5, had come home to an empty house. Advertisement About 5 p.m., he had put on his favorite tweed jacket, bundled Emily and some extra diapers into the old Cadillac he had been taking of care for vacationing friends and began the 50-mile drive to the Pentagon. Once there, he left the keys in the car, picked up Emily and the container of kerosene and went to a main entrance of the Pentagon, where people were streaming out of work. Bystanders saw him pacing, according to eyewitnesses and historical accounts. At some point, he doused himself in kerosene. Its not clear whether he doused Emily, too, or just got some of the liquid on her. As he prepared to ignite himself down around his shoes, bystanders yelled, Drop the baby! Accounts varied as to whether he dropped her or whether someone took her. But Emily wound up safely in the arms of an onlooker as her father went up in flames. Advertisement I seen the smoke, and the noise from people yelling, and I looked over and I seen him on fire, Bundt, the Air Force staff sergeant, said last week by phone from his home in Michigan. A ball of fire. I never seen his face. I took off my coat and went at him, [to] push him down so we could try to smother the flames, he said. Others piled on their coats, but we never really got it out. When the fire truck got there, they put a spray mist and they put him out. As they were spraying, they would take the coats aside and keep spraying until they got it down and they could remove him, he said. No photographs appear to exist of Morrisons self-immolation, unlike the shocking images of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, who burned himself to death at a busy intersection in what was then Saigon, South Vietnam, in 1963. Advertisement The monk was protesting the oppression of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government, according to news accounts, and his suicide was captured on film and in a famous news photograph. Morrisons act was seen only by witnesses. Share this article Share When I got there, just looking at the state of the man, I knew he wasnt going to make it, Robert Ruderman, a military physician, told the Baltimore Sun in 1995. The fire was out but he was totally burned from top to bottom. . . . There was nothing anybody could do for him. He died officially within two minutes of taking off in the ambulance, said Ruderman, who died in 1998. Friends drove Anne Morrison to Fort Myer, where Emily was being cared for. I sat in the back of the car stunned and frozen, she wrote in a 2008 memoir. I recalled that Norman and I had been awed and moved by Buddhist monks who had protested through self-immolation. Advertisement And they knew about the suicide of Alice Herz, the woman in Detroit. But they didnt dwell on these events. Anne Morrison, who is 80 and living in North Carolina, declined to be interviewed for this article, saying in an e-mail: My sentiments and experiences that I shared in the memoir still pertain today. Her daughter Christina, 55, also declined to comment during a brief telephone call. And daughter Emily, 50, declined to speak, via her mother. Their older brother, Ben, died of cancer in 1975 at age 16. During the ride to Fort Myer, Anne wrote in the memoir, she reviewed the earlier part of the day for clues. Her husband had a cold and stayed home from his job at the local Quaker meeting. She made them a lunch of French onion soup. He sat on a stool in the kitchen and talked about the war. Advertisement She remembered him wondering what else could be done to stop it. I really dont know, she replied. All I know is that we mustnt despair. After lunch, he suddenly asked her: What would you do if anything happened to me? What a question! she said. They had been married eight years. She was a native of Georgia with a degree from Duke. He was from Erie, Pa., the son of a dentist, with degrees from what is now Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio. They had both become Quakers, and, in 1962, he had landed the job as executive secretary at the Baltimores historic Stony Run Friends Meeting. It was a great opportunity but not a great fit. A man of passionate opinions, he brought a radical Quaker posture to a meeting that didnt fully embrace . . . his prophetic vision, she wrote in her memoir. His occasional bluntness and lack of social graces exacerbated tensions. Advertisement He had been angry about the U.S. intervention in Lebanon in 1958. He was an eager supporter of civil rights and a determined opponent of the U.S. involvement in Vietnam. As the horror of the war grew, it finally overwhelmed Norman, Anne Morrison wrote. His was a soul burdened beyond endurance with the worlds suffering. Though I was aware of the Quaker injunction to let your life speak, I was totally unprepared for this kind of witness, she wrote. When she arrived at the Fort Myer dispensary, she went to a private room, where a nurse handed over Emily, wrapped in a white blanket. Anne was shown Normans tweed jacket and was amazed that it was only slightly burned. She was shown his wallet, comb and wedding ring. Yes, these are his things, she told the authorities. She faced a dilemma. Her husband had just violently and publicly removed himself from the lives of her and her children, and she had to try to explain why to the reporters waiting outside. A friend, George Webb, jotted her thoughts on an envelope and went out and read a statement: Norman Morrison has given his life today to express his concern over the great loss of life and human suffering caused by the war in Vietnam. He was protesting our governments deep military involvement in this war. He felt that all citizens must speak their true convictions about our countrys actions. The next day, newspapers carried headlines such as Vietnam War Fueled Pacifists Fiery Death and War Critic Burns Himself to Death Outside Pentagon. Morrison had made his point. In North Vietnam, he was a hero. Back home, some thought him crazy, and some thought him a martyr. His family was left it in state of frozen grief, Anne wrote in the memoir. I believed I had no right to grieve, she recalled. And it was very difficult to be angry at someone who had just given his life . . . to stop a war. The suffering children were told to be strong. Although she remarried twice, she remained Norman Morrisons widow. She tried to establish herself as someone other than that. But, she wrote, I have come to accept my life as it was, and is. Healing has come little by little, bit by bit, she concluded. But to this day, she cant eat French onion soup. Manisha Sinha, the Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut, is the author, most recently, of The Slaves Cause: A History of Abolition. The black intellectual and activist W.E.B. Du Bois identified the problem of the 20th century as the problem of the color line. Its roots lay in the conflict over slavery and black citizenship in the early American republic. Statesmen, abolitionists, slaveholders and the enslaved themselves participated in this debate, which eventually begat the Civil War and emancipation. In this dual biography of Abraham Lincoln and John Quincy Adams, Fred Kaplan, who has previously written biographies of both men, compares Lincoln unfavorably with abolitionists on the great issues of the day. Unlike the abolitionists, Lincoln in Kaplans telling opposed emancipation and black rights through much of his life not because he was an anti-slavery moderate, as most historians have argued, but because he was an incorrigible racist and anti-abolitionist. Seeking to revise hagiographic views of Lincoln, whom he calls an antislavery moralist, Kaplan places Adams, whom he dubs an antislavery activist, with the abolitionists, even though Adams throughout his long political career never considered himself among their ranks. The title of this book is a misnomer, as it is not a sustained look at the relationship between Lincoln and the abolitionists. Abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips and Frederick Douglass pop in and out of the book, but one gets no sense of the movement. Instead, Kaplan, a professor emeritus of English at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, deploys the views of abolitionists and Adams selectively, mainly to highlight Lincolns shortcomings and his allegedly unchanging conservatism on slavery and race. Unlike Douglass, Kaplan places Lincoln not at the head of a great anti-slavery movement but as a lifelong proponent of a lily-white America. Advertisement That Lincoln was not an abolitionist, even though he morally abhorred slavery, is not news to historians. Kaplan highlights Lincolns role as a lawyer for a slaveholder seeking to remand his slave, Jane Bryant, and her four children back to slavery; Bryant had lived in Illinois and married a free black man. The author is on less sure ground when he discusses Lincolns reaction to the murder of Elijah Lovejoy, the abolitionist editor killed while defending his printing press from a mob in 1837. Not only did Lincoln vote against anti-abolitionist resolutions in the Illinois legislature, he also penned a protest arguing that slavery was an injustice and bad policy but that abolition may increase rather than abate its evils. In a speech a year later, Lincoln condemned mobs that throw printing presses into rivers and shoot editors. Yet Kaplan with typical overstatement concludes that Lincoln saw slavery and abolition as equally evil. In fact, while Lincoln consistently condemned slavery as wrong, he came to appreciate the role abolitionists played in the coming of emancipation during the Civil War. But Kaplan lumps Lincoln in the same category as his co-counsel in the Bryant case, Usher Linder, the pro-slavery state attorney general who persecuted Lovejoy and made sure his murderers got off scot-free. Adams fares better in Kaplans book. Like many of the Northern founders, including his father, Adams put the interests of the nation above his qualms over slavery early in his career. Kaplan is at his best in describing anti-slavery in New England and Southern slaveholding moderates as those who opposed slavery in principle but happily profited from it. By the 1830s, Adams was a fellow traveler of the abolitionist movement but not a member. Kaplan spends a lot of time writing about Adamss reaction to the Missouri crisis and Lovejoys murder, but says surprisingly little about his virtually one-man opposition to the gag rule against abolitionist petitions in the House of Representatives and absolutely nothing about his defense of the Amistad slave rebels before the Supreme Court. Share this article Share Kaplans understanding of the interracial abolitionist movement is outdated, quaint and erroneous, which undermines his attempt to set it up as a foil to Lincoln. He dismisses Lovejoy as a moral absolutist, misidentifies the American Anti Slavery Society as the American Abolition Society and claims that some abolitionists were colonizationists. Abolitionists rejected the program of the American Colonization Society, founded in 1817 to repatriate all free blacks back to Africa. Kaplan praises Adamss rejection of colonization in contrast to Lincolns long-standing support of it. Lincoln admired Henry Clay, the slaveholding Whig senator from Kentucky, a founding member and president of the American Colonization Society and author of the most important sectional compromises before the Civil War, as his beau ideal of a politician. In the crisis decade before the war, however, Lincoln began sounding a lot more like Adams than Clay. One can trace his evolution in the politics of anti-slavery from his reluctant support of the Fugitive Slave Law to his eloquent denunciation of the Dred Scott decision. Kaplan rarely engages with Lincolns words, which lay bare the dilemma of a moderate wrestling with his competing loyalties to the Union, the Constitution and anti-slavery. During the war, Lincoln would move from the non-extension of slavery to abolition, and from colonization to black citizenship, but Kaplan is not impressed by his capacity, as Garrison put it, to grow in office. He reproduces abolitionists denunciations of Lincoln for his slowness to act but rarely their praise of him when he adopted emancipation. Lincoln fulfilled Adamss prediction of the destruction of slavery during a military conflict that would allow the president to evoke his war powers under the Constitution to abolish slavery. In this sense, Lincoln was a political heir to Adams. Advertisement Kaplan also does not note that abolitionists such as Owen Lovejoy, brother of the martyred Elijah, and Charles Sumner emerged as confidantes of the president, but he faults Lincoln for making the worst vice-presidential choice in U.S. history, Andrew Johnson, during his reelection bid in 1864. But neither Lincoln nor the abolitionists foresaw that he would be assassinated and that Johnson, the wartime governor of Union-occupied Tennessee known for his hatred of the slaveholding elite, would become president and issue wholesale pardons to them. (Tennessee, contrary to Kaplans claim, did secede from the Union.) And just when he should have left his narrative well alone, Kaplan indulges in a bit of counterfactual history, gratuitously predicting that if Lincoln had lived, he would not have prevented the overthrow of Reconstruction, Jim Crow or even the criminalization of blackness, because for him only white lives mattered. The black abolitionist H. Ford Douglas, who criticized Lincolns failure to support black citizenship before the war, knew better. The war he predicted would educate Lincoln on colonization. It would also lay the foundation for an interracial democracy that the nation still aspires to achieve. Lincoln and the Abolitionists John Quincy Adams, Slavery, and the Civil War By Fred Kaplan In a new documentary, Stormy Daniels alleges that Donald Trump cornered her in a hotel room and says the fallout tore her life apart. On Sept. 11, 2012, heavily armed Islamist militants launched an organized attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, setting fire to buildings before all U.S. personnel could escape or reinforcements could arrive. The attackers later launched mortar rounds at a nearby CIA compound. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens and three other Americans were killed in the violence, making it the first time since 1979 that a U.S. ambassador was killed in the line of duty. On June 15, 2014, U.S. Special Operations forces captured one of the suspected ringleaders of the attacks. Here is how the events played out. Sept. 11, 2012 9:40 p.m.: Unidentified gunmen launch an assault on the U.S. diplomatic compound in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, quickly overwhelming the U.S. and Libyan forces who were providing security. Inside the compound, security forces are separated from U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. U.S. personnel who retreat to another building come under siege for two hours before a CIA security team and some Libyan security forces repel the attackers. Advertisement 10:30 p.m.: Stevens and State Department information management officer Sean Smith have taken refuge in the main building in the compound, behind a fortified door with metal bars that keeps the attackers from breaking in. But the militants set fire to the building. Within minutes, Stevens and Smith are overwhelmed by smoke. 11 p.m.: A U.S. surveillance drone arrives over Benghazi. Then-Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, meet with President Obama. 1 a.m.: A U.S. rescue team arrives in Benghazi from Tripoli, Libyas capital. Nearly 30 Americans are rescued from the compound. Shortly thereafter, Stevens is taken to Benghazi Medical Center and pronounced dead on arrival, according to a hospital source. (A Libyan doctor tells the Associated Press that Stevens died of asphyxia, probably caused by smoke inhalation.) Advertisement 1:45 a.m.: The AP moves a news alert, reporting the death of at least one American in the Benghazi assault. Share this article Share 4 a.m.: Gunmen launch an assault using mortars against the CIA annex. Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods, both former Navy SEALs, are killed. Two other Americans are wounded. 4:08 a.m.: Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issues a statement. I condemn in the strongest terms the attack on our mission in Benghazi today. . . . The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation. But let me be clear: There is never any justification for violent acts of this kind. Sept. 12, 2012 Obama announces that Stevens was among those killed in the Benghazi assault. In his statement, the president says, I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi. His statement also says: While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants. October 2012 Quite a few insiders have dramatically grown their holdings in Dr. Martens plc (LON:DOCS) over the past 12 months. An insider's optimism about the company's prospects is a positive sign. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. View our latest analysis for Dr. Martens Dr. Martens Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single purchase by an insider was when CEO & Director Kenneth Wilson bought UK400k worth of shares at a price of UK1.29 per share. That means that an insider was happy to buy shares at above the current price of UK0.77. While their view may have changed since the purchase was made, this does at least suggest they have had confidence in the company's future. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. In the last twelve months Dr. Martens insiders were buying shares, but not selling. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! LSE:DOCS Insider Trading Volume January 23rd 2024 Dr. Martens is not the only stock insiders are buying. So take a peek at this free list of growing companies with insider buying. Does Dr. Martens Boast High Insider Ownership? Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. It appears that Dr. Martens insiders own 2.7% of the company, worth about UK20m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. Story continues So What Do The Dr. Martens Insider Transactions Indicate? The fact that there have been no Dr. Martens insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. But insiders have shown more of an appetite for the stock, over the last year. Insiders own shares in Dr. Martens and we see no evidence to suggest they are worried about the future. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Case in point: We've spotted 5 warning signs for Dr. Martens you should be aware of, and 1 of these is concerning. 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. Former Liberal prime minister Tony Abbott said the Albanese government should suffer for its broken promise on the stage 3 tax cuts. Speaking to Sky News, Abbott said the backflip on Labors assurances it would not alter Coalition-era policy was serious because it does go to the integrity of the government. Former Coalition prime minister Tony Abbott says the Albanese government should suffer. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen It wasnt something thats been forced on them by the crossbench, it wasnt something thats been forced on them by external circumstances. Its a deliberate, premeditated decision of the government. I think this is very damaging for the government, and I think they will and should suffer for it. Facing questions on Wednesday morning over the broken promise, Albanese said he was making the right decision for the right reason because economic conditions had changed and many households needed more help with the cost of living. There are pressures of cost of living that have, according to Treasury analysis and according to common sense, most impacted low- and middle-income earners, he said. Since 2019, there has been a pandemic, there has been a recession, there has been global inflation. There has been not one war, but two wars, that have had an impact. Lumi Interiors, a luxury interior design studio known for crafting opulent residential interiors, has announced the opening of its high-end interior design studio in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Having established itself as one of the leading interior architecture studios in the region, the three-level studio spans across 130 sq m, where the ground floor boasts a welcoming lobby and reception area as well as a library for creative inspiration. The basement level is where the team craft the designs, while the third floor hosts the meeting room and the sample station. All panels, joinery, and furniture are crafted by Cyril Furniture, using materials imported from the UK, Italy, Germany, and France, with fabrics from renowned brands like Zimmer and Rohde, Rubelli, Perennials, Pierre Frey, and Jazz. The studio ambiance is characterized by soft sand, beige, and white tones complemented by terracotta and brown accents. Lumis Founder and Creative Director, Alua Kul, prioritized exquisite fabrics and have commissioned bespoke embroidered art from Huart exclusively for the studio. Speaking at the opening, Kul said: "Dubai's unique energy and diverse landscapes inspired me to set up my studio here. I am mostly proud to create unique and couture environments for our clients, turning their homes into sanctuaries." "Our London luxury style blends modern and classic elements for timeless elegance. We prioritize personal connections with clients, offering tailored suggestions and access to a global network of suppliers for everything from furniture to rare art and antiques," he added. According to him, Lumis team is dedicated to delivering exceptional outcomes when it comes to project management, ensuring a thorough understanding of the clients vision and individual style, as well as the location and context of the project. The studio features a comprehensive range of premium brand services that are seamlessly integrated, emphasizing bespoke and iconic designs meticulously crafted to match the unique preferences of each client, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Chad Effertz (Photo: Business Wire) BOSTON, January 23, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Kula Bio, an innovative ag tech biofertilizer company, announces the appointment of Chad Effertz as the new Head of Field Technology. Effertz will be responsible for spearheading the company's field research and application technology efforts in bringing their innovative biofertilizer, Kula-N, to market. This strategic move marks a significant step forward for Kula Bio as they continue to expand and strengthen their commercialization efforts. Effertz comes with over 20 years of experience in the agricultural industry, with a strong background in product development and field research. He has a proven track record of successfully bringing new products to market and has held various leadership roles in both large and small companies. Among the more notable companies are: UPL Ltd. where he served as head of Development responsible for product development and product launches; Arysta LifeScience where he held several positions including head of Research and Development, herbicide product manager (USA) and herbicide and insecticide product manager. He also worked for Agro-Tech Inc., Aventis, and Bayer Crop Science, AgrEvo, and Hoechst-Roussel. "His expertise and passion for sustainable agriculture makes him the perfect fit for Kula Bio as we strive to provide farmers with a high-performance, environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fertilizers," says Kula Bio CEO Bill Brady. "Chad encompasses the rare credentials that include both science and marketing. We welcome him to the team and as we continue to strengthen and grow the opportunities we envision for our exciting new technology." Kula Bio is set to launch a game-changing biofertilizer that utilizes a unique microbial technology to convert nitrogen from the atmosphere into a plant-available form. This not only reduces the need for synthetic nitrogen sources, but also mitigates the negative environmental impacts associated with their use. Story continues "Kula Bio represents a great opportunity for more sustainable crop production without sacrificing yield," Effertz says. "I am eager and looking forward to the challenge." Effertz holds a BS and MS in plant science for North Dakota State University. About Kula Bio Kula Bio, a leader in sustainable agriculture, is harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbes to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional nitrogen fertilizers. Utilizing supercharged microbes and precision application, Kula Bio provides an environmentally friendly, efficient, and cost competitive alternative to traditional nitrogen sources. To learn more, visit Kulabio.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240123424330/en/ Contacts Sybil Jones Sybil Jones + Company (609) 903-0376 sjones@sybiljonesandco.com Key Insights COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore)'s estimated fair value is S$0.12 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of S$0.15 suggests COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) is potentially trading close to its fair value COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore)'s peers are currently trading at a discount of 28% on average In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) Co., Ltd. (SGX:F83) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) Step By Step Through The Calculation We use what is known as a 2-stage model, which simply means we have two different periods of growth rates for the company's cash flows. Generally the first stage is higher growth, and the second stage is a lower growth phase. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Seeing as no analyst estimates of free cash flow are available to us, we have extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the company's last reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: Story continues 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (SGD, Millions) S$23.6m S$22.1m S$21.2m S$20.8m S$20.6m S$20.6m S$20.7m S$20.9m S$21.2m S$21.5m Growth Rate Estimate Source Est @ -10.08% Est @ -6.45% Est @ -3.91% Est @ -2.13% Est @ -0.89% Est @ -0.01% Est @ 0.60% Est @ 1.02% Est @ 1.32% Est @ 1.53% Present Value (SGD, Millions) Discounted @ 8.9% S$21.7 S$18.6 S$16.4 S$14.8 S$13.5 S$12.4 S$11.4 S$10.6 S$9.9 S$9.2 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = S$138m The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.0%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.9%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = S$22m (1 + 2.0%) (8.9% 2.0%) = S$320m Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= S$320m ( 1 + 8.9%)10= S$137m The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is S$275m. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of S$0.1, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. SGX:F83 Discounted Cash Flow January 23rd 2024 The Assumptions We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.9%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.369. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) Strength Debt is well covered by cash flow. Weakness Interest payments on debt are not well covered. Current share price is above our estimate of fair value. Opportunity Has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years based on current free cash flows. Lack of analyst coverage makes it difficult to determine F83's earnings prospects. Threat No apparent threats visible for F83. Next Steps: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore), there are three further elements you should assess: Risks: Be aware that COSCO SHIPPING International (Singapore) is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about... Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! Other Top Analyst Picks: Interested to see what the analysts are thinking? Take a look at our interactive list of analysts' top stock picks to find out what they feel might have an attractive future outlook! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Singaporean stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Professors expedition to Argentina results in new insights, opportunities January 23, 2024 OGDEN, Utah Two professors from Weber State Universitys Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences spent their winter break on an expedition to Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America with a summit elevation of 22,837 feet. Associate Professor Elizabeth Balgord and Assistant Professor Nicolas Perez-Consuegra traveled with a group through Aconcaguas 360 route to collect samples of sedimentary rocks and snow from glaciers for research on geological history and glacier pollution. Traveling through Aconcagua was no easy task. Each day, theyd hike for hours to higher elevations and in harsh weather until they arrived at the next camp, where local guides would help them secure food and water. This was a completely new environment for me, so seeing the landscapes and active earth processes was very rewarding," Perez-Consuegra said. It was also an interesting balance between surviving every day and doing the fieldwork. The rock samples they collected will provide new insight into the history and formation of the Andes mountain belt. Students at WSU also have the opportunity to help with these discoveries by processing and dating the samples collected. There are really direct comparisons between whats happening today in South America and what was happening here in the geological past because the Rocky Mountains formed in the same way as the Andes," Balgord said. Comparing the areas allows us to better understand how these types of mountain belts evolve, which can provide more information on geologic hazards and where to find resources. The samples collected from Aconcaguas glaciers will allow them to identify pollutants and determine how they affect melting rates. Both research projects are part of a larger collaboration between other universities and groups around the world. Balgord and Perez-Consuegra are also working on creating virtual tours of Aconcagua for students, Argentine park rangers and guides. The virtual tours will contain videos with information about each location in English and Spanish, which students can then use during class activities and assignments. The area is a great place to showcase a bunch of geologic features that in other places would be kind of hidden by vegetation, Balgord said. You can read a description, but its good to be able to actually look at a location, and the virtual trips provide 360 images. Balgord and Perez-Consuegra also explored the area to organize a future study abroad trip for students to Mendoza, Argentina. The trip will allow students to experience and learn about the landscape while they help improve some of the virtual tours. Key Insights The projected fair value for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli is CHF99,720 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Current share price of CHF109,400 suggests Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli is potentially trading close to its fair value Our fair value estimate is 6.4% lower than Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli's analyst price target of CHF106,591 In this article we are going to estimate the intrinsic value of Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli AG (VTX:LISN) by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to their present value. We will take advantage of the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model for this purpose. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. Anyone interested in learning a bit more about intrinsic value should have a read of the Simply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli The Method We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate: Story continues 10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (CHF, Millions) CHF673.0m CHF714.0m CHF763.7m CHF840.0m CHF883.5m CHF915.8m CHF939.4m CHF956.6m CHF969.1m CHF978.2m Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x5 Analyst x5 Analyst x4 Analyst x1 Est @ 5.18% Est @ 3.65% Est @ 2.58% Est @ 1.83% Est @ 1.30% Est @ 0.94% Present Value (CHF, Millions) Discounted @ 4.1% CHF647 CHF659 CHF677 CHF716 CHF723 CHF720 CHF710 CHF695 CHF676 CHF656 ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CHF6.9b After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 0.08%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 4.1%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033 (1 + g) (r g) = CHF978m (1 + 0.08%) (4.1% 0.08%) = CHF24b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CHF24b ( 1 + 4.1%)10= CHF16b The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CHF23b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of CHF109k, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. SWX:LISN Discounted Cash Flow January 23rd 2024 The Assumptions The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 4.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.800. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. SWOT Analysis for Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli Strength Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry. Debt is not viewed as a risk. Weakness Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Food market. Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value. Opportunity Annual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the Swiss market. Threat Annual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the Swiss market. Moving On: Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprungli, we've put together three important factors you should further research: Financial Health: Does LISN have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at our free balance sheet analysis with six simple checks on key factors like leverage and risk. Future Earnings: How does LISN's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the SWX every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Over 400 people from 15 nationalities, as well as 40 locals, were at the New Year's Party for international protection applicants at Breaffy House Hotel on January 2. The preparation for the party was facilitated by Breaffy Community Council and planned by the international protection committee. The party was made up of international protection applicants which include men, women and children as well as members of the local community and local elected representatives. The food and music were a reflection of the multinational attendance. All music was a mix from various international protection and Ukrainian countries, while traditional Irish music was also played. The music activities for the adults and children were all co-ordinated by Breaffys Julianne Hennelly and the food was prepared by Breaffy House Hotel, with all the children getting popcorn and sweets. Some of the kids who sang in the event also sang Irish music which was taught by Julianne. Young performers at Breaffy Community Council New Year Party for International Protection residents in Breaffy House Hotel. Full report on Page 15. Picture: Michael Donnelly It was a great day, said Breaffy Community Council chairman MJ Reddington. The Irish people there were talking to them, dancing with them and they were really humbled by them. It was a great afternoon. Weve learned so much from these people, about their history and the issues theyre having. Theyre really nice and good people. Once you start engaging with them, theyre humble and theyre here for a reason. Its our duty in our community, and I say that as chairman of the Community Council, to ensure that while theyre here, that we act charitably towards them and treat them like we would anybody else. When you engage with them, its an incredible experience. Around 40 people came from the community, they were absolutely enthralled by it. It was one of the best exercises we ever had. Different nationalities and different cultures were all there and they integrated very well. Mr Reddington was critical of a minority who are attempting to frame whats going on in Mayo and around the country differently. Youve got to engage with them. Theres a lot of shite that goes on and theyre a minority. The vast majority of people should know about whats going on. These people who come here, their stories are so humbling. Theyre not here because they want to be here, theyre here because they have to be here. When you engage with them, theyre more than generous. Mr Reddington went on to thank the local community and all involved in the organising of the party and he hopes that more events will happen in the future. We want to plan more of this as we go on and we will do that. Mayo's Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is hosting an information evening on Friday, January 26th, in the TF Royal Hotel, Casltebar, commencing at 7pm. Aine Treanor, Co-Chair of Galway IPSC, will be making a presentation on the evening about her experiences of her recent time spent in Palestine. In 2022, Aine spent three months in the West Bank as a human rights monitor. During her time there, she says she witnessed "housing demolitions, extreme military control and an apartheid system facing Palestinians living under military occupation". In her testimony, Aine tells the story of a rural community threatened with the expansion of an illegal Israeli settlement, the violence and harassment they face by both settlers and Israeli soldiers, and the women shepherds who are fighting for their livelihoods and their right to exist. Eadaoin DeFaoite, Chair of Mayo IPSC, said: "We really encourage people to come along to this event to gain a deeper understanding of the human rights' abuses endured by the Palestinian people under ongoing Israeli occupation. Irish people have a deep affinity with the Palestinian people and we urge everyone to get involved with our local group." Eadaoin added: "In light of the ongoing military assaults in the Gaza Strip, which have left over 23,000 Palestinians dead, more than 7,000 people buried in the rubble, over 60,000 people wounded and 1.9 million displaced, we need to be doing all we can to raise awareness about the situation in Palestine." This is a free event and if people would like more information they can contact the Mayo branch of the IPSC via email at ipsc.mayo@gmail.com. The title of last weeks RTE documentary, The Last Priests in Ireland, reflected the grim reality for Irish Catholics no longer a perception or a wild prophesy that priests are not just becoming fewer but in danger of almost disappearing in Ireland. The statistic that hung over the discussion was that the number of Catholic seminarians in 1965 was around 400 while now it is around 50, according to the presenter of the documentary, comedian Ardal OHanlon, though Katie Hannon, the presenter of the later Upfront programme, would marginally move the latter number to a more specific 64. Not that the extra 14 matter all that much in the cliff-face of Irish priests numerical decline, given that there is usually no correlation, now as earlier, between the numbers starting in seminary and those ordained years later. Ive been banging on about this for years and I dont want to exhaust my readers patience but a few statistics make the point. In huge urban dioceses like Dublin with over one million Catholics, at one point recently there was just one seminarian. And Dublin has 199 parishes! In mainly rural dioceses like Killala, which covers north Mayo and west Sligo, future statistics for priest numbers, are proportionally critical. Two different assessments of future priest numbers for Killala reached a similar conclusion within a matter of a few years, there could be as few as eight priests and possibly no bishop as the rumour mill suggests that the probability is that Killala will be merged or, in everyday language, amalgamated with either Tuam or Achonry. In Killala diocese, a total of eight priests would mean two in Ballina, two in Tyrawly deanery one in Ballycastle, serving Tyrawly North and one in Crossmolina, for Tyrawly South one in Tireragh and one in Erris, with the remaining two as flying curates covering the inevitable gaps. An indication of the dramatic change that has already taken place is that when I served in Tireragh, there were ten priests in the six parishes of that deanery and there are now four. But back to the RTE programmes. What struck me about the discussion on Upfront was the series of yawning gaps that emerged between the Catholic Church and a variety of interest groups calling for change: the gap between the expectations Catholics have and the possibility that they might be delivered; the gap between how the official Church sees things and what Catholics expect; and the gap between peoples continuing perception of themselves as Catholics while accepting a detached attitude to now moveable feasts like going to Mass or contributing to the upkeep of their parishes, its services and facilities. There was a telling moment on Upfront when Bishop Brendan Leahy of Limerick suggested, as a possible explanation for the Catholic Churchs reluctance to ordain women, that even though there was almost a consensus among lay Catholics in Ireland and around the world that it was both acceptable and necessary, that the Church "didnt want to rush things". The slip of the tongue, while it had its own internal logic, seemed almost to echo the famous or rather infamous comment of Archbishop John Charles McQuaid of Dublin when, on his return from the Second Vatican Council in Rome, he reassured the Catholics of Dublin that none of the proposed changes would "disturb the tranquillity of your Christian lives". On the one hand, Bishop Leahy holding the line is marked, for example, by lay Catholics holding an opposing line by refusing to compromise on issues like the ordination of women. Or even parishioners reacting to the withdrawal of priests by saying that they dont mind what changes are made provided they can retain the same number of priests and the same number of Masses at their present time. There are times when the gap between this rock and hard place seems insurmountable. The compelling point is that the Churchs gradualism in terms of reform inevitably conflicts with the perception of most (though not all) lay Catholics that time is running out and that, unless there is significant movement, Catholics who have been grimly hanging on to the doorposts in expectation of change will be running out too. Fr Roy Donovan, with whom I share a vested interest in membership of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP), and who is at present part of its leadership, seemed one of the few participants who detected a silver lining to the decline in clergy numbers. It promised, he suggested, an exit from the cold dead hand of clericalism as exemplified by the past domination of clergy who had presided over the people in a role that placed a focus on status, precedence and control. The decline of priest numbers, he continued, would open up the possibility that the gifts of the laity would be released in a very different kind of Church. Roys relaxed manner and his bright and breezy personality as well as his casual dress sense placed him in a different category to the invariably buttoned-up black uniform of his colleagues. An obvious conclusion that might be drawn from the debate is that unless, at the conclusion of the Roman Synod in October this year, there is some movement towards a Peoples Church, as envisaged by the Second Vatican Council 60 years ago, the future of the Catholic Church in Ireland will look even bleaker than at present. Bishop Leahy suggested that the possibility of women deacons was "under consideration" but that the ordination of women was not on the agenda. Anyone watching the RTE documentary The Last Nuns in Ireland (on the following night) would realise how impoverished the Catholic Church is by the exclusion of the gifts that women would bring. The competence, sensitivity and emotional intelligence of the leadership of several nuns were impressive, indeed it might be said, quite stunning. We were given a glimpse of what were missing as we fiddle around while Rome burns. . Sean McCarthaigh A new study has found no evidence of any changes in adult suicide rates in the west of Ireland as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, despite some reports of increased rates of self-harm and mental distress during various lockdowns. Research carried out by staff at University Hospital Galway compared suicide rates and methods of probable suicide in the west of Ireland over a 24-month period both before and after the onset of Covid-19 at the end of February 2020. They examined post-mortem reports conducted at UHG of people who probably died by suicide as well as the lifetime engagement of such individuals with mental health services across the two periods covering March 2018 to February 2022. The study identified 85 cases of individuals who died by probable suicide in each time period. The results of the study, which are published in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, also showed no difference in the methods employed in probable suicides between the two periods. The proportion of individuals with a history of engagement with mental health services was also similar with 33 per cent of probable suicide cases having contact with mental health services prior to the Covid-19 pandemic and 27 per cent since the onset of the virus spreading globally. One of the studys main authors, Dylan Mannix, said the impact of prolonged periods of restrictions and lockdowns on the mental wellbeing of individuals had been somewhat unclear due to divergent available data to date. Mr Mannix, a senior psychiatrist with Galway-Roscommon Mental Health Services, said their research was designed to ascertain if there were any differences in suicide rates before and since the pandemic. He said its findings were consistent with a number of other recent studies pertaining to the Covid-19 pandemic carried out in the US and Japan. However, Mr Mannix acknowledged that a number of other studies of shorter duration in Norway and Mexico had demonstrated contrasting results. The psychiatrist said the findings of the west of Ireland study were also in conflict with some historical evidence from the Spanish Flu pandemic of 2018-2019 and the 2003 SARS epidemic which recorded a modest increase in suicide rates. However, Mr Mannix also pointed out that a systematic review conducted in 2021 concluded there was minimal robust evidence linking infectious epidemics with suicide. He said there were a number of potential supportive factors that might have reduced suicide rates including that mental health supports largely continued during the Covid-19 pandemic even though consultations were often held online. Mr Mannix said social engagement was also carried on via social media, which ensured human contact remained possible as Ireland had predominantly good quality internet services. Additionally, he said government supports including pandemic payments for individuals with reduced income as a result of Covid-19 related restrictions, reduced the severity of potential financial difficulties. How Ian Bailey's death will impact the Garda investigation into Sophie Toscan du Plantier's murder, Storm Jocelyn, and a new law that would force supermarkets to accept cash are among Tuesday's front page stories. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to make a final decision on Ian Bailey as a suspect in the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier, The Irish Times reports. Stories on Ian Bailey and Storm Jocelyn make the front page of the Irish Examiner. A new law will force supermarkets and pharmacies to accept cash, the Irish Independent reports. The Echo leads with a story on a protest earmarked to accommodate refugees in Cork. The Irish Sun leads with a plea from the son of Sophie Toscan du Plantier for her murder case to be keep alive following the death of suspect Ian Bailey. Today's front page of The Irish Sun. pic.twitter.com/s2ygLJrN83 The Irish Sun (@IrishSunOnline) January 23, 2024 The Irish Daily Mail leads with a story on a new blood test that could be able to detect the risk of Alzheimer's disease 15 years early. It's Good Health Tuesday in the Irish Daily Mail! pic.twitter.com/smTi7jrT2V The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) January 23, 2024 The Sophie Toscan du Plantier murder investigation is the lead story in The Herald and the Irish Daily Star. Tuesdays front page pic.twitter.com/D7dWeQug65 Irish Daily Star (@isfearranstar) January 23, 2024 In the North, the Belfast Telegraph leads with damage to the Dark Hedges in Co Antrim, made famous in HBO series Game of Thrones, following Storm Isha. Medical news, politics and the weather dominate the UK front page stories on Tuesday. Monday nights air strikes against Houthi rebels make several of the early editions, but the lead stories concentrate on matters closer to home. A blood test to detect Alzheimers disease up to 15 years before symptoms show is the focus of several titles, The Daily Telegraph saying the test to detect a protein in the blood could be used to screen all over-50s. The front page of Tuesday's Daily Telegraph: 'Alzheimer's blood test revolution for over-50s'#TomorrowsPapersToday Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4OoUh6 pic.twitter.com/AkYyRx9085 The Telegraph (@Telegraph) January 23, 2024 The Times says the test could be used by people of any age while the Daily Express says it could bring us closer to a cure. The Times: Blood test can detect early sign of Alzheimers #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/iKyafTeezC George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Daily Express: BREAKTHROUGH ALZHEIMERS BLOOD TEST WILL BRING CURE CLOSER #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/JbtZYOnBBB George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 The Daily Mail and The Independent concentrate on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, saying he has waded into a culture war after backing groups accused of having woke agendas. Daily Mail: Starmer wades into culture wars on the side of the woke #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/yc8wD3i9sZ George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Elections occupy the front of the Financial Times, which hears from the chair of the Electoral Commission John Pullinger that Conservatives have been exposed to claims of bias over a new voter ID scheme which is more of a barrier to some people than others. Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Tuesday 23 January https://t.co/7ADKYR3MdL pic.twitter.com/UW4NkOKJgF Financial Times (@FT) January 22, 2024 The Daily Mirror concentrates on the death of Morgan Ribeiro, 20, after weight-loss surgery in Turkey following bullying over her weight. The Metro says a revolutionary swallowable gastric balloon has been used by the NHS to help weight loss for the first time as Morgans family told of her death. Tomorrow's Paper Today FAT-BUSTING BALLOON PILL ON NHS Hope for millions in cost-saving procedure... on day Morgan tragedy revealed#tomorrowspapertoday pic.twitter.com/IwF5shv24U Metro (@MetroUK) January 23, 2024 Medical issues also occupy The Guardian, which says the Royal College of Obstetricans and Gynaecologists have told doctors and healthcare staff not to report suspected illegal abortions to the police. The Guardian: Medics urged not to report illegal abortions to police #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/QNF5suT7SZ George Mann (@sgfmann) January 22, 2024 Storm Isha dominates the front of the i, which says Storm Jocelyn is not far behind and the increase in severe weather will continue over the next decade. The Sun turns its attention to royal matters, reporting that the Queen has told the workaholic King to slow down ahead of an operation next week. On tomorrow's front page: Queen Camilla urges workaholic King Charles, 75, to take it easy ahead of prostate op after his 516 jobs last year https://t.co/Pf7eCdcfli pic.twitter.com/WwhI2JPUMf The Sun (@TheSun) January 22, 2024 And the Daily Star concentrates on the arrival of swearing parrots at a wildlife park. Tuesday's front page - 'WHO'S A PRETTY POTTY MOUTHED BOY THEN?'https://t.co/e2Zw2THUSV pic.twitter.com/iA4vadPxTE Daily Star (@dailystar) January 22, 2024 The New York Times leads with a story on the Republican primary in New Hampshire. JERUSALEM (AP) Palestinian militants carried out the deadliest single attack on Israeli forces in Gaza since the Hamas raid that triggered the war, killing 21 soldiers, the military said Tuesday a significant setback that could add to mounting calls for a cease-fire. Hours later, the military announced that ground forces had encircled the southern city of Khan Younis, Gazas second largest, and thick, black smoke could be seen rising over the city as thousands of Palestinians fled south. Witnesses said Israeli tanks and troops had also moved into Muwasi, a nearby coastal area that the military had previously declared a safe zone for Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the Israeli soldiers, who died when the blast from a rocket-propelled grenade triggered explosives they were laying to blow up buildings. But he vowed to press ahead until absolute victory, including crushing Hamas and freeing more than 100 Israeli hostages still held by the militants. Israelis are increasingly questioning whether its possible to achieve those war aims. In the wake of Hamas Oct. 7 attack, outraged Israelis set aside long-simmering political differences and rallied behind the war. More than 100 days later, divisions are reemerging, and anger is growing over Netanyahus conduct of the war. Families of the hostages have called for Israel to reach a deal with Hamas, saying time is running out to bring their relatives home alive. A senior Egyptian official said Israel has proposed a two-month cease-fire in which the hostages would be freed in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, and top Hamas leaders in Gaza would be allowed to relocate to other countries. The official, who was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said Hamas rejected the proposal and insists no more hostages will be released until Israel ends its offensive and withdraws from Gaza. Israels government declined to comment on the talks. Egypt and Qatar which have brokered past agreements between Israel and Hamas were developing a multistage proposal to try to bridge the gaps, the official said. ONE OF THE HARDEST DAYS FOR ISRAEL Israeli reservists were preparing explosives Monday to demolish two buildings outside central Gazas Maghazi refugee camp, near the Israeli border, when a militant fired a rocket-propelled grenade at a tank nearby. The blast triggered the explosives, collapsing both two-story buildings onto the soldiers. Israeli media said the troops were working to create an informal buffer zone, about a kilometer (half a mile) wide along the border to prevent militants from attacking Israeli communities near Gaza. Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari said the mission was to clear buildings to create the conditions" that would allow the residents of the south to return to their homes. The United States has said it would oppose any attempt by Israel to shrink Gazas territory. Throughout the war, Israeli troops have used controlled detonations to destroy structures that the military says hide Hamas tunnels or have been used by militants as firing positions one reason for the massive destruction wreaked by the ground offensive. Blasts have destroyed entire city blocks, apartment complexes, government buildings and universities, fueling Palestinians fears that the territory will be left unlivable. At least 217 soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began in late October, including three killed in a separate event Monday, according to the military. Netanyahu acknowledged on social media that it was one of the hardest days of the war but vowed to keep up the offensive. We are in the middle of a war that is more than justified. In this war, we are making big achievements, like the encircling of Khan Younis, and there are also very heavy losses, he later said in a video statement. Israel launched its offensive after Hamas crossed the border Oct. 7, killing over 1,200 people and abducting some 250 others. More than 100 were released in November during a weeklong cease-fire. The offensive has caused widespread death and destruction, killing at least 25,490 people the majority women and children and wounding another 63,354, according to Gazas Health Ministry. Its count does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. An estimated 85% of Gazas 2.3 million people have been driven from their homes in a humanitarian crisis that has left one-quarter of the population facing starvation. TROOPS IN THE SAFE ZONE With fighting raging in neighboring Khan Younis city, witnesses said that in the past few days Israeli troops and tanks had entered parts of Muwasi. Previously, the military had told Palestinians to take refuge in the tiny rural area on the Mediterranean coast, saying it would be spared military operations. On Monday, troops stormed Al-Khair Hospital inside the zone and struck the nearby Al-Aqsa University where displaced people were sheltering, according to health officials. The advance sent families who had fled to the area from fighting elsewhere fleeing once more, said one witness, Aseel al-Muqayed. One main street had been very crowded with displaced people, you could hardly find a place without a tent. Now the area is almost empty, she said, adding that she had seen tanks now stationed nearby. The 21-year-old al-Muqayed has already been displaced multiple times since her family evacuated from northern Gaza. They moved repeatedly, fleeing bombardment her younger brother and a cousin were killed in a strike that hit one of their refuges and eventually ended up in Khan Younis. She came to Muwasi several days ago, learning there was electricity there to charge her mother's phone, and now was afraid to move. For two nights, we have not been able to sleep as the sounds of tanks, gunfire and explosions are very close, she said. Inside Khan Younis, heavy fighting raged around the two main hospitals. Shelling hit the fourth floor of Al-Amal Hospital, killing one person and wounding 10 others, according to Raed al-Nems, a spokesperson for the Palestine Red Crescent rescue service that runs the facility. Shelling on Monday also hit a United Nations school that was sheltering displaced people in the city, killing at least six people, according to the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA. Israels offensive has focused for weeks on Khan Younis and several urban refugee camps in central Gaza, after the military claimed to have largely defeated Hamas in the north. Israel believes Hamas commanders may be hiding in tunnels beneath Khan Younis, the hometown of the groups top leader in Gaza, Yehya Sinwar, whose location is unknown. PRESSURE FOR A CEASE-FIRE The growing death toll and dire humanitarian situation have led to increasing international pressure on Israel to scale back the offensive and agree to a path for the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The United States, which has provided crucial military aid for the offensive, has joined those calls. But Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since Oct. 7 and whose governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties, has rebuffed both demands. Instead, he has said Israel will need to expand operations and eventually take over the Gaza side of the border with Egypt an area where some 1 million Palestinians are packed into overflowing U.N.-run shelters and sprawling tent camps. That drew an angry protest from Egypts government, which rejected Israeli allegations that Hamas smuggles in weapons across the heavily guarded frontier. Diaa Rashwan, head of Egypts State Information Service, said Monday that any Israeli move to occupy the border area would lead to a serious threat to relations between the two countries, which signed a landmark peace treaty over four decades ago. Egypt is also deeply concerned about any potential influx of Palestinian refugees into its Sinai Peninsula. This story has been updated to correct that the attack on Israeli soldiers took place near Maghazi, not in Maghazi. Magdy reported from Cairo and Jobain from Rafah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Jerusalem contributed to this report. A guest room at the Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand. Source: Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri Expedia CEO Peter Kern pled his case to hotel owners Monday: Take seriously the billion-dollar issue of wholesale rates being misused online. Its a growing problem, Kern said Monday. There is a massive amount of rates leaking out. Kern spoke on-stage at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles. It was the first time the head of a major online travel agency was invited to speak at the conference arguably the largest one for hotel owners and developers. Some backstory: Hotels have long set aside some rooms at discounted wholesale rates for contracted partners to offer to specific, coveted travelers. A hotel might offer wholesale rates to a tour operator to bundle with a flight in a discounted vacation package, for example. Kern complains that some agencies are breaking the rules. Wholesale rates get out in the world where theyre unintended, and unintended means they are available at the retail marketplace on other OTAs [online travel agencies] and comparison sites, Kern said. All of a sudden, people are showing up at your front desk with a rate that your desk doesnt know how the hell it got there. Kerns team at Expedia has worked with Marriott and other major hotel chains to curb the distribution of rates. However, the wholesale leakage problem continues to plague independent and regional hotel groups. Difficult Problem Why dont more hotels care, given that theyre the ones who are being undercut on price? A few reasons: Its filling rooms with guests, and thats what general managers are judged on for performance. It also takes some time and money to tighten ones distribution. The rogue rates are also hard to track. You may not even see the rates because theyre gated to geography, Kern said. If youre based in the U.S. and you search for rates at your companys hotel in Vietnam, it may look fine on the price-comparison sites you use, Kern said. But travelers searching sites in Asia Pacific may see other, cheaper rates. Story continues Kern conceded that some hotels just arent that concerned. But he found that puzzling. If you end up filling your room at 30% off and killing your direct-to-consumer rates, I dont know where that gets you long-term, Kern said. More on Peter Kerns Fight Against Rogue Wholesale Rates Expedia Asked Google to Crack Down on Bait and Switch Hotel Rates Expedia CEO Calls Out Rival Agoda: How They Get Those Cheap Prices Get breaking travel news and exclusive hotel, airline, and tourism research and insights at Skift.com. NORTH LONDONDERRY TWP., Pa. - Authorities in Lebanon County say three family members, including a seven-year-old girl, died in a weekend house fire. It happened early Sunday morning in the unit block of Patton Road in North Londonderry Township, Lebanon County. Members of the Palmyra Fire Department, along with several fire and EMS units from neighboring departments, responded to the location just before 2 a.m. for a reported structure fire with entrapment. Arriving units found a one-story residence with heavy fire from the attached garage. First responders on scene quickly learned there were a total of six individuals in the home at the time of the fire. Four had safely evacuated the home and one of them called 911. Authorities say the caller then reentered the home to try to rescue two unaccounted for family members. They did not come back out and were unaccounted for when fire crews arrived. Firefighters quickly began searching for the three unaccounted for family members while also working to put out the fire. The three individuals were found quickly and turned over to the care of EMS. All six were transported to Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Three of the family members did not survive. They are: - Paul Garman, age 87, of North Londonderry Twp. - Cynthia Weatherholtz, age 60, of Swatara Twp., Dauphin County - Kristi Dougherty, age 7, of Swatara Twp., Dauphin County The surviving three family members were treated for various types of injuries at Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Investigators determined that the home did not have functioning smoke detectors. At this time, the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Fire Marshal Unit. WEST READING, Pa. - January 23rd is Maternal Health Awareness Day. "About two or three years ago, we started an initiative looking at January 23rd, that legislated in many states as well as nationally," said Dr. Mark B. Woodland, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Reading Hospital. Hospitals and healthcare organizations are teaming up to raise awareness. "We know that 90% of births will go relatively uncomplicated and in what we consider to be a normal fashion, whether it's a vaginal delivery, or cesarean section delivery," said Woodland. But findings show there are a percentage of births that could have trouble. Woodland said health officials recognize the age of maternity has increased, with some women choosing to have babies after 30. "We know that that raises risk awareness for things that are going on as far as maternal health conditions, like hypertension, bleeding, or other issues that cause problems with delivery," said Woodland. This year, experts are looking into issues with access to care and inequities for maternal health. "And those inequities include not only socio-economic steps, as well as health conditions, but also racial issues and ethnic issues," said Woodland. Tower Health said it has not seen a rise in mortality rates at its hospitals, but Woodland said that they have seen deaths related to issues in the first year after a baby is born. "Mental health issues, depression, as well as addressing substance use," explained Woodland. Doctors encourage people to follow tips that can help decrease the risk of maternal mortality, like advocating for yourself during pre and post-natal appointments and not smoking or consuming alcohol or drugs while pregnant. READING, Pa. Reading City Council voted unanimously Monday night to adopt an ordinance to authorize the execution of a sales agreement to sell three historic properties in the 400 block of Penn Street. The agreement will allow for the sale of 431, 437 and 443 Penn St. to Philly Office Retail. The properties consist of approximately 1.21 acres. Reading's Managing Director William Heim said a sales price has not been set and will be based on appraisals of the property. "This is a long-awaited sales agreement of those buildings with the city administration and Philly Office Retail," Heim said. "We've been discussing this for the better part of a year. [This sale] will get this project moving to restore those historic buildings to their former glory." Council heard a presentation from Philly Office Retail in an executive session last fall. Councilmember Chris Miller said the properties have been for sale for way too long. "The one thing that I was really impressed with is when the developer came and presented before council, they made a point to say that a lot of their projects did involve historic preservation, which I think is key for this particular area," Miller said. Council President Donna Reed noted that the intention of the developer is to restore the properties for mixed uses. Councilmember Jaime Baez Jr. said he is excited to see the project move forward. "This city needs it, and the downtown needs it desperately," Baez said. ARPA funding In other business, council voted 5-2 to adopt a resolution to rescind a moratorium on the spending of the remaining American Rescue Plan Act funding. Reed and Miller voted "no." In March 2023, council placed a moratorium on the ARPA funds to reserve them for only the capital needs of the city. Reading's small businesses try to get slice of $2M in ARPA funding The city received applications for funding from 150 small businesses, but not all of them met the requirements. In addition, $2 million was put aside for small business grants. According to the rules of the federal government, the projects using ARPA funds must be under contract by the end of 2024 and must be expended by the end of 2026. Reed said the concept of the moratorium was to ensure the funds be used for much needed capital improvements in the city. Heim said by lifting the moratorium, it will afford the city some flexibility on how the money can be spent, even though he said it is committed to capital projects. Heim did not state the total amount of remaining funds because some money which was allocated to projects but will not used by the deadline will be returned to the total amount available. Some projects could also come in under budget. READING, Pa. Reading City Council heard a presentation from the city administration Monday night on the results of a first round of American Rescue Plan Act funding for small business. The previous council had set aside $2 million to incentivize improvements to small business. One million dollars was available for small businesses throughout the city to receive a funding grant of up to $25,000, and $1 million was available for businesses in the downtown business corridor along Penn Street to receive a funding grant of up to $50,000. To be considered for funding, small business had to submit a completed application, including supporting details to determine if the business was eligible. During its Committee of the Whole meeting, city Finance Director Jamar Kelly said the city received 150 applications and is now recommending the city extend grants to 23 of those businesses. Kelly also requested additional time to do more research for 74 businesses in a second round of funding to determine if they meet certain requirements such as a current business privilege license. The remaining number from the 150 did not qualify for multiple reasons. "There's been a huge amount of administrative work to go into reaching out to businesses, getting completed application packages, getting scopes of work, getting illustrations, getting quotes from qualified contractors, and getting IRS documentation to approve which classification of type of business you are," Kelly said. He added that the funding request for the 23 businesses amounts to $652,800. Mayor Eddie Moran clarified that when the administration is using the term "second round of funding," it means consideration to the 74 businesses that did not immediately qualify. No additional applications will be accepted. Councilmembers Jaime Baez Jr. and Melissa Ventura questioned and criticized the city for not having a means of notifying businesses that they needed to renew their business privilege licenses. Kelly said the city has no personnel and no means to currently determine if a businesses has a current business license. Council President Donna Reed said Moran's administration has been very judicious in the process. "The fact that folks who applied the first round just need to complement or supplement their original application is testimony to working with the small business community," Reed said. "I think that's pretty admirable, and I'm sure there are cities that haven't done that." "So, I'm just a little baffled about not knowing who's in charge of notifying businesses about their business privilege license," Baez said. "Is there a process improvement we can make? It just seems like businesses are being penalized for a process that is not in place and that falls on us as government." Reed said if you own a business, that should be your own personal accountability to renew a business license, but added the city would be open to some type of outreach to the small businesses. During public comment at the regular council meeting, Josephine Torres-Boykins, executive director of the Berks County Latino Chamber of Commerce, said the business privilege license issue is a major problem in the city. "When denial letters were mailed out last week, I received so many phone calls within one hour, and they all had to do with business privilege licenses," Torres-Boykins said. "Our small businesses do not even know what they have to do when they have a business. They have their state licenses (barbers and beauty salons), and that's what they brought to me thinking that is their business licenses." "How does it happen that some businesses can be open for 10 years and not ever paid the business privilege business tax?" she asked. "I just don't understand it. Someone needs to be held accountable for that." City Council will need to act to decide if the 23 businesses identified should be awarded the grants. LONGSWAMP TWP., Pa. - People hit the slopes at Bear Creek Monday to support families of fallen first responders. "It's a thing that's close to our hearts," said Marc Azeff, team captain for Wheels of Justice. Azeff is referring to "Day Off on the Slopes," all organized by Wheels of Justice of Montogomery County. The organization helps law enforcement-related charities in southeastern Pennsylvania. "Everybody comes out. If you ski or snowboard, and even if you don't ski or snowboard, you come out. Some people try for the first time," said Azeff. The event has been held for seven years now, raising thousands of dollars. "It's great. We got to see it grow to what it is today. It's a beautiful day, so attendance is really good for it," said Gary Kline, director of marketing and guest experience at Bear Creek Mountain Resort. And it is not the only fundraising event the organization takes part in. "We do a bike ride in the summer from Philadelphia to Atlantic City. We ride 65 miles, but we raise money for the families Behind the Badges organization," said Azeff. EXETER TWP., Pa. At Monday night's meeting of the Exeter Township Board of Supervisors, it appeared that little had changed with the installation of a new board in early January. Still, the meetings consist of several big battles interspersed with routine administrative votes. The heart of the meeting actually began in the middle. That is when, by a 4-1 vote with Chairperson Jack Piho, Vice Chairperson Clarence Hamm, Supervisor Michelle Kircher, and Supervisor George Bell in favor it was resolved that that the board "strongly condemns" Supervisor David Hughes' social media comments "denigrating and maligning" members of the Exeter Township Vol. Fire Dept. and the Exeter Township community. It was further resolved that the board "disavows the vile language used by Supervisor Hughes as not reflecting the standards of behavior expected of Township public officials." The resolution came about because supervisors said they have become aware of social media comments made by Hughes on the "Exeter Examiner" Facebook Page. Those comments, the supervisors claim, include but are not limited to, referring to a member of the volunteer fire department as a "[N]azi," falsely alluding that another member of the department has engaged in theft, and otherwise maligning community residents. The board went on to say it is extremely concerned about the falsity of the allegations and the hateful name-calling by Hughes against civic-minded Exeter Township citizens who give of their time volunteering in the community. Hughes responded by reading a statement. "This is (Solicitor) Chadwick Schnee's latest resolution that's up for a vote. It's part of a two-year campaign to wrongfully discredit, harass and retaliate against me. I assert my right to freely express my opinions on various platforms including my blog and social media." "The accusations about my online conduct," Hughes continued, "particularly the false claim that I called someone a Nazi are unfounded. This is the third time that Schnee has fabricated lies to defame me to the Exeter Township Board of Supervisors. Im committed to stopping this malicious slander." "Schnee and Piho acting as community moral guardians must provide evidence for these claims, including the incorrect implication that I accused someone of theft in an online discussion that never occurred," Hughes said. "This resolution is a spiteful response from Schnee, especially after his defeat in a civil free speech case and a tactic to manipulate the board of supervisors for his benefit," Hughes concluded. "Despite these challenges, I remain steadfast in my values and will continue to speak out against what I see as injustices and upholding the truth." Appointment of township supervisor From the start of the meeting there was conflict. The supervisors voted 4-1, with Hughes opposed, to ratify and confirm the appointment of George Bell as township supervisor. Bell was a former chair and vice chairperson, and was selected at the Jan. 8 meeting, following the supervisors' interviews of eight candidates. Hughes argued that the appointment of Bell was illegal under the second-class township code, and noted that every time he voted with Bell on a motion, it was with the caveat that he believes Bell will be removed. During the public comments part of the meeting, several residents also spoke against the appointment of Bell. Jerry Geleff reported that earlier in the afternoon he filed a citizen's criminal complaint with the district attorney to oppose Bell's appointment. Finance The supervisors unanimously voted to renew the certificates of deposit with First National Bank under the following terms: $10 million in three-month certificates at 5.25% and $10 million in six-month certificates at 5.10%. Zoning/planning A motion was passed to approve a waiver request for 98 Linree Ave. to install an in-ground pool in an existing easement. At its Jan. 15 meeting, the township planning commission voted to support this waiver request contingent on adherence to the building code and stormwater regulations. Administration Tina Stephens was appointed as open records officer and Jennifer Kauffman as alternate open records officer. Also, the supervisors authorized the transfer of titles of vehicles from Exeter Township Vol. Fire Dept. to the township. Pennsylvania American Water public hearing Solicitor Schnee informed the board that there will be two public meetings Jan. 31 at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Dunn Center regarding the Pennsylvania American Water public input hearing. Supervisors Piho and Hamm will attend as representatives of the supervisors. Schnee received approval from the supervisors to write revisions to the township's right-to-know law and present it to the supervisors for approval. Reading Hospitality Management The supervisors voted 4-1 to authorize Piho and Kircher to negotiate the agreement with Reading Hospitality Management for the Reading Country Club. Any agreement to be negotiated will be approved at a subsequent board meeting. BETHLEHEM, Pa. At a public hearing Monday night, the Bethlehem Area School District Board of Directors strongly criticized an applicant's proposal for a charter school on East Market Street. Known as "Bethlehem STEAM Academy Charter School," the proposal calls for a 21,000-square-foot school facility with 17 classrooms at 316 E. Market St. "STEAM" is an acronym that stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Monday's public hearing followed a Dec. 18 hearing in which the district first heard from applicants. It began with questioning of the applicant's representatives: Former Easton Area School District Superintendent David Piperato, former Dieruff High School Principal Michael Makhoul and attorney Brian Leinhauser. Acting as legal counsel for the school board, attorney Allison Petersen sparred with Leinhauser about the applicant's plans for parking/traffic near the proposed site and management of the school. Leinhauser said that such issues were still in the planning stages and vaguely offered it was the applicant's "understanding" that the proposed site would adequately address them. Petersen then pressed Piperato and Makhoul on their specific involvement with the project including with the area's two other STEAM Academy applications in Allentown and Whitehall. Piperato admitted that he presented the Whitehall STEAM Academy proposal to the Whitehall-Coplay School District, but said he was otherwise "not involved" with that project. Makhoul stressed his role as an "educational consultant," but refused to answer if he would be interested in joining a hypothetical charter school board when prompted by Petersen. On the issue of leasing the site, Petersen asked the applicants about their connection to the Abe Atiyeh-affiliated Charter Solutions LLC, since a charter school board would likely be leasing its building from land owned by Atiyeh, a developer. Specifically, Petersen wanted to know what would happen to taxpayer funds granted to the charter school if Atiyeh sold the land. Leinhauser replied that, while Atiyeh's Exchange 15 LLC owns the land and has committed to leasing it, the charter would be under no obligation to repay these funds. Doing so would be "bad management" of taxpayer money, Leinhauser said. Later on Monday, district Superintendent Jack Silva and Assistant Superintendent Maureen Leeson expressed sharper opposition to the proposal. According to Silva, the applicant has "insufficient community support and poor academic programming." The superintendent cited formal opposition letters submitted by the Da Vinci Science Center, Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, Colonial Intermediate Unit 20 and other education groups. Silva claimed that the applicant's method of collecting support was "invalid," as their letters of support came mostly from outside Bethlehem or were signed by business owners who were unaware of the proposal's true nature. The charter school "didn't do its homework," Silva said. Reading from a 20-plus page report her administrative team had drafted in opposition to the proposal, Leeson criticized the charter school's academic and planning merits. The applicant's support for the "balanced literacy approach," unusual class schedules and budget shortcomings created by retiring teachers would lead to learning difficulties for students, Leeson said. While no formal vote was taken Monday, no board members spoke out against Silva and Leeson's negative review of the charter school proposal. According to Petersen, Leinhauser will have until Wednesday, Jan. 31, to respond to the administration's review on behalf of the applicant. The district has until March 2 75 days from the day of the first hearing to issue a final decision on the charter school application. L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. A Lower Macungie Township development may require an intersection with two levels of traffic. Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Executive Director Becky Bradley said Tuesday that a "grade-separated interchange" that would keep traffic on Route 222 separate from cars on Krocks Road in Lower Macungie Township one route elevated above the other could be the answer for increased traffic at a mixed-use development. The proposal for 617 N. Krocks Road includes 318 apartments, a 160-room hotel and about 20,000 square feet of retail space. It includes 948 parking spaces. The LVPC's Comprehensive Planning Committee discussed the plan Tuesday and sent it to the full commission for review Thursday. Pedestrian traffic in the area will increase, according to the draft review by the LVPC. Without the intersection proposed by Bradley, pedestrians would have to cross seven lanes of traffic to reach the Hamilton Crossings shopping center on the south side of Route 222. Other suggestions from the LVPC include extended timing for pedestrian-crossing lights, adding a "pedestrian refuge" island, and new markings for crosswalks. When Commissioner Stephen Repasch mentioned a pedestrian bridge, Bradley said the site is already suited to the separated interchange. Bradley said the interchange will be discussed with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, which controls Route 222. She said the staff may have an answer by Thursday's full meeting of the commission. Such an interchange would separate faster traffic on the state road from cars on Krocks Road. In addition to adding traffic, the development may create a conflict with lengthy funeral processions. "The primary entrance for this project is also the entrance to Resurrection Cemetery at Krocks Road and St. John and St. Paul Avenue," according to the draft review of Tuesday's meeting agenda. "The LVPC recommends that the municipality discuss with both the cemetery and local law enforcement any impacts that could occur during peak hours of use with respect to congestion or stopped traffic due to funeral processions." "Traffic backs up quite a bit during a funeral," committee Chairman Stephen Melnick said. He said he has attended services at Resurrection as a member of an honor guard. The Diocese of Allentown has two cemeteries, Resurrection and Holy Saviour in Bethlehem. The committee discussed a planned zoning change for the Walnut Street Garage in Bethlehem. The Bethlehem Parking Authority seeks to change consolidate the designation for four parcels of land into "Central Business" or CB zoning. CB would allow for a deck, along with retail and residential uses. There is no final approved plan yet for the next deck and the retail and residential uses that may accompany it. The old deck, built in 1976, is being demolished. It lasted 49 years, about as long as Easton's former Pine Street Garage, which stood for 50 years. Bethlehem City Council will meet Jan. 29 to discuss the two plans for replacing the parking deck. Both are slightly higher than the current garage and cover less ground. The Bethlehem Parking Authority also plans to include retail space and residences at the site. Also Tuesday, the Comprehensive Planning Committee re-elected Melnick as chairman, and John Gallagher as chairman. The full commission will discuss and vote on the recommendations reviewed Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 25. The meeting agenda and a link to view the webcast are on the LVPC website. The Lehigh Valley Planning Commission is in most cases an advisory body. Its professional staff reviews big developments in Lehigh and Northampton counties to see how well they conform with Future LV, the LVPC's regional plan. Appointed commissioners then review staff recommendations, sometimes alter them. After the commissioners vote to approve the recommendations, they are sent to developers and municipalities to provide guidance on projects. The LVPC also acts as the planning commission for some small townships. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr. headed into the Allentown Police Department Monday morning to not only shake hands with area law enforcement city officials and treatment specialists but to touch on his Stop Fentanyl at the Border Act. The proposal works to give more resources, like increasing staffing and technology, to detect the drugs smuggled through the southern border. "Its a grave issue across our state, he said. The issue impacts those like 32-year-old Lauren Wassum. She was an addict and is now a recovery specialist. She had gotten hooked on opioids prescribed by her doctor due to a cheerleading accident in high school. It turns to heroin, because it's cheaper. It's easier to get. So it like snowballs. It's like a snowball effect, she said. Allentown Police say they made 125 arrests involving fentanyl, with 1900 pills and 500 bags confiscated in 2023. Program director at Treatment Trends Brandy Rosania says the need for help is only growing. More things can be seized at the border, I think there's gonna be a harder time for people in Pennsylvania to obtain the illicit substances that are ultimately killing so many, she said. House Republicans have been divided on another recent border security bill, linked to Ukraine funding, that hardliners like South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said was the best deal Congress could get. Casey hopes to have a vote on the bill within the next two weeks, and he remains optimistic something can get done. There were 4,000 fentanyl deaths in 2022 in Pennsylvania. In 2023 more than a billion doses of fentanyl were confiscated at the border. L. MACUNGIE TWP., Pa. - It was a busy start to the work week in Lower Macungie Township on Monday. A fiery crash on Schantz Road was just one of three vehicle collisions Monday morning alone. John Yocum owns Yocum Towing & Recovery, the towing company in charge of the cleanup. "A lot of smoke. Smoke, and both vehicles were basically burned to the ground with fluid spills," Yocum said, "60, 75 yards down the road. And that's what they were concerned about." The crash happened just before noon, at 11:49 a.m. State Police tell 69 News that a woman was driving her SUV north on Schantz Road when a tractor-trailer began pulling out of the nearby storage unit's driveway. She tried to avoid it, swerving to the right, but the SUV hit the truck's fuel tank. Both vehicles burst into flames. Police say neither driver was seriously injured, as both exited their vehicles before the flames erupted. The elderly woman driving the SUV was taken to the hospital for minor injuries. And now comes the environmental cleanup. Yocum says an estimated 150 to 170 gallons of fuel spilled. "From the oil pan of the truck and the gases so forth from the car, it was definitely in that range," Yocum said. Yocum says it's becoming more and more common for towing companies like his to get certified for just that, since workers are able to arrive on scene so quickly. "We come here and we pump out the fuel tanks right away, so it doesn't continuously keep draining off onto the ground," he said. Yocum says it's a good thing that most of the fuels spilled onto the roadway, as opposed to the ground. Even so, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection was notified, and says it'll likely come in to test the ground for contamination. "Just how many fluids are in the ground and how deep and how far traveled," Yocum said. If the soil is contaminated, he says, the DEP would have to dig it out for the landowners. The DEP says the earliest that would happen would be Tuesday. Aside from the towing company, state police say the county as well as the township's Deputy Director of Community Development have been involved in the cleanup. And just more than an hour before that, at 10:41 a.m., another tractor-trailer vs. SUV accident happened near I-78, at Route 222 and Kressler Road. Both driver and passenger of the SUV were hospitalized -- both with serious injuries. Officials say the truck driver was not hurt. Meanwhile, at almost the same time as that fiery crash, just before noon at 11:48 a.m., a third accident in Lower Macungie Township occurred near Brookside and Indian Creek roads. Thankfully, neither driver in that two-car crash was injured, but police say a 32-year-old man was ticketed for his role in the crash. "It's very not surprising," Yocum said. "Happens all the time." Yocum says of the busy Monday morning in Lower Macungie Township, one crash often leads to more, as people seek alternate routes. "People are in a hurry," Yocum said. "They're using back roads, not familiar with following GPS ways, you know, therefore it happens quite a bit." The News It was only three years ago that Exxons shareholders, dismayed by its seeming indifference to climate change, voted out a quarter of its board. The victory of a tiny hedge fund against the worlds most powerful symbol of the fossil-fuel era captured the rise of progressivism in corporate America and seemed to portend more to come. Fast forward to Sunday, when Exxon sued two of its investors that are pushing a climate agenda at the energy giant. The shareholders, which both acknowledge they only bought Exxon stock to get ballot access, want the company to speed up its carbon-emission reductions and to present new plans, targets, and timetables to investors. In a first-of-its-kind lawsuit, Exxon says the proposal tries to micromanage the day-to-day running of the company and that a nearly identical ballot measure failed to crack 10% support last year. Lizs view That Exxon feels comfortable throwing its corporate might against a couple of low-budget activists says a lot about how quickly the political weather has changed. In the late 2010s and early 2020s, many companies embraced progressive demands under pressure from their investors, customers, and employees. They set targets for workforce diversity, and tied CEO bonuses to hitting them. The share of Fortune 500 companies with explicit carbon-emissions targets doubled between 2020 and 2022. They mostly tolerated shareholder proposals that rarely passed, but showed a growing level of investor support for ESG causes. That era is over, and there is growing support for the idea that the pendulum has overswung the mark. Quotas are being reframed as targets. (They were illegal then, and theyre illegal now, the chief people officer of a larger public company told me last week. The only thing thats changed is that theyre not popular anymore.) Companies are backpedaling on commitments to contract with minority-owned vendors. Chief diversity officers hired in the wake of #MeToo and Black Lives Matter are quitting in droves, and CEOs are using layoffs as an excuse to gut their departments. Starbucks sued its union over, somehow, Gaza. Story continues Even Davos, which has arguably done more than any organization to curate and amplify what might now be labeled corporate wokeism, lurched notably rightward this year under pressure from, of all people, former PayPal CEO Dan Schulman, a liberal business icon who once nixed an office planned for North Carolina in protest of an anti-LGBTQ bill. That Semafor scoop from last week is worth reading for the delightful stew of interests Gulf oil money, Republican beltway strategists, and a retired CEO mulling his legacy conspiring to tamp down corporate wokeism. From the mid-2010s to 2022, business was good. Bottom lines were fat, the world was relatively calm, and CEOs had the luxury to spend their time on big ideas. Now theyve been kicked down Maslows pyramid from leisurely self-actualization to bare subsistence, and no longer have the time, credibility, or money to make ESG a priority. Much of this was brewing quietly before the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, which pushed them into the open and gave political cover for business decisions.We had a movement I think its fading away largely understood as wokeism, where people said in public lots of things nobody believed they believed in private, Alex Karp, the CEO of Palantir, said last week. Exxon could have let this proposal onto the ballot and watched it fail, just like it did in 2022 and 2023. But the case, filed in business-friendly Texas, feels designed to send a message and perhaps force the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has largely abdicated its role in policing corporate ballots, to weigh in. Engine No. 1s victory against Exxon in 2021 may end up being the high-water mark of corporate ESG, not the beginning of a surge. And its current lawsuit may punctuate the era. The View From Larry Fink Big investors, like CEOs, have lost patience with ESG. Even BlackRock, which did more than any other major investor to create the movement and push it onto corporate agendas, complained last spring about an uptick in the number of single-issue proposals where the request made did not have economic merit. Its 2024 investment priorities dropped references to global warming included in past years. More broadly, investors enthusiasm for ESG peaked in 2021, when the average ballot measure got 37% of the vote, according to Diligent. That year, activists put 21 climate-change measures on corporate ballots and won majority support for seven of them, according to data from ESGAUGE. Last year, they went 1 for 63. Average support for workplace-diversity ballot measures fell from 54% in 2020 to 20% last year. Notable HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - The Pennsylvania State Police is working to recover access to online records of how it handled evidence, state officials said, blaming the loss of the records on a mistake during routine server maintenance. The same mistake also affected the State Employees Retirement System, which said online users temporarily lost access to a member services system this month. State officials downplayed the effect on the agencies. Gov. Josh Shapiros Office of Administration blamed human error by a state employee who was performing routine server maintenance on Jan. 3. It did not elaborate, but said it was reviewing and updating internal information technology processes to prevent it from happening again. The Patriot-News of Harrisburg/Pennlive.com first reported the matter. Lost were records contained in a pair of applications that the state police use to manage evidence submissions and log evidence into police labs for testing, officials said. The Office of Administration said the physical evidence remains secure and was never endangered. The state police said the agency has recovered some of the records and is operating on a temporary system to track and receive evidence. County prosecutors were notified of the missing records nearly two weeks ago. Dauphin County's district attorney, Fran Chardo, told The Patriot-News of Harrisburg/Pennlive.com that his office keeps paper records of the data it stores on the states server. Cumberland Countys district attorney, Sean McCormick, said the county has its own forensic lab. The retirement system said no pension data has been lost, although the agency earlier this month notified account users that it could not provide access to an online system that provides members with an up-to-date, albeit unofficial, snapshot of their benefit data. Agency staff brought that service back online Jan. 16, although users had to verify their identity and create a new four-digit personal identification number, the agency said. Users also lost pension calculations they had saved in their online member services account while some smaller agencies were told to re-enter any partially entered or unposted batches of personnel and payroll data, the agency said. Despite a lot of new development in the Poconos, most of the region will see a dramatic decrease in population over the next 25 years, according to a report from the Center for Rural Pennsylvania. According to the report, by 2050, Wayne County is predicted to see a 15% drop in population, Carbon County would see a drop of 13%, and Pike County would have the most dramatic drop: 24%. Even Monroe County, which is projected to actually see an increase in its population by a little less than a percent in the next 10 years, by 2050 it is expected to see a population drop of nearly 5%. That's mostly because of an increasingly older population. Yet, so far, the Poconos has been one of the few regions in the state that has seen a net gain in taxpayers since 2007, according to the Federal Reserve of Philadelphia. "I have a great deal respect for PA data center, I know they do incredible work, I've used them in the past on several projects, but I was honestly incredibly surprised by that," said Chris Barrett, with the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau. "Based on what we're seeing on the ground anecdotally, the picture seems quite different." Barrett says the region saw a wave of pandemic in-migration out of major cities thanks to remote work. Local officials have largely disagreed with the report. Congressman Matt Cartwright, who represents a large swath of the region, says this also doesn't account for the benefits of a potential passenger rail line to NYC. Barrett thinks the development of new, affordable housing will be the key to keeping and attracting people to the area. "There is a significant amount of economic development and there could be more if we were able to tackle the housing situation constructively," Barrett said. PHILADELPHIA - The teen charged with murder, murder of a law enforcement officer, and other charges waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. A 69 News reporter says Miles Pfeffer, 18, did speak in court. The teen is accused of shooting and killing Christopher Fitzgerald, 31, a Temple University officer. Pfeffer spoke to the judge saying his age. and that he was in high school the time of the shooting. Fitzgerald was a father of four. Authorities say Pfeffer shot Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald on Feb. 18, then stood over him and kept shooting. Pfeffer then carjacked someone, drove a short distance before ditching the car, then got a ride from his mom to his family home in Buckingham Township, Bucks County, where he was arrested the next morning. Fitzgerald was the son of former Allentown police chief Joel Fitzgerald Sr. "How can you explain going a year without a husband, son, a father? There are plenty of families in Philadelphia that understand how we feel," said Fitzgerald Sr. while standing outside speaking with the press. In court, the family, including Fitzgerald's wife Marissa, heard from Pfeffer briefly as he addressed the judge. "It was disgusting. Nothing more and nothing less," said Marissa when asked what her reaction was. Fitzgerald's family is beyond upset it's taken this long for Pfeffer's first court date and is pushing for the death penalty. A formal arraignment is set for February 13. Pfeffer's family declined to comment. UPPER HANOVER, TWP., Pa. - A woman was seriously injured Tuesday morning after being struck by a car in Upper Hanover Township. Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the pedestrian accident occurred at approximately 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of James Road and Vine Drive. Investigators say a 60-year-old woman was in the crosswalk when she was struck by a pickup truck. The driver remained on scene and is cooperating, police say. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Authorities say the accident occurred when the driver failed to come to a complete stop at the crosswalk. The investigation is ongoing. With just 12 hours to go until the first polls in New Hampshire open to voters, almost every top Republican has lined up behind former President Trump. It's the earliest in recent history that the field has been narrowed to just two viable contenders in a presidential primary. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie didn't make it to the Iowa caucuses. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did, but his campaign froze like the January temperatures two days before the New Hampshire primary. That leaves Pennsylvania voters with only two healthy campaigns, with still two months before the April 23 primary. "Barring something that doesn't come out of the blue, so to speak, Donald Trump is going to be the nominee of the Republican Party," said Terry Madonna, the Senior Fellow for Political Affairs at Millersville University. He says the Pennsylvania primary needs to be moved up to late January or early February to be more effective. If that were to happen, the registrar of Northampton County says it would take three months to prepare in a presidential election year. According to Brittney Waylen, the Deputy Director of Administration for Northampton County, the registrar says "If a primary were held in March, they would have had to start preparing in December. Just for example, the timeline would include drafting ballots, ballots approved, testing, poll worker training, ballots sent, drop boxes delivered, etc." It looked like there was traction to move the primary up when both the Pennsylvania Senate and House approved separate bills last fall. But Republicans and Democrats couldn't agree on a date. Madonna says there's a reason for that. "Because they don't want their own campaigns all caught up in the presidential nomination battles, which would dominate the news and make it harder for them to communicate with voters," Madonna said. At this point, Madonna calls the Pennsylvania primary "an afterthought" because of its late date. He says Trump may have the nomination secured in the next three weeks, much less April 23. JERUSALEM (AP) Dozens of family members of hostages held by Hamas stormed a committee meeting in Israels parliament Monday, demanding a deal to win their loved ones release, as European foreign ministers joined growing international calls for Israel to negotiate on the creation of a Palestinian state after the war. The developments showed the increasing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has dug in on both fronts. He has insisted to the Israeli public that pursuing the devastating offensive in Gaza is the only way to bring the hostages home. At the same time, he has rejected the United States vision for a postwar resolution, saying he will never allow a Palestinian state. The dispute over Gazas future pits Israel against its top ally and much of the international community. It also poses a major obstacle to plans for postwar governance or reconstruction of the coastal territory, large parts of which have been left unlivable by Israeli bombardment. As fears grow that Israels war in Gaza will spark a wider regional conflict, the U.S. and British militaries bombed eight locations in Yemen used by the Houthi rebels. It's the eighth time the U.S. has bombed Houthi sites since Jan. 12, U.S. officials said late Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss a military operation. The Iranian-backed Houthis have attacked shipping in the regions waterways, saying they aim to end the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip. In southern Gaza, Israeli strikes and shelling intensified in and around the city of Khan Younis, sending Palestinian families fleeing south in pickup trucks and donkey carts loaded with possessions. In the city, which has been a battle zone for weeks, people dug graves for the dead inside the yard of Al-Nasser Hospital as staff struggled to deal with dozens of newly killed and wounded, including children. Health care workers said strikes hit at least four schools sheltering displaced people on the city's western edges, including two inside a coastal strip that Israel had declared a safe zone for people fleeing. Gaza's internet and phone networks collapsed again Monday for the 10th time during the war. The repeated blackouts severely hamper distribution of aid that's essential for the survival of the territory's population of 2.3 million, U.N. officials said. The loss of service also prevents Palestinians from communicating with each other and the outside world. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the offensive until complete victory over Hamas and to return all remaining hostages after the Oct. 7 rampage in southern Israel that triggered the war. In that attack, some 1,200 people were killed and Hamas and other militants abducted around 250 people. Israelis are increasingly divided on the question of whether its possible to do either. Around 100 hostages were freed under a weeklong cease-fire deal in November in exchange for the release of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Around 130 remain captive, but a number have since been confirmed dead. Hamas has said it will free more captives only in exchange for an end to the war and the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu has ruled out such an agreement, but anger is rising among hostages families. Relatives and other protesters set up a tent camp outside Netanyahus residence in Jerusalem, vowing to remain until a deal is reached. On Monday, dozens of family members of the hostages stormed into a gathering of the Knessets finance committee, holding up signs and yelling, You wont sit here while they are dying there! These are our children! they shouted. Some had to be physically restrained, and at least one person was escorted out. OVER 25,000 KILLED IN GAZA Israels offensive has killed at least 25,295 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded more than 60,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants but says around two-thirds of those killed were women and children. Residents in Khan Younis reported bombardment on all sides of the city. At Nasser Hospital, Ayman Abu Abaid, the head of surgery, told Al Jazeera TV early Monday that at least 50 dead and more than 100 wounded had been brought to the facility. Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesman for the Health Ministry, said Israeli troops had stormed Al-Khair Hospital and detained the medical staff, the latest hospital that troops have seized during the conflict. The hospital is just inside the safe zone at Muwasi, a rural coastal strip west of Khan Younis, where the Israeli military had said it would not carry out operations. Volunteers with the Red Crescent said strikes hit four schools west of Khan Younis two of them inside the Muwasi zone causing an unknown number of casualties. They said the organization's ambulances couldn't reach the sites. Families streamed out of Khan Younis along the coastal highway, some walking, some loading blankets and possessions into vehicles. They headed toward Rafah, the tiny sliver at the extreme southern end of Gaza where well over 1 million people are already crowded, many living in tents that have filled the streets. As he fled Khan Younis with his family, Ahmad Shurrab said he had been displaced multiple times. Where should I go? Should I go to Rafah? Rafah is like one street. What do they want from us? he shouted. Some 85% of the Gaza population has been driven from their homes by the war. United Nations officials say 1 in 4 people in Gaza is starving as the fighting and Israeli restrictions hinder the delivery of humanitarian aid. Only 15 bakeries are working across the Gaza Strip, all of them in either Rafah or the central town of Deir al-Balah, the U.N. said. The Israeli military says it has killed around 9,000 militants in its offensive, without providing evidence, and blames the high civilian death toll on Hamas because it operates in dense residential areas. The war has also stoked tensions across the region, with Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen attacking Israeli and U.S. targets. NETANYAHU UNDER MOUNTING PRESSURE Netanyahu, whose popularity has plummeted since Oct. 7, faces pressure from the U.S. to shift to more precise military operations and do more to facilitate humanitarian aid into Gaza. The United States is also calling for a reformed Palestinian Authority to govern Gaza after the war and for negotiations to start on a two-state solution. The authority currently governs pockets of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and was ejected from Gaza in 2007 when Hamas took power. Netanyahu has rejected both the entry of the Palestinian Authority and the creation of a Palestinian state. His governing coalition is beholden to far-right parties that want to step up the offensive, encourage the emigration of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza and reestablish Jewish settlements there. At a meeting in Brussels, European Union foreign ministers added their voices to the calls for a Palestinian state, saying it was the only way to achieve peace. French Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Sejourne said Netanyahus rejection of statehood was worrying. There will be a need for a Palestinian state with security guarantees for all. Which are the other solutions they have in mind?" EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said of Israel. To make all the Palestinians leave? To kill them off? In an interview with CNN late Sunday, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, said the kingdom will not normalize relations with Israel or contribute to Gazas reconstruction without a credible path to a Palestinian state. His comments were notable because before the war, the U.S. had been trying to broker a landmark normalization agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel. The Palestinians seek a state including Gaza, the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war. Peace talks broke down nearly 15 years ago. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. AP correspondent Jack Jeffery in London and AP writers Lolita C. Baldor and Tara Copp in Washington contributed. Follow APs coverage of the Israel-Hamas war: https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war LACONIA, N.H. (AP) As the last major challenger in Donald Trump's way to the Republican nomination, Nikki Haley is hoping New Hampshire voters feel so strongly about keeping the former president away from the White House that they turn out to support her in large numbers. America does not do coronations, Haley said at a VFW hall in Franklin, joined by her daughter and son-in-law. Lets show all of the media class and the political class that weve got a different plan in mind, and lets show the country what we can do." It's an uphill battle for the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor. Most conservatives want to give Trump another chance at beating President Joe Biden despite Trumps 2020 election loss and the 91 felony charges he faces in four separate indictments. With voting about to begin in New Hampshire, almost every top Republican has lined up behind Trump. Polls in New Hampshire suggest he leads Haley in a state uniquely suited to her strengths, though his lead is narrower than the 30-point blowout he scored in the Iowa caucuses. Haley told reporters on Monday that she is expecting a stronger outcome than Iowa. This is a building game for us. This has always been that, she said. We feel very good about it." Trump held what he said would be his last rally before the election Monday night. He started the day in New York for his defamation trial after an earlier jury determined he had sexually abused a columnist in the 1990s, but the session was canceled due to a juror's illness. Trump was joined onstage Monday night by three of his former opponents who have now endorsed him: South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. The show of force -- interrupted several times by climate change protesters, who were shouted down and removed -- is part of a broader effort by Trumps team to lock up the primary and demonstrate the party is rallying around him. Every day the Republican Party is becoming more and more unified, Trump told several hundred people in a steamy, packed hotel ballroom just hours before the first votes were to be cast. Now is the time for the Republican Party to come together. We have to unify. He alluded to former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' departure from the race on Sunday but didn't name him. And I think one person will be gone, probably tomorrow, he said, alluding to Haley. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake also spoke before Trump took the stage. On paper, Trump had seemed more vulnerable in New Hampshire than in any other early voting state on the primary calendar. Though voters here supported him by a wide margin in 2016, the state has long been known for its moderate tradition, including allowing unaffiliated voters to participate in GOP primaries. And Haley had been on the rise, prompting Trumps campaign and its allies to spend millions trying to blunt her momentum. Thalia Floras, a former Democrat who manages retail stores, changed her voter registration to undeclared last fall and plans to vote in New Hampshires Republican presidential primary against Trump. She says she would support Haley over Biden if given the chance, even though she has never before voted for a Republican presidential candidate. But she said she was worried the primary was "a long shot with not enough support for Haley among traditional conservatives to beat Trump. What do the Republicans want? Floras asked at a packed Haley rally over the weekend. Are they diehard Trump or do they want the White House? Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspending his bid turned the state into the one-on-one contest between Trump and Haley that she and a long line of anti-Trump Republicans had said they wanted. But some evidence suggests Trump could be better positioned to capitalize on DeSantis exit than Haley. According to AP VoteCast, DeSantis supporters in Iowa overwhelmingly described themselves as conservative and Trump outperformed Haley 53% to 13% among that group. Be careful what you wish for, Trump senior adviser Chris LaCivita told The Associated Press about Haley making it to a two-person race. DeSantis immediately endorsed Trump upon dropping out, saying it was clear to him Republican voters preferred the former president. Never before has a presidential candidate won primary contests in both Iowa and New Hampshire and failed to secure the partys presidential nomination. If she doesnt win here, theres no path for her whatsoever going forward, said James Blair, national field director for the Trump campaign. Republicans control the nominating process. They are with Donald Trump, growing every day. We see consolidation all over the place since Iowa. To help get out the vote, Trumps team says it has amassed a team of 2,000 volunteers, including 250 town captains throughout the state. If its a double-digit win, then, I mean, that is a New Hampshire blowout of epic proportions, especially given all of the time and money she spent here, Blair said. Haleys campaign has been lowering expectations for New Hampshire after insisting for weeks that an outright victory against Trump was possible. Beating Donald Trump is not easy. He is a juggernaut, Haley campaign manager Betsy Ankney said at a weekend event hosted by Bloomberg. But how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. We have to continue to show incremental growth and progress. We are the last man woman standing against him. Trump's confidence comes even as influential Republicans in the state like New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu warn of dire political consequences. Im tired of losing, Im tired losers and Im sure as hell tired of Donald Trump!" Sununu shouted late Sunday at Haleys rally in the town of Exeter. On Monday, Haley spoke on New Hampshire Today with host Chris Ryan and compared Trump to Biden, bringing up how Trump has confused her with former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, mistakenly said he ran against former President Barack Obama, and warned about Biden leading the country into World War II, which was fought between 1939 and 1945. When you have two 80-year-olds running for president, you are going to see decline, she said. Its natural. Its what happens. Still, the thousands of voters who have packed into Trump's New Hampshire rallies in recent days don't seem to be worried and he makes little effort to lower expectations. Eric Holmstrom, a 43-year-old Republican from Goffstown who supports Trump, said he sees the former presidents back-and-forth travel from the courtroom to campaign events as a sign of why hes the best person to be the partys nominee. I mean, this guys stamina is unmatched. And thats we need strength, Holmstrom said. We need unity. We need strength. And we need stamina. And right now, the unity isnt there but its happening. Adriana Gomez Licon contributed to this report from Miami, and Price reported from Manchester, New Hampshire. WASHINGTON (AP) For the first time since Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established the international group to support Ukraine in April 2022, the United States will host the monthly gathering of about 50 countries out of money, unable to send the ammunition and missiles that Ukraine needs to fend off Russia. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraines fight, the U.S. will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Tuesday's meeting will focus on longer-term needs, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters Monday. Even though we arent able to provide our security assistance right now, our partners are continuing to do that, Singh said. The meeting will be virtual because Austin is still recuperating at home from complications of treatment for prostate cancer. The Pentagon announced its last security assistance for Ukraine on Dec. 27, a $250 million package that included 155 mm rounds, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and other high-demand items drawn from existing U.S. stockpiles. The U.S. has not been able to provide additional munitions since then because the money for replenishing those stockpiles has run out and Congress has yet to approve more funds. More than $110 billion in aid for both Ukraine and Israel is stalled over disagreements between Congress and the White House over other policy priorities, including additional security for the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Russia has shown no willingness to end its conflict in Ukraine, and on Monday the United Nations ruled out any peace plan backed by Kyiv and the West. The U.S. has provided Ukraine more than $44.2 billion in security assistance since Russia invaded in February 2022. About $23.6 billion of that was pulled from existing military stockpiles and almost $19 billion was sent in the form of longer-term military contracts, for items that will take months to procure. So even though funds have run out, some previously purchased weapons will continue to flow in. An additional $1.7 billion has been provided by the U.S. State Department in the form of foreign military financing. The U.S. and approximately 30 international partners are also continuing to train Ukrainian forces, and to date have trained a total of 118,000 Ukrainians at locations around the world, said Col. Marty ODonnell, spokesman for U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The United States has trained approximately 18,000 of those fighters, including approximately 16,300 soldiers in Germany. About 1,500 additional fighters are currently going through training. AndreyPopov / Getty Images/iStockphoto Most people have just one job or income source, but experts suggest that, for true financial security, it might not be enough. Relying on a single income source can be risky, especially in an uncertain economic climate, said Taylor Kovar, CFP, CEO and founder of Kovar Wealth Management. Check Out: Ramit Sethi Shares 3 Tips for Becoming Rich on an Average Salary Learn: 3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000 Things like job loss, industry downturns or unexpected life events can significantly impact financial stability. Multiple income streams can provide a safety net, reducing the risk of financial hardship if one income source is compromised, Kovar said. Additionally, extra income streams can accelerate financial goals like saving for retirement, paying off debt or funding education. Sponsored: Owe the IRS $10K or more? Schedule a FREE consultation to see if you qualify for tax relief. Economic Instability Relying on a single income can be risky due to economic instability, according to True Tamplin, CEPF, founder of Finance Strategists. Job security can be uncertain with an average occurrence of recessions roughly every seven years, Tamplin said. Recent economic trends have shown significant layoffs in major companies, highlighting the vulnerability of relying on just one income source. He points to big companies that made substantial layoffs in 2023, including Amazon, Salesforce and Facebook, affecting thousands of employees. Nearly a quarter of struggling households rely on a single income, Tamplin said, making them more susceptible to financial difficulties. Learn: How I Make $5,000 a Month in Passive Income Doing Just 10 Hours of Work a Year Things Can Change in an Instant Ashley Akin, CPA, senior tax associate and contributor at Dividend Earner, a dividend investing education platform, said her parents always taught her the importance of having multiple sources of income but she didnt fully understand what they meant until later. Story continues Now, as a CPA helping clients of all ages plan for their financial futures, she said, Ive seen firsthand how relying on a single paycheck can be risky business. No matter how secure your job may feel today, things can change in an instant, Akins warned. Just ask one of my friends. She worked in marketing for over a decade, steadily moving up the ladder at her company. By all accounts, she had a great career with a bright future. Then, one day, the company announced a major restructuring, and unfortunately her position was eliminated. Luckily for her friend, she was able to land on her feet with a new job relatively quickly. But the scare really opened her eyes to how vulnerable having only one source of income can make you feel. Living Paycheck to Paycheck Isnt a Long-Term Solution As many as 62% of Americans were living paycheck to paycheck in 2023, according to Andy Cooper, the financial analyst at CouponBirds. There are more risks and less flexibility if you rely on a single income source, he said. You cant ensure your job security as you are unable to predict future trends, Cooper said. According to Layoffs.fyi, the number of layoffs in 2023 was higher than 2022. In 2024, Disneys Pixar [is expected to reduce] its head count by 20%. Google has already eliminated over 1,000 jobs. You Need a Buffer To Change Jobs Another consideration, Cooper said, is that if you want to change your job without an alternate source of income to pad the transition, you will be more likely to get into financial difficulties in the gap period. Bolster a Stable Income If you already have a job, building a second income stream is even better, Tamplin said, since youve got a stable foundation to build upon. With your main job covering your basic expenses, you can use the extra income from side hustles, investments or passive income sources to boost your savings, pay off debt faster or invest back into growing your additional income streams. Here are some ways to create second income streams. Dividend-Paying Stocks or Funds Investing in dividend-paying stocks or mutual funds can provide a regular, passive income stream, Kovar said. This approach requires some initial capital but can offer long-term returns with minimal ongoing effort. Akin agreed, explaining, Dividend investing provides a layer of protection because it creates income streams separate from your day job. For example, had her unemployed friend invested in a diversified portfolio of dividend-paying stocks, she said, Every quarter, these companies would send her a slice of their profits, a steady stream of income independent of her job. So, if she were to face unemployment, her dividend checks would continue to flow, providing a safety net and peace of mind. Once you start getting those dividends, Akin recommended you reinvest them to compound their growth. This might sound counterintuitive, but reinvesting your dividends allows your portfolio to grow exponentially through compound interest, she said. Imagine it as planting seeds that sprout new dividend-paying trees over time. The snowball effect can be astounding. Start a Side Hustle Pursuing a side hustle or freelance work in your area of expertise or interest can generate additional income, Kovar suggested. This could include consulting, writing, graphic design or online tutoring, depending on your skills and interests. If you have entrepreneurial aspirations, consider starting a small business or investing in one. This could range from online retail to offering professional services. Invest in Real Estate Real estate investment is also a great way to earn additional income, Cooper said. Despite fluctuations in the housing market, 29% of Americans still chose to invest their money in real estate in 2022, he said. If you already have available houses, they can be rented out as your other source of income. If not, you can purchase a property at the appropriate time for renting. He also recommended real estate investment trusts (REITs). They are one of the most attractive places for passive income investors, with an 11.3% return for 2023 as a whole for the REIT-focused index. The minimum investment in a private REIT is $1,000. Develop Your Hobbies Research has shown that up to 39% of Americans have side hustles, making an average of $810 per month, Cooper said. If you have special skills such as writing, editing, web development and translation, he said, you are advised to turn to platforms like Upwork, Fiverr and Freelancer, which are built for self-employed individuals and potential clients. Just be sure they dont impede your primary job duties. Start Small and Educate Yourself If this all feels overwhelming, Akin suggested you take the time to educate yourself and go slowly. You dont need a six-figure sum, she said. Invest a portion of each paycheck, gradually building your portfolio. Remember, slow and steady wins the dividend race. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Financial Planners: Why You Shouldnt Rely on a Single Income Source KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian missiles targeted Ukraines two biggest cities early Tuesday, damaging apartment buildings and killing at least five people after Moscow shunned any deal backed by Kyiv and its Western allies to end the almost two-year war. The Russian barrage included more than 40 ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and guided missiles, officials said. Ukraine's air force said it intercepted 21 of them. The attack injured at least 20 people in four districts of Kyiv, the capital, including a 13-year-old boy, according to Mayor Vitalii Klitschko. Officials said initial reports that a civilian had been killed in the Ukrainian capital were incorrect, and clarified that the wounded person was on life support in hospital. In Kharkiv, in northeast Ukraine, the onslaught killed five and injured 48, including four minors, as the missiles damaged around 30 residential buildings and shattered hundreds of apartment windows in icy weather, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said. Russia used S-300, Kh-32 and hypersonic Iskander missiles in the attack, he said. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the temperature in the city was minus 7 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit). An entire section of a multi-story residential building was destroyed, trapping an unknown number of people there, Terekhov said. Kharkiv, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) from the border with Russia, has often felt the brunt of Russia's winter campaign of long-range strikes that commonly hit civilian areas. The attacks keep Ukrainians on edge while the 1,500-kilometer (930-mile) front line has barely budged. Both sides inability to deliver a knockout punch on the battlefield has pushed the fighting toward trench and artillery warfare. Analysts say the Kremlins forces stockpiled missiles at the end of last year to press a winter campaign of aerial bombardment. There appeared to be scant chance of an end to the war any time soon. Russias foreign minister defied the United States and other Ukraine supporters at a U.N. meeting on Monday, ruling out any peace plan they support. Sergey Lavrov, the top Russian diplomat, claimed that Ukrainian forces have been a complete failure on the battlefield and are incapable of defeating Russia. The attacks on Kyiv and Kharkiv came two days after Moscow-installed officials in eastern Ukraine claimed that Ukrainian shelling killed 27 people on the outskirts of Russian-occupied Donetsk. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it a monstrous terrorist act. The Ukrainian military, however, denied it had anything to do with the attack. Peskov said Tuesday's attacks should not be seen as Moscows response to the Donetsk strike. He repeated Kremlins argument that its forces dont strike civilian areas, though there is substantial evidence to the contrary. The Ukrainian civilian deaths have helped stir international outrage over Russia's invasion of its neighbor, and Ukrainian officials have pointed to the attacks in their efforts to secure further military aid from the country's allies. NATO signed Tuesday a $1.2-billion contract to make tens of thousands of artillery rounds to replenish the dwindling stocks of its member countries. The contract will allow allies to backfill their arsenals and provide Ukraine with more ammunition. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Monday was the latest foreign leader to visit Ukraine and announce a new aid package that includes a loan to buy larger weapons and a commitment to find ways to manufacture them together. Ukraines allies have recently sought to reassure the country that they are committed to its long-term defense amid concerns that Western support could be flagging. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Frances new foreign minister also traveled to Kyiv in the new year. But the United States, Ukraine's main supplier, is currently unable to send Ukraine any ammunition or weapons. While waiting for Congress to pass a budget and potentially approve more money for Ukraines fight, the U.S. will be looking to allies to keep bridging the gap. Elsewhere in Ukraine on Tuesday, Russia fired missiles at Pavlohrad in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, killing a 43-year-old woman and damaging two schools and eight high-rise buildings, the countrys presidential office said. In Balakliia, in the Kharkiv region, an 88-year-old man and a 78-year-old woman were rescued from the rubble of a house after Russian shelling, it said. In the south, Russia attacked the city of Beryslav with drones, killing a 69-year-old man riding on a motorcycle. Associated Press Writer Yuras Karmanau in Tallinn, Estonia, contributed to this report. Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Oil and gas industry leaders in New Mexico touted about $13.9 billion in New Mexico revenue from fossil fuels in the last fiscal year, a 32 percent increase from the year before. In its annual report, the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), a trade group representing oil and gas operators throughout the state, said the industry generated $3.36 billion more in Fiscal Year 2023 than in FY 2022. Fiscal years in New Mexico run from July 1 to June 30 of each year, named for the calendar year they end in. More: Ellipsis U.S. Onshore grows Permian Basin oil and gas assets, industry addresses pollution Oil and gas revenue to New Mexicos General Fund was reported at $7.5 billion, read the report, about 50 percent of all state revenue to the fund used to pay for state services like education and infrastructure. Another $6.4 billion was brought into the state coffers via non-general fund revenues like taxes and other payments made by the industry, NMOGA reported. Revenue from oil and gas comes to New Mexico through property and severance taxes, along with royalties and rental rates paid by operators in the state. More: Oil and gas fighting back as feds, New Mexico increase industry pollution oversight Other income comes from sales and income taxes on oil and gas drilling services, the report read. How much of the oil money did your county get? The states most populous Bernalillo and Dona Ana counties got the first- and second-most returns from oil revenue, the report read, at $567 million and $273 million, respectively. They were followed by counties in the northwest region of the state amid the San Juan Basin natural gas fields with McKinley County getting $130 million and San Juan County getting t $104 million in oil revenue, the report read. More: Top oil and gas bills to watch during New Mexico's 2024 Legislative Session That was followed by the states mid-sized urban centers in Sandoval County at $102 million and Santa Fe County at $97.2 million, read the report. Story continues Eddy and Lea counties, where much of New Mexicos oil production occurs in the southeast Permian Basin region, got $50.4 million and $64.5 million, respectively, the report read. More populous areas of southeast New Mexico got more funds with Chaves County, containing the City of Roswell, receiving about $80 million in state oil funds while neighboring Otero County got $52.3 million, records show. More: $4.5 billion sale of Callon Petroleum to APA announced as oil surges in Permian Basin State spending reliant on New Mexico oil and gas, industry says NMOGA President Missi Currier said the economic boon brought on by oil and gas in New Mexico would largely pay for several spending initiatives proposed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and lawmakers in the ongoing 2024 Legislative Session that began Jan. 16. These efforts would see increased funding for schools and teacher salaries, statewide literacy programs and healthcare and housing initiatives, Currier said. The New Mexico oil and gas industrys economic impact on our communities, schools, and other vital services is undeniable, Currier said. The need to increase spending in these areas underscores the importance of keeping the oil and gas industry in our state viable, strong and sustainable. Dr. Missi Currier acts as the mediator during a panel discussion at the Carlsbad Energy Summit Oct. 20, 2022. More: Eddy County close to 2024 $52M goal in oil and gas tax collections In her State of the State address Lujan Grisham outlined several priorities for increased spending of state dollars, and her budget recommendation for FY 2025 totaled in $10.5 billion in recuring spending a 9.9 percent increase from the last fiscal year. These included a $2.15 billion recuring investment from the General Fund to fund the Health Care Authority, formerly the Human Services Department, with $100 million going into a Rural Health Delivery Fund. Another $33 million would go to expand state-funded early pre-kindergarten by 1,380 slots, and $101.2 million would pay for adjustment to 180 classroom days via the State Equalization Guarantee Distribution. More: GOP fears swollen budget, as Democrats plan to spend big in New Mexico legislative session The governor called for $250 million each for the New Mexico House Trust Fund and the New Mexico Finance Authority Opportunity Enterprise Revolving Fund that would increase funding for state-sponsored affordable housing. She also asked lawmakers to spend $500 million in severance tax bonds for a Strategic Water Supply project intended to support the treatment and reuse of oil and gas wastewater in other industries like agriculture. For conservation projects in the state, Lujan Grisham asked for another $250 million for the Land of Enchantment Legacy Fund created by state legislation last year. More: Oil and gas exempt from drilling rules in endangered bird habitat. Is species threatened? During her speech she touted New Mexicos record-breaking revenues and investments made by the state as bolstering its economy and growing New Mexicos permanent fund, Lujan Grisham said, by 200 percent. And with record state revenues, we are growing our financial strength at a rate never before seen in our history, Lujan Grisham said, according to a transcript of the speech. This is no accident it is the result of a forward-looking, comprehensive strategy to generate ongoing economic progress with new ideas that only a state like ours can pioneer. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham delivers her State of the State speech for the start of the 56th Legislature at the Capitol, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024, in Santa Fe, N.M. Currier argued New Mexicos ability to spend on the governors initiatives was buoyed by growing oil and gas production in the state, concentrated in the southeast Permian Basin region. More: Civitas Resources' $2 billion sale closes, Permian Basin merger wave continues in 2024 Oil production in the state was consistently higher by month in 2023 than in 2022, as of October according to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration. That month saw the state produce about 56.9 million barrels of oil, the EIA reported, compared to 53.6 million barrels in October 2022. The biggest monthly increases over the year before were about 50.4 million barrels produced in February 2023, compared to 39.7 million in the same month of 2022, and about 57 million barrels in March 2023 compared with 46.3 million barrels the year before. More: $450 million Permian Basin merger announced between Battalion Oil and Fury Resources And the Permians basin-wide production in New Mexico and Texas was expected to continue, leading all other U.S. shale regions at a forecast total of about 5.97 million barrels of oil per day (bopd) in February, the EIA reported, an increase of about 5,000 bopd from January. This growth paid for the states budget increases, Currier said, and would be instrumental in future efforts to diversify and stabilize the economy. Without the oil and gas industry, to increase spending in these areas would mean the potential of cutting spending in others and raising taxes for all New Mexicans, she said. The New Mexico Oil & Gas Association and its members are proud to help support vital services throughout the state, assist with economic diversification opportunities, and utilize funds for long-term financial stability. Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X. This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: New Mexico oil and gas industry contributes $14B in state revenue Haribo is expanding its footprint in Kenosha County and plans to lease a 447,216 square feet building near its facility in Pleasant Prairie. Days after setting a Guinness World Record for largest gummy candy mosaic, gummy maker Haribo of America is expanding its footprint in Kenosha County. Chicago-based HSA Commercial Real Estate announced in a press release it was leasing a 447,216 square feet building on the campus Haribo currently occupies in Pleasant Prairie. The building is still being constructed and plans to open in the second quarter of 2024. Haribo has been a valued tenant at Bristol Highlands for over two years, and we are pleased to have a building within the same park that is ready to accommodate their rapid growth, Robert Smietana, vice chairman and CEO of HSA Commercial Real Estate, said in a statement. This expansion is also a testament to the desirability of the I-94 corridor, which has attracted many new speculative industrial developments. Even though vacancy has increased, construction activity has moderated, which bodes well for the region in 2024 as larger deals like our lease with Haribo inject confidence into the market. More: See a time lapse of Haribo's Guinness World Record-setting candy mosaic at UW-Parkside Haribo currently uses a 157,656 square foot building for housing and distribution, and will be moving to the new building located at 9403 136th Avenue when the building is open. As weve ramped up U.S. production and more consumers get to know and love Haribo gummies, we need larger warehouse space to house our products, Lauren Triffler, director and head of corporate communications for Haribo of America, Inc., said in a statement. This larger footprint will help support our growth and continue to serve our customers quickly and efficiently. Were thrilled to stay in Bristol near our factory and support our local communities, adding more career opportunities as we bring the worlds No. 1 gummi brand to fans around the U.S. The building has 36-foot clear heights and 73 truck docks. Once Haribo moves into the new building, the previous building will be available for lease. Last year Haribo started producing its gummy products at its facility in Pleasant Prairie. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Gummy maker Haribo to move into larger facility in Kenosha County If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'll want to see a proven return on capital employed (ROCE) that is increasing, and secondly, an expanding base of capital employed. Put simply, these types of businesses are compounding machines, meaning they are continually reinvesting their earnings at ever-higher rates of return. Although, when we looked at PETRONAS Gas Berhad (KLSE:PETGAS), it didn't seem to tick all of these boxes. What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)? If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for PETRONAS Gas Berhad, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.14 = RM2.3b (RM19b - RM2.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2023). Therefore, PETRONAS Gas Berhad has an ROCE of 14%. On its own, that's a standard return, however it's much better than the 8.6% generated by the Gas Utilities industry. View our latest analysis for PETRONAS Gas Berhad KLSE:PETGAS Return on Capital Employed January 23rd 2024 Above you can see how the current ROCE for PETRONAS Gas Berhad compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering PETRONAS Gas Berhad here for free. What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us Over the past five years, PETRONAS Gas Berhad's ROCE and capital employed have both remained mostly flat. Businesses with these traits tend to be mature and steady operations because they're past the growth phase. So don't be surprised if PETRONAS Gas Berhad doesn't end up being a multi-bagger in a few years time. That probably explains why PETRONAS Gas Berhad has been paying out 82% of its earnings as dividends to shareholders. These mature businesses typically have reliable earnings and not many places to reinvest them, so the next best option is to put the earnings into shareholders pockets. Story continues Our Take On PETRONAS Gas Berhad's ROCE In a nutshell, PETRONAS Gas Berhad has been trudging along with the same returns from the same amount of capital over the last five years. And with the stock having returned a mere 28% in the last five years to shareholders, you could argue that they're aware of these lackluster trends. So if you're looking for a multi-bagger, the underlying trends indicate you may have better chances elsewhere. If you want to continue researching PETRONAS Gas Berhad, you might be interested to know about the 1 warning sign that our analysis has discovered. While PETRONAS Gas Berhad may not currently earn the highest returns, we've compiled a list of companies that currently earn more than 25% return on equity. Check out this free list here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Jabal Omar Development Company has announced the opening of Sky Mussallah, the worlds highest prayer room, within its iconic luxury hospitality destination, Address Jabal Omar Makkah, rising 483m above sea level with breathtaking views of the Saudi city. Located in the interconnecting bridge that links the property's two towers, standing proud at 179m from the hotels internal road level, the Sky Mussallah has recently been inducted into the Guinness World Records for Highest Prayer Room Within a Skybridge. Designed to excel on every metric, the new Sky Mussallah is a perfect embodiment of the hotels unparalleled architectural excellence. The mussallah stands as a sensational vantage point for guests to immerse themselves in complete spirituality while gazing out at the magnificent landmarks of Makkah, said Jabal Omar in its statement. It has been specially designed to offer a heartfelt connection to its sacred surroundings, providing a birds-eye view of Masjid Al Haram with a full sight of Kaaba, where the whole city comes alive every year during the Hajj & Umrah season. Jabal Omar said the interiors of Sky Mussallah are just as extraordinary, featuring a seamless fusion of ancient Arabian charm and contemporary opulence. The stunning Arabic calligraphy on adds a layer of profound grace to the ambience, it stated. Towering high in the iconic Address Jabal Omar Makkah, this landmark property unfolds a retreat of warmth and enchantment, weaving together a tapestry of truly unforgettable experiences for both pilgrims and travellers. Featuring a wide range of exquisite facilities, superb accommodations, tempting dining venues, and so much more, Address Jabal Omar Makkah is a mainstay on the citys hospitality scene, it added. CEO Khalid Al Amoudi said: "We are thrilled to have entered the prestigious Guinness World Records with our awe-inspiring Sky Mussallah. This remarkable stride is a symbol of our steadfast commitment to offering unrivalled experiences for pilgrims and travellers." "With its prime location centring the hotels twin towers, the Sky Mussallah is truly breathtaking and is a must visit sight for everyone passing through the city," he stated. "Each stroke of the calligraphy tells a different story about the Names of God in Islam, such as Al-Muqaddim (The Advancer), and Al-Mani (The Shielder and Protector), infusing the space with a sense of reverence and connection to the rich Islamic heritage," he noted. He pointed out that this remarkable achievement was a result of both architectural brilliance and boundless creativity, employing cutting-edge technologies and using special equipment to design this incredible space. "With an impressive weight of 650 tonnes, its steel bridge was first assembled at 312m above sea level before being lifted to the final level where it links the hotels twin towers at the 36th, 37th, and 38th floors," he stated. "The mussallah is spacious enough to accommodate around 520 people, as it spans 550 square meters, making it perfect for prayer no matter the time of the day with uninterrupted, inspiring views of Al Masjid Al Haram. As dawn breaks over Makkah, visitors can witness the stunning beauty of the holy city awakening, transporting them into a realm of utter tranquillity and peace," explained Al Amoudi. "When the sun begins its descent, the Mussallah transforms into a sanctuary of serenity, with the fading sunlight painting a palette of warm tones, which create an unforgettable spiritual experience and a sacred haven for contemplation and prayer," he added. Mark Kirby, Head of Emaar Hospitality Group, said: "It is a great achievement to finally open our stunning Sky Mussallah and we look forward to welcoming visitors to experience the spirituality on offer at this unrivalled location. As part of our diverse hotel chain, Address Jabal Omar Makkah stands as an iconic landmark in the city of Makkah, blending the luxurious style of Address Hotels + Resorts with the rich Arabic traditions of Saudi Arabia." "It has quickly become a focal point for the city, and we are excited about what the future holds for this superb hotel," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Transparency Market Research The substantial advantages of hexane and the growing need for a high-efficiency solvent are the main causes of the rise in demand for it in the edible oil sector for use in oil extraction. Wilmington, Delaware, United States, Jan. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Transparency Market Research Inc. - The global hexane market was projected to attain US$ 1.9 billion in 2021. It is anticipated to garner a 3.9% CAGR from 2022 to 2031 and by 2031, the market is likely to attain US$ 2.9 billion by 2031. Among its many important uses are as a chemical intermediary, cleaning agent, and essential oil thinner. Hexane is also employed as a solvent in the rubber polymerization process, which creates synthetic rubber. Paint, off-set oil, coating, and binder are all made with it. Edible oil is extracted from seeds and vegetable crops such soybean, peanut, corn, palm, and rapeseed using hexane solvent. Hexane helps to increase production by eliminating undesirable flavor from oil. The hexane market is expected to grow as a result of the growing usage of hexane as a liquid in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries for the production of tablet molds. Request a Sample Report PDF Now for a Comprehensive Overview! https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=22574 Key Findings of the Market Report Edible oils from seeds and plants, including mustard, cottonseed, rape, flax, groundnut, soybean, corn germ, safflower, and palm, are mostly extracted using hexane. It assists in extracting the most oil possible and eliminates undesirable taste and odor from oil. After oil is extracted, it can be recycled and utilized again. Since it is safe and effective, oil extraction uses food-grade hexane. It boils at a low temperature and stays liquid in cold weather. It removes oil from seeds and vegetables without affecting the nutrients they contain. Market Trends for Hexane The global hexane market has been divided into three segments based on grade: industrial grade, pharmaceutical grade, and oil extraction/food grade. In 2021, the oil extraction/food grade category held a market share of almost 50%. Over the projection period, it is anticipated to continue to have a dominant position. In 2021, the industrial sector had a sizable portion of the market. The main use of hexane is to extract edible oil from plants and oilseeds. Rising edible oil consumption would be the primary driver of hexane demand. During the process of extracting oil, hexane demonstrates exceptional functional qualities. Story continues Global Market for Hexane: Regional Outlook In 2021, Asia Pacific accounted for 49.0% of the global market for hexane, a significant share. The demand for hexane in the area is being driven by the high use of food grade and oil extraction hexane in China, India, and other ASEAN nations. The demand for hexane in Asia Pacific is expected to increase during the projected period due to the rise in demand for industrial solvents in emerging countries for the production of degreasing agents and industrial cleaning chemicals. As a result, it is anticipated that throughout the forecast period, Asia Pacific would become a very appealing area of the global hexane market. Over the course of the projected period, the markets in North America and Europe are also anticipated to grow at a modest rate. North American nations are major producers of hexane and its byproducts. In the near future, oil extraction, medicines, industrial cleaning and degreasing, and stain remover products are anticipated to be the leading uses of the hexane market in North America. Ask Expert for the Research Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=ASK&rep_id=22574 Global Hexane Market: Key Players The majority of corporations invest much in extensive research and development, especially to create environmentally friendly products. Key players have embraced mergers & acquisitions and product portfolio expansion as important initiatives. The following companies are well-known participants in the global hexane market: Royal Dutch Shell plc. Exxon Mobil Corporation Phillips 66 Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. Rompetrol Rafinare Petroleo Brasileiro SA Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation Indian Oil Corporation Ltd Thai Oil Public Company Limited Jun Yuan Petroleum Group Beijing Yanshan Jilian Petrochemical Co. Ltd. Jilin Beihua Fine Chemical Co. Ltd. Liaoning Yufeng Chemical Co. Ltd Key developments by the players in this market are: Abu Dhabi Polymers Company Ltd. and Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. signed three different EPC contracts in December 2021. The three EPC lump-sum turnkey contracts are associated with the execution of three packages of the Borouge 4 project called the "polyolefin units package." This package consists of two 700 000 TPA polyethylene units and one hexane unit. With a 5,000-ton yearly capacity, BPCL's Kochi refinery in Kerala, India, began producing food-grade quality hexane (FGQH) in November 2018. The goal of the shift was to meet the needs of domestic consumers and achieve hexane production self-sufficiency. In the same year, the business began producing hexane of polymer quality. Global Hexane Market Segmentation Grade Oil Extraction/Food Grade Pharmaceutical Grade Industrial Grade Application Oil Extraction Industrial Cleaning and Degreasing Polymerization Pharmaceutical Others Region North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa Stay ahead of the Competition - Purchase Your Premium Report for a Decisive Advantage! https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/checkout.php?rep_id=22574